《Ultragene Warlord》


 Chapter 1: White Grubs

    <h4>Chapter 1: White Grubs</h4>


    "1023, no, 1025¡ª!"


    Light shed within the damp cave, and a silvery arc parted the jelly-like flesh of a white grub in half. The flesh evaporated into the air in a white mist.


    The youth picked up the white half-orb that remained, wiped it off on his grubby hemp tunic, popped it straight into his mouth, chewed slightly, then swallowed woodenly.


    [You sessfully killed a white grub, but did not obtain a soulshard. For consuming the flesh of a white grub, you received no basic gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. 10


    Genes: Basic, 20


    Soulshards: None


    Have I consumed too much white-grub flesh??Zhang Lie wondered to himself.


    In truth, it had been three months since Zhang Lie wasst able to obtain gene fragments from white-grub flesh. Considering his current growth, white-grub flesh was nothing more than ordinary food, providing only basic energy and nutrients.


    White grubs were the most basic of bug-type lifeforms. In fact, they were much like what the online games of the past would call ''slimes''. A single grub consisted of a soft core the color and consistency of white jade, surrounded by ayer of jelly-like flesh.


    After three months of relentless ughter, Zhang Lie was so familiar with their body structure that he could kill them with a careless wave of his sword.


    As he nced at the white grubs that filled the entire cave, Zhang Lie let out a huge sigh. "It''s been three months since I reincarnated, but I still haven''t managed a breakthrough with my foundation. And where am I supposed to find the superior-grade white grub that''s rumored to be around here somewhere?"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel a little deted as he inspected the warped de of his sword. It was little more than a piece of scrap metal now. He''d swung it around thousands of times a day, so it was natural that it would warp¡ªbut, more importantly, the sword had been the cheapest one he could afford at the time.


    It was nearing nighttime, and Zhang Lie had no choice but to return to the nearby settlement. The dimensional world was particrly dangerous at night.


    At the start of thest century, the Milky Way had been beset by war and strife. Alien races had forced mankind into more and more hostile locales, but, just as all hope was lost, a series of mysterious portals was discovered within ancient ruins. Humans who passed through these portals would be transported into what would be known as the dimensional world.


    Curiously, no electronics were usable in the dimensional world. Firearms, missiles, and even nuclear weapons simply stopped functioning. Amidst a bevy of lifeforms that had reached the peak of evolution and gic enhancement, mankind became the lowest level on the food chain.


    It was only when a lone hunter fortuitously slew a rtively weak beast that the secret of the dimensional world was revealed: as the will of the world was transmitted into his mind, his body underwent an earth-shattering change.


    Humans quickly realized that, as they gathered more gic fragments, their lifespan would increase. Thus began a new era, one dominated by gic enhancement.


    The cksteel settlement was a small-scale human settlement within the dimensional world, only a ten-minute walk from the white-grub cave. The imposing steel gates were criss-crossed with scars, a reminder of the strife and struggle that had been ovee since the settlement''s founding.


    As Zhang Lie stepped through the gates, he was immediately recognized by one of the teams of hunters resting near it and quickly weed with a bout of mockingughter.


    "Look who''s here, the king of the dumps!"


    "When I first entered the dimensional world, he was already at the bottom of the gene leaderboard¡ªand he''s been there all this time!"


    "If I were him, I wouldn''t be so thick-skinned as to remain here."


    "There''s trash everywhere you go, isn''t there? Maybe he''ll still be at the bottom even when I''m fifty!"


    "Fifty? Even if you lived to two hundred, nothing would change about this fellow''s ranking!"


    A skinny hunter turned to an attractive girl beside him. "Wang Xiaohua, I heard that you were childhood friends with this guy?"


    Wang Xiaohua had lowered her head upon seeing him, her face flushed red with shame. Her teammate''s callous remark instantly caused her to yell out, "Childhood friends? How could someone like me, Wang Xiaohua, ever favor such a trashy fellow?! It was just that my dad pitied them and was generous enough to let them stay in one of our lodgings¡ªnothing to do with me, you hear?"


    Zhang Lie scoffed to himself as he passed by, not saying a word in retaliation. There was no need for him to interact with fools. If a dog were to bite him, was he to bite back? Zhang Lie would probably work himself to death if he actually followed such a policy¡ªafter all, there were too many wild dogs roaming around the dimensional world.


    He raised his head to the electronic screen set up in the middle of the settlement, the so-called "gene leaderboard" that the hunters had been discussing.


    #1: Yun Bing, 12000 strength


    #2: Chu Feng, 11950 strength


    #3: Qin Xiao, 11900 strength


    Hunters were ranked on the gene leaderboard based on the number of gene fragments and soulshards they possessed, which were directly corrted with their attack power.


    At present, Zhang Lie might be the lowest of the low, but an ugly duckling would eventually undergo a metamorphosis. He didn''t care about idle gossip; after all, as a reincarnator, he had a decisive advantage over any other hunter. His gic enhancement n had been perfectly optimized, and he was now only waiting for the chance opportunity that would be his first step to advancement.


    He approached the point-conversion counter situated near the middle of the settlement and ced half the white-grub cores that he had gathered over thest three months within the metal box disyed prominently on it.


    As the lid shut automatically, words appeared on the electronic screen before him. [For donating a thousand basic gene fragments, you received a thousand points.]


    The settlement was constructed of a unique material that restored electronic functionality within the settlement, but fighting was strictly prohibited. Any offenders would be swiftly punished by the robotic guards hosted within the settlement.


    Zhang Lie stored his remaining half of the white-grub cores in the settlement storehouse, an integral part of his future n. "Craft me a C-grade steel de, then convert the remaining points into money."


    [A C-grade steel de will cost 800 points. The remaining points will be converted into 20,000 dors.] As the synthetic voice spoke, the lid of the box slid open once more, revealing a sword and a stack of red dor notes.


    Subsequently, he passed through the teleportation device and returned to the slums of the city of Ning. Technology had advanced to the point that each household would own a teleportation device, just as they would a television. At only a few hundred dors each, they were rtively cheap.


    Zhang Lie walked out to see a girl of wless beauty quietly reading in a wheelchair. She evoked grace and purity with every action, as though she were a flower carefully cultivated by the heavens themselves.


    As she heard the teleportation device activate, she raised her head and smiled beatifically. "Wee home, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie, usually cold and aloof, mirrored her smile. "How''ve you been?"


    "Well, of course."


    He caressed his sister''s pale cheeks, and she nuzzled back like a small kitten.


    Zhang Hanxiang was Zhang Lie''s sister. Ever since their parents had gone missing, she and Zhang Lie had had to survive on their own. Her legs had been paralyzed from birth, but she was otherwise hale.


    "Brother, let me warm you a meal."


    "There''s no need¡ªit''d be inconvenient for you. I''ve already eaten in the dimensional world. Do you remember how long I''ve been gone?"


    Time flowed about ten times faster in the dimensional world.


    "You''ve been gone for ten days, Brother."


    "Where''s Madam Zhao?"


    "She''s long since left. It''s quitete at night, after all."


    Zhang Lie nodded, then handed her a bundle of money. "Here''s 8,000 dors for this month''s living expenses. Please pass it to Madam Zhao on my behalf."


    Because it was inconvenient for his sister to move around, and because Zhang Lie had to hunt in the dimensional world for a living, he needed to find some sort of caretaker for his sister. He had reached out to his neighbor, Madam Zhao, for help: in this case, nothing more than bringing her food on a daily basis.


    "It''ll be your birthday in another six months or so. Is there anything you''d like as a present?"


    "I don''t need anything, Brother, except to remain at your side." She sped her brother''s palms within her own.


    Even though the traces of a smile still hung on Zhang Lie''s face, worry had crept into his eyes.


    His sister would be turning 18 soon. Byw, upon adulthood¡ªupon reaching 18 years of age¡ªshe would have to enter the dimensional world. The dimensional world was filled with strife and death, and it wasn''t something his pure, sheltered sister could get ustomed to, not to mention her inability to walk.


    In his previous life, he hadn''t managed to protect his sister, and had been forced to watch her tragic death. In this life, he swore he wouldn''t repeat the same mistakes.


    Of course, there were ways of bypassing thews. Certain special-ss citizens had the authority to prevent one of their direct rtives from having to hunt in the dimensional world. When he grew into his power, when he had enough authority to shield his sister from any harm that could befall her¡ªonly then could he bear the thought of his sister entering that cruel world.


    At the dawn of thest century, the united world federation began segregating citizens based on the number of gene fragments they possessed. Those who had reached their basic gene capacity were standard citizens, with the benefits afforded to those of their rank; those who had reached their mutated gene capacity were first-ss citizens; and those who had reached their superior gene capacity were special-ss citizens.


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on the books stacked beside his sister''s wheelchair. She was very fond of reading, and intended on bing a researcher or author in the future. Their parents had only been standard citizens; in order for her to attend the best high schools, he would have to be a first-ss citizen.


    He had wasted too much time since his rebirth. When he entered the dimensional world tomorrow, if he remained unable to find the rumored superior-grade white grub within the damp cave, he would have no choice but to give up on his n. Nothing was more important to him than his sister, after all.


    Suddenly, a few knocks sounded from outside. Zhang Lie opened the door and found, to his surprise, Wang Xiaohua. Frowning, he asked, "Why are you here?"


    In disgust, Wang Xiaohua replied, "Do you think I woulde to a ramshackle ce like this of my own volition?"


    His sister pushed her wheelchair to Zhang Lie''s side. "Long time no see, Sister Xiaohua."


    Wang Xiaohua''s gazended on Zhang Hanxiang''s paralyzed legs, making no effort to hide her disdain. Her lips twisted in a mocking smile.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. He didn''t care what others thought of him, but he couldn''t stand their contempt toward his sister. If not for their childhood friendship, Zhang Lie would already have made a move.


    Wang Xiaohua harrumphed coldly. She pushed Zhang Lie aside and strode into the house, announcing scornfully, "What sort of unkempt mess is this? It''s almost as bad as a pigsty! But of course I couldn''t have expected any better from you, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie''s features resolved into calm hostility. "If you''re here only to mock our living conditions, then you''re not wee. Please leave immediately."


    "As I''ve said, would I drag myself here without any reason? I''m here to reim this property."


    Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang both recoiled in shock.


    Wang Xiaohua retrieved a sheaf of papers from her handbag. "I found a rental contract at home¡ªand, guess what? It turns out that your rental period is almost up."


    Zhang Lie took the proffered contract and scanned it, a frown gradually marring his face.


    Wang Xiaohua smirked. "ording to the contract, this property was leased to your family for eighteen years. Now that the eighteen years are up, it''s time for you to vacate these premises."


    1. Wang Xiaohua (ÍõС»¨) is the type of name you''d find for a female character in a grade schooler''s essay, so you can clearly tell that she''s doomed.


    2. Think Nunnally from Code Geass.

 Chapter 2: Housing Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 2: Housing Crisis</h4>


    Zhang Lie did know about the rental contract, but he had been so focused on his personal advancement n that he hadn''t realized Wang Xiaohua woulde for him so quickly.


    Zhang Lie and Wang Xiaohua''s fathers were very close friends, and Zhang Lie''s father had apparently saved Wang Xiaohua''s father''s life before. The two families had always been friendly, and Zhang Lie and Wang Xiaohua had indeed been childhood friends.


    In his past life, they had even been in an ill-fated rtionship¡ªone that ended when Wang Xiaohua had be besotted with the younger cousin of Qin Xiao, a notable fighter near the top of the gene leaderboard, and had run off with him.


    After his rebirth, Zhang Lie had spent all his time cooped up in the damp white-grub cave, and the fledgling rtionship between him and Wang Xiaohua had naturally never developed.


    Life was hard, and living a good life was even harder. It was natural for Wang Xiaohua to want to seek a better life by giving up on Zhang Lie, but he couldn''t tolerate her trying to evict him and his sister and leaving them homeless.


    "And if we were to pay to continue renting this ce?"


    "Ha! In that case, you''d need my permission."


    Behind Zhang Lie, Zhang Hanxiang begged, "Sister Xiaohua, please don''t kick us out. Where would we live?"


    "Oh, the streets? An underground park? I''m sure you''d be able to find a ce."


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath, repressing his instinctive desire to hit her. "Fine, Wang Xiaohua, what do you want?"


    "Leave the cksteel settlement¡ªI never want to see you again! Do you know how revolted I feel every time I look at you? How ashamed I am that I know someone like you?"


    To leave the cksteel settlement would ruin Zhang Lie''s nspletely. His living expenses were obtained by killing lifeforms surrounding the cksteel settlement. If he were to leave, he wouldn''t be able to get any money for rent, and he would never be able to improve his fortunes.


    "If I did so, we wouldn''t have enough money to feed ourselves."


    "Oh? You''re tall and strong, aren''t you? As long as you''re not a cripple like your sister, you''ll be able to get by with manualbor, surely. I''m doing this for your own good. Given how low you are on the gene leaderboard anyway, do you really think you''ll be able to make a name for yourself? Really, take a look in the mirror! I''m saving you, you hear? What if you were to die in the dimensional world? No one would bring your corpse back!"


    "My survival is none of your business."


    "Ah? Why are you being so stubborn? Hanxiang, has he not told you anything? Your brother''s at the very bottom of the gene leaderboard! Won''t you persuade him to face reality? Not everyone''s well equipped to deal with such a cutthroat world, after all." Seeing Zhang Lie''s stubborn stance, Wang Xiaohua switched targets to Zhang Hanxiang.


    Before his sister could reply, however, Zhang Lie stepped in front of her, blocking her from Wang Xiaohua''s view. "Wang Xiaohua, I''m warning you, don''t make matters worse."


    Wang Xiaohua put her hands on her hips. "And so what if I do? Do you want to be evicted?"


    Zhang Hanxiang tugged on the hem of Wang Xiaohua''s blouse. "Sister Xiaohua, please, let us stay here for just a while longer."


    With a nauseated expression on her face, Wang Xiaohua kicked at her wheelchair. "Scram! Don''t touch me, you invalid! Do you think you can afford to pay for my blouse if you damage it? You''re a cripple, your brother''s nothing but trash¡ªboth of you are failures as human beings!"


    A crisp smack reverberated around the room. Blinded by rage, Zhang Lie had pped Wang Xiaohua on the face before consciously realizing what he was doing.


    Wang Xiaohua clutched her swollen face in shock as she screamed, "Zhang Lie! How dare you hit me?!"


    Despite the fact that she had more gene fragments than Zhang Lie, the killing intent in his eyes was such that she didn''t dare to retaliate.


    Zhang Lie sucked in another deep breath, attempting to quell his anger.


    On the other hand, Wang Xiaohua returned to her most practiced fighting style: words. "Zhang Lie, I offered you clemency¡ªI told you that, if you left the cksteel settlement, I''d let you two parasites continue to stay in this ce. It''s not any better than a pigsty, after all, and no one would want it even if I were to give it to them for free¡ªbut after that p, you''re not getting anything out of me."


    "Will you ept an apology?" For his sister, for his future n, Zhang Lie was willing to give up his pride.


    "Ha! It''s far toote! If you want to apologize, then kneel to me in front of the gates of the cksteel settlement."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes turned cold once more. "Do you think I''ll do that?"


    "I have this contract in my hands, and this is my house, after all. You''re both just squatters, and it''s perfectly within reason for me to summon guards to chase both of you out."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You''d be wrong. Look at the contract again: the house doesn''t belong to you just yet."


    "It''s my house!"


    It was Zhang Lie''s turn to scoff. "ording to the contract, we have until the end of the month before you can evict us. There''s still two weeks to go, and even if you''re thendowner, you can''t break the contract."


    Wang Xiaohua scanned the contract again to verify Zhang Lie''s assertions, but she didn''t change her stance. "Is there a difference? It''s only a matter of time before I kick the two of you out."


    "At the very least, we''re legally entitled to this property at the moment. You''re the one trespassing on our property, and I''m the one who can summon the guards to kick you out. Well? Are you going to wait for them to show up, or will you leave on your own?"


    "Zhang Lie, just you wait! I''ll be back at the end of the month!" Knowing that he wouldn''t give in, Wang Xiaohua had no choice but to turn around and leave, pointing a warning finger at him all the while.


    After finally chasing the hateful Wang Xiaohua away, Zhang Lie leaned down and inspected his sister''s wheelchair for any signs of damage. She hugged him tightly, as though only with such an action could she recover a hint of warmth.


    "Brother, what will we do? What if Mom and Dade back and can''t find us? Without this house, where will they stay? Where would we go?" The house was filled with memories of family, with proof that the Zhang siblings'' parents had once existed.


    Upon seeing his sister''s tears, Zhang Lie immediately consoled her, "Don''t worry, I''ll fix everything. If Wang Xiaohua forbids us from renting this ce, I''ll buy it outright from Uncle Wang, with a price he won''t be able to reject."


    "And how much would that cost?"


    "A million? Ten million? It doesn''t matter, it''s just money¡ªI''ll be able to make it all back."


    "But we don''t have time, do we?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his sister''s head. "Don''t worry, Hanxiang. Trust me."


    Zhang Hanxiang lowered her head gently onto her brother''s chest. With him around, it seemed as though she had nothing to fear.


    After calming his sister down, Zhang Lie rested for five hours before returning to the dimensional world. Before setting off once more, he hid arge portion of his remaining money underneath his sister''s bed, in case of emergency.


    As though sensing Zhang Lie''s imminent departure, Zhang Hanxiang opened her eyes. "Brother, are you leaving again?"


    "Sorry for waking you, Hanxiang. I''m leaving the rest of my money here. Use it for emergencies."


    "Won''t you rest a little longer?"


    "There''s no time."


    "Please, be safe. Don''t do anything dangerous just because of me. After all, you''re the only family I have left, Brother." Zhang Hanxiang tugged on her brother''s sleeve, tears glimmering on her pearlescent eyes.


    Zhang Lie lowered his head and kissed his sister on the forehead. "I promise you everything will be alright." He passed through the teleportation device into the dimensional world once more, his reappearance immediately prompting a bout of mockingughter from the crowds in the settlement.


    Zhang Lie ignored them all and headed back to the white-grub cave, continuing to ughter them wholesale.


    In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.


    Zhang Lie had only rested for between two to five hours each day, having spent the remainder of his time ceaselessly killing the white grubs. However, the rumored superior-grade white grub never appeared.?How could this be? Could there have been a mistake in the past?

 Chapter 3: Superior Gene Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 3: Superior Gene Fragments</h4>


    "No, no, that''s impossible. In the past, that rumor had eventually been verified by multiple sources, so there has to be something to it."


    ording to the lucky fellow who had found the superior white grub, it had simply appeared as he was killing regr white grubs. However, Zhang Lie hadn''t even seen a hint of this purported superior-grade lifeform despite having been in the cave for three months straight.


    And not only that¡ªhe was even having trouble with his foundation.


    Extensive research in the past had confirmed that the soft cores of these white grubs were particrly good catalysts for a breakthrough in one''s foundation, and prices for these cores were sure to soar in the future. Indeed, they had been in such high demand that the white grubs in the first realm of the dimensional world had been hunted to extinction, so Zhang Lie made sure to store at least half the cores every time he returned to the settlement.


    But even after having consumed countless such cores, Zhang Lie had yet to experience a breakthrough.


    His annoyance red. The ns that he had worked out for himself rested on two criticalponents: a breakthrough in his foundation, and the soulshard obtained from the superior-grade white grub. Would his work over the past three months be for naught?


    Just because he knew the future didn''t mean that he couldn''t be stymied by unexpected variables, after all.


    Should I revise my ns??Three whole months of effort, down the drain... the moment he thought of Wang Xiaohua''s arrogant expression and his sister''s tears, Zhang Lie''s anger rose to a crescendo, and he pounded on the cave wall beside him.


    Kraak! The sound reverberated around the cave, and small cracks radiated outward from the point of impact. Fresh blood seeped down Zhang Lie''s clenched fist.


    With a long sigh, Zhang Lie made to leave the cave. The incident with Wang Xiaohua meant that he was even more pressed for time than before, and he would have no choice but to change his ns. Even if it would be less advantageous for his future development, his sister was far more important.


    .


    Suddenly, the part of the cave that he had hit began to crumble, revealing a holerge enough to pass through.


    What??This cave had essentially been his second home for three months. He knew the entire region like the back of his hand, and this was an area he''d never seen before.


    "Could it be¡­ well, I''ve already wasted three months, after all, what''s a little more time?"


    With rekindled hope, Zhang Lie scrambled into the newly revealed tunnel. As the tunnel expanded, he found himself in a gigantic area the size of an exhibition hall. An enormous silvery-white grub sat in its center, glowing with white light.


    "I''ve finally found you!"


    Zhang Lie instantly realized that this was the superior-grade lifeform that he had been hunting. In truth, this tunnel had only been discovered in the past as a result of a long string of coincidences. Zhang Lie didn''t know about the specifics of the discovery; all he had heard were rumors, so he''d never been sessful.


    And yet his hard work had eventually paid off.


    The first realm of the dimensional world could generate regr-, mutated-, and superior-grade lifeforms. In other words, superior-grade lifeforms were at the apex of the realm.


    The enormous silvery-white grub in front of him was such an existence: the weakest superior-grade creature, but one whose soulshard was inordinately useful, and who would provide as many superior gene fragments as any other superior-grade lifeform.


    "You''ll be my first step to advancement!" After having ughtered three months'' worth of white grubs, Zhang Lie had developed an intimate understanding of their anatomy. With a precise, efficient stroke, he thrust his de toward its core.


    He had initially expected to be able to kill it with one attack, but even the weakest superior-grade creature was still stronger than he had anticipated. The de could only prate a little of its flesh, no matter how much strength Zhang Lie used.


    His attack naturally enraged the silver grub, whose core suddenly turned blood-red and shot out toward him like a football.


    As a reincarnator, Zhang Lie was easily able to avoid the telegraphed attack.


    White grubs had essentially no offensive capabilities, and even this silver grub wouldn''t have any particrly destructive orplicated attacks. Apart from its size and resilience, it was really no different from a regr white grub. Its attack pattern was more straightforward than that of just about any other lifeform.


    As he dodged to one side, Zhang Lie nicked the silver grub''s flesh with a flurry of slices.


    In pain, the grub recoiled before suddenly expanding its body and bouncing up into the air, intending to squash Zhang Lie into meat paste.


    Unfortunately, Zhang Lie was simply too agile for it, and was able to dodge its attacks with ease. At the same time, he continued whittling away at the grub''s flesh.


    The jelly-like fragments that he sliced off melted as soon as it hit the ground. Every time the grub bounced toward him, Zhang Lie would wave the sword in his hand and slice off another piece of its body.


    It chased him all around the cave, even as Zhang Lie kept dodging and shing. After all, it was a superior-grade lifeform, and despite Zhang Lie''s relentless attacks, it was able to continuously regrow its flesh.


    The fight dragged out into a stalemate.


    Eventually, the efficiency and persistence of Zhang Lie''s swordy, honed by months of fighting these grubs, paid off. The silver grub had shrunk to a third of its original size, and Zhang Lie was certain that he would be able to whittle it down before long.


    Before he could do so, however, Zhang Lie''s stamina was sure to give out. After all, his foundation hadn''t yet broken through, and he had only filled a fifth of his basic gene capacity. With only twenty basic gene fragments, his constitution was simply too poor for a drawn-out fight.


    Skill and technique were meaningless if his body couldn''t keep up, and he was quickly running out of stamina.


    After another ten minutes, Zhang Lie could feel his body at its breaking point. Sweat drenched his body, his muscles quivered, he panted in huge, gasping breaths, and he was only keeping himself upright by willpower alone.


    Would this be it for him? To be killed by the superior-grade creature he had worked so hard to find, before even taking the first step toward sess?


    As the silver grub bounced toward him once more, Zhang Lie yelled out in frustration, stepping aside and forcing his arm to strike again at its flesh, at least once more. As he looked death in the eye, the tip of his sword suddenly radiated light; the moment it struck the grub''s flesh, Zhang Lie felt as though a dam had broken within his body, flooding him with strength.


    Finally, a breakthrough!


    d in shining light, his sword was faster, more flexible, and easily able to prate into the silver grub''s core.


    Upon reflection, perhaps this was something Zhang Lie could have anticipated. Without any fear of death, without pushing himself to his limits, how could he have hoped to advance? He had used his experience and knowledge from his past life to work out the safest route to ascension, but it was exactly this safety that had caused him to stagnate in his foundation.


    Despite his earlier exhaustion, Zhang Lie now felt rxed all over, as though his body had been reforged, refuelled, and revitalized. He immediately reached into his soulspace and retrieved the soulshard of a regr white grub, smashing it to pieces.


    An astounding discovery from his past life was that, within ten seconds of killing a lifeform, destroying a soulshard would increase the chances of a soulshard condensing from the recently deceased lifeform. If the destroyed soulshard belonged to the same species, a soulshard would be guaranteed.


    This phenomenon had been heavily studied, and the conclusion was that, because a soulshard wasposed of spiritual matter, destroying a soulshard would temporarily increase the spirit density in the air. The dead lifeform would then absorb this spiritual matter to condense a soulshard with a probability increasing with the spirit density.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade white grub and obtained its soulshard.]


    Zhang Lie beamed in delight, then hurriedly brought out the silvery-white soulshard from his soulspace. Activating it by will, he transformed the soulshard in his palm into a gigantic water balloon, one the size of a human. It gave off a silver glow, and its center was a soft core.


    [Soulshard designation: weapon-type.]


    Even though the will of the world had ssified it as a weapon-type soulshard, the hunters of the dimensional world instead categorized it as a rare transformation-type soulshard instead.


    A moment''s thought was sufficient to transform the water balloon into a silvery-white translucent overcoat. Its color was rtively appealing, but because Zhang Lie wasn''t yet ustomed to manipting the soulshard, the structure of the coat was lumpy and misshapen.


    After significant effort, Zhang Lie finally transformed it once more into a suit of silver armor. A pale pink pearl was embedded into the breastte, the core of the soulshard. As long as it wasn''t destroyed, the armor would be able to repair and even regenerate itself. The superior-grade white grub soulshard was infinitely flexible, able to be used as standalone armor or in addition to other armor-type soulshards.


    In Zhang Lie¡¯s past life, the hunter who had obtained the superior-grade white grub soulshard had gained such proficiency with it that he ultimately became known as the ''Monarch of a Hundred Transformations''.


    At present, Zhang Lie could only generate at most one or two extra arms, and he would require significant practice to draw out the soulshard¡¯s true utility. There was also one caveat to the transformations: the amorphous material, by nature, was unable to reproduce anything sharp.


    Of course, it was already more than sufficient for most purposes, and it wasn''t as though this w couldn''t be fixed. In the third realm of the dimensional world, there was a curious item known as Pandora''s box. It was a consumable item that could fuse multiple superior- and higher-grade soulshards to enhance them.


    This was the primary reason that Zhang Lie had valued this soulshard so highly. It met the necessary requirements for fusion, so it had limitless growth potential. As long as Zhang Lie was willing to spend an exorbitant amount of resources to do so, it could grow to a disaster-grade, or even a monarch-grade, soulshard.


    More importantly, because of the fact that white grubs were one of the weakest lifeforms in the dimensional world, superior-grade white grubs were the rarest of the rare, and there had only been one recorded appearance in the past.


    As a result, this superior-grade soulshard that Zhang Lie now possessed might well be unique. Three months of effort for such a valuable and customizable soulshard was a bargain. But, even more importantly, this particr soulshard was necessary for the next step in his n.

 Chapter 4: Rage and Humiliation

    <h4>Chapter 4: Rage and Humiliation</h4>


    After having condensed the soulshard of the superior-grade white grub, Zhang Lie then began to consume its inner core. The consistency and taste were surprisingly decent, reminding Zhang Lie of a lychee-vored gummy.


    After consuming thest remnant of its core, the will of the world announced, [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade white grub, you received ten superior gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX


    Genes: Basic, 20; Mutated, 0; Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior, weapon-type)


    Because the silver grub was a superior-grade lifeform, every part of its carcass was valuable. There were cers andrge freezers designated specifically for the meat and bones of such lifeforms in the cksteel settlement, so Zhang Lie stored what he could and headed back.


    Of course, as soon as he entered the settlement, he was again greeted by a chorus of mockingughter.


    "Is the king of the dumps back already?"


    "Is he doing it just because everyone else is? Surely that white grub flesh isn''t worth a hundred points every month. What''s he even trying to do?"


    "If he weren''t addled in the head, he wouldn''t be at the bottom of the leaderboard."


    As usual, Zhang Lie ignored them. Even though it did cost a hundred points per month to use the settlement''s cer, all the white grub cores that he''d stored up would be a veritable fortune once it was discovered that they could catalyze a hunter¡¯s foundational breakthrough. He was even considering whether or not to disseminate that particr piece of information himself.


    After all, now that he had broken through, he had no intention of returning to the white-grub cave to collect more cores. Selling this information and then making a huge profit off the cores that he''d stockpiled sounded like the best strategy.


    However, given his current level of strength and connections, he certainly couldn''t spread the word directly, or it would only invite unnecessary trouble for himself. He would have to consider his approach more carefully.


    After storing the valuable cores in the cer, Zhang Lie then rented the cheapest room he could possibly find in the settlement. Because it was so cheap, it barely had any amenities¡ªit was essentially a prison cell with an attached bathroom.


    Zhang Lie sat cross-legged in bed. Given his recent breakthrough, he was now able to develop a gic framework which would form the basis of his future development, and he had long since prepared a suitable framework for himself.


    The framework had been described in a manual that Zhang Lie had found within some ruins in the third realm of the dimensional world, which he had only acquired at considerable expense, effort, and danger.


    Despite all that, the ironic thing was that it was a framework that the past Zhang Lie simply could not use: its first stage was water-attuned. The past Zhang Lie''s repertoire had been predominantly fire-attuned, and the water-attuned framework would be in direct elemental opposition with his favored techniques.


    He had even seriously considered destroying his foundation and starting from scratch, and it was only when he found out that even that might be insufficient for him to learn the technique that he gave up trying.


    Not having encountered this framework earlier had been a lifelong regret for Zhang Lie. By a stroke of fortune, however, he was now able to learn it after his reincarnation.


    Despite the fact that it wasn''t a high-ranking framework, it was invaluable because of its ability to evolve.


    The first level of the framework was equivalent to a mortal-rank framework, which were somon in the dimensional world that just about any hunter could afford it. But upon reaching the second level, the framework would be low-rank; upon the third level, medium-rank; and so on and so forth...


    Upon reaching the ninth and final level of the framework, all nine levels could theoretically consolidate into a framework beyond even god-rank, representing a metamorphosis from the carp motif of the first level to the dragon motif of the ninth, hence its name: [Ninecarp Transformation].


    Of course, the requirements for advancement in this framework would only grow more and more stringent.


    Regardless, the value of an evolving framework was immeasurable, and Zhang Lie immediately began to study the framework following the manual that had been ingrained in his memories after his past life''s relentless study.


    The main purpose of the original foundational framework was to umte gic energy within one''s body. After Zhang Lie''s breakthrough, that energy had be more refined and concentrated.


    Presently, Zhang Lie was circting that energy through his body following the pathways required by the new gic framework, cleansing his body as the energy became imprinted on and attuned to it. After a few cycles, a sea-blue gic core began condensing where his?dantian?was located.


    This core was about the size of a rosary bead, sorge that Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. Most hunters started out with a gic core the size of a green bean. Naturally, Zhang Lie''s exceptionallyrge core was, naturally, due to the breakthrough in his foundation. The initial size of hunters'' cores greatly influenced their strength and resonance with gic energy, so this was a clear benefit.


    Learning a new technique required engraving it on one''s gic core. Because the first level of [Ninecarp Transformation] corresponded to a framework of the lowest possible rank, mortal-rank, it could only amodate five techniques.


    Luckily, its water attunement was extremelypatible with Zhang Lie''s superior-grade white grub soulshard, and would be able to enhance its effects up to fivefold.


    The first level of the [Ninecarp Transformation]¡ªthe carp¡ªconferred two fundamental abilities.


    The first, aquatic assimtion, would allow for underwater breathing and enhanced aquatic mobility. Most water-attuned frameworks would provide such a benefit, but some to a greater extent than others. The second, me retardant, granted partial immunity against¡ªand eventually absorption of¡ªfire-based attacks.


    As a reincarnator, Zhang Lie was extremely familiar with the process of engraving a framework and its associated techniques on his gic core, and it was only a matter of moments before a pale pink carp appeared within it.


    With the first level of the [Ninecarp Transformation] handled, the next step would be to assimtepatible techniques into his framework. A water-attuned framework naturally required water-attuned techniques.


    Because Zhang Lie had used fire-attuned techniques in the past, his techniques would be ipatible with his current framework¡ªbut that didn''t mean that they would go to waste.


    An electronic trading post had been set up within the settlement by which hunters could exchange techniques for points or for other techniques. In general, the first option was disfavored; most people would only ept an equitable exchange of techniques.


    And even the cheap room that he had rented had an Inte connection.


    In the past, Zhang Lie''s techniques had consisted of [The Burning Pyres], [Soulfire de], [Scorching Fist], [meburst Step], and the two high-grade techniques that he had obtained within the third realm, [Embersteel Cuirass] and [Baptism of Hellfire].


    All in all, they represented a full suite of techniques for attack, defense, evasion, and movement. He had no qualms about trading the first four away, but thest two would require more thought. [Embersteel Cuirass] was the signature technique of a famous dojo, and it would cause unnecessary trouble for him if he were to put it up for trade now.


    On the other hand, [Baptism of Hellfire] was the technique that Zhang Lie most favored, as well as his most valuable. Because thest few levels of the [Ninecarp Transformation] would likely be fire-attuned, Zhang Lie didn''t want to trade this technique away unless he had no other choice.


    As he browsed the trading post, Zhang Lie paid particr attention to those requests for a fire-attuned technique in exchange for a water-attuned one.


    [Calm Waters] was one such technique, a defensive-type technique that its owner wanted to swap for a fire-type sword technique. Zhang Lie quickly uploaded a copy of his [Soulfire de], which was scanned and verified by the system and subsequently epted in trade.


    Though he continued looking for suitable techniques, his search was fruitless. Instead, Zhang Lie left a request on the trading post with his three fire-attuned techniques enclosed.


    All that he needed to do now was wait. Even though the room he had rented wasn''t particrlyrge, there was sufficient space for him to assimte his newly acquired [Calm Waters].


    It was a rather difficult technique to practice, and required incorporating the flexible and supple nature of water into one''s movements. Given his past experience, however, Zhang Lie was able to familiarize himself with the technique in just half a day or so.


    With his new framework and techniques, Zhang Lie intended to leave the settlement and hunt down some lifeforms to quickly bring his gene fragments to their maximum capacity. However, the moment he left the settlement, he encountered a nuisance.


    "Zhang Lie! I''ve been waiting out here for you!" The person whom Zhang Lie encountered by the gates was none other than his childhood friend Wang Xiaohua, jumping up and down in impatience.


    "...are you in such a hurry that you can''t wait until the end of the month?"


    Wang Xiaohua red evilly at Zhang Lie. "The house is one matter, but your pping me is another entirely. Don''t think I''ll forgive you so easily¡ªunless you kneel down here and beg for my forgiveness, I won''t let you leave!"


    Themotion was already gathering a crowd of hunters eager to watch the altercation.


    Zhang Lie shouted back, "Scram! I don''t have time to y games with you."


    "Do you think you scare me? You''re at the bottom of the gene leaderboard! I have twenty mutated gene fragments now, and I''ll be able to beat you with just my little finger!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes, unable to deal with Wang Xiaohua''s nonsense any longer. He pped her face again, leaving her to stagger aside in mute surprise as he turned to leave.


    So what if she had twenty mutated gene fragments? ?Zhang Lie had ten superior gene fragments¡ªeven if no one in the crowd knew it.


    His actions shocked the hunters who had gathered around to watch the show.


    "Gods above, he really dared to fight back, huh?"


    "Wang Xiaohua''s going to kill him!"


    When Wang Xiaohua recovered from the shock, she snarled and pounced on him like a vicious bulldog. "Zhang Lie! How dare you hit me again?! I''ll rip your face to pieces!"


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked into a smile. How convenient that Wang Xiaohua wasing at him now! He hadn''t had a chance to test out [Calm Waters] on an actual foe yet.


    As Wang Xiaohua approached, his hands bore the brunt of the impact, absorbing, redirecting, and multiplying the force of her approach.


    Thud! Zhang Lie flipped Wang Xiaohua''s body over his head, and shended head over heels on the ground. He wiped his hands off, turned to look at Wang Xiaohua''s fallen form, then walked off whistling a jaunty tune.


    This time, it took Wang Xiaohua far longer toe to her senses. Somewhat woodenly, she dragged herself up from the ground. Her mouth filled with mud, she simply couldn''t believe that the useless hunter that she had been mocking day in and day out actually possessed a strength that eclipsed her own.

 Chapter 5: Galewolf Soulshard

    <h4>Chapter 5: Galewolf Soulshard</h4>


    Why? How could Zhang Lie be so much stronger than she was? It was true that she didn''t have any actualbat experience, and that she mostly leeched off her teammates, but she should have had many more gene fragments than he did, surely? And those gene fragments were directly corrted with her constitution, with how much gic energy she had!


    How could he have flipped her head over heels with just a single blow?


    Just how many gene fragments did Zhang Lie possess?


    In truth, Zhang Lie still had no mutated gene fragments, but his ten superior gene fragments represented a strength roughly equal to that of a hundred mutated gene fragments. With his extensivebat experience on top, Wang Xiaohua never stood a chance. No one would be able to beat Zhang Lie in terms of constitution if they didn''t have superior gene fragments themselves.


    It wasn''t just Wang Xiaohua who was stupefied by the oue of the fight, but all the onlookers as well.


    "When did the king of the dumps be so strong?"


    "Well, are you sure he''s the one who became strong? Maybe it''s Wang Xiaohua who''s always been this weak!"


    "If I were her, I''d go crawl into a hole and die. Honestly, how could she lose to someone like him with a single blow?"


    No one believed that Zhang Lie, who had resisted any attempt to be dislodged from his position at the bottom of the gene leaderboard, could have suddenly grown so strong. The natural conclusion could only have been that Wang Xiaohua was unexpectedly weak.


    Of course, there were bystanders who noticed something amiss.


    "Are they all fools? Wang Xiaohua has twenty mutated gene fragments, so how weak could she really be? No: the conclusion must be that Zhang Lie''s far stronger than he''s letting on!"


    Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaohua yowled as though she were a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "That''s nonsense! How could trash like him be strong? I was just careless! If I had prepared in advance, I would have pummeled him into the ground!"


    The remaining onlookers quickly backed off upon seeing Wang Xiaohua''s somewhat crazed expression. She twisted her head and nced toward the direction in which Zhang Lie had vanished, her eyes narrowing into thin slits. "Zhang Lie, just you wait. I''m not done with you yet!"


    Not far outside the settlement, Zhang Lie ducked behind a tree, activated his white-grub soulshard, and encased himself in translucent white armor. His target for today would be a galewolf, a wolf-type lifeform that lived in the Valley of Winds.


    Zhang Lie had long since mapped out the dimensional world, and he headed straight for the valley without needing to check his map.


    In terms of outer appearance, galewolves were quite simr to regr gray wolves, though they were significantlyrger. With all four limbs on the ground, their backs would be at eye level. Despite their intimidating size, however, they were just regr lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie didn''t need any preparation to handle such prey; the moment he found a pack of galewolves, he rushed straight at them.


    The other hunters in the valley all thought that Zhang Lie was going crazy. Usually, to hunt a pack of galewolves, most people would lure them into a narrow pass and kill them one at a time there.


    Zhang Lie could only be so daring because of the white-grub soulshard and the superior gene fragments he had obtained. At this stage, he didn''t have to fear most regr lifeforms at all.


    Despite the wolves'' desperate attempt to bite and scratch him, they weren''t able to w away his armor. On the other hand, Zhang Lie was able to wave his sword with abandon, beheading a galewolf with every strike. His immacte footwork and lethal technique made fighting the pack of galewolves seem like child''s y.


    In a matter of moments, carcasses were strewn all around him.


    A team of hunters, who had witnessed the sight from afar, could only stare at him in shock.


    Of course, such a massacre would have produced regr soulshards, but Zhang Lie only clucked his tongue as he picked one up.


    Given his recent acquisition of a superior-grade soulshard, these regr-grade soulshards seemed useless inparison. Only a mutated-grade soulshard, at the very least, could capture his attention.


    He raced through the valley, killing every pack of galewolves he came across. After hundreds of kills, he finally heard a deep howl from the distance. As Zhang Lie looked toward the source of the noise, he saw a truck-sized galewolf emerging from afar.


    "A mutated-grade lifeform! Haha, it finally appeared!"


    Licking his lips, Zhang Lie rushed forward fearlessly.


    The regr galewolves quickly moved out of the way of the impending confrontation.


    ng! Zhang Lie''s sword struck the wolf''s ws.


    With a howl, the mutated-grade galewolf repeatedly swiped at Zhang Lie, but he didn''t even flinch. The protection of the white-grub armor was such that he only had to focus on attacking, and attack he did, his sword gleaming as he thrust it toward the wolf''s underside.


    In a matter of moments, the two of them exchanged hundreds of blows, but the mutated galewolf''s ws found no purchase on Zhang Lie''s armor. However, Zhang Lie''s sword also couldn''t prate the wolf''s denseyer of fur and muscle, and the resistance even caused the de to snap in half.


    "You bastard¡ªthat sword cost me 800 points!"


    Zhang Lie had overlooked the fact that he was still using the cheapest de he could afford; it was sharp and strong enough against regr lifeforms, but for a mutated-grade galewolf...


    The galewolf almost seemed to cackle as it opened its jaws wide, intending to finish Zhang Lie off with one bite.


    "Just because I''m weaponless doesn''t mean I can''t kill you, you know."


    As the galewolf bit down, Zhang Lie''s amorphous armor suddenly flowed into the wolf''s mouth and began to balloon. In a matter of moments, the galewolf''s eyes bulged as its throat swelled.


    Pop! After a diforting stasis, the galewolf''s throat finally exploded, separating its head from its body and showering Zhang Lie in blood.


    As Zhang Lie crushed the soulshard of a regr galewolf, the will of the world spoke into his mind. [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade galewolf and received its soulshard. Soulshard designation: augmentation-type.]


    A mutated galewolf''s soulshard was particrly useful in the dimensional world. As an augmentation-type soulshard, it was able to increase one''s speed without inducing any additional energy consumption. Upon its activation, he would be able to move as fast as lightning for a short period of time.


    Zhang Lie had gone to the Valley of Winds to hunt for both gene fragments and this particr soulshard. He hadn''t expected that he would be so lucky as to encounter a mutated-grade galewolf so quickly, however.


    After its death, the surrounding galewolves all cowered and fled, leaving the carcasses of their mutated- and countless regr-graderades behind.


    Zhang Lie took out a gigantic pot and a variety of spices and seasoning, then began butchering the carcasses, stripping away their fur and bones. He threw the meat into the pot, added the spices, and poured in a generous quantity of white wine. After letting it stew for three hours, the wolf-meat broth was ready to be consumed.


    [For consuming the meat of a galewolf, you received 1 basic gene fragment.]


    [For consuming the meat of a mutated-grade galewolf, you received 1 mutated gene fragment.]


    ...


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, First Form: Carp


    Genes: Basic, 40; Mutated, 10; Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior); Galewolf (mutated)


    The mutated galewolf had provided him with ten mutated gene fragments. Although there was still arge quantity of galewolf meat left, hunters could only ever get twenty gene fragments of each type from any particr species, so Zhang Lie packed up the rest of the meat and got ready to leave.


    He also brought the backbone of the mutated-grade galewolf back with him. Bones from mutated-grade lifeforms made for good crafting materials for weapons, and Zhang Lie was in need of a new one.


    When the hunters saw Zhang Lie returning so soon with a huge sack of items, they all began to gossip.


    "Oh? The king of the dumps is returning with a big haul, I wonder what it is?"


    "White grubs, of course."


    The other hunters couldn''t help but snicker. "Is he still hunting those stupid grubs?"


    "Really, how long is he going to keep doing that? He seemed to have be a little stronger judging by the results of that fight, but he''s still repeatedly doing the same things!"


    "I heard Wang Xiaohua''s going to face him with her whole team next time."


    "Well, he asked for it."


    "Isn''t Wang Xiaohua pretty trashy, though? Does she need her whole team to beat a weakling like him?"


    As usual, Zhang Lie ignored the crowd. He ced the sack of galewolf meat on the point-conversion counter and found that it was worth 500 points. He couldn''t help but sigh in anticipation: his hardest days were over.


    He had previously amassed 1000 points only with three grueling months of work, but now¡ªjust one day hadted him 500 points.


    With all his preparations in order, it was time for the next step.


    1. These hunters really have nothing better to do, do they?

 Chapter 6: Advancement Plan

    <h4>Chapter 6: Advancement n</h4>


    Zhang Lie was surprised that he had already received an offer for the three fire-attuned techniques that he had uploaded onto the trading post.


    After finding a cheap inn in which he could ess the Inte, Zhang Lie hissed through his teeth at the terrible offer he had received. The other party had offered to trade one water-attuned technique for all three of his! Was he crazy?


    "Don''t you understand the rules of the trading post? I''ll take three water-attuned techniques for my three fire-attuned ones, no more and no less!"


    The other party was apparently also online, because he received a response quickly. "Your three techniques are too inferior! The technique I''m offering you is worth all three of yours."


    "Ha! Who''d believe you?"


    "Water-attuned techniques aren''t all that rare, but trying to obtain three at once is a tall order."


    "You''re only offering one technique because you don''t have three, aren''t you?"


    "Well, you''re half-right. I only have two water-attuned techniques on hand, but one of my techniques is worth three of yours."


    "Show me why."


    The other party sent over a holographic recording of a palm-based technique, [Three-Wave Crescendo].


    Each palm strike was akin to a wave, and each would be stronger than thest. Such a technique, simple and destructive in execution, was likely one of the best high-grade techniques that could be obtained in the first realm.


    "It''s quite good, but not enough to be exchanged for three of my own."


    After all, it wasn''t even a legendary-grade technique. On the other hand, both [Soulfire de] and [The Burning Pyres] were high-grade techniques, so Zhang Lie would be reluctant to trade one for two, let alone one for three.


    "And the second technique?"


    The other party sent another holographic recording over. This time, it was a movement technique: [Rippling Walk].


    It wasn''t a particrly advanced technique, but agility-enhancing movement techniques were generally thought to be more important in the dimensional world than either attack and defense techniques. After all, hunters only had one life; they had to be prepared to flee at any moment.


    "I''ll trade you my three techniques for both of yours, as well as 50 grams of S-gold alloy."


    "Weren''t we going to do a one-for-three trade?"


    "I''d be crazy to trade all three of my techniques for one of yours! Neither of your techniques are legendary-grade. Your first technique is worth one of mine, your second isparable to my [meburst Step], and you''ll have to give me 50 grams of S-gold alloy for my [Scorching Fist]."


    Being too polite on the trading post would make the other party treat him like a doormat.


    "Nonsense! At the very least, [Three-Wave Crescendo] is worth two of your techniques¡ªit''ll even be able to damage superior-grade lifeforms with all three blows! And [Rippling Walk]sts longer than your [meburst Step]."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Don''t treat me like a newbie. I''ve seen countless hunters like you preying on the clueless. It''s true that your [Three-Wave Crescendo] can boast significant power, but it also requires hitting the same area with all three strikes. This is a clear w with the technique."


    His past life''s experience made it trivial to identify the strengths and weaknesses of any given technique. He continued, "As a water-attuned technique, [Rippling Walk] is longersting by nature, whereas [meburst Step] provides a more instant, explosive advantage. Their strengths are in different areas, and their value is equivalent."


    "Damn, what''s someone like you doing pretending to be a newbie? You find this sort of thing funny?"


    The other party was clearly quite shocked by Zhang Lie''s reasoned rebuttal; after all, this was his first post on the trading post, and he had intended on scamming him¡ªonly to find that he wasn''t an easy mark.


    "Actually, yes."


    "Shameless bastard!"


    "Well, are you going to trade? Two techniques and 50 grams of S-gold alloy."


    "Of course I will, but 50 grams is too much. 10 grams at most."


    "30 grams is the lowest I''ll go."


    "...fine."


    After sessfullypleting the trade, Zhang Lie left his room and rented a training chamber for a day with 50 points, in which he began to practice [Three-Wave Crescendo].


    This was a water-attuned technique that took the nature of water in apletely different directionpared to [Calm Waters]. The crux to [Three-Wave Crescendo] was the multiplicative effect of each strike. Instead of treating all three strikes as one attack, it would be more appropriate to practice each strike separately before trying tobine them into one.


    At first, his actions weren''t particrly quick. There was a significant dy between each palm strike, but the more Zhang Lie practiced, the less the dy. In the end, Zhang Lie produced what seemed like a casual palm strike.


    Pa! Pa! Pa! It seemed as though that one strike had three separate afterimages. But, in truth, Zhang Lie had struck thrice in that one moment.


    It had taken Zhang Lie half a day of concerted effort to obtain a rudimentary grasp of [Three-Wave Crescendo]. Subsequently, he chose to rest rather than to study [Rippling Walk].


    It would take some time for his brain and body to adjust to engraving a technique on his gic core, and taking appropriate breaks would be more beneficial for his overall growth. Resting was an integral part of training, after all.


    After his break, Zhang Lie continued browsing the trading post.


    Techniques were knowledge-based and could be uploaded directly to the trading post, but physical items like the S-gold alloy would need to be manually retrieved. Transactions involving parties from different settlements would require the use of teleportation devices, which incurred a small handling fee.


    Zhang Lie headed to the branch of the trading post in the cksteel settlement, where he inputted his transaction ID and password for robotic retrieval of the S-gold alloy, a grayish-ck substance about the size of his thumb.


    Despite its unassuming appearance, the alloy actuallymanded a jaw-dropping price, and even then was quickly snapped up by interested buyers. It was a particrly rare and valuable crafting material for weapons, affording significant prating power even for superior-grade lifeforms.


    With his newly acquired S-gold alloy and the mutated-grade galewolf''s backbone in hand, Zhang Lie headed for the settlement''s forging apparatus. To be precise, this "forging apparatus" was a robot enhanced with artificial intelligence.


    He handed over the mutated-grade galewolf''s backbone and designated the S-gold alloy as a supplementary material, and was told that the forging process would cost 300 points and take a few hours.


    After transferring the requisite points, Zhang Lie returned to the training chamber and began studying [Rippling Walk]. [Rippling Walk] was a little unique in that it required certain environmental effects to be used. Luckily, the chamber he had rented provided ess to different terrain¡ªgiven a modest expenditure of points, of course.


    After transforming the floorboards of the training chamber intopping waves, Zhang Lie began to practice his [Rippling Walk], working specifically on his speed and control. In three short hours, he quickly grew as ustomed to the water as a surfer.


    He left the training chamber and headed back to the forging apparatus to retrieve his new weapon. The sword shone silver. Given the use of a galewolf''s backbone as the primary crafting ingredient, its pommel and hilt had been fashioned with a moon motif. The de was bnced, light, and aesthetically pleasing.


    Zhang Lie was very satisfied with the sword. As he gingerly touched its edge to determine its keenness, he murmured, "I suppose I''ll name you Galewind."


    Compared to the previous shabby de that Zhang Lie had been using, Galewind was far better. If the other de had abined stat value of 5, then Galewind would have abined stat value of at least 50.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t wait to test out his new de.


    Now that he was well-equipped, he would be able to move on to the next stage in his advancement n: picking herbs.


    As he strode out of the settlement, however, Zhang Lie again found himself beset by Wang Xiaohua.


    "Zhang Lie, you coward! You''re finally back out again!" Wang Xiaohua, surrounded by her four teammates, tapped her foot impatiently, her mouth curled into an expression of distaste.

 Chapter 7: Harvesting Herbs

    <h4>Chapter 7: Harvesting Herbs</h4>


    "Wang Xiaohua, what''s wrong with you? Haven''t you learned your lesson after what happened yesterday? And you''ve brought your teammates with you this time, I see."


    "Zhang Lie, you''ve been getting quite cockytely, haven''t you? How dare you attack one of our teammates?"


    "To think that even a weakling like you would dare to bully our Xiaohua!"


    "If we weren''t here to protect her, wouldn''t you keep attacking her again and again?"


    Wang Xiaohua''s teammates began taunting him, but Zhang Lie was indifferent to the verbal assault. "Perhaps you should all stop her from harassing others instead, no?"


    "Eh, you dare talk back to us? Xiaohua was giving you face by waiting for you so patiently outside the settlement gates, but you disregarded that and even beat her up! Don''t you think you shouldpensate her for her troubles?"


    Wang Xiaohua was Qin Xiaotian''s girlfriend, and Qiu Changming, the leader of her team, would naturally defer to her demands to get into Qin Xiaotian''s good books.


    "I heard you''ve killed arge number of white grubs recently, haven''t you? You must have quite a few of their cores stored up, then. Hand all those points over, and I''ll show you mercy and let you leave."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Are you hunters or bandits?"


    "So what if we want to rob you? We''re showing interest in you, you understand? You should be kneeling on the ground and thanking us for our attention!"


    Qiu Changming''s arrogance quickly attracted a crowd of onlookers.


    "Haha, the king of the dumps is dead for sure this time. Remember how he dared to fight back against Wang Xiaohua yesterday? All hunters work in teams, except for useless trash like him that no one wants¡ªand after he attacked Wang Xiaohua, of course she would retaliate with her entire team."


    "All her teammates have their mutated gene capacity maxed out, don''t they? They''re ranked in the hundreds on the gene leaderboard, so surely Zhang Lie''s dead meat now."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "Scram."


    "Oho? You''re really asking for a beating, aren''t you?!"


    Qiu Changming rubbed his thumb and index finger together, as though Zhang Lie was an ant that he could crush effortlessly. However, just as he spoke, Zhang Lie made his move. Given the power disparity between him and Qiu Changming, no one had expected him to do so.


    Pa! Pa! Pa! [Three-Wave Crescendo]!


    Three palm strikesnded on Qiu Changming''s chest, as fast as lightning, he force so great that it flung his body into the air.


    "Captain!" Wang Xiaohua''s other teammates snarled as they surrounded Zhang Lie.


    However, Zhang Lie was already getting ready to leave. He bent his knees slightly, and gic energy coalesced into waves beneath his feet¡ª[Rippling Walk].


    With the additional speed from his mutated-grade galewolf soulshard, in the blink of an eye, his silhouette became nothing more than a tiny dot in the distance. No one would be able to catch him given his current speed.


    Wang Xiaohua clutched her hair and screamed. "Zhang Lie! Are you going to run off like a coward? Turn around and face me like a man!"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t an idiot; why would he waste his time with these fools? In the end, he vanished from sight.


    But was Zhang Lie afraid of them? Of course not. Given the gene fragments he currently had, along with hisbat experience, it would have been a piece of cake for him to take them all down. However, he had no intention of revealing his true strength just yet.


    His earlier attack had more or less demonstrated some level ofpetency, but it wasn''t anything too shocking. The next stages of his n required secrecy, so he didn''t want to attract attention. It made sense for him to hide his strength.


    d in translucent white armor, Zhang Lie rushed toward his first herb-collecting locale.


    Herbs were the basic ingredient for spiritual pills and potions. In the wide expanse of the dimensional world grew not only all sorts of strange lifeforms, but also a multitude of nts with unique capabilities. These nts were native to the dimensional world, and their flowers, fruits, and stems all possessed near-miraculous properties.


    It had been just about a century since the dimensional world was discovered, and although mankind''s understanding of this mysterious region was improving day by day, dimensional herblore was still in its infancy.


    It would be at least a decade before the rise of the first pillmasters. The development of strength- and vitality-enhancing potions would take another decade, not to mention the invaluable limit-breaking potions.


    Past the first realm of the dimensional world was the second realm, the third realm... in order to improve their chances of survival in ever more dangerous environments, hunters would have to be very familiar with concocting pills and potions.


    As a reincarnator, Zhang Lie''s most valuable assets were potion recipes. In order to produce these potions, he would need to collect all manner of herbs and other ingredients. The first location to which Zhang Lie was headed was the Bloodcrystal Valley.


    The valley was home to an enormous colony of blood ants, a type of mutated-grade lifeform. Blood-ant soulshards would enrage their users, enhancing all their physical capabilities for a short period of time.


    Zhang Lie needed to obtain a superior-grade blood-ant soulshard, because it was one of the rare few means by which he could damage disaster-grade lifeforms. His eventual goal in the first realm of the dimensional world was to hunt down a disaster-grade lifeform that had somehow made its way down to the first realm in the future, having been weakened greatly in the process.


    Of course, given his current skill level, Zhang Lie had no intention of challenging any superior-grade lifeforms, let alone disaster-grade lifeforms. With only ten superior gene fragments, challenging a superior-grade lifeform at this stage was akin tomiting suicide.


    The superior-grade white grub that he had risked his life to kill was an abnormally weak existence for superior-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie would certainly be unable to defeat stronger ones at the moment.


    Superior-grade blood ants tended to hide deep within the valley, and Zhang Lie would avoid them if at all possible.


    His primary goal for entering the valley was to collect herbs. Of course, if everything were to go smoothly, he''d also collect a number of gene fragments, and ideally also the soulshard of a mutated blood ant.


    The Bloodcrystal Valley wasposed of a number of hill-like structures formed by gigantic red crystals, hence its name. Caves of all sizes were distributed around each hill. By the roof of each cave were a number of red, root-like protrusions, the precise herbs that Zhang Lie was here to collect.


    Known as blood whiskers, they looked more like red icicles than nts. In truth, they were a highly potent herb, as well as one of the main ingredients for Zhang Lie''s Potion #1.


    To date, there were two reasons this herb''s properties had yet to be discovered, which were the two problems that Zhang Lie would have to resolve.


    First, those cave entrances led into the blood ants'' anthills, and he would be attacked as soon as he got close to them. Second, blood ants were highly territorial and pack-based lifeforms, and an individual blood ant could quickly summon the entire colony to its aid.


    Individually, these blood ants were about the size of small dogs, but they had a surprising ability to jump. Their pincers were stronger than steel.


    In a prolonged battle, they could even enrage themselves with a specialized gic technique: [Bloodbath]. It would temporarily inhibit their sense of pain and cause them to swarm any nearby attackers, not stopping until one or the other party was dead. It was this characteristic behavior that gave them the name of ''blood ant''.


    For dealing with such pesky lifeforms, hunters would try to lure one or two isted ants out from near the boundary of the hill; none would dare to enter. Most hunters would simply avoid the region entirely.


    If Zhang Lie were to attack by force, he would receive nothing more than a quick death, but of course he had a n. Rather than entering the valley directly, he climbed up a tall hill neighboring the valley.


    From the top of the hill, Zhang Lie suddenly spread his arms wide, morphed his suit of armor into a glider, activated his galewolf soulshard, then jumped down. Wind swirled around him, boosting the speed of his descent.


    With Zhang Lie''s innate sense of proprioception, as well as the skeins of amorphous matter he could shoot out from his hand to control and orient his descent , Zhang Lie glided toward arge crystal hill, as agile as a bird.


    And as he descended, he reached out into the caves and tore out quite a few blood whiskers. Of course, as he did so, he was subject to a number of scattered attacks, all of which were blocked by his armor.


    Without activating [Bloodbath], it would be very difficult for blood ants to prate his armor. But after their failed attacks, they immediately began to chitter away, sending the whole valley abuzz. A veritable sea of ants began pouring out of each cave in a red flood.


    Luckily, Zhang Lie had anticipated such a situation, and he began dashing out of the valley the moment he touched down. Blood ants were highly territorial, and the horde of ants chasing after him immediately retreated outside the valley itself.


    Of course, the few blood ants that had managed tond on Zhang Lie during his descent failed to make it back, having died at his hand. Unfortunately, none of his kills generated a soulshard.


    As he stored the blood whiskers he had grabbed, Zhang Lie again climbed up the neighboring hill. That he had managed to collect almost thirty stalks of the herb demonstrated the viability of his technique.


    However, the cohesion of the blood ants rather surprised him: he had only expected ants to emerge from a single anthill, not the entire valley.


    Given these unexpected circumstances, Zhang Lie didn''t dare to repeat his maneuver immediately. Instead, he closely scrutinized the behavior of the blood ants.


    After expelling the intruder, they had quickly returned to their individual anthills. And by the time half an hour or so had passed, the entire valley was as peaceful as it had initially been.


    Zhang Lie stood up, stretched, and prepared for his second descent. His first time through, his harvesting technique left much to be desired. This time around, given his past experience, he would surely be able to collect more blood whiskers.


    1. A very imaginative name...


    2. Hello, Peter Parker.

 Chapter 8: Bountiful Harvest

    <h4>Chapter 8: Bountiful Harvest</h4>


    Amidst the howling winds, Zhang Lie again leapt down from the hill. This time, by the time Zhang Lie escaped from the valley, he had over a hundred stalks of blood whiskers in his backpack.


    Zhang Lie had spent a significant amount of time preparing for this collection attempt, so he would obviously grab everything he could.


    Because the properties of the blood whiskers had yet to be discovered, and because no one had figured out how to efficiently harvest them, there had to be over ten thousand stalks in this valley alone.


    Given Zhang Lie''s current harvesting rate, even if he collected a hundred stalks each time, it would take over a hundred glides for him to collect them all. Zhang Lie gave himself a week to do all this.


    It seemed as though the backpack he was using wouldn''t be sufficient anymore. Once he returned to the settlement, he would have to take a short detour to the nearby swamnds to hunt some potbellied toads for their soulshards.


    These blood whiskers were a necessary ingredient for Zhang Lie, so he had even devised a series of backup ns if his original harvesting method had failed.


    Unfortunately, there would always be variables he couldn''t ount for. On his tenth descent, a vibrating chitter reverberated through the valley.


    The next moment, a blood-red shadow rushed out from its depths. Its body was asrge as a carriage, its pincers the size of polearms, its transparent wings criss-crossed with bloody streaks of red, and its huge eyes colored a deep crimson.


    "A superior-grade blood ant!"


    Zhang Lie''s face turned pale. He activated his galewolf soulshard immediately, then rushed toward the valley exit. He was fast, but the superior-grade blood ant''s attack was even faster!


    A blood-red arrow shot toward Zhang Lie, so quickly he couldn''t react in time! The moment the arrow had shot out, Zhang Lie had had a premonition of danger and had tried to shift to dodge the blow. However, by the time his body began to move, the arrow had already exploded upon impact with his left shoulder, careening him into the distance.


    Luckily, Zhang Lie was able to adapt to the shock almost immediately. With both [Rippling Walk] and his galewolf soulshard activated, he twisted in mid-air and used the momentum of the explosion tounch himself toward the valley''s exit.


    "Ka, kaka!"


    The superior-grade blood ant nced around the valley. When it discovered that its target had vanished, it clicked its mandibles a few times, emanated a deep, vibrating chitter, and then retreated back into the depths of the valley.


    Deep within a nearby forest, Zhang Lie let out a sigh of relief after hearing the deep chitter. That was far too dangerous¡ªhe''d only been collecting a few blood whiskers, but somehow a superior-grade blood ant had appeared!


    And it even attacked Zhang Lie immediately.


    He nced at the crystallizing wound on his left shoulder, chuckling bitterly to himself. How hostile, to have shot a blood arrow at him right after its appearance! If not for his white-grub armor, he''d have been dead by now.


    Zhang Lie began to circte his gic energy to prevent the spread of the blood ant''s peculiar strain of gic energy.


    The blood arrow that the superior-grade blood ant had shot at him was a long-ranged attack that would gradually cause the blood in the affected region¡ªand then his whole body, if untreated¡ªto crystallize, turning him into a sculpture of blood.


    It took him a whole hour to localize the blood ant''s gic energy and stop the spread of the crystallization. If not for his armor and the boost to his constitution from his ten superior gene fragments, he would surely have died then and there.


    The appearance of the superior-grade blood ant marked an end to Zhang Lie''s harvest.


    Instead of retreating back into its anthill as Zhang Lie had expected, it instead stood guard at the top of thergest of the crystal hills in the Bloodcrystal Valley, leaving Zhang Lie no choice but to retreat.


    Of course, his retreat would only be temporary. Once the superior-grade blood ant returned to its anthill, Zhang Lie would certainly continue harvesting these blood whiskers. Without risk, there was no reward. These blood whiskers would be a second source of wealth for him, and he wasn''t about to give up on them so easily.


    Since he wasn''t able to gather more blood whiskers at the moment, Zhang Lie headed toward the swamnds.


    During this period of time, he collected a few herbs that were easily found all over the region and hunted a few more lifeforms to fill up his gene capacity.


    A giant swamp, shaped somewhat like a prayer mat,y at the heart of the swamnds. It was the natural habitat of the potbellied toads, regr-grade lifeforms beloved by most hunters. Their soulshards were particrly useful, and almost every hunter who entered the dimensional world would get their hands on a few.


    Zhang Lie immediately spotted a potbellied toad peeking its ck head out of the surface of the swamp. Although the toads weremonce, their soulshards were particrly difficult to obtain, for two reasons.


    First, regr-grade lifeforms didn''t have a high probability of condensing soulshards. Second, the swamp was a very difficult terrain to fight in, and there were quite a number of other lifeforms around¡ªsome mutated-grade, and a few even superior-grade.


    Even those hunters who had reached their mutated gene threshold wouldn''t dare to charge straight in.


    Hunting the swamp''s potbellied toads required more than brute strength. For others, this might have been a problem, but for the reincarnated Zhang Lie, this was a trivial issue to solve.


    While travelling to the region, Zhang Lie had already worked out a n. He started a small fire by a clearing near the swamp, where he began to roast a one-eyed pheasant that he had caught not too far from the area.


    A salivating scent spread throughout the swamp, and all the potbellied toads began to croak as they smelled it. Unfortunately, they quieted down the moment they swam to the edge of the swamp, as if forcing themselves to resist the temptation.


    Zhang Lie had expected this. He retrieved what looked like a four-leaf clover from his backpack, crushed it, then spread the pieces over the roasting pheasant. When crushed and roasted, this nt would release a curious smoke that would attract all frog-type lifeforms close by.


    A blue fog, barely visible to the naked eye, spread out from the fire and into the swamp. When it reached the potbellied toads, they immediately rushed out of the swamp toward the direction of the scent. They were surprisinglyrge, about half the size of an adult male.


    As soon as the potbellied toad at the very front saw the smoke wafting from the one-eyed pheasant, it immediately opened its mouth, attempting to snare the pheasant with its tongue.


    Of course, Zhang Lie would stop it from doing so. With a few waves of his sword, all the potbellied toads that had tried to stick their tongues out found them severed.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie activated his galewolf soulshard and charged toward them.


    [Three-Wave Crescendo]¡ªeach palm strike struck with the force of a tidal wave, and the potbellied toads that were unfortunate enough to be caught in the attack all copsed.


    The toads'' only real danger came from their long, sticky tongues, as well as their ability to stuff just about anything down their throat. However, given therge disparity between their strength and Zhang Lie''s, he had nothing to fear.


    As the smoke continued wafting around the swamp, more and more toads began to surface. In a flurry of blows, Zhang Lie swept through the toads like a sickle through wheat. It took a dozen kills, and as many shattered soulshards with rtively useless capabilities, before Zhang Lie finally obtained his first potbellied-toad soulshard.


    [Soulshard designation: storage-type (spatial).]


    Upon activating the soulshard, a miniature pouch appeared in Zhang Lie''s hand. The pouch possessed the property of spatial miniaturization; although it wasn''t muchrger than his hand, it could store up to a truckload''s worth of space.


    However, even that wasn''t enough: the pouch would fill up after storing a dozen toad carcasses. Zhang Lie couldn''t be satisfied with just one such pouch. Since he was at the swamp already, he might as well get a full dozen.


    The blue smoke continued attracting toads, and Zhang Lie began his ughter in earnest, wishing that he had a multi-target offensive technique. With his palm attack and his de, another dozen toads lost their lives, producing one more soulshard.


    Just as Zhang Lie was about to pocket the soulshard, however, a mutated-grade potbellied toad, about twice the size of a regr one, appeared from the swamp. Zhang Lie was hoping for exactly such an opportunity: after all, it meant that he would soon be able to have a mutated-grade potbellied-toad soulshard.


    The resulting mutated pouch would be at least thrice the size of a regr one. If he could obtain multiple copies of it, he wouldn''t have to worry about storage space ever again.


    He activated [Calm Waters], flung a few toad carcasses toward the mutated toad, and followed up with a blow from Galewind. As he circted his gic energy, his de took on a pale blue sheen, and he reached the toad in an instant.


    He had obstructed the mutated toad''s vision with the carcasses of the regr-grade toads, and that momentary distraction was sufficient for Zhang Lie to approach. By the time it sensed danger, a pale blue longsword had already impaled its head. The mutated-grade potbellied toad slumped in death, without even having time to croak.


    As Zhang Lie smashed a regr-grade potbellied-toad soulshard to pieces, a soulshard condensed over the mutated-grade toad''s carcass. He''d acquired its soulshard!


    With that soulshard in hand, Zhang Lie began ughtering the other toads even more quickly. Countless toads that jumped out of the swamp fell to his de.


    After another ten minutes, when the smoke finally dissipated, the potbellied toads stopped sshing out of the swamp. During the ten-minute bonanza, Zhang Lie had obtained thirteen regr-grade and two mutated-grade soulshards, arge haul by any standard.

 Chapter 9: Limit-Breaking Potion

    <h4>Chapter 9: Limit-Breaking Potion</h4>


    Even ignoring the profit that the regr-grade potbellied-toad soulshards would bring in, the two mutated-grade toad carcasses would easily be worth the trip on their own. Their tongues could be used to make high-quality bowstrings. Their meat was a particr delicacy, and could be consumed for mutated gene fragments.


    After the battle, Zhang Lie, with two mutated-toad pouches tied to his waist, began to scour the battlefield for his spoils. Within five minutes, except for an extinguished fire and bits of blood and offal, nothing remained on the scene.


    Zhang Lie then headed to a secluded cave, where he began to butcher the mutated toad carcasses in earnest. After slicing off their long, stic tongue, and removing them of their innards, he skewered and seasoned their legs, then began cooking it over a fire.


    The intense fight had consumed a significant chunk of Zhang Lie''s stamina. With such a delicacy in front of him, it was natural for him to want to dig in. The meat of the potbellied toad was surprisingly tender. It took only ten minutes or so for the meat to brown, and they were giving off a mouthwatering scent.


    Zhang Lie grabbed a skewer, opened his mouth wide, and began to eat.


    Minutester, as he patted his bursting tummy in satisfaction, Zhang Lie had sessfully obtained twenty mutated gene fragments. His stats were iparable to what they had been before.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, First Form: Carp


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (novice), Three-Wave Crescendo (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 110; Mutated, 60; Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (mutated), Potbellied Toad (regr, mutated)


    His basic gene capacity had even reached an unimaginable hundred and ten fragments. Before the revtion that there could be a breakthrough with the foundational framework, everyone''s basic gene capacity was at a hundred fragments exactly.


    After reaching that limit, no matter how much flesh hunters consumed from regr-grade lifeforms, they wouldn''t be able to exceed that limit. Only with a breakthrough in their foundational framework could they finally increase that limit by ten fragments.


    And although ten basic gene fragments didn''t seem like much, the fact that they were past the usual limit meant that they were more beneficial to a hunter''s constitution than even ten mutated gene fragments.


    There were three conditions required to experience a breakthrough with one''s foundational framework, and the third condition was something that Zhang Lie had only gotten a handle on after his reincarnation.


    The first, and most basic, condition was to raise one''s foundational framework to its tenth stage and to not have progressed to a more advanced framework.


    The second condition was to have consumed sufficiently many white grub cores, or the growth factors extracted from their flesh.


    The third condition was that their body had to be flooded with adrenaline.


    Each of the three conditions was difficult to satisfy individually, and to meet all three requirements would require an exceedingly unusual string of coincidences¡ªor foreknowledge.


    In truth, the past Zhang Lie had missed this opportunity to expand his basic gene capacity.


    It was widely known that there were only ten stages to the standard foundational framework, and that reaching the tenth stage would grant ess to a more advanced framework and gic techniques.


    Most hunters would have prepared such a framework as soon as they reached the ninth stage of their foundational framework. Why would anyone behave like Zhang Lie, refusing to study a more advanced framework before experiencing a breakthrough with his foundational one?


    The second condition seemed even stranger: why would anyone consume so many white-grub cores? The white-grub cave had been more or less deserted, even of beginner hunters hunting for their first gene fragments.


    The third condition sounded simple, but was actually the hardest to achieve in practice. Even Zhang Lie didn''t know about its specifics. Kissing would increase the concentration of adrenaline in one''s body, as would life-or-death struggles, but it was hardly easy to quantify what the required concentration was.


    In the past, it had taken seven more years before someone unintentionally satisfied all three conditions and experienced a breakthrough. Given how unusual these conditions were, Zhang Lie was certain that he was now the first hunter to exceed a capacity of a hundred basic gene fragments.


    And not only that, he would soon exceed a basic capacity of a hundred and ten¡ªeven a hundred and fifty!¡ªgene fragments, because he was right about to concoct Potion #1.


    With the main ingredient, blood whiskers, in hand, he now only needed to acquire a few supplementary ingredients that were rtively easy to harvest.


    After returning to the settlement, he sold off the remainder of the toad carcasses, acquiring 31,000 points and catapulting him into fiscal freedom. He stored the herbs he had harvested in the warehouse. Subsequently, he logged into the trading post and anonymously listed five regr-grade potbellied-toad soulshards. Finally, he spent a thousand points to rent the bestboratory the settlement had to offer and began to concoct the limit-breaking potion.


    The recipe was particrlyplicated, and it had been years since Zhang Liest made this potion, so there was a significant amount of trial and error involved. It took seventeen long hours of work and three failed attempts before Zhang Lie finally seeded.


    The blood-red potion before him raised Zhang Lie''s spirits. Without a doubt, this was the first Potion #1 to be made in the entire world.


    Zhang Lie inclined his head and downed the potion in one fell swoop. Fire burned his throat and body, a scorching baptism.


    He felt as though he was experiencing the blood ants'' [Bloodbath]. As the potent effects of the blood whiskers surged through his body, a scorching heat enveloped him from head to toe, as though he had immersed his entire body in a vat of chili peppers.


    Zhang Lie could clearly sense how, under the dominating effects of this potion, his cells were developing in overdrive, his pores seeming to breathe out fire. His muscles began to contract, bing even tougher and more resilient. His arteries, veins, and capiries thickened. His body began to evolve at its most fundamental, gic, level.


    Sweat poured down his back. Zhang Lie felt as though he had been runningps in the rain, his body wet and damp all over. Along with the sweat were expunged small ck impurities, and a curious stench filled the air.


    With his body purged and cleansed, Zhang Lie gained a little resistance to the potent heat of the potion. He mastered his body and began circting his gic energy ording to his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    After ten full cycles, the gic core in Zhang Lie''s dantian grew to twice its size, and began to take on an opalescent sheen. The pale pink carp in his core seemed toe alive.


    The gene fragments that augmented his body seemed to have been converted in their entirety to pure gic energy. Zhang Lie directed all that energy toward the [Ninecarp Transformation] engraved on his gic core.


    The entire processsted three hours. Under thebination of potent medicine and a seemingly inexhaustible vein of gic energy, Zhang Lie evolved his gic framework from early first-stage to mid first-stage.


    Zhang Lie''s body had thinned, as though he had just survived a major illness, but he had actually grown several times stronger than before. His stomach began to rumble, and Zhang Lie immediately ordered a sumptuous meal.


    Now that he was rich and able to generate points efficiently, he could certainly afford to spend ten points on such a meal. A robot brought it to him without much dy.


    After consuming Potion #1, not only did his gic framework evolve, so too did his body, and he was now able to make use of his strength much more efficiently. More importantly, his basic gene capacity had advanced by another fifty points: Zhang Lie could now have a shocking hundred and sixty basic gene fragments.


    If all his other genes were at capacity, the additional sixty fragments would bring him a decisive, dominating advantage.


    Potion #1 was just the first step in his advancement n; not too long into the future, he would be able to concoct Potion #2, which would increase his mutated gene capacity, as well as Potion #3, for his superior gene capacity. Eventually, he would even be able to target Potion #4, which had been incredibly scarce even in the past.


    Of course, with his current strength, Potion #1 was the limit. He knew where to find the herbs required for Potion #2, but would be unable to harvest them without growing stronger first. And he didn''t even dare think about Potion #3.


    After his meal, Zhang Lie went back to concocting more potions. Potion #1 would surely revolutionize the world.


    It took the remainder of the day for Zhang Lie to exhaust his entire supply of blood whiskers, producing five copies of Potion #1. He wouldn''t release them into the market yet, not before he grew strong enough to avoid being a target. If they were to be revealed now, given his current level of strength, he would likely be caught by one corporation or another.


    After packing and storing the potions, Zhang Lie cleaned up theboratory and left, then exchanged 20,000 points for cash. Because of the magnitude of the transaction, Zhang Lie was given the currency in the form of an unassuming ck card. The ck card, like the checks of the past, could be redeemed for two million dors at any bank sponsored by the world federation.


    It was past time to resolve his housing issues. Zhang Lie returned to the real world via the teleportation apparatus.


    His sister was overjoyed to see him returning, and she almost fell off her wheelchair in her impatience to reach him. Zhang Lie rushed forward and supported his sister before she could fall.


    Hanxiang was far too lonely: she had no friends, and her only blood rtive spent most of his time within the dimensional world, without being able to apany her. She had always been understanding and sensitive, and had barely brought the matter up to Zhang Lie, but he couldn''t help but think that her loneliness was one of the reasons she had grown up so enamored with books.


    "Ah, be more careful!"


    "Hehe." Instead of speaking, Zhang Hanxiang hugged her brother tightly and smiled in satisfaction.


    "How long have I been gone?"


    "Exactly three days. Brother, if you haven''t gotten any money, don''t worry. We still have some time, and if worsees to worst, we can always move out. As long as we''re together, I don''t care where we live!"


    Zhang Lie patted his chest. "I can handle the money issue. Tomorrow, I''ll head to the Wangs'' ce and fix the problem."


    "Really? Have you managed to make a lot of money in the dimensional world, Brother?"


    "Of course! When have I ever lied to you? You haven''t eaten yet, have you? Shall we eat out together?"


    "Ah, a restaurant! It''s been so long since I''ve been outside... but, won''t it cost a lot? I... we''d better not go..."

 Chapter 10: Inflated Price

    <h4>Chapter 10: Inted Price</h4>


    The indecisive Hanxiang was eventually pushed out of the door by her older brother, and the two of them had a delicious meal in a rtively high-ss restaurant. Of course, Zhang Lie, who had just eaten within the dimensional world, mostly just watched his sister eat in joy.


    After the two of them returned home, Zhang Lie contacted awyer.


    If he were going to confront Uncle Wang directly, he had to be well-prepared. In front of his holographic screen, Zhang Lie quickly took care of the paperwork. ?Thewyer he had contacted helped him draft an agreement for change of ownership; as long as Uncle Wang was willing to sign, and once he had the contract notarized, the proceedings would beplete.


    Early the next day, by the time Zhang Lie went to get breakfast, Hanxiang was already sitting in front of the television. After breakfast, Zhang Lie took a hovercraft to the Wang estate. Since the rtionship between the two families had once been congenial, he used to frequent the Wang estate, and obviously knew where it was.


    The Wang estate was ratherrge¡ªnot asrge as those of famous moguls, but certainly enough to indicate significant wealth. Wang Xiaohua''s father was a special-ss citizen, a hunter who had reached even his superior gene capacity.


    When Zhang Lie pressed the doorbell, the one who answered the door was Wang Xiaohua. "Ah, you''ve actuallye back," he remarked.


    It wasn''t particrly surprising: one day in the real world corresponded to ten in the dimensional world, and it had only been one or two real-world days since he had defeated Wang Xiaohua''s group by the settlement gates.


    When Wang Xiaohua saw Zhang Lie, her initial shock turned into a malevolent scowl. "And what do you think you''re doing here?!"


    Zhang Lie chuckled. "What''s wrong with that? We''re on Earth, after all. Are you nning on calling your teammates and surrounding me here, too?"


    The sh between the two of them was noticed by the other upants of the estate. A middle-aged voice called out, "Xiaohua, what''s the matter?"


    "It''s just a beggar!" Wang Xiaohua called back.


    "I''m here to resolve the issue with the house." Zhang Lie ignored Wang Xiaohua.


    Wang Xiaohua scoffed. "Are you here to beg me for mercy after being unable toe up with the cash? Well, I''m feeling pretty good today, so I''ll give you a chance."


    Zhang Lie frowned: Wang Xiaohua''s sudden kindness was as unbelievable as a flying pig. She certainly had been demanding enough the day she barged into Zhang Lie''s house.


    "Kneel down and lick my shoes clean, and I''ll consider giving you a few more days'' leniency."


    Zhang Lie looked at her as though he were looking at an invalid. "You must be overthinking things. I don''t need any sort of leniency from you; I''ve prepared the money."


    Wang Xiaohua held her hands on her hips and began tough. "It might be a rundown house, but it''s still worth at least one and half million dors. How could someone like you have been able to afford it within a matter of days? Are you crazy?"


    "Do you think I''de over here and im that I had the money if I didn''t?"


    "Who knows how your brain functions? After all, you''ve spent thest three months hunting white grubs!"


    "I have the money," Zhang Lie repeated.


    Wang Xiaohua was clearly still incredulous. "One and a half million, you understand, not a hundred thousand! Even my team would take two months to earn so much money, let alone someone like you. And I still haven''t settled matters with you regarding what happened in the dimensional world! Go on, scram! Pack up and get ready to move out. I''m feeling faint just with your presence here, polluting the air around my house..."


    Not wanting to hear Wang Xiaohua''s endless prattle any longer, Zhang Lie pulled out his ck card.


    "A ck card!" Wang Xiaohua was stupefied. "No, that''s impossible! This has to be fake!"


    "You realize counterfeiting is a crime? Would I be stupid enough to try to trick you with a fake card?"


    Even Wang Xiaohua understood that counterfeiting was all but impossible in this time and age.


    "I''ve brought the contract here as well. Call your father over and have him sign it." Zhang Lie also retrieved a sheaf of papers from his backpack.


    "Look at you, all prepared, as if you think everything will go your way!" Wang Xiaohua mocked.


    "Sorry, the stench of moneying from your ce is so strong that I don''t want to stay a moment longer than I have to."


    The middle-aged male voice called out again from within the manor, "Xiaohua, who''re you talking to?"


    "Don''t worry, Dad!" Wang Xiaohua replied.


    "You''re my daughter, and this is my house. How can I not care about what you''re doing? What sort of beggar''s keeping you outside for so long?" He ambled toward Wang Xiaohua, eyes brightening when he saw Zhang Lie.


    "Ah, Zhang Lie! What are you doing outside? Quick,e in,e in."


    "Good morning, Uncle Wang. If you don''t mind, I won''t step inside; I''m afraid someone will get upset." Zhang Lie nced toward Wang Xiaohua''s cool features.


    "And who would dare get upset in my house?"


    Zhang Lie refused once more. "Uncle Wang, I appreciate the offer, but a destitute weakling like me can''t afford to enter such a ce."


    Uncle Wang frowned. "What''s the matter, Zhang Lie?"


    Wang Xiaohua stepped in front of her father. "Dad, this guy''s crazy! Ignore him!"


    Uncle Wang red at Wang Xiaohua. "How can you speak to Zhang Lie in this manner? If not for his father, I wouldn''t be alive now!"


    Wang Xiaohua snorted. "How many years has it been? Forget about that already!"


    .


    Uncle Wang, snorting in anger, raised a palm as if to strike down his ungrateful daughter.


    Zhang Lie interrupted impatiently, "That''s enough, Uncle Wang! Don''t bother putting on a show for me; I don''t have time for that. I''m here today to purchase my house."


    "To purchase your house?" Uncle Wang seemed incredulous.


    "You''re really a talented actor, Uncle Wang. Don''t you know what''s going on?"


    Wang Xiaohua''s face flushed in anger. "Zhang Lie, haven''t you had enough?!"


    Uncle Wang pushed Wang Xiaohua aside as he turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, tell me what''s going on."


    "Don''t listen to his nonsense!" Wang Xiaohua tugged on her father''s arm to no avail.


    Zhang Lie chuckled derisively: it looked as though Wang Xiaohua had been acting on her own ord.


    Without saying anything more, he handed the contract over to Uncle Wang. "Is something wrong? Why are you suddenly asking to buy the property now?"


    "Your darling daughter forced me to, of course. She came over with the rental agreement not too long ago, stating that the agreement would be invalidated in half a month, and that we would be evicted."


    Uncle Wang turned toward his daughter and asked coldly, "Is this true?!"


    "Dad, I''m just enforcing the contract''s stiptions!" Wang Xiaohua defended herself.


    Uncle Wang thundered in rage, one palm mming against the doorframe. "Who told you to do this?! Who gave you the right? That''s my property, one that I gave to the family who saved my life! Who are you to try to reim it?!"


    "It''s what the contract said, Dad!"


    "What the contract states is my business, not yours."


    Wang Xiaohua hung her face, aggrieved.


    "Well? Apologize to Zhang Lie!" Uncle Wang continued.


    "Dad, I''m not apologizing to someone like him! He embarrassed me in the dimensional world, and I''m already showing him courtesy by not attacking him outright."


    "If you won''t apologize, then there''s no ce in this house for you."


    Wang Xiaohua took a step back, tears flooding from her eyes. "I''m your daughter, aren''t I? You''re going to side with an outsider over me?!"


    "Are you going to apologize, or not?"


    Zhang Lie interrupted the artificial act. "Uncle Wang, it''s fine. Someone like me can''t bear the burden of an apology from Miss Wang here."


    He wasn''t an idiot, and his life experience from the past had taught him an important lesson indeed: not to believe everything he heard.


    Wang Xiaohua''s personality was clearly the product of an indulgent upbringing, so it certainly was jarring to see Uncle Wang behave so sternly now.


    In his past life, Uncle Wang had spent quite some time trying to help him hunt down his parents, but he deeply remembered how cold this Uncle Wang had been before he had made a name for himself in the dimensional world.


    "It''s good that you know your ce." Wang Xiaohua folded her arms in front of her chest, smiling gleefully.


    However, Uncle Wang didn''t intend on letting matters rest. After giving her a shake, he pressed down her head. "Zhang Lie, don''t me my daughter. I''ve clearly indulged her far too much."


    Wang Xiaohua screamed in outrage. "Dad! You''re making me apologize to a piece of trash like him?!"


    Zhang Lie interrupted impatiently once again, "Uncle Wang, please sign the contract. I''ve spent too long here already, and my sister''s waiting for me at home."


    Uncle Wang chuckled. "Zhang Lie, what are you saying? This property''s a gift for you. The only reason there was a contract in the first ce was because your father was so stubborn he refused to ept it from me otherwise. Ignore the contract¡ªstay there as long as you want. No one will dare chase you out."


    No matter how much Uncle Wang wanted to pretend to be generous, his actions would speak louder than his words.


    No matter how Wang Xiaohua hade across this contract, the conclusion was that she had ended up with it in her possession.


    Uncle Wang had been lying from the very beginning. If he had truly intended to gift the property to Zhang Lie''s father, he would have destroyed the rental agreement, instead of letting itnd in his daughter''s hands.


    "Uncle Wang, I''m calling you Uncle here out of deference for you and for my father. Now that my father''s missing and I''m an adult, I hope you''ll respect my wishes. Please sign this contract so that I can be at peace.


    "My father has always taught me to repay gratitude with gratitude. I''m thankful for your help all these years, and I''m willing to purchase this property from you at an inted price of two million dors. It''s a generous offer for you; for me, I won''t ever have to worry about someone chasing us away from our house again.


    "Selling the property to me would save me significant trouble, and annul the life debt between you and my family. Doesn''t that sound like a win-win situation for both of us?"


    Zhang Lie presented his argument tactfully and seriously. Purchasing the property would cut the ties between their families, and it would resolve all their problems for good.

 Chapter 11: Another Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 11: Another Confrontation</h4>


    Wang Jianxin understood that Zhang Lie fully intended to sever the rtionship between them, and that objecting would only repulse him further.


    "Zhang Lie, this is my fault, so if you insist on buying the property, something like five hundred thousand will be more than sufficient. I know how difficult it is for you to make money, and Hanxiang will have quite a few expenses ahead, so consider the rest a sponsorship on my behalf."


    "Thank you, Uncle Wang, but I still can''t ept your generosity. I''ll figure out a way to eke out a living for both me and Hanxiang. Please, sign!" Zhang Lie once again rebuffed Uncle Wang''s offer and handed him the contract and ck card.


    Wang Jianxin frowned, criticized Wang Xiaohua, and "reluctantly" epted the card and signed the contract. With this new contract in ce, the old rental agreement was naturally invalidated.


    Zhang Lie''s part in the matter would be finished as soon as he handed over the contract to hiswyer. And from then on, that rundown property in the slums would belong entirely to the two of them.


    Of course, this was only the beginning. Given Zhang Lie''s abilities and growth potential, he swore he would bring his sister into the special-ss¡ªor even royal-ss¡ªresidential areas. They would have more and more properties, and even a dojo of their own.


    When the contract was finally signed, Zhang Lie huffed a sigh of relief. "Uncle Wang, regardless of your actual intentions, thank you." He bowed respectfully, then briskly turned to leave. From start to finish, he never looked at Wang Xiaohua again.


    Only when Zhang Lie had vanished around the corner did Wang Jianxin pull Wang Xiaohua back into the manor. "Xiaohua, you were far too impulsive¡ªnow look at what you''ve done!"


    Wang Xiaohua still looked a little aggrieved. "And yet you still hit me twice, Dad, just to put on a show for that piece of trash! ?I really don''t understand why you''re so polite to an idiot with a ?crippled sister. Why?!"


    Wang Jianxin folded his arms in front of his chest. "You don''t understand how wily their father is. Given how much treasure he amassed before going missing, it''s quite possible that he left something for his children. What''s more, haven''t you always imed that Zhang Lie was at the bottom of the gene leaderboard, that he''s nothing but a weakling? In that case, where did he get all this money?"


    Wang Jianxin held the ck card up in front of his daughter.


    Wang Xiaohua was equally flummoxed. Given Zhang Lie''s appearance and living conditions, he certainly didn''t look like the type of person who would be able to pull out two million dors on a whim.


    "I''m surprised too, Dad. He spent three months only killing white grubs, so how did he get so much money in a matter of days? But don''t worry, as long as he''s still in the cksteel settlement, I''ll have an answer for you quickly enough."


    Wang Xiaohua''s eyes glinted. In her mind, Zhang Lie was like a stinkbug that she could crush with her shoe.


    Wang Jianxin advised her, "Don''t do anything to him¡ªhe doesn''t look as easy to handle as you think."


    "Don''t worry, Dad! No matter how tricky he is, he''s a total weakling." Wang Xiaohua grabbed the ck card from her father, smiling. "I''m going shopping!"


    "Newssh! At 10 AM today, another monarch-ss hunter has risen from the ranks of humanity. Congrattions to Yan Tianjun, the ninth monarch-ss hunter of humanity, soon to be heading toward the fifth realm!"


    Zhang Hanxiang had just pulled up an article when she noticed Zhang Lie returning. "Brother, you''re back!"


    "Mm." Zhang Lie put down the bags of food in his hands and responded distractedly. He waspletely focused on the Chinese man currently being interviewed by reporters on the news.


    "A newly birthed monarch-ss trying to enter the fifth realm without any disaster-grade gene fragments... is he trying to kill himself?"


    A true monarch-ss hunter was one who had reached his disaster-grade gene capacity in the fourth realm before heading to the fifth.


    Monarch-level hunters were incredibly dangerous hunters who were able to damage the very skies with their attacks, and humanity shouldn''t have had more than three true monarchs at this point in time.


    He had deliberately lowered his voice to avoid being overheard by his sister, but he hadn''t ounted for how sharp her ears were. Zhang Hanxiang asked curiously, "Brother, why do you say that monarch-ss hunters shouldn''t enter the fifth realm?"


    "Many people know about the fourth realm: the final battlefield between mankind and gic lifeforms. But do you know about the fifth realm?"


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head. "I''m not a fifth-realm god-ss hunter, so how would I know what it contains?"


    "Hell!"


    Zhang Hanxiang was stupefied. "Isn''t information about the fifth realm restricted by the world federation? How do you know about it, Brother?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "After all, I''m a hunter myself. Isn''t it normal that I would know a little about this sort of stuff? The information''s only restricted for regr citizens, not hunters."


    In truth, most hunters knew nothing about the fifth realm, not even lord-ss hunters who were about to ascend to the fourth realm. At this point in time, there surely weren''t more than a hundred hunters in the fourth realm.


    As soon as people started to understand the horrors of the fifth realm, perhaps no one would be willing to ascend. And without an influx of hunters as reinforcements, those monarch-ss and god-ss hunters who had advanced to the fifth realm would surely all perish.


    Their death would represent the start of a new dark age for humanity: now too weak to protect themselves, humans would quickly be enved by more powerful aliens.


    Zhang Lie knew about the fifth realm because he was once a fourth-realm hunter.


    It was thought that monarch-ss hunters would be able to stand against an onught of disaster-grade lifeforms. In hindsight, however, no force of humanity was yet strong enough to kill such creatures in bulk.


    Hunters were only able to hunt disaster-grade lifeforms in earnest as the result of a series of remarkable inventions and discoveries over the next decade.


    However, just because other hunters weren''t able to do so didn''t mean that Zhang Lie couldn''t. ?He murmured to himself, "Since I''vee back in time, I''ll certainly prevent the tragedy of mankind this time around."


    Hanxiang smiled as she prodded her brother. "What are you mumbling to yourself, Brother?"


    "It''s nothing. Let''s eat, and then I''ll have to head out again."


    Zhang Hanxiang pursed her lips. "Ah, right¡ªdid Uncle Wang agree to sell us the house?"


    "Of course! Nothing would ever fail with your brother in charge!"


    "Really? That''s wonderful!"


    "Haha, we have a house now! This house is purely ours!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s tinklingughter resounded in the small house.


    After having an enjoyable lunch with his sister, Zhang Lie again returned to the settlement. The first thing he did was browse through the trading post. The five potbellied-toad soulshards had all been auctioned off as he had indicated, and he had earned a huge profit.


    The main currency used within the settlement wasn''t federation money, but instead the points that could be obtained by trading in the meat and flesh of gic lifeforms.The five soulshards alone had brought him 13,000 points.


    While fighting the potbellied toads, Zhang Lie had found himselfcking a multi-target skill, lowering his hunting efficiency significantly, and he hoped to rectify that deficiency now.


    Unfortunately, even after an exhaustive search, he had found quite a number of suitable fire-attuned techniques, but no water-attuned ones. Either the techniques themselves werecking, or they weren''t suitable for Zhang Lie''s hunting style.


    Since he couldn''t find a suitable water-attuned technique, he would let theme to him instead. Momentster, he posted a new request on the trading post offering ten thousand points for a high-grade multi-target water-attuned technique.


    Of course, he still anonymized himself; Zhang Lie didn''t want to be noticed just yet.


    Finally, he walked out of the settlement, preparing to return to the Bloodcrystal Valley to continue gathering blood whiskers.


    Just likest time, however, he found himself surrounded by people once again: none other than Wang Xiaohua and her team, and now even her boyfriend, Qin Xiaotian, and his team as well. A dozen people encircled Zhang Lie.


    Arge crowd had gathered by the settlement gates, watching themotion.


    "Oho, it looks like there''s no way out for our poor king of the dumps this time."


    "Wang Xiaohua''s a tricky hunter to antagonize, after all."


    .


    "Who''s second-tost on the gene leaderboard? He must be feeling pretty upset right now."


    "Ha, he''s alreadyst! Zhang Lie hid his ranking on the gene leaderboard about a month ago."


    "Eh? Who was the one who said that Zhang Lie was actually hiding his strength? Look at him now!"


    Ignoring the crowd, Zhang Lie focused on Wang Xiaohua. "Wang Xiaohua, do you really have nothing better to do?"


    "Ah! Xiaotian, look at how rude this fellow is!" Wang Xiaohua, as if shocked, grabbed the young man by her side coyly.


    Qin Xiaotian smirked, then turned to Zhang Lie with a look of disdain. "So, you''re Zhang Lie? Xiaohua told me you''ve been bullying hertely. How''d you get your strength? Some fortuitous encounter? Tell me and I''ll give you a clean death!"


    Qin Xiaotian was the younger cousin of Qin Xiao, currently third on the gene leaderboard. He was handsome in a boyish way, but was notorious for being small-minded and petty. Because of his cousin''s strength as a hunter, there were few who dared to challenge him.


    In truth, Zhang Lie didn''t want to start a feud with him at this juncture, but there was little he could do now. Based on his ranking on the gene leaderboard, Qin Xiaotian had surely filled his mutated gene fragments to capacity, and Qin Xiao would surely have helped him get a few superior gene fragments too.


    And his framework was, at this point, onlyparable to a mortal-grade framework. The only advantage that he had over Qin Xiaotian was his superior-grade soulshard. Perhaps that would be sufficient to deal with Qin Xiaotian, but what about all hisckeys?


    Zhang Lie couldn''t take them all head-on. In that case, he had to avoid a direct confrontation¡ª"Hah, you think I''ll lose to you so easily? Try me on, you pieces of trash!"¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean he had to suffer their insults without retaliation.

 Chapter 12: Secluded Glade

    <h4>Chapter 12: Secluded de</h4>


    With a resounding boom, the crowd saw Zhang Lie''s body glowing blue as a translucent ball blossomed into existence around him, knocking those hunters surrounding him aside. As the crowd watched on, Zhang Lie, his entire body still encased in the sphere generated by the superior white-grub soulshard, bounced off into the distance.


    Qin Xiaotian gaped in amazement: how could Zhang Lie, well known to be at the bottom of the gene leaderboard, handle such a confrontation so calmly? It looked as though he really was hiding his strength¡ªand the soulshard that he was using didn''t seem too bad, either.


    "Interesting. Go on, chase him! Don''t kill him too quickly, though, I want to y with him!"


    Qin Xiaotian''s eyes lit up as he stared at Zhang Lie''s fleeing form.


    Hisckeys immediately raced after Zhang Lie, circting their gic energy for a boost to their speed. However, they had clearly underestimated Zhang Lie''s capabilities.


    In mid-air, Zhang Lie activated his galewolf soulshard, bouncing away even more rapidly than before. He was moving so rapidly that even Qin Xiaotian''sckeys, each of which had reached their mutated gene capacity, weren''t able to catch up despite using everything they could.


    "Not bad, not bad!" Surprisingly, Qin Xiaotian seemed to grow even more excited, and he pulled Wang Xiaohua with him as he joined in the chase.


    The more exceptional Zhang Lie''s performance, the more secrets he was hiding, and the more treasure Qin Xiaotian would be able to paw from his corpse.


    Qin Xiaotian''sckeys weren''t weak, and even though they wouldn''t be able to match Zhang Lie''s speed in the short term, he couldn''t shake them off either. In the end, they vanished out of sight from the onlookers by the settlement gates, all of whom were chattering with each other in shock.


    "Have I gone blind?! That Zhang Lie actually managed to escape from Qin Xiaotian''s team that easily?"


    "Haha, who was the one who said that Zhang Lie was dead meat? I knew he was hiding something!"


    "Surely that''s a mutated-grade soulshard, at the very least? And we all thought he was useless!"


    "Don''t you guys think that that ball looks familiar?"


    "...like a white grub core?!"


    "Damn, could it be?"


    "Do you think... that was the reason why that guy spent three months hunting white grubs?"


    "Haha, you guys must be crazy! When have you ever heard of mutated-grade white grubs? No one has ever seen any!"


    "No, I''ll have to check it out for myself!"


    "Heh, you fool! Don''t believe everything you hear! What I''d really like to know is whether or not he can escape this time."


    "You think he can make it out of Qin Xiaotian''s clutches, and?I''m?the fool?!" Surely he wouldn''t be able to escape!


    "Wanna bet?" A heavily bearded man turned to the agitated youth by his side.


    The brash youth inclined his neck, refusing to back down. "What stakes?"


    The bearded man chuckled. "Say, a small bet of ten thousand points?"


    Ten thousand points?! That wasn''t a small bet at all!?The youth hesitated, causing the bearded man to snicker.


    "What, you don''t even have ten thousand points?"


    Of course, the youth took the bait. "You think I''m afraid of you? You''re on!"


    Their conversation had been loud enough, and the crowd bored enough, that the two-person bet had quickly ballooned into something that even the threerge corporations of the dimensional world had a stake in.


    Of course, most hunters bet that Zhang Lie would die, especially those in the know from therge corporations. They were intimately familiar with the strongest hunters of the dimensional world.


    And even though Qin Xiaotian wasn''t all that strong, Qin Xiao''s name was known to all. He was a bossy and domineering fellow, yet one who would protect anyone in his posse. Qin Xiaotian had surely gleaned quite a few benefits from him.


    Meanwhile, one and a half months ago, Zhang Lie had clearly been at the bottom of the gene leaderboard. Even if he had had a chance encounter, there was no conceivable way that his strength could exceed Qin Xiaotian''s.


    The dimensional world wasn''t like reality; except in settlements, the rule ofw didn''t apply. The strong could do what they wanted. And Qin Xiaotian wasn''t alone: his entire team was with him. Zhang Lie had no escape. As a result, the odds quickly tilted in Qin Xiaotian''s favor, eventually settling on a hundred-to-one odds against Zhang Lie''s survival.


    Of course, Zhang Lie had no clue what was happening back in the settlement; otherwise, he would have bankrupted himself to join in the bet.


    As he bounced through the dimensional world, Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted.


    The world was sorge that, despite having been discovered decades ago, there were still a few mysterious regions that weren''tmon knowledge. And since his pursuers were still quite a distance away, Zhang Lie was, for the most part, free of any danger.


    Based on his understanding of the dimensional world, there was no way he wouldn''t be able to escape Qin Xiaotian''s pursuit. In fact, what he was thinking of wasn''t escape, but retaliation.


    Qin Xiaotian''s intent was clear: to chase him until his stamina gave out, and then to capture him alive. In that case, he certainly wasn''t going to take it easy on them.


    After travelling hundreds of kilometers, Zhang Lie''s gic energy was gging. His pursuers grew ever closer, but Zhang Lie''s face became more and more rxed. Right in front of him was a particrly dangerous part of the dimensional world¡ªthe Night Forest.


    "Stop running away, coward!" Qin Xiaotian''s team shouted upon seeing Zhang Lie about to escape into the forest.


    "Heh." Zhang Lie ignored their cries as he bounced inside.


    The pursuers hesitated by the boundary of the forest. Behind them, Qin Xiaotian called out,


    "Go on, keep chasing him! He''s all but depleted of gic energy by now, and he won''t be able to go much farther."


    As a result, the entire team followed him into the forest.


    Zhang Lie turned back and grinned. He knew just where he would lead them.


    Once within the forest, Zhang Lie had morphed his bubble into two soft, flexible whips, which he used to swing through the trees like an agile monkey. He led the hunters following him to ake within the forest. It was fed by a waterfall, one that the hunters could clearly hear from afar.


    "We''re at the Moonlit Pond!" Qin Xiaotian eximed, ncing at Zhang Lie, who was standing right beneath the mouth of the waterfall.


    He had once been to the area with his cousin Qin Xiao. It was a rather famous location within the Night Forest, and it was said that a particrly dangerous dragon-type lifeform lived within the pond.


    Apparently, it was an exceedingly rare superior-grade moonlight wyrm. There had been quite a few hunters itching to hunt down such valuable prey, but no credible sightings had been reported within thest decade, and the rumors had turned into legends.


    It looked as though Zhang Lie was so desperate that he had no other choice to run here, believing in a legend.


    Just as Qin Xiaotian was about to order his team to surround Zhang Lie, however, he ran through the waterfall and vanished from sight.


    "Hm?" Even Qin Xiaotian was amazed that Zhang Lie had prepared such a way out for himself.


    "Quick, chase after him!"


    Of course, no matter what Zhang Lie did, he was sure that he would catch him today. Because, just like Zhang Lie, he wanted to kill any threats before they grew intorger problems.


    "Captain, it looks like there''s an entrance here!" Qin Xiaotian''s team quickly found a cave opening behind the waterfall.


    "Enter, but be careful of any sneak attacks!"


    Qin Xiaotian''s team rushed into the cave. Darkness smothered them. The scout in front held one palm up, a me by his fingertips, as he forged onward. His other hand was holding a de.


    His name was Fang Qiong, and he was the deputy captain under Qin Xiaotian. His gic framework was high-grade and fire-attuned, and his basic and mutated gene fragments were filled to capacity. He possessed three mutated-grade soulshards, and the de in his hand was B-grade.


    After three minutes, the pursuers walked out of the cave into what seemed to be a secluded de. Everything in the de was tinged a royal, mysterious, purple: the grasses and nts growing from the ground, the vines hanging from trees, even the trees themselves, filled with rich and resplendent fruits.


    Qin Xiaotian''s sharp eyes immediately spotted a few exceedingly rare and precious herbs.


    "This ce is filled with treasures! Captain, we''re rich!"


    "Right, Captain, all this is ours!"


    Wang Xiaohua, Fang Qiong, and the others had also noticed the rare nts that seemed to grow likemon weeds in this hidden de.


    They had almost forgotten that they were here chasing after Zhang Lie. And they certainly didn''t notice Zhang Lie, covered in some purple powder, watching them from afar up a little hill.


    "Go on,ugh while you can. No matter how many herbs you pick now, you''re all going to die!" Zhang Lie stared at his pursuers as though they were already nothing more than corpses. It was only then that Qin Xiaotian and the others finally noticed Zhang Lie in the distance.


    In truth, it wasn''t that they weren''t paying attention, but that Zhang Lie, covered in purple powder, blended in too well with the surroundings.


    Looking at his unconventional appearance, as well as his smile, Qin Xiaotian suddenly felt a sense of unease. He had deliberately led them inside this hidden de, so there had to be some danger in here for them.


    "Zhang Lie, your tricks are nothing in the face of absolute power! Since you''ve brought us here, I''ll give you a clean death. Fang Qiong, get him!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Qin Xiaotian decided to kill Zhang Lie on the spot to prevent anyplications from arising.


    "Xiaotian, don''t! I still have a few questions for him!" Wang Xiaohua pleaded, clearly intending on ferreting out some information regarding Zhang Lie''s inheritance from his father.


    After all, Zhang Lie''s sudden growth in power made it quite clear to her that he had inherited something good. It would certainly agree with her father¡¯s hypothesis.


    Just then, when Fang Qiong had only taken a half-step toward Zhang Lie and Qin Xiaotian and Wang Xiaohua were locked in dispute, a mysterious susurrus began to emanate from the cave behind them.


    Qin Xiaotian and the others immediately turned around, eyes widening in shock.

 Chapter 13: Scorpion Horde

    <h4>Chapter 13: Scorpion Horde</h4>


    "Ah, scorpions! So many of them..." Wang Xiaohua began to shriek after a moment of stupefied silence.


    Indeed, scorpions. Countless scorpions with a violet, crystalline exoskeleton were skittering out of the cave and the greenery surrounding them, fading in and out of existence as though they were ghostly spirits.


    They were only palm-sized, but could move surprisingly quickly. The tips of their stingers was a dark violet, and they were of a breed that even Qin Xiaotian didn''t recognize. In an instant, the scorpions surrounded Qin Xiaotian''s team.


    Strangely enough, there were also quite a few scorpions by Zhang Lie''s side, but even though they crawled on his body, they showed no signs of attacking him.


    "Haha, they''re finally here! These venombane scorpions hate fire, so I hope you''re all prepared to die!" Zhang Lie no longer bothered to hide his killing intent.


    Ding! Ding! Qin Xiaotian''s body glowed golden, and he began swinging his de. Wang Xiaohua, Fang Qiong, and the others all took on fighting stances, killing the scorpions which swarmed toward them from within the cave. Even the scorpions'' blood was purple in color, and sprays of purple mist began filling the air.


    "Hah, is this all you can do?" Qin Xiaotian scoffed, having defeated the first wave of scorpions with ease.


    "Oh, we''re just getting started," Zhang Lie called out,ughing. He sat down by the top of the hill,zing luxuriantly as he watched Qin Xiaotian.


    As furious as he was, Qin Xiaotian and his team was surrounded by a veritable sea of scorpions, and he had no way of attacking him over such a distance.


    The scorpions seemed toe at them in an endless tide.


    Qin Xiaotian bellowed, "Just you wait, you bastard! I''ll make you suffer a fate worse than death!"


    Then, he immediately beganmanding his team. "Fang Qiong, use the four-spirit formation we devised!"


    Beside him, Fang Qiong and three of his other teammates each activated a transformation-type soulshard and morphed into ava tiger, a vine asp, a firebird, and a crysturtle, four curious lifeforms.


    The tiger howled, the snake hissed, the bird called out, and the turtle bayed. After their transformation, they had lost the agility and techniques of their human form, but their size and strength were magnified.


    Thebination of the four transformations was devastating.


    But although they were able to beat back the tide of scorpions, the scorpions continued swarming at them without any sign of stopping, no matter how many carcasses of their own kind they had to wade through.


    The four lifeforms were arrayed at each corner of a square formation, protecting the rest of their teammates within. They tried to rush out of the entrapment, towards the hill Zhang Lie was on.


    Most of the venombane scorpions were only regr-grade lifeforms, with a few mutated-grade ones scattered among them. Even the most advanced scorpions were only superior-grade. But no matter their level of evolution, all venombane scorpions shared two characteristics:


    First, a surprising level of stealth.


    Second, venomous poison, of a particrly dangerous sort!


    Qin Xiaotian''s team had already experienced the scorpions'' stealth: after all, even Qin Xiaotian, who had quite a few superior gene fragments, hadn''t noticed anything amiss upon entering the de.


    The poison was even more frightening, and was rightly the characteristic by which these venombane scorpions were named.


    The scorpions actually had two types of poison: one from their poison sacs and released through their stingers, which would quickly induce cell apoptosis and death. Without the antidote or suppression by gic energy, it could kill a hunter in a matter of seconds.


    The second type of poison was from their blood, which rapidly vaporized when exposed to the atmosphere, forming a poison mist. Those who came in contact with the mist would find the poison seeping through their skin, leading to paralysis.


    "Be careful, they''re poisonous!" As the mist grew more and more dense around Qin Xiaotian''s team, he shouted out a warning.


    Arge part of Qin Xiaotian''s strength was due to his connections and wealth, yes, but he wasn''t stupid. Scorpion-type lifeforms were closely linked to poison, and he had been wary of the possibility since the beginning. However, he had noticed the poisonous mist far toote.


    Zhang Lie hadid out his n carefully, and he wouldn''t have lured them here if he didn''t think he could get away with it. Despite the hunters'' attempts to flee the sea of scorpions, there were simply so many scorpions that they were stuck no matter what they did.


    The problem was especially bad in Fang Qiong''s corner of the square formation: despite knowing that his body was covered in mes, anathema to the scorpions, they still swarmed him preferentially, choosing to die just to inject their venom into his body through their stingers.


    Of course, under the effects of a mutated-grade soulshard, regr-grade venombane scorpions could do nothing to him. With the four transformation-type soulshards active, although they couldn''t force their way out, neither could the scorpions break through their defenses. Unfortunately, the transformation-type soulshards consumed so much gic energy that they couldn''t keep it up for long.


    "Xiaotian, we won''t be able to break through this sea of scorpions. We need to retreat; we can''tst too long like this!"


    "Right, Captain, he''s just a rookie! We can nab him whenever we want, there''s no need to waste our time here!


    In the midst of the formation, Wang Xiaohua and Qin Xiaotian''s remaining team members tried to persuade him to retreat, especially Wang Xiaohua.


    The moment she saw these scorpions, she felt a strange premonition of impending doom, a prickling sensation that grew worse upon seeing Zhang Lie''s bloodthirsty gaze. At the moment, she couldn''t think of anything else besides fleeing.


    "No, we have to teach him a lesson now! He won''t get away with luring us into this trap!" He raised an outstretched hand, and a resplendent golden javelin began to manifest.


    "[Demonbreaker Javelin]! Die!" With a yell, the javelin in Qin Xiaotian''s hand began to glow.


    The golden light shed so quickly toward Zhang Lie that it reached him in the blink of an eye. However, unexpectedly, a thick, translucent wall popped into existence just as the spear was about to hit him. The javelin, tossed with great strength, shot toward the wall like aet, only to be trapped halfway into the wall. It exploded in a burst of golden light.


    Zhang Lie didn''t even flinch.


    Qin Xiaotian''s eyes widened in shock. "How¡ªhow can this be?! That was a mutated-grade one-use javelin, and it''d be able to break through the defenses of even a regr superior-grade lifeform! How could the attack have been blocked by that technique?!


    "Unless, unless¡­ No, that''s impossible! How could a guy like that have gotten his hands on a soulshard of that caliber... no, something had to have gone wrong!"


    "Xiaotian, stop muttering to yourself! We need to leave, or we''ll die!"


    "Captain, look at Zhou Ming''s firebird transformation! He''s moving a little woodenly, and I think something''s wrong!"


    While Qin Xiaotian continued to gape in shock, Wang Xiaohua and his subordinates continued trying to persuade him to leave. The poison mist was spreading all around them, and Qin Xiaotian knew that they would all be in serious danger if they didn''t leave now.


    He red at Zhang Lie and bitterly called out, "Retreat! We''ll leave through the cave and get this bastard some other time!"


    Of course, the venombane scorpions certainly weren''t going to let this crowd of intruders leave so easily. As if sensing that the other party had just called a retreat, the already-furious scorpions swarmed toward Qin Xiaotian''s team in even greater numbers than before.


    Even worse, the mutated-grade venombane scorpions, dispersed within the crowd, had also begun to attack.


    Suddenly, whirling winds surrounded the time. As Fang Qiong¡¯s firebird form pped its wings furiously, the venombane scorpions surrounding the team were all flung aside. But just as he thought that the coast was clear, a burst of violet light darted toward the teammates behind him.


    "Argh!" With a pained yelp, behind the firebird, one of Qin Xiaotian''s subordinates copsed.


    .


    "He Feng!" Qin Xiaotian and another subordinate shouted He Feng''s name simultaneously.


    However, He Feng didn''t respond. He slumped onto the ground like a marite whose strings had been cut. By the right side of his neck, a hole about as wide as a finger was leaking purple blood, and the flesh around the wound was quickly necrotizing.


    "Be careful! There are mutated-grade scorpions around us!" A hunter on the left nk fortuitously dodged another sh of purple light. Just as he called out, however, the scorpion struck again, tearing his ear apart.


    Qin Xiaotian, scowling fiercely, a golden sword in his hands, sliced at an iing blur. "Watch out, there''s more than one!"


    Even Zhang Lie had to admit that he wasn''t a weakling.


    Mutated-grade venombane scorpions wouldn''t drop their stealth until the moment right before their attack, and the fact that he was able to notice and respond so quickly meant that he had to have at least twenty superior gene fragments. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to defeat them with a single blow.


    Zhang Lie was very d that he hadn''t opted for a direct confrontation.


    Of course, killing just a single mutated-grade venombane scorption didn''t change things; after all, the entire de was a nest of scorpions. A death or two were meaningless in terms of the number of scorpions that were still swarming toward them.


    And even if Qin Xiaotian was able to handle a mutated-grade venombane scorpion, the rest of his teammates and Wang Xiaohua could not. He might be able to save one or two of them, but there were bound to be more casualties.


    Shouting in pain, another hunter fell to the ground. Even the four transformed hunters were starting to falter, and the square formation was breaking apart. If Qin Xiaotian didn''t do something, the team that he had worked so hard to build would all perish in this nightmarish de.

 Chapter 14: Blood Feud

    <h4>Chapter 14: Blood Feud</h4>


    As his teammates fell one by one, Qin Xiaotian howled, "Zhang Lie, I''ll kill you!"


    A blinding golden light emanated from Qin Xiaotian''s body. Amidst the swirl of gic energy, he morphed into a gigantic gold pangolin, the effect of a superior-grade transformation-type soulshard!


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. A transformation-type soulshard was rare enough, let alone a superior-grade one. It would be sure to fetch a good price if he were to auction it off.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t a human-type lifeform, so the transformation would render one incapable of using gic techniques. Otherwise, its price would definitely rise at least a hundredfold.


    Qin Xiao must like his cousin quite a bit to have sent him such a rare soulshard¡­ Well, I''ll thank him for the kindness in advance!?Zhang Lie ignored the fuss Qin Xiaotian was making, treating the soulshard in Qin Xiaotian''s hand as though it already belonged to him.


    By the cave entrance, Qin Xiaotian¡¯s ws swiped at the air around him, forcing even those mutated-grade venombane scorpions lurking around him to retreat. The next moment, he grabbed Wang Xiaohua. His scales began to twist rapidly, as though he were a golden drill. With a tremendous grinding sound, he burrowed into the earth.


    Except for the four transformed lifeforms, the remainder of Qin Xiaotian''s team quickly ran into the hole he had created. Fang Qiong, Zhou Ming, and the other two hunters prepared to cancel their transformations and followed suit.


    .


    The transformation had drained them of much of their gic energy, and their constant exposure to the poisonous mist was making them muddleheaded.


    Right after Fang Qiong and Zhou Ming made it into the burrowed hole, however, Zhao Ping and Zheng Cang, who had transformed into the vine asp and crysturtle respectively, felt their transformations break involuntarily and their soulshards forcibly recalled.


    Neither of them had enough gic energy to maintain their transformation any longer. Before the two of them could recover from the shock, the wave of scorpions engulfed them.


    "Damn it! Hurry, we have to run!" Fang Qiong and Zhou Ming had no choice but to copse the entrance to the underground hole.


    Thus ended the fight between the venombane scorpions and Qin Xiaotian''s team. Both sides had suffered massive losses.The once-idyllic de had been covered in ayer of scorpion carcasses, along with the blood of eight hunters.


    Qin Xiaotian''s thirteen-person team had shrunk by more than half. Furthermore, the surviving hunters were all poisoned, and Zhang Lie had no intention of letting them leave safely. Qin Xiaotian had dered a blood feud between them, and neither of them would rest easily before the other was dead.


    However, Zhang Lie wasn''t in much of a hurry. The poison in the scorpions'' blood was slow-acting, but its effects were particrly difficult to dispel. He was certain that Qin Xiaotian and the others wouldn''t be able to find an antidote in the short term.


    After a few minutes, when the scorpions had finally retreated, Zhang Lie walked over to the eight corpses and began collecting his spoils. None of their flesh or bones remained, and the soulshards in their soulspace had naturally vanished with them.


    All Zhang Lie could recover were their weapons. A spear, three polearms, and four des: the weapons of the eight deceased hunters were quickly thrown into Zhang Lie''s potbellied-toad pouch.


    Subsequently, he activated his galewolf soulshard and [Rippling Walk], then ran out through the cave, chasing after the remnants of Qin Xiaotian''s team. The moment he returned to the waterfall, Zhang Lie discovered something amiss. There were no traces of upturned ground near the tunnel entrance or thekeside. Even by the nearby forests, Zhang Lie couldn''t see any fallen trees or disturbed soil. Given Qin Xiaotian''s condition, he could hardly be so careful as to avoid detection.


    In that case... Zhang Lie turned around and ran back into the venombane de. Evidently, knowing that Zhang Lie would chase after him, Qin Xiaotian had burrowed deeper into the forest rather than out beyond the cave. Unfortunately for him, Zhang Lie was an experienced hunter, and saw through his trick immediately.


    Deep within the de, by an upturned heap of soil, Qin Xiaotian, Wang Xiaohua, Fang Qiong, Zhou Ming, and another hunter slumped against the ground. At Qin Xiaotian''s feet was all manner of empty potion bottles.


    "Damn it, none of these antidotes are working!"


    After swallowing another dose of antidote, Qin Xiaotian began to shout in frustration. His gic energy was slowly being sapped away, and the extremities of his body were slowly falling into paralysis.


    "Xiaotian, what do we do? What do we do?! Are we going to die of poison?" Wang Xiaohua trembled as she held back her tears. In the end, Wang Xiaohua was only a young woman. When faced with the prospect of death, how could she remain calm?


    Of course, the other hunters were much the same way.


    Hearing Wang Xiaohua''s words, Fang Qiong, who had suffered the brunt of the scorpions'' attack, squeezed his insensate palm. Clutching onto a forlorn hope, he asked, "Captain, could it be that the antidote just hasn''t taken effect yet? All your antidotes are top-tier, after all!"


    "The apothecary you bought all these antidotes from surely wouldn''t sell us fake potions, would they?" Zhou Ming suggested.


    Qin Xiaotian waved his arm in frustration. "No, these antidotes work fine. The poison is just too tricky to deal with!"


    Fang Qiong couldn''t help but groan. "To think we were tricked by a weakling like him!"


    "Wang Xiaohua, it''s all your fault! If not for you, Qin Xiaotian wouldn''t be fighting against this fellow in the first ce. You''ve killed everyone!" Zhou Ming''s despairing usation made Qin Xiaotian nce thoughtfully at Wang Xiaohua.


    However, it was only one nce. After all, he understood quite well that he was the one who had brought them all to this juncture.


    On the other hand, Wang Xiaohua, indicted by Zhou Ming, suddenly shouted, "That''s right! Zhang Lie! We just need to find him! While we were fighting, the poisonous mist spread all over the de, but Zhang Lie wasn''t affected! He must either have the antidote or know some way of avoiding the poison!


    "Xiaotian, we just need to go find Zhang Lie! As long as we promise him some resources, I''m sure he''ll give us the antidote!"


    The other hunters'' eyes brightened, but then they looked toward her as though she were an idiot.


    "What''s the matter? Are you all too prideful?" Wang Xiaohua asked, confused.


    This time, none of the other hunters bothered to look at her. She was a sheltered orchid in a greenhouse, and clearly didn''t understand the true nature of the dimensional world.


    As she felt her body slowly seizing up, Wang Xiaohua began to cry. "Xiaotian, I''m begging you, can''t we ask Zhang Lie for help?"


    "Xiaohua, you''re too naive! We gain nothing from asking him except for revealing the fact that we''ve all been weakened. But you don''t have to worry too much¡ªgiven my cousin''s reputation in the dimensional world, he might give us a shameful beating, but he wouldn''t dare take our lives.


    "As for the poison in our bodies, after circting my gic energy a few times, I''ve found that it only has paralytic properties. At worst, we''ll be stiff for a few hours. The purple powder that we saw on that fellow should be the key to avoiding the scorpions'' poison.


    Furthermore, the fact that we''re now deep within the de rather than out by the waterfall means that it''ll take quite a while longer to find us. As long as we make it through the next few hours, we can still beat him!"


    Qin Xiaotian was exceedingly patient with Wang Xiaohua, not only dissuading her from her inane decision, but also giving her hope to live.


    "Really? Xiaotian, this poison isn''t lethal?" Despite Qin Xiaotian''s patient exnation, Wang Xiaohua still seemed quite doubtful, causing Fang Qiong and Zhou Ming to let out twin res of impatience.


    They were about to mock her¡ªwhile their mouths could still move¡ªwhen they heard a chuckle from the distance.


    "Haha, of course it''s true. Qin Xiaotian, it looks like you''re not an idiot after all! In that case, shall we have a little talk?"


    Zhang Lie appeared from a distance.


    "Zhang Lie!" Fang Qiong, Zhou Ming, and Wang Xiaohua all eximed in shock.


    Qin Xiaotian, on the other hand, lying on the ground with his four limbs all but paralyzed, knew that he''d lost. Rather than panic, however, he smiled coldly. "Alright, you win. What do you want from me?"


    Zhang Lie''s face warped in greed. "Soulshards, all the soulshards in your soulspace!"


    "You''re a little greedy, aren''t you? You''re sure you want my soulshards?" Qin Xiaotian''s simmering anger was reflected in his words.


    Zhang Lie retrieved the spear he had picked up from one of his teammates'' carcasses, then pointed it at Qin Xiaotian. "Are you threatening me?"


    "Consider it a warning. Most of my soulshards are from my cousin. How do you think he''ll react when he finds that you''ve got them all?"


    "Qin Xiao, you mean? I''d like to spar with him if I get the chance. That reminds me, didn''t you im you were going to give me a beating?"


    Zhang Lie''s face was calm, but Qin Xiaotian could see the pale blue energy emanating from his body, as well as the spear pointed directly at his chest, its tip glinting.


    And even though he knew he had to remain calm, Qin Xiaotian shuddered. "No, wait! I''ll give you my soulshards, all of them!"

 Chapter 15: Stealthy Return

    <h4>Chapter 15: Stealthy Return</h4>


    It was clear that Zhang Lie was motivated by his greed, and Qin Xiaotian would certainly prefer bankruptcy to death. Angering him at this critical juncture would be a terribly unwise decision. In that case, he had no choice but to give in.


    A dozen soulshards, including the superior-grade transformation-type soulshard he''d been eyeing earlier, ended up in Zhang Lie''s hands.


    The dimensional world was a curious entity, with its own rules and will. A human, upon entering the dimensional world, would unlock a soulspace granted by the will of the world. This soulspace was where hunters could store their soulshards.


    Hunters'' strength came from four sources: their framework, their soulshards, their gene fragments, and their gic energy. Their gene fragments represented their strength and constitution; their framework, the nature and maximum capacity of their gic energy; their techniques, different ways of unleashing that energy.


    Soulshardsplemented and augmented a hunter''s suite of techniques. To some extent, the quality of a hunter''s soulshards dictated their maximum strength, and having an assortment of valuable soulshards was a hunter''s greatest treasure. All hunters'' soulspaces were protected by the will of the world, and no one else could steal a soulshard from another hunter''s soulspace.


    Qin Xiaotian''s soulshards would clearly be the cream of the crop. Most of his remaining soulshards were also of the exceedingly rare transformation type, and Zhang Lie had just received a veritable fortune.


    "You truly are rich, Young Master Qin. I''ll ept your gift with gratitude." Zhang Lie affected a smarmy smile as he swiped Qin Xiaotian''s soulshards. In his head, Qin Xiaotian thought to himself,?Shameless bastard!


    Of course, he didn''t dare say so out loud. "Zhang Lie, friend, now that I''ve given you these soulshards, won''t you hand us the antidote?"


    Zhang Lie roared withughter. "Eh, didn''t you say you would stop at nothing to kill me? I''m not sure I want a friend like you, Qin Xiaotian."


    "Wang Xiaohua, you''re up next. Qin Xiaotian bought his life with all his soulshards¡ªwhat about you?" Zhang Lie pointed the spear toward Wang Xiaohua.


    When she saw the glinting spearhead, she immediately panicked. "Zhang Lie, I''m begging you, don''t kill me! I''ll give you everything I have!"


    It was only now that Wang Xiaohua understood that the young man she had forsaken was no weakling at all¡ªhe was only biding his time. She very much regretted provoking him repeatedly just for a bit of face.


    Surprisingly, Zhang Lie was quite genial to her. "In that case, hand over your soulshards. As for your points, we can discuss that once we''re back in the settlement."


    "Al-Alright! Here!" Wang Xiaohua immediately offered her palm to him, and Zhang Lie took all of her soulshards with a careless swipe of his hand.


    Of course,pared to Qin Xiaotian, Wang Xiaohua''s soulshards were far more inferior. Except for one or two mutated-grade soulshards, the others were all rtively mundane. That didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t take them all, however. There were at least a hundred settlements dotted all over the dimensional world, and soulshards were always in hot demand.


    The rest was easy. Fang Qiong, Zhou Ming, and thest remaining member of Qin Xiaotian''s team all handed over their soulshards in turn, having watched their captain and Wang Xiaohua do so.


    Combined, Zhang Lie had obtained over forty soulshards from Qin Xiaotian''s party. Since the remaining three members of Qin Xiaotian''s team were hunters that Qin Xiaotian had intended on supporting in earnest, their soulshards were far superior to those that Wang Xiaohua had.


    After collecting everyone''s soulshards, Zhang Lie patted his hands and smiled.


    "Zhang Lie, now that you''ve epted all our soulshards, won''t you give us the antidote?" Qin Xiaotian asked carefully. His body had now beenpletely paralyzed, and even speaking was starting to get difficult. It felt far too ufortable to have his life be in someone else''s hands, and he wanted to end this nightmarish scenario as quickly as he could.


    Right after he spoke, however, the other hunters heard a clean snick and saw a fountain of blood. Wang Xiaohua, Fang Qiong, and the others looked on in horror as Qin Xiaotian''s head toppled from his body.


    "Ah¡ªAhhh!"


    "Captain!" You damned¡ª"


    "Zhang Lie, you''re not trust¡ª"


    Wang Xiaohua screamed again, and Fang Qiong and the others began to curse Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie''s de had reached them before any of them could finish.


    "When did I say I would spare any of you?" Zhang Lie asked, almost rhetorically. The only hunter still alive was Wang Xiaohua. Of course, the reason Zhang Lie had kept her alive wasn''t because he pitied her, but because he would need her to take the me.


    After dealing with Qin Xiaotian and the others, Zhang Lie strode forward toward Qin Xiaohua''s prone body.


    "Don''t kill me! Zhang Lie, I''m begging you, don''t kill me! I''ll do anything you ask me to!"


    A sudden stink filled the air: in her extreme fear, Wang Xiaohua had involuntarily defecated. The scene in front of her eyes was simply too frightening! The hunter by her side had been Qin Xiaotian, scion of the branch of the Qin n in Jiangdu, and Zhang Lie had killed him without even blinking an eye, as though he were simply squashing a bug!


    And all the other hunters beside her¡ªtheir ns weren''t as rich or influential, but still notable and powerful in their own right. How could Zhang Lie have killed all of them?! And if he was daring enough to kill them, wouldn''t he also kill her?


    Faced with the overwhelming prospect of death, Wang Xiaohua broke down.


    "I''m so-sorry! Please, it''s all my fault, I shouldn''t have left you, I shouldn''t have looked down on you, I shouldn''t have made trouble for you at your house! It''s all my fault! Zhang Lie, I''m begging you... Please don''t kill me!"


    "Ah, what''s this? What happened to Young Miss Wang, whomanded me to beg at the settlement gates for her favor? What, have you learned your mistake?


    "Honestly, I don''t care whether or not you''ve left me. I don''t even care that you''ve been trying to glean information on my father, in hopes of securing his inheritance. I really can''t be bothered to care about such matters, but this doesn''t mean that I''m scared of you, or of the Wang n. You shouldn''t have repeatedly antagonized me or my sister, and you certainly shouldn''t have brought Qin Xiaotian into this affair, damning you and the entire Wang n!


    "But don''t worry, since I didn''t kill you before, I''m not going to kill you now. Not only that, I''ll even bring you back to the settlement, hale and hearty!" Zhang Lie''s tone was chillingly bright.


    Even as naive as Wang Xiaohua was, she knew that Zhang Lie surely didn''t have good intentions in doing so, but could she refuse? Of course not! She had to hold onto any chance of survival.


    "Really? You really won''t kill me?"


    Instead of replying, Zhang Lie pulled out a curiouslyrge purple flower, then scattered its pollen over her prone body. As a refreshing scent wafted up her nose, Wang Xiaohua felt her paralysis fade.


    This soulbloom flower was a rare subsidiary ingredient that Zhang Lie had picked up while gathering ingredients for Potion #1. It was the pollen from this flower that had caused the venombane scorpions to ignore Zhang Lie''s presence and served as an antidote against the mist formed from their poisonous blood.


    After storing his spoils, Zhang Lie instructed Wang Xiaohua not to run away after she recovered from her paralysis. Then, he headed back into the de to harvest the rare herbs that grew within. He wasn''t at all worried that Wang Xiaohua would escape, because he knew that she had neither the daring nor the capability.


    And given that he was nning to return Wang Xiaohua to the settlement, this venombane de would soon be a well-known location. As a result, he would have to harvest and hunt what he could now.


    The exoskeleton of these venombane scorpions were particrly useful, and could be used to brew a variety of medicines, potions, and poisons. Mutated-grade venombane-scorpion soulshards was even more useful, so the de would soon be packed to the brim with hunters.


    Zhang Lie spent the next three days in the venombane de.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, First Form: Carp


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (novice), Three-Wave Crescendo (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 130; Mutated, 80; Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated)


    The reason he had taken so long was both in order to harvest herbs and to hunt for a mutated-grade venombane-scorpion soulshard. It was extremely difficult to find such venombane scorpions while they were stealthed, and if not for Zhang Lie''s understanding of their habits and weaknesses, it would have taken even longer.


    As expected, Wang Xiaohua didn''t even try to run away. All she did was bury her teammates'' corpses.


    Back in the cksteel settlement, outside the gates, a number of gamblers were ncing all around thendscape, searching for a certain hunter.


    "It''s been three whole days! Surely Qin Xiaotian and his team would be back by now?"


    "It''s only been three days¡ªgiven Qin Xiaotian''s skill, it wouldn''t be unusual for his team to be out hunting for an entire month!"


    "That''s right! After all, that Zhang Lie surely was nothing more than an interlude for someone like Qin Xiaotian."


    "Even calling him an interlude is way too much! You couldn''t have bet on him, could you?"


    "Of course not! What are the odds now, something like 120:1 against him?"


    What the crowd didn''t realize was that, amidst their discussions, two stealthed hunters were passing by them and heading into the settlement.


    Of course, these two hunters were Zhang Lie and Wang Xiaohua.

 Chapter 16: Youre Free

    <h4>Chapter 16: You''re Free</h4>


    "Congrattions, Wang Xiaohua, you''re free!" The moment they entered the settlement, Zhang Lie whispered into Wang Xiaohua''s ear. Subsequently, she felt the presence by her side vanish: Zhang Lie had disappeared.


    Wang Xiaohua was shocked. She couldn''t believe that Zhang Lie would let her go so easily.?Why? He hadn''t hesitated to kill Qin Xiaotian and the others. Why would he let me go? Could he be interested in rekindling our rtionship? Yes, yes, that had to be the case! Otherwise, why would he leave me alive without even extorting me for my points?


    Zhang Lie''s sudden departure left Wang Xiaohua, still stealthed, in deep thought. However, she was being so naive that Zhang Lie would have been in fits ofughter upon hearing her thoughts. Of course, while he didn''t care about her thoughts, he had overheard what the crowds were saying outside the settlement.


    At the betting stand set up by the three major corporations, a mysterious ck-d man came to the counter and said, "I¡¯m betting thirty thousand points on Zhang Lie¡¯s safe return!"


    His remarkable deration sent ripples through the crowds.


    "Thirty thousand points for Zhang Lie?! Is this guy crazy?"


    "Some people clearly have too many points on their hands!"


    "Isn''t that so? It''s already the third day of the hunt, and there''s almost no chance for Zhang Lie by now. What a fool!"


    The onlookers'' taunts didn''t affect the mysterious man at all. He mmed a card down on the counter and called out to the bookkeepers, "What''s the matter? Aren''t you going to ept my bet?"


    The bookkeeper sitting in front of the counter immediately smiled. "Of course we''ll take the bet! ?Why wouldn''t we? The betting only closes at 5 PM, and it''s only 3 PM right now!"


    The paperwork was handled rapidly, and the mysterious man quickly left after receiving his receipt. Only after he had vanished did the onlookers begin to murmur among themselves again.


    "What an idiot! The three corporations got thirty thousand points, just like that!"


    "Isn''t that so? Not only that, he''s even trying to act like a mysterious fellow with that get-up!"


    The crowd soon dered that ck-d man as the stupidest fool in the settlement.


    Just as themotion had settled down, a rather handsome hunter stepped forward, gaze still hovering in the direction in which the mysterious man had left. He sauntered up to the counter. "Ten thousand points to that Zhang Lie fellow."


    These words sparked another discussion among the crowd. Someone even shouted out the hunter''s name.


    "Isn''t that... isn''t that Chu Feng?"


    "Chu Feng? Who''s Chu Feng?"


    "The second-ranked hunter on the gene leaderboard, who else?!"


    "What''s going on? Why would someone like Chu Feng ce a bet on Zhang Lie? Could he have received some news?"


    Chu Feng''s action immediately caused a few hunters to palm their point cards, thinking about whether or not to make the same bet he did.


    "Friends, I haven''t heard anything of the sort! I''m simply cing this bet on a whim. I don''t care if you mimic me, but don''t hold me responsible if you lose!" Chu Feng''s exnation caused much of the crowd, eager to continue betting, to shrink back.


    Chu Feng had the money and points to spare, after all, but they didn''t. If other hunters were to mimic his bet, that was a decision they had to make for themselves.


    The moment Chu Feng left, however, the bookkeepers from the three corporations, who had been smiling after the mysterious ck-d man''s departure, suddenly grew stern and began packing up.


    The gamblers lounging around the stand immediately noticed what was going on.


    "What''s the matter? Didn''t you im you were going to allow bets until 5 PM? Why are you all packing up now?"


    "That''s right, what''s going on? This bet''s recognized by the artificial intelligence presiding over the cksteel settlement, so you won''t be able to run away so easily!"


    The head bookkeeper strode out from behind the stand and exined politely, "Don''t worry, we''re from the three corporations. We certainly won''t be running away. As for why we''re halting bets so early on, it''s simply what our superiors told us. We''re just low-level workers, and we don''t know what''s going on either. I suspect it''s simply a matter of risk. There are already tens of millions of points in the betting pool, after all."


    His words and polite attitude barely persuaded the gamblers to let them pass.


    But before they could leave, a particrly domineering voice came from within the crowd.


    "Oh? Who''s going to leave before I, Qin Xiao, have made my bet?" Qin Xiao strode forth in an imposing suit of jet-ck armor.


    With one hand, he pressed down on the table the bookkeepers were trying to pack up, retrieved his point card, and said, loud enough for all to hear, "I know exactly how capable my cousin is. I''ll bet three hundred thousand points that the other dumb bastard who roused his ire won''t make it back alive!"


    "Young Master Qin, you¡ªthis isn''t something I have the authority to handle, so..."


    "Shut your damn mouth! I know exactly how much profit the three corporations have made in this settlement over the past few years. Give me a receipt for this bet, or I won''t let you out of the settlement!"


    What bookkeeper would refuse the bet now? Their lives were more important, after all, and they were only low-level workers.


    "Qin Xiao, you''re even bullying these white-cor workers now?" As Qin Xiao grabbed the receipt he was handed, a clear, flute-like voice rang out from the crowd.


    "Yun Bing, the corporations themselves imed that they''d halt the betting at 5 PM. It''s not my fault that they''re going back on their word! Why don''t youe over and make a bet too? It''s all thanks to our Xiaotian that we''re getting such an easy way to make more points!"


    Faced with Yun Bing, first on the gene leaderboard, Qin Xiao dropped his dominating attitude, but not his boastful tone.


    His prideful posturing made Yun Bing want tough. As she stepped up to the counter, Yun Bing said, "If I can still make a bet, I''ll bet ten thousand points that the fellow facing off against Qin Xiaotian will make it back alive!"


    Her words caused the crowd to erupt inmotion. The top yer on the gene leaderboard herself had made a bet, and it was even for the underdog! Of course, everyone could tell that she had only done so to go against Qin Xiao, not because she had any hidden information of her own.


    And given her status as the top hunter of the cksteel settlement, despite her polite attitude, the head bookkeeper certainly didn''t dare to offend her and quickly handed her a receipt back.


    "Haha! Yun Bing, I love stubborn women like you!" Qin Xiao''s boisterous behavior clearly revealed his interest in Yun Bing, but she didn''t get upset. Instead, throughout the entire process, she spared him not a single nce.


    After iming her receipt, she turned around and vanished like fog on a sunny day.


    Keep pretending to be all distant, wench. I''ll make you regret it sooner orter!?Yun Bing''s insouciance infuriated Qin Xiao, but what could he do about it? Her own strength, her n''s power, and even her team''s capabilities all eclipsed his. He might shoot his mouth off from time to time, but he wouldn''t offend her needlessly.


    Simrly, while Yun Bing might ignore him, she wouldn''t make a big fuss about the matter.


    After Yun Bing left, Qin Xiao also quickly disappeared. But their departure didn''t mark the end of the betting¡ªmany hunters near the top of the leaderboard trickled toward the betting stand, ready to make their bets after the top two hunters had done so.


    Of course, most of them favored Qin Xiaotian, given what Qin Xiao himself had said. Nevertheless, there were a few gamblers who were willing to take the risk for the minuscule chance of a jackpot.


    It took another dozen minutes before the bookkeepers were finally able to head out. The curtains to the entire fiasco were about to draw to a close. At that point, there should have been a lull before the final results of the bet were established.


    However, the gamblers in the crowd were set abuzz not ten minutester by a piece of momentous news: the female hunter who had spawned this entire conflict, Wang Xiaohua, had returned!


    Of course, that wasn''t the most salient point¡ªmore importantly, she had returned alone! Not Qin Xiaotian, not his team, not even Zhang Lie¡ªjust Wang Xiaohua!


    The gamblers immediately swarmed her, wanting to discover the oue of the bet.


    However, before most people could reach her, guards sent by the cksteel settlement''s artificial intelligence appeared to wall her off. By that point, the settlement gates were swarming with people.


    Only with the appearance of the guards did the gathered hunters calm down. They could fight all they wanted outside the settlement grounds, but within the settlement, the guards could not be ovee.


    As for Wang Xiaohua, under the protection of the settlement guards, she was given a room at the highest-ss inn in the settlement, the cksteel inn, whose proprietor was the artificial intelligence itself.


    Subsequently, the artificial intelligence transmitted a message to the gathered hunters on her behalf: she was beleaguered by the attention and her recent experiences, and she needed some time to herself to process what had happened. At 8 PM, the artificial intelligence would announce the oue of the bet.


    It was only then that Wang Xiaohua finally understood what Zhang Lie had in mind for her.

 Chapter 17: The Show Begins

    <h4>Chapter 17: The Show Begins</h4>


    Oh, Wang Xiaohua understood it all now! The reason Zhang Lie had spared her wasn''t because he pitied her, but because he was nning to shrug the me for his murders onto her!


    Qin Xiaotian and the others had died, but she was still alive, and she would be held responsible. There were only two survivors of the entire ordeal: one was her, and the other was Zhang Lie. Given their past rtionship, it was conceivable that others would think that they were working together.


    But this realization hade toote.


    Everyone knew that she was still alive, so she had be the prime suspect. In fact, if she were to reveal the truth immediately, the matter might have resolved itself. Unfortunately, Wang Xiaohua was so scared that no one would believe her that she ended up doing nothing, and her inaction was damning.


    Once things dragged out¡ªonce it seemed as though Wang Xiaohua were deliberately hiding her involvement in Qin Xiaotian''s disappearance¡ªthe entire Wang n would perish with her.


    In a regr inn, Zhang Lie, dressed all in ck, was happily writing an article:?What Really Happened at the Venombane de.


    From the perspective of an onlooker, Zhang Lie carefully detailed and twisted the truth of the matter. ording to him, Wang Xiaohua and Zhang Lie were acting in cahoots to steal all the soulshards from Qin Xiaotian''s team¡ªas well as their lives. Even more maliciously, Zhang Lie was waiting for Wang Xiaohua to speak up and take the first step toward her ruin before revealing his "truth".


    Having prepared the article, Zhang Lie left the cksteel settlement again, returning to the venombane de to set up the scene of the crime.


    At 8 PM, a huge crowd had gathered outside the cksteel Inn. The gamblers who had taken part in the bet were all waiting to discover the oue of the battle¡ªor the juiciest, freshest gossip.


    Shockingly, it was a robot who emerged out onto the inn''s third-floor balcony, not Wang Xiaohua.


    "Miss Wang Xiaohua has requested that I, the artificial intelligence serving the cksteel settlement, reveal the final oue of the bet! The winner¡ªZhang Lie! Except for Miss Wang Xiaohua, Qin Xiaotian''s entire team perished! The oue of this bet is now official, and those winners can now redeem their receipts for points online."


    For a brief moment, the deep, synthetic voice lulled the entire cksteel settlement into silence.


    A mere fraction of a secondter, however, the crowd erupted in shock.


    How could Qin Xiaotian have lost?! His entire team, too?! How was this possible?


    "No, I don''t believe this! She has to be lying! How could Qin Xiaotian lose¡ª and with his entire team, at that?! That''s impossible!"


    "That''s right, it''s impossible! Qin Xiaotian is Qin Xiao''s cousin, after all¡ªhow could someone like him fail to beat a hunter at the bottom of the gene leaderboard?! Where''s Wang Xiaohua? Why hasn''t she revealed herself?"


    "Preposterous, I say!"


    "Wang Xiaohua, what really happened? You''d better tell us the truth!"


    Clearly, this oue was uneptable to a majority of the crowd. After all, at least 90% of the crowd had staked a heavy bet on Qin Xiaotian. They would suffer heavy losses if Qin Xiaotian had actually lost.


    As for the artificial intelligence, well, it didn''t much care for the dismay of the crowd. If the crowd became violent, it would be dispersed, and any troublemakers would be arrested. The artificial intelligence would certainly reveal the impartial truth. And since it imed that Zhang Lie had won, then Qin Xiaotian had to have been defeated¡ªand killed.


    Only after realizing that inconvenient truth did the dejected gamblers finally leave. However, just because they had dispersed didn''t mean that they would take their loss lying down¡ªno, they had to uncover the truth of the matter.


    In every bet, there would be winners and losers. Even though Zhang Lie was a dark horse, there would still be some gamblers willing to bet on him. At that moment, they were overjoyed: the odds were 120:1 in their favor! They had earned their points back a hundredfold!


    Even the strongest hunters like Yun Bing and Chu Feng were pleasantly surprised by their gains. After all, given such odds, a ten-thousand point bet would give them 1.2 million points back. No matter how much wealth they had, 1.2 million points was a considerable amount of points. As a result, both of them gained a deep interest in Zhang Lie, whom they hadn''t ever seen in person.


    Of course, at the same time, Qin Xiao was flying into a blind rage.


    On the fifth-floor suite in the cksteel inn, with a huge boom, the table in front of Qin Xiao exploded into tiny shards.


    "Find out exactly where that Wang Xiaohua is! I want to see her immediately!" Qin Xiao was howling at the door to his room like a ferocious beast.


    "Yes, Captain!" Seeing how enraged their captain was, Qin Xiao''s team immediately rushed off to find Wang Xiaohua.


    The reason that Qin Xiao hadn''t approached her initially was because he thought Qin Xiaotian was trying to drum up attention, not that he had lost! How could he have lost?!


    Xiaotian was dead, and the only survivor was Wang Xiaohua¡­ He''d bet three hundred thousand points, 90% of his total wealth, and it was all gone now...


    His subordinates were rather capable hunters in their own right, and they quickly brought back the news that Qin Xiao wanted to hear.


    Wang Xiaohua was in room 303 of this very inn, and was apparently meeting with the head of the three great corporations at the moment.


    "The three corporations¡ª!" Qin Xiao was so furious that he couldn''t sit still.


    In room 303 of the cksteel Inn, three middle-aged men were sitting in the rather small living room. Opposite them, Wang Xiaohua was seated by the corner of a couch, her face pale, surrounded on either side by two guards.


    She was panicking because she now clearly understood the ramifications of her safe return. As a result, she had even spent her precious points to hire two guards for protection.


    "Wang Xiaohua, I think you should understand your predicament quite well. To be frank, you''re the only one who can save yourself now! Tell us everything that you saw and heard, starting from the moment you left the settlement gates! Otherwise, I can assure you that both you and your n will be crushed by morning."


    The head of one corporation was threatening and scaring Wang Xiaohua in order to learn about exactly what had happened. The other two heads were also in rare agreement.


    No matter the oue of the bet, the three corporations would still make a tidy profit. The reason they were here to see Wang Xiaohua was because the oue was too shocking even for them. Furthermore, as merchants, they could sense an opportunity brewing.


    Wang Xiaohua gulped down some saliva, not knowing where to begin.


    Ding! Just then, the doorbell rang.


    "Zhou Qian, Li Jin, Zhao Jia, open up! Otherwise, I''ll kill any team from your corporations the moment I encounter them! I''m Xiaotian''s cousin, and I demand to know the truth immediately! Open up!" Outside room 303, Qin Xiao''s booming voice struck the hearts of the hunters inside like a bolt of lightning.


    If this weren''t the cksteel Inn, and if there weren''t a horde of gamblers unable to ept their loss in the corridor with him, Qin Xiao would have broken down the door with a kick. The three heads eyed each other, and one of them finally turned to a subordinate.


    As the door opened, the furious Qin Xiao stomped inside. His subordinates stayed outside to guard the door. Qin Xiao eyed the two guards by Wang Xiaohua''s side, then dragged a stool over and went to sit by the three heads.


    "Wang Xiaohua, you''re with my cousin Xiaotian, so I won''t make things difficult for you. But you have to exin to me exactly what happened on this trip! How did Qin Xiaotian and his team die¡ªall except for you?! If you don''t tell me what happened, I''ll have you¡ªand all the rest of the Wang n¡ªdie alongside him!"


    Such was Qin Xiao''s rage that this outburst was the result of him trying to restrain himself.


    Wang Xiaohua knew then that she wouldn''t be able to keep her experience a secret; in truth, she was waiting for Qin Xiao to arrive. After all, as long as she were able to convince Qin Xiao of the truth, then she would be absolved of any suspicion.


    After clearing her throat, Wang Xiaohua began, "We were all set up by Zhang Lie! That day, after leaving the settlement, we chased him all the way to the Moonlit Pond. There, he led us through a tunnel behind the waterfall into an idyllic de.


    "Everything in the de was tinged purple, and the moment we entered, we found quite a number of rare herbs. However, our joy and happiness were short-lived: we had fallen right into his trap. We were attacked by these so-called venombane scorpions, most of which were regr-grade, but they swarmed us rapidly in huge droves. Worse, they seemed to have a stealth ability and a deadly poison.


    "Zhang Lie had previously doused himself in soulbloom pollen, which would allow him to avoid the scorpions. Xiaotian led us into a battle with the scorpions, but after losing half our members, he transformed into a golden pangolin and burrowed a hole through which we could escape.


    "However, by that time, we had all fallen prey to the scorpions'' slow-acting poison. Our bodies were slowly bing paralyzed, so Xiaotian brought us deeper into the de instead, intending for us to recover before heading off.


    "But even though Xiaotian used all sorts of antidotes, he wasn''t able to cure the paralysis at all. We were discovered by Zhang Lie, who tricked us into handing over our soulshards before killing us all! The only survivor he left was me.


    "Qin Xiao, Zhang Lie''s a sly and malicious fellow, and he''s been pretending to be weak all along. We''ve all been tricked by him, all of us hunters in the cksteel settlement!


    "You have to avenge Xiaotian and his team!"


    In the end, Wang Xiaohua''s words were drowned out by a fit of deste sobs.

 Chapter 18: The Trap Tightens

    <h4>Chapter 18: The Trap Tightens</h4>


    Despite her cries, none of the four people before her showed any sign of pity¡ªespecially Qin Xiao, who immediately questioned, "Why would he keep you alive, then? Shouldn''t this Zhang Lie fellow have killed you too? Why would he leave you alive? Tell me, why?"


    Hearing Qin Xiao''s usation, and seeing the skeptical nces from the three corporation heads, Wang Xiaohua clearly sensed matters taking a turn for the worse.


    "Qin Xiao, it''s easy! He kept me alive so all of you would suspect me, to have me take the me for his murder!"


    "You, a scapegoat? No matter who this hunter is, everyone in the cksteel settlement would know my name. Wouldn''t he know that, the moment Xiaotian died, he would be a dead man walking? What a foolish notion¡ªis he a fool, or is he treating us like fools? And if this were the case, where''s this Zhang Lie now?"


    Qin Xiao was brash and arrogant, and his thoughts reflected that belief. He believed that anyone who had roused his ire within the cksteel settlement had no recourse but to wait for him to kill them. Furthermore, he believed that, if Zhang Lie truly were capable of killing Qin Xiaotian, then he wouldn''t try to y such an obvious trick on him.


    Wang Xiaohua was so agitated that she began to cry again. "Qin Xiao, Zhang Lie left on his own the moment he brought me back to the settlement. I''m sure he''s still hiding somewhere!


    Please, you have to believe me! I swear that I''m telling nothing but the truth. If you don''t believe me, you can send your subordinates out to the venombane de to have a look!"


    "Oh, I will. At the very least, Xiaotian needs a proper burial!" Recalling how close she was to Qin Xiaotian, Qin Xiao suddenly felt less skeptical about her ims. After all, unless Wang Xiaohua was a fool, she would have no reason to collude with Zhang Lie. He would have to see the scene of the crime for himself.


    He believed that, as long as he was there, he would easily figure out the truth.


    "Qin Xiao, the venombane de isn''t veryrge, and it''s a pretty easy ce to find. Could I be allowed to remain here? After reaching the de, go straight for about one kilometer. There, you''ll be able to see therge hole out of which Xiaotian tunneled, and I buried his body inside!


    "You''ll need to start by finding a soulbloom flower. With its pollen, you can enter the de. Zhang Lie mentioned that it isn''t endemic to the venombane de, so you shouldn''t have a hard time finding one."


    Wang Xiaohua could discern that Qin Xiao didn''tpletely believe her, so she didn''t dare to leave the settlement with him. After all, he was notorious for his bad temper. If there were to be some unforeseen circumstance, she could well lose her life at his hands.


    Wang Xiaohua looked timidly and pleadingly at Qin Xiao.


    "Don''t worry, Wang Xiaohua, I won''t do anything to you until the truth is clear. Are you sure you don''t want to go with me? This is your one chance at proving your innocence!" Qin Xiao narrowed his eyes, revealing a sudden killing intent.


    Wang Xiaohua began to sob, "Please, Qin Xiao, don''t force me to go! It''s a very easy ce to find, and once you find it, you''ll surely understand that I''m innocent."


    Qin Xiao leaned closer to Wang Xiaohua, until his eyes were directly facing hers. "You''d better not let me find out that you were part of this, or your entire n will die with you."


    He nced toward her two guardians, red at her, and then got up to leave. The three corporation heads did the same. In truth, they were now all very relieved that they hade to hear Wang Xiaohua''s story.


    Ignoring the details of Qin Xiaotian''s death, they had learned about this mysterious venombane de, apparently filled with a bounty of riches. The location hadn''t yet been developed, which meant an unlimited set of possibilities for turning it into a goldmine!


    The four men each rushed toward the inn''s exit.


    Right before stepping outside, however, Qin Xiaomanded, "Listen up, you three. This venombane de''s something that my Xiaotian gave his life for, so don''t you think about trying to steal it away!"


    The three corporation heads, Zhou Qian, Li Jin, and Zhao Jia, couldn''t help letting out a faint mocking smile at his words.


    Zhou Qian even murmured, "Qin Xiao, do you really think that you have the capability to do that? Even if all four of us were to work together, we wouldn''t be able to monopolize the location. Do you understand what I''m saying?"


    He left before Qin Xiao could reply, and the other two corporation leaders shook their heads and followed suit, leaving Qin Xiao standing red-faced in the hotel lobby.


    It took him a moment''s thought to understand what they were saying: given the unusual circumstances, their every movement would be telegraphed and paid attention to. It would be impossible for them to secretly develop the location; the most they could do would be to develop it jointly.


    He rushed out of the lobby, trailing behind the three corporation heads.


    By the time Qin Xiao and his team arrived at the Moonlit Pond, those teams sponsored by the three corporations were already present. Not only that, Yun Bing''s team and Chu Feng''s team were also at the scene.


    Everyone gathered underneath the waterfall at the Moonlit Pond. Qin Xiao red at Zhou Qian, Li Jin, and Zhao Jia. However, the three of them each ignored his presence.


    In truth, they had long since gotten used to Qin Xiao''s brash behavior, and his threats meant nothing to them. The three corporations would, in order to avoid trouble, refrain from antagonizing him as much as possible, but if there were sufficient profit to be gained, they really didn''t have much to fear from the Qin n.


    "Qin Xiao, aren''t you greedy? You want to have everything for yourself! It''s not possible for you to develop the location alone, so let''s have all six of us enter together!" Chu Feng was the first to speak up. He spoke in a rxed fashion, but his eyes showed no intention of giving in if Qin Xiao were to decline.


    Yun Bing, standing not far away, didn''t speak up, but her expression made it apparent that she felt the same way.


    Damn the three corporations!?Qin Xiao cursed inwardly. To Chu Feng, he said, "You all make it sound so trivial, but Xiaotian died for this ce! No matter what, my team has to be the first to enter, or none of us will!"


    The other five teams all traded nces among themselves.


    Then, Yun Bing stepped forward. "Since you clearly want to be cannon fodder, we''ll let you head in first."


    She was likely the only hunter in the entire settlement who dared to call Qin Xiao cannon fodder. Against Yun Bing, it was meaningless to talk back.


    "Ready the soulbloom pollen! We''re heading in!"


    With Qin Xiao''s loud roar, his subordinates immediately doused themselves with soulbloom pollen and rushed through the waterfall.


    Just as the elites of the cksteel settlement were exploring the venombane de, however,


    another shock rumbled through the cksteel settlement.


    A horde of hunters were heading straight for the venombane de, prompted by an anonymous thread in the cksteel settlement''s forum.


    The author of the thread had detailed precisely where this venombane de was, as well as what he had noticed ying out within the de.


    Apparently, while he was hunting near the Moonlit Pond, he noticed the chase between Zhang Lie and Qin Xiaotian''s team, and he had trailed them stealthily.


    ording to him, he followed them into an idyllic de, where he saw Qin Xiaotian fighting against a horde of scorpions. He had hidden up a tree and,ter, fell prey to the scorpions'' paralytic poison.


    It was this paralysis that had caused him to witness the truth behind Qin Xiaotian''s death¡ªhow Zhang Lie and Wang Xiaohua had plotted together to destroy Qin Xiaotian and the rest of his team.


    By luring them within the de, Zhang Lie induced the scorpions to attack Qin Xiaotian''s team, sapping them of strength and energy. Then, with Wang Xiaohua''s help, he tricked Qin Xiaotian''s team into giving up their soulshards.


    Finally, the two of them split their ill-gotten spoils and nned out how to dodge responsibility for the deaths of Qin Xiaotian and his team.


    The thread vilified both Zhang Lie and Wang Xiaohua, and immediately caused the penniless gamblers, who had staked everything on Qin Xiaotian, and who hadn''t believed that Zhang Lie had been able to kill them all with his own strength, to go berserk.


    No wonder Qin Xiaotian had lost despite his overwhelming numerical and gic advantage!


    The cksteel Inn, in which Wang Xiaohua was residing, was quickly swarmed with all sorts of hunters, but even this wasn''t the end of the story.


    The other "culprit", Zhang Lie, had himself made a thread on the forum!


    ording to Zhang Lie, Wang Xiaohua had been an untrustworthy ally. Not only had she not given him his fair share of soulshards, she had even shrugged off all the me for the entire affair!


    He promised that he had no intention of killing Qin Xiaotian; he had only wanted to live, and Wang Xiaohua was the one who had plotted the murder.


    The anonymous thread agreed with Zhang Lie''s self-indictment, and Wang Xiaohua''s traitorous behavior had been all but confirmed in a few short minutes.


    Subsequently, someone noticed that Qin Xiaotian''s golden-pangolin soulshard had been listed on the trading post by an anonymous seller.


    Furthermore, even his subordinates'' soulshards had appeared as well. All these soulshards were listed anonymously and ted to be auctioned off.


    The entire settlement was in an uproar.


    At this point, Wang Xiaohua realized that Zhang Lie was trying to shift the me onto her, and she immediately made her own thread to clear her name.


    But given her naivete, how could she beat Zhang Lie in a verbal battle? Her name became smeared in a matter of minutes, and descriptions of what she did grew darker and bleaker.


    In the end, Wang Xiaohua could only focus on one key point: the location of Qin Xiaotian and his team''s corpses in the venombane de. Afterwards, she stayed cooped up in her room in the cksteel Inn, not daring to leave, or even to post on the forum.


    But even so, Wang Xiaohua''s name had be irrevocably tarnished.


    After all, Zhang Lie was allegedly just trying to live. On the other hand, Wang Xiaohua had been the one moring for the death of Qin Xiaotian and his team.


    Someone like her, even in the ruthless dimensional world, would be scorned and despised.


    Worst of all, what Wang Xiaohua didn''t know was that the key evidence she was counting on¡ªthe location of Qin Xiaotian''s corpse¡ªwould be what eventually doomed her and her n.

 Chapter 19: Superior-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 19: Superior-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    The moonlit night submerged the entire venombane de in an aura of mystery.


    However, this mysterious de was now packed to the brim with hunters. The Yun, Chu, Qin, Zhou, Li, and Zhao ns had poured all their elites into this expedition, brightening the de with hundreds ofnterns and conjured mes.


    Their bodies were all covered in a generous quantity of soulbloom pollen, so despite all themotion, they weren''t attacked by the venombane scorpions.


    As the elites of the cksteel settlement, they had noticed the stealthed venombane scorpions surrounding them almost instantaneously. On the rock walls, in the earth¡ªthese venombane scorpions seemed to be omnipresent within the de.


    The cave tunnel that they had passed through seemed to be theirir. However, because of the soulbloom pollen, the scorpions ignored them all. As a result, before the hunters attacked the scorpions, the scorpions wouldn''t attack them of their own ord.


    Although they had learned a little about the area from Wang Xiaohua, they forged on cautiously. Even Qin Xiao, brash and boisterous, had be extremely careful upon exploring the de. Nighttime in the dimensional world was filled with danger; as an experienced hunter, Qin Xiao certainly wouldn''t let his guard down.


    After passing into the venombane de, the hunters found that the de really wasn''t all thatrge, and there were only a very limited quantity of valuable herbs. Even after exploring the entire de, no one discovered any other lifeforms. Although the de was filled with spiritual herbs, they were all rtivelymon varieties, and most had clearly been harvested already.


    The gathered hunters clearly didn''t think much of the remaining herbs. In that case, the most valuable objects they could hope to find in the de would be a mutated- or superior-grade venombane-scorpion soulshard.


    The fight that had taken ce had left a fair bit of evidence that the hunters were able to make out. Although there were only a few marks left on the ground by the tunnel exit, it was clear that a fight had taken ce.


    Qin Xiao stopped by a gigantic mound of earth, frowning. ording to Wang Xiaohua, this was where Qin Xiaotian had been buried. Qin Xiaotian had revered his older cousin Qin Xiao, and Qin Xiao had regarded his cousin highly as well. How could he have died so suddenly?


    "My condolences, Qin Xiao," Zhou Qian spoke up, his face a nk mask.


    Li Jin and Zhao Jia echoed the sentiment, but their words seemed insincere, as though steeped in vicious schadenfreude.


    Chu Feng clucked his tongue. How pitiful, for someone like Qin Xiaotian to be buried here!


    "Qin Xiao, I told you your cousin was a weakling, didn''t I? You didn''t believe me, and ording to Yun Bing, you bet three hundred thousand points on him? Surely even you can''t afford to squander your wealth like that! I suppose you''ll want to retrieve his corpse and bring it back to Earth? We''ll leave you to it, then."


    Chu Feng''s words turned Qin Xiao''s face an angry purple.


    Qin Xiao was the most arrogant hunter of the top three hunters on the gene leaderboard, and that attitude was something he had embraced on a day-to-day basis. Even if Yun Bing and Chu Feng were slightly stronger than he was, he had never feared either of them.


    When had the arrogant Qin Xiao suffered such humiliation? He didn''t even know how to repudiate Chu Feng''s words! After all, Chu Feng was right¡ªno matter how much he didn''t want to admit it.


    As a scion of the Qin n, Qin Xiaotian, whose mutated gene fragments were at capacity, and who had brought his entire team with him¡ªhow could he have lost to someone like Zhang Lie, well known to be at the bottom of the gene leaderboard??How shameful! How abominably shameful!


    It was a rare opportunity for Chu Feng to gibe at his old rival. Leaving Qin Xiao to grieve, he signalled his elites to head toward the cave entrance.


    As Chu Feng left, Yun Bing followed suit. She wasn''t on good terms with Qin Xiao, either. "Qin Xiao, what Chu Feng said was harsh, but not unreasonable. Take your cousin''s corpse and give him a burial back on Earth."


    She turned to leave with her team.


    The three corporation heads, Zhou, Li, and Zhao, naturally couldn''t stand still after seeing both Chu Feng and Yun Bing going into the distance. They nced at each other, waved a hasty goodbye to Qin Xiao, and hurried to the cave.


    After having explored the de, they now knew what was most valuable inside. It was veryte at night, and the gathered hunters intended to finish their work quickly before heading back to the settlement.


    As he nced at the mound by his feet, as well as the disappearing hunters from the other five ns, Qin Xiao began to smile. "Qin Feng, stay here with a few hunters and dig out Xiaotian''s corpse. Everyone else, head to the entrance with me. Xiaotian''s lost us a lot of money and face, and we''ll have to hunt down whatever superior-grade lifeforms are around here to make up for the loss."


    The procession of hunters headed to the entrance to the tunnel and began ughtering the venombane scorpions in earnest.


    Yes, a ughter. After all, the hunters present were the elites of the cksteel settlement, and even the weakest among them had capped out his mutated gene capacity and possessed at least a dozen superior gene fragments.


    The venombane scorpions had no effective means of attacking them with anything but their poison. Although they swarmed the hunters, just as they did with Qin Xiaotian''s team, they weren''t able to harm the hunters at all.


    The hunters'' gic techniques ughtered horde after horde of scorpions. Such endless ughter would quickly generate soulshards, regardless of how rare they otherwise were.


    As Yun Bing lightly waved her de, wreathed in a curious white mist, a stealthed mutated-grade venombane scorpion was split in half. A thumb-sized purplish-ck soulshard began to form over the scorpion''s carcass.


    A mutated-grade soulshard! Yun Bing''s face lit up. After so much effort, she''d finally obtained one.


    The next moment, as she quickly absorbed it into her soulspace and activated it, her body turned translucent, then transparent. Chu Feng and the others immediately noticed the transformation.


    Such a useful soulshard made the gathered hunters quite envious. They earnestly ughtered the scorpions skittering toward them, hoping for that rare treasure.


    "Argh!" As more and more soulshards began to drop and the hunters were bingcent given their umted spoils, a hunter suddenly cried out in pain.


    The shout had emanated from a member of the Chu n. Some attack had drilled a hole through the unlucky hunter''s forehead, and he slumped to the ground amidst a flurry ofmotion.


    "Be careful, there''s a superior-grade lifeform around, a superior-grade venombane scorpion!" a hunter to his side shouted, having seen something sh by.


    Chu Feng''s eyes brightened. "Quick, surround it!"


    A superior-grade lifeform! To think that a superior-grade venombane scorpion was in their midst!


    After all, Chu Feng and the others had long since maxed out their mutated gene capacity, and the only reason they were still here, without having advanced to the second realm of the dimensional world, was because they were waiting to fill their superior gene capacity as well.


    And although superior-grade lifeforms were prevalent in the dimensional world, they were quite rare within hundreds of kilometers from the cksteel settlement.


    Furthermore, killing just one superior-grade lifeform and consuming its flesh would usually only provide between one to ten superior gene fragments.


    To reach the limit of a hundred superior gene fragments would require a dozen or more such lifeforms, each of a different type. Given how dangerous it was to go too far beyond the settlement, the difficulty of filling their superior gene capacity was obvious.


    How could Chu Feng not be excited to encounter a superior-grade lifeform while surrounded by his elites? With a burst of wind, he immediately appeared before his fallen subordinate.


    At the same time, his elites had begun blockading the area. Four walls of wind, like heavy curtains, separated the Chu team from the outside world.


    Within the enclosed space, several hunters whose framework was geared toward detection began spreading out and searching for the superior-grade lifeform.


    "It''s there! Ah, it''s moving so quickly!" By the southeastern corner of the enclosure, the orb of water that a youth was holding up suddenly began to ripple. The moment he spoke, several beams of gic energy shot toward where he was pointing.


    The revealed crystalline scorpion jumped up, evaded all the attacks, and vanished out of sight once more.


    "[The Whispering Wind]!" Amidst themotion, Chu Feng closed his eyes, stilled his body, and began emanating waves of gic energy, rippling as they interacted with the solid objects around him.


    "I''ve found you!" Momentster, his eyes shot open, and he struck toward the eastern wind wall.


    His sword, glowing blue, traced out an electric arc as he struck at the skittering scorpion, only to have his attack blocked by its stinger with a resounding metallic sh. Immediately after countering the blow, the scorpion vanished from sight again.


    Superior-grade lifeforms possessed a significant level of intelligence, and the venombane scorpion behaved much like a skilled assassin. If its blow were to miss, it would immediately hide in stealth. Under normal circumstances, it certainly wouldn''t fight head-on with its target.


    However, Chu Feng wasn''t such an easy opponent to mislead. Wreaths of wind surrounded him, and it seemed as though he could sense the currents of movement all around.


    Despite how quickly the superior-grade scorpion moved, Chu Feng seemed to be able to predict its location and strike with his de. However, all his attacks were either blocked or knocked aside by the tip of the scorpion''s stinger.


    Although Chu Feng was unable to hurt the scorpion, he had managed to trap it.


    At this point, the other hunters in the cave had all reacted to what was going on. Chu Feng''s team immediately joined in the fight, trying to corral the scorpion so that Chu Feng couldnd the finishing blow.


    However, just as Chu Feng''s team was doing so, outside the walls of wind, the red-eyed Qin Xiao was stalking toward the scorpion as well.

 Chapter 20: Violent Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 20: Violent Confrontation</h4>


    "[Thunder God''s Wrath]!"


    With a yell, Qin Xiao''s polearm zed with lightning, frying countless scorpions ahead of him.


    During the ughter, because Qin Xiao had been thest to reach the cave entrance, all the best positions had been taken, and his luck was unusually bad. He had only killed a few mutated-grade venombane scorpions, let alone a superior-grade one, and had only managed to obtain a few regr-grade soulshards. As a result, when he saw this superior-grade scorpion, he hurried over with his team.


    Of course, he didn''t attack yet.


    In the dimensional world, it was the hunter or team who scored thest hit on a lifeform that would be rewarded with its spoils¡ªits flesh, with its associated gene fragments, and its soulshard, if one were to condense.


    Superior-grade lifeforms, as the strongest grade of lifeforms in the first realm of the dimensional world, possessed significant vitality and constitution, and wouldn''t be so easily killed.


    Qin Xiao was waiting for this superior-grade scorpion to enter its death throes.


    "Chu Lan, watch Qin Xiao carefully for me. If he gets within twenty meters, attack him!" Of course, as his old rival, Chu Feng knew what Qin Xiao was thinking. Almost as soon as Qin Xiao began moving closer, he murmured a few words to a female hunter by his side.


    "Yes, Chu Feng!" She, along with two of her subordinates, stopped chasing after the superior-grade scorpion and went to way Qin Feng instead.


    In truth, Chu Feng was hiding his true power as well. He disyed neither his best techniques nor his most useful soulshards.


    The Void Cup, hosted once every five years, was right about to ur, and it made sense to hide as much of his strength as he could.


    Furthermore, he knew quite well that Qin Xiao wasn''t the only one eyeing this superior-grade lifeform. Yun Bing''s team, as well as those of the three corporation heads, had all drawn closer.


    He certainly didn''t want to waste his efforts in vain. As hemanded his subordinates to increase the thickness of the wind walls, he activated an illusion-type soulshard to hide what was happening in the enclosed area from the outside. Then, he began whittling down the scorpion''s health with only his [Hurricane de] and [The Whispering Wind].


    The curious sight caused a certain hunter, watching from a fair distance away, to begin smirking. He was d in ck, hooded, and stealthed, and it was impossible to make out his features. As the fight continued within the rock cave, the ck-d man scattered an acid-green powder into the waterfall.


    Clearly, he was hoping to cause amotion.


    Chu Feng was still patiently fighting the scorpion, but his opponent was getting much more fed up.


    ng! His de again struck the superior-grade scorpion''s stinger, and its fury was palpable. Indeed, the venombane scorpion waspletely enraged¡ªit had been trapped within this enclosed region and persistently attacked by an annoying foe.


    Suddenly, it expelled a haze of poisonous mist and made its move.


    A violet sh suddenly zed by Chu Feng''s nose, causing his back to erupt in cold sweat.


    What was that? It was way too fast! So fast that he had caught only the barest hint of motion, so fast that he, despite all his gene fragments, couldn''t respond in time!


    Chu Feng hadn''t even been able to see the mechanism behind the scorpion''s attack by the time the violet sh reached his eyes. The only reason he was able to avoid it was because of his body''s instinctive response. However, just because he could do so didn''t mean his subordinates could.


    One of them, struck by the violet sh, had his head suddenly rot and fall off his neck, his skull turning to powder as it struck the ground. The entire process had happened within three seconds, and no blood or brain matter was visible anywhere. His head had simply decayed away, and his skull had crumbled away to a fine powder.


    What horrifying poison!


    Even worse, the violet beam didn''t lose any momentum. It shot forward into the hunters behind him, and all those who were struck by the beam immediately began to decay. The area enclosed by the wind walls was now furnished by a carpet of ash.


    "That must be [Netherworld''s Gaze]!" the ck-d man murmured to himself, stiffening as he saw the sight.


    [Netherworld''s Gaze] was a lethal skill that consumed much of the venombane scorpion''s poison and vitality.


    In exchange, the terrifying attack would cause instantaneous decay in everything in hit, and was particrly corrosive?against living matter. Even a hunter who had a hundred superior gene fragments wouldn''t be able to take the blow head-on.


    "[Wings of Wind]!" Since he was in mortal danger, Chu Feng couldn''t risk hiding his best skills any longer. As he dodged the violet light, gic energy poured out of his body.


    A pair of wind-green wings unfurled from his back. With another soulshard activation, a long, thin de, almost like a rapier, appeared in his left palm. [Wings of Wind], Nature''s Thorn, Chu Feng''s signature move and sword, finally made their appearance.


    "[Tempest Cut]!" Jade-green sword energy arced toward the scorpion with the fury of a tempest.


    As it hit the scorpion''s stinger, a small piece of exoskeleton, about the size of a fingernail, chipped off the scorpion.


    With Nature''s Thorn in his left hand, and a long de in his right, Chu Feng seemed to have morphed into a howling tempest himself. While it defended against his attack, he rushed toward the scorpion, swinging his des.


    Amidst the whirlwind of attacks, the venombane scorpion let out a small cry, had a few more pieces of its exoskeleton chipped off, and again went back into stealth. Chu Feng chased after the scorpion, but the moment right before it vanished, the scorpion shot out another [Netherworld''s Gaze].


    "Be careful!" After seeing how horrifying the effects of the skill were, Chu Feng naturally had to swerve to dodge the attack. As he called out a warning, he pped his wings, barely avoiding the ray.


    With Chu Feng''s advance warning, none of his subordinates fell prey to it this time around. However, one of the wind walls had vanished entirely after being struck by the attack. Seeing the enclosure break apart, Qin Xiao''s body crackled with lightning. With a yell, he streaked toward the scorpion like a bolt of lightning.


    "Halt them!" Chu Lan shouted, seeing Qin Xiao and his team approach.


    Amidst the sh of gic energy and steel, the Qin and Chu hunters began to face off with each other. The Zhou, Li, and Zhao teams also rushed into the enclosure, turning the battlefield into a mess.


    As everyone was distracted by the fighting, a translucent cloud of mist wafted over the battlefield and through the wind walls.


    Within the enclosure, the superior-grade venombane scorpion had gone berserk, shooting off [Netherworld''s Gaze] indiscriminately with a wave of its stinger. Like a web, the death rays criss-crossed the enclosure, killing yet another half-dozen elites from the Chu n.


    Then, the venombane scorpion went back into stealth.


    Chu Feng began to frown. This superior-grade venombane scorpion was the smallest of all the superior-grade creatures he had fought. Coupled with its stealth ability, it was more than able to match Chu Feng''s wind-attuned speed.


    Even he was having a hard time dealing with the scorpion. It was difficult to catch, and lethal when it struck!


    Suddenly, he noticed the mist drifting into the enclosure.


    "Yun Bing, you came!" Chu Feng didn''t even cast her a look as he continued chasing after the scorpion, as if he had long since guessed that Yun Bing would have been the first hunter in.


    Yun Bing smiled as she morphed back into a human. "It looks like you need some help."


    "Help? Shall we call it cooperation instead?" Chu Feng smiled, seeming to havee to the same conclusion.


    "Cooperation? How do you want to split the spoils?" she asked.


    "We won''t try to hinder each other. Whoever defeats the scorpion takes it all."


    "Deal!" Yun Bing nodded, returned to mist, and rushed toward the battlefield.


    At the same time, Chu Lan, who had been eyeing Qin Xiao throughout the fight, sessfully managed to stop him from approaching the scorpion. However, she was incapable of stopping the three corporations'' teams from heading in while she blocked Qin Xiao.


    "[Cloudmire]!" On the battlefield, Yun Bing waved her de, expelling the mists around her. The fleeing superior-grade scorpion suddenly stiffened as the mists surrounded it instead.


    The mists seemed to make the air denser, preventing the scorpion from skittering as quickly as before. Moreover, despite their evanescent appearance, the scorpion couldn''t seem to cut its way out of the mists.


    "[Tempest sh]!" Chu Feng certainly wouldn''t give up such an opportunity; almost immediately as the scorpion became entrapped, he crossed his two des and swung both at the scorpion, sending a cross-shaped sh of wind toward it. At the same time, he swooped down on it with a p of his wings.


    Suddenly, two mutated-grade scorpions appeared out of nowhere and took the vicious blow, exploding into pieces as they did so.


    The superior-grade venombane scorpion let out another desperate cry, and a dozen mutated-grade scorpions, like loyal soldiers, rushed out from the depths of the cave and began harassing Chu Feng.


    "Scram!" In anger, Chu Feng swung his swords again, killing the mutated-grade scorpions before rushing toward the superior-grade one.


    "[Thundercloud Strike]!" But before he could advance, a sword wreathed in mists had stabbed the superior-grade scorpion''s body. With a distinct crack, a burst of dark violet blood shot out of the scorpion''s body, and it vanished from sight.


    This time, it had vanished for good, and even Chu Feng''s [The Whispering Wind] couldn''t sense its position.


    Just then, the teams led by the three corporation heads had smashed the remaining wind walls apart. Together with Qin Xiao, they rushed toward the heart of the battlefield.


    All six ns were together again, but their gathering was hardly as peaceable as before. The teams of hunters, their swords raised, billowing clouds of gic energy swirling around them, were trapped in a stalemate.


    By the waterfall, the ck-d man''s smile deepened.

 Chapter 21: Catch Me If You Can

    <h4>Chapter 21: Catch Me If You Can</h4>


    Of course, this mysterious man in ck was Zhang Lie.


    In truth, even Zhang Lie hadn''t expected that the six ns would have been so interested in the venombane de or the superior-grade venombane scorpion. Neither had he expected that their confrontation would be so hostile.


    From his perspective, however, anymotion was a good thing. Only when the gathered hunters stumbled over each other would he have the opportunity to steal the kill. If they had united or reached an agreement among themselves, Zhang Lie would have left immediately.


    The six most important ns in the cksteel settlement had all gathered at the de. Compared to them, the Zhang Lie of the present was nothing.


    Just exposing himself¡ªlet alone attempting to steal the superior-grade scorpion''s gene fragments and soulshard¡ªcouldnd him in big trouble. But no reward came without risk. Superior gene fragments and the superior-grade venombane-scorpion soulshard were both excellent spoils.


    And since Zhang Lie had the opportunity to obtain both, he wouldn''t give up so easily. He kept scattering more of his acid-green powder into the waterfall, until the surface of the pond began to froth violently. Then, he snuck toward the cave like a dark shadow.


    By this time, the battlefield had been divided into two factions. The firstprised the Yun and Chu elites, and the second the Qin, Zhou, Li, and Zhao elites.


    The two factions guarded against each other as they hunted for the superior-grade scorpion. The abilities that it had demonstrated were far too enticing to give up. No hunter present failed to grasp the worth of its soulshard.


    A tremendous stealth ability, an exceedingly dangerous beam attack, and lightning speed. No matter whether the soulshard ended up being attack-type, augmentation-type, or illusion-type, the hunter who imed that soulshard would receive a significant boost.


    After all, once hunters had filled up all their genes to capacity, what would differentiate them would be the quality and quantity of their soulshards.


    Furthermore, the gathered crowd of hunters still needed more superior gene fragments: the stronger a hunter was before ascending to a higher realm, the more the hunter would benefit from the ascension.


    As a result, they all wanted the superior-grade scorpion for themselves.


    Suddenly, a drop of dark purple blood dripped down from the ceiling. The sound should have been easily drowned out by the hunters, but it seemed almost as loud as a cymbal amidst the tense atmosphere.


    A purple dot shed past a Qin elite.


    "It''s here!" Almost immediately as he spoke, a whip of thunder crashed down beside him.


    A violent purple light erupted as it struck the scorpion''s carapace, blinding the hunters. When they blinked, the scorpion had vanished once again.


    Of course, the hunter who had struck, with such speed and strength, was none other than Qin Xiao. When he saw the scorpion try to run away even after being struck by his whip of lightning, an electrifying storm of gic energy swirled around him.


    "[Thunder God''s Domain]!" Blue lightning shot out of Qin Xiao''s body in a hundred-meter radius around him. They were as fine and dense as silken threads, illuminating everything in sight.


    The moment the technique activated, Qin Xiao shot toward the southwest. There, he had seen the outline of a violet scorpion skittering away!


    "Attack!" Just as Qin Xiao thought himself about to defeat the elusive prey, a shout shocked the gathered hunters into action.


    Propelled by a torrent of wind, an imprable cloud of mist was descending on him.


    "[Raiment of Lightning]! Chu Feng, you bastard! [Thunderburst]!"


    "[Hymn of Wind]!"


    As the wind- and lightning-attuned gic energy shed with each other, a cloud of billowing dust smothered the cave. The hunters from each n began to fight with each other amidst the hordes of scorpions.


    As Qin Xiao took on Chu Feng, gold, red, and ck shes emerged from within the cloudy mist. Yun Bing was being stalled by thebined might of the three corporations. Not only were Zhou Qian, Li Jin, and Zhao Jia the heads of the three corporations, they were also the top ten hunters in the cksteel settlement. The three of them, working together, could certainly counter Yun Bing.


    As the six ns began to fight among each other, the superior-grade scorpion avoided death once again. Threatened, it no longer dared to remain in the heart of the battlefield, and it shot toward the empty cave tunnel like a beam of purple light.


    As it chittered, the tunnel began to fill with a horde of regr- and mutated-grade scorpions, ready to defend its leader.


    "Stop fighting! It''s going to get away! Chase after it!"


    The six ns immediately halted their fight and rushed toward the cave entrance.


    However, just as the six ns began to act, the superior-grade scorpion that had just rushed into the cave let out a despairing cry. It had been trapped within a white, sticky, translucent ball of some strange matter.


    As he crushed a mutated-grade venombane-scorpion soulshard, Zhang Lie struck the scorpion with [Three-Wave Crescendo], sessfully killing the battered superior-grade scorpion. A royal-purple soulshard condensed on its carapace, and Zhang Lie heard the will of the world once more.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade venombane scorpion and obtained its soulshard.]


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, First Form: Carp


    Genes: Basic, 140; Mutated, 90, Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior)


    "Sess!"


    In the dark cave, as he heard the will of the world''s voice, Zhang Lie''s heart began to palpitate. He grabbed the scorpion''s carcass, stuffed it into his potbellied-toad pouch, and began to flee. He certainly wasn''t about to stay and wait for the six most influential ns of the cksteel settlement to catch him!


    A kill-stealer! The leaders of the Yun, Chu, Qin, Zhou, Li, and Zhao teams were all dumbstruck by what had happened.


    The moment the superior-grade scorpion had rushed to the cave entrance, a burst of gic energy had emanated from the cave.


    And with that burst went the life of the superior-grade scorpion.


    How could they fail to understand what had happened?


    Honestly, if others were to know about what had happened here, all six ns would immediately beughingstocks. They had gathered together to hunt rare prey, and despite their strength, that prey had ultimately been captured by a lone hunter¡­ Their reputation would be in shambles!


    No, they had to catch that thief and retrieve the soulshard he had stolen!


    It was this galvanizing force that caused the six ns to miraculously cooperate. Their leaders immediately stopped fighting and shot toward the fleeing thief.


    Chu Feng, his wings pping behind him, flew over the scorpion hordes and into the cave like an eagle darting after its prey. The cave was exceptionally dark, and Zhang Lie was d entirely in ck. Chu Feng couldn''t even see the barest silhouette of his body, but he could hear his footsteps.


    They were both moving extremely quickly, but Chu Feng had more superior gene fragments and higher-quality techniques than Zhang Lie, so he was naturally faster.


    The distance between the two hunters was quickly decreasing. The waterfall was right ahead of them, but Chu Feng was elerating faster and faster.


    Twenty meters... ten... five...! Zhang Lie barely made it out of the cave, despite the howling wind behind him, and tossed a deep blue bead into the waterfall as he did so.


    "Release!" The bead burst apart as soon as it touched the water, freezing the waterfall and blocking the exit to the cave.


    Momentster, the frozen waterfall exploded. Chu Feng rushed out of the waterfall, waving shards of ice out of his hair, but there was no one in sight.


    Despite the deaths of many of his elites, the superior-grade scorpion that he was hunting had been stolen by someone else! How could Chu Feng give up the chase so easily?


    He soared up into the night sky. Peering carefully below him, he dashed toward the barest hint of movement: a tremble of a tree branch. As he did so, flying above the Moonlit Pond, a sudden fear enveloped him.


    Beneath him, the Moonlit Pond started to froth, as though a lifeform was about to emerge from its depths.


    Recalling the legend of the Moonlit Pond, Chu Feng widened his eyes as he instinctively flung himself to one side. Blood spurted from his arm as a thin beam of water shot out from the pond, skirted by Chu Feng''s left arm, and left a deep scar in the mountain behind him.


    The next moment, under Chu Feng''s disbelieving gaze, a pure-white wyrm emerged from the pond. Its scales gleamed like white jade, and a small horn protruded from its forehead. It seemed like a cross between a dragon and a snake, with a grace inherent to neither species.


    This¡ªthis was the legendary moonlight wyrm!


    Chu Feng reared back in shock.


    The moonlight wyrm was a creature of rumor and myth, so named by a hunter from the cksteel settlement. Even the reincarnated Zhang Lie had no idea what manner of lifeform it really was.


    However, none of that was important. All Zhang Lie needed to know was how to lure it out from the depths of the pond, as well as how strong it was.


    By the waterfall, Yun Bing and Qin Xiao had just rushed out of the cave. They both sucked in a deep breath as they saw the wyrm emerging from the water. The gic energy swirling around the wyrm was enough to shock them to stillness¡ªespecially Qin Xiao, who had once attempted to lure the creature out from the pond.


    ncing at it now, he was thankful he didn''t do so, or he would have undoubtedly perished for his stupidity.


    We have to flee!?The same thought filled the heads of the three top hunters of the cksteel settlement. Their desire to catch the fleeing thief had been dashedpletely upon seeing the wyrm''s head peeking out of the pond''s surface.


    They immediately rushed back into the cave. However, right as they were about to head in, Zhou Qian rushed out, blocking their path forward with the rest of his team. "What''s the matter? Why aren''t you chasing the thief?"


    "..."

 Chapter 22: Righteousness

    <h4>Chapter 22: Righteousness</h4>


    Another arrow of water shot out of the pond with deceptively little sound. It moved so quickly that the gathered hunters had barely seen the skill activate before it reached them. The concentrated beam emanated such potent ice-attuned gic energy that they recoiled in fear, and even Zhou Qian went silent.


    After all, they were all in the top ten of the gene leaderboard, and their senses were developed enough to understand the potency of the attack. Zhou Qian now knew the reason for Chu Feng, Qin Xiao, and Yun Bing''s sudden retreat.


    However, just because the hunters realized what was happening didn''t mean that they were able to react in time. After all, the beam was so sudden that Zhou Qian was still thinking about how to give chase to the mysterious thief.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing only hesitated momentarily before pushing him aside and rushing through the cave. As for Qin Xiao, instead of pushing him aside, he pushed him?out.


    By the time Zhou Qian figured out what was going on, the orb of water was right before his eyes.


    "[Shield of Gold], [Gate to Oblivion], [Adamantine Armor]!" With barely any hesitation, three defensive skills activated before him. But despite the tripleyered shield, Zhou Qian''s body burst into a bloody mist.


    The orb of water, about as wide as a thumb, emerged from the mist and shot into the tunnel.


    "Help me, or we''ll all perish!" Qin Xiao yelled. "[Lightning Spear]!"


    "[de of the Mists]!"


    "[Reaping Wind]!"


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng had both begun to turn back by the time he shouted, and they all struck the orb with their fastest attacks. The best offense was also the best defense. They all saw what had happened to Zhou Qian, and none of them wanted to end up like him.


    With a gigantic tremor, the cave¡ªand even the entire mountain¡ªbegan to copse under thebined force of the water orb and the three elemental attacks. Yun Bing, Chu Feng, Qin Xiao, and even Li Jin and Zhao Jia, who had just rushed into the cave, were all buried in the aftermath.


    "..." From within the forest, Zhang Lie couldn''t help shaking his head in amazement as he fled.


    It seemed as though this supposed moonlight wyrm was the strongest and most mysterious existence in the first realm, apart from the disaster-grade lifeform that would soon somehow make its way to the first realm.


    Based on Zhang Lie''s judgment, this moonlight wyrm had likely broken past the limits of a superior-grade lifeform and had advanced to a peak-grade lifeform. How shocking that the will of the world hadn''t forced it to ascend! It looked as though he would have to add it to his list of future targets. As he rushed back to the settlement, he made a few changes to his uing ns.


    Back in the pond, after the mountain''s copse, the wyrm ignored the fleeing ant-like existences that were now buried under tons of rock. It surveyed the boundary of the pond, sneezed in annoyance, and dove back into the depths amidst a chain of bubbles.


    After the wyrm left the scene, all sorts of cries began to emerge from the rock heap. As their subordinates watched on in shock, a massive rumble apanied a sudden rockslide, and five battered silhouettes emerged from the rocks: Yun Bing, Chu Feng, Qin Xiao, Li Jin, and Zhao Jia.


    "Master!"


    "Mistress!"


    "Head!"


    As they emerged, their subordinates hurriedly rushed toward them. It was only close up that they saw just how battered the five of them were¡ªespecially Qin Xiao, covered in blood from head to toe, his left arm all but smashed to pieces.


    He stumbled, as though he would be unable to support his own weight and fall at any moment, causing his subordinates to gape in shock. Even Yun Bing and Chu Feng were bleeding from their mouths, as though they too had suffered grievous injuries.


    Despite not knowing what had happened, their subordinates immediately swarmed and protected them. The Zhou hunters, concerned about the disappearance of their leader, hurriedly crowded Li Jin and Zhao Jia''s parties, asking for the whereabouts of Zhou Qian.


    Unfortunately, neither Li Jin nor Zhao Jia knew what was going on. They had just rushed into the cave when it exploded, and they had been buried alive with the others without knowing why or how.


    "Qin Xiao, what happened back there? Where''s Zhou Qian?"


    Given their temporary alliance, the first person Li Jin asked about the situation was Qin Xiao.


    Qin Xiao''s body trembled. After a momentary silence, he pointed toward Chu Feng and Yun Bing. "He''s dead, the Zhou corporation head is dead! All because of them...!"


    "Qin Xiao, don''t you dare malign me!" Qin Xiao''s intentions were clear, and Chu Feng wasn''t about to take the me for Zhou Qian''s death.


    "Chu Feng, it was all your fault! You and Yun Bing pushed the Zhou n head out of the tunnel, and he died from the moonlight wyrm''s attack!" Qin Xiao''s features had settled into a righteous rage as he pointed a finger at Chu Feng.


    Even a dozen Chu Fengs and Yun Bings would be no opponent for Qin Xiao''s shamelessness. Not only had he tried to shift the me, he had done so with such conviction!


    Yun Bing gaped as Chu Feng began to summon hisst reserves of gic energy. "You''re the one who pushed him out! If you''re going to keep twisting the truth, I''ll kill you now!"


    "Haha, Chu Feng, now that I''ve exposed the truth, you''re trying to kill me? Li Jin, Zhao Jia, we were all attacked by a particrly dangerous lifeform in the tunnel, and these two pushed Zhou Qian out to cushion the attack and save their lives!


    "I, Qin Xiao, gave my arm to save him, to no avail! What a tragedy it is that Zhou Qian''s corpse waspletely destroyed by the attack! If not for my life-threatening injuries, I''d duel scum like you to the death right now!"


    "...you were the one who pushed him out to save your sorry life!" Chu Feng was astounded at Qin Xiao''s thick-skinned behavior. But before Chu Feng could argue with him, Qin Xiao suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and ''fainted''.


    "Qin Xiao, you damn bastard, I know you''re faking it!" Chu Feng''s mouth twitched as he howled at his old rival. He tried to be gentlemanly in all things, and it was a testament to Qin Xiao''s behavior that Qin Xiao had managed to enrage him to such an extent.


    On the other hand, by his side, Yun Bing quickly recovered from her initial bout of shock.


    Qin Xiao''s description of events had Li Jin, Zhao Jia, and the rest of the Zhou hunters looking toward Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    Li Jin frowned and asked, "Yun Bing, Chu Feng, don''t you think you owe us an exnation for what happened tonight?"


    Chu Feng was about to pull his hair out when Yun Bing, who had been silent, spoke up.


    "Li Jin, Zhao Jia, as corporation heads, I''m sure you must be able to judge matters for yourselves, and I''m sure you understand what Qin Xiao''s personality is like. Need I exin further?


    "First, I, Yun Bing, swear by my name that Zhou Qian''s death had nothing to do with either of us.


    "As for the reason of death, Qin Xiao has already made an allegation against us. I won''t refute it now, in case you think that I''m taking advantage of an ''unconscious'' person to shift all the me onto him.


    "Furthermore, if you do intend to me us for Zhou Qian''s death, then I, on behalf of the Yun n, will take all of you on. However, I caution the two of you to tread carefully: to preserve your own autonomy, and not to be manipted into a rash decision by someone else here."


    "I, Chu Feng, agree with Yun Bing! The Yun and Chu ns will fight together." After Yun Bing had finished, Chu Feng, who had finally calmed down, immediately voiced his agreement.


    Li Jin and Zhao Jia nced at each other. In the end, Li Jin spoke up. "We three corporations will keep your words in mind. That being said, if our investigation reveals that Zhou Qian''s death was caused by the two of you, we won''t stop at anything to avenge Zhou Qian!"


    Yun Bing smiled. "I hope your investigation goes smoothly. I don¡¯t mind a challenge, but I don''t intend to take the me for someone else''s actions. The moonlight wyrm we fought has likely exceeded the boundaries of a superior-grade lifeform, so I caution you to be wary as you leave."


    Her final words caused a hush to descend among the gathered hunters. Beyond superior-grade? Didn''t that mean... that the moonlight wyrm was a peak-grade lifeform?


    How could that be? Hadn''t the world federation indicated that the highest-grade lifeform in the first realm would only be superior-grade? How could a peak-grade lifeform exist here? Danger and opportunity, all rolled up into one package...


    No wonder even the top hunters like Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and Qin Xiao would have ended up in such a battered state, and no wonder Zhou Qian had lost his life.


    "Thank you for the information, Yun Bing." Li Jin''s eyes sparkled with greed, clearly having been enticed by the prospect of hunting a peak-grade lifeform.


    "Li Jin, let me reiterate: do not provoke that wyrm! No number of elites will be enough to close the gap between it and us! I bid you farewell." Yun Bing, who had felt the terror of the wyrm''s attack, couldn''t help trying to dissuade Li Jin from his foolishness.


    She turned to leave with Chu Feng and their troops.


    "Please, wait! I have a question for Chu Feng." Zhao Jia, standing by Li Jin''s side, suddenly yelled out after the two ns had taken a few steps.


    Instead of turning around, Chu Feng spoke with some frustration, "Apologies, Zhao Jia, I can''t answer your question. That thief was far too sly, and I couldn''t even make out his appearance!"


    His words shocked the gathered hunters. Not only had this mysterious hunter stolen the prey from under the six ns'' noses, no one had even seen his appearance! Who would believe something so ridiculous?


    Regardless of who believed it or not, that was the truth. Zhao Jia was certain that Chu Feng wouldn''t lie about this: after all, it was too embarrassing¡ªthe six most influential ns of the cksteel settlement, losing to a lone hunter!


    Not only had they failed to obtain much of value, all the leaders had sustained some degree of injury, and quite a few of their subordinates had died to the superior-grade venombane scorpion''s attack.


    That was the darkest night that the six ns had experienced ever since entering the dimensional world. Each leader cursed the mysterious hunter who had stolen the fruits of theirbor. If they ever found out who he was, they would make him suffer for what he had done!

 Chapter 23: Full Haul

    <h4>Chapter 23: Full Haul</h4>


    Zhang Lie was certain that the six ns would try to take revenge, but he wasn''t worried at all. Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn''t even appear on their lists of suspects. No one would believe that someone with his reputation would be able to snatch superior-grade soulshard from the six great ns, let alone to do it unseen.


    As for Zhang Lie, he had finally finished with that night''s errands. The oue had been perfect for him, but for the six ns, on the other hand...


    As they were silently retreating, they encountered the horde of hunters that was heading toward the scene from the cksteel settlement. The hunters were rushing to the Moonlit Pond overnight, hoping to get the best rewards before anyone else got there, but the six ns had monopolized everything!


    Naturally, there would be some hostility between the six ns and the horde of hunters¡ªbut that was trivial to deal with; what they couldn''t risk was angering the wyrm slumbering at the bottom of the pond. As a result, the six ns had no choice but to resort to a peaceful settlement of affairs, as far away from the pond as possible.


    Of course, none of this had anything to do with Zhang Lie anymore. He had already returned safely to the settlement, so why would he care about what the other hunters were up to?


    He rented a room in the ckgold Inn of the cksteel settlement.


    Whereas the cksteel Inn was governed by the artificial intelligence itself and was the safest inn in the settlement, the ckgold Inn was privately owned. Because of Wang Xiaohua''s upancy in the cksteel Inn, there were far too many hunters lurking about its vicinity, and Zhang Lie naturally wouldn''t choose to live there.


    The ckgold Inn was constructed jointly by the three corporations, and its interior wasvishly decorated. It was widely regarded as the best inn in the settlement. Of course, such avish hotel would charge an exorbitant fee, but this was nothing to Zhang Lie now.


    His thirty-thousand point bet on himself had earned him a shocking 3.6 million points, and he was now among the richest hunters of the settlement. He certainly had the wherewithal to let loose.


    After having a long, rxing bath, he began to look over his spoils. What he had earned over thest five days was worth hundreds of times what he had obtained over the past three months. Even excluding the profits from the bet, he had made a killing.


    Qin Xiaotian and his team had provided Zhang Lie with over thirty soulshards. Zhang Lie wasn''t interested in most of them, and had listed them up for trade. Then, he had harvested quite a few rare herbs from the venombane de, and he had even stolen the kill on the superior-grade venombane scorpion present there.


    There were over a hundred sprigs of herbs. The most important one was a main ingredient for Potion #2, and a few others could be used to brew potions that were direct counters to certain gic lifeforms. He had no choice but to bring forward his ns for brewing Potion #2, because that particr ingredient was extremely difficult to store.


    After sorting through the gathered herbs, Zhang Lie finally retrieved the superior-grade scorpion carcass. It really wasn''t veryrge, and could fit entirely on Zhang Lie''s palm. However, its crystalline exoskeleton was quite unique.


    Of course, the reason he brought it out was in order to prepare it for consumption, so he could finally get more superior gene fragments. Luckily, his luxurious suite came with a well-furnished kitchen.


    Scorpion-type lifeforms weren''t too umon in the dimensional world, and most people would consume it deep-fried. Following this trend, Zhang Lie began to prepare a meal of sumptuous deep-fried scorpion.


    However, the venombane scorpion was so poisonous that he would have to start by removing its poison sac, then counteract the remnants of the poison with certain herbal ingredients. Otherwise, Zhang Lie might well be the first hunter to die of poisoning himself while trying to extract gene fragments from a superior-grade lifeform.


    Of course, having been a fourth-realm hunter in the past, all of this was easily handled with Zhang Lie''s experience. With surprising deftness, he extracted the poison sac from the scorpion, marinated it with a specialized herbal concoction, and began deep-frying it.


    As the oil sizzled, Zhang Lie probed the superior-grade soulshard in his soulspace to discover its effects. The soulshard was a deep, mysterious purple, and he could see the outline of a sword deep within it. As expected, it was a weapon-type soulshard!


    His Galewind wasn''t too bad against mutated-grade lifeforms, but it would be ineffective against superior-grade lifeforms. This sword would greatly enhance his ability to damage superior-grade lifeforms, and would remove one of his shorings.


    Very quickly, the fragrant deep-fried scorpion was ready to be consumed. Deep-fried scorpion tasted far better than he had expected: much like lobster or crab meat, with a unique texture of its own.


    As he digested the meat, the will of the world announced:


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade venombane scorpion, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 11]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade venombane scorpion, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 12]


    [...one superior gene fragment. Current total: 18]


    As Zhang Lie consumed thest scorpion leg, he found himself with eight additional superior gene fragments.


    The only thing left on the table was a dismembered scorpion exoskeleton. Even so, Zhang Lie wasn''t finished. After preparing a few more herbs, he made a soup with the scorpion''s carapace as its main ingredient.


    After drinking it all, Zhang Lie obtained one additional gene fragment, for neen in all.


    An individual lifeform would provide at most ten gene fragments when consumed. However, it was rare that a superior-grade lifeform could be consumed in its entirety. In most circumstances, it was thus impossible for a hunter to get ten superior gene fragments from a superior-grade lifeform.


    For example, after draining the blood and removing the poison sac of this venombane scorpion, it could hardly be expected to provide more than nine superior gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie rinsed and dried the scorpion''s carapace, then returned it to his potbellied-toad pouch. It was still a treasure, after all: even after being deep-fried and boiled, it still maintained impressive structural integrity, and it was tough and resilient. Even though he only had a palm''s worth of material, it would still be invaluable for forging purposes.


    After packing up the scorpion carapace and cleaning everything up, Zhang Lie couldn''t wait to activate the superior-grade venombane-scorpion shard in his soulspace.


    A shortsword with a faintly purple sheen appeared in Zhang Lie''s right palm. Whereas a regr longsword would have a meter-long de, this scorpion shortsword only had a de about seventy centimeters long. It wasn''t particrly long, but it wasn''t all that short, either.


    The hilt was a deep purple, and the crossguard''s design was that of a venombane scorpion with its stinger raised high, poised to strike. Zhang Lie immediately felt a strange power emanating from the shortsword in his hand.


    When he activated it, Zhang Lie''s body disappeared from sight.


    This ability had already been demonstrated by the venombane scorpion when it was fleeing for its life: it felt as though he had be one with his environment. Even a gust of wind seemed to pass through him without impediment.


    As long as he didn''t make any sudden movement, even a hunter skilled in perception like Chu Feng would be unable to detect his presence.


    Not only did this shortsword possess a stealth ability superior to that from a mutated-grade venombane-scorpion soulshard, the de was naturally covered in the potent venombane poison.


    Of course, as its owner, Zhang Lie would be forever immune to this sort of poison, and it would even grant him partial immunity to the effects of most other poisons. After all, venombane scorpions could consume all sorts of poisons, and he could even use the de to suck up any poison present in other hunters'' bodies.


    Zhang Lie naturally christened this shortsword Venombane.


    After dealing with his spoils, Zhang Lie slumped into bed and fell asleep immediately. He had done quite a lot that night, and he was tired after all his exertion. Fortunately, all his struggles had been worth it, and he was very pleased with what he had aplished.


    On the other hand, others were having a nightmare¡ªQin Xiao, Wang Xiaohua, and the Zhou n.


    Qin Xiao, who had fortuitously escaped a confrontation with Chu Feng and then with the gathered hunters from the cksteel settlement by ''fainting'', was now so enraged that he almost actually fainted.


    While the six ns were surrounded by cksteel hunters, he had overheard some hunters murmuring about how Zhang Lie had exposed Wang Xiaohua''s misdeeds. The fiasco unfolding on the forum suggested that it was far more likely that Qin Xiaotian had died at Wang Xiaohua''s hands, not Zhang Lie''s.


    Furthermore, his act of pushing Zhou Qian out of the cave to save his own life hadnded him and the entire Qin n in dire straits.


    "What? What did you say? You didn''t manage to find Xiaotian''s corpse?!" Qin Xiao red at Qin Feng, his eyes red with rage.


    .


    "Yes, Master," Qin Feng replied. "Webed that mound in and out, but we didn''t even find a scrap of clothing, let alone a corpse! Wang Xiaohua had to have lied to you!"


    "Wang Xiaohua!" Her seemingly gentle face shed by Qin Xiao''s mind, his anger burgeoning.


    Qin Xiao felt as though he understood it all now. This was all a trap, one set up by the Wang n.


    First, Wang Xiaohua would entice Qin Xiaotian with her looks, then deliberately induce a confrontation between Xiaotian and a third party. Using this confrontation, she would lure Xiaotian into a trap, steal his soulshards, and then ce the me on that third party: the unfortunate Zhang Lie.


    Not only that, she would even embroil the other five ns in the conflict. She had nned for them to all head to the venombane de, hired a hunter to snatch away the fruits of theirbor, and even lure out the moonlight wyrm to kill him!


    What a malicious n! She had been targeting the Qin n¡ªand even the entire cksteel settlement¡ªall along!

 Chapter 24: Inevitable Ruination

    <h4>Chapter 24: Inevitable Ruination</h4>


    "Wang Xiaohua... ?what a cunning actress, what a malicious n! To think that I, Qin Xiao, would be stymied by this slip of a girl!


    Once we return to the cksteel settlement, keep Wang Xiaohua under heavy guard. Immediately send someone to the city of Ning and have them start surveince on the Wang n''s every action!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Qin Xiao immediately focused his attention on the Wang n, ignoring powerless actors like Zhang Lie in this whole affair. Oh, they would pay dearly for the loss of his arm!


    With the current advancement of technology, it would be possible for him to recover the use of his tattered arm, but the process would require at least a month of intensive care. This implied that Qin Xiao wouldn''t be able to hunt superior-grade lifeforms for the next month, and it could well impact his chances for the Void Cup in three months.


    If this really were the case, then it would be a lethal blow to Qin Xiao.


    At this moment, Qin Xiao''s hatred toward Wang Xiaohua and the entire Wang n atrge surged to unimaginable capacities.


    Of course, Qin Xiao wasn''t the only one angered by the Wang n. The three corporations and the Yun and Chu ns had all quickly connected Wang Xiaohua with the Wang n. Wang Xiaohua was nothing more than a rich, spoiled heiress, but the Wang n was a big name in Ning.


    There were hundreds of settlements in the dimensional world, and the cksteel settlement was only one of many. Although the Wang n might not be famous within the cksteel settlement, they were one of the top ns of the Bronzetooth settlement in the extreme south of the dimensional world.


    With the Void Cup about to ur, the major powers of each settlement were entering thest stages of their preparation for the Cup, and it was inevitable that some hunters would try to sabotage their opponents.


    After all, this was something that had urred during previous iterations of the Void Cup as well.


    In the past, the cksteel settlement hadn''t been a major power. This time around, however, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and Qin Xiao were uing stars that could well pose a threat to those from other settlements.


    It wouldn''t be strange for others to try to get rid of their opponents.


    Most importantly, she was the instigator of the entire affair at the venombane de, so it was natural that suspicion would be directed at her, especially given her inextricable link to the main branch of the Wang n.


    In truth, there were many hunters in the cksteel settlement who felt the same way as Qin Xiao. They focused all their attention on Wang Xiaohua and the Wang n, and failed to notice Zhang Lie, who had vanished from the gene leaderboard quite a while back.


    As a result, Zhang Lie had precious uninterrupted time for strengthening and advancing himself.


    That night, representatives from all six ns rushed to the cksteel Inn to confront Wang Xiaohua. However, by the time they reached the inn, Wang Xiaohua had already rushed back to Earth. Her sudden disappearance confirmed everyone''s suspicions that she had instigated the entire event.


    After all, she was the one who had imed that Qin Xiaotian''s corpse would be buried within the venombane de, and the truth of her words were easy to determine.


    They had gone to the venombane de and returned without Qin Xiaotian''s corpse, battered by a whole slew of injuries, without the prize that they had been hunting all night. And now that they tried to confront her, they found that she had vanished!


    What other exnation could there be?


    All six ns began to surveil the Wang n. Even the older-generation n heads had begun to make their moves upon hearing about the news.


    Back in Wang Jianxin''s house in Ning, Wang Xiaohua was pitifully eyeing her raging father as though she were a convict waiting for judgment.


    "Xiaohua, you''ve really been far too rash! I told you not to mess with him, didn''t I? And now look at what you''ve done! Tell me the truth: did Qin Xiaotian''s death have anything to do with you?"


    Wang Jianxin frowned, having realized the importance of the matter. He scrutinized his daughter with his gaze, not daring to miss even the slightest detail. As an old hand, he had sensed thetent danger in this conundrum, something he hadn''t felt for years.


    Wang Xiaohua, tears streaking down her face, cried out, "Dad, Xiaotian''s my boyfriend! How could I kill him? Don''t you believe your own daughter? I''m telling you, Zhang Lie was the mastermind behind everything! He killed Xiaotian, he killed everyone! And then he stole our soulshards!


    "Except for me and him, everyone else who entered the venombane de is dead! He didn''t leave me alive because he pitied me¡ªhe''s using me as a scapegoat!


    "And he even found someone to post an anonymous thread on the forum saying that he saw me scheme against Xiaotian and the rest of them, and they keep besmirching my name! I''ve tried to argue against them for hours on end, but no one in the settlement believes me!


    "Dad, I need your help. Please, I feel like the Qin n is going to try to kill me otherwise!"


    Despite Wang Xiaohua''s melodramatic behavior, Wang Jianxin let out a breath. "Are you finally afraid now? You make me clean up your mess every single time¡ªwhat''s going to happen when I''m not around anymore?


    "If you truly didn''t hurt Qin Xiaotian, then what do you have to worry about? As for the Qin n, you don''t have to worry about that either. As long as you didn''t kill Qin Xiaotian, I can guarantee that you''ll be safe.


    "As for clearing up your name, forget it. The moment you and Zhang Lie returned to the settlement together, you lost whatever chance you had at that. The more you try to defend yourself, the more they''ll use you: you''re from the Wang n, but Zhang Lie''s a nobody. Your connections and wealth make you a target."


    Upon hearing her father''s words, Wang Xiaohua calmed down a little. "Dad, in that case, what should we do? I was the one who buried Xiaotian''s corpse myself! I told everyone that, as long as they find the corpse, it''ll be clear that I''m not lying. Can''t that clear my name?"


    "Xiaohua, you''re still far too naive. I''ve just told you that you''ll never be able to clear your name as long as you''re alive, and people will always be much more suspicious of you than they would Zhang Lie. Don''t you know why? Who would believe that a supposed weakling like Zhang Lie would be able to ovee you and Qin Xiaotian on his own?


    "But you don''t have to be too worried either: at any rate, you''re still a member of the Wang n. Even if you really hadmitted the murder, just the Qin n alone wouldn''t be able to do anything to you.


    "And while I might not have much standing in the main household, at the very least, I''m still a member of the n, and our n certainly won''t let us be bullied like this. Let me call your third uncle and ask him to speak to the other ns on your behalf. This should resolve the problem."


    Wang Xiaohua was overjoyed. "Really? That would really be a weight off my shoulders! Dad, won''t you call him now? Qin Xiao''s too frightening, and those hunters from the cksteel settlement are still keeping guard outside my hotel room! I don''t even dare step outside! They''re all so annoying!"


    Wang Jianxin could think of no better way of resolving the current dilemma. However, just as he was about to call the current head of the Wang household, Wang Han, the holographic disy lit up.


    Wang Han was contacting them!


    Wang Jianxin couldn''t help but think that something was amiss, but he didn''t dare refuse a call from the head of the household himself. He immediately epted the call.


    The next moment, the holographic projector showed the cold mien of a middle-aged man.


    "Wang Jianxin, you bastard, are you trying to ruin the Wang n?! The elders of the n are going to arrive within ten minutes to take Wang Xiaohua away. Hand her to them immediately!" Wang Jianxin and Wang Xiaohua greeted him respectfully, but Wang Han ignored the customary greetings and began yelling at them the moment the call connected.


    Wang Jianxian had to reevaluate the importance of this entire affair. "Wang Han, what''s going on? Xiaohua''s my only child, and I would be fine entrusting her to your care, but why the urgency?"


    He was so indulgent of his only daughter that he still intended to protect her even at this critical juncture.


    "What''s the matter? You''re asking me what''s the matter? Don''t you think that''s something I should be asking the two of you?!" Wang Han''s roar clearly conveyed his rage.


    "Just now, Qin Zongming, Zhou Tianqi, Yun Yi, Chu Tiannan, Li Qing, and Zhao You all called me, ''congratting'' me for my aplishment! They praised how devious a certain hunter from our Wang household was, stealing the kill of a superior-grade lifeform, killing Zhou Qian, crippling one of Qin Xiao''s arms, and causing the entire cksteel settlement to erupt in chaos!


    "How should I know what''s going on?! Tell Wang Xiaohua to pack up and head straight to the Wang manor to exin herself. Otherwise, even the Wang household won''t be able to protect her. The six ns have already started surveilling the Wang estate."


    Wang Jianxin and Wang Xiaohua gaped at Wang Han''s words. Before Wang Jianxin could react, Wang Han had cut the connection. Clearly, he was telling them that the only way for Wang Xiaohua to remain protected was for them to stay where they were.


    By now, even Wang Jianxin was starting to panic. "Xiaohua, tell me what''s going on!"


    "Dad, I don''t know! I don''t know anything! I don''t know anything about stealing a superior-grade lifeform, killing Zhou Qian, and crippling Qin Xiao! I only told them how to head to the venombane de!


    "It wasn''t me¡ªdo you think someone like me could do any of this? You know how I am! It has to be Zhang Lie, right, it can''t be anyone but him! He''s taking revenge on us, and he wants to kill us both! It has to be him!"


    Wang Xiaohua''s pride and arrogance had crumbled away, reced by overwhelming, unrelenting despair. It was toote, far toote for her. Even if Wang Xiaohua were to remain alive, her future was doomed to bleakness.

 Chapter 25: Bleak Outcome

    <h4>Chapter 25: Bleak Oue</h4>


    Wang Jianxin thundered, "So what if it were him? Do you have any proof? Would others believe you? Zhang Lie''s famous in your settlement for being useless, a fool who spent three months killing white grubs!


    "Do you think that the six ns, or even the cksteel hunters, would believe that all their ns were waid by a fool?! They wouldn''t! ?It''s impossible! Even if Zhang Lie were to step out now and im that he nned everything, no one would believe him!


    "From the very moment you stepped back into the cksteel settlement, you fell into his trap! There''s no way out for you now. Escape! Run away now! You won''t be able to withstand the household''s punishment, and once you admit to the crime, our whole n will be sentenced to death. Before the elders get here, escape while you can, as far away as possible!


    "I''ll do my best to dy them, and I''ll help you find a way out of this mess. If possible, head to Zhang Lie''s ce first¡ªgetting to that crippled sister of his will be your only hope. What are you waiting for? Leave, run, flee!"


    "Dad, but¡ªwhere would I go?" Wang Xiaohua blinked at him with tear-stained eyes.


    Wang Jianxin pushed a few point cards into her hands. "Leave Ning, and don''t head toward any city controlled by the six ns. Go anywhere else you want! Remember, within the next three months, don''t attempt to contact me, and don''t attempt to contact any of your friends. Do you understand?"


    With his hands firmly on Wang Xiaohua''s shoulders, Wang Jianxin pushed Wang Xiaohua out of his house.


    "Dad, I''m scared!"


    "Don''t worry. With me around, everything will be resolved eventually. But you have to leave now!"


    Wang Xiaohua''s heart was filled with dread as to what she would have to endure.


    After consoling Wang Xiaohua, Wang Jianxin stuffed her into his hovercar. Not five minutes after Wang Xiaohua left, three imposing middle-aged men rushed into the Wang estate. But Wang Xiaohua had already left, so they couldn''t get what they came for. In the end, they had no choice but to take Wang Jianxin into custody instead.


    In a mansion in Ning, Wang Han stared at his brother in disappointment. "Have you thought about the consequences of letting your daughter go free?"


    Wang Jianxin replied, "Of course I have, but how can I bear to see my daughter be punished for something she hasn''t done? She''s innocent! Why should she have to be the scapegoat?! You know they''d kill her!"


    Wang Han shook his head. "No, the Wang n wouldn''t let her be killed. We need Xiaohua here in order to reveal the truth behind the entire affair, in order to reim justice for our n!


    "But now? Now that you''ve sent her away, if anything happens to her, we won''t have any means of refuting the ims leveled against us! Look at this report. I told you how important this matter was, and the other ns aren''t going to stop until they''ve hunted her down!


    "Call her back immediately. If she gets caught, if she gets killed¡ªthat''ll be the end of our n."


    Wang Jianxin looked over the report, his face darkening as he flipped through its pages. What a nasty, vicious n! It was clearly meant to destroy Wang Xiaohua, and even the rest of the Wang n as well.


    Over the course of a single night, the entire cksteel settlement, including its six most influential ns, had be enemies of the Wang n. The Zhou, Qin, and Chu ns, who had suffered most, even imed the Wang n as their sworn enemy.


    Unless the Wang n could provide irrefutable evidence that Wang Xiaohua yed no role in the affair, none of the three ns would let matters rest so easily.


    "Justice? Brother, don''t lie to me. I''m not like Xiaohua, and I don''t believe in some supposed justice! It''s too hard to recover the truth. I''ve asked Xiaohua and she doesn''t know anything¡ªthe other party has made sure that there''s no way out for her!" Wang Jianxian''s face was pale, as though he were a beached fish.


    "Regardless, you had better call Xiaohua back. With her around, we can at least exin that we''re investigating what happened, but if she vanishes, we''ll be tacitly epting responsibility for what has happened!"


    "I''ll call her back, but you have to promise, as the head of the household, that you won''t throw her out to the wolves, or you''ll have to kill me first!"


    Despite having been expelled from the main household, Wang Jianxin couldn''t turn his back from itpletely, and he eventually relented after proposing his own condition.


    Wang Han shook his head in exasperation. "Alright, I promise you I''ll do my utmost best to protect her from retribution. Send for her!"


    "Your best isn''t enough¡ªyou have to promise you won''t hand her over!"


    Wang Han inclined his head and fisted his hair in frustration. "Fine. I promise I won''t hand her over. Send her back!"


    Wang Jianxin gave his brother a piercing nce before activating the transceiver on his wristwatch, a specializedmunication tool between father and daughter.


    However, Wang Xiaohua rejected the call. When he tried calling her again, the call was blockedpletely. It was only then that Wang Jianxin remembered that he had warned Wang Xiaohua not to try tomunicate with him, or with any of her friends.


    She likely thought that the Wang n was trying to find her through Wang Jianxin, so she had blocked all calls.


    "Quick, head to this location!" Wang Jianxin, panicking, immediately showed Wang Han''s subordinates the coordinates listed on his wristwatch.


    "Brother, if something were to happen to the Wang n, you realize you''ll be held solely responsible for the n''s downfall?! How are you going to exin this to Father?!"Wang Han was barely able to keep himself from screaming.


    "There''s nothing I can do about it now, is there? Quick, send someone to Zhang Lie''s house. As long as we have Zhang Hanxiang in custody, we might be able to salvage the situation."


    "Zhang Lie, Zhang Hanxiang? Zhang Yi''s two children? Are you certain that he was the one responsible for all this?" Wang Han was a little skeptical: who would believe that someone as young as Zhang Lie coulde up with such a devious n?


    After the incident, he had reviewed what little information he had on Zhang Lie: by all reports a mediocre, useless hunter who amounted to nothing. How could someone like him have offended all six ns, killed Zhou Qian, and crippled Qin Xiao within a single night? The very thought was ludicrous!


    Wang Jianxin''s face turned even paler. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Even if it wasn''t him, he''s clearly connected to this entire affair!


    "Wang Bin, I want you to personally head to the Zhang house and to take both of them into custody. Make sure you don''t alert any security guards along the way. The Void Cup''s about to start, and we can''t have anyone getting disqualified now!"


    "Yes, Head!" One of Wang Han''s subordinates strode forward, bowed, and rushed out.


    "Why in the world would you provoke someone like him? As far as I understand, that brat''s a useless hunter. If he weren''t provoked, why would he risk his life to create all this trouble?


    "You''ve been blinded by money, Brother! No matter how many treasures that Zhang Yi had, he was only ever a peak second-realm hunter. He wouldn''t have had anything of true value! If the Wang n were to suffer because of this incident, even I won''t be able to protect you and your daughter."


    "I know full well what I did! If thingse to that, hand me over. I''ll bear responsibility for everything! Give the other ns some benefits aspensation, and count it as my debt to the n. I have no choice but to repay it in my next life, don''t I?"


    Wang Jianxin would even sacrifice himself to protect his daughter, and no amount of criticism on Wang Han''s part would change anything. Instead, Wang Han only sighed. If Wang Xiaohua couldn''t be found, then the six ns'' grudges wouldn''t be resolved satisfactorily. In that case, they would take it out on the Wang n.


    In truth, they had already begun taking action against the Wang n upon receiving the news that Wang Jianxin had been summoned to the Wang headquarters. All manner of incidents were suddenly happening to the businesses owned by the Wang n.


    Nasty rumors and gossip about the Wang n abounded. In a matter of minutes, the Wang n''s assets had dropped by over a hundred million, and that number was surely just going to keep increasing.


    Worst of all, of these six ns, the Yun and Chu ns were even more powerful than the Wang n, and if they had set their mind to it, they could have ruined the Wang n instantly. It was because of that potential threat that the Wang n could do nothing but suffer their losses in silence.


    Meanwhile, Wang Xiaohua had finally made her way¡ªafter quite a number of twists and detours¡ªto Zhang Lie''s house. However, she only dared to look at it from afar, because she could see Zhang Lie making breakfast through an open window.


    By now, Wang Xiaohua thought of Zhang Lie as a demon. She didn''t dare to appear in front of him, let alone provoke him.


    Zhang Lie didn''t notice her presence, but he was certain that the mess that he had inadvertently created would only growrger with time. His sister, Hanxiang, would therefore end up in danger.


    As a result, after his restful sleep in the dimensional world''s inn, he immediately headed back home. After having breakfast, Zhang Lie immediately brought Zhang Hanxiang to an inspection bureau.


    The inspection bureau was a government organization responsible for testing and recording the quantity and quality of a hunter''s gic energy, constitution, and strength in order to categorize that hunter as a certain ss of citizen.


    Given Zhang Lie''s current numbers, he was quite confident that he could be tested as a first-ss citizen. And as a first-ss citizen, one of his direct rtives would be able to benefit from all that his status conferred. In particr, he would be able to send his sister to a specialized high school for further education.


    Once she entered the school, she would be protected. Because of the ster and spatial warfare that had led to extreme casualties at the start of the century, there had been extremely heavy emphasis ced on cultivating the talents of the next generation.


    Part of this emphasis manifested in the form of extreme protection and an absolute ban on violence on campus grounds. As long as Hanxiang was properly enrolled as a student, even the Wang n would be powerless to act against her.

 Chapter 26: Foolproof Plan

    <h4>Chapter 26: Foolproof n</h4>


    Because Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang arrived at the inspection bureau early, there were rtively few hunters present, and he was able to get tested quickly.


    The inspection consisted of two stages: first, constitution, and second, mental acuity. The constitution test was itself divided into two smaller parts. The first was a test of strength, and the second a test of speed. Of course, neither test allowed the use of gic energy.


    "Good luck, Brother!" Outside the testing area, Hanxiang was pumping her fists, causing Zhang Lie to smile.


    The testing apparatus wasn''t all tooplicated: it was just a sandbag with a few extra gimmicks.


    "No. 4, Li Feng, first attempt!"


    "Strength: 4.5, C-grade. Pass!


    "No. 5, Song Jia, third attempt!"


    "Strength: 3.3, D-grade. Fail!"


    The synthetic voice of the supervising robot caused some to erupt in joy, and others in tears.


    The world government had decided to quantify a hunter''s strength in order to better categorize them. Those hunters who had capped their mutated gene capacity would need a strength value of 4.0 to pass. A 4.0 indicated that a hunter had about three to four times the strength of a regr human. Failing to get a 4.0 or higher meant that those hunters were unable to make full use of their own strength.


    After waiting for a few minutes, Zhang Lie''s name was finally called, and he walked forward to an unupied sandbag.


    "No. 9, Zhang Lie, first attempt!"


    Zhang Lie stepped forward, pretending to charge up his strength. Only when his face was red from holding his breath in did he step forward and punch the sandbag with one heavy blow.


    "Strength: 4.2, C-grade. You still have two more attempts to try to improve your score. Do you wish to continue?"


    "No, just passing is enough for me!"


    Zhang Lie happily took the certification card that the robotic attendant handed over, then walked back to where his sister was seated.


    Just as with the test of strength, Zhang Lie managed a borderline pass for the test of speed and mental acuity. In little more than ten minutes, Zhang Lie had obtained a silver first-ss identification card, as well as a silver-gray subsidiary card for Hanxiang.


    Looking at these two cards, Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang both began to smile.


    Hanxiang gasped. "Brother, with this card, can I attend Holy Glory Academy now?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Of course! In fact, I was nning on bringing you there to enroll today. What do you think?"


    "Today?"


    "Have you forgotten? ?Holy Glory Academy is the best of the schools in the region, and they have an open admission policy even in the middle of a semester!"


    "But isn''t there an exorbitant fee if you do that...?"


    "Don''t worry, I can handle the expenses. With me around, you just have to focus on your studies!"


    "Brother, thank you!"


    "We''re family, aren''t we? Let''s go."


    The two of them headed right for the school district.


    Just as they did so, Wang Bin arrived at the Zhang house. Of course, by the time he got there, there was no one inside. His dy was understandable: he had little experience in themoners'' districts, and he didn''t realize the extent to which the morning rush would clog up all traffic.


    After arriving, he received a message from the n stating that their target had been sighted at the inspection bureau.


    However, he wasn''t told to give chase; others had already been dispatched to that location, and he was to head back to the manor instead.


    However, those subordinates dispatched to the inspection bureau also failed to find their target, and were unable to retrieve anything but some footage of Zhang Lie''s inspection exam.


    As he nced at that footage, at how Zhang Lie was barely able to meet the target with a huge expenditure of effort, Wang Han turned to Wang Jianxin skeptically.


    "Brother, are you certain a kid like this had something to do with the entire affair?"


    Wang Han wasn''t the only one with suspicions: everyone who had seen the footage felt the same way. After all, what had happened that night at the venombane de was a shocking feat of cunning, certainly not something an ordinary hunter would be able toe up with.


    "Don''t be tricked by his appearance, Wang Han! He''s a shrewd fellow, and I bet he''s faking his performance!"


    Given what had happened with the rental agreement, Wang Jianxin thought that he had a good grasp of what Zhang Lie was like, but no one else thought simrly.


    "It''s not a matter of whether we believe it, certainly, but whether the cksteel hunters and the six ns will. Even if we made someone like him reveal the truth, would anyone even believe it?"


    Wang Jianxin shook his head. "Believe me, as long as we can control thisd, all our problems will be resolved. "Where is he now?"


    Wang Han''s face darkened. "On campus grounds!"


    "Didn''t I tell you? He''s a sneaky bastard! Damn it, I bet he''s sent his sister to one of the academies so we can''t get ahold of her!" Wang Jianxin had discovered Zhang Lie''s n.


    "Not only his sister¡ªif I''m not wrong, he''ll find a teleportation device to enter the dimensional world directly from the academy. And once he''s inside, as long as he stays within the settlement, we won''t be able to do anything to him." Wang Han''s face was icy.


    "Brother, we have to think of some other strategy. We don''t have any more time to waste on this kid!"


    Indeed, the most pressing issue was time. The longer this problem dragged out, the longer the six ns would continue mping down on their businesses, and the more severely their finances would be disrupted.


    Zhang Lie had managed to turtle himself up so tightly that, within the short term, no one from the Wang n would be able to do anything about him.


    The Holy Glory Academy had a somewhat Western name, but the construction and style of the buildings was all perfectly oriental. The city of Ningy at the heart of China, and the weight of that culture would not be so easily disced. Although the academy did hire foreign professors, it was stillrgely in line with traditional Chinese ideals.


    Given how much money Zhang Lie was waving around to expedite the process, it was no surprise that Zhang Hanxiang''s enrollment proceeded as smoothly as it did. In no more than half an hour, they were done with all the paperwork.


    After considering the issue of Zhang Hanxiang''s safety, Zhang Lie decided to spend a veritable fortune¡ªa million dors a month¡ªto rent the highest-ss robotpanion for his sister. Zhang Hanxiang was his only sibling, and her disability could well make her a target. He didn''t want her to have to suffer any harassment on his behalf.


    "Brother, did something happen to you inside the dimensional world?" Seeing Zhang Lie''s behavior, even the innocent Zhang Hanxiang seemed to notice that something was amiss.


    Zhang Lieughed lightly. "A small problem, but don''t worry, I''m alright now. I''m just afraid some people might try to get at me through you. But since you''re on campus grounds now, and with this roboticpanion for protection, I believe you''re safe from any potential danger.


    "That being said, Hanxiang, make sure you notify me if anything¡ªanything at all¡ªwere to happen! Keep this close to you at all times. If you encounter any sort of danger, press it and I''ll be notified immediately."


    Zhang Lie handed her what looked like a ck button. Zhang Hanxiang seemed a little perturbed, but she immediately kept the button without asking any questions. After all, her brother was the only person she could rely on, as well as the person to whom she was closest.


    This ck button, deceptively small and simple as it was, was actually a device that was able to bypass the technological restriction of the dimensional world and transmit signals from Earth. Zhang Lie had spent a whopping half a million points on it, and it was a device that no ordinary hunter would be able to afford.


    "I understand, Brother. I''ll be safe within the campus, and with all these safeguards, I don''t have to worry about anything at all. Brother, you''re the one who has to be more careful¡ªI wouldn''t be able to stand losing you."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Don''t worry about me, Hanxiang. I don''t have to fear my enemies¡ªthey should fear me!"


    After touring the campus grounds with Hanxiang, and after introducing himself to her professors, Zhang Lie waved goodbye to his sister. As Wang Han had anticipated, he found a teleportation apparatus and headed straight back to the dimensional world.


    He returned to his room in the ckgold Inn and immediately began to browse the forum to understand what had transpired since his departure. Of course, the only thing of note was still the battle at the venombane de.


    The forum was filled with rumors and spection about what had happened there. Of course, it was difficult to discern between actual information and hearsay, or, worse, fake news.


    However, even though most people weren''t aware of the events that had taken ce at the de, the aftermath was clearly known to all. Zhou Qian, head of the Zhou corporation, had perished. Qin Xiao had lost an arm. Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and many other hunters had suffered serious injuries.


    Such casualties had undoubtedly sparked interest into the details of what had happened in the de.


    "If you all want to know the truth so badly, then I have no choice but to oblige!"


    Soon after, the article?Showdown at the Venombane de (specifics included)?appeared on the forum. It spread like wildfire.


    Zhang Lie had repeated his past strategy for dealing with Wang Xiaohua. In this post, from the perspective of a bystander, he exhaustively described the events that had taken ce in the de: how Qin Xiao had lost his arm; who had actually pushed Zhou Qian out of the tunnel, causing him to die from the moonlight wyrm''s attack; who had ultimately ended up killing the superior-grade scorpion; and even how the moonlight wyrm had been lured out.


    And this time, over 90% of what he had written was even the honest truth!


    Of course, the author was again anonymous.

 Chapter 27: Technique Auction

    <h4>Chapter 27: Technique Auction</h4>


    As Zhang Lie anticipated, his article rapidly set the hunters of the cksteel settlement abuzz.


    Several of the leaders of the expedition, like Yun Bing and Chu Feng, had even replied confirming the uracy of the article. After all, what it described was essentially identical to what they had experienced. In fact, some parts of it went into even more detail than even they were aware of. The moment they read through the article, they were certain that the anonymous author had been at the scene during that fateful night.


    Most importantly, it had detailed how Qin Xiao had pushed Zhou Qian out of the cave to save his own life, so Yun Bing and Chu Feng would naturally support the article and spread it on their own.


    The six ns began hunting for this mysterious author, but to no avail.


    Every hunter in the settlement was guaranteed their privacy by the cksteel settlement''s artificial intelligence. Without any authorization, it was impossible for anyone to break apart a hunter''s anonymity. It was for this reason that Zhang Lie had dared to reveal such crucial information. He would be able to maintain his own anonymity while drawing out his enemies.


    After satisfying himself, he began to browse the trading post again.


    Zhang Lie believed that the Qin and Wang ns would have quite a lot of issues to contend with in the future. They wouldn''t be able to spare the time or attention to deal with a nobody like him.


    And as for him, well, he was going to keep amassing his fortune. Most of the things that he had listed on the trading post had already sold. The soulshards owned by Qin Xiaotian and his team were grabbed almost as soon as they were listed.


    After all, the dimensional world was quite unlike reality. Except in the settlements, individual power dominated over everything. Even if Qin Xiao''s own soulshards were somehow stolen and listed on the marketce, some enterprising hunters would still buy them all.


    As a result, Zhang Lie earned another pile of points, though it paled inparison to what he had obtained from betting on himself.


    What had caught his attention was a reply he had received on his request searching for water-attuned techniques. The reply came from a user with the alias Daffodil. She intimated that she had multiple water-attuned techniques, all of surpassingly high quality, but was afraid that Zhang Lie didn''t have enough points for them.


    Her words would likely have stopped the Zhang Lie of a few days ago from enquiring further. After all, how could he have afforded those techniques? But now, he was filthy rich.


    He immediately replied, "Show me what you''ve got! Rather than worrying about whether or not I can afford it, you should be worried about whether your techniques are high-quality enough to be worth my attention."


    To his surprise, she replied instantly. "Excellent timing! I''m auctioning the techniques off right now."


    This reply immediately enticed Zhang Lie: any techniques that were put up for auction were generally high quality. Inferior goods wouldn''t be worth the fee that the marketce would take.


    Zhang Lie essed the auction following her instructions, entering a virtual space with a raised circr stage and seats all around that stage.


    A woman, whom Zhang Lie assumed was this Daffodil, stood on stage in a pale white dress, gracefully showing off her goods. Surrounding the stage were the virtual avatars of countless buyers.


    Up on stage, beside the woman, a robot was demonstrating a water-attuned polearm technique. In a clear, crisp voice, she exined the technique that the robot was using.


    "[Seacrest de], a high-grade technique buoyed by the force of the sea. Its patterns are as erratic and unpredictable as ocean waves, sure to confound your opponent. This water-attuned technique would be a valuable addition to any hunter''s repertoire, and it has a starting bid of 7,000 points. Might anyone here be interested?"


    "10,000 points!"


    "12,000!"


    "I bid 15,000!"


    Before Zhang Lie could even react, the price had doubled to 15,000 points, leaving him quite surprised.


    However, given that price, most hunters had sat back down again, unwilling to bid further. Even a particrly good high-grade technique was only worth 10,000 points at best.


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, while the waves that the technique generated were eye-catching, the actual dework itself didn''t seem like anything special. Furthermore, as a sword user, he had no interest in it.


    Sensing theck of continued interest, the woman rapped her knuckles against the table. "[Seacrest de], sold for 15,000 points! Next up, one of the centerpieces of this auction, the pinnacle-grade water-attuned technique, [Fists of the Silent Sea], a fist-based technique with immutable force!"


    This time, the woman only provided a concise exnation before motioning to her robot.


    The robot struck with one fist, sending ripples of gic energy through the air. It was a gentle movement, like the caress of wind over the water''s surface, but with an undeterrable strength that could still even the roiling waves of the sea.


    A gentleness that belied its strength, a strength that could not be ovee. Dominating, overwhelming¡ªit certainly deserved its ssification as a pinnacle-grade technique.


    This technique was undoubtedly superior to even most pinnacle-grade techniques.


    He wanted it.


    "The starting bid for this technique will be 50,000 points!"


    The moment Daffodil announced the price, a red-clothed man sitting near the front immediately raised his hand and shouted, "55,000!"


    "Are you broke, to only raise the bid by 5,000? I''ll bid 70,000 points!" a man taunted from a sectioned-off area of the virtual hall, likely restricted to VIPs.


    "Only 70,000? Song Yi, it looks like you''re running out of points! This technique''spatible with my sister''s framework, and I''ll bid 100,000 points!" Another voice spoke up, from a man dressed in blue not too far away.


    "100,000 points for a pinnacle-grade technique is a bargain! I bid 120,000 points!"


    The man in blue scoffed. "If you want a bidding war, I''m happy to apany you. 150,000 points!"


    He was starting to smile amidst the other party''s silence when Zhang Lie stood up. "300,000 points!"

 Chapter 28: Penniless Again

    <h4>Chapter 28: Penniless Again</h4>


    The gathered crowd had all gone silent.


    300,000 points? Double thest bid? What kind of rich asshole was this? No matter how many points he had, who would be so wasteful as to do something like this?!


    They all turned toward Zhang Lie, but unfortunately, all they could see was a ck cloak.


    Even the loudmouthed VIPs had gone silent. Pinnacle-grade techniques tended to go for 200,000 points or so, and the fact that this hunter was bidding 300,000 points meant that this was a technique that he sorely needed.


    They had no intention topete with him: after all, there were more techniques they could bid for instead.


    The host, Daffodil, waited for a few moments, surveying the crowd, before rapping her knuckles on the table again. "300,000 points from the honored guest in ck! The [Fists of the Silent Sea] will go to you!"


    He swiped his point card and inputted the ID of the teleportation apparatus in his room. The purchase arrived not fifteen secondster. It was divided into two parts, a manual detailing the technique and a holographic recording of a robot using the technique.


    After he confirmed receipt of the item, the points were transferred to Daffodil.


    The auction was still in progress, but Zhang Lie wasn''t too interested in the remaining items up for bidding. However, just as he was about to leave, he found a few herbs that he was interested in, as well as another advanced water-attuned technique.


    In particr, the eye-of-night flower was yet another main ingredient for Potion #2. It was generally only avable from the second realm onwards, so Zhang Lie was very surprised to see it on auction.


    With these discoveries, Zhang Lie certainly had to stay for the remainder of the auction.


    Since pillmaking wasn''t yet a mature field, these herbs weren''t worth very much, and Zhang Lie managed to obtain the eye-of-night at a shockingly cheap price of 10,000 points.


    Zhang Lie sat through the rest of the auction in boredom. After an entire hour, it was finally time for that gic technique that he had been eyeing toe up for auction.


    Daffodil''s face turned serious. "Finally, ourst and most valuable item for today: [The Boundless de]."


    On stage, a worn, ancient manual appeared in front of the hunters'' eyes.


    "[The Boundless de], a mythic-grade sword technique: starting bid, 150,000 points."


    "A mythic-grade technique?! Are you joking?" Zhang Lie was also somewhat skeptical, but someone else spoke up before he could.


    A mythic-grade technique could easily be the signature technique of a dojo. For example, the premier dojo of Ning, the Blizzard Dojo, had been named after its signature mythic-grade technique, [Blizzard''s Eye]. Zhang Lie hadn''t expected that someone would be willing to trade a mythic-grade technique for points, at least not in the first realm.


    Daffodil didn''t seem too bothered. Instead, she motioned to the robot beside her, which headed to center stage. The robot was so advanced that, from its outer appearance alone, it looked no different from a regr human.


    It ced one hand on the hilt of his sword, then froze at the precise moment of activation of the technique. Just this simple action was enough to reveal the technique''s majesty: behind the robot red the backdrop of a vast ocean, seeming to endow the robot with its strength.


    This was undoubtedly a mythic-grade technique, and even one that was water-attuned! He had to obtain this technique by any means!


    "Does anyone still doubt the authenticity of this technique?" Daffodil asked. "This holographic disy simtes the technique as a novice would activate it, and more specialized use of the technique is certainly possible with further study."


    From the crowd, a hunter piped up, "Isn''t it daylight robbery to try to sell a mythic-grade technique for 1.5 million? This is a technique, not a framework! I''ll pay 1.2 million at most¡ª"


    "If you don''t have points, screw off and stop embarrassing yourself! I''ll bid 1.6 million!"


    "You think you can get a mythic-grade technique with just 1.6 million points? I''ll bid 1.8 million! I''m Sun Mu from the Greenforest settlement¡ªdo you know who I am? Don''t you dare try to outbid me!"


    "What Greenforest settlement? What Sun n? Why should I care who you are? This is an anonymous auction! How do you expect to take revenge on me when you don''t even know my identity? I, a roadside weed, will bid two million points!"


    Indeed, it wasn''t a smart move for hunters to reveal their identity in such auctions. Not only did their name not mean anything, they were easily targeted by the rest of the anonymous crowd.


    "You dare?! Reveal your identity, and I''ll¡ª"


    "Are you an idiot? ?Of course I''m not telling you that! Now, if you''re not going to keep bidding, why don''t you shut up?"


    Sun Mu was so enraged he could hardly speak.


    "You''d better not let me find out who you are, you bastard! I''ll bid 2.5 million!"


    "Ha! 2.6 million!"


    The hunter seemed more invested in enraging Sun Mu than winning the auction.


    Sun Mu clearly didn''t expect the other hunter to keep outbidding him. 2.5 million was as high as he could go, and all he could do was stare at the offending party in resentful anger. 2.6 million was already a high price for such a technique, especially given the rtively nameless auction.


    There were perhaps a few rich hunters scattered throughout the attendees, but no one present was spectacrly rich. Even those who had sufficiently many points to bid had to think carefully about whether it was worth it.


    "Three million!"


    Just as the crowd thought that the nameless bidder was about to obtain the water-attuned technique for 2.6 million, the blue-d hunter sitting in the first row, who had initially imed to want to buy a technique for his sister, made a new bid.


    Increasing the bid by 400,000 at this juncture was a ploy to deter others from bidding, but it also showed how invested he was in it.


    Three million points was worth 300 million dors on Earth. Given how impactful gic techniques were, however, 300 million dors wasn''t too extreme a price to pay for additional power. Even a billion dors wouldn''t be too pricey for a mythic-grade technique of particrpatibility.


    However, the problem was that no hunter could be certain that any given technique would be sopatible with their framework. Furthermore, water-attuned frameworks were a rtive rarity, so there were few hunters for whom it would be useful in the first ce.


    A hush descended on the crowd: the bidding seemed to havee to a close.


    Just then, as everyone thought that the auction was over, Zhang Lie raised his hand. "Four million points!"


    Everyone turned to look at him, but all they saw was a hooded robe.


    The blue-d man scowled, mumbling, "Is there a need to act so mysteriously? What an annoyance!"


    Zhang Lie smiled and bowed in his direction.


    Four million points¡ªan increment of a million over thest bid¡ªwas about as high as the price of this technique could feasibly go. Other potential bidders had given up at three million, and a bid of four million was sufficient to silence them.


    Even Daffodil only waited for a few seconds of silence from the crowd before rapping her knuckles on the table again. "The winning bid is four million points! ?[The Boundless de] goes to the man in ck!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. After all, four million points was as high as he could go. If someone were to continue bidding, Zhang Lie would have been able to match that bid, but he would have to mortgage some of his fire-attuned techniques to do so.


    He sighed as he swiped the four million points on his card away¡ªhe had acquired such wealth just a few days ago, and here he was spending it all already. Zhang Lie was again all but penniless.


    But it was a worthwhile investment, after all, and he was eagerly anticipating [The Boundless de]. Just as before, the technique arrived in his room within half a minute.


    .


    After the auction was over, Zhang Lie waited by his seat until the other hunters left. Naturally, Daffodil took notice of him. Once everyone else was gone, she closed the virtual auction hall and set up a personalized meeting room instead.


    "Congrattions on bing the thirtieth million-ss customer of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion! May I help you with anything?"


    Zhang Lie could hear faint notes of happiness in her voice from the magnitude of her sales today.


    "I do have two questions. First, could you tell me about the origin of this technique? I would hate to have to hide it from the public eye after learning it! Second, does your establishment also offer acquisition-rted services?"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s two questions, Daffodil smiled. "I can assure you that this technique was acquired through a reputable source. No one¡ªneither in the dimensional world nor in reality¡ªwill give you any trouble with regards to this technique. In fact, it was a recent find by one of our employees, and it''s never been revealed to the public before."


    Zhang Lie immediately rxed.


    "As for your second question, given your status as an honored million-ss customer here with us at the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion, your needs are our needs. We will do everything we can to satisfy your requests."


    Zhang Lie had to admit that Daffodil was very skilled at customer service.


    "In that case, I have to praise your dedication to your customers."


    He visualized a list of herbal ingredients that he needed for one potion or another, actualized it in the virtual space, and then handed it to Daffodil. The list detailed the quantity and purchase price that Zhang Lie was willing to ept for each ingredient.


    Daffodil scanned the list, then bowed in Zhang Lie''s direction. "I''ve received your request, and will contact you as soon as I acquire the listed ingredients. Might I ask how I should address you, honored customer?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You can call me Peppercorn!"


    "Very good, Mr. Peppercorn. On behalf of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion, I thank you for your support, and I wish you luck with mastering your new techniques."


    After the exchange, Zhang Lie left the virtual space.

 Chapter 29: Tragic Ending

    <h4>Chapter 29: Tragic Ending</h4>


    In truth, Zhang Lie didn''t regret his purchases at all. He would always be able to amass more points, and he had all sorts of resources with which to do so. Furthermore, apatible framework or technique would boost his personal strength by several times, and Zhang Lie had found himself enthralled by both techniques.


    He hurriedly flipped the manuals open and began to study the techniques in earnest.


    Even small inns boasted rooms with environment-modification capabilities, let alone a VIP suite in the best inn in the cksteel settlement.


    Over the next three days, Zhang Lie dedicated his entire attention to learning the two techniques. He was as dedicated as a high-school student cramming for the gaokao.


    And while he might have been able to focus on his techniques in peace, the six ns of the cksteel settlement and the Wang n could not.


    The Wang n had tried all sorts of tactics to vindicate themselves, but Wang Xiaohua''s sudden disappearance meant that it was all but impossible for them to do so. After all, Zhang Lie''s cunning trap had doomed them to ruin the moment Wang Xiaohua returned to the cksteel settlement with him.


    After five days, not only did they fail to clear their name, they had even given the six ns the mistaken interpretation that the Wang n was nning another attack against them. As a result, they imposed even harsher sanctions against the Wang n.


    The Wang n''s financial losses had, by that point, broken past tens of billions of dors.


    Not only that, the supervisory position on the interster hub situated on the Nn, which the Wang n had been eyeing, was suddenly filled by another candidate on the strongest rmendation from the six ns.


    This wasn''t something money alone could resolve: the Wang n had been nning to fill this position with a trusted n member for three whole years, but right as they were about to seed, the six ns had ruined their n!


    The Wang n had no choice but to concede the matter. In the end, Wang Jianxin stepped forward and bore full responsibility for what had happened, and he willingly epted expulsion to the Chaos.


    Chaos was where criminals were sent to bear their sentences, with a harsh environment and even harsher inhabitants. Most sent there perished, and none had a chance of returning to Earth ever again.


    Furthermore, the Wang npensated and apologized to the six ns individually, temporarily stabilizing the situation.


    That Wang Jianxin had taken full responsibility meant that the Wang n was now enemies with the Qin and Zhou ns. Even though the two ns had stopped retaliating at the Wang n for this supposed crime, there would be no goodwill between them were their hunters to meet in the dimensional world or on Earth.


    This unexpected disaster had ruined any hope of the Wang n expanding its influence further in the short term¡ªand the instigator of this entire affair was just a nameless hunter called Zhang Lie!


    No matter how furious they were, there was simply nothing that they could do against Zhang Lie at the moment. And not only were they unable to take revenge on this damned cockroach, they even had to bear the full brunt of the retaliation.


    Of course, the Wang n wasn''t the only victim of this affair. The Qin n was suffering just as much; in fact, they would incur even harsher sanctions and retaliation.


    After all, the Wang n wasn''t directly responsible for murdering anyone. It was thus able to settle matters with marypensation, with a sincere apology, and with voluntary expulsion from the ''culprit'', but the Qin n had no such recourse.


    Because of Zhang Lie''s anonymous article, Qin Xiao had be the prime suspect for the murder of Zhou Qian. Yun Bing and Chu Feng had both testified to their innocence, and the Zhou n had learned the entire truth.


    In that sort of situation, if not for Qin Xiao''s selfishness, Zhou Qian wouldn''t have died, and he wouldn''t have needed to die. As a result, Qin Xiao, along with the entire Qin n, became a target of loathing.


    Since the Qin n wasn''t willing to hand over Qin Xiao, the five ns¡ªthe Yun and Chu, along with the three great corporationsunched a punitive attack against the Qin n.


    More precisely, they began targeting hunters from the Qin n in the dimensional world. In just two days, half of the Qin scions in the cksteel settlement were wounded or even dead, and the Qin n lost much of its influence.


    As for Qin Xiao, he had cloistered himself within the main household, not even daring to step outside.


    Even so, the five ns'' retaliation wasn''t over.


    The three corporations aggressively began to take over the markets in which the Qin n operated, as though they were nning to crush the Qin n into oblivion.


    And while the Yun and Chu ns might have turned a blind eye, Qin Xiao''s attempt to implicate Yun Bing and Chu Feng had severely offended both ns. As a result, they too began to pressure the Qin n.


    Faced with an assault on five fronts, the head of the Qin n began to panic. As the head, he couldn''t sacrifice the entire n''s wellbeing just for his son''s life.


    On the top floor of a certain skyscraper in the city of Liao, the elders and heads of each branch of the Qin n sat in urgent deliberation.


    "Head, you have to make a move! If not, the Qin n will perish!"


    Qin Zongming''s face was stormy. "A move? What move should I make? Shall I sacrifice my son to quell their anger? Who''s to say that they''ll calm down just because they have my son? And even if they do, will we even have any pride left over? How can we maintain control of Liao if we''re willing to roll over on the other five ns''mand?"


    Qin Zongming''s words caused an elder seated to his left to startughing. "In that case, Head, shall we expend all our resources and fight to the death with these five ns? The Zhou n has good reason to suspect Qin Xiao as the culprit of Zhou Qian''s murder, and we can''t shield him forever!


    "Now that the five ns are cooperating to crush us, Head, there''s no chance that we''ll be able to fight back. Give up on protecting your son! Reputation this, reputation that¡ªwhat reputation can we maintain when our n''s being smothered to death?!"


    Qin Zongming had no refutation for the usations being leveled at him. The elder wasn''t wrong: if the n were to fall, no amount of reputation would do them any good.


    However, Qin Xiao was his only son! If he were to hand him to the five ns, wouldn''t it be equivalent to sentencing him to death? How could he bear to do that to his only son? But if he didn''t, the Qin n would be destroyed...


    He might be willing to ept such an oue, but the rest of the n certainly could not.


    Another elder spoke up. "Head, you need to be decisive! The Yun and Chu ns alone would be enough to destroy us, but they''re even working in tandem with the three corporations! As the head of the n, are you really going to ruin us all just for your son?!


    "We''ve already demonstrated our resilience by protecting Qin Xiao as long as we did, but to shield him further would be the greatest of follies! Head, your decision now will alter our n''s fate! I implore you, think of the big picture!"

 Chapter 30: Cast Adrift

    <h4>Chapter 30: Cast Adrift</h4>


    "Don''t force me to make a decision now! Let''s wait a little while longer." Qin Zongming was forced to make a bitter choice: one option led to grief, and the other to sorrow. How was he to choose between son and n? How?


    "Head, time''s the one thing weck most! Please make a decision immediately!"


    "Your waiting now could well lead the Qin family into ruin!"


    Qin Zongming''s response clearly wasn''t what the elders wanted to hear, and they began to pressure him again. Everyone gathered at the meeting looked toward him, and Qin Zongming could sense the resolve in their eyes.


    If he weren''t able to resolve this matter immediately, it looked as though his time as n head would be up. He didn''t care whether or not he was the n head, but if he stepped down, Qin Xiao would be in even more perilous a state.


    His recement would surely send Qin Xiao trussed up for ughter.


    "Alright, I''ve made up my mind! My only son, Qin Xiao, hasmitted a terrible sin. For this crime, I hereby dere that he shall be stripped of all duties and obligations to the n of Qin and expelled from the n. His life and death shall no longer be the n''s concern!"


    Qin Zongming''s face flushed red upon making this deration, red with anger, red with shame. After all, removing the n''s protection from him would undoubtedly send him out of the frying pan and into the fire. But what else could he do? There was at least still a slim chance of survival if he were expelled, and no chance at all if he remained within the n.


    All he could hope for now was that Qin Xiao was wily enough to escape with his life amidst this disaster.


    "Head, if you do this¡ª"


    "I am the family head, and I''ve made up my mind!" Qin Zongming roared. Despite hispromise, the elders of the Qin family still weren''t fully satisfied. However, Qin Zongming still held the authority of the n head, and he interrupted the elder before he could finish speaking.


    "This punishment, as well as some marypensation, will be sufficient to repair our rtionship with the Yun and Chu families. The three corporations don''t have much power or authority of their own, and now that they''ve tasted a few benefits at our expense, they should know better than to push this matter further.


    "My expelling Qin Xiao from our n allows them to target Qin Xiao at will: the fault was his, not our n''s! If they want revenge, they should seek it out from him.


    "Furthermore, from now on, I expect all of you to enforce surveince on the Wang family. The reason for our losses is all because of that wench from the Wang family, and we''ll settle this debt sooner orter!"


    Qin Zongming''s words thundered through the conference room. No one dared speak up against him now.


    "In that case, since there aren''t any furtherments, the matter is settled! Spread the news that Qin Xiao fled to avoid punishment from the n, and that he was expelled as a result. This meeting is over!"


    Qin Zongming was the first to walk out of the conference room.


    In the Renji Hospital in Liao, Qin Xiao, who was resting in a ward, suddenly received a message from his wristwatch.


    "Flee!" As Qin Xiao opened it, a familiar voice entered his ears.


    The next moment, Qin Xiao received the news that his point cards had been frozen, and that he had been expelled from the Qin n. In a matter of moments, Qin Xiao had nothing to his name!


    It was only then that Qin Xiao began to treat this matter seriously.


    Expulsion from the Qin n? How could this be? He was the only son of Qin Zongming, the n head! How would his father bear to expel him from the n? Who was going to take over the leadership of the Qin family now that he was gone?


    That audio message instructing him to flee sounded like his father...


    He reyed the message. There could be no doubt: the message really was from Qin Zongming! That message had been sent from an anonymous sender, which meant that his father couldn''t contact him openly.


    Qin Xiao got up and drew the curtains in his suite to see several vehicles owned by the three corporations heading toward the hospital.


    He had no choice but to confront the likely truth. Although he had heard a few rumors during his stay at the hospital, he''d believed that his father would have been able to protect him. But five dayster, he''d found himself unceremoniously kicked out of the n.


    He was certain that his father was under tremendous pressure to do so, but he was still quite aggrieved¡ªnot toward his father, of course, but the n elders. His reputation in the cksteel settlement for thest two years had brought a great many benefits for his n, but the moment something like this happened, those elders had discarded him immediately!


    But no matter how he felt about the n, he had no choice but to flee, dragging his bandaged, recently operated-on hand behind him.


    Qin Xiao wasn''t a fool. He knew that the me for Zhou Qian''s death could be ced squarely on him. And he knew what the consequences would be if he were to be caught by the three corporations after the Qin n''s protection was revoked.


    With his disappearance, the affair of the venombane de drew to a close.


    All six families of the cksteel settlement had found themselves wearied¡ªif not worse¡ªby the whole mess. Even the Yun and Chu families, which had done the best among the six, were getting tired of sending all their hunters out to fight.


    However, they had gained quite a fair bit of profit from their efforts, both on Earth and in the dimensional world, and they couldn''t much me Zhang Lie for treating them as pawns in his game. As for the three great corporations, with the notable exception of the Zhou family, they had all made some profit as well.


    However, the Qin family had lost much of its reputation and prestige in the cksteel settlement, and it seemed as though the six great families would soon be five.


    Of course, the one true winner was Zhang Lie.


    He had crippled both the Wang and Qin families in one devastating blow. Qin Xiaotian was dead, Wang Jianxin had been sent to Chaos, and Wang Xiaohua and Qin Xiao were left to fend for themselves against those hunting them down. He had soured the rtionships between the families, and in doing so, had even extricated himself from any me.


    In Zhang Lie''s suite in the ckgold Inn, a light p from Zhang Lie''s palm, sending ripples of gic energy out from the point of impact, caused a crack in a massive steel shield. As the ripples grew more intense, the crack propagated, and the steel soon fell apart into a heap of scrap metal within his virtual training environment.


    Given Zhang Lie''s past experience with gic techniques, he had achieved some sess with the pinnacle-grade [Fists of the Silent Sea] in five exhausting days of effort. As he had anticipated, this technique was particrlypatible with him, and Zhang Lie couldn''t have been more pleased with his purchase.


    Next, he summoned Venombane and began to practice [The Boundless de].


    Zhang Lie had been a swordmaster in his past life, and as a sword technique, [The Boundless de] should have been easier for him to pick up. The challenge of that technique, and what gave it its mythic-grade designation, was authority.


    A hundred masters of [The Boundless de] would generate a hundred variants of the technique. Even if the dework were essentially identical, each master would invoke the authority of the boundless ocean in a different manner, and this difference would subtly affect the technique.


    It was this feature of mythic-grade techniques that made them so challenging to learn.


    Zhang Lie had spent much of thest five days dedicated to this problem. With his past life and present dedication, with hisrge supply and masterful control of gic energy, on the fifth day, Zhang Lie had managed to assimte his unusual gic core with the technique,ing up with a version of the technique that was uniquely his.


    His version boasted a gigantic fish swimming in the ocean of gic energy that served as the technique''s backdrop. The ocean, which had felt somewhat lifeless during the robotic demonstration at the auction, seemed to have gained a measure of subtlety and mystery upon the fish''s inclusion.


    Zhang Lie charged up a blow, then released that energy with a light swing of his shortsword. As the de struck its target, the fish leapt up from behind him, bringing the ocean''s boundless strength to bear.


    The force of the technique leveled a small hill into t terrain.


    Zhang Lie exhaled deeply, then left the virtual environment, a hint of exhaustion in his features. The strength of [The Boundless de] left nothing to be desired, but it also drained him of much of his energy. He would have to save it for a killing blow; his stamina simply couldn''t keep up with using it as a regr attack for the moment.


    Thus ended Zhang Lie''s practice regimen. Both the [Fists of the Silent Sea] and [The Boundless de] were multi-target techniques, and Zhang Lie had certainly managed to shore up his deficiencies.


    Furthermore, his ceaseless practice and increase to his gene fragments had caused his [Ninecarp Transformation] to enterte first-stage. His supply of gic energy had increased yet again, and the pale pink carp in his gic core was now so detailed that it looked to be alive.


    Zhang Lie''s stats had also undergone a massive transformation.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, First Form: Carp


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (novice), Three-Wave Crescendo (novice), Calm Waters (novice), Fists of the Silent Sea (novice), The Boundless de (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 140; Mutated, 100; Superior, 19


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior)


    He possessed two particrly strong superior-grade soulshards and an assortment of gic techniques, the lowest of which was high-grade. The difference between the Zhang Lie of a few months hence and the Zhang Lie of the present was as heaven and earth.


    Given just his gene fragments, soulshards, and techniques, he would have been 53rd on the gene leaderboard despite having no recorded fights to his name¡ªand his growth-type framework was still only equivalent to a mortal-grade one at present.


    Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t care about this ranking. He had no intention of publicizing his strength, and indeed he had removed himself from the leaderboard months ago. Otherwise, news of his sudden growth would likely have spread throughout the settlement.


    After packing everything up, Zhang Lie was finally ready to head out of the settlement once again. His next goal was to hunt down more superior-grade lifeforms, as well as to gather the remaining required ingredients for his Potion #2.

 Chapter 31: Basic Gene Capacity

    <h4>Chapter 31: Basic Gene Capacity</h4>


    Now that Zhang Lie wascking for points again, he intended to sell a piece of information and deal with a set of his stockpiled goods. Thus, when he left the inn, instead of rushing out of the settlement, he lounged near the gates while paying attention to the hunters entering and leaving.


    Only when he saw a certain female with her team did he follow them out of the settlement. Once they were out of earshot from any random passersby, he eximed in theatrical surprise, "What? How did I manage to achieve a breakthrough with my foundational framework?"


    He wasn''t speaking very loudly, but the shock and surprise in his voice caused the female and her teammates to nce toward him out of the corner of their eyes. Several of the hunters immediately narrowed their eyes in disdain: after all, they were long past the stage where they had to care about their foundational framework.


    However, the female leader seemed to be somewhat interested in the news. "What do you mean by a breakthrough? Surely you haven''t managed to go past the tenth stage?"


    Zhang Lie panicked and stuttered, "N-No! I must have made a mistake!" His hands shook as he turned rigidly and strode quickly back into the settlement.


    The female hunter seemed even more interested after this turn of events. She stopped walking and, amidst her teammates'' confusion, followed Zhang Lie back into the settlement.


    Beneath his ck cloak, Zhang Lie was smiling deviously, but he pretended to be even more panicked when he noticed that the female hunter had followed him back into the settlement. Not knowing what to do, he furiously dashed away.


    The female hunter''s curiosity was well and truly piqued: what on Earth had happened to this mysterious hunter in ck? She chased him into an alley in the cksteel settlement.


    When Zhang Lie found that he had stumbled into a dead end, he screamed like a little girl. "We''re inside the settlement! You''d better not do anything to me!"


    The female hunter scoffed. "And what do you think I''d do to you? I''m sure you know why I''ve been chasing you. Don''t worry, we hunters of the Chu n never bully the weak, and I, Chu Lan, would certainly never do something so demeaning. Tell me about the foundational framework. If I think your information is valuable, I''ll pay you points inpensation. What do you think?"


    Chu Lan''s face was intent but not unkind, and Zhang Lie knew that he''d picked the right person for this. Of course, he couldn''t drop the act now. He shivered and asked, in an exaggerated tone, "Really? Will you really give me points? How many?"


    "Well, it''ll depend on the value of your information, of course!" Chu Lan replied.


    Zhang Lie''s face fell. "In that case, isn''t it only worth as much as you want to pay me?"


    "As I''ve said, don''t worry. Don''t you know how honorable Chu hunters are? I can afford to pay you for the information." Chu Lan repeated her guarantee, but Zhang Lie refused to believe her.


    "How insincere you are! This information is worth at least five million points, and it''s not something I can reveal so easily!"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, one of Chu Lan''s teammates, who had followed her back into the settlement, nudged her. "Chu Lan, isn''t this fellow a fool? Five million points? You must be crazy! Do you know how much money that''s worth? Half a billion dors! What information could you possibly have that''s worth that much?!


    Zhang Lie nced scornfully at the hunter who had spoken, thenughed. "And if I were to say that it''s about a breakthrough in your foundational framework that will raise your basic gene capacity?"


    Chu Lan gaped. Was it really possible to increase one''s gene capacity?! No, there was no way that could be true! And yet the possibility continued to entice her. It wasmon sense to think that the capacity was fixed at a hundred for every hunter, but¡­ what if the information really were true? This sort of information could really be worth half a billion dors!


    After all, upon advancing to the second realm, a hunter''s gene fragments would determine their potential going forward. As a result, the most dedicated hunters would hunt for enough basic, mutated, and superior gene fragments to reach the capacity for all three before advancing to the second realm. The stronger a hunter''s foundation, the further they would be able to go.


    For instance, quite a few pinnacle- and higher-grade techniques required a certain baseline number of gene fragments to study and use.


    If this mysterious man truly did possess information that would allow hunters to raise their gene capacities, then half a billion would be a bargain. After all, this would mean that all the hunters from her n would have an advantage over all other hunters.


    Chu Lan, who had a rtively high position within the Chu n, could hardly resist such temptation. "Are you sure you''re telling the truth?" she asked.


    Zhang Lieughed again. "You think I''m lying? Well, then, I suppose I''ll just have to work with another group of hunters instead!"


    "Ah, no, wait! We were the first group to talk to you, weren''t we? Furthermore, if your information is reliable, then the Chu n would certainly be willing to pay you more for your trouble. Please, give me a moment. I''ll inform the young master about this now, and he''ll be personally meeting with you about this transaction. I promise you, the Chu n will give you a fair price for this information!"


    Chu Lan''s excitement had spread throughout her body. If this were true, and if they were able to negotiate a deal, then the entire Chu n would benefit greatly. After contacting Chu Feng, they quickly worked out a meeting ce.


    Unexpectedly, however, Yun Bing was near the scene, and when she overheard themotion, she insisted on being part of the negotiations. As a result, the two-party discussion now became a three-party one.


    Chu Feng had arranged the meeting at a tavern owned by the Chu n, in one of the private meeting rooms upstairs. Zhang Lie, Chu Feng, Yun Bing, Chu Lan, and Yun Gang sat facing each other.


    Zhang Lie stared at Yun Bing, not having anticipated this turn of events. The other four hunters were all staring at the mysterious Zhang Lie.


    Chu Feng, as the host, was the first to speak up. "Would you be willing to take off your hood now, since there are no outsiders around?"


    Zhang Lie immediately shook his head. "No, I can''t! You''re all fromrge ns, aren''t you? What if you renege on your word before we finish the transaction? What''s more, there''s no need for me to reveal my identity in this process, is there?"


    Seeing how careful Zhang Lie was to keep his identity a secret, the other hunters all felt more confident about the veracity of his information.


    After all, to them, the very idea of being able to raise their gene capacity was nothing more than a dream. However, for some reason, upon seeing how careful this hunter was acting, they couldn''t help but believe his ims.


    Yun Bing even chuckled. "I have to admit that you''ve gotten me even more curious. How would you like to carry out the exchange?"


    He thought for a few moments. "I''ll answer three questions about raising one''s gene capacity. As long as they don''t reveal too much about the secret, I''ll answer truthfully. Then, if you''re still interested, you can choose to listen on as I exin the procedure. Of course, if you want to do this, you''ll have to pay me a deposit.


    "Subsequently, I''ll help you carry out the process on certain hunters, so you can witness it for yourself. Once all that''s over, you''ll pay me the rest of the promised fee. Well? If these terms are fine with you, then let''s get started."


    "In that case, I''ll ask the first question! By how much can you raise your basic gene capacity following this method?" Chu Feng very much appreciated Zhang Lie''s directness, and he immediately asked the question that was on everyone''s minds: howrge was the effect?


    After all, if this procedure would only raise it by a small fraction, then was it really worth half a billion dors?


    Zhang Lie, having anticipated this question, immediately answered, "Ten fragments. After a breakthrough with your foundational framework, your basic gene capacity will increase by ten. However, these additional ten fragments will provide a greater benefit than even ten mutated gene fragments! Do you all understand what this means?"


    The gathered hunters were silent. Ten fragments, only ten fragments, but the fact that these ten fragments were in excess of the usual capacity would cause them to augment a hunter''s constitution by more than even ten mutated gene fragments would!


    Imagine having ten more mutated gene fragments than your opponent! Unbelievable!


    Ten basic gene fragments didn''t do much for a hunter''s fighting ability, but ten mutated gene fragments gave a noticeable boost, one visible with the naked eye. Every edge mattered, and this advantage could well be decisive.


    All four hunters present from the Chu and Yun ns had only one thing on their mind: they had to obtain this information, even if it cost them a billion dors! It would have severe implications for not just the Yun and Chu ns, but even for the entire world federation and Earth as a whole.


    After more than a dozen seconds of stunned silence as the hunters processed this information, they all looked toward Zhang Lie with ardor in their gaze.


    Yun Bing was the first to speak. "No wonder you im that this information is worth more than half a billion dors. If this really were true, then we would certainly all benefit greatly. But surely there must be some restriction or requirement for this breakthrough? My question is to know what those requirements or restrictions are."

 Chapter 32: Making Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 32: Making Preparations</h4>


    "There are certainly requirements that you have to meet, but I won''t be able to reveal them fully without providing too much information. However, I can inform you that none of you present can experience a breakthrough as you are now: once you study any gic technique, you can no longer advance beyond the tenth stage of your foundational framework. As a result, none of you will be able to test this procedure on yourself."


    Zhang Lie''s words again caused the hunters to stiffen. Yun Bing, Chu Feng, Yun Gang, and Chu Lan all looked at him in shock. In that case, all their excitement would be for naught!


    Yun Gang narrowed his eyes in thought. "In that case, what if I were to purge my techniques? ?Would I be able to break through then?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That would work, but I''m sure this would be a difficult decision for hunters like you."


    Indeed, it was an extremely difficult decision to make. The gathered hunters would be able to raise their gene capacity, but only after sacrificing the techniques that they''d spent years working with...


    In the long term, it would certainly be better to purge one''s techniques, but doing so would cause their growth to deteriorate in the short term. This was truly a dilemma.


    The four hunters all began to frown. Momentster, Chu Lan, the only hunter who had yet to speak, came to her senses and asked thest question.


    "What''s the chance of sess upon undergoing this procedure? I want to know whether it''s guaranteed that we''ll be able to experience a breakthrough if we follow the information you''re providing."


    The other three hunters all broke out of their reverie and turned to Zhang Lie.


    "I can''t guarantee anything: after all, I can only speak for myself. All I can provide is an exnation of the circumstances under which I experienced a breakthrough, as well as a positive confirmation of such a breakthrough. I can''t promise any measure of sess."


    Zhang Lie''s words caused the hunters to dete.


    If there were an unknown probability of sess, then they wouldn''t risk jeopardizing their strength, especially not right before the Void Cup. What would they do if the procedure didn''t work for them?


    Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the others had gotten a good grasp as to what this mysterious hunter''s breakthrough implied. Although they wouldn''t be able to benefit much from it, it would be extremely meaningful for their ns. It was certainly a piece of information worth half a billion dors¡ªno, perhaps even more than that.


    Chu Feng murmured, "I have to say, this revtion is both astounding and saddening to me. Of course, from the perspective of our ns, we''re certainly very interested in the details of the procedure. What do you propose with regards to payment?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his fingers together. "Simply pay up, and I''ll keep talking. Since there are two ns involved, how about 1.5 million points from each n as a deposit?"


    1.5 million points would be a 30% deposit, which seemed rather high.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng eyed each other, but neither objected.


    "A 30% deposit isn''t unfair, but how would you guarant¡ª"


    "There''s no need for a guarantee. After you hand over your deposit, I won''t leave your sight until the first sessful breakthrough among each of your candidates." Zhang Lie predicted and resolved Yun Bing''s objection, and his proposal was eptable to her.


    The two n representatives both transferred 1.5 million points to Zhang Lie, and he immediately received a notification of that transfer.


    "Very good. In that case, let''s begin. Each n should prepare five candidates whose foundational frameworks are at the tenth stage, but who haven''t yet begun cultivating any gic techniques.


    "Furthermore, you''ll need to gather a hundred white-grub cores, ten pounds of kelpfish roe, and ten pounds of bluewater frog meat. Are there any questions so far?"


    Seeing how Zhang Lie had immediately gotten down to business, Yun Bing and Chu Feng motioned for Chu Lan and Yun Gang to handle the preparations themselves.


    Chu Lan and Yun Gang immediately stood up and made to leave.


    "Lastly, construct a small training ground outside the settlement, and bring both the candidates and the ingredients there," Zhang Lie added, before Chu Lan and Yun Gang left.


    That remark caused the four hunters to look askance at him again.


    Outside the settlement? That meant that they would all have to leave the safety of the settlement grounds. And that meant that he, a lone hunter, had the confidence to take on their ns...


    Zhang Lie didn''t notice anything amiss with his words. When he saw the gathered hunters hesitate, he asked, "What''s the matter? Don''t you want to get things started as quickly as possible?"


    Yun Gang and Chu Lan bowed and left.


    Almost without stopping, Zhang Lie turned back to Yun Bing and Chu Feng and started to describe the conditions for the breakthrough.


    "There are three conditions to keep in mind. The first and most basic requirement is to reach the tenth stage of the foundational framework without having started practicing any gic techniques.


    "The second is to consume sufficient quantities of white-grub cores, kelpfish roe, or bluewater frog meat. I''m not sure about which is the active ingredient here, but all three are easy to acquire in bulk, so this shouldn''t be a problem.


    "The third is to have enough adrenaline flooding your system; in other words, the candidates need to experience some form of shock or threat."


    Zhang Lie stopped talking, but Yun Bing and Chu Feng continued looking at him expectantly. After a moment, they asked, almost simultaneously, "Is that it?"


    "Were you expecting it to be even more difficult? After all, none of these three requirements are easy to meet, and certainly not all three at once. Indeed, thest requirement is the only one that introduces uncertainty into this process. Whether or not a hunter will seed in breaking through will depend on this third requirement."


    Since they had paid, Zhang Lie had no reason to hide what he had gleaned from them.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng now understood the risks and benefits of this supposed breakthrough better. In simple terms, it was a low-risk, high-reward procedure for hunters who had just entered the dimensional world.


    Having missed this opportunity themselves, Yun Bing and Chu Feng were naturally thinking of trying to get their rtives to benefit instead. Yun Bing had a sister, and Chu Feng had a pair of siblings, and these three hunters were all rtively new to the dimensional world.


    In particr, Yun Bing''s sister, Yun Meng, was precisely at the critical juncture for the first requirement, and while Chu Feng''s siblings had progressed slightly beyond that, they didn''t have much to lose from starting over.


    They would surely benefit from this opportunity.

 Chapter 33: The Training Begins

    <h4>Chapter 33: The Training Begins</h4>


    To the south of the cksteel settlement was a strange forest densely popted with blue maple trees. All sorts of lifeforms lived in this curious habitat, and most hunters didn''t dare to get anywhere close to the area.


    Somewhere by the outskirts of the forest, on a plot of barren ground, an encampment consisting of a few tents had been hastily constructed. Of course, this was where the Yun and Chu ns had decided to construct a temporary training ground following Zhang Lie''s request.


    Both ns had supplied considerable manpower for this project, and by the time Zhang Lie, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing arrived at the area, it was already filled with hundreds of Yun and Chu elites.


    In the tent in the very center were ten youths. The oldest among them seemed to be less than twenty years of age, and all of them had only been in the dimensional world for less than a month. ?Most importantly, they were all at the tenth stage of their foundational framework, and had either yet to start studying any gic techniques or had purged them from their framework decisively.


    Among them were Yun Bing''s sister, Yun Meng, as well as Chu Feng''s brother, Chu Leng. Chu Feng''s sister, Chu Xun, was also present, but she refused to believe in this so-called breakthrough. As a result, she stood to the side of the main ten-hunter party, rather than with them.


    When the three of them walked up, however, she immediately strode forward and began to sniff them.


    "Brother, is this the mysterious hunter you were talking about? He seems like a mysterious fellow, but he doesn''t smell too old. He''s in his early twenties, I''m sure of it! And he must recently have been in the ckgold Inn, because I can smell the perfume that their female servants use! Are you sure he''s not a fraud?"


    The girl''s words shocked Zhang Lie. How could she be able to tell how old he was with just a casual sniff? And to think that she would even be able to identify where he had been!


    Was her nose really that sharp? Zhang Lie nced at her with shining eyes.


    Chu Fengughed in embarrassment. "This is my sister. Please don''t mind her, she''s been coddled since she was young, so..."


    "Haha, I don''t mind! How astute her sense of smell must be!"


    He then spoke to Chu Xun directly. "It seems like you don''t believe in the breakthrough I''ve discovered?"


    Chu Xun shook her head. "It''s been just about a century since the dimensional world was first discovered. How can something like this breakthrough not have been found even after so long?"


    "In that case, shall we have a bet?"


    Chu Xun frowned, then asked cautiously, "A bet? Why should I make a bet with you?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You don''t believe in my breakthrough, do you? In that case, let''s bet the following: if I were to sessfully induce a breakthrough in at least one person here, you''ll have to help me sniff something out, but if I fail, then you can do whatever you want with me! What do you think?"


    Chu Xun thought about the terms for a moment and then decisively shook her head. "No, I won''t take this bet! If you were to lose, then my brother would destroy you anyway!"


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow, not expecting that she would be so quick-witted. "In that case, let''s do it this way. If you agree to help me sniff something out, I''ll guarantee you a sessful breakthrough. How about that?"


    Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the elites of the two ns all perked up. This fellow had said that he couldn''t guarantee any measure of sess! But now that he was interested in Chu Xun''s nose, he had made her this guarantee...


    It was likely that he had deliberately sought out the Yun and Chu ns for this venture as well, and it was very likely that there was still some critical piece of information regarding the breakthrough process that he hadn''t divulged.


    "Promise him!" Chu Feng nudged her.


    As if sensing how serious her brother was, Chu Xun frowned and reluctantly said, "Fine. I wasn''t going to ept the bet, but given my brother''s request, I''ll reluctantly go along with it. However, I''m telling you now: I won''t sniff anything funny from you!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Don''t worry, Miss Chu, I have better uses for your talents."


    Only after settling the agreement with Chu Xun did Zhang Lie turn to look at the ten gathered candidates. In front of each candidate was a pile of food. There were ten white-grub cores, half a pound of kelpfish roe, and half a pound of bluewater frog meat.


    Of course, except for the white-grub cores, everything else was cooked.


    Zhang Lie was very pleased by the ns'' efficacy. Loudly, he proimed, "I believe all of you know the reason you were gathered here today! Your first task is simple: devour all the food in front of you!"


    The candidates blinked, then turned skeptically to Yun Bing and Chu Feng.


    After all, Zhang Lie, d entirely in ck, did not seem remotely like a trustworthy figure.


    Yun Bing''s sister, Yun Meng, even asked, "Sister, there''s nothing special about any of this, so why are we consuming it? Isn''t it just like junk food?"


    Yun Bing grimaced. "Yun Meng, listen to him! You''ll understand what it does in just a bit. You might not believe him, but you''ll believe your sister, won''t you?"


    Yun Bing''s admonishment and endorsement finally made the other candidates follow suit.


    The food didn''t taste too bad, but there was just so much of it¡­ well, it wasn''t as though they had any choice.


    The moment several of the candidates finished eating everything, Zhang Lie had the Yun and Chu elites bring them into the training ground.


    What awaited them would be a moment of life-threatening danger. ck-d elites were already waiting in preparation surrounding the training ground.


    The six candidates who had finished eating first entered through six separate entrances. Those hunters who led them there informed them that their goal was to reach the heart of the training ground. The first hunter to get there would be the first to experience a breakthrough, so the six candidates began rushing toward the center of the training ground immediately.


    Chu Xiu was a little nervous: as a member of a branch family of the Chu n, he was honored to have been selected for such important training. After all, he had been told that this supposed breakthrough would be a tremendous boon to both him and the n atrge.


    Grateful for the opportunity, he promised to give the training his all. His skills were above average among the six candidates, so he was the first to reach the interior boundary.


    As he darted by a small bush, Chu Xiu could see the g nted at the center of the training ground. Just then, a dark shadow far faster than he was shot out of the bush, and a dagger shed toward his jugr.


    Adrenaline flooded Chu Xiu''s body, and he reacted near-instinctively. He had no time to process why or how an assassin had managed to infiltrate this ce. As gic energy burst out of his body, he twisted his body just enough to avoid the blow.


    It was at that moment that the will of the world spoke to him.

 Chapter 34: Yun Bings Probing

    <h4>Chapter 34: Yun Bing''s Probing</h4>


    With this announcement, Chu Xiu''s basic gene capacity increased by ten.


    A breakthrough! The breakthrough really did happen!?But before Chu Xiu could react, the assassin that had struck him bound him and took him away. Despite his breakthrough, Chu Xiu simply couldn''t do anything against him. The power disparity was simply toorge.


    If not for the fact that the assassin was going easy on him, Chu Xiu would be dead by now.


    The elite ''assassins'' were all n hunters who had reached their mutated gene capacity and had developed their gic techniques to a considerable extent. They were naturally capable of handling rookies like Chu Xiu.


    They were instructed to do what they did for one purpose only: to have these rookies experience a chilling life-or-death situation. They didn''t know¡ªand didn''t need to know¡ªthe reason why.


    Following Chu Xiu, the other five hunters also each barely evaded a killing blow, but unfortunately, except for one hunter from the Yun n who had broken through like Chu Xiu, none of the remaining four did.


    After approximately five minutes, when they all walked out of the training ground, Yun Bing and Chu Feng both nced at them anxiously. By their side, Zhang Lie smiled, perfectly confident.


    "Young Master, it worked! Chu Xiu managed to achieve a breakthrough!" Chu Lan eximed exuberantly.


    "Miss, our Yun Yi had a breakthrough too!" Beside her, Yun Gang did the same, not wanting to lose out to her.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng both finally rxed.?It seeded, it really had! This supposed breakthrough really was real!?In truth, Yun Bing and Chu Feng had both harbored some doubts about the process, because they knew just what this breakthrough would imply: the dawn of a new era, of exceeding one''s base limits!


    They rushed up to Chu Xiu and Yun Yi, who had just broken through.


    "How are you feeling now, Chu Xiu?" Chu Feng asked.


    "My supply of gic energy has increased greatly, and all my senses and constitution have been enhanced. My body feels amazing! That master was right: the effect of the breakthrough really does feel far superior to obtaining ten more mutated gene fragments!"


    Chu Xiu felt as though he was in a dream, but the changes to his body reminded him over and over again that this was all real. A breakthrough really was possible, and he had done it!


    And while Yun Yi, who was beside him, didn''t say anything, Yun Bing was able to confirm the breakthrough with her senses and with the excitement glimmering in his eyes. Honestly, she could barely believe it herself!


    "Now that they''ve sessfully broken through, shall we settle our ounts?" Zhang Lie''s mercantile voice immediately dampened the cheery atmosphere.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing both turned toward him, their eyes piercing. The effect of the breakthrough was so stunning that they were all curious about who this mysterious cloaked man really was.


    "What''s the matter? Don''t you know it''s impolite to stare?" Zhang Lie couldn''t help making a joke.


    "We''re outside the settlement grounds, and we now understand the breakthrough procedure. What''s there to stop us from refusing you payment?" Chu Feng responded, half-jokingly.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t frighten me, Young Master Chu¡ªI get scared quite easily! Of course, in that case, I wouldn''t be able to get anything more from you, but what if I were to release this method to the public? In that case, it seems like you''d lose far more than I would."


    In truth, Zhang Lie wasn''t afraid that the Yun and Chu ns wouldn''t pay up, since he had stockpiled the bottleneck in the procedure. Following the terms of the transaction would be far more beneficial to the Yun and Chu ns than to him.


    Furthermore, he had already obtained three million points from them so far, and that alone was worth the trouble. If they wanted to renege on the contract, so would he.


    "Oh? ?But are you certain that you would be able to leave without our permission?" Yun Bing''s eyes glinted as gic energy bubbled out of her body.


    Upon seeing her behavior, the Yun and Chu elites quickly gathered around them.


    "Haha, Miss Yun Bing, honestly, you''re a rather bad actor. Ignoring the fact that you''recking any sign of killing intent, are you sure you''ll be able to take me down? Do I look like someone who hasn''t ounted for this possibility?"


    Zhang Lie pulled out a ck potion from his potbellied-toad pouch. The moment he did so, everyone present, including Yun Bing and Chu Feng, felt a premonition of exceeding danger.


    This was undoubtedly his backup n if something were to go awry.


    Even without Yun Bing or Chu Feng''smands, the gathered hunters stopped trying to crowd Zhang Lie in. The unknown was the most fearsome thing of all, and the man in front of them was so mysterious that, despite Yun Bing and Chu Feng''s strength, even they didn''t dare step closer to him.


    Yun Bing immediately retracted her gic energy, afraid that Zhang Lie would identally uncork the ck potion in his hand.


    "Alright, alright, put that away! It looks like I was right: your finding Chu Lan wasn''t a coincidence at all, was it?" Chu Feng waved his hands, indicating that his and Yun Bing''s behavior was just a joke.


    "Oh? ?Why don''t you ask this Chu Lan whether I reached out to her, or whether she refused to stop chasing me until I told her about my circumstances? Furthermore, shouldn''t you be grateful for this opportunity? Isn''t it in poor taste to be trying to probe me?"


    Zhang Lie talked Chu Feng into stunned silence, still waving his potion bottle about.


    Yun Bing smiled. "Aren''t you a mysterious fellow? I must admit to some curiosity as to what''s underneath that cloak."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "You think you can handle me?"


    Under ordinary circumstances, Yun Bing would have scoffed and turned away from this ribald teasing, but against Zhang Lie, she onlyughed. "Is that so? You do seem to be quite confident in your charm. In that case, why not reveal your true appearance?"


    Zhang Lie clicked his tongue. "Perhaps we can discuss that some other time, after we''ve finished this transaction."


    "Indeed. I?am?quite shocked by the efficacy of this breakthrough, but it doesn''t seem to have a high probability of sess. Will those hunters who failed have a second chance?" Yun Bing asked the most pressing question on everyone''s minds.


    After all, this was what would determine whether this breakthrough could be manufactured en masse.

 Chapter 35: Yun Clans Wager

    <h4>Chapter 35: Yun n''s Wager</h4>


    "Of course! There''s no restriction on how many times you can try, as long as you don''t start cultivating a technique in the meantime. All that matters is reaching a certain threshold density of adrenaline in your body, and you''ll be able to break through! Also, from time to time, they''ll have to keep supplying their body with those three foods."


    Zhang Lie''s response left Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the gathered elites relieved.


    Simply stated, they would remain eligible for a breakthrough as long as they replenished their body''s supply of those foods and didn''t cultivate any technique in the meantime. In theory, given enough preparation time, anyone should be able to break through.


    "In that case, I don''t have any further questions. I''ll transfer the remaining portion of the points to you within the day. However, you promised my sister that you would guarantee her breakthrough, so aren''t you going to wait until her trial is over?"


    After receiving the answer he wanted, Chu Feng promised to pay up, and Yun Bing nodded in agreement. Of course, Zhang Lie hadn''t forgotten about the bet he had made with Chu Feng''s sister, Chu Xun: her nose would be very useful to him, after all.


    .


    In the main tent, Yun Meng and the others, who ate rtively slowly, had finished their preparations. Because of the sessful precedent, they were eagerly expectant as they walked toward the training ground.


    Their distrust toward Zhang Lie had now morphed into curiosity about his identity. After all, this mysterious breakthrough had originated from his hands. They were all excited for the training because they had no idea what it would entail, blissfully ignorant that what awaited them would be a trial by fire.


    There were four candidates remaining, and Chu Xun also joined them. Zhang Lie motioned for the five youths in front of him to get started, but when Chu Xun walked by him, Zhang Lie suddenly stepped forward and whispered in her ear.


    Then, before Chu Feng and the others could react, he pushed her into the training grounds.


    After two or three minutes, when they all came back out, Chu Xun really had managed to break through, as did Chu Leng. However, the remaining three Yun hunters, including Yun Meng, didn''t seed.


    Honestly, Zhang Lie was a little disappointed by this result. After all, the life-or-death situation that had been manufactured was about as close as you could get to the real thing. However, of the eleven candidates, only four had seeded, a statistic that wasn''t at all impressive.


    That said, this wasn''t something that Zhang Lie much cared about: Chu Xun''s sessful breakthrough implied that he''d seeded in his bet against her.


    "Haha, Young Master Chu, Young Miss Chu, congrattions. In that case, remember to let me borrow your nose in the future!"


    Chu Feng was overjoyed to have both his siblings break through, and he immediately responded with a smile. "Of course! The Chu n won''t go back on its word. Furthermore, regardless of our arrangement, I owe you a favor on behalf of the Chu n."


    "In that case, I''ll ept it with gratitude." Zhang Lie smiled, waving a hand in parting as he walked away.


    "Please wait!" Just as Zhang Lie turned to leave, however, Yun Bing pulled him back. "Aren''t you being too partial? Of the four breakthroughs, three were from the Chu n! How can I report back to my n like this?"


    Her hand reached underneath the cloak and sped Zhang Lie''s arm. The contact seemed to spark something between them, and Zhang Lie could even sense a hint of coquettishness in Yun Bing''s tone.


    In truth, even Yun Bing hadn''t expected that she would act so... familiarly with this man. However, she had no choice. Looking at how disappointed Yun Meng was, she knew that if she didn''t reach for the opportunity now, her sister''s breakthrough could well be significantly dyed.


    "Miss Yun Bing, I know the situation doesn''t seem favorable to you, but as I''ve said, I can''t guarantee any measure of sess!"


    "But didn''t you promise Chu Xun that you would guarantee her breakthrough?" Zhang Lie insisted that matters were out of his control, but Yun Bing immediately brought up his bet with Chu Xun.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Chu Xun, tell them what I told you right before you entered the training ground."


    "You liar, you big, fat liar! He told me to be as rxed as possible, and I was scared half to death!" Chu Xun, already stewing, red up the moment Zhang Lie brought the matter up.


    Of course, this was exactly what Zhang Lie wanted the others to hear.


    "There really isn''t any sort of trick to the process¡ªall I did was lower her alertness to increase the shock she would receive. Do you all understand now?"


    Zhang Lie''s exnation was indeed quite simple, but Yun Bing refused to believe him. Perhaps it was because this mysterious fellow had shocked her so many times today that she had developed some sort of blind confidence in him.


    "I don''t care! I insist that Yun Meng be able to break through today!"


    The Yun and Chu elites were both shocked to see Yun Bing, famed for herposure and demeanor, to be acting in this fashion.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to relent. "Miss Yun Bing, I can give it a try, but again, I emphasize that I can''t guarantee any measure of sess."


    Yun Bing visibly brightened. "Wonderful! In that case, please do so. I¡ª"


    Zhang Lie broke her off. "I can try again, but what are you offering me to do so? When I helped Miss Chu here, I was doing so because of my interest in her sense of smell, and I expected that I would find it helpful to me in the future. What will you offer me?"


    Yun Bing stilled, not expecting Zhang Lie to make every action a business transaction. "What would you like? Points, techniques, soulshards¡ªas long as it''s a reasonable offer, the Yun n will ept it!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "The Yun n is generous, but I''m not in dire need of resources at the moment. How about this: I''ll offer my help in exchange for your help at some point in the future. Would you ept these terms?"


    Yun Bing thought for a moment. "This is a fair offer, but I''m telling you now, I won''t help with anything malicious!"


    "Don''t worry! If anything, I''d be asking for your help dealing with certain lifeforms, not other hunters," Zhang Lie reassured her.


    Hearing his words, Yun Bing nodded in agreement.


    Zhang Lie finally turned to Yun Meng, who was eyeing her sister hopefully. "In that case, we''ll head into the training ground again!"

 Chapter 36: Authority of the Sea

    <h4>Chapter 36: Authority of the Sea</h4>


    .


    "Please wait!" Just as Zhang Lie was about to bring Yun Meng back into the training ground, Yun Bing called him back again. "It won''t be any more taxing on you to help multiple hunters rather than just one, will it? Since there''s no guarantee of sess, how about helping out more people at once?"


    Zhang Lie quirked an eyebrow, but didn''t dispute Yun Bing''s assertion.


    His tacit eptance of her words had Chu Feng unable to resist offering him the same deal, in hopes that he would be able to help out those candidates from the Chu family who had failed the first time around.


    In the end, all eight candidates who had failed were repeating the trial.


    Within the training ground, looking at the eight candidates who had their eyes tightly closed, with Galewind in his right hand, Zhang Lie began charging up a gic technique, [The Boundless de].


    As the technique nearedpletion, the candidates felt the immutable force of an immense ocean bearing down on them. The surging waves and a gigantic carp seemed to encircle them, instantly plunging them into peril.


    They felt as though they were fighting for their lives amidst wave after wave of attack. Some were swept away by the ocean, others consumed by the fish, and others barely, just barely, resisting the attack.


    Zhang Lie held the technique for only ten seconds, but that ten seconds felt like an eternity for the candidates. As the waves and fish vanished, they opened their eyes, blinking in shock.


    Where was the ocean? What was that fish??When they opened their eyes, they noticed nothing amiss, as though what they had experienced was nothing but an illusion.


    Yun Meng, waking up from that illusion, found that she had broken through without even knowing it. As she sensed the changes to her body and constitution, she looked toward Zhang Lie with glimmering eyes. She was very curious about the hunter ahead of her.


    Aside from Yun Meng, three of the eight candidates also sessfully managed to break through, a rtively impressive performance.


    They exited the training ground, and Zhang Lie bade them farewell amidst Yun Bing and Chu Feng''s ttering remarks.


    Thus ended the ''first'' encounter between Zhang Lie and the Yun and Chu ns.


    Everything had gone ording to n, and he had been rtively impressed by Yun Bing and Chu Feng''s management abilities.


    As for Yun Bing and Chu Feng, the mysterious Zhang Lie had left an indelible impression upon them. Just the possibility of a foundational breakthrough was shocking enough, let alone his words and actions. If news of this were to spread, it would affect the cksteel settlement, the dimensional world, and even the entire world federation.


    As they watched Zhang Lie''s figure disappear into the forests, Yun Bing murmured, "Chu Feng, what do you think about this mysterious fellow?"


    Chu Feng smiled. "Haha, if even you think he''s mysterious, what more could I say? In my opinion, I hope he remains as mysterious as possible. After all, our ns are on good terms with him now, and who knows if he''ll have even more shocking secrets?


    "No, wait¡ªnot both our ns, but just the Chu n! You were lucky to be in the vicinity when we began negotiations. After all, the one he reached out to was our Chu Lan. Imagine if you hadn''t been around!"


    Yun Bingughed. "Alright, alright. Count this a favor from you to me. If something like this were to happen to the Yun n, I''ll make sure to notify you. I do find it strange that this mysterious hunter doesn''t seem particrly strong."


    Chu Feng nodded. "Judging from [The Whispering Wind], his framework seems to be nothing out of the ordinary, and I wouldn''t ce him among the top fifty hunters on the gene leaderboard.


    "He did handle this transaction surprisingly well, though. If he isn''t a scion of some other n¡ªeven perhaps someone we know¡ªthen I''m sure he must be an experienced businessman who''s just entered the dimensional world.


    "But no matter what, we''re on friendly terms, so you''re not thinking of doing anything untoward, are you? Surely we have more important things to be working on at the moment!"


    Yun Bing smiled. ?"You mean, securing the means of production of white-grub cores, kelpfish roe, and bluewater frog meat?"


    Chu Feng nodded. "Exactly! No, wait! ?Your n was the one who prepared all the materials¡ªhas your n already started controlling all three regions?!"


    Yun Bing shook her head. "Not quite. We''ve only secured two of them, because thest has no value whatsoever anymore."


    Chu Feng was confused. "Why not?"


    "Do you remember that hunter at the bottom of the gene leaderboard?"


    Chu Feng nodded. "You mean the fool who spent three months in a cave killing the lowest-level lifeform?"


    "Well, in hindsight, he certainly doesn''t look like a fool. He spent three months killing white grubs. And, not only that, Yun Gang found that, whenever he returned to the settlement, he''d tug along a huge bag of white-grub cores with him. Surely he''s gathered hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of white-grub cores within thest three months?"


    Yun Bing''s words shocked Chu Feng. "What?! In that case, has he already hunted those white grubs to extinction? No, more to the point, did he do that knowingly?!"


    Yun Bing shook her head. "Not to extinction, but not far from it. Whether or not he had any insider information, I couldn''t say, but it looks like we''ll need to be having a talk with him soon."


    "Things really are getting more interesting, aren''t they? We''ll certainly have to have a talk with him. Do you think he has anything to do with that mysterious hunter?"


    "We''ll find out the moment we talk with him, I''m sure."


    Chu Feng nodded. "Alright, I can handle searching for him, but you''d better share some of that kelpfish roe and bluewater frog meat with me."


    Yun Bing smiled again. "Don''t worry. Our two ns are the only ones that know about this secret. The supply of food is more than enough for both of us."


    Zhang Lie knew that, after his departure, Chu Feng and Yun Bing would certainly make ns to scale up the breakthrough procedure.


    After all, that was part of his ns. If not, to whom would he sell the hundreds of thousands of white-grub cores currently in the settlement cer?


    He knew that the two ns would rapidly start trying to find him. However, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to be found quite so easily. He''d leave them hanging for a while, until their supply of white-grub cores was entirely consumed.


    Only when they desperately needed more and had no other choice would Zhang Lie show up.


    After leaving the Forest of Blue Maples, Zhang Lie headed to the Night Forest.


    This time, he wasn''t intending on returning to the venombane de, but was rather heading to the northern part of the forest, to a location known as the ckwater sands.


    The reason he was heading there was, naturally, because there was an ingredient that Zhang Lie had to collect from that location. It was where another main ingredient for Potion #2, the ck coral, could be harvested.


    Of course, the reason such a potent herbal ingredient had yet to be discovered was because the ck coral was guarded zealously by a superior-grade lifeform known as a dreadtoad, which made its home next to reefs of such coral.


    The dreadtoad was a toad-type superior-grade lifeform that boasted a particrly strong aural attack. Because of the aquatic environment in which it operated, the sound waves it produced would even be augmented in strength.


    As a result, the ckwater sands were widely regarded as an extremely dangerous hunting ground even for seasoned hunters.

 Chapter 37: Deep Within the Cave

    <h4>Chapter 37: Deep Within the Cave</h4>


    The ckwater sands formed the river bank for thergest river in the night forest, the ckwater river. Because all sorts of lifeforms gathered around the sands, it was an ideal hunting ground for many hunters of the cksteel settlement.


    By the time Zhang Lie, still d in ck, arrived at the ckwater sands, it was already well past noon in the dimensional world. With Venombane in his hand, Zhang Lie activated its stealth ability and entered the sands.


    There were no less than ten hunting teams in the vicinity, and the tang of blood could faintly be sensed in the air. In the distance, he could see a trail of bloodstains.


    He retracted his gic energy as he followed the trail to arge ck cave in the distance. The cave opening was as tall as he was. The cave walls seemed to be particrly slick and shiny, and no nts grew in the area.


    There were no hunters within a hundred meters of this cave, and only scant few tracks by the lifeforms in the vicinity.


    Zhang Lie didn''t dare to get too close to the cave, because it meant that he would have to fight against the dreadtoad in an environment that naturally concentrated its aural attack.


    Its cries would be magnified in such an enclosed space, and even Zhang Lie, with neen superior gene fragments, would hardly be able to survive such an attack.


    However, the fact that he had neverthelesse to harvest some ck coral meant that he had a way to lure these dreadtoads out. In fact, it was a simple method, a variant of which he had already demonstrated against the potbellied toads in the past.


    He would have to change the bait, though. Because there were so many lifeforms in the region, it would be better for him to thin out their numbers first.


    By the forest right outside the sands, Zhang Lie began roasting a mewind pig over an open fire, the flesh visibly sizzling and crisping. The smell of roasting pig immediately attracted the lifeforms that had been skulking or hunting for food in the area.


    Not only that, it even attracted two teams of hunters over. However, the sight that they saw immediately caused them to huddle together in the distance, not daring to show themselves.


    With a pop and a bang, just as arge two-headed ck snake was closing in on the pig, one of its heads was skewered by a shortsword, and the other exploded.


    A hunter with translucent white armor was enacting a legendary hunt right before their eyes.


    Whenever other lifeforms approached that fire, by the time they got within a hundred meters, that silver shadow would immediately appear by their side, then strike them a lethal blow.


    Most of these lifeforms were mutated-grade, and some were even at the apex of mutated-grade: the goldensteel mantis, the white-tipped nightscorpion, and the three-eyed ghostwolf. Within just a few short minutes, there were already a dozen such carcasses by the fire.


    No matter what lifeform he faced, that silver hunter seemed to be able to kill it in one blow.


    He seemed to possess a soulshard of unusual stealth, and there was no premonition before his sudden appearance and subsequent dispatch of yet another lifeform. His strikes were rapid and unrelenting, and the violet shortsword in his hand seemed to prate everything it touched. Even mutated-grade lifeforms known for their tough exoskeleton were like papier mache against that de.


    The two hunting teams were stupefied by the ughter ahead of them. Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng could hardly have expected that a moment''s hunger would allow them to witness such an expert at work. With this level of strength, he surely had to be in the top twenty hunters of the settlement!


    If they could develop a good rtionship with him, their entire hunting team''s strength would surely double, at the very least...


    Just then, the shrill cry of a dreadtoad rang out, breaking the two teams of hunters out of their reverie and causing them to retreat instantly.


    A dreadtoad! This was a boss-level mob in the ckwater sands, a superior-grade lifeform which had once vanquished three teams of hunters just with one shrill cry. Could that mysterious hunter be here to kill a dreadtoad?


    Surely not¡ªsuperior-grade lifeforms were usually hunted with a team! At the very least, they hadn''t ever seen a hunter kill a superior-grade lifeform alone in all their time in the dimensional world. Who on Earth was that hunter?!


    In truth, they were all mistaken: just like them, Zhang Lie had retreated upon hearing the dreadtoad''s cry. However, unlike them, after leaving its attack range, he rushed toward the dreadtoad''sir. Within moments, Zhang Lie entered that cave: the ckwater Cave.


    It was exceedingly damp and dark, and if not for the fact that Zhang Lie had reached his mutated gene capacity, he would likely have trouble even seeing whaty in front of him.


    Curiously, the cave was very clean. Except for a few small nts growing by its walls, there was nothing else around. Many of these nts were potent ingredients in their own right, but Zhang Lie only had time for the ck coral.


    The deeper in he went, the deeper the water became. Halfway into the cave, Zhang Lie found himself having to swim to go further. Luckily, Zhang Lie''s framework was water-attuned, and he was able to morph into the form of a carp and swim through the water, moving even faster than he did while running.


    In less than a minute, Zhang Lie was deep within the cave, where he saw branches of ck coral underneath a gigantic oval rock. It was all ck coral, the highest-quality ck coral!


    This was one of the main ingredients needed for Potion #2! Zhang Lie had expected that there would be ck coral in the region, but not in such quality or quantity. After all, this wasn''t the main region in which ck coral could be found, and the reason Zhang Lie hade here was because it was the closest.


    Despite seeing the high-quality ck coral, Zhang Lie didn''t try to harvest it immediately, because there was another dreadtoad on that oval rock.


    Luckily, Zhang Lie noticed that this dreadtoad didn''t have a set of protruding golden vocal pouches, which implied that this dreadtoad was female. This was why it hadn''t been attracted by the scent of roasting pig.


    Gic lifeforms were, in some sense, mutated versions of regr animals that could be found on Earth. Several of their habits would be simr to those of terrestrial lifeforms, and such was the case for the dreadtoad in front of him.


    In general, the male toad would forage for food, whereas the female toad would be responsible for reproduction. Most importantly,pared to a male toad, a female toad, which didn''t have vocal pouches, was far less threatening to fight.


    Only when Zhang Lie decided the risk was minimal did he carefully swim toward the bottom of the oval rock.

 Chapter 38: Preparing for the Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 38: Preparing for the Hunt</h4>


    This female toad was having an afternoon nap, and it didn''t notice that, beneath the rock on which it was resting, there was a stealthed ''fish'' swimming around.


    Of course, Zhang Lie was being very careful not to startle it. He rapidly swam to the underside of the rock, trying to make as minimal a motion as he could, then began harvesting the ck coral that grew along the underside of the rock.


    No matter how careful Zhang Lie was, he still ended up making a tiny cracking noise while harvesting the fifth branch of coral.


    Zhang Lie''s heart leapt into his throat. He would have no choice but to run away if he were caught. After all, the toad on top of the rock was a superior-grade lifeform. If they were out in the open, Zhang Lie might have considered trying to hunt it down, but since he was in the toads''ir, if he were to be caught now...


    Luckily, while the toad stirred, it didn''t awaken.


    If Zhang Lie had panicked and run, he would almost certainly have alerted the toad with themotion, and then he would have to furiously rush out of the cave while trying to avoid the male toad that was out eating his roasted pig.


    The next few minutes went as nned, and Zhang Lie managed to harvest a dozen or so branches of the highest-quality ck coral he could find. Wary as he was of the male toad''s return, he didn''t dare linger in their. He swam back out to the mouth of the cave at his fastest speed.


    What surprised Zhang Lie was that, even as he returned to the fire pit, he saw no trace of the male toad. Furthermore, the carcasses of the lifeforms that he had ughtered near the fire had all vanished.


    There were traces of a fight left at the scene by two rtivelyrge-sized lifeforms. However, even after ncing around a few times, Zhang Lie couldn''t identify either of the parties that had fought.


    As he surveyed the remnants of the fire, the two teams of hunters from before were slowly converging on his location. The two teams were both being very cautious, wanting to approach him but not quite daring to do so.


    It wasn''t surprising that Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng would behave this way, after all: the scene of him hunting down all those lifeforms had been too striking. They were all outside settlement grounds, and anything could happen.


    Just as they took another step, Zhang Lie suddenly appeared in their midst.


    "Cap-Captain!" one of the hunters shouted, causing all of them to look toward Zhang Lie warily, hands on their weapons. That was something any seasoned hunter would do instinctively upon sighting an enemy.


    However, after the two team captains nced at Zhang Lie, they motioned for their subordinates to lower their weapons. Judging from his fight, the two of them were certain that, if this hunter wanted to kill them, they''d all be dead.


    When Zhang Lie saw the male captain''s face, he was very shocked. This¡ªthis fellow was Fang Yi! Fang Yi, the original Monarch of a Thousand Transformations!


    In Zhang Lie''s past life, Fang Yi was the lucky hunter who had eventually obtained the superior-grade white-grub soulshard, as well as one of the strongest hunters who had emerged from the cksteel settlement.


    In other words, Zhang Lie''s armor really should have belonged to him.


    Fate was a curious thing, wasn''t it? He hadn''t anticipated that he would encounter him now, and especially not in this fashion.


    "Nice to meet you, I''m Sun Mengmeng!" Zhang Lie''s attention remained on Fang Yi until the female team leader called out a greeting.


    "Haha, hello. I''m guessing you know what I''m here to figure out?" Zhang Lie replied.


    "You want to know what happened here, don''t you?" Sun Mengmeng''s eyes were twinkling.


    "Yes, all of you were here while I was hunting those lifeforms. Do you know what happened while I was gone?"


    "Well, you returned the moment we got close! From a distance, all we heard were some dreadtoad cries and bestial roars. Given the devastation here, I''m guessing some other superior-grade lifeform made an appearance. Based on my experience in the region, I suspect it''s the big cat up on the mountain!" Fang Yi interrupted the conversation before Sun Mengmeng could reply.


    "A big cat? What big cat?"


    "A thunderfur polecat, a lifeform that looks very much like a cat. It has two antlers on its head that can give off lightning!" This time, before Fang Yi could respond, Sun Mengmeng rushed to provide the relevant information.


    .


    It was then that Zhang Lie finally understood what the cat was, as well as what had transpired in his absence. The two superior-grade lifeforms must have fought over his roast pig!


    "Do you want to hunt down a superior-grade lifeform together?" Zhang Lie offered.


    The two hunters sucked in a deep breath. Superior gene fragments and superior-grade soulshards were the dream of all hunters in the first realm of the dimensional world. Who could resist such a temptation?


    "Of course!" Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng replied at once.


    The two of them certainly weren''t going to turn down such an opportunity! Based on their current progression, it would take at least a few months before they were able to challenge even the weakest superior-grade lifeform.


    "Report your gene fragments as well as your role in the team!"


    The terrain here was rather difficult to work with, and the superior-grade lifeforms in the region weren''t easy prey, either. Several helpers would make life far easier for Zhang Lie.


    Of course, Zhang Lie also wanted to give Fang Yi an opportunity, in partial rpense for the one he''d taken away. Both in his past life and this one, Zhang Lie had had a good impression of Fang Yi.


    As for Sun Mengmeng, well, she was quite lucky to be present. She would obtain this opportunity by being at the right ce, at the right time, with the right strength, and with the right attitude.


    "Fang Yi; basic genes, 100, mutated, 60; main attacker!"


    "Sun Mengmeng; basic genes, 100, mutated, 50; assassin!"


    "Yang Ze; basic genes, 100, mutated, 30; trapsetter!"


    "Li Feng; basic genes, 100, mutated, 30; main tank!"


    "Sun Xiaowu; basic genes, 100, mutated, 40; main attacker!"


    "Zhou Ying; basic genes, 100, mutated, 30; ambusher!"


    Their teams consisted of six hunters in total, with a considerably wide range of attacking styles, though the number of gene fragments they had were rather subpar. Even as helpers, only the two team leaders would barely meet the minimum criteria. The other hunters would have toy traps and support them from the sidelines.


    "Good. In that case, let''s talk strategy!"

 Chapter 39: The Hunt Begins

    <h4>Chapter 39: The Hunt Begins</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s strategy wasn''t all thatplicated: he simply informed them about key points they would need to be careful about. Except for Zhang Lie, all of them were facing a superior-grade lifeform for the first time, and he didn''t want any of them to die during this hunt.


    After ten minutes, Zhang Lie, along with Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s teams, found the two fighting lifeforms in arge, mountainous valley: a multi-colored speckled dreadtoad, as well as an antlered thunderfur polecat.


    Each of the two lifeforms had sustained substantive injuries, reflecting how serious the fight was. Their fighting had stirred up such a dense cloud of dust that the gathered hunters could only barely see their figures from the outside, and they had no idea how the fight was progressing.


    "All this for one roasted pig?" Fang Yi was stupefied at the scene.


    "Could a single mewind pig lure out so many lifeforms, even a superior-grade dreadtoad? It seems to me that you aren''t much smarter than the roasted pig! Of course our captain had to have added some sort of special spice to it! Can''t you tell?"


    Sun Mengmeng''s banter with Fang Yi made Zhang Lie recall certain images from his past life.


    "Haha, in that case, doesn''t that mean that we''ll have an easy fight? To think our captain''s nned for all this in advance!" Fang Yi was quite a good bootlicker.


    Zhang Lieughed. "If you have time to praise me, why not think about how to deal with the aftermath of their fight? Given our team''s strength, even if I did do something to that pig, and even if they''re both battered from the fight, we can only hunt one of them down. Of the two lifeforms, which would you rather hunt?"


    Sun Mengmeng immediately replied, "The thunderfur polecat, of course! After all, the aural attack from that dreadtoad''s far too hard to handle."


    Fang Yi thought for a moment before replying, "Great minds think alike, and I agree with you. However, in order to deal with that polecat, we need to think of a way to slow it down. Otherwise, we might well end up with nothing! Captain, I''m sure you must have thought of a strategy by now, haven''t you?"


    Fang Yi''s bootlicking was starting to difit even Zhang Lie. He blinked, then shook his head.


    "No, you were both wrong from the beginning. Our prey should be the dreadtoad, not the polecat. This valley is extremelyrge, and the dreadtoad''s aural attack will be dramatically weakened in such an open environment. Furthermore, as a toad-type creature, it only has limited means of attack.


    "On the other hand, the thunderfur polecat is a sly creature that can move rapidly, and it''s not certain that we''ll be able to stop it from running away even in its wounded state. Thus, to be safe, our target will be the dreadtoad. Go and make your preparations!"


    Zhang Lie would be the main attacker for the fight, and since he had decided on the dreadtoad, the rest of the team would naturally defer to him. After all, he was the one who would be leading the attack. Furthermore, his skill and knowledge was certainly greater than theirs, and his analysis allowed them to see the errors in their judgment.


    .


    In truth, what they would be able to do against these two superior-grade lifeforms was very limited. However, they might have to face more than just lifeforms during the fight.


    Just as they had discovered the two superior-grade lifeforms, others could easily do the same. In order to avoid any sudden ambushes by other teams of hunters, Zhang Lie would need sentries to keep guard.


    As a barrage of lightning struck a curiously dark wave of sound, the force of the explosion and the resulting outpouring of gic energy made a mess of the greenery about the valley. Even from a distance, one could hear the cries of a toad and the roars of a beast.


    As expected, both lifeforms were brutalized by the fight. The right half of the dreadtoad''s face was charred ck, and a hole had opened up by the thunderfur polecat''s stomach.


    The lifeforms both began to flee, as if they had simultaneouslye to their senses and decided that the fight wasn''t worth it. The only reason they had started fighting was for that roasted pig. By this point, they both knew that their opponent wouldn''t be easy to deal with, and if they were to keep fighting, they might well lose their lives.


    Any lifeform¡ªregr or mutated, terrestrial or otherwise¡ªwould try to flee if its life were in danger, not continue to fight. As long as they were alive, they still had an opportunity to grow stronger, but if they were dead...


    "Our n starts now! Disperse!" The next moment, Zhang Lie activated his venombane-scorpion soulshard and vanished from sight right in front of the other hunters'' eyes.


    Following his shout, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the other hunters immediately began to attack. Sun Mengmeng, who had long since nocked an arrow, fired her shot immediately.


    The arrow, burning with gic energy, red like a firebird as it flew toward the dreadtoad. Perhaps because the dreadtoad was simply too injured, or perhaps because this arrow had flown in from its injured right, Sun Mengmeng''s arrownded directly on its face, stunning it and exploding in a baptism of fire.


    The right half of its face, already scorched, now began to char, turning even cker.


    However, because Sun Mengmeng didn''t possess any superior gene fragments, the damage she could deal to superior-grade lifeforms would be rather limited, and all that her attack managed to do was to draw the toad''s attention.


    The moment the dreadtoad turned to Sun Mengmeng, half a dozen flying knives and spears flew toward its face.


    In the dimensional world, every hunter had to prepare at least one long-ranged technique, be it arrows, flying knives, spears, or even thrown axes. After all, under many circumstances, hunters couldn''t face bestial lifeforms directly. In that case, they would have to rely on long-ranged attacks to aplish their objective.


    The dreadtoad destroyed this slew of attacks with an aural wave. Even though they did no damage to the dreadtoad, they sessfully enraged it.


    Its fight with the thunderfur polecat was against an opponent of equal bearing, but this fight now, against these pitiful humans, would be perfectly one-sided. The punishment for these puny humans who dared provoke it would be death.


    It jumped toward where Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, and the others were located, evidently trying to take out its frustration with its previous battle on them.

 Chapter 40: Toad in a Hole

    <h4>Chapter 40: Toad in a Hole</h4>


    The dreadtoad was acting exactly as nned.


    By the time itnded where they were, Sun Mengmeng and the others had all dashed away.


    Zhang Lie''s instructions at this point was very clear: after loosing a volley of missiles at the toad, run away immediately. Given the skill that Zhang Lie had disyed, no one dared disobey his instructions.


    After all, no hunter would be foolish enough to risk dying unnecessarily. Their prey was a superior-grade lifeform, and any incaution during a fight could easily lead to their death. And since they didn''t have enough strength to fight such a lifeform head-on, they would have to make do with their intellect¡ªwell, they were just kiting the toad from spot to spot.


    Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi, who had dashed in the direction of its right nk, again began harassing it with ranged attacks. Their behaviorpletely enraged the dreadtoad.


    It croaked a few times, and its skin seemed to be covered by a mysterious ckwater film. It tensed its legs, as if intending to leap after them once more.


    Just as it rose into the air, a silver figure appeared out of nowhere. He swung his violet sword and stabbed it deep into one of the toad''s legs. The toad''s upward momentum rent a dreadful wound in its leg, one that stretched all the way from the upper part of its leg to its feet.


    Zhang Lie had seeded in his sneak attack!


    Even a superior-grade lifeform like the dreadtoad could be severely wounded with Venombane.


    Furthermore, Venombane possessed extremely severe poison, and the blood that was leaking out of the wound, initially a pale blue color, had turned a ghastly green.


    And because of its initial momentum, the dreadtoad''s body was careening unwillingly toward Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi.


    However, the cry it had released the moment it leapt still caused Zhang Lie significant problems. The aural waves led to a localized hurricane that quickly swept over Zhang Lie, who was nning on retreating after his sneak attack.


    It tore his surroundings to shreds, and Zhang Lie''s chest felt so stuffed up that he thought his entire body was about to explode. Fortunately, he had prepared for this eventuality, and he had manifested tworge earmuffs in his white-grub helmet to protect himself.


    Gic energy permeated his body, fortifying it from the wind. With his right palm, he activated [Fists of the Silent Sea], defending against the assault of the wind with the impermeable force of water.


    The repeated sh of water and wind sessfully managed to hold back the storm for a single instant. In that instant, Zhang Lie dashed away with [Rippling Walk].


    It was then that the dreadtoad finallynded right where Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng were waiting. However, not only had it lost its target once again, it had even ended up in the trap that had been carefullyid out for it: a deep hole tens of meters deep, filled with all sorts of sharp weapons.


    As a superior-grade lifeform, the dreadtoad could shrug off blows from regr ded weapons without any harm. Of course, this was only true if it were uninjured, and it certainly was not uninjured.


    The dreadtoad had to expend much of its gic energy in order to suppress the poison coursing through its veins. As a result, it couldn''t toughen up its skin, and it had jumped straight into a pit of spears unprotected.


    But a superior-grade constitution wasn''t a joke, and this seemingly serious injury was actually little more than superficial.


    However, the next few moments would be a life-or-death trial for the dreadtoad. Because one of its legs was injured, and because of the poison, the dreadtoad was unable to leap out of the hole. This meant that it, unable to retreat, could well die an ignoble death at the hand of these puny hunters it despised.


    Before it could react, a torrent of violet liquid surged toward its head. The dreadtoad cried out, diffusing the attack with its aural waves, turning the violet liquid into mist.


    At the same time, arrows, spears, and thrown axes began to fill up the hole. The dreadtoad began to cry out over and over again, dispersing each attack with yet another aural wave. However, this would dramatically speed up its rate of gic energy consumption.


    Wreathed in violet fog, the dreadtoad didn''t seem to realize that its body was slowly bing paralyzed. It tried to jump out of the hole again, but its heavily injured leg, along with itsck of gic energy, caused it to falter.


    The dreadtoad had no choice but to calm down and focus on purging the poison from within its body.


    Outside the hole, after hearing nothinging from within for quite some time, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng were both chomping at the bit to rush toward the hole to im their spoils.


    Fang Yi asked Zhang Lie impatiently, "Captain, we haven''t heard anything, surely the toad''s almost dead by now?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Haven''t you heard the saying that a wounded animal is the most dangerous? And a wounded lifeform is even worse than that. If you want tomit suicide, feel free to go ahead!"


    Upon hearing his words, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng both stilled, but they could barely resist the temptation of superior gene fragments and the possibility of a superior-grade soulshard. Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help asking, "But didn''t you say that the poison on your de was particrly domineering?"


    "Poison still takes time to activate, especially against superior-grade lifeforms, after all. Furthermore, you do realize that both of you will die if the dreadtoadunches an aural wave straight at you, don''t you? Caution should be your top priority."


    Zhang Lie exined himself again patiently, well understanding the reason for their impatience. Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, not daring to head toward the hole but too impatient to stand still, ended up pacing around him.


    "Alright, alright, stop moving around! There''s still a long while to go yet, so if we want to minimize the risk, you''ll all have to be patient. Fang Yi, keep guard with the rest of these hunters and make sure no one''s around to disturb us. Sun Mengmeng and I will be sufficient to handle the dreadtoad!"


    Fang Yi immediately turned toward him, his eyes probing.


    "What, you don''t trust me?"


    "No, no! Even without us, I''m sure you''d be able to take down this dreadtoad. We''ll set up a patrol immediately!" Fang Yi reacted near-instantaneously.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry, I don''t have any intention of cutting you out. I''m iming its soulshard for myself, of course, but I certainly will share a portion of the meat with everyone.


    Fang Yi, along with his team, sighed in relief.


    After all, faced with Zhang Lie''s dominating power, they wouldn''t be able to refute anything he said or did. Even if he refused to share any of the spoils with them, what could they do? They would even have to thank him for not killing them.

 Chapter 41: Li Hongs Involvement

    <h4>Chapter 41: Li Hong''s Involvement</h4>


    It turned out that Zhang Lie''s intuition was right: Fang Yi''s patrol immediately identified quite a few lone wolves in the area.


    Lone wolves were hunters who were confident enough in their abilities to hunt solo. Of course, no matter how confident they were, those who would hunt in an area like this were usually only at near-maximum capacity for mutated gene fragments, and they wouldn''t even dare toy their eyes on superior-grade lifeforms.


    If not for Zhang Lie, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng certainly wouldn''t have, either.


    He was rtively experienced in dealing with such affairs, and managed to fend them off with a few inspired lies. When these lone wolves saw Fang Yi''srge team ''fleeing for their lives'', they didn''t dare draw any closer.


    By the hole, Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng were harassing the dreadtoad, trying to squeeze it dry of gic energy. Zhang Lie was ying the role of the tactician, whereas Sun Mengmeng was the attacker. From time to time, she would shoot a [Ninecloud Arrow] at the toad, causing it to shriek and croak.


    Upon hearing these cries, the teams of hunters who had been lured to the scene by the disturbance werergely dissuaded from heading any closer and fled instead.


    However, there were still a few hunters who kept approaching. For instance, the second-fiddle team fielded by the Li n, on hearing the dreadtoad''s cries, picked up their pace and rushed toward the fight instead.


    Fang Yi''s patrol naturally encountered them within the dense forest. He was quite familiar with Li Hong''s team, a ten-member team consisting of hunters who were near the mutated gene capacity. They had a reputation for being tyrannical, and would frequently snatch the kills of other teams of hunters.


    Fang Yi hadn''t expected that they would encounter them at such a critical juncture; his team wascking in terms of strength and numbers, and wouldn''t stand a chance in a direct confrontation.


    Thus, Fang Yi made use of a tried-and-tested technique: pretending to be fleeing in haste after encountering a life-threatening situation.


    "Stop right there!" As expected, after ncing at them derisively, Li Hongmanded them to stop.


    Fang Yi''s team immediately stopped. He stepped forward and asked, "Is something wrong, Captain Li?"


    Li Hong smiled. "You recognize me?"


    "Of course! Surely there''s no one from the cksteel settlement who hasn''t heard of your team. Is there anything I can do for you?" Fang Yi might not have been a very strong hunter, but his social skills were unparalleled.


    Li Hong preened at the ttery. "Good, good! Let me ask: why is your team running away?"


    Fang Yi made a horrified expression. "Captain Li, don''t you know? Just ahead, there was a dreadtoad that just fought off a thunderfur polecat. It seemed to be enraged after the fight, and it''s killing off one of the hunting teams in the area now! ording to the hunters I passed along the way, almost their entire team is dead or crippled now, and the scene of the fight''s a mess of bloody gore!"


    Fang Yi was trying to scare Li Hong off, but Li Hong clearly had much more inted an opinion of his own abilities than Fang Yi had expected. Upon hearing Fang Yi''s description, he seemed to grow even more interested. "Did you see that dreadtoad?"


    Fang Yi shook his head. "Of course not! If I did, I wouldn''t be alive right now. One croak from it would be all it took to kill me! Captain Li, that lifeform''s really quite frightening¡ªyou aren''t thinking of hunting it down, are you? Don''t, it''s simply too dangerous!"


    Sensing Li Hong''s interest, Fang Yi tried to dissuade him from the idea, but Li Hong wasn''t to be swayed so easily. He immediately gave Fang Yi a condescending look. "If you want to run, run! Your team isn''t like mine, after all."


    Fang Yi barely masked the derision from his face. However, he was smart enough not to get into a direct confrontation. As Li Hong suggested, he hurried off with his team.


    The moment they were out of sight, Fang Yi immediately had Sun Xiaowu report what had happened to Sun Mengmeng via conch shell, while he would rush back to her, taking a detour around Li Hong''s team, to provide reinforcements.


    At the edge of the trap, after attacking the dreadtoad inside dozens of times without sensing a response, Zhang Lie was about to head into the hole and take the dreadtoad''s life when a conch shell by Sun Mengmeng''s waist began to vibrate.


    Sun Xiaowu''s hesitant voice exined to Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng what was going on.


    Sun Mengmeng''s face filled with shock. "Captain, what will we do? Li Hong''sing!"


    Zhang Lie frowned, then rxed. "Let hime. If he wants to die, so be it! Tell Sun Xiaowu and the others to try to stall them or hold them back. We''ll hurry and kill the dreadtoad before Li Hong gets here, and head back to help them immediately afterwards. Launch another attack into the hole. I''m getting ready to jump in."


    Sun Mengmeng looked at Zhang Lie in disbelief. "Captain, what do you mean? Are you going to go against the Li n? The Li n''s one of the six most influential ns in the settlement! If we get on their bad side..."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "In that case, what do you propose? Handing them this dreadtoad just like that? If you think it''s dangerous, you can have your team retreat, and you can also retreat.


    In that case, nothing that happens here will be of any concern to you."


    Sun Mengmeng stilled at the ultimatum. Honestly, her behavior wasn''t unexpected. Zhang Lie might have seemed like a top hunter, but he was just one person, whereas the Li n was a massive yer in the cksteel settlement that no ordinary hunter would be able to go against.


    If they were to start a conflict with members of the Li n now, they would likely face a thorny road ahead in the cksteel settlement. However, they also didn''t want to give up this rare opportunity to obtain superior gene fragments. If they didn''t seize this opportunity now, who knew when they would ever be able to obtain superior gene fragments?


    After all, under usual circumstances, they wouldn''t even be able to face a superior-grade lifeform in a direct confrontation before maxing out their mutated gene capacity.


    "I''m sorry, Captain, but I have to think about my entire team''s future." Sun Mengmeng regretted her decision almost instantly, but she had to do what was right. A rash decision on her part could irrevocably affect her team members'' lives.


    In the end, she chose to give up on the opportunity.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "If you don''t take this opportunity now, when will you ever take such an opportunity? If you choose to retreat, to cower, to back down just because it''s a risk, you''ll never be a top-tier hunter. Your two teams stand a fighting chance against Li Hong''s team, and I''ll be around to handle him myself. I''m asking you once more: are you certain you want to back down?"


    Sun Mengmeng seemed even more conflicted. After a moment of desperate wrangling with herself, she called out seriously, "Captain! Let me ask you a question myself. If we offend the Li n going forward, will you continue working with us?"


    Zhang Lie began tough. "This is my prey, and I won''t let anyone steal it from me! I won''t give it up even to Li Jin, let alone Li Hong! Furthermore, who''s to say that Li Hong will make it back to the cksteel settlement to report this feud to the n?"


    "You¡ªyou can''t be thinking of killing¡­" Sun Mengmeng gaped in shock. After an agonizing few seconds of thought, she finally made up her mind. "I''ll trust you this once! Xiaowu, Fang Yi, try to dy Li Hong''s team. We''re almost done here!"

 Chapter 42: Let Matters Rest

    <h4>Chapter 42: Let Matters Rest</h4>


    After confirming that the dreadtoad had beenpletely paralyzed, Zhang Lie leapt into the hole after activating his stealth, then killed the dreadtoad with a clean strike through its head.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade dreadtoad, but did not obtain a soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the dreadtoad, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    As the will of the world spoke into their minds, every member of the team that had participated in the kill sighed in relief.


    Sun Mengmeng asked expectantly from the top of the hole, "How did it go, Captain? Did it produce a soulshard?"


    Superior-grade soulshards were a particrly rare and preciousmodity within the dimensional world, especially those that were particrly useful. Even though Zhang Lie had stated clearly that none of them would get the soulshard if one were to condense, Sun Mengmeng was still very excited at the possibility of one.


    Zhang Lie shook his head in annoyance. "No, it didn''t!"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t acting this time. In an attempt to condense a dreadtoad soulshard, he had secretly smashed up two regr-grade potbellied-toad soulshards, and even then nothing had emerged.


    Sun Mengmeng''s face fell. "That''s a shame. But soulshards were always rare to begin with, so there''s nothing we can do about it. Won''t you hurry out of the hole? Xiaowu and the others can''t hold them off much longer!"


    By the time Zhang Lie leapt out of the hole, there were already quite a few people behind Sun Mengmeng.


    As he nced toward Zhang Lie, Li Hong, with five of his subordinates gathered around him, smiled superciliously at him. "What good timing! You, in the silver armor! Hand over the spoils, and I won''t kill you!"


    When Fang Yi''s team came by again to hold him back, Li Hong began to suspect that something was amiss. He split his team up into two, then rushed toward where he hadst heard the dreadtoad''s cries.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Captain Li, the dreadtoad''s dead, and it didn''t condense a soulshard. Even if you were to obtain its flesh, you won''t be able to get any superior gene fragments from it, would you? How about doing me a favor and leaving, so none of us have to go through any trouble?"


    Zhang Lie nced at Sun Mengmeng, motioning for her to get ready for battle.


    "A favor? Who do you think you are, to deserve a favor from m¡ª"


    "Attack!" Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t expect an arrogant, condescending hunter like Li Hong to let things lie. The only reason he had said what he did was to give Sun Mengmeng some time to prepare.


    The moment Li Hong responded, Zhang Lie brusquely broke him off. Gic energy exploded from his body as he activated [Rippling Walk], tracing out a dragon''s form as he dashed forward. In his hand, Venombane glowed violet, like the tooth of that dragon.


    His de headed straight for Li Hong''s throat.


    Li Hong certainly hadn''t anticipated that the other party would attack him immediately, even when he was surrounded by his team. These were the ckwater sands, right by the cksteel settlement and under its control! What hunter would dare to strike at him here?!


    Before he could react, Zhang Lie''s blow was right in front of his face. His speed made Li Hong realize that his opponent had no fewer superior gene fragments than he did, and likely even had more. Reacting almost by instinct, he raised his spear to block the blow.


    However, the moment he did so, Zhang Lie changed his stab into a slice, tracing out a violet arc against his right arm. Venombane was a weapon that hade from a superior-grade soulshard, and was even rarer than a weapon forged from materials that came from a superior-grade lifeform. How could Li Hong''s armor block a blow from this sword?


    Their initial confrontation left Li Hong injured with a shallow cut. Luckily, he had about a dozen superior gene fragments, and was able to react almost as the shortsword split his skin a[art. He leapt away, preventing Zhang Lie from taking advantage of his momentary opening.


    "Kill them!" Li Hong shouted, his eyes red with bloodthirst, pale-blue gic energy emanating from his body.


    The moment Li Hong''s team prepared to fight, a firebird swooped down toward them, an attack from Sun Mengmeng. The explosion from the firebird was blocked by a rainbow of gic energy: Li Hong''s team was strong even by the standards of the ckwater sands, and it was able to handle even this sudden attack.


    As smoke and dust billowed through the air, Zhang Lie vanished from sight. Amidst the dust, a violet light sparkled. At the back of Li Hong''s team, a young hunter who was about to throw a spear had his neck pierced clean through. Even to his death, he had no idea from which direction the shortsword had appeared.


    "Be careful! That fellow has some unusually advanced stealth technique! Zhang Chao, toss sh powder into the air!" The team had certainly noticed their long-ranged attacker dying, and Li Hong forced himself to ignore the corrosive poison in his wound as hemanded the rest of his team.


    Li Hong hadn''t expected that his opponent''s de would have been smeared with poison. He retreated and drank two whole bottles of antidote, to no avail.


    He had initially thought that his opponent''s de had only left a scratch on his arm, but it was far worse than that. The poison on the de was so strong that he had to devote most of his gic energy to prevent it from spreading throughout his body.


    A cloud of white powder was tossed into the air, but Zhang Lie hade prepared for that. Water saturated the air around him, turning it to fog, as he dashed out of the powder''s range.


    At the same time, the other half of Li Hong''s team, which had been stalled by Fang Yi and the others, finally arrived at the scene. Of course, as they rejoined Li Hong, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, and the others headed to Zhang Lie''s side.


    The two sides faced off again, their weapons raised, but Li Hong appeared to be far more serious than before. Given Zhang Lie''s attitude and strength, he knew that he wasn''t going to benefit from today''s confrontation.


    The most pressing issue was that silver-armored hunter''s strength, his unpredictable movement speed, undetectable stealth, and frightening poison. Perhaps he would be able to defend against him if he hadn''t been wounded, but now that he had been poisoned, he could well suffer grievous injuries if the fight were to continue.


    He shot a piercing nce toward Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, then turned toward Zhang Lie. "I was too rash. Will you ept my apology and let matters rest?"


    Li Hong, admitting defeat??Fang Yi could barely hide his look of shock and amazement. Li Hong had always been an arrogant asshole to everyone around, so when had he be so... nice?


    Could he have misheard? He nced at the stupefied faces all around him. No, that couldn''t be the case.


    Sun Mengmeng was the only one who understood what was going on. After all, she had been scrutinizing Zhang Lie very closely during the fight.


    It was from then on that she decided to be one of his followers.

 Chapter 43: Li Hong Succumbs

    <h4>Chapter 43: Li Hong Sumbs</h4>


    The gathered hunters all turned to Zhang Lie, because what he said next would determine the oue of this confrontation. From Li Hong''s subordinates'' standpoint, they were certainly hoping that Zhang Lie would ept Li Hong''s offer, because their teammate''s death had been so sudden and unexpected.


    If Zhang Lie were to attack any of them, they would likely perish in the same manner. Who knew whom Zhang Lie would target next? They only had one life, after all, and if they could avoid dying just by losing some face, well, that didn''t seem like too bad an offer.


    Li Hong only picked on those teams that were weaker than his, anyway. They could just retaliate against this team of hunters when they had an evenrger force with them.


    Of course, just because they thought this way didn''t mean that Zhang Lie and the others would agree. They had all been hunters for quite some time now, and Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng in particr knew full well that if they were to let matters lie now, they would surely suffer intense retaliation from Li Hong and the Li n in the future.


    Zhang Lie would likely be fine because he was strong, but what about the rest of them?


    Given the tense atmosphere, however, neither of them dared to step forward and ask Zhang Lie to continue the fight. They didn''t realize how strong Zhang Lie''s poison was, or how weak Li Hong had be.


    "Captain!" the two of them shouted out, hopeful that he wouldn''t sumb to the pressure and would instead deal with this problem once and for all.


    Zhang Lie nced back at Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, both clearly wanting to say more but barely restraining themselves, and gave them a knowing nce.


    "Heh, you want a ceasefire? Don''t you think you should act more politely, then? Or are you unaware of the fact that your remaining life can be measured in seconds?"


    Li Hong was clearly unable to ept Zhang Lie''s response. "What? What do you mean, measured in seconds? I''m a hunter from the Li n, and if you dare¡ª"


    "If I were scared of your n, I wouldn''t have poisoned you, don''t you think? If you''re smart, you''d hand over all your soulshards now, and I might spare you on ount of Li Jin."


    Li Hong was quite used to getting whatever he wanted whenever he revealed his identity, but he hadn''t expected that the other party would break him off and even bring up his brother. The other hunter''s tone of speech made it seem as though even Li Hong''s brother would have to defer to him.


    "You know my brother? Who exactly are you?!" Li Hong could hardly have imagined that the result of a thin scratch on his arm could be so serious. Based on the hunter''s words, his life would rapidly drain away if he didn''t do anything about it.


    "Aren''t you talkative? Either hand over your soulshards or rot away into nothingness, the choice is yours." Zhang Lie was tired of talking to him.


    The poison in his arm seemed to be turning more and more corrosive: despite concentrating all his gic energy to block it, not only was his gic energy draining faster, the poison was also starting to spread. Given the situation, Li Hong knew that he wasn''t going to get away unscathed.


    A long period of terrorizing the weaker hunters in the region had left him unprepared to deal with a real threat. How naive he was to think that he could call for a ceasefire when his life was already in the other hunter''s hands!


    Li Hong nced at his subordinates, not wanting to lose face in front of them. "Are you certain you want to make enemies of the Li n? If I were to lose an arm, are you certain you''d be able to handle the Li n''s wrath?"


    Li Hong chose to struggle to the very end, and his subordinates, upon hearing his words, quickly began to charge up gic energy. Of course, as they did so, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng did the same on the other side.


    "Kill them all!" Zhang Liemanded, darting forward to strike the first blow.


    Li Hong saw a violet arc sh by his eyes, and an unexpectedly familiar arm flying into the air.


    "Ah¡ªAhhh!" That was his right arm! Li Hong screamed as blood poured out of his stump, stumbling to the ground in a fit of weakness. He had lost all ability to fight.


    If Li Hong had decisively cut off his arm the moment he was inflicted with the poison, he might have been able to defend himself for a while longer, but by this point, the poison had already begun to spread through his bloodstream. It wouldn''t corrode his body just yet, but his body would soon be paralyzed. The blood from his stump was a ghastly purple, indicating that the poison had spread even further.


    Zhang Lie ignored him entirely.


    He activated [Rippling Walk]. With his left palm, he stacked the effects of [Three-Wave Crescendo] and [Fists of the Silent Sea]; with his right hand, he charged up [The Boundless de]. He struck the remainder of Li Hong''s team with the unassable might of the ocean.


    Four hunters fell in the blink of an eye.


    The other hunters on Zhang Lie''s side also began to fight. Fang Yi was a water-attuned hunter, and his eyes were gleaming as he saw Zhang Lie in action. Clearly, he hadn''t expected that water-attuned techniques could be so devastating.


    As he struck at his own opponent, Fang Yi swore to himself that he''dtch onto Zhang Lie. With his team''s current resources, meeting Zhang Lie was undoubtedly a rare opportunity. He would be a fool not to take advantage.


    To his left, Sun Mengmeng''s [mewing Shot] swallowed up a hunter opposite her.


    Their leaders'' performance boosted the other hunters'' morale, and Sun Xiaowu and the others each found a target for themselves.


    In what seemed like an instant, Li Hong''s team of ten hunters was reduced to three, and Li Hong himself slumped feebly to the ground.


    "Spare me! I surrender!"


    "That''s right, we''ll hand over all our soulshards!"


    Before he could say anything, hisst two subordinates were lying prostrate on the ground, begging for mercy. They removed all the soulshards they had in their soulspace and offered it to Zhang Lie with cupped hands.


    Zhang Lie motioned for his group of hunters to cease attacking.


    The soulshards that Li Hong''s subordinates were offering up were rtively ordinary, and Zhang Lie had no interest in any of them. But even though he didn''t want any, the rest of his group certainly did. Dozens of soulshards, all theirs in one fell swoop!


    Li Hong knew now that he had no choice but to surrender. He hadpletely and utterly lost! "Alright, I admit defeat! I''ll hand over my soulshards!"


    Dozens of glowing, colorful soulshards were heaped into a pile in front of the gathered hunters'' eyes, blinding Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng with their brilliance. Given their rtive poverty, they hadn''t ever dreamt that one hunter could possess so many soulshards.

 Chapter 44: Splitting the Loot

    <h4>Chapter 44: Splitting the Loot</h4>


    Most importantly, of these dozens of soulshards, none were of inferior quality. In fact, all of them were mutated-grade soulshards. Among these, Zhang Lie even found the soulshard of a mutated-grade blood ant.


    "Thanks for the loot. Hope you enjoy the Underworld!" With a thrust of Zhang Lie''s sword, Li Hong''s head sank to the ground in disbelief. He hadn''t expected that, even after he handed over his soulshards, Zhang Lie would still kill him.


    However, a dead man''s thoughts were of no consequence.


    Upon seeing Li Hong''s death, his two subordinates, who had prostrated themselves on the ground, immediately got up and tried to flee. Unfortunately for them, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had snuck up behind them even before Zhang Lie killed Li Hong. If even Li Hong had died, then surely they wouldn''t be allowed to live.


    Thus ended this one-sided ughter.


    In the end, all the hunters in Li Hong''s team perished, whereas a few of Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s teammates were injured. Luckily, the injuries were minor and could be readily treated.


    In truth, except for the wildcard called Zhang Lie, the two teams'' strength wasparable. In fact, Li Hong''s side had more hunters. The reason they had suffered such overwhelming defeat was because Li Hong had been overconfident, and because Zhang Lie was simply that strong after surpassing the usual gene capacity multiple times.


    He scooped up all the soulshards and smiled. "Haha, this was a good haul! Clean up the scene, and then we''ll divide up the loot back in the settlement."


    Everyone started moving. Conveniently, they had arge hole already dug up for the ten corpses of Li Hong''s team, and all they had to do was throw them inside and bury them.


    Back in the cksteel settlement, in a VIP suite in the ckgold Inn, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying all looked at the unmasked Zhang Lie with varying levels of incredulity.


    Who would have expected that the mysterious hunter behind the silver armor would be the hunter who had been at the bottom of the gene leaderboard for so many months, Zhang Lie?


    They had even heard other hunters discussing rumors about him, but now¡­


    The hunter who had shocked them all with his prowess, and the hunter in front of them now... reconciling the two hunters in their mind was a difficult affair.


    After all, it was Zhang Lie who had killed Li Hong in a one-sided fight.


    Had this world gone crazy? How could Zhang Lie be so strong?


    Then, they began to think about another affair in which Zhang Lie had been implicated, that one fateful night in the venombane de. The Qin, Wang, and Zhou families had all suffered great losses in the aftermath, especially the Wang and Qin families, who had lost almost half their wealth just from that one incident alone.


    The gathered hunters shivered upon feeling Zhang Lie''s nce on them.


    "What, do I look that frightening?" Zhang Lie smiled amiably, but none of them were at all relieved. This innocent-looking hunter was a living devil!


    "Captain, now that you''ve revealed your identity to us, aren''t you afraid that we''ll spread¡ª"


    "Spread what? That I''m actually a very strong hunter, that I was the mastermind behind the scheme that brought the Wang and Qin families low? Or that you helped me kill Li Hong and his team? Do you think anyone would believe what you said, given my reputation in the cksteel settlement?"


    Fang Yi gaped at Zhang Lie speechlessly. Zhang Lie was right: even if he were to tell others the truth, it seemed so oundish that no one would believe him. After all, he had witnessed the entire fight for himself, and still he had trouble believing what he had seen.


    "No one would believe what you said¡ªhonestly, even if I were the one who said it, no one would believe it either. Furthermore, the fact that I''m willing to reveal my identity to all of you means that I''m prepared for whatever happens next.


    "After all, those two ns do know about me, and yet I''m still here, hale and hearty! Alright, all that was in the past, and it''s unrted to any of you. Don''t try to stick your nose in. Now, shall we split up the soulshards?"


    Zhang Lie was quite interested in Fang Yi, so even though Fang Yi''s question was rather inane, he still patiently exined himself.


    Then, he patted his potbellied-toad pouch and dumped a few dozen soulshards on the table. The gathered hunters nced at each other in surprise. They knew quite well just how little they''d contributed to the fight, and they clearly hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would still be willing to split the spoils with them.


    "Captain, thank you for your sincerity, but we can''t take any of this from you. Honestly, if not for you, we wouldn''t have managed to hunt anything at all today! Just a bit of the dreadtoad flesh is more than sufficient."


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. "Being too polite isn''t a good thing, you know." He picked out the mutated-grade blood-ant soulshard from the pile, then announced, "For everyone''s performance today, you''ll each get two soulshads. Take your pick!"


    The hunters nced at each other, waiting for someone to take the first move.


    It took only ten seconds before a hunter stood up.


    "In that case, I''ll go first!" Sun Mengmeng was the first to choose, and she picked out two ratherpatible mutated-grade fire-attuned soulshards for herself.


    With a broad smile on her face, she turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, thank you for treating us with respect. I, Sun Mengmeng, will repay you with my loyalty. If you''ll have me, from today onwards, I intend to be your follower, your most reliable subordinate."


    She had made this decision quite some time ago, and Zhang Lie''s actions now reaffirmed her choice.


    Soon, the other hunters all picked out their soulshards and expressed their intention to follow Zhang Lie. However, thest hunter left, Fang Yi, seemed to be hesitant.

 Chapter 45: A Fledgling Team

    <h4>Chapter 45: A Fledgling Team</h4>


    There appeared to be something on Fang Yi''s mind keeping him from dering his intent to follow Zhang Lie even when the other hunters had done so.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t anticipated such a situation. He had been as sincere as he could, and it had won him the hearts of all gathered here, all but Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi himself was reflecting over the events of the day. From his perspective, he kept feeling as though Zhang Lie was far too friendly than he had any right to be.


    His and Sun Mengmeng''s teams'' strength was iparable to Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie had not only allowed them to participate in hunting a superior-grade lifeform, but also incited them to kill Li Hong''s team with him.


    Not only that, he had been willing to share some of his spoils with them. Perhaps it could have been exined if they had long since known each other, but they hadn''t been anything but strangers before this fateful day!


    "Captain, please don''t me me for being cautious, but I don''t understand why you''re doing all this. Isn''t it the first time we''ve met each other?"


    Zhang Lie finally understood what was going through his mind. After all, who else had any idea how much Zhang Lie owed to Fang Yi? If he were in Fang Yi''s position, he would likely have thought the same way.


    Zhang Lie turned to him and spoke seriously, "Don''t worry about it. I do have a few reasons for favoring you, but everyone else was simply at the right ce at the right time. I''ve been thinking of building up a team, and I need two helpers to do so. Since I encountered your two groups out in the sands, I decided to test you to see if you would be a suitable fit.


    "I don''t intend on forcing you to do anything at all. If you don''t want to work with me, you''re wee to leave after we divide up the spoils. There aren''t any eyewitnesses to the Li team''s murder, and unless you incriminate yourself, you should be safe from any retaliation."


    Whether or not Fang Yi stayed would be up to himself. If he were to leave, the only one who would lose out was him: Zhang Lie didn''t much mind either way.


    "You don''t have to say anything else, Captain! I''m willing to follow you!" Fang Yi''s eventual choice didn''t disappoint Zhang Lie. And since he had made up his mind, he quickly pocketed two soulshards from the pile left on the table.


    "Alright. Since all of you here have decided to work with me, let me make myself clear: as long as you''re all loyal to me, I''ll share whatever I have with you. Believe me: you''ll all be grateful for the choice you made today!"


    This was Zhang Lie''s anticipated oue, and he was naturally weing of the new additions to his team.


    After Fang Yi finished selecting his soulshards, Zhang Lie kept the remainder, then took out the dreadtoad carcass from within his pouch.


    "Are there any good cooks among you? Can you prepare this for consumption?"


    Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying stepped forward. Cooking was a strength of theirs, and they were eager to demonstrate their abilities in front of their new captain.


    As they dragged the carcass toward the kitchen, Zhang Lie reminded them from behind, "Be careful with its vocal pouches and tongue¡ªthose will fetch quite a few points!"


    "Got it, Captain!"


    Everyone was eagerly anticipating the superior gene fragments they would soon obtain.


    "Captain, let me help too!" Sun Xiaowu was so impatient that he couldn''t help running into the kitchen to help his sister.


    Only Fang Yi, Li Feng, and Yang Ze were left in the room.


    Zhang Lie knew quite a bit of Fang Yi, of course. He turned to Li Feng and Yang Ze, trying to learn more about them.


    Yang Ze was from the Yang n, whose stronghold was in the city of Sacred Fire on Mars. Though the Yang n was reasonably prosperous, as a bastard, he was more or less unaffiliated with them.


    The Yang n had no power in the cksteel settlement, and it was almost as though Yang Ze had been sent into exile. ording to him, it was unlikely that the n would care at all even if he were to perish here.


    Luckily, his mother had brought him up well, though he seemed to express a tendency toward depression and self-loathing.


    Zhang Lie made a note of this, giving him a few words of encouragement and promising to help him develop into a hunter his n would focus its attention on.


    Last was Li Feng from Sichuan, who was far more ordinary. He came from an average family, was hardworking and honest, and had entered the dimensional world at eighteen in ordance with the draft.


    After a quick conversation, Yang Ze turned toward the television, whereas Li Feng went around inspecting the suite.


    Even the cheapest room in the ckgold Inn cost at least a thousand points per day¡ªten thousand dors in real life!¡ªand he had never entered such a luxurious ce either on Earth or the dimensional world.


    With everyone else distracted, only Zhang Lie and Fang Yi were left on the couch.


    "Captain, can I ask you something?" Fang Yi turned to him curiously.


    Zhang Lie nodded as he ordered a few side dishes to be sent to the suite.


    "As far as I know, Li Hong has around twenty superior gene fragments, and you seem to have aparable amount. And with regard to martial skill, while your techniques are impressive, your framework doesn''t seem particrly high-quality. Why was the fight so one-sided?"


    This was a question that he''d wondered since he witnessed the fight. From his perspective, Zhang Lie was Li Hong''s equal in terms of both genes and techniques. However, Fang Yi had the impression that Zhang Lie hadn''t even used his full strength in the lopsided fight against Li Hong.


    He had dominated in terms of strength, speed, and energy. With one simple, shallow cut, he had grasped Li Hong''s life in his hands.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I''m older than he is, of course. Older and more experienced, so naturally I would have the advantage. As to your question about how I''m so much stronger than Li Hong even though we haveparable stats... all I''ll say about that for now is that I have limit fragments. I''ll tell all of you about limit fragments eventually, so don''t guess or ask me about them now. What happens beyond that will depend on each of your choices."


    Zhang Lie''s words made Fang Yi even more curious, but he obediently pressed his lips together and said nothing else.


    Regr genes, mutated genes, superior genes, and then supposedly pinnacle genes, but what were these limit gene fragments that Zhang Lie had mentioned?


    He was able to repress his curiosity, but Yang Ze, still fiddling with the television by his side, immediately scooted over when he heard the discussion.


    "Captain, I heard your words too! What are these limit fragments? Are they beyond pinnacle grade?"

 Chapter 46: Forming the Team

    <h4>Chapter 46: Forming the Team</h4>


    Naturally, Zhang Lie wasn''t about to answer this question, at least not before he had finished nning out his team. At this point, telling them about the possibility of a framework breakthrough wasn''t necessarily a good thing.


    Before Yang Ze could respond, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying had finished their preparations and were calling everyone over to eat.


    The hunters'' eagerness meant that the table was set up in no time.


    The dreadtoad carcass had been sorge that, even after discarding the parts that couldn''t be or were too valuable to be consumed, there were enough dishes to fill the entire table. Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying seemed to be well-versed in a dazzling variety of cooking techniques. They had made a dozen dishes from the toad meat, each a delicacy.


    However, Zhang Lie still wasn''t satisfied, and had supplemented this banquet with a few additional dishes from the inn itself. ording to him, toad meat alone would be too monotonous. He had also ordered two sks of wine.


    The trademark liquor of the ckgold Inn was Inferno, so named for its potency. Even a hunter who boasted superior gene fragments could only consume a sk or two at most. Two sks would be more than sufficient for the six hunters gathered here.


    Fang Yi set a cup of wine by everyone''s te in a fluid, practiced motion.


    "Captain, no matter your reason, I, Fang Yi, will be forever grateful that you''ve given me such an opportunity! You''ve sped up our growth by at least a few months, and I dedicate this toast to you!" He drained the cup in one fell swoop.


    "Captain, we dedicate this toast to you!" With Fang Yi taking the lead, the rest of the gathered hunters quickly followed suit.


    "Alright, we''re allrades now, aren''t we? There''s no need for such pleasantries. I''ll ept your toast!" Zhang Lie downed his cup of wine as well. "Now let''s dig into this superior-grade feast!"


    Zhang Lie motioned for everyone to get started.


    All the hunters dug in with gusto, all pleasantries forgotten. As Zhang Lie said, whaty in front of them was a feast of superior gene fragments, and they would be foolish to miss out now.


    "Slow down, Xiaowu!"


    "Hey, Yang Ze, what''re you doing? That''s my piece of meat!"


    "What? It''s clearly mine!"


    Cheerful bickering filled the room.


    Yang Ze and Sun Xiaowu had fought over a small piece of toad meat so furiously that their faces had gone red, causing Zhang Lie to smile at their antics. They were originally from two different teams, and it seemed as though they were already starting to learn to get along.


    Of course, he was busily eating himself: he only had neen superior gene fragments at this point, after all.


    After their first cup of wine, none of the hunters refilled their cup. They were all focused on eating the foodid out in front of them. As they ate, the will of the world announced in their mind:


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade dreadtoad, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 20]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade dreadtoad, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 21]


    [...total: 25]


    The six hunters had devoured the food in front of them within a quarter of an hour, not sparing even the dregs.


    Zhang Lie had obtained a total of six superior gene fragments. The other hunters had gotten more or less the same number. The unluckiest received only five, whereas Sun Mengmeng received seven, essentially the upper limit when the meat was divided among so many people.


    It was likely that her body naturally possessed a stronger affinity to the dreadtoad than the rest of theirs.


    When they finished the meal and noticed the changes to their constitution, they were all throwing admiring nces at Zhang Lie. ?After all, if not for him, none of them would have been able to get any superior gene fragments so early on.


    Hunting for gene fragments sounded like a grand affair, but even the slightest mistake, indecision, or inattention could lead to death. Under usual circumstances, hunters much preferred to hunt safer, low-grade lifeforms. Strength wouldn''t matter to them if they were dead, after all.


    The hunters began toasting Zhang Lie again as the mood in the suite rose to a crescendo.


    "Captain, doesn''t our team need a name? How about my old team''s name, Typhoon?" Fang Yi, tipsy and slightly drunk, made a suggestion.


    Before Zhang Lie could respond, however, Sun Mengmeng pped her hands at him. "Nonsense! It''s a new team, so we need a new name! Captain,e up with one!"


    The other hunters clearly agreed with Sun Mengmeng.


    Zhang Lie had actually been considering this question. "What do you think about calling our team Zenith?"


    "Zenith?"


    "Team Zenith!"


    "Captain, tell us the truth! Does this have anything to do with the limit fragments you were talking about earlier?"


    "Limit fragments? Are you drunk, Yang Ze? I''ve never heard of such a thing!"


    Except for him and Fang Yi, no one else knew anything about these mysterious limit fragments. However, Yang Ze didn''t back down. He stared at Zhang Lie, waiting patiently for a response. Fang Yi did the same.


    Upon noticing how serious he and Yang Ze were, Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s right. The reason I''ve chosen the name Zenith naturally has something to do with these so-called limit fragments. Furthermore, as long as you''re all willing, you''ll be able to get your own limit fragments soon!"


    Fang Yi and Yang Ze both brightened at the news, whereas the other hunters just looked at Zhang Lie in stupefaction.


    "Captain, what limit fragments? I haven''t heard anything about them!" Sun Mengmeng cried out.


    Zhang Lie smiled mysteriously. "This is still top secret for now, and all I can tell you is that these limit fragments will elevate you above all other hunters."


    Even Fang Yi and Yang Ze hadn''t expected that these limit fragments would be such a big deal.


    Although they had only known Zhang Lie for a short period of time, he had never imed something he couldn''t aplish. To be elevated above all other hunters... was such a thing even possible?


    They initially expected that this "limit fragment" business was just a little trick that their captain knew about, but it seemed as though this was top-secret information! Furthermore, Zhang Lie didn''t seem unwilling to tell them about it¡ªit just wasn''t the right time yet.


    Zhang Lie smiled as he saw everyone''s curiosity piqued. "Would you all like to know how to obtain these limit fragments?"


    The hunters all nodded their heads fervently, like little chicks pecking at grain.

 Chapter 47: First Mission

    <h4>Chapter 47: First Mission</h4>


    Upon seeing the hunters'' eager faces, Zhang Lie smiled. "Simple: just stay in my team for two months and let me observe your loyalty andtent talent. If I find you suitable, you''ll meet me in the city of Ning and formally join Team Zenith. Then, I''ll teach you how to exceed your own limits and obtain limit fragments."


    The hunters gaped at him in disbelief. They had expected that they would need to undergo all sorts of trials and tribtions to obtain such a secret, but was Zhang Lie going to give it away so easily?


    "Captain, are you sure you''re not just drunk?" This time, even Sun Mengmeng didn''t dare believe that Zhang Lie was serious. After all, considering the magnitude of the secret, Zhang Lie''s selection process was almost like a joke.


    "I haven''t been with you guys for a long time, but when have I ever lied to you?" Zhang Lie grinned, no sign of drunkenness apparent on his face.


    "You mean it?"


    "Of course I mean it!"


    Zhang Lie hadn''t given them any reason to doubt him, and the hunters forced themselves to ept this reality.


    "Captain, we''ve all heard you make this promise, so you''d better not renege on it in the future!" Fang Yi eximed.


    The gathered hunters all made up their minds to give a good showing in the hunts toe, so as to gain Zhang Lie''s favor.


    Zhang Lie raised a cup in toast. "In that case, I''ll wish you all luck in passing my inspection."


    "Of course!"


    Clink! They each downed another cup of fiery liquor.


    Because the toad meat was all finished, the hunters could now consume the rest of the feast in moderation, chatting andughing as they did so. During the feast, Zhang Lie had learned a little about all six of them.


    Sun Mengmeng, from a middle-ss family in the capital; cute and passionate, but surprisingly logical in decision-making.


    Sun Xiaowu, from the capital; Sun Mengmeng''s cousin; resilient and diligent, with a keen eye; a fanatic for gic techniques.


    Zhou Ying, from a middle-ss family in the south; attentive but taciturn, with a fair appearance.


    Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying had all left a rather good impression on Zhang Lie after the feast. Once all the food was consumed, Zhang Lie gave them their first mission.


    "Since you''re all eager to get to work, I have a task for each of you. ?The Void Cup''s about to begin, and there''s a very important prize for me this time around. As a result, I intend on personally participating in the Void Cup. In the next three months, I''ll have to try to fill up my superior gene fragments to capacity. You understand what I mean, don''t you?"


    The hunters nodded earnestly.


    "The Void Cup! It''s something hunters like us can only dream about, but if it''s you, Captain, I''m sure you''ll do well. Don''t worry. Within these two months, we''ll try to scout as many superior-grade lifeforms as we can. Focus on cultivating and mastering your gic techniques, and leave the rest to us." Fang Yi spoke for the rest of the team.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others indicated that they would do their best to support Zhang Lie


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What do you mean, something you can only dream about? I''m not the only one who will enter. I need quite a lot of resources, so all of you have to enter as well, and you have to aim as high up in the ranking as you can."


    ...they would be participating as well?


    In the past, even the weakestpetitor who had participated in the Void Cup had at least eighty superior gene fragments, and they had mastered at least three high-grade techniques.


    And Zhang Lie was even expecting them to ce high in the ranking too! What could they aplish? They weren''t even at the mutated gene capacity yet!


    Perhaps it would be somewhat easier to deal with mutated-grade lifeforms now that they had a few superior gene fragments and useful mutated-grade soulshards, but they still needed some time, didn''t they? And what about their gic techniques? Of them all, only Yang Ze even had a pinnacle-grade technique.


    Wouldn''t they just get weeded out in the first round of thepetition?


    "Captain¡ª"


    "Don''t worry. I don''t intend for any of you to be sandbags, and I promise I''ll train each of you well before thepetition. Furthermore, even if you do end up as sandbags, surely you see that entering the Void Cup at all would be a great boon to your future.


    "After all, while you''ll be in directbat against other hunters, your lives will certainly be protected during thepetition. Is this a safeguard that you''d have out in the wilderness of the dimensional world?" Zhang Lie broke Sun Mengmeng off, anticipating herment.


    Sun Mengmeng thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. "Yes, Captain!"


    The other hunters nced at Zhang Lie, looking forward to training under him. Ever since their first meeting, Zhang Lie had given off the impression of being a truly strong and mysterious hunter, one that they would give anything to learn from.


    "I''ve recorded here some known locations for a few superior-grade lifeforms, as well as a few remarks on their behavior and habits. Over the next few weeks, scout them out and figure out a n for hunting them down. We''ll begin in six weeks."


    Zhang Lie retrieved a booklet from the potbellied-toad pouch andid it on the table.


    Fang Yi picked it up and flipped through it, only to find specifics for forty to fifty superior-grade lifeforms listed in agonizing detail. Most of them were creatures that Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng hadn''t ever heard of, let alone seen.


    Zhang Lie seemed even more mysterious than ever.


    He left them no further exnation. After handing them the booklet, Team Zenith''s first feast came to an end. Subsequently, Zhang Lie handed Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng fifty thousand points for their scouting, got their contact information, and dismissed them.


    They hadn''t had much to drink, and although a few of the hunters were tipsy, none were drunk.


    Zhang Lie prized a clear head over anything else, and while he''d tasted all sorts of excellent wine in his past life and present, it had never been to the point of drunkenness. After all, it seemed far morefortable to drink in moderation than in excess.


    Once the other hunters had left, he headed out of his suite, dressed entirely in ck again, and began to wander around the cksteel settlement. By this point, news of Li Hong and his team''s disappearance had likely spread to the Li n, and they were surely going to make a move.


    Zhang Lie had just ambled over to the settlement gates when he saw Li Jin rush out of the settlement with arge number of hunters. At the same time, the usual crowd gathered by the gates started to gossip.

 Chapter 48: A Mischievous Girl

    <h4>Chapter 48: A Mischievous Girl</h4>


    "What''s going on with the Li n?"


    "You haven''t heard the gossip yet?!"


    "Gossip? What gossip?"


    "You really don''t know? Someone killed Li Hong!"


    "What Li Hong? The one who''s in the ckwater sands all day?"


    "Yes, him! Apparently, his entire team was wiped out by some rival team of hunters!"


    "Really? That''s excellent news! Who did it?"


    "If I knew, would I still be here?"


    "Haha, what a godsend!"


    "Isn''t that so? How many teams did Li Hong bully into submission in that area, hundreds? He deserved to die!"


    "This has to be the best piece of news I''ve heard all day!"


    "It looks like we won''t have to be as wary of heading to the ckwater sands now, do we?"


    "Aren''t you all naive? Yes, Li Hong''s gone, but soon you''ll see a Zhang Hong, or Wang Hong, or Liu Hong pop up! Now that the area''s not under Li Hong''s control, some other tyrant will quickly take over. Just you watch!"


    "You''re not wrong, but surely after Li Hong''s death they''ll be more wary and less tyrannical, won''t they?"


    "That''s right! Those hunters fromrge ns fear death much more than us nameless hunters. Now that Li Hong''s dead, they''ll surely go easier on us, but as for the hunter who killed him..."


    "The Li n just announced that they''re going to review all the hunters who were at the ckwater sands today¡ªthey''re willing to kill innocent suspects just to get at the true culprit!"


    "Heh, are they? I''m staying right here in the settlement: they can try to kill me if they want."


    "I''m sure there''s no need to worry: who doesn''t know what the Li n is like? If that hunter was daring enough to kill Li Hong, I''m sure they would have a n for evading capture."


    "That''s true, isn''t it?"


    The gathered hunters were far more sympathetic to Li Hong''s killer than Li Hong himself. After all, the Li n¡ªand Li Hong in particr¡ªwas widely vilified within the settlement for being too arrogant and domineering.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t heard any rumors about him or Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s teams, so he whistled as he walked away. They''d cleaned up the scene of the murder well enough that there were hardly any traces left behind.


    Li Jin might not even be able to find where they''d buried the corpse, and even if he did, nothing would link that corpse to them. It had been too long since Li Hong had died, after all.


    And Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng would hardly be suspects: teams like theirs were far too weak to pose any sort of threat to Li Hong.


    However, just as Zhang Lie was turning to leave, a small hand tapped his shoulder.


    "I smelled you from quite a distance away. What are you doing skulking around here?" Zhang Lie turned to see Chu Xun, from the Chu n.


    What was she doing here? "Girl, aren''t you being a little too familiar? You''d better not push it, or I''ll tell your brother to beat you up!"


    "My brother, beat me up? If he touches me, my grandfather will certainly skin him! There''s no one around who would dare beat me up!"


    She was, in all certainty, a spoiled brat.


    Zhang Lie clicked his tongue. "What do you want?"


    "Nothing much. I''m a little bored, so won''t you go shopping with me?" Chu Xun beamed.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m very busy, and I have no time to y games with you!"


    "Umm, how about this, if you can''t y with me, then how about I y with you? Bring me where you''re headed."


    Zhang Lie shook his head again. "We might have met once before, but surely you wouldn''t leave the settlement with a hunter you barely know."


    "I don''t care! If you don''t promise to bring me out, I won''t help you out with that favor you wanted!" She scowled.


    "You..."


    How could this girl be such a nuisance?!


    After thinking it over for a moment, Zhang Lie didn''t see toorge an issue with bringing her with him. He was only intending to head to the Bloodcrystal Valley to harvest some more blood whiskers, which wasn''t too far from the settlement.


    "I might consider bringing you out with me, but you have to promise to listen to my everymand. Otherwise, if you die, I''m not letting your n me me."


    She was naturally overjoyed to see Zhang Lie change his mind. "Don''t worry, don''t worry! I promise I''ll listen to your every word!"


    "You''d better not forget your words when we''re outside. Have your guards send word to your brother: tell him where you''re going, and tell him that I won''t guarantee your safety. You''ll be responsible for your own actions. Do you understand?"


    Chu Xun nodded fervently and beckoned her guards over.


    In truth, under these circumstances, what guard would feel safe leaving their charge with a strange, cloaked hunter? One guard was sent back to bring news to the Chu n, but the other three tailed Zhang Lie and Chu Xun out.


    As a reincarnated hunter with decades of experience, Zhang Lie easily discovered his tails. Upon passing through a small, dense forest, he managed to shake them off.


    After half an hour, Zhang Lie and Chu Xun arrived at the hill overlooking the Bloodcrystal Valley. Zhang Lie hadn''t intended on bringing the girl up with him. He was nning on leaving her at the base of the hill, but she refused toply.


    She even imed to be a gliding expert, one who could easily handle gliding from this height. As a wind-attuned hunter, it was true that she likely wouldn''t die from a fall here.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to bring her up to the hill with him.


    "I''m fine with you harvesting those blood whiskers, but you have to hand them to me, do you understand?"


    Chu Xun nodded seriously, but Zhang Lie felt like he couldn''t let down his guard given her sparkling eyes.


    "No, no, I changed my mind. Stay right there!"


    "What? How can you be like that? You promised me that you''ll let me try it! No, I''m heading down!"


    Amidst a gust of wind, she leapt down from the hill. Her green wind-attuned gic energy formed a slipstream behind her as she propelled herself down the hill.


    .


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to chase after her, activating his white-grub soulshard and morphing it into a gliding suit.


    Wind-attuned hunters had a natural advantage when it came to anything dealing with the air. If there were no obstacles or disruptions around, the girl would likely be able to glide down safely.


    "Ah¡ªAhhh!" However, just as Zhang Lie rxed, she let out a shrill cry.


    She was being harassed by a few blood ants, and her casual glide had morphed into the disastrous bumbling of a one-winged mosquito.


    Zhang Lie grumbled, but quickly shot after her.

 Chapter 49: Impending Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 49: Impending Trouble</h4>


    With a few quick shes from Venombane, Zhang Lie bisected the blood ants on Chu Xun''s body.


    "Be more careful!" he admonished.


    Before she could respond, he glided past her. Compared to her, Zhang Lie''s gliding required far more skill, but he seemed even more adept at it than she was. As he shot silver strands out of his palms, he rapidly flew past the opening of several of the caves and masterfully harvested the blood whiskers there.


    Chu Xun, having been rescued once, became much more serious about the affair, and she attentively watched Zhang Lie''s harvesting technique.


    Although she was mischievous, she was also quick-witted, and was able to obtain quite a number of blood whiskers during the glide down the hill¡ªeven more than Zhang Lie had collected during his first attempt.


    "Alright, hand me what you have!"


    As soon as theynded, Zhang Lie extended a palm toward her. She immediately handed over the blood whiskers she had gathered. Of course, she wasn''t being perfectly honest: she had kept one or two stalks in her pouch for herself.


    Zhang Lie guessed that she would do so, but he didn''t much care about one or two stalks. Furthermore, after this harvest, it wouldn''t matter whether or not the Chu n learned of the blood whiskers'' potency.


    They glided down thrice more before Chu Xun lost all interest in the matter entirely, and she indicated that she would simply stay on the hill and watch Zhang Lie from now on.


    Zhang Lie was very d that she was finally deciding to do so: after all, every time she glided down with him, she seemed to cause even more trouble. How could Zhang Lie not be relieved that she was nning to stop?


    As the winds blew around the hill, Zhang Lie began to gather the remaining blood whiskers in the Bloodcrystal Valley rapidly. As his strength grew, so did his efficiency. Without the girl disrupting him, Zhang Lie shot from cave to cave, almost seeming to leave afterimages with how quickly he moved.


    While he was busy harvesting his blood whiskers, Li Jin, who had arrived at the ckwater sands, found Li Hong''s corpse and was informed of a mysterious ck-cloaked man who could be implicated in the murder.


    A storm of revenge was brewing on the horizon.


    Now that he had a target, Li Jin immediately announced a bounty for information on this mysterious man across the entire settlement. Anyone who could provide information about this man would be able to obtain a thousand points from the Li corporation.


    Under normal circumstances, this bounty would go unimed: Zhang Lie was a careful hunter, and there wasn''t anything particrly distinctive about him. There were lots of hunters who went around in ck cloaks. How could the hunters in the settlement distinguish among them?


    However, Zhang Lie had been seen with the youngest daughter of the main branch of the Chu n, Chu Xun. She was famed for her mischievous personality, and ordinary hunters would naturally keep an eye out for her so as to be able to get out of her way.


    Many had seen them leaving the settlement together, and the Li n''s search could therefore be narrowed down.


    Afterwards, amidst the temptation of all sorts of rewarding bounties, teams of hunters began to deduce and analyze where the pair could have gone.


    In the best room in the ckgold Inn, Li Jin sat waiting on a throne-like seat.


    "Are his whereabouts known now?"


    "Yes, Head! He''s in the Bloodcrystal Valley!" his right-hand man answered.


    "Li Hong was a useless hunter, but he''s still a member of the Li n, after all. We need to let the hunters in this settlement know what happens to those who dare go against the Li n. Lead our best team of hunters out to the Bloodcrystal Valley. You know what to do: afterwards, hang his head outside the settlement gates for seven days as a warning to others!"


    Li Jin might have seemed amiable from the outside, but he was actually a cold and cruel man.


    "Yes, Head! In that case, what should we do with Chu Xun?"


    Li Jin scowled. "Take her down if necessary, but make sure not to harm her. She''s the prized granddaughter of the Chu head, and we can''t touch her!"


    "Understood, Head!" He was right about to lead his men out when Li Jin called him back,


    "Wait! With that girl around, I don''t trust you to handle it. I''ll lead the team myself."


    As the Li n mobilized, Chu Feng, who had just returned to the settlement after a day of hunting, heard about what happened to his sister almost as soon as he returned.


    "What? She left with that mysterious hunter? And he even said that he wasn''t going to guarantee her safety?! Why didn''t you tail her?!" Chu Feng yelled at his guards, but they, having failed in their duty, didn''t dare to rebuke him.


    "Where did they go?"


    "The Bloodcrystal Valley, young master!"


    "The Bloodcrystal Valley? Forget it, punishing any of you now won''t do any good. What are you waiting for? Gather a team of hunters and head there immediately!


    "The Feng scouts just reported that he''s the fellow who killed Li Hong, and that the Li n''s heading straight for him! Chu Xun''s with him, so she might be in danger. What do you think will happen to you if she gets hurt? Even I wouldn''t be able to protect you then!"


    Chu Feng''s two guards paled as they were reminded of what the Chu head was like when he was angry, and they rushed off in a gust of wind.


    With both the Li and Chu ns mobilizing, the tension in the cksteel settlement reached an apex.


    Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others, who had left for an inn after the feast, naturally heard the news. The six of them sat before each other.


    "What should we do? They''re all going after the captain!" Fang Yi was the first to speak, his tone implying that he wasn''t going to sit still and wait.


    "What else can we do? We have to find him and help him out!" Li Feng, who tended to be shy, gathered the courage to say what they were all thinking.


    "Right, we have to help! He even shared a few superior gene fragments with us, so how can we ditch him when he''s in trouble?" Yang Ze added.


    "We certainly can''t just sit here, but given how weak we are, we won''t be able to handle a direct confrontation either." Sun Mengmeng identified the key problem.


    "Sis, we don''t have any time to waste!" Sun Xiaowu muttered worriedly.


    "Let me think for a moment. It''s exactly in such situations that we need to be careful about how we act. You know that our captain isn''t an easy fellow to deal with, and even if the Li and Chu ns work together, I doubt they''ll be able to deal with him. As for us, we need toe up with a n. If we head there without a good n, we could well expose ourselves to retaliation, and we might mess up our captain''s n as well."


    Sun Mengmeng''s analysis was spot on. If they were to rush there the moment they heard the news, they might end up more hindrance than help.


    "Since they''re headed for the captain, they must suspect that he''s the killer. Why don''t we try to muddle the waters a bit?" Fang Yi suggested.

 Chapter 50: Targeted Clash

    <h4>Chapter 50: Targeted sh</h4>


    "Muddle the waters? You mean, attack the Li n now while they''re busy chasing after him?" Sun Mengmeng asked for rification.


    Fang Yi nodded. "That''s right. However, we have to do so under the guise of our captain!"


    "Under his guise? Isn''t our captain''s identity a secret? How can we pretend to be him?" Yang Ze seemed quite confused.


    Fang Yi exined, "We might know his identity, but no one else in the settlement does, do they? To them, Li Hong''s killer is a man cloaked in ck and skilled at stealth! Can''t you pretend to be such a hunter? Can''t I? Even Sun Mengmeng could!"


    "What do you mean, even I can? I bet I could portray his likeness better than either of you with some careful makeup!" Sun Mengmeng scowled.


    "You mean, we should all disguise ourselves as the captain and strike at the Li n while they''re all gone, so as to draw attention away from him?" Yang Ze finally seemed to understand.


    Sun Mengmeng smiled. "That''s right. It sounds like a simple n, but the execution will be quite difficult. If we''re ever caught off-guard, we might easily die from the Li n''s retaliation. As a result, we''ll need a careful n of attack. I already have a few ideas in mind, but since we''re short on time, let''s talk as we head out. Pack your bags and we''ll meet at the door!"


    Momentster, six ck-d men suddenly emerged from the settlement gates. Their outer appearance made them look quite simr to Zhang Lie.


    Back in the Bloodcrystal Valley, Zhang Lie, sitting with Chu Xun near the top of the hill, was happily roasting a blood ant. After a few hours of gliding, he had harvested essentially all the blood whiskers in the Bloodcrystal Valley.


    The blood ant smelled so good that she was salivating.


    "Hey, ckie, are you done yet? I''m hungry!" Her strange nickname for Zhang Lie left much to be desired, but given her status as the prized grandchild of the Chu head, he couldn''t say much about it. He handed her a skewer from above the fire pit.


    She bit into the crispy ant meat with gusto, her lips glistening with oil.


    Just then, Zhang Lie discovered a horde of hunters from the southwest heading in their direction. He didn''t pay them much mind at first, thinking that they were from some n who had decided to hunt the blood ants, but when they were near the bottom of the hill, Zhang Lie spotted Li Jin amidst the crowd.


    Li Jin? Wasn''t he in the middle of investigating Li Hong''s death? What was he doing here? Zhang Lie nced at the hunters beneath him, then at Chu Xun by his side, instantly understanding the situation. Of course, they had to be here for him!


    Instead of panicking, however, he smiled.


    By that time, they were making such a fuss that even Chu Xun had noticed.


    "ckie, what''s going on down there? Isn''t that Li Jin and his team?"


    "I suspect they''re here for me. Well, I won''t be able to apany you anymore. If I''m not wrong, you should have a venombane-scorpion soulshard on you. Why don''t you find a ce to hide and get ready to watch the show?"


    There was no trace of urgency in Zhang Lie''s voice.


    "For you? Why, what did you do? Ah¡ªyou couldn''t have been the one who killed his brother, Li Hong?!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t deny it. "He deserved it. Well, go hide! I won''t be able to spare you any attentionter."


    "No, there''s no need. Li Jin wouldn''t dare to touch me, or he would¡ª"


    "Stop talking nonsense, and never joke around with your life on the line. It''s a terrible habit to pick up, and you''ll be much safer if you just hide!" She was quite a stubborn character, but Zhang Lie would tolerate no refusal. He seemed like he would beat her up if she were to rebut him again.


    She didn''t know why, but she, who feared almost nothing in the world, instinctively backed down. Pursing her lips, she leapt up into a nearby tree and then turned invisible.


    Zhang Lie sat back down and continued enjoying his ant skewers.


    Footsteps pittered and pattered around him as Li Jin''srge group split in two. One group blocked the valley off from below, and the other, with Li Jin at the lead, headed straight for him. By the time he had finished consuming a blood ant, Li Jin was only fifty meters away.


    "Whatudable efficiency!" Zhang Lie praised. "You found me so quickly after Li Hong''s death."


    He tossed the skewer in his hand aside.


    "You bastard, you won''t be getting away today! Reveal your identity and hand over all your soulshards, and I might grant you a painless death. Otherwise, I''ll make you regret being born!"


    "You think someone like you deserves to know my name, to hand over my soulshards? You''ll make me regret being born? What a joke!"


    Zhang Lie spat on Li Jin''s shoes.


    "Li Hong deserved to die. If you back down now, I''ll spare you on ount of the uing Void Cup! Otherwise, the five ns of the cksteel settlement might soon be four, you understand?"


    "Haha! You, a lone hunter, capable of bringing down the Li n? What a farce! Today, I''ll show you what it means to be dominated by absolute strength! Charge! Destroy him!"


    Zhang Lie''s brash words hadpletely enraged Li Jin. On hismand, his gathered hunters shot toward Zhang Lie like arrows loosed from a bow.


    Zhang Lie leapt down from the hill.


    "You think I haven''t nned for this? Ranged attackers, prepare to loose!" With Li Jin''s shout, arrows brimming with all colors of gic energy shot toward Zhang Lie, forming what seemed like a multicolored ready to entrap him.


    Of course, Zhang Lie anticipated this. He curled his arms around his body and began to twist rapidly as he went into a dive, repelling the projectiles with the force of the wind around him. Only a rare few made it past the wind barrier and onto his white-grub armor, but they had been sapped of most of their momentum and were all but harmless.


    Zhang Lie''s speed was so extreme that, after the first wave of ranged attacks, he had already flown out of range. As he glided over thergest cave in the valley, where the strongest blood ants were located, he threw a little ck and red object inside.

 Chapter 51: Blood Ant Swarm

    <h4>Chapter 51: Blood Ant Swarm</h4>


    A gigantic explosion rocked the entire valley, and the shrill screech of ants filled the air. The blood ants of the Bloodcrystal Valley werepletely enraged, and they swarmed out of each and every cave.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie, who was still gliding in the air, seemed to vanish from sight.


    "A stealth-type soulshard!" Li Jin''s face turned ugly: he realized what Zhang Lie was trying to do. But since he was here with all his elites, how could he just let Zhang Lie retreat? He would make a mockery of himself if he were to do so!


    "Block the valley entrance and spread sh powder everywhere. Trap him inside the valley¡ªwe''ll see how long he can hide!"


    sh powder was quickly tossed into the air upon Li Jin''s orders, but it didn''t have any effect. Zhang Lie truly seemed to have disappeared.


    At the mouth of the valley, the rampaging blood ants, led by a superior-grade blood ant, shed with hunters of the Li n.


    "Heh, do you think you can kill us just with this swarm of ants? With our numbers, the superior-grade blood ant will be no more than an additional reward for our trouble! You won''t leave this valley alive!" Li Jin''s shout boomed through the entire valley. Zhang Lie, stealthed by a secluded crag, naturally ignored his words.


    However, just because he ignored it didn''t mean that other creatures would¡ªfor instance, the rampaging superior-grade blood ant, furious that its cave had been partially destroyed.


    Upon hearing Li Jin''s shout, it shot a blood arrow toward him.


    "Shield!" Li Jin yelled out. The elites surrounding him immediately used their shielding techniques, protecting Li Jin and his vicinity in a dense, multicolored barrier formed from ovepping shields.


    The barrier and blood arrow both exploded as they came in contact with each other, and Li Jin hadn''t moved at all.


    His elites wereparable to those subordinates that he had brought with him to the venombane de. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so confident as to proim that he would kill the entire swarm of ants.


    The superior-grade blood ant, the size of a small mountain, rushed toward Li Jin when it saw that its long-ranged attack had failed. Its pincers were the size of polearms, its legs sharp and as hard as steel, its translucent wings shot through with blood-red demarcations, and its gigantic, bulbous eyes crimson with anger.


    "Defend!" Li Jin shouted again. The blood ant''s blood-red gic energy shed with Li Jin''s team''s multicolored energy, leading to a huge explosion.


    Dozens of bodies were knocked up into the air in the aftermath. Before the hunters could react, the blood ant cut them apart with its pincers.


    "Don''t try to face it head-on! Surround it and slowly exhaust its energy! Where''s the debuff team? Attack!" Li Jin yelled out.


    A small group of hunters wearing unusual pieces of armor began to approach the blood ant carefully. The rest of Li Jin''s elites began to attack and harass the blood ant, upying much of its attention.


    However, the blood ant rapidly shot out another blood arrow. At point-nk range, several of the elites were pierced by the arrow without being able to defend against the technique at all. Their bodies immediately began to crystallize, forming four blood statues at the top of the hill.


    Li Jin had only ever read about the superior-grade blood ant; he''d never seen it in person, and he hadn''t expected it would be so difficult to deal with. It had tough chitin, frightening closebat abilities, a piercing long-ranged technique, a 360-degree field of vision, and the sharp senses of a bug-type lifeform. With the multiplicative enhancement afforded by its superior-grade nature, it really had no weak points.


    However, Li Jin couldn''t take back his words now: if he were to retreat, he would have lost half a dozen elite hunters for nothing.


    "Now! Use the astral web!" Li Jinmanded, the moment the blood ant tried tounch another blood arrow.


    As he did so, the hunters who had spread out around the blood ant tossed a web into the air, covering the blood ant within it. The moment the webnded on the blood ant''s chitin, it began to screech, and the tough chitin began to steam where it touched the web.


    Each silver strand behaved like a scorching-hot steel wire. The blood ant''s movement was severely restricted. It tried to curl up its body, as though it were immensely fearful of this web.


    The astral web was woven by the natural predator of these blood ants: the astral weaver. This was a web from a superior-grade astral weaver, which Li Jin had procured at great expense. Allegedly, it would be able to restrain arge variety of bug-type lifeforms. The truth of that was ying out right before his eyes.


    Li Jin wasn''t about to give up such an opportunity. As he spread his arms, a magnificent bow and shadowy arrow emerged amidst the glow of gic energy. The bow was as tall as he was, with a radiant glow that made it obvious that it derived from a superior-grade soulshard.


    On the other hand, the shadowy arrow was so dark that it seemed to be sucking up the light all around it, evoking a primal fear from the gathered hunters. It was also derived from a superior-grade soulshard¡ªa consumable one, which boasted absolute power for one instant in time.


    Li Jin would secure this kill in one shot!


    "[ck-Winged Deicide]!"


    Li Jin drew the bow to its maximum extent. As he released it, an umbral shadow, so fast it seemed illusory,unched toward the blood ant.


    And at that moment, the superior-grade blood ant, curled up and defending itself against the astral web, suddenly stood straight up. Sensing the threat of death, it immediately used the one technique at its disposal: [Bloodbath].


    Its exoskeleton erupted in blood-red mes, burning the astral web to cinders.


    However, by the time it freed itself, the shadow was already right by its head.


    Two blood arrows shot out from its body. It let out a grating screech as the blood-red mes covered its pincers, then swiped at the shadowy arrow directly in front of it.


    "Amazing, a sh of superior-grade techniques! ckie didn''t lie to me: hiding really did turn out to be safe and interesting!" As Chu Xun mumbled to herself, the air at the top of the hill seemed topress and fold into itself, before exploding in so extreme a manner that it sent tremors all the way down the hill.

 Chapter 52: Quick Reflexes

    <h4>Chapter 52: Quick Reflexes</h4>


    The world seemed to erupt in ck and red.


    Chu Xun, hiding a fair distance away, whooped in amazement.


    As themotion settled, a screech emerged from amidst the dust, and beams of red light shot straight toward Li Jin.


    "Shield¡ª" Li Jin, who had used the majority of his gic energy in that one blow, was in a weakened state, and would have been unable to block the blow on his own.


    Another multyered barrier sprung up around him, but this one was far weaker than the one before. It broke apart almost as soon as those beams of blood struck it, unable to block the blood arrows that had been consecrated in the blood ant''s lifeblood.


    At the same time, the superior-grade blood ant, whose pincers had been smashed apart, whose head was half-caved in, skittered out of the dust toward Li Jin.


    Three unlucky attackers were quickly cut apart. Even so, Li Jin''s elites didn''t back down. Right before them was a heavily wounded superior-grade lifeform¡ªof course they would charge forward!


    If they were able tond the finishing blow, they would get a great boon from the n, and even perhaps a little of its flesh.


    Unfortunately, they underestimated the strength of a superior-grade [Bloodbath], and a dozen hunters died in the melee.


    "Spread out and stall it! It won''t be able tost for too long!" Li Jin shouted. He was an adeptmander: [Bloodbath] was designed for head-on attacks, and if Li Jin were to be blinded by greed and sent his elites charging forward tond the finishing blow, they would surely sumb to the blood ant''sst stand.


    However, if they were to take advantage of their numerical superiority to harass the superior-grade blood ant until its [Bloodbath] wore off, Li Jin could easily im the kill without any unnecessary losses.


    Li Jin was intelligent, but the blood ant wasn''t unintelligent, either.


    After killing a dozen of his hunters and sensing that the duration of [Bloodbath] was almost over, the blood ant thought to retreat. It tried to skitter back to the Bloodcrystal Valley, but it was toote.


    "You think you can run now? Ha! Throw another astral web over it!" Li Jin shouted in glee. It was time for the harvest! He brandished a golden polearm in front of him as he rushed down from the hill.


    Another astral web appeared, tangling up the blood ant. It cried out in agony and anger, and countless mutated-grade blood ants, like an ocean of red, emerged from the valley. Unfortunately, they were too slow and too weak for Li Jin''s elites, and could hardly hope to save the superior-grade blood ant.


    "[Radiant sh]!" Gic energy extended the de of Li Jin''s polearm until it was seven or eight meters tall, then swiped down with immutable force.


    With a screech, the superior-grade blood ant, weakened after its use of [Bloodbath], crashed to the ground. As the golden energy-de prated its body, arge piece of its carapace fell off.


    Then came the steel of the actual de, reinforced with superior-grade materials. It left a huge gash in the blood ant''s body, but at the same time, the blood ant, which seemed to have given up retaliatingpletely, suddenly shot a blood arrow at Li Jin.


    The blood arrow was an extremely rapid attack, and even Li Jin wouldn''t be able to dodge it at close range.


    However, Li Jin had anticipated thisst-ditch effort. The moment the blood arrow appeared, a sturdy, intricate tortoiseshell shield appeared in Li Jin''s hands. It was sorge that it almost covered Li Jin''s bodypletely. From its intricacy and majesty, it was obvious that it was also derived from a superior-grade soulshard.


    As the young head of the Li n, Li Jin naturally had all manner of superior-grade soulshards.


    With a dull thud, the blood arrow was unable to prate the shield, but the force of the blow was beyond Li Jin''s expectations. He stumbled back a few steps, and a trickle of blood dripped down his lips.


    Li Jin was somewhat injured, but he didn''t much care. He smiled in glee: that was likely the superior-grade blood ant''s final retaliatory blow. Now that he had ovee it, he would be able to reap its rewards.


    Unfortunately, his dreams were about to be dashed.


    The moment Li Jin moved his shield aside, he saw a ck shadow and a faint purple glimmer. His eyes widened. It was the hunter who had killed Li Hong! He was right here! All his attention had been devoted to the fight against the blood ant, and Li Jin had temporarily forgotten about Zhang Lie.


    Who would be crazy enough to wait right by the blood ant''s side until he was about to strike his finishing blow?! This clearly wasn''t something Li Jin had anticipated.


    Regardless of Li Jin''s thoughts, Zhang Lie''s de wasing right for him.


    Li Jin barely blocked it with his polearm, but his right cheek was still grazed by the ncing blow.


    The blow gave him some measure of his opponent''s strength, and his first instinct was to retreat: after all, he had suffered some injuries from the fight against the blood ant, and a prolonged fight would be disadvantageous to him.


    Unexpectedly, Zhang Lie also retreated.


    Li Jin was confused by his opponent''s actions until the will of the world announced in his mind, [You participated in the sessful kill of a superior-grade blood ant. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade blood ant, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    As the superior-grade blood ant drew its final breath, a ruby-like soulshard found its way to the ck-d man''s palm.


    "Thanks for the soulshard!" With a cheery tone that sent angry shivers through Li Jin''s body, Zhang Lie patted the superior-grade blood ant''s carcass and vanished with it from Li Jin''s sight.


    "Just you wait! If I don''t mince you to pieces today, I''ll renounce my name!"


    His face was such a deep red that it was shocking that he didn''t explode right then and there.

 Chapter 53: Diversions and Distractions

    <h4>Chapter 53: Diversions and Distractions</h4>


    "Bombard the area!" Under Li Jin''smand, waves of energy spread through the area where Zhang Lie had been.


    Unfortunately, the attacks were to no avail. The veins of Li Jin''s forehead throbbed as he nced all around him, but regardless of how angry he was, it was clear that today''s mission was aplete failure.


    Not only had Zhang Lie managed to escape despite Li Jin''s overwhelming numerical superiority, he had even snatched away the superior-grade lifeform that Li Jin had spent so much effort trying to kill!


    The Li n had suffered grievous losses, but the final reward had all gone to Zhang Lie! If he were to let Zhang Lie escape now, the entire Li n would be aughing-stock. Li Jin had no choice but to dedicate even more manpower to the search.


    "Block off the entire valley and perform an exhaustive search of the grounds. Don''t let any living creature pass you by!" Li Jin''s voice was rather loud, as though he weren''t afraid that the ck-d man would overhear his ns.


    In truth, under these circumstances, it didn''t matter whether or not he could: Li Jin''s n was the simplest, but also most direct and effective, approach. If even an exhaustive search weren''t enough to hunt down the other party, Li Jin would have no further recourse.


    The Li elites on the hill systematically started scouting the area, whereas those in the valley left carnage in their wake as they pushed further inside the valley in search of Zhang Lie.


    What Li Jin didn''t know was that, while all his elites were in the Bloodcrystal Valley, several locations outside the cksteel settlement and under Li control were under attack.


    The blue-squirrel stream was located in a mountainous region by the southeastern side of the cksteel settlement, so named for the blue-tailed squirrels that weremonly found around it, and was the closest territory controlled by the Li n in that direction.


    These blue-tailed squirrels were generally regr-grade and possessed rtively weakbat abilities. However, their soulshards would dramatically increase a hunter''s agility, and were therefore in high demand. As a result, the Li n had taken over the area.


    Under usual circumstances, there would be heavy security around the region, but at that moment it was barely guarded.


    A few figures outside the stream were using a pair of binocrs to determine the strength of the remaining guards.


    "Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, you were both right! There aren''t any elites around here right now!" Yang Ze cackled in glee.


    As Sun Mengmeng had predicted, Li Jin''s mobilization order would bring together the Li elites and leave the areas they controlled under scant security.


    The Li n controlled quite a few territories around the settlement, so it was still likely that there would be some areas more heavily guarded than others, but both Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had chosen to head to this particr spot.


    It was clear that they had made the right decision.


    "Don''t get too excited yet. The area''s not under heavy guard, but there are still quite a lot of hunters from the Li n around. Why don''t you consider how we''re going to proceed?" Sun Mengmeng replied, her tone casual, as though she had already devised a n.


    "With our strength, do we need a strategy at all? Can''t we just head in there and kill them all? The six of us can attack them head-on!" Yang Ze''s words had Fang Yi rapping him on the head almost instantly.


    "You fool! If we do that, what do you think the Li hunters will report to their n? Something like ''A mysterious team of hunters raided the territory while our elites were gone! We suspect they''re from a hostile n!''? Don''t forget that our goal is to divert attention from our captain! Our goal isn''t to raid the territory for resources, but to make the Li n think that we''re the true culprit!"


    Yang Ze rubbed his head. "Ah, I know! In that case, one person needs to attract the attention of the scouts, and the other five can sneak into the territory. And then¡ª"


    "If you already know the n, what''re you waiting for? Get going!"


    "Ah, me?!"


    "Of course it''s you! Your body''s the closest match to the captain''s among any of us here, and you''re water-attuned as well. Who else would it be?"


    .


    As the other five hunters watched on with stifledughter, Yang Ze, d in ck, appeared in front of the Li hunters guarding the region.


    "Who''s there?!"


    "Is this territory controlled by the Li n?" Yang Ze asked.


    "That''s right. Identify yourself! ?What are you doing here?"


    "The Li n that Li Hong belongs to?" Yang Ze asked again, without replying to any of the guard''s questions.


    His attire and speech couldn''t help reminding the guard of Li Hong''s mysterious killer, whom they had all been told to keep an eye out for. As he released his gic energy, the guard repeated, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"


    "I''m here to take your life."


    Before that guard could react, three of his fellow guards, who were gathering around him, had perished. By the time the guard turned back around, the man in ck had vanished. He could hear screamsing from within the territory.


    With all the elites in the territory gone to assist Li Jin, and with such a mysterious killer on the loose, he had no desire to fight at all.


    "Flee! Report back to the n and tell Young Master Li that the killer''s right here in our territory!" Following hismand, the dozen or so people in the territory began to run away, but in the end, there were only two survivors, one of whom was the guard who had seen Yang Ze.


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s n had gone off without a hitch.


    Li Jin rapidly heard about the news, but he was stupefied when he did. The mysterious killer who killed Li Hong had just been sighted at the blue-squirrel stream? Was this a joke? He had just faced off against that killer! How could he have gotten to the blue-squirrel stream in that short a time?


    Surely he couldn''t have gone that far¡­ could he? After all, his hunters were securing the entire area! In that case, what could be going on at the blue-squirrel stream?

 Chapter 54: Monkey in the Middle

    <h4>Chapter 54: Monkey in the Middle</h4>


    Regardless of the veracity of the information, Li Jin couldn''t spare any attention for it. So what if the blue-squirrel stream had been controlled by another party? Once he finished matters here at the Bloodcrystal Valley, he could easily reim that territory.


    Through a messenger, he ryed to those hunters at the blue-squirrel stream to hold out as long as they could. Once he was done here, he would make those raiders pay for what they had done.


    Explosions rattled the battlefield in the valley below them: up till now, both the ant swarm and Li Jin''s elite hunters had suffered significant losses from the battle.


    Of course, Li Jin''s group still had the upper hand, but the blood ants were known for their numbers and rampaging ability. The superior-grade blood ant hadmanded and reinforced territorial behavior, but now that it had perished, the only thought on their mind was to destroy all that opposed them, all that stood in their way.


    The blood ants that emerged from the caves would activate [Bloodbath] almost instantly, ramping up their offensive capabilities before charging into the midst of the hunters.


    Hunters weren''t robots, and although the Li hunters present were all elites, they would still eventually get tired. They had persisted and engaged in battle for over half an hour, and even Li Jin was getting fatigued, let alone themon hunter.


    However, the territory that Li Jin wanted to secure was toorge to control unless he used up all his reserve troops as well.


    This implied that the hunters would have no backup or recements, and that they would have to keep fighting despite the stamina drain. Sooner orter, one would falter, and the encirclement would break apart.


    And once that happened, that damned ck-d bastard would be able to escape.


    This was the oue that Li Jin most wanted to avoid. In his anger, Li Jin didn''t realize the major loophole in his n: given Zhang Lie''sbat ability, it wouldn''t be difficult at all for him to break out of the entrapment.


    "Quick, search the hilltop as fast as you can. Then, help the hunters at the bottom of the valley!" Li Jinmanded.


    Although this would decrease the efficiency of the search, it would still be preferable to the alternative.


    "Young Master Li, Chu Feng''s here!"


    Li Jin had no time or attention to spare for Chu Feng. Even worse, the Li hunters had found no sign of Chu Xun, and had no idea where she could be hiding. If something were to happen to her, the Li n could face serious repercussions.


    "Get out here, Li Jin!" Chu Feng shouted, right after Li Jin reminded his subordinates not to hurt Chu Xun if she were found.


    Li Jin scowled, knowing that he had no choice but to deal with Chu Feng now.


    On the hilltop, Li Jin and Chu Feng faced each other with their subordinates in tow.


    "Where''s my sister?" Chu Feng asked.


    "Young Master Chu, I can''t answer that question. I haven''t seen any trace of your sister around! You must have heard that the Li n''s here to catch Li Hong''s mysterious killer, and we''re not here for your sister. We were told that your sister had travelled in this direction with the mysterious killer, but if she''s here, she hasn''t revealed herself."


    Chu Feng judged that Li Jin''s words were trustworthy. Chu Xun had quite a reputation in the cksteel settlement, and he doubted that Li Jin would dare to do anything to her knowing what the Chu n would do in retribution.


    "Brother, I''m right here!" Chu Xun, seeing her brother deep in thought, leapt down from a nearby tree and ran toward him. "Brother, you''re toote! You missed the best part of the show!"


    Chu Feng huffed in mock annoyance. "Who allowed you to run around outside the settlement with a stranger you barely knew? What would I have done if something were to happen to you?"


    "Don''t worry, Brother! I can take care of myself, and if I have to run away, I have the soulshard you gave me. Brother, I bet you couldn''t have imagined what just happened!"


    In front of Li Jin, Chu Xun began describing in meticulous detail all that she had witnessed from her vantage point up on a tree.


    It was as though she had ripped open Li Jin''s wounds and scattered some salt in them. He would have attacked anyone else who dared to do so, but she was Chu Xun, beloved of the Chu n, and Chu Feng and arge group of Chu elites were right there with her.


    Li Jin could only sulk in silence. His troops were overburdened just dealing with the blood ants in the valley; he certainly couldn''t rouse the Chu n''s ire now.


    "Young Master Chu, since you''ve found your sister, I won''t apany you any further."


    Chu Feng, who had just heard Chu Xun describe how Li Jin''s superior-grade blood ant had been snatched from right before his eyes,ughed out loud.


    "Li Jin, I advise you to give up now. You''ve already sustained such severe losses and lost whatever reward you could have hoped to obtain: if you keep your troops fighting even longer, you''ll only end up with more casualties. And, to be frank, this sort of formation is far too easy to break out of. If I were trapped in this manner, I would have at least five different ways of escaping."


    "Young Master Chu, there''s no need to burden yourself with the Li n''s affairs. If there''s nothing else, please, leave the valley!"


    Chu Feng had spoken out of pity for Li Jin, but Li Jin was too blinded by anger to listen to reason. In that case, he needn''t waste his breath any longer. He nodded, then turned to leave with Chu Xun.


    "Brother, I don''t want to leave! ckie hasn''te out yet!"


    Chu Feng smiled. "What ckie? That mysterious hunter?"


    His sister nodded. "Yes! ?He won''t be hurt, will he?"


    "If he''s as mysterious as you im, I''m sure he''ll be able to make it out. Who''s to say he hasn''t already left?" Chu Feng told his sister, but she still seemed rather disbelieving.


    "Really? Is he already gone?"


    "Of course! When have I ever lied to you?"


    Chu Xun cocked her head for a moment, deciding whether or not to believe her brother. In the end, she gave in and departed with the main Chu coalition.


    Li Jin stared at the departing Chu n with serious doubts in his mind about whether Zhang Lie was really still around.


    "Young Master Li, that killer appeared again! He''s taken over the Thunderscale Cave!"


    Li Jin was left agape by this piece of news.

 Chapter 55: The Boundless Blade: First Form

    <h4>Chapter 55: The Boundless de: First Form</h4>


    "Retreat! Retreat at once!"


    "Young Master Li, if we retreat, all our work will be for naught!" As Li Jinmanded a retreat, one of his subordinates quickly reminded him of the consequences for doing so.


    "I said, retreat! Don''t make me say it a third time!" Li Jin was so furious that no one dared to speak up after that.


    By then, Li Jin was certain that Zhang Lie had returned to the settlement after stealing his kill using some mysterious technique. Then, he had started decimating the territories controlled by the Li n. In that case, it would be meaningless for him to stand guard here.


    Without the superior-grade blood ant, and without Li Hong''s mysterious killer, there was no reason for all of them to stay at the Bloodcrystal Valley. On the other hand, they would have to regain control of their lost territories before Zhang Lie irrevocably damaged them.


    What had urred in the valley had to be written off as a sunk cost, and he had to n for the future instead.


    Zhang Lie, hiding by the side of one of the numerous caves in the Bloodcrystal Valley, was rather surprised by the Li n''s sudden retreat. After all, he had anticipated that the furious Li Jin would expend all his manpower trawling through the caves for any sign of his existence.


    How could he retreat just like that? It bothered Zhang Lie that things weren''t going to n.


    However, he immediately came to his senses. Was he going to let Li Jin retreat just like that? Of course not!


    Zhang Lie immediately followed after the hunters of the Li n.


    By the mouth of the valley, a dozen or so hunters who were trying to retreat inadvertently left a gap in their defenses, and they were rapidly swarmed by a tide of ants. By the time the ants passed through where they were, there was nothing left of them, not even a scrap of clothing or remnant of flesh.


    "Retreat! Retreat at once!" Li Jin shouted, and his elites rapidly rushed out of the valley.


    Just as Li Jin''s team on the hilltop met up with the Li hunters in the valley, the ck-cloaked Zhang Lie emerged at the front of the gathered group.


    Li Jin waspletely stupefied.


    The ck-cloaked hunter''s aura, stature, and height were all the same as those of the hunter he had fought, and Li Jin was absolutely certain that this fellow was precisely the hunter who had stolen the superior-grade blood ant from him.


    Hadn''t he left?


    What was going on? Was the Chu n in cahoots with this hunter against the Li n? No, that couldn''t be, at least not based on Chu Feng''s reaction to the whole affair.


    In that case, could this mysterious hunter have been working with a few aplices?


    It didn''t matter: the truth would be revealed as soon as he caught him.


    Li Jin stopped short, forcing the rest of the Li hunters behind him to do the same. In ordinary circumstances, such a halt wouldn''t be a big deal, but there was a veritable sea of ants chasing after them.


    "Young Master Li, hurry up! You can''t fall behind!" The hunters by his side immediately began to run forward again, as did Li Jin, but his sudden halt had doomed the Li hunters unlucky enough to be at the end of the group.


    The ant tide imed a dozen more elites.


    They were running over a t expanse ofnd now, and the terrain was far more disadvantageouspared to the narrow, constricted valley.


    "Rush forward at full speed, but try to catch that guy if you see an opportunity!" Li Jinmanded the guards beside him, then rushed out of the crowd of hunters.


    Evidently, he was still very interested in subduing Zhang Lie, figuring out just who he was, reacquiring his spoils of battle, and then killing him.


    As for Zhang Lie, his intention was evident: to attract Li Jin''s attention, prevent the Li hunters from escaping the ant tide, and whittle down their numbers as much as he could. And if there were an opportunity, he would try his best to kill Li Jin. After all, Li Jin''s soulshards were far too tempting to resist.


    The moment he appeared in front of the Li hunters, Zhang Lie had begun amassing gic energy. Now, he evoked the overwhelming majesty of the ocean, threatening to drown them in either his attack or in the sea of ants behind them.


    Li Jin was caughtpletely off-guard by the strength that the mysterious hunter showed. Zhang Lie''s sneak attack from before had left Li Jin with a rather negative impression of his capabilities. He certainly didn''t expect that his mysterious opponent would disy a strength rivaling that of the top twenty hunters on the gene leaderboard.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" As Zhang Lie thrust downward with Venombane, the frothing water-attuned gic energy transformed into a gigantic carp, which seemed as though it would swallow the Li hunters whole.


    "[Golden Dawn]!" Li Jin stood his ground against the gigantic carp, striking at it with his golden polearm. A ferocious gold-furred tiger coalesced from the energy gathered around the polearm and pounced toward the carp.


    The sh of gic energy created an explosion of gold and blue.


    Zhang Lie, his gic energy almost all consumed after that one strike, darted into a dense patch of forest without even ncing at the oue of his attack. After all, his strike wasn''t meant to kill Li Jin, but instead to block him and his fellow hunters from escaping.


    That Li Jin had to defend himself against the attack was enough: he and his entire group had to halt lest they were caught up in the explosion. This wouldn''t normally be a problem, but, after all, their circumstances were hardly normal. Behind them was a tide of red ants, nipping at their heels.


    Each time Li Jin and his group halted, they would suffer grievous losses. Zhang Lie''s one de had caused the red tide to surround half his group.


    It was then that Li Jin realized Zhang Lie''s true intentions: to kill him, to kill the Li elites that he had spent so much effort developing, to kill them all within this bloody sea of ants!


    He gritted his teeth, feeling as though he had never hated someone sopletely before.


    "You''d better not let me catch you, or you''ll wish that you had died in this valley today!" Li Jin muttered to himself, then turned to one of his trusted aides. "Li Quan, escape with the rest of the hunters. I''ll take care of that hunter myself!"


    Li Jin darted into the dense forest before Li Quan could respond.


    As soon as he did so, arge explosion erupted from behind him. Beneath a billowing mushroom cloud of dust, the remaining hunters, led by Li Quan, werepletely trapped amidst the sea of ants.


    Zhang Lie had anticipated what Li Jin would do, and he had buried a fewndmines underneath the patch ofnd that the Li hunters would have to pass through.


    Chaos descended on the group. The explosion itself wasn''t particrly damaging, given the hunters'' protective auras of gic energy, but it slowed them down significantly, giving the tide of ants a chance to swallow them whole.


    "Quick! We have to break through at all costs!" Li Quan yelled, gic energy exploding from his body as he tried to forge a path out of the sea of ants.


    However, not all the Li hunters present were as strong as he was.

 Chapter 56: The Wealthy Li Clan

    <h4>Chapter 56: The Wealthy Li n</h4>


    After a short skirmish, only about a dozen elites escaped the ants'' entrapment, leaving the remaining hunters to drown in the sea of ants. This would undoubtedly be the worst day the Li n had experienced for years toe.


    "You damnable bastard, get out here!" Li Jin yelled out hoarsely, having witnessed the death of so many of his subordinates, but Zhang Lie had vanished as though he were a ghost.


    In fury, Li Jin tossed out a glowing white orb, which exploded in mid-air in a dizzying array of light.


    This white orb was a rare, consumable soulshard that could break all manner of stealth. As a consumable, its only selling point was its reliability: it was otherwise expensive, shortsting, and with a small area of effect, and wasn''t something an ordinary hunter could afford.


    The stealthed Zhang Lie was slowly revealed by the light.


    "You even have that gimmick? You should really have used it earlier, huh?"


    Zhang Lie walked up to him, still shielding his eyes from the light. He didn''t seem at all anxious that he had been discovered.


    "Die!" Li Jin, enraged beyond belief, shot a golden spear in his direction.


    Zhang Lie dashed to one side, not wanting to pit his strength or gic energy against Li Jin''s in his weakened state. Nevertheless, he was as calm as ever.


    "You were struck by my de, but you don''t seem poisoned at all, so you must have some superior-grade soulshard that grants poison immunity. Not bad, not bad! As expected of the sessor to the Li corporation¡ªyou must have at least five superior-grade soulshards on you! How about this? If you hand over your soulshards, I''ll spare your life."


    "You think you can handle me?" Li Jin dashed forward andunched a flurry of attacks at Li Jin.


    As he did so, Zhang Lie activated the superior-grade blood-ant soulshard he had just obtained, encapsting Zhang Lie in a cloud of mysterious red steam.


    Li Jin headed right into the cloud. He felt a sudden impact and saw a spray of blood, his pupils contracting. Before he could react, he suddenly felt a chill in his extremities, and he fell paralyzed to the ground.


    From start to finish, Li Jin had seen nothing but a red blur at the edge of his vision.


    In truth, even Zhang Lie was amazed by the increase in his strength.


    "Argh! Aren''t the side effects of this soulshard a little too extreme?!"


    Of course, the stronger the enhancement, the stronger its side effects. After that one attack, Zhang Lie slumped against the ground, feeling as though his body was melting in a heap of moltenva.


    Even Zhang Lie, who had gotten used to all sorts of injuries in his past life, was whining in pain, his teeth and fists tightly clenched. Fortunately, he had only activated the soulshard for a short period of time, and the pain was quickly dissipating.


    Within ten seconds, it had receded to a level that Zhang Lie could tolerate.


    As for Li Jin, when he heard Zhang Lieining about the soulshard, he was so enraged that he almost spat out blood. He hadn''t expected that the soulshard would provide such an extreme boost, as though he were facing a hunter magnitudes stronger than himself.


    Of course, most frustrating was the fact that he had been so close to obtaining the soulshard himself!


    "Who exactly are you? Why are you targeting the Li n?!" As hey on the ground paralyzed, he had no choice but to ept the reality that he had been downed in a single blow.


    "If I told you, I''d have to kill you," Zhang Lie replied. "I don''t bear any ill will toward the Li n, and I haven''t been targeting it. To be frank, it''s too weak to be worth my time. Li Hong tried to steal a kill that was rightfully mine, and then to ughter the witnesses nearby. And what about you? If you''re bringing such arge horde of hunters intending to kill me, I''m obligated to act in self-defense, aren''t I?"


    Li Jin couldn''t help butugh in self-mocking. He''d grown too used to dominating over the hunters in the cksteel settlement, but he had no idea when someone like Zhang Lie had emerged from the cksteel settlement.


    "A superior-grade stealth-type soulshard, and a ck cloak... you couldn''t be..."


    Li Jin was stupefied. Who else could this mysterious hunter in front of him be? It had to be the hunter in the venombane de who had toyed with the representatives of the sixrgest ns of the cksteel settlement!


    "Are you sure you want to keep guessing?" Zhang Lie asked, giving his de a few casual swings.


    He wasn''t too worried about his identity being revealed. After the auction he''d attended, along with the bountiful harvest from the ckwater sands, he was just about ready to concoct Potion #2. Once he did so, he would have nothing and no one to fear within the cksteel settlement.


    Whether or not Li Jin could hazard a guess as to his true identity was irrelevant.


    "Hand over your soulshards, and I just might spare your life!" Zhang Lie offered again.


    "How can you guarantee it?"


    "What guarantee do I need? You can choose whether or not to hand over your soulshards, but are you sure you want to risk your life on the gamble?"


    Zhang Lie held Venombane directly above Li Jin''s heart, then slowly lowered his hand. It sliced throughyer afteryer of armor, piercing the skin...


    "Wait, wait! I''ll hand them over!" Li Jin sumbed to his fear the moment Venombane drew blood. Was there anyone who didn''t fear death? All conscious life had an innate fear of its antithesis.


    Once Li Jin made up his mind, he instantly handed over five superior-grade soulshards. Four were weapons, and thest was augmentation-type.


    Of the four weapons, Zhang Lie had seen three of them: a longbow as tall as he was, a resplendent golden polearm, and a sturdy, intricate tortoiseshell shield. Thest weapon was an obsidian spear curved like a snake. All four weapons were high quality, and he would dly collect as many such soulshards as he could find.


    The augmentation-type soulshard took the form of a green bead. ording to Li Jin, this bead could negate the effects of arge ss of poisons, and once absorbed into a hunter''s soulspace, it would dramatically increase that hunter''s self-healing capabilities, even allowing for limited regrowth of flesh and limb.


    Zhang Lie was very pleased to have obtained five superior-grade soulshards in one fell swoop, and he had to admire the Li n''s wealth.

 Chapter 57: Handing Out Soulshards

    <h4>Chapter 57: Handing Out Soulshards</h4>


    "Not bad. Do you have any more?"


    Zhang Lie''s face was the epitome of greed. But under these circumstances, no matter how excessive his demands were, Li Jin could only agree to them with a smile.


    "You want mutated-grade soulshards too?"


    "Of course! Those are still points, after all."


    Li Jin''s eyebrow twitched, but he opened up his soulspace again. In another blinding sh of light, more than thirty mutated-grade soulshards, each like a resplendent gem, appeared in front of Zhang Lie.


    This time, he was toozy to even inspect each one. Instead, he swept them all up into his potbellied-toad pouch. This was essentially all the profit that Zhang Lie could extract from Li Jin.


    "Very good. For your sincerity, I''ll spare your life!"


    Zhang Lie''s sword gleamed as he stabbed down past Li Jin''s chest and splintered his gic core. From that moment on, Li Jin would forever be a cripple.


    "No! Why?! I''ve done everything you told me to! Why?!" Li Jin roared in rage.


    "Of course it''s because I don''t want you to seek revenge. You''re not a threat to me, but it would be quite annoying. And now, I won''t have to worry. See you around!"


    Zhang Lie whistled as he walked away, quickly vanishing from Li Jin''s sight, leaving him alone in the forest, howling, "Bastard, kill me! I dare you to kill me!"


    By then, Zhang Lie was too far away to hear his screams.


    He headed back to the settlement to deposit his spoils for the day. Coincidentally, outside the settlement, he found quite a few ck-cloaked hunters dressed exactly like him. He was currently stealthed, and when he walked closer, he immediately discovered their identity.


    "Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Sun Mengmeng... what are the three of you doing?"


    The three of them had been hiding by the settlement grounds and scoping out the Li n''s movements, and the sudden voice that seemed toe from midair gave them all a big shock.


    However, they quickly realized that that voice was very familiar.


    "Captain! I recognize your voice, it has to be you!"


    "Are you safe now?"


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s concerned tone left Zhang Lie a little confused. "What trouble could I be in?"


    "Weren''t you caught by the Li n?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "How did you guys know about this?"


    Fang Yi was speechless. "News about the Li n''s mobilization was spread throughout the settlement! How could we not hear about it?"


    Zhang Lie patted his head. "Ah, that''s right, it would have caused a bigmotion. In that case, what are you doing here?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "What else? Of course we''re trying to divert the Li n''s attention! How are you? Were you injured?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head, seeming to have guessed something. "No wonder Li Jin was trying to retreat! You made a ruckus somewhere, didn''t you? Alright, alright, rein everyone back in! We can''t bully the Li n too much, can we?"


    Zhang Lie''s words confused the three hunters. In truth, they couldn''t imagine what dreadful odds he had faced, alone against a veritable horde of Li hunters. So what was with this talk of bullying?


    "We''ll talk back at the inn," Zhang Lie added, then began walking toward the settlement gates..


    While the hunters didn''t quite understand the situation, the fact that Zhang Lie was so unperturbed must have meant that there was nothing to worry about. They immediately recalled the other three hunters to the ckgold Inn.


    It was when they saw the five resplendent, egg-sized superior-grade soulshards lying on a table that they realized what Zhang Lie had meant by ''bullying''.


    They gaped at Zhang Lie''s spoils.


    Was there something wrong with the news that they had heard? Could it be that the captain had surrounded the Li n with his own hunters instead? No, that couldn''t be! The entire settlement was in an uproar about the Li n''s mobilization: how could there have been a mistake?


    "Captain, how did you... What happened?!" Fang Yi could hardly believe his eyes.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I just took advantage of two opposing forces."


    Sun Mengmeng suddenly cried out, "The blood ants of the Bloodcrystal Valley? You managed to provoke a superior-grade blood ant into attacking Li Jin?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Good guess. ?Li Jin wasn''t weak, but his experience as amander was far too limited, and I was able to take advantage of his naivete. I destroyed his gic core, and about four-fifths of his elites were killed in the fight against the blood ants. I suppose soon there''ll only be five great ns in the cksteel settlement¡ªor, I suppose, four."


    The gathered hunters nced at their captain in shock, hearing his words but not being able to process them. Was he still human? He alone had caused such massive destruction amidst the ranks of the Li n?


    Zhang Lie ignored their stupefied looks.


    "You all did well causing a distraction, and you made Li Jin panic near the very end. As the team leaders, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, take your pick of one of these five soulshards!"


    What? Surely they must have misheard?


    These were superior-grade soulshards, so rare and precious that there were never any on the trading post, not that they would ever be able to afford any. Zhang Lie would let them pick one, just like that?


    "Isn''t this t-too much?" Fang Yi stammered.


    When he had volunteered to take action against the Li n to distract them from Zhang Lie, he didn''t anticipate that this would be the reward.


    "Don''t look so shocked. Don''t you think I understand that you could well have perished given the risk you took? You might even have implicated your families! Your willingness to help me out despite such a massive risk to yourselves is worth far more to me than a superior-grade soulshard."


    A moment of stunned silence passed, then two. They were just ordinary hunters trying to grow strong, still nothing more than weaklings on the pecking order. What they had aplished at risk to their own lives was something that barely affected Zhang Lie, but he understood their struggles and was rewarding them for it.


    From that moment, they truly developed a sense of loyalty to Zhang Lie.


    Not any ordinary leader would be willing to hand over such preciousmodities to their subordinates. In the dimensional world, where strength was power, who would give up such a rare source of strength? Familial ties had been broken for less.


    Fang Yi picked up the obsidian spear with the snake motif, and Sun Mengmeng the sunbird bow.


    "Captain, I, Sun Mengmeng, pledge my eternal loyalty to you!"


    This was a superior-grade soulshard, a superior-grade soulshard, something that even some among the top fifty hunters in the settlement didn''t have! And now, she had one of her own, one that was particrlypatible with her own attack style.


    This particr soulshard would double¡ªno, triple, at least¡ªher strength. In the past, she would have to work together with her teammates to kill a few strong mutated-grade lifeforms, but now, with superior gene fragments and this superior-grade armament, she thought she would be able to kill them alone with just one arrow.

 Chapter 58: Frightening Statistics

    <h4>Chapter 58: Frightening Statistics</h4>


    Fang Yi felt exactly the same way. His new obsidian spear would be as powerful an augmentation as Sun Mengmeng''s sunbird bow.


    Instead of ttering Zhang Lie as he was wont to do, however, Fang Yi simply looked Zhang Lie deeply in the eyes. Sometimes, that was all themunication that was needed.


    After handing Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng each a superior-grade soulshard, Zhang Lie kept the remaining three. He was intending on keeping the soulshard with the potent regenerative ability for himself and handing the other two soulshards out, but now wasn''t the right time: the other hunters would first need to develop skills of their own, and handing them such a strong weapon now would affect their growth negatively.


    He wasn''t even sure he had made the right decision with regard to Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng.


    He couldn''t help reminding them, "You should all know where I got these soulshards from, and you''d better be wary of activating in public. You understand what I mean, don''t you?"


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng nodded earnestly.


    They were well aware of the trouble that could result if anyone saw them using those soulshards, and they immediately affirmed that they would avoid using them in sight of other hunters if at all possible.


    Zhang Lie rxed, then turned to the other hunters.


    "Don''t get too jealous. As long as you all follow me loyally, I won''t be stingy with you. I promise that, before you all take part in the Void Cup, you''ll each have at least one superior-grade soulshard of your own."


    The other hunters whooped and proimed their loyalty, pledging that they would follow hime hell or high water.


    In truth, who wouldn''t want a captain like Zhang Lie? He was strong, practical, intelligent, resourceful, and, most importantly, generous.


    After handing out the soulshards, Zhang Lie once again sent them on their way, indicating that they should start surveying the superior-grade lifeforms from the booklet he had given them.


    As for himself, he was preparing to cook the prey he had hunted that day: the superior-grade blood ant.


    Since he was going to consume it, he would have to remove its exoskeleton, which would serve as excellent raw material for forging.


    Zhang Lie was very careful to preserve as much of the chitin as he could. He was nning to use the superior-grade blood ant''s chitin, along with the venombane scorpion''s carapace, to construct superior-grade armor for himself.


    In that case, he would possess both a superior-grade weapon and superior-grade armor.


    After deftly removingrge pieces of chitin and storing them in his pouch, Zhang Lie finally began to prepare the ant flesh.


    The superior-grade blood ant''s flesh was white, and looked no different from crab meat. It wasn''t as fresh as seafood, but its superior-grade nature gave it a surprisingly delectable texture, much like that of marbled beef.


    There were many ways of preparing ant meat, steaming and frying being the mostmon among them. Zhang Lie chose the technique he was most familiar with: frying.


    He dipped strips of marinated ant meat in a boiling-hot pot of oil, turning the white meat an appealing golden-orange. A mouthwatering scent filled the entire room.


    Zhang Lie let the strips cool down for a moment, and then ate them piping-hot. As he consumed the veritable mountain of meat, the will of the world announced in his mind:


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade blood ant, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 26]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade blood ant, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 27]


    [...one superior gene fragment. Current total: 33]


    He spent two whole days solely eating and cultivating, and finally finished thest piece of meat on the afternoon of the second day. All in all, he had gained eight superior gene fragments, and was now at a grand total of 33.


    This alone would put him within the top twenty hunters of the cksteel settlement.


    It was rtively easy to hunt regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms, but far more difficult to hunt superior-grade ones. Not only were they difficult to track down, they were also difficult to kill. A regr team of hunters, all of whom had maxed out their mutated gene capacity, would need ten or more members in order to kill even the weakest superior-grade lifeform.


    The additional superior gene fragments that Zhang Lie gained strengthened his body and constitution. Over thest two days, as he digested the nutrients from the superior-grade meat, his [Ninecarp Transformation] reached the peak of the first form, and he felt as though he would be able to advance to the second form after consuming the flesh of one or two more superior-grade creatures.


    Zhang Lie was a little curious as to just how strong his evolving framework would be then. His current stats were already extremely impressive, so what would further evolution bring?


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, First Form: Carp


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (advanced), Three-Wave Crescendo (advanced), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (novice), The Boundless de (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 33


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior)


    He had reached and long since exceeded the regr gene capacity, reached the mutated gene capacity, obtained 33 superior gene fragments, and had broken through with his foundational framework.


    His three high-grade techniques, [Rippling Walk], [Three-Wave Crescendo], and [Calm Waters] had all reached advanced-level, and the pinnacle-grade [Fists of the Silent Sea] and the mythic-grade [The Boundless de] were all at novice-level.


    As for his soulshards, he had the utilitarian transformation-type white-grub soulshard, the armament-type venombane-scorpion soulshard, which endowed him with powerful stealth and poison capabilities, the augmentation-type blood-ant soulshard, which granted him an extremely powerful boost, and the particrly rare augmentation-type eternalspring-cocoon soulshard, which boasted supreme regenerative abilities.


    And all four were superior-grade soulshards.


    Zhang Lie was certainly as strong as the top ten hunters on the gene leaderboard at present, and once he concocted Potion #2 and broke through the mutated gene capacity, he would easily be able to take on the top ten hunters on the gene leaderboard even if they came at him together.


    He would soon be past the most difficult stage of his reincarnation, in which he was still weak and had to use all sorts of tricks to shore up his strength, and would quickly advance to the second stage of his n: leading mankind to salvation.


    Speaking of Potion #2, it had been over a week since he had requested that the auction house acquire the ingredients he needed, so he opened the trading post interface to contact his representative there.

 Chapter 59: An Unexpected Profit

    <h4>Chapter 59: An Unexpected Profit</h4>


    "Honored Mr. Peppercorn, I''m ted to be serving you today. Might I ask what services I may render for you?"


    Zhang Lie was able to contact the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion without much effort. Perhaps because he was a million-ss customer, he was afforded significant respect. The customer representative serving him today was, once again, Daffodil.


    "I''d like to ask about the order I ced with you around a week ago. How many of the herbs have you managed to acquire?"


    Daffodil''s tone was regretful. "I apologize, Mr. Peppercorn, but we haven''t been able toplete your order despite prioritizing it."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help frowning. "You haven''t? In that case, how much progress have you made?"


    Daffodil was silent for a moment, as though she were pulling up the relevant file. "At the moment, we''re still missing the bear''s-heart grass, electrode leaf, jadeconch flower, and amethyst starfruit, Mr. Peppercorn."


    "Only these four ingredients?!" Zhang Lie was bbergasted. After all, he had handed Daffodil a list of over a hundred ingredients. Most were herbs used for Potion #2, as well as a few supplementary ones for Potion #3. To think that Daffodil had managed to acquire all but four in just a week!


    "Yes, Mr. Peppercorn! Of the four remaining ingredients, we expect to be able to acquire the jadeconch flower and amethyst starfruit rtively quickly, but there''s currently a shortage of bear''s-heart grass and electrode leaf with our suppliers at the moment. Once again, I apolog¡ª"


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. I''m already quite amazed by your efficacy so far. Send me what you have now, and I''ll try to obtain thest two ingredients on my own."


    Zhang Lie had sent Daffodil this list of ingredients just to chance his luck, and while he had anticipated some sess, he hadn''t imagined how effective delegating this task had been.


    In hindsight, however, it wasn''t unexpected. At present, herblore wasrgely a neglected field, and had hardly developed into the enterprise it had been for the past Zhang Lie.


    Now was, without a doubt, the best time to acquire rare herbs and resources whose uses were yet unknown.


    Zhang Lie immediately sent points over for the gathered ingredients, then passed another list of ingredients to Daffodil to be sourced and purchased, with herbs even rarer and of higher- quality than those in the previous list.


    The Thousand-Treasure Pavilion was happy to receive such bulk requests from as direct and easygoing a customer as Zhang Lie, and Daffodil replied that she would do her best to acquire as many ingredients on the list as she could. After all, the Pavilion stood to make quite a significant profit from the sale, even excluding the fee that Zhang Lie had to pay for such requests.


    Zhang Lie knew about this, but he didn''t mind at all. As long as he had all the necessary ingredients, he would be able to increase their value hundredfold, even thousandfold.


    Within five minutes, three ck sock-like sacks were teleported to Zhang Lie''s room. These socks served a simr purpose as Zhang Lie''s potbellied-toad pouch. They didn''t look very impressive from the outside, but from the inside, each was a pocket of expanded space.


    Zhang Lie inspected each sock and found them all stuffed to the brim with box after box of herbs, a dizzying sight to behold.


    "Haha, I''m rich!" He couldn''t help whooping in joy before calming himself down and carefully sorting through the herbs.


    He dumped out the herbs in the three socks, then returned the socks to the teleportation device. Because of the unexpected haul, he was just one ingredient away from Potion #2: all he was missing was bear''s-heart grass.


    Most importantly, this grass wasn''t a precious ingredient, just one that wasn''t toomon in the dimensional world, and one that was easily mixed up with a moremon herb, which led to shortages from time to time.


    As an aplished pillmaster in his own right, Zhang Lie essentially had an invaluablependium of herbs stored in his mind. In fact, he knew of five locations in the first realm in which bear''s-heart grass grew, and none of them were particrly dangerous.


    He immediately left the inn, but rather than heading outside, he turned toward the settlement''s forge. It was true that he was impatient to concoct Potion #2, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t marshal his emotions and keep them in check. A lifetime of experience told him that it was precisely in such situations that he would have to be most patient and careful.


    It was already evening, and nighttime in the dimensional world was dangerous indeed. It wasn''t as though the bear''s-heart grass wouldn''t be there in the morning, and he could spend the night preparing to brew the concoction before gathering the grass tomorrow instead.


    The reason he was venturing out into the settlement now was to have his superior-grade armor made. He was filled with anticipation for the armor that would result frombining the superior-grade venombane scorpion''s carapace and the superior-grade blood ant chitin. After all, he had a rtivelyplete set of the two superior-grade lifeforms'' exoskeletons.


    The settlement was extremely lively at night. There were all sorts of robots in the settlement that provided unique services that every hunter made use of.


    Zhang Lie headed to the S-ranked robotic forge. This was the most expensive forge in the settlement, with the costliest fee but also the best service. It exclusively epted custom-made requests using superior-grade ingredients.


    After having his identity verified, a robotic voice said, "Wee, Mr. Zhang Lie. What may I help you with today?"


    "I''d like to craft a superior-grade armor."


    "Very good. What materials will you be supplying, and in what proportion?"


    "60% superior-grade blood ant chitin, 30% S-gold alloy, and 10% superior-grade venombane-scorpion carapace."


    "Please hand over the materials."


    The lid of arge chest in the room slid open, and Zhang Lie quickly deposited his materials inside. He added, "There''s S-gold alloy here, isn''t there? I''ll pay the standard price in points for its use."


    As the lid of the box retracted, the robotic voice sounded again, "I understand. Please confirm your selection.


    Equipment: superior-grade armor.


    Materials: superior-grade blood ant chitin, superior-grade venombane-scorpion carapace, S-gold alloy.


    Cost: 800,000 points.


    Duration: 12 hours.


    Once you confirm the order, you will be asked to select a design for the piece of equipment you wish to forge."


    A screen appeared before Zhang Lie''s eyes, detailing the choices he had made.


    Zhang Lie nced over the contents of the screen briefly, then confirmed the order.

 Chapter 60: Encounter at the Bar

    <h4>Chapter 60: Encounter at the Bar</h4>


    After Zhang Lie handed over the appropriate number of points, a design interface popped up. There were quite a lot of options possible, and he would have to choose the design he preferred most. Once he made his selection, the process was over: the robotic forge would take care of the grueling forging process for him.


    All he had to do now was wait. In twelve hours, he could either return to the forge to collect the armor, or have it teleported to where he was.


    It was rare that he would head to the center of the settlement, so instead of returning to the ckgold Inn, Zhang Lie took a stroll around the stores all around the area. It was reminiscent of the heart of a metropolis. The storesrgely belonged to the settlement itself, with only a rare few being owned¡ªat significant expense¡ªby the six great ns.


    Zhang Lie stopped by a pub.


    The dimensional world was rife with danger, and the hunters who fought here day and night lived in primal stress. The struggle and pressure to survive was magnitudes more intense than one would normally experience out on Earth, and methods to relieve said stress weremensurately more popr.


    In fact, the entire street was filled with bars.


    The reason Zhang Lie stopped in front of this specific bar was because it seemed to be owned by the Yun n.


    "Wee!" Upon seeing the ck-cloaked Zhang Lie, two hostesses rapidly walked over. "Why don''t youe in and have a drink? We''ve justunched our newest offering, an electrifying liquor that''s sure to leave your throat sizzling!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "In that case, I''ll have to give it a try."


    The two hostesses were naturally overjoyed to have roped in a paying customer, and they immediately weed him in. The interior of the bar was like a different world entirely. The music was so loud that the entire bar trembled in beat. ?Hunters, wearing all sorts of strange clothing and even armor, were syed out in the bar, intermittently visible under the multicolored, strobing lights.


    The hostesses brought Zhang Lie to a secluded corner and handed him a menu, which Zhang Lie didn''t even nce at. "I''ll have a sk of that electrifying liquor you mentioned!"


    The two hostesses reared their heads in surprise, and one carefully whispered in his ear, "Sir, have you looked at the price?"


    .


    Zhang Lie nced at the menu, and his eyes bulged in shock.?800 points for a sk?! Isn''t this daylight robbery?


    He should have returned to the inn! But he''d already said that he would get a sk of that liquor, so it would be embarrassing to take back his words now.


    "Serve me a sk!" he repeated, waving his hand in mockrgesse.


    "Sir, would you like an escort?" Zhang Lie nced around to see hostesses apanying guests at all the tables around him.


    "No, no, there''s no need. I''m just here to enjoy the atmosphere." Zhang Lie rejected the offer and sent the two hostesses away.


    He''d been to bars on Earth, but never in the dimensional world. It was certainly an... interesting experience.


    The tables in the pub were rtively close together, and the guests at a neighboring table were easily able to overhear Zhang Lie''s order.


    One hunter, dressed in a ck and white suit, couldn''t helpughing at Zhang Lie''s appearance. "What''s this baring to? I thought it catered to a rather distinguished clientele, so how did someone like him make it in here? He''s just a country bumpkin ying at wealth¡ªdid you see how his eyes bulged when he learned how expensive the new wine was?"


    There were people who enjoyed causing trouble everywhere, weren''t there? Zhang Lie was just trying to have a new experience or two, and then...


    "You think you''re all that?" Zhang Lie turned to the boorish guest.


    When the other hunters at the table heard him talk back, they immediately made a fuss.


    "Eh, the bumpkin''s getting mad!"


    "Do you know whom you''re speaking to? The second son of the head of the Qin n, one of the tenrgest ns of the cksteel settlement!"


    "Bumpkin, it''s not toote to apologize. Otherwise, if you offend him, you won''t be able to survive in the cksteel settlement for much longer!"


    "Don''t you know how valuable Young Master Qin''s time is? And here you are, getting mad at having his attention!"


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "What ten major ns? Aren''t there only six in the settlement? Is this the same Qin n that Qin Xiao''s in?"


    Some of the hunters at the neighboring table stood up, enraged.


    "What, you don''t know the Qin n?"


    "You bumpkin, you''d better apologize now, or I guarantee you won''t be taking a step out of this bar today!"


    "I pity your teammates, saddled with an ignorant fool like you! You''d better kneel down and apologize now. Young Master Qin obtained a superior-grade soulshard today, and he''s feeling rather generous at the moment, so he might spare you if you show him proper respect!"


    Zhang Lie nced at them superciliously like he was looking at a trio of clowns. He had no intention of listening to them any longer, let alone apologizing. If this Qin n wasn''t the same Qin n that Qin Xiao was in, then they were nobodies in the cksteel settlement.


    Zhang Lie regretted speaking with them at all: it was too damaging to his reputation to be seen with a bunch of fools.


    The hunters at the neighboring table began to walk over, as if they were about to start a fight.


    "Brat, are you really looking for troub¡ª"


    "Qin Feng, are you sure you want to offend someone like him? Don''t me me for not warning you: you''d better apologize now if you don''t want your n to be utterly ruined!" A female voice suddenly spoke up from behind Zhang Lie.


    Qin Feng jerked in his seat, recognizing the voice.


    What was a little devil like Chu Xun doing in this bar? Now that she was here, he would have to greet her. Otherwise, if he were to rouse her anger, he and his n would be in for a bad time. He would even be willing to let matters lie with this country bumpkin if she requested it.


    Qin Feng turned to greet Chu Xun, only to jump up in his seat.


    "Young Master Chu, Young Miss Yun¡ªw-what are all of you doing here?"


    He was frozen stiff. Chu Feng, Yun Bing, Chu Xun, and Yun Meng were all at the bar to talk to him? No, they couldn''t be here for him!


    Who was he, Qin Feng, to deserve the attention of scions from the Chu and Yun ns themselves? A message to the Qin n would be all it took for him to be delivered wherever they wanted, trussed up like a pig!


    But if they weren''t looking for him, then¡­ Qin Feng''s pupils widened. "Could it be..."

 Chapter 61: Interrogation at the Bar

    <h4>Chapter 61: Interrogation at the Bar</h4>


    Could the person that the Chu and Yun scions were here for be the mysterious fellow in front of Qin Feng? Surely not. That fellow possessed no sense of noble bearing at all!


    "Don''t you know what happened to the Li n today?" Chu Xun prompted Qin Feng.


    "Ah, of course I do. The majority of the Li elites perished, and Li Jin himself was stripped of his cultivation..."


    "And you''re daring to provoke the hunter who caused it all? I don''t have to remind you about the difference in strength between the Li n and your Qin n, do I?" Chu Xun smiled, as though she were watching an entertaining spectacle.


    Qin Feng''s brain stalled. "Y-You mean that he, he''s..."


    "That''s right. From today onwards, there will only be five great ns in the cksteel settlement, not six. The instigator of this entire affair, well, he''s the hunter you just tried to terrorize."


    Chu Xun''s mocking words struck Qin Feng and his subordinates like bolts of lightning.


    Did they have no sense of self-preservation? How could they have tried to taunt and frighten someone like him? Qin Feng mbered out of his seat and knelt down in front of the mysterious hunter.


    As he kowtowed, he begged, "Sir, please forgive me for my insolence. I offended you in my ignorance, and I beg for your mercy. Please, allow me to pay for all your expenses at the bar today!"


    Naturally, his subordinates followed suit.


    "Esteemed hunter,pared to you, I''m nothing more than a fart. Please let me out!"


    "Please, forgive us! I have a family to care for at home, elders and children, so won''t you show us some clemency?"


    Those hunters who had mocked Zhang Lie earlier were all kneeling on the floor, kowtowing in equal proportion to the crudeness of their earlier remarks.


    If this hunter was someone who could ruin even the Li n, then he surely wasn''t an existence they could provoke at any cost! And their lives were certainly far more important than their pride.


    Zhang Lie stared somewhat speechlessly at the kneeling Qin hunters on the floor. "Little girl, why do I see you everywhere I go?" he asked Chu Xun.


    She pinched her nose with a dainty hand. "I can''t help it. Your scent is just too strong! Deep-fried superior-grade blood ant meat must be tasty, but it''s no good to enjoy such delicacies alone. Don''t you have any left for me?"


    Zhang Lie immediately ignored her and turned to the others. "Young Master Chu, Young Miss Yun, this is your territory, I take it? I''m sure I don''t have to invite you to take a seat."


    Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and the others all sat down by his table.


    "Honestly, if you hadn''t motioned for us to sit, we wouldn''t have. After all, your performance today was just too shocking! We worked together in the past, but you seem to have grown so much stronger and more fearsome in a matter of days!" Chu Feng began, expressing his awe toward Zhang Lie.


    Yun Bing and the others didn''t speak up, but from their gazes, it was evident that they felt much the same way.


    The Qin hunters kneeling on the floor began to quake.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Am I all that frightening? After all, this Young Master Qin certainly didn''t seem to fear me, and I''m sure you must be stronger than he is."


    His words caused the Qin hunters to m their heads against the floor even more forcefully, and some of them were even bleeding from their foreheads by this point.


    "Alright, alright, that''s enough. If this goes on any further, I''m sure Yun Bing will me me for ruining the mood in this bar. You''ll remember not to bully country bumpkins like me in the future, won''t you? Go on, get!" Qin Feng was so far beneath Zhang Lie''s level that he felt it damaging to his reputation to y around with him too much.


    "Yes, sir! I''ll keep this lesson imprinted in my mind!" Qin Feng cried out.


    "Thank you, sir!" his subordinates chorused.


    They all stood up thankfully as they turned to leave.


    "Wait!" The moment they turned around, the silent Yun Bing spoke up.


    "I apologize for our behav¡ª"


    Qin Feng was interrupted halfway through his apology. "Do not worry. If this hunter wants to let you go, I certainly will not contradict his decision. I simply called you back to inform you never to return to this bar again. Do you understand?"


    Qin Feng didn''t dare say no. He nodded to Yun Bing, bowed again, and then scurried out of the bar.


    Qin Feng''s kowtowing had drawn the attention of the guests in the bar, as did Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s appearance. The guests by the nearby tables all had their attention focused on this mysterious hunter, whom even Chu Feng and Yun Bing were showing respect to.


    Zhang Lie didn''t much mind: after all, he was still cloaked in ck, and it wasn''t as though they would be able to see his face.


    On the other hand, Yun Bing and Chu Feng were unused to such public scrutiny. As scions of the Yun and Chu ns, if they ever went to a bar, they would head straight for the suites reserved for them on the upper levels, never to mingle with themon hunter on the ground floor.


    Uneasy at being gawked at, Chu Feng motioned to Zhang Lie. "When are you going to take off that dreadful ck cloak and show us your true appearance?"


    .


    Chu Feng was being surprisingly direct, but Zhang Lie only gave him a rxed smile in response. "You''ll learn about my identity once the time''s right. I just fear that you won''t be able to believe what you''re seeing then."


    Chu Fengughed.


    "What''s there not to believe? The cksteel settlement is sorge that I''m sure it boasts quite a few hidden talents. Surely you can''t be, oh, say, that hunter at the bottom of the gene leaderboard?" Chu Feng replied casually, but his words caused Zhang Lie''s eyes to narrow for a moment.


    No one noticed anything.


    "Oh? And what if I am? What would you think?"


    Chu Feng blinked twice, not knowing how to respond.


    "Chu Feng, haven''t you led the conversation in a rather strange direction?" Yun Bing spoke up, turning to Zhang Lie. "The reason all of us are here today is because we have an important question for you."


    Zhang Lie motioned for her to continue. "Ask what you will. I''m feeling good today, so I might even tell you the truth!"

 Chapter 62: Two Girls

    <h4>Chapter 62: Two Girls</h4>


    Upon hearing Yun Bing''s words, Chu Feng also turned serious.


    "Our question is simple: were you the hunter who stole the kill of the superior-grade venombane scorpion that night at the venombane de?"


    Chu Feng''s earlier levity had all but vanished. After all, the answer to this question was far too important for him to remain rxed.


    Yun Bing, Yun Meng, and Chu Xun were all looking at Zhang Lie intently, as if they were trying to see through his hood and into his eyes.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Does it really matter to you? What if it were me? What if it weren''t me?"


    His insouciance deeply troubled the gathered scions of the Chu and Yun ns.


    "If you aren''t, then there''s nothing to say, but if you are, don''t you think you should exin yourself to us?" Chu Feng asked pointedly, stressing his words.


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "What do you mean? If you''re unhappy that I stole your prey, shouldn''t you me yourself for not being strong enough? What do you want me to say? And so what if I were to tell you that I was the one who killed it?


    "Will you gang up on me in the cksteel settlement? Or will you try to target me back on Earth? But of course you don''t know my true identity yet. Even if you did, are you sure you''d be able to take me down?"


    Zhang Lie''s response was startling. The Chu and Yun scions knew that Zhang Lie was a mysterious hunter, but was he so fearless or confident in his own strength that he would admit to what he had done?


    "Do you realize that we almost died that night?!" Chu Feng was on the verge of losing hisposure.


    "As I''ve said, that just indicates how weak you are. What does that have to do with me?"


    "..." Chu Feng knew that he had to continue the conversation, but he didn''t know how.


    Of course, they hadn''te to the bar in search of Zhang Lie just to have a drink, but they weren''t here to cause trouble either.


    Instead, they had a request to make of Zhang Lie. They were hoping to gain the initiative in the conversation by pressuring Zhang Lie, but now...


    Zhang Lie could see through what they were doing, of course, or he wouldn''t have acted so casually.


    In contrast to Yun Bing and Chu Feng''s speechlessness, Chu Xun and Yun Meng''s curiosity toward Zhang Lie had reached its peak. Since the four of them hade to the bar together, they naturally knew a little of what was going on, as well as their brother and sister''s attitude.


    But they hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would be able to gain the upper hand so quickly, or even at all. They had never seen their older siblings conceding the upper hand before, and what they were witnessing today made Zhang Lie seem even more powerful in their minds: he was strong, mysterious, domineering, and fearless.


    What was Chu Feng supposed to say? He was still so angry at the venombane fiasco that he feared he''d sour rtions between them if he were to speak now. And in that case, how was he supposed to ask Zhang Lie to purchase white-grub cores from him?


    In the end, it was Yun Bing who was forced to speak up. "What''s over is over, and it doesn''t really matter whether or not you were the hunter who stole the kill. To be honest, both our ns benefited from the aftermath, and we might even need to thank you for what you did."


    Yun Bing''s words turned the two girls'' curiosity into awe and respect: after all, Yun Bing was essentially admitting defeat¡ªshe was thanking a hunter who had almost caused her death!


    The two girls could hardly believe what they were hearing, particrly Yun Meng. This was the first time she had ever seen her sister give in! They turned to Zhang Lie with stars in their eyes.


    Zhang Lie''s smile grew wider. "There''s no reason for thanks. I didn''t cause the debacle intentionally, and, regardless of whether it was the Yun or Chu n that chased after me, the oue wouldn''t have changed.


    "Both then and now, my only intention has been to acquire superior gene fragments, and I don''t n on targeting any n in particr. If I really wanted to do so, you wouldn''t be sitting here now. In truth, the reason I decided to make a deal with your ns is because I found the two of you more amenable to me than the scions of the other ns.


    "Of course, if you can''t swallow your losses, feel free toe at me at any time."


    Zhang Lie''s words stunned Yun Bing and Chu Feng.


    They were representatives of two of thergest ns in the settlement, so just how strong did this mysterious hunter have to be if he were confident that he could take them on?


    "In that case, I propose that we let bygones be bygones." Yun Bing hesitated for a moment, then raised a cup of wine toward Zhang Lie. "With this toast, let us start afresh."


    While Yun Meng and Chu Xun were still ncing at the three of them in stupefaction, they had each downed a cup of wine, and they suddenly seemed closer than before.


    "It looks like I made the right decision in partnering up with the two of you," Zhang Lie murmured. "In that case, let''s get to the heart of the matter. What do you need from me?"


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng nced at each other before Yun Bing spoke up. "We''d like you to help us contact Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie almost spat out the wine in his mouth. There was only one reason that they would be in search of Zhang Lie, but he didn''t want to let on just yet. "Searching for Zhang Lie? For what purpose?"


    "Surely you must know that he has developed a huge stockpile of white-grub cores?" Yun Bing ventured.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Is that so? In that case, you''re searching for him to acquire more cores?"

 Chapter 63: Girl in the Room

    <h4>Chapter 63: Girl in the Room</h4>


    Yun Bing smiled. "Ah, it seems that you know everything already."


    "Have the white grubs in the white-grub cave already been hunted to extinction?" Zhang Lie asked, mirroring her smile.


    "In truth, they were more or less all gone by the time we went searching for them. After repeated trials, of the three types of food you listed, the white-grub cores were the ones that gave the best efficacy. In that case, would you be will¡ª"


    "I can certainly contact him, but I can''t guarantee that he''ll ept your request to trade," Zhang Lie interrupted, anticipating the question.


    "As long as you can arrange a meeting for us, we''ll handle the rest. After all, as representatives of two of the major ns, Chu Feng and I are confident that we''ll be able to handle someone like him!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "As long as you''re confident. But don''t get too excited¡ªhe''s not as easy to deal with as you might think. Be careful that he doesn''t scam you!"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, Chu Feng and Yun Bing immediately caught on to the fact that the mysterious hunter in front of them had some sort of rtionship with Zhang Lie. In fact, he might just be the anonymous poster whose threads on the forum had caused such a huge ruckus.


    But no matter the identity of this mysterious hunter, he was someone that neither of them wanted to offend. After all, he was too strong for them to handle, and seemed to possess knowledge from a mysterious source.


    The Li n wasn''t all that powerful, but their ns certainly wouldn''t have been able to crush it with such short notice.


    .


    "Let him try! As long as he''s willing to sell the cores, we''ll give him a price that''ll satisfy him!" Yun Bing proimed, not seeming to be worried that Zhang Lie would pass the message on.


    "In that case, you''ll hear back from me soon."


    Before Zhang Lie could leave, Yun Bing quickly added, "Please try to be as quick as you can."


    "Oh? You must have made quite a bit of progress with the breakthrough, then."


    "Things are going fine. We have had about thirty sesses to date, and our tests show excellent improvement in all areas after the breakthrough. Our ns have decided to promote this technique as widely as we can, and even Chu Feng and I have decided to purge our techniques and start from scratch after participating in the Void Cup."


    Zhang Lie was a little surprised that the two of them would be willing to give up what they had already achieved just for ten limit fragments, but it spoke to their resolution.


    "Not bad, not bad! You''ll need this sort of dedication if you really want to reach the peak of all hunters."


    Zhang Lie downed the cup of liquor in his hand, feeling as though a bolt of lightning had shot down his mouth and all the way through to his stomach. Instead of a charring sensation, however, he felt rxed and invigorated all over.


    "This wine''s not bad!" he praised.


    "Come over whenever you like. As thanks for helping us arrange a meeting with Zhang Lie, this bar will never charge you for any of your expenses."


    "In that case, I''ll thank you in advance!" Zhang Lie hadn''t anticipated Yun Bing would be so generous, and he quickly decided to make the most out of it, ordering as much of the wine as he was able to drink. Of course, he wasn''t going to get himself drunk: he prized a clear head over anything else, after all.


    It was only at two or three in the morning that Zhang Lie, somewhat tipsy, walked back to the inn. He stumbled into bed and slept all the way until morning the next day.


    Because the settlement''s walls were rather tall, there were only a few ces where the sun could reach in the morning. One of these few ces was naturally the VIP suites in the ckgold Inn.


    Zhang Lie opened the windows, basked in the sun, and stretched.


    "You''re awake!" Just as Zhang Lie was luxuriating in the warmth, he heard a female''s voice from behind.


    He stumbled, then turned around.


    What''s she doing here? What''s going on? Didn''t Ie back alone?


    How could this girl be here? Nothing untoward happenedst night, right...?


    Zhang Lie then nced downward at his own body.


    "What''re you looking at? Don''t you recognize me anymore? It''s only been one night!"


    Chu Xun nced at Zhang Lie as though she had suffered some grievance: was she so annoying that he had to look at her so disdainfully?


    "No, I mean¡ªyou, I, what sort of situation is this?!" Zhang Lie stammered, his mysterious image shattering to pieces.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s flustered appearance, Chu Xun immediatelyughed. "What do you think?"


    Herugh actually caused Zhang Lie to rx.


    He nced at her critically and noticed the master key in her hand, which would grant her ess to all rooms in the inn. Of course she couldn''t have been in his roomst night! She had likely only entered right before he woke up.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Alright, you little nuisance. How did you end up with that master key?"


    He immediately felt as though he was forgetting something important.


    "Given who I am, would it be difficult for me to obtain such a key from the three corporations?"


    She put her hands on her hips, a smug smile on her face, but Zhang Lie''s face darkened, because he realized what he had forgotten: all he was wearing at the moment was underwear, and Chu Xun had seen his face!


    Come to think of it, that didn''t seem like such a big deal. So what if his identity were exposed? He had the strength to defeat anyone who would try to oppose him, after all.


    That didn''t excuse the girl''s actions, however. He stared at her severely. "Does that mean you recognize who I am?"


    Chu Xun tilted his head. "Of course I do! Aren''t you ckie? You don''t look ugly, so why do you have to drape yourself in that ugly ck cloak all day long? Are you just trying to be mysterious?"


    Or perhaps his identity hadn''t been revealed after all: Zhang Lie might have been infamous among the regr hunters of the settlement, but would someone like Chu Xun care about who he was, or even what he looked like?


    Of course not!


    Zhang Lie schooled his features. "Are you proud of breaking into my rooms?"


    It was then that Chu Xun realized that Zhang Lie might be mad at her for what she did. After all, she was already of age, and this certainly wasn''t an appropriate prank for someone like her to y.


    "Ah, I''m sorry, I-I just wanted to see you again! Your scent''s so unique that I noticed you the moment I passed by the ckgold Inn! Don''t get mad at me!" Her eyes turned red, and she seemed on the verge of tears.


    Zhang Lie was never able to stand such hysterics. "Alright, alright, don''t cry! What''s the matter? What''s so urgent that you had to barge into my room so early in the morning?"

 Chapter 64: Accepting All Challengers

    <h4>Chapter 64: epting All Challengers</h4>


    "Er, well, there''s nothing urgent. I was just bored and... wanted to invite you to y?" Chu Xun ventured carefully.


    "To y? ?Who do you think I am, apanion of yours? I tolerated your behavior thest few times on ount of your brother, but I''m not letting you get away with this anymore, do you hear me? Now, immediately, at once, get out!"


    Zhang Lie pointed at the door as he marshalled Chu Xun out of his room.


    He felt that drastic measures were necessary on ount of the expression that Chu Xun was giving him.If he didn''t make matters clear, he might identally endorse her attraction to him, and that would be troublesome indeed. The best way to prevent that was to be blunt, so blunt that he couldn''t be misunderstood.


    "I''m leaving! You don''t have to be so mean!" The sudden antipathy in Zhang Lie''s actions left Chu Xun quite bewildered, and she, who had been pampered from birth, hardly knew how to react to such a circumstance. With tears in her eyes, she covered her face as she fled from the room.


    "How ridiculous!" Zhang Lie clucked, once she had left. Wasn''t?he?the victim? "Alright, I don''t want to think about it anymore! It''s time to check on my armor."


    Zhang Lie shook his head fervently as he decided what to do next.


    When Zhang Lie returned to the S-ranked robotic forge, the robot who handled Zhang Lie''s order immediately recognized him.


    "Wee back, Mr. Zhang Lie. Your order is finished. Would you like to retrieve it now?"


    "Yes, retrieve it."


    "Please inspect the goods." As the robotic voice spoke, the lid of a box on the countertop slid open to reveal a set of exquisite, elegant armor appeared in front of Zhang Lie.


    The dark red of the blood ant had merged perfectly with the deep violet of the venombane scorpion with impable design and functionality. The contours of the armor fit him perfectly and reflected the two superior-grade lifeforms from which it had been made. The appearance of the armor was majestic enough that even Zhang Lie was somewhat dazzled by the sight.


    The armor consisted of six pieces: helmet, cuirass, tasset, greaves, pauldrons, and vambrace. Each piece was wless, and fitted perfectly with the other pieces.


    Zhang Lie had seen the design for the armor beforehand, but when he saw the finished product in front of him, he was still amazed by its overall quality.


    It was totally worth the price he''d paid¡ªmaterials from two superior-grade lifeforms, along with 800,000 points!


    Zhang Lie couldn''t resist the temptation to put on the armor immediately. Momentster, the ck-cloaked Zhang Lie became a warrior in gleaming red and purple.


    With the activation of his gic energy, a shimmering, pale blue shield appeared before the armor''s surface. Zhang Lie tested its durability and was very pleased.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, your order has beenpleted. We wish you luck in your hunt!" the robotic voice piped up again, seeing Zhang Lie wearing the armor with a satisfied smile.


    Zhang Lie nodded at the robot, draped his ck cloak over the armor, and then left the forge. With his new armor, Zhang Lie was perfectly confident of being able to harvest the bear''s-heart grass. In fact, because of this armor, he would be able to approach a more dangerous harvesting spot, aplishing two goals in one swoop: harvesting the herbs he needed, as well as obtaining a few more superior gene fragments.


    The Bear Spires was a location far past the outskirts of the cksteel settlement, with intense, fluctuating maic fields that caused the spires¡ªgreat hunks of rock and steel¡ªto levitate in mid-air.


    Because of the fluctuations in the field and the instability of the levitating spires, there were frequent rockslides in the area, which were particrly dangerous for hunters caught unawares.


    This was the native habitat of a ss of giant bear-type lifeforms that were naturally insensitive to the maic field in the region, known as the bimu bears. These lifeforms possessed earth-attuned gic energy, and had massive, strong bodies.


    Most adult bimu bears were superior-grade lifeforms, about seven to eight meters tall at full extension, with a weight of about a few dozen tons, and the ability to toss around boulders the size of small hills: the paradigm of brawny strength.


    Most frightening was the fact that these lifeforms lived in packs: they would wander around in groups of two and three, and regr hunters certainly wouldn''t dare to try to hunt them down.


    Elderly bimu bears, in their dying days, would travel to a certain spot on the spires and peacefully await their death. Under the influence of the maic field and geography of the region, crystalline stalks of grass would grow right by the hearts of these bear carcasses.


    These special stalks of grass were thest ingredient that Zhang Lie needed for Potion #2, and the spot where these elderly bears would go to die was known as the Bimu Harbor.


    It was true that the Bimu Harbor wasn''t the only ce in the Bear Spires where the bear''s-heart grass could grow; after all, some elderly bears would die before they could reach the harbor.


    Under these circumstances, it was rare that bear''s-heart grass would grow, but there was always a vanishingly small probability of their doing so. Zhang Lie''s original intention had been to head to the vicinity of the harbor under stealth, hoping to find these idental growths, but with his new armor, he felt that he would be able to sneak within the harbor itself and to ughter the elderly bears thaty dying there.


    Naturally, the Bimu Harbor was a sacred ce for the bimu bears, and they wouldn''t allow any other lifeforms to approach. If Zhang Lie were to carry out his n, he would inevitably attract the attention of such bears, and would certainly have to fight them off.


    As the Bear Spires came within sight, the corners of Zhang Lie''s mouth lifted with excitement, and his body slowly faded into nothingness. Wielding Venombane in one hand, Zhang Lie activated the strongest stealth he could sustain, then headed quickly toward the spires.


    The moment he stepped forward, he felt his body begin to sink, as though gravity had increased dramatically. Zhang Lie naturally began to adjust his breathing and movement to suit the high-gravity environment, but just as he took a heavy step forward, gravity seemed to vanish entirely.


    Caught blindsided, Zhang Lie wobbled into visibility in the next moment.


    He smiled again at the spires looming before him. It looked as though navigating the terrain would be his first obstacle. As a hunter, however, Zhang Lie was no stranger to such trials, and even grew excited at the prospect of oveing such hurdles.


    After all, since his rebirth, he had always been in a rather sheltered environment, and it had been quite a long time since he had had to struggle with such obstacles. Now that he was finally experiencing a challenge again, his indomitable will swelled with excitement.


    .


    Given his years of experience, navigating the terrain quickly became trivial to him.


    After traipsing through the surroundings and gaining a sense for the unpredictability of the maic field, Zhang Lie was sessfully able to step into the spires and begin his hunt for traces of the bimu bears.

 Chapter 65: Making Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 65: Making Preparations</h4>


    In truth, this was Zhang Lie''s first time at the Bear Spires, and he had no experience from his past life to draw upon.


    Amidst the floating spires, Zhang Lie, cloaked in ck, began to walk faster and faster. His slow, faltering steps turned into a fast walk, and then a rapid dash. He took only fifteen minutes to get used to the fluctuating maic field, then began to scout the region for traces of the bimu bear.


    He limated so quickly not only because he had refined control over his body, but also because of the functionality of his new armor.


    Once Zhang Lie found a bimu bear, he would be able to track down the location of the Bimu Harbor. After about ten minutes, Zhang Lie finally noticed traces of a superior-grade bimu bear within a valley.


    This valley was a massive bowl-like depression, and at the very bottom, Zhang Lie saw two bimu bears ying with each other. Seven meters tall, weighing dozens of tons, white-furred all over, with sharp teeth and strong jaws¡ªthey were a fearsome sight to behold.


    What distinguished bimu bears from their terrestrial counterparts was that they had three eyes lined side by side, making them all the more terrifying. ording to rumors, adult bimu bears even had some ability to control the maic field around them.


    That being said, Zhang Lie wasn''t very interested in this pair, because they were both adult bimu bears, possessing frighteningbat ability, and would be near-impossible to iste.


    However, after wandering around the spires, Zhang Lie noticed no other bimu bears around.


    Fatigue drained his strength: traversing theplicated terrain and dealing with the field fluctuations took quite a toll on his body. Zhang Lie had no choice but to rest.


    It took him two whole days before he eventually found the Bimu Harbor that he had only heard about in his past life.


    ncing at the pristine, snowy-white stone in front of him, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but marvel at the majesty of the dimensional world, and also at the fact that rumors couldn''t be entirely trusted.


    After all, the so-called Bimu Harbor wasn''t a harbor at all, but rather arge outcropping of white rock with a t top. Against the backdrop of the deep blue sky, the outcropping looked as though it led toward an ocean of blue, granting it its name.


    And on top of that outcroppingy the bones of a bimu bear.


    The bear''s-heart grass was, Zhang Lie thought, also rather inappropriately named. Rather than calling it bear''s-heart grass, bear''s-bone grass would be more suitable. The crystalline des of grass grew not where the bimu bear''s heart was, but rather on its bones. They were simply more concentrated around its ribcage.


    However, even after finding the Bimu Harbor and the bear''s-heart grass, Zhang Lie didn''t make a move: right then and there, at this mass grave of bimu bears, there were at least a dozen aged bears still with some mobility and fighting strength.


    Under such circumstances, Zhang Lie certainly wasn''t going to act rashly. Instead, he began a second wait, one thatsted a whole week.


    By then, half the aged bears had died, and none had entered within thest two days. There were only five elderly bears left, and Zhang Lie''s chance was finally here.


    He jumped up onto the outcropping, instantly noticing that gravity seemed to have increased by yet another magnitude. If he hadn''t spent thest few days limating himself, he could well have dropped out of stealth.


    As he got used to the even higher gravity, Zhang Lie approached the closest bear carcass and began harvesting the bear''s-heart grass. His movements were gentle and slow, but exceedingly tiring in such a fatiguing environment.


    Zhang Lie could sense the stamina draining out of his body at a rapid pace.


    He had only harvested ten des of grass before he felt as though he couldn''t lift his arms any further. In fact, were it not for his armor, he thought that he might not have been able to move about on this outcropping at all. The armor was negating much of the increased gravity, and what he was experiencing was only a small fraction of its usual intensity.


    Under ordinary circumstances, without the need for stealth, Zhang Lie would be able to revitalize and invigorate his body with gic energy, but Zhang Lie had no choice but to ovee the maic field with nothing but his mortal body.


    Hested two more minutes, harvesting almost all the bear''s-heart grass on the first carcass, before his stamina finally gave out.


    He retreated from the Bimu Harbor.


    The next few days were a cycle of resting, waiting, recuperating energy, and harvesting grass.


    His muscles ached, and he was often bored, but Zhang Lie was proud of what he was able to aplish.


    Unfortunately for him, this idyllic period wasn''t tost. In just three days, there were four more aged bears up on the Bimu Harbor.


    Zhang Lie found it hard to imagine just how many bimu bears had to be wandering around the floating spires. After all, these were superior-grade creatures, which were rtively rare in the first realm of the dimensional world.


    In retrospect, however, it shouldn''t have been surprising. The unique geography and environmental factors in the region would prove a significant disadvantage to most hunters, even those at the top of the gene leaderboard. And if no one were to hunt these bimu bears, if they were at the top of the food chain, then certainly their numbers would just keep going up.


    Zhang Lie rested for another three days.


    On thest day, Zhang Lie found, at longst, an opportunity to give a dying bimu bear a lethal blow.


    He didn''t know whether the will of the world would recognize such a contemptible attack; as it turned out, it did. After the aged bimu bear died from Venombane, the will of the world spoke up in Zhang Lie''s mind,


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade bimu bear, but did not obtain a soulshard. For consuming the flesh of a bimu bear, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Naturally, Zhang Lie, under the cover of night, stuffed the bimu bear he had killed into his potbellied-toad pouch.


    And then he continued his harvest.


    It took him two whole weeks before he was ready to leave, after having collected over a thousand des of bear''s-heart grass. At the same time, he trained and strengthened his body dramatically in the grueling high-gravity environment of the Bimu Harbor.


    After his harvest wasplete, he immediately left the Bear Spires, then headed back to the cksteel settlement as fast as he could. Of course, this time around, instead of heading to the ckgold Inn, he went to the settlement-owned cksteel Inn. He didn''t want to have another run-in with Chu Xun, nor for any rumors to spread about what they were doing in a room together.


    After getting a high-ss suite in the cksteel Inn, Zhang Lie prepared for a long stint of seclusion. During this period of time, he was nning to consume the bimu bear''s flesh, concoct Potion #2, and advance all his gic techniques.

 Chapter 66: Zhang Lies Growth

    <h4>Chapter 66: Zhang Lie''s Growth</h4>


    With his preparationsplete, Zhang Lie began to brew Potion #2. Compared to Potion #1, the brewing process was at least tenfold moreplicated.


    First, the various ingredients had to be individually prepared.


    The main ingredient, ck coral, had to be nourished with gic energy until it turned a golden yellow before its herbal properties could be extracted.


    The bear''s-heart grass had to be incinerated into ash, before beingbined with the extract of the eye-of-night flower.


    Preparing each ingredient was a lengthy, tedious, and time-consuming process, one that upied much of Zhang Lie''s time and attention.


    When he grew hungry, he would consume some roasted bimu bear meat as he continued cultivating his gic techniques.


    After ten days, as Zhang Lie ate his thirtieth meal of bear meat, he obtained yet another superior gene fragment, his seventh from the bear.


    At the same time, his gic core, under the guidance of [Ninecarp Transformation] began to tremble. As the core trembled, it also seemed topress, and Zhang Lie felt as though something were about to condense in his core.


    His intuition was right: an S-shaped ck strand suddenly emerged within the core. After it appeared, it wrapped around the nimble fish inside. The pale pink fish seemed to lose its vitality, allowing the ck strand to cocoon it.


    As Zhang Lie continued to eat and cultivate, the gic energy that entered his body all seemed to transform into ck strands. In a matter of moments, the fish waspletely hidden from sight within a ck, elongated cocoon.


    Zhang Lie felt a curious straining sensationing from his core, followed by apression and evolution of his gic energy. Under such unusual circumstances, he naturally stopped his work and began to focuspletely on his gic core.


    It took him an entire day to process the evolution, but when it was all over, Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] had entered its second form: the serpent. Out of the ck cocoon had emerged a ck serpent, which was now happily darting around his core.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie''s water-attuned gic energy gained a second aspect, that of darkness. It was so dark that Zhang Lie felt as though it would leave an indelible stain on anything it touched.


    The first form, the carp, was water-attuned and mitigated fire damage. The second form, the serpent, was dark-attuned and endowed his attacks with the power of decay and corrosion.


    Zhang Lie''s framework was now dual-attuned, and the metamorphosis had caused the framework to grow to medium-grade, improving his rate of recovery and of condensing gic energy.


    Zhang Lie was overjoyed by his growth.


    He made a gripping motion with his right hand, and an orb of ck, crystalline material shed into existence. From afar, it looked like a crystal orb, but from close up, it seemed like a ball of mysterious, inky water,bining both the expanse of the ocean and a strong corrosive nature that could ruin all that it touched.


    With his left hand, he grabbed a pipette and touched it against the orb. ck mist rose into the air, and the bulb of the pipette vanished from existence.


    "With this power and Venombane, the Void Cup should be a fun experience," Zhang Lie murmured, marvelling at his newfound abilities.


    However, he quickly returned to the task at hand: brewing Potion #2. After a few simple tests, Zhang Lie retracted his gic energy and returned to the brewing process.


    It took Zhang Lie a whole month to process the hundreds of ingredients needed for Potion #2, and then to begin the brewing process in earnest. The final result of his struggles was two test tubes, one ck and one white.


    At this critical juncture, Zhang Lie was very nervous¡ªwhether all his work within thest month would pay off depended on this very moment. If he were to fail, he would have to restart the arduous month-long process again.


    He picked up both test tubes, trying his best to ay the trembles in his hands, and began to pour them into a third test tube, ensuring that the two liquids mixed evenly and rapidly with one another.


    Thebination of the ck and white liquids produced a sizzling sound within the test tube, and golden wisps of smoke slowly drifted out of it.


    Only when he saw these golden wisps did Zhang Lie rx, his face warping with excitement.


    He had seeded! He really had! A whole month of effort for the test tube in front of him¡­ Hepleted Potion #2 on his very first try!


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed as he stared at the concoction still smoking away on the countertop.


    If he consumed this potion, and if he filled up his missing gene fragments to capacity, then he was sure he would dominate the entire Void Cup.


    After waiting a few minutes for the mixture to settle, Zhang Lie picked up the sole mixture of Potion #2 in exstence and drained it in one gulp. Potion #1 had been exceedingly spicy, and Potion #2 seemed to be smooth and buttery. Before he could savor the taste of it, it had already slid down his throat, leaving only a refreshing scent of herbal fragrance behind.


    The next moment, it was reced by wave after wave of potent herbal strength.


    Potion #1 made him feel as though he were inflicted with the technique endemic to blood ants: [Bloodbath].


    Potion #2 made him feel as though he were being submerged in an ocean, his body battered and bruised by each wave that came his way, then reassembled and made whole again. Destruction and regeneration, regeneration and destruction, in an endless cycle.


    Even with his high pain tolerance, Zhang Lie found himself rolling on the ground, moaning as the potion wracked his body. At the same time, with his body screaming in pain, Zhang Lie could clearly feel his cells bursting with vitality.


    His pores widened and contracted, his muscles spasmed, his arteries and veins and capiries were broken down and reinforced.


    His body seemed to be reforging itself on a fundamental, gic level.


    ck, foul-smelling impurities stained his clothing, and he began to sweat as though he had just recovered from a debilitating sickness.


    His impurities purged, Zhang Lie had gained a measure of resistance against the potent medicinal energy, and he immediately began to marshal it as he activated his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    The medicinal energy, like cresting ocean waves, rushed into his gic core. The ck serpent within happily frolicked in the golden waves, and Zhang Lie felt the purity and density of his gic energy reach a new threshold.


    [For consuming an unknown potion, your mutated gene capacity has been increased.]


    1. I wouldn''t eat something that''s dying of old age, but that''s why I won''t be strong, I guess...

 Chapter 67: Picking a Target

    <h4>Chapter 67: Picking a Target</h4>


    Zhang Lie couldn''t wait to see what his stats looked like now.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Second Form: Serpent


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (advanced), Three-Wave Crescendo (advanced), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (intermediate), The Boundless de (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 40


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior)


    To be honest, if anyone were to see Zhang Lie''s stats now, they would likely receive a tremendous shock. Based on his stats alone, Zhang Lie was superior to most hunters at the top of the gene leaderboard.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng likely still had more superior gene fragments than he did, but he didn''t think himself inferior in any other area.


    With his framework advanced, and with his potionplete, Zhang Lie''s month-long seclusion came to an end. His next step was naturally to saturate both his mutated and superior gene capacities.


    He exited the inn and quickly found Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng. Before he started brewing the potion, he had informed the two of them about his ns, and they would leave a hunter or two outside the cksteel Inn daily, waiting for him to emerge.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie again, the gathered hunters all noticed the change to Zhang Lie''s aura and gic energy. Although they didn''t know precisely what had happened, they were certain that Zhang Lie had just made a great leap forward in his growth as a hunter.


    Of course, they hadn''t been cking either. Zhang Lie had given them an additional task beyond scouting the whereabouts of superior-grade lifeforms: filling up their mutated gene fragments to capacity.


    With the superior gene fragments that Zhang Lie had shared with them, and with the superior-grade soulshards that their team leaders possessed, the gathered hunters easily finished this task.


    "Captain, it feels like you''ve grown much stronger," Fang Yi remarked, ttering Zhang Lie out of habit.


    Still exuberant from his sess, Zhang Lie nodded. "A big improvement indeed, but I could say the same for all of you. You''re all maxed out on mutated genes, aren''t you?"


    "Captain, you''ve given us such favorable conditions for sess¡ªof course we wouldn''t fail you now!" Sun Mengmeng cried out.


    The other hunters nodded.


    Zhang Lieughed. "In that case, how about your other task? How many of the lifeforms in the booklet have you tracked down?"


    "All but ten or so of them, Captain! We wouldn''t dare ck off on a task you personally assigned us," Fang Yi jumped in.


    "All but ten? You''re not lying to me, are you? I must have listed at least fifty superior-grade lifeforms in that booklet!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t believe how efficient Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had been.


    "All but ten," Fang Yi reaffirmed. "We wouldn''t lie to our beloved captain! We''ve tracked down most of the lifeforms in the booklet and investigated most of their habitats and behavioral tics. If you''re ready, we can start the hunt immediately!"


    "In that case, what are we waiting for?" Zhang Lie began to smile in earnest. "You''ve spent a lot of work preparing this information, so why don''t you rmend what our first target should be?"


    Fang Yi took out the small booklet that Zhang Lie had handed him in the past. "Captain, I suggest the longhorn dawnbeetle! Its soulshard grants a rare aural attack to its bearer, and it can rece the soulshard you failed to obtain when you hunted the dreadtoad."


    Zhang Lie nced at the booklet, which illustrated a giant bug-type lifeform with ck chitin dotted with fiery red stars. He had hunted such a lifeform in his past life, and was able to recall quite a bit about it.


    The longhorn dawnbeetle was a superior-grade fire-attuned lifeform that looked like a massively erged version of a terrestrial longhorn beetle.


    It possessed a supremely hard exoskeleton, and its pincers could erupt in me, enhancing its extremely strong offensive capabilities. Its cries were aural attacks that could easily bypass shields. Even amidst superior-grade lifeforms, it was a strong existence indeed.


    Of course, no matter how strong it was, Zhang Lie was confident that he would be able to deal with it now.


    "A soulshard that grants an aural attack, along with a number of mutated-grade lifeforms in the vicinity... this isn''t a bad choice. In that case¡ª"


    "Wait!" Just as Zhang Lie was about to announce that the longhorn dawnbeetle would be their first target, Sun Mengmeng interrupted. "Captain, while I think the longhorn dawnbeetle might be a good choice, it''s not the best choice. I would suggest the forest wolfman!"


    She picked up the booklet and flipped to the corresponding page.


    "The forest wolfman is a humanoid, life-attuned lifeform, with immense regenerative abilities and considerable physical strength. Most importantly, its transformation-type soulshard turns its bearer into a wolfman, which means it preserves the use of techniques and soulshards while in a transformed state. Furthermore, the wolfman also has a prating aural attack. Captain, I believe these strengths are particrly suited to you!"


    Both Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi had made their rmendations based on what they knew of Zhang Lie, but Sun Mengmeng had, once again, shown herself to be more thoughtful.


    The forest wolfman''s soulshard was more unique, and granted arger variety of benefits rtive to the longhorn dawnbeetle''s. At present, although Zhang Lie had amassed quite a few superior-grade soulshards, he was still missing two main types: a humanoid transformation-type soulshard, and a summoning-type soulshard.


    A transformation-type soulshard consumed a significant amount of gic energy, but it could also provide amensurate amount of strength or flexibility in certain circumstances.


    A summoning-type soulshard was the rarest of all soulshards, and could only be produced when a superior- or higher-grade lifeform died with extreme regret or unwillingness. A soulshard that formed under such circumstances would be able to house such a lifeform within it.


    Zhang Lie had never hunted the forest wolfman in his past life, but he had seen a fight by a hunter who had a wolfman soulshard.


    His memories of that fight were particrly vivid: that hunter recovered impossibly quickly, possessed frightening physical strength, and was both surprisingly agile and endowed with a piercing aural attack.


    The soulshard would augment almost all aspects of his strength, and since Sun Mengmeng and the others had discovered such a superior-grade lifeform, it certainly should be given priority over the longhorn dawnbeetle.


    Zhang Lie made up his mind. "Since you were able to find traces of the forest wolfman, we''ll start with that. A humanoid transformation-type soulshard is more precious than all but a summoning-type soulshard, and it should certainly be given priority.


    "Our target is the forest wolfman. Go make your preparations now!"


    "Yes, Captain!"

 Chapter 68: Forest Wolves

    <h4>Chapter 68: Forest Wolves</h4>


    The broadleaf forest was, as its name suggested, a forestposed solely of broadleaf trees.


    Within that forest lived all sorts of wolf-type, rodent-type, and bird-type lifeforms.


    A seven-member team of hunters was proceeding quickly into the depths of the forest, making such a ruckus that they were clearly unconcerned about attracting the attention of the lifeforms all throughout the forest.


    Of course, this team of hunters was none other than Zhang Lie''s Team Zenith.


    As they rushed forward, Zhang Lie asked, "Mengmeng, how far away is the forest wolfman''sir?"


    Sun Mengmeng nced around her. "We''re only about three miles away, Captain!"


    "In that case, let''s proceed at full speed." ck mist shrouded Zhang Lie as he darted forward even faster than before, wind trailing in his wake.


    Seeing their captain pulling ahead, Sun Mengmeng and the others immediately sped up as well. It took only moments before they all arrived at the wolfman''sir, a cave in a rocky mountain of middling size.


    Around the cave sat about a dozen or so wolf-type lifeforms, like royal guards protecting their monarch from harm.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie and his team rushing forward, they immediately howled and blocked their way. When they stood up, they were over two meters tall, with sharp horns protruding from their head.


    The hunters'' faces were all calm and collected; after all, these forest wolves might look intimidating, but they were only mutated-grade lifeforms, and hence of essentially no threat to the gathered hunters.


    The wolves that blocked Zhang Lie''s path were each cut apart with a few clean strokes from Venombane, some of them still howling even as they died. With the other hunters dealing with the stragglers, all the wolf guards perished in just one minute.


    Unfortunately for Zhang Lie, none of them dropped a soulshard. Zhang Lie didn''t want to take any chances against such valuable prey, so he was rather concerned about what to do next.


    As he was deep in thought, however, wolf howls echoed throughout the cave and the mountain. In a matter of moments, hundreds of forest wolves had emerged from the vicinity, surrounding Zhang Lie and his team.


    The wolves stared at the seven hunters, eyeing them but not rushing forward.


    At the same time, from within the cave emerged a five-meter tall, bipedal forest wolfman. The forest wolfman was a superior-grade lifeform that evolved from the mutated-grade forest wolf. It was bipedal, with its shoulder and elbow joints having transformed to be more human-like.


    Except for its hind legs, its anatomy was no different from that of a regr human. Of course, from appearance alone, it still looked like a wolf. Fur covered its entire body, and it had lupine ws and a snout filled with sharp teeth.


    Upon seeing the carcasses in front of Zhang Lie and the others, it howled, prompting the gathered wolves to rush down from the mountain and leap toward Zhang Lie.


    "Kill them!" Zhang Lie shouted, rushing forward and facing the pack of wolves straight on.


    The wolves'' bodies seemed to split apart almost before they reached Zhang Lie, most of them dying before they could even get a good look at his appearance. The disparity in their strength was simply toorge.


    Even Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others found it quite easy to deal with even such arge pack of wolves. A dozen had already fallen to Fang Yi''s obsidian spear, and Sun Mengmeng''s sunbird bow was all but designed for such fights. The wolves couldn''t even approach her, let alone harm her.


    Despite seeing theirrades perish, the wolves didn''t shrink back. As the wolfman howled again, they surged forward at full strength, emboldened and fearless. The wolfman himself joined in the fight, pouncing toward Zhang Lie.


    However, what surprised the hunters¡ªand even the wolfman himself¡ªwas that Zhang Lie darted toward the left nk of wolves instead, continuing to ughter them rather than face the wolfman.


    Why would he avoid a direct confrontation now? Wasn''t their objective the forest wolfman? Given their captain''s strength, he could certainly handle the wolfman easily, so why wasn''t he fighting?


    Zhang Lie scowled as he tore apart wolf after wolf. He was having a remarkably bad string of luck, and he hadn''t yet obtained a mutated-grade forest wolf soulshard yet.


    He needed one to guarantee that a superior-grade soulshard would drop, so he certainly didn''t want to attack the forest wolfman until he had one in his possession.


    The forest wolfman was naturally enraged that its opponent was simply ignoring it. With a fearsome howl and an explosion of life-green gic energy, the vines in the forest began to grow rapidly, shooting toward and wrapping around Zhang Lie as if they had been endowed with life.


    "Captain, we''reing to help you!" The other hunters immediately began shooting long-ranged attacks toward the forest wolfman, trying to distract it from its attack.


    However, the moment they made their move, Zhang Lie shouted, "There''s no need! Just protect yourselves and leave him to me."


    A flurry of quick slices cut apart all the vines heading in his direction. At the same time, Zhang Lie beheaded a mutated-grade forest wolf rushing toward him. With a puff of green smoke, a dark green soulshard condensed on its head.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up expectantly. With this mutated-grade soulshard in hand, he was sure to get a superior-grade forest wolfman soulshard now!


    As he reached out for the soulshard, the forest wolfman, wreathed in sparks of green gic energy, pounced toward him.

 Chapter 69: Soulshard in Hand

    <h4>Chapter 69: Soulshard in Hand</h4>


    With a huge crash, the forest wolfman''s pouncing attack smashed a huge hole in the ground, but Zhang Lie''s body vanished the instant his ws swiped through it.


    The next moment, in a flurry of shadows, before the forest wolfman could respond, Zhang Lie appeared behind his head. A violet shortsword struck him, seemingly from an extradimensional space.


    Just before the attacknded, the wolfman''s fur rose up and shot out in the direction of the attack, preventing what would have been a lethal blow and sapping Zhang Lie of his momentum. While Zhang Lie was dealing with the fur, a w came from his right, forcing him to defend against the sudden attack.


    Zhang Lie activated [Rippling Walk], then vanished from sight once more. Reappearing by the wolfman''s left nk, he thrust at the wolfman''s unprotected side.


    ng! Despite his speed and stealth, the de still struck a w. As expected, a superior-grade lifeform was superior-grade indeed. Even if the wolfman weren''t able to sense Zhang Lie until the veryst moment, his agility and reflexes were still sufficient to block Zhang Lie''s blow.


    However, the corrosive strength of Venombane caused the wolfman to let out a pained howl. His w had only touched it for an instant, but it was already corroding, and his paw was bloodied and throbbing.


    Fortunately for the wolfman, his life-attuned gic energy was a perfect counter for Zhang Lie. In a sh of green light, his w was refreshed, and his injuries vanished as though he had never sustained them.


    Zhang Lie immediately understood that this was an opponent he couldn''t hope to exhaust to death. His techniques and reservoir of gic energy were insufficient to ovee the wolfman''s regeneration. If he were to eke out a victory, he would have to be fast and decisive.


    Enraged, the forest wolfman took the offensive. As it howled, tendril after tendril of vine snapped up from the ground, stitching together into arge, intricate web all around it.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that this particr forest wolfman was quite gifted atbat, having identified the weakness in Zhang Lie''s stealth in just two or three shes. The web of vines would massively reduce the space in which Zhang Lie could operate and hinder his ability to perform sneak attacks.


    Ding! Ding! As the vines filled the air, the forest wolfman shed with Zhang Lie in closebat, ws against de. The wolfman''s actions were particrly agile, and his ws seemed to strike at Zhang Lie from all directions.


    Surprisingly, he was able to fight on equal footing with Zhang Lie.


    The strength of this particr forest wolfman was shocking. Although Zhang Lie had yet to use any of his soulshards but Venombane, nor any of his higher-grade gic techniques, an ordinary superior-grade lifeform certainly wouldn''t be able to withstand Zhang Lie''s strength after he consumed Potion #2.


    And yet, under these conditions, the wolfman was about to gain the upper hand. As the vines filled the air around them, Zhang Lie''s mobility became severely restricted.


    "I have to admit I''ve underestimated you. In that case, take this! [Fists of the Silent Sea]!" As Zhang Lie defended against the wolfman''s ws with Venombane in his right hand, he attacked him with his left fist.


    Fist and w met in a giant explosion, filling the air with ripples of dark gic energy. These ripples struck the wolfman''s left arm and elbow, distorting them as though marring a surface of still water.


    With a few loud cracks, the forest wolfman''s arm was paralyzed and hung limply by his side.


    The forest wolfman howled, and the web of vines he was controlling snapped apart. With his left arm severely injured, he had no choice but to give up on attacking Zhang Lie and to retreat instead.


    As he howled, a wave of sound shot toward Zhang Lie, not intending to wound him, but only to deter his subsequent attacks. One fist, just one fist, had caused the bones of his left arm to crack and splinter, and even his life-attuned gic energy wouldn''t be able to heal such a severe injury instantaneously.


    Of course, Zhang Lie wasn''t going to give up on his prey. As the wolfman retreated, Zhang Lie gathered all his gic energy and broke through the wolfman''s barrier of sound.


    The wolfman had just retreated, and the bones of his left arm just about to reform, when he sensed a shadowy figure by his back. Before he could react, Zhang Lie''s left palm had already struck his back.


    With a loud thump, the ck ripples appeared once more, and the forest wolfman spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He felt as though all his organs had suffered internal injury in the aftermath of the attack, and the gic energy throughout his body instinctively retreated to his gic core, lowering his defenses to their minimum.


    He would pay a price for exposing such weakness, and that price would be his life.


    A violet shortsword thrust deeply into the wolfman''s unprotected head. Corrosive dark gic energy burst from the wound, causing the wolfman''s head to decay instantly, a lethal blow. As dark green blood shot out of the wound, the forest wolfman let out a dying howl.


    Zhang Lie''s left hand, hidden from sight, smashed a mutated-grade forest wolf soulshard to splinters. On top of the wolfman''s head, a fist-sized, dark jade soulshard was rapidly condensing.


    Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the gathered hunters'' faces lit up at the sight. From their perspective, it wasn''t all that difficult to find a superior-grade lifeform; what was rare was to have it condense a soulshard after its death.


    This was especially true for the rarer superior-grade lifeforms, such as the forest wolfman. It was certainly more likely than not that no soulshard would condense after a kill, so the fact that Zhang Lie had gotten the exact soulshard he wanted on his first attempt shocked them all.


    Not everyone could im to have such good fortune, after all.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised: after all, his secret knowledge changed what would otherwise be a stochastic event into a deterministic one. With a sweep of his hand, he stored the superior-grade forest wolfman soulshard in his soulspace.


    The pack of forest wolves rapidly backed down upon hearing the forest wolfman''s dying howl, disappearing without a trace.


    Having gotten what he wanted, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to give chase. He gathered the other hunters over, had them store the mutated- and higher-grade carcasses, and then left with them.


    Thus ended their first hunt as Team Zenith. They had aplished all their objectives, and Zhang Lie was in a particrly good mood. Instead of heading back to the settlement directly, however, they went straight toward their next target: the longhorn dawnbeetle.

 Chapter 70: A Surprise Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 70: A Surprise Encounter</h4>


    Even with his entire n, the forest wolfman wasn''t able to do much against Zhang Lie, let alone a solitary lifeform like the longhorn dawnbeetle, which died after just two or three attacks.


    However, it was exactly because such lifeforms were solitary that it was difficult to find many such mutated-grade dawnbeetles, and Zhang Lie was therefore unable to guarantee that a soulshard would condense. This particr dawnbeetle did not, and all Zhang Lie and the others would get from it was its flesh.


    However, that didn''t matter much to Zhang Lie, who had already obtained the better superior-grade forest wolfman soulshard.


    After killing two superior-grade lifeforms, along with the various mutated-grade lifeforms they encountered along the way, it became dark, and Team Zenith''s first day of hunting was over.


    The hunters had all witnessed Zhang Lie''s strength, and they were particrly d to have someone like him as their captain. Some of them were already making ns to head to the city of Ning to meet Zhang Lie in real life.


    Team Zenith sat around the table in Zhang Lie''s suite at the cksteel Inn. Ever since they had taken Zhang Lie as their captain, they had always divided up their spoils in one inn or another. In the past, they didn''t have such a surplus of points that they could afford to stay in one of the inns, and had to set up camp in a designated part of the cksteel settlement instead.


    The carcasses of several mutated-grade lifeforms, as well as the two superior-grade ones, were casuallyid out on the floor of therge, expansive, living room.


    "Mengmeng, Zhou Ying, I''ll leave the cooking to you two again! Everyone else, help set up the table and prepare. This is a feast we all worked hard for!" Under Zhang Lie''smand, the gathered hunters got to work.


    In almost no time at all, a sumptuous feast was ready to be served, and the ravenous hunters dug in with joy, their conversations punctuated by announcements from the will of the world.


    As the feast was wrapping up, Yang Ze stood up somewhat tipsily and bowed deeply toward Zhang Lie. "Captain, I was awed by your strength today. I was beginning to suspect that you were a hunter who had even filled up his superior gene fragments to capacity! Who else would be able to kill a superior-grade lifeform in two or three blows?


    "Tomorrow, I''ll be heading toward the city of Ning. Please ept me as a disciple and teach me how to grow stronger!"


    Zhang Lie hadn''t anticipated something like this, but he reacted quickly. "You want to be my disciple? Come if you''d like."


    His response was surprisingly casual. Zhang Lie was already making ns for the construction of the Zenith dojo, and Yang Ze''s request came at a particrly opportune time.


    When the other hunters saw how easily Yang Ze managed to be Zhang Lie''s disciple, they were all quite envious, particrly Li Feng, whose family background wasn''t illustrious. How could he give up this opportunity to grow stronger? He immediately emted Yang Ze, requesting to head to Ning and be Zhang Lie''s disciple as well.


    Zhang Lie was intending to open a dojo, so he certainly didn''t mind epting multiple disciples. Seeing Yang Ze and Li Feng''s sessful apprenticeships, the other four hunters, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng included, all naturally became Zhang Lie''s disciples as well.


    The hunters promised that they would leave the dimensional world that night and teleport themselves to Ning early tomorrow. As a result, they wrapped up their sumptuous feast rather early. After finishing up thest dish, they departed to pack and to prepare for the journey lying ahead of them.


    In truth, they were quite interested in meeting with each other in real life, and also with Zhang Lie.


    The lively suite quickly turned quiet, and Zhang Lie felt a trace of loneliness. Of course, that loneliness dissipated as soon as he inspected his stats.


    After consuming the flesh of two superior-grade lifeforms and four mutated-grade lifeforms, Zhang Lie''s stats had gained another big boost.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Second Form: Serpent


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (advanced), Three-Wave Crescendo (advanced), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (intermediate), The Boundless de (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 132; Superior, 55


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior)


    For a hunter of the first realm, these stats were ridiculous. He had obtained fifteen more superior gene fragments, and had thirty-two excess mutated gene fragments. These excess mutated fragments were limit fragments that were even more impactful than thirty-two superior gene fragments.


    If he were to face off against the forest wolfman from that morning again, the wolfman likely wouldn''t be able to withstand a single blow from him now.


    These additional gene fragments caused Zhang Lie''s strength to grow to a jawdropping level, and even Yun Bing and Chu Feng, whose superior gene fragments were almost at capacity, wouldn''t be able topete against him.


    As Zhang Lie was lost in his thoughts, the doorbell rang. Hemanded the robot in the kitchen to begin cleaning up as he walked to the door.


    Zhang Lie expected that his errant visitor would be a hunter from Team Zenith who had misced an item or two in his suite, but after his encounter with Chu Xun, Zhang Lie had begun to take visitors much more seriously.


    He almost jumped in shock as he saw the hunters waiting outside: Yun Bing, Yun Meng, Chu Feng, and Chu Xun. How had they found him so quickly?


    But since they were already at his doorstep, Zhang Lie didn''t intend on hiding any further. He opened the door, not even putting on his ck cloak beforehand.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng recognized him immediately.


    "Zhang Lie!" they shouted at once, thinking that he was in the middle of a meeting with the mysterious hunter in ck.


    After all, who would guess that Zhang Lie and the mysterious hunter were one and the same? The disparity in strength between them was simply toorge.


    As it turned out, Chu Xun would. She had seen Zhang Lie''s appearance before, and when she heard her brother and Yun Bing calling out Zhang Lie''s name, she was quite flummoxed.?Isn''t this ckie? How could it be¡ªunless, unless ckie is... Zhang Lie?!

 Chapter 71: Unmasked

    <h4>Chapter 71: Unmasked</h4>


    "You''re Zhang Lie?!" In the end, Chu Xun couldn''t resist asking the question right then and there, shocking Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    "That''s right. Is there a problem?" Zhang Lie admitted to his identity with a smile on his face.


    Her gobsmacked expression immediately caught the attention of the hunters around her. "In that case, y-you..."


    "What''s the matter, Chu Xun?" Chu Feng asked in concern. He then nced at Zhang Lie. He might have had to show some respect to that mysterious hunter, but Zhang Lie didn''t afford the same respect from him. After all, Zhang Lie had long been at the bottom of the gene leaderboard, and it would be trivially easy for the Chu n to crush him.


    "He, he''s¡ª" Chu Xun wanted to expose Zhang Lie''s identity, but the more urgent she was, the more tongue-tied she became.


    "That''s right, I''m Zhang Lie. It looks like all of you must be in a hurry, if you''ve already found this ce. Please,e in." Zhang Lie weed them into the suite, his voice lowering into the smooth baritone that he used as the mysterious hunter, but neither Yun Bing nor Chu Feng noticed anything amiss at first.


    As they walked into the living room and processed the unusually familiar voice, however, they felt as though something was off, but couldn''t pinpoint precisely what.


    Chu Feng noticed a ck cloak draped over a chair, the exact one that the mysterious hunter wore. He immediately pointed to it and eximed in shock, "Where''s that mysterious fellow?"


    Chu Feng felt as though he were disconnected from reality. All the clues were there, but his mind refused to process them. The same was true of Yun Bing and Yun Meng, who had suddenly realized why they found Zhang Lie''s voice so familiar.


    Why did Zhang Lie sound like the mysterious hunter? Why did Chu Xun behave so strangely when she saw Zhang Lie? Why did she seem to act so familiarly around him?


    There was only one reasonable conclusion, but it certainly didn''t seem reasonable at all: the mysterious hunter had to be Zhang Lie!


    But how could this be? Zhang Lie was a weakling, and the mysterious hunter was stronger than even them! Could it be true?


    "Yes, yes, I''m him and he''s me. You understand what I''m saying, don''t you?" Zhang Lie confirmed the doubts in their mind, but they were all shocked speechless by his words.


    He was Zhang Lie? Zhang Lie was him?


    A pregnant silence filled the room. The more the hunters thought about it, the less they were able to ept this supposed reality.


    After all, believing that Zhang Lie and the mysterious hunter were one and the same meant that they also had to ept the fact that Zhang Lie was the one who had stolen the superior-grade venombane scorpion from under their nose. It also meant that they had to ept the fact that they had all been dancing on Zhang Lie''s palms that night.


    "Are you really the mysterious hunter who sold us information about the foundational breakthrough?" Yun Bing asked for confirmation.


    "Indeed!" Zhang Lie smiled again, responding in the affirmative.


    Yun Bing very much wanted to tear that smile off his face but her formal upbringing wouldn''t allow that. In the end, she barely suppressed that thought and gave herself a small, mirthless chuckle.


    "To think that I, the top hunter on the gene leaderboard, would be manipted by you, who were once at the very bottom¡­ Laughable, how veryughable. Why reveal your identity now? Are you deliberately trying to humiliate us?"


    Yun Bing''s mind was a mess ofplicated emotion, and Chu Feng felt much the same way. ? "Are you certain you can pay the price for this deception?" he added.


    Zhang Lie seemed unperturbed by the usations thrown his way. "Let me emphasize that I''ve never had any intention of ying around with either of you. Do you feel like you''ve been toyed with?


    "me your conceit, your overwhelming self-esteem, your condescension of those beneath you. You asked me if I was willing to ept the consequences of my deception. Of course I am. Would I have appeared in front of you like this otherwise?"


    Zhang Lie''s frankness was something they, who had been pandered to all their lives, had little experience with.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng couldn''t help but think of the Qin, Wang, and Li ns. Thest two ns that had gone against Zhang Lie had suffered devastating losses as a result, and the anger stewing in their minds was instantly snuffed out by an icy breeze.


    This "king of the dumps", who had been mocked by just about every hunter in the cksteel settlement, suddenly seemed to have be a mysterious entity of overwhelming strength. His words were logical: given that he was revealing his identity to them now, he was certainly prepared for any retribution on their part, and not only themselves as hunters, but also their n.


    One thought snaked through Yun Bing and Chu Feng''s minds: Zhang Lie was a dangerous fellow indeed. Regardless of whether or not the acquisition of the white-grub cores would be sessful, they were sure to warn their ns to stay well away from this frightening hunter.


    Of course, just because they thought that way didn''t mean that their siblings would, too.


    Chu Xun and Yun Meng were both shocked by the sudden revtion, but unlike their older siblings, they were fascinated by Zhang Lie''s secret persona and fearless attitude.


    "How cool!" Yun Meng murmured subconsciously, giving Yun Bing and Chu Feng both a start.


    Before Yun Bing could correct her thinking, beside her, Chu Xun piped up with stars in her eyes, "Just one hunter alone, bringing down the Qin, Wang, and Li ns... amazing!"


    "From today onwards, you''re my idol, Zhang Lie!"


    "I''m going to be your top fan!"


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng were speechless at their siblings'' attitudes.


    What sort of situation was this? They barely avoided bing enemies, but their younger siblings were siding with the opposition? What were they to do?


    "Don''t be ridiculous," Zhang Lie chided Yun Meng and Chu Xun gently, then turned to their older counterparts. "As for the two of you, are you ready to negotiate now? You''vee looking for me because of my stockpile of white-grub cores, haven''t you? I''ll let you in on a secret: I have another breakthrough that I''m prepared to share with the two of you if the price is right."


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing gaped. Another discovery like the breakthrough in the foundational framework? They had to acquire the information at all costs!


    Chu Feng certainly couldn''t resist the temptation. He had no choice but to humbly apologize to Zhang Lie. "In front of you, I truly have no right to be prideful. But don''t worry, I promise this won''t happen again. Now, can you tell us about this new breakthrough you have?"

 Chapter 72: Common Welfare

    <h4>Chapter 72: Common Welfare</h4>


    "One thing at a time, surely. ?We''d better start off with the negotiations for the white-grub cores first," Zhang Lie proposed.


    He couldn''t help smirking at Chu Feng''s sudden change in attitude; he certainly wasn''t going to give his secrets away all at once.


    Seeing the smirk on Zhang Lie''s face, Chu Feng and Yun Bing blushed in embarrassment, but their difort only deepened Zhang Lie''s smile.


    "Have a seat." Zhang Lie motioned to the table in the living room. Yun Bing and Chu Feng would be his future coborators, and he didn''t want to alienate their rtionship. He assuaged their embarrassment and redirected their attention to the deal, then headed for the table without turning back around.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing followed behind him.


    As they sat, Zhang Lie cut to the heart of the matter. "How many cores do you want to buy, and at what cost?"


    "You''ll set the price, of course. As for the quantity, I''m intending to purchase ten thousand cores!" Chu Feng eximed


    "And you aren''t afraid I''ll try to rip you off?"


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing both shook their heads. How much could the cores of what was essentially the lowest-grade lifeform in the dimensional world cost?


    "Good, very good. I like working with the two of you, so for our first transaction, I''ll give you a 50% discount: 10,000 points per core."


    What?! 10,000 points per core, and this was a 50% discount? Who would buy these cores at such an insane price? Ten thousand cores would cost a hundred million points!


    The Yun and Chu ns were quite wealthy, but even Yun Bing and Chu Feng couldn''t help quailing at this price.


    "You''re charging such an exorbitant price?!" Chu Feng shouted.


    "If you''re interested, we can carry out the transaction right away." Zhang Lie''s expression made it seem as though they ought to be grateful for his discount, making Yun Bing and Chu Feng want to tug out their hair and scream.


    Given such an exorbitant price, they wouldn''t be able to make a decision on behalf of their n. They had expected to be able to buy the white-grub cores for a rate no steeper than a thousand points per pound. A thousand points wasn''t much to scoff at¡ªthat was ten thousand dors! Were they too naive, or was Zhang Lie simply too greedy?


    Even established ns like the Chu and Yun ns didn''t make all that many points a year. Neither of them had the authority to handle a hundred-million point transaction, but they had already pledged to buy that many cores!


    "...in that case, can I just buy a hundred cores for now?" Chu Feng gave up on his pride entirely. He didn''t want to go back to his n empty-handed, so what else could he do?


    Honestly, he didn''t want to make any transactions with Zhang Lie at all¡ªno, he didn''t want to meet, encounter, or interact with him in any shape or form. Zhang Lie was a human-skinned demon, he was sure of it!


    Zhang Lie nodded sagely. "That''s right, you should only buy what you can afford. As for you, Miss Yun Bing? ?How many would you like to buy?"


    Zhang Lie turned to Yun Bing, who was ncing at him rather thoughtfully. In the end, she smiled wryly. "At this price, I can also only afford a hundred."


    They thought they were well-prepared for this transaction, but in the end, all they could afford were a hundred cores each.


    Zhang Lie''s smile was still stered on his face. "I know you both think that this price is exorbitant, but neither of you have felt the increase in your strength after this breakthrough, and neither of you know that these white grubs are about to be hunted to extinction. To tell you the truth, I''m intending on announcing the news about a foundational breakthrough in public."


    "What?" Both Chu Feng and Yun Bing jumped in shock.


    Was Zhang Lie going to announce a secret of this magnitude in public? Wouldn''t it be normal to try to keep it a secret that only those in the n would know about? Why would he publicize it? Surely he wasn''t so benevolent as to do it for nothing?


    This one meeting had given both Chu Feng and Yun Bing a year''s worth of shocks.


    "Is it that unusual? Of course the public has to know about such a big boon! I''m not like you ns, trying to secure every advantage and keeping it hidden from everyone else. For humanity to grow, we need to be working together, but all you''re thinking about is inter-n politics!"


    Neither of them knew what to say to Zhang Lie any longer.


    That being said, if Zhang Lie did go through with his n, then the price of these white-grub cores would surely go through the roof, wouldn''t they?


    After extensive testing, both ns had realized that kelpfish roe and bluewater frog meat were both useless for the breakthrough, and was simply a smokescreen that Zhang Lie had devised to prevent them from realizing the truth sooner.


    White-grub cores were the key ingredient for the foundational breakthrough, but this key ingredient was wholly under Zhang Lie''s control. Based on their estimates, Zhang Lie had over a hundred thousand white-grub cores, a veritable fortune, especially if the news were to be publicly released.


    The two of them felt a brief moment of regret that they hadn''t hunted these white-grub cores themselves.


    Zhang Lie, who had been theughingstock of the entire settlement for several months, hadpletely changed Yun Bing and Chu Feng''s perception of him. Both of them feared and respected the mysterious hunter in front of them; after all, be it in the short- or long-term, his ns far exceeded their expectations.


    "Will you allow us to discuss the purchase of these cores with our elders?" Yun Bing suddenly asked, disregarding her pride. "We aren''t authorized to handle transactions of suchrge magnitude."


    Zhang Lie naturally agreed.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng both left hurriedly after their hundred-core transactions to deliberate with their respective ns, the shock from the information presented to them that day evident on their faces.


    Amidst this torrent of information, they hadpletely forgotten about Zhang Lie''s mention of another breakthrough.


    1. He says this, but he''s still keeping his information about soulshard condensation a secret...

 Chapter 73: The Zenith Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 73: The Zenith Dojo</h4>


    Zhang Lie didn''t mind dying that other business prospect of his a little while longer. After all, such information was more precious the longer he waited to announce it.


    After seeing the other hunters off, Zhang Lie left his suite and prepared to return to the real world. The hunters of Team Zenith were about to make their way over, and he had to prepare himself for their encounter.


    He immediately contacted thewyer whose services he had made use of when purchasing his house from Wang Jianxin. Lawyers of this time and age were well-versed in anything that dealt with contracts and thew, and Zhang Lie''s purpose was to purchase another plot ofnd.


    Thewyer he had worked with in the past, Zhang Hong, had handled the contract deftly, and he intended on working with her again.


    "It''s good to hear from you, Mr. Zhang. Will you require my services urgently, given that you''re making such ate call?"


    Zhang Hong''s hologram gave Zhang Lie a businesslike smile, etiquette that wasn''t reflected on Zhang Lie''s part: he was smoking a cigarette and lounging back on a recliner, one foot propped up on the knee of the other.


    "To say it''s urgent would be an overkill, but to say it''s not urgent would be an understatement."


    Zhang Hong raised her eyebrows. "Mr. Zhang, it''s already quitete at night, and these aren''t my regr work hours. If there''s something urgent, I will be happy to help. Otherwise, if you don''t mind, I''m about to rest, and I''m sure the same applies to you."


    Zhang Lie''s nonsense would have caused any otherwyer to hang up by now, and Zhang Hong''s restrained chiding was better than he had expected. "Lawyer Zhang, I admire your professionalism. In that case, I''d like to leave this task in your capable hands. Put simply, I want to purchase thend rights for all thend within a kilometer of my house."


    Zhang Lie''s words shocked Lawyer Zhang into stunned silence. All thend within a kilometer of his house? It was true that Zhang Lie lived in the slums, and that the price ofnd here was far cheaper than it would otherwise be, but this was all rtive.


    The investment needed to buy up so muchnd would be a massive sum no matter where thend was. And if he wanted thend rights, he would have to buy up the houses in the area too. A conservative estimate for so muchnd would be at least hundreds of millions of dors.


    Zhang Lie''s current residence was a recent purchase, and hadn''t he spent one or two million dors on it? What was he thinking now, trying to purchase the entire neighborhood?


    If she remembered correctly, he lived alone with his sister, so where would he even get so much money? Surely he was drunk!


    Despite the thoughts flitting through her brain, Zhang Hong''s smile remained as cid and professional as ever. "Mr. Zhang, have you been drinking? I''m afraid you may be a little muddleheaded at the moment. Thank you for keeping me in mind, but I''m sorry, I''m about to rest, and I still have to work tomorrow."


    Zhang Lie thought that Zhang Hong was really quite patient to havested so long into his charade. Before she could leave, he slid a gold-rimmed ck card out of his back pocket and waved it at her. "Lawyer Zhang, I''m not kidding. I''m a hunter in the dimensional world, after all."


    Zhang Hong''s eyes bulged, and her professional smile vanished in the blink of an eye.


    "My goodness, Mr. Zhang, I¡ªI do profusely apologize! I failed to recognize just how qualified you were to make such a purchase."


    Those gold-rimmed ck cards were only given to clients with a credit limit of millions of points, so Zhang Lie himself surely had assets totaling at least a hundred million. He hadn''t been drunk at all! This man before her, though only in his early twenties, had the funds to back up his words!


    It seemed as though he had chanced upon a stroke of fortune in the dimensional world.


    "I don''t mind. Shall we discuss the matter further?" He smiled, dismissing their earlier conversation.


    Zhang Hong, faced with the prospect of such a lucrative request, immediately perked up. Although she had been feeling somewhat tired, her desire to sleep had vaporized. "Mr. Zhang, your request involves such arge sum of money that I would feel far morefortable with a face-to-face conversation. Would you mind giving me a few minutes to get ready and head over?"


    "Sure. It isn''t toote yet, so I''m happy to host you for a while."


    "Very good, Mr. Zhang. I''ll be at your estate in about fifteen minutes." Zhang Hong terminated the call, then beamed in excitement. This would be thergest transaction that she had handled in her career, and she would regret it for the rest of her life if she failed to secure it now.


    As for Zhang Lie, he took a quick shower before Zhang Hong arrived.


    The rest was simple. Zhang Lie informed her of his demands, and they quickly reached an agreement. Zhang Lie nned to have Zhang Hong handle everything on his behalf, and he would give her ten days to do so. Within ten days, he wanted to see thend rights for thend within a kilometer of his house.


    .


    Given the amount of money he was investing into thend, Zhang Hong easily agreed. He was willing to purchase the nearby properties for one and a half times their standard value, as well as grease the wheels a little to make the acquisition proceed more rapidly.


    The residents of the slums were in luck: this much money would allow them to buy up houses outside the slums, giving them better living conditions for essentially no cost at all. Who would refuse such an offer?


    Time seemed to pass quickly, but it took two hours before Zhang Hong and Zhang Lie worked out the details of the contract. Upon seeing Zhang Lie sign his name, Zhang Hong breathed out a sigh of relief, followed by a surge of excitement that filled her entire body. This was the biggest deal of her career!


    "Thank you for your trust in me, Mr. Zhang. I, Zhang Hong, will do my best to guarantee a speedy acquisition!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "If you handle this matter well, I''ll preferentially consider your services in the future. I hope you won''t give me any reason to doubt my trust in you. Please acquire thend rights as quickly as you can."


    Zhang Hong nodded, then asked offhandedly, "Might I ask what you n on using thend for?"


    "I intend on building a dojo right here."


    A dojo for hunters of the dimensional world??Zhang Hong was taken aback once more.?A dojo right here in the slums, with no nearby facilities to support it?


    She blinked a few times. Who would want to train in a dojo under such circumstances and in such conditions?

 Chapter 74: Congregation

    <h4>Chapter 74: Congregation</h4>


    Of course, whether or not there would be any disciples willing to train with Zhang Lie wasn''t something that she, Zhang Hong, had to concern herself with. After the customary farewell, Zhang Hong left with her briefcase.


    Zhang Lie, who had worked hard the entire day, slumped into bed and immediately fell asleep.


    The next morning, just as the first rays of dawn shone through the window, as Zhang Liey drooling in bed, dreaming sweet dreams, the doorbell rang.


    "Master, Master, you have a guest!" The robotic housekeeper slid toward Zhang Lie''s bed and began trying to wake him up.


    Zhang Lie groaned. "Who is it? Who''s here so early in the day? Go open the door."


    As he blearily rubbed his eyes and stretched, Zhang Lie began the arduous process of waking up. The moment he pushed his nkets away and walked out of his bedroom, a young woman rushed up to him.


    "Surprise!"


    It was the first of the hunters from Team Zenith. Zhang Lie expected that the first hunter to get to his house would be Yang Ze, but it turned out to be Sun Mengmeng.


    She flitted around the house in a pale blue dress, looking quite a bit more rxed than she did as a hunter in the dimensional world. She seemed to have deliberately put on makeup to leave a good first impression on everyone in Team Zenith, and it was certainly paying off.


    "Wee to my ce, Mengmeng. Have a seat¡ªI just woke up, so I''m going to go wash up."


    Despite this being their first encounter in real life, Zhang Lie seemed to be as casual with Sun Mengmeng as they were in the dimensional world. It gave Sun Mengmeng the impression that they were already rather familiar with each other, because Zhang Lie behaved much the same way in the cksteel settlement.


    She smiled. "Captain, did you just wake up? And here I thought all the top hunters preferred to practice at a dojo in the morning!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t respond, because he was currently brushing his teeth.


    After he gurgled, he countered, "Training at a dojo? Is that useful? Why not kill a few lifeforms in the dimensional world instead?"


    There was some argument for Zhang Lie''s proposition. Quite a few teenagers had trained in a dojo since their childhood, but quailed the moment they entered the dimensional world and saw a ferocious lifeform for the first time. What good would their trained constitution do for them then?


    "Both in moderation, surely," Sun Mengmeng replied. "Since I''m here early, would you like me to make some breakfast?" After all, she wasrgely responsible for food preparation in the team, and cooking was second nature to her by now.


    "That''d be great!" Zhang Lie called back from the bathroom. He had just been wondering what to do for breakfast. By the time he finished washing up, there were already three dishes set on the dining table: coddled eggs, slices of ham, and fresh soy milk.


    Having passed through Sun Mengmeng''s hands, the three rather simple dishes were elevated to sophistication. Zhang Lie was full of praise for the food.


    After breakfast, they sat together in the living room waiting for the other hunters from Team Zenith to show up. Within half an hour, the next hunter, Li Feng, was here. The rest of the team trickled in over the next hour or so: Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying.


    However, Yang Ze, who had demonstrated the most eagerness toe, had yet to arrive.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but start to worry. Of them all, Yang Ze had the most illustrious background. Could his n have forbidden his sudden move?


    "Fang Yi, Yang Ze was originally one of your teammates. How much do you know about his family situation? Could he have been waid by members of his n?"


    Another hour had passed without his appearance.


    Fang Yi thought about it for a moment, but shook his head. "No, Captain, that wouldn''t happen. Yang Ze''s basically been exiled from his n, and the rest of his n would dly chase him away given the opportunity. But since he''s all the way over on Mars, he likely woke upte and missed the scheduled teleportation. I''ll message him and see if he''s about to arrive."


    Just as Fang Yi tapped out a message, Yang Ze''s voice could be heard from outside. "I''m here, everyone! Fang Yi, you must have missed me ?if you''re sending me such an urgent message!"


    He appeared in the doorway with a few suitcases trailing behind him.


    "Sorry, sorry, Captain, I had a hard time finding my way around the slums."


    Finally, all the members of Team Zenith were gathered. Zhang Lie''s small living room was packed to the brim with luggage and people.


    "Be more punctual next time, you hear?" Zhang Lie clicked his tongue.


    Yang Ze gave him a mock salute. "Yes, Captain!"


    "Alright, now that everyone''s here, have a seat and I''ll discuss the next stage of my n. First, wee to Ning, and wee to my house. I''ve called you all over for two reasons: first, to have you help me set up a dojo, and second, to have you purge yourselves of your gic techniques and begin anew, so as to gain ess to what I''ve been calling limit fragments."


    Both of these were topics that Zhang Lie had yet to broach with any of the members of Team Zenith, and they were both of significant importance.


    Each was like a jolt to their heart.


    The first issue was the dojo. Dojos had sprung up shortly after the discovery of the dimensional world, and they had developed into a professional enterprise. At present, one would need to be at least a superior-grade hunter to meet the required qualifications.


    Although their captain had quite a lot of points, he was still a mortal lifeform, and he had yet to advance into the second realm of the dimensional world. Compared to most other dojo leaders, he would be underqualified.


    The second issue, of purging their techniques and starting from scratch, was much more significant and personal.


    Although they had been quite curious about how Zhang Lie had managed to dominate Li Hong despite having about the same number of stats, their gic techniques were such an important part of their strength that they would certainly hesitate before giving them up.


    After all, how were they to fight in the dimensional world without their techniques?


    Sensing the hunters'' hesitation, Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks like all of you need some time to think about this, so let''s deal with lodgings for the moment. My ce is so small that you certainly won''t all be able to stay here, so we''ll need to find you ces to live first. Once we''ve gotten that sorted out, we can discuss what I''ve brought up today."


    They rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

 Chapter 75: Ultimatum

    <h4>Chapter 75: Ultimatum</h4>


    Finding a ce to live wasn''t a problem for the other hunters. Given their newfound wealth, they were easily able to find a few ces for rent just a kilometer or so away from Zhang Lie''s house.


    By the time they made all their preparations and gathered again, they had decided to purge their gic techniques and start anew, as Zhang Lie had suggested. The reason they had alle to Ning was all because of Zhang Lie, so why hesitate now?


    Zhang Lie''s generosity was evident from the way he handled the superior-grade soulshards he had obtained as loot from Li Hong. If Zhang Lie really wanted to hurt them, he could have done so within the dimensional world, and there was no need for him to gather them here.


    "I''m d you''re all willing to trust me. I promise you''ll not regret the decision you''ve made today! Both stages of my n can be carried out simultaneously. I''ve already started acquiring thend rights to construct a dojo right here. You''re all my teammates as well as my first disciples, so you''d better not lose me face, you hear?"


    "Yes, Captain!" the hunters chorused.


    "In that case, let''s start with the reason for purging your gic techniques, which I''m sure you''re all quite curious about." As the hunters nodded, Zhang Lie continued, "It''s very simple: your foundational framework can be advanced past the tenth stage!"


    "What? Doesn''t the foundational framework only have ten stages? What''s this final stage you''re talking about?!" bbergasted, Yang Ze interrupted Zhang Lie before he could continue.


    "The first ten stages aremon knowledge, yes, but not this final stage. After breaking through the bottleneck at the tenth stage of your foundational framework and reaching what I''ve termed the final stage, you''ll be able to increase your basic gene capacity by ten. It''s for these ten basic gene fragments that I''m having all of you purge your gic techniques and start anew."


    "Basic gene capacity? You mean... it can exceed a hundred?! But are ten basic gene fragments really all that important? It certainly doesn''t seem as though it would provide arge boost to our constitution. Is it really worth purging our techniques for just ten basic gene fragments?" Fang Yi asked.


    Zhang Lie responded patiently, "Of course it''s worth it. These are limit fragments, and they provide much more significant a boost than standard gene fragments. Put simply, these ten basic gene fragments would provide even more of a boost than ten standard mutated gene fragments. Do you understand?"


    The shock on the gathered hunters'' faces was evident.


    Ten mutated gene fragments did provide a significant increase to a hunter''s strength, and this wasn''t a gap that could be simply closed.


    In truth, they weren''t particrly advanced with their gic techniques yet, and purging them and starting anew wouldn''t be too much of a sacrifice. However, for the short term, they would be unable to fight at anything close to their original strength.


    "Captain, I trust you. What''s there to hesitate about? I''m going to purge my techniques right now!" Having made up her mind, Sun Mengmeng closed her eyes, expelling the engravings on her gic core. The turbulent gic energy that was generated as a result caused fresh blood to trickle out of her lips, but she didn''t care.


    The other hunters followed suit.


    "We''ll have to carry out the breakthrough in the dimensional world. I''ll need to give you a few things, and then you''ll have to undergo a trial. Whether you can seed on your first attempt will depend on your perseverance," Zhang Lie continued, once they had all finished. Truthfully, he had anticipated some more resistance to his suggestion, and was gratified that they had so much trust in him.


    Back in the dimensional world, they headed to the training ground that the Yun and Chu ns had set up in the Forest of Blue Maples.


    When Zhang Lie brought his teammates, who had just stuffed their faces with white-grub cores, to the site, he found Chu Feng and Yun Bing with a hundred-hunter team right outside. This wasn''t a coincidence; Zhang Lie had noticed the Yun and Chu hunters gathering within the cksteel settlement, and he had timed his movements so that his team would arrive at the training ground exactly as the Yun and Chu parties did.


    "May I help you?"


    As the two parties met, the members of Team Zenith were quite surprised by how polite Chu Feng and Yun Bing were. After all, they were the two strongest hunters of the cksteel settlement!


    What sort of hunter could merit such respect from them? Just who was their captain? Didn''t he live in the slums? Why did it seem as though Yun Bing and Chu Feng were deferring to him?


    From Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s perspective, they had already witnessed the horrifying strength of the hunter in front of them. Even if he weren''t strong, the warehouse of white-grub cores that he controlled was reason enough to be polite. As a result, it was only natural that Chu Feng would greet him with a smile on his face, his tone an equal mix of excitement and anxiety, giving the rest of Team Zenith a big shock.


    "What else could I be here for? These teammates of mine need to participate in the trial, so I''m here asking for a favor."


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng turned to the hunters of Team Zenith, carefully inspecting them. Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and Yang Ze responded well to the scrutiny, but the other three hunters couldn''t help retreating from the attention.


    Such behavior disappointed Yun Bing and Chu Feng. After all, given how mysterious and strong Zhang Lie was, they held everything around him to equally high standards, but the hunters behind him were only decent, at best.


    Chu Feng cocked an eyebrow. "Your teammates aren''t bad! Of course I''ll do you a favor. Let them enter with everyone else!"


    Zhang Lie nodded, turning to Fang Yi and the others. "Don''t worry and head in with Young Master Chu and the others. But you''d better seed, or I''m kicking you out of the team!"


    The slight disdain in Chu Feng''s tone didn''t go unnoticed, either by Zhang Lie or by the rest of his team. He gave them an ultimatum in order to pressure them more at this critical moment, hoping to increase their chances of sess.


    In truth, a breakthrough of this nature couldn''t be guaranteed at all, and Zhang Lie certainly didn''t intend on expelling any hunters from his team, but Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and even his teammates understood his words differently.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing frowned as they tried to analyze the implications of what he had said. Had Zhang Lie found a method to guarantee a breakthrough? Was that why he had given them that ultimatum in in sight?


    As for his teammates, they felt as though Zhang Lie was insulted by Chu Feng''s disdain for them, and whether or not they seeded would directly impact Zhang Lie''s reputation. As such, no matter what trials they would have to face, they had to give it their all so as to not let their captain lose face!

 Chapter 76: Potion #1

    <h4>Chapter 76: Potion #1</h4>


    Team Zenith joined the Chu and Yun parties entering the training ground. Meanwhile, Zhang Lie, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng headed to a pavilion that had been constructed right outside.


    "Zhang Lie, it looks as though you''re quite confident in your subordinates'' strength!"


    The moment they sat down, Chu Feng tried to pry some information from him, but Zhang Lie only gave him a cid smile. "I said what I did solely to stress them and increase the chances of a breakthrough."


    Neither Chu Feng nor Yun Bing believed him. They nced at each other, bothing to the conclusion that Zhang Lie was trying to hoodwink them again.


    After a brief pause, Chu Feng spoke up again, sincerely, "Zhang Lie, if you have some method for a guaranteed breakthrough, please make sure to sell it to us first! After all, we''ve worked together for quite a while already, and we''ll certainly give you a price that will make you happy."


    "There''s no such thing. If it really existed, I would certainly have told you two about it already¡ªwho wouldn''t want more points? I promise that there wasn''t any deeper meaning behind those words."


    Given the firm negation, Chu Feng and Yun Bing certainly couldn''t press the matter further, and they had to change the topic.


    "We''ve reported the matter about the white-grub cores to our ns, and we''d like to purchase five thousand cores each. Would you be willing to give a further discount given our bulk purchase?" Chu Feng tried to negotiate with Zhang Lie.


    "No, I won''t. 10,000 points per core is already a huge discount, and I assure you, I''ll have no shortage of buyers at this price." Zhang Lie held a monopoly on the white-grub cores, and he certainly didn''t need to give a further discount.


    "Ah, well, in that case, I''ll thank you for the sale." What else could Chu Feng do? It wasn''t as though he had any bargaining chips handy. They might have tried to threaten some other hunter, but certainly not Zhang Lie.


    Both Yun Bing and Chu Feng had strongly rmended to their ns that they maintain a cordial rtionship with Zhang Lie and not alienate him. He was simply too threatening as an enemy.


    At some point, they had begun to think of Zhang Lie as superior to even themselves.


    Chu Feng didn''t want to thank Zhang Lie for his ''generosity''; after all, from his perspective, Zhang Lie seemed to be selling what was supposed to be a low-grade resource for an insane price, but he had no choice but to put aside his pride and thank him just for the opportunity to purchase it!


    Chu Feng changed the topic again. "Zhang Lie, you mentioned another breakthrough thest time we talked. Would you be willing to let our ns participate?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Given the authority your ns possess, I''m certainly happy to share the information with you, but there''s nothing to participate in. Just like before, it''ll be another sale."


    "A sale? What do you mean?" It was Yun Bing''s turn to speak up. From his tone, it seemed as though Zhang Lie had monopolized yet another breakthrough.


    "I won''t beat around the bush any longer. This second breakthrough is actually a potion that I concocted unintentionally, which I''m calling Potion #1. Consuming it will allow you to increase your basic gene capacity once more!"


    The two hunters gaped again.


    ''Unintentionally'' concocting a potion that would allow a hunter to exceed their basic gene capacity again? What sort of devil was this hunter, to be able to devise such breakthroughs out of nowhere?


    And since he was calling it Potion #1, surely that meant that there would be a Potion #2, and then a Potion #3, and then¡­ Just how much information and knowledge did he possess?! If this potion really were to exist, then that meant that they could have more than even a hundred and ten basic gene fragments...


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s worldview seemed to have shattered.


    They felt as though they were enmeshed in one of Zhang Lie''s traps, and weren''t sure whether to continue listening to his words or to leave before he could convince them to spend their hard-earned points on something fraudulent.


    "Ah, Zhang Lie, how much of a boost will this supposed potion give?" In the end, Chu Feng couldn''t resist the temptation to learn more about this potion.


    "It''ll increase your basic gene capacity by fifty gene fragments!"


    "Fifty?! You''re not joking around, are you?" Chu Feng cried out in shock, and even Yun Bing seemed quite flustered.


    Zhang Lie continued to smile. "Yes, fifty fragments. Is it all that shocking?"


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing were speechless, but as scions of two of the most influential ns of the cksteel settlement, they quickly recovered.


    Chu Feng''s voice had raised an octave in anticipation. "Zhang Lie, will you be selling this potion? Will you be selling its recipe, too?"


    It was a rather silly question. Zhang Lie had emphasized that he was approaching them with a sale. Would he sell the potion recipe and give away his monopoly on Potion #1? Of course not!


    Zhang Lie pretended he hadn''t asked anything.


    Yun Bing thumped Chu Feng, beside her, on the back. "Are you an idiot? What would you do in his position? The recipe would be priceless!"


    Chu Feng quickly recovered from his momentarypse in judgment.


    Even if Zhang Lie were to sell such a priceless treasure, the entire umted wealth of the Chu n wouldn''t be sufficient to purchase it.


    "I''m sorry, Zhang Lie, that was a stupid question. Can I ask just how many of these potions you have, and how much you intend on selling them for?" Chu Feng didn''t want to work with Zhang Lie any longer, but his wares were simply too enticing. What a ridiculous boost¡ªan increase of fifty basic gene fragments!


    And because these were gene fragments beyond the usual capacity, they would be even more impactful than fifty standard mutated gene fragments. Such a boost would generate a gap that couldn''t be ovee.


    Honestly, Chu Feng couldn''t believe that such a ridiculous potion actually existed! After imbibing the potion, he would naturally be stronger than any other hunter.


    Despite his current strength, Chu Feng couldn''t take this potion lightly. Indeed, in order to maintain and advance his strength, he would have to purchase this potion at any cost.


    Yun Bing felt the same way. They had both gotten closer to Zhang Lie subconsciously, and were staring expectantly at him.


    "The potion requires quite a few ingredients, and I don''t have much supply. All in all, I only have ten potions, and I intend on auctioning them off in the real world. You understand the problem that would pose to a lone hunter like me, don''t you?"


    An auction? It was clear that Zhang Lie intended to milk this discovery for all it was worth!

 Chapter 77: Teamwide Success

    <h4>Chapter 77: Teamwide Sess</h4>


    An auction¡ªespecially one on Earth¡ªmeant that they would have even morepetitors for these rare potions. In fact, if information about such potions were to be distributed widely, even hunters from the higher realms of the dimensional world might show up. As a result, the organizers of the auction would have to be able to handle the pressure from these far stronger hunters.


    "Zhang Lie, are you... requesting that our ns organize the auction?"


    Given how strong the potion was purported to be, Chu Feng was perfectly willing to sacrifice his pride to get a chance to acquire it.


    However, Zhang Lie already had other ns in mind. "Do you think your ns would be able to handle this? They might have some strength in the first realm of the dimensional world, but would they be able to handle hunters from the higher realms?"


    Zhang Lie''s words jolted Chu Feng out of his reverie. Zhang Lie was right: the Chu n might be one of thergest ns within the cksteel settlement, but that was nothingpared to some of these hunters who might show up for the auction.


    The elders of the n might have some influence over matters of the second realm, but what about the third and fourth realms? The Yun and Chu ns could hardly hope to stand against the monstrous geniuses who had made it that far.


    "Zhang Lie, you''re absolutely right. We likely won''t have the qualifications to participate in the auction, so would you be willing to sell us two of the potions beforehand?" Yun Bing couldn''t resist asking Zhang Lie for a favor, given how incredible the potions'' effects were.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Well, working with the two of you has been rather pleasant, so I don''t mind leaving two potions for you. In that case, I''ll sell them to you at the lowest price that they go for during the auction."


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s eyes widened, and they even began to breathe more heavily.


    "Do you mean this? Zhang Lie, I will hold you to your word."


    "Don''t worry. Have I ever lied to you?"


    Yun Bing''s face was flushed red with excitement, a surprising contrast from her usual cool and collected demeanor. When she looked toward Zhang Lie, her gaze seemed to be filled with an emotion she couldn''t ce.


    At this moment, Zhang Lie seemed to be exuding some intangible charm, and her heart began to thump loudly. She couldn''t help but think to herself,?Is he treating me so well because he''s interested in me?


    She was only in her early twenties, but her strength, as well as the pride that derived from that strength, was a significant barrier deterring would-be suitors. No other hunter had managed to move her heart, but Zhang Lie, who had seemed to appear out of nowhere, satisfied essentially all her requirements: he was mysterious, strong, domineering, and yet gave her preferential treatment.


    Even Yun Bing wasn''t immune to flights of fancy, after all.


    "Thank you, Zhang Lie. No matter what happens in the future, I will remember your goodwill."


    By her side, Chu Feng, who knew Yun Bing well, was very surprised by the depth of emotion she was disying.


    "It''s not a problem. The fact that we''re active in the same settlement in the first realm at the same time is a form of fate, and both of you show promise to be strong hunters in the future. Consider this an investment on my part. Furthermore, you should realize that even the lowest selling price for these potions will still be an astounding sum, and you had better start gathering funds now.


    Zhang Lie''s words seemed quite logical, but Yun Bing and Chu Feng were still very touched. No matter what, it was a huge favor for him to be willing to remove two potions from auction and to sell it to them at the lowest selling price. They immediately professed their gratitude.


    "Zhang Lie, I apologize for having investigated your background, but it doesn''t seem like you have a backer at all. Would you be willing to tell us whom you n on having host this auction?"


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing had naturally investigated Zhang Lie before purchasing white-grub cores from him, but all their investigations suggested that he was nothing more than a poverty-stricken resident of the slums on Earth.


    He had no family background to speak of, nor a backer, and he even had to take care of his paralyzed sister.


    Under such conditions, how was it that Zhang Lie had been able to be as strong as he was today? They certainly wouldn''t have been able to get that far starting with so little.


    However, before Zhang Lie could answer them, the gates to the training ground opened, and the participants within began to walk out.


    "You''ll see!" Zhang Lie hastily replied before heading to the gates, eager to know how his teammates had performed.


    Quickly, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying gathered in a line before Zhang Lie. They were each rxed, as though they had all met Zhang Lie''s expectations, and Zhang Lie could hardly believe the implication.


    "Well? Did you all advance?"


    "Yes, Captain!" they chorused, shocking the other hunters nearby.


    If they didn''t seed, they would be expelled from the team! Of course they didn''t dare fail. None of them realized just how shocking it was for them all to pass on the first attempt.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing, who were observing Zhang Lie''s team from a distance, were both rather shocked. Had they really all seeded? Surely they weren''t that lucky. Did Zhang Lie really not have some sort of secret technique?


    Before their conversation, both Chu Feng and Yun Bing would have suspected that he did, but after the conversation, with their improved understanding of Zhang Lie, they didn''t think he would lie.


    This meant that those hunters they had disdained earlier had likely seeded in the trial with their own strength. They took note of those hunters who had defied their expectations.


    Zhang Lie didn''t care what Chu Feng and Yun Bing thought; he was overjoyed that the hunters of Team Zenith had all seeded. He knew full well that there was no secret technique for inducing a breakthrough.


    There were two reasons for their sess: first, the training ground that Chu Feng and Yun Bing had constructed was effective; and second, that Zhang Lie¡ªor rather his teammates¡ªwere quite lucky today.


    There could be no other exnation.


    "Very good. In that case, let''s proceed to the next stage of the n!"


    Now that they had all broken through, they would have to replenish their supply of basic gene fragments, and then choose new gic techniques to study.


    Basic gene fragments would be straightforward for any of the present hunters to acquire, even without gic techniques. As hunters who possessed superior gene fragments, would they be stymied by hunting down regr-grade lifeforms? Of course not!


    However, Zhang Lie would have to be more particr with helping them choose their new gic techniques. After all, as members of his team, they certainly deserved high-quality techniques that fit with their frameworks.


    Recalling the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion, Zhang Lie decided to return to the settlement and enlist their services. He bade farewell to Yun Bing and Chu Feng, then made to return. However, Yun Bing and Chu Feng indicated that they would be returning to the settlement as well. They were both very pleased with therge number of sesses in that day''s trials.


    The three of them still had a transaction to carry out, after all, so Zhang Lie didn''t mind them tagging along. After a moment''s wait, he returned to the cksteel settlement with his team, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing.

 Chapter 78: A Lucrative Deal

    <h4>Chapter 78: A Lucrative Deal</h4>


    Back in the settlement, Zhang Lie quickly concluded the transaction with Chu Feng and Yun Bing. They each wanted 5,000 cores, for a total of a hundred million points between the two ns.


    The members of Team Zenith were astounded by the magnitude of the transaction. A hundred million points was worth a billion dors! A dor wasn''t worth all that much in this day and age, but Zhang Lie had gotten all that money just for ten thousand cores!


    And they had seen just howrge Zhang Lie''s stockpile of these white-grub cores were. To have a few warehouses full of cores that cost a hundred thousand dors each... just how much wealth did Zhang Lie have?!


    They thought that Zhang Lie was being generous when he handed some points to their team leaders, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, but after learning about the extent of his wealth, they finally understood how he could be so generous.


    Zhang Lie dismissed them so that they could hunt down the ten basic gene fragments they needed to saturate their new capacity, then entered the cksteel Inn alone.


    His goal was to purchase a sufficient number of gic techniques for his team. He had spent quite some time pondering the techniques that would be most suited to everyone.


    First was Fang Yi. His original framework was water-attuned, which meant that he could learn all the techniques that Zhang Lie was currently using: [Three-Wave Crescendo], [Rippling Walk], [Calm Waters], [Fists of the Silent Sea], [The Boundless de], and even Zhang Lie''s prized [Ninecarp Transformation].


    There would be no need for any further preparation with regards to his techniques.


    Sun Mengmeng''s situation wasn''t very different from Fang Yi''s. Her framework was fire-attuned, just like Zhang Lie''s in his past life. In that case, he wouldn''t have to prepare any of her techniques either. [The Burning Pyres], [Soulfire de], [Scorching Fist], [meburst Step], [Embersteel Cuirass], and [Baptism of Hellfire] were gic techniques that Zhang Lie had used and studied all throughout his past life. Except for [Ninecarp Transformation], they weren''t inferior to any of his current water-attuned gic techniques at all.


    However, Sun Mengmeng favored long-ranged archery techniques, so Zhang Lie decided to buy her something suitable for that purpose as well.


    The other hunters'' techniques would be trickier. Yang Ze''s framework was earth-attuned, and Sun Xiaowu''s was gold-attuned. Li Feng''s framework was earth-attuned, like Yang Ze, whereas Zhou Ying''s framework was wood-attuned. To furtherplicate matters, the four of them each preferred a different fighting style.


    Given that Zhang Lie was preparing to build a dojo, he would certainly need a repertoire of gic techniques, even beyond what his teammates needed.


    In his suite, he immediately essed the trading post and contacted the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion. His status as a million-ss customer meant that he received preferential service for all his requests. Not two minutes after he sent a message, Daffodil, who had already handled two of Zhang Lie''s requests, contacted him.


    "Mr. Peppercorn, thank you for your patronage at the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion. What may I do for you today?"


    "I need gic frameworks and techniques, high-grade and above, in all nine primary elements: gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, and darkness. Send me a list of all such techniques you have for me to look over.


    To be honest, I''m currently preparing to construct a dojo, and I''ll be needing arge supply of techniques. However, you have to ensure that these techniques were obtained reputably, and I can''t have any trouble associated with using them. Do you understand?"


    Daffodil was momentarily stumped by the enormity of Zhang Lie''s request, but she quickly replied, "Yes, Mr. Peppercorn, I understand! However, I don''t have the required authority to process this on my own. Please give me a moment while I report this to headquarters and ask for assistance!"


    "Go ahead. I''ll be here waiting for your response."


    Zhang Lie closed the connection and poured himself a ss of red wine, turning on the holographic television as he waited for a response. Fortunately, given his status, the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion didn''t dare to keep him waiting. In just five minutes, he received another call.


    Two figures appeared on the holographic screen, Daffodil and a middle-aged man.


    "Thank you for your patience, Mr. Peppercorn. I''m Fang Yuze, the manager in charge of the branch of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion in the first realm of the dimensional world, and I''m honored to be serving you today."


    "I''m sure Miss Daffodil has already exined my circumstances to you, so there''s no need for any pleasantries now, please," Zhang Lie cut directly to the heart of the matter. "How many framework and technique manuals do you have?"


    Fang Yuze bowed his head respectfully.


    "As you wish, sir. We have 165 manuals that meet your requirements. Of these 165, 23 are gold-attuned, 14 wood, 24 water, 17 fire, 22 earth, 19 wind, 13 thunder, 21 light, and 12 darkness. The lowest is high-grade, and the highest is mythic-grade. Please, feel free to take your pick. As a million-ss customer, you''ll receive a 12% discount on any purchase you make at the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion," Fang Yuze exined patiently, going so far as to offer Zhang Lie a bulk discount.


    After all, customers who made suchrge purchases were rare, and if he were able to secure a deal now, he would surely gain prestige and reputation within the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion, and be promoted into a managerial position after his advancement into a higher realm.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I intend on purchasing more than fifty manuals, arge purchase even amongrge purchases. Why don''t you give me a 30% discount? If so, we can continue negotiations; if not, I''ll find some other trading house to give my business to."


    Despite his smile, it was apparent that he had no intention of giving in.


    Fang Yuze hesitated, not expecting the ''generous customer'' that Daffodil had mentioned to pull a trick like this. He red at her before turning back to Zhang Lie, schooling his features into a pleasant mask. "Of course, sir. Given the magnitude of your purchase, I can offer you a 30% discount, but I must insist that you purchase at least fifty manuals for the discount to take effect."


    "That''s not a problem. Fifty manuals is a baseline, and I''m sure to exceed that."


    Fang Yuze heaved a sigh of relief, then gave Zhang Lie a wide smile. "In that case, sir, let me thank you again for your patronage. I''ll leave Daffodil here to work with you in selecting the manuals you''d like to purchase. If there''s anything with her service that you''re unhappy about, please contact me directly.


    .


    "Here is my contact information. I''m currently located in the Maple settlement, and someone will respond to any request from you at all hours. Please let me know if there''s anything you need!"


    As a manager, Fang Yuze couldn''t afford to spend too much time on any single customer, and after leaving his contact information behind, he handed the rest to Daffodil.

 Chapter 79: Inheritance

    <h4>Chapter 79: Inheritance</h4>


    The remainder of the deal was straightforward. Daffodil and Zhang Lie settled on a set pricing for manuals based on their grade:


    6,000 points for high-grade techniques and frameworks,


    200,000 points for pinnacle-grade,


    2,500,000 points for legendary-grade, and finally,


    30,000,000 points for mythic-grade.


    With the price settled, Zhang Lie proceeded to sift through the manuals for the ones that he wanted to purchase.


    Given his personality, he was naturally going to start from the highest-grade manuals. There were only two mythic-grade manuals, both frameworks: [Rondo of Wind and Storm] and [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint].


    [Rondo of Wind and Storm] was an unusual dual-attunement framework.


    In the short recording that introduced the framework, a female hunter was dancing to the apaniment of wind and storm, wreathed in gusts of billowing wind, lightning arcing around her body. At times, her gic energy evoked refreshing gusts of wind; at others, the wrath of lightning.


    The flexibility of a dual-attunement framework could be a significant boon in a fight. However, choosing such a framework would require an extremely strong foundation of gene fragments, as well as arge number of auxiliary gic techniques of both elements.


    It was certainly a framework that would require heavy investment. However, Zhang Lie was still interested, and he immediately motioned for the manual. After all, it was a pinnacle-grade framework, and thirty million points for it was a bargain.


    Honestly, Zhang Lie was very curious just where the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion was acquiring these mythic-grade frameworks. In the past, the emergence of a mythic-grade framework in the first realm of the dimensional world would always be apanied by a great hubbub, but this Thousand-Treasure Pavilion had offered two of them up for sale, just like that!


    Had he simply been too constrained by hisck of wealth in his past life?


    Regardless, given his current wealth, he''d take as many mythic-grade manuals as the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion had to offer.


    After watching the recording in full, Zhang Lie motioned that he would purchase [Rondo of Wind and Storm]. Daffodil was ted: Zhang Lie''s first purchase was for thirty million points!


    The payment was quickly processed, and an borate, exquisite manual sent over to Zhang Lie''s suite. Instead of inspecting it closely, Zhang Lie moved to the other mythic-grade framework, [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]. This was a rtively rare light-attuned framework, and seemed to invoke a full-body technique.


    In the recording, a middle-aged male hunter circted his gic energy, causing dense silver scales to emerge over his skin. The silver scales encased him like a suit of draconian armor. A simple punch from the hunter was sufficient to make the earth tremble and the heavens shake, and it clearly endowed him with frightening strength.


    However, it was also evident that this framework would require a dense reservoir of light-attuned gic energy: manifesting enough silver scales to cover a hunter''s entire body wasn''t a trivial task at all.


    Despite this shoring, it was still a mythic-grade framework, and Zhang Lie bought it without a second thought.


    Daffodil''s face broke into a huge smile.


    He surveyed the legendary- and pinnacle-grade frameworks and techniques in much the same way, buying all that caught his eye. As he had promised, he would buy no fewer than fifty manuals; in the end, he went away with fifty-four.


    Of the nine primary elements, he had at least four or five of each type, and he had spent almost a hundred million points.


    This was Daffodil''s first time seeing someone purchase so many and such varied manuals in bulk. Of course, from her perspective, the more he bought, therger the bonus she would receive, so her smile had been widening the entire afternoon.


    After Zhang Lie finished inspecting thest manual, Daffodil beamed at him. "Mr. Peppercorn, all your desired manuals have been sent to you. On behalf of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion, thank you for your patronage, and I must personally thank you for supporting me as well! If you''re ever by Ursa Major, please let me know, and I''d be delighted to show you around. Here''s my contact information."


    Before Zhang Lie could say a single thing, she had already sent her contact information over. She was clearly delighted by the humongous purchase Zhang Lie had made.


    "I''ll take your word for it."


    "Of course, Mr. Peppercorn! It would be my honor to meet you in person. May the opening of your dojo be a wonderful sess! In addition, from today onward, you''ll be a ten-million-ss customer of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion¡ª no, more urately, you''re our first customer to be close to the hundred-million ss, and my team will be your dedicated service staff. If you have any requests or problems rted to trade and business, my team and I will offer you our utmost support."


    Daffodil was certainly very skilled as a sales representative, and she knew just how to keep a customer like Zhang Lie rxed and happy.


    "I do have a question. I asked something simrst time, but I wasn''t too satisfied with your answer. This time, I''d like to hear something less evasive."


    Daffodil could guess what the question would be. "May I ask if you''re inquiring about the origin of these manuals?"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    "Most of these manuals were part of the legacies of strong hunters who have perished," Daffodil exined.


    Zhang Lie blinked, his mind suddenly filling with possibilities. He had overlooked critical information that he possessed¡ªthe locations of burial mounds for several hunters of legend, where their legacy and inheritance could be obtained! One of them was even right on Earth. How could he have forgotten such valuable information?


    If Daffodil hadn''t brought it up, he wouldn''t have considered this avenue of wealth.


    The dimensional world had been discovered for less than a century, but within this period of time, there were quite a few rising stars of humanity that had emerged. Some of them were still trying to ess higher and higher realms, but others had perished unexpectedly.


    At the dawn of this century, there had been a series of serious conflicts between humankind and a ss of insectoid lifeforms known as the Kez.


    Hunters from that era tended to leave behind a legacy in hopes that there would be hunters to inherit the path of cultivation that they had pioneered and take up their mantles in the war against the Kez. Most such legacies included frameworks, techniques, and all sorts of treasures that they had obtained during their journeys.


    Zhang Lie''s excitement showed on his face. "Thank you for the information. If I''m ever by Ursa Major, I''ll treat you to a meal!"


    Daffodil was unaware of the source of Zhang Lie''s excitement, but she smiled at the sudden interest that he demonstrated. "I look forward to it, Mr. Peppercorn. If there''s nothing else, I''ll have to report the oue of this sale now."


    "Farewell!" Zhang Lie''s excitement grew more intense once the connection was closed. He was rapidly assembling a n to take advantage of his knowledge.

 Chapter 80: A Pleasant Chat

    <h4>Chapter 80: A Pleasant Chat</h4>


    Zhang Lie stored the manuals he had just recently purchased and left the inn. Uncloaked, he made his way to the settlement gates to wait for Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others.


    "Oh, who''s this? If it isn''t the king of the dumps himself?"


    "What? Where? Hasn''t the Qin n dealt with him yet?"


    "The Qin n? Hah! Given their current state, what can they even do?"


    Zhang Lie was surprised to see that he was still quite a notorious figure in the settlement. He was instantly recognized the moment he appeared, then publicly mocked again.


    Of course, these hunters were nothing more than annoying flies to him. If he didn''t strike at them, they would keep on buzzing; if he did, he''d dirty his hand with a st of blood. He preferred to just ignore them; after all, while they were all within the settlement, no one would dare resort to violence.


    "What about the Qin n? They were once one of the six major ns in the cksteel settlement; even in a weakened state, don''t you think they''d be able to take care of a hunter like him?"


    "If you ask me, he''s just cursed with bad luck! Look at what happened to the Wang and Qin ns!"


    "Bad luck? The two ns destroyed each other, but this fellow''s still hale and hearty over here. How could this be anything but good luck? If I were him, I''d sell all my possessions and bet on a few lottery tickets!"


    "Hey, you can hear us, can''t you? Why don''t you tell us how you managed to survive a pincer attack from the Qin and Wang ns?" asked a dark-faced hunter, who was walking up to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As yourpanion over there mentioned, the two ns were far more concerned with each other than a weakling like me."


    "A weakling? If you''re a weakling, Zhang Lie, then are there any strong hunters within this settlement?! Stop feigning weakness, Zhang Lie. I know all your tricks now!" A familiar voice came from a cloaked man standing not too far from him.


    Zhang Lie recognized him almost instantly. "Indeed, there''s no need for me to pretend any longer. As for you, have you resolved your feud with the Zhou n?"


    Zhang Lie''s sudden smile made the man take a step back. "Zhang Lie, just you wait! I''ll im your life once the Void Cup is over!"


    "Oh? Is that so, Qin Xiao? Not to look down on the Qin n, but you''re grossly mistaken if you think you can im my life!"


    Zhang Lie''s rtionship with the Qin n hadpletely soured, and there was no reason for him to hide his distaste now.


    However, the conversation between Zhang Lie and Qin Xiao shocked the gathered crowd.


    What sort of situation was this? That cloaked hunter was Qin Xiao? Zhang Lie, the king of the dumps, was facing off against Qin Xiao, third on the gene leaderboard?


    And he imed that even the entire Qin n wouldn''t be able to do anything about him? Was this hunter going mad, or had they missed something?


    "I knew there was something wrong with you, but no matter what, you''re still just a poverty-stricken hunter from the slums! Do you really think you''ll be able to get away with offending me, Qin Xiao? With offending the Qin n?" Despite his expulsion from the Qin n, Qin Xiao was still as arrogant as ever.


    "And if I say he will, what will you do then, Young Master Qin?" Just then, a female voice cut across the chatter from the shocked crowd, instantly attracting everyone''s attention.


    The onlookers'' eyes bulged: the speaker was Yun Bing, the top-ranked hunter in the cksteel settlement! She had just entered the settlement with Chu Feng and a few unknown hunters, but what the onlookers focused on wasn''t her retinue, but instead her tone. It was clear that she sided with Zhang Lie.


    Why was the top-ranked hunter of the cksteel settlement protecting this so-called king of the dumps? Was there some secret between them? Were they... intimately rted? Surely not.


    None of the bystanders knew what was going on, but they were certain of one thing: there was more to Zhang Lie than met the eye at first nce.


    Yun Bing''s sudden interruption left Qin Xiao a little bewildered.


    "That''s right! I, Chu Feng, also think that Zhang Lie will be able to get away with this. What do you think, Young Master Qin?" Chu Feng agreed with Yun Bing.


    "Yun Bing, Chu Feng, you¡ª"


    "Listen up: I consider Zhang Lie a brother of mine, and if you have a score to settle with him, then you have a score to settle with me. You don''t need me to remind you just how dire the Qin n''s straits are, do you? Don''t do something you''ll regret."


    Before Qin Xiao could speak, Chu Feng had already threatened him into silence. After all, Zhang Lie was essentially a benefactor to both Yun Bing and Chu Feng, and he had Potion #1, which they direly needed, in his possession.


    They certainly didn''t want to lose their chance at obtaining such a rare boon. To Chu Feng and Yun Bing, their strength as a hunter was far more important than any wealth or material possession, and they naturally had to stand up to Qin Xiao.


    Qin Xiao was bbergasted by their behavior. Were they mad, to call a trashy hunter like that their sworn brother?


    Worst of all, he didn''t even dare to rebuke them! In the past, the Qin n would have been able to handle either the Yun or Chu ns individually, but now, if they decided to focus their efforts on ruining the Qin n, they would likely seed.


    He was confident in being able to handle Zhang Lie, but he didn''t dare touch Yun Bing or Chu Feng at all. He snorted lightly, then scurried away.


    After Qin Xiao vanished within the crowd, Yun Bing and Chu Feng walked up to Zhang Lie.


    "Actually, the two of you didn''t have to do this. Someone like Qin Xiao wouldn''t be able to do anything to me," Zhang Lie said, smiling. His words again sent ripples of shock through the gathered crowd.


    Chu Feng smirked. "Perhaps I just pity Qin Xiao. After all, Yun Bing and I know just how devious you are."


    The three of them chatted as they headed into the settlement. Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others followed behind them like obedient children.


    "Well, if he tries to seek me out, it''ll be to his own detriment."


    Zhang Lie didn''t care about Qin Xiao at all. Now that he had grown so significantly in strength, someone like Qin Xiao¡ªor even the entire Qin n¡ªwas no threat to him. If Qin Xiao forced himself upon him, Zhang Lie would retaliate at full strength.


    They left a gaggle of shocked hunters behind them as they walked away.

 Chapter 81: A Choice of Manuals

    <h4>Chapter 81: A Choice of Manuals</h4>


    What sort of situation was this? It was ridiculous enough that Zhang Lie was being protected by both Yun Bing and Chu Feng, but given their conversation, it seemed as though they even believed that Zhang Lie had the strength to overthrow the entire Qin n.


    In a matter of hours, the conversation at the gates of the cksteel settlement had spread to all the hunters in the vicinity, and Zhang Lie''s reputation as the king of the dumps seemed about to be overthrown.


    Zhang Lie brought the rest of Team Zenith back to the cksteel Inn, but instead of renting a suite, he rented time in a specialized training room instead. It was a space specifically designed for hunters to practice and train with gic techniques.


    As an underground chamber, it was extremely spacious, with individual training rooms, environmental adaptation chambers, a dedicated researchb, and all sorts of other amenities. Compared to the training room that came with a standard suite, this specialized version was far moreprehensive.


    With the extent of Zhang Lie''s wealth revealed, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others were gradually growing used to his extravagance.


    As he brought his teammates inside, Zhang Lie asked, "Well, have you all reached your new basic gene capacity?"


    They nodded.


    "Very good. In that case, we''ll proceed to the next step of the training: acquiring new gic techniques. I''ve prepared a fair selection for all of you, so take a look at the various recordings. After you''re done, tell me which techniques you''re going to learn, as well as the reason why."


    The construction of his dojo was progressing at a rapid pace in the real world, and he didn''t want his repertoire of manuals or his disciples to fall behind.


    A list of over fifty recordings was disyed in front of the hunters'' faces. The dazzling variety of techniques, as well as their average grade, left once again stunned the gathered hunters.


    "Captain, a-are you letting us choose from any of these gic techniques?" Fang Yi asked, stammering in his astonishment.


    Soulshards were an addition to a hunter''s repertoire, but a framework and its associated techniques were a hunter''s foundation. The stronger the foundation, the farther the hunter would be able to go.


    If they really were able to take their pick among these frameworks and techniques, they wouldn''t have to worry about their foundation at all. After all, the lowest-grade manual here was high-grade, and the majority were pinnacle-, legendary-, or even mythic-grade.


    Such manuals were all quite rare, and yet their captain had brought out over fifty of them like it was a trivial affair!


    Even Yang Ze, who came from an affluent n, couldn''t help but be amazed at the sight. After all, he had expended almost all his resources within his n just to obtain a pinnacle-grade framework, but the framework that he had painstakingly acquired wasn''t worth a mentionpared to the resources arrayed in front of him.


    At this moment, Yang Ze was iparably d that he had chosen to follow Zhang Lie, that he had be Zhang Lie''s first disciple, that he hadn''t backed down at a critical juncture, and that he had chosen to purge his techniques and start over.


    He and the other hunters began poring through the recordings, searching for a suitable framework and apanying techniques.


    Zhang Lie headed outside to train his [Fists of the Silent Sea]. He was quite surprised at just how long the hunters were taking to choose suitable techniques: even after practicing for an hour, none of them hade up to him with choices in mind.


    Had he given them an overwhelming number of options? Just as he was about to return to the recording room to see what they were up to, Sun Mengmeng walked toward him.


    Zhang Lie stopped practicing his technique and turned to her with some curiosity. When he had purchased these manuals, he had some idea as to which hunter would pick which techniques, and he was curious as to how urate his prediction would be.


    "Captain, I''m ready!" Sun Mengmeng was direct and deliberate.


    "Which manuals have you chosen, and why?"


    "For my framework, I''ve chosen [ck Sun], a legendary-grade fire-attuned framework whose strength lies in the intense dark mes it generates. As auxiliary techniques, I intend on studying [Baptism of Hellfire], a legendary-grade sword-based technique particrlypatible with my chosen framework, as well as the one fire-attuned archery technique avable, [Lunarme Shot]. If I''m not mistaken, Captain, you must have picked this technique specifically for me!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You have a very clear sense of your strengths and the role you want to y inbat. These three manuals are all excellent fits for you, but as a long-ranged attacker, you have to be able to deal with your opponents'' gap closers.


    "Not only must you possess some amount of close-rangedbat ability, you must also have a dexterity-focused footwork technique, as well as explosive speed. Fire-attuned footwork techniques are rtively rare, and I also don''t have arge selection on hand. For now, you had better learn [meburst Step] as well¡ªit might only be a high-grade technique, but it''s simple and effective, giving you a quick burst of speed when you most need it."


    "Yes, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng immediately nodded.


    Zhang Lie handed her four manuals.


    "Here are the techniques. Start studying them immediately. If you have any questions regarding your framework or auxiliary techniques, feel free to ask me for help," Zhang Lie instructed.


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the four manuals in her hand, still somewhat disbelieving of this new reality. After all, three of the four manuals were legendary-grade¡ªhow could she not be excited? Without Zhang Lie''s assistance, she certainly wouldn''t have been able to obtain a legendary-grade framework or technique at this stage, so her excitement was only normal.


    Only after a while did shee to her senses, stumbling in her rush toward one of the training rooms.


    After Sun Mengmeng made her decision, the others quickly followed suit. Zhang Lie''s next interruption was from two hunters, not just one. Yang Ze and Li Feng approached him together, which surprised Zhang Lie quite a bit.


    Yang Ze belonged to an affluent n and was from a privileged background, whereas Li Feng came from the slums, just like him. How had they gotten so close? He supposed it was just a fluke of human nature: after the two teams had merged into one, Yang Ze and Li Feng had be closer together than any other pair of hunters.


    He smiled at them. "Are you both ready?"


    They nodded.


    "In that case, which manuals have you picked out? Yang Ze, you go first. I''m curious about the perspective of someone from an established n."


    Zhang Lie was interested in knowing which techniques he would pick, given that his framework was originally water-attuned.

 Chapter 82: Unexpected

    <h4>Chapter 82: Unexpected</h4>


    Yang Ze pursed his lips, then began seriously, "As my framework, I''ve chosen [Ripples of Shattered ss], because it''s mostpatible with me, and it''s also legendary-grade. For my sword technique, [The Boundless de]; for my fist technique, [Fists of the Silent Sea]. I was deeply impressed by your recording of both techniques, and I n on learning them both. As for a footwork technique, I''m interested in the pinnacle-grade [Mirrored Refraction]. What do you think?"


    "Not bad, not bad at all," Zhang Lie praised. "Your selections were essentially as I predicted. In that case, you can get started right away. Take these manuals and head into one of the unupied training rooms."


    Zhang Lie handed over the four manuals, causing Yang Ze to still for a moment as he felt their heft in his hands. He nced up at Zhang Lie, nodded firmly, and headed toward a training room.


    After Yang Ze was Li Feng. "Alright, what do you have for me?"


    Because he had predicted the manuals Yang Ze had chosen, he was quite confident that he could do the same with Li Feng, but Li Feng''s response waspletely beyond his expectations.


    "Captain, I would like to learn [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng''s words stunned Zhang Lie. After all, his framework was previously earth-attuned, and although he still wasn''t very advanced with it, he had at least gotten a grounding in earth-attuned techniques.


    Was he intending to take an entirely different path? Zhang Lie smiled at his audacity.


    "Exin your decision. Your previous framework was earth-attuned, wasn''t it?"


    "Yes, Captain, but not by choice." Li Feng grew visibly deted as he responded.


    He didn''t have a choice. Coming from the slums, it took him a whole year of scraping by in the dimensional world to obtain that one high-grade framework, [Earthen Pulse]. Now, however, he wasn''t restricted by a paucity of choices, and it was only natural that he would want to pick out the best technique he could.


    If Zhang Lie had acquired a mythic-grade earth-attuned framework, he would undoubtedly have chosen that, but of the avable earth-attuned manuals, the highest was only legendary-grade.


    This prompted Li Feng to look outside hisfort zone and to choose a framework with a different elemental attunement. His background made him well aware that this could be the most important opportunity of his entire life. The framework he chose now would affect his future, and would represent a turning point in his career as a hunter.


    As such, he would naturally aim for the very best!


    "Your body''s already familiarized itself with earth-attune techniques," Zhang Lie warned. "If you study an earth-attuned framework now, you''ll be able to advance much more rapidly than if you chose a different elemental attunement. After all, you don''t have any experience with light-attuned techniques.


    "If you want to cultivate the [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint], you''ll need to ovee your body''s natural aversion to a different elemental attunement, and this could well affect your speed of advancement. For at least a few months, it''ll be akin to putting in double the effort for half the gain. Even so, will you take on [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t forbid Li Feng from making such a decision, but he was very frank about the challenges that Li Feng would have to ovee for sess.


    He left the choice to Li Feng himself. Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, hesitation shed through his eyes, but it vanished in the next instant. Taking a deep breath, he repeated, "Captain, I would like to cultivate [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]."


    "Are you certain?"


    "Yes, Captain!" Li Feng replied instantaneously.


    "Good, I can sense your conviction! In that case, you''ll learn [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]. What auxiliary techniques have you chosen?"


    Li Feng couldn''t help but be surprised by Zhang Lie''s cool eptance of his decision.


    He was prepared to receive a harsh lecture from him, and even to be rejected, but his captain seemed to be fully supportive of his decision. He had agreed, just like that!


    Li Feng felt as if he were dreaming, to have been granted ess to a mythic-grade framework so easily. He pinched himself on the leg until he was gasping in pain. No, it wasn''t a dream! After a moment of stunned silence, he began tough.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile at Li Feng''s antics. Li Feng was overthinking things; Zhang Lie was naturally gratified to see his teammates'' willingness to improve themselves, to grow stronger. They were his disciples, but they were also hunters in their own right, and Zhang Lie was d to see them chart out their futures for themselves.


    "I intend on taking [Dragon''s Triumph] and [Light''s Bulwark] as my sword and fist techniques respectively, and [Daybreak] as my footwork technique."


    All the manuals he had chosen were pinnacle-grade and higher, with [Daybreak] and [Dragon''s Triumph] both being legendary-grade. A mythic-grade framework, along with two legendary-grade and a pinnacle-grade technique¡­ it looked as though he would be spending quite a fair amount of time training from now on.


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow, but he didn''t object. As he handed him the four manuals, he said, "Don''t disappoint me, Li Feng."


    His hands trembling, Li Feng took the four manuals that Zhang Lie proffered. "Of course. I''ll make you proud, Captain!"


    No one knew just how much Zhang Lie''s gift meant to him. From then on, Zhang Lie would be a figure he viewed on equal footing as his birth parents. Without him, Li Feng would never have been able to touch a mythic-grade manual his entire life, let alone study one. But now, he had a mythic-grade, two legendary-grade, and one pinnacle-grade manual in his hands.


    Li Feng felt as though what he was holding weren''t just the manuals, but also his fate.


    He had to achieve sess, and he had to make his captain proud. This was all Li Feng could think about. Bowing deeply in gratitude, he ran off to a training room with the manuals in hand.


    After Li Feng left, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying all finished making their selections and walked up to Zhang Lie together.


    "Are you all ready?"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    "Good. Step forward!" Zhang Lie began with Fang Yi. "Exin what techniques you''ve chosen, Fang Yi."

 Chapter 83: Emergence

    <h4>Chapter 83: Emergence</h4>


    Fang Yi hesitated for a moment. "For my framework, I''d like to choose [Rondo of Wind and Storm]!"


    "What?!" You want to cultivate [Rondo of Wind and Storm]?"


    Zhang Lie was surprised that Li Feng would choose [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint], but even that paled inparison to Fang Yi''s choice of framework. After all, in his past life, Fang Yi had achieved great sess with his water-attuned framework.


    Was the temptation of a mythic-grade framework sorge that he would give up all the progress he had made, sorge that even Fang Yi, who had been a famous hunter in the past, was tempted?


    "Is that uneptable?" Fang Yi asked, sensing Zhang Lie''s unusual response.


    "No, but you have to exin your reasoning. After all, your old framework was water-attuned, and you made more progress with it than anyone else on the team with theirs. Why do you suddenly want to switch to [Rondo of Wind and Storm]? You don''t seem like a hunter who only cares about their framework''s rarity," Zhang Lie exined his concerns.


    Fang Yi was rather touched by Zhang Lie''s attention and desire to help him. He had a reason for choosing [Rondo of Wind and Storm], and it wasn''t because it was a mythic-grade framework.


    "Will you trust me, Captain?"


    However, he didn''t reveal that reason.


    "Of course. If not, you wouldn''t be here! There''s some secret you''re keeping to yourself, isn''t there?"


    Zhang Lie smirked when he saw Fang Yi fidget. Everyone had a secret or two of their own, and he was just testing Fang Yi to see what he would reveal.


    Subject to Zhang Lie''s scrutiny, Fang Yi quickly promised, "Don''t worry, Captain, no matter how many secrets I have, I swear it won''t endanger you or our team. However, I''m still a little shocked by what''s going on myself, so is it fine if I report back after a few days?"


    "Honestly, I''m surprised by just how far off some of my predictions have been, but if you''re interested in this framework, then feel free to study it. ?What about your other techniques? Which ones have you chosen?"


    Fang Yi didn''t expect Zhang Lie would agree so easily, but he quickly replied, "[Heaven''s Judgment], a spear technique; [Wind''s Spirit], a fist technique; and [Floating Clouds], a footwork technique."


    Zhang Lie was, once again, surprised by Fang Yi''s choices.


    [Heaven''s Judgment] was a legendary-grade lightning-attuned spear technique, and would be an attack of unparalleled might when developed to its fullest.


    [Wind''s Spirit] was a legendary-grade wind-attuned fist technique, with attacks of dizzying speed and variety,


    [Floating Clouds] was a legendary-grade wind-attuned footwork technique, a rare technique that boasted both extreme speed and difficulty.


    The three manuals were difficult enough to master on an individual basis, but whenbined, and with a mythic-grade framework to boot¡­ it seemed as though Fang Yi really was set on bing strong, no matter how hard he would have to work.


    "I imagine you understand the difficulty of these techniques, but if you''re picking them anyway, you must have a reason as to why. In that case, take these manuals and head to a training room." Zhang Lie intended to leave Fang Yi to his own devices but to keep a close eye on his progress.


    Only Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying were left. Neither deviated from Zhang Lie''s expectations, and continued studying techniques corresponding to their original elemental attunement.


    Sun Xiaowu''s framework would be the legendary-grade [Adamantine Aegis], with auxiliary pinnacle-grade sword technique [Golden Divide], the legendary-grade fist technique [Goldenscale Palm], and footwork technique [Blinding sh].


    Zhou Ying had chosen the legendary-grade framework [Avatar of the Fae], with spear technique [Storm of Leaves] and fist technique [Willow''s Caress].


    Sun Xiaowu''s choices were within reason, but Zhang Lie was a little excited to see that Zhou Ying, just like Li Feng, had chosen a framework that focused on strengthening one''s own body.


    After giving them both a few pointers, he handed them their respective manuals and had them head into one of the training rooms as well. The entirety of Team Zenith had gone into seclusion.


    They spent a whole month of the dimensional world in those rooms, and Zhang Lie was the first to leave: his newly learned [Mirrored Refraction] had just reached intermediate-stage, and he had also advanced considerably with [Fists of the Silent Sea] and [The Boundless de]. He had worked particrly diligently on [Fists of the Silent Sea], and had reached a significant level of aplishment with it.


    Of course, an important part of training was using those techniques in battle against opponents.


    Zhang Lie informed the rest of the team that he was going to head out and fight against a few superior-grade lifeforms; after all, he was still somewhat far from reaching the superior gene capacity.


    The Void Cup was imminent, and he would easily be able to dominate against hispetitors once he capped his superior gene fragments.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie emerge from the cksteel Inn, many hunters shot him looks of respect and fear. After all, ever since he defended himself against Qin Xiao at the settlement gates, and after being heralded by Chu Feng and Yun Bing, rumors of Zhang Lie had spread far and wide throughout the entire settlement, most even more oundish than what Zhang Lie himself could havee up with, but these rumors all shared one simrity: for one reason or another, Zhang Lie had managed to get himself noticed by Yun Bing and Chu Feng, and he was now an Important Figure.


    A word or errantment from him could easily ostracize any of them from the rest of the cksteel settlement, so most ordinary hunters would naturally fear him.


    Of course, there were also some who would be envious or jealous of the circumstances that had led to his sudden rise in status. Those who were smart about it would bury it deep in their hearts, but those who weren''t were easily taken advantage of by others: for instance, the hunter who was #43 on the gene leaderboard, Wu Kedi.


    Wu Kedi was from the Wu n in the city of Liao. He was tall, handsome, and prideful, and everything in life had gone smoothly for him¡ªuntil he encountered who he considered to be the love of his life, Yun Bing.


    He was so charmed by her that he swore he would acquire her at any costs, and he tried all manner of tactics to get close to her and to woo her. Unfortunately for him, Yun Bing didn''t care for his advances, and hadn''t even looked him in the eye once.


    Wu Kedi originally thought that her disdain was because of hisck of strength, so he had been furiously training and hunting in order to advance on the gene leaderboard. Within a short period of time, he had advanced from position #111 to #43.


    Within three months, he nned to reach the coveted top position on the gene leaderboard, crushing Yun Bing''s pride and forcing her to look him in the eye, to be besotted with him.


    Unfortunately for him, his vivid imagination wouldn''t be a reality. He had only gotten to #43 when a devious hunter told him that Yun Bing had found a boyfriend, and this boyfriend was someone who had been ridiculed by the entire settlement for quite a few months, a dastardly, weak, useless, and ugly fellow.


    How could someone like Wu Kedi bear such humiliation? He swore that he would kill this boyfriend of hers, no matter whether what he had heard were rumors or the truth.

 Chapter 84: The Impending Void Cup

    <h4>Chapter 84: The Impending Void Cup</h4>


    After disappearing into the cksteel Inn, Zhang Lie hadn''t been seen for an entire month.


    However, just then, one of Wu Kedi''s subordinates informed him that Zhang Lie had left the inn. Wu Kedi had no intention of letting him go. With a few trusted subordinates, he headed right outside the settlement gates, where he would lie in wait for Zhang Lie.


    As for Zhang Lie, he didn''t fear anything or anyone in the settlement after having consumed Potion #2 and reached his improved mutated gene capacity.


    There was no reason to hide his identity any longer, so he had been going around uncloaked in the settlement. He had wondered whether or not there would be any hunters trying to target him, but he didn''t expect it to be someone unfamiliar.


    At the very least, Zhang Lie was quite certain he hadn''t seen this particr hunter before. He had no recollection of ever interacting with him.


    "Zhang Lie, your death is nigh!" Wu Kedi shouted, his voice full of confidence, as though he grasped his opponent''s life wholly in his hands.


    Zhang Lie responded in a surprisingly friendly manner. "I have no idea who you are. Leave now, and I''ll spare your life."


    "You think you can handle me, you gigolo?! How could Yun Bing have been attracted to someone as weak as you? Go, castrate him!" He motioned to hisckeys, giving them a cruel order.


    In the blink of an eye, his five subordinates dashed toward Zhang Lie, surrounding him from five different directions. They would first subdue him, using no weapons beyond their hands and legs, and then castrate him once he waspletely secured.


    Unfortunately for them, Zhang Lie''s white-grub armor was more than sufficient to bear the brunt of their attacks. By the time the attackers realized that their attacks were having no effect, it was already toote.


    Zhang Lie moved so quickly that all they saw was a blur. They felt a pain in their abdomen, and only then noticed that they had been knocked up into the air.


    Wu Kedi''sckeys had intended on subduing Zhang Lie with a numerical advantage, but they were far too weak for such an attempt to seed. Even all five of them working together would be hard-pressed to block a single blow from Zhang Lie.


    After all, they didn''t realize just how strong Zhang Lie had grown.


    A burst of gic energy from Zhang Lie was all it took to knock them all onto the ground, and whether or not they would be able to keep their lives would be up to him.


    "You damned useless pieces of trash! Can''t you do anything on your own?!" ? Wu Kedi yelled. He materialized a pair of sharp ws, then stared furiously at Zhang Lie.


    "Look, don''t waste your time trying to attack me. If you apologize now, I might consider letting you walk away, but otherwise¡ª"


    Before Zhang Lie could finish talking, Wu Kedi was already rushing toward him. After all, from his perspective, Zhang Lie was just a weakling that wouldn''t be able to stand up to him. Zhang Lie''s aura might have fooled others, but certainly not someone as discerning as Wu Kedi himself!


    Envy and jealousy had destroyed any semnce of logic in Wu Kedi''s mind.


    "[Talon Strike]!" Following Wu Kedi''s howl, a violent gust of wind-attuned gic energy took on the shape of a giant eagle and rushed toward Zhang Lie.


    Nearby hunters, who had gathered because of themotion, could feel the wind scouring their faces.


    "Is this the strength of a top fifty hunter? It truly is remarkable!"


    "If only I could have such strength!"


    Despite the recent rumors circting about the cksteel settlement, none of the onlookers looked favorably on him. After all, Zhang Lie was none other than the king of the dumps. Although his reputation seemed to be improving recently, he was thought to be ackey of the Yun and Chu ns.


    After all, who would believe that Zhang Lie could have grown so strong in just a few months?


    Zhang Lie ignored the assault of wind rushing in his direction.


    "Do you really have nothing better to do? I''m just trying to hunt."


    He raised an arm and casually triggered [Fists of the Silent Sea]. With his current strength, he could defeat someone like Wu Kedi without even pulling out his sword.


    On the other hand, Wu Kedi thought that Zhang Lie was a fool for trying to counter his attack head-on. As the king of the dumps, how could he imagine that he would be able to defend against a direct attack from him? Did Zhang Lie think he was all that just because he had defeated some of Wu Kedi''s subordinates?


    "Zhang Lie, prepare to die!" Wu Kedi wed at Zhang Lie''s armor, but he wasn''t even able to pierce his firstyer of protection.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie''s fist, seemingly without any force behind it, struck Wu Kedi''s chest.


    The two of them struck each other with their attacks, then continued moving forward in opposite directions. Zhang Lie walked forward, not sparing his opponent a single nce.


    "You think you can turn your back on me? Come ba¡ª"


    Wu Kedi was in the middle of turning around when he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and flesh, then crumpled senselessly onto the ground. Amidst shocked cries from the onlookers, Wu Kedi closed his eyes for thest time.


    "What happened?! Did Zhang Lie make a move?"


    "I don''t know! I didn''t see anything! Could Zhang Lie be so strong that he''s able tounch an intangible attack?"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t care less about the onlookers''ments. The Void Cup was less than a month away, and he would have to spend the remaining time dedicated to hunting superior-grade lifeforms, so as to ensure that he and his team would be well prepared for the Cup.


    Given the past Zhang Lie''s experience with the dimensional world, along with the notes that Fang Yi and the others had coted, it wouldn''t be too difficult to find and hunt down these superior-grade lifeforms.


    He intended on hunting down as many of the superior-grade lifeforms on the booklet as he could within this time.


    As he was preparing for his hunt, the rest of Team Zenith was still furiously training away in their underground training rooms. Zhang Lie''s trust in them motivated them to work as hard as they could. They couldn''t let down their captain, they simply couldn''t!


    The month passed in the blink of an eye.


    Those hunters who intended on participating in the Void Cup made their way back to the cksteel Settlement, waiting for the Cup to officially begin. Quite a few of them tried to relieve the stress of their preparations in the pubs in the area, such as the one owned by the Yun n.


    Amidst the crowds of people and almost tangible boom of music, a cloaked hunter sat by a corner of the pub, savoring the newest avable brew. After having ughtered superior-grade lifeforms for almost an entire month, Zhang Lie also needed to rx a little.


    However, before he could finish his sk of wine, Yun Bing appeared in front of him.


    "You were gone for a whole month! And even when you finally show up here, you refrain from informing me. Do you disdain me, Zhang Lie?" Yun Bing''s somewhat coy tone almost made Zhang Lie spit out the mouthful of wine he had just consumed.


    "Ah, ahem! I''m just here to sample the pub''s newest offerings after having been gone for so long. I didn''t n on staying very long, so¡ªfarewell!"


    Sensing an unusual mood, Zhang Lie immediately put down his cup of wine and made to leave. He had yet to deal with his rtionships from his past life, and before he did so, he didn''t want to attract any undue attention.

 Chapter 85: Exceeds Expectations

    <h4>Chapter 85: Exceeds Expectations</h4>


    As Zhang Lie left the bar, the will of the world announced in his mind, [The Void Cup begins in a week. You may register starting today.]


    Everyone in the dimensional world had received this announcement.


    "It''s about to begin!"


    "I''m going to win this Void Cup!"


    "It''s time to head back to the settlement and prepare!"


    Hunters from each and every settlement were excited upon hearing the news, regardless of whether or not they intended to participate: it only happened once every few years, after all, and was essentially the equivalent of a major sporting event. Those hunters who were participating were naturally eager to get started, and those who were spectating wanted to ce their bets.


    The corporations of each settlement began setting up bets the moment they heard the news. Although the Void Cup was sponsored by the world government, these bets were all hosted by private corporations, and the government didn''t have the means to police or prevent them.


    Although there were nominally only five great ns left in the cksteel settlement, and the Zhou corporation had incurred significant losses after the night at the venombane de, none of this seemed to have affected the betting at all.


    What the bets would entail would be determined by the information that the three corporations managed to acquire.


    Of course, none of this had much to do with Zhang Lie, who was rushing back to the cksteel Inn. Since the message had gone out to every hunter in the dimensional world, Fang Yi and the others would likely be heading out of seclusion right about now. They would surely have achieved some sess with their new techniques.


    However, by the time Zhang Lie returned to the underground training chamber, which he had gotten very familiar with after a month, he saw no one around.


    What''s going on? Are they still training??Just as Zhang Lie was preparing to enter their individual training rooms to hunt them down, he sensed a fire arrow beingunched nearby.


    The attack was extremely rapid, but the moment it wasunched, Zhang Lie could sense the fire-attuned gic energy in the air. After all, having used a fire-attuned framework for years, how could he be unfamiliar with the sensation of fire-attuned gic energy?


    The arrow that Sun Mengmeng thought would surely hit him was neatly sliced in half with a sh of violet light.


    "Captain, it looks like you''ve grown even stronger!"


    "You''re not bad yourself," Zhang Lie replied.


    As she spoke, Sun Mengmeng dashed forward with [meburst Step]. A dark red sword struck toward Zhang Lie, but before the blow couldnd, Zhang Lie vanished like a bubble being popped.


    "Captain, don''t you think I know how to deal with your stealth by now?"


    She gracefully converted her attack into a defense, sketching out a circr arc with her longsword and blocking herself off from Zhang Lie''s counterattacks. At the same time, she surrounded the floor around her with dark red mes.


    "Not bad, but this doesn''t mean much to me."


    "What?!" As Sun Mengmeng recoiled in shock, Venombane struck past the mes, the sheathed de inches from her neck.


    The longsword in her hands ttered against the ground, and the dark red mes surrounding her vanished with Zhang Lie''s appearance.


    "Not bad, but you need to keep working hard."


    "Yes, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng headed to one side of the chamber to rest, whereas Zhang Lie stared warily around him. Although his teammates didn''t have too many limit fragments and had just purged their techniques, they were quite adept atying traps.


    If he weren''t careful and fell into one of their traps, he''d certainly lose face as a leader. These hunters were clearly trying to test out the results of their training on him, exactly what Zhang Lie wanted. This was the best way for him to see just how much they had grown during this period of time.


    He was very curious about the fruits of their high-intensity training. Of course, he was most curious about Fang Yi and Li Feng''s progress, because they were starting from scratch.


    However, the next hunter that approached him wasn''t either of them, but instead Zhou Ying.


    "Captain, the four of them are waiting for you in therge training chamber. They im that themon area is too small for the attack they want tounch, so..."


    Zhang Lie smirked. They seemed to be quite confident in their own abilities.


    "And you?"


    Zhou Ying pursed her lips. "Well, if you insist."


    A mutated-grade soulshard appeared in her hands. Zhou Ying favored an indirect style of attack. The moment Zhang Lie took a step forward, he became trapped in the illusion of a bamboo forest. She was a rtively shy girl, and this was reflected in her style as a hunter: she wasn''t one to charge at someone head-on.


    Zhang Lie nced all around him, clearly impressed by her efforts.


    "Captain, it''s not a good habit to take your eyes off your opponents!" Zhou Ying warned, then thumped the t end of her spear against the ground.


    Beams of green light shot toward Zhang Lie from all angles.


    Zhang Lie had spent the entire month hunting down superior-grade lifeforms, and while his abilities still weren''t as strong as they had been at the peak of his past life, an attack of this magnitude wouldn''t be able to touch him at all.


    Contorting his body, he narrowly avoided a few of the green beams, then darted away.


    .


    However, just as he left the bamboo forest, countless bamboo leaves flew toward him, each one as sharp as a knife. Amidst the storm of leaves, Zhang Lie waved his left arm, gic energy rippling from it like a shield, protecting him from the barrage.


    As the ripples struck the bamboo leaves, they rebounded into the air, but precisely at that moment, a green needle shot toward Zhang Lie, camouged by the bamboo leaves that obstructed his vision.


    Zhang Lie blocked it with just one finger and forcefully stripped it of its illusion: the needle was the spear that Zhou Ying had been using.


    "With just one finger! Captain, you''re¡ª"


    "Excellent performance, Zhou Ying. Your fighting style is very mature, and you''ve surpassed my expectations!"


    Zhou Ying was quite disappointed that Zhang Lie had blocked her attack so easily, but before she could convey her disappointment, it vanished after hearing Zhang Lie''s praise.


    "Do you mean that, Captain? You''re not just trying to console me, are you?"


    She was naturally overjoyed to receive such high praise from him, but she wasn''t confident enough in her abilities to take his word for it immediately.


    "Of course! When have I ever lied to you?"


    "Thank you for your affirmation, Captain! I''ll make sure to keep working hard, and I won''t let you down!"


    Zhou Ying was quite touched by Zhang Lie''s praise.


    Zhang Lie eagerly anticipated what he would face next. Zhou Ying''s performance had been surprising enough, so what about the four hunters waiting for him in therge training room?

 Chapter 86: Results of the Training

    <h4>Chapter 86: Results of the Training</h4>


    However, before he entered the training room, there was one important task he had for Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying. He had quite a number of superior-grade carcasses in his potbellied-toad pouch, obtained from his month of hunting.


    While the hunters hadn''t participated in the hunt and thus wouldn''t be able to obtain any superior gene fragments from those carcasses, it would still provide them with nourishment. During this month of seclusion, all they had eaten were meals from the inn, so this would be a sumptuous feast inparison.


    "Will you prepare some of these superior-grade carcasses while I take on Fang Yi and the others?"


    He left the carcasses on the table as he entered the training room, while Zhou Ying and Sun Mengmeng nodded and prepared to cook.


    Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Sun Xiaowu were all standing straight and facing the door, as if waiting for his arrival.


    "Oh? It looks like you''re all quite prepared."


    The prospect of a challenge enthused Zhang Lie.


    "Of course, Captain! We''ve been in seclusion for over a month!"


    "Well, what are you waiting for? Show me what you''ve aplished with all that time!"


    "Charge!" Fang Yi yelled, dashing toward Zhang Lie with his spear in hand. Surprisingly, none of the other three hunters seemed about to make a move.


    Hurled forward by wind and storm, the spear seemed nigh unstoppable. As it struck, it left a dozen afterimages in its wake, surrounding Zhang Lie''s body.


    "Not bad, not bad!" As Zhang Lie nodded, he countered the fearsome attack with Venombane.


    The sh of metal filled the room. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, but Zhang Lie seemed to be able to block all his attacks with careless sweeps of his arm.


    As Fang Yi attacked, Zhang Lie''s body was buffeted by billowing winds and a gathering storm.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    "A fine attack, but too easily disrupted!" Zhang Lie shifted aside with [Mirrored Refraction], evading the attack.


    Zhang Lie deflected the spear with the edge of his de, then stepped forward into close range while Fang Yi''s guard was down. He directed one palm casually toward Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi''s innate reflexes and awareness had made him a strong hunter in Zhang Lie''s past life, and the present Fang Yi had retained those same qualities. At this critical juncture, he made the optimal decision: stepping out of range and avoiding Zhang Lie''s attack.


    He was certain that he would lose in a contest of brute strength. Other hunters might be unaware of just how fearsome their captain was, but the members of Team Zenith certainly did. Even before he embarked on a month of hunting, Zhang Lie had had over fifty superior gene fragments, and he could well be at the superior gene capacity now.


    Fang Yi''s deflected attack made him unwilling to strike directly at Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie naturally understood what he was trying to do. In this sort of situation, Fang Yi would have no choice but to strike from the back.


    He shifted his body, clenched his palm into a fist, turned around, and attacked. Zhang Lie''s punchesnded squarely on Fang Yi''s body. As if he had been struck by lightning, Fang Yi stumbled back.


    "Stop, stop, I can''t handle it anymore! Captain, you''re crazy! You overwhelm me in every aspect, so how am I supposed to fight against you?"


    "What? I''ve just warmed up! Are you really going to give up so easily?"


    "No, Captain, stop! I admit defeat! Don''t just look at me¡ªhow about the three of them? They haven''t shown you the fruits of theirbor yet!"


    Fang Yi darted behind Yang Ze and the others.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s not as though I''d really harm you. You''ve made good progress with [Rondo of Wind and Storm], but your attack''s too direct. Your interpretation of [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow] isn''t as flexible as it could be, and you need to be able to deal with situations like the deflection I used on you."


    After giving Fang Yi a few pointers, Zhang Lie turned to the other three hunters. In truth, he was quite pleased with Fang Yi''s progress, especially considering the difficulty of the path he had chosen.


    He was even more curious as to what Li Feng, who was also starting from scratch, had managed to aplish. However, his next opponent wasn''t Li Feng, but instead Yang Ze, who had inherited several of his water-attuned techniques.


    "Captain, have a taste of my [The Boundless de]!" Yang Ze''s body vanished as though it was a mirage. Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], he seemed to phase in and out of existence.


    "I''m right here, Captain!"


    .


    Heunched [Fists of the Silent Sea] in Zhang Lie''s direction.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that Yang Ze had a very interesting interpretation of [Mirrored Refraction]. It was the same footwork technique he had learned, but whereas Zhang Lie''s version of the technique was ethereal, Yang Ze''s was phantasmagorical. He would likely be able to surprise a less experienced hunter, but certainly not someone like Zhang Lie.


    The moment Yang Ze struck with [Fists of the Silent Sea], Zhang Lie retaliated with the same technique.


    The two fists met head-on. An explosion of water filled the training room. Yang Ze was thrown back by the force of the attack, but he was unharmed save for a throbbing arm. It was obvious that Zhang Lie had gone easy on him, because he still wanted to see what other tricks Yang Ze had up his sleeve.


    The saturated water vapor in the air led to extremely favorable conditions for Yang Ze, whose version of [Mirrored Refraction] was well-suited to illusion and disguise. Of course, since Zhang Lie''s framework was also water-attuned, he too had an advantage under such circumstances.


    Zhang Lie gathered his gic energy. With another application of [Fists of the Silent Sea], the mist in the air surged into three giant waves, spreading out all around him and blocking off any means of attack from Yang Ze.


    Yang Ze had intended on using the mist surrounding the battlefield as a means of shrouding himself, but he hadn''t expected Zhang Lie would take advantage of the water-saturated environment tounch an enhanced attack instead.


    "Well, Captain, you haven''t left me any other choice. Have a taste of my de!"


    "Bring it on!"


    The two of them retreated to opposite sides of the room, each with a sword in their hand. Whereas Zhang Lie''s Venombane was a shortsword, Yang Ze''s soulshard armament was a greatsword.


    Water-attuned gic energy gathered around the twobatants. Although their swords were different, their auras were the same. The spectators suddenly found it hard to breathe, as though they were submerged in a boundless ocean.


    Behind their backs, Zhang Lie and Yang Ze''s gic cores took form.

 Chapter 87: Goldenscale Palm

    <h4>Chapter 87: Goldenscale Palm</h4>


    A ck serpent uncoiled from behind Zhang Lie''s back. As it raised its head, waves of dark energy flooded the room. The serpent hissed and ck ripples spread out from its body, corroding everything they touched.


    Behind Yang Ze emerged a giant shark, opening its maw wide so everyone could see its rows upon rows of sharp teeth.


    "Captain, here Ie!" Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem very concerned. He raised an arm and held Venombane horizontally in front of his chest. The serpent behind him coiled around his body.


    As the giant shark struck the serpent, its body dissolved into water-attuned gic energy. [The Boundless de] was a mythic-grade technique, and it was impressive enough that Yang Ze had managed such a blow, even if Zhang Lie''s defense was more than capable of nullifying it.


    Thus ended the fight.


    "Your [Mirrored Refraction] and [The Boundless de] are uniquely yours, and I''m impressed by how much individualism you''ve put into both techniques. That you were able to do so much in so little time is an impressive feat," Zhang Lie praised.


    "Ah, I''m still too weak! Captain, if you came at me seriously, I probably wouldn''t be able to defend against a single blow of yours."


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "Not yet, but we''ll see about the future, won''t we?"


    Yang Ze beamed as he walked toward Fang Yi.


    "I''ve already tested both of them, so which of you is up next?"


    "Li Feng''s ourst hope, so let me go first!"


    Sun Xiaowu dashed forward. Whereas Fang Yi had focused on speed and strength, and Yang Ze on charging up for a single, devastating blow, Sun Xiaowu had honed his sharpness.


    The two hunters that Zhang Lie had faced had both made massive gains within thest month, and Zhang Lie was very pleased with their efforts. From the aura emanating from Sun Xiaowu, he seemed to have made equally significant progress.


    As for Sun Xiaowu, he certainly didn''t dare take it easy against an opponent like Zhang Lie. Despite their month of effort, their captain hadn''t cked off, either. He raised a hand, his polearm gleaming with resplendent light.


    "Captain, face my [Golden Divide]!" The beam shot straight toward Zhang Lie.


    "Not bad, not bad! You''ve made excellent progress with that technique." Zhang Lie stepped to one side, easily avoiding the blow. Sun Xiaowu''s strength had increased by far more than he had expected, surely a result of an endless amount of hard work.


    "What else do you have? Come at me!" Zhang Lie triggered [Mirrored Refraction] and appeared silently behind Sun Xiaowu. "Take this: [Fists of the Silent Sea]!"


    "I''m ready, Captain! [Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered his skin, absorbing Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] for a single moment before dissolving immediately afterward.


    "[Blinding sh]!" The next moment, Sun Xiaowu''s body divided into a dozen illusions.


    Zhang Lie smiled as he took a few steps back. Against an opponent of equal strength, this would have been a devastating skill. It would be extremely difficult to distinguish the real body from the fakes, allowing Sun Xiaowu to sneak up and attack his opponent.


    The advanced form of this technique would be able to generate hundreds of such illusions, almost guaranteeing a direct hit for Sun Xiaowu.


    "You''re still not too adept at controlling and manufacturing these illusions of yours yet, and it''s too easy to identify your actual body." Zhang Lie easily found the true Sun Xiaowu.


    Feeling a premonition of danger, Sun Xiaowu hurriedly retreated.


    Zhang Lie was just about to step forward when he sensed a fluctuation of gic energying from behind.


    Hmm? Interesting.?If he weren''t mistaken, Sun Xiaowu was behind him, and what he had thought to be the real Sun Xiaowu was nothing more than a meticulous fake.


    Indeed, this was the truth.


    "Captain, I''m behind you!" Sun Xiaowu called out in delight, thinking that his deception had seeded.


    Very soon, however, he was unable to smile. Having deduced that Sun Xiaowu was behind him, Zhang Lie turned around and sted him back with a humongous wave of gic energy.


    "Captain, can''t you give me a chance?! I trained hard for a whole month, but the difference in our strength is only growing!"


    What Sun Xiaowu thought to be the perfect decoy was nevertheless seen through, and his attack was so easily dispelled with a [Three-Wave Crescendo]! Sun Xiaowu wasn''t wrong: Zhang Lie''s strength had grown by leaps and bounds in thest month. However, he had also been stronger than the six of them from the beginning.


    Sun Xiaowu and the others had gotten a month of intensive training, but they still needed to practice their techniques on live opponents. Fighting with others was the fastest and most impactful means of improvement, and Sun Xiaowu and the others would need opponents of simr caliber.


    "You''ve already done very well. There''s no need to rush things¡ªbe patient and you''ll surely see more and more improvement," Zhang Lie consoled him.


    [Blinding sh] had significant potential for confusing his opponents, as long as he was able to use it well. It could prove crucial for escaping or for giving an opponent a lethal blow.


    Unfortunately, there weren''t many chances to use the technique in this fashion, and Zhang Lie would have to give him a few pointers before they departed for the Void Cup.


    He wasn''t done with Sun Xiaowu just yet, however. "How about your legendary-grade [Goldenscale Palm]? Show me that!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes brightened. "Take this, Captain!"


    His right arm glowed with resplendent light. It suddenly bulked up, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. An aura of intense strength emanated from his body. Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    "Very good!" Zhang Lie praised again. Except for him, no hunter present would be able to take this blow without suffering some degree of injury. To have trained a legendary-grade technique to this extent in such a short period of time, Sun Xiaowu must have given it his all.


    He allowed the punch to get within a palm''s length of his body to sense its strength before countering with a blow of his own. "Let''s end it here!"


    Sun Xiaowu felt a tremor in his right arm as the gic energy from his technique receded, then stumbled back from the force of Zhang Lie''s punch. It took him ten steps before he could regain his footing.


    "Captain, you''re far too strong!" Sun Xiaowu gasped.


    "Your [Goldenscale Palm]''s a very domineering technique, and hardly anyone at the same level will be able to suffer the attack unharmed," Zhang Lie evaluated. He was very pleased with Sun Xiaowu''s progress.

 Chapter 88: Exploration in the Night

    <h4>Chapter 88: Exploration in the Night</h4>


    The finalbatant was Li Feng. He was essentially starting from scratch, having switched his elemental attunement to study [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint].


    Zhang Lie hadn''t expected much from him, but given the fact that the other three hunters had let him gost, Zhang Lie thought that there might be a surprise or two in store for him.


    Zhang Lie looked toward Li Feng, and Li Feng looked back at Zhang Lie.


    "Captain, it''s my turn!"


    "Alright, let me see your [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    As Li Feng thrust his sword toward Zhang Lie, a silver dragon surged toward Zhang Lie. It was far stronger an attack than Zhang Lie had anticipated. Allowing Li Feng to study [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint] was the correct decision, and his hard work didn''t disappoint Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie became a little more serious. With ripples underneath his feet, Zhang Lie darted toward Li Feng''s back.


    "[Daybreak]!" The moment Zhang Lie made his move, so did Li Feng. As a light-attuned hunter, Li Feng naturally had an advantage in speed, and was fast enough that he could even surpass Zhang Lie.


    Of course, this was predicated on Zhang Lie artificially restricting his abilities. After all, given how many more superior gene fragments Zhang Lie had, it was almost impossible for any of them to win against him without doing so.


    With a dull thump, the image of the silver dragon dissolved, and Li Feng stumbled back.


    .


    "Not bad¡ªyou''re as fast as expected for a light-attuned hunter. Again!"


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng wasn''t deted despite his attack failing. Instead, he marshalled his gic energy into the form of a few white dragons, which he shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "Is that your variant on [Light''s Bulwark]? Not bad!" Zhang Lie praised, preparing to deflect the attack with [Fists of the Silent Sea].


    The white dragons crashed against the ripples that surrounded Zhang Lie''s fist, unable to prate his defenses.


    The seemingly weak ripples were somehow as strong and sturdy as a steel wall, and no matter how concerted the dragons'' attack, Li Feng was unable to make Zhang Lie budge at all. Instead, as Li Feng summoned more and more dragons, he rapidly drained his reservoir of gic energy.


    No longer held back by the white dragons, the ripples from Zhang Lie''s fist knocked Li Feng further back.


    "Captain, your usage of [Fists of the Silent Sea] is simply too ridiculous!" Li Feng muttered, as he tried to gather more gic energy.


    "You''ve only had a month to work with [Light''s Bulwark], so even this is already quite impressive. Shall we stop now?"


    "No, wait, I still have my finishing blow!"


    "Oh? Let''s see it, then!"


    "Yes, Captain!" As Li Feng yelled out, his body began glowing with white light, forming a suit of dragon armor around him. Li Feng''s vitality and energy reached its peak.


    "Captain, take this! [Arclight Descension]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on Zhang Lie like a beam of light.


    "Not bad!" Zhang Lie smiled. His palm clenched into a fist, which he struck at the beam of light descending from above.


    With an explosion of ck mist, a ck serpent swallowed the w whole, instantly dispelling the attack. Li Feng clutched his palm in pain, sucking in air as he dealt with the bacsh from the blow.


    "Sorry, are you alright?"


    "Yes, I''m fine, Captain, it just hurts a little!"


    Zhang Lie had held back at the very end, or Li Feng would have suffered far more grievous injuries. "Good! Alright, everyone, gather around!"


    Zhang Lie had important news to share.


    "First, I want to congratte all of you on a job well done. In thisst month and a half, you''ve all taken great strides forward, and you''ve exceeded my expectations!"


    The hunters let out relieved smiles. Zhang Lie''s praise validated their long hours of hard work, and his approval meant the world to them.


    "Right, after we have dinner, pack up. We''re heading back to the real world overnight!"


    However, before they could express their joy and relief, Zhang Lie''s nextmand shocked them all. Return to the real world? Why?


    Wouldn''t it make more sense for them to hunt down as many superior-grade lifeforms as they could before the Void Cup started? After all, they were still far from their own gene capacities.


    "Why, Captain?" Li Feng asked. "Won''t we be wasting valuable time if we head back now?"


    The gathered hunters all looked toward Zhang Lie, but he only smiled. "Don''t worry, it won''t take long." This sort of response was even more mystifying, but none of them pressed the issue.


    They teleported to the city of Liao, by the Tailin mountain range.


    ncing all around at the forest all around them, Fang Yi couldn''t help but ask, "Captain, what exactly are we doing here?"


    They had wandered around for half the night, seemingly searching for something. There had just been a drizzle, and the air was damp and wet. A thin film of water covered their clothes.


    Just as Fang Yi asked his question, Zhang Lie finally stopped moving. "I''ve found it. It''s right here!"


    Everyone gathered around Zhang Lie, but all they saw was an ancient wooden stump.


    A wooden stump? What was so special about it?


    Li Feng nced closely at the stump. After inspecting it carefully and not finding anything amiss, he cocked his head at Zhang Lie. "Captain, is there anything unusual about this stump?"


    No one knew what was going on.


    Zhang Lie smiled mysteriously, motioning for everyone to step back. "Oh, you''ll see!"


    He mmed his foot down on the stump. With a sharp whistling noise that hurt their ears, Zhang Lie seemed to turn blurry¡ªno, it wasn''t Zhang Lie who was turning blurry, but rather the space all around him.


    As their vision blurred further, the hunters felt as though they were ncing into a kaleidoscope.


    "Ha, as expected!" Despite their surprise, Zhang Lie remained a beacon of calm. "Don''t panic. Wait for mymand!"


    He had memorized the method of breaking through this particr array. He took three steps to the left, four right, nine back, then five forward. Stopping for a moment, he then took seven steps forward, six left, three back, and one right. Finally, he punched at what seemed to be empty air before him.


    With a crack, Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] seemed to break something in the kaleidoscopic space, which shattered like a mirror.

 Chapter 89: Piercing Beam

    <h4>Chapter 89: Piercing Beam</h4>


    After the kaleidoscopic space vanished, a weathered runic teleportation array appeared before the hunters'' eyes.


    "Captain, is this... a teleportation array?" Yang Ze, who was the most worldly among the members of Team Zenith, asked what the other hunters were thinking.


    "Yes, it is!"


    "Where does it lead?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "To a great hunter''s inheritance," Zhang Lie borated. He walked toward the heart of the array.


    The other hunters were still in shock.?A hunter''s inheritance?


    The only one who understood what it signified was Yang Ze alone. How had Zhang Lie known that he would be able to ess it from this location? It was something every hunter from an established n dreamt to find, but which few ever did!


    "Don''t just stand there, get over here!" Before Yang Ze could ponder matters further, Zhang Lie urged them forward, and the hunters stepped into the heart of the array with questions peppering their heads.


    Once everyone was in position, Zhang Lie released a burst of gic energy, activating the array. The hunters'' vision turned dark. By the time they could see again, they had entered apletely mysterious space.


    Before themy an ancient castle.


    "Captain, this..."


    "A castle... just whose inheritance is this?!"


    The hunters were stupefied. Mottled copper gates, golden-red zed roof tiles, stonemps shining with light¡ªthe architecture hearkened back to ancient China. How much wealth would this have taken to maintain¡ªand in an extradimensional space, too?


    "Well? Isn''t it grand?" Zhang Lie stepped up to the mottled copper gates in front of the pce.


    "It''s ridiculous! Captain, just who are you, and how did you learn about this ce?" The hunters chatted among themselves, trying to uncover the mysteries behind this ce and how Zhang Lie had found it.


    "No, no, the most important question is: whose inheritance is this? Captain, won''t you tell us? You''ve whetted our appetites enough!" Yang Ze asked amidst the hubbub.


    Zhang Lie nodded sagely. "I didn''t intend on hiding it from you. This castle was once the property of the Eclipse Sage, and once we open these gates and pass the trials of the castle, everything here will be ours!"


    The Eclipse Sage!


    A martial sage?! Such a designation was only given to those hunters who had reached the apex of the third realm, having acquired all the gene fragments essible to them.


    Such hunters had to have spent hundreds of years in the dimensional world alone. In that case, there would surely be quite a few rare treasures hidden within. How had Zhang Lie managed to find a ce like this?


    The members of Team Zenith stared at Zhang Lie as though they were looking at a deity.


    Only Sun Mengmeng seemed to react upon hearing about the castle''s original owner. "The Eclipse Sage? Captain, isn''t that the hunter who possessed the eclipse domain..."


    "Oh, not bad! Mengmeng, you''ve read about him?" Zhang Lie affirmed Sun Mengmeng''s conjecture.


    "It''s really him?!" Who is it?! Tell us, Sun Mengmeng!"


    Despite Zhang Lie''s confirmation, Sun Mengmeng still found it hard to believe the truth. Beside them, Fang Yi pressed her to get her to reveal what she knew.


    Sun Mengmeng nced at Zhang Lie''s approving face, then began to speak. "The Eclipse Sage was known to be the strongest fire-attuned hunter in the third realm of the dimensional world.


    "His signature technique, [Eclipse], was a mythic-grade technique with no elemental attunement that he devised himself. He stood at the top of all leaderboards in the third realm for more than thirty years, and was widely considered the strongest among all the hunters there. As far as I''m aware, hest appeared about thirty years ago, and I can''t believe that we''ve found his inheritance!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s exnation left them all dumbstruck. The top hunter for over thirty years?!


    "Captain, let''s enter immediately!" Fang Yi couldn''t wait to see just what sort of treasuresy in wait for him.


    What self-respecting hunter wouldn''t get agitated upon learning of this fact? This was the inheritance left behind by a sage, a sage!


    "We will enter, but before that, all of you have to promise to listen to my everymand. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie motioned for all of them to step back as he ced both palms on the mottled copper gates. He sucked in a deep breath, then began circting gic energy throughout his body, swiftly generating a cloud of ck mist around him.


    Within the mist, a ck serpent circled Zhang Lie, so vivid it almost seemed to be alive. Zhang Lie seemed like a miniature ck hole, sucking up all the energy around him.


    Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others, just from standing by his side, started to find it hard to breathe, and the gic energy in their bodies began to dissipate. Just as they stepped further back, the gates that Zhang Lie was trying to push open at his full strength creaked, and a slit of light shone through.


    However, that was as far as Zhang Lie seemed to be able to get. His face was flushed red with exertion, and the veins were clearly visible on his palms. Despite all his efforts, the copper gates refused to budge any further.


    The rest of Team Zenith was about to help him when Zhang Lie shouted, "Don''te over, there''s no point!"


    At the same time, he activated the superior-grade blood ant soulshard in his soulspace.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie shouted, his body seeming to bulk up. With all his gic energy, with all his strength, the gates finally began to creak open, revealing the interior of the pce.


    As they did so, a white light shot out of the tallest peak of the castle. Such was the intensity of the light that the dark skies seemed to whirl around it. The beam of light pierced the skies¡ªas well as the extradimensional space itself.


    Back on Earth, a dazzling beam of light shone out of the Tailin mountain range, with such brightness that it turned night to day within dozens of kilometers of the beam.


    .


    Such an unusual phenomenon was easily noticed by nearby residents, and news of the event quickly spread throughout the city of Liao, then all of China, then the rest of the world, and even the sr system. After all, if such a phenomenon wasn''t manmade, then it surely heralded the discovery of a ruin.


    Scouts from each of the major ns were immediately dispatched to the scene.


    1. Remember the ten-to-one time dtion, so a century in the dimensional world trantes to a decade in the real world.

 Chapter 90: Appetizer

    <h4>Chapter 90: Appetizer</h4>


    The Chu n convened an urgent meeting. Chu Feng, along with the other high-ranking members of the Chu n, were all in attendance. They were ncing at a recording of the white beam that had pierced the heavens, discussing what had happened with each other as they did so, and surreptitiously casting nces toward the doorway, as if waiting for something.


    Two Chu scouts quickly entered the room.


    All conversations paused as the hunters of the Chu n turned to the scouts. Chu Feng shouted, "Quick, tell us what''s going on!"


    "Young Master, given the reaction of the ns in Liao, we believe that a hunter''s inheritance has been uncovered!"


    "A hunter from Liao? Do you know who it could be?"


    The two scouts shook their heads. "We don''t, Young Master!"


    "How have the ns in Liao responded?" Chu Feng pressed.


    "They immediately sent out scouting parties toward the light, and they''re likely at the scene by now!"


    "Is that so? It looks like there must be something to this particr ruin, then," Chu Feng murmured to himself. "Both of you, stand back and await further orders."


    "Yes, Captain!" The two scouts bowed, then left the meeting room.


    "Father, what do you think?" Chu Feng turned to Chu Lin, who was seated beside him.


    "There were quite a few strong hunters that came from Liao¡ªEclipse, Devil''s Eye, Graylight¡ªall of whom have been confirmed to have perished. The Eclipse Sage''s namesake technique was even recorded in the Xumi Tome. If the ruin belongs to any of the three of them, the ns of Liao would surely be going crazy about it now.


    "Thergest ns in China and the ns of Liao will surely rush to the scene. How could we, the Chu n, miss such an important event?"


    Chu Lin''s conclusion mirrored Chu Feng''s own.


    Of course, the Chu n wasn''t the only n intending to rush to the scene. A very simr conversation had taken ce in the capital, in the Yun n''s conference room. After all, Liao wasn''t too far from the capital, and they could get there quickly via a short-ranged teleportation apparatus. The rest of the ns in the capital would follow the Yun n''s lead.


    The instigators of this hubbub, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, were unaware of just what they had stirred up. In fact, they were preparing to undergo the first trial of the castle of the Eclipse Sage.


    Behind the copper gates of the castle was a long corridor, with two rows of robotic terracotta soldiers arrayed by either side.


    "Captain, these soldiers aren''t our first trial, are they?" Yang Ze couldn''t help asking. After all, no matter how imposing they seemed, it was clear that the technology seemed outdated and inferior.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "You don''t think highly of these old antiques, do you? In that case, why don''t you try fighting one?"


    Yang Ze frowned, turning to the robotic soldiers. "I shall! I don''t believe these rusty pieces of metal can best me!"


    Yang Ze stepped into the corridor.


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected. Begin expulsion procedure!"


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected. Begin..."


    The eyes of the two closest soldiers to Yang Ze began to glint with red light. Their swords zed with red me as they rushed toward Yang Ze.


    Of course, Yang Ze couldn''t back down now, not after he had imed he would make it past these robots. A mutated-grade longsword appeared in his hands, blocking the robots'' attack.


    However, the robots'' surprising strength nevertheless forced him to stumble back all the way outside the corridor.


    The hunters gaped. From their perspective, Yang Ze had been expelled from the corridor almost right after he had stepped inside.


    "Why are these robots so strong?" Fang Yi asked doubtfully.


    Zhang Lieughed. "They might look like antiques from the outside, but their interior programming and skeleton were likely enhanced by the Eclipse Sage himself."


    While Yang Ze had been a little overconfident, he was still able to assess the robots'' strength after the short sh. However, his pride couldn''t suffer the fact that he had lost in a single blow. With a wave of his sword, he prepared to dash into the corridor again.


    "Wait! Yang Ze, with your current strength, it''ll be quite difficult to break through their formation. Trying to beat the trial by rushing through it will likely lead to injury, so just you stand back and watch!"


    Zhang Lie pulled Yang Ze back, then materialized Venombane in his hand. He shot into the corridor like a bolt of purple lightning.


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected. Begin expulsion procedure!"


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected. Begin expulsion procedure!"


    "Warning! An intruder..."


    "Warning..."


    Zhang Lie moved so rapidly that, by the time the first robot reacted, he had already reached the middle of the corridor. Dozens of robots'' weapons burst into mes as they rushed toward the intruder.


    Some ran toward him, others glided, and a select few even started to fly. They formed a huge web of steel all around him, blocking off his movement from all directions.


    Zhang Lie only smiled. The reason he had dashed forward so rapidly was so he could hit them all with a multi-target technique. After all, he too wanted the mythic-grade [Eclipse] for himself.


    "[The Boundless de: Downpour]!"


    Gic energy exploded from Zhang Lie''s body, and drops of purple rain began to fall all around him. A huge explosion rocked the corridor.


    Dozens of burning robots crashed onto the floor the moment they tried to close in on Zhang Lie. The downed robots all had one simrity: a small purplish-ck hole in their forehead.


    Zhang Lie''s huge reservoir of gic energy, incredible sword technique, and the lifeless robots scattered all over the corridor spoke to the gap between Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith.


    "Zhou Ying, if I''m not mistaken, you have some expertise in robotics, don''t you? I''ll leave you in charge of the scene: the cores of these robots are likely quite valuable!" Zhang Lie instructed.


    "Yes, Captain!"


    The hunters of Team Zenith got to work. The mes on the robots'' weapons had been doused, and their terracotta exterior sloughed off to reveal a silver, metallic skeleton.


    With Zhou Ying''s guidance, the other hunters learned how to extract the robots'' cores from their chest, and quickly finished scouring the battlefield for spoils. These robots were nothing but an appetizer for what was to follow.


    After passing through the corridor, they reached a small za. At its center was a statue of a man with a greatsword on his shoulder, ncing coldly in a certain direction.


    The man was likely none other than the Eclipse Sage himself.


    Beneath the statue and all around the za, untrimmed grass grew rampant, in counterpoint to the marble perfection of the statue.

 Chapter 91: Mobilization

    <h4>Chapter 91: Mobilization</h4>


    "Captain, is this the Eclipse Sage?" Fang Yi asked.


    "Who else could it be, if it''s disyed so prominently in the castle? Of course it has to be him!" Sun Mengmeng dered.


    The others nodded, and Zhang Lie inclined his head in agreement.


    If he remembered correctly, this za was a safe area, and the real danger would emerge at the sage''s training ground. Of course, this danger really only applied to his teammates.


    No matter how strong the Eclipse Sage had been, he was now dead. His trials were intended to establish a sessor, so they wouldn''t be too difficult or life-threatening. Zhang Lie, whose superior gene fragments were at capacity, should easily be able to handle them. Perhaps thest trial would be somewhat difficult and arduous, but he was quite certain there would be no danger to his life.


    Indeed, what was more dangerous to Team Zenith would be the encroaching parties from the ns around the region. After all, none of them knew that the castle they had just entered had be the target of all the ns close to Liao.


    Liao, located in the northeast region of China, was bordered by the sea on three fronts, with beautiful mountains and streams. As one of the three most impressive cities of the region, over a hundred ns of all shapes and sizes gathered around Liao. Only four, however, could be considered major yers: the Qin, Zhao, Wang, and Liu ns.


    The beam of light was closest to the Qin n, and Qin Feng was the first to reach the scene.


    Unfortunately for him, his speed didn''t give him any advantage, because the kaleidoscopic array possessed a self-restoration ability that allowed it to resume activation not long after Zhang Lie and his team entered the extradimensional space.


    As a result, despite being the first to arrive, Qin Feng wasn''t even able to identify where exactly the portal was.


    "Young Master, I''ve found something!" Qin Feng and his guards immediately approached the shouting scout. They saw an ancient stump by their feet, one that seemed perfectly ordinary.


    However, upon closer inspection, the oddities surrounding it were quite evident. There were a few gears hidden around the vicinity, as well as arge footprint on the stump itself.


    Qin Feng praised, "Well done, Shunzi! This must be the mechanism to unlock the portal to the ruins. Step aside, let me¡ª"


    "Ah, it looks like I''vee at an opportune time!"


    Just as Qin Feng was about to examine the apparatus in more detail, a dozen beams of light emerged nearby, and a voice could be heard from the distance.


    "And just who do you think you are? Liu Ke, do you think I''ll let you steal our n''s ruins?!"


    Qin Feng hesitated for a moment, but when he saw just who was talking, he rxed.


    Liu Ke was the young master of the Liu n, as well as an elite. The Liu n was quite a bit weaker than the Qin n, exining Qin Feng''s attitude. However, Liu Ke, who normally didn''t dare rebuke Qin Feng, actually strode up to him and met his gaze.


    "Young Master Qin, you don''t think your Qin n can im these ruins as its own, do you? Chasing me off now isn''t a smart move at all! You do realize that other ns could see that beam of light piercing the heavens?"


    Liu Ke''s attitude greatly displeased Qin Feng. He narrowed his eyes. "Oh, is that so? What do you propose?"


    "We need to cooperate, of course! Only if we work together can we split a fraction of the rewards."


    "A fraction?" Qin Feng nced at Liu Ke as though he were an idiot.


    "I mean what I said. Given how muchmotion these ruins generated all around the world, even if all four of the major Liao ns worked together, we would only be able to get a fraction of the rewards, and even that will require significant cooperation on our parts," Liu Ke exined firmly.


    "Are you crazy? Who''s stopping me from heading in and taking everything for myself? This is the real world, not the dimensional world¡ª who''s going to try to start a n war? The federal government''s rules and regtions are there for a reason! Now, scram! If you keep talking, I''ll take you out first!"


    Qin Feng was growing more and more irate.


    "You''re right that there won''t be a n war here on Earth, but don''t you realize how close we are to the capital? If the ns from the capital want us to capitte to them, do you think they''d need to start a war? There are quite a few ways to get around governmental regtion¡ªsay, for example, hunting us down in the dimensional world instead."


    Qin Feng stilled. Liu Ke wasn''t wrong: it would cause quite amotion if other ns tried to kill them in the real world, but what about in the dimensional world? If they were targeted by the major ns, unless they had strong protection in every realm, they would easily be wiped off the map.


    Just as Qin Feng was thinking matters through, two more ns arrived at the scene: Zhao Kai and Wang Lun, from the Zhao and Wang ns respectively, had arrived with their own elites.


    Zhao Kai seemed to have heard part of the conversation, and the moment he appeared in sight, he added, "Qin Feng, there''s no need to think further about it! If we work together, we all benefit; if we fight among ourselves, we all lose out!"


    "That''s right. Only with all four of our ns working together can we hope to stand against the other ns!" Wang Lun agreed. Clearly, he had thought matters through during the way here.


    With the other three ns in agreement, Qin Feng had no choice but to agree. If he didn''t, the other three ns would spurn him, and he wouldn''t be able to obtain anything from the ruins at all.


    "Fine, fine! In that case, we''ll form an alliance. How do you propose splitting up the rewards?" The moment he agreed, Qin Xiao brought up this question, hoping to gain a little advantage, but he clearly still wasn''t thinking straight.


    "Qin Feng, given this sort of situation, do you really think that we''re qualified to discuss the allocation of spoils? Unless you can activate the portal immediately and leave with everything inside, the four of us will just have to be grateful with whatever the other ns decide to hand us.


    "I''ve just received news from the capital: the Chu n''s Chu Feng and Chu Xun are mobilizing, led by Chu Zhennan, an elder a generation above us, himself! Do you think our four ns can stand up to a formation like that?"


    The Zhao n was the strongest of the four major ns in Liao, and he was far more direct than Liu Ke could hope to be.


    Qin Feng gaped. Chu Feng, Chu Xun, and Chu Zhennan himself?! Was the Chu n intending on monopolizing the rewards from the ruins for himself?!


    These names sshed on Qin Feng''s face like cold water. No, his n certainly wouldn''t be able to afford arousing the ire of these hunters! It looked as though he had no choice but to cooperate with the other Liao ns and hope that the Chu n was generous.

 Chapter 92: The Clans of the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 92: The ns of the Capital</h4>


    Just as Zhao Kai finished speaking, Wang Lun added, "It''s not just the Chu n! The Yun n''s sending a simr delegation. Yun Bing and Yun Meng, along with Yun Chongzheng, arrived at the Liao teleportation array just five minutes ago, and they''ll likely be here within five more minutes! And not only that, the Zhou, He, and Qian ns seem to be sending parties as well!"


    Qin Feng sighed. "All five of the major ns from the capital? Is there a need for such a big fuss?"


    "Qin Feng, don''t you know who the owner of these ruins is?"


    "What? Who is it? ?Surely it isn''t the Eclipse Sage''s?"


    Zhao Kai looked toward him with disdain, but Qin Feng''s annoyance was ovee by his curiosity.?Just whose ruins could these be?


    "Likely not the Eclipse Sage''s, but perhaps Devil''s Eye or Graylight!" Just as Zhao Kai was thinking about how to y a prank on Qin Feng, Wang Lun spoke up.


    Yes, the Devil''s Eye or Graylight Sage!?That was what his own father had supposed. When Qin Feng heard about this, his eyes gleamed. Recalling his father''s words, he pressed his wristwatch lightly a few times without attracting any attention.


    The four ns had gathered and had found the entrance to the ruins, but none of them dared to try to activate it. After all, the five major ns from the capital were rushing over, and they didn''t dare to head in knowing that.


    The other ns arrived within a few minutes.


    The Yun and Chu ns came together, assembling their forces as they chatted away. Both generations of the two ns knew each other fairly well, and it was only natural that they would congregate.


    The four ns of Liao didn''t dare approach them without a summons.


    Chu Xun sniffed thoughtfully, as though she sensed something unusual.


    Chu Feng immediately noticed. "Chu Xun, what''s the matter? Do you smell something?"


    Chu Xun giggled. "Brother, that fellow''s been here!"


    "That fellow?" Chu Feng was a little confused. "Who?"


    "ckie!"


    Chu Feng gaped. "You mean, Zhang¡ª" His face turned funny.


    Yun Bing sensed the unusualmotion and immediately approached them. "What''s the situation? Chu Xun, did you discover something?"


    Her eyes twinkling, Chu Xun said, "Yun Bing, he''s been here, I can smell him!"


    "Him?!"


    "Who? You mean, Zhang..."


    Just like Chu Feng and Chu Xun, none of the three of them said his full name out loud, but Yun Meng could easily deduce just who they were talking about.


    "In that case, do you think he was the one who caused all thismotion?" Yun Bing was quite shocked.


    "I don''t want to believe it, but given the situation, what else could it be?"


    "Who are you talking about? Who''s this Zhang fellow, some friend you made in the dimensional world?" Chu Zhennan, standing beside Chu Feng, couldn''t help interrupting their conversation.


    It was then that the four of them realized that their elders were also there with them.


    "No, no, it''s nothing! Chu Xun''s just guessing, and we''re not certain yet," Chu Feng eximed, trying to change the topic.


    Yun Bing jumped in, "Right, why don''t we head over to the portal? Uncle Zheng, Uncle Nan, both of you have significant experience in the dimensional world, so would you have a look at the portal?"


    They walked over to the ancient stump. The two elders began to inspect it carefully, while Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and their siblings walked over to the Liao ns.


    The elites of the Liao n immediately greeted them.


    "Young Master Chu, Miss Yun!"


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing inclined their heads in response. Beside them, Chu Xun ced her hands on her hips andmanded, "Alright, answer my questions! If I''m satisfied with your answers, you''ll get arger share of the rewards! First: which of you was the first to arrive?"


    Chu Xun was widely known as a devilish girl, and none of the elites dared to cross her. They immediately pointed toward Qin Feng.


    Chu Xun smiled, but the more she smiled, the paler Qin Feng became. He clearly remembered embarrassing himself in front of her at that bar in the cksteel settlement, and now...


    "Don''t be afraid. Just answer all my questions truthfully, and I''ll leave you alone! Of course, if you lie..."


    "Please, ask me anything, Young Miss Chu! I, Qin Feng, swear to reveal all I know!" Qin Feng didn''t dare go against someone like Chu Xun.


    "Good. Did you find traces of anyone when you arrived at the scene?"


    "No, Miss! By the time we got here, the beam of light had already dissipated, and it took us a long while just to find this stump."


    Qin Feng''s response disappointed the Chu and Yun hunters, and Chu Xun questioned him again, "That can''t be. Are you certain? If I find out you''re lying, you''ll be in for it!"


    "I''m certain, Miss! If you don''t believe me, you can ask my subordinates. None of us saw anyone else by the time we arrived!" Qin Feng repeated, and his subordinates hastily nodded.


    It was unlikely that they were lying, so could it be that Zhang Lie had been in the vicinity in the past? No, that couldn''t be¡ªhis scent was very fresh, and he had to have been here this very night!


    But if no one had seen him, then there was only one possibility: he was already inside!

 Chapter 93: Underground Treasury

    <h4>Chapter 93: Underground Treasury</h4>


    "Alright, I understand. You guys can leave now!" Chu Xun dismissed them with a wave of her hand.


    Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the others had more or less guessed what was happening as well.


    The four ns of Liao were once again ignored and left to their own affairs, but they were happy with this turn of events, because Chu Feng hadmanded them to guard the perimeter and to report in if they noticed something amiss.


    In other words, he had assigned them a responsibility, so they would surely receive a share of the rewards from the ruins.


    The four ns each headed in a cardinal direction away from the portal.


    Meanwhile, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, Chu Xun, and Yun Meng crowded around their uncles.


    "Uncle Nan, have you figured out how difficult it is to activate the portal?" Chu Feng asked.


    It was likely that Zhang Lie had already entered the ruins, so they were getting increasingly anxious. After all, they were fully aware of just how terrifying Zhang Lie was. His knowledge of the foundational breakthrough, as well as his Potion #1, was more than sufficient to shock the world.


    And now, they had found traces of him here. How could they not be anxious? Zhang Lie''s target was clearly these ruins; in other words, within these ruins was something he had to acquire at any costs.


    Zhang Lie had always given them an impression of strength and mystery, and they could hardly imagine just what sort of treasure would be inside.


    Chu Zhennanughed. "It''s not too hard, but it might take some time. If I''m not wrong, this is a duplication-illusion array."


    "A duplication-illusion array?


    "A construction that was in vogue in the early days of the dimensional world¡ªnot tooplicated; the tedious part is finding the eye of the array. Only by doing so can we break out of this array and activate the teleportation array underneath!"


    This series of questions and answers allowed Yun Bing and the others to get a good grasp of the situation.


    "Uncle Nan, in that case, please hurry! If I''m not mistaken, our friend has already entered the extradimensional space, so we also have to hurry up, or he''ll snatch up all the goodies!" Chu Xun pressed, wanting to meet Zhang Lie again as soon as possible.


    Chu Zhennan stroked his beard. "Chu Xun, there''s no rush: the other three ns from the capital are about to arrive. Why don''t we conserve our energy and wait for them? As for your friend, there''s no need to worry at all. No matter what spoils he''s managed to obtain, he''ll have no choice but to hand them all over when faced with the might of the five ns of the capital."


    Chu Zhennan''s words sent shivers down Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s back.


    Chu Feng immediately argued, "No, don''t, Uncle Nan! Trust me, please, we need to enter immediately! If my friend came here, then there''s surely treasure of unimaginable worth within. We''ll surely benefit from entering first!"


    Chu Feng was so insistent that it surprised even Chu Zhennan.


    But before he could say anything, Yun Bing also added, "Uncle Zheng, Chu Feng''s right. That friend of ours is really quite special, so we need to head down immediately!"


    If it were only Chu Xun insisting on it, the two of them might have thought that she was simply impatient, but with Chu Feng and Yun Bing jumping into the fray as well, things were different. After all, both of them were being groomed for leadership positions within the ns, and they tended to be thoughtful and attentive to detail. If even they were in such a hurry, then there surely had to be something unusual about this friend of theirs.


    The two elders nced at each other. Eventually, Yun Chongzheng said, "Alright, if you''re all in such a hurry, then the two of us will give it a try. However, don''t expect too much: everything within the array will be twisted and distorted, and the eye likely won''t be easy to find. It''s quite possible that the other three ns will arrive before we can do so."


    "That''s not a problem, Uncle Zheng. Please try your best!" Yun Bing immediately replied.


    "In that case, we''ll head inside now. Stay safe out here!"


    "Don''t worry, there won''t be anyone here who would dare to touch our ns!"


    As Yun Bing and the others stepped back, the two elders stepped into the array.


    While the Yun and Chu ns were attempting to ess the extradimensional space from without, Zhang Lie and the others were already reaping rewards from within.


    A long corridor at the opposite end of the za led to all variety of rooms, allowing Zhang Lie and the others to find quite a number of spoils, including frameworks and techniques, potion recipes, and a few pieces of armor and weapons. Of course, during this process, they encountered a number of small trials, but Zhang Lie easily overcame them all.


    What they had found was only the tip of the iceberg, because the Eclipse Sage''s treasury wasn''t located in any of the rooms of the castle at all, but rather underground. Yes, underground¡ªin an underground treasury!


    Information from his past life made Zhang Lie aware of just where the mechanism for essing the treasury was, and heading to the treasury was hisst remaining goal. However, because it would be somewhat dangerous, Zhang Lie intended on heading down alone.


    At the tallest clocktower of the Eclipse Sage''s castle stood Zhang Lie, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Zhou Ying, and Sun Xiaowu.


    "Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, for now, your task is to help me guard this clocktower. The trials to ess the treasury are still too dangerous for all of you, so it''s best if I go down alone. Don''t worry, I''ll definitely be looking out for suitable treasures for all of you."


    Zhang Lie punched the heavy bell, causing a deep, resonant toll to sound throughout the castle.


    As the sound waves reverberated, the entire castle seemed to tremble, and a number of inscriptions could be seen on the surface of the bell. Right beneath the bell appeared a small teleportation array, seemingly out of nowhere.


    The moment it did, Zhang Lie stepped within it, vanishing in a sh of white light.


    The teleportation array vanished as though it had never existed.


    All that remained of Zhang Lie was his final instruction: "Remember to ring the bell once every fifteen minutes!"

 Chapter 94: Fighting Fire With Fire

    <h4>Chapter 94: Fighting Fire With Fire</h4>


    After a short period of darkness, Zhang Lie appeared within a cramped underground chamber. It wasn''t particrlyrge, and the sconce on the wall was only dimly lit. A person rested by one corner of the room¡ª or, more urately, a skeleton.


    This supposed treasury left Zhang Lie somewhat disappointed.


    After all, given how ornate the castle had been, why did this underground treasury look so dpidated? It was the treasury of the Eclipse Sage himself!


    Regardless, Zhang Lie was quite certain that this ce was indeed the Eclipse Sage''s underground treasury. He nced all around him. There were no treasures heaped up into small hills, or any sort of framework or technique manuals.


    In fact, within this supposed treasury, there was nothing but that skeleton left.


    Zhang Lie carefully inspected his surroundings, and eventually focused on the skeleton.


    In his past life, he had once essed these ruins, but never the treasury. However, after the treasury was first essed, a hunter who imed to be the sessor of the Eclipse Sage had appeared. Not only had that hunter learned [Eclipse], he had even acquired another of the Eclipse Sage''s trademark techniques, [Art of the Rising Moon].


    Unfortunately for the hunter, he had died to a beast horde within the dimensional world, causing [Eclipse] to be lost forevermore.


    Zhang Lie made no further discoveries despite inspecting the skeleton for quite some time. There were no storage-type artifacts on the skeleton''s body, and its clothes were as normal as could be. What on Earth could be going on?


    Zhang Lie had spent half the night¡ªon the eve of the Void Cup, no less¡ªsearching for these ruins for [Eclipse]. Was he to return empty-handed?


    He tried to search all around the skeleton''s body, but out of respect for the dead, he avoided touching the skeleton as much as he could.


    "Well, are you disappointed?"


    Zhang Lie''s face grew dismal after a fruitless search, but just as the light from the sconce petered out and a beam of moonlight shone in from above, a striking specter appeared in front of Zhang Lie''s eyes, his mien severe, his robes white and expansive, his sword gleaming and brilliant.


    The moment Zhang Lie saw him, he was certain of his identity.


    "The Eclipse Sage!"


    "Yes, it''s me!"


    "Y-You can speak? Are you man or ghost?"


    "Hah, I''m neither! A remnant of who I was, nothing more."


    "A remnant? I didn''t realize remnants were able tomunicate so normally..."


    "It''ll take too long to exin the details, so you can just treat me like an artificial intelligence!"


    "Very well, Eclipse Sage. I apologize for interrupting your rest, but as one of humanity''s greats, surely you understand my intentions foring here?"


    "For [Eclipse], of course."


    "Yes, Sage! Your [Eclipse] has been used to devastating effect against the lifeforms of the dimensional world, and for it to remain a lost art would be a pity."


    The Sage''s remnant seemed to smile. "You''re rather frank, aren''t you? [Eclipse] has been a lifetime''s worth of work for me. What makes you think I''ll hand it over so easily?"


    Zhang Lie grinned. "What else would be the purpose of this extradimensional space? Given how hard you worked to advance humanity, you surely wouldn''t allow death to terminate your efforts."


    "Haha, not bad, not bad! You must have done quite a bit of research beforeing here. In that case, I won''t beat around the bush. Take on my final challenge!"


    The Sage''s words were quite surprising to Zhang Lie. After all, they had only shared a few words at best, and the Sage had no understanding of his character at all. Was he so cavalier about his inheritance?


    Zhang Lie had no time to think further. The moment the Sage finished talking, the four walls of the chamber shone with fiery inscriptions. A frightening surge of energy pressed down on his body, and he barely managed to stay upright.


    Instinctively, Zhang Lie countered the spiritual pressure with his own gic energy. A ck serpent emerged, coiling around him protectively. However, the moment his gic energy left his body, he noticed something amiss¡ªit was quickly being depleted, no, being dissolved!


    Wisps of ck smoke were floating away from the serpent surrounding him.


    This unusual technique... could it be [Eclipse]?!?Zhang Lie''s heart leapt, first in surprise, then in greed. It had to be, without a doubt! After experiencing the effects of [Eclipse] for himself, he was even more adamant about acquiring it. It was simply far toopatible with the second stage of his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    However, he would have to focus on the challenge at hand first. If he didn''t reduce the speed at which his gic energy was being sapped away, he would be drained within five minutes, and even his gic core would be in danger.


    Furthermore, if he didn''t pass this trial and obtain the recognition of the Eclipse Sage, he would be unable to acquire [Eclipse].


    What was he to do? How could he prevent the loss of his gic energy?


    If he used his gic energy to counteract the dreadful pressure surrounding him, it would increase the rate at which his energy was being drained.


    However, if he didn''t, his body would have to bear the brunt of the tremendous pressure.


    As expected, [Eclipse] was extremely difficult to deal with.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t think of a strategy to counteract it in the heart of the moment.


    He felt more and more of his energy draining away; if he didn''te up with a solution quickly, he would soon be eliminated. But no amount of anxiety would help him now. No, he would have to calm down and focus, despite the inexorable drain.


    Zhang Lie closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged on the floor. He sensed the minute changes and fluctuations in his gic energy at the moment they came into contact with [Eclipse], as though it were being devoured bit by bit.


    The more intensely his gic energy surged, the faster the devouring process: his initial guess had been correct.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to firmly suppress his gic energy and keep it close to his core, but doing so would expose his body to the pressure.


    He shook as he retracted his gic energy.


    Fortunately for him, he had filled all his gene fragments to capacity, and his body had been strengthened by both his foundational breakthrough and his consumption of Potion #1. Any other hunter would have been severely wounded the moment they stopped surrounding their body with a protectiveyer of gic energy.


    As he forced himself to cope with the pressure, Zhang Lie activated his [Ninecarp Transformation], all his gic energy condensed within hispact core, attempting to corrode his environment even as he himself was being drained.


    This was the only strategy he coulde up with against [Eclipse].

 Chapter 95: Usurping the Spoils

    <h4>Chapter 95: Usurping the Spoils</h4>


    Yes, Zhang Lie would fight fire with fire.


    The second stage of his [Ninecarp Transformation] afforded him with extremely corrosive gic energy, and he had discovered that [Eclipse] was consuming some sort of resource in order to dissolve his gic energy, so if he were careful, it wouldn''t be impossible to drain [Eclipse] before he was drained instead.


    His first attempt was reasonably sessful. Even as his own gic energy was consumed, he sessfully corroded away part of [Eclipse]''s strength.


    When the Eclipse Sage saw what was happening, he couldn''t help but praise Zhang Lie. "Oh, your technique isn''t too shabby! To think that it too would possess potent corrosive power! You have quite a few secrets, don''t you?"


    "Sage, I''m trying to pass your trial! Please, let me concentrate!" While Zhang Lie spoke, a significant fraction of gic energy had been drained from his body.


    The Eclipse Sage guffawed.


    What followed would be a test of endurance. Whether or not Zhang Lie would be able to pass the trial would depend on just howrge the Eclipse Sage''s reservoir of energy was. Zhang Lie''s only goal was to hold out as long as possible, until hisst skein of gic energy had been dissolved away.


    As he hunkered down and settled into silence, the portal to the ruins became more crowded than ever. After the Yun and Chu ns, the Zhou, He, and Qian ns sessively arrived at the portal, but one step too slowly.


    By the time they found the weathered stump, the Yun and Chu ns had managed to break past the array and head inside. Worse, the array had restored itself, and they would have to find the eye on their own.


    This would give the Yun and Chu ns a head start.


    Zhou Qiang motioned for the four ns of the Liao family to head over, trying to understand the situation, but the more they heard, the more panicked they became. The Yun and Chu ns were both rather strong, and now that they had taken the lead, it was possible that they would monopolize the best items for themselves.


    Of course, no matter how much they tried, they wouldn''t be able to obtain the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance. Neither would the Yun and Chu ns.


    By the time Yun Bing and Chu Feng arrived at the clocktower with their elites in tow, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others were guarding its vicinity. Only when they saw the familiar faces of Yun Bing and Chu Feng did they seem to rx a little.


    The Yun and Chu ns were shocked to see them. Yun Bing and Chu Feng were quite familiar with Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, and they knew full well that they were Zhang Lie''s subordinates. If they were here around the clocktower, then their leader, Zhang Lie, was surely somewhere within the ruins.


    "Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, it really is you guys!" Chu Feng eximed.


    The Yun and Chu scions had interacted with them quite a few times already, and they instantly confirmed that the mysterious appearance of these ruins had something to do with Zhang Lie.


    "Good to see you, Young Master Chu, Miss Yun!" Fang Yi greeted them with a smile, as did the other members of Team Zenith, but they were as alert as ever.


    Li Feng, who was up by the bell, immediately crouched down, not wanting to attract attention to himself.


    "Where''s Zhang Lie?" Yun Bing asked.


    Fang Yi''s eyes glinted. "Since you''re friends with the captain, I won''t keep it a secret from you: he''s undertaking the trial of inheritance!"


    His words shocked the Yun and Chu ns, and the elders of the two ns couldn''t stand still any longer.


    "The trial of inheritance? Tell us where your leader is! ?Where''s the treasury?!" Chu Zhennan yelled, threats edging into his tone.


    He had no choice; of course he would be anxious.


    After entering the ruins, the construction and style of the castle, along with the rooms they had gone through, made it quite clear that the owner of these ruins was none other than the Eclipse Sage, a hunter with such renown that he was included in the Xumi Tome.


    If nothing else, his lost inheritance, [Eclipse], was sufficiently valuable a treasure that the great ns of China would fight tooth and nail over it.


    "I don''t know, and I wouldn''t say even if I did!"


    Fang Yi refused to budge despite Chu Zhennan''s threats.


    "Lad, you really aren''t afraid of anything, are you? Well¡ª"


    "Uncle Zheng, please stop! Let Chu Feng and I handle this. We know each other, after all, and we''re friends!" Seeing that Chu Zhennan''s threat was ineffective, Yun Chongzheng was about to speak when Yun Bing interrupted him.


    No, neither the Yun nor Chu ns could afford to offend Zhang Lie, and neither could Yun Bing and Chu Feng themselves! After all, they still had a favor to beg of Zhang Lie, and if they were to sour the rtionship between them, they wouldn''t have any opportunity to obtain the Potion #1 that they had been eyeing.


    As for the two n elders, they wouldn''t have reacted so aggressively if they knew that Zhang Lie was the one who had sold them the information about the foundational breakthrough.


    Yun Bing''s words made the two n elders eye each other. Both Yun Bing and Chu Feng had made several choices that they didn''t understand that night, but they had been designated as the leaders of this expedition, and the elders'' responsibility was only to assist and protect them.


    If they were friends with these other hunters, perhaps they would be able to find out what was going on more easily.


    With these thoughts in mind, the two elders nodded tersely and stepped back, letting Chu Feng and Yun Bing direct the conversation.


    Once they had received the elders'' affirmation, Chu Feng and Yun Bing immediately stepped forward.


    "Fang Yi, I''ll tell you the truth: it''ll be impossible for you to im all the spoils from these ruins for yourselves!" Chu Feng spoke directly.


    Fang Yi cocked an eyebrow. "Indeed? Do you intend on wresting them away by force, just like these esteemed elders here?"


    "No, no, of course not, Fang Yi! As you''ve said, we''re friends with Zhang Lie, and it''s exactly because we''re friends that I''m telling you this now! As for you, are you unaware of the situation outside the ruins?"


    Fang Yi and the others suddenly realized that they had neglected an important question: how had Chu Feng and the others found their way over here?


    When they had first noticed a party heading in their direction, the members of Team Zenith all tensed up, trying to think about who those hunters could be. Were they enemies, or were they friends?


    But they had neglected to think about how those hunters had made their way to the scene.


    After all, Zhang Lie had mentioned that, after they entered, the array would repair itself. The fact that other hunters had appeared in the ruins meant that its location had been exposed, and there were surely other hunters lying in wait outside.


    This was apparent from Chu Feng''s words.


    "What''s the situation like out there?" Fang Yi asked, trying to gather more information.

 Chapter 96: Chu Fengs Lie

    <h4>Chapter 96: Chu Feng''s Lie</h4>


    "The four major ns of Liao and five from the capital have all gathered by these ruins," Chu Feng informed Fang Yi and the others. "And if I''m not mistaken, the ns from nearby Qing are on their way too. Not only that, government officials in charge of discovered ruins are also going to arrive soon. You understand what sort of situation you''re in, don''t you?"


    Fang Yi and the others'' eyes widened.


    No, they didn''t. They didn''t realize that the night excursion that Zhang Lie had led them on would have such repercussions¡ªthe four ns of Liao, the five of the capital, those from Qing, the federal government...


    Fang Yi refocused on Chu Feng. "Young Master Chu, you''re not ?lying to us, are you?"


    Before Chu Feng could speak, Yun Bing jumped in. "Lying to you? Is there such a need? When you uncovered the ruins, a beam of light emerged from the portal, so bright it turned night to day and spooked half the citizens of Liao. Information spread immediately!


    "If Zhang Lie were here, we would tell him the same thing. Regardless, one thing is certain: Zhang Lie cannot hope to im all the spoils from these ruins for himself. The reason we chose to head in first was to inform him to keep the most valuable objects for himself, but to prepare to hand over the rest.


    "Only then, only with the help of the Yun and Chu ns, can you all hope to get away from this unscathed. You have to tell us where Zhang Lie is. We need toe up with something to deal with the forces converging on this location."


    Yun Bing''s words clearly indicated that she would stand on Zhang Lie''s side.


    After experiencing all sorts of surprises from Zhang Lie within the dimensional world, she and Chu Feng had begun to trust him implicitly, and it was this trust that caused them to choose to leave the treasures with Zhang Lie himself.


    Yun Bing''s words caused the members of Team Zenith to look at her with gratitude, but Zhang Lie had instructed them to protect the clocktower at all costs. In other words, they couldn''t allow anyone else ess to the underground treasury.


    As a result, despite Yun Bing''s kind intentions, they refused her.


    "I apologize, Miss Yun, I know you''re quite close to our captain, but he instructed us not to let anyone in. We can''t reveal anything to you, but I ask that you trust our captain. Since he brought us here, he could well havee up with a solution for the scenario that you''re describing, so please, I beseech you to wait for him. Perhaps he''ll be out very soon!" Sun Mengmeng jumped in.


    With her words, the situation became a stalemate: both parties understood each other, but neither was able to convince the other to give in.


    What they didn''t know was that, while they were waiting for Zhang Lie, a great hubbub had descended by the entrance to the ruins. The remaining three ns from the capital, four from Qing, six from Meng, and the officials from the ministry of ruins had all arrived at the scene, and they were entering the castle in batches.


    The first would be the three ns from the capital, followed by the officials, then the four from Qing, four from Liao, and finally six from Meng.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie''s trial was reaching its conclusion.


    Li Feng, who hadin hidden at the top of the clocktower, again rang the bell. As the sound waves reverberated through the castle, a small teleportation array again emerged underneath the bell, but only for a short moment. Subsequently, the runic inscriptions on the bell faded away, as though nothing had ever happened.


    None of the hunters below knew what exactly was going on, but their attention was all drawn to the clocktower.


    Chu Feng asked, "Why are you ringing the bell? Is there any meaning to it?"


    "I''m sorry, Young Master Chu, but we don''t know. Our captain instructed us to ring the bell without exining why," Fang Yi stated.


    Zhang Lie had left so quickly that he hadn''t given them any further instructions or information save to ring the bell every fifteen minutes.


    Because of the bell''s tolling, the Zhou, He, and Qian ns, which had just stepped through the portal, immediately gave up searching the perimeter and headed right toward the source of the sound.


    Within a few minutes, the five great ns of the capital had gathered underneath the clocktower.


    Zhou Hong, He Feng, and Qian Hong, had each brought over a dozen elites and an elder from their respective ns, a considerable force indeed.


    "Yun Bing, Chu Feng, what''s the current situation? Who are these people?"


    As ns of the capital, the gathered parties were all quite familiar with each other, and it was evident at a nce that Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others represented an unknown third party. Furthermore, the members of Team Zenith were standing by themselves, away from the Yun or Chu delegations.


    Unexpectedly, Zhou Hong''s words were more curious thanbative.


    Chu Feng smiled sheepishly. "Good timing. We just arrived ourselves, and upon discovering this clocktower, thought that there might be some mechanism associated with the bell, so I had them give it a good ring. Unfortunately, it caused a loudmotion, but nothing else! As for who these people are, they''re professional ruin delvers that I sent for."


    Everyone was shocked at his words.


    The members of Team Zenith were surprised by how quickly Chu Feng had spun up his fabrication, papering over everything and shielding them with his n''s status and power.


    The Chu and Yun ns were surprised that Chu Feng had made such a decision. In that case, at least for this expedition, the two ns would be inextricably linked to Zhang Lie and his Team Zenith. The two n elders cast confused nces in his direction: after all, Chu Feng wasn''t known for hoodwinking others. Why was he doing so now?


    Yun Bing, Chu Xun, and Yun Meng, on the other hand, apuded his quick thinking.


    Meanwhile, the Zhou, He, and Qian ns were surprised that the Yun and Chu ns had been so prepared that they would have professional ruin delvers on call.


    "It looks as though you were quite... prepared... for this unusual event, Young Master Chu," Zhou Hong spoke up again, but this time his tone seemed quite a bit more suspicious.


    "Haha, it was just a matter of luck! They were present when the beam of light emerged, so..."


    "In that case, with a professional team with you, as well as your early entrance into the ruins, you must have reaped quite a few rewards, Young Master Chu, Miss Yun?" Beside Zhou Hong, He Feng spoke up.


    They were all familiar with one another, so he didn''t have any qualms about being so direct.


    "We''ve picked up a few things here and there, but nothing particrly good. The Eclipse Sage''s inheritance still hasn''t been found, and I wish you all luck in the search!"


    Chu Feng''s words clearly relieved the other ns. If no one had found it yet, then they still had a chance!

 Chapter 97: Obtaining the Inheritance

    <h4>Chapter 97: Obtaining the Inheritance</h4>


    The Zhou, He, and Qian ns immediately turned to leave, beginning their search for the treasury and the Eclipse Sage''s long-lost inheritance. They all understood that, as more and more hunters gathered at the scene, the less likely it would be for them to find the inheritance.


    Chu Feng and the others were happy to see them leave. Of course, Chu Feng''s trick wouldn''t dy them for too long; the ruins weren''t toorge, and the hunters of the three ns would finish searching it rtively quickly.


    By then, not having made any discovery, they would notice that something was amiss, and to gather back at the clocktower again. At that point in time, it would be much harder for Chu Feng and the others to dismiss them.


    Meanwhile, the ns from Qing, as well as the government officials, had finally broken through the illusion array and entered the ruins. As the number of hunters in the ruin increased, the ruins grew more chaotic, but this chaos didn''t affect Zhang Lie, who was still participating in the Eclipse Sage''s trial.


    The trial was almost over; in the underground chamber, the runic inscriptions had dimmed considerably, and Zhang Lie could sense that his gic energy was being dissolved far more slowly as well.


    Under the moonlight, even as the Eclipse Sage''s body grew transparent, he let out a satisfied smile.


    "Lad, you''re the first person to sessfully survive [Eclipse] by exhausting the caster''s energy! Furthermore, even though your primary framework isn''t very high-ranking, the corrosive nature of your gic energy is particrlypatible with [Eclipse]. Yes, the heavens have left me with a worthy sessor indeed!"


    With the Eclipse Sage''s confirmation, the trial finally came to an end, and Zhang Lie slumped over.


    That trial had onlysted at most a quarter-hour, but it felt like hours to Zhang Lie. He had almostpletely exhausted his supply of gic energy¡ªyes, exhausted, not dissolved.


    Comparatively little of his gic energy had been dissolved; most was used up in countering and defending against [Eclipse], then striking back at it. It was only for this reason that he was able to make it to the end of the trial, having forced the runic inscriptions powering [Eclipse] to exhaust much of their stored energy as well.


    Regardless, Zhang Lie viewed [Eclipse] as a ridiculously overpowered technique, and the remnant of the Eclipse Sage likewise viewed Zhang Lie as a ridiculously overpowered hunter.


    "Thank you for the praise, esteemed Sage. Your [Eclipse] is shockingly powerful!"


    "Haha, of course! It''s my life''s work!"


    To the Eclipse Sage, [Eclipse] was his magnum opus. The day he created it, his life was changed forever, and the title of Eclipse Sage hade from this grand achievement.


    "However,pared to you, this is nothing worth bragging about. Believe me: the future you will surely be far stronger than even I could be. Handing [Eclipse] to you will be a relief to me, but before I do so, I hope you can promise me two things."


    The Eclipse Sage, finding his sessor more and more pleasing to the eye, couldn''t help heaping a few more praises upon him, but suddenly changed his tone upon remembering something.


    Of course, Zhang Lie couldn''t back down now. "I''ll do anything, Sage!"


    "Oh? Are you so sure of your capabilities that you can do anything?" He guffawed again. His tone was doubtful, but he was actually quite happy with Zhang Lie''s attitude.


    "As long as I don''t die, I''ll keep growing stronger. I might not be able to handle these responsibilities now, but I firmly believe I can do so in the future!"


    As an experienced hunter, this sort of question wouldn''t stump Zhang Lie. Furthermore, if the Sage was subjecting him to this line of questioning...


    "Not bad,d, not bad! In that case, I have two tasks for you. Destroy the Musi n on the star Tarkus, and assist the remaining members of the Hong n in the Tianhong city on Mars, any that were fortunate enough to survive the cmity!"


    The Eclipse Sage quickly listed two tasks for his sessor, his tone seething as he spoke.


    "Yes, Sage! I swear I''ll do my best to aplish these tasks."


    "Good! In that case, ept my inheritance!"


    The Eclipse Sage''s remnant appeared in front of Zhang Lie. Before he could react, it struck the center of Zhang Lie''s forehead with a pointed finger, instantly making him feel as though he were burning all over, as if all his cells were being vaporized, as his bones and muscles creaked andpressed.


    A voice seemed to speak distantly to him, "Meditate on the realm of [Eclipse]!"


    You think I can meditate in this state??With his bodypletely drained of energy both mental and physical, he lost consciousness then and there.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Zhang Lie woke up groggy in the now-familiar underground chamber, and what happened immediately before he lost consciousness slowly drifted back to him. After checking that his body was fine, he let out a sigh of relief.


    "What sort of meditation did that old geezer expect I could do right after finishing his trial?!"


    That said, the moment he felt the strength surging through his body, Zhang Lie found himself quite satisfied with the experience. Not only had this final hurdle strengthened his body to some extent, he even discovered a manual that the Eclipse Sage had left in his mind, detailing the process for cultivating [Eclipse], as well as a few tricks and techniques for using it effectively.


    Zhang Lie circted his gic energy ording to the description in the manual, causing mysterious energy to waft out of his body and suffuse a region a hundred meters wide around him. This¡ªthis was [Eclipse]!


    [Eclipse], a mythic-grade technique with no elemental attunement, would allow its user to form a unique domain around it, supported by the user''s gic energy. This unusual ability had myriad possible applications; the most obvious was a fieldwide debuff that would nullify any numerical advantage against Zhang Lie.


    It seemed as though the ''meditative experience'' he had had earlier was meant to engrave [Eclipse] on his gic core, courtesy of the Eclipse Sage. As a result, he was able to turn the eclipse domain on and off at will, with a facility that would have taken years of experience to obtain normally.


    What skill the Eclipse Sage had! And yet such an esteemed figure had fallen to the devious struggles and internal politics of mankind. If he were still alive, humanity wouldn''t have suffered the disastrous cmity it did a hundred yearster.


    It was a pity indeed.

 Chapter 98: At All Costs

    <h4>Chapter 98: At All Costs</h4>


    Zhang Lie sighed in regret. The Eclipse Sage had been one of the brightest stars among the first wave of humanity''s hunters. Except for [Eclipse], he had also left seven pinnacle-grade techniques and two mythic-grade techniques in his mental world, thest pieces of the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance.


    Despite being a sage, the Eclipse Sage was actually quite poor in terms of material resources, leaving behind not a single decent piece of equipment.


    However, Zhang Lie was grateful and exuberant for what he had received: after all, from start to finish, he had only ever eyed [Eclipse].


    And now that he had gotten what he was here for, it was naturally time to leave.


    By that time, the clocktower that Fang Yi and the others were guarding had be the center of attention. The five ns of the capital, the six from Qing, four from Liao, and the government officials, over two hundred hunters in all, had gathered beneath the clocktower. They were all staring at Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and the other members of those two delegations.


    By this point, they had scoured every other piece of these ruins, finding nothing but a few extremely low-quality weapons. As such, they focused their attention on Chu Feng and Yun Bing, whose hunters had been the first to arrive at the scene, and whose behavior had been the most suspicious.


    Since the beginning, none of the hunters gathered by the clocktower had stepped away from it; and not only that, they hade up with all sorts of reasons to prevent the other ns from entering, or even approaching, it.


    Wasn''t that suspicious?


    In the end, the hunters blocked Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and the members of Team Zenith by the entrance to the clocktower, trying to get an exnation as to their actions.


    "Young Master Chu, Miss Yun, as hunters from major ns, surely you''re aware of the rules and regtions surrounding discovered ruins? As a member of the ministry of ruins, by the authority vested in me by the federal government, I insist that you move aside. You have no reason or authority to bar me from searching the interior of the clocktower!


    "These ruins appeared in Liao, and I, the head of the Liao division of the ministry of ruins, should have priority in searching through it! If you continue deterring my search, I''ll have no choice but to detain you all for disruption of the public good!" Zhang Quan threatened.


    "Your speech isn''t bad, and neither is the aura you''re projecting, but please keep one thing in mind: neither Yun Bing nor I will cower in the face of a threat. Are you sure you want to y this card against us?" Chu Feng asked, his gaze piercing, perfectly assuming the role of a spoiled, arrogant young master of a major n.


    The hunters arrayed outside the clocktower were buzzing in impatience.


    Zhou Hong, from the Zhou n, was the first to speak up. "Chu Feng, stop pretending to be a fool. Move aside! It''s not just the ministry of ruins who wants to enter the clocktower. I believe I speak for everyone here when I say that we all want to enter, and we all must be allowed to enter! What exactly are you trying to protect? You''d better tell us the truth, or neither the Yun nor Chu ns will be bringing anything out of these ruins!"


    Once he finished, He Feng immediately added, "Yes, Young Master Zhou''s right. The He n will fully support his deration: if your two ns don''t exin the situation, the He n won''t allow you to leave!"


    .


    Qian Hong, from the Qian n, also stepped forward. "Think matters over, Young Master Chu. After all, we''re all major yers in the capital. Is there really a need to sour rtionships between us?


    "We three ns, along with the officials from the ministry of ruins, as well as the many ns from Qing and Liao, are all gathered here to inspect the clocktower behind you. Won''t you show us this courtesy?"


    The other ns murmured their agreement, not daring to threaten the Yun and Chu ns outright, but making their stance clear.


    It was apparent that, if the Yun and Chu ns didn''t give in, what awaited them would be resistance and retaliation from the gathered crowd. Even the elders from the two ns were staring at Chu Bing and Yun Feng, trying to get them to change their mind.


    However, despite the mounting pressure, neither Yun Bing nor Chu Feng gave in.


    "Qian Hong, what do you mean? Just as you ask that we show the three ns of the capital some respect, so too do we ask that you show us the same courtesy. If you insist on using force, then I shall have no choice but to do the same. If nothing else, I can guarantee that we shall all suffer the same fate."


    Yun Bing raised a palm, disying the glowing ck orb clenched within for one and all to see.


    Everyone present sucked in a breath.


    "An orb of primality!" Zhou Hong and the others shouted.


    An orb of primality was a mythic-grade weapon that could rarely be found in ruins, with devastating power that would strike directly at a hunter''s genes.


    Once it was activated, the genes of all living creatures nearby would undergo sudden atavism, reversing the effects of billions of years'' worth of evolution and turning all hunters present to paramecia, to amoebae, to basal prokaryotic and eukaryotic lifeforms.


    "Miss Yun, please be calm! You can''t trigger that orb!"


    Every hunter present recoiled in ancestral fear. It would truly be a fate worse than death, and no treasure from the dimensional world would save them at that point.


    "You have nothing to worry: I fear death as much as the rest of you. As long as you refrain from threatening me, I have no intention of detonating this orb. To be quite frank, the top of the clocktower is the entrance to the Eclipse Sage''s treasury, but one of my hunters is already inside.


    "Regardless of his sess, I will not allow any other hunter to enter before hees out. As for what happens afterward, and in which order you all intend to enter, I leave to your discretion. If you believe me, I rmend that you sit down and wait. If you don''t, I will be happy to entertain any challengers."


    The crowd of hunters went silent. No one had expected that Yun Bing would be so adamant, nor that she had made such a calcted n.


    Of course, the members of Team Zenith were touched by her gesture. They didn''t expect that, even under such circumstances, Chu Feng and Yun Bing would protect their captain with so much drive.


    Itpletely changed the way Fang Yi viewed the scions of the major ns¡ª there were actually those whose eyes weren''t blinded by profit for themselves!


    The members of Team Zenith felt as though they too had to step forward and do something, but at that precise moment, as Li Feng rang the bell of the clocktower once more and waves of sound reverberated through the castle, the figure of another man appeared by the bell.

 Chapter 99: High Stakes

    <h4>Chapter 99: High Stakes</h4>


    Yun Bing was well known in the capital for her calm, cool, and collected nature, and her calcted threat with the orb of primality left every hunter present stunned. It forced the various factions to calm down, but though it held them back for a moment, it wouldn''t be able to do so for long.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Qian Hong slowly stepped forward. "Miss Yun, your orb of primality might be a threat indeed, but it surely isn''t guaranteed that you''ll be able to kill all of us here. If any of us were to escape, then the Yun and Chu ns would be doomed."


    Even though the Yun and Chu ns were rtively strong, it would still be difficult for them to deal with all the factions that had gathered here today.


    Yun Bing''s face remained as impassive as ever. Chu Feng stepped forward, barely curtailing his gic energy, his intention obvious. They wouldn''t let anyone disturb Zhang Lie at all costs.


    Their opposition, ultimately fearing the orb of primality in Yun Bing''s hands, reined in their gic energy and didn''t dare make a move.


    The scene descended into a stalemate, and the tension grew so thick in the air that it was almost palpable.


    Amidst the swelling tension, Zhang Lie slowly walked down the stairs of the clocktower and into in sight.


    "Oh? What''s going on here? Yun Bing, Chu Feng, it looks like you''re both in trouble!" The moment Zhang Lie appeared, he began teasing Yun Bing and Chu Feng.


    He had learned about what had happened during his departure from Li Feng, and he was honestly quite thankful to the two of them for taking on the other three ns in the capital, and even the ministry of ruins, on his behalf.


    This was why he chose to step forward now, forcing everyone''s attention on him, and making it obvious that he was the hunter whom the Chu and Yun ns had deemed fit to head into the treasury.


    "Haha! Yun Bing, now that your friend''s out, surely there''s no reason to keep us from the clocktower any longer?"


    The crowd of hunters had all gathered here in search of wealth, not a fight. Since Zhang Lie hade out of the treasury empty-handed, they might still have some chance at the inheritance.


    Yun Bing smiled as she stored her orb of primality. "As you please."


    Zhang Lie didn''t spare the crowd a single nce. Looking at Yun Bing and Chu Feng, he asked, "Did these fellows threaten you while I was gone?"


    Of course, Zhang Lie''s arrogant tone incited the fury of the gathered hunters, and one of the hunters from the other three major ns in the capital was just about to say something when white mes spread down the top of the clocktower, causing it¡ªand therge copper bell¡ªto crumble into ash and dust.


    The gathered hunters had a wide array of emotion on their faces.


    Some were shocked, wondering why the teleportation array had suddenly self-destructed, and some sighed deeply, understanding that the inheritance of the Eclipse Sage would forever be lost to them. Most, however, were ncing toward Zhang Lie with envy and jealousy.


    "You damned bastard! You dared to destroy the teleportation array? ?Don''t think that you can do what you want just because the Yun and Chu ns are protecting you!" Zhou Hong shouted.


    It was obvious that this Zhang Lie had obtained the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance and whatever wealth he possessed. Now that even the teleportation array itself had been destroyed, they would make him cough up as much as they could.


    The members of Team Zenith stepped forward, intending to defend Zhang Lie.


    "I didn''t destroy the array, but you can think what you want." Zhang Lie ignored them and nced over at his teammates, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng. Seeing that they were all unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.


    He didn''t intend on provoking the other ns and factions, but that didn''t mean that he was afraid of them.


    "You must be Miss Yun''s good friend, Zhang Lie." ?Zhang Quan, leader of the delegation from the ministry of ruins, spoke up. He didn''t know this Zhang Lie fellow at all, and the only reason he was so polite was out of deference for the Yun and Chu ns.


    "I''m an official from the ministry of ruins. The ministry of ruins should have first priority over any ruins that appear in the region. Not only have you entered the ruins without our permission, Zhang Lie, you''ve even destroyed the teleportation array into the Eclipse Sage''s treasury. What do you have to say for yourself?" Zhang Quan challenged Zhang Lie, intending toy the me for these alleged crimes on him.


    "As I''ve said, I didn''t destroy the teleportation array¡ªit self-destructed. Perhaps it was because I acquired the inheritance of the Eclipse Sage."


    Every hunter present turned toward him. These particr ruins were of no small importance to them, and even more ordinary ruins would require a dedicated team a month or two''s worth of scouting and surveyance to minimize the danger required for obtaining the ruins'' inheritance.


    Of course, there were a few ruins, generally those of the highest echelon of hunters, that would self-destruct after a sessor to the inheritance had been found. In that case¡­


    Identical expressions of greed and excitement appeared on many of the hunters'' faces. If Zhang Lie had obtained the inheritance, then they wouldn''t have to undergo any dangerous trial to obtain the inheritance for themselves: they just had to divest Zhang Lie of his newfound wealth!


    Of course, Zhang Lie noticed their killing intent immediately. "Hah, trying to kill me and take the inheritance for yourself, are you?"


    Yun Bing immediately stepped up to Zhang Lie''s side, brandishing her orb of primality and once again setting up the stalemate that had descended right before Zhang Lie''s reappearance.


    In the end, it was an elder from the Zhou n who stepped forward. "Haha! it looks as though you''ve grossly underestimated us five major ns of the capital. We do want to acquire the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance for ourselves, but we surely wouldn''t stoop to the dishonorable deeds you suggest.


    "That said, it simply wouldn''t do for us to return with nothing, not when we had expended so many resources to gather here. Neither would it make sense to start a fight: everyone has some sort of dead man''s switch, and a serious fight would hurt us all."


    He looked at Zhang Lie expectantly.


    "You want a share of the spoils, of course. In that case, what do you propose?"


    Zhang Lie circted his gic energy throughout his body, ready to call upon it on a moment''s notice. At this point, it seemed quite likely that he would have to fight, but he would listen to their terms first.


    Fortunately, after epting the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance, he had gained significant familiarity with these ruins, and he had a way of evading the other ns'' pursuit if he had to.


    "Haha! Zhang Lie, if you''re so confident in your abilities, will you stake the spoils from these ruins on a match?" The Zhou elder finally showed his true colors.

 Chapter 100: Fire-Advantaged

    <h4>Chapter 100: Fire-Advantaged</h4>


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Best of three, then?"


    Although he would be able to escape on his own, he had ended up embroiling the Yun and Chu ns in his affairs. Furthermore, it would be somewhat more difficult with Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the rest of Team Zenith in tow.


    Settling the dispute with a match would be the cleanest resolution, and one that was overwhelmingly in his favor.


    "As you will," the Zhou elder replied, having nced all around him to see if there were any objections.


    "Count me in!" Chu Feng patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. At this key juncture, he was the first one to step up and support Zhang Lie.


    "I, as well." Yun Bing did the same.


    The Yun and Chu elders stared even more curiously at Zhang Lie; meanwhile, Zhang Lie cast a grateful nce at Yun Bing and Chu Feng. Except for him, none of the members of Team Zenith were qualified to take part: he would be facing off against the other ns'' equivalents of Yun Bing and Chu Feng, the best hunters of the younger generation.


    If the two of them hadn''t volunteered, Zhang Lie would have had to fight all three matches by himself.


    "Thank you for your assistance," Zhang Lie murmured. "I''ll owe you both a favor for today''s events."


    A favor was a precious thing indeed, especially from someone like Zhang Lie.


    "I''ll take your word for it, Zhang Lie! In that case, leave the first match to me!" Chu Feng stepped forward, wind-attuned gic energy surging all around him.


    Hispetitor followed: Zhou Hong, from the Zhou n.


    The younger generation of the major ns of the capital all knew each other, but few of them had ever exchanged blows. The reason Zhou Hong stepped forward was because of his elemental attunement. Everyone knew that the Chu n favored wind-attuned techniques, whereas the Zhou n favored fire-attuned techniques.


    While the two elements weren''t in direct opposition, fire would have an advantage over wind.


    "Chu Feng, we''re both members of the five major ns of the capital. Shouldn''t we stand united? Who would have thought that you would oppose everyone here on behalf of some hunter with nothing to his name? Are you really that righteous, or are you just a fool?" Zhou Hong mocked Chu Feng confidently.


    From his perspective, he had already won the match.


    "We''ll just have to see, won''t we?" Chu Feng activated his footwork technique and dashed toward Zhou Hong. A gale of wind blew by, caressing the strands of his hair. For a brief moment, he seemed untethered to the mortal world.


    His opponent, Zhou Hong, surged with gic energy, as though he were smothering himself in a denseyer of smoke. Zhou Hong was a careful hunter, and the first thing he did was to protect himself against attack.


    In contrast, Chu Feng''s offense seemed far more impactful. The onlookers were left with the sensation that Chu Feng was a strong hunter indeed.


    The moment he vanished from sight, Zhou Hong felt a devastating gale blowing right toward him so strongly that he couldn''t even keep his eyes open. However, his defense wasn''t for naught.


    Chu Feng was certainly a strong opponent, but Zhou Hong wasn''t weak, either. He punched forward with a ming fist, shooting jets of me into the air and forcing Chu Feng back.


    Zhou Hong''s dull-looking defense actually empowered his mes significantly, fortifying him and protecting him as though he were encased within a live volcano.


    Fortunately, Chu Feng''s reflexes were quick enough to dodge the blow; if he had been hit by the roiling waves of fire and downed by Zhou Hong''s very first attack, his reputation would have been ruined.


    The twopetitors had each gained a measure of the other''s strength.


    Green gusts of wind and fiery bursts of me filled the field. Neither party used a weapon; this fight would solely be determined by framework and technique, strength and constitution, and their reserves of gic energy.


    "[Wind Palm]!"


    "[Fists of me]!"


    With an explosion of gic energy, palm and fist met each other, shaking the entire castle. Amidst the dense smoke that resulted, bothbatants stumbled a few steps back, neither having gained the advantage from the sh.


    Zhou Hong, sessor to the Zhou n and the strongest among the Zhou hunters of his generation, was at the top of the Maple settlement''s gene leaderboard, and it was only natural that he would have true skill.


    Chu Feng''s gaze filled with excitement. Ever since he had advanced to the second position on the cksteel settlement''s gene leaderboard, he hadn''t had such an enjoyable fight.


    mes surged all around the battlefield, as did gusts of wind so sharp they felt like des.


    The two hunters within tangled together. With another huge explosion, they stumbled apart, a few superficial injuries marring their skin. Neitherbatant had yet disyed their true strength; they were simply warming up and testing the other party.


    After yet another sh, they grew tired of dancing around each other, and each began to gather gic energy around them. Around Chu Feng swirled a whirlwind; around Zhou Hong, a storm of fire. Both were rapidly growingrger by the second, and as they nced at each other, their masses of gic energy reaching a peak, they shouted almost simultaneously,


    "[Hallowed Winds]!"


    "[Primeval Fire]!"


    A blinding green light and a frightening st of fire impacted against each other, causing a massive quake. The gathered hunters lost their footing, and the clocktower and nearby buildings crumbled into oblivion.


    Clouds of dust and grit scoured the battlefield, swirling without end. The hunters nearby were all astounded by the strength of thebatants.


    Because this was only a match, and not a fight to the death, neither of them used their weapons or soulshards¡ªbut even with bare hands and fists, with technique alone, they had wrought such devastation!


    So these were the sessors to the major ns of the capital!


    The mes and whirling wind dissipated in a matter of moments, but silence filled the battlefield. Everyone craned their necks, trying to discern whaty at its heart, at the intersection of green and red.


    "They... couldn''t have both perished, could they?"


    "I doubt it, it''s only a match! Would the sessors of the great ns die so easily?"


    The smoke finally cleared, revealing a lone figure.


    "It''s Chu Feng!" someone shouted, and everyone focused their attention on whaty ahead of them.


    Much of Chu Feng''s garments had been swallowed up by the me, and he looked quite the worse for wear, but, most importantly, the tip of his pointer finger was touching Zhou Hong''s throat.


    A small jab would be all it took to kill Zhou Hong.


    "Not bad, Zhou Hong. It''s a pity that your opponent was me¡ªyou''ve lost!"


    The Yun and Chu delegations erupted in cheers.

 Chapter 101: Zhang Lie Steps Forth

    <h4>Chapter 101: Zhang Lie Steps Forth</h4>


    "Brother''s the best!"


    "Haha! I told you Chu Feng could win! That Zhou Hong might look imposing, but that''s all just a facade!"


    "Che! You can say that in hindsight, of course, but who was the one who predicted that Chu Feng would lose because wind was weak against fire?"


    The praise and murmurs from the nearby onlookers left Chu Feng preening, and he returned to the Chu delegation with a smile.


    In truth, Zhou Hong and Chu Feng were equals in terms of strength, butpared to Chu Feng, Zhou Hong didn''t expend much effort on hunting; he would do just enough to qualify for gene fragments from the kill. His team did much of the work, whereas he sat back and reaped the rewards.


    On the other hand, Chu Feng was very interested in hunting, and he often tried to defeat rtively strong lifeforms alone, with his team used only as backup. The two hunters differed not in terms of their techniques, framework, or gene fragments, but rather in terms of their experience in life-or-death situations.


    Zhou Hong scurried back to his delegation, defeated.


    "Haha! As expected of a scion of the Chu family! I''ll be sure to report on your sessful match against Zhou Hong to your father, and you''ll be richly rewarded for your efforts."


    Chu Zhennan was very pleased that Chu Feng had defeated his counterpart in the Zhou n. Although Chu Feng wasn''t his son, he would be the sessor of the Chu n. The stronger Chu Feng was, the prouder he would be.


    The Zhou elder''s face darkened. He was the one who had proposed staking the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance on these matches, but his representative had lost the first match! They would surely have to win the next two matches in order for him to safeguard his reputation, so he was going to be very careful about choosing the candidate for the next fight.


    Opposite him, Zhang Lie refused Yun Bing''s offer to step forward and walked into the arena instead. He did so to guarantee that he would win the next match; given his current strength, he was all but peerless among those hunters of the same generation.


    Of course, this assumed that his opponent didn''t have any underhanded tricks up his sleeve¡ªif his opponent were to bring out something like the orb of primality, then he couldn''t be certain of his victory.


    Although Zhang Lie looked rather rxed as he stepped forward, he was still carefully inspecting those hunters around him.


    The three major ns conferred for a moment before dispatching Zhang Quan, from the ministry of ruins. Zhang Quan was only 25. He was in the same generation as Zhang Lie, and he was also still in the first realm of the dimensional world.


    He didn''t know why the Yun and Chu ns were so protective of Zhang Lie, but he knew that, if he were able to defeat Zhang Lie, then he would have more authority with regards to matters involving the two ns.


    "I shall be the representative for this match!" Zhang Quan announced, fully confident of his sess against an unknown hunter like Zhang Lie.


    The elders from the three ns wore rxed expressions on their faces. After all, Zhang Lie wasn''t a famous hunter, and the events of the cksteel settlement hadn''t spread much beyond it. There were few hunters who knew that he was the mastermind behind the affairs at the venombane de, and he was easily underestimated as a result.


    Most importantly, Zhang Quan had an earth-attuned framework, which would counter Zhang Lie''s obvious water attunement¡ªthere was a cloud of mist surrounding him. If they were at equal strength, Zhang Quan would easily overwhelm his opponent.


    As for Zhang Lie, however, he didn''t care just who showed up, or his opponent''s elemental attunement, because he was absolutely confident that he would be able to dominate them in terms of stats alone. After all, he had surpassed the usual limit for basic and mutated gene fragments, and even filled his superior gene fragments to capacity.


    "Hey, ?who on earth is this fellow? Just what are the Yun and Chu ns trying to do?"


    "They''re fielding a weakling and throwing the match, of course¡ªeither they get a lucky win, or they lose quickly and take out a far stronger opponent. Either oue would benefit them."


    "Ah, really? Zhang Quan''s really quite strong, so he should make short work of that other fellow."


    "But that other guy''s facing a steep elemental disadvantage, isn''t he? Is there any chance of him winning at all? If it were me, I''d just admit defeat immediately!"


    As usual, Zhang Lie ignored thements of those around him.


    Zhang Quan, standing opposite him and feeling supremely confident about winning, finally noticed something amiss. He had been preparing for battle, but Zhang Lie had done nothing after sauntering forward. His insouciant expression made it seem as though he didn''t care for his opponent at all.


    That indifference infuriated Zhang Quan. After all, Zhang Quan was an official in the ministry of ruins, whereas Zhang Lie was just a nameless hunter! Shouldn''t he be the one looking down on his opponent?


    "You''re asking for it!" Zhang Quan shouted, then shoved a palm forward, activating the gic energy that had been surging throughout his body. "[Burial Palm]!"


    The ground beneath his feet churned, and his gic energy manifested in the form of an earthen hand taller than he was. The buildings nearby, already half-destroyed by the explosion from the previous match, crumbled under the force of the attack.


    Zhang Quan was indeed a very strong earth-attuned hunter! Most hunters present didn''t think they would be able to survive a direct attack from that palm, but Zhang Lie remained motionless, with his lips quirked up into a smile.


    In anger, Zhang Quan used his full strength, as if he wanted to p Zhang Lie dead with his earthen palm. [Burial Palm] was a rare technique that he had acquired by chance; allegedly, when trained to its extreme, he would be able to manifest a palm a kilometer wide.


    As he howled, the gigantic earthen palm mmed toward the ground.


    "This¡ªthat hunter isn''t going to die, is he?!" someone shouted. Chu Zhennan nced toward Chu Feng, as if asking Chu Feng if he would need to step in to rescue Zhang Lie, but Chu Feng immediately shook his head in refusal.


    "Compressing the earth with gic energy, then saturating it with energy and charging up for one deadly attack... it isn''t a bad technique, but it''s a pity!" Just as the palm was about to strike Zhang Lie, he shifted his left arm, releasing a ck fog in his vicinity.


    With the hiss of a snake, a series of ck ripples began to emanate from his arm. These unassuming ripples were all it took to disrupt the attack, dissolving the gigantic palm almost from within and ignoring Zhang Quan''s supposed elemental advantage¡ªall just from one activation of Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea].


    Zhang Quan''s eyes widened, and that moment of hesitation was enough to conclude the match. By the time he came to his senses again, there was a finger by his forehead.


    "Admit defeat, or I''ll make you suffer!" Zhang Lie called out.


    Zhang Quan was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 102: Returning to the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 102: Returning to the Capital</h4>


    What had happened? How had he lost to Zhang Lie in just one move?


    Zhang Quan was unable to ept this result. He hadn''t even seen just what Zhang Lie had done to evade his attack; indeed, neither had the onlookers, given the billowing clouds of dust that Zhang Quan''s attack had generated.


    On the other hand, Zhang Quan was able to sense the fluctuations of gic energy from his attack quite clearly. The unusual ck ripples that Zhang Lie had generated had dissolved his attack in an instant¡ªZhang Lie was a far stronger hunter than he was!


    Since Zhang Quan didn''t surrender to him, Zhang Lie flicked his finger at his forehead and knocked him unconscious.


    The victor was Zhang Lie. Unlike Chu Feng, who received quite a few cheers from the Chu and Yun delegations after his victory, Zhang Lie''s victory was greeted with silence, shock, and astonishment.


    How had they not known about the existence of such a powerful hunter? It was only then that Chu Zhennan understood why Yun Bing and Chu Feng were so willing to side with Zhang Lie.


    After a pregnant silence, the Yun and Chu delegations finally gave a bted cheer.


    "Haha! Zhang Lie, you knocked him unconscious with just a flick of your finger? Aren''t you getting ridiculously strong?" The moment he walked back toward the Chu delegation, Chu Feng began to tease him.


    Yun Bing didn''t say a word, but her eyes were gleaming. Zhang Lie''s dominating victory had been firmly imprinted in her mind. Chu Xun and Yun Meng both surrounded Zhang Lie, circling him as they gave him admiring looks.


    On the other hand, the other factions present had gonepletely silent, their expressions making it seem as though they had forcibly swallowed a fewrge flies. What sort of disgusting situation was this?! Who would have expected that they would lose sopletely? Just who was that hunter called Zhang Lie? How had Zhang Quan fallen to a single blow?


    They were the ones who had suggested staking everything on a match. After losing sopletely, they didn''t dare remain at the scene any longer.


    After a few customary farewells and a few heated nces in Zhang Lie''s direction, the remaining delegations all left swiftly.


    "Phew, they''re finally gone!" Zhang Lie rxed.


    Yun Bing scoffed. "As if you were ever worried!"


    "Didn''t you see how many people there were? It would have been troublesome, even for me, to fight them all!"


    In truth, Zhang Lie did have a way of escaping, given how familiar he had be with the ruins. If a fight were imminent, it would have been trivial for him to escape, but it would have been far harder to bring Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng with him.


    "Alright, alright! Regardless, I have to thank both of you for standing up for me today. These techniques aren''t too bad, so I''ll hand them over to you."


    The reason that the Yun and Chu ns had protected Zhang Lie at all costs was because they knew that the other major ns wouldn''t dare attack, and that Zhang Lie''s strength as a hunter was worth the favor that they would obtain from him.


    Furthermore, they were more or less friends by now. He wouldn''t have met Chu Feng and Yun Bing if he hadn''t initially wanted to make a transaction with them, but after a slew of sessful transactions, they had earned his respect.


    Zhang Lie knew that Yun Bing and Chu Feng hadn''t done him a favor out of pure altruism, but it was nevertheless a rare ally who would do so much for him. In particr, Yun Bing, who had brought out her orb of primality, had staked her life on the line.


    Even if they weren''t interested in the spoils from the ruins, the elders who hade along with them would hardly permit them to return with nothing. After taking such a huge risk on his behalf, they should certainly receive part of the spoils.


    Although these techniques weren''t too valuable to the prestigious Yun and Chu ns, surely there had to be something unusual about techniques that the Eclipse Sage himself would keep on hand.


    Zhang Lie offered each of them a manual. [Almanac of the Winds] and [Cloud Spires] were two of the seven pinnacle-grade techniques left behind by the Eclipse Sage.


    The two of them were intending to refuse politely and instead ept a favor for the indeterminate future, but Zhang Lie refused to y such games. "What, are you looking down on these pinnacle-grade techniques? If you are, I''ll keep them for myself!"


    The moment he made to take back the manuals, neither hunter could stand still. Even the elders beside them were raring to make a move.


    "No, Zhang Lie, don''t! We were just trying to be polite!" Chu Feng immediately took the proffered [Almanac of the Winds], and Yun Bing [Cloud Spires].


    Of course, Zhang Lie wasn''t really intending to keep the manuals for himself; he would reward amity and avenge enmity. The manuals were certainly worth the favor the Yun and Chu ns had done for him, and even if Yun Bing and Chu Feng had refused the manuals, he would have foisted the manuals on them regardless.


    Having divided up the spoils, it was time to leave the ruins.


    "Again, thank you for helping my team when they were in need. I''ll see you both again soon!"


    Zhang Lie was about to leave with his team when the elders from the two ns called him back. "Wait,d!"


    Zhang Lie, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing had been talking among themselves, and the two elders had remained silent during their conversation. That Zhang Lie had handed over the two manuals gained him the two elders'' approval. He seemed rtively honorable, and he was certainly a strong hunter, so it would be well worth the two ns'' time to make an acquaintance of him.


    "Lad, we, along with the Zhou, He, and Qian ns, have been major powers in the capital for decades, and we''re all quite familiar with each other''s antics. I doubt they''ve given up on the inheritance so easily, so as a precaution, you''d best return to the capital with us before teleporting away!"


    Indeed, he had obtained the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance! How could the other ns retreat so easily, especially after knowing that such a valuable possession was in his hands?


    The Yun and Chu ns would protect him within the ruins, and they had motioned to stake their im to the inheritance on a match, but who knew what they would do when they were all back in the real world?


    After all, no matter how strong Zhang Lie was, he was still from a younger generation of hunters, and if the three ns were adamant on acquiring it even at the cost of their reputation, they could easily send stronger hunters from older generations his way.


    Zhang Lie bowed his head. "I neglected this possibility. Thank you for your reminder, elders, and I''d be honored to travel with your delegation!"

 Chapter 103: A Sudden Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 103: A Sudden Invasion</h4>


    The elders from the other delegations were all quite sly, Zhou Hong''s uncle in particr. The reason he had proposed a match was because the Yun and Chu ns were present, and a direct confrontation would have led to severe losses for their delegation.


    If they had won, then the Chu and Yun ns would have had to hand over their goods, but now that they had lost, they would have tounch a sneak attack and force this Zhang Lie fellow to spit out everything he had managed to im for himself.


    After all, the Eclipse Sage was a hunter whose name had been immortalized in the Xumi Tome, and if [Eclipse] had been included in his inheritance, then the Zhou n would immediately be elevated in power.


    How could he give up on such valuable treasure? At any rate, he was certainly willing to sacrifice his reputation and ethics for it.


    On the other hand, the Yun and Chu ns were ying the long game. If they were to try to snatch the spoils from Zhang Lie, they would immediately sour the budding rtionship between Zhang Lie and their ns. In that case, why not do him a favor and develop a stronger bond between this hunter from the younger generation who had disyed impressive potential and the ns'' sessors?


    The moment they exited the ruins, the Zhou, He, and Qian ns, along with the ministry of ruins and various other delegations, quickly came to an agreement. At this moment, they were lying in wait by the portal to the ruins, intending to ambush Zhang Lie.


    Unfortunately for them, Zhang Lie arrived with the delegations of the Yun and Chu ns in tow. The gathered forces didn''t anticipate that the Yun and Chu ns'' protection would extend so far. The elders from the two ns were sandwiching Zhang Lie between them, and Yun Bing held out her orb of primality prominently.


    They were all cautiously circting their gic energy, clearly having prepared for an ambush.


    "These damned bastards!"


    "What, were we discovered?"


    "No, but they predicted that we wouldn''t give up so easily!"


    "What?! Have they been working together all this time?"


    "Alright, shut it! Let''s just follow them for now! We''ll observe the situation and see what happens. I bet they''re heading to the capital first, before using the teleportation array there. We won''t have a chance to catch this Zhang Lie today, but we can certainly track where he''s headed. It won''t be that easy to get away from us!"


    The ambushers had no opportunity to strike; under the protection of the Yun and Chu ns, Team Zenith sessfully returned to the capital.


    As they stepped toward the teleportation array, Zhang Lie turned around and waved toward the ambushers following them, making the other three major ns from the capital itch to punch him in the face.


    However, just as Zhang Lie and the others were about to step into the teleportation array, a mysterious tearing sound came from the sky, and a wormhole emerged in mid-air, causing emergency rms to re throughout the capital.


    "Warning! Warning! A mysterious wormhole has connected to Earth. We are experiencing an alien invasion! Alien invasion! All citizens should seek shelter immediately! All hunters, mobilize!"


    "Warning! Warning! ..."


    Everyone stared up at the skies, only to find fleet after fleet of alien warships appearing out of nowhere. Countless ck dots descended on the capital like a thunderstorm, and the tremendous pressure made it difficult to breathe.


    It had been dawn by the time they emerged from the ruins, but the clear skies were quickly covered by dark, ominous clouds. The capital hadn''t suffered an incursion in years¡ªat least, not until this morning.


    The Kez, an alien insectoid race whose name sparked fear in lifeforms all around the gxy!


    Zhang Lie had fought against the Kez in his past life. The Kez were a highly coordinated force with considerable strength and constitution that dwarfed mankind in terms of numbers. They were famed for the sheer magnitude of soldiers that they dedicated to any single battle, as evidenced by the size of the fleet that they had sent to Earth.


    The first wave of attacks was here. Woofbugs flooded the skies and ground in numbers so dense the sun was blotted out.


    These so-called woofbugs were ferocious insectoid lifeforms the size of dogs. Except for the fact that they walked on all fours, they bore little simrity to actual dogs. They possessed an extremely hard, thorny carapace, an unusual ability to leap, and made sounds that were uncannily like dog barks.


    They were the infantry and shock troops of the Kez, famed across the universe for their immense reproductive ability and ferocity, and were key to the number of units the Kez could field in any given battle. They often swarmed the battlefield, so it was extremely difficult for their opponents to systematically exterminate these pests.


    On the streets, there were more of these woofbugs than humans. While regr pedestrians stood frozen by the sudden appearance of the Kez, countless woofbugs had opened their mouths wide and let out piercing woofs.


    "Help! Save me!" a man shouted, just as a woofbug swiped its forelegs and sliced off half his head.


    In the skies, a slender, green-winged insectoid pped its wings as it grabbed a five- or six-year-old girl with its pincers, flying off into the distance. The woofbugs flooded the streets, ughtering yet another life with every crunch of their mandibles.


    Hovercars trailing ck smoke crashed into the ground, citizens cried and howled as they fled from the insects, and blood dyed the streets red.


    "Please, someone, help! Help!" As a little boy cried out, a sharp foreleg sliced toward him like a reaper''s scythe¡ªbut a violet shortsword blocked the woofbug''s foreleg before its attack couldnd.


    "Flee!" Zhang Lie flipped the woofbug over, leapt up into the air, and thrust his shortsword, wreathed in ck mist, into a chink in the woofbug''s exoskeleton, killing it instantly.


    Woofbugs only had two weak points: a small triangr patch of chitin on its back, and a slit by the third patch of chitin on its abdomen.


    This was valuable information whose cost had been paid in blood in Zhang Lie''s past life.


    "What are all of you waiting for? Save the civilians!" Zhang Lie cried out.


    The Kez were one of the most vicious alien races known to the gxy; other intelligent life might well have enved these conquered humans instead, but those races that had fallen to the Kez faced one certain oue: death.


    As a result, battles against the Kez had a particrly high death toll, and if they were to lose, everyone in the capital would be consumed by the Kez! Not only that, the capital would be turned into a breeding ground for the Kez, and once they gained a foothold, they would be able to devour the entire.


    Fortunately, mankind had discovered the dimensional world, obtained gene fragments, and constructed a rtively robust defense system. In the past, the Kez had created wormholes that were too unpredictable for humanity''s forces, which had lost quite a few battles as a result,


    but this time, the moment the alert sounded, the government''s reserve forces reacted immediately.


    All manner of experts were rushing toward the capital. What everyone in the capital had to do was to protect themselves, along with the major teleportation arrays in the region.


    "These damned bugs!" Zhang Lie cried out. "Kill them all! Are we going to stand here and let them invade the capital? Surely not!"


    None of the n hunters were weak, and they immediately jumped into the fray as soon as they reacted. In a matter of moments, the vicinity of the teleportation array had turned into a gruesome battlefield, with human and insectoid limbs syed out all over the ground.


    .


    The stench of blood permeated the air. Despite all their efforts, the n hunters represented only a small fraction of the present citizens, and there were so many woofbugs that more and more humans were dying every second.


    If there were ever a time to reveal the extent of his powers, it was now. When he saw a young girl being bitten to death by a woofbug, he could hardly stomach the sight. For what other reason had he obtained such strength?


    He darted from road to road and street to street, killing every insectoid lifeform he encountered.


    Drones whizzed through the air, and the sound of explosions had be a refrain. Since they were on Earth and not in the dimensional world, all sorts of high-tech weaponry were usable, but they would have to restrict themselves to small-scale bombardments so as not to damage the capital beyond repair.


    After all, their goal was to defend the capital, not to destroy it.


    By this time, armed soldiers had begun appearing around the teleportation arrays.


    "Stand back! This is the main battlefield, and you civilians should stay far away from this area!" a soldier yelled out,manding hundreds of elites behind him. As he shouted at the civilians, he began firing into the midst of the woofbugs.


    Zhang Lie nced at the soldier and immediately motioned his team over.


    "Captain, why are we heading over to the soldiers? Shouldn''t we head to areas that they haven''t cleared out yet?" Li Feng asked.


    He wanted to keep fighting, to protect the weak and the innocent! He scarcely noticed that they were where the fighting was most intense, that, given their current strength, without the soldiers'' firepower holding their enemies back, they could easily die.


    "Just follow my orders!" Zhang Lie shouted back, picking up his pace.


    The members of Team Zenith followed closely behind him. They trusted their captain, and would follow him through trial and tribtion. Zhang Lie knew that the battlefield would be dangerous, but the safety of the capital was far too important to be ignored.


    The Kez would focus all their efforts on taking down the teleportation arrays so as to iste the capital. Without any reinforcements, the Kez would easily be able to take over the capital given their numerical superiority.


    Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith would have been able to escape from the battlefield via the teleportation array, but they certainly weren''t about to let their capital fall to the Kez. No: they had to stay, to protect the capital, to protect the teleportation array that the bugs were after.

 Chapter 104: Bug Swarm

    <h4>Chapter 104: Bug Swarm</h4>


    The streets of the capital were filled with carnage.


    After the Kez had emerged from the skies, countless hunters from the capital began to fight off the Kez invasion. The reserve forces from the government had arrived and set up a defensive perimeter, and the hundreds of ns from the capital, bothrge and small, immediately sent hunters out to support the defense effort.


    There were far fewer civilian casualties during this invasion than in the past, and soldiers were still entering the fray via the teleportation portals throughout the capital. The invasion temporarily entered a stalemate.


    "Damn it, what are all you hunters doing? ?Shoot those damn bugs down from the sky! Don''t let them near the teleportation arrays at any cost!"


    Countless green-winged bugs were hovering near the vicinity of the array, and amander was howling as his machine gun continued to patter away. The appearance of these military personnel caused the independent hunters to congregate.


    During such a critical period, it was important for the allied forces to cooperate; otherwise, the Kez would eventually take control of the teleportation array. Before any of the militarymanders arrived, although the hunters were all fighting for amon cause, none of them were willing to follow a single leader.


    However, they did submit to militarymand, and these military personnel could partition up the gathered forces effectively.


    The situation by the teleportation array quickly stabilized. The highest-ranking soldier present, Li Tian, gathered the forces right outside.


    "I''m Li Tian, thirdmander of the reserve troops stationed at the capital, and I''ve been sent over here to protect the teleportation array! Let''s introduce ourselves as I connect your devices to the military''smunication channel. Lad, you over there! You''ve been very efficient in your attacks. Who are you?"


    "I''m Zhang Lie!" Zhang Lie didn''t expect he would be the first to be called out, and the other leaders immediately took note of him.


    Li Tian connected his device to the militarywork, then did the same with Zhou Hong, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the other factions'' leaders. He quickly catalogued the forces at his disposal. The strongest hunters present were the Yun and Chu elders, Chu Zhennan and Yun Chongzheng.


    Both of them were in the second realm of the dimensional world, and had filled up their superior gene fragments to capacity. They were easily able to handle the regr woofbugs and green-winged insects that had appeared, and it would be trivial for them to defend one side of the perimeter.


    "We don''t have much time, so we''d better discuss how to repulse the next wave of attacks," Chu Zhennan suggested. "After the first wave''s defeat, the Kez must have learned something about how strong our defenses are, and subsequent waves will only get harder and harder to defend against!"


    Chu Zhennan''s whole body was covered in red and green insectoid fluids, a clear sign of how valiantly he had fought against the Kez, but his eyes were gleaming resolutely.


    Li Tian nodded seriously. "Yes, it''s a standard strategy for those damned bugs¡ª they start by sending some cannon fodder in to test the waters, and once we''ve depleted our stamina, that''s when they''ll send elites over. Thatst wave, well¡ªthose weren''t even strong enough to be considered cannon fodder. We''d best get ready. Now, let me announce the hunters responsible for defending each side of the teleportation array!"


    Li Tian divided the thousands of hunters present into five groups: north, south, east, west, and skyward. Zhang Lie and the others, as hunters of the younger generation, were sent to the north, where the density of bugs would be the weakest.


    Just as Li Tian finished assigning everyone their roles, a tremendous buzzing sound filled the skies. The second wave of attacks was here!


    "Everyone, head to your designated positions! These bugs are still small fry, so preserve your stamina and energy¡ª let us soldiers shoot them down first!"


    The woofbugs and green-winged insects fillednd and sky, swarming toward the teleportation array like a ck tide. Li Tian raised, aimed, and fired his machine gun into the mass of bugs, as did his subordinates.


    Of course, none of the hunters were willing to stand by and do nothing.


    Someunched low-stamina long-ranged attacks, and others fired whatever weapons they could find. A few closebat specialists headed to the outskirts of the perimeter, thinning out the numbers for the long-ranged attackers.


    Kill, kill, kill!?In a matter of seconds, the fighting between man and bug resumed anew. Gunshots and gic energy fired into the air, sttering blood and viscera all over. After an indeterminate period of time, the tide of bugs finally thinned, but so did the number of hunters defending the perimeter.


    Fortunately, the bugs weren''t able to break through to the teleportation array, and reinforcements were continuously being sent through the portal.


    "We''ve defeated another wave of bugs!" Li Tian reported, from a vantage point by the top of the teleportation array. He nced at the bugs surging from the horizon and knew that the next wave of attacks was quickly approaching.


    A significant fraction of the defenders had been wounded or killed in the previous onught; even the Yun and Chu ns, who were working together and were being protected by their two elders, had suffered significant losses, let alone the Zhou, He, and Qian ns.


    On the other hand, Team Zenith, under Zhang Lie''s capable leadership and having been assigned to the easiest front, suffered few injuries.


    The harsh buzzing that once again filled the skies sparked the hunters'' fighting spirits once more. Li Tian pointed the smoking barrel of his gun toward the green-winged insects leading the formation. "Another wave is approaching!" he called out. "Kill them all!"


    The skies were still darkened with buzzing insects. Zhang Lie didn''t know how many of them he had killed; his mind was growing dim, his arm robotically raising and lowering, gic energy sweeping out from his de with every blow.


    Other hunters were having the same experience: Chu Feng repeatedly thrust forward with his sword, Yun Bing nocked and loosed another arrow, Li Tian pointed his gun at yet another insect...


    Finally, with all their effort, the hunters managed to repel the second wave of bugs.


    This time, the casualties were even more serious. Several hunters from the Chu and Yun ns had been taken out ofmission. From Team Zenith, Yang Ze and Zhou Ying had been heavily injured.


    Except for Zhang Lie, the other members of Team Zenith all sported some kind of injury or another.


    The Kez left them not a single moment of breathing room, and another wave of insects coverednd and sky.


    "That''s a greenme demonbug!"


    "I see a ck-tipped scarab!"


    "And there''s a hellwind beetle over there!"


    The defenders began to yell out every species they could identify: these were lifeforms that they had only ever learned about in books and reference material, but now they were seeing them for themselves.


    A devastating pressure seemed to crush the defenders'' spirits. These bugs were all elites; they were far too strong for the weakened defenders to handle!


    It was only Zhang Lie who was eager to fight against these bugs, because he knew that the appearance of the elites indicated that this incursion wasing to an end. If they were able to hold out against this final wave, they would win!


    But if they didn''t, they would die.


    "Everyone, we''re almost done! This is thest wave!" Li Tian tossed his smoking gun aside and dashed into the midst of the bugs with an impressive surge of gic energy. At the same time, the elders from the various ns, who had conserved much of their energy and stamina, rushed into the fray.


    The final battle had begun!

 Chapter 105: Black-Tipped Scarab

    <h4>Chapter 105: ck-Tipped Scarab</h4>


    As the final wave of bugs approached, Zhang Lie found a mysterious ck bug among them.


    "Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, protect the team. I''ll be right back!" Zhang Lie shot forward like a bullet. As Venombane shed, he suddenly vanished in mid-air.


    Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi took over the defensive position that Zhang Lie had been holding.


    Sprays of fire erupted from Sun Mengmeng''s body, the purple mes giving her the appearance of a malevolent viin. Her bow twanged again and again, releasing countless firebirds into the approaching swarm of bugs. The birds smashed into the swarm of bugs, stunning them and lighting them on fire. The woofbugs screamed and howled under the assault of the mes.


    Fang Yi stood in front of Sun Mengmeng, waving his spear around as wind and storm swirled before him, clearing away the bugs that Sun Mengmeng''s bombardment had missed.


    Beside him, Li Feng and Sun Xiaowu also gave it their all.


    Li Feng stood encased in a suit of radiant armor, gic energy swirling around his greatsword in the shape of a dragon. Much like Li Feng, Sun Xiaowu''s fighting style also focused on body augmentation. With his [Adamantine Aegis] activated, Sun Xiaowu was wreathed in a golden aura,plementing Li Feng''s silver one. Together, they seemed like a pair of holy knights in silver and gold.


    Behind them, hundreds of hunters activated their own gic techniques as they prepared to enter the fray.


    Zhang Lie, who had left the other members of Team Zenith, finally found his target amidst the crowd of bugs, a big beetle encased in dark green chitin, looking like a snake that was rearing to attack.


    It had twelve eyes, tough mandibles, row after row of spikes on its carapace, and three long protrusions by its back, so dark a shade of green that they were almost ck. This was an elite ck-tipped scarab, a long-ranged attacker from the Kez.


    The government had run a few tests on captured ck-tipped scarabs: in just a tenth of a second, they were able to shoot out more than thirty of the poisoned spikes that dotted their carapace. Whenever they evolved, they would grow another dark-green protrusion out of their backs, and the specimen in front of him had three such protrusions!


    The government had categorized the Kez in terms of the number of evolutions that each insect had undergone, ranking them from one-star to five-star. A ck-tipped scarab that had undergone three evolutions was naturally a three-star ck-tipped scarab.


    As a three-star elite, not only was it endowed with surprising speed and strength, it was able to shoot out poisonous spikes more than ten times as rapidly as standard ck-tipped scarabs. If he didn''t stall it here, it would certainly cause massive casualties by the northern perimeter just by itself.


    In truth, even with all his gene fragments, Zhang Lie wasn''t confident that he would be able to take it down: under usual circumstances, it would require a hunter who had advanced to the second realm and had filled over half the superior gene capacity to emerge victorious against a three-star elite, but the hunters of this caliber were all dealing with even more dangerous elites.


    He nced all around him: on the northern front, there was no one else who could take on such a challenge. In that case, Zhang Lie had to step forth!


    He crept close to a hundred meters of the three-star ck-tipped scarab, but the moment he passed the hundred-meter boundary, the scarab''s eyes lit up, and it shot a beam of green light toward Zhang Lie, breaking his stealth and revealing him for all to see.


    Damn it, it discovered me so easily?!?Zhang Lie hadn''t expected that the three-star ck-tipped scarab would have such a ridiculous sensory capabilities, but in truth, the scarab had only detected something unusual in that direction.


    It had only shot out one poisoned spike toward Zhang Lie as a probe; if it were certain that there had been an enemy present, Zhang Lie would instead have faced a barrage of hundreds of needles, as was the case now.


    Zhang Lie had barely regained his footing after rushing backwards before a spray of green beams shot toward his position. Any woofbug unfortunate enough to be caught within the spray immediately melted into a puddle of goo, highlighting the extent of the poison.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie instantly unleashed three fists, even incorporating some elements of [Three-Wave Crescendo] in abination attack. Three ripples of ck mist spread out around Zhang Lie, causing even the air to vibrate.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea] was the skill that Zhang Lie had grown mostfortable with, and it embodied a strength that could quell even the sea itself. That strength was smashing the bugs surrounding Zhang Lie to pieces.


    The attack shed with the poisonous spikes that the three-star ck-tipped scarab shot toward Zhang Lie, neither quite able to ovee the other. The poisonous spikes weren''t able to make it past the ripples, but the ripples also lost their potency upon striking the spikes.


    The scarab cried out; then, like a gattling gun, itunched a fountain of spikes in Zhang Lie''s direction. Zhang Lie instantly activated his superior-grade forest wolfman and blood ant soulshards.


    As a howl shook the entire northern front, Zhang Lie transformed into a three-meter-tall wolfman. At the same time, the wolfman''s original dark-green fur turned blood-red, and his aura grew stronger by at least an order of magnitude, simultaneously transforming Venombane into a red and violet greatsword.


    "[The Boundless de: The River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie yelled out, his greatsword cleaving the barrage of poisoned spikes shooting toward him and swallowing it in a torrent of blood-red liquid.


    Zhang Lie''s attackpletely negated the scarab''s spikes; the moment they touched Zhang Lie''s attack, they dissolved in the corrosive aura of the blood-red liquid.


    Unfortunately, as a three-star elite, the scarab''s reflexes were quick enough that it managed to escape out of range the moment it noticed that its attack had failed.

 Chapter 106: Extermination

    <h4>Chapter 106: Extermination</h4>


    The three-star ck-tipped scarab might have been able to avoid Zhang Lie''s attack, but countless regr ck-tipped scarabs dissolved within the bloody river. Even so, Zhang Lie wasn''t satisfied: his sole goal was to get rid of the three-star scarab. He had used all his abilities, and if he weren''t able to defeat his target before the effect of the blood ant soulshard wore off, he would certainly perish.


    A wolf''s howl shook the ground. The moment the three-star scarab left the attack range, Zhang Lie shot toward it.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A blood-red dragon formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, thrashing against the scarab as Zhang Lie unleashed his attack.


    With a dull thump, the three-star scarab shot into the air like a shooting star, its three-meter-long body attracting the attention of hunters throughout the battlefield.


    This was a rare opportunity! The captain in charge of the forces by the northern perimeter immediately reacted,manding his subordinates to attack.


    "Snipers, shoot that scarab! Blind it!"


    The twenty or so snipers gathered around the teleportation array and nearby buildings all aimed at the scarab, shooting at its dozen eyes.


    The scarab sensed the danger immediately. The protrusions from its back immediately grewrger and longer, protecting its head from most of the bullets shooting in its direction.


    However, the bullets that these snipers were using were no trifling matter. Termed ''godyer bullets'', they had been devised by the military specifically to deal with the Kez, and while many of the bullets were blocked, the scarab still lost three of its twelve eyes from the bombardment.


    Unfortunately, the Kez were rather tough, and while this particr scarab had been injured, its injuries were far from life-threatening. In fact, the scarab became even more enraged after suffering an injury.


    The pain of losing three of its eyes made it cry out, and its poison spikes shot out in every direction from its body, turning it into a ball of glowing green light.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    A blood-red dragon emerged from below, swallowing the glowing green scarab whole. shes of red and green light could be seen through its maw, but shockingly, despite the scarab unleashing its full power, it was still trapped within the dragon.


    Corrosive water-attuned gic energy was assaulting the scarab from all directions. Its exoskeleton began to crack, to soften, and even to slough off its body.


    Under such life-threatening danger, the scarab became even more crazed. It released more and more spikes from its body and mouth, and the ball of green light trapped within the dragon''s mouth grew brighter and brighter.


    With a gigantic eruption, the blood-red dragon dispersed into red mist over the northern perimeter. At the same time, the glowing green ball abruptly darkened¡ªbut the fight wasn''t over yet. Amidst a gale of howling wind, a blood-colored figure broke past the curtain of mist and struck at the head of the scarab.


    "Die!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    By this point, Zhang Lie was right about to copse, but there was only a small window during which the scarab would be defenseless after having shot out so many of its spikes. During this window, its offensive capabilities would drop significantly, and this would be Zhang Lie''s only chance to kill it.


    Otherwise, the scarab would kill him.


    Zhang Lie channeled all of his gic energy to Venombane, even going as far as to cancel his wolfman transformation, then shot toward the scarab like a shooting star.


    The weakened scarab shot threest spikes toward Zhang Lie, hoping to deter him, but Zhang Lie ignored the spikes entirely. Ayer of flexible silver armor suddenly appeared, protecting his body. Despite all three spikes hitting their target, none of them led to serious injuries. The first, which shot toward his head, didn''t even make it past his white-grub armor, whereas the two that pierced his skin weren''t able to prate his organs.


    All this happened in the blink of an eye.


    Zhang Lie crashed into the scarab iling through the sky, then thrust Venombane through one of its empty eye sockets. Its screeching death throes shook the air. Venombane had struck its brain directly, and the scarab''s head exploded as it corroded away. Itsst cries shook the swarm of insects in the north, as well as the valiant hunters fighting on the ground.


    The three-star ck-tipped scarab was essentially the Kez''smander in the region, and its sudden death sent the swarm of insects into disarray, significantly reducing their offensive capabilities.


    "Nice going, Zhang Lie!"


    "He actually seeded in killing it alone! Zhang Lie? Who''s this fellow?"


    "If he''s able to take down a three-star ck-tipped scarab at his age, I''m sure he''ll grow to be a menace in the future!"


    Cheers erupted from the defending hunters, and agonized cries from the Kez. However, after a temporary disruption to their lines, the Kez seemed to regain much of their coordination and immediately swarmed toward Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 107: A Valiant Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 107: A Valiant Rescue</h4>


    It was evident that the Kez''s goal was to kill Zhang Lie.


    The downsides of Zhang Lie''s evolving framework were prominently disyed at that moment: his reservoir of gic energy was rather limited, and he was barely sustaining himself with his stamina. Without gic energy, he would be unable to use any of his multi-target techniques, and he would eventually be overwhelmed by the bugs swarming toward him.


    "We have to save our captain!" Fang Yi shouted, noticing the danger at once.


    The other members of Team Zenith were all looking in Zhang Lie''s direction.


    "These damned bugs!" Li Feng yelled out.


    "Come on, we have to save our captain!" Sun Mengmeng loosed arrow after arrow at the approaching swarm, and Zhou Ying and Sun Xiaowu immediately hurried over. Zhou Ying''s framework boasted significant regenerative abilities, and she had recovered somewhat from her serious injuries.


    Fang Yi took the lead, Li Feng and Sun Xiaowu followed closely behind, Sun Mengmeng ran after them, and Zhou Ying defended the rear. In their five-man formation, they charged toward and within the swarm of bugs, hoping to rescue their captain.


    When the militarymander saw this sight, he immediately shouted, "Quick, assist them!"


    The bullets that rained down on the bugs before them significantly lowered the pressure that Fang Yi and the others had to face, but even with supporting fire, saving Zhang Lie would be a difficult and dangerous operation.


    As the vanguard of the party, Fang Yi held his obsidian spear before him, its tip swirling with gusts of wind and storm. The gic energy took the form of a dragon''s head, smashing apart the bugs thaty before him.


    The other members of Team Zenith followed quickly behind him.


    Sun Mengmeng continuouslyunched arrows into the distance, thinning out the swarm of bugs before Fang Yi reached them, charring them into ash and soot. And while Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi cleared the way, Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng guarded their nks, one in silver and the other in gold, sweeping aside any bugs that drew near from the sides.


    At the very end of the party, Zhou Ying caused vines and other obstacles to surge up from the ground, preventing the bugs that they had just passed through from catching up to and surrounding them.


    Despite the extreme danger, the members of Team Zenith worked in such cohesive unity that they managed to sweep through a wide swathe of the bugs in a matter of moments.


    However, the longer they remained amidst the swarm, the more intense the danger they would face. They were currently using up theirst reserves of gic energy, and they wouldn''t be able to sustain this output for long. Fortunately, even though none of the soldiers or hunters could spare any forces to help them, the supporting fire never stopped.


    When Zhang Lie saw Team Zenith heading in his direction, he immediately made his way toward them, and they reunited after just a few short minutes. However, by that time, they had all suffered quite a few injuries.


    Poisoned spikes stabbed into Zhang Lie''s body from head to toe, and the only reason his injuries weren''t more severe was because of his white-grub armor. Otherwise, Zhang Lie could well have died to just a swarm of regr ck-tipped scarabs.


    Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others all had cuts and scratches lining their body, courtesy of the swarm of bugs that they had just passed through.


    "Captain, are you alright?!"


    "Nothing life-threatening for the moment. Quick, we''ll reverse the formation and rush out of this swarm of bugs!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    They had to rush out of danger before their supply of gic energy ran out, or they would be in grave danger, but their reserves were already gging, and the injuries on their bodies were steadily increasing.


    They were only a few hundred meters away from the teleportation array, but these few hundred meters seemed as though they would take an eternity to traverse: lying in wait for them were countless mandibles and sharp forelegs.


    "Hold on! We''ll be able to rush back to the array within half a minute at most!" Zhang Lie cried out.


    Blood and gore trickled down their faces. Logically, they would likely copse before they made it back to safety, but none of the members of Team Zenith gave up. They looked up, toward the defensive perimeter that had been set up around the teleportation array.


    It seemed as though they would falter and perish at any moment, but they were still stubbornly and steadfastly making their way, ever closer, to safety.


    The hunters defending the perimeter were all staring at them.


    The fighting was still going strong in the other directions along the perimeter, but there was significantly less pressure on the northern front because of how quickly the three-star ck-tipped scarab had been killed.


    However, their position still wasn''t secure, and emerging from the rtive safety of the defensive perimeter would be extremely dangerous.


    It was evident to most of the gathered hunters that Team Zenith was about to perish, but when they saw how strongly the hunters of Team Zenith clung to life, the hunters in the perimeter couldn''t stand still any longer.


    After all, they had just seen Zhang Lie kill a three-star ck-tipped scarab on his own! Were they going to watch him die?


    "I''m not going to sit here any longer! Team Lone Wolves, gather up¡ªwe''re going to rescue these hunters!" a man with a scarred face yelled out. Yes, it would be dangerous¡ªbut how could he do nothing? His teammates were all fierce-looking hunters, and most of them were excited upon hearing his orders.


    His team''s reaction caused the other defenders to start to mobilize as well.


    The actions of Zhang Lie and his team, who were fiercely struggling despite all odds, had touched them all.


    "Right, we''ll head down with you!"


    "Look at how strong he is despite his youth! Surely we can''t let him die now!"


    "If we work together, we can keep the casualties to a minimum. Team, gather up!"


    "We''ll head down together!"


    Almost all the gathered hunters began to mobilize, and some teams were already heading out.


    "Soldiers, listen up! Support that team of hunters with cover fire¡ªwe have to bring them back at all costs!" At the same time, the soldiers guarding the northern front all received an order from theirmander.

 Chapter 108: Honor and Glory

    <h4>Chapter 108: Honor and Glory</h4>


    The gathered hunters had all seen Zhang Lie''s performance. Would they be able to assuage their guilt by doing nothing while Team Zenith died in the midst of a colony of bugs? No, of course not!


    "Kill them, kill them all!" Dozens of small teams of hunters dashed into the sea of bugs, rushing toward Team Zenith''s location.


    "We have to fight! There are reinforcements on the way¡ªwe''ll surely be able to make it out!" Zhang Lie suddenly yelled out, sparking his team''s fighting spirit once more.


    Everyone in the team used up theirst reserves of gic energy in order to forge forward at their fastest speed. Opposite them, the rescuers also began moving even faster. It took them just half a minute for the rescuers to reach Team Zenith and fend off the bugs swarming toward them on all sides, grabbing the mired hunters and pulling them to safety.


    At the same time, more and more hunters began emerging through the teleportation array.


    After the death of the three-star ck-tipped scarab, the bugs by the northern perimeter were noticeably less organized than before, and the humans gradually regained control of the battlefield.


    However, this was a sight that none of the members of Team Zenith were able to see. The moment they retreated to safety, they each fell unconscious. They were exhausted, drained of stamina, and had suffered grievous injuries after the prolonged battle.


    Just the amount of blood they had lost would have caused an ordinary human to die of blood loss, but as hunters, they barely preserved their lives due to their superior constitution.


    "Medics, we need medics over here!" the rescuers hurriedly shouted.


    Zhang Lie had no idea what happened next, because he only woke up two dayster.


    Apparently, the defensive perimeter in the capital had held, and mankind had sessfully repelled the alien invasion. Even the Kez warships had been destroyed by the strongest of humanity.


    One of mankind''s three greatest monarch-ss hunters, the Heavenly Monarch Lei Heng, had arrived at the scene himself, destroying all of the Kez''s warships with a single attack and instantly causing his reputation on Earth to reach its peak.


    Even so, their victory hade at a steep cost.


    ording to preliminary statistics, about 50% of the citizens living in the capital had been wounded or even killed, as well as 40% of the independent hunters in the region. The reserve forces stationed at the capital had suffered a staggering 60% casualty rate, and much of the infrastructure in the capital had been severely damaged.


    Without the selfless hunters who sacrificed themselves for the greater good, the casualty rate might have been even higher¡ªthe capital might have be nothing more than a pile of smoking rubble.


    As a result, there were quite a few other hunters who had been designated as heroes, beyond just the Heavenly Monarch Lei Heng, for example, Liu Xi, who had perished with his opponent, a five-star hellwind beetle; Fu Yifang, who had defeated a five-star green-winged insect on his own; Zhang Lie; and a dozen other hunters besides.


    Their heroic and courageous performance in light of the sudden invasion was publicized and praised by all, and both the world federal government and the Chinese government rewarded them richly for their efforts.


    After Zhang Lie had awoken and listened to Zhou Ying''s recounting of events, his ward in the hospital was stuffed full of visitors. Both governments had dispatched representatives to congratte him the moment they received news of his recovery.


    "As expected of our hero, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, to be able to recover from such serious injuries within just two days!" a military colonel praised the moment he entered Zhang Lie''s ward.


    "Me, the Dragonwolf?" Zhang Lie had no recollection of the title.


    "Ah, you don''t know? You''ve been given the title of Dragonwolf because of your performance and appearance during your fight with the three-star scarab!" the colonel exined, and a middle-aged man beside him, wearing the uniform of the federal government, nodded in appreciation.


    "That''s correct. Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, footage of your meritorious deeds has spread around the world, and you''ve be an idol for the masses. You''re someone that we hunters from Earth can truly be proud of!


    "In addition, you''ve been recognized by the federation''s military, and they''ve decided to award you the designation of ?''gxy fighter''! From now on, you''ll be a gxy fighter officially recognized by the federal government, and you''ll have ess to the special privileges that apany that position."


    Zhang Lie was stunned.


    The title of gxy fighter was an incredible honor, and the corresponding privileges it afforded were even greater than those for special-ss citizens.


    At that moment, Zhang Lie had yet to realize the enormity of what he had done, having acted on instinct for much of the fight.


    However, before he could ept the medal that came with the title designation, the Chinese colonel also pulled out a box with a smile. "Given how generous the federal government has been, the Chinese government certainly can''t afford to be stingy. We''ll be awarding you with the medal of a dragonsoul warrior!"


    Hunters were awarded with this distinction for valor and courage, seeding the mantle borne by countless illustrious hunters of yore. Within China, this designation would confer generous benefits and, during periods of necessity, the highest level of protection the government could provide.


    This award could, in some sense, be considered an inheritance. The awardees were understood to be the next generation of top hunters, and they would be given the greatest support the country could provide to aid their development.


    Zhang Lie opened the two boxes, revealing a dazzling silver gxy fighter medal, as well as a golden dragonsoul warrior medal with a runic imprint.


    The silver medal would grant free passage throughout the Milky Way, and the golden medal had a runic inscription from the strongest monarch-level in all of China, the Heavenly Monarch Lei Heng himself. It would be able to withstand a few blows from even a monarch-ss hunter, and was, at Zhang Lie''s level, essentially a second life.


    Zhang Lie bowed in gratitude to both officials, who nodded and left after a customary farewell.


    After all, there were a few dozen hunters who had earned suchmendations during the sudden incursion, and while most of them had perished, these awards would be conferred posthumously as well.


    The moment they departed, Zhou Ying, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Chu Xun, Yun Meng, and the others immediately crowded around him.


    "Wow, Captain, this is a beautiful medal!" Zhou Ying eximed in admiration.


    "These medals are priceless!" Yang Ze gasped, understanding their significance immediately.

 Chapter 109: A Miraculous Victory

    <h4>Chapter 109: A Miraculous Victory</h4>


    "Isn''t that so? He got the two most prestigious awards from this invasion, and it''s far more impressive than the ''brave fighter'' ones we got!" Li Feng''s eyes were gleaming.


    "Well, of course he did! Wasn''t the scene of him killing that three-star scarab impressive enough to be worth these two medals?" Yang Ze eximed. "Could you have done that?"


    Li Feng smirked as he retorted, "Perhaps not, but at least I did get a ''brave fighter'' award, unlike someone who was defeated by the second wave of Kez..."


    "Ah, you bastard! If you keep bringing this up, I''ll break off all rtions with you! I told the medics I was fine, but they carted me off anyway!" Yang Ze shouted.


    The moment Zhang Lie confirmed that the rest of Team Zenith was safe and sound, he turned towards the two girls from the Yun and Chu ns. "Chu Xun, Yun Meng, are your older siblings alright?"


    "Yes, they only sustained light injuries!" Chu Xun replied. "And are you alright, Zhang Lie? You had such frightening injuries when they finally brought you back!"


    "Yes, I''m fine now. It was just some blood loss¡ªthere''s not much to worry about."


    "You''re amazing, Zhang Lie¡ªhow did you recover ?from such a serious injury within just a day or two?!" Yun Meng''s voice was filled with wonder. "I have to report your status to our fan club!"


    Yun Meng, Zhang Lie''s #2 fan, aimed her wristwatch at him and snapped a picture.


    "Fan club? ...what fan club?"


    "A fan club for you, Captain, who else? Don''t you know just how popr that recording of you ying a three-star scarab on your own has been? There''s a reason people are calling you an idol now, you know!" Zhou Ying jumped in before Yun Meng could speak up.


    Zhang Lie finally understood what had happened. His fight with the scarab had urred by the side of the teleportation array, an area of dense security. Although the Kez invasion had destroyed much of the surveince cameras nearby, there were still a few that had made it through the invasion unscathed.


    In other words, it was likely that footage of his fight had been captured in its entirety. But in most cases, wouldn''t such footage be kept under guard? Who had decided to release it to the public?


    "Yun Meng, is the footage publicly avable?"


    "Yes. Apparently, a mediapany got to it first, and then..."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his forehead. If his sister were to see that footage, she would surely worry about him!


    In fact, what Zhang Lie was worried about was urring right then and there at the Holy Glory Academy.


    The ssroom was deathly silent.


    On the holographic disy, a hunter had suddenly appeared within the swarm of bugs and was about to challenge the three-star scarab.


    The battle was so intense that just watching it was making the students'' hearts palpitate.


    The hunter punched a fist in triplicate to ward off the scarab''s attack, then countered with a river of blood. Finally, he morphed into a draconic wolfman, fought off the scarab with a gigantic broadsword, then fell to the ground with it like aet.


    The final image was of the human warrior extricating himself from the scarab''s corpse, then ncing at the swarm of bugs encircling him.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s face morphed from excitement and surprise into worry.


    "Teacher, may I ask what happened to this hunter at the very end?" Zhang Hanxiang, who never spoke up in ss, suddenly ventured a question. She hated drawing attention to herself, but there was no choice¡ªafter all, the hunter in the video was her own brother!


    None of her ssmates noticed her unusual behavior, because just like Zhang Hanxiang, they were extremely interested in what happened to that brave and valiant hunter.


    Their teacher smiled. "This isn''t part of the message I wanted to convey, but it looks as though we won''t be able to continue with our lesson if I don''t answer this question. Don''t worry: the hunter in the recording was saved by his teammates and the gathered defense forces, and he''s recuperating at the moment."


    The students all heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Teacher, I''m sorry, I need to take a half-day break!"


    Of course, despite her teacher''s reassurance, Zhang Hanxiang, as Zhang Lie''s only rtive, was still quite worried about him. The teacher was nonplussed by Zhang Hanxiang''s curious reaction, but she agreed.


    "Very well, but I expect an exnation as to why when you return, Miss Zhang."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded fervently, then hurriedly left the ssroom with her guardian robot.


    Many of the students were still overwhelmed by their emotions after watching the clip that their teacher had just shown them, and most were daydreaming about being as imposing and impressive a hunter as the one they had just seen on screen.


    Meanwhile, their teacher emphasized the bravery, decisiveness, and fearlessness that the hunter had shown in the face of grave danger.


    However, footage of the fight wasn''t being used solely as educational material for civic purposes. In the St. Rnd Military Academy, footage of Zhang Lie''s battle was being dissected one frame at a time as part of a special seminar on battle tactics.


    The instructor''s conclusion was that Zhang Lie, who was a hunter in the first realm who had filled all his gene fragments to capacity, should only have had at most a 0.1% chance of winning a battle against a three-star scarab, but not only had he won, he had done so decisively with a frontal assault.


    Indeed, if not for the fact that Zhang Lie''s qualifications as a hunter had been publicized as an awardee of the prestigious ''dragonsoul warrior'' medal, there was hardly anyone who would believe that a hunter from the first realm would have been able to defeat a three-star ck-tipped scarab on his own.


    A three-star ck-tipped scarab would have been a difficult opponent even for hunters of the second realm, with only about equal odds of winning, and that only if they had all their gene fragments at capacity.


    When these experts first saw the footage, almost all of them guessed that Zhang Lie was such a hunter from the second realm, but in truth, he was only a first-realm hunter. The difference between a first-realm and second-realm hunter was significant enough that these experts could hardly believe their eyes, and Zhang Lie''s fight was eventually termed a near-impossible feat ascribed to his breaking through his limits at a critical juncture.


    As this footage was disseminated to and dissected by military academies all over China, and even all over the world, Zhang Lie''s name spread far and wide, and countless hotblooded youths began to idolize him.

 Chapter 110: The Wang Clans Plans

    <h4>Chapter 110: The Wang n''s ns</h4>


    Of course, there were two sides to every story, and while Zhang Lie had be an idol to most, there were others who were gnashing their teeth as they saw his rise to prominence¡ªfor instance, the Wang, Qin, and Zhou ns, as well as those hunters who believed themselves to have been wronged by Zhang Lie.


    In a refugee camp on the Moon, within a small, cramped room, Wang Xiaohua punched her optical television. "What Dragonwolf? He''s nothing, a piece of trash, a useless hunter! Argh!"


    Zhang Lie''s seemingly limitless future caused Wang Xiaohua to want to pull out her hair in fury. Ever since he had ruined her life, her only motivation to continue living was to seek revenge. As a result, she had been putting her life on the line to defeat lifeforms in the dimensional world.


    She had already amassed over fifty superior gene fragments, and she was anticipating that, with a little more time and effort, she would surely be able to kill Zhang Lie and avenge her father''s expulsion from the n.


    However, Zhang Lie had long since surpassed her.


    Countless experts had confirmed that Zhang Lie had to have capped all his gene fragments and that he had abat ability equivalent to that of a second-realm hunter. Furthermore, he had to have at least three superior-grade soulshards in his soulspace.


    How was she to contend with someone like him? After her sudden fit of rage, Wang Xiaohua began to regret her past decisions.


    Why had she discarded Zhang Lie for a piece of trash like Qin Xiaotian? Her vanity and repeated provocation of Zhang Lie had ruined her life and family. If she had a chance to repeat her past, she wouldn''t have messed with him at any cost, but there were no second chances in life.


    After packing up her scant belongings, Wang Xiaohua walked out of her rented room. She had no chance at revenge. In that case, she would leave and try to distance herself from Zhang Lie as much as possible.


    She wasn''t the only one with that thought. In the Wang n headquarters in Ning, Wang Han had called a meeting with the n elders from the branch families, and they were currently watching a holographic recording of Zhang Lie''s now-famous battle.


    After the battle were reports regarding Zhang Lie from various media sources.


    "I''m sure you''re all aware of just who this Zhang Lie is. The reason I''ve called an emergency meeting is to discuss just how to deal with thisd."


    Wang Han''s face was sunken and sallow. He was disgusted by Zhang Lie''s meteoric rise, but this was surely an event that he and the entire Wang n had to pay attention to.


    "A gxy fighter, as well as a dragonsoul warrior... these two titles alone make him an enemy we have to avoid at all costs. My rmendation is to leave Ning, or to give up our pride and formally apologize to Zhang Lie.


    "Wang Jianxin and his family have already been punished for their misdeeds, and he should bear no further ill will toward the Wang n. As long as we''re sincere enough, he should be willing to let bygones be bygones," an elder suggested.


    Wang Han exploded in fury. "You want us, the mighty Wang n, to bow down and apologize to a kid? Aren''t you ashamed for even suggesting such a course of action?!"


    "Ashamed? No, of course not. Head, please consider the significance of his new titles carefully. If we oppose him, then we''re all but opposing the Chinese government itself. Why take such an unnecessary risk? He''s demonstrated his potential for all to see, and there''s no need for the Wang n to be enemies with a man who''s being groomed to lead the next generation of hunters."


    The elder''s reasoned argument won over many supporters.


    "Is that so? Just because he has demonstrated potential doesn''t mean that he''ll be able to live to actualize that potential! He''ll be given more opportunities in light of that potential, yes, but he''ll also be a greater target for enemy factions. I propose that we kill him before he reaches his full potential. After all, Ning isn''t arge city, and were he to reach his full strength, would we be able to retain any power in Ning at all?"


    Wang Han''s view waspletely antithetical to that of the Wang elder who had spoken previously. After all, Wang Jianxin was his younger brother, and although Wang Han had been forced to expel him under significant pressure from the various elders, it had been pure torture for him to do so.


    Whenever he was reminded of Zhang Lie, he felt a throbbing pain deep in his bones.


    Wang Jianxin''s expulsion, the huge financial losses that the Wang n had had to swallow... how could they annul this enmity so easily? He and Zhang Lie were destined to be bitter enemies. Now that he had finally saved the Wang n from destitution, his next target would be Zhang Lie''s destruction.


    So what if he were a gxy fighter, so what if he were a dragonsoul warrior? Regardless, thatd had no backer nor background to speak of. He was talented, sure, but only within the younger generation. The Wang n had hunters famed even in the second realm of the dimensional world, and they had no need to fear Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie was a young hunter, and it would be quite easy for his newfound fame and attention to get to his head. As long as the Wang n was able to seize an opportunity or two to manufacture some form of negative publicity, even the federal and Chinese governments wouldn''t be able to save him.


    Wang Han was quite certain that he would seed, and his desire to take decisive action drew the favor of several elders as well. Just like Wang Han, they believed that Zhang Lie''s rise would cause the Wang n''s position in Ning to weaken.


    The Wang n had its roots in Ning, so how could they leave so easily? And because of a hunter of a younger generation, no less! If word were to spread, the Wang n''s reputation would fall overnight.


    The elder who had taken the opposing position, Wang Feng, staunchly recapitted his im: Zhang Lie would surely outgrow the confines of Ning, and there was no need to take the unnecessary risk of making him an enemy.


    The contentious issue of Zhang Lie caused a schism within the Wang n.


    "Elder Wang Feng, this time, I really have to side with the n head. Zhang Lie''s a member of the younger generation. If we bow down to him, what will the other ns say? Perhaps you might not know this, but this brash and arrogant Zhang Lie has purchased all thend within a kilometer of his house, and is intending to construct a dojo there! Surely you understand how threatening this might be to us?" another elder spoke up.


    However, he was instantly met with a rebuttal from Wang Feng''s faction. "Indeed, the fact that he''s constructing a dojo is exactly why we shouldn''t confront him directly. Right now, Zhang Lie''s every action will surely draw the scrutiny of both the federal and Chinese governments, as well as countless citizens! If anyone were to stand against Zhang Lie now, they would surely face stiff opposition. Surely you can all see that this isn''t worth it!"


    Neither side was quite able to convince the other.


    After the incident with Wang Jianxin, Wang Han''s position as n head had grown rtively insecure, and multiple factions had developed within the n. This internal schism was made obvious by the day''s events.


    .


    In the end, Wang Han stared stonily at the gathered crowd. "Since we can''t seem to reach an agreement, we''ll let a majority vote determine our path ahead."

 Chapter 111: The Time is Right

    <h4>Chapter 111: The Time is Right</h4>


    Wang Feng nodded gravely. After all the elders had cast their vote, the final tally ended up as a 7-6 win in favor of the n head Wang Han, a narrow victory.


    "Very well. The day that brat''s dojo opens up, we''ll send him a big present."


    Wang Han couldn''t hide his enmity toward Zhang Lie even if he wanted to. It was natural, after all: the Wang n had dominated over Ning for decades, and their greatest loss in recent memory could be attributed to a hunter who was barely of age!


    "Elder Wang Feng, under these circumstances, I hope you''ll keep the Wang n''s greater good in mind!" Wang Han turned and nced at Wang Feng, his gaze filled with hostility.


    Wang Feng sighed. "Head, you don''t have to worry. From now on, I don''t intend to oversee n affairs at all!"


    As the other elders stared in shock, Wang Feng stood up and left the meeting room. Two other elders immediately excused themselves and followed behind him, but Wang Han didn''t mind, and he made no effort to stop them. They were loyal allies of Wang Feng, and even if they had stayed, they would hardly have contributed much to the following discussion.


    A simr scene was ying out in the Qin n''s meeting room, in which the video of a hunter fighting alone amidst a swarm of bugs was prominently disyed. His gaze was calm and collected, as though he intended to forge a path through the sea of bugs with his might alone.


    The hunters of the Qin n were watching the video with serious expressions on their faces; the n head Qin Zongming was sullen and brooding.


    As the three-star scarab fell to the earth like a meteor and the video ended, a pregnant silence filled the room. Qin Zongming licked his rather parched lips, a hint of a quaver in his voice. "What are your thoughts, Elders?"


    Zhang Lie, with his newfound status as a ''gxy fighter'' and ''dragonsoul warrior'', would undoubtedly have an illustrious future. These were good tidings for the Yun and Chu ns, to whom Zhang Lie was close, but what about the Qin n? To Qin Zongming, Zhang Lie was like a bomb that could well explode in his face.


    If the Qin n were to let him grow, they would surely perish.


    "To think that someone like him has managed such an impressive feat despite his initial poor reputation! Head, I suggest reparations in order to ameliorate the rtionship between the Qin n and Zhang Lie," the Qin n''s third elder, Qin Li, ventured.


    His proposal was logical: after all, Zhang Lie''s two titles was a gulf that would shield him from all attacks by the Qin n, whose status had dropped dramatically since the events of the venombane de. If they were to expend all their resources in an attempt to kill Zhang Lie, it was still possible that they would seed, but it would surely be a pyrrhic victory.


    After all, the affair with Qin Xiaotian had been more or less resolved, and he had been punished for his transgression. If the Qin n was willing to lose a little reputation, it wasn''t impossible for them to salvage their rtionship with Zhang Lie.


    Qin Zongming narrowed his eyes. As his fingers rapped out a rhythm on the conference table, a sudden pressure descended on the room. He appeared to be calm, but the cold aura emanating from him betrayed his thoughts. Not only had his only son lost an arm because of Zhang Lie, he had even been expelled from the n!


    Whenever Qin Zongming thought of how he had to live like a gutter rat out in the dimensional world, his mind seethed with rage. Despite the trouble that Zhang Lie had caused for the Qin n, these elders were thinking of starting afresh, just like that!


    "You must be joking," Qin Zongming replied. "Will the proud Qin n lower its head to someone who came from the slums of Ning? Do none of you remember that he was the sole cause of our recent tribtion?


    Do none of you realize what bowing down to him would do to our reputation?" Qin Zongming mmed a palm on the table, his features contorted with rage. Such was his strength that the table splintered and cracked where his palmnded, causing the elders to react with consternation and shock.


    "I agree with the n head. The enmity between the Qin n and Zhang Lie is one of blood, and can only be repaid by blood. Zhang Lie will never be more vulnerable than he is now, not when he hasn''t yet grown into his strength," reiterated the Qin n''s first elder, Qin Feng.


    "In that case, Head, how do you intend on dealing with Zhang Lie? Let us assume that you were able to kill Zhang Lie. How will the Qin n absolve itself of suspicion and me? The enmity between the Qin n and Zhang Lie is well known in Ning. If Zhang Lie dies, we shall be the prime suspect!" Qin Li called out.


    Many of the elders nodded in agreement.


    In the past, Zhang Lie would have been trivial to deal with, but now that he was the center of attention, it would be extremely difficult for the Qin n toy a hand on him.


    "So? He''s a promising hunter, that''s all. As long as we make appropriate reparations, neither the federal nor Chinese governments will hold us ountable for long." A malevolent smile caused Qin Zongming''s lips to quirk up.


    Qin Li sighed. Qin Zongming seemed to be set on his ways, but he knew how illogical the decision would be for the future of the Qin n.


    "That said, we should avoid suspicion where we can. I''ve heard that this brat''s currently making ns for constructing a dojo, and we could do worse than to prepare him avish gift." Qin Zongming nced up at the image of Zhang Lie disyed prominently on the screen, his eyes darkening.


    At the same time, within a forest located somewhere in the dimensional world, a ck-robed hunter was ughtering every lifeform he could see. With every kill, his ferocious expression grew even darker.


    "How could you have gotten this far? You''re just some brat from the slums! How could you have be so strong? How could you have be so popr? I swear I''ll kill you! I swear it!"


    As he yelled, Qin Xiao''s hatchet struck lifeform after lifeform. The sensation of blood sttering on his body gave him an unusual sense of exhration; he imagined that every blow wasnding on Zhang Lie''s body.


    Suddenly, his transceiver beeped. Qin Xiao frowned as the device clicked into action.


    .


    "Your opportunity''s here. Are you ready?" Qin Zongming''s face and voice appeared through the screen.


    "One chance will be all I need!" Qin Xiao replied, his voice filled with hatred.


    "You''ll get your chance soon enough, but you had better be prepared." Seeing Qin Xiao''s appearance now, Qin Zongming was certain that taking revenge on Zhang Lie was the right choice.


    "Of course." Qin Xiao''s breathing turned heavy.


    As a lifeform pounced toward Qin Xiao, he split it in two with his hatchet without even looking back, spilling blood and innards all over the forest floor.


    "Zhang Lie, let''s see how long your fame willst!"


    Qin Xiao licked at a drop of blood by the corner of his mouth as he steadily walked toward the cksteel settlement.


    Zhang Lie, blissfully unaware of the forces that were converging on him, was still recuperating in bed. Although his constitution was significantly enhanced by his limit fragments and eternalspring cocoon soulshard, the extent of his injuries meant that he would need to rest for another day or two.


    However, he had gained far more than he had lost during the fight. As a result of his life-or-death struggle, histent talent had been drawn out, and he foundbining the use of his soulshards and techniques to be far easier than it had been before.


    This... could form the basis of a new training regimen, Zhang Lie thought.


    "Brother!" Just as he was tabting his rewards from the battle, a voice rang out from the distance. Before Zhang Lie could raise his head, a warm body pressed against hisp.


    Zhang Lie felt Zhang Hanxiang''s familiar warmth. He was gratified by her attention, but also at a loss in terms of how to exin what he had experienced in the footage she had undoubtedly seen.


    "Brother, I don''t want to stay in school any longer. Can we just stay at our old ce and return to our lives from half a year ago?" Zhang Hanxiang asked, her voice quavering. Zhang Lie felt a damp patch on his shoulder.


    Zhang Lie caressed her hand, unable to say anything. Of course, it would be impossible for him to return to his old life now. The only route left to him was bing stronger and stronger, until he could protect his sister and himself from any trouble that mighte his way. Only then could they experience true peace.


    He clenched his fists. "Don''t worry, Hanxiang. I''m actually very strong, and this was just an ident!"


    For the sake of his sister, he had to grow stronger, even stronger!

 Chapter 112: Hellish Training

    <h4>Chapter 112: Hellish Training</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s patient reassurances finally allowed Zhang Hanxiang to rx.


    "Brother, your injuries..." She wiped away the tears on her cheeks.


    The reason she had rushed over in such a hurry was because she believed that Zhang Lie was heavily wounded, but was pretending to be fine because she was present.


    However, despite how frightening Zhang Lie''s wounds looked, they were just a few bruises and blood clots, and a medical professional would hardly have suspected that he had just fought a bitter life-or-death battle not two days prior.


    "I''ll be back to normal in a few days, don''t you worry." Zhang Lie scratched the back of his head, with the sheepish look of a child being scolded.


    It took quite a bit of prodding before Zhang Hanxiang was convinced that her brother was alright, and only then did she return to campus.


    The situation in the capital was somewhat precarious, and three of the major ns viewed him as an eyesore. It would be dangerous for Zhang Hanxiang to be out in the open, and having her return to the safety of the campus grounds was undoubtedly the best option.


    Zhang Lie specially dispatched Zhou Ying to guard her from afar to make sure that she was able to return safely.


    After Zhang Hanxiang left, Zhang Lie spent the next day resting. By the morning, he was once again hale and hearty, and he marvelled at how much his limit fragments had improved his constitution.


    "As expected of our captain¡ªyou look as good as new despite that terrifying fight after just three days!" Li Feng nced enviously at Zhang Lie, who had already changed out of his hospital gown and was walking around with a straight back and rosy cheeks.


    "No hunter who could fight a three-star scarab on his own would be ordinary," Zhou Yingmented idly. Indeed, Zhang Lie''s regenerative abilities far outmatched those of his peers.


    "Once you obtain more superior gene fragments, you''ll be just like me." Zhang Lie smiled at his team, showing teeth.


    Li Feng and the others made wearied expressions. To them, Zhang Lie was abat genius, and they wouldn''t be able to catch up no matter how hard they tried. What they didn''t know was how much effort Zhang Lie had put in to get to where he was today, nor how many life-or-death situations he had managed to ovee.


    "Difficult, perhaps, but doable. Don''t forget, the Void Cup''s almost about to begin! Once all of you are out of the hospital, we''ll return to the dimensional world immediately, and I''ll put all of you through some hellish training," Zhang Lie continued.


    The training regimen that he had devised after undergoing a life-or-death struggle would be perfect for Sun Mengmeng and the others.


    Upon sensing his devious gaze, Sun Mengmeng and the others shuddered. This ''hellish training'' sounded like something they wouldn''t want to participate in.


    "Let''s head back to Ning." Zhang Lie looked into the distance.


    "Were you scared when you stood in front of the three-star ck-tipped scarab?"


    "It''s an honor to meet you, gxy fighter! You''re a hero to all of China!"


    "Given the interest that the federal and Chinese governments have shown in you, do you have any intention of joining the military?"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, I love you! I want to have your babies!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened fractionally at therge crowd that awaited him outside the hospital. The other hunters of Team Zenith were likewise amazed. It had been a few days since Zhang Lie''s fight and resulting rise to fame, but his poprity hadn''t diminished at all. Instead, it seemed to be rising even more rapidly.


    Li Feng and Sun Xiaowu took the opportunity to get acquainted with a few of Zhang Lie''s female fans. Zhang Lie sighed, found a gap in the crowd, and rushed out of the throng of people awaiting him.


    However, what he experienced outside the hospital was only the beginning of what was to be a long and harrowing journey. He had anticipated being able to return to Ning within half an hour at the most, but it took him all the way till midnight to do so.


    "Captain, aren''t you a bit too famous?" Sun Mengmeng sat down in a huff, her back drenched with sweat. Their return to Ning reminded her of how crowded tourist destinations became during the holiday season.


    "Alright, rest well today, and we''ll start our training tomorrow."


    Sun Mengmeng and the others nodded firmly, their spirits rising: this would be a rare opportunity to grow stronger! They each returned to their houses to rest.


    The next day, they appeared in front of Zhang Lie brimming with excitement and vitality, well prepared for the hellish training that Zhang Lie had brought up on multiple asions. They were both curious and worried: the training they had undergone with Zhang Lie had already been quite rigorous, but if Zhang Lie was terming this training ''hellish'', then...


    Once everyone was present, Zhang Lie brought them all to a training ground within the dimensional world.


    Gusts of wind blew by their faces as the members of Team Zenith stood at attention. It should have been refreshing, but they were feeling more and more anxious.


    "For this training, you''ll each be challenging superior-grade lifeforms on your own. Once we warm up here, we''ll be heading toward the Desert of Silence."


    The hunters gaped.


    The Desert of Silence was one of the most frightening regions in the first realm of the dimensional world, and even those hunters who had already capped their gene capacities would have doubts about braving the desert, because the lifeforms there were far more ferocious and prone to sneak attacks than those in other areas.


    Furthermore, the desert was home to quite arge number of superior-grade lifeforms, and hunters who entered the desert could easily be the hunted after a moment of incaution.


    Wasn''t it a little too devilish of Zhang Lie to bring them there for training purposes?


    Zhang Lie knew that he had chosen appropriately the moment he saw the shock and fear on the gathered hunters'' faces. Only in such life-threatening situations would they be able to harness their true potential andtent talent, unlocking the full benefit of their limit fragments.


    Of course, he had no intention of letting anyone die. He intended on selecting appropriate targets that would challenge each member but that they would be able to defeat. After all, there was no point in training against lifeforms that were far too strong for them.


    "Are you afraid? If you are, you can choose not to participate."


    The hunters'' fear rapidly diminished after hearing these words.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze was calm and confident, and scenes from his fight against the three-star scarab shed through their minds.


    "Only by looking death in the eye, by oveing your own fear, can you be strong," Zhang Lie intoned.


    As the members of Team Zenith internalized these words, their nascent fear gave rise to resolution.


    "We''re not afraid!" they chorused as one, their fighting spirits roused to soaring heights.

 Chapter 113: Diamonds Under Pressure

    <h4>Chapter 113: Diamonds Under Pressure</h4>


    Zhang Lie nodded. If the hunters of Team Zenith had grown fearful upon just hearing the name of the Desert of Silence, there would be no point venturing there.


    "Next, your warm-up exercise: attack me with all you''ve got, and don''t hold back."


    Sun Mengmeng and the others hesitated for a moment. They had all grown significantly during that battle, and theirtent ability had been dragged out by the fight they had suffered through.


    Would Zhang Lie be able to fend off all of them at once? They really didn''t want to take the risk of harming Zhang Lie, who had given them so much, even if the chances of that happening were minute.


    "Don''t worry about me¡ªthe ones you should be worrying about are yourselves." Zhang Lie''s lips quirked into a smile.


    .


    With that thought, Sun Mengmeng and the others gave up their reservations. Zhang Lie was their captain, and he''d never done anything he wasn''t certain about. Sun Mengmeng smiled, and the other members took a deep breath. They circted their gic energy and got into battle stances.


    "Remember, don''t hold back!" Zhang Lie instructed. Otherwise, there would be no purpose to this warm-up.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others nodded firmly.


    Sun Mengmeng aimed her bow in Zhang Lie''s direction. As she circted gic energy through her body, the arrow began burning with mes, so hot even the air seemed to distort around it. The mes gradually grew purple, as was characteristic of her framework, [ck Sun].


    Zhang Lie''s eyes narrowed. Based on the aura that Sun Mengmeng was giving off, she seemed to have taken a great stride forward. The sound of wind broke Zhang Lie out of his reverie. As Sun Mengmeng released her bowstring, purple mes shot toward his face.


    A purple crescent moon appeared out of nowhere, causing the mes on the arrow to re up and adding to the spatial distortion effect of the arrow.


    "Stacking fire-based effects, huh!" Zhang Lie smiled. Just as the arrow was about to hit him, he activated his galewolf soulshard. Zhang Lie''s figure blurred, and he dodged the iing attack as agilely as a snake, too quickly for Sun Mengmeng and the others to follow.


    After evading the blow, Zhang Lie dashed straight toward Sun Mengmeng, Venombane glinting with purple light. Sun Mengmeng felt a grave pressure descend on her, as well as the chilling touch of death.


    It was then that she understood just how frightening Zhang Lie''s true abilities were. As Zhang Lie dashed forward, Sun Mengmeng retreated back. None of the others had trained their footwork as much as he had, so the distance between them was only narrowing.


    If Sun Mengmeng were alone, this would have been sufficient to spell her doom, but she had the rest of Team Zenith with her.


    The reason that Zhang Lie had chosen this as their warm-up exercise was to let them experience the chill of death, as well as to improve the teamwork between every member of the party. After the Kez invasion, their skills had all grown by leaps and bounds, and this would be an opportunity to hone them as a team.


    Whether or not they seeded would depend on them and them alone.


    In a matter of moments, Zhang Lie had already drawn close to Sun Mengmeng, and Venombane thrust straight toward her head.


    Sun Mengmeng''s face turned pale. If she didn''t defend against this blow, she would die. Zhang Lie''s killing intent caused her heart to palpitate and her breathing to stutter. This was the first time she had truly felt the fear of death.


    "Are you still hesitating? Do you really want to die?" Zhang Lie hollered at her.


    Sun Mengmeng jolted up, a burst of purple mes emerging from underneath her feet. She quickly darted away from Zhang Lie''s sword.


    "[meburst Step]? Not bad!" Zhang Lie stomped on the ground with one foot, causing ripples to emerge with him at the epicenter. When it struck the other members of Team Zenith, they found themselves temporarily stuck.


    After his use of [Mirrored Refraction], Sun Mengmeng was in critical danger. If none of her teammates came to help her out, it would be near-impossible for her to avoid the next blow.


    To his left, Zhang Lie could feel a water-attuned fist technique heading his way: Yang Ze had used [Fists of the Silent Sea]. Help was finally on its way.


    Zhang Lie punched back with the same technique, shattering Yang Ze''s attack.


    Yang Ze was flung up into the air andnded on the ground with a huge thud. He certainly wasn''t going to ovee Zhang Lie with one of Zhang Lie''s best techniques, but Zhang Lie had made sure to demonstrate a variation that incorporated principles Yang Ze was still weak in.


    Even as he picked himself up, Yang Ze''s eyes were gleaming, clearly having intuited something from the blow.


    "Is this all you''ve got? Do you really want to watch Sun Mengmeng die?"


    No one else had stepped forward after Yang Ze. Zhang Lie turned around and surveyed the other hunters, anger in his eyes. The other hunters reacted btedly: Zhang Lie was right¡ªif this were a true life-or-death situation, Sun Mengmeng would have died quite a few times by now.


    Li Feng dashed forward with a shout, steps of light guiding his path, his longsword radiant and gleaming, his aura like that of a coiling dragon. Indeed, [Dragon''s Triumph] wasn''t a legendary-grade technique only in name. Li Feng hadn''t trained with the technique for all that long, but he was already able to produce quite a shocking attack.


    However, in the end, it seemed as though all that was just a facade. The attack looked imposing and intimidating, but it simply didn''t threaten Zhang Lie. He countered Li Feng''s strike with Venombane, causing an explosion of radiant light. Li Feng staggered back, but Zhang Lie stood unmoved.


    "Now!"


    Zhang Lie turned to see that the remaining hunters had surrounded him, blocking his escape path, and Sun Mengmeng had once again nocked an arrow to her bow.


    It was now clear that Li Feng''s attack was just a distraction.


    "That''s more like it!" Zhang Liebined [Fists of the Silent Sea] with [Three-Wave Crescendo] with his left palm, then struck with [The Boundless de] from his right. He targeted the weak spots in the other hunters'' formation, slicing through Sun Mengmeng''s arrow with his sword, then forcing Yang Ze and Li Feng back with a fist and a leg.


    Zhang Lie broke out of the seemingly hopeless situation with surprising ease, but just as he thought himself safe, vines suddenly emerged from the ground and wrapped around both his feet. At the same time, he felt a chill from his back.


    Behind him raged wind and storm. A spear shot toward him, an attack he felt that he couldn''t avoid. It had to be Fang Yi!


    Zhang Lie didn''t need to turn around to know who was behind him. From the strength of that attack, it seemed as though Fang Yi was staking everything on this attack. Ever since they had broken Sun Mengmeng free of his clutches, the hunters of Team Zenith had all been preparing for this single blow!

 Chapter 114: Elemental Augmentation

    <h4>Chapter 114: Elemental Augmentation</h4>


    It was a risky maneuver, but Zhang Lie quite liked their resolve and daring.?Well, in that case, I''ll have to be a little more serious.?As he murmured to himself, he began circting his gic energy, causing Venombane to gleam.


    While wind and storm surged behind him, Zhang Lie struck backwards with Venombane, blocking the tip of Fang Yi''s spear with the de of his sword. The seemingly ordinary blow was infused with [The Boundless de], sapping away much of Fang Yi''s momentum.


    However, Fang Yi only smiled. The next moment, Zhang Lie felt a wave of heat assailing his back. As Sun Mengmeng fired an arrow into the air, purple mes seemed to fall from the sky, morphing into hundreds of firebirds as they converged on Zhang Lie.


    Thebination of fire and wind caused the potency of Sun Mengmeng''s attack to reach its maximum. The startling heat of the mes dyed the training ground in purple and red, and Zhang Lie''s face shone with sweat.


    He activated his galewolf soulshard, making him as fast as lightning, leaving behind a trail of shadows as he dashed away.


    Sun Mengmeng stared in amazement. Despite thebination attack and the additional speed to her arrows from Fang Yi''s wind and storm, her attacks still weren''t able tond a hit on Zhang Lie.


    However, Zhang Lie wasn''t out of danger just yet. By dashing out of range of Sun Mengmeng''s attacks, he was leaving himself open to another blow from Fang Yi, whose [Rondo of Wind and Storm] made him faster than even Sun Mengmeng''s arrows.


    He would have to block attacks from both fronts at once. As he circted gic energy through his body, Zhang Lie struck with [Fists of the Silent Sea] on his left, and [The Boundless de] on his right.


    His attacks shed with Fang Yi''s, and explosions of gic energy rocked the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie was surprised by the strength of Fang Yi''s attacks, which had been significantly enhanced by the purple mes from Sun Mengmeng''s arrows.


    For the first time, Zhang Lie took a step back.


    "Quick! Use your strongest attacks!" Sun Mengmeng shouted, sensing Zhang Lie''s temporary weakness.


    .


    The attacks that the rest of the team had been charging up now poured out of them in a flood.


    Everyone remembered what Zhang Lie had said. They used the strongest attacks they could, pouring all their gic energy into that one blow.


    Yang Ze took half a step forward,unching his own [Mirrored Refraction] to pin Zhang Lie down, then following up with [The Boundless de]. Yang Ze''s sword thrust forward, buoyed by the force of the boundless sea.


    At the same time, Li Feng stepped forth with a loud yell. He activated [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint], producing a sh of glowing light that lit up Yang Ze''s body. Zhang Lie frowned: the mist trailing from Yang Ze''s feet caused the light to refract, and his entire body seemed to be shrouded.


    Countless images of Yang Ze appeared from within the mist, seeming to surround Zhang Lie.


    "Excellentbination of light and water!" Zhang Lie praised. He stepped into the mist and darted here and there, trying to identify Yang Ze''s true body.


    "[Golden Divide]!" However, just as Zhang Lie stepped into the mist, a resplendent golden light shot toward him. Sun Xiaowu''s attack forced him back.


    Simultaneously, a jade-green spear thrust forward, apanied by sharp, thorny vines.


    Zhang Lie stepped back and used [Three-Wave Crescendo], smashing into Sun Xiaowu''s attack and flinging him up into the air. Despite the sessful counter, Zhang Lie knew that it was far from sufficient for damaging Sun Xiaowu under the effects of [Adamantine Aegis]. Defending against Sun Xiaowu''s blow meant that he was entrapped by the sturdy, resilient vines, from which it would take him some time to break free.


    "Sorry, Captain!" Amidst the fog, the hunters of Team Zenith called out in excitement. This was the best opportunity yet to strike at Zhang Lie! Once again, the hunters readied their best attacks.


    "Well? Don''t hold back!" Zhang Lie smiled faintly, ck mist surging forth from him.


    Sun Mengmeng''s hair fluttered amidst wind and storm. She, Fang Yi, and the others stared at their target with serious expressions, as though this really were a fight to the death.


    "Charge!" Fang Yi strode forward. Once again, he attacked with [Heaven''s Judgment], and the lightning crackling on his spear took on a purple tinge from Sun Mengmeng''s mes.


    His spear was quickly followed by Sun Mengmeng''s [Baptism of Hellfire], a fire- and dark-attuned attack thatplemented Fang Yi''s spear strike well.


    From within the mist, Yang Ze released yet another [Mirrored Refraction], making it so dense that Zhang Lie was unable to sense even the other hunters arrayed around him.


    Zhou Ying and Sun Xiaowu''s targeted harassment blocked any possible retaliation from Zhang Lie as Yang Ze and Fang Yi attacked.


    "Not too shabby." Zhang Lie could sense just how much effort the hunters had put into their teamwork.


    As he circted gic energy through his body, Zhang Lie suddenly lifted up Venombane and cut through the vines surrounding him. He leapt up into the air, shouting, "[The Boundless de: Judgment]!"


    As he cleaved downward, Venombane released a blinding sh of darkness, then smashed toward the dissipating mist.


    Fang Yi was the first to be struck by the attack. As the floor of the training ground cracked under its force, Fang Yi''s face paled as he was flung away.


    His first blow havingnded, Zhang Lie turned in mid-air, sending a [Fists of the Silent Sea] in the direction of Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying, who were now visible without the cover of fog. Neither of them were able to react to his attack in time, and both were knocked away as well.


    Yang Ze and Li Feng attempted to help the others, but Zhang Liended on the floor and immediately activated [Mirrored Refraction], freezing the two of them in ce.


    Zhang Lie struck them squarely on the chest with a fist and a palm, knocking both of them away as they grunted in pain.

 Chapter 115: Desert of Silence

    <h4>Chapter 115: Desert of Silence</h4>


    Zhang Lie reined in his gic energy, surveying the training ground. The members of Team Zenithy strewn on the ground, their harsh panting indicative of their weakness. How had Zhang Liee away unscathed from all their attacks? How had he repulsed them all so easily?


    In truth, it hadn''t been easy. If Zhang Lie hadn''t been decisive enough about which attacks to counter and which to absorb, or if he had been just half a beat slower, he could certainly have been defeated. Indeed, he too was panting lightly.


    It was only his prodigiousbat experience and familiarity with his teammates that he had emerged victorious.


    "As expected of our captain! To have won so easily despite us trying our very best," Sun Mengmeng groaned. The other hunters of Team Zenith also seemed a little dismal: they had thought that they would be able to defeat Zhang Lie at least once if they all worked together, but...


    "No, you''re wrong. I didn''t win as easily as you all think I did. I just have morebat experience," Zhang Lie rified. One wrong move could have spelled disaster.


    Of course, Zhang Lie wouldn''t use his most potent abilities on his teammates; otherwise, this fight couldn''t be considered a warm-up anymore.


    "Really?" Sun Mengmeng''s eyes gleamed. Zhang Lie was acknowledging all of them!


    "Yes. You''ve all grown far stronger than before."


    Li Feng, Yang Ze, and the others whooped in joy. While Fang Yi had a faint smile on his face, he seemed to be deep in thought. As someone who had be a renowned hunter in Zhang Lie''s past life, Fang Yi had likely gained some insight from the fight.


    "Right, one more thing. Yang Ze, you seemed to have had a revtion about [Fists of the Silent Sea] during the middle of the fight. Focusing on that revtion right then and there made you useless to your teammates, so don''t repeat that error in an actual battle."


    If he hadn''t held back, he could have killed Sun Mengmeng right then and there, destroying the team''s offensive core.


    "Yes, Captain!" Yang Ze nodded, the event weighing heavily on his mind.


    By constantly reviewing their battles together and working on their teamwork, the members of Team Zenith would develop into far better hunters.


    "Freshen up a little. We''ll be heading to the Desert of Silence tomorrow."


    Zhang Lie''s gaze swept over the gathered crowd. After the fight against Zhang Lie, the mention of the Desert of Silence drew not fear, but eagerness and excitement, from the hunters.


    Zhang Lie nodded. They would need this sort of willpower in order to look death calmly in the eyes in the Desert of Silence.


    After a day''s rest, their journey began.


    The Desert of Silence was quite some distance from the cksteel settlement. As Zhang Lie and his team headed north, they encountered a few rtively strong lifeforms along the way, which Sun Mengmeng and the others dealt with with ease.


    After an hour-long run, the change in their surroundings became obvious. The greenery had slowly ebbed and faded away, the air was dry and arid, and several of the stones around them ?had even cracked from prolonged exposure to the climate.


    Zhang Lie stopped by a weathered stone marker on which the words ''Desert of Silence'' were written. Perhaps because of its age, the words were fading and rather difficult to make out.


    "Is this the boundary of the Desert of Silence?" Sun Mengmeng nced to her front. The skies were darkening, and a small stone path was snaking forward into the gloom. By either side of the pathy dry, crumpled leaves.


    Bones were strewn along the path, and the smell of rot and decay wafted up from below. There were a few small nts growing here and there, but in strangely unsettling colors.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. The Desert of Silence was well known to be a deathzone in the first realm of the dimensional world, because the density and strength of superior-grade lifeforms within were far greater than in other regions.


    "Captain, when are we heading in?" Sun Mengmeng asked quietly, breaking off Zhang Lie''s train of thought.


    "We''ll enter now. Remain alert, or you''ll die," Zhang Lie said coolly, leading the way.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others followed swiftly behind him. Upon passing the stone post, they could feel gusts of hot air blowing in their direction, prating their armor and abrading their skin.


    "Isn''t this ce strange? The temperature and humidity changes abruptly once we pass this boundary!" Fang Yi cried out.


    "That''s what''s unusual about this ce¡ªdespite the inhospitable environmental factors, there are still countless superior-grade lifeforms who''ve chosen to make this ce their home. Follow me. We''ll start investigating from the outer perimeter." Zhang Lie nced back at his teammates, only to find them staring all around with serious expressions on their faces.


    He led the team onward down the cobbled path. The temperature grew warmer the further they walked, and everyone''s foreheads rapidly began to bead with sweat.


    Before themy a barren desert.


    As hot gusts of wind blew, yellow sand drifted into the air, forming a haze that obscured the horizon. They could, however, still make out various sand dunes that rose up into the distance, and they could hear the howls of mysterious lifeforms carried by the wind.


    Waves of killing intent swept toward Team Zenith.


    "Is this what the Desert of Silence is like?" Sun Xiaowu was the youngest hunter in the team, and the surroundings had the greatest impact on him.


    "We''re still far from the depths. You''ll see what the desert''s truly liketer on." They were still walking along the perimeter, and he wanted them to limate before bringing them deeper into the desert.


    They could see traces of superior-grade lifeforms all around them. Because so many lifeforms inhabited the desert, the weaker ones were pushed to the outskirts, whereas the stronger ones would stay in the interior. The weaker lifeforms would have to hunt down even weaker prey, or be consumed by the howling winds and yellow sand.


    Team Zenith would start from the outskirts and work their way inward, deep into the desert.

 Chapter 116: Beetle of the Sands

    <h4>Chapter 116: Beetle of the Sands</h4>


    The winds seemed to be even more intense around the outskirts of the desert. Within half an hour, grit and sand had made their way into every hunter''s hair and skin, and it was difficult for them to even open their eyes when a strong wind blew.


    What sort of lifeforms could live in such a hostile environment?


    "Captain, why haven''t we encountered any superior-grade lifeforms yet?" Sun Xiaowu was slowly rxing after realizing that the Desert of Silence wasn''t as dangerous as it seemed.


    After all, they had walked quite some distance through the desert, but they hadn''t encountered even a little bug.


    "Oh, you''ll get your fill of them soon enough." Zhang Lieughed.


    "Don''t worry, Captain, I won''t be afraid!" Sun Xiaowu patted his chest as he walked onward with confidence. He didn''t look carefully at his surroundings as he ventured forward.


    With the sand and grit affecting their vision, it would be easy for them to miss something even if they were paying careful attention, let alone if their behavior were like Sun Xiaowu''s.


    "There''s no danger here at all! Is this really the Desert of Silence?" Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    Behind him, a gust of wind and sand shot toward Sun Xiaowu, closing the distance so quickly that the others barely had any time to react.


    "Be careful!" Sun Mengmeng shouted. Instinctively, she circted her gic energy and thrust forward with her sword, purple mes shooting out in the direction of her thrust, courtesy of [ck Sun].


    It was only then that Sun Xiaowu noticed what wasing for him. Squawking, he darted aside.


    The gust of wind and sand dissipated after being struck by Sun Mengmeng''s blow, revealing a ck insect-type lifeform. As it realized that its cover had been blown, it burrowed deep into the sand. Momentster, no trace of the sneak attack remained.


    Sun Xiaowu stared at the ce where the bug had vanished in shock. If he hadn''t darted away, or if Sun Mengmeng hadn''t reacted in time, he could well have been injured or dead by now.


    "Do you still think you''re safe?" Zhang Lie cocked an eyebrow at Sun Xiaowu, who shuddered and took a step back.


    Carelessness could be life-threatening under such situations. Zhang Lie had discovered this insect quite a while beforehand, and he had deliberately allowed the situation to happen to shock Sun Xiaowu into paying attention.


    Sun Xiaowu was so shocked from the ordeal that his face turned pale.


    "Captain, this insect seems to be a superior-grade lifeform, the beetle of the sands," Sun Mengmeng stated. Her earlier attack was at about two-thirds of her maximum strength, but it had only managed to remove the protective barrier of sand surrounding it.


    Zhang Lie nodded. The beetle of the sands had extremely tough chitin. It lived in deserts and was able to control the sand in the environment both for attack and defense, but the trickiest part of dealing with these beetles was their stealth.


    The desert sands were the perfect environment for these beetles. When they burrowed underground, they were exceedingly difficult to sense, allowing them to give their unsuspecting target a lethal blow from any direction and angle.


    The members of Team Zenith arranged themselves in arge circle, so as to sense everything around them. Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the sands, channeling gic energy to boost his senses. He noticed a sudden movement by a patch of yellow sand, but he said nothing out loud. Instead, he simply continued tracking the beetle''s movements.


    "Captain, this isn''t an easy lifeform to deal with," Fang Yi murmured. It was a superior-grade lifeform with an overwhelming environmental advantage, and its stealth was undeniably effective.


    "If you guys can''t even deal with the superior-grade lifeforms on the outskirts of the Desert of Silence, then there''s no need for any of you to participate in the Void Cup," Zhang Lie replied. It was only under such circumstances that they could hone their abilities to the utmost.


    The superior-grade beetle of the sands wasn''t going to go easy on them like he did, and every member of Team Zenith knew that. Each of its blows could well be lethal, and the hunters would have to keep that in mind.


    Zhang Lie didn''t n on stepping forward until it was absolutely necessary.


    A massive gust of wind flung a pile of sand into the air toward the hunters of Team Zenith. Each grain of sand was as sharp as a shard of ss, and it was obvious that they would have to defend themselves against the attack.


    Sun Mengmeng activated [ck Sun]. Purple mes ringed them all, and the heat of the mes seemed to distort even the air.


    The longsword clutched in her hands erupted in purple me.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire]," Sun Mengmeng shouted. She swung her de downwards, releasing a spike of gic energy at the sand.


    Fang Yi supported her attack with a gale of wind, causing the mes of her attack to re. The grains of sand in the air fell to the ground even as the purple mes continued shooting forth. Zhang Lie could see just how developed Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s teamwork was, as well as their innate ability to coordinate to an impressive extent.


    At the same time, Yang Ze and Li Feng worked together to fill the region around them with a light mist, forming a mirage to confuse the beetle of the sands.


    His teammates'' coordination was beyond his expectations, at least when it came to setting up a proper defense. How was their offense?


    The world seemed to tilt as the sand beneath their feet copsed, causing Sun Mengmeng and the others to stumble.


    Zhang Lie frowned: the beetle of the sands seemed to be rampaging.


    The sand suddenly coalesced into a pair of huge ws. Despite the mist obscuring the beetle''s vision, the wide-ranged attack would hit them all no matter how they tried to evade it.


    Zhang Lie still had no intention of stepping forward. ?This was the first trial that they had faced uponing to the Desert of Silence, and Zhang Lie wasn''t going to deprive them of such a useful opportunity to learn.


    Furthermore, the beetle of the sands had already exposed its greatest weakness. Whether or not they would win would depend on how quickly they could spot that weakness.


    As the sand beneath their feet began to shift once more, the w enveloped them in its shadow.

 Chapter 117: Against a Common Foe

    <h4>Chapter 117: Against a Common Foe</h4>


    Zhang Lie instinctively stepped forward before stopping short once more. Their excursion to the Desert of Silence was meant as a training exercise, and there would be no point to it if he were to step in now. Furthermore, this was a rtively easy lifeform to defeat by the outskirts of the desert. If they weren''t able to defeat it, then how would they be able to proceed deeper into the desert?


    Zhang Lie steeled his heart and stood in ce.


    The beetle''s w swiped downward, raising such a storm of wind and sand that it was difficult for the hunters to keep their eyes open.


    Fang Yi raised his spear to the skies. Activating [Rondo of Wind and Storm] with a shout, electric currents spiked up and down his body, and a bolt of lightning flew out of his spear.


    "Sun Mengmeng, I need your help!" As expected of someone who became a prominent hunter in Zhang Lie''s past life, Fang Yi responded quickly and decisively in the face of danger.


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. Fang Yi concentrated all his attention on the spear in his hands; as gic energy surged out of his body, he suddenly thrust his spear upwards. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and snakes of lightning sparked from the tip of his spear, glinting with the effect of [Heaven''s Judgment].


    Sun Mengmeng followed up with [Baptism of Hellfire]. Purple mes shot toward the beetle''s w, instantly vaporizing any grains of sand they touched along the way. As the mes made their way past Fang Yi''s spear, they burned even more brightly and shot forward even more rapidly.


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had used all their strength for this one blow: the beetle''s w seemed like a devastating attack, one that they couldn''t take lightly.


    Zhang Lie, watching the scene from behind them, inclined his head. Given how quickly Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had been able tounch theirbination attack, as well as how remarkable their improvement had been, it seemed as though they were really quitepatible with each other.


    As lightning, fire, and wind smashed against the beetle''s w, it cracked and split apart, raining sand down all thebatants below.


    An unusual insect''s cry came from underground, and the grains of sand that had made up the w suddenly started to condense. The cracks in the w were filling up, and the beetle seemed able to hold its own against even Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi''sbination attack.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned, but she believed that Fang Yi would be able to ovee this obstacle.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Tribtion of Lightning]!" Fang Yi shouted. His eyes opened wide, pupils glowing with yellow light. His spear, once again sparking with energy, thrust toward the heart of the w.


    As though it had been struck by lightning, the grains of sand that made up the w exploded and slowly drifted back down to the desert.


    Zhang Lie exhaled. In the end, Fang Yi had managed to defend against the beetle''s attack, but the beetle itself was still underground. The hunters of Team Zenith would need to find its body before they could truly end the battle.


    How would they proceed?


    Following Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi''s example, the other hunters of Team Zenith also paired up and got into position. They were carefully scrutinizing their surroundings. Yang Ze''s body glowed with energy, and Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying were ncing all around them.


    Under such circumstances, Zhou Ying''s elemental attunement would be somewhat restricted, and she wouldn''t be able to make use of its full power.


    Li Feng wouldn''t be able to find the beetle on his own, and his light attunement wouldn''t be able to do much damage. Instead, he chose to shore up his reserves of gic energy to support another attacker, a reasonable choice.


    Yang Ze seemed as though he were about to make a move, but why would he do so out here in the desert, where the heat and dryness would both counteract his elemental attunement?


    It seemed as though he had uncovered the beetle''s crucial weakness. Just as he was unsuited for the desert, so was the beetle of the sands unsuited for him. His water-attuned gic energy could be condensed into a fair amount of water and fed into the sands. This would result in the formation of ayer of mud, far thicker in consistency and therefore harder to control than individual grains of sand. Furthermore, escaping from the mud would likewise be a challenging task.


    To Zhang Lie, it was apparent that his teammates had gotten a grasp of the situation in front of them, and that they knew exactly what their role in the group was. This alone represented significant growth: after all, they weren''t having a mock battle at a training ground, but were instead engaged in a life-or-death battle in the Desert of Silence itself. They would need to bear responsibility for their own lives, as well as those of their teammates.


    With a dull thud, Yang Ze pounded the ground, using [Fists of the Silent Sea] to send waves of water seeping into the sands. An outsider might have thought that Yang Ze was just practicing a technique, but his repeated applications of [Fists of the Silent Sea] had seeded in concentrating water-attuned gic energy in the air and sand around him, causing the grains of sand to stick together as a result of the sudden moisture.


    The dry sand began to shift and swirl, and the sudden change caused the beetle of the sands, mired deep underground within a protective shell of sand, to twitch in difort.


    Zhou Ying''s eyes sparkled. She wouldn''t have been able to do anything in the dry desert, but now that Yang Ze had created a patch of moisture, things were different.


    "[Storm of Leaves]!" Zhou Ying buried her hands amidst the mud as her body shone green. Vines and tendrils dug into the sand, trying to find where the beetle of the sands was hiding. "It''s here!"


    As the beetle screeched from underground, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, who had since charged up their respective techniques, struck at once. [Baptism of Hellfire] and [Heaven''s Judgment] sank into the sands right where Zhou Ying pointed.


    The screech turned shrill. Thebined force of Sun Mengmeng''s purple mes and Fang Yi''s lightning caused an underground eruption, and a mud-colored beetle flew out from a cloud of sand, dyed in bright green blood.


    "Not bad! It''s very impressive what you all have managed to do against this superior-grade lifeform on your own," Zhang Liemented.


    The beetle had been wrapped up in Zhou Ying''s vines, causing it to take the full brunt of Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s blows. Its chitin was charred ck and smoking, and it had clearly taken significant damage from thebination of attacks.


    The beetle screeched again, waving its eight legs as it madly tried to dig its way out of the mud.


    Of course, the hunters present wouldn''t let it escape. The moment it jumped up, they swiped their weapons at it. How could they let a superior-grade lifeform escape so easily? Not only would it provide needed superior gene fragments, soulshards from such lifeforms would form the basis of their future growth.

 Chapter 118: Stirring Up Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 118: Stirring Up Trouble</h4>


    Struck by de after de, the pitiful beetle of the sands finally died with a wail. Its eight legs trembled, then stilled. As a gust of wind blew by, yellow sand covered up its body.


    [You participated in the sessful kill of a superior-grade beetle of the sands. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade beetle of the sands, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Unfortunately, this particr beetle didn''t drop a soulshard. Fang Yi shook his head in exasperation. Despite all their hard work, they had only managed to obtain a few superior gene fragments, but even the fragments alone were a big prize.


    Zhang Lie tutted at their disappointment. "Don''t forget what the purpose of all this training is. You all still need to fill up your superior gene capacity, and you can acquire soulshards at any time afterwards!"


    The others nodded, stored the beetle''s body, and headed deeper into the desert. The further in they went, the stronger the lifeforms they encountered became. Some were even stronger than the beetle of the sands, but Zhang Lie didn''t have to step in even once.


    Although it looked as though the battles were getting more trying, the other members of Team Zenith seeded at every challenge thrown at them and won victory after victory.


    As they passed by a small oasis, Zhang Lie called for a halt.


    "What''s the matter, Captain?" Sun Mengmeng asked. Her white armor had turned ck with stains and soot, and she looked a little worse for wear.


    The other hunters of Team Zenith were in simr straits.


    "This is as far as I''m going to go. It''s time to head back," Zhang Lie informed them, stretching.


    "We''re stopping here? Aren''t we only past the outer perimeter?" Sun Xiaowu asked. He didn''t want to leave just yet¡ªhe''d acquired quite a lot of superior gene fragments in just a short while!


    "I''m going to head back on my own. Once you guys don''t feel like you can go any further, I''lle back and bring you back out. Don''t get too close to the center," Zhang Lie cautioned.


    Sun Mengmeng was about to say something when Zhang Lie''s body suddenly red with gic energy, and he vanished into thin air.


    Had he left just like that? Sun Mengmeng''s face spasmed.


    "Are we... alone now?" Yang Ze wondered.


    "Don''t you know what our captain''s intentions are?" Sun Mengmeng sucked in a deep breath.


    "Even in our previous encounters with superior-grade lifeforms, the fact that he was at our backs gave us significant confidence, and if nothing else, we could rely on him to clean up our mess. But now that he''s gone, we have to be able to rely on ourselves," Fang Yi exined. He walked past the others and continued steadfastly onward.


    The other hunters all calmed down, then followed suit. It was time for them to fight on their own.


    Zhang Lie walked out of the desert humming to himself. After examining his teammates'' skills for himself, he was confident that they wouldn''t be in danger unless they were to wander into the heart of the desert. Furthermore, what would be the point of the training if he were present for all of it?


    "I hate sand," he groused to himself. There were countless grains on his clothes and rubbing against his skin, and quite a few had fallen into the sole of his shoes.


    A hot bath sounded particrly refreshing at the moment. He shook his head, frowning at the grains of sand the motion dislodged, and hurried back to the cksteel settlement, making a beeline for the cksteel Inn.


    After a long, steaming bath, Zhang Lie sat cross-legged on his mattress as he began reflecting on [Eclipse].


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Second Form: Serpent Techniques: Rippling Walk (advanced), Three-Wave Crescendo (advanced), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (advanced), The Boundless de (advanced), Eclipse (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior)


    Zhang Lie''s current stats were unrivaled by any hunter, past or present, in the first realm of the dimensional world.


    His study of [Eclipse] proceeded surprisingly fruitfully, because he had unwittingly activated [Eclipse] during the Kez invasion. The life-or-death struggle had markedly enhanced his understanding of both [Eclipse] and the serpent form of [Ninecarp Transformation], and it might even be possible for him to break through with both techniques before the Void Cup.


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie''s transceiver beeped. The call was from Lawyer Zhang Hong. If she were calling, then there had to be an issue with the dojo. Zhang Lie epted the call with a frown.


    Zhang Hong''s face stared at him. "Mr. Zhang, there have been some problems with the acquisition ofnd for the dojo. I''m afraid I''ll have to speak with you in person about these issues," Zhang Hong reported seriously, her face grim.


    Zhang Lie nodded, then arranged to meet with her immediately. Once the call ended, he rushed back to the real world, and then headed to Zhang Hong''s office.


    "What''s the problem?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Everything had been going smoothly until we were told that the dojo leader''s qualifications could not be ascertained."


    Zhang Lie frowned. There had been a surprising amount of red tape associated with constructing a dojo, but Zhang Hong had dealt with all of it admirably.


    The fact that there was only a problem with the dojo leader was quite curious. This particr piece of paperwork required demonstrable skill or experience from the intended dojo leader, so as to prevent chatans from starting up their own dojo.


    Given Zhang Lie''s performance during the Kez invasion, this paperwork should have been trivial, and he had anticipated acquiring thend rights to be more problematic. How had the opposite happened?


    "How could this be? Don''t they know I''m the intended dojo leader?"


    "The process had been going well, but after the government official in charge of the paperwork left to take a call, his attitude underwent a significant reversal, and he refused to grant the required certification," Zhang Hong reported.


    It was obvious that someone was intending on preventing Zhang Lie from constructing his dojo.

 Chapter 119: Tell Me More

    <h4>Chapter 119: Tell Me More</h4>


    There were quite a few people who could affect government proceedings with just a single call, but those who would be targeting Zhang Lie at this critical juncture could only be the Wang, Qin, or Li ns.


    "What do you propose, Lawyer Zhang?" Zhang Lie didn''t seem particrly concerned. The reason that Zhang Hong had asked to meet up for a face-to-face discussion likely wasn''t just to report this failure.


    "Mr. Zhang, that person''s attitude was unusual enough that I''m afraid my team won''t be able to deal with the situation alone, so..." Zhang Hong paused as she turned to Zhang Lie. The fact that she had to rely on his assistance, despite his handing everything over to her, meant that she had failed in her duties. On the other hand, if Zhang Lie didn''t step forward himself...


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Don''t worry. I''ll handle the certification myself. Thanks for your help, Lawyer Zhang."


    Contacting Zhang Lie had been Zhang Hong''sst resort, and she was thankful that he had been so understanding.


    Zhang Lie headed straight toward the branch of the dojo consortium in Ning.


    The dojo consortium was responsible for all dojo-rted affairs on Earth, and all those who wanted to establish a new dojo would have to have their qualifications tested and paperwork handled at one of their branches worldwide.


    The pale blue building that was the Ning branch had an unusual ball-like shape. Before the front doors were two armored soldiers. As Zhang Lie strode forward, the two soldiers stared at him, and by the time he reached the doors, they had both rushed forward.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Were they going to attack him before he could even enter the building?


    Just as Zhang Lie prepared to circte gic energy to counter the two soldiers'' attacks, one of them stepped forward, his body trembling slightly out of excitement.


    "May I ask if you''re the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?"


    "Er¡ªyes, I am," Zhang Lie responded.


    "Wonderful! It''s truly honor to see you in person. May I get your autograph?" He turned and elbowed hispanion. "I told you that was him! I sensed him from a distance!"


    Both soldiers beganughing out of excitement, reminding Zhang Lie of how famous he had be.


    After signing an autograph for the two soldiers, he entered the building, causing yet anothermotion at the front desk as he inquired about the certification process for a dojo leader.


    The receptionist pointed Zhang Lie to a door hidden by a secluded alcove, and Zhang Lie was about to walk in when he heard voices from within.


    "Don''t worry, thatd won''t have a chance to open his dojo!


    "Yes, there''s no way he''ll be able to obtain the certification with me around.


    "Perhaps another day? I''m going to be rather busytely with work. Yes. Yes? I''ll gratefully ept, then," a greasy, unctuous voice came from behind the door. Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. There was indeed a problem, and the source of it was right here.


    Once everything had settled down inside, he knocked on the door.


    "Enter." The man within seemed a little irritated to have been disturbed.


    As Zhang Lie entered the room, he saw a bald figure arranging a few documents on his desk. The man continued sorting through his documents even as he heard Zhang Lie approach. Without looking up at him, he asked, "Are you here for certification? Come back tomorrow, my work day''s almost over!"


    "Almost over? Isn''t it only 3:30 PM?"


    The man shot Zhang Lie an annoyed nce. Seeing that Zhang Lie was a youngd, his distaste only grew.


    "You really don''t know how things work around here, do you? Who''s the representative in charge of your dojo? Go back and tell him toe back next month!"


    "You''ll have me wait a whole month just because of something I said? I''d consider that an abuse of power, Official Yang. I''m the representative for my dojo, and I''m here to be certified as a dojo leader." Zhang Lie sat down in the chair before the other man''s table.


    Only then did the official focus his full attention on the arrogant upstart who had dared offend him. His eyes widened. This¡ªthis was the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!


    As expected, he was brash and arrogant, and he still expected to be able to found a dojo despite all the enemies he had made.


    "As I''ve said, it''s time for me to get off work. Return tomorrow!" Official Yang made to leave.


    "I''ll repeat myself: I''m here for the dojo leader''s certification. From your expression, it looks like you''ve recognized me, haven''t you? With my newfound poprity, I wonder if I could make you famous by lodging aint against you?"


    Zhang Lie was still smiling pleasantly, but his words were as sharp as his de.


    Silence descended on the room until Official Yang broke it with augh. "I do have some recollection of your intention of founding a dojo, and I believe I''ve met with yourwyer, but there''s simply no way you''ll be able to obtain your certification. Stop wasting your time."


    He seemed unperturbed by Zhang Lie''s threat, and his beady eyes nced disdainfully at Zhang Lie.


    "Is that so?"


    "Of course! In Ning, I haveplete authority over this certification."?Do you think I''d ever let someone from the slums start a dojo here?


    "Let me guess who your backer is, then. The Li n? The Qin n? Or perhaps... the Wang n?"


    Zhang Lie pinned Official Yang down with a piercing nce. Although he wasn''t circting his gic energy, his killing intent was sufficient to make Official Yang jumpy and anxious. Furthermore, when Zhang Lie brought up the Wang n, he had swallowed slightly, and his pupils suddenly contracted.


    It was clear just who was responsible for this annoyance.


    "I don''t understand what you''re talking about. The reason you won''t ever get the certification is because you''re unqualified!" Official Yang shouted.


    Zhang Lie smiled with his teeth. "Is that so? Please, tell me more."

 Chapter 120: The Dojo Consortium

    <h4>Chapter 120: The Dojo Consortium</h4>


    "Of course. Your aplishments are impressive, but rules are rules. There are two main reasons you won''t pass the dojo leader certification, age and strength. ording to official guidance, you must be over 25 years of age to be a dojo leader, and as a dojo leader, you must be at least a second-realm hunter."


    Official Yang yed his trump card after realizing just how difficult Zhang Lie seemed to be to deal with.


    Zhang Lie frowned. He didn''t think the official would lie to him about such matters, so these were likely basic requirements that he did have to meet. He had neglected to confirm this information for himself; after all, in the past, he certainly hadn''t done anything of the sort, and he didn''t realize just how difficult it would be to start a dojo on his own.


    That said, there were surely exceptions to the rules, and if he really couldn''t skirt past them, he would simply use his newfound poprity to try to sway the authorities!


    "Are these all necessary requirements?" Zhang Lie pressed.


    "Not quite!" Official Yang''s beady eyes made Zhang Lie want to p his face, but his response was just what Zhang Lie was hoping to hear. The official seemed to be waiting for him to inquire further, as though he had prepared a trap for Zhang Lie to jump into.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What are the exceptions?"


    "Your age can likely be dealt with given your current status and medals, but the more important requirement is that of strength. The exception to the strength requirement is a special examination." Official Yang smiled.


    "Indeed?" Zhang Lie mirrored his smile, understanding what woulde next.


    "Exactly. As long as you pass this examination, you''ll be able to obtain the required certification."


    So this was the trap. If he didn''t intend to take the examination, he would surely be unable to found his dojo. On the other hand, if he epted blindly, he could well be putting himself in grave danger.


    "Will you ept? My understanding is that the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie fears nothing," Official Yang murmured slyly.


    This was Zhang Lie''s only route forward.


    "There''s no need to incite me. I ept. Let the Wang n find me a decent opponent," Zhang Lie replied resolutely.


    "Very well, very well. As expected of a folk hero! Come back here tomorrow, and I''ll bring you to the testing ground myself."


    The moment the door shut behind him, Official Yang made a call.


    "Yes, he''s epted the examination.


    "What?! No, certainly not!


    "No, well¡ªif I agree to this, you''ll have to guarantee that the dojo consortium will suffer no recrimination for his death!


    "Very well. He''lle back for the examination tomorrow."


    Zhang Lie returned to his house in the slums. Since he was going to take the examination tomorrow, rather than return to the dimensional world, he decided to cultivate back on Earth. After all, he would be up against the most challenging opponent the Wang n could find on such short notice.


    As rays of daylight pierced his window, Zhang Lie''s eyes opened wide, and he retracted the ck gic energy that suffused and enveloped his body. After a night of cultivation, he was at his prime. Furthermore, after having meditated on [Eclipse] a few more days, he had gotten quitefortable with its use.


    Shall I be the hunted, or the hunter??Zhang Lie strode toward the Ning branch of the dojo consortium, a baseball cap on his head. Having learned from his previous experience, he tried to take a circuitous path that wasn''t densely popted. He had no intention of being at the center of attention, so it was far more rxing for him to travel via these rtively deserted side paths.


    Under the morning light, the pale blue building seemed to glow softly. Zhang Lie sucked in a breath and walked into the building while a figure stared coldly at him from near the roof.


    "Have you finished the preparations? ?He arrived far sooner than I expected." The figure turned to the old man beside him.


    "Two hunters from the second realm, their gene capacities capped. And to guarantee sess, I''ve even prepared something good for the two of them." The old man began to cackle, exposing his grimy, ck teeth.


    "In that case, I''ll be heading back first." The figure seemed a little disgusted by the old man, and he vanished into thin air like a shadow.


    Zhang Lie headed straight toward Official Yang''s office. His door was wide open, and he nced at Zhang Lie the moment he entered.


    "Oh? I''m surprised you came so early. I''ve just arrived at work myself!" His eyes were gleaming with anticipation, as though he were already imagining Zhang Lie''s tragic downfall.


    "Isn''t it best to get things over with?" Zhang Lie replied confidently.


    "Well, follow me." Coughing a few times, Official Yang brought Zhang Lie deep into the building.


    After they passed by a few corridors, their surroundings darkened, and he directed Zhang Lie toward a teleportation array. As Zhang Lie stepped toward the array, he felt a spatial distortion tugging him forward. Everything turned ck; by the time he regained his senses, he found himself in a spacious room, with a long tunnel wide enough only for a single person to walk through.


    "The examination will begin the moment you enter. I''ll await you out here, and if you give up in the middle, you can call out loudly to summon help," Official Yang continued.


    Zhang Lie nced at the dark tunnel ahead, which seemed like the maw of a giant beast. As he strode forward, the light around him became dim, and he could feel gusts of cold wind peppering him from the front.


    "You''d better not die inside, or I wouldn''t know how to exin it to my superiors!" Official Yang called out from behind.

 Chapter 121: Walking into a Trap

    <h4>Chapter 121: Walking into a Trap</h4>


    As he walked through the tunnel, Zhang Lie felt as though his whole body had been engulfed by the darkness, so all-epassing that he couldn''t even see his fingers when he stretched his hand out.


    A whirring noise came from underground, perhaps from some sort of robot, followed by a series of crisp popping sounds. The tunnel lit up with bright res of white light.


    Zhang Lie frowned. He was still within the tunnel. Surrounding him were what seemed to be a variety of statues, which seemed toe alive when the light shone on them. A path, illuminated by the lighting, snaked forward deeper into the tunnel.


    Knowing that the Wang n was targeting him, Zhang Lie had no choice but to give this examination his full attention.


    As he walked to the end of the tunnel and found a set of robotic doors barring his way, he knew that the examination was about to begin.


    "The test of strength shall now begin," a cold, robotic voice intoned, before the center of the doors shone with red light. The doors opened, releasing a cloud of white smoke.


    Zhang Lie discovered that the testing ground was a diator pit. The floor was paved with inscribed stone, specifically designed to be resilient against damage. Four tunnels were evenly spaced around the circr arena. Zhang Lie nced into each of the dark tunnels, seemingly able to hear a faint rustling sound from inside.


    "The test shall nowmence."


    The doors to the pit began to close, and the ring white light dimmed. Thick mist sprayed out of small holes in the walls of the arena, making Zhang Lie feel as though he were about to face a dangerous foe indeed.


    As the mist filled the entire arena, a dark shadow emerged from one tunnel. As he felt a gust of wind heading his way, Zhang Lie instinctively began to circte his gic energy, activating [Mirrored Refraction] as he did so.


    The ground shone with refracted light, and the ck shadow easily prated Zhang Lie''s chest. However, there was no blood to be seen. Zhang Lie''s image dissolved into light and shadow.


    By that time, Zhang Lie had snuck up to the shadow''s back and was observing it carefully. It wasn''t particrlyrge in size, and it stood on four unusually thick legs. All in all, it seemed much like an adult pit bull.


    Its body was covered with ck armor, and each of its joints glowed with electricity¡ªa robotic hound. Zhang Lie marvelled that this examination was to be carried out with robotic lifeforms.


    Just as he was contemting what to do next, dazzling light shone from within one of the tunnels as a pack of robotic hounds flew toward Zhang Lie. In mid-air, as their bodies crackled with electricity, they dashed forward far faster than before, pouncing straight toward Zhang Lie''s throat. They opened their jaws wide to reveal sharp, spiked teeth, far stronger than even Zhang Lie''s reinforced body could withstand.


    These robotic hounds were based on woofbugs, and were apparently able to disy varying levels of strength depending on the quality of their construction. The ones that Zhang Lie were facing seemed to be at the peak of the first realm.


    Zhang Lie used [Rippling Walk] to avoid the attack, then activated [Three-Wave Crescendo] against the closest hound.


    It exploded almost as the attack struck it, but the remaining hounds swarmed him like a ck tide. Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed. These robotic hounds were strong and agile, and would individually have been challenging even for a peak first realm hunter, but unfortunately for them, their opponent was Zhang Lie. He had stood against a veritable sea of woofdogs, let alone these inferior counterparts.


    As he activated his galewolf soulshard, his speed rose tremendously, and he vanished from sight. The robotic hounds stood still, processing the battlefield around them in order to analyze and predict Zhang Lie''s behavior and location.


    As they locked onto Zhang Lie''s position, their eyes gleamed, and Zhang Lie felt a tremor of unease. The robotic hounds opened their jaws wide, spraying out beams of fire in his direction. The beams were surprisingly rapid, and so hot that they distorted the air all around them.


    His elemental attunement was water, and these beams wouldn''t be too damaging to him, but something caught his attention the moment the houndsunched their attacks. The real danger wasn''t these beams of fire, but rather what they were hiding.


    As the beams of fire shot toward him, Zhang Lie waved Venombane, extinguishing the mes with his gic energy. Smoke and steam filled the battlefield.


    A chill shot down Zhang Lie''s back as stealthed assants, hiding in the darkness, finally revealed themselves. Before he could turn around, a huge wave of gic energy mmed into him from the side. des of wind rent tears in his armor.


    Zhang Lie frowned, activating [The Boundless de].


    Countless hounds perished amidst the relentless tidal waves. At the same time, Zhang Lie activated his white-grub soulshard, condensing silver armor around him, just in time to face another bout of howling winds.


    The wind blew with such speed that Zhang Lie felt as though he were about to be torn apart himself. Zhang Lie instantly deduced that this had to be a blow from a peak second-realm hunter.


    So this is what the Wang n nned.?Zhang Lie smiled. As he had expected, the test of strength was governed by the dojo consortium, and while Official Yang might have been able to modify some parts of it, there was certainly a limit as to what he could aplish.


    For example, it was unlikely that Zhang Lie would face an opponent beyond the second realm. Against Zhang Lie, a second-realm hunter wasn''t too difficult to defeat; after all, he had even killed a three-star ck-tipped scarab on his own.


    In other words, what he had to be wary of was his opponents'' equipment and techniques, as well as the number of opponents he would have to face.


    Indeed, there were at least two peak second-realm hunters.


    From his other side, a row of bright mes made his face seem to glow red. A fireball shot toward Zhang Lie. Supported by the first hunter''s wind, it grewrger andrger as it threatened to engulf him. The fireball and the gusts of windbined into a frightening tornado, pulling Zhang Lie into its midst.


    .

 Chapter 122: Against Two Terrors

    <h4>Chapter 122: Against Two Terrors</h4>


    "He should be dead now, shouldn''t he?"


    Two figures watched the ming tornado. It had sucked in even the robotic hounds that were cowering away. Thebination of the two second-realm hunters'' attacks produced mes that were hot enough to burn even their fire-resistant interior.


    No matter how strong Zhang Lie was, he was little more than a first-realm hunter who had gotten a little lucky, and theirbined efforts were surely enough to get rid of him.


    "Of course he''s dead! Liu Mo, don''t you think the n grossly overestimated his abilities? One of us would have been more than sufficient to deal with an insect like him." The second figure''s fiery-red armor was particrly eye-catching.


    Liu Mo, who had been hiding in one of the tunnels, stepped forward in a dark-green suit of armor. It did seem quite ridiculous to them that they, peak second-realm hunters, had been dispatched to ughter someone still in the first realm.


    "We may have taken things a bit too far, eh? Looks like there won''t even be a corpse remaining," Liu Mo murmured disdainfully.


    "What could we have done? He''s simply too weak."


    Suddenly, a change swept over the battlefield. From within the fiery tornado erupted a wave of water-attuned gic energy. A river of blood poured out from within the tornado, sweeping quite a few smoking hound carcasses out with it.


    Zhang Lie, having transformed into a forest wolfman, emerged from the bloody river with such power and authority that it stunned the hunter in red.


    "Be careful!" Liu Mo cried out, jolting the other hunter into action. Explosions peppering his feet, he quickly escaped from the grasp of the river.


    Red waves smashed against the floor of the testing ground, causing it to shudder. As the water sshed against the ground, corroding it and forming a hole burning with green smoke and filling the air with a noxious stench.


    The hunter in red stared at the sight. If he had been struck by Zhang Lie''s attack...


    "He didn''t die?!"


    Zhang Lie, dyed in blood, his eyes glinting, his shortsword glowing a radiant purple, gave the two second-realm hunters a huge shock. Their sneak attack had been strong, but Zhang Lie had noticed them before they struck.


    Almost as the fire-attuned hunterunched a fireball at him, he instinctively activated his superior-grade soulshards in session, pushing his ownbat power to the limit.


    That bloody river was one of Zhang Lie''s strongest attacks, which he had already shown off to devastating effect in the widely circted fight against the three-star scarab: [The Boundless de: the River Lethe].


    Not only had the two second-realm hunters failed in their sneak attack, it had barely harmed Zhang Lie. This wasn''t a training battle; they had intended on killing him with that one blow.


    "Oh? Perhaps this fight will be worth a little of my time, after all," Liu Mo called out. He didn''t dare underestimate Zhang Lie any longer, but his words were as confident as ever. Beside him, hispanion also seemed far more serious than before.


    In truth, if Zhang Lie hadn''t reacted so quickly, he would likely have be nothing but a pile of ash by now. Even he couldn''t take it easy when facing two peak second-realm hunters. His eyes gleamed red as he stared at both of them. His constitution wouldn''t be able to keep the effect of the blood ant soulshard up for long, and he would have to attack immediately. Otherwise, the moment the effect was over, he would be helpless.


    But despite his urgency, he couldn''t yet strike¡ªhe would need an opportunity. Activating his galewolf soulshard and [Mirrored Refraction] simultaneously, Zhang Lie seemed to vanish and reappear from sight in bursts, moving so quickly that neither of the hunters could pinpoint his location.


    "He has at least three superior-grade soulshards active," Liu Mo murmured. "We''d better fight with our full strength."


    The two hunters had their backs to each other, covering both of their weak spots.


    Zhang Lie activated his superior-grade venombane scorpion soulshard, vanishing from sight entirely.


    Liu Mo furrowed his brows. Hunters who had a potent stealth ability were extremely troublesome to deal with. Not only was Zhang Lie able to enter stealth at will, he couldunch a potent, devastating attack near-instantly, and he would be a formidable threat.


    The two of them nced at their surroundings as they slowly turned. Gic energy surged from their bodies. The moment they discovered Zhang Lie''s location, they would attack instantly.


    Zhang Lie had gained the advantage in this fight. While the boost from his blood ant soulshard was steadily ticking away, he continued inspecting the two hunters from the distance to determine their weak points. His strike would have to be lethal; he wouldn''t have enough time to repeat this procedure again.


    Silence filled the arena.


    Suddenly, a drop of sweat dripped down from the fire-attuned hunter''s forehead, causing him to blink. The moment he did so, an arc of blood speared toward him.


    "Watch out!" Liu Mo shouted.


    "[Wildfire Siege]!" The startled hunter activated a skill, blocking Zhang Lie''s devastating blow and causing a huge explosion. He was experienced enough to use a field-based attack in order to guarantee that Zhang Lie would take some damage no matter from which direction he attacked, but the tradeoff would be weakness in a direct confrontation. The sh of the two attacks caused an explosion apanied by a billowing cloud of steam, and the fire-attuned hunter stumbled back.


    Taking his ce, Liu Mo charged forward. "[Tiger''s Howl]!"


    Veins throbbed on Liu Mo''s arm as it suddenly grewrger, clearly the effect of activating some impressive soulshard. Wind encircled him, and three tigers formed from these gusts of windunched themselves toward Zhang Lie.


    Based on the density of gic energy gathered around Liu Mo, this was at least a legendary-grade technique,bined with a superior-grade soulshard.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t take this attack lightly. He took a deep breath and materialized a ck serpent around himself. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His eyes opened wide, as did the serpent''s. As his water- and darkness-attuned gic energybined perfectly, the serpent shot toward the three tigers.

 Chapter 123: The Final Blow

    <h4>Chapter 123: The Final Blow</h4>


    "Energy has exceeded maximum operating capacity!" a robotic voice sounded from above the diator pit, causing beams of red light to re like spotlights over the arena.


    As the serpent struck, distorting space, Liu Mo''s eyes widened. The three tigers of wind that he had conjured up were crushed like papier mache under the serpent''s advance, dissipating into gusts of wind in its wake.


    The ck serpent was releasing a torrent of gic energy as it shot toward Liu Mo, its curved fangs, green pupils, and slit tongue making it look so realistic one could easily mistake it for a living creature. Liu Mo was frozen by the sight.


    "Dodge!" hispanion called out, and Liu Mo barely managed to avoid the attack at the veryst moment, leaping up into the air like a willow leaf drifting in the wind.


    The serpent crashed into the ground, sending rubble flying all around the point of impact. Where itnded, there was a smoking crater seething with ck gic energy. Sparks of electricity shot out from the crater, and the piercing rm and red spotlights vanished in an instant.


    Liu Mo, buffeted by the wind, was flung quite a distance away by the attack.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Liu Mo wasn''t a weak hunter by any means, and he had managed to reduce the damage taken from Zhang Lie''s attack by using somebination of soulshard and technique.


    As Liu Monded on the ground and nced at the crater that the serpent''s attack had left behind, he felt his heart begin to palpitate. The floor was specially reinforced against such attacks, and yet Zhang Lie''s serpent had still managed to do so much damage to it.


    Even he and hispanion, working together, would have been hard-pressed to wreak such destruction. If he had been just a moment slower to react, he would surely have perished.


    "There''s something wrong with this kid," he whispered, his voice quavering.


    "Yes, he''s quite difficult to handle, isn''t he? No wonder the two of us were dispatched! But attacks of this magnitude will surely ce considerable strain on his body. He''s still nothing more than a first-realm hunter, so I doubt his constitution and reserves will allow him to keep this up for much longer," the fire-attuned hunter analyzed slowly.


    He walked forward, a radiant polearm in his hands.


    Liu Mo reflected on hispanion''s words and did the same, striding up to him with a serrated longsword.


    Fire and wind formed a barrier around them. Their gic energy had mixed in perfect harmony, causing even Zhang Lie to goggle. The level of trust required for this sort of effect was akin to cing one''s life in the other''s hands.


    A tiger of wind with wings of fire manifested in front of the duo.


    The Wang n had sent quite a challenge his way, and his reserves were indeed gging. He would have to end the fight rapidly.


    Zhang Lie raised his sword. He would win in one blow.


    "Using this attack against a first-realm hunter? I can''t believe we have to resort to this." Liu Mo raised his sword, his arm wreathed in wind.


    "We have no other choice¡ªhe''s too difficult to deal with otherwise!" Hispanion raised his polearm, aligning it with Liu Mo''s sword, causing their respective gic energies to meld together.


    As both hunters thrust their weapons forward, the tigerunched its attack. A vortex of wind and me was forming around the tiger, sucking up all the gic energy that had been dissipated throughout the arena and causing the tiger to re in brilliant light.


    "I suppose we had better consume this as a precaution, too," Liu Mo''spanion murmured, taking out a potion with an acrid, concentrated smell, so strong that Zhang Lie could smell it from quite a distance away.


    If he weren''t mistaken, this was a restricted potion that could temporarily raise a hunter''s abilities.


    Indeed, he could sense Liu Mo and hispanion''s auras surging by the moment, causing even Zhang Lie to feel short of breath.


    "This is our strongest blow. If you can handle it, then we''ll ept our defeat!"


    Even before the tiger made a move, Zhang Lie was already starting to sweat. A pressure that he had yet to experience since the fight with the three-star scarab required his full concentration to handle. He took in a deep breath, and the gic energy circting through his body began to rampage.


    This would be the final blow of the match.


    Just as the two parties were about to confront each other, two middle-aged men in suits suddenly walked into the Ning branch of the dojo consortium, one of whom was wearing a curious pair of gold-rimmed sses.


    A long string of numbers and data scrolled down the sses, but only its wearer was able to see it.


    "You''re certain that the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie came over here?"


    "Of course. The person who gave me that information works right here in this building. Apparently, he''s participating in some sort of test of strength."


    "What? How are we going to find him, then?"


    "Don''t worry, Li. The person who sold me that information will lead us inside. We''re sure to make the headlines tomorrow!"


    "Excuse me, you''re here to handle matters, aren''t you?" a uniformed attendant whispered to Li, coughing as he did so.


    "Yes, we are." Liu was rapidly motioning with his eyes, and Li quickly understood that this was the informant that Liu had been talking about.


    "In that case, follow me¡ªbut remember, you can observe and inspect the scene, but you''d better not touch anything!" the informant warned.


    Liu smiled and nodded as he stuffed a red card into the informant''s hands, which the informant pocketed.


    "You''re the only people I''m letting in here. After all, this is a branch of the dojo consortium, and even the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie had toe here himself to take a test of strength!" As soon as their surroundings were cleared of people, the attendant patted his wallet and began to boast to Li, telling him that the only reason the two of them had been allowed in was because he was doing Liu a favor, that most of those hunters who worked in the building wouldn''t have the required clearance to bring them inside.


    Li rolled his eyes. More urately, this informant was the only hunter working in the building who had been easy to bribe.


    "Alright, we''re here. The teleportation array is open¡ªgo do what you came here to do, and I''ll bring you back out in half an hour."

 Chapter 124: Tiger and Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 124: Tiger and Dragon</h4>


    "Ah, you''re sure that Zhang Lie''s in here?" Liu asked the informant for confirmation.


    "I told you he''s in there, didn''t I? Won''t you find out if you head inside?" The informant waved his hands at them in annoyance, ncing around as if worried that someone would appear at any moment.


    "Well? Let''s go in. Regardless of whether Zhang Lie''s inside, I''m sure we''ll be able to write a sensational article." ?Li nudged the gold-rimmed sses on his nose, tuning their senses to the maximum. Even if Zhang Lie weren''t inside the array, he would be able to expose the internal structure of these buildings, as well as the nature of the arena in which tests of strength were conducted.


    The two of them walked into the array and vanished with a puff of light.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie''s water- and dark-attuned gic energies merged as one, forming a pir of light. In his forest wolfman form, Zhang Lie''s hackles rose, and the pir of light was quickly dyed a lurid red. He clenched his fist, and the pir of gic energy, which seemed to havee alive, moved along with it.


    A mysterious aura filled the room. Opposite Zhang Lie, the tiger''s wind- and me-attuned gic energies seemed to turn faint, as if viewed through a pair of sunsses. Ripples spread out with Zhang Lie at the epicenter, as if he were a disturbance that had fallen into a still pond.


    The illusion of a night sky nketed them all, filled with shining stars and a radiant moon.


    Zhang Lie summoned his serpent around him even as he established [Eclipse]. The serpent soared toward the skies, then wrapped around the glowing moon.


    Liu Mo and hispanion felt themselves being weighted down, and their gic energy began draining precipitously from their bodies. Facing such unusual circumstances, they didn''t dare charge up their blow any longer. One waved his sword, and the other his polearm.


    "[mewind Duet]!" The tiger roared, then shot forward at Zhang Lie, propelled by its ming wings.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" At the same time, Zhang Lie released a breath and punched forward with his fist, sending a blood-red dragon surging toward the tiger.


    As the two beasts formed of gic energy shed with each other, the floor of the arena crumbled.


    Around the glowing moon, Zhang Lie''s serpent screeched, and gic energy dissipated even more quickly from the two hunters.


    "Just what kind of crazy fellow is this?!" Liu Mo felt thest drops of gic energy being wrung from his body, and he was unable to even maintain his armor from the dimensional world any longer.


    Hispanion was about to say something when he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, his body in internal disarray due to the serpent''s actions.


    The blood-red dragon crushed the tiger, releasing the wind- and fire-attuned gic energy that had made up the attack. A tsunami of energy wrecked the entire arena.


    The two hunters opposite Zhang Lie stared at him in shock: despite having taken the restricted potion, their strongest blow had been decisively countered by Zhang Lie.


    Not only that, the blood-red dragon was heading straight in their direction.


    They tried tounch a counterattack, but all their gic energy had been drained. In growing despair, they watched the dragoning their way.


    "Quick! ?We have to film this scene! Look at all the destruction in the arena! That''s what you''d expect from peak second-realm hunters¡ªthat Zhang Lie''s a crazy strong hunter!"


    Li and Liu had made their way to the arena stands, and Li''s face was tinted a fiery red from the lighting from the attacks below. Liu took out a portable recording device, which would capture the entire scene unfolding beneath them.


    "Li, it looks like someone''s going to die! Should we stop them?"


    "You want to meddle in that?! If they''re fighting to the death, it means that there''s something fishy going on with this test¡ªwe''d better not get involved. What''s more, do you think you can block that dragon''s attack?"


    Li rapped Liu on the head, who yelped in pain.


    The dragon descended on the two hunters facing Zhang Lie. Immediately afterwards, Zhang Lie deactivated the forest wolfman and blood ant soulshards, exposing a gaunt, pale-white face to Liu''s recording orb.


    The aftereffects of Zhang Lie''s blood ant soulshard were really quite severe. Zhang Lie chattered as pain wracked his body, waves of exhaustion turning his limbs to stone. He barely avoided copsing on the spot, supported only by his willpower. Of course, the strength it provided was more than enough to make the aftereffects worth bearing.


    "I''ll make the Wang n pay for what they tried today, I swear it," Zhang Lie gritted out. "Just you wait¡ªafter I found my dojo, the Wang n will perish!"


    He nced at where the two hunters had been standing¡ªthe dragon''s attack hadn''t left even a trace of their corpses behind. The Wang n had clearly been targeting his life, and perhaps they would have seeded if not for his newfound poprity shielding him from any more obvious attacks.


    It looked as though he would still have to be somewhat cautious in the future, but even so, despite what the Wang n had attempted, the final victor was Zhang Lie. He took a few minutes to recover, then left the arena with a faint smile on his face.


    Only then did Li and Liu, hiding in the stands, dare to rx.


    "Li, just who is this Zhang Lie? His opponents were peak second-realm hunters, weren''t they? How did he destroy them so utterly with just one blow? Isn''t he from the slums of Ning? He has no n or backer! How did he get so strong?!"


    Li smiled. "We''re not the ones who have to be concerned with all this. ?More importantly, did you capture the fight in its entirety?"


    "Yes, I did! ?It''s unfortunate that we were toote to record the entire fight, but¡ª"


    "No, thatst confrontation''s enough. We''re sure to make the headlines tomorrow¡ªlet''s go! Onest piece of advice for you: those in our profession seed because of our curiosity, but it''s likewise our downfall. Curb your curiosity, or it''ll lead you to your death."


    Li was far more practiced and experienced in this field than Liu, and he was well aware of the hidden dangers that could surface if he weren''t careful. He and Liu had both been present for the fight, and he didn''t want to lose his life because of Liu''s incaution.

 Chapter 125: Passing the Trial

    <h4>Chapter 125: Passing the Trial</h4>


    "Yes, Li, I understand! In that case, are we going to publicize this recording?" Liu swallowed a gulp of saliva, realizing the significance of the footage that he had captured.


    Although he hadn''t recorded the entire fight, thest blow was sufficiently shocking that the recording would nevertheless spread like wildfire. Furthermore, it had even recorded the techniques that Zhang Lie was using.


    "No, wait. This recording is likely worth far more than we can imagine." Li touched the rim of his sses. His expression was calm, but his trembling palms betrayed his excitement.


    "In fact, don''t tell anyone about the fact that we have this recording," Li warned Liu again, who hastily nodded.


    Li forced himself to remain calm as he and Liu left the testing ground. The lights flickered out, and all that remained in the arena were sparks of electricity shing in the darkness.


    Back in the building, Official Yang was restingnguidly in his office, sipping a warm cup of tea as he dreamt of Zhang Lie''s downfall. He nced at the time: it had been over two hours since Zhang Lie entered the testing ground, and his corpse was likely stiff by now.


    Looks like it''s about time to send a few cleaners in!?"Go have someone clean up the testing ground," he instructed a subordinate.


    "But, sir, no one''s been inside."


    "So? Do as Imand!" As Official Yang raised his voice, that worker rushed off toward the arena.


    Meanwhile, Official Yang packed his bags and prepared to leave work for the day.


    "Oh? Are you leaving already, Official Yang?"


    "Yes," Official Yang responded by reflex, not paying attention to just who was speaking to him.?Where to go to rx after work? Decisions, decisions...


    "In that case, what shall I do about my certification?"


    Official Yang froze as the owner of that voice finally registered in his head. He nced at the door, where Zhang Lie was standing with a half-smile on his face.


    "You..." Official Yang stared at Zhang Lie in shock and horror, pointing at him and gaping but unable to force out another word.


    "Sir, something''s gone very wrong in the testing arena. The reinforced ground''s been smashed to pieces, as though a frightening battle just took ce!" His subordinate returned bearing even more shocking news.


    Had Zhang Lie managed to defeat two peak second-realm hunters on his own? Two?! Not only that, Zhang Lie didn''t even seem the worse for wear!


    "Well, Official Yang? I''d like to discuss my certification with you."


    Zhang Lie sat down in the chair opposite Official Yang''s.


    Sweat dripped down Official Yang''s back and stained his shirt. All he wanted to do was escape from the frightening hunter in the same room as him, but, faced with Zhang Lie''s cool stare, his legs seemed to turn to jelly.


    "Hm?" When Official Yang didn''t respond, Zhang Lie frowned and seemed to grow visibly displeased.


    "I''ll check on the testing arenater. Leave me alone for now." Official Yang dismissed his subordinate and drummed up the courage to sit down opposite Zhang Lie, forcing out a pained smile.


    He knew that his position would be in danger now that Zhang Lie had passed the trial. Given Zhang Lie''s current poprity and status, if Zhang Lie were to report this incident and spur an investigation against him, he could well spend the rest of his life in prison.


    In fact, if Zhang Lie wanted to be even more vicious, Zhang Lie could even kill him on the spot. Given Zhang Lie''s status as a gxy fighter, it would be viewed as rightful retribution for the crime he hadmitted against Zhang Lie.


    At the moment, he felt a deep well of hate toward the Wang n, who had instigated him into carrying out this series of affairs.


    "Mr. Zhang, you''ve sessfully passed the trial, and will naturally be certified as a dojo leader. If you need the certification immediately, I''d be happy to assist you at once."


    Official Yang couldn''t care less about the Wang n at that moment. All that was on his mind was satisfying the gxy fighter in front of him and preserving his own life.


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond. He considered his fingers in silence, leading to an awkward pause in the conversation. The tension seemed to clench a fist around Official Yang''s throat, making it difficult for him to breathe.


    "Of course. I am, however, quite concerned about the rigor of the test. Who knew I would have to face peak second-realm hunters, and even two of them at that?" Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed.


    Official Yang clutched his armrests, not knowing how to defend himself. After all, ording to n, Zhang Lie should have perished within the arena as an ''ident''. His loss would be mourned, but that would be it.


    However, Zhang Lie had walked out of that trial alive. What was he to do?! He was a gxy fighter, and Official Yang was nothingpared to that!


    "You''re a rather unfortunate scapegoat, aren''t you? You might have managed to get a few things with your sess, but if you were to fail¡ªwell, you''d lose your job, and perhaps even your life."


    Zhang Lie rapped his knuckles against the table, and his words caused Official Yang''s expression to grow more and more despondent.


    "Was I taken advantage of?" Official Yang murmured to himself. "The Wang n, no, the Wang family head himself contacted me..."


    "Do you have a recording?" Zhang Lie smiled, as if praising him for his deduction.


    "N-No!"


    "A pity, then. Prepare a recording next time." With an ambiguous smile, Zhang Lie gave him amand, seemingly resigned to letting him live.


    "Yes, yes, of course, Mr. Zhang! I''ll definitely record our conversations in the future!" After all, this was the only reason he had been kept alive.


    Zhang Lie beamed. "In that case, I''ll await your good news. I hope you aren''t foolish enough to try anything funny. Once you have the certification ready, send it over to my house. I''ll have mywyer, Zhang Hong, be ready to ept it. I''ll be leaving much of the dojo''s affairs in her care, so I hope you''ll be friendly toward her, Official Yang."


    Zhang Lie sauntered out of his office.


    Only then did Official Yang, his forehead now beading with copious amounts of sweat, sink down into his chair, the fat on his face trembling because of his rage. The Wang n had almost killed him!


    At the same time, back in the Wang n''s meeting room, Wang Han was seated at the top of the table with a glower on his face, as the old man with ckened teethy prostrate on the ground, not daring to raise his head.


    "Didn''t you assure me that two peak second-realm hunters, along with a bottle of restricted potion, would be all you needed to take care of Zhang Lie?!"


    As Wang Han''s gic energy surged, the wizened old man trembled in fear.


    However, Wang Han was equally confused as to how the two peak second-realm hunters had failed. Surely there was no way Zhang Lie could ovee such overwhelming odds against him. What could have gone wrong with the n?

 Chapter 126: Prepared for Everything

    <h4>Chapter 126: Prepared for Everything</h4>


    "Head, if I''ve failed, then that must mean that Zhang Lie has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. Please, give me another chance. I swear I''ll destroy him for the Wang n!" the wizened old man shouted, seeing that Wang Han was deep in thought.


    Wang Han frowned. "That reminds me. Apparently, thisd was among the hunters who entered the Eclipse Sage''s ruins. Could he have obtained the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance? In addition to his father''s inheritance... yes, that must be how he became so difficult to deal with! We can''t leave such a thorn by our sides."


    Wang Han clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white.


    The reason he had such killing intent against Zhang Lie wasn''t only because of what he had done to the Wang n, but also because of the opportunities and the resources that were avable to him. If the Wang n allowed him to grow unrestrained, he would surely ruin them all.


    "Head, Zhang Lie''s both a gxy fighter and a dragonsoul warrior. It''ll be extremely difficult toy a hand on him, and we''ll need a few helpers to be able to do so," the old man cautioned, sneaking a peek at Wang Han''s face.


    "Don''t worry, we just need an opportunity to strike. As for helpers¡ªwell, we''re not the only n who wants to strike back at him. Get me a few more of those restricted potions, as strong as you can make them," Wang Han instructed. His smile was reminiscent of a snake''s.


    "Yes, Head!" The old man bowed, mbered up, and rushed off from the conference room.


    "Zhang Lie, let''s see just how tough you are!"


    After dealing with the dojo leader certification, Zhang Lie immediately called Zhang Hong to inform her of the good news. Then, he rushed back into the dimensional world and toward the Desert of Silence.


    A few drooping figures were syed out by the exit to the desert. Their armor was caked in grime and sand, and exhaustion lined their features.


    "I can''t handle it any longer," Sun Xiaowu moaned.


    Given the time difference between the real and dimensional worlds, Team Zenith had spent over ten days in the desert. They had killed, rested, and killed again. The Desert of Silence was equally dangerous at night as during the day, and they had to be alert at all times.


    Several species of lifeforms in the desert were particrly active, and they had honed their senses to the point where even the slightest disturbance would wake them all.


    However, their hellish training had rapidly increased their superior gene fragments and tempered their abilities and techniques, and they had all made huge gains from the excursion.


    "When''s the captaining back to get us?" Yang Ze wheezed. As he fought with various superior-grade lifeforms, he had gained increased understanding of both [Fists of the Silent Sea] and [The Boundless de], and he wanted to demonstrate that newfound knowledge to Zhang Lie.


    "It''s been ten days since I felt the captain''s aura. I think he''s left the dimensional world entirely," Sun Mengmeng responded.


    Just as they were talking among themselves, they suddenly heard the rustling of footsteps from the distance. The sound wasn''t particrly loud and was partially camouged by the howling winds of the desert, so they would have had to be listening carefully to distinguish it.


    Even so, every member of Team Zenith went on full alert, circting their gic energy and temporarily keeping their fatigue in abeyance.


    "Not bad! You''ve all developed greatly in just ten days." Zhang Lie trudged through the sand toward them, having deliberately made some noise to test their instincts.


    He had rushed straight to the Desert of Silence after his return.


    He had been dyed in the real world for a day or so, and over ten days had passed in the dimensional world. He was fearful that some incident had befallen Team Zenith, but it looked as though they were all safe and sound.


    "Captain!" Sun Mengmeng and the others cried out. After seeing his reliable figure walk closer, they were all finally able to rx.


    "You''ve all gained quite a bit of experience, as well as some superior gene fragments, it seems."


    "Of course! You don''t know just what we''ve been through these past ten days," Fang Yi said, chuckling bitterly.


    "Captain, you just left us there in the middle of the desert! Weren''t you afraid that something would happen?" Sun Mengmeng pouted.


    "Should I have been? The six of you are all armed to the teeth. What could have happened unless you wandered into the heart of the desert?"


    "Don''t mention it, Captain! We were wandering around the outer boundary when we saw an unusually strong superior-grade lifeform within, and we might have died if it noticed us!"


    Everyone seemed relieved to be able to share their experiences with Zhang Lie, who was shocked to hear that, after his departure, Team Zenith had stayed along the outer perimeter before daring to venture closer to the heart of the desert.


    They encountered quite a few stronger superior-grade lifeforms, but were able to hide or quickly defeat the ones they encountered. Although they found themselves in a few precarious situations, they had all made it out alive.


    .


    "Captain, just you wait! We''ll teach that Qin Xiao a lesson on your behalf during the Void Cup!" Yang Ze rubbed his palms, cackling confidently.


    "Right, Captain, did you return to the real world? What was so urgent?" Sun Mengmeng asked. Something big had to havee up if Zhang Lie was forced to remain there for a full day.


    "It was just some urgent paperwork that I had to take care of for the dojo. Don''t worry, I''ve handled it all already! For the next few days, take some time to digest what you''ve gained in the Desert of Silence. I''ll need all your help once the dojo''s ready to open."


    Zhang Lie didn''t bother informing them about the trial that he had to ovee for the dojo leader''s certification.


    "In that case, captain, does it mean that the dojo''s almost ready?"


    The hunters of Team Zenith were astounded by how quickly everything had fallen into ce. After all, given the stringent requirements and proceedings for founding a dojo, it was shocking that Zhang Lie had managed it all within the course of a month.


    "Almost. All of you had better train hard¡ªas my first disciples, you can''t embarrass me!"


    "Yes, Captain!" the hunters chorused.


    "Alright. Shall we head back to the cksteel settlement now?" Zhang Lie turned around and began walking away, motioning for his teammates to follow after him, the evening sun lengthening their shadows as they departed.

 Chapter 127: Preparing a Gift

    <h4>Chapter 127: Preparing a Gift</h4>


    After finally returning to the cksteel Inn from the Desert of Silence, Sun Mengmeng and the others quickly fell asleep. Over ten days of high-intensity hunting had taken its toll, and they were tired beyond all measure.


    Zhang Lie, on the other hand, was standing motionlessly in one of the training rooms in the inn, his white attire blending in perfectly with the white paneling of the room. With his aura curtailed, it was surprisingly difficult to spot him.


    As his breathing became weaker and weaker, he seemed to be a cohesive whole with the training room itself. However, just as his breath was about to expire, he suddenly opened his eyes.


    His water- and darkness-attuned gic energy circted around his body, and his serpent took form. Its pupils were a deep green, and its forked tongue a curious purple.


    The well-lit training room began to darken, as though the serpent was absorbing all the light that impinged upon it. And as the light was about to be fully extinguished, a series of ripples spread out from Zhang Lie, nketing the room in an illusion of a starry sky and a full, radiant moon.


    The serpent soared toward the moon, wrapping itself around it, diffusing the light that reflected off its scales and seemingly solidifying the darkness around it.


    A leaf fell into the room through a window. The moment it entered Zhang Lie''s domain, it withered instantly, then vanished in a puff of smoke.


    Zhang Lie breathed out and halted the cirction of his gic energy. The starry sky vanished, as did the glowing moon and his illusory serpent.


    He clenched his fist. Before the fight with the two peak second-realm hunters, he had only briefly grasped [Eclipse]''s auxiliary domain, but during the fight, when he had somehow managed tobine the effect of his framework and the technique, [Eclipse]''s strength and power of dissolution had all been magnified.


    Unfortunately, thebination of both effects was a huge drain on his reserves. His framework was still rtively low-rank, and he would only be able to sustain thisbination technique for a minute or so.


    "I really do need to find a way to develop my framework quickly," Zhang Lie sighed to himself.


    The opening of his dojo would be the culmination of a month of hard work. After what had happened to Wang Xiaohua and the incident at the venombane de, Zhang Lie had established quite a few enemies, and he was certain they would try to stir something up then.


    Back on Earth, in the slums of Ning, as the first rays of dawn shone on the bleak, gray buildings nearby, the residents of the slums were starting another dreary day.


    However, today was more special than most: the whirrs and hums of all sorts of robots had roused the residents awake, and they were wondering what was causing themotion. The buildings all around Zhang Lie''s house were being torn down, and smoke and dust filled the air.


    Such was the size of the destruction that the residents were all stunned by the sight.


    "What''s going on? Is the government going to be developing the slums?"


    "What? Haven''t you read the news? ?That house belongs to the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "What? That Zhang Lie, the one who''s been in the news? He''s from Ning, and he''s even from the slums? ?Surely that can''t be true!"


    "You''re really far behind the times, aren''t you? It''s perfectly true, and his background''s already been vetted by all sorts of media sources! Furthermore, I even heard that he''ll be building a dojo right here in the slums."


    "A dojo? You''re joking, aren''t you? Isn''t he only in his twenties? Is he qualified to start his own dojo?"


    "Of course he is! You realize that he''s a dragonsoul warrior and a gxy fighter¡ªwith those two titles in hand, he can basically do what he wants!"


    "Ah, in that case, what''s going to happen to us?"


    "Whatever''sing our way, I doubt it can make our lives worse."


    The residents of the slums felt as though they were indelibly marked as lower-ss citizens. Many of them dreamt of aplishing great achievements and elevating their status, but their upbringing and environment deterred them from this lofty goal.


    And yet, despite all odds, a youth who had to care for his disabled sister had done just that. His aplishments at such a young age and without any semnce of an illustrious background to speak of shocked and caused envy in those around him.


    "Heh, my daughter''s just turned 19, and our house is right by Zhang Lie''s..."


    "Pshaw! You think your daughter''ll stand a chance against those highbred women from the major ns?"


    It seemed as though everyone around was discussing the construction happening around them.


    News that Zhang Lie was constructing a dojo in the slums of Ning spread throughout China, and even the world federation. Quite a few curious people in or close to Ning even came to observe what was happening. If the dojo was receiving such publicity before it had even beenpleted, what would the opening day be like?


    Of course, there were those who couldn''t stand hearing about Zhang Lie''s sess.


    Qin Zongming''s face was seething with rage. As he smashed a fist down on a nearby table, it splintered and cracked. "He''s starting a dojo, is he?!" Qin Zongming thundered.


    The elders gathered around him knew what that implied.


    In modern times, dojos were sources of strength, as well as one of the easiest means by which a faction could easily grow strong. Some of the more prestigious and established dojos boasted powerparable to a few ancient ns.


    A fair number of disciples viewed their mentor as more important than their own n, and even those that didn''t would ce mentor and n on nearly equal footing.


    Once Zhang Lie''s dojo was open, he would quickly develop a mass of followers and grow significantly in strength. As long as he didn''t die, countless hotblooded youths would flock to his dojo and form the basis and foundation of his power. And once he reached the apex of his growth, even without the protection of the federation and Chinese government, the Qin n would be powerless against him.


    "Head, don''t worry: the dojo hasn''t been constructed, and whether or not it''ll ever be finished will depend on us major ns," the sixth elder, Qin Feng, advised. A few other elders immediately agreed with his viewpoint.


    "A dojo requires considerable resources to found, and if it were to fail, then so would this poord''s reputation!" Qin Zongming murmured to himself, the details of a devious n swimming through his head. "Yes, you''re quite right. In that case, the day of his dojo''s opening, we''ll send him a generous gift, won''t we?"

 Chapter 128: A Combination Present

    <h4>Chapter 128: A Combination Present</h4>


    After the discovery of the Eclipse Sage''s ruins and subsequent Kez invasion, the name of the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie had be a fixture in the discussions and meetings of the five major ns of the capital. Now that news of Zhang Lie''s dojo had spread, the major ns were starting to take action.


    At the heart of the Chu n, the elder Chu n head, Chu Buyu, sat watching the footage of Zhang Lie''s fight during the Kez invasion at the capital.


    "He used to best ce on the gene leaderboard in the cksteel Settlement, you say? And now he''s the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, whose name has spread far and wide across the continent."


    Chu Buyu''s eyes were filled with curiosity.


    "His achievements are shocking indeed, but trying to found a dojo in Ning just based on his newfound fame is hardly a wise decision," the Chu n''s first elder, Chu He,mented.


    Chu Buyu didn''t respond. He turned toward the elders gathered in the room.


    Zhang Lie held a rather curious position in the Chu n: they had suffered because of his scheme at the venombane de in the dimensional world, but they had also gained a considerable amount from working with him. After all, he had been the sole reason that the Chu scions had learned about the foundational breakthrough and gained an edge over those from the other ns.


    "Head, Zhang Lie and I are on good terms, and I''m sure I don''t have to expound on the benefits he''s brought to the n. His potential is nigh-unlimited, and if we support the founding of his dojo, I''m sure he''ll be a strong ally in the future," Chu Feng persuaded.


    "Right, he''s really strong!" Chu Xun pumped a fist into the air.


    "Young head, this affair could well affect all the major ns of the capital, and we can''t jump to hasty conclusions just because of your ims," an elder spoke up against Chu Feng. "Not only has Zhang Lie offended the Li, Wang, and Qin ns, he even sowed enmity with the Zhou, He, and Qian ns over what happened in the Eclipse Sage''s ruins. If we were to defend him now, we might well be targeted by all the ns opposed to him. This would severely impact our future growth and development! As a result, I propose that we attend Zhang Lie''s ceremony, but do so as a neutral party."


    As a neutral party? What a ridiculous notion!?Chu Feng clenched his fists. It had taken him considerable effort to build up a rtionship with Zhang Lie, so how could the n break it off just like that?


    "Head, Zhang Lie defeated a three-star ck-tipped scarab alone, and he''ll likely be groomed by both the world federation and Chinese government!" Chu Feng clearly wasn''t about to give up just yet.


    "In that case, if the world federation''s guarding him, what need is there for the Chu n?" another elder suggested. Most of the Chu elders observed the argument without participating in it; there were only a scant few elders siding with Chu Feng, but the final decisiony in Chu Buyu''s hands.


    "We''ll end discussion on this matter now. There''s no need for the Chu n to get involved at the moment. Let us watch the spectacle unfold."


    It was true that Zhang Lie had significant potential, but he would have to live for that potential to blossom. Otherwise, he would be nothing but a casualty in the path toward strength.


    To Chu Buyu, it wasn''t worth the gamble to simultaneously offend the Qin, Li, Wang, Zhou, He, and Qian ns for a supposed genius from the slums.


    However, Zhang Lie''s breakthroughs represented significant potential for investment, and Chu Buyu didn''t want to sour rtionships between them either. Waiting and remaining neutral would be the safest, most stable option.


    Chu Feng was dismayed by Chu Buyu''s decision, certain that the Chu n was giving up on an irreceable resource by choosing not to side with Zhang Lie, but he had no means of countering Chu Buyu''s decision.


    The same scenario was urring in the Yun n, where Yun Bing was red-faced from arguing in favor of Zhang Lie. Her opinion was essentially identical to Chu Feng''s, but no one of power in their ns had observed Zhang Lie for themselves.


    "Dad, please reconsider!" Yun Bing pleaded.


    "Young head, you must take the future of the n more seriously! Do you intend for the Yun n to go the way of the Qin? Zhang Lie''s a target for many of the major ns of the capital and Ning, and the safest option is for us to remain neutral."


    Many of the elders were against her, and no matter how much Yun Bing wracked her brain to defend Zhang Lie, she was bound to lose.


    "Don''t you know what Zhang Lie represents?" Yun Bing called out.


    The elders departed without looking back at her.


    "He''s the future, the future of Earth, as well as the future of humanity!"


    The rtionship that Yun Bing and Chu Feng had barely managed to forge with Zhang Lie could well be dissolved in light of their ns'' decisions today.


    "Sister, there''s no helping it. The elders won''t listen to you; they haven''t seen Zhang Lie for themselves! But don''t you worry, regardless of what the n does, I won''t stand by while Zhang Lie needs my help!" Yun Meng stamped her feet as she nced toward the door.


    Yun Bing looked up. Yun Meng was right: even if the n''s position was to remain neutral, that didn''t mean that she had to do the same!


    The n''s decision was logical and understandable: Zhang Lie would be a valuable resource, but the risk that the ns had to undertake was far toorge. Without having a better understanding of him, they wouldn''t choose to take that risk.


    In the Wang manor in Ning, three figures were seated by arge table, three steaming cups of tea ced in front of each of them¡ª the heads of the Wang, Qin, and Li ns.


    "For what purpose have you requested our presence, head of the Wang n?" Qin Zongming spoke up, breaking the silence. He had been the first to receive Wang Han''s invitation.


    Although the three ns shared amon enemy, they had had friction with each other in the past, and it was still difficult for them to peaceably plot for Zhang Lie''s downfall.


    Qin Zongming had left quite a few guards outside the Wang manor, and the head of the Li n, Li Mo, was likewise alert. He too had a few forces gathered outside the manor.


    On the other hand, the Wang head had met them alone.


    "Please, don''t worry. The matters of the past were nothing more than a misunderstanding, and I intend to let bygones be bygones. I''ve invited both of you here for a pressing matter: the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie."


    Wang Han took a sip of tea. Qin Zongming and Li Mo''s expressions had soured the moment Zhang Lie''s name was brought up, but they certainly seemed much less wary than before.


    Sensing the shift in the mood, Wang Han quickly continued, "He''s been recognized by both the world federation and the Chinese government, and we won''t be able to strike back at him directly. We''ve all suffered at his hands, and none of us will rest easily while he still lives. Dealing with him is surely a top priority for all of us."


    Qin Zongming agreed with Wang Han, but he had his own pawns in y.


    Even if he were to seek out an ally, he didn''t want to work with the Wang n, because they hadn''t been cleared of suspicion for involvement in the Qin n''s downfall.


    "He is indeed a pressing concern, but I have no need of allies to defeat him. If there is nothing more, I shall bid you both farewell." The proud Qin Zongming rose up from his seat, intending to leave.


    "Don''t look down on thatd. I sent two peak second-realm hunters against him, both having ingested a restricted potion in advance, and there wasn''t even a trace of their corpses left behind," Wang Han said, causing Qin Zongming to freeze.

 Chapter 129: Completion of the Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 129: Completion of the Dojo</h4>


    Wang Han''s words rattled around Qin Zongming''s brain, though he didn''t let any of that emotion show on his face. He knew full well what Wang Han''s words meant: Zhang Lie''s strength was far greater than it appeared at first nce.


    "Wang Han, you''re not joking, are you?" Qin Zongming sat back down.


    "Joking? Do you think I look like I''m joking? What''s more, a three-star scarab is on the level of a peak second-realm hunter, isn''t it?" Wang Han shook his head ruefully. If he were joking, why would he have sent for Li Mo and Qin Zongming?


    "A troublesome affair indeed," Li Mo murmured, his brows furrowing. As the Li n head, he knew that there was no reason for Wang Han to joke around. And while Qin Zongming shared the same sentiment deep down, he simply couldn''t digest this reality.


    "Furthermore, the two peak second-realm hunters I sent out were a coordinated pair, and strong even among peak second-realm hunters," Wang Han added. The table fell silent as Qin Zongming and Li Mo digested Wang Han''s shocking information.


    After all, if Zhang Lie really were that strong, then they surely had to get rid of him as soon as possible. Even if they had to suffer a blow to their reputation, getting rid of Zhang Lie was now of paramount importance.


    "I''m sure he must be a significant burden to both of you as well. If you don''t take him down, will you really be able to rest in peace?" Wang Han continued. If not for Zhang Lie''s stunning growth, nor the protection afforded him by the two titles he had recently received, he would hardly have convened this meeting with the Li and Qin heads.


    Qin Zongming raised an eyebrow. At this point, it was obvious what Wang Han was proposing: a coalition of the three ns, working together to get rid of Zhang Lie! It was honestly ludicrous that they had to devote such resources for a single first-realm hunter.


    "Please, consider my proposal. If he wins the Void Cup, or if he ascends to the second realm, then..."


    Wang Han allowed the two other n heads to fill in the details on their own.


    Qin Zongming''s frown marred his face. The enmity between the Qin n and Zhang Lie grew deep: if not for Zhang Lie, Qin Xiao wouldn''t have been expelled from the n, and the Qin n wouldn''t have suffered such retaliation from the other major ns of the cksteel settlement.


    Zhang Lie had gone from the bottom of the gene leaderboard to Dragonwolf in just a few months, and his growth rate was incredible. If he were to extrapte Zhang Lie''s growth for another few months...


    Qin Zongming''s back turned cold. Wang Han wouldn''t have called them over if he had no other choice, and Qin Zongming now understood why.


    "But if we want to deal with that fellow, we''ll have to go against the world federation and Chinese government. What do you propose?" Li Mo brought up the most pressing concern to him; it was out of fear of those two entities that the Li n hadn''t yet moved against Zhang Lie.


    "It''s true that we can''t strike at him directly, but if we do it indirectly?" Wang Han replied, having anticipated the question.


    Just like Li Mo, Qin Zongming also frowned. They had entertained such a suggestion before, but Zhang Lie was sly and difficult to get ahold of. He spent much of his time in the dimensional world, and was otherwise difficult to track down.


    "His dojo''s about to open, yes? The dojo consortium establishes that the dojo leader can be challenged up to three times on the opening day, and if something were to happen then, surely there''s no one else to me but the dojo leader himself. Even if there really were an investigation, do you think the government would crack down on all three of our ns just for a lone hunter who hasn''t grown to his full potential?" Wang Han began, the tendrils of a n forming in his mind.


    Qin Zongming and Li Mo''s eyes gleamed.


    "An interesting point of attack," Qin Zongming mused, the corners of his lips curling up.


    Wang Han smiled thinly.


    "In that case, it''s settled."


    "Farewell!"


    Qin Zongming and Li Mo stood up. They hadn''t worked out an exhaustive n of attack yet, but the matter was otherwise settled.


    The final preparations for the founding of Zhang Lie''s dojo represented the calm before the storm. Both in the dimensional world and in the real world, Zhang Lie encountered almost no problems at all, and his dojo steadily took shape.


    However, Zhang Hong, who had recently been promoted to legal consultant for the Zenith Dojo, felt a curious sense of unease.


    Although Zhang Lie had informed her that his dojo leader''s certification would be ready for her shortly, she was still a little concerned because of the extremely negative reception she had received when she approached the Ning branch of the dojo consortium.


    Just then, a hovercarnded outside her office. Official Yang stepped out, confirmed that this was where Zhang Hong worked, and hurried inside with a document in his hands. After taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.


    That knock startled Zhang Hong out of her thoughts.


    "Pleasee in."


    She shook her head and put on a professional smile.


    "It''s good to see you, Lawyer Zhang." As Official Yang walked in with a smile, Zhang Hong gasped. The day she had gone to the Ning branch of the dojo consortium to deal with paperwork, he had been so arrogant that it had left asting impression on her.


    "Official Yang? Please, have a seat." Although she was confused by the sudden shift in his attitude, Zhang Hong still gave him a professional greeting, and she had her assistant prepare some tea for him.


    Official Yang sank down onto her sofa, a smile still stered on his face, seeming a little reserved all of a sudden. "I''m here to bring you Mr. Zhang Lie''s dojo leader certification. The process was a littleplicated, so it took longer than I''d have liked."


    He carefully ced a document on the tea table, along with a microchip and a sheaf of papers.


    "Indeed, the dojo consortium''s paperwork is quiteplicated." Zhang Hong''s eyes widened. As she flipped through the documents, she found that all the paperwork had already beenpleted for her.


    Everything was ready! She expected that running around to get all the misceneous signatures required would be a rather arduous process, but Official Yang had saved her all that trouble. The Zenith Dojo, which Zhang Lie was intending to construct, was now recognized by both the world federation and the Chinese government.


    "Official Yang, thank you, I can''t thank you enough!" Zhang Hong was ted by the sudden reversal in his behavior.


    "No, it''s no problem at all. Now that this matter''s been resolved, please inform Mr. Zhang that I''ve handled the matter satisfactorily, and I hope he''ll be able to forgive me this once." Official Yang licked his parched lips as he awaited Zhang Hong''s response.


    Just what had Zhang Lie done to cause such a dramatic shift in Official Yang''s personality?


    "Yes, Official Yang, of course I''ll do that."


    "In that case, I''ll have to thank you in advance, Lawyer Zhang." Official Yang breathed out in relief. He prayed that Zhang Lie would let him go now that he had gotten the certification he wanted. "I''ll be off now."


    Official Yang inclined his head to her as he headed outside her office.


    Zhang Hong''s assistant came back into the room with tea just in time to see Official Yang leave, and was so surprised by his deference that she almost dropped her tea.


    Once he was out of the office, she immediately turned to Zhang Hong. "What''s going on, Miss Zhang? Why are the people from the dojo consortium treating you so respectfully?"


    "Ha, it''s respect toward Mr. Zhang, not me!"


    Zhang Hong thought back to Zhang Lie''s youthful appearance. She really was quite curious how he had managed to go so far in so short a period of time¡ªit seemed like yesterday that he had barely managed to afford the house he was living in.


    She was blessed to have met someone like him before his prime.


    Subsequently, she contacted Zhang Lie to inform him of the good news. "Mr. Zhang, the dojo leader''s certification is ready, and the construction of the dojo is itself finishing up. We''ll be ready for the grand opening in at most a week!"


    "That quickly? It looks like Official Yang works pretty quickly when he''s motivated to." He cut the connection, smirking. As he stretched, he breathed out. Now that the dojo''s opening day was imminent, he would have to temporarily pause his training.


    After washing up, he headed toward where the other members of Team Zenith were training.


    Zhang Lie was rather surprised that his teammates were so insistent on training; he had expected that they would take some time off after their grueling experience in the Desert of Silence, but they had all continued their training regimens the same way he did.


    The encounters they had ovee within the Desert of Silence and during the Kez invasion had made them well aware of how weak they were in the grand scheme of things, and how much hard work stilly ahead of them.


    "Captain!" The moment Yang Ze, sweating profusely, noticed his appearance, he immediately restrained his aura.


    Within the Desert of Silence, he had gained a deeper understanding of [Fists of the Silent Sea]. That,bined with the countless demonstrations Zhang Lie had shown him, had led to an evolution in his application of the technique, and he even seemed to be able to replicate the variants that Zhang Lie had shown off in the footage of his fight during the Kez invasion.


    "Alright, everyone, prepare to return to Earth!" Zhang Lie called out.


    Was the dojo finally finished? The hunters'' eyes gleamed.


    As they left the teleportation array and saw thepleted form of the Zenith Dojo for the first time, Sun Xiaowu and the others let out a surprised gasp.


    ck steel walls and a gateway arch constructed in the style of yore heralded an expansive dojo that dwarfed the buildings around it. By the entrance, on a b of gleaming stone, were engraved the words ''Zenith Dojo''.

 Chapter 130: An Audience with Su Feng

    <h4>Chapter 130: An Audience with Su Feng</h4>


    If not for these words¡ªDojo Zenith¡ªthe hunters of Team Zenith might have thought that they had mistakenly teleported somewhere else.


    "Wee back, Mr. Zhang!" The moment they stepped out of the portal, Zhang Hong weed them with a beaming smile. She held a pile of documents in her hands, most of which had something to do with the dojo.


    Zhang Lie looked them over while his teammates began exploring the interior of the dojo. It was extremelyrge, and adorned in rather austere shades of gray.


    "Thank you for your help and time, Ms. Zhang. These documents look good to me." Zhang Lie returned the documents to her.


    "Oh, no, I haven''t done much at all! In the end, you still had to step in..." Zhang Hong tucked an errant curl of hair behind her ear, her lips raised in a rather embarrassed smile.


    "No, don''t say that. What happened with Official Yang was an exception, and you''ve done a supetive job overall," Zhang Lie affirmed. "I intend to have the dojo open sometime this month, and I''ll let you know the date once I decide on it."


    "Yes, Mr. Zhang!" Zhang Hong nodded, then turned to leave.


    "Captain, the dojo''s all ready, isn''t it? What are you waiting for?" Sun Xiaowu asked, after Zhang Hong left.


    The other hunters of Team Zenith all looked toward him. They understood very well what a dojo represented on Earth.


    "I''m just giving a certain few people some time to prepare a gift for me," Zhang Lie exined vaguely, his eyes gleaming.


    The Wang n had already tried to get rid of him during the dojo leader''s trial of strength, and he was certain that they, along with the Li and Qin ns, would surely strike again now that news of the imminent founding of his dojo was spreading far and wide.


    They might be wary of him because of the titles and honors he had received, but the day of the dojo''s opening ceremony would be an exception: it would be perfectly reasonable for them to challenge him then.


    "I''ll leave all of you to keep an eye on the dojo for a moment. There''s something I need to handle elsewhere," Zhang Lie suddenly said, then headed out of the dojo.


    He had almost walked out toward the entrance when he found it crowded by a throng of people. All manner of fans from Ning and even farther away were trying to catch Zhang Lie''s attention and hollering about the requirements to be one of Zhang Lie''s disciples.


    He turned around once again and headed toward a back door.


    "Does our newest dojo leader need to escape out of his own dojo?"


    The moment he stepped outside, he heard a short burst ofughter: it was Chu Feng. Beside him, Yun Bing inclined her head toward Zhang Lie.


    "Ah, Young Master Chu! What brings you here today?"


    "You know how much attention your dojo''s been drawing from all around the country, don''t you?" Chu Feng asked, dropping the pleasantries.


    Zhang Lie frowned. He knew that his enemies were sure to take action, but judging from Chu Feng''s behavior, their ns would be more annoying to handle than he had initially assumed. Indeed, he hadn''t expected that Chu Feng would reach out to him so quickly to make him aware of the news.


    "Let theme. Without a storm, whence the rainbow?" Zhang Lie replied calmly.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing were rather shocked by Zhang Lie''s indifference. After all, as members of major ns themselves, they knew how difficult it would be to handle the onught from the Wang, Li, and Qin ns, even for a genius like Zhang Lie. A n had a wealth of resources that an ordinary hunter could only dream of.


    Given Chu Feng''s understanding of Zhang Lie, Chu Feng was certain that he wouldn''t behave in this manner if he weren''tpletely confident of his sess. He looked Zhang Lie over again, wondering just what shocking secrets a hunter like him could be hiding.


    "Be careful, Zhang Lie. It''s not just the Qin, Wang, and Li ns who are after you," Yun Bing advised, her face serious.


    "Not just three? Well, no matter. I''ll handle them all in one fell swoop." Zhang Lie was confident that he would have been able to handle even a joint assault from the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, but if more were to join in, he might need to make a few more preparations.


    He simply hadn''t expected that the three ns would be able to work together to defeat him in light of their enmity with each other.


    "Thank you for the information, Miss Yun, Young Master Chu."


    "Be careful, Zhang Lie. We''re on Earth, not the dimensional world!" Chu Feng warned him again, but Zhang Lie continued to smile.


    "Yes, I understand. I''m about to head out now, but you''re wee to take a tour around the dojo. I''ll treat you both to a drink when I return."


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing nced at each other, then nodded and entered the dojo together, ncing around curiously as they did so.


    "Is he really not worried about the ns'' revenge?" Chu Feng murmured.


    "There''s no reason for us to worry. We''ve brought him the information, and I''m sure he''ll be able to handle it on its own," Yun Bing assured him, her voice surprisingly confident.


    "You think so? Well, I suppose I''m a little excited for what''ll happen during the opening ceremony now." Chu Feng''s own achievements paled whenpared to someone like Zhang Lie.


    "Let''s head inside and see just what this dojo''s like," Yun Bing suggested. "Honestly, I can''t believe our ns aren''t going to support him."


    Yun Bing sighed, shaking her head. She and Chu Feng were the only ones in their ns who really knew what Zhang Lie was like, as well as what their ns were losing out on by not making him an ally.


    Zhang Lie was making his way toward the outskirts of Ning. In about half an hour, relying on his past life''s memory, he arrived at a fort that was half-shrouded by mountains. The exterior of the fort was painted pitch-ck. There were a number of hidden sentries watching the vicinity, as well as countless miniature spider-like surveince robots.


    The ckwind Fort was an existence not known to many, and its soldiers would only emerge when Ning was under threat. Naturally, most ordinary citizens weren''t allowed near the area.


    "This region is upied by the military. Do not draw near!" Quite a few miniature robots had gathered by Zhang Lie and alerted the patrolling soldiers nearby, two of whom rushed toward Zhang Lie with formidable auras around themselves.


    Zhang Lie had been wearing a mask in order to avoid attracting attention, and neither of these sentries recognized him.


    After seeing the sentries approach, he raised his palms and took a few steps back, but showed no sign of departing.


    Who is this guy??The two sentries frowned. "ess to this area is prohibited to ordinary citizens. Leave at once!"


    Zhang Lie nced at the fort. He wouldn''t leave; this was his intended destination, after all. If he sessfully founded his dojo in Ning, it would be the nexus of his power. The Qin, Li, and Wang ns would certainly do all they could to prevent him from doing so.


    Considering how impactful the opening of his dojo could be, the other ns might even resort to underhanded tactics and give up on their reputation in order to secure his downfall.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s arrival at the dojo that day had essentially told Zhang Lie what the stance of the Chu and Yun ns was, and he would have to make a few more preparations of his own.


    "I''m here to see Commander-in-Chief Su Feng," Zhang Lie told the sentries, who turned to each other in surprise. Su Feng was the highest-ranking soldier in the entire ckwind Fort. Was he someone an ordinary civilian could meet at will?


    "Don''t be ridiculous. If you''re going to continue wasting our time..." One of the sentries cocked a pistol, prepared to point it at him following his next transgression.


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow as he removed the mask on his face.


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?!"


    "Can I meet Commander-in-Chief Su Feng now?" Zhang Lie pressed.


    The two sentries nced at each other again. Zhang Lie''s name was well-known in Ning, but even he wouldn''t be able to meet with Su Feng on ount of his status alone.


    "Don''t worry. Just report that I have an urgent matter that requires his attention immediately."


    Zhang Lie''s act of heroism had made him extremely popr among the civilians, and especially the soldiers in Ning. His indomitable stature and prating gaze shook the hearts of all who had seen the footage of his fight. The sentries couldn''t take his sudden appearance at the ckwind Fort lightly.


    "Please give us a moment. We''ll report to ourmander immediately." One of the two sentries rushed toward the fort. The other asked, "Dragonwolf, may I ask you a question?"


    Zhang Lie nodded, and the soldier continued, "Were you really not frightened of facing a three-star ck-tipped scarab as a first-realm hunter?"


    The youthful sentry''s somewhat naive question made Zhang Lie smile. "Fortune favors the bold, after all. I knew I had to act; I didn''t have time to be frightened."

 Chapter 131: The Blackwind Fort

    <h4>Chapter 131: The ckwind Fort</h4>


    Zhang Lie had only won against the three-star scarab because of arge number ofpounding factors: his numerous superior-grade soulshards, limit fragments, and rare techniques being the most important.


    However, acquiring even one, let alone all, of these factors would be challenging to an ordinary hunter, and he certainly couldn''t reveal any of them hastily, so all he could say was something vaguely inspiring.


    "Is that so? You''re really courageous¡ª if I were to charge in like that, I''m sure I''d have lost my life." This particr sentry seemed rather talkative, perhaps because he was interested in meeting Zhang Lie, and the two of them struck up a conversation.


    At the same time, deep within the ckwind Fort, a middle-aged man was staring at a screen with a serious expression on his face, on which the footage of the Kez invasion was being shown.


    Although it had already been a few days since the invasion and the citizens of the capital were slowly returning to their old routines, this matter was still of paramount importance for the Chinese military.


    Why had the Kez suddenly invaded the capital? Did they have a special strategy nned? Or was it a coincidence, a mistake? The military would have to study this event in great detail to avoid having it happen again.


    However, just as he was preparing to analyze the footage again, a soldier rushed into the room. "Commander-in-Chief, Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s requesting an audience with you!"


    "Zhang Lie?"


    What a curious coincidence that a hero of the invasion would want to speak with him right this moment.


    "Yes, Commander-in-Chief!"


    Su Feng frowned. "Did he exin why?"


    "No, Commander! He only mentioned that it was an urgent affair."


    "Have him wait for me at the training ground."


    "Yes, Commander!"


    Since the Kez invasion, Zhang Lie''s name had spread far and wide, and even someone like Su Feng was interested in how Zhang Lie would grow in the future. Zhang Lie had no background to speak of, and he was only in the first realm of the dimensional world, and these factors made his aplishments even more impressive.


    Most importantly, Zhang Lie had shown a soldier''s temperament during his fight against the three-star scarab.


    "Hand me Zhang Lie''s dossier." Su Feng had an inkling as to the purpose of Zhang Lie''s visit.


    Not too long afterwards, one of his lieutenants returned with the requested documents. As Su Feng activated the microchip, a holographic screen appeared with relevant articles and information.


    "Hoh, he makes a mess wherever he goes, doesn''t he? Enemy of the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, and he''s still trying to found a dojo in Ning..." Su Feng murmured to himself, chuckling as he did so.


    After waiting outside the fortress for some time, a sentry finally approached Zhang Lie.


    "Dragonwolf, please follow me. ording to Commander-in-Chief Su Feng''s orders, you''ll meet him at the training ground."


    The sentries standing alongside him moved aside, and Zhang Lie made his way into the ckwind Fort.


    "Why do you think the Dragonwolf''s here to talk to the Commander-in-Chief?"


    "How would I know? But given his nature, I''m sure it must be something important, something that concerns Ning or even all of China!"


    "Hah, you''ve just had a brief conversation with him, and you think you can speak about his nature?"


    "Of course! The Dragonwolf''s a hero of Ning, after all."


    The two sentries idly chatted as they continued patrolling the perimeter.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie nced around him as the soldier led him deeper into the fort. The ckwind Fort was far more secure and tightly patrolled than a regr military outpost.


    Even within the fort, he could see scores of soldiers walking around the area, as well as countless miniaturized robots. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that even a fly wouldn''t be able to get inside without being spotted.


    "Wait here," the soldier instructed. After about ten minutes or so, Zhang Lie had arrived at the training ground, a stage sorge that a thousand hunters could simultaneously be on it. The arena''s boundaries were iid with spears and swords, and it seemed to be sacrosanct to the gathered soldiers.


    There was no one around but sentries, so Zhang Lie could only wait by the side of the arena. As the minutes ticked away, Zhang Lie began to grow impatient; how much longer would he have to wait?


    "Are youth so impatient these days?"


    Just as he was about to inquire about the situation with a nearby guard, he heard a voice from behind, as well as a piercing stare. It felt as though a humongous boulder were pressing down on his body.


    Was this a show of strength? Well, he could reciprocate. Zhang Lie circted his gic energy around his body, releasing a ck mist that darkened the surroundings as he stood up straight once more.


    Su Feng''s expression grew more serious. As expected, Zhang Lie was a surprisingly strong hunter.


    "Not bad. With your strength, it''s no wonder that you were able to defeat a three-star ck-tipped scarab."


    Themander-in-chief of the ckwind Fort, Su Feng, was dressed in sharp military attire, his features hard and weathered, his eyes as piercing as an eagle''s, giving off the impression of a honed de.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes slightly, returning Su Feng''s stare with one of his own. This was their first encounter with each other, and he had to be wary of Su Feng''s attitude toward him.


    "Don''t worry. As a dragonsoul warrior, you don''t have to worry that I''ll do anything to you. Indeed, I have to praise your performance during that fight with the three-star scarab."


    Su Feng smiled. He did want to seem stern and imposing in front of Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie''s personality and unwillingness to back down reminded him far too much of his own brashness as a youth.


    "Thank you, Commander."


    As Su Feng rxed, so too did Zhang Lie.


    "I heard that you have urgent news for me?"


    .


    "Yes, Commander!"


    "About what?"


    "This is highly sensitive information. Should I reveal it here?"


    "Follow me." Su Feng beckoned toward Zhang Lie as he strode away from the arena. The two of them headed toward the center of the fort, which seemed to grow more spacious.


    Many military outposts were constructed using stealth-based technology, and though the surroundings looked like ordinary desert, there were quite a few battle-tuned hovercrafts hovering around the area, as well as a few stationed battleships. From these preparations, it was clear that the soldiers of Ning were always ready for a sudden attack.


    For a moment, Zhang Lie felt as though he were back in the Desert of Silence.


    Su Feng continued walking forward, his uniform battered by wind and sand. The sand shone in the sunlight like a golden ocean, and Su Feng narrowed his eyes as he nced up at the sun.


    "It''s time," he murmured.


    The ground began to shudder. A hole opened up in the sands right before him, and a magnificent structure emerged from the desert. Sand poured down its exterior in a wave of gold.


    As the sand flowed down the structure, its shape became obvious. The exterior was colored exactly like the golden sand, but the bottom of the structure, hidden deep within the desert, was a matte ck.


    The fact that this structure was hidden so expertly was testament to its importance.


    Zhang Lie nced at Su Feng with some shock. This was the first time they had met, but he was already bringing Zhang Lie to the operations room for the entire fort?


    "You''re a dragonsoul warrior, so you have the qualifications to enter," Su Feng exined.


    The structure was still rising upward. With a loud crack, part of the structure detached and fell down via a hinge toward Su Feng: a metal drawbridge.


    "Let''s go. This is the most secure region in the ckwind Fort, and I assure you that whatever information you provide will remain secure here."


    Su Feng motioned for Zhang Lie to walk over the drawbridge with him. As soon as they entered the structure, it trembled again, then sank back down into the depths of the desert. Within moments, there seemed to be nothing unusual about that patch of desert at all.


    The temperature of the interior was cool, a pleasant contrast to the hot winds of the desert. An illuminated corridor snaked forward into the unknown.


    Su Feng continued walking forward, and Zhang Lie followed quickly behind. As they passed by a few tunnels, Zhang Lie could see quite a few gun-wielding hunters patrolling around the region.


    "These are the top hunters in the ckwind Fort," Su Feng exined, seeing that Zhang Lie''s attention was fixated upon them.


    Zhang Lie nodded. If he hadn''t entered together with Su Feng, these soldiers would likely have attacked him at once.


    Even more surprisingly to him, many of the soldiers were peak second-realm hunters, and there were even a few whose gic energy he couldn''t even sense at all¡ªand these were only the reserve troops of Ning!


    There was surely more than met the eye to the ckwind Fort, and they had still yet to reach themand room proper. It was hard for Zhang Lie to imagine just how strong the soldiers who guarded themand room would be.


    However, it didn''t seem as though he would get a chance to find out. Su Feng brought Zhang Lie through a side corridor and into a sealed meeting room.

 Chapter 132: The Militarys Attention

    <h4>Chapter 132: The Military''s Attention</h4>


    After the two of them walked inside, passing through a series of crisscrossing red beams, the robotic door mmed shut with an ominous groan.


    The soldiers inside bowed to and saluted Su Feng, then sat down and nced curiously at Zhang Lie. He had been recognized the moment he entered. After all, his name was currently surging in poprity in the aftermath of the Kez invasion.


    "Have a seat. These are my trusted followers, and anything you can say to me, you can say to them." Su Feng pointed at the conference table, patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder, and bade him sit.


    The others had already been curious about Zhang Lie, but now they were staring at him with wide eyes. After all, none of them had ever seen Su Feng behave so familiarly with a young man.


    Zhang Lie looked around him: there were actually only five others gathered in the room.


    "Thisd mentioned something about highly sensitive information, so I brought him here," Su Feng exined. The others all looked surprised, but none of them said a word.


    "Well? Will you reveal what you know now?" Su Feng prompted, as everyone stared expectantly at Zhang Lie.


    The public might have thought that his fight during the Kez invasion was impressive, but only these soldiers knew just how impressive it was. If they were in his shoes, they might not have been able to replicate his feat; in fact, even Su Feng himself didn''t think he could do the same!


    "Very well." Zhang Lie''s gaze turned firm. "First, a question for everyone gathered here: howrge is a hunter''s gene capacity?"


    "What? Even a three-year-old child could tell you that the capacity is a hundred fragments!" someone shouted, and the others nodded in agreement.


    "Yes, what do you mean by asking us this? Do you mean that the answer to this question has something to do with your defeating that three-star ck-tipped scarab?" a slightly older general queried.


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked up. Su Feng had remained silent all this time, well aware that Zhang Lie wasn''t finished.


    "That three-year-old child would be wrong. You can have more than a hundred gene fragments of any type," Zhang Lie stated firmly.


    "You must be joking! This goes against information that the world federation itself has provided. Dragonwolf, if this is a joke..." a soldier yelled out, staring at Zhang Lie angrily. Even Su Feng seemed a little doubtful. After all, what Zhang Lie said went against everything they knew.


    "Silence!" Su Feng finally yelled out. The surge of gic energy that apanied his yell quelled the disturbance.


    Su Feng didn''t believe what Zhang Lie was stating, but he was quite certain that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be lying under such circumstances. As a result, no matter how difficult he found Zhang Lie''s words were to believe, he didn''t contradict him outright.


    "Continue," Su Feng stated, a warning glint in his eyes.


    "Yes, you''ve all heard what I said correctly, and I''m not joking with any of you. I don''t know just what the maximum capacity is, but it certainly isn''t a hundred¡ªI have over a hundred basic gene fragments!"


    Zhang Lie''s promation stunned the room.


    The maximum capacity... wasn''t a hundred fragments? This was the reason that Zhang Lie was able to defeat a three-star ck-tipped scarab as a first-realm hunter?


    "For spouting such nonsense, I intend to request that your designation as dragonsoul warrior be rescinded!"


    "And I, your title of gxy fighter as well!"


    Two of the more staunchly conservative members of the group stood up again from the table, unable to bear listening to Zhang Lie''s ludicrous words any longer.


    Zhang Lie barely restrained himself from shaking his head. In his past life, the appearance of limit fragments had likewise been discredited by a conservative faction of hunters. There had been quite a few soldiers among their rank; when the truth was revealed to one and all, their behavior made them seem like clowns.


    "Do you have evidence of your ims?" Su Feng''s heart thudded. If Zhang Lie were right, his discovery would herald a new golden age of hunters.


    The two conservative soldiers sat back down, staring stonily at Zhang Lie. If he were unable to produce proof for his assertions, they would disparage him without any mercy. To lie in the sanctum of the most important military base in Ning would incur amensurate punishment.


    "There are many ways of validating what I''ve said," Zhang Lie continued.


    Su Feng nced at him. This was exactly what he was waiting to hear: as themander-in-chief for the military forces in Ning, he understood the ramifications of Zhang Lie''s statement. If the Chinese military were able to obtain this knowledge, their forces'' strength would naturally rise across the board.


    What followed was straightforward: just as he had done with Chu Feng and Yun Bing, he arranged for a number of soldiers satisfying the criteria for the breakthrough to experience a life-or-death situation.


    Most soldiers were doubtful of Zhang Lie''s words, and quite a few who envied him were waiting for him to fail so that they could expose him for the chatan that he was.


    And yet, when the results of the trial were out, and a number of soldiers followed Zhang Lie out of the training ground...


    "Well?" Su Feng asked, barely hiding the excitement from his voice.


    One of the soldiers was as white as a sheet, his body trembling, causing the shock and joy on his face to stand out all the more.


    "Commander-in-Chief, the gene fragment capacity really isn''t a hundred¡ªjust as the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie ims, limit fragments really do exist!" The soldier''s voice was quavering because of his excitement, but he got the point across.


    Su Feng''s eyes gleamed. If he could incorporate this information into new recruits'' training regimen...


    Zhang Lie was surely a genius, a once-in-a-lifetime genius!


    He looked ardently at Zhang Lie, and the two conservative soldiers who had spoken up earlier could hardly believe their eyes.


    Su Feng remembered that, before the soldiers had participated in the trial, Zhang Lie had given them something to eat, something that he had apparently brought back from the dimensional world at great expense. This was surely the key to breaking past one''s limits.


    Very quickly, that first soldier who had passed the trial was inspected with an apparatus that, whenpared to his condition prior to the start of the trial, revealed that he had obtained ten additional gene fragments. After a few more tests, the exceptional strength of these ten excess basic gene fragments were revealed.


    The soldiers were all ted by the discovery, but Zhang Lie had to warn them of the conditions required for the breakthrough.


    "Don''t get too excited just yet. It isn''t guaranteed that the breakthrough will be sessful, and there are a few stringent requirements."


    He had shrouded the trial in mystery, so the military would be unable to replicate this sess without him. However, Su Feng would stop at nothing to pry this secret from him; as themander-in-chief of the ckwind Fort, he had to acquire the breakthrough technique at all costs.


    "Zhang Lie, this information could advance all of humanity, so I hope you''ll be willing to share it in full. Be it China, be it the world federation¡ªI firmly believe that mankind as a whole needs this knowledge that you have!


    Of course, as the one who made this exceptional discovery, you''ll surely be rewarded generously by the military, the Chinese government, and even the world federation! We''ll satisfy all your research requirements, and I''ll arrange for you to be added to the list of important figures that we''ll keep under guard, so you have to¡ª"


    "Commander-in-Chief, my dojo''s opening ceremony is tomorrow, and I intend to announce the news about these limit fragments publicly at that point," Zhang Lie gently interrupted Su Feng, the first such interruption Su Feng had suffered in years, but Su Feng didn''t seem displeased at all.


    No¡ªhe was jubted by what Zhang Lie had said!


    "You''ll reveal it to the world? Truly?"


    "Of course!"


    Su Feng frowned. As a dragonsoul warrior, Zhang Lie had to know that, if he were to reveal this information in front of Su Feng, he would have no chance of keeping it hidden much longer. He went silent. He had reviewed Zhang Lie''s dossier, and he was well aware of his situation.


    In particr, Su Feng knew that Zhang Lie was enemies with the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, and the fact that he was waiting to reveal this piece of crucial information only at his dojo''s opening ceremony meant that Su Feng would have to protect him until then. The military would have no choice but to step in to resolve his personal feuds.


    Su Feng took a deep breath. Zhang Lie represented a priceless treasure, and anyone who went against him would have to fight off the entire Chinese military.


    "In that case, you''re seeking protection?"


    Zhang Lie only smiled.


    Su Feng cocked an eyebrow. "Answer onest question from me, and I''ll promise that your dojo''s opening ceremony goes smoothly."


    "Please go ahead, Commander-in-Chief."


    "Why choose the ckwind Fort? Given how important this information is, wouldn''t you have been able to attract more attention by revealing it in the capital?"

 Chapter 133: Distributing Invitations

    <h4>Chapter 133: Distributing Invitations</h4>


    "Because I''m a citizen of Ning, of course. Isn''t that enough?"


    "Good, very good! I''ll have someone follow you around for a period of time, and you''ll be safe with him. Furthermore, the day your dojo opens, I''ll prepare a small gift for you," Su Feng said, smiling.


    Neither of them spoke about their agreement outright, but each understood what it entailed.


    Su Feng nced toward Zhang Lie appreciatively. It wasn''t easy for a hunter without any background to make a ce in this world. Without any courage or intellect, he would hardly have been able to get the chance to meet Su Feng.


    Su Feng knew that his reaction and subsequent offer of protection had been nned by Zhang Lie all along, and while he would normally abhor such behavior, he even seemed to be d that Zhang Lie had chosen to divulge the information to him.


    When he looked toward Zhang Lie once more, he seemed to see a rising star that would bring glory and fame to Ning.


    "Thank you for your goodwill, Commander." Zhang Lie turned to leave.


    From now on, the troops and military of Ning would be Zhang Lie''s backer, a rtionship far closer and more secure than what he had wrought with the Chu and Ning ns.


    Indeed, all of China would soon be Zhang Lie''s backer. After all, the discovery of these limit fragments would be momentous news.


    Zhang Lie headed straight back to his dojo, and Su Feng to his office. A sudden chill caused Su Feng to shiver.


    "Why do you still like appearing in front of others in this manner?" Su Feng sighed, turning around.


    A figure had made his way to Su Feng''s back, his face covered in shadow.


    "Why did you call me back so urgently? What''s the matter?" a hoarse voice rasped out.


    "I have a young man I''d like you to protect," Su Feng began seriously.


    "Hoh, a young man? And what sort of young man would attract your attention?"


    "He''s a first-realm hunter¡ªyou must have heard his title before¡ªthe Dragonwolf Zhang Lie."


    "The one who''s been the darling of the mediately?" The figure raised his head, exposing his curious two-pupiled eyes.


    "Don''t look down on him. I''m fully confident that he''ll be a pir of our country," Su Feng stated severely, sensing the other party''s disdain.


    "Is that so? A rare evaluation from you. I understand." The figure vanished amidst another chilly gust of wind.


    By the time Zhang Lie returned to the dojo, it was alreadyte at night. Dimmplight illuminated the thin, narrow streets of Ning. With so few people outside, Zhang Lie was able to rx and take off his mask. He only infrequently encountered a few homeless vagrants roaming the streets, one of the ''attractions'' of the slums.


    "You''re Zhang Lie?" a voice suddenly eximed behind him. A chill snaked down Zhang Lie''s back, and an aura of gic energy exploded from him.


    However, the owner of the voice seemed to have vanished into thin air.


    Zhang Lie frowned, continuing to stand still as he circted gic energy. He fed some into [Ninecarp Transformation], causing the shadow of his ck serpent to revolve around his body. He hadn''t sensed the voice''s owner at all; if the mysterious figure hadunched a sneak attack at him, he would have been heavily injured, if not dead.


    Had he finally attracted the attention of a strong hunter?


    "May I ask who you are?"


    "Don''t be afraid,d!"


    This time, Zhang Lie could clearly sense that the voice came from the entrance to the dojo. He raised his head to see a figure standing there, the upper half of his body was shrouded in shadow.


    In the dimmplight, all Zhang Lie could see were a pair of old-fashioned Western pants andrge leather boots. Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. This man might not bear Zhang Lie any ill will, but his sudden appearance sote at night was certainly suspicious.


    He didn''t approach the dojo; the other figure began approaching him. Zhang Lie lowered his body slightly and charged up a [Fists of the Silent Sea].


    "Don''t worry. I''m Lin Xiu, from the ckwind Fort." A weathered face appeared from the shadow, a thick beard disyed prominently against rather ordinary features. A cigarette hung by his mouth, giving Zhang Lie the impression of a seasoned hunter.


    "Good to see you. Did Commander Su send you over?" Zhang Lie asked, rxing.


    "Su Feng was worried about your safety, so he sent me here overnight. Your response wasn''t bad," Lin Xiu critiqued, removing the baseball cap from his head.


    "Thank you for your time, Mr. Lin," Zhang Lie replied respectfully. It was obvious that he was a close confidante of Su Feng if he referred to Su Feng without any honorific.


    Furthermore, Su Feng was well aware of what sort of danger Zhang Lie would face. For him to dispatch only a single hunter as Zhang Lie''s bodyguard was a clear measure of trust in Lin Xiu, as well as a sign of his strength.


    As they walked into the dojo, they heard a few gruntsing from the nearby training ground: the members of Team Zenith were continuing their training well into the night.


    "Yourrades are quite hardworking," Lin Xiu murmured appreciatively.


    It was already past midnight, and from the hunters'' weathered faces, they had been training the whole day.


    "Strength onlyes from hard work, after all." Instead of disrupting their training, Zhang Lie brought Lin Xiu toward his house, located at a rather isted corner of the dojo.


    Lin Xiu nced around him. The Zhang estate had been preserved in its entirety; except for a few renovations to its exterior, its interior had barely changed. In contrast to the newly built dojo, it looked rather unassuming and unimpressive.


    Lin Xiu slouched on an old sofa, lighting another cigarette and filling the room with smoke.


    He seemed like rather azy fellow, but from the way his eyes gleamed from time to time, as well as the aura Zhang Lie felt during his first encounter with him, Zhang Lie was certain that the man in front of him was an immensely strong hunter.


    "When''s the opening ceremony?" Lin Xiu asked, stretchingzily.


    "In three days," Zhang Lie replied. He had intended on waiting a few more days, but since Su Feng''s protection was already in ce, he could push everything forward.


    "In that case, I''ll attend as an instructor of the dojo." Lin Xiu breathed out a thick cloud of smoke.


    "The dojo''s opening ceremony is tomorrow," Qin Zongming informed the gathered elders in the meeting room.


    "What do you intend to do, Head?"


    "Send Qin Wu to the opening ceremony."


    "But, Head, Qin Wu''s in the third realm¡ª"


    "I will not be countermanded! We must carry out this operation sessfully, or else!" Qin Zongming brusquely broke off the elder who tried to disagree with him.


    The next day, as dawn broke, the residents of the slums rose to golden rays of sunshine.


    "Have you heard? The Zenith Dojo''s right about to open!"


    "What?! When?"


    "Apparently, in three days. They''ll release information about the requirements to enter the dojo today, and they''re already starting to prepare for the grand opening."


    There was quite a bit of discussion going on about Zhang Lie and the Zenith Dojo, and quite a few residents had gathered by the dojo in hopes of finding exciting news to share.


    Within the dojo, Zhang Lie was inspecting a series of microchips that were to be sent out to invited guests for the opening ceremony.


    Sun Mengmeng and the other members of Team Zenith werebeling the microchips for their respective recipients: many of the most influential citizens of Ning and even elsewhere, including the five major ns of the capital.


    "Captain, aren''t we being a little too ostentatious?" Sun Xiaowu asked timidly, staring at the lists of addresses to fill in.


    "Don''t you know just who our captain is? He''s a gxy fighter, a dragonsoul warrior! He''s on the same level as some of these n heads, don''t you see?" Sun Mengmeng rapped her brother on the head.


    Zhang Lie nced at them in amusement.


    "Captain, are you really going to send an invitation to the Qin n? To the Wang and Li ns, as well?!" Yang Ze shouted.


    Everyone nced at the addresses he was pointing at. The media had dug into Zhang Lie''s background because of his fame, and by now, almost everyone in Ning knew that Zhang Lie was bitter enemies with those three ns.


    Qin Xiao and Wang Jianxin''s expulsion, along with Li Jin''s death, all had Zhang Lie''s hand in them. Although none of them had proof that he was the mastermind behind the crimes, no one else could possibly have done it.


    The fact that he was sending the three ns each an invitation was a marked act of provocation, and it wasn''t difficult to imagine just how poorly the ns would take this invitation.


    "Don''t worry¡ªjust send it over. Furthermore, do you think they won''t show up just because we don''t invite them?"


    Zhang Lie remained unperturbed by the entire affair, and the other members of Team Zenith were well aware that he likely had some ulterior motive for doing so. Indeed, this invitation was to inform the three ns that he was aware of their ns, and he would dly ept their challenge.


    Zhang Lie had also made ns for recruiting disciples. The Zenith Dojo would be a nexus of power for him, and what he most wanted from his disciples wasn''t talent or background, but rather loyalty and age. As long as they were loyal, and as long as they were still malleable, Zhang Lie was confident that he could unlock any potential they possessed.


    In other words, anyone who had sufficient loyalty to the dojo would be able to receive Zhang Lie''s instruction. This particr piece of information spread like wildfire across Ning.


    Just about every person of authority in Ning had received an invitation from Zhang Lie, who was in truth little more than a resident of the slums and just a lowly first-realm hunter. Nevertheless, many parties were gratified to have received such an invitation, and they immediately began preparing a gift as soon as they received it.


    Of course, three ns in particr were unamused. Wang Han stared at the holographic recording with obvious distaste.


    "I would be honored to receive the Wang n''s patronage during my dojo''s opening ceremony," Zhang Lie concluded at the end of the recording, his face beaming, without any sign of enmity at all.


    "This piece of trash dares provoke me?!" Wang Han thundered, destroying the microchip with a callous flick of his finger. "Make the strongest restricted potion you can. We''ll send Zero to the ceremony."


    The killing intent that seeped into his voice caused the nearby elders to pale.


    "We''re sending Zero against a first-realm hunter?" an elder carefully rified.


    "You doubt me?" Wang Han frowned, focusing the full force of his aura on the unfortunate elder, who shrunk back in fear. "I''m sure the Qin and Li ns are also making ns for the opening ceremony. With all three of our challengers in y, I want to see just how long Zhang Lie will be able to hold out."


    The same day, the Li n''s main conference room was torn to shambles by the head of the Li n, Li Mo. After his outburst, Li Mo gradually calmed down. He was well aware that Qin Zongming and Wang Han had surely received a simr invitation as well.


    "Send Li Mian to the ceremony," Li Mo instructed.


    In the remnants of the meeting room, the Li elders nced at the destruction their n head had wreaked and chose not to speak up. As they left, Li Mo contacted Wang Han and Qin Zongming.


    "I''m sure both of you have received the invitation," Li Mo began.


    "He''s an arrogant, insufferable twat!" Qin Zongming shouted. How could he bear the humiliation of being provoked by a hunter from the first realm? He was the head of one of the five major ns of the capital!


    The other two n heads felt the same way. It was unfortunate that Zhang Lie was under so manyyers of protection; if they wanted to kill him, they would have to n out their attack carefully.

 Chapter 134: Start of the Show

    <h4>Chapter 134: Start of the Show</h4>


    "Well, it hardly matters. Thisd won''t be so arrogant when he''s dead. Our n''s wless, and I''m sure we''ll be able to kill him on the day of his opening ceremony," Li Mo promised.


    "Naturally. What we''ll need to consider is how to deal with what happens afterwards. Although the world federation likely won''t investigate his death in much detail, we had better be careful."


    "I''ve sent a batch of shapeshifting potions to both of you," Wang Han said, his eyes narrowing as he imagined Zhang Lie''s pitiful death.


    The three men smiled at each other.


    In another part of the capital, two middle-aged men were sitting in a pavilion as they yed a game of?go.


    "Head, you''ve received an invitation from Ning." Two guards proffered two microchips to their respective n heads.


    Chu Lin and Yun Long nced at their respective microchips and found them to be identical invitations from Zhang Lie. After looking over their contents, they turned to each other.


    "Apparently, the other three are sending some third-realm hunters his way?"


    "They''ll field three challengers over three rounds. I must admit I''m curious as to the strength of this hunter that even Yun Bing seems to be besotted with."


    The Zhou, He, and Qian ns had also convened a meeting because of Zhang Lie''s invitation.


    "So what if he''s gotten two titles? Isn''t he being a little too presumptuous?" The He n head, He Liancheng, frowned. He had never before treated an invitation from a member of the younger generation so seriously.


    "As far as I''m aware, the n heads of all five major ns from the capital received this invitation, and some have already begun taking action because of it," the Zhou n head, Zhou Ruo, stated calmly.


    "Indeed, the Qin, Wang, and Li ns are all nning something big behind the scenes. The day of that kid''s opening ceremony might well be his death," the Qian n head, Qian Meng, added with a chuckle.


    The three n heads all had a rather strong impression of Zhang Lie, since they had lost the spoils from the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance to him.


    That said, they simply wanted to im the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance that Zhang Lie possessed for themselves, and they didn''t bear as deep an enmity toward him as did the Wang, Li, and Qin ns.


    "In that case, we''ll let them do all the hard work for us, then have the officials from the ministry of ruins step in. We''ll be able to extract some benefits from Zhang Lie''s demise that way." Zhou Ruo''s lips curled up in anticipation. "We''d better contact Zhang Quan immediately¡ªyou all know how much he despises Zhang Lie now."


    Zhou Ruo crossed his arms over his chest. The more Zhang Lie shed with the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, the better. Once they were all battered, they could step in with the ministry of ruins'' authority to gouge them all. While everyone''s attention was focused on the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, they could take away Zhang Lie''s corpse and try to extricate the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance from it.


    The three ns wouldn''t even have to lift a single finger until the very end.


    Zhang Quan, the official from the ministry of ruins, had also received an invitation from Zhang Lie, his face a rictus of disgust. Ever since the incident in the Eclipse Sage''s ruins, he had loathed Zhang Lie. ?After all, the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance should have gone to the branch of the ministry of ruins in Liao.


    If not for the Kez invasion and Zhang Lie''s subsequent acquisition of two important titles, he would have long since found a reason to target him. However, now that Zhang Lie was the darling of the media, the world federation, and the Chinese government, he could hardly strike at him given his status as a government employee.


    Zhang Lie''s invitation was therefore all the more infuriating to him. Just as he was about to scream in rage, his transceiver beeped: he received a call from Zhou Ruo.


    "May I help you, n Head Zhou?"


    "Would you like an opportunity to get rid of Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Quan hesitated for a moment, his features distorting. "What do you mean?" he asked, after checking that there was no one in the vicinity.


    "Zhang Quan, don''t forget that the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance is with Zhang Lie." Zhou Ruo smiled. Zhang Quan''s expression made his interest evident, so their n would likelye to fruition.


    "I know what you and the other ns are nning. I''m warning you now, the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance belongs to the world federation," Zhang Quan said coldly.


    "So be it." Zhou Ruo hung up.


    It was Zhang Quan''s turn to hesitate. He mulled things over for a moment, then called Zhou Ruo back, an implicit agreement to cooperate with the Zhou, He, and Qian ns.


    A storm was brewing over the horizon.


    Three dayster, golden rays of sunlight gave Zhang Lie''s new Zenith Dojo a resplendent glow.


    The slums of Ning found itself host to a surprising number of hovercars andvishly dressed people that day, including many from the major ns of Ning.


    "This dojo must have cost quite a fair bit of gold," Qin Feng murmured to himself at the entrance to the dojo, avish gift in his hands.


    "You''d better not run your mouth, Young Master Qin! We''re attending the opening ceremony and representing the Qin n of Ning. Don''t provoke that Zhang Lie¡ªyou know how extraordinary his status is now!" one of Qin Feng''s guards whispered to him.


    Qin Feng waved him off impatiently. He didn''t need the reminder; whenever he thought back to what had happened at the bar that night, a shudder would creep down his entire body.


    "This dojo belongs to that king of the slums?"


    "Do you want to die? You can''t call him that anymore!"


    "Eh, so what? Even if he gets a few more titles, he''s still an ordinary hunter without any backing.


    "You think the Yun, Chu, Zhou, and He ns would attend this ceremony for a nobody?"


    A few youths chatted with each other as they got out of their hovercars. They were young masters of various ns from Ning; if their parents hadn''t forced them to attend this ceremony, they certainly wouldn''t have done so.So what if this dojo''s leader was the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie? He''d simply gotten lucky, nothing more.


    However, before they could continue their conversation, a luxurious hovercar flew by them.


    "What? There are ns from the capital here as well?" a boastful pink-haired youth cried out. He gaped, dumbstruck, as a few hunters left their vehicle further ahead: Chu Feng, Yun Bing, along with quite a few others from the ns of the capital, with some important figures from the Chu and Yun ns alongside them.


    "No wonder we were all forced to attend!" one of the other youths in the group eximed.


    By this time, they had arrived at the entrance of the dojo, which was ofparable quality to the highest-ss dojos they had been to.


    "They don''t even have a designated greeter," another of the youth criticized.


    Indeed, there didn''t seem to be any hosts ready to wee the arriving guests. The entrance to the dojo remained shut despite the hovercars arriving one after the other, and some of the guests were getting visibly annoyed.


    "Hah, look at how arrogant this Zhang Lie is! Guess his dojo might not even end up opening today."


    Some of the younger hunters were whispering to each other in schadenfreude, but right after they spoke, the ck, sturdy doors to the dojo slowly swung open.


    The spectacle instantly drew everyone''s attention. Under the radiant sunlight, the members of Team Zenith slowly walked out of the dojo, their faces groomed, their auras restrained, their bodies tempered, their expressions calm and collected.


    At times they seemed like a pack of wolves, or even mes roaring amidst the darkness.


    Zhang Lie, dressed from head to toe in ck armor, captivated everyone''s sight. The rest of Team Zenith trailed out behind him in two rows, led by Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi.


    They were no longer nameless hunters now; after all, although they hadn''t received as impressive a title as Zhang Lie, they had all been recognized as courageous warriors. Their willingness to rush into a sea of insects to save their captain had beenmended by one and all.


    Behind them all were Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong. Zhang Hong was a familiar face to many residents of the slums given her profession, and she was rather recognizable.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiu, rugged and bearded, was apletely unfamiliar figure. None of the residents of Ning, nor even the hunters from the major ns of the capital, had any impression of him. Not only that, he was striding forward to Zhang Lie, standing only half a step behind him, in front of even the other members of Team Zenith.


    As their procession walked toward the front, Zhang Lie bowed down to everyone gathered by the entrance of the dojo. "I, Zhang Lie, representative of the Zenith Dojo, wee you all!"


    "The Liu n of Ning greets and congrattes Dojo Leader Zhang."


    "As does the Ma n, also from Ning."


    "So too the Sun n, from Ning!"


    As countless delegations stepped into the dojo, cing their gifts to the side, the crowd''s displeasure at having been forced to wait outside vanished like mist in the sun.


    Chu Feng shook his head: even some of the smaller ns from Ning knew to take advantage of this opportunity to develop a rtionship with Zhang Lie, but the Chu n had chosen to remain neutral at this critical juncture!


    Yun Bing felt simrly, but none of her emotions could be seen from her face.


    "Thank you, thank you." Zhang Lie returned each of their bows without putting on any airs.


    "How could we, the Qin n, miss out on the opening of the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s dojo?" Just as the atmosphere seemed to be turning festive again, a cold voice interrupted the proceedings from afar. A few hovercars had justnded in the parking lot outside the dojo, and a delegation of hunters in green had just stepped outside.


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up at the appearance of the Qin n.

 Chapter 135: Stepping on Stage

    <h4>Chapter 135: Stepping on Stage</h4>


    "Ah, isn''t that Qin Lan, the peak second-realm hunter from the Qin n? And Qin Yao and Qin Dihu are here too!"


    "The Qin delegation... looks a little unusual, doesn''t it?"


    Many hunters were murmuring to each other after seeing just how many strong hunters the Qin n had brought to Zhang Lie''s opening ceremony. The red-haired Qin Lan frowned at the crowd, which immediately went silent. His icy cold stare made them shiver involuntarily.


    Zhang Lie observed Qin Lan carefully. Was this the hunter that the Qin n had sent out to deal with him?


    "What''s the matter? Aren''t you going to wee me, Dojo Leader Zhang?" Qin Zongming walked up to Zhang Lie with a smile. A bystander not in the know might have thought the reunion to be one between friends who hadn''t met for many long years.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes, somewhat disgusted by Qin Zongming''s duplicity.


    "If even the Qin n head is unwee here, Dojo Leader Zhang, should we of the Wang n also depart?" A number of blue hovercarsnded, and a delegation in blue, led by Wang Han, strode forth.


    Many of those hunters in the delegation were well-known hunters of the Wang n in the second realm.


    "So the Wang n came prepared too..."


    "It looks like we won''t becking for entertainment today."


    The crowd once again began whispering among themselves. Zhang Lie stood calmly as Wang Han walked toward him.


    The crowd tensed in anticipation.


    Chu Feng nced at Chu Lin, who was watching Zhang Lie''s disy coolly. He had no intention of stepping forward; the Chu n would remain neutral.


    "Of course I''m happy to wee both you and the head of the Qin n, n Head Wang. After all, I specially sent invitations to both of you as honored guests. Please enter!"


    "Good, good. I must congratte you, Dojo Leader Zhang, for being able to found a dojo at your young age. You surely are talented! Here, a congrattory gift." Wang Han handed over a small wrapped box.


    "And here is mine." Qin Zongming also handed a gift over with a faint smile on his face.


    Neither box wasrge, but both were exquisitely decorated. The crowd, well aware of the enmity between Zhang Lie and the two ns, didn''t know what to make of the exchange.


    "My thanks, n Head Wang, n Head Qin," Zhang Lie replied politely. The three of them nced at each other nkly, and the tension dissipated almost as quickly as it hade.


    "Sorry I''mte." Just then, a sleek red hovercar expertly parked itself by the entrance of the dojo. Dressed in red, Li Mo walked out, followed by a middle-aged man.


    "That''s Li Xin, a third-realm hunter!" someone shouted from within the crowd.


    Li Xin was a genius, and there were only a rare few hunters from the same generation who could match his skill. He had just entered the third realm of the dimensional world; who would have expected that Zhang Lie''s dojo''s opening ceremony would be grand enough for him to make an appearance there?


    Li Xin nced disdainfully at Zhang Lie as he walked up to the entrance of the dojo with Li Mo, who strode forward with a gift.


    "Congrattions on the opening of your dojo, Dojo Leader Zhang. May everything go smoothly for you today.


    Zhang Lie epted the gift with a smile.


    Chu Lin and Yun Long also handed him a gift on behalf of their ns.


    "Thank you, thank you. Please, head inside!" Zhang Lie thanked each visitor he received, but he looked toward the Yun and Chu n heads with a curious half-twist of a smile.


    The honored guests from the major ns entered the dojo in waves, and the once-crowded entrance of the dojo slowly became empty. However, this state of affairs didn''tst long.


    Shortly afterwards, a series of engine noises came from the distance, heralding the arrival of another dozen or so hovercars.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes.


    As expected, these were the delegations from the remaining major ns of the capital: the Qian, Zhou, and Hao ns. The three n heads gave Zhang Lie a customary greeting before heading inside, as though they were genuinely only present to celebrate the founding of Zhang Lie''s dojo.


    After the five major ns of the capital came a group of officials from the world federation, led by yet another familiar face: Zhang Quan.


    Zhang Lie smiled. There was no doubt in his mind why Zhang Quan hade. After all, the two of them had shed within the Eclipse Sage''s ruins, and he was likely excited to witness Zhang Lie''s downfall.


    "Even the government sent people here?!"


    "Isn''t that nonsense? After all, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s a gxy fighter!"


    "But isn''t that Zhang Quan behaving in a rather unfriendly manner?"


    "It must be because of the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance," some hunter whispered knowingly.


    Zhang Quan ignored the dissipating crowd as he strode straight toward Zhang Lie. "Congrattions on the opening of your dojo¡ªbut be careful not to perish during the ceremony," he snarled, not hiding his animosity at all.


    "Haha, of course I won''t! In fact, I believe you''d sooner perish than I would!" Zhang Lie retorted.


    Zhang Quan gave him a wicked smile as he walked through the entrance to the dojo.


    "Hold on¡ªwhere''s your gift? As the head of the branch of the ministry of ruins in Ning, did youe to my opening ceremony without even preparing a gift?" Zhang Lie shouted in exaggerated fashion.


    The crowd yed along.


    "What? Who''s this? Isn''t he shameless to be epting the invitation without preparing a gift?"


    "Looks like some government officials are just that shameless!"


    The resulting murmurs from the crowd instantly caused Zhang Quan to flush red. After all, Zhang Quan wasn''t any ally of Zhang Lie''s, and he was only here today because he wanted to watch Zhang Lie''s downfall. Why would he waste time preparing a gift?


    And yet Zhang Lie, the shameless fool, had the gall to ask for a gift in front of the entire crowd!


    "Ah, how could I have forgotten? I was simply in such a hurry to get inside!" Zhang Quan pulled out a glowing jade stone from his soulspace.


    "My goodness, an origin stone! I really must thank you for your generosity, Official Zhang. Please, enter!"


    The appearance of the origin stone was marked by envious stares from the crowd all around, and Zhang Lie snatched the ''gift'' out of Zhang Quan''s hand like a bolt of lightning.


    The veins on Zhang Quan''s head throbbed.


    "We''ll see just who has thestugh!" Zhang Quan scoffed, turning away in a huff as he walked inside.


    By then, almost all the VIP guests had gathered. The few guests that continued to trickle in were a few local factions from Ning, whom Zhang Lie nevertheless greeted and thanked with respect.


    However, just as the opportune time for the opening ceremony drew near, and Zhang Lie prepared to head to the stage to officiate the event, three figures walked in from the distance.


    They all seemed to be rather imposing hunters, but strangely, Zhang Lie had no recollection of any of them at all. And even though they tried to cloak their enmity, Zhang Lie could still sense it from a distance.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Softly, he asked, "Do any of you recognize those three hunters?"


    "Captain, these are all dojo leaders from the capital," Sun Mengmeng whispered back.


    "From the dojos in the capital?" Zhang Lie rxed; he could guess why they were here.


    "Yes, Captain! The one in gold''s Ren Tianlong, the current leader of Dragon''s Ascent, a dojo well-known in the capital. He''s an exceptionally strong hunter, and there have been reports of him taking on three sura by himself. Apparently, he hasn''t been out in the public eye for quite some time. I wonder what he''s doing here?" Fang Yi exined, ncing at the hulking figure in the middle.


    "The other two hunters by his side are the dojo leaders of Heaven''s Wolves and Mortal World, Xia Tong and Zhao Zhi. They''re both famous third-realm hunters who generally prefer to avoid the public eye. I can''t believe they''re here for your ceremony, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng continued.


    As a citizen from the capital, she was quite familiar with the three of them.


    "May your dojo prosper." While Zhang Lie was speaking with Sun Mengmeng, Ren Tianlong had strode up to him and delivered a customary greeting expressionlessly.


    The other two dojo leaders did the same, greeting him and delivering him a gift mechanically.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes again.


    There were quite a few factions that had chosen to attend the opening ceremony for his dojo, quite a few of whom boasted members from the second or third realms of the dimensional world.


    Given their strength, there were two predominant reasons they were personally attending: first, because they were impressed by Zhang Lie and wanted to develop a rtionship with him, and second, because they were on inimical terms and wanted to put him in his ce.


    Given Zhang Lie''s current reputation and poprity, the opening of his dojo must have caused some stress for the other dojo leaders in the vicinity, particrly in Ning and the capital. One ce was where he had fought off the Kez invasion with his life on the line, and the other was his hometown.


    With this in mind, it wasn''t difficult to imagine why some dojos from the capital would attend his dojo''s opening ceremony with visible enmity.


    There were quite a few hunters who hade opposing Zhang Lie, but it was only the three dojos that Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had pointed out that he paid much attention to. Those three dojo leaders were the only truly strong ones that he could sense.


    "Captain! Everyone''s gathered, and we''re ready to begin the ceremony!" Sun Mengmeng called out.


    There were only a few spectating citizens remaining by the outside of the dojo.


    Zhang Lie nodded, motioning for them all to head inside. However, he left the entrance to the dojo wide open so that regr citizens would be able to see much of the affair from the outside.


    The ceremony itself was ted to take ce at the training ground. As Zhang Lie walked to center stage, the hubbub slowly died away, and everyone focused their full attention on him.


    A key part of the ceremony was for the dojo leader to ept all challengers to prove his strength in front of the public eye, and it was for this reason that many of the dojo leaders had attended the ceremony for themselves that day.


    Zhang Lie surveyed the crowd from where he stood, sensing a clear number of hostile stares.


    Chu Feng swallowed a gulp of saliva in anxiety. Most of those who were intending to challenge Zhang Lie were peak second-realm hunters, and there were even a few third-realm hunters present as well. Furthermore, they were in the real world, not the cksteel settlement, where thebatants'' safety was guaranteed.


    Chu Feng found it very difficult to imagine just how Zhang Lie would survive all the challenges, but Chu Lin and Yun Long seemed perfectly tranquil, with no intention to step in at all.

 Chapter 136: Victory in One Blow

    <h4>Chapter 136: Victory in One Blow</h4>


    "The opportune hour hase. The opening ceremony shall now begin!"


    With a huge bang, fireworks rose into the air, and the word ''Zenith'' slowly emerged in the skies, formed out of a series of colorful explosions. After the fireworks, a screen of light emerged over the top of the training ground, sealing it off from the outside. The soulstone floor soaked up the light and gave off a radiant blue glow.


    The guests'' faces turned serious as the dojo''s opening ceremony began in earnest.


    The dojo''s energy systems activated, surrounding the entire dojo in phantasmagorical shes of light. Small holes emerged from the floor, manipting the environment in a localized region of the arena.


    As gic energy surged through the paneling, the arena switched between different virtual environments, shocking the gathered guests. While the exterior design of Zhang Lie''s dojo wasn''t anything unusual, the interior machinery was state-of-the-art.


    No ordinary hunter could afford to open such a dojo, let alone someone who came from the slums and was without a backer, like Zhang Lie. After all, he was only in his early twenties. With his burgeoning reputation, if this opening ceremony were sessful, Zhang Lie was sure to be a power to contend with.


    Warning bells rang in the head of everyone who opposed Zhang Lie. They had to kill him now, before he could grow into his full power!


    The smiles had long since disappeared from the faces of the heads of the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, and their cold, distorted expressions were rather frightening.


    With another mechanical whirr, expressionless robotic hunters emerged from the ground.


    "Simted practice?"


    "What are these robots doing here?"


    "Manipting your environment at will, and training with foes whose strength you can calibrate... This is as close to a real battle as you can get, and only the top dojos are as well equipped. Honestly, considering that Zhang Lie''s just opening his dojo, I''m shocked by the quality of his facilities."


    Many of the dojo leaders spectating the ceremony felt immensely threatened the moment Zhang Lie began putting on his disy.


    "This is an interesting dojo!"mented Ren Tianlong, leader of Dragon''s Ascent, his eyes sparkling.


    Once the demonstration of all the facilities wasplete, mist covered the training ground, spelling out tworge words: Zenith Dojo.


    Zhang Lie bowed to a smattering of apuse that grew to a thunderous crescendo. Everyone in the audience was shocked. Many of the spectators thought that Zhang Lie was making use of his newfound poprity to start a dojo, but they hadn''t expected just how much time and energy Zhang Lie had put into the design.


    It seemed as though he really were serious about this venture.


    "As expected of the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie."


    "The quality and quantity of facilities avable isparable to that of top dojos in the nation."


    Zhang Lie''s expression remained cool and confident throughout.


    "Not bad, but it''s still somewhat worse than our Warrior''s Heart dojo!" a muscr hunter groused. He represented the Warrior''s Heart dojo in Ning, which was ranked third in the region. He wasn''t the dojo leader, but rather his first disciple, Liu Dongsheng.


    "In that case, why don''t you challenge himter on?" a dojo leader by his side suggested.


    "So I will! Do you think he''s all that strong?" Liu Dongsheng countered. Perhaps Zhang Lie was a genius, but he was still a first-realm hunter, after all. As a peak second-realm hunter himself, he had no fear of Zhang Lie.


    However, if he knew that Zhang Lie had destroyed two peak second-realm hunters working in tandem from the Wang n, he might not have dared to challenge Zhang Lie.


    "Zenith, peak, acme¡ªmy goal is to repeatedly surpass my own limits, to evolve to handle greater and greater challenges, to adapt to my environment and to continue to improve myself. It is for this purpose that I established the Zenith Dojo, and for this purpose that the Zenith Dojo is named!" Zhang Lie concisely exined the motivation behind his decision.


    "Excellent! The name itself shows foresight!"


    "Here I thought Zhang Lie had done all this on a whim, but he''s actually put serious thought behind his decision!"


    The crowd apuded.


    After all, Zhang Lie''s goals were admirable, and from the demonstration of the dojo''s facilities, it was clear that Zhang Lie had designed the dojo with these goals in mind. Far more of the spectators in the audience wanted to develop a rtionship with Zhang Lie than to destroy him.


    Of course, after the apuse woulde attacks from his enemies.


    As Wang Han pped, he shouted, "I must admit I''m captivated by your motivation behind the word ''zenith'', but I''m more curious about the overall strength of this dojo that ims to be at the zenith!"


    Many of the dojo leaders were already raring to challenge Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie gave the audience a faint smile: it looked as though the three n heads plotting against him were eager to start their attack.


    Naturally, the crowd understood the hidden meaning behind Wang Han''s words.


    "Of course. Following tradition, the floor is open to challengers."


    Some members of the audience, brash and impatient, were already rolling up their sleeves.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing clenched their fists tightly; what they had been dreading was about to happen.


    Fight, fight! I want to see just how long Zhang Lie will be able to stand before he falls.?Zhang Quan pushed up the rim of his sses, smirking inwardly.


    "Who wishes to test the Zenith Dojo''s mettle?" Zhang Lie called out, surveying the gathered crowd.


    "Haha! I, Dugu Xun, leader of the Lone Wolf dojo, ept the challenge!" A middle-aged man leapt out of the stands and onto the arena, the aura surging from him making his strength evident to all.


    "The Lone Wolf dojo, the top-ranked dojo in Hong? And that Dugu Xun''s a peak second-realm hunter, with an undefeated record in Hong! Isn''t this far too disadvantageous for Zhang Lie?"


    "Well, what choice does he have? Most dojo leaders are second-realm hunters, and only the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie is an exception. If he wants to be a dojo leader as a first-realm hunter, then he had better have overwhelming strength, as well as the ability to defeat second-realm hunters!"


    Most of the spectators didn''t favor Zhang Lie, given his apparent disadvantage in terms of strength and experience.


    Dugu Xun nced at him arrogantly, clearly not thinking much of his opponent.


    "Haha, Dojo Leader Dugu, you''re not a weak hunter, but I''m afraid challenging me might be too much of a stretch. Why don''t you beat one of my instructors first?"


    Just as Dugu Xun looked down on Zhang Lie, so too was Zhang Lie looking down on Dugu Xun.


    Dugu Xun''s face turned red. "Oh? You''re an arrogant one, aren''t you? In that case, send this instructor of yours forward!"


    Lin Xiu, dressed in ck and white, appeared on stage like a gust of wind. No one saw just how this rough-hewn middle-aged man had made his way on stage¡ªhe seemed to have appeared out of thin air.


    Zhang Lie made eye contact with him, then stepped off the stage, leaving only the two of them in the arena.


    "Dojo Leader Dugu, you may have the first blow," Lin Xiu stated calmly, as though he were instructing, rather than sparring against, Dugu Xun.


    "Just as arrogant as your dojo leader, are you?" Dugu Xun thundered. "In that case, die!"


    Dugu Xun leapt up into the air, pouncing straight toward Lin Xiu. The mud-colored gic energy he exuded covered the stage; when Lin Xiu tried to step away, he found his feet stuck to the ground. Dugu Xun was an earth-attuned hunter, and his framework was particrly suited to controlling the battlefield, catching his opponents unaware.


    "That instructor''s been caught by Dugu Xun''s attack! He''s dead!" a spectator murmured.


    The hunters of Team Zenith were rather worried by the sight: they had all heard of Dugu Xun''s name. This so-called instructor of theirs might have looked imposing, but he had been caught by Dugu Xun''s first attack!


    "Let me see just how you''ll escape!" Dugu Xunughed coldly.


    Seeing his opponent defenseless, he rushed forward even more quickly, the polearm in his right hand smashing down toward Lin Xiu with staggering force. If this blow were to hit, Dugu Xun''s victory would be all but guaranteed.


    However, Lin Xiu barely reacted to the iing blow. He slowly raised his arm and waved it about. An explosion erupted, dissolving Dugu Xun''s mud-colored gic energy. Sensing a pain at the back of his neck, and a sudden loss of vision in his eyes, Dugu Xun copsed.


    When the smoke cleared, silence descended over the training ground. No one knew just how the supposed instructor had attacked. Lin Xiu had barely moved, but Dugu Xun was slumped on the ground in an unconscious heap.

 Chapter 137: The Arrogant Lin Xiu

    <h4>Chapter 137: The Arrogant Lin Xiu</h4>


    "Dugu Xun lost just like that?!"


    "Did any of you see that guy strike?"


    "No, I didn''t! ?Just what''s going on?"


    "Is he really just an instructor from this dojo?"


    Many of the dojo leaders were staring at Lin Xiu with openmouthed shock, not having suspected that a nameless instructor would be able to defeat a peak second-realm hunter in just one blow.


    Qin Zongming, Li Mo, and Wang Han were all clutching their seats in concern. Lin Xiu''s skills were far beyond what they had expected, and they couldn''t help wondering just where Zhang Lie had found such an instructor for his dojo.


    "This won''t be an easy opponent to handle, not if Dugu Xun was defeated in a single blow," Qin Zongming whispered to Wang Han.


    "Don''t worry. We never expected to seed during this part of the n, anyway; the important part is whates next!"


    The unconscious Dugu Xun was quickly brought away.


    Lin Xiu, standing in the middle of the arena, yawnedzily. The dojo leaders'' faces spasmed. If only they could jump down into the arena and knock him out in one fell swoop!


    "Are there any other challengers?" Zhang Lie called out, barely hiding the traces of a smile.


    What could the gathered spectators do? If this Lin Xiu had knocked Dugu Xun out in one blow, he could well do the same to them. Most of them weren''t even as strong as Dugu Xun! Why would they go on stage to embarrass themselves?


    As the boisterous crowd fell silent, Qin Zongming shot a look at Qin Lan, who was at the end of the row of VIP seats. Qin Lan slowly got up, causing the guests'' expressions to shift. Was the Qin n going to send Qin Lan as a challenger?


    Apparently not. Qin Lan slowly walked out of the dojo, not saying a single word.


    "Are we starting our preparations now?" Wang Han whispered to Qin Zongming.


    "That instructor seems a little familiar to me, and I suspect it''s him..." A flicker of fear shed in Qin Zongming''s eyes.


    "Him? Who is it?"


    "Who cares? Let''s just send someone up and see," Li Mo interjected.


    "If there are no further challengers, the ceremony shall end here!"


    Lin Xiu, who had remained silent all this time, looked toward the guests, none of whom dared to look him in the eye.


    Even Zhang Lie, who was standing right by the arena, was shocked by Lin Xiu''s strength. Despite his proximity to the fight, all he saw was Lin Xiu''s body shing, followed by Dugu Xun slumping onto the floor.


    "Just where did our captain find this instructor? Isn''t he way too strong?" Sun Xiaowu swallowed a gulp of saliva.


    None of the others responded, but they looked just as shocked as the rest of the audience. They stared at Lin Xiu, almost as if they had recognized who he was, but were unable to believe it.


    "I would hate for the ceremony to be concluded prematurely. Mo Tianshan, leader of Heaven''s ir from Ning, at your service," a stentorian tone rang out from the stands. Mo Tianshan stood up from his seat.


    Many of the guests were rather surprised: after all, Heaven''s ir was the second-ranked dojo in Ning, and Mo Tianshan was its dojo leader, the strongest representative of the dojo.


    "Didn''t he retreat from the public eye a few decades ago? Why is he appearing here now?"


    "Apparently, Mo Tianshan was a peak second-realm hunter when he retreated, and now, after a few decades¡­ I expect this dojo instructor will be steamrolled."


    "Ah, a pity."


    The crowd broke out into hushed conversations the moment Mo Tianshan had stood up.


    Lin Xiu faced his opponent, who leapt from the stands straight toward the arena,nding with a huge thump that seemed to shake the entire building.


    "I, Mo Tianshan, challenge you." His voice was deep and t, as expressionless as Lin Xiu himself, but his aura surged out from him like arge mountain.


    With a few motions of his hands, Zhang Lie shrouded the entire arena in mist. He was well aware that Mo Tianshan was a strong hunter, and if he were to fight unrestrained against Lin Xiu, the audience might be struck by a ncing blow or two.


    "Come," Lin Xiu said.


    Mo Tianshan lowered his body, his gaze sharpening. Without any external fluctuation of gic energy that Zhang Lie could discern, his aura shot into the heavens like a sword. Then, as his gic energy erupted in a golden sh, an old grandfather''s clock seemed to spring into existence around Mo Tianshan.


    As it tolled, several of the guests seated closest to the arena found their chests starting to hurt from the pressure.


    "Isn''t this Mo Tianshan''s famed soulcrushing clock? He''s using this technique immediately?!"


    "I heard that Mo Tianshan likes wandering around and acquiring dojos from all over the country. Is he here for the Zenith Dojo?" Chu Feng murmured.


    "That sounds likely. Zhang Lie might be in danger: this dojo instructor of his is quite strong, but I doubt he can ovee Mo Tianshan," Yun Bing analyzed.


    The two of them predicted the oue of the fight before it had even started.


    Zhang Lie crossed his arms over his chest as he nced at Lin Xiu. Neither Dugu Xun from before, or Mo Tianshan now, had managed to wipe the indolence from Lin Xiu''s eyes. In truth, Zhang Lie was quite surprised that Su Feng had managed to find him such a strong bodyguard in almost no time at all.


    Mo Tianshan finallyunched his attack. The grandfather''s clock''s tolls shook the audience as it glowed golden. As the dials began to spin, the numbers on the clock transformed into swords that shot toward Lin Xiu.


    "Oh, a soulcrusher clock? It isn''t a bad technique. From the looks of it, you''re at least expert-level with it, maybe even higher."


    Lin Xiu remained casually indifferent to the barrage of attacksing his way; instead, it was Mo Tianshan who felt a curious pressureing from his opponent. The glowing numbers stabbed into the floor by Lin Xiu''s vicinity, dousing the arena in gold.


    "[Soulcrusher Clock: Stasis]!" Mo Tianshan shouted,unching a lethal blow at Lin Xiu.


    Lin Xiu remained immobile. Just as the attack was about to hit him, gic energy emerged from his body. With a roar, the water serpent that manifested from Lin Xiu swept the swords away as the arena flooded with water.


    "Water is the origin of life," Lin Xiu murmured. With a flick of the serpent''s tail, the waves of water crashed against Mo Tianshan''s body, sending him flying out of the arena.


    Mo Tianshan crashed against a wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he did so.


    "Thank you for your clemency," Mo Tianshan choked out. ?"Might I ask your name?"


    "Lin Xiu!"


    "Lin Xiu? ?That name sounds a little familiar, doesn''t it? Could it be¡ª"


    "What, Mo Tianshan was defeated in one blow too?"


    "Does anyone know just who this Lin Xiu is?"


    "If even Mo Tianshan fell to a single blow, could any of us hope to stand against him?"


    The conclusion to these two challenges was rather difficult to ept.


    "Where did that kid find such an instructor?" Chu Lin thought to himself. No matter how exceptional Zhang Lie was, he was only a first-realm hunter, but that instructor was someone extraordinary.


    In other words, Zhang Lie was little more than a kid to him; despite his unusual strength, he was only at the level of a peak second-realm hunter at most. On the other hand, this dojo ''instructor'' was at least a peak third-realm hunter, and not merelypared to those of his own generation.


    The Eclipse Sage himself was only a third-realm hunter, though, in his time, he was already at the apex of humanity.


    Yun Long''s eyes gleamed. He and Chu Lin were both starting to regret their decision to remain neutral. Were Zhang Lie only a talented genius, they wouldn''t have worried too much about forming a rtionship with him; after all, genius still needed time to blossom. Considering Zhang Lie''s background, they didn''t think he would be able to make much of himself. But now, with a peak third-realm hunter appearing at his dojo''s opening ceremony...


    Unfortunately, it was toote for them to act. If their ns were to forge a rtionship with Zhang Lie, it would have to be through Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    The Zhou, Qin, and Hao n heads'' faces fell. This wasn''t an oue that they wanted to see at all!


    "Don''t worry. At this point, I''m sure the Qin, Wang, and Li heads are even more worried than we are. Let''s just wait and see what they do," Zhou Ruo murmured. Indeed, Qin Zongming, Wang Han, and Li Mo all seemed to be rather rattled; their seemingly perfect n was slowly being dissolved by Zhang Lie.


    "We have to use our ace." Qin Zongming clenched his fists tightly. He had prepared for this eventuality, but hadn''t expected that he would have to use it at all.


    "There''s no choice. That instructor''s not an easy fellow to deal with, and if we don''t kill Zhang Lie today, our ns will surely perish," Wang Han gritted out.


    "Will anyone take the role of the third challenger?" Zhang Lie called out, stretching. With Lin Xiu helping him out, he was far more rxed than he expected to be.


    "I shall challenge you." A thin, emaciated man in ck walked out from the crowd, attracting everyone''s attention with how pale and sickly he seemed to be.


    Lin Xiu began to frown.


    "Someone like this is going to waste ourst opportunity? Don''t volunteer if you don''t have the strength to back it up!" several dojo leaders heckled.


    Nevertheless, the thin man shrugged off all the criticism being thrown his way. He nced at his detractors, shutting them up with a chilling stare. Once all the dojo leaders quieted down, he stepped up on stage, opposite Lin Xiu.


    Lin Xiu nced at him appraisingly.


    "Sheng Fei, from the Soaring Dragon dojo in Ning," the thin man introduced himself, causing many of the guests in the audience to pale.


    "The old leader of the Soaring Dragon dojo? ?Someone like him''s taking part in this challenge?!"


    "Just how many people did this Zhang Lie offend?!"


    "Ah, it looks like this Zenith Dojo isn''t going to stand a chance!"


    After a momentary silence, the crowd erupted in conversation once more, again having predicted the oue of the match before it even began.


    By Zhang Lie''s side, Sun Mengmeng gasped. "The Soaring Dragon dojo?"


    Zhang Lie frowned as he reviewed his memories. "The Soaring Dragon dojo, top-ranked in Ning, and within the top ten nationwide," he murmured.


    "Famed for the strength of its founding leader, Sheng Fei, who was renowned for hunting down ten third-realm hunters in rapid session. Even in the third realm, he''s almost without peer..." Sun Mengmeng''s voice began to quaver.


    "Sheng Fei himself?! He was almost a monarch-level hunter a decade or so ago, and now¡ª"


    "That dojo instructor''s dead!"


    The crowd clearly favored Sheng Fei over the rtively nameless Lin Xiu.


    A storm of gic energy began to brew over the arena.


    "Where did all these exceptionally strong challengerse from? If the dojo leader were the only one who could ept challengers, surely Zhang Lie would be dead by now! And don''t you think there''s something fishy about the way the Qin, Wang, and Li ns are acting? They can''t be thinking to strike at Zhang Lie, can they?" a few of the spectators whispered to each other.


    "I will cede the first blow to the young," Sheng Fei stated.


    "Youth doesn''t corrte with power," Lin Xiu replied. "You had better go first¡ªif I make a move, you won''t have the opportunity to do so!"


    Lin Xiu''s brimming confidence left the audience agape. Was he so arrogant that he thought he could best Sheng Fei in one blow?


    "You, you dare?!" Sheng Fei''s voice trembled, as though he were trying to suppress his rising anger.


    Lin Xiu smiled disdainfully at him. "Do you think you''re really all that high up the hierarchy of the third realm?"


    Sheng Fei''s forehead furrowed. Either Lin Xiu was just putting on a front, or he was one of the truly strong existences of the third realm. "Just who are you?"

 Chapter 138: The Four Sages

    <h4>Chapter 138: The Four Sages</h4>


    "You? You don''t deserve to know my title!" Lin Xiu smiled at Sheng Fei disdainfully.


    The outpouring of gic energy around Sheng Fei suddenly turned cold. The darkness-attuned gic energy, gleaming with malicious light, made Sheng Fei look like an evil scorpion.


    "Trying to act mysteriously, are you? I''ll vanquish you in one blow!" Dark gic energy exploded from Sheng Fei''s body, dyeing the arena dark.


    .


    "Isn''t this instructor being a little too arrogant? I can''t believe he dares to anger Dojo Leader Sheng Fei!"


    "Just watch¡ªhe''s about to die!"


    If nothing else, the audience was finally getting a good show atst. Despite Lin Xiu''s overwhelming victory in thest two fights, Sheng Fei was still the crowd favorite: he was well-known in the huntermunity, after all.


    "[Descent of Hades]!" The dark energy filling the arena seemed to grow thicker. ck clouds of fog and smoke billowed out from the stage, forming an ancient throne on which a ck figure seemed to be seated. A sense of chilling death swept over the crowd.


    "It''s Sheng Fei''s signature [Descent of Hades]!" someone shouted from within the crowd.


    The figure on the dread throne slowly stood up, sending chilly winds howling every which way. Dark clouds gathered above the arena. A pair of demonic ws ripped past the clouds and pressed toward Lin Xiu.


    Shrouded in the mist, Lin Xiu remained immobile, as though he were scared stiff.


    "See? This is as far as this dojo instructor can go. How can he hope to challenge Sheng Fei?"


    Many in the audience thought that Lin Xiu was surely dead.


    "[Descent of Hades]? It might look impressive, but the technique itself isn''t very strong," Lin Xiu mumbled to himself. No one noticed what he said except for Zhang Lie, who was the closest to him. Only he discovered that Lin Xiu had begun circting gic energy.


    The moment the ws swiped at him, a pale blue light caused the dark clouds above him to dissipate, forming a bulwark against the darkness. By the time the fog cleared enough that the arena was visible to the audience, Lin Xiu was the only one left standing; Sheng Fei had copsed to the floor like a dead dog.


    By his chest, a finger-sized hole was dripping blood. The guests were openmouthed with shock, as though they were all stunned by the oue of the match.


    Sheng Fei had lost after just a single blow?! He hadn''t evensted as long as Mo Tianshan did!


    "D-Did Dojo Leader Sheng Fei really lose that easily?" someone whispered.


    "The three challenges are over," Lin Xiu said listlessly, yawning again. He stepped down from the stage and stopped by Zhang Lie''s side.


    In the stands, Li Mo, Wang Han, and Qin Zongming clenched their fists tightly, their faces pale.


    "Are the dojo leaders of Ning all such worthless trash?" Wang Han murmured. They weren''t even able to get rid of a paltry dojo instructor!


    "No, they aren''t weak¡ªthe opponent''s just far too strong for them. If I''m not mistaken, that dojo instructor''s likely one of the four sages of China''s Fenglin Volcano!" Qin Zongming spat out. He had no intention of continuing with the n; it was obvious that, with Lin Xiu present, none of them would be able to harm Zhang Lie.


    "The four great sages? Aren''t they part of the military and known for their secretive nature? Why would they be participating in the opening ceremony for Zhang Lie''s dojo? Could the Chinese military have sent him over? No, surely not¡ªthere''s no way the military would dispatch a sage just to protect someone like Zhang Lie!" Wang Han shouted in disbelief.


    "Forget it, forget it! We don''t have a choice. We can''t let the challenges end just like this; if we can''t deal with that dojo instructor, then we simply have to get Zhang Lie in the arena himself. No matter what, we can''t let this golden opportunity slip away!" Li Mo whispered.


    After Lin Xiu jumped off the arena, Zhang Lie stepped up once more, ready to announce the banquet that would mark the end of the ceremony. However, the moment he stepped up, murmurs of unrest spread through the audience.


    "Please wait! The traditional challenge is meant to test the dojo''s overall strength. Surely it''s against the spirit of the challenge to have a single dojo instructor take on all three challenges? It''s still early, so I suggest that we have a few more matches!" Wang Han stood up with a curious suggestion.


    "Indeed, I''d like to see Dojo Leader Zhang fight himself!" Li Mo agreed.


    "Yes, yes! It would be far more interesting if Dojo Leader Zhang could show us his skills as well," several other dojo leaders quickly agreed with the motion.


    Zhang Lie smiled. As expected, the Qin, Wang, and Li ns wouldn''t give up.


    "That''s right, Dojo Leader Zhang! Shouldn''t you give the leaders from the other dojos some chance to shine? No one from the capital has challenged you yet!" Zhou Ruo eximed.


    Wang Han''s suggestion was supported by so many factions that Zhang Lie couldn''t easily refuse. If he did so, then the dojo might lose much of its reputation, and the opening ceremony wouldn''t conclude satisfactorily.


    "In that case, we''ll have three more challenges: but, once again, only those who defeat my instructor will have the right to challenge me," Zhang Lie replied, epting the proposal.


    Qin Zongming rxed, but the next hurdle they would have to ovee would be Lin Xiu. If they wanted to attack Zhang Lie, they would have to defeat him first.


    "What should we do? How will we get rid of Lin Xiu?" Wang Han frowned. The fact that Zhang Lie had epted so readily gave him quite a bit of stress: Lin Xiu was simply so strong that his confidence couldn''t help but waver.


    "There''s no issue. Our target has never been Lin Xiu, but rather Zhang Lie. We''ll give up two challenges, but I''ll make sure that Zhang Lie''s on stage himself for thest one!" Li Mo was still rtively calm; he knew just how strong the subsequent challengers would be.


    "I apologize for the trouble, Master Lin!" Zhang Lie inclined his head toward Lin Xiu as he walked down the stage once more, whereas Lin Xiu again took center stage.


    "Captain, there wasn''t any need to agree to their unreasonable demands! We''ve followed the standard ceremonial proceedings throughout!" Sun Mengmeng cried out.


    "Don''t worry. It''s not as if they would have stopped trying to attack me if I declined their suggestion, after all."


    With Lin Xiu around, he didn''t have much to worry about. He might not have his past life''s strength, but that didn''t mean his experience had vanished. Given Lin Xiu''s performance, Zhang Lie could tell that he was at least as strong as a sage.


    Lin Xiu''s gaze was as indolent as ever.


    "Who will challenge me?" he asked. His voice wasn''t very loud, but it carried across the stage.


    The audience stirred once more, but no one stepped forward this time. After all, Dugu Xun, Mo Tianshan, and Sheng Fei had all lost to Lin Xiu in a single blow. Only someone whose strength was well above that of all three hunters even stood a chance.


    "Is there no one?" Lin Xiu asked again.


    Qin Zongming gave Ren Tianlong a look; thetter nodded and slowly stood up. The audience quickly made way for the imposing hunter.


    "It''s Ren Tianlong himself! Apparently, he once faced three third-realm superior-grade lifeforms alone, and he''s purportedly stronger than even Sheng Fei!"


    "So? Sheng Fei was defeated in a single blow! I doubt this Ren Tianlong will do much better. Not losing in one blow''s enough of an aplishment!"


    By now, the audience was siding with Lin Xiu. Ren Tianlong was a legendary figure, but Lin Xiu had dominated the first three matches with barely any effort.


    "Sir, I''m Ren Tianlong. Let''s have a good match!"


    Ren Tianlong walked out from the crowd and leapt onto the stage. Compared to the three dojo leaders from Ning, he was far more reserved. His expression was serious as he got into a battle stance.


    The two of them nced at each other, neither wanting to make the first move.


    "Ren Tianlong, eh? You''re not the real deal, are you?" Lin Xiu asked, his voice pitched low enough that none but the two of them could hear their conversation.


    "As for you, sir, I''m sure you''re far more than a dojo instructor around here!" ''Ren Tianlong'' countered.


    It was clear to the audience that Lin Xiu was an exceptional hunter, or ''Ren Tianlong'' wouldn''t be on stage now.


    "It must feel ufortable to use a shapeshifting potion, musn''t it?" Lin Xiu continued.


    "I can''t fool your eyes, sir."


    Knowing that his true identity might well be exposed if he allowed this conversation to continue, ''Ren Tianlong'' charged forward with a burst of gic energy, shielded by a curious glow.


    "You''re from the Qin n, aren''t you? It looks like you''ve really done significant preparation in order to deal with Zhang Lie. But did you really think that it was a good idea to send a water-attuned hunter against me? If nothing else, I have tomend you on your courage."


    A faint blue glow shone from Lin Xiu''s body.


    "Take this!" ''Ren Tianlong'' swung at Lin Xiu with a shining fist. Waves shot out from his fist, morphing into a ferocious blue qilin that rushed toward Lin Xiu.


    "The legendary-grade [Qilin Fist], huh? It looks like my guess wasn''t wrong¡ª but your attack''scking!"


    Lin Xiu needed only one finger to counter the attack. Ripples of gic energy spread out from his finger, forming a screen of water against which the blue qilin crashed. The qilin roared and smashed its body against the translucent barrier, but failed to break or even dent it.


    Instead, as Lin Xiu flicked his finger, the screen of water exploded along with the qilin, transforming into a thin arrow of water that Lin Xiu sent toward ''Ren Tianlong''. ''Ren Tianlong'' stumbled back in shock; the arrow pierced his palm and shot out his right shoulder with a spray of blood before dissipating into red-tinted mist.

 Chapter 139: Monarch of the Six Seas

    <h4>Chapter 139: Monarch of the Six Seas</h4>


    As the protective barrier by the edges of the arena faded away, traces of fresh blood caught the eye. The audience was silent. ''Ren Tianlong'' stood quietly, blood seeping down his palm, as a bloody odor spread across the arena.


    Had Lin Xiu won in one blow again?


    "His opponent was Ren Tianlong from the capital! Just who is that Lin Xiu figure?! Isn''t the disparity in strength a little toorge?"


    The audience exploded into chatter once more.


    The dojos of the capital were, as a general rule, stronger than those in Ning. Ren Tianlong was known to be a strong, mysterious hunter, and everyone had witnessed the strength of his blow, but Lin Xiu had countered it with ease.


    The Wang, Li, and Qin n heads were all staring at Lin Xiu with disgust.


    "This fellow¡ª"


    "There''s no doubt¡ªhe''s one of the four sages of the Fenglin Volcano!"


    .


    Wang Han clutched his armrest until his knuckles turned white, creating a crack in the reinforced armrest with brute force alone.


    "One of the four sages! Even if we used extraordinary methods, it''ll be difficult to get rid of him," Qin Zongming sighed.


    "Don''t worry. The key will be in the next battle!" Wang Han took a deep breath, then nced toward one spot in the audience, where a bald man nodded back at him. As he did so, the man retrieved a syringe from within his clothes. Everyone else was focused on the arena, and no one noticed what he had done. He injected the contents of the syringe into his arm, the pale blue glow causing his veins to bulge as a blue glow shot through them.


    In little more than a second, everything seemed normal again, and Wang Han rxed.


    Qin Zongming and Li Mo slumped by their seats as they waited for the next challenge.


    "Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me?"


    ''Ren Tianlong'' had admitted defeat. His injury wasn''t particrly serious, but the gulf between him and Lin Xiu was obvious, and there was no point in dragging the fight out ?further.


    No one met Lin Xiu''s gaze.


    The discussion among the audience quieted down as they waited for the next volunteer.


    "I will be the next challenger." After a momentary silence, a figure rose up from the audience, a bald and rather thin dojo leader.


    "This is Dojo Leader Liu Shuang, from the Starshine Dojo!"


    Someone from the audience recognized him at once.


    "That''s right, he was the former dojo leader of Starshine, and he''s a third-realm hunter now!"


    "Isn''t it strange? There are so many top-rate hunters here to challenge a first-realm dojo leader?"


    "Isn''t that so? And the Zenith Dojo''s just starting out, too..."


    "Well, from my perspective, it won''t matter who the challenger is."


    "That''s right! Can any of these leaders beat Zhang Lie''s instructor? ?He''s been defeating everyone with just one blow!"


    It was difficult to determine who would win. Although the audience was surprised by Liu Shuang''s identity, many favored Lin Xiu. They didn''t think highly of Lin Xiu at first, not until he dispatched his four opponents with just a single blow each.


    Lin Xiu gazed coldly at Liu Shuang, from whom he could smell a strange odor.?This is... a restricted potion!


    "He''s consumed a restricted potion!" Zhang Lie, by the side of the arena, frowned. He was also able to detect the strange odor that permeated Liu Shuang''s body. "The Wang n really does love resorting to such means!"


    "Captain, will Instructor Lin be able to handle him?" Sun Mengmeng asked, swallowing a gulp of saliva. The challengers had been getting stronger and stronger, and Liu Shuang had even used a potion!


    "Handle him? Our Instructor Lin wouldn''t break a sweat even if he had to handle two of him at once!" Zhang Lie smiled.


    The potion that Liu Shuang had consumed would increase his gic energy activity fivefold, and he would temporarily lose his sense of pain. A hunter would generally only use such a potion in life-threatening circumstances, because its side effects weremensurate with the boost it granted.


    To be using such a potion during a practice match...


    "It''s a shame to see a dojo leader without any sense of ethics," Lin Xiumented idly.


    "Hah, I don''t have a choice¡ªyou''re too strong." Liu Shuang licked his chapped lips.


    "Unfortunately for you, even that potion won''t help you do anything against me!" Lin Xiu countered. A blue pir of gic energy shot into the air as he turned serious for the first time.


    "That dojo instructor''s going for the first blow?"


    "Just how strong is he? I can sense the fluctuations of gic energy right where I''m sitting!"


    Exmations rang out from the audience.


    The pressure from that pir of gic energy was like that from a vast ocean, all concentrated on Liu Shuang''s body. Even before Lin Xiu attacked, the pressure from his gic energy was already causing Liu Shuang to sweat.


    Lin Xiu stepped forward. His gic energy spread over the entire arena, turning it into a blue ocean. As he moved, ripples of blue light emanated from his feet and struck Liu Shuang, each stronger than thest.


    Like a deity, Lin Xiu strode imperturbably forward, crushing Liu Shuang with nothing more than his aura and pressure.


    Blood seeped out of all the orifices of Liu Shuang''s body. Liu Shuang stood hunchbacked, unable to do more than circte his lightning-attuned gic energy at full power to shield against Lin Xiu''s pressure.


    "Th-This is [Domain of the Sea God]! He''s from the Fenglin Volcano!" Finally, a knowledgeable member of the audience uncovered Lin Xiu''s identity.


    Liu Shuang felt the pressure growing stronger as Lin Xiu walked closer.


    "No, this can''t be¡ªthis pressure''sparable to [Domain of the Sea God]! Could it really be him? Surely not, surely not. He''s a high-ranking member of the military, so why would he be present now?"


    He shook his head forcefully, trying to dispel the doubts that clouded his mind.


    "If you admit defeat now, I''ll spare your life," a cold voice grated out, seemingly right by Liu Shuang''s ear.


    The next moment, the pressure increased sharply, and Liu Shuang''s vertebrae seemed to pop.


    As Liu Shuang''s body crackled with lightning, a curious odor emanated from his body.


    "What? There''s no way he can purge his opponent''s blood like that!" Wang Han cried out, noticing what was happening.


    "Kneel!" Lin Xiumanded.


    Liu Shuang felt his back dip with the pressure, cracking his bones and forcing him to the ground, despite Liu Shuang''s every effort to remain upright.


    Those spectating the match gaped in stunned silence: Liu Shuang was no match for Lin Xiu! Even Zhang Lie seemed shocked. Lin Xiu''s indolence had vanished and been reced with a ruler''s authority.


    "Someone like you doesn''t deserve to be a dojo leader." Lin Xiu stared at Liu Shuang from above. Liu Shuang''s throat gurgled, as if he were trying to force a few words out.


    "Don''t bother exining. I would hate to mar this opening ceremony with a death. Don''t let me ever see you again¡ªnow, scram!" Lin Xiu, disgusted by Liu Shuang''s pleading, suddenly struck his prone body with a foot, kicking him away like a ser ball.


    Liu Shuang''s body flew over the stands and out of the Zenith Dojo. The audience was silent: most of the onlookers still hadn''t recovered from their earlier shock, when Lin Xiu had forced Liu Shuang to kneel with just his aura and pressure alone.


    "What''s the Fenglin Volcano, and just who is that dojo instructor? How could he be so strong?!"


    "You don''t even know about the Fenglin Volcano or the four great sages of China? Surely you know about the Sage of the Six Seas, then? That''s him, Lin Xiu!"


    "What? How did he be a dojo instructor?!"


    "Of course he''s not a dojo instructor! He''s just there to protect Zhang Lie!"


    "So Zhang Lie has connections to the military? In that case, I''ve decided: my son will attend the Zenith Dojo!"


    The audience once again buzzed with excitement. Almost everyone knew what was going on now. The Sage of the Six Seas himself was protecting Zhang Lie, who had clear ties with the military.


    The repeated challenges had only secured the reputation of the Zenith Dojo, whose name would surely spread far and wide across China, and even throughout the world federation.


    Lin Xiu reined in his aura and again assumed his insouciant persona. "Are there any challengers remaining? Fair warning: I won''t show any mercy to those who dishonor their name."


    No one dared rise to the asion. After all, they would have to face the Sage of the Six Seas himself! Who would want to go against such an indomitable existence?


    Wang Han''s eyes turned cold. Lin Xiu was a mountain, an obstacle they would have to ovee to get to Zhang Lie.


    "What are we going to do? Our n''s going to fail!" Qin Zongming murmured.


    "Not yet. The Sage of the Six Seas is an imposing figure indeed, but now that his identity''s been revealed..." Li Mo began.


    "Hoh, it looks like you have an idea in mind!"


    "Perhaps, but whether or not it''ll seed will depend on Zhang Lie." Li Mo''s eyes gleamed.

 Chapter 140: Forced On Stage

    <h4>Chapter 140: Forced On Stage</h4>


    "What do you mean?" Wang Han asked. "Should we send a younger hunter to challenge him?"


    "Of course! I don''t believe that the Sage of the Six Seas would be willing to fight against someone of the younger generation."


    Wang Han mulled over the proposal. He was thinking of something simr, but Zhang Lie was an overwhelming opponent for the hunters of his generation. At the very least, there were no suitable hunters in their three ns who could even defeat Zhang Lie, let alone kill him directly.


    "Don''t worry, n Head Wang¡ªI''vee prepared." Li Mo was as confident as ever.


    "Li Xin!" he called out, and one of the hunters from the Li delegation stepped forward. His deep blue armor made him look somewhat like Li Mo. He was ncing at Zhang Lie with an icy demeanor.


    "Li Xin? The Li n''s going to send Li Xin to challenge the Sage of the Six Seas? What a joke! Li Xin might be a genius in his own right, having advanced to the third realm before the age of thirty, but no matter how strong he is, he''s still a member of the younger generation. Against a sage, what could he do?"


    Vigorous discussion broke out among the audience.


    Even Zhang Lie was a little confused. Neither Ren Tianlong nor Sheng Fei were a match for Lin Xiu¡ªjust what could Li Xin do?


    Only a momentter, he realized what kind of trick Li Mo was trying to pull.


    "I''m truly impressed by the instructors under the Zenith Dojo''s employ, but it''s a shame that Dojo Leader Zhang himself has yet to have a chance to shine! As a result, I''ve specially called Li Xin over in hopes that you''ll ept the challenge. You''re both rtively close in age, so it''s in ordance with the rules," Li Mo exined.


    "Oh? That''s not a bad idea. Li Xin might be older than Zhang Lie, but they''re both from the same generation!"


    "Indeed, this would certainly be an interesting fight!"


    "Interesting? Same generation? Zhang Lie''s barely in his twenties, and Li Jin''s already well into his thirties! Given the time dtion in the dimensional world, they''re pretty much a century apart! Furthermore, Li Xin''s been in the third realm for more than a year, whereas Zhang Lie hasn''t even been in the first realm for a full year yet!"


    Naturally, some people realized that Li Mo was twisting the truth.


    In the arena, Lin Xiu smiled. Under ordinary circumstances, he would disdain the very idea of interfering in the younger generation''s business, but not if it was under militarymand. Above all, he was a soldier, and his job was to carry out orders efficiently and effectively. His task was to protect Zhang Lie, and he would do so even at cost to his reputation.


    Furthermore, strictly speaking, Li Xin and Zhang Lie certainly weren''t considered hunters of the same generation¡ªor, more urately, if Li Xin and Zhang Lie could be considered to be in the same generation, so could he and Li Xin. After all, Lin Xiu had just entered his forties!


    However, if Zhang Lie were to choose to avoid thisst challenge, it would surely affect the reputation of the Zenith Dojo.


    Zhang Lie didn''t deny Li Mo''s argument outright, but he seemed a little difited by the idea. "n Head Li, your argument has some merit, but I''m not sure it''s in the spirit of the challenges."


    Li Mo smiled. "Rules are there to be broken! Dojo Leader Zhang, your instructor''s peerless¡ªisn''t it meaningless to have him continue fighting?"


    "Of course it''s meaningful," Zhang Lie countered. "I''m showing off the impressive ability of the instructors of Dojo Zenith."


    "These are pretty words, Dojo Leader Zhang, but are you simply masking your fear?" Li Mo raised his eyebrows, his lips curling up into a mocking grin. The longer this verbal battle went, the more confident he was that his n would seed.


    At this point, all he wanted to do was get Zhang Lie on stage!


    "A-Afraid? Not quite, but I''m only a first-realm hunter!" Zhang Lie stuttered and stammered, an ufortable expression on his face, stunning Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, and the other hunters of Team Zenith. They stared at him as though they were looking at an impostor.


    After all, in front of them, Zhang Lie had never seemed to be afraid of anything. Even when he was faced with a three-star ck-tipped scarab, he had rushed forward without any reservation. Although his opponent was a third-realm hunter, the members of Team Zenith didn''t think that Zhang Lie would be so scared that he would start stammering.


    In other words... he was faking it.


    "Surely you must be joking, Dojo Leader Zhang. If you can found a dojo, then you must surely be stronger than an ordinary second-realm hunter. Isn''t it too modest to style yourself as a first-realm hunter?"


    "That''s right, Dojo Leader Zhang, show us your true capabilities! Aren''t you the fearless Dragonwolf that we''ve all heard about?"


    Other members of the audience began to instigate him.


    "Look, Dojo Leader Zhang! Everyone wants you to show us your skills."


    Wang Han smiled like a fox. If Zhang Lie were to step on stage, he would likely lose; if he didn''t, the boost to the dojo''s reputation from the first five challenges would all go to waste.


    Zhang Lie sighed, and he seemed even more troubled.


    "But I¡ªagainst a strong opponent, I''m afraid it''ll be hard for me to hold back, so..."


    "Is that all, Dojo Leader Zhang? Please, feel free to use your full strength! If anything happens, don''t worry, you won''t be to me!" Li Mo boomed, as though he could already visualize Zhang Lie''s death throes.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, you won''t deny us all the chance to see the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie in person, would you?"


    The crowd was thrilled by Wang Han''s suggestion. After all, most of the audience had only ever seen Zhang Lie fight on a recording, and this was a rare opportunity to witness his strength for themselves.


    It was for this reason that Li Mo had guessed that the audience would side with him.


    "Very well, n Head Li. As long as you don''t me me for any ident¡ª"


    "Of course not, of course not! No matter what happens, the Li n will not hold you responsible, Dojo Leader Zhang!"


    "In that case, I would be honored to ept Young Master Li''s challenge. Please, be careful!" Zhang Lie shook his head helplessly, his tone so disdainful of Li Xin''s strength that Li Xin almost exploded on the spot.


    The two of them stepped on stage; the audience''s attention was fully focused on them.


    "I heard you were the one who killed Li Jin," Li Xin began, his eyes gleaming with killing intent.


    "Indeed. I was only nning on giving him a beating, but he refused to stop bothering me, and then¡ªwell, you know the rest," Zhang Lie replied with a gentle smile.


    "If you kneel down and beg for mercy now, I might consider sparing your life," Li Xin spat out. To him, Zhang Lie was a stinkbug he could crush without any effort at all.


    "You''re wee to try." Zhang Lie''s body vanished without a trace.


    "Ha! Have you got nothing but tricks?" Li Xin''s eyes filled with disdain. He released a gust of gic energy, forming a web of lightning that nketed the arena. The lightning web shifted back and forth, trying to sift the arena for traces of Zhang Lie.


    "Do you really think you can hide in stealth against a lightning-attuned hunter?" Li Mo chortled to himself, as did Wang Han and Qin Zongming.


    Zhang Lie, who was hidden by one corner of the arena, suddenly smiled. Lightning-attuned gic energy was an extreme counter against environmental- and stealth-based techniques, but Zhang Lie''s venombane scorpion soulshard was far from ordinary. In addition, the stealth ability it conferred wasn''t environment-based, but a rarer spatial version instead.


    Li Xin''s lightning web impacted a particr location with a purple sh, and Zhang Lie''s figure appeared before his eyes. Unstealthed, Zhang Lie stumbled forward with his sword. Zhang Lie''s thrust was rough and haphazard, as though he had been caught unawares.


    "[Thundersh Sword]!" A blinding sh of lightning passed through Zhang Lie without any resistance at all.


    The spectators were silent, their eyes wide open in shock. Had the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie been vanquished just like that? The match had barely begun! The spectators couldn''t believe that he had fallen so easily.


    "Captain!" Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng and the others instinctively cried out in shock.


    "Don''t worry, that''s not his real body," Lin Xiu whispered to them.


    Indeed, Zhang Lie''s ''corpse'' was slowly turning transparent, and there was no sign of blood on the floor.


    Li Xin''s eyes bulged. If this was just a clone, where was his actual body? After all, his lightning web had covered the entire arena; there was no way Zhang Lie had avoided the attack. He would have sensed any disturbance in the web, but there had been nothing unusual at all!


    Thisd''s stealth technique is pretty interesting. No wonder he was able to kill Li Jin!?Gic energy exploded from him as he clutched his broadsword and began searching carefully for Zhang Lie.


    "Zhang Lie''s trying to hide? Isn''t he being too cowardly?"


    "Cowardly? Are you a fool? His opponent''s a third-realm hunter, and he''s only in the first realm! Why would he go for a direct confrontation?"


    "That''s right. If it were me, I''d do the same¡ªstart by exhausting and annoying your opponent!"


    "In that case, we''re in for a slog! They both seem to have significant reservoirs of gic energy, so how long will we have to wait before something interesting happens?" the guests murmured to themselves.


    The hotly anticipated sh had devolved into a game of hide-and-seek. It really was looking like it would be a boring match.


    Li Xin could find no trace of Zhang Lie at all. As Zhang Lie vanished and reappeared, he activated [Mirrored Refraction] concurrently with his stealth ability to create clones of himself where he stood. The moment the clone appeared, he vanished.


    Li Jin struck clone after clone to no effect; during this process, it became clear to him that Zhang Lie''s stealth went beyond the level of a standard environment-based technique, and he instead began to focus on the minute spatial fluctuations that urred each time Zhang Lie used his ability.


    He felt a spatial fluctuation behind him, and he immediately swung his sword toward that location. The de of the sword smashed against the arena as Li Xin frowned: he hadn''t struck Zhang Lie, but only one of his countless clones!


    After yet another failed attack, Li Xin was exasperated.


    "Is this really a third-realm hunter? He''s starting to look more and more like a fool!"


    "I have to admit, Li Xin does look rather foolish chasing after shadows the way he''s doing now!"


    "Right, can''t he just stand still and do nothing? Why waste so much energy?"


    "What? Don''t you think Zhang Lie''s fighting style is deplorable? Real men should face each other head-on!"


    "Not when there''s such a wide power disparity between them, surely?"


    The spectators seemed to be even more flustered than thebatants themselves.


    "Young Master Li, as a third-realm hunter, I hope you''ll go easy on my first-realm self," Zhang Lie suddenly said, incensing Li Xin further. His body appeared behind Li Xin, to his right, but Li Xin sensed spatial fluctuationsing from his front instead.


    "Die!" Li Xin thundered, striking toward his front with his broadsword. Lightning crackled and space twisted: this blow was far stronger than any that hade before it, because this was the only blow that Li Xin had imbued with his full strength!

 Chapter 141: Exceeds Expectations

    <h4>Chapter 141: Exceeds Expectations</h4>


    Li Xin''s blow shook the entire arena, but it once again passed harmlessly through Zhang Lie''s ''body''.?Clone, clone, clone after clone!?Li Xin''s face distorted, and he suddenly realized that he had fallen into an intricately nned trap.


    "What? Li Xin must be a fool to be chasing after these clones so persistently!"


    "Aren''t you the fool? Can''t you see that all Zhang Lie can do is hide? I thought he was supposed to be a strong hunter, but now it feels like he just got lucky!"


    The sh between the twobatants caused the audience to favor Li Xin¡ªbut after Li Xin had struck with all his strength, ?exposing his weak points, Zhang Lie, who had been hiding and manipting him the entire fight, finally made his move.


    A wolf''s howl shook the air, and Li Xin felt a sudden, malicious chill by his back. A blood-colored wolfman walked out from behind Li Xin. As he punched forward, a blood-red pir of gic energy rose from where he stood, and a dragon of blood coiled around his body.


    A mysterious aura emanated from his body, causing the crackling lightning to still and go faint. Ripples spread out with Zhang Lie at the epicenter, quelling everything they touched. A serpent in ck and red soared through the skies, nketing the arena in night.


    It was the middle of the day, but a radiant moon and the starry night sky covered up the sun. The moment this moon began to glow, Li Xin felt the gic energy being drained from his body.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed as he held up Venombane, a storm of gic energy exploding around him as a bloody dragon coiled around the de. He left afterimages behind him as he swung his de, but to the onlookers, his actions seemed unusually slow, as though time had been locally dted around him.


    .


    "Die!" The blood moon glowed, the serpent shrieked, and an ancient authority seemed to descend on the arena.


    "This¡ªDragonwolf!"


    "Is this the power of the Eclipse Sage?"


    "Could Zhang Lie really be this strong? This is on the level of a third-realm hunter!"


    "No, no¡ªhow could Zhang Lie have be so strong?!"


    The guests felt a sudden fear wing through their hearts. They were only spectators¡ªbut they too were frightened by the attack that all but decimated the arena.


    "Li Xin!" Li Mo called out from the stands, his face a book of dread. Zhang Lie''s blow had exceeded his expectations, as well as Li Xin''s tolerance.


    Li Mo tried to rush toward the stage, but a man blocked him as soon as he stood up.


    "n Head Li, surely you aren''t trying to disrupt the match, are you?" Lin Xiu smiled at him. Li Mo opened his mouth, but couldn''t say anything in defense. His face warping in rage, he sat back down.


    As the dust and smoke cleared from the arena, amidst a faintly red mist, only a lone figure remained standing: Zhang Lie. Li Xin had vanished entirely; not even his corpse was left behind.


    The guests were all stunned, as was Lin Xiu. After all, none of them thought that Zhang Lie would dare to kill Li Mo''s beloved, talented son right before his eyes. Not only that, they were shocked by the power that Zhang Lie had demonstrated during the match.


    Zhang Lie was only a first-realm hunter! The fact that he was able to kill a three-star ck-tipped scarab,parable to a peak second-realm hunter, had been chalked up to luck; that should have been the limit of his strength to date. In other words, he certainly shouldn''t have been able to exceed that level of strength, at least in the short term.


    Under ordinary circumstances, no matter how lucky he was, a peak first-realm hunter could boast of his strength just by surviving a few blows against a third-realm hunter, let alone defeating one. The disparity in strength between the two hunters would be far toorge to be ovee¡ªnot by framework, techniques, or soulshards. However, not only had the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie been able to fight against a third-realm hunter, he had even vaporized him in a single blow.


    Lin Xiu felt that he now understood why Su Feng had sent him to guard thisd.


    "So this is the bloody dragon for whom the Dragonwolf was named! It''s far more impressive in person!"


    "Li Xin''s a third-realm hunter, but Zhang Lie annihted him that easily?"


    "Poor Li Mo¡ªhis darling son died just like that!"


    "Who''s to me? After all, Zhang Lie was the one who was against the challenge from the very beginning!"


    "Maybe so, but isn''t Zhang Lie way too strong? Just what kind of monster is he?"


    "Isn''t that so? Who else do you know who could defeat an opponent two realms higher and annihte him in a single blow? He''s peerless!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    The crowd roared in approval of the skill that Zhang Lie had demonstrated, but Zhang Lie raised an arm, quelling the chant.


    "I apologize, n Head Li, for failing to restrain myself adequately."


    "Zhang Lie, you¡ª" Li Mo clutched his armrests until his knuckles turned white, but that was the only word he could force out. Thinking back to what Zhang Lie had repeatedly asked before the match, it seemed as though he had nned all this out.


    When they cajoled Zhang Lie into taking a challenge, they had fallen into his trap. Zhang Lie knew that they were going to target him, and he had devised a n to counteract theirs.


    Qin Zongming and Wang Han, by Li Mo''s side, were shocked by the strength that Zhang Lie had disyed, an overwhelming strength that threatened even them.


    "I do apologize, n Head Li. I know how upset you must feel, but I truly didn''t do it intentionally," Zhang Lie emphasized again, his face despondent.


    Li Mo spasmed as he watched Zhang Lie''s act, so enraged he barely avoided spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    "Y-You!" In the end, flecks of bloody spittle nevertheless came out with hisst exmation. He sprang out of his seat, unable to bear the thought of staying any longer.


    "Please stay, n Head Li! I''ve prepared a sumptuous feast for you!"


    Li Mo choked as he turned to leave, his face intermittently flushing white and red. Li Xin, genius of the Li n in his generation, would forever rest in the Zenith Dojo.


    The Qin, Wang, and Li ns had gone mute. Wang Han and Qin Zongming found themselves somewhat relieved that Li Mo had proposed the n of sending a hunter to fight against Zhang Lie, and that it was Li Xin who had gone up to challenge him. Otherwise, the annihted hunter would have been a member of their ns.


    By that point, they were truly afraid of Zhang Lie, an existence who could overwhelm a hunter two realms above him. They crouched down in their seats, trying not to draw attention to themselves, as the ceremony concluded.


    In truth, if they were to continue to pressure him into more challenges now, Zhang Lie would have been hard-pressed to deal with them¡ªby now, he was nothing more than an empty shell, drained of his reserves.


    Killing an opponent two realms higher was a ridiculously taxing process, one that no one else would have been able to handle. That single blow had consumed all of Zhang Lie''s gic energy, and was the strongest blow that he had been able tounch to date.


    With that single victory, the Zenith Dojo''s name and poprity immediately rose to the top tier of dojos in China. Zhang Lie''s opponents cowered before his strength, as well as the power that he had now begun to amass.


    "Did you all note down the blow that Zhang Lie used in thatst fight?" Zhou Ruo asked.


    Zhang Lie''s strength was far beyond what they had expected, and it shook even them. Thatst attack had been a frighteningbination of techniques, each of which they had to be wary of. In addition, they had to carefully consider whether they really wanted Zhang Lie as an enemy.


    On the other hand, Zhang Quan, seated nearby, was staring at Zhang Lie hard enough that it seemed as though he was dissecting Zhang Lie in his head. The domain of [Eclipse], something that should have belonged to the Liao branch of the ministry of ruins¡ªthat was, to him¡ªhad now be part of Zhang Lie''s repertoire.


    He had paid careful attention to Zhang Lie''s fight, and he was certain that, without [Eclipse] draining Li Xin''s gic energy, Zhang Lie would hardly have been able to defeat him in one blow.


    How could Zhang Quan bear having such a wondrous treasure of a technique be stolen from him? But what could he do now? Compared to some of the other guests in the audience, he barely had any right to speak.


    Meanwhile, the Chu and Yun delegations were rather despondent. The strength that Zhang Lie had disyed shocked both the Chu and Yun n heads. Who would have expected that a first-realm hunter could boast such strength?


    Not only that, Zhang Lie had had a superb understanding of the big picture, and it seemed as though the events of the opening ceremony had gone exactly as he had nned. Within a few days, he had managed to establish connections with the ckwind Fort, and had even obtained a sage-level bodyguard from the military. His resourcefulness overwhelmed the two n heads.


    "It looks like we should have considered this matter more carefully," Chu Lin murmured, a serious expression on his face. He criticized himself for not having listened more to Chu Feng''s pleas and for falling prey to his pride.


    He had lost an excellent opportunity to develop a rtionship with Zhang Lie, and seeing his performance today, Chu Lin could hardly imagine just how far Zhang Lie would be able to go.


    "And I should have listened to Yun Bing! ?At the very least, we haven''t soured rtionships between us and Zhang Lie. Given our choice to remain neutral, it''s not suitable for us to meddle in the younger generation''s affairs with regards to Zhang Lie. We had better leave it ?for Yun Bing and Chu Feng to handle on their own," Yun Long surmised.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing sighed. Zhang Lie''s performance had shocked them both, and they were once again dismayed by their ns'' respective decisions. They had been in a position to help Zhang Lie greatly, but their elders had denied them that opportunity.


    From today onwards, they were certain that Zhang Lie would distance himself from their ns, as well as them.


    The guests all around them were discussing the exciting challenges they had witnessed today, both with regards to Lin Xiu, one of the four sages from the Fenglin Volcano, and Zhang Lie, who had stepped forth at the very end.


    Of particr note was Zhang Lie''s final blow against Li Xin.


    "Alright, there aren''t any other challengers, are there?" Zhang Lie asked, ncing all around them. His smile left the audience shivering; many of the younger hunters didn''t dare to meet his eyes.


    The arena was silent. The wolfman''sst attack had been deeply imprinted in everyone''s mind, and no one dared test Zhang Lie any further.


    When the audience remained silent for a few long moments, Zhang Lie finally relented. "In that case, I dere the challenges over!"

 Chapter 142: Su Fengs Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 142: Su Feng''s Arrival</h4>


    Wang Han pursed his lips at Zhang Lie''s announcement. "Are we really going to let him end the ceremony just like that?"


    Qin Zongming nced at Wang Han, then at Zhang Lie''s calm expression. Sweat beaded on his face. What could they do? He could hardly find a disciple from his n who would be able to fight against Zhang Lie, and even if someone were willing to do so, the oue would be obvious.


    "There''s nothing we can do at this point. Let him end the ceremony." Qin Zongming''s attitude caused Wang Han to sigh in relief. He had no ideas remaining either; he simply couldn''t stand ceding the victory to Zhang Lie just like that.


    As if sensing their defeatist attitudes, Zhou Ruo''s face turned dark. "The Qin, Li, and Wang ns¡ªeach is more useless than thest! They can''t even handle a child like Zhang Lie!"


    "Given how strong Zhang Lie is, they''re really not to me. Perhaps we could send Zhang Quan to test the waters," He Tian, the He n head, replied.


    They of the capital certainly wouldn''t sacrifice themselves for the n as Li Mo had; they could just move in after Zhang Quan. After all, Zhang Quan was a government official, and his status was sufficient to annoy Zhang Lie a little.


    "Official Zhang, did you see the technique that Zhang Lie was using? It looks like a modified version of [Eclipse]¡ªdon''t you think he''s rather arrogant to be using it in front of you? Are you going to let the matter of the ruins go just like that?" Qian Meng whispered by Zhang Quan''s side.


    Zhang Quan scowled. Indeed, he had to acquire [Eclipse] at any cost, but if none of the Qin, Wang, and Li ns could deal with Zhang Lie, what could he, a lone government official, do?


    But if he were to miss this opportunity, Zhang Lie''s performance was more than sufficient to have him be considered a strategic asset, one that the world federation would spare no expense to nurture.


    "n Head Qian, what do you mean?" Zhang Quan pressed Qian Meng.


    "What do I mean? Official Zhang, there''s no need to pretend to be dumb. You know just as well as we do that Zhang Lie''s going to start amassing power and followers if this dojo gets off the ground, and if you want to try to wrest [Eclipse] back from him then..."


    Of course, Zhang Quan had already considered that point.


    "Or, in other words, you want me to be your vanguard," Zhang Quan surmised.


    "Vanguard? No, certainly not! It''s simply that we aren''t government officials like you, and we aren''t protected by our status. As part of the ministry of ruins, you have the authority to challenge Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Quan narrowed his eyes: Qian Meng did make a valid point.


    "Wait!" Just as Zhang Lie was about to step off the stage, Zhang Quan stood up.


    Zhang Lie sighed internally.?In the end, he couldn''t sit still, could he?


    "Ah, Official Zhang! Is something the matter?" Zhang Lie asked politely, with a genial smile.


    Zhang Quan took a deep breath. He''d faced Zhang Lie before in the Eclipse Sage''s ruins, and he didn''t think himself an opponent for Zhang Lie, but he could certainly cause trouble for Zhang Lie without fighting him directly.


    He raised his eyebrows. "I was shocked by the demonstration of your strength, Dojo Leader Zhang, but I believe one of the techniques you used was [Eclipse], the lost inheritance from the Eclipse Sage''s ruins!"


    "Hmm? The Eclipse Sage''s [Eclipse]?! No wonder Zhang Lie was able to defeat Li Xin in a single blow¡ªhe had [Eclipse]!"


    "But I''ve seen records of [Eclipse], and in no case did its activation involve an underworld river or a blood moon!"


    Zhang Quan''s words sparked considerable discussion in the audience. Just about everyone present knew of hunters as strong as the Eclipse Sage. Everyone looked toward Zhang Lie, waiting to hear his response.


    "Yes, I did. I believe you were present when I received it, Official Zhang. For what purpose do you bring this up again?"


    In truth, Zhang Lie didn''t really care about as weak a figure as Zhang Quan any longer. With the military backing Zhang Lie up, Zhang Quan wouldn''t be able to threaten him at all.


    The other hunters in the audience were again shocked by Zhang Lie''s confirmation. No wonder! No wonder Zhang Lie was so strong¡ªhe had inherited the Eclipse Sage''s [Eclipse]! They scrutinized Zhang Lie even more carefully. It was very likely that he would be a rising star of China, and even of the entire world federation!


    "I''d simply love to see a demonstration of [Eclipse], Dojo Leader Zhang."


    "I apologize, but I won''t do so now." Zhang Lie rejected Zhang Quan''s suggestion immediately.


    "But isn''t it an excellent day for a demonstration, Dojo Leader Zhang?"


    "Right, Dojo Leader Zhang, won''t you show us the technique?"


    "Didn''t you already use [Eclipse] during yourst battle? Please, show it to us again!"


    "Yes, it''s been so many years since [Eclipse]st made an appearance!"


    More and more members of the audience were supporting the idea.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, I believe I speak for everyone present when I say that we all want to see the true power of [Eclipse]," Wang Han added. If someone else wanted to target Zhang Lie, he''d certainly join in!


    Many of those in the audience were established hunters in their own right, and for Zhang Lie to reveal one of his trump cards so publicly was certainly an unreasonable request.


    "If you''d really like to see it for yourself, Official Zhang, I''m happy to ept another challenger." Zhang Lie continued to smile, but there was an edge of rime in his voice.


    Zhang Quan''s face sank. Who would dare send someone up against Zhang Lie now? They were just asking to die!


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, I''m an official representing the Liao branch of the ministry of ruins. I could, but won''t, challenge your im to [Eclipse]; instead, at the very least, won''t you please agree to the demonstration so I can have a record of it for the ministry? If you refuse, you''d essentially be working against the world federation!"


    Zhang Quan nudged the rim of his sses.


    The audience quieted down. The way Zhang Quan was phrasing things, either Zhang Lie had to demonstrate [Eclipse], or he would be refuting the authority of the world federation.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, won''t you cooperate and perform this public service? After all, you''re a gxy fighter recognized by the world federation!" Zhou Ruo stood up and added.


    "Indeed, indeed! Why not help the federation and give us all a good show?" added He Tian. He seemed to be trying to mediate the conflict, but his true intention was to force Zhang Lie to demonstrate [Eclipse].


    Zhang Lie frowned. Did they think he would sumb to peer pressure?


    "Zhang Quan, I don''t think you presume to speak for the world federation, do you?" Zhang Lie ignored the Zhou and He n heads as he refuted Zhang Quan''s words.


    "Oh? And to think that you''re a gxy fighter, Zhang Lie! Do you intend on continuing to vite thews of the federation?" Zhang Quan smirked. He''d caught Zhang Lie!


    "Official Zhang, please, feel free to report whatever you think I''ve done wrong. I''d love to see just how much you can achieve as a corrupt minor official!"


    "Y-You dare besmirch the world federation?!" If Zhang Lie didn''t fear his threats, then Zhang Quan couldn''t do anything against him now.


    "Isn''t he petty? Why won''t he show us the technique?"


    "Hah, that''s one of the Dragonwolf''s trump cards! Would you be willing to show one of your top-tier techniques to a group of powerful hunters who might use it against you one day?"


    The audience was of two minds about Zhang Lie''s decision.


    Zhang Quan stiffly turned around and motioned for the officials from the ministry of ruins to step forward. His delegation was honestly quite weak; Zhang Lie alone would have been enough to take on them all. However, if he really were to strike down officials from the world federation so publicly...


    Zhang Lie was uncertain about how to proceed, but fortunately, the decision was taken out of his hands.


    "Dojo Leader! Commander-in-Chief Su Feng has just sent note of his impending arrival!" One of the new hires from the Zenith Dojo rushed up to Zhang Lie with a golden note in his hands.


    Zhang Quan''s face went ck. Su Feng! Others might not know who Su Feng was, but he did¡ªSu Feng was themander-in-chief of the ckwind Fort, one of the ten most important military outposts of the world federation. Why would someone like him be visiting Zhang Lie?


    .


    The heads of the major ns of the capital felt much the same way. News of Su Feng''s impending arrival were unbelievable: would someone so importante to visit a small dojo?


    What a ludicrous joke¡ªand yet the note was as real as could be!


    Zhang Lie opened the note in front of everyone''s eyes. A holographic projection of a middle-aged man appeared in front of the crowd. "Su Feng, from the ckwind Fort, here for a special visit to the Zenith Dojo!"


    His voice shook the gathered crowd. Commander-in-Chief Su Feng really was on his way! Before the crowd could erupt inmotion, a piercing siren came from above the dojo.


    The citizens of Ning, some still curiously observing the events from outside, opened their mouths wide as they stared at a series of hovercars that stopped by the entrance to the dojo, streamlined and filled to the brim with military armaments.


    Some of the citizens pinched their thighs, trying to make sure they weren''t dreaming.


    Once all the hovercars had gotten into position, a fortress-ss airship emerged from overhead, its exterior coated in some curious reflective material that disrupted the vision and made it difficult to determine its exact position.


    As smoke filtered out of the bottom of the airship, it began tond, hovering not a hundred meters aboveground from the entrance to the dojo. A number of muscr hunters, all dressed in green, their bodies surging with gic energy and an indomitable aura, strode forth.


    "Those are ckwind warriors!"


    "My goodness, they''re true ckwind warriors!"


    "Commander-in-Chief Su Feng is really here!"


    The doors to the airship sealed shut as thest soldier made his way out. His military cap half-shrouded his face, but his piercing gaze caused those who looked his way to shudder. Commander-in-Chief Su Feng approached the Zenith Dojo.

 Chapter 143: An Opening Celebration

    <h4>Chapter 143: An Opening Celebration</h4>


    Zhang Quan''s face turned pale the moment he saw the imposing figure, and the n heads and dojo leaders opposing Zhang Lie suddenly turned uneasy. Why was Su Feng visiting Zhang Lie? Even the titles of gxy fighter and dragonsoul warrior shouldn''t have been enough to attract his attention.


    Was there some unusual rtionship between them? Doubts filled the audience''s mind.


    "Not bad! There are quite a few people here, aren''t there?"


    Su Feng''s eyes swept over the guests¡ªjust an ordinary nce, nothing more, but everyone seemed to collectively hold a breath. Su Feng, from the ckwind Fort, along with his team of elite soldiers... none of the guests present dared to draw attention to themselves.


    The ckwind soldiers were elite warriors that the military had stationed at the third realm. As soldiers whose primary purpose was to counter alien invasions, their martial ability was naturally staggering. A few dozen soldiers had apanied Su Feng on this sudden visit.


    "Is that Commander-in-Chief Su Feng?" someone whispered.


    Qin Zongming and the others swallowed a gulp of saliva¡ªwho would have expected that Su Feng himself would attend such an event?


    "Commander-in-Chief Su Feng!" Zhang Quan and the n heads of the capital hurriedly stood up and bowed in deference, and they were quickly followed by the rest of the audience.


    Hovercar after hovercar filled the entrance to the dojo, and a staggering number of soldiers spilled out.


    "Look¡ªthere must be at least a whole toon of soldiers gathered here!" The citizens of Ning had never seen such a scene. They wanted to find out just what was happening within the dojo, but they didn''t dare step too close.


    "Here! A congrattory gift for you," Su Feng spoke to Zhang Lie, then nodded at the gathered guests. He motioned for his subordinates toe forward with thevish present. Thest two ckwind soldiers strode forward bearing an object.


    Zhang Lie was surprised by how much thought Su Feng had put into this: his appearance alone was shocking enough, let alone the gift he had prepared.


    "Congrattions on the opening of your dojo, Dojo Leader Zhang!" Su Feng handed Zhang Lie the prepared gift himself, his face beaming.


    Zhang Quan and the others felt their hopes shatter. Given these circumstances, it seemed as though Zhang Lie would be protected by Su Feng from now on.


    "Commander Su, you''re too kind."


    The object that Su Feng presented him was pitch ck and gave off surprisingly concentrated cosmic energy. As Zhang Lie stepped closer to it, he realized that the gic energy he had consumed during the fight against Li Xin was quickly being regenerated. Zhang Lie gaped in surprise.


    "This is a starstone?!"


    "Indeed. A small gift¡ªdon''t mind it." Su Feng smiled.


    Despite the pressure that Su Feng gave off, the guests still began to chatter away.


    "A starstone, such arge starstone!"


    "No wonder I felt as though my gic energy was trying to burst out of my body when Commander Su appeared¡ªit must be the effect of the starstone!"


    "What a generous gift! Who could this Zhang Lie be? Surely not a rtive of Commander Su... surely not his illegitimate son...?"


    "Oh? This isn''t something you can find on Earth, and it''s rare even in the Milky Way. The disciples of the Zenith Dojo are really going to get a big boost!"


    Su Feng''s generosity shocked them all.


    Of course, what they didn''t know was that Zhang Lie''s value to Su Feng was worth far more than this starstone.


    "In that case, I really have to thank you, Commander Su."


    Many of the guests were eyeing that hunk of starstone with jealousy and envy, even the five major n heads of the capital.


    "Between us, there''s no need for courtesy! The starstone is a gift, yes, but also the precursor to a request. As themander-in-chief of the ckwind Fort, I''d like to hire you as an instructor for the fort¡ªI hope you won''t deny this request of mine!" Su Feng continued.


    Zhang Quan''s forehead beaded with sweat.


    Zhang Lie was going to be employed as an instructor for the ckwind Fort? Why was he receiving such preferential treatment?


    It was rare for even the most notable third-realm hunters to be employed as external instructors for the military, let alone a first-realm hunter like Zhang Lie!


    Why? Why did everything good seem to happen to Zhang Lie?


    "What? Is Commander Su serious?"


    "The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie as an external instructor for the ckwind Fort? Just what can he teach the soldiers?"


    The guests gasped to themselves as they added Zhang Lie to the list of people they would never dare to offend. Who would dare touch an instructor of the ckwind Fort?


    "Of course, Commander Su!" Clearly, Su Feng wanted to invest in his future potential, and Zhang Lie wasn''t going to turn him down. The information that Zhang Lie possessed certainly qualified him as an instructor. After all, he would be primarily responsible for handling affairs rted to limit fragments.


    Su Feng casually nced around him. "Is the opening ceremony over?"


    "Yes, yes, it''s over! There was a small misunderstanding just now!" Zhang Quan interjected hurriedly before Zhang Lie could speak, as though he wouldn''t have the chance to do so if he were too slow.


    "No, Commander Su, please wait a moment. The ceremony isn''t yet over. I want to take this opportunity to spread an important piece of information," Zhang Lie rified.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others hurriedly added another seat to the VIP area by the stage. However, instead of leaving the stage, Su Feng patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder and stood behind him, as though he were trying to transmit some of his strength and authority to Zhang Lie.


    "Good, good. It isn''t a bad idea to announce it now!"


    Zhang Lie''s enemies went pale: with Su Feng as his backer, they would have no chance of dealing with Zhang Lie at all!


    Zhang Lie began, "Everyone, the ceremony traditionally ends with an advertisement for the new dojo, but I''m sure you''re all well aware of what the Zenith Dojo has to offer by now. As a result, I''d like to take the opportunity to share a gift instead, a gift for one and all. Let me pose you all a question: as a first-realm hunter, am I strong?"


    The room burst into an uproar.


    "Of course!"


    "What other first-realm hunter would have been able to defeat a third-realm hunter in a single blow?!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "In that case, would you all like to know the secret to my strength?"


    Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and the Chu and Yun n heads realized the identity of the gift that Zhang Lie was about to share.


    When Zhang Lie sold the Chu and Yun ns the information about the limit fragments, one unusual stiption that he added was that neither n would be allowed to pass the information to the authorities. Only now did the Chu and Yun n heads understand why¡ªhad Zhang Lie been nning to found a dojo all along?


    This was certainly an excellent opportunity to spread this piece of information: there were countless strong and famous hunters present, as well as a few reporters from the media.


    Once this information was revealed, the Chu and Yun ns would have no advantage over the other factions who had yet to learn about the existence of these limit fragments, and given the Chu and Yun ns'' decision to remain neutral, it was unlikely that Zhang Lie would be willing to work with the two ns with regards to manufacturing Potion #1.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing nced at each other, sighing again at their elders''ck of foresight. In the end, as members of the younger generation, they had no authority to direct n affairs.


    The other guests were quite curious about what Zhang Lie was hinting at.


    "It''s because our gene capacities aren''t capped at a hundred fragments each¡ªI''ve ovee this limit!"


    Despite the series of shocks that had stunned the audience, this was the most overwhelming of them all.


    "What?! How could our gene capacities not be a hundred fragments each? Isn''t thismon knowledge?"


    "You must be joking! What''s the limit, then? A thousand gene fragments?"


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, you must take responsibility for your words!"


    This news, if it were true, would be overwhelming indeed.


    Except for Su Feng and the Yun and Chu ns, who already knew about this information, everyone else, Lin Xiu included, stared at Zhang Lie.


    "Yes, you''ve heard me correctly: I don''t know what the upper limit to our gene capacities is, but it isn''t a hundred fragments!"


    Having revealed this piece of information thrice already, Zhang Lie was getting quite used to handling the disbelief and shock that resulted from it, and his performance greatly enhanced his credibility.


    Thinking back to the unusual strength that Zhang Lie had shown, much of the audience was willing to entertain the notion, even if they weren''tpletely convinced.


    However, a small minority believed that Zhang Lie was trying to hoodwink them all.


    "That''s impossible! It''smon knowledge that the gene capacity is a hundred fragments. You''re just spouting nonsense!"


    Beside him, Su Feng red in irritation. Clearing his throat, he called out, "Listen up! Asmander-in-chief of the ckwind Fort, I validate Zhang Lie''s words."


    The audience fell into stunned silence. If Su Feng was willing to back Zhang Lie up with his authority granted by the world federation, then things were different. No one doubted the truth of Zhang Lie''s words any longer¡ªor if they did, they weren''t foolish enough to say so.


    After all, themander-in-chief of the ckwind Fort certainly wouldn''t joke about such serious matters. There was only one conclusion: the maximum capacity wasn''t a hundred gene fragments.


    "No, how could this be?!" several dojo leaders muttered to themselves, clearly needing some time to digest the news.


    Just as the crowd was all reeling, Zhang Lie continued, "And now that I''ve brought up these limit fragments, I''ll continue with the gift I have for all of you: information about obtaining these limit fragments for yourself, based on my own experience."


    Zhang Lie paused while his words sank in.


    "Quick, this is important news! We have to record it!" The members of the media who were present at the ceremony pulled out their own recording devices to capture this moment when the truth of these limit fragments was revealed to one and all. As media reporters, they knew how momentous this asion would be.


    "To surpass the basic gene capacity limit of a hundred fragments, there are three important requirements. The first, and most basic, condition is to raise your foundational framework to its tenth stage, and to not have progressed to a more advanced framework in the meantime. The second is to consume sufficiently many white grub cores, or their extracted growth factors. The third is to reach a certain density of adrenaline in your body, so as to spark a transformation in your gic core."


    Zhang Lie revealed everything he knew about the foundational breakthrough. This was information that every member of the audience undoubtedly would attempt to confirm for themselves.


    Many of the guests dropped their sense of propriety and began contacting their disciples, subordinates, or other n members to have them verify this information immediately.


    Zhang Lie paused while the guests mulled over the shocking information. Most people focused on the white grub cores, a key ingredient that Zhang Lie had mentioned, but only a rare few noticed the crux of the issue, such as Lin Xiu, still standing by the side of the arena. "And what about those who''ve already moved to a more advanced framework?"


    Zhang Lie''s reply was somber. "Those hunters must choose to either purge their framework and start from scratch, or to ept their inability to obtain these limit fragments."


    "Purge their framework¡ª" Lin Xiu hesitated, his face turning nk. Purging one''s framework wasn''t a hard decision for first-realm hunters, but for those who were already in the second or third realms, this was a far more devastating requirement.


    After all, they had spent the majority of their lives cultivating their framework, and if they had to start from scratch¡ªthe very thought of it was enough to cause them pain!

 Chapter 144: Waiting in Line

    <h4>Chapter 144: Waiting in Line</h4>


    Those hunters of the older generation essentially wouldn''t benefit from Zhang Lie''s breakthrough. Of course, even so, this information was spreading and being disseminated at a frightening pace, because it could benefit a whole new generation of hunters and improve humanity as a whole.


    Simultaneously, the cksteel settlement began filling with people. Everyone who was able to teleport to the cksteel settlement did so, all having received their news from one source or another, and rushed toward the white-grub cave. However, by then, the white-grub cave was devoid of any lifeform.


    "And with that announcement, I dere the opening ceremony truly over! The dojo will be hosting a luncheon momentarily, and everyone here is wee to join in."


    Guests began to depart from the Zenith Dojo, Wang Han, Qin Zongming, and the other enemies of Zhang Lie gnashing their teeth as they did so. Whenever they thought about how much they had suffered at Zhang Lie''s hands, all they wanted to do was to run up to Zhang Lie and kill him, but they knew that this was impossible now. They didn''t have the ability to do so, and the price that they would have to pay would bankrupt them and more.


    Ignoring Zhang Lie''s title of dragonsoul warrior, just the fact that Commander-in-Chief Su Feng had employed him as an instructor for the ckwind Fort meant that he was nigh-untouchable.


    "Let''s go! At this point, there''s nothing we can do," Wang Han sighed, leaving the Zenith Dojo without looking back.


    Qin Zongming, having regained his rationality, came to the same conclusion. If he really did want to strike, the next opportunity would be at the Void Cup.


    "I won''t be staying for the luncheon," Su Feng told Zhang Lie. "Once you''re done with affairs here at your dojo, report to the ckwind Fort immediately."


    Su Feng patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder once more, causing Zhang Lie to nod and bow respectfully.


    The airship took to the air, and Su Feng left the Zenith Dojo. With his departure, the other guests collectively heaved a sigh of relief, then began to discuss what they had seen and heard with each other.


    Zhang Lie''s strength and announcement of these limit fragments were the best advertisement he could get for his new dojo. Many of the richer citizens of Ning pushed to have their children enrolled in the Zenith Dojo, but the seemingly straightforward enrollment conditions were far moreplicated than they appeared. The use on loyalty alone was sufficient to deter many a hunter from trying to enter the dojo.


    ncing at the crowd all around him, Zhang Lie suddenly smiled.?My dojo''s finally open.


    A traveler walked into one of the less populous areas in Ning, nced around, and entered a rather nondescript hotel. The hotel''s facilities were rather old and outdated. The traveler sighed, ignored the front desk, and headed upstairs. He walked to Room 309, but before he could enter, he heard a noise from within, as well as a potent fluctuation of gic energy.


    "Who is it?"


    "It''s me," Qin Zongming, the traveler, replied.


    The person in the room calmed down. He opened the door, revealing a pale, sallow face.


    Qin Zongming sighed again as he walked inside. The windows of the room were set to night mode, and there was barely any lighting within. Through weak rays of lighting from the open door, he could see the shabby furniture within.


    "Dad, has Zhang Lie..." Qin Xiao asked, licking his parched lips, as Qin Zongming sat down on a weathered sofa.


    "We failed. We all failed. Zhang Lie''s got a powerful backer now, and even with a few major ns working together, we couldn''t do anything about him!" Qin Zongming spat out.


    "What? How could that be? He''s a piece of trash from the slums. How could he handle thebined might of a fewrge ns?"


    Qin Xiao''s face was filled with disbelief.


    "We understand far too little about him," Qin Zongming began. He told Qin Xiao what had happened that day during the Zenith Dojo''s opening ceremony. By the time Qin Zongming recounted how Commander-in-Chief Su Feng had paid Zhang Lie a personal visit and employed him as an instructor of the ckwind Fort, Qin Xiao''s face was stark white.


    With the ckwind Fort as Zhang Lie''s backer, who would be able to do anything about him? And what of his own revenge?


    "Xiao''er, don''t you worry. We''re not the only enemy that Zhang Lie''s made. Furthermore, it''s not impossible that you''ll have a chance to strike during the Void Cup. He announced an important piece of information during his opening ceremony, one that''s sure to augment the abilities of you hunters from the younger generation. Furthermore, I''ve had someone record the entirety of Zhang Lie''s match. Train hard, and I''m sure that, with your talent, you''ll be able to defeat this brat one day!"


    Qin Zongming ced a microchip in his son''s palm.


    "Just what information did he announce?" Qin Xiao asked, curling his fingers around the microchip.


    When Qin Zongming exined the foundational breakthrough to him, Qin Xiao''s face turned bleak. He didn''t satisfy a single one of the conditions!


    "Dad, are you suggesting that I should purge my framework and start from scratch?" His eyes were crazed and wild.


    "Indeed. As long as you do so, you''ll have ess to these additional limit fragments, and they''ll be the key to your victory over Zhang Lie!" Qin Zongming emphasized.


    Qin Xiao hesitated. Giving up all that he had worked so hard for thest few years required no little amount of courage; after all, even if Zhang Lie''s procedure were to work, he had emphasized that sess wasn''t guaranteed.


    "The Void Cup''s about to begin, so if I purge my framework at this point..."


    "Don''t hesitate! You''ll certainly be able to handle the city-level stage even if you purge your framework now!"


    Qin Xiao was somewhat hesitant to do so at this critical juncture, because he didn''t think he would be ready for the Void Cup by then, but Qin Zongming broke him off.


    "Xiao''er, you''re my future. I won''t harm you, and I''ll do everything I can to get you the resources you need for the breakthrough."


    "Very well, Father." Qin Xiao sat down cross-legged, the fluctuations in his gic energy growing wild as he began the process of purging his framework.


    After exchanging a few more words, Qin Zongming left the hotel as silently as he came.


    By the outskirts of the cksteel settlement, the once-deste white-grub cave was now crowded with throngs of hunters. Of course, this had only happened after Zhang Lie released crucial information about the foundational breakthrough.


    "Just what''s going on? Weren''t there countless white grubs here just a few months ago? Why aren''t there any more left?"


    "A n must have monopolized them all, I''m sure of it!"


    "No, no¡ªlook at all the dust around here! I think there haven''t been any white grubs for quite a while."


    "Could someone have cleaned out the cave long ago?"


    "Ah, don''t you all remember Zhang Lie''s old nickname?"


    As the gathered hunters kicked up a fuss, someone brought up a fact that the hunters had temporarily forgotten. During Zhang Lie''s early days as a hunter, he had been known as the king of the dumps because he had stayed at the white-grub cave for three whole months after his induction as a hunter.


    Three whole months in the real world¡ªin other words, two and a half years in the dimensional world!


    Many hunters, including some of the ones gathered here, had joked that he was a fool, but now, it seemed as though they were the real fools.


    The white grubs that Zhang Lie had spent so long hunting represented the lowest ss of lifeforms in the dimensional world. What good could their cores be used for? Thinking back to the sight of Zhang Lie lugging bag after bag of white-grub cores to the cksteel settlement, the hunters felt as though someone had pped them on the face.


    "It looks as though we''ll have to go to Zhang Lie to get any of these cores!"


    "Quick, we''d better spread this information around."


    "Right, didn''t the Yun and Chu ns sweep over the cave a while back? They might have some supply remaining as well!"


    Quite a few hunters did know about Zhang Lie''s actions in the white-grub cave, but none of them had expected that the white grubs would have been hunted to extinction.


    News that white-grub cores were no longer avable quickly spread through the settlement and beyond, and as the bottleneck for this critical foundational breakthrough, they became precious beyond measure, especially when news spread of a few rare geniuses who had consumed a few white-grub cores in the past and had then sessfully undergone their breakthroughs.


    The price of the cores quadrupled, tripled, then quadrupled again, sending the markets into a frenzy. The market supply quickly ran out, leaving the hunters with no choice but to seek out Zhang Lie.


    Qin Zongming quickly learned about the news.


    "What? That damned bastard!" In anger, he mmed a fist down on a reinforced wooden table, causing the entire room to quake. Before he announced the news of this foundational breakthrough, he had seized all the white-grub cores and hunted the white grubs to extinction!


    "Is there nowhere else where these cores can be acquired?" Qin Zongming asked, sucking in a deep breath. Unless he had no other choice, he didn''t want to have to make a request of Zhang Lie.


    "Head, I''m afraid the white grubs are endemic to the cksteel settlement, and no one knows anything about their so-called growth factors other than Zhang Lie himself!" one of his subordinates reported.


    Qin Zongming''s face turned dark.


    "In that case, the only way we hunters will be able to get any white-grub cores at all will be to purchase them from the Zenith Dojo."


    "Under such conditions, this does seem to be the only route for procuring these ingredients, but given the rtionship between our n and Zhang Lie, I doubt it''ll be easy for us to acquire them," an eldermented.


    "Silence! No matter how hard it is, the Qin n must acquire some white-grub cores. Send someone to the Zenith Dojo at once!"


    "Yes, Head!"


    This was Qin Zongming''s only option left.


    By then, the entrance to the Zenith Dojo was clogged up with hovercars, and there were even more hunters present than at its opening ceremony.


    Two long lines had already formed outside of the entrance of the dojo.


    The representative from the Qin n twitched. The reason for these lines was obvious; everyone knew just who possessed a supply of these white-grub cores, and they had immediately rushed to his dojo that had just opened in an attempt to secure some.


    "Those here to purchase white-grub cores, line up to the left! Those here for admission into the dojo, line up to the right!" a few of the dojo''s employees shouted, directing the numerous guests into the two long lines.


    After the opening ceremony, Zhang Lie had warned Zhang Hong about a series of more tedious affairs that she would have to handle; she had expected that it would involve administrative tasks for the dojo''s new disciples, but the truth was far more surprising. Zhang Lie had hidden this new ''business venture'' from her, and now there was a sea of people both within and without the dojo!


    Many came from Ning, but there were even a few from the capital and from Meng, quite a fair distance away. There was no choice, after all. The few lucky hunters who had managed a foundational breakthrough had exaggerated its effects, and suddenly all the major ns found themselves unable to sit still.


    These limit fragments would represent a new beginning, a higher vantage point! How could these prideful ns bear having their scions worse off than those of other ns? As a result, acquiring a few white-grub cores became a matter of prime importance. Sessful breakthroughs would shore up a n''s strength, preserving its authority for years toe.


    If not for such a tempting matter, neither the Qin nor Wang ns would have deigned to send a representative over.


    Murmurs rose from the crowd: the Li n''s hovercar had just been spotted in the distance. n Head Li''s two sons had both been killed by Zhang Lie, and yet he was still sending a representative over to buy these white-grub cores...


    Everyone in line was thinking two things: not to provoke Zhang Lie, or suffer the fate of the Wang, Li, and Qin ns; and to acquire some white-grub cores at all cost!


    The Li representative joined the very end of the line on the left, even as a few other hunters in line murmured and pointed at him. The Li representative scowled, but what could he do?


    Arge sign was hung up at the very front of the line:?If you try to cut in line, or if you make a fuss, you''ll be barred from making any purchases!


    If the Li n didn''t want to be surpassed by other ns, then it had to acquire these cores for its younger generation, and the only means of doing so was through Zhang Lie. Even if Li Mo bore Zhang Lie a blood feud, he had to send someone over and swallow his pride. As the head of the Li n, he had to put the n''s future first and foremost.

 Chapter 145: A Hundred Thousand Points

    <h4>Chapter 145: A Hundred Thousand Points</h4>


    "Do you think the Li n will be able to make the purchase? What a joke!"


    "Isn''t that so? Why would Zhang Lie help his enemies? He wouldn''t, would he? At the very least, I certainly wouldn''t sell to the Li n!"


    The Li representative''s arrival sparked a vigorous discussion among the crowd, while the Li representative buried his head in shame. The remarks skewered him like sharp swords, turning his face even redder.


    Li Mo, who was waiting in a hovercar parked outside the Zenith Dojo, turned grim. The Li representative was wearing a transceiver so that Li Mo could respond immediately to any unforeseen circumstances, so the other ns'' remarksnded directly in his ear.


    He had expected that he would be able to send a rtively unknown person to make the purchase without drawing any attention, but that seemed impossible now.


    To have hunted the white grubs to near-extinction before revealing this crucial piece of information¡­ Zhang Lie really was a cruel bastard!


    Li Mo gritted his teeth. Anger was devouring his rationality and stirring up the gic energy in his body. Nevertheless, no matter how enraged he was, all he could do was continue gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.


    "Head, I''m not certain we''ll be able to purchase these white-grub cores," one of the elders beside him sighed, a hint of brooding resentment in his tone. The blood feud between the Li n and Zhang Lie had been caused almost entirely by the n head, and it was his poor decisions to date that had led them to their present straits. It would be near-impossible to purchase some white-grub cores under these conditions.


    Li Mo went silent. He didn''t know if he could purchase these cores either, but it wasn''t up for debate: he would have to get them some way or another, or the n would surely declineparatively in strength with the next generation, leaving the Li n doomed to extinction.


    "Let''s see what they say. If we can''t purchase anything, we''ll get someone to buy them on our behalf," Li Mo concluded. His fists were clenched so tightly that his bones were starting to creak.


    The Chu and Yun ns had sent Chu Feng and Yun Bing as their representatives, in light of the fact that Zhang Lie had promised to give them a discount. Even if they had already bought a sufficient number of cores, they could start stockpiling more now.


    Nevertheless, Chu Feng and Yun Bing were worried about meeting Zhang Lie again. During the opening ceremony, despite the danger Zhang Lie was in, neither the Chu nor Yun ns stepped in to help him. Weren''t they being shameless to ask him for a discount now?


    The long lines persisted from sunrise to sunset; as buyers left, ted with their purchase, more joined the line. By the end of the day, what changed wasn''t the length of the line, but rather the people within it.


    After a whole day and night, the Qin, Li, and Wang representatives finally made their way to the front of the line. As they nced at Zhang Hong, standing outside the entrance to the dojo, their heart palpitated.


    "Those here to purchase white-grub cores, this way!"


    When they walked by Zhang Hong without being stopped by her, they scurried to the left, as though they would be expelled if they were just a little slower.


    "What? Is Zhang Lie so generous that he''d sell to the Qin, Wang, and Li ns? In that case, I''m sure we''ll be able to get our discount, then!" Chu Feng sighed in relief.


    Yun Bing didn''tment. Given her understanding of Zhang Lie, she was quite certain that Zhang Lie had something in store for the three ns'' representatives, and even the discount that she and Chu Feng had negotiated would likely be invalidated.


    "Ah, is it Young Master Chu and Miss Yun? Please head to the left."


    Zhang Hong made her way over with a smile. Both of them had been to the dojo before, and Zhang Lie had introduced them as friends. She knew nothing of the Chu and Yun ns, but some of the members of Team Zenith had mentioned that the two of them had helped them out tremendously in the Eclipse Sage''s ruins, so she naturally felt some goodwill toward them.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing hesitated for a moment before ncing at each other.


    "In the past, we were always able to purchase the cores directly from Dojo Leader Zhang. Can''t we do so anymore?" Chu Feng ventured, his expression a little embarrassed.


    "Unfortunately, that''s what I was told," Zhang Hong replied, her voice kind but firm.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing both sighed. As expected, their discount no longer applied. In that case, they had no choice but to follow the rest of the crowd.


    As they headed to the left, they saw the Qin, Wang, and Li representatives, who had just registered for the purchase. After registering, the three of them left overjoyed, as though they were guaranteed to be able to buy the precious white-grub cores after doing so.


    What they didn''t notice was the attendant smirking maliciously after they had recorded their names.


    "Young Master Chu, Miss Yun!" When she saw Chu Feng and Yun Bing walk over, she hastily stered a smile on her face as she greeted them.


    "Can we see the dojo leader?" Yun Bing asked, hesitating momentarily.


    "Unfortunately, Dojo Leader Zhang has instructed us that he won''t be entertaining any visitors for the moment."


    She looked at them apologetically. It was her second day working at the dojo. Before, she had been merely a citizen of the slums, and she still wasn''t used to being able to talk to such privileged people as the two young n heads of the Yun and Chu ns.


    "But, in the past¡ª" Chu Feng seemed rather upset by the cold shoulder, but Yun Bing pulled him back.


    "That was then, and this is now. If either of you want a few cores, I''m happy to give you a few for free." Just as the attendant was trying to formte a diplomatic response, Zhang Lie walked out into the lobby with Lin Xiu.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing both turned to him; Zhang Lie was smiling.


    "Zhang Lie, we''ve worked together in the past. Are you going to do this just because of a misunderstanding...?"


    "I''ve already given you a batch of cores on discount. Now that everyone''s here to purchase cores, don''t expect to be able to buy in bulk just like you didst time," Zhang Lie exined.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing both sighed.


    Yun Bing was visibly worried. "In that case, as for Potion #1¡ª"


    "Don''t worry. I know the two of you are beholden to your ns, and I won''t renege on my promises to the two of you."


    Zhang Lie might have been unhappy with the Yun and Chu ns, but he understood that Yun Bing and Chu Feng weren''t necessarily able to direct their ns, and just the fact that they hade to his dojo beforehand was valuable enough already. Furthermore, he still owed them both a favor from the Eclipse Sage''s ruins.


    After a rxed conversation, Chu Feng and Yun Bing went to register to buy the cores just like everyone else. Fortunately, at least, they didn''t return empty-handed.


    "Alright. Head to the cksteel Inn in the cksteel Settlement and find Yang Ze. With this receipt, you''ll be eligible to buy the white-grub cores from him," the attendant told them.


    Their business concluded, Chu Feng and Yun Bing left the Zenith Dojo.


    At the same time, the Qin, Li, and Wang n heads rxed after hearing that their representatives had sessfully registered to purchase white-grub cores.


    These cores would be instrumental to the ns'' further development. Given their enmity with Zhang Lie, they didn''t expect to be able to purchase the cores so readily, but their registration had gone off without a hitch.


    "As expected, he''s a poord from the slums, greedy for money. With these cores in hand, Qin Xiao will surely be able to defeat him during the Void Cup, I''m sure of it!" Qin Zongming unclenched his fist as he cackled.


    Back in the dojo, Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes as he nced at the countless names on the microchip.


    "Review these names carefully; I''ll defer to your judgment. I won''t sell to the Li n, so strike their name off the list. Furthermore, raise the price fivefold for those dojo leaders that struck at me during the opening ceremony, and tenfold for the Qin and Wang ns. Do you understand?"


    Zhang Hong noted everything down and reviewed the other names on the list. When she was finished, she handed the finalized list of the eligible buyers to Yang Ze.


    Before this, Zhang Lie had given no exnation for this process, so all those who had registered thought that they would be able to purchase these white-grub cores.


    He''s a rather wicked hunter, isn''t he??Lin Xiu couldn''t help thinking to himself.


    Those who were struck from the list didn''t know that they had lost their eligibility, and were happily heading toward the cksteel settlement in the dimensional world. He was honestly quite curious as to how they would react when they finally found out about the news from Yang Ze.


    By the time, Yang Ze had the finalized list in his hands, the cksteel Inn was already filled with a gigantic crowd.


    "What''s the matter? Are you trying to cut in line? That''ll bar you from making a purchase!"


    "Ouch, you''ve stepped on my foot!"


    "What?! So what if you''re the Liu n? The Light''s Radiance dojo isn''t afraid of you!"


    Even before the main event began, there were already countless shes within the inn, and several opposing factions were already making ns to settle the score with a brawl outside the settlement.


    "Don''t make a fuss! Line up quietly. If anyone hollers, their eligibility for purchase will be revoked!" Yang Ze shouted, walking out from his suite.


    The entire cksteel Inn fell silent the next moment.


    "Yang Ze, the list is out! The captain said that we could start selling the cores now!" Li Feng rushed into the inn. His exmation sounded particrly loud amidst the silence, and the hunters close to him couldn''t help craning their heads to try to sneak a peek at the list.


    Yang Ze held the list of buyers in his hands like an imperial edict, and the crowd collectively held a breath.


    "We''ll start selling the cores now, starting with the first in line!"


    The hunters at the front of the line were naturally overjoyed; after this purchase, they would be able to experience a foundational breakthrough for themselves!


    "How much do you think these cores will sell for?"


    "Who cares? They''re cores from the lowest-grade lifeform in the dimensional world. How expensive can they get?"


    Many hunters were quietly murmuring to each other, guessing what the price of these cores would be.


    "What? Are you crazy? A hundred thousand points for a single core?! ?You must be joking, surely!" one of the hunters at the very front eximed, causing a hugemotion throughout the inn.

 Chapter 146: Scram

    <h4>Chapter 146: Scram</h4>


    The price for these white-grub cores was simply too ridiculous. A hundred thousand points¡ªten million dors! Wasn''t this supposed to be a core from a low-grade lifeform? Why was itparable in price to superior-grade crafting materials?!


    The hunters simply couldn''t imagine paying so much for these low-grade cores.


    "Yes, that''s the price. If you still intend to buy the cores, get your points ready. Otherwise, scram!" Yang Ze shouted decisively. At the very least, that was the cheapest price any of them would pay; several ns would have it much worse.


    Rather than quelling the crowd, however, Yang Ze''s shout only seemed to agitate it.


    "What? That''s daylight robbery!"


    "Right! This is a low-grade material, and Zhang Lie was just lucky to have discovered it early!"


    Yang Ze refused to back down. "That''s the listed price. If you don''t think these cores are worth that much, you''re free to leave. No one''s forcing you to purchase them. And if you''re not purchasing the cores, leave the inn and make space for others!"


    The detractors immediately went silent. Not purchasing these cores? No, that wasn''t an option. Zhang Lie had monopolized the stock of white-grub cores, and if they didn''t buy any from him, where would they acquire any?


    "Well, you there? Are you going to buy the cores or not? If not, make way!"


    "I¡ªI''ll buy them! I''ll buy it!" the hunter first in line shouted out, clenching his teeth.


    "Good, that''s the spirit. I''ll tell you now: a hundred?thousand points per core is the best deal anyone here is getting!" Yang Ze eximed. After the hunter bought a hundred cores, he quietly moved to the side and watched the other buyers.


    Indeed, the other buyers were all given a simr price.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing, standing by the back of the line, smiled bitterly at each other. To think they hadined about buying the cores for ten thousand points apiece!


    The transactions gradually grew faster as the buyers further back in the line prepared the necessary funds ahead of time. Quickly, it was time for the representatives from the Starshine and Dragon''s Ascent dojos.


    "I''d like to purchase a hundred cores. That''ll be ten million points, correct?" one representative asked, preparing to pay.


    "I''m sorry, but it''ll cost you five hundred?thousand points apiece," Yang Ze corrected him.


    The representative recoiled in shock. "What? They''ve all paid a hundred?thousand points each. Why do we have to pay five times more?!"


    "Because you''re not like those other hunters, of course. Have you all forgotten something?" Yang Ze smiled coldly. These dojos had challenged Zhang Lie during the opening ceremony with the express intent of causing trouble, and this was Zhang Lie''s retaliation.


    "Fine, then we''ll take fifty cores!" The representative gritted his teeth, but regardless of how upset he was, it was imperative that the dojo procure a stock of these cores.


    Others who had provoked Zhang Lie in the past quickly reacted to the unwee news: Zhang Lie didn''t intend to be magnanimous at all!


    The representatives from the Zhou, He, and Qian ns suddenly turned uneasy. Who knew how much extra they would have to pay? Those from the Qin, Wang, and Li ns were even more ufortable. Instead of a price hike, Zhang Lie might choose not to sell to them altogether!


    "Five hundred?thousand points apiece for the Zhou, He, and Qian ns from the capital," Yang Ze said, when their representatives stepped forward.


    "What? Five times the baseline as well?!" the Zhou representative cried out.


    "I''ve confirmed the price with the dojo leader," Yang Ze replied ndly. It was obvious why they were being charged extra. The representatives from the three ns hesitated; they didn''t usually have the authority to handle suchrge transactions.


    "Purchase them. After all, we''ve already been told to acquire these cores no matter the price," one of the representatives whispered to the others. Though they winced, they made the purchase, spending over thirty million points for just sixty cores.


    The Qin, Wang, and Li representatives barely avoided trembling. If this was the treatment afforded to three of the major ns of the capital, just how much would it be for them?


    As the line grew shorter, they quickly moved forward in line.


    "Ah, the Qin n..." Yang Ze stared at the representative in front as he dragged out the tension.


    The Qin representative swallowed.


    "The Qin n''s price will be a million?points apiece," Yang Ze announced.


    The gathered hunters went silent. The first few hunters who had purchased these cores for a hundred?thousand points apiece were smirking as they pretended to cough;pared to Zhang Lie''s enemies, they at least received far better treatment.


    "What? Aren''t you deliberately targeting the Qin n?!" the Qin representative shouted. A tenfold increase was ridiculously expensive; no one else had received such a shocking markup.


    "Indeed, the dojo leader''s intention is to target the Qin n. If you''re not interested, feel free to leave," Yang Ze replied.


    The Qin representative visibly deted.


    Everyone knew very well that these white-grub cores were necessary for the foundational breakthrough, and since Zhang Lie alone possessed these cores, they had no choice but to purchase them from him, even if they were being deliberately targeted.


    Qin Zongming had emphasized just that.


    "Fine! I''ll buy it! Give me a hundred cores!" the Qin representative shouted.


    "A hundred cores?! That would cost a hundred million points!"


    "The Qin n''s really staking everything on this, aren''t they?"


    The crowd began to discuss the Qin n''s expenditure as the Qin representative hurriedly made payment. The Wang representative, which followed right after the Qin, received simr treatment. The two ns had lost almost half their umted points within the first realm of the dimensional world, a severe financial burden, all for just a few white-grub cores!


    The Li representative swallowed, ready to suffer the same fate as the Wang and Qin, but when he stepped forward and reported the name of his n, Yang Ze fell silent.


    The Li representative trembled. Was Zhang Lie going to charge the Li n a million points per core?


    "I''m sorry, but the Li n isn''t on the list of eligible buyers. I can''t sell you any cores," Yang Ze said, then waved a hand at him in dismissal.


    The Li representative was stunned. Had he lined up for a whole day and night for nothing?! "What do you mean, we''re not on the list?!"


    "Haven''t I been clear? Your n isn''t listed here, so you can''t buy these cores." Yang Ze was getting a little impatient.


    "Ridiculous! We''re the Li n, one of the major ns of Ning! Don''t you¡ª" Gic energy burst from the Li representative, as though he were so enraged that he was about to attack Yang Ze.


    "Of course I do. You''re the n whose two young masters fell to Zhang Lie! Are you going to leave, or not? You''re in the cksteel settlement. Are you really going to make a move here?"


    Yang Ze didn''t spare the Li representative any face.


    "You truly aren''t going to sell the white-grub cores to the Li n, no matter the price?" the Li representative asked again, hoping this was just a cruel joke.


    "I''ve said it already: we won''t sell to the Li n," Yang Ze reiterated.


    "Won''t you leave if you aren''t buying anything?


    We''re still in a rush."


    "Hurry up!"


    Those hunters waiting in line behind the Li representative all urged him along, giving him no choice but to leave the line. He red at Yang Ze from the crowd, then hurriedly rushed out to report the news to the Li n.


    "Does Zhang Lie think the Li n will suffer this indignity?!" Li Mo howled, punching the holographic screen disying Zhang Lie''s face right in front of him. With the expulsion of his gic energy, the holographic disy turned staticky, then vanished altogether.


    Even so, Li Mo was still furious. His eyes turned dark, and he entertained the notion of rushing to the Zenith Dojo and killing Zhang Lie on the spot.


    "Head, please calm down! The most important thing at present is to find a means of acquiring these white-grub cores," the Li n''s first elder, Li Tian, hurriedly said.


    Li Mo took a few deep breaths.


    "Yes, Head, the n''s future is far more important than the lives of your two sons," a few elders emphasized stonily, most of them having been in fervent support of developing a good rtionship with Zhang Lie.


    They seemed to be telling Li Mo that, if he had listened to their suggestions, the Li n would surely have been able to acquire these white-grub cores more easily, and Li Xin wouldn''t have died.


    Li Mo''s face twitched, and imposing gic energy red from his body. "There''s nothing we can do about the past now. Don''t worry. I''ll think of a solution regarding these cores," Li Mo spat out coldly, then ended the meeting.


    Afterwards, he quickly contacted the Qin and Wang ns.


    Although the Li n wasn''t able to purchase any cores, the Wang and Qin ns could; if he had no other choice, he would buy them from the two ns instead. However, both ns refused him, iming that they simply had no cores to spare, and that they had spent far too much to acquire the cores just for themselves.


    He asked a few other ns, but to no avail. In the end, he looked toward the Zenith Dojo with a malicious glint in his eyes. Not only had he lost his two sons, even his position in the n was getting shakier by the minute. Furthermore, if he weren''t able to acquire the white-grub cores as he promised, the leadership of the n would surely pass to another hunter.


    "I swear I''ll kill you." His killing intent seemed to flood the room.


    After he calmed down once more, he contacted the Chu n.

 Chapter 147: Dojo Expansion

    <h4>Chapter 147: Dojo Expansion</h4>


    "I apologize, n Head Li, but we need these white-grub cores for ourselves! And I''m afraid I won''t be able to purchase any on your behalf. If Zhang Lie were to find out, his anger would surely shift to us, so please find some other method!"


    "n Head Chu, please, I''m happy to negotiate regarding the price¡ª"


    "n Head Li, do you think the problems you have with the Zenith Dojo can be fixed by money alone? Does Zhang Lieck for your wealth?"


    Li Mo''s face grew progressively uglier over the course of his conversation with Chu Lin. In the end, he had no choice but to drop the call in despondence. The Chu n head was right: the enmity thaty between the Li n and Zhang Lie wasn''t something that money could resolve.


    "Well, n Head? Have you managed to secure the cores?" mocked several of the elders who were against him.


    Li Mo''s face twisted. No one knew just how intense his hatred against Zhang Lie was.


    "We have to hurry¡ªthe Void Cup''s just about to begin!" another subset of the elders called out. If the Li hunters of the younger generation weren''t able to perform the foundational breakthrough before then, they would be ovee by hunters from the other ns who had.


    Li Mo made call after call, but after countless failed attempts, he crushed his transceiver to powder in his hand. "I don''t believe Zhang Lie holds aplete monopoly over these white grub cores!"


    He sent his subordinates out to find any other source of the prized ingredient as the Void Cup drew closer and closer.


    The Zenith Dojo was weing a surprising influx of applicants. As expected, there were quite a few interested students from Ning, but also even from the rest of China, the world federation, and even a rare few from the sr system.


    Outside the dojo, there were a few citizens discussing the Zenith Dojo''s potential recruits.


    "Have you looked at the applicant requirements for the dojo?"


    "Of course! Apparently, they''re quitex¡ªthey only value loyalty and growth potential."


    "Really? Not the applicants'' talent?"


    "At the very least, there aren''t any formal requirements on that front."


    ""Wonderful! Apparently, the Zenith Dojo''s facilities areparable to the top-ranking dojos in the country, and their fees aren''t even expensive!"


    "Isn''t that so? Only someone like the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie would be able to start such a dojo!"


    "That''s not the best part¡ªevery month, the dojo will host apetition among its disciples, and those who perform best can get pointers from Zhang Lie himself! In fact, he''ll even award them an opportunity for a foundational breakthrough!"


    Indeed, Zhang Lie didn''t ce much emphasis on talent in the selection criteria for the dojo''s disciples. The Zenith Dojo, which emphasized breaking through one''s limits, naturally focused more on hard work and effort. From Zhang Lie''s perspective, even the rarest talent could lose out to unceasing effort.


    "Captain, we have a whole bunch of new applicants daily! We''ve already sifted out the most promising among them."


    In the Zenith Dojo''s conference room, Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, and Zhang Hong were seated in front of Zhang Lie and reporting on their efforts to date. Zhang Hong handed him a microchip with the shortlisted applicants, which Zhang Lie perused. These trainees would have to pass a series of examinations to be full disciples; the examinations were meant to separate the wheat from the chaff.


    Since the opening of the Zenith Dojo, they had received nearly a hundred thousand applications, and although many of these applicants could be eliminated directly, the dojo staff would have to continue sifting through these applications for quite some time.


    Zhang Lie nced over the list. "Thank you for your hard work, Zhang Hong. Please add one additional line to the recruitment notice: if there are applicants who score equally well on the cement test, we''ll prioritize those from less prestigious backgrounds. Furthermore, let''s start preparing to construct branch dojos in other locations nationwide," he instructed.


    Zhang Hong''s face turned weary. "We can do it, Dojo Leader, but it''ll be a lot of work. We''ll need at least ten times the manpower if we want to get this done within a reasonable timeframe!"


    "I''ll grant you the authority to do so. I can handle matters in Ning myself, so I''ll leave you with the other locations."


    "What, you aren''t afraid I''ll run off with the funds?" Zhang Hong joked.


    "I wouldn''t employ people I don''t trust. I''ve worked with you, Lawyer Zhang, and I don''t believe you''re that type of person. Furthermore, even if you were to run off with my money, what could you do? You''d have to live the rest of your life hiding from the public eye, scampering from ce to ce."


    "Ha! Well, I''ll have to get back to work now, if I want to get any of these tasks done on time." Zhang Lie''s approval made Zhang Hong smile as she walked out of the conference room.


    "This cement test of yours is quite interesting. Can you give me a copy? I''d like to test out something simr on the ckwind Fort''s recruits," Lin Xiu suddenly asked.


    "Of course! I''ll bring it to the ckwind Fort personally in two days and give a live demonstration there." Naturally, Zhang Lie would do his best to satisfy Li Xiu''s every request.


    With the money pouring in from the sales of the white-grub cores, the Zenith Dojo and its subsidiary branches would surely develop rapidly, and those disciples that passed through the rigorous screening process would all undergo a foundational breakthrough. The Zenith Dojo would surely be teeming with strong hunters after just a short period of growth.


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up. A strong hunter on his own wouldn''t be able to do all that much, but what about a horde of them? This was the primary reason he had founded the Zenith Dojo: to form a coalition of strong hunters that would be able to advance fearlessly through this cruel universe.


    "Alright, everyone, I know you''re all busy with dojo-rted affairs, but make sure you''re focusing on preparations for the Void Cup. There isn''t much time left, so we''ll need to find a way to get you all more soulshards," Zhang Lie continued.


    Right, the Void Cup was almost here! The city-wide selection stage wasn''t supposed to be too hard, but the members of Team Zenith were still quite worried. After all, Zhang Lie was expecting them to ce within the top ten overall, which meant that they would have to fight and ovee the strongest hunters in each region.


    Lin Xiu narrowed his eyes as he nced at Zhang Lie. "I won''t be able to interfere in the events of the Void Cup, so you''d better not attract too much attention to yourself," he warned.


    "Yes, I know." Zhang Lie smiled, his eyes gleaming.


    "Given the enmity between you and the Li n, they''ll surely try to kill you during the Void Cup. While you remain in Ning, my presence and the ckwind Fort will stop them from trying anything unwise, but once you leave, that protection no longer applies," Lin Xiu emphasized, thinking that Zhang Lie wasn''t treating this matter seriously enough.


    "Thank you for the reminder. I have a n, so if they do attack, they''ll end up with a nasty surprise," Zhang Lie replied, a sharp edge to his aura suddenly overwhelming the room.


    Even Lin Xiu was taken aback. Indeed, with Zhang Lie''s current strength, he wouldn''t have to worry about anyone in the Void Cup at all, but if the Li, Qin, and Wang ns were to attack him indiscriminately without sparing any expense, they could still pose a significant threat.


    The fact that Zhang Lie was still so cavalier had to mean that he had an ace up his sleeve.


    Zhang Lie was, as yet, the only hunter of the younger generation that Lin Xiu thought had the potential to surpass the older.


    "Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, you''ll lead everyone into the dimensional world tonight. Before the Void Cup begins, we''ll have to shore up your weaknesses," Zhang Lie instructed.


    "Yes, Captain!" everyone shouted, then went to finish up their respective tasks for the dojo before their return.

 Chapter 148: Void Cup Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 148: Void Cup Preparations</h4>


    In a dimly lit room of a dpidated inn in Ning, lightning-attuned gic energy crackled as Qin Xiao''s pale face suddenly rxed, and the aura surrounding his body slowly settled down once more. As he emitted thest of the excess energy, Qin Xiao suddenly opened a pair of piercing eyes.


    "I''ve done it, I''ve broken through! A hundred and ten basic gene fragments! So that''s what it was¡ªthe benefit from these ten basic limit fragments is far superior to ten basic gene fragments, and even to ten mutated gene fragments! No wonder Zhang Lie was so strong! No wonder he spent all that time killing white grubs! Damn him, damn that bastard!"


    Qin Xiao grinned at his aplishment, but his grin quickly turned into a twisted grimace.


    Beside him, Qin Zongming could clearly sense the changes in Qin Xiao''s body. After his breakthrough, Qin Xiao''s aura gained a surprising heft, his pale face became more rosy, and he looked to have regained some of his lost vitality.


    Qin Xiao clenched his fist tightly. After purging his framework and starting over, he finally found out why Zhang Lie had been so strong. What he didn''t know was that, despite his breakthrough, he still couldn''tpare to the Zhang Lie of the present. Zhang Lie had broken through the basic and the mutated gene capacity limit, and only then had he been able to kill a hunter two realms higher in one blow.


    After sensing the changes in his body, Qin Xiao suddenly calmed down and sighed. "Dad, registration''s already started for the citywide stage, and the national tournament will begin in two weeks. It''s true that my foundation''s gotten a lot stronger, but I''ve lost the framework and techniques that have brought me this far. I can re-acquire them, but it''ll still take me a considerable amount of time. Under these circumstances, I''m worried I won''t be able to make it through the national tournament."


    In order to build a good foundation for himself, Qin Xiao had chosen to purge his framework and start anew to obtain ten additional limit fragments. However, the news hade toote, and he wouldn''t be able to return to peak condition before the start of the national tournament. In that case, it would be impossible for him to advance through the ranks of the Void Cup and avenge himself.


    "That''s not a problem. If I didn''t have something in mind, would I have instigated you to break through?" Qin Zongming smiled.


    "What? What''s your n, Dad?" Qin Xiao nced at him in excitement.


    "I can get you an inheritance that''ll get you near your peak strength. With appropriate superior-grade soulshards, it might even be possible for you to kill Zhang Lie during the Void Cup itself! At the very least, you''ll certainly ce well in the national tournament and obtain rewards from the national treasury."


    Qin Zongming naturally wanted the best for his dear son, whose innate talent had to be carefully tended.


    "And what about Zhang Lie? Are we going to forget about him just like that?"


    "Forget about him? No, of course not! If not for him, how could we have ended up in such dire straits? However, it''s impossible for you to challenge him at the moment, so I''ll need toe up with some strategy to ruin him once and for all after the national tournament."


    Qin Zongming''s words caused Qin Xiao to quiet down. The reason his blessed life had gone so awry was because of Zhang Lie. Not only that, he had even gouged the Qin n by charging them tenfold what others paid for these white grub cores. Neither son nor father was the type to drop a grudge, but with Zhang Lie''s star rising, it didn''t make sense for them to strike unless they were certain that they could defeat him.


    Qin Xiao clenched his fist so tightly his joints turned white.


    "Keep this with you. If you have no other choice, use it during the Void Cup."


    Qin Zongming handed Qin Xiao a box containing a frightening aura of gic energy, so dense he could sense it even without touching it.


    "This is¡ª"


    "Shh, be quiet. Focus on your training during this period of time. I won''te to visit you for a while." Qin Zongming patted Qin Xiao''s shoulder, then vanished out the window.


    Seeing his father''s back, Qin Xiao sighed to himself. He opened the box and found a container with what seemed to be crackling violet lightning inside, dyeing the room a curious shade of purple with its glow.


    Qin Xiao let out a frightening smile.


    Countless hunters flocked into the cksteel settlement. With the impending Void Cup and recent news about white-grub cores, even more hunters than usual had headed to the cksteel settlement through countless trials and obstacles.


    The days before the Void Cup, many gic hunters spent their time in the training ground or outskirts of the cksteel settlement, and there were quite a few others who were furiously hunting down superior-grade lifeforms in order to top up their superior gene fragments and soulshards.


    Everyone was preparing for the Void Cup, Team Zenith included.


    Zhang Lie''s present goals were to advance his [Ninecarp Transformation] and [Eclipse] further.


    Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others certainly had gene fragments, frameworks, and techniques that would serve them well for the Void Cup, but if they wanted to do well, they would need to rectify their soulshard deficiency.


    As a result, in order to raise the overall strength of Team Zenith, they would have to target specific superior-grade lifeforms in anticipation of their soulshards. Naturally, their first battlefield would be the Desert of Silence, the region in the first realm of the dimensional world boasting the highest density of superior-grade lifeforms, and amensurate rate of finding superior-grade soulshards.


    "In the two weeks before the citywide tournament, head to the Desert of Silence and acquire as many soulshards as you can," Zhang Lie instructed.


    "Yes, Captain!" Team Zenith set off almost immediately.


    Zhang Lie didn''t follow them there; by now, the members of Team Zenith were individuallyparable to young n heads like Chu Feng and Yun Bing, and the Desert of Silence wouldn''t prove particrly dangerous.


    After they had all left, Zhang Lie returned to his room, where he sat cross-legged as he made final preparations for the Void Cup. Now that he had capped all his gene fragments and reached the advanced level with most of his techniques, there were only two remaining that he could work on.


    As he circted his gic energy, causing a ck glow to suffuse his body, waves of energy emanated from his body, and a radiant moon reced the sun.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]! [Eclipse]!"


    A serpent''s form wrapped around Zhang Lie, then soared toward the moon, slowly dyeing it red as it approached.

 Chapter 149: Danger in the Desert

    <h4>Chapter 149: Danger in the Desert</h4>


    The stars shone so brightly that Zhang Lie felt as though he were immersed in the Milky Way itself. The glowing moon slowly turned dim as the serpent wrapped around it, opening its mouth wide so that its sharp fangs were visible. As it hissed, an immense pressure descended on the room, causing the reinforced floor to creak.


    All around Zhang Lie, the ground seemed to tremble. He was shocked by the strength of the attack: [Ninecarp Transformation] and [Eclipse] seemed to be growing more and morepatible with each other, and thebination skill formed from both techniques promised a devastating blow.


    Furthermore, it seemed as though an improvement in one technique would also spark faster growth in the other.


    Suddenly, he thought to himself,?What if I were to let the serpent swallow up the moonpletely? Just what could an attack of that magnitude achieve?


    Zhang Lie tested out his hypothesis immediately, forcing the two techniques tobine more intimately than they ever had before. As more and more gic energy emanated from his body, the serpent''s fangs struck the moon.


    A sudden roar caused a huge fluctuation of energy within Zhang Lie''s training room. He had forcibly stopped the cirction of his gic energy moments afterbining the two skills, and his forehead was beaded with cold sweat from the exertion.


    As he panted, the glowing moon and ck serpent dissolved away. He nced at the reinforced floor on which the moon had been shining and saw the small holes drilled through it: the domain of [Eclipse] had grown even stronger than before.


    Not only that, his path forward was obvious. If he were able tobine the two skills fully, with the serpent swallowing the moon, just what devastation could he wreak?


    "It''s a pity that just using thebination attack once drains almost all my reserves, or I''d try it a few more times," Zhang Lie mumbled to himself. It was clear that thebination would strengthen his domain massively, increasing both the pressure and rate at which gic energy drained from those caught in his domain.


    This would surely be a trump card during the battle against the moonlit wyrm in the future.


    He meditated beside the starstone to recuperate his gic energy, then spent the entire day trying tobine the two techniques together more and more effectively.


    Meanwhile, after Zhang Lie returned to the dimensional world, Lin Xiu also returned to the ckwind Fort.


    "From what you''ve said, it doesn''t seem as though he fears the Li or Qin ns," Su Fengmented, after Lin Xiu reported about Zhang Lie''s actions to him.


    "Indeed. He seems to be very confident that he can handle whatever counterattackes his way, and his confidence is well-founded," Lin Xiu replied.


    Su Feng was very curious just how Zhang Lie had obtained the information that he had presented to the ckwind Fort. He had no background to speak of, so how had he discovered these limit fragments? After all, this news had shocked the entire world.


    Everyone outside of China¡ªand even in the Milky Way atrge¡ªwas searching for simr growth factors to activate a foundational breakthrough. All this implied that no one had evere up with such a theory before; Zhang Lie had developed it from scratch and had even actualized it in practice.


    How could he have done so without any background at all?


    "Could it be that our background check wasn''t thorough enough?" Su Feng muttered to himself. "Lin Xiu, what do you know of Zhang Lie''s background?"


    "His sister''s legs are paralyzed, and both his parents have been missing for over a decade. His parents were second-realm hunters before they vanished," Lin Xiu replied. It hadn''t been difficult to uncover this information.


    Su Feng frowned.?Could Zhang Lie have found out about these limit fragments through some chance opportunity, then?


    "With your manpower, it shouldn''t be too hard to learn more about thisd''s parents, and maybe to find out where they are now. Do you still need me to protect him during the Void Cup?" Lin Xiu asked, knowing that the Li, Qin, and Wang ns wouldn''t simply let matters rest.


    "Just observe him from a distance. There''s no need for you to step in unless Zhang Lie''s life is in danger. Take the opportunity to check in on our insect friends'' actions; it seems like they might be making a move." Su Feng instructed, his expression grave.


    "What? Are theying a second time?" Lin Xiu cried out.


    "All I can deduce for now is that the Kez invasion of the capital was far from an ident."


    "Got it." Lin Xiu rushed out of Su Feng''s office.


    Meanwhile, Su Feng returned to the footage from the Kez invasion that he had been studying. He had circled a few particrly notable pieces of footage in red, including Zhang Lie''s fight.


    Dayster, within a training ground in the cksteel Inn, as gic energy filled the field, a gigantic serpent soared into the air. As it wrapped around a glowing moon and began to devour it, the skies all around seemed to darken, recing the midday sunlight with a starry sky.


    Just as the serpent was about to devour the moonpletely, a series of cracks rang out from the ground down below. As the gic energy fuelling the illusion dissipated, the image of the serpent and the moon vanished.


    Zhang Lie''s back was drenched with sweat. Despite a few days'' effort, he was ultimately unable tobine the two techniquespletely, but his practice with [Eclipse] had significantly widened the range of its domain.


    He kept feeling as though he were missing something crucial for thebination.


    He sucked in a deep breath and expelled it. Once the moon was half-devoured, [Eclipse] would start ring up, consumingrge amounts of gic energy and disying a stronger effect.


    Personally, Zhang Lie believed that having a sufficient quantity of gic energy would allow him tobine the two techniques together in a rtively simple fashion, but acquiring so much gic energy could well be a problem.


    Well, I won''t make much progress right now. The Void Cup''s about to start, so I''d better check up on everyone''s progress.


    Zhang Lie stood up, had a quick shower, and then rushed toward the Desert of Silence. However, the moment he walked out of the cksteel settlement, he found Chu Feng, Chu Xun, and Yun Binging his way.


    "Zhang Lie, where have you been? Why haven''t we been able to find you? Don''t be upset with my brother on ount of what happened at your dojo''s opening ceremony, please. It was all our grandfather''s fault! He wouldn''t listen to us, so you''d better not get mad at us!" Chu Xun shouted at him, her cheeks flushed in anger at her grandfather.


    It had been quite a while since the opening ceremony, and Zhang Lie was surprised to have encountered them here.


    "Sorry for the fuss, Zhang Lie." Chu Feng sighed, shushing his little sister.


    "Don''t worry, I''m used to her personality by now," Zhang Lie replied.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward: the Chu and Yun ns'' attitude, regardless of whether Chu Feng and Yun Bing could be held responsible, had still somewhat soured rtions between them.


    "I have to do something urgently, so I''ll see you all when I get back!" Zhang Lie rushed past Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    "Zhang Lie!" Just then, Yun Bing suddenly called him back.


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie turned back, frowning. He had already made up his mind not to give the Yun and Chu ns any discount on the white-grub cores, and if Yun Bing and Chu Feng were to prod him further about this matter, he would naturally get upset.


    "Be careful. The Void Cup''s about to start, and hunters from the stronger settlements will be roaming around and snatching people''s soulshards," Yun Bing continued. She had seen the unkind sh in Zhang Lie''s eyes when he turned around, and she couldn''t help but be a little disappointed.


    "Is that so?" Zhang Lie frowned harder. He didn''t have much recollection of the Void Cup, because by this point in his past life, he certainly didn''t qualify as an applicant, so he hadn''t paid it much attention.


    Before the Cup began, quite a few hunters would try to hunt down superior prey in order to obtain a few more soulshards and gene fragments, and, in response, there were a number of hunters who hunted these hunters, robbing them of their hard-earned soulshards and points.


    "Right, right! There have been reports of them hanging around the Desert of Silence!" Chu Xun added.


    "What? The Desert of Silence?!" That was where Team Zenith was hunting superior-grade lifeforms!


    "Yes, indeed. Quite a few hunters head to the Desert of Silence right before the Void Cup forst-minute training, and there are hunters who specifically prey on them," Yun Bing exined in greater detail.


    "Thank you."


    Zhang Lie rushed off toward the Desert of Silence.


    "Zhang Lie''s not... trying to hunt down those hunters, is he?" Chu Feng asked, after a momentary silence.


    "I think it''s possible that his teammates are in the Desert of Silence." Yun Bing narrowed her eyes. Given Zhang Lie''s strength, he had no need to head to the Desert of Silence to try to pick off a few superior-grade lifeforms, but his team was different. "In that case, it''s quite likely that his teammates might be in danger. Come on, we''d better follow him!"


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing also began rushing in the direction in which Zhang Lie had gone.


    The usually barren Desert of Silence was, at this time, sufficiently popted that quite a few teams could be seen hunting the lifeforms within.


    "Heh, we''ve amassed over ten million points just from hunting down all these lone wolves already!" a thin, stick-like man eximed in joy, as he headed deeper into the desert with his team.


    "We have Young Master Long to thank for all this," a massive hulk, who seemed like the team''s leader, replied cheerfully.


    Everyone turned to the long-haired youth walking in the center of the team.

 Chapter 150: Ambush in the Desert

    <h4>Chapter 150: Ambush in the Desert</h4>


    "Yes, if not for Young Master Long helping us out at a critical moment, we certainly wouldn''t have been able to take down thatst hunter so easily."


    "Haha, that''s right! I''m honored to have seen you in action, Young Master Long!"


    "Not only that, if not for Young Master Long, we might not have dared to enter the desert at all¡ªor be prey for other hunters!"


    Everyone in the team seemed to be sucking up to this Young Master Long. His expression didn''t change, but a hint of pride shed through his eyes. Sensing that their bootlicking was having an effect, the team continued heaping praises on him.


    "Alright, it''s about time that we found our next prey."


    Only when Young Master Long himself was getting embarrassed did the team finally start heading deeper into the desert. Wind and sand filled the air. There were quite a few hunters'' skeletons that were half-buried in the sand, and patches of golden sand which had been dyed red.


    "Be careful! We''re already rather deep into the Desert of Silence, and the hunters that dare to hunt in this area are ones that we''ll have to be very careful with," Young Master Long reminded.


    Right after he spoke, they could sense fluctuations in gic energy nearby, as well as a low howl.


    "There''s a team of hunters up in front," a hunter cried out.


    Young Master Long frowned. He tried to analyze their strength from the fluctuations in their gic energy.


    "Let''s go get ourst prey for the day. They''re exhausted after a long battle. I still have other things to do, so we''d better make this fast." He motioned to the group as he walked toward the source of the energy.


    Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, and the others were panting as they took a momentary break. In just a single day, they had taken down seven superior-grade lifeforms in a row, but none of them had dropped a superior-grade soulshard. At the very least, however, they had all amassed sufficient flesh to reach the superior gene capacity.


    "Damn it, how many lifeforms have there been? Just how hard is it to get a superior-grade soulshard?!" Sun Xiaowu tugged at his hair in abject disappointment.


    "We already knew just how hard superior-grade soulshards were to get. Let''s take a break and continue hunting down more lifeformster," Fang Yi suggested.


    "Fang Yi''s right. You all know how hard the captain worked to get each and every one of his superior-grade soulshards, don''t you?" Sun Mengmeng added. She had witnessed the growth in Zhang Lie''s strength, as well as the trials he had ovee to achieve that growth. This had been the case both for his blood ant and forest wolfman soulshards.


    "I''ll admit that our captain has put in a lot of effort for his soulshards, but don''t you think he''s been quite lucky to date?" the reticent Zhou Ying suddenly volunteered, causing everyone else to fall deep in thought.


    "Perhaps the captain''s just a very lucky person!"


    "If he can do it, then so can we! After all, we''re Team Zenith, and our captain''s Zhang Lie. We can''t let him lose face because of us!"


    "We''d better start preparing for our next target." Yang Ze stood up, brushed the sand off his armor, and prepared to get moving again.


    Everyone else dragged their weary bodies up.


    "Right, we have to hunt down superior-grade soulshards that''ll fit us all. We can''t disappoint the captain during the Void Cup!" Li Feng called out. Zhou Ying and Sun Xiaowu also perked up, their refusal to back down spurring them onward.


    Suddenly, before them came another party of hunters, the sound of their approach hidden by the howling wind. Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi immediately motioned for their team to stop as the other party emerged.


    They were all wearing dark red armor, with two shining jewels of gic energy embedded by their shoulderguards. These jewels were rtively expensive and unaffordable to most. The word ''Godspath'' inscribed on them revealed the hunters'' identity.


    "What are hunters from the Godspath settlement doing here?" Sun Mengmeng clutched her bow tightly as she prepared for a fight.


    Fang Yi and the others also prepared for a battle, understanding that the superior-grade lifeforms weren''t the only danger in the Desert of Silence. Not only did they have to be wary of superior-grade lifeforms, they also had to be careful with regards to the hunters that were roaming the area.


    The hunters from the Godspath settlement stopped short. The sand beneath their feet shook; as the winds around them grew stronger and stronger, despite the fact that they were only ten meters or so away from each other, they couldn''t even see each other''s faces clearly.


    "Oh, it''s people from the cksteel settlement."


    "What? The cksteel settlement, where Zhang Lie''s located?"


    "So what if they''re from the cksteel settlement? With our numbers, even if Zhang Lie himself were here, I don''t think he''d be able to best us. Even so, be careful¡ªthey entered the deeper part of the desert before us," Young Master Long whispered to his group.


    Despite the wind and sand, Sun Mengmeng and the others could clearly feel the killing intent emanating from them. "Beware of them," Sun Mengmeng whispered.


    "Hand over your soulshards and the beast carcasses you''ve hunted, and I might consider letting you go," Young Master Long shouted disdainfully.


    Fang Yi''s face went grim. These were likely hunters who specifically targeted other hunters in the days leading up to the Void Cup.


    "Is this the quality of the hunters in one of the best settlements in the region? I hadn''t expected to find so many cowards," Sun Mengmeng taunted them.


    "The dimensional world''s all about strength. There are those like us from every settlement you''ll find¡ªif you want something to me, me yourck of strength!" Young Master Longughed, then began charging up for an attack.


    "Be careful, this guy''s strong!" Sun Mengmeng whispered again, sensing the fluctuation of his gic energy.


    Sun Xiaowu and the others prepared for a battle. However, after hunting down superior-grade lifeforms for an entire day, they weren''t certain they could beat an elite team like this.


    "Die! The weak don''t deserve to live." Young Master Long licked his parched lips as he charged up an attack.


    The other hunters from the Godspath settlement swallowed a gulp of saliva, excitement evident on their features. They knew that Young Master Long enjoyed killing; this was one of his ways of rxing before apetition.


    As Young Master Long removed his palms from the sleeves of his long robes, his nails began to grow at a rapid clip. Gic energy surrounded his nails, elongating and honing them to a fine point, as though they were the ws of a dragon.


    "You''re from the Long n?!" Sun Mengmeng shouted.


    Before the hunters of Team Zenith could strike, he had rushed within attacking range. As he swung his ws about, the wind and sand responded to his motions. In a matter of moments, a draconic twister formed from sand and wind spun toward the beleaguered hunters.


    "The Long n''s signature art, [Draconic Tempest]!" the leader of Young Master Long''s temporary team cried out.


    Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi frowned as they tried to analyze the technique. As the sand dragon roared, releasing a bout of gic energy, they stumbled backwards before they could release a counterattack.


    "Xiaowu!" Sun Mengmeng hurriedly called out.


    Sun Xiaowu stepped forward, a golden gleam rising above his skin and spreading over his body. When it covered Sun Xiaowu''s body in its entirety, a dull thump emanated from it. At the same time, the sand dragon wed towards him.


    Sun Xiaowu rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he punched at the dragon. Young Master Long''s grin widened as he directed the dragon to attack.


    Gic energy in white and gold shed in mid-air.


    With a dull thump, Sun Xiaowu retreated, and the golden sh of gic energy disappeared.


    Young Master Long was surprised: he had expected the ws to pierce through Sun Xiaowu''s chest and to kill him instantly. How was it that Sun Xiaowu had only been pushed back? The other members of his temporary team were also taken aback. No other prey had survived that attack!


    "Xiaowu, are you alright?" Sun Mengmeng hurriedly stepped forward. Sun Xiaowu had been wounded by the attack, but it wasn''t anything serious.


    "I''m fine! It''s just a light wound. Everyone, be careful, this hunter''s techniques and framework aren''t bad!" Sun Xiaowu called out.


    "Ant, how have you not perished?!" Young Master Long''s face fell. How could he have failed to down his opponent in one hit?


    "Kill them all!" Sun Xiaowu''s injury enraged his older sister. The enemy team had attacked them first; they were certainly obligated to act in self-defense!


    Fang Yi''s eyes gleamed as heunched [Heaven''s Judgment]. Streaks of lightning crackled on his spear.


    Young Master Long narrowed his eyes. His illustrious background meant that he could identify the grade of the technique instantly.


    "No wonder you guys were able to head so deep into the desert. All your techniques are high-grade or above, aren''t they?" He smirked.


    Sun Xiaowu had used [Adamantine Aegis], a legendary-grade framework, to defend against his blow. If it were any weaker, he might have perished on the spot.


    And Fang Yi''s pinnacle-grade framework was even better. He had grown into a strong hunter in Zhang Lie''s past life; he was growing even stronger in the present. Thebination of [Rondo of Wind and Storm] and [Heaven''s Judgment] shocked even Young Master Long.


    "That defensive technique from just now was at least a legendary-grade technique, and this looks even more advanced! Could it be a pinnacle-grade technique?" His eyes gleamed with greed.


    "Leader, should we attack them too?" The other hunters from the Godspath settlement all rubbed their hands in glee as they stared at the hunters of Team Zenith, as if all that the hunters of Team Zenith had would be theirs.


    "Of course! Otherwise, Young Master Long will take everything. Charge!" he bellowed, motioning for his subordinates to attack all at once.


    The two parties shed, sending a flurry of golden sand into the air.

 Chapter 151: The Long Clans Scion

    <h4>Chapter 151: The Long n''s Scion</h4>


    "Hah, do you think you ants can defeat me? All your possessions will be mine! And you, your skin seems rather fair. Once I get rid of your teammates, I''ll give you an opportunity to service me!" Young Master Long nced lecherously at Sun Mengmeng.


    "Oh? You and whose army?" Fang Yi called out. As he stabbed forward with his spear, a bolt of lightning shot toward Young Master Long''s chest. It was clear to Fang Yi that Young Master Long was the only threat in his party. If they could take him down quickly, this fight would be over.


    "You piece of trash!" Young Master Long narrowed his eyes and used his w attack once more, blocking the bolt of lightning. Neither of them were quite able to injure the other.


    As Fang Yi applied [Rondo of Wind and Storm] to his obsidian spear, snakes of lightning darted out of his brow. With a loud shout, he shot forward with his spear. The spear shed violently against Young Master Long''s ws, lightning crackling and wind and sand howling in an explosion of the elements.


    The force caused Fang Yi to stumble back; Young Master Long, shocked beyondpare, had to dodge the part of Fang Yi''s attack that he couldn''t block. Yes, he had to dodge!


    "What? Young Master Long isn''t attacking head-on?!" Amidst the Godspath hunters'' startled cries, Fang Yi''s eyes glowed a bright yellow as lightning crashed down all around him.


    He pointed his spear at Young Master Long, lightning struck its tip, and then he charged straight toward him with the full force of the lightning at his disposal.


    The resulting sh of light was so bright that Young Master Long felt as though he had been struck by lightning himself. He began to tremble, and he felt a seed of fear take root deep within his soul.


    What? Why is this damned ant''s aura so intimidating?!?He regained his senses after a momentarypse and frowned, a vicious look entering his eyes. "[Dragon''s Piercing Howl]!" he shouted. His long hair fluttered in an invisible wind, and a radiant glow enveloped him. The outline of a dragon could be seen amidst the wind and sand. His ws shone like white jade.


    "Quick, support Young Master Long!" The Godspath hunters gathered around him and began circting their gic energy, but before they could attack, they heard a sudden ssh of water as Yang Ze waved his sword in an arc.


    His motions reminded them all of [The Boundless de], which they had be familiar with after rewatching the footage of Zhang Lie''s fight countless times. Water bubbled and burbled as Yang Ze''s sword energy shot toward the Godspath hunters.


    "Ha! What good could this technique do in the desert?" The leader of the Godspath team threw a punch at Yang Ze with a concentrated burst of earth-attuned gic energy, instantly weakening Yang Ze''s attack.


    However, Yang Ze didn''t seem at all nervous. Instead, he smirked.


    "You''re all dead now."


    It wasn''t difficult for the Godspath hunters to read his lips. They startled as Yang Ze''s technique struck toward Young Master Long. Thebination of water and lightning instantly caused Fang Yi''s attack to grow more radiantly, shooting a ray of destruction in his direction.


    "You''re all useless!" Young Master Long shouted at the rest of the Godspath hunters. As he stared at the frightening attack heading toward him, his face turned dark. The image of a white dragon gradually materialized.


    His eyes turned cold as he began to revolve on the spot, as did with the white dragon wrapped protectively around him.


    None of the hunters from the Godspath settlement dared rebuke Young Master Long''s words. Instead, using all their gic energy, they continuedunching attacks toward Yang Ze. ?Even if Young Master Long was affected by Yang Ze and Fang Yi''sbination attack, they would be able to wound at least one member of Team Zenith.


    However, they had forgotten that there were other members of Team Zenith present as well. A wave of hot air rushed toward the Godspath hunters. As they breathed in the superheated air, they found the heat scorching their throats. Sun Mengmeng, her long hair flowing behind her, readied an arrow burning with purple me, so hot it warped the very air.


    Sun Mengmeng''s arrow, along with a wave of heat, flew toward the Godspath hunters. The Godspath hunters felt as though they were approaching an active volcano surrounded byva. Death looked them in the eye.


    .


    The leader of the team stepped forward. He wasn''t a weak hunter in his own right; just as the arrow was about to hit him, he yelled out and began to dodge, but before he could move away, he felt his ankles tighten. Green vines that had sprouted from beneath the sand had trapped him! The spiked vines wrapped around his ankles. Where the spikes prated skin, he found himself paralyzed.


    "Be careful, poison!" he yelled out, but it was already toote.


    Although the vines were slender, they were surprisingly resilient to damage and strengthened by the gic energy running through them.


    Zhou Ying smiled. "Don''t forget, we''re a team."


    "No, that''s impossible! We''re surrounded by the desert. How could you be using wood-attuned gic energy here?!" the Godspath team leader cried out.


    As he looked down, he saw that the desert sand had turned into mud by his feet, answering his own question.


    Yang Ze and Fang Yi''sbination attack would naturally leave some water where itnded. Not only were Yang Ze''s techniques able to augment Fang Yi''s lightning-attuned attack, they also manipted the environment in such a way that Zhou Ying could shine.


    All this had happened in the blink of an eye. The Godspath hunters couldn''t believe that they had nned all this out, but the truth was right before their eyes.


    Just then, Fang Yi shed with Young Master Long once more. The white dragon rampaged as it howled, shrouding Young Master Long''s figure behind a veil of sand.


    Fang Yi held his spear with a severe expression on his face, as though he were a god of lightning himself. Whenever he struck, a storm of wind and lightning would rampage the dragon''s body, battering it down.


    "[Light''s Bulwark]!" Li Feng, who had been searching for an opportunity to support Fang Yi, finally found it. The sky and sand seemed to lose their color, leaving only a brilliant white light on the battlefield. Li Feng struck with a simple punch with no outrement beyond mere willpower.


    The white dragon howled. This attack was the straw that broke the camel''s back; even its draconic vitality couldn''t keep up with Fang Yi and now Li Feng''s attacks. It dissipated as the bolts of lightning honed in on a new target: Young Master Long.


    As the Godspath hunters stared openmouthed, Sun Mengmeng''s [ck Sun]-fortified arrow struck them.


    Two screams rang out more loudly than the wind.


    The leader of the Godspath hunters, who had barely managed to escape from the vines at thest second, was still severely injured by the arrow.


    Young Master Long''s snowy-white armor had been charred ck, and the repulsive odor of scorched flesh lingered in the air.


    The Godspath leader hurriedly retreated back to his team, clutching his right chest in pain. Although he had avoided a lethal blow, the arrow had prated his chest, and the ckened wound was leaking blood and pus all over.


    His fellow teammates were all injured, and three or four of them were even losing a limb each.


    "Ho-How could this be?!" The Godspath leader''s voice was trembling.


    Ever since they had entered the Desert of Silence, with Young Master Long''s help, they had managed to defeat and ovee all the teams of hunters that they hade across.Now, however, they were the ones being hunted.


    Young Master Long was heavily injured, and he was barely able to stay conscious. His bloodshot eyes were wide open as he stared at Fang Yi and Yang Ze, filled with enmity and bloodlust.


    "You actually hurt me?!" he howled.


    He was a member of the Long n, a strong hunter in the first realm of the dimensional world! When had he ever been in such dire straits?


    Sun Mengmeng and the others didn''t dare rx. Although they now had the upper hand, the battle wasn''t yet over.


    "Hurt you? Why, I can even kill you!" Just as Young Master Long was struggling to stand up, an icy-cold voice shook him to the core from behind.


    His heart palpitated; a sudden sensation of imminent death overwhelmed him. He felt as though a reaper''s gaze hadnded on him. His feet were sluggish, and it almost felt as though hands had risen from deep within the sand to pull him down. He had never experienced such a chilling sensation of death. Just who had shown up?


    Before he could turn around, a fluctuation of gic energy came from behind him. Seeing a violet arc, Young Master Long felt a chill in his chest, and his expression turned pale. As he nced down to see the violet shortsword prating his body, his throat gurgled, blood filled his mouth and dripped down his lips, and he knelt down on jellied feet.


    It was only then that he saw his assant, whose face was cold and somehow familiar.


    "Zhang Lie?! You''re the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?!" Young Master Long trembled uncontrobly.


    It was one thing to speak of him, and another to meet him in person.


    A majestic pressure emanated from Zhang Lie, forcing the Godspath hunters to cower. This was a truly strong hunter, one far too strong for them, strong enough to leave them panting for breath!


    He hadn''t even activated a single technique; this was all just spiritual pressure. Was he really a first-realm hunter?

 Chapter 152: Pay Up or Die

    <h4>Chapter 152: Pay Up or Die</h4>


    As his fresh blood dyed the sands red, Young Master Long was forced onto the sands by a foot to his back. An ominous purple flush had quickly spread through his skin from the wound: a sign of the venombane scorpion''s poison.


    Young Master Long opened his eyes wide. "This sword... is poisoned!" The skin by his wound had festered, turning a deep purple as it did so.


    "Too easy a death for you," Zhang Lie spat out.


    "Don''t, please! I surrender!"


    "Do you recognize me, then?" Zhang Lie gave him a chilling smile.


    "Do you really intend to kill me? In that case, are you prepared to face the wrath of the Long n from the Godsbane settlement?!" Young Master Long gritted out. His fury at his helplessness turned his eyes red, and his body spasmed from the corrosive nature of the poison. From his perspective, although Zhang Lie was a strong hunter, he wouldn''t be foolish enough to try to start a blood feud with the Long n by killing him.


    "Oh? Sounds frightening." Zhang Lie''s eyes narrowed as he recalled what he could about the Long n. It was even stronger than the five major ns of the capital, and its scions seemed to be unusually talented. The signature framework of the n was also quite potent.


    But so what? Zhang Lie wasn''t the one who had instigated this affair! The Long n might not have been an easy target, but what about Zhang Lie? This was the dimensional world, after all, where strength trumped all else. Even military hunters had to obey thisw of the jungle, let alone the Long n.


    "How much stronger do you think the Long n ispared to the Li n?" he asked coolly.


    The Godspath hunters'' eyes widened. Yes, the Li n might have been weaker than the Long n, but not by much. The day of the Zenith Dojo''s opening ceremony, Zhang Lie had killed the son of n Head Li right in front of his face. In other words, if he was willing to kill a scion of the Li family under public scrutiny back on Earth, what was stopping him from doing so now, without any eyewitnesses, in the dimensional world?


    "He''s going to kill us! Flee!" Young Master Long shouted. The Godspath hunters began to move, but far toote.


    They shot attacks toward him as they turned to run, but Zhang Lie only nced at them disdainfully as he waved Venombane.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Dark gic energy formed a pitch-ck river that annihted everything before it, sweeping the Godspath hunters up.


    The river raged; its waters seemed to be formed of sword energy, causing the Godspath hunters to feel excruciating pain every second they were immersed in it. After a moment, when the river faded away, the bedraggled form of the Godspath hunters could be seen syed in the mud. They all seemed to have suffered some grotesque torture, with no piece of their skin left intact, like bags of bloody flesh.


    "Do you think it''s that easy to run? Aren''t you a young master of the Long n? Didn''t you want one of my teammates to serve you? Well? Are you pleased with my service? Would you like to bet that I can kill you without the Long n daring to make a fuss about it?" Zhang Lie whispered. His tone was rxed, but his words sent a chill down the hunters'' backs.


    "You..." The heavily wounded Young Master Long widened his eyes. He knew that Zhang Lie wasn''t joking; someone like him had no need to worry about the Long n.


    "Anyst words?" Zhang Lie smirked.


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, you''re already enemies with the Li, Qin, and Wang ns. Are you sure you want to add the Long n to the mix? This won''t be a smart decision, I assure you." Under threat of death, poison flooding through his body, struggling for hisst breath, Young Master Long nevertheless calmed down and disyed some semnce of his upbringing.


    "Should I care?" Zhang Lie grinned, and the tip of his sword dropped to his neck.


    "No, no, please! Zhang Lie, please forgive us, please forgive us all!" the Godspath hunters'' leader interjected before Young Master Long could speak. He moaned at how unlucky he had been to chance upon Zhang Lie''s team out here in the Desert of Silence, but that wasn''t the worst part of it. He had to ensure that Young Master Long didn''t die; if he were to die, their whole team would be killed to apany him!


    The Long n was proud and domineering. Even if Zhang Lie let them go and not Young Master Long, the Long n would surely take revenge on them! He had no choice but to speak up then.


    "Let you go, so you can menace other hunters? No, I think not." Zhang Lie didn''t think that any of the Godspath hunters would dare interrupt the conversation between him and Young Master Long.


    "No, no, of course not! As long as you''re willing to let us go, we''ll swear never to hunt other hunters ever again!" The Godspath leader immediately pledged to turn over a new leaf. Of course, he was the only one who believed his words.


    Zhang Lie stared at them all. "It looks like you all value your lives very much, don''t you? If you want me to spare you, hand over all your soulshards!"


    "What? Soulshards, all our soulshards?!" the Godspath hunters cried out.


    If they had to give up all the fruits of theirbor thesest few days, and even lose the soulshards that they originally had as well...


    On the other hand, the eyes of the hunters from Team Zenith gleamed. They had yet to obtain any soulshards from their excursion into the Desert of Silence, but now they could get a huge haul in one fell swoop!


    "Well? Don''t you value your life?" Zhang Lie swung Venombane in small arcs as he waited for the Godspath hunters'' response.


    Young Master Long sighed. No one would risk their lives for material possessions, and Young Master Long was certain that, as long as he could live, he''d be able to get back these soulshards one way or another. Gritting his teeth, he spilled his soulshards all over the desert sand.


    The gems caught the sunlight and glowed in all colors: as expected of a young master of the Long n, most of his soulshards were superior-grade.


    "We''ll hand ours over too!" With Young Master Long as an example, the other hunters quickly followed suit, spilling their soulshards on the sand. Although their collections weren''t asvish as Young Master Long''s, they did have quite a few superior-grade soulshards as well.


    "Will you let us go now?" Young Master Long asked once more. At this point, he just wanted to preserve his life. Given the extent of their injuries, if they didn''t perform any first-aid, they would die without Zhang Lie making a move.


    Once Sun Mengmeng and the others had stored all their loot, Zhang Lie grinned. Would he allow these hunters to live and continue their life of crime? Of course not! Furthermore, even if others feared the Long n, the same couldn''t be said for him.


    "In that case, I''ll spare your lives."


    The Godspath hunters saw an arc of violet light, then felt a chill in their chests. As they howled in pain, they stared angrily at Zhang Lie.


    "You''ve... stripped us of our gic cores?!" Young Master Long cried out.


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, you''ve gone back on your word! I curse you, I curse you with my life!" the Godspath leader spat out angrily.


    "Have I gone back on my word? Really? All I said was that I''d spare your lives, not that I''d avoid attacking you."


    Zhang Lie marshaled the rest of Team Zenith away without looking back at the fallen hunters.


    "Zhang Lie, I''ll kill you! I swear I''ll kill you!" Young Master Long howled at his back.


    Zhang Lie ignored him. The moment before he vanished from sight, he turned around and smiled. "Tell me that when you make it out of the desert alive."


    Making it out alive would be far harder than it sounded. To be crippled and bleeding to death deep in the Desert of Silence was tantamount to a death sentence. In the best-case scenario, they would die of blood loss; if they were unlucky, thest thing they saw would be a beast''s maw.


    After all, the blood they were giving off would surely attract lifeforms from all around the desert. Although Zhang Lie wasn''t going to kill them, he had blocked off any chance of survival.


    Not long after Team Zenith left the scene, a few lifeforms began scouting out the scene.


    "I''m sorry for dragging you into this, Captain." The hunters of Team Zenith all seemed a little despondent that Zhang Lie had toe save them; it seemed as though, from their very first meeting, they had been dragging him down.


    "What''re you talking about? All of you were handling it well enough even without me."


    Indeed, Fang Yi and Yang Ze''sbination attack had grievously wounded Young Master Long, and the remaining Godspath hunters were about to be subjugated by the rest of the team.


    "Really?" Sun Mengmeng nced skeptically at Zhang Lie. He had always dominated his opponents in so overwhelming a fashion that they paled inparison.


    It was then that Zhang Lie realized he had to let the other members of Team Zenith ovee a few obstacles by themselves so that they could understand their own strength.


    "Right, did you all have any luck with soulshards?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Unfortunately not. We were steadily going deeper into the desert, but nothing we hunted dropped the soulshards we were aiming for," Sun Mengmeng sighed.


    The Void Cup was just about to begin, and if they couldn''t find appropriate soulshards, then they wouldn''t be able to grow any stronger.


    "So? We''ve just gotten a generous gift from a few anonymous donors, haven''t we?" Zhang Lie patted the pouch into which they had packed the spoils from the Godspath hunters.


    Everyone''s faces brightened: indeed, they had received a veritable heap of soulshards!


    The Godspath hunters had stolen quite a few soulshards from other hunters, and all their spoils had now gone to Team Zenith. Young Master Long''s soulshards were particrly appealing: he was the scion of arge, rich n, and the soulshards that he kept on his body were surely the best of the best.


    "We really do have to thank them for their generosity!"


    Sun Xiaowu waggled his fingers as he dug into the pouch, ncing at the soulshards of various shapes, colors, and textures as he did so.


    "Wow! This is from a superior-grade rampaging rhinoceros. It''s a defensive-type soulshard that covers your body in a thick hide, conferring as much defense as you''d expect from such a sturdy lifeform!" His eyes shone. Without a question, this soulshard was most suited to someone like him, whose framework was defense-focused.


    The others also found quite a number of soulshards to their liking; Fang Yi had acquired one that would grant him short-term explosive strength, whereas Li Feng identified a superior-grade radiant beetle soulshard that could transform into a winged suit of armor. Sun Mengmeng picked up a superior-grade firebird soulshard, which enhanced her already-potent mes even further.


    However, despite the thirty or so superior-grade soulshards they had acquired, neither Zhou Ying nor Yang Ze found ones that were perfectlypatible with their frameworks. They had no choice but to choose more general soulshards for temporary use.

 Chapter 153: Unrelenting Investigation

    <h4>Chapter 153: Unrelenting Investigation</h4>


    "Don''t worry. Before the Void Cup begins, I''ll make sure to find both of you an appropriate superior-grade soulshard." Zhang Lie patted both Yang Ze and Zhou Ying on the back.


    After dividing up the soulshards, the hunters of Team Zenith hurriedly left the Desert of Silence. As for Young Master Long and the others, they sensed three skulking lifeforms approaching their bodies with despair before ultimately perishing.


    In the afternoon, in one of the Long n''s inns in the Godspath settlement, a red-haired youth with thick brows andrge eyes frowned as he drummed his knuckles against a table.


    "What''s going on? Long Fei''s been out for almost the entire day. Why haven''t we heard back from him yet?" His face was cold.


    "Young Master, your brother''s rather experienced with hunting down these stray hunters by now, so I''m sure he''s fine. If he hasn''t returned or sent any news, I''m sure he must have his hands full enjoying the spoils from his hunt," his thin, slenderpanion replied casually.


    "Is that so? But they''ve gone to the Desert of Silence this time, and no one would want to stay there overnight if they can help it. The closest settlement to it is Godspath, so they should have returned. No, I have to take a look personally!"


    After a moment''s thought, he summoned his team and made a beeline toward the Desert of Silence. The sun had yet to set, so if Long Fei had encountered some danger in the Desert of Silence, he would be able to save him.


    "Where''s Long Sheng going with his team?"


    "Probably to the Desert of Silence. Long Fei left bright and early in the morning, and he still hasn''t returned. Could he have encountered some trouble?"


    "What? You think others could trouble him? More likely than not he''s the one causing trouble for them! If he still hasn''t returned, he must be robbing even more hunters of their spoils."


    The hunters of the Godspath settlement began to gossip with each other. Long Fei was notorious in the settlement. Most of the ordinary hunters there hated him for what he did, but were powerless to stop him.


    As Long Sheng and his team entered the Desert of Silence, they followed his trail and finally found a trace of his body right before sunset. Sand had caked into mud, then cracked apart under the sun. Remnants of gic energy hung thickly in the air. Massive footprints could be seen in the mud, a sign that a few of the superior-grade lifeforms for which the desert was known had been present.


    Blood and entrails littered the sand, the corpse stench soiling the air. Long Sheng nced around and saw, to his surprise, a familiar body. He strode forward with a grave premonition.


    "Long Fei!" When he approached the body more closely, his face turned grim. Although it was little more than a hand and a torso, the ring on the hand made the body''s identity clear. This was his brother''s corpse¡ªno, a piece of his corpse.


    "Who did this?!" His eyes red, Long Sheng howled as he surveyed his surroundings.


    The members of this team immediately fanned out and began searching for any hints as to what might have killed Long Fei.


    "Young Master, I believe this was caused by a superior-grade lifeform," the team''s deputy suggested, having walked over to Long Sheng''s side and hesitated for a long moment before he spoke.


    "Chewed to death by a superior-grade lifeform?!"


    Long Sheng''s eyes red with killing intent, causing even his teammates to shudder. The gic energy in the area began to fluctuate wildly, and his teammates couldn''t help but think that Long Sheng was going to take out his anger on them.


    "Inform the n immediately. Furthermore, dispatch a few hunters to search this and the neighboring area. No grain of sand must be left unturned!"


    Long Sheng calmed down; no amount of rage would help his brother now. From the scene, it looked as though Long Fei had indeed been bitten to death by a superior-grade lifeform, but Long Sheng was certain that, with Long Fei''s skill, he wouldn''t have perished to a superior-grade lifeform unless he ventured deep into the desert. Furthermore, the air was filled with remnants of sword energy, and neither Long Fei nor the team he had been with had any sword users.


    As such, Long Sheng surmised that someone, perhaps a swordmaster, had crippled Long Fei and left him to die to the superior-grade lifeforms roaming the desert.


    Long Sheng''s conjecture was surprisingly close to what had happened, but the Godspath settlement was sorge that there were quite a few swordmasters in the area. Trying to identify the culprit based on this conjecture alone would be near-impossible.


    In the real world, the Long n, situated in Lingnan, also quickly received the news. The Long n head, Long Xiaotian, was furious, the wrinkles on his face trembling as he exuded gic energy from his body. The other members of the n that were present lowered their heads, unwilling to meet his eyes.


    What father could bear to lose his son?


    "No, that can''t be. Long Fei isn''t a weak hunter, so how could he have perished like that in the first realm?!" Long Xiaotian howled. He could barely believe the news of his son''s death.


    "I mourn for your loss, Head," the first elder of the Long nmiserated.


    Long Xiaotian sucked in a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm as he nced at the first elder of the n. "Investigate his death. Send more men to the Desert of Silence. Don''t ignore even the smallest clue of what could have happened. I want to know just who from the Godspath settlement has entered the Desert of Silence within thest two days¡ª no, not just the Godspath settlement, but all settlements within three thousand kilometers of the Desert of Silence.


    "Spare no expense. If nothing else, my son''s death can''t remain a mystery!" Long Xiaotian dered.


    "Just what happened in the Godspath settlement? Why are they sending hunters over here?"


    "Don''t you know? Apparently, the Long n''s second young master was found dead in the Desert of Silence, consumed by superior-grade lifeforms!"


    "The Long n''s second young master? Someone dared to attack him? They really don''t fear death, do they!"


    "There''ve been countless hunters entering the Desert of Silence on the eve of the Void Cup. How will they be able to identify the culprit? And you know what? Good riddance to him! You all know what he''s done!"


    "Shh, be quiet! Don''t let anyone suspect that you''re responsible. You know what the Long n''s like!"


    "ording to a rumor I heard, the fellow who killed the Long n''s second young master was a swordmaster!"


    The Long n had made such a fuss that there was more gossip about the sudden death than even the Void Cup itself. Chu Feng and Yun Bing naturally overheard the news.


    "What should we do now?" Chu Feng sighed. He had followed Zhang Lie into the Desert of Silence, but Zhang Lie had been so fast that the two of them had been unable to pursue him. Subsequently, news of Young Master Long''s death began to spread.


    Just who was responsible? Chu Feng and Yun Bing were certain of the culprit


    "The Desert of Silence is arge ce indeed, and Long Fei was devoured by a few superior-grade lifeforms. There''s no evidence to hold the culprit ountable, and it shouldn''t be possible for them toy the me on Zhang Lie," Yun Bing analyzed.


    However, she had neglected the Long n''s temper. Their exhaustive search, fueled by almost half the n''s manpower, had actually narrowed down the potential suspects. Furthermore, some testimony from teams of hunters that had been nearby meant that the Long n was drawing ever closer to the truth.


    The instigator behind this whole affair was currently sitting cross-legged in his room in the cksteel Inn, contemting the mysteries of [Eclipse], while the hunters of Team Zenith were training avidly to get used to their new soulshards.


    They had yet to discover themotion that was disrupting the entirety of the cksteel settlement, and Zhang Lie had warned them not to use their newly acquired soulshards in public unless they had no other choice.


    Deep in the night, Zhang Lie opened his eyes, his gaze seeming even more piercing than before. He released a breath. It had been a day since he returned from the Desert of Silence, and he had focused almostpletely on Eclipse during that time. He was growing more and more familiar with the technique, but it was still temporarily impossible for him tobine it with [Ninecarp Transformation]pletely.


    He stood up and stretched, then headed to Team Zenith''smunal training room to check on them. "Well? Are you used to these soulshards yet?"


    After they returned from the Desert of Silence, the hunters had only taken a short break before starting their training in earnest once more.


    "Yes, Captain, we are! I''m sure we''ll be able to put on a good performance during the Void Cup at this rate," Sun Xiaowu eximed happily.


    "Yes, Captain!" the other hunters also chorused, though Yang Ze and Zhou Ying''s voices sounded a little strained.


    Everyone else noticed.


    "Captain, while there''s still some time left, why don''t we hurry up and acquire soulshards for Yang Ze and Zhou Ying?" Sun Mengmeng suggested.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "We will, but not today. The dimensional world''s too dangerous at night. Tomorrow, we''ll hunt them both soulshards."


    "Great!" Sun Mengmeng eximed. Yang Ze and Zhou Ying both smiled and bowed their heads, grateful for the thoughtful gesture.


    Zhang Lie had them sleep early to prepare for the grueling hunt tomorrow as he took over the training room. After meditating on [Eclipse] for so long, it was past time to give his body a workout. With a shout, dark gic energy began spilling from him. Zhang Lie punched forward with [Fists of the Silent Sea], sending ripples into the air.


    Engrossed in his training, he didn''t know that the Long n was heading his way.


    Within an inn in the Godspath settlement, Long Sheng nced at the woman in front of him with a malevolent expression on his face. "You''re sure he attacked this so-called Team Zenith?"


    His question was more like an assertion, one bundled with a thickyer of killing intent.


    "Y-Yes! ?I was nearby at the time, and I saw Young Master Long''s team heading toward Team Zenith. I saw no trace of him afterwards!"


    The killing intent emanating from Long Sheng caused this hunter from the cksteel settlement to quiver, but she quickly controlled her body and exined what she had seen.


    "Team Zenith? Whose n does that team belong to, and what''s its background in the cksteel settlement?" Long Sheng continued questioning her.


    "Young Master Long, Team Zenith is associated with the Zenith Dojo in Ning¡ª"


    Long Sheng''s eyes narrowed. "You mean, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?!"

 Chapter 154: A Planned Ambush

    <h4>Chapter 154: A nned Ambush</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s name had spread far and wide across the first realm of the dimensional world, and he was known to just about every hunter.


    "The same Zhang Lie who rose to fame during the Kez invasion of the capital, and who killed the Li n head''s two sons?" Long Sheng narrowed his eyes, barely suppressing a quaver in his tone.


    "Yes, that''s him!" The hunter nodded.


    Long Sheng grimaced. His brother''s killer would be harder to deal with than he expected.


    First, Zhang Lie had monopolized the entire stock of white-grub cores, and if the Long n were to stand against him openly, it would only end up like the Li n. Second, if Zhang Lie chose not to leave the cksteel settlement, even the Long n wouldn''t be able to do anything about him. Third, Zhang Lie was simply too strong. It would be near impossible to kill him within the dimensional world.


    But even so, how could he afford not to avenge his brother''s death? Otherwise, how would he be different from that cowardly n Head Li?


    "Young Master Long, it''s possible that only the hunters of Team Zenith were involved. The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie might not have had anything to do with it," the hunter suggested.


    "Whether or not Zhang Lie was part of it is unimportant. Would he stand idly by if I were to attack his team? What''s Team Zenith up to at the moment?"


    "They''ve been cooped up in the cksteel Inn ever since their return from the Desert of Silence. However, I learned that they were nning to head out tomorrow to hunt some superior-grade lifeforms," the hunter replied, having a surprisingly clear grasp of Zhang Lie and his team''s whereabouts.


    Long Sheng''s eyes gleamed. "Is that so? How arrogant they must be to not lie low after killing someone from the Long n! Help me find out where they''re going. I''ll pay you ten times the usual amount," Long Sheng instructed. Indeed, he nned on dealing with Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith at the earliest opportunity.


    "I''ll let you know immediately!" The hunter''s eyes lit up with greed upon hearing Long Sheng''s offer. The next moment, she vanished in a puff of smoke.


    The next morning, Sun Mengmeng eagerly asked, "Captain, are we returning to the Desert of Silence?"


    "No. We''ll be heading to the Runic Forest this time."


    By now, there were so many hunters in the Desert of Silence that even the superior-grade lifeforms were starting to retreat closer toward the heart of the desert. Unless they were to go deeper into the desert, they would barely find any prey, but it would be too unsafe to go too far in. As such, the Desert of Silence wasn''t Zhang Lie''s preferred hunting ground.


    "The Runic Forest?"


    "Yes. As you can tell from its name, there are likely more wood-attuned lifeforms there, and it''ll be more suited to Zhou Ying."


    "Thank you, Captain." Zhou Ying''s eyes turned misty. She wasn''t a particrly strong hunter within the group, and because of her personality, she didn''t really stand out. As such, she hardly expected that Zhang Lie would direct everyone to the Runic Forest just to get a soulshard for her.


    "In that case, we''ll have to leave soon. It''s rather far from the cksteel settlement," Fang Yi advised. "And there''s more. The Long n seems to be trying to figure out our whereabouts, so we may need to be wary of them as well!"


    "No matter. Let theme: if they''re anything like that Long hunter, they might even save us some trouble." Zhang Lie''s face turned cold; to him, the hunters of the Long n were nothing more than walking sacks of soulshards.


    The other hunters blinked, then smiled dryly as they prepared to head toward the Runic Forest.


    "The Runic Forest? It''s a sparsely popted hunting ground¡ªZhang Lie''s really asking to be ambushed."


    A skulking shadow, trailing Team Zenith from a distance, began to make a move. She was the female hunter that Long Sheng had been talking to. After tracking Team Zenith for some time, she deduced their final destination by process of elimination.


    "The Runic Forest? Dispatch all Long teams to that location. We''ll leave immediately!" Long Shengmanded.


    Following hismand, the Long n''s hunters set off toward the Runic Forest. They caused such amotion that even the cksteel settlement learned about the news.


    Li Sheng sat in a pub. Turning to the person beside him, he whispered, "Are you certain that the Long n''s destination is the Runic Forest?"


    "Yes, sir. Before that, we''ve had a few reports that Zhang Lie''s Team Zenith also seems to be heading in that direction," his subordinate reported.


    "Hoh, interesting." Li Sheng narrowed his eyes. He believed that Long Sheng wouldn''t lead an expedition there for no reason, so his objective must have been Team Zenith.


    And if he were bringing so many hunters with him, then he had to have ascertained the culprit behind Long Fei''s death.


    "As expected of that fellow," Li Sheng murmured to himself.


    Zhang Lie had killed or harmed quite a few scions of the major ns: Qin Xiao and Li Hong, then Li Jin and Li Xin. Their backgrounds were all rtively illustrious, and no one had dared to stand up to them, no one but Zhang Lie.


    "Does the n have any instructions for me?" Li Sheng asked.


    "The n head has designated Zhang Lie as a mortal enemy, one whom we have to kill at any cost!" Li Sheng dismissed the hunter and bade him send word back to the real world.


    Indeed, the Li n would try to kill Zhang Lie at every opportunity. If the Long n were going to attack him, then the Li n could well take advantage of the opportunity to do the same. Once Zhang Lie died, not only would Li Jin and Li Xin be avenged, his monopoly on white-grub cores would also be no more. With the Long n as scapegoat, the Li n wouldn''t even have to fear judgment from the military or world federation.


    "Advance." Li Sheng himself led a team of Li elites out of the cksteel settlement.


    Themotion caused by the two ns was far toorge to have gone unnoticed by the other hunters.


    "This¡ªthey''re all nning to kill him, aren''t they?"


    "It looks as though Zhang Lie and his Team Zenith are going to perish in the Runic Forest!"


    "What a shame! They won''t even be able to participate in the Void Cup."


    "Don''t you know how strong Zhang Lie is? I think there''s a chance that Zhang Lie might ughter them instead!"


    "Hah! This is the dimensional world. No matter how strong Zhang Lie is on his own, do you really think he can defeat thebined might of two major ns?"


    Many of the cksteel hunters, eager to find out just what would happen, also began heading to the Runic Forest.


    The Wang, Qin, Zhou, Qian, and He ns didn''t make a move; it seemed like an opportune time to strike, but they were rational enough not to do so.


    On the other hand, the Yun and Chu ns, who were sorely hoping to establish a cordial rtionship with Zhang Lie, naturally dispatched a few reinforcements toward the forest as well.


    This was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate their resourcefulness as would-be allies.


    Furthermore, within the dimensional world, Chu Feng and Yun Bing were essentially in charge of their respective ns'' forces. After sending word to their ns in the real world, they hurriedly led a delegation of elites toward the Runic Forest.


    The hunters of Team Zenith had no clue just what sort ofmotion they had caused within the dimensional world.


    Within the forest, they saw countless trees reaching for the skies, surely decades or centuries old at the very least. Their thick branches were intercrossed and leafy, shrouding the forest underneath a canopy of green. The trees within the forest, unlike those found outside, all seemed to have runic inscriptions running the length of their trunks, giving rise to the name of the forest.


    The forest seemed as quiet as a ghost town.


    "Captain, is this the Runic Forest?" Sun Xiaowu swallowed a gulp of saliva.


    If the Desert of Silence, scoured by wind and sand all day long, were like the sea during a thunderstorm, then the Runic Forest was a calm, unperturbedke. The surface of theke was smooth and cid, but beneath it hid startling danger.


    "Yes, we''re at the Runic Forest," Zhang Lie replied. ording to his past memories, even though the Runic Forest wasn''t as well-known as the Desert of Silence, it was simrly dangerous.


    Many of the lifeforms who made this forest their home were extremely skilled at disguise. There was little light in the forest, much of it having been reflected by the canopy, and a hunter could easily be caught unaware.


    "Let''s go," Zhang Lie instructed, stepping forward as he sucked in a breath.


    Fireflies danced up from where he strode, lighting up the patch of ground surrounding Team Zenith.


    From a distance away, however, the entrance to the Runic Forest looked like a gaping maw, swallowing up Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith.


    Soon, all they could hear were their own footsteps. However, the silence wasn''t destined tost long. Amidst a series of hurried footsteps, Long Sheng appeared over the horizon.


    "Young Master Long, we''ve arrived at the Runic Forest," one of his troops reported.


    "Team Zenith''s likely already inside. We''ll set up an ambush for them out here," Long Shengmanded.


    By the time Team Zenith left the forest, they would be weary and fatigued. That would be the best time for Long Sheng and his troops to strike; even at his full strength, it was unlikely that Zhang Lie could survive such an ambush, let alone when he was weakened.


    The Long troops followed Long Sheng''smand.


    Li Sheng and the other hunters of the Li n approached the Runic Forest from another direction. They were even more careful than the Long n, hiding amidst the trees and bushes a fair distance away from the entrance to the forest.


    The spectators arranged themselves even farther away from the forest, some even climbing up a nearby tree or two to have a better vantage point. The Long n was waiting for Team Zenith to leave the forest, whereas the Li n was waiting for the Long n''s ambush.

 Chapter 155: The Runic Forest

    <h4>Chapter 155: The Runic Forest</h4>


    Deep in the Runic Forest, the only illumination came from fireflies.


    Sun Mengmeng took the lead with an orange fireball above her head. As the only fire-attuned hunter in the team, she was naturally tasked with providing illumination. She didn''t make the fireballs as bright or asrge as she could; under these conditions, even the weakest light could still draw a variety of lifeforms toward them.


    If the light were too bright, it might attract more lifeforms than they could handle. The hunters weren''t too afraid of such a scenario, but it would certainly sap them of their gic energy and deter them from their goal.


    "We''re almost there. At our current speed, we''ll be deep within the Runic Forest within two minutes. Be careful!" Zhang Lie warned everyone.


    The hunters nodded.


    Zhang Lie was far more familiar with the Runic Forest than the Desert of Silence, having released a detailed map of the former in his past life. As a result, despite the weak illumination, he was able to judge their rough location from the greenery that he identified.


    Just then, Yang Ze identally stepped on a dry branch, which let out a sharp crack.


    "Be careful!" Zhang Lie hollered. Yang Ze felt his back turn cold as killing intenttched onto his back, and he sensed motion to his left.


    Sun Mengmeng moved her fireball closer, and everyone could see a speckled python opening its jaws wide, its forked tongue poking straight out like a stiff sword. Its sharp fangs caused everyone to shudder.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire]!" Sun Mengmeng shouted. A series of purple mes erupted down the length of her longsword, which she directed right into the python''s jaws.


    With a shrill scream, the python''s jaws burst into mes. It immediately gave up on its attack and vanished deep into the greenery of the forest.


    Yang Ze exhaled. In that moment, he felt as though he had looked death in the face.


    "Be careful. The Runic Forest isn''t any less dangerous than the Desert of Silence," Sun Mengmeng reminded him.


    "Yang Ze, perk up! You can''t afford to ck off or lose concentration here," Zhang Lie added. Under such circumstances, everypse of attention could lead to injury¡ªor death.


    "Yes, Captain," Yang Ze replied somberly.


    If Zhang Lie weren''t mistaken, that python was a superior-grade lifeform he recognized, with a rather valuable soulshard. However, it was skilled in stealth and deception, and Zhang Lie wouldn''t dare go chasing after it in an unfamiliar environment. Furthermore, they had already designated a target before the start of the expedition, and he didn''t want to derail them.


    "Captain, we''re entering the territory of the arboreal mantis!" Sun Mengmeng suddenly whispered.


    Zhang Lie stopped. The arboreal mantis was a superior-grade lifeform particrly skilled at camouge, with chameleon-like skin that could adapt to its surroundings.


    The term ''arboreal'' derived from its preference of hiding amidst branches and leaves as it waited for prey to appear. Just encountering one such superior-grade mantis was troublesome enough, but in this part of the forest, there could be a mantis lying in wait everywhere they looked.


    "The arboreal mantis is small but deadly, and its poison can kill a victim in minutes. Everyone, be careful!" Zhang Lie warned.


    The gnarled wood and twisted branches of the trees in this region were rather ominous, and there were countless nooks and crannies in which a mantis could be hiding. A path strewn with branchesy before them, with dry leaves hiding what was underneath. Who knew what nastiness they would have to wade through?


    "Let''s go." Zhang Lie stepped forward. The leaves cracked into pieces; where the forest floor was damp, the stench of rot emerged.


    Zhang Lie frowned. What could be the source of that stench? He felt as though he were wading through a muddy swamp.


    "Watch out," he reminded the others again, treading carefully forward. The others followed suit.


    Suddenly, a dull thump seemed toe from underneath them. Halfway to their destination, the ground began to shake, and the gnarled trees on both sides began waving their branches as if they hade to life.


    "Those runic trees are... moving?!" Yang Ze widened his eyes in shock.


    "There''s a superior-grade lifeform here!" Zhang Lie said. The dry leaves on the ground were brushed aside as it suddenly parted.


    "Captain, we''re stepping on the roots of these runic trees!" Sun Mengmeng shouted, uncovering the truth. Countless roots had emerged from the ground and were rushing toward the hunters of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Circting his gic energy, he summoned Venombane to his hand.


    Around Zhang Lie rose the sound of running water. "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!"


    Giant waves of sword energy emanated from Zhang Lie, sweeping toward the roots of the runic trees that wereing for the hunters of Team Zenith from all directions. The seemingly sturdy roots were nevertheless like papier mache against Zhang Lie''s piercing sword energy, and they were easily torn apart.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others also activated their own gic techniques, forcing the roots back or destroying them entirely.


    The ground shook. The roots leaked purple fluid into the ground.


    Zhang Lie activated his galewolf soulshard as he jumped into mid-air. As hended, the two closest runic trees began to move toward him, causing the ground to quake even harder than before, as though a ferocious beast were about to emerge from underground. The trees'' roots spiked up, twining into two pirs that supported the trees'' massive bulk.


    "So what if you''re superior-grade lifeforms? [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Liebined [Fists of the Silent Sea] with [Three-Wave Crescendo] in a rapid attack.


    With a shout, Sun Mengmeng loosed an arrow, sending a ming purple arrow toward the runic tree.


    The hunters of Team Zenith, their cooperation honed from months of training together, avoided the trees'' roots and began their counterattack.


    The two runic trees screamed shrilly. Under concentrated fire from the hunters and Sun Mengmeng''s particrly effective mes, they quickly turned into heaps of ash.


    "What''s going on? Why can these trees move?!" Yang Ze asked once the battle was over.


    They were deep within the Runic Forest, and there were runic trees surrounding them all. If the trees could all move, wouldn''t the hunters of Team Zenith be trapped deep within enemy territory?


    "No, these two aren''t just runic trees¡ªthey''re runic treemen," Zhang Lie exined.


    These treemen were a ss of lifeforms in their own right. It was likely that the reason they had seemed to transform into runic trees was because of how long they had remained in the Runic Forest.


    "Aren''t these treemen a little toorge?" Li Fengmented idly.


    Usual treemen were generally only the height of two adult hunters, but these two treemen were the size of small mountains. If not for how well the hunters of Team Zenith cooperated, by the time the two treemen extricated themselves from the ground, they would likely have be far more dangerous foes.


    "They must have blended into their surroundings and killed quite a fair bit of prey, or they wouldn''t have been able to grow so tall." Fang Yi swept aside some of the leaves remaining on the path, revealing bones scattered among them. Some of the bones seemed a little fresh, with a bit of bloody meat still on them.


    Unfortunately, neither of these runic treemen dropped the hunters any soulshards, or they would have been quitepatible with Zhou Ying.


    After a momentary pause, the hunters forged onward, each of them more alert than thest. Even the runic trees on either side of the path could well be enemies, and they had to focus to prevent any potential ambush.


    The hunters walked out into a clearing, so quiet that they could all hear each other''s breathing.


    "This should be where the arboreal mantises are located," Zhang Lie murmured, ncing all around him.


    However, something seemed to be wrong: it was simply too quiet where they were. They should have been targeted by the arboreal mantises long ago. Why hadn''t they been attacked by any other lifeforms other than the treemen yet?


    "Fresh blood! That''s a superior-grade lifeform''s carcass!" Sun Mengmeng was ncing at a puddle of blood in front of her.


    About ten meters in front of the party, there was a pool of green blood surrounding an unmoving lifeform. The lifeform had dark gray skin, a triangr head, two barely visible feelers, and a pair of ck pincer-like arms.


    "A superior-grade arboreal mantis!" Upon seeing this arboreal mantis'' carcass, Zhang Lie frowned. In general, such mantises were highly territorial, and each territory would only be led by a single superior-grade mantis.


    The superior-grade arboreal mantis in this territory had be a carcass, and there was no sign of any other such mantises around. The most likely hypothesis was that the territory had recently been taken over by some other superior-grade lifeform.


    "The blood''s still very fresh. Everyone, be careful!" Sun Mengmeng whispered.


    The hunters all looked around them. Any superior-grade lifeform that was able to kill a superior-grade arboreal mantis would be a difficult target indeed.


    Just then, a gust of wind began to blow in the clearing.


    Zhang Lie''s breath hitched. Where could the wind being from?


    Sun Mengmeng and the others also noticed this oddity. However, except for the sudden wind, nothing seemed to be amiss.


    "Ah, what''s going on? Why is there a pleasant scent in the air?" Sun Xiaowu took a deep breath and felt his mind be disoriented.

 Chapter 156: The Devil-Face Spider

    <h4>Chapter 156: The Devil-Face Spider</h4>


    "Be careful, there''s poison!" Sun Xiaowu croaked out. Before his warning, however, the hunters had already sensed something amiss.


    Why would there be a sweet scent in the air? After all, they were in the Runic Forest, shrouded in eternal darkness! Sun Xiaowu was the only one who had fallen prey to the intoxicating scent because he was the only one daring enough to smell it. The other hunters had instantly stopped breathing the moment the wind began to blow.


    Sun Xiaowu stumbled as he walked, as though he would fall down at any moment. Sun Mengmeng hurried back to him and supported his body, while Zhang Lie put two fingers by his nose and began circting his gic energy. As he did so, a small ball of poisonous mist was sucked out of Sun Xiaowu''s body. Sun Xiaowu felt a lot more clear-headed after that, and Zhang Lie breathed a sigh of relief.


    Just then, however, a series of crackling noises came from above their heads. Zhang Lie darted to the side near-instinctively, and the other members of Team Zenith btedly followed suit.


    After dodging, they nced up to see a massive spider hanging right over their heads. The spider''s carapace looked like a devil''s face, and its eight long legs, like bamboo poles, were covered with white fur. They were currently erect and stiff like steel rods.


    As the spider moved, the markings that formed a face on the back of its carapace seemed tough, causing the hunters to jerk back in rm.


    "This is a superior-grade devil-face spider!" Sun Mengmeng identified immediately. This species of spider was rtivelyrge, but well-versed in disguise. Its carapace was covered with sharp hair, and it was tough and resilient. There were essentially no weak points to be found.


    .


    Furthermore, it could travel rapidly among the trees of the Runic Forest with its eight poled legs, and it could spit out a highly corrosive poison. Before it hunted, it would spin a web and release a sweet-smelling poison so as to paralyze its prey. Even the web it wove was poisonous; it wouldn''t be easy prey at all.


    Based on the state of the arboreal mantis'' carcass and the unusual scent in the air, it was likely that this devil-face spider had just taken over the mantis'' territory and killed the superior-grade mantis there. Just as the spider was about to enjoy its prey, the hunters of Team Zenith had appeared.


    The devil-face spider let out a shrill screech. Wind rose around them, and the spider retreated. As it did so, the web it had prepared enveloped Zhang Lie and the others.


    "This bastard''s beenying a trap for us!" Sun Mengmeng cried out. The other hunters nced at their foe grimly; the spider would be even harder an opponent than the mantis.


    However, Zhang Lie was quite excited. The devil-face spider possessed an extremely strong poison and ability to disguise itself. If they could obtain its soulshard, it would be a big boon for Zhou Ying.


    Of course, not having found a mutated-grade lifeform of the same species, Zhang Lie couldn''t guarantee a drop.


    "Destroy the web!" Zhang Liemanded.


    Sun Mengmeng circted her gic energy. Her hair drifted in immaterial wind, and hot air gusted from her bow. Sheunched [Lunarme Shot]. The arrow shot toward the spider with a whoosh of sound, purple mes trailing behind it, her gic energy giving it the impression of a mboyant phoenix.


    It sliced through the spiderweb with wisps of smoke, burning it to cinders.


    When the spider saw its web so easily destroyed, it screeched again as it red at Sun Mengmeng. Its mouth suddenly opened as it shot a few dark purple streaks of venom toward her, almost as fast as a gun''s bullets.


    "Be careful!" Fang Yi cried out.


    Sun Mengmeng responded calmly. The moment the spiderunched its attack, she had begun moving to the side.


    The venom shot a runic tree, and green smoke began to rise where the venomnded. A hole had been corroded all the way through the tree''s bark, and the hunters present were all shocked by its potency.


    Seeing that its attack had failed again, the spider went on a rampage and began to screech into the air. As it did so, countless beady red eyes emerged from the darkness surrounding the clearing.


    Trouble was approaching: devil-face spiders lived in swarms, so after sensing dangerous prey, this superior-grade spider quickly summoned its peers. At the same time, it shot back up the trees as it retracted its legs.


    Zhang Lie activated his galewolf soulshard and clutched Venombane tightly in his hand. Devil-face spiders were very agile, and if he were to let it escape into the canopy, it would be even harder to deal with. ?Zhang Liemanded the other hunters to form a defensive perimeter around the clearing so as to prevent the swarm of devil-face spiders from attacking.


    The trees around the clearing suddenly began to quiver.


    "It¡ªthese aren''t runic treemen, are they?" Sun Xiaowu asked in fright.


    "No, the shaking''s caused by the devil-face spiders. They live in swarms!" Fang Yi shouted. It was apparent that he had studied the manual that Zhang Lie had given them all very closely.


    If the runic trees here were actually all treemen, they would long since have attacked, and this clearing wouldn''t have ended up as the arboreal mantises'' territory.


    Leaves rustled all around them, disrupting their sense of hearing. The hunters couldn''t identify where the sound wasing from and were ncing all around suspiciously when two streaks of spider silk shot toward Sun Xiaowu.


    His body still had trace amounts of the devil-face spider''s poison, and the spiders clearly considered him a priority target.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Sun Xiaowu shouted. Golden light spiraled around his body as it turned to radiant gold.


    The spider silknded on Sun Xiaowu''s body with a dull thump and so much force that even he had to take a few steps back. Where the spider silk struck the gold, it began to tarnish.


    The hunters gaped at the sight: the devil-face spiders'' silk alone was so poisonous that it could corrode the gic energy sustaining his technique! He could barely sustain [Adamantine Aegis] much longer given the additional pressure from the poison.


    The next moment, a veritable sea of devil-face spiders emerged from the darkness, strands of spider silk raining down on them all like rain. Luckily for them, the spiders that had emerged were only mutated-grade.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Fang Yi struck with an obsidian spear crackling with lightning as he dashed into the rain of silk. He pointed his spear straight up as lightning crackled all around him, destroying the silk in arge circle around him. Countless trees near the clearing were scorched ck, and rays of light shone into the forest for the first time in years.


    The spiders let out shrill shrieks as Fang Yi drew back his spear, splotches of green blood sullying the spearhead. They jumped around the clearing as they deftly wove a gigantic web around all the hunters.


    Under the sunlight, the white silk glimmered with the green of intense poison. Many of the runic trees began to smoke, their bark being corroded away by the spider silk.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Wasn''t these spiders'' venom far too toxic? It was almostparable to Venombane!


    The web quivered and trembled like violin strings as countless mutated-grade spiders dropped into the clearing from above. Streaks of venom shot toward the hunters of Team Zenith. There were so many spiders attacking that it wouldn''t be possible to avoid the venom.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    "[The Boundless de]!"


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    "[Storm of Leaves]!"


    If they couldn''t avoid the attack, then they would have to defend against it. The hunters of Team Zenithunched all sorts of attacks at their disposal toward the rain of silk, creating multicolored explosions in the air.


    As hunters who had maxed out their gene capacities, they easily overcame the mutated-grade devil-face spiders, tearing a wide opening in the web that they had constructed.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes turned cold. As he circted his gic energy, a dark serpent materialized around him. He climbed on the serpent, which uncoiled and lifted him out of the web. Coldly, he nced at the superior-grade devil-face spider directing all this from afar.


    When the spider sensed Zhang Lie''s malicious stare, it screeched in fright. From Zhang Lie''s body, it could sense life-threatening danger. A superior-grade lifeform''s intelligence was no worse than a human''s, and it knew that it had no chance of winning against Zhang Lie.


    As the queen of this swarm, her perishing would mean the swarm''s perishing. As a result, after ncing at Zhang Lie, she hurriedly released dark-green gic energy as she skittered away.


    Would Zhang Lie let her escape? Of ?course not! If this spider were to produce a soulshard, it would surely enhance Zhou Ying''s abilities.


    As he continued feeding energy into his [Ninecarp Transformation], the serpent underneath him suddenly opened its eyes wide as it let out a shrill cry.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with his right arm, and the serpentunched itself at the spider queen.

 Chapter 157: Vengeance in Blood

    <h4>Chapter 157: Vengeance in Blood</h4>


    The serpent''s corrosive gic energy caused the runic tree on which the spider queen was located to crash to the ground. Despite wrapping itself up in its silk and deploying all its gic energy to form a shield, the spider queen was nevertheless unable to survive the blow. The serpent devoured it whole.


    The hugemotion could be heard even from outside the Runic Forest.


    "Young Master Long, it sounds like a fight''s broken out within the forest!" one of his subordinates whispered.


    "That''s normal. With Zhang Lie''s skill, however, there''s no way he''d die to a superior-grade lifeform," Long Sheng replied.


    After all, none of the superior-grade lifeforms in the dimensional world could bepared to the Kez''s three-star ck-tipped scarab. Zhang Lie had even ovee thetter, so how could the former pose any threat?


    By the outskirts of the Runic Forest, Li Sheng and the others were likewise startled by themotion.


    "That noise seemed to havee from within the Runic Forest. Who could have caused such arge explosion? Could it be Zhang Lie?" Li Sheng frowned.


    "Except for them, no other hunter has gone inside the Runic Forest today," one of his subordinates volunteered.


    At the same time, the random unaffiliated hunters who had gathered by the forest for entertainment also began to chatter to each other.


    "As expected of the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie! I bet he just encountered some dangerous foe."


    "So what? With his strength, I doubt any superior-grade lifeform will be able to do anything to him.


    "On the other hand, do you guys see what the Long n''s doing?"


    "Heh, I''m d someone''s finally putting Zhang Lie in his ce! I can''t watch him unt his wealth any longer."


    The spider queen''s carcass dropped to the ground. Surrounded by dense gic energy, a deep green soulshard condensed from the ether.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade devil-face spider and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade devil-face spider, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    The dimensional world''s announcement shook the hunters.


    "A soulshard!" Sun Xiaowu shouted, and everyone rushed forward.


    The death of the spider queen caused the swarm to scatter and flee. Everyone stared at the dark green soulshard thaty over the spider''s carcass. The chance of condensing a soulshard was minute, but Zhang Lie seemed to trigger it far more often than not.


    Zhang Lie himself was a little surprised. He had intended on obtaining an arboreal mantis soulshard for Zhou Ying, but was lucky enough to get the even better superior-grade devil-face spider soulshard instead. An exquisite spider-silk armor could be seen within the soulshard, marking it as defensive-type.


    "What opportune timing! What are you waiting for, Zhou Ying?" Zhang Lie smiled at her.


    Zhou Ying sucked in a deep breath as she picked up the soulshard, her hands trembling out of excitement. "Thank you, Captain!"


    "It''s only expected of me, after all. Alright, we should head back now. After the aura I released, the superior-grade lifeforms nearby are likely all hiding away, so we''ll have to find a new hunting ground," Zhang Lie sighed, ncing at the devil-face spider queen''s corroded carcass.


    They hade to the Runic Forest for Zhou Ying, and now that she had obtained a soulshard, there was no need to waste more time here. They left along the same route they came.


    As they returned to the entrance of the Runic Forest, from which some rays of sunlight could be seen, Zhang Lie suddenly motioned for them to halt.


    "What''s the matter, Captain?" Sun Mengmeng asked curiously.


    "Nothing. I just discovered the traces of a few rats." Zhang Lie smiled as he continued walking forward, followed quickly by the other members of Team Zenith. As they walked out of the forest, they covered their eyes against the suddenly disorienting sunlight.


    Just then, before the hunters could react, projectiles suddenly shot toward them from afar. The hunters were startled, but not flustered. Zhang Lie''s advance warning allowed them to react quickly, and Zhang Lie repelled all the projectiles with a wave of his sword.


    However, another set of projectiles quickly shot toward them,


    apanied by a few figures who darted out from the nearby brush. They were all wearing uniformed white armor and staring coldly at Team Zenith.


    After Zhang Lie had defended against the first wave of projectiles, the other members of Team Zenith had sensed these ambushers even before they appeared. As all the hunters present began circting their gic energy, the two factions faced off against each other.


    "So you''re the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, and this is Team Zenith. I must say I''m impressed." One of the ambushers strode forward, brandishing a polearm shining with light. His red hair caught the eye; he seemed like a walking torch. His re, however, was malevolent and cold, and his eyes filled with killing intent.


    "Long n, from the Godspath settlement," Sun Mengmeng deduced, ncing at their armor.


    "You recognize the Long n of Godspath? In that case, just what gave you the courage to act against a member of the Long n?" Long Sheng''s face turned dark.


    Given their response to the ambush, it seemed as though the members of Team Zenith were still filled with vitality, and theirbat ability hadn''t been weakened. In other words, Team Zenith was far stronger than a regr team of hunters, and they would be difficult to defeat.


    "Hoh, if you''re from the Long n, are you here to seek revenge for that Long hunter we defeated?" Zhang Lie chuckled, his tone filled with disdain, as though the Long elites arrayed before him were nothing more than trash.


    "Any who dares challenge the might of the Long n must die. You, your family, your friends, your team, and even your dojo¡ªthe Long n will seize them all!"


    "Oh? You mean that we should have allowed that Long hunter to kill us just because he wanted to? What impressive arrogance!" Zhang Lieughed mockingly.


    His words shocked the gathered hunters; who else could remain so calm when surrounded by hundreds of elites?


    "Ha! The Long n has been a loyal vassal of the country for centuries, and we''ve produced many great warriors and hunters. So what if we were to seize some soulshards for our use? Compared to leaving them in the hands of wastrels, the Long n could make far better use of them!" Long Sheng was the epitome of an arrogant young master.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes and raised his sword. They had made their stances clear; there was no further need for words. The two of them shouted as they released their gic energy, but before they could exchange blows, Long Sheng suddenly retreated, and a colored mist began spreading out from his hands.


    "Zhang Lie, I have to admit that you''re a strong fellow, but I came prepared!"


    As the colored mist diffused into the air, everyone''s gic energy suddenly began to drain away, causing a momentary halt to the fighting.


    Zhang Lie was deep in thought, having recognized the mist almost immediately. He gathered the other hunters of Team Zenith beside him.


    The Li hunters were unwilling to wait any longer.


    "Young Master Li, Long Sheng''s already starting to make his move. Zhang Lie''s sure to perish today!" a Li scout reported to Li Sheng.


    "Indeed?"


    This was exactly what Li Sheng had been waiting for. With the elites from both the Li and Long ns, along with a few treasures, they would certainly be able to prevent Zhang Lie and his team from escaping.


    "Yes, Young Master! The Long n''s even using their secret concoction!" The scout''s voice quavered with excitement.


    "Haha! In that case, Zhang Lie will surely perish today!" Li Sheng raised his head to the skies and began tough. Once Zhang Lie died, he would no longer have a monopoly on the white-grub cores, and the Li n would be saved, the deaths of Li Jin and Li Xin avenged!


    "Let''s go! We''ll surround Zhang Lie from behind. I want to kill him myself!" Li Sheng''s eyes turned cold. On hismand, hundreds of Li elites emerged, causing the gathered onlookers to chatter away once more.


    "Even the Li n''s making a move? They must both want Zhang Lie dead quite badly."


    "A pity, a pity indeed! Zhang Lie will surely fall today."


    "Do you think there''s a chance we can get something good from their sh?"


    "Well, it depends on how quickly we act." Some of the onlookers nced at the scene greedily.


    By the entrance to the Runic Forest, the fighting had temporarily stalled. It seemed as though allbatants had lost whatever reserves of gic energy they possessed.


    Zhang Lie and Long Sheng faced off against each other once more, and the hundreds of elites from the Long n fanned out and surrounded Team Zenith.


    "Ha! Today''s your death, Zhang Lie!" Just as tensions were rising and the two factions prepared to sh, a shout came from the distance. Everyone turned to see Li Sheng, leading a team of elites, toward the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie frowned: it looked as though this ambush had lured out many of those who were against him, but of course he wouldn''t turn down an opportunity to get free soulshards.


    Seeing the Li elites arrive, some of the onlookers also rushed forward, hoping that their participation would entitle them to some of the spoils from Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith.


    Almost a thousandbatants surrounded Zhang Lie. With a group of this size, they could easily venture deep into the Desert of Silence, but this formation was used against just one man: Zhang Lie!


    Everyone expected that this was to be Zhang Lie''s demise; otherwise, the Li n wouldn''t have dared to stand up against him once more.


    "It looks as though the Li n''s begging to be decimated," Zhang Lie murmured.


    Li Sheng paused. Indeed, Li Mo''s two children had both died to Zhang Lie, and one of them had even been groomed as the Li n''s next sessor. Zhang Lie was clearly threatening to do the same to him.


    He raised his head and looked Zhang Lie in the eye. Despite their overwhelming numerical advantage and imminent victory, he suddenly felt ovee by fear.


    "Young Master Li, you aren''t afraid, are you? If you are, go home and suck on your mother''s teat! The Long n doesn''t need your help," Long Sheng mocked.


    "Of course not! Zhang Lie must perish today!" Quashing his distress, Li Sheng made his stance clear. He firmly believed that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to escape under such circumstances.


    However, Long Sheng corrected him with a sly smile, "No, no! How could we let him die so easily?"


    "If you think you can defeat me, feel free to step forward. I''m interested to see just what sort of entertainment you''ve prepared for me today," Zhang Lie interjected, a faint smile on his face. He didn''t look like someone surrounded by enemies.


    "Zhang Lie, you''ll regret what you''ve done to my brother!" Zhang Lie''s unruffled expression enraged Long Sheng even further. "Go on, keep pretending you have everything under control! [Hundred Dragon Art: Howl]!" he yelled out, the gic energy in his body breaking out of its stasis.


    All thebatants in the field felt a dragon howling into their ears. A gust of wind started to blow, and golden sound waves, made visible by gic energy, rapidly struck Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith.


    "[Golden Destruction]!" At the same time, Li Sheng pointed a finger and shot a ray of light toward Zhang Lie.


    However, struck by the effects of the Long n''s mysterious concoction, Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith were still temporarily unable to use their gic energy.


    Surrounded by enemies from all fronts, Team Zenith seemed to be in grave danger.

 Chapter 158: Undefeated

    <h4>Chapter 158: Undefeated</h4>


    Despite the attacksing at Team Zenith, Zhang Lie stood still without moving. Long Sheng and Li Sheng both began to smile: withouthis gic energy suppressed, it seemed as though Zhang Lie wasn''t fast enough to react to their attacks.


    However, their hopes were quickly dashed. Right before the attacks were about to hit, Zhang Lie smiled. The Long n''s secret concoction didn''t seem to have any effect on Zhang Lie. The moment he smiled, his body seemed to recover to normal, and he quicklyunched a counterattack.


    With an explosion of gic energy, his ck serpent materialized at his back. Their eyes turned to Long Sheng and Li Sheng, and Venombane gleamed in Zhang Lie''s hand.


    As Zhang Lie used [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave], sword energy rushed toward the two hunters as wavespped by his feet. It shed against [Golden Destruction] and [Hundred Dragon Art] as the winds rose and the ground quaked.


    Once the dust had settled, it was evident that Zhang Lie''s [The Boundless de] had won out. He had ovee both Long Sheng and Li Sheng''s joint attacks; they felt blood rise up their throats as the force of the explosion knocked them flying.


    Long Sheng, who was further ahead of Li Sheng, spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly having sustained heavy injuries from the attack. The two of them were intending to kill Zhang Lie before he could do anything, but they had severely underestimated his abilities and their own strength.


    "No, that''s impossible! How could you¡ª"


    Long Sheng struggled to stand up as blood seeped out of his mouth once more. He clearly hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would be able to ovee the effects of the Long n''s special concoction.


    "Surprised, are you? The effects of this Long poison aren''t bad, but it''s not as if an antidote doesn''t exist," Zhang Lie mocked, as if expecting Long Sheng to try something like this.


    Both Long Sheng and Li Sheng gaped at him, particrly Long Sheng. The reason the Long n had dared to ambush Zhang Lie was because of this concoction, which could temporarily suppress the gic energy of all living beings within a given region. They had expected that Zhang Lie would easily die after losing ess to his gic energy, but it had be clear that he wasn''t restricted by the concoction at all.


    In other words, their trump card was meaningless against Zhang Lie, and they were the ones in danger instead.


    Long Sheng knew very well that, in a contest of strength, even ten of him wouldn''t be able to ovee a single Zhang Lie. He circted his gic energy, and a dragon''s howl seemed to be heard from afar. Long Sheng had only one objective left: to escape with any means possible.


    "Look, Long Sheng''s going to make a move!"


    "It looks like we''re about to get a good show!"


    The onlookers nudged each other as they watched the fight intently.


    Following Long Sheng''smand, his elites began to rush toward Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie frowned in disdain, looking at the charging hunters as though he were staring at a bunch of clowns.


    Li Sheng, who had just recovered from the blow,manded his subordinates to do the same. However, even as their hunters charged forward, the two young masters began to retreat.


    "Li Sheng, hurry! It''s the Li n''s turn tounch an attack!" Long Sheng cried out, licking his parched lips as he took a few steps back.


    "I do have a killing blow, ?but I''ll need some time to prepare for it!" With a few leaps, he flew toward the back of the troops, a jade-white bone spear in his hand.


    Everyone from the Long n stilled, not expecting that the Li n would be willing to spend such a valuable resource on Zhang Lie.


    "A soulstealing spear!" Long Sheng eximed in shock.


    Despite all the hunters charging at him, Zhang Lie was more worried for his teammates than himself. After all, no matter how much he disdained them, they were still elites from the Li and Long ns, and in suchrge numbers as well.


    However, just as he turned to look back at the rest of his teammates, Sun Mengmeng and the others called out,


    "Don''t worry about us, Captain! Leave the small fry to us!"


    "Right, Captain, go get their leaders first!"


    Zhang Lie turned and rushed forward without any hesitation. "Hold on tight, I''ll be right back!"


    "Ha, does Zhang Lie think that he can handle all those hunters on his own?"


    "Is he that arrogant? There must be a thousand or so elites charging toward him!"


    Several more of the onlookers stepped forward, tempted by the possibility of obtaining some spoils from his defeat.


    The battlefield had turned into aplete mess, with quite a few famous hunters scattered about the ranks of those charging toward Zhang Lie.


    Standing in the middle of the battlefield as the enemy hunters closed ranks around him, Zhang Lie stopped and smirked. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" ?A river of the Underworld poured forth from Zhang Lie''s sword, destroying everything it touched.


    "Not good¡ªblock him for me, hurry! Quick, quick!" Li Sheng''s subordinates set up an array all around him, each activating their strongest defense. Long Sheng, who was nning on running away, chose to temporarily help Li Sheng due to the bonence in his hands. Thus, as the underworld river swept toward Li Sheng, Long Sheng mitigated the blow with his own guards.


    A huge explosion dyed the battlefield in a rainbow of colors. The color that shone the brightest was the ck of Zhang Lie''s underworld river, which broke through all the obstacles in its way as it crashed into Long Sheng and Li Sheng''s defensive formation.


    Unfortunately, after spending much of its momentum to batter down everything else in its way, it was ultimately unable to break through the formation.


    At the same time, Li Sheng''s bonence began to glow with white light. Underneath the light, a strange dark mist seemed to rise from all the corpses on the battlefield, as though it had turned their souls visible.


    During thest century, mankind had confirmed the existence of souls, and there were even specialized techniques and treasures for utilizing spiritual power. Li Sheng''s soulstealing spear was a weapon specialized for attacking souls. It required the vertebrae of a certain spiritual-type superior-grade lifeform, along with countless rare metals and alloys. Of course, such a weapon would be costly beyond all measure, and it was so pricey that no ordinary n would be able to afford it.


    Even the Li n had spent much of its resources in order to have one be constructed so quickly. It seemed as though the deaths of Li Hong, Li Jin, and Li Xin had caused the Li n to be willing to do everything in its power to get rid of Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath and began circting his gic energy. The soulstealing spear would be difficult to deal with, but it would have to amass enough souls first to have any impact. He would have to end this match quickly, or he would be the one to suffer defeat.


    He took a deep breath and turned seriously to Long Sheng and Li Sheng. Perhaps now would be a good time to show off what he had aplished with [Eclipse].


    Activating his forest wolfman soulshard, Zhang Lie transformed into a green wolfman with a howl. At the same time, as he furiously circted his gic energy, his ck serpent materialized behind him.


    The light all around the entrance to the forest seemed to turn dark. A starry sky shrouded all thebatants on the battlefield. A radiant moon quickly appeared in the hunters'' midst.


    "Is this [Eclipse]?!" Long Sheng cried out. He dashed away in a hurry, activating whatever reserves of gic energy he had left for ast boost of speed, but it wasn''t enough. As the moon glowed, huge spiritual pressure descended on the gathered hunters, and they all felt as though a mountain had crushed their bodies.


    They could feel the gic energy being drained from their bodies, which were growing heavier by the second.


    "No, no!" Li Sheng cried out, sensing how quickly the energy was leaving his body. More importantly, the rate at which his soulstealing spear was charging up was greatly reduced.


    "We have to beat him quickly, or he''ll exhaust us all with his domain!" one of Li Sheng''s subordinates cried out. Indeed, the rate at which their energy drained would only grow the longer they remained in his domain.


    Li Sheng stopped talking and began concentrating on the soulstealing spear, inducing it to charge faster with all that remained of his gic energy.


    However, Zhang Lie gave him no chance to do so. He activated his superior-grade blood ant soulshard, dyeing the gic energy surrounding him red. The shining moon in the middle of [Eclipse] likewise took on a red cast, and the tremendous pressure that the hunters were already feeling increased threefold.


    Everyone but Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith was forced to their knees.


    At the same time, as Zhang Lie waved Venombane, three red dragons, manifestations of his gic energy, wrapped themselves around the de. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    The ground trembled as a veritable torrent of gic energy shook the battlefield. Even before the howling dragons drew close, Li Sheng, Long Sheng, and the others could feel their gic energy draining at a faster and faster rate. They had no choice but to muster up what reserves they could tounch their attacks at Zhang Lie.


    "Die!" Long Sheng shouted.


    As he did so, he activated [Draconic Tempest] to its utmost. In an outburst of gic energy, he himself transformed into a silver dragon. His eyes turned cold. The silver dragon roared as its scales gleamed with resplendent light, thenunched an attack at Zhang Lie.


    Li Sheng did the same as Long Sheng.


    Clutching the spear with both hands, he forced himself to stand up, blood seeping out of his orifices as he did so. He knew very well that, if the soulstealing spear in his hands couldn''t end Zhang Lie, then he would die.


    He drew his arm back, and, with his final reserves of strength, threw the spear toward Zhang Lie. However, the spear had yet to charge up to its fullest extent, and its power was greatly reduced as a result.


    The spectators within the trees had their mouths so wide open that quite a few flies had flown inside. After all, Zhang Lie''s strength and aura were far too daunting. Everyone looked toward him as though they were looking at a monster.


    The elites of the two ns, suffering from the spiritual pressure, forced an attack out of their bodies.


    "[Deste Silence]!"


    "[Heavenly Tribtion]!"


    the hunters cried out. They only had one objective in mind: to break out of Zhang Lie''s domain and flee for their lives.


    After seeing Zhang Lie fight at full strength, they didn''t think they would be able to kill him at all¡ªno, none of them had any chance! If Zhang Lie wasn''t the top hunter in the dimensional world, he certainly wasn''t very far from it.


    Despite the attacks that they allunched in session, a rampaging blood dragonshed out at them all, not only deflecting much of their attacks but even sending all of them flying into the distance. They were knocked out of [Eclipse] and into the trees surrounding the battlefield. After hitting the trees, they fell to the ground andy there slumped like dead dogs, without any ability to move at all.


    Among the hunters who were knocked out in this fashion were Long Sheng, Li Sheng, and many of their strongest subordinates.


    Soon, the spectators could only hear the sound of wind rushing through their ears.


    As the domain of [Eclipse] vanished, Zhang Lie stood alone on the battlefield, the soulstealing spear in his hands.


    "Well? Not even your ambush could do anything against me. This isn''t a bad spear¡ªI suppose I''ll have to thank you for the gift!"


    Li Sheng, who had just barely recovered from the blow, sprayed out a mouthful of blood. His face was deathly pale, as though he would die at any instant. He nced at the hale and hearty Zhang Lie with fear in his eyes. The soulstealing spear had been hisst resort, something that the Li n had constructed at great expense. It was one of the only means ofunching an attack beyond the limit of what even the first realm of the dimensional world itself was equipped to handle.


    However, Zhang Lie had somehow managed to dispel the blow easily.


    This wasn''t an oue that Li Sheng could easily ept, but there wasn''t anything he could do about it. Countless strong hunters had fought together in an attempt to crush Zhang Lie, but they had all dropped like flies. The hunters had been decimated; there were at most a hundred or so left alive, and most were grievously wounded.


    After this showing, none of them could doubt Zhang Lie''s strength any longer¡ªwhat they had witnessed was far too shocking! Were there still any opponents that Zhang Lie couldn''t defeat in the first realm?


    As the dust settled, Zhang Lie slowly emerged from the clearing. The hunters of Team Zenith followed behind him, staring at their captain as though he were a martial god.


    "Damn it!" As Zhang Lie approached, Long Sheng tried to get up, but the moment he raised his head, he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Beside him, Li Sheng''s face was ashen, as though he had epted his death. Hisst thoughts were for the Li n: how would they survive against such a horrifying enemy? Just what would Zhang Lie''s retribution be like?


    "Zhang Lie!" As Zhang Lie stepped in front of Long Sheng, two cries came from the distance: Chu Feng and Yun Bing had arrived btedly with their respective delegations.


    When they saw the scene in front of them, their eyes bulged.


    Long Sheng and Li Sheng were syed on the ground, their elites'' dead bodies gathered around them. It was clear that the Long and Li ns had both suffered a terrible defeat.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing knew that Zhang Lie was strong, but they didn''t realize the extent of his strength.


    After all, ignoring the Li n for the moment, the Long n was surely as strong as their ns were. Furthermore, they had even prepared to ambush Zhang Lie; this was an unfair battle from the beginning! But despite their advantages, the two ns had lost miserably.


    If the Yun and Chu ns had opposed Zhang Lie, then what happened to Long Sheng and Li Sheng would have happened to them.


    That very moment, they were both extremely relieved that they had developed a rtionship with Zhang Lie, but at the same time, they were a little frightened by what would have happened if their ns had chosen to work against him instead...

 Chapter 159: The Vicious Zhang Lie

    <h4>Chapter 159: The Vicious Zhang Lie</h4>


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing didn''t dare continue imagining what would have happened if they had been enemies of Zhang Lie.


    "Young Master Chu, Miss Yun!" Zhang Lie weed them and their delegations with a smile. He was d that they hade to support him, even if that help turned out to be unnecessary.


    "Ah, here I thought I''d be of use! But it seems as though I''vee all this way for nothing," Chu Feng muttered, a tinge of disappointment in his tone.


    "Zhang Lie''s growing far stronger than both of us, indeed," Yun Bing acknowledged. He was a miracle that they''d seen develop over the course of just a few months, a miracle that had budded from the weeds of the slums.


    "You overpraise me, Miss Yun. Give me a moment and let me handle this pile of trash first. We''ll talkter!" Zhang Lie smiled. He turned toward Long Sheng and the others.


    As he watched Zhang Lie draw closer, Long Sheng found his mind and body in turmoil: Zhang Lie''s gaze was filled with killing intent.


    "Well, Long Sheng? What happened to your domineering attitude?"


    Long Sheng didn''t speak, but his twisted features turned even more twisted.


    "Oh, you''re not speaking? It looks like you have some backbone. In that case, I''ll start with you!"


    Zhang Lie summoned Venombane to his hand.


    "What do you intend on doing? Surely you aren''t going to kill us all?" Long Sheng shouted.


    Many of the hunters still alive were fromrge ns, and if Zhang Lie were to kill them all, he would make countless enemies. He was certain that any clear-headed hunter wouldn''t be willing to rouse so much ire from so many factions at once.


    "Zhang Lie, I''m the young master of the Long n!"


    "I''m a disciple from the Thunderous Stomp Dojo!"


    "I''m from the¡ª"


    The hunters all reported their identities in hopes that their background would shield them from certain death. If Zhang Lie were to kill them all, he would surely anger the various factions from which they came. Even the major ns of the capital would have to think twice before considering such an attack, but Zhang Lie didn''t even frown.


    "Do you think I''ll let you leave without paying a toll, regardless of your background?" Zhang Lie smiled thinly, but those whoy paralyzed on the ground shuddered to see it. Nevertheless, they calmed down, because they could sense a hint of greed in his eyes.


    In truth, what they were worried about was Zhang Lie wanting their lives, not their wealth.


    "What do you want?" Long Sheng asked.


    He was expecting that Zhang Lie would ask for them to drop the matter and stop targeting him, and then to hand over arge quantity of points, but Zhang Lie''s icy tone shook him to his core.


    "Hand over all your soulshards!"


    Soulshards! He wanted their soulshards?! Indeed, a hunter would prize soulshards over everything but gene fragments, frameworks, and techniques, which was why soulshards were such a hard thing for these defeated hunters to give up. If they were to hand them all over, then their strength would drop tremendously. They wouldn''t be able to do well during the uing Void Cup, and their position in their respective n or dojo would drop as well.


    "You have ten seconds to make a decision."


    Zhang Lie nced at his subordinates, who had already drawn their weapons and were prepared to kill any of the downed hunters at any time.


    "Zhang Lie, you¡ª" Long Sheng''s face flushed red. Would he have to barter for his life at the expense of his soulshards?


    "Time''s ticking," Zhang Lie murmuredzily. The hunters of Team Zenith approached a few nearby hunters.


    By that time, Long Sheng''s arms had lost any sensation, and the violet venom from Zhang Lie''s attack was quickly approaching his shoulders. He knew that he had lost, that he had lostpletely. As the young master of the Long n, he was the best hope for the Long n in his generation, and the soulshards and resources he had in his possession were the best of the best.


    It was hard for him to give it all up.


    On the other hand, beside him, Li Sheng sucked in a deep breath. Gritting his teeth, he cried out, "I''ll hand them over!"


    Zhang Lie''s words were clear: if he handed his soulshards over, he might be able to avoid death, but if he didn''t, he surely wouldn''t! His life was far more precious than any material possession he owned.


    Li Sheng extracted all the soulshards from his soulspace, over thirty glittering gems in all. Of those thirty, most were superior-grade soulshards.


    "As expected of the new young head of the Li n¡ªwhat a shocking amount of resources!"


    "If Li Sheng alone has this many soulshards, I wonder just what the haul from Young Master Long would look like?"


    "Don''t you know just how wealthy the Long n is? I''m sure Young Master Long would have far more, and of even higher quality!"


    The spectators watching the affair from a distance began chatting away again, d that they hadn''t been so foolish as to join in the fight. A few of the Chu and Yun hunters nced at Zhang Lie with envy.


    "I''ll hand mine over as well!" Following Li Sheng, the paralyzed elites on the ground each did the same, havinge to the same conclusion regarding how precious their lives were. More and more soulshards began to glitter on the ground. Just about everyone chose their lives over their material possessions, with Young Master Long being the only holdout.


    "Young Master Long, your life''s more important than your wealth," Li Sheng advised, as Zhang Lie looked toward Long Sheng again.


    Long Sheng''s body shook. His pride and arrogance were slowly being eaten away. Was he to hand over his soulshards, or not?


    "It looks like you''re not very interested in your life!" Zhang Lie walked closer, as if to pressure him into making a decision.


    Everyone turned toward him.


    "I-I-I''ll hand them over!"


    As he looked death in the eye, even Long Sheng backed down. Light shone so brightly by his prone body that the other hunters blinked their eyes in surprise.


    "Damn, they''re all superior-grade soulshards!


    "No wonder Long Sheng was undefeated in the Godspath settlement!"


    "Zhang Lie''s really made a fortune, hasn''t he?"


    "So what if he''s got a fortune? He still needs to be alive to use it all up¡ªthe Long n will surely make him suffer for what he''s done!"


    "Hah! That''s what you said when he offended the Qin, Wang, and Li ns, and look at what happened to them!"


    The crowd was of two minds about Zhang Lie''s sudden wealth.


    If Long Sheng were still able to sense his two arms, he would surely be clenching his fists tightly. This was the gravest insult he had suffered his whole life, and his self-confidence had been grievously wounded.


    Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t care for any of that¡ªregardless of whether it was the Li n or the Long n, he hadn''t provoked the other party first.


    "Not bad, not bad, Young Master Long! The quantity and quality of your soulshards really aremensurate with your position."


    The hunters of Team Zenith rushed over and scooped them all up.


    From the distance, Chu Feng swallowed a gulp of saliva as he whispered to Yun Bing. Despite knowing Zhang Lie for quite a while, he hadn''t yet seen any of Zhang Lie''s enemies live after being defeated by him. "Do you think Zhang Lie will let him go?"


    Yun Bingughed lightly at him. "Is this your first day interacting with Zhang Lie? Don''t you understand his personality by now?"


    Yun Bing viewed Zhang Lie as a decisive, vicious man. In truth, she admired his personality¡ªregardless of whether he killed hunters or stole their soulshards today, neither the Long nor the Li n''s stance toward him would change, and they would surely remain enemies.


    Li Sheng and Long Sheng felt a pang of pain as they saw their soulshards being stored by the hunters of Team Zenith.


    "Zhang Lie, can you hand us the antidote to this poison now?" Long Sheng asked.


    "Antidote? Have I ever agreed to that?" Zhang Lie tilted his head.


    The gathered hunters all froze. Was Zhang Lie going to take their possessions and leave them all to die?!


    Chu Feng made an ''ahh'' sound as Yun Bing nudged him.


    "Y-You, you''ve broken your promise!" Long Sheng cried out, ring at Zhang Lie.


    Li Sheng''s face turned pale. Zhang Lie wasn''t going to spare any of them, and it didn''t seem as though he cared about their background at all. In truth, if their positions were swapped, he would likely do the same.


    "What do you mean, Young Master Long? I''m as trustworthy as I im to be. I''ve let you go, but I''m not the only hunter you''ve tried to target, am I?"


    The hunters of Team Zenith, understanding their captain''s intent, immediately raised their weapons.


    "Zhang Lie, you scumbag, you bastard! Just you wait for retribution from the Long n! You and your whole family shall perish! And not just you¡ªyour team will suffer for what you''ve done today!"


    "The Long n? Have them send people my way if they dare!" Zhang Lie didn''t seem to care about how many enemies he made. And why would he? There were few that he had to fear within the first realm of the dimensional world. He wasn''t the king of the slums; no, he could well be the top hunter of the first realm! He was yet undefeated, and given his firm backing on Earth by the military of Ning, he had nothing to fear in all of China.


    It was for this reason that he was daring enough to kill these hunters in in sight.


    Anyone who had attacked him and his team within the domain of [Eclipse] suffered the same fate: all would perish at the hands of Team Zenith.


    The battlefield grew so bloody that the spectators, even from afar, shuddered at the sight. They swore never to provoke Zhang Lie at any cost; he was simply too frightening! Indeed, after this massacre, no faction in the first realm would dare try something like this again.


    Once the battlefield was cleaned up, Zhang Lie exchanged a few words with Chu Feng and Yun Bing, then departed with Team Zenith. Chu Feng and Yun Bing nced at his back withplicated expressions on their faces. Although their rtionship with Zhang Lie hadn''t changed, they knew that Zhang Lie''s friendship didn''t extend to either the Yun or Chu ns.

 Chapter 160: Return to the Blackwind Fort

    <h4>Chapter 160: Return to the ckwind Fort</h4>


    The oue of the battle at the runic forest spread through the dimensional world at a crazy rate, and even to the real world.


    Within Lingnan, at a manor right in front of a waterfall, a wizened old man in a long robe stood above the waterfall, ncing down at his surroundings.


    "The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie has killed two promising members of my n''s younger generation, my n''s future."


    "Head, this blood feud¡ª" a guard by his side began.


    "Wait!" the old man muttered, then turned to leave without saying another word.


    The guard swallowed a gulp of saliva upon seeing the old man''s cool expression. A small crack extended where the man''s feet had been, one that affected the flow of the waterfall down below. The old man''s features gradually distorted as he walked away, his weathered face seemingly transforming into that of a malicious demon, filled with endless hatred.


    "I''ll make you pay for this!"


    At the same time, when Li Mo heard that even Li Sheng had been killed by Zhang Lie, he barely avoided going insane. He began tugging on his own hair, his face filled with rage and madness, his eyes bulging and turning red.


    "Head, for the sake of the n''s future, I advise that we stop provoking the Dragonwolf."


    "Yes, Head, not only should we stop provoking him, we should let bygones be bygones and apologize to Zhang Lie instead. Otherwise, the future of our n will be in danger!"


    The elders were, incredibly, all in agreement about this point.


    "Is that so? As hunters of the Li n, have you all no shame?!" Li Mo red at the elders with bloodshot eyes. He had lost both his sons to Zhang Lie, and now even his nephew! Was a blood feud something that could be dropped so easily?


    When the elders saw that Li Mo was unrepentant, they had no choice but to take action.


    "Li Mo, you alone do not speak for the n!" the first elder of the Li n spoke up in a threatening tone.


    Li Mo turned to the first elder. Indeed, his position in the n had be extremely insecure given setback after setback. The Li n had suffered in his leadership, and the contentious issue regarding the white-grub cores had dramatically lowered his status in the n. It looked as though he would be stripped of his position if he were to continue insisting on enmity against Zhang Lie.


    "I understand." After inhaling deeply, Li Mo gave a response that the elders were satisfied with¡ªhowever, despite his verbal agreement, his eyes were as red as ever.


    A few of the elders began to console Li Mo. Li Mo nodded at the elders'' words, but unbeknownst to them, he was muttering to himself as he did so.?You weren''t the ones who lost your sons. What could you understand?


    The other ns that had made enemies of Zhang Lie were reacting simrly after hearing the news. Within the Qin n, many Qin elders were cautioning Qin Zongming against his folly.


    "Head, from now on, please stop all ns targeting the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Hoh? In that case, who was it that supported my killing Zhang Lie?" Qin Zongming rebuked.


    "That was in the past, Head! Zhang Lie''s not a hunter we can touch at present."


    "Please calm down, Head. We can''t let the Qin n end up like the Long or Li ns," the elders persuaded.


    Qin Zongming faced as much pressure as did Li Mo, and in the end, he had no choice but to ede to the elders'' pleas and temporarily halt all his ns.


    In the Wang n, Wang Han faced much the same situation.


    After what had urred within the Runic Forest, many elders had changed their minds about Zhang Lie. Almost as one, they decided that Zhang Lie wasn''t an existence that could be easily provoked, and suggested that an olive branch be extended to him instead.


    Even the Zhou, Qian, and He ns of the capital clearly felt the same way.


    The Chu and Yun n heads regretted that they hadn''t listened to their children''s advice. If they had done so, then they would have had much to gain from Zhang Lie''s ascension.


    "Chu Feng, how''s your rtionship with Zhang Lie?" Chu Lin asked his son, a serious expression on his face.


    "Ah, we''re still on good terms, but it''s nothing too special," Chu Feng replied honestly.


    Chu Lin narrowed his eyes. He was certain that those who had attacked Zhang Lie at the Runic Forest¡ªthe Long n, the Li n, and a few dojos¡ªwould surely be unable to purchase white-grub cores from Zhang Lie any longer.


    If they were able to purchase arge quantity of white-grub cores at a discounted price, it would be possible for all Chu hunters of the younger generation to experience this breakthrough, and hence allow the Chu n to emerge at the forefront of the ns in China.


    However, all these hinged upon Zhang Lie being willing to support the Chu n.


    "Can the situation really not be salvaged?" he asked, even as he came up with an audacious n in his mind.


    Just as the major ns reeled from the news of what had happened at the Runic Forest, Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith returned to the cksteel Inn.


    It was naturally time to divide up the loot; they had earned far more than expected that day. Long Sheng, Li Sheng, and the various other hunters had given up over two hundred superior-grade soulshards in all, and everyone found quite a few that would be useful to them. Even Zhang Lie picked out a few choice soulshards that he added to his soulspace.


    What the hunters of Team Zenith would need to do next was to limate to their newly acquired soulshards as soon as possible. As a result, once they had divided up their loot, they all returned to their rooms or the training chambers.


    Zhang Lie copsed under the side effects of the superior-grade blood ant soulshard. It was truly a double-edged sword, but the power it conferred was as incredible as the bacsh. He couldn''t help but sigh: activating the soulshard while sustaining [Eclipse] still took a huge toll out of his body.


    After the attack that had decimated the enemy hunters, he was all but drained of gic energy, and the rest of the battle had been nothing but careful pretense on his part.


    "It looks like I''ll have to try to induce the evolution of my framework now..."


    The grade of his evolving [Ninecarp Transformation] had be the greatest limiter to his strength. He would need to haverger reserves of gic energy; otherwise, he would only be able to use one attack while simultaneously activating [Eclipse] and [Ninecarp Transformation].


    And if he wanted to evolve his framework, he would need additional gene fragments¡ªbut he had already reached his gene capacity in the first realm!


    This implied that, in order to go further, he would have to find another source of limit fragments. The foundational breakthrough and Potions #1 and #2 had built an excellent foundation for him, one that he would have to take advantage of. There was one avenue he knew of to ess even more gic fragments: defeating the peak-grade moonlight wyrm!


    He would have to devote some time to devising a n of attack against it in the future. However, before that, he had something more urgent on his te, the Zenith Dojo.


    Everyone in Team Zenith had now acquired a number of superior-grade soulshards, and there was no need for them to remain in the dimensional world. After a short rest, he immediately returned to the Zenith Dojo with the rest of the team.


    It was midnight on Earth. As the teleportation array shed, Zhang Lie and the hunters of Team Zenith appeared out of nowhere. Before they could walk off the array, however, a ck figure darted before them.


    "Damn it, ?who''s trying to frighten us all sote at night?!" Sun Xiaowu jumped up in shock.


    Lin Xiu walked into the light. "Su Feng wants you to head to the ckwind Fort immediately," he told Zhang Lie.


    "Now?"


    "6 AM the next morning," Lin Xiu replied.


    "Excellent! I''ll be ready by then."


    It was likely that Su Feng wanted to speak with him regarding limit fragments. The affair with the dojo wasn''t particrly urgent, so Zhang Lie agreed to the meeting without much thought.


    As Lin Xiu nodded and left, Zhang Lie dragged his tired body back home. The next day, at daybreak, Zhang Lie and Lin Xiu walked out of the Zenith Dojo.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, this way please!" The moment they left the entrance, a suited chauffeur weed them into a camouged hovercar. "This is a hovercar that Commander Su has prepared specially for your use. If you''re ready, we''ll head to the ckwind Fort immediately."


    "Yes, let''s go." Zhang Lie hadn''t anticipated that Su Feng would go as far as to send someone over. He entered the hovercar, which shot off like a bolt of lightning.


    The ckwind Fort was so named because, from a distance, it looked like a ck cyclone. The chartered hovercar approached the checkpoint to the fort within ten minutes. Because this hovercar had been requested by Commander Su himself, no one stopped them during their drive, and Zhang Lie was swiftly brought in front of Su Feng.


    "Zhang Lie, haven''t you forgotten our arrangement from before?"


    "How could I? Only a single day''s passed!"


    They walked deep into the fort, to a series of ravines hundreds of feet deep. Amidst a whirring sound, a small warship emerged from the ravine, stopping in front of Zhang Lie and Su Feng. Su Feng stepped forward and motioned for Zhang Lie to follow him as they entered the ship.


    Itnded in what Zhang Lie now realized was the true heart of the keep, a sturdy earth-colored structure heavily patrolled by troops of armed soldiers. Several massiveser cannons poked out of the roof of the structure.

 Chapter 161: Su Fengs Worry

    <h4>Chapter 161: Su Feng''s Worry</h4>


    "This is our ultimate defense against alien invasions, the famous ckwind Cannons!" Su Feng introduced proudly.


    "ckwind Cannons? They really are top-grade weapons, aren''t they?" Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed. This was the closest he''d ever gotten to such weapons, both in his past life and his current one. Allegedly, at full charge, these weapons could easily kill a monarch-ss hunter or an alien battleship.


    Su Feng''s smile was burnished with pride. After showing Zhang Lie around, he went right to business. "The reason I''ve called you here today is with regards to the development of these limit fragments, as well as those white-grub cores and growth factors that you''ve brought up. I''ve heard that you''re publicly selling this valuable military resource!"


    "Only in limited quantities," Zhang Lie added.


    They were walking toward Su Feng''s office.


    "Is that so? Good! I''ve had questions about purchasing more from my superiors, but I''ve dealt with them all, so you''d better not hide anything from me," Su Feng warned.


    "I''ve been a bit busy with matters in the dimensional world, so I apologize for the dy in handling this matter. Regarding the white-grub cores, I''m happy to provide the military with ten thousand cores for free, but the others will have to be purchased from me. Of course, the military will receive a special discount, but will still be limited in the quantity it can purchase; after all, I only have a finite number of cores left, and I have to keep a few for my dojo," Zhang Lie continued.


    Su Feng inclined his head subtly. "It doesn''t seem like all that much, but it''s likely the best you can do for now. In that case, let''s do as you say. What about these growth factors that you''ve mentioned? Where can they be acquired?"


    "In theory, any lifeform simr to these white grubs should produce some limited quantity of growth factors, but the problem is one of scale."


    "Do you know if these growth factors can be synthesized orb-grown?"


    "It''s not impossible, but it''ll require significant research, and I don''t have an answer for you at the moment."


    "In that case, make this a priority. ess to this breakthrough could significantly enhance mankind''s strength rtive to the alien races! You''re free now, aren''t you? Especially after what happened in the Runic Forest."


    Themotion that Zhang Lie had caused was apparently significant enough that even Su Feng had heard of it.


    "Of course. That''s why I''m here to help out today. Has something gone wrong with the foundational breakthrough on your end?"


    "Yes, follow me!" Su Feng brought Zhang Lie out of the office and through a pitch-ck corridor, with cries and grunts in the distance. Clearly, there were quite a few soldiers training.


    "The moment you announced the news of the foundational breakthrough, the military began initial trials for promising recruits, but it seems as though satisfying the third condition regarding adrenaline is particrly difficult for us," Su Feng exined.


    Indeed, Zhang Lie recalled that something simr had happened in his past life. After all, soldiers had to face life-threatening danger day in and day out, and their tolerance for such stressful conditions was far superior to those of regr people, even hunters.


    "As the hunter who came up with this foundational breakthrough in the first ce, I hope you''ll be able to resolve this problem," Su Feng told Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I can give it a try, but there''s no guarantee that it''ll work. Furthermore, I suggest that this training be included as early as possible in the soldiers'' regimen, ideally while they''re still new recruits."


    The breakthrough sess rate for seasoned soldiers had, in his past life, been a staggeringly low 3%. This was mainly because of their frightening analytical abilities on the battlefield, as well as their strong sense of duty, loyalty, and honor. They had long since dedicated their lives to their country.


    "I''ll take your suggestion into ount. Then, the field is yours!" Su Feng nced curiously at Zhang Lie, who had apparently devised a scheme to fix this problem in a matter of moments.


    Zhang Lie nodded firmly..


    "Wee to the training chamber for the ckwind special forces." Su Feng pushed the door open, flooding the corridor in bright light. The shouts and grunts that had seemed muted were now far clearer to the ear, and they could both sense fluctuations in gic energy from a distance.


    The training chamber wasn''t any different from a dojo''s arena. A number of hunters were fighting against each other, with bursts of gic energy from time to time. The reinforced floor was wet with sweat. Zhang Lie''s gaze swept over the gathered soldiers.


    "Assemble!" Su Feng shouted, and the sound of fighting stopped immediately. The soldiers hurriedly assembled into a tidy formation and saluted theirmander-in-chief.


    Zhang Lie gave a nod of approval. From the speed at which the soldiers had reacted, as well as the skills they had disyed in the arena, it was clear that these were all top-tier troops. They were veteran soldiers, all with rather unstable fluctuations in their aura, as though they had just purged their frameworks and started afresh.


    "These are the soldiers that you''ll be specially responsible for," Su Feng murmured. "These are the best forces I have. No matter what you do, I hope you''ll be able to have them all experience the breakthrough!"


    Su Feng looked at Zhang Lie with hope and anticipation, multiplying the stress that Zhang Lie felt.


    "Commander, the eighty-one soldiers of the ckwind special forces team, reporting for duty!"


    "At rest! ? Today''s the third day since you all purged your frameworks, but none of you have managed the foundational breakthrough. As a result, I''ve sent for an external instructor!"


    Su Feng nced at Zhang Lie.


    "Commander-in-Chief, we''re getting instructed by the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?" the leader of the special forces team queried, his tone filled with disbelief.


    "Yes, he''s your new instructor! ?Do you have a problem with that?" Su Feng replied.


    The soldiers'' faces changed. Zhang Lie had be rather famous, but he was still just a youth from the first realm. How could hepare to the years of battlefield experience that they all had? Would they ept a twenty-year-old as their instructor so easily?


    "Commander-in-Chief, are you certain about this?" the leader of the team, Lin Yue, queried once more.


    "Lin Yue, do you doubt my orders?!"


    "No, Commander, but¡ª"


    "Enough! Treat Instructor Zhang Lie''s orders as if they were my own. All offenders will be subject to martialw! Are there any further questions?"


    Su Feng stared at all of them. The other soldiers didn''t dare speak up. Zhang Lie nced at Lin Yue with interest.


    "No, Commander!" the soldiers chorused as one, but Lin Yue shot a disdainful nce at Zhang Lie before he answered.


    "I''ll leave the rest to you. Don''t disappoint me!"


    Of course, Su Feng saw that nce, but he was sure that Zhang Lie would be able to deal with the rest of the situation on his own.


    "No problem. But there might be some friction between us in the beginning, so you''d best be prepared," Zhang Lie replied, smiling.


    "As long as you don''t kill them, do whatever you want!" Su Feng walked out of the training chamber and the doors sealed shut.


    The soldiers, who were standing at attention, immediately turned to Zhang Lie.


    "Resume training," Zhang Liemanded.


    "Ah, what''s going on with my waist?"


    "Did you hear my bones creak just now?"


    "For some reason, I can''t seem to muster up any strength!"


    The soldiers'' formation suddenly disintegrated into a disorderly mess, and none of them seemed to pay any attention to Zhang Lie.


    "Who does this fellow think he is, ordering us around like that?" someone whispered.


    Zhang Lie''s face was nd, as though he had expected such a thing to happen.


    "Lin Yue!"


    "Yes!"


    "You''re the leader of this team, aren''t you?"


    "Yes!"


    "Who was it that spoke just now? Identify them!"


    Lin Yue smirked. "I apologize, Instructor, but I can''t!"


    Zhang Lie eyed Lin Yue. "You heard Commander Su''s orders just now, didn''t you?"


    "Yes, Instructor!" Lin Yue replied, certain that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to do anything to him.


    Zhang Lie grinned back at him wolfishly. "In that case, we''ll start with you. Lin Yue, listen up: you''re fired!"


    All the soldiers looked toward him. Who was Zhang Lie, to think he could fire someone like Lin Yue so easily? To the gathered soldiers, he seemed to be making a fool of himself.


    "Haha, thisd isn''t crazy, is he?


    "Do you think you can fire our leader just like that? You must be addled!"


    Riotousughter filled the chamber.

 Chapter 162: The Veterans Trial

    <h4>Chapter 162: The Veterans'' Trial</h4>


    However, just as the soldiers wereughing at Zhang Lie, Su Feng''s voice came from the speakers to the training chamber.


    "Lin Yue, get your ass out here! You''ll be transferred away immediately!"


    Silence took over the chamber; everyone was speechless. Was Su Feng serious? Was their leader really going to be fired from his position?


    "Commander¡ª"


    "If anyone dares plead for mercy, they''ll be transferred out too!" Someone immediately tried to stand up for Lin Yue, but Commander Su shot them down.


    Only then did the soldiers in the arena realize just how serious Su Feng was. Lin Yue, despite initially being stricken by the news, quickly calmed down and walked out of the chamber after reassuring several of hisrades that he would be fine, leaving Zhang Lie in charge within the training chamber.


    "In truth, if not for Commander Su insisting that Ie, I would have refused such an obligation. A minute of my time is worth tens of millions of dors; do you think I have any interest in your training? I was the one who discovered the foundational breakthrough, who discovered these limit fragments hunters all over the world are lusting over! The reason you''ve all been asked to purge your frameworks is because of me!


    "How dare you call yourselves soldiers if you can''t even obey the orders of yourmander-in-chief? And you think I''m the fool here?!"


    Zhang Lie had managed to anger all the soldiers, but Su Feng''s previous orders hung over their heads like a sword of Damocles, and none of them dared make a move against him.


    "You all think yourself far more experienced than I am, don''t you? That I have nothing worth teaching any of you? I''ll give you a chance, then. If you don''t think I''m worth your time, step forward and we''ll have a practice match, one-on-one."


    Zhang Lie''s voice wasn''t particrly loud, but it caused a stir within the ranks of soldiers. Everyone stared at him, be it in disdain or rage. Zhang Lie knew very well that none of these soldiers respected him, and this would be the key to their breakthrough. He would have to make use of their self-confidence and refusal to back down.


    "A one-on-one battle? You''re sure, Instructor? We won''t take any responsibility if you''re too frail to take a single blow!"


    Several hulking soldiers stood out from the formation, raring to give Zhang Lie a good beating.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "You think I''ll be the one begging for mercy?"


    "You''re quite arrogant, aren''t you, Instructor? In that case, let me, Wu Hao, be the one to challenge you!"


    The soldiers made way as the hulking Wu Hao walked forward. Wu Hao was the team leader of the special forces'' first subdivision, and a peak second-realm hunter with a strengthparable to that of a regr third-realm hunter.


    "To be honest, I was impressed by your performance at the capital during the Kez invasion, but I hadn''t expected that all these des would make you so arrogant! Don''t worry, I''ll go easy on you. Let me show you just what the real world''s like!"


    Wu Hao cracked his fingers as he readied to fight.


    "Do your worst."


    The other soldiers stepped off-stage, leaving the arena to the two of them.


    "Brash, impudent youth!" Wu Hao stomped on the ground, which shook slightly. "[Beast King''s Tome: Stampede]!"


    His muscles suddenly bulged as the shadowy figures of a dozen types of beasts appeared behind him. Even space seemed to distort; if this blow were tond, Zhang Lie would be severely injured.


    Zhang Lie remained cool and collected. He circted his gic energy, [Mirrored Refraction] on his left, [Three-Wave Crescendo] on his right. Because these hunters had just purged their old frameworks, he was restricting himself only to lower-grade techniques.


    The beasts charged forward, but their figures were pulverized and shattered by thebined effects of Zhang Lie''s skills. Wu Hao''s face fell. He knew that the techniques Zhang Lie was using weren''t anything high-grade, but the strength of those techniques was far greater than he had expected.


    One blow fell harder than all the others. With a pained grunt, Wu Hao flew out of the arena, a reddening p clearly visible on his face.


    "Trash! As I thought, all of you are trash!"


    The soldiers nced at Zhang Lie with consternation, with shock and smoldering anger. As their representative, Wu Hao''s loss was their loss. Even Su Feng, who was monitoring the scene from the cameras scattered around the training chamber, looked rather displeased.


    Zhang Lie was clearly trying to trample on Wu Hao''s pride, of the pride of all the soldiers in the ckwind Fort, of the pride of the military itself.


    Despite knowing that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be doing this for no good reason, Su Feng was still rather upset; it was apparent, then, just how much worse the soldiers themselves would take it.


    "You¡ªI''m taking you down!" Wu Hao, whoy stunned on the floor, pushed himself up as he felt his face, then rushed toward Zhang Lie with bloodshot eyes. His unbelievable loss and subsequent humiliation caused adrenaline to flood his body, and he broke through without even realizing it.


    Unfortunately, the rampaging Wu Hao wasn''t able to take his revenge. Instead, with Zhang Lie''s fist ramming into his abdomen, he fell to the floor unconscious. As Zhang Lie ced a boot on Wu Hao''s skull, he nced at the rest of the soldiers disdainfully.


    "Trash! You''re far too weak! Why don''t you alle at me together? That''d save me some time!"


    "Together? Zhang Lie, don''t think we won''t be able to take you down!" one of Wu Hao''s goodrades, Lin Wei, shouted, green veins throbbing on his head.


    "Oh? How many of you canpare to this blockhead, then?"


    Zhang Lie tapped Wu Hao''s cheek with the sole of his boot, a devilish sneer appearing on his face.


    "Get at him!"


    "He''s asking for it!"


    The soldiers had to admit that Zhang Lie was indeed a strong hunter, and that the rumors circting about him weren''t exaggerated. If he were able to knock Wu Hao unconscious with a single blow, then his strength really wasparable to a third-realm hunter''s.


    Lin Wei''s eyes turned cold as he circted his gic energy, as did the fellow soldiers beside him.


    "Come at me, you walking dirtbags!" Zhang Lie continued to taunt them.


    "We won''t go easy on you!" Lin Wei shouted, motioning for everyone to charge forward.


    The moment they did so, Zhang Lie activated the technique he had been charging up. ck ripples flooded the arena. The ceiling was reced by a starry sky and bloody moon, and the floor had turned into an underworld river. A tremendous pressure blocked their advances, forcing them onto the ground. An ancient power seemed to be sucking the gic energy from their bodies.


    "This, this is [Eclipse]?" Lin Wei cried out. Against this overwhelming force, he couldn''t even move, let alone attack.


    All the soldiers present, even the ones that hadn''t made a move, were all kneeling on the ground, unable to force themselves upright.


    "I told you, didn''t I? Is this all you can aplish, even with the resources of an entire country spent on you? Trash. Trash! TRASH!"


    The floor lit up with explosions of gic energy as all the soldiers tried to buckle the strength that had felled them all. They wanted to force themselves up, to prove to Zhang Lie that they weren''t pieces of trash, that they had ughtered countless invading lifeforms, that they were warriorsuded with honor and glory!


    The soldiers'' pained grunts and howls filled the chamber, but the blood moon unrelentingly quashed their efforts. Even as their bones creaked and groaned, none of them were able to get all the way up. Several of the soldiers had fainted of overexertion, and others had unwittingly broken through as their gic energy red up.


    Su Feng, observing everything from a distance, finally understood what Zhang Lie was trying to do.


    "I can''t say this is a method I approve of, but the results do speak for themselves," he mused, smiling.


    Time seemed to slow tremendously within the domain. Zhang Lie had barely activated it for a quarter of a minute, but that was sufficient time to drain all the soldiers'' energy and leave them slumped on the ground.


    Their faces were pressed disgracefully against the hard floor, and they couldn''t even look Zhang Lie in the eye. The greatest shame they had felt in their lives forced out their bodies'' potential.


    Lin Wei, who had long since broken through without knowing it, couldn''t bear it any longer. "We''re soldiers, members of the special forces who look death in the eye! You might be able to best us, but we won''t submit to you! Kill us if you dare¡ªwe won''t give in!"


    "Kill you? Subjugate you? ? Surely not. You''re all prized soldiers under Commander Su''s care, and I''d hardly dare do anything to you."


    Zhang Lie smiled as he deactivated [Eclipse]. As the blood moon vanished, so did the pressure on the soldiers'' bodies.


    "Alright, the trial is over. You''ve all done well, everyone. Stand up and feel how your bodies have changed," Zhang Lie casually instructed.

 Chapter 163: Short-Term Goals

    <h4>Chapter 163: Short-Term Goals</h4>


    Trial? What trial? Was everything from before really nothing more than a trial? And what did Zhang Lie mean by the changes to their bodies?


    "Ah, my body!"


    "No, could it be? I''ve broken through? When?!"


    The elites present might have grown cocky and arrogant because of their skill, but they weren''t idiots. They had, one and all, realized what Zhang Lie had aplished.


    "I apologize for my actions, everyone. Whatever doubt I cast on your pride and service was solely for the purpose of inducing your breakthrough; I''m very proud that you soldiers are the ones protecting our country. But this mindset is exactly what makes the standard trial useless for all of you, so I had toe up with a more creative approach instead. If I''m not mistaken, all of you should have broken through by now.


    "Congrattions, and, once again, my apologies!"


    Zhang Lie bowed toward the gathered soldiers, then left the training chamber.


    "As expected!" Su Feng''s smile grew more and more intense.


    The pioneer of this entire development was far more experienced than he, or any other member of the military. Just this one trial alone had induced a breakthrough in every member of the special forces.


    "Commander-in-Chief, this¡ª" Beside Su Feng, Lin Yue still seemed to be rather stupefied by just what had urred.


    "See what you have to learn? Alright, return to the troops!"


    "Ah¡ªyes!" Lin Yue felt as though he had been Su Feng and Zhang Lie''s pawn all along.


    As Zhang Lie headed to the door, Lin Yue, who had rushed back into the training chamber, immediately bowed as he saw Zhang Lie. "Instructor, I apologize for the disrespect!"


    Of course, he now understood what Zhang Lie was trying to aplish, and his words were perfectly genuine.


    Seeing Lin Yue apologize, the other troops did the same. "Instructor, we apologize!"


    In other words, they had recognized Zhang Lie as their instructor. They blushed at their earlier ignorance and foolishness; after all, they had mocked this seemingly unqualified instructor with their pride and arrogance, but in the end, it had been Zhang Lie who had apologized first.


    They nced at Zhang Lie shamefaced.


    "Don''t worry. Keep training!" Zhang Lie waved a hand at them as he left the training chamber. The remainder would be easy. Once the troops got used to their additional limit fragments, they would be able to proceed to the next stage of the training.


    Su Feng thenmanded Zhang Lie to repeat what he had done with a series of other troops; as the skies darkened, Zhang Lie, who had been forced to work the entire day, was finally released from Su Feng''s evil clutches.


    With the military''s affairs settled, next would be the dojo''s affairs. By the time he returned to the dojo, it was alreadyte at night, but the Zenith Dojo was still lit up brightly.


    Zhang Hong, as well as a number of dojo workers around her, had yet to rest. There were quite a few residents of the slums loitering outside the dojo''s entrance; they were anxiously waiting for good news.


    After their children had taken the dojo''s cement examination, the dojo had told them that results would be out shortly, but they had heard nothing for an entire week. Their patience exhausted, these parents began camping outside the dojo so as to be the first to hear the news.


    By the arena, Lin Xiu was leisurely smoking a cigarette. There were quite a few nervous youth up in the arena, each about ten years old. Lin Xiu nced at them appreciatively.


    "Hmm? Ah, may I ask what you''re doing sote at night?" Zhang Lie immediately stepped forward.


    "Well, thanks to you, even I got assigned a task from Zhang Hong. None of us are allowed to sleep until we finish the selection process!" Lin Xiu scoffed.


    Zhang Lie barely hid a smile; he hadn''t expected Zhang Hong to be so daring as to cajole Lin Xiu into this as well.


    "The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie! It''s my first time seeing him in person!"


    "Che, what''s there to be excited about? Once we enter the Zenith Dojo, we''ll be his disciples, and we''ll see him frequently!"


    .


    "That''s true, but he seems so much more handsome in person. Ah, I''m infatuated!"


    The youth in the arena all began quietly whispering to each other the moment Zhang Lie showed up, their chatter only dying away as Zhang Lie got closer.


    Zhang Lie scrutinized the youth in the arena carefully. Most of them were about ten years old, and based on their attire, most came from the slums.


    "All of you want to enter the Zenith Dojo?"


    "Yes!"


    "Please, Dojo Leader!"


    "You''re my idol!"


    The youth were apparently all very eager to be epted, though Zhang Lie suspected that much of what they were saying had been taught to them by their parents.


    "The Zenith Dojo prizes loyalty above all, and no amount of sweet-talking will get you anywhere," he warned. What he brought up was indeed the first criterion that he had emphasized. "Yes, loyalty!"


    His gaze turned cold as he unleashed his aura, causing the children to tremble. At their age, what could they know of loyalty? They hade to the Zenith Dojo mainly because of the existence of Zhang Lie, and the announcement of limit fragments and the foundational breakthrough. Faced with the frightening visage of Zhang Lie, the youth cowered, unwilling to meet his gaze, trembling with fear.


    "I swear lifelong loyalty to the Zenith Dojo!" a thin, reedy voice suddenly piped up. A poorly attired child stared steadfastly at Zhang Lie. His eyes were limpid and expectant. His cheeks were smudged with dirt, his shirt and pants tattered and threadbare, and a sour smell lingered on his body.


    After his promation, the two children beside him also did the same.


    Zhang Lie was surprised that a child had responded so quickly, and he nced curiously at the boy. "What''s your name?"


    "I''m Jun Jiuxiao!"


    What a lofty name.? "And you?" Zhang Lie then asked the two children by Jun Jiuxiao''s side.


    The two of them both nced at Jun Jiuxiao, then replied with youthful exuberance, "If we are admitted, then we too swear lifelong loyalty!"


    "This isn''t a game among children, but rather a decision that will guide your life. Are you certain?" Zhang Lie asked sternly as he looked once more toward Jun Jiuxiao.


    Despite the tremendous pressure, Jun Jiuxiao stood stiffly and regarded Zhang Lie with a scorching gaze. He nodded. The other children did the same.


    "Good, good. I look forward to your growth!" Zhang Lie retracted his aura again as he stepped away.


    Under Sun Mengmeng''s guidance, the youth present were assigned and sent to a series ofmunal dorms within the dojo. They were no different from the other disciples that had enrolled, except that they had coincidentally met Zhang Lie and passed his cursory inspection.


    Once everything was settled, Sun Mengmeng came to his room. "Captain, I''ve brought you the list of new disciples!"


    "What were the names of those other children beside him?" Zhang Lie asked. It was clear who ''him'' referred to.


    "The boy''s Wu Wei, and the girl''s Ye Xianchen," Sun Mengmeng replied immediately, having anticipated the question.


    "These three children are somewhat interesting. Have them consume some white-grub cores and focus on nurturing their talents," Zhang Lie instructed as he stretched.


    "Yes, Captain!"


    After Sun Mengmeng left the room, Zhang Lie once again activated [Eclipse]. The room was reced with the starry sky and a radiant moon. As the serpent devoured the moon, inch after inch, darkness seemed to descend, but just as the serpent was about to swallow the moon whole, Zhang Lie suddenly opened his eyes, panting loudly.


    No, I can''tbine the two techniques just yet.?Whenever he tried, the sudden loss of control at the very end struck his body with severe bacsh. It seemed as though he would have to hunt down the peak-grade moonlight wyrm before he could make any progress on this front.


    The moonlight wyrm had been a legend in the first realm in his past life, one that he now knew was reality. This was the only peak-grade lifeform he knew of within the first realm; indeed, they shouldn''t have been able to survive here at all. Although the wyrm was, at this point, significantly stronger than Zhang Lie, it was still restricted in its abilities by the fact that it was in the first realm. If he were able to concoct Potion #3 and hence to rue superior-grade limit fragments, then he would have some chance of defeating it.


    Having made up his mind, Zhang Lie began preparing to hunt the moonlit wyrm.


    The next morning, as Zhang Lie walked out of his room, he saw hundreds of disciples practicing the basic [Dragonfist Punch], Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Wu Wei among them. After they had washed up and reced their shabby attire with dojo uniforms, they looked much more revitalized. Zhang Lie considered the disciples'' practice for a moment before heading back to the dimensional world.


    Within the dimensional world, over ten days had passed since the incident at the Runic Forest, but news of the matter was still circting around the cksteel settlement, especially after Zhang Lie was sighted. However, no one dared approach him; who would be daring enough to provoke a hunter willing to ughter even hunters of the Long n?


    Zhang Lie wandered around the settlement, then vanished as he headed in the direction of the Desert of Silence, causing those hunters who had been spying on him to have done so to no avail.


    1. Imagine naming a boy Monarch.

 Chapter 164: A Job Posting

    <h4>Chapter 164: A Job Posting</h4>


    After the events of the Runic Forest, Zhang Lie had be more careful about not telegraphing his ns. Furthermore, after having manipted the major ns of the cksteel settlement at the Moonlit Pond, many hunters had gained a renewed interest in whaty within. Given his fame, if he were to appear at the Moonlit Pond in public, there would surely be scrutiny and spection about what he was doing there.


    As he walked into the forest, still under stealth, Zhang Lie activated his galewolf soulshard, then turned around and headed toward the Moonlit Pond. When he heard the sound of a waterfall and confirmed that he was heading in the right direction, he moved even more quickly. Past a patch of forest, he returned to the now-familiar falls of the Moonlit Pond.


    Because of the waterfall, ripples constantly disrupted the surface of the pond, and the whoosh of the downpour could be heard easily from a distance. Droplets of water sshed onto Zhang Lie''s body, triggering an idea in his mind.


    "The Moonlit Pond," Zhang Lie murmured. He would have to consider the environmental factors at y carefully.


    If not for this waterfall, the Moonlit Pond would be a body of still water. The water was so clear that Zhang Lie could see a few small fish swim by about a dozen meters under the surface, but there was what seemed to be an abyss by the center of the pond, from which bubbles would emerge from time to time. Standing above the pond and gazing downward, Zhang Lie felt as though he was looking down the gullet of a monstrous beast.


    He was sure that the moonlight wyrm lived deep down the chasm.


    Subsequently, he nced all around him. The environment was saturated with water vapor and rather wet all around, so his water-attuned techniques would certainly be boosted in such an environment. However, so would the wyrm''s attacks themselves.


    Just as Zhang Lie was nning out the battle in his head, quite a few bubbles emerged from the surface of the pond. Sensing the disturbance, Zhang Lie hurriedly sped away with his galewolf soulshard. It wasn''t yet time to be challenging the moonlit wyrm. If any hunters were nearby and noticed themotion, he wouldn''t stand to gain anything.


    He nced all around him, trying to memorize as much of the surroundings as he could, before leaving. After he did so, the suddenly frothing pond went calm again, but within the abyss leading below theke, two eyes the size ofnterns suddenly opened...


    Just as Zhang Lie was scouting out the Moonlit Pond, amotion had erupted by the cksteel settlement. The cksteel settlement was crowded with hunters, who filled the streets and bars.


    "What''s going on? Aren''t there any rooms left? I wanted to take a long, rxing bath before participating in the Void Cup in two days'' time!"


    "Don''t even think about it¡ªeveryone else made their reservations a week in advance!"


    Countless hunters were shouting at each other as they tried to get one of the quickly vanishing spots in a nearby inn. Zhang Lie was preparing to return to the real world, but when he heard themotion, he suddenly stilled. Were there really only two days left before the Void Cup?


    "Long time no see, Zhang Lie," a familiar voice came from behind. Zhang Lie whirled around to find Chu Feng and Chu Xun heading in his direction.


    "Indeed. The Void Cup''s already about to begin!"


    "Right? I''m feeling anxious even before it''s started," Chu Feng continued, sucking in a deep breath.


    "Hehe, brother, are you afraid you''ll encounter Zhang Lie during thepetition and get beaten ck and blue?" Chu Xun whispered in his ear.


    "Ahem! I''m your brother! Can''t you leave me some face?" Chu Feng coughed awkwardly a few times, then nced carefully in Zhang Lie''s direction. Among the younger generation of hunters, who wasn''t afraid of meeting Zhang Lie during the Void Cup?


    "Right, Zhang Lie, you''ve registered, haven''t you?" Chu Feng swiftly changed the topic.


    "Registered?" Zhang Lie hesitated for a moment. He had simply been too busy: first with the affair at the ckwind Fort, and then with the dojo''s new disciples... no, he actually hadn''t registered.


    "Zhang Lie, you haven''t forgotten, have you?" Chu Feng''s face spasmed.


    .


    Given Zhang Lie''s strength, even if he didn''t participate in the Void Cup, it was clear that he would still be at the top of the ranking for the first-realm hunters of the dimensional world.


    "Ah, I really did forget. Is there still time to register?" Zhang Lie asked calmly. Chu Feng''s face spasmed again: anyone else would have been shocked to have forgotten, but Zhang Lie didn''t even seem to treat the tournament as all that important.


    "You''re lucky, today''s thest day to register." Chu Feng sucked in a deep breath. It seemed as though he was more invested in Zhang Lie''s participation than Zhang Lie himself! "Come on, I''ll show you where to register."


    He beckoned Zhang Lie over as he squeezed through the crowd and walked toward the center of the cksteel settlement. Because only first-realm hunters were eligible to participate in the Void Cup, the registration was performed within the dimensional world, but the actualpetition itself would be on Earth.


    As they walked toward the hunters'' guild, a ratherzy hunter was dozing off in the midday heat. After all, it was thest day of registration, and just about all those hunters who were intending to participate had already registered.


    "Hello, may I ask¡ª"


    "If you''d like to register, please input the appropriate information on your microchip."


    "Can I register for my teammates too?"


    "As long as you''re the captain, and as long as your team''s registered with the settlement," the hunter replied without even raising his head.


    Zhang Lie breathed out in relief as he mentally transmitted the information through the microchip device he held in his hand.


    Team: Zenith


    Leader: Zhang Lie


    Members: Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng, Yang Ze, Zhou Ying


    When the device repeated the words verbally, the few people remaining in the guild hall stopped short and turned toward Zhang Lie, as did the hunter responsible for registering participants.


    "Did I fill something in incorrectly?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Ah, no! My goodness, Zhang Lie registered for the Void Cup after all!"


    "What are we going to do? Surely there''s no way we''ll be able to beat someone like him!"


    "What if we''re so unlucky that he''s the first participant we meet?"


    "Don''t worry. After all, we''re not hunters from Ning!"


    Hunters around the area instantly began to gossip with each other.


    Chu Feng sighed. Now that someone like Zhang Lie had registered, the eventual victor of the Void Cup seemed obvious.


    "Dragonwolf, why are you only registering now? You should have told me that you wereing to register earlier." The hunter responsible for the registration process was now grinning broadly at him, seemingly far more energetic now that he was with a celebrity hunter. In his urge to please Zhang Lie, he even ignored someone like Chu Feng, himself the young master of a major n.


    The Void Cup was apetition for first-realm hunters sponsored by the world federation, and was a means by which each country and the world federation itself could select top talent to cultivate.


    Hunters from all cities, countries, ands would be eligible, and thepetition itself would proceed over four stages: city-wide, country-wide,-wide, and realm-wide.


    "Ah, why was I born in Ning?!"


    "Without a doubt, the champion from Ning has been decided."


    "Forget it, forget it! The top three hunters from each city can advance. Let''s fight for second ce!"


    Many Ning hunters sighed upon finding out about the news, but by that time, Zhang Lie had long since returned to the real world. Compared to the Void Cup, he was far more concerned about the moonlight wyrm.


    "Look at how much he''s grown in such a short time! If only those elders had been willing to listen to me," Chu Feng sighed, ncing at his back.


    "Come now, brother, you''re a top hunter too, aren''t you? You''d better work hard, or soon even his teammates will surpass you!"


    "You brat, are you a member of the Chu n or the Zhang n?!" Chu Feng clicked his tongue at his little sister.


    "A member of the Chu n for now, but I''m sure I''ll be part of the Zhang n in the future!" she replied seriously, also gazing at Zhang Lie''s back.


    Once Zhang Lie returned to the Zenith Dojo, he informed everyone that he had registered them all for the Void Cup. Noticing that Sun Mengmeng was talking to a few strangers, he walked over.


    "Ah, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng immediately noticed him and beckoned him over, and the conversation paused as everyone turned to him.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang," the strangers greeted. They were in their thirties, wearing standard hunter''s armor, and, from their gic fluctuations, looked to be second-realm hunters.


    Sun Mengmeng exined that these were all hunters from Ning, who, like Zhang Lie, didn''t belong to any particr n.

 Chapter 165: Eve of the Cup

    <h4>Chapter 165: Eve of the Cup</h4>


    The reason the strangers hade to the Zenith Dojo was in search of a possible job. Coincidentally, the Zenith Dojo had just put up a post advertising openings for dojo instructors, and even though they were told that Zhang Lie wasn''t at the dojo, they had chosen to wait there patiently for him.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, it''s good to meet you. I''m Wang Li."


    "I''m Xu Xiu."


    "And I''m Ding Qiang."


    The three of them respectfully introduced themselves. Though they were older than Zhang Lie, they looked toward him with awe and admiration; after all, Zhang Lie was at a stage they simply couldn''t hope topare to in terms of strength.


    "Are all of you looking to be instructors at my Zenith Dojo?" Zhang Lie cut straight to the chase.


    "Yes. If possible, Dojo Leader Zhang, we would also like to receive training from you in your spare time," Xu Xiu answered.


    For the residents of the slums, Zhang Lie was a beacon of hope. He had managed so much starting from so little, and they wanted to learn how to do the same. If they could receive a few pointers from him, it would surely aid their development.


    "I''m happy to dispense advice and to ept you all as instructors, but there''s an irond rule of the Zenith Dojo that I intend for all disciples and instructors to follow. If you need to purge your framework and start over, would you still be willing to work here?"


    "Of course!" one of the three men responded instantly, followed swiftly by the other two.


    "In that case, the Zenith Dojo wees you all." Zhang Lie could see no reason not to provisionally ept them as instructors; of course, whether they would remain with the dojo would depend on their future performance.


    Wang Li, Xu Xiu, and Ding Qiang sighed in relief. In truth, they had already purged their frameworks before arriving here, and if Zhang Lie were to refuse them, they wouldn''t have known what to do. Fortunately, that worst-case scenario hadn''t urred.


    Sun Mengmeng quickly arranged lodgings for these new dojo instructors, and they would soon be assimted into dojo life.


    At the moment, the hunters of Team Zenith really were quite overworked¡ªthe surge of poprity that stemmed from Zhang Lie''s fame meant that they were overworked and understaffed, so the appearance of these dojo instructors was a godsend.


    Once everything was settled, Zhang Lie assembled them all to have a discussion about the Void Cup, which would happen one day hence. The hunters of Team Zenith showed up with fatigue evident on their faces.


    "Have you all forgotten about the Void Cup?" Zhang Lie suddenly asked, parroting what Chu Feng had asked him.


    The hunters of Team Zenith instantly perked up.


    "Ah, I''ve forgottenpletely!" Yang Ze eximed.


    "What do we do now, Captain?" Li Feng and Yang Ze were ?clutching at their heads.


    "Don''t worry. If the captain''s bringing it up now, I''m sure he''s already made proper arrangements for everything," Fang Yimented calmly.


    "Yes, I did. I was in the dimensional world today and learned that it was thest day for registration. We all barely made it in," Zhang Lie replied.


    Indeed, the hunters of Team Zenith would have been sorely disappointed to miss the Void Cup, the goal they had been striving toward for months. Not only would the winners be able to increase their faction''s reputation, they would even receive generous prizes from China and the world federation.


    "Besides the Void Cup, I have one additional matter to bring up." Zhang Lie''s expression turned serious, and the members of Team Zenith immediately paid him their full attention. "During the Void Cup, we''ll need to make a few trips to the Moonlit Pond."


    The Moonlit Pond! What could they be doing there? There was only one event of interest that they knew of: the appearance of the extremely strong lifeform living within it.


    Chu Feng and the others had teamed up to defend against that lifeform, but it had still managed to kill the young master of the Li n in a single blow. Had their captain really set their sights on it?


    "If you aren''t willing to participate, I won''t force you," Zhang Lie continued.


    "No, no! How could we be unwilling? We''ll follow you everywhere, Captain!"


    "Yes, Captain, your prey is our prey!"


    "Good, I''m d. I''ll let you know when I''ve decided when we''ll make our move. For now, focus on preparing for the Void Cup."


    Everyone''s eyes glinted. It was finally time to show the world what they had managed to make of themselves!


    As Team Zenith prepared for the tournament, so did the factions opposed to Zhang Lie. In the Long n manor at Lingnan, Long Xiao queried the gathered elders, "The Void Cup''s about to begin, yes?"


    "Yes, Head. Themencement ceremony is tomorrow," an elder quickly replied.


    "Has Zhang Lie registered?" Long Xiao''s expression was cid, his wrinkled face at ease.


    "He barely made it in time, Head," the elder sighed, clearly understanding the implications of his participation.


    Gathered at the meeting were the scions of the Long n, and their faces soured upon hearing the news.


    "Excellent! Since he''s daring enough to participate, then we''d better make sure he gets a good showing." Long Xiao''s aged face suddenly distorted, and frost and rime quickly crept up the walls of the conference room. Subject to an unusual pressure, the gathered elders and scions didn''t ?dare breathe.


    "Prepare for the Void Cup. I''ll handle matters involving Zhang Lie." The next moment, Long Xiao''s face returned to cidity, but the temperature of the conference room remained unnaturally cold. Following Long Xiao''smand, the Long elders and scions rushed out of the room, leaving a figure who slowly walked out of the shadows.


    "Figure out Zhang Lie''s whereabouts in the short term. I want you to kill him with a single blow!" Long Xiaomanded, with piercing killing intent in his eyes.


    "Yes, Head!" the figure responded politely, then returned to the shroud of darkness. Only then did Long Xiao smile in satisfaction.


    Two figures were slowly making their way to the Wang n in Ning, uneasily staring all around them, as if they were afraid of being spotted.


    "Yang, are you really going to trade this footage away?" Liu whispered to him.


    Yang was clutching a microchip in his hand containing the footage of Zhang Lie''s trial at the Ning branch of the dojo consortium. He had kept it safe and sound ever since the trial, but now that he was in need of money, he decided to sell it off. Over secret channels, he released news that he had detailed footage of Zhang Lie fighting against an opponent, and he was quickly contacted by members of the Wang n.


    "You know how much they''re willing to pay us, don''t you? Do you really want this footage to go unreleased?" Yang rolled his eyes at Liu. The price that the Wang n had offered him was far too high to be refused; if the transaction werepleted sessfully, neither of them would have to worry about working for the rest of their lives.


    Naturally, the two reporters were very tempted by this offer. In the end, Liu, like Yang, couldn''t resist the temptation. The two of them were brought within the Wang manor by Wang guards into a rather dim cottage, one from which they never walked out again.


    Wang Han stepped out of the door, his hands dripping with fresh blood, a microchip in his hands. His face lit up with a confident gleam. "Hand this to the assassination team. No matter what, we''ll have to seed this time around!"


    The guard peered into the room and swallowed a gulp of saliva. "I understand, Head. I''ll have it delivered immediately."


    "Have someone clean this cottage up. Feed whatever remains inside to the dogs!" Wang Han instructed his other guard as he wiped away the blood on his hands.


    That guard nodded and dashed off as well.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know, or care to know, what the Wang and Long ns were plotting. After all, he was steadily growing to the point where he simply wouldn''t have to worry about the ns at all. No matter how they tried to plot his demise, the only demise they would obtain would be their own.


    He was currently dividing his attention between the dojo''s affairs, Team Zenith, and special sessions at the ckwind Fort. The past two days had been nightmarish for the hunters of Team Zenith: Zhang Lie wanted them to ce in the top ten of the Void Cup, and they had no choice but to subject themselves to hellish training as a result.


    The next morning, at sunrise, the central za of Ning was crowded with people, hunters and regr citizens alike. The festivities heralded the start of the Void Cup, the citywide tournament...

 Chapter 166: The Citywide Stage Begins

    <h4>Chapter 166: The Citywide Stage Begins</h4>


    As the citywide stage of the Void Cup began, the hunters returned to the real world, and the dimensional world grew silent once more. Rays of shining green light shot out of the fountain in the central za of Ning, heralding the arrival of hundreds of airships. The gathered hunters made way for the new arrivals.


    "Is the military handling the Void Cup again?"


    "Who else do you think could handle this crowd?"


    The hunters chatted away as they watched the airshipsnd.


    Military personnel from the world federation and Chinese government stepped out of the airships. The first one down was a sparkling, white-robed elder, his body seemingly glowing from within and releasing holy light. His demeanor was calm and cid, and his beard white and wispy with age. He seemed like a sage from a bygone era.


    "Is this the world federation''s Elder Bai?"


    "Yes, apparently, he''s the host for the first elimination round to be held in Ning!"


    The gathered hunters continued to whisper to each other. Elder Bai was known as the top hunter in Ning, but he was apparently rather reticent.


    "Elder Bai, you''re here quite early!" Su Feng walked out from a nearby airship, his aura no less intimidating than Elder Bai''s.


    "You too, Commander Su," Elder Bai replied. From their interaction, it was quite clear that they were old acquaintances.


    "The Wang n has arrived!"


    "The Heaven''s me Dojo has arrived!"


    The Wang n and the Heaven''s me Dojo''s airships arrived in quick session. In order to guarantee the fairness of the Void Cup, the military would call for local factions to help co-chair the event, each cooperating and supervising the other party, in order to prevent any collusion, bribery, or discrimination during thepetition itself.


    Wang Han strode down his airship, his face cold. After greeting Elder Bai and Commander Su, he stood still, a grimace on his face. The leader of the Heaven''s me Dojo did much the same. As two of the top factions in Ning, they were naturally hoping for their disciples to give a good showing during the Void Cup, but their dreams were not to be.


    A particrly eye-catching member of the younger generation had dominated over them all; indeed, none of the other hunters couldpare to the brilliance he gave off.


    "Since everyone''s gathered here already, shall wemence with the trial?" Elder Bai asked, looking around him.


    "Of course," Wang Han replied.


    Elder Bai nodded. After Elder Bai and Su Feng each gave a speech, the citywide tournament began in earnest; the hunters remained silent as they watched the proceedings.


    "Captain, it looks like our debut will be near the end of the tournament, and there''s no need for us to be rushing there now," Sun Xiaowu grumbled. Would that he could be the first on stage, the first to show off his newfound strength! He was deted just thinking of howte he would be presenting.


    "No need? Of course we need to be there early! It''s a valuable opportunity to observe how ourpetitors fight¡ªone of the only chances we have to obtain firsthand information!" Sun Mengmeng corrected him.


    "What? You mean it''s better to go near the end?"


    "Of course! You don''t want to go first," Sun Mengmeng emphasized.


    "That''s true. No one would want to reveal their trump cards early, so those hunters fighting at the beginning could easily be blindsided. Of course, the worst-case scenario is if they have to fight against stronger hunters. In that case, they''d either lose or reveal too much of their abilities beforehand." Fang Yi took over the analysis.


    "There''s this much that we should be considering?" Sun Xiaowu gasped in surprise, as did Li Feng and Yang Ze.


    Zhang Lie mentally shook his head. The members of Team Zenith might have gotten somebat experience, but they still hadn''t maturedpletely as hunters. It seemed as though he would have to train them more regarding suchpetitions.


    "In that case, who''s up during the first round of matches?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Sun Mengmeng quickly pulled up the roster and began analyzing it. She suddenly eximed, "Ah, the captain''s going up in the first batch!"


    This time, even Zhang Lie was caught unaware. He was part of the first group ofpetitors? In truth, he hadn''t paid close attention to the roster. Once he heard Sun Mengmeng''s exmation, he immediately pulled up a copy of his own.


    The first round of the citywide tournament was a simple one-on-one elimination stage, with the victors progressing to the next round. To ensure that hunters didn''t get eliminated early on due to bad luck, there were still a few losers'' brackets avable for those who lost in the first round. The tournament structure was designed to favor strength far more than luck.


    There were two thousand hunters participating in each batch of fights, and Zhang Lie was in the first batch.


    I almost missed registration, and now I''m almost going to miss the first match, too??Zhang Lie wondered at his luck.


    Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi found it quite curious that Zhang Lie would be ted to participate at the very beginning; after all,given his reputation, they were sure that his fight would be moved nearer the end.


    With a big boom, a set of fireworks shot into the air, and a beam of green light pierced the heavens.


    "The Void Cup''s begun!" Sun Mengmeng cried out.


    "We have to hurry, or the captain will miss his fight!" Fang Yi urged, as the hunters ran toward the za.


    The matches would take ce on an aerial stage that hovered in ce above the za. The stage gradually segmented into a thousand pieces, one for each pair ofpetitors. Above them all were Su Feng and the others, there to oversee thepetition.


    "The Void Cup will now begin!" Elder Bai announced. The stage shone brightly, filling the entire city with light.


    Su Feng and Wang Han both nced around, and Wang Han bit down on his lips. Zhang Lie was to be among the first batch ofpetitors.


    "The first round of the citywide stage will be by elimination. There are a thousand arenas in all, numbered from #1 to #1000! The winner of each match will remain to face winners of other matches; the losers will subsequently enter a losers'' bracket to face off against other losers," Elder Bai continued.


    "Just as in past years, we''ll still have a chance to advance even if we lose the first round!"


    "That said, with Zhang Lie around, don''t dream of taking first ce."


    "Who knows? What if he chooses not to participate in the tournament?"


    The hunters began whispering to each other.


    "Let''s begin, Elder Bai. I''m sure all thepetitors gathered here are quite familiar with the Void Cup by now," Su Feng murmured.


    Elder Bai shook his head. It was true that the rules hadn''t changed for quite some time, but he was still obligated to read them out at the very beginning.


    "First batch ofpetitors, ready up!" he shouted.


    Piercing green light shot into the skies amidst a wave of gic energy. When the intensity of the light reached a crescendo, a green beam shot out of each of the thousand stage fragments.


    Behind Elder Bai, a holographic screen rose up, announcing thepetitors that would be participating on each stage fragment. Among the first batch, one specific name stood out: the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!


    His opponent seemed to be a hunter from a rtively small n, Li Sanqing.


    Severalpetitors sighed in relief.


    "What an unlucky hunter, to be facing off against Zhang Lie in his first match!"


    "Ha, looks like I''ll be able to ascend to the second match safely, then."


    "I wonder how the Wang n feels about all this? They''ve dominated the citywide stage of the tournament in the past, but now..."


    Li Sanqing gritted his teeth and sighed. It looked as though he would have no choice but to focus on doing well during the elimination stage.


    .


    "Competitors, ascend to the stage!" Elder Bai raised his arm.


    The green glow emanating from each stage fragment would cut off once the namedpetitors had made it onto each fragment. Most fragments were no longer shining with light; notably, however, the first one still was.


    On the first stage fragment, Li Sanqing''s forehead beaded with sweat as he urgently awaited the arrival of hispetitor.


    "Where''s Zhang Lie?" some of thepetitors in the subsequent batches murmured to each other.


    Zhang Lie was ted to fight on the first stage fragment.


    As Li Sanqing nced around nervously, he suddenly froze. If Zhang Lie had been present at the scene, the burgeoning burst of green light would have teleported him up to his associated stage fragment.


    However, the fact that Zhang Lie still hadn''t appeared meant that he was either not at the scene or had chosen to back out of thepetition. Thetter was unlikely, so there was only one possibility: had Zhang Lie forgotten about the tournament?


    Li Sanqing gaped in disbelief. If that were the case, he would win this match without doing a thing!

 Chapter 167: Winning Without a Fight

    <h4>Chapter 167: Winning Without a Fight</h4>


    "Che, Li Sanqing''s got it lucky this time around!" several hunters groused, wondering just where Zhang Lie was.


    "If Zhang Lie doesn''t show up, ording to the rules, he''ll be disqualified from the Void Cup," Elder Bai murmured, as if reminding Su Feng of something.


    Su Feng felt an impending headache; Zhang Lie had informed him that he would be attending¡ªhad he really forgotten? This was an opportunity that most first-realm hunters could only dream of, so was he really going to forfeit it?


    "One minute remains before the start of the first match. Allpetitors who don''t make it in time will be disqualified!" Elder Bai announced, and a timer appeared on the screen to his back. Most of thepetitors had already ascended to their respective stage fragments, and the match was already underway on those fragments that already had both designatedpetitors on them.


    "Hurry, hurry!" Lin Sanqing murmured, ncing at the timer, praying that it would count down even more quickly.


    In that case, he would be able to win his match without doing anything.


    "There are only thirty seconds left. I don''t suppose thatd will show up at this point," Su Feng sighed. It was true that Zhang Lie had no need to prove his strength at the Void Cup, but the rewards for the top participants were certainlyvish enough to be worthwhile. Didn''t he care about them? What a headache-inducing fellow!


    "Has Zhang Lie not arrived?" Elder Bai asked. Thepetitors below breathed a sigh of relief: it looked as though he really wasn''ting.


    "I''m here, I''m here!" Just then, as the timer disyed fifteen seconds remaining, seven figures rushed into the za, the seven members of Team Zenith. Thepetitors, who had just sighed in relief, sucked in a breath again. Why did Zhang Lie have to arrive at the veryst moment?!


    Lin Sanqing, who heard themotion even from the stage fragment above the crowd, barely avoided fainting. He thought himself unlucky to be matched with Zhang Lie, then lucky again to almost win the first match without any effort, and now...


    "Hurry up! What are you thinking, beingte to such an important asion!" Su Feng snapped, then nced pityingly at Li Sanqing.


    Zhang Lie darted toward the beam of light, which teleported him to his stage fragment. By then, Li Sanqing''s knees were trembling, and he had lost all motivation to fight. His opponent was the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, the hunter who had defeated thousands of hunters from the Li and Long ns in one fell swoop, who had manipted the five major ns of the cksteel settlement!


    As Zhang Lie walked toward the stage, he began to stretch. As he warmed up, he released a suffocating aura, one so dense that Li Sanqing was finding it difficult to breathe. "It''s been a while since Ist exercised," he murmured to himself, but Li Sanqing seemed to interpret his casual wordspletely differently.


    From his perspective, it seemed likely that Zhang Lie might y around with him, like a cat with a mouse, and the more he thought about it, the more gruesome the images in his mind seemed to get.


    "Hello, I''m Zhang Lie," Zhang Lie greeted hispetitor warmly. After all, this was meant to be a friendly match, and he had no conflict with Li Sanqing. Furthermore, Li Sanqing was about as strong as a kid to him, so he didn''t think he would have to take this match very seriously.


    When they saw him smile, however, thepetitors avidly watching his match from down below all had a strange expression on their face. There was one memorable asion on which they could remember him smiling in this fashion: right before the opening of the Zenith Dojo, a prelude to the bloodshed that had followed almost immediately after.


    "I surrender!" Li Sanqing howled out, his heart palpitating.


    The hunters below gaped in shock.


    "Damn it, he''s giving up just like that? It''s only the first match!"


    "Well, of course he would¡ªhis opponent''s the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie! It''s a logical decision, isn''t it? If I were matched up against him, I''d surrender without even getting on stage!"


    "He''s rather unlucky, isn''t he?"


    The crowd didn''t seem surprised by the oue of this match.


    "Li Sanqing, are you certain? If you lose this match, you''ll have to enter the losers'' bracket!" Elder Bai wasn''t surprised at his decision, either. After all, it was a strategic choice for hunters to concede if they didn''t think they could defeat their opponent; it would allow them to conserve their energy and keep their true strength hidden.


    "Yes, Elder Bai!" Li Sanqing replied. Who would be willing to fight against a hunter like Zhang Lie?


    None of the Wang, Qin, or Long ns had managed to take down Zhang Lie, so how could Li Sanqing dream of doing what they couldn''t? Zhang Lie was a calm, decisive hunter who had so many tricks up his sleeves that Li Sanqing was shuddering just thinking about them.


    "You surrender?" Zhang Lie was somewhat bbergasted: the Void Cup was a precious opportunity for every hunter in the first realm, and he certainly wasn''t going to do anything to hispetitor, so...


    "Farewell!" Li Sanqing hurriedly fled off the stage.


    The winner on the first stage fragment was none other than Zhang Lie!


    Li Sanqing''s timely surrender caused Zhang Lie''s name to appear in green on the screen behind Elder Bai. Because everyone else was still in the middle of their matches, despite the fact that Zhang Lie was thestpetitor to start his match, he was the first to finish, and he again became the center of attention.


    "Captain, you''re amazing! Your opponent was so scared of you that he surrendered before even facing you!" Sun Xiaowu shouted as Zhang Lie walked back to the other members of Team Zenith, his eyes gleaming.


    The others all nodded.


    "Don''t worry about me. All of you should be studying yourpetitors!" Zhang Lie advised them.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others nced at their rosters and began pulling up information on the opponents they were about to face.


    On the other hand, because Zhang Lie had been in the first batch of hunters and had won his first match, he wouldn''t have to worry about another match until the afternoon.


    "The second batch, on stage fragment #451, Sun Mengmeng VS Yang Piaopiao!" Sun Mengmeng took a deep breath as she stepped toward the green beam of light.


    "Good luck, Sis!"


    "Good luck, Mengmeng!"


    Team Zenith cheered for her as she departed.


    "Captain, do you think Sun Mengmeng will be able to make it?" Everyone turned to Zhang Lie.


    Sun Mengmeng was a skilled hunter, and she had both experienced a foundational breakthrough and consumed Potion #1. In theory, her stats would be even stronger than Chu Feng or Yun Bing''s.


    Furthermore, with Zhang Lie''s help in selecting appropriate soulshards and techniques, defeating her opponent, Yang Piaopiao, should have been a piece of cake for her. However, Yang Piaopiao was from the Sound''s Maestro Dojo, which was known for its unusual aural attacks that tended to catch opponents unawares.


    Although Sun Mengmeng had somebat experience, she had hardly trained against anyone well-versed in such attacks.


    "Sound waves take some time to travel, so if Sun Mengmeng were tounch an attack immediately, she can surely defeat her opponent, but if she were to hesitate and allow her opponent to saturate the field in sound, winning would be far more challenging," Zhang Lie analyzed. Either way, however, he was confident in Sun Mengmeng''s abilities.


    Sun Mengmeng stepped on stage almost at the same moment her opponent did, a brte with long, wavy hair and a guzheng in herp.


    As a member of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng naturally drew attention to herself.


    "Sun Mengmeng, may I ask if you''re a member of Team Zenith?" Yang Piaopiao greeted her politely, as though she were a fan meeting an idol.


    .


    "Yes!" Sun Mengmeng smiled, even as she began to circte her gic energy.


    "Miss Sun, would you give me a chance to show off my talents? I wouldn''t want to lose too badly in front of you! What if Iposed a song for you?" Yang Piaopiao stretchedzily, revealing her wless body, as she sought to capture Sun Mengmeng''s attention.


    "I''m sorry, but this is a battle arena, not a performance stage. Take this!" Sun Mengmeng, almost wholly unaffected by her gestures, loosed an arrow almost as she spoke, an arrow materializing in her right palm and her firebird bow in her left.


    A phoenix''s screech shook the stage fragment as it shot toward Yang Piaopiao.


    "Ah!!" Yang Piaopiao clearly didn''t expect that her opponent would attack so suddenly and decisively. She let out an enraged shout as gic energy exploded out of her and she began to counterattack. The crisp, clear notes of a guzheng sounded from her instrument, each note causing her concentration to break for a moment. "[Beasts'' Lament]!"


    "Look! They''ve begun fighting!" Sun Xiaowu shouted from below. Everyone in Team Zenith focused on the stage fragment on which Sun Mengmeng was located.


    The phoenix''s screech and the howling of a menagerie of beasts shook the arena as fire- and wind-attuned gic energy shed with each other. Yang Piaopiao stumbled back, the song she was ying on her guzheng having been forcibly terminated. In terms of quality and quantity of gic energy, Yang Piaopiao was naturally no match for Sun Mengmeng.


    Sun Mengmeng clenched her teeth and bore with the pain in her head long enough to shoot three arrows toward Yang Piaopiao. Her gaze cold, Yang Piaopiao vanished from sight like a specter, but before she could do sopletely, Sun Mengmeng dashed forward like a lioness.


    As two waves of gic energy dissipated into the air, Sun Mengmeng, holding onto Yang Piaopiao''s neck with one hand, appeared in front of everyone''s sight.


    "The winner of stage fragment #451¡ªSun Mengmeng!"

 Chapter 168: Sun Li, Crushed

    <h4>Chapter 168: Sun Li, Crushed</h4>


    "How could this be?" Yang Piaopiao could barely believe her eyes. She had just activated a superior-grade stealth-type soulshard, and her opponent should have been unable to pinpoint her location.


    However, Sun Mengmeng had somehow dashed forward and taken her down before she could vanishpletely! Wasn''t this woman supposed to be a long-ranged attacker? Why did she have such supetive close-range abilities as well?


    Against her, Yang Piaopiao hadn''t even survived three blows! Just what sort of monsters were hiding in Team Zenith?!


    "Your soulshard''s ability isn''t bad, but it takes too long to activate. Furthermore, you''re not the only one with a soulshard," Sun Mengmeng pointed out, noticing how perplexed her opponent seemed to be. "As long as you''re still alive, as long as your body''s giving off heat, I''ll be able to find you in an instant."


    The spectators below couldn''t help but stare at Sun Mengmeng. They realized then that Zhang Lie wasn''t the only strong hunter in Team Zenith, and that Sun Mengmeng was also an opponent to be wary of.


    After the end of the match, she and Yang Piaopiao bowed to each other before returning to the stands.


    "Sis, you''re way too strong!"


    "Right, you managed to grab that woman after just two or three blows!"


    Sun Xiaowu, Yang Ze, and the others swarmed her after the fight, asking about her experience.


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head; she wasn''tpletely pleased with her own performance, and there were quite a few errors that she had realized after reviewing the fight in her head.


    For quite a while afterwards, no hunter from Team Zenith was called to the stage. Instead, quite a few hunters from the major ns stepped forward, and many of them advanced sessfully to the next round.


    In the blink of an eye, as morning turned to noon, the seventh batch ofpetitors was finally called to the stage, Fang Yi from Team Zenith among them.


    "On stage fragment #9, Fang Yi VS Sun Li!"


    The appearance of Fang Yi and Sun Li, from the Heaven''s me Dojo, on screen caused amotion to erupt from the stands down below.


    "It''s your turn, Fang Yi!" Zhang Lie announced, pping him on the shoulder. His rxed tone left Fang Yi surprisingly at ease.


    In truth, Sun Li was likely the hardest opponent that any member of Team Zenith would face this round. He was the first-ranked hunter in the Tianzhou settlement, as well as a core disciple of the Heaven''s me Dojo, with strengthparable to one of the young n heads from the major ns of the capital.


    The Heaven''s me dojo leader frowned at the matchup, but ultimately sighed in relief.


    Sun Li was one of the strongest disciples he had trained in recent years, and he was expecting a good showing from him during the Void Cup¡ªthough necessarily one that would be diminished by the unexpected presence of Zhang Lie.


    "Go, Sun Li! Let those hunters of Ning realize that the Zenith Dojo isn''t the only dojo around!" the Heaven''s me dojo leadermanded, a hint of indignance in his tone.


    The opening of the Zenith Dojo had marked disaster for the other dojos in Ning, but those dojo leaders didn''t dare do anything to Zhang Lie, the hunter who had discovered the existence of limit fragments. He was backed by the Chinese military itself, and they feared the retribution they would receive if they dared do anything to him.


    However, the Void Cup would be an excellent opportunity to diminish the Zenith Dojo''s reputation. If Sun Li could defeat Fang Yi, it would show that the Zenith Dojo was inferior to the Heaven''s me Dojo.


    Nevertheless, recalling Sun Mengmeng''s performance from earlier, the Heaven''s me dojo leader hastily added to Sun Li, "Don''t look down on your opponent too much. Ensure victory at all cost!"


    Sun Li inhaled deeply. He recalled Yang Piaopiao''s fight; he would give this match his all. "Don''t worry, Dojo Leader. I''ll make sure everyone''s talking about the Heaven''s me dojo!"


    Sun Li stepped into the beam of light and appeared on stage fragment #9.


    On another part of the stands, Zhang Lie casually told Fang Yi, "Go on, Fang Yi! That hunter''s no match for you."


    He didn''t lower his voice, and the hunters gathered nearby all looked toward him curiously. It was clear just how confident Zhang Lie was in Fang Yi''s strength.


    Fang Yi nodded, his confidence significantly boosted by Zhang Lie''s words, as he stepped toward the beam of light and was teleported to stage fragment #9.


    The twopetitors nced at each other, and the atmosphere became suddenly tense.


    The Heaven''s me dojo leader clenched a fist. Based on Sun Mengmeng''s performance just now, he knew that the members of Team Zenith would be a force to be reckoned with. Despite Sun Li''s talent, he was still a little worried.


    On the other hand, neither Zhang Lie nor the rest of his team seemed at all worried about the oue of the fight. Fang Yi had always taken on the role of an attacker during Team Zenith''s coordinated fights. In terms of pure strength, he wasparable to Sun Mengmeng and superior to the other members.


    Fang Yi, his obsidian spear in his palm, bowed to his opponent as he analyzed him.


    Even before they had exchanged any blows, Sun Li''s heart was already starting to quail.


    Fang Yi, who stood immobile, seemed like a bolt of lightning hiding amidst the dark clouds of a thunderstorm. The moment he moved, he would strike fast, true, and hard, and it felt as though nothing Sun Li did would deter him.


    What sort of pressure was this? He was Sun Li, favored disciple of the Heaven''s me Dojo! How could he be feeling such intense pressure from a hunter from the same generation? No, he had to be mistaken!


    "Sun Li, from the Heaven''s me Dojo!" Sun Li forced himself to remain calm as he introduced himself and stared alertly at Fang Yi.


    He was so overwhelmed by Fang Yi''s aura that he didn''t dare make the first move. Sensing his opponent''s hesitation, Fang Yi stepped forward. His eyes glowed golden, snakes of lightning crackled over his skin, and a gale of wind suddenly seized the arena. "Take this! [Rondo of Wind and Storm]!"


    "A dual wind and lightning attunement?" Sun Li cried out in shock. His skin turned a ming red as he darted toward the edge of the arena, moving so quickly he left afterimages in his wake.


    Fang Yi strode forward, wrapped up in a maelstrom of wind and thunder, thrusting forward with his spear. The wind howled; lightning crackled; the green glow of light forming the stage shook and fizzled.


    The entire stage fragment was overwhelmed by the storm, and Sun Li felt like a leaf caught in its midst. He had no choice but to flee, but though he was fast, Fang Yi''s spear was faster. Sun Li''s body crashed to the ground. The moment right before his attacknded, Fang Yi''s eyes widened, and he forcibly tried to blunt his attack, but Sun Li still spat out a mouthful of blood in midair.


    The moment hended, with Fang Yi''s spear pointing at his throat, Sun Li cried out, "I surrender!"


    Fang Yi stowed his spear. "Thank you for the fight."


    Everything seemed to happen in a blink of an eye; by the time the spectating hunters watching the fight realized what was going on, the fight was already over!


    "What?! What did I just see? ?Sun Li was defeated in an instant, just like that!"


    "I saw it too¡ªwe aren''t dreaming, are we?"


    "Is every member of Team Zenith like that? If even Sun Li fell so quickly, is there any chance left for us?"


    The oue of the fight caused a hugemotion. The spectators had expected a long, drawn-out fight between the two parties, and most of them even favored Sun Li. Who would have expected that Fang Yi would defeat Sun Li in a single, devastating blow?


    The Heaven''s me dojo leader''s face turned dark: Sun Li was a core disciple of the dojo, and his loss was the dojo''s loss. Furthermore, Sun Li hadn''t lost to Zhang Lie, but rather to one of his teammates! The dojo leader felt as though he had been pped in the face with umon force.


    Overseeing the fights, Wang Han grimaced. Zhang Lie was bad enough, but would he have to worry about Team Zenith as well? Just what sort of team was this? None of the hunters in it were famous, but all of them seemed unusually strong. How had Zhang Lie managed to assemble such a team? The stronger Zhang Lie and his team was, the more dire the situation would be for the younger generation of the Wang n!


    "The winner of stage fragment #9¡ªFang Yi!"


    Sun Li''s face was pale white, and he was still panting somewhat from exertion. He had felt death looking him in the eye during Fang Yi''s attack; if Fang Yi hadn''t reduced the strength of his blow in time, Sun Li would likely have died.


    Sun Li knew that he had lost, well and truly. In control over the battlefield, in the umtion of gic energy, in the masterful use of his techniques¡ªFang Yi was superior to Sun Li in all these areas. Against Fang Yi''s devastating blow, he didn''t even have a chance to show off his strength.


    He struggled to stand up. "Thank you for your mercy."


    ncing at the stage, the dojo leader of the Heaven''s me Dojo spat out, "Trash, useless piece of trash!" As an experienced hunter in his own right, he could sense that Fang Yi''s attack was more bluster than anything else, but that alone was sufficient for Sun Li''s mental defenses to crumble. If Sun Li had attacked, he might still have lost, but the fight certainly wouldn''t have been so one-sided.


    His aura once again restrained, Fang Yi returned to his unassuming, reserved self, but none of the hunters who had watched the fight could forget how he had looked in battle.


    Sun Li bowed, then returned to the stands without a word.


    The seventh batch ofpetitors was thest batch to be called up that morning. After Fang Yi returned to the stands, Elder Bai announced a break. The tournament would resume at 2 PM.


    The hunters gathered at the stands slowly left the za, some heading to a hotel or their residence to rest, and others searching for a secluded location to prepare themselves for the fights thaty ahead.

 Chapter 169: VS Wang Xuan

    <h4>Chapter 169: VS Wang Xuan</h4>


    Zhang Lie and the others also found a bar in which to rest. The bar was ying soothing ambient music, which they found surprisingly rxing. At present, Zhang Lie, Sun Mengmeng, and Fang Yi had all advanced to the next round, with Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng, Zhou Ying, and Yang Ze still awaiting their first fight.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t very worried about Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying, who had all moved to Ning and were in the same citywide stage as him. He believed that they would all easily make it to the nationwide stage. The hunter he was most concerned about was Yang Ze, who was on Mars. He wasn''t a particrly valued member of his n, and Zhang Lie was worried that he would be bullied and tricked out of his rightful victory because of it.


    Fortunately, Yang Ze called them almost right after they had sat down to inform them that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and that he would be participating in the tournament as usual in the afternoon.


    After hanging up, Zhang Lie turned to the three hunters who had yet to fight. "Well? Have you all found some information about your opponents?"


    "My opponent''s some unknown figure who hasn''t even maxed out his superior gene fragments. I''m sure I''ll win easily!" Sun Xiaowu announced.


    On the other hand, Li Feng and Zhou Ying both seemed rather anxious.


    "My opponent''s Wang Xuan, the young master of the Wang n from Ning. I''m afraid I have a tough match ahead of me," Li Feng murmured diffidently.


    After all, before he met Zhang Lie, he was nothing more than a regr hunter. Under no circumstances would he ever end uppeting against a young master of a major n.


    "Li Feng, what''re you afraid of? Let me tell you this: in brute strength alone, you surely outss your opponent. So, listen up¡ªdon''t back down now. Make sure that you win your match cleanly and quickly. This is an order! Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Captain!" Li Feng was essentially suffering from a mild case of stage fright, and Zhang Lie''smand would give him something to focus his attention before and during the match.


    As long as he could exhibit his normal strength, Li Feng would surely win the fight against Wang Xuan. After all, Li Feng''s framework was mythic-grade, and he dominated over his opponent in terms of raw gene fragments as well.


    Zhang Lie then turned to Zhou Ying, who hung her head. Her opponent, Situ Hong, was likewise a strong fellow, a favored disciple from the Scorched me Dojo, one of the top three dojos in Ning. Most importantly, her opponent''s framework was fire-attuned, and the elemental disadvantage was quite concerning to her.


    With Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi already having won their matches, and Yang Ze and Sun Xiaowu confident in winning theirs, she felt more and more pressure to seed, lest she drag the rest of the team down. As a result, she was even more reticent than usual.


    "Zhou Ying, you aren''t worse than any of the hunters present here. Don''t forget how much you''ve been trainingtely! Do your best. Regardless of whether you win or lose, we''ll all support you. I''ve watched you fight, and I''m confident that you''ll be able to surmount this obstacle and obtain a rightful victory."


    For Zhou Ying, it was far more important that Zhang Lie relieve her stress than to add to it.


    Zhou Ying''s eyes brightened. Her captain was right¡ªshe knew just how much she had struggled, how much additional work she had put in, to keep up with everyone else. That work amounted to something, didn''t it?


    Everyone else was taking great strides forward¡ªshe could do the same!


    "I''m confident that we''ll all make it to the top ten of the citywide stage, at the very least. There''s no doubt about it!"


    Zhang Lie''s promation stoked everyone''s fighting spirit.


    At 2 PM, the za was once again filled with thepetitors for the Void Cup.


    "n Head Wang, if I remember correctly, your trump card''s fighting in the eighth batch, isn''t he?" the Heaven''s me dojo leader asked, from where they were seated in the VIP stands.


    However, Wang Han''s face turned dark. Every n head would train worthy sessors in the next generation, including the Wang n. The Void Cup was an important affair for securing n prestige, one that Wang Han wasn''t going to give up on, but the circumstances didn''t seem to be in his favor.


    "What''s the matter, n Head Wang? Aren''t you interested in having a scion of yours win the citywide stage of the tournament?" the Heaven''s me dojo leader continued prodding at him.


    The winner? Was this meant to be a veiled insult? With a bastard like Zhang Lie around, how could Wang Xuan hope to be the victor of the citywide stage? At most, he would get second ce.


    Veins throbbed on Wang Han''s forehead. Just as he was about to respond with an insult of his own, Su Feng slowly walked over, and the rather barbed conversation between Wang Han and the Heaven''s me dojo leader naturally drew to a close.


    "The eighth batch ofpetitors shall ascend to the stage!" Elder Bai shouted from above the za. An illuminated holographic screen once again appeared behind him, and the thousand stage fragments hovered in the air.


    "On stage fragment #35, Li Feng VS Wang Xuan!"


    Wang Han jolted when he saw Wang Xuan''s opponent.


    Li Feng?! Li Feng wasn''t a hunter from Ning, and neither Wang Xuan nor Wang Han knew anything about him. Li Feng had only moved to Ning recently after deciding to be one of Zhang Lie''s followers, as had Sun Mengmeng, Zhou Ying, Sun Xiaowu, and Fang Yi.


    "Wang Xuan? Who''s he?"


    "You don''t know Wang Xuan? He''s at the top of the gene leaderboard in the ckgold settlement!"


    "He''s the young head of the Wang n¡ªalmost no one has ever seen him fight, and he''s a mysterious figure even to hunters from his settlement!"


    "In that case, why is he ranked #1?"


    "Well, because that''s what the will of the dimensional world evaluated him as, of course!"


    "In that case, he''s pretty much guaranteed to win?"


    "Guaranteed to win? No, no, of course not! Don''t you know just who he''s facing? Li Feng, from Team Zenith!"


    You know, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s own team!"


    "What?! In that case, we''d better watch that fight!"


    A young man in blood-red armor strode out from the ranks of the Wang delegation, his features so perfect he could have passed for a doll.


    "Stage fragment #35," Wang Xuan murmured to himself, then headed to the corresponding beam of green light.


    Li Feng swallowed. The nerves that he had been suppressing threatened to rise up; after all, Wang Xuan was, just like Chu Feng and Yun Bing, a young n head of a major n. Nevertheless, Li Feng took a deep breath, fixed his gaze ahead of him, and stepped boldly into the beam of light.


    Two figures appeared on stage fragment #35.


    Li Feng took another deep breath, still feeling somewhat unsettled deep inside him.


    "What a pity. I wanted to fight against Zhang Lie!" Wang Xuan began, ncing at Li Feng disdainfully, as though he were no more than an ant.


    "You? Just who do you think you are?" Li Feng slowly clenched his fist, a look of fury darting across his face.


    "I suppose I''ll just have to settle the Wang n''s blood feud with you first!" Wang Xuan snarled. He stepped forward without the usual pleasantries. Gic energy exploded from him as he leapt forward, a punch heading straight for Li Feng''s face.


    "Despicable!" Li Feng shouted. Light shing by his feet, he too made his move. Allegedly, once mastered, his footwork technique [Daybreak] could allow him to move at a speed close to that of light itself. He darted away in a sh of white light, causing Wang Xuan''s sneak attack to miss.


    "Ah, he''s improved quite a fair bit since thest time we sparred!" Even Zhang Lie was surprised by the extent of Li Feng''s mobility. He was so quick that Wang Xuan simply couldn''t react in time to his actions.


    "Of course! He''s been training day in and out for thispetition!" Sun Xiaowu pumped his fist into the air.


    Wang Xuan grimaced, unable to bear the humiliation of being unable to catch his opponent. He realized that it would be useless to try to chase after Li Feng, so he stopped moving and touched his palms to the floor of the stage instead. "[The Earth Beckons: Terrestrial Wave]!"


    With a dull thump, a mud-yellow glow radiated from the stage, and ripple after ripple of gic energy spread across it.


    Li Feng, who was racing away, suddenly felt a force tug on his feet, causing him to stumble. He turned around to see Wang Xuan narrowing his eyes at him: he was clearly the culprit behind this unnatural attack.


    "Is running all you can do?" An arrogant expression back on his face now that he had managed to subdue Li Feng with a single blow, Wang Xuan materialized a two-handed giant axe. "[The Earth Beckons: Tremorquake]!"


    The ground began to shudder, and Wang Xuan bellowed and stomped forward after having transformed into a red bull.


    "Ah, what''s Li Feng going to do now! He''s trapped, and Wang Xuan''s heading straight for him!"


    The hunters watching the match all gasped. Sun Xiaowu frowned, worried for Li Feng.


    As the bull charged toward him, Li Feng suddenly felt a measure of unease. Can I really defend myself against a blow like this?


    Given the momentum with which the bull was charging toward him, Li Feng would surely be heavily injured or worse if he allowed the blow to connect. As he felt the full force of the bull''s aura, Li Feng shuddered.


    "Die!" Wang Han''s beady eyes gazed coldly at Li Feng. Thisbination attack was his signature attack: he would first freeze his opponents with [Terrestial Wave], then charge at them with his transformation-type soulshard. Wang Han was eagerly anticipating the visceral joy of goring Li Feng with his sharp horns.


    "You can do it!" Suddenly, Zhang Lie''s affirmation broke through the terror that rooted Li Feng and sapped his fighting spirit.


    "No! I can''t lose! I won''t lose! I''m a member of Team Zenith!" An explosion of gic energy erupted from Li Feng. His body gleamed with resplendent, silvery armor, followed by a thickyer of dragon scales. His fists began to glow with spots of white light. "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    The moment right before impact, Li Feng pushed forward with two shining palms.

 Chapter 170: Past and Present

    <h4>Chapter 170: Past and Present</h4>


    Red and white gic energy bisected the stage fragment where Wang Xuan and Li Feng met.


    "Is this all you''ve got?" Wang Xuan smiled, his eyes filled with disdain. Was his opponent really going to try to block his charge with his bare hands? He might as well be asking to die!


    In truth, [Arclight Dragon''s Imprint] was a close-ranged body-focused framework, and Li Feng didn''t think that he would lose in such a confrontation. He grabbed the bull by the horns. Rays of light radiated from his palms, dyeing Wang Xuan''s vision white.


    "What? This is impossible! How could this be?!" Wang Xuan, struck by a palpable beam of white light, was flung away like a kite whose string had snapped. His bull transformation was forcibly canceled in midair; he struck the green barrier that marked the stage fragment''s edge before falling to the ground with a wheeze.


    The audience below gaped at the sight.


    "What''s going on? Wang Xuan lost in a single blow too? But how? He''s the top hunter in the ckgold settlement, whereas Li Feng was nameless before this match!"


    "Wang Xuan couldn''t evenst two blows against him? Damn, just how strong is Team Zenith?"


    The oue of the fight and the disparity between the two hunters was so obvious that it led to another wave ofmotion. Zhang Lie and Team Zenith were simply too strong! Both Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had won their respective matches with ease, and they naturally drew attention because of it.


    Even Elder Bai and Su Feng seemed a little shocked by Li Feng''s performance, especially considering that his opponent was Wang Xuan, who was being groomed to be the next Wang n head.


    "The winner of stage fragment #35¡ªLi Feng!"


    Li Feng himself was rather confused by what was going on. What had happened? How had his opponent lost so quickly? He had onlyunched one attack!


    "You, Li Feng, on stage fragment #35! What are you still doing up there? Are you waiting for the next batch ofpetitors?" Elder Bai called out with a smile, prompting Li Feng to rush back into the stands.


    Even the other members of Team Zenith seemed shocked by the ease with which he had won his battle.


    "What''s going on? Wasn''t Wang Xuan supposed to be a strong hunter? He couldn''t even take a single blow from Li Feng!" Sun Xiaowu murmured.


    "And it wasn''t even a blow at full power! You all saw how little time Li Feng had to charge up his technique," Zhou Ying added.


    Wang Xuan seemed far weaker than was rumored.


    "Is Wang Xuan really on the same level as Chu Feng and the others? I felt as though I could push him back with barely any force at all!"


    Li Feng nced curiously at his palms. Hearing his words, Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying were both increasingly convinced of Wang Xuan''s weakness.


    On the other hand, those hunters who were seated beside Team Zenith couldn''t help but spasm when they overheard the conversation. Wang Xuan was a weak hunter?! Did these hunters from Team Zenith not have a sense of just how extraordinary they were?


    "You all think that Wang Xuan''s weak?" Fang Yi asked casually, after the other members of Team Zenith all settled on that conclusion.


    Everyone but Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng turned to Fang Yi.


    Li Feng replied, "He is, isn''t he? I only used about two-thirds of my strength during thatst attack, but he still wasn''t able to counter it!"


    "No, you''re all wrong. It''s not Wang Xuan who''s too weak, but rather you, Li Feng, who''s too strong! Count how many gene fragments you have, as well as the number of superior-grade soulshards, and the grade of your framework. Do you think most hunters here canpare?" Fang Yi exined directly.


    As members of Team Zenith, they had all ovee numerous life-or-death trials, and they had all experienced a foundational breakthrough. Not only that, Zhang Lie had given them each a bottle of Potion #1, and they were now all at a hundred and sixty basic gene fragments each. Based on this alone, they were already far superior to Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    As for soulshards and techniques, they each had at least three highlypatible superior-grade soulshards, and their framework and techniques were honed from months of practice and training after their breakthrough.


    It was only with Fang Yi''s remark that they realized just how many benefits they had over a regr hunter, as well as how strong they had be.


    The remainder of the first round continued over the afternoon, with Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying fighting their respective matches. With their strength, they naturally advanced to the next round without any trouble.


    At the same time, the citywide stage of the tournament reached its apex in the city of Sacred Fire, on Mars. In Sacred Fire, the citywide stage of the tournament took on a different format. A number of arenas dotted thepetition site. Each arena held a thousand hunters fighting in a free-for-all, with only the final victor in each arena being eligible to proceed to the next stage.


    Countless bodies flew out of a fiery stage and smashed against the ground.


    "Ah!"


    "I lost just like that?"


    "No, no! I won''t stand for this!"


    Those hunters who fell out of the arena howled with rage despite the severity of some of their wounds, but no matter how upset they were, they had lost their qualification topete.


    On the seventh arena, Yang Ze stood firmly on stage, staring at his one remaining opponent. The hunter who could defeat the other would advance to the next round.


    "Oh, isn''t thisd from the Yang n?"


    "You mean the bastard? ?I heard he went to Earth¡ªI''m surprised he''s thick-skinned enough toe back and participate in the Void Cup!"


    Yang Ze could hear the taunts from the spectators as he prepared to face his final opponent, but by this point, he was more or less inured to their words. His background was no secret, after all, but he hade to terms with it. He clenched his fists as he focused on the faces of the members of Team Zenith. He would win this match, then return victorious to Earth to celebrate with his teammates!


    As he nced at Yang Yao, who was standing opposite him, his lips suddenly curled up in a smile. Wouldn''t it be funny if he were to defeat Yang Yao here? That old fellow would surely be fuming! As the dust settled, the spectators nearby finally saw just who Yang Ze''sst opponent was.


    "It''s Yang Yao!"


    "Look at arena #7! The final twopetitors standing are both from the Yang n!"


    "Looks like we''re in for a treat! Yang Yao''s the young n head of the Yao n, and he''s not on good terms with Yang Ze. I bet they''ll settle their score with each other here in the arena!"


    "Settle their score? What do you think Yang Ze can do against Yang Yao? Would he dare to win against him?"


    "Right, Yang Yao''s to be the next n head of the Yao n, whereas Yang Ze''s just a bastard. Wouldn''t Yang Ze rather lose to get into Yang Yao''s good books?"


    "Shh! Be quiet! Don''t you see that the Yang n head''s right there watching?"


    Yang Ze, ignoring the crowd''sments, slowly walked toward the center of the arena.


    From the other side, a youthful hunter in purple armor also strode forward, his face dark. The two of them nced at each other as they approached, each noticing mirrored features in the other. The atmosphere grew tense. A hot wind began to blow, causing their clothing to flutter.


    "Bastard, how could you be so shameless as to return to participate in the Void Cup? Admit defeat and I''ll let you live!" Yang Yao announced, his tone contemptuous, as though his offer to Yang Ze was particrly generous.


    Yang Ze didn''t speak. He turned to the stands, where an older man was seated; the man turned away.


    Yang Ze chuckled bitterly. "You''re as annoying as ever, aren''t you?"


    Yang Yao''s eyes narrowed. "You dare speak to me like this?"


    Yang Yao summoned forth his gic energy, a sensation Yang Ze was keenly familiar with. Theplicated expression on his face resolved into a calm smile. "I dare. Not only that, I''ll squash you like the bug you are! Let''s give you a taste of your own medicine, shall we?"


    "You? Just who do you think you are?" Yang Yao shot toward Yang Ze, who stood still and allowed him to draw close. Yang Yao grinned: he knew very well that Yang Ze''s framework was a few grades lower than his own. Not only that, Yang Ze had left the Yang n for quite a few years. Without any funds or resources from the n, how could he hope to stand against him? "[Heaven''s Blessing]!"


    Dark purple gic energy, the same color of Yang Yao''s armor, enveloped the arena. Sensing the pressure, Yang Ze frowned.


    As he drew close to Yang Ze, Yang Yao drew his spear back and made to thrust it through Yang Ze''s neck, intending to decapitate and kill.


    "The Yang n''s [Heaven''s Blessing] can temporarily enhance a hunter''s potential, and its strength can only grow with the hunter himself! It''s a frightening technique, one that forms the basis of the n''s strength."


    "Is Yang Ze just going to stand there?!"


    "He''s far weaker than his brother, after all, and he consumed much of his gic energy getting rid of the other opponents in the arena. I''m afraid there''s no hope left for him now!"


    The oue of the fight was already clear. Even Yang Yao thought that Yang Ze had frozen after the activation of [Heaven''s Blessing] and was too shocked to react.


    "Hah! [Heaven''s Blessing] might be a strong technique, but there are certainly counters to it. Let me break your pitiful pride and show them to you myself! [Mirrored Refraction]!"


    Pale blue gic energy radiated from his body and quickly spread over the stage. At the same time, Yang Yao''s spearhead thrust into Yang Ze''s neck. The crowds fell silent, and the Yang n head suddenly stood up from where he was seated.


    "What? It''s over?"


    "Did he really kill his own brother?!"


    "Ah, the Yang n head''s surely going to be upset now!"


    "Upset? Yang Ze and his mother live like servants in the Yang n. What''s there to be upset about?"


    Yang Ze''s ''body'' suddenly popped, exploding into a mist that nketed the arena. Yang Yao turned around to the other side of the arena, where he could sense a strong fluctuation of water-attuned gic energy. There, Yang Ze appeared.


    "What? Yang Ze! You''ve even changed your framework?!"


    Yang Yao raised his spear, his gaze narrowed as he took in Yang Ze once more.


    "That footwork didn''t belong to the Yang n! Has he left the n for good? But if he has, how could he hope to stand against Yang Yao? No matter how many times he escapes from Yang Yao''s grasp, the only fate that awaits him is death!"


    "What choice does he have? He''s a bastard spurned by his own n!"


    As snatches of their conversation drifted over to Yang Yao, his face turned red and he brimmed with killing intent.?Yang Ze! If not for Yang Ze, who would dare tarnish the Yang n''s reputation with their idle remarks?


    "Yang Ze, this arena shall be your grave!" Yang Yao''s voice turned hoarse as a huge wave of gic energy erupted from his body.


    A ck soulshard glowed in Yang Yao''s hands.


    "Look, a superior-grade soulkiller soulshard! It allows Yang Yao to strike at a hunter''s soul and spirit directly¡ªwith the additional boost from [Heaven''s Blessing], wouldn''t Yang Ze die just from a grazing blow?"


    Several of the more keen-eyed hunters could immediately identify the rare soulshard that Yang Yao had just activated.


    "[Deste Silence]!" His body covered in a glowing purple haze, Yang Yao dropped his spear as the skies above the arena turned dark.


    Yang Ze''s expression was grave. As a member of the Yang n, even an ostracized one, he knew the power of Yang Yao''s framework and techniques very well. If he weren''t mistaken, this blow would concentrate the power of [Heaven''s Blessing] and release it all in a single moment as a fieldwide skill.


    Once activated, it would annihte everything and everyone around him. It looked as though Yang Yao wanted to end this match with a single attack, one that would hit him no matter how he tried to avoid it with his footwork technique.


    "We''ll see just whose technique is superior!" Yang Ze raised his broadsword, gic energy gathering in a torrent around the de. "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water flooded the battlefield. A gigantic wave rose behind Yang Ze, one so tall it seemed as though it would drown him and Yang Yao both. So intense were the fluctuations in gic energy that the crowd collectively sucked in a huge breath, their scattered conversations all suddenly paused.

 Chapter 171: The Defeated Yang Yao

    <h4>Chapter 171: The Defeated Yang Yao</h4>


    "That''s not a Yang n technique, but it''s still surprisingly strong!"


    "I heard Yang Ze joined Team Zenith¡ªyou know, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s team!" After a short pause, a hunter volunteered some information about Yang Ze''s current situation.


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie¡ªyou mean, the gxy fighter? Thed who discovered limit fragments? Does that mean that Yang Ze returned to cut off his rtionship with the npletely, then?"


    The Yang n head, Yang Feng, was staring raptly at the fight, a curious gleam in his eye.


    "Hah! Do you think a bastard like you would be able to best me? Die!" Yang Yao sucked in a deep breath as he struck with his spear, sending out missiles of wind that spiraled toward Yang Ze.


    At the same time, Yang Ze released [The Boundless de], and a huge wave of water swept toward Yang Yao. Blinding light illuminated the battlefield as two rampaging bursts of gic energy shed against each other.


    Most hunters were confident that the eventual winner would be Yang Yao, that his [Deste Silence] would surely ovee Yang Ze''s titanic wave of water.


    "Die!" Yang Yao began to cackle, his eyes glinting with hatred. His distaste of Yang Ze was far stronger than anyone had expected.


    The Yang n head raised a hand, wanting to stop the fight, but he changed his mind at thest moment.


    Everyone thought that Yang Ze was about to perish. With ast, dull crash, the violet light vanishedpletely, but the wave of water still remained. Winds scoured the arena. Yang Yao''s gleaming [Deste Silence] appeared far more impressive than it actually was; crashing against the waves, the attack lost all its momentum.


    Yang Yao''s confidence turned into horror as he gaped at Yang Ze. The technique he thought inferior and mediocre had crushed his own and was inexorably moving toward him. The spectating hunters rubbed their eyes in disbelief once the explosion from the shing gic energy had settled.


    Had Yang Ze countered Yang Yao''s strongest technique that easily? Even the Yang n head''s eyes widened as he clutched his armrests with visible shock. The oue of the fight was far beyond his expectations.


    Swept away by the tide frothing with sword energy, Yang Yao''s armor was quickly sliced apart, and the waters around him turned bloody.


    Yang Ze, just like Li Feng, was surprised by the strength of his own attack. Was it so easy to beat a hunter like Yang Yao? Yang Yao had received the best instruction and resources the n could provide, and he was one of the top hunters in the settlement to which he belonged. How had he beaten someone like Yang Yao with a single blow?


    Staring at the aftermath of the attack, the spectators were silent. Those hunters that had picked on Yang Ze in the past swallowed a gulp of saliva, afraid of his revenge.


    "This is impossible!" Yang Yao, slumped on the floor and bleeding out, stared at Yang Ze with disbelief. Remnants of sword energy from Yang Ze''s attack lingered in the air, and Yang Yao couldn''t help feeling scared at the strength of Yang Ze''s attack.


    "Why should it be impossible? I said I''d step on you, didn''t I? Watch me!" Activating [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze appeared by Yang Yao''s side, then smashed his face against the ground with a brown boot. As he stomped Yang Yao''s face into the ground, he nced up at the Yang n head in the stands.


    "Yang Yao, where does the problem lie? With you, or with your father''s foresight? Just look at how much of the n''s resources you''ve consumed! And yet you can''t even handle someone like me? Aren''t you too much of a weakling? Well? Are you going to surrender? Or will you let me crush you to death with my boot?"


    Yang Yao''s face was flushed scarlet with shame, embarrassment, and anger. When had he ever suffered such humiliation?


    "Kill me if you dare! The Yang n would never forgive you!"


    "Ha! They, forgive me? Ever since my mother left, I''ve had no intention of forgiving the Yang n. This is just interest on my part! I''ll ask you onest time: will you admit defeat, or will you die at my hand?"


    Yang Ze raised his broadsword and pointed it at his brother''s head.


    "Hold it!" Yang Feng shouted, no longer able to sit still. However, his shout aplished nothing but to draw the crowd''s attention to him.


    In Sacred Fire, unlesspetitors admitted defeat, no one would be able to stop a fight to the death. Yang Ze''s lips curled into a smile, but he didn''t stop. His de continued on its downward trajectory. If it were tond, Yang Yao''s head would undoubtedly burst open.


    "W-Wait! I admit defeat!" Yang Yao screamed out, unable to bear the pressure of impending death any longer.


    By then, the tip of the broadsword was barely above Yang Yao''s temple. If he had been any slower, he would have perished. When Yang Yao finally admitted defeat, Yang Ze smiled again as he sheathed his broadsword. "How does learning to behave like trash feel?"


    Yang Ze turned and walked away without looking back at the defeated form of his brother.


    The winner of arena #7¡ªYang Ze!


    The overseer of the tournament coughed as the fight ended. "Send for the medics for Yang Yao!"


    He turned to the Yang n head, who was so embarrassed that he wished he could crawl into a hole. The Yang n head nced in the direction in which Yang Ze had departed before motioning for two Yang warriors to carry Yang Yao, who had lost consciousness from blood loss, away.


    Amidst shocked stares, Yang Ze left the arena and returned to the stands.


    At the same time, the other hunters of Team Zenith were celebrating the final two victories from their team.


    The winner of stage fragment #598¡ªSun Xiaowu!


    The winner of stage fragment #521¡ªZhou Ying!


    The members of Team Zenith had all won overwhelming victories, and they, along with Zhang Lie, would be able to advance to the next round of the tournament. Such strength across the board was almost unheard of.


    "His team has to beparable to a special forces team from the military," Su Feng mused. He was very curious how a hunter who was barely in his twenties had managed to train such a strong team.


    "Tomorrow, we''ll proceed directly into the second qualifying round. The hunter who takes first ce in the next round will head straight to the finals," Elder Bai exined, stroking his beard.


    However, the hunters gathered in the za all shook their heads, uninterested in vying for that coveted position. After all, given Zhang Lie and his team''s performance today, they were sure that it would go to one of the hunters of Team Zenith.


    Ten thousand hunters in all had qualified for the second round; only a hundred would make it through to the third. The top ten hunters on the third day would each be awarded a prize, one that varied based on their cement. Given their performance, it seemed as though Team Zenith would take at least half of those top ten positions.


    "Ah, let''s leave! This must be one of the least exciting Void Cups in recent memory."


    "Perhaps not¡ªZhang Lie and his team might be strong within Ning, but who''s to say that other cities don''t have their own freakishly strong hunters?"


    "You must be joking! Don''t you know just how strong someone like Wang Xuan is? He''s surely capped out on gene fragments and superior-grade soulshards by now, but even he lost in a single blow! How strong could those from other cities be? I''m telling you, this Void Cup will be all about hunters who have broken through. I bet everyone from Team Zenith broke through long ago¡ªZhang Lie was the one who made the discovery, after all!"


    "That''s right, and I''m sure they''ve also found a way to make use of those limit fragments to the best of their ability. Compared to them, the rest of us hunters, who have just learned about these fragments, must seem like children¡ªthere''s no way we can beat them! Ah, how I envy those hunters!"


    Most of the hunters gathered in the za had lost their fighting spirit even though the Void Cup had barely begun. As they started to disperse, so did the spectators in the VIP stands. Wang Han was the first to leave.


    "Indeed, you had better care for your son¡ªwhat serious injuries he suffered!" the Heaven''s me dojo leader mocked.


    "Thank you for your concern, Dojo Leader. I''m sure you must be equally worried for your disciple, Sun Li. I can''t imagine his injuries were any worse!" Wang Han retorted. He beckoned to his guards as he departed without looking back. "We leave now!"


    As the crowds left, the za once again grew deserted. Zhang Lie and the others traveled back to the Zenith Dojo via hovercar.


    "I didn''t know we were so strong!"


    "None of those hunters from the major ns could even beat us!"


    Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng were bothughing at their ''newfound'' strength. Their performance far exceeded their expectations, and it was only natural that they would behave in such a fashion.


    Of course, they were the only two hunters behaving that way in their group of six. Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng both had a good understanding of their own strength, whereas Zhou Ying tended to be introspective and reflective.


    "Don''t get cocky just yet¡ªdon''t you remember the target I set for all of you? Everyone performed well today, but we can''t let our guards down just yet. There''s a chance we might have to fight against each other.


    To preserve your strength, let me set a rule for all of you: if you end up having to fight against each other, decide the victor with a game of rock-paper-scissors. In the second round, we''ll each have to fight at least three matches, and as long as we don''t encounter each other twice, we''ll all be able to advance.


    The third round will be a hundred-hunter free-for-all, followed by a series of cement matches for the top ten. If we work together, there''s a good chance we''ll all be able to make it. Do you all understand?"


    "Yes, Captain!" everyone chorused.


    In truth, the only opponents they were concerned about in the citywide stage were each other.

 Chapter 172: A Strange Atmosphere

    <h4>Chapter 172: A Strange Atmosphere</h4>


    Once they returned to the dojo, the hunters of Team Zenith were once again heaped with work.


    After Wang Li, Xu Xiu, and Ding Qiang, a number of additional instructors had arrived at the dojo seeking employment, and they would be responsible forying the foundation for the first batch of the dojo''s disciples.


    "Dojo Leader!" When the instructors saw Zhang Lie and the others returning, they all bowed. "Congrattions on your dominating performance!"


    Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, Wu Wei, and the other disciples cheered as they stepped inside the dojo. At their age, Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith seemed to be essentially godlike beings.


    Once the first round of the tournament finished, the news quickly spread all over Ning. It was a tremendous honor for the dojo''s staff and disciples that their representatives had all made it to the next round of the tournament, and they were all proud that they too belonged to the Zenith Dojo.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze swept over everyone present. It looked as though the three disciples he had pointed out for specialized training¡ªJun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Wu Wei¡ªwere indeed hard at work under the guidance of Wang Li, Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang.


    To the three instructors, he asked, "How do you like working here? Are you getting used to it?"


    "Yes, Dojo Leader! We''ve been training to make the most out of these new limit fragments we''ve obtained, and we''re gradually familiarizing ourselves with our newfound strength."


    "Good. Everything seems to be going well with the instruction as well. The training n you''vee up with seems to be working effectively, and you''ve all exceeded expectations. Once you''re finished with your work,e see me. You''ll each be able to choose a suitable pinnacle-grade framework for yourselves!"


    The three instructors had only recently broken through, and they had spent the intervening period limating their bodies to their reduced level of strength. Now that they were ready, they could finally choose an advanced framework for themselves.


    The frameworks and techniques in the dojo''s collection were those that had been avable to the hunters of Team Zenith, which Zhang Lie had obtained from a bulk purchase. He had chosen each technique with care, and this collection was one of the treasures of the dojo.


    Huge smiles appeared on the three instructors'' faces.


    Zhang Lie then turned to the children behind them, who collectively sucked in a breath upon sensing his gaze. Was it finally time for what they were dreaming of?


    "You should all have consumed a sufficient number of white-grub cores by now. After the second round of the Void Cup in Ning, all of you will have the opportunity to take part in a breakthrough trial," he informed them.


    "Wonderful! It''s finally time¡ªwe don''t have to study the boring foundational technique anymore, we can move on to something better!" the children cheered again.


    Deep into the night, those citizens of Ning who had spectated the Void Cup were still discussing the day''s events with each other. Team Zenith''s matches were of particr interest, and the once-nameless hunters of Team Zenith were experiencing an unprecedented growth in poprity. After all, given their incredible dominance during their respective matches, footage of those matches quickly circted around the hunters of Ning.


    Just one blow, and it was all over¡ªand their opponents weren''t weaklings, either!


    "Head, Young Master Wang Xuan''s suffered grievous internal injuries. I''m afraid he won''t be able to participate in the elimination round tomorrow," an elder carefully reported to Wang Han.


    "How many scions from the Wang n have advanced to the next round?" Wang Han forced out a smile, but his body was trembling in rage.


    "Only three, Head," the elder responded, sighing. Wang Han''s gaze narrowed; clenching a fist, gic energy exploded from his body.


    How many years had it been since the Wang n failed to dominate in the Void Cup? The citywide stage used to be trivial for scions of the Wang n; now, they would be lucky to make it to the finals.


    The Wang n was thergest n in Ning! Could they suffer the loss in reputation if none of their scions made it through to the nationwide stage of the Void Cup?!


    "Head..."


    Wang Han sucked in a deep breath. "Focus the n''s resources on those three hunters. They must get into the finals at all costs! Where''s the nationwide stage going to be held this year?"


    "Thest time, it was in Tianfeng. This time around, it should be in the capital," the elder replied.


    "Good. Inform our loyal hunters situated there that they''re to kill Zhang Lie, no matter what!" Wang Han''s cold voice shook the elder.


    "Head, during thest n conference¡ª"


    "I, the n head, have absolute authority over the n matters in times of dire circumstance. Do you doubt my words?!"


    "No, Head! I''ll arrange matters immediately!"


    A blizzard had taken the capital by surprise during thest two days, and there was hardly anyone walking around at night. It was during such a night, however, that a restaurant suddenly found itself with three guests, who asked for nothing more than three bottles of strong spirits before they started conversing urgently with each other.


    "You''ve all received orders from the n, haven''t you? What shall we do?"


    "Let''s wait for Zhang Lie to show up at the capital. We''ll strike at his amodations!"


    "Do we have any information on our target?"


    "His strength is hard to evaluate, but he''s at leastparable to a peak second-realm hunter. He''s able to handle two peak second-realm hunters working together, with a variety of tricks and strong, explosive techniques!"


    "I understand. There''s at least a week before the nationwide stage of the Void Cup, so we''d best prepare well.


    The head wants us to get rid of this hunter at any cost!"


    "Understood!"


    The next morning, as the second round of the citywide stage began, countless hunters again flocked to the central za of Ning. The stage fragments were already hovering in the air, and the world federation, Chinese military, the Wang n, and the Heaven''s me Dojo''s delegation were all settled in.


    "It looks like you aren''t feeling very well today, n Head Wang!" For some reason, the Heaven''s me dojo leader continued prodding and poking at Wang Han.


    Wang Han''s gaze turned cold, and he stared back at the dojo leader with marked hostility.


    The hunters came in droves; when the gathered hunters saw Zhang Lie walking in with Team Zenith, they immediately made way for them.


    Staring at them were eyes of respect, admiration, awe¡ªand also jealousy and envy. After all, in recent memory, no team from Ning had uniformly advanced to the nationwide stage of the Void Cup, and Zhang Lie''s Team Zenith was ted to make history.


    Team Zenith was undoubtedly one of the highlights of this tournament.


    In the stands, as Wang Han saw Zhang Lie walking into the za, he narrowed his eyes. Almost as though he sensed Wang Han''s hostility, Zhang Lie slowly looked in his direction, electrifying the air as their gazes met.


    "The second round of the citywide stage will now begin!" Elder Bai called out.


    "Please, I hope I''m not paired up with anyone from Team Zenith in it..." someone murmured.


    The first batch ofpetitors was quickly announced on the screen behind Elder Bai, and one name stood out above all: Zhang Lie''s. He was fighting on stage fragment #10, and his opponent was Liu Mo, a hunter no one present seemed to be familiar with.


    The schedule immediately caused a bigmotion.


    "Look, Zhang Lie''s in the first batch!"


    "Who''s this Liu Mo fellow? Thank goodness¡ª he''s saved the rest of us!"


    "Liu Mo''s the young master of the Liu ¡ª"


    "Ah, forget it! Who cares where he''s from? Do you think Zhang Lie will go easy on him because of it?"


    As Zhang Lie headed toward his designated stage fragment, a quavering voice called out,


    "I admit defeat!" Everyone turned to the trembling hunter who had spoken.


    This was Zhang Lie''s second opponent in a row who had surrendered before the fight had even begun! He still hadn''t had a chance to show his skills! Was he going to be the first hunter to win the citywide stage without even fighting?


    Some of the nearby hunters'' faces twitched. Were they supposed to think of this Liu Mo as a decisive hunter, or a coward?


    "The winner of stage fragment #10¡ªZhang Lie!" Elder Bai announced wearily.


    Although it was only the second day, it already seemed as though Zhang Lie was the winner of this stage.


    The second round passed without much further excitement, with no one opponent standing out in particr. Any matchup with a hunter of Team Zenith proceeded exceptionally quickly, and every member of Team Zenith continued their one-technique winning streak.


    On Mars, in the city of Sacred Fire, Yang Ze was charting out his own undefeated path. What most terrorized the hunters of Sacred Fire was that Yang Ze would greet every victory with an astonished look on his face, as though even he couldn''t believe how strong he was.


    Elsewhere, however, things didn''t go so smoothly; for example, in the capital. Chu Feng panted as he nced at his opponent, a man whose features were shrouded by a ck robe.


    "What''s the matter, Chu Feng? How long has it been since west met¡ªhow have you be so weak?" the ck-robed man taunted, his voice hoarse.


    Chu Feng frowned. Although he couldn''t see the man''s features, his techniques and the fluctuations in his gic energy were easy enough to identify. "And what of you, Qin Xiao? How''s the life of an exile treating you?"


    Qin Xiao''s eyes turned cold as gic energy flooded his body. The arena shook, and the very air itself seemed to be charged. "You want to die, do you?"


    In response, Chu Feng narrowed his eyes as the wind began to howl.

 Chapter 173: Dominating the Finals

    <h4>Chapter 173: Dominating the Finals</h4>


    "[Thunderburst]!" Qin Xiao roared out. His blue thunder-attuned gic energy suddenly turned a deep purple. Directing the attack with his longsword, he released a frightening bolt of purple lightning toward Chu Feng.


    "[Wings of Wind]!" Chu Feng was shocked by how much Qin Xiao had transformed within a short month. Wind-attuned gic energy condensed around Chu Feng as a pair of wings sprouted from his back. Two slender rapiers appeared in his palms.


    "Look, who''s that? He managed to make Young Master Chu take him seriously!" a spectator eximed, instantly drawing attention to the fight.


    "[Hymn of Wind]!" Chu Feng continued. Before the bolt of lightning could strike him, he crossed his two des, triggering a storm around him. des of wind, as sharp as the real thing, whipped around him and forced Qin Xiao back.


    The hunters present were all astounded at the confrontation between what seemed to be two elites. As purple lightning shed against howling winds, green and purple gic energy covered the battlefield. Blinding shes and explosions left the audience unable to determine precisely what was going on.


    After the violent sh, the arena was once again silent. In the aftermath, two figures stumbled out of a rising cloud of smoke.


    Just as Chu Feng breathed out harshly and prepared to strike at Qin Xiao again, Qin Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood. He red balefully at Chu Feng before gritting his teeth and raising an arm. "I admit defeat!"


    By then, his hood had been blown back by the force of the explosion, and his features were clear to one and all.


    "Ah, isn''t that Qin Xiao? Wasn''t he announced as Qin Lei?"


    "That''s right! He does look like Qin Xiao¡ªcould he be his twin?"


    "No, that can''t be: Qin Zongming only has a single son! Could Qin Xiao have... changed his name?!"


    "Ah, you might be right! Don''t you see how nervous Qin Zongming looks at the moment? I bet that hunter in the arena''s Qin Xiao!"


    "Really? Don''t you know how arrogant Qin Xiao is? How would he be willing to admit defeat just like that?"


    "Who knows? Perhaps he knows that he can''t defeat his opponent, so he''s deciding to preserve his strength instead!"


    Some of the hunters had indeed guessed Qin Xiao''s circumstances correctly.


    Qin Lei¡ªor, more urately, Qin Xiao¡ªintended on advancing through the stages of the Void Cup while hiding his true identity, but he was unlucky enough to encounter Chu Feng in the first match of the second round.


    After the first attack, Qin Xiao realized that he wouldn''t have a chance to take down Chu Feng unless he took extraordinary measures, so he chose to surrender instead. In the second round, he would have to fight three battles, and winning two would be sufficient to advance him to the next round. There was no need for him to waste his reserves of gic energy and show his trump cards against Chu Feng.


    The winner of arena #3¡ªChu Feng!


    "Rejoice, Chu Feng. Rejoice that you''re not my target, and I''ll spare your life for the moment." Qin Xiao smiled at him, showing his teeth.


    "Oh? It''s not clear to me just who will spare whose life. Qin Xiao, looking at your pitiful appearance¡ªlet me give you a warning, even if you don''t deserve it. Whatever grudge you have against Zhang Lie, drop it now. He''s gone far beyond yourprehension!" Chu Feng whirled around and stepped down the arena, leaving Qin Xiao behind.


    Although he had directed his words at Qin Xiao, they applied just as well to him. He could sense that he wasn''t much stronger than Qin Xiao; if Qin Xiao was no match for Zhang Lie, then neither was he.


    "Was that really Qin Xiao?" Chu Xun asked the moment her brother stepped back into the stands.


    "Yes, that was him," Chu Feng murmured, ncing at his lone figure that had vanished within the crowds. He knew that Qin Xiao was hiding something, but he didn''t worry about Zhang Lie''s safety at all.


    "What a pity! Is the young master of the Qin n in such dire straits that he''s lost even his own name?"


    Following Chu Feng, the other young n heads were slowly called to stage to face their respective opponents, but unlike him, they were able to beat their opponents easily. As usual, the citywide stage in the capital wasrgely a battlefield for the five major ns.


    As the second day ended, in each region, the top hundred hunters citywide were quickly identified in preparation for the final round of the tournament the next day.


    In Ning, as expected, Zhang Lie and the five present members of Team Zenith all entered the finals. This also meant that the finals, which should have been the most exciting round of the citywide stage of the Void Cup, was sapped of much of its enjoyment for those hunters in Ning: it seemed as though the top six hunters were already determined, and the remaining 94 hunters would have topete with each other for the final four ces.


    Although the prizes that these final four participants would receive were very simr, cing in the top ten would allow them to participate in the nationwide tournament.


    The moment Zhang Lie and the others returned to the Zenith Dojo, they immediately began to cultivate. Seated in one of the many arenas in the dojo, they cycled gic energy through their bodies, each giving off a colored glow corresponding to their elemental affinity.


    The dojo''s new disciples were all staring at the figures on stage admiringly. However, Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Wu Wei quickly shook themselves out of their reverie, then began focusing on their own training instead.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie rushed into one of the practice chambers and started a simtion in preparation for his fight against the peak-grade moonlight wyrm.


    "Simtingbat against a superior-grade wyrm-type lifeform," a robotic voice began. Light washed over the entire chamber, the walls of which seemed to transmute into the deep ocean.


    Amidst a robotic whirring, rays of light swiftly condensed into a glowing ball. The next moment, an earsplitting howl rang from a distance as arge creature suddenly darted out of the water. Its slender, aerodynamic body was studded with purple scales. It held its head erect as it stared at Zhang Lie with eyes the size ofnterns.


    "Simtionplete. Simted lifeform: superior-grade deepsea wyrm," the robotic voice continued.


    Zhang Lie suddenly opened his eyes, circted his gic energy, and activated his soulshards. The entire surface of the sea began to froth as Zhang Lie released a palpable aura.


    "To think it could simte a lifeform so realistically! This device really is worth the money I paid for it," Zhang Lie murmured to himself.


    The wyrm attacked first, sending a wave hurtling toward Zhang Lie with a p of its tail.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with his right palm. The wave met Zhang Lie''s gic energy in an explosion, one that rocked the surface of the sea.


    The deepsea wyrm generated wave after wave, which Zhang Lie countered with his fists. Suddenly, a blood-red beam of light shone from underwater as a bloody dragon prated the wyrm''s body, causing it to dissolve into fragments of light.


    "Congrattions, challenger! You''ve ovee the highest-difficulty challenge!" As the simtion receded with the ocean, Zhang Lie deactivated his soulshards. He let out a sigh.


    No, this won''t do. The simtion only goes up to superior-grade lifeforms, and the moonlit wyrm will be far stronger. I won''t be able to learn much from this,?Zhang Lie thought to himself.


    The reason he was testing out the simtion chamber was to determine how strong a superior-grade wyrm-type lifeform would be. This was the highest-grade lifeform that could be simted with the technology that he had purchased, but it still fell short of Zhang Lie''s expectations.


    After all, the moonlight wyrm could well be the only lifeform in the first realm that had exceeded superior-grade. While the deepsea wyrm was strong even for superior-grade lifeforms, the moonlight wyrm would be on a different level entirely.


    However, the fight had at least allowed Zhang Lie to understand that a battle in a water-saturated environment would strongly favor the wyrm. Fortunately, his framework was also water-attuned, and it would help him out as well.


    "Tomorrow''s the final round of the citywide stage in Ning, and the nationwide tournament will be a weekter," Zhang Lie mused.


    At that time, most hunters would be in the real world watching thepetition, giving Zhang Lie enough time to strike in the dimensional world. In that case, that was when he would have to hunt down the moonlight wyrm.


    The next day, Elder Bai expressionlessly read off the ten winners of the citywide stage.


    The final round was staged on ten elevated arenas, each with ten fighters on them. The final fighter remaining in each arena would form the top tenpetitors in Ning, eligible to advance to the nationwidepetition. Of course, the oue in six of those arenas was readily apparent, but the fights on the other four arenas dragged out for quite some time, almost as if making up for the lost excitement from the first six.


    This might not have been the most exciting final the crowds had seen, but it was certainly the one that left them the most dumbfounded.

 Chapter 174: Without a Doubt

    <h4>Chapter 174: Without a Doubt</h4>


    As night descended, the final ranking for the citywide stage of the Void Cup in Ning was disyed on the screen behind Elder Bai.


    #1, from the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie!


    #2, from the Zenith Dojo, Fang Yi!


    #3, from the Zenith Dojo, Sun Mengmeng!


    #4, from the Zenith Dojo, Li Feng!


    #5, from the Zenith Dojo, Sun Xiaowu!


    #6, from the Zenith Dojo, Zhou Ying!


    #7, from the Heaven''s me Dojo, Su Na!


    #8, from the Roaring Thunder Dojo, Ma Zheng!


    #9, from the Wang n, Wang Qing!


    #10, from the Zhou n, Zhou Hai!


    As expected, Team Zenith took the first six positions in the citywide stage, leaving the remaining four positions to be evenly divided between the Heaven''s me Dojo, the Roaring Thunder Dojo, the Wang n, and the Zhou n.


    To the hunters gathered in the za, this was a foregone conclusion; the members of Team Zenith had disyed their overwhelming strength throughout the tournament, so much so that they shuddered just thinking about facing them.


    "I hereby announce the end of the citywide stage in Ning!"


    Su Feng and the Heaven''s me dojo leader stood up from the stands, followed shortly after by Wang Han. Wang Han simply couldn''t ept the oue of the citywide stage¡ªTeam Zenith alone had taken the first six spots in Ning! Most importantly, Wang Xuan wasn''t able to enter the finals because of his injuries, and he had lost an important opportunity to attend the nationwide tournament.


    "As expected of the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, who disys the best qualities of China''s soldiers," Su Fengplimented him.


    He had expected Zhang Lie to win, knowing just how strong Zhang Lie was rtive to those of his generation, but he was surprised that the team he led likewise performed so well. None of the hunters of Team Zenith had been famous before, but their time in Team Zenith had transformed them into exceptional hunters.


    Su Feng was certain of one thing: he would try to make Zhang Lie continue instructing the special forces teams for as long as possible, so that his soldiers could experience the same rate of growth.


    The Heaven''s me dojo leader wore aplicated expression on his face. Compared to Zhang Lie, his position as the leader of the top dojo in Ning seemed far too inferior. Fortunately, he was no enemy of Zhang Lie and bore him no grudge of his own; their dojos were simplypetitors. The Heaven''s me dojo leader wanted to curb Zhang Lie''s dominance, of course, but he knew that he wouldn''t be able to do so.


    "Congrattions, Dojo Leader Zhang¡ªyou and your team are both excellent. If you have a chance, pleasee visit the Heaven''s me Dojo." The dojo leader patted him on the back.


    The hunters in the za were shocked by the preferential treatment that Zhang Lie received from both the Heaven''s me dojo leader and Su Feng; rather than treating him like a hunter of the younger generation, he seemed more like an equal.


    "Zhang Lie, the citywide stage is over, but don''t let down your guard just yet. Next up will be the nationwide stage!" Elder Bai murmured, wanting to see some anxiety on Zhang Lie''s face.


    Unfortunately, the oue was disappointing: Zhang Lie''s face didn''t seem to change at all.


    "Thank you for your advice, Elder Bai. I''ll definitely keep it in mind," Zhang Lie replied, bowing politely.


    Elder Bai inclined his head. Indeed, based on temperament alone, Zhang Lie seemed to be an exceptional hunter.


    "Alright, let''s give out the awards now and finish with the ceremony!" Wang Han sucked in a deep breath, his voice quavering, trying to get this nightmare over with as soon as possible. The positions that Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith had filled¡ªthose were meant to have gone to the Wang n! He clenched his fists tightly, killing intent welling up in his mind.


    The stage dissipated into thin air as the hunters gathered by the central za of Ning.


    "The top ten participants in both the citywide and nationwide stages will receive a prize, something I''m sure all you hunters know very well," Elder Bai began.


    This was traditionally how the Void Cup had been structured, and the hunters were indeed familiar with the prize distribution. However, Zhang Lie found his words rather curious. If indeed the prizes this time around were distributed simrly, then Elder Bai would have no need to bring this up.


    "This time around, however, the world federation has agreed to open up its treasury for the top participants! The first-ce hunter can choose up to five techniques, soulshards, and herbs of his choice; the second-ce hunter can choose three; the third-ce hunter, two; the fourth- through tenth-ce hunters, one!"


    Everyone was shocked by this revtion, even Zhang Lie. The world federation''s treasuries were sure to have quite a number of treasures, even if this one was only one of the smaller ones that was situated in Ning. This prize would certainly be a boon indeed.


    More importantly, Team Zenith upied six of the first ten positions, and they would be able to choose a total of thirteen items among them.


    Everyone stared enviously at the members of Team Zenith, whereas Wang Han''s face turned even more sullen. He had learned that the rewards for this Void Cup would be exceptionally generous, but not the extent of the generosity.


    Picking anything they wanted from the Ning treasury? The Ning treasury was where the world federation kept much of the treasures it had amassed! It was one of the smaller treasuries, certainly, but the rewards within were still tremendous.


    His killing intent toward Zhang Lie grew by leaps and bounds, but no matter how envious he was of Zhang Lie, the oue of the citywide stage wasn''t going to change.


    "Thank you, Elder Bai!" Zhang Lie eximed in excitement, followed by Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the other members of Team Zenith.


    "No problem. Once the award ceremony''s over, I''ll bring you to the treasury myself. I hope you''ll be able to win the nationwide stage as well, to bring honor to Ning!" Elder Bai nced at Zhang Lie.


    "Yes, Elder!" Zhang Lie replied instantly.


    After the award ceremony, Zhang Lie and the others followed Elder Bai to the world federation''s treasury. It was smaller than Zhang Lie had anticipated, but the treasures within were sufficient to make his eyes light up in surprise.


    Of the thirteen treasures that they could im, they ended up taking back eight legendary-grade techniques, three superior-grade soulshards, and two rare herbs. One of the herbs, celestial grass, was a main ingredient for Potion #3, and Zhang Lie was overjoyed when he found it in the treasury.


    With one of the key ingredients in hand, it seemed that he might be able to brew that potion even while he was in the first realm. After all, the nationwide stage would likely boast even more generous rewards than the citywide stage, and brewing Potion #3 in the first realm would strengthen his abilities to a ridiculous degree, one that far outstripped those of any hunter from the past.


    A hunter''s growth in the first realm represented his foundation; what heights would Zhang Lie be able to reach with this boon?


    "The promised prizes have been distributed. Be at the za at 8 AM in three days'' time; there will be a teleportation array here to transport you to the capital. Do not bete," Elder Bai emphasized, ncing pointedly at Zhang Lie. "Alright, I wish you all the best in preparing for the Void Cup, and I look forward to hearing about your performance."


    Elder Bai smiled as he got into the hovercar waiting for him, whereas Su Feng and the others considered Zhang Lie appraisingly before they left.


    "Zhang Lie, I hope you''ll be as sessful in the nationwide tournament as you were here," Wang Han gritted out, then turned to leave.


    "Of course, n Head Wang!" Zhang Lie replied with a boomingugh.


    "Captain, I fear he''s nning something," Sun Mengmeng advised. The hunters of Team Zenith all stared at Wang Han''s back with hostility.


    "Don''t worry. We''re not so weak as to have to worry about the Wang n,"


    Zhang Lie reassured everyone. Team Zenith returned to the Zenith Dojo; with the citywide stage concluded, they would be heading to the capital in three days'' time. Before then, they would have to focus on instructing their new disciples well.


    As they arrived at the entrance to the dojo, the new disciples rushed out, their eyes gleaming as they crowded around the hunters of Team Zenith. The results of the tournament had already been publicized, and the disciples had all heard the news.


    "Congrattions, Dojo Leader!" Wang Li, Xu Xiu, and Ding Qiang also rushed out. Despite knowing how strong Zhang Lie was, they hadn''t imagined that he would be able to wrest the first-ce position in the citywide tournament from the other major ns and dojos of Ning.


    "There''s no need to get so excited about doing so well in Ning alone," Sun Xiaowu loudly proimed. "I bet our captain will be first ce overall for the entire Void Cup!"


    The three instructors'' eyes widened. Sun Xiaowu seemed as though he were boasting, but after seeing some footage of the tournament for themselves, they now had a clearer picture of Zhang Lie''s true abilities. Even the nationwide tournament would likely not pose arge challenge.


    Zhang Lie turned to the new disciples.


    "Now that you''ve all consumed a sufficient number of white-grub cores each, it''s time to prepare for the breakthrough trial," he announced.


    His words struck the disciples like a bombshell. Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen and Wu Kui were all particrly excited; once they broke through, they would be considered official disciples of the Zenith Dojo, the first step on the path to greatness!

 Chapter 175: Apprentice Qualifications

    <h4>Chapter 175: Apprentice Qualifications</h4>


    "Limit fragments are core to the Zenith Dojo, and they form the foundation for our disciples. Before the foundational breakthrough, none of you can strictly be considered official disciples of the dojo," Zhang Lie exined. However, except for Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Wu Wei, the other disciples all nched.


    They had learned that the foundational breakthrough wasn''t something that could be guaranteed; what if they failed to advance?


    "Don''t worry. Rx and let your training take over, and trust that your instructors have your best interests at heart."


    "Yes, Dojo Leader!" the disciples chorused, each clenching their fists and preparing to do their best.


    "Follow me!" Zhang Lie beckoned them all toward an indoor training chamber. The disciples looked uneasily around them as they entered and stood at its center.


    "Dojo Leader, aren''t we going to be taking our breakthrough trial? May I ask what we''re doing here?" one of them timidly ventured.


    "This is where we''ll be conducting the trial," Zhang Lie responded.


    With a rumble, the chamber suddenly began to shake so violently that the children thought that there was an earthquake. A red siren began to re throughout the chamber, causing them to shudder and quake in fear.


    "Your trial will be to remain here for half an hour," Zhang Liemanded, then turned to leave.


    "Dojo Leader! Dojo Leader, why are you leaving us behind?!"


    "Don''t, don''t go!"


    A number of the youths reached out to Zhang Lie in despair, trying to get ahold of him, but Zhang Lie didn''t even look back.


    "Stay calm, everyone!" Jun Jiuxiao suddenly shouted. He seemed to be one of the youngest in the crowd, but was the calmest of them all. Ye Xianchen forced herself to remain calm, but her eyes were still darting uneasily around her.


    Their surroundings seemed to change: the cold, icy walls of the chamber morphed into cliffs. The children were stuck on a precipice, with countless ferocious beasts surrounding them from all sides, opening their maws wide as they waited for the children to fall into their grasp. The beasts began to howl. In the darkness, the sound carried, chilling the children to their core.


    "Where are we?!" a boy began to wail, his voice turning shrill from fear.


    "Just where is this ce?!"


    "Did the dojo leader leave us here to die?"


    Outside the chamber, Zhang Lie and the others were spectating what was going on within.


    The most important part of the foundational breakthrough was to induce adrenaline flow throughout the children''s bodies. Most of these youth were from the slums of Ning, and they hadn''t ever used a simtion chamber before.


    This was undoubtedly the fastest and most reliable means by which he could induce a sense of despair and impending danger.


    "Captain, nothing will go wrong, will it?" Sun Mengmeng asked after a brief moment of hesitation.


    "If they wish to seed as a hunter, this is an obstacle they shall have to ovee. Before the start of the trial, I warned them to have faith in their instructors. If they flee at the first hint of danger, can they truly remain loyal to our dojo? Take note of every child who screams about wanting to leave the dojo. We won''t ept children like that as official disciples," Zhang Lie instructed.


    He was well aware that this was a particrly challenging trial for children to ovee, but such was the nature of cultivation. If these children chose to be hunters, to step down this path of thorns, then they would have to face such trials sooner orter. The Zenith Dojo had prepared them as best they could for this trial, but in the end, they would determine whether they seeded or failed.


    From the outside, the trial didn''tst much longer; from the inside, the children felt as though an eternity had passed. All of a sudden, the floor stopped quaking, and the environment in which they were trapped turned back into the four walls of the training chamber. The door to the chamber slowly opened up, and Zhang Lie and the other instructors walked inside.


    Most of the youth had fallen to the floor, their gaze distant and their bodies trembling. What they had experienced was so shocking that they had still yet toe to their senses. However, there were a few children who were still standing upright, despite how badly their knees were shaking, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen among them.


    "Well?" As Zhang Lie''s voice broke the silence of the chamber, the children turned to him.


    "Dojo Leader? Dojo Leader, what was all that just now?" a few children asked. Their eyes were reddened, and tear tracks ran down their cheeks.


    Zhang Lie didn''t answer them. His gaze swept over the children beforending on Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen. Their faces were pale white, but their gaze resolute. Their gic cores had, without their knowing it, undergone a metamorphosis.


    "Show me the fist technique you''ve learned," Zhang Lie instructed.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen gritted their teeth as they mastered their bodies'' shaking and got into battle-ready stances. Their fists shot out far faster and with more strength than before, causing both of them to gape at themselves in surprise.


    Their constitution and senses had all been enhanced, and their stamina recharged to some extent. Otherwise, they should have been unable to muster up any strength after the traumatic experience they had just suffered.


    Zhang Lie nodded: Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen had both broken through sessfully. Of the other sixty or so children, fifty had also broken through, a startlingly high sess rate.


    "If you didn''t break through just yet, don''t worry¡ªyou''ll still have another chance. However, those among you who cried out asking to leave the dojo during the trial are no longer wee here. Leave at once," hemanded, his voice turning from gentle warmth to icy coolness.


    "Dojo Leader, please, I was simply so frightened! Please don''t chase me out!" several of the children wheedled, but Zhang Lie ignored them all. He motioned for Sun Mengmeng to herd them out.


    "Fang Yi, I''ll leave the other disciples to you. Those who have broken through, follow me!" Zhang Lie instructed.


    Fang Yi led the remaining disciples into another trial, one that would challenge their minds and bodies¡ªthough in a different manner. The remaining disciples, all exultant at having seeded in their first trial, followed Zhang Lie happily.


    Now that they had sessfully entered the Zenith Dojo as official disciples, their lives would surely change for the better.


    "Behind this door lies the full set of techniques the Zenith Dojo has to offer to its disciples. However, before we head inside, I want to ask you all a question: have you ever considered your future?" Zhang Lie paused before a thick robotic door.


    Jun Jiuxiao''s eyes gleamed. His palms shook with anxiety and excitement.


    "I want to be an existence like you, Dojo Leader," he began.


    "I want to marshal my fate!" Ye Xianchen continued.


    "Me too! I want to be strong!" Wu Wei and the others piped up, clenching their fists.


    Young and inexperienced though they might be, their tone was resolute, their will unwavering. Zhang Lie saw a sea of expectant faces staring firmly in his direction.


    For a moment, he thought he saw himself reflected in their gaze, the past him who had slowly crawled his way up from the slums. Despite his youth, he was already firmly aware of the darkness that the world held in store for those like him. His experience in his youth had given him the firm resolve he needed to walk further and further down the path to cultivation; for these children, it might have been much the same.


    "Very good," Zhang Lie said. "I''m looking forward to your future aplishments."


    "Dojo Leader, I want to be your disciple!" Jun Jiuxiao suddenly shouted out loud.


    "Oh? But you are."


    "Really?"


    "Of course!"


    "No, no, that''s not what I mean, Dojo Leader! I¡ª"


    "You want to be my apprentice?"


    Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, Wu Wei, and the others all kept their eyes focused on Zhang Lie''s face, straining their ears to make sure they caught every syble of what he was going to say next.


    "I''ll consider it, as long as you meet my qualifications," he continued.


    In truth, not even the members of Team Zenith could be considered his apprentices. They were his teammates, more equals than disciples, but ones to whom he would asionally give pointers. And all the children gathered here were disciples of the dojo, but none were at the point where they could be called his apprentices.


    He was quite interested in Jun Jiuxiao''s initiative.


    "Dojo Leader, may I ask what these qualifications are?" Jun Jiuxiao pressed.


    "Simple enough: once you choose an appropriate framework for yourself, head into the dimensional world. Within a month, kill ten basic lifeforms on your own. Everyone who meets these requirements will be eligible to be my apprentices," Zhang Lie promised.


    The children all drew a breath. The dimensional world was awless realm, dangerous and bloody¡ªand they were no more than thirteen- or fourteen-year-olds! There were still a few years before they would have been forced to enter the dimensional world for the first time, and Zhang Lie''s trial was overly difficult for them.


    After all, the first time anyone entered the dimensional world, they wouldn''t be able to choose to which settlement they were sent. As a result, they couldn''t even count on anyone or anything for protection.


    Upon hearing the requirements for the trial, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen nched. As expected, it would be a difficult task indeed to be one of Zhang Lie''s apprentices. However, wasn''t it worth the risk? Zhang Lie, the Dragonwolf, had been the first to discover the existence of limit fragments, and if he could be one of his apprentices...


    "I''m willing to take the trial!" Just as Zhang Lie was about to shake his head, thinking that Jun Jiuxiao had asked the question merely on a whim, Jun Jiuxiao responded in the affirmative.

 Chapter 176: Gathering in the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 176: Gathering in the Capital</h4>


    Jun Jiuxiao''s face was stark white, but he ultimately overcame his fear and chose the path of the strong.


    "I, I shall do the same!" Hearing that he was willing to take on the trial, Ye Xianchen, beside him, volunteered as well.


    "Very well, but you''ll both have to choose an appropriate framework first." Zhang Lie nced thoughtfully at the two children''s faces. No one else volunteered for the trial; for most of the disciples, just entering the Zenith Dojo was more than enough for them.


    Zhang Lie advised them in choosing their own frameworks, then handed off the disciples to Sun Mengmeng. He personally brought Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen to the dojo''s teleportation array to the dimensional world.


    "Are you both certain that you want to participate in this trial?" Zhang Lie asked again, noticing their unease.


    "Yes, Dojo Leader, we''re certain!" Their fear was tempered by their resolve.


    "In that case, I hope for your sess." Zhang Lie handed each of them a small microchip, pped their shoulders, and had them walk through the teleportation array.


    In two shes of light, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen entered the dimensional world for the first time. Whether they would survive their trial would depend entirely on them. All Zhang Lie did was to hand them a guide exining the key differences between the real and dimensional world, as well as pitfalls they would have to be careful not to fall into.


    With the disciples'' affairs settled, Zhang Lie and the others of Team Zenith once again piled into their training chambers.


    In the capital, after the conclusion of the citywide stage, a cheerful, festive atmosphere once again descended on the crowds. After the citywide stage would be the nationwide stage, and China''spetition would be one of the highlights of the entire Void Cup.


    However, this iteration of the Void Cup seemed rather unusual, so much so that even Yan Long, the Chinese representative from the world federation responsible for the nationwide stage, was shocked beyond belief upon reviewing the information from the citywide stages.


    "Is this information reliable?" He turned to Luo Lie, a member of the capital''s military, who was by his side.


    "Yan Long, how long has it been since you became the overseer of the Void Cup? Has the data you received ever been wrong?" Luo Lie shook his head, and Yan Long turned back to the data in disbelief. The Wang n and Heaven''s me Dojo had both been defeated by a dark horse, the Zenith Dojo.


    The members of Team Zenith hadn''t lost except when they faced each other in the finals, and, even more shockingly, their team captain Zhang Lie had won the entire tournament without fighting even once. Just what sort of hunter couldmand such fear and strength?


    If reports of such sess were solely isted to Ning, he might have suspected some trickery at y, but even in Sacred Fire on Mars, the toppetitor was once again a hunter from Team Zenith.


    Yang Yao, long groomed as the sessor to the Yang n, had been defeated in a single blow. Yan Long knew the Yang n quite well, and he even knew of the enmity between Yang Yao and Yang Ze. The two of them were essentially bitter enemies; would either of them throw the match for the other?


    And yet Yan Long still found it difficult to ept such overwhelming strength. "Luo Lie, if this is how strong the hunters of Team Zenith are, just how frightening is Zhang Lie himself?"


    "I met thed during the Kez invasion at the capital, and he risked his life to kill a three-star ck-tipped scarab! Then, during his dojo''s opening ceremony, no less than Su Feng saw him defeat a third-realm hunter in a single blow. He was the one who discovered the existence of limit fragments, so he might have even more secrets and tricks up his sleeve¡ªI doubt anyone from the younger generation will be able to best him."


    Luo Lie had an extremely vivid impression of Zhang Lie owing to his military background. Zhang Lie''s participation against the Kez invasion and Su Feng''s recognition and fondness for him made Luo Lie think quite highly of him as well.


    Yan Long began roaring inughter. "A dark horse indeed, but it seems like he''s one to look out for, eh? I''m expecting a good showing for him on the worldwide stage, then!"


    To the two officials, these were nothing more than idle remarks made in jest, but some others couldn''t bear to hear their words any longer.


    "Oh? The tournament hasn''t yet been held, and the results aren''t yet out. Who''s to say who will win the nationwide stage?" A cold voice interrupted their conversation, causing Yan Long and Luo Lie to pause as they nced at the abrupt interlocutor, the head of the Long n, Long Xiao.


    The nationwide stage was organized by the Chinese military, but some of therger ns in the nation were also given the right to sit in the VIP stands. Naturally, the Long n from Lingnan was among them.


    "You''re here early, n Head Long! The tournament only starts tomorrow." Yan Long greeted him as he securely stowed the data in his hands.


    "It only makes sense to arrive early to such an important event," Long Xiao replied, initiating a further discussion on the tournament to begin tomorrow.


    .


    ns from all around the country steadily arrived at the capital in suchrge numbers that even the capital''s streets gradually became crowded. The central region close to the arena was especially bad, flooded as it was with a throng of people.


    Even the rich and famous had no choice but to mill around the region like the regr citizens who lived there. The hotels in and even all around the capital were all fully booked, and the hunters who found themselves unable to find a room had to camp outside the city or in the parks within.


    "Ah, there are so many hunters even in the suburbs?"


    "Well, there''s nothing we can do¡ªthe nationwide tournament for the Void Cup starts tomorrow."


    "I might have participated during another iteration, but not this year for sure¡ªimagine trying to face down the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    The next morning, amotion could be heard from the north of the capital. Arge, ck mass was flying toward the capital from a distance, much like an erged albatross. As it entered the capital''s airspace, the onlookers realized that it was a giant airborne fort.


    "It''s the military''s airborne fort, here to oversee the tournament!"


    "But they haven''t done anything like this in past years, have they? It must mean that the Chinese military''s cing particr emphasis on this year''s Void Cup!"


    The hunters who saw the fort were eagerly discussing the reasons behind its appearance.


    As it hovered in midair, a huge whirring noise came from the center of the capital, and the hunters felt the ground beneath them quake.


    A silver hemisphere began to form over the air, its base a circr perimeter that encapsted the tournament grounds within it. The military''s airborne fort hovered where the cap of the hemisphere would be, as though it were the keystone that held the barrier in ce. The fort slowly began to revolve as ion cannons appeared protruding outward, securing the airspace from outside interference.


    After the barrier had been constructed, a fleet of hovercars arrived from the distance, stopping right outside the barrier. A number of figures walked out, chief among them the Chinese government''s liaison to the world federation, Yan Long, and the Chinese militarymander Luo Lie. They would be joint hosts for the nationwide stage of the Void Cup. Behind them were the n heads of the five major ns of the capital, along with its most famous dojo leaders.


    Their arrival prompted the hunters gathered nearby to begin flocking toward the barrier.


    Four figures blended in with the crowd.


    "The tournament''s right about to begin. The teleportation array at the center of the capital has been disabled, so that fellow will have toe through one of the arrays in the suburbs. We need only wait," one of the hunters began.


    "But what about the military''s airborne fort?" Another hunter looked hesitantly through his binocrs.


    "Don''t worry. Our target''s just one person, so there won''t be a hugemotion. Is everyone ready? Pay attention to each of the nearby teleportation arrays!"


    The four figures spread out as they darted toward each of four different arrays situated around the capital.


    Back in Ning, Zhang Lie had made preparations bright and early in the morning, as had the rest of Team Zenith. After instructing Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang about handling the dojo''s affairs in his absence, Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith walked toward the teleportation array.


    "Right, Yang Ze''s also preparing for the finals on Mars, isn''t he?" Sun Mengmeng suddenly asked.


    "Yes, Sacred Fire isn''t too far away from the Martian capital. Given his temperament, I bet he''s already waiting at the capital by now," Li Feng replied, smiling.


    None of them seemed at all anxious about the tournament toe.


    "You guys better not get too rxed," Zhang Lie warned. "Once again, we''re striving for all of us to make it through the nationwide tournament and onto the worldwide stage!"


    "Yes, Captain!" everyone shouted. The six of them stepped into the teleportation array together.

 Chapter 177: Courageous

    <h4>Chapter 177: Courageous</h4>


    As more and more hunters arrived at the capital, the golden arena in which thepetitors would be fighting materialized from thin air. The VIP stands were already filled with major n heads from all over the country, as well as notable dojo leaders and officials from the world federation.


    Outside the protective hemisphere, troops from the capital''s military were verifying eachpetitor''s identity; those spectators who had no affiliation or background were forced to remain outside.


    Compared to the citywide stage, the nationwide stage was clearly far more concerned about security, so much so that an airborne fort from the military had been mobilized. The various n heads were ncing at thepetitors slowly trickling into the stage, as though searching for one hunter in particr.


    "I heard that that fellow barely made it to the citywide stage in Ning on time. Is he going to be doing the same here?" Yan Long frowned.


    He was very curious about the members of Team Zenith and their captain, Zhang Lie. However, despite the fact that most hunters had already gathered by the tournament grounds, there was no sign of any member of Team Zenith.


    "I wonder if this fellow decided not to show up," the Long n head murmured.


    A few more hovercars arrived, bringing the Wang, Li, and Qin delegations to the tournament. The three n heads stepped through the barrier and headed straight for the VIP stands.


    "Hoh? What are the Wang, Li, and Qin n heads doing here?" the Chu n head, Chu Lin, teased.


    Almost everyone present knew that the Wang n''s genius had been eliminated by Team Zenith''s Li Feng, leaving the Wang n with only one representative in the nationwide tournament.


    Wang Han''s face turned dark. "This is the nationwide stage of the Void Cup, after all," he gritted out, forcing his tone to remain genial. "It''s not an event to be missed."


    "Perhaps so, but I''d like to remind all of you not to do anything untoward to any of thepetitors," Yan Long warned. He didn''t care what sort of grudge the three ns bore toward Zhang Lie; this was a tournament he was responsible for, and he certainly didn''t want to take the me if anything were to happen.


    "Don''t worry, Official Yan. As major ns, would we stoop so low as to take revenge on a hunter of the younger generation?" Wang Han smiled.


    The other n heads kept their eyes peeled, sure that something unexpected was going to happen during the tournament.


    Just as the tournament was about to begin, the members of Team Zenith stepped out of a teleportation array to the south of the capital.


    "What''s going on? Why are the streets of the capital so empty?" Sun Xiaowu remarked, ncing all around him.


    No one wandered down the broad streets, and they could barely see a few hovercars in the distance. The silence that enveloped the capital made it seem like a necropolis.


    "Ah, look! That''s the military''s airborne fort!" Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi''s gazended on the massive floating object in the sky that was blotting out part of the sun.


    "We''d better hurry. It looks like the tournament''s about to begin!" Zhang Lie shouted. He didn''t want to bete once again. However, the moment he stepped forward, he felt strong fluctuations in gic energy from his vicinity.


    Gusts of cold air surrounded the hunters. Zhang Lie turned back to see something seemingly hidden in a small alley to their back, but momentster, the thing vanished, reced by a sudden noise. A golden bridge of light arced downward from the distance, stopping by Zhang Lie''s feet.


    "What''s this?" Sun Xiaowu asked, uncertainly.


    "A... special passageway for the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?" Zhang Lie''s face spasmed as glowing golden words appeared on top of the bridge.


    Meanwhile, in the tournament grounds, the crowds could all see a golden bridge arcing into the distance, as well as the words that floated into the air.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Doesn''t it tell you right there? It''s a special passageway for the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Ah, so he''s arriving?"


    Thepetitors murmured to each other upon seeing such obvious preferential treatment.


    "Isn''t this the first time that this has happened in the history of the Void Cup?" someone eximed, ncing enviously at the bridge.


    "The Chinese military is doing quite a good job of protecting its favored hunters, isn''t it?"


    Long Xiao and Li Mo''s faces darkened. That the military had specifically done this for Zhang Lie was a clear sign of his importance, and whoever dared strike at Zhang Lie under such circumstances would surely face grave reprisal.


    A few hovercars rushed off toward the other end of the bridge in a wave of neon lights, causing the murmured conversations from all around to grow even louder. Not only was Zhang Lie getting his own passageway, he was getting his own escort! Wasn''t this far too much favoritism?


    "Official Yan, isn''t this far too grand an entrance for just Zhang Lie alone?"


    "Indeed, he''s just a hunter of the younger generation, nothing more..."


    "If your ns also boast a hunterparable to Zhang Lie, I wouldn''t mind giving that hunter a special passageway too," Yan Long replied to Long Xiao and Li Mo, rendering them temporarily speechless.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes at the special passageway that extended right to their feet.


    "Are they worried that we''d get lost?" Fang Yi joked.


    A few hovercars rushed across the bridge and stopped in front of the members of Team Zenith. Zhang Lie didn''t move. He nced back at the alleyway, where the mysterious sensation of pressure he felt had vanished.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhang Lie. The Chinese military has opened up a special passageway to escort you to the tournament. Please, follow me!" A soldier walked out from a hovercar and greeted Zhang Lie politely.


    "My thanks," Zhang Lie responded, following the others into one of the hovercars.


    Once they left, a few figures walked out from the alleyway, their faces shadowed. "Damn it, just why would the military value him so highly?!"


    "We''ll have to wait for the next opportunity to strike," another figure murmured.


    As dark purple gic energy shrouded the figures, they vanished from sight and floated into the distance as if they were ghosts.


    Most of the crowd was staring at the far end of the bridge, trying to spot the hovercars bearing Zhang Lie. They appeared from the horizon, rushing straight for the tournament grounds.


    Long Xiao''s face darkened. Li Mo clenched his fists, eyes filling up with malice.


    As the hovercar stopped in front of the barrier, Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith walked out. After a short silence, quite a few hunters among the crowd burst into apuse.


    Zhang Lie scratched the back of his head as he waved to them all, feeling somewhat self-conscious at all the attention heaped in his direction.


    "Dragonwolf, if not for this passageway, would you have arrivedte again?" Yan Long teased him, a measure of appreciation in his gaze.


    Long Xiao and Li Mo stared at him evilly, whereas Qin Zongming and Wang Han frowned in distaste. The military favored Zhang Lie far more than the major ns had realized, and this preferential treatment gave the n heads a surprising sense of pressure.


    "I wouldn''t dare, Official Yan. This is the nationwide tournament, after all!" Zhang Lie didn''t even look at Long Xiao and Li Mo.


    "Now that everyone''s here, let me formally announce the start of the nationwide tournament of the Void Cup!" Yan Long shouted, then followed up with a series of announcements before the opening ceremony.


    "It looks like Zhang Lie will be the champion this year, won''t he?" Chu Feng sighed as he nced at Zhang Lie. Compared to him, his status as the young master of the Chu n seemed meaningless.


    Yun Bing''s eyes were fixated on Zhang Lie as well. She had never felt a sense of security from any man before, except when she was with Zhang Lie.


    "Ah, Sister Yun Bing, you''re not in love with Zhang Lie, are you? You''d better not be¡ªhe''s mine!" Chu Xun suddenly whispered to her, causing her pale cheeks to flush.


    "Don''t speak nonsense, Chu Xun, or I''ll have to punish you!" She puffed up her face and pretended to roll up her sleeves as she whirled around to face Chu Xun.


    Chu Feng stilled at the sight; as far as he knew, Yun Bing had never behaved in this manner ever before. It seemed as though she really was, at least a little, enamored with Zhang Lie. Should he be d or upset that there was a hunter like Zhang Lie among the younger generation?


    Of course, they who knew Zhang Lie well would at least fare much better than some of the brash and arrogant hunters who didn''t know a thing about Zhang Lie at all. Many of those hunters were nning on taking down Zhang Lie and shifting all the attention to themselves, a n that Chu Feng and Yun Bing had the foresight to veer far away from.

 Chapter 178: A Dominating Victory

    <h4>Chapter 178: A Dominating Victory</h4>


    The three brothers of Meng considered themselves contenders for Zhang Lie''s throne. They were known as the three kings of the grasnds: the wolf king, Zhou Kai, the eagle king, Zhou Qi, and the horse king, Zhou Wan. They looked toward Zhang Lie with malice in their eyes, excited for the fame and attention they would receive for defeating him.


    Just then, Yan Long finished his speech and announced the start of the nationwide tournament. The names of thepetitors appeared on screen behind him.


    "Thosepetitors whose names are on-screen, prepare for battle immediately!"


    Curiously, Zhang Lie again found his name listed: he would be fighting in the first arena.


    "Damn it, I''m facing Zhang Lie!" one of the hunters in the crowd shouted in vexation.


    "Haha! ?Looks like it''s time for you to surrender! Haven''t you heard that everypetitor that Zhang Lie matched up against chose to do so?"


    "Right, what if he identally uses too much strength and kills you?"


    Many nearby hunters began to tease the unfortunatepetitor.


    "Surely I''m not so scary..." Zhang Lie murmured, walking toward the first arena.


    One ck-robed hunter was particrly focused on Zhang Lie. "If only he were my target! But I don''t have to worry¡ªI''ll eventually fight him if I win enough." The hunter cackled a few times, the malice and madness in hisugh causing those around him to give him a wide berth.


    Once all the designated hunters were in their respective arenas, the first match of the tournament began. Except for Zhang Lie, the other hunters were all rather middling hunters, with nary an exciting fight among them. Naturally, attention piled up on the first arena, where Zhang Lie''s opponent, recognizing that he would be no match for Zhang Lie himself, chose to surrender.


    "As expected of the Dragonwolf, he won without having to fight once again!"


    Amidst frenzied discussion, Zhang Lie shook his head as he left the arena, again the first hunter to do so.


    "This fellow..." Yan Long''s face spasmed.


    "Hoh, when do you think he''ll actually have to fight for once? If he gets the grand prize without doing anything at all, even I''d be jealous of him!" Luo Lie seemed to be recalling his own experience as apetitor of the Void Cup.


    Now that Zhang Lie had won his first match, he would be free for quite some time. There were only about thirty cities who were qualified to host citywide tournaments in China, and the top ten hunters from each city would qualify. As a result, there were three hundred participants in the nationwide tournament. Of those three hundred, the top ten would go on to participate in the worldwide tournament.


    The first round of the nationwide tournament was a one-on-one battle; the winners would advance to the second round, and the losers would participate in a free-for-all for a few coveted positions to advance. Fortunately, none of the members of Team Zenith met each other in the first round, nor any hunters they were familiar with, and all of them sessfully advanced to the second round.


    In the capital, the first round had just ended; on Mars, the first round was just beginning.


    In the Martian capital, Yang Ze found himself the object of attention. Hispetitors would shoot him curious looks from time to time, trying to identify just what was so special about the hunter of whom so many rumors had been spoken.


    "So this is Yang Ze?"


    "Yes, that''s Yang Ze, bastard son of the Yang n! Apparently, he became really strong after joining Zhang Lie''s Team Zenith, and he defeated Yang Yao easily!"


    "What? Yang Yao too?! Who on Mars can defeat him, then?"


    "You never know¡ªwhat about the geniuses from the Ma, Jin, and Mo ns?"


    The spectators from the Yang n frowned at the rumors and discussion that were circting among the gathered hunters. Yang Ze''s rise was undoubtedly a mark of shame against their n; a bastard had defeated the most celebrated Yang scion in a single blow!


    The Yang n head looked toward Yang Ze with aplicated expression on his face.


    "The tournament willmence shortly," announced a military officer from the Martian federation, a man with silver braids.


    The rather parched Martiannd suddenly began to groan as a robotic sound came from deep underground. A crack spread across the ground as an arena emerged from sight. Amidst a cloud of red dust, therge arena split into ten fragments, just as was done in China.


    Yang Ze clenched his fists tightly.


    "On the seventh arena, Yang Ze VS Mo Tian," the military officer read off.


    Yang Ze sucked in a deep breath as he walked toward the arena. Watching him, the Yang n head suddenly felt his heart wrench.


    "The n has made its decision," the first Yang elder murmured, sensing his errant thoughts. The Yang n head sighed and nodded, his eyes clearing up.


    As Yang Ze stood in the icy-cold arena, his opponent, Mo Tian, slowly strode up to him.


    "Who would have expected that a Yang exile would be able to go so far? Your strength is indeed quite shocking," Mo Tianmented idly.


    Yang Ze raised his head and smiled, looking him in the eye.


    "The first match begins now!"


    Yang Ze circted his gic energy. There was no need to speak; his actions would speak for themselves. Heunched [Fists of the Silent Sea], quickly followed by [Three-Wave Crescendo].


    A thick, dense wave of water-attuned gic energy headed in Mo Tian''s direction, and Mo Tian reacted with a few attacks of his own. As he made to defend against Yang Ze''s blows, Yang Ze suddenly leapt up, a gleaming sword somehow having made its way into his hand. "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy doused the arena. A huge wave of water swept toward Mo Tian, followed quickly by waves of sword energy. Mo Tian was forced back stumbling by the wave of water; he had no defense against the waves of sword energy that followed.


    As his body was flung out of the arena, Yang Ze became the first victor of the round.


    "The winner of arena #7¡ªYang Ze!"


    The Mo n head frowned, his face darkening. Mo Tian was thest of the Mo elites still in the tournament, and his defeat now would lose the Mo n all representation in the Void Cup.


    The crowds were silent as they processed the shockingly fast victory. Before they could react, Yang Ze had already walked off the arena and back to the stands.


    Back in China''s capital, the tournament was progressing far faster than anticipated thanks to the overwhelming strength of the members of Team Zenith. The second day of the tournament posed no challenge to them; they continued to advance with overwhelming strength.


    The spectators at the capital, just like those in Ning, found themselves speechless, as did Yan Long, Luo Lie, and Su Feng. How long had it been since such a superior hunter had appeared during the Void Cup?


    Even if Zhang Lie were excluded, the performance of the members of Team Zenith were still far superior to that of any other faction represented at the tournament.


    "Just what sort of monster is he?" Su Feng murmured, watching the tournament from his office in the ckwind Fort. His special forces troops had adapted remarkably quickly to their new limit fragments after receiving personalized instruction from Zhang Lie.


    That night, as the members of Team Zenith discussed the day''s fighting, Zhang Lie stood alone and silent in the dojo''s training ground, raising his head to look up at the radiant moon.


    A cloud floated across the moon, momentarily shrouding the sky in darkness. Zhang Lie felt a sudden inspiration. He activated [Eclipse], positioning the moon of its domain exactly where it was in the night sky.


    Dark clouds crept over the moon, slowly enveloping it in its midst.


    As Zhang Lie continued releasing gic energy, a dark serpent appeared around him. It ascended toward the moon, devouring it bit by bit. Zhang Lie felt a curious thrumming in his head, as though he had be the moon being devoured by the serpent. Subject to this curious sensation, Zhang Lie found the devouring process proceeding surprisingly smoothly, but his consciousness was likewise fading away.


    "Desist immediately!" he heard from afar. Zhang Lie clutched his head and immediately awoke from his trance.


    He had somehow managed tobine his consciousness with the domain of [Eclipse]. As the serpent devoured the moon, so too did it devour his lifeforce; if he hadn''t canceled the skill, he could well have died where he stood.


    Sweat dripped down Zhang Lie''s back. He took a deep breath and turned in the direction of the shout: Lin Xiu was leaning against a pir as he considered Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie was shocked¡ªwhen had Lin Xiu arrived? He hadn''t noticed him at all!


    "Thank you," Zhang Lie called out.


    Lin Xiu grunted nomittally, then left after seeing that Zhang Lie was fine.


    The next day, Zhang Lie arrived at the capital early. When he did so, there were only a few hunters in the tournament ground, all of whom frowned and stared warily at the members of Team Zenith: these members were whom the hunters would have to face if they wanted to advance.

 Chapter 179: Qin Xiaos End

    <h4>Chapter 179: Qin Xiao''s End</h4>


    "Let the tournament begin!" Yan Long announced.


    Zhang Lie watched a trembling hunter in front of him skeptically; after the announcement, just as he was preparing to circte gic energy throughout his body, his opponent instantly surrendered.


    Long Xiao and Li Mo watched the tournament for a few seconds before simultaneously standing up to leave, followed quickly by Wang Han. They didn''t have the patience to watch such a one-sided match, nor the interest in Zhang Lie to warrant their doing so. Only the Qin n remained; Qin Zongming calmly watched the tournament from his seat in the stands, unbothered by the departure of the other n heads.


    His gaze was fixed on a hunter on the second arena, one d in ck. His features were obscured by the hood that covered his face, and quite a few hunters were staring at him because of his odd getup. His opponent was none other than Fang Yi.


    "So you''re my opponent," the ck-robed man murmured, his ice-cold voice filled with disappointment.


    Fang Yi didn''t speak. He clutched his ck spear tightly in his hands as he circted his gic energy. Wind wrapped around him; lightning crackled.


    The ck-robed hunter slowly disrobed.


    "Qin Xiao?!" Fang Yi cried out, seeing his pale, gaunt face.


    "What? What''s Qin Xiao doing here? Isn''t he still being chased after by a few major ns? Look, the Zhou n''s right there!" Thepetitors in the arenas, as well as the hunters in the stands, immediately began to whisper to each other.


    The Zhou n head, Zhou Ruo, stared at Qin Zongming with an icy demeanor.


    Qin Zongming shrugged off his stare; he had other things to worry about. This wasn''t an opportune time for Qin Xiao to reveal his identity at all.


    "Ha! You didn''t expect it, did you? I was nning on revealing my identity only when it came time to take down Zhang Lie: be honored I''m doing it for you." Qin Xiao''s voice suddenly turned hoarse.


    "Do you think someone like you can take down our captain?" Fang Yi snorted. He pushed [Rondo of Wind and Storm] to its extreme as he prepared tounch a strike against Qi Feng.


    "You''ve grown arrogant after your time with Zhang Lie, haven''t you? Let me remind you, while you were ying in the mud as a kid, I was already the top hunter of the cksteel settlement! Die!"


    He licked his parched lips as he nced toward Zhang Lie, who was leaving his own arena after winning his battle. However, all he saw was Zhang Lie''s back. Despite the murmurs of all the hunters around him, it seemed as though Zhang Lie hadn''t ever looked in his direction.


    "I knew it was you, Qin Xiao!" On the seventh arena, Chu Feng red at Qin Xiao; Yun Bing, on the third arena, also nced his way after dealing with her opponent. The three hunters still had unfinished business with each other.


    "Official Yan, what''s going on? Why was this convict allowed to participate in the Void Cup?" Zhou Ruo questioned Yan Long.


    Yan Long frowned. The Void Cup was open to all hunters who registered in the dimensional world; since everyone could participate, the officials had been ratherx when it came to confirming thepetitors'' identities. It wasn''t strange that Qin Xiao had managed to fool the officials, but the fact that he had chosen to reveal his identity so publicly would make things difficult for them.


    "ording to the rules of the tournament, Qin Xiao is eligible to participate," Yan Long replied, taking a deep breath.


    Zhou Ruo fumed: Qin Xiao had caused the death of his own son!


    Qin Zongming nced at Zhou Ruo, worried about what he was going to do next. However, after taking a deep breath, Zhou Ruo actually seemed to calm down quickly. "Very well. If these are the rules, then there''s nothing I can do."


    Themotion from Qin Xiao''s sudden appearance gradually quieted down, and Qin Zongming sighed in relief.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Fang Yi''s eyes glinted as he thrust his spear toward Qin Xiao.


    [Heaven''s Judgment] was a lightning-attuned technique. It caused shes of golden light to re throughout the tournament ground as Fang Yi struck, highlighting the potency of and the skill he had reached with the technique.


    Fang Yi seemed to morph into a bolt of lightning as he shot forward.


    "[Thunder Raiment]!" Qin Xiao called out, coalescing a suit of thunder armor against his body right before Fang Yi struck.


    A bolt of lightning seared the onlookers'' eyes.


    "Haha!" Qin Xiaoughed out loud. His armor technique was a perfect counter to Fang Yi''s attack.


    Nevertheless, Fang Yi''s face remained as calm and impassive as before. His surety suddenly gave Qin Xiao a premonition of unease. "[Heaven''s Judgment: Thunder''s Wrath]."


    The lightning-attuned gic energy scattered about the arena coalesced into a ball of light, one which exploded against Qin Xiao''s armor. Qin Xiao screamed as he was flung out of the arena, his body battered and bruised.


    "This is impossible!" he shouted, his body smoking from the force of the lightning.


    In the stands, Qin Zongming''s eyes widened in shock. The strength that Fang Yi had demonstrated was far superior to Qin Xiao''s, despite the fact that Qin Xiao had consumed a restricted potion even before taking the stage.


    Why? Why were the members of Team Zenith so strong?


    "Qin Xiao was defeated so easily¡ªhow could this be? Even if he''s been expelled from the Qin n, he was still once one of the top hunters in the cksteel settlement!"


    "Just how strong are the members of Team Zenith?!"


    Many hunters nced cautiously at Fang Yi, still holding his spear beside him.


    As he flew to the edge of the arena, Qin Xiao gritted his teeth and forced the pain aside as he firmly grabbed the edge of the arena to prevent himself from falling outside, but as he slowly got up, the wounds on his body began leaking fresh blood. Untied, his long, unkempt hair fluttered in the wind, giving him the demeanor of a crazy maniac.


    "Ha! It''s impossible, isn''t it..." His once-handsome features scrunched up in a grimace. If he couldn''t even beat one of Zhang Lie''s teammates, how could he hope to beat Zhang Lie himself?


    "Give up!" Qin Zongming thundered from the stands.


    However, Qin Xiao didn''t pay him any heed. He retrieved a test tube from his soulspace, one filled with a mysterious liquid.


    "Is this a restricted potion?" Yan Long frowned as he red at Qin Zongming.


    "Today, you''ll suffer as I have!" Qin Xiao pried open the test tube and drained its contents.


    Fang Yi frowned as he turned back to Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie didn''t pay Qin Xiao any heed. From the moment Qin Xiao uncorked the test tube, Zhang Lie recognized it as a stimnt, one whose side effects were so deleterious that they were even worse than the superior-grade blood ant''s soulshard. To add insult to injury, the boost it conferred, though rather significant, would onlyst for a short period of time.


    His eyes turned bloodshot. After using two restricted potions in a row, regardless of the oue of this match, Qin Xiao''s cultivation would be forever stunted.


    "Die!" Crackling lightning gathered on Qin Xiao''s pitch-ck polearm. His hair flying in the wind, his body temporarily bulging with muscle, Qin Xiao was a fearsome sight to behold.


    Fang Yi faced his opponent seriously; given the potions he had consumed, Qin Xiao''s strength might well rival his own.


    "Rx. He won''t be at your level, no matter how many potions he drinks! You can defeat him!" Zhang Lie shouted from a distance.


    "Hah, dream on! The next one to die is you!" Qin Xiao shouted back. His body was thrumming with explosive strength, rendering him temporarily fearless.


    Fang Yi sucked in a deep breath as gic energy exploded from him.


    Qin Xiao dashed forward using the Qin n''s footwork. The signature Qin framework and techniques all focused heavily on offense. After consuming the two restricted potions, Qin Xiao was able to use those techniques to their extremes.


    The strength of his attack caused the entire arena to shudder. His eyes gleamed with light and his lips curled up. He was sure that even Zhang Lie, let alone Fang Yi, would be hard-pressed to defend against the attack. He could already sense himself taking down Zhang Lie and being crowned the king of the first realm.


    As Qin Xiao approached, Fang Yi suddenly turned ephemeral with an activation of [Floating Clouds]. Though he remained visible, his body seemed to be trapped in a spatial distortion, unable to be touched. "[Heaven''s Judgment: Pinnacle]."


    White light flooded the arena.


    Zhang Lie raised his head sharply: this was likely the technique that Fang Yi had been working on recently. "Using this to defeat Qin Xiao..."


    Zhang Lie shook his head, no hint of worry in his features.


    "Captain, don''t worry, it wouldn''t be a disgrace even if Fang Yi were to lose. After all, Qin Xiao consumed a restricted potion!" Sun Xiaowu shouted. Everyone except for Zhang Lie was watching the fight with rapt attention, as though the oue was still yet uncertain.


    "There''s no doubt that Fang Yi will win," Zhang Lie announced confidently.


    As he spoke, two streaks of lightning shed against each other, enveloping the entire arena in a blinding sh of light. Not even bothering to shield his eyes, Yan Long observed the scene. "The victor has been decided."


    As the light grew dim, revealing thepetitors'' figures once again, Fang Yi stood in the middle of the stage, a strange expression on his face. He had yet to use his full strength, and yet Qin Xiao had already fallen to the ground, struck by countless blows of lightning...


    Qin Xiaoy to the side of the arena, his body spasming as blood seeped out of his orifices.


    "Xiao''er!" Seeing Qin Xiao in such a state, Qin Zongming leapt from the stands directly onto the arena.


    However, the moment he left the stands, Zhou Ruo, who was seated not far from him, quickly followed suit. Zhou Ruo blocked Qin Zongming''s path forward. "n Head Qin, the match isn''t over yet. Don''t you feel like you''re overstepping your bounds?"


    "Scram!" Qin Zongming shouted. Given the severity of Qin Xiao''s injuries, he would surely die of blood loss if they weren''t treated in time. If he couldn''t even protect his own son, what was the point of his power and reputation?

 Chapter 180: A Frightening Disparity

    <h4>Chapter 180: A Frightening Disparity</h4>


    "This match has yet to conclude. n heads, return to the stands! I will send for necessary treatment once one party surrenders," Yan Longmanded, forcing the two n heads to leave.


    As Qin Zongming trudged back up, he stared at Zhou Ruo balefully, as though he wanted to swallow Zhou Ruo whole.


    "Xiao''er, surrender! Your life''s more important!" he called out, eyeing Zhou Ruo in warning as he did so.


    "I-I surrender!"


    The winner of arena #7¡ªFang Yi! As Qin Xiao surrendered, the name of the victor appeared on the screen behind Yan Long, and Qin Xiao, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, was quickly carried off like a dead dog. Thebined effects of consuming two restricted potions, as well as the grievous injuries he had suffered, would undoubtedly end Qin Xiao''s path as a cultivator prematurely.


    Fang Yi stowed his spear as he left the arena. By that time, the results of the other simultaneous matches were out, as was the list ofpetitors who would participate in the finals. Except for the members of Team Zenith, the only other hunters who had qualified were Chu Feng, Yun Bing, and one hunter each from the He and Qian ns.


    This was the first time that an entire team had qualified for the finals of China''s nationwide tournament, an aplishment that was quickly unted by the media.


    "I knew it! The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie will surely be the victor of China''s nationwide tournament! He''s the pride of the Ning slums!"


    "What nonsense are you spouting? The results aren''t even out yet."


    "Ha! Given his track record, do you think Zhang Lie will lose?"


    The residents of the slums were heatedly discussing the likelihood of Zhang Lie''s sess with gusto as they watched the tournament y out, and simr conversations were happening all over the country.


    "As usual, rewards will be handed out to the top ten participants, and this year''s rewards will be exceptional indeed. Rest well and prepare yourselves for the battles toe tomorrow," Yan Long announced, his gaze pausing on Zhang Lie''s body for a moment.


    Chu Feng and the others chuckled bitterly. Based on Team Zenith''s performance that day, the rest of them would be relegated to cing seventh through tenth.


    After the tournament, teams of hunters began to depart from the capital.


    "Zhang Lie, you haven''t found any amodations, have you? Why note stay at my dojo? It''s free of charge for you."


    "Ha! Zhang Lie, my dojo''s far better, and you''re always wee there."


    "No, he shoulde stay with the Huang n!"


    Quite a few n heads and dojo leaders began walking purposefully toward Zhang Lie, smiles stered on their faces, as though they were hotel managers trying to acquire more guests.


    "Alright, alright, stop crowding around! Mr. Zhang, Official Yan''s inviting you to join his delegation!" Luo Lie shouted as he made his way toward Zhang Lie.


    Even Zhang Lie was surprised that Yan Long had extended him an invitation.


    "I''m not dreaming, am I? To think Official Yan himself would be interested in us!" Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    "Thank you." Zhang Lie epted the military''s invitation and joined their party.


    "Ah! If I had befriended Zhang Lie before he rose to power and fame, do you think that I''d be as strong as the members of Team Zenith by now?" Quite a few hunters watched Zhang Lie depart with frustration at theirck of foresight, at their cruel reality.


    Luo Lie brought Team Zenith to a luxurious manor located in the center of the capital, rather than a military fortress. Armed soldiers stood outside the entrance to the manor, and there were even a few troops patrolling the interior. ?When the guards saw Zhang Lie and the others approach, the two guards trembled, as if trying to hide something.


    "This is the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, invited at Commander Yan''s personal behest," Luo Lie introduced.


    The two guards bowed and stood aside, allowing Luo Lie to bring the members of Team Zenith in.


    "That was the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, wasn''t it?"


    "Surely we''re not dreaming?"


    They were loud enough that Zhang Lie could still hear their murmurs from quite some distance away.


    "You''re a hero to many soldiers in the military," Luo Lie exined.


    Indeed, Zhang Lie had gradually be used to such treatment after his participation against the Kez invasion. While they spoke, the hunters walked deeper into the manor, into corridors that were ever more densely popted with armed guards.


    "These are Commander Yan''s personal quarters, so security is a little tight." Luo Lie paused in front of a robotic door, which slowly opened with a whirr. He beckoned them in. "Commander Yan will await you all inside."


    Zhang Lie peered inside. The exterior of the mansion looked rathervish, but the interior seemed in and ordinary. The spacious chambers had little in terms of furniture and outrement, and it gave off a surprisingly lonely sensation.


    "Do you find it surprising that my rooms are so in?" Yan Long''s voice boomed as he approached. He had taken off his military attire and was instead dressed in a set of in robes.


    "Greetings, Commander Yan." Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith bowed.


    "I''m shocked that every member of Team Zenith seems to have made it into the finals," Yan Long began. He motioned for them to sit, then instructed the housekeeper to prepare a pot of tea.


    "No, no, it''s just a matter of luck."


    "No need for false modesty," Yan Long replied. "To be honest, I''m hoping that you''ll be willing to provide some training for some of the world federation''s troops under mymand."


    Just like Su Feng, he identified Zhang Lie''s potential, and wanted to develop a friendly rtionship with him, and he wanted to improve the strength of his own troops.


    "This isn''t a problem, Commander, but I won''t be avable until next month at the earliest." Zhang Lie made up his mind quickly.


    Yan Long blinked in surprise; he didn''t expect that Zhang Lie would agree so readily. The reason Zhang Lie had done so was because he had knowledge of the future: if the world federation''s forces didn''t grow stronger, how could he prevent mankind''s past fate? How was mankind to grow strong enough to defend itself against ever more powerful foes?


    While the other members of Team Zenith rxed and went to sleep, Zhang Lie suddenly wondered about how Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were faring.


    In the first realm of the dimensional world, outside the Dragonsoul settlement, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were panting as they explored the outskirts of a nearby forest, the carcasses of two basic-grade lifeforms at their feet.


    The two youths had been in the dimensional world for just over a month, and they had just met thest requirement for Zhang Lie''s trial¡ªthough at a steep price. Wounds covered their bodies,rge and small. They had encountered quite a few mutated-grade lifeforms along their way, and if not for their wits and the body-reinforcement technique that Sun Mengmeng had taught them, they might have been filling up a lifeform''s belly at this moment.


    "We''re finally finished!" Ye Xianchen murmured in joy, her voice trembling from relief and fatigue. As sheughed, she began to cry, thinking back to how much she had suffered over thest month.


    "Yes, it''s finally over!" Jun Jiuxiao murmured, relief equally evident in his eyes.


    "Instructor Xu, Instructor Ding!" Tired beyondpare, the two youths fell unconscious the moment they returned to safety, teleporting back to the dojo grounds.


    Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang rushed over to the slumped forms. Xu Xiu sighed: it looked as though the two children hadn''t rested a whit in order to fulfill the conditions of Zhang Lie''s trial. After carrying them to bed, Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang immediately sent notice to Zhang Lie about their return.


    The next day was the finals of the nationwide tournament, but, curiously, many of the spectators had already left the capital, well aware of the foregone conclusion.


    "Well met, Zhang Lie!" Chu Feng and Zhang Lie bowed to each other.


    As Chu Feng activated [Wings of Wind], Zhang Liebined [Eclipse] and [Ninecarp Transformation], producing such tremendous pressure that Chu Feng was unable to step forward.


    "I surrender," Chu Feng shouted, aplicated expression on his face as his [Wings of Wind] dematerialized. The reason he had struck was to get a sense of the disparity between him and Zhang Lie. From the beginning, it was clear that Zhang Lie''s strength was far beyond his own, and, indeed, far beyond hisprehension.


    After Chu Feng was Yun Bing, who announced her surrender immediately as the match started. Her strength wasparable to Chu Feng''s, and if Chu Feng wasn''t able to close in on him, she would suffer the same fate. Why embarrass herself needlessly?


    In the end, every other hunter in the top ten¡ªmembers of Team Zenith and the two hunters of the He and Qian ns¡ªsurrendered to him without a fight. They had seen enough from Chu Feng''s performance against him.


    As a result, the spectators of the nationwide stage were as dumbfounded as those of the citywide stage had been...

 Chapter 181: Initiating Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 181: Initiating Preparations</h4>


    "I hereby dere the tournament over!" Yan Long nced at the top ten hunters of China with a strange expression on his face. His eyes twitched as he realized that all the members of Team Zenith had made it. Even more surprisingly, the results from Mars were already out. There, it was once again a member of Team Zenith, Yang Ze, who had emerged as the champion of the tournament.


    This level of achievement shocked all of China, and even the world federation.


    Following the rankings was naturally the prize ceremony.


    "Just like with the citywide tournament, the top ten victors will gain ess to the world federation''s treasury¡ªthis time, however, it''ll be the national treasury of China!" Yan Long''s words shocked the gathered crowd.


    China''s national treasury was one of the best treasuries in the entire nation, and its stock of treasures was in the upper echelons of treasuries even across the entire world federation. It was almost a certainty that there would be extremely rare herbs, supetive techniques, and even rare superior-grade soulshards to be found there.


    .


    Even Zhang Lie was amazed upon hearing the prize.


    Ignoring the crowd''s murmurs, Yan Long continued, "The champion will be able to choose five items of his choice; the second-ce hunter, three; the third-ce hunter, two; the fourth- through tenth-ce hunters, one!"


    Shockingly, the prizes handed out during the nationwide tournament were exactly the same as during the citywide tournament, causing Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, respectively the second- and third-ce winners, to smile in glee. Whatever rewards they received now were sure to boost their entire team''s strength by another level.


    "A fine prize indeed," Zhang Liemented. "Thispetition was well worth my time!"


    "The country''s willing to spare no expense to nurture great hunters, after all," Yan Long replied. "After the ending ceremony, someone will lead you to the treasury. Before that, you should all begin preparations for the worldwide tournament." Yan Long gave Team Zenith a mysterious smile.


    The worldwide tournament would be next, followed by the gxywide tournament epassing all first-realm hunters in the dimensional world. There would be quite some time until thest few stages of the tournament, so Zhang Lie would have the opportunity to get a few pressing tasks out of the way.


    After the results of the tournament were announced, arge number of hunters, Zhang Lie and the rest of his team included, left the capital.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing, having realized how much stronger Zhang Lie had grownpared to them, began an intensive training regimen right after returning home. After all, as two of the top ten hunters in the nation, they qualified for the worldwide stage as well. Thepetitors they would face next would be far stronger and far more prepared, and they couldn''t afford to remain stagnant where they were.


    After returning to Team Zenith, Sun Xiaowu and the others went to bed to rest and recuperate after the grueling fights against each other, while Zhang Lie returned to handling matters rted to the dojo.


    He had received Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang''s message about the return of Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, who were both asleep by the time he headed to their rooms.


    "How are the other disciples doing?" Zhang Lie asked.


    During thepetition, he had left the dojo in Zhang Hong''s capable hands, and the disciples'' instruction to Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang. Lin Xiu was tasked with helping where he could, but since he ultimately belonged to the military, Zhang Lie didn''t request much of him.


    "Most of the children are very hardworking, though there''s always the one or two thatze off frequently," Xu Xiu replied.


    "And what''s the sess rate for the foundational breakthrough looking like these days?"


    "We''re doing far better than expected. In the second batch, about 85% of the disciples seeded on their first attempt!"


    Zhang Lie inclined his head. This percentage was a fair bit beyond his expectations.


    "Focus your resources on those who have broken through, but keep training the ones that haven''t," Zhang Lie instructed.


    The difficulty of the breakthrough depended considerably on one''s personality and resolve, and it wasn''t a measure of talent orck thereof. For instance, inducing a breakthrough in seasoned veterans was far harder than for children.


    "Understood!" Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang replied.


    Zhang Lie nced at Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen''s sleeping forms again before leaving the room. Instead of heading to rest, however, he walked toward the teleportation array, returning to the dimensional world.


    The cksteel settlement was still somewhat deserted; although the nationwide tournament had ended in China, there were quite a few hunters who wanted to wait for the end of the entire event before returning.


    "Isn''t that Zhang Lie?"


    "Ah, what''s he doing back here?"


    A rare few hunters who had chosen to return to the dimensional world noticed him, but Zhang Lie ignored them and entered the cksteel Inn.


    The reason he had returned was on ount of Potion #3. There would still be some time before the gxywide stage of the Void Cup, and he intended to raise his superior gene capacity and evolve his framework and techniques before that time.


    The most important ingredient for Potion #3 was cosmos leaf, a rare herb only found in the most dangerous parts of the second realm. Despite his current strength, this herb would still be quite difficult for him to acquire, and he had expected to have to ascend to the second realm before preparing the potion.


    However, now that he was about to gain ess to the national treasury, he was sure that there would be quite a number of rare herbs stored within, including the cosmos leaf that he desperately needed. In that case, it might be possible for him to concoct Potion #3 while remaining in the first realm, which would make hunting down the moonlight wyrm far simpler.


    Ignoring the cosmos leaf, however, there were still quite a few ingredients that he would have to source, one of whichy deep in the Desert of Silence. What he needed from the Desert of Silence was known as wastnd essence, a rare liquid that was jealously guarded by the desert smanders that lived deep within the Desert of Silence.


    After some preparation, Zhang Lie left the cksteel settlement.


    "Look, is Zhang Lie heading toward the Desert of Silence?"


    "Quick, let''s go! Let''s follow him and see what he''s up to."


    "Follow him? What, are you tired of living?Don''t you remember how many hunters died during his showdown with the Long n?"


    After the events of the Runic Forest, Zhang Lie was far more frightening an encounter in the wild than an errant superior-grade lifeform. There were only a rare few hunters who dared to tail him from a significant distance away, who watched on as he headed into the Desert of Silence, seemingly straight toward its center.


    "Ah, he''s really heading deep into the desert? Forget it, I''m not following him in!"


    "As expected of Zhang Lie! Who else would brave such danger alone?"


    "I can''t believe he''s already so strong!"


    Following his past life''s memories, Zhang Lie headed to a patch of sand where the wind didn''t blow very strongly. The sand beneath his feet wasn''t very well-packed, and it almost felt as though it would copse at any moment.


    As he walked forward, the sand suddenly shifted, and little bumps protruded from the sand before him. Zhang Lie stopped and frowned. Violent winds, which reigned freely at the center of the desert, blew by.


    "Come out. I can sense your presence, superior-grade desert smander!" Zhang Lie called out, licking his parched lips.


    With a thunderous shout, a humongous lifeform darted out of the sands, its body sturdy and wide, its scales a golden-yellow, its pupils as fearsome as a crocodile''s, looking straight toward Zhang Lie. There were two gills by its head, which fluttered as it breathed. Its sharp ws seemed to carry the scent of blood, gleaming in the sunlight.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. These desert smanders were high up in the hierarchy of lifeforms that lived here, and there were rarely hunters brave or foolish enough to intrude into its territory. As it burrowed out of the sands, it flicked its tailzily at Zhang Lie, sending bullets of sand in his direction.


    Zhang Lie activated his white-grub soulshard, forming an armor that protected him from the attack, and simultaneously his galewolf soulshard as well.


    Thebination of the galewolf soulshard and [Mirrored Refraction] enhanced Zhang Lie''s speed to a frightening extreme, and even the superior-grade smander found it hard-pressed to follow Zhang Lie''s movements.


    No matter how strong the smander was, it was still just a superior-grade lifeform. It was strengthened in the desert environment, but its weak points were equally obvious. Zhang Lie dashed forward with Venombane in hand, his body vanishing from sight.


    The smander cried out in unease, spawning a few whirlwinds of sand around him. However, the moment it cast its attack, an arc of violet light shed by as quickly as a bolt of lightning.


    "[The Boundless de: Quell]!"


    A needle of sword energy threaded through the whirlwinds and deep into one of the desert smander''s eyeballs. As it roared in pain, its body spasmed, and it crashed onto the sand. By then, its carcass was already devoid of life.


    The will of the world made an announcement in Zhang Lie''s mind, but Zhang Lie had no intention of devouring the smander''s flesh, given that his superior gene fragments were already at capacity. As it died, Zhang Lie was able to progress toward his true objective: hunting down the wastnd essence.


    This essence was essentially liquid water that superior-grade smanders transformed, transported and stored in theirir via a specialized organ, and Zhang Lie''s goal was to find thatir and im the smander''s essence for his own.

 Chapter 182: Entering the Treasury

    <h4>Chapter 182: Entering the Treasury</h4>


    After finding the entrance to the smander''sir, Zhang Lie rushed deep within, bolstered by his gic energy. Within moments, he arrived at the deepest part of their, where he found a glowing pool of golden radiance.


    "Wastnd essence!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    In the darkness of the smander''sir, the golden light emanating from the wastnd essence was particrly eye-catching. After securing the essence, Zhang Lie left the Desert of Silence immediately.


    There were still a few hunters among those who had followed Zhang Lie into the Desert of Silence, who were staring into its midst with anticipation and anxiety.


    "Did you all hear that? Could Zhang Lie have gone inside to hunt down a desert smander?"


    "Isn''t that nonsense? What else would he be doing?"


    Amidst wind and sand, Zhang Lie, his armor stained with the blood of the desert smander, emerged from the desert.


    The hunters present gaped. How had Zhang Lie finished the battle so quickly?


    Zhang Lie nced toward the hunters standing by the entrance to the desert. He did nothing else, but this nce alone was sufficient to cause the hunters to turn aside, afraid that Zhang Lie would suddenlysh out at them¡ªbut Zhang Lie simply turned aside and continued on his way.


    "I bet the desert smander''s been killed by now. Is there anything or anyone in the first realm that can win against Zhang Lie?" One hunter sighed, ncing at Zhang Lie''s back.


    After an entire day of rest and recuperation, Team Zenith was informed that their prizes were ready to be imed. They teleported to the capital, where soldiers from the world federation were already waiting to bring them to the treasury.


    There, they found Yan Long and Luo Lie.


    "I''ll need to require that you all wear this wristwatch while in the treasury, given the valuables that are within," Yan Long instructed."As a reminder, don''t try to pull anything funny, or you''ll receive severe punishment from both the world federation and the military."


    Once everyone had put on their wristwatches, arge airship appeared from the horizon andnded in front of Zhang Lie and the others. Luo Lie beckoned everyone in.


    The airship flew toward the horizon. No one, not even Zhang Lie, knew where they were headed; after all, the national treasury''s location was a closely guarded secret, one that the world federation certainly had no intention of sharing.


    In about ten minutes or so, the airship slowed down and prepared tond. Luo Lie led the ten winners of the nationwide tournament out of the airship, where they found themselves surrounded by a mountain range.


    "Have we left the capital?" Fang Yi murmured, ncing all around him.


    "We have, but we also haven''t," Luo Lie replied, smiling mysteriously.


    The ground shuddered. The rock wall in front of them cracked open, revealing a small, dark tunnel, which they couldn''t see within.


    "Let''s go." Luo Lie had a few guards remain at the entrance, then led Zhang Lie and the others through the tunnel. Although the surroundings were dark, Luo Lie seemed to be very familiar with the path. He led everyone else forward without ever pausing or having to turn back.


    "We''re here." After an interminable period of time, Luo Lie suddenly stopped. His sonorous voice echoed in the tunnel. Light red all around them, turning their surroundings as bright as day.


    Zhang Lie raised his head and took a good look at his surroundings. They seemed to be deep within a mountain, with a set of sturdy robotic doors before them.


    "So this is China''s national treasury?" Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng eximed, their eyes round in shock.


    "Identity confirmed: Lieutenant-General Luo Lie. Wee." A robotic whirr sounded as the doors slowly slid open, revealing a straight, narrow corridor.


    Even as the door opened fully, Luo Lie made no motion to enter. Instead, he regarded the opening seriously. Seeing his behavior, Zhang Lie didn''t dare make any sudden movements either. After all, they were at the entrance of the national treasury, and it would be quite strange if the security here werex.


    With another robotic whirr, a gust of wind blew out of the corridor exposed by the doors, and Zhang Lie felt a strong aura envelop him. The other hunters of Team Zenith all frowned, their expressions serious, as they began to circte their gic energy, as did Chu Feng, Yun Bing, He Tian, and Qian Zhen.


    "Don''t worry. These are just the robotic guards guard the treasury," Luo Lie exined. Robots emerged from the corridor, outfitted with bulky ck armor and thick limbs. Their eyes shone with red, glittering light.


    The robots each possessed an incredible aura, one that pressured even the hunters of Team Zenith.


    "Ah, red-eyed dark knights! Robots constructed with a third-realm hunter as basis," Zhang Lie murmured, shocking Luo Lie. Clearly, Luo Lie hadn''t expected that anyone present would be familiar with such robots.


    In the past, it had been the existence of these robots that had saved mankind in several critical battles, but at present, it looked as though such robots couldn''t be manufactured inrge enough quantities to be of public use.


    "These robots aren''t perfectly calibrated yet, so don''t release hostile intent in their direction. Otherwise, it''s very possible that they''ll attack you," Luo Lie warned seriously.


    The hunters all nodded as they walked in through the corridor. The robots'' eyes shone brightly, as though waiting to scan the iing hunters.


    As the robot''s gazended on Zhang Lie, it suddenly raised an arm, pointing a gun right at Zhang Lie''s head. The hunters of Team Zenith all reared back in shock.


    "Don''t make a move, or even stronger guards will appear!" Luo Lie shouted. The anxious members of Team Zenith forcibly stopped circting gic energy as they nced at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie stared calmly at the robotic guard despite the life-threatening danger.


    "Threat negated." The robotic guard put down its weapon as Zhang Lie walked by, causing the hunters of Team Zenith to breathe out in relief.


    Luo Lie nced at Zhang Lie. There were only two possibilities that could prompt such a serious response from the guards: either someone unidentified had barged into the treasury, or someone who could threaten even them had appeared.


    He''s only a first-realm hunter, so how could he be so strong??Luo Lie wondered to himself.


    "What frightening robotic guards! We''d surely be able to reduce hunter casualties if we started employing them in interster warfare," Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    "You''re too naive! These robots likely haven''t been field-tested yet, and the government wouldn''t use them before exhaustively testing for the possibility of a malfunction. After all, our enemies are far more technologically advanced than we are, so if we were to use these robots without taking sufficient precautions, they could easily sabotage the robots or use them against us," Chu Feng replied before Luo Lie could.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie remained silent. He knew that these guards would only be usable in interster warfare after an exhaustive series of trials, tests, and improvements, and there was still a long way to go for the military.


    "Behind this door lies the national treasury, and I can''t go beyond it. I''ll wait for all of you outside," Luo Lie said, as the party reached the end of the corridor.


    As the final door opened uppletely, a series of lights shed on, illuminating the national treasury. Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath as he beckoned the rest of Team Zenith forward, followed quickly by the remaining hunters. The wristwatches on their hands were what granted them ess.


    After they were all inside, the door mmed shut behind them. A long corridor stretched out near-endlessly up ahead, with shelves of treasures on either side. Soulshards, herbs, and even weapons and equipment awaited them all.


    "Is that... a peak-grade soulshard?!" Fang Yi''s eyes were focused on several glittering soulshards at the top of a cab. He sucked in a deep breath: indeed, it wasn''t surprising that the national treasury would boast such staggering rewards.


    "And that''s... dragonbreath grass!" Before they teleported to the capital, Zhang Lie had given them a list of items that he needed to acquire, and this precious herb was among them.

 Chapter 183: Besieging the Treasury

    <h4>Chapter 183: Besieging the Treasury</h4>


    "As expected of the national treasury!" Chu Feng and the others had all spied treasures they wanted as well.


    "Start picking out your favorite, but let me warn you: just because something is valuable doesn''t mean that it''ll be appropriate for you as you are now," Zhang Lie warned, then headed in the direction of the medicine cabs.


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng nced again at the peak-grade soulshards, then forced themselves to look away and calm down. If not for Zhang Lie''s reminder, they might well have chosen that as their prize.


    Given their current gic energy density, they would hardly be able to make use of the soulshards'' true strength, and by the time they were able to do so, they would have ascended to the second realm, with sufficient ability to hunt down peak-grade lifeforms on their own. As a result, there was no urgent need to obtain those soulshards that they couldn''t even make full use of.


    Zhang Lie scanned the herbs present in the medicinal cab. He knew precisely what he wanted, and no rare trinket would distract him from his goal.


    "Cosmos leaf... just where would the military put it?" Murmuring to himself, he went deeper into the treasury.


    When Qian Zhen and He Tian saw Zhang Lie moving forward, they smirked at each other. As Zhang Lie vanished from sight, both of them also headed to find treasures that they wanted.


    At the same time, somewhere within the capital, dozens of hunters were furiously tapping away at virtual keyboards. Command aftermand was sent to the system via these hunters'' microchips.


    "I''ve hacked into the treasury''s system!" one of them announced jubntly. "And there''s the security system''s targets modified..."


    Within the treasury, Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi had just decided on their first reward. Sun Mengmeng ultimately obtained the dragonbreath grass, because it was an herb that Zhang Lie had requested at any cost. Simrly, Fang Yi chose the rare demonspirit flower, another ingredient on Zhang Lie''s list.


    After consuming Potion #1, the two of them were well aware of just how valuable some of these herbs were. Once they finished selecting their first treasure, they headed toward a selection of soulshards, hoping to improve their own collection. Despite how many soulshards were on disy in the treasury, it was still difficult to find some that were perfectlypatible with their current frameworks and techniques.


    "Cosmos leaf!" As he reached the other side of the treasury, Zhang Lie finally found the herb he had been looking for. However, just as he tried to take it, the cab suddenly glowed, and a tremendous force rushed toward him.


    His body instinctively reacted, activating his white-grub soulshard and deflecting the attack.


    Even then, Zhang Lie stumbled quite a few steps back. If not for the fact that his soulshard had activated instinctively, he would have been heavily wounded by the attack.?What fearsome strength!


    He frowned as he nced at the cosmos leaf again. Why had he been attacked? An rm began to re and white light started to sh. An automated defense system seemed to have somehow triggered.


    Could there be something wrong with the system??Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. He needed the cosmos leaf, and no defense system would stop him. As he circted his gic energy and activated [Ninecarp Transformation], he reached out toward the cosmos leaf again.


    rms quickly sounded, and Zhang Lie reared back in shock. Had he triggered the entire treasury''s defense system?


    In Yan Long''s mansion, as he was leisurely sipping a cup of tea and waiting for Zhang Lie and the others to return, his transceiver began to beep shrilly. The robotic message stated, "An invader has been sighted in the national treasury. Defensive systems are activating."


    "What? Quick! Take me to the national treasury!" Yan Long cried out, then rushed out the door.


    Outside the treasury, Luo Lie, who had heard themotion, suddenly paled.


    Sun Xiaowu banged on the robotic door that Luo Lie was standing on the other side of. "Lieutenant Liu, what''s going on?!"


    "There must be a problem with the automated defense system¡ªit thinks you''re all thieves!" Luo Lie shouted, ncing at his transceiver. He was well aware of just how strong the guards within the treasury were.


    "In that case, hurry up and open the treasury doors! Let us out!" Li Feng shouted.


    "I can''t! I''ve lost my administrative privileges! It''s likely that something''s gone very wrong with the system, and we''ll have to wait for Commander Yan Long to get here!"


    "What will we do?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "Commander Yan Long''s on his way here. You''ll have to defend yourselves for the time being," Luo Lie gritted out, knowing just how infeasible that was. Everything would be resolved once Yan Long arrived, but Luo Lie didn''t know whether or not they would still be alive by then. After all, the guards within the treasury each had the strength of a third-realm hunter.


    After Zhang Lie triggered the defense system, he retreated back and nced warily around him. The other members of Team Zenith, along with Chu Feng, Yun Bing, He Tian, and Qian Zhen immediately gathered together.


    Suddenly, several ion beams locked onto Zhang Lie''s body, and he felt tingles of unease all over. As he activated his galewolf soulshard, Zhang Lie began circting his gic energy. Thebined effect of his soulshard and footwork technique made him nimble and agile, and he was able to avoid the beams with ease. After the attack, however, two white-armored robots rushed forward, seemingly optimized for speed.


    Radiance shone from their palms as they sted beams of light toward Zhang Lie. The two robots sandwiched Zhang Lie between them, one to his left and one to his right.


    Venombane appeared in his hand. Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath, intending to get rid of the two robots nking him first, but he suddenly felt killing intent directed at his back. Zhang Lie didn''t have time to turn back. He darted aside, moving forward in an S-shape.


    A barrage of gic energy smashed into the ground where Zhang Lie had been located. He turned back to see two more robotsing from behind.


    The four robots had all but blocked him off. Zhang Lie frowned again. The white-armored robots were each as strong as a third-realm hunter, whereas Zhang Lie was really only as strong as a peak second-realm hunter withoutbining [Eclipse] and his blood ant soulshard.


    The reason he had managed to kill Li Xin was because his opponent had underestimated him, but he surely wouldn''t stand a chance against four third-realm robots.


    Zhang Lie inhaled. There was no need to fight off the robots; he just had to defend himself. After all, Yan Long and Luo Lie surely had to be rmed by the activation of the defense system, and they would surely be on their way to investigate.


    Zhang Lie nced cautiously at the four guards, trying to recall whatever information he could about them. He was certain that, no matter how strong these robots were, they were still only just that¡ªtheir artificial intelligence routines weren''tplex enough to truly act like hunters. They were sure to have weak spots of their own.


    One of the robots struck at Zhang Lie with a crackling lightsaber, moving so quickly it seemed to have used some sort of technique. Light exploded from its saber, and a de of sword energy, curved into a crescent, flew toward Zhang Lie.


    The other robots all used techniques of their own, techniques at the level of a third-realm hunter. With little space in which to maneuver, Zhang Lie seemed to have no choice but to defend himself from the blows.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Just then, two shouts came from behind him. An arrow flew toward the guards, a phoenix''s shape materializing around it. At the same time, Fang Yi, surrounded by a crackling field of lightning, moved toward another guard.


    Without hesitation, Zhang Lie activated [Fists of the Silent Sea] and [Three-Wave Resonance], crouching down in order to reduce his exposed surface area. As all sorts of gic energy shed against each other, the treasury rocked with the force of a multicolored explosion.


    Zhang Lie darted toward Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng.


    "We won''t win against these robots. Run!"


    "What do we do now, Captain?!" After trading blows with the robots, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng both realized just how strong they were.


    "Wait!" Zhang Lie activated [Eclipse], spawning a domain around him that greatly sapped the speed and strength of the iing robots. Their eyes shed with red light, as though trying to analyze the technique that Zhang Lie was using.


    "Don''t forget, they''re just analyzing our data and using it against us," Zhang Lie exined. [Eclipse] was a rare and unusual technique, one that the robots wouldn''t be able to dissect in a matter of moments.


    The four robots again gave off a wave of gic energy. Zhang Lie focused on them. Given how much data these robots seemed to possess, it was likely that they could activate a variety of techniques. Indeed, each of the robots used a technique of a different attunement than before, and four different beams of light shot toward the three hunters from Team Zenith.


    "Scatter!" Zhang Lie shouted, and they all rushed off in different directions.

 Chapter 184: The Culprit

    <h4>Chapter 184: The Culprit</h4>


    Huge waves of gic energy spread out from the center of the explosion. The ground shook with such force that it shocked the gathered hunters.


    As he avoided the attack, Zhang Lie began to analyze the situation critically. In one-on-one battles, Fang Yi and the others would be no match for the robotic guards, but if all of Team Zenith worked together and focused on slowing the guards down, they would likely be able to hold two of them back. In that case, they would be able to hold out until Yan Long arrived.


    He was also considering another question: why was it that the rm had been triggered the moment he touched the cosmos leaf? Why had the guards only focused on the hunters of Team Zenith? Although Chu Feng and Yun Bing had also been attacked, it was evident that they weren''t the robots'' priority targets.


    As he mulled things over, the robotic guards shot out their second attack. Thanks to [Eclipse], however, the strength of those attacks was greatly reduced.


    "Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, form teams with the others and try to deter as many of the guards as you can. Leave the rest to me," Zhang Lie called out. They would focus on offense, and he on defense.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng rushed over to help.


    "What''s going on?" Chu Feng shouted.


    "Zhang Lie, we''re here to help!" Yun Bing took a stand against the robots.


    He Tian and Qian Zhen also joined their forces, although they looked somewhat unwilling to do so. Surprisingly, they were a huge help to Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie darted behind them to see whether the robots would attack them, only to find that the robots'' attacks would deviate just enough to avoid them. As a result, they became particrly useful shields.


    Outside the treasury, a hovercar was rushing toward the mountains. Yan Long''s face darkened as he rushed out of the hovercar and met up with Luo Lie and two other hunters by the outside of the treasury.


    "What''s going on inside?" he roared.


    "Commander, the automated defense system activated all of a sudden, and Lieutenant Liu doesn''t have enough authority to override it," one of the hunters replied.


    Yan Long frowned. Save for Luo Lie, he was the highest authority in charge of the treasury, but something had gone wrong with the system at precisely the moment Team Zenith and the others were inside. It was evident that someone had tampered with the security and defenses.


    "Investigate whether the defense system has been tampered with. Do so immediately!" Yan Longmanded, rushing toward the scene.


    Within the treasury, the members of Team Zenith used all their trump cards, as did Yun Bing and Chu Feng. Zhang Lie had activated his forest wolfman soulshard, but dealing with a dozen such robots at once was still near-impossible even working as a team. If not for his domain sapping at their strength and mobility, along with the human shields He Tian and Qian Zhen, the hunters would likely all have perished.


    However, [Eclipse] drained quite a bit of his energy, and Zhang Lie was swiftly running low on his reserves. Seconds passed, then minutes; the fight had devolved into a battle of attrition.


    However, the robots had a farrger supply of gic energy than the harried first-realm hunters, and it would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.


    "Zhang Lie! Why don''t you surrender? Stop resisting! These robots might just want to capture you!" He Tian and Qian Zhen were starting to feel a little spooked. In the previous few rounds of attacks, they had almost lost their lives when the robots'' techniques grazed them, and they couldn''t bear the sense of having their life dangling on a thread any longer.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Is that so? If I didn''t know better, I''d think they were trying to kill me outright! Why don''t I send you over first?"


    After Zhang Lie spoke, the robots'' eyes seemed to gleam an even more vibrant red, but Zhang Lie attacked He Tian and Qian Zhen before the robots could attack him. The two of them were subdued almost immediately; thest thing He Tian and Qian Zhen remembered was their necks turning cold, and then sudden darkness.


    At that very moment, the doors to the treasury opened wide, and all the robotic guards stopped attacking. The danger dispelled for the moment, the hunters reared back in relief.


    However, Zhang Lie instantlymanded, "Bring some treasures and stuff it in theirps, then wake them up!"


    Despite the curiousmand, the members of Team Zenith obeyed Zhang Lie without question.


    Yan Long and Luo Lie walked into the treasury, sighing in relief as they saw Zhang Lie, who had transformed into a forest wolfman.


    "Zhang Lie, are you all alright?" Luo Lie asked.


    "Commander Yan Long, what''s going on? How did the defense system activate all of a sudden?" Sun Xiaowu queried, his face marred by a frown.


    An ordinary hunter would have been a corpse by now, and they had all only survived because of Zhang Lie! Chu Feng and the others were equally concerned. This was a surprisingly low-level mistake for the military to make; had something gone seriously wrong?


    Everyone looked toward Yan Long, waiting for him to give a satisfactory exnation for this entire mess.


    "There were a few issues with the system," Yan Long replied. "That''s all I know at the moment."


    Shame burned red on his face. Regardless of what the issue was, it was indubitable that the problemy with him, the authority in charge of the treasury.


    "Once we rescue any wounded hunters, I''ll make sure to give you all an exnation for this turn of events!" he promised. Yan Long turned to He Tian and Qian Zhen, who seemed to be unconscious. As the two of them slowly regained consciousness, they too asked about just what had happened to the defense system.


    "Commander, could the defense system have been activated because someone tried to take out more treasures than they were qualified to?" He Tian suddenly asked.


    Yan Long nodded. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have had to give everyone a pre-programmed wristwatch.


    "In that case, isn''t there the possibility that the system was triggered because someone tried to take too many treasures than they were supposed to?" Qian Zhen added, ncing intermittently at Zhang Lie.


    Yan Long frowned at what He Tian and Qian Zhen were implying. "Let''s not worry about this for the moment. Have you all gathered the treasures you came here for?"


    Zhang Lie nced at all the members of Team Zenith, who nodded. Except for Zhang Lie, who had yet to acquire the cosmos leaf, everyone else had already decided on their treasures.


    "Zhang Lie, haven''t you chosen yet?" Yan Long turned back to him.


    "No, not yet. I was intending to take the cosmos leaf, but the defense system activated at that very moment."


    "Hoh? Was it really then that the system activated?" He Tian narrowed his eyes in Zhang Lie''s direction.


    "As I''ve mentioned, we''ll discuss any such allegationster. Zhang Lie, pick the treasures you want to keep. I''ll need all of you toe with me to the world federation''s offices to investigate the anomalous failure of the defense system," Yan Longmanded. Such an important breach in security had to be investigated and analyzed in full detail.


    "Team Zenith will cooperate to the utmost," Zhang Lie promised.


    "Official Yan, the two of us will cooperate as well!" Qian Zhen and He Tian also quickly pledged, ncing at Zhang Lie with a conceited smile.


    Zhang Lie retrieved the cosmos leaf, along with a few other herbs that he had had his eye on. Subsequently, the ten of them got into the military''s hovercar and flew toward a military fortress, Yan Long''s face as dark as before.


    Rumors began to spread throughout the capital surprisingly quickly.


    "The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, taking more treasures than he was allotted at the imperial treasury, triggered the treasury''s automated defense system! Zhang Lie''s medals should be stripped because of his greed!"


    "Zhang Lie: Dragonwolf or Greedwolf?"


    News about the defense system''s malfunction in the capital quickly gained the media''s attention, who disseminated it even more widely.


    Yan Long frowned at the news that covered the screen, all rumors designed to target Zhang Lie. The ten hunters all stared at the news report silently.


    "I think this is a sensible usation," He Tian immediately eximed.


    "Isn''t that so? Otherwise, why would the defense system activate?" Qian Zhen followed suit. Chu Feng and Yun Bing exchanged a nce as they looked toward the two hunters from the He and Qian ns, clearly suspicious of them.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie remained calm, as though he weren''t the target of the rumors being flung in his direction.


    Yan Long eyed the He and Qian hunters. "In that case, this whole fiasco started because Zhang Lie got too greedy?"

 Chapter 185: Maligning Others

    <h4>Chapter 185: Maligning Others</h4>


    "Isn''t that possible, Commander Yan? This is the national treasury, and you know about the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s background! Wouldn''t it be natural that he might be tempted by the treasures on disy?" He Tian responded, smiling. Qian Zhen nodded agreeably by his side; the duet the two of them were putting on disgusted the other hunters.


    Yan Long stroked his jaw. ording to Chu Feng and Zhang Lie himself, Zhang Lie had triggered the defense system as he reached out for the cosmos leaf.


    It was true that Zhang Lie would draw thergest suspicion. On the other hand, Qian Zhen and He Tian had fallen unconscious, and they were almost free of suspicion entirely.


    However, this was all a superficial picture. Zhang Lie dide from the slums, from a life of poverty, but he had more foresight than even most hunters from major ns. Furthermore, as the champion of the nationwide tournament, he certainly didn''tck for treasures.


    "Commander, it seems as though there really are a few items missing from the treasury," a subordinate walked over and reported to Yan Long.


    "Oh?" Yan Long''s brows raised, and the members of Team Zenith all nced up sharply. Had someone actually stolen from the treasury? Certainly, none of them had the time to do so.


    "Commander Yan, there''s simply too much suspicion cast on Zhang Lie. Just in case, I rmend confiscating all the treasures that he''s taken from the treasury," He Tian requested once more.


    Yan Long nced at Zhang Lie, who was smirking at He Tian and Qian Zhen.


    "Commander, it''s been no more than an hour, but the rumors are already circting widely around the capital," Luo Lie whispered.


    A web of suspicion was being cast over Zhang Lie, one that was catching hunters in the capital in its thrall. Quite a few major ns and dojo leaders poured oil on the mes.


    "Ridiculous! I''m sure someone''s just trying to target Zhang Lie. We''ve found signs that the defense system in the treasury was tampered with, clearly professional work¡ªand they had to be working with at least one person within the treasury as well!" Yan Long chuckled coldly.


    From start to finish, he had believed in Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie was simply too calm in the face of these usations, so calm that he seemed to be merely enjoying the show put on by a few clowns.


    Furthermore, he had requested a significant favor from Zhang Lie before giving him ess to the treasury. If there were really something that Zhang Lie needed, he could have mentioned it directly to him then.


    He was certain that the issue with the defense system had been caused by one of the factions hostile to Zhang Lie, trying to take advantage of the world federation''s military to manufacture Zhang Lie''s death.


    However, Zhang Lie was far too strong for their n to seed, so they had to resort to besmirching his name by spreading rumors throughout the capital. The only factions with the ability to do this were the major ns of the capital.


    Clearly, the capital had forgotten about his reputation as the fiery dragon of the east¡ªwell, he''d make sure to pound that moniker into their heads!


    "I don''t mind the scrutiny, Commander Yan, but all of us should be searched. After all, any of us could have been the culprit," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Indeed, the two of us are in agreement," Chu Feng replied for himself and Yun Bing.


    "We too agree!" Qian Zhen and He Tian eximed. Yan Long stood up and gazed at the ten hunters.


    "Thank you for cooperating. In that case, please hand over the treasures you''ve selected from the treasury." Yan Long nced at the items that the hunters ced on the table, then turned to his subordinates.


    "What''s missing?"


    "A seven-star heavenly ox soulshard, the manual for [Tyrant''s Dominating Fist], and a superior-grade evergreen dryad soulshard," his subordinate reported.


    Yan Long narrowed his eyes. The seven-star heavenly ox soulshard stood out to him; that was a peak-grade soulshard, and one of the more valuable treasures stored in the treasury.


    "Does anyone object to having their possessions searched?" Yan Long asked again.


    When no one disagreed, he beckoned for one of his subordinates to approach the hunters.


    Zhang Lie materialized his potbellied-toad pouch and spilled its contents all over the table. Within the pouch were ingredients for concocting Potion #3, as well as whatever soulshards he didn''t yet have time to deal with. Even so, it shocked everyone around him: the pouch alone contained over a hundred superior-grade soulshards.


    It was certainly unusual for a first-realm hunter to possess such wealth, but Yan Long knew where he had acquired all of it: from conflicts with the major ns of the capital!


    "And the rest of you?" Yan Long turned to the other hunters in the room.


    Yan Long and his subordinate checked everyone''s spatial-type soulshards, but the three missing items weren''t in any of their possessions. Yan Long frowned, turning to his subordinate. "Perform a body search."


    The hunters of Team Zenith, along with Yun Bing and Chu Feng, passed through the inspection without issue, but He Tian and Qian Zhen suddenly found that something seemed to have been stuffed into their breasttes. Before they could do anything, however, Yan Long''s subordinate had already made her way over to them, patting down their body with a pair of gloves.


    The other eight hunters nced at them mockingly as Yan Long''s subordinate pulled out a shard of ck ss from his chest.


    "Look, isn''t that the seven-star heavenly ox soulshard?! Who would have expected Young Master He to be a thief?" Chu Feng gasped in surprise, causing Yun Bing to hide her smile behind a fake cough. She knew full well that Chu Feng was the one who had snuck it in while he was unconscious!


    "This¡ªno, it''s impossible! I didn''t do it!" He Tian began to stammer, unable to believe that one of the missing treasures had ended up in his possession. He hadn''t ever seen this soulshard before!


    "Zhang Lie, it was you! It had to be you! You knocked us unconscious, and then¡ª"


    "Hoh. Were you trying to ay suspicion for your crimes by ming others? How dirty. Is this what the major ns are like?" However, he was interrupted halfway through by Yan Long''s subordinate, who had found the remaining soulshard and manual on Qian Zhen''s body.


    Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the hunters of Team Zenith all began to mock the two thieves, but neither of them could muster a word in their defense.


    "He Tian, Qian Zhen, do you have an exnation for this?" Yan Long red at the two of them.


    "I-It wasn''t us! It was all Zhang Lie''s fault¡ªyes, yes, he had to have stuffed them into our armor while we were unconscious!"


    Sweat dripped down He Tian and Qian Zhen''s forehead.


    "Stealing from a national treasury is punishable by death!" Yan Long shouted, his voice low with killing intent.


    "No! Commander Yan, I swear we weren''t responsible for this!" Either because he was too frightened or because he was skilled at acting, He Tian began to cry as he pleaded innocence.


    "Yes, Commander Yan, neither of us are at fault! I''m sure someone tried to pin the me on us¡ªit had to be Zhang Lie!" Qian Zhen added, his voice quivering with fear.


    "You refuse to admit to your crimes, even now?! Were the two of you responsible for the breach to the defense system as well?"


    Yan Long''s killing intent grew more and more pronounced, as though he were about to p them both dead with a single blow. He Tian and Qian Zhen could do nothing but gulp in fear, begging for mercy as they knelt down and pleaded.


    "Commander Yan, the He and Qian n heads are here to pay you a visit!" Yan Long''s transceiver suddenly beeped. He sneered as he stepped closer to He Tian and Qian Zhen.


    "Ah, are your fathers here to clean up your messes? Your ns must be daring indeed to mess with affairs under my jurisdiction. The two of you will be stripped of your status as two of the top ten participants in the nationwide tournament, and the treasures you''ve taken will be surrendered to the other victors.


    "As for this alleged theft and matters involving the security system, we''ll see just what a detailed investigation dredges up, won''t we? In the meantime, the two of you can wait in a prison cell!"


    He Tian and Qian Zhen''s faces were ashen as they were dragged away.

 Chapter 186: The Heart of the Matter

    <h4>Chapter 186: The Heart of the Matter</h4>


    The treasures that He Tian and Qian Zhen would have received ultimately ended up in Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s hands. He Tian and Qian Zhen were escorted away by soldiers just as the respective n heads walked in.


    "Commander Yan, I heard there was a thief, and that the national treasury''s defense system was hacked! Is my son alright?" He Liancheng, the head of the He n, inquired. He had noticed that his son and Qian Zhen seemed to be the only two hunters who were missing. His words didn''t seem particrly threatening, but his tone wasn''t friendly, either. He nced menacingly at Zhang Lie as he spoke.


    "Right! Haven''t you heard the rumors? I was told that the thief was the champion of the nationwide tournament, Zhang Lie! Commander Yan, this matter must be investigated carefully¡ªthe reputation of the military is at stake!" After He Liancheng spoke, so did Qian Zhenbei. Just like their sons, they too worked in tandem to ce the me of the entire affair on Zhang Lie.


    However, Zhang Lie only smiled as he nced at the two n heads.


    Yan Long''s face grew darker as the two n heads continued to speak.


    "n Head He, n Head Qian, are the two of you really here just to check up on your sons?" Yan Long questioned them.


    He Liancheng and Qian Zhenbei nched, but before they could defend themselves, Yan Long continued, "Don''t you know just what your sons did?"


    "What? Commander Yan, surely you wouldn''t use our sons without any proof? Just what could they have done?" He Liancheng replied.


    "Right, Commander Yan, what do you mean? Where are our sons? Surely you wouldn''t let them be the scapegoats just to shield someone else of me, would you?" Qian Zhenbei red at Zhang Lie.


    "Scapegoat? I think not, n heads. He Tian and Qian Zhen were caught with the stolen goods in their hands!" Zhang Lie finally spoke up, all but cackling in glee.


    "How dare you interrupt our conversation with Commander Yan!" He Liancheng retorted.


    "As a victim of the crime, don''t you think I have a right to speak? Just who do you think?you?are? Are all the major n heads of the capital so petty?"


    He Liancheng was used to dominating others with his authority, but Zhang Lie didn''t care for his tricks.


    "Insolence!" Qian Zhenbei called out, gic energy exploding from his body.


    "And just what do you think you''re doing, n Head Qian?!" Yan Long mmed a fist on the table. They were at military headquarters¡ªjust what made the He and Qian n heads so bold as to ignore his authority here? Of course, He Liancheng and Qian Zhenbei''s goal was solely to terrify Zhang Lie, but their actions hadpletely backfired.


    "I apologize, Official Yan. It''s true that we''ve been a bit too rash, but we''re simply concerned about the sanctity of our nation''s treasury!"


    "Indeed! The military and the world federation must maintain its trust in the public eye," the two of them replied, adapting another tactic against Zhang Lie.


    "Don''t you think I can see through your maniptive ploys? Do you really want me to imprison every member of both your ns?!" Yan Long spat out, activating his own gic energy. Caught by shock, even Zhang Lie began finding it hard to breathe, let alone the other hunters around him.


    He Liancheng and Qian Zhenbei, who suffered the brunt of Yan Long''s aura, fared even more poorly. The two of them were forced onto one knee as they paled.


    "Official Yan, please calm down! We never intended to be disrespectful to you!"


    "We¡ª"


    "Enough! Within the day, hand over all hunters who participated in hacking the treasury''s defenses. Otherwise, not even your ancestors will be able to save you! He Tian and Qian Zhen will be disqualified from participating in the worldwide tournament. I expect the two of you to end any grudges you have against Zhang Lie and behave the way major ns should. Do you understand?"


    As one of the three heads of the Chinese branch of the world federation''s military, Yan Long had encountered more than his fair share of intrigue and plotting. After he went over the day''s events in his head, he had more or less figured out just what was going on.


    He Liancheng and Qin Zhenbei couldn''t have expected that Official Yan, who had always been on good terms with them, would end their rtionship so brusquely just for Zhang Lie alone. If Yan Long wanted to take their ns both down, all he needed to do was send out a message. Even more frightening were his piercing eyes, which seemed to see through all their deceit,


    "Yes, Official Yan!" Against an infuriated Yan Long, the two n heads had no choice but to grit their teeth and suffer the loss.


    Yan Long then turned to Zhang Lie. Before he could speak, Zhang Lie had already begun to pledge, "I won''t provoke anyone unless they do so first, Official Yan. From today onwards, I won''t bear the He or Qian ns any grudges. As long as they don''t attack me, I won''t attack them either."


    Yan Long smiled at Zhang Lie. ?"In that case, let''s settle matters with this. You''ll announce to the media that there was a malfunction in the treasury''s defense system. Because of the injuries that they suffered, He Tian and Qian Zhen will have no choice but to drop out of the Void Cup. I''m sure your ns are also responsible for spreading these malicious rumors around¡ªyou don''t need me to tell you what to do, do you?"


    "Yes, Official Yan, we understand!"


    Yan Long sent for his subordinates to hand over He Tian and Qian Zhen, ending the fiasco that had riveted the capital for one entire afternoon. The He and Qian ns swore never to provoke Zhang Lie in the future, and Team Zenith returned from the capital to Ning.


    After the nationwide tournament, there would be a month-long break before the worldwide tournament, giving Zhang Lie plenty of time for his own affairs.


    There were quite a few more disciples who had broken through, but still a fair number who hadn''t. Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang were concerned about the disciples who persistently failed every trial, but they didn''t know how to tackle the problem. After they notified Zhang Lie, he personally went to observe the disciples'' training.


    His gaze finallynded on Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen. His two apprentices'' expressions were calm as they repeated a few moves over and over again, infrequently incorporating some gic energy into their attacks.


    Unlike the other disciples, they focused not merely on their framework, but also on honing every part of their body, likewise some knowledge they had obtained over the course of their struggles in the dimensional world.


    As time passed, a number of disciples were unable to bear the high-intensity training. They walked out of the chamber and began to cool down, but Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen remained, gritting their teeth as they forced their bodies to higher and higher heights.


    "Xu Xiu, Ding Qiang, how are my two apprentices doing?"


    "Very well, Dojo Leader Zhang! They''re the two best students of this entire cohort." Indeed, both of them had given the two youths quite a few pointers while Zhang Lie wasn''t around.


    "It looks like their trial in the dimensional world was worth it, after all." Zhang Lie inclined his head. Once the two of them developed further, they would both be forces to be reckoned with. "Have theme find me after the training," he told the two instructors, then moved on.


    Momentster, as Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen walked out of the training chamber, Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang passed on the message to them. Their eyes both lit up: this was the moment they had been waiting for! They raced toward Zhang Lie''s office in the dojo. Xu Xiu, looking at their backs, seemed a little perplexed.


    "What''s the matter? Were you hoping that Jiuxiao would be your apprentice?" Ding Qiang teased.


    "No... no, no, forget it¡ªit had to be a figment of my imagination!" Xu Xiu sighed.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen rushed to the dojo leader''s office, but they didn''t dare knock.


    "Come in." Just as they hesitated and looked toward each other, Zhang Lie''s voice came through the closed door. They gulped and headed in to see Zhang Lie ncing calmly at them.


    "Dojo Leader!" they called out nervously.


    "You''re still calling me Dojo Leader? Both of you have passed my trial, and you''re my apprentices now. Isn''t it time to change your mode of address?" Zhang Lie replied, smiling. Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen''s faces brightened up.


    "Yes, Master!"


    "Now that you''re my apprentices, I''ll have to be more invested in your growth and future development. Do you know what you''re striving to aplish in the future?" Zhang Lie was certain that, after they experienced the cruelty of the dimensional world for themselves, they would quickly mature and strive toward new goals.


    "I want to be strong," Ye Xianchen replied without any hesitation. On the other hand, beside her, Jun Jiuxiao hesitated for a long moment before he finally said, "I want to be the strongest!"

 Chapter 187: Preparations Complete

    <h4>Chapter 187: Preparations Complete</h4>


    As he headed deep into the Night Forest, Zhang Lie finally stopped by a particrly fetid swamp. This swamp, the Night Swamp, was the only ce in which night yams would grow. These yams were thest ingredient that Zhang Lie needed for Potion #3.


    In truth, these yams weren''t strictly necessary, and were just an additional ingredient that would boost the sess rate of concocting it. However, Zhang Lie''s knockoff version of Potion #3 would be brewed with quite arge number of substitutes, and these night yams had turned from a rmended to a necessary ingredient.


    Luckily for him, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have much trouble wading into the swamp because of his white-grub soulshard, and all that he had to be careful about were the alligators that lurked within. He sucked in a deep breath, encased himself in silver armor, and hopped into the swamp.


    In the Long manor at Lingnan, a day after the end of the Void Cup, the Long n head looked down at his kneeling subordinates, their eyes filled with fear and unease.


    "Why didn''t you strike?" Long Xiao asked, his tone menacing.


    "The militaryid down a direct passageway to the tournament for Zhang Lie. Judging that our attack would likely be unsessful and would attract the attention of the military, we chose not to act," the leader of the men exined. In truth, what he cared most about at that moment was his own life.


    Long Xiao narrowed his eyes.


    "You''re all hunters who have dedicated your lives to the n. I''m disappointed that you chose to prioritize your lives over the n''s wellbeing," Long Xiao stated, his fingers tapping on his armrests. The kneeling hunters'' faces turned ashen.


    "No, Head! I was simply waiting for a better opportunity," the leader of the hunters said, causing Long Xiao''s fingers to pause.


    "Very well. You''ll have an even better opportunity shortly. The worldwide tournament will begin in around a month''s time. Make your preparations now; I don''t want to see him during the worldwide tournament!"


    "Yes, Head!" The ck-robed hunters vanished from sight as though they had never been there.


    On the other hand, the Qin and Wang ns hadrgely given up on opposing Zhang Lie. Both their ns were vehemently against the notion, and the Qin and Wang n heads might not keep their positions for long if they were to oppose that decision.


    As such, they had no choice but to dy any ns they might have had for the future¡ªbut how could the Li n head give up on his blood feud against Zhang Lie, who had ughtered both his sons?


    "Why didn''t you strike? Why did you allow Zhang Lie to appear in the tournament?" Li Mo interrogated the hunters kneeling at his feet.


    "Head, I wanted to strike, but the military seems to value him enough to send an airborne fort to the tournament andy out a special passageway for him. I didn''t dare strike lest I rouse the military''s ire," the Li hunter exined. Indeed, no one could have predicted that the military would value Zhang Lie so highly.


    "Lucky brat¡ªbut he won''t remain that lucky for much longer. Before the worldwide stage of the Void Cup, make sure to hunt down this bastard!" Li Mo closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Just like Long Xiao, he wanted to get rid of Zhang Lie before the worldwide tournament began.


    At present, Zhang Lie was already starting to unsettle him. If he let Zhang Lie develop much further, then he would surely crush the Li n beneath him. The only solution was to kill Zhang Lie and extricate the Li n from the embarrassing situation it had found itself in.


    "I understand, Head," the hunter replied, then got up to leave.


    Back in the dimensional world, a forest wolfman suddenly emerged from the swamp with a violet sword glowing brilliantly in his hand. As he emerged from the swamp, so did countless bubbles from nearby¡ªthe superior-grade lifeforms around him were darting out of the muck to ensnare their newfound prey. One re from the wolfman was sufficient to dissuade them from that idea.


    Once he was fully on shore, Zhang Lie returned to his human form.


    "I''ve finally collected all the ingredients for Potion #3," he breathed out, smiling at the night yams in his hand. Potion #3, which he expected only to be able to concoct in the second realm, would be finished far ahead of schedule.


    He returned to the Moonlit Pond. The deep trench in the middle of the pond remained as ominous as before, as though there were a slumbering lifeform deep below. If he were able to concoct Potion #3, it wouldn''t be impossible for him to ovee even the peak-grade moonlight wyrm.


    However, he didn''t know if he could be entirely sessful, because even in his past life, he hadn''t experienced a foundational breakthrough, and he hadn''t witnessed the wyrm''s true strength for himself.


    As a safety precaution, Zhang Lie would need to concoct an additional potion besides, one that was specialized against scaled lifeforms, with the ability of greatly reducing their scales'' defense.


    This potion was one of the catalysts for mankind''s growth: quite a few hunters used it to great effect to acquire gene fragments that were otherwise unattainable to them, improving the strength of all hunters uniformly by a rather wide margin.


    Zhang Lie would be making a variant of such a potion that he could dissolve in the Moonlit Pond, with which the moonlit wyrm would be forced toe into contact. With both superior-grade limit fragments and this new potion, he was certain of the sess of the hunt.


    After all, this moonlight wyrm was known to be extremely intelligent. If his first attempt to defeat it were to fail, it would be near-impossible to lure it out the next time around.


    "There''s still almost a month before the worldwide tournament, so I should have enough time," Zhang Lie murmured to himself, then left the pond for the cksteel settlement.


    There were quite a few ingredients necessary for the scale-weakening potion, but they were rtivelymon. Zhang Lie had long since requested the ingredients from the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion.


    There were five ingredients in particr that he was missing, three of which could only be found in the second realm: the mandara flower, violet-edged brambles, and soulhome grass.


    These were all notable poisons in the second realm. The poisonous fog that the mandara flower gave off had deleterious effects on the minds of both hunters and lifeforms. Light exposure would affect mental fortitude, whereas heavy exposure would prevent the activation of gic energy entirely.


    The violet-edged brambles had thorns covered with particrly debilitating poison. Once the poison entered a hunter''s bloodstream, it would affect the hunter''s constitution and leave the hunter in a grossly weakened state, one which could lead to life-threatening danger.


    Finally, a hunter who consumed soulhome grass would die in a matter of moments; there was no known antidote to its consumption.


    All three poisons were vital to this scale-weakening potion. Before he could think about this potion further, however, his emergency transceiver began to beep, and Zhang Lie had no choice but to drop what he was doing and return to the real world.


    Yang Ze was trying to contact him. "Captain, isn''t the Void Cup over? Should we return to the dimensional world?"


    Indeed, it had been some time since he hadstmunicated with Yang Ze, especially after the Void Cup started. Furthermore, even after the tournament, everyone had been busy dealing with all sorts of miscenea in the Zenith Dojo.


    "Yes, I expect the nationwide tournaments are over both on Earth and on Mars," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Yes, it''s over on my end too. Since the worldwide tournament ising up, should we return to the dimensional world to train?" Yang Ze asked with a smile, but there was a hint of loneliness in his eyes.


    "Good idea. I''ll inform everyone that we''ll be returning, and I''ll see you at 5 PM at the cksteel Inn," Zhang Lie agreed. The members of Team Zenith would want to see the Moonlit Pond for themselves to n for the uing battle.


    Subsequently, he then returned to the dimensional world, where he contacted the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion.


    "Honored Mr. Peppercorn, it''s been a while since west spoke. Is there anything that I may help you with?" Daffodil replied almost as soon as he sent her a meeting request.


    "How much of my order have you managed toplete?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "We''re almost ready, Mr. Peppercorn! We have 90% of your order on-hand."


    "Good. Do you have these three ingredients at the moment?" Zhang Lie asked about the three poisons that he would need to brew the scale-weakening potion, which were rtively difficult to obtain because of their highly poisonous nature and the fact that they were guarded by rather strong lifeforms in the second realm.


    "Please wait for a moment while I check on the status of these ingredients, Mr. Peppercorn. I''ll let you know as soon as I find out," Daffodil replied.


    "If they''re not ready yet, prioritize these ingredients as much as possible. The price isn''t a problem for me," Zhang Lie added, then terminated the conversation.


    He believed that there would surely be hunters willing to brave the risk if he were willing to spend additional points on those poisons. For now, however, he would start brewing Potion #3.


    Just like before, in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhang Lie spent ten thousand points to rent out the best undergroundb that the cksteel Inn had to offer. With all his preparationsplete, the next step would be to start brewing the potion in earnest...

 Chapter 188: All Things in Hand

    <h4>Chapter 188: All Things in Hand</h4>


    Concocting a potion sounded straightforward, but the actual details and techniques were, unsurprisingly,plicated and involved a significant amount of manualbor. The preparation process for each ingredient was even more intense than with Potions #1 and #2. There were over a hundred auxiliary herbs required for Potion #3, each of which had to be prepared with painstaking care.


    It took Zhang Lie an entire day and a half of preparatorybor before he was ready to brew the potion in earnest. In front of him were over a hundred herbal essences of various shades and colors, and what Zhang Lie had to do now was to add these essences to each other in an orderly, sequential manner.


    Despite the seeming simplicity of this process, the slightest error could propagate, and timing was of absolute importance. For instance, if two of the essences beingbined were at different temperatures, the temperature gradient alone could ruin the synthesis.


    He only had enough ingredients to prepare Potion #3 once. The preparation had already consumed four stalks of cosmos leaf, along with hundreds of other herbs and the rare wastnd essence and magical yams. This would be his only chance at crafting Potion #3 in the first realm, so Zhang Lie was fully focused on the work in front of him.


    After four hours of extremely careful maniption, Zhang Lie was left with a potion the color of sapphires.


    "It''s a sess!" Only when he saw the potion''s signature deep blue shine did Zhang Lie finally sigh in relief.


    Next, he would have to consume the potion. Because Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] was a growth-type framework, every potion Zhang Lie downed was an opportunity to evolve his framework further. It was for this reason that Zhang Lie had chosen to prepare Potion #3 at this critical juncture.


    He sucked in a deep breath and downed the entire potion in one gulp, feeling an unusual refreshing sensation coating his throat and quickly spreading through the rest of his body. Moments afterward, a fiery sensation, as though he were being burned alive from the inside, enveloped his entire body.


    Waves of pain spiked through each of Zhang Lie''s nerves and muscles. Compared to Potions #1 and #2, the side effects of Potion #3 were notably more severe.


    Zhang Lie felt each of his cells burning up, but despite the difort, he sat upright in a cross-legged position and began to circte gic energy in the manner dictated by [Ninecarp Transformation]. His multicolored gic core began to spin violently as sapphire waves of herbal energy impacted it, causing it to vibrate following a certain rhythm.


    As it vibrated, the ck serpent within ignited in blue me, causing it to lose its vitality and to start to melt. In a matter of moments, the ck serpent had vanished from sight, but its dark coloring had also dyed the mes ck. The mes shuddered, then split in triplicate. Sapphire waves of herbal energy continued to pour into Zhang Lie''s gic core, but it was dyed ck the moment it entered the vicinity of the core.


    Next was the arduous process of epting, purifying, and condensing that herbal energy and transforming it into pure gic energy. During this process, Zhang Lie could clearly sense his gic energy changing on a qualitative level.


    It took another day before the three ck mes in Zhang Lie''s gic core took form once more.


    The first was a small carp, which darted agilely in the core: the grace and vitality of water.


    The second was a serpent, its figure fuzzy: the mystery and majesty of darkness.


    Finally, the third was a winged tiger: the resilience and sharpness of gold.


    The water-attuned carp could swallow mes, the darkness-attuned serpent could corrode, and the gold-attuned winged tiger could sharpen part of its body. Naturally, this final transformation was indicative of [Ninecarp Transformation]''s third evolution.


    Zhang Lie''s reservoir of gic energy had at least quintupled, and he had gained yet another elemental attunement, that of gold. Zhang Lie''s framework was now an extremely rare water-, darkness, and gold-attuned one, with three animal archetypes that he could draw on andbine at will. The speed at which his stamina and gic energy recovered was far improved from before.


    He waved his right arm. Gic energy in burnished gold swept down his arm, leaving his fingers and palm as sharp as a de.


    The fire that seemed to have spread all over Zhang Lie''s body was finally quenched. His strength had increased again by leaps and bounds, and a pool of sweat, dotted with ck impurities that had been forced out of his body, had formed by his feet. He seemed to have just recovered from a major illness.


    [For consuming an unknown potion, your superior gene capacity has been increased.]


    The pain vanished. A sapphire-blue glow appeared over the surface of Zhang Lie''s body, only to vanish in the very next moment.


    His stats had grown to a nightmarish level. In terms of framework, techniques, soulshards, and gene fragments, he eclipsed any other hunter of the first realm.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Third Form: Winged Tiger


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (advanced), Eclipse (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing Eagle (superior), Runic Smander (superior)


    Zhang Lie opened his eyes wide and stood up. As he circted his gic energy, three figures appeared to his sides and behind him, the agile fish, the mysterious serpent, and the ded tiger.


    "The moonlight wyrm will be mine!" Even Zhang Lie couldn''t help but let out a whoop of joy.


    He cleaned up after himself and immediately left the undergroundboratory. After all, he had promised to meet up with the members of Team Zenith at 5 PM in front of the cksteel Inn, and it was just about this time in the real world.


    "Zhang Lie!" However, the moment he stepped into the cksteel Inn''s lobby, a familiar voice called out to him. "You''re still dressed like this? I''m sick and tired of it!" Chu Xun''s voice could be heard from a distance.


    Zhang Lie turned in that direction to see her heading toward him with Chu Feng in tow. He teased, "What''s the matter, Young Master Chu? What''s so urgent that you would bring your sister here to find me?"


    Chu Feng clearly wanted to say something, but he didn''t seem to want to broach the topic.


    "Forget it, Brother! Even I''m not so thick-skinned!" Chu Xun pursed her lips and stepped toward Zhang Lie instead.


    Chu Feng clicked his tongue. If not for the fact that he needed his sister''s acutely developed sense of smell to find Zhang Lie, he wouldn''t have agreed to let here with him today.


    "We''re friends, aren''t we?" Zhang Lie said. "If you need my help, let me know."


    .


    "On behalf of the Chu n, I hope you''ll continue to cooperate with us with regards to developing your Potion #1. We''ll try our best to satisfy your demands," Chu Feng requested, lowering his head.


    Zhang Lie nced at him appraisingly. The reason he had terminated his partnership with the Chu and Yun ns was because they didn''t help him out in a time of need. However, now that his star was rising, the two ns wanted to take advantage of his expertise and newfound fame.


    "I refuse," Zhang Lie stated curtly. "You know that I''m a forthright person, and you know my reasons for declining. Before the two of you be the heads of your respective ns, with final say in the n''s decisions, I don''t intend on working with either of your ns."


    Zhang Lie''s final words suddenly caused Chu Feng to brighten up. "Zhang Lie, thank you! No matter what, I''ll always be a friend of yours!"


    "I recognize you as a friend, and I certainly hope my friends will grow stronger with me. On that note, here''s Potion #1." Zhang Lie handed a bottle to Chu Feng.


    It was true that the two of them had initially worked together for profit and individual gain, but they had grown to be friends. That being said, Chu Feng was Chu Feng, whereas the Chu n was the Chu n. The two entities weren''t, and wouldn''t be, synonymous. He was willing to help Chu Feng out, but he certainly wouldn''t supply these potions to the Chu n.


    "Th-This is far too precious!" Chu Feng was clearly surprised by Zhang Lie''s generosity, but despite his words, he imed the gift almost immediately.


    Chu Feng uncorked the bottle and was about to down it all in one gulp when Zhang Lie''s eyes widened.


    "Wait! If you don''t want to die, go somewhere secluded and start circting your gic energy before drinking it."


    "Ah, I can''t just drink this directly?"


    "You''ll see once you experience its effects for yourse¡ª"


    "Zhang Lie, aren''t you being a little too biased?" Yun Bing had arrived out of nowhere. She was frowning at the sight of the transaction, an aggrieved expression on her face.

 Chapter 189: Surveying the Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 189: Surveying the Battlefield</h4>


    "Don''t worry, I''ve prepared your share too!" Facing the aggrieved Yun Bing, Zhang Lie had no choice but to take out another Potion #1. "Alright, we can discuss other thingster. I have to go now!"


    Before the two of them could react, Zhang Lie swiftly marched away.


    "Hey, hold it! Where''s my potion?!" Only then did Chu Xun, her face filled with admiration for her idol, realize that she had been neglected. Of course, Chu Xun''s shout didn''t summon Zhang Lie back; instead, he walked away even more quickly.


    "Potion #1... if only my n had believed in Zhang Lie from the beginning! It would certainly have allowed them to be head and shoulders above the rest," Chu Feng sighed, and Yun Bing''s features turned serious.


    The two of them made a decision at that very moment: if they ever grew into a position of authority in the n, they would get close to Zhang Lie at any cost.


    "I''ve never seen anyone else who was able to impact a n''s future¡ªeven the world''s future¡ªon his own," Yun Bing murmured.


    By the time Zhang Lie headed out of the lobby of the cksteel Inn, the members of Team Zenith were already there waiting for him.


    "Captain, you''re finally here!" Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng rushed up to him.


    "We''re finally back, but we won''t be able to advance to the second realm of the dimensional world before we''re done with the Void Cup. Isn''t it boring?" Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    "Boring, you say?" Zhang Lie smiled in a manner that sent chills down the hunters'' backs. He waved them all into one of the cksteel Inn''s suites before he announced, "I have just the task for all of you! Before the worldwide stage of the Void Cup begins, I intend on hunting down the moonlight wyrm."


    "What? The moonlight wyrm?" Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng were both taken aback.


    .


    "Ah, the legendary lifeform living at the bottom of the Moonlit Pond!" Li Feng gasped.


    Everyone stared at Zhang Lie in shock.


    "But isn''t that just a legend? If we don''t even know what grade of lifeform it is, how will we hunt it down?" Fang Yi grew tense.


    Their prey for this hunt would be a legendary lifeform! No one knew if it truly existed; only those hunters from the major ns had caught a glimpse of it.


    "As a conservative estimate, the moonlight wyrm is likely a peak-grade lifeform. You don''t have to worry about how to hunt it down¡ªjust listen to mymand!" Zhang Lie exined.


    "A peak-grade lifeform?" The hunters'' eyes opened wide.


    "Well? Is this exciting enough for all of you?"


    "Yes!" the hunters of Team Zenith replied without any hesitation. Indeed, they would only grow by surpassing their limits time and again. Even if their prey were a mythical dragon, they would be perfectly willing to hunt it under Zhang Lie''s direction.


    "In that case, let me show you the battlefield before we start nning out the attempt. As you all know, the Moonlit Pond is located in the Night Forest, lush with greenery and various lifeforms. The pond itself lies by the waterfall deep within the forest."


    A holographic image appeared in front of everyone''s eyes, a recording of the Moonlit Pond''s surroundings.


    "Position yourself appropriately ording to your elemental attunement," Zhang Lie instructed, magnifying the image for the members of Team Zenith.


    Of course, this was just for preliminary nning; they would finalize their positioning and approach once they arrived at the Moonlit Pond and saw the scene for themselves.


    Just then, a knock could be heard from the door.


    "Ah, it must be Yang Ze! You''re finally back, you bastard!" Li Feng ran out of the room to greet him.


    "Not bad, Yang Ze. You''ve really made a name for yourself on Mars," Fang Yimented.


    "Ah, the hunters there are simply too weak." Yang Ze scratched the back of his head.


    Zhang Lie watched the interaction among the members of Team Zenith with a smile; it seemed like it had been quite a while since theyst had time to rx.


    After exchanging greetings with the other members of Team Zenith, whom he hadn''t seen for quite some time, Yang Ze calmly walked toward Zhang Lie. "Thank you, Master!"


    His body was vibrating with nerves, and the other hunters quieted down. Although they didn''t know all that much about Yang Ze''s background, they could guess at what had happened. If Yang Ze hadn''t met Zhang Lie, he certainly wouldn''t have been able to shine during the nationwide stage back on Mars. If he had be a participant following his original trajectory as a hunter, he would only have ended up a joke, nothing more.


    "There''s no need to say anything. Since you''re here, have a seat. We''ll be discussing something that I think will be quite unexpected for you." Zhang Lie smiled.


    "Yes, Captain!" Yang Ze sat down by Li Feng''s side, and Zhang Lie had Sun Mengmeng exin to Yang Ze just what he had missed.


    Yang Ze''s eyes widened.


    "Alright, since you''ve all gotten a sense of the geography, let''s go have a look at the real thing right now." Zhang Lie beckoned to the others as they left the inn.


    "Look! Team Zenith''s heading out of the cksteel settlement again!"


    "As expected of the dark horse of this year''s tournament!"


    "It looks like they''re heading in the direction of the Night Forest."


    A gust of wind brushed by their hair as they walked into the Night Forest, the rumbling of a waterfall audible from a distance


    "Stop!" Zhang Lie suddenly shouted, as the Moonlit Pond appeared within sight.


    The members of Team Zenith immediately stopped. This moonlight wyrm would be far stronger than any lifeform they had faced to date¡ªwho knew what peak-grade lifeforms could do? They remained silent as they observed their surroundings, unable to hear anything beside the waterfall.


    Zhang Lie whispered, "Start scouting the vicinity. Head to the location where you think you would be most advantageously ced."


    The hunters of Team Zenith silently crept away as they investigated their surroundings. The Night Forest was lush with greenery, so Zhou Ying would be able to shine no matter where she was.


    In fact, except for Sun Mengmeng, who was fire-attuned, everyone else managed to find a location suitable to their elemental attunement and soulshards, and they had all gained an understanding of the Moonlit Pond and its surroundings.


    "Captain, we''ve finished scouting!"


    "In that case, let''s leave."


    The members of Team Zenith looked very surprised.


    "Captain, all we did was check the surroundings! Are we going to leave just like that?" Sun Xiaowu asked. They hadn''t even seen the moonlight wyrm for themselves, and couldn''t develop an urate sense of its capabilities.


    "We won''t be doing anything more today. The moonlight wyrm''s extremely intelligent. If we want to lure it out, we''ll have to use some exceptional bait, and there''s no guarantee that it''ll work a second time around. You might have to wait until the hunt itself before you see the moonlight wyrm for yourselves," Zhang Lie exined.


    Once they returned to the inn, Zhang Lie told the hunters everything he knew about the wyrm.


    Finally, he handed them a list of herbs. "I don''t care how you do it, but within the next two months in dimensional-world time, make sure you acquire at least ten of each herb!"


    The hunters'' eyes widened as they looked at the list. There were over a hundred herbs listed, most of which were jealously guarded by superior-grade lifeforms. How were they supposed to acquire at least ten of each within two months?!


    "That urgently? Captain, what do you need these herbs for?" Fang Yi asked. Based on his understanding of Zhang Lie, these herbs would soon serve a vital purpose.


    "What for? To make Potion #2 for all of you, of course. Don''t you want mutated limit fragments?"


    What? Mutated limit fragments?


    "As you might have guessed, the fact that you can acquire basic limit fragments also means that you can acquire mutated, and even superior, limit fragments," Zhang Lie continued.


    "What?!" The hunters all stared at him in shock. In that case, how much stronger could they be?!

 Chapter 190: Collecting Herbs

    <h4>Chapter 190: Collecting Herbs</h4>


    Surely they would be undefeatable? That was what every member of Team Zenith was thinking¡ªyes, they would be undefeatable! As far as they knew, the only one who had ess to such potions and information was Zhang Lie and Zhang Lie alone.


    Just the existence of basic limit fragments alone had thrown them for a loop, let alone that of mutated or even superior limit fragments.


    "Well? What are all of you waiting for? The faster you find all those herbs, the sooner you''ll be able to get another breakthrough!"


    "Right, we''d better get those herbs as quickly as we can!" The hunters of Team Zenith left the inn jubntly, excited for their impending powerup.


    Once everyone was gone, it was again time for Zhang Lie to focus on his own affairs. He had sessfully consumed Potion #3 and broken through, so his next step would be to reach his new superior gene capacity. Zhang Lie left the cksteel settlement and headed in the direction of the Desert of Silence.


    Meanwhile, the hunters of Team Zenith had split up into three small groups to maximize the efficiency of their search. As a result, quite a few hunters reported sighting the hunters of Team Zenith around the vicinity of the cksteel settlement, which were immediately followed by one or two pained howls from the lifeforms nearby.


    "What are the hunters of Team Zenith doing? Why are they still ughtering superior-grade lifeforms like crazy? Haven''t they already reached their gene capacity?"


    "They must be hunting for superior-grade soulshards, of course! What else could they be doing here?"


    Many hunters beganmenting on their sudden appearance and disappearance.


    Within the Night Forest, Fang Yi thrust his spear forward, devouring the superior-grade wolf-type lifeform in front of him. At the same time, Sun Mengmeng shot an arrow up into the canopy, seemingly causing the forest itself to shudder. Momentster, a devastating howl could be heard from the distance. Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng ran off clutching a few herbs in their hands.


    Although they were tired, the process of acquiring these herbs felt extremely rewarding.


    The other members had also collected quite a fair number of herbs on their own; given their rate of progress, they would likely be able to acquire everything on the list before the end of the two-month deadline.


    Meanwhile, deep within the Desert of Silence, a figure gave off huge waves of gic energy amidst a violent sandstorm. Howls and thumps could be heard from the sand, but within moments, as the dazzling show of gic energy ended, countless superior-grade lifeforms fell to the ground.


    Zhang Lie walked out of the pile of carcasses and began skinning his kills. Momentster, the scent of roasted meat drifted through the desert.


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade dragon smander, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 101]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade dragon smander, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 108]


    [...one superior gene fragment. Current total: 116]


    [...one superior gene fragment. Current total: 121]


    The three different lifeforms he had killed sufficed to raise his superior gene fragments by twenty. After breaking through, Zhang Lie''s entire body had gotten an upgrade, including his digestive abilities. Zhang Lie had a sumptuous feast, patted his stomach and headed even deeper into the desert. His traces were quickly covered up by the roaring wind.


    Late at night, the members of Team Zenith gathered once more. They looked somewhat exhausted, but their eyes were all shining brightly. They had spent the entire day killing lifeforms, most of which were superior-grade.


    "We''ve managed to get a few dozen of the herbs on just the first day alone! If we work harder, we might even be able to finish within two weeks!" Sun Xiaowu waved his hands in excitement.


    "Not necessarily. We did well today, but I suspect there won''t be any useful herbs left in the vicinity of the cksteel settlement. We''ll have to head out further, and it''ll cost us more time and put us in more danger. From tomorrow onwards, I think we should work in three-member teams so that we can prioritize our safety," Fang Yi announced.


    "Indeed, but given our current strength, there''s not much that we have to worry about. Instead, I think we need to n out our search more carefully¡ªthat''ll surely save us quite a bit of time," Yang Ze suggested.


    The hunters began discussing the optimal n of attack after their experience that day: it seemed as though the task that Zhang Lie hadid out for them would be far harder than it seemed at first nce. Even Sun Xiaowu, who was initially quite excited, suddenly felt burdened by the immensity of the task.


    As their conversation drew to a close, Zhang Lie suddenly entered the room.


    "Well? Did you find anything good today?"


    "Captain, this task''s crazy difficult! Do we really have to acquire thousands of herbs?" Sun Xiaowuined.


    "You can reduce the quantities you need by a third, but if I fail to brew it correctly, I won''t have enough potions for all of you," Zhang Lie replied.


    "The brewing process can fail?!"


    "Of course¡ªwhat makes you think it can''t?" Zhang Lie retorted.


    Everyone grew silent. Indeed, obtaining enough ingredients for ten potions would be the safest option. Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted as he looked at the crowd, because he knew that only this sort of pressure would cause them to speed up their search; this was, in some sense, a part of their training as well.


    "Well, we''re Team Zenith. Of course we''ll be able to get all these herbs within two months!" Sun Mengmeng shouted, trying to raise everyone''s spirits.


    "Right, it''s only been a day, hasn''t it? I''m sure we''ll be able to acquire the remaining herbs in no time!"


    Everyone slowly regained their confidence.


    The next day, the hunters of Team Zenith continued searching for more herbs as Zhang Lie hunted down more superior-grade lifeforms. His body drenched, Zhang Lie stepped out of the Mo river with a giant cuttlefish in one hand and a sprig of herbs in the other, giving off a strong fragrance that covered up even the pungent odor of the cuttlefish.


    "Surprisingly difficult to deal with," Zhang Lie murmured, dumping the superior-grade cuttlefish''s body unceremoniously onto the sands as he focused on the deepsea vine in his other hand. He hade to the Mo river in search of both the superior-grade cuttlefish and for an ingredient to be used in the scale-weakening potion.


    This auxiliary ingredient would allow the poisons from each of the three main herbs to betterbine with each other, and was invaluable for raising the sess rate of the concoction. Because it was avable in the dimensional world, he didn''t request that the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion search for it.


    He nced at the cuttlefish''s body as he stored the vine in his potbellied-toad pouch, but just as he was doing so, a fluctuation in gic energy came from behind him.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes and activated his galewolf soulshard, dashing away in the blink of an eye. When he turned back, he felt the sea wind on his face.


    "Hand me the deepsea vine! I''m willing to exchange points for it," a long-haired youth approached, calling out to Zhang Lie.


    His face was expressionless. Gic energy surrounded his body, and the sword buckled to his waist was particrly eye-catching. It came with a gold-alloyed sheath on which a jewel was embedded, and it shone with a curious sparkle in the sun. He had on a suit of light blue armor, and was staring fervently at the vine in Zhang Lie''s hands.


    "It''s not for sale." Zhang Lie rejected him instantly, given his poor attitude.


    "I rmend that you sell it to me, or I''ll snatch it from you if I have to." The other party seemed to need the vine urgently. His hand moved to his sword.


    "Are you threatening me?" Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. It seemed as though all his encounterstely were with those who wanted to steal or snatch something from him, as though he were an easy target.


    "I promise I''ll give you a good price."


    "And I told you, I won''t sell!"


    Gic energy began to rise from the youth''s body, and the sound of an ocean wave could be heard from a distance.


    Water-attuned gic energy??Before Zhang Lie could think too much about it, the youth suddenly pulled out an ancient longsword gleaming with light.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened at the craftsmanship of the sword, but before he could admire it further, the youth was already charging toward him.

 Chapter 191: The Withering Hong Clan

    <h4>Chapter 191: The Withering Hong n</h4>


    The sound of footsteps arose all around him, as though there were a thousand soldiers on horseback rushing toward him.


    .


    "What a strange footwork technique," Zhang Lie murmured, opening his eyes wide. The first thing he saw was des of sword energy heading in his direction.


    He activated [Mirrored Refraction]. It felt as though a drop of water hadnded in a still pool, casting out ripples in every direction. In the blink of an eye, Zhang Lie vanished from sight.


    The youth''s sword cut down the afterimages that Zhang Lie left behind, frowning as even more sword energy gathered around him. "[Ocean''s Bounty: Rain of des]!"


    A strange mark appeared on the youth''s forehead as he was swallowed up by sword energy. The moment the mark appeared, Zhang Lie felt a sudden tinge of recognition, but he didn''t know just where he had seen it before. Subsequently, a far stranger thing urred: Zhang Lie''s [Eclipse] activated of its own ord.


    A tremendous pressure forced that youth to bow down as a radiant moon appeared in the skies.


    "Th-This is [Eclipse]! You..."


    The technique that the youth was charging up for failed to manifest against the dominating pressure of [Eclipse]. The youth''s face was filled with shock, but killing intent glinted in his eyes.


    Zhang Lie frowned and thrust forward with his de, sending a crest of golden sand toward the youth.


    "[Cresting Sweep]!" The youthunched another technique in his direction, tilting forward and making a quick flick with his wrist. Behind him, the river roared. His sword energy shed against that from Venombane.


    Amidst an explosion of white light, the youth stumbled back, a slice through his armor. The youth, brimming with fury, turned and leaped back into the river. "I''ll remember this!"


    Zhang Lie tsked, but didn''t give chase. The youth didn''t seem like Li Hong and the others, who had taken advantage of their strength to bully others. Instead, it seemed that circumstances had pushed him into dire straits, forcing him to try to snatch what he needed from others.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t struck him with a lethal blow, and he didn''t give chase. Shaking his head, he picked up the superior-grade cuttlefish and left the Mo river. The evening sun cast a long shadow ahead of him as he walked.


    That night, the manager of the cksteel Inn walked around with a curious expression on his face, as did all the hunters who walked by the inn. A deep,plex aroma permeated the entire inn, and quite a few hunters swallowed a gulp of saliva upon smelling the scent.


    The scent originated from Team Zenith''s suite. After rushing around the dimensional world for the entire day, the fatigued hunters were all eyeing Sun Mengmeng''s superior-grade firemane lion stew with gusto. Even before they began to eat, Sun Xiaowu''s saliva was almost about to drip into the stew, causing Sun Mengmeng to give him a disgusted look.


    "Alright, if everyone''s ready, we can dig in now," Zhang Lie said, ncing at the ravenous faces all around him.


    "No one else could make such a delicious-smelling stew!" Sun Xiaowu eximed, grabbing thedle and serving himself immediately.


    "Have some too, Captain." Sun Mengmeng specially served Zhang Lie a bowl of soup.


    After the meal, everyone rubbed their bellies in satisfaction as they let out burps, announcements from the dimensional world pinging in their heads.


    "How was your haul today?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Rtively decent. We''ve pretty much scoured the vicinity of the cksteel settlement by now, so we''ll likely have to start going farther out by tomorrow," Fang Yi replied.


    "Despite our hard work, we only managed to obtain around seventy sprigs," Sun Xiaowu sighed. Their haul the first two days had been rather impressive, but the rest of what they needed would be far harder to acquire. Even with two whole days of searching, the hunters had only managed to acquire around two hundred sprigs of herbs that they needed.


    "This is the dimensional world, after all, and you have to rely on yourself for personal growth. If you can''t find all these herbs, then it''ll be impossible for you to break through!" Not only did Zhang Lie not console them, he even pressured them harder. He walked out of the suite, leaving the rest of the night for the exhausted members of Team Zenith to rx.


    At the same time, downstream of the Mo river, where the Carter settlement was located, a pale youth shrugged off the pale blue armor he was wearing, one with a deep rent through it.


    "Can this suit of armor be repaired?"


    "The severity of the damage is too great to be repaired," the robot he was speaking to droned in a cold tone.


    The youth frowned, picked up the armor, nced briefly at it, and then threw it into the furnace. Then, he clutched the wound on his shoulder and hobbled deep into the settlement.


    "Oh? Isn''t this Young Master Hong, Hong Xiao?" A mocking voice came from behind as a silver-haired youth walked by.


    Hong Xiao ignored him, straightened up, and covered up his debilitating wound with his left hand.


    "Ignoring me, are you? Were you unable to find the deepsea vine to rescue your grandfather?" The youth boomed withughter as Hong Xiao''s gaze turned icy.


    "Scram. I have no time to bicker with you."


    "Still so proud? You should know that the Hong n''s about to meet its end."


    Hong Xiao inhaled deeply, ignored the offending party, and headed deep into the settlement grounds.


    "Ah, you''re leaving just like that? As I said, there''s no honor in being a member of the Hong n any longer!"


    Laughter to his back, Hong Xiao clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, causing the silver-haired man tough even more loudly. Just as he was about to taunt Hong Xiao further, however, one of his subordinates came running up to him.


    "Captain, there are hunters from other settlements encroaching on our territory!"


    "What? From what settlement?" Liu Feng frowned, motioning for his subordinates to follow him as he walked away.


    The Carter settlement was adjacent to the Mo river as well as the Labyrinthine Forest, which was farrger than the Night Forest near the cksteel settlement. It was full of resources and herbs, so even though it was far from the cksteel settlement, three members of Team Zenith had still headed toward it, nning on grabbing whatever they could find.


    Deep within the forest, a superior-grade monkey-type lifeform fell lifeless to the ground.


    Fang Yi''s eyes brightened. "Look at all the herbs in this area! Does no one from the Carter settlement care about them?"


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged, plucking the herbs from behind the monkey''s carcass. "Who knows? Maybe they don''t even know how to make use of them."


    Yang Ze smiled. "That really might be the case. Would we recognize these herbs if we didn''t get a list of them from the captain?"


    They were simply surprised that there were so many herbs in this forest that were on Zhang Lie''s list; Sun Xiaowu was stuffing them into his potbellied-toad pouch handful by handful.


    "Apparently, the nearby Mo river is particrly suited for the growth of these herbs," Fang Yi exined. "At any rate, we certainly haven''t wasted our time traveling here."


    "Alright, shall we keep heading deeper into the forest? We''ll surely beat the other team today like this!" Sun Xiaowu urged.


    Fang Yi nodded, leading the way with his obsidian spear in hand. Suddenly, he frowned. He thought he had sensed quite a few fluctuations of gic energy heading in his direction, but they had all vanished.


    "Is something wrong?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    "No, it''s nothing." Fang Yi shook his head, thinking that he was being too paranoid.


    As they strode deeper into the forest, a malicious gaze suddenlynded on Yang Ze''s back.


    "Yang Ze?! What''s he doing here? In that case, these three hunters must all be from Team Zenith!" the silver-haired Liu Hong mumbled to himself, malice distorting his otherwise attractive features.

 Chapter 192: Shocking the Crowd

    <h4>Chapter 192: Shocking the Crowd</h4>


    "Captain, isn''t that Yang Ze?" one of the hunters beside him shouted out the moment the three hunters from Team Zenith vanished from sight.


    Everyone turned toward Liu Hong, who was a hunter from Sacred Fire on Mars. Yang Ze was the victor of the tournament in Sacred Fire; no one in the Carter settlement had managed to win against him, and even Liu Hong had been vanquished in a single blow.


    "I''m not blind!" Liu Hong hissed back. He believed he would have been able to get into the top ten easily given his strength, but because he met Yang Ze, he wasn''t even able to advance to the finals. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be looking at him with such malice.


    The crowd of hunters quieted down. They might have dared toy a hand on a regr team of hunters, but against Team Zenith¡­ Yang Ze alone would likely be enough to take on them all, let alone the two other hunters of simr strength beside him.


    "What do we do now, Captain?!" After all, the Labyrinthine Forest was in the vicinity of the Carter settlement, and they surely had to defend their resources from being taken by other hunters.


    However, how could they stop three hunters from Team Zenith?


    "We''ll head back first," Liu Hong suddenly suggested, breaking the silence. The hunters rushed back to the Carter settlement.


    "Go on¡ªspread some news about how hunters from the cksteel settlement came to the Labyrinthine Forest to hunt down some lifeforms," hemanded, the moment they reached the settlement gates.


    The hunters nodded and spread out through the crowd. What did hunters in the dimensional world care most about? Enhancing one''s strength, improving one''s framework and techniques¡ªand all this relied on the resources avable around the settlement. Would hunters from the Carter settlement allow others to steal resources from them? Of course not!


    You might be hunters of Team Zenith, but let''s see how well you can handle tens of thousands of enraged hunters!


    The startling information quickly spread throughout the settlement, andrge swathes of hunters rushed out of the Carter settlement and into the nearby forest. Liu Hong, the one who had instigated this entire affair, didn''t even deign to participate; he simply had his subordinates handle everything.


    .


    Deep within the Labyrinthine Forest, just as Sun Xiaowu plucked out another herb, Yang Ze and Fang Yi heard amotioning from behind.


    Yang Ze frowned, his hand on his sword. "What''s going on? It sounds like there are quite a few hunters rushing our way."


    Fang Yi smiled. "It''s normal, isn''t it? We''re intruding on their territory and their resources¡ª but don''t forget our objective. We''ll try to avoid a confrontation as much as possible!"


    A party of about a hundred hunters rushed out from the trees nearby almost exactly as soon as Fang Yi finished speaking, surrounding the three hunters.


    "You''re members of Team Zenith from the cksteel settlement, aren''t you? The Labyrinthine Forest is the domain of the Carter settlement. Please leave immediately!" A hulking hunter walked out of the crowd before Fang Yi and the others could say anything, calling out for them to leave.


    Fang Yi smiled and stepped forward. "Friends, I think you might be mistaken. We''re just passing by the area, and we don''t intend on hunting down the lifeforms in the forest¡ªonly those that are blocking our way. On what grounds do you seek to expel us? ?Stand forth, if you dare!"


    Fang Yi''s smile made him look friendly and approachable, but by the time he finished his remarks, all the hunters present were shivering with shock. Wind- and thunder-attuned gic energy exploded from his body, and the aura forced everyone present to take a step back.


    The hulking hunter who had led the crowd stammered, "I¡ªno, I mean, all of us¡ª"


    However, hearing his words, everyone else hastily took another step back. They were just there out of indignation; who would be foolish enough to pick a fight with members of Team Zenith? The members of Team Zenith were known worldwide! All of them had already broken through and had perfectly limated to their limit fragments, and they had won every single fight in the Void Cup with just one blow.


    How could any of them hope to stand up to such strength? This wasn''t an officialpetition, after all, and there would be no one to save them if they were defeated. They had initially expected to overwhelm even the hunters of Team Zenith with numerical superiority, but despite the fact that there were only three hunters on the other side, they didn''t seem cowed at all.


    The moment Fang Yi activated his framework, so did the other two hunters, bearing down on the others with the vitality of the sea and sharpness of gold. The hunters from the Carter settlement instinctively reared back against such dramatic fluctuations in gic energy.


    Furthermore, as the hunters from Team Zenith had imed, they truly didn''t seem to be hunting down the lifeforms in the forest. Many of the hunters who had gathered were even thinking of retreating.


    "You? Do you speak for everyone here?" Fang Yi''s eyes focused on the hulking hunter in front.


    The leading hunter, Li Youcai, couldn''t help but panic. "No, no, I''m not!"


    Fang Yi suddenly retracted his aura and began to smile. "Given your behavior, it looks as though someone has taken you for a pawn. Tell me: who''s the one who incited all of you toe here? Who told you that Team Zenith''s trying to steal all your resources?"


    Li Youcai, along with quite a few hunters in the crowd, suddenly blinked. They turned around and tried to search for the hunters that had led the way, only to see a few of them retreating from the crowd and running away. However, by then, it was already toote.


    "Liu Xiu!" Li Youcai called out the name of one hunter who was trying to dart away, and others quickly noticed as well. Within mere moments, Liu Xiu, Wang Neng, and one other instigator¡ªsubordinates working for Liu Hong¡ªwere ferreted out and pushed to the front of the crowd.


    Staring at the three offending hunters, Fang Yi spoke once more, "Shall we hear why these three hunters are trying to provoke all of you to attack us?"


    He leaned forward and, grinning maliciously, whispered into the ears of the three hunters, "Of the three of you, only one will live: whoever gives me the most details about what''s going on."


    "I''ll speak!"


    "No, no, let me speak! It''s Liu Hong!"


    "No, it''s Li Xiao!"


    "What? Of course not¡ªit''s Liu Hong!"


    The three of them spoke over one another all at once.


    "One at a time!" Fang Yi shouted impatiently. "Liu Xiu, you begin!"


    Liu Xiu smiled broadly. "Yes, yes, I''ll speak! Liu Hong¡ªmore specifically, Young Master Liu, from Sacred Fire on Mars¡ªwas the one who had us rile up the crowd. Li Xiao, who was brought up earlier, was just one of Liu Hong''s subordinates, and we''re only doing this because he gave us points. Please, spare our lives!"


    Liu Xiu bore Liu Hong no loyalty; his life was far more important.


    "And do either of you have anything to add?"


    The other two hunters, their faces ashen, clutched their hair as they tried to think of anything else to add in order to save their lives. As they did so, Fang Yi mulled over the situation. The Liu n, from Sacred Fire... it didn''t seem like a particrly small n, so why would they be targeting Team Zenith?


    Suddenly, he turned to Yang Ze, who was standing behind him.


    "Come over here, Yang Ze!"


    Of the hunters of Team Zenith, Yang Ze was the only one who could be implicated in this series of events.


    "Wait, I have something to add!" Just then, Wang Neng spoke up. "It''s all because of Yang Ze! Liu Hong was one of the top ten hunters in Sacred Fire, but because he encountered Yang Ze during the nationwide stage, he failed to advance to the next round. He''s harbored a grudge for Team Zenith since then, and Liu Hong''s surely the mastermind behind this whole affair!"


    Yang Ze raised an eyebrow. "Who are you talking about? That cocky white-haired brat?"


    The crowd was stunned into silence. Who would dare to call the only son of the Liu n head from Sacred Fire... a white-haired brat?

 Chapter 193: A Tremendous Haul

    <h4>Chapter 193: A Tremendous Haul</h4>


    "That''s right, Liu Hong''s tall and thin, with long white hair¡ªthat''s all we know, so please, spare us this once!" The final informant begged for mercy.


    Fang Yi smiled as he nudged Yang Ze. "Not bad, Yang Ze¡ªlooks like you''re turning into Public Enemy #1 just from participating in the Void Cup!"


    He turned back to the three hunters. "Listen up¡ªyou guys better not do this again, or you could well lose your lives. I''ll spare you this once. Scram!"


    The three informants rushed off as though they were afraid of Fang Yi changing his mind.


    Next, Fang Yi turned back to the hundred-hunter group.


    "Everyone, I think we''ve resolved the misunderstanding between us now. I, Fang Yi, assure you all that we''ll be passing through the Labyrinthine Forest, but we certainly won''t be conducting anyrge-scale hunts in the region. Indeed, unless we''re threatened, we don''t n on hunting down any lifeforms here at all. I won''t lie to you all: the reason we''re here is to search for a few important herbs to brew an antidote."


    Fang Yi patted his potbellied-toad pouch. "We''re interested in these sorts of herbs. If you have any, we''ll be willing to trade for them generously with points."


    Yang Ze and Sun Xiaowu''s eyes lit up, but the hunters of the Carter settlement all seemed quite shocked. The members of Team Zenith weren''t here to hunt down any lifeforms at all¡ªthey just wanted worthless herbs!


    Indeed, before the rise of pillmasters, the herbs that were scattered throughout the dimensional world could easily be acquired for a pittancepared to their true value, except for those whose potency and effects were obvious.


    Quite a few of these hunters had acquired some of these herbs because they seemed potentially useful, but no one had been willing to buy the herbs from them. Now that the hunters from Team Zenith were here, however...


    "I have some!"


    "Me too!"


    "Take mine!"


    Li Youcai, who had been the leader of the group, again strode forward. "My team has all the herbs you need, but they''re not with me¡ªthey''re within the settlement. If you want any, I''d be happy to trade them to you once we return."


    "Our team has some too! Let''s head back to the settlement to trade." Li Youcai said what all of them were thinking. The fact that they had managed to make it so deep into the forest meant that their teams'' strength was sufficient to explore the area, which also meant that they had likely gathered quite a few herbs from the region as well.


    None of them had yet found any use for the herbs; either the herbs were going to remain in their storage cabs forever, or they''d be sold to a few hunters who used them as feed for their summons. Who wouldn''t want to sell them off if they could?


    Fang Yi and the others were overjoyed by the enthusiastic response.


    "Good, very good! In that case, let''s head back to the settlement immediately."


    The Carter settlement was about the same size as the cksteel settlement, with buildings constructed from the same architectural style. As the group of hunters returned to the settlement, Liu Hong, who was hiding in the Carter inn, learned of the bad news.


    "Trash! They''re all useless trash! How could they retreat with their numerical superiority?!" Liu Hong mmed a palm down on the table in anger.


    "Don''t be upset, Captain! It was a hastily constructed n, and the members of Team Zenith did far too well during the Void Cup, so it''s normal for regr hunters to be wary of them. Furthermore, I''m not sure that''s what we need to be worried about. Instead, now that Team Zenith knows that we were behind the misunderstanding, do you think they''ll strike at us directly?"


    "Ha! Do you think they could? Even if I can''t participate in the Void Cup, I''ll be able to ascend to the second realm of the dimensional world within a day or two. Once I''m there, with my brother to protect me, I won''t have to worry about anyone or anything! But now that we''ve been found out, we''d better lie low for a few days. Wait for them to leave before we do anything else."


    Liu Hong wasn''t stupid; knowing that he wouldn''t be able to ovee them in a contest of strength, he decided to avoid confrontation instead.


    It wasn''t as though Fang Yi and the others had time to deal with them, because they were now being surrounded by a veritable wave of hunters. Quite a few teams who had gone out hunting also quickly rushed back to the settlement to retrieve any herbs they might have stored away.


    Fang Yi and the others were busy trading for herbs with hunters all over the settlement. Fang Yi''s inspired idea had quicklyted them over five hundred sprigs of herbs. Of course, not all the herbs could be used in Potion #2, but they were all ones that Zhang Lie had brought up at some point. Most importantly, the hunters they were trading with clearly didn''t know how to value their herbs properly, and they traded them away for a fraction of their true value.


    Furthermore, there were still quite a few teams of hunters who hadn''t heard about the news, so the progress that they had made today could also be replicated in the next few days. In addition, this procedure could even be repeated in other settlements, especially the smaller ones where few corporations had tried to do the same.


    In their suite in the Carter Inn, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, and Yang Ze were all grinning happily.


    "Fang Yi, you''ve really made life much easier for us! I''ll head back to Earth and inform my sister about what''s going on, so she can start using this method as well. As long as we can repeat this process in four or five more settlements, I''m sure we''ll be all but finished with collecting ingredients for Potion #2!" Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    "That we do, but don''t get their hopes up too high. Arge part of our sess was due to luck, after all," Fang Yi replied with a smile.


    Yang Ze whooped. "They might not get as lucky as we are, but it''s certainly still faster than harvesting herbs on their own! No one really knows about the true value of these herbs, do they? I can''t believe we''ve bought them all so cheaply! Go on, Sun Xiaowu! Let your sister know about the good news. If we hurry up, I''m sure we can finish collecting everything within the week!"


    As night fell and Sun Mengmeng began sorting through her spoils with Zhou Ying and Li Feng, her transceiver suddenly started beeping like crazy.


    "I apologize, but it looks like someone''s looking for me urgently. Can I hand things here to the two of you for the moment while I return to Earth?"


    She pulled out her potbellied-toad pouch as Zhou Ying and Li Feng both nodded. The moment she came out of the portal by the Zenith Dojo, she saw Sun Xiaowu by its side.


    "What''s the matter, Xiaowu? Why did you contact me so urgently?"


    When Sun Xiaowu saw his sistere out of the portal, he said, "Well, it''s for something big, of course. But before that, tell me just how many sprigs of herbs you managed to acquire today!"


    "How many? About a few dozen, I''d guess. I was trying to sort through them when you suddenly contacted me, and I had no choice but to leave it to Zhou Ying and Li Feng," Sun Mengmeng replied, frowning.


    Sun Xiaowu cackled in glee. "Ha! Guess how many herbs we acquired today!"


    "Xiaowu, did you contact me just so you could boast? Looks like you must have gotten quite a few, then¡ªsay, two hundred?"


    "Hah!" Sun Xiaowuughed again, making Sun Mengmeng want to smack him in the face. "That''s far too conservative an estimate!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s annoyance turned into interest. Two hundred herbs wasn''t a small number; even in the vicinity of the cksteel settlement, a locale they were all familiar with, they would only get a hundred herbs a day at most.


    "Alright, alright, just tell me how many you managed to collect!"


    Sun Xiaowu smirked as he stretched out his palm.


    "Fi-five hundred?! You aren''t joking, are you?" Sun Mengmeng eximed in surprise.


    "Of course not, Sis! I''m not kidding¡ªwe got at least five hundred in a single day!"


    "Really?"


    "Why else do you think I reached out to you so urgently?"


    "Quick! Tell me how! Surely you didn''t find all five hundred sprigs yourself?"


    Sun Xiaowu exined to his sister Fang Yi''s brilliant idea, causing her eyes to widen as she realized its implications. "Thank you, thank you, Xiaowu! I''m in the Godspath settlement now¡ªI''ll try to replicate Fang Yi''s strategy and see if it works!"


    Before her brother could respond, she darted back through the teleportation array.

 Chapter 194: Concocting the Potions

    <h4>Chapter 194: Concocting the Potions</h4>


    Three dayster, in a training chamber within the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie was interacting with his two disciples when his transceiver suddenly beeped.


    "Captain, where are you? We''ve finished collecting the herbs!" Fang Yi shouted.


    "Wait for me at the cksteel Inn." Instead of leaving immediately, however, Zhang Lie turned back to Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen.


    Because Jun Jiuxiao was particrly agile and dominating in battle, Zhang Lie had rmended him the dojo''s only dual-attunement technique: [Rondo of Wind and Storm].


    On the other hand, Ye Xianchen boasted a surprising affinity with darkness-attuned gic energy, and Zhang Lie eventually rmended her the pinnacle-grade [Tome of Darkness].


    Zhang Lie had suggested that they pick their favorite techniques from the avable selection before going over their choices with him. The two of them nced at each other, then sat down obediently.


    "Master, my framework may be [Rondo of Wind and Storm], butpared to Senior Fang Yi, I think I''m leaning closer to the wind-attuned side. As a result, I''ve chosen to split my techniques ordingly, with the wind-attuned [de of Heavenly Wind] as my de technique, along with [Wind''s Spirit] and [Floating Clouds] for my fist and footwork techniques, just like Senior Fang!"


    Jun Jiuxiao''s response was far more articte and thoughtful than Zhang Lie had anticipated. After all, it was rare for a boy only ten years old to have such a clear sense of his future.


    Even Zhang Lie praised him. "Jiuxiao, I''m d you''re so forward-looking. Since you already have a n, I think you should do as you say."


    Zhang Lie handed him a few microchips for the corresponding techniques, then turned to Ye Xianchen.


    Somewhat nervously, she recited, "Master, I''d like to learn [Nightmarish Strike], [Fiendfire ws], and [Nightwalker] for my sword, fist, and footwork techniques respectively!"


    Zhang Lie nced at her thoughtfully.


    "I approve. The two of you have already made great strides with your foundation, so you can start learning your three techniques today. In two months'' time, you''ll be returning to the dimensional world to train there."


    Zhang Lie handed Ye Xianchen the three microchips corresponding to her techniques.


    "I''ll be a little busy for the near future, so ask your two instructors if you need any help. However, be careful: neither of you have many gene fragments, and your framework and techniques are of a particrly high grade. The moment you sense difort in your body, stop cultivating immediately and alert me at once."


    "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie nodded, then vanished from sight. By the time Zhang Lie returned to the suite that was permanently reserved for them within the inn, everyone else had already gathered and was boasting about their sesses.


    "Captain!" the hunters greeted him as he entered.


    Zhang Lie could smell the mouthwatering aroma of barbequed meat, as though they had all just had a sumptuous feast. "Not bad, to have gathered all the herbs within a single week."


    Hearing his skeptical tone, Yang Ze immediately challenged him, "You don''t believe us, do you, Captain? Not only did we collect all the ingredients needed for Potion #2, we even ended up with quite a few of the herbs you told us about way back when!"


    Zhang Lie smirked. "So you''ve found the shortcut, have you? I suppose the nearby settlements are all out of stock of herbs by now."


    "You told us we could use any method we wanted, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng pointed out carefully.


    Zhang Lie harrumphed. "Well, hand over the ingredients, then rent me the best undergroundboratory in the inn. I''ll see you in a few hours."


    "Everything''s prepared for you already, Captain! We''ve rented out Lab #3, and all the ingredients are there. Is there anything we can do to help? We''ll be willing to do anything!" Fang Yi informed him.


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. "Help? Are any of you familiar with medicine or herbology?" Huffing, he turned and left the suite.


    Entering Lab #3 and seeing the potbellied-toad pouches within, he found that the members of Team Zenith had arranged everything surprisingly neatly for him. All sorts of herbs filled each pouch,beled and categorized neatly. Furthermore, the hunters had divided the herbs between those that would be used for Potion #2 and those that wouldn''t, saving Zhang Lie quite some time.


    Most importantly, of the other herbs that they had acquired, Zhang Lie found a few supplementary ingredients necessary for the scale-weakening potion. As a result, the moment the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion acquired the three second-realm poisons, he would be able to craft the potion immediately.


    At present, however, his main task was to concoct Potion #2. As Zhang Lie''s reserves of gic energy grewrger, and his number of elemental attunements increased, despite the fact that he was working alone,


    Zhang Lie finished preparing another brew of Potion #2 in just half an hour, far faster than he had done so the first time around. In the fume hood, three test tubes, one ck, one white, and one empty, were secured in a test tube rack.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t as nervous as he had been the first time. At that time, he had no choice but to seed; failure would mean having to start the hunt from scratch.


    He picked up the two ck and white test tubes with stable hands as he poured them symmetrically into the third, empty test tube. As the two herbal concoctionsbined, gold fog wafted out of the third tube, causing a smile to appear on Zhang Lie''s face.


    He had seeded! Once again, he had seeded in brewing Potion #2!


    What followed was the tedious process of repeating the same procedure five more times. Of course, no one could be entirely faultless, and even Zhang Lie failed because of a tiny misstep during his fourth try. After that failure, Zhang Lie grew even more careful, and he seeded in concocting the rest of the potions in one fell swoop.


    In the end, because there were ten batches of ingredients avable, he used them all up to make three extra batches of Potion #2. Once everything wasplete, Zhang Lie brought the potions back toward Team Zenith''s suite. About five hours had passed since Zhang Lie left, and it was already veryte at night, but the atmosphere in Team Zenith''s suite still seemed to be booming.


    "Captain!"


    "Was the brewing process sessful?"


    Everyone rushed up and crowded around him.


    "Yang Ze, aren''t you speaking nonsense? When has the captain ever failed us? Of course he seeded!"


    "Right, Yang Ze, don''t curse us with bad luck!"


    "If only five potions were sessful, you''ll have to wait for next time, I''m afraid!"


    Yang Ze''s question instantly provoked outrage among the gathered hunters, and Zhang Lieughed at their antics.


    "Yang Ze, for daring to doubt me, you''ll be thest to take the potion!"


    "Ah, Captain, Master, no!"


    "Don''t try to deny it, Yang Ze, you knew what you were doing¡ªeveryone agrees!"


    Everyoneughed as Yang Ze tried to defend himself, but they straightened up and listened with a serious expression on their faces once Zhang Lie began to speak.


    "Alright, listen up. Potion #2''s significantly stronger than Potion #1, so if you don''t process the medicinal energy well, your life could well be in danger," Zhang Lie warned.


    "First, I''m not kidding when I say that I want you to take turns consuming the potion. While you do so, I''ll keep an eye on you to make sure that none of you suffer any idents. Second, make sure that you''re circting gic energy throughout your body during the process, no matter how much pain you''re in. This will speed up the assimtion process and help strengthen your body immensely. Do you understand?"


    Everyone nodded.


    "In that case, let''s begin. Who wants to be first?"

 Chapter 195: Full Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 195: Full Breakthrough</h4>


    "I''ll go!" Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng both shouted.


    "Let''s give priority to thedies, shall we? Mengmeng, you can go first." Zhang Lie turned to the other hunters. "Before wee out, don''t try to break in no matter what you hear!"


    Zhang Lie brought Sun Mengmeng into the training chamber, where he handed her a bottle of Potion #2. "Drink this, then immediately start circting gic energy through your body."


    The taste of Potion #2 was surprisingly sweet and buttery, so much so that Sun Mengmeng eyed Zhang Lie strangely as she downed the potion. Before she could fully appreciate the taste, however, the potion started to make its way through her body.


    "Sit down and start cultivating!"


    Momentster, the sweet taste had vanished. Sun Mengmeng''s body was wracked with wave after wave of medicinal energy. They smashed against her body, causing her to howl out in pain.


    As Sun Mengmeng momentarily lost control of her gic energy, purple and ck mes erupted over her skin. Sun Mengmeng could feel her body being taken apart and rebuilt by the force of the gic energy, a process of such constant, unceasing pain that she felt her mind starting to dissociate.


    "Focus, Sun Mengmeng! Circte [ck Sun] at maximum intensity!" ?However, just as she felt her mind drifting away, Zhang Lie''s voice pulled her back.


    A pair of cold hands pressed against her back, causing her body to tremble. Her mind suddenly cleared, and she began circting [ck Sun] as Zhang Lie had instructed. She suddenly found that her gic energy, and the medicinal energy running through her body, seemed to have been reined in by a certain mysterious force.


    As she circted gic energy through her body and the golden medicinal energy seeped into her cells, she could sense her cells breaking through their original limits. Her pores widened and contracted, her muscles spasmed, her arteries and veins and capiries were broken down and reinforced. Her body seemed to be reforging itself on a fundamental, gic level.


    As she expelled her impurities, the domineering medicinal energy started to fade away, rushing into her deep red gic core. In her core was a ming, purplish-ck sun. As the medicinal energy seeped into the core, her body began to glow with ck light. Sun Mengmeng could visibly feel the purity of her gic energy increase, conferring upon her a tremendous strength.


    It was then that she realized why Zhang Lie had been so strong.


    [For consuming an unknown potion, your mutated gene capacity has been increased.]


    Sun Mengmeng: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, ck Sun (intermediate)


    Techniques: meburst Step (pinnacle), Lunarme Shot (advanced), Baptism of Hellfire (intermediate), ?Firefeather Wings (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: Embersoul Archer (superior), Firebird (superior), Ardorcrown Monkey (superior), Deepme Beetle (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Suddenly, she flushed red, finding herself naked. Before she could consider her circumstances further, however, a jacket was draped over her body.


    "When you lost control of your gic energy just now, your clothes burned to ash and soot," Zhang Lie exined. "However, everything is fine now. Congrattions on breaking through!"


    The sound of Zhang Lie''s voiceing from behind caused Sun Mengmeng to blush even redder. "Th-thank you!"


    "There''s no need for thanks. The moment you all entered the team, we became one big family." Zhang Lie patted her shoulder. "Take some time to freshen up. Don''t worry¡ªI won''t let anyone else enter before you leave."


    For some reason, as Sun Mengmeng saw Zhang Lie running out of the room flustered, she couldn''t help but smile.


    "Captain!"


    "Captain, what''s going on inside? Where''s my sister?"


    "Was the procedure sessful?"


    The moment Zhang Lie stepped outside, the other hunters, who were waiting by the door, thronged forward.


    "There was no issue, but Sun Mengmeng needs some time to recuperate. Have you decided who will go next?"


    After Zhang Lie brought Sun Mengmeng into the chamber, the rest of the hunters had decided on the order in which they would break through. By unanimous vote, Yang Ze was assignedst ce because of what he had said previously, and Fang Yi, Li Feng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying fought in a battle of wits to determine who would go after Sun Mengmeng. Li Feng eventually won out, and would be followed by Fang Yi, Zhou Ying, and finally Sun Xiaowu.


    As they chatted with each other, the door to the training chamber opened up and Sun Mengmeng walked out.


    "Sis!"


    "Mengmeng?!"


    Sun Mengmeng, in her deep red armor, looked as bright and radiant as the midday sun. The hunters gathered around here could barely believe that this hunter giving off such a scorching aura could be the usually gentle and polite Sun Mengmeng.


    "Sis, how do you feel? Tell us everything!" Sun Xiaowu shouted, moring to be heard.


    "It feels wonderful, as though my whole body has been upgraded and reworked. Once you experience the breakthrough for yourself, you''ll see what I mean," she replied, but Sun Xiaowu''s face turned glum.


    After all, he would be second tost to experience the breakthrough for himself.


    "I''ll have quite a while to wait, it seems," he sighed lifelessly.


    "Waiting a while longer won''t kill you, will it? Mengmeng, head to a separate training chamber and familiarize yourself with the changes to your body. Li Feng, follow me!"


    What followed was simple. After gaining experience dealing with Sun Mengmeng during her breakthrough, Zhang Lie handled the other hunters'' breakthroughs with ease. As promised, the hunters felt as though they had be different hunters entirely.


    Li Feng: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Arclight Dragon''s Imprint (intermediate)


    Techniques: Dragon''s Triumph (intermediate), Light''s Bulwark (intermediate), Daybreak (advanced)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: Lightborne Beetle (superior), Radiant Smander (superior), Owl of Wisdom (superior), Prismscale Wyrm (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Li Feng, who had been nothing more than an ordinary citizen before he met Zhang Lie, could hardly describe his feelings upon looking at his new data, and he swore that he would remain loyal to Zhang Lie for the rest of his life.


    Fang Yi: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Rondo of Wind and Storm (advanced)


    Techniques: Heaven''s Judgment (intermediate), Wind''s Spirit (intermediate), Floating Clouds (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: Shadowcrest Serpent (superior), Stormward Albatross (superior), Riger (superior), Thundersh Mantis (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Just like Li Feng, Fang Yi gaped at his own data, but he quickly collected himself.


    Zhou Ying: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Avatar of the Fae (intermediate)


    Techniques: Storm of Leaves (advanced), Willow''s Caress (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: Devil-Face Spider (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), Butterfly of Decay (superior), Treeborn Leopard (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Zhou Ying nced at Zhang Lie with ardor, tears brimming in her eyes. She was extremely touched by all that Zhang Lie had done for her and the rest of Team Zenith.


    Sun Xiaowu: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Adamantine Aegis (intermediate)


    Techniques: Golden Divide (intermediate), Goldenscale Palm (advanced), Blinding sh (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: Gold-Limned Tiger (superior), Rampaging Rhinoceros (superior), Goldenhorn Beetle (superior), Iron Hog (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    ncing at his body disbelievingly, Sun Xiaowu likewise swore that he would dedicate his life to Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 196: The Last Competitors

    <h4>Chapter 196: The Last Competitors</h4>


    Yang Ze: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ripples of Shattered ss (intermediate)


    Techniques: The Boundless de (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (advanced), Mirrored Refraction (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100


    Soulshards: Tigershark (superior), Snapjaw Crocodile (superior), Deepsea Crab (superior), Windborne Eagle (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Of course, Yang Ze wouldn''t lose out to the other members of Team Zenith in terms of loyalty. After all, without Zhang Lie''s guidance, he wouldn''t have gotten first ce in the nationwide stage in Sacred Fire. He was the one who sought out Zhang Lie''s help the most, as well as the only one who persisted in calling Zhang Lie Master. His loyalty toward Zhang Lie was self-evident.


    After all six members of Team Zenith had sessfully broken through, they would need to limate themselves to their newfound strength and acquire additional mutated gene fragments.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie was contacted by the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion, which had sessfully gathered the three poisons he required. He began concocting the scale-weakening potion immediately.


    A week passed in the blink of an eye, and all that remained before the hunt of the moonlight wyrm was an opportunity.


    Zhang Lie and the others, who were all prepared for the hunt, spent the time leading up to it working with the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, filling up whatever time remained before the worldwide stage of the Void Cup. As Zhang Lie''s name grew more and more famous, quite a few dojo instructors signed up to work with Zhang Lie, and the support staff in the dojo also filled out.


    In a sh, it was already time for the worldwide stage to begin.


    Zhang Lie snuck into the Holy Glory Academy wearing a disguise. Just as Zhang Hanxiang was about to return to her dormitory, her transceiver began to beep. When she saw just who was contacting her, Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes turned round.


    "Brother!" She hurriedly epted the call, shocking the two friends that were with her.


    They knew of her brother''s identity, of course; as Zhang Lie''s name spread through the capital, Zhang Hanxiang also became quite famous in the academy, and a number of Zhang Lie''s diehard fans began to organize a bodyguard schedule for her.


    The two ssmates apanying Zhang Hanxiang were naturally two such bodyguards.


    "Where are you?" Zhang Lie''s familiar voice came from the transceiver, causing the two guards to turn toward the device with mutual fascination.


    "I''m in the academy, of course! And what about you, Brother? It''s been so long since you''vee to visit! Where are you?" Zhang Hanxiang replied.


    "I''m at your academy, and I just left your ssroom. Where are you?"


    "What? Really? Brother, you''ve reallye to the academy? I''m right outside my dorm!"


    "Give me a moment. I''ll be right there!" Zhang Lie cut the connection; moments after that, a mysterious figure darted to their side out of nowhere.


    "Brother!" Even though Zhang Lie was disguised, Zhang Hanxiang still recognized him immediately. Directing her wheelchair in his direction, she quickly rushed over.


    Zhang Lie immediately stooped down and embraced his sister.


    "Look, it''s really Zhang Lie, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Ah, it really is him!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s twopanions were wide-eyed in shock.


    "Shh!" Zhang Hanxiang immediately shushed them, indicating for them not to spread the word, but one of the fans was so excited that she fainted at the sight.


    Zhang Lie had never chased stars before, and he didn''t understand their mindset. Whenever he saw news articles about them, he would always find them funny¡ªand he could hardly believe something like that would actually happen in front of him.


    "Ah, I''m sorry, Qingqing, I''ll have to leave Lizi to you! Brother, what are you doing? We''d better hurry up and leave before you end up attracting too much attention!"


    There were quite a few people by the entrance to the dormitory, and Zhang Hanxiang''s guards'' stifled cries had nheless drawn some attention to the two of them. Students were walking closer to Zhang Lie to try and see what had happened, and it was likely that they would soon be bombarded with attention.


    Zhang Lie blinked and quickly reacted. Grabbing onto Zhang Hanxiang''s wheelchair, he rushed off with her into the midst of the gathering crowds.


    "Ah, where''s Zhang Lie? Where''s my idol?"


    "He ran off! Look there!"


    "What amazing footwork!"


    "I can''t stand this any longer! I''m going to switch my major to focus on bing a hunter¡ªI want to enter the Zenith Dojo and take Zhang Lie as my master!"


    "Hoh! Do you think you can seed? I want to have his babies!"


    The female dormitory seemed to have turned into a talentpetition, but the protagonist of the whole affair had long since departed. By a coffeeshop far from the outskirts of the campus, Zhang Hanxiang let out a giggle as she stared at the hastily covered-up Zhang Lie.


    "Brother, your appearance now is really quite amusing!"


    "Alright, alright, stop making fun of me. How''ve you been these days?"


    "I love it here, Brother. There''s always news about the amazing things that you''ve been doing, so how could I be anything but happy? I''m just a little disappointed that you didn''t inform me about your starting up a dojo, or bing the champion of the Void Cup..."


    "I''m sorry, Hanxiang, but there was a reaso¡ª"


    "I know! I know you''re protecting me, Brother, but that''s why I feel helpless¡ªI shouldn''t need your help," Zhang Hanxiang murmured.


    "You''ve really grown into an adult, haven''t you, Hanxiang? Do you have any suggestions in mind? I''ll try my best to satisfy them."


    "I''d like to enter the dimensional world as a hunter in my own right, so that I can help you," Zhang Hanxiang replied, causing Zhang Lie to frown.


    "I''m sorry, Hanxiang, but I won''t be able to satisfy your request now. I''ll definitely be the champion of the worldwide tournament and get the materials I need to cure you of your paralysis. Only then will I allow you into the dimensional world!"


    "In that case, I''ll hold you to your word, Brother. I''m sure you''ll be the champion. Then, will you explore the dimensional world with me?" Ever since her childhood, Zhang Hanxiang had dreamt of being able to walk and run like a normal human being.


    "I promise. I''ll always be by your side, and I''ll support you no matter what."


    "Thank you, Brother!" Zhang Hanxiang pulled her brother in for another hug.


    The two siblings'' only family was each other. The reason Zhang Lie had sent Zhang Hanxiang to the Holy Glory Academy was because of her desire to study, and because he felt it important for her to interact with more people beyond just him. It would help her broaden her horizons and mature as an adult, and it seemed as though his n had worked wlessly.


    After apanying Zhang Hanxiang for a little while longer, Zhang Lie left the academy.


    The worldwide stage of the Void Cup would be held tomorrow in Northern Europe, in Odinstadt. Hunters from over a hundred nations had already gathered there, and the other Chinese representatives, Chu Feng and Yun Bing, had also arrived three days ago. Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith were a few of the only remaining participants who had yet to arrive.


    The worldwide stage of the Void Cup was a huge affair for the gxy atrge, and the tournament would start at about the same time on each. During this period of time, the first realm of the dimensional world would be unusually empty, and this would be Zhang Lie''s opportunity to hunt down the moonlight wyrm.


    Although Zhang Lie was quite confident of his sess, the moonlight wyrm was ultimately a peak-grade lifeform, and he was expecting the match to be rather time-consuming. As a result, he had no choice but to wait until the cksteel settlement was devoid of hunters; otherwise, if someone else were to steal the kill from him at thest moment, he would have wasted all his efforts.


    Team Zenith had been waiting for Zhang Lie by the portal to the dimensional world. The portal suddenly buzzed, and Zhang Lie''s familiar figure appeared by the teleportation array.


    "Captain!"


    "Master!"


    "You''re finally back!"


    Everyone crowded around him.


    "Sorry to keep you all waiting. Let''s go!"


    Just as the hunters of Team Zenith gathered by the array, however, Zhang Lie''s transceiver suddenly began to beep. Zhang Lie chuckled bitterly when he saw who the caller was.


    "Zhang Lie! What''s going on? Don''t you know what time it is? Where are all the hunters of Team Zenith? This is the worldwide stage! Don''t you have any respect for authority? Get over here now!"


    Everyone could hear Yan Long''s howl even from a distance, but Zhang Lie still seemed calm and unperturbed. "Don''t worry, Commander! The tournament starts tomorrow, doesn''t it? We''ll surely arrive before then!"

 Chapter 197: Hunting the Moonlight Wyrm

    <h4>Chapter 197: Hunting the Moonlight Wyrm</h4>


    Zhang Lie hung up amidst six shocked faces, then activated the teleportation array to send them all to the dimensional world. With a sh, Team Zenith appeared once more in the cksteel settlement.


    As expected, no one was present when they arrived.


    "Captain, wasn''t that Commander Yan Long? Are you sure it''s alright to just hang up on him like that?" Fang Yi asked cautiously.


    "There''s no problem at all¡ªat worst, we''ll apologize to him tomorrow. It''s far more important that we manage to take down the moonlit wyrm today."


    They passed through the cksteel settlement and found, to no great surprise, no hunter at all present.


    "Captain, you were right¡ªthere really is no one around!" Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    "Of course! The Void Cup happens only once every five years, and it''s a massive event both in the real world and the dimensional world. This is particrly true on the eve of the worldwide stage, and essentially all hunters will be taking this opportunity to rx and watch the tournament. We should be thankful for this¡ªotherwise, it really wouldn''t be easy for us to hunt down the moonlight wyrm unnoticed." Perhaps because everything was going ording to n, Zhang Lie patiently exined the thought process behind his decision.


    The hunters encountered no one else at all as they traveled to their destination, the Moonlit Pond.


    "Alright, everyone, get in position!" Zhang Lie whispered. The hunters of Team Zenith split into two groups, nking the Moonlit Pond from the left and the right.


    As they had nned, the left nk would harass and distract the wyrm, and wouldprise Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying. The right nk would focus on auxiliary damage, and wouldprise Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and Sun Xiaowu.


    The main attacker, Zhang Lie, was hovering by the top of the waterfall. After confirming that everyone was in position, he retrieved tworge potion bottles, one an acid green, the other speckled with dark flecks. He poured both into the Moonlit Pond. The green and ck potions dyed the clear water a ghastly dark green.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie began to circte gic energy throughout his body, preparing for the moonlight wyrm''s emergence. The rest of Team Zenith did the same.


    Moments after the potions filled the pond, a huge bubble of air emerged from its center, and the prepared hunters immediately vanished from sight.


    An enraged roar shook the whole forest. The next moment, a pure-white wyrm emerged from the pond within sight of everyone. Its scales seemed like white jade, and it had a small horn sticking out of the top of its head. Its rage and anger were evident on its face.


    The moment it headed out of the surface of the water, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying immediately began to strike. Zhou Ying would be leading the attacks, with Yang Ze and Li Feng aiding her from behind.


    Activating her devil-face spider, forest wolfman, and blood ant soulshards, she cried out, "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!"


    Two jade-green dragons darted out of her hands like two beams of light. When the moonlight wyrm, its pure-white scales already starting to be speckled with ck, discovered her presence, it shot out two arrows of water to counter her attack.


    The two wood dragons splintered, but the momentum of the water arrows was hardly reduced. Yang Ze and Li Feng hastily stepped forward, intending to counter the blow.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying stomped on the ground, her feet seemingly bing rooted. The patch of ground beneath and all around her began to glow green, and hundreds of jade-green roots flew into the air, rushing toward the moonlight wyrm.


    Although the water arrows were strong, the sheer number of roots managed to overwhelm the attack, causing the arrows to disperse into mist in mid-air.


    The moonlight wyrm roared at Zhou Ying, its tail whirling around the surface of the water, generating countless miniature ck wyrms to strike back at Zhou Ying''s roots. As the attacks shed with each other, slivers of wood and sshes of water flew toward each of the hunters.


    As expected of a peak-grade lifeform, even with the aid of Li Feng and Yang Ze, Zhou Ying was ultimately unable to deal with the moonlight wyrm''s attack, and dozens of the remaining ck wyrms rushed toward Zhou Ying.


    However, Zhou Ying had nned for this eventuality. The trees around her suddenly began to wither, their mass forming into a gigantic forest wolfman tens of meters tall. He was formed out of solid, dark-green wood, with golden, resplendent armor covering his body and spikes protruding out of his flesh. From appearance alone, he was a force to be reckoned with.


    As he howled, a pair of golden swords suddenly materialized in his hands. He smashed apart all the ck wyrms heading in his direction, then turned to the moonlight wyrm and sent a few slices of sword energy in its direction.


    The dramatic rise of the forest wolfman instantly caught the moonlight wyrm''s attention. This time around, instead of using a technique, the moonlight wyrm met him with its body, all its attention focused on this newfound foe.


    It smashed apart the forest wolfman''s attack with its tail, but the moment it did so, the three hunters on the other side of the pond made their move. A bird''s cry pierced the skies as a tricolored firebird appeared behind the moonlight wyrm. It was doused in wind-, fire-, and thunder-attuned gic energy, with an aura no less strong than the wolfman from before.


    The moonlight wyrm instantly recognized the threat.


    At the same time, Zhou Ying continuedunching even more attacks. A dozen wood dragonsunched out of the earth by the side of the gigantic wolfman. The golden swords in his hands turned blood-colored: it was evident that the three hunters, currently seated by the top of the forest wolfman''s head, had activated their mutated blood ant soulshards.


    With wood dragons by the surface of the pond, a bloody greatsword by its front, and a firebirding from behind, the moonlight wyrm seemed to be in dire straits. The next moment, however, the water in the Moonlit Pond suddenly streamed out of the pond. The force of the water splintered Zhou Ying''s wood dragons, and it even forced the three hunters''bined sword technique back.


    The tricolored firebird was quenched instantly, but the arrow still managed to break through countlessyers of water and strike the moonlight wyrm''s nk.


    It howled in rage at the fact that it had been hit by a lowly hunter''s attack; despite the fact that Sun Mengmeng''s arrow had only barely scratched its skin, the moonlight wyrm was enraged that it had managed to achieve even that much. It roared up at the skies, then summoned a huge torrent of gic energy with which it seemed poised tounch at Sun Mengmeng.


    However, just as it was ring at Sun Mengmeng, another figure appeared between its eyes. With this figure''s appearance, the glowing moon in the sky was reced by its bloody twin. A winged tiger roared; as bloody ripples spread through the air, the moonlight wyrm, whose body was starting to feel numb, suddenly felt a sense of unease.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" That moment, a violet-ck shooting star headed toward its right eye.


    As expected of a peak-grade lifeform, it was able to react even to such a sudden attack, but its hasty defenses were no match for the blow that Zhang Lie had been charging up for ever since the start of the battle.


    As Zhang Lie thrust Venombane into the moonlight wyrm''s eye, the sword techniqueposed of three elements rampaged its body.

 Chapter 198: A Curious Misconception

    <h4>Chapter 198: A Curious Misconception</h4>


    Almost as soon as Zhang Lie''s strikended, the moonlight wyrm began to writhe in pain, opening its maw and trying to strike at Zhang Lie''s head with its long tongue as it did so.


    Zhang Lie frowned. In an explosion of gic energy, he transformed into a blood-colored wolfman, his body adorned with a suit of silver armor, gold wings spread out wide open behind him. Compared to the gigantic wolfman that Zhou Ying, Li Feng, and Yang Ze hadbined to pilot, Zhang Lie''s wolfman form was smaller but also more agile.


    With Venombane, Zhang Lie defended himself against the wyrm''s tongue, remarking at how tough it was. As he fended the tongue off, heunched a bloody dragon in the wyrm''s direction. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    The wyrm howled, and the water in the Moonlit Pond again rose up at its will. It formed a belt of water under the moonlight wyrm''s control, defending itself against Zhang Lie''s attack.


    However, the moonlight wyrm had still underestimated Zhang Lie''s attack. His framework nowbined three elemental attunements, and its resulting strength was far superior to what the moonlight wyrm had anticipated.


    As a result, its defensive technique failedpletely, and the bloody dragon took barely a moment to break the barrier of water and smash against the moonlight wyrm''s head. The wyrm screeched, the scales on its head corroding in wisps of ck smoke. ck blood leaked out of its ruined eye, and its majestic features were now all in tatters. The moonlight wyrm felt a sense of primal fear for the first time.


    As it tried to retreat back into the pond, attacks came at it from the left and the right. From the left, the gigantic wolfman had somehow sprouted wings of light, and was heading right for the wyrm. On the right, nine blueme phoenixes shot toward the wyrm, their strength iparable to Sun Mengmeng''s previous attacks.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]!"


    The gigantic wolfman swung its de from some distance away; nevertheless, the de suddenly appeared by the moonlight wyrm''s side, as though the distance between them were immaterial.


    The moonlight wyrm screeched again as its scales broke against the attack. The force of the attack propelled it upward, causing its intention to retreat back to the depths of the pond to fail.


    At the same time, the nine phoenixes struck its face, causing the wyrm to keen in agony. Blood streaked down the rest of its once-immacte body, but Zhang Lie frowned at the sight. Something was wrong¡ªthe wyrm was too weak!


    Although it had broken through the limits of a superior-grade lifeform, it wasn''t peak-grade yet. Furthermore, it seemed to be a bit slimmer than the wyrm he had seen thest time around. Could there have been multiple wyrms in the Moonlit Pond?


    Zhang Lie, who was supposed to follow up with an attack, instead hesitated for a moment, giving the wyrm some room to breathe. It cried out, disgorging a beam of white light from its body, purifying and nullifying all domain effects in the immediate vicinity.


    The next moment, it darted back into the pond and began fleeing into the deep trench at the very center. Although Zhang Lie was still unsure about just what was going on, he followed suit without any hesitation.


    "Wait for me here. Prepare for another fight at any moment!"


    He darted into the water so quickly the members of Team Zenith couldn''t say anything to him. The water had be murky because of the poisons he had poured into the pond, but Zhang Lie was resistant on ount of his framework being water-attuned. At his stage of development, he could even be considered an anthropomorphic aquatic lifeform.


    He navigated the perturbed waters based on the fluctuations of gic energy and the scent of blood that the injured moonlit wyrm gave off. It was currently diving deep into the pond, so quickly it seemed almost like a ray of light. However, Zhang Lie wasn''t much slower. Circting [Ninecarp Transformation], he followed behind the wyrm like a ck piranha.


    Because the wyrm was injured, the distance between it and Zhang Lie was steadily narrowing. In a matter of moments, Zhang Lie was close enough to strike. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Waves of force punched through the water. Although he was too far from the wyrm to do substantive damage, he could at least slow down the wyrm even further, but the wyrm retaliated with attacks of its own, repelling Zhang Lie with mboyant waves of its tail.


    The distance between the two creatures remained at around thirty meters; Zhang Lie wasn''t able to close in, but neither could the wyrm escape his pursuit. Both of them were diving even deeper into the pond, so deep the water had regained its rity.


    Zhang Lie was only able to identify how deep they were going because of the steadily increasing water pressure, which wasn''t a good sign for him. Although Zhang Lie''s elemental attunement waspatible and his stats were high enough that the water pressure was unlikely to be a burden, it would certainly reduce his agility and strength in a battle.


    The moonlight wyrm had impressive defensive capabilities; if Zhang Lie had to expend much of his gic energy just to deal with the water pressure, it would be hard for him to trap the wyrm here.


    He reactivated the blood ant soulshard that he had deactivated the moment he dove into the water, and his body immediately became suffused with a bloody glow, raising his speed almost fivefold.


    In a matter of moments, Zhang Lie had caught up to the moonlight wyrm. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Rise]!"


    Before the moonlight wyrm could react, it felt a tremendous pain by its lower jaw, a blow directed at it with such force that he was propelled upwards. Despite the fact that it was running away so quickly, the wyrm was inflicted with heavy wounds and copious toxins throughout its body, so it had little offensive power left.


    Furthermore, the moment Zhang Lie caught up, he activated [Eclipse] once more. The bloody moon caused the gic energy supporting its body to falter as it drained away.


    The moonlit wyrm keened once more, its final defense, causing rings of white light to shine around it as it purged the debilitating effects in its vicinity. Even Zhang Lie''s [Eclipse] was dispelled, but the moment it did so, Zhang Lie struck at it again with [The Boundless de], piercing through its lower jaw.


    This time, the moonlight wyrm didn''t even have energy to struggle. Zhang Lie''s sword technique exploded in its head, killing the wyrm instantly.


    Shockingly, the moment the wyrm perished, gic energy condensed by the horn on its ruined forehead, producing a white-jade soulshard, a soulshard from the moonlight wyrm itself! Zhang Lie had hardly anticipated that he would be so lucky.


    [You sessfully killed a liminal superior-grade moonlight wyrm and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade moonlight wyrm, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    However, his excitement didn''tst long. A... superior-grade moonlight wyrm? ? Just what was going on? Wasn''t this supposed to be a peak-grade moonlight wyrm?


    It really was weaker than he had anticipated, but the will of the world had used an unusual adjective, ''liminal''. Could he have been mistaken? Was this really the only moonlight wyrm in the Moonlit Pond?


    Despite the unusual ssification, the moonlight wyrm had only given superior-grade rewards. That implied that the moonlight wyrm was still technically a superior-grade lifeform, and had yet to evolve into a peak-grade one.


    Perhaps this was because the first realm of the dimensional world wouldn''t allow the existence of peak-grade lifeforms, but even so, it was far stronger than an ordinary superior-grade lifeform, which was likely why the will of the dimensional world evaluated it as ''liminal''.


    But something was still strange. He was certain the moonlight wyrm he had encountered was a peak-grade lifeform¡­ Could he have been mistaken because he was too weak then?


    In truth, even Zhang Lie himself was confused as to what was going on. However, this wasn''t a good environment in which to ponder such a question. Zhang Lie would swim back up to the surface before thinking further about this.


    With the moonlight wyrm''s carcass in his hand, he began swimming upwards. What he didn''t notice was the blood seeping from the moonlight wyrm''s mouth as he continued to swim, causing arge air bubble to rise from the depths of the Moonlit Pond.

 Chapter 199: The Peak-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 199: The Peak-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    As the air bubble grewrger andrger, a sound could be heard from deep within the trench.


    Something''s wrong!?Zhang Lie swam even faster toward the surface, but the moment he did so, a howl came from beneath the surface of the water, filled with boundless rage. It was evident that there was another moonlight wyrm living at the bottom of the Moonlit Pond.


    As he sensed its fluctuations of gic energy, Zhang Lie''s face fell. This was a peak-grade lifeform, there was no doubt about it! Zhang Lie turned around to see what seemed like a white beam of light rushing toward him.


    He couldn''t fight the wyrm underwater, no¡ªZhang Lie circted his gic energy as quickly as he could as he rushed upward to the surface of the pond. When he dove down, he was chasing a moonlight wyrm; now, as he rose up, he was being chased by one.


    Zhang Lie had noticed its presence while it was quite some distance away, and he wasn''t too much slower than the wyrm at full speed, so it wouldn''t be easy for the wyrm to catch up immediately.


    Above the pond, the other hunters of Team Zenith were waiting for Zhang Lie to emerge somewhatnguidly. From their perspective, the fight was already over, and the will of the world had informed them of their contribution in taking down the moonlight wyrm.


    "Do you feel like something was wrong?" Just like Zhang Lie, Fang Yi was a little concerned about the fight from before, which had seemed a little too easy.


    The members of Team Zenith had split into two groups, one to restrain the wyrm''s motion, and the other as an auxiliary attacker. Zhang Lie had struck at the moment at which it was weakest¡­ but could a peak-grade lifeform be defeated just like that?


    In their training exercises, Zhang Lie had emphasized just how dangerous the battle would be, but they hadn''t had much trouble at all.


    "What''s wrong? Didn''t you hear the announcement from the will of the world just now? The moonlight wyrm''s dead, and it even condensed a soulshard!" Sun Xiaowu eximed. "Yang Ze, you''re water-attuned¡ªdo you have a guess as to the utility of this moonlight wyrm soulshard?"


    Sun Xiaowu unintentionally changed the topic.


    Yang Ze thought for a moment. "Perhaps a weapon-type soulshard? Or maybe the purifying ability that the moonlight wyrm demonstrated..."


    "That really does sound usible," Li Feng agreed.


    However, before their train of thought could continue, Zhou Ying interrupted them. "Fang Yi, I think you''re right. The moonlight wyrm from before was too weak. Didn''t we all hear what the will of the world stated? It was a liminal superior-grade moonlight wyrm, and it gave superior gene fragments and a superior-grade soulshard.


    "However, the captain told us that our opponent would be a peak-grade lifeform, and he told us to be prepared to be injured! Most importantly, before he dove into the pond, he told us to be ready. I think he might also have noticed this discrepancy, so we shouldn''t take it easy!"


    Her argument shook some sense into the other hunters.


    "You''re right, Zhou Ying! We''d better take some of the potions we prepared to restore our gic energy," Sun Mengmeng replied. She immediately took out a potion and drank it, as did the other hunters.


    As they were doing so, Zhang Lie, dragging the moonlight worm''s carcass behind him, broke through the surface of the water.


    "Spread out! Get far away from the pond. Prepare for battle!" he shouted immediately.


    The hunters followed hismand and retreated. From a distance, Fang Yi shouted, "What''s going on, Captain?"


    "There''s more than one moonlight wyrm. A peak-grade one''s chasing me right now. Get into the six-element formation!"


    Rather than quailing in fright, however, the hunters'' eyes all glimmered with excitement. There really was a peak-grade lifeform that they were about to face!


    A geyser of water erupted from the pond, followed by a long keen that shook the earth and sky. Everyone could clearly sense the wyrm''s explosive anger. This wyrm was just a bitrger than the previous one, but the gic energy fluctuations it gave off were at least a magnitude more intense.


    As the wyrm broke through the surface of the pond, Zhang Lie tossed aside the moonlight wyrm''s carcass that he was still holding.


    "Get into formation!" he shouted again. Zhang Lie stood in the middle of all six hunters, who released their gic energy all at once. A surprisingly intense aura emanated from the center of the formation where the energiesbined, giving off multicolored ripples of light.


    The six hunters channeled their energy into the formation, causing radiant light to glow from underneath their feet: mes in purple and ck, the jade-green energy of life, gold, sharp and resplendent, the purest white light, rampaging thunder in silver, and palliative blue water.


    Six elements traced out a runic formation as they spread toward its center, where Zhang Lie was standing in an inferno of dark gic energy. A red-and-ck winged tiger darted down from the skies as a starry sky enveloped them all. A bloody moon ascended to primacy, causing an unbelievable pressure to descend over the Moonlit Pond.


    The moonlight wyrm, which had discovered its targets, reacted near-instantly. A thin spray of water shot out of its mouth, so quickly it broke through the sound barrier. It seemed to skirt by the constraints of space and time, appearing almost immediately in front of Zhang Lie''s sight.


    However, Zhang Lie was prepared for it. The six-element formation countered the attack; the moment it entered [Eclipse]''s domain, its potency began to deteriorate, and it had lost about half its momentum by the time it reached Zhang Lie.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie didn''t take the attack lightly. Summoning all his gic energy, he struck at the arrow with his left palm, causing the winged tiger to w at it with its left paw as well.


    With a great ssh, water-attuned gic energy exploded into the air, seemingly splintering the very fabric of the world itself. The hunters'' eyes widened at the sight. This was how strong the attack was even after it had passed through the six-member defensive array?! If they hadn''t gotten into formation, they would likely have perished from the attack.


    In truth, Zhang Lie had seen just how strong this attack was before.


    In the past, just one beam of water that the moonlight wyrm had casually shot out was sufficient to kill Zhou Qian and cripple Qin Xiao, and the resulting attack still had sufficient energy to cause an avnche when it hit one of the mountains in the area. This time, the wyrm waspletely enraged when it struck, and the attack would only be stronger as a result. Fortunately, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith now had the strength to resist such an attack.


    Of course, as a peak-grade lifeform, the moonlight wyrm had more potent attacks than just a beam of water. After its long-ranged attack failed, the moonlight wyrm ascended to the skies like a jade dragon. As it made use of its full strength, its body swiftly began to grow, until it was a hundred meters long.


    Opening its maw wide, it struck at Zhang Lie, intending on devouring him in a single bite.


    The six hunters forming the defensive perimeter felt a near-intolerable wave of pressure overwhelming them. The defensive array began to crack with the force of the moonlight wyrm''s blow.


    "Everyone, activate your blood ant soulshards. Use your reserves of gic energy to reinforce the array now!" Zhang Lie called out.


    The next moment, under Zhang Lie''s direction, a bloody pir of gic energy spiked into the sky, a devastating attack formed from thebination of six elements.


    The moonlight wyrm shrieked in pain, and the hunters suddenly found themselves relieved of the pressure that had almost overwhelmed them.


    Writhing in pain, the moonlight wyrm reared back, its maw corroded and its flesh decaying. The moonlight wyrm had paid a price in its rashness at trying to seek revenge for its mate, but this price amounted to little more than a superficial injury for it.


    "We won''t be able to hold out against it in a drawn-out battle. We have to attack in earnest!" Zhang Liemanded.

 Chapter 200: Giving Your All

    <h4>Chapter 200: Giving Your All</h4>


    "Use all your gic energy. Let''s end the fight as quickly as we can!" Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted with excitement. In quick session, he activated his forest wolfman, mewing eagle, runic smander, and blood ant soulshards.


    The dazzling glow of the activated soulshards surrounded Zhang Lie, turning him into a gigantic wolfman almost ten meters tall. The moment the wolfman emerged, a ring of wind surrounded him, and ck runic patterns crawled up his skin, causing his muscles to bulge. A bloody mist dyed his fur red and strengthened his gic energy fluctuations by almost an order of magnitude, so much so that space began to distort around him.


    The bloody moon in the sky, as well as the shadow of the winged tiger, began to expand, causing the domain to cover a region almost a kilometer wide. Within this patch ofnd, lifeforms began to slump over, trees began to decay and wither, and the ground turned dry, cracked, and arid, as though the vitality they possessed were being quickly transferred to the massive wolfman.


    Shining silver armor appeared over the wolfman''s body, and he held an exquisite violet shortsword in his right paw. Zhang Lie''s aura was no lessmanding than the moonlight wyrm''s itself.


    All this happened in the blink of an eye, while the moonlight wyrm was extricating itself from the six-element formation.


    "Kill it!" he howled. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    As Zhang Lie leapt into the air, the ground cracked where he stood. Frightening pressure from [The Boundless de] poured out of him like a tidal wave. An underworld river formed from thin air, rushing toward the moonlight wyrm in a torrent.


    Enraged that a lowly human would dare challenge him, the moonlity wyrm roared, but it could clearly sense the changes in Zhang Lie''s strength. As a result, it didn''t dare strike so carelessly any longer. Raising its maw to the heavens, it breathed out a pure-white mist, crystallizing the air and turning it into a heavenly river.


    Compared to Zhang Lie''s underworld river, which corroded and decayed all that it touched, the wyrm''s heavenly river purified and cleansed everything. As the two attacks shed against each other, waves of gic energy spread through the air. The ground rumbled, as though there were an earthquake; space seemed to copse where the two attacks met. However, neither attack could dominate over the other, and the two rivers eventually faded away together.


    At that moment, Zhang Lie grasped the belt of wind floating around him, imbued it with his three-element attunement, and sent it flying at the wyrm. At the same time, he leapt up once more and activated [Mirrored Refraction], his humongous body dissolving into countless afterimages.


    The moonlight wyrm spat out a fuside of water arrows at the chakram, which ultimately lost all its momentum from the wyrm''s counterattack. However, the fact that the wyrm had to defend itself against that blow earned Zhang Lie plenty of time for his next move.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Before the wyrm could retaliate, a bloody dragon was already dashing toward it, followed quickly by Zhang Lie himself. Venombane glittered with the coldness of death, and Zhang Lie had already charged up [The Boundless de: Requiem of the End].


    However, despite being faced with Zhang Lie''s potpourri of attacks, the wyrm merely stretched out and howled, coalescing what seemed to be an air bubble around itself. Zhang Lie struck at the bubble, but instead of breaking it, the attack was flung backward by the recoil. The rebounded attack struck a small hill and smashed it into t ground.


    The only trace that the bubble had been attacked was a slight distortion in the membrane.


    Zhang Lie widened his eyes at the unusual bubble, but continued his attack regardless. "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!"


    After realizing how stic the bubble was, however, Zhang Lie imbued his attack with as much of the winged tiger''s sharpness as he could. The bubble resisted the blow for a brief moment, but ultimately burst like a balloon that was popped by a pin, negating much of the attack''s force as it did so. The moonlight wyrm ducked to avoid the blow, thenshed out with its tail.


    Zhang Lie reacted quickly, but it still knocked him back. Luckily, he had concentrated his white-grub armor by his chest, so thesh didn''t lead to a particrly devastating injury; however, the wolfman transformation he had applied to himself was forcibly canceled as a result of damage to that form.


    The six hunters still fuelling the formation from below groaned, but they transferred more and more energy into the formation to speed up Zhang Lie''s recovery.


    However, the peak-grade moonlight wyrm certainly wasn''t going to give up on such an opportunity to strike. Flicking its tail, it darted forward and shot out a breath of cold air. Before the attack couldnd, however, Zhang Lie suddenly extended a pair of ded wings out of his rapidly rematerializing wolfman form.


    The icy breath catapulted Zhang Lie backwards and mmed him into the ground, but the wings that had folded protectively around him negated much of the injuries that he would otherwise have suffered. Regardless, he was certainly at a disadvantage, because the moonlight wyrm was drawing near. Its tail was raised high up in the air, and gic energy streamed off its body.


    If this tail strike were tond, Zhang Lie would surely be ttened into nothing more than a pancake. The six hunters watched on breathlessly, unable to help more than by channeling into the formation at full power.


    "Stay strong, Captain!" Fang Yi shouted, wind and storm crackling around him. Within the domain of [Eclipse], the obsidian spear that had been stuck in the ground now shot toward the moonlight wyrm''s right eye.


    Opposite him, Sun Mengmeng shot a purple firebird toward the moonlight wyrm''s left eye.


    Yang Ze concentrated on the formation, focusing as much on the healing and regenerative powers of water as he could.


    Zhou Ying leaned down and dug her hands into the ground, forming a gigantic jade-green shield by Zhang Lie''s side.


    Sun Xiaowu punched at the ground, trying to cause Zhang Lie''s location to shift rtive to the wyrm''s attack.


    Li Feng was the closest to Zhang Lie, so he focused on sending a re of light toward the wyrm, trying to distract it and affect its vision.


    However, because the moonlight wyrm was a peak-grade lifeform, and because they had to focus most of their attention on maintaining the formation, the hunters were limited in terms of what they could do.


    Although they had all activated their gic energy, they made little impact on the wyrm itself. Fang Yi''s spear and Sun Mengmeng''s firebird were wiped out by the vortices of water surrounding the wyrm, whereas Sun Xiaowu''s fist didn''t have much of an effect on the ground close to Zhang Lie at all.


    Zhou Ying''s shield and Li Feng''s re of light were, in the wyrm''s eyes, nothing more than childish tricks. Its tail would ovee even Zhang Lie''s ded wings, let alone Zhou Ying''s shield. As for Li Feng''s misdirection, the peak-grade moonlight wyrm had such developed senses that it would be able to attack Zhang Lie even without its vision.


    As its pearlescent tail made to strike, the force of the attack seemed to distort space itself. It was so quick that it sent soundwaves through the air, causing Zhang Lie''s wolfman transformation to explode as his aura vanished.


    There was no blood, no broken limbs¡ªit seemed as though the moonlight wyrm''s attack had annihted him whole. The six-element formation, of which he was the center, broke apart. The moonlight wyrm looked to be the battle''s final victor.


    "No, Captain! This is impossible!"


    "Captain!"


    "I won''t believe this!"


    "Captain, how could you lose? Stand up! Stand back up!"


    The moonlight wyrm roared in triumph, announcing its strength to the world.

 Chapter 201: The Dust Settles

    <h4>Chapter 201: The Dust Settles</h4>


    The members of Team Zenith cursed themselves for their helplessness and inability to help Zhang Lie in need.


    However, while the moonlight wyrm was roaring in triumph, a figure suddenlynded above its eyes,unching a sneak attack against it the same way he had against the liminal superior-grade moonlight wyrm. As a peak-grade lifeform, the moonlight wyrm reacted near-instantaneously, but Zhang Lie was even faster.


    The moment the moonlight wyrm made a move, Zhang Lie activated [Eclipse] once more, and a gigantic winged tiger descended on the wyrm. At that moment, the wyrm felt as though the space all around it had frozen, and it was unable to move even a muscle.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" Zhang Lie seized the opportunity to thrust Venombane into the moonlight wyrm''s right eye, releasing the rest of his gic energy in one extraordinary attack and devastating the interior of the wyrm''s head.


    The moonlight wyrm slowly crumpled to the ground, and Zhang Lie crushed the superior-grade moonlight wyrm soulshard that he had just obtained. As the peak-grade moonlight wyrm fell to the ground, a pure-white orb swiftly condensed over its horn.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade moonlight wyrm and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade moonlight wyrm, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The will of the world''s announcement dragged the gathered hunters back to reality.


    "Captain, what happened?"


    "Master, you didn''t die?!"


    The hunters racked their brains in an attempt to figure out just what had happened.


    "Come over here and help me up, will you?" The moment Zhang Lie grabbed the peak-grade soulshard, he copsed to the ground, and the other hunters rushed over to help him up.


    Only then did Sun Mengmeng notice that Zhang Lie''s body was trembling violently, a clear sign of the aftereffects of the blood ant soulshard. She had used the same soulshard during the battle, but never to such a degree.


    "im our spoils and head back to the cksteel settlement immediately!"


    Indeed, the moonlight wyrm was a legendary creature, and there was no need to advertise that they were the ones who had in it. Despite the fact that the cksteel settlement was surprisingly empty that night, they couldn''t guarantee that there were absolutely no hunters around. They were all exhausted and drained, so if someone were to find them at this juncture...


    They encountered no one on the way back until they reached the entrance to the settlement, where they found a three-hunter party heading out. When they saw Zhang Lie and the others, along with the moonlight wyrm carcasses they were carrying, they were all rather surprised.


    They passed by each other without incident, but news of their encounter with Team Zenith and the mysterious lifeform they had hunted quickly spread throughout the settlement. One of the hunters described in surprising detail just what he had seen, along with a few images he had surreptitiously taken from the back.


    This information then quickly spread to the real world.


    .


    In Odinstadt, within a suite in thergest hotel in the area, Yan Long was frowning as he repeatedly tried to contact Zhang Lie to no avail. The doorbell to his suite suddenly rang, and the robotic housekeeper announced, "Commander Su Feng is here."


    "Come in!"


    "Yan Long, have you seen the news?" Su Feng asked immediately as he stepped inside.


    "What news? I''ve been trying to contact that damn brat all this time..."


    "I knew it! Just read the news and you''ll see why he''s been ignoring you." Su Fengughed, then handed him his holographic reader.


    [Revealing Zhang Lie''sst-minute preparations for the Void Cup!]


    A tabloid article appeared in front of Yan Long''s eyes, and he nced at it skeptically.


    "What''s this?" International media articles werempooning Zhang Lie''s behavior, and some even suggested that he had ended up as China''s champion because he was the illegitimate son of some bigwig in the Chinese government.


    Su Fengughed. "Don''t actually read it, just have a look at the pictures."


    Yan Long narrowed his eyes. "What? This was from five minutes ago? So thisd''s still in the cksteel settlement, even now! Just what are these two serpent-type lifeforms to be worth so much trouble?"


    "I''ve had my men look into this. Don''t you know about the legends of the first realm? If I''m not mistaken, these are the legendary moonlight wyrms."


    "No wonder he would hunt them down now," Yan Long murmured.


    "I told you he was that sort of fellow, didn''t I? There''s no need to worry about him."


    "No need to worry? How could I not? If he shows up, he''ll surely take first ce in the worldwide tournament. Don''t you know how long it''s been since we''ve had a Chinese champion? I''ll bring him over even if I have to kidnap him!"


    Su Feng rubbed his head. "Well, whatever, I just came by to share the news. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leavi¡ª"


    "You''re free, aren''t you? Want to have a drink?" Before Su Feng could leave, however, Yan Long extended him an invitation, one which Su Feng mulled over and epted.


    "That impudent brat, hunting down a legendary lifeform while I''m sitting here trying to get a hold of him! If I were a few decades younger myself, I swear, I''d¡ª"


    "Oh, I think I remember what you did at his age. Don''t you remember chasing after¡ª"


    "Ah, stop, stop! Let''s return to talking about Zhang Lie, shall we?"


    Zhang Lie and the others were likewise enjoying some drinks together. In Team Zenith''s suite in the cksteel Inn, by the time Zhang Lie had emerged from a long, rxing bath, a veritable feast had beenid out for everyone,


    The main highlight of the feast, of course, was the peak-grade moonlight wyrm flesh.


    "Captain!"


    "Master!"


    The hunters were still a little shocked to see him well and alive, after having thought that he had perished to the moonlight wyrm''s tail.


    "Alright, alright, why are all of you so reserved? It''s not as though it''s our first time interacting with each other. Sit down and let''s dig in! We''ll spend the rest of the day recuperating, then head to Odinstadt tomorrow."


    Indeed, this was the one and only peak-grade feast that the first realm of the dimensional world was likely to ever host.


    Given the size of peak-grade moonlight wyrm, the hunters didn''t intend to rest until they had consumed all ten peak gene fragments'' worth of meat.


    "Right, Captain, just what happened at the very end? We all thought you died!" Li Feng asked, his curiosity clearly piqued.


    "There was no choice. The moonlight wyrm''s far stronger than we were, so we had to take a risk. It would have been difficult for me to defend against the moonlight wyrm''sst strike, but dodging it wouldn''t have been a problem. However, if I had done so, we would eventually lose the battle of attrition, so I had toe up with a n instead.


    "By sacrificing my wolfman transformation and activating the stealth ability inherent to Venombane, I sessfully hoodwinked the serpent into thinking that it had won. All of you saw what happened next. Of course, the moonlight wyrm would rx and demonstrate its superiority after seeking revenge for its mate, and that would surely be the best time to strike.


    "I suddenly appeared out of nowhere andunched a sneak attack at the wyrm while it was celebrating its victory. You''ve all seen how tough its scales were, so I chose to strike at its eyes instead."


    Zhang Lie was exuberant at his victory and how well his n had gone. He made his decisions sound simple in hindsight, but executing those actions in practice had still posed a considerable risk.


    "Captain, I can''t help but marvel at the ns you concoct even in the heart of battle! I know I can''tpare with you, but let me at least give you a toast!"


    "Fang Yi, when are you going to change your bootlicking habits?!" Sun Mengmeng jeered, causing the entire table tough.

 Chapter 202: Towards Odinstadt

    <h4>Chapter 202: Towards Odinstadt</h4>


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade moonlight wyrm, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    [...one peak gene fragment. Current total: 8]


    As the hunters devoured the feast, pleasant announcements from the will of the world chimed in their heads. The hunters'' gic energy fluctuations grew more and more intense; after all, these were peak gene fragments, each one of which was even stronger than ten superior gene fragments!


    Even Yang Ze, who had gotten the fewest peak gene fragments out of them all, had seven. This meant that, excluding any limit fragments, Yang Ze had the equivalent of a hundred and seventy superior gene fragments, something that any other hunter could only dream of. Except for the members of Team Zenith, no hunter could achieve such a feat.


    "Captain, we obtained two moonlight wyrm soulshards during the hunt, right? What do they do?" Yang Ze asked, clearly interested in the superior-grade soulshard that the first wyrm had dropped.


    "Not two, but only one peak-grade soulshard," Zhang Lie corrected him.


    "What? But, Captain, didn''t the liminal superior-grade wyrm produce a soulshard too?" Yang Ze asked again.


    "Yes, that''s right, but I smashed the superior-grade one to pieces during thest fight!"


    Yang Ze was stunned. "What, Captain! That was a superior-grade soulshard! How could you smash it to pieces?"


    "I''m not lying to you¡ªit''s really been destroyed. I''ll get you one in the future if you still want it," Zhang Lie replied with a smile.


    "No, no, it''s fine, but just what can the peak-grade soulshard do?" Yang Ze asked again.


    This time, however, Zhang Lie replied with another mysterious smile. "That''s a secret for the moment."


    No matter how the other hunters tried to get Zhang Lie to spill the beans, however, Zhang Lie refused to say anything more. As they consumed more and more of the wyrm''s flesh, everyone finally obtained all ten peak gene fragments from the peak-grade moonlight wyrm, and their positions as the top seven of the worldwide stage of the Void Cup were all but secured.


    Zhang Lie''s stats would have shocked any other hunter.


    Zhang Lie: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Third Form: Winged Tiger Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (advanced), Eclipse (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak)


    He had obtained eight superior-grade and one peak-grade soulshard, and his framework and techniques had essentially all reached the limit of what was possible in the first realm. Given his stats and experience in his past life, it would be difficult for him to find an opponent in the second realm, let alone the first.


    Although the other hunters of Team Zenith were a step below Zhang Lie, they were still far above the majority, if only because of their peak gene fragments.


    Because Zhang Lie and the others had managed to obtain peak gene fragments even in the first realm, their foundations would be far stronger than those of any other hunter. ?This would be a significant advantage once they ascended to higher realms. That night, the hunters were once again relieved that they had made the right decision in joining Team Zenith.


    A day and night in the dimensional world corresponded to a mere few hours in the real one, and by the time it was dawn in the cksteel settlement, Zhang Lie and the others were ready to head to Odinstadt.


    They returned to the dojo and packed a few essentials. It was 11 PM on Earth; when Zhang Lie saw the dozens of unread messages from Yan Long, he ultimately chose to head to Odinstadt overnight so as not to anger Commander Yan Long further.


    Teleportation arrays were the main mode of transportation for just about any hunter or lifeform in the gxy, and areas with teleportation arrays around them were sure to be densely popted.


    Even the smallest array in Odinstadt was still littered with all sorts of amenities for hunters and the general public. Tomorrow would be the first day of the tournament, so tonight was thest night in which many of thepetitors could rx. As a result, there were lots of people nearby, enjoying food and drink as they watched hunters teleport to the city.


    With a sh of light, three figures blinked into existence, all wearing crimson armor with the most expensive essories avable for purchase. From one nce alone, it was evident that they were no ordinarypetitors.


    Within a nearby restaurant, a man seated by a window suddenly shouted, "Ha! As expected, the strongest hunters arrivest. Do you know just who those hunters are?"


    The other customers seated nearby murmured to each other, and someone called out, "Looking at how cocky you''re acting, it must be the top three hunters of Ennd, no? But I heard that the top three this year are far weaker than the top three five years ago."


    The first hunter to speak frowned. "Those are all lies, I say! The top three hunters of Ennd are all from illustrious, knighted families! They''ve dominated every match in the preliminary stages."


    "Dominated? You think the winner of a twenty-minute fight can be considered dominating? Why don''t you go look at the Chinese preliminaries?"


    The first hunter retorted, "What do you mean? Are you looking down on English hunters?"


    "That depends on whether they''ve shown some true talent, no? Don''t you know what their nicknames are? The three wastrels of Ennd: Farrell, Fred, and Richard. They might be better than the other hunters of your country, but on the international stage? I think not!"


    Gic energy red from the first hunter, as though he were intending to start a fight.


    "Enough! Violence is prohibited in this establishment! Any offenders will be detained!" A waiter rushed over almost immediately.


    Detained! Both hunters immediately backed away from each other; neither were native to Norway, so it would be troublesome if they truly were detained. Furthermore, if that really did happen, they would miss the exciting spectacle that they had traveled to see: the worldwide stage of the Void Cup.


    In the end, they could only grit their teeth and ignore each other. The restaurant was quiet for a little while longer, but conversations erupted whenever some famous hunter or team appeared from the array.


    Just then, seven ck-armored hunters appeared in a sh of light and instantly became the topic of conversation. Inscribed on their breasttes was the word ''Zenith''¡ªthey were representatives of the Zenith Dojo, along with their leader, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!


    ording to the Chinese media, he was an existence that no other hunter in the first realm could defeat, a dragonsoul warrior of China and gxy fighter of the world federation, who had managed to found a dojo in his early twenties.


    Perhaps foreign media might downy his strengths and twist his deeds, but his abilities and aplishments were obvious. The fact that he had killed a three-star ck-tipped scarab alone during the Kez invasion was proof enough of that¡ªno ordinary first-realm hunter would even be able to get close to one and leave unscathed, but not only had Zhang Lie done so, he had annihted the three-star scarab.


    As a result, Zhang Lie had quite a lot of fans even among foreign hunters.


    "Isn''t that... it is, it''s the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Sensing this aura for myself, I''m now starting to understand why people think he''s the favorite to win the tournament..."


    The Zenith hunters had yet to fully limate themselves to their newfound peak gene fragments, and the aura they were giving off was indeed quite frightening.


    However, there were a few hunters staring at Zhang Lie with narrowed eyes.


    "Head! Head! Our target has appeared in the northern sector of Odinstadt. Requesting that the operationmence!"


    "Do it¡ªno matter the cost, even if you have to drag the entire city down with you!" a malicious voice ordered.


    They weren''t the only ones who treated Zhang Lie as their target. Within the restaurant, several silent customers immediately paid their bill and rushed out.


    The members of Team Zenith could feel the killing intent directed at them from afar, but Zhang Lie was confident that their ns would be foiled. "Here''s a good opportunity to test your newfound strength, everyone. If anyone dares to strike at us, retaliate with full force!"

 Chapter 203: Fending off an Assassination

    <h4>Chapter 203: Fending off an Assassination</h4>


    Almost as Zhang Lie gave hismand, two streets away, situated in a tall building, a sniper teamunched the first shot of this skirmish.


    None of the seven hunters of Team Zenith reacted, but the sniper bullet somehow dropped to the ground, sapped of all momentum, three meters away from the group. As though it had experienced some tremendous pressure, the bullet made from S-gold alloy was squashed into a thin disk.


    "Did someone just fire a bullet?!"


    "A terrorist!"


    "Summon the guards, the guards!"


    Commotion erupted in the nearby streets, and the pedestrians and hovercars in Odinstadt rushed away in panic. However, Zhang Lie and the other members of the Team Zenith continued walking forward slowly, inexorably, as if they were impervious to the attack.


    In the middle of the panic, a white-haired old man tripped and fell in front of Zhang Lie and the others; instead of helping him up, however, Zhang Lie shot a bullet of gic energy straight through his forehead.


    The man died instantly.


    "Captain, this¡ª!"


    "Can''t you sense his killing intent? He''s surely part of the group of people targeting us."


    At the same time, even more gunshots rang out from all around them. Zhang Lie raised his head. "Li Feng, I''ll leave the rest to you."


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Li Feng would obey Zhang Lie''s orders without question. He immediately began circting his gic energy as he activated his lightborne beetle soulshard and beams of light shot out all around him.


    Momentster, cries and yelps of pain came from the surrounding buildings.


    The main force quickly approached. As if realizing how acute Zhang Lie''s senses were, they appeared directly from the streets. A dozen hunters, each with a frighteningly strong aura, surrounded Team Zenith.


    "Your death hase, Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!" the leader of the hunters shouted. From the fluctuations in his gic energy, it seemed that he was a second-realm¡ªor even a post-second-realm¡ªhunter.


    "Is that so? Let me guess just who''s behind your deployment. The Long n? The Qin n? The Li n? The Wang n? Or all of thembined?" Zhang Lie didn''t seem to think much of their strength.


    The old man didn''t respond. He activated a toad-form transformation-type soulshard, and his team of huntersunched attacks toward Zhang Lie and his team instantly. The dazzling glow of soulshards filled the streets of Odinstadt.


    The leader of the hunters, now a speckled toad, used its tongue as a sharp sword that could be contracted or elongated at will. He would have been able to take down a regr first-realm hunter within three blows, but against Zhang Lie, the transformation seemed more like a paltry parlor trick than anything else.


    Zhang Lie frowned. He shot out a bubble of gic energy toward him, which expanded into a ck torrent of water that drowned the toad. The toad didn''t have any time to react; caught within the water, it slowly disintegrated into nothingness, leaving behind only a steaming pool of ck acid.


    At the same time, the other members of Team Zenith began to retaliate.


    Their leader''s gruesome death shocked the other hunters, who were momentarily distracted by the sight. Vines creeped up their legs, impaling and rooting them to the ground. ?The force of theirbined auras, eclipsed that of a regr third-realm hunter, and the assassins clearly hadn''t expected such overwhelming strength.


    Even the third-realm hunters among them weren''t able to do anything to Zhang Lie; indeed, their leader had died within just a few blows. Could they really handle such an opponent?


    This was a question the ns backing them now had to consider carefully. Their n heads hadmanded them to assassinate Zhang Lie no matter the cost, but it didn''t seem as though any of them would even be able to defeat Zhang Lie or his team.


    A few reckless hunters continued to rush forward, but none of them were able to cross within three meters of Team Zenith. Given the disparity in their strength, those hunters who charged forward were all butmiting suicide.


    Of the seven hunters of Team Zenith, only Li Feng had activated a soulshard to get rid of the snipers targeting them, and their primary target, Zhang Lie, had killed three third-realm hunters without even a weapon in hand.


    Fewer and fewer of the assassins dared charge forward, and some even seemed to want to retreat. Zhang Lie''s guess had been quite right: the backer behind this assassination attempt was clearly multiple ns.


    The gathered hunters were dressed and equipped differently, with contrasting frameworks and fighting styles, and distinct ents. Zhang Lie didn''t stop them from retreating, because he knew that they would be too terrorized of his strength to dare to attack him ever again.


    At the same time, the guards of Odinstadt, along with Su Feng and Yan Long''s own troops, finally arrived at the scene. Because the assassination attempt took ce in broad daylight, news of the event quickly spread throughout Odinstadt.


    "Zhang Lie, what''s going on? Why didn''t you inform us that you were heading over?" Su Feng questioned him with a frown.


    "Well, I was thinking of giving you all a surprise..."


    "A surprise? More like a shock! Were you injured?" Yan Long interrupted, extremely displeased by the turn of events.


    Nevertheless, both Yan Long and Su Feng stood up for Team Zenith as the Odinstadt authorities tried to figure out what happened, and they were quickly escorted to Yan Long''s hotel. Two officers took Zhang Lie''s testimony regarding what he had experienced, and he wasn''t disturbed after that.


    Recordings of the failed assassination were immediately publicized by several of the hunters nearby that had witnessed the entire event, and Zhang Lie became the talk of Odinstadt not an hour after he had first stepped foot in the city.


    "Well? What exactly happened?" Yan Long and Su Feng frowned as they questioned Zhang Lie, somehow feeling as though they had be his parents.


    "What do you mean, what happened? You both saw it, didn''t you¡ªsomeone was trying to kill me!"


    Yan Long pursed his lips. "Don''t pretend you weren''t just baiting them. What''s the deal with the legendary lifeform you slew?"


    Zhang Lie cocked his head and pretended not to understand. "What legendary lifeform? Did you send someone to spy on me?"


    "Oh, just you keep pretending!" Su Feng presented Zhang Lie with the article on his holographic reader.


    "What? Who took this picture¡ªit''s from such a terrible angle!"


    "Alright, now¡ªtell us about this legendary lifeform. What were the spoils? Do you think you can win the championship?" Yan Long asked again.


    Zhang Lie knew that he couldn''t dodge the question any longer.


    "There were two moonlight wyrms, one superior-grade and one peak-grade. I obtained a peak-grade soulshard, but I''m keeping its abilities secret for now."


    "Peak-grade? A peak-grade lifeform in the first realm? That''s impossible!"


    Su Feng expressed his disbelief¡ªeveryone knew that the first realm could only harbor superior-grade lifeforms at most! There was surely a mistake. Although Yan Long didn''tment, the disbelief on his face was evident as well.


    Zhang Lie released a bit of his aura, which caused both Yan Long and Su Feng to narrow their eyes.


    "Do you believe me now? I don''t know how it happened, but this is the truth. I saw it by ident, then nned to hunt it down the day before the worldwide stage of the Void Cup."


    "In that case, you now have ten peak gene fragments?" Yan Long pressed.


    "Yes, I and every other member of Team Zenith!"


    Yan Long and Su Feng were both bbergasted. Yan Long slumped back down into his seat, his face flushing red with excitement.

 Chapter 204: A Frightening Foundation

    <h4>Chapter 204: A Frightening Foundation</h4>


    How could Yan Long fail to be excited? There were seven hunters in the first realm who had obtained peak gene fragments, six of whom belonged to China!


    Peak gene fragments were rare even for second-realm hunters, and most would ascend to the third realm as soon as they had capped out their mutated gene capacity. Only a rare few hunters would advance having capped out their superior gene capacity, and even fewer their peak gene capacity.


    Most second-realm hunters would be overjoyed just to have any peak gene fragments at all¡ªsuch was their rarity. However, Zhang Lie and his team had acquired these precious fragments in the first realm! Although the first realm was colloquially known as the newbie realm, and the effect of these gene fragments less intense than in the second and higher realms, even a first-realm peak gene fragment was still a peak gene fragment.


    How could Yan Long not be astounded by such good news? It was no wonder that they managed to avoid being assassinated by a team of second- and third-realm hunters. Without a doubt, the hunters of Team Zenith would be pirs of China, because their foundations were more solid than any hunter past or future!


    It looked as though he really had to impose severe sanctions on any n that dared to strike at Team Zenith.


    "Good, very good! As expected of one who bears the title of Dragonwolf¡ªin that case, you''d better take the first seven ces in the worldwide tournament! Who do you think tried to assassinate you today?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Who else? Somebination of the Wang, Li, Qin, and Long ns, no doubt."


    Su Feng knew a little of the enmity between Zhang Lie and the Wang, Li, and Qin ns after attending his dojo''s opening ceremony,but Yan Long was quite amazed at the number and strength of the ns that he had managed to offend. In addition to the He and Qian ns of the capital, there were six major ns in all that considered Zhang Lie an enemy¡ªand he was barely in his twenties!


    "That many? Exin the situation at once. We''ll do our best to annul these grievances. As for you, focus on winning the championship!"


    "Don''t worry, Commander Yan. I''ll handle my own affairs on my own, and China will certainly have a good showing at this Void Cup."


    "You''re certain?" Yan Long reaffirmed.


    "Yes, Commander! If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now."


    "Make sure we don''t have to clean up after your mess within the next few days!" Yan Long called out again.


    "Yessir!" Indeed, for the hunters of Team Zenith, quiet meditation and cultivation was what was most urgent to them at the moment.


    Su Feng sat back down to confer with Yan Long, and the two of them shared a smile.


    "What do you think we should do, Yan Long?"


    "What, don''t you have a n already?"


    "Alright, then¡ªI''ll deal with the Wang n in Ning, as well as the Qin n. Can I leave the Long n in Lingnan, as well as the Li n in the north, to you?"


    "Leaving the harder ns to me, eh? I see how it is. Fine, it''s settled. I''ll have my men reach out immediately." Su Feng nodded, then left Yan Long''s suite.


    When Zhang Lie returned to Team Zenith''s rooms, he found Yun Bing and Chu Feng there waiting for him. Everyone there had been pleasantly chatting away until his entrance.


    "Zhang Lie, are you alright? Did you get a scolding from Commander Yan?" Chu Feng joked.


    Zhang Lieughed. "I''m alright. Commander Yan had us stay in our rooms so as to not cause trouble."


    "You''re the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, after all, favored to win the tournament! Both yourpetitors and your enemies will be out for your blood," Yun Bing added.


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng immediately protested Yun Bing''s words. At some point, they had grown used to young n heads like Yun Bing and Chu Feng, and they no longer shrunk back in their presence.


    "Zhang Lie, will you tell us about these sensational pictures of you returning to the cksteel settlementte at night? I know these are the carcasses of moonlight wyrms¡ªwe almost died to them because of you!"


    "One was a peak-grade lifeform¡ªthat''s all I''ll say on the matter," Zhang Lie replied.


    "A peak-grade lifeform!" Chu Feng gasped.


    The Yun and Chu ns were both major ns, and they certainly knew just what hunting down a peak-grade lifeform in the first realm implied.


    "In that case, you..." Even the usually calm and collected Yun Bing seemed to be at a loss for words.


    Although she had sensed the fluctuations in the wyrm''s gic energy for herself way back when, and thought it stronger than a regr superior-grade lifeform, she hadn''t suspected that it would actually be a peak-grade lifeform.


    The existence of a peak-grade lifeform in the first realm of the dimensional world sounded like pure fiction. It had been widely recognized as fact that the first realm could only harbor at most superior-grade lifeforms, and this revtion upended an entire century''s worth of knowledge.


    Not only that, Team Zenith had even managed to hunt down the peak-grade lifeform! This meant that every member of Team Zenith had a few peak gene fragments...


    "Zhang Lie, won''t you let me know the next time you encounter something like this? I''ll do anything, even be amon bellhop if need be!" Chu Feng cried out.


    If only rtionships between Zhang Lie and the Chu n hadn''t been ruined because of his father''s decision to remain neutral! Otherwise, there might have been a ce for him in the moonlight wyrm''s hunt. Peak gene fragments, rare even in the second realm¡ªand Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith had obtained them in the first!


    Of course, Yun Bing was feeling much the same way. If only she had been a little more persistent! Perhaps her father would have been more amenable to her pleas then...


    Unfortunately, what was done couldn''t be undone.


    "Right, Zhang Lie, please let us know about something like this the next time around." Yun Bing made the same request that Chu Feng did, surprising the members of Team Zenith. Indeed, they hadn''t quite realized just how important the ten peak gene fragments they had obtained were.


    "I''ll keep that in mind," Zhang Lie replied. It was true that Zhang Lie appreciated Yun Bing and Chu Feng, but in the end, they weren''t as close to him as the members of Team Zenith, and he wouldn''t dedicate too much effort to helping them out.


    In the end, he could only rely on those teammates who were truly and wholly loyal to him. Yun Bing and Chu Feng nodded, understanding the rationale for his nomittal response and the boundaries that separated them all.


    The two of them hade to visit Team Zenith''s suite to ask about the hunt and to confirm that Zhang Lie was safe and sound; their objectives achieved, they turned to leave.


    "Alright, we''ll be taking our leave now. I didn''t expect that someone like you would be hurt in an assassination attempt, but I still had to confirm it for myself. I''ll see you all soon at the start of the tournament¡ªyou won''t need it, but good luck."

 Chapter 205: The Long Arm of the Law

    <h4>Chapter 205: The Long Arm of the Law</h4>


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng left after confirming that Zhang Lie was fine. After they did so, Zhang Lie had everyone work on assimting their newly obtained peak gene fragments into their body.


    The suite turned silent, but outside the suite, the entirety of Odinstadt was in an uproar about the public assassination attempt that had urred. News of the attempt was spreading all around the world, and it naturally caught the attention of the media and of thosepetitors aiming to be Earth''s champion¡ªfor example, the favorite to win the tournament before Zhang Lie''s arrival, Charles Murphy.


    Within the penthouse suite in the best hotel of Odinstadt, Charles Murphy was ncing at news articles about the assassination attempt, a European leader seated before him.


    "General Hill, there''s nothing interesting to be found here¡ªthese monkeys are simply making a fuss to advertise their supposed champion! Once we''re on stage, I''ll let them know just what truly strong hunters look like."


    Hearing Murphy''s words, Hill frowned. "I just knew someone as arrogant as you would give me such a response. You need to understand just who he is¡ªthe Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, the hunter who first developed and revealed the existence of limit fragments!


    "Although we''ve managed to make a potion that''ll allow you to temporarily break through the constraints of the first realm, don''t forget that he''s the pioneer of all this. If I''m not mistaken, what he''s revealed to date is only the tip of the iceberg. In other words, it''s quite possible that he''s ahead of us even in terms of our research direction.


    "You''ve seen his dojo''s opening ceremony, haven''t you? Can''t you sense just how strong he is at full power? He managed to fend off a whole group of second- and third-realm hunters today, almost all by himself! You have an amazing gift that allows you to handle even multiple peak-grade soulshards at once, and you might be able to replicate the same feat, but you would surely have suffered quite a few injuries.


    "If nothing else, remember this: if you end up facing him in the Void Cup, you need to make him drop his guard, and then strike back with full force. There''s no other way for you to win. Dr. Federenko hasmanded that we have to win the Void Cup this year, and I''m here to direct you as per his rmendation. You deserve to be proud given your skills and aplishments, but that doesn''t mean you can getcent," General Hill urged.


    He was tired of lecturing Murphy, and Murphy was even more tired of being lectured at.


    "Alright, enough! I understand¡ªtell Federenko that northern Europe''s sure to win the Void Cup!"


    "Good, I''m counting on you!" General Hill left Murphy''s suite immediately, unwilling to stay even a moment longer.


    Such a scene happened in the rooms of promising champions all over Odinstadt; everyone wanted to win, after all. Even before thepetition began, Zhang Lie''s dominating presence was already increasing the stress that all thepetitors were feeling.


    Of course, those who were most incensed by Zhang Lie weren''t thesepetitors, but rather a few ns thousands of miles away. In the Long manor at Lingnan, the elder n Head Long stared at the soldier in front of him with fear and astonishment. He knew the soldier before him, Zhou An, the currentmander-in-chief of the military troops stationed at Lingnan.


    He was decisive and ruthless, and his appearance at the Long manor made the old n head suspect that something was amiss.


    "May I ask for what reason you''vee to visit, Commander Zhou?" the elder n head asked, his tone intentionally rxed.


    Zhou An''s silence, however, only increased tensions further. Only when a red light shed by Zhou An''s wrist did he respond, "Do you really not know, Elder n Head Long?"


    The old n head paused in contemtion, but ultimately shook his head. The Long n hadn''t made any big moves recently, and none of their hunters in the military had reported anything amiss. What could have gone wrong?


    "In that case, let me be explicit. The red light you saw just now was an alert that the military''s are now in ce to seize all the Long n''s assets¡ªyes, all its assets, all over China¡ªincluding this manor. Onemand from me, and the Long n will vanish overnight. Does this perhaps jog your memory, Elder n Head?"


    Zhou An''s words struck the Long n head and his assistant, standing behind, dumb. "What?"


    "I believe I''ve made myself clear. If you doubt my words, feel free to open the windows and look behind you."


    The elder n head staggered up to the window, where he saw the reflection of sunlight on metal on just about every visible surface.


    "n Head, there''s something wrong. Something''s very wrong!" the first elder shouted from outside the conference room, shocking the n head so much that he almost fell to the ground. He hastily instructed his assistant to ensure that no one barged into the conference room.


    If the military truly wanted to get rid of the Long n, there would be no need to provide any warning, and Zhou An wouldn''t be here in front of him. The fact that Zhou An had appeared meant that there was something he wanted from the Long n, something that would guarantee the Long n''s survival.


    "Commander Zhou, the Long n has been an honorable n, one that has supported the country through weal and woe. For what reason¡ª"


    "Indeed? The Long n has long had a reputation for being bossy and domineering to the citizens of Lingnan. Recently, it''s even grown so bold as to dare scheme against honored members of the military! Long Lin, do you recognize your crimes?!" Zhou An called out, finally revealing the reason for his appearance.


    Long Lin recognized the implications at once, of course, but he had no clue why the military would do so much just for Zhang Lie. Was he really the illegitimate son of some militarymander?


    Before he could say anything more in his defense, however, he heard, "Do it¡ª no matter the cost, even if you have to drag the entire city down with you!" The recording was his finalmand to the assassins in Odinstadt.


    "Elder n Head Long, aren''t you the one whose voice is recorded here? Exin yourself!" Zhou An shouted.


    Long Lin gritted his teeth. "Indeed, I was the speaker of that recording¡ªbut so what? Zhang Lie killed both my sons. Am I not entitled to seek revenge on their behalf? Will the military exhibit such favoritism to a first-realm hunter? Commander Zhou, the Long n can trace back its roots for millennia. You might be able to extinguish us all today, but we won''t go out without a bang!"


    Zhou An scoffed. "First, the reason Zhang Lie killed your sons was because they tried to kill his team. Is this how far the Long n has regressed after millennia? Furthermore, let me be even clearer: if I were to destroy the Long n today, no one fifty kilometers away would hear of the news. Do you think the military isn''t aware of your n''s research into high-energy nuclear physics?"


    Long Lin was bbergasted by the knowledge Zhou An revealed. It was evident that Zhou An was well aware of the Long n''s capabilities, and even the secret weapon he was nning on using if things turned dire.


    "Listen up. From today onwards, Zhang Lie will be designated a top-priority target for military protection. If you dare target him again¡ª"


    "Top-priority target? What? On what grounds?!" Long Lin stared at Zhou An in shock.


    "On what grounds? Because he''s the one who discovered the existence of limit fragments, because he''s the one whom the military is putting in charge of its soldiers'' training regimen for their foundational breakthrough!" Zhou An responded.


    Indeed, he was very impressed by Zhang Lie, who had devised the ''rite of shame'' that all recruits now sumbed to in order to experience their foundational breakthrough. As expected, it produced significant results, but he had also be the nightmare of many a new recruit.


    Zhou An continued, "This is the Long n''sst chance. If you try something like this again, you''ll be destroyed before you know it¡ªand as a reminder, don''t try to get around this restriction. Are we clear?"


    Long Lin''s head drooped; he was well aware that the Long n''s supposed revenge would now be little more than a joke.

 Chapter 206: Backing Down

    <h4>Chapter 206: Backing Down</h4>


    Indeed, the Long n wasn''t the only n to suffer in this manner. In Ning, the Wang n was likewise surrounded by elites from the ckwind Fort; in fact, because Zhang Lie and his dojo were both situated in Ning, there was a stronger military presence near the Wang n.


    Almost all the Wang assets were seized by the military in the blink of an eye. At the top floor of the Tianlin condominium in Ning, Wang Han was bowing to a ck-clothed young man sitting in front of him. The man was Lin Yue, the team leader of one of the ckwind Fort''s field-operation teams, as well as a trusted aide to Su Feng.


    "Team Leader Lin, may I ask what you''re doing here?" Wang Han asked politely, realizing the delicacy of his situation.


    "n Head Wang, are you sure you don''t know why I''m here today?"


    "No, Team Leader Lin, please exin yourself!"


    .


    "You don''t know about the assassination attempt on Dojo Leader Zhang? ording to verified sources, these assassins were sent by at least three factions. Do you im to be innocent of this charge, n Head Wang?"


    "A false usation, Team Leader Lin! The Wang n took no part in this! Surely you can''t ce the me on the Wang n out of mere conjecture alone?"


    Lin Yueughed. "Is that so?"


    "I, Wang Han, swear on my cultivation and honor that the Wang n truly wasn''t involved! To be honest, the Wang n did have a feud with Zhang Lie, but ever since Zhang Lie sessfully founded his dojo and became the champion of the Void Cup, most of the Wang elders were unwilling to go against him any longer. Given his importance in discovering the existence of limit fragments, many in the n support developing a friendlier rtionship with him instead. A week ago, our n halted all our ns against Zhang Lie and the Zenith Dojo," Wang Han admitted somewhat sorrowfully.


    He had been invited¡ªand had wanted!¡ªto participate in the assassination attempt, but the n had banded in vehement disagreement, forcing him to drop some of his unhatched ns against Zhang Lie. Although he was still upset, he was now immeasurably grateful to those elders who had objected and saved the Wang n from deep trouble.


    "Very well. Let this serve as a warning of what would happen if you chose to go against Zhang Lie, then," Lin Yue replied.


    "Team Leader Lin, does that mean that Zhang Lie''s being backed by the military now?"


    "Don''t try to pry for information. All I can tell you is to drop whatever feud the Wang n has against him. He''s not an existence the Wang n can afford to offend¡ªnot even ten Wang ns! Believe me, this is for your own good!"


    "Yes, Team Leader Lin, I understand!"


    Lin Yue nodded, then turned to leave. "This meeting was a secret. I trust you won''t publicize it," he added, walking out of the condominium.


    Wang Han exhaled. The sooner he could let his enmity go, the better.


    The Qin and Li ns, which harbored a deeper grudge against Zhang Lie, took the news rather badly. In the Li manor, the Li n head sat with three ck-clothed military officials, the atmosphere so tense it was almost palpable.


    "What do you mean? Does the military intend to step into Li n matters?" n Head Li pressed.


    "To restrict, not to interfere," one of the military officials rified. "If the Li n persists in trying to interfere with Zhang Lie, it shall be destroyed. This is your final warning, n Head Li."


    "Destroyed! Why?! Is a single first-realm hunter like Zhang Lie worth so much that you''d destroy the honored Li n over it?" the Li n head retorted.


    "Justice? n Head Li, do you really wish to speak of justice? Your n''s initial disagreement with Zhang Lie grew out of your avarice¡ªwhence the justice? The Li n''s past des were a testament to your ancestors'' skill and character, not the basis by which you can get away with bullying others! Indeed, if not for those des, we wouldn''t be here today¡ªthe Li n would simply have been annihted from a distance. Come to your senses, n Head Li!"


    "Very well. I understand. The Li n will ede to the military''s demands," n Head Li replied, taking a deep breath. Really, what other choice did he have? Once the military stepped in, the oue was a foregone conclusion. The major ns knew the military''s might best; they might have been able to get away with bullying smaller ns or individual hunters, but against the military...


    Affairs yed out in much the same manner in the Qin n. In a single night, Zhang Lie''s enmity with many of the major ns of China was wiped clean.


    Indeed, they couldn''t even dare plot and scheme against Zhang Lie secretly. The military was sure to continue surveince on them, and if they were to discover anything, their ns would be destroyed in an instant. It seemed as though the military had truly be Zhang Lie''s backer, and the gulf between them and Zhang Lie was widening day by day.


    Once everything was settled, in one of Odinstadt''s inns, Yan Long and Su Feng again met up for drinks. They groused and grumbled at the hunter for whom they had done so much, who had spent the entire day and night cultivating in preparation for the tournament, and had no idea what had happened in his name.

 Chapter 207: Englands Three Wastrels

    <h4>Chapter 207: Ennd''s Three Wastrels</h4>


    Zhang Lie was wholly unaware of what Su Feng and Yan Long were doing on his behalf, but even if he did, he wouldn''t be terribly concerned one way or another. The Zhang Lie of the present had nothing to fear from these major ns; it was far more important for him to assimte his peak gene fragments and consolidate his own power.


    The Void Cup wasn''t a major event in the grand scheme of things, notpared to the disaster-grade lifeform that would soon appear.


    The evolution of his framework had given him an additional elemental attunement, but [The Boundless de] wouldn''t be able to seamlessly incorporate all three elements properly. The battle against the peak-grade moonlight wyrm had already been tough and drawn out, and he would need to find something better against the disaster-grade lifeform toe.


    Fortunately, [Ninecarp Transformation] came with an auxiliary technique, [Ninesoul Dragonde]. Studying this technique required that the framework be evolved twice, and Zhang Lie just barely met this requirement. At his stage, however, he would only be able tounch the first of nine strikes in the sword art, and even this first strike would be difficult enough.


    The requirement for the first strike was to consolidate the first three forms of the Ninecarp Transformation into a draconic form. Zhang Lie had been repeatedly trying to synthesize the forms, but his attempts had always ended in failure.


    Fortunately, ording to his past life''s memories, the appearance of the disaster-grade lifeform wouldn''t be for another two months after the Void Cup, so he still had some time to work on amassing power.


    The next day, even before dawn, crowds had already gathered by the center of Odinstadt, where a magnificent arena had been built. Many hunters had arrived early in order to see the world''s best at work, and the officials in charge of the tournament were already present and making their final inspection of the arena.


    At 7:30 AM, the host of the worldwide stage, the mayor of Odinstadt, Ivan Hill, arrived at the scene with three assistants, and the worldwide stage of the Void Cup was about to begin in earnest.


    As the first rays of light shone into Team Zenith''s suite, loud knocks came from the door.


    "Kids, it''s time to get up! Don''t bete for the opening ceremony!" Su Feng yelled, waking all the hunters within.


    "Thepetitors are required to be present during the opening ceremony. You''re all representing China, so I expect the best from all of you. Assemble in the lobby within five minutes!" Yan Long added.


    By the time they assembled at the lobby, everyone else was already present. The He and Qianpetitors had been disqualified from the worldwide stage because of what they had done within the national treasury, leaving China with only eightpetitors to its name: Zhang Lie, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Li Feng, Zhou Ying, Sun Xiaowu, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing.


    They left the hotel by a military hovercar already waiting for them outside, and traveling to the arena at the heart of Odinstadt took only a two or three minutes'' drive.


    Once they arrived, Yan Long, in his capacity as an assistant manager for the tournament, headed over to discuss matters with the mayor of Odinstadt, leaving Su Feng to lead the Chinese delegation to the preparatory area.


    The opening ceremony would begin at 8 AM. Because this was the worldwide stage, each country''spetitors would all appear on stage, one country at a time, bearing their national g.


    "There''s no need to worry. You''re just going to be parading across the stage¡ªjust act natural!"


    "Commander Su, I wasn''t nervous before, but now you''re making me feel quite anxious," Chu Feng joked.


    "Oh please, I hardly doubt someone like you will have any trouble here. If I recall correctly, you were present five years ago when your sister took part in the worldwide stage, so you already have some experience with this!" Su Feng seemed to be very familiar with Chu Feng, and he didn''t believe his words.


    On the other hand, he eyed the members of Team Zenith encouragingly.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it. It''s normal to feel anxious the first time around," Zhang Lie added.


    His tone seemed casual, but he too was also somewhat nervous. After all, even though he was certain he would dominate over the otherpetitors given his strength, it was his first time participating in an international event in both his lives. As the heart of Team Zenith, however, he couldn''t act nervous in front of the other hunters.


    Music began to re, and the first representatives from Denmark took the stage. Ten youthful hunters, under the eyes of tens of thousands of spectators, marched across the stage.


    "Scholes!"


    "Fromm!"


    Those spectators from Denmark shouted their names out with all their might, causing the crowds to erupt in chatter. Their names echoed throughout the stage, shocking thepetitors who waited backstage.


    There were only a hundred and one countries strong enough to participate in the worldwide stage, and Denmark was one of the ten strongest among them. As the country whose participants were first in line, they generated considerable buzz.


    A few other countries'' teams then followed to rather middling apuse and noise, until Ennd''s team showed up to tremendous roars of approval, with more noise than any other country that had gone before it. Clearly, the English team was a fan favorite for winning the tournament.


    Amidst the cacophonous cheering, the handsome Farrell, Fred, and Richard walked across stage in their signature red armor, confident and casually arrogant.


    They waved at the crowd, summoning bout after bout of cheering.

 Chapter 208: Enemies at Every Corner

    <h4>Chapter 208: Enemies at Every Corner</h4>


    After the three hunters from Ennd came another few countries'' representatives, but none garnered such apuse from the crowd until the seventeenth country to show up, Norway, captained by Charles Murphy.


    The entire crowd surged in uproarious cheer, so loud that the hunters backstage were all vibrating. Over half the crowd was from Norway, exining the intensity of the cheering. After all, they were all in Norway, and Norway''spetitors would have the upper hand in their ownnd. As a result, many hunters viewed Norway as the favorite to win the championship.


    Charles Murphy was dressed in pure white, a g draped over his shoulders, his face filled with confidence. His teammates all seemed to puff up upon feeling the crowd''s attention.


    "So that''s our mainpetitor, is he?" Chu Feng murmured,petitive intent rising in his tone.


    "I heard he''s long since capped out his gene fragments and has been waiting in the first realm for over a year specifically for the Void Cup. I''m sure he''s well prepared for it, so be careful if you do meet him," Su Feng reminded him.


    "Ha¡ªso what? Does he have any limit fragments?" Chu Feng retorted. Indeed, the most that regr hunters could do in the first realm was to cap out their superior gene fragments, but he, who had consumed Potion #1, now had 160 basic gene fragments, a wide gulf that no otherpetitor could ovee.


    Although Charles Murphy might somehow have been able to obtain limit fragments of his own, he certainly wouldn''t be able to discover Potion #1 within such a short period of time.


    "Are you certain? There''s been a recent research paper regarding these limit fragments from northern Europe, and it seems as though they may have hit on a method. Whatever the case may be, don''t let your guard down. Our goal is to have everyone advance to the final, gxywide stage¡ªdon''t let them beat you in the individual rounds," Su Feng warned again.


    The worldwide stage consisted of both individual and team-based rounds: the participating hunters would represent both themselves and their countries. As long as they were strong enough, every member from a given country were eligible to advance.


    "With Zhang Lie and Team Zenith around, do you think we''ll have anything to fear?" Chu Feng chuckled.


    Su Feng turned to Zhang Lie, a confident expression on his face.


    The crowd''s cheering never stopped after the Norwegian team passed through, but no other team managed to rouse them to as loud an extent, not until Zhang Lie stepped forward with Team Zenith.


    "Everyone, next up, one of the favorites to win the worldwide stage of the Void Cup this year, the Chinese representatives! They''re led by the famed hunter everyone''s heard so much about recently¡ªthe Dragonwolf Zhang Lie! Behind him is his team, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, Li Feng; along with scions from two of China''s major ns, Chu Feng and Yun Bing!"


    The announcers heaped countless praises on Zhang Lie as he walked past the stage, but the hunters gathered around the stage already knew all about him. Even before the announcers pointed to him, cheers and shrill screams were already spreading throughout the crowd.


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    Wave after wave of screams erupted, so loud they drowned out even the announcers. The entire stage seemed like a volcano about to erupt.


    Zhang Lie had anticipated the possibility of having overseas friends, but he didn''t expect such a grand reception. After all, most hunters would only cheer for representatives from their own country, never someone else''s.


    In truth, Zhang Lie had overlooked just how shocking his performance during the Kez invasion was, as well as the ramifications of his announcement of the existence of limit fragments. Although foreign media had yed his achievements down, hunters worldwide could understand and appreciate what he had done.


    The audience''s overwhelming support caused the members of Team Zenith to get nervous, but they seemed to get used to themotion rapidly, smiling and waving as they walked across the stage. Their names were shouted long after they returned backstage, and the members of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, Li Feng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying, were now known worldwide.


    Their heroic act of charging into a sea of Kez to save their captain had also been televised, but back then, they were nothing more than just a few blurry figures in a sea of Kez. Now, however, was their chance to shine, their faces and appearance made known to one and all.


    Long after the Chinese delegation left the stage, the crowd remained in a frenzy, causing the representatives of the countries immediately following China to feel rather awkward. After all, the crowd was still chanting the names of the hunters of Team Zenith while they were on stage¡­


    Each country''s team took no more than a minute to walk across the stage, and the opening ceremony finished within two hours. Next would be the individual preliminaries, in which thosepetitors trying to aim for the top would have to obtain as many points as they could.


    There would be six one-on-one matches in all, with the winner gaining five points for every win, and the loser losing five. Each additional win in a row would grant one additional point over thest; for instance, a fourth consecutive win would grant the winner eight (= 5 + 3) points.


    The artificial intelligence assigning the matches would avoid pittingpetitors from the same region against one another, and regardless of whether they won or lost, eachpetitor would fight in six matches, with a maximum of 45 points to be gained.


    In the first round, none of the Chinesepetitors met toppetitors from other countries; most of their opponents hadn''t even experienced a foundational breakthrough. Compared to Zhang Lie and the others, they were a sorry sight to behold, and were quickly dispatched without much effort.


    However, the crowds enjoyed watching such a dominating match, and much of their attention was focused on the Chinese team''s individual sesses. That necessarily meant that some of the weaker challengers received less attention; some of the smaller matches were watched by no one but the families of thepetitors themselves, causing thepetitors to feel somewhat bitter toward Team Zenith.


    After the end of the first match, there was a five-minute break before the second match, allowing injuredpetitors the opportunity to receive emergency treatment or to forfeit the next match preemptively.


    Except for particrly strongpetitors like Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith, the others were rtively well-matched, and quite a fewpetitors did decide to forfeit the next match so as to preserve the points that they had gained.


    Of course, Zhang Lie and the others would fight till the bitter end. In the second match, they finally found decent opponents. Zhang Lie was against Ennd''s Fred, whereas Sun Mengmeng was against Ennd''s Farrell.


    The other hunters also faced stronger opponents than before; after all, the weaker ones were those who preferentially chose to forfeit after winning their first matches. Chu Feng was unlucky enough to face Charles Murphy, whereas Yun Bing faced the team leader from a rather strong delegation of hunters.


    The five minutes passed quickly, and thepetitors for the second round stepped into a column of light and were teleported to their respective stages. Fred appeared before him, dressed in garish red armor, with a cocky smile on his face. "So you''re Zhang Lie, the hunter everyone''s been praising?"

 Chapter 209: The Undefeated Zhang Lie

    <h4>Chapter 209: The Undefeated Zhang Lie</h4>


    "I''m just an ordinary hunter, nothing more¡ª at least, nothingpared to your being one of the three wastrels of Ennd!"


    "Hoh? Well, it''s no issue¡ªI''ll break your undefeated streak today, right here, right now!"


    He immediately circted his gic energy as thunder crackled all around him. With a flick of his wrist, a rapier appeared in his hand, and his burgeoning aura swelled once more. As he activated a few more soulshards, moth wings sprouted from his back. Ayer of ck and white crystalline armor covered his body, studded with sharp spikes.


    The crackling thunder felt more like something a second-realm hunter would possess; Fred had broken past the constraints of the first realm.


    "Haha, do you see that? That''s the true strength of Fred, royal knight of Ennd! His aura''sparable to Zhang Lie''s, isn''t it?"


    "You must be joking¡ªhe''s far weaker!"


    "Right, Zhang Lie was already stronger even during the Kez invasion than he is now, so the discrepancy could only have increased!"


    Despite the heated shouts happening in the stands, the arena was surprisingly calm. Zhang Lie stood calmly facing Fred, not even circting his gic energy, let alone activating any soulshards.


    If any other hunter were on stage, the crowd would think that that hunter had been scared stiff.


    In truth, Fred was more scared of Zhang Lie than Zhang Lie of him. The more rxed Zhang Lie was, the more wary he became; he didn''t even have the courage to attack.


    "What''s the matter? Launch an attack already!" Zhang Lie called out.


    "If you insist¡ªtake this: [Thundersh de]!" Fred thrust forward with his rapier, seemingly teleporting to Zhang Lie''s front in the blink of an eye, a blow that Zhang Lie countered with just one finger.


    His finger struck the tip of the rapier with no visible gic energy fluctuation or technique activation. The next moment, as the crowd watched on in shock, Fred''s soulshards¡ªhis rapier, crystalline armor, and moth wings¡ªexploded and vanished into the ether.


    Spraying out a mouthful of blood, Fred thumped against the wall of the arena. The sound of a pin being dropped could have been heard in the resulting silence, and the image of Zhang Lie countering Fred''s most dangerous blow with nothing more than a finger was imprinted indelibly on everyone''s minds.


    The silence persisted for a few more moments before the crowd erupted in shock and surprise.


    Fred was one of the three strongest hunters of Ennd, and yet Zhang Lie had burst him with a finger as though he were just popping a bubble!


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    A chant began to circte among the crowd: it hadn''t even been a minute since the match started, and it was already over.


    "No, that''s impossible! How could you be so strong?! You''re cheating, aren''t you? You have to be! Did you consume some restricted potion?!" After a momentary daze, Fred rushed up to Zhang Lie and began howling as though he were a wounded beast, unable to believe that his strongest attack had been unable to ovee a mere finger.


    His organs had suffered significant internal injury, and he wouldn''t be able to recover in time within five minutes, implying that his status as apetitor was over; he wouldn''t be able to acquire enough points to move on to the gctic stage.


    He simply couldn''t conceive of a hunter with such strength as to dominate him entirely; after all, he was already at the limits of the first realm, with a sessful foundational breakthrough, and his soulshards were highlypatible with his framework. Under this set of conditions, how could the disparity between him and Zhang Lie be so wide? He was still a first-realm hunter, wasn''t he?


    Fred''s analysis would have worked for any ordinary first-realm hunter, but was Zhang Lie ordinary? Of course not!


    Zhang Lie''s only response was a smirk. After the battle, he returned backstage to thepetitors'' waiting rooms, while Fred was dragged off by the robotic guards. Zhang Lie''s victory quickly spread across the entire arena, and just about everyone heard about his dominating victory instantly.


    They knew that Zhang Lie was a strongpetitor, but not how strong he was. His opponent was Fred, famed member of the English royal knights¡ªbut Zhang Lie had dispatched him in mere seconds, without any techniques at all!


    Among the tournament hosts, the only one who remained unperturbed by the news was Yan Long, something that those around him noticed. General Hill smiled as he congratted him. "Official Yan, it looks as though China has really given birth to an incredible existence."


    Yan Longughed. "Yes, he''s not bad, isn''t he?"


    "Not bad? ?Isn''t Zhang Lie ridiculously strong for a first-realm hunter?" General Hill pressed.


    "Indeed, there are material limitations in the dimensional world, so even the strongest hunters are restricted in such a fashion. But hasn''t Zhang Lie surpassed this limit by a little too much? Is the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie really a twenty-year-old first-realm hunter? Or, more specifically, is he really exhibiting his own strength?" Ennd''s Colonel Carrey added, his words bing more and more pointed.


    Yan Long mmed a fist on the meeting table. "Colonel Carrey, what do you mean? Everypetitor must be tested by the artificial intelligence in the dimensional world to gain the qualifications topete. Are you suggesting that you have a means by which you can obfuscate the results of this scan?"


    Carrey frowned. "Regardless, Zhang Lie''s strength is ridiculous! Is he really a first-realm hunter?"


    Yan Longughed. "Colonel Carrey, there''s no restriction on how strong a first-realm hunter can be, is there? On what grounds do you judge Zhang Lie ineligible topete? Because he''s stronger than you expected?"


    Yan Long''s fiery gaze swept over the hosts from the other countries. China was one of the three countries that first entered the dimensional world, and it was certainly one of the strongest countries of the modern day.


    The other hosts withered at Yan Long''s words. It was true that Zhang Lie was overwhelmingly strong, but the most impartial judge of a hunter''s eligibility, the artificial intelligence of the dimensional world, had ruled him an admissiblepetitor. What could they do?


    Before the other hosts coulde to terms with Zhang Lie''s dominance, news of otherpetitors reached their ears.


    On arena #39, Sun Mengmeng was ncing at Farrell listlessly, the fluctuations of his gic energy so weak that Sun Mengmeng really had no interest in fighting him.


    Farrell gritted his teeth. To him, her ennui was disdainful and humiliating¡ª after all, he was a member of the English royal knights! Nevertheless, he graced her with a splendid smile. "You''re the most graceful Eastern woman I''ve seen, so I''ll give you a chance to admit defeat. Otherwise, it would prick my heart to wound you!"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. Her opponent was nothing more than a weakling, and even worse, a childish, naive, and arrogant one.

 Chapter 210: A Countrys Dominance

    <h4>Chapter 210: A Country''s Dominance</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng frowned.


    "Are you finished? If so, fight me! Our captain hasmanded us to be as low-profile as possible, so I hope you''ll cooperate and make some sshy moves. Don''t worry, my archery''s extremely precise, and I''ll make sure you''ll slump over without even realizing it," Sun Mengmeng promised, ncing at her opponent as though he were a clown.


    "You¡ªI see that Team Zenith''s as arrogant as expected! Why, I¡ª" Gic energy circted through Farrell''s body, but he was interrupted by an even more terrifying burst of gic energy. A ball of purple me flew toward him, and that was thest thing he saw.


    With a gigantic explosion, Farrell fell to the ground like an ancient tree that had just been struck by lightning.


    "Thank you for your cooperation. I told you you''d keel over without feeling anything, didn''t I? Have a good rest!"


    The spectators watching the match were deadly silent. Without feeling anything? Farrell''s nerves had all been burned away¡ªthere wasn''t anything that he could feel!


    Almost none of the spectators had expected that Farrell would lose so quickly; after all, he was the strongest of Ennd''s three wastrels, and one of the top contenders for the championship of the Void Cup. However, Sun Mengmeng had defeated him with what seemed like nothing more than a casual blow!


    The match finished so quickly that much of the crowd was still stupefied, and Sun Mengmeng lost all hope of this being a low-profile match. Well, she didn''t think she was to me¡ªFarrell was simply so annoying that she had used a bit more force than she had intended to.


    Without ncing back at him, she left the stage the moment her victory was announced.


    Unlike Fred, Farrell didn''t doubt Sun Mengmeng''s strength, because he had sensed the fluctuations in her gic energy momentarily before she struck. It was because of this that Farrell was clearly aware of the disparity in strength between them; he couldn''t even imagine just how strong she had to be to produce such a terrifying aura.


    Another reason was that his mouth and throat were too burned to allow him to speak.


    After the match, the spectators again erupted in discussion. The overwhelming strength that Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng had disyed left manypetitors uneasy; no one wanted to be cannon fodder, after all, but it was as though a team of giants had snuck into their midst, so strong that there was no way thepetitors could overwhelm them.


    Following Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng''s matches, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, and Li Feng all won their second match as well. Although Zhang Lie had emphasized the importance of keeping a low profile, no matter how they tried to downy their strength and skill, the sharp-eyed spectators easily unveiled the truth.


    A strange atmosphere descended on the crowd, while the various hosts, who were already prejudiced against Zhang Lie, seemed about to explode.


    The straw that broke the camel''s back was the fight between Chu Feng and Charles Murphy. Two figures were shing against each other at extreme speed, one with a pair of wings on his back and one longsword in each hand. The other hunter wore a suit of ck armor, with a serrated polearm behind him.


    The fight seemed to be at a stalemate.


    The hunter with wings, with wind-attuned gic energy whirling around him, was none other than Chu Feng. A broad smile was stered on his face; it seemed to have been quite some time before he let loose.


    The hunter in ck was Charles Murphy, with sweat on his forehead and a grimace by his lips. At the start of the match, he had expected that this would be an easy victory for him; before the match began, he had consumed a potion that allowed him to temporarily exceed the basic gene fragment capacity, and he was now hovering around the equivalent of a hundred and thirty basic gene fragments.


    However, despite consuming this expensive potion, Chu Feng was nevertheless slowly taking the upper hand.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve had such an invigorating fight¡ªI have to admit that you''re a strong hunter," Chu Feng eximed. "If I''m not mistaken, you must have broken through the basic gene capacity somehow!"


    Chu Feng praised Charles Murphy''s skills, but this sort of praise felt like a backhandedpliment to him.


    "As expected¡ªthe Chinese hunters do have some method of breaking through the basic gene capacity!" Charles Murphy retorted.


    "Haha, you''re a smart cookie, aren''t you? It''s a shame that you''ve had the misfortune to encounter us in the second match. Admit defeat! Given your current strength, it''s impossible for you to defeat me."


    "Isn''t it too early to be speaking of victory? Take this¡ª[Through the Clouds]!" Charles Murphy did not surrender. Frightening fire-attuned gic energy gathered around him, forming into a gigantic red polearm that chopped downward with stupendous force.


    "Not bad! [Tempest Dance]!" Chu Feng swung both his des in an borate twirl, sending des of gic energy flying all around him.


    As the two attacks met, smoke filled the arena, obscuring the audience''s sight of the match.


    Momentster, as the excess energy dissipated, Charles Murphy began to cough. "With your strength... you must have over fifty basic limit fragments, don''t you? I''ve lost. Thank you for going easy on me," he murmured, exasperationced into his tone.


    His attack had been weaker than Chu Feng''s, and if his opponent wanted to wound or kill him, he certainly had the opportunity to do so. He was embarrassed and ashamed to have lost, but what could he do?


    "It''s only a friendly spar, after all¡ªthere''s no enmity between us." Chu Feng dropped down to the ground and slowly walked off the arena to a breathtaking round of apuse.


    After the match, the hosts of the tournament finally realized why Zhang Lie and the other Chinesepetitors were so strong¡ªit was all because of these damned limit fragments! From their perspective, it was evident that Zhang Lie had a far greater mastery of these limit fragments than they did, and he had clearly made some important discovery that hadn''t been publicized.


    None of the other countries'' hosts could sit still; if they fell behind, they would surely lose out!


    Zhang Lie''s restriction on selling white-grub cores to foreign parties had already made them rather displeased, so they were certainly going to take advantage of this opportunity to exert pressure on China.


    General Hill nced at Yan Long with displeasure. "General Yan Long, isn''t China''s attitude regarding these limit fragments rather distasteful?"


    "Yes, it''s all too unfair for us other countries!" Colonel Carrey immediately added.


    "And here I was wondering why the Chinesepetitors seemed so strong! We have to report this to the world federation immediately!"


    "Exactly. This technology must be spread worldwide to benefit mankind as a whole!"


    "Right¡ªsuch an important technological and scientific advancement can''t remain in the hands of a sole hunter or country. The future of mankind is at stake!"


    "General Yan Long, we hope you''ll be understanding regarding this affair!"


    The hosts all crowded around Yan Long, but he didn''t back down.


    "Is that so? Zhang Lie himself developed this theory and technique on his own¡ªwhy should he be obligated to share? What right do you have to co-opt his work for your own advancement? Not even China has done so! Has Ennd shared the fruits of its gene-splicing technology? I think not!


    "I think I''ve made matters clear, haven''t I? You should be d that Zhang Lie has released anything about these limit fragments at all¡ª aren''t you ashamed to be trying to get more than you deserve?"


    In truth, Yan Long was equally astounded by Zhang Lie''s progress: before this match, he hadn''t realized just how advanced Zhang Lie''s research had be. Of course, even if he was upset that Zhang Lie hadn''t yet shared the information with him, he would still stand up for him against the predatory inclinations of other countries.

 Chapter 211: The Ignorant Have No Fear

    <h4>Chapter 211: The Ignorant Have No Fear</h4>


    Yan Long''s intentions were straightforward: Zhang Lie was Chinese, and the limit fragment research that he hade up with belonged to him and him alone. China wouldn''t allow its citizens'' private property to be stolen, not by petty thieves, other nations'' governments, nor even the world federation itself.


    Even if northern Europe were to take the lead against China, not many other countries would join in the fight; it would simply be too risky, and China had made a name for itself as a difficult enemy to handle.


    Furthermore, given the gctic situation, it wasn''t a good time for an internal conflict¡ªthere were quite a few alien races paying careful attention to Earth, and conflict now would give them the opportunity to strike.


    The hosts of the tournament were simply prodding Yan Long to get a sense of just how valuable this research on limit fragments was. Given Yan Long''s response, it was clearly so high as to be iputable¡ªhe was willing to make enemies of a dozen countries worldwide to protect and safeguard this research.


    "General Yan Long, do you intend to take responsibility for your words?" asked the mayor of Odinstadt, General Hill.


    Many of the top officials of northern Europe looked toward Yan Long following General Hill''s words, but Yan Long only smiled. "I am a general of China, after all. Of course I''ll take responsibility."


    Was Hill nning to start a war? Well, Yan Long didn''t fear him¡ªand Hill wouldn''t dare to do so, regardless! China had bolstered its power by sending its citizens into the dimensional world, and it wasn''t a country that could be attacked at will.


    "Northern Europe and Asia have been in a cooperative rtionship for quite some time, and northern Europe certainly won''t vite the harmony between us. Of course, we''ll still have to report this to the world federation, and we''ll be carefully observing what happens next. General Yan, I hope you won''t regret your words today."


    Hill desperately wanted to obtain the research on limit fragments that China possessed, but he knew that it would be meaningless to continue arguing with Yan Long. What he had to do now was to report this information to¡ªand hence pass the buck to¡ªhis superiors.


    "No amount of pressure from the world federation will cause China to relent. As for you of northern Europe, well, if you make this decision knowing that it''ll sour rtionships between us, I hope you won''t regret your decision either."


    Yan Long left the room. He rushed straight for the Chinesepetitors'' prep room. Yun Bing had just returned after defeating her opponent, so everyone from the Chinese delegation was present.


    "Get over here, Zhang Lie, I have a question for you!" Yan Long shouted the moment he arrived, without any time for pleasantries.


    Zhang Lie stood up and followed him to one corner of the room, as did Su Feng, noticing that Yan Long seemed to be particrly harried.


    "Zhang Lie, you rascal, did you make a new discovery rted to limit fragments? Team Zenith, Chu Feng, Yun Bing¡ªnone of these hunters used to be this strong, did they? In thest match, Chu Feng admitted that he had over fifty limit fragments. What''s going on?!"


    Zhang Lie nced surreptitiously at Chu Feng, understanding the situation almost immediately.


    Other countries were eyeing his sesses, weren''t they? More specifically, they were eyeing Potion #1. Zhang Lie had nned on announcing the news regarding Potion #1 during the worldwide stage, but he hadn''t expected things to develop so quickly. Well, even if that were the case, he had nothing to hide.


    "That''s right. Recently, I had a breakthrough with my research, and I was able to develop a potion that raised the basic gene capacity even further¡ªPotion #1!"


    Su Feng and Yan Long nced at him. They had guessed that something like this had urred, but the extent of Zhang Lie''s sess was ridiculous. He had developed a potion that could allow a hunter to break through the basic gene limit once more?! If it were anyone else, they would have imed that it was impossible, but for Zhang Lie...


    "Just what sort of effect does this potion have?!"


    "It permanently raises your basic gene capacity by fifty, to a maximum of a hundred and sixty," Zhang Lie exined, causing both generals to take a step back in surprise. Even though they were prepared to hear something extraordinary, the effect of the potion still shocked them both¡ªno one knew better than the two of them just what this potion could mean for all of China.


    "Fifty basic limit fragments? That¡ªno wonder all of you went undefeated! Doesn''t that mean that our hunters will have a natural advantage over everyone else? So that''s why Chu Feng was able to beat Charles Murphy!"


    Su Feng heapedvish praise on Zhang Lie, and while Yan Long didn''t speak, his trembling fingers were testament to his excitement. At that very moment, Yan Long knew that he had to keep Zhang Lie affiliated with the Chinese military.


    "Can it be produced in bulk?" Yan Long asked.


    This time, however, the answer left him disappointed. Zhang Lie shook his head. "Definitely not, at least not in the short term. This potion requires more than a dozen herbs, and although most of these herbs can be cultivated, this will have to be a long-term project."


    The two generals frowned, but rxed almost immediately afterwards. Zhang Lie had said that it wasn''t possible in the short term, but over the long term...


    The two generals'' breathing became rather rapid.


    "In that case, are you cultivating these herbs at the moment?" Su Feng pressed.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Unfortunately, I''ve been very busy dealing with my dojo''s affairs, and then the Void Cup¡ª"


    "Cultivate these herbs immediately! The sooner the better¡ªwhat could be any more important?" Su Feng shouted urgently.


    "One month or two won''t make a big difference. We can discuss it after the Void Cup, if you''d like," Zhang Lie replied, seemingly unruffled.


    "Oh? You already have a n, don''t you?" Yan Long''s lips quirked up in a bitter smile.


    As a hunter, Zhang Lie had the highest growth potential he had ever seen. It was fortunate for him that he was from China, or Yan Long would have sacrificed just about anything to destroy him before he blossomed into his full potential as a hunter. Even now, as little more than a fledgling, he was already shocking the world, so what could he aplish in the future?


    Had he really acquired some lost inheritance of his father''s, as the rumors imed? The military had investigated Zhang Lie''s missing father before, but it was almost certain that his father wouldn''t have been strong enough to obtain such a miraculous treasure.


    Regardless, all that could be dealt withter. What was most important was the world federation''s scrutiny, which would imminentlynd on Zhang Lie.


    Before that, Yan Long had to confirm one thing. "If you already have a n for mass-producing these potions, we don''t have to discuss them for the moment. Are you the only one who knows the recipe to make this potion?"


    Zhang Lie nodded immediately. "Of course."


    "Very good. The fewer people who know it, the better. ?Does anyone outside of Team Zenith, excluding Chu Feng and Yun Bing, know about Potion #1?"


    Zhang Lie nced in Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s direction. "A few of the elites of the Chu and Yun ns, I''m sure. I had initially wanted to work with them to organize arge-scale auction in the real world to acquire some rare herbs for future study, but I elected not to do so given theirck of support during my dojo''s opening ceremony."


    Yan Long and Su Feng''s eyes widened. An auction¡ªhad this brat really been about to try something like that? Even rumors of this supposed Potion #1 would lead to intense scrutiny by enemy factions, let alone an auction in which these potions were the centerpiece!


    Luckily, the auction had been canceled, or even Yan Long wouldn''t have known what to do...

 Chapter 212: Equivalent Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 212: Equivalent Exchange</h4>


    "Lad, you should be d your auction didn''t actually happen¡ªotherwise, both the Yun and Chu ns might be gone by now! No, not just those ns¡ªall of China would be shaken to its very core because of these potions of yours!" Yan Long eximed.


    Were matters as serious as he had described? ?More so, in fact¡ªthis could be seen from the reactions of the tournament hosts. After all, this was a potion, something every hunter ?could consume without having to sacrifice their hard-earned power or start anew, as with the foundational breakthrough.


    This implied that any hunter, not just a first-realm one, would be able to benefit from the potion. It would be a treasure wondrous beyond all measure, and those who owned such potions would easily be able to overwhelm enemies that they would otherwise be unable to defeat.


    Yan Long was very d that the ns for the auction had been scrapped and that the two ns had been smart enough not to advertise the news beforehand. Otherwise, the oue would have been disastrous.


    "Zhang Lie, listen up¡ªfrom now on, the Chinese military is officially hiring you as the lead researcher in charge of these limit fragments. You''ll be instated in this position immediately after the Void Cup ends. No matter what sort of research you want to perform, no matter what rare ingredients you need, the soldiers of China will do their best to fulfill your every request.


    "From now on, all your research will be of China''s highest confidentiality, and I hope you''ll keep things a secret. I''ll address the members of Team Zenith, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing regarding this matter as well. Do you understand?" Yan Long pressed, causing both Su Feng and Zhang Lie to look on in shock.


    Zhang Lie blinked a few times, surprised by the extent of Yan Long''s reaction. "Is it so serious, Commander?"


    In his past life, Zhang Lie hadn''t been anywhere near the apex of power, and his intuition about such matters wasn''t anywhere near as sharp as Yan Long''s.


    "Of course! Chu Feng mentioned that he had over fifty limit fragments in hisst match, and the other hosts of the tournament applied pressure on me immediately to get me to spill the beans. The world federation''s highest authority will soon be involved in this matter. Do you realize how serious this is now?"


    Zhang Lie recoiled in shock. He had expected that Potion #1 would cause a stir in the huntermunity, but not such a major one. Yan Long had clearly intended this new "job" as protection for Zhang Lie, and Zhang Lie would gratefully ept.


    "I apologize, Commander Yan. I didn''t realize how serious this discovery would be, and¡ª"


    "Enough! Now''s not the time to apologize, and word would have spread anyway. With the Void Cup, your ridiculous talent and strength would have made itself known regardless, so just focus on thepetition. We''ll handle the rest! Before that, however, tell me¡ªhow many of these potions do you have at the moment?"


    "Fewer than 20," Zhang Lie replied, causing Yan Long and Su Feng''s eyes to narrow.


    Twenty potions? They both knew that Zhang Lie wasn''t likely to be entirely truthful. Adding the potions that all the members of Team Zenith, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing had consumed, it was likely that Zhang Lie had made over fifty such potions in all.


    The two generals fell silent. Fifty miracle potions¡­


    "Alright, we''ll discuss thister. Make sure word of this doesn''t spread to anyone else!"


    "Yes, Commander!"


    Yan Long hurriedly left the room, while Zhang Lie and Su Feng informed the otherpetitors of what they had settled on.


    Very quickly, the third individual round began. As expected, Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng all won quickly and decisively, but none of them spoke a word to theirpetitors. They got on stage, motioned politely for their opponent to strike, and then vanquished them in a single blow.


    The remaining three matches followed simrly. They defeated each and every opponent with just one blow, no matter whom they were facing, no matter how significant their reputation, no matter how strong they were.


    It felt as though the eight Chinese representatives had total control of the tournament, and they all entered the team round with a perfect score. In fact, because of how quickly they defeated their opponents, thepetition that day finished ahead of schedule.


    The teampetition would only begin tomorrow, so they could either remain to watch the otherpetitors or return to their hotel to rest.


    Yan Long and Su Feng naturally took them back to the hotel; there was nothing interesting to be seen, and they both knew just what kind of storm was brewing beyond the horizon, hidden by a temporary calm.


    Deep in the Milky Way floated a magnificent pce constructed for the world federation. The highest authorities in the world federation stayed in this pce. These authorities consisted of the three to five strongest hunters from each out of the billions of humans living all across the Milky Way. Earth was host to four such hunters, all of whom received a notification from Earth almost simultaneously.


    Naturally, this notification dealt with Zhang Lie, as well as the theory of limit fragments that he had pioneered. It was then that Zhang Lie officially entered the eyes of the top monarchs from Earth.


    "Zhang Lie, limit fragments? Hmm..."


    Within the floating pce, the only authority from China, the martial sage Hong Tianqi, murmured to himself after a call from Yan Long. A few secondster, three pairs of footsteps came from outside his estate.


    "Have tea ready for our guests, Nuo!" Hong Tianqi called out, a broad smile stered on his face.


    The other three authorities from Earth, Wilson Peters, Gresham Anderson, and Jill Rodney were here to pay him a visit.


    "Hong, it looks as though you''ve received the news, haven''t you?" Wilson Peters called out.


    "Yes, I have. Please, have a seat." Hong Tianqi motioned to the square table in the salon, on which a pot of steaming tea had just been prepared.


    "Authentic?xianzong?tea," Hong Tianqi informed them. "It''ll be ready shortly."


    The three authorities'' eyes lit up. Jill Rodney, seated opposite him, murmured, "I''ve wanted to try this famed brew for quite some time! It looks like I''ll finally be able to do so today."


    "Jill, we''re not here just to have some tea, are we?" Gresham Anderson cut her off with a look of impatience, unappreciative of this so-called xianzong tea. He turned to their host. "Hong, you should know why we''re here, don''t you?"


    Hong Tianqi settled down calmly, cing a teacup in front of each guest and then filling them up in turn. A pleasant scent emanated from the jade-green tea, causing all three guests to sniff appreciatively.


    "I do know why you wanted to talk, but I must admit I''m not certain of your objective. Well, let''s have at it, then. What would you have me do?" Hong Tianqi asked pleasantly, taking a small sip of tea.


    "Hong, this isn''t a trifling matter. First, we do have to thank China¡ªthis discovery will easily augment mankind''s abilities to a new level. What you have to do, first and foremost, is to publicly release the fruits of Zhang Lie''sbor. We need to know just how he''s done it¡ªthis is too important an aplishment to be left in the hands of one individual or one country.


    "Next, in order to further the research as quickly as possible, researchers from all over the world should be brought together; let this development be spearheaded by the Chinese youth who discovered it all, in hopes that he''ll make another breakthrough to benefit all of mankind!" Wilson Peters urged. However, his words caused a frown to mar Hong Tianqi''s face.


    Jill and Gresham nodded in agreement with Wilson Peters'' words.


    "Shall I summarize what you''ve asked of me, then? First, to hand over the results of private research, and second, to hand over the genius researcher who came up with this work for you to imprison. Is that right?" Hong Tianqi spoke, his cid voice somehow sending warning bells ringing in the other authorities'' heads.


    "Hong, that''s a rather uncharitable interpretation of our words, isn''t it? We''re doing this for the good of mank¡ª" Jill Rodney began, but Hong Tianqi interrupted her halfway through.


    "On what grounds?" Hong Tianqi''s eyes glimmered with light, and space seemed to freeze.


    Wilson Peters, Gresham Anderson, and Jill Rodney found that none of them were able to move even their pinky finger, while Hong Tianqi slowly poured himself more tea. Jade-green drops of tea sshed into his teacup, beautiful, mysterious, and with potent strength.


    "What could your countries provide that China cannot? Zhang Lie can spur the growth of humanity right where he is. If you''d like the fruits of hisbor, you had beste prepared with a trade that would satisfy him."

 Chapter 213: Martial Sage Hong Tianqi

    <h4>Chapter 213: Martial Sage Hong Tianqi</h4>


    The three authorities suddenly found the constraints of space holding them in position vanishing.


    "Hong, you-you''ve broken through?!" Jill Rodney eximed.


    Hong Tianqi smiled without answering the question. "I hope you''ll all take my words to heart."


    "No! No! No! Hong, this is unfair! You have to maintain order on Earth!" Wilson Peters shouted, and Gresham Anderson nodded in agreement.


    "That''s right, Hong! If we handle this inappropriately, it''s possible that Earth might be enmeshed in conflic¡ª"


    "Enough. Whether or not there ends up being internal conflict will depend on you, not me. I appreciate that you have all reached out to me beforehand, but China won''t be threatened by the likes of you. If you''d like to cooperate, I hope you''ll be able toe up with terms that are satisfactory to all of us. My attitude won''t change, not now, nor in the future.


    "Nuo, see the guests out!"


    Thus ended the meeting between the four authorities of Earth. Wilson Peters, Gresham Anderson, and Jill Rodney nced at each other, then walked out of Hong Tianqi''s estate. They hadn''t expected to be able to strongarm him into submission, but this level of resistance was beyond them.


    Hong Tianqi had broken through¡ªhe had be the second person in the entirety of the world federation to pass over that vaunted boundary. At this point, China had nothing to fear, not even if the heads of the world federation stepped in.


    In the end, the authorities did nothing. The future development of this research would depend on the reaction and behavior of the world leaders back on Earth.


    In Team Zenith''s suite, everyone stood at attention as they faced a holographic projection of Hong Tianqi.


    "I''ve dealt with the other three authorities, Yan Long. I doubt they''ll do something reckless."


    .


    "Yes, Authority!" Even Yan Long was deferent in front of Hong Tianqi, let alone the hunters of Team Zenith. The others might not know just who Yan Long was speaking to, but Zhang Lie was certain that this was the strongest hunter of China, even of Earth¡ªHong Tianqi, martial sage!


    "Very good. I''ll leave the rest to you, then. You''ll likely be forced to release at least part of the research, but try to keep the core of it hidden."


    "Yes, Authority!"


    Hong Tianqi then turned to Zhang Lie and eyed him somewhat appraisingly. "Are you Zhang Lie?"


    "Yessir!"


    "Do you have any objections to this n?"


    "No, sir!"


    Zhang Lie truly respected Hong Tianqi from the bottom of his heart. In his past life, Hong Tianqi had perished to stop the Ming invasion, sacrificing himself to kill the god-emperor of Ming in the cold depths of space. In this life, he had been a tremendous help in relieving the pressure that Zhang Lie would otherwise face.


    "Very good. I was nowhere near as talented as you in my youth, so I''m looking forward to your future. May I have a bottle of your Potion #1?"


    Everyone''s eyes widened.


    "O-Of course!" Zhang Lie replied with a stammer.


    "Don''t worry¡ªI don''t intend to take it from you for nothing. Tomorrow, after the Void Cup''s over, have Yan Long take you to my personal treasury."


    Yan Long and Su Feng''s eyes bulged, neither of them expecting that Hong Tianqi would be so generous.


    "Yes, Authority!" Zhang Lie replied. He didn''t know much about this treasury, but given Yan Long and Su Feng''s reactions, he could tell that this deal was weighted heavily in his favor.


    "Well, that''s all from me. Grow up quick, won''t you?" The holographic projection turned off, and Hong Tianqi''s figure vanished.


    The hunters all heaved a sigh of relief and slumped.


    "Even his projection was stressful to face¡ªI didn''t even dare move my fingers!" Chu Feng eximed, walking toward a nearby sofa.


    The others all did the same, rubbing their shoulders and thighs as though they had stood still for quite some time, despite the fact that the conversation had onlysted five minutes at the most.


    All the hunters present were capped-out first-realm hunters, and fatigue from standing was hardly a thing any of them had to worry about. More important was the mental pressure they faced.


    When Hong Tianqi appeared, it was as though space had frozen all around them.


    Zhang Lie turned to Su Feng. "Commander Su, what was this treasury that was mentioned? Both you and Commander Yan seemed to be very shocked, so..."


    "Brat, you don''t know just how lucky you are! That treasur¡ª"


    "Su Feng! Tell him about thister¡ªhe''ll know once he sees it," Yan Long interrupted. "What we need to discuss is how to handle the other countries'' requests regarding Zhang Lie''s research.


    The authority made this quite clear¡ªit''s impossible to keep the whole thing under wraps, so we have to reveal at least a little, but what should we reveal, and how? Zhang Lie! Do you have any idea?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment, then smiled. "Isn''t that straightforward? If everyone wants these potions, then we''ll hand them over. After the Void Cup ends today, hand them this list of herbs."


    He passed a list over to Yan Long, then added, "I''ll be happy to exchange one potion for ten sprigs of each herb on that list."


    It was obvious that Zhang Lie was treating this opportunity as freebor to acquire various herbs in great quantities. Of course, these countries would be experimenting with these herbs immediately in order to discover the formtion for themselves, but doing so in the short term wouldn''t be possible.


    Not only would this curb their cries for fair treatment, Zhang Lie would also make a killing from the transaction. Even an amateur like him knew that brewing one such potion wouldn''t require a thousand sprigs of herbs, and he had to admire Zhang Lie''s ingenuity.


    However, he would still need to check that the recipe couldn''t be reconstructed from this list of ingredients so easily. After all, several of the strongest countries would quickly be able to obtain a few potions for themselves, and if they managed to acquire the recipe...


    Yan Long hesitated for a moment after looking at the ingredients, but Zhang Lie reassured him,


    "Don''t worry. They won''t be able to reconstruct it in the short term, and by the time they do, the recipe will be worthless." Zhang Lie smiled devilishly.


    "In that case, we''ll go with your suggestion."


    All that remained was for the hosts of the various countries toe over to beg the Chinese delegation for these potions. At present, they were speaking with their own authorities.


    Wilson Peters'' face appeared on a holographic projection facing Hill, who was looking at him with a hopeful expression on his face. Peters had bragged that he would easily be able to force China to cooperate, but given how the situation had evolved...


    "Commandant Wilson, has the Chinese authority agreed to release the information?"


    Hill had prepared for the worst the moment he saw themandant''s expression, but the affair was so important that he had no choice but to ask regardless.


    Wilson shook his head, frustrated. "No. China''s authority has recently broken through, and none of the three of us were able to do anything about him. However, he did promise not to interfere, and that you would be able to trade for the information."


    "Trade for the information? How?" General Hill asked again.


    "How should I know? Go ask the Chinese delegation!" Commandant Wilson hung up in exasperation before General Hill could respond.

 Chapter 214: Cheap Laborers

    <h4>Chapter 214: Cheap Laborers</h4>


    The other two authorities advised their respective hosts in much the same way that Commandant Wilson advised General Hill, returning agency to Zhang Lie, Su Feng, and Yan Long.


    Around half an hourter, there was a knock on the door to Yan Long''s suite. ncing at Hill, Carrey and hosts from the eight other strongest countries behind them, Yan Long began to smile. "Ah, what''s going on? You''ve alle over to visit?"


    Su Feng seemed rather surprised that all ten hosts hade over together. He knew that they would approach him or Yan Long sooner orter, but not in such a united fashion.


    "Isn''t it better for all of them toe together? It means we have to talk less, at least." Yan Long pushed the door open.


    "General Yan Long, we haven''t disrupted your rest, have we?" Hill inquired politely, his tone now reconciliatory rather than interrogative.


    "If I said it did, would you depart?" Yan Long retorted, an ugly expression on his face.


    The ten representatives began to frown, but Yan Long was right: they couldn''t back down now, not when so much was at stake.


    Eventually, Su Feng broke the stalemate, taking his role in their good cop-bad cop routine naturally. "Stop it, Yan Long, they''re all guests. Please, enter."


    The representatives had sessfully entered Yan Long and Su Feng''s suite, but the intense aura which had shrouded them had all but dissipated.


    There was barely enough space on therge sofa for five people, let alone ten, but everyone still squeezed in together. If they didn''t obtain anything from the Chinese delegation today, they were certain they would fall behind the others.


    "Are you all here regarding Zhang Lie''s research on limit fragments?" Yan Long asked a question he knew the answer to.


    The representatives nced at each other; General Hill replied with a resounding yes.


    "Haven''t I already exined my thought process?" Yan Long''s face turned ugly once more.


    "General Yan Long, we apologize. We shouldn''t have approached you with that sort of attitude, so please calm down. However, we had no choice. This research on limit fragments is simply too valuable to keep secret, and all our countries need it urgently."


    "Right, General Yan, please don''t reject us. Give us an opportunity to make things up!"


    Hill, Carrey, and the other representatives all suddenly seemed eager to please, causing Yan Long and Su Feng to exchange satisfied smirks.


    "Indeed? How convenient it is that you only remembered this now! This research on limit fragments ?is one of China''s top-secret projects, developed by the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie himself. Do you think it''s something you can get in on just by asking?"


    Despite their attitude, Yan Long remained resistant to their ns.


    Su Feng jumped in at an opportune moment. "Yan Long, calm down! Perhaps cooperation''s out of the question, but we''re still willing to ept an equal trade, aren''t we?"


    Su Feng''s words caused the other representatives'' eyes to light up. Indeed, they could trade for something of equal value! Everyone began thinking about what research their countries were conducting, and whether it would be significant enough to merit such a trade¡­ but then they slumped back down into the sofa.


    Nothing they had could evenpare in value to these so-called limit fragments!


    Hill, who led the other representatives, murmured uneasily, "General Su, I''m afraid we don''t have any research of equal value to Zhang Lie''s work on limit fragments, so¡ª"


    "So you intend on stealing this research for nothing? Is that it?" Yan Long interrupted impatiently.


    "No, no! General Yan Long, you misunderstand my words. We''re certainly willing to trade for it, but because we don''t understand what this research entails, we don''t know what to offer in trade," Hill replied diplomatically.


    .


    "Let me rify, then. The result of all this research is a miraculous potion."


    "A potion?!" The representatives were rather shocked; After all, pillmaking was still in a fledgling stage of development at this point in time, and most gene-enhancing techniques involved directly editing DNA to correct any deficiencies and perfect one''s gene line. This was the case with Ennd''s gene-splicing technology.


    "Indeed, a potion!" A blood-red potion appeared in Yan Long''s hands. "This potion, Potion #1, will raise a hunter''s basic gene capacity by fifty points!"


    "What? Fifty points?! That''s ridiculous!"


    The foundational breakthrough that Zhang Lie had promulgated had only raised the basic gene capacity by ten, and it wouldn''t be a decisive advantage, but fifty basic gene fragments was a significant amount.


    None of them had expected that it would be so easy to obtain fifty gene fragments¡ªall they had to do was down a small potion! If this potion truly were so miraculous, they had to acquire its recipe at any cost!


    "General Yan Long, the effects of this Potion #1 are truly mindblowing. Can we verify its results for ourselves?" General Hill proceeded cautiously, hoping to get a free sample or two out of Yan Long.


    "Verify? I think not!" Yan Long replied, huffing. "If you don''t believe my words, you''re wee to leave."


    But what could Hill say in response? If he left now and missed out on such a miraculous potion...


    "No, General Yan, I don''t mean to doubt you! It''s just that¡ª"


    "Enough! You all see what you''re trading for, don''t you? I''m happy to ept anything of equal value," Yan Long broke Hill off brusquely, then restated the terms of the trade.


    The representatives of each country began to mull over just what they could provide in exchange; from their perspective, once they acquired the potion, they would easily be able to reconstruct the recipe.


    In the end, it was Hill who spoke up again. "General Yan Long, all I can think of is to trade you the herbs that would constitute this potion for the potion itself!"


    This was exactly what Yan Long and Su Feng wanted.


    "To trade us the herbs?" Yan Long pressed, pretending to be confused.


    "Yes," General Hill affirmed. "Put simply, we''ll provide the herbs and an additional fee besides to exchange for the potion in your hand!"


    The other representatives also began to nod, thinking that this would be a viable proposition. Yan Long hesitated, as though he weren''t sure of the proposal. He ultimately turned to Su Feng, as though asking for his opinion.


    Everyone''s gaze fell on Su Feng.


    "This would work, and Zhang Lie''s amenable to it, but..." Su Feng seemed to want to say something more, but hesitated.


    The other representatives all sucked in a breath, waiting for Su Feng to continue, but he simply shut his mouth and waited.


    The impatient Carrey called out, "General Su Feng, what additional requirements is Zhang Lie asking for? We''ll do our best to satisfy them!"


    "Right, General Su Feng, please tell us!"


    In the end, Yan Long finally said, "Potion #1 simply requires quite a lot of ingredients."


    The representatives rxed. This wasn''t a serious issue at all! Of course such a miraculous potion would require a considerable number of ingredients, and their countries'' treasuries and storehouses did contain quite a decent number of herbs. Before the invention of Potion #1, these herbs were only useful as mediocre substitutes for standard medicine at best, and exchanging them for Potion #1 was surely a worthwhile trade.


    "Don''t worry, the herbs won''t be a problem!" Hill shouted before Su Feng could change his mind.


    Su Feng nodded, then handed each representative a copy of the list that Zhang Lie had prepared. "Ten sprigs of each herb on this list will be sufficient to exchange for one bottle of Potion #1. The trade will take ce in the ckdragon settlement in the first realm!"

 Chapter 215: Matters on Mars

    <h4>Chapter 215: Matters on Mars</h4>


    The representatives'' eyes bulged, then they rushed forward to grab a copy of the ingredients.


    "There''s no rush¡ªeveryone can get one!" Su Feng reminded them with an avaricious smile.


    When they finally saw the herbs on the list, however, their faces changed. There were no fewer than a hundred different herbs listed, many of which they hadn''t even heard of. In that case, they would need to trade over a thousand sprigs of herbs for one bottle of Potion #1. It was obvious that this was many times the number of herbs that would actually go into making the potion, but what could the representatives do?


    They departed in droves after a hurried farewell, leaving Su Feng and Yan Long alone in the suite.


    "I can''t believe they were chomping at the bit to get their hands on such a terrible deal," Su Feng murmured.


    "Who could resist the temptation of an unconditional fifty basic gene fragments? We''d do the same if we were in their shoes!" Yan Long cackled, overjoyed with how the tables had turned.


    These fellows had all banded together to threaten him just a few hours ago, but now? Yan Long was pleased just thinking about their faces when they begged him for charity!


    "Shall we have a taste of this potion for ourselves, then?"


    After sending the representatives off, their part in this problem was all but finished. They had managed to acquire a potion each from Zhang Lie, though at no small cost. Because of Hong Tianqi''s example, the two of them both promised Zhang Lie a favor in exchange for the potion; Yan Long even said that he would help be a matchmaker for Zhang Lie.


    That one of the three most influential soldiers in the Chinese military would promise such a thing shook Zhang Lie to his core, but in the end, bothmanders walked away with their own bottle of Potion #1.


    As they downed the potions, their faces flushed red, and they barely suppressed the urge to moan in satisfaction. Two fearsome auras swept over the entire hotel, but which vanished the very next moment.


    Bothmanders settled down and began to cultivate in earnest, digesting the effects of their newfound strength.


    The ramifications of Zhang Lie''s discovery had subsided, at least for the moment.


    This event fundamentally changed the worldwide stage of the Void Cup. Thepetitors who had once been arrogant to Zhang Lie were now perfectly polite and respectful to him, and those teams that encountered the Chinesepetitors in the teamwide round would surrender immediately.


    They had given up on the top eight positions and were fighting for the two remaining slots to advance to the gctic stage instead. It took only a morning before Zhang Lie and the others were crowned as the top eight hunters of Earth, and after the remaining two hunters were chosen, the worldwide stage of the Void Cup ended in a ratherical fashion.


    On Earth, Yan Long, Su Feng, and Hong Tianqi had stepped in to protect Zhang Lie and the other Chinesepetitors; however, on Mars, Yang Ze had no such advantage.


    After winning battle after battle on the worldwide stage, Yang Ze found himself surrounded by a number of Martian representatives, led by his own father, the head of the Yang n, Yang Feng.


    Yang Ze''s face turned serious as he regarded the dozens of representatives before him. He had expected something like this to happen when he dominated thepetition, but not so quickly.


    "Yang Ze, won''t you tell your father how it is that you''ve grown so much stronger than the otherpetitors despite the fact that you''re all peak first-realm hunters?" Yang Feng questioned him carefully, his tone polite and caring, but shot through with undertones of self-interest.


    In particr, his main goal was to identify the reason behind Yang Ze''s strength.


    "To be frank, I''m a bit disappointed to see you here, old man. I was granted this strength by my master, Zhang Lie, and I have no intention of sharing that information with you. You did house me for sixteen years, so I''ll say one more thing: don''t try to probe or pry into this affair, or you''ll regret it."


    "Hoh? n Head Yang, it looks as though the rumors are true indeed. Can''t you even take control of your own son?" a bronze-skinned man beside Yang Feng spoke up, as if deliberately trying to provoke him. His name was Gu Tong, head of the Gu n, which was on rather fractious terms with the Yang n.


    "There''s no need to concern yourself with Yang affairs," Yang Feng replied acidly.


    "Do you think I''m afraid of you, n Head Yang? Try me on if you dare!"


    Yang Feng was about to retort when he was interrupted by another n head.


    "Shall we get back to business now? Really, the two of you have lived for over a centurybined, so why are you still so childish? Yang Ze, exin your strength, or you won''t be allowed to remain on Mars any longer!"


    "Indeed, I had better leave. Aren''t you embarrassed that you all¡ªheads of the major ns of Mars¡ªare ganging up on a lone hunter, a member of the younger generation, like me?"


    "Yang Ze, as your father, please, listen to me. Answer our questions, and I can protect your life. Otherwise, even if you''re the champion of Mars in this iteration of the Void Cup, you won''t be able to survive!" Yang Feng urged, threat and genuine affection mingled together.


    After all, if possible, he didn''t want Yang Ze to perish here. Given his strength, he would surely be a pir of the n if he were willing to remain.


    "Protect my life? My life is hardly yours to control, but if you insist, I''ll share a few small details. You''ve seen Team Zenith on the news for killing a mysterious lifeform on the eve of the worldwide stage of the Void Cup, haven''t you? Are you aware of the legendary moonlight wyrm in the first realm of the dimensional world? It turns out it''s a peak-grade lifeform."


    With that, the Martian n heads turned silent, staring openmouthed at Yang Ze.


    A peak-grade lifeform?! That was impossible¡ªthe first realm of the dimensional world only supported superior-grade lifeforms at best!


    Many of the leaders thought that Yang Ze had to be lying, and that even the legendary moonlight wyrm could hardly have reached peak-grade. After a century of exploration, the rules of the dimensional world had been made clear, and there had never been any suggestion that they could have been broken.


    Could the legendary moonlight wyrm really have ovee the boundary between superior- and peak-grade?


    On the other hand, if Yang Ze weren''t lying, everything would make perfect sense. If he really possessed peak gene fragments as a first-realm hunter, it was only natural that he would be able to dominate over the otherpetitors.


    "You... really possess peak gene fragments?!" Yang Feng asked.


    "Of course I do¡ª but there''s nothing for you to worry about. No matter what bes of me in the future, it''ll have no bearing or rtionship to the Yang n at all. Well, now that you all know the answer, feel free to leave. It''s not a strategy that any of you can replicate, after all."


    The gathered n heads scowled. If Yang Ze was being truthful, then indeed, his route to strength couldn''t be replicated.


    n Head Gu cursed as he turned to leave, followed rapidly by many of the others. Indeed, they had all seen the news regarding Team Zenith, and the moonlight wyrm had been a legend even during their time in the first realm of the dimensional world. Quite a few of them had even dared to challenge it, but none had seeded.


    "Congrattions, n Head Yang! To have a scion obtain peak gene fragments in the first realm¡ªwhy, his future will be immeasurable!" Several of the n heads congratted Yang Feng before they left; from their perspective, regardless of whether Yang Ze admitted it or not, the blood of the Yang n still ran in his veins.


    Just as they were departing, however, the n heads'' transceivers beeped almost simultaneously: the news regarding limit fragments had spread beyond Earth and straight to Mars.


    They stopped and turned back around, ncing at Yang Ze, wondering what information they could glean from him. After all, he had imed to be a disciple of Zhang Lie himself.


    At the same time, Yang Ze''s transceiver also began to beep.

 Chapter 216: Assembly of Masks

    <h4>Chapter 216: Assembly of Masks</h4>


    "Information about Potion #1 has been released to the public. Authorities from the world federation are on their way, so be careful!" The message was naturally from Team Zenith; the sender was nominally Fang Yi, but the tone was undoubtedly Zhang Lie''s.


    Team Zenith must have been pressured to reveal information about Potion #1, which meant that he would be the hunter most at risk. Zhang Lie and the others would be protected by the Chinese officials, so the only target was him, alone on Mars.


    Given Yang Ze''s understanding of Zhang Lie, even if some information had been leaked to the public, Zhang Lie certainly would keep core details under wraps.


    "Young Master Yang, it''s true that we won''t be able to replicate your sess with peak gene fragments, but what about this potion that we''ve all just heard about?" n Head Gu asked. He was the first to leave, as well as the first to return.


    The other n heads all stared at Yang Ze, trying to glean something from his expression.


    Unfortunately, Yang Ze didn''t seem at all anxious. He smiled thinly. "It''s true that I''m one of Zhang Lie''s disciples, but I''ve only been his disciple for three months or so. Do you think my master would reveal something so important to me? I''ll be clear: I consumed one of these potions, but I hardly know anything about its recipe or production."


    The n heads deted. Indeed, Yang Ze''s words were sensible. It wasn''t a secret that he had been chased out of the Yang n, and it had been just over three months since he had left. Based on the reports they had all received, Zhang Lie had only made this discovery recently, and it was reasonable that Yang Ze would know nothing about it.


    Of course, even so, he surely had more information about it than the n heads did. n Head Gu reacted quickly, his face threatening as he walked up to Yang Ze. "Young Master Yang, it looks as though you don''t quite understand your own situation. I''m warning you, tell us everything you know about these potions¡ªor else! You''ve heard of the Gu n''s [Heart of Scorching Inferno], haven''t you?"


    [Heart of Scorching Inferno] was a secret technique of the Gu n, a vicious fire-attuned technique that inflicted torturous pain on its opponents.


    "n Head Gu, I hope you won''t treat my politeness as weakness. Let me repeat myself: I know nothing about the creation of these potions! Ignoring my status as apetitor in the Void Cup, would you truly dare to torture me knowing that my master''s Zhang Lie?"


    Yang Ze didn''t panic. Indeed, Fang Yi had mentioned that the authorities of Mars would be arriving at the scene shortly, and these ns wouldn''t be able to do anything to him at that point.


    .


    Yang Ze''s stoic behavior left the Gu n head rather surprised; he had anticipated that the young brat would reveal something given the pressure from all the n heads gathered at the scene, but he seemed surprisingly resistant.


    "n Head Yang, can''t you persuade your son to say anything? After all, with all the major ns of Mars gathered here, it would be a shame if we were all to go back home with nothing, wouldn''t it?" n Head Gu slyly passed the buck to n Head Wang.


    Indeed, given Zhang Lie and the Zenith Dojo''s sudden rise to prominence, n Head Gu didn''t want to offend Zhang Lie, especially not when Zhang Lie was under the protection of China and a few authorities of the world federation. However, he wasn''t alone¡ªhe hade with over a dozen major ns from Mars.


    They all understood what these limit-breaking potions represented. No one from Earth had managed to uncover anything more about these potions, but if they could...


    "Right, right! n Head Gu isn''t wrong. I''m sure he knows something! Everyone, this is our one and only opportunity to obtain some additional information about these potions. No matter what, Yang Ze must give us something to bring back to our ns. n Head Yang, I hope you see what you''ll have to do!"


    The other n heads quickly came to an agreement.


    Yang Feng''s face darkened; the other ns had pushed him into an awkward, unenviable position. His gaze sharpened once more as he turned to Yang Ze. Given the other n heads'' pressure, even if Yang Feng truly wanted to protect Yang Ze, it wouldn''t be possible for him to do so. "Yang Ze, please give us more details. If you do, I swear I''ll protect you no matter what."


    Yang Ze scoffed. "I''ve already told you all, haven''t I? I don''t know anything about these potions myself."


    Disappointed and enraged by his father''s behavior, Yang Ze had no qualms about offending everyone present. Tension rose to a breaking point.


    "Stubborn brat!" n Head Gu called out. "n Head Yang, if your son won''t listen to reason, we''ll have to do something about him! What are you all waiting for? Take him down!"


    "Take him down? Who dares!" The moment the other n heads began circting their gic energy, a dominating voice called out from outside the room, causing everyone to whirl around.


    A formidable-looking middle-aged man walked into view, wearing a military uniform patterned with mes. The moment the n heads saw this man, their gic energy petered out.

 Chapter 217: Yang Zes Return

    <h4>Chapter 217: Yang Ze''s Return</h4>


    The world federation''s General Li Pu had arrived, quelling the n heads'' unrest with just a single question. Li Pu was themander of the Martian forces, strong in his own right, and with absolute control of the soldiers in the area. No one would dare provoke him then and there.


    "General Li! Wh-what are you doing here?" n Head Gu stammered in a rather unwilling tone.


    Li Pu slowly walked forward, his eyes piercing. "If I hadn''te, you would all have caused a major diplomatic incident that would have led to your ns'' downfall. n Head Gu, stop trying to wheedle for information and leave immediately!"


    Li Pu''s words shocked Gu Jiancheng and the other n heads. An incident that would lead to their ns'' downfall? Surely not, but there was no reason for General Li to lie to them either.


    "General Li, could you ex¡ª"


    "You have no right to ask. Leave now! From now on, Yang Ze''s under the protection of the Martian military. Anyone who dares to threaten his safety will be killed."


    Gu Jiancheng nched as he backed off, as did the other n heads.


    On the other hand, n Head Yang remained where he was. "General Li, I can''t thank you enough foring to protect my son."


    "It''s no matter," Li Pu replied brusquely, though he seemed far less threatening to Yang Feng than with the other n heads.


    "Yang Feng, you old man, are you so shameless? Who wants to be your son? From the day you chased me out of the n and caused my mother''s death, I swore to have nothing to do with you! I apologize, General Li, for causing this mess. Please, send him out as well!"


    Yang Feng was so shameless that Yang Ze had no choice but to stand up for himself and publicly denounce his father.


    Li Pu stared at Yang Ze curiously. Although he had heard rumors that the rtionship between father and son had soured, he didn''t realize it had deteriorated to this extent. Indeed, it seemed as though n Head Yang hade to threaten his own son with the other n heads, rather than to protect him.


    Li Pu red at Yang Feng. "n Head Yang, please leave!"


    Within moments, the only two people remaining in the room were Li Pu and Yang Ze.


    "General Li, no matter who it was that sent you here, I owe you a tremendous favor," Yang Ze thanked him gratefully.


    "Haha, there''s no need to worry. If there''s anyone to thank, it''s your master. My orders came from the highest authorities of the world federation, and I was tasked to protect you no matter the cost."


    Yang Ze was shocked by the revtion. "Is the situation that serious?


    "You don''t know what happened during Earth''s Void Cup, do you? Other countries tried to pressure China into giving up its secrets, but they all failed. Of the members of Team Zenith, you''re the only one who''s not under China''s protection!" Li Pu exined, causing Yang Ze to treat this situation with far more urgency than he had done before.


    "I understand. In that case, I''d better not trouble you for too long, General Li. Would you be able to escort me to a teleportation array? I''ll head to Odinstadt and meet up with my master," Yang Ze replied.


    He would only feel secure once he was with the others.


    "Very good." Li Pu agreed with Yang Ze''s proposal almost immediately.


    Yang Ze reached out to Zhang Lie, whereas General Li began to arrange for safety precautions as he escorted Yang Ze out.


    "What''s going on, Captain? Why is there such a huge fuss?" Yang Ze asked as soon as the call connected.


    "Are you alright? The response was more shocking than I anticipated, but we''ve gotten everything in control now. Are you safe over there?"


    .


    "Thankfully, General Li came to my assistance in time, or I might have suffered a little."


    "Good, good. Are you going to being back now, or will you leave after the prize ceremony?"


    "Immediately, if possible. My presence here is likely a liability for General Li, and I wouldn''t want to detract him from his work."


    "In that case, we''re prepared to receive you¡ªwe just returned ourselves."


    Indeed, they would all be safer together in China. Countless factions all over the world were coveting the strength they had disyed, and they had eyes on Zhang Lie, on Team Zenith, and even on the Chu and Yun ns.


    After receiving Zhang Lie''s approval, Yang Ze immediately began to pack. Surrounded by Martian soldiers, he safely stepped into a teleportation array that would lead him back into China.


    By the central teleportation array that connected to the capital, Yang Ze was surrounded by a number of soldiers the moment he stepped out of the array, only to find a few familiar figures gathered nearby.


    "Yang Ze, you''re finally back!" Zhang Lie called out in wee, and the other members of Team Zenith rushed forward to greet him.


    "I told you to transfer citizenship to Earth, didn''t I? Thank goodness you''re safe!"


    "You were lucky that the captain mentioned that you probably needed special attention!"


    Yang Ze couldn''t help but contrast these warm words with what his father had to say to him.

 Chapter 218: Hong Tianqis Treasury

    <h4>Chapter 218: Hong Tianqi''s Treasury</h4>


    "Alright, now that you''re back, get ready for a trip tomorrow. We''ll all be heading to Hong Tianqi''s personal treasury." Zhang Lie smiled even as Yang Ze cocked his head.


    "Hong Tianqi? Who?" Instead of responding, Zhang Lie just grinned and left, while the other hunters of Team Zenith flocked forward and eagerly exined what had happened during the Void Cup, causing Yang Ze to btedly realize why he had been escorted by no less than General Li himself!


    Surrounded by soldiers, the members of Team Zenith safely arrived at the military base closest to the capital.


    The next day, right at dawn, Yan Long had someone wake all the hunters up. After a simple breakfast, they, apanied by Yan Long and Su Feng, headed toward Hong Tianqi''s treasury after three or four hops into various teleportation arrays. Ultimately, they arrived at a deep, hidden cave, a ce where even their transceivers were unable to receive any signal.


    "Wait here while I break the seal to the treasury," Yan Longmanded, then leapt forward as he released all his gic energy, summoning a glorious, incandescent dragon of fire from his body. As the dragon howled, it shot up into the sky; instead of the resounding crack that the hunters expected, the fiery dragon passed through without any resistance at all.


    As the dragon vanished, the ceiling of the cave began to shimmer with light, reminiscent of auroras. Yan Long, who was prepared for this spectacle, immediately shot out rays of light toward hidden locations in the cave, causing runic inscriptions to glow where the raysnded. The light concentrated around the center of the cave, forming a teleportation array around which the runic inscriptions snaked.


    Zhang Lie gasped. "As expected, even the security measures alone are¡ª"


    "Enter! I can''t keep this up for long!" Yan Long interrupted him before he could finish his thoughts.


    The hunters rushed through the array, finding themselves in a surprisinglyrge pce, a pce sorge they couldn''t see its roof, in a domain so expansive they couldn''t see where it ended...


    In truth, the hunters could barely believe that such magnificent architecture existed. Even Zhang Lie, who was in his second life, let out a gasp of surprise. The other hunters, even Su Feng, likewise gaped at the sight.


    "This is Hong Tianqi''s personal treasury. He''s given you an opportunity to pick out whatever you like, without any restrictions."


    The crowd was shocked into silence again. Whatever they liked?! This seemingly endless pce was filled to the brim with treasure. Just from a passing nce, Zhang Lie noticed a few extremely valuable herbs, with which he could easily brew a batch of Potion #1¡ªor even Potion #2.


    He had yet to get used to his new position as the lead researcher of China''s limit-fragment development team, and he didn''t realize just what benefits that position brought him.


    "Any treasure of my choice? Without any restriction on quantity or quality?" Zhang Lie pressed.


    "We''re rich!"


    "Captain, if we really do get to choose whatever we want¡ª"


    Yan Long scowled. "Do you need me to repeat myself? Yes, whatever you like, without any restriction whatsoever! Nevertheless, let me remind you to pick out things that are useful to you, rather than waste these resources unnecessarily."


    "In that case, we''d better get to work. Our first priority will be herbs, and our second, rare techniques!" Zhang Lie announced, mobilizing the hunters of Team Zenith.


    As he reached the shelves, he then turned back to the twomanders. "Commander Su, Commander Yan, you both have copies of the ingredients needed for Potion #1, don''t you? Please help me search for them!"


    Before they could reply, he headed deep into the treasury. The shelves and cabs were all made of some dark brown wood, sturdy and aged. The shelf in front of him boasted all manner of techniques, the lowest of which was pinnacle-grade. Zhang Lie didn''t have the time to look at them carefully. His gaze swept over the techniques'' names. Finding nothing interesting, he rushed toward the next shelf.


    The other hunters¡ªeven Su Feng and Yan Long¡ªproceeded to do the same. They were quickly able to cover the shelves within a hundred meters of the entrance, but just as they were about to expand their search radius, they found that the shelves farther out contained considerably less treasure.


    After all, this was Hong Tianqi''s personal treasury, and even though there were quite a number of treasures within, there had to be a limit somewhere. As they gradually walked out of the hundred-meter range, however, robots began to appear beside the hunters, the highest-grade robots avable to the military.


    Their appearance meant that Martial Sage Hong Tianqi had to be keeping his best treasures nearby. The robots didn''t strike; instead, they saluted Yan Long when they noticed him.


    "Commander Yan Long!" they shouted.


    "Secure the nearby area!"


    "Yes, Commander!"


    These robots were all equipped with artificial intelligence that made them resemble human beings to a surprising extent. Indeed, as long as their circuitry didn''t get destroyed, they would "live" even longer than actual humans.


    After hearing Yan Long''smand, they swiftly strode toward the entrance of the treasury while the hunters resumed their search, even more carefully than before.


    Zhang Lie had found quite a few treasures along the way. In terms of techniques, he had ultimately picked out two techniques that were particrly valuable, the footwork technique [Disorienting Phantoms], and the fist technique [One Punch].


    As its name suggested, [Disorienting Phantoms] consumed gic energy to construct realistic afterimages of a hunter which would disorient the target, whereas [One Punch] was a technique about one lone punch that boasted unparalleled power, converting the user''s gic energy into a devastating blow.


    This sounded straightforward, but was extremely difficult to execute in practice. Any ordinary technique could convert gic energy into force, but this technique was particrly special in terms of augmenting that force.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t have time to go through the specifics; after stuffing it into his potbellied-toad pouch, he moved on quickly to other treasures nearby.


    Other than techniques, what Zhang Lie was most excited about were herbs. As one of the strongest hunters of Earth, Martial Sage Hong Tianqi''s personal treasury was so rich in treasures that even Zhang Lie couldn''t help but marvel at the sight. There wererge quantities of rare herbs within, along with a few herbs that Zhang Lie hadn''t even seen before.


    He was particrly excited about having found a few primary ingredients for Potion #4, a potion that would provide a staggering fifty-point increase to the peak gene capacity. Even in his past life, during the golden age of pillmaking, only a scant few hunters had managed to obtain a bottle of Potion #4.


    He had anticipated being able to find some rare herbs here, but not in such quantity. Dreamleaf grass, bloodrot fruit, hundred-spriit flower, bark of underworld maple... he had found four of the eight primary ingredients in Hong Tianqi''s treasury alone.


    His luck in this life was staggering¡ªno, to be precise, this wasn''t luck. His prescience from his past life had had overwhelming repercussions on his growth, ones that he could hardly have imagined.


    If he weren''t so overwhelmingly strong, or if he hadn''t been able to demonstrate any results of his research on limit fragments, Martial Sage Hong Tianqi wouldn''t have consumed Potion #1 and allowed him ess to his personal treasury as rpense.


    After finishing searching through the shelves in his area, Zhang Lie turned to Fang Yi. "Fang Yi, quick, show me the herbs that you''ve found!"


    "Captain, what''s the matter? Why the urgency?"


    "I''ll tell youter¡ªshow me the herbs! If I can gather them all now, then..." Zhang Lie''s eyes were wide open, and the anticipation on his face more intense than Fang Yi had ever seen.


    As a result, Fang Yi hastily opened his potbellied-toad pouch and spilled out the herbs within. Zhang Lie''s excitement palpably diminished as he looked through Fang Yi''s spoils; he hadn''t found anything he wanted.


    Fang Yi had collected quite a few herbs, some of which were key ingredients needed for Potion #2 and Potion #3, and two of which were herbs he had never seen before, but none of the herbs he had collected were relevant for Potion #4. As a result, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but be disappointed.


    "Not bad¡ªkeep everything and continue searching!"


    Zhang Lie ran off in search of the others, leaving Fang Yi on his own. The next person Zhang Lie found was Yang Ze, who was generally rather lucky. After they searched through his gathered herbs, however, they found that Yang Ze, just like Fang Yi, didn''t have any herbs that had to do with Potion #4.


    Zhang Lie''s initial excitement was greatly discounted by these two failures, but the allure of Potion #4 was sorge that he still couldn''t drop the idea of concocting it entirely. As a result, he continued to look for the other members of Team Zenith to search through their gathered herbs, but neither Sun Mengmeng nor Sun Xiaowu had any relevant herbs either.


    Neither did Li Feng; Li Feng did have an auxiliary ingredient, but it was one of thousands that were possible for Potion #4, and it was one of the easier ones to acquire as well.


    When Zhang Lie finally found Zhou Ying, he had almost lost all hope, but...

 Chapter 219: Exceeds Expectations

    <h4>Chapter 219: Exceeds Expectations</h4>


    "Damask-lotus leaf and jadedrop flower!" Zhang Lie cried out, finding two more main ingredients for Potion #4 among the herbs that Zhou Ying had acquired.


    Zhou Ying had even managed to obtain two auxiliary herbs for Potion #4, leaving only two main ingredients that had to be found. In truth, Zhang Lie hadn''t expected that he would be able to acquire most of the extremely hard-to-find ingredients of Potion #4 within a single day, and the unparalleled sess invigorated him.


    When Zhou Ying saw Zhang Lie''s excited expression, she realized the value of the herbs she had found, and a smile appeared on her face.


    "Good, very good! Zhou Ying, you''re very lucky today¡ªkeep it up!" Zhang Lie ran off, continuing his search for the remaining herbs.


    There were only two more ingredients he needed for Potion #4, which he focused his attention on. It took him over an hour to go through the shelves he had breezed through the first time around, but unfortunately, he found neither of the two remaining herbs.


    At the same time, the members of Team Zenith, having finished their respective searches, gathered together by the entrance to the treasury.


    Yan Long and Su Feng, however, seemed to have vanished.


    Rather than search for them, the hunters decided to focus on cataloging their spoils. Except for herbs, the most valuable things the hunters had found were manuals and techniques, these being the two types of treasures most prevalent in this treasury.


    Because of Zhang Lie''s warning, the hunters had all picked out techniques that were special in some manner or another, and they had earned a veritable windfall.


    "Captain, what was going on just now? Why did you search through our pouches?" Yang Ze asked curiously, and the other hunters perked up as well.


    "No, it''s nothing. We''ve had an amazing haul today, and for your excellent performance in the Void Cup, I''ll make you each a bottle of Potion #2!" Zhang Lie smiled, distracting everyone with the mention of an amazing prize.


    This wasn''t the first time they had heard about Potion #2, but it was the first time he had ever mentioned more than its name.


    "P-Potion #2!"


    "Shh!" Zhang Lie shushed Yang Ze immediately. Even Potion #1 was a close-kept secret to the world atrge, let alone Potion #2. The members of Team Zenith weren''t stupid; they shot furtive nces at the robots nearby and held their questions forter.


    As they waited for the twomanders to return, the hunters began to chat¡ªabout the techniques they had found, as well as what Yang Ze had experienced on Mars.


    "Yang Ze, did you break off all rtions with the Yang n?" Zhang Lie suddenly asked a serious question that everyone had been evading, causing the atmosphere to be tense for a moment.


    Yang Ze frowned, then smiled brightly. "In the end, he only got close to me to try to get me to divulge the recipe for Potion #1. Why not sever tiespletely?"


    "What? Was he really so shameless? If nothing else, you''re still his son¡ª but he still worked together with others against you?!"


    "Your father''s dumb and blind¡ªyou''re better off without him!"


    The other hunters were immediately aggrieved on his behalf. In order to dispel the serious atmosphere that had descended, they even began to joke about each other, breaking Yang Ze free of his solitude as they did so. To him, these fellow hunters with whom he shared no blood rtions were his true family.


    Zhang Lie smiled in relief. "In that case, once the Void Cup''s over, you should renounce your Martian citizenship and return to Earth."


    "Yes, Captain!" Yang Ze nodded, obeying Zhang Lie without question.


    Only then could footsteps be heard from afar as the twomanders returned.


    "Well? Have you all obtained the treasures of your choice?" Yan Long asked.


    "Of course¡ªwe''ve been waiting for so long! How about you, Commanders? Did you find anything good?" Zhang Lie called back.


    No other hunter would have been so daring as to tease the twomanders, and Yan Long retorted, "It''s all for the sake of your precious herbs, isn''t it? We searched the entire area carefully just for them!"


    "We did find quite a few, so you''d better take your research seriously, you hear?" Su Feng opened his pouch and poured out the herbs he had found.


    Hidden dragon root! To his surprise, Zhang Lie found yet another ingredient for Potion #4.


    "Of course!" he agreed in excitement, reaching out for Su Feng and Yan Long''s pouches.


    "Don''t disappoint us!" Yan Long warned, handing over his as well.


    "Of course not, Commanders." Zhang Lie peeked into Yan Long''s pouch, only to find that most were rare herbs for Potions #1 and #2, with only a rare few for Potion #3. Zhang Lie was a little disappointed, but that disappointment rapidly faded away. After all, he had already managed to find seven of the eight major ingredients for Potion #4, a feat outside of his wildest imagination.

 Chapter 220: Relaxation in Busyness

    <h4>Chapter 220: Rxation in Busyness</h4>


    That he had gathered so many ingredients for Potion #4 already meant that he would have to move up his ns. Even after entering the second realm, his growth rate wouldn''t stall¡ªno, it might even increase!


    Thus ended the expedition within Hong Tianqi''s personal treasury.


    After bidding farewell to Yan Long and Su Feng, he brought the members of Team Zenith back to the cksteel Inn, where he retreated to the best undergroundboratory the inn had to offer.


    His ns had all been going smoothly to date, and his own strength, and those of his allies, were all improving rapidly. His next goal was to consolidate that strength and to make use of his recently obtained peak gene fragments to enhance the abilities of his framework and techniques.


    He would also be busy processing the piles of herbs that he had just obtained; after all, Yan Long, Su Feng, and even the Martial Sage Hong Tianqi viewed him so favorablyrgely because of his research on limit fragments.


    In the near future, there would be countless piles of herbs being shipped to China from countries worldwide, and Zhang Lie was even considering buying a few robots that would be able to perform basic precisionb work. After all, if he had to concoct all the potions himself, he would soon work himself to death.


    Zhang Lie spent his days concocting potions, improving his framework and techniques, mentoring his apprentices and disciples, and supervising his teammates. Before the disaster-grade lifeform appeared in the first realm of the dimensional world, there would be a lull of sorts, the calm before the storm.


    It was during this lull that Zhang Lie managed to improve his techniques¡ªin particr, [Eclipse]''s domain, which he had spent so much time and energy on. Thanks to the strength afforded by his newly acquired peak gene fragments, Zhang Lie finally managed tobine [Eclipse] with the three forms of his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    Thebined [Eclipse] possessed the specialties of all three forms, increased strength, and even more devastating abilities. Zhang Lie couldn''t help itching to test out the technique in practice.


    After seeding in strengthening [Eclipse]''s domain, his next goal was on cultivating [Ninesoul Dragonde], the auxiliary technique that came with [Ninecarp Transformation].


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Within the training chamber, Zhang Lie leapt up into the air with a shout, Venombane glinting with tri-colored gic energy. As he swung his de downward, a frightening resonance humming by its tip, the simted river beneath him really did seem to split apart.


    Zhang Lie reveled in the destruction that his single attack had caused. He had seeded, he had finally seeded! It had taken him over twenty days in the training chamber before his breakthrough, and it was time to observe how his teammates were getting along.


    When he opened the door to the training chamber, however, his nose was assailed by a strong herbal aroma. Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others were diligently sorting a pile of spiritual herbs.


    "What''s going on?"


    "What else? You were in there for three whole weeks, so when we got tired of cultivation, we continued to collect more herbs. We just got all these. Didn''t we do a good job?" Sun Mengmeng teased.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "Indeed, ?there are probably enough herbs in here to make another dozen bottles of Potion #1 or so¡ªah, wait, didn''t you guys already collect all the herbs from around the cksteel settlement when I made you each a bottle of Potion #1? Where did all thesee from?"


    As far as he knew, most of the herbs in and around the cksteel settlement had already been collected by Team Zenith, and it was unlikely that there would be so many herbs left in the vicinity.


    "Haha, Captain, there are settlements all over the dimensional world, aren''t there?" Yang Ze became cocky after seeing that even Zhang Lie seemed perturbed by just how many herbs they had acquired.


    "You''ve gone past the eastern forests into western territory? Is that where you acquired all these herbs?" Zhang Lie didn''t know any other possible exnation for their haul. The dimensional world was extremelyrge. The cksteel settlement was located near the eastern forests, and they hadn''t ever ventured far from it.


    In the past, Zhang Lie had warned the members of Team Zenith not to head out of the eastern forests at this stage in order to protect them, but they had clearly vited this warning.


    "Captain, we didn''t do it intentionally! Li Feng walked out of the border without knowing it, and since we had already done so, we decided to acquire the herbs avable there." Since Zhang Lie didn''t seem particrly angry, Yang Ze immediately dragged Li Feng down with him.


    "Don''t worry, it''s not a big deal. At any rate, all of you are strong enough that there are only a few ces in the first realm that you shouldn''t go toward. Well? How did the hunters in the west feel about your presence, and how much were they asking to sell these herbs for?"


    Rather than being upset that they had gone against one of his warnings, he was d that his teammates were independent and forward-looking¡ªafter all, it was best for them to be fending for themselves.


    Sun Mengmeng replied earnestly, "They didn''t think much of us. Most of them thought that we were merchants from the settlements of the eastern forest, but they did seem to value their herbs much more, especially after the revtion of limit fragments in the worldwide stage of the Void Cup. The price that we had to pay for these herbs is already threefold our original value!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "It looks like we had better take the opportunity to seize whatever herbs we can, or they''ll all be bought out quickly."

 Chapter 221: Returning to the Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 221: Returning to the Dojo</h4>


    The Zenith hunters'' herb collection was only a small interlude between long bouts of training, or rather, a way to rx and alleviate boredom.


    After understanding the situation, Zhang Lie hade up with a n, but it was one that he wouldn''t share with the members of Team Zenith for the moment. After all, the hunters had to prepare for the gctic stage of the Void Cup. Collecting herbs was a task that could easily be delegated to Zhang Hong and the other members of the Zenith Dojo.


    The hunters were spending a significant amount of time limating to their new techniques; Zhang Lie had opened their eyes to the subtle interactions between techniques and how to effectively use them in battle, and the techniques that they had chosen for themselves were highlypatible and possessed unique features, like Sun Mengmeng''s [Seven-Hued mes] or Fang Yi''s [Thousand Forms of Thunder].


    The opponents that they would face in the gctic stage weren''t just humans, but rather all lifeforms in the Milky Way. There were quite a few alien races who were naturally more talented than humans, so despite their dominance on Earth, or even in the sr system atrge, they didn''t dare take things easily.


    After all, ording to Zhang Lie, although they were certainly stronger than most, they wouldn''t necessarily be able to dominate their opponents as they had before.


    In truth, Zhang Lie could have given them each a bottle of Potion #3, but he chose not to do so. It wasn''t necessarily a good thing for the hunters to grow too strong too quickly. If he were to raise their strength too recklessly, their foundations and mentality might crumble. They weren''t Zhang Lie, and they hadn''t ovee the hurdles and obstacles that naturally came about from decades of life.


    This Void Cup would be a whetstone for their growth, and he would do his best to prepare them for that by working with them on their techniques, their frameworks, and giving them the best environment in which to grow.


    For the next three months, Zhang Lie devoted himself to the members of Team Zenith and concocting potions. During this period of time, Yan Long and Su Feng would intermittently send them shipments of herbs, taking bottles of Potion #1 as rpense. These bottles of Potion #1 were ultimately handed over to the top soldiers of the Chinese military, and some were given to the top-ranking officials of other countries thanks to their generous ''donation'' of herbs.


    The other countries on Earth began researching this miraculous Potion #1 in earnest, but Zhang Lie was certain that they wouldn''t be able to analyze how he had concocted it within the short term.


    They would have no choice but to continue trading massive bundles of herbs for more of these potions from China; perhaps they would be able to reproduce the potion after a few more such trades, but by that time, Zhang Lie intended to announce the formtion of Potion #1 outright.


    Before the other countries could get toofortable, however, he would announce the existence of Potion #2, and then of Potion #3. In order to keep up with his progress, the other countries would have no choice but to continue sending him massive shipments of herbs, solidifying his advantage.


    Late in the afternoon, the sun shone brightly over the Zenith Dojo. In Ning, in China, and even in all of Earth, the Zenith Dojo was developing into a significant force. Zhang Lie had abdicated his duties; during this period of time, Zhang Hong attracted all manner of instructors to the Zenith Dojo on the basis of Lin Xiu''s strength and fame, spreading offshoots of the Zenith Dojo all over China.


    By then, every Chinese hunter knew of the Zenith Dojo, and it had shaken the dojo consortium to its roots. Indeed, many of the original Ning dojos had long since moved out, leaving no other respectable dojo in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, the original branch of the Zenith Dojo kept gettingrger and more well-equipped with renovation after renovation.


    A sh of light illuminated the teleportation array as ?Zhang Lie brought the members of Team Zenith back to Earth. The gctic stage of the Void Cup was about to descend, and it was time for them to finalize their preparations.


    "Dojo Leader!" The moment they stepped out of the array, a shout of wee could be heard from the distance, and Zhang Hong was immediately notified of the news.


    "You''ve worked hard!" Zhang Lie stepped down from the array with the other hunters.


    In this time and age, it was very important for a developing faction or dojo to have an attendant guarding the teleportation arrays they controlled at all times. The hunter who guarded the Zenith Dojo''s main array was the 27-year-old female hunter Lu Li, a notable killer in the second realm. She had been attracted by the Zenith Dojo''s philosophy and had entered the dojo after a test administered by Zhang Lie himself.


    She was the first face that iing visitors to the Zenith Dojo would see, as well as a sentry for the dojo besides.


    "Not at all, Sir. I''m honored to be doing my best for the dojo!"


    "Very good. From the fluctuations in your gic energy, it looks as though your rehabilitation after the foundational breakthrough has been very sessful. Have you informed Zhang Hong about my return?"


    "Ah, I''m here, I''m here! Really, you should send word sooner next time!"


    Red light shed beside them, and thewyer-turned-administrator of the Zenith Dojo appeared before Zhang Lie. Given Zhang Lie''s new status, there were only a rare few people who dared to speak to him in such a casual manner, and Zhang Hong was one such.


    For some reason, perhaps because she had known him while he was still nameless, when he had reached out asking for her to draft a contract for buying a house, the two of them felt some sort of kinship to each other. That was why Zhang Lie had reached out to her when he wanted to purchasend for the Zenith Dojo.


    He admired how Zhang Hong was frank yet polite no matter whom she was dealing with, and it was her nature that ultimately won Zhang Lie''s confidence and instated her in her current position.


    "Has anything major happened while I was gone?"


    Zhang Hong smiled. "Nothing major, though there have been a lot of minor things."

 Chapter 222: Last-Minute Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 222: Last-Minute Preparations</h4>


    "As long as everyone''s alright. How are Jiuxiao and Xianchen doing?" Zhang Lie had been ratherissez-faire about the dojo''s operations because he trusted Zhang Hong to take care of them.


    "Your two apprentices? They''ve been training day in and day out as though their lives depended on it¡ªI feel sorry for them just watching it, so you''d better not assign them too many trials!" Zhang Hong chastised him lightly.


    Zhang Lie began tough. "They''re training of their own ord¡ªI didn''t assign them any goals."


    "Hoh?" Zhang Hong seemed momentarily taken aback. "I suppose they must be pressured to make something of themselves with a master like you. Are you going to take a look at them?"


    "Yes. I''ll have to leave for quite some time afterward, so I need to talk with everyone at the dojo before I leave."


    It was almost time for the gctic stage of the Void Cup, which would be held on the Ural at the heart of the Milky Way. Ural was very far from the sr system, and even with these teleportation arrays, it would be at least a three-day journey, and the round trip and tournament would take around ten days or so.


    Ten days didn''t seem like such a long time, but it was three whole months within the dimensional world. As a result, he had to make sure to take care of affairs in the Zenith Dojo and with regards to his sister, Zhang Hanxiang.


    In one of the Zenith Dojo''s training arenas, the air filled with crackling lightning and dark, murky fog, a pair of children were fighting against each other. The boy was surrounded by wind and storm, and the girl exuded ck fog wherever she went. They each had a specialized, sturdy wooden sword with which they were swinging at each other.


    As the two swords shed against each other, the two children paused momentarily.


    Before the two of them could continue, apuse came from the entrance. Zhang Lie praised, "You''ve both improved tremendously!"


    "Master!"


    Zhang Lie slowly walked toward the arena, instantly attracting their attention.


    "Weren''t you working on something important?"


    "When did youe back?"


    The two children jumped out of the arena and darted to his side.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I''m finished with all that, of course. Isn''t it normal for a master to check up on his disciples?"


    Jun Jiuxiaoughed. "Perhaps for a normal master, but we both know that you''re the busiest person in the entire dojo."


    "I''m so d you had the time to see us!" Ye Xianchen added.


    The two children were more thoughtful than he anticipated.


    "You''re both smart and capable, so I''m relieved to have both of you around." Zhang Lie found his apprentices more and more pleasing to the eye. "The two of you both seem to have made significant progress with your frameworks, but you seem to be rather rigid and inflexible with your techniques. Do you have any questions for me? Let''s focus on working this out for now."


    "Yes!"


    "Thank you, Master!"


    They peppered Zhang Lie with questions, which he answered methodically based on his experience in his two lives. So went the afternoon; they had gone over almost every problem his two apprentices had disyed during the fight, and Zhang Lie had had them practice until he was satisfied with the results.


    As long as the two of them stuck to their training regimen, they would be fine for the future. Once thest problem was resolved, Zhang Lie stood up and stretched.


    By then, Sun Mengmeng had been waiting by the door for quite some time.


    "I''m going to be leaving for the gctic stage of the Void Cup. Keep practicing; once I return, I''ll make sure to check up on your progress.


    "Yes, Master! Don''t worry¡ªwe won''t let you down!"


    Zhang Lie patted both of them on the head and walked out. "The dimensional world''s time dtion is very suitable for quiet meditation and cultivation. Feel free to train there, but without my order, you''re not to leave the settlement to try to get basic gene fragments for yourselves. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie then hosted a special seminar for the remaining disciples, during which time he could check up on and evaluate their progress. When all this was done, he had a meeting with Zhang Hong and the most senior dojo instructors, the final task for the day.


    Affairs at the dojo satisfactorily resolved, all that remained was to talk with his sister. That night, Zhang Lie slipped into the Holy Glory Academy like a ghost, a ck cowl over his head. Unlikest time, however, Zhang Lie had informed his sister beforehand.


    The two of them arranged to meet at a rather quiet library in the academy, one with only a few diligent students at thiste hour. When Zhang Lie arrived at the door to the library, he saw the three girls waiting for him from afar.


    Zhang Hanxiang was seated primly on her wheelchair, ncing left and right in order to try to catch a glimpse of her brother, while her two attendants were chattering away. They seemed to be the two girls he had metst time around, Qingqing and Lizi.


    "Hanxiang, we''re on good terms, aren''t we? You''re not lying to us?" Qingqing, who had fainted thest time around, was flushed and excited.


    "Qingqing, you know Hanxiang wouldn''t lie to either of us¡ªhow many times have you asked this question already?!"


    "Ah, ah, I''m just excited, that''s all! I have a signature pad ready, too!"


    "Don''t worry, Qingqing¡ªmy brother promised to be here at 9 PM, and I''m sure he''ll be punctual!" Zhang Hanxiang replied.


    "Of course! I wouldn''t dare bete to a meeting with my dear sister." A dark shadow suddenly appeared in front of the girls.

 Chapter 223: Saying Goodbye to Hanxiang

    <h4>Chapter 223: Saying Goodbye to Hanxiang</h4>


    The sudden voice startled all three girls, but Hanxiang was familiar enough with Zhang Lie''s voice that she reacted instantly. "Brother!"


    "Dr-Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Ah, my idol!"


    Qingqing and Lizi called out.


    "Shh! Be quiet! Let''s find a ce to sit down and talk." Zhang Lie pushed Zhang Hanxiang''s wheelchair into the library.


    Qingqing and Lizi followed suit, their eyes having been reced with red hearts. The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, from close up, looked less like a brave, valiant hunter and more an amiable, easygoing man, a change that left the two girls even more infatuated.


    The four of them sat down at a table. When Zhang Hanxiang saw how her two suitemates were staring at her brother, she teased, "Qingqing, Lizi, can you wipe that drool off your faces? I''m right here!"


    Qingqing and Lizi both averted their gazes in embarrassment.


    "Haha, Hanxiang, what could you mean?"


    "We met even before your brother became famous, didn''t we?"


    Both girls seemed afraid that Zhang Lie would misunderstand, but in truth, if Zhang Hanxiang weren''t around, he wouldn''t treat them any differently from ordinary citizens he walked by.


    "Who knows?" Zhang Hanxiang murmured, seven parts joking and three parts serious. For some reason, she felt a little jealous when she saw her brother being the object of adtion of other girls; before her brother had be famous, neither she nor he had ever been noticed by others.


    After her brother''s sudden rise to poprity, Zhang Hanxiang, who was secretly very lonely, began to feel quite ufortable and scared. She was worried that her brother would be snatched away by some other girl, dragging him away from her life. That was why she had wanted to be a gic hunter.


    This time around, that desire grew even stronger. She wanted to be a hunter and stand beside him, facing whatever troubles came at them together.


    In truth, she was oveplicating matters; no matter what, Zhang Lie had no intention of casting her aside.


    "Don''t worry, Hanxiang, I''m satisfied enough just seeing the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie close up. I won''t bother the two of you."


    "Right, we won''t bother you!"


    They nodded toward Zhang Lie and moved to a nearby table.


    "Sorry, it looks like I''ve coddled my sister a little too much," Zhang Lie apologized, smiling at them, causing their footsteps to lighten. Turning to his sister, he asked, "What''s the matter? Why are you unhappy?"


    "It''s nothing much, Brother. Are you going to be leaving for some time again?"


    "Right, the gctic stage of the Void Cup''s about to begin, and I''ll be traveling out of the sr system."


    Zhang Hanxiang pursed her lips. "For how long?"


    "Between ten days and two weeks, most likely."


    "Ah, that long...? Will I be able to stand¡ªor be a gic hunter, even¡ªonce you return?" Zhang Hanxiang asked seriously.


    "Of course! When have I ever broken a promise to you? Focus on your studies and await my return, won''t you?"


    Zhang Hanxiang beamed. "Thank you, Brother!"


    "Of course. We''re family, aren''t we? But I''m also here to give you a warning. Because my research on limit fragments is top-secret, you might be a target of those people aiming for me. While I''m gone, try to stay in your dormitory as much as possible¡ªand don''t leave campus grounds, do you understand? I''ve informed the academy, and even the troops stationed outside the academy, about this, but still, be as alert as possible."


    "Is it that serious, Brother? I understand." Zhang Hanxiang smiled, seemingly more rxed than before. Her brother''s care for her had never changed, despite his fame! No matter what he nned to do, he wouldn''t leave her alone.


    She felt a series of conflicting urges in her mind. On one hand, she wanted to be able to stand up and grow strong, but on the other, she couldn''t help wanting to feel this sensation of being perfectly cared for.


    Their chat then devolved into considerably less serious topics, and half an hourter, Zhang Lie walked out of the library relieved that his sister would be fine. It was time for him to meet up with the rest of Team Zenith to head out on their journey.


    By this time, Su Feng had stomped around the teleportation array at the Zenith Dojo for almost half an hour, causing the members of Team Zenith to feel dizzy as they followed his movements.


    "Don''t worry, Commander Su. I''m sure our captain will be back shortly!" Sun Mengmeng nced curiously at Su Feng, wondering why he always seemed to be so easily infuriated around Zhang Lie.


    "Don''t worry?! How can I not? Don''t forget that your captain was a hunter who almost forgot to register for the Void Cup! Furthermore, this is the best opportunity in over a century for Earth to win the Void Cup and ascend to the Void Throne. You might not know just what that repres¡ª"


    Before he could get to the crux of the matter, however, his transceiver began to beep. Su Feng paused and epted the call.


    "What''s going on, Su Feng? Didn''t I tell you to bring them over to the capital sooner? Where''s Zhang Lie? He''s turned off his transceiver¡ªjust what is he doing?!"


    Su Feng shrugged as he nced at the other hunters of Team Zenith, but he still had to exin matters to Yan Long.


    "I''m waiting at the Zenith Dojo," he replied. "That brat''s gone to the Holy Glory Academy, and he should be back soon. Once he''s here, I''ll tie him up and drag him to the capital if I must!"

 Chapter 224: The Four Prime Races

    <h4>Chapter 224: The Four Prime Races</h4>


    Of course, Su Feng didn''t end up tying Zhang Lie up and dragging him to the capital. Not a few minutester, Zhang Lie returned to the dojo, and everyone headed into the teleportation array.


    In the capital, by the central teleportation array that connected to the capital, soldiers were already standing guard awaiting their arrival, as were Yan Long and a few important officials of the military.


    By this point, Zhang Lie''s status in China had reached a ridiculous extent, and even Yan Long and his superiors didn''t dare treat Zhang Lie lightly. After all, not only was he the foremost researcher of limit fragments in the entire world, he had even gained the approval of one of the highest authorities of Earth.


    "Zhang Lie, you''re finally here! Do you know how long we spent waiting for you?"


    Yan Long walked up to him in a hurry.


    "How many? Isn''t it just you, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing?"


    "Hardly! Every country has sent a representative overe with me!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. Just what were these other countries doing here? Zhang Lie followed Yan Long and the other officials into a conference room in a nearby building. When Zhang Lie entered, the representatives from over a hundred countries worldwide all stood up.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie!"


    "Ah, hello," Zhang Lie replied, still somewhat unsettled by his newfound poprity.


    "There''s no need to be so formal, everyone¡ªI''ve brought the man here, so tell him what you want!" Yan Long announced.


    Thinking back to his past life''s memories of the Void Throne, Zhang Lie had an inkling as to why everyone had gathered here today.


    "Zhang Lie, it''s good to see you. I''m Representative Federer from Ennd, and I''m here today for two reasons: first, to meet you in person, and to exchange for more bottles of Potion #1, and second, to send you off. Representatives from 178 countries around the world have gathered here today in hopes that you''ll win the Void Cup and ascend to the Void Throne!"


    The solemnity and unison of the representatives shocked Zhang Lie. Was the Void Throne worth so much?


    "Thank you for the well wishes. I will bring the Void Throne back to Earth!" Zhang Lie replied, not missing a beat despite his private doubts.


    The representatives broke out in thunderous apuse, then apanied him all the way to the teleportation array, shocking the other members of Team Zenith, as well as Chu Feng and Yun Bing. As hundreds of people watched on, Zhang Lie and the others stepped into the array and took the first step on their long journey toward Ural.


    Ural was a particrly prosperous, about ten times the size of Earth. The was divided up into hundreds of tribes and was controlled by the native Uraloids. The Uraloids came in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but most were humanoid lifeforms.


    Of the tens of thousands of races represented on Ural, the strongest four were the starbeasts, nightdemons, aquatic, and winged.


    The gctic stage of the Void Cup would begin in just five days'' time, and the strongest members of the younger generation from each of the four ns had long since made their way to the holy capital of Ural.


    The Sufei Hotel in the capital was constructed out of massive bones, making it look as though its guests were walking into the maw of a great beast. In one of the penthouse suites, a member of the winged race, Phoenix, was ncing out the hotel. The winged were the most humanoid of the four prime races.


    Behind him, four winged lifeforms stood stock-still behind him. Except for the wings protruding from their backs, they looked no different from humans.


    "Have you obtained a roster of thepetitors?" Phoenix asked, sipping a cup of amber wine.


    "Yes, Highness!" The red-winged female bowed, then strode forward with a booklet in her hands.


    "I can''t be bothered to read it. Are there any opponents worth my time?" Phoenix nced down at the booklet, then looked away.


    The red-winged female replied, "No, Your Highness. If there''s anyone new remotely worth looking into, it could only be one of Earth''s champions, a hunter known as the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie."


    "The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie? A human?" Phoenix smirked. "I don''t think I recall them ever doing well during the Void Cup."


    "That''s correct, Your Highness, but thepetitors this year look much better than the ones from before. Of course, it''s possible that the footage we''ve seen has been manipted..."


    The red-winged female didn''t seem to think too highly of humans, but it was only natural. Since the inauguration of the Void Cup, except for one particr year, the human champions would always be eliminated to thest in the first round.


    "Haha, Hong Yu, you must be mistaken. How could those unevolved lifeforms ever hope to improve? The footage you''ve seen must be doctored!" the ck-winged man beside her mocked.


    Phoenix didn''t say anything. He waved a hand insouciantly, motioning for his four attendants to step outside.

 Chapter 225: The Winged Races Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 225: The Winged Race''s Invitation</h4>


    Just like the winged, the other three prime races had also gotten their hands on a roster ofpetitors, and Zhang Lie''s name had been brought up in each of their conversations. After all, this human''spetition record seemed rather abnormal.


    Just as the representatives of the four races viewed Zhang Lie as apetitor, so too did Zhang Lie, who was rushing through array after array on his way to Ural, view the representatives of the four races as opponents.


    Yes, opponents! For Zhang Lie, an opponent was someone whom he had to worry about; even on Earth, he had never viewed those major ns that had caused trouble for him as opponents.


    The world wasn''t fair, nor the gxy. The starbeasts, nightdemons, aquatic, and winged races, heralded as the four prime races of the Milky Way, boasted talent that the other races could only aspire toward.


    Their ability to assimte gene fragments was far stronger than that of mankind, and their immeasurable racial talent had catapulted them ahead of the other races. They would be worthwhilepetitors for Zhang Lie.


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye. When Zhang Lie stepped into the Ural capital, he was immediately captivated by the charming city in front of him, an architecture of bones, redolent of the ancient past. The contrast between the advanced technology that saturated the city and these unusual buildings evoked a curious sense of discordant harmony.


    The members of Team Zenith were likewise shocked by the sight. As they nced at the alien lifeforms walking through the streets, Yang Ze couldn''t help but gasp in awe.


    "It''s interesting, but there''s no need to look so shocked, is there? If you can''t handle the sight, you''d better not im that you''re affiliated with us!" Fang Yi teased, causing everyone tough.


    At the very front, Yan Long said, "Zhang Lie, it''s your first time seeing such a ce, isn''t it? A fascinating sight to behold, surely!"


    "Indeed, but I''m more concerned about the four prime races on this and other nearbys," Zhang Lie replied, hispetitiveness rising. His goal for the final stage of the Void Cup was to obtain an item that could help his sister, as well as to spar against these four races.


    Ever since this new age of gic assimtion, the human delegation to the Void Cup had been defeated by one of these four races within the first round, the only exception being when Hong Tianqi was a participant.


    Although the past Zhang Lie had made it all the way to the fourth realm in the past, he was little more than cannon fodder; he had advanced from realm to realm after meeting only the minimum requirements, crippling his foundation and stunting his growth.


    As a result, he was very interested in just how hepared to these four races in the present.


    "Haha, are you that excited to face them? They''re not easy opponents, so don''t treat them lightly!" Su Feng warned.


    "Don''t worry!" Zhang Lie replied, walking even faster onward.


    As they walked faster, trying to approach the Nike Hotel where they would be staying, two winged humanoidsnded in front of them. Based on their appearance, they were likely representatives of the winged race.


    "May I ask if you''re the representatives from Earth?" the red-winged woman asked.


    They didn''t speak in Chinese, but the trantion earpieces that all the hunters were wearing made it seem as though they were. These earpieces had spread far and wide across the gxy, tranting between thenguages of all sentient lifeforms, the first step to gcticmunication.


    The hunters paused; eventually, Yan Long spoke up. "Are you representatives of the winged?"


    "Indeed. I am Hong Yu, tasked by my master Phoenix to invite thepetitors of Earth to the Sufei Hotel for an evening banquet."


    Yan Long stared. He had led the Earth representatives to the gctic stage of the Void Cup several times by now, but he had never received such treatment¡ªthe winged were personally inviting them to an evening banquet! That implied that they had begun paying attention to Zhang Lie! After a momentary bout of exultation and pride, however, Yan Long couldn''t help but feel worried.


    He turned to nce at Zhang Lie, seeking his opinion and simultaneously cursing his dominating performance during the worldwide stage of the Void Cup. This nce told Hong Yu just who was in charge of this delegation.


    "You must be Mr. Zhang Lie! You''re as extraordinary as they im. Would you be willing to make an appearance?" Hong Yu asked Zhang Lie directly.


    "I apologize, Ms. Hong Yu, but we''re all a bit exhausted after the long trip. Perhaps another day?"


    A... refusal? He had refused Phoenix''s invitation! Hong Yu''s face was clearly marked with shock¡ªHis Royal Highness Phoenix had sent her with this invitation himself, and there were countless otherpetitors who would have done anything to get into the banquet!


    Even Yan Long, Su Feng, and the other hunters hadn''t expected Zhang Lie''s sudden refusal, but it certainly was consistent with Zhang Lie''s attitude. Although Hong Yu had tendered the invitation politely, it was clear that she rather looked down on mankind, as though it were a great honor that they were being invited to the banquet itself.


    Perhaps a lesser hunter might have sumbed to temptation, but Zhang Lie''s stubbornness caused him to reject the invitation out of contempt.


    A sudden tension descended on the two parties, and the yellow-winged man standing beside Hong Yu couldn''t take the provocation any longer. "You damned lowlives, just you¡ª"


    "Ali!" Hong Su cut him off.


    "I apologize. Ali''s still rather young, and he''s not been trained as a diplomat. Since you''re all exhausted from your travels, I''ll report back to my master and arrange for a meeting at a different time," Hong Yu replied politely, showing no sense of the dissatisfaction she surely felt. Her propriety even in the face of such naked refusal surprised even Zhang Lie.


    "I do apologize. Allow me to host a banquet and invite the four prime races together in the future!" Zhang Lie suggested, the glint in his eyes causing Hong Yu and Ali to look in his direction.

 Chapter 226: An Evening Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 226: An Evening Banquet</h4>


    Inviting the four races? Even Hong Yu showed a brief expression of disdain at that remark. This human was truly contemptible and shameless¡ªwas the implication that only all four prime races together would be worth his time? Did he truly think that he was all that?


    Hong Yu didn''t respond. With a faint smile stered on her face, she dragged Ali off into the distance.


    "Zhang Lie, can you stop causing trouble?" Yan Long questioned him almost as soon as the winged had left. The winged hade over to invite them personally¡ªand Zhang Lie had declined the invitation just like that!


    "Better to have them think us provincial and overconfident, don''t you think?"


    Yan Long, who had been doubting his decision, instantly understood what Zhang Lie meant. While they traveled, Yan Long had informed them all about the four prime races, who had dominated the Void Cup and won almost nine times out of ten. Zhang Lie''s attitude was meant to provoke them and to get them to underestimate him, instead.


    "If we epted the winged''s invitation, we would surely have to do the same for the other races'' invitation, and I wasn''t lying when I said I was a little tired," Zhang Lie added.


    The encounter with Hong Yu was just a small interlude, though not the only one. Zhang Lie and the others received invitations from a variety of other races that had taken note of him, but after refusing the winged''s invitation, he had no qualms about rejecting them all.


    In the monarch suite of the Ss Hotel, one of the aquatic race''spetitors, Lianna, began tough. "You must be joking, Hua! Are thepetitors from Earth really so strange?"


    "Lianna, the rumors have spread all around the capital¡ªI''m sure it''s the truth!"


    Lianna cavorted in the water as she heard the news, her arms covered in mysterious, luminescent scales. The prime aquatic race wasrgely humanoid, though there were also countless other aquatic lifeforms that came in all shapes and sizes, unsurprising given therge number of aquatic lifeforms that existed. There were over a dozen princes and princesses of the prime aquatic race, let alone the others.


    "So Phoenix got snubbed, then?" Liannaughed again.


    "Indeed! I heard that Phoenix sent word to have the wingedpetitors teach their human counterparts a lesson if they came across them during the gctic stage," spoke a young woman whose lower half was draped in a mysterious blue fog.


    "Is that so? Well, it''s not clear to me just who will be punishing whom," Lianna replied, smiling happily just imagining Phoenix''s treatment.


    "Ah, Lianna, what do you mean? Surely you can''t think that¡ª"


    "Who knows? His research is certainly far beyond what his race should have been able toe up with, at any rate," Lianna added.


    Despite Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strength, it was still rather rare for hispetitors, predilected unfavorably toward the human race, to take him seriously. Most of them, unlike Lianna, were tricked by the first impression he had given off, and thought of him as just a lucky hunter who had coincidentallye across some powerful inheritance, like the starbeasts and nightdemons.


    The starbeasts boasted the strongest physical capabilities of any known race in the Milky Way, and they were far more capable of absorbing and assimting gene fragments than humans. As a result, these limit fragments that Zhang Lie had supposedly discovered seemed like a joke to them. After all, they didn''t have human forms, and the technique wasn''t necessarilypatible with their alien biology.


    As for the nightdemons, a new n head had just ascended to power, and his current objective was to consolidate power. Under his leadership, the nightdemons scoffed at these so-called limit fragments, recognizing no one but themselves as the superior race. Their n head had personally tasked them with taking the top three ces in the tournament, ?and they were almost as brash and daring as Zhang Lie himself.


    However, even though the nightdemons didn''t pay much attention to Zhang Le, a rted offshoot race, the night spirits, did. Unfortunately, the night spirits weren''t able to draw any attention to their cause, so they decided to approach the humans on their own.


    Their goal was to get a sense of the humans'' strength, as well as to learn about this theory of limit fragments that Zhang Lie had proposed.


    By the time the theory had made its way over the gxy, the long distances over which it had to travel had garbled the message, and they naturally wouldn''t put much faith in a theory for which they had no evidence.


    Conveniently for them, they were rather lucky¡ªthe hotel in which they were currently staying was exactly the same one that Yan Long had booked, the Nike Hotel. They covertly sent Zhang Lie an invitation. In truth, they didn''t expect anything toe out of it, but Zhang Lie, who had rejected the winged instantly, epted the invitation of the night spirits.


    Despite the rtive secrecy, the news spread throughout the capital instantly. By the time Zhang Lie and the others were ready to attend the night spirits'' banquet, the otherpetitors had all found out about the affair.


    "What''s going on? Just what are those Earthlings trying to do? They don''t want to live, do they?" In the penthouse suite of the Sufei hotel, Phoenix stared at his subordinates with an ugly expression on his face, and Hong Yu, Ali, and his other subordinates all looked on with thunderous expressions.


    "Your Highness, these monkeys don''t know anymon courtesy. Allow me to teach them a lesson!" Ali shouted, proffering his de. If Phoenix were to order him to do so, he would stop at nothing to kill the hunters of Earth.


    However, before even Phoenix could respond, Hong Yu had stepped forward as well. "We can''t¡ªthis is the capital, and we''re under the scrutiny of the entire gxy at the moment! Even if we were to seed, the punishment from the world federation would be too much to be worth bearing."


    Phoenix frowned. Indeed, as Hong Yu said, even the four prime ns couldn''t do whatever they wanted in the days before and during the Void Cup. After all, the Void Cup was organized by the world federation itself, and it was a horrible idea indeed to offend the highest authorities of the federation for worthless Earthling trash.


    That Zhang Lie had epted the invitation of the night spirits but rejected that from the winged n was a huge insult, but one that the winged n couldn''t yet repay in kind.


    Hong Yu added, "Highness, if it were only the Earthlings, I wouldn''t care, but the night spirits¡ª"


    .


    "Hong Yu, do you mean that this might be a plot from that scheming woman, Ye Mo?" Phoenix interrupted her halfway, guessing her thoughts, his features twisting in growing rage.


    "It''s not impossible. After all, even though the night spirits are a minor force, Zhang Lie hasn''t epted anyone else''s invitation, and even though their delegations are staying at the same hotel, I''m almost certain that the nightdemons had something to do with it!"


    Phoenix frowned once more. "I don''t want to hear any more news about these damned Earthlings. If we see them on stage, however¡ªkill them all!"


    "Yes, Highness!" They, who had been with Phoenix for years, knew how angry he was. The Earthlingpetitors would surely be decimated without fail.


    Zhang Lie knew how much his actions would offend the winged, but he had done so anyway in a bid to disrupt their mental state.


    That evening, the young leader of the night spirits, Ye Mo, personally led Zhang Lie to the Yehua Hall. "How do you like it here, Mr. Zhang Lie? This is the mostvish hall in the Nike Hotel!"


    "You honor me with this banquet, Ms. Ye Mo," Zhang Lie replied, ncing all around him. The silverware, decor, and even the food to be served all boasted a Chinese ir. It looked as though the night spirits had designed this banquet intently and with exacting detail.


    "Of course¡ªyou''re all honored guests! This is the least we could do," Ye Mo replied.

 Chapter 227: The Nightdemon Representative

    <h4>Chapter 227: The Nightdemon Representative</h4>


    As thepetitors from Earth headed to the night spirits'' banquet, the nightdemons finally made their move.


    "Fu Bo, head to the Nike Hotel and see what Ye Mo''s doing there," the young leader of the nightdemons, Pu Kui,manded.


    "Yes, Mistress!" her male attendant, jade-green runic inscriptions running up and down his body, replied earnestly.


    "As a representative of my n, remember to act politely!" Pu Kui called out from behind.


    "Yes, Mistress!" Fu Bo responded again, then vanished from sight.


    Ye Mo was the young leader of the night spirits. She wasn''t particrly strong, but her foresight and intuition were incredibly urate, and the fact that she had invited the other party to a banquet meant that he had to be valuable in some fashion or another.


    In the Nike Hotel, the Chinesepetitors got seated, and the dishes that had already been prepared at the table were finally unveiled. There was a sumptuous feast prepared, and except for a few specialties, the rest of the food was all Chinese delicacies.


    Indeed, their gracious host had put in significant effort for this banquet, and the Chinese hunters all felt favorably toward her. After all, although the night spirits were subordinate to the night demons, they were still far stronger than mankind in general, and the fact that she had shown such sincerity and care was trulymendable.


    "Please, Mr. Zhang Lie, have a taste of the food. I hope it''s to your liking," Ye Mo began. The hunters, indeed hungry, dug in with gusto. The food was surprisingly delicious, the best meal that they had all had in their three days of travel.


    "Ms. Ye Mo, if there''s anything you''d like to ask me about, please be direct," Zhang Lie requested halfway through the feast.


    Ye Mo stilled, then smiled kindly. "It''s nothing important. I''m simply curious about such a legendary figure as you, Mr. Zhang."


    "Please, Ms. Ye, I know the limits of my strength. Perhaps I might be a strong hunter within the sr system, but within the Milky Way,pared to a n like your night spirits, I''m certainly no one special at all. If I''m not mistaken, you must be here on ount of limit fragments!"


    Ye Mo didn''t expect such directness from Zhang Lie, but she quickly recovered.


    "Indeed, Mr. Zhang Lie. The purpose of this banquet was twofold: to meet the legendary hunters from Earth, and to learn more about this mysterious theory of limit fragments that is the source of your newfound strength."


    She even reverted to her demonic form, a transformation specific to the nightdemons. Sharp spikes protruded from her joints and her irises vanished, leaving only white eyeballs behind. A ck exoskeleton formed over her body as a scorpion''s tail sprang out from underneath her dress. Dark mist wafted from her body, making her look as though she had stepped out of a nightmare.


    Their gracious host, who had looked much like a human, transformed into a demonic being.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, the night spirits are particrly humanoid members of the nightdemon race, with over 50% simrity in terms of our DNA. I''d like to know whether your theory of limit fragments can be applied to the night spirits as well."


    Her deration shocked the guests gathered at the banquet table.


    "You''re refreshingly direct, Ms. Ye Mo. To be honest, I know very little about the night spirits, or even the nightdemons as a whole. It''s impossible for me to say anything conclusive under these circumstances, but in theory, this theoretical framework should be applicable to any intelligent lifeform. However, the precise formtion of these limit-breaking potions is certainly race-specific, and identifying this formtion will require a significant amount ofbor," Zhang Lie replied.


    Judging from Zhang Lie''s words, finding the key to this breakthrough was a matter of research and analysis, and could indeed be actualized.


    "Very well! May I ask what you require for your cooperation, Mr. Zhang Lie?" Ye Mo pressed, understanding very well that this was an opportunity that might note again.


    "I won''t make a difficult reque¡ª"


    "Ah, please wait, Honored Fu Bo!" Just as Zhang Lie was about to state his conditions, an exmation rang out from the entrance to the banquet hall.


    Ye Mo stood up, a frown on her face. What was Fu Bo doing here? Was Pu Kui also interested in this Zhang Lie fellow? It looked as though she underestimated the four prime races'' interest in Zhang Lie''s theory...


    Fu Bo, dressed entirely in ck, swept into the room.


    "Ms. Ye Mo, what a festive celebration! I was passing by when I noticed your presence. I haven''t eaten, so would you mind if I joined your feast?"


    Despite the fact that Fu Bo was being a nuisance, he was known to be one of Pu Kui''s close subordinates, so Ye Mo wouldn''t offend him lightly if she could help it.


    Zhang Lie didn''t much mind the addition of another person, but the fact that he had shown up halfway through, impolitely barging into the conversation, made the remaining guests somewhat displeased.


    Ye Mo eded to his request with just a moment''s thought, motioning for one of the servants to bring him appropriate cutlery.


    Fu Bo looked Zhang Lie up and down, asking in a rather disdainful tone, "You''re Zhang Lie?"


    "Indeed I am. And this person is?" Fu Bo''s disdain caused the other guests to frown, but Zhang Lie himself didn''t pay it much mind. When he replied, however, he turned to Ye Mo instead, without looking directly at Fu Bo.


    Fu Bo sneered. If not for the fact that Pu Kui had warned him to be polite, he would already have made a ruckus.


    "I apologize, Mr. Zhang Lie. Let me introduce you both. This is¡ª"


    "Fu Bo, of the nightdemons!" Fu Bo interrupted, pride in his eyes. He sat down at the table, opposite and to the left of Zhang Lie, but couldn''t bring himself to pick at the half-eaten food already present.


    "A pleasure to meet you, Fu Bo." Zhang Lie inclined his head politely, then turned again to Ye Mo. "Thank you for your gracious banquet, Ms. Ye. I''m full, and I''ll be departing now. If you have matters to discuss further, please feel free to stop by my quarters."

 Chapter 228: Conditions for Experimentation

    <h4>Chapter 228: Conditions for Experimentation</h4>


    Zhang Lie was leaving the banquet early undoubtedly to spite Fu Bo, but that was no concern of hers. She bade him farewell politely, promising to pay him a visit. It was vital that she obtain his cooperation for developing a limit-breaking potion for the night spirits; everything else was secondary.


    Fu Bo became even more displeased upon seeing Zhang Lie''s behavior. He had been gracious enough toe find this puny Earthling himself; even if Zhang Lie had recently be famous, how could he hope topare himself against an elite member of the nightdemons?


    Fu Bo mmed a fist on the table as he stood up, two sharp spikes protruding out of his back. The members of Team Zenith all began circting gic energy, ready to fight back at the drop of a hat. Although violence wasn''t permitted in the capital, if Fu Bo were to strike at Zhang Lie, they wouldn''t go easy on him.


    "Is something the matter?" Fu Bo had crashed the banquet with an arrogant smirk on his face, and Zhang Lie had seen no reason at all to pay attention to someone like him. Perhaps most hunters on Earth couldn''tpare to the prime races, but Zhang Lie didn''t seem at all deferent or even interested in Fu Bo.


    "You are arrogant, aren''t you, Mr. Zhang Lie? I wonder if you have the strength to back that arrogance up."


    Fu Bo stepped forward, so close their shoes were almost touching.


    "Honored Fu Bo¡ª"


    "Shut up!" Ye Mo tried to dissuade Fu Bo from action, but he interrupted her immediately. He intended to teach Zhang Lie a lesson right then and there, causing Fang Yi to stand up, along with the rest of Team Zenith. When they met Zhang Lie''s eyes, however, they sat back down.


    Zhang Lie himself was enough. There was no need for them to gang up on Fu Bo.


    Fu Bo''s hand morphed into an eagle''s talons, which he shed in Zhang Lie''s direction. The talons sparked with dark, ck energy, and it seemed as though even an errant hit from that attack could easily be lethal.


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem to care. Activating [Calm Waters], he knocked Fu Bo aside in a contest of pure strength and gene fragments. In this regard, Zhang Lie wasn''t an opponent that Fu Bo could handle.


    Fu Bo felt as though he had caught nothing but a puddle of water. The next moment, Zhang Lie pushed at him, forcing him to stumble back.


    "You!" Fu Bo cried out in rm. No other opponent had ever managed to shake him off with such ease and careless effort. Upon viewing videos of Zhang Lie''s fights, he had thought that the footage had been doctored; only now, facing him in person, did he realize that most of the rumors about Zhang Lie were true.


    Zhang Lie was strong, and he was deliberately maintaining a low profile.


    Ye Mo''s eyes narrowed. She was likewise shocked by the sight; after all, Fu Bo was one of Pu Kui''s closest attendants, and he was stronger than her by far. Zhang Lie had forced him back with nothing but a careless push! The sight strongly reinforced her desire to work with Zhang Lie.


    Fang Yi, Yang Ze, and the others all rallied around Zhang Lie, taunting and mocking Fu Bo for his weakness. They weren''t afraid that Fu Bo would target them next; they too had ten peak gene fragments each, and no one in this banquet hall could stand theirbined strength.


    "Fu Bo, it''s not necessarily a good thing to be rash. I wouldn''t want to make a mess of Ms. Ye''s banquet, so I''m going to shrug this off, but if we meet again..." Zhang Lie turned and walked off, motioning for the rest of his teammates to depart with him. After everyone else departed, Ye Mo announced an end to the festivities.


    Her n''s strength would dictate her n''s future, and Zhang Lie''s theory of limit fragments would be a vital part of that strength.


    Fu Bo slunk off in defeat, his mission ended in failure. Not only had he failed, he hadn''t even been able to beat Zhang Lie!


    Not long after Zhang Lie retreated to his quarters, Ye Mo came to pay him a visit, politely requesting his assistance.


    "Ms. Ye, I know how much this means to you, but I can''t guarantee any measure of sess."


    There was enough difference between mankind and the alien races that any research could well be fraught withplication. At the moment, without any research subjects in hand, they could hardly make any progress with the research, and the chance of failure would increase tremendously.


    "Please don''t worry, Mr. Zhang. The night spirits have many disciples in the dojos scattered around the capital. Would they be useful test subjects?"


    Indeed, these disciples werergely the elites of the younger generation, with the very best gics of their race. As long as they were studied carefully, they would surely be able to unlock the key behind the night spirits'' evolution! For the good of her n, even sacrificing one generation of promising hunters wasn''t too much to ask.


    Zhang Lie nodded; this was the best opportunity they would have.


    "I''ll need to recruit the very best disciples of the younger generation. Only then will I have the highest chances of sess," Zhang Lie warned. "Furthermore, I won''t be able to help you until the end of the Void Cup, at least. Will you leave these children in my care? Otherwise, given what transpired with the nightdemons today, I''m afraid they might be preyed upon."


    "You truly are thoughtful and considerate, Mr. Zhang. Very well!" Ye Mo epted briskly. The Void Cup wouldn''tst much longer; afterwards, the night spirits would finally be able to rise up as a n!


    She reached out for a handshake. "Mr. Zhang, I wish you sess in the Void Cup."


    "You as well, Ms. Ye."

 Chapter 229: The Competitors Entrance

    <h4>Chapter 229: The Competitors'' Entrance</h4>


    Ye Mo shook hands with Zhang Lie, finalizing their ns to work together. After Ye Mo warned Zhang Lie about what the nightdemons might do, she stepped out of his room, and Zhang Lie was alone with his thoughts once more.


    He wasn''t too worried about the impending stage of the Void Cup, but he wasn''t entirely negligent either. After all, given his experience from his past life, he thought he would still win against the otherpetitors despite their racial advantage.


    That said, Zhang Lie still spent the next few days fortifying his strength and improving his techniques, researching [Ninesoul Dragonde] and the domineering [One Punch]. The invasion of the disaster-grade lifeform would ur shortly after the Void Cup, and Zhang Lie didn''t think he would be able to withstand a direct blow from it as he was now.


    The members of Team Zenith, along with Yun Bing and Chu Feng, were each cultivating in their chambers, intending on representing their country and well.


    The day the gctic stage began, the capital of Ural was filled with all manner of lifeforms from all over the gxy. Thepetition grounds were filled to the brim. The arena itself was located in a microcosm, one constructed by countless authorities of the Milky Way expressly for the Void Cup. Small was rtive: the microcosm was about asrge as one of China''s smaller provinces, and it had surely taken a great deal of resources to create.


    The first day of thepetition would consist of an elimination round.


    The Milky Way spanned a wide expanse of space, but there were only hundreds of thousands ofs which could sustain intelligent life. However, that alone wouldn''t be enough to guarantee those lifeforms eligibility for the Void Cup. Participation in such apetition would require mastery over gene editing and maniption, so of those hundreds of thousands of life-sustainings, only 78,894 of them actually ended up participating in the tournament.


    This was nothingpared to the expanse of the Milky Way, but it was a staggering number ofpetitors to face. With tenpetitors per, there would be 788,940petitors in all, fighting for the same thousand championship spots, fostering an unbelievable sense ofpetition.


    Thesepetitors would be split up into fourrge arenas based on their of origin, and the thousand participants with the most points after a series of battles would advance to the next round.


    The stands were packed full of people waiting for thepetitors to enter the arena.


    "I heard that this year''s Void Cup will be very interesting. Have you heard of that little called Earth? Itspetitors are apparently quite strong this time around," a member of the audience whispered.


    "What, Earth? Don''t they im themselves to be dark horses every year? But in truth, it''s nothing more than a provincial, without anything interesting!"


    "What? Haven''t you seen Team Zenith''s fights? Don''t you know who the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie is? He managed to kill a three-star ck-tipped scarab as a first-realm hunter!"


    Quite arge number of audience members ended up joining this discussion, most of whom didn''t look favorably on Zhang Lie.


    After all, those who were strong enough to participate in the gctic stage of the Void Cup were the strongest hunters from their, and Zhang Lie and Team Zenith didn''t seem all that great inparison. Of course, they still had a small minority of fans who were very interested in their performance.


    "Yan Long, do you hear the crowds talking about Earth?" Su Feng murmured in excitement.


    Yan Long had, indeed, noticed. He was excited just thinking about the Void Throne and what it would mean for Earth if they were able to im it. It would mark Earth as a notable existence even among the hundreds of thousands ofs bearing life in the Milky Way!


    "I''m really hoping that nothing happens to Zhang Lie. This year''s our best chance at the throne, I know it!" Yan Long murmured.


    By that time, the opening ceremony of the Void Cup had begun, and thepetitors from variouss were making their way up onto the stage. The announcers highlighted the most famous¡ªor infamouspetitors who walked across the stage, all of whom were the foremost representatives of their.


    Zhang Lie and the others were waiting for their opportunity to step onto the stage. Because the reward from this stage would affect his sister''s future, Zhang Lie couldn''t treat it lightly.


    "Everyone, the first stage will be a team-based free-for-all. We''ll need to be more serious than usual; once thepetition starts, listen to mymand..." Zhang Lie whispered, ncing at the hunters before him.


    "Don''t worry, Captain! I don''t think there''s anyone out there who can beat all of us in a fight!" Sun Xiaowu called out arrogantly. Indeed, every member of Team Zenith possessed ten peak gene fragments, and they had all broken through with respect to their basic and mutated gene fragments as well. What did they have to fear?


    "Right, with Master around, I''m sure we''ll be at the top of the rankings!" Yang Ze added fervently, and even Li Feng nodded.


    "None of you understand what the captain means, do you?! He''s saying to keep a low profile so you don''t end up being targeted by the masses when we''re actually in the thick of things¡ªat the very least, don''t show off your techniques or your best soulshards!" Fang Yi rolled his eyes at the three cocksure hunters.


    Of the tens of thousands of teams, only a hundred in each quadrant would advance. If Team Zenith showed off too much strength too early in the fight, the masses would surely rally against them.

 Chapter 230: Shocking the Crowd

    <h4>Chapter 230: Shocking the Crowd</h4>


    Zhang Lie smiled at Fang Yi''s words. "Indeed, there''s no need to show off. We just have to make it into the top hundred!"


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    By the time they finished nning, there were already quite a number of teams crowded into the arena, each of which received a hearty round of apuse as they walked across the stage.


    "What''s Zhang Lie and the others doing? Why aren''t they in yet?" Su Feng and Yan Long were both ncing worriedly at the remainingpetitors.


    A few thousand parties had already gathered in each of the four arenas, and although the arenas were ratherrge, the first teams inside could develop their strategy in advance, knowing the locale better.


    "Next up,petitors from the winged n, led by their team leader, Phoenix!"


    The entire crowd erupted into cheers. The appearance of the winged n caused them to collectively suck in a breath¡ªthe leader of the wingedpetitors was a once-in-a-century genius, Phoenix!


    He had managed to defeat a superior-grade lifeform as a child, and he had long since capped out his superior gene capacity. Phoenix had never been defeated in an official match, and most of the crowd knew his name.


    As Phoenix walked across the stage, he smiled at the crowd, ring his wings wide open to the sound of cheers and screams.


    "Highness, we''re as popr as ever, so the Void Throne¡ª" Hong Yu began, but Phoenix interrupted her. "Without a doubt, the Void Throne belongs to the winged n!"


    "Look at how much the crowds love us! It looks like victory is already in our grasp," Raphael, apetitor of the winged n, murmured as he gazed at the stage. Of course, most of the cheers were for Phoenix, but as one of his fellowpetitors, it was natural that he would feel proud.


    "Alright, it''s about time we head inside!" Phoenix made a quelling motion with his hands, trying to get the crowd to calm down, but they didn''t get any quieter.


    He touched his ears, frowning, then walked off the stage quickly. When the gathered parties saw the winged entering the arena, they began to move aside in a hurry. Phoenix ignored them all. What he cared most about was Zhang Lie, from Earth!


    These past two days, Phoenix had been paying attention to Zhang Lie''s actions. He had publicly rejected the winged n''s invitation, then epted the night spirits'', and there had even been reports of him being sighted with a member of the nightdemons.


    Honestly, what infuriated him most was that Zhang Lie had rejected his invitation. Did he really think that he, nothing more than an Earthling ant, had any right to refuse Phoenix, prince of the winged n?!


    Zhang Lie! Team Zenith!


    I wonder, do you regret not epting my invitation after hearing how much these crowds are cheering for me??Phoenix''s lips curled up into a smile. None of the cheers, evenbined, could eclipse the roars that the winged n''s appearance had caused.


    "Next,petitors from Earth, led by Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie and the others appeared on stage right as the winged were about to leave.


    "Ah, he''s finally here! This damn brat, always giving me a headache!" Yan Long shouted.


    There weren''t many teams left by the stage, but Zhang Lie''s sudden appearance caused the crowd to perk up. The media had been very interested in this puny human who had made such a name for himself, and even if most of the articles about him were in the tabloids, he had still gained a measure of fame¡ªor infamy¡ªamong the crowd.


    Phoenix narrowed his eyes.


    "Everyone, let''s give them a show!" Zhang Lie called out. On his signal, his teammates released their auras.


    "Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!" a hunter from Earth suddenly called out, causing those around him to take up the chant as well.


    "Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!"


    "Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!"


    The audience''s frenzied roars shook the stage, even more loudly than when Phoenix entered with the winged. Some female lifeforms were so excited by the Earthlings that they even fainted.


    "Ridiculous! Highness, let''s eliminate them in the first round!" Ali murmured, hearing the cheers from the crowd. He hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would be so popr; the winged were ted at their own poprity, but they had quickly been outshone by puny humans!


    "Damn it, this Zhang Lie fellow''s aiming for me, isn''t he?!" Phoenix barely curtailed the fluctuations of gic energy from his body.


    "Please, Highness, calm down! If we fight with Zhang Lie now, we''ll only cause his poprity to soar!" Hong Yu persuaded him.


    They could do whatever they wanted to Team Zenith during the actual tournament, but before it, and directly on stage...? Quite a few third- and even fourth-realm hunters were present, and the hosts of the gctic stage were monarch-level authorities from the world federation.


    The moment Phoenix did something rash, his qualifications as apetitor would be revoked, and if it were particrly serious, even his life would be in danger.


    Although Hong Yu was also quite annoyed at Zhang Lie, it wasn''t in their best interests to attack the other party until the tournament began.


    "If we meet them in the arena, don''t give them the opportunity to surrender¡ªkill them immediately! Let these ants know our strength!" Phoenix shouted angrily.

 Chapter 231: The Free-For-All Begins

    <h4>Chapter 231: The Free-For-All Begins</h4>


    However, no matter how enraged Phoenix was, he couldn''t do anything about Zhang Lie at the moment. The Void Cup had its own rules, and even if he were the prince of the winged, he still had to obey these rules.


    Thepetitors would be separated into four arenas by an incorruptible AI, so even if the winged had the ability to kill Zhang Lie and the otherpetitors from Earth, they would all have to be assigned to the same quadrant first.


    Furthermore, even if that were the case, they would have to search through all thepetitors of the quadrant to find the Earthlings, a tedious task to aplish within the timeframe of the first round.


    That was why Phoenix gritted his teeth.


    The remaining three prime races also made their appearance.


    Their bodies surrounded by a film of water, the aquatic race took the stage with a huge wave of water. Their leader, the strongest of the younger generation of the aquatic, known as the most beautiful princess in the Milky Way, Princess Lianna, strode into view.


    She and her teammates were all d in sapphire-blue satin and a diaphanous gauze of water. The aquatic race was female-only, and the aquaticpetitors who took the stage were at the prime of their strength and health. Their appearance immediately drew heated roars and whistles from the crowd.


    After the aquatic race came a few races only slightly below the level of the four prime races, but although the crowd still cheered for them, it was hardly at the level of apuse that the winged, the aquatic, or even Zhang Lie''s Team Zenith, had received. Finally, the nightdemons and starbeasts took the stage.


    The nightdemons had dark exoskeletons; from the distance, they didn''t look like living creatures, but rather statues carved out of obsidian. Most were around two to three meters tall, with a frightening aura surrounding them all. A majority were humanoid, but some took the form of beasts.


    Shortly after the nightdemons'' appearance came the starbeasts. They boasted the highest base stats of all known lifeforms in the Milky Way; some of the top-tier members of the race were able to travel through space with no protection beyond their skin.


    Most looked like beasts from Earth, but they were no less intelligent than any other lifeform present at the arena. The runic inscriptions on their skin, with bright starry spots, made them look mysterious and arcane.


    Their leader, Ster Dawn, was the strongest member of the younger generation of starbeasts, as well as one of the most likely candidates for the starbeasts'' next n head. He was a gigantic qilin over three meters tall, with scales as bright as silver and streaked with dark whorls reminiscent of space.


    The appearance of the starbeasts caused the crowd to howl. Respect was afforded to the strong, no matter their appearance.


    The four prime races had all gathered within thepetition grounds. However, the tournament had yet to begin in earnest, because thepetitors had to be sorted into their respective quadrants.


    .


    Lines of data filled therge screen onstage, listing out the top teams in each of the four quadrants. The same information was transmitted to eachpetitor''s transceiver.


    The four quadrants each represented a distinct ecosystem: desert, swamp, forest, and ocean. Each was unique in its own manner, and different teams would be stronger or weaker depending on the environment. For instance, the aquaticpetitors would exhibit a very different performance in the desert quadrantpared to the ocean quadrant.


    As for Zhang Lie and the others, the forest quadrant would be mostpatible with them, and the worst would be the desert or swamp quadrants.


    "Forest¡ªwonderful!" Yang Ze called out. The other hunters heaved a sigh of relief, but Zhang Lie''s eyes shed.


    "Don''t get too excited just yet. Have you seen the 1001th team in the same quadrant?"


    The hunters looked through their transceivers and rapidly found the relevant line of information. "Ah, the nightdemons?!"


    "At least we didn''t encounter the winged, but..." Chu Feng murmured.


    "Not just enemies, but allies as well. Team 1545 is the night spirits!" Yun Bing added.


    "Allies? Can we really rely on them? After all, the night spirits are an offshoot of the nightdemons, and we''d be lucky if they didn''t help out the nightdemons against us instead," Sun Mengmeng murmured.


    Zhang Lieughed. "You''re not wrong, Mengmeng. We''re just business partners, if that. As for the nightdemons, we don''t have to discuss a strategy against them immediately. The battlefield''s sorge that we might not evene across them during the first round. Furthermore, it wouldn''t be a big deal even if we really had to fight. The nightdemons know that we''re not a force to be trifled with, and it''s in both our and their interests that we keep out of each other''s way," Zhang Lie continued, ending the discussion.


    Thepetitors imed specialized wristwatches from the tournament officials as they stepped into a teleportation array, through which their entire team would be sent to a randomized location in the arena.


    Eachpetitor was worth one point. There were around 170,000petitors in each quadrant, which meant that the average score to advance would be 170 points.


    That meant that eachpetitor would have to defeat an average of 170 elites from all over the gxy to advance, a task of overwhelming difficulty. Furthermore, there were few restrictions on thepetitors'' manner of fighting¡ªpoison, traps, trickery, fighting, brawling, and even assassination were all permitted.


    Team Zenith stepped forward into the teleportation array, a sight that Fu Bo, Ye Mo, and the others were paying close attention to.


    Fu Bo roared out, "Mistress, the Earthling ants have just stepped into the forest quadrant. Let''s hurry up too!"


    Pu Kui didn''t deign to respond, but she did speed up.


    Fu Bo was very petty. After being treated like a clown during Ye Mo''s banquet, he had returned maligning the Earthlings. ordig to him, the Earthlings were arrogant, prideful, andpletely idiotic, and the theory of limit fragments that Zhang Lie had devised was riddled with inconsistencies, with nothing to show for it. His mistress, convinced by his words, naturally had a warped impression of Zhang Lie and the others.


    As more and morepetitors crowded around the teleportation array, the night spirits stepped forward after seeing the nightdemons. As an offshoot branch of the nightdemons, they had little agency against the nightdemonpetitors; indeed, if necessary, they would be forced to give up their umted points to the members of the main branch.


    Under these circumstances, it was ridiculous to expect that they could help out the Earthlings. The most that Ye Mo would be able to do was to warn them of impending conflict.


    The otherpetitors in the forest quadrant quickly stepped into the teleportation array, and the free-for-all began in earnest.


    Zhang Lie and his team found themselves teleported to a small, burbling creek, with tall, deciduous trees all around them.


    "Yang Ze, weave a fog of water all around us, and Zhou Ying, use the nts all around us to help search for possible targets. Everyone else, stay alert!" Zhang Liemanded.


    In his past life, Zhang Lie certainly didn''t boast the qualifications to enter this sort ofpetition, but that didn''t deter him from making rapid, decisivemands now. In a free-for-all brawl, they had two main objectives, first, to protect themselves, and second, to umte whatever points they could.


    The soft glow of water-attuned gic energy suffused Yang Ze''s body, and clouds of fog began to spread out around him. The fog traveled surprisingly quickly, and the region around him, a kilometer wide, was soon shrouded from sight.


    As for Zhou Ying, she was reaching into the earth and sensing the tremors and life of thend within five kilometers of her. If anyone were to step into her domain, she would notice immediately.


    Zhou Ying''s rootwork and Yang Ze''s cloud of fog were both techniques that Zhang Lie had taught them. Under his instruction, their understanding of their elemental attunement, along with the flexibility and precision of their elemental maniption, grew tremendously.


    Not half a minuteter, Zhou Ying found their first prey. "Captain, there''s an enemy team three kilometers to the northwest!"

 Chapter 232: An Auspicious Start

    <h4>Chapter 232: An Auspicious Start</h4>


    "Are there any other teams around?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "No, Captain! ?I suspect they were just sent over here by the teleportation array."


    "In that case, let''s go!"


    The members of Team Zenith rushed forward, followed quickly by Yun Bing and Chu Feng.


    Three kilometers away, the half-demon tawny foxmenpetitors had justnded in the arena when they heard a whoosh of wind from their left nk. Before they could react, a firebird dove down toward them.


    "Enemy attack!" one of the foxmen called out.


    However, the firebird was only a distraction; the crackle of thunder came from all around them, and vines wrapped around their ankles like snakes. The foxmen began activating all manner of gic techniques, but the vines that had wrapped around their ankles were far more resilient than they had expected.


    It took two or three strikes before they finally broke apart, but more would creep out from the earth and continue holding them in ce. Above them, the crackling of thunder grew closer and closer.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Rain of Thunder]!" As Fang Yi waved his obsidian spear around, masses of ck lightning struck the foxmen with overwhelming strength.


    Two of the foxmenpetitors, caught out in the attack, were only able to fend off two bolts of lightning even with their full strength; by the third bolt, they had fallen over unconscious, their fur charred and smoking. As the foxman leader blocked a fourth bolt, he called out in shock, "The opponents are too strong! Retreat!"


    Based on the density and strength of their gic energy, thesepetitors seemed more like peak second-realm hunters than first-realm ones. What could the foxmen do but run off and hope that they weren''t caught?


    The eight-men team hurriedly got into formation, wind-attuned gic energy gathering by their feet. "[Warren of a Thousand Foxes: Wind''s Charm]!" The eight foxmen stood in the eye of a whirling green tornado, which shot out des of wind all around them.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that all those who had made it to the gctic stage of the Void Cup were strong hunters, and he even praised how quickly the foxmen were able to respond to their sneak attack. Of course, it wouldn''t be enough to save them.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river rushed toward the tornado, causing a whirling mass of destion in the heavily forested area.


    The tornado, formed by thebined efforts of the eight foxmen, resisted the river''s force for quite some time, but before it could fully stabilize, a golden fist, along with a radiant dragon, shot toward its center.


    As the attacks smashed into the tornado, the figures of the remaining eight foxmen could be seen running off in eight separate directions.


    "Spread out and escape!" the foxman leader called out, but his finalmand was meaningless. Almost as he spoke, he felt a piercing pain by his shoulder, followed by a baptism of fire.


    ming arrows struck down each foxman, though their injuries were deliberately nonlethal. The foxman leader closed his eyes in surrender. Against such foes, they wouldn''t be able to escape. Their participation in the Void Cup hade to an end.


    Just who were they facing? What foe had vanquished them so easily? They were surely in the upper echelon ofpetitors even on the gctic stage, and the foxman leader was certain that the only foes that could defeat them in such a dominating fashion had to boast a strength near orparable to the four prime races.


    He could hardly hide his shock when Zhang Lie appeared in front of him. The Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, which almost all articles had pointed to as a clown, a foolish, egocentric man? It was him, it was the humans! The humans had been the one who defeated them!


    "No, no, how could this be?" he murmured hoarsely to himself. Was he subject to some sort of illusion spell? Surely that had to be the case! Mankind had had a few rising stars, just as did any other race, but humans were generally thought to be one of the lesser races, and the foxman leader simply couldn''t ept the reality that he had been bested by such foes.


    Even Chu Feng and Yun Bing were shocked by Team Zenith''s strength.


    Everyone knew that Team Zenith was strong, but not how strong. In the intervening few months between the worldwide and gctic stages, the hunters of Team Zenith had taken a great leap forward in strength.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing turned toward Zhang Lie. It had taken him only three orders and five minutes to find an opponent team and decimate it entirely...


    By the time Chu Feng and Yun Bing arrived at the scene, the fight was already more or less over. Even more frightening was the fact that this likely wasn''t Team Zenith''s true strength. None of the hunters appeared to be winded, and Zhang Lie didn''t even have to lift a finger.


    They were certain of one thing: breaking through the basic gene fragment capacity wasn''t the pinnacle of the theory of limit fragments¡ªno, it was just the beginning! They turned to Zhang Lie covetously.


    "Before I change my mind, hand over your points!" Ignoring the scorching gazes from behind, Zhang Lie threatened the foxman leader.


    "Well met, Dragonwolf Zhang Lie. We''ll hand over our points!" he replied in defeat.


    Zhang Lie motioned for Li Feng to step forward and to collect their wristwatches, which served as point counters. With a few quick maniptions, Team Zenith sessfully obtained ten points, and the foxmen, who had lost all their points, were eliminated from the tournament.


    Instead of leaving, however, Zhang Lie and the others chose to stay where they were, shrouding their surroundings in fog. Although the fight hadn''tsted very long, it had still caused a considerablemotion, one which would naturally attractpetitors over. All they needed to do was to remain at the scene and wait for their prey to stop by.


    As expected, not five minutester, another team arrived at the scene. They were beast-type lifeforms, with the wristwatches hanging from a chain around their neck. Just as Zhang Lie and the others were about to deactivate their venombane scorpion soulshards, amotion came from behind.


    It seemed to be yet another team. Zhang Lie and the others decided to lie in wait a little while longer. After all, they would easily be able to handle both teams; it was just a matter of how much effort they wanted to spend.


    The team that appeared next was alsoposed of beast-type lifeforms; from the interaction between the two teams, it seemed as though they had already had some prior conflict.


    What happened next was obvious. The two beast teams began fighting almost immediately; once the victor was decided, Zhang Lie and the others preyed on the winning team. Surprisingly, the victors had already managed to defeat yet another team, and had already obtained 22 points.


    As a result, Team Zenith was at a grand total of 52 points just ten minutes or so into the tournament.


    Just as the hunters were starting to feel pleased with themselves, however, the tournament leaderboard updated, and the hunters felt as though a bucket of cold water had just been upended over their heads.


    Forest Quadrant¡ª00:10


    1st: Nightdemons, 256


    2nd: Windthieves, 204


    3rd: Magma Demons, 182


    4th: Ember-of-Night, 151


    5th: Night Spirits, 101


    6th: Yao Ling, 81


    7th: Demonic me, 75


    8th: Spiderweave, 62


    9th: MIND, 57


    10th: Zenith, 52


    The first-ce team already had 267 points! The hunters had thought themselves lucky to have defeated three teams so early on, but they were barely in tenth ce!


    As their self-confidence visibly diminished, the hunters of Team Zenith quickly began to search for more prey.

 Chapter 233: The Nightdemons Bounty

    <h4>Chapter 233: The Nightdemons'' Bounty</h4>


    Was it really possible that the nightdemons had managed to find over two hundredpetitors and defeat them in the span of ten minutes? Of course not. In that case, whence came their points?


    It came from thosepetitors who were subordinate to the nightdemons, or those who knew they wouldn''t be strong enough to get a good cement and wanted to develop good rtions with the nightdemons. Indeed, this was likely how the top eight teams had managed to get all their points.


    After all, Earth''s team was strong and lucky, and even then, they had only managed to secure fifty points or so within the first ten minutes, and that only because one of the teams they fought off had already defeated another team.


    No matter how strong a given team was, even with exceptional luck, the most points it would be able to obtain from actual fighting within ten minutes was around a hundred.


    After all, the forest quadrant was extremelyrge, and the artificial intelligence tried to evenly distribute the teams around the area so as to avoid any unfortunate shes at the very beginning.


    As a result, it was near-impossible that a team had managed to obtain two hundred points legitimately, and all those teams who had done so had managed it because they had subordinates or alliances with other ns or races.


    This wasn''t something that Zhang Lie could do anything about, and there was no point worrying about it.


    What he was concerned about was something he had neglected before¡ªthe difference between Earth''s team and the nightdemons, or any of the other top teams from around the gxy.


    Influence.


    The nightdemons were strong and influential, and those teams that were unlucky enough to encounter them would either hand them their points voluntarily or resist and be killed. The choice was obvious.


    The nightdemons were well known to be cruel and vicious, and the price for resistance would be toorge to bear. That meant that the nightdemons, along with the other top races, would amass more and more points quickly.


    They would even obtain more points than was necessary so as to be able to control just who would advance to the next round, which could very well hurt Team Zenith''s chances. Zhang Lie had to win the tournament; it would determine whether or not his sister would be able to stand again. The updated leaderboard caused Zhang Lie to give up on his ns on having opponent teamse to him; he would have to seek them out instead.


    On the other hand, the fact that the Earthlings were currently in tenth ce shocked quite a number of top teams in the quadrant. Where the nightdemons were standing, Fu Bo murmured in displeasure, "Just how useless are the teams in this quadrant? Even the Earthlings managed to get into the top ten!"


    "Well, let them be happy that they''re the best of the worst. If you''re that upset, why don''t you have our mistress put a bounty on their heads?" one of his teammates suggested. Fu Bo''s eyes gleamed as he nced at Pu Kui, but he didn''t dare speak up.


    However, Pu Kui had also heard the suggestion. She nodded casually. "I am rather bored, and your suggestion isn''t bad. Let''s have some fun with them, shall we? Fu Bo, inform our followers from the Darkgleam star system to search for Zhang Lie and his team. If they find them, I''ll guarantee them a pass for the next round!"


    "Yes, Mistress!" Fu Bo saluted, smiling. "Looks like these ants won''t be able to hide much longer!"


    The other nightdemonsughed. However, what they didn''t realize was that their actions would only be helping Zhang Lie out.


    He was worried about whether he would be able to get enough points before the top teams snatched them all away; thankfully, the nightdemons were sending quite a bit his way.


    As the nightdemons'' announcement spread throughout the forest quadrant, the teams gathered there were all in a frenzy. The nightdemons, one of the four prime ns, would guarantee them cement in the second round!


    Furthermore, this wasn''t a challenging task at all. They didn''t have to fight the Earthlings, only identify their location. As a result, the atmosphere in the forest quadrant seemed to shift in a strange manner.


    The night spirits had also received the announcement, and they indeed sent groups out in search of Zhang Lie, but they were doing so in order to help them out, rather than to hunt them down.


    After all, the Earthlings were important business partners of the night spirits, and if Zhang Lie were to die or be otherwise incapacitated, then the night spirits surely wouldn''t gain ess to the limit fragments that would elevate them.


    Furthermore, from Ye Mo''s perspective, her banquet was partially the reason for the feud between Zhang Lie and the nightdemons, so she felt some measure of guilt and shame as a result. If possible, she wanted topensate Zhang Lie a little for his troubles.


    Zhang Lie was naturally unaware of what was going on. He chalked off the fact that he was encountering more teams to mere luck.


    Chu Feng, his body wrapped up in a sphere of wind, defeated yet another stubborn opponent.


    "Hand over your points or die!" Chu Feng challenged his fallen opponent, who had no choice but to choose the former.


    "Captain, how''re my skills?" Chu Feng had started pandering to Zhang Lie after seeing how dramatically Team Zenith had improved over thest few months, hoping to get a few pointers from him.


    Yun Bing was equally sharp, but she applied her talents in a different direction. "Zhang Lie, something''s wrong. For some reason, the number ofpetitors around us has been increasing over time," she warned.


    Before the Void Cup, Zhang Lie had specially asked Yun Bing and Chu Feng to bring a venombane scorpion soulshard each with them, so as to enhance their whole team''s stealth abilities. They were currently traveling around in stealth andunching sneak attacks at every team they encountered.


    In just ten more minutes, they had already obtained eighty points. It seemed as though the density ofpetitors in the region was increasing rapidly, and once they were done with each fight, two or three more teams would have appeared in the vicinity.


    This was an exceptionally unusual situation. Everyone had been enjoying how easily they were obtaining points, but once Yun Bing pointed out how strange the situation was, they reacted instantly.


    "Isn''t it a good thing that all these hunters have gathered around us? There''s no need to worry about it. We can just ask some of these hunters if we want to know more, surely."


    Zhang Lie smiled as he gestured to the hunter Chu Feng had just defeated, and Yun Bing pointed at him with her de. "Well? Why are all of you gathering around us?"


    The hunter spilled the beans. "Don''t kill me, please! The nightdemons announced that any team who found the Earthlings would be guaranteed a spot in the second round!"


    Everyone in Zhang Lie''s team was shocked.


    "In that case, they must intend to fight us," Fang Yi murmured, then continued angrily, "Well, Captain? Should we wait for them toe, then take them on right here?"


    Everyone turned toward Zhang Lie, infuriated that the nightdemons would cause them so much trouble, but Zhang Lie didn''t seem at all angry.


    "Interesting. What''s there to be angry about? Weren''t we concerned that we were gathering points too slowly? Look at how nice the nightdemons are, to give us such an advantage! We''ll have to defeat the nightdemons sooner orter if we want to be the champions, and there''s no rush to face them now.


    "We''ll continue our original strategy. Defeat allpetitors we find and collect whatever points we can from them, then keep moving so they can''t determine our location precisely. If the nightdemons want to chase us, let them. The sooner we can acquire the required points, the sooner we can leave the arena."


    Indeed, it seemed that Zhang Lie''s strategy would work. How infuriated would the nightdemons be to realize that they had just sent the Earthlings hundreds, even thousands, of points?


    Zhou Ying''s rootwork suddenly pinged.


    "Captain, more hunters areing¡ªat least five teams'' worth!"


    "Retreat! Five teams will cause toorge amotion to face. Once they split up, we''ll split into three groups and handle them all. Not only will we be able to muddle their scouts this way, we can also acquire points even more quickly.


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng would be in one group, Fang Yi, Zhou Ying, and Li Feng in another, and Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Yang Ze in the third. After separating into groups of three, they quickly vanished into the forest.


    It took their pursuers little more than a minute to arrive at where Zhang Lie''sst victims were located, but by that time, there was no one in sight. There were three sets of footprints leading away from the scene of the battle, so the pursuers naturally split into three groups as well.

 Chapter 234: Heart of the Battle

    <h4>Chapter 234: Heart of the Battle</h4>


    With the pursuers split into three as well, the oue was obvious: they lost their points to the members of Team Zenith and were eliminated from the tournament.


    The disparity between the pursuers'' strength and the Earthlings'', which the pursuers hadn''t ounted for, spelled their defeat. To many of them, the Earthlings were little more than a prize, rather thanpetitors in their own right.


    Furthermore,munications were only active betweenpetitors within each quadrant, so thosepetitors who were eliminated were unable to reveal just how strong the Earthlings were. In addition, only one team would be able to receive the nightdemons'' boon, so it was only natural that even the search teams would be wary of each other.


    This made Zhang Lie''s point-gathering mission proceed much more smoothly, but he would only be able to keep it up for two or three more waves of pursuers. After that, based on how many points they had alone, any team would realize that these Earthlings weren''t a force to be trifled with.


    In less than an hour, Team Zenith had earned 379 points, putting them seventh on the leaderboard and rousing the nightdemons to anger. Not only had thepetitors they sent out been unable to handle Zhang Lie and the others, they had just ended up as free points to strengthen Team Zenith!


    At the very least, thesepetitors had managed to identify approximately where Zhang Lie and his team were. The nightdemons increased the bounty on the Earthlings, causing the pursuers to search for them even more frantically.


    At the same time, Pu Kui herself joined in the search with her team.


    Because this was a free-for-all, even the hunters who weren''t affiliated with the nightdemons began to gather around where Team Zenith was located because of the density of hunters there. As a result, all of a sudden, Zhang Lie and the others found themselves at the center of a gathering group of hunters.


    Deep within the forest, Zhang Lie and the others were having a quick meeting. Surprisingly, the hunters were excited rather than fearful.


    "Captain, I think there must be around fifty teams in our vicinity!" Zhou Ying called out.


    "Fifty!" Chu Feng murmured. How had the situation devolved to such an extent?


    "Shall we retreat for now?" Yun Bing asked cautiously, understanding very well just what being surrounded here could mean for them. The nightdemons were known to be vicious, and there was no need to take such a risk.


    "We''ll certainly retreat, but this situation can also be an opportunity for us if we y our cards right," Sun Mengmeng suggested.


    "Indeed, we can''t retreat so easily. We definitely have something to gain here, with so many teams around us," Fang Yi added.


    This would be an opportunity to collect all the points they needed to advance, given the density of teams in the area, so unless they truly felt threatened, it would be far more preferable not to retreat.


    "Well, Captain? What do you propose?" Sun Xiaowu looked at Zhang Lie in excitement, not seeming to think much of the dozens of teams in the vicinity.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing were watching this sight with bbergasted astonishment. The hunters of Team Zenith really didn''t think much of thesepetitors; were they so strong that they thought they could handle them all?


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment, then decided on a n. "We could fight them head-on, but there''s no reason to. Yun Bing and Chu Feng haven''t been with us long enough to cooperate seamlessly, so there might be some idents. Instead, let''s retreat to the outer boundary and take things from there."


    Zhang Lie''s final decision left Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s faces flushed. Were the two of them being a burden to everyone else?


    "I''m sorry. What if the two of us were to drop¡ª"


    "No, no, don''t take it that way¡ªwe''re all a team!" Zhang Lie interrupted Yun Bing. The other hunters trusted Zhang Lie, and they wouldn''t doubt his judgment. Further, as had been mentioned, fighting head-on wasn''t the best strategy. Given how many hunters were gathering around the area, it was certain that a big fight was about to erupt¡ªgathered here were teams searching for Zhang Lie, as well as teams hoping to acquire more points for themselves.


    Quite a few of these teams were just barely weaker than thepetitors from the four prime races, and it was evident just what sort of mess would result from the congregation of all these teams. As a result, it made sense to escape from the encirclement and to catch any stragglers by the boundary of the fight.


    With Zhang Lie''s guidance and protection, the hunters swiftly made it out of the encirclement, barely before the search parties organized by the nightdemons arrived.


    Among them, the dark spirits and blood demon teams were on rather poor terms, havinge to blows before the tournament. The tension among the teams gathered at the center of the encirclement was palpable.


    As the dark spirits approached, the leader of the blood demons strode forward with a smirk on his face.


    "Who''s this, the trash collectors? You''ve heard of all the teams that the Earthlings managed to defeat, haven''t you? I''m surprised you still had the courage toe! Go on, scram¡ªunless you want to lose both your reputation and your lives!" the blood demon leader cackled.


    "Oho? It seems like all you can do is talk. Don''t you remember what happened thest time we shed? Your n had to send an elder to rescue you! Well, there won''t be any elders here¡ªif you want to embarrass yourself, go somewhere else!" the dark spirit leader retorted.


    The other search parties, having found nothing of import, gathered around to watch the teams fight. With an audience around, neither team leader was willing to back down. If not for some hunters in the audience dissuading them in time, they might already have begun to fight.


    After all, they were all allied with the nightdemons, and it would be ludicrous for them to start fighting and hurting their own forces while the Earthlings got away scot-free.


    Of course, others in the crowd were more than happy to take this opportunity to start a conflict. Just as they were about to disperse in search of Zhang Lie once more, a thin ck needle suddenly shot out from the direction of the blood demons, piercing the head of one of the members of the dark spirits, who was turning around.


    "Be careful!" someone shouted, but it was toote. The member of the dark spirits who had been attacked slumped over and fell to the ground.


    "Kill them all!" The leader of the dark spirits whirled around andmanded his subordinates to attack as he charged forward.


    Opposite them, the leader of the blood demons stared in surprise at the sight, unable to get a word out before the leader of the dark spirits reached him. "You think I''m afraid of you?! Kill them!"


    With a simrmand, he charged forward with his subordinates, marking the start of the fight that would ultimately drag in all the hunters in the area. Of course, most of the hunters present, with the obvious exception of the two fighting teams, were rather clear-headed.


    Many of them knew each other, and they were all in a state of precarious bnce, one which was broken by the influx of teams who were there hunting for points.


    It was true that the nightdemons were strong and influential, but no matter what, they wouldn''t be able to dominate over the entirety of the teams in the forest quadrant. There were certainly many races who didn''t fear the nightdemons one whit; as soon as they noticed that a fight had broken out, they rushed toward the scene to try to get as many points as they could, dragging the other hunters nearby down with them.


    The situation spiraled out of control.


    It was then that Pu Kui arrived with the nightdemons; by then, there was nothing that they could do about the massive battle that had broken out. "What happened here?!" Pu Kui eximed.

 Chapter 235: One Lone Punch

    <h4>Chapter 235: One Lone Punch</h4>


    No one around was able to answer her. Fu Bo immediately began to contact the remaining hunters left after the disastrous fight, and the answer caused him to curse. "Mistress, apparently, the fight started because the blood demons and dark spirits weren''t able to curb their hostility toward each other!"


    Pu Kui trembled in anger. "Unable to curb their hostility?! Are they children?! Strip them of their membership in the alliance. We don''t need such fools!"


    "Yes, Mistress!" Fu Bo replied, then asked, "What do we do next, Mistress?"


    "What do we do? What else? Collect as many points as we can!"


    "And the Earthlings?"


    "Are you a hare-brained idiot? Either those hunters have either been caught up in the fight, or they''re reaping the rewards of this heated battle like us. Keep patrolling¡ªI''m sure we''ll find them!"


    The nightdemons strode into the remnants of the battle and began clearing out swathes of hunters at once. They were recognized as one of the four prime races, and their opponents were bruised and battered hunters who had just been in a fight. It would be trivial for the nightdemons to deal with the fightingpetitors and hence amass arge number of points, but Pu Kui couldn''t be happy for long.


    She had noticed how the Earthlings'' points were rising as rapidly as theirs. In fact, the difference in points between the two teams seemed to be decreasing, not increasing.


    In the dense forest, filled with sounds of fighting and brawling, it would be near-impossible to find Zhang Lie''s party. In this instant, Pu Kui realized that she hadpletely lost this battle of wits against Zhang Lie.


    More and morepetitors joined in the fray, all hoping to get a slice of the pie; some lost their lives out of greed, but the sess that others had found sucked in more and more people. In a few hours, the top teams already had over a thousand points each, and over eighty percent of the teams in the forest quadrant were gathered around the scene of the fighting.


    As time passed, the free-for-all, which hadsted almost half the day, finally reached its conclusion as more and morepetitors were eliminated. By that time, Zhang Lie and the others almost had enough points to advance.


    "Captain, that was a sneaky move, but I can''t deny how effective it was! We''re already at 1500 points, and we''re only 200 points away from the 1700 required to advance!"


    "Right, I can''t believe a single ck needle could cause such a huge disturbance! We might even be the first team to make it out of the forest quadrant," Yang Ze added.


    The hunters of Team Zenith were all overjoyed by their sess, but just as they finished off yet another wave of fighters, a group of ckpetitors tromped over¡ªthe nightdemons!


    As expected, the two teams had ultimatelye across each other. By that time, Team Zenith had finished collecting sufficiently many points to advance, and it could retreat at any point without fear.


    The nightdemons had also managed the same feat, and the only reason they had stuck around was to find Team Zenith. Unfortunately for them, by the time they seeded, they knew that their opponents would easily be able to depart.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Well, let''s pack up and thank them for helping us out so much."


    The other hunters grinned. The two teams met by the base of a small hill. The auras of the ten nightdemonpetitors was intense, but it wasn''t something that could frighten or stress Zhang Lie and his group.


    "Zhang Lie, are you aware of your crimes?"


    "Ah, isn''t this the young leader of the nightdemons, Pu Kui? It''s a pleasure to meet you, but I must ask¡ªwhat crimes have Imitted?"


    "Zhang Lie, I have to say that I''ve underestimated you, but now that I''ve found you, you should be aware of what''s going to happen next. If you turn yourself in, I''ll give you a quick death!" Pu Kui called out.


    "I''m afraid I won''t. Come¡ªshow me what makes you think you canmand me!"


    The nightdemons reared back in shock; how could Zhang Lie dare to challenge Pu Kui herself?!


    "Very well! ?Given your courage, I''ll at least leave your corpse intact!" Pu Kui shouted. Launching off against the ground, her body shot toward Zhang Lie like a bullet.


    Dozens of meters away, she pulled her right arm back, and her body glowed resplendent with jade-green gic energy. The front of her fist began sparking with green me, and a boom sounded through the air as her fist broke the sound barrier.


    Against this seemingly overwhelming blow, Zhang Lie did nothing more than punch forward with his hand, a hand unbacked by any technique other than brute strength, one that produced no sound, no fluctuation of gic energy, nor any other unusual feature.


    And yet that punch alone was sufficient to trigger Pu Kui''s rm bells.


    Given her speed, however, a collision with Zhang Lie was imminent and inevitable. As the two fists met, the nightdemons saw a ck figure flying toward them far more quickly than she hadunched toward Zhang Lie.


    "Mistress!" the nightdemons called out, preparing to catch her and gathering around in order to mitigate her momentum.


    It took the nine nightdemons all their strength to catch their mistress, and even then, they left a huge furrow in the ground in their wake. This casual punch was so strong that it defied their understanding.


    More frighteningly, their mistress''s right arm¡ªno, her entire body!¡ªwas still trembling.


    What sort of situation was this? Was this a strength that a human could possess?


    Even Zhang Lie was stupefied by his strength. That seemingly innocuous punch was actually an activation of [One Punch], which Zhang Lie had achieved some sess with. That one punch boasted at least ten times his usual strength, even without proper preparation.


    In other words, he would be able to kill or heavily injure any other opponent¡ªexcept the nightdemons or starbeasts, whose racial strengthy in their physical body¡ªwith just one punch alone.


    What Zhang Lie didn''t realize was that Pu Kui was, in fact, heavily wounded. The crystalline skin on her right arm was filled with cracks, and if he had used a little more force, her arm could have exploded entirely.


    "This is impossible! You¡ª" Pu Kui''s face warped with disbelief. Zhang Lie''s fist hadpletely obliterated her pride and her understanding of the world.


    What could have caused Zhang Lie to be so strong? Surely it wasn''t... the limit fragments that she had derided? If that were the case, then there was no doubt that this hunter, who had pioneered the field of limit fragments, would be the king of all hunters of his generation.


    "And why should it be impossible? The four prime races do have significant racial advantages, yes, but they''re far too reliant on those advantages! And now, I think it''s time for all of you to die."


    Zhang Lie grinned, ring his aura as the nightdemons buckled under the sudden pressure.


    Against his absolute strength, the nightdemons were at a loss. When had they ever been so severely outmatched?


    Fu Bo, who had instigated the enmity between the nightdemons and the humans, wanted to kill himself in shame. Pu Kui had warned him to ignore his pride, to focus on what Zhang Lie had developed, but he had made an enemy of Zhang Lie instead!


    No, no, he couldn''t let his mistress die for his misdeeds!


    "It''s all my fault!" Fu Bo shouted, stepping forward. "Mr. Zhang Lie, I''m the one to me!" ?My pride, my malicious words, caused my mistress to view you as an enemy, and I beg of you to let her go. For this boon, my life will be yours."

 Chapter 236: Everyones Objective

    <h4>Chapter 236: Everyone''s Objective</h4>


    Pu Kui nced at Fu Bo with some amount of consternation and disbelief.


    As for Zhang Lie, he didn''t actually want to kill any of the nightdemons. The nightdemons were one of the four prime races of the Milky Way, as well as one of the four races that most contributed to the Milky Way''s defense.


    Although this young leader of a small subdivision of the race was likely insignificant in the grand scheme of things, Zhang Lie still didn''t intend on ughtering her in cold blood. Doing so would invite countless troubles.


    He had just established himself on Earth, and his influence was rapidly growing there. He didn''t want to cause trouble for himself in the tournament and have it spread back to Earth.


    Furthermore, the young leader of the nightdemons had hardly threatened him at all; in fact, her decisions had helped Team Zenith advance to the next round more swiftly than it otherwise would have.


    Even if he did want to kill her, he wouldn''t do so in such a public setting. And with Fu Bo so conveniently taking on the me for himself, Zhang Lie would go with what he said without bothering to confirm its veracity.


    He raised a foot and stomped him into the ground.


    "Remember this: as a member of the four prime races, you should act your part. I told you during the banquet, didn''t I? Your domineering and bossy nature doesn''t exhibit your strength¡ªjust your childishness! Do you understand?"


    "Y-Yes!" Fu Bo replied, his mouth filled with mud, his skin lined with cracks, as he spat out two gulps of ink-green blood.


    Even the nightdemons didn''t dare say anything against Zhang Lie''s treatment of Fu Bo. After all, Zhang Lie was far too strong for them to do anything about; even if they tried, they wouldn''t be able to establish any form of effective resistance.


    Fu Bo''s strength was barely less than Pu Kui''s, but a casual stomp from Zhang Lie had been enough to wound him quite severely.


    "Since you seem to understand where you went wrong now, let''s leave matters at that. Right¡ªI do have to thank all of you for putting a bounty on us," he mocked.


    "I apologize for the transgression, Mr. Zhang Lie! I was misled by my subordinate, but that doesn''t excuse my behavior. After the tournament ends, I''ll surely tender my deepest apologies." Pu Kui began to treat Zhang Lie like one of her elders, rather than her inferior.


    "There''s no need. Weren''t you going to invite me to one of your banquets? ?Let''s have it tonight, then."


    "Of course¡ªI''d be very d to do so!"


    "Good, good, you''ve be far more pleasant to interact with than before. As a reminder, don''t rely so heavily on your racial advantages¡ªyour genes are what will matter for your growth in the long run!


    "Yes, sir!"


    Zhang Lie and Pu Kui seemed, all of a sudden, like good friends. They had just been fighting each other to the death; how had such a transformation urred? Even the otherpetitors present, in both the human and nightdemon delegations, weren''t sure.


    Once both parties had settled their disputes, neither team decided to amass more points; both left the tournament grounds immediately after acquiring enough points to guarantee their advancement.


    By that time, the night spirits, windthieves, and other teams that had preyed on thepetitors throughout the battle had all amassed enough points to advance, and they immediately did so.


    As the first round of the gctic stage came to a close, the legend of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie began to spread throughout thepetitors.


    Although none of the hunters outside were able tomunicate with thepetitors, they had seen everypetitor''s performance. Zhang Lie''s team of hunters from Earth was undoubtedly the one that had stood out the most in the forest quadrant.


    "Did you watch thepetition?"


    "What¡ªyou focused on the desert quadrant, not the forest?!"


    "The forest quadrant? Why would I want to watch the vicious nightdemons?"


    "Haha, don''t you know who won the forest quadrant? It wasn''t the night demons¡ªit was the humans!"


    "What? The humans? You must be joking¡ªthey''ve always been eliminated in the first round in recent years!"


    "Don''t you believe me? Watch the recording of the match for yourself!"


    One of the spectators showed the other his wristwatch, which began to disy a holographic recording of what had urred.


    The scene was, of course, the showdown between Zhang Lie and Pu Kui. After watching the fight in its entirety, the youth who had focused on the fighting in the desert quadrant jumped up in surprise.


    "Is this for real? This Zhang Lie hunter managed to take down Pu Kui in a single blow? Wait, zoom in¡ªare those cracks on Pu Kui''s arm?! What kind of monster is he? Should we have paid closer attention to the rumors about these so-called limit fragments from the sr system? Does this hunter, Zhang Lie, boast the strength of these limit fragments?"


    The youth''s mind was clouded with confusion, as was, indeed, every other spectator who had watched the spectacle. As the recording of that fight spread across the audience, Yan Long and Su Feng found themselves surrounded with people and flocked with messages.


    When the two of them retreated to their hotel, the lobby quickly filled up to the brim with people. All those who had reached out to them wanted only one thing: to arrange a dinner with Zhang Lie.


    After seeing the effects of these purported limit fragments for themselves, they knew they had to acquire them for the betterment of their race. Zhang Lie''s dominating performance had spread the importance of limit fragments to arge fraction of the Milky Way, but this wasn''t necessarily a good sign. After all, the theory of limit fragments had been pioneered and propounded by one person alone: Zhang Lie.


    The more famous his theory, the greater the stress he would have to bear.


    On Earth, or even in the Sr System atrge, this level of stress was manageable; but they were currently at the heart of the Milky Way. Yan Long and Su Feng frowned as they nced at each other.


    "It''s time to contact that person, isn''t it, Yan Long?" Su Feng asked.


    "That person?" Yan Long stilled. ''That person'' naturally referred to the strongest authority on earth, the monarch Hong Tianqi. The next moment, however, he shook his head. "No, there''s no need to contact him. He already knows about these limit fragments and our participation in the Void Cup. That means that he likely already knows what''s going on."


    "You mean that he''s already warned the other authorities in the area about this?" Su Feng sighed in relief.


    "At the very least, there''s nothing that we''ll have to worry about publicly. However, it''s true that we''re at the heart of the Milky Way, so there might be a few races who will try to get the information out of us by hook or by crook," Yan Long warned.


    Indeed, with Hong Tianqi''s assistance, the other races wouldn''t dare do too much to them, but they might well try something in private.


    Amidst their worries, arge mor came from the lobby downstairs. Based on the noise alone, Yan Long and Su Feng both ascertained that Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith had returned, and the mor could undoubtedly be ascribed to the media and Zhang Lie''s newfound fans.


    Yan Long and Su Feng tabled their discussion. They messaged Zhang Lie to head to their suite at once and discuss what to do next.


    Momentster, Zhang Lie stepped into their suite. "What''s going on? Why the urgency?"


    "What''s going on?! What else could be going on? Didn''t you say that you would keep a low profile over the course of thepetition?" Yan Long snarled.


    Zhang Lie winced even as he smiled. "Ah, sorry, I couldn''t bear it."


    "What are we going to do? We haven''t prepared for this at all!" Su Feng added, frowning.


    Zhang Lie could sympathize with their troubles to some extent. "I really didn''t do it intentionally¡ªI just wanted to try out my new technique!"


    Neithermander knew what to say. In the past, theirpetitors were so weak that, no matter what they did, they couldn''t make a name for themselves. This time, on the other hand, theirpetitors were so strong that they couldn''t keep a low profile.


    "In that case, what do you n to do? After the results of your match with Pu Kui, I''m sure that your theory of limit fragments will quickly spread across the Milky Way, and we''ll soon be a target!"

 Chapter 237: A Massive Salon

    <h4>Chapter 237: A Massive Salon</h4>


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "What else can we do? This theory currently only works with humans, but I''ve been thinking about expanding to other races as well. Didn''t the night spirits contact us three days ago?"


    "You mean to use them as test subjects to expand the theory?!" Su Feng eximed. He had chalked off Zhang Lie''s easy eptance of cooperation as a dying measure, but Zhang Lie really seemed poised to act on it!


    Yan Long murmured thoughtfully, "That may be, but the night spirits are just an offshoot of the nightdemons. Shouldn''t we aim for a more impactful target?"


    "Right, at this point, it looks as though we should choose to work with one of the four prime races instead. If nothing else, they''ll at least temper the stress that we''ll have to face. In that case, Commanders, would you join me in attending a banquet at the Nightdemon Hotel tonight?"


    Zhang Lie continued to smile, as though everything was under his control.


    "The Nightdemon Hotel? Did you arrange to meet with them there?" Su Feng seemed rather shocked. "Weren''t you battling to the death?"


    "No, no¡ªmy opponent, Pu Kui, is hosting this banquet as an apology to me," Zhang Lie corrected.


    It would have been impossible for Zhang Lie to hide the effect of these limit fragments in their entirety. Given Zhang Lie''s acting skills, he might have been able to fool the crowd and the judges, but not the opponents whom he faced. After all, their opponents would surely be able to sense the discrepancy in strength between the two parties, so exposure was simply a matter of time. In that case, the timing of that exposure would be of paramount importance, and Zhang Lie had chosen one of the best possible times to do so.


    The nightdemons were known to be ferocious and domineering, but they would, without fail, protect their kin. This was the philosophy that had ultimately led them to strength. For instance, although Fu Bo was prideful, petty, and arrogant besides, he had stepped forward and admitted his mistakes to save his young mistress''s life.


    That Zhang Lie had exposed his strength in such a manner shocked Pu Kui enough to convert him into a believer of Zhang Lie''s theory, and it alsoid the groundwork for future cooperation with the nightdemons.


    The nightdemons would also serve as a shield against those enemy factions who were thinking ofying a hand on Zhang Lie, and things would proceed much more smoothly with their support.


    "Very well. I have to admit that you''ve handled matters excellently!" Yan Long eximed.


    Su Feng felt the same way. The twomanders, who had spent much of their life fending off and dealing with aliens, felt as though the hunter standing in front of them wasn''t a youthful hunter in his twenties, but rather a scheming old man.


    That evening, the Nightdemon Hotel shimmered with light, making it seem like a building that had been transported out of some fantasticalnd. Surrounding the hotel were all sorts of lifeforms from the Milky Way, looking around in anticipation of something or someone.


    Cordons had already been set up around the hotel, and the Ural guards were standing at attention nearby. Those who weren''t in the know might have thought that somevish ceremony was about to take ce, but in truth, they were simply awaiting Zhang Lie and his team.


    "This is an impressive turnout!"


    "Right? I could hardly have expected that the foremost ck horse of the season would be the humans!"


    Two young women from the aquatic race murmured to each other.


    "Zhang Lie''s simply too strong! After that one punch, I became a fan as well."


    "Heh heh, if Pu Kui wasn''t holding back, I don''t think there''s anyone that will be able to stop Zhang Lie from winning this tournament!"


    "Holding back? Would someone like Pu Kui hold back? ?Didn''t you hear about the bounty that she posted within the forest quadrant? Any other hunter would have been eliminated in that case, any hunter but Zhang Lie! Didn''t you hear? The four prime races, along with most of the top hundred teams in the tournament, are sending out representatives to attend the banquet. Clearly, everyone''s paying significant attention to Zhang Lie now!"


    "Of course! They have no choice but to¡ªespecially after that fight with Pu Kui! What am I going to do? It''s the first time that I''ve been so interested in a member of the opposite sex. Am I in love?"


    "In love?! Don''t you dare¡ªZhang Lie is mine!"


    "No, he''s mine!"


    The two young aquatic women began squabbling with each other, wearing identical expressions to those of Zhang Lie''s fans back on Earth.


    Zhang Lie''s one casual punch had won him the adtion of countless followers, and everyone outside the cordoned area was either a media reporter or one of Zhang Lie''s fans. For the chance to see their idol for themselves, they had gathered outside the hotel in wait long before the banquet was ted to begin.


    A loud ring came from afar; before the crowd could react, two hovercars zoomed toward the main entrance of the hotel. One hovercar, sleek, ck, and mysterious, flew like a whisper in the air, making all who saw it gasp. This was a limited-edition, top-grade Pegasus, one so rare that it had only ever been seen, let alone ridden, by few of the top figures in Ural.


    The door opened up, and Yan Long, Su Feng, the members of Team Zenith, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng walked out of the hovercar.


    "Zhang Lie!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Ah, my idol!"


    "Team Zenith, chasing the zenith!"


    The moment Zhang Lie walked off the car, the entire Nightdemon Hotel shook with his fans'' agitated shouting. Zhang Lie turned, smiled, and waved.


    The idols of this era were those hunters whose strength was recognized by one and all. In fact, some measure of fame had even be a requirement for eptance into the foremost organizations.


    Zhang Lie was a little surprised that things had developed to this extent, but he took things in stride. He made a shushing motion, causing the noise level to instantly drop by quite a few decibels.


    From within the lobby of the Nightdemon Hotel, Pu Kui and Fu Bo walked out after seeing Zhang Lie''s arrival.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, Commander Yan Long, Commander Su Feng,petitors and representatives of Earth, wee," Pu Kui began formally.


    "There''s no need for such courtesy. Let''s head inside," Zhang Lie replied, smiling.


    Once they did get inside, Zhang Lie felt as though he had underestimated the impact that Pu Kui had among the nightdemons and thepetitors atrge. The private banquet had turned into a salon. In the grand hall, a few musicians were ying some soothing background music, andrge tables in the center of the lobby were heaped with specialty food.


    There had to be over a hundred races represented in the banquet, but Zhang Lie''s arrival caused it all toe crashing to a halt. Everyone''s gazes turned to him at once.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, I apologize for the sudden change, but even the nightdemons were unable to resist the simultaneous requests from over a hundred different races¡ª"


    Indeed, Pu Kui would have much preferred a private banquet for the nightdemons rather than a rather public salon, but she had no choice owing to the unbelievable pressure to which she sumbed.


    "Don''t worry, I don''t mind. A banquet, a salon¡ªthey both involve eating and talking to people." From Zhang Lie''s perspective, he didn''t mind discussing ns for cooperation with one race or with ten.


    Currently, his theory on limit fragments was suitable only for humans. In his past life, some other races had managed to develop something simr, but as a human himself, Zhang Lie hadn''t paid particrly close attention to the work on other races.


    If these other races wanted to participate in the research, let them. The growth of the races of the Milky Way would certainly indirectly aid Zhang Lie and Earth''s own development, and he simply cared about remaining in control of the core research required for these gene fragments.


    "Let us wee Mr. Zhang Lie and the Earthlingpetitors with our warmest apuse!" Pu Kui announced, causing the music to be drowned out in a riotous wave of apuse.


    "Wee, Mr. Zhang!"


    "Wee, Team Zenith!"


    All sorts of greetings reached their ears.


    A waiter walked by with a number of champagne flutes, one of which Zhang Lie took. "Thank you. It''s a pleasure to see all of you today. Let''s share a toast to celebrate this rxing night. A toast to you all!"


    The other hunters all blinked in shock. It was almost time for the individual matches of the second round, so each of the hunters gathered here could well be apetitor. Who would want to share a toast with someone who could end up as your opponent the next day?


    However, the gathered guests only paused for one brief moment before they all raised their sses as one, so as to show Zhang Lie their courtesy. Quite a few guests couldn''t believe what they were seeing¡ªthere were several races known to harbor a deep feud and bitter grudge with others in attendance, and yet they were all sharing a friendly toast!


    If they weren''t present at the scene themselves, they would have thought it all a dream.

 Chapter 238: Plots Within Plots

    <h4>Chapter 238: Plots Within Plots</h4>


    The reason the races were all getting along in ''harmony'' was because of Zhang Lie and the existence of limit fragments. They all wanted to learn more about these precious objects that could surpass the boundaries and restrictions of race. In light of this, feigning harmony wasn''t a difficult task.


    The salon officially began after Zhang Lie''s arrival and toast. Zhang Lie, Yan Long, Su Feng, the members of Team Zenith, and even Yun Bing and Chu Feng would now have to face a barrage of representatives wanting to speak with them.


    The hundred or so representatives had all but formed a line as they prepared to talk with Zhang Lie. Their questions were uniformly about whether or not these limit fragments could be adapted to their specific race. After speaking with a dozen such representatives, Zhang Lie decided he wasn''t willing to continue in this fashion.


    .


    Standing up, he announced, "It looks like everyone''s here to learn about limit fragments¡ªin that case, to save some time and effort, let me make some things clear to all of you.


    "First, I am the sole pioneer of these limit fragments. The foundational breakthrough and potions that I developed are only applicable to the human race. Second, while it''s theoretically possible for most races to develop a simr breakthrough procedure and even potions, this will require a great amount of time, manpower, and wealth. Furthermore, there''s always a possibility of failure.


    "I''ve already announced the information about the foundational breakthrough in the past; if you''d like to obtain a copy of Potion #1, I''m willing to trade each bottle for a number of herbs. As for requests for cooperation, I will be working with the night spirits in the short term. I will have time to handle three more such requests¡ªof course, I won''t be responsible for procuring research funds, herbs, and test subjects, and I''ll require herbs as payment for sessfully developing aplete product. As for the three races with whom I''ll work, please discuss this ande up with an agreement among yourselves."


    Zhang Lie was more generous than the representatives had expected. After all, he was sharing much of the fruits of hisbor, at least as it applied to humans.


    Their focus naturally shifted from him to the representatives of the other races, with whom they would bepeting for Zhang Lie''s three slots for research and development. In other words, three races would gain priority ess to these limit fragments.


    In truth, most of the races knew that they wouldn''t be able topete with the four prime races for this opportunity. All four prime races were present, and the fact that only three spots were avable meant that one of the four prime races would lose out.


    As a result, the representatives changed their objective. They asked about the herbs that they would need to exchange for a bottle of Potion #1, a query that Zhang Lie had been prepared for. He handed a list of herbs to all those representatives who asked about it, one in which each herb was described pictorially in great detail.


    Yan Long and Su Feng viewed these proceedings with some amazement. They had to admire how carefully Zhang Lie had nned everything out. By announcing that he would work together with three other races, he had all but guaranteed that the Earthlings wouldn''t be targeted until the end of thepetition, because they would all want to get into Zhang Lie''s good books for his help with their research.


    Next, by being willing to trade bottles of Potion #1 for herbs, he was providing an alternative for those races who knew they wouldn''t be able to be the first to work with him, and signifying that he didn''t n on hiding anything. Furthermore, he would even be able to acquire quite a few rare herbs in trade.


    His slyest move was to only cooperate with three more races, forcing the four prime races topete against each other. Even Yan Long and Su Feng themselves didn''t think that they could have done any better.


    The crowd finally stopped badgering Zhang Lie and began to feast in earnest, until Hong Yu showed up with Ali. Hong Yu and Ali were the two closest confidantes of Phoenix, from the winged n. The reason they had appeared in front of Zhang Lie was in hopes of repairing the bad impression that they had left on Zhang Lie.


    Hong Yu knew very well just what these limit fragments would represent for her race.


    The fact that only three among the four prime races could get Zhang Lie''s help meant that they were very likely to reach a breakthrough before anyone else, and the rtive strength of the four races, which was more or less equal, could very well destabilize as a result.


    None among the four races wanted to be the outcast; that was why Hong Yu had dragged Ali over with her.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, I''d like to apologize once more for Ali''s aggressive behavior during our first encounter. I''ve brought him here specially to do so."


    Hong Yu''s etiquette was impable. She nced at Ali, who gulped and said rather awkwardly, "I-I apologize for my earlier transgressions!"


    Perhaps he wasn''t truly sorry, but his actions were appropriately contrite.


    "There''s no need to worry, Ms. Hong Yu. I don''t intend to let my own feelings color the decision the races make. Don''t you think the nightdemons'' young leader, Pu Kui, has transgressed even more harshly?"


    Zhang Lie tipped his flute of champagne at Hong Yu and then drained it all, signifying that bygones would be bygones. He stepped past them and toward a heaping table of food.


    "Thank you, Mr. Zhang Lie!" Hong Yu bowed in perfect Chinese style, causing Zhang Lie, still looking at her from the corner of his eye, to smile.


    After the winged, the aquatic race and the stardemons also paid him their greetings. The aquatic princess was mischievous and cute, and she even offered him a one-night stand for a guaranteed partnership, but that proposal was met with an instant rejection.


    A panda-like creature was the starbeasts'' representative. It looked so cute and chubby that Zhang Lie barely resisted the temptation to cuddle it. Interestingly, it didn''t mention anything about cooperating with Zhang Lie; instead, it wanted to have an arm-wrestling contest with him.


    Zhang Lie naturally refused his request given what was supposed to be a formal asion, but the panda did leave a striking impression on Zhang Lie.


    Subsequently, the representatives of each of the hundred races came over to greet the Earthling delegation. Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t meet most of these representatives individually; instead, most of them met with Yan Long, Su Feng, and the other members of Team Zenith instead.


    The salon was something that the hunters, and even Yan Long and Su Feng, could boast about for the rest of their lives. After all, which Earthling had ever experienced such ttery and obeisance from the hundred strongest races of the Milky Way?


    As they returned to the Nike Hotel, however, Zhang Lie found himself intercepted by two hunters: Ye Mo and Fu Bo. That they appeared together was rather curious to Zhang Lie. Ye Mo''s appearance was understandable: Zhang Lie had singled out the night spirits as one of the races he would work with, so she had personallye over to thank him.


    But what was Fu Bo doing here? Hadn''t he just seen him during the salon? Zhang Lie motioned for everyone else to leave while he talked to the two hunters.


    "What''s going on, Fu Bo?"


    "Captain, by my mistress''mand, I''m one of your men now! Her intention is to have me follow you around at least during the Void Cup, just in case some hunter dares to attack you¡ª"


    "Do you think I''m an idiot? Who would dare attack me at this point? Tell your mistress that I can tell what she''s trying to do, and I won''t stand for it. If she wants to secure my cooperation, she can do so fairly, just like the other races!"


    With Zhang Lie having seen through the nightdemons'' ploy instantly, Fu Bo had no choice but to leave.


    Zhang Lie then turned to Ye Mo, smiling serenely beside him. "And what about you, Ms. Ye Mo? What are you doing here?"


    "For one, I have to thank you for singling the night spirits out as your first partner for this limit fragment project," Ye Mo replied.


    "That''s enough about that. I''ll ask for you to return the favor soon, don''t you worry," Zhang Lie countered. "What''s the other thing?"

 Chapter 239: Start of the Second Round

    <h4>Chapter 239: Start of the Second Round</h4>


    Ye Mo turned serious. "Let me exin. Three months ago, there was a coup in one of the subordinate ns of the night spirits race, the night mystics. Apparently, the reason behind it was that one of the children who was to be ritually sacrificed turned out to be of mixed human and night-spirit blood!"


    "What? Mixed blood?" Zhang Lie nced at Ye Mo, whose sharp spikes protruded from her body, and winced just thinking about it.


    Ye Mo rolled her eyes at him. "Stop looking at me like that! Hear me out!"


    "Ah, no, I was just wondering how they were even able to have children, or how that led to a coup..." Zhang Lie''s idle curiosity left Ye Mo speechless for a moment.


    "That''s not the point, and I''m not aware of the specifics. What''s important is that this child of mixed blood seems to have escaped to Earth, and the night mystics have requested to be transported to Ning to search for him."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. "He''s in Ning, then?"


    Ye Mo nodded. "As far as I can tell."


    "In that case, you''re hoping I can find that child and use him as a test subject for the night spirits'' experiment?"


    .


    Ye Mo nodded again. "Yes, I think he''ll be the best test subject we can possibly hope to find for this experiment. I''ll handle the night mystics; after all, she''ll die if she gets caught by them."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "How old is the child?"


    "Twelve or thirteen," Ye Mo replied.


    "Do you have a description?"


    "No¡ªording to the night mystics, except for her tail, she looks no different from a regr human child, and this tail can generally be hidden within her body, as I''ll demonstrate." Ye Mo''s sharp, spiky tail aligned itself against her back, then vanished in a puff of smoke. Except for a tattoo-like mark on her back, there was no sign that her tail had ever been there.


    "In that case, how am I supposed to find her?" Zhang Lieined.


    Ye Mo smiled. "You''re from Ning, aren''t you? I''m sure you can find her, but even if you can''t, it''s not such a big deal."


    "Very well, I''ll keep an eye out. Here I thought you came bearing gifts, but you''ve brought trouble my way instead!" Zhang Lie sighed and turned to leave.


    "Please, wait!" Ye Mo strode up to him and bade him turn back. "I do have a gift for you, this night spirit pearl. It can increase the speed by which you can gather gic energy at night, and it can save you considerable trouble while your subordinates search for the child."


    "Oh? I''ll ept this gift gratefully, then."


    "With it around, you should be able to find the child as long as she''s still in Ning. Please, I hope you''ll give it your best!" Ye Mo''s eyes shone. Although she had said that it didn''t matter very much, she still hoped fervently that Zhang Lie would be able to find the girl, because she had a premonition that that girl would be the crux to unlocking limit fragments for the night spirits. As long as Zhang Lie could find her, it wouldn''t be long until the night spirits could rise up as a race.


    "Very well, I''ll do my best. We both still have apetition to attend tomorrow, so I''ll see you around." Zhang Lie turned around and walked off, while Ye Mo continued to thank him.


    However, he had barely taken a few steps away when Ye Mo asked, unable to help herself, "Ah, Zhang Lie, are you aiming to be the champion?"


    "Of course!"


    Dawn in the capital of Ural was surprisingly splendid; the ''Sun'' of their sr system wasrger than that on Earth. It heralded the second round of the gctic stage of the Void Cup. This round would consist of five individual matches among thosepetitors who had managed to advance past the first round, and those who won three of those five battles would advance.


    Of course, manypetitors might not even be able to fight all five matches; thepetition had very rxed rules, and they might be severely wounded or killed after just the first match. Only a hundredpetitors would be left standing after the second round, and eachpetitor would fight in an individual arena, much as had been done during the worldwide stage of the Void Cup.


    By the entrance to the arenas, Yan Long and Su Feng watched as Zhang Lie and the otherpetitors headed inside. "Zhang Lie, I assume I won''t have to remind you of anything¡ªjust don''t cause too much of a ruckus. As for the rest of you, be careful. Apparently, Phoenix of the winged has at least five peak gene fragments, so if you encounter him, be ready to surrender at any moment. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Commander!"


    "As for you, Yun Bing and Chu Feng, given the foundational breakthrough and Potion #1, you''re likely no weaker than one of the mid-rangepetitors out there, so your objective will be to try to get into the top hundred. The Void Cup''s prizes are extremely rewarding, and what you get from thepetition could wellst you a lifetime."


    Everyone nodded at Yan Long''s words. When they entered the arena, they could clearly sense the rising tension, as well as see how many fewer participants there were remaining. As they stepped into the tournament grounds, their names and IDs appeared on therge holographic screen before them:


    #0121 Zhang Lie VS #3514 Gino


    #0312 Sun Mengmeng VS #3114 Ji''er


    #0445 Fang Yi VS #3121 Ghifu


    #0401 Sun Xiaowu VS #2789 Spirit-o-wind


    #0252 Yang Ze VS #3516 Cole


    #0451 Zhou Ying VS #3718 Colin


    #0452 Li Feng VS #3149 Casper


    #0564 Chu Feng VS #2454 Fu''e


    #0751 Yun Bing VS #5421 Fu Long


    The strongest three hunters of the nine Earthlingpetitors were facing three nameless opponents, whereas the other six were facing rtively strongpetitors from the windthieves and the magma demons.


    The fourpetitors from Team Zenith would likely do well, given that they had peak gene fragments, but the situation would be somewhat more challenging for Chu Feng and Yun Bing, who neither had peak gene fragments or mutated limit fragments. Even if they were to win, it would be at great cost.


    "Chu Feng, Yun Bing, don''t force yourselves if you can''t handle it. The windthieves and magma demons are top-tierpetitors, and even if you win, you likely won''t be able to do well during the next four fights. If you surrender here, you can still progress by winning the remaining three matches!" Zhang Lie advised them.


    "Got it, Captain! No matter the oue of the match, I hope you''ll allow me to join Team Zenith when we all return from the Void Cup!" Chu Feng replied seriously.


    While Yun Bing didn''t say anything, her ardent gaze alone made her intentions clear. Just like Chu Feng, when she returned to Earth, she would do whatever it took to join Team Zenith, no matter what her n''s response was.


    Before thepetitors could continue chatting away, their wristwatches began to beep, and they were teleported away to each their respective arenas in the next moment.


    "On arena #601, Zhang Lie VS Gino. The fight begins in ten seconds!"


    "Ten!"


    "Nine!"


    As the white, translucent membrane separating the twopetitors turned more and more transparent, Zhang Lie and Gino were finally able to see each other''s faces clearly. Gino looked like a statue studded with coral all over. He was over three meters tall, and while he looked more or less humanoid, he didn''t seem to have ears, a nose, a mouth, or even fingers.


    Just as Zhang Lie saw Gino, so did Gino see Zhang Lie. When he did so, he surrendered immediately, then cupped his hands and bowed toward Zhang Lie in unexpected Chinese style.


    Zhang Lie''s eye began to twitch. Were the unusual surrenders that had gued him all throughout the worldwide stage going to happen here, too?!


    From Gino''s perspective, he could hardly have afforded not to surrender. Zhang Lie had managed to injure the nightdemons'' young leader, Pu Kui, with nothing more than a single punch!


    This was the first match; if Gino didn''t surrender and got wounded badly, he would lose all chance of proceeding to the next stage. Surrendering was undoubtedly a safe, strategic choice.


    In just ten seconds, Zhang Lie was announced as the victor of his arena, and he would have to wait quite some time for the next round to begin. In the meantime, however, he would be able to observe his teammates'' matches.


    Eight holographic screens appeared in front of Zhang Lie, showing the six members of Team Zenith, as well as Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    It was obvious that the hunters of Team Zenith, who possessed peak gene fragments, were easily able to overwhelm their opponents, and they were on the brink of winning already. On the other hand, Yun Bing and Chu Feng weren''t faring very well.

 Chapter 240: The Stubborn Yun Bing

    <h4>Chapter 240: The Stubborn Yun Bing</h4>


    Fu''e of the magma demons stomped on the ground, causing rings of me to re all around him. The entirety of arena #4565 seemed, at that moment, like a volcano that had just exploded.


    "[Tempest Cut]!" As the rings of me surrounded him, Chu Feng shed at his surroundings with his two des, then rushed forward as quickly as the wind. His empowered attack managed to break through his opponent''s defensive rings of fire and allowed him to rush up to him.


    Fu''e was a crocodile that was covered in magma, and he was two meters tall even in a sedentary position. In truth, after sensing how strong his opponent''s fluctuations in gic energy were, Chu Feng was ready to give up, but he didn''t want to surrender before testing out the waters.


    "[Windward Sword]!" As he infused both his swords with all his gic energy,they vanished from sight, along with Chu Feng himself, leaving nothing but a gust of wind in front of Fu''e. The caress of the wind was filled with sharp des of sword energy, chipping off the magma surrounding his body and revealing his true form.


    As the des struck his flesh, Fu''e curled up in defense.


    Chu Feng''s blow had been effective, but his face seemed unusually pale: this was his strongest technique, and all he had managed to do was to destroy part of his armor and give him a superficial injury!


    "[Thundersh Magma]!" Fu''e howled, the ground beneath him turning red as magma seeped into the ground. A pir of burning-hot magma emerged by Chu Feng''s feet.


    "[Wings of Wind]!" Chu Feng extended his wings as he dodged, but the magma underneath him exploded in all directions. Amidst the thunderous explosion, Chu Feng wove through the obstacles and rushed to the exterior boundary of the arena.


    The magma seemed to be endless; it would be difficult for him to return to the interior of the arena, let alone attack the other party. Chu Feng instantly surrendered, causing him to be sent out of the arena in a sh of white light.


    "Not bad, but your opponent''s defense was simply too strong!" Zhang Lie murmured.


    "It is unfortunate, but this is ultimately a problem with my own strength," Chu Feng admitted. He nced at the screens that Zhang Lie was looking at. Not including Zhang Lie, Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, and Zhou Ying had already won their respective matches, so they were all looking at the remainingpetitors from Earth.


    Most of them were focused on Yun Bing, who was struggling against her opponent; if not for the fact that her opponent was holding back, she would likely have lost already.


    "What''s going on? Why''s Yun Bing trying so hard? She should just surrender!" Sun Mengmeng murmured, ncing at the trails of blood dripping down Yun Bing''s snowy-white armor and causing Chu Feng to feel a sudden sense of dissonance.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing were young leaders of two of the leading ns of China, so when had they ever felt so helpless, so marginalized? Perhaps he was the only one who could really understand Yun Bing''s circumstances...


    "She wants to test her own limits," Chu Feng exined, his mind still in a mess.


    Everyone turned to Chu Feng. The next moment, Zhang Lie shouted into his transceiver, "Yun Bing, that''s enough! You''ve already proven yourself, so surrender and get back out here! There''ll be plenty of opportunities in the future!"


    "[Web of Scorching me]!"


    "[de of the Mists]!" A mysterious de, wreathed in mist, shed against a gigantic web of mes, causing plumes of smoke to rise into the air. Yun Bing staggered back with yet another injury, but she had forced the magma spider, Fu Long, to use his full strength.


    "[Formless Cloud]!" The moment the web of mes vanished, Yun Bing summoned hundreds of clones, which shot out toward the spider. Each of her clones felt like they were at full strength, with a dazzling sword in their hands. They shot straight toward Fu Long''s eyes.


    "[Arachnid Pyrnce]!" Fu Long called out, his twelve legs simultaneously manifestingnces of magma, which he shot into the air. Thences popped each clone they encountered as though the clones were balloons; they weren''t able to withstand even a single blow.


    Fu Long''s legs trembled in excitement.


    "An opportunity!" Zhang Lie suddenly murmured.


    Indeed, almost as he spoke, a slender figure appeared right beside Fu Long, the longsword in her hand brimming with frightening energy. She touched Fu Long''s thinly protected abdomen with the de of her sword. If she were to attack him, Fu Long would be dead at worst and grievously injured at best. She called out, "Surrender, or die!"


    Fu Long surrendered.


    "A cloudrune crane soulshard... that was to be her trump card, but she used it in the first match!" Chu Feng mumbled to himself.


    "Is that a peak-grade soulshard?" Zhang Lie asked, a little surprised. It wasn''t unusual that the scions of the major ns would have peak-grade soulshards, but Zhang Lie didn''t think that Yun Bing would be able to activate it. After all, past superior-grade, soulshards required particr care to limate to one''s body before they were usable in battle.


    In a sh of white light, the victorious Yun Bing appeared before the otherpetitors from Earth. She had overheard Zhang Lie''s question, and she replied, "Yes, it''s a peak-grade soulshard, part of the inheritance of the Yun n!"


    "An inherited soulshard, no wonder... I''d almost forgotten your background!" Zhang Lie handed her a potion. "Drink this, or you likely won''t be able to make it to the second match."


    Before the first match, Zhang Lie had emphasized that Chu Feng and Yun Bing would have a difficult time, and, indeed, Yun Bing''s injuries vindicated his im.


    "Sorry, I¡ª"


    "Don''t worry, it was a good fight, and you did manage to win. However, I might suggest sitting out the second match in your condition."


    "Yes, I understand!"


    Ultimately, whether or not she took Zhang Lie''s advice was none of his business; she was apetitor in her own right, and she could do what she thought best.


    At the same time, the other members of Team Zenith returned victorious, leaving thepetitors from Earth with a total of eight wins and one loss. The onlypetitor who had lost, Chu Feng, lowered his head gravely.


    After the first match would be an hour-long recuperation period before the second. As the other hunters meditated, drank potions, and applied various salves to themselves, Zhang Lie scrolled through the fights of the young leaders of the four prime races.


    He was certain he would have to face them as opponents eventually, so this was a good opportunity to learn more about them. It was true that they wanted to get into his good graces, but they certainly wouldn''t be willing to give up the Void Throne for that.


    The first recording he watched was of Phoenix, who was fighting against an opponent from the aquatic race¡ªif he were right, she was one of the attendants of Lianna, princess of the aquatic race. However, in just two blows, Phoenix had managed to deal her what would otherwise be a lethal blow, and she surrendered.


    After observing Phoenix''s match for himself, even Zhang Lie had to admit that this prideful and arrogant youth was indeed a force to be reckoned with. Phoenix was fast, so fast that even his opponent could barely keep up with him, and Lianna''s attendant had lost before she could convert the arena''s terrain to her advantage.


    Next was Pu Kui. She faced a rtively weak opponent in her first match, and won handily without revealing any of her abilities.


    Third was the panda-like creature from the starbeasts. Zhang Lie''s eyes widened as he watched the footage: the panda was a paragon of lumbering strength. His opponent, just like Chu Feng''s, was what seemed to be a magma tortoise, whose strength was in defense. However, one blow from the panda was sufficient to crack the tortoise''s shell, and the tortoise ultimately surrendered amidst pained howls.


    The panda''s blow was so strong that even the space around the arena seemed to ripple as the blow made contact.

 Chapter 241: The Blood Demons

    <h4>Chapter 241: The Blood Demons</h4>


    Finally was Lianna, princess of the aquatic race. Truthfully, her opponent was so weak that Zhang Lie couldn''t glean any of her abilities either. Her opponent had been pierced by a high-pressure bullet of water, and had surrendered almost immediately afterwards.


    The speed of the technique was supernaturally quick; if not for the fact that it had burst into a mist after piercing her opponent, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have believed that it had actually been a water-based attack.


    Of the four prime races, thepetitors that stood out the most were Phoenix of the winged and the panda-like starbeast. One dominated in speed, and the other in strength. In their respective domains, they had essentially reached the pinnacle of what was possible as a first-realm hunter.


    In truth, Zhang Lie really wanted topete with the panda in terms of strength. The damage multiplier that [One Punch] provided him made him itch to test out just what his new limits were.


    However, before Zhang Lie could act on his desires, the second fight was about to begin, and the ninepetitors'' opponents were quickly determined.


    Zhang Lie VS Yao Yue


    .


    Sun Mengmeng VS Yao Chen


    Fang Yi VS Lu Huiyin


    Zhou Ying VS Yin Xiang


    Li Feng VS Mi Kong


    Sun Xiaowu VS Wu Nian


    Yang Ze VS Bing Li


    Yun Bing VS Chi Liu


    Chu Feng VS Zhao Dongquan


    Thepetitors were quite lucky: except for the blood demons, their opponents were uniformly from rather weaks, and they weren''t much stronger than humans to begin with. This would likely be a free win for most of thepetitors.


    Fortunately, Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng were the two hunters that would challenge their strongest opponents, the blood demons.


    "We''re quite lucky. Yun Bing, give this match your all¡ªafter this, you''ll just need one more win!" Zhang Lie informed Yun Bing, who nodded in agreement. He was confident that the other members of Team Zenith, whom he had taught, would perform well.


    Chu Feng regretted that he had lost his first match, and he was even thinking that he should have tried his hardest to win like Yun Bing. He had no intention of losing this one, and his opponent was considerably weaker than the magma demon he had had to face during the first match, so he should have a much easier time.


    They were once again teleported to their respective arenas.


    "On arena #1541, Zhang Lie VS Yao Yue. The fight begins in ten seconds!"


    "Ten!"


    The blood demons were humanoid lifeforms with a mane of blood-red hair. Their bodies were partially beastlike; it was rumored that the strongest and most intelligent demons were the ones whose beastlike characteristics were minimal.


    Zhang Lie''s opponent was one such blood demon, who had no beastlike characteristics except blood-red ears and a long tail. Strapped to her back was a gigantic broadsword, and her aura was one of a seasoned warrior. Most importantly, Zhang Lie had some memory of her, because she had greeted him during the salonst night¡ªshe was the young leader of the blood demon n, Yao Yue!


    "Seven!"


    "Six!"


    ...


    "One!"


    The membrane between the two hunters vanished, but neither charged forward. Instead, both of them smiled politely at each other.


    "How unlucky I am¡ªthere was only a 1 in 6800 chance of having you as my opponent!" Yao Yue eximed.


    It was true that she would likely lose this match, but at the very least, it would deepen his impression of her. That alone was worth it. After all, Zhang Lie held the key to the improvement of her entire race.


    "What, am I such an unwee opponent? You''re not going to surrender immediately, are you?" Zhang Lie chuckled bitterly, regretting that he had disyed his prowess for all to see during the first round of the gctic stage.


    "Who would want to have you as their opponent? However, please don''t worry. I know I''m weaker than you are, but I won''t admit defeat immediately either. This is an opportunity for me to get a taste of just what these limit fragments can do for me and mine!"


    Yao Yue smiled as her aura grew more and more intense. "[Totem of the Blood Moon]!"


    A fog of blood permeated the entire arena, and the light grew dim. A bloody moon rose into the air, and totems materialized around the arena. The moment the totems condensed, Yao Yue''s demonic energy grew immensely, and her potent aura overwhelmed the entire arena.


    In terms of strength, she didn''t seem any weaker than Zhang Lie, who possessed peak gene fragments.


    "Come, attack me!" Zhang Lie called out, impressed by her strength. "Show me your skills!" ck fog rose all around Zhang Lie as he challenged Yao Yue.


    "Naturally. Take this: [Tome of Blood: Whirling Crescent]!" Crescent des, manifestations of gic energy, shot toward Zhang Lie as she swung her swords down hard. Under the glow of the blood moon totems, the des began to multiply, one into two, two into four, until there were a thousand des rushing toward Zhang Lie.


    "Good! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" He punched forward with his right arm, causing the ck gic energy surrounding him to explode into a sleek ck fish that swam toward Yao Yue''s crescent des. It absorbed every strike from the des, shedding some mass each time, until by the time it reached Yao Yue, it had been whittled down into the size of a goldfish.


    With another attack, she destroyed the fishpletely, only to find that his gic energy seemed to consist of multiple elemental attunements.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, what interesting gic energy you have¡ªare the multiple elemental attunements a benefit of these limit fragments as well?" Yao Yue couldn''t help asking.


    "No, it''s simply an unusual element of my framework," Zhang Lie replied. She had been polite and well-mannered throughout their fight, and he was developing quite a good impression of her.


    "I have to admit that you''re superior to me in terms of framework and technique, Mr. Zhang Lie. In that case, I won''t waste your time any longer!" After all, Zhang Lie had defended against her full-strength blow with just one casual fist, and it was clear that she had no hope of besting him.


    She knew that the disparity between them was sorge that it couldn''t be corrected by some sort of secret or special technique for the duration of the fight, and Zhang Lie clearly wasn''t showing his true strength just yet.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Very well. You''re not weak either, Ms. Yao Yue, and I''m sure you''ll be one of your''s stars in the future."


    Yao Yue smiled sincerely. "I do believe I will be in charge of the limit-fragment project for my n once everything is in order, so I hope you''ll support my endeavor."


    As she had hoped for, Yao Yue left a very strong impression on Zhang Lie. After leaving him a means ofmunication, Yao Yue surrendered, and the twopetitors departed from the stage.


    By the time Zhang Lie returned to the waiting room, Fang Yi, Zhou Ying, Li Feng, Yang Ze, and Sun Xiaowu had already made it back. They were all concentrating on Sun Mengmeng, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng''s fights.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Not bad¡ªyou''ve all finished your matches quickly!"


    "Of course! Our opponents were so weak that we could hardly have taken any longer!" Yang Ze replied.


    Zhang Lie then turned back to the screen in front of the hunters. Yun Bing was struggling through her match; she was gradually gaining control over the arena, but the many wounds that covered her body once more made the others feel sorry for her.


    Chu Feng had battered his opponent down; he would likely win quickly.


    The third match, however, was the most surprising to Zhang Lie.


    Sun Mengmeng seemed to barely have an advantage over her opponent, and neither seemed to have control of the arena. How was that possible? Sun Mengmeng had peak gene fragments! Under usual circumstances, her opponent shouldn''t have been able to withstand her attacks for so long.


    "What''s going on?" he asked.


    "Captain, the blood demon hunter''s using some sort of secret technique, along with three different types of strengthening potions!" Fang Yi immediately answered.


    "Why? Isn''t it only the second match of the round?" Zhang Lie wondered, then settled in to observe the match.

 Chapter 242: The Humans Strength

    <h4>Chapter 242: The Humans'' Strength</h4>


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward her opponent. The arena was charred ck all over, and the ground was littered with Sun Mengmeng''s arrows.


    The blood demon Yao Chen held a paired blood-red longsword and shortsword in his hands. He moved so quickly that he seemed to shift in and out of existence, then cut each arrow in half.


    Sun Mengmeng had found a worthy opponent, though one who was only keeping up with her because of the potions he had ingested.


    His framework, techniques, and fighting style were all perfectly ipatible with Sun Mengmeng, who was a long-ranged attacker. He had incredible close-ranged abilities and moved so quickly that she could hardly track his movements, but she wasn''t particrly worried. After all, her reserves were strong, and she had hardly used any shy techniques since the start of the match.


    On the other hand, Yao Chen was finding the match a much harder struggle. It had been over ten minutes since he activated a secret technique, and it wouldst only at most ten more minutes. The moment the buff from the technique expired, he would lose without a doubt.


    Furthermore, he had also consumed three strengthening potions, each with a shorter duration than thest. His body was already at its limits, and the immense pain that came as a side-effect was starting to affect his concentration.


    In truth, if not for the fact that he had taken a bet with one of his nmates about being able to defeat a member of Team Zenith, he wouldn''t be fighting this hard. There was no time left. He had to strike back now, before his opponent loosed any more arrows at him. Otherwise, he would lose.


    "[Eightfold Soulstealing Thrust]!" Yao Chen''s speed rose to its limit, and he darted right up to Sun Megmeng''s side. His two des whirled, forming eight clones all around him. Each clone seemed to boast as much strength as his main body had; they surrounded Sun Mengmeng from all directions and charged toward her.


    Sun Mengmeng seemed a little flustered; although she had begununching a technique, it didn''t seem as though she would have enough time to do so. Furthermore, she only had three arrows, whereas her opponent had eight clones. It seemed as though the oue of the battle was obvious.


    The blood demonpetitors, resting in their waiting room, began to cheer in anticipation.


    On the other hand, by the Earthlings'' waiting room, Zhang Lie smiled. "The match is over."


    .


    The eight clones were no more than three meters away from Sun Mengmeng when she suddenly reacted, dematerializing her longbow and recing it with a set of crescent-ded knives.


    She smiled as ming armor covered her body. "I''m not just a long-ranged attacker, you know. [Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her des all around her, forcing the eight clones to retreat and flinging Yao Chen''s body into the air. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as three arrows pierced his body, pinning him to the ground.


    Fortunately, Sun Mengmeng had no intention of killing him, so her arrows hadn''tnded anywhere particrly life-threatening, but even so, Yao Chen was yelling out in pain. "I admit defeat! I surrender!"


    Just what sort of hunters hade from Earth during this iteration of the Void Cup?! Not only was his opponent a skilled long-ranged attacker, she could even defend herself well in a melee!


    Of course, Zhang Lie and the others didn''t think much of the win. Everyone present, with the exception of Yun Bing and Chu Feng, were familiar with Sun Mengmeng''s skill, but the blood demons clearly weren''t.


    "What a pity for Yao Chen!" one of the blood demons murmured.


    "Indeed, I''m quite surprised she was able to defend against hisst attack."


    "Rather sly, isn''t she? Humans are known for their plotting, after all!"


    "This is Yao Chen''s first loss in the tournament so far, isn''t it? I''m sure it''ll be all he thinks about for days," another demon murmured.


    "You''re all wrong: this wasn''t a close match at all. Yao Chen was outmatched from the very beginning!" Yao Yue suddenly eximed, correcting the others.


    At the same time, Yao Chen, who had just been patched up, was transported back, and he immediately agreed with Yao Yue''s words. "Indeed, I waspletely defeated by the human girl."


    "What?! The humans might be unusually strong during this iteration of the Void Cup, but surely they''re not that strong?" one of the blood demons called out, unable to believe this reality. After all, in the past, the blood demons had done very well for themselves during the Void Cup, and they couldn''t believe that the humans had improved so much that they could easily defeat them.


    "You all saw my match against the team leader of the Earthlings, Zhang Lie, didn''t you?" Yao Yue asked.


    Everyone nodded.


    "Indeed, he seemed rather strong, but you didn''t lose by much, Team Leader!"


    "What? Our team leader didn''t lose¡ªshe was Zhang Lie''s equal in strength, and she surrendered out of courtesy!"


    Two of the blood demons gave their own perspective on the fight, and the other blood demons nodded. They didn''t think Yao Yue would lose out against any of the young leaders of the four prime races.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t weak, but he wasn''t too much stronger than they were, either. All of them seemed to have forgotten how Zhang Lie had managed to crack the arm of the nightdemons'' young leader, Pu Kui, yesterday. And while they didn''t understand just how overwhelmed Yao Yue was when she faced him, Yao Yue herself did.


    "You''re all wrong. Let me be clear: I am no match for Zhang Lie! His skills eclipse me by so much that there would be nothing I could do to him in a serious battle. Do you understand?" Yao Yue''s firm words shocked the blood demons, who were still somewhat unable to believe her.


    The defeated Yao Chen added, "I think our team leader is right. That was how I felt when facing my opponent, too. They''re very strong, unusually strong, stronger than any opponent I''ve met. It''s not a feeling you''ll understand until you experience it for yourself.


    "The young woman I was facing hadn''t used her true strength, even till the very end. In fact, if you meet any of the humanpetitors, I might even rmend surrendering and saving your strength."


    The blood demons'' waiting room turned silent.


    "There''s nothing to be upset about¡ªjust don''t underestimate the humans. The source of their strength is in their limit fragments. If we can establish a good rtionship with them, we can do the same. There are only nine Earthlingpetitors in the Void Cup, but the ones we really have to pay attention to are Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith. There''s only a small chance that we''ll encounter them, so I expect that you''ll all advance without fail," Yao Yue added, seeing that everyone seemed a little dispirited.


    "Yes, Team Leader!"


    She and the blood demons weren''t the only ones thinking about the Earthlings'' explosive strength. The magma demons, who had fought quite a few of the hunters from Earth, felt much the same way.


    "Fu Long, are the humans really as strong as the rumors im?"


    After watching Sun Mengmeng''s fight, a magma stag cocked its head at Fu Long, who was recuperating from his wounds.


    "Captain, after watching that fight, can''t you tell? That archer seems to be even stronger than the opponent I faced, but not by much."


    The stag nodded. "Indeed, but she''s fire-attuned. If we end up having to face her, she likely won''t be able to do much against us. As for the other hunters, well... if we encounter the thunder- or light-attuned hunter, I suggest we surrender immediately. Our goal is to get into the top hundred, and to do so, we only need three wins. Don''t let me down!"


    The magma demons and windthieves both came to the same conclusion, as did other top races. The middling and lower-ranked races naturally did the same.


    On the other hand, there were those who were itching to challenge the hunters of Earth, like the prideful Phoenix of the winged.


    "Hong Yu, what do you think about the Earthlingpetitors?"


    Phoenix nced at Hong Yu in distaste. He had just browsed the forum that had been set up for the Void Cup, only to find that most of the threads within were discussing how frightening the humans were.


    Hong Yu was his most trustedpanion, as well as the most logical and intelligent person he knew.


    "Would you like to hear the truth?" Hong Yu asked.


    "Of course!"


    "In that case, it''s true that the humans this year are really quite strong, even stronger than the forum makes it appear."


    "Surely not?" Phoenix frowned, his distaste evident from his expression.


    "Young Master, I know you''re prejudiced against them, but please don''t underestimate the humans. The theory of limit fragments that Zhang Lie advanced will be the future of all the races of the Milky Way. I just spoke to Yao Yue. Do you know what she thinks of Zhang Lie after their fight?"


    "What did she say?" Phoenix did know Yao Yue, so he was quite interested in her opinion.


    "She said that her strength was iparable to Zhang Lie''s; he was so much stronger that anyparison would be meaningless."


    Phoenix fell silent.

 Chapter 243: Yao Yues Favor

    <h4>Chapter 243: Yao Yue''s Favor</h4>


    Whether or not Phoenix believed Hong Yu, the strength of the humans wouldn''t change as a result, and thepetition wouldn''t stop.


    The members of Team Zenith had all won two matches in a row; after a third match, they would all make it to the top hundred. As for Yun Bing and Chu Feng, one of them had won two matches, and the other had lost one. Although their path forward would be filled with obstacles, they both had a good chance of making it as well.


    By this point, the two of them had realized just how important the limit fragments they possessed were. They each had sixty basic limit fragments, which was the main reason they had managed to proceed this far into thepetition.


    Everyone''s luck was quite good for the third match; in particr, Yun Bing and Chu Feng weren''t up against strong opponents.


    As a result, Yun Bing, who had suffered quite a few injuries from a protracted first and second match, gritted her teeth and continued fighting earnestly during her third match. Though she was severely wounded by the end, she managed to win, securing herself in a spot in the top hundred.


    Chu Feng also won his match, suffering light injuries.


    Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith easily defeated their opponents. Thus, by the third match, all of Earth''spetitors save Chu Feng had all managed to enter the top hundred.


    Yun Bing had to be escorted away by Yan Long and Su Feng to receive treatment for her debilitating injuries, and Zhou Ying followed her out to take care of her. Everyone else remained to watch Chu Feng''s fourth fight.


    As Chu Feng''s fourth opponent was revealed, everyone cursed near-simultaneously.


    Chu Feng VS Yao Yue


    Because she had lost to Zhang Lie, the young leader of the blood demons wasn''t able to advance in the third match. She had ended up participating in the fourth match, and by a stroke of luck, had another Earthling as an opponent.


    Thinking back to the fight she had had with Zhang Lie, Chu Feng wilted. He didn''t think he would be able topete against her at all.


    "There''s nothing to it. Surrender at the start of the match; you won''t be able to defeat her," Zhang Lie consoled him, and Chu Feng smiled bitterly.


    The fighting in the fifth match would be far more vicious than in the fourth match; everyone still fighting by then would need that win to advance. Before he could think too much about it, however, Chu Feng found himself teleported to the arena.


    As the two of them nced at each other through the diaphanous membrane, Yao Yue smiled at him in a friendly manner.


    "On arena #5213, Yao Yue VS Chu Feng. The fight begins in ten seconds!"


    "Ten!"


    "Nine!"


    "Eight!"


    ...


    "One!"


    "Let the fifth match begin!"


    "I¡ª"


    "Hold on!"


    Chu Feng was about to surrender when Yao Yue interrupted him. As he stared on in shock, Yao Yue called out, "I surrender!"


    "What''s going on? Why did she surrender?"


    "I have to say, Yao Yue''s a really intelligent woman!"


    The crowd was of two minds in the light of her sudden surrender.


    On stage, Chu Feng understood her intention near-immediately. He, and indeed all of Team Zenith, had underestimated the impact of these limit fragments. Yao Yue''s objective, of course, was to get into Zhang Lie''s good books, leave a deep impression on him, and have him owe her a favor.


    Although he had won, Chu Feng didn''t feel any joy from his unexpected victory. Indeed, if he had the choice, he would rather have surrendered and tried his best in the fifth and final match, because he had had no part in this victory. It had even caused Zhang Lie to owe Yao Yue a favor on his behalf.


    The fourth match ended with everyone from Earth making their way into the top hundredpetitors of the Void Cup. The aftermath of Yao Yue''s surrender, however, left significant repercussions.


    In the blood demons'' waiting room, one of her teammates pressed her regarding her decision. "Why, Team Leader? Why did you do that? Why would you tarnish the sanctity of the Void Cup so grantly?"


    Yao Yue onlyughed. "Why? For the good of the n, of course!"


    Before the match began, Yao Yue had hardly expected that she would face another Earthling, because she knew that only one of them had yet to advance. The heavens had deemed fit to give her that opportunity, so who was she to squander it?


    "For the entire n? Team Leader, you''re... trying to suck up to Zhang Lie?" another of the blood demons asked.


    "Indeed! Do you doubt my judgment?" Yao Yue frowned, realizing the distaste her teammates had for her actions.


    "Of course! How can we bow down to these inferior humans?" another blood demon spoke up, revulsion apparent on his face.


    "I''ll exin myself, but before that, let me ask you all a few questions first. Why do you think the humans of this iteration of the Void Cup have received so much attention and favorable treatment?" she questioned her teammates.


    "Because of these so-called limit fragments, of course!"


    "Indeed. It''s precisely because of these limit fragments, because he''s strong enough that the various ns have no choice but to treat him well. Even the prideful Phoenix gave him face despite being snubbed by Zhang Lie. Doesn''t that tell you something about how strong Zhang Lie is?


    "The humans aren''t a particrly strong race, at least in terms of their racial characteristics. In that case, given that everyone here has filled up their gene fragments to capacity, how can the humans dominate in terms ofbat ability? Because of limit fragments!


    "My next question: do any of you know how to develop or obtain these limit fragments?"


    How could they know? All they knew were the details that had been disseminated to the public.


    "This theory was pioneered by Zhang Lie, wasn''t it? Of course we wouldn''t know¡ª"


    Yao Yue broke her teammate off. "Exactly. No one but Zhang Lie knows, so if we want to break through, we need to acquire Zhang Lie''s assistance.


    "My third question, then: Zhang Lie has designated four races for cooperation for the first attempt at developing limit fragments for those races. The four prime races willpete for the three remaining spots; what about the next batch of openings?


    "The development of these limit fragments will surely be a revolution for all the races of the Milky Way, one led by Zhang Lie, the human that you''re all disdaining! If the humans managed to grow so strong with these limit fragments, what do you think our n, which started out stronger, will be able to do? And so, how are we to secure Zhang Lie''s cooperation? There are surely stronger and wealthier ns out there, so the only thing we can do now is to remain clear-headed, to be obeisant, to be willing to give up our pride for this opportunity.


    "Perhaps you might think that my actions today spoke badly of the blood demons, but it certainly will catch Zhang Lie''s attention. I intend to develop my rtionship with him and secure a spot for cooperation in the second batch of openings. Is there anyone who still doubts my actions?"


    The blood demons were silent. After long moments, Yao Chen mumbled, understanding her points clearly, "Team Leader, you''re absolutely right. We''ve been too old-fashioned and prideful in our thinking."


    Another blood demon, however, questioned, "But what if Zhang Lie doesn''t remember this favor?"


    Yao Yue almost burst out inughter. "And why wouldn''t he? The blood demons have no feud with the humans. Didn''t you all see how the night spirits managed to secure cooperation with Zhang Lie from the very beginning? They did nothing more than host a banquet for him!"


    Suddenly, Yao Yue''s transceiver beeped. When Yao Yue nced at the caller, her cheeks flushed in excitement.


    "Team Leader, who is it?"


    "Shh! Quiet, it''s Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie! In that case, what Yao Yue had done...


    "Yao Yue, thank you for your help in the fourth fight," Zhang Lie began.


    "It''s no issue at all. I don''t expect my opponent in the fifth match to be any issue, and friends should help each other." Yao Yue rified that she viewed the two races to be on friendly terms.


    "Friends? Very well. In that case, let me promise this now: I''ll guarantee the blood demons a spot in the second batch of openings."


    Yao Yue''s eyes widened, as did those of the blood demons in the room. Stammering, she rified, "R-Really?"

 Chapter 244: Top Hundred

    <h4>Chapter 244: Top Hundred</h4>


    Silence befell the room. Yao Yue pinched herself. "I''m not dreaming¡ªwe''ve really secured a spot for ourselves!"


    Yao Yue''s anticipation was obvious; no one knew better than her just what cooperation with Zhang Lie represented. The other blood demons began to cheer. They hadn''t realized just how valuable such an opportunity was, but once Yao Yue exined everything to them, they could see that it was a precious gift indeed.


    That said, Yao Yue''s actions were being condemned by quite a few of the top-tier races participating in the tournament.


    "Hong Yu, is this Yao Yue a friend of yours?" Phoenix asked disdainfully, a constipated expression on his face.


    "We''ve met a few times and have exchanged a few messages. What''s the matter, Young Master? Do you disagree with her actions?" Hong Yu smiled, as though she had just seen something entertaining.


    "Disagree? Of course I do¡ªshe''s nothing more than a bootlicker! It''s disgusting!" Phoenix was utterly detested by what she did.


    "Disgusting? Young Master, you should know that, because of what Yao Yue did, Zhang Lie guaranteed her n a spot in the second batch of openings for limit fragment development. She beat out all her opponents by gracefully losing a single match. It was a smart, calcted decision, and I believe it will pay off for her n at least a hundredfold," Hong Yu criticized Phoenix more severely than she had in years.


    Phoenix stared at her dumbstruck, unable to believe that Hong Yu, one of the people he trusted most, would say such things to him. "Hong Yu, I don''t understand why you''re so enamored with this Zhang Lie fellow. Limit fragments this, limit fragments that¡ª surely there''s someone in the entirety of the Milky Way who can develop these fragments without the help of that odious human!


    "Furthermore, these humans are no better than ants. Everything would be solved if we just kidnapped them by force; there''s no need to be so polite! I was already quite upset when you brought Ali over to apologize to him, a member of an inferior third-rate race! Why the¡ª"


    "Young Master, open your eyes! It''s true that, on the whole, the humans are a weak race, but their strongest hunters are hardly inferior to ours. Just look at Martial Sage Hong Tianqi! Even the winged could hardly get away without consequences if they were to rouse his ire. Don''t you know that he even broke through recently?!


    "I hope you''lle to your senses¡ªthis affair could very well disrupt the dominance of the four prime races. At this point, what we do now is crucial. If we continue ignoring the humans and think of them as inferior lifeforms, our actions will doom our race! Young Master, please, this is far more important than your pride!" Hong Yu urged, but Phoenix didn''t care for her words.


    "Get out! Scram!" His infuriated shouts drew the attention of the rest of the wingedpetitors.


    In truth, this was the first time they had ever seen Phoenix so angry, especially to Hong Yu, who was one of his most trusted confidantes.


    However, everyone was aware of his temper, and no one stepped up to defend Hong Yu.


    "I will, Young Master, but please, think about what I said! Don''t make enemies of the humans!"


    "I said, scram!" Phoenix, seemingly having lost his senses, made as if to attack Hong Yu outright, shocking the other wingedpetitors.


    In the end, as she sighed, Hong Yu fled from the room. Phoenix, snorting in anger, returned to his seat.


    Zhang Lie! Zhang Lie! Everywhere he went, he heard this hated name.


    Hong Yu had advised that he invite the other party to the winged''s banquet, but Zhang Lie had snubbed him¡ªhim, the next leader of the winged!¡ªdirectly, causing him to be theughingstock of the other top races.


    Even worse, that damned human even epted the night spirits'' invitation, implying that he thought of the winged as worse than a subordinate n of the nightdemons! He couldn''t take this insult lying down. If he hadn''t known Hong Yu for so long, Phoenix might even have suspected that she was a spy that the humans had dispatched to him.


    Phoenix swore that the humans, who had tended him such a grave insult, would surely pay for their mistake.


    "From now on, if you meet a humanpetitor, kill them at any cost! I don''t believe that such an inferior race will be able to ovee our might!" hemanded.


    Thismand would ultimately herald the downfall of the winged. Be it because of pride or envy, Phoenix''s response was overblown.


    Inparison, the other races were significantly more thoughtful about what was going on. When they found out that the blood demons had secured a spot for themselves with regards to Zhang Lie''s research, they were starting to wonder whether the gain would be worth it.


    After all, the humans'' strength was evident. They had been one of the weaker races; now, however, they were entities that even the four prime races had to be careful of offending. After seeing how much stronger the human hunters had gotten, thepetitors from other races were eyeing these limit fragments with interest.


    Some had even tried to research these limit fragments on their own, but it would surely progress much more slowly without an expert like Zhang Lie around. As a result, these races had no choice but to cultivate rtionships with the humans. Pride was important, but so was getting apetitive advantage.


    The next day, quite a few races who had disdained the blood demons for their actions became envious of their good fortune. If they had had the same opportunity, they would surely have done the same!


    Thus ended the second round of the gctic stage. Every member of Team Zenith had ended up in the top hundred, a new record for mankind. The news was sent back to Earth at the speed of light, shocking the entire Sr System and causing all human hunters to cheer.


    Zhang Lie, Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng''s names quickly became known throughout the sr system, especially Zhang Lie. His theory of limit fragments, Zenith Dojo, and participation in the Void Cup had left him a renowned hero and idol for just about every member of the sr system.


    How long had it been since the rise of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi that Earth was afforded such honor?


    In the Holy Glory Academy, in Zhang Hanxiang''s suite, her suitemate, Lizi, held out her wristwatch excitedly as she flipped through the holographic images it disyed. "Hanxiang! Hanxiang! Look¡ªyour brother and his team became the top hundredpetitors in the Void Cup!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    Chants of Zhang Lie''s name could be heard from outside their suite: it was apparent that Zhang Lie had quite a few fans in the Holy Glory Academy.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes sparkled with tears. "I knew my brother could do it. He''s the best!"


    Beside her, Qingqing patted her back. "Hanxiang, this is a happy asion, isn''t it? Why are you crying? I''m so envious that you have such an amazing brother!"


    "Right, I won''t cry, I shouldn''t cry! I''m just so¡ªhappy! Qingqing, Lizi, should I message my brother and congratte him?" Zhang Hanxiang asked.


    "Of course! You''re his sister, aren''t you? Your brother adores you so much, I''m sure he''ll pick up," Qingqing murmured.


    "Right, you''re the most important person to him! And if you do so, we''ll be able to see our idol again, too!" Lizi added.


    Zhang Hanxiang called Zhang Lie on his private number, and he responded almost immediately. The familiar cadence of his voice brought her afort and relief she didn''t know she needed.


    "Hanxiang, how are you?" Zhang Lie had always prioritized Zhang Hanxiang''s calls over anyone else''s.


    "Brother! I saw some footage of you during the Void Cup¡ªyou were amazing!"


    "Haha, thank you, Hanxiang! But I''ve only gotten into the top hundred so far, so don''t get too excited just yet. Wait until I bring the Void Throne back to Earth!"


    "I understand, Brother! Your opponents had better watch out!"

 Chapter 245: Chu Feng, Wounded

    <h4>Chapter 245: Chu Feng, Wounded</h4>


    The two siblings talked for almost half an hour before hanging up. During that time, Qingqing and Lizi, two ardent fans of Zhang Lie, did manage to exchange a few words of greeting with him.


    The topic of conversation was naturally taking care of Zhang Hanxiang, but the two girls didn''t care. They would have been happy to have a conversation about anything, as long as they got to speak with Zhang Lie.


    As for Zhang Hanxiang, the two girls treated her almost like a sister. In just a few short months, Zhang Hanxiang had broken out of her reticent shell and be more outgoing than before. This was thebined result of Zhang Lie''s fame and the academy''s teachers and students, and Zhang Lie was quite grateful to these two girls for doing so much.


    The night all ninepetitors from Earth made it into the top hundred of the gctic stage of the Void Cup, humans all over Earth began to cheer, but the loudest cheers came from China; in particr, from three locations in China.


    One such was Ning. As the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie''s hometown, the buildings stayed lit up all night long, with a frenzy of people gathered around the Zenith Dojo. That night, half the officials of Ning, and those officials of the world federation stationed at Ning, went to the Zenith Dojo to offer their congrattions.


    The other cheers came, of course, from the Yun and Chu ns in the capital, who had received so many guests that night that there was a clog by their manors'' front entrances. The other major ns of the capital, along with high-ranking officials of China and the world federation, came to congratte the heads of both ns.


    They bore high hopes for Zhang Lie, along with the rest of his team, Team Zenith. However, they hadn''t looked too favorably on Yun Bing and Chu Feng, who were clearly below the other sevenpetitors in terms of strength. Indeed, most people didn''t think they would be able to get past the second stage, but thanks to Zhang Lie''s assistance, they had actually been able to make it to the top hundred.


    That night, the entirety of China''s attention was focused on the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, the Zenith Dojo, and the Yun and Chu ns.


    The third stage might be as far as Yun Bing and Chu Feng would be able to get, but for Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, this was only their starting point.


    The third day of the gctic stage drew near.


    Before the tournament began in earnest, Zhang Lie instructed, "By this point, all hundredpetitors are the cream of the crop. Everyone, use your full strength¡ªdon''t be blindsided by an opponent pretending to be weak!"


    He turned to Yun Bing and Chu Feng. "As for the two of you, be careful. There might be enemy factions targeting us humans, so prioritize your safety above all. If you see dangerouspetitors trying to kill you outright, surrender immediately. Do you all understand?"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Everyone watched the screen as the pairings for the third round were released.


    Zhang Lie VS Fu Bo


    Sun Mengmeng VS Yun Bing


    Fang Yi VS Ali


    Yang Ze VS Lianhua


    Li Feng VS Feng Kun


    Zhou Ying VS Fu''e


    Sun Xiaowu VS Zhou Xing


    Chu Feng VS Phoenix


    As expected, the third stage would be vicious: the pairings were either extremely tough or somewhatughable. Zhang Lie expected Fu Bo to surrender immediately, especially considering the threshing that he had given him earlier in the tournament.


    Sun Mengmeng and Yun Bing, on the other hand¡ªit was unlikely that Yun Bing would have been able to advance, but to assign her to fight Sun Mengmeng felt somewhat ridiculous.


    Fang Yi''s opponent was Ali, Phoenix''s teammate and trusted warrior. His matches in the past hadn''t been particrly sshy, but given his position as Phoenix''s right-hand man, his strength was all but guaranteed. The match would almost certainly be tough.


    Yang Ze''s opponent was even worse: Lianhua was the closepanion of Lianna, princess of the aquatic. It would be tricky for Yang Ze to win this match.


    Zhou Ying would likely have a hard time against Fu''e, considering her wood-attuned framework was elementally disadvantaged against Fu''e''s fire-attuned one, as well as Fu''e''s overwhelming defense. She would likely still be able to win, but it would be a hard match indeed.


    Sun Xiaowu was lucky: his opponent, Zhou Xing, would likely be the weakestpetitor that any of them had to face.


    Li Feng''s opponent, Feng Kun, was apparently one of the young geniuses of the windthieves, having won his three matches yesterday with effortless ease.


    Chu Feng was the unluckiest of them all; he was facing Phoenix, recognized to be one of the strongestpetitors of this Void Cup.


    As soon as he saw the pairing, Zhang Lie told Chu Feng to surrender immediately. From his perspective, it wasn''t impossible that Phoenix still bore him a grudge for rejecting his invitation, and he didn''t want to risk Phoenix trying to teach Chu Feng a lesson during their match.


    Chu Feng nodded gravely, and then they were all teleported to their respective arenas.


    As expected, Fu Bo surrendered immediately, and Zhang Lie returned to the waiting room.


    However, shockingly, Chu Feng hadn''t yet returned.


    Wasn''t he supposed to have surrendered immediately? Had something happened?!


    Zhang Lie pulled up the holographic screen showing Chu Feng''s arena; the sight chilled him to his bones. Fresh blood sttered against the ground of the arena. Phoenix thrashed Chu Feng as though he were a training dummy, without any ability to resist his attacks.


    Half of a tongue and a few teeth lying on the ground made it clear why Chu Feng hadn''t been able to surrender: his opponent had attacked too quickly. Zhang Lie had underestimated Phoenix''s grudge; after all, Hong Yu and Ali had apologized to him rather politely, but it seemed as though it were all a ruse.


    He witnessed Chu Feng''s left arm being ground to nothing under the scouring wind that Phoenix so finely controlled. The tremendous pain caused Chu Feng to cry out, and his cries seemed to take on a bestial quality given the loss of half his tongue.


    "Ever since you pieces of trash rejected my invitation, I''ve been disgusted by all of you! I intended to ignore you humans entirely, but once and again, you appeared in front of my eyes, your news continuously polluting my ears and disgusting me over and over again!


    "Don''t you have these so-called limit fragments? Why are you still so weak? Know your ce, trash!


    "Let me tell you this: no matter what skills you possess, no matter what research you purport to aplish, the humans will be no better than ants to the winged. There''s a gulf between our races that you''ll never ovee¡ªyou puny humans, without any racial advantages, without any source of power, without any cultivation value at all!


    "Trash now, trashter¡ªtrash forever and always!"


    Phoenixughed at Chu Feng''s pained cries and howls. He had disintegrated Chu Feng''s left arm; next would be his right.


    If Zhang Lie didn''t stop Phoenix now, Chu Feng''s life would be in danger. He forced himself to rein in his anger, which wouldn''t solve the immediate issue ahead of him. How was he to stop Phoenix or to help Chu Feng surrender?


    He contacted the artificial intelligence overseeing the matches. While he hadn''t taken part in the Void Cup in his past life, he had seen matches such as this before, where the fight was artificially prolonged because of a grudge. In order to preserve thepetitors'' lives, team leaders were able to force a surrender for their teammates.


    Exining the situation at a rapid clip, Zhang Lie sighed in relief as, a few secondster, the artificial intelligence announced, "Chu Feng''s surrender has been initiated by his team leader, and this match will be forcibly terminated!"


    Both Phoenix and Chu Feng were teleported back into their respective waiting rooms, where Yan Long, Su Feng, as well as a considerable number of medics were already waiting.


    While Zhang Lie contacted the artificial intelligence, he also messaged Yan Long and Su Feng, briefly exining the situation and requesting that they secure medical assistance immediately.


    Chu Feng''s left arm had vanished all the way to his shoulder, as had part of his right. There were gruesome wounds all over his body, and he had fallen into unconsciousness.

 Chapter 246: Ali, Wounded

    <h4>Chapter 246: Ali, Wounded</h4>


    Yan Long swore at the sight, his aura causing his body to glow with heat. ?"Zhang Lie¡ª"


    "I know what to do, Commander Yan," Zhang Lie replied coolly. He messaged Fang Yi, who was fighting against Ali of the winged.


    "Fang Yi, both of Chu Feng''s arms were crippled by Phoenix, who didn''t give him a chance to surrender. Let''s pay him back, shall we? Cripple your opponent!"


    On arena #0145, where Fang Yi was trying to probe Ali''s abilities, his face suddenly darkened as he heard Zhang Lie''s words. No wonder Ali had seemed so vicious! Fang Yi thought that it was just one of Ali''s tactics for destabilizing his resolve, but now...


    He suddenly stopped moving. Stomping his foot, lightning crackled all over the arena. Chu Feng wasn''t a member of Team Zenith, but he was a representative of Earth. If Phoenix wanted to dere a war between the humans and the winged, he would have it.


    Fang Yi immediately activated his stormward albatross, thundersh mantis, and blood ant soulshards, turning him into a gigantic blood-red albatross. Scarlet lightning crackled all around him; he stood at the eye of a thunderstorm.


    Ali, who was hastily retreating, found himself caught by a pair of sharp ws. The reason Fang Yi and Ali''s match had dragged out so long was because of Ali''s speed, but that advantage was now negated after Fang Yi''s transformation.


    Panicking, Ali shielded himself with his wings. His gic energy took the form of feathers, which coalesced into a gigantic sword with which he defended himself.


    The sword resisted just one blow before exploding into pieces. A bolt of lightning crashed into Ali''s body, far stronger than what Fang Yi had demonstrated previously, stunning him into paralysis. With Fang Yi''s strongest soulshards being activated simultaneously, he was far stronger than Ali could imagine.


    As Ali''s body fell to the ground, the albatross dove down, a ball of crackling red lightning gathering by its beak. It was evident that he was trying to finish Ali off while he was stunned.


    "[Avatar of the Winged]!" Seconds before impending death, Ali used the blood pooling by his lips to trace out a runic formation on his body. White, dazzling splendor covered his body as the albatross reached him, covering them both in a field of lightning.


    "Ah¡ªAhhh!"


    "Ali''s surrender has been initiated by his team leader, and this match will be forcibly terminated!" As Ali screamed in pain, the twopetitors were teleported into their respective waiting rooms.


    Ali''s arms, over which he had traced the runic patterns with his own blood, had turned into smoking lumps of charcoal from bearing the brunt of the red lightning, and his chest and the upper half of his body wasn''t faring much better. Indeed, if not for the gradual rise and fall of his chest, the other wingedpetitors would have thought him dead.


    "What are you waiting for? Summon the medics!" Phoenix shouted. "How did this damn ant get so strong? He had to have consumed some restricted potion!"


    The other wingedpetitors didn''t dare speak.


    The medics quickly arrived and brought Ali off, causing the victorious wingedpetitors, just having returned from their matches, to suddenly turn fearful. Perhaps Hong Yu was right, perhaps the humans really were a force to be contended with...


    However, by this point, their personal beliefs were irrelevant, because their young leader, Phoenix, had roused mankind''s ire. Ali''s opponent had clearly been prepared to kill him; if Phoenix hadn''t arranged Ali''s surrender in time, he would be dead.


    Most of the winged weren''t half as strong as Ali, and if even Ali couldn''t defend himself in front of them, what would they be able to do? Were they to surrender immediately? Would their opponents give them that chance?


    Phoenix had already forced their hand.


    The third round of the gctic stage was still proceeding in earnest; other than Fang Yi, only Sun Mengmeng and Yun Bing had returned from their matches. When they learned about what the winged had done to Chu Feng, they were likewise enraged.


    "Where''s Chu Feng? How''s he doing now?" Yun Bing, his closest friend, asked.


    "Commander Yan Long just sent word that his condition has stabilized. His left arm''s gone, but he did keep half his right," Zhang Lie replied, clenching his fists.


    "These damned birds! I''ll teach them a lesson if I encounter them during the tournament!" Sun Mengmeng cried out.


    "Kill them. Make them regret ever having antagonized us," Zhang Lie replied coldly, causing both Sun Mengmeng and Yun Bing to shiver. This was the first time they had ever seen him so angry, and the same thought flitted through their heads¡ªthis would spell the end of the winged race.


    "Yun Bing, go see Chu Feng. Under these circumstances, perhaps only your presence will do him some good. I''ll seek revenge on his behalf, and I''ll try to find a solution for his limbs."


    "I will," Yun Bing nodded stiffly.


    Yun Bing left, leaving Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, and Zhang Lie in the room.


    "Zhang Lie, don''t me yourself too much. No one could have predicted that the winged¡ª"


    "No, we could have. I should have noticed that the rtionship between our two races have never recovered; the apology at the banquet had happened only because of Hong Yu, and it didn''t represent the position of the winged race as a whole. And as for the position of the winged''s team leader, Phoenix... we''ll watch the footage of his match together once everyone''s back."


    He turned his attention to the other members of Team Zenith, still struggling through their matches. Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng didn''t say anything. No matter what Zhang Lie had them do, they would carry it out without fail.


    The remainingpetitors were all fighting a protracted fight in order to get a chance to observe their opponents'' racial characteristics.


    One of the reasons the alien races were so strong was because of these characteristics, which gave them advantages over regr humans. As a result, mostpetitors would try to draw out the match to get their opponents to show as much of their strength as they could; they might very well encounter another member of that race further into the tournament, and any additional knowledge would be to their advantage.


    On arena #1870, two oceans were shing against each other.


    Lianhua of the aquatic had been incited to anger. "Human, you''ll pay for your pride!" she called out, flicking her wrists. A mirror appeared underneath her feet, with countless aquatic creatures swimming agilely beneath her.


    Yang Ze had seen none of these creatures before, and he suspected they were native to her home.


    "[Reflection of the Ocean: Hundred Beasts'' Offensive]!" As the mirror tilted into an upright position, the aquatic creatures within swam out toward Yang Ze like a flood. The hundred beasts that the name of the technique promised was a drastic underestimate; there seemed to be thousands, even tens of thousands.


    Since the start of the match, the human opponent she had faced had been carefully countering and neutralizing her blow. Each attack was met with an attack of equal strength. After exchanging a few blows, Lianhua discovered what her opponent was doing.


    Did he think that this would work against one of the aquatic?!


    "You want to see my racial advantages, don''t you? ?Observe it carefully, then!" A thousand aquatic lifeforms surged toward Yang Ze.

 Chapter 247: The Wingeds Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 247: The Winged''s Provocation</h4>


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Startled by the force of the attack, Yang Ze had no choice but to respond in kind.


    As he circted [Ripples of Shattered ss], dozens of gigantic ss sharks emerged in the ocean surrounding him, swimming toward the aquatic creatures that Lianhua had summoned.


    The shes between the summoned aquatic creatures wrecked the entire arena. They seemed to be on even footing, but momentster, Yang Ze discovered that something was amiss. The opponent''s creatures seemed to have grownrger after the sh, as though they had consumed some fraction of his techniques'' gic energy.


    Momentster, the ss sharks began to disperse, no longer able to be sustained by the gic energy Yang Ze had invested. On the other hand, some of Lianhua''s lifeforms had almost doubled in size.


    "What a frightening racial affinity¡ªto be able to consume other people''s water-attuned gic energy! In that case..."


    Yang Ze activated his superior-grade transformation-type tigershark soulshard, turning him into a magnificent shark patterned with ck and orange stripes, sharp bristles protruding from all over his body.


    Such was the aura that he gave off that even Lianhua, hiding within the center of her horde of beasts, was shocked. In panic, the aquatic lifeforms dispersed, and the gigantic tigershark easily made its way to Lianhua''s body. Its sharp, ck horn was pointed directly at Lianhua''s throat; if it were to move any closer...


    Lianhua knew that she was defeated. The tigershark was simply too fast! After her opponent transformed into a tigershark, the speed and strength that he had disyed went far beyond her expectations.


    "I''ve lost," she called out in annoyance.


    Yang Ze canceled his transformation immediately, then bowed. "I apologize for probing you."


    Probing an opponent was very useful for obtaining information, but it could also be viewed as an insult, so after observing the aquatic race''s racial affinity and easily obtaining victory afterwards, Yang Ze apologized for what he had done.


    Although their match was over, Lianhua had yet to surrender officially, so neitherpetitor had been teleported out of the arena. Instead, they began to chat where they stood.


    "It matters not," Lianhua replied stiffly. "As an opponent, your actions were reasonable, and you are indeed quite strong. But I''m quite curious¡ªhow would you rate your strength among the rest of Team Zenith?"


    "Among the rest of Team Zenith? Middling, at best."


    Lianhua''s eyes widened fractionally in shock. After exchanging a few more words, Lianhua officially surrendered, and both parties were teleported back to their waiting rooms.


    The other hunters'' matches were still going strong. Sun Xiaowu had won his match against a rather weakpetitor, but the remaining members of Team Zenith, Li Feng and Zhou Ying, were still fighting hard against their respective opponents.


    Li Feng''s opponent was the windthieves'' Feng Kun, who, just like the winged, favored speed above all. After losing out in a head-on confrontation, he began to adopt dying tactics in hopes of whittling his opponent down with many small exchanges.


    Li Feng was happy with this development, because just like Yang Ze, he wanted to learn more about the windthieves'' racial affinity.


    "[Windthieves'' Howl]!" Feng Kun, dashing through the arena, was starting to panic. As he used his longsword like a baton, the wind whirled toward Li Feng, and he shot forward so quickly it looked as though he had teleported.


    Because of how fast and how long he had been moving, he had already consumed over half his gic energy, and if he couldn''t find an opportunity to strike, this would be the end of the match.


    His loss would represent the defeat of the entire wingthief race, because except for him, the only windthiefpetitor remaining in the gctic stage was rather weak, so he had to bear the bulk of his race''s hope.


    As a result, he had to find an opportunity, use his so-far hidden racial affinity, and end this match.


    When Li Feng deliberately left an opening for him, Feng Kun struck. Feng Kun''s body stilled, then flickered as he shot toward Li Feng''s chest and abdomen. So fast did he move that, if Li Feng weren''t feinting, he would surely have been hit by Feng Kun''s attack.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng reacted near-instantaneously. As Feng Kun shot forward, dozens of brightly colored wyrms sprung out of the ground and walled off Feng Kun''s attack, but just then, something strange happened.


    Feng Kun''s eyes glimmered as his body dematerialized, as though he had suddenly shifted to a parallel dimension. He passed through the wyrms without interacting with them in any manner, thennded right in front of Li Feng.


    His sword struck at Li Feng''s chest, but he opened his eyes wide as he noticed the resistance to his attack: his strongest blow hadnded on a sparkling suit of silver-scaled dragonarmor, one whose aura sent warning bells ringing in Feng Kun''s head. The dazzling light caused him to rear back and shut his eyes for a moment, marking his defeat. Li Feng, at full strength, was far stronger than Feng Kun could withstand.


    "So this dimensional shift is the racial affinity of the windthieves? It''s far too strong!" Li Feng cried out.


    Feng Kun chuckled bitterly. "No stronger than your limit fragments. The humans aren''t a particrly strong race, so I''m astonished that hunters like you exist. To have such refined gic energy and strength even as a first-realm hunter¡­ my loss isn''t a disgrace."


    Feng Kun surrendered and left the stage without saying anything more, causing Li Feng to be teleported back to the waiting room and leaving Zhou Ying the only member of Team Zenith still fighting.


    By then, however, Zhou Ying''s match was also ending. She, who had seen the magma demons'' racial affinity, was now fighting at full strength. Her summoned vines were rather meaningless against the magma demons'' magma, but her superior regeneration, exquisite use of [Storm of Leaves], and gic energy advantage, allowed her to win the battle.


    As she returned to Earth''s waiting room, everyone from Team Zenith cheered her.


    Nevertheless, the tension in the room seemed to grow once everyone had gathered, with no one feeling the excitement of making it into the top fifty.


    "First, I have to congratte you for advancing," Zhang Lie said, though everyone noticed that something seemed to be off with his tone.


    "Captain, has something happened? Everyone seems so tense..." Zhou Ying suddenly asked.


    "Yes¡ªwatch this." Zhang Lie pulled up a recording of Chu Feng''s fight with Phoenix.


    As soon as the match started, Phoenix rushed up to Chu Feng and punched him in the mouth, preventing him from surrendering. He severed half his tongue, then, as Zhang Lie had observed, began to torture and humiliate him, disintegrating Chu Feng''s arms as he mocked the human race.


    The members of Team Zenith watched this disy with rage and horror for their teammate. "Captain, what should we do? Kill him during the tournament?"


    "That goes without saying. What he did to Chu Feng will be repaid tenfold, I swear it!"

 Chapter 248: Phoenixs Brinkmanship

    <h4>Chapter 248: Phoenix''s Brinkmanship</h4>


    What happened between the winged and the humans quickly becamemon knowledge to all thepetitors in the gctic stage. After all, as one of the four prime races, the winged were under constant scrutiny, and the humans had risen to fame after expounding on the theory of limit fragments.


    The sh between two such races naturally drew considerable attention.


    Just as Zhang Lie and the others were discussing how best to deal with the winged, quite a few races were pondering the affair as well. In the nightdemons'' waiting room, Pu Kui asked her team, "What are your perspectives on this sh between the humans and the winged?"


    Fu Bo immediately replied, "Your Highness, we''ve never gotten along with the winged, so of course we''d stand with the humans. After all, they possess the key to these so-called limit fragments!"


    "Right, Highness! Given what Phoenix did during thepetition, the winged surely aren''t going to secure Zhang Lie''s cooperation, and we''ll be able to work with him first!" another nightdemon added.


    Indeed, Zhang Lie had stated that he would cooperate with four races in their limit fragment development. One of these four races would be the night spirits, which meant that at least one of the four prime races would be unable to secure his help until the second set of openings.


    The looming enmity between the winged and the humans meant that the remaining three spots for Zhang Lie''s assistance would undoubtedly go toward the nightdemons, aquatic and starbeasts. As for the winged, they would either have to kidnap Zhang Lie and forcibly acquire his help, or to develop their own research program based on whatever information was publicly avable.


    The choice was obvious: the remaining three prime races would surely stand with Zhang Lie.


    "Indeed, there''s nothing more to be said. We side with the humans. There''s no need for us to interfere with thepetition itself; I''m sure Zhang Lie can handle that on his own. We can, however, help protect him outside of the tournament grounds. If any external parties try to assault Zhang Lie, have our forces take care of them. Fu Bo, once today''s matches are over, apany me to visit that wounded human!"


    "Yes, Highness!"


    Pu Kui reacted quickly and decisively, as did Lianna of the aquatic.


    The rtionship between the aquatic and the winged had never been very good; apparently, before they became sapient, their species had been natural enemies of each other, and their rtionship hadn''t improved significantly since then.


    In the aquatic race''s waiting room, the aquaticpetitors were all cheering happily.


    "Haha, that crazy asshole''s finally found his match! I''m sure he''ll pay a price for his arrogance now!" Lianna smiled.


    "Lianhua, you''ve fought against one of the humans. What do you think?"


    "The human I fought was surprisingly polite, and surprisingly strong. Even ignoring our feud with the winged, the humans have limit fragments that we have to acquire at any cost."


    "Ah, good! Then we''ll head over to the humans'' hotel together," Lianna decided.


    The starbeasts did the same.


    Indeed, this wasn''t a decision limited to just the four prime races. The blood demons, night spirits, and all other races that wanted to secure Zhang Lie''s cooperation all decided to side with the humans.


    Almost immediately after the end of thepetition that day, the races'' representatives all rushed toward Zhang Lie''s hotel, causing Chu Feng''s ward to quickly be crowded.


    Of course, there were other races who viewed the humans in a hostile fashion, who disdained the humans, who disdained Zhang Lie, and who disdained these so-called limit fragments for disrupting the order among these races that had existed for centuries. These races sent representatives to Phoenix of the winged.


    By the Nike Hotel, outside Chu Feng''s ward, various representatives from the sympathetic races were expressing their condolences and dissatisfaction with the winged. Many were doing it perfunctorily to get into Zhang Lie''s good graces, but even so, he thanked them for their support.


    That said, Zhang Lie viewed this as a conflict between the humans and the winged, and he had no intention of causing a conflict that would drag the other races in. As a result, he scheduled an impromptu meeting with several of the representatives from the strongest races.


    "Good evening, everyone. First, let me thank you for being here today to visit one of my injured teammates, but I hope that none of your races will try to take part in the conflict between the humans and the winged."


    His first words left the representatives quite confused.


    "But why? Mr. Zhang Lie, there''s no need to worry. The aquatic is prepared to stand against the winged!" Lianna announced, standing up.


    "Indeed! Mr. Zhang Lie, the nightdemons are at your back!" Pu Kui stood up as well.


    After sensing Zhang Lie''s strength for herself, she knew just how strong the human delegation was. And with both the nightdemons and the aquatic speaking up, the starbeasts couldn''tg behind. They were quickly apanied by the blood demons and night spirits, but no matter how many races promised their support, Zhang Lie didn''t change his mind.


    In truth, Zhang Lie simply wanted to demonstrate the humans'' strength, so at least before thepetition was over, he would refuse help from the allied races.


    The representatives of those races eventually left. Although Zhang Lie hadn''t epted their help, they had made their positions clear, and he had recognized them.


    The Sufei Hotel was likewise thrumming with visitors.


    Ali''s diagnosis had just been released: his two arms had been crippled and removedpletely, while the gic core in his chest was cracked and leaking. His arms and strength would never be as good as new, unless Phoenix could be the champion of the Void Cup and acquire the potent regenerative treasure that would be its prize.


    Quite a few races who were antagonistic to Zhang Lie expressed their position under the guise of wishing Ali well, but strangely, Phoenix behaved much the same way as Zhang Lie. Although he recognized them and thanked them for their efforts, he refused any help, and indicated that he would settle affairs himself.


    Phoenix wanted to defeat the humans and show off the true might of the winged on his own¡ªand perhaps to subdue Zhang Lie and force the three other prime races under his sway.


    Once the other representatives had left the hotel, Phoenix slunk back to his suite. What had happened to Ali that day was, undoubtedly, his fault. That said, he had already made a decision for himself, and no matter what, he wouldn''t be swayed from his path. He just wished that it were him, not Ali, who had to pay the price.


    "Well, Young Master? Are you finally regretting your choice?" A familiar figure appeared outside his suite¡ªnone other than Hong Yu, whom he had chased out in pique.


    Hearing her provocation, Phoenix became resolute once more. All that was happening now was what had to be done to secure the winged''s primacy out of all the races in the Milky Way. "Regret? You''ve followed me for three whole years, haven''t you? Have you ever seen me regret a decision I''ve made?"


    Phoenix felt a mantle of self-confidence returning to him.


    "Young Master, with regards to certain problems, I believe I understand you better than you do yourself. You have seven peak gene fragments, as well as an ancestral soul of the winged harbored within your body. You intend on dominating Zhang Lie and hence to monopolize these limit fragments for yourself. Am I wrong?"

 Chapter 249: Hong Yus Persuasion

    <h4>Chapter 249: Hong Yu''s Persuasion</h4>


    Hong Yu''s words shocked Phoenix, because she had revealed that she knew his innermost secrets. How did she know everything he was nning?!


    "Young Master, you think highly of yourself, but you''re not very skilled at dissembling. I''ve been by your side for three whole years, and it''s easy for me to deduce your thoughts based on a few smallments you''ve made recently," Hong Yu exined. Her confidence left a bad taste in Phoenix''s mouth. "Did youe over just to brag about your understanding?"


    "No, I''m here to remind you onest time¡ªdon''t make this worse than it already is! Otherwise¡ª"


    Phoenix''s eyes shed. "Impossible! Give up and back down? Do you know what Ali''s condition is like?"


    "I do! But have you considered that this wouldn''t have happened if you hadn''t chosen to attack that Earthling first? Did you know that Zhang Lie and Team Zenith not only managed to unlock the potential of limit fragments, but have also hunted down a legendary lifeform in the first realm of the dimensional world?


    "And are you aware that your rashness could well have cost the winged its position as one of the four prime races? Are you aware that you represent the entirety of the winged race, not just your particr n?!


    "Wake up, Young Master! No one will stop you if you want to throw away your future, but please don''t bring the entire race down with you!" Hong Yu shouted.


    The winged were divided into three main ns based on the color of their wings: the ck-winged, the white-winged, and the rainbow-winged. The strongest among the representatives of each n would control the majority of the race''s resources and lead the entire race for that generation.


    Phoenix''s father was the current leader of the winged, so Phoenix was considered a young master, or even a prince. Given the resources that had been concentrated on him, Phoenix was a fair bit stronger than Hong Yu, but his intelligence and ability to understand the big picture were noticeably worse.


    As for Hong Yu, she was the princess of the rainbow-winged n, and she had been forced to be one of Phoenix''s attendants due to pressure from her n. Before the Void Cup, their interests were mostly aligned, and their rtionship was peaceable. Hong Yu was intelligent and tactful, and Phoenix would have been hard-pressed to find a w in her abilities, but what ultimately caused a rift between them were their opinions on Zhang Lie.


    ording to Hong Yu, under these circumstances, they certainly could not sh directly with the humans, because the humans had sole ess to the theory of limit fragments. Instead of a sh, it was most important to focus on the winged''s performance in the Void Cup, which was closely scrutinized by just about every intelligent lifeform in the Milky way.


    Furthermore, Hong Yu didn''t think that Phoenix would be able to beat Zhang Lie, anyway. Phoenix definitely wouldn''t be able to take down Pu Kui with just one punch, but Zhang Lie had done it.


    "Just you wait! Observe as I take down those human ants, then lead the winged down the path of hegemony!" Phoenix called out, raising his head to the skies andughing while Hong Yu watched on in horrified fascination.


    Hong Yu''s final warning did nothing but to incense Phoenix further, and their conversation came to an unhappy end.


    When the Sr System received news and footage of Phoenix''s fight against Chu Feng, there was a huge uproar, and a torrent of messages flooded Yan Long and Su Feng''s transceivers.


    Almost all the messages expressed the same sentiment: that they needed to seek payback against the winged for what was done.


    The next day of the Void Cup would reduce the number of remainingpetitors from fifty to twenty-five. Unfortunately, none of the humans were paired up against the winged. They fought the magma demons, the blood demons, and even a member of the night spirits; the onlypetitor they faced from the four prime races was Lianyou of the aquatic.


    Zhang Lie faced Lianyou, Sun Mengmeng faced Yao Yue, and Sun Xiaowu faced Ye Mo.


    The opponents that the other hunters faced were quite a bit worse than these three.


    Of the twenty-five matches happening, there were only a few that the crowds focused on¡ªfor instance, that between Zhang Lie and Lianyou, or Sun Mengmeng and Yao Yue, or those of the young leaders of the four prime races and the humans of Team Zenith.


    The oue of the match between Zhang Lie and Lianyou was obvious. Against Zhang Lie''s domineering water-attuned techniques, Lianyou, who was below-average among his race''spetitors, stood no fighting chance. A few seconds after the start of the match, he surrendered after being struck by Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea].


    Sun Mengmeng''s fight with Yao Yue was considerably more interesting.


    Arena #0056 was wreathed with purple mes and blood-colored demonic energy. Great explosions rocked the arena as two figures darted amidst smoke and fire.


    Yao Yue dragged a greatsword behind her, sending it crashing down with a st of blood-colored energy.


    Sun Mengmeng drifted in and out of the smoke like a purple firebird, ethereal and mobile. As she dodged Yao Yue''s attacks, she continued shooting tracking arrows in her direction, forcing Yao Yue back.


    As Yao Yue swept away three of Sun Mengmeng''s arrows with a wave of her sword, she called out, "Alright, warm-up''s over! I have to admit you''re particrly skilled at restraining your opponent''s advances, but that ends now. [Totem of the Blood Moon]!"


    A familiar ruddy glow saturated the entire arena as a blood-colored moon ascended, bringing Yao Yue''s demonic energy to a whole new level entirely.


    "I apologize, but I can''t go easy on you now. If you can fend off this blow, then victory is yours. [Tome of Blood: Sign of the Demon Moon]!"


    Demonic energy burst from Yao Yue''s body as she swept her broadsword in an elegant arc around her, sending a crescent de of demonic energy whirling toward Sun Mengmeng¡ªand a piercing beam that shot out from the demon moon, tracking the advance of the de.


    Fortunately, Sun Mengmeng had been keeping her distance from her opponent, and she had gained a few precious milliseconds in which to react.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Her right hand, with which she drew back her bow, blurred. Countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower, striking the demon moon and Yao Yue''s crescent de and sapping the attacks of their strength. Within moments, she had negated the brunt of the attack, and the oue of the match seemed obvious.


    In the end, amidst a dazzling meteor shower, Yao Yue''s attack dissolvedpletely, and Yao Yue admitted defeat graciously. "I surrender. With this skill alone, you''ve expended more demonic energy than the entirety of my reserves¡ª I can''t believe it!"


    Sheughed off her defeat as though they were two friends sparring, rather thanpetitors at an extremely important stage of the Void Cup. Before Sun Mengmeng could reply, she had been teleported back to the humans'' waiting room.


    Zhang Lie, Fang Yi, Zhou Ying, Li Feng, and Yang Ze were all there waiting for her.


    They were attentively watching her and Sun Xiaowu''s battle. Sun Xiaowu naturally had the advantage, and it seemed that he would secure his win shortly.


    "[Darkness, Descent]!" Ye Mo shouted, drowning the arena in pitch-ck darkness.


    It was apparent that she wanted to end this fight with a single strike, but Sun Xiaowu was wholly unperturbed by such an advance. After all, he was the main tank for Team Zenith, so even as his opponent blinded him from sight, Sun Xiaowu didn''t panic. He activated [Adamantine Aegis] and his goldenhorn beetle soulshard as he waited for his opponent''s blow.


    "[Night Spike]!"


    Sun Xiaowu felt his armor ring as Ye Mo activated a technique by his chest, but his defense held out. The attack naturally revealed Ye Mo''s position, so Sun Xiaowu immediately counterattacked. "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiancenced the darkness, which melted away like snow. As his fist hit Ye Mo, she flew into the air. The next thing she knew, her body crashed into the ground in the shape ''´ó''.


    Her gic energy had been dispersed, and her bones creaked and rattled as she got up, but her injuries weren''t serious. She knew that her opponent had held back.


    His frightening defense and overwhelming strength left Ye Mo with no hope of victory.


    "I apologize, I didn''t control my strength properly!"


    "No, it''s simply that the disparity between us is too great. I don''t see any conceivable means by which I can win. I surrender!"

 Chapter 250: Forced to Act

    <h4>Chapter 250: Forced to Act</h4>


    With Ye Mo''s surrender, the entirety of Team Zenith had made it past that day ofpetition with no idents or surprises. They then continued to watch the footage from thepetitors they would likely be facing in the uing days.


    While observing the winged''s footage, however, Zhang Lie was a little surprised. Inparison to Team Zenith''s dominance, the winged had performed rather terribly. The six-man team entering that day''spetition had dwindled to two by the end, leaving only Phoenix and Hong Yu behind.


    Perhaps intentionally or otherwise, the wingedpetitors made a blunder during their fights that allowed their opponents to reverse the tide and win in a surprise victory.


    "What''s going on? Are the winged putting on a performance?" Yang Ze asked.


    "Of course¡ªwhat else could they do? If they don''t lose now and end up facing us tomorrow,they know we very well might kill them," Fang Yi murmured,ughing.


    Phoenix hadmanded them to kill whatever humanpetitors they encountered, but Hong Yu had analyzed that their survival rate against the humans wouldn''t be higher than twenty percent. In other words, they had an eighty-percent chance of ending up like Ali¡ªor worse! They were thankful enough that none of them encountered the humans that day, but as the tournament progressed, encountering a human opponent was almost inevitable.


    As a result, the only solution would be to lose on ident before they reached that point.


    "I have to admit that those fellows are quite clever, but this does show that the winged aren''t all united against us. If we encounter Hong Yu, don''t try to kill her. Perhaps we''ll be able to give the winged a small token of our appreciation, instead," Zhang Lie schemed.


    Surprisingly, the humans had be the best contender for the Void Throne by this point in the match,representing seven of the twenty-fivepetitors still remaining, followed swiftly by the four major ns, with two representatives from the winged, six from the starbeasts, five from the aquatic, and five from the nightdemons.


    None of the other top races had managed to squeeze into the top twenty-five at all.


    Tomorrow would determine the top twelvepetitors remaining. Following the dramatic reduction in the number ofpetitors, the matches would no longer be held simultaneously; instead, they would all take ce sequentially on the main stage, on which the entire audience''s attention would be gathered.


    Of course, as the pool ofpetitors was reduced in size, the members of Team Zenith would be more and more likely to face each other, almost an inevitable urrence. Having nned for this, Zhang Lie instructed everyone to try their best and to show off their strength and improvement in this period of time.


    That night, the roster for the next day was released. When he saw the first matchup, Zhang Lie smiled with his teeth.


    Zhang Lie VS Phoenix


    The members of Team Zenith''s eyes brightened as they saw that matchup, understanding that Zhang Lie would deliver payback on Chu Feng''s behalf the next day. Whether or not Phoenix would remain alive by the end of that match would depend on Zhang Lie''s mood. They hated that they didn''t have the ability to manipte time, to make tomorrowe sooner, to see Phoenix cowed, begging, and kneeling by Zhang Lie''s feet.


    The other matchups, in contrast, were far less interesting, even the fight between the two Sun siblings.


    Fang Yi VS Hong Yu


    Sun Mengmeng VS Sun Xiaowu


    Zhou Ying VS Pu Dongcheng


    Li Feng VS Lian You


    Yang Ze VS Xing Hong


    As they finalized their preparations for tomorrow''spetition, however, Zhang Lie found a surprise visitor by his suite: Hong Yu.


    "I apologize for thete-night visit, Mr. Zhang Lie," Hong Yu began respectfully.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No matter. Is there an urgent issue?"


    Hong Yu smiled. "I''m here with regards to your match with Phoenix tomorrow, of course."


    "At this point, do you think there''s much to discuss? Phoenix will die. All you can do is to find a recement for him as soon as possible!"


    Hong Yu stilled. "Please, you misunderstand me. I''m here tonight to request that you at least spare his life. After all¡ª"


    "After all, the winged is one of the four prime races, and for the good of Team Zenith and all of humanity, it would be better not to cause lifelong enmity between the two races?" Zhang Lie interrupted Hong Yu before she could continue. "This discussion is over. Phoenix will die. Instead, let''s discuss what happens next. After Phoenix dies, I''ll announce that, as long as the white-winged remain in power, I, Zhang Lie, will never work with the winged to develop limit fragments for their species."


    Hong Yu looked toward Zhang Lie in shock. If he were to do as he imed, the winged would surely devolve into internal schism the next day. The white-winged were strong, but with Zhang Lie''s promise, the rainbow-winged and ck-winged had sufficient reason to overthrow the white-winged and seize power.


    "You heartless man," Hong Yu murmured, taking a few steps back in shock.


    "For what Phoenix did to Chu Feng, I would see him and his n suffer," Zhang Lie retorted grimly. "Indeed, Miss Hong Yu, you''re the one who stands the most to gain from my venture. Don''t you appreciate my goodwill?"


    Zhang Lie whirled around and made to enter his rooms, leaving Hong Yu to walk out dispirited. A huge wave ofpetitors got out of the elevator and noticed her presence there, causing her mind to reel.


    When Zhang Lie killed Phoenix tomorrow and announced that he wouldn''t work with the white-winged, thosepetitors who had seen her would naturally assume her culpability in the matter, and she would have no choice but to go along with Zhang Lie''s n.


    Indeed, if she were to take control instantly, she would be able to limit the impact the schism would have on the winged''s overall strength, but if she were passive and allowed the situation to devolve naturally, the impact on the winged would be tremendous.


    Hong Yu had no choice. She messaged her father about the information she had gleaned and prepared for the tumultuous dawn.

 Chapter 251: A Decisive Match

    <h4>Chapter 251: A Decisive Match</h4>


    What Hong Yu didn''t realize was that Phoenix was watching over her each and every move.


    In the Sufei Hotel, Phoenix''s face was a study in madness. He had just learned that Hong Yu had headed to Zhang Lie''s rooms, and that the two of them had been alone for about five minutes before she had stepped out unwillingly.


    "No wonder she''s been trying to persuade me not to start a conflict with Zhang Lie¡ªhe''s her gigolo, there''s no doubt about it!" Phoenix couldn''t think of any other reason for their encounter.


    If Hong Yu were to know about Phoenix''s thoughts, she would likely have gotten so angry as to spit out blood.


    Aftermanding his subordinates to continue spying on Hong Yu, Phoenix swore that he would crush Zhang Lie under his foot tomorrow, telling Hong Yu and the other lifeforms of the Milky Way who the true king of this Void Cup was.


    For that purpose, he had requested the most precious spiritual pills that the winged possessed, along with several restricted potions. No matter what, he would crush Zhang Lie tomorrow at any cost.


    The next day, the skies were dull and dreary, as though they were barely holding back the rain. The bad weather didn''t dampen the crowd''s mood; the spectators were all very excited for the day''spetitions, particrly the first. Zhang Lie VS Phoenix!


    In truth, many spectators believed that this match should have been the finals of the Void Cup.


    "Who do you think will win, Zhang Lie or Phoenix?"


    "Isn''t that obvious? Phoenix, of course¡ªhe''s the young leader of the winged!"


    "So? Zhang Lie easily beat Pu Kui of the nightdemons. He wounded her with just one fist¡ªand you''re still backing the winged? Ridiculous!"


    "He''s not wrong. At the very least, my money''s on Zhang Lie!"


    "His victory is almost certain, in my opinion."


    "What?! Can youpare the humans'' racial affinity to the winged''s? The humans are a weak race, there''s nothing to it! Then look at the winged¡ª they''re one of the top three races when ites to starting advantage! Do you know what this means? The winged are the elephants to the humans'' ants! Pu Kui was simply careless during that first free-for-all, and I heard rumors that Zhang Lie had consumed some restricted potion that day!"


    "Some potion? That doesn''t exin how strong the members of Team Zenith are, and how about his match with Yao Yue?"


    "Well, if their team leader can consume a potion, why not the other members of the team as well? I bet that all the humans discovered was just some potent potion! As for Yao Yue¡ªshe was clearly just doing Zhang Lie a favor!"


    Such conversations were scattered throughout the stands, with neither party able to convince the other. After all, both Phoenix and Zhang Lie had a shocking number of fans, and they naturally hoped for their idol to win, to shoot for the stars, and to end up in possession of the Void Throne. As a result, even before the match had begun, there was already a sense of anticipation in the air.


    There was half an hour left for final preparations before the start of the match. In the humans'' waiting room, everyone, including Yan Long, Su Feng, Yun Bing, and the recovering Chu Feng were all in attendance. With the expert supervision of the medical team here on Ural, Chu Feng was recovering rtively quickly. The reason he was here today was to watch Zhang Lie''s match for himself. Zhang Lie had promised to let him watch Phoenix''s downfall .


    "Zhang Lie, the martial sage has sent word," Yan Long informed him seriously. "You''re free to act as you please."


    "That being said, Zhang Lie, I hope you''ll spare your opponent''s life. The winged are far too strong; if you really kill him, even China''s might may not be able to protect you. Do you understand?" Su Feng added.


    The other members of Team Zenith didn''t say anything. What Zhang Lie decided, they would follow. Yun Bing seemed to want to dissuade him as well, but she visibly hesitated and swallowed her words each time. Chu Feng still couldn''t speak, but he smiled at Zhang Lie, as if trying to convey to him that there was no need to invite trouble on his behalf.


    Zhang Lie only smiled. "I know what I''m doing, and I''ve decided to kill him. I think all of you are still underestimating Martial Sage Hong Tianqi''s prowess, and even my own. After today, the winged will hardly have the time to cause trouble for me; no, they might even have to seek me out for help!"


    Zhang Lie''s words stunned Yan Long and Su Feng. The two of them tried to press him for more information, but Zhang Lie was as tight-lipped as ever. Instead, they turned to the otherpetitors and began instructing them on what to do.


    As the preparation period passed, the artificial intelligence announced the start of the match.


    Two figures appeared in the Void Cup''s main arena, which would be used for the remainder of thepetition. As the twopetitors stood facing each other, each half of the arena began to morph into the terrain most advantageous for eachpetitor.


    Zhang Lie stood in the middle of a vast, blue ocean, whereas Phoenix was surrounded by wind. The sun, ocean, and gentle breeze would otherwise havebined into a rather rxing whole if not for the imminent battle.


    Most among the winged possessed a wind-attuned framework, but Phoenix was the notable exception. His framework was from the most prized tome that the winged had to offer, [Deity of Wing and Sun], a light- and wind-attuned framework.


    The environment was perfectly suited for bothpetitors. Phoenix was certain that it had boosted his strength by half again his maximum. Meanwhile, beneath his feet, Zhang Lie felt the inexhaustible gic energy saturating the entire ocean, as though he were nothing more than an ink drop on its surface. Even he was anticipating just how strong he could be with the force and majesty of the entire ocean in his wake.


    Zhang Lie was dressed in a simple ck robe, whereas Phoenix worevish gold-lined white silk brocade. Even in attire, they seemed to be direct opposites of each other.


    The audience went crazy.


    "Zhang Lie!"


    "Phoenix!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    "Phoenix, Prince of the Winged, King of the Skies!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    "Phoenix, Prince of the Winged, King of the Skies!"


    Even before the match officially began, the audience''s shouts had reached a crescendo.

 Chapter 252: Crushed by Force

    <h4>Chapter 252: Crushed by Force</h4>


    "On the main arena, Zhang Lie VS Phoenix. The fight begins in ten seconds!"


    The rambunctious crowd suddenly turned silent in a moment of exquisite, unparalleled coordination. Everyone watched the countdown to the match with bated breath.


    As the diaphanous membrane between the twopetitors vanished, two beams of gic energy shed against each other. Without exchanging any customary greetings at all, the match instantly began. Both parties activated their best soulshards at once.


    Phoenix held a radiant greatsword, wreathed in wind-attuned gic energy, in one hand. He was covered in chitinous armor. His pupils contracted, as though he had entered some altered state of mind.


    "[Deity of Wing and Sun: Sword of Light]!" Looking like a god from the heavens, Phoenix waved his sword. Spears of light, manifesting from thin air, shot toward Zhang Lie, drowning all before them in radiance. "Die, Earthling trash!"


    Even Phoenix hadn''t anticipated how strong his attack would be, but he wasn''t able to enjoy his newfound strength for long. The ocean began to stir; the waves crested.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Majestic ck dragons rushed out of the ocean, rending and shattering the des of light with their ws and teeth, nketing the arena in the dark of night. In that one technique, Zhang Lie hadbined the essence of [One Punch] and [Fists of the Silent Sea].


    It had been a recent development, and if not for his surroundings granting him vital power, he would hardly have been able to summon an attack of this magnitude on his own.


    Phoenix was trapped within a sphere of howling ck dragons.


    "[Deity of Wing and Sun: Wheel of Light]!" Rays of light erupted from the ck sphere in which Phoenix was enclosed, but, momentster, as the ck dragons converged on his location once more, the momentary brightness vanished.


    Only then did Phoenix realize just how much stronger Zhang Lie was. Before the fight, he had expected that he would be able to kill his opponent easily given the seven peak gene fragments and countless rare treasures he possessed, but his strength was hardly on the same dimension as his opponent''s.


    He recalled how Yao Yue had told Hong Yu that she was iparable to him. Indeed, after exchanging blows with him, he felt much the same way. It took him several activations of [Wheel of Light] to destroy one of the ck dragons; to destroy all the ones surrounding him would be impossible. At that moment, Phoenix felt as though he were a small rat, one that could be caught and eaten at any time.


    No matter what, however, he couldn''t just surrender in front of all these spectators¡ªno, he had to at least defend himself against this one blow! Otherwise, how would he have the face to call himself the prince of the winged? The white-winged would lose all their reputation because of him!


    With a split-second decision, Phoenix retrieved about ten different spiritual pills and restricted potions from his soulspace, cramming everything into his mouth all at once.


    His gic energy zed, but it was still dwarfed by the hundreds of dragons surrounding him. In the time it had taken him to consume all those potions, even more dragons had taken to the air, blocking off Phoenix''s movements.


    "[Deity of Wing and Sun: Featherfall Cut]!" Making a final stand, Phoenixunched an X-shaped attack with his wings, a dazzling attack amidst the darkness-covered arena, though one that only managed to dispel two more dragons before it was quickly smothered.


    The next moment, before Phoenix could react, dozens of dragons closed in on him, clearly signaling his defeat. Nevertheless, Phoenix calmed down. As he expected, after he lost all ability to defend against these dragons, they darted past his body without actually injuring him. They were being watched by millions of spectators, and Phoenix was certain that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be so crazy as to dare to kill him on the gctic stage.


    In truth, the reason that Zhang Lie hadn''t allowed the dragons to attack was because he wanted to end his opponent personally.


    The next moment, a ripple emerged in front of Phoenix. Before he could speak, Zhang Lie had risen up from the depths of the ocean and clutched Phoenix''s throat so tightly that he couldn''t make out any words.


    "I heard you don''t like having your opponents surrender? Me neither."


    Phoenix''s eyes widened in fear as a miniature ck dragon appeared on Zhang Lie''s palm. As Phoenix writhed, shook his head, and pleaded, Zhang Lie forced the dragon down Phoenix''s throat.

 Chapter 253: Defending on All Fronts

    <h4>Chapter 253: Defending on All Fronts</h4>


    As the miniature dragon entered his body, Phoenix began to shake, then distend, then melt. His internal organs bloated, then crumpled. Phoenix made not a sound during this process, his throat still firmly in Zhang Lie''s grrip.


    As millions of spectators watched on, he turned into a puddle of ck, inky sludge.


    The spectators gaped. Phoenix had... died?! Just like that? What sort of situation was this?


    How did Zhang Lie have the courage to kill Phoenix right then and there?


    "The first match is over. The winner: Zhang Lie!" the artificial intelligence announced, once it verified that Phoenix had indeed perished. This announcement prodded the startled crowd awake.


    "Zhang Lie!"


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie, Team Zenith!"


    "He''s unparalleled! Who among thepetitors here can stand up to him?!"


    Phoenix''s death would have severe ramifications, that much was clear. The other races taking part in the Void Cup, be they friends or enemies, all began to take sides after learning of the event.


    In the nightdemons'' waiting room, Pu Kui announced, "Fu Bo, alert our forces. Station them at the major teleportation arrays of Ural. Tell them to hold back any experts from the winged!"


    Pu Kui hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would kill Phoenix outright, but Zhang Lie had clearly exceeded her expectations.


    "Your Highness, are we going to defend Zhang Lie against the repercussions of Phoenix''s death?" Fu Bo was visibly hesitant; after all, Phoenix was the prince of the winged, and the winged race would surely stop at nothing to avenge him.


    Pu Kui smiled faintly. "So what? Are you against it?"


    Fu Bo stilled. "I think we had better be careful about wading into this mess. Think about what the winged are going to do! There''s no need for us¡ª"


    Pu Kui broke him off with augh. "Better that the winged won''t give up. Otherwise, how could we enter the fray so boldly? Go on, go make ns for this. I''m going to see Zhang Lie immediately; if I''m just a bitte, the other races are going to get to him first!"


    "Yes, Highness!" Fu Bo finally understood Pu Kui''s wisdom and insight. Indeed, the humans wouldn''t be as easy to bully as he thought. Because of the limit fragments that Zhang Lie had developed, no allied race would¡ªor could¡ªallow him to die. He was the key to unlocking their future!


    Otherwise, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have dared to melt Phoenix down so grantly.


    In the starbeasts'' waiting room, their leader, the panda-like Xing Bai, reacted instantly.


    "Zhang Lie''s really something. Xing Hui, have all the nine-star guards in the vicinity rush to Ural''s capital, immediately."


    Xing Hui blinked. "All of them? Are we going to sacrifice our forces for the humans, then?"


    Xing Bai smiled. "Just a front, nothing more. I doubt the winged will end upunching an attack."


    "Even if Phoenix is the one who died?" Xing Hui pressed.


    "You''ve seen how Zhang Lie has all but taken control of the Void Cup, haven''t you? With all these allied races protecting him, the winged won''t be able to attack. Now, I''d better go see him myself!"


    In the aquatic''s waiting room, Lianna was as bbergasted as the spectators watching the scene. "Lianhua, inform the elders of the situation. I''m sure they''ll understand why it''s in our best interests to protect Zhang Lie here."


    "Yes, Highness!"


    Tens, then hundreds, of races made the same choices as the nightdemons, starbeasts, and the aquatic, including the night spirits and the blood demons.


    On the other hand, in the winged''s waiting room, tensions were high.


    "Arrogant, arrogant beyondpare! How dare they¡ª! Hong Yu, Ali, what are we waiting for? We have to exact revenge on the humans!"


    "Right, we have to inform the n immediately¡ªno human on Ural shall be left alive!"


    "No, no¡ªthe winged should dere war on the humans and exterminate all of Earth!"


    None of the wingedpetitors understood what sort of ramifications their suggestions would bring. Ali had just regained consciousness. While his life had been preserved, he was still in an extremely weakened state, and he had no ability to control the other hunters.


    As for Hong Yu, her stance had solidified the night before.


    "Quiet!" She had no choice but to step forward, quelling the disturbance the other hunters were causing. "Are you fools? Who would dare attack the humans now? The three other prime races would immediately rise up in their defense. Don''t you see?! They''re all hoping for Zhang Lie''s help with these limit fragments!"


    "I''ve just been informed that the nightdemons'' elites are already gathered by the major teleportation arrays of Ural, and I''m sure the other races'' experts are going to do the same. In that case, what can these winged representatives you intend on calling upon do? ?If they kill Zhang Lie immediately, they''ll make it much harder for the three other prime races to obtain limit fragments. Do you think those races would allow that?


    "Have you thought about why Zhang Lie dared to kill Phoenix outright? Is it because of his arrogance? No! It''s because he has nothing to fear¡ª because everything''s under his control! The winged won''t be able to retaliate.


    "Phoenix''s pride and arrogance have brought disaster to the winged, and I have always stood in opposition against his provoking the humans, because I knew clearly what the oue would be. However¡ªnot only did he refuse to heed my warnings, he even tried to torture and kill apetitor from Earth outright!


    "It was because of his folly that the situation has devolved to this extent, and what we need to do is wait¡ª"


    Despite Hong Yu''s clear analysis of the matter, the frenzied hunters couldn''t stand listening to her any longer. "Wait, wait, wait¡ªhow long are we supposed to wait? Our leader''s dead! Are you sure you''re not a traitor to the n?!"


    "Traitor or not, I can''t say, but I know she paid Zhang Lie ate-night visitst night!" One of the winged revealed that he had been surveilling Hong Yu.


    "No wonder..."


    "She''s really a traitor?!"


    With this revtion, the tide had turned almostpletely against Hong Yu, leaving none but a few trusted confidantes willing to believe her words.


    "Traitor, this is the winged''s waiting room. Can you still call yourself a member of the winged? Scram!"


    "Scram, scram, scram! You''re not wee here!"


    "Who dares?! My young mistress is the princess of the rainbow-winged. How dare you sully her, how dare you try to countermand her!" one of Hong Yu''s aides strode forward, pressuring the hunters into submission with her aura.


    As the situation evolved into a stalemate, everyone turned to the one member of the winged, still resting in bed, who had yet to speak.

 Chapter 254: Visitors From Many Races

    <h4>Chapter 254: Visitors From Many Races</h4>


    Sensing the scorching gazes from his fellow hunters, Ali forced himself to raise his head, then to murmur weakly, "Enough. Hong Yu''s correct. She and I discussed whether or not to approach Zhang Lie together. During the two days in which I''ve been incapacitated, all I could do was think¡ªand in the end, I have to admit that this situation was caused almost entirely by Phoenix himself. Under these circumstances, don''t bother thinking of revenge. Instead, we should try to repair our rtionship with the humans."


    Hong Yu''s words had shocked and angered the other wingedpetitors; Ali''s words just struck them dumb. The winged were one of the four prime races of the Milky Way. Phoenix, the prince of the winged, had just been killed, but the next two most important representatives of the n had uniformly decided to settle matters peaceably. How could this be? How did humansmand such authority?


    In truth, even Hong Yu was shocked by the transformation in Ali''s behavior. Because of Phoenix, Hong Yu had had no chance to see Ali, and what he said about them deciding to meet with Zhang Lie was all a bald lie.


    In that case, there were only two possibilities: either her n had rallied around her and formed an alliance with the ck-wingedst night, then contacted Ali to have her support Hong Yu, or Ali had reallye to such a conclusion after reviewing matters in his head over and over again.


    Hong Yu leaned toward, and would much rather have preferred, the former. Following Ali''s words, the wingedpetitors froze. Beneath their haze of anger, even they realized that the winged were soon to undergo a transfer of power. If the rainbow- and ck-winged ns had made up their mind to suppress this matter, they would have to take down the white-winged n; the current ruler of the winged, Phoenix''s father, certainly wouldn''t allow his son''s death to go unavenged.


    "Was this all a ploy by the rainbow- and ck-winged to seize the throne? The white-winged emperor won''t forgive you, nor the white-winged n atrge." One of the wingedpetitors stepped forward, ?and his words were quickly met with approval from those loyal to the white-winged n.


    "That''s right. The young prince''s death has to be avenged! If the rainbow- and ck-winged won''t, then we''ll do it by ourselves! Come, let''s leave!"


    Only then did the white-winged realize how outnumbered, how unsupported, they were. Of the hundred or so winged present, only some twenty-odd people left with the white-winged, a result that the leader of the white-winged separatist branch clearly hadn''t anticipated. Gritting his teeth, he motioned for the motley group of hunters to leave.


    Hong Yu and Ali nced at each other, gave the remaining winged a few orders, and then dismissed everyone. Once they were alone, Hong Yu walked toward Ali. "What''s going on, Ali? Did you receive orders from your n?"


    Ali smiled bitterly. "That''s part of it, but I also did think matters through during my incapacitation. It''s true that the humans were quite prideful at the beginning, but not overly so. In the end, it was Phoenix who brought this on himself."


    Hong Yu sighed. "There''s nothing we can do now. We need to stabilize and consolidate power in our ns, then try to avoid any major conflict here. If we don''t stop those crazy fellows, the entire winged race might be severely sanctioned!"


    Hong Yu and Ali, at least, were in agreement about that point.


    Back by the arena, the crowds weren''t paying attention to the remaining fights, but rather to what the winged would do given Phoenix''s sudden death.


    When Zhang Lie returned to the humans'' waiting room, he was instantly bombarded with Yan Long and Su Feng''s concerned questions, to which he replied with a smile. "Don''t worry, Commanders, nothing''s wrong. If I''m not mistaken, the winged don''t have the time to stage an attack against me."


    "Zhang Lie, are you crazy? You melted Phoenix, and you don''t think the winged are going to attack?!" Yan Long shouted.


    "Everything will be fine, Commander Yan. I''m well aware of what I''ve done, and I''m certain we won''t face any repercussions. Even if the winged did dare attack, they wouldn''t be able to hurt us. The three other prime races have all dered their support, as has Martial Sage Hong Tianqi."


    Nevertheless, Yan Long didn''t want someone like Zhang Lie toe to any harm. "As a safety precaution¡ª"


    "Please, Commander Yan, believe in me! I can handle everything¡ªand our allies are already here, I believe." With a smile, he pointed to the door to the humans'' waiting room.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, are you here? Pu Kui of the nightdemons seeks an audience!"


    "Yes, pleasee in." Zhang Lie motioned for Yang Ze to open the door.


    Pu Kui had stopped by, alone, with a bottle of wine in her hands. "I was astounded by the match, so I immediately came to pay my greetings with a bottle of good wine."


    She ced it at the center of the table in the waiting room, then took a seat. "Please, everyone, have a drink. Mr. Zhang Lie, won''t you introduce me to all these people?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I''m sure you already know all thepetitors. Behind me are Commanders Yan Long and Su Feng,manders-in-chief of the Chinese capital and the city of Ning respectively."


    As the two parties exchanged customary greetings, Pu Kuiid out a few sses on the table and began pouring wine within. "This is a hometown brew, and I hope it''s to your tastes."


    Except for Chu Feng, who was still injured, everyone else took and downed a ss of wine


    "Good wine," Zhang Lie murmured. Yan Long and Su Feng, self-styled connoisseurs, licked their lips as they nced greedily at the bottle of wine.


    Pu Kui filled their sses again; before they could toast, however, more shouts came from outside.


    "Is Mr. Zhang Lie around? Lianna from the aquatic pays her greetings!"

 Chapter 255: A Sudden Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 255: A Sudden Banquet</h4>


    Lianna was quickly invited in. Just like Pu Kui, she was alone, and she came bearing a gift. She carried a small satchel in her purse, one which emitted a pleasant fragrance as she walked into the room.


    "Congrattions on your victory, Mr. Zhang Lie! Ah, I see Pu Kui''s here as well! It seems like I was slightlyte, after all."


    "Please, Lianna, join us. I couldn''t resisting over after seeing Mr. Zhang Lie''s match, and I wanted to have a drink with him."


    "Oh? What a surprise¡ªI felt the same way! Phoenix has been an annoyance to my nmates, and I have to thank you for getting rid of him, Mr. Zhang Lie. I''m here with a few crystal lotus leaves as a token of my appreciation."


    These crystal lotus leaves were potent spiritual herbs, the specialty of the aquatic race, and were particrly difficult to obtain.


    "Thank you for your kindness." Upon hearing that she had brought crystal lotus leaves with her, Zhang Lie himself stepped forward to take the gift from her hands, murmuring pleasantries while doing so.


    "Please, have a seat." Zhang Lie motioned for her to sit down, pouring her a ss of wine and apologizing to Pu Kui for using her gift in this manner.


    "I''m afraid I don''t have any food prepared save a snack, if you don''t mind trying it out¡ªmoonlight wyrm jerky. Please, have a taste."


    Both Pu Kui and Lianna were surprised by just what he retrieved. The moonlight wyrm was a legendary lifeform of the first realm of the dimensional world, and just about every first-realm hunter had heard of it at some point or another. There had been rumors that Zhang Lie and his team had killed a moonlight wyrm, but the two young leaders hadn''t been sure whether or not to believe the news.


    As a result, they were both quite surprised to see moonlight wyrm jerky being presented to them. Although the jerky didn''t look particrly extraordinary, the two of them were somehow certain of its origins the moment theyid their eyes on it.


    Meanwhile, the matches were still continuing, and a member of Team Zenith would be called out onto the stage from time to time. As time passed, more and more guests entered the humans'' waiting room.


    Sun Mengmeng''s matchsted three minutes; by the time she returned, there was one more beast and two more humanoids sitting at the table. The beast was naturally Xing Bai of the starbeasts, while the two humanoids were Ye Mo, from the night spirits, and Yao Yue, from the blood demons.


    After Sun Mengmeng''s match was Fang Yi''s. He retuned to find even more aliens at the table, though the mood was surprisingly as convivial as before.


    It was then that Yan Long and Su Feng finally realized just why Zhang Lie had been so unconcerned about the ramifications of Phoenix''s death.


    Of the four prime races, three were seated at this table, and there were quite a few representatives from other top races gathered as well. The number of guests had steadily been increasing; it felt as though Earth had suddenly gained an incredible number of allies.


    None of the guests brought up the winged, but their very presence at the table clearly signified their attitude. Indeed, as Zhang Lie had mentioned, the winged wouldn''t be able to do much against an alliance of this magnitude.


    In the arena, the members of Team Zenith were still dominating their respective matches. Except for the match between Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu, in which Sun Xiaowu was knocked out, the other members of Team Zenith had won against every opponent they faced with ease.


    By evening, the matches were over, and the twelve strongestpetitors of the Void Cup had been determined. Zhang Lie''s Team Zenith had taken a jaw-dropping six of the twelve spots, and the remainder were distributed among the other three prime races: three starbeasts, one aquatic, and two nightdemons.


    Surprisingly, when Hong Yu of the winged faced Fang Yi, she had chosen to surrender, causing a stir in the gathered audience. They had expected that the humans and the winged would be wing at each other, so why would Hong Yu surrender just like that?


    Did she think her opponent was just far too strong?


    No, of course not¡ªalthough Hong Yu likely was weaker than Fang Yi, her surrender was meant to convey a friendly attitude toward the humans, primarily because of ament Zhang Lie had made: he had promised that, as long as the white-winged were in charge of the winged race, he would never work with the winged to develop limit fragments for their race.


    In other words, if the ruling n of the winged bore him ill will, he wouldn''t be willing to work with them.


    Hong Yu''s surrender was therefore a calcted decision to get into Zhang Lie''s good books, as well as an indication that she wouldn''t treat the humans as Phoenix had. She had seeded in her goal¡ªher tactful surrender left Zhang Lie with a much-improved impression of her.


    With the end of the day''s matches came the end of Zhang Lie''s makeshift banquet. After all, those guests present would still bepetitors the very next day.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, the nightdemons would like to formally recognize you, your team, and the human race as a whole as allies. We''ll do our best to ensure your safety, even after you''ve left the capital of Ural. We have troops stationed by the major teleportation arrays into the capital, and even those of power among the winged will find it difficult to gain entry," Pu Kui informed him formally.


    The other representatives made simr promises. Xing Bai of the starbeasts indicated that the nine-star guards of the starbeasts were patrolling the capital and keeping an eye out for any sign of the winged, and Lianna of the aquatic added that the elders of the aquatic were in position.


    Yao Yue of the blood demons and Ye Mo of the night spirits made the same promise, shocking Yan Long and Su Feng.


    The twomanders thought that these representatives were all present just to try to build up a rtionship with Zhang Lie; they hadn''t expected that everyone would be so sincere.


    Zhang Lie thanked each of them individually, assuring them that, while their offer of assistance was appreciated, it would likely not be needed.


    The winged were likely in a period of tumult as the rainbow- and ck-winged ns sought to overthrow the white-winged, and they might very well drop the grudge entirely by the time the transition of power was over.


    The moment Yan Long and Su Feng emerged from the humans'' waiting room, they could sense a few subtle auras in their surroundings, a clear sign of the protection that the other races were talking about. They stuck closer to Zhang Lie as the group of humans returned to the Nike Hotel, but just before they were at its doors, a huge fluctuation of gic energy came from behind them, followed by a bout of cursing.


    "You damned Xing Zhou! My target''s thatd¡ªwhy are you stopping me?!"


    "Your target''s thatd? Conveniently, so is mine. Do you have a problem?"


    "Damn it, I''ll handle him! You guys, attack! Take down thatd!"


    "Haha, do you think your motley group of hunters will stand a chance against us? Those of the aquatic, those of the nightdemons, step out! Let''s make these arrogant fellows have a taste of despair, shall we?"


    The fighting grew more and more intense as other factions were dragged in, before the noise gradually faded away and vanished entirely. Only then did the members of Team Zenith realize just how strong the protection afforded by the other races were.


    "Zhang Lie, I have to admit that you''re right once again. With the strength of these protectors, the white-winged won''t be able to get anywhere close to us! But are you so certain that you''ll be able to help them with obtaining limit fragments for their race?" Yan Long asked.


    "I never guaranteed any sess, only that I would try my best," Zhang Lie corrected.


    Su Feng frowned. "But how can they be so sure that you''ll be able to help, then?"


    "None of the three other prime races know whether I''ll seed, but they don''t want to fall behind in the event that I do. In that case, all of them will have to support me, and what I bring to the table is hope, hope that they can elevate their race above all the rest¡ªespecially after we''ve shown them just what these limit fragments can do. If they don''t work hard now, who can promise that I won''t ck off when helping them?"

 Chapter 256: Moral Rectitude

    <h4>Chapter 256: Moral Rectitude</h4>


    The remainder of the trip back to the hotel passed without incident. In fact, during the entire "ambush", Zhang Lie hadn''t even seen any of the attackers; they were easily dispatched by his retinue of guards with nothing more than a few muffled curses.


    How good it felt to have such dependable allies!


    After returning to the hotel, Zhang Lie dove straight into the simtion chamber and began analyzing his techniques. The variant of [Fists of the Silent Sea] that he had used during his match against Phoenix, in such an energy-rich environment, had given him new insight which he itched to incorporate in greater depth.


    Meanwhile, the winged were stirring. When the news of the terrible event that had taken ce reached the winged, most thought it nothing more than a rumor, even when footage of the match was shared¡ªuntil a white-winged guard heard the news from his family himself.


    The entirety of the winged race rose up in anger, and the white-winged emperor, who had been in secluded cultivation, emerged from his chambers. After understanding what had happened, he immediately invited the other two n heads to discuss their next steps. That meetingsted the rest of the day, with voices arguing incessantly¡ªtheir opinions diverged in a fundamental manner, one that couldn''t be reconciled.


    The white-winged emperor naturally wanted the winged to rise up and take down Zhang Lie and even all of Earth, and he had called this meeting in order to discuss how to obtain reliable information about these limit fragments at the same time.


    However, a rift developed almost instantly. The rainbow- and ck-winged ns had no intention of fighting Zhang Lie; instead, they even wanted to repair the rtionship between the Earthlings and the winged. Indeed, after killing Phoenix, Zhang Lie had mentioned that he would never help the winged while the white-winged were in power.


    Zhang Lie had killed Phoenix on the battlefield of the Void Cup. Death was a risk allpetitors who participated in the Void Cup understood; in theory, the winged had no basis for causing trouble for Zhang Lie and seeking retribution, but the winged could hardly take this insult lying down, and they were used to being one of the strongest.


    Weak as the humans were, though, there were two points that the winged were forced to keep in mind: the strength of Earth''s Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, along with the theory of limit fragments that had caught the gxy by surprise.


    The winged elders, therefore, took a different stance from the white-winged emperor and the rainbow- and ck-winged n heads. They desired neither war nor reconciliation, but rather a negotiation: passing some mild punishment on Zhang Lie while discussing terms by which they could obtain information about these limit fragments with Hong Tianqi.


    The three factions, at odds with one another, caused the meeting to drag on without any resolution.


    The white-winged emperor became more and more angry. Thumping the table, he roared out, "Quiet, all of you! As the emperor, I hereby use my vested authority. The discussion ends now. I don''t want to hear any of your opinions any longer. After dinner, we''ll set off for the capital of Ural. Even if this spawns war, that human brat will die!


    "As for the limit fragments, it''s best if we can acquire them, but if we can''t, then we''ll just destroy them. No one will have an advantage the winged do not possess. Do you all understand?"


    It was clear that the white-winged emperor was furious. The vested authority to which he made reference was something that could be done only once in every emperor''s reign, the power of absolute veto.


    However, the subsequent development of affairs wasn''t as he had nned. Moments after his announcement, the elders began to whisper to one another. As one, they stood up. "The elders unanimously vote to reject imperial authority!"


    Even the emperor''s power could be rejected given a unanimous vote from the council of elders in the winged''s system of checks and bnces; even the elders that were on closest terms with the white-winged had deserted him.


    The elders weren''t allowed to be part of any of the three ns, but these were members of the winged he had personally mentored and elevated throughout his career. How could they desert him now?


    "What''s the matter? Why do this? Against a race as weak as those puny humans, why do you refuse my right to avenge my son?!"


    "The rainbow-winged n leader stood up. "Honored white-winged emperor, we believe you are mistaken: the humans aren''t uniformly weak. Indeed, the existence of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi alone should deter any offensives against them.


    "Furthermore, our intelligence operatives report that the starbeasts'' nine-star guards, the aquatic race''s elders, and the nightdemons'' night wardens have all gathered by the capital of Ural. Under such circumstances,unching an attack on Zhang Lie would be futile: even with all our strength, we could hardly hope to defeat all those forces.


    "In other words, we can''t touch the humans. If you raise the g of war against them, you''ll doom the entirety of the winged! As the emperor, surely you don''t intend to sacrifice the entire race in a misguided attempt to avenge your dead son? If you persist in making this decision, then I, on behalf of the winged, challenge you to the seat of the throne!" the rainbow-winged leader called out.


    The elders nodded in agreement. Most of the elders present could see the value of these limit fragments, and as long as that card was in y, they would side with the rainbow- and ck-winged.


    "A royal challenge? Are you all in agreement with the rainbow-winged, then?" The white-winged emperor stood up, a ferocious, threatening look on his face, causing the elders to look upon him with dissatisfaction.


    One elder stood up and strode forward. "Honored white-winged emperor, this is a sensitive period. If the winged make a wrong move now, it could spell doom for our entire race. Please, I beg you to reconsider your stance."


    The emperor only scoffed. "If the council of elders refuses to recant, then the white-winged n will secede from the three-n union. I''m going to avenge my son, and no one will be able to stop me!"


    He smashed the conference table to smithereens with one fist, spread his wings, and prepared to fly off, but the moment he did so, two more figures appeared by his side: the n leaders of the rainbow- and ck-winged.


    "White-winged emperor, regardless of whether you''re in our union, you''re a representative of the winged. If you dare touch Zhang Lie, reconciliation between the humans and the winged won''t be a possibility. I apologize, but we can''t let you leave!" the rainbow-winged n leader called out, causing the white-winged emperor''s eyes to widen in range.


    "You mean to keep me under house arrest?! As the emperor of the winged, how can I do nothing about the murder of my son?!"


    Now wasn''t the time for diplomacy. In rage, the white-winged emperor took to the air and attacked the rainbow- and ck-winged n heads. He was stronger than both the rainbow- and ck-winged n heads, but that didn''t mean he would be able to challenge them both simultaneously.


    With the rainbow- and ck-winged n heads working together, even if they weren''t able to defeat him, they could certainly stall him in ce. And while they restricted him from acting, their subordinates began to restrain the white-winged forces.


    The rainbow- and ck-winged ns had been informed of the newsst night, and they had made all necessary preparations before confronting the white-winged emperor. In just half an hour, the white-winged forces present on the were subjugated by the rainbow- and ck-winged ns, leaving the white-winged emperor alone in his futile resistance.


    Although the news of Phoenix''s death were still making waves around the general popce, as long as the two n heads restricted the white-winged emperor from fanning the mes of vengeance, things would quickly settle down.


    On the other hand, Earth was in a state of extreme celebration. Zhang Lie and his team''s victory had been transformative for the Sr System atrge; in a fair match, Zhang Lie had managed to kill the young leader of the winged outright, subduing him in an unbelievable show of force, demonstrating the might and strength of mankind.


    The moment Zhang Lie was crowned the victor of that match, almost every hunter on Earth found themselves cheering for him.

 Chapter 257: The White-Winged Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 257: The White-Winged Emperor</h4>


    After cheering for Zhang Lie''s victory, the human hunters began to worry that the winged would take revenge for Zhang Lie''s actions, and they tried to report the encounter to the world federation. From the world federation''s perspective, Zhang Lie hadn''t done anything wrong by killing his opponent, and the winged hadn''t responded excessively to Phoenix''s death. As a result, even the highest authorities had no right to step in to adjudicate the matter.


    The white-winged emperor ultimately managed to free himself from thebined onught of both the rainbow- and ck-winged n leader, but it ultimately was to no avail: the rest of his subordinates had all been taken down by the other two ns'' forces by then.


    Because of that memorable first match between Zhang Lie and Phoenix, the audience hadn''t paid full attention to the remaining matches. Even after a day, the sight of Phoenix melting seemed to be ingrained in their mind.


    Most shockingly, however, was the reaction of the winged to this entire affair. Despite their young prince being killed, the winged''s revenge amounted to little more than a party offering scant resistance on Zhang Lie''s route back to his hotel that night.


    "Didn''t you see Zhang Lie''s escortst night? The starbeasts, nightdemons, and aquatics all sent guards his way?"


    "Ah, I also noticed something interesting. All three ns from the winged used to stay in the Sufei Hotel, but something changedst night. The rainbow- and ck-winged are still there, but the white-winged, to which Phoenix belonged, has vanished overnight! Given my experience, I bet there''s been a schism in the n!"


    "A schism? You''re wrong! This isn''t something that can be described as a mere schism¡ªapparently, the three ns are no longer united! I heard that the reason for this was because Zhang Lie told the other two winged ns that, as long as the white-winged were in power, he wouldn''t help them with their limit fragment research."


    "What?! Surely not¡ª the winged lost a prince, the humans got away more or less unscathed, and it''s the winged who are being forced to apologize?"


    "Is that so exaggerated? I think not. After all, don''t you see just how many forces Zhang Lie has amassed? Even the winged have to be wary of his strength. Furthermore, Phoenix was the cause of this whole affair, so isn''t it natural that the winged would have to pay the price?"


    Indeed, given how the winged usually behaved, most members of the audiencended on the conclusion that they were cowed by Zhang Lie''s strength.


    The next morning, the roster for the six uing matches was released.


    Zhang Lie VS Li Feng


    Fang Yi VS Xing Hui


    Sun Mengmeng VS Lianna


    Zhou Ying VS Xing Bai


    Pu Kui VS Xing Yan


    Pu Feng VS Yang Ze


    Everyone turned to Li Feng with some sympathy in their gaze. He had really gotten unlucky, hadn''t he? At the very least, none of the subsequent matches were between members of Team Zenith.


    Sun Mengmeng''s match with Lianna would likely be an exciting one; both hunters were of roughly equal strength, and their elemental attunements were diametrically opposed.


    In the match between Fang Yi and Xing Hui, Zhang Lie favored Fang Yi. After all, Xing Hui was a hunter focused on strength, and he would be perfectly countered by Fang Yi''s supetive speed.


    Zhou Ying, unfortunately, would likely lose in her match against Xing Bai. As far as he knew, Xing Bai was stronger than even Phoenix himself. Fortunately, given the amiable rtionship between the humans and the stardemons, it was unlikely that Xing Bai would hurt Zhou Ying too severely.


    He expected Pu Kui to win against Xing Yan, given Pu Kui''s status as the young leader of her n. And, finally, for the match between Yang Ze and Pu Feng, Zhang Lie naturally favored his disciple.


    After half an hour, the matches that day began in earnest.


    "Captain, should I surrender directly?" Li Feng asked Zhang Lie.


    None of his current sess would have been possible without Zhang Lie, so he was rather nervous to be facing him now as an official opponent.


    "Don''t worry. Think of it as a sparring match between the two of us¡ªshow me how you''ve grown since we''vest fought!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    The result of this match was all but predetermined, so the audience didn''t intend on paying it much mind: considering that Li Feng was one of Zhang Lie''s teammates, it seemed obvious that Li Feng would admit defeat immediately.


    Bothpetitors were teleported on stage.


    "On the main arena, Zhang Lie VS Li Feng. The fight begins in ten seconds!"


    ...


    "Begin!"


    However, even from the beginning, the match didn''t y out as the audience had anticipated.


    "Zhang Lie, your life is forfeit!" A gigantic ck hole suddenly emerged by the side of the main arena, and a white-winged hunter stepped out in glorious majesty¡ªuntil he opened his mouth, and a piercing howl shook the battlefield.


    "I-It''s the white-winged emperor!" one member of the audience cried out.


    Clearly, the white-winged emperor was here to im Zhang Lie''s life in revenge for his son''s death. Feathers shot out of the emperor''s six wings, and Zhang Lie''s eyes widened in shock. Never had he felt the fear of death so close to his heart; he knew that, within the next thousandth of a second, the feathers would pierce through his body.


    .


    His opponent was too strong¡ªat the very least, the white-winged emperor was a fourth-realm monarch-ss hunter. Any other hunter might have closed his eyes and waited for his death, but Zhang Lie wouldn''t. He had already perished once before; as long as he remained alive, he wouldn''t give up.


    Moments before death, Zhang Lie instantly activated his moonlight wyrm, white grub, venombane scorpion, forest wolfman, runic smander, and blood ant soulshards.


    A small, thin wyrm shot toward the feathers as quickly as a ray of moonlight while silvery-white armor materialized over Zhang Lie''s body. Venombane appeared in Zhang Lie''s right hand, and his body began to transform into that of a forest wolfman. Runic engravings crept up his arms, chest, and face.


    As a blood moon appeared in the sky, his surroundings were dyed red, momentarily slowing down all attacks in his vicinity.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!" The activation of all six soulshards gave Zhang Lie enough time tounch just one blow. Venombane pushed aside the feathers heading in Zhang Lie''s direction, but they traveled so quickly that all his counterattack managed was to redirect them slightly. One shot straight toward the center of his forehead, too fast to be stalled by any other means.


    The white feather stabbed into Zhang Lie''s skin.


    Beside him, a bubble seemed to pop. Two fingers crept out of the void and plucked that feather out of Zhang Lie''s skin before it could kill him, removing its momentum as cleanly as though it really were nothing more than an ordinary feather.


    Time seemed to have stoppedpletely; even the white-winged emperor was frozen stiff.


    "Ah, I barely made it in time." A human popped into existence beside Zhang Lie. He was dressed in casual ck armor, with a rather nondescript face. Zhang Lie didn''t recognize him; indeed, if not for his startling actions, he wouldn''t have paid any attention to him at all.


    The sense of stasis suddenly faded. The white-winged emperor opposite Zhang Lie opened his eyes wide in dismay. "You¡ªMartial Sage Hong Tianqi!"


    Who else could have saved Zhang Lie from his doom? Zhang Lie released a sigh he had been holding back. If Hong Tianqi had just been a secondter...


    "You''re really as rash and prone to anger as ever, aren''t you?" Hong Tianqi spoke to the white-winged emperor as though he were lecturing a child.


    "So what if you''ve broken through, Hong Tianqi? As if you''d dare step out of the fifth realm. Others might fear you, but I won''t. No one will stop me from avenging my son today!" The white-winged emperor morphed into a beam of white light that shot toward Zhang Lie, another attack that Zhang Lie was unable to resist.


    It moved so rapidly that Zhang Lie''s brain simply couldn''t process it in time; even if he could react, he had no defense strong enough to block it, nor movement fast enough to avoid it.


    Fortunately, with Hong Tianqi around, he wasn''t in danger.

 Chapter 258: Easily Dealt With

    <h4>Chapter 258: Easily Dealt With</h4>


    "Oh? That''s interesting, but you''re still not skilled enough!" Hong Tianqi called out, clenching his right fist and freezing the white-winged emperor in ce, even in the midst of his transformation.


    Space and time itself seemed to freeze.


    "Keep it up,d. I''m looking forward to your performance!" Hong Tianqi whispered to Zhang Lie. Then, with a flick of his left hand, the frozen white-winged emperor vanished from sight like a cleanly erased pencil mark.


    Subsequently, Hong Tianqi stepped forward, space parting in front of him like a curtain, and vanished from the match.


    Everyone stared at where the two monarch-level hunters had vanished without a word. The scene was simply too shocking! Soon enough, the audience recovered from their shock and began murmuring to each other.


    "What... was that?!"


    "He dealt with the white-winged emperor so easily¡ªis this the true strength of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi?"


    "So, what happened to the white-winged emperor at the very end?"


    "Isn''t Zhang Lie really strong? He was even able to hold out a little against the white-winged emperor''s attack!"


    "Well, if he hadn''t, he''d be dead right now. Damn, that fight alone was worth the price of attending the Void Cup!"


    "Isn''t it? You wouldn''t be able to see a fight between Martial Sage Hong Tianqi and the white-winged emperor otherwise, no matter how much you paid! Makes you wonder, doesn''t it? Zhang Lie must be quite important among the humans for Martial Sage Hong Tianqi to step in on a moment''s notice."


    "Well, that''s obvious! The theory of limit fragments he''s developed is worth at least that much."


    "Martial Sage Hong Tianqi made his breakthrough after Zhang Lie''s development of limit fragments, didn''t he? Could the two be rted?"


    "Surely not¡ªyou mean that these limit fragments are valuable even for the older generation of hunters?! If that''s the case..."


    As the spectators in the standsmented on what had happened, so too did thepetitors.


    The appearance of the white-winged emperor and Martial Sage Hong Tianqi forced a halt to the match between Zhang Lie and Li Feng.


    The host in charge of the gctic stage of the Void Cup, a monarch-level hunter whose strength wouldn''t lose out to even the white-winged emperor, Voice of the Wind, Packard, appeared on stage.


    After confirming that Zhang Lie and Li Feng were both alright, he sighed in relief and announced, "Honored guests, because of the sudden appearance of the white-winged emperor, the Void Cup will temporarily be paused while we repair the spatial rift that he generated. The tournament will resume at 2 PM. I apologize for the sudden disturbance."


    It was clear that the me for this entire affair rested with the winged¡ªmore specifically, with the white-winged emperor. Not five minutester, the winged sent an announcement to the attendees of the Void Cup, apologizing for the white-winged emperor''s misdeeds and rifying that he had been deposed the day before, that his actions didn''t represent those of the winged.


    The official exnation was that he had been in secluded cultivation when he learned of his son''s death, and the shock had disrupted his mentality. Because of this, he had been forced to abdicate, and the winged could hardly be held responsible for what he had done.


    The hunters of Earth blinked upon seeing this announcement.


    "The winged really are... decisive, aren''t they?" Yang Ze murmured.


    "It''s normal. It would be foolish for them to do anything less," Zhang Liemented. "You all saw how close I was to dying, didn''t you? I''m sure the Void Cup will take this matter seriously. That white-winged emperor might have vanished, but the winged will surely be penalized for his actions. I expect they''ll receive a hundred-year ban from the Void Cup¡ªcan you imagine how many opportunities that would represent for their hunters?


    "The winged certainly aren''t going to want to lose such a valuable opportunity. Of course they would rify that the white-winged emperor was acting independently! If I''m not mistaken, they''ll even send us some gifts as reparation, and perhaps some diplomats to improve the rtionship between our races.


    "Surely not, Captain?" Yang Ze''s face revealed his confusion.


    "Right, the white-winged emperor himself was taken away! Aren''t the humans and winged basically going to remain enemies now?"


    "Why not? The winged have made themselves very clear¡ªthe white-winged aren''t in charge anymore. What''s there not to ept about improving the rtionship between our races? I hardly doubt the white-winged emperor''s dead¡ªit''s more likely than not that Martial Sage Hong Tianqi simply forced him to leave.


    Fang Yi frowned. "Why didn''t Martial Sage Hong Tianqi kill him outright?"


    From his perspective, the white-winged emperor seemed like a life-threatening obstacle, and his heart palpitated when he thought about how close their captain hade to dying. Without a doubt, were they the ones standing in the arena, the white-winged emperor''s attack would have killed them. This was an opportunity to get rid of atent threat: why wouldn''t Martial Sage Hong Tianqi strike?


    "I''m not sure either, but the martial sage is likely privy to considerations beyond our knowledge."


    In fact, Zhang Lie did have a guess or two, but he didn''t want to reveal his thoughts. After all, it wasn''t necessarily good for the hunters of Team Zenith to learn about some things too early.


    "Captain, what was the white-winged emperor''s attack like? We were scared for you just watching you on the screen! Were the white-winged emperor''s feathers really all that scary? I saw that you used all your major soulshards¡ªwas that little wyrm from the moonlight wyrm soulshard? Won''t you tell us?"


    Zhang Lie''s performance had whetted their curiosity. Sun Mengmeng was the first to question him about it, and the others all eyed Zhang Lie and Li Feng.


    "Don''t look at me¡ªI was so scared that I don''t remember anything!" Li Feng was merely d he had survived the ordeal.


    Everyone then turned to Zhang Lie instead.


    .


    "All I was thinking about was trying to survive," Zhang Lie replied honestly. "I activated my six major soulshards instinctively, but as you all saw, it was useless. Against the white-winged emperor''s absolute strength, there was little I could do, and even I would have perished if not for Martial Sage Hong Tianqi''s timely assistance.


    "As for the moonlight wyrm soulshard... well, I''ve exposed it already, haven''t I? I don''t suppose there''s anything to hide now. Whitey, why don''t youe out and greet everyone?"


    Zhang Lie extended his right arm, and a small white wyrm peeked out from his sleeve. It was about the size of a standard garden snake, and pure white all over with a triangr-shaped head. Unlikemon snakes, however, it had four conical, pale-blue horns jutting out of its head, and its eyes were sorge that they filled half its face. All in all, it was a ridiculously cute creature.


    Upon seeing the little wyrm, the hunters instantly thought of their fight against the moonlight wyrm.


    "This, Captain, y-you¡ª!" Sun Mengmeng was tongue-tied in her excitement. As far as she could tell, this was a summoned beast, which meant that the moonlight wyrm''s soulshard was a summoning-type soulshard, the rarest of the rare!


    Except for the white grub soulshard that Zhang Lie possessed, this moonlight wyrm soulshard could well be worth as much as his other soulshardsbined.


    The probability of finding a summoning-type soulshard was extremely low, and it was by far the hardest type of soulshard to acquire.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether this was a result of his luck or an unintended side-effect of smashing the superior-grade moonlight wyrm soulshard to pieces to increase the density of spiritual matter in the air, but regardless of how it had happened, he was now the owner of a summoning-type soulshard.


    "Ah, it''s so cute! Is it considered alive?" Li Feng and Zhou Ying cooed at the little wyrm.


    "It''s a spiritual lifeform without a physical body, but it is alive, in principle. It took me quite some effort to hatch it, and it only recently took material form. While it remained in my soulspace, it looked like nothing more than a wisp of white smoke."


    "A spiritual lifeform... does that mean that it''ll only die when you do, Captain?"


    "That''s right, and that''s the case for all summoned lifeforms. Of course, if you don''t need it at the moment, you can return it to your soulspace."


    Whitey swam out of Zhang Lie''s sleeve and around the room, causing everyone who saw it to smile.


    In the end, it was Sun Mengmeng who asked the most important question. "How strong is it? Can it fight?"


    Everyone''s eyes gleamed as they turned to Zhang Lie. It was evident that Whitey was an exceptional lifeform, but no one knew just what it could do.

 Chapter 259: Absolute Obeisance

    <h4>Chapter 259: Absolute Obeisance</h4>


    ncing at everyone''s ardent gazes, Zhang Lie said, "It''s a spiritual lifeform, so its authority deals with the soul. The reason I summoned it was because of Whitey''s characteristic technique: consuming spiritual energy."


    "Consuming spiritual energy?" Yang Ze echoed, somewhat confused.


    "Right. Sufficiently strong or dense gic energy will generate mental energy, also known as spiritual energy. Spiritual energy can be used for mental attacks or defenses, and Whitey''s ability to consume spiritual energy will simultaneously weaken my opponent and strengthen myself," Zhang Lie exined.


    Mental energy, spiritual power... these were concepts far beyond their reach at present.


    "In that case, captain, what happens to someone who has all their spiritual power drained?" Yang Ze asked.


    Fang Yi smiled. "If I''m not mistaken, the hunter will be nothing more than an empty shell, devoid of soul and spirit. It''s a fate worse than death!"


    Everyone''s eyes widened as they considered Fang Yi''s words, then turned to Zhang Lie.


    "Yes, Fang Yi''s pretty much correct," Zhang Lie added, causing everyone to look toward Whitey with awe. Here was a frightening lifeform that could devour one''s soul!


    Just as everyone was captivated by Whitey, a knock came from outside the humans'' waiting room. "Mr. Zhang Lie, I''m Hong Yu from the winged, here to pay you a visit!"


    Despite Zhang Lie iming that a representative of the winged would soon arrive to make reparations, the hunters of Team Zenith weren''t sure whether or not to believe him¡ª but what he said had indeed happened!


    Zhang Lie smiled. Stowing Whitey away, he called out, "Please,e in!"


    Hong Yu entered with two winged guards, one blue-winged and the other ck-winged. It did seem as though the white-winged emperor, and indeed the whole of the white-winged n, had lost status and power. Only then would he and his fellow humans truly be safe.


    "Mr. Zhang Lie, please allow me to tender my sincerest apologies for what you faced in the arena today. These are rainbow fruits native to thend of the rainbow-winged, and I hope you''ll ept this gift!" Hong Yu bowed deeply toward Zhang Lie the moment she entered, her attitude earnest.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie didn''t say anything, and the members of Team Zenith looked toward her with distrusting faces.


    After a pregnant pause, Hong Yu continued, "I apologize, Mr. Zhang Lie. Although the white-winged emperor had already been expelled from the union of the winged, we bear ultimate responsibility for the affair. We are deeply sorry for his actions, so please allow us to make reparations,"


    She was so deferential that even her two guards were surprised.


    Zhang Lie finally spoke. "Make reparations? I almost died during the match today!"


    Zhang Lie nced toward her with dissatisfaction.


    Hong Yu sighed, then retrieved a wooden box from her robes which she ced on the table. "On behalf of the winged, we have specially prepared a panacea for you: the serum of the emperor swallow!"


    The hunters of Team Zenith had never heard of such a thing, but Zhang Lie clearly did. "The serum of the emperor swallow? The swallows tended to by the rainbow-winged n leader himself?"


    "A rare panacea indeed, and the greatest sincerity the rainbow-winged n can offer at present," Hong Yu replied, emphasizing the word ''greatest''.


    Zhang Lie swiftly imed the two gifts as his own, then smiled. "Very well. For the serum, if nothing else, I''ll temporarily forgive you."


    The three representatives of the rainbow-winged n fought hard to quell their inner turmoil. Who did Zhang Lie think he was?! These were rare and potent items that even a fourth-realm hunter would have to pay an arm and a leg for!


    Of course, the representatives kept these thoughts to themselves. They didn''t dare provoke this man any further, not after what he had done to Phoenix and the white-winged n.


    "We thank you for your clemency, Mr. Zhang Lie." Hong Yu''s obeisance left the members of Team Zenith feeling rather awkward.


    After all, Zhang Lie had murdered the prince of the winged, and had all but destroyed the white-winged emperor''s authority in the process. The winged were surely in the right to look unfavorably upon him; why were they trying so hard to get into his good graces now?


    These rainbow fruits that Hong Yu had brought out were rare enough already, but with the addition of the serum of the emperor swallow, which sounded to be of immeasurable value just from its name alone...


    "Very good. It looks as though the winged finally have a wise representative," Zhang Liemented.


    "Please, Mr. Zhang, I''m no match for the likes of you!" Hong Yu eximed, smiling politely.


    "Regardless, I hope this will be the end of the conflict between the humans and the winged. In that case, I''ll leave a spot for you in the second batch of openings for the limit fragment research."


    "Th-Thank you, Mr. Zhang! Please, feel free to reach out to me at any time with regards to what you need for the research. The winged will do our best to satisfy your requests!"

 Chapter 260: The Pitiful Winged

    <h4>Chapter 260: The Pitiful Winged</h4>


    The oue of the sh between the humans and the winged came as a surprise to many; after all, most spectators hadn''t looked favorably on the humans. However, the humans hade out decisively on top in the conflict, with the winged losing both Phoenix and the white-winged emperor, along with quite a fair bit of reputation.


    After the affair, many races specifically warned their representatives in the Void Cup not to provoke the humans. The power of these limit fragments, along with the humans'' strong backer, Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, had transformed a race once thought to be weak to one of the foremost races of the gxy.


    At least before these other races were able to acquire limit fragments of their own, no one would want to go against the human race.


    Hong Yu left the humans'' waiting room in turmoil. She knew that, despite paying a heavy price, all she had aplished was to leave the winged and the humans on neutral terms; securing Zhang Lie''s cooperation and goodwill would likely require significantly more investment.


    The ramifications of the white-winged emperor''s failed assassination attempt quickly made themselves known.


    Although Martial Sage Hong Tianqi was known to be an extremely strong hunter, few had thought him able to contend for a spot at the pinnacle. However, after the footage of his fight against the white-winged emperor began to spread, it became clear that Hong Tianqi really had reached the pinnacle of his path.


    Even the highest authority of the world federation were bbergasted by what he had managed to aplish. Given his understanding of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, it wasn''t unusual that Hong Tianqi would be able to advance, but Hong Tianqi had done so far more quickly than he had anticipated. As far as his predictions went, Hong Tianqi would have to train in the dimensional realm for at least another decade before making such a leap forward.


    As a result, he grew much more interested in the limit fragments that these humans had professed to have developed. After all, as the highest authority in the world federation, he had learned of the trade between Zhang Lie and Hong Tianqi.


    Instead of returning to the authorities'' pce, Hong Tianqi brought the restrained white-winged emperor to one particr deep, chaotic recess of space. This was where the Milky Way''s defenders fought against alien invaders that threatened to take over the entire gxy, one of the most vicious battlefields in the region.


    "You''ll regret not killing me today, you bastard human!" the white-winged emperor cried out.


    Those sent to this chaotic battlefield would only have the chance to return after twenty years¡ªif they didn''t perish by then.


    "Regret? Do you think that you''ll still be able to threaten me or that youngd after twenty years? Be grateful that I''ve allowed you to die honorably!" Hong Tianqi informed him.


    Indeed, given Hong Tianqi''s current strength, there was no conceivable means by which the white-winged emperor could catch up to him. On a battlefield like this, even fifty years wouldn''t be sufficient.


    As for threatening Zhang Lie after twenty years, that was even less likely. ?Just who was Zhang Lie? Using his past life''s experience, it had taken him little more than three real-world months to advance from the lowest of the low to one of the most likelypetitors to be crowned the champion in the gctic stage of the Void Cup.


    Given the theory of limit fragments which he had brought back with him, he expected he would be able to trounce the white-winged emperor in little more than a year, let alone two.


    "Just you wait¡ªI''ll make you pay for what you''ve done to me!" the white-winged emperor called out again.


    Hong Tianqi didn''t deign to reply. He dragged him, like a little chick, over to the teleportation array and activated it.


    After the disturbance that morning, the Void Cup resumed in the afternoon. Because of all that had happened in the morning, Li Feng decided to surrender immediately. After all, they would be able to spar against each other at any time; given how much attention was on them now, it would be better to keep a low profile.


    The next match was between Fang Yi and Xing Hui. Even after the matchmenced, however, the twopetitors didn''t start battling immediately.


    "Fang Yi, after yesterday''s banquet, I hope you''ll consider us friends," Xing Hui began.


    Fang Yi nodded. "Of course¡ª but that doesn''t mean I''ll go easy on you!"


    "Haha, that''s exactly what I wanted to say, Fang Yi! Shall we fight with our full strength? Let''s not let this impact the rtionship between we starbeasts and you humans."


    "Very well. Show me the extent of your strength, Xing Hui!"


    Two frightening auras emerged from the twopetitors, and Xing Hui transformed into his battle-ready form: from a white monkey the size of a dog to a five- or six-meter tall beast adorned with a purplish-ck armor.


    As they shed head-on, Xing Hui took two massive steps back, while Fang Yi was forced back over a hundred meters from the extent of Xing Hui''s blow.


    .


    "Impressive, impressive! Who would have expected a speed-oriented hunter like you to possess such strength? Again!" Xing Hui roared. With his right w, he struck at Fang Yi, his attack boasting such strength that the tips of his ws were scraping at the fabric of the world.


    "I''m not going to take that attack head-on!" Fang Yi shouted, activating his own techniques. He dashed forward, underneath one of Xing Hui''s arms, and brandished his spear at Xing Hui''s chest.


    "Not bad! Come at me!" Xing Hui''s reaction to Fang Yi''s impending attack shocked the crowd¡ª not only did he not back down, he even stuck his chest out, as if inviting the blow.


    With a crisp metallic clink, Fang Yi''s spear bent into the shape of a U, causing him and the spectators to gasp in amazement. Fang Yi''s probing blow had failed to even make a dent in his opponent''s defense!


    Momentster, Fang Yi made use of the momentum from the failed attack tounch himself back.


    "Do you think you can get away so easily?!" Xing Hui swatted him aside as though he were a mosquito, causing Fang Yi to smash against the protective shield surrounding the arena. The shield wavered and rippled; the strength of Xing Hui''s attack was obvious.


    Fang Yi spat out a mouthful of blood. "You really are strong. In that case, there''s no way I can hold back!"


    Fang Yi''s expression turned serious as chitinous armor covered his body. A pair of wind- and lightningced wings sprouted from his back, then turned a sudden blood red. The entire arena shed with red lightning, causing even Xing Hui''s eyes to widen. "[Heaven''s Judgment: Tribtion of Lightning]!"


    Fang Yiunched his spear from his hands. Amidst a roar of thunder, the spear began rotating more and more quickly, summoning the power of wind and storm that suffused the arena. It shot toward Xing Hui like a tornado.


    "You asked for it! Take this!" Xing Hui clenched his right fist, surrounding it with milky-white gic energy, then punched forward. As he did so, his arm seemed to vanish; the surrounding space ruptured from the strength of his blow.


    Fang Yi''s spear crashed against Xing Hui''s fist in a momentous explosion that shocked the spectators. In the aftermath of the blow, an obsidian spear windmilled into the distance, its momentum and energy drained.


    It looked as though Xing Hui had punched it aside with his fearsome blow, but in truth, Xing Hui''s right hand was charred and ckened. Blood slowly dripped down his clenched fist. Xing Hui slumped back with a defeated look on his face; he had lost.


    If Fang Yi hadn''t forcibly reimed much of the attack''s gic energy at thest minute, his right arm would have beenpletely paralyzed. Fang Yi''s spear,unched with the full reserves of his gic energy, had prated his defenses almost immediately.


    "I admit defeat! ?What a magnificent blow¡ªI can''t believe it!"


    "I apologize, but you were so strong I could hardly risk close-rangedbat," Fang Yi replied, smiling.


    Thunderous apuse came from the stands. Although the match hadn''tsted a long time, the strength that bothpetitors showed was an immense shock. Xing Hui''s brute strength and Fang Yi''s piercing lightning had left a deep impression on their minds.

 Chapter 261: Top Six

    <h4>Chapter 261: Top Six</h4>


    The next match was between Sun Mengmeng and Lianna of the aquatic. Even before the match began, the crowd had already begun to murmur: Lianna was water-attuned and Sun Mengmeng was fire-attuned, so this match would surely be interesting.


    "Sun Mengmeng, you''ll fight me at full strength, won''t you? What happens in this arena stays in this arena!"


    "Of course, Princess Lianna. I won''t go easy on you!"


    "In that case, let''s begin!" Lianna activated her gic energy. A conch-like object by her chest began to glow, forming a patch of ocean around her.


    Sun Mengmeng didn''t dare take Lianna lightly. Almost as she activated her item, Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her. Finally, she activated her most important soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Sun Mengmeng shot out tens of arrows toward Lianna.


    "[The Lily Blooms]!" Lianna syed out her hands, and a gorgeous patch of water lilies came to life by her feet. These lilies wererge but intricate, and covered in a crystalline sheen that made them resemble delicate pieces of art.


    Sun Mengmeng''s hail of arrows struck the water lilies, leaving a few smoking craters behind, but were ultimately unable to prate the multyered petals that protected Lianhua.


    "Take this¡ª[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the volley of shots she had activated just prior. The strength of her attack shocked Lianna and the gathered crowd.


    Most astoundingly, the mes didn''t seem to stop pouring out of her bow, because Sun Mengmeng''s hands were still moving as fast as ever. While she still had stamina, this frightening attack wouldn''te to an end.


    The sight boggled the spectators, and even Lianna was awed by her strength. However, as Sun Mengmeng''s opponent, she certainly couldn''t take this attack lightly.


    "[Kingdom of Water]!" As her conch shell glowed with pure blue light, seawater poured out of it, rejuvenating the injured water lilies and summoning countless merwarriors from deep within the ocean.


    The water lilies, unfortunately, perished quickly to Sun Mengmeng''s neverending torrent of me. The merwarriors charged forward at the rain of ck me, though they too were destroyed almost immediately as the firended on them. However, they could be reformed endlessly with Lianna''s water-attuned gic energy.


    As a result, the twopetitors ended up in a sort of equilibrium; the winner would be determined by who could oust the other.


    Zhang Lie stopped paying attention to the battle. At this point, it was clear who would win: Sun Mengmeng. Lianna certainly wouldn''t be a match for her when it came to stamina. Sun Mengmeng had started off as nothing more than an ordinary girl from the capital. In order to keep up with Zhang Lie, she had put in more work than any ten normal huntersbined.


    From what Zhang Lie could recall, she spent at least ten hours a day practicing her archery and refining her gic energy. Evenpared to the other members of Team Zenith, she worked harder than everyone but Fang Yi and Yang Ze.


    Furthermore, her stamina was boosted by her limit fragments and her ten peak gene fragments, so there was no way she could lose.


    The spectators were raptly observing the confrontation between the two hunters. Their match seemed more like two armies shing against each other, and the sight was astounding to behold. After all, they were only first-realm hunters, and there were second-realm hunters in the audience who couldn''t im to be able to do as much.


    The fight persisted for a surprising amount of time. By the time Lianna surrendered, her face pale and gasping, they had fought for one whole hour.


    Neitherbatant was able to risk changing tactics on the fly without getting hit by their opponent''s attack, so the match had turned into one of pure endurance. And after one whole hour, no matter how impressive their techniques were, the spectators were getting rather tired.


    When they heard Lianna surrender, quite a few hunters even heaved a sigh of relief.


    As the spectators murmured to each other, Sun Mengmeng shook Lianna''s hand as she returned to the humans'' waiting room.


    "Sister, congrattions! You''re at least among the top sixpetitors in the Void Cup, and you could even get into the top three if you win the next fight!" Sun Xiaowu shouted the moment she returned.


    "Congrattions on advancing, Sun Mengmeng!" the other hunters of Team Zenith all called out.


    Sun Mengmeng thanked them all before looking toward Zhang Lie, wanting to get his opinion on how the fight had gone.


    "You yed excellently to your strengths. Good work, Sun Mengmeng!"


    "Thank you, Captain!" She smiled happily when she obtained the praise she was hoping for.


    After Sun Mengmeng''s fight, the next few matches would be rather tough. Zhou Ying was the nextpetitor up; her opponent was Xing Bai. Based on Xing Hui''s match against Fang Yi, Zhang Lie didn''t give her more than a 30% chance of winning.


    After all, Zhou Ying''s opponent favored brute strength, whereas Zhou Ying herself focused on deterring her opponent. Zhou Ying''s methods would be extremely effective against a weaker opponent, but Zhang Lie expected that Xing Bai would be able to ovee it all with brute strength alone.


    As expected, Zhou Yingsted only a minute against Xing Bai. She exchanged three blows with him; Xing Bai destroyed all her vines during that period of time, then forced her to the side of the arena, where she had no choice but to admit defeat.


    Against Xing Bai''s frightening, oppressive strength, she had no recourse; indeed, most of the other hunters from Team Zenith would also have lost to him. It was evident that Xing Bai himself also possessed a few peak gene fragments, and as the young leader of the starbeasts, his strength could only be greater than even that of Xing Hui.


    After these two matches, the remaining ones weren''t very exciting. Pu Kui barely won against Xing Yan of the starbeasts after using a variety of secret techniques and potions, and Yang Ze naturally overwhelmed Pu Feng in thest match of the day.


    After all, Pu Feng was only the third-rankedpetitor among the nightdemons, and he had only managed to make it into the top twelve from sheer luck alone. It was inevitable that he would end up facing an opponent he couldn''t ovee, but such a high rank wasn''t anything to scoff at.


    With Yang Ze''s victory, the top sixpetitors of the Void Cup were established: Zhang Lie, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Xing Bai, and Pu Kui.


    Of these sixpetitors, an overwhelming four came from the human race, an oue that shocked the gathered crowd. No other race had managed such a feat in the entirety of the Void Cup; the members of Team Zenith were creating history at that very moment.


    In fact, if Zhang Lie were to face Xing Bai in the subsequent match, there was a very good chance that the humans would end up monopolizing the top three spots in the Void Cup, causing Zhang Lie to be the idol of all the hunters in China, Earth, and even the Sr System atrge.


    .


    Indeed, without Zhang Lie, there wouldn''t be a Team Zenith, and the human race surely wouldn''t have been able toe up with limit fragments. And without any of those factors, the humans certainly wouldn''t have been able to uniformly enter the top hundred, let alone have the chance to monopolize the top three.


    Whether they would seed would have to await the schedule to be released tomorrow, but their sesses today were already well worth celebrating. Yan Long and Su Feng had already set up a banquet at the Nike Hotel by the time Zhang Lie and the others returned.


    In the past, thinking that Zhang Lie was a little arrogant, Yan Long had avoided heaping praise on him to his face, but given his supetive performance in the Void Cup, Yan Long couldn''t care less anymore.

 Chapter 262: An Enthusiastic Fight

    <h4>Chapter 262: An Enthusiastic Fight</h4>


    "Haha, Zhang Lie, I knew I made the right choice in supporting you!" Su Feng boomed, his face equally excited. The events of the day would surely enter the annals of history; how could he and Yan Long not understand the enormity of what Zhang Lie had aplished?


    Zhang Lie threw back his head andughed. "I''m not finished yet¡ªwatch me im the Void Throne as my own!"


    "In that case, let''s hope that you end up fighting against Xing Bai tomorrow so we can im the top three spots for Earth," Su Feng murmured.


    They headed to the table, which was replete with freshly prepared food. The hunters, exhausted from their day ofpetition, dug in with gusto. They could clearly sense the caliber of their opponents increasing; except for Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng, everyone else had to show at least part of their true skill.


    Because there would still be another day ofpetition ahead, Yan Long and Su Feng hadn''t arranged any other activities. The hunters quickly returned to their hotel, where they began to prepare for the finals of the Void Cup the next day.


    As Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith arrived at thepetition grounds the next day, coincidentally, so did Xing Bai and Pu Kui. They all met at the entrance to the tournament grounds and ended up chatting a little.


    "Zhang Lie, please go easy on me if we end up fighting!" Xing Bai pleaded.


    "Right, me too! I''m happy just having gotten to this point. If we really end up fighting, Zhang Lie, please don''t make me lose too badly." Pu Kui had faced Zhang Lie herself, and she was quite aware of his strength. Given what had happened to Phoenix, she certainly wasn''t going to provoke Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie smiled, replying to Pu Kui, "Of course not! It would be in bad taste. As for you, Xing Bai, didn''t you want to test my strength? If we do end up facing each other, let''s both give it our all, then."


    "Haha, very well! I''m sure I can''tpete in anything else, but in terms of strength..." Zhang Lie''s suggestion immediately roused Xing Bai''s interest.


    The three parties all headed into their respective waiting rooms and waited for the roster to be announced. The moment the first match-up was decided, everyone cheered, especially the humans and the starbeasts.


    Zhang Lie VS Xing Bai


    No one understood better than they just what this fight represented.


    "Ah, they''re the two strongestpetitors in the Void Cup! This will be a history-defining moment, I''m sure of it!"


    Compared to this first match-up, the next two would be far less interesting, because the winner of this match would undoubtedly be the champion of the Void Cup. If Zhang Lie were to win, then without a doubt, the humans could take all three podium positions in this iteration of the Void Cup, but if Xing Bai were to win, then the best the humans could manage would be second and third ce.


    Sun Mengmeng VS Pu Kui


    Fang Yi VS Yang Ze


    The next two match-ups were quickly revealed, but they garnered far less attention. The fight between Sun Mengmeng and Pu Kui would likely start out strong, but with Pu Kui''s surrender momentster, whereas Fang Yi likely had a slight advantage against Yang Ze, who had had to start from scratch with a difficult framework to master.


    Regardless of who won the third match, however, it would be a human who advanced. ncing at the roster, Zhang Lie sighed in relief. Team Zenith would indeed be able to im first, second, and third ce in this year''s Void Cup.


    "Captain!" The members of Team Zenith had clearly noticed this point too.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''ve all worked hard, everyone, and these are the fruits of ourbor¡ªan aplishment never before achieved in history."


    The first match seemed to begin in the blink of an eye.


    "Zhang Lie, we finally face each other!" Xing Bai smiled, as joyful as a kid in an amusement park.?The moment he had learned of Zhang Lie, he had wanted to fight him, but he had never had an opportunity until now.


    "Right, it''s past time! Show me all you''ve got¡ªotherwise, if you''re injured, I won''t take any responsibility!" Zhang Lie really was quite interested in Xing Bai, who seemed purely focused on the pursuit of strength.


    Simrly, Xing Bai respected Zhang Lie''s abilities, and he felt a surprising kinship to him. When he heard Zhang Lie''s words, heughed and responded, "To be clear, we''re pitting our strength against each other¡ªdon''t bully me by bringing in your speed too!"


    As he spoke, he began transforming into a gigantic beast over five meters tall. His body was covered in burnished silver-white scales shot through with specks of color, reminiscent of twinkling stars. Xing Bai curled his forearms, revealing bunched muscles the size of car tires.


    "Very well!" Zhang Lie called back, activating his forest wolfman soulshard.


    Fusing his gic energy with the dense water-attuned gic energy around him, he advanced the transformation further into a ck-furred wolfman whose size and stature were no less imposing than Xing Bai''s own.


    "I''ming!" When he saw Zhang Lie''s transformation, Xing Bai grinned. He raised his forearms and shot toward Zhang Lie like a bolt of lightning. His punch was so forceful, so fast, that it broke the sound barrier. Space rippled around his fist.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie struck with his right fist. A ck dragon curled around his arm, shooting forward with unmitigated authority. As the ck and white fists smashed against each other, the entire arena distorted, and amidst shocked gasps from the crowd, the barrier separating the arena from the audience began developing spiderweb-like cracks.


    "Not good¡ªfix that barrier immediately!" the host of the gctic stage of the Void Cupmanded his subordinates.


    They all knew that this match would be a sight to behold, but not to this extent. After all, the barrier separating thepetitors from the spectators had beenid down by thebined efforts of a few fourth-realm warders, and no one would have expected that Zhang Lie and Xing Bai alone, two first-realm hunters, would be able to splinter it to such an extent.


    The spectators closest to the fight were even getting a little flustered, but three warders had already rushed to the scene to temporarily sustain the barrier before the spectators could make much of a fuss.


    As they ced their palms on the barrier, the shuddering and splintering force field immediately regained its usual crystal-clear transparency.


    Just as they were about to leave, however, Xing Baiughed. "Impressive, impressive! Zhang Lie, it''s been too long since I''ve been able to release such a forceful punch without worrying about the consequences! Come, let''s go at it again!"


    The three warders nced at each other fretfully.

 Chapter 263: Top Three

    <h4>Chapter 263: Top Three</h4>


    Before the three warders could say anything, Xing Bai and Zhang Lie struck at each other once more. The barrier splintered before their eyes.


    If not for the Void Cup, the fourth-realm warders would have kicked both of them off the stage, but at this point, all they could do was grit their teeth and establish the barrier once more.


    However, not a second after they had finished, Xing Bai and Zhang Lie shed again and again, causing the warders to swear as they fed a constant stream of their gic energy into the arena. Such was the strength of their blows that they even cracked the barrier shielding them from above.


    The three professional warders were hard-pressed just to maintain the structural integrity of that surrounding the arena and keeping the spectators safe. Despite their dissatisfaction, both thebatants within and the spectators outside the arena were extremely satisfied with the fight that was taking ce: Zhang Lie and Xing Bai enjoyed being able to let loose, while the spectators enjoyed watching them let loose.


    "Xing Bai, you''re not bad, as expected of the young leader of the starbeasts. Ah, it''s been too long since I had such a good fight!" Zhang Lieughed.


    "You too, Zhang Lie!" Xing Bai roared in excitement.


    "That said, we do need to determine a victor. We''re about even in terms of strength, but I think I''d win out against you otherwise. Do you still want to fight?"


    "Yes, of course! Perhaps there''s no chance of winning for me, but I want to sense the difference between you and me, Zhang Lie!" Xing Bai replied earnestly.


    "In that case, get ready!" Zhang Lie distanced himself from Xing Bai, then summoned Venombane into his hand. He released a frightening aura of gic energy as he activated [Eclipse] and his blood ant soulshard, dyeing the skies above the arena a deep red.


    This was the manifestation of Zhang Lie''s true strength.


    "Take this: [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!"


    A ck beam of light split the arena in twain. All that the light struck was cleanly bisected, and it cut open a split in the space that had grown distended and distorted due to the strength of the twopetitors'' blows.


    Against such a frightening blow, Xing Bai howled as he pushed his bestial transformation to its greatest extent, crossing his two arms and suffusing his scales with radiant gic energy. In that moment, he seemed to have morphed into a glowing silver fortress, though despite all his efforts, even from dozens of meters away, he was chilled by the enormity of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    And the moment he thought that even he couldn''t defend against the attack, he was doomed to fail.


    Nevertheless, it was toote to make another move. He had hunkered down for defense, and there was no other option left to him. Given the speed of Zhang Lie''s attack, as well as the dread he was feeling even when it was so far away, he fully expected to lose both his arms. Faced with this oue, even Xing Bai couldn''t help but quail. As he briefly retracted his arms, the beam of light that seemed poised to cut through everything arced upwards into the air.


    Xing Bai hissed in pain¡ªthat part of the light which had barely impacted his skin had ripped away his scales, meeting almost no resistance at all.


    Of course, he couldn''t me Zhang Lie. If not for his redirecting the attack, Xing Bai would have lost more than just a few scales.


    "Thank you for your clemency, Zhang Lie. I admit defeat!" Xing Bai called out.


    Thus ended the match that had enraptured the audience; the winner was, of course, Zhang Lie.


    "Zhang Lie won¡ªthe humans are going to take the top three spots in the tournament!"


    "Ah, you''re right! I don''t think Sun Mengmeng will lose out to Pu Kui, and the third fight''s going to be between two humans. If that''s the case¡­ my goodness, mankind is about to make history!"


    Yesterday, it hadn''t been certain just how well the humans would perform, but today, after Zhang Lie''s match with Xing Bai, it was almost certain that the humans would dominate this iteration of the Void Cup.


    Because of the extent of the destruction which Zhang Lie and Xing Bai''s match had caused, there was a longer dy than usual between the matches that day.


    The next fight was between Sun Mengmeng and Pu Kui. The twopetitors bothunched a dazzling salvo of attacks, but the oue was all but predetermined, and Pu Kui didn''t intend to struggle needlessly. After a few rounds of fighting, ensuring that she wouldn''t take a loss to her reputation, Pu Kui surrendered.


    Yang Ze had no interest inpeting with Fang Yi; the moment he got on stage, he surrendered, allowing Fang Yi to advance into the top three.


    As a result, the humans officially ended up monopolizing the top three ces in the tournament. It was clear to all the spectators just who was responsible for the humans'' victory, as well as who would im the Void Throne: Zhang Lie.


    Both Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng had made a name for themselves as Zhang Lie''s subordinates. Because neither of them wanted topete with the other, the match was decided by aical game of rock-paper-scissors, with Fang Yi emerging the victor. Subsequently, Fang Yi surrendered to Zhang Lie, and the original timeline for the tournament was brought forward by half a day as a result.


    The final matches for the tournament were ted for the afternoon, but owing to this decisive "victory", the awards ceremony was shifted forward instead.


    The top tenpetitors of the Void Cup were:


    1st: Zhang Lie


    2nd: Fang Yi


    3rd: Sun Mengmeng


    4th: Xing Bai


    5th: Yang Ze


    6th: Pu Kui


    7th: Zhou Ying


    8th: Lianna


    9th: Xing Hui


    The humans had imed half of the top ten positions in the tournament¡ªas well as the top three positions. The final result shocked the entire gxy. Without a doubt, that day was one of mankind''s greatest triumphs, with their having seeded in an achievement unprecedented in history.


    "Dragonwolf Zhang Lie!"


    "Team Zenith!"


    On the streets, in the alleyways, humans began chanting Zhang Lie''s name, a chant that rose from a murmur to a full-fledged roar. The loudest voices came from the hunters, because no one knew better than they did just how impressive Zhang Lie''s achievements were, nor just what benefits Zhang Lie''s victory would bring to them.


    As he returned to the hotel after the end of the tournament, Zhang Lie had no idea of themotion that awaited him back home; instead, he grew visibly nervous.

 Chapter 264: Generous Prizes

    <h4>Chapter 264: Generous Prizes</h4>


    He was nervous because the principal reason he had attended the Void Cup was neither for fame nor the Void Throne, but rather for a precious herb for his sister, Zhang Hanxiang. In his past life, he had heard rumors that this was one of the prizes awarded to those champions of the Void Cup. Whether or not that prize did exist, however, wasn''t something he was certain about.


    He had never mentioned this to anyone else, not even his teammates, but even so, some thoughtful people had noticed.


    "Captain, are you worrying about whether or not the prizes will include the fruit of life?" Sun Mengmeng asked, shocking Zhang Lie.


    "Mengmeng, how did you know¡ª"


    "Isn''t it obvious? You would surely prioritize your sister above all else. Apparently, one fruit of life has been handed to almost every champion in past iterations of the Void Cup, allowing them to strengthen their soulspace.


    "Really?"


    "Within the past three iterations, at the very least."


    "Wonderful¡ª thank you, Mengmeng!"


    Zhang Lie''s worried expression was reced with one of relief.


    "What''s going on, Captain? Are you hiding something from us?" Yang Ze, noticing the hushed conversation between Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng, crept over.


    "Ah, shoo! What''s there to hide from you? We''re simply discussing the prizes that will be handed out." Zhang Lie''s words drew the others'' attention.


    Of the seven hunters of Team Zenith, five were in the top ten, Li Feng was in the top twelve, and even the unlucky Sun Xiaowu was in eighteenth ce. Their rewards would surely be impressive, and everyone was excited to discuss what they would get.


    Before they could discuss it in much detail, however, Yan Long and Su Feng rushed over. Zhang Lie and the others werepetitors with a specialized passageway for entrance and exit to the tournament grounds, but Yan Long and Su Feng had been stuck amidst a crowd of people and had only just rushed back.


    "Congrattions, Zhang Lie! All of you really did it!" Yan Long shouted.


    Su Feng pped Zhang Lie''s shoulders a few times, so agitated that he was at a loss for words.


    "You''re all curious about the prizes you''ll receive, aren''t you?" Yan Long asked.


    The hunters all looked up. Indeed, they might not be well aware of just what the prizes would entail, but Yan Long and Su Feng, who had been responsible for escorting the human representatives for quite a few iterations of the Void Cup, did have some idea.


    "Commander Yan Long, please, tell us more!" Yang Ze requested.


    Yan Long motioned for everyone to sit down. "First, I''ll mention the prizes for the champion of the Void Cup."


    Everyone turned to Zhang Lie.


    "The prize that everyone cares most about is naturally the Void Throne. It''s a throne sculpted out of one of the most precious minerals to be found in deep space, by the most renowned sculptor in the world federation."


    "A... decoration?" Fang Yi seemed rather disappointed upon hearing Yan Long''s exnation.


    "No, no, of course not. It''s a domain artifact! The mineral itself is a treasure of unimaginable worth, and the amount of it required to make a throne is sufficient to enhance the rate at which gic energy condenses for all lifeforms on the¡ªand even over the sr system atrge.


    "This effect is enhanced the closer you are to the throne: if you cultivate while seated directly on it, it''ll be at least a tenfold boost; those in the same room will experience a fivefold boost; those in the same city, a twofold boost; those in China, perhaps a boost of 70%; those on Earth, 30-50%; and even those in the Sr System, 10-20%!


    "Do you see why everyone''s so invested in winning the Void Throne for themselves now?"


    Everyone''s eyes bulged.


    "Commander Yan, doesn''t that mean mankind is set for life after winning this throne?" Fang Yi gasped.


    "It''s a five-year rental, nothing more. It''ll pass to the next winner of the Void Cup in five years'' time," Yan Long exined.


    "Oh? In that case, we''ll just have to train the disciples of the Zenith Dojo well and have them win the next Void Cup!" Because of Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strength, Fang Yi didn''t have a sense of just how difficult his im would be to realize.


    "If you really can do so, I''ll thank you on behalf of all the citizens of China." If Fang Yi were able to train such excellent students, then so much the better.


    Yan Long then turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, thank you. The effects of the Void Throne will surely cultivate a generation of geniuses on Earth¡ªand this is all thanks to you, you and the members of Team Zenith! On behalf of all China, I thank you for what you''ve aplished."


    Beside him, Su Feng nodded formally.


    Flustered, Zhang Lie waved his hands, not intending to im full credit for the victory. In fact, the primary reason he had wanted to participate in the Void Cup was to cure his sister''s paralysis. He had heard of the Void Throne, and he knew it was an extremely potent artifact, but not precisely what it did. After all, in his past life, he had certainly never qualified for the Void Cup.


    So this was why the four prime races ced so much attention on a first-realm tournament¡ªit was all for the throne!


    A momentter, he asked, "What other prizes are awarded to the winner? Surely there must be more than the throne itself?"


    Yan Long nodded. "Of course. As the champion of the Void Cup, you can choose three items¡ªgrowth-type soulshards or rare herbs from the third realm and up¡ªin the world federation''s treasury."


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked up in a smile. If he remembered correctly, the fruit of life was indeed a third-realm spiritual treasure.


    "Commander Yan, do you know if I''ll be able to acquire a fruit of life?"


    "Ah, yes¡ªI almost forgot about your sister! Don''t worry, the fruit of life is an additional reward handed to each champion of the Void Cup, with the ability to restore nerve damage and to expand one''s soulspace."


    Only then did Zhang Lie feel as though a weight had been relieved from his chest.


    Once he returned, his sister would be cured. It had taken him eighteen long years and two lives to fulfill his promise to his sister, to let her stand on her own without any external assistance whatsoever.


    Zhang Lie turned to the east. Thinking about how his sister had been forced to suffer for so long, his eyes couldn''t help but turn misty.

 Chapter 265: The Fruit of Life

    <h4>Chapter 265: The Fruit of Life</h4>


    To give Zhang Lie a moment to himself, Fang Yi turned to Yan Long and asked, "Commander Yan, how about the rewards for the rest of us? Surely we''ll get something good too?"


    "Of course! As the second-ce winner, you''ll get just a few rewards less than Zhang Lie. Moreover, your ranking in the Void Cup will be of more worth than you imagine when you ascend through the realms of the dimensional world. You''ll face more challenges, of course, but with your strength, there''s nothing to fear. To be honest, I still feel as though I''m in a dream. All of you represent the pride of China, of Earth, of all mankind. You deserve whatever des we can heap on you!" Yan Long affirmed again.


    The hunters smiled at what they had aplished.


    While they talked, their hotel had filled to the brim with all sorts of crazed fans, and if not for the fact that guards had been dispatched to maintain order around the hotel, it would be in aplete mess.


    The humans had simply caused far toorge amotion by monopolizing the top three spots in the Void Cup. No one could deny that the humans were strong; their cement in the Void Cup spoke volumes.


    The humans had beaten the winged, the nightdemons, the aquatic, and even the starbeasts. They were indubitably the strongest race represented in this iteration of the Void Cup, and they deserved the respect of the other races of the Milky Way.


    Those races who hadn''t sent representatives to the humans before tried to establish a rtionship with them, whereas those that had already done so tried to strengthen it. This behavior extended even to those races who were known to be on friendly terms with the humans, such as the blood demons, night spirits, and even nightdemons.


    Everyone was trying to learn more about Zhang Lie and Team Zenith.


    Faced with such a crowd of people, Zhang Lie and the others didn''t dare brave the throngs outside. They had a simple meal within the hotel as they waited for the awards ceremony in the afternoon.


    The awards ceremony happened in the main arena, which had been repurposed for the event. A ck pyramid appeared at the very center of the arena,posed of a hundred seats. These had been specially prepared for the top hundredpetitors of the Void Cup.


    Names appeared on the holographic screen. Whenever a name scrolled past the screen, the corresponding hunter would step forward and take the corresponding seat.


    The crowd could be broadly divided into two categories: those envious of thepetitors on stage, and those expectant, raring topete in their own right. Those hunters who were advancing to the second realm, who no longer had a chance to participate, looked on enviously at their friends or enemies on stage, while those of the younger generation couldn''t wait to take on the Void Cup themselves.


    The somber procession gave them an objective and the motivation to take on that objective.


    They eagerly awaited the day that they too could participate in such apetition, taking one of those hundred seats on stage. Their eyes shone as they watched Zhang Lie, the champion of the Void Cup andst to be introduced, take his seat at the front of the procession.


    Zhang Lie, twenty years old, a human, whose parents had vanished during his childhood, leaving him alone with his paralyzed sister. He, who was once the king of the dumps in the cksteel settlement, had now be the champion of the Void Cup!


    One by one, the victors were sent into the world federation''s treasury to procure their rewards.


    Zhang Lie lowered his head and began to analyze the Void Throne, on which he was seated. The ck mineral out of which the Void Throne had been constructed gave off a soft, dark glow. When light shone on it, it shone with luster.


    The moment Zhang Lie sat on it, he was shocked by the changes to his body. Ten times the umtion, ten times the cirction... it was an unbelievable experience. Given theplexity of Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation], it was rather difficult to convert umte gic energy and to circte it throughout his body.


    Under usual circumstances, it would take him an hour of concentration to perform a single cycle, and if he were distracted, it would take him even longer. With the Void Throne, however, he had aplished it within no more than a minute. In fact, given the throne, Zhang Lie thought that he might even be able to evolve [Ninecarp Transformation] and unlock its fourth form rtively quickly.


    Furthermore, Zhang Lie discovered that the throne also seemed to have some calming effect that would improve his mental acuity and allow him to focus on his cultivation. These two boons alone made the Void Throne a wondrous treasure¡ªand the first was even a domain effect!


    In addition, despite the fact that the throne was sculpted from a mineral, it was surprisinglyfortable. Zhang Lie briefly entertained the notion of spending another five years in the first realm of the dimensional world to enter the next iteration of the Void Cup as well, but he rejected the idea near-instantly. He didn''t have the time to waste.


    Compared to the second realm, the first realm was far less imposing and impressive. The second realm was evenrger than the first, and filled with more riches and treasures. He had developed his abilities to just about the greatest extent possible in the first realm, and there was no reason to remain there any longer. By the time those five years on the Void Throne were up, he was certain he could devise one of his own.


    It was almost time for him and the other toppetitors to im their prizes. Zhang Lie nced up to see Sun Xiaowu, in eighteenth ce, return to his seat happily with his prize. After another twenty minutes or so, Xing Bai, Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, went to im their respective prizes.


    The better thepetitors'' cement, the longer they spent in the treasury. Xing Bai had spent about five minutes inside, as did Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi. They all came out with a satisfied expression on their faces.


    Finally, it was Zhang Lie''s turn. He entered a storehouse filled with miraculous treasures, ones that made even his eyes bulge.


    "Honored Champion of the Void Cup, wee to the world federation''s peak-grade treasury. As the champion, you are eligible to choose up to six soulshards, spiritual herbs, or other treasures within."


    His first objective was, naturally, to find a fruit of life for his sister. However, despite searching the entire treasury up and down, he couldn''t find a single such fruit. Was it not in the list of prizes for the Void Cup that year? Surely not.

 Chapter 266: A Celebratory Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 266: A Celebratory Banquet</h4>


    How could there be no fruits of life here? Wasn''t this the peak-grade treasury? Flustered, he shouted at the artificial intelligence overseeing the treasury.


    "Honored Champion of the Void Cup, the fruit of life isn''t considered a peak-grade treasure, and cannot be found in this treasury. The fruit of life is an additional reward given to the top three participants in the Void Cup. Unless you wish to receive an additional fruit, you will not need to specifically request more."


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief. This was a little different from what Yan Long had mentioned, but not by much.


    "Would you be able to hand me my fruit of life immediately?" That said, Zhang Lie couldn''t truly rx before he had the fruit in his hands.


    "As you wish, Honored Champion."


    Within ten seconds, a robot whirled into the treasury with an orange-colored fruit in his hands.


    The most pressing matter resolved, Zhang Lie turned back to the items within the treasury. Among these items were rare treasures that Zhang Lie had only heard of but had never before seen. It took him half an hour to go through the items one by one, and he finally settled on six spiritual herbs.


    After all, at this point in time, Zhang Lie was essentially the only pillmaster in the world, and the potency that he could obtain from these herbs was worth far more than any other treasure. Indeed, before the awards ceremony, he had handed a list of rare herbs to the other hunters of Team Zenith, requesting that they prioritize anything on the list if possible. Considering the fact that their performance had been inrge part due to the resources that he had shared with them, the members of Team Zenith agreed immediately.


    After finalizing his selection, Zhang Lie returned to the arena as the awards ceremony was drawing to a close. After the ceremony, Zhang Lie and the others were instantly surrounded by rabid fans. Even the presence of the Ural guards wasn''t sufficient to deter them. They all knew that thepetition had ended, and that this would be their final chance to get close to Zhang Lie.


    It took Zhang Lie and the other hunters three whole hours to make it out, and that only with the help of the Ural guards.


    "I can''t believe it¡ªthey''ve torn my clothes to shreds!" Sun Xiaowu, who had been standing by the outskirts of the party, eximed in shock.


    "They''re even more difficult to deal with than ourpetitors in the Void Cup..." Fang Yi murmured.


    "Of course¡ªafter all, we can strike at our opponents, but certainly not the fans. But of all of us, the captain surely had it the worst¡ªdidn''t you see how many people were surrounding him?"


    "If nothing else, at least we''re back at the hotel now. I really do pity Commanders Yan Long and Su Feng, who are still out there in the crowd," Zhang Lie replied. "As for the rest of you, you need to get used to this sort of situation. If this is what it''s like here on Ural, can you imagine what it would be like back on Earth?"


    The hunters'' eyes bulged. They knew that Zhang Lie was right, but for them to get used to such fanatical crowds wasn''t something that could be done easily in the short term.


    Luckily, they didn''t have to worry about anything here at the Nike Hotel. Indeed, because of the fact that the humans were staying here, the Nike Hotel had grown immensely in poprity, and Ural guards had been specifically requisitioned to patrol the area. No regr fan would be able to bother Zhang Lie and the others at all.


    What they would need to worry about was the uing banquet before their departure. After all, Zhang Lie and the humans had made a few allies during the tournament, including the blood demons and the night spirits. They were also on good terms with the starbeasts, aquatic, and the nightdemons.


    This might well be thest time they saw each other in person for quite a while, so the other races would likely bring up their imminent cooperation to develop limit fragments as well.


    "Mengmeng, have the hotel start preparing a banquet. Everyone else, help greet the young leaders and representatives from each race that shows up!"


    In principle, Yan Long and Su Feng should have been responsible for organizing this banquet, but they would likely be trapped out in the crowd for some time. Indeed, Zhang Lie''s preparations were prescient, because Yan Long and Su Feng only made it back to the hotel in the evening.


    By then, Xing Bai of the starbeasts, Lianna of the aquatic, and so on had already begun messaging Zhang Lie about a potential banquet before his departure. Zhang Lie cordially invited them to thergest ballroom the Nike Hotel was able to provide.


    Momentster, however, Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, and even Yan Long and Su Feng began receiving messages from the other races of the Milky Way, hoping to secure an invitation to this banquet.


    It was obvious to everyone that this would be a celebration for Zhang Lie, as well as a farewell. In other words, for those races that had yet to secure Zhang Lie''s cooperation, this was theirst chance to meet with him before his departure.


    The Nike Hotel wasrge, but not impossibly so; not all the representatives of each race would be able to obtain an invitation. In the end, Zhang Lie invited all the representatives of the hundred strongest races, and sent word to all others who had requested an invitation that he would eventually expand his research team and draw them into the fold.


    At the grand ballroom of the Nike Hotel, the young leaders of the four prime races, along with those of the hundred strongest races in the gxy, gathered with their retinues, in a show of power and prestige surprisinglyparable to that of the Void Cup''s awards ceremony.


    Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, Yan Long, and Su Feng were all surrounded by a crowd of people.


    A few musicians were ying ssical music in the background, but other than that, the crowd was surprisingly silent.


    Zhang Lie strode toward the center of the ballroom. "Everyone, thank you for joining me for a banquet today despite your busy schedules. Owing to our sess in the Void Cup, we''ve prepared this banquet to thank all of you for your support and goodwill.


    Everyone apuded.


    After a short speech, Zhang Lie announced the start of the banquet, and the guests began to mingle with each other, enjoying the delicacies and appetizers that were being served.


    The first to toast Zhang Lie was Hong Yu of the winged. She had no choice but to make such a public gesture; as the new young leader of the winged, her burdens were particrly weighty.


    The rtionship between the winged and the humans had been rather fraught because of what had happened with Phoenix and the white-winged emperor, but the winged certainly couldn''t give up on these limit fragments. As a result, Hong Yu had to repair their damaged rtionship at any cost.


    "Mr. Zhang, I''d like to congratte you once more for your magnificent performance during this Void Cup. I''d also like to take the opportunity to apologize once more on behalf of the tensions that have arisen between your team and the winged because of several of our kin.


    "Mr. Zhang, our kinsmen''s actions aren''t representative of the winged atrge, and I fervently hope you won''t hold it against us. Allow me to give you a toast!"


    Hong Yu inclined her head and drained her ss of wine.


    "Don''t worry about it, Miss Hong Yu. I don''t intend on holding the winged ountable, so there''s no need to probe my attitude once and again. Once I''m prepared to work together with your race regarding my limit fragment research, I''ll let you know," Zhang Lie responded directly.

 Chapter 267: Returning to Earth

    <h4>Chapter 267: Returning to Earth</h4>


    With Zhang Lie''s promise in hand, Hong Yu nodded and graciously moved aside, allowing the next guest to take her ce.


    "Mr. Zhang, congrattions on bing the champion of the Void Cup. You''vepletely toppled my past understanding of the human race!" Lianna of the aquatic stepped forward.


    "You honor me, Princess Lianna. It was merely a matter of luck."


    After a moment of casual conversation, Lianna turned to the main topic at hand. "Am I correct in guessing that you''ll be leaving tomorrow? I''d like to learn more about how we should be cooperating with regards to our limit fragment research."


    Zhang Lie paused for a moment. "Before we leave tomorrow, send three promising teenagers, not past the age of eighteen, toe back to Earth with me."


    "Ah, is three enough? I can prepare more of them for you, if you''d like," Lianna assured him.


    "No, it''s a matter of quality, not quantity. Three would be enough, and I don''t have the resources to take care of more."


    Indeed, the humans were traveling light, and taking three members of the aquatic with them was the most they could handle. After all, they weren''t the only ones who would be sending promising test subjects his way: the night spirits, starbeasts, and nightdemons would likely be doing the same.


    There would be twelve of these teenagers running around in all, and the trip back to Earth wasn''t a short one. Thus, three was Zhang Lie''s firm limit.


    Lianna inclined her head, promising that she would have them sent to the Nike Hotel by that night.


    After Lianna came the nightdemons'' Pu Kui and the night spirits'' Ye Mo. Just like with Lianna, they were both informed to send three of their most promising teens to Earth with Zhang Lie. As for subsequent arrangements, Zhang Lie promised that he would keep in contact with the various races via intergctic videoconference.


    The remaining races also stepped forward to toast Zhang Lie. Among them was Yao Yue, who was ted for the second batch of races to join Zhang Lie''s research program. After some discussion, they settled on a time at which she would send her race''s most promising representatives to Earth.


    While the other races weren''t necessarily able to secure a spot for themselves for their limit fragment research, they at least made their faces and identities known to Zhang Lie.


    This would clearly be an ongoing coboration between the humans and the races of the gxy, so just meeting Zhang Lie would be a good start to developing a rtionship with the humans and acquiring such an opportunity.


    The banquetsted deep into the night. By the time it was over, it was already nearing midnight. Even Yan Long and Su Feng were exhausted, let alone Zhang Lie and the others. There were simply too many guests present, and they had had to greet and say goodbye to far too many of them.


    However, the end of the banquet wasn''t the end of their troubles¡ªby that time, the nightdemons, night spirits, aquatic, and starbeasts had already sent three representatives each to Team Zenith''s suites. The oldest among them was only fourteen years old, and they had an average age of twelve.


    The humanoids were better off, but the young cubs of the starbeasts looked no different than small kittens or pups from Earth. The only difference was that they could speak, and they were clearly far more intelligent than wild beasts.


    Team Zenith''s suites devolved into pandemonium. This was the first time these children had met their idol in person, as well as been in contact with so many humans and each other. Alternating between fear and excitement, they caused a gigantic ruckus.


    Fortunately, they were more or less afraid of Zhang Lie, and he ultimately enticed and wheedled them into going to bed in the rooms that were arranged for them.


    The next morning, when Zhang Lie found himself woken up by frenzied, youthful giggling, he wished he could return these ''goods'' to their various representatives. He wasn''t even twice their age! Who would want to take care of these troublesome children?


    At the very least, he would only have to be around them for three more days. After that, they would all be back at the Zenith Dojo, and he could leave them in Zhang Hong''s care. Once they learned to be obedient, they would move on to the testing required for the limit fragment research. The research would be done on their bodies, after all, so Zhang Lie had to secure their cooperation first.


    By then, Yan Long and Su Feng had finished their preparations. Once everyone else woke up and finished packing, they took the first step on their three-day trek back to Earth.


    "Wee home!"


    "Wee home, our heroes¡ªZhang Lie, Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng, Yang Ze, Zhou Ying!"


    "Wee home, Commanders Yan Long and Su Feng!"


    When the party arrived back in the Chinese capital''s main teleportation array, well-rehearsed shouts rang throughout the capital, causing everyone to stir. Zhang Lie, champion of the Void Throne, hero of the humans of Earth, the Dragonwolf of China, had finally returned!


    A series of fireworks wasunched into the air, dyeing it in shades of red and green.


    Outside the teleportation array, the soldiers that had been waiting there for them quickly formed a cordon to protect them. There were specially prepared hovercars that would escort Zhang Lie and the others to China''s national assembly hall, where they met the Chinese president and the representatives of each country that warmly thanked the hunters of Team Zenith for their efforts during the tournament.


    Zhang Lie and the others were, once again,mended for their actions. This time, every member of Team Zenith was heralded as a dragonsoul warrior, whereas Zhang Lie himself was bequeathed with the title of dragonlord and given its corresponding medal, immediately elevating his status in the military above even Yan Long.


    By the time the ceremonial proceedings were over, it was already evening. On Zhang Lie''s insistence, the officials finally relented and allowed them to return to Ning, which was already in an uproar over Zhang Lie''s return.


    After all, the moment he had been spotted in the capital, the news had spread to Ning. The interior of the Zenith Dojo, along with the streets all surrounding it, and even several rooftops, were packed with people.


    His apprentices and disciplesy in wait in the dojo. Their dojo leader''s impending return excited them more than anyone else. They stood straight at attention, facing the teleportation array, vibrating with nerves.


    Zhang Hong, Zhang Hanxiang, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen were waiting right outside the array to receive the hunters of Team Zenith.


    The des that Zhang Lie had won were so incredible that Zhang Hong couldn''t imagine how much the Zenith Dojo would grow as a result. The dojo leader, along with his trusted teammates, had returned victorious, monopolizing the top three ces in the Void Cup!


    Such an aplishment would certainly propel the Zenith Dojo beyond the reach of any other dojo on Earth, or even the Sr System atrge. Given all of this, it was imperative that they prepare to receive their dojo leader formally.


    That evening, as Zhang Hong was wondering whether they would have to stand at attention the entire night, the teleportation array shed with white light, and Zhang Lie appeared with Commander Su Feng and the rest of Team Zenith.


    "Brother!"


    "Dojo Leader!


    "Congrattions on your triumph, Dojo Leader!"


    "Congrattions on your triumph, Dojo Leader!"


    Cheers and shouts rang out across the dojo, spreading throughout all of Ning.

 Chapter 268: The Imminent Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 268: The Imminent Disaster</h4>


    The moment Zhang Lie stepped down from the array, he pushed all the children from the alien races in Zhang Hong''s direction. He strode around the dojo to raise the disciples'' spirits, then quickly pulled Zhang Hanxiang into a training chamber.


    They were there for two whole days.


    He had had to leave momentarily to take care of the Void Throne, which the hosts of the Void Cup had just sent over, but had otherwise remained in the training chamber with his sister in an attempt to restore her paralyzed legs.


    In his past life, Zhang Lie had carefully inspected Zhang Hanxiang''s legs before. The problem wasn''t with her legs, but rather with a disconnect rted to her central nervous system, so that had to be Zhang Lie''s target.


    This was why he had had to acquire the fruit of life at all costs, because this miraculous fruit would have the ability to restore function to his sister''s legs. What he had to do now was to concoct a potion with the fruit of life, have his sister ingest it, and to guide the medicinal energy in the potion to her legs by directing it with his gic energy.


    This was a long and tedious process, but as Zhang Hanxiang''s brother, Zhang Lie couldn''t help feeling a sense of satisfaction and joy. After all, what was a few days of hard workpared to his sister''s ability to walk?


    In the afternoon of the second day, as he nced at the golden potion in his hands, Zhang Lie shouted in triumph, "I''ve seeded, Hanxiang, I''ve seeded!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes slowly widened as she nced at the potion. "Brother, does that mean that I''ll really be able to stand on my own two feet?"


    She clutched her wheelchair, wracked with a sudden bout of nerves. After eighteen years of being bound to a wheelchair, would she finally be able to stand?


    As Zhang Lie nced at her trembling body, he handed her the potion. "Drink this. I''ll need to probe your body with my gic energy to direct the potion''s effects, but if everything works, you should be able to walk on your own two feet."


    "I-In that case, brother, pl-please begin!"


    "Get ready." Zhang Lie helped transfer her to a stool, then ced his hands on her back.


    Zhang Hanxiang inclined her head and swallowed the potion in a single gulp.


    Zhang Lie began kneading her back, sensing the tendrils of energy from the potion, guiding them toward her neck and spine. Though this was the first time Zhang Lie had ever taken part in such a procedure, everything went smoothly. Zhang Lie hardly had to do anything beyond the initial prompting before the medicinal effects of the potion took hold.


    From where he stood behind her, he saw one of Zhang Hanxiang''s legs begin to tremble. The motion was so weak that it was barely perceptible, but it had happened.


    For the first time in eighteen years, Zhang Hanxiang was able to sense her legs. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she suddenly began to cry.


    Zhang Lie turned to her front and hugged her, patting her back and telling her that everything would be fine.


    It took Zhang Hanxiang half an hour before she could calm down from the burst of emotion she had disyed. In fits and starts, her legs had regained sensation, and she slowly tried to stand up.


    Almost immediately, she stumbled, but Zhang Lie caught her before she could fall.


    As he helped her back into her wheelchair, however, Zhang Hanxiang smiled. She was certain that it was only a matter of time before she would be able to walk on her own, to free herself of the wheelchair that had been her constantpanion for her entire life.


    "Brother, thank you!" She didn''t know just how rare this fruit of life was, but she did know that, if she were alone, it would have been near-impossible for her to find a way to free herself of her paralysis.


    Hearing her words, however, Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s there to thank? I''m your brother!"


    "That''s why I''m only saying it once, Brother¡ªthank you!" Her eyes glistened with tears as she beheld her brother anew.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "We''d better prepare a training regimen for you to get used to your legs. In a few days'' time, I think we''ll even be able to take a walk together."


    "Yes, Brother!"


    Over the next week, Zhang Lie spent whatever time he could spare with Zhang Hanxiang, helping her with all sorts of exercises and brewing tonics and potions for her, until she really was able to walk unaided. At present, the two of them were slowly walking around the inner courtyard of the Zenith Dojo.


    "Brother, how am I doing? It''s all thanks to you!" Her legs were visibly trembling from the effort, and she still wasn''t able to walk particrly quickly, but even that amount of recovery in the span of a week was nothing short of miraculous.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''re doing very well, Hanxiang."


    She turned around to face him. "In that case, Brother, do you think I''d be able to be a hunter, just like you?"


    "Ah, well, there''s no rush. Once you''ve fully recovered, and once we''ve drilled some fundamentals into you, I''ll certainly let you enter the dimensional world for yourself."


    For some reason, Zhang Hanxiang seemed to be particrly devoted to bing a hunter after she learned that she would be able to walk again, but in truth, Zhang Lie didn''t want to let her take such a risk.


    The reason that Zhang Hanxiang wanted to enter the dimensional world as quickly as she could was to grow strong, strong enough to help her brother, but she had no clue how massive the difference in strength between her and her brother was.


    Furthermore, as far as Zhang Lie was aware, now that the Void Cup was over, there was a disaster-grade lifeform ted to make an appearance in the first realm of the dimensional world, and it would be the most dangerous period for new hunters.


    "Hanxiang, trust me when I say that now''s not the time. I promise you, I''ll allow you to head in the moment I know it''s safe, but before then, I expect you to listen to me. Do you understand?"


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed but nodded. "I''ll wait patiently, Brother."


    Zhang Lie didn''t remember when exactly the incident had urred, only that it had happened soon after the end of the Void Cup. It was for that reason that, even after bing the champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie still hadn''t headed into the second realm.


    That disaster-grade lifeform was to be Zhang Lie''s final target in the first realm. It was a lifeform that had yet to be discovered to date. As a disaster-grade lifeform, it was even stronger than the peak-grade moonlight wyrm that Zhang Lie had faced.


    In fact, the very designation of "disaster-grade" came from the fact that it had been a disaster for all the hunters of the first realm, none of whom were able to deal any damage to such a lifeform. Only attacks imbued with spiritual energy of greater potency than those lifeforms possessed would even be able to damage them.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t mentioned the existence of a diaster-grade lifeform to the members of Team Zenith, because he knew that they still wouldn''t be strong enough to handle such a foe. Although he had ted the disaster-grade lifeform as his own target, he had no idea whether he would actually be able to do so. If not for the fact that he knew that this disaster-grade lifeform would arrive in the first realm heavily wounded, he would hardly have dared to try.


    The only reason Zhang Lie thought himself able to face such a creature was because it would be terribly wounded, and it would have its powers suppressed by the will of the world. It was a significant risk, but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that Zhang Lie had no intention to give up.


    If he really were able to take down the disaster-grade lifeform, then Zhang Lie''s achievements and number of gene fragments as a first-realm hunter would be unparalleled by any hunter, past or future, toe.

 Chapter 269: Monitoring the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 269: Monitoring the Realm</h4>


    With Zhang Hanxiang''s affairs resolved, it was time for him to look over his apprentices'' progress. At the same time, he would be able to warn them to avoid the first realm of the dimensional world for the near future.


    The disaster-grade lifeform had caused massive damage all around where it spawned, and the cksteel Settlement and its surroundings had been part of the danger zone.


    After stepping outside of the chamber, Zhang Lie immediately went to find Zhang Hong to request that she summon his two apprentices, which Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen had been waiting for.


    "Master!" Their faces were flushed red with agitation.


    As their master obtained more and more des, their status continued to rise without their having done anything at all. They used to be the apprentices to the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie; now, they were the apprentices to the Champion of the Void Cup! They weren''t the only two who felt this way; the disciples, instructors, and staff all over the dojo would likewise have to adapt to this change.


    "Neither of you have stopped training while I''ve been gone, have you?"


    "Master, given your disy of strength throughout the Void Cup, how could we slow down? We''ve both be more ustomed to our techniques, but because we haven''t had a chance to obtain any gene fragments, we can''t get much stronger beyond that," Jun Jiuxiao responded, his voice brimming with anticipation with hisst sentence.


    Based on the look in his eyes, if Zhang Lie were to allow him to do so, he would immediately rush into the dimensional world and begin acquiring gene fragments to strengthen himself. Beside him, Ye Xianchen inclined her head in agreement.


    Zhang Lie didn''t doubt his two apprentices'' ability¡ª that had been made clear during the trial he had set for them. However, with the disaster-grade lifeform about to make an appearance, it would be far too dangerous for them to start their journey as hunters.


    "I understand your strength, but the first realm of the dimensional world is about to face a tribtion. Without my expressmand, you are not to enter the dimensional world. Do you understand?"


    The two apprentices seemed confused, particrly Ye Xianchen. "But, Master, didn''t you say that we would be able to do so once you returned from the Void Cup?"


    "I failed to ount for this uing issue. This isn''t something either of you, or even the majority of the lifeforms in the first realm, would be able to survive."


    "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie had made his will clear, and neither of his apprentices would oppose him.


    "Now, why don''t you show me how your framework and techniques have progressed to this point?"


    Zhang Lie noted with satisfaction that neither of his apprentices had cked off, and they had developed rather unique modifications to their respective techniques, so Zhang Lie felt much more rxed about what he was going to do next.


    After pointing out a few errors, he worked out a training regimen for both of them. He really was quite impressed with their drive and expertise, and he intended to assign them aspanions and bodyguards for his sister, Zhang Hanxiang, within the first realm.


    Next would be the supervision of all the disciples currently training in the Zenith Dojo. He was the dojo leader of the Zenith Dojo, after all, and there were responsibilities he couldn''t avoid. He had won the Void Throne, the insignia of the champion that the strongest members of his generation sought for. Any hunter would want to receive his recognition, let alone his disciples.


    That entire morning, a serious atmosphere seemed to descend on the Zenith Dojo as Zhang Lie made the rounds for his inspection. He was very pleased with what he found. Perhaps because of his existence, or because of the environment fostered in the dojo, the disciples had progressed far more than he had expected, and hemended Zhang Hong, Lin Xiu, and the instructors like Wang Li for their efforts.


    Zhang Lie ced particr emphasis on Zhang Hong; whenever he left, tasks that he would otherwise be responsible for had fallen to her. Although she knew that Zhang Lie wouldn''t me her if she wasn''t able to handle everything satisfactorily, she still tried her best, and she had even roped Lin Xiu into helping her as well.


    "Everyone, you''ve all done well, and the results of your hard work are evident. I''m very pleased with your efforts, and I hope you''ll keep up your training. The Void Throne will be present in the Zenith Dojo for the next five years, and this will surely be the golden period of growth for the Zenith Dojo. I hope you can all take this opportunity to grow strong, so strong that you can keep the Void Throne right here in the next iteration of the Void Cup in five years'' time. Do you all understand?"


    "Yes, Dojo Leader!"


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked up into a smile. He beckoned for the members of Team Zenith to enter the dimensional world with him.


    When Zhang Lie and the others arrived in the cksteel Settlement, their sudden appearance caused a big fuss¡ªby then, they were so well-known within the first realm that this was an inevitable urrence.


    Faced with a frenzy of rabid fans, the hunters had to rush into a VIP suite in the cksteel Hotel.


    "Captain, under these circumstances, how are we supposed to get from ce to ce?" Sun Xiaowuined.


    Everyone else was starting to feel the negative effects of their newfound poprity as well.


    On the other hand, Fang Yi seemed more concerned about another matter entirely. "Captain, didn''t you tell us not to enter the dimensional world in the near future? Why are we here now?"


    Everyone jerked in surprise¡ªZhang Lie had indeed mentioned that!


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I think there''s still a bit of time left, so I''m hoping you''ll all be able to help me keep surveince on a few areas and help me collect a few items."


    Surveince? Collection? For what purpose?


    "Captain, is something about to happen? Do you know of another peak-grade lifeform you''re preparing to kill?" Sun Mengmeng suddenly asked, her eyes shining.


    ncing at everyone''s excited gazes, Zhang Lieughed. "This is the first realm! Do you think peak-grade lifeforms pop up all that frequently? Honestly, we were lucky enough just to find that moonlight wyrm¡ªI was shocked that there was even one peak-grade lifeform in the entirety of the first realm, let alone more. The task that I''m assigning all of you is to keep an eye out on certain areas fortent threats."


    "Latent threats? With our strength, what''s there to worry about?" Sun Mengmeng pressed.


    "I''ll inform you in due time. I''m going to be providing all of you with a map with a few target locations, and I''d like all of you to head to these locations and keep an eye out on your surroundings. Once you notice something amiss, do not try to investigate. Immediately return to the real world and inform me of what you found. Do you understand?"


    Zhang Lie''s sudden seriousness caused everyone to nod their heads at once. "We understand, Captain!"


    It was clear from Zhang Lie''s mannerisms that they would be facing something serious indeed, but if Zhang Lie didn''t want them to investigate, he surely had his own reasons as to why.


    "What about the things that you''d like us to collect?" Sun Mengmeng continued.


    "I''m interested in a few herbs and implements that have to deal with blood¡ªwith the connections that you all developed while searching for herbs in the past, reach out and try to procure what''s on this list of items. Here''s the list, and here''s the map. Decide how you want to allocate your resources and head to each location immediately."


    Momentster, deep in the night, there was no one left in the VIP suite except an open window and a billowing curtain.

 Chapter 270: Waiting at the Lake

    <h4>Chapter 270: Waiting at the Lake</h4>


    In the next two weeks, however, nothing of note seemed to ur within the regions that Zhang Lie had highlighted, and the hunters of Team Zenith couldn''t help but suspect that this was all just a test of patience from Zhang Lie''s perspective.


    Once again, they gathered at the VIP suite of the cksteel Hotel. Zhang Lie had been waiting there for all of them; Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Yang Ze, and Li Feng had appeared in turn.


    Only Zhou Ying remained absent, even long after the scheduled meeting time.


    "What''s going on? Which of you is closest to the region Zhou Ying was in? Has anyone heard anything from her?" Zhang Lie was visibly anxious.


    Everyone shook their heads.


    "Captain, the regions you assigned to us were sorge that it takes quite a while to check each one exhaustively. Could Zhou Ying have forgotten the time?" Sun Xiaowu proposed.


    "Better safe than sorry. She was in charge of regions C4 through D8, wasn''t she? I''ll go have a look¡ªstay here and see if she tries to contact any of you!" Zhang Lie dashed out of the window.


    By the time Zhang Lie found Zhou Ying, she was already on her way back to the hotel. The two of them noticed each other around a hundred and twenty kilometers to the north of the cksteel settlement, and they recognized each other''s familiar gic fluctuations almost immediately.


    "Zhou Ying!"


    "Captain!"


    "What''s going on? Why are you only returning now? Did something happen in the region you were responsible for?"


    "I''m not certain, Captain. I keep feeling as though something''s amiss, but I can''t find anything specific upon careful investigation," Zhou Ying replied.


    "Show me what''s going on."


    .


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Regions C4 through D8 were a whole three hundred kilometers away from the cksteel settlement. As far as Zhang Lie could recall, there was a small settlement, the Galewind settlement, in that region. Zhou Ying had spent much of her time there, asionally venturing out into the outskirts of the settlement and nearby regions to check for any disturbances.


    Despite pushing his senses to their extremes, just like Zhou Ying, Zhang Lie was unable to sense anything amiss. He began a careful investigation with Zhou Ying, but they were again stymied. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.


    "Zhou Ying, what exactly did you find unusual? Could you simply be overthinking things?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Captain, give me a moment. Let me try with my gic energy¡ªcould you help give me a boost?"


    It took them around half an hour before Zhou Ying suddenly called out, "Captain, I found it! It''s the bubbles in the river in region C6¡ªthere are significantly more bubbles in the water than before, I''m certain of it!"


    "More bubbles? Do you know where the source of this river is¡ªis it the Galewind Lake?" Zhan Lie hurriedly asked.


    "I believe so, Captain. Is something the matter?" Given Zhang Lie''s reaction, it seemed as though this was an event of some importance, though Zhou Ying couldn''t understand how.


    Zhang Lie had no time to exin anything to her. "Zhou Ying, return to the Galewind settlement immediately. Get everyone to evacuate as quickly as possible, then return to the real world and warn all the hunters in the first realm to return to the real world. Finally, inform Commander Su Feng to spread the word to all Chinese hunters and even hunters worldwide: for the moment, do not enter the first realm. A disaster is on its way!"


    Zhou Ying''s eyes widened. She still didn''t know what was going on¡ªhow could a few bubbles herald such an urrence?!


    "Captain, I¡ª"


    "Enough! I don''t have time to exin this to you. At the very least, get everyone from the Zenith Dojo out and spread the warning far and wide. Whether or not they listen, we''ve done our part.


    It would take him far too long to exin just how extreme a disaster-grade lifeform''s strength was.


    Zhou Ying rushed off into the distance, whereas Zhang Lie himself followed the river up toward the Galewind Lake. By the time he arrived there, he could see no sign and sense no trace of the disaster-grade lifeform, but he was certain that it would appear in the first realm from within theke, given the unusual bubbles that were rising up from its depths. This was a clear sign that space was growing thin around the region.


    Perhaps the disaster-grade lifeform was, at this very moment, fighting for its life in a higher realm. Given the reports he recalled from his past life, the disaster-grade lifeform had appeared in the dimensional world bearing serious injuries, as though it had previously been part of a fight.


    Zhang Lie had no interest in the sort of being that would be able to wound a disaster-grade lifeform to this extent; at the very least, he was certain he had no ability to survive an encounter with such a creature. He was simply hoping to take advantage of the disaster-grade lifeform''s heavily wounded and weakened appearance to see if he could kill it and reap the benefits for doing so.


    His next step was therefore to set up traps for this lifeform all around the battlefield. As a disaster-grade lifeform, it would be immune to most physical attacks, and even spiritual attacks would need to exceed a certain threshold to be able to damage it.


    Even Zhang Lie would be hard-pressed to break past its defenses, but he hade prepared with a series of potions that would be particrly useful in this fight.


    With the blood-attuned reagents he had tasked the members of Team Zenith to find, he had concocted a few potions specifically against this disaster-grade lifeform, which would crystallize in its body and restrict the rate at which it could gather gic energy.


    Zhang Lie blocked off the outlet to theke, then began pouring all his potions into the Galewind Lake, dyeing it a bloody red.

 Chapter 271: Unfathomable Greed

    <h4>Chapter 271: Unfathomable Greed</h4>


    Unfortunately, Zhang Lie''s n didn''t have any effect in the short term, and there were outsiders who viewed all of this as a joke. For example, when Zhou Ying arrived at the Galewind settlement and ryed what Zhang Lie had told her, she was met with considerable disbelief; indeed, there were even a few people who suspected that Zhang Lie was nning something big here and was hoping to get them out of the way before it happened.


    These people dug their heels in and refused to leave. They announced that, as fans of Zhang Lie, they wanted to see what was going on, that they would surely only y the role of a bystander.


    Of course, most of these people were hoping that they could im some misced loot in the bargain, but they had hardly thought to consider the disparity in strength between them and Zhang Lie.


    Zhou Ying tried to persuade them as hard as she could, but they only became more and more stubborn. Sighing, Zhou Ying gave up and teleported back to the real world.


    Following Zhang Lie''s instructions, she contacted the ckwind Fort. Su Feng was currently in the midst of training his soldiers. When he received the call from Zhou Ying, he was rather surprised¡ªZhang Lie had always contacted him directly, rather than letting his subordinates do so.


    "What''s the matter, Zhou Ying?"


    "Commander Su Feng, our captain has indicated that there will be an imminent disaster in the first realm of the dimensional world. He asked me to inform you to have all the soldiers in the first realm retreat, then to sound a red alert and have all civilian hunters, at least from China, do the same!"


    Zhou Ying spoke so quickly that it took Su Feng a few additional seconds to process her words.


    "The red alert¡ªZhou Ying, can you tell me precisely what''s going on?" Su Feng asked. Despite knowing Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith well, what Zhang Lie was asking for was too important for Su Feng to proceed without any further information.


    "I''m sorry, Commander Su Feng, but I don''t know what''s going on either. Based on what my captain told me, there''s about to be an impending disaster in the dimensional world, so please, act as quickly as you can!"


    Zhou Ying hung up decisively; even if Su Feng pressed her for more information, she had none to give.


    Next, she informed the remaining hunters of Team Zenith to head back to the real world. When they returned and saw her waiting for them, they immediately peppered her with questions.


    "Zhou Ying, what''s going on? Where''s the captain?"


    "There turned out to be an irregrity in the region I was patrolling, and he''s checking on it himself. He told me to inform you that, from now on, without his express order, no one from the Zenith Dojo is to enter the first realm of the dimensional world."


    "Even us? What''s going on? Just what happened in your region?" Fang Yi asked.


    "There wasn''t anything much. In the evening, one of the rivers in the region I was responsible for began to froth all of a sudden, with far more bubbles than there used to be. After that, our captain told me to return and warn everyone of an impending disaster. He even wants Commander Su Feng to announce a red alert!"


    "What?" Sun Mengmeng eximed. What sort of disaster would necessitate such a response? If not for the fact that Zhang Lie hadmanded them not to enter, they would surely try to help him out. "We have to do something, don''t we? Otherwise..."


    Her words were met with fierce agreement from the crowd.


    "Right, there has to be something we can do! If our captain doesn''t want us to interfere in what''s going on within the dimensional world, we can at least help out on the outside. Can''t we work together with Commanders Su Feng and Yan Long to warn everyone?"


    Everyone from the Zenith Dojo quickly left the first realm, urged by Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith. In the outside world, however, except for the hunters affiliated with the military, who had received direct orders from theirmanding officers, the hunters by andrge refused to believe Zhang Lie''s words.


    "Disasters" in the first realm weremonce, and every few months, there would be a stampede of lifeforms that each settlement had to face. However, the military had never before announced a red alert for such an event.


    From these errant hunters'' perspective, the military was about tounch a big incursion against something or another, and if they obediently followed the military''s instructions, they would lose out on whatever benefits they could otherwise have obtained.


    As a result, they began to hide from the military and refused to leave the dimensional world. Of course, these hunters were just a vocal minority. Given thebined warnings by the military and the hunters of Team Zenith, most civilian hunters chose to believe their words and to leave the first realm.


    In the Galewind settlement, for instance, around 70% of hunters ultimately listened to Zhou Ying''s advice and departed, and other settlements behaved simrly.


    The remaining 30% of hunters within the Galewind settlement, at the eye of the impending storm, knew that Zhou Ying was broadly responsible for surveilling the region around the Galewind Lake. If they wanted to obtain any goodies, they had to be present at the scene, so all of them quickly set off for the Galewind Lake.


    Given Zhang Lie''s strength, none of them dared to disrespect him, but Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to chase them all away, either. After trying to persuade them to leave to no avail, Zhang Lie gave up. In the end, he established three directives: first, not to make a loud disturbance; second, not to randomly activate a technique or summon up gic energy; third, not to summon any objects, or to get within a hundred meters of theke.


    Anyone who disobeyed would die.


    After that, the spectators'' hubbub quickly died down. From Zhang Lie''s perspective, if these hunters wanted to die, then so be it. He had no intention of using his gic energy to save them once the disaster-grade lifeform broke into this world.


    The spectators all eyed theke while cursing Zhang Lie''s domineering behavior deep within their hearts. It was clear that he had done something to theke, and while no hunter would be stupid enough to break Zhang Lie''s three directives now, once something big began to happen, they would take advantage of the chaos to strike.


    They were greedily imagining their spoils from this battle, but they didn''t realize just how insignificant their strength would be rtive to their target.


    Would a disaster-grade lifeform, even heavily wounded, be so easy to kill? If so, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have chased out even the members of Team Zenith. After all, the more people were present, the more people would obtain disaster gene fragments as a result.


    If it were feasible, Zhang Lie would dly have called everyone from Team Zenith over, but their ultimate probability of survival would be so low that Zhang Lie didn''t dare take such a gamble. Team Zenith was an elite team that he had spent so much energy and time building, and it would be a waste of his efforts if they were all to perish here.


    Night fell. Beyond a hundred meters of theke, the spectating hunters lit fires andmps, providing a stark contrast to the pitch darkness thaty above theke. Some hunters began to roast meat, to party, to consume alcohol.


    Over 60% of hunters in the first realm of the dimensional world had evacuated because of this emergency, but where the danger was most imminent, a number of greedy, idiotic hunters wined and feasted.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel as though he were in a dream, until his gaze turned back to the frothing surface of theke. He hoped that the disaster-grade lifeform would make an appearance quickly so as to teach the greedy spectators a lesson, but s, it was not to be. The bubbles continued frothing, but no other change seemed forting.

 Chapter 272: The Disaster-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 272: The Disaster-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    The waitsted three whole days. Some spectators, impatient, turned to leave; others returned to the dimensional world and stayed, sensing no danger. Some even braved his directives and died as a lesson to the others.


    Suddenly, the Galewind Lake began to froth even more violently than before, and a frightening aura could be sensed through these bubbles.


    "Leave!" Zhang Lie shouted. "You''ve had the excitement you wanted, haven''t you? I won''t protect you if you stay!"


    He shielded his own body, hovering above theke. However, those spectators who had camped out at theke for three whole days surely weren''t going to turn back now. The tragedy that he had predicted was, indeed, about to take ce.


    A crystalline lifeform suddenly burst out of the surface of theke. It took the form of an inverted anchor, with a gigantic eye where the bottom of the anchor would be. It looked rather shocking, but not particrly dangerous. Zhang Lie estimated that its body was about dozens of meters wide, though much of ity obscured beneath theke.


    The moment it appeared, Zhang Lie felt the gic energy that sustained his body begin to tremble, as though, sensing some unknown directive, the energy was trying to escape from his body.


    Fortunately, his peak gene fragments and limit fragments protected his body from this assault, but those spectators by the edge of theke weren''t so lucky. He saw the spectators'' bodies fall like stalks of wheat, with blood-colored lifeforce flying out of their bodies.


    Almost instantly, their bodies turned into parched, desated corpses.


    The battlefield turned silent. The blood-red gic energy that the disaster-grade lifeform had extracted from their bodies floated to the anchor, causing its gigantic eye to blink a few times, as though in enjoyment.


    The next moment, a primordial aura began to spread out all around the creature, and it released a few high-pitched cries.


    Subsequently, the mountains and forests all around responded with cries of their own.


    Most sounded like superior-grade lifeforms, having been summoned by the disaster-grade lifeform''s cry.


    Just then, however, its anchor-like body suddenly stumbled, and a strand of blood appeared on the surface of the massive anchor. The blood-colored water of theke began to froth once more, and even more strands of blood began to appear on the anchor''s body.


    It was then that the disaster-grade lifeform noticed the only unusual living creature remaining nearby: Zhang Lie.


    It felt a mysterious power which it grossly disliked seeping into its body through thekewater. The mysterious power was rapidly weakening its body and decreasing the rate at which it could obtain energy from the environment.


    The disaster-grade lifeform screeched; despite the fact that Zhang Lie was prepared, his eardrums were pierced almost immediately, and blood began leaking out of his ears. Even then, Zhang Lie didn''t give up what he was doing. Circting more and more gic energy around him, he manipted the thousands of threads of blood around the disaster-grade lifeform''s anchor-like body, causing it to crack and splinter.


    The anchor began to revolve more and more rapidly in an attempt to dislodge the bloody threads, and its eye began to release rays of annihtion.


    A red beam of light struck thend, releasing a mushroom cloud of smoke and dust in the air. Hundreds of kilometers away, the redmaple forest abutting the cksteel settlement vanished into thin air.


    Just one beam of light possessed such incredible energy¡ªZhang Lie didn''t want to think about what would have happened if the anchor had targeted a human settlement instead. He was very d he had ordered Zhou Ying to reach out to Commanders Su Feng and Yan Long.


    Another beam of red light shot toward the nearest human settlement, the Galewind settlement. The settlement''s core shields materialized into existence, but theysted only a brief moment before being pierced by the beam.


    Those hunters who had refused to leave the Galewind settlement had perished, just like that.


    The anchor continued to rotate as it loosed beams all around itself. When it realized that neither approach was working, it even began to screech. Huge sound waves roiled toward Zhang Lie and agitated the lifeforms all around it, leading to a cacophony of cries, squeaks, roars, howls, chirps, squawks, and clicks thousands of kilometers away from theke.


    These lifeforms began to rampage, destroying all thaty around them. Human settlements and hunters, all those living creatures they despised, had be their targets.


    Because of the anchor''s screeching, Zhang Lie was also in deep trouble¡ª the first wave of lifeforms summoned by the anchor had arrived at the Galewind Lake: a ming chimpanzee, a red-and-jade-green-striped snake, three galewolves, and four other superior-grade lifeforms besides.


    Under ordinary circumstances, it would be straightforward for Zhang Lie to deal with them all, but at present, his entire attention was focused on manipting the water in the Galewind Lake to seep into the disaster-grade lifeform''s anchor-like body.


    The most Zhang Lie was able to do in the meantime was to avoid the anchor''s rays of annihtion; he wouldn''t be able to fend off the superior-grade lifeforms surrounding him as well.


    The ming chimpanzee was the first to cause a problem. It had found a huge boulder from somewhere, which it hurled from hundreds of meters away. The ming rock fell toward Zhang Lie as though it were a bomb.


    "[Eclipse]!" Zhang Lie yelled out.


    As a bloody moon rose into the air, space froze around Zhang Lie, and the huge boulder that the ming chimpanzee had tossed was quickly broken down into small pebbles. Then, Zhang Lie canceled [Eclipse]''s domain almost as quickly as it had formed. ?As the snake and galewolves approached him, Zhang Lie activated his domain again, destroying the snake''s jaws and crippling the two galewolves.


    The fight dragged on. Because of what Zhang Lie had done to thekewater, the disaster-grade lifeform''s body was slowly corroding away, but that only made it struggle all the harder. As it continued to screech, Zhang Lie found himself surrounded by no fewer than ten superior-grade lifeforms.


    Although these superior-grade lifeforms were often damaged by the anchor''s undifferentiated attacks, there were more and more reinforcements trickling in from the nearby mountains and forests.


    As a result, Zhang Lie became more and more fatigued, and he dodged a few of its attacks only at the veryst moment. If Zhang Lie didn''t have a method for dealing with these superior-grade lifeforms, he wouldn''t be able to fight for much longer.

 Chapter 273: A Spiritual Onslaught

    <h4>Chapter 273: A Spiritual Onught</h4>


    A red beam of light brushed past Zhang Lie''s head as it turned another piece ofnd, hundreds of kilometers away, into a gigantic mushroom cloud. That was far too close forfort. Even given Zhang Lie''s defensive abilities, if the anchor were tond a direct hit on him, he''d be heavily injured, if not outright dead.


    He had barely shifted his position and gotten a breather when three superior-grade lifeforms pounced at him as though they were mad.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes twitched. With a cutting motion, he released his control over the blood-redke water. The disaster-grade lifeform, which he had been suppressing all this time, finally broke free. Of course, this also meant that Zhang Lie was finally able to make a move.


    A pir of gic energy rose up into the skies from Zhang Lie''s body, and Venombane appeared in his hand. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    A dragon''s howl shook the skies. Before the superior-grade lifeforms could make a move, Zhang Lie struck. An array of blood-red dragons cleared thend all around Zhang Lie, annihting the dozen or so superior-grade lifeforms nearby in a single brilliant moment.


    Zhang Lie rushed toward the side of the disaster-grade lifeform. Comically, the disaster-grade lifeform actually tried to flee. The moment it had arrived in the first realm, it had fallen prey to Zhang Lie''s machinations, and the lower half of its body was still corroding away in theke. It was heavily wounded, and even a first-realm hunter like Zhang Lie could now pose a threat to it.


    It knew that Zhang Lie had done something to the water in theke, so it floated into the air. Sparks of light began to gather by itsrge, bulbous eye. Under such circumstances, Zhang Lie certainly wouldn''t let himself get hit.


    He moved quickly, but so too did the disaster-grade lifeform. By the time Zhang Lie skirted past the rays of death, it had already floated over a hundred meters into the air. The blood pooling around its body had vanished, and it looked almost like an abstract piece of art¡ªthough a wed one, owing to the cracks on the central axis of the anchor and a scar marring its eye.


    After arriving in a lower realm and rejuvenating itself with the life energy of the gathered hunters, the disaster-grade lifeform tried to establish itself as an apex predator. It howled at Zhang Lie in an attempt to expel him, or perhaps as a threat, announcing that the entire realm, all that was in sight, now belonged to its control.


    As it howled, the superior-grade lifeforms nearby began to fall to the ground, their bodies dry and parched, just like those hunters that had been surrounding theke.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t afford to let this absorption seed; if he allowed the anchor to continuously replenish its lifeforce, the only thing that awaited him would be death.


    He broke the seal on three of his potions, then surrounded his fists with the liquid within. Blood-streaked beams of water shot toward the anchor like spider silk. "Do you think I''ll let you do as you please?!"


    The disaster-grade lifeform immediately tried to evade these attacks, having suffered more than enough from them while within theke. It howled. Frightening crystalline gic energy gushed out of its body like a fountain, forming a domain of absolute control over its surroundings.


    Everything seemed to freeze, including Zhang Lie''s bloody beams and his ongoing technique, [The Boundless de]. Pain shed from his chest, and he felt as though he were about to stumble. He opened his mouth; blood trailed down his lips. His body seemed like nothing more than a shell.


    Disoriented, Zhang Lie tried to flee. The moment he did so, the region of space surrounding the disaster-grade lifeform began to swell and distend, spatial distortions that were caused by the magnitude of the energy fluctuationsing from the anchor-like lifeform.


    The failed attack caused Zhang Lie to realize just how much weaker he waspared to the wounded disaster-grade lifeform, and he had no intention of shing against it head-on again. Instead, he would focus on slowly whittling the anchor down, just as he did while it still remained in theke.


    He moved rapidly and shot a few attacks at the anchor intermittently, forcing it to stop its n of consuming the lifeforce of the superior-grade lifeforms around. Whenever he moved, he would shoot a skein of bloody water into the air, as though he were constructing a gigantic spiderweb.


    Although the disaster-grade lifeform was impermeable to these threads because of the gic energy currently surrounding its body, exuding and materializing gic energy out of one''s body took considerable effort and ced a toll on one''s reserves. The anchor was able to sustain its expenditure by drawing from the lifeforce of those superior-grade lifeforms around, but it wouldn''t be able to do so for long.


    After all, its injuries were far more severe than they seemed.


    Somehow, in its heavily wounded state, it had been able to arrive at the first realm of the dimensional world, which should have been a region of space over which it could wholly dominate.


    This was what had happened in Zhang Lie''s past life, but this time around, it found itself facing Zhang Lie, a reincarnator who understood its weaknesses shockingly well. Zhang Lie''s spiderweb would definitely oust its shielding, so unless anything were to change, it would eventually fall prey to him.


    The disaster-grade lifeform had also noticed this point, so as it and Zhang Lie exchanged blow after blow, it began to float toward the region of space in which the bloody strands were least dense.


    The heavily wounded disaster-grade lifeform might have overwhelming offense and defense, but its attack patterns and battle strategy were surprisingly single-minded. The ray of annihtion that it could shoot out of its eye was frightening indeed, but because of its injury, and because of the necessary charge-up period before the attack, it hadn''t managed tond a direct hit on Zhang Lie even once.


    The only other attack essible to it in its heavily wounded state was its domain, but even that was slow to form after its injury. Zhang Lie suspected that it was originally a near-instantaneous attack; indeed, Zhang Lie had been caught in its effects, but the anchor was too slow to take advantage of it given its condition. The domain had briefly injured Zhang Lie, but that was a problem easily fixed with a few health potions.


    The anchor shot out three beams of annihtion at the weak spot in the web of bloody skeins that Zhang Lie had intentionally left open. The next moment, it activated its domain once more and shot toward that opening, understanding that it couldn''t afford to fight against this unusually strong and irritating human in its heavily wounded state.


    It needed some time to recover and a source of gic energy to repair its wounds. At peak condition, it would easily be able to take control of this entire realm, but before then, it would have to avoid any pests.


    The moment right before it was about to escape from the web, however, it saw Zhang Lie smile. It immediately realized that there might have been a trap waiting for it, but it was all toote.


    In front of the anchor, a small white wyrm blinked into existence. Its thoughts seemed to slow, and the wound by its eye seemed to magnify. Struck by a mental blow, the anchor fell into temporary paralysis, unable to sense its body or its limbs.


    A frightening, corrosive energy entered its brain through the wound in its eye, causing it to try to retaliate with the full force of its might. There was a snake-like creature in its mental space¡ªno, a gigantic, frightening, white-colored wyrmlike creature, with a piercing horn on its forehead and sharp, serrated teeth. It glowed with white, spiritual me, then tore the anchor''s mental space to shreds.


    All faded to ck. Thest thing it saw was the human injecting the bloody liquid it had so feared into its body. It felt its lifeforce gather around its heart, then fade away. Thest moment before its death, it suddenly regretted entering this dimension.


    How could there have been such a killer lying in wait for him in this realm?

 Chapter 274: Emergency Assistance

    <h4>Chapter 274: Emergency Assistance</h4>


    In truth, this disaster-grade lifeform was far weaker than Zhang Lie had anticipated, and if he had known the extent of its injuries, he would surely have summoned the other members of team Zenith back.


    However, by then, it was toote. The disaster-grade lifeform had perished to Zhang Lie''s hand, and the rewards of the kill were his to im. A disaster-grade lifeform''s body was filled with treasure. Its heart could be consumed to obtain disaster gene fragments, and its crystalline body would be an amazing material for armor and weapons.


    More importantly, upon ascending from the first realm to the second realm, hunters would have to use their gic energy and special supplementary materials to condense a gic armor, one that yed an important role in determining their strength within the second realm. The crystalline anchor-like exterior of this disaster-grade lifeform would be an unparalleled material for this armor.


    No one else would be able to kill a disaster-grade lifeform in the first realm, Zhang Lie was sure of it.


    Indeed, the very existence of disaster-grade lifeforms were a closely held secret, and no one else knew that a disaster-grade lifeform had made its way to the first realm. The existence of disaster-grade lifeforms would only be public knowledge in five years'' time, and Zhang Lie had no intention of speeding this process up.


    After all, if he were to do so, he would be in the center of yet another event. He had just returned victorious from the Void Cup; before that, he had be known for his theory of limit fragments. If people were to find out that he was the first to kill a disaster-grade lifeform¡ªat least within the first three realms¡ªhow envious would they get?


    Even the highest authorities might step in at that point, and he didn''t want to owe anyone, even Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, another favor, especially after what he had already done for the affair involving Phoenix.


    In that case, what was he going to say? Destruction had been wreaked all around the Galewind Lake, and the Galewind settlement had essentially vanished overnight. Apart from the Galewind settlement, over half the settlements in the area were being battered by a stampede of lifeforms, thanks to themands the disaster-grade lifeform had broadcasted before its death.


    Zhang Lie estimated that over 90% of the lifeforms in the first realm had been affected by the sudden arrival of the disaster-grade lifeform, so who would believe him if he tried to im that the disaster had been a superior-grade stampede?


    Perhaps he could exin it away as a peak-grade lifeform, but how was he supposed to deal with its missing carcass? After all, Zhang Lie had no intention of showing the disaster-grade lifeform''s carcass to anyone. He would even scour the battlefield to ensure that no trace of the disaster-grade lifeform remained.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t sure how he would spin the story, but at the very least, he was the only eyewitness to the event, and he would be able to avoid scrutiny as long as his lies didn''t seem too unrealistic. Others might guess that something was amiss, but they wouldn''t have any proof for just what had happened.


    Zhang Lie didn''t consume the disaster-grade lifeform''s flesh immediately; it was possible that something unusual would happen while trying to assimte ?disaster gene fragments into his body, and it would take him some time to do so.


    At the moment, the dimensional world was still fraught with danger, and Zhang Lie couldn''t afford to waste any time here. After he packed everything up, he began investigating the extent of the disaster-grade lifeform''s damage, starting from the Galewind Lake and heading all the way back to the cksteel settlement. The disaster that had been wrought far exceeded Zhang Lie''s expectations.


    The settlement itself had been damaged, but it had been spared the worst of the superior-grade lifeforms'' incursion due to its barrier. Those who fared worst were the hunters who refused to listen to reason, hiding all over the realm instead of within the various settlements. In the end, they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of lifeformsing for them.


    By the time Zhang Lie returned to the cksteel settlement, the front gates had already fallen, and gic lifeforms were prowling the streets and fighting against the trapped hunters.


    Zhang Lie''s return was undoubtedly a boon for the hunters within. The moment he shot into the settlement, the beast tide began to recede. Compared to humans, these lifeforms had far more acute senses, and the moment they sensed Zhang Lie''s arrival, they began to flee.


    Zhang Lie was an existence with which they could not contend.


    The disaster at the cksteel settlement averted, Zhang Lie hurried back to the real world and summoned the members of Team Zenith, along with whichever experts the dojo had hired which were still in the first realm.


    "Everyone,st night, over 90% of the lifeforms in the first realm of the dimensional world began to stampede. All the settlements within are in danger, and the lifeforms have managed to enter over 80% of them! It''s time for us to step in. Everyone, enter the dimensional world¡ª head to all nearby settlements that have been invaded, then expel the beasts from them! Zhou Ying, I''ll leave you in charge of informing the military that it''s time for them tounch their counter-offensive as well."


    When the civilian hunters were informed of the situation and returned to the dimensional world to see the havoc that had been caused, they became more trusting of Zhang Lie¡ªhis advance warning could well have saved their lives, especially when they found the bodies of their deadrades within and without the settlement.


    The rm that Zhang Lie had sounded caused China to be the country that had suffered the fewest casualties in this onught. No matter how stubborn some hunters were, the majority of the Chinese hunters had chosen to believe Zhang Lie and left the dimensional world. These hunters remained safe and sound, but the remaining hunters in the dimensional world suffered all the more for it.


    No matter where they hid, or even if they tried to defend their respective settlements, they found themselves at a loss for manpower, so despite the fact that China had the fewest casualties, they had the most wounded.


    If they had been willing to follow Zhang Lie''s warning, they would have survived with their lives intact, but what was done was done. All that the remaining hunters could do was to try to fish out any survivors from amidst the rubble.


    Within the ckwind Fort, Zhou Ying had secured an audience with Su Feng.


    "Commander Su Feng, ording to my captain, the disaster is over¡ªit''s time to strike back!"


    "To strike back? Zhou Ying, just what''s going on?"


    "Commander Su Feng,st night, there was a major stampede involving over 90% of the lifeforms in the dimensional world, one that led to the invasion of more than 80% of the settlements within. At this point, the stampede is nearing its end, and it''s our best time to strike back at them!"


    Then, just like before, faced with a stupefied Su Feng, she hung up. In fact, she didn''t know what was going on within the dimensional world, either. All that she knew, she had heard from Zhang Lie. As a result, after finishing this task that Zhang Lie had assigned her, she too rushed into the dimensional world.

 Chapter 275: The Source of the Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 275: The Source of the Disaster</h4>


    When Zhou Ying stepped into the dimensional world, she was stunned by the sight she saw. Carcasses and corpses littered the ground in such quantity that she could barely process the sight. She began moving immediately: the faster she moved, the more lives she would be able to save.


    The cksteel settlement was quickly restored thanks to the help of the hunters in the region, and the injured were being taken care of. However, repairing the infrastructure within the settlement would take at least a few months, given that the beast stampede had destroyed more than half of the buildings within.


    After the affairs at the cksteel settlement were in order, Team Zenith, under Zhang Lie''s direction, began to provide assistance to nearby settlements as well.


    At the same time, Su Feng''s forces finally arrived in the Fengxing settlement. Just like Zhou Ying, Su Feng was stunned at the macabre sight, but as soldiers of China, he and his forces quickly recovered and immediately split up into search parties that wandered the city and helped out those in need.


    By then, the Fengxing settlement was nothing more than a pile of smoking ruins. There were still a considerable number of lifeforms in the area, along with wounded hunters.


    .


    Su Feng was very d that, despite the surprisingck of information, he had chosen to believe Zhou Ying and Zhang Lie''s words. Before entering the dimensional world, he had passed on the information to Yan Long, allowing the Chinese search-and-rescue operation to begin over fifteen minutes before the other countries'', an advantage that could be counted in the number of lives saved.


    However, no matter how fast they were able to provide aid, a disaster had still urred, and they could hardly revert time and prevent it entirely. Most of the settlements would be able to reconstruct after the disaster, but some had beenpletely destroyed by the beast stampede, and there would be no point in reiming those.


    The search-and-rescue operationsted over a week before the dimensional world returned to normalcy, the lifeforms having returned to their natural habitats and the hunters having secured their settlements.


    Only then did the authorities begin to investigate the source of this cmity. The most suspicious country was naturally China. After all, before the start of the disaster, China had given advance warning, and they were the first to prepare a search-and-rescue operation.


    All this implied that China knew much more about the disaster than any other country, but in truth, the officers andmanders of the Chinese military didn''t know much at all. They turned to the person who had been the source of all their information: Zhang Lie.


    In the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie sat facing Yan Long and Su Feng.


    "Zhang Lie, you brat, you know what we''re doing here, don''t you?"


    Zhang Lie beamed. "Of course! You must be here to thank me for my efforts, Commander Yan. As a hot-blooded youth of China, of course I''d participate in such an operation. Furthermore, as a dragonlord warrior of China, I naturally have to stand out in times of crisis. There''s no need toe personally¡ªwe know each other so well by this point, after all!"


    Zhang Lie had decided to hide all traces of what had actually happened in the first realm of the dimensional world, so he began spouting all sorts of nonsense.


    "The Zenith Dojo has indeed made invaluable contributions to this operation, and on behalf of all the hunters of the first realm, Su Feng and I thank you for all your efforts. However, we''re here today for some other reason," Yan Long replied.


    Zhang Lie blinked innocently. "What other matter could there be?"


    Su Feng rolled his eyes. "Enough! Zhang Lie, you''re really a ma for trouble, aren''t you? What happened this time?"


    "What do you mean, what happened? Commander Su, what could you be asking about?"


    "Just what happened in the dimensional world? How did you know there was an impending disaster, and just what happened during this disaster?" Su Feng rified.


    "Ah, well, you''ve all seen the aftermath, haven''t you? I''m not privy to any other information beyond that," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Oh? In that case, how were you able to give us advance warning of the event, as well as the best time to counter-attack?" Zhang Lie''s duplicity was starting to anger Yan Long.


    "I began having a bad premonition a few days before the cmity, so I sent Zhou Ying to speak with the two of you just in case. Unexpectedly, my premonition actually came true!"


    Yan Long and Su Feng gaped at how Zhang Lie had managed to say all this with a straight face.


    "In that case, what about the Galewind Lake?" Su Feng pressed. "What happened there a week ago? We haven''t been able to recover the corpses of any of the hunters that purportedly made their way there."

 Chapter 276: Entering the Dimensional World

    <h4>Chapter 276: Entering the Dimensional World</h4>


    "What could I have to do with the Galewind Lake?" Zhang Lie wondered.


    "Enough! The Galewind settlement''s been entirely annihted, and I''m sure that''s something you''re aware of. I''ve dispatched some soldiers to ask around, and I learned that the hunters of Team Zenith were active in that area just a few days ago. If I''m not mistaken, the one responsible for the region around the Galewind settlement must have been Zhou Ying, who was the first to inform us of the impending cmity." Yan Long and Su Feng, having known Zhang Lie for some time, naturally ignored his lies.


    "So what? What can that prove? It was just a mere coincidence that the members of Team Zenith were present in that region, and she had left quite a few days before the disaster happened!"


    "You¡­ Fine¡ªwhat will it take to get you to tell the truth?" Yan Long visibly reined in his anger. Against anyone else, he would already have been shouting in rage, but his superior had been very clear about instructing him to conduct the investigation cordially.


    Yan Long hadn''t expected this to be difficult considering how well he and Su Feng knew Zhang Lie, but for some reason, Zhang Lie clearly wasn''t willing to tell them anything this time around.


    Given thevish rewards Zhang Lie had received during the Void Cup, however, Yan Long''s offer was hardly attractive to Zhang Lie. Almost immediately, he replied, "I''m sorry, Commander Yan Long, but I don''t have anything to say regarding this matter. From my perspective, we should focus on rebuilding after the disaster, rather than investigating how it had urred."


    Either he truly didn''t know, which Yan Long and Su Feng doubted, or he wouldn''t reveal a thing.


    "If you won''t tell us anything, what do you expect us to say to the public, to the other countries on Earth, and even to the Sr System atrge?" Su Feng asked, but even this approach was fruitless.


    "Just tell them that I had a prophetic dream, or that I sensed impending danger a few days ago," Zhang Lie replied, causing the twomanders'' faces to darken.


    They turned to leave. Even though it seemed that Zhang Lie hadn''t said anything, they did learn more about the event than before¡ªat the very least, from Zhang Lie''s attitude, he was certainly aware of what had caused the disaster, but for some reason, he was trying to hide it all.


    Zhang Lie had anticipated this sort of interrogation, but he hadn''t expected that Yan Long and Su Feng would be the ones summoned to talk to him, nor that their attitude would be so polite. For that, he was sure he had nothing to thank but his status as the champion of the Void Cup.


    After sending the twomanders away, it was almost time to consume the disaster-grade lifeform''s flesh, but before then, he had to arrange for his sister''s introduction into the first realm of the dimensional world.


    She had been asking to enter right after the disaster struck, but it was far too dangerous then for her. Now that things were being restored to normal, Zhang Lie no longer had an excuse to refuse his sister.


    Once the twomanders left, Zhang Lie sent for his two apprentices and Zhang Hanxiang.


    "Let me introduce you to my sister, Zhang Hanxiang." Zhang Lie patted his sister''s shoulder as he looked at his apprentices. ?"Hanxiang, these are my first two apprentices, Ye Xianchen and Jun Jiuxiao."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Miss!" The two children bowed respectfully.


    "Ah, none of that. My brother said that we''re all friends and family here, didn''t he? Why don''t you call me sister too?"


    Zhang Hanxiang really couldn''t bear being addressed as "Miss". Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were slightly younger than she was. They turned to Zhang Lie, who nodded, then smiled at Zhang Hanxiang. "Sister Hanxiang!"


    The three of them easily became acquainted with each other.


    After watching them interact for a while, Zhang Lie cleared his throat to get their attention.


    "The reason I''ve summoned all of you here today is because I have an announcement to make."


    "An announcement? Could it be that..."


    "Yes¡ªwe''re going to be making ns for all three of you to enter the dimensional world."


    Zhang Hanxiang, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen all gaped in surprise.


    "Really, Brother? Are you finally willing to let me enter the dimensional world?"


    "Do you mean that, Master? Can we enter the dimensional world again, too?"


    All of them exuded anticipation.


    "Of course! When have I lied to you, Hanxiang? As for the two of you, I''m worried that you''re too small to be going ces on your own, so I''d like for all three of you to work together. Meet up at the settlement closest to each other once you enter, then start hunting together."


    The three of them all whooped.


    "I''m finally going to enter the dimensional world!"


    "Right, won''t it be fun to hunt together?"


    "Brother, when can we enter? Immediately?"


    "Immediately? No, of course not. There are a lot of areas you need to be aware of before entering the dimensional world, so we''ll do it tomorrow. Tonight, Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi will give you an important lesson regarding surviving in the dimensional world. After this lesson and a good night''s sleep, they''ll escort you into the dimensional world themselves."


    Their faces fell.


    Zhang Hanxiang asked coyly, "Brother, do we really have to wait until tomorrow? Why can''t we enter tonight?"


    "Hanxiang, your safety is of paramount importance. I won''t allow any negotiation on this front!"

 Chapter 277: Fiasco at the Inn

    <h4>Chapter 277: Fiasco at the Inn</h4>


    Seeing how serious Zhang Lie was, Zhang Hanxiang acquiesced immediately, though she grumbled at having to do so. For her, this might well be the longest night she had ever lived through. However, Zhang Hanxiang couldn''t bring herself to disobey her brother. She knew that, no matter what, her brother would always side with her, that he truly cared for her.


    The same was true for Zhang Lie''s two apprentices; to them, Zhang Lie had all but given them a new life. Without Zhang Lie, they wouldn''t be where they were now, and their future would have been a miserable one. They would do whatever he told them to.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s entrance into the dimensional world handled, Zhang Lie finally freed up some time for himself.


    He intended to consume the disaster-grade lifeform''s flesh that very night. After informing Team Zenith and Zhang Hong that he would be returning to the dimensional world, he stepped through the teleportation array and appeared within the cksteel settlement.


    Over half of the buildings in the settlement had been destroyed, but it had fared better than some other settlements in the aftermath of the beast invasion. Its signature ck steel gates, however, had vanished entirely, leaving a gaping hole where the entrance was and making it feel much more deste.


    Fortunately, the cksteel Inn, which stood at the center of the settlement, was rtively intact. As he walked through the debris-strewn streets and stood underneath the inn''s nameboard, which drooped as though it were about to fall, he felt a sudden dissonance.


    Memories of his past life flooded back. After the disaster that had urred, like a dead dog, he curled by one corner of the inn, which had turned into nothing more than a pile of smoking rubble. In this life, however, because of his existence and early defeat of the disaster-grade lifeform, the inn had been almost perfectly preserved.


    Zhang Lie blinked a few times, then walked into the inn and requested a VIP suite.


    "I apologize, sir, but no VIP suites are avable at this point," the robot receptionist informed Zhang Lie.


    "They aren''t avable?"


    "They''re all upied, sir!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. As he was about to turn and leave, a shocked cry rang out from behind him.


    "Ah, aren''t you the champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie? I heard you were from the cksteel settlement, but I never expected to see you here! May I have an autograph, sir?!"


    The speaker was a youth seemingly at the cusp of adulthood. Perhaps because of his shock, his voice quavered. He scrambled to get a pen from the front desk, then proffered it to Zhang Lie.


    Realizing that he would have to find a room elsewhere, Zhang Lie was feeling somewhat annoyed, but given how excited the youth seemed to be, Zhang Lie didn''t want to refuse him.


    He signed the hunter''s armor, but the next moment, he regretted his decision. Almost immediately, the inn''s lobby seemed to fill up with hunters.


    "Zhang Lie!"


    "Champion of the Void Cup!"


    "Please sign my clothes!"


    "Hug me, my hero!"


    "Won''t you give me a few pointers?"


    Although he had tried to mask his appearance somewhat, Zhang Lie had severely underestimated his fame and poprity. More and more hunters came out of their rooms upon hearing themotion.


    Zhang Lie! This was a name that would attract any hunter in the settlement, because it was simply so well-known. Zhang Lie was a dragonlord of China, the strongest among the younger generation of hunters, and the champion of the Void Cup.


    Each of these titles represented a massive aplishment, let alone when they werebined.


    "Ah, stop pushing me, look at the doorframe!" a hunter cried out, and the hunters within the inn all felt a quake that reverberated throughout the building.


    Zhang Lie, standing by the front desk, saw a sight he felt he would never forget.


    The inn might still be standing, but the stampede had given its foundations quite a shock. As more and more hunters began pouring it, the doorframe creaked as it was forced wider and wider. Finally, amidst Zhang Lie''s horrified gaze, it and a portion of the wall crumbled, burying the lobby in a cloud of dust and rubble.


    "Stop, stop!" In the end, Zhang Lie had no choice but to step forward to try to control the crowd. Otherwise, he didn''t know how much further the situation would devolve. With how agitated the crowd was, however, even his shout didn''t have much of an effect.


    In exasperation, he activated [Eclipse], forcing everyone into silence with a crushing pressure.


    "I''m happy to provide my autograph, but please be more orderly! Who do you think will be held responsible for this mess?" Zhang Lie gestured at the mess that the hunters had created in the lobby. "If any of you can get me a VIP suite here, I''ll provide autographs for everyone around for the next two hours¡ªbut make sure to form an orderly line!"


    The domain of [Eclipse] forced everyone to remain still as they listened to Zhang Lie''s words. The moment he deactivated [Eclipse], the crowd did start to form a line, and one of the guests immediately stepped forward and handed Zhang Lie a key to his room.


    Within mere moments, Zhang Lie had entered the room and was preparing to sign autographs for the next two hours, but as he nced at the long line that snaked all the way out of the inn, he wasn''t sure that he had made a wise decision.

 Chapter 278: Absorption Procedure

    <h4>Chapter 278: Absorption Procedure</h4>


    A long line of hunters snaked out of the inn, extending so far into the distance that he couldn''t see an end to it. In the next two hours, Zhang Lie felt as though he was in a living nightmare, experiencing all sorts of unusual requests.


    One hunter even came prepared with a tattoo needle, and she requested that Zhang Lie sign her stomach. Another wanted Zhang Lie''s name engraved on his broadsword. Even more absurd were the ones who wanted Zhang Lie to give them a signature over their genitals.


    This nightmarested two whole hours for Zhang Lie. After the two hours were up, Zhang Lie swore that he would never host an autograph session so casually again.


    Those hunters who had been at the scene had called all their friends over, so even after the two hours were up, there was still a long, ever-growing line of hunters.


    That said, Zhang Lie had only promised two hours of this time, nothing more. The moment that time was up, he shut the door and had the security staff escort any lingering hunters out. He had no choice; if he had to sign one more autograph, he felt as though he might vomit.


    Zhang Lie, who had happily entered the dimensional world expecting to be able to ingest his newly obtained disaster gene fragments, had wilted after two harrowing hours.


    He fell asleep in his suite and slept all the way until midnight. Waking up with his stomach growling, he had a sumptuous feast before he regained the vitality to do anything more. Thiste at night, he was unlikely to be disturbed, and it would be a good time to act.


    A ck, crystalline orb appeared in Zhang Lie''s hand, one filled with thorny spikes. It looked just like a spiky chestnut, but a darker, sturdier, and more mysterious one. This was the gic core of a disaster-grade lifeform, the source of all their energy¡ªtheir heart.


    To be honest, it didn''t even look like an edible object. Just from holding it in his hands, Zhang Lie could feel an oppressive energy radiating out from it. The spikes were far sharper than they seemed, and they were pricking his palm.


    Fortunately, given Zhang Lie''s experience in his past life, he knew precisely how to deal with such a core. Back then, as just another ordinary hunter within the crowd, he never had the opportunity to get a disaster-grade lifeform''s core for himself, but he had learnt how to deal with one. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have dared to ambush the disaster-grade lifeform.


    The first step was to drip a drop of blood on it, allowing it to absorb the hunter''s blood and familiarize itself with the hunter''s gic content until the entire core turned red. Subsequently, the hunter would have to infuse it with the purest gic energy they possessed, causing a reaction between the core and the hunter''s gic code which would cause the core to soften.


    After this two-step procedure, the disaster-grade lifeform''s core would turn into what was essentially a veryrge gummy. Apparently, it even tasted quite good.


    Zhang Lie sliced his left palm with Venombane, causing deep red blood to well out of the wound. The moment it touched the dark, spiky core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood, and Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound five times before it finally transformed wholly into a red, crystalline ball.


    Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core. It took him an entire hour before he felt the core start to soften. After ten more minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely. As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body.


    Zhang Lie swallowed it whole without even daring to chew it. As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body.


    The moment the core reached his stomach, it seemed to explode. Zhang Lie let out a huge burp, and his face turned red, quickly followed by his neck, and then his whole body. Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    .


    As the fearsome energy from the gic core rampaged through his body, he felt his blood begin to steam. The pain was unimaginable. Despite how tough Zhang Lie was, he had curled up into a ball on the ground. His head spun as he forced himself upright one stumbling step at a time.


    The agonizing process he was going through was essentially a full-body blood transfusion between him and the disaster-grade lifeform''s core, an evolution of the gic code in his very cells.


    Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] activated on its own. Because of the gic energy surging through his body, Zhang Lie was able toplete one cycle of cultivation in just a minute, an unimaginable speed. Even Zhang Lie himself could barely believe it, considering that this had previously been an hour-long process that required his full concentration.


    Even more shockingly, this speed was increasing moment by moment.


    As he continued to cycle the gic energy through his body, he suddenly felt himself starting to swell, as though his body couldn''t take it any longer.


    Indeed, were Zhang Lie to open his eyes, he would find his body inting like a balloon; at some point, he would surely pop, and he was drawing very close to that boundary.

 Chapter 279: Pain Worse Than Death

    <h4>Chapter 279: Pain Worse Than Death</h4>


    As a reincarnator, Zhang Lie''s ns had naturally been superb, but there were still some assumptions that he had taken for granted.


    A disaster-grade lifeform was an existence that could only be supported on the third and higher realms of the dimensional world, and their strength was so frightening that it would take a third-realm hunter with maxed genes to be able to absorb it¡ªbut Zhang Lie was just a first-realm hunter!


    Although he had an astounding collection of gene fragments, and although he would be able to easily deal with a mutated-grade third-realm existence, he was ultimately just a first-realm hunter, and his body and fundamental gic code hadn''t yet been tempered by the process of advancing from realm to realm.


    Given hisbat strength, he hadn''t imagined how dangerous absorbing these disaster gene fragments would be for him. His body was close to sumbing to the rampant energy that the disaster-grade core was giving off.


    As his body continued to balloon, Zhang Lie spat out a mouthful of blood. Following that, blood began to well out of all of his orifices. The moment he spat out that mouthful of blood, it evaporated instantly, revealing just how hot his body had be.


    After all, his framework was water-attuned, and the fact that his body temperature had somehow ended up so high meant that his body had gone entirely out of control. The overwhelming strength of the disaster-grade core had caused him to enter a mental state in which he felt dissociated from his physical body.


    If not for his overwhelming willpower, Zhang Lie would have gone unconscious, but even with this shred of rity, there was little he could do. His body had reached its limits, and he was about to explode.


    His skin was already starting to crack and tear, and ck gic energy was seeping out from within. ck rays of gic energy, much like the rays of annihtion that the disaster-grade lifeform had given off, shot out indiscriminately from Zhang Lie''s body, destroying all that they touched.


    The cksteel Inn was quickly shot through with all manner of holes, and quite a few unlucky guests in the inn became injured, or even lost their lives, as a result. The inn, which had withstood the beast stampede not a week ago, finally copsed as a result of Zhang Lie''s unintentional attack. The moment the inn fell and the beams of gic energy were exposed to the first realm atrge, urgent messages filtered through the depths of Zhang Lie''s mind.


    [An unknown high-dimensional energy source has been detected. Activating extraction procedure!]


    [An unknown high-dimensional energy source has been detected. Activating extraction procedure!]


    [An unknown...]


    Forcing himself to retain consciousness, Zhang Lie noticed that his environment seemed to be changing.


    He was teleported away from the ruins of the inn into an extradimensional space, a white room illuminated by a seven-colored light.


    [Energy has exceeded the maximum threshold. Activating second-realm transferral routine.]


    [Energy has exceeded the maximum threshold. Activating second-realm transferral routine.]


    [Energy has...]


    The next moment, before Zhang Lie could react, the seven-colored light suddenly red, forcing the disaster-grade energy that was rampaging his body back within it.


    Because of the will of the world''s expulsion and forceful teleportation into this unknown space, Zhang Lie was barely saved from death, but the pain that wracked his body, that scoured his insides and colored his vision in shades of red¡ªthat didn''t stop.


    The will of the world had forcibly activated the transferral procedure that would send him to the second realm, and it would endow him with a refined body as part of this process. The energy that was supposed to fuel this refinement was now contesting the energy from the disaster-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie''s body was at the center of this unstable equilibrium; it was a miracle that he had somehow managed to cheat death once and again. The two frightening sources of energy continued warring over his body, a process that brought him unimaginable pain, one that caused even the strong-willed Zhang Lie to wish for death¡ªthe sensation of his body tearing itself apart from the inside wasn''t something he would ever willingly bear.


    Caught in the grasp of two forces beyond his ken, beyond his control, driven half-mad with pain, Zhang Lie sought the only sce he could: his framework. He cycled gic energy through his body following the patterns inscribed by his framework, focusing on this singr objective over which he still had some control.


    .


    The disaster-grade gic energy which was running rampant around his body was far stronger than what his framework could generate and control. Whenever he cycled his framework, he would be able to process a skein of that disaster-grade gic energy, nothing more. That energy was holding the refinement energy at bay, preventing it from entering Zhang Lie''s body.


    This process would only end once Zhang Lie was able to incorporate the will of the world''s energy into his own body, but in order to do so, he would have to strip the barrier of disaster-grade gic energy surrounding his body first¡ªand with nothing more than his own framework to do so.


    Forcing himself to ignore the pain that felt poised to send his body into shock, Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and began the arduous task of cycling gic energy throughout his battered body.

 Chapter 280: A Startling Enhancement

    <h4>Chapter 280: A Startling Enhancement</h4>


    The longer it took Zhang Lie to absorb the disaster-grade gic energy, the longer he would suffer the pain carving away at his body, but his desire for life ultimately triumphed over that pain.


    After the initial onught, Zhang Lie found, to his surprise, that he was slowly limating to the sensation. After an interminable period of time¡ªperhaps a moment, perhaps several days, or even a few months¡ªZhang Lie finally regained sensation over his body.


    His arms, which had swollen to the size of pig''s trotters, finally went back to normal. Disaster-grade gic energy still ran rampant throughout his body, but its might had been considerably reduced.


    The seven-colored energy from the refinement process was also finally able to enter Zhang Lie''s body. Where it went, Zhang Lie felt a palliative coolness that reached all the way to his soul.


    As he regained full consciousness, Zhang Lie recalled that he was undergoing the refinement process for ascending to the second realm. He immediately began to direct control over that process. It was something every hunter had to experience while ascending to the second realm, and represented a summary of sorts of a hunter''s aplishments in the first realm.


    The refinement energy would allow the gene fragments that a hunter had amassed within the first realm to permeate throughout the hunter''s body, elevating a hunter''s status on a fundamental, gic level.


    Every ascension would be apanied by a refinement process, and this boon was what motivated hunters to ascend. Zhang Lie was undergoing such a process, but his had clearly exceeded the limits of what would be considered ordinary.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t undergone this process intentionally; instead, he had been forced to do so because of the strength of the gene fragments in his body. Indeed, his strength was even starting to distort thews of the first realm.


    Of course, this wasn''t something that Zhang Lie knew at present; he had no clue just how outsized an impact his presence in the first realm was causing to the will of the dimensional world.


    The refinement process continued. From Zhang Lie''s perspective, the most important thing here was to refine a high-quality set of gic armor.


    He immediately retrieved the disaster-grade lifeform''s outer shell from his soulspace.


    Under ordinary circumstances, those who passed through the refinement process would have their status of life elevated in ordance with the highest-grade gene fragments they had umted.


    A hunter who had maxed out his superior gene fragments would be the equivalent of a superior-grade lifeform. The benefits afforded to such a hunter would clearly be greater than that to a hunter who had only maxed out his mutated gene fragments.


    The difference between such hunters was massive, not only in terms of their status of life, but also in terms of the quality of gic armor they were able to produce. This was why Yun Bing and Chu Feng had refused to ascend even after maxing out their mutated gene fragments.


    No one wanted to lose out from the very beginning. The first realm possessed the lowest difficulty of all the realms, and it would be foolish to give up an opportunity to acquire gene fragments easily.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know just what status of life he would be granted.


    After all, no hunter had ever been his equal in terms of the gene fragments collected in the first realm, and it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that he had exceeded the limit of what was humanly possible.


    When Zhang Lie extended his will into his soulspace, he was dumbfounded by what he had found. His soulspace, originally the size of a small duck pond, had evolved into a massiveke. Within thatke, Zhang Lie saw the soulshards he had amassed, along with a white-colored wyrm.


    A soulspace was where hunters kept their soulshards; a first-realm existence would only have a soulspace the size of a small pond, which would be able to hold at most ten or so soulshards.


    That Zhang Lie''s soulspace had expanded tenfold meant that he would be able to make use of ten times the soulshards that an ordinary hunter could. He could barely imagine what collecting and simultaneously using the effects of a hundred soulshards would be like.


    Just what had caused this sudden expansion? Was it the disaster-grade gic energy, or the refinement energy from his ascension? Even in his past life, Zhang Lie had never heard of such a phenomenon.


    Given the pressing importance of constructing his gic armor, however, Zhang Lie couldn''t afford to spend more time thinking about this.


    He would be able to investigate this phenomenon after the refinement process; what he needed to do at present was to condense a suit of gic armor. He began to purify the crystalline armor of the disaster-grade lifeform, which would require infusing the refinement energy and his own gic energy into the material.


    Zhang Lie''s attention turned to his gic core, but his eyes bulged upon seeing it anew.


    There were two more transformations visible within the core of [Ninecarp Transformation], one a giant turtle whose shell bore five tablets with mysterious runic inscriptions on them, and the other a qilin-like lifeform covered with dragon scales.


    Had... his framework evolved twice over?


    Caught within the recesses of pain, Zhang Lie had focused singrly on his framework. He had expected significant advancement as a result, but certainly not two whole evolutions. The third transformation''s winged tiger had be the fourth''s dragonturtle, and subsequently the fifth''s qilin.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help marveling at the potency of the disaster-grade gic energy. Just from the advancement to his framework alone, he felt that the mind-shattering pain he had experienced was worth it.

 Chapter 281: Forced Transferral

    <h4>Chapter 281: Forced Transferral</h4>


    The fourth transformation of [Ninecarp Transformation], the dragonturtle, gave off a sense of overwhelming authority, arge part of which emanated from the tablets on its back.


    The fifth transformation''s qilin possessed a type of gic energy that seemed to go against all the ts of usual frameworks. The energy took the form of a burning pyre, but Zhang Lie knew that, despite its exterior appearance, it was actually an evolution of his water-attuned gic energy.


    The effects of [Ninecarp Transformation], Zhang Lie''s most prized possession, had gone beyond his wildest imagination. He now had five types of gic energy at his disposal.


    A dual-attunement framework like [Rondo of Wind and Storm] was already an extremely rare existence. As far as Zhang Lie was aware, there were sage-grade frameworks essible in higher realms that were triple-attunement, but Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] was already at five attunements despite only being at the level of a peak-grade framework.


    Zhang Lie had wondered whether it was really the case that [Ninecarp Transformation] would ultimately give him ess to nine elemental attunements at its limit; he wondered no more. He marshaled the energy of his gic core to surround his body and the disaster-grade lifeform''s exterior shell.


    As the refinement energy entered the mix, it looked as though Zhang Lie suddenly became wrapped up in a seven-colored cocoon. Within the cocoon, Zhang Lie began to infuse gic energy into the disaster-grade lifeform''s exterior shell,bining it with all sorts of precious materials that he had amassed for this very purpose.


    As befitting its original form, this would be a suit of crystalline armor. While Zhang Lie had established a form for the armor, it had yet to solidify. The next step was the final, and mostplicated, step: to meld this suit of armor with his gic core so that it would fully be part of his body.


    The cocoon of energy surrounding Zhang Lie dissipated as the bulk of the energy, along with the gic armor, melded with Zhang Lie''s body.


    [The refinement process has concluded. Congrattions on advancing to the second realm!]


    The moment Zhang Lie''s gic armor was wholly incorporated into his body, the will of the world rang out in his mind, and Zhang Lie''s data automatically appeared for his inspection.


    Zhang Lie: a peak-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Fifth Form: Qilin


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (advanced), One Punch (novice), Ninesoul Dragonde (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10; Disaster, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak)


    A... peak-grade lifeform?! Zhang Lie was shocked by the very first line alone.


    The will of the world had categorized him as a peak-grade lifeform! In principle, the first realm of the dimensional world should only have been able to produce superior-grade lifeforms, so those hunters that ascended to the second realm would be at most the equivalent of superior-grade lifeforms.


    The moonlight wyrm and its ilk were exceptions, but, it seemed, so was Zhang Lie.


    [Because your status exceeds the threshold of the first realm, you are unable to return to the first realm. Congrattions on entering the second realm!]


    .


    The next notification, however, hit him like a bucket of cold water. There was far too much he still had to do in the first realm¡ªhis sister had just entered the dimensional world, and he hadn''t been prepared for any of this!


    Zhang Lie''s original intention of acquiring disaster gene fragments had found him barely surviving with his life, then forcibly expelled from the first world.


    [Teleportationmencing in ten seconds.]


    [Ten, nine, ...]


    "Wait! I refuse!"


    A miracle happened. The will of the world, which had never responded to any lifeform before, rejected Zhang Lie''s request.


    [Uneptable. Your existence has already wounded the first realm. Please obey thews of the dimensional world and advance.]


    The extradimensional space around him began to melt away. He felt as though he was being forcibly expelled, but the will of the world seemed to be unusually weak. The feeling of expulsion was strong, but not entirely irresistible, and Zhang Lie certainly didn''t intend on being expelled against his will.


    Pitch-ck gic energy exploded from his body, destroying the extradimensional space. Zhang Lie''s surroundings changed in the sh of an eye.

 Chapter 282: Pressure of the Void

    <h4>Chapter 282: Pressure of the Void</h4>


    To be frank, Zhang Lie wasn''t aware of the current limits to his own strength. After all, it was the first time in either of his lives that he had managed to obtain disaster gene fragments, and he had underestimated their potency.


    Following the usual rules of the dimensional world, one superior gene fragment was stronger than ten mutated gene fragments, so ten disaster gene fragments would be superior to a hundred peak gene fragments.


    In other words, Zhang Lie was strong enough topletely overwhelm the naturalw of the first realm of the dimensional world. Breaking apart the extradimensional space in which he was trapped, Zhang Lie found himself back in the cksteel settlement, a familiar location that nevertheless felt strange.


    None of the buildings or infrastructure had changed; however, all the greenery within the settlement seemed to have wilted over the course of a single night.


    Furthermore, Zhang Lie couldn''t sense a single lifeform in the entirety of the settlement. Just what was going on? Shouldn''t the cksteel settlement be in the midst of the rebuilding process? Why wasn''t there a single hunter¡ªno, a single living creature!¡ªaround?


    .


    What could have happened? Had another disaster struck after he vanished? This was the only usible exnation Zhang Lie could think of, but that didn''t seem right, either.


    As far as he knew, after the appearance of the disaster-grade lifeform, the first realm of the dimensional world would wee a long stretch of peace and prosperity, without even the barest sign of a beast stampede.


    Mired in his thoughts, Zhang Lie heard the will of the world.


    [Your continued presence in this realm is warping naturalw. Please ascend to the second realm immediately!]


    [Your continued presence in this realm is warping naturalw. Please ascend to the second realm immediately!]


    [Your continued presence...]


    Zhang Lie ignored the warning. It was far more important that he figure out just what had happened to the cksteel settlement, to his sister, to his apprentices, and to the members of Team Zenith.


    [Warning! Your continued presence in this realm will cause irreparable damage! Expulsion proceduremencing!]


    [Warning! Your continued presence in this realm will cause irreparable damage!


    [Warning! Your continued presence...]


    Zhang Lie felt an immense force, much like a formless hand, reaching down toward him.


    "I''ve told you, I don''t intend on advancing for the moment!"


    Of course he wasn''t going to leave before figuring out what had gone wrong within the cksteel settlement!


    He shot a beam of ck gic energy into the air, fending off the formless hand that sought to capture him. A huge shock rumbled through the ground. The devastating force of the attack caused the skies above the first realm to warp, and cracks began to propagate all across the realm.


    The will of the world, like a persistent routine, continued to enforce naturalw; Zhang Lie, stubborn as he was, refused to bepelled to another''s will. Neither party relented.


    Energy roiled through the cracked and leaking skies, as though an apocalypse was nigh. Zhang Lie found, to his shock, that all his surroundings were quickly vanishing, as though some god or deity had wiped the world clean.


    As he nced into the distance, he saw that the greenery from afar was quickly wilting and dposing to fuel the will of the world''s strength. Furthermore, in ces too far away for him to see, countless superior-grade lifeforms had perished because of the sh between him and the will of the world.


    The will of the world was, in essence, a godlike being, one that would support and nurture all the lifeforms in the realm, except for outsiders like Zhang Lie. In order to deal with Zhang Lie, it had had to start consuming the lifeforce of the lifeforms within the first realm.


    Back when the will of the world forcefully initiated the transferral procedure for Zhang Lie, it had done so as well, but Zhang Lie was far easier to control back then. It was sufficient for the will of the world to consume the greenery around the cksteel settlement, along with the low-grade lifeforms nearby.


    Now, on the other hand, Zhang Lie''s strength had been augmented after the transferral procedure, and he could easily distort naturalw with his attacks. In order to suppress him, the will of the world would need a far stronger source of energy.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know why the will of the world was forcing him out of the first realm; after all, even if he was recognized as a peak-grade lifeform, hadn''t the peak-grade moonlight wyrm managed to make a home for itself in the first realm? Why hadn''t it been expelled?


    That said, Zhang Lie was aware of the consequences of his continued resistance. Within just ten seconds, all that he could see had turned into a wastnd, and the cksteel settlement itself had been reduced to nothing.


    As he nced all around him and recalled the will of the world''s urgent messages, the truth crept unbidden to his mind: could the cmity that had befallen the cksteel settlement, that had eliminated all life within, be... him?


    If that were the case, the more he resisted his expulsion, the more destruction he would wreak on the realm, but if he didn''t resist, he would no longer be able to return.


    What was he to do?

 Chapter 283: Entering the Second Realm

    <h4>Chapter 283: Entering the Second Realm</h4>


    If he were to give up now, he wouldn''t be able to take care of his sister and his two apprentices during their formative growth. He had intended on allowing them to limate themselves to the first realm before he ascended, but under these circumstances, he would be unable to do so without causing irreparable damage to the realm.


    This wasn''t something he wanted to see; after all, all that he gained, he had gained here. Furthermore, the first realm was meant to be a training ground of sorts for iing hunters, and it served a tremendous purpose. If Zhang Lie were to destroy it here because of his stubbornness, what would Zhang Hanxiang and the other iing hunters do?


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Please stop. I''ll agree to ascend!"


    The formless hand above Zhang Lie immediately dissolved. Once the pressure abated, Zhang Lie reined in his gic energy, and the cracks surrounding the cksteel settlement, along with the void underneath Zhang Lie''s feet, slowly began to recover.


    The moment Zhang Lie gave up his resistance, his body was instantly teleported into the extradimensional space in which his transferral procedure was held¡ªor, more precisely, into a new copy of that extradimensional space.


    A pale blue teleportation array sprung up around Zhang Lie''s body. As it red, Zhang Lie''s surroundings turned dark, and the array activated.


    The next moment, he found himself in the second of the five known realms of the dimensional world, that of the sura. The first realm, the realm of void, was akin to a tutorial for iing hunters, whereas the second realm was a battlefield.


    There were far more intelligent lifeforms in this realm than just those inhabitants of the Milky Way.


    Fortunately, these alien races were inimical to one another, and there was constant fighting over several locations in the second realm rich in usual resources. If not for the discord between these races, the inhabitants of the Milky Way would hardly have dared to venture into this world.


    The reason the second realm was known as the sura realm was because it was dominated by lifeforms of the so-called sura race. Mankind was a rtively weak force in this realm, and only had four cities under its control: the cities of Feng, Qi, Ming, and Wang.


    Even these cities didn''t represent absolute safety. Initially, mankind had built eight such cities, four of which had been destroyed due to coordinated incursions from the sura race, who had done so because of a fad for human flesh¡ªyes, for that alone, the sura n had found and destroyed four of humanity''s cities.


    There had been a fiasco about this entire affair, and several of the highest authorities of mankind had even contemted transgressing into the second realm to punish the sura, but the five realms of the dimensional world all had rules andws restricting them from doing so.


    As such, they could only watch on as mankind defended itself. The sura, native to the second realm, were fierce and fearsome warriors, men and women alike. Their strength and numbers were far superior to those of mankind, even to all the lifeforms of the Milky Way atrge.


    And the inhabitants of the second realm weren''t just these sura. Barely weaker than them were races such as the mara and the demonic ants, who were themselves far stronger than the humans.


    In the second realm, mankind was a weak existence.


    The Qi valley was where the teleportation array in the city of Qi connecting the first and second realms of the dimensional world was located, and it was kept under heavy patrol at all times.


    After all, this was where hunters fresh from the first realm would arrive. They would spend half a year here as a recruit in the armed forces, before being permitted to enter the main city as a one-star warrior.


    Memories of Zhang Lie''s past life shed through his mind even as a piercing shout interrupted his thoughts.


    "You there, yes, you! What''re you doing just standing there? Come over here! Don''t block those behind you!" A silver-armored hunter motioned for him to step forward.


    Zhang Lie stepped off the teleportation array and asked, "May I ask which city this array is associated with?"


    "We''re in Qi," the hunter replied gruffly.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. Qi¡ªthe will of the first realm had disadvantaged him from the very beginning!


    "If there''s nothing else, follow the party of soldiers ahead of you!" The hunter pointed at a small team of hunters in front of where he was standing.


    "Ah, thank you." Zhang Lie was well aware of the rules of the second realm, and he rushed toward that team of hunters.


    "Another neer! And d in a rather strange get-up, too. Fancy dressing up like the champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie, do you? Which settlement are you from?"

 Chapter 284: The Qi Barracks

    <h4>Chapter 284: The Qi Barracks</h4>


    The members of the hunting party all looked at him, and one even teased him about his appearance. What the man could hardly have expected was that his remark had hit the nail on the head.


    After all, Zhang Lie was notorious for dressing up in such a fashion. Zhang Lie himself didn''t try to hide his identity; there was a chance that he would have to be with the hunting party for half a year, and he surely wouldn''t be able to hide his identity for so long.


    "You mean... you''re Zhang Lie?!"


    "Zhang Lie of Ning, the champion of the Void Cup?"


    Everyone present was aware of Zhang Lie''s fame, the neers who had just arrived at the second realm, and even the party leader in charge of looking over them. The two hunters at the very back of the party reacted the most quickly: they turned around and stared at Zhang Lie''s half-exposed face.


    One of them, the one who had teased him, tried to remove Zhang Lie''s hood in a moment of curiosity, but just as he reached out, Zhang Lie took a half-step back and removed his hood himself.


    "I-It really is Zhang Lie!"


    "I can''t believe I''m in the same party as Zhang Lie! Haha, this is something I''ll be able to brag about ?for life!"


    The two closest hunters both scrabbled for a writing instrument.


    "An autograph!"


    "Right, right, won''t you give us an autograph?" the two of them requested, prompting the other hunters in the party to act as well.


    They retrieved beast pelts, canine teeth, and all sorts of other items for Zhang Lie to sign.


    "Surely we''ll have plenty of opportunities to do thatter¡ªwhy don''t we head to base camp now? We''re in the same party, after all. Don''t you agree, team leader?" Zhang Lie couldn''t bear the thought of signing more autographs after his nauseating session at the cksteel Inn, so he immediately appealed to the leader of this party for assistance.


    What Zhang Lie didn''t know was that the leader, Zhou Xiao, had likewise been rummaging through his bag in search of something that Zhang Lie could sign. Only after Zhang Lie spoke did he recall his position and assignment, and he hurriedly stuffed the items back into his bag.


    "Right, Mr. Zhang Lie''s exactly right. We''ll have plenty of time for that in the future. Our priority now should be to get back to base."


    Although there was a little grumbling, everyone listened to the party leader. Indeed, as Zhang Lie himself had imed, if they were to be in the same party, then there would be plenty of opportunities for them to get an autograph from him.


    The two hunters at the very end sidled up to him. They might not be able to get his autograph now, but surely a story or two wouldn''t hurt?


    "Zhang Lie, won''t you tell us about what happened during the Void Cup?"


    "Right! We all heard that a high-ranking member of the winged tried to assassinate you¡ª"


    "Oh, that''s old news! Can we hear about the disaster that just happened in the first realm of the dimensional world? I heard that, even before the disaster happened, you informed the military about the impending incident, and that you were the first to head into the dimensional world after the disaster. What did you know about this incident beforehand?"


    "And what happened during your three months of secluded cultivation? Apparently, you caused the cksteel Inn to copse, and then the vegetation all around the settlement withered. Did something happen to you in the meantime?"


    By that time, all the other hunters had gathered around him, asking all sorts of questions.


    As he tried to fend them off, he gleaned quite a bit of information: his transferral procedure hadsted almost three months, and the destruction of the cksteel settlement did have something to do with him.


    The party of hunters reached the army barracks in just a few minutes'' walk. By that point, the party leader Zhou Xiao had already informed his superiors that Zhang Lie was in his party, so themander of the Qi forces, Su Hong, was personally standing outside the barracks to wee him when they arrived


    Su Hong was a scion of the Su n of Ning; he was from a younger generation than Su Feng, and had heard quite a few tales about him from Su Feng when he returned home for a visit. Su Feng had specially advised Su Hong to treat Zhang Lie politely if Zhang Lie were to arrive in the second realm at the Qi valley.


    That was before the Void Cupmenced, so Su Hong had scoffed at Su Feng''s request, but by now, he had relinquished all his pride. After all, the hunter standing in front of him was the champion of the Void Cup, the only hunter of Earth who had managed such a feat.


    Even the governor of Qi, who had been in secluded cultivation, was making his way over.


    "I, Su Hong of the Qi barracks, wee Dragonlord General Zhang Lie!"


    The party of hunters headed to the Qi barracks was stunned by the formation of hunters awaiting them. Dragonlord General? When had Zhang Lie taken on such a title?


    Even Zhang Lie himself had to think for a moment before recalling that it was the direct upgrade to his title of dragonsoul warrior. Although it didn''t grant himmand over any of the army''s forces, he was indeed to be treated as a general in terms of military affairs.


    Su Hong was part of the military; even though they were in the dimensional world, and such etiquette could be ignored here, it wasn''t improper for him to acknowledge Zhang Lie''s title, either.


    Su Hong had no choice, after all. He was older than Zhang Lie, and in principle had the higher status, but the Su n head himself had instructed him to treat Zhang Lie with the same courtesy as the n head. To reconcile these viewpoints, Su Hong had to appeal to military rank.

 Chapter 285: Entering the City

    <h4>Chapter 285: Entering the City</h4>


    Su Hong''s decision perturbed Zhang Lie. While he hadn''t intended on hiding his identity, he didn''t want to be treated as a high-profile celebrity, either. Now that even Su Hong was addressing him as a general, how was he supposed to maintain a low profile?


    "Please don''t address me by military rank here, Battalion Commander Su Hong! You''re the one in charge here; I''m just a new recruit!"


    At the very least, it seemed that Su Hong was being sincere, and Zhang Lie would certainly reciprocate that sincerity. Su Hong thought that he was being modest, but before Su Hong could respond, Zhang Lie felt a strong pulse of gic energying from the left nk of the barracks.


    Zhang Lie began circting his own gic energy, and he was about to warn Su Hong whenughter emerged from that direction.


    "If your skills aren''t sufficient to deem you a general, Zhang Lie, then no one''s skills would be!" A man had emerged almost out of nowhere.


    "We greet the governor of Qi!" all the hunters in the barracks shouted immediately, shocking Zhang Lie and the other neers in his party.


    The governor of Qi? He hade to wee Zhang Lie himself? Only then did the other neers realize just how superior Zhang Lie was to them. If they were the only neers, not even the battalionmander would have made an appearance, let alone the governor of Qi himself.


    He looked to be a man in his forties, with sun-darkened skin and a bristly beard with hairs that looked like steel needles. To Zhang Lie, he appeared more like a valiantmander than a lord of a city.


    "I''m Xiao Zhengyang, governor of Qi. The moment I heard of your arrival, I wanted to meet you in person, Zhang Lie!"


    "It''s an honor to have you wee me personally, Governor Xiao. I hope I''m not a disappointmentpared to all the rumors being spread around."


    "Disappointment? No, of course not! I''m amazed that you''re still so humble given your aplishments!"


    "You overpraise me, Governor Xiao. I''m just a neer to the second realm, and there''s certainly a lot more I still have to learn in terms of experience."


    "I have to say, I really like promising young hunters like you. I don''t think there''s any need for you to remain in the barracks, especially given your ability. If you''d like, I''ll extend you an offer to join the special forces of Qi," Xiao Zhengyang proposed.


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "I''ll dly ept, Governor Xiao!"


    Xiao Zhengyang then turned back to Su Hong. "Su Hong, I''ll be taking him away, then. What he''s supposed to learn from the barracks, I''ll have the special forces teach him."


    "Yes, Governor!" Su Hong was somewhat unwilling to see Zhang Lie leave; after all, he was the champion of the Void Cup, and the head of the Su n had wanted him to develop a good rtionship with Zhang Lie. However, he certainly wouldn''t be able to countermand the governor of Qi, especially after Zhang Lie had agreed.


    "In that case, let''s go now!" Xiao Zhengyang beckoned for Zhang Lie to follow him. A pair of wings sprouted from his back, and he flew off with a gust of wind.


    Zhang Lie bowed toward Su Hong, then shot into the air as well.


    The two of them were headed toward the main city of Qi, quite some distance away from the barracks. They were moving so quickly that the air seemed to distort where they passed.


    Xiao Zhengyang seemed to be intent on testing Zhang Lie''s abilities, and he sped up thrice in rapid session. Even so, Zhang Lie followed a fixed distance behind him, no shorter and no longer.


    Xiao Zhengyang smiled. "Not bad! But can you keep up now?"


    His speed suddenly increased by so much that he broke the sound barrier, causing a gigantic boom in the air. Gic energy trailing in his wake, he was almost out of sight by the time Zhang Lie reacted.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie didn''t panic. Summoning his reserves, he shot through the air like a ray of darkness, catching up to Xiao Zhengyang within a second at most.


    Xiao Zhengyang''s eyes widened. He was a peak existence even within the second realm, and this was essentially his top speed. Even then, Zhang Lie had easily caught up to him, and it looked as though he could travel even faster. Just what sort of hunter was he?!


    Rather than push himself beyond his limits, he continued rushing toward the city at his current speed. Two streaks of light shot through the city. Because of Xiao Zhengyang''s presence, Zhang Lie was able to enter the heavily guarded city without any resistance whatsoever.


    "Haha, goodd! I was worried that you would be bullied for entering the special forces without any experience whatsoever, but it looks as though they''ll be lucky not to get bullied by you!" Xiao Zhengyang pped Zhang Lie on the shoulder.


    Clearly, Zhang Lie had passed Xiao Zhengyang''s evaluation. His speed and dark, mysterious gic energy left a strong impression on Xiao Zhengyang, and he didn''t intend on probing Zhang Lie''s strength further. Given the fluctuations in gic energy emanating from Zhang Lie, he was at least at the level of a peak superior-grade hunter in the second realm, meaning that he was almost at the realm''s limits despite just having entered it.


    Xiao Zhengyang had heard rumors that Zhang Lie had managed to defeat a peak second-realm hunter at his dojo''s opening ceremony, but he had waved it off as mere hearsay.


    Now, however, after meeting and inspecting Zhang Lie for himself, he had to admit that the rumors might even have been an understatement¡ªhe seemed to be even stronger than Martial Sage Hong Tianqi while he was in the second realm. It was rumored that even the Martial Sage himself had suffered in the second realm, but unless Zhang Lie were to go too deep into the regions controlled by the asura, there was little threat he would face.


    He had been somewhat worried about whether or not the special forces troops would try to bully him on ount of his sudden insertion into the special forces as a newbie, but now, he was more worried about whether those bullies would escape unscathed.


    "If any of the troops challenge you, I hope you won''t be too harsh on them," Xiao Zhengyang advised.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Please don''t worry, Governor Xiao. I know what to do."


    Xiao Zhengyang nodded, then turned to a nearby attendant. "Summon the troop leader of the special forces, Zhou Luan!"

 Chapter 286: Troop Leader Zhou Liao

    <h4>Chapter 286: Troop Leader Zhou Liao</h4>


    "Yes, Governor!" The attendant ran off with Governor Xiao''s message.


    "Well, the special forces'' barracks is quite some distance away, so let''s have a chat inside first." Xiao Zhengyang was getting more and more enamored with Zhang Lie, and Zhang Lie himself had no reason to refuse.


    Governor Xiao''s manor, like Governor Xiao himself, gave off the same feeling: simple and straightforward. Stone sculptures of prominent hunters adorned his estate, a style that suited Zhang Lie''s tastes as well.


    Zhang Lie had heard of Xiao Zhengyang''s name before, but in his past life, he had never met the man in person. After all, he had hardly been able to reach such vaunted heights.


    His meeting with Governor Xiao today validated the ims and rumors that he had heard about him in the past. Soon in the future, the sura would once againe for mankind. Xiao Zhengyang was the only one of the city governors who chose to fight to their death without retreating so as to secure the safety of the troops and civilians within. Allegedly, in order to avoid being taken as a ve, he even self-destructed at the end of the fight, taking down a whole wave of sura with him.


    To the past Zhang Lie, this had just been a tale of remembrance. Now, however, he had be a member of Qi, and he too would have to face the sura invasion. Furthermore, after getting to know him a little, he was favorably inclined toward Governor Xiao.


    They passed through a ratherrge courtyard and into a meeting room. Xiao Zhengyang motioned for Zhang Lie to sit by his side, as though they were already close friends.


    "Here, have a taste of this bloodvein tea!"


    "Bloodvein tea?" Zhang Lie stared at the proffered cup of tea doubtfully, the very image of a country bumpkin.


    "Indeed, bloodvein tea! It''s a superior type of tea leaf, extremely rare even in the second realm. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t even let them smell such a delicacy!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know quite how to respond to his generosity. After all, they had met each other for the first time not fifteen minutes ago, but Xiao Zhengyang was already treating him like an old friend.


    "Thank you, Governor Xiao!" He lifted the cup of tea to his mouth and took a tiny sip. The tea was refreshing, with a bittersweet aftertaste that remained at the tip of his tongue. A unique fragrance suffused his nostrils. Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "This is good tea!"


    Governor Xiao smiled. While awaiting Zhou Liao''s arrival, the two of them had more tea as they chatted with each other.


    Zhou Liao arrived within ten minutes, marching stiffly into the room. When he saw Zhang Lie, his eyes widened momentarily before he turned to the governor. "At your service, Governor Xiao."


    Governor Xiao told Zhang Lie, "Here, let me introduce the two of you. This is Zhou Liao, my direct subordinate responsible for the special forces of Qi, as well as your new troop leader. He''ll be responsible for arranging your entrance into the special forces."


    Then, he turned to face Zhou Liao. "I''m sure I don''t have to tell you who he is, do I?"


    Zhou Liao seemed to be in his thirties, with piercing eagle-like eyes and a vignce about him that reminded him of the specialized ckwind troops under Su Feng''s directmand.


    "Champion of the Void Cup, the new star of China, the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie¡­ it''s a pleasure to meet you in person." Zhou Liao rxed as he looked Zhang Lie up and down, admiration and excitement warring in his eyes. He was excited that Zhang Lie had ended up in Qi, that he was about to be one of his men, that they would be working together for quite some time afterwards.


    Indeed, he was already itching to spar with him.


    "It''s a pleasure," Zhang Lie replied politely.


    "Alright, then! Let me be direct. From today onwards, Zhang Lie will join the special forces of Qi as a new recruit. Zhou Liao, find some space for him in your troop¡ªand warn those hunters not to mess with him, or they''re the ones who will suffer!"


    Zhou Liao hesitated. "Governor Xiao, what of those recruits who have been training hard to join the special forces? Zhang Lie''s certainly qualified, but unless there''s a demonstration of some sort, I''m sure there''ll be friction from those hunters who weren''t selected owing to his arrival..."


    He nced at Zhang Lie intermittently, trying to discern his thoughts, but Zhang Lie himself revealed nothing.


    Instead, Xiao Zhengyang remarked to Zhang Lie, "They''re all young, hotblooded recruits. Don''t hurt them too badly¡ªthey haven''t had it easy, you hear me?"


    Zhou Liao frowned again. Those hunters who wanted to join the special forces of Qi had been in the second realm for five Earth-years¡ªin other words, they had spent five decades in the second realm! They had almost all maxed out their gene capacities, and their gic armor, framework, and techniques were perfectlypatible.


    How could Zhang Lie, who had just arrived in the second realm, be able to challenge them?


    Although he was certainly strong rtive to first-realm hunters, and it was even rumored that he had killed two elite hunters of the second realm some time ago, surely those elites were still far weaker than the special forces recruits of Qi. And Zhang Lie hadn''t even had a chance to acquire any gene fragments from the second realm! Did he have any hope of victory?


    Zhou Liao suspected that Governor Xiao was overestimating Zhang Lie''s skills. Indeed, Zhang Lie had no equal in the first realm of the dimensional world, and he had contributed dramatically to the view of mankind in the Milky Way atrge, but this wasn''t the first realm anymore¡ªit was the second!


    All the gene fragments that he had acquired in the first realm had been incorporated into his gic code, so he would have to start collecting them from scratch from the lifeforms of the second realm.


    Did Governor Xiao really think that, with nothing but his base strength from the first realm, Zhang Lie would be able to challenge seasoned veterans of the second?


    Zhang Lie smiled again. "Please don''t worry, Governor Xiao. Would you prefer that I simply take part in the selection process for joining the Qi special forces? It seems as though that would save quite a bit of trouble for both of us."

 Chapter 287: In Search of Zhang Lie

    <h4>Chapter 287: In Search of Zhang Lie</h4>


    Did Zhang Lie really think he would be able to pass the Qi special forces'' selection process so easily? More shockingly, Governor Xiao even seemed to agree!


    Governor Xiao immediately shook his head. "Don''t, don''t! I don''t want you to ruin the selection process for everyone else. Enter the special forces troops directly!"


    Zhang Lie chuckled bitterly. "Alright, I understand."


    "In that case, what are you waiting for? Zhou Liao, leave with your new team member!" Xiao Zhengyang, relieved that Zhang Lie had given up on his n to mess up the selection process, sighed in relief.


    However, before Zhou Liao could say anything, Zhang Lie interjected, "Please wait a moment, Governor Xiao! I advanced to the second realm by ident, and my emergency transceiver has been destroyed. It''s been three months since my friends and family have heard from me, and I''d like to inform them of my safety if possible. It would only take half a day at most!"


    Xiao Zhengyang cocked an eyebrow. "Advanced... by ident? ?I heard that there was somemotion in the cksteel settlement today. Was that rted to your advancement, by any chance?"


    "Somewhat rted, Governor Xiao. I''m afraid it would take me too long to exin things fully at the moment..."


    Xiao Zhengyang scrutinized Zhang Lie again from head to toe. "You''ve already left a teleportation marker behind, so return home ande back quickly."


    "Thank you for understanding, Governor Xiao!"


    "Enough, enough! This isn''t a formal asion, so there''s no need to address me as governor this and governor that. Just Xiao''s fine. To be honest, I was in the same battalion as Yan Long, and he''s already told me a lot about you."


    Zhang Lie bowed, then turned to leave with Zhou Liao, who was having a hard time processing just what Governor Xiao had said. He was known to be the most stubborn lord of the cities in the second realm¡ªhe couldn''t recall a time when he had seen him so friendly, and to a neer, no less!


    Given this unusual rtionship between the governor and Zhang Lie, how was he supposed to act as Zhang Lie''s troop leader? What, was he supposed to just let Zhang Lie do as he pleased?


    While Zhou Liao was deep in thought, Zhang Lie entered the teleportation array and returned to Ning.


    In a conference room within the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Hong, Lin Xiu, Zhang Hanxiang, the members of Team Zenith, and the established staff of the dojo were all gathered for an important meeting.


    "It''s already been three months! Where''s my brother? Are you certain that he wasn''t a victim of the disaster at the cksteel settlement?" Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes were clouded with worry.


    Ever since Zhang Lie entered secluded cultivation in the dimensional world, no one had seen him or managed tomunicate with him. After his departure, there was news of amotion that he had caused, followed by some sort of freak event that killed and injured quite a few hunters in the cksteel Inn.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie''s gic energy seemed to vanish into thin air, and the cksteel Inn''s staff didn''t find him within the inn in the aftermath. It was evident that Zhang Lie had chosen to head to some less popted region to avoid causing such unwanted mishaps, so none of them had been too concerned about hisck ofmunication.


    Even a month without news had been bearable; they were all well aware of Zhang Lie''s skill. They didn''t think there was anything left in the first realm of the dimensional world that could challenge him. In other words, if he still hadn''t reached out to them, he had to have been cultivating in solitude.


    After two months, however, the members of Team Zenith and the Zenith Dojo couldn''t sit still any longer. Zhang Lie had never lost contact with them for so long before, but in order to avoid a bigmotion, they had chosen not to publicize his disappearance. Instead, they would conduct their own secret investigation.


    That process had taken a month, and even after the members of Team Zenith searched through every possible location they could think of where Zhang Lie might be located, they were unable to find anything. Zhang Lie had vanished into thin air. As his disappearance dragged on, the hunters were bing more and more worried.


    They had had such a meeting thrice over thest ten days, and it was evident how worried they all were about Zhang Lie.


    "I can confirm that there were quite a number of fans around the inn in the afternoon before his disappearance. With our captain''s strength, no one would be able to kidnap him so silently and stealthily without his making a fuss, so he had to have chosen to leave the cksteel settlement himself. However, we simply don''t know where he''s gone. I don''t think that there''s anything we can do. Who''s to say that our captain won''t be back in the next day or two?" Fang Yi exined his perspective. As a member of Team Zenith, he was confident in Zhang Lie''s abilities, and he was certain that Zhang Lie could handle whatever came his way.


    "You''re not wrong, but I simply feel that something has to be wrong if he hasn''tmunicated with us for so long. Let''s continue trying to search for him¡ªif nothing else, we can stand guard while he cultivates," Sun Mengmeng suggested.


    She wanted to do something for her captain given how much he had done for them.


    "Right, I agree with my sister! Surely we can''t do nothing after our captain''s been missing for so long? At the very least, I can''t just sit here!" Sun Xiaowu added fervently.


    "Right, it''s already been three months. We''ve already searched in every location we could think of. Should we contact Commanders Su Feng and Yan Long to try to get their help?"


    Lin Xiu, who had been one of Su Feng''s subordinates, quickly interjected, "No, we can''t inform them. They''remanders of the Chinese military, so they''d have to escte the affair once they found out. If there really was a problem, then we''d have no choice, but it seems likely that Zhang Lie''s just in secluded cultivation. If this were true, it would be a huge embarrassment for China if we mobilized our troops at this point."

 Chapter 288: Return to the Zenith Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 288: Return to the Zenith Dojo</h4>


    Lin Xiu had been a hunter that Zhang Lie specifically requested from Su Feng, and he had been part of the dojo since even before its founding. It had taken Zhang Lie quite some time and effort to convince Su Feng to allow Lin Xiu to remain at the Zenith Dojo, and everyone in the dojo treated him with respect and awe.


    As such, his words carried significant authority.


    "Master Lin''s right. It''s best not to publicize this matter; Zhang Lie''s simply such an important figure now that, if we act recklessly, things could easily spiral out of control," Zhang Hong murmured in assent.


    "Three months without any news? Have you really tried your best? Look at all these missives we''ve been getting from the research teams of the starbeasts, aquatic, nightdemons, and night spirits! Is this something we''ll be able to hide for much longer?"


    Zhang Hanxiang buried her face in her hands. Where could her brother be? If he were still in the first realm, how could everyone''s search have been fruitless?


    Logically, she knew that the others'' thoughts were reasonable, but her brother''s disappearance had hit her hardest. After all, she was closer to Zhang Lie than everyone else present, and the uncertainty of Zhang Lie''s disappearance wed at her heart.


    "Hanxiang, I know you''re worried, and if it makes you feel any better, feel free to criticize us for it. To be frank, we''re also quite anxious about our captain''s disappearance, but as Fang Yi said, there''s little we can do now. Even if we were to inform the military, I doubt their searches will bear any fruit¡ªwe''ve searched everywhere we think he could be, and if we haven''t found anything..." Yang Ze leaned forward, consoling Zhang Hanxiang.


    "Then what of the four alien races?" Zhang Hanxiang didn''t want to give up quite yet.


    "Kid, they''re the ones begging us for a favor. They might be making a fuss now, but anything they do would just hurt themselves!" Lin Xiu replied gruffly.


    Indeed, the four races'' research teams had just arrived in China. The reason they were making a fuss was because they had yet to see Zhang Lie in person, but as Lin Xiu had stated, the humans had the advantage here.


    "In that case, what are we going to do? Just sit here and wait for my brother''s return? All of you are my brother''s most trusted colleagues and advisors, so please, I''m begging you, think of something!"


    Zhang Hanxiang broke down in tears, but before the mood in the conference room could devolve, Zhang Hong let out a shout.


    "Ah, there''s news! ?Something happened in the cksteel settlement today¡ªand a nearby hunter felt the dojo leader''s gic energy!" Zhang Hong was staring at her transceiver.


    "Is that information urate? ?Just what happened in the cksteel settlement? Thest I heard, everyone had evacuated in the aftermath of Zhang Lie''s disappearance..." Lin Xiu questioned.


    "Yes, absolutely. It''s going to reach the media shortly. As for the cksteel settlement, there was a huge quake,rge pieces ofnd simply... vanished, and the skies... split apart?" Zhang Hong''s voice turned doubtful.


    "Voidednd and shattered skies? ?Are you sure this isn''t fake news from some tabloid?" Lin Xiu questioned again. He had the most experience out of all the hunters present, and he knew full well just what sort of energy would be required to cause such a phenomenon.


    Everyone turned toward Zhang Hong.


    "This is a reliable source that I''ve personally vetted in the past, and it''s never been wrong before," Zhang Hong replied, though even she had to admit it sounded oundish.


    "If this is really the case, then Zhang Lie must be out of secluded cultivation¡ªhe must have encountered some enemy or another!" Lin Xiu surmised.


    "In that case, what are we waiting for? Let''s head to the cksteel settlement immediately!" Sun Mengmeng stood up and made to rush toward the teleportation array.


    Just as she did so, a familiar voice shouted from right outside the conference room, "There''s no need¡ªI''ve returned!"


    The next moment, his figure appeared by the door.


    "Brother!" Zhang Hanxiang shouted, rushing toward Zhang Lie.


    "Captain!"


    "Dojo Leader!


    Zhang Lie hugged his sister tightly, knowing how frightened and scared she had to be without him. "Don''t worry, I''m back!"


    Zhang Hanxiang buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. "It''s been three months! Just where were you¡ªI was so scared I''d never see you again!"


    "There was an incident, but it''s over now. When we have more timeter, I''ll tell you the story. Alright, stop crying, won''t you? I''m back now, and I promise I won''t disappear for so long without any word ever again," Zhang Lie consoled her.


    Zhang Hanxiang eventually calmed down and returned to her seat, at which point Zhang Lie faced the others. "I apologize for theck ofmunication. An ident urred while I was in cultivation."


    Zhang Lie sincerely apologized to those present in the room, knowing just how much stress they had had to bear during his disappearance.

 Chapter 289: Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 289: Disaster</h4>


    Lin Xiu was the first to speak up. "What''s there to apologize for? The most important thing is that you''re back. But didn''t you head out in order to find a secluded spot to cultivate? What happened for thest three months, and how did you make such a big mess of the cksteel settlement?"


    Even Lin Xiu was curious about just what Zhang Lie had experienced during this period of time.


    "Right, we''ve gotten reports of indiscriminate ck rays of annihtion, followed by the death of all nearby lifeforms, and now, even cracks in the sky! Just what sort of framework do you have, Captain?"


    "And where did you ultimately end up hiding? We''ve searched all over the first realm in an attempt to find you, but to no avail." Fang Yi and Yang Ze continued peppering Zhang Lie with questions.


    Given that everyone around was a close confidant, Zhang Lie didn''t intend on hiding much from them. "I was in secluded cultivation three months ago. While trying to absorb the energy from a strange treasure, an incident urred. It was the most dangerous incident of my life, and if I had been any less lucky, I would have perished. Fortunately, the gic energy running rampant throughout my body was so intense that it alerted the will of the world."


    "The... will of the world? Is the will of the world conscious? I thought it was just an artificial intelligence!" Fang Yi interrupted, causing everyone else to ponder the matter.


    "Right, it¡ª"


    "Everyone, calm down! Let''s hear what our captain has to say." Sun Mengmeng broke everyone off.


    "To be quite honest, I''m as confused as you are, and even I don''t have an answer as to whether or not the will of the world actually possesses consciousness. However, regardless of whether it''s just an artificial intelligence or a lifeform in its own right, I''m confident that it obeys a certain set of rules, one of which saved my life. You''ve all heard about how I identally injured and killed several hunters in the cksteel Inn, haven''t you?"


    Everyone nodded seriously.


    "To be frank, at that point, I''d already lost control of my body. Those ck rays of annihtion were shooting out of my body indiscriminately simply because I had so much excess that my body couldn''t handle it anymore."


    "Broke through your skin?!" Lin Xiu''s brows were furrowed. "Just what sort of treasure did you absorb? If the gic energy was already seeping through your skin so violently, how did you avoid exploding outright?"


    "You''re indeed knowledgeable, Master Lin. My body was on the verge of exploding, but just before it did, the will of the world teleported me into an extradimensional space for the transferral procedure into the second realm, warning me that I was brimming with so much energy that I was warping the naturalw of the first realm, that I would be forcibly sent to the second.


    "However, at that time, my body was wracked by the gic energy which I had absorbed, and I spent an interminable period of time trying to reconstruct my body from the inside out. I suspect that the will of the world destroyed all lifeforms around the cksteel settlement in order to continue suppressing my body, and I barely held onto my consciousness during this period of time. By the time I managed to rein in all the gic energy that had run rampant throughout my body and pass through the transferral procedure, three months had passed."


    Zhang Lie exined what had happened to him, but the more details he divulged, the more shocked the others became. Just what sort of miraculous treasure had Zhang Lie absorbed? It had given off so much energy that even the will of the world had reacted to it!


    Could he have developed a new concoction?


    Even the imperturbable Lin Xiu seemed shocked by what Zhang Lie had ryed.


    "Hold it! Just what sort of treasure did you absorb that would allow you to resist the refinement energy from the transferral procedure?!" Lin Xiu had experienced that procedure for himself, so he was well aware of just how impossible Zhang Lie''s actions were.


    As a result, he was very curious as to the origin of such a treasure.


    "I won''t hide this from you, but I can''t have any of you spreading word of this. Do you understand?"


    The existence of disaster-grade lifeforms was a novelty in this time and age, and the implications were massive. Zhang Lie didn''t want anyone to know that he had been at the center of this discovery, given how much he hated being bothered by others.


    If any word of these disaster-grade lifeforms were to leak out to the public, those in power would surely be able to trace the origin of the discovery back to Zhang Lie. The present hunters all nodded and swore to absolute secrecy, even Zhang Hanxiang.


    "Very well. The miraculous treasure I absorbed was the gic core of a certain type of lifeform."


    "A... gic core? Not flesh?" Yang Ze asked.


    Everyone else leaned in closer. As far as they knew, extracting gene fragments was a matter of consuming a lifeform''s flesh. Where did gic corese into y?


    "Yes, a gic core¡ªfrom a lifeform more advanced than even the most advanced peak-grade lifeforms known. "Their bodies havergely crystallized, and they don''t possess any flesh at all. The only parts of their bodies you can consume is their heart. Because their existence caused an unparalleled disaster in the first realm of the dimensional world, I''ve named these new lifeforms disaster-grade lifeforms."


    "Disaster-grade lifeforms!" Lin Xiu gasped.


    "Yes, lifeforms whose very existence herald impending disaster. It was because I tried to absorb the gic energy from a disaster-grade gic core that I almost self-destructed!"

 Chapter 290: A Grave Shock

    <h4>Chapter 290: A Grave Shock</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s words left the entire room in deathly silence. It was hard for the present hunters to digest the information that he had just presented. Disaster-grade lifeforms, who were one step above even peak-grade lifeforms, bringing disaster where they went...


    The hunters of Team Zenith swiftly reconciled this information with the strange tasks that Zhang Lie had given them. Was that why Zhang Lie had assigned them to patrol in all those varied locations? Could they have been where a disaster-grade lifeform was about to appear? And the disaster that urred shortly after... that had to be the work of the disaster-grade lifeform!


    But in that case, how had Zhang Lie managed to take down the disaster-grade lifeform on his own? They had all struggled just to deal with the peak-grade moonlight wyrm!


    "Was the disaster in the first realm due to that disaster-grade lifeform, then?" Lin Xiu asked the question that everyone was wondering about.


    "Of course!" Otherwise, I wouldn''t have had Commander Su sound a red alert for the impending disaster."


    How had Zhang Lie managed this? He had predicted the impending disaster, then killed the disaster-grade lifeform only as it appeared, then absorbed its gic energy to advance to the second realm...


    "No wonder I felt a difference in your lifeforce when you walked in. You''ve advanced to the second realm, haven''t you?" Lin Xiu continued. He was almost unwilling to ask; as one of the four sages of China, he had seen his fair share of geniuses, but none were at Zhang Lie''s level. He had developed limit fragments as a first-realm hunter, killed a peak-grade lifeform in the first realm, and even discovered and killed a disaster-grade lifeform there as well...


    "Master Lin, I was nning on informing all of you and settling my affairs before advancing, but the will of the world insisted that I do so immediately! I initially rejected the demand, but then it tried to expel me from the first realm entirely. That''s how the void and cracks in the sky around the cksteel settlement urred..."


    Everyone, including Lin Xiu, was dumbstruck. How had Zhang Lie gotten so strong that he could even contend with the will of the world itself? The hunters didn''t know what to say.


    In the end, it was Lin Xiu who spoke up once more. "Just what grade of lifeform are you now, if you''re being so violently rejected by the first realm?"


    "I was judged to be a peak-grade lifeform," Zhang Lie replied mildly.


    "What?!" Lin Xiu was so shocked that he bolted up, his chair falling down and ttering behind him. "What did you say? The will of the world judged you to be a peak-grade lifeform?"


    "Right, a peak-grade lifeform," Zhang Lie replied.


    Lin Xiu cursed so violently that everyone else was surprised.


    The only peak-grade lifeform they had seen was the peak-grade moonlight wyrm, and they didn''t have a good sense for just how stark the boundary between superior-grade and peak-grade was. However, given Lin Xiu''s response, it seemed as though something was very unusual.


    Lin Xiu himself felt as though he had wasted decades of his life. It had taken him his third-realm advancement before he was finally judged a peak-grade lifeform, but Zhang Lie had achieved it in the second-realm advancement alone!


    "Don''t you know that the peak-grade designation is the highest possible within the dimensional realm? Of course, with your discovery of a disaster-grade lifeform, things might change, but..."


    Lin Xiu took two deep breaths before continuing, "You''ve managed to transition into a peak-grade lifeform based on just your aplishments in the first realm, so I can''t even imagine what your growth will be like in the future. What happened after you ascended? Which city did you get teleported to?"


    "I''m in Qi at the moment."


    "Did you meet Xiao Zhengyang?"


    "Yes, and he''s even assigned me to the special forces of Qi."


    "Not bad. Xiao Zhengyang''s a good man, and you should be able to work well with him. Now that you''re in the second realm, I''d better warn you that it''s the most dangerous of the five realms, as well as the one that sees the highest casualty rates among the hunters of the Milky Way. We''re just passersby, so if an incident urs, don''t be too prideful. That pride could well get you killed!"


    There were simply too many strong hunters among the asura, and they would be able to beat Zhang Lie by sheer numbers alone if nothing else.


    "Don''t worry¡ªI''ve always kept a low profile, haven''t I?" Zhang Lie reassured Lin Xiu.


    Lin Xiu rolled his eyes. "Really? A low-profile hunter who would divulge that he became a peak-grade lifeform in the first realm? I can''t stand the look of you right now¡ªit just makes me madder and madder!"


    Huffing, Lin Xiu strode out of the room. He had thought bing a peak-grade existence in the second realm was a notable aplishment, but Zhang Lie had somehow managed it in the first realm alone!


    The members of Team Zenith had been listening raptly to the conversation between Zhang Lie and Lin Xiu. They barely knew anything about the second realm, but none of them interrupted¡ªthey simply listened even more attentively.


    After all, they too would have to advance in the near future, and it would serve them well to learn what they could in advance. With Lin Xiu gone, they quickly began to pester Zhang Lie with all sorts of questions.

 Chapter 291: Return to Earth

    <h4>Chapter 291: Return to Earth</h4>


    "You''ll be able to see what the second realm''s like for yourselves soon, too¡ªyou''re all ready to advance, after all. However, I''m still a little worried about Hanxiang, so I''d like all of you to stay for a little while longer in the first realm. Would you mind doing that?"


    "Of course not! We''ll treat your sister like our own," Sun Mengmeng promised. The others nodded in assent.


    "Very well. In that case, I''ll spend some time with Hanxiang today before returning to the second realm. There''s work that I have to be doing there."


    Zhang Lie''s safe return had wiped the anxiety off the others'' minds, and they left the conference room with a burden lifted off their hearts.


    Zhang Hong followed suit, but just as she was about to head out, she suddenly turned back. "Ah, wait, Dojo Leader! I''ve almost forgotten about Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen. Ever since you lost contact, they''ve locked themselves up in a training chamber and been training themselves to death there. I think you had better meet them to reassure them of your safety."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I don''t have much time left. Will you summon them to this conference room?"


    "Yes, immediately!" Zhang Hong rushed out toward the training chambers in which Zhang Lie''s two apprentices were located.


    A few momentster, however, she retraced her footsteps.


    "I apologize, Dojo Leader, but there''s another thing I''ve forgotten. The starbeasts, aquatic, nightdemons, and night spirits have each sent teams of researchers to Earth, and they''re demanding to see you. Will you give them some of your time?"


    She knew that these were four of the strongest races in the Milky Way. Even though Zhang Lie¡ªand, by extension, mankind¡ªhad won the Void Cup, she still held considerable respect toward them.


    "Making a fuss, are they? Let them be. There''s no need to be so polite to them; have them wait for my return."


    "Have them... wait?"


    "Right. Tell them that I''m extremely disappointed with their behavior to date. Those who are willing to wait can do so; otherwise, send them back to their home immediately."


    "Yes, Dojo Leader!" Zhang Hong nodded firmly, then walked off¡ªthis time without returning.


    .


    Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang were left alone in the conference room.


    "Well, we can finally have a private conversation now, Hanxiang! How was it like to enter the dimensional world for the first time?"


    "Whatever emotions I felt, your sudden disappearance superseded them all. I went with the others in search of you for so long, so long that I even ruined a few pairs of shoes!"


    "I know, Hanxiang. I''m really sorry¡ªI hadn''t intended it to happen. I promise that I''ll keep myself safe if I ever disappear again."


    "Really?"


    Zhang Lie patted his chest. "Of course! When have I ever reneged on a promise to you? But this also means that, no matter what happens in the future, you have to believe in me, do you understand? Trust me: I''m strong enough to take care of myself in the dimensional world and in reality. There''s no need to get so nervous in the future if I disappear, alright?"


    Zhang Hanxiang was of utmost importance to Zhang Lie, and he knew just how hurt she was by his sudden disappearance, especially because it mirrored their parents''. His goal with this conversation was to calm her down in case such situations were to happen again¡ªand given his personality and his ns for advancement, he was sure that they would.


    Zhang Hanxiang felt that her brother had never looked at her so firmly before. She contemted his words carefully, then smiled all of a sudden. "I understand, Brother. Of course I''ll trust you."


    The two of them then began to chat about frivolous affairs, but, not longter, their conversation was interrupted by Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, who bulldozed through the door to the conference room.


    "Master!"


    "Master, have you really returned? We thought... we thought that..."


    "Thought what? That it was time for you two to inherit my legacy? Don''t worry, I don''t n on letting that happen just yet!"


    When Zhang Hong told them that Zhang Lie had returned and wanted to see them, the two youths had entertained the notion that they were so tired from training that they had seen a mass hallucination, but it was real¡ªZhang Lie was back!


    Their faces shone with unadulterated relief and joy.


    Zhang Lie smiled; he hadn''t taken in these two apprentices for nothing.


    However, his expression suddenly turned serious. "I heard that the two of you have been ensconcing yourselves in a training chamber ever since my disappearance. Is that so?"

 Chapter 292: Three Reasons

    <h4>Chapter 292: Three Reasons</h4>


    "Yes, Master!" Zhang Lie''s two apprentices lowered their heads.


    Zhang Hanxiang gripped her brother''s arm. "Brother, you can''t me Jiuxiao and Xianchen for their actions, can you? You were gone for three whole months! They were training so hard in an attempt to avenge you..."


    "...avenge? All of you, listen up: I''m not that easy to defeat or kill. If this sort of thing happens again, just calm down and go about your lives as usual. Jiuxiao, Xianchen¡ªI won''t have you ruining your bodies like that after my careful tutge, do you understand? I still need the two of you to help take care of my sister! Alright, all of you, go and rest!"


    The three youths scurried off as Zhang Lie returned to the second realm.


    Back in the second realm, in the Qi manor, because Zhang Lie had mentioned that he would only be gone for half a day, Xiao Zhengyang had Zhou Liao wait for Zhang Lie''s return. Since it was time for lunch, he naturally invited Zhou Liao to dine with him; thanks to Zhang Lie, Zhou Liao had his first meal at Governor Xiao''s manor.


    Zhou Liao, Xiao Zhengyang, and his wife had a pleasant conversation over a simple but surprisingly delicious lunch.


    As one of Xiao Zhengyang''s direct subordinates, Zhou Liao deeply respected him for his candor and treatment of his troops. No matter the directive, he would take some time to consider how his troops would feel and what they would need, unlike a few other governors in the second realm, who were perfectly willing to exchange their subordinates'' lives for more resources.


    As such, even though it was their first time dining together, the mood was convivial and conversation flowed easily. Zhang Lie naturally came up as a topic of some interest.


    "Head, why the fuss over Zhang Lie? I''m surprised you''re willing to advance him so rapidly."


    Xiao Zhengyang gave him a meaningful smile. "Do you really want to know?"


    Zhou Liao nodded fervently.


    "There are three reasons I value him so highly. First, his strength is immense¡ªeven as a neer to the second realm, he''s at least my equal in terms of strength. Second, as you know, I''m close friends with Commander Yan Long, and he''s strongly rmended Zhang Lie to me before. He even told me to give up the governor''s seat to Zhang Lie if he asked for it! Finally, Zhang Lie''s reputation alone would shine a spotlight on the special forces of Qi. Given these factors, I hope you understand how important it is to treat him well."


    Xiao Zhengyang''s reasoning shocked the other two at the dining table. Even his wife was stupefied, let alone Zhou Liao. She had never heard him praise a hunter from the younger generation so highly before.


    "Head, are you serious? Is he as strong as you im?" Zhou Liao was bbergasted by the im that Zhang Lie was Xiao Zhengyang''s equal.


    Even Xiao Zhengyang''s wife turned to him, as if awaiting his answer.


    "I''m sure of it¡ªI even think he''s hiding the true extent of his strength from me, so he''s even more frightening than what either of you are suspecting. You understand why I don''t want him to take part in the official selection process now, don''t you?"


    Zhou Liao simply couldn''t believe what Governor Xiao was saying. That would imply that Zhang Lie was at the peak of the second realm even as a neer¡ªhow could this be?! He had heard a little about the theory of limit fragments that Zhang Lie had promulgated. Were these its effects? How ridiculous!


    At that moment, Zhou Liao decided that he would have to be close with Zhang Lie, no matter what. Who knew if there would be some opportunity for him to benefit from Zhang Lie''s strength in the future?


    He would, at the very least, let Zhang Lie do as he pleased.


    "Zhengyang, did Commander Yan Long really say to make him the governor of Qi if he wanted it?" Lai Yunyun, Xiao Zhengyang''s wife, was more shocked by this errantment.


    Xiao Zhengyang turned back to his wife and smiled. "Don''t worry, he won''t want our drab little city. Someone like Zhang Lie couldn''t be tempted even with a thousand such cities."


    Neither of the other two at the table dared to probe further. Both of them had only one thought in their minds: never to provoke Zhang Lie! Zhou Liao pledged that he would certainly give Zhang Lie no cause for displeasure.


    Somehow, as a result of this lunch, Zhang Lie became one of the most influential figures of the city, backed by the governor, his wife, and the leader of the special forces of Qi.


    Not long after the lunch finished, Zhang Lie appeared at the gates to Qi, and Zhou Liao hurriedly rushed off to wee him.

 Chapter 293: A Show of Force

    <h4>Chapter 293: A Show of Force</h4>


    After Xiao Zhengyang''s warning, Zhou Liao was far more cordial to Zhang Lie than before¡ªso much so that even Xiao Zhengyang cringed at his behavior, let alone Zhang Lie.


    "Zhang Lie, what do you think about returning to the troops now?"


    "I''m ready to head out, Team Leader Zhou! Please, treat me just like a regr recruit."


    Unfortunately, it seemed as though Xiao Zhengyang had been entirely too sessful in highlighting Zhang Lie''s strength. Zhou Liaoughed and replied, "If there''s anyone that deserves special treatment, it''s you!"


    He grimaced at Xiao Zhengyang, then rushed off toward the special forces barracks with Zhou Liao.


    The barracks'' location was secret to the public and all other hunters. Because the special forces tended to conduct dangerous operations away from the city, it was located somewhat far away from city grounds, where regr hunters would have a hard time chancing upon it.


    Zhang Lie had been prepared for this, but when Zhou Liao pointed at a ranch and informed him that it was their destination, it still took Zhang Lie by surprise. The ranch covered thousands of square meters ofnd, and all sorts of low-grade gic lifeforms from the second realm were being tamed there.


    "I can''t believe the barracks'' facade is a ranch," Zhang Lie murmured.


    "Certainly not something anyone would suspect, is it? We haven''t had to deal with anyone suspicious for quite a while. Well, Zhang Lie, please enter!"


    Along the way, Zhou Liao had informed him that the special forces troops consisted of 88 hunters, which were divided into ten teams. Zhou Liao was the troop leader of the forces as well as team leader of the first team, and he naturally imed Zhang Lie for his team under Governor Xiao''s auspices.


    Of course, there would have to be an initiation ceremony.


    As Zhou Liao and Zhang Lie headed toward the ranch, two hunters appeared by the door, one male and one female. Their attire made them look like workers on the ranch, but they appeared so silently that they surely had to be hunters.


    "Troop Leader!"


    "Xia Na, Zhou Ming! Are the two of you on duty today?"


    "Troop Leader, isn''t that... Zhang Lie? Is he why the governor summoned you?" Upon seeing Zhang Lie, Xia Na''s eyes began to shine, as though she had just found a new toy to y with.


    "More or less. I''ll give you all the specifics in a moment. Inform the troops to gather at the underground drill grounds within ten minutes¡ªI have an announcement to make!"


    "An announcement? Hmm," Xia Na wondered.


    "You''ll find out soon enough!"


    "Team Leader, I won''t be able to summon everyone¡ªthe third team just went out on a mission," Xia Na replied, momentarily turning serious.


    "No matter. I''ll inform them of the matter separately when they''re back. Shall we head inside?"


    The interior of the ranch seemed much like any ordinary ranch. Most of the lifeforms that were being raised were darkrune beasts, amon, low-grade, and high-fertility lifeform. For the hunters of the second realm, these darkrune beasts would be able to provide them with an easy supply of basic gene fragments, and their meat was juicy and delicious.


    There were a few ranch workers wandering around; most were robots, but the rare few humans that were ncing at him with interest from time to time were, of course, special forces troops.


    The ranch itself, as a facade, was nothing out of the ordinary; the facilities were all underground. It was clear how much thought had been put into this base of operations, and it was well equipped with the weapons, information, and technology to handle all sorts of situations.


    Zhou Liao assigned Zhang Lie a room, as well as a robot for various administrative and cleaning tasks. He was treated as well as a team leader.


    In the next ten minutes, Zhou Liao introduced him briefly to the underground facilities, then brought him to the drill grounds where the other troops had all gathered. Except for the nine members of the third team and Zhou Liao himself, the other 78 hunters were all present.


    Zhou Liao strode forward to the front of the assembly, bringing Zhang Lie along with him.


    "By order of Governor Xiao, from today onwards, Dragonlord General Zhang Lie will officially be part of the special forces troops as the deputy troop leader!"


    The announcement took everyone by surprise, even Zhang Lie. In a rare break with discipline, the troops began murmuring to each other.


    "What? Deputy troop leader from the very beginning? Isn''t this a little extreme?"


    "Bing the troop leader has always required at least ten years of meritorious service here. It''s true that Zhang Lie has made great contributions to humanity, but as a neer to the second realm, shouldn''t he start from the very bottom?"


    "Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous..."


    "He might be the champion of the Void Cup, and undefeated in the first realm, but surely not in the second!"


    Zhou Liao''s promation had simply been too shocking. The special forces didn''t have a deputy troop leader; this meant that Zhou Liao had created this role specially for Zhang Lie.


    Even Zhang Lie couldn''t help jumping in. "Troop Leader Zhou, this¡ª"


    "Don''t worry, Deputy Leader Zhang. I''ll handle it!" Zhou Liao interrupted him. Facing the crowd once again, he continued, "I know this might be an unfair announcement, but it''s amand from the governor himself, so all of you will simply have to bear with it. If anyone causes any problems, they''ll be punished by the governor himself!"

 Chapter 294: Come at Me Together

    <h4>Chapter 294: Come at Me Together</h4>


    The special forces troops'' hushed murmurs halted immediately. It was a clear sign of respect toward Governor Xiao that they wouldn''t question any of his decisions, even this questionable one; this was why Zhou Liao had dared to announce that the unusual order was Governor Xiao''s doing.


    Of course, just because the troops respected Xiao Zhengyang didn''t mean that they would do the same to Zhang Lie.


    After all, they were the most elite troops of Qi.


    In the second realm, because of mankind''s rtive inferiority in numbers, and because the native inhabitants of the realm tended to congregate in groups, mankind alsorgely moved around in teams; those hunters who paraded as lone wolves were generally thought to be idiotic, and most perished by the first month. If they were to go out hunting alone, they could easily be overwhelmed by a horde of beasts.


    Thus, essentially all sessful hunters belonged to a team, whose strength would be evaluated based on its members'' strength, gic armor, framework and techniques, and even soulshards. There were five such ranks: low, medium, high, superior, and special. Naturally, the special forces troops were all part of special-rank teams, and every hunter within such a team possessed extraordinary ability.


    They were proud of their skills and abilities, of the experience that had qualified them as special-rank hunters, and this made them look down on Zhang Lie all the more.


    They all stared stonily at Zhang Lie, as though trying to provoke him or question his skills. If they had been direct about it, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have minded, but their sullen behavior left him rather ufortable.


    Zhang Lie strode forward. "Team Leader Zhou, these are the drill grounds, aren''t they?"


    Zhang Lie''s intentions were clear. Zhou Liao nodded and motioned for Zhang Lie to continue speaking.


    "I know none of you are happy with this turn of events, but I''ve chosen to ept Governor Xiao''s orders. If any of you think yourselves stronger than I am, step forward. We''ll have a match right here on these grounds. If any of you can defeat me, you can have my position¡ªbut if I am to win, then I expect that you''ll submit to my authority."


    Zhang Lie''s tone was serious, but the troops couldn''t help smirking at each other.


    A match? Did Zhang Lie really think that, as a neer to the second realm, he could take on and defeat the elites who had been here for years? Each of them had ascended from the first realm after maxing out their gene fragments, and they were almost finished with the same in the second realm!


    It seemed tantly obvious that Zhang Lie had no measure of his strength, nor of theirs.


    Zhou Liao, selectively forgetting that he had been much the same way, couldn''t help but think that the troops were still too inexperienced. He hadn''t seen Zhang Lie fight himself, but given Governor Xiao''s supetive evaluation, he didn''t doubt Zhang Lie''s skills. He was rather looking forward to the uing fights, and somewhat concerned for those hunters that were about to stride forward.


    After Zhang Lie spoke, the troops all turned to Zhou Liao, as though trying to confirm Zhang Lie''s authority.


    "From today onwards, Deputy Leader Zhang''s authority is equal to my own. As long as you can beat him, I''ll even hand over my position as troop leader!" Zhou Liao announced.


    Indeed, a show of strength would quell any unrest. The reason Zhou Liao himself had been able to be the troop leader was because of his surpassing administrative ability as well as personal strength.


    "I don''t want to be a team leader, but I''d consider bing a deputy leader!" The first challenger stepped forward, one that Zhang Lie actually recognized¡ªthe second team leader, Xia Na. The moment she stepped forward, the other troops began to do so as well.


    "Nana, you''re too fast! I''ll join you as well!"


    "I have to say, I like this kid''s personality. Count me in!"


    "I don''t want to be troop leader, but deputy troop leader, well..."


    "Well, I want to see just how strong this kid really is! Champion of the Void Cup, Dragonlord General of China, the pride of humanity, leader of the Zenith Dojo... I''m quite curious just what the person lying behind all these titles really is like."


    "Lad, you''re only in your twenties, aren''t you? Given your performance in the Void Cup, I have to admit you''re strong, and your development of these limit fragments is truly impressive, but you''re still too young to be our deputy leader!"


    Six team leaders stepped forward, each of them expecting to give Zhang Lie a good trouncing. They reached an agreement almost immediately. "We won''t bully you. Choose any one of us six; if you can defeat any of us, we''ll submit to your authority."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Interesting. Why don''t you alle at me together? I''d like to test my limits after my advancement."

 Chapter 295: Dragonturtle Tablet

    <h4>Chapter 295: Dragonturtle Tablet</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s words shocked the gathered troops. This wasn''t the first time they had met an arrogant hunter, but Zhang Lie was the most arrogant one they had seen.


    They were the special forces troops of Qi, and Zhang Lie''s opponents were six of their team leaders. Did Zhang Lie really think he could take on all six at once?


    Even Zhou Liao was staring agape at Zhang Lie. After all, the six of them were all easily within the top twenty strongest hunters of Qi, and they were used to cooperating with each other. With the six of them working together, even the governor Xiao Zhengyang would be hard-pressed to take him on¡ªlet alone a neer like Zhang Lie!


    "Rather bold of you,d¡ªI''ll make sure not to pummel you too hardter on!"


    Zhang Lie''s words had clearly struck a nerve. He was looking down on the team leaders gathered here; how could they take this insult lying down?


    "Lad, we don''t want to bully you. Pick one of us to fight¡ªanyone you want!"


    Zhang Lie actually did want to test out what it would be like to face them all at once, but that seemed like it would have to wait. The team leaders were too prideful to gang up on a neer like him, even given his earlier provocation.


    Zhang Lie pointed at Zhou Ming. "Very well, Team Leader Zhou Ming, I choose you!"


    After all, Zhou Ming was one of the only team leaders whose name he knew. The other team leaders were rather surprised by his selection, and they all looked toward Zhou Ming with envy. From their perspective, Zhou Ming was the lucky one among them who would be able to teach this arrogant upstart a lesson!


    The troops cleared out a space for the fight between Zhang Lie and Zhou Ming.


    Owing to his seniority, Zhou Ming couldn''t help feeling obligated to remind Zhang Lie, "If you can''t handle it anymore, just surrender. Losing to any of us wouldn''t be an embarrassment."


    "Thank you for the reminder, but I''ll say the same as well¡ªdon''t feel bad surrendering to me!" Zhang Lie meant his words sincerely, but to the spectators, they sounded like another arrogant provocation.


    As far as they knew, Zhou Ming was far stronger than Zhang Lie. It was only expected for Zhou Ming to give Zhang Lie such a warning; for Zhang Lie to do the same to Zhou Ming was the height of hubris.


    Bothbatants spoke up simultaneously, offering their opponent the first blow; they clearly believed that their opponent wouldn''t have a chance after they struck.


    "As the junior, you should go first. I''d rather not have others call me a bully," Zhou Ming advised.


    No matter what, Zhang Lie would be arade in arms in the future, so it would be in his best interest to keep up a cordial rtionship with him.


    "Are you certain?"


    Zhou Ming curled his fingers at Zhang Lie, beckoning him to get started.


    "In that case, be careful!" As Zhang Lie dashed forward, a blood moon rose into the air. ck mist shrouded the sun, and five strange beasts¡ªa carp, a serpent, a winged tiger, a turtle, and a qilin¡ªseemed to float across the skies.


    Unbelievably thick gic energy spread through the air, surrounding the turtle. At this moment, the spectators felt as though the force of gravity had suddenly multiplied all around them.


    Zhou Ming, Zhang Lie''s opponent, had it much worse. It seemed to him as though he were being crushed by a gigantic mountain, one that even made the gic energy circting throughout his body feel sluggish. Regardless, he was an elite of the second realm. The moment he felt his gic energy slow, he activated a number of soulshards.


    With a bestial cry, his body expanded, transforming his upper half-body into that of an eagle. Runes surrounded his body, and his red and blue gic armor was particrly striking.


    However, the fact that Zhang Lie had forced him to use his trump card so early made him seem somewhat weak.


    "What''s going on? Why did Zhou Ming use his soulshards already?"


    "What, can''t you see what''s going on? Zhou Ming was forced to activate his soulshards to defend against that neer''s attack!"


    "Really? How can that kid be so strong?"


    The troops whispered to each other, finally realizing that Zhang Lie might be a strong hunter in his own right. As they spoke, Zhang Lie stomped on the ground with one foot, and a runic tablet dropped from the turtle''s shell and smashed into the ground.


    The underground barracks quaked, and the troops present barely remained upright under the suddenly immense force of gravity. Even Zhou Liao and the spectating team leaders were forced to circte their own gic energy, let alone their team members and Zhou Ming on stage.


    The troops watching from a distance away red their gic energy, but even so, they were still forced to one knee.


    Zhou Ming''s body mmed against the ground due to a concentrated spike of gravity around him, his limbs unable to budge no matter how much strength or gic energy he forced through his body. He suddenly felt that, if Zhang Lie were to increase the force of gravity around him a little more, he might very well burst and die.


    It was a terrible feeling to experience; his life was in Zhang Lie''s hands.

 Chapter 296: Five Together

    <h4>Chapter 296: Five Together</h4>


    At that moment, Zhou Ming realized just howrge the gap between him and Zhang Lie was. The ck runic tablet didn''t look like it was anything particrly unusual, but that tablet alone had quashed the fighting spirit of all the troops gathered at the drill grounds.


    Even Zhang Lie himself was shocked by how strong the tablet was; it was one of the abilities of [Ninecarp Transformation]''s fourth form, the dragonturtle. Zhang Lie hadn''t had the opportunity to test out the effects of these tablets, and this was his first trial.


    It was fortunate that he had excellent control over his gic energy¡ªor Zhou Ming might have been squashed into a human pancake.


    "Team Leader Zhou Ming, will you concede?"


    So securely was Zhou Ming pressed against the ground that he was barely able to force the words out of his mouth. He, who had thought that this match would be an easy win, had given up. He was already pressed against the ground immobile, and it was clear that his opponent had gone easy on him. Not admitting defeat and continuing to fight would just serve to prolong his misery.


    The moment he surrendered, Zhang Lie unsummoned the stone tablet and reined in his gic energy. The immense force of gravity pushing the troops down vanished, and they all heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang Lie, I can''t speak for the others, but I''m willing to submit to your authority!" Zhou Ming stood up and nced at Zhang Lie again in awe. How had he managed to obtain such strength as a neer to the second realm? He had lost, well and truly, but against an opponent of such caliber, Zhou Ming didn''t feel at all embarrassed. Indeed, he was even rather curious as to just what Zhang Lie''s limits were.


    Zhang Lie turned to the other team leaders. ?"Does anyone else want to challenge me?"


    Since matters had progressed to this extent, he might as well beat the other team leaders into submission as well. The team leaders were all elites in their own right. Although Zhang Lie''s technique had given them a tremendous shock, it wasn''t enough to make them cower¡ªor, in other words, having the courage to face him was more important than actually winning.


    He had provoked them all; if they didn''t have the guts to ept his challenge, how would they be able to stand up to their team members in the future? Furthermore, if all five remaining team leaders worked together and used one of their secret formations, they would stand a chance against Zhang Lie...


    "Zhang Lie, I have to admit you''re very strong, but even so, here in the special forces, we won''t back down from your provocation. I, Ye Tiang, ept your challenge!" A tall, stoic team leader strode forward. He had been one of the most outspoken of the team leaders against Zhang Lie.


    .


    Among the troops, he was known to be the strictest of the team leaders, both to his subordinates and to himself.


    "Right, it would be dishonorable to back down now. Count me in! Just because you''re a strong opponent doesn''t mean that we''ll back down. We''ll fight!" Ye Tiang''s words spurred the other team leaders to action. They had to fight¡ªas special forces troops, they couldn''t back down and hadn''t ever backed down because of fear.


    Zhang Lie had more or less anticipated this situation. After all, they were members of the special forces; if this disy of strength was enough to cause them to back down, Zhang Lie really would have looked down upon them.


    So, what surprises would the six of them have in store for him?


    "As expected of the special forces of Qi! I''ll cede you the first attack," he offered.


    The five team leaders shot toward Zhang Lie while Zhou Ming shook his head, sighed, and headed back to his team. As the hunter who best understood Zhang Lie''s present strength among them all, he didn''t think the gathered team leaders had a chance of victory. Just from the strength of his one technique alone, it was evident that he was in a different realm of strength entirely.


    Perhaps the five team leaders'' formation could temporarily fend him off, but not for long. Furthermore, Zhang Lie hadn''t truly attacked him. All he had done was stomp on the ground and cause a dark tablet to fall from the skies, but that alone was sufficient to render him immobile and the spectators kneeling...


    As the champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie was known for [The Boundless de], and what he had disyed was only a thin sliver of his true strength. From his perspective, the five team leaders had already lost. Nevertheless, it would be impossible to dissuade them from continuing to fight, because Ye Tiang had made this a question of the special forces'' honor.


    If he were to try to dissuade them now, he would be mocked for disgracing the special forces'' courage.


    In the makeshift arena, the five team leaders'' faces were all tinged with some embarrassment. Faced with Zhang Lie''s youthful appearance, they were reminded very clearly of the fact that they were essentially teaming up against a neer.


    Sensing their difort, Zhang Lie hastily stepped forward and eximed, "Don''t be shy, and don''t hold back¡ªif you don''t use everything you''ve got, you might just suffer an ignominious defeat!"

 Chapter 297: Hundred Dragons Soaring

    <h4>Chapter 297: Hundred Dragons Soaring</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s words rippled through the crowd.


    The team leaders, who had seemed embarrassed just a moment ago, steeled their faces and began circting their gic energy. Red, green, blue, yellow, and white circles appeared underneath their feet. Soulshards shed; gic armor materialized over their bodies, and the five team leaders seemed to morph into five deities.


    Unbelievably dense gic energy crushed the arena, forcing Zhang Lie to circte his own gic energy as well.


    "Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Lieughed, likewise materializing his gic armor. The crystalline armor was patterned with mysterious runic inscriptions, giving it a surprising sense of grace and beauty despite its lethal nature.


    As the armor condensed over Zhang Lie''s body, a wave of gic energy swept over the arena, and an ancient, frightening presence made itself known. In his crystalline armor, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a ravenous, frightening lifeform, one the likes of which they had never seen before.


    If the lifeforms that they had faced in the past were like tigers in their prime, then Zhang Lie at present seemed like a tyrannosaurus rex.


    His gic energy took the form of the deep sea, boundless and violent. The floor of the arena seemed topress a few inches under his might. Under such immense pressure, even the five team leaders were shocked. None of them could have imagined that Zhang Lie, at full strength, could reach such vaunted heights.


    They didn''t dare let himunch the first attack. Cooperating, they struck first. "[Heaven''s Dance: Rampant Storm]!"


    The skies lost their color, and wheels of five-colored light shot toward Zhang Lie. The wheels of light looked like individual projectiles, but their trajectories were unusually harmonized. They simultaneously struck at Zhang Lie from all directions.


    "Very well¡ªtake this! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie concentrated his gic energy around his right arm, then released it in one gigantic torrent. ck dragons shot out of his right arm, one after another, forming a horde a hundredrge that nketed the skies in darkness.


    The ck dragons smashed against the wheels of light. The five team leaders, working in unison, had a reserve of gic energy that went even beyond his own. The seven wheels of light immediately destroyed nine of the ck dragons, but while there were only seven wheels, the dragons kept pouring out of Zhang Lie''s arm; Zhang Lie would win by sheer numbers alone.


    "Just who is this crazy kid?" one of the team leaders murmured, gobsmacked by the sight of the dragons filling the air. They were five seniors fighting together against a junior, and they even imed the first attack¡ªhow was it that the tide of the battle had turned against them so quickly?


    "Don''t give up now! Exhaust all your gic energy. We''ll use the strongest attack of the formation!" Ye Tiang shouted, his face pale.


    Indeed, the team leaders knew that, unless they fought back with all their strength now, they could very well lose just from Zhang Lie''s first attack. In that case, how could they afford to call themselves special forces?


    "[Heaven''s Dance: Chaos Incarnate]!"


    The team leaders, who were standing at the points of a pentagon, suddenly began to shift their formation. As they did so, the five-colored gic energy melded into a rainbow-hued gic energy which gave Zhang Lie a sense of foreboding the moment he saw it.


    The five team leaders'' movement formed a gigantic hoop of rainbow energy, which whirred so quickly that space began to distort in the center of the hoop. As the team leaders moved faster and faster, rainbow-colored streams of gic energy whipped out of the hoop, causing any of the ck dragons they struck to dissipate immediately.


    The rainbow hoop shed again and again with the torrent of dragons spewing forth from Zhang Lie''s arm. The frightening gic fluctuations that resulted from such a sh caused the entire underground barracks to quake; regardless of who won, both parties had more than adequately disyed their strength from the magnitude of the blows that were being exchanged.


    Within dozens of seconds, Zhang Lie''s attack was fully repelled by the five team leaders, but they all began to frown. After all, if they were alone, none of them would be able to defend against Zhang Lie''s blow. The five of them working together had been barely enough to match Zhang Lie, and just countering his blow with this formation had sapped far more of their gic energy than did Zhang Lie''s attack.


    [Heaven''s Dance: Chaos Incarnate] was a peak-grade technique, and the expenditure of gic energy required to maintain it was simrly immense. Just activating it for those dozens of seconds had consumed almost a third of the team leaders'' gic energy, and it was only natural that they were starting to feel exhausted already.


    At this point, the five team leaders didn''t think they had any chance of victory¡ªthey just wanted not to lose too badly...

 Chapter 298: Defeat in One Strike

    <h4>Chapter 298: Defeat in One Strike</h4>


    Zhang Lie didn''t care what the team leaders were thinking; he just wanted to test his limits against an opponent that could withstand his attacks. This was the first time that he had met an opponent who could counter his [Hundred Dragons Soaring] head-on, which made his excitement spike.


    "Impressive technique! Now, take this!" A violet shortsword materialized in Zhang Lie''s right hand, and water-attuned gic energy gathered in a torrent about the tip of the de. "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A sword strike split the skies.


    Immense pressure struck the gathered team leaders. Zhang Lie''s [Hundred Dragons Soaring] had been an annoying technique for the team leaders to deal with, but this sword strike posed a lethal threat. It was evident to them that, if they didn''t defend against this blow, they might well lose their lives.


    "Implode the formation!" Ye Tiang called out decisively, and the other team leaders all nodded in agreement.


    The rainbow hoop stopped spinning and began to swell. As the sword strikended, the hoop exploded, marking an end to the strongest formation of the special forces of Qi. The explosion of the rainbow hoop was sufficient to deter Zhang Lie''s strike for a brief moment, but it ultimately was unable to sap much of its momentum.


    As the de continued to fall, the team leaders each activated their soulshards and surged gic energy through their bodies in an attempt to defend against the blow, but the fact that even sacrificing their formation had done so little indicated that their struggle now was futile.


    Only then did they truly realize how Zhang Lie had managed to be the deputy leader of the special forces immediately upon his arrival to the second realm: he was strong, far stronger than they were, at least as strong as the governor of Qi himself!


    With such strength, the governor would easily hand him the position of the troop leader if that was what he wanted¡ªafter all, in the dimensional world, strength was might.


    The team leaders felt as though they had been narrow-minded fools, so confident in their own strength that they didn''t recognize Zhang Lie''s! From the overwhelming pressure they felt, it became apparent to them all that, if this attack were tond, none of the five of them would survive.


    The force from exploding the rainbow hoop had turned the drill grounds into a pitted mess, with dust and smoke rising into the air, so while the spectators could sense how ferocious this attack was, they were unaware of just how the five team leaders were faring.


    They were barely able to force themselves to stand, to resist the might of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Only Zhou Ming and Zhou Liao sensed the team leaders'' struggles. However, Zhang Lie''s attack was so swift that they couldn''t get a word out by the time it was about tond. The two of them began to panic: surely the team leaders wouldn''t be able to survive this blow.


    However, as they watched on, they witnessed an unusual sight. Despite the strength of the blow, it didn''t seem to leave asting impact on the arena, and the five team leaders'' gic fluctuations hadn''t changed one bit.


    The strike that seemed as though it had split the very skies vanished like an illusion as Zhang Lie reined in his gic energy at the veryst moment. After all, he had no intention of taking the lives of these team leaders, all of whom would be under hismand in the future.


    The five team leaders'' eyes widened in relief and shock. The reason they had struggled so hard was because the attack was of such awesome strength that they didn''t think Zhang Lie would be able to cancel it partway through, but in the end, they had underestimated Zhang Lie once more. From the ease with which he retracted his gic energy, he obviously possessed supetive control over it.


    The five team leaders, just like Zhou Ming, had all been won over by his strength.


    Zhang Lie pped, then said, "Your formation is surprisingly strong. It looks like we won''t be able to determine a victor; since we''re going to remain teammates in the future, why don''t we just call it a tie?"


    A...tie?! The team leaders flushed red with embarrassment. Not only had they been soundly defeated in a five-to-one match, Zhang Lie had had to rein in his attack to spare their lives¡ªand now he was sparing their dignity as well!


    Even Zhou Ming and Zhou Liao, watching the match from beside the arena, were red-faced.


    This wasn''t something that Xia Na could ept. She was just about to rify that they had lost when Su Nan, who understood her well, tugged her arm. "At this point, we''d better ept his goodwill, don''t you think?"

 Chapter 299: Qualification to be a Lone Wolf

    <h4>Chapter 299: Qualification to be a Lone Wolf</h4>


    "As expected of the champion of the Void Cup¡ªwith such strength, you''re more than qualified to be our deputy leader. Even with such a numerical advantage, we were still overwhelmed by your attack. I apologize for doubting your abilities."


    In the end, it was Ye Tiang who stepped up as the team leaders'' representative. Gone was the pride from his voice; it had been reced by awe and admiration. If nothing else, the fact that he had spared them a loss of life and dignity was worthy of respect. If they had been victorious, they certainly wouldn''t have treated him in like manner.


    The troops, who weren''t privy to the details of Zhang Lie''s strength but had gleaned a little understanding of it during the battle, were all staring gobsmacked at him. After all, they hadn''t expected their team leaders to lose, especially not five against one. Few of them were at the level where they could appreciate the strength of Zhang Lie''sst technique.


    Ye Tiang strode forward. "Listen up, Team Five! From now on, Zhang Lie''s our deputy leader. Hismands are mymands! Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Team Leader Ye, Deputy Leader Zhang!" his troops chorused.


    "Ah, there''s no need for such formalities. Let''s just treat each other as friends, shall we?" Zhang Lie''s face revealed none of the domineering aura that had pervaded his techniques, but the more polite he was, the more worried the other team leaders seemed to be. Following Ye Tiang''s lead, they immediately had their subordinates greet Zhang Lie as Deputy Leader Zhang.


    From that day onwards, the troops would have a new, legendary deputy leader: Zhang Lie!


    After resolving this internal conflict, Zhou Liao led Zhang Lie into the barracks.


    "Troop Leader Zhou, if you''re busy, please feel free to tend to your affairs. I''ve more or less familiarized myself with the barracks by now, and I''ll be fine alone."


    "It''s no problem at all. After all, you''re our new deputy leader, and you''re more important than anything else on my agenda."


    The two of them chatted as they walked to Zhang Lie''s new residential unit, which Zhang Lie had picked out for himself. He was very pleased with it. The furnishing was understated but functional and well-made. More importantly, there were a rare few rays of sunlight, a luxury in thergely underground barracks.


    The moment the two of them sat down, Zhou Liao jumped back up, suddenly seeming to recall something. "Ah, that''s right!"


    He turned to Zhang Lie. "You need your own team members! As a deputy troop leader, you should have a team in your own right. Just you wait. They''re in the middle of selecting new recruits for the special forces now, so I''ll have them add nine new slots to the roster. The governor''s intention is to double the size of the special forces this year."


    Zhang Lie seemed shocked. "Team members?"


    "Of course! As the deputy troop leader, surely you need some troops of your own," Zhou Liao responded.


    "No, no, I''m quite alright! Just my Team Zenith and the Zenith Dojo are troublesome enough to manage, let alone new recruits!" From Zhang Lie''s perspective, fostering new recruits would be a demanding and unrewarding task.


    "What? Surely not, Deputy Leader Zhang¡ªeven you shouldn''t be trying to hunt alone! Don''t look down on these recruits. They''re some of the strongest hunters in Qi, in the second realm!"


    Zhou Liao was really quite surprised by Zhang Lie''s refusal. After all, in ordinary circumstances, the other team leaders would badger him asking for more people; on the other hand, Zhang Lie was refusing the recruits that Zhou Liao was promising him.


    "Troop Leader Zhou, I really am grateful for your consideration, but I won''t have a need for them. I expect the other members of Team Zenith to make their way over to the second realm within the next three months. At that point, I''ll have them alle over to Qi, and that''ll be my team."


    Zhou Liao''s eyes widened.


    "Team Zenith, the one whose hunters all made it to the top twenty? Who took second and third ce in the Void Cup? No, wait¡ªhow will they be able to ensure that theye to Qi? The will of the world chooses the starting location in the second realm randomly!"


    Zhou Liao was certainly well aware of Team Zenith, the members of which had made a name for themselves during the Void Cup. He had even considered leaving them a few spots in the special forces troops once they advanced to the second realm, but as he had mentioned, the starting location in the second realm was chosen randomly, and there was no guarantee they would start in Qi.


    Furthermore, if they were sent to some other city, it would be difficult to make their way over. The route from city to city wasn''t all that easy to traverse, and the city to which they were sent would hardly let them go so easily. After all, considering Zhang Lie''s strength, the hunters of Team Zenith would likely be eagerly sought after by the governors of the various cities.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be able to gather them here without fail!"


    Zhang Lie''s response shocked Zhou Liao. Just how on Earth did Zhang Lie n on achieving such a feat? To be quite honest, Zhou Liao simply couldn''t understand Zhang Lie at all. Whenever he felt that he had gained some measure of understanding, Zhang Lie would reveal one bombshell after another.


    Zhou Liao suddenly frowned. If Zhang Lie really could control where hunters from the first realm ended up...


    Before he could speak, however, Zhang Lie interrupted his train of thought. "Troop Leader Zhou, I''m able to direct the members of Team Zenith to where I want them to go, but this method likely won''t work for anyone else."


    Zhou Liao sighed, then raised another objection. "Deputy Leader Zhang, there are only seven of you in Team Zenith, aren''t there? Our policy is to have at least nine members in a team, so won''t you consider adding two more recruits?"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t very willing to do so, but from the look in Zhou Liao''s eyes, he would badger Zhang Lie to no end if Zhang Lie refused.


    "Very well, but I want final say over these two new members."


    Zhou Liao beamed. "Of course! If they want to join your team, they''ll surely need your approval first."


    He left the room whistling, and Zhang Lie finally had the time to draft out a development n for the second realm. He had already begun nning for it the moment he regressed, but his unexpected advancement meant that some changes would be necessary.


    He had three main objectives in the second realm.


    The first objective was to acquire an asura thorn in preparation for the research and development of a peak-grade limit-breaking potion. This was something he had begun doing the moment he managed to kill the disaster-grade lifeform in the first realm, and the asura thorn was one of the most likely ingredients he would need for the potion. This thorn was something that all members of the sura race had on their right elbow, and it served as the mechanism by which the sura were able to consume the lifeforce of other lifeforms.


    An asura was an ascended form of the sura, one so rare that perhaps only one out of tens of millions of sura would ever seed at the ascension. The asura prized their thorns as much as their very lives, and for Zhang Lie to acquire such an ingredient for his research would be a challenging endeavor indeed.


    The second objective was to weaken the sura race as much as he could, to prevent the urrence of the disgusting human-furnace experiments that the sura race would conduct in the future.


    The second objective wasn''t as shocking as the first, but it would require far more of his energy and time. After all, strengthening the entirety of the human race wasn''t something that could be done in a sh, and it would require careful nning and groundwork on his part.


    Finally, hisst objective was to cap his peak gene fragments in the second realm and to develop the corresponding peak limit fragments. No ordinary hunter would be able to conceive of such a feat. Indeed, most hunters in the second realm wouldn''t even have heard of peak-grade lifeforms, and even fewer would be able to obtain peak gene fragments.


    Of course, these weren''t objectives he would have to worry about just yet. What was most pressing for him was to go out hunting and acquiring enough basic, mutated, and superior gene fragments from the second realm to give him the ability to venture out hunting on his own.


    It wasmon wisdom for human hunters not to strike out on their own in the second realm, but Zhang Lie recalled a member of the sura race who had been famous for being a lone wolf, which suggested that Zhang Lie would be able to do the same once he reached a certain level of strength.

 Chapter 300: The Forest Feast

    <h4>Chapter 300: The Forest Feast</h4>


    What sort of strength would Zhang Lie need to venture out into the depths of the second realm on his own? In his previous life, that lone sura had essentially managed to conquer one of the human cities all by himself, killing the governor and his cadre of bodyguards, along with all the special forces units from that city.


    Zhang Lie was strong, but not yet that strong. Just based on what he had seen in Qi, he would be hard-pressed to deal with Xiao Zhengyang alone, let alone the other forces sent his way.


    In order to have the strength to destroy a city on his own, he would have to at least cap out his mutated gene fragments first.


    Zhang Lie summoned up his hunter profile.


    Zhang Lie: a peak-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Fifth Form: Qilin


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (advanced), One Punch (novice), Ninesoul Dragonde (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 0; Mutated, 0; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak)


    When Zhang Lie saw that his gene fragments had been wiped clean, he couldn''t help feeling a little upset. Just like in his past life, all his gene fragments from the first realm had been incorporated directly into his gic code, so he would have the opportunity to acquire more gene fragments once again¡ªup to his old maximum limit of 160 basic gene fragments, as well as 150 mutated and superior gene fragments.


    Those potions had improved the limits of his body, and those limits were preserved even after his advancement into the second realm. This was the reason why Zhang Lie had been so intent on crafting these potions from the very beginning.


    Those who managed to increase their limit fragment capacity in the first realm would have an advantage that carried forward even into higher realms; for instance, he was stronger than even the seasoned veterans of the second realm.


    Once his teammates advanced after consuming Potion #3, the superior-grade limit-breaking potion, they might not be as strong as he was, but he would put them on the same level as Zhou Liao and the other team leaders.


    After all, the members of Team Zenith had had just about the very best resources from the beginning. He had already done the hard work to pave their road forward; they would simply have to put in the work to remain on it.


    After he sketched out a n, he had a quick lunch, then informed Zhou Liao that he would be hunting around the outskirts of the city to obtain some gene fragments. Zhou Liao wasn''t surprised by Zhang Lie''s actions¡ªhe was just shocked that Zhang Lie had informed him at all.


    Of course, his approval or knowledge of the affair wasn''t important, but he was still d that Zhang Lie had done so, that Zhang Lie was willing to respect his authority. With Zhang Lie''s strength, he would easily be able to hunt at the outskirts of the city alone, but since he had informed Zhou Liao, Zhou Liao felt obligated to provide him with some support.


    As a result, Xia Na''s Team 4 and Zhou Ming''s Team 7 were assigned to escort Zhang Lie out of the city grounds. When Xia Na and Zhou Ming were informed about this task, they didn''t know whether tough or to cry. Would someone like Zhang Lie even need their protection?


    That said, they were more than happy to work with Zhang Lie. In fact, the moment Xia Na''s call ended, Ye Tiang sidled up to her. "Xia Na, during the fight just now, I was the most outspoken against Deputy Leader Zhang Lie, so¡ª"


    "Hold it right there! I know what you''re going to ask, but I''m not going to ept, no matter what you''re offering. Also, do you really think Deputy Leader Zhang Lie is such a petty person?"


    Naturally, Ye Tiang was hoping to get the opportunity to work more closely with Zhang Lie, but Xia Na had seen through him immediately. He turned toward Zhou Ming, who immediately looked away.


    "Xia Na, didn''t you want my ck demon horn? I''ll trade it to you for this opportunity!"


    "Zhou Ming, there was a female hunter whose contact information you wanted while we were on ourst mission, remember? If you let me go, I''ll send you her contact information and arrange a date for you with her, what say you?"


    All the other team leaders were eyeing this opportunity¡ªthey had been won over by Zhang Lie''s strength, fame, and the possibility of learning more about these limit fragments that were surely the key to his overwhelming power.


    The fight between him and them had been a clear demonstration of the strength of these fragments, and they were certain that, as long as they built up a good rtionship with him, they too would have ess to these fragments.


    Naturally, all of them would vie for this opportunity, but Zhou Ming and Xia Na felt much the same way. The two of them rejected everyone else''s offers, then walked off toward Zhang Lie''s quarters under everyone else''s envious gazes.


    What the two of them didn''t know was that, shortly after their departure, Ye Tiang left on "patrol" with his Team 5, and the other team leaders all found some strange reason of their own to leave the underground barracks, all headed toward where Zhang Lie would be hunting.


    The sun shone brightly that afternoon. Compared to the first realm of the dimensional world, the second seemed far more vibrant. Under the escort of the two team leaders, Zhang Lie passed through dozens of checkpoints before finally being admitted to the forest outside Qi.


    The forest was filled with redwood-like trees, ones so tall that Zhang Lie couldn''t see their tip. Allegedly, the reason Qi had been built in such a location was precisely because of the richness of resources in the area. Of course, that was as much an advantage as a disadvantage¡ªsuch a resource-rich environment was the habitat to many a strong lifeform and indigenous tribes, so there would frequently be beast stampedes and invasions by those hostile tribes.


    That said, the forces of Qi had been able to ovee and surmount these difficulties, and the city had survived a number of such incursions without falling.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, the region within fifty kilometers of Qi is popted solely by regr and mutated-grade lifeforms," Xia Na exined.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Given this sort of environment, the lifeforms around are mostly wolf-type or tiger-type, aren''t they?"


    "Yes, that''s right. Generally, we have reports of wolf-type lifeforms prowling the vicinity of the city," Zhou Ming added.


    "Very well. It''s been a long time since I''ve had fresh roast meat, so let''s enjoy ourselves today."


    Zhou Ming and Xia Na''s eyes brightened. The more time they spent with Zhang Lie, the faster they would be able to acquire information regarding these limit fragments.


    On theirmand, their team members darted through the forest, vanishing from sight. They had clearly received orders to start hunting the moment they were dispatched. Zhang Lie didn''t protest, thinking that this was a routine operation to check the nearby forest for any potential threats, but momentster, he found to his surprise that the special forces troops had all returned, each with a dazed lifeform or another trussed up with them.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, this is a thornback greywolf, a regr lifeform. It''s about as strong as a mutated-grade lifeform from the first realm!" one visibly nervous hunter stepped forward and introduced his prey to Zhang Lie.


    It was a wolf-type lifeform, but one quite a few sizesrger than even a Siberian tiger from Earth. Its fur was sharp and bristly, like steel needles, and it tended to roam the forest in a pack. Given that this hunter had managed to stun a creature of this size without alerting the rest of the pack, he was clearly deserving of being in the special forces.


    The other hunters also quickly stepped forward with their respective prey.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, this is..."


    "Deputy Leader Zhang..."


    In a matter of moments, Zhang Lie found sixteen different lifeforms ced in front of him, regr and mutated-grade, some stunned, others on the verge of death.

 Chapter 301: Joining Team Zenith

    <h4>Chapter 301: Joining Team Zenith</h4>


    With all this half-dead prey ced before him, Zhang Lie would be able to obtain the gene fragments he needed just by dealing the finishing blow and then consuming their flesh.


    "Team Leader Zhou, Team Leader Xia, what''s this?" Zhang Lie asked knowingly, believing that the team leaders certainly wanted something from him if they were willing to go to this extent.


    Xia Na gave him a brilliant smile. "It''s nothing, Deputy Leader. Since we''re here, we thought we might as well help you out.


    Zhou Ming agreed. "Right! Troop Leader Zhou instructed us to take good care of you."


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, won''t yound the killing blow? One of my team members is an excellent chef, and I''ll have him demonstrate his abilities for you!" Zhou Ming urged.


    Thinking about it for a moment, Zhang Lie decided to ept their kindness. With a snap of his fingers, all the gic lifeforms arrayed before him lost their lives.


    Zhou Ming and Xia Na''s subordinates immediately got to work, retrieving a set of cleavers and carving knives, chopping up the carcasses on the spot, and starting a campfire.


    Zhang Lie, Zhou Ming, and Xia Na sat by the side of the fire as they began to chat. The two team leaders only asked about mundane, anodyne topics until the scent of roasted meat wafted over to them. Only then did Xia Na ask casually, "Deputy Leader Zhang, just how did you obtain such strength? We''ve both had the foundational breakthrough, but our strength certainly isn''t at your level."


    So this was the reason behind their actions¡ªthey wanted to learn how to be as strong as he was. Zhang Lie smiled. "It''s a little toote. The earlier you obtain these limit fragments, the better. You''ll see what I mean when you advance to the third realm."


    Both of them understood the hidden implication behind Zhang Lie''s words almost immediately.


    "You mean... the benefit we get from these limit fragments persists from realm to realm?!" Xia Na eximed in shock.


    Zhang Lie nodded in assent, causing both hunters to stagger. Zhou Ming pressed, "In that case, will we still have a limit of 110 basic gene fragments even in the third realm?"


    "110? Yes, that''s right!"


    Xia Na and Zhou Ming were gratified to hear his answer, but they then realized what he meant by their already being behind in terms of strength¡ªby the time they performed the fundamental breakthrough, they were already in the second realm, and they had lost the ten additional limit fragments from the first.


    Momentster, Xia Na calmed down and asked the question she cared most about. "Deputy Leader Zhang, are you so strong simply because of the limit fragments that you acquired?"


    "About half my strength, perhaps. I obtained quite a lot of treasures within the first realm," Zhang Lie replied with a smile.


    His strength couldrgely be tied to the mutated and superior limit fragments he possessed, along with the peak and disaster gene fragments he had so fortuitously obtained.


    The acquisition of his peak gene fragments had been widely publicized, because a few hunters had seen the moonlight wyrm carcass that he and the members of Team Zenith had brought back to the cksteel settlement before the start of the Void Cup.


    Indeed, many media sources had even been guessing about the extent of his strength, and some had, fortuitously, gotten it right. One news outlet had proposed that, from Zhang Lie''s dominating performance in the Void Cup, he had to have at least 160 limit fragments, with 50 mutated and 50 superior limit fragments added to the mix.


    However, this seemed hardly possible. After all, it was widely believed that Zhang Lie had been very lucky to be able to develop his Potion #1, which provided basic limit fragments. How could he havee up with the corresponding potions for mutated and superior limit fragments as well?


    After this conversation, however, Xia Na chose to believe that he had indeed done so. Zhang Lie, champion of the Void Cup, strongest of the younger generation of Chinese hunters, might well have exceeded experts'' expectations worldwide ande up with Potions #2 and #3 on his own.


    Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Deputy Leader Zhang, can I join your team? I want to be a member of Team Zenith!"


    Xia Na''s eyes shone as brightly as if she had found an oasis after wandering the desert for a week.


    Unfortunately, Zhang Lie didn''t give her the answer she was hoping to hear. "Team Leader Xia, do you understand what I had in mind when I called my team Team Zenith? The zenith of strength requires a strong foundation built from the first realm, and I''ve carefully cultivated that in every member of Team Zenith. Unfortunately, I can''t ept your request¡ªwe''re already in the second realm, and your limit has already been restricted as a result."


    "Ah." Xia Na''s eyes dimmed. She knew that Zhang Lie was right, but even so, she couldn''t help feeling as though she had been deprived of something important.

 Chapter 302: Rapid Gains

    <h4>Chapter 302: Rapid Gains</h4>


    Before Xia Na could get despondent, however, Zhang Lie continued, "However, there are still two spots left in my special forces team. If you''re interested, you can go through the special forces'' recruitment process once again, but that means that you may have to give up your position as team leader."


    Xia Na looked up in shock. "Do you really mean it, Deputy Leader Zhang?"


    "Why would I lie? Of course I mean it."


    Zhou Ming, caught in a moment of hesitation, was unable to participate in the rapid back-and-forth conversation between the two of them.


    Zhou Ming had intended on asking about the possibility of joining Zhang Lie''s team after Xia Na finished her conversation with him. While they talked, he mulled over the rtionships he had developed with the team members in his care, and he wasn''t certain he could leave them all just like that.


    However, this indecision caused him to miss the most important opportunity of his life, and he continued to regret it even years down the line.


    "Team Leader Zhou, the meat''s ready to be served!"


    He was toote to make his request now; the scent of roast meat had Zhang Lie salivating. Zhang Lie stood up and headed to the campfire.


    "Ah, Deputy Leader Zhang, please have a taste!"


    Seeing Zhang Lie head over, the chef handed him tworge skewers of roast meat, glistening with sizzling golden-yellow drops of oil, which Zhang Lie began to consume immediately.


    Zhang Lie could clearly feel the cells in his body rejoicing as he acquired more and more gene fragments. It had been a long time since he had had such a satisfying meal; after all, in the dimensional realm, after he finished acquiring his superior limit fragments, there had been a long stretch of time during which he hadn''t been able to gain any strength from eating.


    Now, however, with his gene fragments reset...


    Zhang Lie began stuffing his mouth with skewers of meat, one after the other, enjoying the immensely pleasurable sensation of satisfying mind and body. In just five minutes, he had managed to consume as many basic and mutated gene fragments as he could from what had been hunted, and he smiled as he pulled up his status window.


    Zhang Lie: a peak-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Fifth Form: Qilin


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (advanced), One Punch (novice), Ninesoul Dragonde (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 137; Mutated, 49; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak)


    He hadn''t even had to hunt¡ªjust eat! Zhang Lie now understood why some tycoons were willing to import living gic lifeforms from the dimensional world to Earth even at such great expense; the allure of growing strong without any effort was simply too great.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but think back to the time he had spent in the white-grub cave in the first few months of his reincarnation. How boring and tedious his life had been! If he had found the superior-grade white grub anyter, he would have given up. Suddenly, he found himself very relieved that he had persisted all the way through the second realm, and that he had acquired the superior-grade white-grub soulshard.


    As good as it felt to have others hunting on his behalf, however, he knew that this wasn''t something he could afford for this future development. After all, gene fragments represented only a fraction of his strength; a hunter who obtained all his gene fragments by hunting prey himself would surely be stronger than one who didn''t.


    He would have to be careful about not acquiring too many mutated gene fragments at once so that he could limate to his strength. He certainly didn''t want to injure his team members by ident.


    As a result, after he reached 50 mutated gene fragments, Zhang Lie began consuming only regr-grade meat.


    Just as the hunters were enjoying their feast, a few familiar figures emerged from the other side of the forest.

 Chapter 303: A Satisfying Feast

    <h4>Chapter 303: A Satisfying Feast</h4>


    Naturally, those figures who appeared from the forest were the team leaders of the special forces troops who had found all sorts of excuses to head over.


    Ye Tiang''s expression of feigned surprise looked particrlyical. As a principled man, it was particrly strange to see him acting in this fashion, but he wasn''t alone. The other team leaders all quickly appeared in session.


    "Xia Na, what a surprise to see all of you here!" Su Nan forced herself to start an awkward conversation. It was hardly a surprise¡ªthey had all known beforehand that Xia Na would be bringing Zhang Lie into the forest to hunt.


    As one of Su Nan''s good friends, however, Xia Na didn''t expose her. She smiled graciously. "Right, we''ve been helping Deputy Leader Zhang hunt some gene fragments."


    "Is that so? How''s the progress? Do you need some help?" Su Nan asked, her face flushing red from embarrassment as she marched swiftly toward Xia Na.


    "It''s been quite sessful so far, but I think we''re missing some mutated-grade lifeforms," she suggested delicately, ncing at the skewers of meat arrayed by the campfire.


    Zhou Ming frowned. "Haven''t we just started hunting? What''s the rush?"


    He shot one of his subordinates a nce, and they hurriedly prepared to continue the hunt. Before they could do so, Ye Tiang, who was standing beside Su Nan, announced, "There''s no need, Deputy Leader Zhou, just prepare to cook some more!"


    Even Zhang Lie, who was about to stop them, was surprised by Ye Tiang''s words.


    Zhou Ming frowned. "Why not?"


    "Because the rest of us have already hunted one of just about every species of mutated-grade lifeform in a hundred kilometers of the forest!" Ye Tiang gestured forward with his right arm, and the special forces troops of Teams 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 rushed out from the forest, each carrying one or two mutated-grade lifeforms, no two of which were alike.


    In the end, about a hundred dying mutated-grade lifeforms wereid down in front of Zhang Lie, some of which he hadn''t encountered even in his past life.


    It looked as though he had really underestimated the impact of his fight with the various team leaders.


    A hundred mutated-grade lifeforms¡ªin practice, no matter how high his mutated gene capacity, just twenty such lifeforms would have been sufficient, but these team leaders had hunted down every species they were aware of in the hundred kilometers of forest all around!


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether tough or to cry. He had intended not to obtain any more mutated gene fragments at the moment, but by this point, it would be far too harsh to reject them outright.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, just kill them all and I''ll handle the rest. We''d like to apologize again for our actions before the start of the fight, so please treat this as an apology from all of us here."


    Ye Tiang was well aware that Zhang Lie''s arrival in Qi could be the biggest opportunity they would have in the second realm.


    "Thank you for this gesture, Team Leader Zhang¡ªand all the rest of you. Of course I won''t be offended by what happened in the past." Zhang Lie smiled and snapped his fingers again, killing all the lifeforms gathered before him.


    "Shall we have a big feast for everyone, then? I hope someone''s brought wine," Zhang Lie suggested casually, making everyone feel as though he had already forgotten the fight from earlier in the day.


    Indeed, the oue of the fight had been a big shock to them, but to him, it might not mean anything much.


    "Wine? All forms of alcohol are forbidden on a mission, Deputy Leader Zhang!" Ye Tiang responded automatically, causing Zhang Lie to frown.


    "Surely this doesn''t count as a mission? ?Even if it does, as the deputy troop leader, I''ll make an exception for this asion."


    "Ah, no, of course not¡ªthis is certainly a special case!" He turned behind him. "Old Hong, you keep a few vintages with you at all times, don''t you? Why don''t you share them with all of us?"


    A bearded hunter stepped forward. "Team Leader Ye, my alcohol¡ª"


    "Come, now, I''ll refund you tomorrow for everything that was consumed today!"


    Old Hong was known to be an alcoholic, and he couldn''t bear the thought of giving up his most prized alcohol. That said, before he could fully voice his objection, Ye Tiang stopped him short.


    From his perspective, getting a chance to talk with Zhang Lie was far more valuable than a few jars of alcohol. Hong knew that as well, but he still hesitated briefly before he quickly brought out a dozen jars of alcohol from his storage.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, this is a special brew from my hometown. I wouldn''t be willing to share this with just any guest, but for you... please, have a taste!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Of course! Well, then, let''s get started¡ªwe have meat and alcohol ready for everyone!"


    The mood quickly turned festive. The team leaders sat down by the campfire as their subordinates began preparing the meat, and all sorts of delicacies were quickly delivered to them.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie''s gene fragment count rapidly began to increase. Not half an hourter, when Zhang Lie next pulled up his status window, the change was obvious.


    Zhang Lie: a peak-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Fifth Form: Qilin


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (advanced), One Punch (novice), Ninesoul Dragonde (novice)


    .


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak)


    In just one day, he had capped out his basic and mutated gene fragments again¡ªand all he had to do in the meantime was eat and drink!

 Chapter 304: The Tianji Council

    <h4>Chapter 304: The Tianji Council</h4>


    During their feast, Ye Tiang and the other team leaders questioned Zhang Lie about just why he was so strong. Zhang Lie generously told them what he told Xia Na, but unlike before, he didn''t offer any of the remaining team leaders a ce in his team.


    "Thank you for this feast, everyone. I had a really good time," Zhang Lie thanked the other team leaders as he stood up and patted his stomach.


    "No, no, don''t thank us!" Old Hong patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder, but the moment he touched Zhang Lie, he felt a frightening force that seemed to strike at his very soul.


    He yelped and snatched his hand back in pain.


    Zhang Lie stepped ten paces aside. "Ah, sorry, I''ve consumed so many gene fragments today that I''m a little unused to my strength at present."


    He had only intended to move a little distance away, but his strength had ended up propelling him quite a bit farther.


    "It''s been a long time since I''ve had such a satisfying feast as well. We owe this feast to your arrival, Deputy Leader Zhang!"


    "Ah, shut it, you bootlicker!"


    "Right, it''s all thanks to you, Deputy Leader Zhang. If Troop Leader Zhou were here, I''m sure he wouldn''t have permitted such a feast."


    The various team leaders grew bolder and more uninhibited owing to their alcohol consumption, and Zhang Lie much preferred this candor and honesty to their original reserved and aloof demeanor.


    After the feast, the troops began to clean up. The forest was an important region for resource acquisition for all the hunters of Qi, and they had to be responsible for maintaining it in good condition.


    They disposed of the remaining inedible parts of the lifeforms'' carcasses, then packed up the rest of the meat. Unlike in the first realm of the dimensional world, hunters who didn''t participate in the hunt would still be able to obtain a modest number of fragments from consuming the lifeforms'' meat.


    As the troops cleaned up, a wave of hunters walked out of the northern gate, led by a man in his thirties. He wore armor specially crafted in Qi, with a ck, triangr emblem by his chest on which was embroidered the words "Tianji Council".


    .


    His thirty or so subordinates wore much the same outfit, though with a different color, and had haughty expressions on their faces. The Tianji Council possessed the greatest authority in Qi after the governor himself; in some sense, they possessed even greater authority.


    As the supervisory council of Qi, they were able to strip the governor of his power with a unanimous vote, and they also oversaww and order within Qi. They reported their findings to the respective council leaders and negotiated a solution to whatever issue they identified. If neither party could agree on a resolution, the matter would be brought to the governor himself.


    In practical terms, no one wanted to mess with the supervisory council, because they caused trouble no matter where they went.


    By the gates of Qi, Wang Po was very happy that he had finally found the woman of his dreams whom he had met during a chance encounter. She was a member of the special forces! No wonder he had been hard-pressed to find any information on her despite his status on the supervisory council.


    He had missed the opportunity to greet her and introduce himselfst time around, so he certainly couldn''t waste this opportunity now. Wang Po smiled as he considered how to make the best impression on her that he could.


    As they walked out of the gates to Qi, Wang Po asked again, "Are you sure you saw her in the northwestern forests?"


    "Absolutely. I saw Miss Xia Na and another team leader bring their troops into the forest following a young hunter!"


    "A young hunter? Who?"


    "I''m not sure. His face was unfamiliar to me¡ªperhaps he''s part of her mission."


    "In that case, let''s head over. Stand at attention,ds¡ª if I seed, I''ll reward all of you handsomely!"


    "Yes, Captain!" his subordinates chorused.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie and the others, who had just packed up, received news that members of the Tianji Council were heading in their direction from the northern gates.


    "What''s going on?" Zhou Ming frowned in disbelief. Their campfire was done on Zhang Lie''s whims; it hadn''t been nned beforehand, and it hadn''tsted a very long time either. Could someone have ratted them out to the Tianji Council?


    Surely not, but in that case, how could they have known about the campfire? After all, nighttime in the second realm was more dangerous than in the first realm, and under usual circumstances, traveling beyond the city limits at night was strictly prohibited to hunters.


    The Tianji Council had to be aware of this point, so the only reason they were at the northern gates now had to be because of them.

 Chapter 305: The Embarrassed Wang Po

    <h4>Chapter 305: The Embarrassed Wang Po</h4>


    "What should we do? I bet those guys areing after us!" Xia Na murmured.


    The band of hunters had all consumed quite a fair bit of alcohol, so despite the fact that they had cleaned up, it was obvious that they were slightly tipsy.


    "We won''t be able to hide it, but I can''t imagine they''ll care very much. It''s hardly a problem!"


    "It''ll put a damper on Deputy Leader Zhang''s first day here! Don''t you consider that a problem?"


    "Well, we''re special forces troops, aren''t we? I''m sure we can fend them off."


    Zhang Lie didn''t know about these members of the Tianji Council, not having encountered them in his past life. "What''s going on?"


    "Put simply, the Tianji Council''s in charge ofw and order within Qi, and anyone who vites thew is within their purview. As you know, we¡ªthe special forces¡ªaren''t supposed to be drinking while on official business, so..." Zhou Ming spoke up.


    "Is that it? I said I''d be responsible, didn''t I? Let me handle it." Zhang Lie wasn''t at all nervous; this didn''t seem like a serious offense to him. They were in a rtively safe region of the city, and none of them had consumed enough liquor to get drunk. Furthermore, their campfire was far from the usual hunting trails, and they certainly hadn''t caused anyone else any problems.


    Zhang Lie didn''t think that this was an issue at all. Furthermore, even if it really were one, surely Governor Xiao would protect him, and even if not, Zhang Lie, who had just capped his basic and mutated gene fragments, had nothing to fear.


    Once he digested the strength of the limit fragments that he had just acquired, he would have the strength to venture out into the wilderness of the second realm on his own, without the protection afforded by a city. If it came down to it, he believed he could even take down one of the more powerful races in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie''s words shook the special forces troops, but almost immediately afterwards, Xia Na urged him against the idea.


    "Please don''t, Deputy Leader Zhang! You''re a neer, so you might not know just how annoying the Tianji Council is to face. Please, let us handle it. It''s only a minor issue, but none of them know who you are. If you try to step in, it mightplicate things further," Xia Na exined.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll leave it to you, then." Indeed, there was quite a bit Zhang Lie didn''t know about Qi, and Xia Na would be far better equipped to deal with the issue.


    As the troops walked out of the forest, they immediately found themselves facing the Tianji Council, a party of 32 hunters led by a man in his thirties. He was smiling cheerfully, and it hardly seemed like he was there to cause trouble.


    As Zhang Lie scrutinized the hunters, the fourth captain of the Tianji Council, Wang Po, was likewise scrutinizing the special forces troops. He frowned. There had been some mistake in his intel¡ªthere were at least sixty or seventy hunters in their ranks.


    Hadn''t his men told him that there were only two teams of special forces troops in the forest? It looked more like all the forces had been dispatched on some mission or another. Furthermore, what confused Wang Po even more was the hunter standing in the middle of the crowd, Zhang Lie.


    He was sure he had never met Zhang Lie before, but his face seemed oddly familiar.


    "Isn''t that... Zhang Lie?!" one of Wang Po''s men shouted from behind him, causing Wang Po to rear back in shock. Right, that fellow, simultaneously familiar and not, had to be Zhang Lie, champion of the Void Cup, dragonlord of China, the pride of mankind!


    What was he doing here? When had he advanced to the second realm? Had he joined the special forces of Qi?


    After a momentary shock, Wang Po''s excitement turned into sullenness. The encounter that he had nned for Xia Na would be entirely disrupted by Zhang Lie''s presence. Compared to someone like Zhang Lie, his name and title meant nothing, so Wang Po was naturally quite annoyed.


    "Captain Wang?" In the end, Xia Na stepped up after recognizing the other party. She stood in front of Zhang Lie, as though she were protecting him, causing Wang Po''s frown to deepen. Nevertheless, as he turned to face Xia Na, he replied jovially, "That''s right, Troop Leader Xia Na!"


    "What might you be doing here? Does the Tianji Council have official business by the northern gates? Ah, no¡ªhow do you know my name? I don''t believe I introduced myself when we first met."


    ncing at Xia Na''s pretty face, Wang Po found his negative emotions dissipating. "Regarding the first question, that''s a secret for the moment. As for the second, well¡ªas a captain of the Tianji Council, it''s easy enough for me to find out who you are!"


    Xia Na''s charm and grace drew her fair share of admirers, and Wang Po was clearly one such. There were countless hunters who were besotted with the two female team leaders of the special forces troops, but this was the first time a captain of the Tianji Council had ever tried to make a move on them.


    In that case, could the hunters have been mistaken? Perhaps the reason members of the Tianji Council had gathered by the northern gate wasn''t to cause them trouble for their drunkenness, but because their leader wanted to arrange a meeting with Xia Na!

 Chapter 306: Law of Qi

    <h4>Chapter 306: Law of Qi</h4>


    The special forces troops sighed in relief. Xia Na herself understood Wang Po''s intentions, but she had no impression of him at all beyond her minor interactions with him during herst mission.


    She replied, "Very well, Captain Wang, I''m impressed by your diligence. Now, if you don''t mind, I won''t trouble you any longer. We''ll be heading straight back to Qi¡ª our troop leader''s waiting for us!"


    Xia Na''s response was little more than an outright rejection, but this wasn''t an oue that Wang Po was willing to ept. After all, he had never failed to get his hands on any of his prey before, and Xia Na wouldn''t be the first.


    Wang Po turned his attention to Zhang Lie. "What''s the hurry? It''s still early in the day! If I''m not mistaken, the hunter standing behind you must be the famous Zhang Lie! It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhang. Many of my subordinates are fans of yours. Would you be willing to sign an autograph for me?"


    He had been rather curious why Xia Na would be willing to protect him like a mother hen with her chicks, and why the team leaders of the special forces troops seemed to be trying to suck up to him. After all, he might be a famous hunter in the first realm, but he was only a neer in the second!


    The team leaders of the special forces were all prideful and haughty, so why were they treating him so well? Could their mission be to protect this neer with significanttent potential?


    Only by figuring out their rtionship to Zhang Lie could he decide on his attitude toward him.


    "Please don''t joke around, Captain Wang¡ªhe''s a key element of our mission!" Xia Na replied, motioning for Zhang Lie not to speak with the back of her hand.


    "A key element of your mission? If you''ve all been out in the forests by Qi, is your mission to help him acquire basic and mutated gene fragments in the second realm, then? My goodness, I simply can''t believe that the champion of the Void Cup himself would need such arge group of forces apanying him! This has to be the funniest joke I''ve heard all year!"


    Xia Na''s protective attitude toward Zhang Lie caused Wang Po to turn jealous, and his attitude toward Zhang Lie became far more dismissive than before.


    The team leaders'' faces shed in anger, and even Xia Na herself replied coldly, "Captain Wang, I don''t believe our mission has any relevance to you. Furthermore, please note that Mr. Zhang Lie has just been given the role of deputy troop leader of the special forces. He bears greater authority within Qi than you, so please show him the respect afforded to his station. No one can besmirch the honor of the special forces¡ªnot you, and not the Tianji Council!"


    Wang Po was dumbstruck. By order of the governor, the deputy troop leader of the special forces?! What sort of situation was this? He hadn''t heard about it at all! Didn''t the special forces only have a single troop leader, Zhou Liao? What was this deputy troop leader business?


    Furthermore, if this was amand by the governor himself, why hadn''t the Tianji Council received any news of this sudden development? Could Xia Na be trying to protect Zhang Lie? No, given how the team leaders surrounding Zhang Lie were behaving, that was hardly likely.


    Could he really have be the deputy troop leader of the Qi special forces, then? Just how did he manage to get such an important position as a neer to the second realm? Even if his contributions within the first realm were massive, this was the second realm¡ªhow could he have gotten the various team leaders to submit to his authority?


    In fact, the Tianji Council had been made aware of Zhang Lie''s instatement as of that afternoon, but by that time, Wang Po had already left headquarters.


    "Surely it''s a stretch to suggest that I''m besmirching the special forces'' honor, Miss Xia Na! You''re not joking about Mr. Zhang Lie''s position, are you?


    Wang Po''s chest suddenly felt suffused with jealousy when he saw how ardently Xia Na defended Zhang Lie. He strode forward, staring at Xia Na all the while, as though trying to discern something from her look.


    "Of course I''m not joking, Mr. Wang Po. I''m sure the records have been sent to the Tianji Council headquarters by now."


    Xia Na''s firm response caused any remaining doubt in Wang Po''s mind to evaporate. Had Zhang Lie really be a deputy troop leader the moment he ascended to the second realm? Wang Po became furious. He had spent ten long years to get his position, but Zhang Lie had achieved more in a single day!


    In rage, Wang Po sucked in a deep breath¡ªand smelled alcohol on Xia Na. ?Alcohol?! No¡ªthe special forces troops were forbidden to drink while on duty!


    Wang Po, who had forgotten his initial motive entirely, couldn''t help but smile.


    "Haha, alright, I apologize for doubting your new position, Deputy Leader Zhang. However, as the deputy troop leader, shouldn''t you be responsible for these troops? Why are you hiding behind a woman?" Wang Po called out.


    Of course, Zhang Lie had to respond to this provocation. "A humorous joke, Captain Wang! It''s simply my first day on duty, and I''m still unfamiliar with Qi as a whole. Team Leader Xia and the others are all excellent leaders, so I''m letting them?show me the ropes for the moment. Is something the matter?"


    .


    Zhang Lie naturally stepped forward as well. He tried not to cause trouble, but he certainly didn''t intend on being a punching bag. Even in the Void Cup, he had deftly handled the aggression of the winged. Why would he fear a captain of the Tianji Council, who was nothing inparison?


    Wang Poughed in anger. "Are you aware, Deputy Leader Zhang, that special forces troops are forbidden to drink while on duty?"

 Chapter 307: Come Over Here

    <h4>Chapter 307: Come Over Here</h4>


    "Forbidden, you say? So what if I do know, and so what if I don''t?" Zhang Lie smiled.


    Wang Po smirked. "If youmitted the crime knowingly, then the punishment will be increased by one level. I''m sure that, even if you weren''t aware of this statue, the team leaders under yourmand are¡ªand if none of you were aware, then I''d better invite you all to the Tianji Council headquarters for a lesson or two."


    Wang Po''s goal was to detain Zhang Lie for a little while and teach him a lesson during that time, but that was it. Given Zhang Lie''s position and his favor with the governor, Wang Po wouldn''t dare to do anything more than that. After all, as a hunter who had been in Qi for over a decade, he knew just what he could do and what he couldn''t.


    Unfortunately, he had underestimated just how highly Governor Xiao valued Zhang Lie, as well as Zhang Lie''s strength and temper. Zhang Lie didn''t know just what the Tianji Council headquarters was like, but it was evident that it would be a bad idea


    "I was the one who asked for alcohol. They did remind me about the regtion against drinking, but I ignored it," Zhang Lie corrected him. "That said, I don''t intend on following you to your headquarters."


    "No? In that case, you''re defying thew, and I have the authority to arrest you! Anyone who aids you will be charged with the same crime!"


    Zhang Lie only scoffed. "Troops, listen up. No matter what happens, without my express order, none of you are to move."


    He turned back to Wang Po. "Seize me if you dare, Captain Wang!"


    He began circting his gic energy as a frightening aura descended around him. Zhang Lie felt like a roaring, boundless ocean, mysterious and dark, surging with energy.


    The sudden release of his aura shocked Wang Po and the special forces troops. "Y-y-you, if you dare to resist thew, you''ll be expelled from Qi!"


    Zhang Lie''s aura was so potent that it made Wang Po''s legs quiver, but he would lose face if he backed down now, so he had to double down on his threat.


    ncing at Wang Po''s shocked expression, Zhang Lie smiled again. "Resisting arrest? I''m doing nothing of the sort. Aren''t you going to bring me back to Tianji Council headquarters? Come over here and get me, then!" Zhang Lie taunted, but Wang Po didn''t make a move.


    Instead, Wang Po turned to the two hunters by his side. "Wang Nan, Wang Hai, drag him over!"


    Given their surname, they were likely rted to Wang Po by blood; indeed, none of his other men would be so foolish as to listen to his orders now.


    Although Wang Nan and Wang Hai were quite cowed by Zhang Lie''s presence, they couldn''t bring themselves to refuse Wang Po''smand. After hesitating for a moment, they slowly began to approach Zhang Lie.


    Just as the two of them lifted their feet, however, the ground shook. A ck runic tablet fell in front of Zhang Lie. The moment the tablet touched the ground, the two hunters felt their bodies stiffen and grow heavy, as if a mountain had fallen on their backs. They stumbled forward and sank down, along with the forces behind Zhang Lie and Wang Po.


    The hunters were forced to circte their own gic energy, but even then, those from the Tianji Council found themselves unable to stand upright, with their spines slowly curving downward.


    As for the special forces troops, they retreated almost immediately as the ck tablet dropped from the skies. They did so following Zhang Lie''s rapid hand gestures, and they had already experienced the strength of that tablet earlier today during the exhibition match.


    .


    As the force of gravity grew stronger and stronger, the hunters of the Tianji Council, including Wang Po, found themselves lying syed out on the ground. Except for Wang Po, who was barely able to move his fingertips, the other hunters couldn''t move their bodies at all.


    Only then did Wang Po realize just what sort of existence he had provoked, as well as why the haughty special forces troops were willing to ept him as their leader. Zhang Lie was strong, far stronger than he had given him any credit for!


    Just like the team leaders of the special forces troops, who had been beaten into submission, Wang Po didn''t expect that Zhang Lie''s strength would carry over from the first realm. However, he had just found himself proven wrong. Who could have thought that Zhang Lie would be so strong?


    Wang Po was simultaneously outraged and shocked. He too had once been heralded as a genius, and never in his decade in the second realm had he suffered such gross indignity. Zhang Lie would pay for what he had done!


    Almost without hesitation, he sounded the emergency rm that he carried with him at all times, which would alert the entirety of the Tianji Council. Once they arrived, no matter how strong Zhang Lie was, he would have to submit to their authority!

 Chapter 308: Head of the Council

    <h4>Chapter 308: Head of the Council</h4>


    Within the Tianji Council headquarters, the council head Wang Yanyi was just about to head home when the emergency alert sounded from a device he kept in a pouch by his waist. He lowered his head¡ªthe alert came from his own nephew!


    He immediately dispatched a few hunters toward the source of the alert.


    Outside the forests of Qi, Zhang Lie didn''t panic when he saw Wang Po sound an emergency rm. In truth, he was quite curious just who was backing such a useless lout like Wang Po. The team leaders standing behind him, however, began sending reports back to the underground barracks the moment they noticed Wang Po''s actions.


    When Zhou Liao heard of the news, he immediately sent a group of hunters to inform the governor of the matter at once.


    The confrontation seemed as though it would snowball.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, please don''t go much further than this. Wang Po''s a weakling in his own right, but his backer, Wang Yanyi, won''t be easy to deal with," Xia Na advised.


    "That''s not a problem. I''d like to see just what they think they can do to me."


    Zhang Lie''s advancement into the second realm had been an ident. He had intended on keeping a low profile for some time, but found himself disdained everywhere he went¡ªfirst by the special forces troops, and now the Tianji Council, as though his winning the Void Cup was an insignificant aplishment.


    He had finally gotten to let loose, but even that was being ruined by some power-tripping asshole who was vying for Xia Na''s attention.


    He increased the force of gravity in the area until Wang Po was unable to move even his fingertips, but because of his newfound strength, he had identally increased it so much that Wang Po began bleeding from all his orifices. If Zhang Lie hadn''t noticed the problem and rxed slightly, Wang Po would likely have exploded.


    Saved though he might be from a gruesome death, Wang Po was scared stiff. He was strong even by Qi standards, and he had never, ever felt so helpless before. Under usual circumstances, everyone from Qi would give him face owing to Wang Yanyi''s name.


    After all, the Tianji Council was in charge of overseeing the city''s councils, and Wang Yanyi was its head. The head of the Tianji Council was as strong as the governor himself, and they had once been called the twin heroes of Qi. Who would dare provoke such an existence?


    Wang Po had never imagined that he would end up facing someone who wasn''t cowed by his uncle, or that he would be so strong. He knew very well just how close he had been to death in that instant.


    He could move no part of his body. Half his head was pressed against the ground, and he was only able to suck in air through one nostril. He prayed that his uncle would get here soon and relieve him of his misery, but what he didn''t know was that even Wang Yanyi might be hard-pressed to get him out of such dire straits.


    After all, given how things had developed, it was only natural for Zhang Lie to use him as an example to avoid being looked down upon by anyone else.


    About a minuteter, in a beam of blue light, a man in his fifties suddenly appeared beside Wang Po.


    "Be careful, Team Leader Zhang! This is Wang Yanyi, head of the Tianji Council and Wang Po''s uncle. He''s ruthless and vindictive!" The moment he appeared, Xia Na used a technique to send him a private message.


    Zhang Lie nodded, then motioned for the troops to remain calm with the back of his hand.


    As for Wang Yanyi, he began frowning the moment he surveyed the scene. Someone in his position would be able to recognize Zhang Lie in the blink of an eye, but the fact that the members of the Tianji Council were lying spread-eagled on the ground meant that they had no choice but to be on opposite sides of this conflict.


    He turned to Zhang Lie with a frown. "Are you Zhang Lie? What''s going on here?"


    As he began circting his gic energy, the members of the Tianji Council found the weight on their bodies significantly lessened.


    "I am," Zhang Lie dered. Noticing what Wang Yanyi was doing, he began to counter Wang Yanyi''s aura by increasing the strength of his own.


    The blood moon hung radiant in the air as the force of gravity surrounding the members of the Tianji Council multiplied to an extent even more frightening than before. Even Wang Yanyi himself barely avoided stumbling, but as he checked himself, he shot into a fit of rage.


    Who would dare countermand his authority?


    For a second-realm hunter, he was indeed on the strong side, but Wang Yanyi himself had hardly made a move. The only reason he had held off was because he noticed that Wang Po and the others seemed to be in bad shape.


    "Lad, there''s no need to be so rash. I''m Wang Yanyi, head of the Tianji Council, and these are my men. Let them go, and we can discuss your grievances."


    As an experienced second-realm hunter, he was certain that he would be able to break this unusual gravitational pull, but it was likely that Wang Po and the others would be seriously injured as a result. This wasn''t a sight he was willing to see, so he could only back down and try to resort to diplomacy.


    "I''m willing to let them go, as long as they apologize to me."


    Wang Yanyi narrowed his eyes. Although he didn''t know how Wang Po had offended Zhang Lie, Wang Po''s decade of experience in Qi gave him confidence as to his nephew''s judgment.


    "Lad, I know of your exploits in the first realm, so that''s why I''m asking you this again¡ªare you truly unwilling to let them go?"

 Chapter 309: Matters Blowing Up

    <h4>Chapter 309: Matters Blowing Up</h4>


    Killing intent exuded from Wang Yanyi''s body. Any other hunter in Qi would have been scared stiff, but unfortunately for Wang Yanyi, Zhang Lie was fearless even in the face of Wang Yanyi''s unbridled aggression.


    "I won''t let them go. Will you attack me, then?" Zhang Lie stomped on the ground, causing the bodies of Wang Po and the others to shudder. Some of the hunters from the council were even knocked unconscious by the trauma.


    "You! Zhang Lie, if anything happens to these hunters here, I''ll have you torn apart limb from limb!" Wang Yanyi yelled out in anger.


    "Limb from limb? Zhang Lie''s under my protection. Who dares try to attack him?" Just as Zhang Lie was about to deliver a retort, a loud cry was heard in the distance. The next moment, Xiao Zhengyang, governor of Qi,nded beside Zhang Lie with a thunderous expression on his face.


    As he did so, the reinforcements that Wang Yanyi had summoned arrived: dozens of elders from the Tianji Council.


    Who could have predicted that this scuffle would have resulted in such a big disturbance? From the perspective of the special forces troops, this altercation had been a minor matter. If Wang Po hadn''t continued antagonizing Zhang Lie, the situation surely wouldn''t have devolved to this extent, but with so many influential hunters of Qi arriving at the scene, there would be no easy resolution to the affair.


    After all, between Xiao Zhengyang and Wang Yanyiy an uneasy peace, one that could be disrupted by even a small affair. Their personalities were at odds with one another, and they disagreed on quite a number of issues.


    As a result, it was almost inevitable that they would take opposing sides in this conflict.


    "Ah, of course! None but the governor''s men would be so daring as to attack the Tianji Council!" Wang Yanyi called out, refusing to back down.


    Xiao Zhengyang crossed his arms. "Don''t be so sure of that just yet. Before investigating the matter, how can you be so certain about what''s going on?"


    He turned and asked, "Zhang Lie, what''s going on? You can free the Tianji Council hunters now¡ªdon''t worry, with me around, no one will dare to touch you!" Xiao Zhengyang thumped his chest.


    Zhang Lie sighed and smiled. "It''s no big deal. The special forces troops went hunting with me in the forest to obtain some basic and mutated gene fragments, and we had an impromptu feast with alcohol as a result. Despite the fact that we weren''t bothering anyone, this fellow, Wang Po, insisted on detaining me for breaking thew! Of course I would resist his subjugation. The reason I forced them all onto the ground was because I was curious about just who their backer was, and, well, you''ve seen the rest."


    Zhang Lie dispelled the force holding the Tianji Council hunters down, then summarized his actions innocently.


    "Well, Wang Yanyi?" Xiao Zhengyang fully believed Zhang Lie''s words¡ªgiven Zhang Lie''s strength and new position in Qi, there was no reason for him to lie. Indeed, he was very happy that Zhang Lie was willing to exin the situation to him, because it demonstrated that Zhang Lie respected him.


    "A one-sided narrative! Wang Po, exin your side of the story!" Wang Yanyimanded.


    Wang Po, still bleeding from all his orifices, had just mbered up dazed from the ground. Upon hearing his uncle''s words, however, he immediately knelt back down.


    "Head, please stand up for me! Not only did Zhang Lie allow his men to drink on duty, he even resisted arrest violently. If you had been anyter, I might already have perished!"


    The blood streaming down Wang Po''s face naturally evoked sympathy.


    "Well, Governor Xiao, I believe you''ve heard Wang Po''s testimony. As Zhang Lie mentioned, he did imbibe alcohol with the rest of the troops while on duty. Surely you must agree that detaining Zhang Lie is a reasonable thing to do in this scenario. What right does Zhang Lie have to refuse? As the governor of Qi, surely you don''t intend on ignoringw and order!


    "Furthermore, even if Zhang Lie does have some aplishments to his name in the first realm, he''s still a neer to the second, and his actions today clearly show that he has no sense of respect for the authorities of this realm. From my perspective, he certainly does need some reeducation¡ªa stint in the Tianji Council headquarters would do him some good!


    "What do you say, Governor Xiao?"


    Essentially everyone notable in the Tianji Council was present, so Xiao Zhengyang certainly couldn''t let Zhang Lie go just like that. Otherwise, the Tianji Council would be publicly derided as a powerless authority.


    Furthermore, given his understanding of Xiao Zhengyang, though he was direct and forthright, he surely wouldn''t choose to go to war with the Tianji Council for Zhang Lie alone.


    Unfortunately, Wang Yanyi was entirely mistaken¡ªhe had underestimated how highly Xiao Zhengyang valued Zhang Lie, as well as Zhang Lie''s own strength.

 Chapter 310: Are You Satisfied

    <h4>Chapter 310: Are You Satisfied</h4>


    "Of course not!" Zhang Lie and Xiao Zhengyang replied simultaneously. Zhang Lie added, "I''m not going back to the Tianji Council headquarters with you, one way or another."


    Xiao Zhengyang frowned as he challenged Wang Yanyi. "You im that Zhang Lie and the others were drinking while on duty, but how do you know that they were on duty?"


    Wang Yanyi was at a loss for words at how shameless Governor Xiao''s words were. Indeed, if Xiao Zhengyang, who was responsible for the special forces, were to attest that the troops weren''t on duty, then there wouldn''t be any problem at all.


    Just then, at that critical moment, the troop leader of the special forces, Zhou Liao, arrived with his team.


    Wang Yanyi immediately turned to him, trying to get him to say something incriminating, but his old rival, Xiao Zhengyang, naturally knew what he was thinking.


    Before Wang Yanyi could speak up, Xiao Zhengyang continued, "What''s the matter? Don''t you think I''d know if my own men were on duty? As for you, Wang Yanyi, why are your men trying to track my troops'' location?"


    Wang Yanyi was silent. If Xiao Zhengyang were so adamantly denying Zhang Lie''s crime, then there was nothing he could do¡ªno matter what, Xiao Zhengyang would protect Zhang Lie to the utmost.


    After all, thew in question about drinking while on duty was rather vague, and Zhang Lie''s case would be in a gray area. A deeper investigation into what had happened would be fruitless, but what shocked Wang Yanyi was the usation that the governor had then made.


    "Governor Xiao, dropping Zhang Lie''s charges for the moment, on what grounds do you im that my men have been investigating your troops'' location?"


    This was far more serious a crime than drinking while on duty. After all, the special forces were, in some sense, the governor''s guards. Trying to investigate their whereabouts was akin to snooping into the governor''s business.


    Wang Yanyi had entertained such notions before, but the time wasn''t yet right to put them into practice, and he certainly didn''t intend to take responsibility for his nephew''s actions.


    "Why don''t you ask your nephew about how he managed to determine who Xia Na was, as well as how he knew when the special forces had left the city? There have been quite a number of curious coincidencestely, haven''t there? Your men investigating my troops'' location, then convening the Tianji Council elders here..."


    Xiao Zhengyang''s tone was deathly serious, causing Wang Yanyi''s face to turn ashen.


    "Wang Po!" he shouted. Would all his nning be waid by his lecherous nephew? "Speak! Are the governor''s words urate?"


    Wang Yanyi was almost certain that Wang Po had done so, but surely not on behalf of the Tianji Council.


    "Unc¡ª, I mean, Head, I did do so, but only because I wanted to introduce myself to Team Leader Xia Na. I had no other intention!" Wang Po stammered, knowing that the situation had snowballed beyond his control. If he were to hide anything else now...


    The elders behind Wang Yanyi, along with the special forces, all exhaled in relief. Wang Po had a terrible poker face, and it was obvious when he was lying.


    When Xiao Zhengyang questioned Wang Yanyi just now, the ones who were most surprised were the elders arrayed behind Wang Yanyi himself. If he had really plotted everything, then that meant he was about to stage a direct confrontation against the governor. In that case, who would they support¡ªgovernor or council head?


    Politics was a natural development in any city, and the elders'' stance would determine their fate, as well as those of their families. To be frank, except for those elders deathly loyal to Wang Yanyi, none of the others wanted to make such a decision. From their perspective, choosing either option would be a risk, whereas maintaining the status quo was much safer.


    "Well, Governor Xiao, I hope it''s clear that Wang Po had no nefarious intentions in mind!" Wang Yanyi informed him.


    Xiao Zhengyangughed. "I had forgotten about your nephew''s penchant for women. That said, as the head of the Tianji Council, you bear responsibility for his actions. Don''t you think he needs to be punished?"


    Zhang Lie barely stifled hisughter. How the tables had turned!


    "Very well. For trying to keep tabs on the special forces, Wang Po, fourth captain of the Tianji Council, will be locked up for a span of ten days and be demoted from his post. Governor Xiao, does this satisfy you?"

 Chapter 311: In Rage

    <h4>Chapter 311: In Rage</h4>


    "Locked up? Demoted? ?Do you think that that''s sufficient?" Wang Yanyi''s proposal was met with stark refusal from Xiao Zhengyang.


    "Wang Po will be stripped of his position, never to return to the Tianji Council. Any further misdemeanors on his part will lead to immediate expulsion from the city!" Xiao Zhengyang proimed, so decisively that even Wang Yanyi didn''t dare rebuke him.


    From Wang Yanyi''s perspective, although Zhang Lie had been a nuisance, Wang Po had certainly been at fault. Trying to find out who Xia Na was wasn''t a problem, but for him to continue investigating her despite knowing that she was a member of the special forces was a different matter entirely. If he protected Wang Po now, there would surely be suspicions that he was the mastermind behind the entire affair.


    When he heard the governor''s punishment, Wang Po slumped lifelessly to the ground. His position as captain of the Tianji Council granted him superior gic resources; without those handy, he would have to hunt down gic lifeforms on his own, or purchase their flesh for an exorbitant price. At that point, he wouldn''t be able to keep up his life of leisure and women.


    Of course, neither Xiao Zhengyang nor Wang Yanyi cared about his emotions. To them, he was a minor figure, nothing more.


    "As you say, Governor Xiao," Wang Yanyi eded somewhat reluctantly.


    "Good. He''s family, after all, you''d better make sure this sort of joke doesn''t happen again!" Xiao Zhengyang rubbed salt in his wound.


    "Yes, Governor Xiao, I''ll keep that in mind. Of course, I expect you''ll do the same with your special forces." He stepped toward Wang Po, picked him up as though he were a little chick, then motioned for the Tianji Council hunters to leave.


    Just as everyone thought that this fiasco was finally over, however, someone cried out.


    "Hold it!" Zhang Lie stepped forward with a smirk on his face. "Do you think you can leave just like that, after insulting my authority and status? After trying to take me to task for a crime I didn''tmit?"


    Ever since he grew into power, Zhang Lie had responded aggressively to all provocations directed his way. To date, none had gotten the better of him¡ªnot the major ns of the cksteel settlement, nor those of the capital, nor the winged. He didn''t n on letting Wang Po and Wang Yanyi go so easily, either.


    These were Zhang Lie''s own thoughts; everyone else stared at him in stupefaction. Did he really think he could beat the head of the Tianji Council? Wang Yanyi was scarcely weaker than Governor Xiao himself!


    Those hunters and elders of the Tianji Council thought that Zhang Lie was crazy, whereas those from the special forces believed that his strength had gotten to his head. It was true that Zhang Lie was very strong, especially for a neer to the second realm, and he had won both their approval and the governor''s.


    However, this didn''t imply that Zhang Lie would be able to go face-to-face against someone like Governor Xiao or Council Head Wang themselves. After all, Wang Yanyi was an experienced hunter at least on Xiao Zhengyang''s level, and there surely was no way that Zhang Lie could stand up to him at the moment.


    On the other hand, when Xiao Zhengyang heard Zhang Lie''s words, he grew visibly excited. He was the only person currently present, except for Zhang Lie himself, who had an urate assessment of Zhang Lie''s abilities. From their race to the capital during his first meeting with him, he knew just how frightening Zhang Lie really was. Now that Zhang Lie had finished acquiring his basic and mutated gene fragments from the second realm, his strength would only grow by leaps and bounds.


    Xiao Zhengyang was very excited to see what a match between Wang Yanyi and Zhang Lie would be like; his strength wasparable to Wang Yanyi''s, and it would be interesting to see who would win. In addition, he was very curious just what havoc Zhang Lie could wreak at full strength.


    Wang Yanyi, who had turned around and was preparing to leave, wondered if he had misheard Zhang Lie''s words. "What did you say? Surely I must have misheard you."


    "You heard me right the first time, old man! Didn''t you say that you were going to teach me a lesson? ?Let''s have it right now, then!"


    Zhang Lie''s disdainful gaze caused Wang Yanyi''s face to swell in anger, but instead of replying to the arrogant brat, Wang Yanyi turned to Xiao Zhengyang, expecting that Xiao Zhengyang would surely step forward now to protect Zhang Lie.


    Surprisingly, Xiao Zhengyang did nothing of the sort. He stared back at Wang Yanyi, as if egging him on. Wang Yanyi had expected Zhang Lie''s disdain to be born of ignorance, but Xiao Zhengyang''s attitude made him doubt himself.


    Did Xiao Zhengyang really think that this neer could stand up to him?

 Chapter 312: Four Tablets

    <h4>Chapter 312: Four Tablets</h4>


    "If you want a fight, you''ll have it!" Wang Yanyi gritted out, gic energy spiraling out of him in such a huge wave that it felt like a tornado had spun into existence.


    His deep green gic energy was sharp and fierce, and a frightening sight to behold. Wang Yanyi''s face warped with killing intent, causing many of the spectators to take a step back without realizing it.


    Of course, Zhang Lie and Xiao Zhengyang, who was prepared to rescue Zhang Lie from Wang Yanyi if need be, did not.


    As the spectators continued to retreat, within moments, only the three hunters remained in the patch ofnd outside the forests of Qi. If not for Xiao Zhengyang''s presence beside Zhang Lie, Wang Yanyi would undoubtedly have charged forward already.


    "Please step back, Governor Xiao. I''ve just acquired quite a lot of gene fragments all at once, and I''m afraid I can''t control it all entirely just yet!"


    Xiao Zhengyang cocked his head. "Are you confident?"


    "Well, I suppose we''ll see."


    Owing to his trust in Zhang Lie, Xiao Zhengyang stepped back, leaving just Wang Yanyi and Zhang Lie in the center of the battlefield.


    Wang Yanyi rxed. At this point, Zhang Lie would bepletely under his control.


    "Lad, whatever the result of this confrontation, your courage is certainly impressive. Take one punch from me and we''ll call it quits," Wang Yanyi announced arrogantly, as though he had already won.


    Zhang Lie smiled as he circted his gic energy. A ck pir of light pierced the skies, and a blood moon ascended into the air.


    [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]! Gravity seemed to increase tremendously around the battlefield, and even Wang Yanyi barely avoided stumbling.


    "Decent strength," hemented, then gathered wind-attuned gic energy around him as he transformed into a titan of wind. With a ferocious howl, the wind elemental, sorge it seemed to touch the sky itself, stood tall against Zhang Lie''s gravity. It cocked its right arm and charged an attack so potent that space seemed to warp around it.


    Wind-attuned gic energy formed a gigantic fist. It shot forward so quickly that it created a vacuum in the air behind it.


    "Good attack!" Zhang Lie mmed his palms into the ground as four tablets from the dragonturtle fell into ce all around him, striking the earth like meteorites from the sky.


    With a resounding crash, the four tablets enclosed Zhang Lie within. As theynded, the entire patch ofnd outside the Qi forest sank a few dozen meters, and the already staggering force of gravity increased tenfold.


    The incredible force caused Wang Yanyi''s fist-like attack to pop like a balloon, and even the wind elemental into which Wang Yanyi had transformed was crushed by its weight. The wind-attuned gic energy vanished as the shocked Wang Yanyi mmed into the ground.


    His body and expression seemed just like Wang Po''s from before: he was lying spread-eagled on the ground, blood seeping from his nose and mouth, incapable of moving even his fingertips. The gic energy that he had summoned had either been forcibly returned to his body or dissipated into the air.


    Wang Yanyi felt as though the entire weight of the heavens was pressing down on his body, that, if the weight were any greater, his body would explode on the stop. He gritted his teeth as he experienced what Wang Po had faced for himself.


    With all four tablets in the ground, the dragonturtle''s presence grew stronger. It endowed Zhang Lie with authority, presence, and might¡ªall would bow before him.


    Even those spectators watching from afar were affected by the frightening force of gravity. Most of them found themselves lying crawled on the ground. Xiao Zhengyang, only 300 meters away from Zhang Lie, quivered as he barely remained kneeling on one knee despite ring gic energy from his body.


    The spectators'' eyes filled with shock and awe. They thought that they had a good sense of Zhang Lie''s strength, but whaty in front of them painted a different picture entirely. No¡ªdespite all that he had shown them, they had greatly underestimated Zhang Lie. He was able to force Wang Yanyi himself to the ground, freezing him in ce like amon insect!


    So immense was his power and authority that he had even subdued them and the governor himself, standing quite some distance away from the battlefield.


    Even more shockingly, Zhang Lie was only in his twenties. All the spectators, even Wang Yanyi or Xiao Zhengyang, couldn''t help but feel a sense of inferiority whenpared to him. What had they been doing in their twenties?


    Zhang Lie seemed to be in another dimension of strength entirely. Xiao Zhengyang believed that this level of strength would be sufficient to deem him a lord-ss hunter, one of which hadn''t appeared among the humans of the second realm for years. A youth who was a lord-ss hunter, and one who had done so even without unlocking the entirety of his potential¡­


    Only now did Xiao Zhengyang understand why Yan Long was so adamant about telling him to provide Zhang Lie with everything he desired.


    From Yan Long''s perspective, it would be ideal to support Zhang Lie''s growth as much as possible so that he could lead mankind into a dominant position even in the second realm. Furthermore, despite the ridiculously immense strength that Zhang Lie had already demonstrated, for some reason, he felt as though Zhang Lie was still hiding part of his strength.

 Chapter 313: The Dust Settles

    <h4>Chapter 313: The Dust Settles</h4>


    To be frank, Zhang Lie was quite disappointed by the oue of the match. How could the head of the Tianji Council himself have fallen to one technique¡ªand one that affected him indirectly, if that?


    Zhang Lie simply didn''t have a good grasp of his strength rtive to the other hunters of the realm. After all, obtaining peak gene fragments in the first realm had been an impossibly fortuitous encounter, and disaster gene fragments even more so.


    What Zhang Lie had achieved was impossible to match without foreknowledge, and even Zhang Lie himself had been surprised that he had aplished so much.


    "Council Head Wang, listen up¡ªdon''t try to extend your authority more than you already have. Clearly, you''re not powerful enough to do more than this!" Zhang Lie lectured.


    "You..." Wang Yanyi was about to retort, but thebination of the increased gravity and his roiling emotions proved too much for his battered body to bear. He spat out a mouthful of blood, then fell unconscious.


    Zhang Lie reined in his gic energy and nced at him in disdain. "How could you have fainted just like that? I haven''t even attacked you directly yet!"


    The spectators didn''t dare to imagine what a direct hit from Zhang Lie would feel like. The team leaders of the special forces found their backs drenched in sweat, unbelievably grateful that they hadn''t provoked Zhang Lie too much. Otherwise...


    In fact, Wang Yanyi felt much the same way. Although he had been beaten and shamed by Zhang Lie, his predominant emotion at the moment was fear, not anger. Only those who faced Zhang Lie for themselves would understand just how frightening he was as an enemy.


    Wang Yanyi was very d that, although he had unleashed killing intent toward Zhang Lie, because of Xiao Zhengyang''s presence, he had only tried to defeat, rather than kill, his opponent. Otherwise, Zhang Lie might very well have struck him a lethal blow in return.


    Was this really a neer to the second realm? Zhang Lie was stronger than any of the sura that Wang Yanyi had faced!


    Even if he were to work together with Xiao Zhengyang, he didn''t think they would be able to harm Zhang Lie at all. After having felt Zhang Lie''s gic energy for himself, he understood very well just howrge the gulf between them was.


    Yes, Zhang Lie was arrogant and prideful, but he had the strength to back it up, so Wang Yanyi had chosen to faint in order to not lose even more face in front of the spectators.


    Wang Yanyi''s inspired fainting brought an end to the demonstration, and the hunters of the Tianji Council scurried off with their head in tow.


    After that, the governor and the special forces troops all looked at Zhang Lie as though he were a god.


    "Governor Xiao, I apologize for causing so much trouble on my first day," Zhang Lie murmured with a sigh.


    "It''s no problem, no problem at all! They were the ones who started it, anyway. And with this performance, I doubt you''ll have any trouble in the city any longer." Xiao Zhengyang''s eyes shone as he looked at Zhang Lie, as though he were some massive treasure that he had unearthed.


    Zhang Lie sighed again. "Please, don''t mention it. I still have to process the gene fragments that I just absorbed today to increase my sensitivity and control. If I had done so, I''m sure I''d have been able to keep Wang Yanyi conscious for a little while longer."


    Despite vanquishing Wang Yanyi in one blow, Zhang Lie was stillining about hisck of finesse¡­ Given the strength Zhang Lie had demonstrated, he was surely at the level of a lord-ss hunter, beyond the governors of the human cities themselves.


    Xiao Zhengyang didn''t dare to rebut him. "Well, it''s alright. It isn''t as if he''ll leave Qi, so feel free to challenge him the next time you see him."


    "Forget it¡ªhe can''t even take a single blow from me! Give me some time to adapt to my newfound strength. When I''m ready, I''ll challenge you instead!"


    Xiao Zhengyang was very adept at guing his enemies, but he seemed to have made a mistake this time around. Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, Xiao Zhengyang felt his legs turn to jelly, and he barely avoided slumping to the ground. No, thank you, he wanted to live a few more years! He might be a little stronger than Wang Yanyi, but only barely. If Wang Yanyi had lost to Zhang Lie so easily, he wouldn''t fare much better.


    "Haha, perhaps if I''m free!" With so many people gathered here, it would be embarrassing to refuse Zhang Lie''s request outright. Instead, Xiao Zhengyang decided that, the moment he returned to his manor, he would enter secluded cultivation until Zhang Lie left for the third realm...


    The confrontation between the special forces and the Tianji Council seemed to be over, but there would surely be ramifications for Zhang Lie''s actions that extended well into the future. Indeed, by the time Zhang Lie returned to his rooms, he found a missive from the governor''s manor. Because of Zhang Lie''s "honorable actions defending the authority of the special forces", he was promoted to senior advisor for the governor.


    In other words, Governor Xiao would reach out to him if he encountered a dilemma that he wasn''t sure how to resolve. It was a behind-the-scenes position that wouldn''t bring Zhang Lie much fame, but he would have definite authority in Qi.


    In fact, if it were possible, Xiao Zhengyang would have promoted him even further, but what he had done was already extreme enough. It was, after all, still Zhang Lie''s first day in Qi.

 Chapter 314: Special Forces Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 314: Special Forces'' Meeting</h4>


    The arrival of the missive elevated Zhang Lie''s position in Qi once again. Of course, by this point, power within Qi was immaterial to Zhang Lie. He perused the missive, then put it aside. If he really wanted to do anything, no one in Qi could stop him, so the position was meaningless.


    That said, when those of the special forces heard about the news, Zhou Liao quickly paid him a visit, insisting on housing Zhang Lie in the best cottage in the settlement and being so genial a host that Zhang Lie was getting goosebumps.


    To be frank, Zhang Lie didn''t care much for such luxury¡ªhis childhood had been one of poverty, and he had learned to dispense with them. If not for how eager Zhou Liao seemed, he wouldn''t have agreed to move to that other cottage. Subsequently, he refused all other offers from Zhou Liao.


    The two of them decided that Zhang Lie would get first pick of two or three hunters for his special forces team from the final roster of selected applicants in around a week''s time, and Zhang Lie intended to have his new gene fragments fully digested by then.


    After leaving Zhang Lie''s new cottage, Zhou Liao convened a meeting with all nine team leaders of the special forces, excluding Zhang Lie himself.


    By then, the third team, which had gone out on a mission, had conveniently returned, so all the troops were present. However, the third team leader, Zhuo Yihong, was rather nonplussed by the other team leaders'' behavior.


    After all, he still hadn''t heard about what had happened in Qi that day, nor the dramatic changes that Zhang Lie''s arrival in Qi heralded.


    "Alright, everyone''s here! I only have one item on the agenda: Deputy Leader Zhang''s selection of hunters for his team."


    Everyone but the third team leader perked up.


    "The governor has agreed to let all of you team leaders participate in the selection, but if you intend to do so, you need to choose a new team leader in your stead. In other words, if you want to participate, you''ll need to prepare to give up your position as team leader in case you get selected."


    Zhou Liao had anticipated the team leaders'' exuberant response¡ªindeed, if not for the governor expressly forbidding him from participating, he might well have done so himself.


    The other team leaders hastily nodded. After witnessing Zhang Lie''s ridiculous strength for themselves, it was obvious that they would choose to join his team rather than remain team leaders¡ªwell, obvious to everyone but Zhuo Yihong. He didn''t understand why this sort of thing needed an announcement, nor why everyone else seemed so excited about it.


    "Troop Leader Zhou, could you exin what''s going on? I''m quite confused by all this fuss, and who''s this Deputy Leader Zhang? Furthermore, what''s this about troop selection? Have team leaders always been allowed to participate?"


    "Ah!" Zhou Liao rapped his own head. "I forgot that you wouldn''t have known about what happened today. You''ve heard of Zhang Lie, of course?"


    Zhang Lie''s name had spread far and wide over the first three realms, and essentially everyone of note had heard of him.


    "Of course! Champion of the Void Cup, the one whom everyone seems to exaggerate about?" He blinked as the other team leaders, Zhou Liao included, turned to him as though he were a fool.


    Zhuo Yihong reared back in surprise. "Is something wrong? Was it something I said?"


    "Team Leader Zhuo, I rmend seeing Zhang Lie fight for himself before you make such a judgment about his strength, or you could easilynd yourself in hot water! Anyway, yes, the Zhang Lie that you''ve described is now the deputy leader of the Qi special forces!"


    "Really?"


    "The governor instated him in this position himself! Of course, as the deputy leader, he''ll need his own team, and we''vebined that with the recruitment process for the special forces this time around. The reason the team leaders are eligible to participate is because Governor Xiao wants to give you all an opportunity, but whether or not you want to take it is up to you.


    However, Deputy Leader Zhang has just informed me that he only has three avable spots in his team, so even if you participate, you aren''t guaranteed a spot."


    Zhuo Yihong frowned again. "Troop Leader, I''m still confused about something. Why would any of us want to give up our positions as team leaders just to be a regr member in his team? Surely none of us are fools?"

 Chapter 315: Preparing for the Selection

    <h4>Chapter 315: Preparing for the Selection</h4>


    Everyone stared at Zhuo Yihong as though he were the fool, at which point he immediately eximed, "What, not this again? Surely you all aren''t thinking of doing just that?!"


    "On what grounds do you think that Deputy Leader Zhang isn''t strong? How can you be so certain when you haven''t seen him fight for yourself? Do you think we''re all fools?


    "Did you know that Zhang Lie managed to take down the head of the Tianji Council, Wang Yanyi, with a single area-of-effect technique? Just one blow, and Wang Yanyi was rendered immobile on the ground!" Zhou Liao''s voice rose into a crescendo.


    "What? Surely you must be joking, Troop Leader Zhou?"


    "Enough, Team Leader Zhuo! It''s clear this meeting won''t benefit you. Go learn about what Deputy Leader Zhang did today first, and I''ll send you the meeting minutester." Zhuo Yihong''s repeated interruptions caused Zhou Liao to lose his patience.


    "Yes, Troop Leader!" Zhuo Yihong hesitated for a moment, realized the truth of Zhou Liao''s words, and walked out with a belly full of questions. The meeting resumed without him.


    All seven remaining troop leaders motioned that they would participate in the selection process, which implied that the three openings in Zhang Lie''s team would likely go to three among them, Compared to most of the recruits, the team leaders were overwhelmingly strong¡ªthough there were always one or two recruits that were at the same level of strength, so it wasn''t impossible that some of the team leaders might lose out to other promising candidates who weren''t yet part of the special forces.


    The selection process would take ce in an external training ground outside the barracks, in a squat ck building. There would infrequently be announcements that a new recruitment session was about to ur, and there had been a wave of hunters flocking to the area because of Governor Xiao''s deration that he wanted to expand the size of the special forces.


    Of course, even under usual circumstances, hunters went in and out of the building all the time. There were often injuries and casualties among the special forces, and additional hunters would be needed to fill the gaps in each team.


    When Zhou Liao and the others arrived at the building, all the recruits let out excited grins. Troop Leader Zhou Liao was a famous name in Qi, and every one of the recruits knew his face. Many of the recruits felt as though something might be amiss; this wasn''t their first time participating in the selection process, and the team leaders hadn''t appeared in force the past few times.


    Soon after the team leaders appeared, a notice regarding special recruitment for a team for Deputy Leader Zhang Lie appeared on the digital noticeboard, causing a huge fuss in the examination hall.


    "What''s going on? Who''s this?"


    "Is this the same Zhang Lie who was the champion of the Void Cup? How did he be the deputy leader of the special forces in Qi?"


    "Something must be wrong¡ªI''ve never heard of the special forces having such a position!"


    "Wait, look at the end of the message¡ª''Team leaders of the special forces are likewise eligible to participate in the selection process.'' Would those team leaders be willing to give up their high-ranking positions just to join Zhang Lie''s team?"


    "It''s a farce, I''m sure of it! I bet they''re only doing it because Zhang Lie hasn''t made a name for himself in the second realm yet, so they''re trying to attract more hunters to his team! In that case, I expect the weakest team in the special forces to be Deputy Leader Zhang''s!"


    "The weakest team? Are you crazy? Didn''t you see Zhang Lie''s performance during the Void Cup? He even withstood a blow from the white-winged emperor, and you still doubt his strength?"


    "Oh, I watched that footage¡ªbut there was no way he would have been able to survive that blow if not for the timely arrival of Martial Sage Hao Tianqi!"


    "Who''s to say that he didn''t have anything up his sleeve? Furthermore, what you''re saying is only conjecture."


    "Is no one else paying attention to the fact that he became a deputy leader of the special forces so quickly? Surely he can''t have ascended for long¡ªhow could he already be a deputy leader?"


    "Are you a fool? Don''t you know just how much he''s done for humanity by winning the Void Throne? Making him the deputy leader of the special forces is the least they could do¡ªhe''s being treated like a god on Earth! Given his des with the Void Cup and with the theory of limit fragments, I wouldn''t be surprised if he even took over Troop Leader Zhou Liao''s position!"


    Rapid debate and hushed conversations sprung up among the hunters gathered in the examination hall. In the end, arge majority of the hunters present applied to take part, attracted by the limited nature of the opportunity and Zhang Lie''s fame.

 Chapter 316: Investigating the Runic Tablets

    <h4>Chapter 316: Investigating the Runic Tablets</h4>


    Would Zhang Lie''s special forces team really be the weakest team in the history of the Qi special forces, as one hunter had imed? Of course not!


    The strength of the members of Team Zenith, soon to ascend to the second realm, wasparable to that of the team leaders of the special forces. They all possessed basic and mutated limit fragments, peak gene fragments, and were in the process of umting resources for superior limit fragments. Thebination of all these limit fragments would undoubtedly produce incredible strength in the second realm.


    Of course, the recruits participating in the selection process wouldn''t be aware of this at all. In fact, they wouldn''t realize the extent to which they were mistaken until they stepped into the examination hall and found all nine team leaders of the special forces, including Troop Leader Zhou Liao and the once-doubtful Zhuo Yihong, gathered there.


    .


    The troop leader was presiding over the selection process; the other eight team leaders were... taking the ce of recruits. Were they all trying to be selected as regr members in Zhang Lie''s team? Why? Were they crazy?


    With the eight team leaders of the special forces gathered here, how would they be able to seed? Didn''t those hunters outside say that Zhang Lie''s team would be the weakest of all?


    The surprise appearance of the eight team leaders caused at least half of the recruits to retreat: those without the courage and strength to stand up to the current team leaders of the special forces, and those who understood that they were unlikely to seed and didn''t want to waste their time.


    Their departure wasn''t particrly problematic or troubling; at least it would save Zhou Liao some time. The remaining recruits surely had some measure of confidence in their strength.


    A week passed in the blink of an eye.


    Zhang Lie sat cross-legged in the training chamber built into his cottage, gic energy ring around him. So immense was the aura that all the hunters in the barracks could feel it as clear as day, as though they had awoken some primordial beast.


    Zhou Liao and the other team leaders hastily assembled.


    "Troop Leader Zhou, is Deputy Leader Zhang about to leave secluded cultivation?" Zhuo Yihong asked, his face bright and radiant. With abination of skill and good fortune, he had managed to seize one of the three open slots in Zhang Lie''s team for himself during the selection process.


    Zhuo Yihong was an interesting fellow indeed. It had taken him a mere hour to transform his disdain for Zhang Lie into rabid worship: half an hour to listen to what he had done since entering the second realm, and half an hour to confirm the stories he had heard.


    Ever since then, he had be Zhang Lie''s #2 fan within the barracks.


    Zhang Lie''s #1 fan was Xia Na, who, unlike Zhuo Yihong, also entertained the notion of bing Zhang Lie''s partner. After all, she was in the prime of adulthood, and Zhang Lie seemed like a perfect choice. She believed that she was keeping these thoughts very well hidden, but the sparkle in her eyes whenever Zhang Lie was brought up betrayed her.


    Upon hearing Zhuo Yihong''s question, she too turned to Zhou Liao.


    "How would I know? With fluctuations of this magnitude, however, I think I''d agree with you. Zhuo Yihong, go call that luckyd Qin Tian over! Once Deputy Leader Zhang makes an appearance, I''ll be able to hand all three of you to him. You and Xia Na have both handled matters in your respective teams already, haven''t you?"


    "I''ll go immediately! We took care of our teams the day we heard the news." Zhuo Yihong beamed, then ran off into the distance. His impatience was obvious; the jealousy of the arrayed team leaders around, even more so.


    They regretted that they hadn''t prepared sufficiently for the selection process, but it was all toote. The three hunters who would join Zhang Lie''s team had been chosen, and the rest of them had squandered their opportunity.


    Within his training chamber, Zhang Lie inspected his body. The gic energy within frothed¡ªa clear sign that Zhang Lie was finally able to control his newfound strength. He clenched his fist, quelling the fluctuations instantly. Zhang Lie smiled. As he repeatedly unclenched and clenched his fist, his gic energy stormed and raged, then fell as quiet as the surface of a cidke.


    This was the objective of his seclusion, which he had achieved perfectly. Even so, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to leave the training chamber just yet. Instead, he wanted to familiarize himself with the four tablets of [Ninecarp Transformation]''s fourth form, the dragonturtle.


    Ever since he summoned all four tablets to the ground at the same time, Zhang Lie had had the sensation that he was missing something, that each tablet surely possessed a unique function beyond being able to augment the others.


    For instance, the first tablet yielded the strength of gravity. Inbination with the augmentation from the other three tablets, along with the power of [Eclipse], he had been able to subjugate Wang Yanyi without any direct attacks whatsoever.


    As a result, he was even more curious as to just what mysteriesy hidden in the depths of the other three tablets.

 Chapter 317: At Your Command

    <h4>Chapter 317: At Your Command</h4>


    With a dull thump, he summoned the second of the four runic tablets from the dragonturtle''s back. The tablets were all the same shape and size, though different runic inscriptions were carved on them, and the sensation he felt from summoning each tablet was different.


    Compared to the first tablet''s gravity, this tablet felt somehow... weightless. With a moment''s thought, Zhang Lie suddenly found everything in the room, even himself, begin to float.


    In that case, the second tablet''s power was antithetical to the first: one strengthened gravity, and the other canceled it. As far as Zhang Lie could tell, if he grew skilled enough tobine or manipte their effects at will, he would surely gain another powerful tool in his arsenal.


    Instead of continuing his investigation with the third and fourth tablets, however, Zhang Lie decided to stop. He could feel the aura of the hunters gathering outside his training chamber, and it was clear that the fluctuations in his gic energy had alerted them. They were likely waiting for him toe out of seclusion, so Zhang Lie didn''t want to waste their time. He reimed the tablets, dressed himself, and stepped outside the chamber.


    "Congrattions on your sess, Deputy Leader Zhang! Given your aura, it must have been a sessful session," Zhou Liao greeted him the moment he walked out, treating him even more formally than the governor himself.


    The other team leaders and the lucky Qin Tian all echoed Zhou Liao''s words, "Congrattions, Deputy Leader Zhang!"


    Zhang Lie smiled politely. "We''re all colleagues, aren''t we? There''s no need to be so formal."


    Tension bled out of the gathered hunters'' faces, and of Qin Tian in particr. After all, he had never met Zhang Lie before, so he couldn''t help feeling anxious¡ªespecially after hearing so many tales of his sesses over the past two days. He wouldn''t have expected Zhang Lie to be so casual on their first encounter, without any of the arrogance and stuffiness natural to a hunter who had achieved so much.


    He thanked his lucky stars again that he had chosen to participate in the selection process to join Zhang Lie''s team.


    "It''s only natural, Deputy Leader Zhang¡ªafter all, everyone here is in awe of your skill," Zhou Liao replied. Who else would be able to subdue Wang Yanyi so easily? Even Governor Xiao would be hard-pressed to aplish such a feat!


    ncing at the figures before him, Zhang Lie asked, "Are the results of the selection out?"


    Given the hunters who were present, Zhang Lie had a pretty good guess as to who had been selected, but he still wanted some confirmation.


    "Of course, Deputy Leader Zhang! Except for Xia Na, whom you personally spoke to and epted, the other two spots in your team have gone to the third team leader, Zhuo Yihong, and the best candidate from the selection, Qin Tian." As Zhou Liao spoke, he motioned for the three hunters to step forward.


    Zhang Lie had never met Zhuo Yihong or Qin Tian before. Zhuo Yihong was a mature hunter in his thirties, who seemed much like an uncle next door, whereas Qin Tian was somewhat younger, with a resolute expression on his face.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze swept over the three hunters. "Qin Tian''s a somewhat familiar name. You''re not rted to the Qin n in China''s city of Liao, are you?"


    Zhang Lie''s question seemed toe out of nowhere, but everyone could hear the mild note of distaste in it. The Qin n of Liao had likely been one of Zhang Lie''s enemies during his initial period of growth. Perhaps they would no longer be able to threaten him, but he didn''t want to help cultivate one of their promising talents, nheless.


    "No, sir, I''m from Mars, and my family doesn''te from a major n!"


    The other team leaders sighed in disappointment as Zhang Lie nodded. "Good. There''s no need to be so anxious¡ªeven if you were from the Qin n, all I would have done was reject you."


    Zhou Liao continued, "If there''s no problem with the three candidates, Deputy Leader Zhang, then that''s everything from me. I''ve informed Xia Na and Zhuo Yihong, the two previous team leaders, about what to expect with regards to your team''s lodgings, and they should have everything prepared as well."


    "Thank you for your help, Troop Leader Zhou. If there''s anything you need my assistance with, please let me know, and I''ll do my best."


    Zhou Liao beamed upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words. Zhang Lie''s deferential attitude was something Zhou Liao could boast about for years; everyone present knew just how strong Zhang Lie was, after all.


    "No, no, I could hardlymand you, Deputy Leader Zhang! We''ll work together!"

 Chapter 318: Return to the Zenith Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 318: Return to the Zenith Dojo</h4>


    After greeting Zhang Lie, the other team leaders left. Soon, Xia Na, Zhuo Yihong, and Qin Tian were the only three hunters remaining.


    "Alright, while they''re all gone, let me go over my expectations briefly. There are only two importantmandments in my team: first, don''t provoke others, but don''t back down if provoked; second, honor our ideals and fulfill our objectives with overwhelming strength. Do you understand?"


    The three new team members couldn''t help but think back to how Zhang Lie had utterly destroyed Phoenix in the Void Cup, as well as how Zhang Lie had sallied alone into the throngs of the Kez to defeat a three-star ck-tipped scarab in the fight that had catapulted him to fame.


    These were good ideals to live by.


    "Yes, Captain!" the three hunters replied as one, their tone resolute.


    Their past backgrounds didn''t matter; from today onwards, Xia Na, Zhuo Yihong, and Qin Tian would be nothing more¡ªand nothing less¡ªthan Zhang Lie''s team members.


    "Alright, that''s it. Since your lodgings have already been prepared for you, feel free to get settled in. For the moment, continue your personal training. I''ll discuss how we''ll split our resources once the rest of Team Zenith enters the second realm. If there''s anything urgent, I''ll contact you. Before the rest of Team Zenith joins us, I expect we won''t get any missions. Cherish this period of peace and quiet¡ªit won''tst long!"


    To be honest, Zhang Lie wasn''t sure what ns Governor Xiao had for his team. Zhang Lie certainly wouldn''t have organized a team on his own given that he already had Team Zenith, and he didn''t know how to incorporate the three new members with the rest of Team Zenith.


    Fortunately, Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng would quickly ascend to the second realm, and he would be able to delegate this responsibility to them.


    As for him, he had his own goals in mind. There were two pressing objectives for him at the moment. He had to quickly understand and master the use of the dragonturtle''s four tablets, then start preparing to amass superior gene fragments for himself. The four tablets could be easily mastered with time and effort, he was certain; the superior gene fragments would be harder.


    Compared to the lifeforms of the first realm, those of the second were far more intelligent, even more so than ordinary adults. Their intelligence meant that they would gather and roam in herds and packs, and even in alliances.


    In the second realm, it was rtively easy to obtain basic and mutated gene fragments, but the difficulty of amassing superior gene fragments increased at least a hundredfold. After all, it was rare for superior-grade lifeforms to wander alone; all were members of some pack or alliance. As a result, every superior gene fragment a hunter could acquire was a preciousmodity indeed.


    Trying to hunt down a superior-grade lifeform meant dealing with the retribution from the pack it was in, so mankind had had no choice to work solely in teams and groups as well. It was simply too unrealistic to expect one person to handle a whole horde of lifeforms.


    There could well be a rare few peak-grade lifeforms leading such a horde, and these corresponded to lord-ss hunters in terms of strength.


    Zhang Lie was a lord-ss hunter himself, but facing two or more peak-grade lifeforms simultaneously would still be too much of a challenge for him to take on. Thus, Zhang Lie would have to make significant preparations before he could feelfortable about wandering out of the city on his own.


    Fortunately, in his past life, Zhang Lie had be an excellent pillmaster, and dealing with a horde of superior-grade lifeforms was much easier with potions that perfectly countered their strengths and exposed their weaknesses.


    As a result, Zhang Lie quickly traveled back to Earth, to the Zenith Dojo. In the dojo''s basement was a top-secretboratory expressly for his use. Much of the spiritual herbs that he had gathered within the first realm were stored here. His potbellied-toad pouch had been full to bursting, and he was anticipating the arrival of research groups from the alien races, so he had paid an exorbitant cost to transfer the herbs out of the dimensional world and into the real one.


    Now that he wanted to brew a few potions, it would be most convenient to do so there.


    Of course, he was also curious about how his sister was doing in the first realm. He was very protective of her, but he also knew that, if he were to indulge and coddle her too much, it would only stunt her future development.


    When Zhang Lie appeared in the teleportation array situated in the center of the Zenith Dojo, it glowed with a pale golden light.


    Zhang Hong, who had been in a meeting; Lin Xiu, who was lecturing a group of recruits; Zhang Hanxiang, who was currently taking a hot bath; and the members of Team Zenith, who had prepared everything and were waiting for Zhang Lie''smand to ascend to the second realm, received news of Zhang Lie''s return.


    Almost as soon as Zhang Lie stepped off the teleportation array, a vivacious girl skipped forward to greet him.


    "D-Dojo Leader, wee back!" The girl''s face was somewhat unfamiliar. She blushed red upon seeing Zhang Lie, clearly nervous but excited.


    After all, at least within the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie was treated as an idol. Those disciples who entered the Zenith Dojo had done so both because they wanted to enjoy the best benefits of the Void Throne and, more importantly, because they venerated Zhang Lie.


    They were all young hunters, hoping that one day, they too could be like Zhang Lie, a pir of China, a beacon for humanity on Earth, in the dimensional world. This was the first time the girl was meeting her idol in person, and she was evidently and reasonably nervous. In fact, she felt as though her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

 Chapter 319: The Unruly Zhang Hanxiang

    <h4>Chapter 319: The Unruly Zhang Hanxiang</h4>


    Zhang Lie nodded at the young girl in greeting before his attention turned back to his transceiver, which had begun to beep. As expected, the first caller was Zhang Hong. The two of them exchanged a few quick words; what Zhang Hong had to report to him was exactly what Zhang Lie was already prepared to deal with.


    First was Zhang Hanxiang. ording to Zhang Hong, his sister had done admirably for herself within the first realm. Almost without relying on the members of Team Zenith, she, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen had finished capping out their mutated gene fragments, and they were more than halfway through with their superior gene fragments already.


    However, Zhang Hanxiang had grown a little ill-tempered because of his prolonged absence. She had thought that she would finally be able to be by his side after bing a gic hunter, but now¡­ One day, after finding out that Zhang Lie still hadn''t returned from the second ralm, she announced that she would remain on Earth and stop her excursions in the first realm of the dimensional world until Zhang Lie returned.


    Within the Zhang family home, still preserved in the interior of the Zenith Dojo, was a crowded mess of ancient furniture and peeling wood. From Zhang Hanxiang''s perspective, however, this was a far morevish ce than even the grand dojo thaty just outside its doors¡ª because this was where she had developed countless memories with her brother, where she had stayed up the whole night waiting for him the day he entered the dimensional world for the first time.


    Back then, she was her brother''s world, and he was hers. Now, however, the times had changed, and her brother as well. The moment she received news of his return, Zhang Hanxiang wanted to rush out and wee him home, but she forced herself against it.


    She wanted to see if her brother would rush over to find her.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t known about what was going on with his sister, but after his briefmunication with Zhang Hong, he realized that he would have to put her at the top of his agenda.


    Just as Zhang Hanxiang finished her bath, Zhang Lie rushed into their old house.


    "Hanxiang, are you inside? I''m back!" Zhang Lie shouted, only to see his sister running toward him, her lips pursed, barely suppressing a smile.


    She was, at that moment, a paradox of emotion, unhappy that her brother had deserted her, but overjoyed that he had gone to find her first. This meant that she was still important to her brother, after all.


    "Are you angry, Hanxiang?" Zhang Lie sat down by her side.


    "Brother, it''s been so long since I''ve seen you!" Zhang Hanxiang murmured.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Did you miss me? I heard you were doing very well for yourself in the first realm, and I thought you''d grown up! Perhaps Zhang Hong was mistaken..."


    Zhang Hanxiang folded her arms and pouted at her brother, but he suddenly turned severe. "Hanxiang, you must understand this: the road to cultivation is harsh, severe, and lonely. As we hunters acquire more and more power, we''ll need to spend amensurate amount of time developing, harnessing, practicing, and assimting that power¡ªmonths, even years. This is something you have to get used to.


    "Even if we were in the same realm, there''s no guarantee that I''ll always be able to make time for you, so you need to learn to take care of yourself when I''m gone. Remember that the reason you enter the dimensional world is to develop and harness your own strength. Of course, I''ll do my best to apany you along your journey, but I can''t be with you for good. You need to learn how to grow stronger, as do I. The dimensional world is dangerous, and sometimes, all you can count on is your own strength.


    "Do you understand?"


    Eventually, Zhang Hanxiang would have to learn how to live without him, and he had to impress upon her the importance of her independent growth. Zhang Hanxiang had to limate to this as soon as possible in case anything were to happen.


    Zhang Lie was strong, and his strength would give him influence in any realm he reached. This strength alone wasrgely sufficient to protect Zhang Hanxiang, but it likewise posed a danger. Just as there were those who idolized Zhang Lie, there were those who plotted against him at any juncture.


    Since Zhang Hanxiang wanted to be a gic hunter in her own right, he couldn''t coddle her and indulge in her every whim any longer. She had to learn to get used to loneliness, to derive strength from independence, to protect herself and her friends.


    Zhang Hanxiang sat back, leaning against the weathered sofa, and slumped. She understood what her brother was saying, but it was simply so difficult! After entering the dimensional world, she had heard quite a lot of legends about her brother. Whenever she heard those tales, she was proud that her brother was so strong, but she hadn''t carefully considered the source of his strength¡ªnot until the conversation he had had with her today.


    His strength hadn''t been a coincidence; it had been the result of long years of concentrated effort. If she were to continue her past behavior, she would be hard-pressed to excel in the first realm, let alone follow in her brother''s footsteps.


    She couldn''t help but recall how Zhang Lie had entered the dangerous dimensional world in order to eke out a living for both of them, then how he had struggled through the depths of the cksteel settlement until finally he broke free, soared, and became the champion of the Void Cup all to get her the ability to stand once again.


    All those opportunities for her, squandered in a fit of pique.


    Zhang Hanxiang lowered her head. "I understand, Brother."

 Chapter 320: Top Secret

    <h4>Chapter 320: Top Secret</h4>


    The reason Zhang Lie was making such a big deal about this now was in order to highlight two important issues for his sister: first, that cultivation and the path of a hunter wasn''t just a game, that she would have to put in hard workmensurate with the resources she had been given to seed; and second, that the dimensional world was dangerous, and she needed some ability to protect herself.


    "There''s no need to apologize to me. Don''t you think I understand how you feel? Even so, Hanxiang, I implore you to pay more attention to your cultivation. The members of Team Zenith will soon ascend to the second realm, and you, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen might have to fend for yourselves in the first realm.


    "The influence of the dojo will continue to grow within the first realm, but if an emergency or ident happens, you''ll need to be prepared to deal with it yourself. Make your way up to the second realm quickly, alright? This time, I promise I''ll wait for you!"


    In the end, he couldn''t bear to be too harsh on her.


    "Yes, Brother, I understand!" Zhang Hanxiang smiled, a blissful expression on her face.


    "I''m going to be having a meeting with the members of Team Zenith about their ascension. There are a few things that I''d like to convey to you during this time as well, so you should join me."


    "I understand, Brother!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s tantrum had been within reason¡ªwhile she was paralyzed, Zhang Lie naturally devoted more time and attention to her than now, and Zhang Lie''s recent disappearance still weighed heavily on her.


    The members of Team Zenith, like Zhang Lie, believed that she would soon grow out of this phase. Following Zhang Lie''smand, they arrived outside the house within just a few moments.


    "Captain!" As the door creaked open, the six members of Team Zenith greeted their captain and walked inside, remembering the first time they had met Zhang Lie.


    Indeed, as Zhang Lie had imed, they were very d they had chosen to follow him. If they hadn''t done so, they surely wouldn''t have grown so strong.


    Zhang Lie beckoned for them to sit around the table. "I''m ready to receive you in Qi. Are your preparations all finalized as well?"


    Fang Yi nodded and spoke for the rest of the team. "Yes, Captain. We''ve collected all the spiritual herbs that you''ve asked for, and Hanxiang, Jiuxiao, and Xianchen are all capable of protecting themselves now."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Good. I trust your work, so what''s left is for me to brew Potion #3 for each of you. Once you consume it and finish uncapping your superior gene fragments again, you''ll be able to advance directly."


    Fang Yi and the rest of the team nodded fervently, letting out excited smiles as they did so. Those who had never experienced the power of these limit fragments could hardly imagine the boost it gave to their abilities.


    Just the basic and mutated limit fragments alone had given the members of Team Zenith an unimaginable boost, let alone the superior limit fragments they would soon obtain.


    To be honest, even they had no idea just how strong they would be with this new potion. Although formally they were a team, none of them had ever managed to push Zhang Lie''s limits, so from the members'' perspective, Zhang Lie''s source of gic energy was all but boundless. Or, put differently, even theirbined strength was unable to force him to his limits.


    As far as they were aware, the reason for Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strength wasrgely because they were missing his superior limit fragments, and it was only natural that they would jump at an opportunity to get what they had been dreaming of for so long.


    "Thank you, Captain!"


    "If you want to thank me, you''d better work harder!" The herbs had been extremely difficult to acquire even for their team, and Zhang Lie was the only hunter in the world who could make such a potion at the current stage.


    "Brother, surely I haven''t misheard you? You''re talking about... Potion #3, which gives you ess to superior limit fragments?" Zhang Hanxiang gasped in surprise. She had emphasized the words ''superior limit fragments''.


    Zhang Lie nodded seriously. The reason he had asked the members of Team Zenith toe to his house was because he wanted to bring Zhang Hanxiang up to speed as well. Everything he had, so would his sister.


    "Really?! Didn''t the dojo announce that they had seeded in the mutated limit fragment research just recently?"


    "Hanxiang, remember that these discoveries will naturally make their way out into the public eye, and we of the Zenith Dojo aren''t the only ones interested in these limit fragments."


    She was shocked by the secret; as a schoolgirl who had only just made her way out into the world, her naivete hadn''t left her entirely, and she believed the dojo''s information almost without question, so this shock was a significant blow to her worldview.


    Upon hearing her brother''s words, however, she quickly agreed, "It does make sense, Brother."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Don''t tell anyone for the moment, not even Jiuxiao or Xianchen. I''ll let them know about the potions once the time is right. Do you understand?"

 Chapter 321: Meeting with Zhang Hong

    <h4>Chapter 321: Meeting with Zhang Hong</h4>


    "Don''t worry, Brother, I''ll keep your secret!" Zhang Hanxiang nodded, happy that her brother had seen fit to trust her about such an important secret.


    The members of Team Zenith knew their captain''s personality well, and they certainly wouldn''t divulge anything either.


    Zhang Lie turned to them. "Hand me the materials¡ªthat''ll be it for today. I''ll let you all know when I have your potions ready."


    Instead of heading straight to theb, however, Zhang Lie then walked off in the direction of Zhang Hong''s office, where Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu were already waiting for him.


    "Sorry for the dy," Zhang Lie apologized, but Zhang Hong only smiled. "It''s not a problem. We''ve been talking about some matters regarding the disciples."


    "Good, good. How are the alien researchers doing?" Zhang Lie cut to the chase.


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong nced at each other, and Lin Xiu chuckled. "Lad, if you didn''t bring them up, I would have suspected that you''d forgotten about them entirely. It''s been a few months, and all you''ve done is give them the barest hint about what they should be doing. Even I think you''ve been too harsh! I know you''ve been busy, but it isn''t appropriate to just leave them hanging either. How about you find some time to help them get started?"


    Lin Xiu was hardly ever this verbose, and Zhang Lie was surprised that he was speaking up in defense of the alien researchers. Lin Xiu felt that this was only the right thing to do. During the past few months, the four alien researcher teams had gradually assimted themselves with the Zenith Dojo, and they had petitioned Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong to help them out with regards to Zhang Lie.


    They had been remarkably useful in helping out the Zenith Dojo, and they had even requested rare and precious resources from their homes in order to do so, and Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong felt the need topensate them for their trouble. Furthermore, they both understood Zhang Lie well¡ªhe would never renege on a promise he had made.


    Zhang Lie would have to help them sooner orter, and they would try their best to ensure that it was sooner rather thanter.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "They must have been on their best behavior if even you were convinced to speak up for them, Lin Xiu. Very well, I''ll show them a few tricks."


    Zhang Lie deliberately took a big breath while they watched him in anticipation, then continued, "What do you think of my two apprentices, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen?"


    "Jiuxiao and Xianchen?" Zhang Hong frowned. Lin Xiu was likewise confused. Was there some sort of rtionship between the limit fragment research and his two apprentices?


    .


    "What do you mean? How are they rted?" Lin Xiu asked directly, only to be met with one of Zhang Lie''s mysterious smiles. "Have a chat with the two of them, and you''ll see. I think it should make the four research teams'' work a lot easier if you do¡ªlet them work on that for now, and if they run into an issue they can''t resolve on their own, then I''ll help them out once I''m out of theb myself. I''ve already made preparations in the second realm, and I might be gone longer than I was this time around."


    Zhang Lie''s words shocked Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong. Apparently, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were instrumental to the alien research, but in a manner that wasn''t yet apparent to Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong. Somehow, it seemed as though Zhang Lie had nned this all along¡ª even before the start of the Void Cup itself. Lin Xiu found himself marveling at the extent of Zhang Lie''s ns.


    Even he couldn''t block his curiosity any further. "Lad, tell me the truth¡ªdid you n all this in advance?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Not perfectly, but I was hoping for a little luck. You''ll find out about everything once you ask the two of them what''s going on. Right, tell them that I won''t punish them for what they tried to hide from me. Please do keep an eye on them for me, too¡ªI don''t want my apprentices to be bullied by those fervent alien researchers."


    Zhang Lie stood up and prepared to walk out of the room. "Right, that''s that. I have to go brew some potions now, so I''ll leave the two of you to take care of the dojo''s affairs."


    His tone was so indolent that the two of them gnashed their teeth and wanted to attack him, but there was little they could do. After all, he had bribed them with all sorts of expertise, potion knowledge, rare frameworks, techniques, and herbs...


    Lin Xiu was already a master in his own right, and the treasures that Zhang Lie had ess to had furthered his cultivation by a significant degree. Even Zhang Hong, who had just been a regr human, was now a proficient hunter in her own right.


    Long ago, she had specifically booked time with Zhang Lie to begin her own training as a hunter, and she had continued that training with Lin Xiu despite how burdened she was with work.


    "Ah, wait! You can''t just leave everything to us¡ªthe first batch of disciples from the dojo are ready to enter the dimensional world! They''re hoping you''ll be present for the ceremony, and we were so overwhelmed with new recruits ?this year that we don''t have space for all the promising candidates even with all the branches of the Zenith Dojo that currently exist. Do you think we should construct another set of branch locations?"

 Chapter 322: False Identities

    <h4>Chapter 322: False Identities</h4>


    Zhang Hong called Zhang Lie back before he could escape and asked him two questions.


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment, then replied, "I''ll participate in the disciples'' sending-off ceremony into the dimensional world, but it has to wait until I''m done with theb. There''s no need for us to build more branches of the Zenith Dojo. If there are too many applicants, then raise the bar¡ªI want to value quality over quantity."


    "I understand!" Zhang Hong nodded firmly, and Zhang Lie hurried off.


    He headed toward theb, whereas Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu made for the training grounds by the disciples'' rooms in order to search for Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen and discover just how they were rted to the limit fragment research.


    There, they found quite a few disciples practicing their techniques in earnest, barely noticing that Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong had entered their midst.


    On the arena in the middle of the training ground, two slender youths were shing against one another, one male and one female, each about thirteen or fourteen years of age.


    The male youth was dressed in white, his eyes fierce, a storm of gic energy in his wake as he charged at his opponent with his fists. The female youth was dressed in ck, her eyes sharp, her hands transformed into ws wreathed with ck me as she dodged with grace.


    "Onest blow¡ª[Heaven-Splitting Fist]!"


    "[Darkbane ws]!"


    ck- and white-colored gic energy rippled out from the two youths as the spectating disciples watched on in shock and awe. The floorboards of the arena began to crack.


    Even Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu were surprised by their disy of strength.


    To be honest, they didn''t know too much about Zhang Lie''s apprentices¡ªthe dojo had only been responsible for their preliminary, foundational education; Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had then worked with the duo personally for framework and technique selection, then independent tutoring afterwards. They had created monsters.


    It was then that the other disciples understood just what it meant to be one of the dojo leader''s apprentices.


    "Alright, Jiuxiao, Xianchen, it''s time to stop! If you keep going, you''ll wreck the entire arena!" Zhang Hong called out. Her voice brought them back to reality. They turned toward Zhang Hong, bowed, and leapt off the arena.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang! Master Lin! What are the two of you doing here?"


    It was true that Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu didn''t y an important role in their cultivation and development as hunters, but they all got along quite well; in particr, a bubbly girl like Ye Xianchen was popr with just about everyone she met.


    Only when she spoke did most of the disciples realize that Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu were in their midst.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang!"


    "Master Lin!"


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong waved their hands and nodded at the excited disciples.


    "Excellent work, everyone. Please, continue your training," Zhang Hongmented. She turned to Zhang Lie''s two apprentices. "Jiuxiao, Xianchen, pleasee with me."


    "Yes, Dojo Leader!"


    Zhang Hong was the deputy dojo leader, beneath just Zhang Lie himself, and she had been apanied by Lin Xiu. Just what would warrant both of theming for her and Jiuxiao together?


    The four of them sat down within an unupied meditation chamber. The moment they took their seats, Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu''s faces turned dark, especially Lin Xiu''s, and the atmosphere in the chamber grew tense.


    "Exin yourselves. Why have you snuck into the dojo hiding your identities? What are your objectives?" Lin Xiu shouted, his aura stunning the two of them into silence.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen nched, as though they were being subject to something horrifying. His face flushed, Jun Jiuxiao stuttered, "M-M-Master Lin, please hear us out, we never snuck into the dojo, and we never deliberately hid our identity! This is all a misunderstanding, so please listen to our exnation and don''t chase us away!"


    "Yes, Master Lin, Dojo Leader Zhang, Jiuxiao''s right. We can''t be considered human, but we promise that we didn''t enter the Zenith Dojo with malicious intent.


    Please don''t expel us from the dojo," Ye Xianchen begged, following Jun Jiuxiao.


    It was natural that the two apprentices would be worried; the dojo expressly barred disciples who intentionally hid their identity, and those who had joined for nefarious reasons. Those who were found to have vited this rule would have their gic core destroyed, then be kicked out of the dojo.


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong nced at each other, and Lin Xiu continued, "A misunderstanding? Exin yourselves. What are your true identities and background? If you continue hiding anything from me..."


    Lin Xiu was pretending to be angrier than he actually was in order to teach the two apprentices a lesson. Although Zhang Lie was willing to let their deception slide, they had still broken one of the fundamental rules of the dojo, and it would hardly be eptable for them to receive no punishment for what they had done, nor for the other disciples to feel as though they could likewise vite that rule.


    "Yes, Master Lin!" The two apprentices knew that the truth woulde out sooner orter; after all, as they continued to grow, their racial characteristics would quickly be unable to hide.


    They calmed down and began their narration. Jun Jiuxiao, still dressed in white, stood up. Gic energy red around him as a pair of angelic wings sprouted from his back.

 Chapter 323: Princess of the Night Mystics

    <h4>Chapter 323: Princess of the Night Mystics</h4>


    "I apologize, Master Lin, Dojo Leader Hong. I''m half-winged. Please believe me when I say that I didn''t sneak into the dojo as a spy or anything simr. I simply arrived at Earth coincidentally while avoiding my pursuers, and I was fortunate enough to enter the dojo. While training in the dojo, I never bore any intention to harm the dojo, my masters, or any of my fellow students!"


    He spread his wings wide, and his irises turned gold.


    Ye Xianchen likewise strode forward. Runic inscriptions crept up her arms, and a sharp, ck tail emerged from her lower back. "Master Lin, Dojo Leader Zhang, I''m half-night spirit. Escaping all the way to Earth has been a harrowing journey, and we simply didn''t dare to reveal ourselves for, for fear of further discrimination..."


    Tears sparkled in Xianchen''s eyes, and her voice fell with every word.


    "Hold it, hold it right there! All I told you was to exin yourselves properly¡ªI never said you''d be punished harshly!" Lin Xiu couldn''t bear to y the bad guy any longer. He spoke to them in a far less demanding tone than before, exining that they had little to fear.


    After all, given that Zhang Lie himself had been willing to overlook the deception meant that there was surely no malicious intent behind it. It would suffice to give them a minor punishment, nothing more.


    "Really? Thank you, Master Lin, thank you, Dojo Leader Zhang!" the two apprentices murmured in relief, but with a few notes of worry in their voice. After all, they didn''t know how Zhang Lie would take their deception; they didn''t realize that he had already found out.


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong naturally realized what the two of them were thinking.


    "There''s no need to be so worried. Did you really think you could keep this hidden from the dojo leader? Come, tell us about the powers you''ve kept from us," Zhang Hong suggested. The two youths rxed tremendously after hearing her words.


    Right¡ªhow could the dojo leader not have seen through their deception? Perhaps he had already done so the moment they joined the dojo. Of course, that had to be the case! Otherwise, he wouldn''t have summoned Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong to talk to them.


    "Yes, Dojo Leader! I belong to an offshoot of the white-winged race, the hidden-winged. As an adult, I''ll have the ability to shroud myself in invisibility by refracting the light around me. My father was a member of the hidden-winged, and my mother was a human. My n disapproved of their union, and they were ultimately both killed by the n," Jun Jiuxiao recounted, his somber tone and sharp, piercing eyes causing Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong to feel sympathetic toward him.


    No wonder he had been so excited to see Zhang Lie kill Phoenix¡ªno wonder he had trained so fervently, so recklessly, as though his very life depended on it!


    Jun Jiuxiao''s story was harrowing and all too believable. After all, before Martial Sage Hong Tianqi broke through, and before Zhang Lie developed limit fragments and became the champion of the Void Cup as a result, humans were widely recognized to be one of the weakest races in the Milky Way.


    Even those members of the alien races who interacted with the humans would beughed at by theirpatriots, let alone those who would dare to start a family with them.


    "Don''t worry. Follow your master well, and one day, I''m sure the entirety of the hidden-winged will beg you for your mercy and forgiveness," Lin Xiu reassured him.


    He had escaped from tragedy and discrimination of the worst kind; was it a surprise he didn''t want to reveal his identity? Perhaps most curiously, he had managed to obtain basic limit fragments by breaking through following the human approach.


    In other words, once the winged figured out what happened to him and why he was able to use the humans'' approach to break through, they would quickly be able to amass limit fragments for their race. Unfortunately for the winged, however, they weren''t in the first batch of races ted for research.


    After Jun Jiuxiao told his story, everyone turned to Ye Xianchen.


    "The night mystics are an offshoot of the nightdemons," she began.


    "The night mystics!" Ye Xianchen''s first sentence alone startled Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong. Both the nightdemons and night spirits had research delegations in the Zenith Dojo, and the night mystics clearly seemed to be a rted race.


    "Yes, the night mystics," Ye Xianchen continued. "Our eyes are our racial gift, granting us night vision superior to our vision in daylight. When shrouded in darkness, our strength can even be enhanced up to threefold. My father was once a high-ranking member of the n. His marriage with my mother hadn''t been a big problem¡ªat least, not until I was born."


    Ye Xianchen''s eyes turned red, as though she were recalling some unhappy childhood memories.


    Zhang Hong couldn''t help eximing in shock, "Ah, it''s you! You''re the princess of the night mystics, the one whom the dojo leader spent so much time searching for?"


    Zhang Hong stared at her with incredulity. The name ''night mystics'' had rung a bell in her mind, but she didn''t make the connection until Ye Xianchen continued to speak.


    "The night mystics'' princess...? The person we''ve been looking for for a few months was right by our side all along! Just how much luckier can Zhang Lie get?" Lin Xiu murmured.


    Indeed, it was incredible luck that Zhang Lie had chosen her as one of his apprentices.


    He continued, "Xianchen, we can''t change what happened in the past, but believe me, as Zhang Lie''s apprentice, you''ll definitely be able to grow stronger with him than you would ever grow with the night mystics!"

 Chapter 324: Assigned Tasks

    <h4>Chapter 324: Assigned Tasks</h4>


    Lin Xiu''s words caused Xianchen to smile in delight. It was only natural that she had to grow up early because of what she had suffered, and she med the night mystics for what they had done to her family.


    "I understand, Master Lin! I won''t let you down, and I''ll make good use of the resources that the dojo has provided me."


    Lin Xiu waved a hand carelessly. "Don''t worry, we don''t have any question about your loyalty. If we did, the two of us wouldn''t be the people approaching you today. You know of the four alien research teams in the area, don''t you? They''ll need a few research subjects, so we''re hoping you and Jiuxiao will be willing to answer their questions, perform a series of tests, and submit some blood samples. The dojo leader''s intention is for you to help out with their research in exchange for your having hidden your identities for so long."


    The two youths finally rxed after learning about Zhang Lie''s attitude on the matter. Since he had promised that he would overlook the incident, that meant that there would be no further repercussionsing their way.


    "Yes, Master Lin!" the two youths replied obediently, and Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong dismissed them.


    By that time, Zhang Lie had entered his personalboratory and begun preparations for concocting a whole slew of limit-breaking potions. This time around, Team Zenith had collected arge number of herbs, enough for arge supply of Potions #1 and #2, and even for over twenty bottles of the rarest Potion #3 as well.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t under particr time pressure at the moment, so he intended on crafting all these potions now. After all, the hunters of Team Zenith would require a batch of Potion #3 before their ascension, and then Zhang Hanxiang, Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, followed by the most promising of the second batch of disciples...


    There would never be enough limit-breaking potions for everyone, and it was only sensible to start stockpiling now. In addition, it was long past time for him to show some gratitude to all those powerful hunters who had been supporting him and aiding his growth.


    Concocting so many potions at once was an exercise in concentration, of a long period of boredom punctured by a brief few sesses. By this point, Zhang Lie had be so familiar with the process of concocting Potions #1 and #2 that he could do it almost robotically, but he would have to pay special attention to Potion #3, which remained somewhat challenging.


    Five days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Zhang Lie barely left his fume hood, let alone sleep. Having broken past the constraints of a mortal lifeform, Zhang Lie was able to go without sleep for quite some time, at least enough?to finish thest batch of potions. With the final bottle of Potion #3 finished, Zhang Lie let out a satisfied smile. He had finally consumed all the herbs that he had obtained from the members of Team Zenith.


    He had made no mistakes, save with one bottle of Potion #3, the concoction process of which was far more demanding than anything else he had brewed to date.


    After finishing with the potions, Zhang Lie left theb. He was feeling excited about how much he had aplished; despite having gone without sleep for five days, he still seemed to be quite energetic. The moment he was done with the potions, he immediately informed the members of Team Zenith toe pick them up.


    Rather surprisingly, only three hunters came to find him¡ªSun Mengmeng, Zhou Ying, and Sun Xiaowu.


    "Where are Fang Yi and the others?"


    Sun Mengmeng smiled. "They''re in the dimensional world with Hanxiang. She was too impatient to wait for you to be done with your brewing¡ªshe wanted to get stronger immediately. They left two days ago, and I just sent them a notification through my transceiver. I expect they''ll be back shortly."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I hope my sister took my words to heart. You should have a guess as to why I''m calling all of you here now, don''t you?"


    The three members of Team Zenith who were present let out excited smiles. Of course! What other reason could Zhang Lie have to call them over if not for Potion #3? They were overjoyed to be able to obtain superior limit fragments imminently. As Zhang Lie''s closest confidantes, no one knew better than they just how impactful these limit fragments were.


    After all, besides Zhang Lie himself, they were the ones who had benefited the most from them.


    "Yes¡ªthat''s right. As you all seem to have guessed, I have Potion #3 ready for each of you, and you''ll be able to get your own superior limit fragments soon. The potion is particrly potent, so I''ll need to be present in case any side effects ur. Who wants to go first?"


    This was something the gathered hunters were used to¡ªbefore this, Zhang Lie had assisted them in absorbing the mutated limit fragments from Potion #2 as well. They could still remember the agonizing sensation of having so much gic energy flow through their bodies that they felt as if they would burst at any moment.


    The three of them nced at each other. Sun Xiaowu and Zhou Ying stepped out of the room, leaving Sun Mengmeng alone with Zhang Lie. The three of them had been part of a small band of hunters before they met Zhang Lie, and Sun Mengmeng had been their leader; it was only natural that they would defer to her.


    Perhaps because she was reminded of what had happened thest time they had done this as she imbibed Potion #2, Sun Mengmeng''s face turned red.

 Chapter 325: Superior Limit Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 325: Superior Limit Fragments</h4>


    Zhang Lie soothed her gently. "Don''t worry, Sun Mengmeng. After consuming the potion, begin to meditate and guide the energy throughout your body. I''ll handle the rest."


    Sun Mengmeng did seem more rxed, but her face turned even redder. Because of her fire-attuned framework, her gic energy tended to be particrly explosive. When she consumed Potion #2 and her gic energy had red up, all her clothing had been incinerated and she had been naked in front of Zhang Lie. The residual embarrassment from that event continued to challenge her.


    Nevertheless, when Zhang Lie handed her a vial of sapphire liquid, she reached out for it almost immediately¡ªPotion #3! This was the potion that she had dreamt of for so long. She took a deep breath, steeled herself against the possibility that the exact same scenario asst time would happen again, and downed the potion in one gulp.


    "Thank you, Captain!" As the potion entered her body, Sun Mengmeng sat down on the floor cross-legged. Her fire-attuned gic energy, like an erupting volcano, began to spew out of her body. Her skin began to steam, and she felt as though she were burning up in a pyre of me.


    A pair ofrge hands pressed down on her shoulders, sending jets of cooling gic energy into her body, providing her with such relief that she barely avoided moaning. If her body were an active volcano, then these two palms were like an arctic geyser, able to counteract any heat that her body was able to produce.


    No ident urred; the entire process went surprisingly smoothly, so much so that Sun Mengmeng herself could barely believe it. She didn''t even experience any difort at all¡ªin fact, it felt as though she had had a refreshing cold shower on a hot, sticky day. She felt soothed and rejuvenated all over, and the feeling was so amazing that she wished she could go through it all over again.


    Unfortunately, the energy from the potion wasn''t boundless. As it was fully absorbed by her body, the two palms left her shoulders. Zhang Lie''s assistance had been perfect. As he released her, he said gently, "Alright, try to sense how your body is feeling."


    Potion #3 would significantly increase the strength of a hunter''s body as a side effect¡ªwhat determined how many gene fragments hunters could absorb were the strength of their bodies and their status as a lifeform. The second factor was immaterial to Sun Mengmeng and the others, who were still mortal lifeforms of the first realm.


    The first factor, the strength of their bodies, referred not to their muscr strength, but rather their gic structure. Potion #3 worked by expanding the strength of their bodies to increase the number of gene fragments they would be able to absorb. Because Potion #3 dealt with superior limit fragments, the increase in strength would naturally also be scaled up.


    At that moment, Sun Mengmeng felt as though her base strength had increased tenfold. This sort of dramatic increase disoriented her; she felt as though she were in a dream. After all, each superior limit fragment was more impactful than even a corresponding peak gene fragment, and Sun Mengmeng''s body had just been primed to ept fifty such fragments.


    No wonder Zhang Lie had taken down his opponents in the Void Cup so easily¡ªhe had had such a tremendous boost! Surely he had obtained superior limit fragments by that point.


    Sun Mengmeng gave Zhang Lie a deep bow. "Captain, thank you!"


    Zhang Lie only smiled. "There''s no need to be so formal with me. Send the next member in, will you?"


    Team Zenith''s loyalty and hard work had won Zhang Lie''s absolute trust, and he intended to sponsor and cultivate their development as much as he could.


    Sun Mengmeng nodded, but as she walked out of the room, she couldn''t help but feel a pang of loss, one that even her joy at growing stronger couldn''t ovee. She had been harboring feelings for Zhang Lie for quite a while, though she only gradually grew to recognize exactly what she was doing.


    After the incident with Potion #2, she found herself less and less able to hide these feelings, but from her recent encounter with him, she could clearly sense that he treated her just as he would any other member of Team Zenith. This was normal, of course, but she couldn''t help feeling a sharp stab of abject refusal.


    It was true that Zhang Lie was a young man in his twenties, prone to hormonal urges¡ªbut he was also a reincarnator. Of the regrets in his past life, a particrly significant one was a romantic rtionship that had gone awry. It wasn''t that Zhang Lie looked down on Sun Mengmeng, but he felt as though he had to process his feelings over that rtionship before starting a new one, so he could only pretend to turn a blind eye to Sun Mengmeng''s feelings.


    After Sun Mengmeng left the chamber, she called for Zhou Ying to enter.


    "Captain, I''m here. What would you like me to do?" Zhou Ying spoke up. Her voice was mellifluous and rarely heard; she tended to be quiet, but her scant remarks were always insightful.


    Zhou Ying looked as though she was in a particrly good mood, and Zhang Lie was rather surprised by how lively she had be. He still thought of her as a quiet, bookish young woman, but it was evident that she had grown since then.


    Much of her reticent nature stemmed from ack of self-confidence, but ever since joining Team Zenith, she had slowly grown morefortable with who she was. Although she was still rather quiet, she had certainly developed by leaps and bounds.

 Chapter 326: Ascension Strategy

    <h4>Chapter 326: Ascension Strategy</h4>


    Zhang Lie was d to see Zhou Ying blossoming and developing as a hunter. He handed her a vial of Potion #3. "Calm down. Meditate and circte your gic energy throughout your body, and leave the rest to me."


    "Yes, Captain!" Zhou Ying swallowed the contents of the vial in one gulp. With Zhang Lie''s expert assistance, she naturally managed to absorb the potion''s medicinal energy and raised her superior gene fragment capacity.


    As she sensed the overwhelming growth in her strength, Zhou Ying bowed down deeply toward Zhang Lie. "Captain, I, Zhou Ying, swear¡ª"


    "Ah, there''s no need for that. Just keep working hard and don''t let me down, alright?" Zhang Lie broke Zhou Ying off before she could dere her loyalty once again. He didn''t think there was anything to worry about¡ªafter all, the members of Team Zenith had all tethered their fates to the Zenith Dojo; they would grow and prosper together or not at all.


    Zhou Ying gave him a firm nod, then stepped outside the chamber.


    With Zhang Lie''s help, Sun Xiaowu also quickly increased his superior gene fragment capacity, followed by Fang Yi, Yang Ze, and Li Feng, who had returned after receiving Sun Mengmeng''s emergency notification.


    All six members of Team Zenith broke through in session, and Zhang Lie subsequently convened a meeting with regards to their ascension to the second realm. He cut to the chase.


    "There are two important points I want to make you all aware of: the condensation of your gic armor during the transferral procedure, as well as the location in the second realm to which you are sent. I''ve already prepared appropriate materials for gic armor for each of you. What you have to be prepared to do, however, is to struggle."


    The members of Team Zenith cocked their heads.


    Zhang Lie rified, "While activating your framework and circting your gic energy throughout your body to forge your gic armor, you need to resist the refinement energy provided by the will of the world."


    Fang Yi, flummoxed by Zhang Lie''s logic, couldn''t help questioning, "Resist? Captain, shouldn''t we try to ept and incorporate the refinement energy into our bodies instead? Why would we resist it?"


    "The longer you resist, the more benefits you''ll ultimately get from the process," Zhang Lie exined, his tone firm.


    The gathered hunters couldn''t help but think back to what had happened in the dimensional world immediately before his disappearance and immediately after his reappearance. Combined with what he had just said, they were able to identify the source of his confidence¡ªhe had to have done just that himself!


    "Next, I need all of you to be transferred to Qi when you arrive at the second realm, which is where I''m located. If you still want to follow me, you have to make sure to be sent to Qi."


    By this point, even Zhang Lie was frowning slightly, and the members of Team Zenith were even more confused. As far as they knew, they would be sent to one of the four human cities in the second realm randomly after their ascension. This location was decided by the will of the world, and was supposed to be uncontroble.


    Yang Ze voiced that thought, and Zhang Lie smiled in response. "Theoretically, it can''t be controlled, but during my ascension, I noticed a few rules in y. Follow my method and see if it works¡ªif it doesn''t, then immediately return to Earth after ascending, and we''ll think of a way for us all to meet up."


    "What''s this method, Captain? Quick, tell us!" Fang Yi rubbed his hands. If they could really control their ascension location...


    "The crux of the solution is simple: it''s again a matter of resistance. What you need to do after the transferral process is almostplete is to re your gic energy and express your will as you resist the will of the world.


    "As far as I can tell, whether or not this procedure will be effective depends on how strong you be after the transferral process. If necessary, you can even all work together to resist the will of the world, forcing it to sumb to yourbined wills."


    The hunters gaped at Zhang Lie. Who would have expected that the final boss they would be facing for ascension would be the will of the world itself?


    "Captain, are you certain that this will work? The will of the world is like a god!" Sun Xiaowu eximed.


    "Like a god? No, you''re not quite right¡ªin the first realm of the dimensional world, the will of the world is a god!" Fang Yi corrected him.


    Yang Ze sucked in breath through his teeth. "Master, do you mean that we''re supposed to challenge the god of this world?"


    The members of Team Zenith all turned to Zhang Lie.


    "So what if it''s a god? Is that enough to make you all so fearful?" Zhang Lie replied casually, as if the task he had set for them wasn''t a difficult one at all.


    The hunters didn''t know whether tough or to cry. With Zhang Lie''s strength, it might not have been a challenge¡ªand indeed, he had managed to ovee the will of the world before, but that didn''t mean they could replicate his sesses.


    The will of the world governed the entirety of the first realm! Would it be so easy to go against it?


    ncing at their worried expressions, Zhang Lie suddenly red at them in anger. "Are you all so worried about something as minor as the will of the world? In that case, what''s the point of spending so much time on all of you? Let''s disband the team, then!"


    Zhang Lie suddenly stood up, surprising everyone. After all, they had almost never seen him mad since they had begun following him. How could the members of Team Zenith hesitate now?


    "Don''t, don''t! Don''t get angry at us, Captain! We''ll do as you say, even if it costs us our lives!"


    "Right, there''s nothing that we can''t do with your help, Captain!"

 Chapter 327: A New Settlement

    <h4>Chapter 327: A New Settlement</h4>


    It wasn''t as though the members of Team Zenith had been truly scared of facing off against the will of the world; rather, they were simply shocked by the daring idea that Zhang Lie had proposed.


    Zhang Lie believed that they would be able to handle it after acquiring their superior limit fragments, and the hunters believed in Zhang Lie. After all, they had followed him for quite some time, and there was no reason for him to guide them down an improper path.


    His ultimate objective was to try to gather everyone from Team Zenith in Qi, as well as to test whether this hypothesis would actually be a fruitful method. He smiled. He wasn''t actually angry at them; him threatening to disband the team was simply the most efficient way to get the hunters over their mental hurdle.


    What remained were the specifics. Zhang Lie patiently exined and set up all the likely problems that the hunters might face during their ascension. After a long discussion, everyone left satisfied with a specific idea of what they had to aplish in the short term.


    As long as they followed what they discussed today to the letter, there wouldn''t be a problem with teleporting to Qi.


    After having dealt with the most pressing issues at hand, Zhang Lie was finally free once more. Instead of heading over to Zhang Hong for a status update, he went to find his sister first. Zhang Hanxiang had returned with Fang Yi and the others, and if Zhang Lie didn''t take the time to go see her, she would likely feel a little upset.


    Furthermore, with the members of Team Zenith about to ascend, the Zenith Dojo''s presence in the first realm would be significantly reduced. There were still quite a lot of hunters affiliated with the Zenith Dojo in the first realm, of course, but they certainly weren''t as well known as the members of Team Zenith themselves.


    Zhang Lie was a little worried for his sister''s safety, and he wanted to impart her with a few more words of advice. The two of them sat opposite each other in their rundown house.


    After Zhang Lie''sst session with Zhang Hanxiang, she seemed to have grown much more obedient, and she appeared surprised to see Zhang Lie enter the house. After all, she knew just how much responsibility her brother had to carry on his back.


    Nevertheless, beneath her shock was unbridled joy¡ªshe was clearly happy to see her brother once more. The two of them had a pleasant chat, and Zhang Lie was much morefortable about leaving her, Jiuxiao, and Xianchen in the first realm alone.


    Afterwards, Zhang Lie contacted Zhang Hong to schedule a meeting with her and Lin Xiu.


    "Are the members of Team Zenith ready to ascend?" Lin Xiu asked the moment they all sat down. As one of the strongest hunters in the dojo, he had been quite interested to observe the development of the hunters of Team Zenith, and he viewed all of them rather highly.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Almost. All the conditions are ready, so what''s left is to see how they perform under pressure. How about the research teams? Have they had more sess after Jiuxiao and Xianchen joined as test subjects?"


    "Don''t mention it¡ªthey''ve done all sorts of testing to no avail! I think you''ll have to handle it personally, because these supposed scientists don''t have any idea what they''re doing!"


    In the week that Zhang Lie had spent cloistered in hisboratory, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen had had to give out samples of their blood and even bone marrow, but despite all that, the scientists had failed to make any research progress since then, and their demands had only grown more and more ridiculous. Their inadequacy naturally angered Lin Xiu.


    Zhang Lieughed. "If these researchers were chosen to lead such an important experiment, I''m sure they''re skilled in their own way. I suspect they just haven''t found the right approach for the study."


    "What do you mean, they haven''t found the right approach? These are perfect test subjects! If not for the fact that the two youths are trying topensate for their deception, they wouldn''t have given in to all these incessant demands!" Lin Xiu was so angry with the research team that his initial goodwill was nowhere to be seen.


    "Yes, Zhang Lie, I''m somewhat worried myself. Please go have a look personally so that the two youths don''t have to suffer so much," Zhang Hong added.


    "I''ll certainly go check out their progresster," Zhang Lie replied. He suspected that Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong were worrying too much about nothing. Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were Zhang Lie''s apprentices, so no matter what, the research teams wouldn''t dare to make requests that would be too unreasonable.


    "However, I''m not too concerned about the research. Instead, the reason I''ve called both of you over is to discuss our next steps."


    Lin Xiu eximed in shock, "What? What are you nning on doing now?"


    To Lin Xiu, Zhang Lie was much like an entric genius, who came up with things that seemed to be outside the realm of normalcy. Even he was a little curious just what Zhang Lie would do next.


    "The members of Team Zenith are about to ascend to the second realm, and the Zenith Dojo''s influence in the first realm of the dimensional world will reach a nadir in their absence. Hanxiang, Jiuxiao, Xianchen, and the other disciples will need quite some time to develop as seasoned hunters in their own right, so we have to temporarily supplement quality with quantity. The first batch of disciples is just about ready to enter the first realm, so we need to resolve this issue soon.


    "My intention is to request that a settlement be constructed specifically for the hunters and disciples of the Zenith Dojo. Given my fame, my development of limit fragments, and the significant impact of the Zenith Dojo worldwide, it shouldn''t be a problem for us to acquire the permission to do such a thing.


    "As for the construction, we have ample funds to sponsor such a feat. What do you both think?"


    Zhang Lie''s proposal stunned them both. They had both considered the issue of their disciples entering the first realm, but neither was so visionary or daring to propose such a n.


    The construction of a new settlement would require approval from the highest authorities of the world federation, and they were shocked that Zhang Lie was willing to go this far. However, given Zhang Lie''s own influence in the dimensional world, he very well might have the ability to establish a settlement in the first realm.


    After all, he had a personal connection with Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, so if anyone could obtain settlement rights for their dojo, it would be him.


    "That''s an ambitious idea, but I''m in full agreement!" Lin Xiu stated. If this n could seed, it would change the course of history.


    "I agree," Zhang Hong replied, smiling. She was optimistic about the possibility of the n working.


    "Very well, then, it''s settled! Master Lin, can I leave drafting the n to you? As a member of the world federation, I imagine you have some idea of what needs to be done. Let me know when you need me to step forward!"


    "Yes, Dojo Leader! Before then, however, I hope you''ll mention this n to Martial Sage Hong beforehand."


    "Of course I will¡ªand I''ll bring him a small token of appreciation as well."


    "Ah, a small token? What is it?" Lin Xiu''s eyes gleamed. What did Zhang Lie think would be so valuable that even Martial Sage Hong would covet it?


    Zhang Hong seemed simrly curious.


    Zhang Lie retrieved two vials from his potbellied-toad pouch. "What else? I only have one thing the martial sage might be interested in."


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong''s eyes widened at the sapphire-blue liquid contained within.


    "Are these... vials of Potion #3?!" Lin Xiu was bbergasted. Both Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong had already consumed Potions #1 and #2, and they remembered very well the sensation of downing those two potions.


    The liquid in Zhang Lie''s hand, however, was a color they had never seen before, though it gave off a simr sensation as the two potions they had consumed. The natural conclusion was that this was the next potion in the series.


    "C-Can I see that?" Lin Xiu''s face flushed red as he nced at the sapphire-blue vials, desire apparent in his eyes.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What''s there to look at? These two vials are for the two of you."


    He tossed each of them one vial.


    "Ah, be careful!"


    "Right, what if we didn''t catch them in time?!"


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong clumsily fumbled for the vials. Since they had already experienced the potency of Potions #1 and #2, they naturally knew just how precious these vials were.

 Chapter 328: Reclaiming the Apprentices

    <h4>Chapter 328: Reiming the Apprentices</h4>


    Zhang Hong and Lin Xiu were both very touched by Zhang Lie''s gesture in handing them each a vial of Potion #3. As high-ranking staff of the Zenith Dojo, they knew better than anyone else just how precious these vials were.


    "Lad, I have to say, you''re¡ª"


    "No, no, none of that! You''ve given the Zenith Dojo your all, and you''ve both worked yourself to the bone while I was gone. It''s only right for me to pay you back somehow," Zhang Lie added.


    Lin Xiu and Zhang Hong were both of humble birth, and they had experienced their fair share of discrimination before growing into their power. Only after entering the Zenith Dojo did they truly discover their own value.


    As they clutched the vials in their hands, they swore to themselves that they would forever remain loyal to the dojo.


    "Master Lin, I trust you can handle the absorption process yourself? Please help Zhang Hong when you''ve finished. We''ll continue talkingter. Do you think this is an appropriate gift for the martial sage?"


    Lin Xiu turned to him and replied seriously, "Of course, of course it is! I''m certain the martial sage will be overjoyed with this present."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "From his perspective, I imagine he could easily get his hands on any cultivation resource he would want¡ªwith the exception of this." He smiled. "Can I leave sending out these gifts to you, Master Lin? Not just to the martial sage himself, but also the officials and important figures of note from the world federation, as well as the Chinese military and government, who have helped us out. That said, I can''t afford to hand them all a vial of Potion #3, so please be prudent."


    Lin Xiuughed. "Su Feng and Yan Long have been wanting to get their hands on these potions for a while¡ªI''m d to see that they''ll finally get their wish! Don''t worry, I can handle all this easily."


    "In that case, the matter''s settled." Zhang Lie nodded, then turned to Zhang Hong. "Zhang Hong, can I leave the construction of the settlement to you¡ªeverything from the materials, the workers, the security? And if we''re going to build a settlement, then we''ll have to dy the disciples from entering the first realm for a little while longer."


    Zhang Hong nodded firmly. "Don''t worry, I can handle it!"


    "You''ve really been an amazing help, Zhang Hong. I must say, I can''t wait to see what our settlement will look like once it''s done!"


    "Dojo Leader, you''re making me nervous¡ªwhat if it''s not up to par?"


    "Ha! If there''s anyone who can handle it, I''m sure it''s you."


    As the meeting concluded, Zhang Lie headed straight toward the four alien research teams.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were his apprentices, after all, and he certainly had to investigate how they were being treated by the researchers. The research facility was under Team Zenith''s name, but the research staff wasrgelyposed of the scientists of the nightdemons, aquatic, starbeasts, and night spirits. This facility was constructed specifically for alien research, after all.


    The lead scientists in charge of the project were overjoyed to see Zhang Lie paying them a visit. This was only the second time they had ever met this legendary human.


    "How''s the progress on the limit fragment research?" Zhang Lie asked, getting straight to business. "Have studying my two disciples helped you all?"


    The four lead scientists nced at each other, then exined that they had tried to perform tests that were as minimally invasive as possible and which wouldn''t hurt Zhang Lie''s two precious apprentices.


    Jiuxiao and Xianchen themselves were quickly summoned to the meeting.


    "Master!" The moment they saw him, they gave him a deep bow. They were still quite sorry about having hidden their identities from Zhang Lie, and they were worried about what he would say.


    "I heard the two of you have suffered quite a bit during these experiments. Is that true?" Zhang Lie asked, not mentioning their deception at all.


    "Ah, no, Master, we''ve been doing quite well here!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "There''s no need to behave so carefully around me. If I really med you for the deception, I would hardly have kept you both around. I just want you to be useful research subjects, nothing more¡ªthis isn''t intended as a punishment for either of you. I think you''ve both spent enough time here already, so return to the dojo with me in a bit."


    Zhang Lie ignored the four lead researchers, but they couldn''t ignore him.


    The lead researcher for the nightdemons, Ye Hualin, began, "Dojo Leader, I can understand how much you care for your apprentices, but as for our research¡ª"


    "Enough. This shouldn''t have been tooplicated, especially with my two apprentices around. Show me your preliminary results¡ªI''m quite curious just what you''ve done."


    .


    "Of course, Dojo Leader, we''ll do so immediately!" Ye Hualin beamed.


    The nightdemons had impressed upon her the importance of acquiring limit fragments for their race without destroying the rtionship between them and Zhang Lie. However, this was the first time that Zhang Lie had shown up in the facility in the months since they had arrived, and they had to get whatever pointers they could from him while he was around.

 Chapter 329: Gathering

    <h4>Chapter 329: Gathering</h4>


    The research reports were quickly delivered to Zhang Lie. He scrolled through their findings and quickly discovered the problem¡ªas he had suspected, they had gone in the wrong direction.


    What the scientists were focused on was trying to analyze the differences between their races and the human race, rather than why the procedure developed for humans wouldn''t likewise work for their race.


    While the former question might ultimately provide an answer to thetter, that analysis would be significantly more time-consuming, and potentially with many more red herrings besides.


    "What you''ve done so far doesn''t get at the fundamental issue in y. Use the markers that you''ve identified to examine just what happened to the genes of my two apprentices when they underwent the foundational breakthrough. That should lead you to the crux of the issue," Zhang Lie suggested.


    "The mutability of the resulting genes... I understand, I understand! Thank you so much, Dojo Leader!" Ye Hualin murmured to himself, then eximed in shock.


    Indeed, figuring out the difference at this juncture would be a direct first step in modifying the foundational breakthrough for the alien races. Their original research direction had been too general to lead to sess within a short timeframe, but Zhang Lie''s proposal seemed far less daunting.


    Ye Hualin was certain that he had the data to proceed as Zhang Lie suggested, and his two apprentices wouldn''t be necessary any longer. He happily bade them farewell.


    Zhang Lie walked off with the two youths trailing behind them. They lowered their heads, still somewhat worried that their deception would make Zhang Lie think poorly of them.


    Eventually, Zhang Lie turned back around. "Alright, that''s enough of that! Let me repeat myself: I understand why you felt like your deception was necessary, and I won''t treat you differently because of it, but you should remember that, above all else, you''re disciples of the Zenith Dojo, as well as my apprentices! Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Master, I understand!"


    "Yes, Master!" the two youths shouted.


    Following that, Zhang Lie beckoned them forward into the dojo with a smile.


    With his apprentices retrieved, he had finished all the tasks he was hoping to achieve on Earth, and all that remained would be to wait for the members of Team Zenith to ascend.


    In the first realm of the dimensional world, within the Valley of the Wind, a burst of arrows struck down a gigantic ox.


    "Wonderful, Sis! That''s thest beast we need to max out our superior limit fragments¡ªI can''t believe it''s been so hard to find superior-grade lifeformstely!" Sun Xiaowu called out.


    Sun Mengmeng dematerialized her bow, then sighed. "Right¡ªno wonder the captain mentioned that the appearance of the disaster-grade lifeform would cause irreparable destruction in the first realm. The number of superior-grade lifeforms in the vicinity seems to have dropped sharply. I wonder if Fang Yi and Yang Ze have noticed a simr decrease?"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "Who knows? They might have gotten luckier than we did¡ªthey might already be back at the Stargleam settlement!"


    "In that case, what are we doing here? Pack up¡ªwe''d better head back now!"


    The members of Team Zenith had a suite at the Stargleam Inn in the Stargleam settlement.


    Fang Yi, Li Feng, Yang Ze, and Zhou Ying were already present, and they were eating to the apaniment of pleasant chiming notifications about gaining more superior limit fragments. If not for the fact that they were waiting for Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu''s return, they would already have finished the feast, but Zhang Lie had rmended that they ascend together so as to be able to resist the will of the world.


    "What''s going on? Where''s Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu? Could something have gone wrong?"


    .


    "Surely there''s nothing that can trouble them with their level of strength? Maybe they''re just having a hard time finding prey, like we did," Fang Yi wondered.


    Almost immediately afterward, the lock to the room clicked, and the Sun siblings walked into the suite.


    ncing at the feast arrayed before them, Sun Mengmeng sighed. "You all finished your hunt so quickly! Were youining about me and Sun Xiaowu being too slow?"


    The other four hunters nodded.


    "Honestly, it felt as though all the superior-grade lifeforms had gone extinct where we went," Sun Xiaowu murmured.


    The others had experienced something simr, but far less extreme.


    "It''s not a problem. Do you need any help preparing the carcasses you brought back? There''s a difficult task ahead of us all, after all," Fang Yi replied. He seemed simultaneously excited and nervous about the challenge, something he wouldn''t even have dreamt of doing without Zhang Lie''s advice.


    Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu shook their heads as they entered the kitchen. By Fang Yi''s side, Li Feng asked, "Fang Yi, how can you be so excited to face the will of the world? To be honest, I''m really quite nervous about whether or not we''ll seed without our captain''s assistance."


    Fang Yi smiled. "We have to grow stronger to keep up with our captain, don''t we? We can''t rely on him for everything; we have to be strong in our own right so that we''re qualified to follow in his footsteps."

 Chapter 330: The Refinement Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 330: The Refinement Ceremony</h4>


    Li Feng grimaced in response. "You''re right, Fang Yi¡ªwe can''t back down now. I know that logically, but I''m still not used to not having the captain around."


    "Indeed, but that''s something we''ll have to get used to too. The second realm is farrger than the first, and I expect we''ll have to go separate ways for our own objectives frequently," Fang Yi concluded, and the others nodded in assent.


    While they chatted, Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu finished preparing the superior-grade carcasses they had brought back with them and joined in the feast.


    In just half an hour, they had gotten to a total of 145 superior gene fragments.


    They felt the gic energy in their bodies begin to swell, as well as a notification from the will of the world urging them to prepare for ascension.


    [Attention! Attention! Your gic energy is nearing the threshold of this realm. Please prepare for imminent transferral to the second realm.]


    [Attention! Attention! Your gic energy is nearing the threshold of this realm. Please prepare for imminent transferral to the second realm.]


    [Attention! Attention! ...]


    The hunters devoured the food on the table even more rapidly, knowing that they wouldn''t be able to remain in the first realm for much longer.


    Sun Mengmeng: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, ck Sun (pinnacle)


    Techniques: meburst Step (pinnacle), Lunarme Shot (pinnacle), Baptism of Hellfire (pinnacle), Firefeather Wings (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: Embersoul Archer (superior), Firebird (superior), Ardorcrown Monkey (superior), Deepme Beetle (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Li Feng: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Arclight Dragon''s Imprint (pinnacle)


    Techniques: Dragon''s Triumph (pinnacle), Light''s Bulwark (pinnacle), Daybreak (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: Lightborne Beetle (superior), Radiant Smander (superior), Owl of Wisdom (superior), Prismscale Wyrm (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombaen Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Fang Yi: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Rondo of Wind and Storm (advanced)


    Techniques: Heaven''s Judgment (pinnacle), Wind''s Spirit (pinnacle), Floating Clouds (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: Shadowcrest Serpent (superior), Stormward Albatross (superior), Riger (superior), Thundersh Mantis (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Zhou Ying: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Avatar of the Fae (advanced)


    Techniques: Storm of Leaves (pinnacle), Willow''s Caress (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: Devil-Face Spider (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), Butterfly of Decay (superior), Treeborn Leopard (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Sun Xiaowu: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Adamantine Aegis (advanced)


    Techniques: Golden Divide (pinnacle), Goldenscale Palm (pinnacle), Blinding sh (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: Gold-Limned Tiger (superior), Rampaging Rhinoceros (superior), Goldenhorn Beetle (superior), Iron Hog (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    Yang Ze: a mortal lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ripples of Shattered ss (pinnacle)


    Techniques: The Boundless de (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), Mirrored Refraction (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: Tigershark (superior), Snapjaw Crocodile (superior), Deepsea Crab (superior), Windborne Eagle (superior), Blood Ant (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (mutated), Potbellied Toad (mutated)


    As they looked over their status windows, they found themselves transported into an extradimensional space, each of them in a separate instance of it. The hunters of Team Zenith felt an extremely potent energy seeping into their bodies andbining with their own gic energy.


    [Attention! The refinement process is beginning. Please cooperate!]


    [Attention! The refinement process...]


    [Attention! ...]


    The hunters felt as though they were in furnaces, that their bodies were right about to melt. Fortunately, Zhang Lie had warned them about what was going to happen, and the hunters were clearheaded enough to follow hismand.


    Each hunter began to re their gic energy in order to resist the refinement energy, causing the will of the world to send more warnings to them even as it increased the volume of energy directed their way.


    As the frightening potency of the energy ravaged their bodies, the hunters of Team Zenith gritted their teeth and forced themselves to stand strong.


    Their own gic energy came in waves, sapping away the will of the world''s energy. At the same time, they retrieved the parts of the shell of the disaster-grade lifeform which Zhang Lie had partitioned to them and began the process of forging their gic armor, in an attempt to dy the ascension ceremony even further.


    As time passed and the refinement energy umted in their bodies, even the prepared hunters of Team Zenith were unable to resist its strength. They were forced to conclude the ceremony, but the time it had taken them to do so was easily ten times that of other hunters.


    In other words, they were able to absorb far more of that refinement energy than usual.


    Covered in crystalline gic armor, the hunters of Team Zenith found themselves transformed by the ceremony.


    Fang Yi''s gic armor, in ordance with his dual-attunement framework, took on a translucent sheen of green and blue. From close up, one could almost hear the roaring of wind, the crackling of thunder.


    Sun Mengmeng''s armor glowed internally with red me. She looked like a radiant, exquisite rose, burning with embers of a neverending me.


    Yang Ze''s armor was crystal-clear, entirely colorless, free of any impurities or imperfections whatsoever.


    Li Feng''s armor felt like a pdin''s raiment, one which gave off a sense of holiness and sanctity.


    Sun Xiaowu''s armor was covered in mysterious, golden runic inscriptions. His honed body, coupled with the golden armor and his sharp, steely gic energy made him seem like a bastion that could never be destroyed.


    Finally, Zhou Ying''s armor took the form of a dress, gentle and flowing, one in which she could move entirely at ease. She looked like a goddess of nature, the energies of vitality, regrowth, and deep lore flowing through her.


    [Your gic energy has surpassed the threshold of the first realm. Please ascend to the second realm immediately!]


    [Your gic energy has surpassed...]


    [Your gic energy...]


    Teleportation arrays formed around the six members of Team Zenith, and, ording to n, they each red their gic energy, tearing apart the half-formed teleportation array. They resisted the will of the world together and transmitted it their own will.


    "Teleport us to Qi!"


    The will of the world hesitated for a moment, shocked by the strength of the six hunters'' response, then counterattacked with full force.


    The hunters'' extradimensional space began to warp, and they felt the pressure mounting on their bodies. Working together, however, the hunters managed to ovee the pressure long enough that the extradimensional space was what broke first, splintering like the ss of a broken window.


    The members of Team Zenith found themselves back in the Stargleam settlement. Amidst a cacophony of notifications, they found tremendous energy gathering above them, and the walls of the suite in which they were located began to crack.


    Recalling what had happened to Zhang Lie during his ascension ceremony, Fang Yi cried out, "We have to leave¡ªfollow me and head somewhere deserted!"


    He smashed apart the wall in his hurry to leave, followed by the rest of the members of Team Zenith.

 Chapter 331: The Skies of Qi

    <h4>Chapter 331: The Skies of Qi</h4>


    A huge vortex formed over the Stargleam settlement despite Fang Yi and the others'' best efforts to leave. A frightening rainbow-colored energy was gathering by the skies, so potent that it made every hunter in the settlement twitch. Fortunately, instead of striking the settlement itself, it rushed in the southwestern direction through a forested area, following Fang Yi and the others.


    News of the strange phenomenon instantly traveled across China, the world, even the Milky Way atrge. After seeing what had happened to the cksteel settlement for themselves, the hunters of the Stargleam settlement evacuated instantly.


    Meanwhile, the instigators of this phenomenon were struggling against the will of the world''s intended subjugation. Holes appeared in the sky, and the lifeforce of all the greenery and beasts in the area was quickly being sucked away.


    The six members of Team Zenith quickly got into formation. As they linked arms, a ck half-moon rose into the air. The ck moon gave off dazzling rays of darkness, devouring everything in sight, including the rainbow-colored gic energy formed from the will of the world.


    At the same time, the six hunters again willed that they be transported to Qi in the second realm.


    Rather than acquiesce, however, the will of the world only kept increasing the force being applied on the hunters.


    While the will of the world was strong, the hunters of Team Zenith weren''t weak, and the will of the world had just received two major setbacks: the incursion of the disaster-grade lifeform, along with Zhang Lie''s ascension. The amount of energy that the will of the world was able to spend on the hunters was limited, so the hunters of Team Zenith were able to handle what limited energy the will of the world sent their way.


    Over the next two hours, the six members of Team Zenith managed to defend against ten waves of attacks from the will of the world, turning the forest where they were situated into a barren wastnd.


    After the tenth wave, the will of the world finally seemed to give up, and the notifications that the members of Team Zenith received grew visibly different.


    [Your gic energy has surpassed the threshold of the first realm. You will be transported to Qi in the second realm.]


    [Your gic energy has surpassed the threshold of the first realm. You will be transported to Qi in the second realm.]


    [Your gic energy...]


    A rainbow-colored teleportation array was inscribing itself by their feet.


    "Our captain was right¡ªour n really did seed. Everyone, we''ve sessfully ovee the will of the world!"


    "Honestly, I still can''t believe it¡ªto think we were able to grow so strong as to be able to counteract the will of the world itself!"


    "Can you imagine how strong our captain must be, to have gone against the will of the world alone? In the end, the will of the world hadn''t been able to do anything against him¡ªhe moved on so as to prevent the first realm from being destroyed!"


    The teleportation array, which had just beenpleted, suddenly shed. Their vision turned ck, and they suddenly found themselves in mid-air, about a thousand meters above the city of Qi.


    Was the will of the world trying to send them to their deaths?


    They doubted it¡ªthe members of Team Zenith all possessed some form of aerial maneuverability or another, and any decent first-realm hunter would be able to survive such a fall.


    In fact, the will of the world had simply constructed the teleportation array in a hurry, and the coordinates of the teleportation weren''t as precise as they usually were.


    Wind and storm circted around Fang Yi''s body. He quickly regained control of himself, then morphed into a bolt of lightning as he descended to the ground. Beside him, a pair of fiery wings sprouted from Sun Mengmeng''s back, and she too dove toward the ground.


    .


    Li Feng blinked from spot to spot like a ray of light, following Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng. Meanwhile, Yang Ze floated to the ground on a bed of clouds, and Sun Xiaowu hunkered down into the shape of a cannonball as he allowed gravity to propel him downwards. Much like Sun Mengmeng, Zhou Ying sprouted a pair of leafy wings from her back.


    The six hunters descended toward Qi.


    Almost immediately as they appeared, the guards of Qi noticed them. They each possessed immense gic energy, none of which was familiar to the guards. The fact that they had somehow managed to enter Qi airspace and were now descending to ground level caused the guards to sound a raid alert immediately.


    The city of Qi frothed.


    Thest time this alert had sounded was when the sura invaded the human cities¡ªthe reason the guards had thought the hunters of Team Zenith to be such a strong enemy was because of the remnant traces of the will of the world''s energy that still surrounded their bodies. After all, that energy was easily purer than anything the monarchs of the sura could produce.


    The strongest hunters of Qi swarmed out of homes and buildings.


    "Invaders, desist at once!"


    In just ten seconds, Fang Yi, Sun Menngmeng, and the others found themselves surrounded by bands of Qi elites.


    Invaders?! What was going on? They had just ascended to the second realm!


    Fang Yi stepped forward. "Excuse me, I think there''s been a misunderstanding. We''re humans, not invaders."


    "Oh? In that case, who''s your superior? Why aren''t there records of your gic energy in Qi? You aren''t recognized by the artificial intelligence of Qi!"


    Fang Yi continued introducing himself. "I''m Fang Yi of Team Zenith, and behind me are my teammates Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying."


    "Team Zenith? The same Team Zenith as from the Void Cup? Did you all just ascend?"


    Fang Yi nodded. "Yes, that''s right."


    "Do you really think that I''m a fool? How can neers to the second realm possess this level of gic energy? Guards, seize these disguised invaders!"

 Chapter 332: A Resolved Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 332: A Resolved Misunderstanding</h4>


    "Capture them alive!" The captain of the guards transformed into a fiery lion as he rushed out at the six members of Team Zenith, and his men followed suit. The lion raised his head and roared, causing waves of gic energy to spread out from him.


    "Set up a formation, quick!" Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng, and the others quickly got into position to defend against the guards'' onught.


    As a dark moon rose into the air, petals of moonlight flowered around the six hunters, establishing a well-defined boundary. The lion rushed forward, but the moment his attack touched the ck light, it vanished like a popped bubble. If the captain of the guards hadn''t been fast enough to react, he might have been devoured whole by the formation as well.


    A tsunami of gic energy from the Qi guards swamped the moonlight flower, which suddenly began to revolve, then explode, forming a ck hole in midair. The six members of Team Zenith continued standing upright, unaffected by the burst of attacks from the Qi guards.


    On the other hand, the moonlight flower''s explosion felled the first row of guards, stripping them of their gic energy as the force of the explosion pushed them aside¡ªand this even after the members of Team Zenith had deliberately reduced the potency of their formation so as not to kill anyone.


    After all, this was merely a misunderstanding.


    The remaining forces present were shocked by the sight. Could these hunters really be the members of Team Zenith? Zhang Lie had managed to beat every member of the special forces without any gene fragments from the second realm. Wasn''t it usible that his teammates would be simrly strong?


    As for the members of Team Zenith, while their formation had sufficed to block one wave of attacks, the gic energy it had required to do so was immense, and they wouldn''t be able to keep the formation running for long.


    Before the guards could strike again, a voice rang out from the middle of the crowd,


    "Halt! They''re not our enemies!"


    The Qi guards turned to the voice, and their captain shouted, "Xiao Feng, what''s going on? On what grounds do you im that these aren''t enemies?"


    Xiao Feng, one of the governor''s men, only smiled. "Because they held back, of course. If they really were sura in disguise, wouldn''t they have dropped their illusions after the first wave of attacks? I''m more inclined to believe that they aren''t lying!"


    Xiao Feng spoke what many in the crowd had been thinking since the result of the confrontation, but none of them could be entirely certain.


    "In that case, do you im that the members of Team Zenith are this strong immediately upon ascending to the second realm? Xiao Feng, are you crazy?"


    Xiao Feng began tough. "Haven''t you heard the news?"


    "You mean¡ªthey''re really hunters from Team Zenith?"


    "Who else would be able to cultivate such a team of hunters?"


    The captain of the guards sniffed, then motioned for his men to depart, causing the members of Team Zenith to sigh in relief. The captain of the guards, along with Xiao Feng and the second captain of the Tianji Council, Feng Lin, walked toward Fang Yi and the others, then hung his head and said, "I apologize, I didn''t expect all of you would just fall out of the skies. I acted too rashly."


    "I''m the captain of the guards, Ning Yu."


    "And I''m Xiao Feng, serving at the governor''s manor."


    "I''m Feng Ling, from the Tianji Council!" The three of them reported their names and identities in a friendly manner. The sudden shift from enmity to amity left the hunters of Team Zenith somewhat overwhelmed. In fact, they were quite impressed by how Ning Yu was willing to treat them pleasantly despite how they had defeated him and his guards in just one blow.


    Sun Mengmeng smiled. "It''s not a problem. I''m Sun Mengmeng from Team Zenith, and these are my teammates Fang Yi, Li Feng, Zhou Ying, Sun Xiaowu, and Yang Ze."


    "We''ll happily ept all of you in Qi, of course, but there''s something I''d like to ask about, if you don''t mind." Xiao Feng''s inquisitive expression caused the members of Team Zenith to be somewhat wary.


    Sun Mengmeng replied calmly, "I can''t promise I''ll be able to answer you, but we''ll at least hear you out."


    "How did you all manage to appear above Qi together? If I recall correctly, ?you should have been transferred to a random location in Qi upon first arriving in the second realm, and the teleportation array in Qi for such neers surely isn''t located in the sky¡ªit''s in the Tianfeng Valley!


    How did you skip over that valley and appear above Qi, then? This is an important question for securing the defenses around Qi, so please answer me truthfully," Xiao Feng pressed, startling the other two hunters by his side.


    Indeed, Xiao Feng was right! That was an important point that neither of them had thought to consider. The fact that they had managed to appear directly above the skies of Qi meant that there was a hole in Qi''s defenses!


    "I apologize, but we''re unable to answer that question¡ªwe''re flummoxed about the entire affair as well," Sun Mengmeng replied diplomatically.


    The three hunters frowned. For some reason, though Sun Mengmeng exhibited no sign of duplicity, they didn''t think she was telling the truth. However, under such circumstances, it didn''t seem like a good idea to press her further, because as they were speaking, Zhang Lie''s three new team members, Xia Na, Zhuo Yihong, and Qin Tian, had arrived.


    "Ah, I apologize, Mr. Fang, Ms. Sun¡ªwe were slightly dyed! Please, let us handle the rest." The three new hunters respectfully greeted the members of Team Zenith, then turned to interrogate the three others that were already present.


    "Ning Yu, Xiao Feng, Feng Ling, what''s going on?"


    Xia Na and Zhuo Yihong, who used to be team leaders of the special forces, were well-respected and well-regarded among the authorities of Qi.


    Xiao Feng replied, "It was nothing more than a misunderstanding, Team Leader Zhuo, Team Leader Xia! We''ve just about resolved it by now."


    The three of them were smiling, but internally rather shocked. Why were Zhuo Yihong and Xia Na sucking up to the members of Team Zenith? Just how amazing did Zhang Lie have to be for both Xia Na and Zhuo Yihong to behave in this manner?


    Zhuo Yihong retorted, "Don''t call us team leaders anymore¡ªwe''re just regr team members now! Furthermore, how could a simple misunderstanding cause you to sound the invaders'' alert? And what was with that massive fluctuation of gic energy just now? You weren''t ganging up on the hunters of Team Zenith, were you?"


    Ganging up?! Who was ganging up on whom?! Ning Yu and his guards had charged forward at the six members, only to be defeated in one blow!


    He would have liked to bully the members of Team Zenith, but that would require a level of strength that he didn''t have, and now he was even being interrogated about it!


    "It really was a misunderstanding," Xiao Feng reiterated. "The members of Team Zenith appeared in so unusual a fashion that we thought they were invaders, but we''ve already resolved the issue."


    "Please forgive us for what we did¡ªyour arrival in Qi was just too unusual for us to ignore."


    "We apologize," Feng Ling and Ning Yu added once again.


    Zhuo Yihong turned back toward Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng, as if asking them whether they were satisfied.


    .


    "It was nothing more than a misunderstanding¡ªafter all, we did arrive in Qi in a particrly unexpected fashion. I''m sorry to have caused such a bigmotion." Fang Yi apologized to the three officials as well, ending the altercation decisively.


    The city guards quickly departed, while Fang Yi, Sun Mengmeng and the others followed Zhuo Yihong, Xia Na, and Qin Tian toward the underground barracks of the special forces.


    "Mr. Fang, Ms. Sun, please let me apologize once again for what happened during your arrival," Xia Na repeated.


    "Right, who would have expected those guards to have massed up against you so quickly?" Zhuo Yihong muttered. Qin Tian didn''t speak, but he also seemed quite angry.


    The disturbance that Zhang Lie had caused when going up against Tianji Council had had significant repercussions, and the three of them thought that this was some sort of oblique payback, but Fang Yi and the others thought that this was rathermonce instead.


    "No, it''s likely not that. We didn''t expect to arrive in such a location, let alone them. I can understand why they wouldn''t believe that we were members of Team Zenith, and it''s only natural that they would want to be vignt given that something like this has happened in the past.


    "Furthermore, that guard captain Ning Yu never tried to take our lives; he was only trying to capture us alive. If someone really were trying to scheme against our captain, I don''t think they would give such an order or act so tantly. After all, we descended from the skies of Qi, and there would surely be countless witnesses for the entire fight between us and the city guards.


    "Given how strong our captain is, and the strength he''s already revealed, I don''t believe anyone would go against him for the moment. It''s likely just a misunderstanding, so don''t feel bad."

 Chapter 333: Welcoming Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 333: Weing Banquet</h4>


    Fang Yi''s words, logical and reasonable, did seem more usible than Zhuo Yihong and Xia Na''s baseless hypothesis. The crowd quickly arrived at the special forces'' underground barracks, where Zhuo Yihong and Xia Na led them to Zhang Lie''s small cottage.


    By then, Zhang Lie had been waiting in the cottage for quite some time. He had been nning to wee his teammates himself, but considering the fiasco he had caused recently, he ultimately chose to leave Zhuo Yihong and Xia Na responsible for weing them instead.


    He beckoned them in; everyone sat surrounding a small table within his cottage.


    As Zhang Lie nced at the six members of Team Zenith, he couldn''t help butugh. "I''m d the process I proposed really worked. How did it go?"


    Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng nced at Zhuo Yihong and Xia Na, then murmured, "Captain, the process was actually very sessful, and I think..."


    Zhuo Yihong and Xia Na understood what was going on. Looking around, they quickly got up and turned to leave, but Zhang Lie stopped them. "Don''t worry, they''re not outsiders. You can tell us all."


    Xia Na, Qin Tian, and Zhuo Yihong all turned to Zhang Lie with a look of gratitude. It was obvious that Fang Yi was about to discuss how the members of Team Zenith had all managed to gather at Qi after ascending to the second realm, and this would surely be top secret information. It was natural that they would have to be sent away in light of this information, especially since they hadn''t been in Zhang Lie''s team for long, but Zhang Lie actually called them back.


    He chose to believe in them, and he really was treating them like part of his group.


    With Zhang Lie''s approval, Fang Yi continued, "Everything went ording to n, up until the transferral to the second realm: we arrived in the second realm directly above Qi."


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "The skies above Qi? You didn''t pass through the Tianfeng Valley?"


    "No, we didn''t. The moment we opened our eyes, we were a thousand meters up in the sky, with Qi directly below us," Fang Yi replied.


    "Hmm. How did you manage to suborn the will of the world?"


    "As you suggested, Captain, we resisted the will of the world until it used up so much of its energy that it had to ede to our will, forming a teleportation array that brought us to Qi."


    Zhuo Yihong, Xia Na, and Qin Tian were all stupefied by what Fang Yi had mentioned. They had all undergone the ascension process from the first to the second realm, but did Fang Yi say that he and the other members of Team Zenith had opposed the will of the world¡ªand that they had somehow forced it to consume so much energy that it had had to ede to their demands?


    The will of the world was the god of the first realm! What Fang Yi was saying was that they had essentially challenged a god and even seeded! No wonder Zhang Lie didn''t care about assembling a troop from the special forces¡ªTeam Zenith was all he would need!


    Fortunately, Zhang Lie had eventually relented, and now they were part of his team too.


    Zhang Lieughed. "It teleported you away out of exasperation? That''s a little different from what happened to me. I suspect that''s the source of the issue¡ªperhaps intentionally or otherwise, it failed to lock on to the correct coordinates for Qi."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded in assent. "I think so too. The will of the world seemed surprisingly weak to me, and I suspect that it had been weakened because of the incursion of the disaster-grade lifeform and from your battle with it."


    Zhang Lie nodded as well. "In that case, we''ve basically figured out the strategy to remove the randomness from ascension," he concluded, causing everyone in Team Zenith to smile. They had participated in developing this technique themselves, and they knew its value.


    Zhuo Yihong, Xia Na, and Qin Tian were dumbfounded. Even what little they had heard had overwhelmed their understanding of the dimensional world. The hunters of Team Zenith treated the will of the world, a godlike being, as nothing more than just another lifeform! How could they? It was unimaginable!


    "Well, alright. All of you must be quite tired from overwhelming the will of the world, so take a break for today. Zhuo Yihong, Xia Na, Qin Tian, can you show them around the barracks? Then go out hunting with them for basic and mutated gene fragments tomorrow. I assume you understand everything you heard is top-secret, so without my approval, you can''t mention it to anyone, not even your family or friends. Are we clear?"


    "Yes, Captain!" the three hunters replied firmly.


    They had countless questions for Zhang Lie and the rest of his team, but they chose not to bring them up for the moment. Instead, they exited Zhang Lie''s cottage with the members of Team Zenith.


    There would be many more days ahead of them, and the fact that Zhang Lie had allowed them to stay for this discussion made his attitude clear. As long as they were loyal enough, this wouldn''t be thest time that they would be able to participate in such discussions.


    To be frank, after finding out about what Zhang Lie and his team had done, they felt like they were living in an entirely different world. If they too could be a member of Team Zenith, then what the members of Team Zenith experienced now could be what they would experience in the future.


    News of the arrival of Team Zenith quickly spread around the upper echelons of Qi. That night, the troop leader of the special forces, Zhou Liao, organized a celebration to wee the members of Team Zenith.


    In the barracks'' canteen, all the special forces troops, save the second team, who had gone out on a mission, were gathered for a feast. Team Zenith''s table was at the very center. No one dared to show Zhang Lie or his team any disrespect; after all, Zhang Lie had subdued the entire Tianji Council by himself, even the council head Wang Yanyi.


    The members of Team Zenith, fresh neers to the second realm, managed to defeat Ning Yu and his guards while suffering no injuries at all. It seemed that they were each about as strong, or even stronger than, the troop leader Zhou Liao himself.


    The special forces troops couldn''t dare imagine such a feat, so it was obvious that they would treat the members of Team Zenith well.


    "Deputy Leader Zhang, congrattions on reuniting with your team once more! And members of Team Zenith, wee to Qi and the second realm! From today onwards, I''m sure you''ll be the strongest team in the special forces!" Zhou Liao smiled excitedly at them, wholly unafraid that Zhang Lie would im his spot as troop leader.


    He knew very well that, given Zhang Lie''s skills and resources, he would easily be able to take over his position if he really wanted to, but Zhang Lie was far more ambitious than that. He wouldn''t have to worry about Zhang Lie usurping his position at all.


    "Isn''t that so? Deputy Leader Zhang crushed Wang Yanyi on his first day here, and the members of Team Zenith did the same to the Qi guards!"


    "Right, right! A toast to the members of Team Zenith!"


    The members of Team Zenith epted the toasts that came their way, smiling as they heard their praises being sung.


    "Ha! Aren''t you afraid they''ll get conceited from all that praise?" A voice came from the outskirts of the canteen.


    Everyone turned to find the governor of Qi, Xiao Zhengyang, and the head of the Tianji Council, Wang Yanyi, standing there. The two of them had appeared out of nowhere; Wang Yanyi seemed to have been the one who had spoken. His face seemed a little sullen, given that he had been relegated to the background in the story of Zhang Lie''s im to fame.

 Chapter 334: Traveling Alone

    <h4>Chapter 334: Traveling Alone</h4>


    "Ah, it''s Council Head Wang! I''m honored to have my little gathering attract your attention¡ª and you as well, Governor Xiao!" Zhang Lie shouted, calling out to the two men.


    "Council Head!"


    "We greet the governor of Qi!"


    No other dared do the same; they bowed toward them deferentially.


    Xiao Zhengyang began, half-joking and half-serious, "It''s not a formal asion, so there''s no need for all the pleasantries. Aren''t you going to wee us, Deputy Leader Zhang? Why, it''s almost as if you don''t want us here!"


    "Of course I do! Please,e, have a seat!"


    Xiao Zhengyang had treated Zhang Lie well, and Zhang Lie would treat him the same way.


    Yang Ze and Li Feng prepared to stand up to give their seats to the governor and council head, but Xiao Zhengyang stopped them. "There''s no need¡ªjust put down two more stools and two more sets of utensils!"


    The banquet table sat ten: Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, along with the neers Zhuo Yiong, Xia Na, and Qin Tian. Troop Leader Zhou Liao had joined them, and with both the governor and the council head, there would be thirteen guests present at that table.


    A spectator might have imagined that the special forces were so poor that even this weing party had to be held under cramped conditions, but in truth, everyone present at the table was an influential figure in Qi.


    As the extra stools and utensils wereid out for them, Xiao Zhengyang and Wang Yanyi sat down. The atmosphere around the banquet table seemed to change. Xiao Zhengyang felt kindly toward Zhang Lie, and that kindness was reciprocated; the problem was Wang Yanyi.


    He and Zhang Lie were, frankly speaking, enemies. However, what Wang Yanyi said next was somewhat surprising. "Deputy Leader Zhang, please allow me to apologize for our altercation outside the walls of Qi. I came over here today to tender that apology, as well as to meet the heroes of Team Zenith. I''ve dealt with Wang Po, and he won''t appear in your sight ever again. Thank you for sparing him his life, Deputy Leader Zhang."


    As expected of a career politician, Wang Yanyi was wily and possessed a glib tongue. He had initially imagined that Zhang Lie, strong though he was, would be a solitary hunter without any backing, but matters changed as soon as he learned of Team Zenith''s arrival. None of the members of Team Zenith would be his match individually, but if they were to work together...


    Zhang Lie''s rise wasn''t something he, nor anyone else in Qi, could stop. Wang Yanyi knew that he would need to cate this man if he wanted to keep his position in Qi.


    Zhang Lie was taken aback by Wang Yanyi''s words, but he recovered swiftly with just a moment''s hesitation. "We''ll let matters be. As long as you don''t provoke me, I won''t provoke you."


    Zhang Lie toasted him with a cup of wine, which Wang Yanyi reciprocated. "I admire your magnanimosity, Deputy Leader Zhang!" Wang Yanyi downed his cup of wine in a single gulp, and Zhang Lie followed suit.


    The other hunters at the table watched this scene. The deputy leader of the special forces troops, and the head of the Tianji Council... thetter''s position seemed far more important than the former, but in reality, Wang Yanyi''s aura seemed to be dominated by Zhang Lie''s. Even the governor, Xiao Zhengyang, seemed to be dwarfed inparison.


    Despite the presence of the governor, the head of the Tianji Council, and the troop leader of the special forces, it was the deputy troop leader Zhang Lie who felt like the most important hunter at that table.


    Wang Yanyi proposed another toast. "Let me dedicate this toast to weing the hunters of Team Zenith! It relieves me greatly to have such strong hunters joining the defense of our city, so allow me to toast you all!"


    Wang Yanyi''s words were as polished as expected. The members of Team Zenith all raised their cups of wine.


    Governor Xiaomented, "Ah, he''s left nothing for me to say! Regardless, wee to Qi."


    Xiao Zhengyang raised his cup of wine in a toast, followed by Zhou Liao. "Wee to Qi, and wee to the special forces!"


    "Thank you foring, everyone! It''s an honor to have you all here." Fang Yi spoke up for the members of Team Zenith. The two strongest and most authoritative figures of Qi had personally attended their weing party in a clear demonstration of respect.


    Thirteen cups of wine clinked against each other in the center of the table, and the guests downed their cups at once. Upon doing so, Wang Yanyi made a little more casual conversation, then hurriedly left, leaving only friends and acquaintances behind at the table.


    "Governor Xiao, what''s going on? Why did Wang Yanyie?" Zhang Lie asked, after the council head was out of earshot.


    Xiao Zhengyangughed. "He was scared of you and your team, of course! I''d do the same if not for the fact that we both know Yan Long. I''d have been too frightened of offending you given your team! Come now, tell me¡ªdo you care about being the governor of this city at all? If so, I''ll convene a meeting of the elders tomorrow and hand the reins over to you," Xiao Zhengyang joked half-seriously, as if trying to probe Zhang Lie''s attitude.


    "Oh, no, no! I''m not interested in such a restraining position at all. In fact, once the members of Team Zenith settle down here, I intend on exploring the second realm alone," Zhang Lie told him in confidence.


    His goal in the second realm was to finish maxing out his gene capacities as quickly as possible. Being a governor sounded interesting, but it would be far too much work. Zhang Lie intended to enter the third realm as quickly as possible, and this position which might have tempted the others was almost meaningless to him.


    Zhou Liao knew that Zhang Lie had set his sights toward the future, but he wouldn''t have expected that Zhang Lie would turn down such a position so easily.


    Governor Xiao had offered him the seat of the governor! There were millions of hunters in Qi, and he would be able to control and manipte them all just like that! If Zhou Liao had been made the same offer, he was certain he wouldn''t be able to refuse¡ªbut unfortunately, he wasn''t Zhang Lie, and Zhang Lie wasn''t him.


    Xiao Zhengyang seemed to have predicted Zhang Lie''s response. Smirking, he pped him on the back and said, "I knew you wouldn''t want to shoulder my burdens! Well, I can''t foist my responsibilities onto you, but let me at least give you some advice: don''t rush to head out of the city on your own. The second realm is far more dangerous than the first, and it''s best to be cautious. Why not hunt down a few superior-grade lifeforms with your team first?"


    "It''s alright. After all, I entered the dimensional world in order to train myself, and I expect I''ll be safe with my given level of strength. The members of Team Zenith will need to learn how to grow strong in my absence as well. They''ve outgrown the first realm, and the second realm is where they belong at the moment.


    Xiao Zhengyang nodded. "In that case, safe travels. I''ll keep an eye out on the members of Team Zenith for you¡ªat the very least, I can prevent them from receiving unequal treatment within the city grounds."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''re saying all this as though you think I''ll never return! There''s no need to take special care of them. Let them learn to handle things on their own."


    Zhang Lie felt that the hunters of Team Zenith didn''t need any special care whatsoever; they could easily fend for themselves. The unofficial motto of Team Zenith was: don''t cause trouble, but don''t be a punching bag, either.


    Meanwhile, the other hunters at the table whispered incessantly to each other, trying not to disturb Zhang Lie and Xiao Zhengyang''s conversation.


    The banquetsted all the way until midnight before the troops and guests dispersed unwillingly. By that time, the members of Team Zenith had gotten to know the other troops in the special forces very well. Governor Xiao had consumed so much alcohol that his eyes were droopy and his words slurred, but even so, he was still holding a conversation with Zhang Lie.


    As hunters, if they didn''t want to get drunk, they could easily purge the alcohol from their bodies by circting gic energy. The reason they had chosen not to do so was to preserve the convivial atmosphere that came from getting drunk; it would be pointless to remain perfectly sober by cleansing themselves with gic energy. Of course, the moment the hunters departed, they would use that very handy trick to sober up and avoid a hangover the next day.


    With Xiao Zhengyang and the special forces troops gone, only Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith remained in the canteen. It was clear that Zhang Lie had some news for them. "I wasn''t joking at the banquet¡ªI''ll be heading off on my own tomorrow morning."


    The hunters of Team Zenith weren''t surprised¡ªexcept when he was facing enemies, Zhang Lie was a man of his word. Of course, that didn''t mean they didn''t have opinions of their own. There had been too many people just then for them to voice their concerns, but now they were free to do so.


    Sun Mengmeng began, "Captain, why don''t you at least bring a few of us with you, just in case you get into trouble? We''ll be more help than not, I''m sure."


    The others nodded.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Sun Mengmeng, I''m not some pampered young master who needs to be taken care of, and the second realm is far more dangerous than you think. With your current strength, you won''t be able to help me out at all.


    "I have my own reasons for leaving all of you behind. After collecting regr and mutated gene fragments with the special forces troops tomorrow, limate to your newfound strength as quickly as possible. Subsequently, start collecting certain herbs in Qi secretly. I''ll hand you all a list of important herbs soon. Keep an eye on Zhuo Yihong, Xia Na, and Qin Tian for now. If they seem trustworthy and reliable to you, you''re free to share up to Potion #2 with them, but not Potion #3.


    "Finally, get used to how the special forces operate. As I''ve said before, the reason you''re all here is to train and widen your perspective¡ªyou''re all strong enough to be working independently otherwise. I''ll be back before you know it. Do you all understand?"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    "In that case, let''s end the meeting here. There''s no need to send me off tomorrow¡ªI want to keep a low profile."


    Zhang Lie vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.


    The next morning, almost at dawn, the hunters of Team Zenith arrived at Zhang Lie''s cottage. Despite Zhang Lie telling them not to send him off, they still instinctively did so¡ªonly to find Zhou Liao, the other team leaders, and even the governor Xiao Zhengyang waiting for them.


    Unfortunately for them all, Zhang Lie had departed overnight, predicting exactly such a scenario. By then, he was already in the depths of the second realm.

 Chapter 335: The Black Eagle

    <h4>Chapter 335: The ck Eagle</h4>


    Because he had left the city of Qi in the middle of the night, Zhang Lie''s initial progress was very limited. Only at dawn did he make it past the outer boundary of the nearby forest and into its inner region.


    He was sauntering in a rxed fashion; there was no urgent goal that he had in mind for this excursion, unlike in the past.


    However, he would have to start paying more attention. The outer boundary of the forest consisted only of regr and mutated-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie skirted by them with ease. In the inner perimeter were superior-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie would have to prepare to hunt them.


    At the very least, he certainly wanted to max out his superior gene fragments. In the dimensional world, might was right, and the superior-grade lifeforms of the second realm would be stronger than even the peak-grade moonlight wyrm that he had faced in the first realm.


    He would even have to use the advanced form of stealth from Venombane to avoid detection, and he certainly couldn''t afford to be as careless as he had been in the outer boundary of the forest. Maintaining this level of stealth would also consume quite a lot of gic energy from his end.


    The forest was foggy and filled with lush greenery, the foliage so thick that sunlight barely prated the canopy. Zhang Lie strode through the forest without disturbing the leaves by his feet, not having noticed a single superior-grade lifeform. He didn''t rx, but he wasn''t overly anxious, either. ording to the map Zhou Liao had given him, the inner perimeter of the forest was extremelyrge, and it would be a hundred kilometers more before he reached its core.


    Zhang Lie stopped by a bubbling stream, noticing three ck eagles, each about half a human tall. Two of them had their heads lowered as they drank from the stream, while the third was ncing alertly at its surroundings.


    They were apex predators able to fly at ten times the speed of sound. If they were airborne, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have dared to set his sights on them, but it was another matter entirely if they were on the ground. After all, it would take them some time to fly into the air. By then, Zhang Lie would easily be able to take them down.


    The reason he hadn''t yet struck was because he was observing his surroundings to see if there were other superior-grade lifeforms nearby. He didn''t want all his hard work to have gone to naught if there were others waiting to im his prize from him.


    Fortunately, he and the eagles were alone. He struck.


    A runic tablet fell from the skies. The eagle responsible for surveying the surroundings immediately squawked, then pinpointed Zhang Lie''s location. By the time the eagles reacted, they found themselves forced to the ground by gravity.


    The three eagles tried to leap into the air to counter the force, but they ended up falling into the stream instead. They began to squawk loudly as they crossed their wings and sent des of wind flying in Zhang Lie''s direction.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Dragon''s Wrath]!" By the time the eagles attacked, he had already sent a blood dragon flying in their direction, an attack so strong that it easily obliterated the eagles''.


    As Zhang Lie''s attack rushed toward them, they pped their wings in earnest in an attempt to flee, but caught within the localized gravitational field, they weren''t able to make it out in time before Zhang Lie''s attack struck them.


    Working together, the three eagles tried to resist Zhang Lie''s attack, but to no avail. The eagle at the very front, struck by the full force of the attack, fell to the ground like a rock. The other two eagles weren''t too affected, and even made use of the force of the attack to escape the gravitational field.


    The struck eagle recovered from the attack quickly, but it had missed the best time to escape. Zhang Lie was right below it. Almost as the eagle fell, one of Zhang Lie''s soulshards gleamed, and a ball of silver liquid shot up toward the eagle.


    The next moment, like a mosquito stuck to a wad of bubble gum, the eagle and silver ball crashed down by the side of the stream. No matter how it struggled, it couldn''t free itself from the silver liquid, which seemed totch on to the eagle more and more tightly.


    As it fell to the ground, a ck boot stepped on its body, draining it of its gic energy and obliterating all resistance. The next moment, a small white snake shed before its eyes, and then it knew nothing more¡ªWhitey was a summoned beast who consumed other lifeforms'' souls as food.


    Zhang Lie stored the eagle''s carcass in his potbellied-toad pouch, ending the battle bloodlessly.


    He didn''t chase after the other two eagles that had already taken to the air, which would be meaningless¡ªit would be difficult to catch them if they were focused on running away, and he would already obtain more than enough gene fragments from consuming the eagle''s carcass.


    However, his nning this time around didn''t ount for the fact that the eagles might not actually want to run away...


    Two sharp cries pierced the skies, and the eagles who had escaped out of harm''s way shot back toward Zhang Lie like two loosed arrows.


    The three eagles shared a close bond; upon realizing that theirrade had been trapped, the two remaining eagles rushed back. Their bodies burned with ck me, and their incredible speed made them seem like two ballistic missiles.

 Chapter 336: In Dire Straits

    <h4>Chapter 336: In Dire Straits</h4>


    The eagles'' target, Zhang Lie, didn''t seem at all surprised by their attack. Perhaps the two eagles could have caused him a headache in an aerial battle, but since he was on the ground, he had nothing to fear. After all, he was far stronger than either one, or even bothbined.


    Zhang Lie stomped on the ground, and three runic tablets fell from the skies. A blood moon ascended, and the figure of a dragonturtle seemed to appear behind Zhang Lie. Gravity multiplied in the vicinity of Zhang Lie, causing the eagles to squawk in sudden disorientation.


    Their ballistic trajectory turned parabolic as they were dragged down by the force of the runic tablets.


    Zhang Lie''s runic tablets could fully restrain even Wang Yanyi; it was overkill for the two superior-grade lifeforms. They met the same dire fate as theirpanion¡ªthest thing they saw was a little white snake flicking its tongue at them.


    Just as Zhang Lie was about to store the eagles'' carcasses, he felt a sudden motion to his right behind him, along with the aura of no less than a hundred superior-grade lifeforms. Themotion he had caused had clearly summoned what seemed to be an entire superior-grade horde.


    Zhang Lie raised his eyebrows, stowed away his spoils, then went back into stealth.


    As he did so, a flock of giant bats, over a hundred strong, darkened the skies as theynded in front of the stream. Upon seeing the bats, Zhang Lie lost all interest in hunting them down. He dashed off into the distance.


    Not all lifeforms in the second realm could be consumed easily, and the bats were one such example. They were extremely toxic, with genesrgely ipatible with humans, and would cause crazed madness if forcibly assimted.


    Of course, from the bats'' perspective, this was an excellent survival mechanism to prevent their numbers from being whittled down by overzealous hunters.


    Zhang Lie was headed toward the Yeluo Valley, located in the western side of the inner perimeter of the forest. It was a gigantic valley. A n native to this valley had the ability to make potent pills that were able to counteract high-ranking fighters of the sura, but they were as yet unaware of this ability.


    Zhang Lie, whose eventual target was the asura, could hardly miss an opportunity to get these pills for himself. Along the way, he would hunt down any suitable prey he encountered as well.


    Given his top speed, Zhang Lie anticipated that he would be able to make it to the valley within three days, but by the end of those three days he found that he hadn''t even gotten halfway there. There were simply too many superior-grade hordes roaming the region, and Zhang Lie had to consume a significant amount of gic energy to maintain his advanced form of stealth.


    He had spent over half of thest three days skulking around in order to restore his energy. Of course, even that amount of progress was shocking. Even a whole special forces team would have been hard-pressed to remain in the forest for over three days. Most of their hunting consisted of identifying a target via preliminary scouting, blitzing that target down, and then running off. The superior-grade hordes that roamed the inner boundary of the forest were particrly dangerous, and could easily kill even a fully equipped team of hunters.


    Despite how careful Zhang Lie was, he had still ended up fighting three superior-grade hordes, once because he found them a suitable target, but twice because his stealth had been broken and he had no choice but to fight. Fortunately, he was strong enough that the fights weren''t a challenge.


    However, Zhang Lie was dissatisfied with his rate of progress, and he decided that he would acquire some superior gene fragments first. Doing so would require him to consume the flesh of these lifeforms that he had hunted down, so he would need to find a secluded location in which he could start a fire.


    This wasn''t an easy task in the middle of the gigantic forest that bordered Qi, and Zhang Lie had spent a day and a half searching before he saw a small mountain of rock nearby, devoid of any greenery in the area or any traces of superior-grade lifeforms. Most importantly, it was close to a source of water.


    Zhang Lie walked up to the side of the mountain and used his corrosive gic energy to excavate a cave. Furthermore, heid out a special formation by its entrance to make the cave hard to detect.


    With a canteen of water, Zhang Lie began to prepare the carcasses of the prey he had hunted. He roasted them on four giant spits, seasoning them with a satchel of spices he had prepared beforehand.


    The cave quickly filled with the enticing aroma of meat, but under Zhang Lie''s circumstances, this wasn''t good news. The moment he could detect the smell, he increased the density of water vapor in the air, trying to dampen the aroma and prevent it from leaking outside the cave.


    It took a few hours for the lifeforms to be ready for consumption. Just as he was about to dig in with gusto, he could sense the auras of a human hunter and over a dozen lifeforms entering his range of perception.


    He frowned, then headed out of the cave to see what was going on.


    The struggling, bedraggled hunter noticed his presence almost immediately as he headed out of the cave, and she darted toward him. Over a dozen rhinoceros dogs were chasing her.


    These rhinodogs were abination of rhinoceroses and dogs, the size of giant boulders with a constitution and stamina to match. They possessed great physical resistance and a frightening bite. As superior-grade lifeforms, they controlled earth-attuned gic energy, and were able to use those techniques to capture or trap their prey. Thebination of all these characteristics made them particrly difficult to hunt.


    Most importantly, they roamed the forest inrge packs consisting of hundreds or even thousands of lifeforms. The dozen or so that were following the female hunter seemed to be a scouting party of sorts.


    If he were to participate in this battle, he would have to end it quickly. He was rather interested in the female hunter¡ªas far as he knew, no one would dare to venture so deeply into the forest alone. She wasn''t weak, but clearly wasn''t strong enough to be able to survive in the forest alone.


    Had she lost her teammates? If that were the case, she should have headed toward the outskirts of the forest rather than its interior, surely?


    Hong Xi sighed. Underneath her outwardly bloodied and disheveled appearance was a young woman, soon to be entering her twenties. She came from Mars; her speech had a tinge of a Martian ent.


    She was thest hope of the Hong n. There was naturally a reason she risked her life to venture so deep into the forest around Qi. Before she could reach her destination, however, she had been found by a pack of rhinodogs, and had to flee for her life shortly afterwards.


    When she saw the huntering out of his cave, her eyes widened, and she ran in his direction. "Please, save me!"


    If there was anyone who could save her, it would be him. He seemed calm despite seeing the pack of rhinodogs chasing after her, and he clearly had some skill if he managed to survive in the forest alone for so long.


    She grabbed onto the man''s right arm, but he shrugged her off almost immediately.


    She pleaded with the man for her life.


    "Why should I save you? What can you give me?" Although he had already decided to help her out, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to do so for nothing.


    "I''ll give up anything I own, anything!" Hong Xi begged urgently.


    "Very well. Hide in the cave behind me. Don''t step out, no matter what you hear."


    Zhang Lie dashed forward into the pack of rhinodogs. The reason he had chosen to save her was because he felt a familiar source of gic energy emanating from her.

 Chapter 337: Descendant of the Hong

    <h4>Chapter 337: Descendant of the Hong</h4>


    Against the ferocious pack of superior-grade rhinodogs heading his way, Zhang Lie only smirked.


    [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!


    As the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him, four runic tablets smashed into the ground, followed swiftly by the rhinodogs themselves. Zhang Lie struck forward with his right fist, causing a torrent of ck dragons to emerge from his palm.


    The pack of rhinodogs was ravaged in an instant.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade rhinodog. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade rhinodog, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Hong Xi gaped at the man from where she hid in the cave. Had he killed the whole pack, just like that? It took her a few moments to realize why the man before her seemed so familiar. "You¡ªaren''t you Zhang Lie? Champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie?!"


    Zhang Lie turned around with a smile. "You recognize me?"


    "Recognize? Is there a human that doesn''t? You''re the champion of the Void Cup, and I''m one of your top fans! I can''t believe I''m meeting you in person here!" Hong Xi''s eyes seemed to have transformed into a pair of twinkling stars.


    Before she could continue talking, Zhang Lie stopped her.


    "We can''t talk now¡ªit''s going to be dangerous to stay here much longer." He salvaged the carcasses of the rhinodogs, packed up his food, then beckoned for Hong Xi to follow him. They ran off to a mountain a few dozen kilometers away, where Zhang Lie repeated his cave-making technique and started another fire.


    He retrieved the four roasted carcasses and began to consume them with gusto while Hong Xi prepared the carcasses of the rhinodogs for consumption. This was a necessary skill for all gic hunters, so even a young woman like her was adept at it.


    ncing at the bedraggled young woman who seemed oddly familiar, Zhang Lie asked,


    "Can you exin your situation? How did a young woman like youe to be in such dire circumstances?"


    Hong Xi hesitated. "That, I, well, actually¡ª"


    "Enough. Don''t bother if you don''t want to tell me¡ªI only saved you because you seemed familiar somehow. If you won''t tell me anything, I''ll just send you to the outer boundary of the forest tomorrow, where you can make your way back to Qi easily."


    Hong Xi''s eyes dimmed for a moment before she made up her mind and asked, "Zhang Lie, do you know of the Eclipse Sage?"


    Separated from her team, she hardly had the ability to survive, let alone search for hidden treasure. Yes, hidden treasure¡ªthat was why she had appeared in the forest.


    Unfortunately, her team had underestimated how dangerous the forest would be. Some of the hunters had died in an altercation, and she had been separated from the others. If she hadn''t found Zhang Lie, she would have perished.


    She knew of Zhang Lie''s strength, and she believed that he would be her only hope at getting to the treasure. Thus, she couldn''t let Zhang Lie ditch her now.


    Zhang Lie scrutinized her. "Are you a descendant of the Eclipse Sage?"


    "Ah, yes¡ªbut how did you know?!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Do youe from the city of Tianhong on Mars?"


    He remembered the Eclipse Sage''sst words very clearly. His first task for Zhang Lie was to destroy the Musi n on Tarkus, and his second was to assist the remaining members of the Hong n in Tianhong.


    He had had Yang Ze investigate the situation, but he had been unable to find any trace of a Hong n in Tianhong. Many years prior, they had vanished without a trace due to the actions of the Musi n.


    Zhang Lie sent a few men to investigate the situation, but he had been too busy with everything else to follow up on this responsibility. He did, however, identify some useful information about the Musi n on Tarkus. This n ruled over Tarkus as a hegemon, and its n head was a famous hunter of the third realm.


    Zhang Lie didn''t feel that he was strong enough to take on the Musi n as he was now, but he couldn''t help being reminded of this affair after meeting a descendant of the Hong. It looked as though it might be time to make ns to attack the Musi, after all.


    Hong Xi shook her head. "It''s been a long time since my family lived in Tianhong. After being targeted by our enemies, we had no choice but to hide our identities and head to the Tira instead."


    Zhang Lie''s face turned severe. "By your enemies, I assume you''re referring to the Musi n? ?How''s your n been doing since then?"


    Perhaps because she had identified some unusual emotion in Zhang Lie''s tone, Hong Xi took a deep breath and began to tell him everything. "My n is in dire straits. Of the main family, only my brother and I remain. The Musi n have been searching for us in order to im the inheritance of the Eclipse Sage. All we know, all that has been passed down from the elders of the n, is that the sage left a treasury behind in the second realm."


    "And you intend on finding this treasury in order to resolve your n''s problems?"


    Hong Xi nodded firmly. "Yes. We need to secure this inheritance, or I believe our n will fall. Zhang Lie, you''re the champion of the Void Cup. If you''re willing to help me find the treasury, I''ll give you everything inside but one item!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "The manual for [Eclipse]?"


    Hong Xi clenched her teeth and looked away. As though she had just made a very big decision, she continued, "I''m willing to share [Eclipse] with you."


    The Musi n was tightening its grip, and if the Hong n couldn''t obtain the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance in time, both she and her brother would perish.


    "But do you think that obtaining [Eclipse] will be sufficient? Do you think that it''ll allow you to escape the clutches of the Musi? What if I intercede with the Musi on your behalf? I think they''ll be willing to negotiate with me after my performance in the Void Cup," Zhang Lie probed.


    Hong Xi shook her head adamantly. "No, the Musi n would never agree. As long as even a single member of the Hong lives on, the Musi will never let us go."


    "Good!" Zhang Lie nodded, satisfied. "In that case, I''ll help you out."


    "Really?" Hong Xi was hoping that that would be his response, but she still couldn''t quite believe it.


    "Of course¡ªI would hardly stoop to lying to a young woman. However, I do have a condition."


    "What condition? As long as I can satisfy it, I''ll ept it!"


    "Even if you''ll have to give up your life?"


    "Yes, but in that case, you have to promise to hand [Eclipse] to my brother. What''s the condition? I''m ready to hear it!"


    "I''ll let you know once we get to the treasury."


    Hong Xi drew close to Zhang Lie. "In that case, let''s set off immediately!"

 Chapter 338: Hong Xis Objective

    <h4>Chapter 338: Hong Xi''s Objective</h4>


    It was somewhat annoying to travel through the forest at night, but hardly impossible. Following Hong Xi''s directions, the two of them managed to find the treasury at noon the second day.


    At the bottom of a clear pond, hidden in a stone cave almost submerged by silt, weathered golden doors appeared before the two hunters. Engraved on the doors was a half-moon zing with dark fire.


    Hong Xi took out a dagger, sliced her palm, then pressed it against the half-moon. The doors zed golden. The treasury slowly opened up, allowing the two of them ess to its interior. There wasn''t much space inside. A plinth stood in the middle of the room, supporting a battered old chest.


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened as she nced at the chest, her lips bursting into a smile¡ªbut as she reached toward it, the cave began to shake.


    "What''s with all this fuss?" Zhang Lie wondered.


    Hong Xi frowned. "I think something''s wrong."


    Zhang Lie whirled around, sensing an overwhelming fluctuation of gic energy from behind, abrupt but dense, so dense that even Zhang Lie was forced to pay attention to the attack.


    He materialized Venombane with a flick of his wrist, then cut forward.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!" A cloud of dust filled the air, but the rumbling and quaking continued. Zhang Lie was forced to take a few stumbling steps back. Venombane quivered in his hand.


    Zhang Lie red at the gigantic maw before him, his eyes as cold as flint. The maw was sorge that a small bus could fitfortably within. It was surrounded by sharp, serrated teeth. Green saliva pooled on the ground, letting out sizzling sounds as it touched the rock.


    He was facing a gigantic sandworm¡ªfrom the looks of it, a peak-grade sandworm that had lived out its life underground in darkness. Its skin was unusually resilient and tough; even Zhang Lie''s [First Form: Parting the River] had barely done anything to it.


    "A-A peak-grade lifeform!" Upon sensing the gic energy exuding from the peak-grade sandworm, Hong Xi''s legs turned to jelly as she fell to the ground.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned cold. The sandworm was strong even for a peak-grade creature, especially in an environment that was far more suited to it than to Zhang Lie. If he could avoid having to attack it, he would.


    "Why is there a peak-grade lifeform around?!" Hong Xi cried out.


    From the sandworm''s aura alone, Zhang Lie suspected that it was at least ten times the strength of the moonlight wyrm that he had faced in the first realm.


    The sandworm hissed¡ªits sneak attack had failed, and it had even received a few injuries as a result.


    Unexpectedly, however, it gave up on attacking Zhang Lie and turned to Hong Xi instead.


    [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]! The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie as four runic tablets crashed into the rock floor, surrounding the sandworm from all four cardinal directions.


    Under the enhanced force of gravity, even the peak-grade sandworm was forced deep into thekebed. Even so, the sandworm continued to writhe and thrash around, as though it were trying to get into the cave.


    "No¡ªit''s not interested in you, but rather the treasure behind you!" Zhang Lie came to a realization. There was something in the treasury potent enough to attract even the peak-grade sandworm. He stomped on the ground again, maximizing the force of gravity surrounding the sandworm andpletely enraging it.


    The sandworm howled as it thrashed forward, but Zhang Lie avoided the attack with [Mirrored Refraction].


    "Shut the doors and protect yourself¡ªI''ll have a little fun with this sandworm!"


    The sandworm had grown visibly slower owing to the four runic tablets pinning him down, and Zhang Lie was easily able to evade its blows. He counterattacked, circting [Ninecarp Transformation] to its fullest as a dark dragon wrapped around his arm.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]! A huge explosion echoed about the space, followed by an unusual cracking sound: one of the sandworm''s gigantic teeth had been cracked in half by the attack.


    "You really are a durable bastard, aren''t you? Well, take this! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with his left arm, sending a torrent of dragons flooding toward the sandworm''s open maw.


    The dragons crashed into the sandworm''s maw, and it howled. The noise from the altercation could be heard throughout theke. After stunning the sandworm with his two attacks, Zhang Lie immediately followed up with Venombane. He activated his blood ant soulshard, then struck with [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath].


    A dragon of blood shot into the sandworm''s maw and pierced it from the inside out, dyeing the water around them in ink-green blood. Any other peak-grade lifeform would have died of such a wound, but the sandworm''s strength was exactly in its fortitude and vitality.


    Zhang Lie had dealt it a heavy blow, but not a lethal one¡ªindeed, it wasn''t even life-threatening. However, the blow was strong enough that the sandworm knew that it couldn''t overwhelm its opponent. It tried to flee, turning around and attempting to burrow into thekebed.


    "I won''t let you go!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    A ck carp manifested around him as he too darted into the water, chasing after the sandworm. He grabbed its tail, then pulled it back as he pummeled it with his fists. The sandworm howled, and its giant maw turned back to attack Zhang Lie even as he grabbed onto its tail.


    The strength of the attack was so great that it warped the space all around them, shocking even Zhang Lie himself. He immediately turned to defense, activating his white-grub soulshard and trapping the sandworm''s maw in a of thick silver hemp.


    Unable to bite, the sandworm could only attempt to defeat Zhang Lie with brute force, mming into him with its body like a hammer.


    Zhang Lie activated both his forest wolfman and blood ant soulshards in tandem, then attacked again with [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]. He charged forward with the bloody dragon, using it as cover tounch the second form of his [Ninesoul Dragonde].


    A violet arc traced out the motion of the dragon''s body.


    [Second Form: Piercing the Soul]! The sword''s sh cut through the sandworm''s maw and sliced all the way through its back.


    [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]! With another attack, the sandworm''s battered body was neatly carved into a dozen pieces.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade sandworm. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade sandworm, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie took in a deep breath, stored the carcass of the peak-grade sandworm, then rushed back to the treasury.


    "Open up, Hong Xi!"


    Hong Xi peered out at him through a slit in the door and immediately opened it. "What''s going on, Zhang Lie? Are you injured? The treasury was shaking so badly that I thought I was about to be buried alive!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The peak-grade sandworm was tough, but that''s about it."


    "That''s about it?! Wait, Zhang Lie, did you¡ªdid you kill that peak-grade sandworm all by yourself?!"


    Hong Xi stared at him in disbelief, then understanding, then regret. That was a peak-grade lifeform! If she had known that Zhang Lie was able to kill it on his own, she would have thrown a dart or something its way¡ªit would have given her ess to ten peak gene fragments! How could she have forgotten?!


    Zhang Lie knew what she was thinking, but he was inwardly d that she hadn''t stepped forward. If she had done so, it would have made matters much harder to control. He smiled. "Don''t worry. Peak-grade lifeforms aren''t as difficult to kill as you think, especially considering the treasures that the Eclipse Sage has left for you."


    "Ah, I wouldn''t know¡ªI was waiting for you to return before opening it. Here!"


    The young woman''s innocence surprised Zhang Lie a little. "In that case, why don''t you open it now?"


    Hong Xi nodded, slicing her palm again and resting it on the battered chest. The lock clicked open, and Hong Xi found three treasures within. A ck tablet immediately caught her attention¡ªthat was likely [Eclipse], which she had been searching for for so long.


    She pointed at the plinth on which the chest had been located. "Zhang Lie, there''s an optical reader there!"


    As she slotted the tablet into the reader, a youthful Eclipse Sage appeared, exining the basic principles behind [Eclipse].


    Zhang Lie was naturally disappointed. On the other hand, Hong Xi fell to the ground, weeping tears of joy at the sight. "I''ve finally, finally retrieved it¡ªmy hard work hasn''t been for naught, there''s finally hope for my n!"

 Chapter 339: Another Apprentice

    <h4>Chapter 339: Another Apprentice</h4>


    Seeing how impassioned Hong Xi was, Zhang Lie could hardly bring himself to tell her that that tablet contained even less information than what he had managed to find on Earth. That would be far too cruel.


    He turned toward the other two objects in the chest, the first of which was a yellow-brown fruit. Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "No wonder the peak-grade sandworm was attracted to the treasury¡ªit''s a shayang fruit!"


    As Zhang Lie picked it up, sand gathered around the fruit and formed a miniature sandstorm. The shayang fruit had a chance of raising one''s talent for cultivation, butpared to gambling on that probability, Zhang Lie had a better use for it. He believed it would be a necessary ingredient for making Potion #4, which would grant him peak-grade limit fragments.


    The final object in the chest was a red glove, one of rather high quality, but not something that interested him.


    He kept the shayang fruit. "I''ll be taking this. You can have the glove that remains in the chest."


    Hong Xi eximed, "Please, Zhang Lie, take what you want! I only managed to make my way here because of you. Otherwise, I''d already have died to the rhinodogs."


    Zhang Lie smiled but shook his head. Before he could leave, Hong Xi mbered up to him, her face still slightly red. "Zhang Lie, wait! I still haven''t shared [Eclipse] with you. In addition, I''m hoping you''ll allow me to join the Zenith Dojo¡ªwould you please allow me to do so?"


    "That''s not a problem. I''m even willing to take you as my apprentice, if that''s something you''re interested in."


    Hong Xi''s eyes gleamed. She knelt on the ground, dirty though it was, and thumped her forehead against it three times. Subsequently, with both hands, she offered up the tablet containing [Eclipse]. "Master, please ept this gift from your apprentice."


    If finding [Eclipse] were able to revitalize the Hong n ten times faster, then taking Zhang Lie as her master would revitalize it at least a hundred times faster. As one of Zhang Lie''s superfans, she knew better than anyone else just how strong Zhang Lie truly was.


    Zhang Lie himself was willing to take her as his apprentice because of her rtionship to the Eclipse Sage, whom he considered one of his mentors.


    "Very well. From now on, you''ll be my third apprentice."


    "Yes, Master! I, Hong Xi, gratefully pay my respects!"


    Instead of epting the proffered tablet, however, Zhang Lie ced two fingers on Hong Xi''s forehead. He activated his peak-grade moonlight wyrm soulshard, and, using Whitey as conduit, left her with the entirety of [Eclipse].


    "This is..."


    Zhang Lie''s [Eclipse] was even more rified andplete than the footage that she had acquired.


    "Master, this¡ª"


    "By a stroke of good luck, I obtained the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance back on Earth. I''m d I''ve been able to hand it down to one of his descendants as well."


    Hong Xi clutched her mouth in shock. "Master, you''re my ancestor''s apprentice?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "You can put it that way. Otherwise, would I have taken you as an apprentice myself so easily?"


    Hong Xi made an "Ahh" sound in realization. No wonder Zhang Lie had been willing to help her out so readily!


    "Master, nevertheless, thank you for taking me on. I might not be your most talented apprentice, but I swear I''ll be the most hardworking!"


    Hong Xi''s determination made Zhang Lie smile. "Very well, my most hardworking apprentice, can you tell me about your gene fragments?"


    "Because I learned of the Eclipse Sage''s treasury in the second realm, I entered the second realm before capping my gene fragments in the first. Currently, I have a hundred basic and mutated gene fragments, along with fifty superior gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie widened his eyes. After all, the fifty superior gene fragments she was mentioning hade from hunting superior-grade lifeforms with Zhang Lie as they made their way toward their destination. In other words, she had dared to brave the depths of the Qi forest only having maxed her basic and mutated?gene fragments.


    She was so daring that Zhang Lie was at a loss for words. It was lucky that she had met him; otherwise, she would surely be dead by now.


    "Your foundation is rather weak, but it can be improved with time. [Eclipse] has no attunement and can bepatible with any technique, so that''s a good start. What sort of techniques do you want to learn?"


    Hong Xi replied seriously, "I''d like to learn a fist technique, just like my ancestor."


    She wasn''t being entirely truthful¡ªthe main reason she had chosen a fist technique was because she had been enthralled by Zhang Lie''s use of [Hundred Dragons Soaring] in her defense.


    "The only fist technique I can teach you is [Fists of the Silent Sea]. This was originally a water-attuned technique, but I can convert it into a null-attuned technique for you¡ªthough its strength will depend on what you make of it."


    "I understand, Master! Please, will you impart that technique to me?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. Using Whitey as a conduit, he sent her a mental transmission of the technique, then demonstrated it in front of her.


    "As for your footwork and body techniques, I suspect the ones that came alongside [Eclipse] will be most suitable for you¡ª[Moon Seeker] and [The Elusive Moon]. Finally, you''ll need a weapon technique of some sort. I transferred you a ratherprehensive set along with [Eclipse], so choose the one you like best. I''ll also help you find a few suitable soulshards, and you should be prepared to hunt superior-grade lifeforms at that point."


    "Master, thank you!"


    "You''re now one of my apprentices, after all. There''s no need to be so polite."


    "Yes, Master!"


    Three days flew by in the blink of an eye. Within that time, Hong Xi''s strength grew by leaps and bounds. Once Zhang Lie deemed that Hong Xi had learned enough to fight on her own, the two of them left the drab treasury and headed back toward the Yeluo Valley.


    Zhang Lie decided to head there first, then to apany his new disciple home and to bring the entire Hong n to Ning. After all, he had promised the Eclipse Sage that he would take care of the Hong n.


    Because he was trying to help Hong Xi hunt for soulshards as well, he abstained from shrouding the two of them in stealth. They walked through the forest with their heads held high, naturally attracting the attention of all sorts of predators.


    With a piercing screech, a bird surrounded by green winds flew by them. The screech was so shrill that Hong Xi had to cover her ears. The bird pped its wings, summoning a gale out of thin air.


    Zhang Lie pointed at the sky. "What do you think of this bird?"


    "Ah, what do you mean, Master?"


    Instead of responding, Zhang Lie watched as the bird swooped down toward Hong Xi.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]! Before she could scream, Zhang Lie punched at the bird, obscuring its sight with a flight of over a hundred ck dragons, howling in unison far louder than the bird could screech.


    The bird suddenly squawked, noticing that its prey seemed to be stronger than it had expected. Before it could flee, however, the ck dragons had already taken to the sky. They surrounded the bird and burst apart, drowning out the sunlight in a wave of dark energy.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade fleet-winged windbird and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade fleet-winged windbird, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie smiled and held out a green soulshard in front of her. "You''re rather lucky! Here, a gift from me to you."


    Hong Xi gaped at the sight. Her eyes were bulging at the carcass of the windbird. What had just happened? That was a superior-grade lifeform from the second realm!


    Zhang Lie had taken it down in just one blow¡ªin a mere ten seconds!


    Hong Xi knew that her master was strong, but not how strong.


    "What, don''t you want this?"


    "Master, that''s a superior-grade soulshard!"


    "Naturally. I would be embarrassed if my apprentices were to use anything less. It looks like a rare weapon-type soulshard. Why don''t you absorb it into your soulspace and try it out?"

 Chapter 340: Toward the Yeluo Valley

    <h4>Chapter 340: Toward the Yeluo Valley</h4>


    As Hong Xi absorbed the soulshard, a ball of light appeared on her palm, and a green-feathered fan materialized.


    She twisted the fan open, seeing the figure of a fleet-winged windbird on its surface, with picturesque scenery in the background. As she waved the fan, a cool gust of wind began to blow. The stronger she waved it, the stronger the wind became. A miniaturized tornado took form, disintegrating a boulder into pieces and uprooting nearby shrubs and trees.


    "A wind-attuned fan¡ªnot bad! Your gic armor doesn''t seempatible with you at all. You''ll need another set of armor, as well as a suitable weapon. If I recall correctly, superior-grade lunar butterflies can drop a rapier that might be well-suited to [Eclipse] and to your skills, but they''re a little annoying to hunt at the moment since they always appear in swarms. Once I finish maxing out my superior gene fragments, I''ll get you one."


    Hong Xi smiled with gratitude. "Thank you, Master! In that case, where are we heading now?"


    "To the Yeluo Valley. The Yeluo n lives there, and there''s something I''d like to acquire from them."


    Hong Xi seemed rather surprised. "You mean that there are other intelligent races here in the second realm besides the sura?"


    "Of course! The second realm boasts more species of lifeforms than exist in the Milky Way. Did you ascend without even knowing this much?"


    He handed her a vial of Potion #1. "Here, drink this. Given your improved strength, you should be able to digest it easily."


    Hong Xi swallowed it in one gulp, then suddenly felt as though her stomach was burning up. The hot and spicy feeling made her open her mouth and pant, "Water, water¡ªwater!"


    Zhang Lie handed her a bottle of water, the entirety of which she consumed before her thirst was satiated.


    As she circted gic energy through her body, she suddenly discovered that she seemed to have grown quite a bit stronger, and the strange announcement in her head which she had never heard before sent her into a bout of momentary confusion. "Master, c-could this be¡ª"


    Zhang Lieughed. "It is. Get used to your newfound strength, and then I''ll hand you Potion #2 once we''re done with the Yeluo Valley."


    Hong Xi was lost in thought as she sensed the changes throughout her body. "Master, are these the rumored limit-breaking potions that you''re known for?"


    After Zhang Lie''s surprise victory at the Void Cup, his theory of limit fragments had spread like wildfire across the gxy. However, hardly anyone was able to acquire vials of such precious potions for themselves.


    She hadn''t expected Zhang Lie to be so generous given how new an apprentice she was.


    "It''s just a vial of Potion #1, nothing more!"


    "Wait a minute, Master, you mentioned Potion #2 just now¡ªcould you have already developed it?!"


    "Shh!" Zhang Lie shushed her. "This isn''t a secret to those who know me, but you shouldn''t mention it in front of anyone else."


    Hong Xi obediently nodded. Bcause Hong Xi didn''t have a stealth-type soulshard of her own, and because it would consume too much energy for Zhang Lie to stealth her as well, they had no choice but to walk through the forest boldly.


    As they hunted down any lifeforms daring enough to cross their path, Zhang Lie found that he had already umted over a hundred superior gene fragments. Most superior-grade hordes wouldn''t be able to cause him any trouble, so he didn''t have to be as careful as he had been.


    "Hong Xi, what do you think of that herd of bihorns over there?"


    Hong Xi nced at Zhang Lie doubtfully. "Master, that''s a huge horde of bihorns! Surely you aren''t thinking of¡ª"


    "Wait here. Let''s see if we can get something for you!" Zhang Lie stealthed, dashed over, and ughtered over a dozen superior-grade bihorns with one activation of [The Boundless de].


    Hong Xi gaped at the sight. By the time she returned to her senses, Zhang Lie was already by her side, checking the spoils he had obtained. "Not here, nor there, nor there¡ªnot even a single soulshard!" he cursed.


    Mere momentster, he rested his eyes on a pack of dragonscaled lions. "Hong Xi, what do you think of those lions?"


    Before she could reply, he had already darted off. For the rest of their journey, he attacked any group of lifeforms that he came across and thought was interesting, and Hong Xi''s surprise and shock was quickly reced by imperturbable calm. The superior-grade lifeforms that she was paralyzed by and had hidden from were all turning into walking sacks of treasure.


    Ten dayster, she even began to attack these superior-grade lifeforms on her own. Given her iplete foundation from the first realm, Zhang Lie was rather surprised by her strength in the second.


    "Master, why don''t you take a break? Let me show off my new skills!"


    She had grown tremendously as a hunter since bing Zhang Lie''s apprentice.


    Hong Xi: a mutated-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. 10; Eclipse (advanced)


    Techniques: Fists of the Silent Sea (intermediate), Moon Seeker (intermediate), The Elusive Moon (intermediate), Syzygy de (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 100; Mutated, 100; Superior, 100; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0


    Soulshards: Fleet-Winged Windbird (superior), Iris Peacock (superior), Mindborne Leopard (superior), Spirit Fox (superior), Lunar Pig (superior)


    She had acquired all her superior gene fragments and soulshards from hunting with Zhang Lie, though she was unable to face the lifeforms head-on; she had had tounch sneak attacks on them.


    Her superior-grade iris peacock soulshard allowed her to generate a bright five-colored light, which had the unusual effect of separating an enemy from their weapons or soulshards. It could also be used to cause temporary blindness.


    Her superior-grade mindborne leopard soulshard was able to create a number of illusions, and her spirit fox soulshard took on the form of a long, zing robe, which would counterattack all foes that struck her. Finally, her superior-grade lunar pig soulshard produced arge quantity of lunar arrows which she could shoot at her opponents.


    Zhang Lie was shocked to learn of the overwhelming affinity that Hong Xi seemed to have with [Eclipse]. In just ten days or so, she had already reached advanced proficiency, a feat even he hadn''t been able to duplicate.


    However, Hong Xi had done so with ease. Part of the reason was because the framework she had used to date was a predecessor of [Eclipse], and she was naturally primed for it. After watching her for a few days, Zhang Lie came to another conclusion: she could well be more attuned and morepatible with [Eclipse] than even the Eclipse Sage himself.


    Her [Eclipse] domain grew stronger by the day, and with its help, she soon became able to take down hordes of superior-grade lifeforms as well.


    The two hunters took about a month''s time to reach the Yeluo Valley. It was filled with arge number of bug-type lifeforms and unusual nts. Even at Zhang Lie''s level of strength, he couldn''t be careless given the unusual abilities that some bug-type lifeforms possessed.


    This was his first time in the Yeluo Valley proper. Although he hadn''t met many of the Yeluo in his past life, he knew quite a bit about what he would have to be wary of within the valley.


    Almost immediately as they entered, Zhang Lie remindd Hong Xi, "Follow me tightly. We''re basically there, and the members of the Yeluo n might be even more dangerous than the lifeforms we''re apt to encounter."


    "Understood, Master!" Hong Xi fell in line behind him.


    When they stepped into the valley proper, what first caught their attention was the lush greenery all around, the bright blue skies, the grass sparkling with dew, the fresh scent of floral fragrance¡ªand the danger that lurked beneath.


    The Yeluo n was situated in the deepest part of the Yeluo Valley. They lived off thend, a world apart from any other hunter. The n was about three thousand members strong.


    As Zhang Lie and Hong Xi made their way deep into the valley, they suddenly heard an ongoing fight in the distance. Members of the Yeluo n were exterminating a swarm of poisonous superior-grade bug-type lifeforms.


    This was the first time Hong Xi and Zhang Lie had met the Yeluo. Hong Xi didn''t seem to think much of it, but Zhang Lie was thrilled. He had finally found the Yeluo! In his past life, they had been massacred to thest after an unexpected altercation with an enemy n. By the time a human discovered that their potions were particrly effective against the sura, it was already toote¡ªthe Yeluo had been wiped off the face of the earth.


    Their hair was dark green, with the color and texture of seaweed. Their skin was lustrous and the color of bronze; their bodiesrge and hardy, the adults almost uniformly over two meters tall. They looked more like bronzed statues rather than actual lifeforms. Most of them wore hunting masks covering the upper half of their faces, with sharp teeth jutting out of their uncovered mouths.

 Chapter 341: Stubborn Fools

    <h4>Chapter 341: Stubborn Fools</h4>


    The poisonous bugs that the Yeluo were fighting were purplish-green and looked a little like supersized Earth beetles. The beetles were wingless and couldn''t fly, but they were asrge as cars, their carapaces metallic, shiny, and lustrous. Their mandibles were as sharp as honed des. They gave off a faint miasma.


    The fighting was intense. Zhang Lie nced around and concluded that, even if the Yeluo fighters could win, they would likely have to give up the vige that they were protecting. They were holding firmly against the poisonous bugs, but the bugs swarmed without end from the depths of the valley. Either the fighters would run out of stamina and perish to the bugs, or they would be forced to run off, leaving their vige to be invaded.


    "It looks like we''ll have to help. Hong Xi, cover me with your fan and arrows." Zhang Lie focused on the gigantic golden beetle that led the invasion, whose body seemed to be made of pure gold. This was undoubtedly their leader.


    Hong Xi materialized her fan and began to wave it around in long, flowing sweeps, summoning a gigantic hurricane in the very center of the swarm of beetles and disorienting them. In the middle of the confusion, Zhang Lie vanished in mid-air.


    When the beetles noticed the sudden attack from the nk, part of the swarm separated and headed straight for Hong Xi. She continued waving her fan, shooting out thousands of wind spears that did noticeable damage to bugs and struck holes in their carapaces.


    Suddenly, a pir of gic energy shot into the sky. The very air trembled; a river of the underworld appeared on the battlefield, drowning arge number of bugs with its current.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" A horde of dragons appeared in midair, swallowing up the sky. They dove down on the bugs and exploded once they reached their targets, swallowing them up in explosions of ck me.


    Even the golden beetle in the very center was affected by the explosions.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A gigantic blood dragon emerged from among the hundreds of ck dragons, wing bloody gouges in the golden beetle''s carapace, then flipping it over with a sweep of its tail. It roared as it ascended to the skies, then dove down and pierced the beetle''s body.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade goldenvenom beetle. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade goldenvenom beetle, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Upon its death, the remainder of the swarm fell into disarray. Arge fraction of the bugs left immediately, and the Yeluo tribesmen immediately counterattacked.


    Zhang Lie had predicted that the beetle''s strengthyrgely in defense and its ability tomand a whole swarm of insects, without much offensive power on its own. His absurd and staggering growth made the beetle look far weaker inparison.


    After the Yeluo tribesmen drove off the bugs, they turned warily toward Zhang Lie and Hong Xi.


    Hong Xi frowned and crossed her arms. "Why do you all look so hostile? We just helped you out!"


    The leader of the Yeluo fighters strode forward. "Who knows what you want from us? Who are you? What are you doing in Yeluonds?"


    Zhang Lie raised both his arms high up in the sky. "We harbor no malicious intentions. I simply have matters I wish to discuss with the Yeluo n."


    "With the Yeluo n?" The supposed leader turned to one of the fighters standing beside him. "Zhan Qing, do we need to report this to the n head?"


    Zhan Qing smiled and considered the two hunters. "You''re humans, aren''t you? Invaders to the second realm, as weak as stinkbugs?"


    The other Yeluo fighters began murmuring among themselves.


    "So these are what humans look like! Indeed, they''re simr to monkeys."


    .


    "Apparently they''re livestock reared by the sura..."


    "Is that so? Then I imagine they must taste rather good!"


    "If they''re really so weak, how about we give them a try?"


    The Yeluo fighters all suddenly felt ravenous.


    Zhan Qing waved an arm. "There''s no reason for us to hold any sort of conversation with weak humans like you."


    Hong Xi frowned. "Not even after helping you all in times of crisis? If we''re stinkbugs, then you all must be worse than stinkbugs!"


    Zhan Qing scoffed. "Insolence! The Yeluo would hardly fall to a swarm of bugs. Even without your help, we would have easily won!"


    Zhang Lie figured out what he had done wrongly¡ªhe had entered the fight too early on! If he had waited until half the Yeluo fighters were crippled or dead, his help would have seemed far more vital.


    Zhang Lie replied coldly, "I came here in order to purchase a few specialized potions from the Yeluo. Don''t make me an enemy."


    Zhan Qingughed uproariously. He nced toward Hong Xi, then scanned her up and down. "If you hand us that young woman by your side, we might consider it."


    "Master!" Hong Xi nced at her master with disgust on her face at Zhan Qing''s lecherous expression.


    "Come with us, girl!" Zhan Qing let out a wolf whistle. "Don''t you want to be with a real man for once? Can your short, skinnypanionpare to us?"


    "Ha! She''s thin and slender herself¡ªwon''t we have to be careful with her?"


    "Once we''ve had our fun with her, we can even turn her into a meal!"


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "I don''t suppose a peaceful resolution is possible, then."


    Zhan Qing smirked. ?"Do you think you pitiful humans have the right to hold a discussion with our n elders? You''re the ones intruding in Yeluo territory."


    He reached out for Hong Xi, but Zhang Lie batted his arm away.


    "Oho. You want to have a fight, do you?" Zhan Qing hefted his polearm from his back, then swung it in a silver arc right toward Zhang Lie''s neck.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]! ?With a crisp metallic whistle, the head of Zhan Qing''s polearm was smashed to pieces. He staggered back with the force of Zhang Lie''s blow, his weaponpletely ruined. Zhang Lie murmured, "A violent n, aren''t you? No wonder you were all killed. Again¡ªdon''t force me to be an enemy!"

 Chapter 342: The Top Fighter

    <h4>Chapter 342: The Top Fighter</h4>


    The two fighters beside Zhan Qing each tossed him their des. With two des in hand, Zhan Qing leapt up into the skies and began to whirl like a corkscrew, forming a terrifying storm of des in midair, tearing apart the air and distorting the underlying space.


    Zhang Lie lifted only two fingers in response.


    "What''s this stinkbug doing? Is he so scared that he can''t think straight? How can he hope tobat Zhan Qing with just two fingers?!"


    "Who does he think he is? Even our top fighter, Ya Xiongtu, wouldn''t dare to counter Zhan Qing''s de with just two fingers."


    "He''s sick of living, isn''t he?"


    "Better that he die¡ªonce he does, that woman will be ours! I''ve never tasted a human woman before¡ªI wonder how it''ll be?"


    The crisp impact of metal on metal rang through the b battlefield, shocking everyone gathered. Zhan Qing''s polearm, which he whirled with abandon, really had been trapped by two of Zhang Lie''s fingers.


    "How is that possible?! He''s just a spindly human warrior!"


    "This isn''t an illusion, surely?"


    Zhang Lie ignored the Yeluo fighters'' surprise, as though he had done nothing out of the ordinary. "If you desist now, I''ll pretend that our altercation never urred. As I said, I''m just here for potions from the Yeluo n, and I don''t want to cause any trouble."


    His fingers locked Zhan Qing''s polearm in ce as easily as a stalk of wheat, forcing Zhan Qing to look him in the eye. Zhan Qing''s forehead beaded with sweat. Even with all his strength, all his energy, he was unable to move the polearm one bit.


    He had really made a fool of himself in front of the Yeluo fighters, boasting that the humans were weaklings, trash, nothing more than stinkbugs¡ªand now he was proving that he was weaker than even a stinkbug! If he were to desist now, he would lose all his hard-won reputation.


    No, he couldn''t relent¡ªbut if he didn''t, the man in front of him might well kill him! Zhan Qing hesitated.


    Zhang Lie frowned and warned him once again, "Desist now!"


    "I won''t!" Zhan Qing released the first polearm and swung his second toward Zhang Lie''s unprotected neck.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. He sidestepped the attack, then punched at Zhan Qing''s abdomen. A rampaging dragon of blood pierced his armor, sending him flying up into the air. The next moment, Zhang Lie dashed forward, stomping on Zhan Qing''s body in midair and sending him crashing into the ground.


    A plume of dust shook the field. Zhan Qing, bossy, brash, and domineering,y stunned in a hole in the ground that Zhang Lie had created with a brute-force impact. He turned around. "Are you fighters ready to have a cordial discussion now?"


    The Yeluo fighters unconsciously took a step back as they nced at Zhang Lie with fear in their eyes. Was this how strong the humans were?


    "He''s... much stronger than I expected!"


    "Are all humans as strong as he is? We can''t fight against such foes!"


    Zhan Qing had, somehow, still not given up on his assault. From where hey behind Zhang Lie''s back, he infused all his gic energy to the one polearm he still had, then tossed it at Zhang Lie.


    Without even looking backwards, Zhang Lie grabbed the flying polearm and tossed it back. It traced a silver arc. The sound of the air whooshing against the polearm''s de caused Zhan Qing''s eyes to widen¡ªit was much faster than he had expected, and his bruised and battered body would be unable to avoid the blow.


    He looked death in the eye, but death never came. The next second, the polearm''s de struck a scimitar that appeared out of nowhere, absorbing its momentum and sending it ttering to the ground.


    "A human? What human dares make a fuss in the territory of the Yeluo?!" As the dust cleared, the figure of a three-meter tall Yeluo fighter appeared out of nowhere. The Yeluo fighters, who were rearing back after being shocked by Zhang Lie''s strength, immediately grew excited again.


    "It''s Ya Xiongtu, the strongest warrior of the n!"


    "Haha, this human fighter''s going to die!"


    "Ya Xiongtu, this human struck down Zhan Qing! Make him pay the ultimate price!"


    "We were fighting off an invasion of poisonous beetles. This human took advantage of our weakness in the aftermath to hurt and defeat Zhan Qing!"


    Hong Xi strode forward in anger. "Ridiculous nonsense! You were the ones who struck first. My master was polite thrice over, but thrice you rejected his goodwill! Cowardly, dishonorable fools!"


    Ya Xiongtu shook his head. "No matter the circumstances, it is true that you struck a Yeluo fighter in his ownnd. No more need be said."


    "I''m only here to purchase potions from the Yeluo n," Zhang Lie gritted out.


    In another time and ce, he would already have ughtered everyone present, but he had no choice but to rein in his temper in order to get the potions he wanted without any fuss. He knew little of these potions from his past life, and he ?didn''t want to sour the rtionship between him and the Yeluo n needlessly.


    Unfortunately, these fighters were idiots.


    Ya Xiongtu folded his arms and dered, "I don''t care what you''re here for. For injuring a Yeluo fighter on Yeluond, you''ll both pay a price!"


    "What price?" Zhang Lie asked patiently.


    "You''ll both serve as ves in the Yeluo n for thirty years!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t rein in his temper any longer. "Are you all fools? Perhaps all your brain cells have gone into building muscle instead!"


    "This is not a matter of discussion. Either you submit now, or I''ll beat you until you submit!" Ya Xiongtu walked to Zhan Qing''s side and picked up his scimitar.


    "The top fighter of the Yeluo n, are you?" Zhang Lie scanned him up and down. Zhang Lie pointed at Zhan Qing. "If you don''t want to be like him, stand aside!"


    The Yeluo fighters all began tough. "Haha, this fellow''s brain must be rotting! Does he think he can take on our best fighter?"


    "You''ve got spunk, I''ll give you that! Let''s see if you have the skills to back that mouth up, too!" Ya Xiongtuughed, then charged toward Zhang Lie with the scimitar in his hands, his aura a hundred times as intimidating as Zhan Qing''s.


    His killing intent had reached an incredible density, so much so that it almost seemed as though they were in a battlefield filled with corpses and blood.


    He directed his killing intent straight toward Zhang Lie, but such a petty trick did nothing. Zhang Lie punched forward with his fists, shattering the half-formed image before counter-attacking with [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade].


    Ya Xiongtu''s scimitar struck Zhang Lie''s fist, wreathed in ck. Rather than pierce through Zhang Lie''s skin as he expected, however, it was his own scimitar that disintegrated inch by inch uponing into contact with Zhang Lie''s fist.


    Ya Xiongtu retreated. "Interesting, interesting! Try this!"


    Two blood scimitars materialized in his palms, and his aura increased by an order of magnitude. Each scimitar was three meters long, sharp and frightening.


    "Name yourself, human fighter! My blood scimitars do not strike an unnamed foe. Dying to my scimitars will be an honor for you!"


    Zhang Lie frowned and reported his name. Then, waving his scimitars in aplicated pattern, Ya Xiongtu struck at Zhang Lie with a flurry of des, but Zhang Lie somehow managed to avoid each blow as though he were an agile butterfly.


    No one would be able to maintain such a ferocious attack for long, not even Ya Xiongtu. Once he used up his stamina, Zhang Lie struck back.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venombane broke through the flurry of slices Ya Xiongtu sent his way. No one saw how Zhang Lie hadunched his counterattack; by the time Ya Xiongtu himself noticed, Zhang Lie''s de was already right by his neck.

 Chapter 343: Without End

    <h4>Chapter 343: Without End</h4>


    Ya Xiongtu''s eyes bulged. He had hardly expected defeat, let alone one so quick. If he hadn''t taken his foe lightly, this scenario certainly wouldn''t have happened. With just a moment''s hesitation, however, Ya Xiongtu began to smile.


    "How long it has been since I had such an interesting opponent as you! Come, fight me again!" Ya Xiongtu began tough like a crazed fighter, uncaring if Zhang Lie would actually stab him through the neck.


    "You, Zhang Lie, are an interesting fellow indeed!" His bronzed skin turned dark, and he suddenly grew two more meters into a five-meter tall hulk. His blood scimitars seemed like the perfect size for his new body.


    The gathered Yeluo fighters all howled in delight. "Ya Xiongtu''s summoning his ckgold warform! He''s really getting serious now¡ª thatd''s going to be beaten into meat paste!"


    The Yeluo possessed a technique that could awaken thetent potential of their genes, but it was so hard to master that only five of the Yeluo fighters had managed to do so.


    One of the Yeluo fighters teased Hong Xi, "If you don''t want your man to turn into meat paste, there''s still time to kneel on the ground and beg for mercy."


    Hong Xi snorted, folded her arms, and turned aside. In her eyes, her master was peerless. "Don''t get too cocky just yet. I believe that my master will beat this warrior of yours!"


    "You''d betterst a little while longer¡ªit wouldn''t be interesting if you were to lose too quickly! [Thousand-Ton Strike]!"


    Ya Xiongtu struck with his scimitars so forcefully that the ground cracked under his advance. Blood shadows burst forth from the scimitars, slicing apart all that was within sight. A bloody mist without end filled the skies.


    "It looks intimidating, but nothing more! [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and forest wolfman soulshards simultaneously. As he thrust forward with Venombane, a blood dragon uncoiled from his de.


    His sword shed against Ya Xiongtu''s scimitars, his dragon against Ya Xiongtu''s blood shadows. The aftermath of their exchange left scars in the ground so deep that it began to quake, and the vige''s stone fence broke apart.


    Quite a few of the Yeluo fighters, especially those closest to the impact, found shes of blood erupting from their bodies. They had no choice but to hunker down and run farther from the scene in disgrace. They could understand why Ya Xiongtu was so strong, but what about Zhang Lie? How had a human grown so powerful that he could rival Ya Xiongtu himself?


    The remainder of the match was one of endurance, one that Ya Xiongtu lost. His repeated blows, strong though they might be, sapped a great deal of gic energy and stamina from him. A few such blows were fine; he believed that he would easily be able to take Zhang Lie down, but Zhang Lie had been far stronger than he had expected.


    Even among the Yeluo fighters, no one but the n head himself would be able to push Ya Xiongtu to such an extent. Once his stamina began to falter, his attacks would get duller and slower, and he might even copse from overexertion himself.


    He gritted his teeth, regretting that he had shouted for Zhang Lie to try to withstand his blows as long as he could when he was the one who would give out first instead. He shed once more with Zhang Lie. As he retreated, his bones splintered, and blood gushed out of his cuts.


    Ya Xiongtu, who had reached the limits of his strength, copsed onto the ground.


    Zhang Lie chuckled. "Is this truly the strongest Yeluo fighter around?"


    He charged up for a final blow with his sword. The Yeluo fighters all gulped¡ªthey knew that none of them would be able to defend against this blow, not even Ya Xiongtu.


    [First Form: Parting the River]!


    The gleam of Zhang Lie''s de was visible throughout the Yeluo Valley. He made to cut the mountains, the skies, the flooding rivers. Even the beetles lowered their heads in dread, fearing the descent of the de.


    "Wait!"


    Zhang Lie ignored Ya Xiongtu''s plea and chopped off one of his arms with a clean snick. Zhang Lie could easily have killed him, but Ya Xiongtu was as good as dead, regardless. He clutched his bleeding stump in agony, writhing as though he were a fish out of water.


    The other Yeluo fighters gulped, knowing that Ya Xiongtu was done for. The Yeluo style was to fight with two ded weapons, so losing an arm meant losing half hisbat power¡ªor worse. Furthermore, Ya Xiongtu''s veins had burst from his exertion, and he wouldn''t be able to recover fully from his injuries.


    Zhang Lie''s gleaming Venombane caused the Yeluo fighters to gulp in fear. He was far too strong and far too frightening an enemy! Even their top fighter hadsted only two rounds with him. How could the remaining fighters look down on him any longer? They could hardly believe how strong this human was¡ªcould their ancestors have been wrong? Or was this human an exception of his race?


    Zhang Lie sighed. It was impossible to reason with these barbarians; he should have fought them from the very beginning. He mmed a foot down on Ya Xiongtu, who was secretly trying to crawl away. "Summon your n head, or I''ll ughter all of you until he appears!"


    "Haha, there really aren''t any coolheaded youth anymore!" Almost as Zhang Lie finished speaking, a hunchbacked old man walked forward with a crutch from the depths of the vige. He stroked his beard. "Young man, you''re quite strong, but don''t think too highly of yourself. There''s a reason the Yeluo n has survived for millennia in the realm of sura, after all."


    "Elder!"


    "Elder, you''re finally here!"


    "Elder, you heard him! Thatd wanted to ughter us all!"

 Chapter 344: A Shameless Elder

    <h4>Chapter 344: A Shameless Elder</h4>


    Zhang Lie gritted his teeth. "As I''ve mentioned time and time again, I''m here in search of potions made by the Yeluo n, not to kill its warriors."


    His patience was reaching his limit.


    The elderughed coldly. "Don''t you think you''re being a bit arrogant, young man? We Yeluo fighters aren''t so easy to defeat. Release Ya Xiongtu, and I''ll consider sparing your life given that it''s your first offense!"


    "Let go of Ya Xiongtu, or today will be the day of your death!"


    "Elder, have at him! Who would dare to cause such a fuss outside our vige? If word of this were to spread, our reputation will surely crumble!"


    "Right, he has to pay a price for his transgression!"


    The elder hmphed. His bones groaned and creaked as his body suddenly grew taller andrger. In a matter of moments, not only was he no longer hunchbacked, he had grown into an eight-meter-tall giant. His body was full of bulging muscles, and his gic energy burned as bright as me. "It''s been a long time since I took on this form. Lad, let go of Ya Xiongtu and beg for mercy, and I might spare you yet! You seem to have some skill of your own¡ªI''m happy to grant you the opportunity to serve the Yeluo."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Are the Yeluo all as brash and arrogant as you? Serve the Yeluo? Beg for mercy? No. I''m here for the potions that only the Yeluo know how to brew. Tell your n head toe forth, or I''ll kill this man right here and now!"


    The elder immediately countered, "You dare? In front of a Yeluo elder himself?!"


    "On the count of three: if the Yeluo n head doesn''t show up himself, this man will die. One!"


    The Yeluo fighters all stared at Zhang Lie ferociously.


    "Elder, kill this bug for besmirching the reputation of the Yeluo!"


    "When have we ever been threatened by these puny humans? We wouldn''t sumb even against the sura!"


    "Two!"


    "Lad, I advise you not to be rash. If you dare kill Ya Xiongtu, all of humanity will fall for your crimes," the Yeluo elder threatened. On the ground, Ya Xiongtu continued to struggle, spitting out a gob of saliva. The elder''s arrival made his eyes gleam. "Aren''t you going to let me go,d? Do you really want to sacrifice everyone you know, your friends and family alike, for your foolishness?"


    Zhang Lie ignored the Yeluo fighters, the Yeluo elder, and Ya Xiongtu. He held Venombane in one hand and sliced Ya Xiongtu''s throat, out of which fresh blood gushed.


    Ya Xiongtu pressed one arm to his neck as he stared at Zhang Lie in disbelief. He tried to say something, but was physically unable to do so: "What about three? Didn''t you say on the count of three?"


    Zhang Lie looked back at the elder and smiled. "My goodness, I''m sorry. It looks like my hand slipped."


    The Yeluo fighters and elder gaped at what they had witnessed. Had that human really dared to kill Ya Xiongtu?! The Yeluo fighters brimmed with rage.


    "You damned stinkbug¡ªfor your crime, you will die!" the elder shouted, howled to the skies, then charged at Zhang Lie like a rampaging beast. Whenever his feet touched the ground, it shook as though there were a volcano right about to erupt. "I''ve changed my mind. I won''t let you die so easily¡ªI''ll smash apart your bones, then kill every human I can find in the second realm. You''ll watch on as we torture your friends and family to death!"


    Ya Xiongtu was his grandson, as well as the strongest fighter of the Yeluo n. He was being groomed to be the next n head¡ªuntil he perished at Zhang Lie''s hand. The elder hadn''t been too worried that one of Ya xiongtu''s arms had been cut off. That was a troublesome injury, but not a wholly unmanageable one. With Zhang Lie enved and helping Ya Xiongtu out, thetter could still have be the n head¡ªbut now, his ns for the next n head were gone, along with his grandson!


    The elder took two more steps forward, then cocked his arm back for a punch so intense a cavity of space formed all around his fingers.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" However, Zhang Lie didn''t hold back either. He struck forward with Venombane, matching the elder''s punch with a punch of his own. Bothbatants stumbled back from the force of the impact.


    When the Yeluo fighters saw that the elder''s attack had been effective, they immediately roared, "Elder, kill him! Destroy this human!"


    "[Meteoric Punch]!" The elder bounded upwards, then shot down toward Zhang Lie like a meteor. His fists red and sparked with friction, then burst into mes. He broke the sound barrier, sending a tremendous boom into the air as hended.


    Zhang Lie smiled as the elder leapt up into the air, then pressed his palms to the ground. "[Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]!"


    Four mysterious runic tablets crashed to the ground, increasing the force of gravity on the poor elder so much that he began curving downwards instead of heading ballistically toward Zhang Lie.


    The Yeluo fighters gaped. Their elder had jumped up into the air, morphed into a meteor, and was right about to... fall to the ground powerlessly?


    Zhang Lie would naturally take advantage of such an opportunity. He punched upward, sending a blood dragon rising up into the air directly into the elder''s path. Dragon and elder shed in midair, causing a blood-colored explosion.


    The elder crashed into the ground like a bup sack, wounded and burned all over. The moment Zhang Lie had triggered his unusual technique, the elder immediately went on the defensive¡ªbut even so, he was unable to block the effects of Zhang Lie''s technique fully.


    An arm and half his shoulder had been sloughed off, and his organs were visible around the grotesque injury.


    "Elder!" the Yeluo fighters cried out.


    Their shouts reminded him that he wasn''t alone. Ignoring his wounded body, hemanded, "You damned fools! What are you doing standing there? Go capture that girl! As long as you do, this man will do as we say!"


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "You dare?"


    He thought that the Yeluo fighters were nothing more than simple-minded fools, but to think that one of their elders would stoop to such underhanded acts! He would have to reevaluate working with them, it seemed.


    The fighters all began to rush toward Hong Xi.


    "Heh, don''t me us, little human girl¡ªyour man''s simply been too irksome."


    "Don''t be afraid, we''ll take good care of you!"


    Zhang Lie was right about to head off to help his apprentice when the elder, dragging his battered body, blocked his way. "Lad, while I''m alive, don''t expect to get anywhere!"

 Chapter 345: A Strategic Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 345: A Strategic Alliance</h4>


    "Are you certain?" Zhang Lie scowled.


    "Haha, you might be a strong hunter, but I''m sure I can dy you at the cost of my life. I told you¡ªyou won''t get away with killing my grandson so easily!"


    The elder gulped down a green vial of liquid.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed.?That''s the potion I came here for!


    As the elder consumed the liquid, his wounds began to recover, and his body grew again until he was ten meters tall. That had to be it¡ªthe potion that was a boon to the Yeluo and deadly poison to the sura! "I might not be able to survive long after taking this potion, but I can at least take you down with me!"


    "In that case, you might as well perish now! [The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie had to finish this fight quickly to save Hong Xi. He summoned a river of the underworld, drowning the elder in its midst.


    [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]! Dematerializing and rematerializing the four tablets around the elder, he formed an array that would trap him within.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]! Zhang Lie punched forward with his left arm, sending a torrent of dragons flooding toward the elder.


    Mired in the underworld river, the elder punched forward again and again, destroying a ck dragon with every punch. Perhaps he might have been able to take on the onught of dragons if he were hale and hearty, but with just one arm, he found himself on the losing end.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t an easy opponent, even if the elder had just drunk a miraculous restorative. As the ck dragons gradually got through his defenses, the elder found himself bruised and battered once more, his bones cracking, entrails leaking out of his body.


    He stumbled a few steps back and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Ha, haha, I hadn''t expected I would have such a wonderful fight before my death!"


    "Scram! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Zhang Lieunched another onught of ck dragons at the harried elder, which he barely defended against. The elder looked as though he would drop dead at any moment.


    "I''m here for just one reason. Hand me the recipe for that potion you just drank, and I''ll leave immediately!"


    "Ha!" the elder shouted with his dying breath. "Do you think I''ll give it to you after you''ve killed my grandson? Ridiculous fool!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes narrowed. "If you give me what I want now, the only dead grandson will be yours. Otherwise, your whole tribe will be full of dead grandsons."


    "Oho, is that so? You''ve wasted quite a lot of time on little old me. What about that girl you brought with you? Unless youmit suicide now in reparation for your crimes, those fighters surely won''t let her go! I think I''ve stalled you for long enough that my fighters have her by now, don''t you?"


    "Open your eyes and look around, then!"


    "There''s no need to pretend to be calm. I heard that girl call out for you with my own ears!" The elder smirked. He turned and nced around, but when he saw the scene behind him, he gaped in surprise.


    With a longsword in her right hand and a fan in her left, Hong Xi stood encircled by dozens of Yeluo fighters. The domain of [Eclipse] red all around her. She cut and shed the Yeluo fighters who reached out for her, dancing in the midst of the encirclement, guarding against them all by herself. Only then did the Yeluo fighters realize that their so-called prey was more like a predator in her own right.


    Could they have been mistaken? Were all humans as strong as she and Zhang Lie?


    No, the Yeluo fighters were simply too arrogant and thought too highly of themselves. Even though Zhang Lie had trained her for an entire month, she was still nowhere near the upper echelons of strength among the humans.


    The only conclusion was that the Yeluo fighters themselves were too weak. If they couldn''t even kill a pinnacle-grade lifeform working together, they would have no chance against Hong Xi.


    It was the elder''s time to gulp. If this battle were to drag out, it would be his tribesmen who would perish¡ªthe man in front of him could very well possess the power to wipe out the entirety of the Yeluo n.


    Even so, by this point, the elder had no choice but to continue his charade. He snorted. "Even if they haven''t managed to detain her just yet, I''m sure she''ll run out of stamina eventually!"


    Zhang Lie''s voice whispered in his ear before he even realized that Zhang Lie had moved. "Believe me¡ªthey won''t be able tost that long. [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!"


    The elder''s scenery split in twain. He tried to block the onught with his one remaining arm, which disintegrated immediately upon attempting to block the blow. The aftermath of the attack left the elder curled up in pain, blocking the sword energy with nothing more than his naked body.


    Fortunately, after consuming the special potion of his n, his defensive ability had increased greatly. Although he was bloodied all over, and ayer of skin had been scraped off his body, he wasn''t dead.


    "I should have bought my tribesmen enough time..."


    He nced up weakly, and then his eyes bulged once again. Half the Yeluo tribesmen were lying on the ground, and the other half too terrified to step forward. Hong Xi stood in the middle of the encirclement, ring arrogantly at the fighters.


    The elder spat out a mouthful of blood, so incensed that he almost sumbed to his wounds out of anger. He had sacrificed his own life to give them some valuable time, but they had squandered it all! "Trash, you useless trash! Can''t you even take care of a lone woman?!"


    When he and the n head had roamed the second realm, they had surely killed at least a few hundred humans¡ªbut now, two humans alone were enough to ovee a whole tribe''s worth of fighters. If not for the fact that the n head was in secluded cultivation, this would hardly have happened. When had the Yeluo n been so threatened in their very own valley?!


    "Well? If you don''t want your n to be ughtered to thest, hand over the recipe."


    The elder roared, "Kill us if you dare! We won''t hand over the recipe!"


    Perhaps he might have considered it if Zhang Lie hadn''t killed his grandson, but Ya Xiongtu''s death had voided that option.


    However, the Yeluo fighters themselves seemed to be disobeying their elder.


    "Elder, surely we can discuss this?"


    "Yes, Elder, please reconsider! ? How can a recipe be more valuable ?than an entire generation of fighters? After all, we''re still in our prime¡ªdon''t you want us to be able to keep the n alive?"

 Chapter 346: The Yeluo Clan Head

    <h4>Chapter 346: The Yeluo n Head</h4>


    The Yeluo elder was so incensed by the next generation of Yeluo fighters that he again spat out blood.


    "Don''t die yet, Elder! We need you to agree to his request!"


    "Right, aren''t we more important than a recipe?"


    "What''s the point of hiding the recipe if we''re all going to die? This human said that he was going to leave after obtaining the recipe, so won''t you give it to him?"


    The elder roared, "This isn''t a problem about the recipe, but rather about the dignity of the Yeluo!"


    "Elder, surely our lives are worth more than this unfathomable dignity?"


    The elder spat out even more blood. "Don''t you have any pride as Yeluo fighters?!"


    Hong Xi murmured, "If you had been willing to talk matters through with us peaceably, it wouldn''t have devolved to this extent..."


    Given the interaction between the Yeluo elder and the Yeluo fighters, it was obvious to Zhang Lie that this recipe was a secret of the n, one which none of the regr fighters would have any ess to. Otherwise, they would already have handed it over.


    Just then, a frightening pir of gic energy burst out of the Yeluo settlement, and a figure ascended toward the clouds.


    The dying elder''s face was fixed in a rictus. "Haha, the n head''s finally out of secluded cultivation now! You''ll pay a steep price for what you''ve done¡ªjust you wait!"


    Having said hisst, the elder of the Yeluo perished amidst a fit ofughter.


    The figure who had risen to the skies swooped toward Zhang Lie so quickly that he released a sonic boom, causing the air all around him to tremble.


    "Another flier? [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]!"


    Four runic tablets smashed into the ground, but, surprisingly, this figure managed to withstand the sharply increased force of gravity. Was this the n head of the Yeluo? Perhaps he did have some skill.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Dragon''s Wrath]!


    A gigantic blood wolf appeared. Zhang Lie pulled back his left w, and, as dragon scales formed over it, punched forward and summoned a howling ck dragon headed right for the figure in the sky.


    The terrifying howl of the dragon shook the heavens with such authority that the Yeluo fighters found their legs turned to jelly, and they slumped onto the ground. The ck dragon devoured the meteoric figure swooping down from the skies, dispelling the force of his descent with w and fang.


    Gic energy billowed in waves from the epicenter of the explosion, and a windstorm shook the entirety of the Yeluo Valley. The ground began to crack. An avnche urred on the mountains.


    A figure dropped out of the sky. The ten-meter-tall Yeluo n head, brow dripping with sweat, face a mask of shock, knelt on the ground as hended. "Head of the Yeluo n, Ye Hua, thanks this human warrior for his clemency!"


    As the n head knelt, the Yeluo fighters found their rising hope and pride dashed. To them, their n head had been like a martial god, one who had never suffered defeat. He had defeated even the most illustrious of their elders, and his skill had reached an apex after going into secluded cultivation. Of course they thought he would be able to fend off the frightening human in front of them¡ªbut in truth, even the n head fell to a single blow.


    The Yeluo fighters'' knees trembled. They could hardly imagine what sort of monster they had provoked. He had forced their n head to surrender with just one blow, and they, with their foolish pride and arrogance, had mocked him and tried to steal the woman by his side!


    Zhang Lie himself seemed a little surprised. "You could sense it?"


    The n head bowed respectfully. "At least a little. If not for your dissipating the remaining energy of that attack at the very end, I would be nothing but a pile of dust."


    The disparity in strength between the Yeluo elder and Zhang Lie was so immense that the Yeluo elder didn''t know how outmatched he was, but the n head, who was slightly stronger, did. This was why he had surrendered after just one exchange, because he knew just how much his n couldn''t afford having Zhang Lie as an enemy.


    The n head lowered his head. "Please, honored fighter, my n will do anything for you. I ask only that you spare our lives!"


    The Yeluo fighters gaped.


    "n head¡ª" one fighter began, wanting to persuade him otherwise, but the n head stared him into silence.


    "If you want to die, I don''t care¡ªbut don''t bring the entire n down with you!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "All I came here for was the recipe for a potion."


    "A potion?"


    "Yes, the one that this elder consumed recently."


    "The Yeluo augmentation brew? Very well¡ªI''ll hand you the recipe as well as whatever supply of the potions we have!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed. Everything would have been so much easier if he had spoken with the n head from the very beginning! Of course, such a wily n head wouldn''t be willing to remain subservient forever, but no matter how wily he was, Zhang Lie knew a means of controlling the entire n.


    "Very good. Trust me: you''ll be proud of this decision that you made in the future! I''ll leave the production of the brew to you, since some of the herbs required are native to the Yeluo Valley," Zhang Lie continued.


    There were quite a lot of poisonous herbs and insects in the Yeluo Valley. If Zhang Lie were to rely on humanbor, the cost of making this potion would increase dramatically. The Yeluo n naturally had thick bronzed skin and incredible resistance to poison. They were obvious candidates for the task.


    The n head lowered his head. "Being able to serve you is the honor of the Yeluo n."


    "For now, hand me your entire supply."


    "Yes, of course. Please understand that we don''t have arge stockpile of it¡ªthe brewing process is time-consuming andbor-intensive. Furthermore, I''ll have to make you a copy of the recipe myself, so there may be some dy. Won''t youe rest in our settlement for a little?"


    .


    "Very well. Lead the way!"

 Chapter 347: The Musi Clan

    <h4>Chapter 347: The Musi n</h4>


    Following the n head, Zhang Lie and Hong Xi quickly entered the Yeluo settlement. There wasn''t anything particrly interesting; indeed, from Zhang Lie''s perspective, the buildings seemed a little shabby and rundown.


    At the very least, the n head was efficient and returned rapidly with three vials and a beastskin scroll, on which the recipe for the Yeluo n''s special brew had been copied in shoddy penmanship.


    Having acquired the potions and recipe he hade all this way to obtain, Zhang Lie took out a superior-grade speckled mantis soulshard from his robes. "Here, a reward."


    Zhang Lie grinned mysteriously at the n head. "Do you know why I''m so strong?"


    The n head blinked. "It must be because of the depth and quality of your reserves of gic energy, of course!"


    "Oh? And what of my apprentice? Why do you think she was able to take down over a dozen of your fighters?"


    The n head frowned at her, then turned back to Zhang Lie. "Why?"


    Zhang Lie pointed at the soulshard in his palm. "This, of course!"


    The Yeluo n head: ! ! !


    The Yeluo fighters: ! ! !


    The Yeluo n head''s palms trembled. "You mean, this is the secret behind the humans'' rise in strength?"


    "Indeed." Of course, it wasn''t. The reason mankind was so strong surely wasn''t because of soulshards alone; frameworks, techniques, gene fragments, and soulshards were all of utmost importance.


    Hong Xi couldn''t help giggling to herself as she watched Zhang Lie mislead the Yeluo tribesmen. Her body naturally wasn''t as strong as the Yeluo fighters'', but she was far superior in terms of frameworks, techniques, gene fragments, and soulshards.


    Quite a few Yeluo fighters gathered around Zhang Lie and their n head, unable to believe that such a small shard of material would possess the strength that Zhang Lie had disyed.


    "Don''t you want to test it out?"


    The n head picked up the soulshard and was right about to ce it in his mouth, thinking of it as some kind of medicinal pill, when Zhang Lie rached out to stop him.


    "Ah, stop, stop! It''s a soulshard, and you need to connect to it mentally, not eat it!"


    Very quickly, with Zhang Lie''s guidance, the Yeluo n head was able to activate and sense the effects of the soulshard for himself. Two scarlet mantis scythes materialized in his palms, the des serrated, the hefts speckled. The sight shocked the Yeluo fighters, particrly the n head himself. He could sense the scythes almost like extensions of his own body, and he knew that they possessed a terrifying poison.


    "Th-This is unbelievable! No wonder, no wonder! Does that mean that I can be as strong as you, or even stronger, one day?"


    "You''ll certainly be stronger, but if you want to be stronger than me¡ªwell, I have quite a lot of these soulshards."


    The reason the Yeluo n had been unaware of these soulshards was because the indigenous races could not obtain soulshards or gene fragments from killing gic lifeforms. However, that didn''t mean they couldn''t use these soulshards after obtaining them; this wasn''t a secret among the intelligent races of the second realm. Some such races even made it a point to capture and interrogate any humans and members of other non-native races so as to obtain the soulshards that they possessed.


    This wasn''t information that the secluded Yeluo n was privy to, and Zhang Lie had taken advantage of this blind spot to make the Yeluo n head believe that he would be able to ovee Zhang Lie if he just amassed sufficiently many soulshards.


    "If you want to acquire more soulshards, then you had better produce more of these potions." Zhang Lie smirked: they had fallen for it all, hook, line, and sinker.


    The Yeluo fighters'' eyes turned ardent. If they could grow stronger just by amassing these soulshards...


    Zhang Lie and the Yeluo n head entered a cooperative rtionship. Although the initial rtionship between Zhang Lie and the Yeluo n had been rather fractious, Zhang Lie finally managed to secure a means of production for the potion that would show great effect against the sura.


    Zhang Lie stayed for a night in the Yeluo settlement, then left the next day. Along the way, he cast [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form], picking up the dense runic tablet that fell from the skies and securing it to Hong Xi''s back.


    The first of the four runic tablets was the only one that Zhang Lie could fully control.


    The tremendous weight forced Hong Xi to pant. "Master, have I done something wrong? Is this a punishment?"


    "No, you haven''t done anything wrong. In fact, I''m quite impressed with your performance against the Yeluo fighters."


    "In that case, why¡ª"


    "This is a form of training. On our return journey, I want you to get used to bearing twice your own weight. Will you be able to handle it?"


    "Yes, Master!" Hong Xi replied obediently. Over the course of their journey, she had witnessed Zhang Lie''s strength, as well as her own development.


    In the past, she would have easily fallen prey to a single superior-grade lifeform, but now, even if she were to encounter a peak-grade lifeform, she would be able tost a little while longer. Perhaps she still wouldn''t be able to defeat one on her own, but a serious injury wasn''t out of the question.


    Carrying the runic tablet made Hong Xi''s journey quite tiring. After all, they still encountered quite a few superior-grade lifeforms from time to time, but even then, Hong Xi didn''tin. She gritted her teeth, bore the runic tablet on her back, and fought off the lifeforms while moving as little as possible.


    She had grown up being chased by enemies, panicking at anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Those of her n perished one by one, and she could do nothing about it. Hong Xi, who had grown up under such circumstances, had learned an important lesson about the value of her own strength, so she had always tried her hardest on the path of cultivation. Unfortunately for her, her enemy was simply too strong¡ªthey had cut off the Hong n''s resources, and she had had to struggle for every bit of advancement she made.


    Now that she had managed to take Zhang Lie as master and receive such specialized training, how could she not work hard?


    Because of the additional weight on Hong Xi''s back, the return trip was even longer than the outward trip. It took them more than a full month before they returned to Qi.


    Back in Qi, Zhang Lie asked, "If I remember correctly, you have a brother, don''t you?"


    "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Once we return, head to the Zenith Dojo in Ning with him."


    "Yes, Master!" Zhang Lie''s words touched Hong Xi: this was essentially an offer to protect them both.


    "Leave me with your contact information so that I can reach out to you if necessary," Zhang Lie continued.


    "Yes, Master!"


    Afterwards, Hong Xi returned to Earth, while Zhang Lie returned to the Qi barracks to see what the members of Team Zenith had been up to in his absence. Unfortunately, however, they seemed to be out on a mission, so Zhang Lie followed Hong Xi back to Earth as well.


    In a rundown manor on the Tira, the first thing Hong Xi nned to do was to inform her brother of the incredible luck that had befallen her. She thought,?Brother, I managed to reim [Eclipse], and I''ve even taken on Zhang Lie as my master! I''m going to revive the Hong n!


    However, when she pushed open the battered wooden doors, she found no one within. Hong Xiao wasn''t home. Hong Xi searched all around, but she had an uneasy premonition.


    She immediately called her brother on her transceiver.


    "Surely nothing''s wrong¡ªsurely my brother''s only gone out hunting!" she mumbled to herself.


    The call connected, but the voice on the other end wasn''t her brother''s. It was her nemesis, Musi Te.


    "Hong Xi, have you finally found your way back home?"


    Hong Xi''s voice grew hard with anger. "Musi Te, where''s my brother?"


    Musi Teughed. "We''re good friends, aren''t we? We found your brother, and I wanted to take the opportunity to reconnect with him."


    From the transceiver came a weak voice, "Sister, run! Hide¡ªdon''t let the Musi find¡ª"


    Before her brother could finish, she heard a series of frenzied, dull thumps, along with her brother''s repressed groans.


    Musi Teughed. "Ah, my apologies, we may have gone a little overboard."


    Hong Xi roared in anger, "Musi Te! If anything happens to my brother, I swear you''ll suffer the same fate tenfold!"


    Musi Te grinned. "Are you threatening me? My goodness. Do you really think the Hong n''s anything without the Eclipse Sage? If not for the fact that I''m interested in [Eclipse] myself, I''d long have taken care of the two of you."


    Hong Xi''s palms were trembling.


    Musi Te continued, "Bring me [Eclipse] within five hours. Otherwise, who can promise what might happen to your brother?"


    "That''s impossible! I don''t have [Eclipse]¡ªhow do you want me to hand it over?"


    Musi Te chuckled. "Did you hear your sister, Hong Xiao? She doesn''t care for you at all¡ªyour life''s worthless to her!"


    "Ahh¡ªargh! Sis, leave! Don''t bother trying to save me!"


    Upon hearing the pained criesing from the transceiver, Hong Xi clenched her fists. "Where do you want to meet?"


    "By the warehouses at the ninth port of Tarkus. If I don''t see you there by the deadline, well, feel free to dig around my manor''s dog kennels for your brother''s bones."


    Musi Te hung up.


    Hong Xi prepared to leave immediately after informing Zhang Lie of what had happened. He didn''t pick up after repeated attempts to call him, so she had no choice but to leave him a message instead.

 Chapter 348: The Ninth Warehouse

    <h4>Chapter 348: The Ninth Warehouse</h4>


    When Zhang Lie returned to Earth, Zhang Hong immediately summoned him to deal with a number of misceneous affairs rted to the dojo, and then he had been swarmed by the alien researchers to ask about a technical detail or another.


    Only when all that was finished did he remember that Hong Xi hadn''t sent him a message since returning to Mars. When he nced at his transceiver, he found that he had set it to silent some time ago.


    "Ah, this damned habit of mine!" Zhang Lie cursed, then quickly toggled it on.


    There were quite a few missed calls and messages. Hong Xi had called him thrice, and Su Feng, Yan Long, and the members of Team Zenith had all left messages.


    Zhang Lie hurriedly listened to what Hong Xi had to say. As he did so, his eyes widened. For a moment, he forgot his strength, crushing the transceiver to pieces as he clenched his fist.


    What a bold, reckless girl! Did she really think she could survive heading to the Musi n by herself just because she was strong enough to be killing superior-grade lifeforms on her own?!


    Zhang Lie ran off toward a teleportation array as Hong Xi made her way to the ninth port''s warehouses.


    The reason Musi Te had chosen that location was for two reasons.


    First, the Musi n was in the transportation business, and they essentially controlled the warehouses in the region. Second, this was a rtively deserted location, and there wouldn''t be any bystanders around or help readily avable if something were to happen.


    As Hong Xi made her way into thergest warehouse in the area, she found her brother, Hong Xiao, trussed up in midair. His body was bruised and battered, his skin graying, and he looked inches away from death.


    "Hong Xiao!" Hong Xi rushed over, her eyes filling with tears.


    "Not just yet, Hong Xi!" A thin-eyed, thin-browed man sitting on a blood-red sofa situated at the center of the warehouse stood up. "Did you bring me what I asked for?"


    This man was naturally the second son of the head of the Musi n, Musi Te. Dozens of bodyguards stood erect beside him.


    Hong Xi retrieved the manual containing [Eclipse] from her robes. "Let go of my brother!"


    "This is the Musi n''s territory. Do you think you can bargain with us?"


    "Let him go¡ªor I won''t hand this over to you." Despite her agitation, Hong Xi felt unusually calm. Her brother was far more important than [Eclipse]. What she gave up now, her master would surely reim.


    Musi Teughed coldly. "If not for our interest in [Eclipse], do you think the Musi n would really have let the two of you live this long? Naive fool!"


    Hong Xi gritted her teeth. "I''ll count to three. Let my brother go by then, or else!"


    Musi Te folded his arms. "Threatening me, are you? Not a smart thing to do on Musi territory, I should think."


    Musi Te''s bodyguards began tough from behind him.


    "Do you really think that the Hong n''s as imposing as before, back when the Eclipse Sage was around? Scream if you want, as loudly as you can!"


    Hong Xi narrowed her eyes. "I''ll count to three. If you don''t release my brother, I''ll destroy this manual."


    "Try it if you dare!" Musi Te pulled out a remote controller. As he pressed a button, the cor on Hong Xiao''s neck began to tighten, and he keened in agony.


    "Keep counting if you want¡ªif you do, within three seconds, your brother''s head will be rolling on the ground like a wintermelon!"


    Hong Xi closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and crushed the electronic tablet into pieces.


    "I told you not to force me into this." She dropped the remains of the cracked, ruined device, then smashed it into smithereens with [Fists of the Silent Sea].


    Musi Te roared, "Hong Xi, I''ll kill you!"


    He was so incensed with rage that even his bodyguards were taken aback. In a sh of bloody light, Hong Xiao''s left arm was sliced off his body.


    Musi Te continued howling, "Bastard, you bastard! Do you know how much time and effort the Musi n''s put into hunting down [Eclipse]?! Neither of you will die yet, I swear it¡ªI''ll force the two of you to experience the cruelest forms of torture and punishment first!"


    "Shut up!" Hong Xi''s gaze turned malevolent as she saw her brother''s arm being cut off. "[Eclipse] never belonged to the Musi n. It''s the property of the Hong n, courtesy of the Eclipse Sage. As the scion of the Hong, I can do whatever I want with it!"


    Hong Xi''s inspired idea of destroying the tablet was naturally based on Zhang Lie''s influence¡ªto avoid being restricted to passivity. However, she had clearly not thought things through.


    At the very least, Hong Xiao didn''t seem mad at her. Still suspended in midair, he gritted out, "Good job, Sister! You''ve honored the Hong n¡ªour ancestor''s framework and technique surely can''tnd in our enemies'' hands!"


    Musi Te narrowed his eyes. "Take down this crazed fool!"


    "Do you really intend on killing me?" Hong Xi chuckled coldly. "If I die, you really won''t be able to learn [Eclipse] any longer."


    Musi Te frowned. "You must have already started learning [Eclipse]."


    Hong Xi nodded, then tapped her head. "Indeed. [Eclipse] is right here. If you dare harm my brother any further, I''llmit suicide immediately."


    Hong Xi knew very well that, even if she were to hand the manual over to Musi Te, the Musi n wouldn''t let them go. The enmity between the two ns had grown far too strong. It had begun in their ancestors'' generation; by now, however, even the kind Hong Xi wouldn''t hesitate to kill off the entirety of the Musi if she had such an opportunity.


    The Musi n would also do the same to any remaining members of the Hong n, especially Hong Xi, who had already begun learning [Eclipse]. To the Musi, she was like a bomb that could explode at any moment.


    .


    As a result, the first thing she had to do was to destroy the manual for [Eclipse] in front of Musi Te''s eyes, transforming herself into a possession that he had to acquire at any costs. To prevent her frommitting suicide, Musi Te couldn''t risk hurting her brother any longer. Furthermore, for the same reason, in order to obtain [Eclipse], Musi Te wouldn''t kill her, either.


    "Very well. I''ll keep both of you alive for now."


    Musi Te pressed his controller again, and the cor restricting Hong Xiao''s breathing finally loosened up. He panted loudly for air.

 Chapter 349: Musi Te

    <h4>Chapter 349: Musi Te</h4>


    "Send my brother to the city of Ning on Earth, and I''ll hand over [Eclipse]," Hong Xi continued.


    Musi Teughed. "I said the two of you could live, but I''m certainly not letting either of you go."


    Hong Xi frowned, then suggested. "In that case, let my brother down. I''ll be your hostage instead."


    Musi Te cocked an eyebrow, then motioned for his bodyguards to do as Hong Xi suggested.


    "Hong Xiao!" As Hong Xiao was pushed toward her, she strode forward, supporting his body as she stuffed a soulshard in his hand.


    Musi Te grinned evilly. "Take good care of Hong Xi. Don''t harm her¡ªI n on getting to know her well tonight!"


    Now that Hong Xiao had been secured, Hong Xi would have some agency. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    The entire warehouse trembled, and the force of water from her fists sent some of Musi Te''s bodyguards flying into the wall.


    Musi Te was impressed by her strength. "Not bad! You''ve really improved quite a bit."


    His bodyguards were all hunters from the second realm who were at over half their superior gene capacity, and even if they were caught by surprise, it was still quite impressive that Hong Xi had managed to send them flying with just one blow.


    As far as he could recall, Hong Xi wasn''t a particrly strong hunter. A few months ago, any of his bodyguards could have beaten the two siblings bloody. How had she be so strong? The conclusion was obvious¡ªit had to be the power of [Eclipse]!


    As expected of the Eclipse Sage''s genius, to be able to enhance the abilities of even a useless fool like her¡­ Musi Te''s eyes gleamed. He had to acquire [Eclipse] for himself!


    Of course, the greater part of Hong Xi''s strength came from Zhang Lie''s instruction, but that wasn''t something she would reveal.


    "Not bad, not bad! No wonder it''s a technique my father wanted so badly¡ªit''s a waste to leave such a treasure in the hands of the Hong n! Only the Musi n will be able to make full use of its strength." He turned to his bodyguards. "You trash, be more serious!"


    The bodyguards stumbled up and rushed toward Hong Xi.


    "Hong Xiao, activate that superior-grade dragonscale turtle soulshard and protect yourself!" Hong Xi materialized a fan in her left hand and a sword in her right. She activated [Eclipse] and instantly reached the peak of her strength.


    She waved her fan frantically, causing the winds to dance around her; her sword shed as erratically as the moon, causing her enemies to be momentarily dazed. [The Elusive Moon] allowed her to avoid all the attacks directed her way.


    In what seemed like the sh of an eye, Musi Te''s bodyguards all dropped to the floor. Hong Xi pointed her sword at him. "Now, it''s your turn."


    Musi Te seemed a little surprised, but he couldn''t helpughing. "You think you can take me on?"


    Hong Xi waved her fan straight at him, sending a howling twister to swallow him up.


    As the air cleared, however, she found Musi Te standing unharmed in the center of the twister. "A rather rxing wind. Want to send more my way?"


    "What?" Hong Xi could hardly believe her eyes. She waved her fan again, summoning another twister of wind with which to overwhelm Musi Te.


    Musi Te dodged the attack. "Do you really think you can take me down just with a single soulshard of that caliber? Hand over [Eclipse] and stop trying to fight back, and I might consider making you my wench!"


    Hong Xi gritted her teeth. Waving her sword, she sent countless sword shes flying his way, all of which Musi Te deflected with ease with a gigantic shield that materialized from his left arm.


    "Do you really think that you can beat me, scion of the Musi n, in terms of umted soulshards? And do you really think that I''m weak just because I''m escorted by a posse of bodyguards wherever I go?"


    Hong Xi''s face couldn''t help turn serious¡ªshe could sense Musi Te''s aura growing stronger and stronger, as though it were about to erupt like a volcano.


    "Do you really think I would still be a scion of the Musi n if I weren''t good at fighting myself? I don''t like getting my hands dirty, but that doesn''t mean I''m weak¡ªin fact, none of my bodyguards are any match for me! Well? How does it feel to have your ns ruined?" Musi Te grinned as though he had already vanquished Hong Xi.


    In truth, given the Musi n''s tremendous resources, they could even train a pig to fly. Among the pigpens of the Musi n, Musi Te was just a fatter pig than most.


    "Our young master''s long since been undefeated in his generation¡ªdo you think that girl will be able to survive three blows with him?"


    "Even three blows is more than I''d expect¡ªI doubt it''d take more than one!"


    "[ck Sun]!" Musi Te shouted.


    The domain of [ck Sun] seemed to be a perfect counter to [Eclipse], and the fluctuations of gic energy surrounding Musi Te''s body grew stronger by a significant margin. This was the secret technique of the Musi n, [ck Sun].


    Unlike [Eclipse], which devoured the gic energy in the user''s surroundings, [ck Sun] augmented the user with the surroundings'' gic energy. Allegedly, the reason the Musi n wanted [Eclipse] so badly was because it was an immacte technique, the magnum opus of the Eclipse Sage himself.


    In contrast, [ck Sun] was still an iplete technique, one that was far less impactful on the battlefield than [Eclipse]. Furthermore, there seemed to be some mysterious connection between the two inverted techniques, and the Musi n believed that the synthesis of the two techniques could produce a marvel never yet seen, perhaps even something that would allow the Musi n to gainplete control over the third realm.


    As he activated his domain, Musi Te materializd a sharp, ck polearm in his hands, one burning withherworld me. "Take this¡ª[ive of ck Sun]!"


    He shot a burst of fire straight toward Hong Xi, who attempted to deflect it with her fan and rapier Her fan gleamed with a soft, silvery light, while her sword shone with reflected moonbeams. Fire and wind filled the room.


    In the end, Musi Te''s weapon and technique were stronger than Hong Xi''s, and the mes roared toward her. Hong Xi activated her iris peacock soulshard, which pierced Musi Te''s ive. He had no idea just what that soulshard was, so he didn''t deliberately avoid it.


    With a sudden burst, the ive shed and reverted to its soulshard form, causing Musi Te''s eyes to widen. He could sense that the connection between him and the soulshard had been temporarily severed.


    The superior-grade iris peacock soulshard was a particrly versatile soulshard that Zhang Lie would have kept for himself if not for the fact that it couldn''t affect soulshards of a higher grade. Furthermore, it wouldn''t be able to sever the bond between soulshard and wielder for too long; Zhang Lie didn''t think it would be all that useful to him, but it could well be an ace up Hong Xi''s sleeve.


    Musi Te clearly hadn''t expected such a trick. While he was flustered, Hong Xi shot forward, waving fan and sword alike¡ªbut Musi Te''s shield was able to deflect her blows.


    "Let''s see just how many other soulshards you have!"


    Upon seeing Musi Te pull out yet another soulshard, Hong Xi repeated her trick, and Musi Te had no choice but to dodge. The twobatants'' fight ended up in an unstable equilibrium.


    As they shed with ive and sword, with wind and fire, a rainbow-colored beam shot toward Musi Te, dispelling yet another soulshard from his possession.


    Musi Te was honestly quite shocked that Hong Xi had held out for this long; he was even slightly on the losing end. His face turned dark as his eyes gleamed with greed. How long had she had [Eclipse]? Surely not more than a few months¡ªand she was like a different hunter entirely already! No wonder his father wanted it so greedily!


    He had to acquire this technique at all costs!


    Musi Te suddenly howled. ck mes rolled off his body, devouring everything in sight. The sturdy warehouse, built of reinforced material, even began to melt in the frightening heat.


    "Die! [Midnight Sun]!" ck beams shot toward Hong Xi, evaporating all that surrounded them.


    Hong Xi''s hasty defense was no match for it, and her attacks broke apart in an instant. She activated her iris-peacock soulshard once more, but Musi Te didn''t bother avoiding its beam as he swept downward with his ive.

 Chapter 350: Moonlight Fists

    <h4>Chapter 350: Moonlight Fists</h4>


    Just as the multicolored beam was about to hit Musi Te, he twisted in the air and let the beam hit his soulshard armor rather than his ive. As his attacknded, the entire warehouse burst apart. The reinforced metal shattered and splintered like ss, and Hong Xi, in front of him, disintegrated to pieces.


    Nevertheless, Musi Te frowned. The moment that had urred, another Hong Xi had appeared to his right. [The Elusive Moon] was able to produce illusions that looked almost like the real thing; Hong Xi had used this technique to evade his attack. She stood in silence, a faint smile on her face, as sheunched the sword technique she had prepared. It was toote for Musi Te to defend against thences of moonlight sent his way.


    With his armor temporarily unequipped, Musi Te was forced to take the blows with nothing but his body. Another soulshard fell to the floor¡ªHong Xi''s iris peacock soulshard had struck again.


    "I really did underestimate you," he gritted out.


    Of course, he still believed that her strengthrgely derived from [Eclipse]. Without that wondrous technique, he was sure he would be far stronger than she was. He propped himself up with his ive as he tried to stand up, but he suddenly stumbled, lost his bnce, and fell back to the ground.


    "How did our young master fall?"


    "He must have been so agitated that he stumbled¡ªsurely he wouldn''t lose to trash from the Hong n?"


    Musi Te found himself feeling weak all over, with most of the gic energy drained from his body. Beneath him, the domain of [Eclipse] glimmered with white tendrils of smoke.


    "This¡ªthe domain of [Eclipse]? When did it appear again?" Wasn''t the Musi n''s [ck Sun] able to counteract [Eclipse] entirely? [ck Sun] did have some resistance to [Eclipse], but that was far from immunity. Furthermore, this resistance was most effective against hunters of the same or lower strength.


    After experiencing Zhang Lie''s hellish training, Hong Xi''s understanding of [Eclipse] had reached an impressive level. Furthermore, during the battle, she had continuously used [Eclipse] to sap away at Musi Te''s [ck Sun], and he would fall prey to her sooner orter.


    After he stumbled, Musi Teughed. "Interesting. It''s been far too long since I had an opponent who was able to suppress me."


    Hong Xiao shouted, "Musi Te, how can you stillugh at this stage?"


    Musi Te grinned even more widely. "Why not? After my exchange with your sister, I''ve identified her weakness. Hong Xi, you aren''t familiar with closebat, are you?"


    Hong Xi was silent.


    Musi Te roared inughter. "It''s all over for you, wench!"


    Hong Xiao''s eyes clouded with worry. He had also noticed that his sister had been holding Musi Te off by clever use of her soulshards and domain. Musi Te had to be right.


    "The moment I get close to you, none of your techniques will be effective. Let''s see if you can kill me first before I restrain you!" Musi Te''s legs red with ck me. "[Sr re]!"


    He leapt up into the air, then swooped down toward Hong Xi like a ming meteor. To everyone''s surprise, Hong Xi neither dodged nor retreated. Instead, she dematerialized her fan and de, then floated into the air like the moon goddess.


    [Moon Seeker]!


    She soared toward the ck meteor.


    "Is this girl crazy?"


    "Does she really think that Young Master Musi wouldn''t kill her just because she possesses [Eclipse]?"


    "She''s crazy,pletely crazy, I say!"


    Even Musi Te held back subconsciously. Defeating Hong Xi would be fine, but if he were to identally kill her, then the Musi n''s machinations all these years would be wasted.


    That said, though he chose to relent, Hong Xi wouldn''t do so. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: sh]!"


    The skies shook. Rings of brilliant light gushed out of Hong Xi''s slender wrists, passed through the two arms that Musi Te held up in defense, and struck his right cheek.


    Despite Musi Te summoning a helmet-type soulshard at the veryst moment, his right cheek caved in, and two teeth shot out of the open wound. His brain felt dazed; he had been beaten into thoughtlessness.


    "This blow''s for my brother. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Tremor]!"


    Her fists shone again and again with rings of light. The next blow caved in Musi Te''s chest and made him bleed from all his orifices.


    "This blow''s for my old housekeeper, who perished because of your n! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Reflect]!"


    A pulse of concentrated moonlight burst out of Hong Xi''s right fist, shattering the armor-type soulshard shielding Musi Te''s body.


    If Musi Te were unable to defend against this rain of attacks, he might well die. His life shed before his eyes. Musi Te tried to strike at her with the ive in his right hand, but before he could do so, she broke his wrist.


    Musi Te had been relegated to the role of a human punching bag. His guards, along with Hong Xiao, watched on with shock and awe.


    Musi Te waspletely wrong¡ªHong Xi was an unbelievable closebat fighter! Before bing Zhang Lie''s apprentice, Hong Xi had indeed been weak at closebat, but Zhang Lie had worked with her to improve her skills tremendously ever since. Furthermore, he had imparted her with his own [Fists of the Silent Sea], and she had evene up with her own variations on the technique.

 Chapter 351: Musi Fala

    <h4>Chapter 351: Musi F</h4>


    In the end, Musi Te''s strength was solely due to all the resources, potions, and herbs he had consumed, rather than his own skill, talent, or hard work. His tutors were the best the Musi n could afford, and countless soulshards were his to pick and choose, but in the end, he was hardly a battle-hardened fighter.


    On the other hand, Hong Xi had spent thest two months struggling just to live. She had threaded the line between life and death so many times that she had be inured to it all.


    "And this blow''s for the ancestors of the Hong n! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Moonbeam]!"


    Musi Te was moments from death; his death would be all but guaranteed even if Hong Xi did nothing. However, she didn''t n on stopping just yet.


    Thin cracks propagated through the sky around his body, and twin beams of moonlight shot out from her palms. The indignation, anger, and helplessness that Hong Xi had felt all these years, she returned to Musi Te with her fists.


    Blood sprayed from Musi Te''s battered body, dyeing Hong Xi''s fists red. Hong Xiao''s eyes widened in pride and awe.?Father, Mother, Grandfather, spirits of the Hong n, are you watching this sight? My sister''s fighting for the Hong n¡ªshe''s paying them back for a century of humiliation and disgrace!


    Hong Xi''s gic energy spiked as she concentrated it all on her fists. Her right shoulder was aching; her body was on the verge of giving out. Her anger overrode these feelings. Raising her right arm high up into the sky, shining as brilliantly as the moon, she cried out, "Trash of the Musi n, perish! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Radiance]!"


    As space splintered all around her, a man appeared out of thin air, thrusting a sharp de toward Hong Xi''s heart.


    Musi Te''s eyes gleamed as he regained consciousness. "Uncle F!"


    Hong Xi twisted her body slightly and continued her punch, ignoring the de in her chest as light exploded out of Musi Te''s body. His body burst apart in a dazzling sh of light, sending Hong Xi''s body flying out into the distance.


    With hisst shred of consciousness, considering how crazy Hong Xi had revealed herself to be, Musi Te regretted provoking her.


    A deep crater was left in the storehouse''s floor, one that almost seemed to have been carved out with prodigious effort by a sharp de. As the smoke and dust from the battle cleared, Hong Xi clutched her chest as she rose from the ruins of the warehouse, her face cold and deste.


    Musi F couldn''t help but be impressed by her willpower.


    "Give up on those crazy thoughts in your head,ss! I saw everything that happened. Believe me, I don''t want to kill you, and I don''t want [Eclipse] to die out just like that. To be honest, despite being enemies, I was very impressed by the Eclipse Sage, and I don''t mind preserving the blood of the Hong n."


    Hong Xi''s eyes shed coldly at him. "Even if I''ve killed those from the Musi n?"


    Musi F shrugged. "The Musi n isrge and prosperous, and we have countless talents. Musi Te was a rather strong fighter in his generation, but hardly unparalleled. The fact that he lost to you meant that he was weak, and a weakling would hardly matter to the n."


    Hong Xi snorted. "As cold-blooded as I''d expected."


    Musi F corrected her, "Not cold-blooded, but realistic. Musi Te has no value to us dead, and living hunters will always be worth more than the dead."


    Hong Xiao naturally took his sister''s side. "The Musi n really doesn''t seem like a n of humans."


    Musi F folded his arms. "Were Musi Te still alive, I would be his uncle, his elder¡ªbut now that he''s dead, what is he to me? The two of you are far more important than a corpse, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Hong Xi stared at Musi F without speaking a word. No matter what, it was obvious that he was far stronger than Musi Te.


    "You don''t have to stare at me so cautiously. I don''t believe there''s any need for the Musi and Hong ns to be mortal enemies. Perhaps we can conduct a private trade? Give me [Eclipse], and not only will I let your brother go, I''ll let you live a life of luxury."


    "We don''t need wealth or riches!"


    "Is that so? Well, the two of you both seem to have excellent talent as hunters. With appropriate nurturing, you might well be as strong as your forefather, the Eclipse Sage. Follow me. Let go of this grudge between your n and mine, and I promise those of the Musi n will never find you. I hope this sufficiently demonstrates my sincerity. As long as you nod, I''ll instantly guarantee you and your brother a peaceful life."


    Musi F''s offer was tempting, but Hong Xi knew what he was plotting. "You want to squirrel us away to some unknown location, then monopolize [Eclipse] for yourself!"


    Musi F waved his arms. "No, no, you''re mistaken¡ªI''ve told you, this is just a transaction. You give me [Eclipse], and I give you shelter and protection. Isn''t this a win-win situation?"


    A win-win situation? No, of course not¡ªthe grudge between the Musi and Hong ns was simply too deep. If Hong Xi were to agree, he would treat her well until she divulged the secret to [Eclipse]¡ªthen kill her afterwards. After all, she would have no further value beyond that.


    To Musi F, the two siblings were children that he could manipte at will, but he was mistaken. Having traveled with Zhang Lie for a few months, Hong Xi had matured greatly, and it was straightforward for her to see through the ws in Musi F''s logic.

 Chapter 352: The Pride of the Hong

    <h4>Chapter 352: The Pride of the Hong</h4>


    Hong Xi countered, "And what of the enmity between the Hong and Musi ns? I hardly think there''s any possibility of repairing our rtionship."


    "Repairing our rtionship? Oh, no, no¡ªI''ll simply tell the n that you''re all dead. The two of you can''t be thinking of taking revenge on the Musi n, surely?"


    Hong Xi narrowed her eyes. "Why not? Should I allow the Musi n to kill those of the Hong n without retribution?"


    Musi Fughed. "Come, now¡ª how many hunters are left in the Hong n? Just you and your brother, no one else! On the other hand, the Musi n''s at the height of prosperity. Even if you kill Musi Te, there''ll still be a Musi Ke, a Musi Zhan, a Musi He¡ªfar too many young masters for me to name. Do you really think you would be able to take revenge on the Musi n as is?"


    Hong Xiao roared, "In that case, we''ll ughter them one by one, until they be as decrepit as the Hong n!"


    "Lad, it took your sister all she had to kill Musi Te. Do you think you''ll be able to kill Musi Ke, Musi Feng, and Musi Lu, who are said to be at the peak of the third realm? And after that, how about the Musi n head? Do you really think you can get rid of him too? The Musi n will only grow more and more prosperous with every day he remains alive, but on the other hand, if the two of you die here, the Hong line will end with you!"


    Musi F was quite good at persuasion, and his words left both Hong Xi and Hong Xiao silent. Indeed, they wouldn''t be able to aplish much beyond killing the young masters of the Musi n. The head of the Musi n was a hegemon in the third realm, and his continued presence would only strengthen the n. On the other hand, the Hong n was already on itsst legs.


    Musi F was confident that he would be able to secure the two youths'' cooperation, but Hong Xi remained unconvinced.


    "I admit that you''re right, that the Hong n consists only of us siblings. As descendants of the Hong, we should do our best to protect our line, but my master has taught me never to sumb, and the Hong n needs no cowards." She stared at Musi F firmly, steely resolve in her eyes.


    Hong Xiao nodded. "The n''s honor is more important than our lives."


    Musi F shook his head in regret. "Ah, the naivete of youth! You wouldn''tst three blows against me with your current skills. Believe me, you don''t have any other choice but to cooperate with me. I''m trying to be nice here¡ªdon''t force me to hold you here until I find a hunter who has a summoned soulbeast with them!"


    Hong Xi cocked an eyebrow. "So you were scheming against us from the very beginning! Don''t you worry¡ªregardless of whether we live or die, there''s no chance at all that you''ll be able to acquire [Eclipse]."


    The hunters of the Musi n began tough.


    "This girl''s crazy to think that she can stand up to Musi F!"


    "Who does she think she is? Does she really expect to be able to take on Musi F just because she managed to defeat Musi Te? They''re on a different level entirely!"


    Musi F sighed. "A foolish woman you are. Even ten of youbined wouldn''t be able to touch me¡ªthis sort of fight would be meaningless!"


    He continued to try to persuade Hong Xi, but she refused to listen. With a fan in her left hand and a sword in her right, she activated the domain of [Eclipse].


    Musi F shook his head and pulled out his long sword in exasperation. "It looks like you won''t ever be obedient if I don''t teach you a lesson!"


    Hong Xi shot forward with a flurry of moonlight strikes, but Musi F countered her attack with nothing more than a simple wave of his sword.


    Hong Xi shot out a beam from her iris peacock soulshard. Before it struck him, he vanished from sight, then appeared immediately in front of her.


    "I told you, there''s nothing you can do against me." Musi F impaled Hong Xi with his sword.


    Hong Xiao cried out in fear, "Sister!"


    Strangely, however, not a single drop of blood leaked out of the wound. Musi F frowned. Before he could react, Hong Xi''s body shattered, and she appeared by his side, shooting out another beam from her iris peacock soulshard at him.


    Musi F had been observing the match between her and Musi Te, and he had devised a strategy to counter hers in the meantime. He dodged the beam once more, then swept his sword in an arc all around him, revealing the cloaked Hong Xi.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Tremor]!" Ripples of gic energy collected on her fist, sliding down and stacking over her arm.


    Musi F had watched Musi Te die to such a blow, and he was naturally careful not to take it head-on. He swiveled his body, but, to his surprise, Hong Xi also pulled her arm back and sent a kick in his direction instead.


    With his left arm, Musi F caught and hooked her leg, then made to attack her with the sword in his right. The attack was so rapid that Hong Xi had no chance of evading it.


    A long, fiery robe suddenly materialized over her body. mes red where Musi F''s sword touched it, forcing him to stumble back in shock.


    He narrowed his eyes. "To think you were hiding this even in your fight against Musi Te."


    He inwardly cursed Musi Te for being such a useless hunter that he wasn''t even able to force Hong Xi to reveal her armor-type soulshard. It was evident that she had considered Musi Te beneath her all this time.


    The short-ranged explosion didn''t hurt Musi F, but it did singe part of his hair. He tsked in annoyance. "It looks like I have to take this somewhat seriously, too. [ck Sun, luded Skies]!"


    A ck sun rose into the air, one far stronger andrger than Musi Te''s pale imitation of the technique. Under the ck sun, Musi F''s aura grew tremendously. His body swelled; he seemed to turn into a deity of ck me, with an aura that forced Hong Xi to stagger back.


    Musi F clenched his fists. Just how much stronger would [ck Sun] grow with the inclusion of [Eclipse]? He stared greedily at Hong Xi.

 Chapter 353: Ill Give You Half

    <h4>Chapter 353: I''ll Give You Half</h4>


    In the blink of an eye, Musi F appeared in front of Hong Xi, having moved so quickly that she couldn''t even activate [The Elusive Moon] in time. Musi F sliced her raiment of fire apart, setting off a series of explosions as both of them were forced back.


    The flowing red dress, cut and scarred, transformed into a short skirt instead, with ming holes where there were still missing patches of fabric.


    "What a troublesome soulshard!" Musi F frowned as he vanished once again from sight, but he wasn''t able to approach Hong Xi so easily this time around. She had vanished almost at the same time he did.


    They exchanged blows with their swords. Musi F managed to nick Hong Xi''s thigh, reducing her mobility¡ªbut then a pair of leopard-print boots materialized over her feet.


    "Another soulshard?" Musi F smirked. "It looks like you have quite a number of tricks up your sleeve. Were they all part of the Eclipse Sage''s inheritance?"


    He had thought that he would be able to deal with Hong Xi quickly, but she was growing more and more annoying by the second. Although Musi F hid his displeasure outwardly, he was internally quite annoyed.


    "[Moon Seeker]!" Instead of responding, Hong Xi dodged Musi F''s iing attacks with agility and grace.


    Unable to strike his target, Musi F frowned. The ck mes on his body red up. [ckme Sweep]!


    The explosion from his sword strike filled up almost the entire warehouse. When the smoke cleared, it revealed the smoking, battered body of Hong Xi, but when he drew closer, he realized that it was nothing more than an illusion from [The Elusive Moon].


    The blow that Musi F thought would surely hit Hong Xi had missed.


    Where did she go??Musi F closed his eyes and red his aura, barely noticing Hong Xi before she struck with her fists.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Tremor]!" Ripples of gic energy collected on her fist, sliding down and stacking over her arm.


    Musi F didn''t have time to dodge the blow, and was forced to materialize an armor-type soulshard to defend against it, then counterattacked. "[Heavenfall]!"


    The ck sun fell from the skies, drowning the warehouse in a sea of ck me, one that struck even his own men. Musi F''s eyes swept over the entire battlefield, then found Hong Xi tightly hugging her brother, protecting him with her own body. Arge patch had been burned off her fiery dress, revealing her charred back.


    "Fool!" Musi F called out. "To have suffered such grievous injury on your brother''s ount, especially when you''re still facing me¡ªfoolish, far too foolish! Now, get up! I know you aren''t dead yet!"


    Hong Xi''s stubbornness had caused Musi F to lose all his patience.


    Hong Xi struggled up, sending what remained of her reserves of energy into her right fist, then flung it at Musi F.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: sh]!" She struck his chest point-nk, but he managed to summon an armor-type soulshard in time to block the blow. In the end, her paltry reserves weren''t able to break through Musi F''s defenses, and Hong Xi fell to the ground.


    "Give up!"


    Her body was battered, her reserves drained, her wounds serious. Nevertheless, by pure force of will, she forced herself up once more.


    Musi Fughed coldly. "I don''t know whether to admire or mock your ridiculous perseverance."


    She made as if to punch him, but Musi F easily tripped her. Stepping on her chest, he announced, "Hand over [Eclipse]! This is thest chance I''m giving you."


    "N-Never!"


    Musi F put more force on her chest. "What did you say?"


    Hong Xi repeated, "No matter what, I won''t hand over [Eclipse] to the Musi n!"


    Musi F''s foot roamed over her chest, up her neck, and against her face. "A stubborn girl, are you? Well, I''ll have fun making you submit, then."


    His sword stabbed into her thigh, but despite the immense pain, Hong Xi gritted her teeth and said nothing. Musi F wiggled his sword and forced fresh blood out of the wound.


    "What a beautiful thigh! I might chop it off and add it to my collection¡ªand perhaps your hand as well." With a careless flick of his sword, he sliced off her hand at the wrist. "What a pity for such a beautiful girl as you to lose a hand!"


    Hong Xi shut her eyes in pain, but again she refused to cry out.


    "To think I wanted to settle this matter like a gentleman¡­ Very well. How about I remove one of your eyeballs next? Left or right? Or perhaps¡­ there are quite a few men of the Musi n waiting outside the warehouse, protecting the perimeter. They''ve been standing there for quite some time, and I would hate to have them do all that for nothing. How about I blind you, then chop off your four limbs, and then hand you over to them?"


    "You bastard!" Hong Xiao scrambled up from behind his sister and rushed toward him, but he was sent sprawling by just a wave of Musi F''s arm.


    Hong Xi cried out, "Hong Xiao!"


    Musi F turned back to Hong Xi. "It looks like you care very much for your brother. In that case, how about I blind him and chop off his limbs instead?"


    "Wait!" Hong Xi cried out, seeing him going after her brother.


    Musi F turned around. "Have you changed your mind?"


    Hong Xiao yelled out, "Sister, ignore me! You can''t give him [Eclipse], no matter what, or I won''t forgive you even in death!"


    Hong Xi''s eyes teared up. "But you''re the only remaining male descendant in the Hong line."


    Musi F smirked, then raised his sword into the air. "I''m going to strike now!"


    "Wait! I can, I can give you half of [Eclipse]!"

 Chapter 354: Defeat in One Blow

    <h4>Chapter 354: Defeat in One Blow</h4>


    Remnants of ck me continued to burn within the smoking and charred warehouse, causing its walls to turn brittle.


    Musi F grinned wickedly. "No, I want all of [Eclipse]!"


    "You¡ªdream on! Kill us if you dare!" Hong Xi suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. She was in a perilously weakened state, though she refused to give in.


    Musi F crept closer to her. "Many of the Musi men are willing to copte with men and women alike, you know, and¡ª"


    "And I''ve already dealt with them all for you," a calm, uninflected voice interrupted from the distance. A man walked into the smoking warehouse, the mes extinguishing themselves around him.


    "The Eclipse Sage!" Musi F widened his eyes, then shook his head. It was a misunderstanding; the stranger''s demeanor simply seemed too much like the Eclipse Sage''s.


    Hearing the familiar voice, Hong Xi shouted in relief, "Master!"


    As the man approached, Musi F finally identified him. "Champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie!"


    He turned to Hong Xi. "Would the champion of the Void Cup be your master? Don''t be ridiculous¡ªyou''d never be able to approach a personage like him!"


    He kicked Hong Xi''s wounded and bleeding body, causing Zhang Lie to frown. "Do you want to do the honors, or shall I?"


    "What? What do you mean?"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "For injuring my disciple, you''ll have to die in atonement. If you don''tmit suicide, I''ll melt your body down instead." His eyes red with anger, and the aura emanating from his body was sufficient to shock even Musi F.


    "Champion of the Void Cup, this is a matter that doesn''t concern you. Why force yourself into the affairs between the Musi and Hong ns? You must have heard of the Musi n¡ªand the n head, Musi Yu, warlord of the third realm! Is your disciple really worth rousing the ire of the Musi n?"


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "Are those yourst words?"


    "Champion of the Void Cup, think about it carefully! There''s nothing to be gained from having the Musi n as an enemy. Your dojo has countless disciples, so why would you go so far for just one? If you''re willing to look the other way, the Musi n will surely provide you with appropriatepensation. What say you?"


    Hong Xiao went quiet. Even if Zhang Lie weren''t convinced by Musi F''s words, he was. It was clearly illogical for Zhang Lie to prioritize one lone disciple over the Zenith Dojo as a whole, and the Musi n''spensation would surely be more tempting.


    Any other dojo leader might have agreed to such a transaction, but unfortunately for Musi F, Zhang Lie thought nothing of the Musi n.


    When Zhang Lie didn''t speak, Musi F continued, "Champion of the Void Cup, let me be honest: your disciple is the descendant of the Eclipse Sage, and she has the manual for [Eclipse] in her hands. This technique is of paramount importance to the Musi n, so if you''re willing to relent this once, I''ll be happy to share this manual with you on behalf of the Musi n, and we''ll always be your allies. Well? Surely you see that this can be a win-win situation for both of us?"


    The Zenith Dojo had gained tremendous poprity ever since Zhang Lie won the Void Cup, and youthful hunters from all over the gxy were interested in attending the dojo. An alliance between the Musi n and the Zenith Dojo would benefit the Musi n far more.


    Unfortunately for Musi F, Zhang Lie wasn''t interested in anything the Musi n could offer. "Anyone who dares attack the disciples of the Zenith Dojo will have to pay, no matter their n. I''ll ask you again: are you going to kill yourself, or are you going to force me to make a move?"


    Musi F felt as though he were about to explode with anger. He clearly hadn''t expected Zhang Lie to be so stubborn and unyielding. "Zhang Lie, I''m reaching the limits of my generosity. I called you champion of the Void Cup out of respect; but if I were to be impolite, I might have addressed you as a country bumpkin from Earth instead!


    "Do you really think that winning apetition means all that much in the grand scheme of things? The Musi n''s important even among the ranks of the world federation. Let me advise you once more: we can both benefit from cooperation, or I can im all you own."


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "I''ll consider what you said yourst words, then."


    "Lad, you might be a strong hunter among the younger generation, but there are countless geniuses in the gxy. Do you really think you''re all that? If our n head were here, he could defeat you with just his pinky alone. If you dare touch me, I can assure you the Zenith Dojo will fall in retaliation."


    Zhang Lie ignored his words. He stepped forward and vanished from sight. Musi F''s eyes widened. His field of vision suddenly shifted; he saw a headless corpse slowly falling to the ground.


    Th-That''s my body!?His body had remained where it stood, but his head had been severed¡ªZhang Lie was holding it up by his hair.


    It was toote for Musi F to regret his actions. Zhang Lie tossed Musi F''s head aside, then headed to Hong Xi''s side. Blood pooled around her body, and Zhang Lie hurriedly poured a few vials of healing potions down her throat. "Why were you so rash? Couldn''t you have waited to contact me before rushing off to the Musi n?"


    Hong Xi didn''t retort. She smiled blissfully, enjoying Zhang Lie''s care and ministrations.


    He frowned at the bleeding stump of her arm, then hurriedly found and reimed her cut-off palm. Reattaching the palm wouldn''t be too difficult given the technological and medical advancements of the age.


    It was only then that Hong Xiao, having recovered from his shock, rushed over.


    "Champion of the Void Cup, M-Mr. Zhang Lie?!"


    He was so astonished that he could hardly speak.

 Chapter 355: The Musi Bounty

    <h4>Chapter 355: The Musi Bounty</h4>


    In the past, he didn''t understand why his sister would idolize such a hunter, why she would buy his posters and newspapers with articles about him to pin up in her room.


    Now, however, he understood. He too would admire a man who was willing to live for his ideals, unflinching against authority and strength. Hardly anyone else would be willing to go against the Musi n, who controlled an entire, for a single disciple, and the courage and resolution that Zhang Lie had shown was second to none.


    After stabilizing Hong Xi''s condition, Zhang Lie turned to Hong Xiao. "You must be Hong Xi''s brother."


    "You know of me, Mr. Zhang Lie?" Hong Xiao''s eyes widened in amazement.


    Zhang Lie looked him up and down. "Yes, your sister has mentioned you before."


    Hong Xiao''s injuries were only slightly better than his sister''s, and his left arm seemed to have been incinerated during the fight. Zhang Lie strode forward and cleaned his wounds, then asked, "Why don''t you follow me back to the Zenith Dojo as well?"


    Hong Xiao gaped. "C-Can I really go with you?"


    Hong Xi weakly rolled her eyes at him. "You idiot, kneel down and kowtow to your new master!"


    After doing so, however, Hong Xiao suddenly sighed. "But my gic core was shattered to pieces by Musi Te..."


    Zhang Lie didn''t think much of it. "Then you can start anew. Do you have the courage to do so?"


    "Wait, please! I have onest question¡ªwhere did you obtain your copy of [Eclipse]?" Hong Xiao asked, staring as sternly as he could at Zhang Lie.


    Hong Xi replied, "Our master''s the sessor of the Eclipse Sage! It was only because of him that I managed to make it into our ancestor''s treasury. Otherwise, I would have perished months ago to a superior-grade lifeform."


    Hong Xiao lowered his head. "Thank you for saving my sister."


    "I''m the sessor of the Eclipse Sage, after all. His visage left me with two tasks: one, to take care of the Hong n, and two, to get rid of the Musi n." Zhang Lie continued curiously, "How did you know that I possessed [Eclipse]? I don''t think I''ve used it in front of you."


    Hong Xiao lowered his head. "We''ve met in the past."


    Zhang Lie frowned as he nced at Hong Xiao more closely.


    "The deepsea vines," Hong Xiao reminded him.


    "Ah, that''s right! You were the kid who tried to steal my vines!" There had been so many things happening around that time that Zhang Lie would hardly have remembered what had urred without a reminder.


    He smiled bitterly. Even before then, he had already begun searching for the descendants of the Hong n¡ªonly to have one appear in front of his eyes without realizing it.


    Hong Xiao cupped his fists and lowered his head. "I apologize for striking you, Master, but I urgently needed the vine to save someone."


    "To save someone? What happened in the end?"


    Hong Xi shook her head. "Our elderly housekeeper passed away. He had doted on us while he was alive, and he wouldn''t have suffered such grievous injuries if not for the Musi n."


    Zhang Lie swallowed, feeling somewhat guilty about what he had done. "Let''s let bygones be bygones. Once we''re back at the dojo, I''ll teach you about the foundational breakthrough."


    Zhang Lie had exchanged blows with Hong Xiao before, and he knew that Hong Xiao was a talented hunter. However, Hong Xiao shook his head regretfully as he supported his sister''s body. "I apologize. I''m very grateful for your help, but I can''t drag you down with me."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand carelessly. "I promised the Eclipse Sage I would take care of his descendants, and that includes the two of you."


    "The Musi n won''t let either of us go. They''re essentially the rulers of Tarkus and the nearbys, and the Musi n head himself is a hunter of overwhelming strength. They have a conglomerate that spans the entire gxy.


    I''m worried that¡ª"


    "Worried? Don''t be, there''s no need. I don''t fear the winged, one of the four prime races of the Milky Way, let alone the Musi n. Come, follow me back to the dojo!"


    Hong Xi added, "Hong Xiao, believe in our master! He¡ª"


    "I know that you''re very strong, Master, but the Musi n isn''t as easy to deal with as you would imagine. As far as I know, the Musi n head, Musi Yu, is a warlord of the third realm, and it''s been at least a century since he reached the peak of his cultivation. He''s a peerless fighter!"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Will you follow me back to the dojo if I can deal with the Musi n, then?"


    "I''d love to, but I don''t want to bring you trouble," Hong Xiao insisted. "The Zenith Dojo''s in a period of growth. If you rouse the Musi n''s ire now, it might be a devastating blow for your dojo. I can''t be so selfish, and¡ª"


    "You think the Musi n has more influence than I do?" Zhang Lie interrupted him again, rolling his eyes. He was about to pull out his transceiver when he remembered that he had crushed it to pieces in his hurry to find Hong Xi. "Hong Xi, lend me your transceiver."


    Hong Xi nodded. As he took the transceiver, Zhang Lie made a quick call.


    "Zhang Hong, please help me ce a bounty on the entire Musi n. I''ll trade one vial of Potion #1 for ten subordinate hunters of the Musi n, five branch hunters, or one hunter from the main family. For a core hunter of the main family, two vials of Potion #1! Announce this bounty immediately¡ªand if there aren''t enough vials of Potion #1 around, have thebs halt their research and focus on producing as many vials as they can. Alright, I''ll speak with you once I get back." Zhang Lie hung up. "The Musi n''s finished."


    Hong Xiao and Hong Xi stood stock-still.


    The two siblings were almost entirely unaware of the true value of these potions, and they weren''t certain if anyone would actually be willing to anger the Musi n just for one or two such vials.


    Of course, just because they didn''t appreciate the value of these potions didn''t mean that other hunters didn''t, either. A golden bounty shone at the top of thergest bounty hunters'' forum in the gxy, and the appearance of that bounty immediately led to repercussions throughout the dimensional world.


    "Just what sort of enmity could there be between the Zenith Dojo and the Musi n for Zhang Lie to be willing to hand over his precious potions as a reward?"


    "The Musi n''s done for, I say!"


    "Eh, where are you off to?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? There''s a branchpany of the Musi on this, and the managerial staff are all members of the Musi n!"


    The assassins of the Milky Way reacted even more decisively, and one of the most infamous such organizations, the Night Shadows, recalled all its members immediately.


    Seated on his skeletal throne, the leader of the assassin troupe announced, "From today onwards, the night shadows will cease all other activity and focus solely on killing those of the Musi n."


    There were quite a number of outstanding assassination requests, for which the troupe would have to pay a hefty cancetion fee, and one daring member asked about them.


    "Haven''t you all seen the news about the bounty from the Zenith Dojo? Do you know how much these potions are worth? Pay the cancetion fees¡ªthey''re nothingpared to the profit we''ll get in return!"


    Some of the killers, who had yet to hear about the news, immediately pulled up the corresponding information.


    .


    The champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie, had grown rather famous in the Milky Way, and many believed that the source of his extraordinary strength in the first realm was the additional fifty limit fragments and ten peak gene fragments that he possessed.


    If they too were able to obtain a vial of Potion #1 for themselves, even if they couldn''t be the next Zhang Lie, their strength would surely improve by leaps and bounds as well.


    The assassins vanished from sight even before their leader dismissed them all. After all, there were only a limited number of people in the Musi n, and they were afraid that others would get to the Musi hunters first...


    The Beika ne in the third realm was an unusual location, filled with an endless swarm of bugs whose numbers never seemed to get smaller no matter how many were killed.


    A man bathed in blood stood atop a hill of bug corpses, a bowl of ramen in his hands and a transceiver on his wrist. He was ncing at the daily news from the world federation.


    "A bounty on the Musi n? ?Interesting." Xing Yan stood up and tossed his cup of ramen aside. ?"In that case, it looks like it''s finally my turn to shine."


    To the pack of starbeasts below him, he announced, "Xing Zhi, inform the entire n that the Musi n is now our sworn enemy. We''ll kill their hunters on sight!"


    Xing Zhi seemed rather flummoxed. "Why, young master? We won''t be able to make use of the humans'' limit-breaking potions!"


    Xing Yan smiled again. "That''s unimportant. What matters is that Zhang Lie''s a good friend of the n, and helping him out in his time of need is worth far more than any material possession."


    The other three prime races felt much the same way. Destroying the Musi n would be as easy as squashing a fly, and that was a cheap price to pay for winning Zhang Lie''s goodwill.

 Chapter 356: Hunting Far and Wide

    <h4>Chapter 356: Hunting Far and Wide</h4>


    The eldest young master of the Musi n, Musi Ke, was so incensed that he smashed the cup of wine he held against the ground.


    "Musi Te, that useless fool¡ªhe wasn''t even able to take care of the two children of the Hong n! And isn''t Musi F aware of how important [Eclipse] is to the Musi n?!"


    Nothing on Tarkus could get past the Musi n''s eyes, and they found out about the oue of the altercation almost immediately after it had urred.


    Just then, someone rushed in, shouting, "Young master, something''s wrong, something''s very wrong!"


    Musi Ke frowned. "What''s the problem? Just catch the two children."


    The neer was the old housekeeper of the Musi n, who had diligently served the family for over fifty years. He had watched Musi Ke grow up himself. Panting, he wheezed, "Zhang Lie of the Zenith Dojo has set a bounty on the Musi n, and it''s spreading all over the web! Look!"


    "A bounty?" Musi Ke brought up an optical interface and quickly identified the bounty in question. When he saw it, instead of getting angry, he began tough. "Ha! I hope this Zhang Lie fellow doesn''t think that this ridiculous bounty will turn anyone against the Musi n. Thoughtless fool!"


    The old housekeeper hesitated, then urged, "Young master, I think it best to consider this bounty more seriously. Zhang Lie might not be as strong as you, but the theory of limit fragments that he developed, along with the corresponding potions, really seem to be impactful. In the face of sufficient temptation¡ª"


    "Enough!" Musi Ke broke off the old housekeeper. "I''m well aware. It''s been a long time since I went out fighting, so this should be a good warm-up activity."


    "Young master, you¡ª"


    "Have my men meet up in front of the entrance to the Zenith Dojo on Earth!" Musi Kemanded.


    Before he could set off, however, another man burst into the room, his robes stained with blood, a prominent injury over his face. He shouted, "Run, young master! Something''s wrong¡ªa flock of ck-cloaked men have rushed into the manor and are killing everyone in sight!"


    "What?!" Before Musi Ke could respond, the man who had rushed in found a de piercing through his chest. In a single blow, his head was decapitated from his body.


    The next moment, a ck-cloaked man stepped into the room. "You''re Musi Ke, aren''t you? There''s someone who wants your head."


    Musi Ke''s eyes bulged. "Y-You''re part of the Night Shadows!"


    Night Shadows¡ªthe top assassin troupe in the world federation! Musi Ke quailed. "Who set a bounty on me? I''ll pay you double it, no, triple¡ª no, ten times the amount!"


    The assassin chuckled. "The price was two limit-breaking potions. Is that something you can afford?"


    Two limit-breaking potions?! "I''ll give you money, all the money you want!"


    .


    "Money won''t do me any good, now, will it?" The assassin smiled coldly as he raised a dagger, but just then, a beam of light shot toward Musi Ke from the side.


    In anger, the original assassin deflected that beam of light, then turned to the assassin in the shadows behind him. "Fei Du, what''re you trying to do?"


    The new assassin stepped out of the shadows. "There are only so many hunters in the main family, after all. Should I wait my turn just because you found him first?"


    While the two assassins argued with each other, smoke suddenly billowed throughout the room. The old housekeeper slowly approached Musi Ke and whispered, "Young master, this way!"


    Musi Ke''s eyes brightened. The Musi n wasrge enough to have quite a number of enemies, and the main estate of the Musi n had been built with safety contingencies in mind. In every room of the manor was a hidden tunnel, the end of which was a teleportation array that promised them a safe abode.


    Right before the teleportation array, Musi Ke heaved a sigh of relief. "I really have to thank you for being here for me. Otherwise, I truly might have perished! Just you wait, Night Shadows. Once I escape from this ce, I''ll make you pay the price of daring to attack the Musi n¡ª"


    Before Musi Ke could finish, he felt an icy shock by his chest, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    He turned to the old housekeeper in disbelief: it was he who had thrust a knife into his heart.


    "Why? C-Could you want this limit-breaking potion for yourself, too?!"


    The old housekeeper had been almost like his father. He had followed him around since he was little, and they had ovee many a challenge in the Musi n together, in pain and suffering, exasperation and annoyance, happiness and joy.


    No matter what happened, the old housekeeper remained steadfastly by his side, and he was the person Musi Ke trusted above all.


    "You''re not a hunter¡ªwhat would you do with such a potion?!"


    The old housekeeper''s face was lined with sorrow. "I apologize, young master, but they''ve captured my granddaughter. They want your head in exchange, and I had no choice but to sumb to their threats! She''s the only family I have left. On ount of how hard I''ve worked for the n for thest fifty years, please die peacefully¡ªdon''t worry, once my granddaughter reaches adulthood, I''ll immediately join you down here."


    He twisted the silver de in his hand, crushing Musi Ke''s heart.


    To hisst breath, Musi Ke didn''t understand why the world had gone so crazy over a few vials of potions.


    In economics, it was often said that only goods in cirction would possess value. By announcing a bounty on the Musi n with these potions as a reward, Zhang Lie had instantly raised the value of these potions by an order of magnitude.


    In the past, conversations had been about just how much a vial of such a potion would cost, but now, they were about how many heads would be needed to exchange for one such potion, as well as how difficult it would be to amass these heads.


    The impact of the Zenith Dojo''s bounty rippled across the entire gxy. If you had the strength, and if you didn''t mind breaking thew, you could hunt down the Musi n on Mars. If you didn''t have the strength and did mind breaking thew, then you could at least be an informant and earn a hefty sum of money just by reporting the whereabouts of such members.


    "Have you seen the subsidiary bounties that came out? If you''re able to provide urate information about a member of the Musi n, you can get a million government points!"


    "We''ll be rich, rich! Send everyone out into the streets. We might not be capable of hunting down the Musi n ourselves, but we can at least get this bounty just by numerical superiority!"


    Zhang Lie was the one who had posted the main bounty, but the subsidiary bounties were subsequently issued by the major corporations and a number of top ns and organizations in order to umte more information about their targets: their identities, for example, in case there were any bastard children that might not otherwise be recognized as members of the Musi n, or any secret hideouts that the Musi n might have.


    Any useful information would be rewarded with amensurate amount of money.


    Some ck markets had even begun using the heads of the Musi n as some sort of currency.


    The cloaked Musi Ou rushed through a small alley, already having killed or defeated three waves of assassins.


    In the three days since Zhang Lie had posted his bounty, he had experienced over a dozen attempts on his life. If not for the fact that he was a powerful third-realm hunter in his own right, he would already be dead.


    He had cursed Zhang Lie a thousand times over in thest three days; by now, he was almost inured to the sight of assassins. After a long slog, he finally escaped yet another assassination attempt as he darted into a secret pub.


    In thest three days, Musi Ou learned to avoid being forced into a fight¡ªif he were forced to remain stationary, wave after wave of assassins would quickly swarm toward him. If he had to fight, he would have to end it quickly.


    The pub was frequented by all sorts of criminals and wanted hunters. The reason Musi Ou had stopped there was because he wanted to rest for a little, and also to take on a new identity with which he would be able to flee farther away.


    His pride as a member of the Musi n had been beaten out of him over thest three days; he wished he could divest himself of that identitypletely.


    "Look, they raised the reward for the subsidiary bounties again! If you''re able to provide urate information about any member of the Musi n, you can get up to two million points!"


    "Two million¡ª the Musi n''s done for!"


    "They''ll never be able to rise up again after this. Why on earth would they provoke someone like Zhang Lie? Don''t they know what happened to the winged race?"


    "If only I could encounter a member of the Musi n! Don''t you know how much a vial of Potion #1 is worth?"


    The discussion in the pub caused Musi Ou''s expression to turn even paler.


    He ordered steak and wine, then secretly handed over a point card. "I need a new identity, as well as transportation to the Oden."


    Oden was a newly discovered on the outer edges of the gxy. No teleportation arrays had yet been set up there, and he could only get there by long-distance travel.


    The hubbub in the pub died down instantly upon hearing his words.

 Chapter 357: Secret Meetup

    <h4>Chapter 357: Secret Meetup</h4>


    Everyone present in the pub was a hunter. Although Musi Ou''s voice had been pitched low, it instantly attracted everyone''s attention. His requests were simply too eye-catching. A new identity, and transportation toward the edge of the gxy?


    The suspects and criminals had been enjoying a rare bout of freedom ever since the release of the bounty. Just what sort of person would still be running away, even now?


    As though he could feel everyone''s curious stares, Musi Ou pulled his hood further down his head, arousing everyone''s suspicions further. The bartender thanked Musi Ou, then took his money and card.


    He had ordered the food so as to blend in with the crowd, but if he didn''t eat, he would draw even more suspicion. As such, he took a small sip of the beer, a very, very small sip¡ªbut the next moment, he found the world spinning around him. The bartender gave him a small smile.


    Musi Ou''s eyes widened as he scrambled out of his seat, but it was already toote. He fell to the ground, his eyes spasming. The hunters in the pub all stood up, each staring at him as though he were prey.


    Musi Ou died without realizing the difference between him and ordinary criminals. Thetter were walking gold coins, even sacks of gold, but the members of the Musi n were vaults of gold, nothing less. What criminal wouldn''t be tempted by such a prize?


    The pub quickly turned into a ruin as the criminals fought over Musi Ou''s head.


    In a secret underground chamber somewhere on the star Laer, the members of the Musi n had gathered for the first time since Zhang Lie''s bounty. However, theck of people in attendance shocked everyone present. It had only been a few days, but of the tens of thousands of people in the Musi n, fewer than fifty had made it to the secret meeting.


    An elderly man''s voice broke the stunned silence. "What happened to Musi Mo?"


    Musi Mo was his nephew, his closest living blood rtive.


    A middle-aged man who had lost an arm sighed and replied, "He was killed by his wife, who poisoned him. Musi Mo was a known Casanova, and his wife had gotten tired of his countless affairs. She took this opportunity to poison him to death, decapitate him, and flee!"


    "That damned slut! How dare she!"


    Everyone fell silent. This was far from the wildest story they had heard of their rtives'' downfall. The Musi n members sighed. Who would have expected that their conglomerate would fall so quickly? It had only been three days!


    "Do you have any ideas?"


    "I don''t think there''s anything we can do but to wait for the n head to terminate his secluded cultivation in the third realm," someone muttered.


    The one-armed middle-aged man mmed his remaining fist on the table. "We have to think of a strategy immediately! We can''t take this lying down!"


    Another voice sighed. "What else can we do? Don''t you know how many people are trying to catch us these days?"


    "In that case, are we just going to do nothing? When has the honorable Musi n ever been treated in this fashion?!"


    "Musi Yongda, does that mean you have an idea?"


    Musi Yongda was the one-armed middle-aged man. His eyes gleamed. "How much money does the n have at the moment?"


    "Only about 2% of what we originally had. The moment something happened to the n, quite a lot of hunters who married into the n ran off, taking a significant chunk of wealth with them."


    "My intention was to ce a bounty on the Zenith Dojo instead," Musi Yongda suggested. "Zhang Lie might have these potions of his, but aren''t we rich? Even a fiftieth of what we originally had is far more than sufficient for cing a bounty on a small entity like the Zenith Dojo, surely. Zhang Lie killed those of our n and murdered our rtives. We might not be able to handle him, but what about his dojo and his paralyzed sister? We can start with them!"


    The hunters of the Musi n began to nod, and their bloodshot eyes began to brim with killing intent. The root cause of their suffering was Zhang Lie, and they would pay him back!


    "Indeed! It doesn''t matter how much money we spend. Let''s kill off everyone in the Zenith Dojo and make sure that he understands that the Musi n isn''t something he can control!"


    "If he can ce a bounty on us, then we too can ce a bounty on him."


    "Right. Let''s have him experience just what it''s like to lose those important to him."


    The elderly man nodded. "This is one potential strategy. Do you all have anything else in mind?"


    A bespectacled hunter suggested, "The main reason we''ve been dealt such a heavy blow isn''t because of Zhang Lie''s personal strength, nor the influence of the Zenith Dojo, but rather solely because of these potions that he possesses. The effect of these potions is ridiculous, but Zhang Lie''s been monopolizing them all. This is clearly unfair, and I think there are quite a number of forces that would dearly love to get the recipe for themselves. I suggest we manipte them into action."


    "Oh? That''s an excellent idea! If we do it right, we might even be able to get the highest authorities of the world federation to join us. Once we reach critical mass, Zhang Lie will surely be pressured into acting!"


    "Absolutely! He shouldn''t be able to monopolize the limit-breaking potion like that¡ªit''s a treasure that belongs to the whole of humanity!"


    "Without his monopoly on these potions, Zhang Lie would be nothing. We''ll be able to trounce him then!"


    The members of the Musi n began tough.


    Suddenly, an explosion rang out above them.


    "Ah, the news was right! We''ll be rich¡ªthere''s a whole nest of Musi hunters here!"


    The Musi hunters'' eyes widened. Someone had clearly leaked this secret location!


    "Fifty of them, and some are even members of the main branch, a veritable fortune! Don''t let any of them run off!"


    The Musi hunters hurriedly fled through the underground tunnels, chased by a whole horde of bounty hunters and assassins. Their secret underground bunker was soon dyed red with blood.

 Chapter 358: Demise and Downfall

    <h4>Chapter 358: Demise and Downfall</h4>


    Chen Simu sat on the sofa as he watched the daily news. "My goodness, can you believe how many people have joined this craze of hunting the Musi n? Someone''s even developed a device for testing for Musi blood! Wait a moment, this device looks surprisingly familiar..."


    He shouted toward the kitchen, "Lily, why does this device look like the virus scanner you used on me yesterday?!"


    "What? Oh, what I used on you was the Musi blood-testing device."


    "What?!"


    The beautiful girl draped in an apron walked out with a tter of food. She couldn''t helpughing. "I borrowed it from a friend for fun."


    Chen Simu frowned, feeling that something was wrong. The beautiful girl in front of him was heralded as one of the beauties of their campus, and she had only recently be his girlfriend. He had admired her for a very long time, and although she had rejected him whenever he confessed, she suddenly epted him a few days ago, and she even agreed to move in with him. Chen Simu felt as though he was about to reach the pinnacle of student life.


    "What did the test reveal?" he couldn''t help asking.


    Lily ced the food in front of him and smiled mysteriously. "Guess."


    Chen Simu didn''t have to. His parents loved and cared for each other, and he knew his ancestry quite well. How could he have anything to do with the once-majestic Musi n?


    Nevertheless, he replied, "Lily, if I really were a member of the Musi n, would you chop off my head?"


    Lily smiled, a beatific expression on her face. "Of course I would!"


    "In that case, what should I do? I''ve brought you right to my house!"


    "Does that make you unhappy?"


    "Oh, no, I''m very happy!"


    Lily smiled even wider as she went back into the kitchen to prepare more food.


    .


    Chen Simu continued looking at the news. "What? Our''s decided that the hunters of the Musi n aren''t to be considered human beings, so killing them won''t result in legal punishment... that''s far too cruel!"


    In the kitchen, Lily replied cidly, "Believe me, our won''t be the first or thest one to do so. The moment the champion of the Void Cup announced his bounty, the Musi n was done for. I even heard that, a few days ago, an organization wanted to designate the Musi n as a critically endangered species, but the head of that organization was assassinated the day he made that announcement¡ªand that was that!"


    Chen Simu sighed as he nced at the ceiling. "Lily, when do you think we might be able to encounter a member of the Musi n? Killing one would be sufficient to pay your tuition, and if there were more, we could even get a big mansion on a better!"


    "There''s no need to daydream. Come, wash your hands and let''s have dinner."


    As Chen Simu walked into the kitchen and smelled the mouthwatering dishes, he murmured in bliss, "It''s so fragrant! Lily, I can''t believe you''re such a talented cook as well."


    Lily pointed at one particr dish. "Quick, try some of this. I''ve prepared each of these specially for you!"


    Chen Simu had a bite, then asked, "Lily, just what did you add to this to make it taste so good?"


    "Guess."


    Upon failing to guess the secret ingredient a few times, Lily had him taste a few more mouthfuls. In the end, Chen Simu gave up. "I can''t tell."


    Lily leaned over and whispered in Chen Simu''s ear, "Actually, I added a sleeping pill inside."


    Chen Simu''s eyes widened. "What? Surely you must be joking, Lily..."


    "Chen Simu, didn''t you say that you loved me? That you were willing to die for me?"


    Lily pulled out a cleaver from underneath the table, causing Chen Simu''s eyes to bulge in fear. "Lily, w-what are you nning on doing?"


    "Didn''t you want to encounter a member of the Musi n?" Lily''s smile gradually turned horrifying. "He was right by our sides all along, because... you''re from the Musi n."


    "That''s impossible, impossible!" Chen Simu scrambled up and tried to flee, but he found that his limbs were almostpletely paralyzed.


    "Don''t struggle futilely. I added quite a number of drugs in this food, so you''ll be paralyzed for quite some time."


    Chen Simu shouted urgently, "Lily, Lily! Believe me, I''m really not a member of the Musi n. My surname''s Chen!"


    "Remember how I used the Musi blood-testing device on you? Its false positive rate is negligible."


    "Could the result have been¡ª"


    Lily smiled. "To be frank, I''m a bit surprised myself. I can''t believe that you were actually a bastard son of the Musi n¡ªor, well, perhaps it''s to be expected."


    "That''s impossible! I''m not a member of the Musi n, surely not!"


    Lily countered, "Don''t you think it strange? Your mother doesn''t have to work, but there''s always money in your bank ount. And what of your name? When I heard about this from your friend, I suspected that you were someone''s bastard son¡ªand it turns out that I was right!"


    By this time, Chen Simu had been entirely paralyzed by the poison. "Y-You''ve never loved me? You only got close to me because you thought I was part of the Musi n?"


    Lily rolled her eyes at him. "Love? What''s there to love about you? You were nothing but a loser, but now, you''re a moving vault of gold! Well, then, I hope you enjoyed yourst few days with me, my darling gold vault," Lily crooned, then chopped his head off with her meat cleaver. The fountaining blood stained her pale hands red, but she didn''t stop what she was doing.


    Chen Simu''s encounter wasn''t unique; simr situations were ying out all throughout the Milky Way.


    It seemed likely that the Musi n would go extinct within half a month¡ªand all this had been caused by one single bounty and vials of Potion #1. The impact of the bounty shocked the world federation.


    The Musi n was a massive conglomerate that had taken over multiples, but it had copsed in a matter of days. Except for the n head and several other powerful members of the n, who were isted in secluded cultivation somewhere in the third realm, the n had almost died out entirely.


    No matter where they hid, it seemed that someone was always able to find them. Those hiding in the dimensional world found that their locations had somehow been divulged; those hiding in the real world found their houses broken into.


    The Musi n had, overnight, turned into Public Enemy #1. The members of the Musi n, no matter how they hid, found one confluent fate waiting for them: beheadment.

 Chapter 359: Winds of Change

    <h4>Chapter 359: Winds of Change</h4>


    In the end, even the highest authorities of the Milky Way were roused to action. They wouldn''t have been so shocked if what had destroyed the Musi n was a rival n or rival power, but there had only been one instigator behind this entire affair: the champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie.


    There had been quite a few allies of the Musi n who had spoken out against the rampant ughter, but the next day, they had all mysteriously vanished. Ever since then, no one dared to voice a word of dissent against what had happened.


    It was rumored that Zhang Lie had issued this bounty because one of his apprentices had been bullied. Except to issue this bounty, neither Zhang Lie nor the Zenith Dojo had taken part in hunting down the Musi.


    Those who had had altercations with Zhang Lie and the Zenith Dojo in the past suddenly began to panic, and the world federation felt as though it had to step in. After all, who knew whether Zhang Lie would ce a bounty on them? No one wanted to be the next Musi n.


    The world federation had no choice but to convene a meeting. After all, were they to let Zhang Lie take over the gxy?


    Deep in the Milky Way floated a magnificent pce constructed for the highest authorities of the world federation. Thousands of members of the world federation now arrived at that gigantic pce, the strongest representatives ofs all over the Milky Way.


    Among them, even the weakest was on par with a peak fourth-realm fighter, and they were uniformly lord- and monarch-ss hunters. The four authorities representing mankind, Hong Tianqi, Wilson Peters, Gresham Anderson, and Jill Rodney were all in attendance.


    The meeting quickly began. The representatives had divided into several factions, and one speaker was chosen for each faction. Any rulings proposed would have to be approved by vote from the ten judicial authorities of the world federation.


    There were two main perspectives on the matter of Zhang Lie: one, that he had to be warned or even punished for his actions in issuing a bounty, and two, that this was a perfectly valid course of events, and that nothing needed to be done about him.


    "Ridiculous! Everyone, haven''t you seen just what has happened in the Milky Way since Zhang Lie issued that bounty? Citizens are being ughtered left and right! What has the Musi n done to warrant such an affair? Zhang Lie clearly doesn''t care a whit for thews of thend!


    "Look at all these images! People are breaking into manors, beheading people in public¡ªacts clearly, expressly forbidden byw, but which Zhang Lie has incited by issuing his bounty! How can we, the world federation, stand by and do nothing?" one representative challenged.


    The authority who presided over this meeting, Amurong, stood up again. "We have heard from one representative, and we believe he makes valid points. Are there others who would wish to speak?"


    Another representative strode forward.


    "Yes! It''s clear that Zhang Lie''s bounty has manipted the public for his own ends¡ªeven ordinary hunters are going crazy for these potions. Zhang Lie has ignoredw and order by issuing such a malicious bounty, and the sins of the public must fall on him!


    "Killers are prowling the streets, police officers are being alerted to all sorts of reports of beheaded bodies of the Musi n in every city, in every¡ªall this has been caused by the appearance of this bounty.


    "From my perspective, Zhang Lie should be arrested by the world federation. He should be forced to cancel this bounty and be punished for his misdeeds. Furthermore, speaking of the bounty, we have to speak of these limit-breaking potions that he has devised. This sort of treasure should not be under the control of a single human or single country.


    "Representatives, are you aware that, because of this bounty, tens of thousands of innocent victims have already been killed, mutted, or heavily wounded? Will the world federation stand by and do nothing?


    "Zhang Lie can''t be allowed to monopolize these potions. We''ve seen what the public has done because of his monopoly. Can we allow this sort of situation to happen again? Representatives, I urge you to consider this: who among you could bear to be the next Musi n?


    "To this end, let me suggest an adequate punishment for Zhang Lie: to divulge, without reservation, the full recipe behind this limit-breaking potion.


    "I believe Zhang Lie is far too dangerous a criminal to leave on his own. He has to be arrested, to be under supervision from the highest authorities for life. If we leave him be, he shall ruin the entire Milky Way."


    These representatives spoke of Zhang Lie''s callous disregard forw and order, but their main intention was to seize the recipe of Zhang Lie''s limit-breaking potion for themselves.


    The conservative representatives, who felt that Zhang Lie had done nothing wrong, listened to the diatribes half-heartedly. Hong Tianqi, who stood on Zhang Lie''s side, yawned and rubbed his eyes blearily as the representatives spoke.


    .


    Only when their representatives had spoken their fill when Amurong turned to the conservatives. "Hong, as the strongest authority in the Sr System and one of the ten judicial representatives, do you have anything to say in response to these allegations?"


    Hong Tianqi countered, "And what of you, President? What is your perspective?"


    Amurong replied seriously, "These representatives do have a point, but they''ve been rather uniform in their opinion. I would like to consider both sides of the debate carefully."


    Hong Tianqi seemed toe out of his dazed stupor. In truth, the ten judicial authorities were the ones who held all the power to make decisions on behalf of the world federation, and the two most powerful among these ten, who would be able to cajole the others into agreeing with them, were Amurong and Hong Tianqi.


    Hong Tianqi had already approached Amurong regarding this affair, and they had more or less brokered an agreement, but Amurong seemed to be changing his mind. As a result, Hong Tianqi certainly couldn''t rest easily anymore.


    "From my perspective, this was never a matter that should have been brought up to the world federation to begin with."

 Chapter 360: A Mountain out of a Molehill

    <h4>Chapter 360: A Mountain out of a Molehill</h4>


    Hong Tianqi''s words left the other representatives shocked.


    "Representative Hong, what exactly do you mean?" one particrly daring representative called out, standing up in a fit of rage.


    "I mean exactly what I said. Don''t you think you''re making a mountain out of a molehill?"


    "Hong Tianqi, don''t think we representatives will believe you blindly just because of your strength. This is a meeting convened by the world federation, not a human alliance!" Another representative strode forward, but Hong Tianqi didn''t back down. The antics of these other representatives made them seem like clowns.


    "If you examine what the Musi n has done in the past, you''ll see why Zhang Lie has been justified in issuing his bounty. As for the im that the bounty disruptedw and order, and even in the trust that the public has in the world federation, that''s even more ludicrous.


    "Zhang Lie''s bounty was perfectly reasonable, and it has always been understood that such bounties are enforced only in the dimensional world. Whether or not those assassins and bounty hunters choose to attack their targets in the real world instead is hardly a crime to be attributed to Zhang Lie, who suggested nothing of the sort.


    "I suggest you arrest the actual culprits behind the crime instead. What does all this have to do with Zhang Lie? Don''t you think it''s rather embarrassing to be trying to get someone else to address your problems?


    "As for the limit-breaking potions, those are Zhang Lie''s own discovery, and he can do whatever he wants with them. Out of his own generosity, he''s divulged the list of herbs that have gone into the potion, so won''t you all be able to deduce the recipe just by experimentation? Surely you don''t intend on profiting off hisbor for nothing?


    "I''ll say this just once: whether or not Zhang Lie is willing to reveal the recipe is his own business. If anyone dares interfere with his decisions, I''ll be the one you''ll face."


    Hong Tianqi mmed a fist down on the table, the fluctuations in his gic energy stunning the gathered representatives. Even Amurong looked surprised. At his level of strength, he could clearly discern that Hong Tianqi''s strength had increased yet again. Hong Tianqi had been a little weaker than he was in the past, but now, he seemed to be somewhat stronger.


    Amurong had managed to obtain a vial of Potion #1 for himself, and although the increase in his strength was discernible, it wasn''t particrly significant. He suspected that Hong Tianqi had consumed a limit-breaking potion beyond what Potion #1 had to offer; if that really were the case, then he couldn''t remain still any longer.


    "Hong, please, don''t get too angry. Your points are reasonable, but so are theirs. The impact of these potions is simply too immense; none of us representatives want to be the second Musi n." Amurong strode forward. His words sounded logical, but Hong Tianqi felt as if there was an undertone of guardedness behind it.


    He replied, "If you don''t want to be the second Musi n, then don''t provoke Zhang Lie. He''s not crazy¡ªhe wouldn''t issue a bounty on you for no reason. As far as I''m aware, he was never the instigator of any attack."


    Hong Tianqi''s words sent a shock running through the crowd.


    Amurong cried out, "Ridiculous! You''re trying to use your personal strength to coerce the representatives to your will. Hong Tianqi, I''m warning you¡ªothers might be afraid of you, but not me! If you don''t hand over the recipe to the limit-breaking potion within three days, all representatives in favor of punishing Zhang Lie will band together and attack you."


    Hong Tianqiughed. "Oh? Dering war now, are we?"


    "The presiding representative''s right. None of us want to be the second Musi n, and none of us believe you should hold so much power! Believe us: no matter how many limit-breaking potions you have, you won''t have enough time to convert it all into strength. Against this many allied parties, Earth will never be able to hold out."


    They understood that, if they didn''t cooperate and rally against Zhang Lie now, they would have no choice but to bow down to him in the future. Furthermore, they wanted to obtain the newest results of his research¡ªthe limit-breaking potions¡ªpaying as little a price as they could.


    Of course, their wish wasn''t about toe true.


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "Very well. Let''s have the ten members of the judiciary vote on the matter."


    Everyone seemed cated by this oue, which was the standard mode of resolution for all affairs, contentious or otherwise, brought forward to the judicialmittee. If nothing were to go wrong, those in favor of punishing Zhang Lie would certainly win.


    "A show of hands!" Amurong proimed, standing up. "Those who find it unreasonable for Zhang Lie to retain sole rights over his limit-breaking potions, who believe the world federation should instead acquire his research materials, raise your hands!"


    Four members of themittee immediately raised their hands, causing the hunters in the faction hostile against Zhang Lie to grin at each other. Just two more representatives would be needed¡ªand once the world federation''s highest authorities had made their decision, even Zhang Lie would have to ede to their will.


    Otherwise, he would truly be a public enemy.


    However, after these four representatives had raised their hands, followed slowly by the presiding representative, Amurong, that was that. Hong Tianqi and the representatives of the nightdemons, aquatic, starbeasts, and winged races had no intention of raising their hands.


    In other words, they favored Zhang Lie. With five raised and five unraised hands, the vote was a tie!


    ording to custom, a tie meant that further deliberation was necessary; themittee would shelve the matter for a year, during which time they would observe how the situation developed, and then vote once more.


    For a hunter like Zhang Lie, whose strength was in his ridiculous growth, a year was far more than enough time to develop beyond the constraints of the world federation, and those who were opposed to Zhang Lie would hardly be able to monopolize the seeds of hisbor.


    Those representatives were outraged by this oue, and they could hardly give up just yet. They stared daggers at the representatives from the four prime races. To them, it wasn''t a surprise that Hong Tianqi, a fellow Earthling, would be in support of Zhang Lie, but the four prime races had promised that they would support the hostile representatives in seizing Zhang Lie''s assets!


    However, they had then backed out of that agreement when it came time for the actual vote. How could the hostile representatives not be upset at their sudden change of mind?


    The four prime races had been tentatively willing tomit to the vote despite their ongoing cooperation with Zhang Lie because their research teams had yet to have any sess, but they recently received news that their scientists had just made a breakthrough.


    They would be able to get limit-breaking potions developed specifically for their own races from Zhang Lie himself, so why would they want to renege on their cooperation with Zhang Lie now?


    Furthermore, it was unrealistic to think that they could make heads or tails of Zhang Lie''s work immediately. Without his guidance, they could well spend orders of magnitude more energy and time in order to understand what he had done¡ªand that only if they managed to secure all of Zhang Lie''s research material!


    The four prime races were fully aware that this was an unrealistic assumption. Zhang Lie would surely ensconce himself in the depths of the dimensional world, never to be seen again. Neither would they be able to snatch the information from him.


    Furthermore, even if they were to acquire all his information and research results, what would happen next? Could they be satisfied with just Potion #1? The four races that had been cooperating with Zhang Lie knew quite a bit more about his theory of limit fragments than did the ordinary specialist. By analyzing hisbat footage, they determined that he had alreadye up with and consumed Potion #2.


    Could the four races in cooperation with Zhang Lie not be tempted by this realization? Of course they would¡ªand they would naturally side with Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 361: An Upgraded Bounty

    <h4>Chapter 361: An Upgraded Bounty</h4>


    As the presiding representative of the meeting, he had one opportunity to turn the tables and veto the results of the vote. However, the moment he used this privilege, any of the other nine members of the judiciarymittee could challenge his decision.


    If he were to win this challenge, all would go ording to n; on the other hand, if he were to lose, his position would be usurped by the victor instead. If Hong Tianqi hadn''t revealed the extent of his strength, Amurong would surely have used that veto now, but since he was now uncertain that he would be able to take Hong Tianqi down, using that veto would be pointless.


    As a result, he had to grit his teeth and ept the tie.


    The moment the meeting ended, Hong Tianqi messaged Zhang Lie. "Next time, let me know before you make such a big fuss! Don''t you know I was almost ousted from my position?" Hong Tianqi grumbled.


    Zhang Lieughed sheepishly as he apologized, "Ah, sorry, I''ll let you know next time, I promise."


    "Next time?! You''re on your own in the future, brat! I''ll warn you of one thing: one of the highest authorities of the world federation, Amurong, seems to have turned against you. Be careful, and keep a low profile."


    "What? Haven''t I been keeping a low profile all this time?"


    "You think destroying an inteary conglomerate with one bounty is considered keeping a low profile? Scram!" Hong Tianqiughed as he hung up. He had to admit, Zhang Lie was a very interesting hunter. He was skilled, knowledgeable, talented, and was excellent at getting the upper hand. In other words, Zhang Lie would be a perfect sessor for him.


    On the other side of the call, Zhang Lie was likewise smiling. He had never imagined that he would be able to have such a casual, friendly conversation with a hunter like Hong Tianqi. He whistled as he strolled back to the dojo''s training chambers, where Hong Xiao and Hong Xi were seated face to face in training.


    "How''s it going?"


    Hong Xiao respectfully lowered his head. "Master, I''ve already undergone the foundational breakthrough."


    Zhang Lie praised, "Good, very good! I think you''ll be well-suited to [Eclipse], just like your sister."


    Hong Xiao smiled proudly upon hearing Zhang Lie''s praise.


    Suddenly, someone barged in from the outside¡ªZhang Hong.


    "What''s going on?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Something''s terribly wrong. Look!" She handed him a transceiver.


    Zhang Lie scrolled through the contents and smirked. "Interesting."


    "Interesting?! They''ve ced a bounty on every hunter in our dojo!"


    Zhang Lie tapped on a certain cell. "Oh? I''m only worth ten billion points. That''s far too cheap¡ªand Sun Mengmeng and the others are only worth ten million points!"


    Hong Xi peeked over his shoulder. "Let me have a look, Master!"


    Zhang Lie handed her the transceiver, and she scowled. "Look at how ugly they''ve made my picture, and how fat I look! And they''ve even made your handsome appearance ferocious and evil. I''m going to sue them!"


    Zhang Hong nced at their cavalier antics with worry. "How can the two of you be focused on such matters now? What will we do with our disciples?!"


    "The bounty''s issued by the Musi n, I assume?"


    Hong Xiao had also walked over. "Che, my sister and I are only worth a million dors! I''m surprised they still have the time to be issuing bounties on us instead of worrying about their own survival."


    "Given that the entire dojo''s been ced under a bounty, shall we have the disciples gather here and shelter for a few days?" Zhang Hong suggested.


    "Hide? Why would our disciples need to hide? The situation''s not nearly as bad as you might imagine. The entire gxy''s hunting down thest remnants of the Musi, and no one will care about us," Zhang Lie retorted.


    "But at this rate, the Musi will surely be ughtered to thest sooner orter!"


    "Don''t worry, I have a n. Zhang Hong, can you gather all the disciples over here?"


    Zhang Hong''s eyes brimmed with hope. "Yes, I''ll head out immediately!"


    "Ah, wait a moment¡ªthere''s something I need your help with. Raise the bounty we''re issuing on the Musi n!"


    Zhang Hong''s eyes widened. The effect of thest bounty was enormous, and now Zhang Lie intended on upgrading it further?


    On the other hand, Hong Xi and Hong Xiao nced at each other in shock and awe. Zhang Lie''s bounty had destroyed their n''s longtime rival, and they had cried for an entire night as they watched the news of the Musi n''s destruction.


    These days, all they did was cultivate and read the news about how any errant survivors from the Musi n were being chased down. No matter how tiring their training was, they would always be filled with strength when they read the news.


    Zhang Lie smiled evilly. "Of course we have to repay them in kind for this bounty they''ve issued."


    "How, Master?" Hong Xi asked. "Haven''t most of the members of the Musi n been chased down already?"


    "Well, their n head is still alive. This time, we''ll issue a bounty on him. The reward will be five mutated-grade limit-breaking potions."


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened. "Will that be effective, Master? Musi Yu''s a warlord of the third realm!"


    "Well, I''m not sure myself, but it''s the first time we''re releasing Potion #2 to the public. I''m sure someone will give it a go." Zhang Lie was so daring that he was even setting his sights on the head of the Musi n himself.


    Zhang Hong had all the disciples assemble in one of thergest courtyards of the dojo. The Zenith Dojo had grown tremendously after the Void Cup, and seeing all the disciples gathered at the behest of the dojo leader was an amazing sight.


    "I''m sure all of you have heard about the bounty issued on the disciples of the Zenith Dojo," Zhang Lie began, ncing at the gathered disciples. "I''m very d that none of you were so cowardly as to leave the dojo as a result. Don''t worry. I, Zhang Lie, will protect all of you.


    "A specialized settlement solely for the dojo has been constructed in the first realm of the dimensional world. From tomorrow onwards, all the low-ranked disciples of the dojo will enter the first realm, where you''ll help construct the Zenith settlement."


    The disciples gaped, and hushed conversations immediately broke out.


    There were quite a number of settlements in the dimensional world, but most were constructed by the world federation or left behind by pioneers. No one had ever heard of a settlement being constructed by one faction or another.


    Doing so would require humongous manpower and wealth, and no ordinary faction would be able to afford such a cost. A settlement in the first realm, widely understood as a tutorial world for hunters, didn''t seem meaningful.


    Nevertheless, their dojo leader seemed intent on constructing such a settlement. When the young disciples learned that they would be able to build their own settlement from the ground up, they were evidently very excited.


    "Don''t be worried about your families, either. I''ll ensure that they''re adequately protected, and none of your rtives wille to any harm. In the meantime, I hope you''ll all work hard within the dimensional world."


    After the sudden announcement, Zhang Lie dismissed the disciples, then convened a meeting with the instructors and staff of the dojo to discuss the protection of the disciples'' rtives.


    This turned out to be quite an easy problem to resolve. Lin Xiu would remain behind to guard Ning, in conjunction with the members of Team Zenith, the generals of the Chinese military, and the special forces troops.


    The entirety of Ning would be closed off from the outside world, and no assassins or bounty hunters would be able to find their way in. As for the citizens of Ning, none of them would darey a hand on the Zenith Dojo.


    With all these affairs settled, Zhang Lie finally returned to his private chambers to review the manual of [ck Sun] that he had obtained from the Musi n.


    It was obvious from name alone that [ck Sun] was at least tangentially rted to [Eclipse]. Considering how avidly the members of the Musi n were chasing after the manual, he was certain that there had to be some deeper connection between the two techniques.


    As he scrutinized the manuals more carefully, Zhang Lie found that there were surprising simrities behind the foundation and formation of the two techniques, as though they were mirrored reflections of one another.


    [Eclipse] was born of shadow, and [ck Sun] of light. Could the origin of the two techniques have been the same? Or perhaps the two techniques had both derived from a higher-ranked technique? In that case, would he be able to rbine them into one cohesive whole?


    The more he thought about it, the more usible that idea seemed to be. However, the results of his experiments were disappointing. His copy of [ck Sun] was iplete, so there was no way he would be able tobine the two techniques so simply.


    The fact that an additional bounty had been posted quickly caught the eye of the bounty hunters and assassins of the world federation.


    "Did you see? Musi Yu''s head can be exchanged for five vials of the newest limit-breaking potion, Potion #2!"


    "What? Really?! I can''t believe the Zenith Dojo''s daring enough to issue a bounty on a warlord of the third realm!"


    "Che! So what if Musi Yu''s a famous figure? I bet Zhang Lie''s alreadye up with a n for dealing with him!"

 Chapter 362: Betrayal

    <h4>Chapter 362: Betrayal</h4>


    The effect of the original limit-breaking potion, Potion #1, was significant enough. How much greater would be the effect of Potion #2, which applied to mutated gene fragments? Considering that mutated gene fragments were widely understood to be ten times as important as basic gene fragments, Potion #2 was about ten times stronger than Potion #1!


    The hunters in the bar began to stand up, their eyes gleaming with killing intent and greed. They had to acquire Potion #2 at any cost!


    There were a rare few hunters who were still able to remain calm. "Come now, sit back down. He''s a warlord of the third realm, and none of us will be able to bring him down."


    "Perhaps I won''t be able to hunt him down, but my uncle''s in the third realm. If he can find a few like-minded colleagues, they might just be able to defeat him together¡ªwait, why are you running off so quickly?"


    From a distance, his friend called back, "I''m going to tell my father!"


    The updated bounty sent ripples throughout the entire gxy.


    "Look at what China''s hiding! They''ve made such great leaps ahead in the theory of limit fragments without informing any of us."


    The other countries of Earth also began amassing their own hunting teams to capture and kill Musi Yu, intending to acquire these few vials of Potion #2 before any other country could. Given the effects of Potion #1, everyone knew how vital it would be to acquire vials of Potion #2¡ªespecially before theirpetitors.


    The assassins of various organizations, who thought that their killing spree was about toe to an end with the death of the majority of the hunters of the Musi n, found themselves tasked with a new responsibility. "Assassins of the third realm, gather. There''s a new mission for you all."


    Upon seeing the updated bounty, the third-realm assassins'' eyes widened.


    Among the starbeasts, Xing Yan announced, "Third-realm hunters, we''ll kill Musi Yu at any cost!"


    Underwater, Lianhua told her subordinates, "It looks like Zhang Lie really wants this warlord to die. Let''s have the third-realm aquatic hunters do their best so we can get a vial of this potion as well."


    The nightdemons and the winged behaved in much the same manner, and Musi Yu''s life quickly became a hotmodity.


    In a certain restaurant of the third realm, Musi Yu mmed his fist into a wall, creating a huge crater. "Champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie¡ªyou will pay!"


    Uponing out of seclusion, Musi Yu immediately learned of his n''s demise. How hard he had worked to acquire such wealth and prosperity for his family¡ªand then to have it all destroyed in a few days!


    Musi Yu had actually been paying attention to Zhang Lie even before this event¡ªnot because of a beginner''s tournament like the Void Cup, but because of the limit-breaking potions he had devised.


    He had always been plotting against the Hong n in order to acquire [Eclipse]. [ck Sun] and [Eclipse] shared the same source, and he believed thatbining the two techniques would allow him to create a new technique superior to both of its constituents¡ªor, rather, to restore the two techniques to before they had been separated.


    "A limit-breaking potion..." Musi Yu couldn''t help but sigh. The goal he had been reaching for all these years, to surpass his limits, had been aplished by a first-realm hunter with some ridiculous potions.


    Just like the other factions of the world federation, the Musi n was very interested in acquiring a vial of Potion #1. However, Zhang Lie had had a strong backer in the Chinese military, as well as a personal connection with Martial Sage Hong Tianqi himself. Even the Musi n didn''t dare make a move; no matter how strong Musi Yu was, he was certain he wouldn''t be stronger than Hong Tianqi. All he could do was give up on overwhelming Zhang Lie with martial might and trying a different tactic instead.


    Now, however, Zhang Lie had provoked him directly. In that case, he would surely have to retaliate. Why not acquire both Zhang Lie''s limit-breaking potions and the Eclipse Sage''s [Eclipse] in one fell swoop?


    He was just about to set off when an acquaintance, Lie Feng, suddenly approached him. "Musi Yu, you''re in perilous straits. You can''t leave this settlement!"


    Musi Yu frowned. "What''s wrong?"


    Lie Feng immediately showed him the newest bounty that Zhang Lie had issued, but Musi Yu merely frowned and handed the tablet back. "Damned brat."


    Lie Feng continued, "Musi Yu, you should take this seriously. Zhang Lie''s not a trivial opponent to deal with¡ªthose who have crossed him in the past can attest to that. I think you already know that you''re one of the only survivors of the ughter of the Musi n¡ªbut despite the fact that he''s the instigator behind this entire affair, no one dares touch him. The highest authorities of the world federation convened a meeting, but the oue was merely that they would be paying careful attention to what would happen!"


    Musi Yu snorted again. "Isn''t that good news for me? As long as I can catch him, I''ll get both Potions #1 and #2."


    Lie Feng couldn''t help smiling. "Is it that easy to catch him? Now that he''s offering a few vials of Potion #2, several of the top hundred hunters in the third realm are already plotting to make a move. You won''t be able to step out of this settlement, let alone kill anyone. Go into hiding!"


    "I don''t believe that this limit-breaking potion can achieve as much as he ims it will. Furthermore, only the weak need to group up. The strong always work alone!"


    "Just bear with it a bit, won''t you? Let the excitement disperse first."


    Musi Yu''s eyes gleamed coldly. "Would you be able to wait to take revenge against a hunter who killed your entire n?"


    "What are you going to do about China? The military''s going to protect Zhang Lie, and you know it."


    "As long as Hong Tianqi doesn''t show up, I have nothing to fear."


    Lie Feng sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Very well. In that case, be careful¡ªI don''t want to lose my drinking buddy."


    "Ha! I''ll treat you to a drink or two when I''m back." Musi Yu strolled out of the restaurant, not realizing that there was now a tiny chip by his shoulder.


    He found it quite curious that Lie Feng would treat him so well¡ªthey were acquaintances, perhaps friends at most, but not brothers. They had hunted a few peak-grade lifeforms together a few times, but they weren''t so close that he would feel obligated to look out for him.


    Musi Yu shook his head, ignoring Lie Feng''s strange behavior. What was most important now was to deal with Zhang Lie.


    The moment Musi Yu left, Lie Feng returned to Earth and messaged the Zenith Dojo. "Hello, is this the Zenith Dojo? Musi Yu''s just left a restaurant in the third realm, and he''s on his way to cause trouble for you. I have a tracker for his current location, and I''ll give it to you for two vials of Potion #2. I''m confident that he''ll be on his way, and since he has a particrly nasty soulshard to deal with, you''ll need this tracker to counter it.


    "Alright, deal! Thank you!" Lie Feng''s eyes shone. He could hardly believe that his rtionship with Musi Yu could have been traded in for two vials of Potion #2.?Musi Yu, don''t me me for taking advantage of this opportunity!


    By then, Musi Yu had transformed into a different person entirely. He had an extremely unusual soulshard from the third realm, a peak-grade chameleon dragon soulshard. It would allow him to transform his appearance into that of a stranger, or even of an arbitrary biotic lifeform altogether. Such a transformation was all but undetectable.


    Musi Yu found quite a few people hovering outside the restaurant, all of whom seemed to be searching for him, but he was able to walk past them without any recognition whatsoever. He stepped into the nearby teleportation array and headed straight toward China.


    As he walked out of the teleportation array on the other end, however, the skies suddenly changed color, and a frightening gust of gic energy pressed down on Musi Yu''s body, making even breathing difficult.


    He raised his head to see a gigantic palm pressing down on him, one sorge it covered up the sun and skies. He knew this technique¡ªhe''d seen it a few times before, it was Hong Tianqi''s signature [Veiling the Skies]!


    The world seemed to freeze over. Musi Yu found himself unable to move a finger, or even to breathe.


    As the pressure from the gigantic hand increased, Musi Yu found himself forced to his knees. He was just a single step away from the teleportation array that would send him to salvation, but that one step felt like a gulf he couldn''t cross.


    "No, no, please spare me, Martial Sage! I''ve made a mistake ining here, but please, it''s my first offense! Please spare my life!" Musi Yu had to expend his own lifeforce to regain enough control over his body to beg for mercy.


    "Scram!"


    Bolts of thunder shook the sky. The gigantic hand dissipated into thin air; the haggard Musi Yu scrambled back into the array and vanished from sight.

 Chapter 363: A Divine Gift

    <h4>Chapter 363: A Divine Gift</h4>


    Upon returning to the third realm, Musi Yu spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as he panted. He had been moments away from dying at Hong Tianqi''s hand. Hong Tianqi''s technique hadn''t evennded¡ªthe pressure from the fluctuations in his gic energy alone had been sufficient to cause severe damage to his body.


    Peak of the third realm though he was, it seemed as though he were realms away from Hong Tianqi''s level. Musi Yu regretted his actions almost instantly. Had he hesitated a little, he would have died to that technique, he was sure.


    In truth, however, he was mistaken. No matter what, Hong Tianqi wouldn''t have killed him, because he didn''t want to bully a far weaker hunter, and he believed that Zhang Lie would be able to deal with him in his own right.


    There was just one point that confused Musi Yu: given how many teleportation arrays there were situated all over China, how did Hong Tianqi know just where he would emerge? Could he have reached such esteemed heights that his senses now covered all of China? If that were the case, as long as Zhang Lie remained in China, he would be unable to touch him at all.


    Musi Yu walked out of the teleportation array mulling over his ns when someone suddenly called out to him, "Musi Yu, you''ve finally returned! We''ve been waiting for you for quite some time."


    Musi Yu raised his head to see a whole crowd of people staring at him.


    "Musi Yu?" He nced left and right, showing off his acting skills. "Where is he?"


    "Musi Yu, you don''t have to act anymore¡ªyour good brother sold you out! Your identity''s been exposed!" Lie Feng stepped forward, clutching a hoard of soulshards, pills, herbs, and potions. "I have to thank you¡ªyou''ll be my good brother for the rest of your life!"


    Musi Yu''s eyes bulged. "You bastard!" No wonder he had been so friendly!


    "I told you to hide, didn''t I? You should have listened to me."


    Killing intent red in Musi Yu''s eyes. "I''ll kill you!"


    Lie Fengughed. "Don''t me me, Musi Yu¡ªme that champion of the Void Cup whom you''ve made your enemy. Which of us here wouldn''t be tempted by these limit-breaking potions?"


    Large explosions rang out as a whole horde of peak third-realm hunters charged at Musi Yu, the dazzling colors of soulshards and techniques filling the air. None of the hunters, by themselves, would be a match for Musi Yu, but dozens of thembined could easily overwhelm one lone hunter.


    "If we kill Musi Yu, we''ll be able to im Potion #2 for ourselves!"


    Wave after wave of techniques wreaked destruction on their surroundings. They had to admit that Musi Yu really was a talented hunter, able to survive even the onught of dozens of hunters working in tandem.


    He retorted, "I only have one head. How are all of you going to divide it among yourselves?!"


    Indeed, the reward for the bounty would be five vials of Potion #2. How would they split it among themselves? As a result, the alliedbatants divided into groups of five, but Musi Yu made use of the gaps between the five-member teams'' formations to break out of their encirclement.


    Although he had sessfully escaped, Musi Yu was grievously wounded after thebined attacks of Hong Tianqi and the third-realm hunters, and he had lost quite a few of his soulshards by forcibly overusing them.


    "Zhang Lie!" Musi Yu roared in anger and frustration. It was all his fault! Without Zhang Lie around, he wouldn''t have been exiled from his settlement, and neither would his friends have betrayed him. Now, there was no one he would be able to trust, no one but himself.


    He had to kill Zhang Lie and acquire Potions #1 and #2! Only then could he rise up again. With the recipe to the two potions under his control, he would be able to manipte other hunters to his will.


    "Zhang Lie, Lie Feng¡ªjust you wait! I, Musi Yu, swear that you''ll regret having provoked me!"


    With Potions #1, #2, [Eclipse], and [ck Sun], he would be able to discover the secrets behind the two techniques¡ªand then, with a bit more time, even Hong Tianqi would have to kneel at his feet! Musi Yu roared inughter, so loudly that he hurt his already-battered body and began to cough violently.


    He knew of a secret dimensional tunnel that would allow him ess to the second realm at certain specific points in time. If he remembered correctly, that tunnel was open now, and he would be able to descend to the second realm. Doing so was a means ofst resort; traveling through such exposed dimensional tunnels was extremely dangerous. If he weren''t careful, his body could be disintegrated by spatial folds¡ªand he wouldn''t be able to control where in the second realm he would end up.


    However, Musi Yu had no other resort. There was no ce for him remaining in the third realm, and few things could threaten him in the second. If he didn''t leave now, he might not have a chance to do soter.


    While he was contemting his decision, a shout came from behind, "Look! I think Musi Yu''s over here!"


    Musi Yu didn''t dare dally any longer. He darted off toward the mouth of the secret tunnel. He spent the entire day running for his life before reaching his destination. He peered into the tunnel, only to see ck, mysterious swirls of space, as though it led into a deep abyss from which he would never return.


    "Stop, Musi Yu! You''re surrounded¡ªhand over your head!" ? His pursuers didn''t seem inclined to give up. "Musi Yu, don''t force us to make a move! Surrender now!"


    There were over two dozen hunters chasing after him. If he were at his prime, Musi Yu wouldn''t have been afraid, but he was still suffering from wounds from Hong Tianqi''s technique, followed by the free-for-all brawl in the settlement. His body was on itsst legs, and he had no energy to fight.


    "Just you wait. I''ll return before you know it!" Musi Yu leapt into the portal.


    A crack suddenly materialized in the second realm, ejecting a human covered in blood.


    "I''m alive¡ªZhang Lie, Hong Tianqi, Lie Feng, and those bastards of the second realm will pay for what they''ve done a hundred times over, I swear it!"


    If not for his astounding willpower, he would long since have died from his body''s naked exposure to the wild, primal energies of space and time. He had paid a heavy price, defraying his body''s corrosion by sacrificing all the soulshards he owned.


    Having suffered blow after blow, Musi Yu was in a critically weakened state, but he had yet to give up. After all, he knew that as long as he was alive, there was still a possibility for him to turn the tide.


    Now that he was in the second realm, he had to figure out just where he was. Wiping away the blood that pooled around his left eye, he saw a magnificent city, though one whose architecture was clearly not of human construction. He looked all around him: the humanoid figures were tall andrge, with demonic wlike appendages on their right arm.


    "Th-this is..." Musi Yu''s face turned pale. He knew that he could be teleported to any random location in the second realm, but he had hardly expected to be so unlucky.


    He was in thend of the sura, the dominant race of the second realm! He was found in the heart of their city, and he had been surrounded by quite a number of curious onlookers.


    Musi Yu cursed, but he didn''t even have the strength to stand up.


    A sura rider came toward him. Musi Yu struggled to move, but the moment he did so, a spear pierced his leg and pinned it to the ground, causing him to yelp in pain. He could easily have defeated all the sura in front of him if he was still at peak strength, but unfortunately for him, he had grown so weak that he couldn''t even lift a fist.


    Another sura walked forward. "This looks like a human."


    "How could a human have suddenly appeared out of nowhere in our capital?"


    "I asked those onlookers that were nearby¡ªit seems like he was suddenly ejected from a crack in space."


    One of the riders called out, "Human, how did you end up here?"


    Musi Yu trembled. "I don''t know, I don''t know anything!" Pretending to be innocent and clueless was his only chance at surviving. "When I came to my senses, I found myself here somehow. I really don''t know anything!"


    The sura frowned. "Human trash. Kill him."


    "Heh, we''ll have human meat tonight!"


    Musi Yu was dismayed. Was he, a warlord of the third realm, going to die just like that?


    An elderly sura slowly walked forward and raised an arm. "Hold it!"


    "What''s the matter?"


    "This man looks somewhat unkempt, but if you clean him up, he wouldn''t look too bad, would he?" The riders examined him carefully.


    In truth, Musi Yu looked like a fierce, grizzled hunter who would hardly be considered handsome, but the sura seemed particrly enraptured by his appearance.


    The sura elder continued, "The king has been very upset that the human concubines that have been procured for him have all been broken."


    The riders frowned. "Weren''t those concubines all captured just a few days ago from the human cities? ?Human bodies really are quite frail!"


    "That''s why the king was so upset. It''s time for him to take a new consort¡ªthis human''s sudden appearance must be a sign from the deity of the sura!"


    One of the riders asked cautiously, "Elder, is it really alright to send an unknown man into the king''s quarters?"


    The sura elder red at him. "What''s wrong with that? Do you want to be sent in his ce, then?"


    The rider''s eyes widened as he clutched his buttocks. "No, Elder! I agree wholeheartedly with you¡ªhe must be a gift for the king from the divine, I''m sure of it!"


    The sura elder nodded seriously. "Very well. Have him wash up and change his clothes, then send him to the king''s pce."


    Although Musi Yu didn''t know what was going on, it seemed as though he wouldn''t have to die, after all. He knew a little of the sura tongue; it seemed as though the riders and the elder were discussing him. Musi Yu had seen one of the sura lords before, but never their king.


    After all, before he discovered a ruin in the third realm, Musi Yu hadn''t been a particrly special hunter. He had ventured into the third realm the moment he had capped his superior gene fragments.


    As far as he could make out, they seemed to be wanting to present him to the sura king. Could their king be female? Was he bound for some good fortune at longst?

 Chapter 364: The Concubines Departure

    <h4>Chapter 364: The Concubine''s Departure</h4>


    Although Musi Yu had never met the sura king, he was quite certain of what he had heard¡ªwhich meant that the sura king had to be female. The sura were uglypared to human standards, but in order to survive, he would bear with even the ugliest woman.


    In fact, if he were able to please the sura king and obtain pills and potions to treat his injuries, he would be able to leave this ce and exact revenge from Zhang Lie, obtain Potions #1 and #2 from him, andbine [Eclipse] and [ck Sun].


    He was trussed up and carried away by the sura riders, deposited at the sura king''s pce, then allowed to bathe and change clothes into something grossly revealing, with only his groin covered by a few patches of cloth.


    After that, he was escorted to the door of a rather grand chamber, where he was serenaded by a series of haunting, chilling screams. To be honest, he had never heard their like before. He admitted to being a cruel hunter who had tortured his enemies in simr fashion, but he had never heard such helplessness and despair.


    The door was pushed open by a crack. A fearful man reached an arm out, half his body naked, his eyes crazed. When he saw Musi Yu, he cried out, "Please, save me!"


    A gigantic pitch-ck arm dragged the man back from the door. There was another series of cries that reached a crescendo and then suddenly diminished greatly in volume. Not a whileter, the door was unchained, and two guards swiftly walked inside.


    They carted the man from before outside, his body contorted and dripping with blood from hisher regions. His eyes were vacant and ssy; he had died.


    Musi Yu swallowed a gulp of saliva. Just what was the sura king like? Surely she wouldn''t torture him like that, would she? While he was lost in his thoughts, the guards pushed him inside, finally giving him a glimpse of the sura king for himself¡ªa swollen body, an ugly face and mouth, two horns protruding out of a bulbous forehead, ck skin, sharp teeth. The sura king looked like a malicious demon.


    Suddenly, Musi Yu frowned. Was the sura king not female? Why was she t-chested?


    Slowly, the sura king began, "Are there new concubines waiting for me?"


    Given the massive bed in front of him, Musi Yu was certain that he was in the sura king''s bedroom.


    The sura elder knelt on the floor and replied respectfully, "Honored king, this is a concubine granted to you by the divine."


    "By the divine?"


    The sura elder nodded. "He appeared out of thin air in the center of the city."


    "Interesting. Send him in," the sura kingmanded.


    Musi Yu sucked in a deep breath. The sura king might have been even uglier than expected, but to seek revenge, to live, and to kill Zhang Lie, he would be willing to do just about anything.


    Musi Yu raised his head and tried to appear charming. "Please, do as you will with me!"


    The sura king seemed surprised. "Oh? You''re the first human who hasn''t been shocked by my appearance. Indeed, you''re surely a human sent to me by the deity of the sura himself!"


    The sura king removed the nket covering his groin, causing Musi Yu''s mouth to widen in shock. His member was gigantic, farrger than Musi Yu''s own and almost as girthy as his thigh.


    "Y-you, I-I..."


    "You''re ready, aren''t you? I won''t wait!" The sura king reached out and grabbed both of Musi Yu''s legs.


    [Omitted.]


    Musi Yu endured three whole days of torture¡ªfrom pain, to pain, to even more pain and suffering, and finally numbness. After three days, Musi Yu was carted out of the sura king''s bed¡ªthough unlike the other concubines, he was still alive. Even injured, he still had the body and constitution of a third-realm warlord, and even this amount of trauma wouldn''t have been enough to kill him.


    As the sura king dressed himself, he praised, "It''s been a very long time since I''ve had such a satisfying concubine. Confer him a position and keep him here!"


    The sura elder knelt on the floor and bowed. "Yes, your highness."


    The sura king dismissed him. "Give him the best treatment for his injuries. I won''t allow such a valuable treasure to die."


    Musi Yu had finally obtained the healing potions he had hoped to get, but the price seemed to be a little high. "Everything is Zhang Lie''s fault, everything! None of this would have happened without him!"


    Musi Yu''s hatred of Zhang Lie grew more and more severe. If not for this hatred, Musi Yu was certain that he couldn''t have lived through those three days of torture. He had to recover, he had to¡ªand then he would pay Zhang Lie back tenfold for the suffering and shame that he had caused!


    The days passed in an endless cycle of sex and potions. As his injuries healed, it became far less challenging to survive the sura king''s onught. Although the will of the world suppressed his third-realm strength, he was certainly strong enough to sneak away from the pce.


    For some reason, after spending months with the sura king, he had grown a little attached to him, but his enmity against Zhang Lie far overwhelmed this fledgling affection.


    Musi Yu fled the pce.

 Chapter 365: Secrets of [Eclipse]

    <h4>Chapter 365: Secrets of [Eclipse]</h4>


    Zhang Lie raised his hands to the skies, sending two tablets from his fourth form''s dragonturtle crashing down. His prey, the peak-grade whitegold tiger dashing away from him, crumpled to the ground.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!


    Zhang Lie thrust Venombane straight into the tiger''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade whitegold tiger. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade whitegold tiger, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    With his current strength, he was easily able to kill a peak-grade lifeform by himself. Suddenly, he felt a foreign aura some distance away, and he immediately turned around. "Who is it?!"


    The sun suddenly turned dark, and ck mes rapidly circled him.


    "Zhang Lie, I''ve been looking for you for quite some time!" A man walked through the mes, a ck sun at his back.


    "Who are you?!" Zhang Lie raised his sword. The ck mes frolicked as though they grew more intense with his anger. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but take a few steps back. These mes were strikingly familiar. Could the man be...


    "You don''t recognize me?!" the man hollered in rage. "You ughtered my entire n! Hand over the recipes for Potions #1 and #2, as well as the manual for [Eclipse]."


    "What makes you think I''ll agree?"


    "Ha! Zhang Lie, don''t think you can ignore me just because you''ve amassed some power for yourself in the second realm. I''m a third-realm warlord, and killing you would be as easy as squashing an ant to death!"


    "A former warlord, you mean. Now that you''re in the second realm, I don''t expect you''ll be able to use your full strength," Zhang Lie corrected.


    Musi Yu snorted. "As if it won''t be enough to deal with you!" He absorbed the ck sun hanging in the sky into his body, and the fluctuations of gic energy radiating from him rapidly grew much stronger.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "This is different from the standard copy of [ck Sun] possessed by the Musi n. As I expected, you didn''t impart the full technique to them!"


    "That bunch of trash doesn''t deserve it," Musi Yu replied, shrugging. "[Eclipse] originally belonged to me as well, but the damned Eclipse Sage stole it. Now, it''s time for [Eclipse] to return to my possession."


    Zhang Lie cocked an eyebrow. "Is that so? I''vepared [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] myself, and they seem like two parts of a whole. My understanding is that they were both cleft from some more superior technique instead."


    The killing intent in Musi Yu''s eyes grew sharper. "I won''t permit anyone who knows that secret to live."


    Zhang Lie rubbed at his jaw. "There used to be a Sage of ck Sun, but he vanished shortly after the death of the Eclipse Sage. I suspect this is likely his technique. When the Sage of ck Sun vanished, rumors had it that he perished of a wound inflicted by the Eclipse Sage himself, but it looks like there may be more to that story. Musi Yu, the first recorded sighting of you urred right after the disappearance of the Sage of ck Sun. Have you been disguising yourself all this time?"


    "Haha! Well done,d¡ªI hadn''t expected you would uncover the truth that I had hidden for so long. I''ll at least do you the honor of revealing the truth to you before you die. [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] did derive from the same technique, and the Eclipse Sage and I were the best of friends.


    "Together, we found a peerless technique that was divided into two portions, each of which could be learned separately andbined into one cohesive whole. However, we would each have to master one portion of the technique before the other. The Eclipse Sage and I decided to each learn one portion, then to trade our portions with the other."


    By then, Zhang Lie had guessed the truth. "You plotted against the Eclipse Sage!"


    "Indeed. The day we were ted to exchange our portions of the technique, I was blinded by greed and attacked my good friend. Unexpectedly, he was so strong that, even with his wounded body, he managed to deal me a serious injury, and he even destroyed his portion of the technique before I could im it. After my injury, I hid my identity, knowing that the Eclipse Sage would have a n to counter me.


    "I believed that the Eclipse Sage would have passed [Eclipse] to his family, the Hong n, so I founded a n with my new identity and targeted the Hong n with all my might. However, even after all these years, the useless hunters in my assumed n still haven''t been able to im [Eclipse] for themselves."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed in understanding. This was why the copy of [Eclipse] in the Eclipse Sage''s treasury was iplete! He had predicted that Musi Yu would target the Hong n; the partial copy of [Eclipse] in his treasury in the second realm was nothing more than bait. Even if the Musi n were toy their hands on it, they would never be able to acquire theplete inheritance, and Musi Yu would stop trying to target the Hong n after realizing that he wouldn''t benefit from it.


    The true inheritance had been left on Earth, and Zhang Lie had be the Eclipse Sage''s sessor. It was that sessor who would be tasked with the responsibility of taking care of the Hong n and dealing with the Musi.


    However, the Eclipse Sage had failed to ount for the stubbornness of his n. His descendants refused to give up his treasure, even at the cost of their lives.


    "Now that you know the truth, I can''t let you leave. If you hand over the recipes for Potions #1 and #2, along with [Eclipse], I''ll give you a clean death."


    "Oh? Attack me if you dare¡ªI''m curious just how strong a warlord of the third realm is!"

 Chapter 366: The Dragonturtles Four Tablets

    <h4>Chapter 366: The Dragonturtle''s Four Tablets</h4>


    "If you really want to die so badly, let me grant your wish!" Musi Yu swung down with his polearm. Under the effect of [ck Sun], his strike was magnified by at least an order of magnitude.


    "[Eclipse]!" A blood moon appeared beneath Zhang Lie''s feet, and it immediately spread out all around him. He was far more experienced with [Eclipse] than was Hong Xi, and Zhang Lie''s [Eclipse] even seemed able to encroach on Musi Yu''s [ck Sun]. For the moment, however, [ck Sun] held out secure against [Eclipse]''s onught.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venombane struck forward, shing against Musi Yu''s polearm. The domains of [ck Sun] and [Eclipse] shed against each other, again and again.


    "Zhang Lie, die!" Musi Yu roared. ck mes burned even more brightly all over his body, converting his anger into strength andpletely suppressing Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie hastily activated his blood ant and forest wolfman soulshards, turning into a gigantic, bloody wolf. The blood-red gic energy pulsed, forcing Musi Yu to stumble back.


    "I have to admit, Zhang Lie, you''ve got decent strength¡ªbut it''ll take you a century before you can catch up to me!" A ball of ck me shot up into the skies and nketed the world in darkness.


    "Die!" Musi Yu struck again with the polearm in his hands. The skies split in two with a massive outpouring of gic energy; he had used so much of his strength that even the will of the world was paying attention to what was going on.


    Even from cities far off into the distance, hunters could see a pir of ck me rising into the skies.


    "What''s that?"


    "Let''s go have a look!"


    Eager spectators rushed out of the city to observe what was going on from afar.


    "Look¡ªisn''t that Musi Yu?"


    "Musi Yu? We''re rich!"


    "You idiot! Musi Yu''s a third-realm warlord. He might be hiding now because he was forced out of the third realm, but do you think we would be able to handle him?"


    "Who''s Musi Yu''s opponent?"


    "Who else? The champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie, of course!"


    "What? Isn''t Zhang Lie going to die, then? Surely even someone like him can''t fend off a third-realm warlord?"


    "I wonder how he managed to descend to the second realm. Doesn''t the will of the world care?"


    "He had to have paid a heavy price, of course. Could any higher-realm hunter descend so easily? If nothing else, his strength has certanly been suppressed to a second-realm level. He wouldn''t have descended unless he really bore a heavy grudge toward Zhang Lie! Furthermore, the moment he triggers a technique stronger than the limits of the second realm, the will of the world itself might act against him."


    "What''s there to say? It''s clear, isn''t it? Zhang Lie''s going to die! His opponent''s a third-realm warlord, one who carved out a path of blood against an encirclement of over two dozen hunters!"


    "What a pity for Zhang Lie, for the Zenith Dojo, for Potions #1 and #2..."


    The ck mes grew stronger and hotter as Musi Yu poured more and more of his gic energy into them. The onlookers quailed; they could feel the heat on their skin even from a great distance. What second-realm hunter could withstand this blow?


    "Die." Musi Yu waved his polearm of ck me.


    Zhang Lie summoned two runic tablets from the dragonturtle, one as heavy as a boulder, the other as light as a feather. They wrapped around Musi Yu from the back and the front, causing gravity to distort where he stood. Musi Yu spat out a mouthful of blood.


    He was in the middle of casting his strongest technique¡ªthe abrupt and unusual change in gravity meant that the blow directed at Zhang Lie whiffed, as though he had thrown his strongest punch into a sack of cotton. ck me exploded from him, summoning a whirlwind that roared through the skies, devouring everything it touched.


    The hunters who were watching the fight from afar yelped as they tried to flee, causing the scene to descend into chaos.


    Musi Yu stood charred and ckened in the sky, hovering as he nced down at Zhang Lie. His eyes were filled with killing intent and hatred; there was no one in the world he loathed more.


    "I''ll kill you, tear your body to pieces, and hang your head on a parapet! I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you!"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his ears. "I''m happy to see you try. You''ve been screaming that you''ll kill me for quite a while, but I''m still standing here hale and hearty, aren''t I? I''m tired of hearing your wordse, strike at me!"


    Despite being incensed by Zhang Lie, he knew he would have to maintain his rationality while facing him. Zhang Lie was a very troublesome opponent; he was only a second-realm hunter, but his strength wasn''t far below Musi Yu''s own.


    That curious technique had caused Musi Yu''s strongest attack to whiff. If not for his familiarity with [ck Sun], the explosion from the ck me alone could have taken his life. This time around, Musi Yu darted out of that unusual gravitational field that Zhang Lie had created, his polearm trailing a wave of ck me, before swinging it down on Zhang Lie. "[ckme Sweep]!"


    Zhang Lie defended in the same manner as before, summoning two runic tablets to surround Musi Yu. Musi Yu dodged the moment he saw the tablets, but Zhang Lie then summoned a third right on top of Musi Yu''s head. The mes on his polearm shrank, and even the strength of his gic energy seemed to drop by one whole level. The skies grew brighter.


    While traveling through the second realm with Hong Xi, Zhang Lie had continued his investigation into the dragonturtle''s four runic tablets, and he found that the third runic tablet of the dragonturtle had the ability to suppress energy of all kinds.


    Zhang Lie raised his arm again, summoning the final of the four runic tablets from the dragonturtle. As Musi Yu recoiled in surprise, the fourth tablet crashed down onto him.


    Musi Yu tried to dodge, but he found his body frozen. He could only watch on as the fourth tablet fell onto his head¡ª and then it seemed as though everything around him was moving much more quickly than before.


    Leaves dropped like stones to the ground; everyone seemed to be talking at a rapid clip. He suddenly realized that it was he who had slowed down, not others who had sped up.

 Chapter 367: Fighting Musi Yu

    <h4>Chapter 367: Fighting Musi Yu</h4>


    Zhang Lie manipted the first two tablets toward Musi Yu once again. Still subject to the effects of the fourth tablet, Musi Yu was unable to dodge. Gic energy burst forth from his body along with a spray of blood.


    "[Rune: Activate]!" With his opponent trapped, Zhang Lie could now easilyunch his strongest techniques. He pressed his palms together. The dragonturtle roared as all four tablets activated simultaneously, their effects resonating with each other and causing Musi Yu to lose control over his mind and body.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood dragon sprang forth from Zhang Lie''s palm, circled around his de, and shot out toward Musi Yu.


    Musi Yu''s eyes widened. Trapped within his mind and body, he had no choice but to consume his lifeforce to forcibly activate a technique that would break him out of this mess. The ck sun behind him exploded in mes, causing the runic tablets to fly out in all directions. Even the blood dragon was forced back, sending Zhang Lie stumbling back.


    Blood seeped out of Musi Yu''s mouth. His trump card allowed him to temporarily use ten times his gic energy, at the cost of half his lifeforce, a kamikaze-style attack that was a technique ofst resort. Musi Yu coughed, spitting out another mouthful of fresh blood. ck mes red around his body, haloing him.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "You canbine your body with [ck Sun]?"


    He had never imagined that Musi Yu would possess such a trump card. Zhang Lie had tried tobine other techniques with the domain of [Eclipse] before, but never his own body. He could clearly sense that Musi Yu''s strength had increased by an entire order of magnitude upon doing so.


    "Zhang Lie, you''re an interesting figure, but this is the end of the line for you!" Musi Yu''s body ballooned with me, responding to his killing intent and anger. His gic energy had, by then, exceeded the limit of the second realm. The will of the world sent a palmposed of gic energy down toward him.


    "I said, scram!" Musi Yu howled at the sky, destroying the palm with nothing more than his voice and a pulse of gic energy. ck me filled the sky andnd as far as the eye could see; the sun dimmed even further. Zhang Lie had seen an urrence like this before upon acquiring disaster gene fragments.


    As expected of a third-realm warlord, Musi Yu was so strong that he was being repelled by the will of the world even without activating a single technique. Of course, he was still weaker than he would otherwise be in the third realm.


    Instead of attacking him directly, the will of the world cordoned off the fight between the two hunters so as to prevent him from dealing additional damage to the second realm.


    When the spectators saw how much stronger Musi Yu had gotten, they too were shocked.


    "Even the will of the world''s trying to suppress Musi Yu! How is Zhang Lie supposed to beat a hunter like him?"


    "As expected, Zhang Lie was too strong to be ignored. He might be able tobat Musi Yu given another decade or two, but it''s far too early for him now."


    "What a pity to have a genius fall just like that! If Zhang Lie had some more time, he could well be the second Martial Sage Hong Tianqi."


    "Wasn''t the Martial Sage ridiculous? Even while he was in the second realm, no one from the third dared to challenge him!"


    The screen of light surrounding Musi Yu and Zhang Lie was opaque; none of the spectators could see through it, but they were assured of Musi Yu''s victory.


    Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The first two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground even as Musi Yu shot toward Zhang Lie, streaking with ck me.


    "You''re done for!" Zhang Lie then triggered the third and fourth tablets, suppressing the flow of time and weakening the mes over Musi Yu''s body.


    "Fool! You''re so close to me that you''ll suffer from the tablets'' effects too." Musi Yu didn''t seem at all worried. His fist, wreathed in ck me, punched toward Zhang Lie, who dodged with surprising speed.


    "What?!" To Musi Yu''s surprise, the tablets didn''t affect Zhang Lie at all!


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Ascent]!" Zhang Lie counterattacked. However, despite thebined effects of the third and fourth runic tablets, Musi Yu was able to maintain his original speed. The mes surrounding his body burned Zhang Lie''s bloody dragon to a crisp, then extended around Zhang Lie like a pair of ck wings.


    Musi Yu roared inughter. "Just because I''ve been weakened doesn''t mean that you''ll be able to surpass me. Under this condition, I''m invincible!"


    "Is that so?"


    Zhang Lie activated [Ninecarp Transformation: Second Form]. Dragon scales appeared all over his body, his eyes became slitted, and gic energy burst forth from him like a storm. He blew the ck mes away with a pulse of gic energy.


    Despite his earlier ims, Musi Yu couldn''t help but worry.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Hundreds of dragons exploded from Zhang Lie''s body, striking, swarming, and devouring Musi Yu.


    The light barrier erected by the will of the world, subject to such a severe impact, began to crack. The cracks propagated, and the barrier exploded in a flurry of shards.


    A figure was knocked out past the barrier, past hundreds of trees, then skidded for a few hundred meters in a long, deep gouge before his momentum was expended. The bag of flesh that remained at the very end no longer seemed to be a human.


    "Who''s that?"


    "Who else? It has to be Zhang Lie. What a pity!"


    "Isn''t that so? But it serves him right for being so daring as to issue a bounty on a third-realm warlord, after all¡ª"


    "Wait, who''s that?!"


    Everyone turned toward the man who had shouted, then followed his outstretched arm toward a figure at the epicenter of the sudden explosion: Zhang Lie!


    If Zhang Lie was standing there, then the defeated figure had to be¡­


    Musi Yu!

 Chapter 368: Musi Yus Death

    <h4>Chapter 368: Musi Yu''s Death</h4>


    But how could Musi Yu have lost against Zhang Lie?! That was impossible!


    And yet they could all see Zhang Lie standing hale and unharmed, while Musi Yu, warlord of the third realm, had been beaten to a pulp. Was Zhang Lie too strong, or was the warlord of the third realm too weak?


    "I can''t believe this..."


    Those who had proimed Zhang Lie''s imminent loss felt as though they had just been pped, but the other spectators didn''t really mind. After all, just about no one present had thought well of Zhang Lie''s chances.


    "Could this be the power of limit fragments?"


    That was the only exnation the flummoxed crowd could think of.


    After all, Musi Yu was a warlord of the third realm, one who had defeated a near-impossible number of enemies to get to his position. The only wildcard was the theory of limit fragments that Zhang Lie had developed.


    The spectators'' eyes burned with greed. If that were the case, if they could get these limit fragments, they too could possess strength on par with Zhang Lie''s!


    Of course, greedy though they were, none of them daredy a hand on Zhang Lie. If Zhang Lie were able to defeat even a third-realm warlord without suffering any injuries, he could easily do the same to them.


    Once news of Musi Yu''s defeat spread, the price of these limit-breaking potions was bound to at least double.


    Zhang Lie walked up to Musi Yu; the third-realm warlord began to beg. "Please, don''t kill me. I''ll hand over anything you want, I''ll be your dog¡ªbut please, don''t take my life!"


    What was honor and reputation inparison to one''s life? Musi Yu would do all that he could to live on. He would spread his legs for the sura king, and he would even beg for mercy in front of an enemy who had ughtered his n.


    Zhang Lie gave Musi Yu a rough kick, forcing a gasp of pain out of him.


    "You need a hound, don''t you? I''ll be your most loyal, most obedient hound, and I''ll bite whoever you need me to. I''m a third-realm warlord, and your enemies will be nothing in front of me." Musi Yu refused to give up. He clutched Zhang Lie''s legs and began licking his boots, but Zhang Lie kicked him aside again.


    Musi Yu racked his brains and shouted once more, "Please, wait! Don''t you want [ck Sun]? As I''ve told you, [ck Sun] and [Eclipse] form two parts of a whole, cohesive technique. If you let me live, I''ll hand you the entirety of [ck Sun]!"


    Musi Yu regretted provoking Zhang Lie, not knowing just how frightening his strength was. Zhang Lie seemed to be all but undefeatable in the second realm. Musi Yu suspected that the only being that could challenge him here was the legendary asura.


    .


    He had to live, no matter the cost. As long as he was able to survive, he would hand Zhang Lie a half-true, half-fabricated manual of [ck Sun]. While Zhang Lie was stuck trying to learn [ck Sun], he would have an opportunity to strike back.


    "There''s no need. I have a simpler, more direct method." Zhang Lie pressed a hand on the back of his head, activated a soulshard, and sent Whitey to probe the depths of his mind.


    The heavily wounded Musi Yu was unable to resist the intrusion, and Whitey quickly bundled up all the treasures in his mind. Once Whitey returned to Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie squeezed Musi Yu''s head tightly, causing it to burst open like an exploded watermelon.


    Zhang Lie closed his eyes as he processed Whitey''s finds: the entirety of [ck Sun], along with some extensions that Musi Yu had developed, [Netherworld Thrust], [ckme Wings], and other misceneous techniques.


    Many were upgraded versions of the techniques that he had seen the members of the Musi n use.


    "Hasn''t Musi Yu been hiding too much from his n?"


    Musi Yu refused to hand down his strongest techniques even to his own son. The techniques which he had imparted to the Musi n were all watered-down versions of his own, far weaker than those in Musi Yu''s possession.


    Perhaps it was those who had betrayed others who felt most keenly the fear of being betrayed. And yet, in a twist of karmic retribution, despite all his precautions, Musi Yu had been betrayed by an acquaintance he considered a friend.


    Included among the cache of techniques was Musi Yu''s trump card, the fusion of Zhang Lie''s [ck Sun] with his body. After ncing at it, Zhang Lie frowned. This wasn''t a technique he wanted to learn; the side effects were oundish. However, there were quite a few techniques that both Hong Xi and Hong Xiao could benefit from.


    Last were the soulshards. Musi Yu seemed unusually poor; there was nothing that struck Zhang Lie''s fancy except for a storage-type soulshard. Before he could be entirely disappointed, however, he found something within Musi Yu''s storage that caused his eyes to bulge.


    "What''s this doing here?!"


    Zhang Lie was looking at a fragment of a treasure map, one stitched out of some dark green canvas. Ancient and mysterious, it seemed as though it would lead to some fantastic treasure.


    Zhang Lie reacted with such surprise because he had seen a fragment of the map before, and it was because of this fragment that an important person had left him in his past life. Unfortunately for the Zhang Lie of the past, he had been nothing more than a regr hunter. Even to his death, he didn''t know who the mastermind who had orchestrated his downfall could be.


    Now that he had chanced upon this fragment again, Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. He would find the culprit; he wouldn''t let the tragedy of the past ur once more!


    With his spoils in tow, Zhang Lie returned to the Zenith Dojo, preparing to meld the effects of [ck Sun] and [Eclipse].

 Chapter 369: Searching For His Concubine

    <h4>Chapter 369: Searching For His Concubine</h4>


    To the esteemed king of the sura:


    I apologize for hiding my identity for so long. I''m a warlord of the third realm who descended to the second realm in search of revenge.


    An ill stroke of luck deposited me in the heart of the surands, and I became your concubine. My intention was to take advantage of you to obtain treatment for my injuries, but as I interacted with you day after day, I gradually developed feelings for you. As a human, as a warlord, I am an enemy of your kind, and you of mine, but my feelings for you are genuine.


    However, with my enemy yet dead, with my revenge yet sought, I have no choice but to depart. I don''t dare to tell you this in person, and I hope you won''t me me for my decision upon reading this letter. If you are willing to ept me after I seed in my revenge, I hope to remain your concubine.


    Yours truly,


    Musi Yu


    With trembling fingers, the sura king nced at the letter that Musi Yu had left him.


    "Darling, darling, how could you have been so muddle-headed!" The sura king''s cries rumbled through the entire pce. "Darling, what would I do without you? How could you bear to leave me without a word?"


    He sighed, deste, while the sura elder watched on in disbelief and exasperation. The sura king was fascinated by humans, and he insisted on a human consort. Not only that, he had be besotted with a male human! Could his mind have gone haywire after all the sex he had been having?! If not for the sura king''s ridiculous strength which no one could ovee, the sura elder would have staged a rebellion long ago.


    "Your highness, hasn''t your concubine promised to return?" the sura elder hedged.


    The sura king suddenly stood up. "No. I can''t wait, I have to find him¡ªI have to reim my precious concubine!"


    His eyes were resolute and determined. "I won''t let any of my concubines leave me. Even if he has to die, he''ll do so on my bed!"


    The sura elder sighed. "I left a tracker on his body that may help you, your highness."


    The sura king''s eyes widened. "Truly?"


    "Yes, your highness." The sura elder wouldn''t leave an unidentified male as the emperor''s consort without taking some precautions. He wasn''t worried about the sura king given how strong he was, but he had left a small tracker in the man''s body as a contingency. To his surprise, it had actuallye in handy.


    The sura king waved an arm. "Have an army head out in search of my beloved concubine!"


    Back in the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie retrieved the manual of [ck Sun] that he had obtained. [ck Sun] and [Eclipse] were two mirrored techniques, two halves of a whole. Zhang Lie spent two weeks learning [ck Sun] at an introductory level.


    Behind him now was a wheel of ck sun, just like the one that had appeared behind Musi Yu. When he first activated [ck Sun] in its entirety, [Eclipse] suddenly red up, activating automatically by his feet. The two techniques resonated with each other, seemingly about tobine even without any input from Zhang Lie himself.


    Zhang Lie sat down, circting the mes of [ck Sun] through the left half of his body, and the moonlight of [Eclipse] through the right. The energies from both techniques coalesced in his gic core. Instead of shing with each other, they melded into one united whole.


    The mes of the ck sun,bined with the pure-white beams of moonlight, swirled around each other like yin and yang. The ck mes granted the moonlight strength, and the moonlight served as fuel for the ck mes. The two techniques supported and fed into each other in cohesive harmony.


    To his surprise, uponbining the two techniques, Zhang Lie found that his physical strength had improved as a result, an augmentation even more impressive than when his framework had evolved into its third form.


    The domain of [Eclipse] had grown farrger than before, and its effect had been increased dramatically, as had the augmentation provided by [ck Sun].


    "No wonder Musi Yu had been seeking this technique for so long..."


    Thisbination technique would need a new name; the original name hadn''t been preserved in either the Eclipse Sage''s nor Musi Yu''s memories. Given that it was abination of [ck Sun] and [Eclipse], Zhang Lie named it [Syzygy].


    Pleased with his progress, Zhang Lie then turned to investigating the fragment of a treasure map he had found in Musi Yu''s possession. Unfortunately, he wasn''t sessful¡ªthere weren''t any obviousndmarks that the treasure map seemed to point to.


    He urgently wanted to head to the third realm and resolve the issues from his past life, but he knew waiting was the logical choice. Even if he were to ascend to the third realm immediately, he wouldn''t be able to aplish anything with just the clues he had now, and he would even startle his target.


    Suddenly, his transceiver beeped. Sun Mengmeng and the others had returned from their hunt, and they had even found an herb that would be necessary for the peak-grade limit-breaking potion. Zhang Lie rushed out of his study, leaving the treasure map behind.


    The sura elder pointed at a furrow on the ground. "This was where your concubine vanished, your highness!"


    The sura king scooped up a handful of earth. "How could he have vanished? Didn''t you leave a tracker on his body?"


    "I''m not sure, your highness." The sura elder didn''t dare say that the most likely reason was that Musi Yu had died.


    The sura king frowned. "I sense a trace of another lifeform around."


    Before the sura elder could speak, the sura king had already vanished from sight. He sighed, "You really can do whatever you want if you''re strong..."


    Wang Yanyi and the other members of the Tianji Council, who had just left Qi, suddenly found a sura standing in front of them. Their eyes bulged; the sura was so massive that all the others they had seen seemed malnourished inparison.


    "What? The sura are here! Run!"


    Wang Yanyi and the others tried to flee back toward Qi, but the sura king forced them all to the ground before they could.


    The sura king clucked his tongue. "How pretty you all look. I''m very upset that I can''t find my beloved concubine, so I think I''ll take it out on you."


    "No, no, nooooo!" The cries of Wang Yanyi and the other members of the council echoed through the skies.

 Chapter 370: The Sura King Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 370: The Sura King Arrives</h4>


    [TW: Please note that rape is depicted in this chapter.]


    Except for Wang Yanyi, who was able to defend himself against the sura king''s skilled fighters, the hunters of the Tianji Council were taken down immediately. Wang Yanyi naturally couldn''t stand against the onught of the sura king and his fighters alone, and he too was quickly subdued.


    "Aaargh!" Wang Yanyi struggled as he begged for mercy, his cries echoing in the air. Beside him were the corpses of hispanions, each of them twisted into grotesque shapes.


    By the other side of the party, a few members of the sura were roasting a human woman. The sura king didn''t like women, so the female members of Wang Yanyi''s party all became food instead.


    The sura elder examined Wang Yanyi. "That human doesn''t look like he''s doing well. Feed him some medicine; we have a lot of questions, and he can''t die just yet."


    One of the sura nodded and walked over with an herbal concoction. When he saw the sura, Wang Yanyi twisted his head and mped his mouth shut. Unfortunately, hispanions had all died, and he was the only one left.


    The sura frowned and handed the bowl to the sura king, who poured it directly into his anus as he continued to thrust into Wang Yanyi''s body. Pain exploded in the lower half of Wang Yanyi''s body as it underwent a rapid cycle of healing and bruising, leaving Wang Yanyi''s mind battered and unguarded.


    His pained cries diminished; his throat was too sore to keep it up. He fled inside his mind to escape the litany of pain. After an interminable amount of time, Wang Yanyi''s mind and body reached a breaking point. If this were to continue, he would descend into madness.


    Only then did the sura king finally let go of Wang Yanyi''s armor with an annoyed expression on his face. Hey paralyzed on the ground, his eyes ssy, as though he were nothing more than a used rag.


    The sura king asked, "Where''s my beloved concubine?"


    Wang Yanyi didn''t respond. He was the splitting image of a breathing corpse.


    The sura elder suggested, "Your highness, could he have died?"


    The sura king waved a hand. "I''ve had sex with more humans than you''ve eaten. He''s only on the edge of madness; with a little force, we can squeeze everything we want out of him.


    The sura elder''s mouth spasmed as he bowed and retreated.


    The sura king kicked Wang Yanyi''s limp body. "If you can answer all my questions, I''ll give you a painless death. Now, tell me: where''s my concubine?!"


    "I don''t know, I really don''t know, I don''t..."


    The sura elder shook his head. "Your highness, I think you''ve broken the human."


    The sura king frowned. "Surely not¡ªI had everything under control the whole time!"


    This time, the mouths of all the sura present began to spasm. They nced around at the contorted, grotesque bodies lying around the field, the bodies that their king had allegedly had under control. Except for that human, Musi Yu, there were hardly any hunters who would be able to survive the sura king''s advances.


    The sura elder suggested again, "Your highness, I believe this human may be unaware of who your concubine is."


    The sura king nodded. "Indeed. Human, do you know where Musi Yu is?"


    "Musi Yu, the warlord of the third realm? He''s dead."


    "What?!" Rage exploded from the sura king, tinging the skies with red as a sea of blood seemed to manifest all around him.


    Wang Yanyi curled into a small ball.


    "Tell me! ?Who was it who dared to kill my concubine?!"


    "The champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie!"


    "Where is he?"


    "The human city of Qi."


    The sura king''s eyes brightened. "A city of humans!"


    As he walked out of a training chamber, Zhang Lie felt a sudden chill pricking his neck as he headed to meet with Sun Mengmeng. "I heard you found one of the herbs that I needed!"


    Sun Mengmeng and the other members of Team Zenith all seemed rather bedraggled, with visible wounds all over their bodies. "Yes, Captain!"


    Sun Mengmeng handed him an ornate box. As he opened it, a chilly wind blew, and the entire room was covered with a thinyer of frost.


    A crystalline fruit that looked like an ice cubey within, giving off a chilly aura that quickly spread throughout the room.


    "Indeed, a crystal rime fruit!" Zhang Lie expected that it would be one of the primary ingredients in Potion #4. "Thank you for your hard work¡ªthis surely couldn''t have been easy to retrieve."


    Zhang Lie asked about what they had encountered during their trip, and the members of Team Zenith regaled him with their experiences. Fortunately, none of them had suffered a debilitating injury, and the sess of their expedition washed away any lingering pain from their wounds.


    Zhang Lie pocketed the fruit and brought out several soulshards and techniques that he had taken from Musi Yu''s body. "Right, I obtained some treasures as well. Have a look at these, and pick out what you like."


    After distributing the soulshards and techniques around,


    Zhang Lie headed to the training chamber in which the Hong siblings were cultivating. After what had happened between the Hong and Musi ns, the Hong siblings cultivated with their life on the line, understanding that they would need overwhelming strength to protect each other.


    Zhang Lie smiled benevolently at them. "You don''t need to train so hard. Calm down and take it easy; your bodies need breaks too."


    The Hong siblings hurriedly stopped their cultivation and bowed down to him. "Master!"


    "How''s your progress been so far?"


    Hong Xiao replied, "I managed the foundational breakthrough in the dimensional world."


    Hong Xi nodded. "I''ve had significant improvement with regards to [Eclipse] as well."


    "Good, very good. I have a big gift for you. Close your eyes." Zhang Lie extended a finger and touched it to the two siblings'' foreheads sequentially, transmitting them [ck Sun] and its corresponding techniques.


    When they processed the parcels of information that Zhang Lie transmitted their way, their eyes turned round. "This is¡ª"


    Hong Xi gasped in surprise. "Isn''t [ck Sun] the technique used by members of the Musi n?!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Do you like Musi Yu''s present to you two?"


    Musi Yu, warlord of the third realm?! That fellow would hardly send the two of them a gift, considering he was the mastermind behind the Hong n''s downfall. Hong Xiao and Hong Xi nced at each other, then simultaneously looked toward Zhang Lie.


    It seemed unlikely, but if anyone could do it, it was their master.


    "Master, did you kill Musi Yu?"


    Zhang Lie grinned. "Do you like this gift?"


    Hong Xi and Hong Xiao knelt down on the floor simultaneously, causing Zhang Lie to jump up in surprise. "What''s the matter?"


    "I, Hong Xiao¡ª"


    "¡ªand I, Hong Xi," the two siblings intoned, "kowtow to the savior who has avenged the Hong n!"

 Chapter 371: Heading Toward Qi

    <h4>Chapter 371: Heading Toward Qi</h4>


    Zhang Lie stopped them at once. "Hold it! Musi Yu deserved to die. He came down to the second realm in an attempt to kill me, but I defeated him instead. Furthermore, you''re both my disciples, and the Eclipse Sage is my benefactor. Isn''t it natural for me to avenge the two of you?"


    Hong Xiao replied, "No matter why you did it, Master, you were the one who avenged the Hong n."


    Hong Xi nodded. "Master, we''ll do anything for you¡ªnot just because of what you''ve done for us, but also for the rest of the Hong n."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "You''re thest two descendants of the Eclipse Sage, and I swore I''d take care of you. Are you going to let me forswear my word? Cherish yourselves more!"


    Hong Xiao let out a deep breath. "Yes, Master! With the death of the n head Musi Yu, along with the majority of the Musi n, our blood feud is over. I''m sure the spirits of the Hong n will be gratified to hear of what you''ve done."


    "Things aren''t over yet."


    Hong Xi and Hong Xiao looked at him warily. "Master, are there any lingering issues?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Do you know how the feud between the Musi and Hong ns began?"


    The two siblings shook their heads.


    "Have you heard of the Sage of ck Sun?"


    Hong Xi frowned. "I think I have. Allegedly, he was a good friend of our ancestor, the Eclipse Sage."


    "Actually, Musi Yu is the Sage of ck Sun."


    "What?!" the two siblings gaped.


    "[Eclipse] and [ck Sun] were originally the same technique. Your forefather and Musi Yu obtained this technique during an expedition, and the two of them each learned half the technique. They nned on improving their halves and then trading with each other to learn the other half.


    "However, out of greed, Musi Yu tried to ambush your forefather and steal his half of the technique, but his n went awry. As far as I can tell, your forefather suspected that something like this might happen, and he left a partial version of [Eclipse] in his second-realm treasury under the assumption that Musi Yu would im it.


    "If you truly want to set the spirits of the Hong n at ease, thenbine [Eclipse] and [ck Sun]¡ªfinish the task that your ancestor couldn''t."


    "Yes, Master!" the two siblings replied firmly.


    Zhang Lie warned them severely not to try tobine the two techniques before reaching advanced proficiency in each one, then headed off toward his old house. He hadn''t seen his sister for quite some time, and it would be a good idea to catch up.


    Meanwhile, a cmity had befallen Qi.


    "Look at all the humans around!" Following Wang Yanyi''s directions, the sura king and his party arrived at a tall hill overlooking Qi. From their vantage point, they could see the countless hunters within. The sura king began to drool, and the lower half of his body reacted to his thoughts.


    ncing at all the humans beneath him, the sura king quickly forgot about the reason he had left his pce, and thoughts of Musi Yu left his brain. There were so many men he could im here! Why harp on just one?


    He shouted, "Bring me my sura axe! I''m going to im all of these hunters as my concubines!"


    The sura elder''s mouth spasmed once again. "Your highness, we can''t let you charge the city alone."


    The sura king frowned. "What do you mean? Surely you don''t think I would be in any danger?"


    "Of course not, your highness, but you''ll need manpower to catch you some humans, don''t you?"


    The sura king thought for a moment, then nodded. "Good point. I''ll lead the assault, and the rest of you can just help me catch the humans instead.


    The sura elder coughed. "Your highness, I may have a better strategy in mind."


    The sura king frowned. "What strategy?"


    "Why do you want humans, your highness?"


    "To have sex with them, of course!"


    "In that case, your highness, isn''t it inefficient for us to ughter them all?"


    One of the sura questioned him, "How else would we consume them?"


    "Why don''t we rear them like livestock?"


    "But don''t we already do that?"


    The sura elder shook his head. "We can be more deliberate about it. Bring our troops over and threaten them until they give up some of their humans. The king can have all the concubines he pleases, and the rest of us can eat our fill. There''s no need to ughter them on the battlefield at all."


    The sura king pped his head. "You''re right, what an excellent strategy! Let''s do just that."


    Then, he turned back to Wang Yanyi. "You''ve done well leading us here, and I very much enjoy having sex with you."


    Wang Yanyi trembled, despair in his eyes. "Kill me, please."


    The sura king shook his head. "You''ve been instrumental in helping the sura discover a human city. How could I bear to kill you after this? I''m going to make you my concubine¡ªaren''t you happy?"


    "No, no, no!" Wang Yanyi wailed.


    The sura king turned to an elder. "Make sure this human doesn''t die, do you understand?"


    "You''re growing quite rapidly," Zhang Lie praised Zhang Hanxiang.


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "Of course, Brother! With you as my role model, I could hardly afford to slow down."


    "As expected of my sister." Zhang Lie rubbed the back of her head. "Now that you''re already at the limits of the first realm, it''s time to break through."


    Zhang Lie was very heartened to see that his sister, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen had all passed the limit of regr hunters in the first realm.


    "Now, I think it''s worth taking some time to search for peak-grade lifeforms that might be hiding about the first realm. With your current strength and the effects of the limit fragments you''ve acquired, you should be fine handling them."


    Zhou Ming rushed inside the governor''s manor in Qi.


    Xiao Zhengyang frowned. "What''s the matter? Why are you in such a big rush?"


    "Something''s very wrong, Governor Xiao! The sura are here!"


    Xiao Zhengyang''s face turned pale. He rushed out and saw a huge mass of sura rushing toward Qi.


    "How did the sura learn about where our city was? Someone had to have told them!"


    Xiao Zhengyang waved amanding arm. "Now''s not the time for that. Sound the rm. The whole city must be prepared for a sura incursion."


    As human archers headed up the watchtowers of Qi, the sura halted, and the sura elder strode forward.

 Chapter 372: Inciting the Sura

    <h4>Chapter 372: Inciting the Sura</h4>


    "Listen up, humans of Qi! Hand over Zhang Lie and an additional one million humans, or the sura will raze this city to the ground!" the sura elder shouted


    The humans within the city began to panic. The sura wanted Zhang Lie? Why? Had they learned about the limit fragments that he hade up with?


    Naturally, the governor refused to agree.


    The sura king turned to Wang Yanyi, who had been tied up. "Concubine, how many humans are there in this city?"


    Wang Yanyi''s eyes were ssy like those of a salted fish. He had lost his hope and all motivation to live on. "Kill me."


    The sura king tilted Wang Yanyi''s chin upwards. "Concubine, how could I be willing to kill you? I love having sex with you. Don''t you think it would be nice to do that with all my troops watching you?"


    Life red into Wang Yanyi''s eyes. "I don''t know how many people there are in the city, but it has to be at least three or four million."


    One of the suramented idly, "To think that there aren''t even five million humans inside!"


    This was part of the reason why the humans were such a weak faction in the second realm: there ultimately weren''t many hunters that ascended from the first realm and beyond. A single human would be able to provide no more than a few tens of millions of hunters.


    The sura elder yelled once more, "Human, I''ll give you onest chance. Hand over a million humans, or your city will perish!"


    Xiao Zhengyang clenched his fists and yelled out, "Even if Qi were to fall, we won''t hand over a single hunter!"


    The sura elderughed coldly. "Think about it carefully. It wouldn''t take us any effort at all to crush your city!"


    "Attack if you dare¡ªwe won''t back down, and we won''t submit to you sura!"


    A million hunters would be a third of the city''s poption. If Xiao Zhengyang were to ede to the sura''s demands now, he would set a dangerous precedent and undermine human sovereignty. If he were to do so, no one would be willing to live in Qi.


    To Xiao Zhengyang, either the humans would ughter the sura to thest, or the sura would do the same to them.


    The sura elder hadn''t expected that the humans would resist so stubbornly that they wouldn''t even leave room for negotiation.


    The sura king smiled at the sura elder. "Elder, it looks like things aren''t going to n."


    His troops all began tough.


    "These damned humans, how dare they?!"


    "How could livestock understand our reasoning?"


    "It''s been a few days since I''ve had human flesh¡ªI''ll be able to eat my fill now!"


    "I''ve heard that humans are all weaklings, and there''s nothing to fear at all."


    "Of course they''re weak! My family used to own a human ve, and I could knock him over with just a p. He wouldn''t retaliate no matter how I beat or scolded him, but unfortunately I was too harsh once and beat him right to death."


    "If these people won''t listen to reason, then let''s beat fear into them. Break their spines and their pride¡ªlet them know who the true overlords of this realm are!"


    "Kill them all!" the elder howled, and the sura began to charge forward.


    "Loose arrows!" Xiao Zhengyangmanded.


    Bright gic energy suddenly covered the city walls, as though they had been illuminated by a glowing beam of sunlight. Arrows charged with gic energy filled the skies like raindrops in a thunderstorm.


    The sura yelled; their skin turned red. They had no understanding of technique or tactics, only seemingly limitless brawn and brute strength. Indeed, they were challenging foes simply because of their tremendous physical strength and resilience. They could harden their skin with an explosion of gic energy, allowing them to block most attacks with ease.


    Except for a few unlucky sura who were struck in weak spots by the arrows, most of the sura warriors were able to dash to the city walls, then leap up and over them. Despite the fact that the walls were hundreds of meters tall, the sura were still able to get over them with boosts from theirrades.


    As such, fighting began in the interior of the city as well.


    The human hunters fought without cowardice or desertion, knowing that, if the city were to fall and their teleportation apparatus broken, they wouldn''t be able to return to the real world. Even if they were to return to the real world now, they would lose all their possessions in Qi. This was a matter of personal interest, so these hunters wouldn''t easily back down.


    Xiao Zhengyang stood at the highest point in the city, where he oversaw the battle from above. The human troops were faring so well that he could hardly believe it. In the past, the sura had always overwhelmed the human hunters, no matter what strategies or tactics they employed. Against absolute strength, they simply couldn''t do anything.


    This time, however, the humans were no longer just sitting ducks.


    It was clear that the sura had also realized this¡ª in the past, it had taken three or four second-realm hunters working in tandem to kill a single sura, but now, just one or two hunters could do the same.


    The humans were so much stronger than expected that even the sura were taken aback. Could the hunters of Qi be far stronger than the hunters elsewhere?


    In truth, that wasn''t the case¡ªthe entire human race''s strength was increasing as a whole, an improvement that resulted from Zhang Lie''s theory of limit fragments. Almost all new hunters would now take part in the foundational breakthrough, and quite a few of them had even consumed Potion #1, especially those from China. These hunters would start out with sixty basic limit fragments, and they were far stronger than their original counterparts.


    Furthermore, as a result of the bounty ced against the Musi n, quite a lot more hunters had obtained Potion #1, and there were all sorts of weaker or reduced-efficiency copies and substitutes now floating around the ck markets.


    These limit fragments were far more impactful than they seemed at first nce.


    For instance, a hunter who had capped his mutated gene fragments wouldn''t be able to defeat a superior-grade lifeform without making use of some special technique or another, but limit fragments could help breach this gulf.


    The boost provided by these limit fragments would continue to propagate, speeding up the acquisition of more and more gene fragments exponentially. And now, the effects of this growth were making themselves known.

 Chapter 373: Besieged on All Fronts

    <h4>Chapter 373: Besieged on All Fronts</h4>


    Unfortunately, although the humans'' strength had risen, the sura weren''t their only enemies in this realm.


    Just as the Qi forces were fending off the sura, Zhou Ming rushed back with another unwee piece of news. "Governor Xiao, something''s wrong! The eastern, northern, and southern walls are all being attacked!"


    Xiao Zhengyang''s face fell. "When did the sura learn to divide their forces?"


    "It''s not the sura, Governor, but the forces from other races!"


    Qi wasn''t close to any of the sura''snds, but there were quite a few alien races close by. Under usual conditions, they wouldn''t have the strength to attack Qi, but now...


    "Damn it! These bastards, they''re taking advantage of the sura attacking us! Zhou Ming, defend the eastern wall with your special forces team. Gao Tian, you bring your team to the south. Ye Tiang, you go to the north! We fight to thest. Even if Qi is to fall, we humans won''t debase ourselves in front of the sura!"


    While the hunters in Qi were fighting for their lives, the Zenith Dojo was in a festive mood as the Zenith Dojo conducted its second-ever tournament for promising hunters from all around the gxy.


    The alienpetitors fought particrly fiercely; each of them was apanied by what seemed to be entire ns. The tournament had attracted so many qualified participants that it almost seemed like a miniature Void Cup.


    The participants were all hoping to get the grand prize for themselves¡ªan opportunity to be Zhang Lie''s own apprentice.


    Not long after the start of the tournament, however, as Zhang Lie was weing the guests that were trickling in in a steady stream, Yan Long messaged him and warned him not to enter the second realm at the moment.


    Zhang Lie immediately messaged him back asking about why.


    "Zhang Lie, listen up. Qi''s currently being attacked by all sorts of alien races, but the situation isn''t looking good. No matter what, you can''t head back in!"


    "Why? I''m also a human, and I''m a citizen of Qi!" Zhang Lie retorted.


    "I know you''re upset, but you can''t act rashly. The sura have attacked, and we don''t stand a chance! You''re more important than the entirety of Qi. Even if it''s destroyed, you musn''t die!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes shed coldly. "So what if it''s the sura? I can''t just stand still while the entire city''s fighting without me!"


    "You''ll just bemiting suicide! What can you do against an entire horde of the sura?!" Yan Long shouted back.


    "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. I''ll change the tides of this battle¡ªjust you watch!"


    Zhang Lie hung up, then gathered up the members of Team Zenith and other elites in preparation for joining the battle in Qi.


    On the other side of the call, Yan Long smashed his transceiver against the ground in anger. Beside him, Hong Tianqi continued enjoying his cup of tea. "I told you not to call him, didn''t I? Zhang Lie''s temper was just like mine as a newbie hunter¡ªyou wouldn''t have been able to stop him!"


    Yan Long bared his teeth at Hong Tianqi. "How can you smile at a time like this? You know just what Zhang Lie represents for the future of humanity!"


    Hong Tianqi smiled again. "Zhang Lie''s not a rash fool. If he''s choosing to head into the battle, I''m sure he has something in mind that can turn the tides."


    "But the sura are attacking, the sura who have imed so many of our human geniuses! What if he dies?"


    Hong Tianqi''s eyes shed coldly. "If he dies, I''ll force myself down to the second realm and ughter the sura to thest myself.


    Yan Long rolled his eyes. "The two of you are both crazed fools."


    Blood dyed the grounds around Qi a vibrant red. The battle between the sura and humans continued, but the human forces were at an absolute disadvantage after having to split their forces on four fronts.


    Some of the sura ate the humans'' corpses as they fought, grabbing a human head, squeezing it until it exploded, then eating its contents raw as though they were consuming raw eggs. Others broke the humans'' legs off, eating them with one hand as they fought the rest of the humans off with the others.


    A few sura were tasked with capturing live humans and carting them back to the city of the sura.


    If the sura weren''t so domineering and instead allowed the other alien races to join their battlefield, even more humans from Qi would have perished. Nevertheless, Xiao Zhengyang couldn''t bring himself to be happy about this¡ªno, this was his biggest shame as governor of Qi. The sura thought of the humans as mere livestock, and he hadn''t been able to change that perception at all! Any hungry sura warriors would eat the humans'' corpses on the spot, and they were even taking captives to rear back on surands.


    Xiao Zhengyang had once heard a legend about the sura, which had solidified his decision to never submit to the sura. Apparently, the sura found human babies to be a particr delicacy. Those human captives who gave birth would have their babies eaten whole, just like that.


    Human captives had no rights to speak of within surands. Those who refused to copte would find pills being added to their food, so human babies would be produced without fail every year.


    The fighting on the other three fronts fared almost as badly as against the sura. There were simply too many members of the alien races present, and human forces were in short supply.


    Although more and more hunters were joining the fight through the teleportation array, they still weren''t sufficient to counter the hostile forces massing outside Qi.


    The sura elder floated into the air and shouted, "Humans, stop resisting senselessly! There''s no chance you''ll be able to survive the sura''s onught. Kneel on the floor obediently and you''ll be spared from death."


    Some of the human forces backed down and hesitated.


    The sura elder continued, "The benevolent king of the sura does not wish to ughter all of you. For an annual tithe of a hundred thousand humans, not only will we sura back off, we''ll even protect Qi against other alien races."


    This was the sura elder''s true objective. The reason he had initially requested a million humans was to shock the humans into fighting the sura. Once they realized their dire straits, the sura would ''relent'', suggesting an annual tithe of a hundred thousand humans each year instead.


    This was just one tenth of the amount that had originally been suggested, and it made the deal seem much more reasonable than before, despite the fact that it was still a ridiculous price in absolute terms. The sura elder''s objective was to break their mental defenses, then to offer ''protection''. Under the protection of the sura, the humans would gradually grow weak,cent, and dependent on the sura¡ªtruly livestock in their own right.

 Chapter 374: Qi, Undefeated

    <h4>Chapter 374: Qi, Undefeated</h4>


    The sura elder didn''t think it was time to start pressuring the humans, but the fact that alien races were pressuring Qi from three fronts caused Xiao Zhengyang, the sura elder, and especially the sura king to be anxious.


    As one alien after another devoured the humans, the sura elder and Xiao Zhengyang''s eyes turned red. The sura king looked as though he would go crazy; he barely resisted the temptation to rush forward and ughter the alien races.


    Xiao Zhengyang was angry because those were his fighters, and this was his city.


    The sura elder was angry because those were his livestock, and this was his farm.


    The sura king was angry because those were his concubines!


    If not for the sura elder''s advising against it, the sura king would surely have turned Qi into a human farm for rearing concubines. The sura king excitedly dreamt of roaming through the city, iming whatever human he chanced across.


    Of course, the only reason the sura elder was able to restrain the sura king was because he already had quite a number of concubines at his disposal; otherwise, if he were dead set on it, no one would be able to change his mind.


    The sura themselves were quite angry that other races had dared invade Qi, taking advantage of their own presence here. Qi was their hunting ground, and the other races were prohibited from it! However, on ount of the elder''s human-rearing ns, they had no choice but to temporarily back down despite their anger.


    The sura elder emphasized, "Cooperating with us sura will guarantee the safety of you humans. What do you think you can aplish by fighting to thest? You''ll have nothing but a pile of rubble and a city of bones! Is your pride really worth that much?"


    The sura fighters cheered the elder, shouting, "The weak will be bullied, the weak won''t be able to fend for themselves! If you want to live, let go of your pride!"


    The elder cleared his throat and continued, "Is it really worth continuing to fight? Is what lies behind you worth protecting with your very lives? Why not choose a better solution?"


    Some of the hunters within Qi began to ponder the elder''s questions seriously. Could they truly win?


    The elder''s voice reached a crescendo. "No, you have no hope of victory at all! Only if you kneel and beg us for mercy will you have a chance to live!"


    The sura fighters added, "Humans have never been able to defeat the sura, and they never will!"


    "If you keep fighting, everyone in Qi will die. On the other hand, if you surrender, most of you will be able to continue living. Choose wisely!"


    Some hunters in Qi slowly dropped the weapons in their hands, but as they did so, an arrow in the ?sky shone above the entire battlefield, whizzing toward the sura elder like a brilliantet.


    The sura elder spread his palms and summoned a wall of blood in front of him, which stopped the arrow in its tracks.


    "Do you all want to die?!" Xiao Zhengyang shouted. "Hold your weapons firmly in your hand! If you let go of your pride now, the human race will never be able to prosper!"


    Xiao Zhengyang knew that, as the governor, he would have to take action before the sura elder could reduce the fighters'' morale even further and force mass desertion of his troops.


    "Qi will not be a farm for the sura. Even if we all fall, this will remain a city of humans¡ªthis I promise you!"


    The sura elder sighed. "As the governor, shouldn''t you be more logical? Submitting to the sura is the only chance you humans have at surviving."


    Xiao Zhengyang snorted. "Submitting and allowing ourselves to be reared as livestock? I''d rather die."


    The sura elder shook his head. "An illogical choice. You are hardly suited to be a governor."


    "As a sura, your criticism holds no weight." The fluctuations in Xiao Zhengyang''s gic energy grew stronger. He glowed like a sun, one whose rays struck the entire battlefield. ncing at him and feeling the warm rays of light hit their faces, the human hunters'' morale rose dramatically, and they faced the sura with renewed determination. Xiao Zhengyang shouted, "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    The fighters picked up the chant. "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    The chant quickly spread all around the city.


    "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    Along the other three fronts, blood pooled on the ground outside the city walls, with human and alien corpses alike strewn all over. With their numerical disadvantage, the humans were on the losing end on all fronts, but no one tried to turn and flee. These hunters might have engaged in internal strife now and then, but when push came to shove, they united and worked together to fend off a mutual foe.


    When Zhou Ming heard the voicesing from the other side of the city, he turned around, noticed the radiance in the air, and understood that the governor had made his move. As he ughtered the alien fighter in front of him, he shouted, "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    His team members echoed, "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    Morale quickly rose among the fighters in the field.


    "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    The fighters fought bravely with thest dregs of their stamina. They were unable to turn the tide with theirst hurrah, but their defensive lines didn''t crumble, either.


    Among the other fronts, the same chant could be heard echoing into the air: "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    These words emboldened the fighters all over Qi.


    "It looks like I''ll have to kill you before these humans from Qi learn to kneel." The sura elder frowned.


    "Come at me, then!" Xiao Zhengyang''s light glowed even more brightly as his punches rained down toward the sura elder, who defended himself again with his wall of blood.


    However, the scorching fists melted the blood and broke through the elder''s defenses, causing the sura fighters'' eyes to widen in amazement. Who would have expected that a human could grow so strong?


    The sura elder waved an arm, transforming the shreds of the bloody wall into venomous snakes that shot toward Xiao Zhengyang from all directions, blocking off his escape routes.

 Chapter 375: Zhang Lie Steps Forward

    <h4>Chapter 375: Zhang Lie Steps Forward</h4>


    Xiao Zhengyang''s radiance grew even brighter. He scorched and incinerated the snakes as he transformed into a meteoric beam of light and burst out of the snakes'' enclosure.


    The air suddenly felt dry and arid; the fighters'' throats were parched. Nevertheless, they shouted even more loudly, "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    The sura elder made his move. Bloody fog filled the skies and gusted toward Xiao Zhengyang.


    Xiao Zhengyang dispelled that fog with a burst of light, then charged toward the elder with his fists at the ready. The blinded elder was unable to defend himself, but before Xiao Zhengyang''s fists couldnd, a figure dashed into the fray and blocked Xiao Zhengyang''s fists with a gigantic ck palm.


    Against that palm, Xiao Zhengyang felt powerless¡ªthe sura king had forced himself between the twobatants. He nced at Xiao Zhengyang with some interest. "Oh, you''re quite strong for a human!"


    Xiao Zhengyang nced at the figure seriously. "I''ve been waiting for you for quite some time, sura king."


    As long as he was able to win against the sura king, the sura would retreat.


    The sura elder hurriedly bowed. "Your highness."


    The sura king waved a hand at him. "Back down¡ª I''ll take over from here!"


    .


    "Yes, your highness!"


    Xiao Zhengyang''s eyes brimmed with killing intent. "I had intended on killing that elder before hunting you down. Should I thank you for saving me some effort, then?"


    As he circted his gic energy at maximum output, radiance erupted from the skies, breaking apart the bloody clouds that covered the sun and illuminating all of Qi. Human fighters from all over the city could see the radiance that he gave off, as well as the pir of light that reached toward the skies.


    "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    "We will not submit! Qi will not fall!"


    "The governor will shield us! Qi will not fall!"


    "This is a pir of victory, I''m sure of it!"


    Light glowed so brightly from Xiao Zhengyang''s body that it seemed to have taken on a condensed form, shocking the gathered sura fighters.


    As Xiao Zhengyang burned his very lifeforce to augment his strength, the light reached such an astounding brightness that no one could open their eyes. The alien races began fearing for their lives, hardly able to imagine that there would be someone in Qi with such strength. Xiao Zhengyang was far stronger than anyone had imagined!


    Zhou Ming clenched his fists tightly in excitement. "This is the governor of Qi!"


    "Die! This human city isn''t something you can corrupt at will, sura king!" Xiao Zhengyang punched forward with the strongest blow in his life, as the light exuding from his body was all concentrated in a single point.


    The next moment, an explosion of radiant light shook the entire city of Qi.


    "What a nuisance!" As the light pierced everything, the sura king yawned and evoked his domain, a sea of blood, which drowned out the light.


    The next moment, the sea of blood morphed into a blood cyclone, gulping down whatever rays of light remained from Xiao Zhengyang''s attack.


    The human fighters'' delighted cries came to an abrupt halt; no one could speak. They stood stock-still as they watched Xiao Zhengyang fall to the ground. The difference in strength was absolute; Xiao Zhengyang simply couldn''tpete with the sura king.


    Despite using his strongest attack, one which burned away his very lifeforce, Xiao Zhengyang lost to the sura king in just one blow.


    It was true that the sura king had to treat this attack rather seriously, but it didn''t change the fact that Xiao Zhengyang had been defeated.


    The morale of the human fighters quickly dropped to a nadir. Xiao Zhengyang had intended on killing the sura king in one decisive blow and changing the tide of the battle. Even if he lost, as long as he dug in and refused to back down, he believed he would be able to increase the morale of the fighters, but he had hardly expected to lose so decisively.


    Actions spoke louder than words; Xiao Zhengyang''s ignominious defeat felt as though it were a premonition of what would happen to the human fighters.


    The sura elder roared inughter. "Haha! Did you see that? Humans, bow down to us¡ªonly then will you be able to survive!"


    Xiao Zhengyang''s defeat affected even the hunters fighting on the other three fronts. The fighters nced up at the skies in a daze when Xiao Zhengyang''s beacon of light vanished; the alien races took this opportunity to strike.


    Zhou Ming was the first to react. "Don''t let them into Qi!"


    On the other side of the city, Xia Na shouted, "For the good of mankind! Everyone, charge with me!"


    The special forces troops never backed down. They used techniques that burned their potential and their very life, but it all seemed hopeless. One man couldn''t change the tide of the battle.


    As invader after invader reached the city, a horde of dragons suddenly fell from the skies.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Each dragon soared forward with a gaping maw, gobbling down every invader in sight.


    Quite a few invaders, sensing something amiss, began to back away. "The humansid a trap for us!"


    None of them had expected to find another strong hunter besides Xiao Zhengyang within the city. They believed that Xiao Zhengyang''s death would be an opportunity for them, but somehow found themselves against a whole horde of ck dragons.

 Chapter 376: Pride and Conviction

    <h4>Chapter 376: Pride and Conviction</h4>


    Hovering above the skies of Qi, Zhang Lie nced down at the entire battlefield. There were far too many that had died or been injured by the fighting, and the hunters remaining on the sura front had lost all their morale.


    Zhang Lie, who had just rushed over, helped stabilize the situation with a cast of [Fists of the Silent Sea], but there were still tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of wounded fighters remaining in the city.


    Zhou Ming stumbled over, supported by a fellow hunter. He shouted, "Zhang Lie, what are you doing here?!"


    Zhang Lie slowly floated to the ground with a smile. "It looks like you still have the energy to speak, at least."


    "Why are you here?!" Zhou Ming grabbed his cor. "Leave, immediately!"


    Before the battle, Zhou Ming had known that Zhang Lie was particrly important to the world federation, but it was only after the battle had started did he realize just how important Zhang Lie was.


    Zhang Lie was more important than even Qi itself; everyone could die, but not Zhang Lie. The only reason the humans had managed to hold out for so long was because of the potions that Zhang Lie had devised, and once Zhang Lie developed advanced forms of these potions, all of humanity would benefit. All of humanity would gain the strength to repel the sura, once and for all.


    For this reason, Zhang Lie had to live. Only if Zhang Lie lived on would his research on limit fragments continue to develop, and only then would mankind have the power to change its fate.


    "I came back because I''m a human, because I''m a resident of Qin!" Zhang Lie shouted. "Should I leave the rest of you to die while I watch on without doing anything?! I''m confident that we can still win this battle."


    Zhou Ming hung his head as though in surrender. "Since you''re here, you should head toward the western front, where Governor Xiao was defeated by the sura. You''re the only one who can rece him now."


    Zhang Lie turned toward the three other battlefields. "How about the other fronts?"


    Zhou Ming shook his head. "Your technique managed to scare them off for the moment, and they won''t try attacking again for the short term. The next time they do, I''ll do my best to hold them back. The real problem is with the sura¡ªas long as we can handle the sura, the alien races will surely retreat as well."


    Zhang Lie nced at Zhou Ming''s severe wounds. "It looks like you''ll need some help."


    Zhou Ming took a deep breath and stood erect. "Even if I were to die, I''ll die up on the walls, blocking the alien invasion with my own corpse if I have to!"


    "Members of Team Zenith, stand forward!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    The members of Team Zenith, along with Hong Xi, stood side by side with Zhang Lie.


    "Each of you, pair up and support the defenders to repel these other alien invaders."


    "Yes, Captain!" the members of Team Zenith replied instantly.


    Only then did Zhang Lie walk toward the sura front. By then, the sura king''s bloody sea had swallowed up Xiao Zhengyang''sst patch of light.


    The sura elder roared inughter. "Haha, haha! Did you all see that? Kneel, humans! Your struggles will be meaningless against absolute strength!"


    The sura fighters shouted, "Before the might of the sura king, all things shall turn to dust!"


    "Before the might of the sura king, all things shall turn to dust!"


    "Before the might of the sura king, all things shall turn to dust!"


    "Before the might of the sura king, all things shall turn to dust!"


    The sura fighters'' chant was so loud that the human defenders could hear it all the way on the other side of the city.


    The sura elderughed again. "Submit and surrender, humans!"


    One fighter, unable to resist the pressure, dropped the weapon in his hand, followed quickly by tens, then hundreds, then thousands of fighters.


    The sura elder continued, "Humans, you''re far too weak, so much so that you can''t continue living in the sura realm. Only by acknowledging us as your new masters will you be able to preserve your life! Kneel on the ground and recognize the futility of your resistance in the face of the sura king''s strength."


    The humans began to despair. Even a hunter as strong as the governor of Qi had been felled in a single blow; what would the rest of them be able to aplish?


    As a few fighters began to kneel down on the ground, the sura elder began tough even more loudly. Soon, his n would be a grand sess¡ªQi would be nothing more than a human farm for the sura!


    "That''s right, kneel! Your foolish pride can''t keep you alive!"


    Many of the hunters, looking at each other, slowly began to kneel.


    "Says who?" A voice suddenly rang throughout the battlefield. "I disagree!"


    Everyone raised their heads.


    The sura elder frowned. "Who''s there?!"


    "A weak human!" Zhang Lie replied coldly, but the sura elder''s frown didn''t dissipate. Would a weak human really dare speak out at this juncture?


    As the man stepped forward, the humans'' eyes began to shine, igniting once more with hope.


    "It''s Zhang Lie!"


    "The champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie!"


    "The man who managed to defeat Musi Yu, the warlord of the third realm, without suffering a single injury! He''ll surely be able to take down the sura king!"


    "We''re saved, we''re saved!"


    The sura elder''s frown deepened. He had been moments away from ensuring the humans'' submission, but a wildcard had appeared at the veryst moment!


    "What do you think you can do, you puny human?!"


    "I suppose we''ll find out."


    The sura fighters began tough once again.


    "Even the governor of Qi was unable to turn the tides! What do you think you can aplish? You might be strong for a human, butpared to the sura, you''re nothing!" The sura elder shook his head.

 Chapter 377: Gene-Based Poison

    <h4>Chapter 377: Gene-Based Poison</h4>


    Zhang Lie didn''t waste his breath replying to the sura elder''s arrogant ims. He summoned Venombane in his right palm.


    The sura elderughed coldly. "Give up, you stubborn fool! Do you think you can ughter all of us here?"


    The sura fighters began tough again. "Laughable,ughable indeed! Do you think you''re stronger than the governor of Qi?"


    "Stand still and defend against my attacks, then," Zhang Lie suggested, bringing out arge quantity of vials and causing the sura fighters tough even more loudly.


    "Come at us if you dare!"


    "If you can ughter us despite the sura king''s protection, we''ll ept our deaths."


    "Stop struggling, human beast! Kneel down and I''ll consider letting you be a dog at my ce!"


    The sura elder tsked. "Honestly, if I were a human myself, I''d be ashamed of your behavior."


    The sura king watched Zhang Lie curiously, wondering what he would do next. Zhang Lie summoned a ck dragon and affixed his vials to it, then sent it soaring above the sura fighters. The liquid sprayed all over their bodies.


    The sura fighters thought nothing of the errant drops of liquid.


    .


    One daring fighter spoke up, "Was that it? I thought that you might have some skill to dare to step forward, but it looks like it''s all a charade! You aren''t a clown sent over by the humans, are you? Perhaps the humans thought we were so bored of killing them that we needed more entertainment!


    "Well, you did make us allugh, so how about this? I''ll escort you to the pce myself and let you be our king''s next concubine. However, he''s a strong and sturdy male, so who knows if you''ll even be able to make it out alive?"


    "Hahaha!" The sura fighters continued tough, but as they nced at each other, they became rather taken aback. "Stopughing! Your eyeballs look like they''re about to bulge out of their sockets!"


    "Haha, your mouth''s all misshapen!"


    "Haha, you, your head''s melting!"


    The sura fighters found themselves shrinking as flesh... melted off their bodies. ck spots appeared on their skin, then festering tumors.


    "What''s all this?!"


    The sura elder''s face grew rmed. "That was poison!"


    The sura fighters immediately began circting their gic energy in an attempt to dispel the poison, but the effects of the poison grew even more serious once it came in contact with their gic energy. Their bodies ballooned, and blood and flesh exploded out of their bodies.


    Only the sura king and sura elder seemed to be able to counter the effects of the poison.


    The sura elder red at Zhang Lie.


    "Just what did you do?!"


    "Haven''t you already guessed it?"


    "Hand over the antidote immediately."


    "Unfortunately, this poison targets the genes directly. There''s no antidote." The potion that Zhang Lie had employed was naturally the special tonic of the Yeluo n, which was anathema to the sura. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call it a biological weapon. Any member of the sura who came into contact with the poison would find their DNA irreversibly corrupted, causing their bodies to dpose from their very gic code alone.


    As he watched the sura fighters keen in agony, the sura elder shouted, "If you don''t hand over the antidote, I''ll ughter the entire poption of Qi!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I won''t let you do that."


    The humans watched the sura fighters dpose with shock, fear, and some amount of satisfaction.


    "I''ll kill you!" the sura elder shouted. There wasn''t any more time left; if the poison spread further, all the sura fighters would perish. The sura elder sent a bloody mist rising into the skies.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie cut apart the mist¡ªand beheaded the sura elder. He moved so swiftly that even the sura king wasn''t able to react in time. The sura elder''s head rolled on the ground, and his body crumpled.


    The sura king walked up to Zhang Lie slowly. "Interesting. You''re the strongest human I''ve seen," hemented. He was smiling serenely, as though he didn''t notice his dposing fighters, nor the head of the sura elder that had rolled to his feet.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You don''t care about the death of these other members of your race at all?"


    The sura king spread his arms. "They''re nothing more than fighters. I have an entire kingdom under my control, and I can easily get more of those."


    "You''re cold-blooded."


    "Well, I liked the elder." He nced down at the rolling head. "It''s a pity you killed him."


    The sura king eyed Zhang Lie''s buttocks. "You''re a very interesting human. I think I''d like to take you as my concubine."


    Gic energy red from Zhang Lie''s body in response. No matter what, he had to kill the sura king here¡ªhe was too perverted an enemy that Zhang Lie didn''t want to encounter him ever again!


    "Oh? It looks like you''re quite resistant to the idea," the sura king sighed. "You need to give me a name so that I know what to address you by."


    "I won''t give you that opportunity!"


    "Are you unwilling to tell me even your name?" The sura king narrowed his eyes. "I suppose the elder was right to call the humans all cowards."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "My name is Zhang Lie."


    "You¡ªyou''re Zhang Lie!"


    The sura king immediately became enraged. The bloody sea that was his domain began to pool all around him, and a cyclone of blood swirled by his feet. The skies looked as though they had been dyed in carmine.


    The human fighters jumped up in fear, then scurried off into hiding behind the walls of Qi.


    "It was you who ughtered my darling, my dear concubine, Musi Yu!" Gic energy gushed out of the sura king. The bloody sea turned choppy; the sea''s boundless rage seemed to be focused on one target: Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 378: Fighting the Sura King

    <h4>Chapter 378: Fighting the Sura King</h4>


    This time around, the humans were shocked by the sura king''s words even before he released his aura. The famed Musi Yu, warlord of the third realm, was the sura king''s most beloved concubine?! A fighter as strong as the sura king didn''t have any need to resort to lying, but weren''t he and Musi Yu both male?


    One human even guessed, "Could Musi Yu''s title as a third-realm warlord havee from his... dalliances... with the sura king?"


    "There''s no doubt of it, I''m sure!"


    "Of course there isn''t¡ªwhat else could the sura king be doing here? He''s acting like a jilted lover!"


    "Once this battle is over, I''ll rush back to Earth and tell everyone I know about this news."


    The human fighters brimmed with hope and determination. They had to be the ones to get home safely to inform everyone about this shocking revtion; they had to live on! Tomorrow''s newspapers'' headlines seemed clear already:


    The unspeakable secret of the third-realm warlord, Musi Yu


    The hidden tryst between Musi Yu and the sura king


    The third-realm warlord, Musi Yu, a traitor to the human race!


    Musi Yu''s name and reputation had been entirely ruined.


    Now that Zhang Lie had defeated all the sura fighters besides the sura king, there was little the human fighters could do but watch and cheer him on. If the sura king were to win, they would all be his concubines; if Zhang Lie were to win, he would soon be heralded as humanity''s savior against the sura.


    Someone wondered, "Do you think this was why Zhang Lie suddenly issued a bounty on the Musi n?


    Perhaps he wanted to eradicate the Musi n because he knew that Musi Yu was the concubine of the sura king! And when Musi Yu realized that Zhang Lie had found out about his secret, he knew that he had toe to the second realm to assassinate him."


    "That''s very usible!"


    "And here I thought that Zhang Lie was misusing his authority, but it turned out that it was for the good of mankind all along!"


    Zhang Lie had no idea what was going on, and when he heard that Musi Yu was actually the concubine of the sura king, he was as surprised as the other humans present.


    The sura king growled in rage, "I''ll make you my concubine, then sleep with you day and night! Only then will I be able to assuage theck of my darling Musi Yu."


    "Shut up!" Zhang Lie cringed. As he circted his gic energy, he shot forward.


    The sura king waved an arm at him, sending tendrils of the bloody sea snaking toward him.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venombane shook. A bloody dragon emerged from the de, parting the seas as it shot toward the sura king.


    "Interesting." The sura king defended with a punch of his own. He punched forward with his right fist, his motions replicated by the sea itself. A fist of blood destroyed the blood dragon.


    "[Syzygy]!" A blood moon formed beneath Zhang Lie''s feet, and a ck sun rose by his back. The sura king could feel the potency of his blood sea weakening, and the fist he had just shot out was reduced in strength as well.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" A frightening array of swords destroyed the sura king''s domain. Under the effects of [Syzygy], Zhang Lie''s original strength was multiplied by an order of magnitude, a shocking, dramatic increase.


    The will of the world appeared again, establishing another barrier to cordon off the fight between Zhang Lie and the sura king.


    Zhang Lie himself charged forward wielding Venombane in his hand. As the sura king found his domain crumbling, Zhang Lie shed forward with his sword, leaving a gaping wound from the sura king''s shoulder to his chest.


    Zhang Lie had taken the upper hand.


    "Very interesting. Indeed, you''re the strongest concubine I''ve faced to date!" A bloody mist poured out of the sura king''s body. The wound healed rapidly, and long, purple hair appeared from his head. The sura king quickly shrank from a three-meter tall giant to a regr two-meter tall sura fighter.


    Horns protruded from his forehead like a crown, and his purple hair draped over his back. A spiritual power seemed to suffuse his body. Behind his back rose a ck wheel on which nine will-o-wisps burned. A purplish-gold armor materialized over his body, reminiscent of a human''s gic armor.


    The sura king sighed infort. "It''s been a long time since I''ve used my battle-ready form."


    Zhang Lie could sense the sura king''s strength rising steadily with every transformation he made.


    "It''s been far too long since I enjoyed the joys ofbat. My opponents would always die far too rapidly for me to have any fun! I hope you''ll be able to give me the barest hint of a good fight."


    The sura king''s tone and voice had changed, and his initial perversion had morphed into themanding tones of a leader. ncing at his new transformation, the humans behind Zhang Lie began to fear, struck by the endless bloodlust that he seemed to radiate.


    A blood dragon descended on the sura king from the skies. With a casual punch upward from the sura king, the dragon exploded head-first.


    Zhang Lie raised an arm. The outline of a dragonturtle suddenly materialized over his body as the runic tablet of gravity crashed into the ground. Even the sura king found his actions hindered, as though his body had turned partially to lead.


    With his other arm, Zhang Lie summoned the third and fourth tablets over the sura king''s body, causing his mind to slow and his energy to disperse. Sensing the potency of the tablets, the sura king tried to jump out of their way, but Zhang Lie thenunched the second tablet, the runic tablet of lightness. The sura king lost control of his body for a short moment; by the time he recovered, the four tablets were arrayed around him.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The outline of the dragonturtle around Zhang Lie''s body raised its head to the sky as it roared. The four tablets shone brilliantly, then began to revolve around the sura king''s body. The sura king felt bile and blood rising from his throat, and he had to force himself to swallow it back down.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lieunched a dragon straight toward the sura king''s head.


    The sura king activated a secret technique in an attempt to dispel the four tablets surrounding him, but by then, Zhang Lie''s second attack was already on its way.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Ascent]!" A whole horde of blood dragons flocked out of Venomaben, surrounding the sura king like a gigantic cyclone.


    The sura king yelled out as he forcibly summoned his domain, suppressing Zhang Lie''s attacks. His domain resisted the onught of Zhang Lie''s bloody dragons, neither party''s technique quite able to ovee the other. The sea smashed some of the dragons to pieces, but the dragons wed away at the sea.


    The human fighters had, by then, dashed inside the city and were watching the fight from the walls; it was too dangerous for them outside. Waves of energy radiated from the two fighters, and the weaker hunters running away into the distance found themselves being bowled over.

 Chapter 379: Red Spider Lilies

    <h4>Chapter 379: Red Spider Lilies</h4>


    "Who do you think will win?" one of the spectators asked.


    "Who else?" A hunter rolled his eyes. "We have to believe in Zhang Lie, or we''ll all die!"


    "But his opponent''s the sura king! Even the governor was unable to survive more than a single blow with him. Could Zhang Lie win?"


    "I know it''s unlikely that he''ll be able to do so, but what can we do but cheer for him?"


    Someone suddenly shouted, "Zhang Lie, keep it up!"


    "Zhang Lie, you can''t lose!"


    Indeed, what else could they do? They were powerless to help in a fight of this magnitude.


    The sura king rushed out of the tablets'' range. His fists were caked with crystalline blood as he made to strike Zhang Lie down with a punch.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie met the sura king''s punch with one of his own, summoning a horde of ck dragons tobat the sura king''s blood sea.


    The sura king waved his fists madly despite all the ck dragons striking his body,ughing as he fought. "Haha, this is exhrating! It''s been so long since Ist felt the fun ofbat."


    Zhang Lie activated his forest wolfman and blood ant soulshards simultaneously, turning into a blood-colored wolfman. His ck dragons shone with an eerie red light as they bit at the sura king''s body.


    The sura king was forced back with arge number of wounds all over his body. He licked the blood from his lips. "Again! More!"


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venombane shuddered as even more dragons shot out from the de, which the sura king sent reeling with a few strikes from his palm. The shockwaves that resulted from the confrontation were so intense that they even caused cracks to appear on the city walls on impact.


    Zhang Lie shed apart the sea of blood andunched an attack straight at the sura king. The sura king roared in anger as he punched back in retaliation, causing the entire city of Qi to shudder.


    Sun Mengmeng turned around from where she stood on the ramparts of Qi. "You can do it, Captain!"


    A long, frightening gash snaked up the sura king''s arm from his palm all the way to his shoulder. Beads of blood quivered on Venombane; the previous confrontation had gone in Zhang Lie''s favor.


    The sura king narrowed his eyes as he nced at Zhang Lie. How long had it been since hest encountered a fighter of this caliber? He even felt as though his life might be in danger! The sura king licked his lips again. "You''re amazing. I''ll definitely make you my concubine!"


    "Sorry, but I''m not interested! [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venombane struck once more.


    With a wave of his hand, the sura king blocked Zhang Lie''s attack with a bloody wall of water. The blood dragon broke through the wall, but by the time it did so, the sura king was long gone.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "So the sura king also turns tail like a coward."


    "Oh, I''m just making a few preparations!" The sura king extended a palm as a murky mass appeared from within the depths of the blood sea. A pitch-ck creature slowly emerged, with growths that looked partially like beasts and partially like humans.


    The sura king exined, "The sura are a very interesting race. Not only can they acquire gic fragments by ughtering other lifeforms, they can even absorb their soul fragments and nurture them in their soulspace."


    The creature seemed to beposed of thousands of these warped spirits, a malevolent aura seeping out of it as the spirits cried out,


    "Kill me!"


    "Kill me!"


    "Kill me!"


    "Please, kill me!"


    "I don''t want to be tortured any longer!"


    As the sura king pressed his palm down, a bloody flower grew out of the garish creature''s mouth, resplendent in carmine. Its color was even more vibrant than blood. The longer one looked at it, the more one felt a desire to reach out toward it.


    Zhang Lie recognized it immediately. "A red spider lily!"


    All across the sea of blood, red spider lilies sprouted and bloomed, turning the battlefield into a veritable field of flowers.


    However, none of the hunters watching felt anything but disgust at the sight. Each flower represented a wretched soul that the sura king had absorbed and sentenced to torture for oblivion¡ªthese lilies consumed the soul as nourishment and grew on the corpses of the dead!


    The sura king continued mournfully, "Each of these lilies was born from one of my concubines, as well as those humans I found an affinity with. Unfortunately, my dear Musi Yu was unable to find a respite here."


    Zhang Lie felt chills making their way up his body. Those terrified, haunted souls were all men whom the sura king had raped to death! He shuddered at the thought. The sura king was far more perverted than he had realized.


    "I-I can''t believe it. This is revolting!"


    "You have to admit that this sort of thing grants the sura king immense strength, though. By torturing these men and beasts, he can make use of their souls to increase his own strength."


    "What will we do if Zhang Lie can''t bring him down? He''s repulsive, but he''s ridiculously strong!"

 Chapter 380: Domain of Absolute Control

    <h4>Chapter 380: Domain of Absolute Control</h4>


    With the members of Team Zenith guarding the city walls, Zhou Ming was able to lead a search-and-rescue team to retrieve the heavily wounded Xiao Zhengyang and bring him back to Qi.


    At the moment, Xiao Zhengyang was ncing at Zhang Lie, who was hovering above the sea of red spider lilies, and praying for his sess. "I leave the defense of Qi to you. Please, don''t fail!"


    Suddenly, the red spider lilies all began to glow with a startling blood-red light as the sura king activated a frightening technique. Even before the technique had fully activated, all of Qi seemed to be smothered with some strange energy.


    The next moment, the red spider lilies all exploded. The cordon that the will of the world had created broke apart in an instant. Such was the strength of the explosion that it destroyed the walls of Qi, which had survived the attacks of tens of thousands of sura fighters, in a single blinding sh.


    As the walls fell to the ground, the human fighters that were watching the scene on top of the walls were crushed under the rubble in an instant.


    Xiao Zhengyang pushed everyone from the special forces down to the ground. The aftermath of the blood-colored explosion sent chunks of earth flying into the air. Light glowed weakly from Xiao Zhengyang''s body like a flickering candle amidst the destruction of the city, as though it could be snuffed out in an instant.


    The skies were still blood-red. The sea of blood that was the sura king''s domain had evaporated in an instant, and petals from the red spider lilies came drifting down from the sky. The sura king extended a palm and caught one such petal, allowing it to disintegrate into nothing. His face seemed sorrowful. "Thank you for your contribution, dear concubine."


    The sura king had destroyed all the soul fragments he had umted thesest few years all at once, but he didn''t think it a waste at all. He nced at Qi, the walls of which had fallen. This was what he had won in exchange: a city full of humans with whom he could have sex. Upon having sex with these humans and turning them into malignant souls, he would be able to create an even more spectacr explosion the next time he used the technique.


    After the explosion, hunters slowly crawled out of the rubble of the city. The force of the explosion had been greatly reduced by the time it reached them, and most of the humans had survived. However, they didn''t know just what the sura king had in store for them.


    "What''s the situation like?"


    "This technique was far too frightening. If the will of the world hadn''t helped shield us from the effects of his attack, it might even have leveled the city of Qi to the ground!"


    Xia Na struggled to get up. "What happened to Zhang Lie?"


    Xiao Zhengyang lowered his head. "He had to have died. How could anyone have survived a point-nk explosion of that magnitude?"


    Some hunters were still looking around expectantly, but even they didn''t think Zhang Lie had survived. The force of the explosion was so immense that it seemed ridiculous to imagine that anyone could have survived.


    Suddenly, however, a few hunters began to shout and point.


    "Look there!"


    "Look!"


    Four sturdy runic tablets stood upright by the center of the explosion, charred and smoking but otherwise unharmed.


    The moment the explosion urred, Zhang Lie had summoned all four tablets and erected his domain around them, shielding himself from the worst of the explosion''s effects. The runic tablets cracked, then sent the stored-up energy back at the sura king. At the same time, Zhang Lie sent his blood domain spreading out, moonlight radiating from his feet and a ck sun to his back.


    The four dragonturtle tablets shifted as he did, leaving a trail of stasis wherever they roamed.


    This was the strongest attack from his [Ninecarp Transformation]''s fourth form, as well as one of his trump cards. To be frank, Zhang Lie hadn''t expected that anyone but the asura monarch would be able to force him to reveal this domain of absolute control, but the technique that the sura king had spent years strengthening was worthy of its use.


    The hunters in Qi cheered as they saw Zhang Lie unharmed, and Xiao Zhengyang''s brightened as well.


    Zhou Ming clenched his fists tightly. "Keep it up, Zhang Lie!"


    The sura king''s eyes widened in amazement. "You will truly be an excellent concubine."


    "You''ve lost, king of the sura! Your domain won''t be able to protect you any longer!"


    With the four tablets revolving around him and his blood domain activated, Zhang Lie would be a challenging enemy indeed.


    From within Qi, a hunter began to shout, "Mankind will not fall! Zhang Lie is indomitable!"


    "Mankind will not fall! Zhang Lie is indomitable!"


    "Mankind will not fall! Zhang Lie is indomitable!"


    As the other hunters picked up the chant and it rose in volume and strength, Zhang Lie and the sura king could both hear it clearly even from a distance.


    The sura king shook his head. "No, I haven''t lost yet. I have one final trump card!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. Did the sura king really have something up his sleeve?


    The sura king sighed. "I''ve never used this technique in front of any other person, because no one has been able to survive its precursor¡ªthe explosion of the red spider lilies. You''re the first one to get this far!"


    The blood-red petals that continued to rain down from the skies suddenly started to congregate around the sura king as he reached up, his two arms outstretched. "Concubines, give me your strength!"


    The sura king''s aura suddenly grew more potent and more mysterious, to a realm that even Zhang Lie instinctively shied away from. As the petals revolved around the sura king, he shouted, "Thank you, concubines!"


    Xiao Zhengyang abruptly took a step back. "Is the sura king trying to forcefully absorb the power of those soul fragments to strengthen himself?"


    Xia Na''s eyes widened. "Is that possible?"


    "Who knows? The sura king might be a perverted fellow, but he''s proven himself to be ridiculously strong. Quick, we have to retreat further!"

 Chapter 381: Defeat and Vengeance

    <h4>Chapter 381: Defeat and Vengeance</h4>


    Reiming the energy that the sura king had spent on a massive explosion was like spitting out a gob of saliva and trying to suck it back in: somewhat disgusting and all but impossible.


    Xiao Zhengyang frowned. "I''m not sure if others would be able to do it, but the sura king surely can¡ªno, he''s already done it."


    "How?" Xia Na asked.


    "The red spider lilies originally bloomed over his domain, so the force of the explosion was his strength, not the lilies''. The domain of the sura is an extension of their body, so he''s simply converting that energy into a different form."


    At that moment in time, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but pity the sura king''s concubines. Not only did most of them die a grisly, terrifying death, they even fertilized the sura king''s strength. The flowers that bloomed from their bodies were used as fuel for a gigantic congration, and the remaining petals would be reused as fuel once more...


    The hunters in Qi watched on with bated breath as the sura king used his final trump card.


    Was Zhang Lie really able to take him down? Would mankind defeat the sura? Everyone was silent. The sura had never lost a confrontation against the humans. If Zhang Lie seeded, he would establish a precedent, but his sess seemed very imusible. After all, his opponent was the sura king himself, and everyone had learned of his strength.


    That said, the sura king had to deal with the aftereffects ofunching such arge-scale explosion. His arteries and veins were throbbing, and his body seemed to have grown slightly swollen, as though he might explode at any moment.


    "We have to cheer Zhang Lie on¡ªhe''s the only one who can save us from the sura king''s assault!" a hunter cried out.


    The other hunters, sharing the same sentiment, began to cheer.


    "Mankind will not fall! Zhang Lie is undefeatable!"


    "Mankind will not fall! Zhang Lie is undefeatable!"


    "Mankind will not fall! Zhang Lie is undefeatable!"


    The sura king hummed. "You really are adored by these humans, aren''t you?"


    Zhang Lie ignored him. "I won''t let you rear humans like livestock for your own pleasure, never!"


    "In that case, I hope you''re strong enough to defend them against me." The sura king rushed forward, red spider lilies blooming at his feet.


    The sura king punched forward, his fist wreathed in red petals. No aura apanied the blow, nor any earth-shatteringmotion, but that simple punch was enough to startle the will of the world into trying to set up a third cordon.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie countered with Venombane.


    A terrifying explosion rang out, barely contained by the will of the world.


    Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The first two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground, but the sura king leapt out of the way in time.


    As the outline of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie, the remaining two tablets fell toward the sura king, who had to contort his body to avoid them before retaliating with a punch of his own.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie''s blood dragons shed with the sura king''s petals once and again, neither party able to secure a decisive victory.


    The sura king thrust forward. ck gic energy snaked out from his body and shed against Zhang Lie''s blood dragon, sending yet another explosion into the air. Surrounded by the petals, the sura king was unhurt, as was Zhang Lie, safely ensconced within his runic tablets.


    The sura kingughed coldly. "I don''t think you''ll be able to protect Qi with just that amount of strength. Kneel and surrender, and I''ll ept you as a concubine."


    Zhang Lie retorted, "And what of you? The petals surrounding your body seem to be diminishing with each and every attack. You don''t have limitless stamina either."


    "As long as I can kill you before then, it doesn''t matter." The sura king thrust forward once more with his palms, sending a torrent of gic energy against Zhang Lie. Red spider lilies bloomed on the ground, and the outline of malignant spirits seemed visible from the depths of that energy.


    Zhang Lie blocked the attack with his two tablets of stasis, reducing its speed and intensity.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" He retaliated with a blood dragon that soared through the skies and swooped down toward the sura king, who defended himself with a giant shield of petals.


    With impable timing, Zhang Lie summoned the dragonturtle once more, sending the two gravity tablets crashing down in front of and behind the sura king, disrupting his bnce and his attack. His shield of petals fell apart, allowing Zhang Lie''s blood dragon to charge directly at him.


    Sensing imminent danger, the sura king forcefully ignited all the petals around him. There were far fewer red spider lilies by this point, but the explosive attack still couldn''t be taken lightly.


    Wounded, the sura king turned to flee, propelled by the force of the explosion. He had just sighed in relief when a purple shortsword shot through the center of the explosion and stuck itself up his ass.


    Zhang Lie chased after him, dashing through the explosion and sending him crashing to the ground with a sudden kick. The sura king''s eyes widened; he had hardly expected Zhang Lie to react so swiftly and decisively.


    How could he have predicted the existence of a hunter like Zhang Lie? Zhang Lie wasn''t the governor, and yet he was far stronger. The sura king had quashed the governor in a single blow, but Zhang Lie was as resilient as a cockroach.


    "Is the king of the sura running away? Why don''t you stay forevermore in the paradise of your dreams instead?" Zhang Lie stomped on the sura king''s buttocks, pinning him to the ground.


    "What do you want, human?!"


    "What do I want? What do you do after catching a human?"


    "Have sex with him, of course!" the sura king replied instinctively. As if realizing that his answer was wed, however, he suddenly coughed and said, "I mean, I''ll treat him in a friendly manner."


    "Is that what you call rape over in yournds?"


    The sura king''s face turned pale. "Don''t you dare try anything¡ªI''m the sura king! If you kill me, you''ll be making yourself an enemy of the sura, who have imed thousands, tens of thousands of kingdoms¡ªyou''ll be marked as an enemy, one to be eradicated at all cost! Do you really think a small human city like Qi would be able to survive under that onught?"


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "Aren''t you thinking too highly of yourself? If there are so many sura, then the death of one lone king would hardly be significant."


    The sura king''s eyes widened; Zhang Lie had a better understanding of the sura than he had thought.


    Cruelly, Zhang Lie whispered in his ear, "Don''t you like ravaging humans? Perhaps it''s your turn to be the victim."


    The sura king''s eyes bulged. "No, please wait, I won''t do it again!"


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venomde shivered, and a bloody dragon shot out of the de and up the sura king''s Twin streaks of blood burst from the sura king''s ass and mouth.


    As expected of the king of the sura, his body was sturdy enough that he didn''t perish from Zhang Lie''s attack. He spasmed a little, but he was far from dying.


    "Are you having fun, sura king?" As he watched the human race''s mortal enemy struggle on the ground, spasming as blood poured out of his body, Zhang Lie couldn''t help feel satisfied.


    "Let justice be served for those you''ve harmed and killed. Again: [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Another dragon, thicker than thest, dove into the sura king''s body.

 Chapter 382: Hero of Mankind

    <h4>Chapter 382: Hero of Mankind</h4>


    "Are you in such ecstasy that you can''t speak? I knew you''d love this sensation¡ª[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie sent another dragon into the sura king''s prone body. "Again! [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]! Look at how much you''re enjoying it¡ªyour whole body is spasming! In that case, let''s keep going¡ª[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    The sura kingy in a pool of his own blood, one which grewrger by the second. He was suffering from heavy internal bleeding as a result of Zhang Lie''s skills, but Zhang Lie had made sure to leave him alive for what was to follow.


    The sura warriors had decimated the human forces. Despite the fact that they had all perished, the humans still bore the sura ill will, a blood feud that couldn''t be easily annulled. The hunters of Qi would need to vent their anger, and the defeated sura king was the best target.


    When the hunters of Qi saw Zhang Lie dragging the sura king''s battered body back to Qi, they looked on in disbelief. They had hoped that a miracle would ur, that Zhang Lie would be able to kill the sura king, but it was still a shock to see that he had really done so.


    A cheer broke the pregnant silence, one which spread until the whole city was in an uproar.


    Zhang Lie had done it¡ªhe had defeated a sura king, all by himself! Not only had he saved Qi, he had started a new chapter in mankind''s history. Humans weren''t weaker than the sura¡ªZhang Lie was mankind''s new hope!


    "Hero!"


    "Hero!"


    "Hero!"


    Cries of adtion and joy burst from the spectators'' mouths. Struck by the mood, Zhang Lie raised the body of the sura king up above his head, and their shouts reached a new crescendo.


    Many of the hunters began to cry, relieved that they had won, that they had survived, that the majority of Qi was safe, that Zhang Lie had proven that the sura could be defeated. He had wrought an aplishment that even Martial Sage Hong Tianqi had not while he was in the second realm.


    Their wounds and their friends'' andrades'' deaths had, at the least, brought them something valuable. How many times had the spectators believed that Zhang Lie would lose? And yet Zhang Lie had ovee one trial after another, and he had seeded in what they once would have deemed impossible.


    "Master!" The members of Team Zenith rushed over.


    "How are the other three fronts faring?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "The moment the sura kingunched his first explosion, the invaders began to flee. They likely sensed just how concentrated the gic energy was in that region and realized that there was still someone in Qi whom they had no chance of beating. Wary that there might be other such hunters waiting for them, they retreated of their own ord."


    Fang Yi scoffed. "Dishonorable foes, preying on the weak. I''ll take them all down if I ever see them again!"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "I''d rather they not return at all."


    Li Feng shrugged. "What''s there to fear with our captain around?"


    With Xia Na''s assistance, the grievously wounded Xiao Zhengyang made his way up to Zhang Lie, where he patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. "Good job."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Are you alright, Governor?"


    Xiao Zhengyang coughed violently. "I''m not dead yet, but I''ve been seriously injured. Why don''t you take over the governorship of Qi for the moment¡ªno, why don''t you just be the governor of Qi? I don''t think anyone here would object."


    Xia Na and the other members of the special forces looked ardently at Zhang Lie, hope and expectation in their eyes.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I have more important affairs to attend to. Please find another sessor."


    Xiao Zhengyang sighed. "What a shame."


    Xia Na crossed her arms. "What could be more important than Qi?"


    Zhang Lie smiled mysteriously. Still dragging the sura king with him, he leapt up to a balcony. "Citizens of Qi, please listen to me! Are you willing to be defeated, time after time, by the sura?"


    "Do you need to ask?!" someone shouted from below. "Of course we aren''t!"


    "In that case, follow me. We''ll strike back against the sura, right here, right now!"


    Silence followed Zhang Lie''s promation. There had been other simr attempts to fend off the sura in the past, but all had ended in failure. Zhang Lie was clearly enervated from his recent sess, but would he be able to stage an effective resistance just like that?


    "If you''re unhappy with your present circumstances, then rise up! Fight with me! What''s there to hesitate about? The sura have just attacked one of our cities¡ªit''s only reasonable that we attack them back! Perhaps we might not have been sessful in the past, but now that their strongest fightersy in, I''m certain of our sess!"


    Zhang Lie shouted, raising the sura king''s body with one arm. "Let''s give the sura a taste of their own medicine!"


    When the crowds saw the defeated sura king, they seemed to make up their minds.


    "We''ll attack the sura!"


    "Yes, let''s get revenge for what they''ve done to us!"


    "We''ve suffered enough because of the sura all this time¡ªit''s time to get payback!"


    If Zhang Lie were able to kill even the sura king, what else was there to be afraid of?


    "Zhang Lie has made history! With the sura king and all his elites defeated, what''s there to be afraid of?"


    "By joining Zhang Lie, we''ll be able to enter the annals of history as well! There''s nothing to fear with him around."


    The hunters all raised their weapons.


    "Indeed, the sura aren''t as fearsome a foe as we made them out to be. As you all saw, I managed to defeat a whole horde of the sura king''s elites with just one special item."


    "A special item?" The hunters all perked up their ears at what Zhang Lie would mention next.


    "This potion concocted by the Yeluo n is harmless to humans but anathema to the sura. Any drop of liquid that touches a sura fighter will cause their body to destroy itself from the inside out."


    "Really?" a hunter shouted.


    Someone who had seen the initial sortie replied, "Of course! I saw it with my own eyes¡ªZhang Lie rained down drops of some mysterious liquid on the sura fighters, and then they started melting!"


    Some of the hunters who had been hesitating made up their mind.


    "My brother lost his life on this battlefield. I saw a few sura fighters tear apart and devour his corpse¡ªthey''ll all die for what they''ve done!"


    "A few years ago, a few sura fighters killed and devoured my girlfriend in front of me. Since then, my main motivation for growing stronger has been to avenge her."


    "The sura have apparently been rearing humans in theirnds like livestock, and it''s our obligation to rescue them."


    Zhang Lie''s words set the entire city of Qi ame. The sura''s actions toward the humans had fomented bitter hatred, but they had felt powerless to act on that hatred¡ªuntil now. Zhang Lie''s victory had enervated them all.


    As Zhang Lie leapt down from the balcony, Xiao Zhengyang advised, "Isn''t it too early for something like this? I know how strong you are, but the sura aren''t weak either, especially with the home field advantage."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "If we humans want to make a name for ourselves in the second realm, we have to show the sura that we can fight back. We have to defend ourselves, and our first target has to be the dominant race of the second realm¡ªthe sura!"


    The reason that other alien races had attacked Qi when the sura invaded was because they thought that humans were weak, and Qi would be a good target. By retaliating against the sura, Zhang Lie intended to inform the races of the second realm that that was no longer true.


    He handed the sura king, which he continued to drag behind him, to Xiao Zhengyang. "Have someone hang him on the castle walls, and let whoever wants to give him a knife to his back."


    Xiao Zhengyang''s eyes widened. "Isn''t this the sura king?"


    "Indeed. We''ll make an example out of him and show the other races why we aren''t to be trifled with. Remember to feed him some potions now and then so he doesn''t die."


    Xia Na rubbed her hands. "Can anyone attack him?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Don''t worry. I''ve already stripped him of his gic core, so he won''t be able to retaliate against anyone, but make sure not to kill him outright."


    The gathered hunters nced deeply at the sura king, malice in their eyes.


    Xiao Zhengyang was bbergasted, but in the end, he agreed with Zhang Lie''s suggestions. ncing at the sura king, he couldn''t help but feel embarrassed that he had lost in just one blow, whereas Zhang Lie had defeated and even subdued him without killing him.


    "Team Zenith, assemble! Prepare to attack the surands."


    "Yes, Captain!"


    Xiao Zhengyang asked, "Are you going to head out immediately? Don''t you need some rest after that fight?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "We can''t give the sura any time to react and to summon reinforcements."


    Xiao Zhengyang nodded, but he nced gravely at the battle-weary fighters.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t bring everyone with me. I''ll pick out the healthy hunters with decent strength and form a team of elites to massacre the sura."


    "Very well. I''ll leave my men in your hands."


    The members of Team Zenith began to examine the volunteers for the mission. Almost every hunter wanted to participate, but most were unable to do so. Those who weren''t exceptionally strong and those who were injured would only be liabilities in this blitzkrieg attack; Zhang Lie wanted the best of the best.


    In no more than an hour, a troop of hunters three thousand strong stood in front of him.

 Chapter 383: Striking the Sura Capital

    <h4>Chapter 383: Striking the Sura Capital</h4>


    "Depart!" Zhang Liemanded.


    They followed the tracks of the sura king and his retinue backwards. Thanks to the sura king, who had culled the gic lifeforms nearby on his way to Qi, Zhang Lie and his party were able to make rapid headway.


    Once they reached thends of the sura, Zhang Lie shouted, "Kill!"


    The sura began to panic. It felt like no time had passed at all between the sura king''s departure with his elite troops and Zhang Lie and his party invading theirnds.


    Within the capital of the surands, on one of the watchtowers overlooking the city walls, one of the sura fightersy on the floor as he stared out the window. "Why do you think the king''s been gone for so long?"


    Beneath the watchtower, a fighter responded, "They''re probably all having a feast with the humans they''ve caught! That''s what they used to do in the past, after all. It''ll probably be a few days before their return."


    The sentries didn''t take their jobs too seriously; after all, it had been many years since someone dared to attack a capital of the surands.


    Beneath the watchtower, another fighter added, "There''s even a chance the king and his party won''t return for half a month or so. Regardless, given his strength, there''s no way he would fail. Let''s wait to hear their good news."


    "Ah, I''m envious¡ªthey''ll have a chance to taste fresh human meat! Ever since I ate the one my family was rearing, I''ve been salivating to get the taste of another. I should have gone with them!"


    From the watchtower, one sura fighter nced at the path the king and his retinue had taken out of the surands and found a party of hunters heading in the opposite direction. "Look! Could the king be back already?"


    The guard by his side frowned. "Would they have returned so quickly? That seems unlikely."


    The scout continued to murmur to himself, "Wait, they don''t look like sura¡ªaren''t these... humans?!"


    The other fighters all began tough.


    "Ha! I can''t believe I fell for that. You''re pulling a prank on us, aren''t you?"


    "And here I thought we really were facing an invasion from another race!"


    The first fighter replied seriously, "But there really is a party of humans heading in this direction!"


    "You must be blind¡ªwhere would humans find the courage to attack us sura? They''ve never won a single altercation against us."


    However, upon the first fighter''s urging, they too began to look outside the watchtower.


    "They... really do seem to be a band of humans."


    The first fighter rolled his eyes. "That''s what I told you!"


    "What are they doing here? Surely they don''t n on invading us."


    "Maybe they couldn''t beat our king, so they''re trying to attack us in an attempt to get him to retreat?" one fighter suggested.


    "What, you think these humans can do anything against us?"


    Hisrades scoffed at him. Every member of the sura was a fighter in their own right. Although some hadn''t received military training, the constitution of the sura alone meant that they were no weaker than ordinary hunters.


    It was precisely because of their physical strength that they were so arrogant; after all, on the basis of that strength, they had conquered the entirety of the second realm.


    "Didn''t you say that you wanted to consume human flesh?" one sura fighter asked. "You must be happy to see all this human meat making its way over, then!"


    One of the fighters frowned. "But isn''t it strange?"


    "What?"


    "How did these humans make their way over here?


    Aren''t there quite a few cities and settlements the humans have to get through before arriving at the capital? Could they have avoided them all?"


    "Imagine that¡ªcould the humans know how ournds are structured, as well as where our forts are? But if they didn''t..."


    Some of the sura fighters shook their heads. "What''s there to worry about? They''re just humans! Would we sura be afraid of them? We''ve all reared a few humans, haven''t we? They''re perfectly harmless, and we even break them all the time by ident! I''ve fought with humans myself, and I''ve taken part in some of theserge-scale fights. It generally takes around four humans to bring down a seasoned sura fighter. We''ll be able to handle that human party easily."


    The sura fighter ncing at the human procession continued to frown. "I still feel like something''s wrong."


    As the sura fighters continued to chat, Zhang Lie and a group of the fastest human hunters flew toward the city, sending drops of the Yeluo potion sttering all over. Quite a few sura fighters were caught in the spray before they could even react, and their bodies began to dpose on the spot.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]! A gigantic flock of ck dragons soared throughout the city, dive-bombing the walls and crushing the sura fighters caught within.


    "Rush forward with me!" Zhang Lie and his three thousand troops rushed into the capital of the surands.


    Their invasion was so rapid, and the scouts on the watchtowers so ignorant of the humans'' true strength, that no advance warning was sent to the citizens ensconced within the capital. As a result, the fighting began and ended extremely quickly.


    Every hunter held a weapon that had been dipped in the Yeluo poison, and they easily ughtered whatever resistance they found. Having lost their king and arge fraction of their forces, the sura were unable to resist the humans'' invasion, and they ultimately found themselves fleeing from their capital.


    The human fighters were all exhausted after defending Qi and then rushing over to the surands, but bright smiles shone across all their faces. They stuck the g of Qi above the top of the sura king''s pce, waving it as they yelled out, "For the honor of glory of Qi! For Zhang Lie!"

 Chapter 384: The Price of Assistance

    <h4>Chapter 384: The Price of Assistance</h4>


    While Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, and the hunters of Qi were conquering the sura capital, the world federation was still in the middle of discussions about providing aid.


    Everyone in the world federation was worried to hear that Qi had been attacked. There were only four human cities remaining in the second realm, and losing Qi was tantamount to losing a quarter of mankind''s holdings.


    Even more importantly were the million hunters stationed around Qi, who would lose everything they had if Qi really were to be seized by the sura. In the end, Hong Tianqi expedited the world federation''s deliberation process and brought this matter in front of the highest authorities himself.


    "We humans don''t have muchnd in the second realm, and losing another city would be a major setback. No matter what, we have to send reinforcements to Qi¡ª don''t forget, mankind''s loss will be the entire world federation''s loss!" Hong Tianqi mmed a palm down on the table in agitation.


    Amurong shook his head. "Hong, please calm down. It''s unrealistic for us to be sending troops and resources over. If they were to be injured or killed in the process, who would bear responsibility? Furthermore, if there were alien races who took this opportunity to strike, we would lose more than just Qi.


    "Finally, by the time these reinforcements arrive, Qi would likely have been leveled to the ground already. As you know, the sura are undefeated in the second realm, and our reports state that a sura king and his band of elite fighters are present."


    "Is that so?" Hong Tianqi barked. ?"You''ll sit by and do nothing as Qi falls to rubble?"


    Amurong smiled knowingly at Hong Tianqi. "If I''m not wrong, Zhang Lie''s in Qi, isn''t he?"


    Hong Tianqi frowned.


    Amurong continued, "Losing Qi would dramatically reduce Zhang Lie''s rate of growth, so you''d like to keep Qi at all costs."


    Hong Tianqi snorted. "This isn''t just a matter of Zhang Lie, but rather of the world federation atrge. Don''t forget that the existence of Qi benefits all of us, not just Zhang Lie!"


    Amurong spread his arms. "How will saving Qi benefit the rest of us here?"


    Hong Tianqi frowned even more harshly. "Why would providing aid require anything in return?"


    Amurong smirked. "You want us, the highest authorities of the world federation, to send reinforcements to Qi, don''t you? That will incur a cost on the other members¡ªthe rest of us. After all, sending aid means that we might be risking our own hunters."


    "Aren''t you all part of the world federation? What''s the point of this alliance, then? We humans have sent help and assistance to other races here whenever they needed it!"


    Amurongced his fingers and supported his lower jaw with it. "As I''ve mentioned already, your situation is different. Moving our forces to Qi will require arge expenditure of time and energy. Furthermore, your enemy is the sura, the hegemon of the second realm! If it''s a matter of such urgency to you, surely you should provide somepensation to the rest of us. Otherwise, even if I permit this operation, I find it unlikely that anyone would volunteer to send aid.


    "As you know, every mobilization order sent out by the highest authorities will require a certain amount of resources as the price. Since this order was initiated by the humans, the humans should be the ones to pay that price."


    Amurong noticed that Hong Tianqi was getting rather agitated, but he didn''t care¡ªthe power he held in his hands would be able to decide Zhang Lie''s future, and even Zhang Lie''s life. Given how flustered Hong Tianqi was, Amurong even suspected that Zhang Lie might be in Qi at this very moment.


    Hong Tianqi retorted, "Hunters from all races in the world federation are present in Qi!"


    Amurong spread his arms again. "We can recover from such a loss, but can you afford to lose Zhang Lie?"


    "Isn''t Zhang Lie also a member of the world federation?"


    Amurong chuckled coldly. "Why don''t I help you make a decision? If you promise a vial of Potion #1 for each hunter that takes part in this operation, the entire world federation will send forces in aid of Qi."


    An operation of this magnitude would require hundreds of thousands of reinforcements at the very least, and Zhang Lie hardly had the wherewithal to produce the potion in such quantities.


    Amurong continued, "Think quickly, won''t you? You''re running out of time. Shall we leave the decision to a vote?"


    A representative by Amurong''s side suggested, "Tianqi, why don''t you give in? With Zhang Lie around, you''ll surely be able to produce endless vials of Potion #1, and even Potions #2, #3, and #4!"


    The representatives allied with Amurong smiled maliciously at Hong Tianqi, greed shing in their eyes.


    At the very least, the representatives of those races that had allied themselves with the humans seemed abhorrent of what Amurong was trying to pull off, and from their nces at Hong Tianqi, it seemed as though they would be willing to provide reinforcements regardless of whether the motion was passed.


    Hong Tianqi suddenly sucked in a deep breath and wiped the anxiety from his face.


    "Very well. In that case, I choose not to submit this motion for consideration. Let Qi live or die by its own hand."


    Amurong''s eyes widened. "Hong, are you certain? You¡ª"


    Amurong was about to continue trying to persuade Hong Tianqi when the doors to the meeting room were suddenly pushed open, and a scout rushed in.


    "Urgent news¡ª Qi has won a great victory against the sura, and Zhang Lie''s captured the invading sura king alive!"


    "What?! The humans won?!"


    "They caught the sura king alive... I can''t be dreaming, can I?"


    Amurong and the other representatives gaped in shock while Hong Tianqi roared inughter. "Ha, haha, hahaha! I can''t believe Zhang Lie actually managed to capture a sura king alive. I couldn''t do the same in the second realm; he''s going to usher in an era of prosperity for us humans, I''m sure."


    Amurong''s face was pinched as he asked the scout, "Is this information credible?"


    "Yes, sir! I heard the news straight from the wounded governor of Qi himself!


    When he heard that Xiao Zhengyang had been injured, Hong Tianqi frowned. "And what of Zhang Lie? Is he badly injured?"


    "No, ?Zhang Lie wasn''t injured at all!"


    The representatives nced at the scout in shock. How could Zhang Lie have subdued the sura king without taking injuries? That was ridiculous! They had to ascertain just what had happened for themselves, but one thing was clear: they could hardly be enemies of mankind now.


    With a grin, Hong Tianqi continued, "Where''s Zhang Lie now?"


    "Well, he''s..."


    "Stop mumbling and speak up!" Amurong called out impatiently.


    He had almost seeded in forcing Hong Tianqi''s hand, so the sudden reversal in the humans'' fortune had been a nasty surprise.


    "Zhang Lie, along with three thousand hunters from Qi, has... counter-invaded the surands!"


    Amurong: ? ? ?


    The gathered representatives: ! ! !


    Even Hong Tianqi was agog now.


    By then, the sura capital waspletely under Zhang Lie''s control. He and the members of Team Zenith walked through the gigantic pce of the sura king. When he pushed open a door from which a nauseating smell was emanating, his face turned dark.


    The room was akin to a dungeon in which thirty or so human males and females were kept. Their bodies were nude, and quite a few of the females were pregnant. Rather than humans, they seemed more like livestock. Their eyes were zed over, and they seemed more like walking corpses than anything else.


    They had already given up hope, and they barely stirred upon seeing the doors open.


    Hong Xi felt a pang of pain in her chest, unable to bear such cruel torture.


    "Don''t worry, we''re here to save you!" she cried out. "The sura have been defeated, and you''re all free."


    However, her words had almost no effect on the prisoners. Most of them began to bleat and cry out like pigs, with only a single middle-aged man revealing a hint of an unusual expression. Unfortunately, he was simply so frightened that, despite opening his mouth, he ultimately closed it and instead squealed and bleated like the other prisoners.


    Only when Hong Xi repeated herself did the man ask hoarsely, "I-I''m free?"


    "Yes, you''re free!"


    "Have the, the sura b-been destroyed?"


    "We''ve killed the ones that fought and let the rest flee. It''s over!" Hong Xi confirmed.


    The man''s eyes slowly grew wide as he processed her words. "Truly?"


    Hong Xi pointed at Zhang Lie. "This is my master, Zhang Lie from the Zenith Dojo. He, along with three thousand brave hunters from Qi, freed thesends from the oppression of the sura!"


    The man asked, "What of the sura king?"


    When he mentioned the sura king, everyone in the dungeon shuddered, as though their fear of him had been emzoned in their very soul. Zhang Lie could hardly imagine just what they had suffered.


    Despite seeing Zhang Lie in the flesh, the men and women in the dungeon still couldn''t believe their new reality. It seemed far more likely that they were still dreaming.


    Zhang Lie turned around. "Walk outside and you''ll understand."


    Hong Xi broke apart their chains as they stepped toward the entrance to the dungeon, but they hesitated before the boundary. They were afraid that, the moment they stepped out, they would find that they had been in a dream all along.


    Hong Xi and the others had to plead and cajole them before they reluctantly drummed up their courage and took their first tentative step outside.


    Blinding rays of sunlight impinged on their faces. Because they had been kept away from the sunlight for so long, their eyes were unable to adapt, and they threw up their hands and averted their gaze.


    The next moment, however, despite the overwhelming pain, they forced themselves to nce out of the pce and toward the capital. The buildings all around had been destroyed, and the only people on the streets were human scouts. gs of Qi fluttered wherever they looked; one hung right above the top of the pce, visible all throughout the capital. Those humans who lived in darkness and despair cried on seeing it as they dropped to the ground and sobbed.


    How long they had suffered in interminable pain! How long they hady deste in the icy-cold dungeon, how long they had hoped to be rescued as they watched theirpanions die!


    They had hoped, but never truly expected, that they would see sunlight once again.

 Chapter 385: Kobe Beef

    <h4>Chapter 385: Kobe Beef</h4>


    Unfortunately, some of the prisoners didn''t seem as though they would be able to enjoy their newfound freedom for long. Given how long they had been imprisoned, even the strongest, sturdiest hunters would have received irreversible damage to their body.


    An old man who walked out of the dungeon was so agitated by the light that he passed away almost as he stepped into the sun. Zhang Lie and the others watched on as his body was cremated.


    His life had been unlucky, but hisst moments had been marked by a stroke of luck. He had died feeling the warmth of sunlight on his face, understanding that there were people who had ventured out into thends of the sura to rescue him. How many prisoners had died in vain, buried without even the hope of rescue?


    What was most frightening was that such dungeons weremonce throughout the capital, not just the pce. The sura had reared humans like livestock, and there was even arge human farm within the capital.


    There were over five hundred humans within, as well as human bones numbering in the tens of thousands. The search parties ended up rescuing over a thousand imprisoned humans, most of which were female.


    This was only one of the sura''s many kingdoms. How many humans were held in captivity all throughout thends of the sura?


    Some of these humans had been captured by the sura while on one expedition or another, while others came from cities or settlements that the sura had destroyed. The human fighters shuddered; if not for Zhang Lie, they could well have ended up in simr straits.


    Hong Xi asked, "Why is it that so many of these human women are pregnant, but we haven''t seen any babies?"


    Zhang Lie nced at her warily. "You don''t want to know the answer to that."


    Victory was exhrating, but the aftermath of the victory left much to be desired. No human could be excited at seeing their own kind as livestock.


    Zhang Lie suddenly asked, "Sun Mengmeng, didn''t you ask how we were going to deal with the sura captives we ended up with?"


    Sun Mengmeng was silent.


    "We''ll send them all to Qi, then rear them like livestock ourselves."


    Li Feng clenched his fists tightly. "No¡ªjust kill them and end this feud once and for all."


    Zhang Lie replied coldly, "Barbarians might eat each other, but civilized folk wouldn''t. Nevertheless, their revenge might well be something far worse than anything barbarians coulde up with. We''ll set up aboratory for investigating the sura in Qi. I''m sure the scientists of the world federation will be very interested in their preternatural strength."


    The sura would beb rats, stepping stones for the advancement of humanity. This series of research might not bear fruit for a century or two, but these sura surely wouldn''t fare any better asb rats than as livestock.


    After all, biological research often ended up mutting its test subjects.


    The special forces troops that Xia Na led, responsible for searching the sura pce, came back dragging three human women. These women all had their mouths secured by gags, but unlike the other captives that Zhang Lie and the others had found, they were clean, ornamented, and dressed beautifully.


    Although these women were tied up, they struggled furiously at their captivity.


    Hong Xi asked, "Who are these women?"


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "The sura king has regr human concubines too?"


    Li Fengmented, "If I recall correctly, the sura king was only interested in human men. Why would he keep these women?"


    Xia Na motioned for her men to remove their gags. "Let''s hear what they have to say, shall we?"


    As they did so, they could hear one of the women shouting furiously, "What are all of you doing?! How could you assault ournds just like that? You''re all demons and devils¡ªunhand the sura you''ve kept prisoner and scram! You''ll receive retribution for what you''ve done, this I swear!"


    Zhang Lie and his retinue were shocked by the woman''s surprising reaction.


    She continued, "Both the humans and the sura are capable of negotiating with each other, and any violence like what you''ve disyed should be met with harsh censure. Given how magnificent the sura are, it''s only natural that they would rule over the humans. What right do you have to attack them senselessly, to beat and kill them? Who gave you that authority?!"


    Instead of listening to her harangue, Zhang Lie sent a punch in her direction, causing her head to burst open like a ripe watermelon.


    Blood sprayed the nearby hunters as they jerked, not expecting that Zhang Lie would kill a fellow human so easily.


    "They''ve all been brainwashed, and it''s far toote for them. End their misery," Zhang Liemanded.


    Hong Xi rubbed her temples. "Are we really going to kill our own kind?"


    Xia Na folded her arms. "These women are a blight to us all."


    Li Feng asked, "Why would these women behave in this manner? Surely they can''t stand the atrocities done to their fellow captives?"


    Instead of replying, Xia Na asked, "Are you familiar with kobe beef?"


    Li Feng nodded. "Allegedly, their pastures are the greenest, their grass is the freshest, they drink spring water from deep in the mountains, and they listen to music and get specialized massages as part of their daily routine.


    "There are specialists that n out every aspect of their life, and they''re apparently even more expensive to rear than a human. They''re killed when their meat is the tastiest, and beef from these cows sell for an astronomical price."


    Xia Na nodded. "In principle, you could easily do the same to humans¡ªhave them drink water infused with spiritual energy, the flesh of superior- or higher-grade lifeforms prepared by the best chefs, and let them enjoy all measure of pleasant activities. Give them whatever they want, and when they grow into their prime, kill them in their sleep. Their flesh will be tastier than that of any other human."


    Simultaneously wanting and not wanting to confirm her suspicions, Hong Xi asked, "In that case, these women are..."


    "Nothing more than livestock reared by the sura king, yes. In order to enhance the taste of their flesh even further, they''re free to roam within thends of the sura and able to eat whatever they want. As long as their demands aren''t too extreme, the sura will do all they can to satisfy them.


    "They''re treated as VIP guests wherever they go, allowed to buy whatever they want, and protected by the emperor''s own guards. In the end, however, their fate is one and the same: to be consumed like kobe beef.


    "In some sense, they''re no better than the sura. They''ve been brainwashed their entire life, and it''s only natural that they would despise us like the sura themselves."


    Li Feng nodded his head, convinced. "In that case, it really doesn''t make sense to let them live."

 Chapter 386: Hero of Qi

    <h4>Chapter 386: Hero of Qi</h4>


    Li Feng asked curiously, "How did you know about this?"


    Xia Na retrieved a manual. "I found it in the pce''s library. It''s a manual about preparing the highest-quality human meat, and it starts by describing this sort of rearing process."


    Li Feng''s eyes widened. "You can read sura logograms?"


    Xia Na nodded. "All members of the special forces learn a few unique skills."


    Hong Xi asked, "Xia Na, have you considered re-educating them?"


    "Do you think that would be useful? You heard the woman''s words, didn''t you? She still thinks that she''s living in that sham of a dream¡ªshe''s perfectly happy and willing to live as a pig!"


    Zhang Lie then asked, "Do they know how the other human captives are treated?"


    "Of course she does. They''ve seen quite a few of the other captives, but they feel as though they deserve their special treatment, and that the others had to have done something wrong. They''re just like the nobility of the past¡ªthey know about others'' suffering, but they don''t care enough to do anything about it!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "You shouldn''t have brought them over and polluted our sight."


    "Captain, they''re still humans, aren''t they? I didn''t want to make a move without discussing it with you and everyone first."


    "No, they can hardly be considered human anymore. Kill them: ?if they want to live in a dream, then let them dream forevermore."


    By then, just about everyone in the world federation was paying attention to the news about Qi.


    "What''s going on with Qi? Is it about to fall?"


    "It surely will¡ªthere''s never been a human city that''s been able to defeat sura invaders!"


    "Not only that, three other alien races began attacking Qi the moment they noticed the sura invasion."


    "Apparently, a sura king himself appeared on the battlefield. Qi''s going to fall for sure!"


    "What?! I have family in Qi!"


    Everyone was sighing over mankind''s weakness rtive to the sura and their imminent reduction innd in the second realm when an urgent announcement was added¡ª[Qi''s total victory! Zhang Lie captured the sura king alive!]


    "What?! Qi defeated the sura?!"


    "Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie managed to capture the sura king alive!"


    "This has to be fake! How can it be? No human has ever been able to defeat a sura king. Even the strongest hunter we know of, the Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, only managed to fend off a sura king in the second realm. How could Zhang Lie fare better than him? This has to be fake news!"


    Someone else replied, "No, it''s not fake. I just came from Qi myself, and we all saw Zhang Lie capture the sura king with our own eyes. His body''s hanging by our sole remaining city wall right now, and everyone can do what they want with it!"


    "It''s true, it''s all true. Zhang Lie''s charting a new course through history for all of mankind!"


    "Right, this isn''t a rumor¡ªI witnessed it too! I observed this turning point in mankind''s history!"


    There were quite a number of wounded hunters in Qi who were unable to do anything because of the severity of their injuries, and these hunters had taken it on themselves to share the news of Zhang Lie''s astounding victory, leading to the burgeoning number ofments under the article proiming Qi''s victory.


    One hunter asked, "Just how did Zhang Lie manage to save Qi?"


    "Oh, it''s a long story. Qi found itself surrounded on all four fronts: the main force was the sura, and three other alien races each separately attacked one front upon learning about the sura invasion. No hunter in Qi was willing to retreat; we all chose to fight with our lives on the line.


    "Unfortunately, there was such a great disparity in our numbers and strength that we were soundly beaten on all four fronts. Our morale had reached rock bottom when our governor, Xiao Zhengyang, strode forward like a zing sun, defeating the sura elder in an instant.


    "However, the sura king was far too strong on the battlefield. Governor Xiao lost against the sura king in just one blow, and as we despaired, the hero of Qi, Zhang Lie, arrived on the scene with a horde of over a hundred dragons, instantly sending the alien invaders fleeing for their lives.


    "With a wave of his hand, the sura perished in the hundreds and thousands. The sura king fought him to a standstill. Then, Zhang Lie gradually took the upper hand, and the sura king was forced to use his ultimate technique."


    "Hold on, hold on! That''s ridiculous! You''re saying Zhang Lie held back all four fronts alone? That he killed thousands of sura with a casual attack? That''s impossible!"


    Another person replied, "He did exaggerate a little, but as a hunter defending Qi, I can promise you that his recounting was otherwise urate."


    "Where''s Zhang Lie now, then?"


    A sudden article answered this question for everyone. [Humanity''s counter-invasion! Three thousand hunters entering the surands!]


    "The invasion of Qi was a crime against mankind. On themand of the hero who saved Qi, three thousand hunters of Qiunched a counteroffensive into the territory of the sura."


    The hunters ncing at the article were even more shocked than before.


    "What? Are we so strong that we can strike back at the sura now?"


    "Just three thousand troops? Is that enough?"


    "This is ridiculous¡ªeven a drama wouldn''t go to such an extent!"


    "It''s a true story, I witnessed it myself!


    The champion of the Void Cup, Zhang Lie, said those exact words: ''No one shall tread on mankind''s dignity.''"


    "No one shall tread on mankind''s dignity!"


    .


    "No one shall tread on mankind''s dignity!"


    The news of mankind''s retaliation drew more and more attention, and some of the readers even began to wish that they too had been in Qi.

 Chapter 387: A Mystical Beast

    <h4>Chapter 387: A Mystical Beast</h4>


    "As a hunter of Qi, I can promise you that all of this is true. If not for the injuries I incurred during the battle, there would have been 3001 soldiers entering sura territory."


    "If I weren''t injured, there would have been 3002!"


    "If I were in Qi, there would have been 3003!"


    "Ridiculous¡ªthere would only have been three thousand regardless! That was a number set by Zhang Lie himself!"


    "Hmph! If I weren''t injured, I would surely have been selected!"


    "Zhang Lie''s a true hero¡ªof course humanity should fight back after repelling a sura invasion!"


    Of course, there were those who doubted these proceedings.


    "What happened in the end?"


    "What else? They''ve surely all perished! We''ve sent quite a few forces against the sura, but we''ve never won a single altercation against them. Trying to counter-invade was a grievous mistake¡ªI can''t believe anyone would have allowed that!"


    "But Zhang Lie caught the sura king alive, didn''t he? That shows that he has enough strength to be able tobat the sura, surely?"


    "Even so, how do you think these troops are faring? They have to be exhausted after defending their city, and now they''re going to traipse all the way to the territory of the sura andunch a counterattack on the fly? Do you think they''re strong enough for that? Not even Zhang Lie would be able to do anything under such circumstances.


    "I believe in the hero of Qi!"


    Another article took the world by storm.


    [Zhang Lie seizes the sura capital, rescuing ten thousand human captives!]


    "Under themand of the hero of Qi, we fightersunched a surprise invasion of the surands. Because of our blitzkrieg attack, the sura were unable to respond in time. We sessfully captured the capital of the sura, only to find humans being reared like livestock in hundreds of locations throughout the capital. We immediatelyunched a search-and-rescue operation, and you can see our results."


    It seemed as though one bombshell wasnding after another: Zhang Lie saved Qi, then invaded the territory of the sura, seeded, and even saved ten thousand humans!


    "Zhang Lie''s a true hero, and we never could have done any of this without him! He managed to take over the capital of this particr sura kingdom with just three thousand men¡ªZhang Lie''s not just creating history, he''s helping mankind reach new heights!"


    "I''ve made up my mind: I''ll report to the Zenith Dojo tomorrow, even if the only position avable for me there is that of a janitor!"


    "Zhang Lie''s a true hero, a true paragon!"


    Zhang Lie''s renown rose like a rocket given his recent aplishments. All of China¡ªno, the whole world, the entirety of the Sr System, the breadth of the Milky Way¡ªwas paying attention to him and spreading the tales of his heroism.


    Once the search parties had conducted a thorough search of the capital, everyone gathered at the pce, where Zhang Lie broke through the doors to the treasure with a technique.


    The sura king''s treasury was filled with all sorts of precious jewels and herbs.


    The sura were a wealthy race, and that wealth pervaded the treasury. Treasures stacked up on piles the size of small mountains, and even the members of Team Zenith, who had seen their fair share of treasure, were eyeing everything greedily.


    Zhang Lie''s attention zeroed in on a specific herb with blood-colored fruit whose surface seemed to be burning up with mes. It had been preserved very well, and almost no spiritual energy leaked out of it.


    This too was a key ingredient for Potion #4, and Zhang Lie was shocked that he had found it within the sura''s treasury.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, what should we do with these treasures?"


    "Each of you can pick and choose a few that you want to keep. We''ll leave a portion for those human captives that have recently been released so that they can make a new life for themselves. ?Of the remaining treasure, give half to the hunters that have participated in this expedition, and we''ll keep the rest for the Zenith Dojo."


    It was only natural that Zhang Lie would reward the troops who hade all this way with him; after all, he would still need their manpower in the fights toe.


    Xia Na rushed over in a hurry. "Captain, have a look at this!"


    "What''s the matter?"


    Xia Na handed him a scroll on which a strange human-headed bird was drawn.


    "What''s this?"


    "ording to the scroll, this kingdom is protected by a mystical beast, one whose mes can melt iron and steel, whose gigantic wings can blot out the sky, whose mouth can swallow the sun, whose ws can split the sea, and whose blood-red feathers can purge all that live."


    "In that case, why hasn''t it appeared yet?" Zhang Lie asked in shock.


    .


    "Apparently, it can only appear after the appropriate summoning ritual has been performed, and we took over the city far too fast for the sura to perform this ritual."


    Li Feng shrugged. "If it isn''t going to appear, there''s nothing to fear."


    Zhang Lie mulled it over for a moment. "How strong is it?"


    Xia Na continued, "ording to the scroll, it''s likely stronger than the sura king himself. It''s a peak-grade lifeform, at the very least!"


    At least a peak-grade lifeform... could it be a disaster-grade lifeform??Zhang Lie thought. If so, capturing the sura''s capital really had been a worthwhile endeavor. Not only had Zhang Lie obtained another ingredient for Potion #4, he had even found the traces of another peak-grade, or even disaster-grade, lifeform!


    "What sort of ritual does the summoning process require?"


    "A hundred thousand bodies of the sura, along with a specialized altar."


    "Good, very good. We haven''t gotten rid of all the sura corpses, have we? Tell me where the altar is."


    Sun Mengmeng interrupted, "Captain, are you intending to summon this mystical beast?"


    "The only reason it hadn''t been summoned was because we were lucky. I don''t intend to keep a sword of Damocles hanging over my neck."


    Indeed, if there were sura who had survived the purge and somehow knew of the ritual, it was possible that they could summon this mystical beast at an inopportune moment for the humans andnd them all in trouble.


    "We might as well defuse the bomb while we''re able to do so. Sun Mengmeng, divide the spoils of war, and let the hunters who are able to fight continue to conquer the rest of the surands. I''ll handle this mystical beast," Zhang Lie continued.


    While Zhang Lie was talking, he spotted a vital treasure, something that caught even his eye. He nced at it cautiously from afar, mumbling to himself, "A thousand-poison bloodsoul fruit! As expected, there really is a huge amount of treasure here. With this, I can brew..."

 Chapter 388: The Anxious Amurong

    <h4>Chapter 388: The Anxious Amurong</h4>


    After iming his spoils, Zhang Lie personally headed to the altar, which wasn''t too far from the capital of the sura. It was a tower that stretched so high it seemed to pierce the skies. There was arge tform at the very top, with an image of the human-faced mystical beast engraved upon it.


    Following the ritual, Zhang Lie started by cing ten thousand sura corpses in an array that connected to an extradimensional pocket space. He would do this ten times in session. On the tenth try, once the mystical beast had eaten its fill, it would be ready to defeat the sura''s enemies.


    The scent of the bloody sura corpses was thick in the air. In just a few moments, he could hear a strange birdcall far into the distance. A scarlet shadow zipped through the clouds, moving so quickly that Zhang Lie was only able to catch its appearance when it had stopped right in front of him.


    Its beak was green, its face frozen into a rictus. Incisors poked out of its mouth on either side of its face, and a crown showed on its head. Its body was golden, its feathers red, its wings each half as long again as its body.


    This was the sura''s mystical beast.


    As it approached, a gust of hot wind blew toward Zhang Lie. It had constrained its domain, but Zhang Lie still felt scorching heat all around him, as though he were standing in the middle of a ze.


    Unfortunately, Zhang Lie was certain that this wasn''t truly a disaster-grade lifeform; it was possible that it was only a peak-grade lifeform about to transition to disaster-grade.


    As the human-faced bird consumed the sura''s corpses, Zhang Lie poured more out of his extradimensional storage, clutching Venombane tightly.


    While humans all over the gxy were cheering because of Zhang Lie, there was one man who was extremely upset: one of the highest authorities of the world federation, Amurong.


    Deep within a secret chamber in the highest authorities'' pce, Amurong asked, his face dark, "Is this all true?"


    The shadow standing opposite him replied affirmatively, "Yes, sir, it''s all been confirmed. Zhang Lie roused three thousand troops to invade the territory of the sura and managed to im one of their capitals for himself. After that, he rescued ten thousand humans from captivity within the capital."


    Amurong''s face turned even more downcast. "How are his actions being received by the gxy?"


    "He''s established a precedent for the humans¡ªthey''re all calling him a true hero!"


    "Very well. I understand. Continue keeping an eye on him and on all his activities."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Right after his subordinate left, Amurong flung the cup in his hand onto the floor, smashing it to pieces.


    Zhang Lie''s name and fame was rising at an even higher rate than when he had be the champion of the Void Cup.


    After issuing a bounty on the Musi n, quite a few of the stronger hunters had been concerned about his actions, but now, after he single-handedly rescued Qi and invaded the territory of the sura, his reputation was soaring once again.


    Furthermore, a rumor had even begun to spread that Musi Yu, head of the Musi n, was a beloved concubine of the sura king, and the reason that the sura king had attacked Qi was to seek revenge for him. Apparently, Musi Yu was also the mastermind behind the Eclipse Sage''s death, and the Musi n had long since betrayed mankind. That was why Zhang Lie had issued a bounty on him.


    Thus, Zhang Lie''s selfish actions were reframed as a noble cause, one which garnished his reputation even further.


    Given his sterling reputation, it would be dangerous for Amurong or anyone else to try to topple him now; a careless move could mark them as a public enemy of the world federation. And with Hong Tianqi backing Zhang Lie up, they would be hard-pressed to strike, even if they were daring enough to do so.


    Hunters from all over the gxy were still continuing to cheer for Zhang Lie.


    "I really am grateful for the hero of Qi. My father spent thirteen years in the second realm without returning to Earth. We had thought that he had perished in a fight, but it turned out that he had been captured by the sura instead! Thanks to Zhang Lie and the other hunters of the expedition, my father, who has been missing for thirteen years, has finally returned!"


    "My family had been taken by the sura as well. I hadn''t expected to ever see them again, not until today! Zhang Lie is truly the savior of mankind!"


    As the ten thousand hunters were teleported from Qi to their respective homes, those humans who found loved ones, once presumed dead, returning to them couldn''t help but thank Zhang Lie from the bottom of their hearts.


    The human-faced bird was enjoying its meal without identifying the killing intent emanating from the human right by its side. Just as it was at its most rxed, Zhang Lie suddenly struck.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood dragon flew out of Venombane and wrapped around the beast''s neck as Zhang Lie thrust the de into its head.


    The human-faced bird pped its wings and shook its head furiously as it tried to dislodge Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie had such a firm grip that the mystical beast, try as it might, couldn''t do anything about him. Instead, it activated its domain of hellfire, sending blood-red mes ring all around its body and incinerating the sura corpses it had yet to consume to cinders.


    At the same time, a wheel of ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and blood-red moonlight by his feet. The two domains shed against each other with such a burst of heat that Zhang Lie felt as though his body was burning up.


    As the mystical beast pped its wings, the mes morphed into a gigantic, fiery tornado, one that seemed poised to swallow Zhang Lie whole. Suddenly, however, it screeched in pain, and the tornado dissipated in mid-air. The mystical beast spasmed as though it were in agony.


    "How does the thousand-poison bloodsoul fruit taste? I found it in the sura king''s treasury."


    The blood-red fruit had an unusually strong corrosive aura, and it was evident from one nce that it would be umonly toxic. This was a fruit that was nourished by blood and only cultivated by bloodshed, and only a race as vicious and cruel as the sura would be able to grow it to maturity.


    Even so, the fact that even the sura had only managed to grow one such fruit was a clear sign of its rarity.


    As its name suggested, the fruit had a frighteningly concentrated poison that even a peak-grade lifeform''s constitution wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    The human-faced bird cried out in pain as it coughed out a puddle of blood, but despite its severely weakened state, the poison couldn''t kill it. mes burned all over the bird''s body, cleansing it of poison, and Zhang Lie knew that his window of opportunity was limited.


    In order to kill this lifeform, he activated his strongest skills all at once.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!"


    The outline of a dragonturtle appeared before him as four runic tablets smashed down from the heavens, trapping the mystical beast. Zhang Lie''s domain whirled as he set [Syzygy] to maximum output.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" With Zhang Lie''s punch, hundreds of gigantic ck dragons appeared, each roaring as they swooped down toward the poisoned mystical beast.

 Chapter 389: Zhang Lies Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 389: Zhang Lie''s Arrival</h4>


    Trapped by Zhang Lie''s runic tablets, the mystical beast was defenseless as the dragons bombarded it. Wounded, it began to fall.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with both fists, sending dragon after dragon, a whole barrage, flying toward the mystical beast as though it were a leaf caught in a storm.


    As it fell, Zhang Lie continued pummeling it, until it finallynded on the tall tower''s tform like a meteor. Such was its momentum that the tower cracked halfway down its height, but Zhang Lie''s punches never stopped.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade garuda and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade garuda, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The garuda fell limp to the ground. Only when Zhang Lie heard the will of the world''s announcement did he finally stop attacking its body.


    The fight was simpler than he had anticipated. Not only was Zhang Lie extremely strong to begin with, the thousand-poison bloodsoul fruit had yed an important role in debilitating the garuda. Otherwise, the fight would have taken far longer, especially because the garuda would force an aerial battle.


    The most exciting part of the kill was that he had obtained a fire-attuned peak-grade soulshard, and he expected it would be particrly beneficial to Sun Mengmeng.


    He headed back to the capital to find the hunters massed and preparing to return to Qi.


    "What''s going on?"


    Sun Mengmeng reported, "The alien races around Qi are preparing for another assault on Qi!"


    "What?! Don''t they know that I''ll defend Qi?" Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly as a pair of ck wings sprouted from his back. "Return to Qi as quickly as possible. I''ll head there now!"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t the only one angry at the alien races'' repeated invasion.


    "What''s going on with them? If they''re going to invade, they might as wellmit to it¡ªwhy would they retreat and then try to invade again? Do they really think we''re helpless?!"


    "I bet they''re doing it because they''ve realized that Zhang Lie''s not in Qi anymore¡ªI bet they found out that he and most of the remaining forces in Qi have gone to attack the sura''s capital. That''s why they dared to strike!"


    "In that case, will Qi be safe?"


    "Everything is Zhang Lie''s fault! If he hadn''t left Qi undefended and taken three thousand hunters with him, nothing bad would have happened!"


    Back in Qi, an ancient, withered treemanded its forces, "Level Qi and swallow all the humans within!"


    Xiao Zhengyang, governor of Qi, stood at the tallest point of the city as he nced at the forces invading outside. He sighed, his wounds barely having recovered in the meantime. "Is Qi doomed to fall?"


    Qi was, at this point, much like the capital of the sura that Zhang Lie had just taken down: after Zhang Lie left for the surands with the battle-ready hunters of Qi, there were only a few weak and wounded hunters remaining.


    The walls of Qi had barely been repaired in the short time since their destruction, and they were hardly able to provide any defense at all. The remaining hunters of Qi had no choice but to block the alien races'' invasion with their own bodies.


    Given that the alternative was for Qi to fall entirely, no one hesitated to charge forward, and no one fell back. Every hunter rushed forward like a flood.


    An old hunter pulled a youthful one back. "You''re younger than I am, and there''s still a long future ahead of you. Let me go first!"


    The young hunter shook his head. "If Qi falls, all of us will die."


    "Even so, there''s no reason for you young hunters to die before us veterans! Stand back!" The old man rushed forward, brandishing a sword in his hands, and met a noble death against a group of treemen.


    As Xiao Zhengyang watched his own kind die to the other races of the second realm, he pounded his fists on the floor until they began to bleed. He hated his weakness, his inability to protect his city or even be one of the hunters guarding its perimeter.


    The invaders began tough. "Haha, this is how weak you humans are! Do you think defeating the sura changes anything? What awaits you is only a worse fate. You weak humans will be nothing more than livestock for other races; you have no better destiny!


    "Your resistance is futile. If you want something to me, me your own weakness, me the man who defeated the sura king and discarded all of you! With him gone, there''s no reason for you to keep struggling. Surrender now!"


    One human retorted, "We don''t even fear the sura! Why would we fear you?"


    "Ha! If not for that man, Qi would have perished long ago. Or did you think you actually contributed to saving Qi? Now that he''s gone with all of Qi''s manpower, we''ll easily im Qi for ourselves. You humans will always be at the very bottom of the food chain. The more you struggle, the more you''ll suffer for it."


    As the voices of the invaders gathered outside the city, the hunters of Qi fell into despair once more.


    .


    Suddenly, a dark streak shed through the air like a shooting star.


    "Look! What''s that?" Some of the humans pointed at it as it passed them by.


    "It doesn''t matter¡ªno one will be able to save you now!"


    As the ck streak grew closer, a whirlwind of ck me suddenly spawned over the ground and sucked huge numbers of the alien invaders within, burning them to a crisp. In shock, the invaders cried out and began to retreat, but they had no time to do so.


    The ck streak cut apart a wide swathe of the invading forces, but just before it was about to hit Qi, it suddenly soared up into the air.


    The hunters of Qi sighed in relief as ck ripples of gic energy spread through the sky and swept through the invading forces, causing them to yell out in pain.


    "Look at that!" The hunters of Qi stared at the man standing in mid-air, their eyes widening in recognition. His face was a mask of determination, his ck wings outstretched, and his body radiated with tremendous gic energy.


    "Zhang Lie!"


    "Zhang Lie''s here to save us, I knew he wouldn''t abandon Qi!"


    "Now that Zhang Lie''s here, these invaders are dead!"


    Zhang Lie nced at the hostile forces with killing intent. "What did you say about humanity?"

 Chapter 390: The Invaders Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 390: The Invaders'' Defeat</h4>


    As they sensed Zhang Lie''s cold gaze, the invading forces couldn''t help but take a step or two back. "Isn''t this fellow supposed to be at a sura kingdom''s capital? What''s he doing here?"


    "Damn it, there''s been some mistake with our intelligence! The human who killed the sura king has returned to Qi!"


    However, it would be far too embarrassing, and far too wasteful, to leave Qi again now that they almost had it entirely in their grasp.


    "Don''t think you''re invincible just because you''ve defeated the sura. We''re going to destroy Qi today, whether or not you''re here! You must surely be tired after rushing into the territory of the sura, defeating the guards stationed there, and then rushing back to Qi. How much strength could you possibly have left? Hand over half the humans in the city and we''ll promise never toe back."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Not a chance. In fact, since you''re all here already, why don''t you stay right here? [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of over a hundred ck dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack. The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped down on the invading troops, sending the battlefield into a frenzy.


    Countless invaders turned into ash under the bombardment of the ck dragons, but a storm of leaves quickly formed around the treemen and defended against Zhang Lie''s attack.


    A gigantic tree suddenly appeared from the midst of the invaders'' forces. As it grewrger andrger, it turned into a titanic ck treeman the size of a skyscraper, with a demonic face bulging out of the tree bark.


    "Human who defeated the sura king, I am the demonic tree general, themander of the treemen forces and of the allied invading forces! Send half of the humans from this city as captives, and I''ll immediately leave with my troops!"


    The invaders yelled out in excitement, "The demonic tree general''s making his move! He''s supposed to be as strong as a sura king himself!"


    "I heard that he fought against one of the sura kings in the past, and neither of them were able to defeat the other. In the end, the sura king gave up on attacking him!"


    "If he''s that strong, then we should be able to attack Qi while the general holds Zhang Lie back."


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!" Zhang Lie didn''t deign to negotiate. He raised Venombane high over his head as heunched a sword technique that splitnd and sky.


    The battlefield parted in twain, and the demonic tree general was bisected in half.


    The humans cheered. "We''ve won! We''ve won! Is that all the strength you invaders amount to?"


    Meanwhile, the invaders recoiled in shock. "Isn''t the demonic tree general supposed to be as strong as a sura king? Could Zhang Lie have grown this strong out of nowhere?"


    Amidst the cheering, a long vine suddenly grew out of one half of the tree trunk, tethering the two halves of the demonic tree general together. The general shouted, "It''s useless! Your technique won''t be effective against me."


    "If I can''t cut you down with one blow, I''ll do it with two, three, a thousand, ten thousand! I don''t believe you''ll be able to regenerate from ten thousand cuts at once. [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    As a blood dragon shot out of Venombane, it let out a corrosive breath that sent wooden chips splintering out of the demonic tree general''s bark and the nearby invaders fleeing for their lives.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lieunched the same technique once again, spawning a blood dragon that aimed straight at the crack in the gigantic treeman''s body.


    As he repeated the technique twice more, the treeman''s body fell to the ground in pieces.


    .


    Even so, the roots of the tree suddenly sprouted up from the ground, twisting together in a macabre rendition of the demonic tree general''s face. "It''s useless! No matter how many times you cut me, you won''t be able to kill me."


    The reason the demonic tree general had been able to force the sura king to retreat wasn''t because it was all that strong, but rather because it had such potent regenerative abilities that even the sura king couldn''t do anything to him.


    "Then how about this? [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªSecond Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    A frightening aura enveloped the de, one imbued with such potent power that the demonic tree general suddenly felt that his life was in danger. "Hold it!" he shouted. "We should have a peaceable discussion, not a fight to the death!"


    "It''s toote!" As the technique imbued with spiritual energy struck the demonic tree general, its massive body broke apart into a shower of splinters, which dissipated with the wind.


    The demonic tree general possessed so potent a power of regeneration that it was virtually able to revive indefinitely, but Zhang Lie had a technique that was able to counter it: one that directly struck the soul.


    The demonic tree general was equipped with incredible vitality, but his soul was far weaker.


    The invaders couldn''t help but shiver in fear. How had the demonic tree general perished so quickly? Zhang Lie had killed him with a single attack! Was he truly a human, a member of that weak race that everyone else had been able to bully?


    At that very moment, Zhang Lie was disabusing the other races of their stereotypical notions about humanity. Even the sura wouldn''t be able to take Zhang Lie lightly; he was propping up humanity''s status in the second realm alone. No human before him had managed to kill a sura king, nor the demonic tree general, who had survived unscathed from a sura king''s attacks.


    He was far too different from the humans that these invaders knew about¡ªwas Zhang Lie actually a sura king disguised as a human, or an artificial lifeform that the humans had constructed?


    "When did humans be so strong?"


    "No! This is impossible¡ªhow could we lose against these humans?!"


    "Zhang Lie''s simply too frightening. We need to escape!"


    Some of the invaders began to run away, but Zhang Lie called out,


    "I told you, none of you will be able to leave Qi alive! Hunters of Qi, what are you waiting for? It''s time to strike back!"


    The hunters of Qi, still shocked that he had defeated the demonic tree general so easily, finally came to their senses upon hearing Zhang Lie''s shout. As one, they charged forward and ughtered the invaders that were fleeing the scene.


    Only wounded hunters were left in Qi, but they charged at the invaders as though they had temporarily forgotten about their injuries. They had hardly been able to do anything during the initial part of the invasion; how could they stand still now that Zhang Lie had turned the tides?


    Of course, the main attacker among the forces of Qi was none other than Zhang Lie. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"

 Chapter 391: Cleaning the Environs

    <h4>Chapter 391: Cleaning the Environs</h4>


    Another flock of dragons shot out of Zhang Lie''s left arm, swallowing the skies and portending disaster for the invading forces,rge swathes of which were caught by the dragons'' bombardment.


    This time, there was no demonic tree general to block the attack, and half the fleeing invaders were destroyed with this one blow.


    "Fight! Get these invaders¡ªdon''t let even one escape!"


    "For our brothers who have perished in battle!"


    "It''s time for the humans to strike back! Avenge the dead!"


    Perhaps the hunters of Qi might not be able to defeat the invaders head-on, but they could certainly pile on them now with Zhang Lie''s support. With the assistance of Team Zenith, who had likewise rushed back following Zhang Lie, the hunters of Qi ughtered the invaders to thest.


    As they stepped over the invaders'' bodies, they cried out, "Zhang Lie''s invincible! Qi will never fall!"


    "Zhang Lie''s invincible! Qi will never fall!"


    "Zhang Lie''s invincible! Qi will never fall!"


    Hovering above the battlefield, Zhang Lie activated his peak-grade moonlight wyrm soulshard. Whitey appeared with a faint gleam and flew over the battlefield, consuming the souls of the dead that floated into the air. As it did so, its body solidified, and it seemed far less ghostly than before.


    Xiao Zhengyang sighed in relief as he hobbled toward Zhang Lie. "It''s only because you rushed back in time that Qi was saved. I''m a useless governor, aren''t I? All I could do was stand there and watch as invaders tore my city apart."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It would have been easy for you to repel the invaders if you were uninjured."


    Xiao Zhengyang couldn''t help but feel a throbbing pain in his chest as he nced at the dead. After the two invasions, at least forty percent of the hunters of Qi had suffered some injury or another.


    When the hunters of Qi saw Zhang Lie walking toward them, they thanked him profusely. Without his reappearance, Qi would have fallen, and they would likely all have been taken captive.


    "How''s the situation in the sura''s capital?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Everything proceeded very smoothly."


    "Good, good."


    "I intend on installing a teleportation array in the sura capital."


    Xiao Zhengyang frowned. "Do you intend on making that sura kingdom human territory?"


    "Isn''t that a good idea?"


    "It''s far too dangerous."


    "Unless we demonstrate that mankind is strong enough to fend off these invaders, what happened today will happen over and over again."


    One alien race alone might not have been able to invade Qi, but multiple had allied together against the humans. Zhang Lie''s eyes turned sharp. "The alien races all think that we can be bullied, so we have to show them with our actions that times have changed."


    As the three thousand hunters returned from the sura king''s capital, Zhang Liemanded, "Hunters of Qi, defend the perimeter! Team Zenith, follow me!"


    "What''s going on with Qi now?"


    "Surely they''ve fallen¡ªZhang Lie left with all the battle-ready hunters! With just the wounded and elderly left in Qi, how could they repel the alien invaders?"


    "I''m not asking about Zhang Lie, but rather the state of Qi!"


    "How could Zhang Lie act so recklessly? He left with so many hunters despite the fact that the walls of Qi were destroyed after the first invasion! Why wouldn''t he remain in Qi to defend it?!"


    It seemed that those who had praised Zhang Lie for his decisive counter-invasion of the territory of the sura were nowhere to be seen, reced instead by those who denounced his rash actions.


    Just one mistake was enough to sway public opinion; in the eyes of many, given what had urred, Zhang Lie was the main culprit behind the downfall of Qi, but they hadn''t considered that Qi would have fallen long before that had Zhang Lie not shown up in the first ce.


    "Everything would have been just fine if he had defended Qi, but he just had to invade the sura! It''s true that he seeded, but now Qi is gone!"


    "And how many people were killed in the aftermath? Yes, he might have saved ten thousand humans, but how many hunters in Qi were lost because of the invasion? Furthermore, with the teleportation apparatus in Qi destroyed, all the possessions of the hunters in Qi will be irretrievable! Zhang Lie was far too rash. He didn''t consider the consequences properly before acting, and now all of humanity will suffer as a result!"


    Suddenly, someone replied, "Delete all your posts now, and I''ll pretend I haven''t seen anything."


    "What do you mean? Can''t I criticize an idiot for his actions?"


    "Have you considered that the person who might be revealed as an idiot because of these posts is you? Go look at the most recent updates on the situation in Qi."


    "Wasn''t Qi destroyed?"


    "No, Qi''s perfectly fine!"


    [The hero of Qi returns to save the day, repelling the alien invaders and rescuing Qi from certain doom!]


    "Really?! How did Zhang Lie make it back in time?"


    "Wasn''t Zhang Lie in the sura''s capital?"


    "Just how could he have traversed such great distances so rapidly?"


    Many refused to believe what they read. Zhang Lie was certainly strong enough to repel the alien invaders on his own, but the capital of the sura was far from Qi. How had Zhang Lie made it back in time?


    "As a lucky survivor who witnessed Zhang Lie''s fight, let me exin things. Just as the invaders were about to take Qi once and for all, the hero of Qi entered the fray like a god of death, sending hundreds of ck dragons flocking into the sky and killing swathes of invaders.


    A gigantic treeman rose up from the ground, the general of the invading forces, but he died within three blows from Zhang Lie. As the invaders fled, we chased after them and ughtered them to thest."


    "Zhang Lie''s invincible! Qi will never fall!"


    "Zhang Lie''s invincible! Qi will never fall!"


    "Zhang Lie''s invincible! Qi will never fall!"


    The descriptions that the Qi survivors were posting of that battle made many a hunter regret that they hadn''t witnessed Zhang Lie''s fight for themselves.


    Someone asked, "Right, what''s the hero of Qi doing now?"


    "He''s ughtering the alien races!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with his left arm, sending a torrent of dragons flooding outward.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped down on the battlefield, destroying the walls of the enemy city.


    "Charge forward!" Zhang Lie yelled. The members of Team Zenith and the special forces troops rushed into the enemy city and began yet another counter-invasion against those races that had dared to target the humans.

 Chapter 392: Champion of Mankind, Zhang Lie

    <h4>Chapter 392: Champion of Mankind, Zhang Lie</h4>


    Zhang Lie wasn''t about to take the attack on Qi lying down. Since these races had tried to invade Qi, it was only reasonable that they be prepared to be invaded, too. He tracked down, attacked, and destroyed the territories of the races that had taken part in the invasion.


    Most of his original group of three thousand hunters remained in Qi to prevent a simr situation from urring again; Zhang Lie, with solely the members of Team Zenith, Hong Xi, and the Qi special forces at his disposal, was able to crush just about whatever resistance he encountered.


    In the next few days, he terrorized the nearby territories with his team of elites, none of which contained a fighter strong enough to stop him. With his small band of hunters, he was able to strike deftly at their weakened defenses.


    After Zhang Lie destroyed the coalition''s main strike force at Qi, it was hard for them to muster sufficiently many fighters to defend against Zhang Lie, so they had no choice but to turtle up in their respective territories and hope that Zhang Lie didn''te for them.


    Upon seeing the havoc Zhang Lie was wreaking, they very much regretted having attacked Qi.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith responded flexibly and creatively to whatever strategies the alien races employed, and Zhang Lie was far too strong for them to beat with brute strength.


    Could a mere human really be this strong? In the past, they had sessfully attacked human cities quite a few times before, and the humans had never dared to retaliate. None of them had ever done anything akin to what Zhang Lie was doing now, roaming around their territories and ambushing their own kind!


    While he was in the middle of attacking yet another territory, Zhang Lie met a rather interesting king, perhaps a representative chosen by the allied territories, who tried to conduct negotiations with Zhang Lie.


    "Don''t think we''ll allow you to keep this up, human! We''re the ones who were defeated during the invasion¡ªhow dare you continue culling our forces?!"


    If they allowed Zhang Lie to rampage further, their reputation would be ruined¡ªto think they had been defeated so soundly by a mere human!


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "In that case, how do you n to resolve this problem? Shall we pretend that you didn''t invade Qi, or that we humans didn''t perish as a result?"


    "This is what we''ve always done!"


    "The past is the past, and the present is different. We humans won''t allow you to invade ournds any further. Anyone who strikes mankind had better be prepared to suffer our wrath."


    Having said his fill, Zhang Lie struck. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    A blood dragon rushed out of Venombane, piercing the king''s chest and causing blood to bloom from his body like a flower.


    "Times have changed, and it''s time for humanity to rise up," Zhang Lie announced.


    The death of their king caused the fighters of the alien race to cry out in surprise, shock, and then indignation. They charged toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie sent a horde of dragons at the invaders, decimating them in the blink of an eye. As the ground turned red with blood, Zhang Lie wiped the dust off his hands. "Come, it''s time for our next target!"


    There was some benefit to be had from culling these invaders: some of them were considered gic lifeforms, though none were particrly high-ranking. Once the members of Team Zenith had all maxed out their superior gene fragments from consuming the flesh of these aliens, he had the rest of the corpses sent back to Qi.


    After Zhang Lie''s demonstration, the invading races had no choice but to pack up and establish new borders farther from Qi. If they couldn''t beat Zhang Lie, they could at least run further away, even if that meant they would have to give up some of theirnd.


    Zhang Lie imed thatnd for Qi with relish while the alien races once again regretted their decision to invade Qi. Not only had they failed in their invasion, they even had to cede some of theirnd!


    Mankind had grown so much stronger so quickly that the alien races could hardly keep up; it shocked them to realize that they were no longer a pushover. And if even the invasion forceposed of all the races'' top fightersbined couldn''t handle Zhang Lie, what could any of the nearby kingdoms individually do?


    The only logical choice was therefore to retreat. Thend controlled by Qi expanded by almost ten times that day as the kingdoms were forced to cede theirnd to Zhang Lie, and the governor of Qi, Xiao Zhengyang, almost cried when Zhang Lie presented him with his new territory.


    This was the crowning glory of his tenure as a governor, he was sure of it.


    Besides thend, Zhang Lie had obtained quite a number of treasures from his excursion into enemy territory. After some experimentation, he decided that he needed only two more ingredients for Potion #4.


    "Times have changed, and it''s time for humanity to rise up," Zhang Lie announced.


    Someone had captured footage of this particr scene, and the hunters of Qi all cheered upon seeing it. For what Zhang Lie had done, they crowned him with a new de: champion of mankind.


    When he learned of what had happened, Amurong smashed a vase in his study to smithereens. "Champion of mankind, is he?!"


    He was very upset that Zhang Lie, who had seemed like a talented hunter but nothing extraordinary, was quickly bing a rising star.


    If Zhang Lie continued on that trajectory, sooner orter, he would take down Amurong himself. His reputation in the world federation was growing at a burgeoning pace, and everyone knew what he was up to.


    He had saved Qi in a time of crisis, then counter-invaded the sura kingdom that had attacked Qi. After taking down its capital, he rushed back to Qi to fend off another invasion, then imed the enemy kingdoms''nds for Qi!


    "Your highness, the humans of Qi must be punished. They have no sense of propriety; not only did they forcibly expel us from our ownnds, they''re even hanging a sura king from the city wall, subject to public humiliation! It''s clear that these humans don''t respect the authority of the sura!"


    A representative from one of the enemy races that had invaded Qi ryed a sordid tale to the sura king who had granted him an audience, one who controlled another nearby sura territory.


    The representative and the king were in avishly decorated audience chamber; if Zhang Lie were present, he would have noticed that it was decorated in much the same style as the sura king''s pce which he had been in just a few days ago.


    The sura king chuckled coldly. "Don''t you think we can tell when you''re trying to manipte us?"


    A sura elder tutted by his side. "You want to make use of our forces to ughter Qi and to reim your ownnds, don''t you?"

 Chapter 393: Reappearance of the Sura

    <h4>Chapter 393: Reappearance of the Sura</h4>


    The envoy didn''t deny the sura king''s words. "Indeed, your majesty! We bring this suit to you with an agenda in mind, but we have been nothing but truthful in our recounting of the events that have transpired."


    The sura king clutched his armrest. "From your description, it looks like the humans of Qi really do have an inted opinion of themselves."


    "Exactly right, your highness! The most arrogant among them ughtered us and took over our territory without paying any heed to the sura. Furthermore, he apparently caught a sura king alive and is hanging him from the city walls. ording to the humans we''ve interrogated, his name is Zhang Lie, and the humans are calling him the champion of mankind!"


    The gathered sura elders all began tough. "Champion of mankind? You must be joking¡ªno sura king could be defeated by a pitiful human."


    "It''s well-known that mankind is the weakest of all the races in the second realm. How could they defeat a king of the sura? What a ridiculous im!"


    "You must be shocked silly¡ªthat simply can''t be true."


    The representative from the alien race cleared his throat politely. "There''s something very strange about Zhang Lie. He doesn''t seem like a weak human at all; rather, he might be a member of another race who''s currently taking on the guise of a human."


    "Oh?" The sura king seemed quite interested. "This Zhang Lie seems like an interesting fellow indeed."


    Upon hearing this, the envoy continued inciting the sura into action. "Your highness, this Zhang Lie fellow has also insulted the sura more than once. He imed that even a sura king wouldn''t be able to face him for more than a few blows; even all the sura kings together wouldn''t be his match! What''s more, he even imed that the times were changing, and that mankind was about to take over the second realm!"


    Upon hearing these words, the sura in attendance at the pce quickly became enraged.


    "How could mankind be so insolent? Your majesty, I humbly ask that you call for this arrogant human''s head to be fetched back to you at once!"


    "To think a human would dare besmirch the honor of the sura! Your majesty, I''m willing to kill this human and all his rtives myself!"


    "Have the sura deteriorated to such an extent that they would permit humans to criticize them? My liege, we''ll teach them a lesson!"


    Despite his officials'' reactions, the sura king himself seemed ratherposed. "Although I''m not sure about the veracity of this representative''s story, it is true that there was recently a sura kingdom destroyed by a human. It''s very possible that the culprit behind this was Zhang Lie!"


    An elder asked in surprise, "Your majesty, do you think that this Zhang Lie can really defeat a sura king?"


    The king stood up. "We''ll find out once we find him, won''t we?"


    "Y-Your majesty, will you be seeking him out yourself?"


    "I''ve been wanting to take a stroll, at any rate. Don''t you wonder just what kind of human would be able to take so muchnd from these other races?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know that he had once again be a target, though he wouldn''t have cared if he had known¡ªunless he had finally caught the attention of the asura emperor himself, the strongest fighter of the sura n, who had hardly been seen in thest millennium in the second realm.


    He was rushing to the Yeluo Valley with Hong Xi.


    As they ran, Hong Xi asked, "Master, why the hurry?"


    "We''ve already used up most of the sura poison, and I feel like there''ll be arge battle soon."


    "Master, haven''t we chased the enemy races far from our reach? What else could possibly threaten Qi?"


    "Let''s hope I''m just being overcautious."


    After all, hanging the sura king''s body on the walls of Qi would surely lead to retribution from the sura, and Zhang Lie wanted to be prepared for any attacks that might result.


    The best scenario would be if the sura didn''t make a move, but if they did, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have to worry as long as he had a stock of the sura poison on hand.


    Because the sura poison was difficult to concoct and not particrly useful, Zhang Lie hadn''t managed to secure arge supply of it, but now that the Yeluo n were properly motivated by the soulshards that Zhang Lie had promised them, their productivity had increased greatly. Zhang Lie found himself with five or six times the quantity of poison that he had collectedst time.


    If he used it appropriately, it would be more than sufficient to destroy one or two more sura kingdoms. After all, the reason the sura were so strong was because of the strength of their leaders and the bloodlust of their fighters. The sura poison from the Yeluo n would easily decimate the ordinary fighters, whereas Zhang Lie himself could easily take care of the sura kings and generals.


    Zhang Lie traded the useless soulshards he had amassed over this period to the Yeluo for the poison, then left hurrying in the opposite direction with Hong Xi.


    Meanwhile, Qi was weing its third wave of enemies. The city walls had just been repaired when a new wave of enemies was spotted over the horizon.


    "Something''s wrong! The sura are here, the sura are here again!"


    Qi entered a state of total defense as Xiao Zhengyang and a number of hunters observed the approaching forces from the city walls.


    Xiao Zhengyang''s face turned ugly. Despite the fact that there were no longer any enemy races around, much of Qi''s fighting force was still recuperating, and they didn''t have the numbers to defend against the sura.


    "Where''s Zhang Lie?" Xiao Zhengyang asked fretfully.


    Zhou Ming replied, "He left with his team, apparently for some important purpose or another."


    "What? Why is it that he''s never around when these things happen? Has he been waiting for the situation to turn dire before stepping in?" someone wondered.


    The sura approached, stopping right before they were in range of the humans'' arrows. When they saw the king of the sura hanging from the city wall, with all sorts of weapons sticking out of his rear, the sura began to frown. Was this meant to frighten them?


    An elder stepped forward, nked with two guards. He infused his voice with gic energy and said calmly, "Call the human you call Zhang Lie out. Our king would like to meet with him."


    Xiao Zhengyang stepped forward. "I''m the governor of Qi, Xiao Zhengyang. May I ask on what grounds you''re requesting Zhang Lie''s presence?"


    The elder replied, "Are you Zhang Lie?"


    "No, I''m the governor of Qi¡ª"


    "If you''re not Zhang Lie, scram! Tell him toe out and face us."


    Xiao Zhengyang''s face turned glum. Was his position as governor meaningless? In the past, the governor had been the strongest hunter in a human city, and the first thing any invader would do was try to get rid of him. Now, however,pared to Zhang Lie, he felt like a farce.


    Governor Xiao decided to stall. "For what purpose are you summoning Zhang Lie? Unless you state your intentions clearly, I won''t call him out!"


    The elder snorted. "Who gave you humans the courage to talk back? Send him out, or I''ll level Qi!"


    One of the sura began tough loudly. "Looks like this Zhang Lie fellow isn''t anything special¡ªhe''s just a coward!"


    Upon hearing this, however, the hunters of Qi all began to frown. "What? Repeat what you said!"


    To the hunters of Qi, Zhang Lie was their savior and an amazing hero, and they wouldn''t allow anyone to besmirch his name.


    More of the sura began tough. "Oh, are all of you angry now? I don''t think I''ve ever seen a human dare to talk back to me!"


    "Oh my, should I be scared of you puny humans? What would you do, bite us? You''d sooner break your own teeth!"


    "I''ll repeat it as many times as you want: if Zhang Lie doesn''t daree out of the city, he''s nothing but a yellow-bellied coward!"


    Some hunters of Qi were about to charge out to confront the sura when Xiao Zhengyang hurriedly stopped them. He shouted back, "Zhang Lie isn''t in the city. Would you be willing to wait? He should be returning shortly."

 Chapter 394: Another Elder Slain

    <h4>Chapter 394: Another Elder in</h4>


    The sura elder thundered, "Those other races were right, you humans truly need to be taught a lesson. How dare you make us wait! If you aren''t willing to hand Zhang Lie over, we''ll head into the city ourselves and drag him out!"


    The sura began tough.


    "I really don''t know what gave you weaklings the courage to try to stand up to us."


    "We would be able to destroy your city with a flick of our fingers!"


    ncing at the sura king still hanging on the city wall, the sura fighters could hardly wait to charge forward and ughter their fill of the humans within.


    "Your majesty, please,mand us to level this city!" an elder exhorted.


    "No, I don''t think I will. Wouldn''t it be boring to level it? I like the look of this city, so I think I''ll keep it as a vacation spot."


    The elder gaped at the sura king. "But¡ª"


    Just then, a ck streak of light shed across the sky. "Who''s looking for me?"


    The sura nced up at the man in the sky as the elder frowned and asked, "Who are you?"


    "You wanted to find me despite not knowing what I look like?"


    "You''re Zhang Lie?"


    "Indeed, I am!"


    "Come down here. Our king has summoned you to an audience!"


    "Have hime up here and meet me, then!"


    "You¡ªinsolence! How dare you disrespect our king!"


    "We humans are hardly subjects of the sura."


    The elder narrowed his eyes. "I''ve heard about you from the other races. It looks like you''re truly as arrogant as they im!"


    "So what if I am?"


    "Then I''ll knock you down your pedestal!" the elder cried out. A scepter materialized in his hand as a bloody mist began to fill the air.


    The sura fighters began tough.


    "Haha, the elder''s going to destroy this foolish man! Doesn''t he know of the disparity between human and sura? He won''t get away with saying those kinds of things to us!"


    "There are a few sura like him, aren''t there? They''re arrogant despite being weaklings themselves, so it''s not surprising that we''ll find their like among the humans."


    "Does he really think he can take us on because he managed to take down these other races? He thinks far too highly of himself!"


    Just then, Zhang Lie struck. He limited himself to two quick actions: drawing his sword, then sheathing it again. A sh of sword energy speared through the mist and bisected the scepter in the elder''s hand, along with the elder''s body itself.


    The sura fell silent.


    In a gigantic caravan following the fighters'' procession, a voice boomed, "I''ve seen the technique you used before¡ªit''s nothing interesting!"


    The speaker of the voice recognized another sura elder which had been bisected in a simr manner. A sura outfitted in ck armor, his features stern and cold, with the aura of a peerless fighter, stepped out of the caravan.


    One look was sufficient for Zhang Lie to be certain that this was yet another sura king, one that very well could be stronger than the sura king Zhang Lie had defeated.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "For what reason have youe, sura king?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t think a sura king would deign to make an appearance just to crush a human city. The incident with the previous sura king had been a fluke, and Zhang Lie certainly didn''t want a repeat of what had happened.


    "I''m here to im you for myself, of course," the sura king replied.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    "You were the one who caught the sura king hanging on the wall, weren''t you?"


    "Yes, I was. Why? Do you want to try it for yourself?" Zhang Lie retorted.


    Zhang Lie knew that trussing up the sura king would bring reprisal from the sura, but that was part of his n.


    "And you were the one who imed all the enemy races'' neighboring territories for Qi, weren''t you?"


    "Yes, of course," Zhang Lie replied. "So what?"


    "In that case, I want you."


    Zhang Lie: ! ! !


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "You want to im me as a concubine?"


    The sura surrounding the king howled in outrage, "What?! How dare you! Who do you think you are to deserve to be one of the sura king''s concubines? Even if he were to choose a concubine, it would be a sura female¡ªnever a human male!"


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief, but the sura king''s gaze swept up and down Zhang Lie''s body. "Actually, I wouldn''t mind."


    Zhang Lie: ! ! !


    "I would," Zhang Lie rified.


    The sura king spread his arms. "Fortunately, my main purpose was to recruit you as my subordinate."


    Zhang Lie grimaced. "Why would I ever ept?"


    A sura guard yelled out, "Are you looking down on our liege? He''s personallye out here in an attempt to recruit you¡ªyou should consider yourself lucky!"


    "Right, aren''t you thankful? If not for the king refusing tomand us to attack the city, we would have leveled it long ago!"


    "Can you even imagine how much your status will rise going from a lowly human to the subordinate of our highness himself? You must be addled in the head to not take advantage of this opportunity!"


    The sura king continued, "If you''re willing to be my subordinate, I will ce Qi under my protection, and none shall be able to invade. If you refuse, on the other hand..."


    "No one has the qualifications to make me their subordinate," Zhang Lie refused tly.


    The sura king raised his head to the skies and began tough. "Haha, it''s been quite a few years since anyone dared to speak to me in that manner. You''re a very interesting fellow, but unfortunately, as a member of the sura, I can''t countenance the fact that you''ve hung a sura king on your city wall. I''ll give you onest chance: be my subordinate."


    Zhang Lie refused once again. "Scram!"


    The sura king''s eyes gleamed coldly as he waved an arm. "Very well. Men, get ready to strike. Level this city to the ground!"


    The sura fighters began tough. "Haha, you ignorant fool! Let the ruins of this city be your grave!"

 Chapter 395: Another Sura King

    <h4>Chapter 395: Another Sura King</h4>


    On their king''smand, the sura fighters rushed out toward Qi, their eyes blood-red as they swore to turn Qi into rubble.


    However, the hunters situated on the walls of Qi didn''t seem prepared to defend at all. Some of them even found stools on which to sit while they scrambled for snacks and made themselvesfortable.


    After all, there was no need for them to worry: Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had already returned from their expedition, and they certainly wouldn''t need to fight.


    Zhang Lie himself could get rid of all the sura, and they would only be liabilities if they charged forward recklessly.


    The sura king noticed how strangely the humans were acting, but that didn''t make him wary¡ªand his fighters seemed to take the humans'' behavior into stride as well.


    "Haha, these foolish humans! They''re too scared to fight back against us!"


    "I think they''re quite intelligent, don''t you? They know that they can''t defend against our attack, so they might as well not even try. This is what livestock should look like¡ªwe need to teach that Zhang Lie a lesson!"


    Zhang Lie flicked his wrist, crushing a vial of potion he had just obtained from the Yeluo n and sprinkling the drops of liquid over the charging sura fighters.


    The sura didn''t notice the liquid at first, not until they found that something was wrong with their bodies. As they ran, their bodies slowly dposed. They fell to the ground, their mouths frozen in shock, as they slowly dposed away.


    The humans on the city walls began to cheer.


    "It''s starting!"


    "I won''t get tired of this scene no matter how much I watch it, I''m sure!"


    "Who wants some buns? Some hot steamed buns!"


    Compared to the hunters of Qi, who had seen this trick quite a few times by now, the sura were far more agitated.


    "Humans, what have you done?!"


    "Treacherous humans, remove this curse!"


    "Do you have to resort to such petty tricks against us? We''d steamroll you head on!"


    As if he had just thought of something, the sura king waved an arm and summoned a huge burst of bloody mist toward the dposing sura fighters.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t waste your strength. It''s already toote; it can''t be stopped now."


    "What did you do to my soldiers?! No, just what was that liquid you sprinkled on them?!"


    "It''s a poison of sorts," Zhang Lie replied.


    The sura king extended an open palm to Zhang Lie. "Hand me the antidote."


    "I don''t have one, and even if I did, I wouldn''t hand it over."


    "In that case, you can apany them to the underworld!" A long spear appeared in the sura king''s hand. As he waved it around, thunder began to rumble from the skies, and rays of bloody light gathered around the spear and sketched out the outline of a gigantic beast.


    Zhang Lie likewise got ready for battle, a blood moon beneath his feet and a ck sun behind his back.


    The dposing sura fighters shouted, for their final time, "Our king is indomitable! Long live the king of the sura!"


    "Ridiculous, a human who thinks he can go against our king!"


    "He must have a death wish!"


    "Does he think that he can take down every sura king just because he managed to take down one?"


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood dragon emerged from Venombane and shed against the sura king''s gigantic beast, tearing it apart instantly. The sura king himself charged forward with his spear, thrusting it straight at Zhang Lie.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!" A line of sword energy split the world in two.


    As sword and spear shed against each other, rippling waves of energy spread out about the twobatants. The closest spectators shied back, hastily shielding themselves and finding that even their best defenses weren''t sufficient to handle the aftermath of Zhang Lie and the sura king''s sh.


    "For a human, you''re quite strong¡ªbut you''re far from being able to best me!"


    the sura king cried out. He activated his blood sea domain, which roared beneath him and moved ording to his will. His domain was clearly more vast and far more developed than the previous sura king Zhang Lie had faced.


    As he thrust forward with his spear, a huge wave reared up from his domain, like a tsunami that had formed out of nowhere.


    Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to take the attack head on, and neither would the hunters of Qi behind him.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie raised Venombane high above his head as an underworld river formed behind him. As the two attacks shed against each other, the ground beneath them cracked and splintered. Zhang Lie held his ground, defending both himself and Qi.


    "You really are an interesting human. What about this blow?" The sura king swirled his spear, and the blood sea formed a cone of water around its tip.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie defended again with another blood dragon, but this time, it was his attack that was obliviated by his opponent''s. He followed up with a second blow. "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!"


    The sura king''s face turned serious as he charged forward with his spear, defending against Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground right where the sura king was located. The sudden change in the local gravity disrupted his bnce and made his defense falter for a moment, leaving him exposed to Zhang Lie''s blow.


    The sword energy from Zhang Lie''s attack rushed toward the sura king''s head.


    The sura king barely swerved in time; the sword energy brushed by his shoulder and sent his blood spraying all over. Zhang Lie closed the gap between them in a matter of moments, but the sura king blocked his charge with his spear.


    The remaining two tablets from the dragonturtle crashed down exactly where Zhang Lie had corralled the sura king, again stunning him momentarily and creating the ideal condition for Zhang Lie''s finisher.

 Chapter 396: Another Sura King Defeated

    <h4>Chapter 396: Another Sura King Defeated</h4>


    The blood dragon that swooped out of Venombane dove into the sura king''s chest and gouged a big hole in it, causing the sura king to spit out blood as he hastily retreated.


    At the same time, however, he reached out and grabbed Venombane. "Die!"


    His blood sea exploded asnces of blood flew out from his domain, heading straight for Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie didn''t dare to take such a close-ranged explosion lightly. He manifested his crystalline gic armor, and added his white-grub armor as an additionalyer above it.


    An explosion of a magnitude that dwarfed any other this fight spread out from the epicenter of the sh between the sura king and Zhang Lie. As he hunkered down, Zhang Lie began charging up power in his right fist.


    The walls of Qi, unable to withstand the impact, crashed to the ground once more. A number of spectators who had gotten too close to the fight found themselves pierced by the spears themselves, paying the ultimate price for their ignorance.


    As the explosions came to an end and the dust settled, the sura king let out a smile, one which froze on his face.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t even been injured¡ªhe was standing right there in front of him, covered in a protectiveyer of some strange substance. The outeryer was riddled with holes, but the inner, crystallineyer had hardly a scratch on it.


    Even the sura king was agape.


    Zhang Lie said calmly, "Now that your attack''s over, it''s time for my own. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    This sura king seemed stronger overall than the previous one Zhang Lie had faced, but the previous king had had two trump cards up his sleeve, and he was a considerably more annoying foe to deal with.


    "You monster!" the sura king shouted, before trying to defend ineffectively against Zhang Lie''s next attack.


    Unfortunately for him, Zhang Lie had amassed quite a lot of energy in that one blow during the course of the explosion, and his inexorable punch burst apart the sura king''s head without his being able to do anything about it.


    The rare few sura fighters who hadn''t been struck by the poison were all staring open-mouthed at the scene. "Could this really be a human?!"


    They had initially thought that it would be trivial for their king to kill a human, let alone take down the entirety of Qi by himself, but Zhang Lie had somehow, against all odds, ovee the sura king and even killed him instead.


    Only now did they understand why the nearby enemy races had feared the humans so much that they were willing to cede so muchnd to Qi¡ªthey weren''t a match for Zhang Lie at all!


    The sura were very suspicious of Zhang Lie''s true heritage: how could he be a human? Weren''t humans supposed to be weak? How could one best their liege himself in a fight?


    As Zhang Lie''s gaze turned to them, they all shuddered in unison, but they were hardly able to muster any sort of resistance before he and the members of Team Zenith ughtered them all.


    Amurong had just entered his office when an urgent knocking could be heard from outside.


    "Enter."


    His secretary quickly stepped inside. "We''ve just gotten more word from Qi."


    Amurong frowned. "Zhang Lie again?"


    Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie... he had heard so much about Zhang Lie over thest few days that he was sick of the name. Unfortunately for him, he had to remain up to date with the world federation''s affairs.


    The secretary reported, "Another horde of sura attacked Qi and demanded that Zhang Lie be handed over to them."


    "Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie again... hold on, you said, ''hand Zhang Lie over''?" Amurong asked.


    The secretary nodded and rified, "Yes, the sura wanted to recruit him."


    Amurong''s eyebrows shot up. "Recruit him?! Are you sure this information is reliable?"


    "Of course!"


    "What happened next? Did he refuse to submit, causing Qi to perish at the sura''s hands? Or did he get captured by the sura?"


    The secretary shook his head. "Neither. Zhang Lie prevented the sura''s invasion once again and slew the sura king who wanted to recruit him!"


    Amurong''s face turned dark. "He caught one alive, and now he''s killed another. Just what is he trying to do?"


    "I''m afraid I don''t know, sir."


    To Amurong, this wasn''t a piece of good news, because it meant that Zhang Lie''s reputation was only going to keep rising. He leaned back into his chair and fell into deep thought.


    "What''s the situation like in Qi right now?"


    "In the aftermath of the battle, the newly built walls of Qi crumbled to the ground again, and quite a number of spectators who remained on the city walls even after the battle became heated were seriously injured or even killed."


    Amurong pped loudly. "Oh? Good, very good, Zhang Lie! Destroying the walls of Qi and killing his own kind by not reining in his own strength... very good!"


    Amurong''s secretary seemed a little confused. "Sir, aren''t you one of the highest authorities of the world federation? The humans are part of the world federation too; should you be treating them like enemies?"


    "Until they hand over their limit fragment research, they might as well be considered an enemy to all of us. Furthermore, I had nothing to do with the event: Zhang Lie triggered everything himself. Help me contact the wounded of Qi!"


    Amurong had decided on a strategy to deal with Zhang Lie. Since Zhang Lie''s reputation had soared to such an extent that he wouldn''t be able to interfere directly, he would start by ruining Zhang Lie''s reputation. The sura king''s invasion had been very timely indeed.


    He would let the citizens of Qi besmirch Zhang Lie''s name themselves.


    When he returned to the city, Zhang Lie received far less weing a response to his arrival. There were only a few that loudly cheered for him, but those standing behind them stared stonily at Zhang Lie, a hint of enmity in their eyes.


    Zhang Lie didn''t pay them any attention; he stared glumly at the ruined castle walls.


    The governor of Qi, Xiao Zhengyang, stepped forward. "Wee back."


    Zhang Lie scratched his head in embarrassment. "I apologize for destroying the walls of Qi once again¡ªit looks like you''ll have to rebuild."


    Xiao Zhengyang shook his head. "It''s alright. By now, we''re used to it."


    Suddenly, a voice shouted from the crowd, "Governor, what do you mean it''s alright?! We''re the ones who have to suffer! Zhang Lie, don''t you know just how difficult the rebuilding process is?!"


    Someone else immediately retorted, "Shut up! If not for Zhang Lie''s presence, we would all have been captured or killed by the sura!"

 Chapter 397: The Nature of Man

    <h4>Chapter 397: The Nature of Man</h4>


    "You fool! Weren''t the sura all lured to Qi because of this fellow? If Zhang Lie weren''t around, would the sura attack Qi multiple times?" the naysayer argued. "Is Zhang Lie truly a champion of mankind? No, he''s more like a scourge!"


    "Don''t you remember who saved us and the entirety of Qi two times in a row?"


    "Wasn''t Zhang Lie the reason the sura came to Qi in the first ce? The sura king came to seek revenge on Musi Yu, and Zhang Lie was the one who killed him! And if the sura hadn''t invaded us, neither would the enemy races nearby¡ªand if Zhang Lie hadn''t gone and seized a sura kingdom''s capital as well, the enemy races wouldn''t have invaded a second time.


    "Use your brain, folks! What if Zhang Lie had nned all this? How do you know he''s not taking advantage of all of you to build his reputation?"


    Li Feng rolled up his sleeves. "Repeat that one more time, I dare you."


    Upon noticing the unkind gazes from the members of Team Zenith sent his way, the man shut up and scurried off.


    Xiao Zhengyang shook his head. "I think we had better return to the governor''s manor and talk there instead."


    As they walked toward the governor''s manor, Zhang Lie said, "It looks like there are quite a few people who don''t wee me around."


    "Well, that''s how things are. You stand out, and that immediately makes you prizing. The stronger you grow, the higher your reputation, the more jealousy you''ll cause. Don''t worry too much about what they say."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I don''t mind¡ªI don''t think I have anything to be ashamed about. Right, did you manage to get what I wanted?"


    Xiao Zhengyang nodded. "I''ve made a request to the world federation, but it seems to have been stalled."


    Zhang Lie frowned. He wanted to get a teleportation array between the dimensional world and the real world, and this technology was heavily regted by the world federation.


    Seeing his frown, however, Xiao Zhengyang only grinned even more widely. "There''s no need to worry. China''s government was willing to provide one for you, and it''s been installed in the warehouse."


    "Thank you!"


    Xiao Zhengyang shook his head. "Given your contributions to Qi, this is nothing. Do you really intend on leaving Qi?"


    "I''m not certain yet, but I do intend to build a new human city in what used to be the capital of the sura king I captured."


    There were quite a lot of rules and regtions restricting him in Qi, so Zhang Lie wanted a city of his own.


    "Very well, it looks like you''ve already made up your mind. When do you intend to leave?"


    "I''ll return to Earth and deal with some matters there first. When I heard about the invasion of Qi, I had to rush over, so I had better check on how matters have been developing without my presence."


    Ever since the attack on Qi, neither Zhang Lie nor the members of Team Zenith had had a good night''s sleep. They had rushed over to one of the sura kingdoms'' capital, destroyed it, then ran around Qi repelling the alien races, before finally having another battle against the sura. It was well past time for them to take a break.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith returned to Earth, unaware of a scheme unfolding all around him. In a dark alley in Qi, a ck-robed manpleted a transaction with several hunters.


    If Zhang Lie were present, he would have noticed that one of the men taking part in the transaction was the one who had been vilifying him in front of the public.


    The man grinned with malice. "Don''t worry, boss, leave this to me! I''ve never liked Zhang Lie, so you can be assured I''ll do my best. Champion of mankind? Feh!"


    The others agreed fervently. "Right, he might be a capable hunter, but nothing more! I hardly understand what everyone finds so wonderful about him!"


    In front of thergest za in Qi, which was being restored after the damage from two sessive invasions, a man stood by the cusp of the fountain in the center of the za. He yelled out, "Friends,rades, hunters of Qi, gather around! I''m here today to reveal the truth behind a man whom we''ve all thought of as a hero."


    A few hunters walking by stared at the man before averting their gazes.


    The man pulled out a sheaf of papers from his robes with Zhang Lie''s face on them.


    "I''m talking about the scourge of mankind, Zhang Lie!"


    "Isn''t that the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie?"


    The man red at the onlooker who had spoken. "Champion of mankind? He doesn''t deserve such a title¡ªhe''s a duplicitous, two-faced scumbag! Perhaps you might not know this, but he was the one who caused the two invasions that almost destroyed Qi. He''s the true culprit!"


    Zhang Lie''s believers rushed to defend him. "What are you talking about? If not for Zhang Lie, Qi would long have fallen."


    "But have you considered what would have happened if Zhang Lie weren''t around?


    Why did the sura king attack Qi? It was because he was seeking revenge for Musi Yu, whom Zhang Lie killed! And why did the enemy races attack Qi? It was because Zhang Lie left Qi defenseless when he dragged everyone in fighting condition off with him to invade the sura!"


    Someone else yelled, "You''re absolutely right! If not for Zhang Lie''s actions, Qi would have been perfectly safe!


    Think about how much we''ve all suffered since he came to Qi! We''ve never had any sura attacks, but the moment this fellow arrived, Qi was struck by cmity after cmity!"


    "You''re exactly right. Look all around you, everyone¡ªhow many of your friends or acquaintances perished to those attacks? Wake up: Zhang Lie isn''t our savior, he''s our downfall! If we remain silent any longer, Qi will fall because of him!"


    The hunters that the ck-robed man had paid off yesterday were having a noticeable effect on the audience.


    "Everyone thinks highly of him, but I suspect he''s making use of his strength and ability to lure enemies over before killing them in a grand disy of strength right by the city walls. By repeating these feats, he''ll easily raise his reputation and renown¡ªbut at the cost of your lives!"


    "But he did save Qi, didn''t he?" someone called out.


    "Nonsense! You''ve already been brainwashed by Zhang Lie''s antics!"

 Chapter 398: Tyrannical Logic

    <h4>Chapter 398: Tyrannical Logic</h4>


    "If not for Zhang Lie, would there be so many problems in Qi?"


    "He''s clearly in it all for the reputation, not to protect us hunters! If not for the fact that he had begun fighting with the sura king right outside the city walls, we wouldn''t have to rebuild again!"


    "One of my good friends died because of the shockwaves from the fight between Zhang Lie and the sura king! Zhang Lie has to bear responsibility for his death!"


    The man who stood by the fountain raised his hands to the sky. "Expel Zhang Lie from Qi!"


    "Expel Zhang Lie? No, surely not. After all, he did save Qi from the sura."


    "Zhang Lie has to take responsibility for luring the sura over in the first ce!"


    "Zhang Lie is a hero of Qi, isn''t he? In that case, shouldn''t he donate some of his limit-breaking potions to support the hunters of Qi and to make sure we can fend off another sura invasion? After all, he has so many limit-breaking potions that he can afford to issue a bounty on the Musi n with them!"


    "Right! Surely it isn''t unreasonable for us to ask for a small portion of what he has, considering the damage that was caused to Qi!"


    Give a man an inch and he''ll take a mile. After Zhang Lie saved the hunters of Qi twice over, they now wanted him to take responsibility for the damage incurred by the city as part of the fighting as well.


    Most of the hunters didn''t want to expel Qi, but their greed triumphed over logic. Some had been injured in the aftermath of the invasions, and many were responsible for helping rebuild. They certainly didn''t want to me themselves for anything, so the obvious target was Zhang Lie. They had worked hard to help save the city; surely that deserved a limit-breaking potion or two? The hunters all threw their weight behind the man who had spurred them all to action.


    The man smiled: everything was going ording to n.


    As a result, when Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith returned to Qi, they found the passersby staring at them strangely.


    As Zhang Lie wondered about what had happened, a group of hunters walked forward and extended an open palm to him. "Zhang Lie, hand over your limit-breaking potions!"


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    If they were trying to rob him, why would they do it in public? Furthermore, after witnessing how he had defeated two sura kings, did they really think they could defeat him?


    What Zhang Lie didn''t realize was that the only reason they had dared to make such a demand of him was precisely because they were in the public eye. In private, they would quail against Zhang Lie''s might instantly.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "On what grounds?"


    "I told you he wouldn''t do it!" said the leader of the group, turning to the rest of the party. He faced Zhang Lie once more. "I''ve seen through your ploys!


    "You were the one who lured the sura king over. He only came to Qi because you killed Musi Yu, and the alien races only invaded Qi because you took our main fighting force with you when you went to invade the sura!


    "Now that Qi''s fallen to such dire straits, you''re refusing to hand over your limit-breaking potions inpensation. It''s clear that you had an ulterior motive behind all your actions! You didn''t defend Qi just to help us¡ªyou just wanted to shore up your reputation! Am I right?


    "You duplicitous man!"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes. "My master has better things to do with his time."


    Zhang Lie added, "Don''t you think I''m famous enough as the champion of the Void Cup and dragonlord of China? Why would I waste my time with such a pointless gesture?"


    In anger, the man thundered, "You''re keeping your pretenses up, I see! Well, I don''t care¡ªyou have to take responsibility for causing so many deaths in Qi!"


    "Yes, you do! Before you came, everything was fine with Qi, but we''ve had disaster after disaster because of you. The walls of Qi were twice destroyed, and thousands of casualties ensued as a result! Perhaps you shouldn''t be held responsible for those deaths, but you directly caused Qi''s walls to fall once more because you fought so close to the city. Don''t you think somepensation is necessary in that case?"


    Quite a few wounded hunters strode forward, blocking Zhang Lie''s path.


    Hong Xi retorted in rage, "You''re all ungrateful fools! If not for my master being here, Qi would long since have fallen. He could easily have waited on Earth, but he chose to enter Qi to save all of you because you were all fellow humans! How could you criticize him in this fashion? Scram, or I''ll make you scram!"


    Sun Mengmeng added, "Right, we''ve all seen how Zhang Lie stepped up to defend Qi in times of crisis. How can you have the conscience to me all this on him? If not for him, would you be able to unite with your long-lost rtives who were suffering in thends of the sura? Would you have thend that Zhang Lie reimed from the enemy races nearby? If you want to die, I''ll send you on your way!"


    Li Fengughed coldly. "Do you think what Zhang Lie did for Qi can bepared to a mere wall?"


    "Even the governor hasn''tined¡ªwhat right do you all have to do so?"


    "So what? Isn''t it your fault that the walls copsed?"


    "It''s because of Zhang Lie that my good friend''s been heavily wounded!"


    "There aren''t many hunters left in Qi, and most of the forces have been injured because of the fighting. Isn''t it reasonable that you would provide somepensation in the form of these limit-breaking potions?"


    "You''re the hero of Qi, aren''t you? You should be more considerate of us hunters, then! You have arge stockpile of these potions, enough to issue a bounty with them, so why not give us a few?"


    "I''m not your parent¡ªwhy should I provide for you? Scram!" Zhang Lie snorted as he made to walk away, but the man in charge blocked his path with a group of people.


    "Hold it! We won''t let you leave so easily."


    "You''ve saved Qi a few times already, haven''t you? What''s one more time? Why don''t you hand over these limit-breaking potions so we can all get stronger and defend Qi more easily?"


    "If you don''t hand over the potions, your reputation as a hero will quickly fall apart. Do you understand your circumstances?"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help butugh. "Are you all crazy? As I''ve said, I don''t care about my reputation."


    Zhang Lie didn''t care about being a hero, and he didn''t care about how others addressed him. What was important was following his heart, his own code of ethics. He had never considered himself a champion of mankind, nor a hero in any sense of the word.


    "No, we won''t let you leave unless you hand over your limit-breaking potions!"

 Chapter 399: Founding a City

    <h4>Chapter 399: Founding a City</h4>


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "What can you do to me if I insist on leaving?"


    "We can''t do anything to you, of course, but neither can you do anything to us." The man stood right in front of Zhang Lie and blocked his way.


    Zhang Lie extended three fingers at him. "I''ll count to three. If you don''t make way, don''t me me about what happens next."


    The man looked all around him and smiled. "We''re in the middle of Qi. Are you really going to strike me?"


    "Three!"


    The man patted himself on the cheeks. "Strike me if you dare, Zhang Lie, champion of mankind! Everyone will see this blow."


    "Two!"


    The manughed. "As a champion of mankind, are you really going to bully amon hunter like me?"


    Hispanions added, "Right, we''re all weak hunters, and none of us areparable to you. Aren''t you afraid of the blow to your reputation if you strike us in broad daylight?"


    "One!"


    "I might only be a weak hunter, but I never backed down when facing the sura. I fought with my life on the line¡ªdo you really dare hit me?!"


    "I too yed a huge role in the defense of Qi, and I should be protected by itsws!"


    A gust of hot wind rose as the man was flung away into the distance, tracing out a parab in the sky as he flew out of the city grounds.


    "Respect you? What''s there to respect about you? As for thews of Qi, well, I have witnesses around for your reprehensible behavior. I said, scram!"


    Zhang Lie had no qualms about attacking these immoral fellows.


    .


    As Zhang Lie nced at the other hunters of Qi who had milled around the scene and even taken part in blocking his way, he couldn''t hide the sh of disappointment in his eyes. What right did these hunters have to demand his limit-breaking potions? Just because they were weak and poor, while he was strong and rich?


    It had taken him plenty of time to scale up his potion crafting to his current extent, and collecting, refining, and concocting the potion had required immense effort and time on his part. Why should he help them all for nothing?


    Hong Xi shielded her eyes as she nced toward where the man had fallen. "Now that he''s flown out of the city, we shouldn''t need to beat him up, should we?"


    "Make way! Don''t force us to strike you!" Sun Mengmeng cried out, "If not for the fact that you all participated valiantly in defending Qi, I would have struck you all down already!"


    "Let''s go." Zhang Lie strode forward.


    Thepanions of the hunter who had been punted out of the city hurriedly stepped forward. "No, you can''t leave!"


    "We won''t let you go unless you hand over those limit-breaking potions!"


    "Everyone saw you hit that fellow¡ªeither you hand over those potions, or we expel you from Qi!"


    "And what right do you have to expel me?"


    Zhang Lie sent a pulse of gic energy rippling in a wave before him, sending those hunters blocking his way flying. He walked out of the city gates with the members of Team Zenith, none of the bystanders remaining daring to stop him.


    Only when he was gone did the hunters of Qi seem toe to a realization.


    "Wait, you can''t leave!"


    "Champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, you can''t leave!"


    "What''s going to happen to Qi if you do?"


    It was only when they saw Zhang Lie walk away from Qi that they began to regret what they had done.


    Zhang Lie was a hunter on par with the sura king, and if Zhang Lie were to remain in Qi, Qi would have nothing to fear. Even the nearby enemy races had retreated because of his pressure; if he were to leave and the enemy races found out, wouldn''t they take back thend they had been forced to give up?


    It really seemed like Zhang Lie was nning to leave Qipletely, but all their calctions had been predicated on the fact that Zhang Lie wouldn''t leave, no matter what.


    Reflecting on those calctions, however, they found that they had been very, very wrong.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t asked for anything as thanks for saving Qi numerous times; he had even attacked the neighboring enemy races and acquired morend for Qi.


    This selfless behavior led the hunters to believe that Zhang Lie had be attached to Qi, but that was wrong. Now that they had disgusted him with their shameless begging, he didn''t want to remain in Qi any longer.


    When they heralded him as a champion of mankind, they had expected him to provide selflessly for humanity, particrly for the hunters of Qi, but Zhang Lie had never agreed to this. He wasn''t a champion of mankind, and he had no intentions to be one.


    Zhang Lie was free to roam the second realm as he pleased; he had rescued Qi out of a sense of responsibility as a fellow human, not because of the hunters of Qi.


    Furthermore, Zhang Lie already had his own ns in mind.


    As the hunters in Qi watched him leave, they couldn''t help but curse themselves for what they had done, sumbing to their greed and spurning Zhang Lie from Qi. Only when he had left did they realize the serious error they hadmitted.


    Someone chased after him and asked, "Where are you going? You won''t be able to do anything if you leave Qi! How are you going to get back to the real world?"


    "That''s none of your business." Zhang Lie snorted as he left a horde of screaming hunters behind.


    "Come back!"


    "Get back here!"


    "Champion of mankind,e back! Qi needs you!" the hunters shouted.


    "Don''t desert us, champion!"


    "Champion, Zhang Lie, we were wrong, we shouldn''t have spurned you!"


    No matter how they yelled, Zhang Lie didn''t turn back.


    As he headed out of Qi, however, he found Xiao Zhengyang standing in his way, a smile on his face. "You''ve forgotten something."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Do you want to prevent me from leaving, too?"


    "No, I''m simply here to hand you something you left behind." Xiao Zhengyang motioned for Zhou Ming to carry arge parcel over.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. "The teleportation apparatus?"


    "How else would you build your own city or return to Earth?"


    "You aren''t going to stop me?"


    "Why should I?" Xiao Zhengyang pointed behind him. "It was those fools who chased you away. I know I can''t make you stay, so why bother trying?"

 Chapter 400: Critics and Condemnation

    <h4>Chapter 400: Critics and Condemnation</h4>


    "It looks like you approve of my building a city," Zhang Lie replied to Xiao Zhengyang.


    "I was never in opposition¡ªI just hadn''t made up my mind."


    "And those hunters caused you to make up your mind?"


    Xiao Zhengyang sighed. "As you know, the world federation has had a hand in founding and governing Qi, and my status as the governor doesn''t give meplete authority over what goes on.


    "This situation with the hunters seems rather unusual, and I can''t neglect the possibility that someone from the world federation is trying to make a move against you. Now that the location of Qi is known to quite a few enemy races nearby, it''s in great danger. I can''t afford to punish any hunters; we need all the manpower we can get. I apologize for the indignity you''ve had to suffer."


    "No, no, none of that at all! I''m simply disgusted by their behavior. But if Qi''s in so much danger, how could you stand my leaving now?"


    Xiao Zhengyang sighed. "Would you stay just because I asked you to? Furthermore, it''s important to have a ce ofst resort in case Qi ever falls; I hope you''ll be able to take in any refugees from Qi then."


    "I''ll do my best." With Xiao Zhengyang''s promises and well wishes, Zhang Lie left with the rest of Team Zenith and the teleportation apparatus. Not long after their departure, however, Zhang Lie heard footsteps from behind. He frowned. "Go into stealth, everyone."


    The members of Team Zenith slowly faded from sight.


    Zhang Lie turned to face those who were chasing after him: Su Hong, along with the three thousand soldiers that Zhang Lie had brought with him to invade the territory of the sura.


    Zhang Lie materialized out of thin air, shocking the gathered hunters. He frowned. "What are all of you doing here? Do you think you''ll be able to force me to return to Qi?"


    Su Hong smiled. "We know we wouldn''t be able to beat you, champion."


    The hunters beside him added, "Right, even if we had ten times the number, we might not be able to bring you back."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m not your champion, and I never was."


    "Well, we''re no longer hunters of Qi anymore."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened.


    Su Hong exined, "We want to leave with you, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Do you all know where I''m headed? I''ll be roaming aimlessly in the second realm. Return to Qi¡ªit''s surely safer for all of you."


    "No matter where you''re headed, we''re willing to follow you."


    "Through hell and high water, sir!"


    The huntersughed. "We''re sure you''ll take care of us, champion! We''re willing to work for you."


    Zhang Lie chuckled bitterly. "There''s only going to be suffering ahead where I''m headed."


    Su Hong smiled again. "Don''t worry. We''ve all made up our minds to follow you, and we''re mentally prepared for what to face. I''ve heard the governor mention that you''re going to be constructing a new settlement, and we''re ready to be part of that.


    How few settlements do we humans have in the second realm? Our names might even appear in the history books one day, and we won''t let go of such an opportunity."


    Zhang Lie turned to face the massed hunters behind Su Hong. "And what of you? Why are you here to follow me?"


    The hunters shook their heads. "We don''t have such grand aspirations¡ªwe just know that you''re a good leader."


    They had tasted the fruits of theirbor when they followed Zhang Lie gallivanting across the surands. Although it had been a tiring expedition, the rewards weremensurate with the effort they had put in.


    Su Hong steepled his fingers. "Don''t chase us back to Qi, champion! Let me tell you something: before we left, we caught the group of hunters that tried to extort you and gave them the beating they deserved. We did it within the city, breaking martialw, so none of us can return now!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "If you really want to follow me, don''t call me a champion. I''m sick of being addressed as a champion or a hero."


    "Yes, Zhang Lie!" the gathered hunters shouted, beaming.


    Zhang Lie''s party suddenly grew farrger.


    At the same time, news of Zhang Lie''s sudden departure from Qi had begun to spread.


    "What?! Zhang Lie left Qi, never to return?!"


    "What did I miss? Why''s he doing that?"


    "Are those hunters from Qi crazy? They should go see a doctor!"


    The hunters'' forums began bursting with activity.


    "Did something big happen in Qi?"


    "The sura attacked Qi again¡ªdo you think that''s big?"


    "What? That''s old news! Didn''t you know that Zhang Lie was forced out of Qi?"


    "What? Zhang Lie''s gone?"


    "A bunch of fools tried to force Zhang Lie to hand them some limit-breaking potions, and their actions disgusted Zhang Lie so much that he chose to leave!"


    "Fools! If Zhang Lie hadn''t saved Qi, it would be destroyed by now!"


    "What''s worse, they were calling him champion of mankind just yesterday, but a dayter, they''re kicking him out of Qi?"


    "There are idiots everywhere¡ªdon''t they see that they might even have perished if not for Qi?"


    "A pile of ungrateful bastards! If I were Zhang Lie, I''d choose to leave, too."


    "People really are greedy, aren''t they?"


    "Well, regardless of where Zhang Lie''s headed, the city of Feng would be very happy to host him!"


    "No, no, he''s closer to Ming! He should go to Ming!"


    "We''ll do anything to bring him to Wang!"


    Who wouldn''t want Zhang Lie around? He was a forceparable to a sura king. With him around, no city would have to fear being attacked. It was little wonder the three other human settlements were doing all they could to recruit him.


    The hunters of Qi, seeing how fervently the hunters from the other three cities of the second realm were trying to recruit Zhang Lie, regretted their decision even more.


    "If I see those hunters from Qi again, I''ll give them a beating!"


    Only a small fraction of hunters had spoken up and taken action against Zhang Lie, though there were naturally those who knew of what they were doing and had chosen to let things slide, in hopes that they too would be able to obtain these limit-breaking potions without dirtying their own hands.


    Unfortunately for them, what those hunters had done had hurt all the citizens of Qi. What was Qi to do now that Zhang Lie was gone? They could hardly defend against the enemy races alone.


    Naturally, they would me the instigators who had tried to expel Zhang Lie in the first ce.

 Chapter 401: Obtaining a Labor Force

    <h4>Chapter 401: Obtaining a Labor Force</h4>


    "Does anyone know where Zhang Lie is now?"


    No one had an answer to that question. Only the governor and the special forces troops of Qi even knew that Zhang Lie was nning to build a new settlement; the three thousand hunters who had chased after Zhang Lie hadn''t known where they would be going, either.


    That was why Zhang Lie had been touched by their willingness to follow him anyway.


    At that moment, Zhang Lie and his party were heading toward the capital of the sura. Ever since Zhang Lie had imed the capital for himself, it had be devoid of people, and the rest of the kingdom had been slowly consumed by its neighbors.


    He had only been gone for half a month, but the capital already seemed to be turning into ruins.


    Zhang Lie announced, "Starting from today, we''ll build our own settlement right here."


    Su Hong asked, "Right on top of the foundations of the sura''s capital?"


    "What do you think? The foundations here are sound, and we''d only need to build on top of it¡ª we have the base of a settlement right here."


    With the destruction of this sura kingdom, the nearby kingdoms would surely expand theirnds, but it would take them quite some time to do so. By that time, Zhang Lie would have taken full control of the capital.


    Su Hong shook his head. "It would be almost impossible for the three thousand of us to build a settlement here. Just repairing these walls would take us a full month, let alone restore the buildings all around."


    Furthermore, was a settlement with just three thousand people meaningful? Since they had a teleportation apparatus with them, wouldn''t a secret base suffice?


    Of course, Su Hong didn''t mention those reservations.


    Zhang Lie reassured him, "Don''t worry, we''ll have more people here soon, along with specialists who are familiar with city building and nning. You''re all warriors, so it would be wasteful to have you all take part in the construction efforts."


    "People? From where?"


    "They''ll show up soon enough¡ªjust give them some time. You must all be tired after rushing here from Qi, so why don''t all of you go rest? Take whatever house you want¡ªas you can see, there are plenty of vacancies. There aren''t any dangerous lifeforms around, and no sura would waste their timeing over here. It should be quite safe. I''ll be heading out for some time."


    "For how long?"


    "A week or two. I''ll be returning with those who will construct this settlement."


    Zhang Lie had decided to return to the Yeluo Valley and bring the entire Yeluo n over.


    He turned to Sun Mengmeng and instructed, "Sun Mengmeng, along with the rest of Team Zenith, install the teleportation apparatus in a secure location."


    "Yes, Captain!" the members chorused.


    Zhang Lie spread a pair of ck wings as he soared into the sky and quickly vanished from sight.


    The three thousand hunters watched on, but not for long. Su Hong reacted quickly, pping his hands for attention and ring at all of them. "What''re you all waiting for? Find a house to stay in!"


    When Zhang Liended in the Yeluo Valley, he found the Yeluo n head waiting for him.


    Zhang Lie cut to the chase. "I intend on building a settlement, and I''d like your n to move over."


    The Yeluo n head''s eyes widened. "Congrattions, human warrior! However, we of the Yeluo have lived here our whole lives, and transnting the entire n on your whims is a difficult request. Furthermore, the herbs we need for our special concoction only grow in this valley."


    The n head seemed rather displeased, but Zhang Lie wasn''t open for negotiation.


    "I won''t ept any excuses. The environment there is better than it is here, and these herbs can be transnted. Just leave a few warriors behind to take care of them. Furthermore, I''m not making a request, but a demand. Either you ede, or I''ll destroy your n."


    Zhang Lie red his gic energy, sending frightening ripples into the air and causing even the Yeluo n head himself to shudder. He didn''t dare oppose Zhang Lie.


    In the highest authorities'' pce in the Milky Way, Amurong wasughing so hard he had tearsing out of his eyes. "Haha, Zhang Lie was expelled from Qi, haha!"


    His n had seeded! The greedy hunters of Qi had evicted Zhang Lie almost of their own ord, and Zhang Lie''s reputation would surely fall as a result.


    Amurong summoned his secretary over. "Where did Zhang Lie go after leaving Qi?"


    His secretary tapped on the tablet he was holding. "He left with a band of hunters, allegedly to build his own settlement."


    "To build his own settlement?! Ridiculous¡ªhow could they seed with just a motley crew? Let him be."


    Sumbing to Zhang Lie''s threats, the Yeluo n prepared to migrate en masse.


    "Shall we set out now?" The Yeluo Valley was usually quite dangerous, but Zhang Lie easily handled any enemies that came his way.


    A new post appeared on the hunters'' forums.


    "I have news, fresh news! I''ve finally found where the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, went!"


    "Really? Wonderful, I''ve been waiting to find out!"


    "How do you know where he went?"


    "I heard it from a friend in Qi. He was one of the three thousand hunters who went to sack the sura''s capital and followed Zhang Lie out of Qi. Apparently, the moment they realized Zhang Lie was going to leave Qi, they all gathered up and followed him away. Guess where Zhang Lie went!"


    "If I were Zhang Lie and had been treated so terribly by the hunters in Qi, I''d join the sura and sack Qi myself."


    "No, Zhang Lie''s not like that! If he didn''t feel some sort of responsibility for mankind, he wouldn''t have returned to Qi to repel the first sura invasion."


    "I have no clue where he would be. Tell us, where''s Zhang Lie and what''s he doing?"


    "He''s gone to build a settlement!"


    "What, a fifth human city?"


    "That''s a very Zhang Lie thing to do, isn''t it? First ughtering a sura king, then building his own city... I''m not sure anything that Zhang Lie does will be able to shock me any longer."


    "Wait, he''s building a city with just three thousand people?"


    "...I''d respected Zhang Lie, but isn''t he a fool? Doesn''t he know how much manpower is required to maintain a city?"


    "He must be addled!"


    "Isn''t it normal? A strong hunter needn''t be particrly intelligent; he might have done it on a whim without considering the idea carefully."


    "Wouldn''t those around him stop him?"


    "Even if they did, I don''t think he''d listen. That''s how the strongest hunters are¡ªarrogant and prideful, and unwilling to listen to others."


    "Do you know where Zhang Lie''s city is located?"


    "Apparently, it''s where the old sura capital was."

 Chapter 402: Rebuilding

    <h4>Chapter 402: Rebuilding</h4>


    Back on Earth, Chu Feng and Yun Bing smiled as they heard the news.


    "We''ve finally found you, Zhang Lie!" At that moment, they instantly and simultaneously decided that they would be heading toward the old sura capital.


    While Zhang Lie was gone, Su Hong and the other hunters began clearing the rubble and fallen buildings from the aftermath of Zhang Lie''s invasion. Quite a lot of buildings had copsed as part of the raid, and Su Hong thought that it would be a good idea to get started immediately.


    Only when they actually began the process did Su Hong realize how taxing the work was. The buildings and size of the capital were about five timesrger than those of Qi, and the restoration process wasmensurately tedious.


    If not for the fact that they were all gic hunters, they would have copsed from exertion.


    With the rubble mostly cleared, Su Hong intended on building a simple stone wall where the original walls of the capital had once stood, so as to not make it look so dpidated.


    "Su Hong, there''s a group of aliens heading this way!"


    Su Hong rushed to the watchtower at the center of the city.


    "What race is that? Everyone, get ready for a fight!" Su Hong shouted.


    "That won''t be necessary." Zhang Lie''s voice came from behind him.


    Su Hong turned around, his eyes lighting up. "Thank goodness you''re back in time, Zhang Lie! There''s what seems to be a hostile group of aliens approaching us."


    Zhang Lie chuckled as he shook his head. "It''s fortunate that I came back to warn you all ahead of time, then."


    Su Hong: ? ? ?


    "Those are my men."


    Su Hong gaped. "They''re your friends, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "More like my subordinates. Don''t treat them like enemies; we''ll be cohabiting this city together."


    "You have alien subordinates?!"


    "What''s so strange about that?"


    "I''ll make sure everyone knows immediately." Su Hong vanished like a puff of smoke, while Zhang Lie returned to the Yeluo n and led them within the former capital of the sura. When they saw Zhang Lie''s new settlement, they began to gape, as though they were country bumpkins who were visiting a city for the first time.


    In some sense, they were: almost none of the younger generation of the Yeluo had left their valley, and even among the older, only the n head and elders frequently stepped outside. Thus, everything they saw was filled with novelty.


    Quite a few of the Yeluo were looking all around them, their eyes sparkling. They had lived in a remote valley all their lives, and they had hardly seen the likes of a city as grand as the former sura capital, despite the aftereffects of Zhang Lie''s invasion.


    Their annoyance at having to leave their valley dissipated immediately.


    "n head, can we really live here?"


    Zhang Lie responded, "This will be a ce to live for all of you."


    The Yeluo''s eyes brightened.


    The n head, on the other hand, reacted strangely to the sight. The other members of the n might not know where they were, but he knew it very well¡ªthis was the capital of a sura kingdom!


    Zhang Lie was a human, but he had brought them to a sura capital¡ªand yet there were no sura living here, only humans. Had he been secluded from the world for too long? Had the humans somehow defeated the sura?


    Zhang Lie instructed the Yeluo, "The western part of the city will be where you live. Choose whatever house you want. You''ll be responsible for the forests and hills in that direction as well.


    The n head asked, "Where is it? How muchnd will we have?"


    Zhang Lie retrieved a map and sketched out a region roughly by eye. "From there to here, up to this wall. The houses in this region are more or less furnished, so you should be able to livefortably for the moment."


    The Yeluo tribesmen yelled in excitement.


    Zhang Lie specially instructed the n head, "Make sure to curb your fighters so they don''t start a sh with the human hunters."


    "Of course. I''ll make sure that no fights ensue."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''ll leave you in charge of defending the perimeter of the city, as well as posting guards in its interior."


    "Leave it to me." The n head beckoned his tribe to him as they left for the western part of the city.


    Zhang Lie then rose into the air and inspected the changes to the city, the rubble that had been removed, the streets that were now cleaned up. He patted Su Hong''s shoulder. "You''ve worked hard while I was gone."


    Su Hong still seemed rather shocked by the Yeluo. "Are those all your subordinates, Zhang Lie?"


    No human had ever been able to subdue an alien race before, so when he saw them all obeying Zhang Lie''s orders, Su Hong was shocked by the sight.


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "As long as you''re strong enough, you can control the entirety of the second realm."


    He called for Hong Xi. "You went to the Yeluo Valley with me, so the Yeluo know you slightly better than the others. Go talk with their n head and have him provide you with a list of the members of his tribe and their names."


    "Is there enough manpower for this settlement?" Su Hong slowly recovered from his shock. "There are only about a thousand of these so-called Yeluo tribesmen, with four thousand of us in total. I''m not sure we''ll be able to keep this city running like that."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''ll just go find more alien races."


    Su Hong''s eyes widened. "Do you have any more alien subordinates, Zhang Lie?"


    "Not at the moment, but I can easily find more. Have all three thousand hunters assemble. We''ll roam around the vicinity of the capital and see what we find."


    The men quickly gathered.


    "Depart!" Zhang Lie set off with the three thousand hunters, as well as the members of Team Zenith.


    "Where should we go?" Su Hong asked.


    "I know that there''s a tribe of rock spirits nearby. They''re a very interesting race, with the ability to manipte all forms of earth. They''ll surely be a great help when ites to rebuilding the capital."


    Zhang Lie navigated them to an unusual forest of rocks. Rocky spires pierced the sky, each the size of a gigantic redwood. The spires were so densely packed that they resembled a forest.


    Zhang Lie brought the hunters within. Suddenly, the earth began to quake, and the rocks began to disintegrate in front of them. The hunters all pulled out their weapons as they warily looked around, but Zhang Lie remained calm and unperturbed.


    The rocks reassembled into a stone giant. "Tiny creatures, why have youe here?"


    Su Hong gaped. "How will you subdue suchrge creatures?"


    The rock giant in front of them was at least thirty meters tall, shocking even the most seasoned hunter.

 Chapter 403: The Rock Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 403: The Rock Spirits</h4>


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry, I have my own tricks for negotiation!"


    The stone giant repeated, "Tiny creatures, why have youe here?"


    Zhang Lie strode forward decisively. "I''d like to see the leader of your n."


    "Scram!"


    "You aren''t going to ask why I''m here?"


    "Our n leader won''t pay attention to the affairs of the tiny, let alone your words."


    "I rmend you listen to me."


    "On what grounds?"


    "To avoid the extinction of your n."


    "And what news could a puny creature like you bring that could destroy our n?"


    "That news is me."


    The rock giant stared at Zhang Lie for a moment and, upon understanding his words, began tough. "Haha, do you think you tiny creatures can do anything against my n? I could squash you all with my foot!"


    "I''ll repeat myself: I want to see your n leader."


    The rock giant replied seriously, "And I''ll repeat myself as well: you don''t have that right."


    With a gigantic boom, the rock giant flew through the air like a missile, his momentum only depleted after knocking down five or six rock spires.


    Everyone looked at Zhang Lie in shock, not expecting him to make a move so suddenly.


    Zhang Lie''s punch caused the entirety of the rock forest to react. Rocks began to fall from the nearby spires, each transforming into a rock giant and surrounding Zhang Lie and the others.


    The hunters'' faces turned serious, but Zhang Lie seemed as calm as before. "I want to see the leader of your n," he repeated.


    A rock giant howled. "After beating one of our kind, why should we grant you that privilege?"


    Zhang Lie frowned impatiently. "I''m tired of repeating myself. I want to see the leader of your n. Don''t force me to make a move."


    The rock giant snorted. "Don''t you realize you''re encircled by all of us? The only way you''ll get to see our n leader is if we squash you into a human pancake first!"


    "Do you all have rocks for brains? Can''t you understand what I''m saying?"


    Hong Xi whispered, "Master, they do have rocks for brains..."


    "It looks like you''ll all need a good beating before you''re willing to listen."


    "Ha! Can a tiny creature like you take us down?" The rock giants began to rampage as they made to attack the gathered hunters.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie sent a horde of dragons soaring into the air, howling as they swooped down and bombarded the rock giants, whose bodies burst apart as the dragons exploded.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie himself shot forward like a bullet.


    Two strikes from Zhang Lie alone had cleared arge patch ofnd all around them.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie''s fist pummeled the rock giant in front of him, smashing its body to smithereens. The giant fell to the ground. Zhang Lie stepped on its chest as he thrust his palm within the cracked rock and pulled out a ck creature.


    The creature was like a lump of coal, its body as squishy as a pile of jelly. When Zhang Lie pulled it out of the chest of the rock giant, it began to tremble, and all the rock giants around him stopped moving.


    "Hold it!" A rock giant studded with jewels and golden veins walked out from the rock forest.


    "Are you finally willing to make an appearance, leader of the rock spirits?" Zhang Lie asked slowly.


    The rock spirits were an interesting race: their status in their n was determined by the amount of gold and jewels within their "bodies". The rock giant in front of him, glowing resplendently in the sunlight, his body filled more with jewels than with rock, was undoubtedly their leader.


    "Let go of my kin, and I''ll let you leave peacefully."


    Zhang Lie was clutching onto the true form of a rock spirit.


    Hong Xi gasped. "This is what a rock spirit actually looks like?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "The rock giants you see are really just rock formations that the rock spirits control. Their true selves are these stubby, fragile pieces of coal. The reason they always make fun of other races for being tiny is because of an inferiorityplex that results from their being even tinier themselves."


    Su Hong gaped. "I would hardly have imagined it!"


    "More urately, this is more like the heart of a rock spirit. As long as its heart remains intact, a rock spirit can regenerate with a sufficient quantity of raw material around. This was why the rock giants were so agitated when I removed this rock spirit''s heart."


    If he were to exert even the slightest amount of force, the rock spirit''s heart would crumble, and it would die.


    The leader of the rock spirits said, "You might be tiny, but you seem to understand a lot about our race."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It has nothing to do with my size. I simply overheard a few important pieces of information about the rock spirits in the past.


    "Now that I''m here, will you let go of the spirit in your hands?"


    Zhang Lie tossed the rock spirit aside; he had no intention of threatening the entire n with the life of one spirit.


    Kidnapping a rock spirit and threatening the n intopliance was a dishonorable method, one that Zhang Lie would hardly deign to use. Furthermore, the rock spirits would hardly work for him willingly, and their construction would be shoddy and prone to failure.


    The n leader announced, "Human, on ount of your clemency, we''ll allow yourpanions to leave safely."


    "I have something to inform you."


    "What?"


    "I have a city to construct, and I need the manpower of your n."


    The rock giants began tough. "Haha, who do you think you are? Why would we follow your demands? You''re a puny human with a tiny brain! Why should we do as you say?"

 Chapter 404: Strangers in a Strange Land

    <h4>Chapter 404: Strangers in a Strange Land</h4>


    The leader of the rock spirits dered, "We rock spirits have a pleasant life here, and we have no intention to leave."


    "This is not a discussion, but amand. If you don''t leave of your own ord, I''ll force you to do so," Zhang Lie emphasized.


    A rock giant thundered, "Enough, you puny creature! Even the sura don''t dare force us to do anything, let alone anyone like you."


    .


    "We rock spirits won''t be anyone''s ves¡ªnot the sura, and not yours!"


    "Why should we leave just because you demand it?"


    The leader of the rock spirits boomed, "Human, it looks like you don''t understand my words. The reason I appeared here was not to listen to your daydreams, but rather to warn you to never appear here again!"


    "Teach him a lesson, n leader! Expel him from the rock forest!"


    A rock giant called out, "ept your death, puny human! You''ll die to just one blow from our chief!"


    "Our leader''s the strongest rock spirit around¡ªhe could beat all of usbined."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "We''ll see about that."


    The leader of the rock spirits leapt up into the air. As his rock body barrelled downwards, sped up by the force of gravity, the air itself seemed to cavitate along its trajectory.


    "[Rune: Activate]!" Zhang Lie raised his hands into the air as the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The tablet of anti-gravity hovered in the sky, slowing the leader of the rock spirits'' fall.


    A pair of wings sprouted from Zhang Lie''s back as he flew up into the sky. A blood moon shone beneath his feet, and his crimson domain extended all around him. With a dark sun to his back, his aura seemed to grow by an order of magnitude.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]." Summoning the first and second forms of his [Ninecarp Transformation], the water- and darkness-attuned gic energybined into a sticky, inky glob. The serpent rushed out with Zhang Lie''s fist and darted straight toward the rock giant''s chest, corroding it and turning the rock ck.


    The rock giant struck back, but Zhang Lie evaded the blow nimbly with his wings. A shortsword appeared in his hands.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Sword energy manifested in the form of a wave that threatened to sweep over the rock giant, who shielded himself with both arms in front of his head. Zhang Lie''s strike caused sparks to fly as itnded on the rock giant''s adamantine arms, leaving a deep cut in the mineral.


    The rock giant grabbed a nearby spire of rock and swung it around as though it weighed nothing more than a piece of straw. A titanic wave of air swept by Zhang Lie as he leapt straight up into the air.


    Zhang Lie raised his arms again, manifesting the image of a dragonturtle as the tablet of gravity struck the rock spire the rock giant was holding. He leapt up onto the rock spire and dashed toward the rock giant.


    With a fist, the rock giant flung the rock spire aside. Zhang Lie leapt up and brandished the shortsword in his hand.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" The sword sh that seemed as though it could cut through anything headed straight for the rock giant. The threat of death, which the rock giant hadn''t held for many years, red up from deep inside his chest.


    The rock giant mmed a fist on the ground, causing arge pir of rock to shoot up. This was the special power afforded to the rock spirits: they could gather energy from the earth and transmute it into spirit-refined rock.


    Even that pir of rock did nothing against Zhang Lie''s attack. The rock giant''s eyes widened with fear. He tried to lift an arm to block the blow, but Venombane sliced through it as easily as though it were a block of tofu. The attacknded directly on the rock giant''s corroded chest, causing fragments of jewels and minerals to fly all over. The other rock spirits were agape.


    Rock spirits were renowned for their defense, and it was a matter of pride for them. Their leader had the best defense among any of them, but even that was nothing in front of Zhang Lie.


    The leader of the rock spirits stepped back, a deep gash on its chest so wide that its core could be seen.


    Zhang Lie charged forward, his sword gleaming with sword energy, as though he were preparing to pierce through it.


    The leader of the rock spirits panicked and began to run, pirs of rock appearing wherever he stepped.


    Zhang Lie flew up into the sky and followed him, easily evading the rock formations that sprang up. He finally activated his two tablets of stasis, causing the leader of the rock spirits to falter and marking him for death.


    Zhang Lie''s sword pierced its chest, but he held back right before it would have shattered its core. He chuckled coldly. "You might be big, but that doesn''t mean you''re strong."


    He sheathed his sword and hovered in midair as he looked down on all the rock giants. Compared to them, he was a far smaller figure, and yet all the rock giants inclined their heads to look at him.


    "Submit to me, or die."


    The rock giants slowly began to kneel on the ground. Despite their overwhelming physical appearance, they were inwardly rather weak-willed: upon seeing their leader being defeated in directbat, none of them dared to fight against Zhang Lie.


    Perhaps if Zhang Lie hadn''t known about the rock spirits'' true forms, they would have rallied around their leader, but somehow, Zhang Lie knew of the secret that no one else did. Not only that, Zhang Lie even knew that they would be able to discard their bodies in times of crisis.


    But since Zhang Lie knew their secret, if he really wanted to, he would be able to ughter their race to thest.


    It was far too difficult for the rock spirits to increase in number: this was an effort that took decades, even centuries. Furthermore, the rock spirits themselves didn''t want to die.


    "We''ve finally arrived!"


    Outside what was once the sura capital were two stick-thin hunters, their clothes shabby and their faces haggard.


    They cried upon reaching the city, a testament to what they had suffered along the way. They had almost given up a few times, and almost been eaten a few more times. Only with an unbelievable effort of willpower had they finally reached their destination.


    "We''re finally here, Zhang Lie, finally!"


    Just as they were about to walk into the city, a group of aliens walked out.


    "Who are you?" The two hunters were instantly shocked.


    Wasn''t this supposed to be Zhang Lie''s new city? Why were there aliens around? Had they ended up in the wrong ce, or had Zhang Lie''s new city been taken over by an alien invasion already?

 Chapter 405: Subduing the Rock Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 405: Subduing the Rock Spirits</h4>


    Or were the stragglers'' sources of information mistaken? Had they ended up in an alien race''s city, rather than Zhang Lie''s conquered sura capital? Or perhaps the news they had read online was mistaken, and Zhang Lie had never intended on building a city in the first ce...


    The two hunters were quite confused.


    By the rock forest, the leader of the rock spirits finally recognized his new reality.


    The resplendent jewels studded into his giant form had all been knocked off, and the golden veins running through his body had all been tarnished. If Zhang Lie weren''t mistaken, the rock spirits would quickly find a new leader to rece him.


    After all, the strength of these rock spirits depended on the quantity and quality of unusual ores, minerals, gems, and jewels their bodies possessed.


    The leader of the rock spirits frowned.


    "Human fighter, it''s less that we''re unwilling to leave and more that we can''t leave. We rock spirits live off of these rocks; without a sufficient quantity of rocks in our vicinity, we would starve of hunger."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes were piercing. "I don''t expect there are many such rocks left in this rock forest, are there?"


    The leader of the rock spirits began to hesitate.


    "If there were more, you lot wouldn''t be undergoing mass hibernation," Zhang Lie pronounced.


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened. "Is that what they were doing before we came to the rock forest?"


    When they arrived, none of them had seen any of the rock spirits, only piles upon piles of gigantic rocks. Each of those rocks had transformed into a rock giant upon their arrival.


    Zhang Lie replied coolly, "There are more rock spirits than you think. Most of the gigantic rocks we saw on our way in actually had rock spirits embedded at their very center. However, some of the rock spirits have already died of hunger, and they''ll forevermore remain nothing but a rock. Of course, most are still alive, and they''re conserving their energy by doing nothing."


    The leader of the rock spirits sighed. "You know far more about the rock spirits than I could ever have guessed. I''m very curious about how you came by this information."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "That''s unnecessary information. I think the rock spirits are suffering from a serious shortage of rocks, aren''t they? Otherwise, we would have been encircled by far more than a hundred rock giants. There''s nothing to admit or deny any longer. The quantity of rocks in this forest has diminished to the point where it''s impractical to sustain the rock spirits. I assure you, your n will benefit by joining my city."


    "You have arge quantity of rocks at your disposal?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Not inrge quantities, no, but I own an extremelyrge territory. I can promise you your fill of all the rocks that lie within it."


    The rock spirit''s eyes brightened. If that were really the case, the rock spirits would be saved.


    "Howrge is this piece ofnd, and how many rocks lie within it?" the rock spirit continued.


    Zhang Lie smiled with his teeth. "You would do well to remember that this is not a negotiation."


    Indeed, Zhang Lie had made his point clear from the beginning: either the rock spirits joined his city, or he would annihte them all.


    "Su Hong, help the leader of the rock spirits count how many rock spirits remain in his tribe."


    Su Hong nodded.


    The leader of the rock spirits sighed. "I need to discuss this with the rest of my n. Can you give me some time?"


    "You''ll have three days, nothing more."


    That night, the hunters chose to camp out in the rock forest. Zhang Liey on a giant rock as he nced up at the starry sky. A shadow suddenly appeared by his side.


    Sun Mengmeng eximed, "Ah, so you''re here! I was searching all over for you."


    Zhang Lie knew who it was from her voice alone.


    "Yes, what''s the matter?"


    "I''m bored. Would you like to chat?"


    "Haha, very well. What do you want to talk about?"


    "I simply don''t understand why the rock spirits acted as they did. They were out of sustenance, so why would they continue to waste away here? Why not search for a new source of rocks?"


    "The races who live for centuries on end have a different perspective on life than we humans, after all. Perhaps they''ve grown used to being sedentary, just like tortoises."


    "But even tortoises would start running if they faced a threat to their lives!"


    "It''s because the number of rocks in the region has been dropping steadily, rather than precipitously. Initially, perhaps they thought it would be sufficient for the entire n to cut back on their rock intake, but as the quantity of rocks in the vicinity dropped more and more, they became less and less able to send scouting expeditions into the distance. Either forck of ability orck of courage, they chose to remain here and await death instead."


    "How do you know all this, Zhang Lie?"


    "This is all just a hypothesis. ?If you want confirmation, ask the rock spirits when you see them."


    When Sun Mengmeng did so, she found that Zhang Lie had been entirely correct.


    Three dayster, the rock spirits were prepared to migrate en masse. They dug up all the rock veins remaining in the rock forest, dividing them equally among every member of the n as they set out toward the former sura capital.


    The rock spirits seemed prepared to die halfway along their journey, but it ended far more quickly than they had expected. As they stepped past the city gates, the rock spirits were all astounded.


    The leader of the rock spirits asked, "Does all thisnd belong to you?"


    "For the moment, I suppose."


    The rock spirits were all jubnt¡ªwith such arge piece ofnd, there was sure to be a sufficientlyrge quantity of rocks to keep them going for a long time.


    They began to cheer.


    As expected, the rock spirits found a gigantic quarry near the sura capital, onerge enough that none of the rock spirits needed to hibernate any longer, and one which would allow them to start working for Zhang Lie.


    This was within Zhang Lie''s expectations: the sura capital would have been built in a ce with an abundance of natural resources around them. Perhaps there weren''t as many rocks in this particr quarry as there had been in the rock forest, but there were likely multiple such quarries all over thend.


    These rock spirits could each be assigned to a different quarry to serve as guards. After all, as long as they had a handy source of rocks, they could transform into rock giants that would never be defeated.


    When the twenty-meter tall rock giants appeared in sight, the Yeluo n were all shocked. They looked at each other gravely, as though they were preparing to die on foreign soil.


    As the giants continued to approach, some of the fighters asked, "Chief, shouldn''t we run? It''s not like this is our valley, after all, and there''s no need to defend it to thest."

 Chapter 406: A Potpourri of Races

    <h4>Chapter 406: A Potpourri of Races</h4>


    The chief of the Yeluo n snorted. "Don''t you think that man would punish us if we ran?"


    The Yeluo turned silent. That man was a demon in the guise of a human; if the Yeluo were to run, he surely wouldn''t let any of them go.


    The chief sighed. "At the very least, if we all die here, he''ll avenge us."


    "Not bad! You didn''t run despite seeing a potent foe. My impression of the strength of the Yeluo wasn''t mistaken,"


    Zhang Lie''s voice suddenly called out from a distance. The chief, startled, looked all around for the source of the noise before noticing Zhang Lie on the shoulder of one rock giant, quietly observing the Yeluo who were guarding the city walls.


    "I''m d you''re all taking guard duty so seriously."


    The chief of the Yeluo sighed in relief. "Honored fighter, you should have informed us before your return! We were half-scared to death."


    "But if I had done so, how would I have been able to test your integrity?"


    The chief swallowed a gulp of saliva. "What would you have done had we run?"


    Zhang Lie continued to smile. "I wouldn''t have killed you, of course, but you would find your quality of life significantly diminished."


    The chief shuddered upon seeing Zhang Lie''s smile, and he dreaded to think more about what would have happened if he had listened to one of his fighters'' suggestions.


    The leader of the rock spirit said, "Human fighter, if there''s nothing more, we''ll be returning to the quarry."


    Zhang Lie beckoned to him. "Have a few rock spirits remain behind to help with the rebuilding of the city."


    The leader of the rock spirits didn''t dare to disobey.


    The Yeluo chief reported, "After you left, two humans showed up in the city, allegedly in search of you. Their clothing was all but a pile of rags, and they had wounds all over their body. Because they were both humans, we didn''t dare make a rash decision. They''re both in the city right now¡ªapparently, they made their way over from Ming."


    "From Ming?" Zhang Lie thought about it for a moment, but he didn''t know anyone there.


    "Bring me to them."


    The most expedient solution, of course, was to see them for himself.


    Turning to the hunters behind him, hemanded, "Su Hong, direct the rock spirits to where they would be more useful. The rest of you, thank you for your hard work."


    Su Hong shouted, "Rock spirits, follow me!"


    He led the rock spirits to the gaps in the wall left behind by Zhang Lie''s invasion. As the rock giants ced their palms against the ground,rge pieces of spiritually infused rock protruded out of the earth, rose out of the ground, and began patching up the gaps.


    Meanwhile, the Yeluo chief led Zhang Lie to the two human stragglers that had found their way into his city.


    ncing at their haggard forms, for a moment, Zhang Lie had no idea who they were, though it was clear they had suffered tremendously over their journey.


    On the other hand, when they saw Zhang Lie, their eyes reddened immediately.


    "Zhang Lie, we''ve had such a hard time trying to search for you!"


    Only when he heard their voices did Zhang Lie realize their identity. "Chu Feng, Yun Bing! What are the two of you doing here?"


    Chu Feng raised his head. "We''vee to be your followers, of course."


    Yun Bing nodded. "You''ll ept us, won''t you, champion of mankind?"


    "Of course!" Zhang Lie replied. "But how did you make your way over? We haven''t even had a chance to connect our teleportation apparatus to the globalwork yet."


    Chu Feng replied, "Once we saw that you had been expelled from Qi, we rushed over from Ming."


    Yun Bing almost cried. "You don''t know how much we''ve suffered! We almost died quite a few times."


    "How strong are the two of you now?"


    "We''ve filled our mutated gene fragments to capacity, and we have around fifty superior gene fragments each."


    "No wonder you almost perished!"


    Superior-grade lifeforms roamed the second realm, mutated-grade lifeforms were moremon than dogs, and there would even be peak-grade lifeforms appearing from time to time. It was a miracle that the two of them had managed to arrive in Zhang Lie''s new city alone.


    "You had both better thank your ancestors for their blessings."


    Chu Feng grinned. "Well, what''s done is done. Is there anything we can do to help you out?"


    Zhang Lie nodded seriously. "Actually, there is."


    "We''ll do anything."


    "Don''t worry, you''ll definitely be able to aplish this task: the first thing you need to do is to recuperate, and then to raise your strength. To be frank, the two of you are weaker than the three thousand hunters with me, let alone Team Zenith. Take your time and grow stronger first."


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing lowered their heads. They had thought that Zhang Lie would be starved of manpower, but it turned out that they were both wholly unnecessary!


    They couldn''t help being a little disappointed.


    "Don''t think too much of it. I''m very touched that the two of you braved so much danger to make your way here, and there''ll be a lot of work for the two of you once you''ve both rested."


    After meeting with Chu Feng and Yun Bing, Zhang Lie returned to Earth and messaged Yan Long, officially submitting an application for his new settlement to be considered a human settlement.


    Yan Long was very surprised by the information that Zhang Lie ryed. "You''re really nning on building a new city? How''s the progress?"


    "It''s fine, but I need skilled architects and engineers."


    The city was filled with hunters and fighters, none of whom would be much help for what Zhang Lie had in mind.


    Yan Long replied immediately, "I''ll contact the governor of Qi and have him send a few men."


    "No, that won''t do. Xiao Zhengyang mentioned that there are quite a number of men from the world federation in influential positions in Qi."


    "In that case, I''m not sure how I can be of help."


    Regardless, Zhang Lie thanked Yan Long for his help and promised to contact him if he had any ideas. He returned to the city. With the rock spirits'' help, the reparation of the city walls was swiftly concluded. The repaired portions were rather rough around the edges, but the walls were far more functional than before.


    As he walked through the streets, he suddenly saw Chu Feng directing a few men.


    "No, no, not like that! Follow the blueprint."


    Zhang Lie walked over. "What are all of you doing?"


    "There are a lot of broken and run-down buildings around here, so I''m helping fix them, as well as refurbishing a proper house for myself."


    Zhang Lie noticed the blueprint in Chu Feng''s hands in amazement. "You studied architecture?"


    "A little. As you know, we scions from therge ns have to dabble in all sorts of things to stand out from our peers."


    "Do you know how to repair city walls?"


    Chu Feng nced around him. "I think it shouldn''t be too difficult with the foundation we have."


    "Very well. In that case, let me officially instate you as the lead architect of this city!"

 Chapter 407: Luring the Wood Spirits Away

    <h4>Chapter 407: Luring the Wood Spirits Away</h4>


    "Ah, great!" Chu Feng said. Immediately afterward, when he processed just what Zhang Lie had said, he hurriedly shook his head. "No, Zhang Lie, why don''t you find someone more professional?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You know what the second realm''s like. Most of the hunters who are able to make it to the second realm are fighters. There may be a few architects sponsored by one country or another, but the closest settlement from here is Qi. You know that my rtions with the hunters of Qi have soured¡ªI''m sure Xiao Zhengyang would be willing to help me recruit a few, but we wouldn''t be able to assess whether they came bearing ill intent.


    "On the other hand, I trust you implicitly, and I don''t care for anything more than securing the walls at the moment. We can discuss the rest in the future."


    "I suppose that''s reasonable..."


    After chatting with Chu Feng, Zhang Lie then beckoned the members of Team Zenith and the three thousand hunters over.


    "We''re heading out for our next target."


    Su Hong asked, "Where to, this time?"


    "We''ve more or less resolved the issue of the architecture of the city, so there are two important matters to address next: food and potions. We can obtain food by hunting and rearing gic lifeforms, which won''t be a huge problem. Potions, on the other hand, are vital¡ªthey''re crucial for raising our hunters'' strength and for emergency treatment as necessary.


    "In order to keep our hunters in good fighting condition, we''ll need arge quantity of herbs, which meansrge-scale cultivation. Thus, we''ll be heading to the southern forest in search of a very special race, the wood spirits."


    Hong Xi asked, "The wood spirits? Are they like the rock spirits, with their bodies covered in wood rather than rock?"


    "No, they''re a rather special race. Their bodies aren''t made of wood, nor of flesh. In some sense, they''re like nts. Anyway, once we head to the southern forests, you''ll be able to see them for yourselves."


    The hunters quickly made their way to the forest, but contrary to their expectations, it wasn''tpletely vibrant and green.


    Half the forest was normal, but the other half seemed to have ckened. The moment the hunters walked into the forest, they were attacked by a number of rampaging, pitch-ck creatures. They were no match for the seasoned hunters; by the time they got deep into the forest, Zhang Lie and the others had already taken down a dozen such waves of these lifeforms.


    Hong Xi asked, "Just what are these creatures?"


    "Corrupted gic lifeforms."


    "What?"


    Zhang Lie pointed into the heart of that part of the forest which had ckened. "There''s a very special peak-grade lifeform over there whose ability is so potent that it''s affecting its environment. The creatures around it will be corrupted and start to rampage, with their abilities all enhanced as a result. If we allow this creature to grow much stronger, it''ll eventually devour the entirety of the forest and ascend into a disaster-grade lifeform, one whose goal will be to take over the entire second realm."


    "Isn''t it a catastrophe waiting to happen, then?"


    "Not quite," ?Zhang Lie murmured, raising his head. "But for the moment, considering your circumstances, you can interpret it that way."


    Hong Xi frowned. "Who are you talking to, Master?"


    Zhang Lie ignored her. He continued speaking into the air, "Do you hear me, wood spirits? There''s no need to hide. We aren''t enemies; we can be allies instead. I promise I''ll be able to help you."


    "Who might you be?"


    Skeins of light massed together into the form of a green humanoid, its voice a harmonious blend of male and female.


    Zhang Lie announced himself, "We''re humans, and we''ve just built a settlement nearby. We''d like to invite your n to live with us."


    Hushed whispers came from behind the green humanoid, who listened to them before telling Zhang Lie, "This is an affair too important for us to address. Enter:e speak with our shaman."


    Following the green humanoid, the hunters stepped even deeper into the forest, where Hong Xi and the others finally caught a glimpse of the wood spirits.


    They came in all sorts of shapes and sizes, thergest ones being about the size of human children, with glowing green skin and a pair of radiant emerald eyes.


    Their bodies seemed to radiate a nurturing warmth. They were unclothed, their bodies formless. When they rested, their bodies seemed to merge with the nts and greenery surrounding them.


    The smallest spirits were palm-sized, and those spirits glowed like fireflies.


    After they entered the wood spirits'' vige, the green humanoid that had been their guide dissipated. ording to its instructions, they would be able to find the shaman in the deepest part of the vige.


    As they walked farther and farther within, they saw a gigantic tree whose leaves were shrouded by clouds. It was hundreds of meters tall and of a breathtaking age.


    Above the hunters was a tree hollow, from which a wood spirit wreathed in green stepped out. Unlike the other spirits, this one seemed to have a crown of light on its head. It was clear that this was the shaman of the wood spirits.


    "Wherefore have youe, humans?"


    Unlike the wood spirits they had seen, the shaman and their apanying guards had weathered faces and piercing eyes, ones which had lost the innocence of the other wood spirits.


    A pair of ck wings sprouted from Zhang Lie''s ck as he flew into mid-air. "If I resolve the problem in the other half of the forest, will you allow half of your tribe toe to my human city?"


    The shaman of the wood spirits frowned. "I will not treat my people like a transaction."


    One of the shaman''s guards had hair so long it was touching the ground. Their face was weathered, the vitality in their bodies flickering, as though they didn''t have long to live.


    That said, ''long'' was rtive¡ªthis particr wood spirit would probably have at least a century of life left. After all, the wood spirits were a long-living race, and those of their kind tended to be able to live for millennia.


    "We have a peaceful, idyllic life here. No spirit would be willing to leave with you."


    Hong Xi shook her head. "I don''t think so. Who knows how many of your spirits might want to explore the outside world? There''s nothing but trees and more trees in the vicinity¡ªon the other hand, in our city, we have piles of rocks that can move on their own, all sorts of herbs and nts, and a city made out of hewn rock!"


    The spirits that had gathered all around them did seem quite enticed by Hong Xi''s description. Their innocent eyes shed like crystal. "Moving rocks, really?"


    Hong Xi nodded fervently. "And we have all sorts of food and toys, and more novelty than you''ve ever dreamt of!"


    The wood spirits began to chatter to each other as Zhang Lie covertly gave Hong Xi a thumbs up. The wood spirits were innocent and naive; in other words, they were easy to lure away.


    The shaman frowned. "Silence." His eyes turned hostile. "Are you trying to lure away my kith and kin?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "No, nothing of the sort. We simply want to make a transaction: I''ll help you address the problem in the other half of the forest, and you''ll allow us to leave with whichever spirits are willing to apany us."

 Chapter 408: Taking Responsibility and Quitting

    <h4>Chapter 408: Taking Responsibility and Quitting</h4>


    Given how excitedly the wood spirits were chattering away around Zhang Lie, he believed that at least two-thirds of the wood spirits would be willing to leave with him.


    "We will not ept such a transaction."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Is that so? As far as I''m aware, the wood spirits are ill-suited tobat, and the creature in that direction has already taken over half the forest. At this rate, I can''t imagine that you''ll be able to hold out."


    "That''s none of your concern."


    "If I don''t step in, I''m afraid the wood spirits will go extinct. Haven''t you considered how many of your kin will have to die if you try to fight against those corrupted beasts?"


    Even the shaman''s guards seemed to have doubtful looks on their faces¡ªit was apparent that the wood spirits really didn''t have a good grasp of the situation at all.


    "Let me handle the problem," Zhang Lie wheedled. "If I die, then the transaction is annulled. But if I seed, you''ll allow me to leave with whichever spirits are willing to leave with me. Isn''t that a fair trade?"


    The shaman finally relented. "How am I to believe your word?"


    "Do you have a choice?"


    The shaman turned silent. Only after long minutes did he finally reply, "You are correct, human. The wood spirits will need outside help to clear the forest of this threat."


    One of their guards frowned and murmured, "Shaman, is this wise? Who knows what these humans are nning?"


    "More than anyone else here, you know the perils our tribe is facing. Against any other foe, we would have means by which to defend ourselves, but this particr creature is anathema to us. If we don''t do anything quickly, our tribe will surely perish. Even if we meet it head-on in a direct confrontation, many of us will surely lose our lives. In that case, why not seek outside help and preserve as much of our tribe as we can?"


    Their guard had nothing to say in their defense.


    The shaman turned back to the hunters. "I hope that you will keep your word."


    "Leave it to us."


    Zhang Lie left with his hunters.


    "What do we do now?" Hong Xi asked.


    "There''s no rush. We''ll find a ce to make camp and set up a defensive perimeter. Prepare for a long fight."


    The wood spirits clearly didn''t seem to believe that they would be able to resolve the problem, and Zhang Lie wasn''t fullymitted to doing so just yet. No¡ªhe wanted them to feel like they had no choice but to depend on him first.


    At this stage, only half the forest had been corrupted, and the wood spirits didn''t yet have an acute sense of the danger they were facing.


    As such, Zhang Lie decided to drag matters out until the wood spirits truly had a sense of their perilous straits.


    He and his hunters caped out in the nearby forest. During the day, he would go out and clear away some of the corrupted lifeforms, but at night, he would remain in his campsite without any intention of heading into the corrupted forest.


    The wood spirits watched on from afar, but they weren''t impartial observers. From time to time, they would lure a few lifeforms over to Zhang Lie''s main camp, causing a fair bit of trouble before Zhang Lie and the others took them down.


    When the elder who had lured the corrupted lifeforms over saw that the humans were unharmed, he clicked his tongue. "Useless pieces of trash!"


    Beside the elder, a guard murmured, "Elder, surely we shouldn''t do this? The humans are here to help us cleanse the forest, after all."


    The elder scoffed. "Who knows what these humans are plotting? They''re not wood spirits, and I don''t believe they''ll work wholeheartedly for us. Better that they all die facing the corrupted lifeforms!"


    Zhang Lie walked out of the camp and nced at the tree in which the elder was hiding, causing the elder to jump as though he had been discovered.


    When Zhang Lie did nothing more, however, the elder exhaled in relief. "Hmph! Indeed, these humans can''t see through our magnificent racial talent of being able to hide within trees!"


    With Zhang Lie and his hunters stalling for time, and the elder''s continued mischief, the forest became more and more corrupted.


    Eventually, the wood spirits couldn''t sit still any longer, and the elder was sent out to urge Zhang Lie to work faster.


    "What do you mean by this? You''ve been sitting here all day without dealing with the root cause of the problem at all!"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "The lifeforms we''ve dealt with over the past few days would have been enough to ughter your entire tribe."


    The elder was so angry that they were waving their arms and legs around, but the shaman had warned them not to strike the humans. Just as the elder was prepared to continue arguing, a shrill cry came from the distance, much like the whistling of a steam lotive.


    The elder''s eyes bulged. "What''s going on?"


    "It looks like the rampage started early, then."


    The elder turned to Zhang Lie in shock. "Do you know what''s going on, human?"


    "Open your eyes wide and you''ll see!"


    A horde of corrupted, pitch-ck lifeforms were rushing to the uncorrupted half of the forest. Some among them were asrge as boulders, and Zhang Lie announced confidently, "These are superior-grade lifeforms."


    The wood spirits were shocked to see what was going on.


    "A full-scale frontal attack, too," Zhang Lie murmured, as though he were just a bystander.


    "A full-scale attack?"


    "Now that the creature''s corrupted more than half the forest, it thinks that it can take the other half down in one fell swoop as well. There''s no reason for it to wait and amass more strength any longer."


    What Zhang Lie didn''t say was that the creature had undoubtedly noticed Zhang Lie and the other hunters'' presence, and it didn''t want to wait until even more reinforcements arrived.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng loosed an arrow, which transformed into a firebird and swooped down into the middle of the corrupted beast stampede.


    The elder thundered, "Human, did you know this was going to happen?"


    "More or less."


    "In that case, this happened because you humans were so slow to act!"


    "If you humans had rushed in earlier, there wouldn''t have been a problem!"


    "It''s all your fault, humans!"


    The wood spirits that apanied the elder began criticizing Zhang Lie and the others.


    "Indeed, it''s our fault. We''ll take responsibility, pack up, and leave, then. Let''s annul the transaction between us. Everyone, pack up!"


    The elder immediately became flustered¡ªit was clear the wood spirits wouldn''t be able to deal with this on their own. Without Zhang Lie and the others, their tribe would go extinct.


    "What are you doing?!"


    "We''re packing up and leaving, of course," Zhang Lie replied. "Didn''t you im that we were the cause of the stampede? In that case, we''re willing to take responsibility and leave!"


    The elder''s face turned red. "How do you expect to take responsibility by leaving? If you agree that you''re responsible, then clean up the mess you''ve left behind first!"

 Chapter 409: The Wood Spirits Accede

    <h4>Chapter 409: The Wood Spirits ede</h4>


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "It looks like you still don''t understand your circumstances. This forest was originally yournd, not mine. We humans are able to walk away if we want to, but you spirits have to bring your homes with you.


    "We had offered to ughter the corrupted lifeforms as a transaction, not a promise or guarantee. These circumstances are too dangerous for us, and we don''t believe we''ll be able to gain much benefit by staying. There are countless alien races in the second realm, and we don''t necessarily need you wood spirits."


    The elder began to panic. "Y-you despicable humans, you didn''t focus on the task at hand! You might have killed a few of those corrupted creatures here and there, but you didn''t strike at the root cause!"


    Zhang Lie suddenly reached out, grabbed the elder between his fingers, and lifted him up from the ground. "Don''t think I don''t know what you were doing. If not for you luring the creatures over to our camp every so often, would things have progressed to this extent?"


    The elder shook in panic. "No, that''s impossible! No other race can notice us when we''ve melded into the trees, let alone when we''re in our forest!"


    "Ha! That''s nonsense¡ªthose lifeforms that you tried out this trick on were likely just far too weak. In my eyes, even when you''ve melded into the forest, you''re as bright asmps in the darkness!"


    Zhang Lie threw the elder onto the ground and shouted, "Let''s go!"


    Suddenly, a green glow appeared before Zhang Lie, one which condensed rapidly into a humanoid: the shaman of the wood spirits. "For my elder''s wrongdoing, I will personally apologize."


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem to care very much. "I ept your apology."


    Turning back to the gathered hunters, he repeated, "Pack up and let''s leave."


    The hunters who were still fighting off the corrupted creatures sheathed their des and stepped aside, allowing the creatures easy ess to the wood spirits. The shaman''s face paled. "Do humans forfeit their promises so easily?"


    "Do you realize what you''re saying?" Zhang Lie snorted. "How many of us humans will we have to sacrifice to save the lot of you?!"


    "I do understand, but if you leave, sir, the wood spirits will go extinct."


    "Oh, you realize that now, do you? In that case, what were you doing all this time?! You did nothing to help us out, and you even allowed one of your elders to mess with us. You disrespect us, distrust us, and expect us to give up our lives for you?"


    "Once again, I apologize for my elder''s actions. I was entirely unaware of what the elder had nned."


    "Do you think a simple apology absolves you of responsibility? Are we nothing more than your tools?"


    The hunters didn''t know why Zhang Lie was so intent on leaving. After all, the Zhang Lie they knew didn''t give up easily.


    Furthermore, he clearly ced considerable emphasis on the gic lifeform that upied the corrupted half of the forest. If they didn''t take care of this problem now, it could well be a disaster-grade lifeform, one which would terrorize the second realm.


    In that case, why was Zhang Lie behaving so erratically? The hunters all came to the same conclusion: he was trying to extract as much benefit as he could from the wood spirits.


    As though finally realizing the magnitude of the problem, the shaman of the wood spirits knelt on the ground and bowed down to Zhang Lie. "Please, Zhang Lie, you''re the only hope of salvation for our kind. Our powers are eminently ill-suited to handling these beasts. We need your strength and numbers!"


    In the span of a few seconds, the stampede of corrupted beasts would rush into the territory of the wood spirits, and the humans had all stepped aside to allow that to happen.


    The shaman of the wood spirits was frozen with fear, and countless wood spirits deep in the forest cried out upon seeing the beast tide.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him and formed into massive waves, destroying the corrupted lifeforms approaching them.


    One lone punch had cleared out a huge swathe ofnd, toppling a dense shroud of trees that covered up the sky. Sunlight shone into the newly formed clearing.


    Zhang Lie nced impatiently at his transceiver. "I''ll count to ten. Convince me within that time!"


    The shaman of the wood spirits stared agape at Zhang Lie, not having anticipated his tremendous strength. Just one punch from him had destroyed the stampede that would have overwhelmed the entirety of the wood spirits.


    Zhang Lie had hardly shown off any of his own strength during his stay at the forest; he had allowed the six hunters behind him to do so. Each of the six was easily able to suppress the corrupted lifeforms. The shaman had believed that they were the strongest humans around, that even their leader, Zhang Lie, could hardly be much stronger. However, Zhang Lie''s punch had toppled that assumption.


    Zhang Lie was far stronger than any of the six behind him.


    The shaman of the wood spirits was resolved to keep Zhang Lie here. Only he would be able to save the wood spirits from their plight.


    The elder, upon seeing Zhang Lie''s punch, was likewise shocked. To think that they had been arguing with Zhang Lie just moments before! It was lucky that Zhang Lie hadn''t made a move on them.


    "Nine!"


    Zhang Lie began counting the seconds.


    The shaman of the wood spirits was about to continue speaking when the elder interrupted, "Isn''t it enough that our shaman is kneeling down to you?"


    After a wave of fear came crystal-clear rity. The fact that Zhang Lie hadn''t killed the elder when he could very well have done so meant that he didn''t want to do so, and this gave the elder the courage to speak up.


    "Eight."


    The shaman of the wood spirits yelled, "Silence! You''ve hurt our tribe enough!"


    "Shaman, we can''t submit to these other races! If we do, that means we''ve lost entirely!"


    "Seize the elder! His presence is no longer tolerated here!" the shaman cried out. The guards waiting by their side immediately leapt into action and dragged the elder away.


    Hong Xi murmured, "Shaman, I suggest you keep that elder under close supervision."


    Sun Mengmeng wondered, "How did someone like them end up as an elder of the tribe?"


    The shaman of the wood spirits winced. "I apologize for the disturbance. The elder suffered a near-death experience at the hands of an alien race, and ever since then, he''s been understandably cautious."


    "Seven."


    Zhang Lie continued counting down.


    The shaman of the wood spirits came to their senses: they didn''t have much time left. They proimed, "As per our agreement, all the spirits who are willing to leave with you can do so. I will personally help convince more spirits to do so, and I guarantee that at least half the tribe will leave with you."

 Chapter 410: The Best Opportunity

    <h4>Chapter 410: The Best Opportunity</h4>


    "Six."


    The shaman of the wood spirits gritted their teeth. "The wood spirits will fight with you. We can only control trees and nts, but we''ll do so at your bidding wherever necessary."


    This was one of the reasons Zhang Lie believed that the wood spirits distrusted them.


    It was true that the wood spirits were eminently unsuited for a direct confrontation: if the corrupted creatures'' ws were to strike the trees they upied, the trees would be corrupted and swiftly cken. If the wood spirits didn''t extricate themselves from the trees in time, they would die within them.


    The wood spirits'' true forms were almost as fragile as those of the rock spirits, but the entire forest was filled with trees. As long as they took control of the safer trees behind the humans, they would have been able to provide invaluable support.


    However, the shaman of the wood spirits hadn''t seen fit to send any of the wood spirits to the humans to assist them. On the other hand, they had allowed an elder to do as they pleased. Otherwise, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have been so upset, and the wood spirits wouldn''t be in such dire straits now.


    "Five."


    The shaman of the wood spirits racked their brains. "We will hand over the spiritual herbs we''ve collected all these years!"


    The hunters behind Zhang Lie licked their lips in excitement. Spiritual herbs! They had all heard from Zhang Lie that the wood spirits were singrly talented at cultivating nt life, and they had protected such arge patch of forest for all these years. They simply couldn''t imagine how many herbs the wood spirits had collected in all that time.


    If nothing else, it was clear that that number would be astronomical: it might very well dwarf the number of herbs they had gathered from the sura king''s treasury by several times.


    "Four." On the other hand, Zhang Lie didn''t seem very tempted.


    The shaman of the wood spirits continued making more and more enticing offers. "I will personally join the delegation headed toward your city."


    With the shaman themself going, far more of the wood spirits would go along with Zhang Lie.


    "Three!"


    The shaman cried out, "What more do you want?!"


    As the corrupted lifeforms drew ever closer, howling at the air, they knew that they didn''t have much time left.


    "Two!"


    "The entire tribe of wood spirits will follow you!" they shouted. With the forest destroyed to this extent, there was little value in staying.


    Behind Zhang Lie, the hunters'' eyes widened in amazement.


    "One!"


    The shaman gritted their teeth. "I, along with my entire tribe, will swear loyalty to you!"


    Zhang Lie finally reacted. "Very good. Don''t forget that promise, or your entire n will pay a hefty price."


    The shaman slumped on the ground lifelessly as they drew breath. Their tribe was finally saved.


    Zhang Lie strode up to the beast stampede and shouted, "Hunters, we strike now!"


    The members of Team Zenith, along with the three thousand hunters that had apanied Zhang Lie, began to make their move.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Sun Mengmeng loosed a flight of arrows into the sky, ones which burst into scarlet fireballs in the middle of the beast stampede.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Yang Ze sent wave after wave of energy heading their way, inundating and wiping out the beasts.


    "[Dragon''s Triumph]!" Li Feng raised his greatsword high into the sky, allowing it to catch and reflect the rays of the sun. The sword began to glowrger andrger until a dragon of light spawned from its midst. All the corrupted creatures it touched melted like snow.


    Just the three hunters'' skills had taken care of therger part of the corrupted stampede; the remaining hunters made easy work of the rest.


    Only then did the wood spirits realize that the band of humans in front of them had been hiding their skill all along: they had never seriously tried to deal with the problem, but had only pretended to ughter a few corrupted lifeforms.


    They didn''t know whether to be relieved or angry: angry that they hadn''t done their best from the outset, relieved that the problem that had gued them for all this time wouldn''t be a problem any longer.


    A gigantic ck bird rose up into the skies. Its beady eyes surveyed the members of Team Zenith as it swooped down and tried to strike at them. Its speed marked it as at least a superior-grade lifeform.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Fang Yi''s spear struck the bird with the power of wind and storm.


    Covered in a domain of moonlight, the bird could feel its strength being sapped from it. Fang Yi''s spear pierced its wings and caused feathers to fall.


    "[Golden Divide]!" Sun Xiaowu leaped high into the air as he chopped off the bird''s head with his de.


    Hong Xi stepped forward with her moonlit domain. Behind her was a ck sun, much like Zhang Lie''s own. Pure-white moonlight shone underneath her feet, making her look like a fairy who had descended from the heavens.


    Fang Yi and Sun Xiaowu both gave Hong Xi a thumbs up: her domain had noticeably weakened the bird enough that both their blows had easilynded.


    Hong Xi smiled. Her domain expanded until it surrounded arge portion of the corrupted lifeforms, dramatically weakening them and hence increasing the speed at which they were ughtered. With Fang Yi and Sun Mengmeng''s guidance, the three thousand hunters made quick work of the remaining beasts.


    Just then, two superior-grade lifeforms, a lion and a rhinoceros, rushed out of the stampede. The members of Team Zenith tried to give assistance, but someone got there before them.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A punch so intense that it warped the space all around it flew toward the two creatures, turning them into ash. Zhang Liemanded, "Team Zenith, spread out and block the stampede. Hunters, charge forward!"


    As Zhang Lie rushed into the stampede, the horde of creatures parted around him. None of them were willing to get close to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie strode casually through the creatures as though he were taking a stroll. Any creature that tried to sneak toward him found a fist disintegrating their body.


    "Indeed, now was the right time to strike," Zhang Lie murmured, ncing at the corrupted lifeforms surrounding him.


    He had bided his time not just to force the wood spirits to submit to him, but also to make the corrupted stampede appear.


    Had Zhang Lie struck earlier, the peak-grade lifeform would realize the danger that Zhang Lie and the others possessed and go into hiding. Trying to find that hiding spot would have been a Herculean task; inparison, it was far easier to wait until the lifeform made its move before striking back.

 Chapter 411: A Peak-Grade Plant

    <h4>Chapter 411: A Peak-Grade nt</h4>


    Zhang Lie was really quite worried that that peak-grade lifeform would go into hiding.


    The worst-case scenario would be if it realized that it wasn''t Zhang Lie''s opponent and went into hiding until it consolidated enough power to strike once again. After all, Zhang Lie didn''t have time to waste on ying hide-and-seek with a peak-grade lifeform.


    .


    The stampede of corrupted beasts had urred because the peak-grade lifeform was confident of its own victory. This would be when it was least guarded, and hence the best time to strike.


    Zhang Lie intended to kill it in one swift, decisive blow.


    The peak-grade lifeform finally came into sight. It was a nt-based lifeform, with a gigantic body much like a cactus. Vines grew from its body like feelers, and at its very top was a vibrant flower with sharp teeth, from which ck pollen was being exuded. The pollen was so dense that it seemed as though the nt were hidden behind ck fog.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know what this creature was called, only that it had sessfully killed most of the wood spirits in his past life. Only a small fraction had managed to escape from the forest.


    Once the peak-grade lifeform evolved into disaster-grade, the effect of its pollen would be intensified. The pollen had the ability to corrode all life, though its effect on intelligent lifeforms was rather limited. Only after prolonged exposure would it cause the lifeforms to cken and be corrupted. When those corrupted lifeforms themselves attacked other lifeforms, those other lifeforms would also be corrupted.


    Essentially, these corrupted lifeforms were much like zombies. The only distinction was that even nt-based lifeforms could be corrupted.


    Once the peak-grade lifeform evolved into disaster-grade, its pollen would apply equally well to intelligent lifeforms, and it would portend disaster for the second realm. The requirement for this peak-grade lifeform to evolve was to devour the majority of the wood spirits.


    In his past life, Zhang Lie had seen quite a few analyses of the incident, and he was somewhat familiar with the pollen and the peak-grade lifeform that produced it.


    In the end, the evolved disaster-grade lifeform had tried to extend its reach to the territory of the sura and offended someone it shouldn''t have offended. One of the emperors of the sura themselves stepped forward and destroyed the disaster-grade lifeform in a battle that shook the entire realm.


    Now, it was Zhang Lie''s turn to take this peak-grade lifeform down.


    When he approached the flower, it attacked with a fewshing tendrils. Zhang Lie activated his blood-red domain, red moonlight ring by his feet. A ck sun appeared behind his back, causing his aura to grow by an order of magnitude.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" He diced the tendrils to shreds and continued barreling onwards until he reached the nt''s body.


    ck spikes erupted from the flower''s cactus-like flesh, which Zhang Lie dodged gracefully. In the blink of an eye, he struck anew.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Sword energy filled the air, tracing out a gigantic web that blocked all the spikes heading in his direction.


    As he did so, ten corrupted superior-grade lifeforms came up to him from behind, surrounding him.


    "Is this the source of your confidence? Unfortunately, you''re still far too weak. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him and formed into massive waves, destroying the corrupted lifeforms.


    By then, the vines extending from the nt''s body had regenerated. They struck from a few different locations, giving Zhang Lie no space to evade the blow.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!" A line of sword energy split the world in two. Instead of retreating, Zhang Lie attacked, taking advantage of the momentum from his strike to charge forward. His blow dispersed the pollen and sliced straight at the flower''s body, causing green ichor to spray out from the cut.


    The flower began to shriek so shrilly that even Zhang Lie was forced to clutch his ears tightly. It then tried to take that opportunity to burrow into the ground.


    "I won''t let you go! [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!"


    Ignoring the pain and tinnitus, Zhang Lie struck once more. The flower defended itself with flying tendrils to no avail.


    The peak-grade flower''s body shrunk down as it sprayed thick ck fog into the air.


    "This doesn''t work against me!" Zhang Lie cut apart the fog itself, only to be pelted with a rain of spikes. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    His punch formed a whirlpool of energy in the air, destroying the spikes.


    "You won''t get away! [Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie as four runic tablets crashed into the rock floor, surrounding the flower from all four cardinal directions and forming a temporary seal on the flower itself.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!"


    Zhang Lie''s de cut space itself as the attacknded squarely on the flower, severing its pistils. The peak-grade flower was in such pain that it couldn''t even scream; it tried to struggle, but Zhang Lie''s four runic tablets forced it down.


    The petals closed in on Zhang Lie''s de as sharp teeth mped down on his hand.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!"


    Glowing sword energy rippled over Venombane''s surface, causing the flower to spray outrge glops of green ichor. Crimson shes red from the peak-grade flower''s main body, as though its body was being cut apart from the inside out.


    Zhang Lie''s sword energy tore apart the flower''s body as the dposing pieces fell to the ground.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade corpsevenom flower and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the corpsevenom flower, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The flower''s soulshard was a pitch-ck dagger, one that released ck pollen with every attack. After storing the corpsevenom flower''s flesh in his storage pouch, Zhang Lie returned to the wood spirits'' clearing.


    By then, the skirmish was nearing its end. Once the corpsevenom flower had perished, the corrupted lifeforms had turned on themselves. The members of Team Zenith and the hunters apanying Zhang Lie were able to resolve the situation on their own easily without any help from Zhang Lie.


    When they noticed him returning, the members of Team Zenith and Su Hong reported that there were no more than a thousand corrupted lifeforms left.

 Chapter 412: The Unrepenting Elder

    <h4>Chapter 412: The Unrepenting Elder</h4>


    Zhang Lie had Su Hong clean up the remaining lifeforms as he walked up to the wood spirits.


    "I''ve fulfilled my end of the promise. It''s time for you to fulfill yours."


    The shaman of the wood spirits was silent for a moment before they sighed. "Alright."


    "There''s no need to be so upset. Leaving with me will benefit your tribe as well: we''re strong enough to protect you from any unforeseen circumstances, and it''s not as though you''ll be able to stay in this forest any longer."


    The shaman of the wood spirits nced at the remnants of the forest. After the corrupted beast stampede, over eighty percent of the forest had been corrupted; that corruption didn''t vanish with the death of the corpsevenom flower.


    The forest would only rejuvenate and return to its former vitality once these corrupted nts withered away.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Sun Mengmeng, bring a few fire-attuned hunters with you to burn off all patches of corrupted forest. We need to prevent the remnant poison from mutating, and we can''t give other hunters ess to this corpse venom either."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "I understand!"


    It seemed as though Zhang Lie was just being prudent, but his actions were actually intended to force the wood spirits'' hand.


    The shaman knew that they didn''t have a choice. "I understand. I''ll inform the tribe of what has transpired." If Zhang Lie were able to ughter the corrupted lifeforms so easily, he too would be able to destroy the wood spirits.


    "We can''t! The wood spirits are meant to be free, to be one with nature! We can''t be enved by any other race!" the elder of the wood spirits suddenly shouted. A few trees around Zhang Lie moved up to and surrounded him, and they trapped him with their roots.


    Zhang Lie smiled.


    The shaman of the wood spirits cried out, "Elder, what are you doing?!"


    "Shaman, shouldn''t I be the one asking you that question? You sold us out to these humans in secret!"


    "This was a transaction, as well as a promise."


    "Shaman, it was a promise between you and that man, one that doesn''t involve the rest of us. Don''t drag the entire tribe down with you! If you want to finish this transaction, you can leave alone with those humans!"


    The shaman gritted their teeth. "Your actions are going to ruin us all! Haven''t you seen these humans'' skills? We can''t do anything against them!"


    The elder of the wood spirits began tough. "I have seen his skills, but so what?"


    Zhang Lie smirked. "It looks like you''re quite confident, but I don''t understand where that confidencees from."


    The elder replied conceitedly, "You must be somewhat exhausted after a fight of that magnitude. Now''s the best time for us to strike back!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Even if I were ten times weaker than I am now, and even if I were fully drained of gic energy, you wouldn''t be stronger than I am."


    "Ha! You''re still rather smug considering your situation, aren''t you? Kneel on the ground now and beg, and I might let you go!" the eldermanded. "You''re not one of those corrupted lifeforms. We wood spirits can control all manner of greenergy within this forest, and we''re undefeatable in our native habitat!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him and disintegrated all the trees nearby.


    "What did you say?" Zhang Lie picked at his ear. "I couldn''t hear you properly. Repeat yourself."


    The elder of the wood spirits began to panic. "How is this possible?! How could you still be so strong?"


    Zhang Lie replied coolly, "This enemy of yours was barely a challenge."


    "Even so, with our racial advantage, you wouldn''t be able to find us if we were to go into hiding! Yes, with the forest around¡ª"


    The elder suddenly remembered that Zhang Lie was a special existence, one that would be able to detect their presence even if they were hiding in a tree. By then, however, it was already toote.


    Zhang Lie had chopped apart the tree in which they were hiding and dragged out the recalcitrant elder.


    In fear, the elder trembled, "Ah, I''m sorry! Don''t kill me! I''ll apologize properly and¡ª"


    Zhang Lie crushed the elder between his palms, causing him to pop with a puff of green smoke.


    He turned to the wood spirits. "What will the rest of you do?"


    The shaman and the other wood spirits began to tremble on the spot.


    "Please give us some time to prepare to move," the shaman finally requested.


    In the end, Zhang Lie seeded in luring the wood spirits away, along with hundreds of trees from the forest.


    .


    The wood spirits were unable to get too far from their trees. In order to move from ce to ce, they would merge with trees, turning themselves into gigantic treemen which could clomp from ce to ce.


    Zhang Lie was very curious if piloting these trees were much like piloting mechas.


    Chu Feng was directing the rock spirits and the Yeluo to repair the city walls when he suddenly saw a group ofrge treemen making their way over to the city. "What''s that? Quick, everyone, get ready for a fight!"


    On the other hand, the Yeluo didn''t seem particrly concerned. "Don''t worry, it''s possible that they''re allies, not enemies. If it turns out that they''re another alien race that our lord has brought back, we''d look like fools."


    Chu Feng could hardly believe the Yeluo''s words. "How could Zhang Lie have brought these treemen back?"


    Yun Bing gasped, "That''s impossible! Look at the tallest treemen¡ªthey''re over three hundred meters tall! They have to be here to besiege our city!"


    Chu Feng nodded. "There''s no point for us to be repairing these walls when a battle is nigh. Quick, prepare for battle¡ªno, we''re already toote! Run!"


    However, despite Chu Feng and Yun Bing''s warnings, the treemen didn''t attack the city at all. They stopped a few hundred meters outside the city and began to sequentially root themselves to the ground, turning into ordinary trees once again.


    In surprise, Chu Feng murmured, "What are these treemen doing? Is this the prelude to some sort of novel attack?"


    "You''re running off even before the fight? Isn''t that a little exaggerated?" Su Hongughed as he and the hunters that had followed Zhang Lie got down from the trees.


    Chu Feng gaped. "What were you all doing on top of those trees? Wait, is this another alien race that Zhang Lie has brought back?"


    Yun Bing swallowed a gulp of saliva. Where had Zhang Lie found these treemen?


    Su Hongughed again. "Well? How do you like these small creatures?"


    "Small?!"


    "Ah, right. You''ll find out in a moment or two¡ªthere are so many strange races out here in the second realm that I wouldn''t have known about without Zhang Lie guiding us."

 Chapter 413: In Search of Rare Herbs

    <h4>Chapter 413: In Search of Rare Herbs</h4>


    As Su Hong spoke, the trees that had rooted themselves began to glow with soft green light as a number of small creatures floated out and wandered around the city to which they had moved.


    "It looks like the two of you still need more practice and training¡ªeven if an alien race were to attack the city, you can''t get this flustered." Zhang Lie flew down from thergest tree.


    Chu Feng swallowed a gulp of saliva as he asked, "Zhang Lie, where did you find these creatures?"


    "I kidnapped them from a nearby forest," Zhang Lie responded.


    The shaman of the wood spirits extracted themselves from thergest tree and hovered by Zhang Lie''s side. "Zhang Lie, we''ve finished rooting our trees again. Please give us our nextmand."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Your tribe can freely enter the city at will. Your task now is to take care of your tribe, as well as to build a forest surrounding this city."


    That forest would be the first line of defense against any invaders.


    "Subsequently, help us nt vegetables and all sorts of spiritual herbs nearby."


    Chu Feng asked, "Zhang Lie, what''s special about these green creatures and the rock spirits?"


    "Why, are you interested in them?"


    "Yes, I''m quite curious."


    "These wood spirits can speed up the rate at which nts and herbs grow, as well as nourish and supplement the nutrients that spiritual herbs need in particr."


    "That''s some impressive talent!" Chu Feng eximed. Zhang Lie really was quite amazing¡ªnot only did he know of all these races'' special abilities, he was bringing more and more of them into the city.


    The wood spirits happily floated into the city, curious as they were about life outside their forest.


    Once the wood spirits were settled in, Zhang Lie convened a meeting with the leader of the rock spirits and shaman of the wood spirits. He handed the two of them sketches of two ingredients he thought would be relevant for Potion #4.


    The rock spirits had lived for many years, and it was usible that they would have some information for him; the wood spirits were skilled at cultivating rare nts, and they too might know something.


    The leader of the rock spirits shook its head. "We''ve lived in a rock forest all these years, and never have we ventured far from it. Neither of these herbs are familiar to us."


    The shaman of the wood spirits said, "I haven''t seen this herb before, but I''ve heard of the other."


    The leader of the rock spirits was astounded. It knew a little of the wood spirits: both tribes of spirits were sedentary in nature, and in theory, neither should have known much of the outside world. In that case, how had the wood spiritse across this information?


    A significant part of the reason was that the rock spiritsrgely focused on rocks, whereas the wood spirits paid close attention to rare nts and herbs from all over. As a result, the shaman was rather knowledgeable about even some of the rarest herbs around.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn''t expected either of the secluded tribes would know anything, but now he was very d he had asked.


    The shaman of the wood spirits borated, "The past shaman once told me about this herb. I don''t remember just how long ago it was, but as far as I know, the crag eagles have a sprig of it in their eyrie. As for where these eagles are, I''m not too sure."


    The leader of the rock spirits murmured, "Ah, the crag eagles..."


    Zhang Lie turned to it in shock. "You know of this race?"


    The rock spirit smiled. "Before our tribe found the rock forest which we made our home, we had been nomadic, roaming thend in order to find rock quarries which would allow us to sate our hunger. It was only when we discovered the astounding rock forest that we settled down."


    Unlike the nomadic tribes of Earth, which remained in a location for perhaps a week or half a month, the rock spirits stayed at the same location for centuries or even millennia on end. What was to humans a few generations might feel like a glimpse of an eye to the long-lived rock spirits.


    The leader of the rock spirits recalled its childhood pridefully. "When I was little, I wandered the second realm with my elders. No one dared provoke us rock spirits, and we treated them in kind."


    The shaman of the wood spirits murmured, "How times have changed, haven''t they?"


    The rock spirit suddenly felt a pang of disappointment. Indeed, they who had once been untouchable were now subordinate to a group of humans.


    Zhang Lie consoled them, "No, I haven''t enved you. You''ve just be residents of my city!"


    Once the rock spirits settled down, their fighting ability had decreased generation by generation, so much so that Zhang Lie had easily managed to subdue them.


    "Do you know where these crag eagles are located?"


    The rock spirit suggested, "Unless they''ve moved away, their eyrie should be at Mt. Wanren. When I was very young, I remember that there was a rich rock vein by the foot of the mountain, and we fought with the crag eagles over it. The eagles were very strong, and neither party was able to ovee the other. In the end, we had to leave. I''m not sure if the crag eagles have grown stronger or weaker since."


    The shaman of the wood spirits asked curiously, "How long ago was this?"


    "Perhaps thirteen thousand years ago, give or take three thousand years? I can''t quite remember."


    Zhang Lie and the shaman of the wood spirits were speechless. Who knew what had happened to the crag eagles after so long? Zhang Lie fervently hoped that their n had persisted even over ten millennia.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have a map of the second realm, and the rock spirit was the only one who knew where Mt. Wanren was located. As a result, he and the rock spirit set off together toward Mt. Wanren.


    The members of Team Zenith asked to apany him, but Zhang Lie refused them. "There''s a lot of tasks that need to be done in the city. Rebuild and wait for my return!"


    Zhang Lie set off seated on the shoulder of the rock giant that the rock spirit leader had transformed into.


    Once they were outside the perimeter of the city, the rock giant began to run, but its maximum speed was still far lower than when Zhang Lie was flying with the help of a soulshard.


    The journey took them over thirty days, during which time Zhang Lie and the rock spirit barely rested. ording to the rock spirit, if there were sufficient minerals and gemstones around, it would be able to continue running endlessly.


    Zhang Lie, however, was skeptical of this im. The rock giant had clearly slowed down after ten days or so, and it was unlikely that it would be able to remain at even this slower speed for much longer.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is Mt. Wanren straight ahead?"


    The rock spirit replied confidently, "The surroundings have all changed, but I''m sure that it''s straight along this direction."


    "What does the mountain look like?"

 Chapter 414: The Crag Eagles

    <h4>Chapter 414: The Crag Eagles</h4>


    The rock spirit replied, "Mt. Wanren reaches high into the clouds and stands over ten thousand meters tall. That''s why it was called Mt. Wanren!


    The crag eagles are a race of birdmen with human form. However, their wings don''t sprout out from their back, but rather from where their arms would be, like bats. The eagles don''t have arms, and their feet are like eagle ws. The males and females of the race look noticeably different."


    Zhang Lie nodded and verified, "Are you sure the mountain pierces the sky, and is over ten thousand meters tall?"


    "Of course! I''ve been to the mountain myself!"


    Zhang Lie pointed straight ahead. "Could that be the Mt. Wanren you''ve mentioned?"


    The mountain to which Zhang Lie pointed was hardly piercing the clouds; it had somehow grown nted at a rather odd angle.


    "I can''t imagine they call that mountain Mt. Wanren any longer."


    Because of how it had tilted, it wasn''t more than seven thousand meters tall, if that.


    Zhang Lie had long since guessed that something would have happened to the mountain in the intervening thirteen thousand years. Even an ocean on Earth could have dried up into an arid desert, let alone a mountain.


    The rock giant scratched its head. "Let''s see if there are any intelligent races in the vicinity who know what happened."


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "You were at the mountain thirteen thousand years ago! You know how rare long-lived races are, don''t you? How do you expect to find one such race nearby?"


    In general, long-lived races were those whose members lived for about five hundred years or more; the other races were considered short-lived. The sura and the humans were both short-lived races.


    Despite his reservations, Zhang Lie had no better idea, and he went along with what the rock spirit had suggested. They wandered around the base of the mountain trying to find some intelligent life, only to see a few ck shadows swooping down toward them.


    Zhang Lie raised his head to see a few eagle-headed, human-bodied lifeforms. Their feet were eagle ws, and their arms were a pair of wings. Their feathers varied in color within a ck-white spectrum: white, gray, dark gray, ck. Ribbons of cloth were tied to their waist.


    Thergest of the lifeforms shouted, "Big blockhead, where do youe from? What are you doing here?"


    The rock spirit whispered to Zhang Lie, "These are the crag eagles."


    Beside the crag eagle who had spoken, his gray-featheredpanion stared at the rock giant with piercing eyes before realizing something and panicking. "Brother, brother, something''s very wrong! This is the rock monster our ancestors spoke of!"


    "What?! A rock monster?!"


    The crag eagles all began to panic when they heard the words "rock monster".


    "Those rock monsters who eat us crag eagles whole?!"


    "Those rock monsters who toppled Mt. Wanren?!"


    "This is a catastrophe! The rock monsters areing again!"


    Zhang Lie asked the rock spirit by his side, "Just what did you do to these crag eagles all those years ago?"


    The rock spirit scratched its head. "Nothing much, as far as I remember. We fought with them and left since they were stronger than we expected."


    Zhang Lie''s face was dark. "And yet you seem to have left an indelible expression on this n."


    The gray-feathered crag eagle shouted in panic, "Quick, we have to inform the n head of the rock monsters'' impending attack!"


    The ck-feathered crag eagle hollered over the cacophony, "Silence, all of you!"


    The panicking crag eagles all calmed down as the ck-feathered crag eagle turned back to Zhang Lie and the rock spirit. "Rock monster, I''ve heard too many tales about you ever since my childhood."


    Zhang Lie whistled. "Looks like you''re quite famous around here, eh?"


    "I, Yu Huantian, don''t believe that you rock monsters are so strong that you were able to topple Mt. Wanren!" He pped his wings and generated what seemed to be a miniature hurricane, which he sent toward the rock giant.


    However, that attack did nothing to the rock giant, not even leaving a scratch on the rocks that formed its surface.


    1. Wan = ten thousand, ren = unit of length

 Chapter 415: The Eagles Descent

    <h4>Chapter 415: The Eagles'' Descent</h4>


    "Interesting," Yu Huantian hissed, pping his wings as he attacked from above, its ws striking the rock giant''s body.


    Again, it did nothing to the rock giant.


    The rock giant scratched its head. "Just what are these fellows trying to do?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Trying to attack you, it looks like."


    The rock giant reared back in shock. "What? This is an attack? I thought they were just helping me scratch an itch!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t say that¡ªit''ll upset the poor fellows!"


    Yu Huantian snarled in thunderous rage. He turned toward his trembling kin and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Can''t you see I''m being attacked? Help!"


    Zhang Lie turned his head and asked, "Did you attack him?"


    The rock giant slowly replied, "Why would I attack him?"


    A gray crag eagle mumbled feebly, "But that''s a rock monster you''re attacking!"


    A white-gray crag eagle added, "Furthermore, it doesn''t look like he''s attacking you..."


    Yu Huantian puffed up, and his beady eyes seemed to pierce through the other crag eagles. "Get down here and help me!"


    As the crag eagles finally took the offensive, filling the sky with a flurry of wings and feathers, the rock giant raised its arms to shield Zhang Lie.


    Now that they were indiscriminately attacking Zhang Lie as well, he wouldn''t stand still any longer. Zhang Lie raised his arms to the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared before him. The two gravity-controlling tablets appeared by either side of the flock of crag eagles, twisting the local effect of gravity around the flock.


    The crag eagles who were swooping down from the air reacted to the changing gravity with panic.


    "What''s this?!" They were unable to maintain their bnce and kept on crashing into each other in mid-air, until the entire flock seemed to drop to the ground dazed.


    The rock giant praised Zhang Lie, "As expected of our lord, to be able to deal with an entire flock of crag eagles in one fell swoop!"


    Yu Huantian thundered, "You vicious rock monster! How could you defeat all mypanions at once!"


    Zhang Lie pointed at the lone crag eagle remaining in the sky. "This fellow''s like a mosquito. Can you knock him down?"


    "Of course."


    The rock giant picked up a rock on the ground and sent it flying toward the air, so quickly it could easily have been a projectile from a missileuncher. Yu Huantian barely avoided the attack thanks to his reflexes, but his eyes were filled with fear. Had he been just a bit slower to react, he would have been struck down.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "You missed him by just a bit. Continue!"


    Yu Huantian wasn''t aplete fool. Knowing that he was no match for the rock giant, he flew higher up into the sky and let out a long screech, one which echoed throughout Mt. Wanren.


    The rock giant asked, "Do I still need to strike him down?"


    Zhang Lie reimed the two runic tablets from the sky. "There''s no need. We just need to find people we can talk to and who will listen to us."


    A flock of crag eagles again appeared in mid-air. In their midst was another ck-winged crag eagle, a long ribbon of ck cloth tethered to his waist. The ck-winged crag eagle looked at Yu Huantian, then at the crag eagles that were lying dazed on the ground.


    "How long has it been since thest rock monster was sighted here? For what reason have you approached Mt. Wanren once more? Do you want to kick us while we''re down and destroy us once and for all?"


    The rock giant called out, "First, I''m not a ''rock monster'', and second, I''m not the one who has an interest in you. My lord is."


    Zhang Lie leapt up to the head of the rock giant. "Everyone, I have a question for all of you!"

 Chapter 416: Unwelcome Guests

    <h4>Chapter 416: Unwee Guests</h4>


    When the crag eagles saw Zhang Lie, their eyes widened before they all began tough. They had expected that someone whom a rock giant would address as a lord would be magnificent indeed¡ªbut it turned out that he was a lifeform far smaller than the rock giant!


    The disparity between their expectation and reality made the crag eagles unable to resistughing.


    The ck-winged crag eagle, still smiling, asked, "Little one, for what reason have youe to Mt. Wanren?" His smile wasn''t friendly; it was mocking and taunting.


    "Size is hardly a reliable measure of strength." Zhang Lie frowned. He hated how the crag eagles were looking down on him, how supercilious they were being. It took him a concerted effort to avoid sending them all crashing down onto the ground.


    "I''m here for the starcloud fruit!" Based on his research, the starcloud fruit would be an important ingredient for Potion #4.


    The ck-winged crag eagle narrowed his eyes. "Where did you hear that we were in possession of such an herb?"


    "You don''t need to know. Simply tell me: do you have the herb, or do you not?"


    The ck-winged crag eagle narrowed his eyes. "We have no such thing."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "You''ve already exposed yourself. If the crag eagles truly weren''t in possession of this herb, you should have been far more confused about what it was¡ªbut instead of asking me about this fruit, you asked me how I heard of the information!"


    The ck-winged crag eagle hadn''t expected his deception to be seen through so easily.


    Yu Huantian interjected, "So what if we do, and so what if we don''t? We won''t hand anything to thepanion of a rock monster! If not for these rock monsters, Mt. Wanren wouldn''t have been left in such a state!"


    Zhang Lie twisted his head and asked once more, "Did the rock spirits really do nothingsting to the crag eagles? Look at how angry they are at you!"


    Zhang Lie finally realized that letting the leader of the rock spirits apany him was a terrible mistake.


    The rock giant scratched its head again. "What would I know? I don''t recall us doing anything specialpared to thest few times we fought with the crag eagles."


    The rock giant''s words drew the wrath of all the crag eagles.


    "Damnable rock monster! Everyone, we''re destroying this rock monster!"


    As the crag eagles all fanned their wings, they formed a gigantic hurricane in mid-air, one filled with feathers whose edge was as sharp as a de.


    The rock spirit and Zhang Lie didn''t panic. They were both ustomed to suchrge-scale attacks, especially Zhang Lie himself.


    The rock giant stomped on the ground and raised a few pirs of spiritual rock behind which Zhang Lie and it could hunker down.


    Despite the strength of the miniature hurricane, the rock giant received just the tiniest of scratches from the concerted attack.


    The ck-winged crag eagle was just about to strike again when the tips of the rock pirs suddenly disintegrated, and a strength that warped space headed straight for the flock of crag eagles.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The attack barrelled through the crag eagles, dispersing their incipient hurricane and sending arge fraction of them crashing toward the ground.


    The ck-winged crag eagle struck instantly, morphing into a beam of ck light. His descent was soundless but filled with killing intent, and so rapid that Zhang Lie had barely unsheathed his sword before he was knocked back by the impact.


    The rock spirit leapt high up into the air and caught him with his hands.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that this particr crag eagle was extremely fast, so fast that Zhang Lie might not be able to match his speed.


    The ck-winged crag eagle again struck at Zhang Lie, his body morphing into a beam of ck light.


    The rock giant waved its fists to deter it, but the crag eagle was so agile that he somersaulted in mid-air and evaded the rock giant''s fists beforending on its chest.


    A metallic ring echoed in the aftermath of his attack; the rock giant touched its chest and found a w scratch there.


    The image of a dragonturtle again appeared before Zhang Lie as the gravity-augmenting tablet appeared noiselessly behind the crag eagle, causing his body to sink and his speed to slow.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie struck while his opponent was mired, sword energy gathering into a tall wave that would crash down on his opponent.


    The ck-winged crag eagle fanned his wings and sent a flurry of feathers shooting toward Zhang Lie, who twisted his body in mid-air and sent the feathers flying with his charged-up attack. The crag eagle''s face paled as he tried to defend himself with his ws, but he was knocked back by its immensity. Blood beaded on his ws.


    The crag eagles in the sky shouted in terror, "Even Chief Yu Xuanguang was injured!"


    "How could a brat like that injure our chief himself? Could that little creature be another manner of rock monster?"


    "It''s very possible¡ªonly the rock monsters have such terrifying strength!"


    Zhang Lie''s mouth spasmed. Just what had the rock spirits done to engender such hatred from the crag eagles?"


    Yu Xuanguan''s eyes were piercing as he asked Zhang Lie, "Who are you?"


    "I''m Zhang Lie, a human."


    Yu Xuanguang''s eyes widened. "You''re not a rock monster? No, no¡ªI see, you rock monsters must address yourself as humans!"


    The rock giant patted its chest. "Exactly right! We''re now part of the humans."


    "Scram!" Zhang Lie yelled out.


    "But isn''t it true that we''ve be part of the humans after joining your city, lord?"


    Zhang Lie: ...


    He wanted to retort, but found himself incapable of doing so.


    Yu Xuanguang narrowed his eyes and reaffirmed his conclusion, "So you rock monsters are called ''humans''."


    "No, no! He''s a rock spirit, and I''m a human. The rock monsters you refer to are rock spirits, not humans."


    Yu Xuanguang harrumphed. "I don''t care what race you are. In defense of Mt. Wanren, I can hardly retreat."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I''d intended on resolving this matter peacefully, but it seems like I''ll have to ughter your n to thest to get what I want."


    Just then, a shrill piercing sound echoed in the air, so shrill that the crag eagles were all forced to cover their ears.


    "Bad news¡ªthat fellow''s here!" All the crag eagles began to panic, and even Yu Xuanguang seemed disturbed by the news. The crag eagles hurriedly rushed back to Mt. Wanren, but they were toote. A storm had risen out of nowhere, andrge, golden wings blotted out the sun.

 Chapter 417: Entering Mt. Wanren

    <h4>Chapter 417: Entering Mt. Wanren</h4>


    Zhang Lie noticed that fear shone from the eyes of the crag eagles, as though some huge disaster was about to befall them.


    After being rallied by the ck-winged crag eagle, the rest of the flock had hardly panicked or been fearful when attacking the rock giant and Zhang Lie. After the sudden birdcall, however, the crag eagles all rushed back to their eyrie at their fastest speed.


    Even then, it was already toote.


    A huge gust of wind swept toward them as golden wings covered the sun. The birds'' gigantic wings were at least thirty meters wide, and their beaks were sharp and cruel. They were able to create huge gusts with casual ps of their wings, and their golden feathers glittered when backlit by the sun.


    "Howrge these birds are," the rock spirit murmured.


    There were two such birds around. The moment they saw the fleeing crag eagles, their eyes gleamed. They chased the crag eagles, gulping them down whole whenever they caught one.


    Yu Xuanguang yelled out to his tribe, "Run! I''ll deter them!" He morphed into a ck beam of light that shot toward the golden birds.


    "No, Father!" Yu Huantian called out.


    A gray-winged crag eagle pulled him back. "Run! Don''t waste the chief''s sacrifice!"


    Yu Xuanguang clearly wasn''t a match for the two golden birds. He had been slightly injured after the fight with Zhang Lie, and all he could do was hold out against the two golden birds'' attacks as they toyed with him.


    Unable to watch on, Zhang Lie materialized a ck bow, pulled it taut, and sent a corrosive arrow flying into the air, where it hit one of the golden birds'' wings.


    The injured golden bird shrieked; the corrosion created a gaping hole in one wing. The other golden bird swept toward Zhang Lie in rage. The rock giant leapt forward like a bullet, whooshing through the air as it met the golden bird''s advance.


    Rocks imbued with spiritual energy pelted the golden bird and slowed its advance, dizzying it in a matter of moments.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]! As Zhang Lie punched forward, his gic energy manifested in the form of a magical serpent, one which wrapped around the golden bird''s body.


    It coiled around its neck and opened its maw, revealing sharp fangs. As it bit down, ck energy assaulted the bird''s body from the inside out, causing the bird to shriek in pain.


    Zhang Lie leapt up, and a violet shortsword materialized in his hand.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!"


    He thrust the shortsword into the golden bird''s brain, infusing his gic energy into the blow until the golden bird''s head burst open like a watermelon, and its huge body dropped from the skies.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden roc. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden roc, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The other golden bird shrieked in panic as it flew away, dodging a few attacks from the rock giant.


    Yu Xuanguang fell from the skies in an unconscious heap. Zhang Lie caught him and put him down.


    After the other peak-grade golden roc flew off, the crag eagles returned to the skies. Yu Huantian stared at his own father; it was clear that they wanted to take Yu Xuanguang back.


    The rock giant blocked Zhang Lie with his body as he shouted, "What, do you still want to fight?"


    Yu Huantian called back, "Return my father to me!"


    The rock giant snorted. "If not for us, your father would have died long ago! Aren''t you going to thank us at all? How thick-skinned you all are!"


    Just as tensions were rising, a white-winged crag eagle flew toward the sky.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t certain if this were also a crag eagle, because she seemed far too different from the others. She had long legs covered with white, downy feathers. Her feet were ws and her arms were wings, just like the other eagles, but her head was a human''s, and she had long, white hair.


    "The elder would like to invite you into the eyrie," she called out, looking at Zhang Lie.


    Yu Huantian turned to her. "Why is the elder allowing a rock monster into Mt. Wanren? Just because it sent a golden roc fleeing?"


    The white-haired crag eagle replied, "I convey only the elder''s will."


    Yu Huantian lowered his head, gritting his teeth in dissatisfaction, as the crag eagles dispersed.


    "Here." Zhang Lie tossed Yu Xuanguang''s body up into the air, and Yu Huantian hurriedly caught him. He looked at Zhang Lie and the rock giant with aplicated expression on his face.


    The two of them slowly approached Mt. Wanren, where they saw many crag eagles living on the sloping mountain. Most of them were human-faced, like the white-haired crag eagle they had just seen.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Why are there so many human-faced crag eagles?"


    The rock spirit asked, "Didn''t I tell you?"


    "Tell you what?"


    "Male and female crag eagles are distinct in appearance. The males have a bird''s head, and the females have a human''s head."


    "I see."


    The crag eagles they saw along their way were very curious about them¡ªor, more specifically, about the rock monster.


    "So this is the rock monster! It''s huge!"


    "Apparently, the rock monsters of legends were over five hundred meters tall¡ªI bet this one hasn''t reached full maturity."


    "I heard that it was a rock monster who toppled Mt. Wanren!"


    "Don''t look! Be careful of being eaten by a rock monster. I heard that crag eaglets were their favorite food!"


    Zhang Lie''s face turned dark as he twisted toward the rock giant again. "Are you hiding something from me? You have to be!"


    The rock spirit blinked. "What do you mean, lord?"


    "Don''t you hear what these crag eagles are saying? Your n''s apparently a n of monsters!"


    The rock spirit chuckled. "I really don''t know what''s going on, lord. If I did, would I dare hide it from you?"


    The rock giant and Zhang Lie were about to step onto Mt. Wanren when the white-haired crag eagle stopped them. "This rock monster cannot join us."


    "That''s racial discrimination!" the rock giant boomed.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "And where did you learn that phrase?"


    "From Chu Feng, of course!"


    Zhang Lie facepalmed.


    The white-haired crag eagle smiled. "I hope you''ll understand. I don''t mean to discriminate, but you''ve all seen how Mt. Wanren is tilting. I fear that the mountain will not bear the weight of this rock monster."

 Chapter 418: Rocs and Eagles

    <h4>Chapter 418: Rocs and Eagles</h4>


    The rock spirit sighed; it wasn''t as though it could just remove its rock armor at will. After all, it had only managed to obtain such fine armor after eating a truly incredible quantity of rock.


    Upon hearing that it would have to ''disrobe'' in order to ascend the mountain, the rock spirit reared back. "I apologize, but it doesn''t look like I''ll be able to apany you up the mountain."


    "Very well. Wait here for me and don''t cause a disturbance." Zhang Lie sprouted a pair of wings from his back and turned to the white-haired crag eagle. "I''ll head up with you."


    The two of them flew toward the top of the peak as Zhang Lie murmured, "Your elder seems to hold a very important ce in the tribe."


    Smiling, the white-haired crag eagle replied politely, "The elder was the previous chief of the n. When he retired, he gave his position to the current chief. Everyone listens to him."


    At the top of the peak was a small wooden cottage where a male crag eagle was basking in the sun. His wings were made out of silvery-white feathers, and he looked both holy and ancient at the same time.


    The white-haired crag eagle bowed down when she saw the silver-winged elder. "Elder, I''ve brought the guest here."


    She flew off into the distance.


    The elder pped his wings as he descended from the rooftop. "Let me both apologize for the rudeness of my n and thank you profusely for repelling our invaders. You''ve saved the crag eagles in a moment of crisis."


    Zhang Lie let out a breath. "Finally, someone who''s willing to talk to me."


    The elder sighed even as he smiled. "Please don''t me the others. From a young age, they were inculcated with stories about the rock monsters, who they believed to be their mortal enemies. You would have garnered a much more positive reception otherwise."


    "Just what did the rock spirits do in the past? I''m very curious."


    "So they''re called the rock spirits, not the rock monsters! I''ve always thought no n would call itself monsters."


    Zhang Lie''s lips spasmed. "How can you be so sure they''re your enemies when you don''t even know the name of their race?"


    The elder half-smiled again. "The appetion of ''rock monster'' was passed down from our ancestors from long ago."


    "It looks like you must have suffered greatly because of them."


    "Our mountain wasn''t always nted, you know."


    "I do know!"


    "A long time ago, Mt. Wanren pierced the heavens like a dagger thrust straight up into the clouds. When a group of rock spirits suddenly attacked, the mountain tilted."


    "Could the rock spirits really have been responsible for pushing the entire mountain sideways?"


    How strong the rock spirits had to be when they were nomadic!


    The elder asked, "What did this rock spirit tell you?"


    Zhang Lie ryed the rock spirit''s own ounting of events: "They came over here and had a fight with you. You were stronger than they thought, so they left."


    "Indeed, that''s more or less right. I heard the same story from my ancestors. Arge fight broke out between our n and the rock spirits, causing significant death on both sides. In the end, the rock spirits left."


    "And then?"


    What followed was surely the important part.


    The elder sighed. "The rock spirits had, at one point, such an advantage that they were able to make their way to the foot of the mountain unopposed. They dug up part of the rock that made up the base of the mountain. The elders were very happy that those malicious rock demons had finally been chased away, but their happiness didn''tst long."


    "So that was why the mountain ended up tilting..."


    Of course, if the rock spirits were to dig away part of the mountain''s foundations, it would naturally begin to tilt as it was weathered by age and time.


    The elder shrugged. "The stories became more and more exaggerated with each retelling: the rock monsters pushed the mountain down, the rock monsters would eat unruly children, and so on. These embellishments naturally engendered more and more hate and fear toward the rock monsters with every sessive generation."


    "I see."


    The elder beckoned to his residence. "Shall we head in for a cup of tea?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t refuse him; the two of them stepped inside.


    The interior of the wooden cabin was as shabby as its exterior. The elder smiled. "I learned how to build these lodgings on my own, so I hope you won''tugh at me. Most of the crag eagles are perfectly fine outdoors, with the sky as their nket and the earth their bed. I''m the oddball around here."


    "It''s not bad."


    Zhang Lie found a ce to sit down while the elder poured him a cup of tea with his feet. ncing at that cup of tea, Zhang Lie was struck with a dilemma regarding whether to drink it or not. He couldn''t help but feel as though the faint stink of feet had permeated the tea leaves, and he didn''t dare pick up the cup of tea to try it for himself.


    "Surely you haven''t called me here just to thank me?"


    The elder smiled again. "And surely you didn''te all the way over here in order to fight with us crag eagles. If you came in order to take even more of our mountain away, you''ll make my life very difficult."


    "There''s no need. The rock spirits have arge quantity of rock at their disposal now, enough tost them a few centuries. Past that point, I''ll continue finding them more deposits of rock."


    Unlike the wood spirits, who could nurture the growth of treasures like spiritual herbs, the rock spirits were treasures in their own right. With a sufficient quantity of rock and gems, along with time for them to grow, they would again be the same rock spirit n that had once terrorized the second realm.


    These rock spirits would be the guardians of his city.


    The elder turned and looked Zhang Lie in the eye. "What do you want?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks as though you have a request for me, Elder."


    It seemed as though the elder were about to propose a transaction.


    "I do."


    "Is it about the golden rocs?"


    The elder nodded. "Indeed. What''s your request?"


    "I want the starcloud fruit. It''s with you, isn''t it?"


    The elder blinked. "What a surprise. As far as I know, only three people even know that I possess such a rare herb. It looks like you have an interesting source of information."


    "I heard about it from a departed spirit," Zhang Lie replied mysteriously.


    "Who was that spirit? I should like to know. Indeed, we do have one starcloud fruit in our possession."


    "In exchange, shall I get rid of the golden rocs for you?"


    .


    "You won''t be sufficient¡ªwe''ll have to work together to get rid of the menace."


    "This sounds like a more serious problem than I had imagined."


    "These golden rocs have only appeared within thest few years. Each one is about as strong as our current chief. They hunt for food in the vicinity, and the strongest among them is approaching the level of a sura king."

 Chapter 419: A Whole Family

    <h4>Chapter 419: A Whole Family</h4>


    In other words, the strongest of the golden rocs was reaching the apex of a peak-grade lifeform: that was the level of strength a sura king possessed.


    "It sounds like there are quite a number of golden rocs around, then!"


    "As far as I know, there are five such rocs in total, and they''re all from one big family. You killed the family head''s daughter! Thesest few years, the golden rocs have killed quite a number of our kin while hunting in the vicinity. The crag eagles used to have four high-level fighters, but two fell to the golden rocs.


    "The rocs'' family head¡ªthe strongest of the golden rocs¡ªhasn''t been seen for quite some time, but the rocs have been going out hunting more and more often. I believe that he might be undergoing a breakthrough."


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment as the appearance of a frightening lifeform appeared in his mind¡ªthe zing roc!


    In his past life, there had been a wave of evolution in which a number of peak-grade lifeforms almost simultaneously evolved into disaster-grade, causing a huge mess in the second realm and almost resulting in catastrophe. However, this was only something that Zhang Lie had heard, not witnessed for himself. Allegedly, all the hunters who had seen the zing roc for themselves had died almost immediately.


    The presence of a disaster-grade lifeform could easily portend doom. Once the zing roc emerged, it had destroyed the nearby city of Ming, hurting and killing innumerable hunters.


    "These golden rocs treat us crag eagles like nothing more than food, and quite a number of our kin have been consumed by them. In order for our n to survive, we must kill off all the rocs. Help us do so, and we''ll hand you the starcloud fruit inpensation."


    "What''s your n?"


    "Waiting for them to attack us is like waiting for death. The moment the strongest golden roc breaks through, we''re all doomed. We have to take the initiative and attack them instead! Our n has sacrificed countless scouts in order to find the rocs'' nest. We''llunch a sneak attack and destroy their entire family!"


    "Very well. I''ll apany you, but I need you to give me the fruit beforehand. Furthermore, if unforeseen circumstances cause us to deviate from this n, or if the foe is clearly too strong for us to best, I have the right to choose to leave."


    Zhang Lie had no intention of getting himself killed just for a spiritual herb, rare though it might be.


    The elder hesitated for a moment before replying resolutely, "I ept! Let''s cooperate."


    They headed back down the mountain and found the rock giant at its base. The rock giant was kneeling on the ground, curled up into a ball.


    Zhang Lie flew over. "Not bad, you stayed still like you were supposed to!"


    The rock giant hurriedly stood up. "How were the negotiations, lord?"


    "The crag eagles weren''t as stubborn as your tribe was. If I''m willing to help them ughter the golden rocs, they''ll hand me the starcloud fruit."


    "Congrattions on a sessful negotiation!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you rock spirits eat up a vein of rock from the foot of this mountain?"


    "Probably. As you know, we rock spirits roamed around thend and devoured all the rock in our vicinity."


    To be honest, over ten millennia of roaming thend, they had probably dug up around half the second realm by now.


    Zhang Lie groaned. "Did you know that it was because you did that around the foot of this mountain that Mt. Wanren ended up nted?"


    The rock giant scratched its head. "Is that so?"


    Zhang Lie clutched his face, speechless.


    Instead of continuing to berate the rock giant, however, Zhang Lie just turned aside and retrieved the golden roc''s carcass from his potbellied-toad pouch.


    He pulled out the necessary kitchenware, spices, condiments, arge pot, and two racks on which to roast meat. As he boiled a pot of water, he dissected the roc''s carcass, stripping its feathers in the hot water. Its two wings ended up on the two racks, one of which was seasoned to be slightly spicy, and the other to be ridiculously spicy.


    As the scent of roast meat spread up the mountain, the crag eagles'' salivating faces popped out from the mountainside.


    When the meat was ready, Zhang Lie sliced off a chunk of the roast meat and bit down, making a pleased hum of satisfaction as he did so. The exterior was fragrant and crispy, the interior soft and tender. Upon biting down, a medley of meat juices and a pleasant aroma filled his mouth.


    [For consuming the meat of a peak-grade golden roc, you received 1 peak gene fragment.]


    [For consuming the meat of a peak-grade golden roc, you received 1 peak gene fragment.]


    He took the lid off the pot and allowed the concentrated steam and aroma to rise before scooping up a spoonful of soup.


    .


    [For consuming the meat of a peak-grade golden roc, you received 1 peak gene fragment.]


    Zhang Lie: a peak-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Fifth Form: Qilin


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), One Punch (novice), Ninesoul Dragonde (novice), Syzygy (novice)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 50


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Forest Wolfman (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak)


    The rock spirit seemed very envious of Zhang Lie as he dug in with gusto, but it was only able to consume rocks, minerals, and gems. It sat by one side of the mountain as it nibbled silently on a rock.


    Yu Huantian suddenly walked by and sliced off a chunk of meat from the rack as Zhang Lie watched on. After gulping the meat down, he said coldly, "Thank you for saving my father."


    Are you here to thank me or to steal my food? Don''t use your father as an excuse!?Instead of sending him away, however, Zhang Lie beckoned to the crag eagles whose heads he could make out from the mountain side. "Why don''t you alle over and have some meat? I can''t finish it all myself!"


    Yu Huantian''s eyes brightened as he sat down. "Thanks!"


    He cut off a huge chunk of meat and gobbled it down so quickly that it startled even Zhang Lie.


    The crag eagles nced at each other before pping their wings and heading over. They hardly had a choice; Zhang Lie''s meal was so fragrant that none of them could stand missing out.


    One golden roc carcass was hardly enough to feed the n; they devoured the meat quickly and rubbed their stomachs as they looked for more.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Tomorrow, I''ll kill all the rest of the rocs and we can have arge feast."

 Chapter 420: One Lethal Strike

    <h4>Chapter 420: One Lethal Strike</h4>


    The crag eagles whooped with joy. In order to thank him for his generosity, a number of crag eagles handed him various spiritual herbs and gemstones that they had umted.


    The crag eagles very much liked sparkling objects, so gemstonesprised therger part of their gifts. The rock giant was overjoyed by the portion that Zhang Lie swept his way.


    The next day, the rock spirit was startled to see that Yu Xuanguang was joining their stealth raid on the golden rocs'' nest. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you afraid of dying?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You suffered serious injuries yesterday. Are you sure you''re well enough to being with us?"


    Yu Xuanguang shrugged. "My injuries are hardly as serious as they appear."


    The rock spirit folded its arms. "Don''t be stubborn! You were like a ything to those two golden rocs from yesterday. If you insist on going, you''ll only die!"


    Yu Xuanguang countered, "I''ve mostly recovered after consuming some spiritual herbs."


    The rock giant pointed at his chest. "In that case, what''s with those bandages? Surely they''re not decorations!"


    "Go rest," Zhang Lie urged. "Leave the golden rocs to us."


    Yu Xuanguang refused to back down. "As the chief of the crag eagles, how can I not be a part of such an important raid? Even if I were to die, I want to do it fighting an enemy of the n!"


    The elder added, "We''re in need of manpower. You killed one roc yesterday, so now there are only four left. Zhang Lie and I can handle one each, but two more remain. Perhaps this rock giant can handle one, but that leaves one more roc unounted for. Any more help would be advantageous to us."


    Seeing how stubborn the chief of the crag eagles seemed to be, neither Zhang Lie nor the rock spirit continued to dissuade him. The rock spirit folded its arms again. "Don''t you be a burden to us!"


    Yu Xuanguang snorted. "I won''t lose to you rock monsters."


    As they made their way to the golden rocs'' nest, the rock spirit suddenly asked the elder, "Don''t you want to kill me?"


    Zhang Lie nced in its direction in surprise.


    The rock spirit continued, "Yesterday, my lord told me that the reason Mt. Wanren is leaning over is because my n once dug up a deposit of rock by the foot of your mountain. I won''t apologize for what happened, since we need rock to survive, but..."


    The elder chuckled. "It''s been so many years since then. What''s there to argue about? Our kin who once battled the rock spirits have already perished. Furthermore, with Zhang Lie around, what could I do to you?"


    To be honest, the fact that Mt. Wanren was leaning sideways didn''t have much of an impact on the local ecosystem. After all, the crag eagles slept out in the open, and those who had taken part in the fight against the rock monsters had long since died. Furthermore, that fight had hardly been one-sided; both the crag eagles and rock giants had suffered casualties.


    Suddenly, the elder announced, "We''ve arrived."


    Zhang Lie nced curiously around him.


    They were high up a nearby mountain, one so tall that its peak was shrouded by clouds. The mountain wasn''t asrge as Mt. Wanren, and it seemed rather like a tree that had lost all its branches, leaving just the trunk behind. Zhang Lie flew up and saw a nest right by the peak of the mountain, likely the nest of the golden rocs.


    Just then, they heard the golden rocs'' caw as three of the rocs flew out from the nest and headed toward Zhang Lie''s party.


    Yu Xuanguang turned to the rock giant. "It''s all your fault! Look at howrge you are¡ªthey discovered us because of you!"


    Zhang Lie mulled things over for a moment. "I don''t think it was the rock spirit''s fault. Look at where the rocs are headed¡ªthey didn''t even look at the rock spirit. They''re simply flying in the direction opposite ours."


    Yu Xuanguang came to a realization. "The golden rocs are heading to Mt. Wanren."


    The elder added, "If my guess is correct, the rocs are heading over there in order to seek revenge. After all, Zhang Lie ughtered a golden roc yesterday. I expected they would do so sooner orter, but to think that we would end up meeting them halfway!"


    Yu Xuanguang urged, "Elder, we have to stop the golden rocs, or Mt. Wanren will be in danger!"


    The elder nodded. "Of course. We came here to prevent further tragedy!"


    Zhang Lie beckoned to the rock spirit beside him, "Make a move!"


    The rock spirit was already prepared to do so. It raised a huge boulder of spiritual rock high into the air and tossed it toward the golden rocs.


    So immense was the force with which the rock spirit had flung it that it whooshed through the air like a missile, striking the unprepared rocs. As the rock spirit continued tossing boulder after boulder, the rocs turned around and swooped down on the rock giant.


    Their piercing cries seemed to be announcing that they would destroy this rock monster that had been foolish enough to challenge them.


    Yu Xuanguang was about to make a move when Zhang Lie held him back. "Wait. Now''s not the time to strike yet."


    Yu Xuanguang turned toward the elder, who nodded sagely.


    As the rocs drew closer and closer, Zhang Lie ced a hand on Venombane''s handle as he charged up gic energy for one lethal blow.


    The rocs drew even closer. Yu Xuanguang''s forehead beaded with sweat. "Elder?"


    The elder shook his head again: it wasn''t yet the best time to strike.


    Just as the three rocs were about to strike the rock giant, Zhang Lie raised his right arm high into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared before him. The two gravity-controlling tablets struck the ground, distorting the local gravity around them.


    The three rocs lost control of their trajectory in mid-air, crashing against each other as their gic energy frothed around them, their ws scraping by the top of the rock giant''s head.


    Zhang Lie made his move then. Activating his forest wolfman and blood ant soulshards simultaneously, Zhang Lie transformed into a blood-colored wolfman.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A dragon of blood howled as it took to the skies, then swooped down on one of the three rocs.


    Before it could react, its chest was pierced by the blood dragon, and it fell from the skies like a rock, tracing a long trail of blood behind it.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden roc and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden roc, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie smiled¡ªnot only had he managed to get rid of his target in one blow, it had even dropped a soulshard!


    The elder and Yu Xuanguang followed swiftly behind Zhang Lie, morphing into a ck and a silvery-white beam of light as they struck at their respective targets.

 Chapter 421: Fortified by Rage

    <h4>Chapter 421: Fortified by Rage</h4>


    The elder of the crag eagles honed in on a golden roc. As he slid past the roc, blood began to spray out of its neck like a faucet that couldn''t be closed. The roc tried to shriek, but it was no longer able to make noise.


    The elder was a considerable fighter in his own right, and his skills dwarfed even the crag eagle chief''s. Furthermore, he, Zhang Lie, and Yu Xuanguang wereunching sneak attacks while their opponents were stunned and disoriented, and it was particrly easy for them tond their hits.


    The next moment, before the golden roc realized precisely what had happened, a w had pierced through its back and crushed its heart.


    Yu Xuanguang''s attack emted the elder''s. Blood sprayed out of the roc''s neck, but it still managed to let out a piercing cry.


    Yu Xuanguang''s eyes widened. "This isn''t good¡ªthe wound was too shallow!"


    The rock giant shouted, "You idiot! Can''t you even kill a bird properly?"


    Yu Xuanguang wouldn''t have made such an elementary mistake under ordinary circumstances, but he was unable to use his skills fully on ount of his injuries. He hurriedly tried to give the golden roc another blow, but it was toote. He had missed his best opportunity tounch a killing blow. The golden roc began to p its wings, conjuring a storm out of thin air, as it retreated.


    The elder rushed over to help, but the wary roc noticed his advance and shot a flurry of feathers toward him to deter his advance. The elder dodged the knife-like feathers, but the golden roc sent him flying with a swipe of its ws.


    In a contest of brute strength, the golden rocs were far superior to the crag eagles.


    Yu Xuanguang rushed toward the golden roc, aiming to rectify his mistake, but the golden roc dodged his ws with a casual p of its wings and struck back with its own. The injured Yu Xuanguang reacted slightly too slowly to be able to defend himself.


    "[Rune: Seal]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie as he raised an arm, sending the sealing tablet crashing down on the golden roc''s head and forcibly canceling its attack for a moment.


    The crag eagles had been so caught up in their attack that they had forgotten about Zhang Lie, but it was Zhang Lie who, at the most critical moment, tipped the scales of battle in their favor.


    He sauntered up to the golden roc, not because he was much faster than it was, but because he could predict what it would do next. Indeed, he had anticipated the oue of the fight with the three golden rocs, a result of years of experience from his past life.


    Of course, the elder and Yu Xuanguang yed an important role in the affair as well¡ªwithout their presence, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have been able to predict the rocs'' actions so easily. He, who had been watching the two crag eagles'' fight, was able to strike at the precise moment in which he would have the most impact.


    Sweat beaded on the elder''s forehead. It was lucky that the golden rocs had appeared before the crag eagles could attack Zhang Lie en masse, or their n would surely have perished that day.


    Yu Xuanguang was likewise shocked. His legs couldn''t stop trembling, and he wondered at his foolishness in challenging the youth before him. If they really were to fight, he would have died an ugly death¡ªand likely dragged the rest of his n down with him.


    Both the elder and Yu Xuanguang were very d that Zhang Lie was theirpanion, rather than an enemy.


    On the other hand, the rock giant seemed wholly unperturbed by Zhang Lie''s actions: he knew of Zhang Lie''s strength, after all, given how badly Zhang Lie had beaten him himself. Furthermore, he even came to realize that Zhang Lie was far from using his full strength at that point.


    Venombane thrust into the wound that Yu Xuanguang had created, cleanly beheading the golden roc with a flick of seemingly casual effort. The fight hadsted, all in all, no more than a few dozen seconds.


    With the three golden rocs dead, the elder and Yu Xuanguang let out a relieved smile. Their n would be at peace once again.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t seem quite so casual. "Elder, you mentioned that there were five golden rocs, didn''t you?"


    "Yes, I did."


    "I killed one, and we''ve now killed three more. Where''s thest roc, the strongest of them all?"


    The first elder''s smile was wiped clean, and his wings and ws turned cold.


    The answer was made clear, momentster, without the elder speaking a word. Giant golden wings covered the sky as a shadow fell on Zhang Lie, the rock giant, and the two crag eagles. They raised their heads to see a golden roc swooping down toward them.


    His body was so massive that it wasrger than the three ughtered rocs''bined. It glowed a bright, fiery golden, and his feathers looked as sharp as whetted knives. The radiance of this golden roc alone marked him as a strong enemy, one that would be a more challenging foe than the three rocs they had ughtered.


    Zhang Lie, who had once fought against a disaster-grade lifeform, was certain that the golden roc in front of them was at the threshold between peak- and disaster-grade.


    Upon seeing his family''s fate, he shrieked in agony and rage, causing even Zhang Lie and the others to clutch their ears in pain. His eyes turned blood-red: there was no doubt that his family had been killed by this motley crew. Hatred caused him to swoop down on them at extreme speed.


    The rock giant began to pelt him with rock after rock, but it was unable to stop the roc''s advance. The roc flew so quickly that it broke the sound barrier, as though it were a fighter ne. The rock giant continued sending rock after rock his way, but the golden roc made no effort to dodge. His body red golden, and the rocks broke down even before they could impact his body.


    He would ughter the tiny lifeforms in front of him who had killed his family!


    The roc had lost all semnce of logic in his rage. Against Zhang Lie and the others, the golden roc''s advance was a poor decision. With his speed, he would have been a troublesome foe indeed in an indirect confrontation, but now...

 Chapter 422: At Deaths Door

    <h4>Chapter 422: At Death''s Door</h4>


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down by the roc''s side.


    The space around the enraged roc suddenly became distorted, and the roc found himself unable to control his body. Sapped of his momentum, he began to float steadily downwards like a leaf caught in a breeze.


    Zhang Lie had long since discovered that these two tablets were a lethal deterrent against an opponent''s aerial attack.


    The golden roc tried to escape the domain formed by the two tablets with his willpower, but Zhang Lie had no intention of letting him go.


    "[Rune: Seal]!" Another runic tablet crashed down onto the golden roc''s head, sealing his movements and slowing his thoughts.


    The elder and Yu Xuanguang attacked simultaneously during this window of opportunity. As they pped their wings, they conjured a gigantic hurricane that smashed into the prone roc. The feathers on the golden roc''s chest began to fall as blood dripped down the wound. The golden roc cried out in mid-air; the elder and Yu Xuanguang''sbined attack had left quite a mess of superficial injuries on the roc''s chest, but that was it.


    The golden roc''s sturdy and resilient feathers had prevented them from dealing him a serious injury. As he pped his wings, he easily swept the elder and Yu Xuanguang aside.


    "As expected of a golden roc about to break through to disaster-grade!"


    Thebined attack of the elder and Yu Xuanguang would easily have sent one of the three previous golden rocs to their deaths, but this particr specimen clearly possessed ridiculous defense.


    The rock giant leapt into the air, sending a fist barrelling toward the roc, who swiped at the rock giant with his ws. The sound of their sh sent waves rippling through the air.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie sent all four runic tablets down on the golden roc, surrounding him from all four cardinal directions as they resonated and sent pulses of ck gic energy all around them.


    The golden roc''s actions were forcibly restricted for a few precious moments; Zhang Lie would take full advantage of this opportunity.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence as Zhang Lie sliced at the wound that the elder and Yu Xuanguang had created, then sent the full force of his attack through that wound.


    The golden roc coughed out blood, falling from the sky as the ground beneath him was pelted by his blood. His radiant golden feathers had been dyed a garish red; after taking two of Zhang Lie''s blows head-on, it was moments from death.


    And yet, when he crashed onto the ground, he found himself facing the ssy eyes of his ughtered kin. The golden roc stumbled forward with bruised chest and battered wings. The rage cleared from his eyes; tears began to fall instead. He looked at his family and rubbed his head against their cold bodies.


    Zhang Lie spoke not a word as he stepped forward with his de.


    Sorrowful though the scene in front of him might be, Zhang Lie didn''t spare the roc anypassion. The peak-grade golden roc had eaten an immeasurable number of other lifeforms to get to where he was, and he certainly hadn''t spared anypassion for his prey.


    Suddenly, the roc began to peck at his own family''s bodies, gulping them down.


    The rock giant shivered. "He''s eating his own kin?!"


    Yu Xuanguang murmured, "Is the idea for his family to always remain close to him, even in death...?"


    The elder shook his head. "To think it would stoop to such a level."


    The other three members of his party reacted with shock and disgust, but Zhang Lie with shock and panic. Without any hesitation, he raised Venombane and sent it crashing down onto the golden roc''s body.


    Just then, however, the roc''s body red with a frightening golden light, one so intense that Zhang Lie''s de was deterred from its original trajectory. His body was pushed away as the golden roc sent a torrent of feathers slicing toward him, which Zhang Lie had to block with his sword.


    The golden roc continued gobbling down his family members faster and faster. As he did so, his feathers grew more and more lustrous, and his wounds began to recover.


    As he retreated, Zhang Lie shouted, "Stop him!"


    By that time, the elder, Yu Xuanguang, and the rock spirit had all noticed that something was amiss.


    The rock giant barrelled through the howling winds with its sturdy body, while the elder and Yu Xuanguang againunched abined attack against the roc. With a p of his wings, the roc sent two shes of wind at the two crag eagles, dissipating their attack and sending them flying into the distance.


    In just that short period of time, the golden roc''s body had grown massively, and he had easily defended against all attacks sent in his direction.


    Thanks to the two crag eagles, however, Zhang Lie had another opportunity to strike at the golden roc.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood dragon wrapped around his body and swooped into the skies. Golden feathers blocked its ascent, but the blood dragon knocked them all aside with its momentum. It hurtled toward the golden roc and began biting and tearing at its body.


    Sensing life-threatening danger, the golden roc darted aside, but the blood dragon continued to pursue him. While he fought the blood dragon off with his ws, Zhang Lie struck at his neck with Venombane.


    The golden roc hadn''t expected that the blood dragon would be nothing more than a decoy for Zhang Lie himself. He barely had time to do anything more than tilt his head. The sword shed as it struck the golden roc''s eye, blinding him as the golden roc cried out in pain. His feathers glowed with a frightening radiance.


    Zhang Lie retreated immediately; just that burst of golden light from the golden roc had charred half the fur of his blood wolfman form.


    "Just what happened?" the rock giant wondered aloud.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. "The golden roc was at the boundary of peak- and disaster-grade."


    The rock giant gaped. "He advanced after eating his own family?!"


    By that time, the elder had returned to his senses. "Not only that¡ªour attacks also pushed him closer and closer to that boundary. His family''s death gave him the will to advance, and our subsequent attacks pushed him so hard that his body''stent potential was activated. Hecked only the energy to continue with his advancement, so..."

 Chapter 423: The Golden Roc

    <h4>Chapter 423: The Golden Roc</h4>


    Yu Xuanguang nodded inprehension. "I see! It''s because his family''s flesh and blood is a perfect match for his race, so it''s an easy and potent source of energy for him to absorb."


    The rock spirit still remained somewhat confused; all it understood was that the golden roc had be particrly strong.


    "Should we run?" it suggested.


    "No, we can''t!" everyone else cried.


    The elder stared at the golden roc as though it were death itself. "The golden roc will surely seek revenge on us crag eagles if it lives. Even if I die here, I can''t let the golden roc escape.


    Yu Xuanguang agreed. "We killed his entire family. If we let him go now, he might kill our entire tribe."


    Zhang Lie likewise refused¡ªafter all, he was the hunter with the most information about these disaster-grade lifeforms in all of the second realm at present. It wouldn''t be so easy for the golden roc to ascend to disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie guessed that it was at most at the level of the guardian deity of the sura kingdom he had crushed, a pseudodisaster-grade lifeform. Of course, such a lifeform was already worthy of his attention. If he were to let the golden roc grow some more, the roc might very well ascend to a true disaster-grade lifeform¡ªand if it were to do so, a cmity would strike the entirety of the second realm.


    The most urgent problem was the human city of Ming, which was situated the closest to their current location and which would thus suffer the greatest casualty. Zhang Lie didn''t much care for the life and death of those alien races foreign to him, but he couldn''t ignore Ming.


    The golden roc''s gene fragments had yet to stabilize, and only a small portion had turned into disaster gene fragments. Although it was somewhat of a pity to kill the golden roc now, when he would otherwise be able to obtain disaster gene fragments, it was certainly best to strike while the roc was weak.


    The roc''s injured eyes began to crystallize. Zhang Lie knew that he couldn''t dy any longer.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie had just raised his arms when the golden roc made his move, swooping down toward Zhang Lie like a scythe of wind.


    "How fast!" Zhang Lie shielded himself with his de, but upon impact, he still stumbled a few steps back.


    The elder and Yu Xuanguang pped their wings as they tried to harry the roc, which spread his wings wide as heunched a flurry of de-like feathers in their direction. The two crag eagles were forced to retreat.


    The rock spirit rushed forward and made to punch the golden roc, ignoring the feathers embedded in its rock armor. The golden roc grabbed onto the rock spirit''s arm and flew into the air as the rock spirit shouted, "Hey, what''re you doing?!"


    "[Rune: Gravity]!" Zhang Lie raised his arm high and sent a tablet hurtling down toward the golden roc, but he dodged agilely.


    The rock spirit mmed an arm into the golden roc''s ws.


    "[Rune: Float]!" Another runic tablet crashed down. Before the golden roc could evade the attack, Zhang Lie made another move.


    "[Rune: Control]!" The two gravity-controlling tablets began to hum in resonance, forming a local domain of warped gravity. The golden roc stumbled for a moment, but owing to his previous experience with this technique, quickly corrected his trajectory.


    The elder and Yu Xuanguang took this opportunity to rush into the air, moving so fast they seemed like twin beams of light. Silvery-white and ck feathers filled the air.


    The golden roc tossed the rock giant toward the two crag eagles, who cried out in mid-air, "Argh! Catch me!"


    The two crag eagles smoothly split up along either side of the iing projectile, then attacked the golden roc from two antipodal directions.


    Meanwhile, the rock giant fell toward the ground like a meteor with such force that its body embedded itself into the ground upon impact.


    No one had the time to worry about the rock giant now. The aerial battle continued in full force. As the golden roc pped his wings, golden feathers shot out from him in all directions, giving the elder and Yu Xuanguang no opportunity to strike.


    "[Rune: Seal]!" Zhang Lie sessfully sent a tablet crashing down on the golden roc''s head, temporarily sealing his consciousness and creating a window of opportunity, which the elder and Yu Xuanguang took full advantage of.


    Sparks flew into the air as they struck, but unfortunately, the golden roc''s defense had also risen by another level. The two crag eagles, who had once been able to injure the golden roc, could barely cause a superficial injury now.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Venombane trembled as a dragon of blood rose into the air, its howl echoing and reverberating throughout the mountain.


    The golden roc whirled quickly in the air, shaking off the elder and Yu Xuanguang, before swooping down to meet the blood dragon head-on. His ws shredded the blood dragon''s head, then shed against Zhang Lie''s Venombane.


    Waves of energy rippled from the impact.


    The elder and Yu Xuanguang could only watch from a distance, without daring to get closer; the fight between Zhang Lie and the golden roc had reached another level entirely.


    The golden roc''s body suddenly glowed with resplendent light, and it looked almost like a miniature sun. Its fledgling disaster-grade domain activated.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFirst Form: Parting the River]!" Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and bore with the overwhelming light and heat as he struck with one of his strongest blows.


    The golden roc tried to defend against the line of sword energy with his ws, but this time, it was the golden roc who was sent rearing back, blood dripping from the impact.


    Zhang Lie chased after the roc at full force. After two more confrontations, the golden roc''s ws began to shiver, and the inner bones began to crack. The golden roc roared in pain. He didn''t seem to be able to hold out, but Zhang Lie was faring worse.


    A crack appeared on Venombane''s de. Unable to withstand the high-intensity shes, that crack propagated and split the de in two. Venombane dematerialized and returned to Zhang Lie''s soulspace as a cracked soulshard.


    The golden roc took this opportunity to strike, but Zhang Lie didn''t seem panicked at all. He sent his hand, like a de, into the golden roc''s unwounded eye.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"

 Chapter 424: An Unexpected Gain

    <h4>Chapter 424: An Unexpected Gain</h4>


    With his other hand, Zhang Lie struck the golden roc''s lower jaw, sending a blood dragon howling into the air.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" All four runic tablets fell around the golden roc. The formation activated, trapping him within a domain of darkness.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie cocked back his left arm, channeling his gic energy into the attack, and sent its full force at the golden roc.


    Amidst the bombardment of a hundred dragons, the golden roc was forced to the ground in a daze.


    A golden sword appeared in Zhang Lie''s hand, the manifestation of a peak-grade golden roc soulshard which Zhang Lie had obtained from this roc''s family.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A wave of blood drenched the golden roc and morphed into a blood dragon.


    The golden roc pped his wings and rose into the air. Zhang Lie chased after him, sessfully sending the sword into the unguarded back of his neck.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" ck gic energy covered the de''s tip and ravaged the golden roc''s body from the inside out. The golden roc struggled in pain; crystalline flecks of blood sprayed from the wound.


    As Zhang Lie sent more and more energy barreling through the de and into the wound, the golden roc''s body was pierced through all over by Zhang Lie''s sword energy. It looked like a cactus, the spikes of which were manifested des of energy that had pierced his body from within.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden roc and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden roc, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. Today really was a lucky day; he had obtained yet another soulshard, and from the strongest of the rocs at that.


    The golden roc fell to the ground. The elder and Yu Xuanguang followed, barely able to believe that they were alive. Watching the battle, they thought that they were moments away from perishing.


    Their attacks werepletely ineffective against the golden roc, and they wouldn''t be here now if not for Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie drew his sword, stabbed into the golden roc''s injured chest, and drew out the roc''s heart.


    The arteries and veins surrounding the heart had already crystallized, as had the bones around the roc''s chest cavity. If Zhang Lie and the others had struck just a bitter, the consequences would have been disastrous. Once the golden roc''s body turned crystalline, Zhang Lie would have been unable to kill it without using his trump cards.


    He stowed away the golden roc''s heart and materialized the soulshard he had received. As expected of a pseudodisaster-grade lifeform, the golden roc''s soulshard waspletely different from the other golden roc soulshard he had received.


    It manifested in the form of a set of paired des.


    Therger of the two des was a broadsword that gleamed golden, the rays of light that emanated from it burning as hot as the sun.


    The smaller of the two des was a shortsword that could be incorporated into therger de or stripped from it and used independently. It too was lustrous, filled with what seemed to be a boundless heat.


    Even Zhang Lie couldn''t have expected that the unusual conditions surrounding the golden roc''s death would have generated such an interesting soulshard. He was a little curious as to what would have happened if the golden roc had sessfully ascended into a disaster-grade lifeform.


    His domain would have increased dramatically in strength and stability, and it would have gained a secondary manifestation. If both qualities could be captured in the derived soulshard, they could exist simultaneously and augment each other, just like his [Eclipse] and [ck Sun].


    If that were the case...


    Well, Zhang Lie was already very satisfied with what he had received. After all, he was still only a second-realm hunter, and he was unwilling to face an unharmed disaster-grade lifeform proper.


    Such a lifeform would be far too dangerous to deal with; just the slightest carelessness could result in his death.


    Zhang Lie dematerialized both his golden roc soulshards, but the effect of having two different soulshards from the same species in his soulspace led to a strange phenomenon that even he couldn''t have predicted.


    The two soulshards resonated with each other: they drew close and began to merge.


    Under ordinary circumstances, soulshards from the same species wouldn''tbine; this was clearly borne out by his experiences in the first realm. So what could have caused this effect? Could it have been that they were both peak- or higher-grade soulshards from the same source, from lifeforms conneced by blood?


    The chance of a soulshard condensation wasn''t high; it would be lucky for Zhang Lie to have gotten one such from over a dozen lifeforms. Obtaining two from a family of five was incredible luck.


    The two soulshards'' merging process seemed as though it would take quite a while. Zhang Lie made a mental note to check up on it from time to time.


    The elder and Yu Xuanguang made their way over to thank him. "Zhang Lie, it''s all thanks to you that we were able to ughter the golden rocs and make it out alive."


    Zhang Lie thought to himself,?In my past life, it''s clear that neither of you did. The crag eagles'' death must have been the catalyst that sparked the golden roc''s evolution.


    Zhang Lie''s appearance now had changed the course of history, but he didn''t make a special note of it. "Don''t forget our transaction."


    The elder took out a wooden box. "Actually, the spiritual herb you wanted is right here. I was intending on handing it over to you before our fight with the golden rocs, but I hadn''t nned on meeting the golden rocs halfway."


    Zhang Lie retrieved the box, opened it to see a perfectly preserved starcloud fruit, and revealed a rare, unguarded smile. He had obtained yet another ingredient for Potion #4! In his estimation, he would only need three more ingredients before he could start the concoction process in earnest.


    "Zhang Lie, you must be tired. Would you like to return to Mt. Wanren to rest before you leave tomorrow?" Yu Xuanguang offered. "Please give me the opportunity to apologize for my disrespect."


    Zhang Lie nced at the time and nodded. He released Whitey and allowed it to absorb the remnants of the golden roc''s soul before keeping the carcass, then took to flight.


    Before he went too far, however, he suddenly called out, "I feel as though I''ve forgotten something."


    The elder replied, "That must mean that that something isn''t too important, so forgetting it doesn''t matter."


    "Indeed, that''s sensible!"


    Beneath them, from the gigantic crater the stone giant had created, an arm of stone rose into the air. The rock giant groaned, "Lord, I''m right here! Please save me!"

 Chapter 425: Full Haul

    <h4>Chapter 425: Full Haul</h4>


    Zhang Lie pulled the rock giant out of the ground, then brought him to the golden rocs'' nest to have a look at what they would find. The short detour was fruitless for Zhang Lie, but the rock giant was overjoyed to find all sorts of jewels and minerals in the nest with which it could upgrade its armor.


    That night, at Mt. Wanren, Yu Huantian clutched a cup of wine with his left wing and a meat skewer in his right. He called out, "Come, let''s celebrate the demise of the golden rocs! Eat your fill!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I was the one who brought the golden roc back, and I was the one who roasted the meat you''re consuming now."


    Yu Huantian grinned at him. "Those are minor details¡ªlet''s not worry about them!"


    The elder called out, "Huantian, don''t be insolent to our honored guests!"


    Mt. Wanren was lit up from foot to peak with bright lights, the path up the mountain trailed by rednterns and multicolored flowers. The aroma of roasted meat wafted throughout. Two golden rocs were being simmered in a y pot.


    Zhang Lie would have handed over all five golden rocs'' carcasses if he could, but this was precious meat from peak-grade lifeforms, and he was already being rather generous by giving two of the five to the crag eagles. After all, for the crag eagles, eating the golden rocs'' flesh was of limited importance beyond nourishment. Humans, on the other hand, would be able to add to their gene fragments by doing so.


    Zhang Lie, the elder, and Yu Xuanguang all sat at seats of honor overlooking the party. Given the role that Zhang Lie yed in defeating the golden rocs, his status in the crag eagles'' tribe was almost on par with the elder and the chief themselves.


    Yu Xuanguang stood up and announced, "First, let me thank Mr. Zhang Lie for helping us out on this expedition. Without his presence, we would have been unable to take down the golden rocs. From the bottom of my heart, Mr. Zhang, a toast from me to you. Without our aid, the crag eagles could well have perished."


    No, it isn''t just a possibility, but rather a certainty. That was what happened to you in my past life, after all.?Zhang Lie murmured inwardly.


    "Second, I would like to apologize to Mr. Zhang." Yu Xuanguang lowered his head. "I want to apologize for my insolence andck of courtesy yesterday. No matter what, I shouldn''t have struck you without understanding what was going on first. If not for Mr. Zhang''s leniency, I would be dead now. Today, if not for Mr. Zhang''s help, I would be dead a second time. Taking all this into ount, I sincerely apologize to you, Mr. Zhang."


    Zhang Lie nodded in eptance; in truth, he had barely minded.


    "Now, I''m sure this is a joyous asion for everyone, so I''ll shut up and we can get started with the festivities!"


    The crag eagles began tough as the elder announced, "Serve the meat!"


    The lid of the gigantic stone pot was opened, and a mouthwatering fragrance drifted out. Everyone was served a bowl of meat broth; Zhang Lie, the elder, and Yu Xuanguang''s bowls were particrlyrge.


    "With this, I announce that the crag eagles have triumphed over the golden rocs!"


    Everyone dug in with gusto. As he ate and observed the crag eagles, he noticed a strange phenomenon. The crag eagles'' feathers were gradually gaining a golden tinge. The crag eagles who had undergone the most drastic transformation were those who had partaken in Zhang Lie''s own feast the day before.


    In particr, Yu Huantian''s wings had both turned a shade of lustrous gold, and even his ws seemed to have turned golden as well.


    Is this gic mutation? Perhaps gic evolution??The golden rocs were particrlypatible with the crag eagles. It was likely that, upon consuming sufficient golden roc flesh, the crag eagles would be able to assimte the golden rocs'' racial characteristics and merge them with their own, with some variance between members of a species.


    No wonder the golden rocs had preyed upon the crag eagles! The crag eagles had to be particrly nourishing food for them, and reciprocally, the golden rocs would be particrly nourishing for the crag eagles.


    Zhang Lie turned to the elder and Yu Xuanguang, who were seated beside him. Yu Xuanguang''s feathers had turned a dusky gold, but the elder''s appearance had hardly changed. Perhaps it was because he was old, and he hardly had any potential for evolution remaining in his deteriorating body.


    The elder smiled as he nced at the crag eagles seated before him and observed the changes to their bodies. The transformation didn''t seem to shock him at all¡ªthe wily old fellow had clearly predicted what the golden rocs would do to the tribe of crag eagles!


    That said, Zhang Lie didn''t really mind. He had obtained what he wanted, after all. He took a gulp of the broth and heard in his head,


    [The soulshard merging process has concluded. You have obtained a post-peak-grade golden roc soulshard.]


    The ''post-'' prefix meant that the soulshard was at a level intermediate between peak- and disaster-grade.


    Yu Huantian asked, "Zhang Lie¡ªno, Mr. Zhang, where are you from?"


    He hurriedly changed his mode of address toward Zhang Lie upon seeing the elder ring daggers at him.


    "A human city¡ªah, well, not just one of humans anymore. It''s a cityposed of many different races."


    The elder looked at him in surprise. "To think there are such cities! It sounds like quite an interesting location."


    "I can''t say whether it''s interesting or not, but I believe that, one day, it''ll be known throughout the second realm. And I believe that day wille soon."


    Yu Huantian sidled up to him. "Is there anything fun to do within?"


    "There are a few fun human inventions, a race that can grow and nurture spiritual herbs and greenery, and... well, that''s about it." Zhang Lie didn''t mention much about his city, but it had already caught the interest of the crag eagles hanging around Yu Huantian.


    After the feast, Zhang Lie summoned the newly minted post-peak-grade soulshard that he had just received. Thebined soulshard seemed fascinating, but he didn''t want to test it out so close to a popted region.


    He left the soulshard in his soulspace, then remembered that he also had the golden roc''s heart in his storage pouch.


    The heart looked crystalline, but it was actually still somewhat gtinous in his hand. There was a clear difference between the heart that Zhang Lie had consumed in the first realm and the one he was holding now.


    However, the fact that the crystallization process had already begun might give him an unexpected surprise.


    Zhang Lie took a satchel of spice out of his pouch, sliced the heart up, seasoned it with some pepper, and then fried it.


    With a hopeful heart, he consumed the dish.


    [For consuming the meat of a disaster-grade golden roc, you received 1 disaster gene fragment.]


    Zhang Lie almost couldn''t believe his ears. He really had received a disaster gene fragment!


    However, even after consuming the entire heart, all he got was that one point. It looked as though the golden roc was about to ascend, but in reality, it had likely been far from it.


    That said, even a single disaster gene fragment was a huge increase to Zhang Lie''s abilities, and this trip was well worth it.


    Given how much Zhang Lie had grown in the meantime, absorbing this sole gene fragment went much more sessfully than it had in the first realm. Zhang Lie was slightly feverish for a few moments, but that was it. When his body cooled back down, Zhang Lie smiled in satisfaction.

 Chapter 426: Returning to the City

    <h4>Chapter 426: Returning to the City</h4>


    Not only had he obtained a key ingredient for Potion #4, he had even managed to secure one disaster gene fragment and a post-peak-grade soulshard.


    One disaster gene fragment was more impactful than ten peak gene fragments, and Zhang Lie could sense his abilities taking a great leap forward. In an instant, his [Ninecarp Transformation] had reached mid-fifth stage.


    The next day, Zhang Lie and the rock giant headed back to their city. However, just as they were leaving Mt. Wanren, hundreds of shadows darted out from the mountain, led by the now-golden Yu Huantian.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What are all of you doing here?"


    All the crag eagles that had followed him were tinged with gold¡ªthey were those who had partaken in Zhang Lie''s feast the day before.


    "We''re leaving with you!"


    "What?" Zhang Lie seemed a little shocked.


    "We can''t just eat your food without doing anything, can we? Didn''t you say you had a city of your own? I''m sure you''recking some aerial forces like us."


    The rock spirit said, "You intend on returning with us?"


    "We ate your meat, so we''re your warriors now!"


    Zhang Lie''s mouth spasmed. "Didn''t you already repay me for that?"


    "But not for the meat fromst night."


    "Did your chief and elder agree?"


    Yu Huantian nodded. "They agreed and informed us to follow you well."


    The other crag eagles added, "They also said we would surely benefit by following you around."


    "And my dad told me to follow you and make sure I repent for the offense I''ve shown you!" Yu Huantian called out.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Very well, then."


    There were already three different races living in his city; one more was no big deal.


    After consuming the golden rocs'' flesh, the crag eagles''tent potential had been unlocked. They would be excellent aerial fighters given their wings, and Zhang Lie was indeedcking their like.


    Seated on the rock giant''s shoulder, Zhang Lie and his new retinue spent a month traveling back to the city.


    When they saw Zhang Lie with a group of birdmen, the guards patrolling the city wall were no longer surprised. "You''ve taken in a new tribe, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie clutched his face. "I wasn''t expecting to, either."


    "I''ll inform the two n leaders immediately, as well as Su Hong and the hunters of Team Zenith!"


    Over the two months during which Zhang Lie had been gone, the city had transformed in its entirety. The walls of stone had been rebuilt, and the streets were nowpletely clean and repaved with stone.


    The crag eagles flew overhead, ncing all around them¡ªthey had never been in a city before.


    "Look, the walls really are made of rock!"


    "What''s that? How could the rocks be so uniform?"


    "Oh, I''ve seen that! It''s like the log cabin the elder lives in!"


    Zhang Lie''s return quickly spread among the residents of the city. Green trails of light shed from outside the city as the wood spirits gathered with Su Hong, Team Zenith, and the Yeluo to wee Zhang Lie''s return.


    "Wee back, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie nodded, then jumped off the rock giant. "You''ve all done very well. In just two months, the city looks as good as new."


    Everyone smiled upon receiving Zhang Lie''s praise; their hard work hadn''t gone unnoticed.


    "But there''s no need for all this ceremony. Please, feel free to go back to what you were doing before."


    The only people that remained were the chief of the Yeluo, Su Hong, the members of Team Zenith, the shaman of the wood spirits, and Chu Feng and Yun Bing.


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Sun Mengmeng, could you have a look at what lodgings are avable? Let''s find a ce for the crag eagles behind me to stay."


    Yu Huantian shook his head. "No, there''s no need. We won''t get used to living in enclosed spaces."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Where do you want to sleep?"


    Yu Huantian pointed at the city walls. "Right there is fine."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You want to build nests atop the watchtowers?"


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "There are only sixteen watchtowers in total. Will the nests be able to amodate all of you?"


    "We can sleep right on the city walls themselves, too."


    Su Hong refused. "That would cause significant problems to the defense of our perimeter."


    Yu Huantian harrumphed. "With us around, what else do you need for defense? The crag eagles will ensure that no enemy will be able to approach the city walls."


    Zhang Lie crossed his arms. "I think you''d better find some other ce instead. There are a few hills and mountains nearby."


    The shaman of the wood spirits smiled. "Why don''t youe live alongside me for a while?"


    Yu Huantian peered at her. "Who are you, old fogey?"


    The shaman frowned. "I''m the shaman of the wood spirits. Surely you''ve heard of me?"


    "Nope!" Yu Huantian replied.


    A crag eagle beside Yu Huantian whispered, "The elder''s mentioned them before, I think. They''re a race that can nurture the cultivation of greenery and herbs."


    "Oh, you mean they''re farmers?"


    It took all the shaman''s patience and good upbringing to not explode. "You may understand it that way. To be more precise, we enhance all manner of life, with a particr emphasis on nt-based lifeforms."


    Yu Huantian shrugged. "Are there hills or mountains in your vicinity?"


    The shaman shook their head. "We live in a forest."


    Yu Huantian shook his head. "We''d better not. The morning dew will dampen our feathers."


    "Really? We hosted crag eagles in our forest from time to time while the rtionship between our ns was harmonious, and they''ve never had a problem."


    Sun Mengmeng suggested, "Perhaps it would be alright if they were to rece their nesting material every now and then so it doesn''t be damp. That''s what most birds who live in forests do."


    "Actually, there''s a better solution," Chu Feng pointed out. "We''ll just have the rock spirits build them a small rock forest around."


    "Truly?"


    The rock spirits could raise spires of rock out of thin air. They wouldn''t be as tall as the watchtowers, of course, but they would easily be tall enough to match the height of the city walls.


    Zhang Lie turned to the rock giant. "Do you think your tribe can handle this?"


    "It shouldn''t be a problem. I''ll let the others know."


    Zhang Lie could hardly have imagined that the two ns, who had long been enemies of each other, would end up living in the same city in peaceful coexistence.


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Yu Huantian, why don''t you and the other crag eagles go along with the rock giant? See if those amodations suit you."


    After the crag eagles and rock giant left, Zhang Lie said to the others, "Will you show me around? I''d like to see what you''ve done over thest month."


    They walked through the streets. Chu Feng said, "Over this period of time, with thebined effort of the Yeluo and the rock spirits, we were able to repair the city walls and repave the streets."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very good. Thank you for all your hard work."


    They were nearing a crowded part of the city where a market had been set up. There were stalls from the wood spirits, the Yeluo, and the humans, and some rock giants would pass by from time to time.


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised. "You set up a bazaar too?"

 Chapter 427: Surprise After Surprise

    <h4>Chapter 427: Surprise After Surprise</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng smiled. "This was Yun Bing''s idea. Each race has special racial characteristics and different needs, and she suggested the bazaar so that it could enhance the rate at which goods flowed from race to race in order to make this city trulye alive."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very well done, Yun Bing! You''re right¡ªa city should be prosperous, not just a random gathering of people."


    Yun Bing blushed. "I didn''t learn any architecture, unlike Chu Feng. All I studied was business, and upon seeing these citizens bartering with each other, I had the idea of constructing a bazaar."


    The Yeluo chief added, "It''s been much more convenient since this bazaar was set up."


    Zhang Lie and the crowd walked through the bazaar to the shock and awe of many shoppers within.


    Humans sold soulshards, the wood spirits sold herbs, the Yeluo sold their potions, and the rock spirits theirbor andrge lifeforms that they had captured. The bazaar was lively but orderly, and it was clear that Yun Bing had put no small amount of effort into nning it.


    Yun Bing borated on her thoughts. "Every race buys and sells something different. The humans sell soulshards in hopes of obtaining the flesh of gic lifeforms and rare herbs and potions."


    The shaman of the wood spirits murmured, "The wood spirits have been very interested in human inventions like ying cards and children''s toys. I was also surprised to learn just howpatible the Yeluo''s potions are to our race."


    The Yeluo chief added, "My tribe wants the flesh of all sorts of gic lifeforms, soulshards, and spiritual herbs, ?and we sell the potions unique to the Yeluo n."


    The Yeluo were particrly talented alchemists and potioneers, thanks to the original location of their tribe deep within the Yeluo Valley, and quite a few recipes had been passed down from their ancestors.


    Yun Bing concluded, "The rock spirits only need rocks, minerals, and gems, but they''re far more capable of killing gic lifeforms than the other races around. They can produce tons of regr lifeforms and quite a few mutated-grade lifeforms. One or two superior-grade lifeforms have shown up before as well."


    As expected of a nomadic tribe that had once done whatever they pleased within the second realm! If not for the fact that their rock quarry had been near depletion, Zhang Lie was certain he wouldn''t have been able to take the rock spirits down so easily.


    Indeed, considering their rock armor, they were very well suited tobat. Once they ate enough rock, their bodies would be as sturdy as adamantium¡ªand even if they were somehow taken down, they would be able to make it back alive unless their cores were smashed apart.


    Given Yun Bing''s limited power in the city, the fact that she had nevertheless managed to get all the ns to work together had to have required inordinate effort on her part.


    "Thanks for your hard work."


    Yun Bing smiled. "It''s nothing much. Sun Mengmeng and the others helped me a lot."


    Without Team Zenith''s authority, Yun Bing could hardly have managed the Herculean task on her own.


    "It''s good that we were able to find so many examples of properly maintained markets and bazaars as reference¡ªotherwise, the market would surely have be disorderly very quickly." ?Yun Bing had been relying on real-world examples of sessful markets when designing the one in Zhang Lie''s city, and she had requisitioned the help of her n to do so. "To be frank, the hardest problem we''ve had was to get the rock spirits to understand and obey the rules of the bazaar."


    The rock spirits all had rocks for heads, and it was difficult for them to wrap their heads aroundplicated and abstract thoughts.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help smiling as he thought of the rock giants trying to thumb through a leaflet of rules and instructions.


    "In the end, we were only able to teach a few rock spirits about the rules of the bazaar, and they''ll represent all their tribe members within it."


    "What currency are you using?" Zhang Lei sounded very curious.


    Only with currency would the city be able to move away from a bartering system to a trade-based system. Human cities like Qi used government-issued points, but points were clearly worthless to the alien races.


    Sun Mengmeng retrieved two coins from a pocket, one gold and another silver. Both were delicately engraved. "These are what we''re using now."


    Gold and silver? Zhang Lie picked up the two coins and sniffed them¡ªthey smelled like medicinal herbs rather than precious metals.


    One side of the silver coin was engraved with Zhang Lie''s face, and the other with Venombane. One side of the gold coin was likewise engraved with Zhang Lie''s face, and the other with a city.


    Zhang Lie crushed apart the coin to find a smattering of bone powder. "This is... the bone of a mutated-grade lifeform, as well as one of a superior-grade lifeform?"


    Yun Bing nodded. "The rock spirits consume gold, so we didn''t think it would be appropriate to cut down on their food reserves."


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "Many in the bazaar were already trading with gic lifeforms as themon denominator, so we decided to use their bones as ourmon currency."


    Yun Bing and Sun Mengmeng traded off. "The currency is specially prepared using herbs from the wood spirits, then dyed with a recipe from the Yeluo. That''s how we made them gold and silver. In the current market, ten thousand silver coins correspond to one gold coin. The main issue is that we''re quitecking in superior-grade lifeforms, so we haven''t been able to produce more gold coins."


    Sun Mengmeng took over. "Our next step was to introduce paper currency, but we didn''t want to do so without your approval. Furthermore, we don''t have the technology to create paper currency that others can''t replicate."


    "What can you buy with a silver coin?"


    "Ten tons of regr-grade lifeforms can be exchanged for one silver coin, and a ton of mutated-grade lifeforms for a hundred silver coins. A hundred silver coins can buy you a regr-grade soulshard, and a gold coin a mutated-grade soulshard."


    Zhang Lie looked on with interest as he saw a hunter chop up meat from some gic lifeform on the spot, turning it into a fresh serving of some street snack or another.


    If he were to let the city develop as it was now, would there be a day during which humans could obtain gene fragments without needing to brave the danger of uncharted territory out in the wilderness of the second realm?


    Zhang Lie could hardly have predicted that the city would develop to this extent in the two months during which he had been gone.

 Chapter 428: Renhuang

    <h4>Chapter 428: Renhuang</h4>


    Zhang Lie said, "I don''t have any ns to manufacture paper currency as yet, but we''re not in a hurry to do so. Send a few hunters to the nearby human cities and purchase a few storage-type soulshards."


    The most problematic part about currency was that it would be difficult to transport. Purchasing a pound of mutated-grade lifeforms would cost a significant bag of silver coins, but this problem could be temporarily resolved with a storage-type soulshard.


    Yun Bing nodded. "I was thinking of something simr."


    All humans either hunted for or bought a storage-type soulshard for convenience, and this wasn''t a novelty to them. The alien races, however, had no such privilege.


    The shaman of the wood spirits and the chief of the Yeluo''s eyes'' brightened. They had obtained such soulshards from the humans they hade into contact with at great expense, but there hardly were enough for the rest of their n.Having more such soulshards would be a tremendous boon for their kind.


    Yun Bing continued, "We''ve also started collecting tax."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I don''t need any such tax. What would I do with these coins?"


    Yun Bing disagreed. "Taxation is a necessary part of maintaining the market. Even if you don''t need the money, the city will benefit if we spend these coins on your behalf. After all, we''ll need hunters and warriors to defend the city. This can''t be a fully volunteer-based system, and we need to pay them a decent sry for doing so. After all, by defending the city, they''re losing valuable time during which they could be hunting."


    "In that case, I''ll leave the finances of the city and this bazaar to you, Yun Bing," Zhang Lie announced, convinced by her arguments.


    Subsequently, apanied by the chief of the Yeluo, he toured the Yeluo''s newboratory.


    "It looks like you still have quite a few hidden recipes up your sleeve," hemented to his surprise.


    The Yeluo were marketing a few potions of particr value: rapid-healing potions, antivenoms, antitoxins, repellents, and so on. There were quite a number of female or old workers manning theboratory and the production lines.


    The chief of the Yeluo smiled. "We got a few tips from Miss Yun Bing and managed to increase our throughput to a few hundred vials of potions a day."


    After that, the shaman of the wood spirits brought him to the forests and the nearby farnd that Sun Mengmeng and the others had requested.


    The wood spirits were radiating a gentle green light as they passed through the fields, speeding up the growth of the herbs and nts in the region.


    The shaman said, "We''re growing all sorts of spiritual herbs here, enough for the entire city to use, and we supply the Yeluoboratory directly."


    After going through the entire city, Zhang Lie returned to the sura king''s pce. "I really can''t believe all of you did so much within two months. I''m amazed by your diligence, and I''m d you''re all so capable."


    Sun Mengmeng and Yun Bing nced at each other. "Zhang Lie, there''s something we''ll need you to make a decision on."


    "What is it?"


    "Your city''s name, of course. We haven''t been able toe to a consensus on what name to choose, and we''d like for you to make a decision."


    "What names have you thought of?"


    "Initially, we wanted to call it the city of Lie."


    Zhang Lie nodded: that seemed reasonable.


    "However, the wood spirits and the Yeluo tribe vetoed that idea."


    "Why?"


    "Because it''s no longer a city just of humans, and the single-word naming scheme used for human cities wouldn''t be suitable."


    "In that case, what name would you propose?"


    "After some deliberation, we''ve settled on one name."


    The shaman of the wood spirits, chief of the Yeluo, members of Team Zenith, Chu Feng, and Yun Bing announced simultaneously,


    "The city of Renhuang!"


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    Such a name didn''t bring back good memories for him. After all, it was because those hunters of Qi had addressed him as a champion of mankind that he had ultimately been forced out of the city.


    Sun Mengmeng added, "I know what you''re worried about, Zhang Lie, but our situation is different now. What you experienced in Qi won''t happen again, and I personally think this is a very suitable name."


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. "Very well. if you''re all in agreement, we''ll call this the city of Renhuang."


    Li Feng asked, "In that case, is today our founding day?"


    "It certainly is!" Sun Mengmeng replied. "Shall we have a celebration?"


    Chu Feng rushed off into the distance, shouting, "I''ll bring some decorations over to drape throughout the city!"


    The chief of the Yeluo smiled. "I''ll let my kinsmen know to help as well. Not only did our governor return, our city has finally been named."


    The shaman of the wood spirits flew off. "I''ll let my n know of this joyous asion!"


    "And I''ll inform the rock spirits," Li Feng added.


    Sun Mengmeng murmured in excitement, "We were already nning on a feast to celebrate your return¡ªnow we might as well make it evenrger, to celebrate the founding of this city!"


    Zhang Lie suddenly shouted, "Hold it!"


    Everyone stopped moving.


    Zhang Lie stepped out of the pce and took out the three golden rocs'' carcasses. "This is a gift I brought back from Mt. Wanren."


    Were these... peak-grade lifeforms?! Those present had all seen peak-grade lifeforms for themselves, but none asrge as the golden roc that had almost ascended to disaster-grade. It was a few timesrger than even ordinary peak-grade lifeforms. They couldn''t imagine how Zhang Lie had managed to y such a massive beast.


    "This should be enough for a feast for the entire city. Ah, right, take this one as well."


    He also pulled out the cactus-like nt-based lifeform that he had in within the wood spirits'' forest.


    Everyone present began to salivate¡ªthey would all have a taste of these peak-grade lifeforms'' flesh for themselves!


    1. This is the romanization of ÈË»Ê, which I have previously tranted as ''champion of mankind.''

 Chapter 429: The Sura Empire

    <h4>Chapter 429: The Sura Empire</h4>


    The crag eagles were rather satisfied with the rock spires that the rock spirits had created, but they weren''t used to the height¡ªthe crag eagles were used to far more elevated perches.


    Upon finding out that Renhuang was hosting a celebration on ount of its founding, the crag eagles immediately motioned to attend.


    "Of course we have to attend this celebration too!" Yu Huantian shouted.


    Arge pot was brought out from who-knew-where, and the meat from the peak-grade lifeforms that Zhang Lie had ughtered was simmering inside.


    All the citizens of Renhuang gathered in the central za of the city. The rock spirits emerged from their quarry, and the wood spirits from their forest.


    The rock giants dwarfed everyone else around. The wood spirits hovered in the air, glowing green. The Yeluo fighters'' bronzed skins and hulking forms made them a sight to behold. The crag eagles flew through the air.


    In front of the pce, Zhang Lie announced, "Thank you for all your hard work, everyone. You''ve put in a lot of effort to transform this from a war-torn capital to a brand-new city! I know many of you didn''te to this city willingly, but from your happy, expectant faces, I can tell that you''vee to feel like you''re part of it. From today onwards, this city will have a name: Renhuang.


    "To all of you, I''d like to offer you a toast¡ªin gratitude for your work, and with the promise of more toe!"


    The humans, Yeluo, wood spirits, rock spirits, and the newly introduced crag eagles all began to cheer.


    "Now, time for the feast!"


    Sun Mengmeng and the others climbed up adder to reach the gigantic stone cauldron''s lid, where they used a longdle to scoop portion after portion of meat broth to everyone present. Besides the peak-grade meat broth, there were all sorts of delicacies avable to everyone present.


    Everyone, human and alien alike, smiled blissfully. They were particrly d that they had chosen or been coerced to apany Zhang Lie to Renhuang.


    If the humans had remained in Qi, they would never have advanced beyond second-realm hunters with maxed superior gene fragments. In fact, many of them wouldn''t even have reached such a threshold, let alone obtain any peak gene fragments at all. They would risk their lives just to get a paltry few mutated gene fragments, and they might even die to a sudden attack or ambush from a superior-grade lifeform.


    Even killing a regr or mutated-grade lifeform wasn''t easy for most second-realm hunters. Many hunters died from inexplicable bouts of carelessness, of a confluence of an unlucky set of random events. Their every battle was filled with danger at every corner. So too was the wilderness of the second realm. Who knew where gic lifeformsy in wait?


    Some hunters died after chance encounters with multiple lifeforms in a row, or by encountering hostile tribes while escaping from a group of gic lifeforms. If these hunters were particrly unlucky, they might find themselves facing a superior- or even peak-grade lifeform.


    Living in the second realm meant epting peril at every corner.


    In Renhuang, however, everything seemed far simpler. These hunters could amass enough gene fragments to secure a good foundation just with regr and mutated-grade soulshards that they couldn''t use anymore, and they would even be able to hire a team of bodyguards in battle.


    The Yeluo were particrly good at providing this service. They were talented fighters and charged a rather cheap price for what they offered¡ªfor killing a group of gic lifeforms, they would be satisfied with receiving just a single soulshard or two, and the human hunters could walk away with the lifeforms'' flesh.


    The celebration in Renhuang mirrored the celebration deep within sura territory.


    In a sura country to the extreme west, millions of sura were gathered outside their monarch''s pce, shouting so loudly they could be heard from miles away.


    "Longevity to the monarch of stars! The sura shall never fall!"


    "Longevity to the monarch of stars! The sura shall never fall!"


    "Longevity to the monarch of stars! The sura shall never fall!"


    Their chant echoed in the air. The buildings almost seemed to tremble with the collective shout of the sura as they celebrated their kingdom''s victory.


    They stood in a za whose center was a statue of a sura. He wielded dual des with sharp, serrated teeth, giving off a fearsome aura that seemed to be transmitted even in the form of a statue.


    Within the pce, a gigantic sura monarch sat on his throne.


    The pce was sorge that it was dozens of times the size of Zhang Lie''s city. The sura monarch''s throne room was lined with statue after statue of past sura emperors, and at their center was a statue hundreds of meters tall.


    It was cut out of a gigantic piece of blood jade and depicted a sura with three heads and six arms, a different weapon in each arm. By his back was a wheel of light. The statue stood in front of a stained-ss window, and when light shone in through that window, the deity depicted in the statue seemed to radiate with an inner glow.


    This was the deity worshiped by the sura: the asura.


    Before the asura was the monarch''s throne, crafted out of blood jade and gold. A nearly ten-meter tall sura sat on the throne, wearing bone-ted armor that seemed to suck in all light. His face was calm, but the aura surrounding him seemed so fearsome that those who looked upon him began to palpitate.


    A minister wearing blood-colored robes knelt at his feet with parchment in his hands. "Your majesty, our forces report an overwhelming sess! The three sura kingdoms that have attacked us are now nothing but dust.


    Our kingdom is strong enough to rule over the entirety of the second realm, and you are the ruler of that kingdom. It is my humble suggestion that this kingdom be titled the heart of the sura empire."


    Another minister added, "Millions of sura have gathered outside the pce to cheer for your victory, your majesty. With the citizens'' hearts and minds united, this kingdom will surely prosper for another millennium!"


    "No, no¡ªwhile your majesty is alive, our kingdom will prosper for millennia! Your majesty shall usher in a new age for the sura!"


    The sura monarch, the monarch of stars, was unperturbed by his ministers'' ttery.


    "To celebrate our grand victory, send word to my nine godsons to have them return for a feast. How have they been?"


    The ministers nced at each other. "Eight of the princes are doing well, but the ninth..."


    The sura monarch smiled. "What''s the matter? I recall he had a certain fondness for human males. How is he?"


    The minister lowered his head until it was touching the ground. "Your majesty, while we were being besieged by the three neighboring sura kingdoms, he... was killed. We believed it would be inappropriate to reveal that information to you while the war was ongoing."


    "Bastards!" the sura monarch roared. His anger manifested as a wave of cutting wind which shook the entire pce. He mmed a palm down on his armrest and crushed it into pieces. His aura rippled through the room, blowing around the weaker ministers and cracking the pirs that held the pce upright. The minister in blood-colored robes hurriedly pleaded, "Please calm down, your majesty!"


    With a deep breath, the sura monarch restrained himself and sat back down. "Who dared touch my godson? What sura would disrespect me so?!"


    The official''s legs had turned to jelly as he reported, "Your majesty, please forgive me. I hadn''t paid too much attention to the report because the sura king had been captured alive."


    Recently, the sura king''s body had finally given out, and his vitality was so depleted that no spiritual herb could save him. He died impaled on a wooden stake.


    The minister in blood-colored robes urged, "Tell us what you know!"


    "Yes, minister!" The reporting official mbered up from the floor. "Your majesty, as you suspected, no sura would dare touch your godson. He was killed by a group of humans!"


    The sura monarch snorted. "That''s impossible. I''m well aware of my godsons'' strength. How could humans take any of them down?"


    "It''s true, your majesty, I swear on it! ording to ourtest reports, not only did those humans take over your godson''s former kingdom, they even recruited a few alien races to rebuild its capital from scratch!"


    "Insolent! They clearly think nothing of me." The sura monarch clenched his fists tightly.


    The minister dressed in blood-colored robes murmured, "No one human could ughter a sura king. Your majesty, I suspect your godson was too caught up in his hobbies and pleasures and fell prey to a devious scheme!"


    "An ignoble death for a sura, but a crime against my godson is a crime against me. If I don''t take revenge, all sura will scorn my name," the sura monarch pronounced.


    He thought for a moment. "What of my godson Xuechi? He isn''t too far from the captured sura kingdom, is he?"


    "That''s right, your majesty, he''s the closest among your godsons!"


    The sura kingmanded, "In that case, let Xuechi seek revenge for his brother. Instruct him that he is to bring me that human''s head within ten days."


    The official prostrating himself on the floor exhaled in relief and was just about to stand when a sh of blood-colored energy streaked past. No one saw how the monarch had struck, but the official noticed his surroundings somehow all rising into the air.


    No¡ªhis body was dropping. He turned around to see a pair of legs behind him.


    The official who had lost both his legs flopped onto the red-colored carpet, blood pulsing out of his stumps and dying the carpet a darker shade of red.


    The sura king spoke slowly, "You have no right to decide which information is pertinent to me, and which is not. If not for your loyalty to the kingdom, you''d have lost your head, not your feet."


    The official who had lost both his legs keened in pain as he cried out, "Thank you for sparing my life, your majesty!"


    "Long live the monarch of stars! While he rules, the kingdom shall not fall!"


    The officials gathered in the pce all knelt and bowed down to their monarch.


    .

 Chapter 430: Prepare to Die

    <h4>Chapter 430: Prepare to Die</h4>


    In the kingdom of Xuechi, within the sura king Xuechi''s sleeping quarters, the odor of blood spread throughout the air. In the center of his pce was a pool of dark-colored blood, in which the king had immersed himself to take a bath.


    "Your highness, there''s been a missive from the monarch!" An old official walked toward the edge of the pool.


    "What news does he bring?"


    The official replied, "It''s with regards to the destruction of the kingdom of Xueju, your highness."


    Xuechi pondered the matter over for a moment. "Ah, yes. Xueju was captured, and you wanted me to absorb his kingdom into my own. I''ve sent troops over to do so; how''s their progress?"


    "They''ve consumed the entire border, and they''re spreading deeper into the kingdom as we speak."


    Mobilizingrge numbers of troops was a slow process, and the troops had already made impressive progress as they were.


    Xuechi stood up and donned a ck robe lined with golden thread. On the robe''s back was sewed the figure of a three-headed, six-armed sura.


    The elder nced again at the contents of the missive and gasped in shock.


    Xuechi poured himself a cup of wine and swirled it around. "What''s the matter?"


    The official replied with a stammer, "ording to the missive, the sura king Xueju was killed by a h-human!"


    The wine that Xuechi had just imbibed sprayed out of his mouth toward the unfortunate official. He began tough so much that he wheezed. "Y-You, surely you''re joking!"


    The sura official shook his head. "No, your highness!"


    Xuechi continued tough, so much so that he couldn''t hold his cup straight. "Killed by a human! Truly?"


    It was little wonder that Xuechi was shocked: in the eyes of the sura, humans were nothing more than cattle, nothing more than pigs, dogs, sheep, or cows. Perhaps an ordinary sura might have fallen to an exceptional human, but they were talking about none other than a sura king!


    In other words, it was as if a tank that could dominate the entire battlefield had been destroyed by a pig. Comparing a sura king to a tank was an insult; no, each sura king was more like a gctic cruiser. How could a pig take down a gctic cruiser? The very thought was ridiculous.


    "Let me have a look." Xuechi grabbed the missive and skimmed through its contents.


    As he read on, his face turned dark. "The humans dared take over the capital and make their own city from it? How dare they! When have we sura ever been polluted by these humans?!"


    The official hurriedly retrieved a suit of battle armor for Xuechi. It was so dense and heavy that even the official could barely carry its weight.


    After Xuechi put on the armor, he instructed, "Have a few more humans ughtered and their blood fed into the pool. It''s getting cold."


    The official blinked a few times. Wasn''t Xuechi about to set off to take on the humans? What was the point of filling up the pool some more?


    "Summon my bloodwinged dragon riders! When Ie back with the heads of these insolent upstart humans, I want a hot blood bath!"


    The official was simultaneously shocked and confident when he heard that Xuechi was mobilizing the pride of the kingdom of Xuechi: the bloodwinged dragon riders.


    Initially, the hunters who had followed Zhang Lie from Qi were rather displeased by the presence of alien races in the city, considering how Qi had once been invaded by hostile races. After living with them for some time, however, they began to change their minds and perspective.


    Not all alien races were bad; indeed, trading with them could lead to untold fortune.


    A few children''s toys and trinkets could be traded for spiritual herbs from the wood spirits, and pieces of gold and minerals for freshly killed gic lifeforms from the rock spirits. They were even asionally able to buy superior-grade lifeforms'' flesh from time to time.


    No longer did they need to rely on dangerous hunting to form a good foundation in this realm¡ªno, they could defray some of thatbor to the alien races instead.


    For this, they had to thank Miss Yun Bing, along with the members of Team Zenith.


    Those who wanted to go out hunting could hire a few mercenary bodyguards to make it safer, and those who didn''t want to go out at all could be guards within the city. The guards earned a decent wage for theirbor, and they would be able to buy gic lifeforms from the bazaar with that coin.


    It was no longer difficult to increase the number of their gene fragments¡ªthe task had gotten much simpler. Zhang Lie and the city of Renhuang was the root cause behind that simplicity, and those hunters who had chosen to follow him here were very proud of their decision.


    As the Yeluo drank a bowl of meat broth, they could feel strength and warmth filling their bodies.


    Many among them had been unwilling to move from the Yeluo Valley, but some were rather curious as to what the outside world was like. They were worried whether they could get ustomed to living here after being in the valley for so long, and they found, to their surprise, that their standards of living were actually higher in Zhang Lie''s city.


    They lived in houses of stone, which were much morefortable than those of wood. They would be able to acquire food and other resources without having to battle against poisonous insects, and they were even able to obtain the soulshards that would otherwise have been impossible to obtain.


    Even the Yeluo themselves didn''t realize just how valuable the recipes their ancestors had left for them were¡ªa small vial could be exchanged for soulshards and food. The chief of the Yeluo drank himself drunk daily with the wood spirits'' alcohol, praising Zhang Lie day in and day out.


    The wood spirits didn''t eat meat, but they were very fond of the Yeluo n''s herbal concoctions. They sat and sipped as they enjoyed the joyous atmosphere around them. This was quite a different experience from living in a peaceful, idyllic forest, but few of the wood spirits would have wanted to return.


    The rock spirits sat around the za, each gnawing on a massive boulder. Ever since they arrived in the city, they had never once gone hungry.


    The crag eagles were particrly excited to consume yet another feast, and especially the meat of the golden rocs.


    All sorts of meat was being roasted by the side of the za, and everyone could take their fill. The leader of the rock spirits had brought a freshly ughtered superior-grade lifeform with him as a gift.


    Zhang Lie nced all around him as human, wood spirit, Yeluo, rock spirit, and crag eagle interacted in harmony, and he too smiled brightly.


    Sun Mengmeng suddenly tugged on Zhang Lie''s hand. "Come, Zhang Lie,e here and dance with me!"


    She pulled him toward a campfire, where a group of people were already dancing. This was a celebratory custom from the Yeluo n. When those present saw Zhang Lie approach, they began to cheer.


    Just then, as they eagerly waited for Zhang Lie to start dancing, a dragon''s roar came from the horizon.


    Everyone lifted their heads. Someone pointed at the sky and shouted, "What''s that?!"


    A ck shadow was darting down toward them.


    Zhang Lie frowned. It was already nighttime, so the flyers were hardly visible to arge part of the crowd.


    Just then, a red glow lit up the sky and grewrger as it approached the party. Sun Mengmeng frowned. "What''s approaching?"


    The red glow fell toward them like a meteor,den with killing intent. Streaks of red filled the air and shot toward the za. Everyone could all sense the danger posed by this sudden attack. If the attack was tond, there would surely be casualties all around.


    Almost the entire city was gathered at the za; it would be a devastating blow to Renhuang, one that Zhang Lie wouldn''t let happen. Renhuang was something everyone present had put all their hard work into, and he wouldn''t let it get destroyed so easily!


    He leapt into the air and pped the wings that sprouted from his back, blocking the red glow with his hands. The red glow was stronger than he had expected, and the momentum it carried forced Zhang Lie down. Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and pped his wings at full force, barely slowing himself down.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as the four tablets revolved in mid-air, forcibly stopping the red glow from moving.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie shoved the red glow away, sending it flying into the air, where it burst apart like fireworks.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes as he scouted his surroundings, ncing at the group of fliers that had just approached.


    His targets were all sura, ones that were riding on some dragons with blood-colored wings. They wore ck armor that camouged them against the night sky.


    The leader of the riders rode a dragon about three times the size of the others. He wore blood-red armor with mes emzoned on them, and even his skin was dark red. Two horns grew out of his forehead like a crown.


    Judging by his unusual appearance, Zhang Lie was certain that he was a sura king himself.


    Xuechi nced at Zhang Lie with interest. "Are you the one who killed Xueju?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. The sura king''s tone carried marked disdain; no matter how strong Zhang Lie was, he was still a human. Xuechi believed that he had only managed to assassinate Xueju in the middle of sex.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know who Xueju was, but there was only one sura who fit the bill. "You''re here to take revenge for the sura king I ughtered?"


    "Indeed, I am!" The sura king''s face turned dark. "Are you an idiot or a reckless fool, to be so daring as to kill a sura king and then to im his capital as your own city? Are you prepared to die?"

 Chapter 431: Battling Xuechi

    <h4>Chapter 431: Battling Xuechi</h4>


    Zhang Lie retorted, "And what of you? Are you an idiot or a reckless fool to find me of your own ord?"


    The sura king''s eyes were so cold as to be frosty. "Haha, it''s been quite a while since I''ve met a human as bold as you. All those who have dared to talk to me in that manner have had all the blood squeezed dry from their bodies."


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem particrly impressed.


    Xuechi licked his lips and revealed two sharp canines. "I''ll drain you of your blood bit by bit. Before you''repletely drained, I''ll keep you alive so you can feel your body slowly turn cold, as your blood fails and your vision turns spotty¡­ I''m excited just thinking about it!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The sura king I killed told me the same thing before his rectum exploded.


    You like bloodletting, don''t you? I''ll make sure to satisfy your desires."


    "Not only will I kill you, I''ll even drain the blood from everyone in this city." Xuechi yelled out, "Attack this fool!"


    The bloodwinged dragons rushed forward, and the sura riders raised the spears and polearms they held in their hands.


    mes streaked across the air and struck a bloodwinged dragon, engulfing the dragon and its rider together.


    .


    The rider howled amidst the mes; a second and third arrow flew up from below, manifesting in the form of twin firebirds and swallowing up two more riders. In the end, dozens of bloodwinged dragon riders fell from the sky.


    In a watchtower, a young woman stood with a scarlet greatbow in her hands: Sun Mengmeng. She shouted, "Zhang Lie, we''ve brought reinforcements!"


    Xuechi narrowed his eyes. "It looks like there are quite a few humans courting death."


    Boulders flew up from the ground and brushed by Zhang Lie as they struck the bloodwinged dragon riders before him. Behind the walls of the city, the rock giants summoned massive boulders from the ground and hurled them upward at the riders, each with the force of a cannonball.


    Xuechi''s face turned green. "All your subjects want to die, it seems. Riders¡ªughter everyone in the city!"


    A golden beam of light shed by, and a rider was thrown off his dragon. A squirming sura caught between his ws, Yu Huantian called out, "With us crag eagles around, let''s see who dares attack Renhuang!"


    Yu Huantian dropped the rider, who screamed loudly as he fell from the skies. The bloodwinged dragon tried to dive down to catch him, but several of the crag eagles behind Yu Huantian rushed forward to stall it.


    Yu Huantian sneered at the sura. "The crag eagles rule the skies above Renhuang."


    He shot forward at another rider.


    The citizens of Renhuang were all enraged¡ªthey were having a good time before the sudden invasion. Xuechi''s arrival and promation had sessfully provoked everyone within.


    "[Fivefold Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng shot out five arrows at once. Each burst into a fireball upon impact, swallowing up one rider after another. "Don''t worry, Zhang Lie! We''ll take care of the others¡ªyou just focus on their leader!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. Everyone in Renhuang possessed some ability to fight, and they wouldn''t drag him down.


    Xuechi stiffened for a moment beforeughing out loud. "Amazing, amazing! You''ll be top-tier human captives, I''m sure of it! I can''t wait to cut open your chest and see whether the blood that circtes through your bodies is red or ck!"


    His eyes sharpened. "Do you really think that you''ll be able to live just by killing my riders? Don''t forget, I''m here too!"


    "And you shouldn''t forget that I''m your opponent," Zhang Lie cut in.


    "You, a human, think you can stall me alone? I don''t intend to waste much time with you. After all, I still have a hot human-blood bath to get back to in my pce."


    He pointed ance straight at Zhang Lie as the bloodwinged dragon charged forward. Thence that Xuechi used was a whopping eight meters long, so long that it made thences of medieval knights back on Earth look like children''s toys.


    Zhang Lie pped his wings and deftly avoided the sura king''s charge. As his body shed by the king''s side, the sura king leapt up from his mount.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie''s punch struck the sura king''snce directly, but he was the one sent flying instead.


    The sura kingnded back on his steed and twisted his waist as he threw hisnce at Zhang Lie. Thence gleamed like a blood-colored shooting star, sparks forming a trail of mes behind it. Its glow turned the entire night sky a garish blood-red, as though the apocalypse was nigh.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie, forming a ck array that forced thence back.


    The four tablets began to reverberate, sealing the strength and potency of the spear. The night sky reverted to its usual ck.


    "Interesting, interesting! No human has ever survived that blow before!"


    Xuechi, riding his bloodwinged dragon, rushed forward and pulled out anothernce. In order to avoid having to reim hisnce each time, he had equipped his saddle with five additionalnces that he could throw out at will.


    It was a difficult attack to block head-on, but Zhang Lie certainly didn''t have to block all thences head-on. The reason he had done so before this was because they were above Renhuang, but by now, they were both far away from the city. Zhang Lie could thus easily dodge the attack.


    The bloodwinged dragon pped its wings and brought Xuechi closer and closer to Zhang Lie, circling around the domain created by Zhang Lie''s four tablets. However, Xuechi didn''t notice the smirk dancing by Zhang Lie''s lips.

 Chapter 432: Slaughtering the Steed

    <h4>Chapter 432: ughtering the Steed</h4>


    Zhang Lie pped his wings and soared into the air. Xuechi didn''t let him go. He sent the bloodwinged dragon flying after him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie released an attack that sent waves of energy rippling into the distance, one so intense that it warped the very space itself. He shed against Xuechi a second time.


    As the ripples of energy spread from Zhang Lie, Xuechi and his steed was knocked aside.


    He called out, "You''re an impressive human, to be able to survive one of my blows! Revel, human¡ªrevel that you may die at my hand!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. He dematerialized the four runic tablets that had been restraining Xuechi''s blood-rednce, which shot out like a bullet the moment it was freed. Its target was its owner, the sura king Xuechi!


    When Xuechi felt the imminent danger, he turned around, reacting so quickly that he was able to rotate in mid-air and counter against the attack with his ownnce. With the sura king''s back turned, Zhang Lie took the opportunity to strike, raising his hand and sealing the sura king''s actions for a moment. By the time the sura king realized what was going on, he was toote.


    Xuechi''s thoughts crawled to a halt, and his body froze up. Thence in his hands was knocked aside, and the gleaming rednce pierced his chest and sent him flying with the remaining momentum.


    Xuechi had hardly expected that he would one day be harmed¡ªand possibly even killed¡ªby his own weapon.


    How could he bear such shame?! His gleaming rednce had always been a trump card up his sleeve, a supercharged long-ranged attack that could pierce through anyone and anything, and he had used it to great sess against any number of strong foes and even the most well-defended cities.


    The blood waves that poured out upon impact with thence could kill the lifeforms within an entire city, but Xuechi had never truly experienced the strength of his own weapon for himself.


    Thence that pierced through his chest crushed flesh and bone. Its surprising momentum sent his body flying, and it discharged waves of blood that ravaged his body.


    Xuechi spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Zhang Lie followed quickly behind the sura king, sending a punch toward him with his left arm. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!


    The punch took the form of a dark serpent that circled the sura king and shot toward him from the front in a pincer attack that would trap him between the serpent and thence. If Zhang Lie''s attack seeded, Xuechi would be annihted by thebination of the two attacks, but it did not seed.


    Zhang Lie had neglected thest variable in this battle: the bloodwinged dragon on which Xuechi rode. Protecting its master, it smashed into Zhang Lie''s serpent with its body.


    The bloodwinged dragon was a peak-grade lifeform, and it barely lost out against the dark serpent. It opened its maw wide and bit down on the serpent''s body even as the serpent''s dark-attuned gic energy corroded its body.


    The sura king Xuechi was knocked off his steed by hisnce. He smashed into the ground like a meteor, cratering it in his wake.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" A gigantic de tore apart the serpent''s body before striking the bloodwinged dragon. Blood fountained out of the dragon''s forehead. Golden light emanated from the wound and scorched the dragon, causing it to howl in agony.


    A gleaming golden sword had appeared in Zhang Lie''s arm, a manifestation of his post-peak-grade golden-roc soulshard. Afterbining with a regr peak-grade golden roc soulshard, it had evolved beyond the limits of a regr peak-grade weapon.


    He was about to behead the dragon when he suddenly felt killing intenting from behind. pping his wings, he soared up into the air to find a rednce heading his way.


    The rednce tore through the air, gleaming with a blood-red light. Its source was none other than the wounded sura king lying on the ground.


    His body had been mutted; his face was gray with dust. Blood had solidified by the corners of his mouth, and half his bones were broken. Ance pierced through his left chest; if it had struck a few centimeters to the right, he would have perished.


    The sura king was somewhat lucky that his heart had narrowly avoided thence''s trajectory. As he forced himself to climb out of the crater he hadnded in and saw the ongoing battle in mid-air, he threw one of hisst remainingnces in rage.


    Thence dyed the entire night sky a lurid red.


    The bloodwinged dragon reacted instantly, trying to dodge thence as it flew away, but someone else reacted even more quickly.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised his arms to the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared before him. The two gravity-controlling tablets appeared by either side of the bloodwinged dragon, twisting the local effect of gravity.


    The bloodwinged dragon, caught in its effect, found itself incapable of any movement. Thence pierced through its belly, and it fell from the sky with a pained howl.


    Xuechi''s face was stoic as he pulled out thence from his chest, ignoring the blood that spurted out of the wound. A gaping hole was left behind on his chest.


    Zhang Lie slowlynded from the sky. He nced at the corpse of the bloodwinged dragon and sighed, "What a nice mount! Isn''t it a shame?"


    Xuechi flicked away the blood on the tip of hisnce, his eyes filled with killing intent.


    The blood that flowed out of the gaping hole in his chest dyed his entire body red. His blood was rather unusual; it coagted rapidly and seemed as viscous as glue.


    "To think a human was able to cause me such damage¡ªit looks like my godfather''s intelligence wasn''t up to date. I''ll believe that you managed to kill Xueju with brute strength, but you''re still far too weak to best the likes of me!"

 Chapter 433: Fish Out of Water

    <h4>Chapter 433: Fish Out of Water</h4>


    Xuechi''s eyes filled with killing intent. "I''ll admit that I didn''t pay enough heed to you as an opponent, but I won''t make the same mistake again."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "What a cruel, heartless man! Your mount died for you, but you aren''t even going to mention him at all."


    Xuechi barely avoided spitting out a mouthful of blood.?If not for you, would my beloved mount have perished?!


    Unable to restrict his rage, gic energy exploded from the sura king. His eyes turned blood-red, and the blood running throughout his body began to froth and boil. He knew that it was illogical to face an opponent like Zhang Lie while enraged, but he couldn''t repress his anger any further.


    Zhang Lie noted, to his surprise, that mes had crept up over the sura king''s body, and that his strength had increased by another few times.


    Xuechi called out, "I''ll kill you and suck your body dry of blood!"


    Xuechi''s technique burned his body''s blood to raise hisbat abilities. The more injured he was, and the more blood flowed from his body, the more impressive the augmentation to his abilities.


    It was for this reason that Xuechi took daily baths in blood, using a secret technique to increase how concentrated his blood was. However, the boost provided by the technique was limited. Given how Xuechi had been injured to almost the point of death, his strength was increased by an order of magnitude, and the duration of the technique was shortenedmensurately.


    The blood-colored mes spread to thence in his hands as Xuechi transformed into a roaring me and rushed over. With his burning blood, the force of his charge was stronger than even him and his steedbined.


    "Ha! As if no one has an augmentation technique!"


    A red moon appeared beneath Zhang Lie''s feet, and his scarlet domain extended into the distance. A ck sun manifested by his back, and the strength of his aura increased by an order of magnitude.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" Golden waves and a torrent of sword energy were encapsted within the peak-grade golden roc''s radiant light and sent out shing against the sura king''s bloody mes.


    The golden waves evaporated on contact with the mes, and Zhang Lie was sent stumbling back. Xuechi chased after him.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground.


    Xuechi''s momentum meant that he could hardly avoid entering the space of warped gravity formed by the two tablets. The two tablets began to revolve and resonate, sending out ripple after ripple of energy, with Xuechi caught at its very center.


    As he entered the localized gravity field, he felt as though gasoline had been sshed on the mes burning all over his body. His blood began to froth, and he felt as though his body was about to explode. The mes suddenly grew tall one moment and short the next, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    If a regr hunter were to walk through such a formation, he too would have been disoriented¡ªbut not only that, Xuechi was in an enraged state, and the energy in his body was unstable to begin with.


    Gritting his teeth and bearing the unbelievable difort, he tossed out thence in his hand.


    Thence shot toward Zhang Lie like a blood-colored fireball, and he could sense the threat to his life.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Zhang Lie raised his golden de high into the sky. As he charged up his attack, the de began to gleam brighter and brighter, as though a ray of light were impinging upon it from the heavens. With one casual slice, Zhang Lie drew a line in the air.


    A strike that could part sky and mountain shed against Xuechi''s blood mes. Zhang Lie was forced back; his feet made furrows in the ground. The ck sun behind him shone with light through its corona, augmenting Zhang Lie''s strength further.


    The golden de gleamed even more brightly, and a faint trace of the roc could be glimpsed from its surface.


    Zhang Lie let out a howl as he intensified his attack.


    The blood-red mes continued shing against Zhang Lie''s sword strike. The ground tore and cracked where the two attacks met, and the will of the world descended on the match. It set up a barricade of light around the fight, cordoning it off from the rest of the world.


    Xuechi''s blood-rednce began to crack and break. He dropped hisnce and pulled out the sword by his waist. The mes burned even more brightly.


    The barricade set up by the will of the world was prated by blood-colored light, which struck Xuechi and turned him into a deity of blood.


    The mes of blood grew brighter and denser, and the sura king Xuechi''s appearance was hidden from sight. He realized that he would lose this conflict if it dragged out any longer, so he would end it with one blow at full strength.


    The sura king leapt high into the air, transforming into a fiery meteor of blood, one which shone down on the entirety of the sura realm as though it were the natural color of the night sky.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie as four runic tablets crashed down around the sura king, forming a ck formation around him. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the sky and forming an absolute domain over all things within.


    Zhang Lie patted away the dust on his clothes and raised his head with some shock.


    This was the first time he had seen his four-tablet formation be unable to lock down an enemypletely. Surprisingly, the dark red mes were still fighting against the sealing power from Zhang Lie''s tablets.


    Xuechi had halted for barely a moment under the four tablets'' onught, but that one moment was enough. Zhang Lie''s wings sprouted from behind as he soared into the air.


    Blood-red mes followed Zhang Lie up into the sky, and the barrier that the will of the world had set up cracked and splintered in an instant. The remaining bloodwinged dragon riders, still fending off the attacks from the citizens of Renhuang, were swept away by the force of the blow.


    A dark red mushroom cloud dyed the sky a garish red. Before the explosion reached him, Zhang Lie had activated both his blood ant and forest wolfman soulshards, Except for some singed fur, the explosion had hardly affected him.


    Arge crater remained on the ground, and blood-red mes continued to burn within. The sura king Xuechi flopped around the center of the crater like a fish out of water, his mouth opening and closing without any wordsing out.

 Chapter 434: Preparing for a Raid

    <h4>Chapter 434: Preparing for a Raid</h4>


    No matter what the defeated Xuechi was trying to say, Zhang Lie didn''t care¡ªXuechi had expended all his body''s blood in that one blow, and he was no longer a threat.


    When the bloodwinged dragon riders in the sky saw how their kingy defeated on the ground, they could hardly believe their eyes. How could their undefeated king have lost to a mere human? How could this be?


    Even though they had witnessed the battle for themselves, they weren''t willing to believe the oue.


    "Could it be true that this man caught the sura king Xueju alive?"


    "How could a human be able to fight on the level of a sura king?"


    "When did humans be so strong?"


    During the battle, the bloodwinged riders realized that the humans within Renhuang were all surprisingly strong in their own right. The bloodwinged dragon riders were elites among the sura, and they were shocked that they were on the losing end of the confrontation against the humans.


    Perhaps the humans had all experienced a massive surge in power that they hadn''t realized...


    Seeing their king lose was thest straw. The morale of the bloodwinged riders fell dramatically, whereas those of the citizens of Renhuang rose sharply.


    "Kill them! Kill the rest of the sura!" the citizens shouted.


    Sensing that the tides were turning against them, the riders yelled ut, "Retreat!"


    Those of Renhuang weren''t about to let the bloodwinged riders go so easily. It was because of their sudden invasion that their celebratory party had turned into a battlefield, and they were very angry at the invaders.


    As a result, a scene that no one would ever have expected yed out in the second realm: the sura riders ran away, while the citizens of Renhuang gave chase.


    Before the riders arrived at Renhuang, they had never expected to be chased by others; they were always the pursuers. However, not only were they unable to take down Renhuang, they were even being chased back to the kingdom of Xuechi.


    The crag eagles were extremely speedy flyers, especially after absorbing the gene fragments of the golden rocs. The bloodwinged riders weren''t able to shake them off their trail.


    "No, we can''t keep running! We won''t be able to escape from them!" By the time the riders realized the problem, it was already toote. There were only a scant few riders left. If not for Sun Mengmeng calling out for the pursuers to leave one or two alive for questioning, all the riders would have perished.


    Zhang Lie walked toward the center of the crater and stared at the sura king whoy within, his body desated and drained of blood.


    "What an unfortunate death! But don''t worry¡ªyou''re not the first, and you won''t be thest."


    Xuechi muttered weakly, "You can''t kill me. My godfather is the monarch of a sura empire."


    "Oh? Is that something I should be wary of?"


    Xuechi scoffed at the ignorance Zhang Lie disyed. "I suppose no human would know of this. There are tens of thousands of sura kingdoms, and the ones that are visible to the public eye are only the mostmonce of all. There are only about ten sura empires in all, three of which gathered together to attack my godfather''s territory. Now, they''ve all been destroyed. Of the remaining, my godfather''s is thergest and most powerful."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It looks like you still don''t understand my words. My question was rhetorical: so what if they''re strong? If they dare invade Renhuang, I''ll destroy them all."


    Xuechi''s face morphed with shock. Zhang Lie was a crazy fool!


    "A sura empire has a hundred times the forces of a standard sura kingdom!" he warned. "My godfather''s empire is the strongest of all, and it has at least a thousand times the forces! Furthermore, he''s the strongest sura below asura-level, and if you kill me, my godfather will surely seek revenge on my behalf. By that point, you and the city behind you will both be annihted!"


    "Let hime, then. I''m very curious as to whether a sura empire is as strong as you im." Without any hesitation, Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand.


    Xuechi suddenly changed his tonepletely and began to beg. "Please wait, I''m wrong, I made a terrible mistake! The only reason I came over here was on my godfather''s orders, and I bear you and your city no enmity. Please let me go¡ªI''ll give you anything I can."


    "In that case, I''ll have your brain!" Zhang Lie beheaded the sura king on the spot.


    Gripping the sura king''s head in his hand, Zhang Lie heaved a sigh of relief.


    The aerial battle between the bloodwinged riders and the citizens of Renhuang had also ended. None of the sura escaped; most were killed, and a few were captured by Sun Mengmeng.


    Zhang Lie walked over to them and asked, "Where did youe from?"


    The prideful and arrogant sura refused to speak a word to the human who had defeated their king, and Zhang Lie quickly lost his patience. "If you''re unwilling to speak, then I''ll just extract the information from your heads."


    He summoned Whitey to devour their souls.


    The chief of the Yeluo asked, "What did you learn, Governor?"


    Zhang Lie''s face was dark. "These sura came from a sura kingdom known as Xuechi, one located not too far from Xueju. After the death of the sura king Xueju, Xuechi has slowly expanded its borders into Xueju''s former territory! Now that they''ve imed the borders of Xueju, they''lle to Renhuang sooner orter."


    In that case, why not take the initiative and attack the kingdom of Xuechi?


    Zhang Lie leapt up toward the city walls and infused gic energy into his voice, which boomed all across the city. "Comrades of Renhuang, our celebration today was interrupted by a sudden invasion from the sura. Are you angry?"


    "Yes, we are!" everyone shouted.


    "I don''t intend on taking this insult lying down. If the sura are going to attack my city, I''ll attack theirs in return. We''ll let them know with our actions that we won''t be passive!"


    "Yes, Governor!" everyone shouted again.


    "In that case, gather up, warriors of Renhuang! Tomorrow morning, we''ll raid the sura kingdom of Xuechi and im theirnd for our own! Before then, however, let''s feast on the remains of our enemies!"


    The bloodwinged dragons that the sura rode were all superior-grade lifeforms, and the sura king''s bloodwinged dragon was even a peak-grade lifeform. This was high-quality meat that they would surely take advantage of.


    Everyone had worked up a sweat from the battle, and they were all hungry again. The bloodwinged dragons were quickly cut apart and added as a specialty ingredient to the celebration. Zhang Lie noticed, to his excitement, that he was already at forty peak gene fragments.


    Although the sura invaders had crashed the party, they were happy for the additional food that they had brought along with them.

 Chapter 435: Leave the Humans

    <h4>Chapter 435: Leave the Humans</h4>


    The rock spirits were also very happy¡ªdespite everyone else''s feast, they were still gnawing on rocks and boulders, their usual fare. Unlike the other races, they were unable to consume the flesh of gic lifeforms.


    However, the sura riders had dropped a pile of excellent weaponry. The metal used for the weaponry had all been refined, and the elite troops of Xuechi wouldn''t resort to inferior weapons. The minerals and ore used for their armor were necessarily the best of the best.


    Furthermore, neither the humans nor the crag eagles, who were the main forces participating in the battle, wanted the armor. The humans had gic armor, and the crag eagles prized their speed and flexibility.


    The only ones who could take advantage would be the Yeluo, with whom the rock spirits would split the gathered armor. By promising the Yeluo a certain number of gic lifeforms, they acquired the majority of the armor.


    As the rock spirits consumed the armor, their rock armor began to glow and shine, a testament to the quality of the sura riders'' armor and the boost they had gained from consuming it.


    The sura king Xuechi''s armor was even higher in quality, but it was in tatters.


    Zhang Lie had his own armor, and he wasn''t particrly interested in the set that Xuechi wore. It might be able to block two or three blows from a peak-grade lifeform, but it was more or less meaningless against a fighter as strong as Zhang Lie or a sura king.


    In the end, Zhang Lie handed this set of armor to the leader of the rock spirits, who trembled as he beheld it. "Are you really giving this to me, lord?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Take it. I won''t need it."


    "I understand, lord! Tomorrow, in the fight against the sura, I''ll take the role of the vanguard!"


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    Before Zhang Lie could understand what the rock spirit meant, it had already consumed the armor. Subsequently, it burst into mes.


    Zhang Lie: ! ! !


    The rock spirit''s lustrous gold body turned a vibrant red. A me was emzoned on its chest, much like the one that had been engraved on the armor.


    The rock spirits murmured, "Ah, I''m so jealous of our chieftain! I want such armor for myself too!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "What''s going on?"


    The rock spirits nced at each other. "Don''t you know what''s happening, governor?"


    "You handed the armor to our leader without knowing what would happen?" The rock spirits fervently murmured among themselves.


    Zhang Lie asked once again, "Just what''s going on?"


    One rock spirit exined, "Because of the rarity and quality of the metal in that armor, our chieftain evolved upon absorbing it into his body."


    By the time the rock spirits had exined everything to him, the rock spirit''s transformation was over.


    He turned to Zhang Lie and bowed. "Thank you, lord! Once again, I pledge my life to you. Following you was undoubtedly the best decision I could have made."


    The rock spirits all nodded. Ever sinceing to Renhuang, their lives had been greatly improved. They didn''t have to hibernate to preserve their energy, and they had rocks aplenty for all of them. Everyone in the city was nice to get along with.


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "As though you weren''t already loyal to me!"


    The rock giant smiled in embarrassment, and the others also began tough. The atmosphere in the city returned to what it was like before the sudden sura invasion.


    Zhang Lie released Whitey and allowed it to consume its fill of the souls of the riders remaining on the battlefield.


    After a wonderful feast, the next morning, the citizens of Renhuang prepared to invade Xuechi. In the raiding party were rock giants, fighters of the Yeluo, and crag eagles. The wood spirits weren''t suited to fights in unforested areas, so they were unable to participate.


    This was Renhuang''s first expedition. No one present could have predicted that it would be the start of a new legend.


    The fighters of Xuechi were slowly consuming the territory that used to belong to Xueju.


    Suddenly, a sura scout reported, "Something''s wrong! There''s a huge number of troops making their way over!"


    The general of the Xiuchi forces asked, "What troops? What do they look like?"


    "I''m not too sure myself. From afar, they looked like a group of rock giants."


    "Could it be a mass migration?" the Xuechi general pondered. "Surely we''re not so unlucky."


    After mulling it over for a moment, hemanded, "What''re you waiting for? Continue scouting and report back as soon as you have more information!"


    "Yessir!" The Xuechi scout rushed off and returned not a few momentster. "Not only are there rock giants, there are troops representing three different races¡ªit might be abined assault!"


    The general cursed. "Don''t they know that we''re sura? Are they blind? They must have a death wish!"


    He strode into the barracks and shouted, "Soldiers, assemble! There''s an armying our way!"


    The sura soldiers'' eyes all gleamed with delight. They rubbed their palms. "Haha, something exciting at longst!


    All we''ve been doing is killing gic lifeforms, securing this territory, and clearing away rubble. Finally, a salve for our boredom!"


    "Let''s see just how strong these alien races are to disregard the authority of the sura."


    When the general and his forces massed at the border to find Zhang Lie and his men, they couldn''t help butugh.


    Zhang Lie''s troops wereposed of four different races: rock giants, some sort of half-bird, half-human hybrids, a humanoid n with bronzed skin, and...


    ...wait a minute. The general murmured, "Aren''t those humans?"


    "What are those humans there for? Emergency rations?"


    "Actually, it isn''t a bad idea, is it? They can be infantry on the battlefield, or emergency rations if necessary."


    "What a wonderful idea! Well, let''s kill these troops¡ªthen we can enjoy fresh human meat and blood for dinner!" The sura''s eyes brightened as they licked their lips.


    The general strode forward and announced, "This is sura territory! If you don''t want to perish, leave the humans behind and retreat!"


    However, Zhang Lie and his troops ignored the general''s words. The sura troops were all rubbing their palms in anticipation, but the general didn''t want to risk their lives unnecessarily. Against an army of unknown capability, he thought it best to be more conservative.

 Chapter 436: Capturing the Sura Barracks

    <h4>Chapter 436: Capturing the Sura Barracks</h4>


    The sura general shouted again, "We''re members of the sura! Listen up¡ªif you head any closer, we''ll attack you!"


    The sura troops behind him all cackled. "General, it doesn''t look like they''re going to listen to us! We should strike first, I say!"


    The sura fighters couldn''t wait to strike. "Let them have a taste of our strength!"


    "They''re nothing more than a motley group of fools, arrogant enough to think that they can defeat the sura! We''d better teach them a lesson or two."


    "We''ll be able to deal with them in no time at all. General, there''s no need to worry so much¡ªwe aren''t so weak that we won''t be able to teach them a lesson."


    Opposite them, Zhang Liemanded, "Charge forward and ughter them all!"


    His forces roared out as they charged forward, led by a vanguard of rock giants. The Yeluo and humans rushed out behind them, and the crag eagles attacked from above.


    The enraged sura general mimicked his actions. "Troops, charge!"


    However, his indecision had cost him the battle. The rock giants shot forward with a speed that by their bulk, knocking aside and steamrolling whatever sura troops were in their way.


    The sura found their weaponspletely ineffective against the rock giants.


    Watching this disy, Zhang Lie finally understood why it was that the nomadic rock giants were able to terrorize the entirety of the second realm, why they didn''t fear even the sura. The rock giants were killing machines on the battlefield. Their armor was imprable, their bulk and strength was massive, and even if their limbs were sliced off, they could be regenerated from the earth itself.


    "They''re just like mechas!" Li Feng praised.


    Indeed, their bodies seemed almost to be gold-ted, they had tremendous strength, they weren''t worried of any injuries, and they had a core nestled deep inside them. Except for their inability to fly and theirck of weapons, they could pass for a mecha¡ªno, they were stronger than any mecha, because mechas couldn''t self-regenerate, but the rock spirits could.


    The mechas¡ªno, the rock spirits¡ªsurged forward, battering down any sura that got in their way.


    The chief of the Yeluo shouted, "We can''t lose to those rock-brained fellows!"


    The Yeluo all began throwing vials at the sura, which exploded within their midst and diminished their physical abilities.


    The sura fighters reacted with consternation. Their bodies were resistant to all sorts of toxins and poison, but the ones that the strange bronzed fighters had tossed at them did seem to have a significant deleterious effect.


    "Charge forward with me!" Su Hong yelled out, leading a squadron of human fighters deep into the sura lines. The crag eagles coordinated with them and dove down into the midst of the sura, causing confusion and no small amount of disturbance in their ranks.


    The sura general had hardly expected these alien races to be so coordinated and impactful. "These troops came from that direction..."


    The only forces in the sura kingdom that could stand up against them were, the general thought, the bloodwinged dragon riders of Xuechi. He could hardly have known that it was these exact forces that hadpletely eradicated those riders.


    The sura fighters had no choice but to fall back after being so soundly defeated.


    The sura general roared as he unsheathed his de, gleaming with blood-red energy, and sliced at the nearest rock giant, whose armor gleamed faintly with a red sheen.


    The sword strike left nothing but a faint white mark on the rock giant''s armor, which vanished almost instantly. The chief of the rock spirits announced, "I, vanguard of Renhuang, shall be your opponent!"


    Zhang Lie considered his pronouncement speechlessly. He had never given him that title or that role!


    The rock giant mmed a fist down on the sura general and crushed him into a pancake.


    The result of the battle was obvious; the rock giants and the Yeluo''s potions made quick work of the sura.


    None of the sura survived the battle. Those who had made the greatest contribution were undoubtedly the rock giants. As a result, they imed all the weapons that the sura forces possessed. After the battle, they sat down in the field and began consuming them ravenously.


    Zhang Lie nced at the map that he had found within the general''s tent. "We''ve sessfully exterminated one of the sura''s barracks. Let''s keep going."


    They headed toward the next closest marked point on the map.


    The rock spirits were all very happy¡ªthey simply had to destroy a swathe of powerless sura, and then they could snack on their weapons!


    For the rock spirits, regr rocks were like in rice, whereas high-quality and precious ores and minerals were like meat and vegetables. Gems were candy. The sura fighters'' weapons were forged from high-quality ore and were essentially delicacies. No rock giant would tire of consuming them.


    After consuming all the weapons in their vicinity, the rock spirits'' armor had all be gold- and steel-ted, and they seemed far stronger than before.


    Zhang Lie beckoned his forces forward, deeper into enemy territory. Their target was the capital of Xuechi. There was a giant fortress along the way from the barracks at which Zhang Lie was located to the capital itself, and it blocked the most direct path forward.


    The sura in the fortress quickly noticed the troops from Renhuang¡ªZhang Lie had no intention of hiding or taking a detour, and they were marching in in sight.


    "It looks like... there''s an armying our way?"


    "What sort of army?"


    "It looks like a number of alien races cooperating to invade. Quick, inform themander!"


    Themander dispatched a number of fighters up to the watchtower to identify the targets. He didn''t make a move himself; a group of alien fighters wasn''t enough to necessitate or be worth his involvement. Instead, he sent his deputy, Shi Yuan.


    Shi Yuan nced at the approaching forces from afar and counted, "A few hundred steel giants, a few hundred birdmen, a few hundred bronzed fighters, along with three thousand or so humans. Five thousand in all."


    Beside him, a sura fighter asked, "Are they here to invade?"


    "Yes, I expect so."


    "How can you be so certain, Deputy Commander Shi?"

 Chapter 437: A Path to the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 437: A Path to the Capital</h4>


    Shi Yuan rolled his eyes. "Why else would theye in suchrge numbers?"


    "Do they really think they can take down this fortress?"


    "What are those three thousand humans there to aplish? Are they supposed to be emergency rations or something?"


    "Aren''t there some sura barracks by the border? How did this invasion force get past them?"


    "I''m very curious as to where they came from myself," Shi Yuan murmured. "Before that, though, let''s send them a warning."


    To the invaders, Shi Yuan shouted, "Listen up! If you proceed further, you''ll be considered invaders into sura territory!"


    Zhang Lie ignored the warning. Pointing an arm straight at the heart of the fortress, he yelled out, "Attack!"


    The rock giants ran toward the fortress, ignoring any and all weapons thrown their way by the defenders. They smashed against the walls with the bulk of their bodies, causing the entire fortress to quake and rumble. At the same time, the crag eagles flew up into the sky and dove down toward the walls, attacking whatever visible defenders they saw.


    "An enemy invasion!" the sura shouted. They reacted immediately.


    The entire fortress shook as giant after giant struck. Cracks appeared and propagated on its walls, something none of the sura was well-equipped to do anything about.


    Following the coordinated attack by the rock spirits and crag eagles, the fortress'' walls began to fall, exposing its interior to the citizens of Renhuang. They rushed in and attacked everything in sight.


    A blood-colored beam rose into the air as a hulking sura stepped forward, a giant axe in his hands. Its edge gleamed with blood-red light.


    "He''s here, he''s here! Themander of the fortress is here!"


    "He''s almost as strong as a sura king¡ªI''m sure he''ll be able to take down the invaders easily!"


    "Our fortress has stood for centuries without being taken down¡ªwe can''t let it fall to a group of humans!"


    The leader of the rock spirits rushed forward and blocked themander''s incredible blow with nothing but his body. Blood-red light erupted from behind his body, streaking forward in a line and splitting the fortress walls in two. The rock giant''s body sank into the earth as themanderughed. "Is this all you''ve got?"


    The edge of the axe had thrust deeply into the rock giant''s body, all the way through its chest. However, the rock giant seemed wholly unperturbed. Themander tried to pull out his axe, but it was stuck in the rock giant''s body.


    The rock giant hurtled forward with a punch, causing themander to discard his axe and leap backwards. However, that had lost him his weapon for good.


    The rock giant pulled out the axe that had been stuck to its body, then bit down on the head. Right before its owner, the axehead was consumed by the rock giant, whose wounds recovered immediately.


    The rock giant peered at themander in disdain. "The quality of your axe isn''t up to par. It''s far worse than your king''s armor."


    Themander of the fortress snorted. "As though you''ve had a taste of that!"


    "Oh, I have. Do you see this patch of metal by my chest? It came from your king''s armor."


    Themander initially reacted with disbelief, but when he saw the crest of fire that featured on the rock giant''s chest, his face turned dark. "What did you do to my king?!"


    The rock giant shrugged. "I didn''t do anything to him. My lord killed him, though."


    Themander of the fortress began to yell like a ferocious dog. "No, that''s impossible, absolutely impossible! The sura king Xuechi has never lost¡ªhe''s undefeated!"


    "I regret it too. Who told him to attack our city? My lord couldn''t let him go after that, and he killed him identally."


    "I''ll kill you!" themander of the fortress roared. His fists shone with eerie red light, filled with concentrated power. He seemed as though he wanted to smash the rock giant to powder, and in doing so, smash the doubts that he harbored about his king.


    Just as he was about to strike, golden light shed from behind themander, wing at his back. Themander didn''t stop; he continued rushing forward with glowing fists.


    The rock giant was prepared to meet his blow head-on when another figure dashed forward, punching at themander''s temple and sending him flying out into the distance. He smashed against a wall so hard that cracks formed at the site of impact.


    The rock giant groused, "What are the two of you doing? I could have taken him on myself."


    Those who had stepped forward were none other than Yu Huantian and the chieftain of the Yeluo.


    Yu Huantian folded his wings. "We were just trying to help. After all, the governormanded us not to try to face difficult foes by ourselves. We should take advantage of our greater numbers."


    The rock giant scratched its head. "If that''s what the governor instructed, I suppose there''s no choice..."


    Themander of the fortress climbed out of the caved-in wall and howled, "I''ll kill you all!"


    Given that the rock giant had fought themander to a standstill, the addition of Yu Huantian and the chieftain of the Yeluo turned the even fight into a one-sided battle.


    Themander quickly fell, ending the battle over the sura fortress. The sura within were no match for the Renhuang forces, and they were quickly killed.


    The rock spirits happily had another snack. They were amassing so many weapons that they couldn''t eat them all immediately. Fortunately, most of the forces had their own bag of holding, in which they could store all their spoils.


    Once the battle was over and everyone had had a chance to rest, Zhang Liemanded again, "We''ll now set off for the capital of Xuechi!"


    As Zhang Lie and his forces defeated troop after troop, the Xuechi elder remaining in the pce was starting to panic. He paced about the pce. "Where''s the sura king? Didn''t he im that he would return immediately?"


    He had boasted that he would return before the blood in his blood pool cooled; well, that blood had cooled so much that it was turning gtinous.


    Not only that, Xuechi was falling.


    A group of allied invaders from who-knew-where had defeated every enemy and obstacle in their way, and even the main Xuechi forces were unable to hold them back.


    "If this continues, by the time the king returns, all he''ll see is a pile of ruins¡­ Just what has the king been doing?! It''s been more than a day! If he doesn''te back immediately, Xuechi will be destroyed! He... he hasn''t gotten so excited about killing people that he''s bathing in their blood now, is he?!"


    Given his personality, this ridiculous scene seemed more than likely.


    What the Xuechi elder could hardly have suspected, however, was that the sura king he was anticipating was now nothing more than fertilizer for the wood spirits.

 Chapter 438: The Invaders Approach

    <h4>Chapter 438: The Invaders Approach</h4>


    No, there had to be a problem! Even if the sura king were otherwise upied with his blood fetish, what about the bloodwinged riders? Surely they would have returned bearing news!


    The bloodwinged riders were the elite forces of Xuechi, and the elder could hardly envision them losing against any enemy.


    However, the riders had all likewise turned into fertilizer for the wood spirits, and even their mounts had all been cooked and eaten.


    A sura scout rushed into the pce. "Elder, I have urgent news! The enemy forces have ughtered our army and are heading straight for the pce. They''ll arrive within two hours!"


    The elder hurriedly asked, "Are there any news about the sura king?"


    The scout shook his head. "None of the sura who headed toward Xueju have returned."


    The elder''s face fell as he grumbled, "Where have you gone, your highness? If you don''t return quickly, your kingdom will be no more!"


    Taking a deep breath, he announced, "We can''t wait for our king''s return any longer. We have to save ourselves."


    "But elder, if Xuechi''s army isn''t enough to stop their invasion, won''t the guards of the capital fare worse?"


    "Indeed, we can''t rely on the sura troops alone." The elder knew that their opponent possessed a frightening potion with a particrly debilitating effect against the sura. "We''ll release all the creatures in the capital''s arena."


    "All of them¡ªincluding that monster?!"


    The elder snorted. "Our opponent has a strange potion that can suppress the strength of the sura just by getting a drop on your skin. If not for the potion, would our forces have been defeated?"


    "But that beast''s far too frightening! Even his highness wasn''t confident that he would be able to control it, and since he''s no longer around..."


    The elderughed, showing his teeth. "Good¡ªeven better! Let those invaders get a taste of it."


    "But if if we lose control of it, the millions of sura in the capital will all perish!"


    The elder shook his head. "With our strength alone, we can''t defend the capital. We''ll need the creatures from the arena. We must dy the invaders until our king returns!"


    Another sura scout rushed into the room. "The invasion force is here!"


    "They''ve arrived sooner than expected. I order you to release all the creatures in the arena. Find a way to direct them toward the invasion forces. I''ll try to dy them from the top of the city walls." The elder strode off intently.


    Zhang Lie sat on the leader of the rock giants'' shoulder as his forces progressed toward the capital of Xuechi. A gigantic city came within sight, not too different from Renhuang¡ªor, rather, from the capital of Xueju that had now be Renhuang.


    Zhang Lie yawned. He hadn''t needed to participate in any of the fights at all; all he did was direct the troops. With the Yeluo''s potions, the sura were no match for Renhuang''s troops, and the battle quickly terminated.


    The sura forces left behind arge quantity of weapons and material supplies after each and every defeat, and the rock giants had grown into something truly incredible upon consuming all that quality metal. By now, except for the leader of the rock giants, all the other rock giants had sharp, thorny protrusions growing from their bodies like porcupines.


    Zhang Lie asked the leader of the rock giants, "Why is it that your entire tribe seems to have evolved but you?"


    The rock giant grumbled, "What do you mean, I haven''t evolved? Don''t you see the metallic sheen on my body?"


    "Honestly, I can''t really tell."


    The rock giant sighed. "My first evolution took quite a lot of energy and resources, so I''ll need even more to achieve a second evolution. We rock giants aren''t like bugs who can metamorphosize at will."


    "Can your tribe return to their original appearance?"


    "They''ll gradually return to that form if they don''t consume anything for a prolonged period of time," Yu Huantian replied,nding on the rock giant''s head.


    Within the rock forest, the rock spirits had been forced to hibernate for prolonged periods of time, and their bodies had all returned to their basal rock form.


    "Get off my head, little bird!" The rock giant tried to capture Yu Huantian, who darted agilely away.


    Zhang Lie huffed. "So your transformation is just bing fat?"


    The rock giant shook its head. "We grow stronger with every transformation as well, but other species don''t get stronger when they be fat."


    As they chatted, they approached the sura capital. Zhang Lie encouraged everyone, "Once we destroy this capital, this raid will be over!"


    "Yes, Governor!" the troops chorused.


    Zhang Lie noticed an old sura making his way to the top of the city walls.


    "Invaders, why do you attack the kingdom of Xuechi? What have the sura done to you?" the Xuechi elder called out.


    "Wee from Renhuang!" the rock giant boomed back.


    Yu Huantian shouted angrily, "You''re asking us how we''ve offended you? It''s because of you that our celebration in Renhuang was interrupted halfway through!"


    The elder of Xuechi clearly didn''t know what city Renhuang was, nor how it connected to the sura king''s raid against the humans who had killed Xueju.


    To his knowledge, the humans surely couldn''t be leading such a huge and varied group of forces; the humans in their ranks were surely nothing but cannon fodder or emergency food.


    The elder of Xuechi infused gic energy into his voice and shouted, "I don''t know what exactly happened, but I''ll apologize on behalf of Xuechi."


    Yu Huantian snorted and likewise infused gic energy into his voice. He called back, "If apologies were meaningful, what''s the point of having fists?"


    Upon seeing that the invaders were unwilling to back down, the elder changed his tact. "I don''t know where you came from, but don''t forget that this is a sura kingdom, the territory of a sura king! Once our king returns, you''ll all be dead!"


    Yu Huantian called back, "Do you really not know? Your king was the one who attacked Renhuang!"


    Li Fengughed coldly. "And if you''re still unaware, let me inform you that your so-called king has already been killed by the governor of Renhuang."


    Upon hearing that pronouncement, the sura fighters in the city began to chatter to each other.


    "His highness is dead?"


    "No wonder we haven''t seen him even though the kingdom''s in peril!"


    "In that case, who''s going to stop these invaders?!"

 Chapter 439: A Delaying Tactic

    <h4>Chapter 439: A Dying Tactic</h4>


    Sensing the morale of the fighters falling, the elder of Xuechi yelled out, his face dark, "No, that''s impossible! None of you could have killed the sura king Xuechi¡ªnot your governor, nor all of you working in concert! You must have dyed or trapped the king somewhere so that he can''t return quickly. Before he does, I urge you to flee¡ªotherwise, he''ll ughter you all!"


    The troops'' morale couldn''t be shaken at such a critical juncture. Otherwise, they surely wouldn''t be able to dy until their king''s return.


    The fighters calmed down, realizing the truth of the elder''s words.


    "Indeed, his highness is undefeated in the second realm! How could some random governor defeat him so easily?"


    "We''re the sura, the hegemons of the second realm!"


    "The invaders are clearly lying in order to disrupt our morale¡ªdon''t fall for it!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You can never awaken people who are pretending to be asleep. There''s no reason to argue with these fighters any longer¡ªcrush them all!"


    "Rock spirits, charge forward behind me!" the leader of the rock giants yelled out, rushing at the very front. Its brethren followed suit.


    The sura elder''s face crumpled; his n to dy the invasion forces clearly hadn''t worked.


    The rock giants, coated in ayer of steel, were like gigantic mallets. They leapt over the moat and crashed against the city walls one after the other, causing them to shake and tremble violently as sura fell from the walls.


    The sura elder''s heart thrummed with anxiety. "Why haven''t theye yet?!"


    Unable to take the battering, the walls of the city crumpled, allowing the forces of Renhuang to invade. The elder of Xuechi sighed. "Will this kingdom fall because of me?"


    Suddenly, the ground started to shake. This time, however, the shaking came not from beyond the walls, but rather from within. The elder raised his head in thankfulness. "They''re here!"


    A group of violent creatures barrelled through the streets. A number of sura were at the front of the stampede, luring the creatures along.


    The sura had decided to make this something of a ry race, with sura after sura taking the role of a lure to guide the pack of creatures forward. By doing so, they could ensure that they weren''t running out of stamina and getting eaten by the pack of creatures.


    They had sessfully lured the creatures to the hole in the wall that the rock giants had made. The moment the rock giants made arge opening in the wall, the pack of creatures came flying out.


    Zhang Lie calmlymanded, "Sun Mengmeng, kill the sura leading the creatures along."


    Sun Mengmeng prepared to loose a shot.


    "[Threefold Lunarme Shot]!" Three arrows burst into me as they left Sun Mengmeng''s bow, transforming into firebirds in mid-air and rushing toward the sura at the very front of the pack.


    Despite being struck by the ming arrows, despite their bodies being on fire, the sura continued to run: on their backs rested the survival of a kingdom.


    Sun Mengmeng loosed another shot at the three sura''s heads, finally ending their suffering.


    The pack of creatures continued rushing forward in a straight line following where the sura had fallen.


    "Long-ranged attackers, don''t hold back! Kill those creatures!"


    The hunters pulled out their soulshards equipped with long-range capabilities. Arge fraction, like Sun Mengmeng, had bow and arrows. Among them, Sun Mengmeng was naturally the strongest. Each of her shots would cause an eruption within the stampede of creatures.


    However, of the three thousand hunters, only a third possessed long-range abilities. None of the others were able to do anything to prevent the creatures'' advance.


    "How troublesome." It was hardly difficult for the forces of Renhuang to face these creatures head-on, but there would surely be casualties as a result. Zhang Lie wanted to prevent this as much as he could.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie leapt forward and punched the ground, causing the earth to quake.


    The quaking intensified and spread to the pack of creatures. The lifeforms at the very front suddenly found the ground beneath them giving out. They fell down, but the horde of creatures behind them continued barrelling forward, paving in the craters with theirrades'' bodies.


    Zhang Lie sighed. It would have been far more convenient if the creatures had just stopped where they were.


    He shouted, "Rock spirits,e to me! Form a wall in front of us!"


    "Yes, lord!" They emerged amidst a pile of rubble.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared over him as the four tablets revolved in mid-air before the creature stampede. ck ripples emanated from the gravity-altering tablet, forming a localized region of warped gravity.


    Meanwhile, the tablets of sealing and stasis formed two walls in front of the creatures, blocking their path forward and disrupting their cohesion.


    Zhang Lie threw out a punch. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, spread out with Zhang Lie''s fist at the very center. The twisted space minced the creatures to pieces, causing fresh blood to stain the ground.


    The rock spirits took care of the rest. They had been strengthened massively after consuming arge quantity of rock, ore, and metals, and were hardly affected despite the remaining creatures crashing into their midst. As long as their cores were intact, the rock spirits could regenerate indefinitely.


    They held their palms against the ground asrge boulders of rock formed a huge wall around them, blocking off the beasts from approaching any closer.


    The forces of Renhuang smiled in relief.


    Just as the creatures were preparing to turn back, a roar came from the midst of the horde. A gigantic lifeform rushed forward, shattering part of the rock wall and sending a rock giant flying.

 Chapter 440: Another Capital

    <h4>Chapter 440: Another Capital</h4>


    "What''s this?"


    The gigantic creature was seven or eight stories tall and covered from head to toe with scratched, battered armor. From its appearance, it looked like an elephant, with huge ivory tusks.


    Zhang Lie frowned. A gic lifeform that could defeat the rock giants in a contest of brute strength surely had to have peak- or higher-grade strength.


    "Haha! What do you think of the creatures that we''ve been rearing in our arena?" the elder cried out, triumphant. He wanted to watch Zhang Lie''s forces be trampled to death from the beast stampede himself. He introduced, "This is the strongest gic lifeform in our arena, and he''s won ny-nine matches in a row. Except for our king, no one has been able to suppress him."


    "All of you, handle the other beasts. I''ll deal with this one!" Zhang Liemanded, flying toward the elephant-like lifeform.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A demonic serpent flew out of Zhang Lie''s fist and smashed against the elephant''s forehead, causing it to cry out.


    Zhang Lie pped his wings and agilely avoided its attack.


    "[Rune: Gravity]!" Zhang Lie raised his hand high up into the air as the image of a dragonturtle appeared before him. The gravity-controlling tablet crashed onto the elephant, and its body sank.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" Zhang Lie''s sword arced down and shed the side of the elephant, leaving a wound deep enough that bone was visible.


    The elephant roared in anger as it trampled the ground with its forelegs. Its trunk whipped by Zhang Lie, sending all nearby lifeforms flying.


    "Almost there." Zhang Lie pped his wings again. The elephant, furious, chased after him. Following Zhang Lie''s carefully nned route, it trampled over quite a number of its own kind before Zhang Lie lured it toward the capital of Xuechi.


    Who didn''t know how to lure an enraged creature from ce to ce?


    The elder turned shocked, then anxious, when he realized Zhang Lie''s n. He instantly yelled out, "Quick, stop that fellow! No matter what, you have to prevent him from approaching the capital! Archers, loose your arrows!"


    When the sura fighters saw Zhang Lie luring the enraged elephant over, they began to panic. None of them would be able to stop it if Zhang Lie''s ploy were to seed.


    The sura fighters quickly loosed their arrows at Zhang Lie.


    "[Rune: Gravity]!" A dragonturtle appeared before him once again, and the tablet that crashed down by Zhang Lie''s side formed a dome ahead of him that caught all the arrows and sent them raining down on the elephant as it approached instead.


    The elder himself took to the battlefield, sending a fog of blood rising into the air.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air.


    As Zhang Lie sliced downwards, sword energy shattered the earth, blowing the fog away and bisecting both the Xuechi elder and the wall behind him. The line of sword energy cut through the elder, through the wall, and then the buildings behind the wall, stopping only three hundred meters in.


    This was the effect of just one blow from Zhang Lie.


    The elephant trumpeted as it rushed toward Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie simply sent a punch backwards without looking back. The force of the punch was such that even the elephant was grounded to a halt.


    Zhang Lie pped his wings and flew into the capital of Xuechi. No one could, nor dared, to stop him.


    The elephant followed him in, but found that Zhang Lie''s figure had vanished without a trace.


    The elephant roared again. Unable to find an outlet for its anger, it trampled all over the city, causing the death and injury of countless sura. After the elephant lost its target, its new objective was to destroy the arena in which it had been held captive for far too long.


    It turned out that the sura elder had held off the attack long enough to be able to not die instantly. With his dying breath, he surveyed what had happened to his beloved city as fresh blood poured out of his mouth. "Was I wrong?"


    If he hadn''t tried to use such a tactic, it wouldn''t have backfired on him and the citizens of Xuechi.


    The forces of Renhuang all copied their leader''s antics and lured the gic lifeforms into the capital, turning it into a true hell.


    They stood outside the city as they watched it self-destruct from the inside out.


    Once Zhang Lie judged that the beasts had wreaked enough destruction, he made his move and cleaned them up.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" He punched the elephant''s head, which caved in. The elephant began to bleed from all its orifices.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]! A demonic serpent emerged from Zhang Lie''s fist as a finishing blow. It bit down on the elephant''s neck and coiled its body tight around it, sending a stream of corrosive darkness-attuned energy into its body. A notification soon rang out.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade steel elephant. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade steel elephant, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    As expected, it was a peak-grade lifeform.


    The next step was to clean up the remaining lifeforms in the capital and rescue the humans trapped within. As they walked out of the underground dungeons in which they had been kept, as they saw sunlight for the first time in years, they couldn''t help but cry.


    Xuechi was destroyed. Zhang Lie and his forces entered the sura king''s pce and saw the gigantic pool of blood, almost the size of a swimming pool, filled with ck, sticky blood.


    Not long afterwards, they found a group of captive humans deep within the pce...

 Chapter 441: Making a Move

    <h4>Chapter 441: Making a Move</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s face fell. He had thought Xueju cruel enough, but Xuechi was even worse. Xueju was just perverted¡ªinsanely so, but far better inparison than Xuechi, who bathed in human blood.


    The humans who escaped from the interior of the pce felt as though they had been granted a new lease on life.


    Within Xuechi''s treasury was arge number of valuable herbs, soulshards, weapons, and the like. Among them, part of the valuable ores and minerals was distributed to the rock spirits. Most of the herbs were given to the Yeluo for their recipes, the shinier baubles and trinkets taken by the crag eagles, and the rest divided by the humans.


    Zhang Lie nced at the map of thends surrounding Xuechi and focused on a specific marker. "Could this be..."


    The world federation was once again shocked.


    "Astounding¡ªZhang Lie''s made headlines again!"


    "It''s been a long time since we received news about Zhang Lie. I heard that he went to build a city¡ªhow did it go? I haven''t heard anything."


    "I''m sure he seeded, of course! It isn''t as if founding a city is anything too impressive. Zhang Lie could aplish such a feat in his sleep!"


    "Go on, keep boasting! Don''t you know how much manpower and resources building a city takes? Look at the expense that it took to build our four human cities! How much did it cost, and how many people had to die for it?"


    "A city can protect millions of denizens and act as shelter for ten times that number, so no matter what it costs, every race has tried their hardest to build cities for themselves. Do you think Zhang Lie alone can aplish what it takes a whole race to do? That''s ridiculous!"


    "Well, he''s already seeded."


    The two hunters were chatting away on a message board.


    "Really? Zhang Lie left Qi with no more than three thousand people. How did he manage to assemble a workforce?"


    "Hepelled alien races to join the city and contribute tobor. Our city now has four major alien races in it!"


    "Hold on, let''s not talk about his city for the moment. Haven''t you heard of what Zhang Lie''s dely? Go look!"


    [Champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, takes down another sura kingdom!]


    "What?! Is Zhang Lie so strong that he can take down these kingdoms at will now?"


    "Does Zhang Lie have some sort of enmity against the sura? He''s already imed two kingdoms!"


    "I''ve seen more sura kingdoms destroyed this year than in thest decade..."


    "Well, that''s because no one dared provoke the sura over thest decade! After all, they''re the hegemons of the second realm, and no one would dare to mess with them. What can we humans do? The sura roam all over and treat us as nothing but food. All we could do was hide¡ªthe only one brave and foolhardy enough to attack their city is Zhang Lie!"


    "That''s why he''s making history!"


    "I already thought that Zhang Lie was bold and daring, but after seeing this piece of news, I''m realizing that he''spletely fearless!"


    "Not only did he take down a sura capital and build over it, he''s taken down a second sura capital now. What''s he going to do next, wage war against the sura?"


    "Zhang Lie hasn''t ever feared anything¡ªI''m sure he''ll wee war with open arms."


    "He''s made massive contributions to the human race, hasn''t he? Saving ten thousand prisoners from one sura kingdom, then twenty thousand from this one... He''s a shoo-in for the interster peace prize!"


    "That''s hard to say. After all, he made waves for issuing a bounty on the Musi n."


    "Two sura kingdoms in a row... Zhang Lie''s truly a hero!"


    Within the pce of the sura empire of stars, a blood-red pir of light flooded the skies, causing the entire kingdom to tremble.


    "What did you say happened to my godson?!" the monarch of stars roared.


    The official who hade to report to him trembled and shook like a leaf. "Your majesty, ording to those survivors of the purge, Xuechi has fallen."


    After taking down the capital of Xuechi, Zhang Lie had his men clean the entire kingdom of any rabble and rescue whatever prisoners remained.


    Part of the sura, upon finding out that their capital had fallen, ran away silently in the night. Some of these sura sought refuge in the empire of stars, where the information they brought was transmitted to the emperor''s ears.


    The monarch of stars thundered, "Who did this?!"


    "ording to the sura refugees, a group of allied invaders who imed that they came from a city called Renhuang."


    The monarch of stars narrowed his eyes. "Renhuang, is it?"


    The official replied, "I believe it''s very possible that this is rted to what happened to Xueju. Your majesty, I fear for King Xuechi. His whereabouts are unknown, and his kingdom was destroyed in his absence..."


    The monarch of stars snorted. "Do you think my godson would lose to a human?!"


    "No, your majesty!"


    "I believe that those humans who are purportedly upying the city are just a front. The true mastermind behind the affair is simply trying to disgust me. Nevertheless, we can ovee any ploy they have with brute strength."


    "Yes, your majesty! You''re absolutely right¡ªbrute strength trumps over everything! No nefarious n or ploy can stop us. Your majesty, your intention is..."


    The monarch of stars waved a casual hand. "If one godson is unable to deal with everything, send all seven over at once. Force this city of Renhuang to capitte."


    Opposite him, in the sura king''s treasury, Zhang Lie saw a marker on a map that reminded him of that special location in his past life where a special peak-grade lifeform apparently lived. All he had heard of this location were rumors, and finding a hint to it here was an unexpected reward.


    "Zhang Lie, look at this!"


    Sun Mengmeng walked over with a book from the sura king''s treasury.


    Zhang Lie nced at it and asked, "What''s this?"


    Unfortunately, he had no understanding of the sura script.


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "I learned a little of the sura script from Xia Na. This is the journal of the sura king Xuechi himself, and he''s recorded the whereabouts of a number of strong gic lifeforms nearby.


    As you know, there''s an arena within the capital. The sura very much enjoy watching humans fight against these gic lifeforms."

 Chapter 442: Seven Sons

    <h4>Chapter 442: Seven Sons</h4>


    Zhang Lie knew this very well. By the time he entered the arena, all the humans within had been ughtered to thest. The sura had done so in order to avoid having those humans join the invaders'' forces.


    "That''s why the sura from Xuechi are particrly fond of capturing gic lifeforms and humans," Sun Mengmeng exined.


    "The diary describes the locations of all gic lifeforms around, and several among those are on the same level as the elephant you lured back into the city."


    "Peak-grade lifeforms, you mean?"


    "I believe that''s right."


    Zhang Lie pointed at the unusual marker on the map. "Is there any mention of this marker in the diary?"


    "Yes, one. It was left behind by the previous sura king, who discovered an unusual valley. with extremely strong gic lifeforms within. Upon killing those lifeforms, their souls would remain within the valley.


    "Allegedly, once the number of souls reached a certain threshold, something horrendous would happen. The previous sura king returned from the valley heavily wounded, and he perished after leaving these words behind. Before that, he warned his kin never to step within the valley."


    "As expected!"


    "Zhang Lie, do you know something about that valley?"


    Within some battlefield in the second realm was hill after hill of skeletons.


    Each of these hills were twenty or thirty meters tall, and they wereposed of both human and alien bones. The skulls were warped and distorted, as though something horrifying had happened to them before their death.


    Crows flew overhead, pecking on grisly pieces of meat hanging from the skeletons.


    A sura king sat quietly at the apex of the highest hill of bones, an executioner''s sword over his shoulder. Crows circled his head.


    "Your highness!" an elder called out from below.


    The sura king jumped down from the hill. "Is the painter here?"


    The crows flew into the air, startled.


    The sura king murmured in excitement, "I want to have a painter capture my art. Elder, what pose do you think I should make?"


    This sura king, Shouta, enjoyed stacking up corpses in skeletal mountains, then disying it as art.


    The elder frowned. "Your highness, that painter has gone crazy."


    "Really? Are all such painters so fragile? In that case, find me a new one."


    "The monarch of stars sends word, your highness."


    Shouta''s eyes lit up. "A letter from Godfather? ?Is he finally allowing me to participate in the war between the sura empire of stars and the other three sura empires?"


    The elder shook his head, sighing. "I think the chance of that is minimal. After all, your highness, your fondness for these skeletal hills will lower the morale of both the enemy troops and our sura troops.


    In the heat of battle, this sura king had been known to decapitate everyone within sight, even those of his allied forces.


    The sura king sighed. "You don''t understand true art. Only my third brother understands me."


    The elder spasmed. "I''m not sure he wants to understand your art, either."


    The sura king took the missive from the elder and hemmed at it. "Interesting, very interesting."


    Shouta wasn''t the only one who had received the missive.


    In an icy cer, another sura king nced at the beauty frozen in a coffin of ice. "What an exquisite specimen!"


    Within the coffin, the beauty''s skin was turning a shade of blue, and her face was ashen. She was a corpse. Orbs of light glowed by her feet. She was draped in a white wedding dress, a true corpse bride.


    The sura king''s eyes filled with infatuation as he nced into her eyes, as though they were sharing an embrace.


    "How perfect you are, how exquisite! You must have a simrly beautiful name¡ªhow about Shasha, or Meimei? Ah, I''ve got it¡ªI''ll call you Shamei!"


    This was the sura king Shicang.


    An urgent knock came from the doors to the cer as the sura king frowned. "What''s the matter?"


    "Your highness, the monarch of stars has sent you a missive."


    "Slide it in."


    The letter slid in through a crack in the door. Shicang didn''t allow anyone else to step inside his chamber of collections, not even a finger. All documents had to be transferred into the room through a small slit in the door.


    He picked up the letter and walked up to the coffin, where he kissed the corpse on the lips. His eyes were starry. "I can''t believe that there are alien bodies that could have be such exquisite masterpieces. I was right to have steeled my heart and killed you!


    Give me a moment, darling. I need to read this letter now, but I''lle back and cherish you moreter!"


    Shicang closed the lid of the coffin and ced it back in its spot. This chamber was filled from head to toe with coffins, and each coffin contained a young girl''s body.


    When he read the sura monarch''s letter, his eyes shed.


    On a stone bed in a dark chambery a young girl. Her hands and legs were strapped to the bed, and a gag was stuffed into her mouth. Tears glimmered on her face. No matter how she struggled, she was unable to free herself.


    A sura king walked up to the little girl and grinned evilly. He rubbed his palms and caressed the girl''s face.


    This sura king''s eyes were very special, because... he didn''t have eyes. Regardless, he seemed to be able to see. He caressed the girl''s face again gently.


    Her eyes were very pretty, wide and round, just like jewels. The girl began to writhe and struggle. She tried to yell out, but the gag stopped her from being able to do so.


    He licked his parched lips. His eyes shone with greed and desire. The sura king suddenly stuck his fingers into the little girl''s eyes and pulled them out of her face.


    Tears of blood streaked down the little girl''s face. The sura king hurriedly grabbed a can filled with a murky green liquid and threw her eyes inside. Looking at those eyes, the sura king smiled with joy.


    This was the sura king Moyan.

 Chapter 443: The Seven Crazies

    <h4>Chapter 443: The Seven Crazies</h4>


    The sura king Moyan nced at the jar of eyes in his hand, unwilling to put it down before spending a long period crooning at it.


    On the table beside him wasid out jar after jar, each with a pair of eyes.


    "The 230th pair!" Moyan eximed. Two sura fighters walked in, and the sura king pointed at the girl whose eyes had been taken from her.


    Even without the sura king saying anything, the two sura fighters knew what to do. They had already done the same thing countless times before. They dealt with the little girl still lying on the stone bed.


    Usually, these blinded victims would be food for the sura or for the creatures that they were rearing. Only a lucky few would be sent back to the prisons. The young girlid out in front of them would have exquisite taste and vor, with tender, juicy flesh. The sura fighters would smuggle her out, send her to a restaurant they knew well and have her prepared for them.


    One of the sura fighters said, "The elder came over with a missive which he left with me, your highness, so that I could hand it to you after your affairs were over."


    Moyan frowned as he read the missive. "This is from the empire of stars?"


    In yet another sura pce, a sura king was enjoying a meal.


    He was very particr about every aspect of the feast. The dining hall was decorated in white. Young sura maidens were ying a beautiful melody, and a bouquet of white flowers was ced at the very center of the long table.


    The sura king delicately sliced apart the meatball on his te and ced it in his mouth with a fork. He chewed slowly, savoring everyst detail, and praised, "Today''s testicles are excellent, better than yesterday''s."


    Unlike the other sura kings, he had skin as white as snow. His body was lithe and graceful, his voice soft and melodic. He was a far cry from any other sura, let alone the sura kings.


    This sura king was Gaoyuan.


    The chef beside him introduced, "I tried adding in some heisong wine, and I extracted the testicles from a young man who just reached adulthood."


    Gaoyuan shook his head. "The vor isn''t strong and rich enough. I prefer raw testicles. The meal you prepared from that human child wasn''t bad; his testicles were divine."


    "I would be happy to repeat the dish, your highness." The chef ced a gon of wine on the table. "Your highness, would you be willing to try the wine that I''ve just brewed? I''ve made it with the testicles of 99 different lifeforms, and it has a unique mouthfeel."


    "Very well. Pour me a cup," Gaoyuan instructed, lifting a cup to him.


    The chef poured the wine into the cup. The liquid was sticky and shot through with veins of white, and it indeed had a very unique odor.


    Gaoyuan took a sip and nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. This is the best wine I''ve ever had; send some to my room."


    "Yes, your highness!"


    "However, I think even this wine can be improved further. Use 999 different lifeforms next time¡ªthe intensity, mouthfeel, and scent should all be enhanced."


    The chef spasmed. He had thought himself perverted enough to follow in the sura king''s footsteps, but he was clearly far too ordinary.


    The sura king had no upper limit for his perversion.


    During theirst meal, he had heard that the sura king had a brother who enjoyed sex with male humans, who was likewise a sura king¡ªit felt as though no ordinary sura would be able to aspire to such a vaunted position without some perversion or another.


    The chef replied honestly, "Your highness, I fear that it would be too sticky and gtinous for wine."


    "I enjoy that mouthfeel," Gaoyuan replied.


    The chef''s mouth spasmed again. "I''ll give it a try, your highness."


    At any rate, he wasn''t about to test it. The chef specially employed a few human females to test the taste and vor of his creations.


    Gaoyuan smiled. "If the taste isn''t up to par, you can try brewing some wine incorporating the testicles of 9,999 lifeforms instead. I''m sure the vor will be even more enhanced then."


    By that point, it would probably solidify into jelly,?the chef murmured to himself.


    Just then, an elder walked in. "Your highness, have you finished your meal?"


    Gaoyuan motioned to the gon of wine containing a thick white-colored liquid within. "I''ve finished my meal. Would you like to try the chef''s newest brew, elder? The mouthfeel is very interesting."


    "Is it dangerous, your highness? Will it explode?"


    Gaoyuanughed. "Haha, elder, you truly are funny! You''re one of my trusted subordinates. Why would I want to cause you harm?"


    The elder eyed the chef, who secretly made an abortive hand motion. The elder surmised, "It looks like this might be even more dangerous than a bomb and poisonbined."


    Gaoyuan nced at the chef, who immediately lowered his head. "Your highness, it looks like you have some business with the elder, so I''ll take my leave now."


    Before he left, he could hear Gaoyuan asking once again, "Elder, are you sure you won''t have some?"


    The elder rolled his eyes. "In that case, there wouldn''t be any point to my hiding during your meals, would there?"


    Gaoyuan sighed. "What a shame. Except for my fifth brother, none in this world understands me..."


    "Your fifth brother''s dead."


    Gaoyuan stilled. The cup of wine in his hand burst into pieces, and thick white liquid spilled out. "What did you say?"


    The elder handed him a missive. "This is from the monarch of stars, and it exins what happened."


    Gaoyuan shook his head in disbelief. "It''s impossible! We''re all godsons of the monarch of stars. No sura would dare raise a finger to us!"


    On arge four-poster bed, two figures were tussling with each other.


    From outside the door came a guard''s booming voice. "Your highness, a missive for you!"


    "Who''s there? Don''t you know that I''m doing something very important with the elder?" the sura king shouted back in displeasure.


    The other figure in bed was an old sura whose face was covered in wrinkles, whose cheeks were still suffused with a faint blush that had yet to fade. "Your highness, if there''s something important to be done, please go ahead. Matters of state are far more important."


    This sura king was very young, and he looked no older than fifteen or sixteen. He kissed the elder''s forehead. "Nothing could be more important than you."


    His name was Suiyue.


    "Ah, well..." The elder turned his head to hide his blush.


    "Shall we continue?" Suiyue giggled.


    From the outside, the guard continued, "Your highness, this is a missive from the empire of stars!"


    "What? From godfather?" Suiyue excitedly jumped out of bed, dressed himself, and hurriedly took the letter.

 Chapter 444: Seven in Unison

    <h4>Chapter 444: Seven in Unison</h4>


    Upon reading the letter, Suiyue rubbed his lower jaw. "For something like this to have happened... it looks like the nine of us will be convened again."


    A sura king was constructing something with cut-up pieces of human bodies. In front of a cross, he was continuously assembling, disassembling, and reassembling severed limbs. "The left arm on the right, the right arm on the left, the two legs on the bottom..."


    "No, no. The two legs facing straight out, the head in the very middle, the body hung up... one arm in the head''s mouth?"


    A piece of brutal, bloody, and crazy ''artwork'' was thus finished.


    The sura king nced at his ''sculpture'' and frowned. "I feel like I''m missing something, a new horizon, a new truth. Compared to my human centipede from before, this is nothing. As I expected, the artistry of living things is far greater than that of the dead."


    The sura king beamed with pride as he recalled his past work. His body trembled, and he almost climaxed from the recollection.


    This sura king was Fenghe. He looked cultured and was dressed well, with a monocle over one eye. That eye was apound eye simr to those that insects possessed.


    Despite his appearance, his thoughts were crazed and vulgar.


    After all, to be a sura king required some amount of insanity.


    He walked out of his atelier and into his dungeon, which was filled with all sorts of monsters¡ªlifeforms that somehow managed to live with just their buttocks and two legs; that had their two arms and legs swapped with each other; that had three heads, each from a different creature; that had a brain spliced together with a hundred others.


    Fenghe soon reached his newest creation, a gigantic creature over three meters tall, with seven heads in all. The first one was natural and rested atop its neck; the other six grew in a line from chest to stomach. The creature had eight arms in all, and the stitches from forcibly grafting the arms on were clearly visible.


    Fenghe nced at his work with wonder. "It looks like this experiment was a sess. I''ll call you Fenghe Creation #107."


    The monster bashed itself against the metal bars as its primary head yelled out, "I''ll kill you!"


    The head that grew out of the creature''s chest begged, "Please kill me!"


    The second head that grew out of the creature''s chest shouted, "Save me!"


    The fourth head in line hoarsely muttered, "I want to die."


    All seven heads spoke simultaneously and independently, causing Fenghe to smile. "Very good. The experiment really was sessful."


    Just then, a sura with antlers on his head and wings behind his back flew down. "Your highness, there''s a missive from the monarch of stars!"


    "Let me have a look." Fenghe nced at the letter and sighed. "What a shame! It looks like I''ll have to be separated from my art for some time."


    A handsome sura with bull''s horns was hugging a beautiful human woman, who asked him, "Why do you treat me so well, your highness?"


    "Why do you like me even though I have a bull''s horns, then?"


    The beautiful woman seemed a little frightened by the question. Taking a deep breath and drumming up her courage, she asked, "I''m a human, aren''t I? Those of your race treat me like nothing more than cattle. But you released all the humans enved within your kingdom just for me¡ªhow could it be worth it?"


    The handsome sura tilted the woman''s head up as he whispered, "For you, everything is worth it."


    The beautiful woman''s eyes dted. "Your highness..."


    The handsome sura suddenly said, "There''s something I''d like to get your help with, actually."


    "Anything for you, your highness."


    "I have a few brothers who haven''t had a taste of a human for quite some time."


    "What?!"


    The woman was still in a daze when the door to the room burst open and thirty sura rushed inside, pouncing on her and pinning her onto the bed. The woman''s eyes widened as she yelled, "Save me, your highness! Didn''t you say you loved me most in the world?"


    The handsome sura''s eyes brightened as he watched the scene. "Indeed, indeed! That''s why I most want to see you scream and yell out in despair before you die unwillingly."


    He watched on as the woman''s clothes were torn off her body, revealing her snow-white skin, and then as the sura restrained and raped her. So excited did he be that his head slowly transformed into that of an ox.


    This was the sura king Niutou.


    Another sura walked into the room. Niutou turned and asked, "Do you want to join in too?"


    The sura nced at the struggling woman in bed and pursed his lips. "I''m tired of it, your highness¡ªyou must do this twenty times a year at the very least. Right, I have a letter for you."


    Niutou nodded and nced at the letter in his hands. "What happened to the humans that were released from the kingdom?"


    "We''ve sent some sura to capture them again, and they''ve now been corralled and sent to a nearby city."


    Niutou nodded. "Choose a beautiful woman among them and repeat the process."


    The sura nodded. He knew that, against thirty adult sura, the human woman had no chance of surviving.


    After Niutou opened the letter and began reading through it, he added, "Leave the selection forter. I have something more important to do at the moment."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What''s our next goal, Zhang Lie?"


    "All of you in Team Zenith should kill these peak-grade lifeforms to acquire more peak gene fragments. Remember to bring the leader of the rock spirits, along with the Yeluo chieftain.


    "Make sure to bring the leader of the rock spirits with you at any cost. The rock spirit has grown much stronger since the raid, and I think it should be able to suppress a peak-grade lifeform by itself."


    Given all the metal it had absorbed, the rock spirit''s defense was hard for even Zhang Lie to prate. With the rock spirit around, Zhang Lie was certain that, even if the members of Team Zenith were ambushed by a group of peak-grade lifeforms, there wouldn''t be a problem.


    To be frank, the rock spirit would only be there for added security; it wasn''t difficult for the members of Team Zenith, working together, to take down a peak-grade lifeform.


    They were much like family to Zhang Lie, and he certainly wasn''t going to allow them to die.


    "What about you, Zhang Lie?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "I''m nning to go to a certain location."


    "Where? Can''t we apany you?"


    Zhang Lie replied frankly, "It''s a little dangerous, and given your strength, you wouldn''t be able to be of much help."


    Sun Mengmeng lowered her head in disappointment¡ªZhang Lie''s words meant that the members of Team Zenith would only drag him down.


    Zhang Lie rubbed Sun Mengmeng''s head. "Don''t worry about me just yet. Focus on strengthening yourselves. I''ll definitely need all your help in the future."


    "I understand, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng''s spirits were kindled once again.

 Chapter 445: The Nine Kings Gather

    <h4>Chapter 445: The Nine Kings Gather</h4>


    A motley group smelling heavily of blood slowly made its way into the kingdom of stars. All the sura present wore steel masks, and their hands and feet were shackled together. They were chained around a carriage in the center bearing the insignia of a small tower of six human heads.


    The sura from the kingdom of stars watched on curiously as the procession made its way forward.


    "Who are these? They look so funny!"


    "Are you really a sura from the empire of stars? Don''t you know who he is? Those strange people are the famed troop of crazies from Shouta, and the person in the carriage is the godson of the monarch of stars!


    The kingdom of Shouta is somewhat like a subsidiary of the empire of stars, but also somewhat not. The monarch doesn''t have any children, so it''s very likely that the next monarch of stars will be one of his nine godsons."


    "Sorry, I''m not from around here, so I don''t know as much about all this as you do." The other sura apologized and continued asking, somewhat embarrassedly, "Does that mean that the sura in the carriage is the crown prince?"


    "Yes, you can understand it that way. As you know, the stronger you be, the harder it is to produce offspring. Given the monarch of stars'' strength, it''s very likely that the empire will pass down to his godsons."


    Another group of sura walked in through the city gates, their faces veiled. As they entered, their surroundings turned cold. The sura that were around them found their breaths turning into white puffs of air.


    Leading the carriage were two skeletal horses. The ck carriage itself waspletely sealed, as though it were a coffin, and bore the insignia of a god of death. The skeletal horses burned with icy blue me.


    "This is the monarch of stars'' second son, the sura king Shicang."


    The third group entered the city¡ªwith no sura attendants, but rather a group of frightening lifeforms that left the sura spectators rather nauseated.


    Even the carriage itself was being dragged along by a lifeform with seven arms and eight legs. The insignia was of a spliced head, the left half of which was a sura and the right half of which was a beast.


    "This is the monarch of stars'' third son, the sura king Fenghe."


    After ncing again at the first two sura kings'' processions, the sura asked timidly, "Are the godsons of the monarch of stars all so... extraordinary?"


    "That I can''t say, but there are rather normal-looking carriages, aren''t there? Keep on looking."


    The fourth group was the most normal. After it had passed through the city gates, the sura couldn''t help wondering, "Is he really a godson of the monarch of stars too?"


    The disparity between the processions was simply toorge.


    "Indeed. Make sure you don''t offend any of them¡ªapparently, they all like very different things, but having those things done on you is uniformly a fate worse than death."


    The knowledgeable sura sighed. "It looks like the nine sons are convening again."


    "What''s this?"


    "Whenever the monarch of stars assembles his nine godsons, repercussions are felt all throughout the sura realm. I wonder what wille of this meeting?"


    The fifth group of sura was led by a group of gigantic ox-headed sura and pulled by a few oxen, which breathed me out of their nostrils as they snorted. All of them looked to be at least peak-grade lifeforms.


    The sura frowned. "Something''s wrong. Where''s the sura king Xueju? Niutou shouldn''t have entered fifth..."


    Some of the other sura also noticed something amiss.


    Those neers to the capital asked, "Why does this sura king not have any sura in his procession?"


    "This sura king is of mixed blood between the sura and the minotaurs. There are quite a lot of minotaurs in his kingdom, and his most trusted advisors are also minotaurs themselves."


    The sixth group was of a group of elderly sura. Even the horses pulling the carriage looked as though they were steps away from death. The carriage bore the insignia of a grandfather clock.


    "Is this the weakest of the nine godsons? Why are his retainers all so... old?"


    "No, something''s wrong!" What the second sura was paying attention to wasn''t the procession, but rather the unusual ordering of the princes. "No Xueju, and now no Xuechi either? Just what happened?"


    Thest sura king to enter was Gaoyuan. His carriage and guards were rather ordinary; all his guards were strong, muscr men. However, none of the residents of the capital focused on him. They were more astounded by the fact that the sura kings Xueju and Xuechi were missing.


    Some suggested that the two kings had decided to break away from the empire of stars, and others that they had quarreled with the monarch of stars and refused to attend the meeting as a result.


    No one guessed that the two kings were already dead. After all, the monarch of stars and his godsons were so strong that no sura thought anyone foolish enough to challenge them.


    While the capital was embroiled in furious discussion, the meeting began.


    Zhang Lie arrived at the valley marked in the map in Xuechi''s study. From the outside, the valley looked to be perfectly normal, filled with natural beauty¡ªfresh air, green grass stretching toward the horizon, and clear, running water.


    ording to the diary of thete Xuechi, Zhang Lie entered the valley through a secret tunnel, one whose entrance was covered by vines. Without the diary, Zhang Lie would surely not have discovered this entrance.


    All he had heard in his past life were information and rumors, but none of the fine details.


    Upon entering the valley, he found himself deep within a de of trees.


    "Is this really the valley I''ve heard so much about in my past life?"


    A superior-grade lifeform swooped down and extended its sharp ws at Zhang Lie, thinking to kill this foreign intruder. Zhang Lie snorted, jumped up, and charged up a blow with his fist.


    All he knew about the valley in front of him was that, through some special technique or another, he could summon a peak-grade lifeform that would drop a very special soulshard when killed.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    Before the fist even struck the lifeform, it exploded from the waves of power that radiated from the fist. Blood and feathers filled the sky.

 Chapter 446: A House of Perversion

    <h4>Chapter 446: A House of Perversion</h4>


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade fiery eagle and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade fiery eagle, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    "As mentioned in the diary, all the lifeforms here are cruel and ferocious..."


    The de of trees was located along one side of the valley. Zhang Lie leapt down the cliff like a meteor andnded on the valley floor with a big boom that echoed throughout the valley and caused the ground beneath him to crack.


    All sorts of gic lifeforms were startled by the impact of his fall. Zhang Lie nced around at his surroundings and saw three superior-grade lifeforms nearby. Indeed, the valley seemed densely popted with strong lifeforms.


    When they saw Zhang Lie, they were initially frightened by the noise he had made, then enraged that he was encroaching on their territory. They rushed toward him at once.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him, destroying all the lifeforms below superior-grade in the vicinity.


    Announcement after announcement could be heard in his head; Zhang Lie ignored them all. He sent shes of sword energy flying around him with his sword, finishing off the heavily wounded superior-grade lifeforms as well.


    [You sessfully killed a stargrass demonwolf. By consuming the flesh of the stargrass demonwolf, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a redmoon tortoise and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the redmoon tortoise, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a fistborne rabbit. By consuming the flesh of the fistborne rabbit, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie again ignored the announcements as he continued roaming through the valley. Over the next few days, the valley would remain in a constant state of upheaval as Zhang Lie ughtered his way through its denizens.


    The sura king Shouta walked into the monarch of stars'' pce carrying a cloth-wrapped executioner''s sword behind him.


    Within the pce was a long table, around which seven chairs were arrayed. Shouta sat down at the first chair.


    He wasn''t too different from the other sura kings¡ªnot the godsons of the monarch of stars, but rather the rulers of the other sura territories all around.


    He had astounding muscture and gave off an emperor''s aura, butpared to the others, the stench of blood was too strong and concentrated around him, so much so that no amount of washing could remove the stench.


    The blood had seeped into his aura and spirit. To look at the sura king Shouta was to look at a sea of corpses, a river of blood.


    As Shouta walked into the pce, the air itself seemed to take on an iron tinge. There were scars all over his body, and a particrly long one by his neck, a testament to the battlefields he had waded into and survived.


    "So you''re already here, butcher."


    The sura king Shicang strode into the meeting room in a long robe, his feet not even touching the floor. ck smoke wafted from his robe, and the air in the room turned cold.


    Shouta folded his arms. "What do you mean, ''butcher''? I''m far more sophisticated than that¡ªI don''t sell meat, I''m an artist, an artist of the battlefield!"


    Shicang continued, "I heard you waged war against a few nearby kingdoms, three from alien races, and two sura. You rushed in yourself and ughtered an entire swathe of defenders, then made towers out of their heads. What was it, thirteen thirty-meter tall towers?"


    Shouta shook his head. "Eighteen."


    Shicang sighed and tilted his head. "Cruel and barbaric."


    "I don''t want to be lectured by a necrophile."


    "Ah, you''re both here!" Fenghe strode in, and both Shouta and Shicang greeted him. "Hello, third brother."


    His appearance was well-received, so much so that one was led to suspect that it was the most perverted of the nine who were most respected by their brothers. Shouta and Shicang didn''t get along well because neither respected the other''s perversion, and neither thought the other worthy of their level.


    Shouta called out, "Third brother, I''ve made a few new creations!"


    Fenghe nodded. "I heard about your exploits on the battlefield. Has Father let you participate in his wars yet?"


    "Don''t mention it¡ªhe always rejects me, and I get so mad I have to take my anger out on the sura kingdoms nearby! Only art can pacify my soul¡ªonly art can bring me peace."


    Shouta then waved a hand around. "Let''s not talk about such unpleasantries. I made a few other sculptures recently, and I feel like my expertise is growing even higher. One of my towers went forty meters tall."


    Fenghe sighed. "Eldest brother, you want to be an artist, not an architect, don''t you? That means that you can''t just focus on height, but rather skill, expression, and elegance. Did you paint this tower of yours? I''d love to discuss it with you."


    Shouta scratched his head in embarrassment. "Well... another of my painters went crazy, and I haven''t been able to find a recement yet."


    Fenghe: ...


    Shicang: ...


    Fenghe replied seriously, "It looks like you must have made significant improvement, then. How long did thest painterst?"


    "Three months or so. This painter''s mental state is weaker than thest, and he only managed to survive a month."


    Fenghe nodded. "Keep working hard."


    Moyan walked inside. "Ah, are all of you here already? Butcher, necrophile, and third brother!"


    Shouta nced up at him. "Oculophile, I heard you vanquished a sura kingdom next door to yours."


    Moyan shook his head. "Don''t call me an oculophile. I have no idea what you''re talking about¡ªI''m just a blind man."


    "Indeed?" Shouta couldn''t help butugh. "If you''re just a blind man, then there''s no one in this world who''s ordinary."


    Fenghe smiled. "Fourth brother, I recently made a creation whose body is filled with eyes all over. Would you like to have a look?"


    Moyan whirled around. "When, where?"


    Shouta spread his arms. "I told you, an oculophile is an oculophile."


    "Have you found any pretty eyestely, fourth brother?"


    Moyan replied, "Two days ago, I extracted a pair of eyes from a human girl. They''re very pretty, innocent and pure, unclouded by despair or age. They''re like angels'' eyes, and I''m besotted with them."


    Niutou strode inside. "Butcher, necrophile, seamster, and oculophile, are you all here already?"


    Everyone present frowned. Fenghe replied politely, "Please don''t call me a seamster. You can address me as an artist, but I''d rather be called a biologist. I''ve been searching for the truth behind life, to reach the pinnacle of evolution with my mortal hands."


    Niutou shook his head, then sat opposite the group of sura kings. "In other words, you''re a mad scientist."

 Chapter 447: Dragons Eye Soulshard

    <h4>Chapter 447: Dragon''s Eye Soulshard</h4>


    The ground and clear streams were dyed a lurid red by the fresh blood from the gic lifeforms thaty all around Zhang Lie.


    Invisible energy filled the air, floating out of sight¡ªspiritual essence.


    All lifeforms had souls. Upon their death, spiritual essence would dissipate into their environment. Under ordinary circumstances, such spiritual essence would disappear rapidly. However, the mud in this valley was very special, and it could bind the spiritual essence and prevent it from dissipating.


    Zhang Lie killed lifeforms in the valley for three whole days, finding quite arge number of superior-grade lifeforms, but never the special peak-grade one that was his goal.


    Nothing in the valley could stop his massacre, not even a group of peak-grade lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie was certain that the spiritual density in the valley was nearing the required threshold. He retrieved all the mutated- and superior-grade soulshards from his soulspace and smashed them all to pieces, causing spiritual essence to burst out in a thick fog. The spiritual essence in the air began to froth, as though Zhang Lie had poured gasoline over a burning fire.


    Pinpricks of light appeared in the air like fireflies, dyeing the entire valley an extraordinary blue. The light began to revolve and whirl violently, causing the entire valley to do the same. Spiritual essence condensed into a pale blue whirlwind, forming arge shape in the very middle.


    As more and more spiritual essence condensed, the shape''s features became clearer and clearer, resolving into a translucent pale-blue lifeform with many eyes dotted all over its body, a round head, and eight feelers much like an octopus.


    "It''s finally appeared!" In hisst life, Zhang Lie had learned a little of the lifeform before him, but even so, he found it very difficult to believe that the creature in front of him was a gic lifeform.


    In truth, it couldn''t be considered one such. It was a lifeform made out of spiritual essence, and could even be considered a mutated soulshard of sorts. Its attack power was likely on par with that of a peak-grade lifeform.


    In Zhang Lie''s past life, the monarch of dragon''s eye had gone alone to this valley of souls, where he ughtered the lifeforms within for days on end.


    This was where he discovered the unusual qualities of the valley, and when he killed a sufficient amount of gic lifeforms and reached a critical density of spiritual essence in the valley, a spiritual lifeform appeared. Upon killing that lifeform, he obtained a special soulshard¡ªthe only one in the second realm that was able to enhance his eyes.


    The spiritual lifeform''s eyes all looked toward Zhang Lie. Each pupil was slitted; white rays of light shot out from those eyes toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie dodged the white rays of light with a p of his wings.


    "[Rune: Control]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets, sealing the lifeform''s will and power.


    The two tablets were particrly effective against a spiritual lifeform¡ªthe squid''s body turned pale, and its eyes listless.


    Zhang Lie pped his wings and shot toward it.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" Zhang Lie''s sword energy gathered into a tall wave that crashed down on his opponent, causing the squid''s body to break apart like an egg. From within rushed out a translucent pale blue dragon, its body covered not with scales, but countless pairs of eyes.


    Somehow, it looked simultaneously pretty and frightening.


    The moment it emerged, its eyes glowed with bright light, and spiritual essence circled around it.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. The light pierced the very heavens and formed an arc in mid-air, slicing apart the currents of spiritual essence that drifted toward the creature.


    The spiritual dragon opened its maw wide, revealing a gigantic eye within. It had pretended to be weak to trick Zhang Lie; Zhang Lie''s momentum meant that he wouldn''t be able to dodge whatever attack came his way, but he didn''t intend to dodge regardless.


    The sword in his hand grew as bright as the sun. With frightening strength, he thrust it into the dragon''s throat.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" Sword energy speared the dragon from the inside out.


    [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªSecond Form: Piercing the Soul]!" Zhang Lie''s spiritual attack severed its soul with a blinding burst of light.


    As the pale blue apparition vanished, the will of the world announced, [You sessfully killed a peak-grade dragon soul and obtained its soulshard.]


    A pale blue orb appeared in front of Zhang Lie. Unlike other soulshards he had seen to date, what rested within this soulshard wasn''t a weapon or armor, but rather a curious eye.


    Put differently, the soulshard itself looked like a dragon''s eye¡ªthis was the dragon''s eye soulshard.


    Even Zhang Lie couldn''t hide his exhration. The monarch of dragon''s eye had grown into his power and his name almost entirely because of this soulshard.


    Zhang Lie immediately materialized the soulshard. His eyes turned slitted, and everything he saw seemed to slow down.


    Upon flying up into the air, he found that his vision had improved to a frightening extent. He was able to see even beyond the valley, to prate the bodies of the lifeforms outside the valley and sense their souls directly, to attack them with just his eyes...


    For this soulshard alone, the trip waspletely worth it.


    After acquiring the soulshard, he immediately left the valley and returned to Renhuang. By that time, the raiding party had returned as well. Everyone had partaken in the spoils of war except the wood spirits, who hadn''t participated in the raid.


    Just the fact that the kingdom of Xuechi was destroyed and that the citizens of Renhuang had avenged themselves was worthy of a celebration¡ªwith Zhang Lie as governor, the citizens felt as though they would never have to suffer injustice.


    Not long after Zhang Lie returned, so too did the members of Team Zenith, who had gone out hunting the peak-grade lifeforms described in Xuechi''s diary.


    They had managed to defeat all the peak-grade lifeforms without any injury at all¡ª the leader of the rock spirits served as tank and vanguard while the hunters of Team Zenith struck down one peak-grade lifeform after another.

 Chapter 448: Aged Wine

    <h4>Chapter 448: Aged Wine</h4>


    In the empire of stars, the nine sura kings'' meeting continued to progress.


    Niutou said, "So, mad scientist, I heard that some of your creations escaped from their cells and rampaged through seven nearby kingdoms, three of which were sura kingdoms."


    Fenghe shrugged. "Those are all rumors. My creations never escaped or rampaged; I was just conducting a small-scale experiment. I was shocked to learn that the nearby sura kingdoms were incapable of dealing with even the least of my creations."


    Shouta snorted. "Let the weak sura kingdoms die¡ªthey aren''t needed."


    Fenghe continued, "Right, sixth brother, I heard that you cleared your entire kingdom of humans for one of your little games."


    Niutou''s face turned dark. "Don''t insult me, mad scientist. These aren''t games for me¡ªthey''re my true feelings."


    "Oh, is that so? How many times have you expressed your true feelings to human women, then?"


    Niutou frowned. "Thirty times, forty times, give or take¡ªI don''t remember the precise number!"


    Fenghe shook his head. "If you can''t even remember how many times you''ve done it, how can you be so confident your feelings are real?"


    Niutou replied slowly, "You need to inject all your feelings into a flower to have it bloom for you, don''t you? I don''t need to remember how many times I''ve done so to do it over and over again. And when the flower blooms, when it reaches the acme of its beauty, you pluck it and destroy it, petal by petal¡ªI''m shivering just remembering the ecstasy I feel from doing so."


    Fenghe looked at him agape. "I knew you were perverted, but not to what extent. I''ve really underestimated you."


    Moyan shook his head. "By this point, you can''t call it ''perversion'' anymore. It''s ''craziness''."


    "I''m no pervert! If you have to give me a title, call me a florist. It takes time and effort, wealth and power and deliberation. The more you put in to secure a flower''s bloom, the greater the pleasure you feel when you reap the rewards. I''m sure all of you can understand this ecstasy."


    The other sura kings noisily moved their chairs away from Niutou.


    "Right, seamster, I heard you made something particrly interesting recently."


    Fenghe rolled his eyes as he introduced his own creation. "A true Argos indeed, with 360 pairs of eyes embedded all over his body, even on the soles of his feet. To make this creature, I had to kill 180 humans."


    Moyan was happily listening to Fenghe''s recounting when the sura king Suiyue walked in.


    Niutou waved a hand at him. "Ah, the gerontophile."


    Suiyue tsked at him. "You simply don''t understand the charm of the old. People are like wine, and they mature as they age. What''s wrong with liking those slightly older than I am?"


    Niutou''s lips spasmed. "Slightly older? They''re five times your age! Most people take lovers differing by no more than a decade in age, and even the crazy ones might span only two or three decades, but you''re closing in on a century''s worth of difference!"


    Suiyue shrugged. "Love transcends the boundaries of time."


    "And gender?" Niutou questioned.


    Suiyue replied seriously, "If our fifth brother were present, he would agree. You have sex with the opposite sex only to procreate; true love is with those of the same sex."


    Everyone turned silent. No one suspected that they would be able to change Suiyue''s perspective with just a single argument.


    Shouta sighed. "I can''t believe someone dared to make a move against a sura king, particrly one of us."


    Shicang narrowed his eyes. "And I can''t imagine that one of us would lose against a human."


    Thest sura king, Gaoyuan, walked into the room. His gaze swept over the meeting table. "It looks like we''ve all gathered."


    He sat down at thest empty chair and ced a gon of wine on the table. Shouta asked, "Is this to memorialize our departed brothers?"


    "It really was a pity that our fifth brother''s dead. We got along very well, and I don''t know who I''ll have such deep conversations with in the future. Just like me, he''s a cultured sura."


    Gaoyuan sighed. "I''ve had a chef specifically brew this wine tomemorate his passing. Have a taste and see if you like it¡ªif you do, I''m nning on spreading it far and wide across the surands."


    Gaoyuan poured a cup of white-colored wine for everyone, then raised his cup high into the air. "To our fifth and seventh brothers."


    The sura kings consumed the wine and began to frown. Only Gaoyuan sipped at it slowly, as though trying to savor each drop. Fenghe ced the cup down and smiled wryly.


    Shouta asked, "Why does this wine taste strange?"


    Moyan shook his head. "I don''t like the vor."


    Niutou''s frown cut across his head. "There''s something familiar but foreign about this taste. I don''t like it."


    Suiyue turned to him. "Is that so? I like the taste myself, but I don''t think it''s aged enough. Do you have any vintages of this kind?"


    Gaoyuan shook his head. "This is a novel brew."


    "In that case, let me order a thousand casks of this wine, aged for at least ten years, in advance!"


    Gaoyuan nodded. "As many as you want. Once it''s ready, I''ll contact you."


    Shicang turned to Fenghe and asked curiously, "Why haven''t you had a taste?"


    Fenghe smiled back at him kindly. "Have you all considered what our youngest brother might brew wine with?"


    The kings all around the table froze.


    Shouta, Moyan, and Niutou''s cups smashed against the ground with three identical clinks.


    Hoping against hope, Shouta forced back his fear as he asked, "Ninth brother, how did you brew this wine?"


    "With the best ingredients, of course."


    "Which are...?"


    "The testicles of 99 different species."


    Shouta, Moyan, and Niutou''s eyes all widened as they tried to retch up the wine they had swallowed.


    Gaoyuan continued, "My chef''s currently working on an even more high-quality brew, involving the testicles of 999 different species. Shall I send you all aplimentary cask when it''s ready?"


    Suiyue pped his hands. "That would be great!"


    Shouta grimaced as he called out, "Ninth brother, what have we done to you to deserve this?"


    Moyan added, "Why have us consume such poisoned wine? We''re brothers, aren''t we? We can sort everything out with a pleasant conversation instead!"

 Chapter 449: Monarch of Stars

    <h4>Chapter 449: Monarch of Stars</h4>


    Niutou pursed his mouth. "What toxic wine! I''ve never had anything worse!"


    "This sort of poison, this¡ªI can''t bear it anymore!"


    The three sura kings whose faces had been turning green after Gaoyuan''s revtion suddenly became to vomit at once.


    Gaoyuan twisted his head. "What are they doing?"


    Suiyue shrugged. "Who knows."


    Fenghe pped vigorously. "Amazing! No one has ever managed to take down three sura kings in one sitting. Ninth brother, congrattions¡ªyour aplishment won''t be replicated for a millennium, I''m sure of it!"


    Shicang, who likewise hadn''t drunk the proffered wine, asked, "From today onwards, can I call you a master poisoner?"


    Gaoyuan finally understood what they were insinuating. "What? But this is a top-quality brew! Do any of you truly understand brewing?"


    Shouta''s face was pale. "Top quality?! Leave it for yourself, then!"


    Niutou sighed. "And to think they call me perverted! Compared to you, I''m hardly worth mentioning."


    Moyan sighed as well. "I feel much the same way. Compared to those who have fallen to true perversion, I''m hardly anything."


    Gaoyuan shouted, "I''m just a culinary connoisseur, someone who aspires to the acme of food!"


    "A poison connoisseur, perhaps?" everyone replied simultaneously.


    "A testicle connoisseur!"


    Fenghe palmed his face. "To have ordered all the men in your kingdom be castrated¡ªI had thought you nothing more than a fanatic like our fifth brother, but I''ve really underestimated you."


    Moyan concurred. "You''re more perverted than any of us here, and I think all of us agree on this point. If anyone ever tries to call me out on my fetish, I''ll mention that yours is worse."


    The other sura kings nodded.


    Gaoyuan shook his head. "No, no! You''re my fourth brother¡ªhow could you be so modest? I''m sure you''re far more perverted than I am."


    Moyan shook his head quickly. "No, surely not. You might be my younger brother, but you''re far more perverted than I am. You''re a stain on my honor, I say!"


    Shouta nodded and gave Gaoyuan a thumbs up. "Fourth brother is right. You''re the most perverted among us, we''ll all grant you that!"


    From the three brothers'' expressions alone, ignoring their actual dialogue, one would almost think that they were each demurring some honor politely.


    Gaoyuan shook his head. "Fourth brother, you''ve extracted the eyes of countless humans. Please have more confidence in yourself."


    Moyan countered, "Ninth brother, you''re a connoisseur of testicles. Isn''t that fact enough to have you be considered the most perverted among us?"


    "I''ve told you already, I''m just a gourmand! Surely I''m far less vicious or brutal than our eldest brother? He''s a butcher, through and through! All of usbined would have a lower kill count than him."


    Shouta folded his arms. "Nonsense! The necrophile surely has killed more humans. His entire kingdom''s full of corpses."


    Shicang''s brows furrowed. "Don''t drag me into this."


    Shouta rolled his eyes at him. "As though you aren''t a pervert in your own right!"


    "I''m a collector, only that."


    Shouta shrugged. "I doubt I''ve killed as many people as you''ve collected."


    Shicang shook his head. "Is someone perverted just for killing people? Look at Niutou¡ªhe''s never killed anyone except on the battlefield, but we consider him crazier than a pervert."


    Moyan nodded. "And our eighth brother as well¡ªhe''s barely killed anyone, but they fear him more than they do us."


    It was Niutou''s turn to frown. "What? Who''s calling me crazier than a pervert?"


    Suiyue looked aggrieved. "I''m just a gerontophile! What''s wrong with that?!"


    Niutou rolled his eyes. "Even an ordinary gerontophile would be disgusted by you."


    Fenghe tried to pacify all the sura kings. "Brothers, let''s not fight over these things. What''s wrong with a little perversion between men? Surely you wouldn''t want Father to see us fighting."


    Everyone shouted, "Shut up, you mad scientist!"


    "What? What''s wrong with my passion for science, for biology?"


    None of the sura outside the pce could have imagined that the seven sura kings, potential candidates to be the future monarch of stars, were squabbling with each other like little children.


    Just as the situation looked to be spiraling out of control, a red-robed elder walked in and asked, "What are all of you discussing?"


    Everyone quieted down and returned to their seats. Shouta asked, "Why are you here, elder? Where''s Father?"


    The red-robed sura was an elder of the empire of stars. He slowly replied, "His majesty had something that required his attention, so he dispatched me to supervise the meeting for the moment to prevent any infighting."


    Clearly, the monarch of stars had anticipated such a fight urring.


    The elder sat down by the center of the table. "You''ve all received the missives, haven''t you?"


    Shouta countered, "Elder, if we hadn''t, how would we have known to gather here?"


    The elder nodded. "Very good. In that case, what do you think of the information presented in the missive?"


    Shouta shook his head. "To be honest, I''m very surprised that our fifth and seventh brothers were killed."


    Shicang added, "By a human, no less."


    Fenghe closed his eyes in contemtion. "It''s possible that it wasn''t in direct battle, as the missive alluded to."


    Moyan advised, "We should try to be cautious. Our enemy might be lurking in the background."


    Niutou suddenly raised his head. "What does Father think?"


    "My thoughts are simple: we''ll crush them with brute force."


    The monarch of stars pushed open the doors to the meeting room and marched in, his aura dwarfing that of anyone else''s in the room.


    The seven sura kings present were all leaders and rulers in their own right, but even their auras were magnitudes weaker than the monarch of stars''.


    "Long time no see, godsons!"


    "Godfather!"


    As soon as the monarch of stars emerged, the seven perverted sura kings immediately began acting like the paragons of virtue, and the monarch gave them all a big hug.


    He instructed them seriously, "No matter who it was that killed your fifth and seventh brothers, we''ll make them pay. We''ll strike quickly and lethally, as fast as possible. This matter concerns not just my reputation, but also the reputation of the entire empire of stars. We must make it known that you godsons aren''t to be touched."

 Chapter 450: Attack of the Seven Sons

    <h4>Chapter 450: Attack of the Seven Sons</h4>


    The sura elder added, "Indeed, if others were to find out that the monarch of stars didn''t seek revenge for the death of his godsons, the reputation that the empire of stars received by defeating three other empires in one fell swoop will be erasedpletely."


    The monarch of stars nodded. "No one will respect me, and no one will respect you."


    The seven sura kings'' faces turned serious.


    The monarch of stars was right. The death of their fifth and seventh brothers was something that should have concerned them as much as their godfather.


    Regardless of who the culprit behind their murders was, that culprit had to die.


    Fenghe asked, "If this was a ploy by other empires to destroy the reputation of the empire of stars, what should we do?"


    The monarch of stars replied, "Defeat them, of course! If you can''t defeat them, I''ll do so myself. No matter what, the culprit will pay for this crime.


    The empire of stars has had a big victory recently, and anyone who''s trying to suppress our might is only courting death. I''ll back all of you up¡ªfind that culprit and kill him."


    "Godfather, with your assurance, we can certainly rx."


    Fenghe suspected that the deaths of his brothers could be due to other sura empires who wanted to prevent the ascendancy of the empire of stars. The empire of stars had defeated an alliance of three empires and demonstrated itself to be the strongest of the sura empires.


    .


    Moyan asked, "What if we find some evidence, but the sura empires refuse to admit what they''ve done?"


    The monarch of stars mmed a palm on the table. "For killing my godsons, if you find even one shred of actionable evidence, I''ll lead a charge against them myself!"


    The seven sura kings smiled in relief. With the monarch of stars backing them up, they would have nothing to fear.


    "However, I can''t provide you with any support. You''ll have to rely on yourselves." The monarch of stars sighed. "My enemies are lurking in the dark. I don''t know who they are, nor what power they possess. I have to remain in the empire of stars in order to react instantly to an attack or another."


    The sura kings nodded, finding the monarch''s exnation reasonable. If the monarch of stars himself were to lead the charge against another sura empire, he would be leaving his empire undefended and open to attack.


    The empire of stars could not strike, or it would leave itself undefended.


    Shouta pped his hands and smiled. "In that case, we''ll have to take the lead. We won''t disappoint you, Godfather¡ªif we can''t aplish even this task, we aren''t fit to be your godsons! I can handle this small city of humans, this Renhuang, myself."


    He rubbed his hands in glee, unable to hide his anticipation to sh against the humans.


    Shicang smiled. "Don''t be too overconfident."


    Everyone began tough¡ªit was a joke, and interpreted as such.


    As the monarch of stars began nning for the attack, the seven sura kings watched on with excitement.


    Fenghe smiled maliciously. "It''s been a long time since I''ve let out some of my older creations in the dungeon, and they''re craving some fresh human blood."


    Moyan was equally excited. "I wonder what beautiful eyes I''ll be able to obtain? Apparently, humans have eyes of all colors."


    Gaoyuanughed. "I heard there were quite a number of alien races in Renhuang, so I can probably collect a number of interesting testicles."


    Shicang added, "My troops need to be replenished as well."


    Shouta cried out, "Hey, all the heads of the citizens of Renhuang are mine! You can''t snatch them!"


    The monarch of stars palmed his face. "All of you¡ªmy goodness, just who do all of you take after?!"


    "You, of course," Fenghe replied smoothly.


    They all knew that the monarch of stars was known as the beast king before his ascendance.


    In his youth, he enjoyed having sex with the gic lifeforms that roamed the second realm. He wandered the extremities of the realm for quite a long period of time, starting with regr lifeforms and subsequently moving on to mutated-, superior-, and finally peak-grade lifeforms.


    Whenever he saw a lifeform he hadn''t yet encountered before, he would pounce on it, defeat it, and have sex with it right then and there.


    Because of his special... hobbies... he was always battling with these lifeforms, and his strength grew rapidly as a result. His unusual behavior was also what earned him the name ''beast king''.


    Sometimes, the monarch of stars got tired of these beasts and set his sights on members of alien races instead. One estimate suggested that the beast king had had sex with over half the species in the second realm, and he grew so notorious that even gic lifeforms would flee from his sight.


    When the beast king built his own city, he named himself the king of stars. Because of his strength, his city quickly grew into an empire.


    When their ns were finished, the monarch of stars dismissed the seven sura kings, who made their way out of the empire. The content of the meeting quickly made its way through the entire empire of stars under the auspices of the monarch of stars.


    The monarch and the elders made it widely known that they were nning to attack Renhuang because, from their perspective, their target wasn''t Renhuang itself, but rather the forces that were supporting it from the background.


    Most humans wouldn''t have any ess to news from the sura empires, but certain races in the second realm did¡ªfor example, the wood spirits. A sura walked out of the empire of stars and morphed into a member of a race that bore a surprising simrity to the wood spirits.


    He beckoned toward a bird and strung a note to its ws. "Tell the wood spirits that the seven sura kings of the monarch of stars will attack Renhuang."


    At that moment, Zhang Lie was unaware of the sura response to his sacking of Xuechi. He was traveling through a mountain range with the members of Team Zenith as he searched for his next target.


    There had been nothing pressingtely, so it was an excellent time to finish acquiring the rest of the gene fragments that he needed.


    "How about this, Captain? ording to the diary of the old king of Xuechi, there are three peak-grade lifeforms that live within this cave, respectively with an ice, thunder, and a wind attunement! If we can finish them all off, we''ll be able to get thirty peak gene fragments at once. However, I''m not certain we''ll be able to handle three such lifeforms at the same time."


    "It won''t be a problem. Let''s attack!"


    As a result, the first people who found out about the impending invasion of Renhuang were those who frequently browsed the hunters'' forums and saw the newest thread that had been created.

 Chapter 451: Mob Psychology

    <h4>Chapter 451: Mob Psychology</h4>


    "What has Zhang Lie done? He''s mobilized seven sura kingdoms against him¡ªthey''re going to attack Renhuang simultaneously!"


    "Serves him right! Hero, champion of mankind¡ªha, as if! I''ve disliked him for quite a while, and this will be the end of his charade!"


    There were quite a number of hunters who felt that Zhang Lie was too arrogant, too prideful, and uncaring of others'' concerns.


    "You''reughing at humans being attacked by the sura? Are you truly from the Milky Way, or are you a spy from somewhere farther out?"


    "Why can''t Iugh at him? He''s monopolizing his theory of limit fragments instead of bettering the whole of humanity with it!"


    "Right, shouldn''t that technology go to the world federation? How is it reasonable that Zhang Lie''s monopolizing it for himself?"


    "How can the world federation let him do that? Is it going to keep bowing down to his whims?"


    "It''s his own discovery, and he can do whatever he wants with it!" someone else retorted. "Of course he''s able to do with it as he wills."


    "Is it true that the sura are nning to attack Renhuang?"


    "Of course it is! A group of sura troops passed by the city where I''m at. We caught one and learned that they were nning on destroying Renhuang whole!"


    "Just what did Zhang Lie do to cause such a big hubbub?"


    "What, you don''t think he''s done enough to merit this?"


    "Right, Zhang Lie destroyed two sura kingdoms on his own! It''s natural that the sura would want to take revenge on him."


    "Zhang Lie''s done for! How could he defend against a seven-kingdom coalition?"


    "All this was brought about by his arrogance. There are quite a number of forces that could destroy these sura kingdoms if they wanted to, but why haven''t they done so? It''s because the sura kingdoms are like a ho''s nest. If you poke at one, you''ll soon summon the others."


    "Oh? Before Zhang Lie, who else was there who could destroy a sura kingdom? ?Give me an example, why don''t you?"


    "Ha, you idiot! So what if you can destroy a sura kingdom? Don''t you know how many such kingdoms there are in the second realm? Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands! He might be able to deal with one sura kingdom, but how about two or three? And if he still can, four, five, six, seven? This is why no one has been able to resolve the sura threat until now. Zhang Lie''s going to be a textbook example to reaffirm this point!"


    The majority of the hunters thought that Zhang Lie was dead meat, but that didn''t stop a small minority from supporting him at any cost.


    "My father was rescued from imprisonment by Zhang Lie. As a fellow human, I want to help him out."


    "The sura captured me and kept me in captivity for over a decade. I led a hellish life, and it was the hero Zhang Lie who saved me from my imprisonment. It was he who gave me the chance to sense daylight once more! I hadn''t intended on returning to the second realm ever again, but I can''t stand around when my savior''s in danger. Who''s going to join me?!"


    "Are you crazy? Someone like you, who''s been imprisoned for over a decade, won''t even be good cannon fodder!"


    "Be that as it may, I''ll stake my life on this if I have to!"


    "I''m another hunter who was rescued by Zhang Lie. I intend on returning to the second realm and fighting together with my savior. I might die on the battlefield, but I''ll still do it¡ª he rescued me, and this is a life debt I have to pay. No one will be able to stop me!"


    Countless prisoners that Zhang Lie had rescued, regardless of nationality, of origin, and race, announced that they would return to the second realm to fight on their behalf.


    However, others were frustrated by the magnitude of the response in favor of sending aid to Zhang Lie¡ªlike Amurong.


    After destroying his second sura kingdom, Zhang Lie''s poprity in the world federation soared; his name could be heard in just about every conversation. Some even said that Zhang Lie was the face of the world federation, that any who dared to go against him was daring to go against the entire world.


    Even more shockingly, no one countered that sort of statement. Perhaps if Zhang Lie were to announce a bid for presidency of the world federation, these hunters would support him.


    Amurong hurriedly sent word to his supporters. This time, Zhang Lie had to die¡ªand he had to die a terrible death, not a martyr''s death. Amurong would tell the world that Zhang Lie died of folly of his own making.


    Another thread was posted on the hunters'' forums.


    "Are you all crazy? Why would you volunteer on a death trap? Do you want to die with Zhang Lie?"


    "Zhang Lie saved our lives and freed us from an interminable hell. That''s why I''m willing to give up my life for him."


    "Think carefully. Your opponents are the sura¡ªdo you want to be prisoners again?"


    The hunters were silent. To them, death wasn''t something they feared¡ªbing the sura''s prisoner again would be a fate worse than death.


    "Furthermore, Zhang Lie destroyed the two sura kingdoms just to pige and plunder them, not for the good of the world federation. You don''t have an understanding of Zhang Lie''s city, do you? Only three thousand of the citizens are humans; the rest are members of alien races! It might be that Zhang Lie''s already being controlled by some other race!"


    "No, that''s wrong! The governor has always stood by us humans, and he''s never been controlled or suborned! Don''t spout nonsense¡ªthese alien races were all brought to the city by force orpulsion, and they''ve submitted to Governor Zhang."


    "Have you considered why they''re willing to submit to him? Isn''t it possible that Zhang Lie might be half-alien, half-human?"


    Everyone was shocked by this suggestion. Most of the volunteers were humans; if Zhang Lie wasn''t fully human himself, they might very well change their minds.


    These naysayers thought that their baseless ims would be able to turn public sentiment against Zhang Lie, but they didn''t realize how Zhang Lie''s actions spoke for themselves.


    "That''s a baseless usation, but even if it were true, so what? Can''t a half-human stand alongside humans?


    "Don''t you remember what Zhang Lie did? He defended against the sura incursion in Qi not once, but twice! In order to resolve the conflict once and for all, he counterinvaded sura territory and captured the capital of the invading kingdoms! How many humans could im to have aplished such a feat? And what did the humans of Qi do? They expelled him!"


    "Right, no matter who or what Zhang Lie is, we''ll help him defend against the sura forces!"


    "We''re doing this out of gratitude, and it doesn''t matter whether Zhang Lie''s a human or not!"


    "Perhaps I might regret my decision, but I''d rather regret my decisions in a sura dungeon than die of old age in a sickbed regretting not having done anything today!"

 Chapter 452: Topping Up Gene Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 452: Topping Up Gene Fragments</h4>


    Zhang Lie didn''t know of the contentious debate surrounding the impending invasion; he was still hunting down peak-grade lifeforms with the rest of Team Zenith.


    Within the cave, Sun Mengmeng nced at the diary in her hands. "Within the cave are three peak-grade lifeforms, a frostward wolf, thundershine lion, and windwrath tiger. These three lifeforms are extremely intelligent. Not only do they not fight with each other, they even counter each other''s deficiencies. Any intruder will have to deal with the three of them simultaneously, so no one has dared fight with them to date."


    The cave was cold and damp, and gusts of wind blew into their faces. Thunder seemed to crackle in the distance. The cave was filled with tunnels, and it was impossible to identify in which direction to proceed.


    Zhang Lie twisted his head and asked Sun Mengmeng, "Do you know the route?""


    She shook her head. "It''s not recorded in the diary."


    "Let me see, then." Zhang Lie''s eyes morphed into a dragon''s pupils as he activated his peak-grade dragonsoul soulshard.


    Amidst the pale blue glow that suffused his vision, Zhang Lie found three souls, as bright as antern in the night. One was covered in frost, another in lightning, and the other in wind. It was straightforward to determine which was which.


    "Follow me." Zhang Lie took the lead.


    "You know the path, Captain?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "Roughly."


    As Zhang Lie beckoned them forward, they found the number of bones littered along the path starting to increase. The souls felt closer and closer. Zhang Lie whispered, "I''ll attack directly. Remain in stealth, all of you! Rock spirit, stand still by the wall and be prepared to intercept the other two peak-grade lifeforms rushing in. You''ll take care of one, and the members of Team Zenith of the other."


    Everyone nodded.


    "You just need to hold on for a moment or two. I''m confident that I''ll be able to take one down quickly." A sword materialized in Zhang Lie''s hand as he pped his wings and dashed forward. The moment he approached, the lifeforms reacted.


    Zhang Lie''s first target was the peak-grade thundershine lion.


    It was resting in itsir. Its fur was a glossy dark purple, and two antlers grew out of its head. Lightning crackled between them.


    Upon noticing Zhang Lie''s arrival, the lion stood up and roared. A beam of lightning shot out of its mouth, filling the air with the tang of ozone. Zhang Lie dodged to the side. A sliver of lightning brushed against his skin, sending a prickling sensation up his body.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground. They began to resonate as one, emanating ripples and forming an absolute domain over all things within.


    Under the influence of the warped space, the thundershine lion found itself incapable of controlling its lightning.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie smashed his fist down on the lion''s brain, causing space to warp in its vicinity. A bright sh of gic energy exploded on impact, causing the lion to bleed from all its orifices.


    Behind them ignited another furious battle. Wind raged around them; a wolf howled as a tiger roared. Zhang Lie immediately used his trump card before the lion could retaliate.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie as four runic tablets crashed down around the lion, forming a ck formation around him.


    Zhang Lie punched the lion with both his fists, sending ripples of energy crashing against its head. The defenseless lion bled, bled, and bled some more. Even before its skull cracked, its brain turned to mush. Its eyes rolled back in its head as part of its skull caved in.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade thundershine lion. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade thundershine lion, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie turned around immediately after vanquishing his foe. When he saw Team Zenith''s performance, he was rather impressed.


    The members of Team Zenith and the leader of the rock spirits working together were actually able to suppress both peak-grade lifeforms.


    The peak-grade frostward wolf''s fur was covered in ayer of icy armor, whereas the windwrath tiger was surrounded by a barrier of wind. Both the lifeforms were being suppressed by what seemed like an endless chain of attacks from the members of Team Zenith, a barrage so intense that they weren''t able to use any of their abilities at all.


    Zhang Lie was astounded by the strength that the members of Team Zenith were demonstrating.


    Yang Ze made the familiar motions of [The Boundless de], causing sword energy to envelope him and disperse his barrier of wind.


    Li Feng used [Dragon''s Triumph], the greatsword in his hands emitting such blinding light that neither lifeform could open their eyes. The light morphed into a white dragon which knocked the frostward wolf aside, forcing it against a wall. Its icy armor shattered.


    Fang Yi struck at the dazed wolf with his signature [Heaven''s Judgment], piercing its body and causing fresh blood to leak from the wound.


    The peak-grade windwrath tiger tried to rescue itspanion, but Sun Xiaowu blocked its path with his body. His polearm turned a shining gold as he shed at it with [Golden Divide].


    With [Wind''s Spirit] propelling himself forward, Fang Yi gripped his spear tightly to stabilize himself and broke the frostward wolf''s neck with a kick.


    As it witnessed itspanion''s death, the windwrath tiger roared in rage. A huge cyclone descended around its body. Sun Mengmeng shot a fiery arrow into the center of the cyclone, causing it to explode upon impact with the tiger''s body.


    "[Storm of Leaves]!" Zhou Ying rushed forward, using her shortsword to slice at the tiger''s body. The tiger tried to w at it, but Zhou Ying darted back agilely. The tiger discovered that the wound was slowly corroding its body.


    Hong Xi struck with a [Fists of the Silent Sea], a direct hit on its nose, causing it to stumble backward in a daze and begin to bleed.


    Sun Mengmeng fired her second arrow, which morphed into a firebird that exploded upon striking the tiger''s head, quickly followed by a third, a fourth, and a fifth. The tiger''s head was charred and smoking by the time it fell to the floor.


    Zhang Lie pped his hands. "Well done, well done! You''ve all grown to an impressive extent."


    Zhang Lie''s praise made the members of Team Zenith all jubnt.


    Sun Mengmeng and Fang Yi made to hand over the soulshards they had obtained from the kill, but Zhang Lie refused them. He sighed at their luck¡ªhe''d gone over a dozen peak-grade lifeforms without anything, but they were two for two! "This is your kill, and the soulshard belongs to you."

 Chapter 453: Taking the Lead

    <h4>Chapter 453: Taking the Lead</h4>


    Just as Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were traveling all around in search of more peak gene fragments, the seven-kingdom sura coalition had set off in earnest from seven different directions toward Renhuang.


    A battle between the sura and humans, never before seen in history, was about to begin. There had never been an enemy force, let alone a human force, that warranted such attention. Most shockingly, the seven kingdoms'' target was a single human city.


    Everyone, human and alien alike, was carefully following the uing assault.


    "What?" The sura are mobilizing seven kingdom''s forces to deal with an alien race? Who would warrant such a grand disy of strength?


    "Renhuang, you say? Surely they''re not rted to humans?"


    "What? Have the humans grown so strong that the sura need to mobilize seven kingdoms to take them down?!"


    The seven kingdoms'' troops were slowly heading toward Renhuang. After six days of travel, Shouta found himselfpletely drained of any energy.


    He shouted, "Elder, when are we going to arrive?"


    The elder called back, "Your highness, you''ve asked the same question eighteen times today already!"


    Shouta replied impatiently, "Well, answer me, then¡ªwhen are we going to arrive?"


    The elder replied, "We''re about six or seven days out. If it rains, we might take twice as long to get there."


    Shouta grrumbled, "Can''t we get the infantry to speed up?"


    The elder spread his hands. "This is the fastest sustainable speed for the troops. If you want to speed up even further, we''ll have to leave our supply lines behind."


    Shouta folded his arms. "Why is it taking so long?!"


    "Traveling with so many troops is bound to create a lot ofmotion. If we move too quickly, it''ll be easy to end up engaging inbat with the wild lifeforms all around. Better to avoid any needless confrontation," the elder advised.


    Shouta had never fought in a war; all he had ever done was raid enemies with a small, elite team. From this perspective, it was particrly impressive that he was nevertheless renowned as a ''battlefield butcher''.


    Shouta jumped up. "In that case, what if I head over to Renhuang with just a small group of elites, like I always do?"


    The elder shook his head in exasperation. "Surely you must be joking, your highness! If you run over to Renhuang, what are the rest of us to do? Furthermore, it''s very possible that Renhuang is backed by an opponent that even the monarch of stars has to be wary of. Please don''t be rash!"


    Unfortunately, Shouta refused to listen to reason. He patted the elder''s shoulder and announced, "Elder, I have an important task ahead of me. I''ll leavemand of the army to you!"


    "Your highness, please don''t make a fuss!"


    Shouta spread his arms. "This is what I''ve always done. Has there ever been a problem?"


    The elder vehemently shook his head. "No, no, you can''t! This isn''t a battle for you alone¡ª you''re expected to be working in tandem with your six brothers! If you don''t perform up to par, the monarch of stars will surely castigate you."


    Shouta replied seriously, "Elder, that''s where you''re mistaken. It''s precisely because we''re a seven-kingdom coalition that I have to be the vanguard."


    The elder still seemed rather wary. "Do you intend to test their strength before the frontal assault, then? That... that just might work! I can''t believe you''ve thought of such a strategy by yourself, your highness!"


    Shouta nodded sagely. "Exactly! You don''t know just how perverted the other kings are," Shouta recounted with a shudder. "When they learned that the monarch of stars was about to wage war, they were so excited saliva almost dripped out of their mouths.


    "Shicang cackled as he announced that he wanted to refill his necromantic army, Fenghe that he wanted to try out some of his creations in the battlefield, Moyan that he wanted to add some human eyes to his collection, Gaoyuan that he wanted to collect more races'' testicles, and Suiyue that he wanted to find some older human men!"


    Shouta mimicked the other kings'' words and actions. "If I arrivete, there won''t be any humans left for me¡ªthe six of them will take them all!"


    The elder''s mouth spasmed. "You''re over-exaggerating."?Don''t you think I know you well? You just want to ughter more humans so you can start building a tower of heads¡­


    "Elder, I''ll leave the rest here to you, then!" Shouta vanished like a wisp of smoke as the elder clutched his face.?Why do I have to do everything? Why did I want to be an elder to begin with?! Perhaps I should resign...


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith cooked the three peak-grade lifeforms in a stew and ate it all before heading to their next target, following the route they had outlined with the diary''s assistance.


    Zhang Lie stood back as he observed the members of Team Zenith and the leader of the rock spirits fight.


    In a sh, Zhou Ying had activated three different soulshards.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!" Two jade-green dragons darted out of her hands like two beams of light, trapping her peak-grade prey.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" An arrow shot out of the ming bow in Sun Mengmeng''s hands, transforming into a firebird as it shot toward the peak-grade lifeform, which vanished behind a curtain of mes.


    Fang Yi yelled, dashing forward with his spear in hand. Hurled forward by wind and storm, the spear seemed nigh unstoppable. As it struck, [Rondo of Wind and Storm] pierced the peak-grade lifeform''s head.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, augmenting his defense to such a magnitude that even the peak-grade dragon-type lifeform was unable to break through his armor.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng''s hands moved so quickly they were hardly visible, sending countless dragons of light flying out toward their prey.


    With their prey battered and bruised all over, Yang Ze struck the finishing blow with [The Boundless de].


    Along the way, they had already managed to hunt down seven or eight peak-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie''s peak gene fragments were maxed out, as were those of the members of Team Zenith and Hong Xi.

 Chapter 454: Ahead of the Pack

    <h4>Chapter 454: Ahead of the Pack</h4>


    In his office, Amurong continued to dictate all sorts of rumors that his underlings began to spread: Zhang Lie was half-alien, Zhang Lie was a member of the sura, Zhang Lie refused to hand over his research on the theory of limit fragments in order to control the entirety of the world federation...


    All sorts of rumors, no matter how ridiculous or how unbelievable, were sent out.


    Amurong could hardly wait for Zhang Lie to die. Only with his death would his theory of limit fragments finallynd in Amurong''s hands; otherwise, he would never be able to force it out of Zhang Lie.


    He had even wanted to forbid anyone within the world federation from volunteering to help Renhuang for a simple reason: because no one could defend against thebined forces of seven sura kingdoms.


    Rather than sacrifice arge number of seasoned hunters, why not save their strength? Renhuang only contained three thousand humans, after all, and it would hardly affect the world federation.


    On the other hand, the loss of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands or millions of hunters would be a far more significant loss. Wasn''t it natural to sacrifice the few for the many?


    He had almoste to blows with Martial Sage Hong Tianqi on this point during amittee meeting among the highest authorities of the world federation.


    Hong Tianqi wanted to summon reinforcements from the world federation, but Amurong was wholly opposed to the idea. In the end, Hong Tianqi had no choice but to announce a summons as a private individual rather than an authority of the world federation.


    When the meeting ended and Amurong''s closest ally gathered at his office, they asked, "What will you do? Ignoring the other races for now, the martial sage himself will be able to draw many reinforcements to his cause. I anticipate that the majority of Chinese hunters in the second realm will march to support Renhuang."


    Amurong sipped from a cup of tea unhurriedly, causing his ally to frown. "How can you be drinking tea at such a juncture? If Zhang Lie survives, our n will be for naught!"


    Amurong replied impassively, "Ignoring whether or not the humans'' aid will be sufficient to defend against the sura, it''s not even certain that Zhang Lie will be able to hold out until the reinforcements arrive."


    "I should hope so¡ªI don''t want to suffer another loss."


    Amurong smiled primly. "Don''t worry¡ªI have a n in mind."


    "A n?"


    "I''ve already set up my men in positions of power in countries other than China¡ªfor instance, three hundred bureaucrats in Qi are under my sway.


    With these people around, it''ll be easy for me to dy the reinforcements by a day or two. By the time the human reinforcements set off, they''ll be doomed."


    "Is that so? What''s your n?"


    "Once the humans set off, my people will announce their location to the sura and those alien races hostile to the humans. Don''t you remember when Zhang Lie fought off the Qi invaders? There are quite a few races whom he''s angered."


    Amurong began to cackle. "Renhuang will be the grave of mankind, and Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, who gathered human hunters to a doomed cause, shall be the scourge of humanity! Not only will he lose his reputation, but also his seat in the world federation¡ªand I shall remain in power!"


    His ally advised, "You''ll need a contingency n. Be more careful¡ªif this n were to fail, mankind''s reputation will only continue to rise, and the martial sage''s words will hold more authority in the world federation."


    Amurong shook his head. "They''re done for. Whether or not Zhang Lie can defend Renhuang, we''ll be poised to secure our power. How are your preparations going?"


    The other party smiled coldly. "Rest assured. My men are stationed within the Zenith Dojo, and once something happens to Zhang Lie, I''ll have them kidnap his sister."


    Amurong smirked. "Very good. Considering how deadly the hunter profession is, he''s surely left a will and an inheritance behind for her. It''s very likely that part of that inheritance is the recipe for brewing his limit-breaking potions¡ªor a clue to it, at the very least. As long as we can capture that girl, we''ll be able to secure Zhang Lie''s inheritance."


    If Zhang Lie were still alive, no one would dare to touch his family after seeing the example he had made of the Musi n. However, a dead Zhang Lie wasn''t something anyone would be afraid of.


    Twin cackles resounded within Amurong''s office.


    "So this is Renhuang? It doesn''t look like anything special."


    In just half a day, Shouta and his band of elite fighters had arrived in Renhuang.


    They walked into the nearby forest as they scouted Renhuang''s surroundings, but they had barely gone deep within when vines suddenly dropped down from the trees overhead to entangle them.


    Shouta reacted quickly, waving the de hitched around his shoulder and cutting apart the trees in a radius of five hundred meters around him.


    "How curious," he murmured.


    Only the stumps remained, but the wood spirits'' vitality was so strong that the stumps began to regrow near-instantaneously.


    Shouta frowned, then swung his de again, destroying stump after stump.


    The wood spirits hidden within these stumps were so scared that they began flying out into the air, and Shouta struck them down one after another. The blood-colored edge of his de began to glow, as though it hade alive.


    A band of hunters stood atop the city walls. Their leader was Su Hong. Upon seeing the sura king and his ilk, he shouted, "Another sura king? What are all of you doing here?"


    Shouta didn''t deign to respond. His executioner''s de swung down from above, and Su Hong and the others dodged instinctively. The de left a huge crack on the city walls.


    Shouta swung his de once more as the hunters shielded their heads and ducked down.


    The top of the watchtower beside them began to slide down, then crashed into the moat outside the city walls¡ªShouta''s de had sliced it cleanly off.


    The hunters recoiled in shock. Had they been even a little slower, their heads would have been chopped off by now.


    Shouta shouted, "Which of you killed my fifth and seventh brothers?"


    "Who are they?"


    "Ah, I forgot to mention them... They''re two sura, one of which likes to have sex with human males and the other of which bathes in human blood."


    Su Hong didn''t know about thetter sura, but there was, to his knowledge, only one sura known for his proclivity toward human males. Every hunter from Qi knew of him.

 Chapter 455: Courageous, At Least

    <h4>Chapter 455: Courageous, At Least</h4>


    The person who killed the sura king who liked human males, and who had tried to invade Qi¡ªthat had to be Zhang Lie!?Su Hong thought for a moment before replying, "I''m not sure what you''re talking about. Neither of these sura are familiar to me."


    .


    "Is that so?" Shouta didn''t seem to care. "Well, forget it. I came over here to ughter people, so if I just kill everyone in this city, I''m sure I''ll get the culprit. Aren''t I smart?"


    Upon sensing the sura king''s hostility, Su Hong shouted, "We have to fight, now! Against an enemy of this caliber, the city walls are meaningless!"


    Shouta waved his sword once more, slicing off another part of the wall.


    The rock giants charged forward, but they were easily beheaded with a clean sweep. Nevertheless, they continued surging onward despite the loss of their heads.


    Shouta''s eyes gleamed. "Very interesting¡ªyou can live on even without your heads?"


    With another deft swing of his sword, he chopped off their four limbs to see if they could continue living even after that. He was about to strike again, but his next blow was interrupted with a hail of arrows. Shouta tsked as he looked up and swept away the arrows with another wave of his sword.


    "As bothersome as flies." He punctuated hisment with another strike, causing Su Hong''s eyes to widen as he shouted, "Dodge! Everyone, stay down!"


    Shouta sent strike after strike flying toward the city walls and the soldiers above. The crag eagles tried to swoop down on the sura forces, but Shouta easily took them down. The difference in their strength was massive, and their attacks were simply useless against him.


    Su Hong knew that they had no chance of dying the sura incursion.


    Just then, a tree so tall it almost seemed to be reaching the clouds unrooted itself from the ground and began walking over to Shouta.


    Shouta nced at it curiously. "How interesting. I''m d I beat everyone else here."


    The tree''s massive branches tried to swing toward Shouta, but he cut them off the trunk without even ncing at them. Nevertheless, the branches began growing back rapidly.


    "Interesting, very interesting!" With a smirk, Shouta continued slicing off the branches even more rapidly. Two slices stripped the tree of its branches, three scored a deep cut in its bark, and the fourth left a huge opening in the trunk.


    Just as the fifth strike was about tond, Su Hong shrieked, "Hold it!"


    The gigantic tree was the ancestral abode of the wood spirits. Cutting it apart would present a huge blow to their kind.


    Shouta ignored him. His sword shed downward, but before it couldplete the arc of its trajectory, a ck shadow shed by. Shouta kicked him aside without even turning around, causing him to fly away like a cannonball. He rolled on the ground a few times beforeing to a halt, and only then did Su Hong see that he was the Yeluo chieftain.


    With the two n leaders of the alien races defeated, it seemed as though Renhuang wouldn''tst until Zhang Lie''s return.


    Even so, Su Hong had to try his best to dy things further.


    He shouted loudly, "Didn''t you want to find the killer behind those two sura?"


    Shouta frowned. "Do you know who the killer is?"


    "It''s me!"


    Shouta struck with his de so quickly that Su Hong couldn''t react. By the time he came to his senses, he had toppled over. His head nced at his two feet, which had been neatly lopped off his body. "Don''t treat me like a fool. Someone like you could hardly have killed two sura kings."


    Su Hong roared, "Nonsense! I was the one who killed the sura king Xueju, who hung him on the city walls and let anyone humiliate him!"


    Shouta crushed Su Hong''s chest with a foot. "You might not be the sura kings'' killer, but you do seem to know something. Who''s manipting all this from behind the scenes?"


    Su Hong shouted again, "I''ve told you, it''s me! Kill me if you must, but the others in Renhuang are innocent!"


    Shouta shook his head. "You don''t seem to understand what I came here to do. You should realize that I''ve never let anyone go in the past¡ªI''m an equal-opportunity sculptor. Be you adult or child, elderly or matronly, I''ll chop off your head and build a tower out of it. Don''t you think me fair?"


    Su Hong cried out again, "If you''re willing to let the people in the city go, I''ll tell you everything!"


    "No. But if you tell me everything, I can consider sparing your life."


    "You have to let Renhuang go!"


    "I came precisely for the ughter. No matter what you do, Renhuang will perish¡ªand, I think, so will you. You''ve exhausted my patience." Shouta''s executioner''s de swung down toward Su Hong.


    Lit by the blood-red glow, Su Hong''s eyes were filled with despair and misery.


    In the end, he was unable to dy the sura invasion. By the time Zhang Lie returned, he would find that Renhuang, which he''d poured months of effort into, had been destroyed by a sura king.


    Just then, however, a ming arrow shot toward Shouta. Frowning, he cut it apart.


    "We fight for our own opportunities." A shadow had appeared before Su Hong out of nowhere. He clenched his shaking fists tightly, and the entire world seemed to shake.


    Shouta had no time tounch another blow; he had no choice but to defend. The fistnded on his de and pushed it back, sending the de smashing against his face. Such was the strength of the blow that Shouta began to bleed from all his orifices, and he was knocked flying.


    Upon seeing his savior, Su Hong''s eyes turned red. "Governor, you''re finally back! I''m sorry I''ve disappointed you!"


    "No, you''ve done very well. You can rest easily now¡ªI''ll make the sura pay for having harmed you. Sun Mengmeng, help Su Hong out. I''m going to take down these foolish invaders!"


    "Interesting, very interesting! Are you the culprit then? You must be the one who killed my fifth and seventh brothers."


    "Indeed¡ªand soon I''ll be your killer too!"


    Shouta rubbed his de andughed. "Ha, just you alone? I''m my godfather''s strongest son! None of the others are a match for me, and I''ve killed countless humans like you in the past. You won''t be a threat at all."


    Zhang Lie surveyed the mess that Shouta had made of his city and chuckled coldly. "I''llmend you for your courage, at least. Don''t think I''ll show you any mercy."

 Chapter 456: The Invincible Governor

    <h4>Chapter 456: The Invincible Governor</h4>


    "Oh?" Shouta eyed his opponent scornfully. "I''ll make you wish you were never born."


    Renhuang was the result of everyone''s hard work. Even when they raided Xuechi, few of the forces from Renhuang had been injured, and none were killed. This fellow had, however, caused the first casualties to the city.


    Zhang Lie taunted, "You really have an elevated opinion of your abilities, don''t you?"


    He clenched his fists tightly. Now that he had capped his peak gene fragments, he was curious about the extent of his strength, and this opponent seemed like he could put up something of a fight.


    "Let''s see, shall we?" Shouta shed down toward him, the edge of his de gleaming with a blood-red glow.


    Zhang Lie dodged to the side, ripples emanating from his fists and smashing apart the sword energy from Shouta''s strike. As though he were taking a leisurely stroll, Zhang Lie made to move toward Shouta.


    Shouta''s face turned serious; he found that he had underestimated Zhang Lie. His de moved so quickly that few would see it and even fewer would be able to react, but the moment he struck, Zhang Lie leapt up into the air. He easily dodged Shouta''s blow with another p of his wings, then darted toward him once more.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A punch, filled with boundless energy, so strong it seemed to warp space all around it, broke all the bones in Shouta''s chest. He was only able to remain standing thanks to his frightening constitution.


    With a murderous roar, he swung his de in a flurry, but Zhang Lie again dodged each strike with ease. With another punch, he struck Shouta in the face, causing it to cave in.


    "Looks like you''re nothing impressive without your de."


    Shouta clenched his face in pain, his eyes revealing shock and disbelief. How could a human be so strong? He was just a human, but Shouta found himself unable to counter him at all¡ªand Shouta was the best of the monarch of stars'' nine godchildren!


    Shouta was finally certain that the man in front of him was the killer of his fifth and seventh brothers, but the price of learning the truth might well be his life.


    "Die!" Regardless, despite knowing that he was no match for Zhang Lie, Shouta gritted his teeth, picked up his sword again, and rushed over.


    Unfortunately for him, Zhang Lie was far too overwhelming.


    He dodged Shouta''s de easily. Strong though it might be, it was nothing more than a weapon.


    Shouta seemed like a little child who was unable to use his de to its full potential. He had overwhelmed his past foes with dominating physical strength, so when faced with an opponent that was even stronger, hisck of finesse became a debilitating weakness. He either targeted the neck or the head, never any other part of the body, and it was trivial to see through his attack.


    The reason Su Hong and the others had fared so poorly against him was because of fear¡ªthe defenders had been so overwhelmed that they hadn''t taken the time to study their opponent closely.


    Given theircking physical strength, they also wouldn''t have had the ability to respond and counterattack even if they understood Shouta''s style of attack.


    Against Zhang Lie, however, Shouta was little more than a mobile punching bag.


    Shouta had realized this point too. Rather than attack Zhang Lie, his de was directed at the members of Team Zenith, who stood behind Zhang Lie; perhaps he sought to take advantage of any weakness that Zhang Lie would show when trying to rescue hisrades, but upon seeing the reactions of the members of Team Zenith, he felt as though he had to re-evaluate his understanding of all of mankind.


    [Mirrored Refraction]!


    [Daybreak]!


    [Floating Clouds]!


    [Blinding sh]!


    [Willow''s Caress]!


    [Tempest Dance]!


    [The Elusive Moon]!


    Each member of Team Zenith used a footwork technique to adroitly evade Shouta''s attack.


    Shouta was clearly taken aback. Zhang Lie might be strong, but why were all his teammates so strong too? When had the humans be so strong that they could easily evade his attacks?


    He was a sura king, the first son of the monarch of stars! How could he be incapable of dealing with any of the humans here?!


    In truth, he wasn''t to me. The members of Team Zenith were all incredibly strong hunters; after all, they had each finished capping their peak gene fragments. Most importantly, the hunters had all consumed Potion #3, and their strength was far beyond that of an ordinary human hunter. At this moment, they each had strengthparable to that of a sura king, or even beyond that of a sura king.


    "In the end, you only have a few tricks up your sleeve." Zhang Lie looked at Shouta and shook his head in disappointment. He had thought the sura king would be a worthy foe, but he was nothing more than a fool!


    He hadn''t even used a tenth of his full strength to take down Shouta.


    With a wave of his hand, he sent Shouta flying out, skidding for over a hundred meters over the ground before he came to a stop.


    It wasn''t that he was weak; on the other hand, Shouta was one of the strongest sura kings. However, Zhang Lie was so strong that he was on a different level entirely, and his victory shouldn''t have been a surprise.


    Seeing that Zhang Lie had taken revenge for him, Su Hong whooped in excitement. "Kill him, Governor, kill him!"


    Having watched the entire disy, the other hunters and Yeluo fighters nced at Zhang Lie with admiration in their eyes. "Victory to our governor! Renhuang will never fall!"


    "Victory to our governor! Renhuang will never fall!"


    "Victory to our governor! Renhuang will never fall!"


    Shouta''s face burned red with pain and shame. Perhaps intentionally or otherwise, Zhang Lie''s blows had all been directed at his face. He could have killed him with one blow, but none of his blows had been lethal. Suddenly, he thought back to what Zhang Lie had said.


    "I''ll make you regret being born..."


    Shouta''s eyes filled with fear as a talisman materialized in his palm. "Elites, kill everything in sight!"


    Shouta crushed the talisman, and a group of sura appeared before him. The chains fell off their bodies as their dazed expressions turned crazed. They screamed like beasts and pounced on any lifeform around them that they could see.


    Shouta began tough as he stood up. "Say goodbye to your Renhuang. These are my elite troops, and they''ll never stop until all their energy has been depleted! They''ll kill every hunter in sight, so you only have two options: either let me leave, or wait until they destroy all that you love and value."


    Shouta wasn''t a fool; knowing that he was no match for Zhang Le, he didn''t intend to fight to the death.


    "I''ll choose neither option!"


    Zhang Lie grabbed Shouta by the neck and shouted, "Let''s have a look at how your elite troops are faring, shall we?"


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying stomped on the ground, her feet seemingly bing rooted. The patch of ground beneath and all around her began to glow green, and hundreds of jade-green roots flew into the air, rushing forward into the distance.


    They each wrapped around one of Shouta''s so-called elites, trapping their movement.


    Shoutaughed coldly. "It''s useless."


    His elites were strong; despite the roots being resilient, they were slowly freeing themselves.


    "Allow me to assist you, Zhou Ying!" The shaman of the wood spirits flew gracefully toward her as their bodies melded together...

 Chapter 457: Nothing to Fear

    <h4>Chapter 457: Nothing to Fear</h4>


    The next moment, Zhou Ying''s body red with green light, ensconcing her fae avatar and resonating with the energy and life force of the shaman of the wood spirits.


    "I won''t let you destroy our Renhuang!"


    In the center of an outburst of green light, Zhou Ying''s hair rapidly grew so long it reached her leg, fluttering in an invisible wind. ?Countless jade-green leaves wrapped around her, and the vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend. She looked like a goddess of nature, descending from the heavens.


    Upon seeing her transformation, the wood spirits all subconsciously knelt down.


    Waves of purifying energy radiated from her, and the wounded hunters found, to their shock, their injuries healing on their own. Su Hong''s feet, which had been lopped off his body, were reattached whole without any external effort.


    The trees whose trunks had been chopped off were quickly growing back, and the wound dealt to the ancestral abode of the wood spirits was quickly recovering.


    Under ordinary circumstances, the critical wound would have taken a century or so to heal on its own; even with the wood spirits'' assistance, it would have taken three decades. After Zhou Ying and the shaman of the wood spirits merged, however, their ancestral abode was recovering so quickly the new growth was visible to the naked eye.


    Even Zhang Lie himself was surprised.


    Although he had suspected that the wood spirits would be able to magnify Zhou Ying''s abilities and had informed her of his suspicions, he had hardly expected her to have advanced so far.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Thousands of jade-green wood dragons rose out of the earth with a humongous quake, covering the sky with naught but their bodies and devouring Shouta''s elites whole with their gaping maws.


    The sound of breaking wood emanated from their bodies, but Shouta''s elites weren''t able to make their way out.


    As time passed, those sounds gradually grew fainter and fainter. Finally, out of the body of each dragon who had swallowed up one of the elite suras grew a wooden face, precisely that of the sura they had swallowed.


    Shouta trembled in fear upon seeing what had happened. It was as though a sword seemed to have been shoved down his throat. He gritted out, "How could this be? My forces won''t give up until they''ve sated their bloodlust!"


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonsoul soulshard and peered at the wood dragons carefully. "It looks as though your forces have been petrified at the gic level."


    In other words, their bodies had slowly turned to wood. It was fortunate that their souls were already iplete as a side effect of whatever process Shouta had used to make them into his elites; otherwise, they might have lived out the rest of their lives in endless darkness and fear.


    Suddenly, Zhou Ying stumbled and copsed, and the shaman of the wood spirits slowly floated out of her body. The transformation had taken a toll on both their mental reserves, and Sun Mengmeng hurriedly stepped forward to support her.


    Even after the shaman of the wood spirits extracted herself from Zhou Ying''s body, however, the wood dragons didn''t vanish. Branches began growing out of their bodies, which immediately sprouted.


    Thousands of trees that took on the shape of dragons had appeared almost out of nowhere, and they formed the basis of a majestic and almost overwhelming forest. If not for the fact that half the trees had a sura face ingrained in their bark, it would have be a haven of natural beauty.


    Those wounded hunters who had received a pulse of life-giving gic energy from Zhou Ying''s transformation slowly began to stir and recover, but the dead remained dead.


    The wood spirits all gathered around their shaman and Zhou Ying, their eyes filled with respect as they looked toward her, as though she had suddenly be a holy maiden of their n.


    The Yeluo chieftain rushed over, pushing aside the crowd. His eyes sparkled. Sun Mengmeng frowned as she stood protectively in front of Zhou Ying. "What do you want?"


    The Yeluo chieftain hesitated. "I want¡ª"


    Zhou Ying looked at him guardedly. "Chieftain, not only is there a significant difference in our age, we''re even members of different races. I don''t think¡ª"


    The Yeluo chieftain cut her off. "No, no, not that! I''d like a sample of blood from you and the shaman of the wood spirits."


    The shaman shook her head. "My body is half-spiritual, and I can''t afford to give up any of the little blood I possess, unfortunately."


    Zhou Ying asked, "What do you want my blood for, Chieftain?"


    "For experimentation, if possible."


    Zhou Ying smiled. "If that''s it, give the shaman and I some time to recover. Unfortunately, it''s not possible for us to bleed in that state, but I''d be happy to hand you a strand of hair or even a bit of our flesh.


    The moment she merged with the shaman of the wood spirits, any injuries she had sustained would heal immediately, no matter how serious.


    Still with Shouta''s neck gripped in his hand, Zhang Lie murmured, "It looks like your elite forces have all been taken down. What will you do now?"


    Shouta cried out, "Hold it! I''m telling you, my father is the monarch of stars¡ª"


    Zhang Lie pped him without holding back. "I''ve heard the same thing twice already, and I don''t want to hear it again."


    This was the first time Shouta had ever lost in a fight, and he didn''t know how to beg for mercy.


    "I told you I''d make you regret being born, didn''t I? I keep my promises. Do you know how Xueju died?"


    "You killed him?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No. I hung him up on the city walls and had people do whatever they wanted to him. It took him a few weeks to die, I hear."


    Shouta''s eyes widened.


    Zhang Lie called out, "Su Hong,e over here!"


    Su Hong, who had recovered fully, rushed over. "What''s the matter, Governor?"


    "Remember what we did to Xueju? Do the same to him."


    Over the next few days, Shouta would regret his actions direly¡ªhe would regret his rashness, the fact that he was born a sura, and finally, the fact that he was born at all.


    Su Hong turned to Zhang Lie. "Governor, this is one of the seven sura kings that are striking at Renhuang."


    "The seven sura kings? What do you mean?"


    "Please,e with me. There are a few people I think you should meet."


    Su Hong brought Zhang Lie toward a group of hunters whom Zhang Lie vaguely recalled had participated in the battle against Shouta.


    He frowned. "You''re not from Renhuang, are you? At the very least, I don''t remember your faces among the three thousand hunters who came to Renhuang with me."


    Although Zhang Lie''s memory wasn''t so good that he had perfect recall of the three thousand hunters, he was certain that none of these hunters were among them.


    Suddenly, the hunters in front of him knelt on the ground.


    "Thank you, our savior!"


    Zhang Lie frowned as he turned to Su Hong. "Just what''s going on?"


    Su Hong replied, "They were all rescued from imprisonment within the two sura capitals we seized. They came over to Renhuang in order to help us defend against the allied sura forces from the seven kingdoms!"


    To Zhang Lie, however, any number of sura could be easily dealt with, as long as they weren''t led by an asura. With the Yeluo around to concoct their sura-specific poison, he had nothing to fear!

 Chapter 458: A Failed Test

    <h4>Chapter 458: A Failed Test</h4>


    "You saved our lives, champion of mankind! Now that Renhuang''s facing a trial, we''d like to do what we can to help.


    "Martial Sage Hong Tianqi is trying to rally a group of hunters toe to your aid, but because of the time difference between the second realm and the real world, along with the active obstruction of the presiding member of the highest authorities of the world federation, he''s been having a hard time.


    "Each human city has begun amassing a group of forces to support you¡ªchampion of mankind, you won''t be facing the sura alone. All of China, all of mankind, stands behind you!"


    After Zhang Lie met with those who had once been prisoners in the sura capital, he headed out to see the citizens of Renhuang cleaning up the rubble that had resulted from the fight.


    With the rock spirits around, it was easy enough to patch up the walls of the city, but patching up the walls of their heart would be a different matter instead.


    Every race in the city had suffered significant losses. Although they had won in the end, no one seemed particrly happy about it.


    Zhang Lie suddenly said, "I don''t much like defensive battles. Whether or not we win or lose, there''s too much we have to patch up afterwards."


    "What do you n on doing, then, Governor?"


    "I''ll speak with the sura king Shouta."


    At the present moment, Shouta had been tied up firmly, and the citizens of Renhuang given free rein. Not only had he destroyed the city walls, he had even killed quite a few citizens within, rousing the ire of many of Renhuang''s citizens.


    His body was mutted beyondpare, scarred and defaced, and there was nothing he could do but grit his teeth and bear it all.


    A funnel was pierced through a gag in Shouta''s mouth so as to facilitate administering healing potions to him¡ªthey couldn''t have him dying so easily, after all.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie approach, Shouta began to writhe and squirm, making noises with his gag as though he had something to say.


    Su Hong ungagged him and Shouta shouted, "My brothers are going to descend on this city at any moment now, and thebined forces of the seven kingdoms will crush your city and ughter everyone within! If you want to save them, kneel down on the ground and beg me. I can still help you save them¡ª"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Gag him again. He''s too noisy."


    Su Hong did so. "How do you intend on carrying out the interrogation, Governor?"


    Zhang Lie pressed a hand against Shouta''s head, and his moonlight wyrm swam into Shouta''s mental space.


    The process was over in a matter of moments. After recalling the wyrm, Zhang Lie rubbed his head, whereas Shouta''s eyes went ck.


    "He''s strong, so he should be able to survive this ordeal. Give him a chance to recover¡ªdon''t keep torturing him right now. You wouldn''t want to kill him too quickly, after all."


    Those who had their souls consumed by the moonlight wyrm wouldn''t die instantly; they would live on as shells of their former self. Zhang Lie suspected that, given time, Shouta''s mind would recover.


    Zhang Lie strode off the city walls and told Su Hong, "Call Yu Huantian over."


    By the time Yu Huantian appeared, Zhang Lie had sketched out a map, which he passed to him. He instructed, "Bring some of your kin to scout these seven directions. Prioritize safety at all costs; report back the moment you see something."


    Yu Huantian asked, "Is this rted to the sura assault?"


    "Yes. Be careful!" Zhang Lie turned to Su Hong again. "Have the members of Team Zenith and the three n leaders to the pce. I have instructions for them all."


    "Yessir!"


    The Shouta kingdom''s elder was currently wondering where Shouta was.


    It had been quite some time after he had left, and he had sent no word back. Given his skills, he should have been able to deal with Renhuang in no time at all¡ªcould he be building one of his sculptures instead?


    Given his personality, the elder really could imagine him doing so. And by the time the other six sura kings made their way inside and saw his tower of heads that pierced the clouds, he''d ask them proudly, "What do you think of my creation?"


    The more the elder thought about it, the more he shuddered at what the other kings'' reactions would be. No, he''d better resign! Given how arrogant Shouta was, his other brothers might well band together against him, and he might be caught in the aftermath, too.


    Just as the elder was contemting leaving the army and delegating all his responsibilities to a subordinate, a scout suddenly rushed toward his quarters.


    "Elder, his highness Shicang has arrived!"


    The elder noticed that the sura scout seemed rather unmotivated, but that hardly mattered to him. He was nning on resigning, after all. He didn''t want to deal with being an elder of this sura kingdom any longer!


    "Please send his highness Shicang into the tent."


    When Shicang made his way over, the elder greeted him politely. "How may I help you, your highness?"


    Shicang''s words and demeanor were cold. "There are some things I want to do."


    "His highness Shouta has advanced ahead of our main forces, and he''s likely within Renhuang by now. Once the forces gather, your highness will be able to talk to him then."


    "The butcher''s dead."


    "What?!"


    "Shouta is dead."


    The elder frowned. "Your highness, pardon my temerity, but how can you be so confident in this extraordinary im?"


    "I left part of my presence on Shouta a few days ago when we were all gathered in the empire of stars. If his soul is dramatically weakened or entirely dissipated, I''ll be able to sense it¡ªand I did so a few moments ago. Even if the butcher isn''t dead, he''s just a few steps from death. If I''m not mistaken, he made his way to Renhuang with just his elites, and now he''s been caught in a trap!


    The elder hurriedly stood up. "In that case, we have to inform the other five kings immediately and rescue his highness at any cost!"


    "Have you considered why our opponent didn''t kill the butcher?"


    The elder stilled. "Do you mean to say that this might be a trap?"


    "It''s very possible."


    "Your highness Shicang, since you''ve made your way here, you must surely have a n?"


    "Indeed. The sessive deaths of three of my brothers demonstrates that our foe possesses considerable strength, and I''d like to get your assistance."


    "Anything we can do for the sura, for his highness!"


    "Oh, this is something all of you can do. It''s very simple, you see."


    "What is it?" the elder wondered. Something everyone was able to do, which would assist in rescuing Shouta?


    "Die!" Shicang snapped his fingers.


    The guards standing behind the elder suddenly grabbed his shoulders and pierced his body with their weapons, causing the elder to clutch his chest in pain as he forced them aside. "When did you defect to Shicang?!"


    Shicang shook his head. "They didn''t defect. They''re simply dead."


    Only then did the elder notice that the faces of his guards werepletely lifeless; their eyes were as vacant as those of a corpse¡ªno, they were the eyes of a corpse.


    "The deaths of my first, fifth, and seventh brothers makes it clear that this battle won''t be as easy as we thought. The backer behind this city of Renhuang must have some considerable amount of strength. I''ve been looking for an opportunity to improve my strength and amass more strength. Thankfully, the butcher is an idiot. As I predicted, he left his army behind in order to test the strength of Renhuang¡ªand his strength was found wanting."

 Chapter 459: The Nine Children of the Monarch of Stars

    <h4>Chapter 459: The Nine Children of the Monarch of Stars</h4>


    Shicang continued exining himself. "The butcher''s sudden death sent rm bells ringing in my head¡ªI needed to do something to strengthen myself, and absorbing his troops into mine isn''t a bad idea."


    The elder clutched his wound as he shouted, "Help! Help!"


    Shicang smiled. "There''s no need to try to call for help. Listen closely¡ªnone of them have the freedom to help you."


    To the elder''s shock and dismay, a hugemotion could be heard outside his tent as the sura troops fought against one another.


    Shicang continued, "While you were worrying about what had happened to your king, I killed and resurrected most of your troops as corpses."


    The elder shouted, "Don''t you think the monarch of stars will be informed of this?!"


    Shicang shrugged. "I''ll simply me it on the mastermind behind Renhuang. After you all be my forces, who would know the truth?"


    "Damn it!" The elder tried to run off, but he found that his arms and legs were immobile. As though he had be a puppet, they had lost all sensation.


    Shicang''s smile reached his eyes. "Do you know why I chose not to make a move on you immediately? Why I continued talking to you about my ns?"


    The elder''s eyes widened. He was about to say something when he found that his lips refused to open.


    "You should have noticed it earlier, really¡ªwhy did it take you so long to notice the shes from outside the tent when they were so loud? It''s because I''ve been controlling your sense of hearing for quite some time now. You simply haven''t noticed because of your anger. You want to know when I made my move, don''t you?"


    The elder did, but he couldn''t even nod in response.


    Shicang continued, "The moment I stepped into this tent, I used my own special techniques to corrupt your soul. Your attention was focused entirely on me, so you didn''t realize."


    The elder wondered why a sura king would have to expend so much effort to deal with a lowly elder like him.


    Shicang replied calmly, "I''m a cautious sura, and I prize certainty over all else."


    The elder would have raised his eyebrows if he could. How did Shicang know what he was thinking without his having spoken?


    "It''s because your soul''s under my control, so I can hear your mental thoughts as well. By the way, if you had tried to resist my influence, you could have escaped my control¡ªbut you were so curious about my answer that you''ve missed your opportunity. Well, this is it for you."


    The elder''s will slowly dissipated. In hisst moments, there was only one thought left in his mind: Why didn''t I quit sooner?!


    A huge ck bird hung in the sky above Shicang''s tent as it surveyed everything going on down below. Only when the fighting had settled did it fly off once more.


    Zhang Lie imed Shouta''s de from his body. It didn''t have a special name, but it did have a unique history and ability. It was a de once used by the monarch of stars himself, which hadter been presented as a gift to his first godson.


    The de was able to store the souls of the enemies it had killed and transmute those souls into enhanced power. The blood-red glow that the de had given off when it cut a chunk off the city walls was a manifestation of this power.


    There was, however, one downside to the de¡ªany who wielded it would be corrupted by the de and turn into a crazed fool whose only purpose in life was to ughter. The wielder''s intelligence would also decrease dramatically; the de''s corruption was much like a drug addiction.


    Zhang Lie could hardly use a de like this himself. He summoned Whitey, which curled around the de and sucked up the spiritual matter that had been stored within.


    The monarch of stars, and particrly Shouta, had done impressive work storing spiritual matter in the de, and all that spiritual matter was now going to Whitey.


    Whitey fattened up by a noticeable degree. All the souls he had sucked up in a battlefield or another had made him now over eight meters long, and he wrapped indolently around Zhang Lie''s body.


    Just then, the members of Team Zenith and the three n leaders headed in.


    "Governor, did you summon us all so urgently because of the sura forces?"


    "That''s right."


    The people in the room didn''t seem particrly surprised. After raiding a sura kingdom, it was only normal that the sura would retaliate.


    "Seven kingdoms areing at once."


    The members of Team Zenith reacted with dismay. One sura kingdom was easy enough to deal with, and even two wouldn''t be a big problem. Three would be a struggle, but one they could ovee, but four, five, six, seven?


    "What''s going on?"


    "The first sura kingdom we destroyed, Xuechi, and the second kingdom, Xueju, where we''re currently located, belong to an empire, the empire of stars. The monarch of that empire was extremely enraged to hear that Xuechi and Xueju had been destroyed, and he''s dispatching forces from his seven subordinate kingdoms to destroy Renhuang.


    The Yeluo chieftain asked, "Governor, what''s your n?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied seriously, "Captain, no matter what you decide, we''ll follow your orders!"


    Zhang Lie smiled as he saw everyone''s resolute expressions.


    "A defensive battle isn''t in our favor, and Renhuang can''t hold out against the bombardment of seven sets of sura troops. Even if we were to eke out a victory, Renhuang would be destroyed.


    This means that we have to strike preemptively before they can do so."


    Strike preemptively?! Everyone was taken aback by Zhang Lie''s bold deration, but despite their misgivings, they believed wholeheartedly in Zhang Lie.


    "We''ll always listen to you, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng promised.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We don''t have to rush things for the moment. Let Yu Huantian and his crag eagles scout the vicinity first¡ªonce we have the necessary information, we can decide on our battle strategy."


    Sun Mengmeng raised her hand. "I have information about eight sura kings. Could it be useful?"


    Li Feng nced at her in surprise. Eight sura kings? How?"


    "It was recorded in Xuechi''s diary."


    "Hold on¡ªwasn''t that supposed to be a diary for lifeforms to be hunted down?"


    Fang Yi suggested, "Perhaps in Xuechi''s eyes, his brothers were no different from gic lifeforms themselves..."


    Everyone turned silent.


    After a pregnant pause, Sun Mengmeng began anew. "The sura king had nine godsons, the first of whom was Shouta. He likes constructing towers made of the heads of his decapitated enemies, and his weapon is the de once used by the monarch of stars himself.


    "The second son is Shicang, of unknown heritage and background. He wears a ck robe at all times, and no one has seen his true appearance. It''s not even certain that he''s a sura himself. ording to Xuechi, this son received the monarch of stars'' knowledge about the soul. His main power is necromancy; he''s transformed his kingdom into a necropolis."


    Everyone sucked in a deep breath.


    "The third son is Fenghe, who received the monarch of stars'' inheritance about biological research on gic lifeforms. He enjoys splicing creatures together into monsters, and his main fighting force consists of those monsters."

 Chapter 460: The Battle Draws Near

    <h4>Chapter 460: The Battle Draws Near</h4>


    "Xuechi calls Fenghe a mad scientist, but Fenghe proims himself to be an artist and biologist."


    Zhang Lie listened quietly to Sun Mengmeng''s recounting of the nine sons as hemitted their racial characteristics to memory.


    "The sura king''s fourth son is Moyan, apparently an oculophile. He calls himself blind, but he has the special ability to make whatever he sees vanish from sight. The price to pay for that was the destruction of both his eyes. The reason he collects whatever eyes he can find is to use this special ability of his."


    Li Feng muttered, "The ability to make anything he sees vanish? How are we supposed to fight him?"


    Zhang Liemented, "This should be some dark-attuned technique or another."


    That was the basis behind his [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade], after all.


    "The fifth son is Xueju, and we''re all familiar with him by now. He obtained a special technique from the monarch of stars which lets him collect souls."


    Zhang Lie added, "It''s a very special technique¡ªhe kills people while they''re at the peak of some emotion or another. That outpouring of emotion transforms their spiritual matter, and he collects those mutated souls and stores them as a battery or backup reserve of power."


    Harvesting souls when they were experiencing intense emotion had the greatest efficiency; otherwise, only a small amount of spiritual power could be extracted under ordinary circumstances.


    These were words that the monarch of stars had imparted to Shouta. When Zhang Lie fought against Xueju, the red spider lilies that had dotted the battlefield had been manifestations of those souls.


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "The sixth son is Niutou, a mixed-blood cross between a sura and a minotaur. He calls himself a farmer; the monarch of stars gave him nothing extraordinary, only a title,nd, and the strength to keep his position. ording to Xuechi''s notes, he grows stronger as he bes more and more excited. The seventh son is Xuechi, but nothing is written about him."


    Zhang Lie suddenly said, "Xuechi''s known as the bloodsucker, and he refers to himself as a noble. He can ignite his blood to grant himself additional strength."


    No one was surprised to hear that Zhang Lie had this information; he had always been rather mysterious, and he had fought with Xuechi himself, after all.


    "The eighth son is Suiyue, a gerontophile. From the monarch of stars, he obtained a special technique¡ª[Passing of Time]. Apparently, quite a few sura had tried to cultivate the technique, but the only sessful example was Suiyue.


    "Those who sessfully cultivated the technique had it manifest in a different form each time. Suiyue''s manifestation allows him to reverse time¡ªif he''s badly wounded, he can use this technique to return to a time during which he wasn''t injured."


    "Doesn''t that make him invincible?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "It''s true that time-maniption techniques are exceedingly rare, but they always have a steep cost. I''m sure there''s some drawback that prevents him from activating it quickly in session.


    "Ever since Suiyue mastered [Passing of Time], the rate at which time affects his body has been lowered. Others might grow a year older with a year''s passing, but he would only grow a year older after a decade.


    Only by being in close proximity to ancient artifacts or ancient lifeforms will Suiyue''s passing of time return to normal."


    Hong Xi asked, "Isn''t it a good thing for time to pass more slowly?"


    "Not in conjunction with the side effects of him reversing time. Every time he uses that technique, his body might go back one to three years into the past¡ªand he''d lose all his cultivation during those years!"


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened. "He''s sacrificing his cultivation to restore his body!"


    Zhang Lie continued, "It''s more an artifact of him not mastering the techniquepletely. The monarch of stars has stated that, once he fully controls the technique, he''ll be able to keep his mind intact during such a reversal, allowing him to retain his experience from years in the future instead."


    He had gleaned this information from Shouta''s mind¡ªif Suiyue were to continue progressing as is, he would be able to be a true regressor, one who would grow more and more potent with time.


    Sun Mengmeng concluded, "The monarch of stars'' ninth and final godson is Gaoyuan."


    Everyone frowned upon hearing this name.


    "He proims himself to be a gourmet. From the monarch of stars, he learned a technique that even the monarch of stars had yet to perfect, and he even improved upon it. It stores vitality and energy between his legs, and he can transform that energy into lifeforce during a battle to recuperate quickly."


    By this time, the members of Team Zenith and the three n leaders had obtained a far better understanding of the nine godsons of the monarch of stars than before.


    Suddenly, Yu Huantian rushed into the meeting room. "Governor, something''s very wrong! My n and I went scouting in the directions you indicated, and there are six sura troops heading our way."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Six, not seven?"


    "There were originally seven, but two of the troops merged together. Some of my scouts were in the air at the time, and we saw some sort of internal dispute that led one troop to take over the other."


    "An internal dispute?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. He didn''t know whether to be worried or relieved¡ªthis was beyond his predictions, and any uncertainty was worrisome.


    "My scouts were afraid of detection and weren''t able to understand the situation more fully."


    "Tell me everything you know, quickly!"


    Yu Huantian reported, "From the west, fifty thousand troops moving at a sedate price, piging and raping everything along the way. They''ve killed all the females and imprisoned the males."


    Sun Xiaowu murmured, "Doesn''t that sound like something Xueju would do?"


    "But he''s dead." Fang Yi shook his head.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Which king do you suspect this is, then?"


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "Who can say? The nine sura kings all seem particrly perverted, and I could see any of them doing something like this."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Were there any special insignias that their troops disyed? An emblem of sorts?"


    "Two testicles."


    "In that case, it could very well be Gaoyuan," Zhang Lie concluded. "Keep going!"


    "From the northwest, a hundred thousand troops, at least half of which are old sura, so old they can hardly walk. They''re moving more slowly than a turtle."


    "In that case, that must be Suiyue!" Zhang Lie replied confidently.


    ording to Shouta, Suiyue had once proimed that sura were like wine: the longer they lived, the more they matured, and the more intoxicating they became. The sura fighters in his kingdom were given the option to retire when they reached old age, but many chose to stay on as a result of his words.


    This also meant that Suiyue''s forces were the weakest among all nine sura kingdoms.


    "From the north, eighty thousand forces including both sura and minotaurs."


    "Niutou, of course!" Everyone guessed the origin of these forces immediately.


    "From the northeast, an ordinary group of a hundred and twenty thousand sura, whose insignia is a ck eye."


    "Perhaps Moyan."


    Yu Huantian''s eyes then showed rare revulsion and fear. "From the east, a group of patchwork monsters, who hail from no alien race we know. They were particrly frightening and strong¡ªmy n was almost discovered without even getting close."


    "Fenghe''s army!"


    Yu Huantian continued, "From the southeast, forces so numerous we couldn''t count them¡ªover a million at the very least."


    Everyone sucked in a breath.


    Yu Huantian asked worriedly, "Can Renhuang really defend against sura forces numbering a million strong?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I don''t intend on defending against them. We''ll attack head-on."


    Yu Huantian gaped. "But they have a million sura!"


    "It might be a million now, but if we let them gather, there''ll be two million sura at our city walls. We''re still a small city, and we can''t defend against such numerous foes. Our only choice is to strike fast and bring the fight to them, rather than to let theme to us," Zhang Lie dered.


    Upon sensing Zhang Lie''s confidence, Yu Huantian calmed down, and the others were willing to believe that Zhang Lie knew what was best. If Zhang Lie wasn''t panicking, then they didn''t have to worry either.


    "Keep reporting everything you observed¡ªthere might be a crucial detail in there that we can make use of."


    Yu Huantian nodded. "The million-sura force was very strange¡ªthe troops moved like zombies, and they looked very disorganized. They attacked any lifeform they encountered, and the dead lifeforms would end up joining their ranks."


    This had to be Shicang''s army of the dead!


    Yu Huantian continued, "From the south was originally a group of fifty thousand sura, but something suddenly happened to this group that caused them to merge with the southeastern forces. By the time they did so, those forces behaved much like zombies as well."


    Zhang Lie pondered Yu Huantian''s intel carefully. He didn''t understand what Shicang was thinking, nor why he had absorbed his brother''s forces into his own, but they didn''t have much time left.


    The sura forces were quickly approaching, and Renhuang would have to respond...


    1. غ (pronounced ''gao'') is ''testicle''.

 Chapter 461: The Horns of War

    <h4>Chapter 461: The Horns of War</h4>


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "I''ll start delegating tasks now. Sun Xiaowu, you have the strongest defense, so I''ll leave you to deal with Gaoyuan."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "Yes, Captain!"


    "Yang Ze, you and Hong Xi will team up against Suiyue. Hong Xi, your domain of [Eclipse] should be able to affect Suiyue''s body."


    Hong Xi asked, "What if he uses his time-reversal technique?"


    "Take him down each time he uses it. It should get easier as he gets weaker and weaker; once you deal with him, head back to meet with Sun Xiaowu."


    Sun Xiaowu turned to the sky. "Yu Huantian, I''ll be relying on you for ourmunication lines."


    The shaman of the wood spirits spoke up. "There''s no need for all this trouble. I have a special herb here, a doublegrowth flower. If you apply a special potion to a part of one flower, both flowers will turn the same color. For instance, if the n fails, you can turn the flower red; if the n seeds, turn it blue."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Excellent. Fang Yi, you''ll deal with Niutou. Your battlefield will be right here."


    Zhang Lie pointed at a certain spot on the map that he had pulled out, a river that blocked the northern parts of the second realm from Renhuang.


    "Minotaurs aren''t veryfortable with water, so bring a few more water-attuned hunters with you, as well as hunters equipped with long-range techniques. Hold them off at the river and take them down there."


    Fang Yi nodded.


    "Li Feng, your technique is light-attuned, so you should be able to counter Moyan best."


    "Zhou Ying, you and the shaman of the wood spirits will deal with Fenghe together."


    "Sun Mengmeng, you''ll work with the leader of the rock spirits against Shicang. Yourrge-scale attacks should be particrly good against his forces."


    "Yes, Captain!" Sun Mengmeng replied earnestly.


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes widened. Shicang had over a million troops, after all.


    "Captain, where will you be?"


    "I''ll be in Renhuang¡ªI don''t want to repeat what happenedst time. There won''t be any more invasions while I''m away!"


    Sun Xiaowu sucked in a deep breath. "But, Captain, my sister''s opponent has over a million troops!"


    Zhang Lie''s resolute gaze swept over everyone present. "I''ve seen how all your skills have grown over the past few months, and I believe that each of you can take down the sura king I''ve assigned you. Believe in your strength¡ªyou''re far stronger than you think."


    Sun Xiaowu worriedly tugged at his sister''s hand, hoping that she would speak up for herself, but Sun Mengmeng said nothing. This was a task that Zhang Lie had personally assigned her, and she would carry it out without fail.


    Zhang Lie could see that Sun Xiaowu was simply worried for his sister. "Don''t worry¡ªI have no intention of sending you to your deaths."


    Zhang Lie handed Shouta''s executioner''s de to the leader of the rock spirits. "Consume this de. It might be helpful to your evolution."


    Zhou Ying nced at it in surprise. "Isn''t this the weapon of the sura king that attacked Renhuang?"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned at it. "It seems to be quite a bit weaker than when the sura king was using it."


    The leader of the rock spirits looked at the de with shock. "C-Can I really consume this?"


    "We need your strength."


    Zhang Lie certainly wasn''t going to use the executioner''s de himself, and he didn''t trust anyone else with it. Indeed, there seemed to be no easy way of disposing of it than to have the rock spirits consume it.


    Sun Mengmeng asked curiously, "Is there anything special about this de?"


    The rock spirit, who had traveled widely around the second realm, eximed in shock, "I don''t know just what this de was made of or the techniques that went into it, but it''s certainly a weapon that would be fit to be in the treasury of a sura empire."


    "You''re absolutely right. This executioner''s de belonged to the monarch of stars himself."


    Everyone seemed taken aback. Sun Mengmeng asked, "Aren''t you going to use it yourself, Captain?"


    "I don''t intend to sully my hands with a sura''s weapon, and our soulshards are far better than any ordinary weapon."


    Since Zhang Lie had already given it to the leader of the rock spirits, they didn''t have anything else to say.


    The leader of the rock spirits consumed it with gleaming eyes. As expected, it catalyzed the rock spirit''s next evolution. Rays of light exploded from his body, which shone as brightly as the sun. Its armor turned from a dull red to a gleaming silver; the metamorphosis took only a few moments.


    Although there were few visible changes beyond the color and texture of the leader of the rock spirits'' armor, it seemed very pleased. "Haha, as long as I have enough time to continue growing, I''ll be undefeatable!"


    Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s pupils to inspect the changes to the body of the leader of the rock spirits. Its soul was very interesting, like a jewel or gem wrapped by arge quantity of spiritual matter.


    For the rock spirits, what determined their strength was the quantity and quality of spiritual matter that surrounded their jewel-like core. The leader of the rock spirits had umted so much spiritual matter that it formed what was essentially a small mountain, and its strength seemed easilyparable to that of a sura king.


    "Governor, I have no words for my gratitude. Even in my youth, I hadn''t explored enough or consumed enough matter to undergo my second evolution." The rock spirit rushed over in excitement, spread its arms wide, and was just about to hug Zhang Lie tightly when he suddenly activated [Mirrored Refraction] and shifted to the side.


    He changed the topic quickly. "Did you unlock any other abilities after your second evolution?"


    "Yes, of course!" The rock spirit nodded eagerly. "I can absorb the souls of the lifeforms that I kill to enhance this patina of light on my body, and hence my defense."


    In some sense, this was very simr to the effect of the executioner''s de that the rock spirit had absorbed. The executioner''s de''s augmentation was to its sharpness and length; the rock spirit''s augmentation was to its defense.


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "But Shicang''s forces are zombies, soulless zombies!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Souls are remnants of living matter. Except for man-made objects, everything in this realm has a soul. Actually, I had a special n for dealing with Shicang. You can think of it as trying to understand these zombies from a more scientific, principled approach..."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "Based on your hypothesis, Captain, thebination of Sun Mengmeng and the leader of the rock spirits could really take down Shicang''s entire force in one fell swoop!"


    The Yeluo chieftain jumped in. "I have quite a number of vials of sura poison ready for all your needs. Thanks to the stable environment Renhuang has provided, as well as all sorts of spiritual herbs and nts that the wood spirits have provided us with, we''ve made a breakthrough in the strength of the poison!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. "How does this new concoction differ from thest?"


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled pridefully. "Oh, there''s a big difference! You see..."

 Chapter 462: A Preemptive Strike

    <h4>Chapter 462: A Preemptive Strike</h4>


    The Yeluo chieftain continued, "We''ve increased the rate at which the poison affects the sura. Our original concoction caused cellr apoptosis over a rather prolonged period of time, but our new one is much more efficient."


    "How does it work?"


    Zhang Lie was very curious about this new discovery. In his past life, the Yeluo n had been eradicated so quickly that they hadn''t been able to contribute more against the sura; the fact that they were able to make this discovery after Zhang Lie had transnted them to Renhuang and facilitated their potion-crafting wasn''t much of a surprise.


    "The new potion''s significantly cheaper, and it''ll affect even the strongest sura. At the very least, it''ll cause temporary paralysis and stiffen their limbs for a few moments. This will be a trump card against the sura, I assure you!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "With your new breakthrough, I''m much more confident that we''ll be able to deal with this sura invasion effectively and efficiently."


    Fang Yi suggested, "What if Yang Ze goes to fight off Niutou instead of me? He''s water-attuned, so he''s likely more advantaged in a fight at a river."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Fending off Suiyue will be a prolonged battle, but your style is to overwhelm your enemies with swiftness and speed. Yang Ze would be more suitable for Suiyue; furthermore, your [Heaven''s Judgment] will be necessary to kill Niutou."


    Except for the wood spirits, everyone else prepared to head off in six different directions.


    Sun Xiaowu would set off with about a thousand hunters, and Yang Ze and Hong Xi with another thousand hunters. Fang Yi would head to the river by the northern border with five hundred water-attuned hunters, and Li Feng would do the same with about a dozen light-attuned hunters. Unfortunately, there were hardly any more light-attuned hunters to be found in the city. Given Moyan''s specialty technique, the only hunters that could withstand his attacks had to be light-attuned; no one else would survive them unscathed.


    Zhou Ying''s forces wereposed of a group of rock giants and a few hunters, no more than a hundred in all, most of whom were humans. Fenghe''s monsters couldn''t be overwhelmed with numbers, and even the Yeluo poison might not be effective against them.


    Zhang Lie reminded her, "We don''t have a good idea as to just what monstrosities Fenghe has made, nor how many of them there are. You need to be prepared for the possibility that the Yeluo poison will be useless."


    Zhou Ying nodded. "I''m prepared."


    With the shaman of the wood spirits around, the strength of theirbined transformation was on par with that of a sura king, and Zhang Lie wasn''t very worried.


    Sun Mengmeng''s troopsrgely consisted of rock spirits with a few crag eagles, as well as a few expert sharpshooters. Humans werergely disadvantaged in a fight against zombies¡ªif they were killed, they would turn into zombies themselves, and no one wanted to put down someone who was once theirrade in arms.


    The troops gathered by the gates of Renhuang, and Zhang Lie again leapt to the top of the city walls.


    "Everyone, I have an important announcement to make to you."


    The troops looked up at Zhang Lie in surprise. What news?


    "As you know, and as has been confirmed, seven sura kings are nning on attacking Renhuang."


    The troops began to murmur to each other.


    The sura were the hegemons of the second realm, and seven sura kings and their forces were heading straight for Renhuang! One alone was sufficient to wipe out arge n; seven might easily sweep through arge swathe ofnd.


    This wasn''t news¡ªit was a portent of impending doom!


    From Shouta''s appearance at the city walls yesterday, they had sensed that something big was about to happen¡ªbut until now, they hadn''t wanted to believe that what awaited them was a disaster.


    "Governor, are we going to run away?"


    "Run?" Zhang Lie countered. "Why? This is good news."


    "How could it be good news? Seven sura kingdoms are attacking us together!"


    Zhang Lie shouted back, "It''s exactly because there are seven! If we can defeat them all, we''ll leave an indelible mark in history¡ªthe whole realm will know our name!"


    "But we''re fighting against sura kings, and seven of them!" The troops began to panic.


    "Oh? As if we haven''t already killed a sura king or two!" Zhang Lie snorted. "One came by yesterday, and he did wreak some damage on our city walls, but isn''t he hanging on the wall now? Renhuang will never back down. If the seven kings think that they can take down this city¡ªwell, they''re wrong, and they''ll pay the ultimate price for that mistake! Or do you want to run away and watch Renhuang fall?"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes were so resolute that he calmed down the panicking forces just with his aura alone.


    "The sura might have their seven kings, but I have my Team Zenith, as well as the n leaders of no fewer than three alien races!"


    The members of Team Zenith and the three n leaders strode forward proudly, quashing the troops'' fear.


    Zhang Lie continued confidently, "With them around, with me around, Renhuang shall not fall!"


    They had all seen how strong Zhang Lie himself was¡ªhe had raided two sura kingdoms sessfully and imed their capitals for himself. He had always done as he promised, and since he promised that Renhuang wouldn''t fall, they believed him.


    With Zhang Lie around, they would survive.


    Zhang Lie raised his arms into the air and shouted, "We''ve faced down sura kings before¡ªthey won''t be a threat, not even if we have to take down seven at once!"


    "Renhuang will not fall! Renhuang is invincible!"


    Sun Mengmeng shouted, raising her arms as well.


    "Renhuang will not fall! Renhuang is invincible!"


    The other members of Team Zenith and the three n leaders echoed the chant,


    which quickly spread through the crowd. "Renhuang will not fall! Renhuang is invincible!"


    More and more of the troops raised their arms gaily into the air. "Renhuang will not fall! Renhuang is invincible!"


    In the end, everyone was shouting the same thing in unison, and the troops'' morale, which had dipped precipitously as they learned about the uing invasion, rose sharply again.


    Zhang Lie clenched a fist and made an abortive motion with his other arm, and the chant stopped instantly.


    "The sura kings want to take the fight to us, but they won''t seed¡ªbecause we''ll take the initiative and strike first! Members of Team Zenith, here are your orders!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    The members of Team Zenith stepped forward.


    "Sun Xiaowu, you''ll set out with your troops toward the west!"


    "Yang Ze and Hong Xi, northwest!"


    "Fang Yi, north!"


    "Li Feng, northeast!"


    "Zhou Ying and the shaman of the wood spirits, east!"


    "Sun Mengmeng and the leader of the rock spirits, southeast!"


    "Yessir!"


    The six groups of forces set off from the city proper.


    Zhang Lie continued standing on the city walls as he observed the forces setting off in six different directions. Given what he had seen of their strength, he was certain that none of them would lose.


    Some of the hunters who hade to Renhuang to provide aid, who had once been imprisoned by the sura, were unqualified forbat for some reason or another, and they were assigned to help out with logistics and administrative issues instead.


    When they witnessed Zhang Lie''s speech, they couldn''t help but feel invigorated, that they likewise had to do their part. They recorded the speech and uploaded it to the hunters'' forums.

 Chapter 463: The World Federations Undercurrents

    <h4>Chapter 463: The World Federation''s Undercurrents</h4>


    The hunters'' forums exploded with activity. After all, everyone was paying close attention to Renhuang. The video recording immediately caught the attention of curious hunters from all around.


    "What?! Renhuang''s going to attack the sura forces head-on? Don''t they know how many people will perish as a result?"


    "Isn''t it better to wait for reinforcements? Why fight now?"


    "Well, they were going to die regardless¡ªwhy not go out in a me of glory? After all, they certainly wouldn''t be able to hold the sura forces back either way! Better to let the media and the world federation memorialize them as a group that had once destroyed two sura kingdoms and built a city of their own with only three thousand men, only to die in valiant battle against an onught of sura!"


    "Whether or not they''ll be memorialized, I can''t say¡ªbut I''ll surely remember that there was an idiot who dared to split his forces six ways against an invasion by seven sura kingdoms!"


    "Really, what do they think they''re doing? Are they trying to die even more quickly?"


    "Well, would you rather be a lifelong coward or a minute-long hero¡ªno, I mean, a minute-long idiot? Haha!"


    "Does he not understand the difference between bravery and recklessness?!"


    "Haha, the speech is leaving me in tears! I can''t believe he thinks the seven-kingdom invasion is a good thing."


    There were a flurry ofments mocking Zhang Lie''s speech.


    "Everyone, I have an important announcement to make to you: Renhuang is doomed."


    "Everyone, I have an important announcement to make to you: I''m sending the troops of Renhuang to their death."


    "Everyone, I have an important announcement to make to you: I, the governor of Renhuang, is an idiot."


    "I really feel bad for Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, who has been supporting him all this time. He''s trying his best, but he can''t help a fool like Zhang Lie!"


    "In the past, I thought Zhang Lie was a smart and talented man, and I even idolized him deep inside. But now..."


    .


    "He just got lucky, that''s all! When ites to a real trial, he clearly has no idea what he''s doing!"


    "And look carefully¡ªhe''s dispatching all his troops, but he himself is remaining safely ensconced within the city!"


    "What? Does he really think the hunters of Team Zenith can stop the sura by themselves? It''s true that Zhang Lie''s a strong fighter in his own right, but what about them? Can they even kill superior-grade lifeforms on their own? The sura kings could destroy them with nothing more than a finger!"


    "You know how everyone thinks Zhang Lie''s an idiot? I disagree¡ªhe''s smarter than anyone here!"


    "Allowing his loyal subordinates to die while he tries to flee¡ªwhat''s smart about that? Everyone can evacuate immediately¡ªthe sura aren''t even here yet!"


    "Perhaps so, but they''ll definitely be chased around the second realm by these sura. By sacrificing the members of Team Zenith and the alien races hemands, he''s giving the sura a peace offering."


    "Is that so? It really might be the case¡ªthe sura don''t know what Zhang Lie looks like, either. When they destroy these forces only to find an empty city left behind, thinking that they''ve killed everyone, they won''t pursue Zhang Lie any further!"


    "At any rate, they would hardly scour the second realm just for one particr human. With everyone dead and their reputation reimed, they''ll naturally recall their forces."


    "Is this how the hunters of Team Zenith''s loyalty to Zhang Lie will be rewarded? How pitiful!"


    "Isn''t Zhang Lie heartless? He''d sacrifice his subordinates for himself!"


    "It''s only those people of Qi who call Zhang Lie a hero, a champion of mankind¡ªit''s clear to everyone else that he isn''t a good man! If Zhang Lie really were as honorable and magnanimous as you all make him out to be, why hasn''t he published the recipe for these limit-breaking potions of his yet? He''s clearly not working for the greater good!"


    "So this is how Zhang Lie really is¡ªhe saved Qi only to boost his reputation, destroyed a sura kingdom simply because he had made them his enemies, and after causing all that trouble, he''s sacrificing his teammates for his own safety! He''s not fit to be called a man!"


    "I''m ashamed that this man is considered a hero of humanity!"


    "Right, I absolutely agree! Zhang Lie should be excised from the annals of mankind¡ªlet''s start a motion in the world federation for that, shall we?"


    All sorts of angry messages were spreading through the forums, and Zhang Lie''s fame was turning into infamy. Sitting in his office, Amurong leaned back in his chair and began to smile so widely one could see his mrs.


    His main obstacle had self-destructed! Amurong had been thinking of how best to remove the mountain that was Zhang Lie, but he hadn''t needed to lift a finger! "Zhang Lie really is a fool, isn''t he? Well, that''s that."


    Martial Sage Hong Tianqi had, once again, proposed a motion to send reinforcements from the world federation to aid Zhang Lie, and Amurong had nearlye to blows with him against the resolution.


    Hong Tianqi knew that this would be a time-sensitive affair, so he had no choice but to stake his own reputation on the line to amass support for Zhang Lie.


    Given Zhang Lie''s fame and Hong Tianqi''s reputation, it was true that many humans would have been drawn to their cause, and Amurong''s meddling had been to no avail.


    Hong Tianqi''s steadfast support of humanity for many years made him all but untouchable, but just as Amurong was about to despair, Zhang Lie had done something foolish like this of his own ord.


    Amurong wasughing so happily that tears fell from his face. He hadn''t known what to do, but Zhang Lie had solved his problem neatly for him. The damage to Zhang Lie''s reputation caused a chain reaction that caused more and more hunters and forces to withdraw their support and promises of aid.


    Everyone was willing to help a hero, but not if that hero was revealed to be a selfish, scheming man. If not for Martial Sage Hong Tianqi''s reputation, even more forces would have withdrawn.


    "It looks like you won''t have to dirty your own hands after all," Amurong''s ally murmured.


    Amurong shook his head. "Better to be careful. I won''t feel safe before Zhang Lie''s dead. Since Zhang Lie''s trying to run off by sacrificing his subordinates, I''ll foil his n and guarantee his death."

 Chapter 464: A Secret Letter

    <h4>Chapter 464: A Secret Letter</h4>


    "What do you intend on doing?"


    Amurong poured himself a ss of red wine. "What do you think the sura would do when they learned about the situation within Renhuang?"


    Even Amurong''s ally frowned upon hearing his words. Was his grudge toward Zhang Lie so intense that he would even work in cahoots with the sura to get rid of him?


    Gaoyuan was enjoying his feast.


    In Gaoyuan''s military camp, within a gigantic golden tent at the very center, the ground was covered by a plush red carpet, and corpses were strewn by its four corners. Their testicles had been removed from their groin; their heads were facing the ceiling, and fresh flowers stuffed into their mouths.


    A curious scent of flowery fragrance and blood permeated the entire camp. Over the course of the march, Gaoyuan had taken the testicles from every male lifeform he hade across and killed all the females on the spot. Whaty in front of him was the result of all that hunting: arge dish piled full of testicles.


    Gaoyuan didn''t particrly care about Renhuang; in the end, it would be destroyed no matter what, the question was by whom. Regardless, Gaoyuan would benefit¡ªnone of his brothers cared about testicles like him.


    There was a human skull ced on the table, the back of the skull cracked open and stuffed full with flowers that looked like roses. Gaoyuan took a deep sniff and moaned in pleasure. "Flowers and testicles make for an excellentbination."


    "That said, I do have to get to Renhuang more quickly if I want fresh testicles." Gaoyuan tied a napkin around his neck and speared a testicle dripping with blood with a fork. He ced it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and rubbed his cheeks in delight. "As expected, fresh testicles taste the best!"


    Even if the streets of Renhuang were littered with corpses by the time he arrived, he would have eaten his fill of testicles by then¡­


    It was only because the monarch of stars had tasked him with taking Renhuang that he had dared to kill whoever he could see along the way. Otherwise, he would have received countlessints from the sura kingdoms he passed by.


    He wasn''t afraid of theints, but they were so annoying to deal with that he tried to reduce them as much as possible under ordinary circumstances.


    To be frank, whether or not his brothers would make it to Renhuang in one piece remained to be seen¡ªthey didn''t all get along with each other, and they had suppressed their hostilities because of the monarch of stars'' presence. But now that they were far from his eye, they might take action against each other.


    Shicang, in particr, was devious and sly, and who knew what he was up to.


    "Who knows if he''s even a sura? I don''t trust him one bit!"


    If he were to die, Shicang would dly take over his army and turn all his subordinates into zombies. Despite their being brothers, Gaoyuan had no love lost for Shicang. The brothers would have to guard against their enemies¡ªand, more importantly, against each other.


    For instance, the butcher seemed to have taken his elites to Renhuang in advance of his troops. Based on his personality, he was likely already ughtering the troops within and constructing his human towers.


    By the time the other brothers got there, they would gape at the havoc he had wreaked and the creations he had made, and he would fold his arms smugly and tell them, "You''ve all arrived toote. Would you like to see my handiwork?"


    The butcher was a simple-minded fellow, and he had run around for far too long with the executioner''s de that their godfather had given him¡ªso long that his brain had turned addled.


    Compared to Renhuang, Gaoyuan was more curious about the mastermind behind the attack on the sura. ording to their godfather, Renhuang alone would hardly have been capable of such an assault on two sura kingdoms.


    "Take your time and force the mastermind out¡ªI''ll stick around here and enjoy my testicles."


    With Renhuang under attack, the mastermind would surely strike, but no one knew how.


    The elder knocked and entered his tent, and Gaoyuan raised his head and smiled brightly. "Elder, have you had a meal? Come join me!"


    The elder nced at his te with revulsion. "Please, your highness, I would hardly dream of partaking of your food."


    Were it not for an important matter, the elder would hardly have interrupted Gaoyuan while he was eating¡ªnot because it would disturb Gaoyuan, but rather because it would frighten him. Every time he saw Gaoyuan eating, he would be disgusted for the rest of the day.


    "There''s a letter for you, your highness." The elder put the letter on the table from as far a distance as he could manage, then darted back as far as he could, as though Gaoyuan and his table were a hotspot for some infectious disease or another.


    "A letter? From whom?"


    "An arrow."


    "Hmm." Gaoyuan picked up the letter, slit it, and read through it. He smiled deviously when he was finished. "It looks like they''ve finally made a move."


    "They?"


    "The mastermind behind Renhuang." Gaoyuan handed the letter to the elder, who nced at it and frowned. "Renhuang''s dispatching six sets of troops?"


    At the end of the letter was appended specific details on each force headed out of Renhuang.


    The elder''s frown deepened. "Is the governor of Renhuang an idiot?"


    "I''m not familiar with him, but it doesn''t seem like a bad strategy."


    "Why, your highness?"


    "We have the forces of seven kingdoms closing in on him, but we''re not working together. It makes sense to defeat our forces one by one."


    "These humans really are quite arrogant if they think that they can take down a horde of troops led by sura kings with just a sixth of their total manpower..."


    Gaoyuan continued eating as he expressed his thoughts. "They defeated Xuechi, didn''t they? Their strength should be considered on par with that of a sura kingdom, so it might not be so infeasible for them to defeat one of the forces heading their way.


    What we really should be considering is the bottom half of the letter. The city divided its forces into six groups, and the governor himself''s remaining within..."


    "Aren''t they underestimating our strength?"


    "There are two possibilities. One, that the contents of the letter are fake, or two, that they really are confident that just a sixth of their strength is sufficient to overwhelm any of our forces."


    The elder frowned. "In summary, regardless of whether the contents of this letter are fake or not, our strategy is still to continue pushing onward. If our opponents are strong, we have to prepare for a drawn-out battle; if they aren''t, we''ll march straight for Renhuang."


    "Your field of vision is too narrow." Gaoyuan stood up, wiped his mouth by the napkin around his neck, then corrected the elder, "Godfather''s stated objective is to destroy Renhuang, but the true objective is hidden and even more important: to uncover the mastermind behind the affair."


    "In that case, your highness, your intention is¡ª"


    "We''ll host a banquet and prepare to wee our guests."

 Chapter 465: A Meal for You

    <h4>Chapter 465: A Meal for You</h4>


    At that moment, Suiyue was tussling with an old sura in his tent.


    The sura murmured apologetically, "Your highness, I apologize for slowing you down. It''s because of us older fighters that the procession is going so slowly¡ªotherwise, you''d have been in Renhuang by now."


    Suiyue fondled the old sura''s white strands of hair. "Don''t be a fool¡ªI care far more about you all than Renhuang."


    "Your highness!" The old suray against Suiyue, touched by what he had said.


    Suddenly, a voice rang out from outside the tent. "Your highness, an arrow was shot toward your tent, with a message folded around it!"


    Suiyue replied irritably, "Burn it!"


    "Wait, your highness! What if there''s important information inside?"


    Suiyue scoffed. "What information could be more important than spending time with you?"


    "But¡ª"


    "Would you believe it if someone suddenly gave you a piece of ''important information'' from an unidentified source at such a critical juncture?"


    Suiyue couldn''t help butugh. "I''ve yed tricks like this countless times. With seven sets of sura forces attacking Renhuang, what else do you think they can do but y tricks like this?"


    The old sura had, if nothing else, bountiful experience. His eyes lit up: "The only thing the humans can do is try to y us against each other¡ªthe only thing they can exploit is the rifts between us."


    "Indeed." Suiyue shook his head. "It''s a very boring tactic, though one that''s certainly tried and tested. Better that we ignore this letter entirely and progress at our own pace."


    If Amurong were to find out how the two sura kings had received his letter, he would have had a fit of rage. All that information, delivered at exorbitant expense, burned to a crisp...


    There were, at the very least, a few sura kings that did as Amurong intended and read the missive carefully, like Niutou. Niutou felt a surprising bout of happiness upon reading about Zhang Lie''s actions. The governor of Renhuang seemed like a fine man¡ªfaced with an assault on seven fronts, instead of hiding in his city, he had chosen tounch an assault against all of them instead.


    What would the woman of such a man be like?


    A minotaur nudged him. "Head, you aren''t dreaming of having sex with someone again, are you?"


    "What, don''t you do the same?"


    The minotaur thought for a moment. "I''m getting tired of the humans. You staged fifty simr games over the course of a month, and we''re all growing somewhat tired. Only the sura can keep up with you."


    Niutou frowned. "I''m challenging my limits, trying to cultivate as many of my flowers as I can. The best time to pluck them is when they''re fully in love¡ªonly then can I see a flower in its prime wither away to nothing in a matter of moments."


    Niutou nced at his subordinate''s face and turned away. "Never mind, never mind! You won''t understand me no matter how much I try to exin it."


    "The other sura kings all call you a pervert."


    "A pervert? I''m a farmer!" Niutou thundered. "Won''t you all be excited when I get the governor of Renhuang''s wife in bed with me?"


    The minotaurs all began to stomp their feet.


    After Moyan finished reading through the letter, he disintegrated it in his hands. Regardless of what tricks Renhuang and its governor were up to, he would be able to ovee them with nothing but brute force.


    Fenghe nced at the letter in deep contemtion. "This is interesting. I wonder whom this letter is from¡ªRenhuang, enemies of Renhuang, or even the mastermind himself?"


    If it came from Renhuang, the contents of this letter would be a trap, but he couldn''t identify where the trap might be. If it came from enemies of Renhuang, everything would make sense.


    "I can''t identify the origin of this message. Let''s say a 10% chance that it came from Renhuang, a 30% chance it came from enemies within Renhuang, and a 60% chance it came from the mastermind behind this whole affair."


    Perhaps Renhuang had broken off rtions with the mastermind, and the mastermind was now trying to get rid of Renhuang by taking advantage of the sura.


    "Regardless, we benefit by capturing the troops of Renhuang alive. Once we interrogate them, I''m sure we''ll learn more of the truth. Nothing will change as a result of this letter," Fenghe concluded.


    Meanwhile, Shicang waspletely unable to receive a letter of any sort.


    There were far too many zombies around, so many that they filled the nearby hills and valleys. No one could get a message to Shicang from so far away, and none of the zombies would react to such a letter. As a result, Shicang was the only one among the seven kings who didn''t receive any knowledge about the letter.


    When Sun Xiaowu arrived at his designated location with his troops, he was agape at the sight of Gaoyuan''s forces. He asked a nearby crag eagle, "Are you sure what lies ahead of us is really a troop of sura?"


    The crag eagle nced at him. "How would I know? I''m not a member of the sura..."


    Gaoyuan''s unusual forces had be even more unusual over the course of thest few days. There were fresh flowers scattered around their campsite, and by the entrance of the camp was a huge sign: "Wee, fighters of Renhuang!"


    Before the entrance was a red carpet. Sun Xiaowu was agape as he stared at what Gaoyuan had prepared¡ªit was just like a scene from the opening day of a restaurant.


    How could this be? Sun Xiaowu had expected that the main camp of the sura forces would be piled high with corpses and blood, or with skeletons and bones all around, or at least a properly maintained camp. What was with this wee?!


    Suddenly, an elder wearing a bright red robe walked out to the entrance of the camp. "Fighters of Renhuang, you''ve already arrived! Please, enter¡ªour king awaits you."


    The crag eagle asked, "Should we enter? It seems like they''ve already discovered our presence."


    Sun Xiaowu turned to him. "Isn''t that a stupid question? No one in their right mind would enter¡ªit looks like a trap allid out for us!"


    The crag eagle thought for a moment. "The governor likely would do so."


    Sun Xiaowu palmed his face. "The captain''s much stronger than I am!"


    The red-robed elder continued shouting, "Human fighters, you must have traveled a long way to get here. Our king has ordered some refreshments to be prepared for you¡ªwhy don''t youe and have a bite?"

 Chapter 466: Sura King Gaoyuan

    <h4>Chapter 466: Sura King Gaoyuan</h4>


    The smell of fresh flowers and metal permeated the air. Sun Xiaowu gaped at the entrance to Gaoyuan''s camp, extremely flustered by his strange actions.


    The red-robed elder standing by the entrance to the sura camp continued shouting, "Don''t worry, human fighters! Our king bears you no enmity. He simply wants to have a cordial conversation."


    The hunters beside Sun Xiaowu whispered, "They''re surely nning something! We can''t listen to them."


    The sura fighters stationed by the entrance to the camp started tough. "Well, humans? Don''t you at least have the courage to step inside? If you don''t, then don''t even bother fighting against us¡ªsurrender now! We''re very kind-hearted, and we won''t kill you. You''ll just be reared like a pig."


    "Kill them!" Sun Xiaowu strode forward, gic energy ring all over his body.


    The sura fightersughed coldly. "Oho, you finally have the courage toe out of the bushes now, do you?"


    Sun Xiaowu rushed forward and smashed his fist against one sura''s head, causing it to burst like a watermelon.


    The other sura fighters around shouted in rage at the sudden assault. Just as they were getting ready to strike Sun Xiaowu back, he cast [Golden Divide], sending a resplendent beam of golden light into the air and disintegrating the entrance to the camp.


    The sura fighters who opposed him were all swept away, leaving a gully on the ground before him.


    As Sun Xiaowu continued striding forward, the sura elder shouted, "Hold it! I''d like to have a peaceful discussion behind the founding of Renhuang!"


    "The founding of Renhuang? You don''t have any right to speak with me. Summon the sura king whom you serve!"


    "Insolent¡ª" The incensed elder was about to strike Sun Xiaowu when he sent the elder flying with a p to the face instead. After all, Sun Xiaowu had capped out his peak gene fragments.


    A figure came out of the tent located at the very center of the camp. Sun Xiaowu struck forward with a fist, meeting his opponent''s with a sh of gic energy that cracked the ground and sent fighters on both sides reeling back.


    Both Sun Xiaowu and Gaoyuan took a step back. Sun Xiaowu narrowed his eyes at his new opponent. "You must be the sura king, then."


    Gaoyuan tutted at him with dissatisfaction. "Humans are truly beasts unable to be reasoned with. I wanted to have a pleasant conversation with you, but it''s a pity."


    "What''s there to discuss? As a sura king, you should perish."


    The form of Sun Xiaowu''s gic energy suddenly shifted in caliber. A golden glow radiated from his right arm. It suddenly bulked up, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. An aura of intense strength emanated from his body.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    Gaoyuan was knocked flying like a bullet, stopping only after he had crashed through five tents in a row, his bones broken and his body twisted out of shape.


    Sun Xiaowu snorted. "Is this the full strength of a sura king?"


    Suddenly, Gaoyuan''s bones began to make popping noises, and his broken body seemed to restore itself. His injuries vanished in the blink of an eye. He cracked his neck. "You might be somewhat strong for a human, but you''re still too weak to take down a sura king!"


    Gaoyuan shouted. His body began to growrger: three, five, ten, twenty meters tall, as though he were some sort of giant. Hair sprouted thickly from his skin and made him look like an oversized gori.


    He pounded his chest as he yelled out, "Sura, ughter these humans to thest!"


    Gaoyuan''s troops immediately emerged from the camp, thirty thousand strong in all, and surrounded the thousand or so humans. They began tough. "I thought Renhuang would boast an impressive force, but there are only a thousand of them humans here! Do they really think they''re so strong, or that we''re that weak?"


    "Thirty thousand forces against a thousand... we have thirty times their number!"


    "Did the governor of Renhuang send you all here to die?"


    Gaoyuan called out, "If you reveal the mastermind behind Renhuang now, I might consider sparing you."


    Against the thirty thousand sura, however, neither Sun Xiaowu nor the hunters behind him panicked.


    "The potions!" Sun Xiaowu shouted. The thousand hunters each sent a vial of potion flying into the air, the drops sttering on the unguarded soldiers.


    Few of the sura paid it any mind. Some smashed the vials to smithereens with their fists, while others took them down with their weapons. They didn''t guard against the liquid; the sura possessed extremely strong constitutions, and ordinary poisons did nothing to them. A strong herbal odor rose into the air.


    "Charge forward!" the sura fighters yelled. After two steps, however, they dropped to the ground, reeling in shock and pain. As they writhed, their bodies rapidly ckened. "What''s going on?!"


    The sura all began to panic, giving the hunters an excellent window of opportunity to strike. The hunters charged forward, dealing the sura a devastating blow in their panic.


    As he saw his forces dying, Gaoyuan''s eyes turned bloodshot. Given his monstrous appearance, he looked even more like an enraged beast. He roared, "What have you done?!"


    Instead of replying, Sun Xiaowu punched him directly in the chest, only to have the attackpletely blocked by his pectoral muscles. Gaoyuan counterattacked with a fist of his own, sending it smashing down on Sun Xiaowu.


    "Have a taste of it yourself!" Sun Xiaowu flung a vial of potion toward him, which Gaoyuan smashed with a fist.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, absorbing the brunt of the impact.


    Gaoyuan suddenly felt poison seeping into his body, shocking him. As a sura king, his body''s strength and constitution had reached the pinnacle of the sura, and it was highly abnormal that any poison would have a deleterious effect. Furthermore, the poison proved surprisingly resistant to istion. He attempted to halt the flow of poison with his gic energy, but...

 Chapter 467: Infinite Regeneration

    <h4>Chapter 467: Infinite Regeneration</h4>


    To his surprise, the sura king Gaoyuan found that he was unable to suppress the effects of the poison. His arms and legs were slowly stiffening. The effects of the new Yeluo poison were so astounding that even a sura king was affected by it.


    Gaoyuan''s eyes shed coldly. "This is what you''re counting on to defeat the sura?"


    Gaoyuan made up his mind¡ªhe had to kill everyone in Renhuang. Any poison that showed such deleterious effect against the sura couldn''t be allowed to remain in this realm. Howling, he let loose a rain of punches on Sun Xiaowu''s adamantine form.


    Sun Xiaowu stood firm against the assault, activating three defensive superior-grade soulshards simultaneously. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. It suddenly bulked up, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin.


    A fearsome aura rose from Sun Xiaowu''s body. He took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy, knocking Gaoyuan flying.


    Sun Xiaowu chased after him.


    "[Golden Divide]!" A resplendent golden beam of light shot toward Gaoyuan.


    Subject to the paralytic effects of the Yeluo poison, Gaoyuan was unable to evade the attack. The beam sliced through his shoulder and down his chest, cutting even his heart in half with a frightening wound.


    Despite all that, however, Gaoyuan didn''t fall. He extended an arm, grabbed Sun Xiaowu''s arm, and pummeled his face, sending Sun Xiaowu flying like a bullet. Even his [Adamantine Aegis] was unable to defend against the damagepletely; it protected his head from exploding, but only barely.


    Meanwhile, the mortally wounded Gaoyuan''s body was regenerating at a pace visible to the naked eye. Sun Xiaowu stood up shakily, rubbing his pounding head, as he said, "As expected, you have a very strong regenerative ability."


    Gaoyuan snorted. "No one can defeat me¡ªnot other sura kings, and not you."


    .


    He roared, charging forward with a wave of energy. His foot left a deep imprint on the ground as he dashed toward Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu''s arms suddenly bulked up, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. He prepared to face Gaoyuan head-on.


    Their punchesnded like raindrops over each other''s body with resounding thuds. A gust of wind formed around the two fighters, preventing anyone else, sura or human, from getting closer.


    The hunters present, as well as the sura who were still alive, all gaped in shock.


    Sun Xiaowu was able to fight on equal ground with a sura king! The hunters knew that Zhang Lie had to have a reason for sending Sun Xiaowu over, but they had hardly realized he was so strong.


    What allowed the members of Team Zenith to gain the strength to take down the sura kings was capping out their peak gene fragments, along with the basic-, mutated-, and superior-grade limit fragments they possessed.


    The human fighters all cheered, "You can do it, Sun Xiaowu!"


    The effects of [Adamantine Aegis] were slowly being chipped away by Gaoyuan''s punches. Although Sun Xiaowu was damaging Gaoyuan as well, Gaoyuan''s superior regeneration meant that his injuries healed in the blink of an eye.


    It seemed as though his regenerative abilities were limitless, and even his stamina was being replenished bit by bit. Gaoyuan, who had eaten countless testicles, stored the essence of all that sperm in his body, tempering blood and bone and dramatically augmenting his regeneration.


    Just as he was about to despair, however, Sun Xiaowu recalled what Zhang Lie had told him before his departure. "No one in this realm can regenerate indefinitely; they must have a weakness somewhere, and once you exploit that weakness, you can take them down."


    Given what he understood of Gaoyuan, Sun Xiaowu was certain that Gaoyuan''s weakness would lie in his testicles.


    Sun Xiaowuunched a probing kick toward Gaoyuan''s groin. Gaoyuan seemed to have been on guard against such an attack, and he dodged immediately. He had never dodged any of Sun Xiaowu''s attacks before, confirming Sun Xiaowu''s suspicions.


    "[Blinding sh]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body suddenly split into dozens of clones, none of which were distinguishable from any of the others.


    Gaoyuan waved an arm and destroyed all the ones around him, but there were simply too many for him to take care of at once.


    As his clones continued to distract Gaoyuan, Sun Xiaowu struck once again with [Golden Divide].


    Gaoyuan leaped up into the air to avoid the attack, at which point Sun Xiaowu and all his clones cast [Blinding sh]. Dozens of copies of the same attack filled the area, casting Gaoyuan''s camp under so bright a glow that he was forced to shut his eyes.


    Subsequently, all the clones cast [Goldenscale Palm]. The copies of the technique condensed into a pir of light that shot into the sky, with Gaoyuan at its very center. In mid-air, Gaoyuan was unable to dodge the technique. All he could do was curl up his body and protect himself.


    Dozens of golden fistsnded on his body, breaking bone and pummeling skin. By the time the technique was over, his body was nothing but a bag of flesh and bone, his head half torn off his body. The only part of his body that remained intact was his groin.


    Despite the frightening state of his body, Gaoyuan had yet to perish. His injuries were healing, but Sun Xiaowu was faster.


    He walked toward Gaoyuan''s battered form.


    "You''re humans, aren''t you? I''m impressed there are such strong fighters among you." Gaoyuan lickedh is lips. "I do want to have a taste of your testicles."


    "You won''t have a chance!" Sun Xiaowu raised a gleaming golden de and cut Gaoyuan''s head in two as though he were chopping apart a watermelon.


    Just as he was about to find Gaoyuan''s groin and end him once and for all, however, Gaoyuan spoke again. "That''s not certain yet!"


    Gaoyuan made his move¡ªlike a slime, he used the ground as aunching pad to send his body flying toward Sun Xiaowu.

 Chapter 468: The Death of Gaoyuan

    <h4>Chapter 468: The Death of Gaoyuan</h4>


    "[Golden Divide]!" A beam of golden light bisected Gaoyuan''s body, turning him into two sacks of flesh and bone. As they revolved quickly in mid-air, they became approximately spherical, and Gaoyuan''s face appeared on both spheres.


    The left Gaoyuan said, "My testicles are the crux to my regeneration, and as long as they haven''t been destroyed, I can continue living on."


    The right Gaoyuan said, "Indeed, targeting my testicles was the right choice, but your understanding of my weakness is far too simplistic. I had my godfather encapste my soul within my testicles, so in some sense, I have an immortal body!"


    The hunters reared back in shock upon seeing the grotesque nature of Gaoyuan''s body. "Encapsting your soul in your... testicles? Don''t you feel disgusted?!"


    The left Gaoyuan smiled blissfully. "This is my lifelong dream! What''s there to be ashamed of?"


    The right Gaoyuan said, "I''ve always wanted to be two testicles, and I feel happier than I''ve ever been before!"


    Just what had Gaoyuan experienced to dream of something so perverted? He seemed to be even worse than Xueju. Just because he liked eating testicles hardly meant that he would want to be a pair of testicles¡ªsomeone who enjoyed eating beef wouldn''t necessarily want to be a cow.


    Gaoyuan had set his sights on what seemed to be an impossible dream, but what simultaneously shocked and repulsed the hunters was that he¡­ had managed it. He, who had transformed into two balls of meat, yelled out, "Do you see the power of my body now?"


    "In that case, if I destroy both your... balls... I''ll be able to kill you," Sun Xiaowu surmised.


    "Do you think I''ll let you do that?"


    The two balls charged toward Sun Xiaowu, who rapidly stepped back. Part of Gaoyuan''s fleshnded on his hand, which stuck to his skin and began to grow at an rming rate, just like a patch of mold. With his other arm, Sun Xiaowu hurriedly sliced off the offending patch of substance.


    The two meatballs began to revolve rapidly as flecks of meat sprayed out from their bodies toward the hunters nearby.


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "Don''t let those flecks of meat touch you!"


    The hunters immediately reacted, defending themselves with their own soulshards, whereas the sura ducked down and ran.


    Whenever a fleck of meatnded on a human or sura''s body, it would quickly spread to cover the entire body, turning it into a disgusting mass of meat that made its way over to join Gaoyuan''s two bulging balls.


    Sun Xiaowu armored himself with his golden longhorn beetle soulshard before charging forward with [Blinding sh]. Dozens of clones each performed [Goldenscale Palm], and a burst of concentrated light lit up the entire sura camp.


    When the attacks smashed into the meatballs, however, even more flecks of meat sprayed out toward the surrounding fighters, and Sun Xiaowu had to cut his attack short.


    The deputy leader of the hunters realized that their continued presence here would only hold Sun Xiaowu back, and hemanded, "Hunters, retreat! Cover the perimeter!"


    The balls of meat suddenly burst apart, spraying meat all over.


    "[Blinding sh]!" Once again, Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. A golden glow radiated from all their bodies, basking the world in light. The clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of [Blinding sh] merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. As he punched forward, the golden qilin materialized into reality, rushing toward the center of the meatballs and vaporizing all the flecks of meat around him.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a hundred clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The hundred clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    Hundreds of golden beams of light fell from the heavens, vaporizing any meat in their way.


    Sun Xiaowunded on the ground, slightly out of breath. He had spent a great deal of gic energy all at once for his ultimate technique. Just then, a small ball of meat dug itself out of the ground.


    Gaoyuan had secretly hidden a ball of meat in the ground as he waited for Sun Xiaowu to drop his guard, thinking that he had won. Just as the ball of meat jumped out of the ground, Sun Xiaowu suddenly turned around and said, "You think you can sneak up on me? You''re a few thousand years too early!"


    A golden beam of light struck the ball hovering in mid-air.


    "No!" Gaoyuan screamed. "No, no!"


    The ball exploded as Sun Xiaowu shouted, "Gaoyuan''s dead! ughter the rest of the sura, now!"


    The deputy leader raised his arms in a cheer andmanded the human hunters, "We strike now!"


    The sura gaped. How had their king lost? How had the humans grown so strong all of a sudden? Could they have been hiding their strength in preparation for a concerted takeover of the sura?


    As the hunters rushed forward, the few sura remaining turned and fled.


    In another camp, the fight between Moyan and Li Feng had also reached its apex.


    Beams of light shed and arced through the air. Sura corpses littered the ground. Li Feng might only have had a dozen hunters and another two dozen or so Yeluo fighters by him, but his efficiency in battle wasparable to that of any other force dispatched by Renhuang.


    With the assistance of the Yeluo poison, the sura''s numerical advantage wasrgely irrelevant; few problems on the battlefield couldn''t be solved by a vial of Yeluo poison, and those that couldn''t sumbed to another vial.


    Li Feng was gradually taking the upper hand in the fight against Moyan as thetter umted more scratches and wounds.


    Moyanmented in surprise, "I can''t believe there are existences like you among the humans. But this is as far as you''ll get¡ªI hope you won''t die too quickly."


    Moyan''s eye sockets began burning with ck me. Fresh blood seeped out of his sockets, like tears of blood, as the ck mes shot forward.


    Thinking that this was Moyan''s signature move, Li Feng responded in kind...

 Chapter 469: Arclight Dragons Imprint

    <h4>Chapter 469: Arclight Dragon''s Imprint</h4>


    "[Dragon''s Triumph]!" As Li Feng thrust forward with his longsword, a dragon of light rushed toward Moyan before being swallowed up by the ck mes that emanated from his eyes. Not only were the ck mes able to devour light-attuned energy, it even absorbed light from all around.


    "[Daybreak]!" Li Feng transformed into a bolt of light that darted around the ck mes and appeared beside Moyan. His sword gleamed with white light as a white dragon seemed to materialize around its de.


    Moyan pped the de away with a palm, then sent ck mes roaring up all around him.


    Li Feng pressed one hand against Moyan''s head as he darted to his side, trampling Moyan''s back with his feet. ck mes trailed Li Feng''s path, but he once again vanished out of sight in a sh of white light.


    This was a battle of speed: would Moyan''s gaze reach Li Feng first, or would Li Feng kill Moyan before that? White light shed against ck me. Moyan ignored his subordinates as mes filled the entire battlefield, swallowing everything whole.


    The hunters realized that they wouldn''t be of any help in Li Feng''s battle against Moyan, and they fled from Moyan''s mes. The sura seemed to havee to the same realization, and they too rushed away.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng''s hands moved so quickly they were hardly visible, sending countless dragons of light flying out toward their prey. The dazzling light struck Moyan''s ck mes, and they absorbed the light once again.


    "[Daybreak]!" A white dragon emerged from the heavens. As Li Feng shed forward with his sword, the dragon swooped down toward Moyan.


    Under the effects of [Daybreak], the dragon moved so quickly that itnded even before Moyan could raise his head.


    Almost out of instinct, Moyan took a step back. The white light cut downward, scoring a line of blood down Moyan''s forehead and cheek. The ck me in Moyan''s eyes exploded, wrecking his vicinity.


    Li Feng barely escaped from the explosion with the speed boost from [Daybreak]. Nevertheless, ck mes caught on several patches of his clothes, which Li Feng immediately cut off to avoid their spread.


    Moyan slowly walked out of the sea of mes as though nothing had happened. The wound on his face cut across his left eye.


    As fresh blood continued dripping down his face, he said, "You''re the first one in many decades to have hurt me even after I''ve summoned my ck me."


    Li Feng smiled. "Your mes might be strong, but you can''t summon their like endlessly. As far as I know, you''ll have to sacrifice something every time you summon them¡ªhow many sacrifices do you have left?"


    "Very many, I assure you." Moyan spread an arm, revealing the inside of his cloak. Vials of green liquid were stored in the cloak''s many pockets, each of which contained a pair of eyes.


    Li Feng couldn''t help but shiver at the sight.


    Moyan replied, "Among the sura, our n is special. We can burn off our eyes in order to produce ck me that can burn all things. My eyes were burned off while protecting my fellow kin. To be frank, it isn''t a particrly useful talent¡ªyou can only use it once in your entire life, and you''ll be blind afterwards."


    Li Feng didn''t reply. He was secretly amassing more and more light-attuned gic energy, and a barely visible membrane of light covered his skin.


    "Only when I met my godfather did my life change. Not only did he allow me to see once more, he even imparted me with a secret technique that allowed our kind to change our fate, turning a useless talent into a ridiculously strong one."


    With the help of the monarch of stars, the technique no longer required Moyan''s eyes¡ªbut any pair of eyes he was able to procure.


    Moyan nced thoughtfully at Li Feng''s eyes, which were glowing with serene light. "Your eyes aren''t too bad themselves. If you hand them over to me, I''ll let you and your troops leave."


    "Do you think I''d agree?" With a roar, bright light burst from Li Feng''s body, and a somewhat rough suit of dragon armor covered his body. The energy that Li Feng had stored up was now released in one fell swoop. "Take this¡ª[Arclight Descension]!"


    With a shout, the armored Li Feng suddenly waved his left arm, causing a gigantic w to materialize from motes of white light. It pierced the heavens and crushed down on Moyan.


    Moyan''s eyes burnt once more with ck me. He directed a baptism of fire at the w, swallowing it up whole.


    The gigantic dragon''s w rent apart the ocean of fire, causing Moyan to frown. He continued bleeding from his eyes as the pitch-ck mes morphed into demons that leapt out from his eye sockets and fended off the w from afar.


    Vial after vial of eyeballs was consumed as Moyan threw everything he had against the gigantic w, but nothing was enough.


    The hunters were shocked. They had expected to die in sacrifice for Renhuang, that it would be impossible for them to hold off the sura king Moyan for long. After all, if it were so easy to defeat a sura king, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have be famous for dealing with two in quick session.


    They believed that their role would be to dy as long as they could until reinforcements were sent from afar¡ªat least, until they saw Li Feng fight.


    No one had expected that the members of Team Zenith, like their leader, could actually take the upper hand against a sura king.


    Their opponents, the sura kings, were existences no human could go against before Zhang Lie¡ªbut here was another hunter who could! It even seemed as though Li Feng would be able to kill Moyan outright.


    The dragon''s w, ignoring all the techniques Moyan threw its way, descended on his head.


    "[Descent of the Demon King]!" Half of Moyan''s robes caught on fire, and the vials within burst open. Moyan ignored it all. The dark mes morphed into a ck demon''s w, which resisted the onught of the white dragon''s. The interaction of the dark mes and white light caused space all around to fluctuate wildly.


    The demon''s w began to crush the white dragon''s.


    The sura fighters cheered from afar.


    "As expected, there''s no way his highness could be defeated by a human!"


    "He had to have been ying with the human just now¡ªbut he''s making use of his true skill now!"


    "Just you wait, humans¡ªyou''ll all die!"


    The ck mes roared as they burned toward Li Feng, and it looked as though his life was in peril. However, with a low shout, Li Feng began radiating white light from his body, refining his armor and revitalizing his reserves of energy. He waved his left arm again, summoning a brilliant, blinding totem of light in mid-air.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" A pure-white dragon appeared behind Li Feng''s back, the brightness so intense everyone had no choice but to shield themselves from it. It tore apart the demon''s w with a casual swipe, then sent a fuside of light against Moyan...

 Chapter 470: Exhausting His Abilities

    <h4>Chapter 470: Exhausting His Abilities</h4>


    "[Possession of the Lava Demon]!" Whatever eyeballs Moyan possessed all burst in that moment as fuel for his ultimate technique.


    The more eyeballs that burned up, the more intense the mes Moyan could generate. When he used his ultimate technique, his eye sockets filled up with ck me, and his entire body began to burn.


    The mes reached for the sky, forming a pir of darkness.


    Moyan, burning with pitch darkness, took the bombardment of light head-on. He was forced back dozens of meters, but he managed to fend off the attack.


    The gigantic white dragon opened its maw and shot out a beam of light which sent Moyan flying, knocking him over a hundred meters into the distance before he fell with a backbreaking thud.


    The mes surrounding Moyan seemed to burn all the more strongly, drowning the world in darkness. As Moyan stumbled up, the strength of the mes reached a crescendo. He looked much like a demon of hell himself.


    "This isn''t enough!" Moyan sucked in a deep breath, swallowing the mes that were arrayed before him. The mes grew even taller and stronger, and he morphed into a gigantic shadow.


    Moyan roared in anger, all rationality having left him, spending his own life force as fuel.


    The sura shouted in delight, "His highness has finally used his trump card! What amazing strength!"


    "His highness is invincible! He''ll kill that human for sure!"


    "There''s no way we sura can lose against the humans!"


    "No, it''s still not enough!" The sura''s shouts caught the crazed Moyan''s attention, and he turned to his sura subordinates.


    The sura began to panic. "What''s going on, your highness? The enemy''s that way!"


    mes burst from Moyan''s body as he dashed forward, entering the midst of the sura and grabbing the neck of one of them. The unfortunate sura''s eyes burned in Moyan''s grasp as he screamed. Bursts of dark me covered his body, which Moyan tossed onto the ground as though it were nothing but trash.


    The sura screamed as he rolled on the ground before slowly turning to a pile of charcoal under the assault of the ck me.


    Meanwhile, the ck mes all over Moyan''s body grew even stronger.


    "Your highness, what are you doing?!"


    Moyan didn''t pay the cries any heed. He caught another sura and repeated the process.


    Li Feng stared at Moyan. "He''s gone berserk."


    Moyan didn''t seem as though he would stop before turning everything into fire and ashes. Perhaps this was the first time Moyan had activated this final state of his technique; perhaps he knew that he would lose his rationality, but he didn''t care.


    After all, everyone else was just walking vials of eyeballs for him to retrieve at his pleasure.


    "Run, run quick! His highness has gone crazy!" The sura scattered as they shouted to each other.


    Against Moyan, however, fleeing had no effect.


    Moyan''s mes red, enveloping all the sura in the vicinity. The sura struck by the mes all began to burn; the mes prated their eyeballs and burned them to a crisp, augmenting Moyan''s mes even further.


    Despite the fact that it was daytime, despite the fact that the sun hung in the middle of the sky, the ground seemed to be covered with a patch of eternal night. The sura trapped within screamed as they burned.


    "[Dragon''s Triumph]!" A light dragon descended from the heavens like a beacon of shining light, dissipating the ck mes.


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    Li Feng had interrupted Moyan not to save the burning sura, but rather to prevent Moyan from growing even stronger. Whenever Moyan devoured another sura''s eyeballs, his mes would increase in magnitude.


    Riding the dragon of light, raising the sword high over his head, Li Feng charged forward. Moyan condensed the ck mes and augmented his body into that of a giant demon.


    The light dragon and sword of light struck Moyan simultaneously, shaking earth and sky, tearing a huge rent in the ground, and causing the nearby space to copse. Even the hunters watching from afar were knocked back by the force of the confrontation.


    The battle between light and darkness resumed anew. The gigantic demon devoured all light in its path, but Li Feng and the dragon he rode shone with light that eclipsed the brightness of the sun itself.


    As the two fighters shed once more, space cracked like a mirror, causing even the will of the world to react and cordon off the two fighters from the rest of the realm. Half of the cordon red with darkness; the other half, with brightness.


    As Li Feng activated his blood ant and phosphorescent smander soulshards, his aura magnified once more, now tinged with flecks of red. A white glow spread across his body and condensed at the tip of his sword, augmenting its strength. Li Feng''s light seemed, for the moment, triumphant.


    "Return to the abyss from whence you came!" As the light concentrated and refracted around Moyan, the mes surrounding Moyan''s body seemed to diminish in size and strength. Li Feng smiled in relief, but the mes suddenly red to an extent even stronger than before, causing an explosion that swallowed up both parties.


    The cordon that the will of the world imposed was filled to the brim with ck me, and the cordon itself began to crack. The mes were feeding off the energy powering the cordon.


    Li Feng had hardly expected that Moyan would absorb, then explode, the ck mes using his body as a conduit.


    It was a devastating attack, but one that didn''t leave Moyan unscathed, either.


    His skin was like cracked pottery¡ªthe cost of the ckme explosion was immense, and chips of skin were falling off his body. It would take him at least a century to recover from an injury of this magnitude.


    "But I''ve won, haha, I''ve won!"


    It had been far too long since Moyan had felt so overjoyed at a victory. After all, there were few fighters who could push him to such an extent.


    ncing at the shattered sky, reminiscing over the battle, Moyan murmured to himself, "As a human, you were a decent opponent. It''s unfortunate that I don''t know your name, or I''d pay my respects to you. You lost because you weren''t vicious enough."


    "Ho, vicious? ?My name is Li Feng: remember that!"


    Just as Moyan thought that everything was over, he heard a mockingugh from behind him. Moyan twisted around to see Li Feng standing right behind him in shining armor...

 Chapter 471: The Death of Moyan

    <h4>Chapter 471: The Death of Moyan</h4>


    Gleaming white armor covered Li Feng''s body, and an exquisitely carved dragon''s head formed the chestpiece of that armor. A ray of light shone down on Li Feng, making him look like a god of light.


    "How can you still be alive?! How, how?! I took such serious injuries, and yet, you¡ª!" Moyan couldn''t ept this reality. There was no way Li Feng could still be alive!


    "I still have a few trump cards up my sleeve, you see¡ªmy peak-grade lightcrest dragon armor, my disaster-grade gic armor, and so on and so forth."


    While hunting for peak gene fragments with the rest of Team Zenith, they had once encountered a dragon with overwhelming defensive capabilities, a peak-grade lightcrest dragon king. From that battle, Li Feng had obtained its armor.


    The armor boasted an impressive ability: to unconditionally negate the effects of one attack. It was an unimaginable boon in an emergency.


    The disaster-grade gic armor was even more extraordinary¡ªit had been forged during the advancement process from the first to the second realm with the disaster-grade gic material that Zhang Lie had given the members of Team Zenith. Upon wearing that armor, their defense and speed would increase dramatically, multiplying theirbat efficiency.


    Moyan panicked as he stumbled back. "Hold on, hold on! There''s no need for us to kill each other. We can still have a pleasant conversation¡ª"


    "Have a pleasant conversation with your brothers in hell!"


    Li Feng didn''t want to waste any more time on him.


    "[Daybreak]!" He thrust forward with his sword, and a white dragon morphed into a beam of light that cut Moyan apart.


    After the battle, the cordon that the will of the world had created around thebatants slowly disintegrated. ck mes continued to burn over thend, as though they could never be extinguished.


    When the human hunters saw Li Feng still standing, they all cheered. Their greatest foe had perished, and Renhuang had won an overwhelming victory in this battle! Without the sura king around, Li Feng and his troops were able to deal with the remaining sura with ease.


    In another part of the second realm, Zhou Ying and her forces had sessfully found Fenghe''s camp. They invaded and began to attack immediately, with such strength and cohesion that they quickly took the upper hand over Fenghe''s creatures.


    One of the rock spiritsughed as he yelled out, "These creatures might look scary, but they''re really weak!"


    "Don''t getcent," Zhou Ying reminded the rock spirit.


    The party quickly made their way up to Fenghe, but he didn''t seem to be panicking. He folded his arms as he waited for them to approach, smirking all along.


    Zhou Ying frowned and called for a halt. "Be careful¡ªI think there''s a trap!"


    Fenghe''s lips parted to reveal his teeth. It was rare that he had an opportunity to catch any prey, and he had no intention of letting these humans escape. "Isn''t it toote to want to flee now?"


    Fenghe snapped his fingers, causing the ground to crack as Zhou Ying and her forces fell into a gigantic pit.


    Fenghe spread his arms. "Wee to my arena."


    The pit was at least a few hundred meters deep, and the top of the pit was closely guarded by Fenghe and a few of the strongest of his creations. It wouldn''t be easy for Zhou Ying and her troops to get out.


    "In that case, you intentionally sacrificed your weakest forces to get us to fall into this trap?"


    "Indeed, indeed! You''re very smart. If you''re willing to give up on your useless resistance, we can both save some time."


    "No member of Team Zenith would ever surrender to the likes of you!"


    "What a pity." With another snap of his fingers, Fenghe broke three walls of the pit, revealing three monstrous lifeforms, each a human centipedeposed of over fifty humans.


    What was most frightening about them wasn''t the number of humans incorporated into their bodies, but rather the fact that their gic energies hadpletely merged with each other. They gave off an unbelievably frightening aura.


    Fenghe bowed as he introduced his creations. "Guests, permit me to start with our first contestants, three human centipedes. They were a beloved creation of mine, and I hope you''ll like them as much as I do."


    The three human centipedes barreled toward the human forces like three derailed trains, moving with a speed that belied their size. They smashed a rock spirit who was unable to dodge in time against the pit wall, crushing its body.


    Zhou Ying frowned at the damage. The rock spirits had handled the lifeforms leading up to Fenghe''s camp with ease, downing each one with just a single blow. Against these human centipedes, however, the rock spirits didn''t seem able to do anything.


    The rocks that had cracked off the rock spirit''s body quickly regenerated as the rock spirit stood up once again. "I''m ready for action again, troop leader!"


    Fenghe rubbed at his jaw. "Curious. A lifeform whose body isn''t made of flesh and bone, one who can even regenerate¡­ If I''m not mistaken, you must be the rock spirits that my godfather once made a note of! A nomadic tribe that once used to rule the second realm, but which has vanished for a millennium¡ªI can''t believe there''s your kind in Renhuang! I truly want to dissect you and examine how your body works."


    Fenghe''s eyes shone with greed and desire, causing the rock spirit to shiver in disgust.


    "I wonder what sort of lifeforms I can make with a rock spirit''s core?" Fenghe murmured to himself.


    The rock spirit shuddered as it looked at the three human centipedes, as well as the chimera standing beside Fenghe. "Even if I have to kill myself, I won''t be one of your toys."


    Fenghe shook his head. "That isn''t something you''ll be able to control. Centipedes, attack!"


    The three human centipedes rushed toward Zhou Ying.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!" Three jade-green dragons darted out of Zhou Ying''s hands, twining around the three human centipedes and halting their motion. Zhou Ying darted up a wood dragon''s body and thrust her dagger into the first human centipede, then agilely leapt over to another one and did the same, before finally repeating the same action again for the third centipede.


    Fenghe frowned, not knowing the purpose of Zhou Ying''s actions. Stabbing each human centipede just once with a short dagger wasn''t going to harm any of them at all.


    What Fenghe didn''t notice was that the blood that seeped out from Zhou Ying''s dagger wound was ck. The toxins in the wound quickly spread throughout each human centipede''s body, causing them to shake and thrash uncontrobly.


    Even the wood dragons were unable to hold them down, but the human centipedes didn''t seem to have any intention of attacking the humans even after breaking free of their constraints. They simply iled and floundered in ce, as though they were in great pain.


    Fenghe continued to frown as he observed what was going on.


    To his surprise, he had lost all control over those centipedes.


    "Attack him!" Zhou Ying pointed at Fenghe at the top of the pit, and the human centipedes began to rush out in an attempt to attack him.


    Fenghe smiled calmly. "Very curious indeed. Is this a special toxin that gives you control over my creatures?"

 Chapter 472: Avatar of the Fae

    <h4>Chapter 472: Avatar of the Fae</h4>


    More walls of the pit crumbled as creature after creature popped out. Some were horrifyingbinations of gic lifeforms, and others were sewn together from hundreds or thousands of humans¡ªa veritable mad scientist''s museum.


    They immediately cut apart the three human centipedes that Zhou Ying controlled.


    When Zhou Ying saw the groups of humans that had been stitched together, she couldn''t help but feel a growing sense of anger and fury.


    [Storm of Leaves] and [Willow''s Caress] took care of most of the lifeforms. With their vision obscured, Zhou Ying danced through the creatures, stabbing each with her little dagger and subverting Fenghe''s control.


    As Zhou Ying yelled out, the creatures that had been corrupted by her peak-grade dagger each turned to Fenghe and pounced at him.


    Beneath Fenghe rose a hydraposed of countless snakes tied together, and to which insect appendages had been forcibly spliced. The creatures that Zhou Ying sent charging at Fenghe were, one by one, caught by the snake heads, lifted into mid-air, and torn apart viciously.


    Fenghe stood calmly atop one of therger snake heads as he observed the battlefield from below. "This is one of my favored creations, the hundred-headed hydra. Beneath your feet is another interesting one, a hybrid crab-scorpion that enjoys burrowing under the ground. I hope you find it interesting too."


    Zhou Ying felt the ground give way beneath her feet as her body sank. A pair of pincers broke through the ground. Zhou Ying lowered her head to see a disgusting creature burrowing out of the earth to attack her.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!" Two jade-green dragons darted out of her hands in twin beams of light, tightening around the crab''s pincers. A ck stream of energy shot out of the crab''s mouth, knocking her aside.


    With [Avatar of the Fae] to protect her, however, Zhou Ying''s wounds healed near immediately, causing Fenghe to stare at her in surprise. "What astonishing vitality! I''m surprised there''s someone like you among these humans. I''ll certainly capture you and study you carefully."


    Fenghe waved an arm, sending arge group of creatures scurrying toward Zhou Ying.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying stomped on the ground, her feet seemingly bing rooted. The patch of ground beneath and all around her began to glow green, and hundreds of jade-green roots flew into the air, rushing into the air like countless wood dragons. They stalled the creatures'' advance.


    "Go!" Fenghemanded the hundred-headed hydra beneath him to move forward as itunched an onught against the wood dragons.


    Rather than avoiding the attack, Zhou Ying grabbed her dagger, leapt up onto a snake head, and stabbed it deftly into its forehead. The head of the snake began to writhe and struggle as Zhou Ying leapt up in midair, rebounded off the wall of the pit, and headed straight for Fenghe.


    The snake head chased after her as she summoned a wood dragon to lift her higher and higher, adroitly dodging the attacks from the snake heads in her way.


    She maneuvered her body in a breathtaking manner, avoiding attacks by the barest of distances, as though she were a trapeze artist or tightrope walker. Shended firmly on another snake head, shed down on it with her dagger, then leapt away.


    Shended on another snake''s head, using its momentum as aunching pad to shoot forward and upward once more. Eight more snake heads rushed forward, blocking off any space in which Zhou Ying could maneuver.


    "[Storm of Leaves]!" Zhou Ying''s body rotated in mid-air, and the leaves that manifested from her body cut apart the snakes as though they were a flurry of daggers.


    She escaped from the encirclement of the snakes andnded right beneath Fenghe. Wielding her dagger in her hand, she leapt forward and shot toward her target.


    Fenghe calmly plucked off his gloves. Dragon scales covered his arms, which suddenly grew taut as he clenched his fists. Zhou Ying''s face turned pale as she sensed the changes in his aura.


    Such was the strength of his fists that the very air cavitated when he attacked.


    "[Chestnut Shield]!" A firm, sturdy chestnut enveloped Zhou Ying in mid-air. Struck by Fenghe''s fists, the chestnut cratered into the ground, but Zhou Ying, ensconced firmly within, was unaffected.


    Fenghe sighed. "What gave you the impression that I, as a sura king, would be physically weak? I don''t like resorting to brute strength, but there''s no reason I can''t."


    The sura revered strength. Not only was Fenghe adept at creating and manipting his horrendous creatures, he was one himself.


    The rock spirits gaped at the sight. Fenghe had experimented even on himself!


    As he nced at the rock spirits, Fenghe smiled proudly. "I might look like a sura, but over ny percent of my body came from other lifeforms."


    The snake''s head that had been struck by the dagger slowly began to turn ck. One of the nearby heads bit the corrupted head off by the neck, tossing it away before Zhou Ying''s dagger could corrupt its main body.


    The hydra freed the creatures that had been caught in Zhou Ying''s vines, turning the tides of battle against her.


    "Drag that human female up here," Fenghemanded.


    The hundred-headed hydra writhed toward Zhou Ying, attempting to grab her. However, a green glow of light suddenly flew toward her. The shaman of the wood spirits called out, "As I said, wouldn''t it have been best tobine forms and kill him directly?"


    Zhou Ying gave the shaman a faint smile. "We didn''t know how many aces the sura king had, and it made sense for us to observe prudently. Now''s a good time, though."


    After all, their transformation wouldn''tst for an unlimited duration. If Fenghe managed to oust them for that long, they would have a long, difficult fight ahead. Furthermore, she was very curious about her strength, and whether or not she would be able to kill a sura king on her own.


    She was very pleased with the results: given her strength, it wouldn''t be difficult to kill him, but because shecked a trump card or a particrly devastating skill, it would have been a prolonged battle.


    "Very well. Prepare for assimtion!"


    Zhou Ying turned her body to face the shaman''s, which morphed into a bolt of green light that entered Zhou Ying''s body. The next moment, Zhou Ying began glowing like a beacon of nature, fresh grass sprouting from the ground beneath her, pulsing with newfound vitality...

 Chapter 473: The Meaning of Life

    <h4>Chapter 473: The Meaning of Life</h4>


    In the center of an outburst of green light, Zhou Ying''s hair rapidly grew so long it reached her leg, fluttering in an invisible wind. and the vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend.


    Fenghe''s eyes opened wide. "What''s going on? Some form of interspecies assimtion? This¡ªThis can''t be!"


    Fenghe had delved deeply into biological research, and he had never, ever seen such a phenomenon. The assimtion between Zhou Ying and the shaman of the wood spirit went against all he knew of biology.


    He had examined lifeforms in the past which could merge of their own volition, but none that would give off such vitality as he was witnessing.


    Fenghe''s eyes filled with desire. "I must have you. You''ll be a breakthrough!"


    Zhou Ying might well help him unlock the key to ultimate biological supremacy, the apex of biological development. The task that his godfather had given him, whatever other matters filled his mind¡ªall that had been discarded. His singr desire was to analyze Zhou Ying''s transformation in meticulous detail.


    A green pulse of energy emanated from Zhou Ying, spreading to her surroundings like a wave. As it reached the creatures that Fenghe had made, Fenghe''s face turned rmed.


    "How could this be? It''s impossible!"


    That energy, that brimming lifeforce, should only have had the power to heal. It radiated naturally from the amalgamation of Zhou Ying and the shaman of the wood spirits, and would benefit all lifeforms nearby. To the spliced, monstrous creatures before her, however, there was nothing more deadly.


    The creatures suddenly began to scream. They wereposed of varying numbers of lifeforms, ranging from a few to a few dozen. Zhou Ying''s energy cut them apart where they were joined, and new flesh then grew out of those wounds, arms, brains, legs¡ªthe creatures were each being remade whole.


    Even the hundred-headed hydra was affected by the energy that Zhou Ying gave off. The hundreds of heads disentangled themselves and were likewise split apart into a huge beetle and hundreds of snakes.


    Zhou Ying''s energy had reversed all of Fenghe''s creations in one fell swoop.


    Even more astoundingly, it had regrown flesh when there was none to be found¡ªit had regenerated whole bodies from just a constituent part, as though a lizard was able to regrow from its chopped-off tail...


    Considering how many lifeformsprised the creations that Fenghe had made, the process of regrowth was unsurprisingly gruesome. He had attached half a body to an arm, an extra brain to another creature, split apart a brain into fourths and pasted them all around a body, added and subtracted and duplicated body parts all over...


    Fenghe''s own body was being affected by the wave of vitality. Flesh grew out of hispound eyes, which Fenghe decisively pulled out of his body.


    Scales appeared on his arms, which grew massively until they bulged into the talons of a gigantic dragon. Fenghe cut them off without fear. All sorts of lifeforms rushed out of his stomach. Fenghe was no longer able to control his body, and the modifications that he had made to himself were bing undone.


    Despite his life''s work being unraveled, Fenghe didn''t seem to be fearful, angry, or frightened. He smiled so happily that Zhou Ying was rather disturbed by the sight.


    "So this, this is the true meaning of life, the pinnacle of creation! I thought myself a pilgrim on this path, but I''ve clearly gone off-track¡ªthis is how life is, how life should be! Life is far more frightening, far more miraculous, than I could ever have imagined!"


    Three different heads grew out of Fenghe''s body, turning him into a four-headed nightmare.


    .


    Zhou Ying stared at him cidly, her face a mask of calm. "Those who seek this forbidden path will ultimately be devoured by their own creations."


    The rock spirits shied away at the frightening sight that seemed to go against naturalw. The creatures that Fenghe had created began to balloon into a mass of flesh. All sorts of reconstituted lifeforms and alien races tried to escape from the mass of flesh, but they were trapped within.


    Even Fenghe, the sura king who had seemed nigh-undefeatable, who was himselfposed of a number of lifeforms spliced together, was suffering a simr fate.


    Fenghe wasn''t the strongest of the nine godsons of the monarch of stars because the sura kings'' specialties and weaknesses countered each other''s. If Moyan were here, Fenghe''sbat strength would be greatly reduced, and the same would be true for Gaoyuan. However, on brute strength alone, Fenghe was no weaker than any other sura king.


    Lifeform after lifeform, alien race after alien race, tried to escape from Fenghe''s ballooning body, tearing it apart in their desire to do so.


    The rock spirits had never seen a horror film, and when they saw Fenghe''s body literally bursting apart from within, they quailed in fear.


    Each creature that burst out of Fenghe''s body was itself an amalgamation of a number of creatures, which likewise swelled up into a ball of flesh on striking the green pulse of energy radiating from Zhou Ying.


    And all this had been caused by Zhou Ying, she who had be a goddess of nature.


    Zhou Ying radiated an imposing but benevolent aura. Her long hair fluttered in an immaterial breeze. The green pulse of energy that limned her body made her look beautiful, sanctified, and holy, as though she were a true goddess.


    And yet it was her who had caused the nightmares thaty in front of them now.


    Fenghe''s body had been torn apart by the creatures inhabiting his flesh. Over ny percent of his body had beenposed of other lifeforms, even his brain. Under the effects of Zhou Ying''s frightening aura, he was unable to preserve even the basic structure of his body.


    His body continued to morph and pulse as more and more lifeforms tried to rush out. Nevertheless, amid this nightmare, Fenghe continued tough. "This is the true meaning of life! This is its pinnacle! Beautiful and cruel, palliative and dangerous¡ªI was a fool not to have realized this sooner!"


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    Each was at least thirty meters long, and they easily covered the skies with theirbined bodies. Almost as one, they swooped down to the fleshy remnants of Fenghe and his creations, turning them into petrified wood...

 Chapter 474: The Death of Fenghe

    <h4>Chapter 474: The Death of Fenghe</h4>


    The lifeforms and alien races that were regenerated from Fenghe''s creations were nothing more than piles of living flesh.


    After all, their souls had vanished upon their death, and they had no agency or ability to think.


    Over a dozen wood dragons wrapped around the mass of flesh that Fenghe had be. More and more lifeforms and alien races tried to emerge from the mass, but they were prevented from doing so by the wood dragons. In the end, as the wood dragons coiled around the mass more and more tightly, the sounds grew weaker until they vanished entirely.


    Green saplings sprouted from the wood dragons, turning the gigantic pit into a strange, warped forest that looked like a bonsai when viewed from above.


    Thus ended the life of Fenghe.


    By yet another location in the second realm, Niutou and his forces had reached arge river which was blocking their way.


    A raft flowed down the river, carrying a man garbed in white, a long spear in one hand. His eyes gleamed coldly as he stared at Niutou and his troops.


    "They''re here!"


    Niutou frowned as he stopped moving forward. He could see the man atop the raft staring at him with eyes like twin spears.


    "There''s a man on the river, your highness," one of his attendants murmured.


    Even before the battle began in earnest, the two fighters'' auras were already shing against one another. Niutou rushed out with a bull''s charge, whereas the man on the river struck forward as though he were the tip of a spear. The raft tilted from side to side, but the man''s body never seemed to move.


    The skies turned dark, and a gust of wind blew past. One of Niutou''s fighters yelled out, "Human, if you don''t want to die, scram!"


    The tip of the man''s spear hit the surface of the river, and an icy bolt shot toward the minotaur who had shouted.


    The bolt had shot out so quickly that the minotaur had no idea what had happened; Niutou was the one who had to draw his weapon, a gigantic spiked mace, and shield the offending minotaur with it.


    The icy bolt struck the mace, which hardly moved with the impact. The minotaur who had shouted at the man so arrogantly was so scared that he copsed to the ground. Had Niutou not defended him, his brain would have been pierced through.


    The man in the raft called out, "If you want to make it over, you''ll have to get past me first."


    Niutou asked, "Are you the assassin sent by Renhuang? No, the shock troops?"


    "I am Fang Yi from Renhuang." Gusts of wind rose beneath Fang Yi''s feet as thunder struck ominously above them.


    Niutou asked a question he had been very curious about since he set off. "Do you have a girlfriend, or perhaps a wife? And does your governor?"


    Fang Yi couldn''t help tightening his fingers around his spear.


    Niutou smiled. "I don''t have any malicious intent. I simply want to have sex with your girlfriend or wife."


    Fang Yi''s face turned cold. Wind revolved around his body, and lightning discharged into the air.


    Niutou cried out in mock surprise. "Could it be? Don''t you even have a girlfriend yet? How unfortunate!"


    "Take this!" Fang Yi struck before Niutou could rattle off any more nonsense. Yelling, he dashed forward with his spear in hand, striding across the river''s surface, wreathed in wind and storm.


    The spear shot forward with incredible force.


    Niutou took the blow with his spiked club, continuing casually, "Surely there''s no need to be so angry? At the very least, I should hope your governor has one. Why don''t you introduce me to her? I simply want to meet her, and then to have sex with her right in front of your governor''s eyes..."


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward once more, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, each of which seemed to strike Niutou independently.


    Niutou waved his mace around as Fang Yi continued his advance, the sh of steel against steel causing sparks that shot into the air. The power of wind and storm circled Fang Yi and ravaged his surroundings, causing Niutou''s subordinates to fall back.


    The weather itself seemed to respond to Fang Yi''s anger. Lightning shed in mid-air, thunder trailing not far behind. The winds spun around him so rapidly it seemed as though Fang Yi was in the eye of a twister.


    Niutou was no longer able to defend against his blows casually. He faced Fang Yi and responded to him with his full attention. As Fang Yi''s attacks grew faster and faster, however, Niutou was unable to keep up, and he was sent flying. There were a few cuts across his arms and legs, and he had barely avoided a critical injury.


    He frowned. "Aren''t you overreacting? Could it be that your governor doesn''t have a girlfriend or wife either? How pitiful you humans must be! Shall I introduce some to you? My kingdom has quite the selection of beautiful women, or even minotaurs or sura would do as well. You don''t have to thank me. While you and your girlfriend are deep in the throes of passion, I''lle to collect my fee."


    Niutou was, evidently, besotted with cuckolding others¡ªand even himself.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Niutou''s face grew rmed as he was knocked back once again.


    Fang Yi red at him. "Today will be the day you die."


    Niutou dragged himself out of the hole in the ground in which he hadnded. His horns turned a vibrant jade-green, and his eyes a bloody red. As he roared, his muscles bulged, and he grew taller and taller. Coarse hair grew out of his head and back in a shade of dark green.


    Niutou grew from two to five meters tall, and his gigantic spiked mace no longer looked so mismatched with his body. He sent the mace crashing down on Fang Yi.


    "[Wind''s Spirit]! [Floating Clouds]!" Wrapped in wind, Fang Yi shifted to the side by a few dozen meters, so quickly it looked as though he had teleported. The mace crashed down and sent huge waves of force around the point of impact, crushing the wooden raft on the river and splitting the river in two.


    It was true that all these sura kings were perverted in one way or another, but they were each absurdly strong, almost as though their perversion granted them strength.


    Fang Yi turned back to the river, and his eyes burned with fighting intent. Only by facing such opponents would he be able to grow stronger and stronger.


    A sh of lightning marked the resumption of battle. Wind and lightning crackled on Fang Yi''s spear as Niutou charged forward like a train straight for him.


    "[Wind''s Spirit]! [Floating Clouds]!" Fang Yi again darted a few dozen meters away, avoiding Niutou''s charge.


    The minotaurs began howling at the sky.


    "His highness is enraged now¡ªthis human''s going to be beaten into meat paste!"


    "No one has managed to take a blow at full force from his highness before."


    Positioning his spear horizontally, Fang Yi charged forward as quick as a bolt of lightning. "[Heaven''s Judgment: Tribtion of Lightning]!"


    Hurled forward by wind and storm, the spear struck with incredible force.

 Chapter 475: Rondo of Wind and Storm

    <h4>Chapter 475: Rondo of Wind and Storm</h4>


    Fang Yi''s spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. The spear thrust was so quick it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, surrounding Niutoupletely.


    Niutou sent his mace whirling horizontally around him, causing the ground to crack as wind buffeted Fang Yi. Under the effects of [Rondo of Wind and Storm], Fang Yi nevertheless stood firm, then sent another dozen spear thrusts toward Niutou.


    Niutou continued to wave his spiked mace, but despite his strength, he had neither the speed nor agility to catch Fang Yi. Fang Yi continued thrusting, only to find Niutou''s muscles as strong as armor in their own right¡ªall his spear could do was leave behind a few faint marks on Niutou''s skin.


    "This leather''s too tough!" Fang Yi struck once and again, dozens of afterimages flooding Niutou from all directions. The aura of wind and storm around him grew even stronger.


    Niutou continued waving his spiked club in order to disrupt the effects of Fang Yi''s aura, but the speed disadvantage proved to be a serious detriment.


    As Fang Yi attacked, Niutou''s body was buffeted by billowing winds and a gathering storm, and the two fighters persisted in a fragile stalemate.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    With a flurry of techniques, Fang Yi''s spear broke the stalemate, piercing Niutou''s chest and sending blood spraying everywhere. Fang Yi smiled, but so too did Niutou. His pectorals contracted, squeezing the spear in ce while he smashed down with his club.


    The resulting force sent the wind exploding from the origin of the impact, and a huge crater could be seen in the ground where Fang Yi had been standing. He had darted back almost as soon as he realized what was going on¡ªhe hadn''t expected Niutou to be so daring as to give up on defense in order to have an opening against him.


    Another spear appeared in his hand, around which a snake seemed to writhe. This was the newest peak-grade soulshard he had received, that from a stormwind serpent. Yelling, he dashed forward with his spear in hand, trailed by a cyclonic gust of wind.


    Niutou pulled out the spear trapped in his chest. His arms bulged with corded muscle, and his eyes shed blood-red.


    His green horns shone even more brightly, and his muscles bulged to such an extent that they seemed to be like a suit of armor in their own right, suppressing the wound he had taken in its entirety. He met Fang Yi''s charge with a wave of his mace.


    An explosion rang out with the force of thunder. The energy of the impact ravaged thend, causing it to crack in two. No one else could remain standing after the explosion.


    A peal of thunder rang out in the sky, and white-silver lightning tore the sky apart. Wrapped in wind, Fang Yi leapt high up into the air. His spear caught a strike of lightning, charging up his body and making him look like a storm god.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Stormwind Explosion]!" Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. As he manipted his spear, a tower of lightning crashed down on Niutou.


    Niutou bent his thighs and clenched his fists. The muscles all throughout his body tensed, and his arteries and veins bulged as though there were worms crawling underneath his skin. He sent his mace whirling through the air.


    The tremendous force of wind seemed to divide the very sky in half, splintering space all around it.


    The tower of thunder crashed against the spiked mace, sending yet another explosion booming through the air and choppy waves along the river. The stormclouds that had gathered over the battlefield were torn apart. Rays of sunlight shone down on man and sura with a sh of spear and mace.


    Niuhou howled out, his strength increasing by yet another level. His muscles were like steam engines, continuously producing more and more energy as the fight dragged on. Steam wafted out of his nose.


    As wind and lightning crackled around the spear, Niutou''s spiked mace began to crack, then broke in half. The difference wasn''t in their own strength, but rather their weapons''.


    Seeing the crackling spear headed right for him, Niutou hurriedly lowered his head, causing the spear to strike his horns instead. The ground beneath Niutou began to sink, and half his body was forcibly pushed within. Nevertheless, thanks to the strength of his horns, he was able to resist the spear attack.


    Niutou nted both his hands in the ground and pulled, dragging up a huge chunk of earth and rock which he tossed at Fang Yi in mid-air.


    Fang Yi whirled his spear, dodging the attack with the spin of his body. His spear shed in midair and cut downward, slicing off one of Niutou''s horns.


    As the clod of earth and rock rushed toward him, Fang Yi activated [Wind''s Spirit] and [Floating Clouds], dodging each attack by a hair''s breadth.


    Niutou nted his feet firmly on the ground as he leapt upward like a rocket, his fists reaching for Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi flew up into the air, darting behind the boulders that Niutou had tossed upward.


    Niutou pummeled each boulder into smithereens, but he was unable to catch up to Fang Yi. He roared in rage. His muscles bulged, and he punched the very air, sending a frightening burst of wind toward Fang Yi.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yi leapt off a boulder, thrusting forward with his spear.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Along the spear''s breadth rose a dragon of wind and a tiger of thunder. As they twined around each other, the tip of the spear gleamed, crackling with concentrated power. The spear shot straight toward Niutou''s back from behind.


    Niutou, still looking all around for Fang Yi, never noticed the iing attack. Fang Yi had been waiting for this opportunity all along¡ªthe spear pierced cleanly through Niutou''s back and out his chest.


    In disbelief, Niutou nced at the spear tip that prated his chest before sending a powerless punch backward at Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi clutched the heft of his spear with both hands, rotated in mid-air, thenunched off by kicking Niutou''s head, simultaneously pulling out his spear and sending him flying.


    The minotaurs and sura were shocked to see Niutou''s defeat. They simply couldn''t believe that their sura king had lost to a mere human.


    Niutou had seemed like an undefeatable existence to them, but Fang Yi had somehow wounded him mortally. They rushed forward to their fallen king, trying to save him from death...

 Chapter 476: The Death of Niutou

    <h4>Chapter 476: The Death of Niutou</h4>


    Before Niutou''s troops could save their king, however, arrows, daggers, and the river itself blocked their path. The hunters that hadin hidden throughout the fight finally showed themselves.


    "Just sit back and watch your king die!"


    Even if the minotaurs and sura could get to their king in time, it was already toote.


    Hurled forward by wind and storm, the spear shot forward with incredible force. Fang Yi''s spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. The spear left dozens of afterimages in all directions, surrounding Niutoupletely.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Its tip pierced Niutou''s chest and pinned him against the ground.


    Niutou''s vitality and constitution were so immense that, despite all his injuries, he continued to struggle. His arms and legs pounded the ground, sending dust rising into the air and cracks propagating from where hey.


    "In your next life, you''d better hope you aren''t born a sura or a minotaur!"


    Fang Yi''s hands clenched tightly around the haft of his spear as he forced the tip of the spear down, causing spurts of fresh blood to sully his armor. Half the spear prated Niutou''s body as Niutou''s eyes bulged and his heart finally beat itsst.


    Fang Yi then pulled out his spear, revealing Niutou''s pulsing red heart for all to see.


    When the minotaurs and sura saw their king''s disemboweled heart, they knew it was toote.


    "We have to run! Our king is dead!" The minotaurs and sura turned and fled without any hesitation, shocked beyond measure by Fang Yi''s frightening strength.


    Fang Yi shouted, "Kill them all! Leave none alive!"


    The human hunters who stood on the opposite end of the river shore hurriedly gave chase.


    Fang Yi sucked in a deep breath as hey by Niutou''s body. It had been a difficult fight, and he had expended a significant fraction of his stamina.


    He was certain his troops could easily deal with the runaway forces of Niutou without his involvement; he wanted a break.


    Taking out his doublegrowth flower, he reported the good news to Zhang Lie.


    Within Renhuang, Zhang Lie was seated in front of a map on which six routes had been sketched. Three of them led to a red cross. Zhang Lie marked a fourth one, Fang Yi''s route, with a cross as well.


    "There are two remaining," he murmured to himself.


    His gaze fell on the remaining two routes.


    By the time Fang Yi had killed Niutou, Hong Xi and Yang Ze had made their way to Suiyue.


    Suiyue responded calmly, without panicking. He got off his luxurious carriage, which was asrge as a three-man bed. It was decorated with pink curtains.


    Suiyue sighed. "So people really are on their way."


    Hong Xi frowned. "You seem to have known that we would show up."


    Suiyue shrugged. "Moyan seems to have perished. I was wondering if anyone woulde for me, and, unfortunately for you, I was right. Should I consider you foolish or arrogant?"


    Hong Xi and Yang Ze each drew their weapons. "There''s no need for idle chatter. Let''s fight!"


    Suiyue cocked his head at them. "Let''s discuss something beforehand."


    Hong Xi and Yang Ze both frowned.


    Suiyue slowly walked toward the front of the party. "Face me alone, and I shall do the same. Let''s not involve our subordinates."


    Hong Xi smiled. "I didn''t expect you would look out for your subordinates."


    Suiyue shrugged again. "They''re not my subordinates, but rather my lovers.


    "Your highness!" the old sura called out, blushing. Their antics sent shivers up Yang Ze and Hong Xi''s bodies.


    "I don''t think there''s an issue with that." Yang Ze agreed with Suiyue''s suggestion. Preventing casualties on Renhuang''s side would be beneficial to them as well.


    "It''s settled, then."


    Suiyue''s subordinates were all old sura, and though the hunters of Renhuang were confident that they could take them down, it might easily cost them some of their number.


    "Once you die, we''ll round them all up," Hong Xi murmured.


    The old sura called out, "Your highness, we can fight! Let us do so!"


    Suiyue snorted. "Stand back! Don''t involve yourself in this fight. This is amand!"


    Though they grumbled upon doing so, the sura gave Suiyue a wide berth. They had seen sura kings fight in the past, and they knew how devastating their techniques would be. Suiyue was, in their opinion, a particrly strong fighter.


    Hong Xi activated [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] simultaneously. An aura of white moonlight burst forth from her feet, as if proiming her purity; the ck sun behind her, however, seemed to mark her as a devilish witch.


    The two contrasting auras simultaneously took effect.


    When Suiyue noticed his power weakening, he smiled. "Interesting."


    He charged forward in the blink of an eye as a giant shark appeared behind Yang Ze''s back. Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself toward Zhang Lie.


    Suiyue''s fist knocked the shark back. Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze seemed to phase in and out of existence, moving as rapidly as a fish darting through the water. Heunched [Fists of the Silent Sea] toward Suiyue out of nowhere, who hastily blocked the attack with his arms.


    Ripples of water drenched thebatants, and a fog rose into the air.


    Yang Ze used the fog surrounding the battlefield as a means of shrouding himself while he attacked continuously with [Fists of the Silent Sea], sending ripples into the air.


    The ripples intersected, crossed, and bypassed each other as though they were in a dream, with reality and imagination intertwined.


    Suiyue felt like a small canoe unmoored in a choppy ocean, repeatedly being mmed back and forth by wave after endless wave. In mere moments, his body was bruised and battered all over. He howled out loudly, forcing the fog to retreat.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Yang Ze shot forward with yet another technique, one that Zhang Lie himself had imparted to him. This blow sucked in all the fog from the surroundings and pierced through Suiyue''s chest with what seemed to be unstoppable momentum.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Reflection of Sun and Moon]!" Hong Xi followed up with her own technique, punching Suiyue in the face with a fist burning with ck me and wrapped with white moonlight.


    They had used their strongest techniques initially in an attempt to end the battle in one fell swoop, before Suiyue had a chance to reverse time. However, they had clearly underestimated Suiyue, or rather, the power of such time-reversal techniques¡ªafter all, Suiyue had long since ingrained the technique into his mind, and he could activate it even when unconscious...

 Chapter 477: Time Reversal

    <h4>Chapter 477: Time Reversal</h4>


    Despite the fact that he had lost consciousness and was perhaps inches from death, Suiyue had ingrained his time-reversal technique so deeply within his body that it activated the moment before he would have died.


    The sword that Yang Ze had pierced through his body was forcibly retracted, Hong Xi was pushed aside, and Suiyue''s wound quickly regenerated.


    Suiyue looked no different than before, but in truth, he was twenty full years younger.


    "As expected, such a technique is a headache to deal with," Yang Ze cursed.


    Suiyue chuckled. "No matter how many times you kill me, nothing will change."


    In the past, all the opponents who had seen this technique activated would begin to despair immediately.


    "Wouldn''t it be better for you to just lie dead?"


    Neither Hong Xi nor Yang Ze wavered, however.


    Suiyue praised, "As expected of hunters who are willing to seize the initiative against all odds. Your wills might be strong, but I wonder how long they''llst against me?"


    After hearing Zhang Lie analyze Suiyue''s methods, the two of them would hardly back down at this juncture.


    Yang Ze brandished the sword in his hand. "Against you? If we can kill you once, we can kill you twice! I don''t believe you''ll be able to keep reversing time without suffering any consequences from doing so."


    Hong Xi chuckled coldly. "Indeed, just how many times will you be able to revive?"


    "That''ll depend on how many times you can kill me." Suiyue still seemed rather rxed¡ªthere were a few enemies in the past that also persevered for quite some time, but by his third or fourth reversal, their stamina had depleted to such an extent that they could barely continue, whereas Suiyue remained at full power. In the end, as their willpower broke, Suiyue wouldunch a counterattack and defeat them easily.


    A giant shark appeared behind Yang Ze''s back. Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself toward Suiyue.


    This time, Suiyue chose to dodge. Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze seemed to phase in and out of existence, moving as rapidly as a fish darting through the water. Heunched [Fists of the Silent Sea] in Suiyue''s direction. Ripples of water drenched thebatants, and a fog rose into the air.


    Yang Ze used the fog surrounding the battlefield as a means of shrouding himself while he attacked continuously with [Fists of the Silent Sea], sending ripples into the air. The ripples intersected, crossed, and bypassed each other as though they were in a dream, with reality and imagination intertwined.


    Yang Zeunched another [Fists of the Silent Sea], magnified by the fog surrounding him, once again leaving Suiyue battered and bruised.


    Suiyue shouted unhappily, "I dare you to use another technique!"


    "Oh? Why should I? It looks like it''s working just fine." Yang Zeughed.


    Stomping his foot, Suiyue sent a burst of energy all around him, dispersing the fog surrounding them. Then, he punched toward his back.


    However, Yang Ze was nowhere to be seen. When Suiyue turned back around, he saw Yang Ze standing over a hundred meters away, waving at him cheerily.


    Suiyue''s face fell.


    "[Moon Seeker]!" From behind, Hong Xi flew toward him, a radiant moon''s aura shining by her feet. She kicked him in the head, causing him to stumble and fall, then pierced him through with her moonlit sword.


    His heart vanished in a beam of light¡ª but once again, Hong Xi was pushed aside as Suiyue reversed time once again. This time, his body was fifty years younger.


    Every time he was revived, Yang Ze and Hong Xi killed him. This cycle repeated seven more times; by the eighth time, Suiyue''s strength had deteriorated to such an extent that he was barely to be considered a sura king.


    If his strength were to fall again, he would drop to the level of a sura lord instead.


    The distinction between a sura king and a sura lord was just one word, but that one word represented a massive drop in strength.


    "I know that each time you reverse time, your body gets younger, and the more times you reverse time in short session, the more time your body loses. By this point, you''re barely a sura king, aren''t you? You''re done for!"


    "Hah! Am I? And how much stamina do the two of you have after killing me eight times?"


    Against Yang Ze''s taunting, Suiyue used his trump card. He burnt his blood, his potential, and his lifeforce simultaneously. His body turned blood-red, and capiries appeared all over his skin. His body gave off pops and cracks like a series of fireworks, and his strength and aura seemed to increase by orders of magnitude.


    If he could reverse time, he was likewise able to draw from future reserves of time, crushing his boundless future for an immense short-term strength. He was a sura king, and he would continue advancing almost without end. By burning his potential and lifeforce, the strength he would receive in exchange was extreme¡ªSuiyue estimated that he was at about seven or eight times his peak strength.


    With his future strength exhausted, his body shriveled until he seemed like an old sura, but the light burning in his eyes was fearsome. His heart beat like a furnace, steam pouring out of his body. Despite all appearances, he radiated such energy that the very air turned scorching-hot.


    Suiyue had thought about the best way to make use of his strength.


    Techniques and frameworks that dealt with the heart of naturalw, of the fabric of space and time itself, were the most abstruse and the most difficult toprehend.


    Suiyue''s understanding of time, despite immense effort, was iplete. He was unable to make use of its full strength, and using the technique in its current state required amensurate sacrifice on his part.


    Except for reversing the damage to his body, it barely had a purpose at its current stage, and even Gaoyuan''s regenerative capabilities were superior. After all, each time he used the technique, his strength would decrease more and more.


    Fortunately, his opponents had expended amensurate amount of stamina.


    In the end, Suiyue settled on a rather unique strategy: to make use of secret, risky one-time techniques that drew on his lifeforce and potential to dramatically augment his strength for mere moments. Such techniques would ordinarily incur heavy penalties after the battle, and a hunter who used such techniques had to be prepared to give up on his career afterward.


    Someone like Suiyue, who had used three such techniques in rapid session, might die from the aftereffects¡ªbut he could simply reverse time and nullify those effects. As a result, he favored using such one-time techniques when pressed¡ªhe was uniquely capable of restoring his body to peak condition despite the drawbacks of those techniques.


    By now, Suiyue''s body had turned red all over. His emaciated body was stick-thin, but his eyes burned as bright as fire. Long, brittle hair fluttered in the wind, and his heart beat like a furnace.


    "I had thought dealing with you humans would be an easy task, but I''ll admit that I''ve underlooked all of you. Alright, ytime''s up. It''s time for you to perish!"

 Chapter 478: Infinite Save States

    <h4>Chapter 478: Infinite Save States</h4>


    The reason he hadn''t used his ultimate techniques early on was because of his pride as a sura and his belief that the humans, strong though they might be, wouldn''t be exceptional.


    He thought it would be easy enough to deal with the humans with just his strength as a sura king; during the course of the battle, however, Yang Ze and Hong Xi hade at him so quickly that he had no time to activate them.


    This had been Suiyue''s first opportunity tounch a counterattack instead. Upon seeing what was happening, Yang Ze hurriedly activated his blood-ant soulshard, whereas Hong Xi began circting [Syzygy] at full power.


    A giant shark appeared behind Yang Ze''s back. Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself toward Suiyue.


    Suiyue''s fist knocked the shark back. Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze seemed to phase in and out of existence, moving as rapidly as a fish darting through the water. Heunched [Fists of the Silent Sea] toward Suiyue from all directions, giving him no space to retreat.


    Suiyue ignored the attack as he dissipated the seemingly endless fog with a casual punch.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Reflection of Sun and Moon]!" Hong Xi followed up with her own technique, punching Suiyue in the face with a fist burning with ck me and wrapped with white moonlight. Suiyue grabbed that fist and hurled her toward Yang Ze instead.


    As Yang Ze caught Hong Xi, Suiyue rushed forward and threw out a punch. When itnded on Yang Ze''s body, however, it vanished into nothing but fog.


    Suiyue frowned. That wasn''t Yang Ze''s true body at all!


    Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze seemed to phase in and out of existence. Suiyue crushed another Yang Ze, who exploded into a fine mist of water vapor; another ten Yang Zes had appeared. Suiyue waved a hand and they all vanished into mist.


    However, things weren''t over yet. Suiyue, surrounded by a fine mist of water, found himself caught in between fantasy and reality.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Horde]!" Over a hundred translucent red and blue sharks shot toward Suiyue. Whenever he defeated one, another would open its maw wide and bite a piece of flesh off of Suiyue''s body. When Suiyue defeated this next one, three more would appear. There seemed to be no end to the frenzy of sharks.


    Each shark defeated burst into mist, amplifying the effect of the illusory technique. The mist continued to expand, giving the sharks more room in which to maneuver. More and more sharks surrounded Suiyue. Suiyue''s body, thin and emaciated, barely had any more flesh that could be consumed. The sharks tore at his bones instead.


    Despite the use of his secret techniques, Suiyue seemed incapable of dispelling the illusory field around him.


    .


    In the end, he mmed both his fists against the ground, causing a huge crash as dust and rubble filled the air. The mist dispersed in arge area around him, but the moment that happened, a group of sharks swam forward to fill the emptied space. Suiyue sent a flurry of punches in their direction, causing them to explode and surround him in yet another wreath of mist.


    Suiyue''s ultimate technique was indeed incredibly strong, and he could produce an attack ten to twenty times stronger than he ordinarily was able to, but he had chosen the wrong opponent.


    Yang Ze''s style of fighting was to disorient and confuse his opponent, and he countered a heavy hitter like Suiyuepletely.


    Suiyue knew that, if he allowed Yang Ze''s illusions to continue, the effects of his secret techniques would expire and he would perish. Counting on the strength of his physical body, he rushed out of the field of fog, smashing apart the sharks in his way. Waiting for him at the outskirts was, however, Yang Ze.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!"


    Waves sshed as Yang Ze swung his sword, a gigantic shark by his back. As Yang Ze infused gic energy into the technique, the shark materialized into reality, swimming forward as heunched his attack.


    As Suiyue tried to block with his hands, the sharksing up from behind grabbed and held them back, allowing the shark in front to open its maw and bite off Suiyue''s head.


    Hong Xi headed over cautiously and asked, "How did it go?"


    Yang Ze retrieved a vial from his storage space, a stamina recovery potion that the Yeluo had concocted. After he downed it, he said, "It''s going to be a long slog."


    Although Yang Ze''s attacks looked as though they consumed a lot of stamina, the endless conjuration of sharks from mist was remarkably energy-efficient given a suitable environment, and Yang Ze was prepared to keep this up if need be.


    As he expected, blood and brain matter began to regenerate, and Suiyue''s crushed skull restored itself.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Yang Ze struck again, and Suiyue''s head burst apart again, but it continued to restore itself.


    Yang Ze used the same technique again a few times to no avail, concluding, "There''s no point in attacking him while he''s under the effects of time reversal."


    When Suiyue was fully restored, he found himself a few hundred years younger, his strength far below that at his prime. The moment he came back to consciousness, he burnt his blood and consumed his potential.


    His body turned blood-red, and capiries appeared all over his skin. His body gave off pops and cracks like a series of fireworks, and his strength and aura seemed to increase by orders of magnitude.


    Suiyue suddenly grew thin and emaciated. With his future strength exhausted, his body shriveled until he seemed like an old sura, but the light burning in his eyes was fearsome. His heart beat like a furnace, steam pouring out of his body.


    Despite all appearances, he radiated such energy that the very air turned scorching-hot.


    "Whether you reverse time ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times¡ªit''s all meaningless!"


    A world of mist once again enveloped Suiyue, and hundreds of sharks surrounded him. This time, while his body was stillrgely intact, Suiyue rushed out of the boundary of the attack.


    Yang Ze asked, "Hong Xi, have you ever yed video games before?"


    Hong Xi shook her head. "As a child, my n was in dire straits. I had to take care of my brother, and I had no time to do so."


    "In some sense, Suiyue''s ability is much like reviving in a game. The only difference is that we''re in the real world, not a game world."


    Suiyue tried to escape the bounds of Yang Ze''s technique, but he found that, no matter what, he seemed to be trapped within an endless field of fog.


    Yang Ze smiled. "The real world''s a terrible game, without any specific mechanics or gamey objectives, and one in which the yers can turn on each other."


    As Suiyue''s body grew more and more battered, he seemed toe to a realization. "You vile human, you tricked me!"


    The only reason Suiyue had managed to escape from the field of water was because Yang Ze had allowed him to do so, inducing in him the belief that he would easily be able to escape the sphere by doing so the next time around.


    Yang Ze roared inughter. "I have to have a few tricks to deal with someone like you, don''t I?"


    In rage, Suiyue leapt high into the air, but this too was within Yang Ze''s predictions...

 Chapter 479: The Defeat of Suiyue

    <h4>Chapter 479: The Defeat of Suiyue</h4>


    Suiyue leapt upwards and emerged from the top of the illusory technique surrounding him. Before he could get his bearings, however, Yang Ze struck.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Horde]!" Waves sshed as Yang Ze swung his sword, a gigantic shark by his back. As Yang Ze infused gic energy into the technique, the shark materialized into reality, swimming forward as heunched his attack.


    Suiyue tried to defend, but he was still knocked to the ground by the attack, his chest caved in as hey limply on the ground.


    Yang Ze slowly walked up to him. Just then, Suiyue suddenly opened his eyes wide and struck with one attack that encapsted all his remaining energy. Space trembled and cracked; this attack felt as though it could shatter heaven and earth, but it zipped harmlessly through Yang Ze.


    Yang Ze''s body rippled upon being attacked by Suiyue, the effects of [Mirrored Refraction] triggering again and again. Nevertheless, the attack passed through his body without doing any damage, as though he was only ever an illusion.


    The sword in his hand swung down toward Suiyue, chopping off his head.


    As though a movie was being rewound, Suiyue''s head reattached itself to his body, and he got another hundred years younger. At this point, he looked much like a sura in the prime of his youth.


    When he regenerated, Suiyue asked, "What ?was that technique?"


    "The peak of [Mirrored Refraction]¡ª[Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision]."


    Without wasting any more time, Suiyue once again reached for his one-time techniques. He burnt his blood and consumed his potential. His body turned blood-red, and capiries appeared all over his skin. His body gave off pops and cracks like a series of fireworks, and his strength and aura seemed to increase by orders of magnitude.


    His body suddenly grew thin and emaciated. With his future strength exhausted, his body shriveled until he seemed like an old sura, but the light burning in his eyes was fearsome. His heart beat like a furnace, steam pouring out of his body.


    Compared to before, however, he was only barely at the level of a sura king despite using all his secret techniques.


    A world of mist once again enveloped Suiyue, and hundreds of sharks surrounded him. This time, Suiyue chose to flee rather than to escape the illusory realm. After reversing time once and again, his abilities had regressed to such an extent that he was hardly Yang Ze''s opponent.


    He had dropped below the level of a sura king, and the power he could draw on was diminished greatly as a result. After dying twice more to Yang Ze, he had lost even the ability of escaping from the sharks unscathed.


    Trapped in the world of mist, Suiyue let out howls and curses.


    Yang Ze continued maintaining his technique as he waited for Suiyue to make a move. Not longter, he waved a hand, and the mist parted before him.


    Hong Xi asked, "How did it go?"


    "Look!" Yang Ze pointed before him. The sura king Suiyue had disappeared, and in his ce was a sura baby.


    Upon seeing Yang Ze and Hong Xi, the baby began to bawl.


    Yang Ze frowned. As a hunter, he felt it was immoral toy a hand on the young and the elderly. Were his opponent still a sura king, it wouldn''t have been a problem, but against a sura baby, unable to defend itself...


    Hong Xi sighed as she nced at the bawling baby. "Let''s bring him back and let our captain handle him."


    The old sura watched on from the distance as the mists parted, leaving a baby behind. Despair could be seen in the gazes of many of the sura.


    When Hong Xi moved to pick up the baby, several of the sura took a deep breath as they strode forward with their weapons, followed quickly by the others.


    Yang Ze frowned. "My agreement with Suiyue is still in effect. Don''t sacrifice your lives for nothing."


    The sura replied, "Without our king, there''d be nothing left for us¡ªwe''d all merely be waiting for our deaths regardless. Except for his highness, no one has or will value us, treating us as nothing more than disposable trash¡ªwe who were once the most seasoned warriors in the realm! Return the sura king Suiyue to us!"


    Despite their age, the sura warriors'' aura didn''t seem to have diminished at all.


    Hong Xi snorted. "Go on, leave! You know just as well as we do that we can''t hand him over."


    The sura began to roar.


    "Even if I have to die, I''d rather do so in front of my liege!"


    "Hand over his highness!"


    "My life for the king!"


    "Looks like we have no choice!" Yang Ze''s face was icy as he waved an arm, sending the human hunters behind him surging forward.


    This was an unequal battle¡ªalthough the hunters were strong and in their prime, the old sura were all willing to die for their convictions, and if they could drag more humans down with them, so much the better.


    Despite their frailty andck of strength, the old sura were surprisingly difficult to handle. Even when sshed with the Yeluo poison, they refused to fall before taking some part of a human hunter¡ªan arm, a leg, a ear¡ªwith them.


    In the end, Yang Ze himself had to take to the battlefield to kill all the sura, who died to thest in search of their king.


    Everyone nced at their corpses in a heavy silence, punctuated only by a baby''s cries. Despite the long slog, despite the carnage that littered the battlefield, Yang Ze had finally won.


    The army of the dead killed every living creature in sight, sura, alien race, and gic lifeform alike. It grew stronger the more ground it covered, until the very sight of a zombie on the horizon would cause the nearby lifeforms to rush away.


    Sun Mengmeng and her hunters observed the necromantic army from the top of a valley.


    The army was so massive that it seemed like a patch of darkness, one that stretched so far into the distance that its borders couldn''t be seen. The corpses emitted ck smoke as they moved, and it seemed almost as though a storm cloud were traveling above them.


    If this army were to reach Renhuang, it would cause an unmitigable disaster.


    Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help but worry at the size of the army lying in wait for them.


    "Ten thousand, thirty, fifty, a hundred, two hundred, three hundred thousand..."


    The zombies were so numerous that it was almost impossible to count how many of them there were. Shicang had mobilized almost his entire kingdom in his pursuit of them.


    A hunter beside her asked, "Sun Mengmeng, will we be able to find Shicang from among these troops?"


    If they could snipe him from afar, the necromantic army would be dealt with almost immediately.


    However, Sun Mengmeng, who was standing atop the leader of the rock spirits'' head, shook her head with a frown. "I don''t see him anywhere, and I doubt we would be able to snipe him from afar even if we wanted to."


    Another hunter asked, "Can we really deal with such arge army by ourselves?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied earnestly, "Of course! Don''t forget that the governor devised a set of strategies and countermeasures just for us. Everything will be fine, I''m sure of it!"

 Chapter 480: Underworlds Arrow

    <h4>Chapter 480: Underworld''s Arrow</h4>


    Upon hearing Sun Mengmeng''s words, her gathered subordinates nodded.


    "What lies behind you is Renhuang, the city we''ve built together with a massive investment of time and energy on our part¡ªour city! We can''t let these zombies get anywhere close. Let''s return them to the ground where they belong!"


    The hunters and rock spirits cheered. "Yes, Captain Sun!"


    The hunters quickly made their move, hiding all around the valley as the army of the dead inched forward slowly. Their senses, diminished greatly in death, were incapable of detecting the Renhuang forces all around. As the dead walked deeper and deeper into the valley, everyone looked toward Sun Mengmeng, waiting for her signal to act.


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head.


    As the dead made it over halfway through the valley, the hunters'' hearts began to beat so quickly they felt as though their hearts would jump out of their chests. They covered their mouths, afraid that their breathing would be overheard by the dead proceeding right below them.


    They wiped the cold sweat on their forehead, each second a struggle.


    The hunters and rock spirits looked toward Sun Mengmeng once more, who shook her head again stoically. When the vanguard of the dead began walking out of the valley, Sun Mengmeng knew that it was time to act.


    She suddenly stood up and shouted, "Now!"


    On Sun Mengmeng''smand, the hunters and rock giants lying in wait immediately began pushing boulders down the valley. The boulders rumbled like thunder as they fell to the bottom of the valley, elerating with every second.


    None of the boulders were able to do much damage to the zombies by themselves; after all, they were in the second realm, and even the zombies here were sturdier than average humans. However, the boulders were able to dy and distract the zombies while the hunters struck with bow and spear.


    Rays of energy trailed forth from the hunters as they attacked the zombies who had just pushed aside the boulders that hadnded on top of their bodies, instantly decimating their number.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. As she pulled the greatbow taut, the bow and arrows likewise began to burn.


    Her right hand, with which she drew back her bow, blurred. Countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower, tinting the air purple and giving the valley a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    The army of the dead began to burn as the battlefield became a sea of violet me, cremating the zombies in a magnificent disy.


    The hunters of Renhuang began to holler in amazement, their confidence soaring to its peak. From what they could see of her strength, Sun Mengmeng was clearly on a simr level as their governor, Zhang Lie.


    The zombies at the edge of the valley, shocked by the sudden attack, began climbing up the valley. So numerous were the zombies that they filled the entire valley even after the ambush from the forces of Renhuang.


    "Don''t let these zombies climb up the valley!"


    The rock giants continued summoning and tossing boulders down at the zombies, whereas the hunters began attacking them with their long-ranged specialties.


    As the battle dragged on, the corpses on the battlefield only grew and grew, revealing dark-red blood and white bone. The reanimated corpses, destroyed and revived and destroyed once more, were a grotesque sight to behold.


    The zombies continued climbing further and further up a tower of corpses until they were almost able to reach Renhuang''s forces.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her. She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Sun Mengmeng shot out dozens of arrows toward the battlefield, sending pirs of purplish-ck me ring toward the skies. The pirs exploded in mid-air and transformed into a violet moon, whose rays of light struck the zombies and caused them to burn.


    All across the valley, the corpses of the dead started to be linked together by gic energy, forming a gigantic humanoid zombie the size of the entire valley.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!"


    Nine more ming moons appeared in the sky, so bright they eclipsed the sun and dyed the entirend in shades of purple and ck. In the valley enveloped by the purple suns were countless zombies mbering up its walls, the ground littered with bone and rotting flesh. It was a hellish scene.


    The nine ming moons fell as they struck the gigantic zombie from nine different directions, igniting purple me all over his body. The zombie began to disintegrate.


    Just then, frightening howls came from behind Sun Mengmeng.


    Sun Mengmeng turned around to see a pack of over a hundred wolves right about to pounce on her from the back. The leader of the rock spirits reacted instantly. He barreled into them like a train, causing their bones to splinter and break.


    After the wolf zombies were crushed to pieces, pinpricks of ck light floated over to the leader of the rock spirits'' body.


    "As expected."


    Zhang Lie''s hypothesis had been right: except for robots, everything in this realm had a soul.


    Shicang''s necromancy relied on controlling these souls, and Zhang Lie hypothesized that he had used some special technique to extract those souls, then pollute or manipte them in such a way that they could be controlled, before sending them back into their dead bodies. This was the truth behind his necromantic army.


    While Sun Mengmeng was distracted, that army had been massing together into a gigantic tower of corpses over two hundred meters tall, causing the forces of Renhuang to be taken aback.


    "What are they doing?!"


    As the tower got taller and taller, it began to shake violently. At three hundred meters tall, it suddenly began to topple over in the direction of the Renhuang hunters.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes widened. Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She created a glowing purple-ck moon in mid-air, which burst apart and destroyed the tower of corpses. As the corpses fell, the zombies made use of the force of the explosion to propel themselves toward the forces of Renhuang...

 Chapter 481: A Human Cannon

    <h4>Chapter 481: A Human Cannon</h4>


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow tau. Only a series of afterimages were visible of her hand as she shot countless arrows of purple me of her bow, producing what seemed like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the valley a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the zombies began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. The bridge that the zombies had hoped to erect with their bodies disintegrated; they trampled on each other in a mad rush to reach the Renhuang hunters.


    The leader of the rock spirits and his retinue held the line, punching forward with their fists as they sent the zombies flying in all directions. As they continued to kill the zombies, a grey mist rose around them, boosting their defenses.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Sun Mengmeng sent pirs of purplish-ck me ring toward the skies. The pirs exploded in mid-air and transformed into a violet moon.


    The rays of moonlight that the moon gave off were like purple arrows, piercing whatever they encountered.


    The zombies began to gather together, assembling into a monstrous zombie hundreds of meters tall. The monster was formed from countless bodies and body parts, linked by gic energy. The valley was only as deep as the monster''s waist. It opened its mouth and roared, expelling a wave of sound and deep-red gic energy.


    The leader of the rock spirits stood firm against the attack like a bulwark, splitting the force of the energy in two. Such was the momentum of the attack that even his body was forced back, his feet creating two furrows in the ground, but he remained standing firm. His body turned a deep red, as though he were a piece of molten metal. Steam radiated from his body; he expended the spiritual matter he had gathered over the course of the battle.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine more ming moons appeared in the sky, dyeing the world in shades of purple and ck.


    The nine ming moons fell as they struck the gigantic zombie from nine different directions, igniting purple me all over his body. The zombie began to disintegrate once again.


    At least half the necromantic forces had been consumed by fire, but the extent of the army still seemed boundless. They came like the tides, as though they were the only survivors of a zombie apocalypse.


    ncing at thend polluted by bones and burning corpses, as well as the hordes of zombies about to overwhelm them, Sun Mengmeng frowned. "It really does look like an apocalypse."


    "What''s that?"


    From a distance, they could hear what sounded like peals of thunder. A ballposed of zombies was rolling its way over to the Renhuang forces, adding more and more zombies to its mass as it rolled over them, growingrger andrger like a snowball.


    "Take this¡ª[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" Sun Mengmeng''s right hand, with which she drew back her bow, blurred. A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the purple moon she had summoned.


    The mes raced across the air and struck the ball of zombies, which rolled left to evade the attack. Nevertheless, the torrent of me continued chasing after the ball, Sun Mengmeng''s hands moving as fast as ever as she poured more and more gic energy into the attack.


    While she still had stamina, this frightening attack wouldn''te to an end.


    As her attacknded a direct hit, the ball of zombies began to lose momentum.


    Nevertheless, it had grown to such arge size that it was able to bear the brunt of the attack as it continued to roll toward the forces of Renhuang. When she saw the ball drawing close, Sun Mengmeng was forced to change her tactics.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Her surroundings began to burn with dark red mes. Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and honed in on the ball of zombies, causing it to explode as they struck it directly. Zombies were sent flying like raindrops all throughout the valley¡ªperhaps intentionally, in order tounch at least a few zombies up the valley and toward the Renhuang forces.


    The hunters behind Sun Mengmeng immediately charged forward to clear some space for her. Sun Mengmeng gulped down a vial of stamina potion the Yeluo had specially prepared.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    Unlike Moyan''s ck mes, which devoured all light, Sun Mengmeng''s mes radiated darkness instead. The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her.


    As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space. The ball of zombies never stood a chance; the attack pierced through it and two more balls gathering on the horizon. All three burst into me and disintegrated into ashes.


    More and more zombie balls began to form, and the rock spirits and remaining hunters found themselves starting to get overwhelmed. The entire valley shook as the balls exploded, raining zombies all over.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes turned sharp, and her bow once again burst into mes.


    She pulled it taut, and the two wings on either side of the bow extended to three times its usual size. A bird''s haunted call pierced the air as Sun Mengmeng''s spirit resonated with her peak-grade soulshard weapon.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Three zombies suddenly emerged from deep within the valley. Unlike the other zombies, these moved agilely and rapidly, appearing in front of the garuda almost in the blink of an eye and pummeling it with their fists.


    Fire rained down from the skies, but with far less intensity than before. Six zombies gathered, with a ck figure at their center.


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the neer calmly. "You''ve arrived."


    The ck-robed sura Shicang slowly descended from the heavens. "Impressive, to be able to predict my arrival."


    Sun Mengmengughed. "Of course you had toe¡ªif you didn''t, all your zombies would have perished."

 Chapter 482: An Arrow to the Head

    <h4>Chapter 482: An Arrow to the Head</h4>


    Indeed, almost two-thirds of Shicang''s army had now been destroyed, and she would be able to exterminate the remaining third easily if Shicang didn''t stop her. Shicang had had no choice but to make his move.


    "You humans are quite a bit stronger than I had expected. I''m very curious¡ªjust how did you humans be so strong? Or were you simply hiding your strength and biding your time?"


    Six zombies surrounded Shicang, protecting him from danger. The three zombies that had gone against the garuda likewise returned to his side, battered and broken¡ªall three had lost half their arms to the garuda''s explosion.


    The leader of the rock spirits likewise rushed back and stood in front of Sun Mengmeng. He whispered to her, "Each of those corpses is on the level of a sura king."


    Most of those corpses were of sura, whereas the others were of other alien races.


    A pair of eyes sparkled within ck robes. Shicang''s eyes scanned Sun Mengmeng up and down. "Beautiful! My treasury''scking a collector''s piece like you, no, you''re superior to any of my prized corpses! Yes, just like a goddess of war... I implore you, be the most prized jewel of my collection!"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "I intend to serve no one but my captain, the governor of Renhuang!"


    It was evident that Shicang only collected the dead.


    Shicang sighed. "What a shame! I don''t want to destroy a work of art¡ªit''ll take me considerable effort to put you back together if you injure yourself. Furthermore, once I have to repair you, you won''t be as good as new. Losing an arm or a leg will diminish your value greatly, do you understand?"


    "I have no interest in a necrophile''s whims or desires. [Lunarme Shot]!"


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward her opponent.


    Three of Shicang''s corpses stepped forward, fending off the arrows with their fists.


    "Please, don''t call me a necrophile. I''m just a collector." Without any visible signal, Shicang sent the six corpses charging toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut, and her right hand seemed to blur. Countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower, that tinted the air purple and gave the valley a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the zombies began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    Nevertheless, it wasn''t enough to stop the corpses that were on the level of sura kings, who agilely darted through the sea of mes like fish.


    Sun Mengmeng sent more and more meteor-like arrows flying toward Shicang, but they were shot down by his three remaining bodyguards.


    The leader of the rock spirits sent two of the zombies flying with his fists as the other four surrounded him. They punched forward with their fists, attacking one by one and forcing the leader of the rock spirits to grit its teeth as it was pushed back by theirbined force.


    Although the leader of the rock spirits was stronger than any individual sura king, there was only one of it and six of the zombies.


    More zombie balls came rolling in from the distance, but Sun Mengmeng couldn''t spare them any attention given that she had to deal with Shicang and his elite zombies. She left them for the other rock spirits and hunters to deal with.


    The elite zombies charged toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air.


    The zombies were sent flying by her attacks. In mid-air, Sun Mengmeng followed up with a second blow. As her peak-grade bow began to burn, she fired an arrow into the skies, creating a glowing purple-ck moon which burst apart into a shower of arrows.


    The remaining corpses in the vicinity massed together into a gigantic ball of zombies which struck the valley and exploded, propelling a huge wave of them toward the forces of Renhuang.


    The elite zombies continued charging toward Sun Mengmeng, uncaring of theirrades'' deaths.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Sun Mengmeng retreated with [meburst Step], her hands burning with me. She sent pirs of purplish-ck me ring toward the skies. The pirs exploded in mid-air and transformed into a violet moon, which shot down rays of light that pierced her enemies.


    The elite zombies defended themselves against the barrage, but quite a few more holes appeared through their bodies.


    The leader of the rock spirits sent more of the elite zombies flying with his fists.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine more ming moons appeared in the sky, so bright they eclipsed the sun and dyed the entirend in shades of purple and ck.


    Each moon shone upon one of Shicang''s nine elites. Four were by his side, and the other five were still charging toward Sun Mengmeng. Shicang had to act now or risk losing all his elitespletely. He moved through the air like a shade, helping to defend against the moonbeams.


    Just then, an arrow pierced the sky, soundless and colorless, so quickly even Shicang couldn''t react. It pierced through his head.


    Everyone paused as Shicang''s head burst open.


    Nevertheless, Shicang didn''t fall. He remained standing, ck mist billowing forth from his neck and seemingly regenerating another head. Shicang''s body wasposed of ck mist, and his features were obscured and unclear.


    "As expected." Sun Mengmeng wasn''t surprised to see such a sight, as though she had long since unraveled his mystery...

 Chapter 483: An Endless Horde

    <h4>Chapter 483: An Endless Horde</h4>


    "As expected." Sun Mengmeng seemed to have guessed it all.


    Shicang panicked a little at the sudden revtion of his secret. Even when his most elite zombies were killed, Shicang didn''t panic; now that his true appearance was revealed, however, he hurriedly tried to cover his head with his robes, even hooding himself in shame.


    "As our captain hypothesized, you aren''t a member of the sura."


    In fact, he wasn''t even a lifeform¡ªonly an experiment produced by the monarch of stars.


    Shicang''s body was made of spiritual matter that had been polluted by a concentrated source of negative emotion. The reason he liked collecting corpses was because he didn''t have a body of his own, and he coveted what he didn''t have.


    The reason he collected these bodies wasn''t to turn them into a necromantic army, but rather because he wanted one of his very own.


    Sun Mengmeng clearly seemed to have touched a nerve. Shicang roared, "The sura¡ªI''m stronger than any of them! I''m even able to kill a sura king. Except for theck of a body, I''d be stronger than any sura around!"


    Considering that his kingdom bordered sura territory, Shicang had been very careful to hide his secret in order to avoid being discovered as an outsider. The fact that he wasn''t a sura made him self-conscious and caused him to harbor a grudge, and his personality gradually grew more and more twisted as a result.


    He shouted, "I''m better than any of the other sura kings that the monarch of stars had imed as godsons¡ªwhy won''t he recognize me?!"


    Sun Mengmeng raised her bow. "I don''t know what your backstory is, but at this point, we''re enemies on the battlefield.


    ck mist roiled around his body. "Everyone who knows this secret has to perish¡ªeveryone in the empire of stars, all of you, everyone except the monarch of stars!"


    This was the reason that Shicang had transformed his entire kingdom into one of corpses, the reason that he had subsumed his brother''s army. Only corpses would view him without any disdain, and only they could keep his secret.


    The corpses all began to howl as Shicang''s rage and anger spread to them. Their eyes turned blood-red as they rushed toward Renhuang''s forces.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward her opponent.


    The elite zombies stood in front of Shicang, blocking the attack and firmly protecting him. Two more elite zombies quickly rushed over.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air. The zombies were sent flying by her attacks.


    As Shicang howled, the ck fog surrounding his body began to dissipate through the air, snaking toward the corpses on the battlefield. Each corpse touched by the effect gave up on the enemy before them and began rushing over to Shicang.


    Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as she loosed arrows toward Shicang.


    On Shicang''smand, two of the elite zombies surrounding him began to charge toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]."


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward the zombies. Two struck the approaching zombies, incinerating them instantly. One phoenix shot toward an elite zombie and exploded by his chest, sending him flying. Three more chased after him. The zombie took down one, but two more charged him in a pincer attack and cremated him.


    The final three shot toward Shicang, who summoned three elite zombies to fend off the blow.


    While they dyed Sun Mengmeng for him, Shicang continued massing a zombie horde. ck mist filled the air like fog as the corpses massed together into a gigantic two-headed sura.


    Shicangmanded this monstrosity from where the heart of the sura would be, secure and safe in the very middle. The remaining elite zombies formed the hands and feet of the gigantic two-headed sura.


    As Shicang released more and more ck fog, the two-headed sura seemed toe to life with an astoundingly strong aura.


    Sun Mengmeng''s peak-grade bow began to burn. She fired an arrow into the sky, creating a glowing purple-ck moon which burst apart into a shower of arrows. However, the sura dispersed the attack with nothing more than a simple punch from his fist.


    Sun Mengmeng''s expression turned serious.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    The two-headed sura roared as he charged toward Sun Mengmeng, leaving deep imprints on the ground as he ran, shooting forward like a cannon. The leader of the rock spirits stood firm against his charge, but the two-headed sura knocked him aside as easily as a child would knock over a tower of blocks.


    Nevertheless, the leader of the rock spirits had created an almost infinitesimal window of opportunity for Sun Mengmeng.


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the valley a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the zombies began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. Even the gigantic two-headed sura seemed to be taken aback.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air.


    The two-headed sura''s fists fended off the daggers. As the ck moon exploded, Sun Mengmeng was sent flying out of the melee. Shended on the ground as purplish-ck mes raged all around her.


    With [meburst Step], she halted her backward movement and made use of that momentum to pull her bow taut.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" A pir of purplish-ck me red toward the sky, exploding in mid-air and transforming into a violet moon, which shot down rays of light that pierced the two-headed sura.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward her opponent, straight at where Shicang was located by what would be the two-headed sura''s heart.


    The arrows burst on impact with the two-headed sura''s chest, revealing Shicang''s original form. His ck fog was intermingled with the corpses. Layer afteryer of gic energy shielded him from attack.


    As her peak-grade bow began to burn, Sun Mengmeng fired an arrow into the skies, creating a glowing purple-ck moon which burst apart into a shower of arrows. The two-headed sura deflected the arrows with his fists, and Shicang covered up the wound on the two-headed sura''s exposed chest with a new group of zombies.

 Chapter 484: The Death of Shicang

    <h4>Chapter 484: The Death of Shicang</h4>


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut. and only a series of afterimages were visible of her hand as she shot countless arrows of purple me of her bow. A meteor shower tinted the air purple and gave the valley a phantasmagorical appearance.


    The two-headed sura charged forward underneath this field of purple meteors, which burst into me as theynded on the ground. The valley began to burn; the forces of Renhuang retreated, wary of being caught in the aftermath of the attack.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air. The two-headed sura''s fists fended off the daggers and knocked Sun Mengmeng flying. Shended on the ground as purplish-ck mes raged all around her.


    With [meburst Step], she halted her backward movement and made use of that momentum to pull her bow taut.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" A pir of purplish-ck me red toward the sky, exploding in mid-air and transforming into a violet moon, which shot down rays of light toward the two-headed sura.


    As the sura dodged, it suddenly stomped on the ground, sending a boulder flying like a cannonball. Fortunately, the leader of the rock spirits caught it in time.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine more ming moons appeared in the sky, so bright they eclipsed the sun and dyed the entirend in shades of purple and ck. They descended toward the ground. Three locked onto the two-headed sura''s trajectory. Two fell in quick session.


    The sura burst one apart with his fists, causing it to explode and covering his body with purplish-ck me. The second moon drew near. The sura attacked again with his other fist, but his body suddenly seemed to shiver.


    As the third moon burst apart and enveloped him in a thirdyer of me, the sura''s body started to char.


    As more and more moons descended, the sura tried to fend them off with his hands, but thebination of three moons was so staggering that he was forced to stumble back. When yet another moon struck him, all four burst apart at once, swallowing him up in me.


    "Take this¡ª[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the purple moon she had summoned.


    The mes arced across the air and struck the two-headed sura. As he roared out, a thickyer of charred, zombified skin sloughed off his body. As he waved his arms, he threw a number of zombies as projectiles toward Sun Mengmeng.


    The leader of the rock spirits shielded Sun Mengmeng from the sudden and unusual projectiles, but he didn''t notice that among them were two elite zombies. One knocked him flying.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward the zombies. They incinerated all the zombies that the two-headed sura threw toward them, forming a sea of mes over the ground. They morphed into a cataclysm of fire as they bombarded the two-headed sura and prevented it from making a move.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Might of the Garuda]!" Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck. Unlike Moyan''s ck mes, which devoured all light, Sun Mengmeng''s mes radiated darkness instead.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, piercing the sura in the blink of an eye.


    The sura simply had no time to react. Even if it did, it wouldn''t have been able to dodge amidst a whirlpool of purplish-ck me.


    The arrow pierced through the two-headed sura''s heart, causing it to burst into me. Like a gigantic bonfire, the ze rose into the sky, roaring and crackling, sending a wave of heat all around. The two-headed sura began to scream.


    Shicang, who was the core of the two-headed sura, was unable to remain still. He transformed back into a ck fog as the zombies melted all around him, their dposition and degradation inevitable.


    Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow forged of fire itself.


    "It''s over!" Sun Mengmeng shot the arrow straight toward Shicang, piercing the fog with a beam of ck light.


    Shicang hissed and screamed. In the end, he wasn''t a true sura king¡ªwithout any corpses tomand, he would only be a target.


    Sun Mengmeng loosed one arrow after another, piercing Shicang''s body and sending sparks of fire into the air.


    The mist, ignited by the mes, burned to nothing in mid-air. In his ck-fog form, Shicang began to scream, his voice turning more and more muted until it vanished entirely.


    After his death, the dark clouds that blocked the sun began to dissipate, and a ray of sunlight shone down on Sun Mengmeng and the other forces of Renhuang.


    She raised her head and basked in the sudden light. "The battle is over."


    The hunters and rock spirits all began to cheer. It had been a long and tiring battle, but in the end, they had seeded against all odds.


    When he received word of Sun Mengmeng''s victory, Zhang Lie began to smile. He walked toward an open window and gazed out at the sun.


    Meanwhile, under the name of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi, the human reinforcements were getting ready to support Renhuang.


    Large groups of hunters from all over set off toward Renhuang. They knew Renhuang''s opponents and the overwhelming odds they faced. Never had seven sura kingdoms cooperated to attack a single force, especially not a human-based one!


    One sura king alone was sufficient to destroy a human city, let alone seven of them.


    And yet, despite their opponents'' strength, reinforcements continued to arrive. They believed that, whether or not they could defeat the seven-kingdom coalition, they would at least be able to save Zhang Lie''s life...

 Chapter 485: The Reinforcements Arrive

    <h4>Chapter 485: The Reinforcements Arrive</h4>


    Zhou Liao murmured worriedly, "I wonder whether Zhang Lie''s holding out fine? I hope he''s not trying to make some sort of heroicst stand..."


    From humanity''s perspective, Zhang Lie''s current behavior was much like that of a fool. Dividing his already limited forces into six groups and attacking the seven sura kingdoms directly? Was he tired of living?


    Quite a few hunters in Qi had fought with Zhang Lie before, and they were worried that Renhuang would be a pile of steaming ruins by the time they arrived. From their perspective, it was impossible that Renhuang, let alone the members of Team Zenith, would be able to hold the sura back.


    The hunters of Qi had seen Team Zenith in action before, and they had to admit that the members of Team Zenith were stronger than ordinary hunters, but could they reallypare to a sura king?


    Among the humans, only the governors of each city had enough strength to contend against the sura kings, and they simply didn''t understand what Zhang Lie was thinking.


    Provoking the sura kings unnecessarily¡ªthey could chalk that off as pure arrogance, but how about sending the members of Team Zenith to face off against the seven kings? That was utter stupidity! How could the members of Team Zenith hope to kill the sura kings by themselves?


    Zhou Liao and arge group of hunters rushed swiftly to Renhuang. When they arrived at the city and found it standing tall and proud, they sighed in relief.


    "Thank goodness we''re not toote." They had been so scared that, by the time they arrived, Renhuang would be nothing but a pile of ruins.


    As they approached the city gates, they found a banner draped over it: [Congrattions to our heroes'' sess in killing the seven sura kings!]


    The human hunters: ???


    The trees that had rooted themselves around the city gates began to glow, and a member of an alien race that was pale green all over floated out from among a copse of trees. "Who are you?"


    The human hunters had learned from those in Renhuang that there were a number of alien races present within. Undoubtedly, this was one such.


    Zhou Liao stepped forward. "We''re reinforcements sent to support the troops of Renhuang."


    The wood spirit was taken aback. "Support? Reinforcements? For what?"


    A hunter called out, "Don''t you know? Seven sura kingdoms are making their way toward Renhuang!"


    Zhou Liao exined, "The troops from seven sura kingdoms are on their way to attack Renhuang as we speak. No one can survive this ordeal on their own¡ªwe''re here to help hold the city!"


    Wasn''t it strange that this inhabitant of Renhuang didn''t seem to know about the news at all? The information had been sent directly to them; could Zhang Lie be preventing word from spreading? If that were true, had he just inadvertently ruined Zhang Lie''s ns by revealing that piece of news?


    The wood spirit blinked a few times and replied, "Those sura have all been killed. Look, we''re preparing to wee our heroes back now!"


    The human hunters: ???


    "Come in!"


    Zhang Lie called out from the top of the city walls.


    The wood spirit gave way gracefully. "Wee to our city, humans."


    The reinforcements walked toward the city gates. Zhang Lie saw a familiar face among them¡ªthe troop leader of the special forces of Qi, Zhou Liao.


    Zhang Lie leapt down from the city walls andnded right by Zhou Liao''s side, patting him on the shoulder as heughed. "You''re here too! I''m surprised Qi was willing to let its special forces go."


    Zhou Liao replied seriously, "The human cities took Martial Sage Hong Tianqi''s call for aid seriously, especially the governor of Qi. In order to repay the martial sage''s assistance in defending Qi in the past, he sent all his elites over. We can surely help you out!"


    Someone among the forces called out, "The martial sage knew that you certainly wouldn''t retreat, so he staked his own reputation on a call for aid. There were even more reinforcements who had signed up, but after hearing about your battle tactics, they all backed out at thest minute."


    "Thank you foring." Regardless of whether or not their help was necessary, Zhang Lie was grateful for their kind intentions.


    Zhou Ming frowned. "There''s something I''m quite curious about¡ªwhat''s with the banner above the city gates? If there''s anything that you can''t tell us, that''s fine, but I''d like to understand Renhuang''s current situation."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Yes, I was just about to mention it. Unfortunately, you''ve all arrived toote."


    The human hunters: ???


    Zhou Liao frowned. "Zhang Lie, what do you mean?"


    He surveyed Renhuang with a critical eye. It didn''t seem at all damaged; there were only Yeluo fighters remaining in the city, without any humans in sight.


    Could Zhang Lie have surrendered to the sura? Or perhaps he had recruited aid from some alien races?


    Zhang Lie pointed at the banner above the city gates. "The battle against the seven sura kingdoms is over. You''re just in time for the celebratory banquet¡ªI think our victorious forces will return soon, so you won''t have to wait for too long, either."


    Zhou Liao ced a firm hand on Zhang Lie''s shoulder, pity in his eyes. "Zhang Lie, I know this has to be a crushing blow for you, considering how you''ve never suffered defeat ever since entering this realm. That said, escapism won''t solve your problems, and you have to face reality."


    It was Zhang Lie''s turn to be startled. Hadn''t he been clear and direct? How had Zhou Liao ended up with such a misunderstanding?


    Zhou Liao continued seriously, "I know your opponents are very strong, so strong you won''t be able to defeat them alone, so strong you''re starting to despair and go crazy¡ªbut that''s why we''re here!


    "There''s a chance that we''ll be able to turn the tides. We need to seize that opportunity with our own hands¡ªwith these reinforcements, and with your strength,parable to that of a sura king, we can still push back the sura."


    Zhang Lie raised a hand, interrupting Zhou Liao. "Zhou Liao, you seem to be misunderstanding something. I''ve never despaired, and I certainly haven''t gone crazy. What I''ve told you is the truth."


    Zhou Liao ced both hands on Zhang Lie''s head. "There''s no need to continue this charade. Lying to yourself and lying to others won''t help¡ªwhat wille wille! Why not give it your all instead? If it''s you, Zhang Lie, I''m sure you''ll be able to create a miracle."


    Zhang Lie blinked. What he ryed was so astonishing that the reinforcements simply couldn''t believe him.


    Could the six members of Team Zenith really deal with a sura king each? Had the members of Team Zenith taken down the seven-kingdom coalition all by themselves? No one would believe such a ludicrous im¡ªhumans and sura kings were two separate levels of existence entirely!


    No one would deny that Zhang Lie had the strength to kill a sura king, considering he had done so not once but twice, but did the members of Team Zenith really share his strength?


    Zhou Liao replied once more, "Zhang Lie, no matter how cruel reality is, you can''t run away from it forever. I know what you''re feeling now¡ªI felt much the same way when Qi was about to fall! But these problems won''t go away just because you ignore them. No, they''ll only grow more and more severe. With our help, I''m sure you can take them on!"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his temples. "If you refuse to believe me, I''m not sure what I can do. At any rate, please, enter the city. You''ll find out that I''ve been right soon enough."

 Chapter 486: A Triumphant Return

    <h4>Chapter 486: A Triumphant Return</h4>


    "Enough, Zhang Lie! I''ve had enough of you! Did you know that I used to respect you for killing two sura kings as a human and treading new ground in the second realm? You are very strong, I''ll admit that, and perhaps no one will be able to surpass you in the future. But look at what you''ve done! You sent out the members of Team Zenith and all your forces to die on your behalf!"


    If nothing else, Zhou Liao was on friendly terms with Zhang Lie, and he wouldn''t attack Zhang Lie with such vitriol. However, the other reinforcements were different. Seeing Zhang Lie''s ridiculous behavior, they couldn''t help but heckle him.


    "When we heard the rumors that you had sent your most loyal subordinates to die, we didn''t believe them¡ªbut now that we''re finally here, it seems like we have no choice but to! What happened to the hero who saved Qi?"


    Someone added, "We came to Renhuang with the expectation that we might die in order to support a promising human city¡ªonly to find you, the governor, lost in your own daydreams! When are you going to wake up?!"


    "Wake up, wake up! If you keep this up, Renhuang really will be destroyed!"


    "All you''ve done is hung up a banner! Do you really think the members of Team Zenith can destroy the seven sura kings by themselves? If you don''t start preparing to defend the city now, we''ll all be doomed!"


    Zhang Lie really didn''t know what to say. These reinforcements clearly didn''t believe that the members of Team Zenith were strong enough to handle the sura kings by themselves, whereas he thought it obvious enough that he didn''t know how to convince them off-hand.


    While he was deep in thought, however, a Yeluo scout rushed over. "Governor, they''re back, they''re back!"


    Zhang Lie beamed even as Zhou Liao frowned, asking, "Who''s back?"


    "Our troops, of course! I''m going to give the troops a warm wee."


    Zhang Lie shed over to the city walls. The human reinforcements didn''t know what was going on, but their curiosity was whetted enough by Zhang Lie''s sudden change in behavior that they followed him over.


    Far over the horizon, a group of hunters could be seen heading back to Renhuang. Their armor and skin bore the scars of violentbat. They were smiling with relief, their steps light with victory. Leading them was Fang Yi.


    "Wee home!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    The Yeluo began beating on drums and blowing into ivory horns in celebration.


    When Fang Yi saw Zhang Lie waiting for him at the city gates, he rushed forward, his spear pointing straight up in the air as he knelt down on one knee. "Captain, we slew ten thousand sura, among them the sura king Moyan!"


    Zhang Lie sped his hands behind his back. "Very good, General Fang."


    Fang Yi raised his head and looked at Zhang Lie, and the two of them burst intoughter at once.


    Zhang Lie pulled him up with one arm. "What''s with the kneeling?"


    Fang Yi smiled. "I watched a few historical dramas in my free time, and I''ve always wanted to re-enact one of those scenes. You improvised very well, Captain!"


    "Haha, I simply followed your lead."


    The reinforcements all stilled. The hunter in front of them was clearly Fang Yi from Team Zenith.


    Hadn''t Fang Yi perished? He had gone off to battle against a sura king. Could he have escaped? If he had really killed a sura king like he reported...


    "I apologize that I was unable to recover Moyan''s head, Captain. His body disintegrated during the fight."


    They could have recovered the heads of his sura troops, whose corpses were strewn all across thend, but that would have been meaningless.


    The human reinforcements stared at Fang Yi in amazement.


    Had he really killed a sura king?


    Surely that couldn''t be true!


    Zhang Lie seemed unperturbed. "What would I do with a sura king''s head? I can get them myself."


    Zhou Liao finally seemed to return to his senses. "Are you Fang Yi? Haven''t you... died?"


    "Zhou Liao?" Fang Yi picked up his spear. "Are you cursing me to die right after a long battle? Do you want to fight me? Don''t think that you''ll be able to best me just because I''m tired¡ªI could deal with someone like you with one hand!"


    Zhou Liao stepped back, waving his hands. "No, that''s not what I meant! Didn''t you set off to fight against a sura king?"


    "Of course."


    "What was the oue?"


    Fang Yi cocked his head. "My troops and I have all ?returned. What other oue could there possibly be? We ughtered the sura king Moyan and his forces."


    Despite seeing Fang Yi and his troops safe and sound, Zhou Liao couldn''t help but be amazed when Fang Yi confirmed his victory. Was Fang Yi really so strong that he could take down a sura king?


    Did Zhang Lie really send out the members of Team Zenith because they were skilled enough to take down the six sura kings themselves?! How could that be? Were the members of Team Zenith really that talented that they too could stand against sura kings themselves?


    There were still a few naysayers among the human reinforcements.


    "Impossible! How could everyone in Team Zenith have the strength to take on a sura king?!"


    "But if that really were the case..."


    "Zhang Lie, was there some sort of trick or specific strategy you implemented?"


    The hunters understood that, rationally, Zhang Lie and Fang Yi had no reason to lie to them, but their ims seemed so ludicrous that they defied all belief. Were they the ones who were living in their own daydreams?


    Fang Yi turned to the reinforcements. "Who are all these hunters?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "They''re all reinforcements sent by the various human cities on behalf of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi. Unfortunately, they were toote."


    Surely this was a fluke? Fang Yi was one of two deputy leaders of Team Zenith, after all, and if anyone else in Team Zenith were able to stand up against a sura king, it had to be him. The other members of Team Zenith certainly couldn''t do the same...


    After all, their opponents were sura kings, the peak existences of the second realm!


    Yes, that had to be it, Fang Yi was the only survivor of Team Zenith!


    Very quickly, however, the reinforcements found themselves proven wrong once more. The second set of troops made their way back.


    "It''s Zhou Ying!" one of the residents of Renhuang called out.


    The first thing she did upon her return was to hug Zhang Lie tightly, a hug that Zhang Lie returned with fervor and pride.


    When the reinforcements saw Zhou Ying and her troops appear on the horizon, their jaws dropped.

 Chapter 487: The Undefeated Team Zenith

    <h4>Chapter 487: The Undefeated Team Zenith</h4>


    Before the human reinforcements could recover from their shock at seeing a second member of Team Zenith return safe and sound, Sun Xiaowu''s team had returned. By then, the reinforcements were petrified.


    Sun Xiaowu smiled as he rushed back to Renhuang. "Mission aplished!"


    "Well done," Zhang Lie praised.


    Sun Xiaowu smiled wryly. "That said, Captain, my opponent really was quite something..."


    Li Feng shrugged. "The seven sura kings are all perverts, and umonly strong ones at that."


    Sun Xiaowu countered, "Did your sura king transform into two giant testicles that spread syphilis everywhere?"


    Fang Yi: ...


    The sura king he had had to deal with certainly wasn''t on the same level of perversion as what Sun Xiaowu had experienced. He could hardly imagine how Sun Xiaowu had survived his ordeal.


    The human reinforcements grew more and more shocked with every set of forces that returned¡ªnot because of how Sun Xiaowu had described the sura king, but because he had returned safe and sound with much of his forces in tow.


    Perhaps they could chalk the first group''s return to luck, the second to chance, but the third to nothing less than strength. By the time the fourth group returned, the human reinforcements felt as though they needed a strong drink.


    Not only had they all returned safe and sound, they even brought back the severed head of a sura king.


    Li Feng strode forward. "Captain, this is for you!"


    The two gic hunters behind him lifted up a gigantic skull that belonged to Moyan.


    Some of the reinforcements had wondered if the members of Team Zenith truly did eradicate the sura forces as they had imed. Now that they saw a sura king''s skull for themselves, thosest embers of doubt were quashed.


    Actions spoke louder than words, after all.


    The fifth set of troops brought an evenrger surprise with them. Yang Ze and Hong Xi had returned with a cage in which a baby was kept.


    The humans were all shocked to see him. "Is this a baby sura?"


    Li Feng asked curiously, "Why bring this baby back with you, Yang Ze? Surely you aren''t going to raise him?"


    Yang Ze replied, "This is the sura king Suiyue."


    Everyone was astounded.


    Zhou Liao''s eyes opened wide as he nced at the baby. "How did the sura king turn into a baby?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "You forced him to reverse time so much that he ended up bing a baby?"


    Zhang Lie was able to guess what had happened knowing the critical drawback to Suiyue''s primary technique.


    "More or less," Yang Ze replied. "How should I deal with him?"


    "Hand him over to the Yeluo chieftain." It would certainly be impossible to raise him¡ªwho knew what a sura baby who was once a sura king would do amidst a city of humans and other alien races? And yet it felt vile to kill a baby, even a sura baby. The best solution was to hand him over to the Yeluo chieftain to be studied and investigated.


    Thest to return was Sun Mengmeng.


    Upon her return, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. "How did it go?"


    The hardest foe to deal with was none other than Shicang, whose massive army presented such a quandary that even Zhang Lie wasn''t certain he could deal with it all. He had dispatched Sun Mengmeng both because her techniques werepatible against the enemy and because he believed in her strength. Seeing her triumphant return now, he knew that that belief was justified.


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. She suddenly stumbled, as though she had over-exerted herself, and Zhang Lie stepped forward to help support her. "Are you alright?"


    Sun Mengmeng stuck out her tongue. "I''m just a little tired, and I''ll be fine after a short break.


    The human reinforcements simply couldn''t get over their shock.


    For what reason had theye? They had gathered all these forces intending to support Zhang Lie''sst stand, only to find that he had already won the battle on his own!


    What an idiot they had thought Zhang Lie for dividing his troops into six separate forces and sending each out against a sura king¡ªbut Zhang Lie had proved to them that they were the idiots instead!


    Each member of Team Zenith had the ability to kill a sura king. Few would have believed this seemingly ludicrous im in the past, but now, they had no choice but to do so.


    Renhuang''sbat strength was simply off the charts¡ªhow could even the members of Team Zenith be able to deal with sura kings like Zhang Lie? And if the members of Team Zenith were able to kill sura kings themselves, how strong had Zhang Lie be?


    Zhang Lie smiled as he turned to face his team and all the forces that stood behind him. "We''ve prepared a banquet for all of you."


    The hunters'' forums were buzzing with activity.


    "I heard that Renhuang''s reinforcements are ted to arrive today."


    "Reinforcements? What reinforcements? Mark my words, Renhuang can''t be saved! A seven-kingdom coalition, led by seven sura kings¡ªexcept for a sura empire, nothing and no one would be able to withstand such a force!"


    "You know how hard it''s been for the humans to stake a im to the second realm¡ª they''re having a hard time surviving, let alone dealing with a serious invasion! It''s true that Zhang Lie can probably take down one or two sura kings, but certainly not seven at once. Unless the world federation ends up fully backing Zhang Lie, there''s no way Renhuang will survive. What a pity for all those reinforcements to be sent toward a death trap!"


    "There''s simply no reason to fight such a lopsided battle. The highest authority of the world federation, Amurong, waspletely right¡ªthere''s no need for us to sacrifice the entirety of the world federation''s forces in the second realm just to save Zhang Lie!"


    "I''ll be waiting to hear about the news of Renhuang''s destruction."


    "No forces will be able to survive the invasion of seven sura kingdoms, let alone a city led by as idiotic a governor as Zhang Lie. I can''t believe he chose to split up his forces! Does he really think his team is that strong?"


    Suddenly, someone posted a new thread. "Breaking news! Zhang Lie defeated the seven-kingdom coalition, and the members of Team Zenith each killed a sura king!"


    "What? You must be joking¡ªthere''s no way!


    When did the humans get so strong that they could manage such a feat?"


    "That''s right. I won''t deny that Zhang Lie has the ability to go up against a sura king, but surely not the members of his team!"


    "I know you must be suffering as a human, but make up some more believable boasts instead!"


    "Dream on¡ªRenhuang''s going to fall, and there''s nothing you can do to stop it!"


    The hunter who had posted the thread replied, "I was part of the reinforcements sent to Renhuang. By the time we arrived, the hunters of Team Zenith had returned, and there was the skull of a sura king hung up on the city gates!"


    "A skull? Ha!"


    "How was it? Has Renhuang been destroyed already?"

 Chapter 488: The Monarchs Anger

    <h4>Chapter 488: The Monarch''s Anger</h4>


    "No, Renhuang''s doing just fine! They''re hosting a celebratory banquet at the moment.


    "In addition to the humans, there are also four different alien races present in the city, and everyone gets along surprisingly well. ording to one of the residents of the city, the standard of living is surprisingly high¡ªdid you know that the hunters don''t even have to go out hunting on their own? They can just hire a few mercenaries to help them out!"


    "We''re talking about the seven-kingdom joint attack, not Renhuang!"


    The original poster replied, "Didn''t I mention it already? The forces from the seven sura kingdoms were all defeated!"


    "I''m another hunter stationed at Renhuang, and I saw the members of Team Zenith return myself! Honestly, it was rather upsetting. We''d gathered all these people, expecting to die as we marched toward Renhuang¡ª and then, by the time we arrived, they were already making preparations for a banquet! Don''t you know how terrible we felt to havee all that way for nothing?"


    More and more hunters flooded into the forums; what the replies above had described clearly was an impossible urrence.


    Someone suddenly added, "The seven sura kingdoms'' forces truly were annihted. They never appeared along their projected trajectories."


    "Hold on, what do you mean?"


    "The seven kingdoms'' forces all vanished."


    "Indeed! Don''t you remember what a hubbub everyone was making while the sura forces gathered and marched to their destination? In thest two days, however, we haven''t heard a single word."


    "Now that you mention it..."


    "Surely this can''t be true!"


    When Amurong received the news that Renhuang had survived against all odds, he cursed. His face turned dark. If this were true, not only had Zhang Lie survived a death sentence, the reputation that he had lost would be regained threefold, fivefold, even tenfold!


    Amurong mmed a palm on his table as he shouted to his subordinates, "Verify this information, as quickly as possible! I must understand what''s going on!"


    The investigation was straightforward: the seven kingdoms'' forces had wreaked a path of destruction toward their destination until one day, they had suddenly vanished all at once.


    Some members of the world federation had even headed to the battlefields themselves and borne witness to the havoc and corpses thaty strewn all over.


    There was only one possible conclusion: the seven sura kingdoms really had lost to Zhang Lie!


    "I was a scout who was dispatched to confirm the defeat of the sura. Following their projected route toward Renhuang, I chanced upon an entire field filled with sura corpses. Renhuang was right¡ªthe seven kingdoms'' forces really have been killed by Team Zenith!"


    "I can''t believe it. How could this be? Every member of Team Zenith has the ability to take down a sura king by themselves?!"


    "The valley at which Shicang''s army fought was truly a sight to behold! Throughout the entire valley, there was no patch of ground left uncovered by ash and blood. I can barely imagine what happened there."


    Everyone was shocked. To thest, no one had believed that the members of Team Zenith would be able to deal with the seven sura kings, and Zhang Lie was widely heralded as an idiot for his decision.


    It was only now that they understood Zhang Lie''s absolute confidence in his team.


    Just what was going on with Renhuang? How could his subordinates have the ability to deal with sura kings by themselves?! Where were all these skilled huntersing from? They had heard of the members of Team Zenith during the Void Cup, but they didn''t know Team Zenith was that strong!


    It hadn''t even been a year since the Void Cup ended, and the members of Team Zenith already possessed such strength!


    "Thinking back, given Team Zenith''s performance during the Void Cup, perhaps it was inevitable that they would grow strong enough to defeat sura kings themselves..."


    Most people suddenly did an about-turn with regards to Zhang Lie and Team Zenith.


    No one else dared to criticize him for being a fool and an idiot, nor did they im that Renhuang would eventually be destroyed.


    Those hunters who had been hisrgest detractors vanished as though they had never existed, and all the world seemed to be praising Zhang Lie for his foresight and acumen.


    "Zhang Lie''s amazing! His team alone was able to deal with the seven sura kingdoms!"


    "Zhang Lie''s my idol, the man whose actions will surely spawn a new chapter in mankind''s history! No other force has ever prompted or survived an attack from seven sura kingdoms simultaneously."


    "Zhang Lie''s a true legend, I say!"


    "The seven sura kings, defeated by a motley group of humans¡ªI can''t believe it!"


    Countless hunters began to boast of Zhang Lie''s aplishments, ignoring that they had just been criticizing him moments before.


    "I''d been hoping to take part in the defense against the sura, but by the time I arrived, the sura kings had all been defeated!"


    The hunters of the Milky Way were astounded to hear the news. The fact that the seven sura kingdoms were working together was shocking enough, but not just that¡ªall that it had taken to destroy them was Team Zenith! As the governor, Zhang Lie hadn''t needed to take a step outside Renhuang at all.


    The hunters couldn''t help but wonder just how strong he had grown.


    Some hunters wondered, "After Zhang Lie killed two sura kings, he drew the attention of seven that attacked him together. Now that he''s killed them all, what''s going to happen?"


    No one dared to answer. It was clear that the sura wouldn''t take this lying down, so would Renhuang face an even more critical threat in the future?


    Within the pce of the monarch of stars, a pir of bloody light burst into the heavens, destroying everything it touched.


    The light burned like mes. With each yell, the mes grewrger andrger. It was evident how angry the owner of the mes was.


    When the monarch of stars heard the news of the death of his godsons, he couldn''t quash his anger and rage. Gic energy burst from his body, and the images of a thousand beasts seemed to appear in his shadow.


    His officials trembled as they knelt on the ground, waves of energy rippling and spreading out all around them. A stout pir in the pce began to crack as the ground shook and rumbled.


    The citizens of the empire of stars all turned to the pce and nced at the bloody pir of light that shone out of it. As the monarch of stars'' roars echoed throughout thend, the citizens all began to kneel, lying prostrate on the ground in deep supplication.

 Chapter 489: New and Old

    <h4>Chapter 489: New and Old</h4>


    Team Zenith hadn''t been able to kill all the sura, and there were a few that evaded notice and managed to make it all the way back to the empire of stars.


    When the monarch of stars heard about the news, he naturally exploded in rage. Seven godsons¡ªall seven of his remaining godchildren had died, the seven potential sessors to the empire of stars! Not only that, the culprit had also killed Xueju and Xuechi¡ªhe had stripped the monarch of stars of all his heirs!


    Unable to curb his emotions, the monarch of stars erupted in rage. Heaven and earth trembled at his anger. Space itself began to crack, and several of his weakest officials, unable to bear the ripples of force that emanated from him, were sent flying out of the pce.


    As the ground trembled more and more violently, it began to crack. The crack propagated all the way to the middle of the capital, and a third of the pce fell into the ground. The citizens of the empire of starsy prostrate as they pleaded for the monarch of stars to calm down.


    Eventually, the monarch of stars reined in his aura, but anger was apparent in every line of his face. As he pped his throne, it shattered into pieces. The monarch of stars stood. "We march to war!"


    He strode forward. "Only the blood of humans can pacify me now!"


    "Please calm down, your majesty! Otherwise, the other sura empires might contemteunching another attack against us!" the sura officials pleaded.


    The monarch of stars nced at the official, his blood-red eyes gleaming with light. The official burst apart in a shower of gore.


    Renhuang had taken all nine of his godsons away from him. If the monarch of stars didn''t make a move, for what purpose had he amassed all his strength? Despite the risk of the other sura empires attacking him, he would invade Renhuang at any cost.


    "With my anger, I''ll burn Renhuang to a crisp, scorching the earth andnd forevermore! All mankind shall regret making me their enemy. Each and every sura will learn that those who dare go against me will pay the heaviest of prices. This is a war for the authority that the empire of stars represents!"


    The sura officials, as one, knelt on the cracked floor. "We obey his majesty''s orders!"


    "What a beautiful city."


    The day after the celebratory banquet, Zhou Liao and Zhang Lie toured Renhuang.


    Zhang Lie exined, "This city exists only because of thebined effort of everyone around, human and alien alike. To me, there isn''t a better city around in the entirety of the second realm."


    They walked through the streets toward the bazaar, where members of every race had set up stalls. Zhou Liao''s eyes lit up. "Is this what an interracial city looks like?"


    There were quite a few hunters touring the bazaar. The human reinforcements hadn''t participated in the war; rather, they were spending all their resources in the bazaar, providing a significant infusion of trade into the city.


    "Every race brings out their specialties and sells them here at this bazaar we''ve set up. We humans provide soulshards, the wood spirits sell the herbs and nts they''ve been cultivating, the Yeluo sell their potions and concoctions, the rock spirits sell the gic lifeforms they''ve hunted, and the crag eagles do the same, along with various trinkets and oddities they''ve collected. By cooperating with each other, we grow stronger as a whole," Zhang Lie exined proudly.


    Zhou Liao''s gazended on a stall that had been set up by a rock spirit, with gic lifeforms locked behind cage after cage, much like a wet market in the real world.


    All the gic lifeforms that the rock spirit had captured were chained and sedated with a Yeluo concoction to prevent their escape.


    Zhou Liao nced at the stall in surprise. "So the hunters of Renhuang don''t even have to hunt down gic lifeforms on their own?"


    Were they really able to obtain gene fragments within the safety of the city? That was incredible!


    "Indeed, but there are generally only regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms avable in the bazaar. Superior-grade lifeforms still have to be hunted down outside the city limits. There are some superior-grade lifeforms that appear in the bazaar from time to time, of course, but they get snatched up in no time."


    Zhou Liao ced both his palms on Zhang Lie''s shoulders. "Zhang Lie, don''t you know what this means?"


    "What?"


    "Oh, you¡ª" Zhou Liao sighed. "Of course you wouldn''t know. You were strong enough to go out hunting on your first day, but that''s not something regr hunters can do. In Qi, we once conducted an investigation of how to prevent hunters'' deaths in the second realm. Do you know what we found?"


    "What?"


    Zhou Liao continued with a huff, "Ordinary hunters have significant trouble hunting down even mutated-grade lifeforms. This is what causes new hunters the most trouble, and the most lethal stage of their growth¡ªa significant fraction of hunters even perish while trying to cap their basic gene fragments."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Surely you''re joking¡ªthere''s no way they can die to mutated-grade lifeforms!"


    "No, I''m not! You don''t realize just how weak iing hunters are without basic or mutated gene fragments, and they struggle immensely to acquire such resources. Of course, the ones who survive this ordeal and end up challenging superior-grade lifeforms result in much fewer deaths, because they had to be strong and experienced to get to that stage in the first ce."


    In most cities, live, restrained regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms were a preciousmodity and in high demand.


    "This problem is exacerbated by the fact that regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms tend to roam in packs, and any additional degree of uncertainty can be debilitating to iing hunters at their current level of strength."


    For instance, it was far easier to make a hundred thousand dors starting with ten thousand than with nothing.


    Renhuang''s bazaar obviated this struggle for new hunters, who would be able to acquire gene fragments without having to leave the safety of their city.


    Zhou Liao continued, "Now that there''s an easier way for new hunters to amass their strength, they''ll be able to practice on regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms before setting their sights on superior-grade lifeforms with far less danger than before."


    In time, as Renhuang''s forces grew stronger and stronger, the number of superior-grade hunters would only increase, and they might even be able to take on peak-grade lifeforms together.


    Zhou Liao sighed. "To be honest, I hadn''t expected that an interracial city would confer such amazing benefits."


    After all, alien races had no great need for gic lifeforms. Instead of keeping the lifeforms for themselves, they could sell it to iing hunters for a significant profit.


    Zhou Liao admired Zhang Lie from the bottom of his heart.


    In the past, while the humans were weak, no alien races had shown any interest in them. The humans had grown stronger since, but even in Qi, they wouldn''t have been able to secure the cooperation of the alien races nearby.


    With brute strength alone, it might have been possible to forcibly incorporate an alien race into Qi, but all sorts of societal issues might result instead. If the humans and aliens remained insr, there would be no point to their inclusion in the city at all.


    On the other hand, with arge number of alien races present, there wouldn''t be such a significant barrier because each race would be on equal footing; the different races would counteract one another.

 Chapter 490: Laissez-faire

    <h4>Chapter 490: Laissez-faire</h4>


    Renhuang was uniquely sessful because of Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith. Their might was sufficient to suppress any hunters who might be racist or violent against the aliens, but the same couldn''t be said for therger human enves, which both had more hunters and fewer contingencies.


    Zhou Liao continued, "What sort of currency is used here? Not coins from the world federation, surely?"


    "We use our own currency, one specific to Renhuang," Zhang Lie exined. "The alien races aren''t members of the world federation, after all, and they wouldn''t value that currency at all. If you want to buy something, you can also barter for it with soulshards."


    The reinforcements who had been preparing for a battle were extremely excited to see all themodities that were being sold in the bazaar¡ªthe herbs, nts, special potions, and even the live gic lifeforms¡ªthat they all flocked towards the bazaar and began to buy whatever they could get their hands on.


    As the number of hunters increased, however, the value of soulshards began to drop precipitously.


    Zhou Liao suddenly frowned. "Hold on¡ªyou said that soulshards could be used as a form of currency here?"


    "That''s right."


    "And soulshardse from gic lifeforms, don''t they?"


    "Isn''t thatmon knowledge?"


    Zhou Liao clutched his head. "In other words, a hunter could theoretically trade a soulshard for a gic lifeform, kill that lifeform and acquire a soulshard, then trade it for another gic lifeform..."


    He squinted at Zhang Lie. "Isn''t this rather unfair to those aliens?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "On the contrary, it''s a fair deal to everyone. They''re agreeing to trade lifeforms that they''ve captured for soulshards, after all."


    Zhou Liao: ...


    Was this why there weren''t many hunters making a fuss among the human reinforcements that had arrived at Renhuang?


    Even those humans who viewed the alien races as their enemies had, after learning of the benefits of the bazaar, changed their minds near-instantaneously. The humans were the only race that could obtain soulshards from killing gic lifeforms, and this was a significant advantage for such trades.


    After all, the alien races couldn''t obtain soulshards by any other means.


    Of course, soulshards condensed only rarely from gic lifeforms, so only a few lucky hunters would manage to acquire live lifeforms for "free".


    Humans could produce soulshards, the Yeluo could make specialized potions, the wood spirits could cultivate rare and precious herbs and nts, the rock spirits had sturdy bodies and almost infinite regenerative abilities¡ªeach race had its own specialty, and this was the humans''.


    Compared to the other alien races, humans couldn''t be considered anywhere near the best atbat. On the other hand, their millennia of culture made them particrly adept at trading andmerce.


    Zhou Liao went to exchange some of his soulshards for Renhuang''s currency.


    "The appearance of these new hunters really is causing the value of soulshards to drop by quite a bit..."


    Before the reinforcements'' arrival, a regr-grade soulshard could have been exchanged for a hundred silver coins, but now, it was worth only twenty. As more and more hunters arrived at Renhuang, this exchange rate would only continue to drop.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t have any intention of manipting the exchange rate by buying up regr-grade soulshards from the bazaar¡ªhe felt that aissez-faire policy would be more appropriate.


    As long as the market didn''t crash, he was perfectly willing to cede control of it to the consumers themselves.


    Zhou Liao asked, "What else do the alien races need beside soulshards?"


    Although he had quite a few soulshards in his possession, he didn''t want to sell them all.


    Nevertheless, there were a few gems in Renhuang''s bazaar, rare herbs and potions with surprising effects that Zhou Liao was sure he wouldn''t be able to find in Qi. If he were to buy some potions now, then sell them when he was back in Qi, he would surely make a tidy profit¡ªabout five or six mutated-grade soulshards'' worth, say.


    Zhang Lie imparted a few important pieces of information to him. "The Yeluo like soulshards. The wood spirits don''t really care for them, but they like toys and trinkets¡ªcarved puppets, ancient toys, and so on. Actually, they''re almost saturated with toys already. They enjoy human culture too, so books, manga, cartoons would also work in trade."


    "Really?"


    "After all, the wood spirits don''t have ess to the inte, and they aren''t yet able to write their own novels and cartoons. In fact, before we initiated contact with them, they didn''t even know about this form of entertainment. Right, don''t bother trying to trade them the webnovel [Ultragene Warlord]. Most of the wood spirits have already read it, and it''s quite popr in Renhuang."


    Zhou Liao blinked a few times. "I can''t imagine seeing alien races read our webnovels¡­ Ah, what''s that building right ahead? I see a bunch of hunters and alien races entering¡ªit looks quite popr!"


    The building they were heading toward was thergest building in Renhuang save the pce itself, whose construction Yun Bing had argued for.


    "That''s our hunter''s guild."


    "A hunter''s guild?" Zhou Liao seemed a little surprised.


    Zhang Lie exined, "Anyone can post quests in the guild, which others can take on for promised rewards."


    Zhou Liao continued, "No, no, I understand what a guild is, but I''ve only ever seen it in games! What''s it doing in Renhuang?"


    "It''s where hunters go to employ the services of alien mercenaries."


    "Alien mercenaries?"


    "Humans need to get gene fragments to boost their strength," Zhang Lie exined. "Yun Bing''s idea was to facilitate this by having a building specifically geared to expeditions outside the city limits." Such employment had previously taken ce in the bazaar itself, but Yun Bing rightly anticipated possible issues that might result from ack of official oversight.


    For instance, the mercenaries might very well turn on their employer.


    There hadn''t been such problems yet¡ªthe mercenaries werergely rock spirits and the Yeluo, who were races known for their frankness and honesty. The rock spirits were particrly trustworthy. No incident had yet urred, but if there was no oversight over such behavior, problems would arise sooner orter, especially as the poption of Renhuang grew.


    In order to facilitate such employment while simultaneously keeping an eye on such practices, Yun Bing had suggested constructing a guild.

 Chapter 491: Resurgence of Danger

    <h4>Chapter 491: Resurgence of Danger</h4>


    "When there aren''t any live mutated-grade lifeforms avable on the market, hunters can choose to post requests in the guild hall in hopes that someone will pick it up.


    "When the Yeluo need specialized herbs and nts, they can also do the same. In addition, there are always quests for capturing or killing superior-grade lifeforms, possibly with mercenary assistance.


    "After all, in the second realm, superior-grade lifeforms arerge enough that they can provide superior gene fragments for ten to twenty hunters. If they pool their resources and post such a quest, they can make the rewardrge enough to attract the attention of the stronger members of the alien races.


    "In other words, they''ll form ten- to twenty-member parties, then add in another ten to twenty Yeluo or rock spirits to form a thirty-member strong raiding team.


    "There are quite a few hunters and members of the alien race that now have the strength to take on a superior-grade lifeform, especially after our war against Xuechi. In fact, most of the rock spirits areparable in strength to a superior-grade lifeform."


    Zhou Liao''s eyes widened. "Impressive, impressive indeed. Despite the fact that it''s only been a few months since its founding, there are so many things in Renhuang that are simply beyond all my expectations. I suspect that half these human reinforcements aren''t going to want to go back to Qi!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "While there are more humansing into the city, I''m hoping to establish diplomatic rtionships with other human cities. After all, the herbs and nts that the wood spirits are cultivating and the Yeluo potions are something that no other city possesses."


    For the moment, Renhuang would need all that the wood spirits and Yeluo could supply, but as time passed and the alien races'' production chain became more and more mature, Renhuang would have rare and precious goods that could be exported.


    "You''re going to take over the other human cities too? You¡ª" Zhou Liao thought he understood Zhang Lie''s ambitions in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie pointed at the next building ahead. "The next building is an auction hall. All sorts of strange and unusual trinkets go up for auction there, along with the rare few superior-grade lifeforms that the Yeluo or rock spirits have captured alive."


    Further ahead, beyond the auction hall, Zhou Liao noticed another building about the same size as the guild. "What''s that?"


    "We''re nning on selling live gic lifeforms officially now that there are so many more hunters in Renhuang. We''ll need to make sure that there''s enough supply to meet demand, and we''d like more oversight regarding transactions involving live lifeforms as well."


    Zhou Liao gaped. He felt that, if Renhuang were to keep developing at this pace, the rate of growth of hunters in Renhuang would far outstrip those in other cities.


    Renhuang''s hunters would be known for their strength, which Zhou Liao expected to be on par with that of a sura king, whereas those hunters from other human cities would remain as weak as they currently were.


    Zhou Liao''s envy soared. If not for the fact that he was the troop leader of the special forces of Qi, he would long since have settled down in Renhuang. There were simply too many benefits to being a hunter here!


    "Where do you intend on acquiring these lifeforms that you''ll be selling?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We''ll set up our own hunting parties. Once the war against the sura kings is over, Renhuang''sbat forces will be given the choice of being city guards or hunters. Of course, if they don''t want to fight any longer, we won''t force them to do so."


    Ever since the crag eagles had devoured the golden rocs'' flesh, they too had advanced uniformly to the level of superior-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie intended to take full advantage of them. After all, they had impressive scouting and hunting abilities in their own right.


    Zhou Liao nced at him speechlessly. "You''ve even nned out the lives of your veteran soldiers?"


    "I have a team of excellent subordinates to do all the detailed nning for me, after all." Zhang Lie pointed at yet another building in the distance. "That''s part of another goal we''re working towards¡ªa science academy."


    "A science academy?!"


    Although there were privateboratories in each human city, none had ever tried to construct an academy of sciences.


    There were only a rare few scientists who were able to advance to the second realm, and it was prohibitively difficult to reconstruct scientific equipment. As a result, there were scant few experiments that could be conducted, and even fewer results published.


    "Indeed, I intend on constructing a science academy right here in Renhuang. The first rector of the academy will be the Yeluo chieftain himself!"


    Zhou Liao seemed even more shocked than before. "Do you have enough talent and scientific equipment?"


    "There''s nothing to worry about in terms of talent. The Yeluo are particrly gifted at chemistry and medicine, and we''ve already thought up a solution to the equipment."


    After speaking with Zhang Lie, Zhou Liao really was tempted to contact Xiao Zhengyang to quit his job and move to Renhuang instead.


    The hunters'' forums continued buzzing with activity as word of Zhang Lie''s victory over the seven sura kings continued to spread.


    "What''s going on in the second realm? It feels like there are more and more shocking stories with every passing day!"


    "Well, Zhang Lie''s been making waves ever since he entered the second realm, after all."


    "What''s going on with Zhang Lie and Renhuang now?"


    "The empire of stars just dered war on Renhuang, and they''re advancing toward Renhuang now. Apparently, the monarch of stars'' forces includes three million sura¡ªand those are just the elites!"


    The gathering of the sura forces had caused such amotion that it couldn''t be hidden; everyone around the empire of stars learned of what was happening immediately.


    "I told you, the sura aren''t just going to give up so easily. After Zhang Lie killed two sura kings, seven more popped out; now that Renhuang has gotten rid of the seven sura kings and their forces, the empire of stars is finally mobilizing!"


    Someone else countered, "Well, if the seven sura kingsbined aren''t able to deal with Zhang Lie, would a sura empire really do so much better?


    "The empire of stars is led by the monarch of stars, and the monarchs are on a different level entirely than the sura kings. The empire of stars is the strongest of the sura empires, and it''s a whole different level of strength entirely. A sura monarch has strengthparable to that of a hundred sura kings!"


    "What? That''s ridiculous!"

 Chapter 492: The Annals of History

    <h4>Chapter 492: The Annals of History</h4>


    "No, it isn''t ridiculous at all! The difference between a regr sura kingdom and a sura empire is likeparing a firefly''s light to that of a moon. Any general in the employ of the empire of stars is at least as strong as a sura king."


    "Isn''t that simr to Renhuang, then?"


    After all, as everyone now knew, every member of Team Zenith was able to take down a sura king on their own.


    "No, it''s not the same. No one in Renhuang is as strong as a sura monarch."


    "Another crisis for Renhuang, then?"


    "But what about Zhang Lie?"


    "No matter how strong Zhang Lie is, he surely can''tpare to the monarch of stars. What''s more, not only is there the monarch he has to contend with, there are three million sura that he has to defeat, along with the generals leading them. How can Renhuang stand a chance?"


    "The empire of stars could destroy all of us humans if it really wanted to¡ªno other force in history has ever defeated or held back a sura empire''s assault!"


    Within his office, Amurong was so excited that he yelled out, "This time, Zhang Lie''s sure to perish!"


    The seven-kingdom coalition might not have been able to crush Renhuang and deal with Zhang Lie. With Renhuang and Zhang Lie''s reputation soaring, Amurong had no recourse for dealing with him¡ªbut now, the monarch of stars was going to do it in his ce instead!


    Anyone who knew anything about the second realm understood what a sura empire represented. It was an undefeatable existence, one iparable to a small city like Renhuang. Destroying all of humanity''s enves would be as simple as snapping his fingers for the monarch of stars.


    The monarch of stars himself was an unusual existence, and the empire he governed was thergest and most prosperous of all the sura empires. Three had cooperated to try to take down the empire of stars, but the monarch of stars had destroyed them all instead.


    It was inconceivable that Renhuang could be its equal.


    Even if Zhang Lie and his team could counter an ordinary sura empire, the empire of stars boasted the strength of at least three. The moment the monarch of stars mobilized his troops, Renhuang''s fate had been decided.


    Amurong poured himself a ss of red wine and downed it in a single gulp. His face flushed with excitement and alcohol, Amurong contacted his allies among the world federation.


    "Make a move the moment the empire of stars and Renhuang initiate the sh."


    "Don''t you want to wait until Renhuang bes a pile of ruins first?"


    Amurong seemed to shrug. "It''s only a matter of time at this point. With Renhuang in such peril, Zhang Lie won''t have any attention to spare to the Zenith Dojo."


    "Just likest time?"


    Amurong''s voice was lined with certainty. "Don''t joke around with me! Renhuang''s enemy is the empire of stars, thergest and strongest of the sura empires. There''s no way Zhang Lie can make it out alive!"


    He could barely wait to behold Zhang Lie''s recipe for concocting his limit-breaking potions.


    What Amurong didn''t realize was that the four major races of the Milky Way were pooling their forces and making their way toward Renhuang. Thus far, they had already gathered over a million troopsbined.


    Lianna said firmly, "Zhang Lie won''t be such an easy opponent for the sura. After all, his Team Zenith managed to take down the seven sura kings'' forces by themselves."


    Xing Bai nodded. "That''s as we expected. Zhang Lie''s team is filled with excellent hunters¡ªafter all, we experienced their strength for ourselves. How could they be so weak as to be unable to defeat a sura king?"


    Despite their words, the shock and amazement on their faces hadn''t fully disappeared. Even if the members of Team Zenith were able to take down the sura kings, they certainly hadn''t expected it to happen so quickly.


    After all, the four races had all begun mobilizing their forces the moment they learned about the impending attack, but they were still on their way by the time the battle was reported to be over.


    "Zhang Lie''s the champion of the Void Cup, and he was the first to break the four prime races'' monopoly on it. The humans have never had ess to the Void Throne. Someone who was able to chart a new course in history like that¡ªwell, even if the whole world were to view him as a fool, I''d follow in his footsteps. We know just how strong he is."


    Lianna added, "I hear another piece of bad news¡ªthe monarch of stars is preparing to attack Renhuang."


    Xing Hui asked, "The monarch of the strongest sura empire?"


    Lianna nodded.


    Xing Bai roared inughter. "No, that''s not bad news at all¡ªit''s excellent news! Our forces will finally be able to help Zhang Lie out. He might have been able to deal with the seven kingdoms'' forces himself, but the forces from the empire of stars will berger and stronger. Even with Zhang Lie''s strength, he''ll probably have a hard time, and our aid will be timely."


    The four prime races were heading straight for Renhuang.


    Lianna turned back. "I''m just not sure if Zhang Lie will like the present we''ve prepared for him."


    Within their party was arge cage covered by a gigantic piece of cloth. It was impossible to see whaty within. The creature within battered the cage as it shrieked, its voice sounding simultaneously like a wolf''s howl and a dragon''s call.


    When Zhang Lie learned of the monarch of stars'' impending assault on Renhuang, his face turned dark. "Zhou Liao, it doesn''t look like I''ll have any time to have a drink with you. Renhuang''s in danger once again, and I have to be prepared."


    "What''s going on?"


    "The empire of stars is going to attack us."


    Zhou Liao blinked. "More sura kings?"


    "No, not just sura kings¡ªthe monarch of stars himself! It would take a hundred sura kings to stand up to the monarch of stars, and they might not even win," Zhang Lie exined concisely. He turned to head back to the pce. "Have the human reinforcements depart. Renhuang''s going to face another cmity."


    Zhou Liao clenched his fists. "What are you talking about? We came all the way here to help Renhuang in its time of need¡ªbut by the time we arrived, it was already time for the celebratory banquet! Now that there''s yet another threating to Renhuang, let us fight. We don''t care if the enemy''s a sura monarch or sura king¡ªwe can take them on!"


    A sura kingdom was already a huge problem for a regr human city, and most hunters had hardly heard of a sura empire. Even among the world federation atrge, only a select few knew the specifics of the sura hierarchy and structure.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You won''t be able to handle it. The empire of stars'' forces will at least be ten times stronger than what we''ve faced to date!"


    Zhou Liao''s eyes bulged. Ten times stronger than a seven-kingdom coalition? How could that be? That a seven-kingdom coalition had attacked a human city was a history-defining affair, but now a sura empire itself was attacking Renhuang?


    No other force had ever provoked such a response from a sura empire.

 Chapter 493: I Dont Want to Leave

    <h4>Chapter 493: I Don''t Want to Leave</h4>


    Regardless, this wasn''t a decision Zhou Liao felt qualified to make on his own.


    "Let me ask some of the other leaders what they think about this information. However, I''m telling you this now¡ªregardless of what they choose to do, I''m not going to leave! If I desert you just because of an impending disaster, I would be far too ashamed to ever show my face in front of you again."


    Zhang Lie nodded, smiling in gratitude. He then sought out Yu Huantian, who lived in a tall watchtower overlooking all of Renhuang. By the western quarter of Renhuang, the humans and rock spirits had pooled together their resources to destroy the buildings that had once been there and rece them with tower after tall tower in order to give the crag eagles a ce to live.


    The rock spires that the rock spirits had created were a decent temporary measure, but the crag eagles ultimately found them somewhat ufortable. They preferred to roost in tall towers like the watchtowers that the rock spirits had subsequently built, instead. Yu Huantian had personally gone to Chu Feng to speak to him about this.


    ording to Chu Feng, each watchtower could house seven or eight crag eagles, and these towers were very space-efficient.


    During the seven-kingdom coalition, the crag eagles had yed an important role in scouting, and Yu Huantian had managed to im full rights over a patch ofnd as the eagles'' share.


    Zhang Lie was impressed by their choice. Either by acumen or sheer luck, they had chosen an investment that would keep appreciating over time. Based on Renhuang''s current rate of growth, it was likely thatnd prices would continue to rise and rise.


    Now that they had their own territory, it remained for them to get their own towers. The crag eagles had been making use of their ability to control avian lifeforms of lesser strength to capture regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms alive as a guild worker.


    Every crag eagle was saving up to purchase their own high-rises.


    Chu Feng smiled deviously as he approached them. "You can always pay in installments, you know."


    The crag eagles cocked their heads. "What do you mean, installments?"


    "To put it simply, we''ll construct your towers for you immediately. You''ll pay the cost back to the city over a certain period of time, and you''ll be charged interest on the bnce. Once you pay it all off, you''ll own whatever you bought."


    Yu Huantian asked, "Won''t our towers belong to us before we finish repaying the loan?"


    "You''ll be allowed to live in it and to sell it, but it won''t, strictly speaking, belong to you before you finish paying off the loan. If you don''t pay off enough interest for five continuous months, Renhuang will confiscate your house."


    Seeing how flummoxed the crag eagles seemed to be, Chu Feng continued exining, "To put it simply, you can sell the house or continue living in it, but you can''t destroy or otherwise damage it. In addition, you''ll have to keep paying off your interest on a monthly basis until the entire bnce is ounted for."


    Yu Huantian was naturally wary of this offer, but Chu Feng, who was well-versed in negotiation and bartering, was easily able to convince the naive eagles.


    Chu Feng leaned into Yu Huantian''s ear and whispered, "If you''re willing to make your purchase now, I''ll talk to the governor and see if we can get you a 20% discount. As a fighter who participated in the defense of Renhuang, you can get an additional 10% discount, for a 30% discount in all! On the other hand, I won''t be able to offer you any discount of the sort if you want to save up until you can afford it in one fell swoop."


    Yu Huantian was sorely tempted.


    Chu Feng continued, "The earlier you have these houses built, the earlier you can start staying in them! Given how much money all of you are making, you''ll surely have enough to afford building a few watchtowers. You aren''tfortable living on the rock spires, are you?"


    If they had been content with their living conditions, they wouldn''t have wanted to build these watchtowers.


    "Wouldn''t it be much more convenient andfortable to have these watchtowers immediately?"


    The other crag eagles, fully convinced by Chu Feng''s words, all demanded to buy a ce in their respective watchtowers in installments.


    The rock spirits were able to effect the construction of the watchtowers in almost no time at all. For theirbor, the rock spirits were paid in rare minerals, ores, and gems sourced from Xuechi, which were of such high quality that the rock spirits were all very pleased with theirpensation.


    Ever since then, the crag eagles of Renhuang had been saddled with debt from their mortgages.


    When Zhang Lie found out about the news, he was dumbfounded. No matter what, however, the crag eagles were a n that Zhang Lie had brought back with him, and he didn''t intend to extort them with Chu Feng''s housing ns.


    Indeed, after learning more about the situation, he believed that it was in both parties'' best interests.


    The crag eagles were very popr within Renhuang because they were particrly efficient scouts that could provide both mobility and aerial support.


    Although they were saddled with debts that shouldn''t have existed in the second realm, the crag eagles'' living conditions had improved dramatically. With their talent of being able to control avian lifeforms of lesser strength, their debt wasn''t particrly crippling, and they would easily be able to repay it within three years.


    "I need your help to scout the area," Zhang Lie told Yu Huantian.


    Yu Huantian''s strength and position among his n had allowed him to im the top floor of one of the watchtowers, and he was among the most rxed members of the n. He asked curiously, "Are there more sura on the way?"


    "Yes, I''ve just received news. Please have a look."


    "I''ll be back soon!" Yu Huantian spread his wings and flew out of the watchtower.


    After Zhang Lie and Zhou Liao split up, Zhou Liao gathered the human forces for an important announcement. In a strident voice, he yelled out, "I have urgent news for everyone!"


    "Are we preparing to leave?" One of the hunters stepped forward. "I don''t intend on leaving. After discussing the issue with a few of my friends, we''ve decided to stay in Renhuang. Being able to employ the services of these alien races with just a few soulshards has been a godsend, and there are countless herbs, nts, and potions not avable elsewhere. We''ll surely be able to develop much more quickly here."


    Arge fraction of the hunters concurred; overall, over 80% of the hunters had chosen to remain in Renhuang. Only those hunters who had witnessed Renhuang for themselves realized just how amazing of a city it was.


    The remaining 20% either had important responsibilities in their home city or friends and family in their home city that they couldn''t leave behind.


    For instance, quite a few people were intending to be traveling merchants that transported goods back and forth between Renhuang and their original cities.


    "I''ve pooled resources with some of my friends, and we''re intending to issue a quest in the guild hall to secure some mercenaries to hunt down superior-grade lifeforms. I can''t believe how convenient it is to acquire gene fragments in Renhuang¡ªinformation about gic lifeforms is publicly avable, and you can easily purchase it with just a small amount of coin! You can even learn about the habits and territory of these lifeforms, and if you have ess to unrecorded information, that can be exchanged for money too."


    Sun Mengmeng had recorded all the information from Xuechi''s journal, save that involving peak-grade lifeforms, into the guild database. Those who wanted to learn about the restricted peak-grade information would have to amass enough guild reputation by epting andpleting quests, issuing quests, or selling information.


    "You''re only realizing that now? I made a lot of money by selling information about the lifeforms that I know of around my home city!"


    "Really?!"


    Quite a few hunters'' eyes lit up as they rushed off into the distance, eager to sell their information before any other hunter around them could do so.

 Chapter 494: The Monarch of Stars Approaches

    <h4>Chapter 494: The Monarch of Stars Approaches</h4>


    Zhou Liao called out, "Hold on, all of you! Let me finish my announcement first!"


    The hunters ignored him. How could they wait? If they were too slow to sell the information to the guild, someone else would get there before them!


    Zhou Liao shouted at their backs, "Renhuang''s going to be destroyed! What''re you going to do with that money?"


    The startled hunters turned back. "What did you say? Even the seven-kingdom coalition was unable to take down Renhuang. Isn''t it the safest ce in the entirety of the second realm?"


    This was part of the reason the hunters who had arrived in Renhuang as reinforcements didn''t want to leave¡ªtheir home cities might be destroyed by just a single sura king or a targeted invasion by another alien race, but Renhuang was different.


    In Renhuang, the members of Team Zenith could each take down a sura king by themselves, and a sura or alien invasion was all but out of the question.


    "What exactly would destroy Renhuang?"


    "There''s a sura empire on its way," Zhou Liao replied seriously.


    "What''s a sura empire?" The majority of hunters present at the scene hadn''t heard of the term.


    "I think I''ve heard of them before... they''re supposedly sura kingdoms that are muchrger and stronger than usual. Apparently, there are multiple sura on the level of sura kings in each sura empire?"


    "What? Isn''t that ridiculous?"


    Zhou Liao exined what Zhang Lie had told him. "A sura empire''s roughly about a hundred times as strong as a sura kingdom¡ªthat is, we''ll see an invasion force roughly the equal of ten times what Zhang Lie and Renhuang managed to hold back."


    Zhou Liao''sparison shook the hunters to their core.


    "The governor of Renhuang himself, Zhang Lie, has suggested that you flee." Zhou Liao nced at them critically. "I want your opinion: will you stay and fight, or will you flee? I won''t stop any of you from returning, but I''ll say one thing¡ªI''m staying."


    "As if we''d be afraid!"


    "We''re gic hunters, and we came to Renhuang to fight!"


    "Isn''t that wonderful timing? We were invited to the banquet despite not participating in the defense of Renhuang at all. Now''s the time for us to shine!"


    Considering that these reinforcements had been willing to head toward Renhuang in the face of critical danger, it was only natural that none of them chose to leave now.


    Zhou Liao''s face remained as serious as ever. "You can certainly all stay, but I want to make sure you''re aware of the facts. Compared to the seven sura kingdoms, the empire of stars will be a much more difficult foe to face, with greater strength andrger numbers. Only one in ten of you might survive."


    "Troop Leader Zhou, we came here to fight, not to be tourists! We were already prepared to give up our lives in hopes of guarding the creation of a new future. Despite only having been in Renhuang for a few days, I daresay everyone here thinks that it''s a worthy cause to fight for!"


    "The members of Team Zenith were able to defeat the seven sura kings alone. It''s certainly not impossible that, with our help, they might be able to take down a sura empire''s forces."


    "How can we grow as hunters if we constantly flee from danger?"


    Zhou Liao surveyed the gathered hunters with growing appreciation. Indeed, this was what humans should be like! He nodded firmly. "I''m proud of all of you here, of all you human hunters!"


    "We''ll protect Renhuang to our deaths!"


    "My soulshards are still in the guild¡ªI need to acquire some superior-grade lifeforms!"


    "Right, I have a date with a wood spirit!"


    Over the course of just a few days, they had be invested in the city''s fate.


    If Renhuang were to fall, the currency that they had umted with their soulshards would be useless. The hunters clearly weren''t willing to see this happen; Renhuang would be a shortcut to power in the long run, and they had to survive this ordeal!


    .


    Zhou Liao added, "I''ll inform Zhang Lie that everyone''s nning to stay. You''re all dismissed. Prepare for a difficult battle toe."


    The hunters rushed off in the blink of an eye to sell what they knew to the guild.


    Zhang Lie summoned the members of Team Zenith and the leaders of each of the alien races to the pce.


    "Another foe is approaching us," Zhang Lie dered.


    Sun Mengmeng seemed rather surprised. "What kind?"


    It was very rare for her to see such a serious expression on Zhang Lie''s face. He clearly felt that their next foe would be a dangerous threat, far more so than the seven sura kings ever were.


    "The monarch of stars and his forces are approaching us."


    Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help but ask, "The monarch of stars? Does he lead a sura kingdom?"


    Considering Zhang Lie''sck of regard for the seven sura kings'' invasion, a single sura kingdom shouldn''t have been enough to provoke such a serious response.


    "No¡ªa sura empire."


    The shaman of the wood spirits and the leader of the rock spirits each sucked in a breath, and the Yeluo chieftain appeared so frightened his face turned blue.


    Sensing the shock in the three n leaders'' faces, the members of Team Zenith were certain that this so-called sura empire wouldn''t be an easy target.


    Zhang Lie exined just what a sura empire represented to the members of Team Zenith. After he told them the entire story, the members of Team Zenith all turned serious.


    "About ten times stronger than the seven-kingdom coalition we faced..."


    Since they heard the news directly from Zhang Lie, no one doubted the veracity of the information at all.


    The leader of the rock spirits sighed. "It''s been a very long time since I''ve heard of a sura empire attacking those from other races."


    The leader of the rock spirits exined that his seniors had told him never to provoke a sura empire. Back then, the sura weren''t yet hegemons of the second realm, and their territory had been much smaller than it was now. Even so, they boasted such strength that the domineering rock giants had been unwilling to provoke them.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "If they''re so strong, why don''t we know of them? Don''t they attack other races?"


    The leader of the rock spirits retorted, "Would you humans wage war against ants?"


    Sun Mengmeng: ¡­


    The rock spirit sighed. "I can''t believe that we''ll have to face the monarch of stars himself, and immediately after defeating the seven sura kings, too! Renhuang truly is suffering from cmity after cmity."


    The Yeluo chieftain asked, "Governor, we''ll obey your everymand. What do you propose we do?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Let''s wait for Yu Huantian to return with news before deciding on our next steps."


    He consoled the members of Team Zenith as he looked at their serious, glum faces. "There''s no need to worry to such an extent. Even against a sura empire, Renhuang won''t fall so easily. Don''t forget that we have the Yeluo potions, which will be an invaluable asset in suchrge-scale battles."


    While Zhang Lie was consoling the crowd, Yu Huantian returned.


    His face was slightly green, his voice slightly panicked, as he reported, "Governor, as you suspected, there''s arge force making its way toward Renhuang from the north. Their pennant is apass surrounded by countless stars, with a bloodied beast at its center. If I''m not mistaken, it''s indeed a force led by the monarch of stars."


    "How many sura are approaching?"


    Yu Huantian''s voice turned firm. "Three million sura."


    This was within his expectations; Zhang Lie didn''t panic. After all, panicking wouldn''t serve any purpose now. He had no intention of backing down against anyone but an asura himself.

 Chapter 495: Aid from the Milky Way

    <h4>Chapter 495: Aid from the Milky Way</h4>


    That said, even if Zhang Lie weren''t afraid of the monarch of stars, it was prudent to develop battle strategies to minimize as much injury and death as he could. Although he was still the core of Renhuang, Renhuang didn''t belong to just him.


    "There may be a terrible battle lying ahead of us. Unlike before, the main fighting force won''t be the human hunters, but rather the crag eagles led by Yu Huantian..."


    As Zhang Lie began exining their strategy, a voice called out from the outside, "What are all of you discussing? Count me in!"


    Everyone looked outside to see Zhou Liao smiling as he made his way toward them.


    Zhou Liao clenched his fists tightly. "Every member of the human reinforcements has chosen to stay to defend against the monarch of stars'' invasion and protect Renhuang!"


    "Are you all certain?" Zhang Lie frowned. "Our opponent is the strongest sura empire."


    "If we weren''t certain, I wouldn''t be here now," Zhou Liao replied naturally.


    A ck figure darted across the top of the pce, his voice reaching the gathered people before his appearance.


    "Governor, there''s something wrong!" The crag eagle folded his wings as hended hurriedly and shouted, "Governor, a huge group of forces is heading toward Renhuang!"


    A huge group of forces? Who could that be??Zhang Lie nced curiously at Yu Huantian.


    Yu Huantian rolled his eyes at him. "What''re you looking at me for? I didn''t summon them over. I scouted in the direction you pointed me at, nowhere else!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are they sura?"


    "No, they aren''t sura. I''ve never met their like before¡ªthere are a few beasts asrge as mountains, some creatures that look like the wood spirits but aren''t half-ethereal, and others who have fish-like tails and are surrounded by a mist of water! I also saw some winged creatures with feathers of all types of colors, dark humanoids, and a whole procession of other groups following behind them. As far as I can tell, it''s a multiracial coalition."


    "I suppose we''ll simply have to see who they are for ourselves, won''t we?" Hearing the crag eagle''s recounting of what he had seen, Zhang Lie had a guess for who this other party might consist of: reinforcements from the four prime races. Leaping off from the ground, he flung himself toward the city walls like a loosed arrow. The members of Team Zenith and the alien leaders raced after him.


    Without startling anyone, Zhang Liended deftly atop a watchtower, from which he could see the procession of forces heading toward Renhuang.


    "As expected..." Although he had guessed the identity of these forces, Zhang Lie was still quite surprised upon seeing them anew.


    The members of Team Zenith caught up to him and nced at the reinforcements in surprise.


    "What are they doing here? The four prime races? They''re known throughout the Milky Way!"


    Leading the reinforcements were Xing Bai and Lianna, representatives of the starbeasts and the aquatic. Behind them were their subordinates and subsidiary races, numbering over a hundred thousand in all.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward to wee them, taking big strides in the air as though he were walking along the ground.


    "May I ask what the starbeasts and aquatic are doing here?"


    Xing Bai nced up to see Zhang Lie walking across the skies, shocked at his technique. Zhang Lie emanated no trace of gic energy; this wasn''t something Xing Bai could replicate.


    "Zhang Lie, my brother, it''s so good to see you again!" The panda-like Xing Bai leapt up as he spread his arms wide, thinking of hugging him tightly, but Zhang Lie dodged aside gracefully.


    Xing Bai frowned when he saw Zhang Lie''s antics. "Aren''t you at least going to let me hug you? We''ve been rushing for days on end to get here on time!"


    "That''s right," Lianna added. "We heard that Renhuang was in danger, so we immediately gathered our forces and brought them over."


    Xing Bai cut to the chase. "Renhuang''s being attacked by a sura empire, isn''t it? I heard that millions of sura fighters are on their way over. Everyone in the second realm has heard the news!"


    Lianna praised, "You truly are a special individual to be able to draw the attention of a sura empire. The entire world''s focused on Renhuang. As your friends, how could we not help you in your time of need?"


    "We''ve even brought you an excellent gift, one you''re sure to enjoy," Xing Bai added. He motioned to those who were carrying the cage and shouted, "Remove the cloth!"


    The guards standing by the cage removed it to reveal a ferocious wolf-type lifeform, one that simultaneously possessed draconic characteristics. Fierce and domineering, it seemed to represent a perfect union of a dragon and a wolf.


    "This is...a peak-grade dragonwolf?!"


    Even Zhang Lie seemed surprised. Upon hearing his words, the beast suddenly bashed its body against its cage.


    Despite having been trapped for countless days, its temper was as explosive as ever. Its movement had been so sudden that it almost managed to knock the cage sideways, and everyone seemed surprised by its sudden aura.


    Xing Bai nodded happily. "You''re exactly right! And as you can see, it''s still very energetic despite having been caged up for so long."


    The four prime races had locked it in a sturdy cage and weakened it with a specialized potion, but despite its dosed and caged state, its ferocity was unparalleled.


    Lianna smiled. "Do you like this gift?"


    Zhang Lie nodded firmly. "It must have taken significant effort to catch one of these live."


    Killing a peak-grade lifeform was difficult enough, let alone capturing it whole. It was easy for Zhang Lie to kill peak-grade lifeforms, but even he would have been hard-pressed to try to keep one alive.


    Xing Bai shrugged. "We were lucky enough to find one on the verge of death. Even so, it cost us quite a few fighters to take it down."


    Lianna added, "If you obtain a soulshard from it, make sure to tell us about its effects!"


    Zhang Lie nodded firmly. "I ept your gift with gratitude."


    He turned and shouted, "Open the city gates! Friends of Renhuang have arrived!"


    The reinforcements from the four prime races all walked into Renhuang together. ncing around, Xing Bai murmured, "Oh, this isn''t bad! It''sparable to the starbeasts'' cities in the second realm."


    Lianna crossed her arms. "It''s more than just ''isn''t bad''! Could you imagine humans having such a city? The ones I''ve been to look like pigsties!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Well, it''s not just our efforts. We built this atop a sura capital."


    The other human cities certainly weren''t so bad, either; Lianna had been exaggerating in a poor attempt to heap more praise on Zhang Lie.


    "At any rate, it certainly is the case that this is the most magnificent of the human cities I''ve had the pleasure to visit."


    The four prime races were very interested in the humans and alien races that had made Renhuang their home, and the citizens of Renhuang were likewise curious about the four prime races'' arrival.

 Chapter 496: The Pitiful Dragonwolf

    <h4>Chapter 496: The Pitiful Dragonwolf</h4>


    "Is that a gic lifeform, do you think?"


    "I should hope not. Look! Don''t those aliens have the tail of a fish?"


    The alien races of Renhuang began pointing at the starbeasts and the aquatic, only to be held back by the humans. "Be more respectful of them¡ªthey''re some of the strongest races in the Milky Way, as well as the governor''s good friends!"


    "How strong are theypared to the governor?"


    "They''re weaker, of course¡ªwho isn''t?"


    As Zhang Lie guided Xing Bai and Lianna forward, he told them, "I''ll have a reception prepared for you, but please give me some time to arrange the logistics."


    The monarch of stars had convened a meeting of the elders in his pce. He roared, "Are all the preparationsplete?"


    The elder nodded. "Following yourmand, your majesty, we''ve called for all the cities in the empire to send their garrisons to the capital in order to prevent an attack from the other sura empires.Fortunately, thanks to your majesty''s victory against the three sura empires recently, the citizens'' morale is high, and all the cities have agreed to this demand. In addition, thest group of captives from other sura empires will arrive at the capital shortly."


    "Once the captives arise, we''ll have everything we need to proceed." The monarch of stars leaned back on his throne. "Although all nine of my godsons have given up their lives for this, I have to admit that Renhuang has given me an even better reason to advance my ns."


    Many believed that the reason three sura empires had attacked the empire of stars was because they were threatened by the empire of stars'' growth, but only a scant few people realized that this was all part of the monarch of stars'' great n.


    "I''d intended on getting more materials from Renhuang, but all seven of my remaining godsons died instead... I suppose it''s not too much of a drawback, considering I now have a stronger im for advancement."


    The monarch of stars'' tone was calm and cid, as though the rage he had demonstrated that day in his pce was all just an act.


    One of the elders raised his head and asked, "Your majesty, are we truly carrying out this n?"


    "Do you think there''s an issue with it?" the monarch of stars asked. He frowned; he thought his n was faultless.


    "Your majesty, I''m sure you''ve nned for all contingencies, but ording to your n, you''ll have to sacrifice a million square kilometers ofnd belonging to two of the sura empires you conquered, as well as half the poption of the empire of stars. Are you certain this price is worth it?"


    The monarch of stars'' eyes'' bulged. "You want me to give up on a n I''ve spent years working toward at the eleventh hour?!" A blood-red beam emanated from his eyes and pierced the elder who quailed as he knelt trembling on the floor.


    "N-No, your majesty!"


    The red glow in the monarch of stars'' eyes dissipated. "If not for the fact that you''ve been loyal to me for so long, I''d have decapitated anyone else who said that to me on the spot. I won''t hear the like again, do you understand?"


    The elder''s forehead beaded with cold sweat. He felt as though he had almost looked death in the eyes.


    The monarch of stars rapped on his armrest. "Sacrifices have to be made for such arge venture, and the ends justify the means. It''s toote for your doubts."


    "Yes, your majesty!" The elder wiped the sweat off his forehead. His heart thumped in his chest.


    The monarch of stars slowly closed his eyes. "Do you know what the grandest treasure, what the basest pir of our empire is?"


    "Please tell us, your majesty!" The elders stirred, unwilling to hazard a guess that might prove incorrect¡ªand deadly.


    "Me!"


    The elders: ...


    "The ruler!" the monarch of stars cried out. "As long as I remain alive, the empire of stars will not crumble!"


    This was a rather arrogant im, but the monarch of stars'' words were reflected in the sura''s beliefs. Absolute strength trumped over everything else; no one would dare provoke the monarch of stars while he remained alive and well.


    "And do you know what the second-most important treasure of the sura realm is?"


    The elders shook their heads once again. "Please tell us, your majesty!"


    "The army!" The monarch of stars continued, "The army can help expand the empire''s territory, so I''m going to assign 80% of our forces to head toward Renhuang.


    "From everyone else''s perspective, it will surely seem like I''ve lost my mind¡ªthat I''m intending to defeat Renhuang at any cost without any care for the safety and security of the empire of stars. In truth, however, I simply want to protect the integrity of the army. I shall have to thank Renhuang for destroying the seven sura kings'' forces; otherwise, I would hardly have such a good reason to act.


    "Now, do you know what the third-most important treasure of the sura realm is?"


    "The... people?" an elder guessed.


    "Wrong!" the monarch of stars boomed. "It''s all of you."


    "All of us?"


    "The third-most important treasure is the empire''s elders and officials. Only with all of you around can the empire function properly, so I''ll preserve all your lives."


    "Thank you, your majesty!"


    The monarch of stars continued, "And the fourth-most?"


    "The citizens, surely?" another elder guessed.


    "Incorrect once more! It''s the empire''s treasury. The citizens are only the eighth-most important thing in the empire, following our natural resources, technique repository, and weapons! Why should I give up my n for the eighth-most important thing in the empire?"


    "We understand our mistake," the elders replied somberly.


    "There are countless sura all over the sura realm, as many as there are ants. If we want more citizens, we simply have to conquer a few more sura empires¡ªand that''s an easy feat as long as I be an asura! After that, the entire world shall be our oyster!"


    The monarch of stars'' eyes gleamed with cold red light.


    The four prime races'' gift, a peak-grade lifeform, was very generous as things went.


    After a short deliberation, it was decided that Zhang Lie would weaken the peak-grade dragonwolf before allowing the strongest hunters to attack it a few times. Doing so would let them obtain some peak gene fragments before the dangerous battle.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith themselves didn''t need more peak gene fragments, but the other hunters of Renhuang would certainly appreciate it.


    Despite its chains and the drugs that it had consumed, the peak-grade dragonwolf was still a fierce creature to behold. Against Zhang Lie, however, it was all meaningless.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie easily sealed the wolf''s actions and thoughts, then beat it senseless.


    Subsequently, a group of Renhuang hunters lined up. Each gave the wolf one blow with their weapon before moving on. Multiple times, a healing tincture had to be poured on the wolf''s wounds to prevent it from dying outright.


    As he watched the proceedings, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel sorry for the wolf, who had to suffer this indignity at the hands of the humans.


    After everyone had attacked it, Zhang Lie dealt the finishing blow. The peak-grade dragonwolf made a relieved expression at thest, tears brimming from its eyes as it finally found sce in death.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade dragonwolf and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade dragonwolf, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie smiled. Noticing his smile, Lianna couldn''t help but ask, "Did a soulshard condense?!"

 Chapter 497: Legends of the Sura

    <h4>Chapter 497: Legends of the Sura</h4>


    Zhang Lie nodded as he smiled.


    "In that case, what are you waiting for? Test it out, please!" the young leaders of the nightdemons, Pu Kui, and of the winged, Hong Yu, requested simultaneously.


    Zhang Lie eded to their wishes...


    Just as Zhang Lie was testing out the functionality of his new soulshard, the monarch of stars was concluding the final preparations for his n. He had managed to capture quite a few prisoners from the other three sura empires that had attacked, and he had been saving them up for this precise moment.


    Cage after cage was transported deep within the pce, in which many a sura was enclosed. None of the prisoners knew exactly what awaited them.


    The monarch of stars was paying particrly careful attention to his n, and he refused to permit even a single mistake. Now that his n was nearing conclusion, he was personally overseeing the transportation of the prisoners into the pce.


    He knew very well that not all his officials would be in support of his n, but there were only five who knew it in its entirety. As long as he kept a careful eye on these five, nothing would go wrong.


    And once the n came to its natural conclusion, he would be a single step away from bing an asura. That was the reason he had devoted so much effort into studying souls.


    The monarch of stars noted that a few cages contained humans rather than sura, but he didn''t care. Regardless, none of the prisoners would live.


    The monarch of stars instructed, "Remember to prepare a few corpses as well."


    The elder by his side replied, "Don''t worry, your majesty, the preparations areplete."


    Back in Renhuang, the dragonwolf''s carcass was being stewed into a thick, rich broth, which was distributed to all the hunters that had participated in striking the dragonwolf. It wasn''t very much¡ªeach hunter might get one or two peak gene fragments at most¡ªbut even that was precious indeed, and worth the equivalent of ten superior gene fragments.


    Many of the hunters present wouldn''t have been able to acquire peak gene fragments by themselves, after all.


    Through this opportunity, the citizens of Renhuang were able to acquaint themselves with the starbeasts, aquatic, nightdemons, and winged.


    Zhang Lie was once again pushed to the forefront to give a speech in front of a campfire that had been hastily built. Cheers rang out from the crowd as he cleared his throat before they quickly quieted down.


    Zhang Lie began, "First, thank you for the support and reinforcements¡ªboth from my human colleagues, as well as from the four prime races. Despite knowing the strength of the opponent we face, none of you have chosen to leave, and the four prime races have traversed half the world to get here on time. Once again, you all have my utmost gratitude."


    The humans and representatives of the four prime races began to smile.


    "I once informed the hunters of Renhuang of a piece of good news¡ªthe seven-kingdom coalition was on their way here." He stuck out two fingers. "Now, the second piece of good news: a sura empire ising over."


    The reinforcements were quite shocked by Zhang Lie''s words. How could the arrival of a sura empire be considered good news?


    "This is your chance to leave your name in history¡ª to witness history before your eyes! Never has a sura empire ever targeted an external force, but now, the empire of stars faces Renhuang. When we destroy their three million sura fighters, we''ll rewrite history with our very hands. We''ll be the legends who first went up against the sura¡ªand seeded. And when we do so, we''ll elevate the status of mankind in the second realm, and your names shall forevermore be remembered in history!"


    A huge round of apuse came from the gathered reinforcements, and Xing Bai and Lianna seemed astounded by his charisma and the force of his personality.


    This man¡ªhe could create history no matter where he went, because he was a legend in his own right. Hunters weren''t afraid of death; they were afraid that their deaths would be meaningless, that no one would record their deeds and triumphs.


    Sun Mengmeng gazed at Zhang Lie, her eyes filled with passion. He truly was a natural hero, a natural leader!


    "Will this battle be a difficult one? Assuredly, it will¡ªit''ll be the greatest challenge all of us will face. But with all our reinforcements¡ªthe humans, the four prime races¡ªI promise you, defeating the empire of stars isn''t an impossibility. With our hands, we''ll wrest victory from the sura!"


    "We''ll defeat the sura! Long live Renhuang!"


    "Long live Renhuang! The monarch of stars will fall!" Cheerful shouts could be heard all over Renhuang, wiping away the terror and fear that threatened to consume the hunters.


    Zhang Lie raised his bowl of peak-grade dragonwolf soup as he shouted, "Our legend''s just getting started! Ten thousand years from today, everyone will still remember our names!"


    He downed his bowl of soup in one big gulp and smashed his bowl against the ground.


    "Ten thousand years from today, everyone will still remember our names!"


    Everyone in Renhuang, human and alien alike, emted his actions, downing their soup in one gulp and smashing their bowls against the ground.


    Lianna gazed at Zhang Lie''s back with wide eyes. "This man will surely be at the apex¡ªnot just of the second realm, not just of the Milky Way, but rather of the entire universe..."


    She found that her own understanding of Zhang Lie had been in error. She had thought him a hunter with great potential, who was worth investing in because of his development of limit fragments.


    Now, however, Lianna understood Zhang Lie''s most fearsome quality¡ªhis charisma and leadership ability, the former of which would spur his own growth, and thetter of which would spur everyone else''s.


    She had to associate herself with someone like Zhang Lie at any cost.


    The banquetsted all the way into the night, until the humans and aliens had all drunk their fill.


    As Xing Bai upended a vat of wine into his mouth, he asked Zhang Lie, "The monarch of stars is exceptional even among sura monarchs. How do you n on dealing with him?"


    Zhang Lie, seated at Xing Bai''s back, took a gulp of wine himself. "I know of him. He''s the strongest among the sura monarchs, isn''t he?"


    Xing Bai warned him, "Don''t underestimate the monarch of stars. Not only is he the strongest of the sura monarchs, his name is known widely across the entirety of the second realm. None of the other monarchs areparable to him; he''s known as the top contender to ascend to an asura."


    Li Feng leaned against Xing Bai''s stomach as he drank. "What''s an asura?"


    Beside him, Fang Yi asked, "Is an asura the god of the sura?"


    Li Feng continued to drink. "Who knows if the asura really do exist? Perhaps they''re just like the gods of our mythology."


    Xing Bai replied firmly, "The asura truly do exist. ording to the annals of the starbeasts, early in the inception of the sura realm, the sura''s rise and dominion could be attributed to a genius who ultimately rose through the ranks and became an asura in his own right. In other words, it was because of his presence alone that the sura managed to take over so much of the second realm!"


    The leader of the rock spirits added, upon hearing the thread of the conversation, "There are countless tales of the asura circting in our n as well. Allegedly, the moment an asura is birthed in the second realm, a cmity will befall all other beings within. His breaths can ignite thend, a wave of his arm can split the sea in half, a sharp gaze can cause the stars to fall¡ªhis existence is a cmity for the sura realm!"

 Chapter 498: Sacrifices of Blood and Fire

    <h4>Chapter 498: Sacrifices of Blood and Fire</h4>


    Li Feng asked, "In that case, why haven''t we heard of the asura before in the second realm?"


    Fang Yi spoke up again. "In that case, could it be that their abilities are far more exaggerated in these tales than in practice?"


    The leader of the rock spirits shrugged. "I heard that they went to the third realm."


    Li Feng spread his arms. "If the asura have all ascended to the third realm, then surely there''s nothing to worry about?"


    Xing Bai shook his head. "No, they haven''t ascended. In our annals, it''s been recorded that their very presence will damage the sura realm, so they choose to hibernate deep within sura territory, only to be summoned in times of great crises."


    Li Feng asked, "If their continued presence hurts the realm, why doesn''t the realm remove the asura?"


    Xing Bai smiled tiredly at him. "The answer is very simple: even the will of the world can''t do anything against an asura."


    Zhang Lie frowned. Given what Xing Bai had said, the presence of the asura in the second realm was very simr to what had urred when he chose to remain in the first realm despite having absorbed disaster gene fragments.


    The second realm was even able to harbor disaster-grade creatures, so if the asura were so strong that even the second realm opposed them¡­ were they beyond disaster-grade?!


    Xing Bai turned back to Zhang Lie. "How do you intend on dealing with the monarch of stars, Zhang Lie?"


    Li Feng folded his arms. "There''s no way our captain would lose!"


    Zhang Lie swallowed another cup of wine, his face seemingly unperturbed. "The monarch of stars might be strong, but we aren''t weak."


    Within the pce of the monarch of stars, a blood-red beam of light shot into the air. A number of officials knelt on the floor as they observed the beam of light, as though waiting for something.


    The origin of the beam was deep within the pce, in a secluded location only the monarch of stars was qualified to go. The spiritual matter in the air was so thick that it almost seemed to condense. It was difficult to imagine how many lifeforms had to be ughtered to produce spiritual matter of such density.


    Corpse upon corpse was heaped on the floor, those of humans, gic lifeforms, and sura alike. So many corpsesy on the floor that it felt as though there formed an ocean.


    Above the ocean of corpsesy countless cages. The sura and humans trapped within begged and pleaded for their lives, but no one was there to hear them cry.


    At the very heart of the ocean of corpses was the monarch of stars, who held apass in his hand.


    Thepass was unique and intricate in its design. Spiritual matter condensed and whirled around the exposed face of thepass, forming a whirlpool which gleamed with red light. This was the origin of the beam of light that the sura officials had observed from the outer reaches of the pce.


    The monarch of stars murmured what seemed to be an incantation in an ancient tongue, and golden glyphs native to the sura surrounded him. A blood-red gxy seemed to materialize around him as the monarch of stars'' eyes opened wide. As the gxy spun faster and faster, the blood of all the dead corpses snaked out of their bodies and gathered atop thepass.


    The whirlpool on thepass began to rotate, keeping time with the gxy that had materialized around the monarch of stars. That blood morphed into a blood-red dragon that devoured all the corpses whole before uncoiling and heading straight for the sky. The dragon was visible throughout the entire territory of the empire of stars.


    The caged sura and humans screamed and yelled, making such a huge ruckus that they were audible even to the sura officials at the outskirts of the pce.


    Countless ck hands suddenly emerged from within each cage, capturing and swallowing the humans and the sura within. Their blood and spiritual essence was forcibly extracted from their bodies and sucked into the draconic twister.


    As a bloody haze descended on the realm, the sura and humans were sucked dry. Within each cage were emaciated and shrunken corpses. The blood-colored twister turned ck, as ck as the abyss, as ck as outer space, darker than even darkness itself.


    The cries of babies seemed to be audible from a distance. Pairs of eyes appeared from within the twister, as though they were mocking the world.


    If Zhang Lie were present, he would immediately notice that this... creature... was very much like the peak-grade dragonsoul that he had killed in the valley described in Xuechi''s diary.


    The difference was that the monarch of stars'' creation seemed to bear ill will toward the entire world¡ªoceans of blood and spiritual matter, tainted by death and desperation, malice, anger, rage, and hatred, had condensed into a pitch-ck, tainted creature.


    Countless feelers emerged from the twister, stretching in every direction.


    The sura of the empire of stars tried to run, but it was already toote. One after another, the citizens were grabbed by these feelers and dragged into the darkness that was darker than dark. Their resistance was futile.


    Spiritual essence and blood was forcibly stripped from their bodies and used to erge the draconic twister''s form. The empire of stars, peaceful and cid just moments ago, had transformed into a living hell.


    The sura officials trembled as they knelt, barriers of light drawn around them. The draconic feelers naturally avoided those barriers of light, as though all this had been nned in advance by the monarch of stars.


    They turned to face the empire atrge, only to see sura after sura being sucked dry of their essence¡ªamong them their friends and family.


    The entirety of the capital was a furnace; the living sura were medicine; their blood and spiritual matter was the fire that fueled the transformation.


    The entire capital was coated by a blood-red light, and the sura within were forcibly sucked dry. The haze of light expanded past the capital toward the east and west, splintering thend as it proceeded.


    The light split the empire of stars in two as it headed toward the neighboring sura empires that the monarch of stars had only recently conquered, and two bloody pirs of light simultaneously lit up thend of both empires.


    As they did so, a mysterious formation of light appeared in the skies above them, moving and transforming in patternspletely reversed from that on the monarch of stars''pass.


    As the light shone above the two conquered empires, the sura within began to scream and writhe. Blood and spirit wisped out of their mouths and skin, dyeing the skies red.


    This was what the monarch of stars had spent years nning for.


    The extracted blood and spiritual matter gushed toward the capital of the empire of stars like a flood, allowing the draconic twister to growrger andrger, devouring everything in its surroundings. The desated corpses in the capital of the empire of stars disintegrated in the wind, leaving nothing behind...

 Chapter 499: A Successful Ritual

    <h4>Chapter 499: A Sessful Ritual</h4>


    In the center of the blood-colored twister rose a beam of light that pierced the skies. All the spiritual matter and blood amassed over the top of the capital of the empire of stars, shining so brightly that it could be seen from half the sura realm.


    The monarchs of the other sura empires looked at the unusual phenomenon in the skies with ugly expressions on their faces; it was evident that disaster would soon strike.


    The blood-colored beam contracted as the energy contained within it began to condense. An object appeared out of nowhere over thepass.


    The monarch of stars smiled with malice. Suddenly, the will of the world appeared¡ªit had sensed the evil ritual that would sacrifice the lives of millions and threaten the entire realm. It attempted to break the monarch of stars'' ritual.


    The monarch of stars raised his head and stared up at the sky. "Haha, will of the world, I''ve been waiting for you!"


    Hidden beneath the runic inscriptions of the capital of the empire of stars was anotheryer of light.


    Countless corpses were buried under the capital, all of whom were warriors who had died in battle. The monarch of stars hadmanded that arge pit be dug for all these corpses, along with the corpses of his failed experiments. The pit was filled with a special form of earth that would preserve the spiritual essence of the dead.


    The frighteningly dense spiritual essence turned into a many-headed, many-eyed monstrosity, one that the monarch of stars sealed underground and chained up for this very moment.


    As the array of light filtered underground, the monstrosity suddenly burst free from its chains. Brilliant white light shone above the capital of the empire of stars, stacking with the bloody light. The two sources of light manifested in the form of two ethereal hands, which caught the will of the world as it descended on the empire of stars.


    Noticing something amiss, the will of the world immediately tried to leave, but it was a little toote. The probing hands tore a piece off its immaterial body and consumed it whole. The will of the world shuddered as it escaped from the scene, not daring to reveal itself or to disrupt the monarch of stars'' ns any further.


    It didn''t have the strength to do so, after all.


    A core appeared above thepass held by the monarch of stars. Red light quickly wrapped around it,yer afteryer. Pinpricks of light began to glimmer over thepass, as though a miniature gxy was trapped within.


    All that energy on thepass contracted to a point,which subsequently exploded. Blood-red light shot out from thepass in all directions, swallowing up the empire of stars and even the nearby empires.


    The light didn''t appear to cause any harm; indeed, it dissipated after the initial sh. Over thepass, however, a blood-red sun had appeared. It burned with such me, with such energy, that it seemed as though an entire gxy was contained within.


    "Haha, I''ve seeded, I''ve really seeded!"


    The monarch of stars inclined his head as heughed into the air. The sura officials all bowed their heads as they continued to kneel. "Congrattions, your majesty!"


    The monarch of stars had made a tremendous sacrifice for the object in his hands.


    The once-populous capital was naught but a desert; no living creature remained within. The citizens of the capital, sacrifices whose blood and spirit had been stripped from them, disintegrated into dust.


    In order to increase the likelihood of sess, the monarch of stars had even brought the citizens of a few nearby cities into the capital for a supposed festival. All in all, over tens of millions of sura had died.


    All across the empire of stars, sura had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind nothing but a pile of sand which scattered with the wind. The cities belonging to the empires he had conquered were entirely devoid of people.


    All this had been caused by none other than the monarch of stars.


    Worst were the empires who had been conquered by the monarch of stars; ording to thews of war agreed to by all the sura empires, ordinary citizens shouldn''t have been dragged into the conflict.


    The monarch of stars had obeyed thisw initially, and the citizens of the conquered empires found that they were treated no differently than before. The sura within began to feel goodwill toward the monarch of stars, but none of them expected that they would be sacrificed in such a cruel fashion.


    The conquered empires had turned into a barren wastnd, destroyed by the monarch of stars'' ambition. Tens of millions, hundreds of millions of sura had died, let alone the nts and gic lifeforms around. To the monarch of stars, all this was worth it; he could always conquer more empires and add more sura to his empire, after all.


    As long as he seeded in refining the object in his hands, he would be just one step away from bing an asura, from bing the god of the sura! He would have boundless strength, and the entirety of the sura realm would belong to him. And now¡ªhe had seeded in his objective!


    The monarch of starsughed in triumph as he gazed at the ruins of his empire.


    His perversion outshone his nine godsons''bined. He had walked a forbidden path to its conclusion, something even his godsons hadn''t managed.


    The skies remained tinted with blood, vibrant and red like a wound inflicted on the very realm itself. Indeed, what the monarch of stars had done had hurt the sura realm to its core.


    The blue skies and shining sun were forevermore luded from the empire of stars and the conquered empires nearby. What reced them were a bloody sky and a scarlet sun.


    By the time the monarch of stars'' ns were over, half the poption of the empire of stars had vanished, and much of the was no longer suitable for habitation. The entirety of thend was a furnace; the sura were medicine; their blood and spiritual matter was the fire that fueled the transformation.


    The monarch of stars had given up his empire for strength, for power approaching that of an asura¡ªbut the more strength he obtained, the weaker he felt.


    Many imed that the monarch of stars was the existence closest to that of an asura, but it was exactly because he was considered the closest that he realized just howrge a chasmy between him and a true asura.


    If the asura were a mountain, he was an ant¡ªthey were so different as to be iparable. The monarch of stars knew that, even if he worked and toiled his entire life, he would never approach such vaunted heights.


    Others thought it the highest ofpliments to call him the one who most closely approached the realm of an asura, but to him, that was the harshest of satire. How could an ant hope to move a mountain?

 Chapter 500: Arrival of the Monarch of Stars

    <h4>Chapter 500: Arrival of the Monarch of Stars</h4>


    The monarch of stars had given it all, had be crazed from his efforts, had raged at the world¡ªbut everything he did seemed to magnify the difference between the ant that he was and the mountain he couldn''t be.


    And thus, the monarch of stars took a step along a forbidden path.


    The monarch of stars gazed at the scarlet sun in the air and found it rapturing to behold.


    If he couldn''t be a mountain by himself, then he would be a force that could destroy that mountain.


    Humans couldn''t grow asrge as mountains, of course, but they could destroy those mountains with dynamite. He found it ironic that he had gotten this inspiration from a lifeform he had considered beneath him¡ªhe had learned from a human that humans were able to create dynamite, interster spaceships, bombs with the ability to destroy heaven and earth. Even if they were hardly as strong as he was, they had the ability to destroy something even stronger.


    The monarch of stars turned to research. After countless years, he slowly began to understand the soul, the spiritual matter that made up all lifeforms. His status as a sura king prolonged his life, and he spent those countless years studying, learning, and experimenting.


    And once he understood the power of the soul, he came up with a new idea: to extract the soul and blood from the sura and to create a weapon with it. To aplish that objective would require immense quantities of blood and spiritual matter, but that didn''t dissuade the monarch of stars. The sura realm was full of life, after all.


    Thus began his monstrous n: to sacrifice all the sura living in three sura empires to create a weapon never before seen in the second realm.


    With that weapon, he would be able to conquer the entirety of the sura¡ªno, the entirety of the world!


    He had heard from a human that there were realms beyond the sura realm. Once the sura realm was entirely his, once he had sacrificed everything within for the pursuit of his own power, he would advance into that realm and im it as his own.


    Wasn''t he truly a genius? He might not be able to be a mountain, but he could im thend as his own and destroy that mountain.


    The monarch of stars walked out of the pce and weed the crimson sky. His gazended on the statue of the asura carved within the capital. He murmured, "Have I approached your stature?"


    "We greet his majesty!" the kneeling officials cried out.


    The monarch of stars nodded.


    One elder cautiously raised his head. "Your majesty, the oue¡ª"


    The monarch of stars revealed thepass in his hand, on which a scarlet sun shone. It burned with such me, with such energy, that it seemed as though an entire gxy was contained within.


    The sura officials hailed their monarch. "His majesty is undefeatable! His majesty shall rule earth and sky!"


    The monarch of stars stored thepass securely as he turned to face his officials. "I heard that there was a city that dared to provoke the empire of stars, that killed my nine sons."


    "It''s the human city of Renhuang, your majesty," one elder replied.


    The monarch of stars nodded. "Good. Shall we test out this weapon on that city, then?"


    The elder''s eyes widened. "Your majesty, surely this isn''t¡ª"


    As the monarch of stars whirled toward the elder with a re, the elder immediately stopped short.


    The monarch of stars began to smile. "I hope this so-called Renhuang isn''t too weak, or this won''t be interesting at all."


    By that time, Renhuang had finished preparing for battle.


    The Yeluo n had produced as much poison as they could for the uing battle, and much of the n had been working tirelessly for days on end. The hundreds of chests in front of them were the results of theirbor.


    Neither the Yeluo nor the wood spirits would participate in the battle, considering that their specialty was in production and manufacturing. ? Instead, they would have to continuously supply the fighters with shipments of potions and poison throughout the battle.


    It had been some time since the empire of starsunched an invasion force against Renhuang, so Renhuang was surely mobilizing by now.


    "In that case, I''ll forestall them halfway and kill Renhuang''s forces there."


    Renhuang''s troops would be an excellent testing ground for his new weapon. The monarch of stars grinned. "If they could kill my nine godsons, they clearly have some strength of their own."


    As weak as his nine godsons might be, they had received his personal tutge and skills. Although they would be no match for other sura monarchs, they were far stronger than ordinary sura kings.


    When the monarch of stars destroyed Renhuang''s forces in one fell swoop, the sura would tremble upon hearing his name, and everyone else would kneel.


    Back on Earth, a group of people were slowly making their way toward the entrance to the Zenith Dojo. They were dressed in ck and wore masks to conceal their identity.


    "You''re certain that Zhang Lie''s sister is within the dojo?"


    "Yes, I''ve confirmed it multiple times!"


    "Let''s wait until we receive news from the second realm. Once Zhang Lie''s forces begin the fight, we''ll act."


    As Renhuang''s forces marched toward the empire of stars, Zhang Lie suddenly felt a particrly dangerous aura around him. He raised an arm and motioned for the forces to halt.


    Beside him, Sun Mengmeng asked, "What''s going on, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie stared up at the sky without speaking, perceiving a figure in the distance.


    Suddenly, everything around them began to quake as a bloody beam of light descended on Renhuang''s forces.


    Zhang Lie flicked his wrist, ripples of energy spreading up his arm and condensing on his fist. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    His technique shed against the bloody light, causing a huge explosion in mid-air above Renhuang''s forces.


    "An enemy assault!" the hunters cried out, getting into defensive positions immediately.


    "Hmm. You''re the only interesting human among these forces."


    The figure who had appeared out of thin air kept his gaze on Zhang Lie, who shot into the air and stared levelly back at him.


    The middle-aged sura before him was wreathed in bloody light, casting his face in a malevolent tint. He had the aura and arrogance of the strong. The horns on his forehead marked him as a sura.


    "If I''m not mistaken, you must be the monarch of stars," Zhang Lie surmised


    The sura sighed and shook his head. "And you must be Renhuang''s Zhang Lie. To be frank, I''m a little disappointed. I expected that the man who killed nine of my godsons would be more interesting, but are you really this weak?"


    Zhang Lieughed mockingly. "Ha! You baldy might not be all that strong, but you certainly have a big mouth."


    "What?!" The monarch of stars brooked no disrespect, and he had never, in his entire life, been called a baldy. "You dare, human trash? Face your death!"


    "All forces, retreat a hundred kilometers!" Zhang Lie''smand rang out amidst a huge explosion of gic energy.


    "Yes, Captain!" Sun Mengmengplied immediately, waving an arm as she guided the troops'' evacuation. Their target wasn''t the monarch of stars, and they would hardly be able to contribute in such a high-level fight. It would be pointless for them to remain...

 Chapter 501: Fighting the Monarch of Stars

    <h4>Chapter 501: Fighting the Monarch of Stars</h4>


    ck and red gic energy exploded from the monarch of stars as he shouted, "That wasn''t a smart decision. Regardless of how you try to protect them, they''ll die!"


    "That''s not something you can decide!" Zhang Lie struck with a fist. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A frightening explosion engulfed the twobatants.


    Zhang Lie''s fist was so strong that the monarch of stars'' very bones were trembling upon impact. If not for his extreme constitution, the monarch of stars'' arm might have been crippled just from this one punch.


    Even so, the monarch of stars could feel his bones creaking after the impact. Countless beasts seemed to materialize behind him, elevating his strength and sending Zhang Lie stumbling back.


    "In my youth, I had my own goals and passion¡ªto travel the world and have sex wherever I went! It''s a little embarrassing, but in my youth, I found alien races and gic lifeforms more attractive than sura. When I encountered them, I would often be so attracted that I would pounce on them, and I caused quite a few problems doing so."


    The monarch of stars exined his background with augh, as though he were speaking to one of his descendants rather than facing a strong foe.


    "No one wants to hear about that!" Zhang Lie''s fists rippled and seemed to form countless afterimages in the air.


    He met the monarch of stars fist for fist, but theirbat styles werepletely different. Each of the monarch of stars'' fists seemed to carry the power and potential of a different gic lifeform, and Zhang Lie felt as though he were battling a thousand beasts in quick session.


    The monarch of stars continued recounting, "I was besotted with my goal, and I met quite a few ridiculously strong lifeforms as a result. I barely escaped death several times, but I continued pouncing on them like a moth flies toward an open me.


    "Oh, it''s a marvelous experience, one that you can hardly imagine without going through it on your own! In order to continue developing such experiences with more and more gic lifeforms, I had to continue strengthening my body and soul. At some point, I reached the peak of the sura."


    Despite engaging in a round of fisticuffs with Zhang Lie, the monarch of stars didn''t seem nervous. He continued recounting stories from his youth, as though Zhang Lie were such an easy opponent that he didn''t need to respond with full concentration.


    As their fists continued to sh against each other, ripples and bloody light inteced in the air.


    So strong were the resulting explosions of gic energy that quite a few Renhuang forces were getting knocked down. The ground shook as though there were an earthquake, and cracks began to form in the earth.


    "However, as I grew stronger and stronger, I became tired of my youthful dalliances."


    The monarch of stars'' fists suddenly grewrger, and his skin was reced with a denseyer of scales. As the monarch of stars'' strength increased, Zhang Lie found himself being knocked back.


    One of the monarch of stars'' hands morphed into a bestial w. "My intimate experiences with these gic lifeforms allowed me to study them closely, and I''ve performed a few experiments on my body as well."


    Fenghe had been very interested in stitching gic lifeforms together, and it was the monarch of stars who had given him the requisite information to do so. Perhaps this was a manifestation of the monarch of stars'' love of these lifeforms, or perhaps his desire to get closer to the realm of an asura, or perhaps both.


    The monarch of stars waved his w in mid-air, rending the sky with a few des of wind.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie responded with another technique, one with such strength it made the very air warp. Ripples of energy spread out all around him, tearing the des of wind to pieces.


    The monarch of stars'' muscles bunched up as he swiped at Zhang Lie''s technique with his w.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down by the monarch''s side. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    Even the monarch of stars momentarily lost control of his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" The punch took the form of a dark serpent that shot toward the monarch of stars, whose body seemed to be undergoing a significant transformation. His hands morphed into ws, his feet into hooves, and his eyes into slit golden pupils.


    Unlike Fenghe, who had reced essentially all parts of his body except his brain with other lifeforms, the monarch of stars had done so only with his four limbs.


    Even stronger explosions filled the air. Despite being weakened by distance, it still felt like hurricanes were battering the retreating forces.


    Sensing the strengthened disturbance, Xing Bai, who was still rushing far away, couldn''t help but ask, "Can Zhang Lie really defeat the monarch of stars?"


    Sun Mengmeng looked at him seriously. "Do you need to ask?"


    Li Feng likewise chimed in, "Our captain has never before lost to anyone!"


    Hong Yu shook her head. "It''s too hard to say. The monarch of stars is the existence closest to that of an asura in this realm. He''s so strong he can destroy heaven and earth with a single thought. Surely even Zhang Lie can''t guarantee a victory against him?"


    Lianna nodded. "Right, I''ve never heard of an alien race that has won against a sura empire before, or anyone who has managed to survive against a sura monarch."


    Sun Mengmeng clenched her fists tightly. "I believe that our captain will be able to create a miracle¡ªhe''s a legend!"


    Lianna shook her head. "Zhang Lie is truly a strong hunter, but you have to recognize that his opponent is the strongest known sura!"


    Hong Yu added seriously, "I feel like we had better make a few preparations just in case¡ª"


    As Zhang Lie''s demonic serpent was knocked aside, his body began to transform. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a bloody moon red into existence at his feet. Under thebination of the two auras, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a god.


    The serpent''s body likewise changed. Its scales turned a lurid red, and ayer of ck me rose above them. It opened its maw wide and pounced once again toward the sura monarch.


    The monarch of stars blocked its attack with two arms, but he found, to his shock, that he was knocked back by the blow.


    "Many years ago, I noticed the limits of my own body, and I had no choice but to head down a different path to strength. I supnted my limbs with those of other lifeforms in order to obtain a stronger, more perfect body. If I were unable to ovee a chasm of strength with my own talent, then I would simply steal that talent from other lifeforms, other creatures. However, despite all that, I found that my strength wascking."


    The serpent''s tail swiped at the monarch of stars, who leapt up into the sky to avoid the blow. "I quickly realized that stitching together more lifeforms wasn''t going to improve my strength beyond a certain threshold, so I decided to change my soul, the core of my existence, instead."


    Zhang Lie looked toward the monarch of stars with distaste. "Are you done talking?"


    Thousands of beasts manifested behind the monarch of stars. He punched straight down, his fist mming the serpent into the earth.


    "It''s useless!" The monarch of stars pummeled the serpent''s body until it dissipated into thin air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" As the serpent vanished, Zhang Lie cocked his right arm and sent hundreds of dragons soaring into the air...

 Chapter 502: Galaxies of Blood

    <h4>Chapter 502: Gxies of Blood</h4>


    "Interesting! [Ten Thousand ws]!"


    The monarch of stars'' ws blurred as the beasts behind him came to life, each taking on one of Zhang Lie''s dragons. Frightening explosions filled the sky, far stronger than any that hade before.


    As thest ck dragon burst apart, Zhang Lie suddenly rushed forward, a sword piercing the air as he struck.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    The sudden appearance of Zhang Lie''s ded weapon left the monarch of stars somewhat surprised, but he had encountered so many battles, so much fighting to the death, that his experience allowed him to react quickly. He reached out and grabbed the de with his bare hands, allowing it to slice his palm.


    The sword energy burst apart in his palm, instantly crippling his arm, but the monarch of stars didn''t even frown. He punched forward with his other arm without any hesitation.


    A white light shone on Zhang Lie''s right arm, blocking the monarch of stars'' w.


    One of the sura monarch''s arms had been crippled by Zhang Lie''s blow, and a long gash appeared on the other.


    Nevertheless, the monarch of stars didn''t much care. "Oh? You really aren''t bad. It''s a pity that you were born a human!"


    "I never expected the renowned monarch of stars to be such a loudmouth!" Zhang Lie replied. ck gic energy gathered over his sword.


    The monarch of stars stretched. "It''s been quite a while since I exercised my body to this extent. It''s refreshing!"


    "Oh? One of your arms is crippled, and the other''s halfway there. You''re going to call this a mere exercise?" Zhang Lie taunted the monarch.


    "Very well. I''ll admit your strength. You''re eligible to be myb rat."


    The monarch of stars retrieved apass. As it spun, a dark red sun rose from its surface, causing the entire realm to tremble. The scarlet sun seemed to possess some tremendous energy, as though it were a miniature universe in its own right.


    The moment the sun emerged, the monarch of stars'' injuries were healed immediately.


    Thepass was an exquisite construction, and the monarch of stars gave it its full attention. "In that case, let''s conduct an experiment now.


    Rejoice¡ªyou''ll be thispass''s first test subject!"


    As the scarlet sun appeared, the entire sky seemed to take on a tinge of the same color, recing the sun shining over the very realm itself. Although the scarlet light it gave off wasn''t particrly strong or bright, it felt as though the light was devouring everything around it.


    When the Renhuang forces saw the sky suddenly turn red, shock filled their eyes. Sun Mengmeng''s hands trembled, and a note of worry crept into her gaze. In her heart, she earnestly prayed for Zhang Lie''s safe return.


    The monarch of stars cupped thepass as he introduced it slowly. "This is a peak-grade armament I created after a deep study of life and spirit, a miniature universe given life by copious amounts of blood and spiritual matter."


    The scarlet sun that rose out of thepass opened one eye and cracked a mocking smile. A scarlet beam shone out of it, one which Zhang Lie immediately dodged. Itnded on arge hill behind him and sent a cloud mushrooming into the air. The hill had been vaporized in its entirety, leaving nothing but smoking earth and what seemed likeva behind.


    "A peak-grade armament, you say? It seems quite easy to dodge." Zhang Lie smiledzily at him.


    Frowning at how the first test of his long-nned weapon had gone, the monarch of stars retorted, "Useless fool, what do you know? You won''t be able to hide for long! [Universe of Blood]!"


    The dark red sun exploded with light, and a blood-red night sky seemed to spawn into existence. Each star seemed to be filled with lifeforms brimming with anger, malice, and rage. As the monarch of stars tapped hispass, thousands of those stars fell through the air like a meteor shower, each of them heading straight for Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie darted and skirted by each star gracefully, never being caught by any of the projectiles.


    The monarch of stars tapped hispass again. A thick beam of blood-red light shot toward Zhang Lie from the scarlet sun.


    Zhang Lie was forced to dodge, but the change in tempo caused him to be struck by dozens of meteors as a result. They buried him in an explosion that covered the ground.


    The monarch of stars turned and sighed in disappointment. "It''s over!"


    With just a minute fraction of thepass'' true strength, he had killed Zhang Lie.


    "Humans truly aren''t strong, after all."


    "Hoh? You must be dreaming. Don''t you feel ashamed of calling these meteors? They can''t even scratch my itches!" Deep within the ground, Zhang Lie stood perfectly upright, the bombardment of meteors blocked by a suit of ssy gic armor. The meteors couldn''t even touch Zhang Lie, let alone kill him.


    "[Rune: Control]!" ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    As the dust and smoke from the explosion cleared, a blood-colored dragonwolf emerged.


    Zhang Lie''s newly acquired peak-grade dragonwolf soulshard reced his superior-grade forest wolfman soulshard in functionality. His lupine form had pitch-ck fur and slitted eyes. A few dragons circled around him. A ck sun appeared behind his back, and blood-red moonlight by his paws. He looked like an atavistic deity.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s dragonwolf transformation, the monarch of stars eyed him with newfound desire. "What a beautiful lifeform, what beauty! Even I, who have recanted from bestiality, feel desire thrumming in my veins. You''re surely the most beautiful lifeform I''ve seen in my entire life!"


    "You said that yourpass created a miniature universe, didn''t you?" Zhang Lie ignored the monarch of stars'' words. ?"It''s nothing more than a toy, one created with an immense amount of spiritual matter and gic energy! You dare call it a universe? You, a foolish sura king from the second realm, dare to im that you''ve made a universe? Howughable! Let me show you the truth¡ªI''ll destroy it before your very eyes! [The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the skies and shing against the scarlet manifestation of the night sky.


    Strong though the monarch of stars'' weapon might be, Zhang Lie was stronger. His dragonwolf transformation had boosted his strength tremendously, and the river of the underworld broke what now seemed to be an illusion.


    As the monarch of stars tapped on hispass again, the scarlet sky mustered a defense, forming a concentrated beam of starlight.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down by the four sides of the monarch of stars. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the sky and forming an absolute domain over all things within.


    However, for the first time, Zhang Lie found his tablets ineffective.


    The monarch of stars continued moving naturally, as though he were shielded from the domain the tablets had created. A shining brilliance emanated from his body.


    Hemented coolly, "You might have the ability to suppress space and time, but I have some achievement in those areas, too."


    After all, the time-reversal technique that Suiyue had came from the monarch of stars'' direct tutge. Unlike Suiyue, who obtained the ability to reverse time, the monarch of stars was able to speed up time and space locally around him.


    Zhang Lie''s four tablets formed an absolute domain that could even slow time, but the monarch of stars could counteract his technique by elerating time around himself insead.


    However, Zhang Lie had inspected the manual for this technique closely, and he knew that it came with extreme side effects as a result. Mortal bodies weren''t equipped to handle such cosmic principles, and any self-targeting techniques of this kind often came withmensurate drawbacks.


    As the scarlet sun burned brighter and brighter, the monarch of stars'' aura increased dramatically. The crimson starlight descended to the ground. Without any hesitation, Zhang Lie waved his sword, sending the underworld river shing against the beam of starlight.


    As the two frightening sources of energy struck each other, twin bursts of light filled the sky.


    The monarch of starsughed. "Interesting!"


    "Oh? Your nine godsons said the same, but they all perished afterwards. Just you wait¡ªI have more interesting tricks to show you. Don''t die too quickly, will you? [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. A rampaging dragon of blood pounced toward the monarch of stars.


    As the scarlet sun burned even more brightly, more and more ster energy wrapped around the monarch of stars and shielded him from the dragon''s advance.


    The rampaging dragon tore all that energy apart. On seeing that Zhang Lie''s attack was so strong, even the monarch of stars had to pay him more attention.


    "It looks like I''ve underestimated you. I have to admit, you''re a wonderful test subject!"


    The monarch of stars materialized a crimson de from thepass and waved it at the dragon, causing another earth-shattering impact. Even Renhuang''s forces, now a few hundred kilometers away, could still sense the strength behind the sh.


    The fight between the monarch of stars and Zhang Lie was apocalyptic; it went far beyond what the second realm could handle. The will of the world was paying close attention to the fight, but it didn''t dare interfere, especially after what the monarch of stars had done to it.


    The de in the monarch of stars'' hand burned like the sun. mes of blood red up and down the sword as the monarch of stars fought off Zhang Lie''s dragon. As the mes fell to the earth, they caused explosion after explosion, causing the ground to erupt andva to form.

 Chapter 503: Starshine Blades

    <h4>Chapter 503: Starshine des</h4>


    The monarch of stars used yet another technique. The stars of the crimson night seemed to merge together into rivers of blood, through which a dark red dragon swam. The scarlet sun shone all the more brightly as the dragon roared, giving off such heat that the air seemed to twist. Rays of scarlet light shot toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie met the attack head-on with his sword, sending blood-red mes sshing all over the ground and causing even moreva to erupt.


    The force of the blow caused the monarch of stars'' de to crack and disintegrate, but he remained unperturbed. "This should be interesting data for the future."


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie swallowed up by theva, Sun Mengmeng tried to rush forward in an attempt to rescue him, but the other members of Team Zenith held her back.


    "Next, I suppose I''ll deal with Renhuang''s forces."


    A roar sounded from theva as a blood-colored dragonwolf emerged. Thanks to his transformation, Zhang Lie had gained a particrly high resistance to heat. He appeared in front of the monarch of stars looking as though he was barely injured. "Sorry, but the battle isn''t yet over!"


    The monarch of stars shook his head. "Wouldn''t it have been better to just lie there? Why rush out and condemn yourself to an early death?"


    "An early death? No, I think that belongs to you!" Zhang Lie raised the sword in his hand high in the air, some fighting spirit in his eyes.


    In truth, the monarch of stars'' blows had been easily avoided thus far. Thisst strike was a rather skillful attack, but the energy had been too diffuse to achieve very much.


    The monarch of stars retrieved another de and used the same technique again, enclosing them both in blood-red mes that baked the moisture from the surroundings.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Zhang Lie''s lips quirked up. Ripples spread out around his de as gic energy honed the edge to brilliant sharpness. The sword technique pierced the skies, shining radiantly against the scarlet tint that seemed to cover everything.


    A patch of red and a patch of silver bisected the sky.


    The monarch of stars'' blood-colored de struck Zhang Lie''s sword. The former''s weapon exploded again, releasing blood-red mes into the air in such a strong explosion it felt almost as though the sun had burst apart.


    The air reached such a blistering temperature that all space was beginning to warp. Zhang Lie''s strike split heaven and earth in two, splitting even the mes andva that covered the ground.


    The strength of the attack forced the monarch of stars back as hispass began to spin more and more rapidly, the miniature universe seeming to explode with supernova after supernova to defend against the blow.


    Zhang Lie poured more gic energy into his technique, breaking apartyer afteryer of the universe. The monarch of stars'' face turned worrisome.


    This hunter in front of him was far too strong! He had underestimated Zhang Lie, treating him like nothing other than ab rat with which to test the strength of hispass. At this point, however, he realized that Zhang Lie was more akin to a bomb, a dragon, a monster that could swallow him whole.


    He believed that, even among the sura monarchs, none would be his match. If he didn''t have hispass, even he might suffer the same fate.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword strike drew closer and closer to the monarch of stars, he activated his time-maniption technique and avoided the blow by speeding up his local time.


    The effect of Zhang Lie''s sword technique was even more exaggerated than his own. The entire sky seemed to split in two, revealing pitch-ck spatial cracks. The line of sword energy moved so rapidly, with so much momentum, that nothing could stop its advancement.


    Moving ten times more rapidly than his usual speed, the monarch of stars appeared behind Zhang Lie. Unfortunately for him, Zhang Lie had predicted this move. With a yell, he sent four runic tablets crashing down around him. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the sky and forming an absolute domain over all things within.


    The monarch of stars'' speed boost vanished as the flow of time was forcibly restored.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. Zhang Lie struck forward with a thrust that morphed into a dark, rampaging dragon.


    The monarch of stars activated hispass immediately, but the dragon ignored his defense as it struck. The monarch of stars had no choice but to draw his sword halfway through the attack. As fast as he reacted, it was toote¡ªthe attack tore arge hole in his body as the dragon charged forward.


    The dragon twisted around, then made to attack him once more.


    "[Thousand Beasts]!" Even so, the monarch of stars didn''t give up. With a low shout, he materialized countless beasts behind him, each with such fine detail they almost seemed to be real.


    Those images condensed and coalesced into a frightening chimera that darted into the monarch of stars'' body. His muscles bulged; his eyes turned blood-red. Heavy pants of air came from his nose, steaming in the air. Like a beast, he charged forward in an attempt to block Zhang Lie''s attack.


    He shed with Zhang Lie in mid-air, sending yet another frightening explosion into the air. The monarch of stars stumbled back with blood dripping from his palm, but he didn''t spare it any attention.


    With hispass, he could recover from any injury that wasn''t life-threatening.


    "Ever since teaching my godson this technique, I''ve rarely used [Thousand Beasts] myself."


    There were very few people who were able to force the monarch of stars to such an extent.


    The forces of Renhuang, situated a few hundred kilometers away, were shocked by the extent of the battle between Zhang Lie and the monarch of stars¡ªnot just because of how devastating it was, but also that Zhang Lie had the strength to contend with the legendary monarch of stars.


    The four prime races, who had the best understanding of the monarch of stars'' strength, were the most surprised. The monarch of stars wasn''t a regr monarch¡ªhe was the strongest among them, the one said to be the closest to bing an asura!


    Even so, Zhang Lie looked almost as though he were taking the upper hand.


    They had known how strong Zhang Lie was, but not that he was any stronger than a sura monarch. In fact, they thought themselves overvaluing Zhang Lie to be cing him at the same level as a sura monarch, but now it seemed that they had underestimated him once again. He was as strong as the monarch of stars¡ªno, stronger!


    Hong Yu''s face turned pale. Once again, she cursed how foolish the previous prince of the winged had been.


    The four prime races believed, for the first time, that Zhang Lie really stood a chance of killing the monarch of stars. He would break new ground by being the first human to have killed a sura monarch¡ªthe first alien to have done so, even.


    The members of Team Zenith, on the other hand, seemed much less shocked.


    They had followed Zhang Lie all this way, after all, and his strength was well known to them. They were proud of his prowess¡ªthis was Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie of China, Zhang Lie who represented mankind!


    Even the monarch of stars was surprised.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how a human could have be so strong. If he hadn''t prepared hispass in time, he would have fallen to Zhang Lie in a mere two blows. He had to capture Zhang Lie and study his body carefully...

 Chapter 504: Boastful Words

    <h4>Chapter 504: Boastful Words</h4>


    "A long time ago, I was very interested in gic lifeforms. In order to have rtions with more such lifeforms, I worked hard to strengthen my body, challenging them one by one as I came across them in my travels. Over a prolonged period of time, I became stronger and stronger without realizing it, and I often identally killed them during the course of coption."


    The monarch of stars continued thering away, causing Zhang Lie to suspect that he had some mental illness. Even if he were interested in bestiality, just how much strength did he need to be able to... kill... these gic lifeforms?!


    As though it were a badge of pride, the monarch of stars puffed up his chest and added, "After it happened multiple times, I realized that these gic lifeforms would generate spiritual matter upon their deaths. At that point, I had yet to conduct a deep and deliberate study of spiritual matter¡ªuntil I identally absorbed this spiritual matter into my body and felt ite to live within me."


    Zhang Lie frowned as he activated his peak-grade dragonsoul soulshard. His eyes turned silvery-white and widened as he looked at the sura king.


    "Itpelled me to search far and wide for gic lifeforms, then to kill them all while I''m at it! I must have explored half the sura realm, until all those lifeforms that came across me knew of me and knew to run. I gradually grew tired of chasing after them, so after bing a sura monarch, I imparted some of what I knew to my godchildren."


    From his dragonsoul pupils, Zhang Lie was able to discern thousands of lifeforms trapped within the monarch of stars'' body.


    No, those weren''tplete souls¡ªthey were remnant pools of spiritual essence that were left behind when the corresponding lifeforms died while feeling great emotion. That spiritual essence, tainted by grievance and anger, was sucked into the monarch of stars'' body.


    These remnant souls shrieked in anger and iled in grief, but their resistance was futile in light of the monarch of stars'' dominance.


    Given the number of creatures that were forcibly stuffed into the monarch of stars'' body, Zhang Lie was very surprised that he hadn''t gone crazy.


    In some sense, a body was like a ss bottle, one which would explode upon being stuffed with far too many objects. The only reason it hadn''t was because of the monarch of stars'' overwhelming strength. Even so, it was shocking that he hadn''t gone crazy¡ªno, perhaps the monarch of stars was crazy, after all. Who else would roam the world in an attempt to kill gic lifeforms by copting with them?


    And with every additional lifeform he collected, he grew crazier...


    The behavior of the monarch of stars was very simr to one of the sura kings he had fought against¡ªthe sura king Xueju. It was very likely that Xueju had learned his techniques directly from the monarch of stars himself. The monarch of stars was the source of all his godsons'' perversion!


    After activating his dragonsoul soulshard, Zhang Lie saw the world anew. In the sky hung not scarlet stars, but rather orbs filled with spiritual essence. Each orb wasposed of a few dozen grieving souls, squished andpressed together to form a sticky, disgusting substance.


    There were a few thousand of these "stars" filling the sky, dyeing it scarlet. It was difficult to imagine just how many lifeforms the monarch of stars had killed in order to fill up the entire night sky. The monarch of stars was a truly depraved being, far worse than his nine godsonsbined!


    Hold on¡ªwhat was happening? Zhang Lie raised his head and looked up at the sky again. The scarlet tint had grown more and more intense as the number of stars increased, out of nowhere, by a factor of ten.


    The entire sky was filled with stars.


    The monarch of stars smiled. "It looks like you''ve noticed it too."


    This was clearly part of the sura monarch''s n. During the battle, he had continuously activated hispass and allowed Zhang Lie''s attack to break his shields in order to fill the sky with stars.


    Most importantly, all those stars were gathered above Zhang Lie''s head, forming a dense ster cloud that began to spin more and more rapidly. It was growing sorge that Zhang Lie was unable to avoid the attack no matter how or where he moved.


    As the monarch of stars made a hand gesture, the stars filling the sky rushed down toward Zhang Lie like a waterfall, so numerous and so massive that they broke the constraints of space. The air began to hiss;va exploded from the ground. It felt as though a thousand elephants were charging toward Zhang Lie at once.


    Zhang Lie''s [First Form: Parting the River] would need to be charged to be able to achieve the same level of strength. Zhang Lie didn''t have the time to do so, and the monarch of stars wouldn''t give him the time to do so.


    Upon seeing the shift in the skies, the forces of Renhuang gaped and began to worry for Zhang Lie. Here they thought that Zhang Lie had a chance at victory! Were they too naive? The monarch of stars was truly a strong foe¡ªno one could counter this attack!


    The monarch of stars crowed, "I have to admit that you''re a strong hunter, and the old me might have been no match for you. Unfortunately, I now possess the ability to rule over this entire sura realm! No one in the realm will be strong enough to be my opponent. Once I kill you, I''ll easily dispatch the rest of Renhuang''s forces. Haha!"


    The monarch of stars was growing so strong that even the will of the world couldn''t remain silent any longer.


    After being forced to retreat from the monarch of stars once already, the will of the world was a little afraid of him, and it refused to make an appearance no matter howrge a disturbance the two fighters were causing.


    With this new attack from the monarch of stars, however, the will of the world couldn''t remain a mere spectator any longer. If it didn''t react, a fraction of the sura realm might be destroyed. A hemisphere of light guarded the monarch of stars'' attack and prevented it from leaking out.


    Faced with a sword of Damocles over his head, despite how worried the Renhuang forces seemed to be for him, Zhang Lie was nevertheless a paragon of calm. The attack didn''t faze him at all.


    "Now that you''ve told me all about yourself, there''s nothing to fear."


    Zhang Lie waved an arm and summoned Whitey, his peak-grade moonlight wyrm. It rose into the air, spreading a silvery glow as it did so. Its scales were pearlescent, and its serpentine body gave off a radiant sheen that made it seem ethereal.


    The wyrm swam toward the sea of stars, opening its maw wide and consuming all that stood in its way. The scarlet sea, boasting enough energy to destroy the sura realm, was easily counteracted by the moonlight wyrm.


    The monarch of stars stared open-mouthed at what Zhang Lie had done¡ªat how easily the wyrm was destabilizing the sura monarch''s attack. ?The moonlight wyrm''s body grew and grew as it feasted, and its scales turned red.


    Upon seeing the moonlight wyrm tear apart his ster clouds piece by piece, the monarch of stars felt as though he himself was fraying. All his preparations to construct thispass¡ªand he was being foiled by a mere wyrm?!


    "What have you done, human?!"


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "As long as I can understand the fundamental principles behind your attack, I have nothing to fear."


    The thousands of stars that the monarch of stars had amassed over the course of his lifetime had enough power to destroy half the second realm, but these stars were ultimately spiritual constructs¡ªand his moonlight wyrm was the ultimate counter to such attacks.


    The moonlight wyrm had managed to devour even a disaster-grade soul, and it had evolved beyond its origins as a peak-grade lifeform. It was hardly impossible for it to devour the monarch of stars'' handiwork.


    The monarch of stars, knowing nothing of the moonlight wyrm''s specialty, again raised thepass in his hands.


    Zhang Lie nced at thepass. The miniature scarlet sun that had risen over it had, at some point, morphed into a creature of pure darkness.


    It was a small, ck ball, but one that was far darker than anything Zhang Lie had ever experienced. A single eye and a wide, ravenous mouth were visible; it seemed to be mocking the entire world.


    Activating his dragonsoul soulshard, Zhang Lie inspected the ck orb even more carefully. Suddenly, countless eyes appeared all over the orb''s surface. Zhang Lie winced and reared back; bloody tears fell from his dragon''s pupils.


    The ck orb was very simr to the peak-grade dragonsoul he had encountered.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "Could this be another peak-grade spiritual lifeform?"


    As the monarch of stars manipted thepass, another blood-red beam of light shot into the air. From his dragon''s pupils, Zhang Lie could identify it as another spiritual construct, filled with countless tormented souls, squeezed together so tightly that they had liquefied. The high-pressure liquid exploded into the air so fiercely it felt as though it would rupture space itself.


    Nevertheless, the moonlight wyrm was still able to devour the red beam.


    "Damn it, just what kind of being are you?!"


    The moonlight wyrm''s appearancepletely flummoxed the monarch of stars. Against the wyrm, thepass that he had constructed by sacrificing three sura empires seemed to be all but useless!

 Chapter 505: A Bunch of Grapes

    <h4>Chapter 505: A Bunch of Grapes</h4>


    Naturally, the monarch of stars wasn''t going to give up just yet. He began to spin hispass. Thepass opened up, and the ck orb dropped into its very middle. The monarch of stars grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it out. The golden de turned a dark red, and blood-colored mes seemed to ze over it.


    This was a far stronger weapon than the monarch of stars had used to date. The scarlet tint in the sky grew even stronger.


    Through the lens of his dragon''s pupils, Zhang Lie could see countless wailing souls smeared over the de. These souls were what lent the de strength; they were fuel for the mes burning over it.


    With his sword in hand, the monarch of stars chased after the moonlight wyrm.


    Perhaps because he had sensed something, or perhaps out of luck, the monarch of stars had brought out a weapon that was particrly effective against it. The mes on his de which could burn spiritual matter was particrly effective against the half-spiritual moonlight wyrm.


    "I''m your opponent! [Rune: Control]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets, diminishing the monarch of stars'' will and strength.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air.


    After being caught unawares by Zhang Lie once before, the monarch of stars knew that staying within the domain of Zhang Lie''s tablets would render his body uncontroble. He hurried out of the range of their effects.


    Despite seeing Zhang Lie''s strike, the monarch of stars didn''t dodge or avoid the attack. As though it were nothing exceptional, he continued chasing after the moonlight wyrm.


    The silvery-white shes of sword energy cut off the monarch of stars'' shoulder and arm, as well as half his heart. It should have been a lethal blow, but his groin suddenly began to glow, and his body regenerated instantly.


    He was the one who had imparted Gaoyuan with his special regenerative ability, after all.


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    The monarch of stars had decided to kill Whitey at any cost. He continued flying toward the moonlight wyrm, who whirled around upon sensing him. It suddenly opened its maw and spat out a pir of bloody red light toward him.


    "What?!" The monarch of stars'' eyes widened, and he stilled in mid-air. The wyrm was able to attack on its own?!


    "What made you think that Whitey can''t protect itself?" Zhang Lie shouted as he chased after the monarch of stars, charging up for another blow against him.


    The monarch of stars was struck by the unexpected blow, and he began to fall from the sky.


    After consuming arge amount of spiritual essence, the moonlight wyrm had some ability to fight in its own right, shooting outpressed beams of spiritual essence. The blood-red beams would inflict damage both on a physical and spiritual level.


    Upon being struck by the attack, the monarch of stars was temporarily stunned. Zhang Lie, standing below him, charged up toward the sky, his sword brimming with energy.


    A silvery-white gleam split the sky, and the monarch of stars'' waist, in two.


    The upper half of the sura monarch''s body continued waving the sword in his hands as he charged toward the moonlight wyrm. Due to how far apart they were, however, the moonlight wyrm easily dodged the attack.


    The lower half of the sura monarch''s body glowed with light as a new upper half grew out of it and transformed into a second sura monarch. He had regenerated his entire body from the waist up.


    Zhang Lie stared at him with disgust. "Is the lower half of his body his true form?"


    Just like Sun Xiaowu had mentioned, his testicles might be the crux; with his testicles unharmed, he could continuously regenerate his body. If not for his dragon''s pupils, that was surely what Zhang Lie would have thought.


    Upon regenerating, the monarch of stars''s blood immediately began to burn as he continued attacking the moonlight wyrm. Though it shot another beam of blood-red light at the sura monarch, he was prepared and easily avoided the blow.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the four tablets, forcing the monarch of stars to a standstill for a moment.


    This time, the monarch of stars ground to a halt. Zhang Lie didn''t seem very surprised. He turned around and deflected a blow from the upper half-body of the monarch of stars, which had darted behind him.


    As his lower half regrew, the monarch of stars remarked with surprise, "You could see through my clone?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond.


    The reason he had identified the deception so readily was because the lower half of the sura king''s body had no soul. From another person''s perspective, the sura monarch would have seemed to have regrown from his lower half, but Zhang Lie''s dragon''s pupils revealed this as nothing more than an borate deception. It was simply a puppet controlled by the sura monarch.


    And once Zhang Lie noticed this point, he was easily able to predict the monarch of stars'' next move¡ªtounch a sneak attack on Zhang Lie while he was distracted by the monarch''s clone.


    In the air, the moonlight wyrm sent another blood-red beam shooting toward the monarch of stars'' clone, vaporizing it.


    The monarch of stars tutted. "What a pity! I''d added sixty testicles to that clone, and it can revive at least twenty or thirty more times."


    Sixty testicles?! As expected of the godfather of the perverted sura kings! Zhang Lie didn''t want to imagine just what the monarch of stars'' groin looked like¡ªperhaps it was like a bunch of grapes.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" The first form of Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] activated, revolving quickly about his gic core. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    This was a sword art that Zhang Lie had created bybining the sword techniques from his past life and that from [Ninecarp Transformation]. There were three skills corresponding to this sword art, and this was the first time he was testing it out in practice.


    The monarch of stars stumbled back, blocking the technique with his own sword. The waves of sword energy emanating from Zhang Lie snuffed out the blood mes on the monarch''s sword and drowned himpletely. He barely made it out alive, cuts and bruises marring his skin, his appearance disheveled.


    Immediately afterwards, however, his flesh seemed to knit back together, and the injuries were washed away as though they had never existed.


    The monarch of stars preened. "It''s no use. You won''t be able to defeat me¡ªthis body has plenty of testicles as well. I''ll be able to recover no matter what."


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" The two types of energy from the first two transformations of [Ninecarp Transformation] were infused into the technique. Dark ink and deep blue gic energy intertwined about the face of the de as Zhang Lie poured his gic energy within.


    The soul that he had trained and honed over his previous life carried over to this one, and the de gleamed more and more brightly as he charged up his technique. The silvery-white glow was so radiant it outshone the sun.


    .


    The monarch of stars nced at him cidly. "It''s useless," he repeated. "My regenerative abilities are unparalleled."


    Zhang Lie didn''t care; his attack cut the soul, not any physical manifestation. The silver sh struck the monarch of stars'' body, but there was no visible injury.


    The monarch of stars peered at his body, unable to hide a bout ofughter. "What are you doing, making a fool out of yourself?"


    Hisugh didn''tst for long.


    Especially after acquiring the peak-grade dragonsoul soulshard, Zhang Lie had improved his technique by leaps and bounds. His sh had bisected a third of the monarch of stars'' bestial souls. With a second sh, the monarch of stars found his strength diminished to an even more significant extent.


    He was unable to retain his original confidence. "What have you done?!"


    In truth, he wasn''t able to regenerate indefinitely, as he had imed.


    Gaoyuan''s aplishments in the field that the monarch of stars had guided him toward surpassed even the monarch of stars''. The only other godsons of his who had managed a simr feat were Xueju and Shicang.


    The monarch of stars didn''t enjoy consuming testicles, and he had no intention of sealing his soul within his testicles. As a result, his regenerative abilities were significantly worse, and his methods were far cruder.


    He had installed a few dozen testicles all over his body, enough to regenerate him five or six times over. Most of his regenerative ability came from the lower half of his body, on which he had installed over sixty testicles.


    However, with the lower half of his body sliced off, the monarch of stars had lost most of that ability, and he was simply trying to shake Zhang Lie with bravado and bluster.


    Red light red from his body, and his skin began to crack. He was burning his own blood to increase his strength, and his regenerative abilities would replenish the lost blood. Compared to Suiyue, he could keep this state up for far longer.


    Through this process, he was barely able to retain his current level ofbat ability despite the souls that Zhang Lie had extinguished with his attack.


    With a wave of his hand, he extinguished the remaining stars that the moonlight wyrm hadn''t consumed to strengthen his next technique. He cleaved downwards with his de burning with blood-red me. The mes covered his entire body, ring up the more they burned, releasing searing heat.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" The first form of Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] activated, revolving quickly about his gic core. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Half the world was an ocean; the other was a sea of mes. As the two fronts met, white steam rose into the air. The energy of the collision shattered the will of the world''s cordon in an instant.

 Chapter 506: A Refined Blade

    <h4>Chapter 506: A Refined de</h4>


    Even the will of the world, which was desperately trying to mitigate the effect of the confrontation, was unable to do anything against the twobatants. Just the aftershock of the collision was too much for it to handle.


    The monarch of stars was astounded. He had almost never had to burn his blood ever since ascending to the ranks of a sura monarch. That Zhang Lie had forced him to do so was shocking enough; not only that, Zhang Lie was actually able to fight him on equal footing even afterwards.


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon revolved around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    A dragon of blood rushed out of the tide apanied by a series of dark, ck waves. This was abination attack involving [The Boundless de] and the post-peak-grade des he had received from the golden rocs he had killed.


    The rampaging dragon of blood snuffed out the sea of mes by brute force, overwhelming the monarch of stars and destroying his body once again.


    Although the monarch of stars immediately crushed the testicles installed on his body, he quickly found that Zhang Lie''s blows had changed from before. The rampaging dragon of blood was assaulting his body with a frightening aura of destruction, one that the monarch of stars had tobat with his regeneration.


    His face turned ugly, his gaze sharp. Was his opponent truly a human?! When had humans be so strong? Weren''t they as easy to breed as cattle?


    He could hardly believe that he was on the losing end despite thepass he had created with such effort and sacrifice.


    He didn''t expect to be able to stand up to an asura, but he did expect to be the strongest below that level. And yet, the firstb rat he found, a human called Zhang Lie, had almost overwhelmed him and caused him to lose his life more than once!


    The monarch of stars had initially hoped that his test subject would be strong enough to withstand a few hits from hispass, but only when the battle started in earnest did he realize how frighteningly strong Zhang Lie was.


    If he had enough time, he would be able to recover from his injuries; clearly, Zhang Lie had no intention of giving him that opportunity.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" He infused spiritual energy into his de, and the de gleamed more and more brightly as he charged up his technique.


    The silvery-white glow was so radiant it outshone the sun.


    The bestial souls trapped within the monarch of stars'' body began to tremble, and he too resonated with their fear. Time flowed at an elerated pace and the monarch of stars sharply retreated.


    Recognizing that Zhang Lie was too strong a foe, the monarch of stars sought to escape. Despite hispass, he was no match for Zhang Lie; continued confrontation would bring him no benefit.


    Zhang Lie had a devastating attack, one that could wipe out a whole swathe of the souls he had spent so long collecting. The monarch of stars knew that, the moment he ran out of these souls, he himself would be killed by that brilliant white light.


    He intended for Zhang Lie to be hisb rat, but it appeared as though he would be Zhang Lie''sb rat instead. His opponent seemed to be the one testing attacks on him!


    Uponing to that realization, the monarch of stars couldn''t help butugh. Thepass he had spent years nning for was nothing more than a joke to Zhang Lie, and the mysterious moonlight wyrm that Zhang Lie had summoned was thepass'' natural enemy.


    Now that he understood Zhang Lie''s strength, he deeply regretted provoking Renhuang once and again, or even sending his seven godsons against Renhuang. He had been far too incautious. These past few years, his strength had increased without any setbacks whatsoever. After growing prideful, a monster like Zhang Lie had appeared to end him.


    Without a peak-grade moonlight wyrm like Whitey, this might have been a long, exhausting battle for Zhang Lie¡ªbut unfortunately for the monarch of stars, Whitey existed.


    "Don''t try to run!"


    Zhang Lie chased after the monarch of stars with a gleaming de, but he wasn''t able to make any progress. If he chose to run at full speed under the effects of local time contraction, Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to catch up to him.


    .


    The monarch of stars'' time-maniption ability had surprisingly few repercussions.


    Manipting time and space always came at a cost.


    The monarch of stars'' ability was to locally contract time around him, so that he moved at up to ten times the rate that everyone else did. The drawback was that his body would age at the same pace.


    When he had first started learning the technique, the monarch of stars had barely been able to contract time by a factor of two. That he was now able to do so by a factor of ten demonstrated how much effort he had gone through to refine this technique.


    The more powerful such time-maniption techniques were, therger the drawback.


    Suiyue''s ridiculous ability to reverse time naturally came at amensurate cost.


    Of course, part of the reason for his downfall was that he had yet to master his ability before facing the members of Team Zenith. If he had had enough time to grow, he might have been able to use his technique at the same level as the monarch of stars. At that point, he would have be an even more frightening enemy to defeat.


    Zhang Lie cursed himself. At this rate, the monarch of stars was going to get away! The distance between the twobatants grewrger andrger.


    The monarch of stars waved his de. The cordon that the will of the world had set up was pitted and marred after the confrontation, despite its best efforts at repairing it. The monarch cut a hole in the cordon and flew out.


    Zhang Lie followed after him. The monarch of stars was heading directly toward Renhuang''s forces. Guessing his objective, Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted.


    The monarch of stars was clearly trying to use Renhuang''s forces as a shield against Zhang Lie, or as batteries with which to recharge himself. He couldn''t let the sura monarch seed.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The four tablets began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the sky and forming an absolute domain over all things within¡ªright in front of the monarch of stars'' path.


    The monarch of stars had been dyed enough by tearing apart the will of the world''s cordon that Zhang Lie was able to use his signature technique. As the twobatants escaped from the dome, Renhuang''s forces jumped up in shock.


    Lianna''s eyebrows had almost reached her hairline. "Is Zhang Lie chasing after the monarch of stars? Surely my eyes are mistaken!"


    That was the monarch of stars himself! Not only was he a sura monarch, he was the strongest of all sura monarchs, and the sura closest to reaching the realm of an asura.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes likewise widened, but for a different reason. She called out behind her, "Run! The monarch of stars is going to hold us hostage against our captain!"


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" Zhang Lie infused spiritual energy into his de, and the de gleamed more and more brightly as he charged up his technique.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Spiritual energy condensed into shining waves.


    Like a tsunami, the waves rushed toward the monarch of stars, whose eyes widened at the sight. The half-spiritual attack would be a strong counter against him, and he would surely lose half his life if he were to take the attack head-on.


    Despite stepping into Zhang Lie''s runic domain, the monarch of stars was able to preserve a rtively normal speed. Just as he was about to escape from the domain¡ª


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Horde]!"


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Sun and Moon]!"


    A howling tiger and keening dragon materialized from wind and thunder. Hundreds of blue sharks charged forward.


    Golden des filled the air, apanied by serpents of bright, white light.


    The earth tremored as countless roots speared out of the ground and crept toward the sky. Hundreds of arrows formed a waterfall of fire. A white moon and ck sun appeared over the ground in a yin-yang configuration.


    Rather than retreat like the rest of the forces, the members of Team Zenith and Hong Xi, almost as one, chose to make a final stand.


    They might be weakpared to the monarch of stars, weak as firefliespared to the radiant moon, but their defense caused the sura monarch to stall for one crucial moment.


    That moment decided his fate.


    Damned humans!?The monarch of stars cursed the hunters in his mind. Under ordinary circumstances, he would knock them all dead, but he knew very well that he wouldn''t be able to tarry.


    How could these ants have been the ones to decide his fate?!


    Perhaps this was karmic retribution.


    The members of Team Zenith had slowed him down for barely half a second, but that was enough for the silvery-white waves to overwhelm him.


    At that very moment, the monarch of stars received a crippling injury to his body and soul alike.


    The waves swept over him, leaving him bruised and battered, his myriad bestial souls swept clean from his body. Hey like a rag flung carelessly on the ground, his soul so weak it could be snuffed out at any moment.


    To be frank, Zhang Lie was quite shocked that the monarch of stars had survived despite the incredible shock he must have received upon having the souls wiped from his body all at once...

 Chapter 507: A Sea of Souls

    <h4>Chapter 507: A Sea of Souls</h4>


    If not for the massive damage dealt to his soul, the monarch of stars would likely have been able to face off against Zhang Lie for no less than an entire day.


    Zhang Lie was no human¡ªhe was a demon!


    The monarch of stars had never expected to lose to a human, let alone lose sopletely that he couldn''t even run away.


    Zhang Lie walked closer and closer to him. The monarch of stars attempted to scramble up a few times, but he ultimately failed to do so. Hey in a heap on the ground.


    The forces of Renhuang and the world federation stared at the sight in shock. This was the monarch of stars, the strongest of the sura¡ªand Zhang Lie had pushed him so hard that he couldn''t even stand up!


    Didn''t that mean that Zhang Lie''s strength was approaching that of an asura? If they hadn''t witnessed this scene for themselves, they wouldn''t have believed it. The hunters, who knew little of the sura hierarchy, weren''t particrly shocked, but the members of the four prime races were agog.


    Lianna muttered, "I''m not blind, am I? I seem to be seeing... Zhang Lie beating up the monarch of stars!"


    Xing Bai nodded. "I''m seeing the same thing. Could this be a mass hallucination?"


    Hong Yu replied, "What a coincidence! I saw the monarch of stars caught up in sparkling white waves, before he was forced to the ground like a limp rag!"


    Pu Kui frowned. "And now he''s lying there, moments from death!"


    The representatives of the four prime races looked at each other in shock. ? This was no illusion¡ªZhang Lie really had bested the monarch of stars.


    "How could this be?!"


    No one could deny whaty ahead of them. Zhang Lie had created a miracle; he had written himself into the annals of history once again. No human nor alien had managed to defeat a sura monarch to date¡ªand this wasn''t even the weakest of the sura monarchs, but rather the strongest, the one closest to the level of an asura!


    Before Zhang Lie appeared out of nowhere, humanity had no hunters to boast of save the Martial Sage Hong Tianqi. Moreover, the martial sage wasn''t even a pure-blooded human.


    It would have been high praise to call humans a nameless race. Compared to the innumerable races scattered all throughout the Milky Way, the human race was little more than an afterthought¡ªall until the appearance of Zhang Lie.


    The representatives of the four prime races had to revise their estimation of Zhang Lie once more.


    Lianna jerked upright. "The limit-breaking potions! Yes, it has to be those frightening potions that gave Zhang Lie such strength!"


    Surely it would have been impossible for Zhang Lie to rise out of a race known for nothing but mediocrity if not for these potions? Surely it would have been impossible for the entirety of the second realm to know his name if not for them?


    If Zhang Lie were the only overwhelmingly strong hunter they knew, they would at least be able to console themselves with the thought that Zhang Lie was exceptionally special. However, they knew a crucial piece of information¡ªevery member of Team Zenith had the ability to take on a sura king on their own. This could never have happened before Zhang Lie''s time.


    In that case, what was the answer¡ªthe only possible answer!¡ªto this conundrum? It had to be the limit-breaking potions that Zhang Lie had developed. These potions, that every human hunter could consume, would change the trajectory of the human race.


    The four prime representatives coveted these limit-breaking potions more than ever.


    If the humans had managed to get so strong after consuming these potions, strong enough to be in contention with the four prime races themselves, how much stronger would they get when they came up with such potions too? If they allowed Zhang Lie to continue his experiments unchecked, the four prime races would soon have to bow out to the dominant race of the Milky Way¡ªthe humans.


    They had to speed up research into these potions, they had to!


    After Zhang Lie, Sun Mengmeng, and the other members of Team Zenith obtained their limit fragments, they were able to defeat sura kings by themselves despite their initial weakness. In that case, once they obtained limit fragments, wouldn''t they be able to stand against sura kings, or even sura monarchs like Zhang Lie, themselves?


    Zhang Lie walked up to the monarch of stars'' side, his de gleaming with light. The monarch of stars, panicking and flustered, called out, "Hold on! We have no grievances between us, and you haven''t lost anything. Why don''t you let me go? I''ll have my forces retreat immediately!"


    "Oh? What good does that do me?" Zhang Lieughed.


    The monarch of stars'' eyes widened.


    Zhang Lie''s smile shook him to the core. "Without any sura from the empire of stars to defeat, how will Renhuang be able to make a name for itself? I do have to thank you for renouncing your im to asrge a piece ofnd as the empire of stars."


    "This¡ªThis was all your n?!"


    "Not quite. Let''s call it a coincidence."


    The monarch of stars begged for mercy. "I''ll cede over all thend under the jurisdiction of my empire, as well as everything in my treasury. Won''t you let me go this once?"


    .


    "If I kill you, I''ll be able to im those prizes for myself, too."


    The monarch of stars frowned. "Governor of Renhuang, don''t be too full of yourself. Don''t think that I''m helpless!"


    "Are those yourst words?" Zhang Lie replied coolly. "Unfortunately, I have no intention of erecting a headstone for you. You''ll die without a trace!"


    The monarch of stars could see the frost in Zhang Lie''s eyes. At that moment, he understood that, no matter how he begged or pleaded, Zhang Lie wouldn''t let him go. Rage and malice filled the monarch of stars. How had hended in such dire straits that he would be begging a human for mercy?


    "me yourself for forcing me down this path!" the monarch of stars roared. He grabbed the ck orb from hispass and pressed it to his chest.


    The orb''s eye and mocking smile appeared once more. This time, it smiled more widely than ever¡ªas though its longid ns were about toe to fruition.


    rmed, Zhang Lie tried to stop the monarch of stars, but it was all toote.


    Blood-red light erupted from the monarch of stars, and eyes and mouths appeared all over his body. The pupils of those eyes were darker than the abyss, darker than the night, filled with corruption and chaos.


    As the monarch of stars began to scream, countless tendrils exploded out of his body. The monarch of stars opened his mouth, and even more ck tendrils squirmed out of his eyes and throat.


    "Let''s die together!" Covered from head to toe with corruption, the monarch of stars transformed into a monstrosity.


    Zhang Lie''s dragon''s pupils revealed this monstrosity to beposed of pure malice along with an extremely high density of spiritual matter.


    The monarch of stars had barely consumed a hundredth of the energy encapsted in the ck orb. The remaining 99% erupted at this very moment. The will of the world shrunk back, escaping to the recesses of the realm.


    These tendrils had torn part of its incorporeal body off once before, and it didn''t dare appear in front of them again.


    Zhang Lie hurriedly took a stance, his des in his hands.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" A blood dragon revolved around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    A dragon of blood rushed out of the tide. The rampaging dragon of blood snuffed out a few tendrils, but even more grew out of the monarch of stars'' body. As the monarch of stars'' body exploded, even more tendrils shot out from the pulsing mass. Eyes appeared on the tendrils themselves, repulsing everyone who saw it.


    The monstrosity''s eyes and mouths were of various shapes and sizes¡ªthe only thing that they had inmon was their contempt for the world.


    Curiously, this monster gave Zhang Lie a familiar sensation, much like the dragonsoul he had killed in the valley that had been described in Xuechi''s diary. The simrity was only superficial; Zhang Lie was certain that the origins of the two creatures were different, and he didn''t even know if the monster in front of him could be considered alive.


    Countless eyes gazed at Zhang Lie, and countless tendrils shot toward him. The tendrils targeted all lifeforms nearby. Quite a few headed toward Renhuang''s forces, who stood stock-still, petrified by fear.


    Zhang Lie sliced off tendril after tendril, but more grew out of the pulsating mass.


    Upon realizing that quite a few were heading toward Renhuang''s forces, Zhang Lie became anxious. His dework faltered, and a swarm of tendrils quickly enveloped him.


    Moments after the tendrils closed in on him, however, shining mes erupted from the center of the mass, breaking through the scarlet heavens and bringing light back to the world. Blinding light melted all the tendrils that got close to him.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark''s Wrath]!" Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword. A giant shark flicked its tail and bit down on a mass of tendrils.


    "[Golden Divide]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body blurred into hundreds of clones as resplendent golden light pierced the skies and wiped out all the tendrils before him.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. They shed with the tendrils and burned them to nothingness, then continued charging forward.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!" Zhou Ying waved the daggers in her hands. Thousands of cuts erupted over the tendrils'' surface.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" Sun Mengmeng''s hand blurred as she shot out an entire field''s worth of arrows. A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow. decimating the tendrils wherever she shot.

 Chapter 508: Thirty to One

    <h4>Chapter 508: Thirty to One</h4>


    Despite working together, the six of them couldn''t hold back the tendrils for long. The tendrils continued spawning at a rapid rate, and the six of them wouldn''t be able to keep holding them off without consuming their reserves of gic energy.


    "Retreat!" Sun Mengmeng shouted.


    The hunters didn''t know from how far away the tendrils could target them, but retreating was surely a safe choice. The ck tendrils were less an enemy they had to face and more a disaster for the entire realm atrge.


    As the Renhuang forces regained their senses, the leaders of the four prime races and Zhou Liao immediately began directing the evacuation.


    The members of Team Zenith and the four leaders stayed at the very back to ensure that the forces of Renhuang could evacuate, fighting off the dark tendrils all the while. They were all approximately of equal strength; Xing Bai and the others had been among the top tenpetitors of the Void Cup.


    Even without having consumed any limit-breaking potions, Xing Bia, Lianna, Hong Yu, and Pu Kui all had strengthparable to that of a sura king.


    Working together, they were able to fend off the ck tendrils for long enough for their subordinates to evacuate.


    The members of Team Zenith nced at Zhang Lie, who was embroiled in his own fight in mid-air. "You can do it, Captain!"


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Spiritual energy condensed into shining waves. Like a tsunami, the waves rushed toward the mass of inky darkness and drenched it whole. The silvery-white waves, infused with Zhang Lie''s spiritual energy, proved particrly damaging.


    A huge hole was torn in the mass of ck tendrils, and the monstrosity''s mouths began to scream in unison. The screams were so shrill that they seemed to strike at the very soul. Even from afar, the forces of Renhuang clutched their ears in pain.


    The ck tendrils snaked toward Zhang Lie in denser throngs than before, as though he had been marked as an enemy to get rid of at any cost.


    Zhang Lie sliced off tendril after tendril, but more grew out of the pulsating mass. No matter how quickly he shed, there seemed to be more and more recement tendrils surrounding him. Once again, he was trapped in a cage of tendrils, with no salvation to be seen.


    The hunters watching the fight sucked in a deep breath. Zhang Lie, who had defeated even the monarch of stars, seemed to be struggling¡­


    Suddenly, from within that cage emerged a few thumps, as though the cage had suddenly developed a heartbeat. Soon enough, the tendrils were no longer able to contain the energy within, and brilliant mes emerged.


    The mes were so bright that the entire sky dulled inparison. The monster''s eyes were forced closed, and even Renhuang''s forces had to avert their gaze.


    The tendrils that tried to trap Zhang Lie disintegrated into nothing but ash. Golden mes crept up the tendrils all the way to the monstrosity''s main body.


    Zhang Lie himself had transformed. His body was covered by dark golden scales, and a dragon''s helm enclosed his head.


    Golden mes burned all around him, releasing a holy aura. The ck sun to his back and bloody moon beneath his feet made him look like a god that had descended from the heavens.


    This was the power of the fifth form of Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation], his strongest to date. The qilin''s energy circted throughout Zhang Lie''s body, and he felt energized as he never had before.


    The mass of ck tendrils, unknowing of the change to Zhang Lie''s body and unintelligent enough to understand him, attacked him furiously with tendril after tendril, so many they seemed to cover the skies.


    Zhang Lie ignored the tendrils. He murmured to himself, "With this much gic energy, I should be able to use that attack¡­ [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    Zhang Lie''s de made a horizontal sh. Dark golden gic energy shone radiantly, turning all that it touched to dust. The void of outer space seemed to be visible through the cut, and it swallowed up the ck mass.


    However, the ck mass didn''t give up. Countless tendrils poked through from the other side of Zhang Lie''s cut, but it was to no avail. As Zhang Lie turned around and the gap in the void closed up, everything seemed to return to normal. The void seemed never to have existed. If not for the tendrils that spasmed and twitched on the ground where they had been cut off, Zhang Lie could almost believe that everything he had just seen was an illusion.


    Whether the unusual space that [Separating Earth and Sky] had uncovered was truly a portal to the void, Zhang Lie didn''t know. The universe was toorge for all its mysteries to have been uncovered, and Zhang Lie didn''t feel confident delving into such arcane concepts as yet.


    With a casual wave of his sword, the remaining ck tendrils disintegrated into ash. The scales retreated from his body, and Zhang Lie returned to where the forces of Renhuang awaited him.


    Momentster, cheers erupted from the crowd.


    "Zhang Lie is invincible! Renhuang will not fall!"


    "Zhang Lie is invincible! Renhuang will not fall!"


    "Zhang Lie is invincible! Renhuang will not fall!"


    The monarch of stars'' demise caused the morale of Renhuang''s forces to soar instantly.


    The representatives of the four prime races nced at Zhang Lie with aplex mix of feelings, as though they were yet unable to ept the truth that Zhang Lie had killed the monarch of stars. They were certain that they wouldn''t be able to achieve the same feat even if they were in his shoes, even if they had ess to these limit-breaking potions.


    The forces of Renhuang stared at Zhang Lie with pride, because Zhang Lie was a human.


    No human had ever defeated a sura king; Zhang Lie had done it.


    No alien had ever defeated a sura monarch; Zhang Lie had done it.


    No one had ever defeated the monarch of stars; Zhang Lie had done it.


    Zhang Lie was writing his own legend, his own epic, one step at a time.


    After the end of the battle, the forces of Renhuang had a short rest before setting off toward the three million sura that the monarch of stars had dispatched their way.


    The sura army was making its way toward Renhuang, unaware of what had happened to the empire of stars or to its monarch.


    "Do these humans really think that they can stand against us sura just because they''ve enlisted the help of a few alien races?"


    "So what if they''ve defeated the forces from the seven-kingdom coalition? We''re the army from the empire of stars itself!"


    "This is a farce. We''d better take them down quickly so we can return home!"


    The army of the empire of stars was prideful and arrogant, and it believed that Renhuang would be a simple target to crush.


    The general of the forces stared at Renhuang''s troops andughed coldly. "What, they only have that few people?"


    Renhuang''s troops numbered barely a hundred thousand, whereas there were three million sura lying in wait for them.


    Each Renhuang fighter would have to take down thirty sura on average. From the sura general''s perspective, his fighters would dominate over the enemy''s in a one-on-one melee, let alone thirty-on-one. The oue was obvious.


    One generalughed. "How did this ragtag army beat the seven-kingdom coalition?"


    Beside him, another general shrugged. "Did we really all have to mobilize for this? Surely a fraction of the monarch''s forces would have been sufficient to destroy them all."


    "The monarch of stars must have gone crazy after hearing that all nine of his godsons had been killed!"


    In truth, the monarch of stars simply wanted to preserve his empire''sbat strength, and sending all his troops away would prevent them from being sacrificed for hispass.


    Themander of the forces called out, somewhatzily, "Troops, charge! ughter our enemy to thest!"

 Chapter 509: Confrontation of Two Armies

    <h4>Chapter 509: Confrontation of Two Armies</h4>


    Themander of the empire of stars'' forces yawned. "I''m going to go have a nap. Wake me up when you''re done. Deal with them quickly, you hear?"


    Before the forces of Renhuang arrived, a flock of birds flew across the sky. Some were regr-grade, others mutated-grade, and yet others superior-grade. They filled the sky, blotting out the sun and darkening the entire world.


    None of these birds seemed particrly strong, but each of their ws held a vial.


    A general of the army frowned as he looked up at the birds. "An aerial attack?"


    He dispatched a few archers to shoot down the birds; another group of fighters flew into the sky to engage in meleebat.


    As the birds perished, the vials burst open in mid-air, sshing their contents on the fighters below. At that point, none in the empire of stars'' army knew how serious the problem was.


    The archers and fighters killed most of the birds in the flock, but the birds didn''t show any proclivity to fight. As though they were just passing by, the birds scattered once they crushed the vials of potion between their ws.


    A heavy mist descended on the army, and a few cracked ss vials dropped on them.


    Given the sura''s constitution, however, they could easily shrug off being hit by a ss vial or two. Such attacks would cause them no harm; they even incitedughter among those who were hit.


    The generals frowned. "What do the forces of Renhuang think that they''re doing?"


    "Surely they aren''t just trying to disgust us with these antics?"


    In the middle of the army, a nightmare was starting to bloom.


    "Maybe they''re just giving up on defending entirely."


    Just as one fighter finished speaking, his eyes bulged and he dropped to the ground, his body spasming as it dissolved. Startled, hisrades jumped back, only to find themselves losing their bnce and falling to the ground as well, dissolving bit by bit...


    "Poison!" a sura general hissed. "All fighters, retreat! Don''t let the poisonnd on your skin!"


    By the time the generals reacted, it was toote. Over 70% of the sura fighters had been poisoned, and all those who had been poisoned were slowly dissolving.


    This gic poison affected not their bodies, not their immune systems, but rather their cells and gic code themselves. It was far stronger than any infection known to date, and it spread more quickly than any virus.


    The rare few survivors yelled as they backed away from their dissolvingrades. Some tried to dispel the poison, but to no avail. The sura didn''t have the technology or equipment to deal with poison of this nature; even the Yeluo couldn''t im that they understood it fully.


    The poison had been developed by chance, not intent. Despite their best efforts, the Yeluo hadn''t been able to make any progress toward an antidote. If someone were to concoct a simr poison targeted at the humans or at the Yeluo, the Yeluo would have no recourse¡ªsuch was the strength andplexity of the poison they had invented.


    The generals frowned when they realized that standard antidotes had no effect. The poison had alsonded on the generals, but all that it inflicted on them was paralysis. The generals of the empire of stars were as strong as sura kings in their own right, and they were by andrge immune to poisons and toxins.


    However, Renhuang had somehow managed to manufacture a poison that was effective even against the sura generals, and worse, could be produced in such great quantities as to be applied to all their forces at once.


    The thirty-to-one ratio of numerical superiority that the sura had boasted about waspletely pointless after the release of this poison¡ªno matter how many troops the sura had, this poison could destroy them all.


    Zhou Liao nced open-mouthed at the scene. "To think you had such a devastating secret weapon..."


    Once the poison had been released, the forces of Renhuang took advantage of the sura''s panic and confusion to charge forward. This was their best opportunity to strike.


    The generals gritted their teeth. They had to prevent the Renhuang forces from striking them now! Therge majority of their fighters were incapacitated; it would be a one-sided ughter.


    A few of the sura generals rushed forward, appearing in front of Renhuang''s forces. Their bodies were aglow with gic energy. As generals of the army, they were eachparable to a sura king in strength, and it wouldn''t be impossible for them to hold back a hundred thousand forces for some time.


    However, they had underestimated the strength of Renhuang''s forces.


    Renhuang''s army continued charging forward despite the sura generals'' appearance; instead, a barrage of purple mes shot toward the sura fighters.


    Countless arrows of purple me shot out of Sun Mengmeng''s bow like a meteor shower, tinting the air purple and giving the world a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    "You dare?!" The sura generals tried to protect as much of their forces as possible, but Sun Mengmeng hadunched so many arrows that it was nigh impossible.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the sura fighters began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    Very quickly, even the sura generals were unable to defend their troops any longer¡ªthey were being attacked by Team Zenith themselves.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" Sun Mengmeng''s hand blurred as she shot out an entire field''s worth of arrows. A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, swallowing up the sura forces whole.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark''s Wrath]!" Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself forward.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" A frightening golden punch shot forward like a golden de before exploding in the middle of the sura forces.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying stomped on the ground, her feet seemingly bing rooted. The patch of ground beneath and all around her began to glow green, and hundreds of jade-green roots flew into the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Sun and Moon]!" A ck sun and white moon revolved around each other, sending ripples of gic energy spreading out around it.


    Even the young leaders of the four prime races, caught up in the moment, attacked the sura forces...

 Chapter 510: An Overwhelming Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 510: An Overwhelming Defeat</h4>


    Xing Bai roared out as his body grew hundreds of meters tall. His jaws widened to an unbelievable extent as he swallowed a battalion whole.


    "[The Lily Blooms]!" Lianna syed out her hands, and a gorgeous patch of water lilies came to life by her feet. The lilies wererge but intricate, and covered in a crystalline sheen that made them resemble delicate pieces of art.


    "[Kingdom of Water]!" At the same time, she summoned countless merwarriors from deep within the ocean.


    Under attack by the mermen, the sura forces were like a small boat about to capsize amidst an iing storm.


    Sun Mengmeng and Lianna stood back to back, smiling at each other. Lianna was like a water lily, Sun Mengmeng a red rose. The two of them had once beenpetitors in the Void Cup, but they were nowrades-in-arms.


    Hong Yu sent countless red feathers whirling into the air, and Pu Kui turned day to night. The dozen or so generals from the empire of stars were barely able to fight back.


    Who would have expected that they who had once beenpetitors would now work hand in hand with each other?


    Zhang Lie himself watched the confrontation from afar.


    Renhuang''s forces had gained such an advantage that it was only a matter of time before the empire of stars'' forces were wiped out.


    With the members of Team Zenith and the young leaders of the four prime races around, even the dozen or so generals wouldn''t be able to turn the tide of battle. Renhuang''s forces ughtered sura by the dozen. Many of them were already dying from the Yeluo''s gic poison; Renhuang''s forces simply sped that process up.


    The fighters of Renhuangughed. How good it felt to finally get back at their enemies, the sura!


    The confrontation between the sura and Renhuang''s forces waspletely one-sided, an oue that not even the sura fighters, sura generals, or Renhuang''s reinforcements could have predicted.


    Shouldn''t it have been easy for the army of a sura empire to take down forces from a mere human city? Wasn''t the oue of the fight supposed to have been obvious? When the sura saw that their opponents consisted of only a hundred thousand forces, they did feel this way¡ªuntil the birds flew overhead and poured gallons of poison over their forces.


    The sura generals had never expected that Renhuang would be able to deal them such a serious blow with a mere trick.


    There were a dozen fighters in Renhuang on the level of a sura king, and six of them could take on even the strongest of sura kings. Although they knew that Renhuang had to boast such forces if they were able to take down the seven-kingdom coalition, they hadn''t expected to face quite so many talented hunters.


    Renhuang''sbat strength was on the level of a sura empire itself!


    Most importantly, however, was the poison that they had somehow developed to specifically target the sura. The generals had never heard of the like.


    Renhuang''s reinforcements had heard of this Yeluo poison, but only when they saw its effects for themselves did they realize just how frightening it was. No wonder three thousand of Renhuang''s forces could take down the seven-kingdom coalition!


    With this sort of poison in hand, Renhuang could take down even an invasion force ten timesrger. The reinforcements came to Renhuang prepared to die, only to find that the deadly battles they were prepared for wereughably trivial.


    All they had to do was wait while the crag eagles controlled a flock of birds to poison the sura, then to charge forward and kill the sura that hadn''t yet died¡­ It was as straightforward as killing poultry. They had never had such an easy fight against the sura, and the hunters were taken aback by their straightforward victory.


    Quite a few had had to defend their cities from a sura invasion in the past. Those had always been hard-fought victories, and most of the veterans present had lost a friend or loved one to such invasions.


    This was thergest battle against the sura they had been part of, the one at which they were at the most numerical disadvantage... and also the simplest they had ever fought.


    None of them would ever forget this battle¡ªas expected of Renhuang, which had produced miracle after miracle!


    Even the young leaders of the four prime races couldn''t have predicted such an easy victory for the humans. Zhang Lie really was a talented herbalist, able toe up with such miraculous creations as these limit-breaking potions and this poison...


    What the four prime races didn''t know was that this poison was created by the Yeluo n rather than Zhang Lie himself. The Yeluo had devised it as a strengthening potion for themselves, but it turned out to have exceptional effect against the sura.


    The four young leaders believed that only someone like Zhang Lie, who hade up with the limit-breaking potions, could develop such a ridiculously overpowered poison. They swore that they would never make Zhang Lie their enemy. If they made him mad enough to develop a race-specific poison against them, they couldn''t imagine the consequences that would result.


    As they stared at the dposing bodies of the sura before them, the four young leaders shuddered. How could this world be so unfair? Not only did Zhang Lie boast extreme personal strength, he even had ridiculous talent at herbalism!


    The suramander''s eyes widened as he saw his forces copse against nothing more but a human city.


    The sura had defeated countless nearby kingdoms over the years, and one tiny human city was nothingpared to what they had faced in the past. When he saw the majority of his forces dead and the rest struggling, themander could barely believe that he wasn''t dreaming.


    He took a deep breath and forced himself toe to his senses. Now wasn''t the time to think.


    He soared into the air, releasing such an aura of strength that the members of Team Zenith and the four young leaders stilled for a moment. All he could do now was make use of his strength to quell the enemy.


    "Halt, all of you!" His shout rang across the entire battlefield, dering his strength and imposing presence. He was almost at the level of a sura monarch himself, almost...

 Chapter 511: The Desolate Cities

    <h4>Chapter 511: The Deste Cities</h4>


    Themander of the sura forces stood hovering in the air, quelling the fighting with nothing more than his aura.


    The generals of the empire of stars shouted impassionately, "Without a sura monarch present, no one can defeat ourmander! Clean your necks and prepare to die!"


    "Shut up!"


    As space rumbled, a punch came out of nowhere, shot through the entire battlefield, andnded straight on themander''s body. Space rippled where themander once stood. He fell from the skies and cratered into the ground.


    There hey, his four limbs distorted, blood spouting from his mouth like a fountain. He was severely injured, on the verge of death.


    The generals who had started to be cocky again gaped at theirmander in shock. What in the world was going on? His aura had managed to suppress the entire battlefield, but the next moment, he was somehow lying in a hole on the ground!


    Even themander himself was stupefied. Everything had happened too quickly for him to be able to react; he hadn''t even sensed the punch at all. By the time he came back to his senses, he was lying in a pit, ncing up at the skies, and so badly hurt that he could barely move his fingers.


    Even the members of Team Zenith and the representatives of the four prime races hadn''t caught a glimpse of what had happened, but they at least recognized the voice. They turned back toward Zhang Lie to see him retracting a fist and sitting leisurely on a stool, as though he had done nothing surprising.


    Naturally, he was the one who had attacked themander.


    After maxing out his peak gene fragments, Zhang Lie''s strength had reached a truly ridiculous level, and he was easily able to deal with anyone who wasn''t yet a sura monarch¡ªwith just a single punch.


    When they saw theirmander being pummeled to the ground in a mere instant, the sura fighters'' morale dropped to peak bottom, and they looked at each other in despair.


    The sura fighters who were still alive began to flee; none of them had the will to fight any longer.


    But why would Renhuang''s forces let them go? Over the next hour, they ughtered the rest of the initially three-million-strong army that the sura had fielded.


    The hunters of Renhuang couldn''t believe the feat they had just aplished. How could they have killed all of the three million sura within no more than an hour? Renhuang only had a hundred thousand forces!


    This was a miraculous victory, one that made use of no battle tactics or strategy, one that relied solely on the Yeluo poison.


    .


    "Perhaps this is Renhuang''s miraculous strength..."


    The morale of Renhuang''s forces rose sharply.


    When the fallenmander was tied up and brought over to Zhang Lie, he didn''t look at all as though the sura had lost. He shouted angrily, "Don''t think the battle''s over¡ªthe monarch of stars and the entirety of the sura await you! Even if you use such underhanded tactics, you''ll never be able to defeat the monarch of stars. He''s far too strong for the likes of you to defeat!"


    The forces of Renhuang stared at the fallenmander with a knowing smile.


    Themander''s gaze swept over everyone present before naturallynding on Zhang Lie. "You must be themander of Renhuang''s forces."


    It was very easy to distinguish Zhang Lie from the others; he had an aura of leadership that none other possessed, that he hadn''t seen on anyone but his monarch before, and the forces all nced at him from time to time.


    Themander of the sura forces raised his head and spoke pridefully, "I rmend that you send me back to the empire of stars, then to beg his majesty for mercy! Renhuang killed all nine of his godsons, and his majesty is extremely enraged. Now that you''ve also killed four-fifths of his army, his anger will surely reach a breaking point. If he takes to the battlefield himself, all of you will surely perish."


    Li Feng couldn''t help butugh, prompting everyone else to do so as well. He hurriedly waved his hands. "Don''t worry, keep going, I just can''t bear it any longer, haha!"


    Themander of the army snorted in displeasure. "You might be able tough now, but once his majesty pays you a visit himself, I assure you, you won''t everugh a day again in your life. If you don''t want Renhuang to be destroyed, follow my advice. Perhaps his majesty will show clemency and let go of some of you."


    Sun Mengmeng couldn''t watch him prattle any longer. "Actually, we''ve already encountered this monarch of yours."


    "What?!" Themander''s eyes bulged, unable to believe what he had heard.


    Li Feng spread his arms helplessly. "He did pay us a visit, and then he died."


    "No, that''s impossible! His majesty is the closest the sura have to an asura!"


    Li Feng exined, "It truly was an astounding battle, but your ruler was the one who perished. The man he faced in battle is sitting right before you!"


    Zhang Lie smirked at the fallenmander. "Do you have any more interesting information for me?"


    Themander furiously struggled against his bonds as he roared, "That''s impossible! You have to be lying to me! It''s useless¡ªno matter your lies, his majesty will still appear before you all! Just you wait. You''re all going to die!"


    With a snap of his fingers, Zhang Lie made themander''s body explode like a rotten tomato.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Should we have killed him just like that?"


    Li Feng nodded. "We didn''t manage to get any useful information out of him, after all."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no reason to keep someone as delusional as him alive. We''ll get more information just by heading toward the empire of stars."


    After a night''s rest, the forces of Renhuang set off once again.


    They reached the border of the empire of stars easily, only to find itpletely unguarded. The cities that they passed through were stranger than thest, each filled with heaps upon heaps of yellow sand, without any sura left alive. The cities all seemed to have be ruins overnight.


    Zhang Lie and the others initially thought that this was some strategy or another that the empire of stars had employed, but even after a few days, they couldn''t detect anything amiss.


    There were still quite a few sura present in viges and in the mountains, and there were some cities which still had living sura, but the majority seemed to have been wiped out.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel an eerie premonition. "Could it be..."


    Sun Mengmeng asked curiously, "Captain, do you know just what happened to the empire of stars?"


    This was the question that Zhang Lie had been considering over thest few days.


    "More or less."


    Zhang Lie captured and extracted the memories of a sura guard via his moonlight wyrm, which allowed him to understand roughly what had happened. Before the cataclysm, the skies above the empire of stars had turned blood-red, and a beam of light had shot out of the capital.


    In that case, the answer had to lie within the capital.


    Renhuang''s forces made their way toward and inside the capital without any obstacles whatsoever, and they didn''t meet a single sura along the way. It was impossible that the capital of a sura empire could be so empty; any such capital was at least popted by a million sura.


    A migration of a million sura would take at least a few weeks to n and execute, and it was impossible for this event to happen so rapidly. Nevertheless, the proof of that impossibility was right before their eyes...

 Chapter 512: An Overnight Fortune

    <h4>Chapter 512: An Overnight Fortune</h4>


    As Renhuang''s army entered the pce, Zhang Lie found an elder of the empire of stars seated on the throne. "Ah, you''re all here. I''ve been waiting for you for quite a long time."


    The elder seemed to have known that Zhang Lie would make his way here sooner orter.


    The members of Team Zenith prepared to fight, but Zhang Lie stopped them. The elder didn''t seem to have any fighting spirit at all.


    The elder stood up and patted the throne. "How ufortable."


    Zhang Lie frowned as he asked, "Where has everyone else gone?"


    The elder replied slowly, "Upon hearing that you all were passing through the border, I had the others leave with whatever fighters remained."


    He knew that the monarch of stars had left in search of Renhuang''s forces. Since Renhuang''s forces had made it all the way here, the monarch was most likely dead.


    "I think it''s rather obvious at this point, but please allow me to confirm¡ªhas his majesty perished?"


    "Indeed!"


    "As expected." The elder stumbled in his dejection. "I''d like to ask how you managed it¡ªah, I probably shouldn''t."


    "You may, but you''ll have to answer one of my questions first. What happened to the empire of stars? Was this caused by the monarch of stars himself?"


    The elder replied frankly, "The monarch of stars was a madman. He sacrificed three sura empires and half of his own for strength, but it looks like it was all for naught."


    This was essentially what Zhang Lie had expected. He had noticed an extraordinary number of souls trapped in thepass in the monarch of stars'' possession when he nced at it with his dragon''s pupils. It was now apparent that those souls came from the citizens of these sura empires.


    In some sense, this meant that there were fewer sura that Zhang Lie had to deal with.


    "I know where the treasury of the empire of stars is located," the elder volunteered.


    "And what do you want in exchange for that information?" Zhang Lie knew that there was no reason the elder would give them that information freely.


    "The sura of the empire are innocent, and they shouldn''t have to foot the cost of this battle."


    Zhang Lie''s voice was cold. "And what of the human captives you''ve taken over the years?"


    The sura treated humans like livestock; how many had they killed since the inception of the dimensional world?


    The elder frowned. "In that case, you won''t be able to get a single thing out of me. I''ve already consumed poison upon receiving word of your arrival, and it looks like I have about half an hour left."


    With one step, Zhang Lie suddenly appeared in front of the elder and caught him by the head. "Half an hour is enough."


    The elder looked at him with steely resolve. "I won''t reveal a single thing."


    "That''s not a problem for me." Zhang Lie summoned his moonlight wyrm and had the elder''s soul forcibly extracted.


    As he had guessed, the reason for the destion he and his troops had witnessed was thepass that the monarch of stars had created. He saw the elder watch on coldly as huge groups of humans, trapped in cages like livestock, were sent deep into the pce. Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly.


    The elder had never intended on giving them the location of the treasury. Important files and the portable valuables had all been carried off by the remnant fighters of the empire of stars. Indeed, the elder had intended on taking this opportunity to lure Renhuang''s forces into a trap.


    Zhang Lie turned around and strode outside the pce. Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, where are you headed?"


    "To take some things back."


    By then, the fighters were already some distance away from the pce.


    They turned back and nced toward the capital. "What do you think is happening to the elder now?"


    Hisrade replied, "Who knows? I hope he''s sessful in buying us some more time, at least."


    The first sura nodded seriously. "We have to preserve the empire of stars'' remainingbat strength and prepare to revive our kingdom anew."


    Just then, a figure appeared before all the fighters.


    .


    Thanks to the elder''s memories, Zhang Lie easily found out where the fighters were headed, and he ughtered them to thest.


    Then, he brought the documents and valuables they carried with them back to the pce. The elder had never expected that he would be the "culprit" behind these fighters'' death, that he would be the one to reveal their location to Zhang Lie.


    By the time he returned, the members of Team Zenith had found the treasury. As they opened it up and saw countless herbs, artifacts, and treasure within, their eyes lit up.


    As expected of the treasury of a sura empire! All sorts of ores and herbs, treasures that none of them recognized, the nts and reagents that were needed for limit-breaking potions¡ªall of them could be found within the treasury.


    Renhuang had, in a matter of moments, be the richest human settlement around. After all, it had just acquired the umted wealth of a sura empire.


    In order to deal with the forces of the empire of stars, the Yeluo had emptied Renhuang''s storehouse of herbs to manufacturerge quantities of the Yeluo poison. Now, they made back ten times that quantity in herbs.


    Even more impressive than the treasury was the monarch of stars'' private study, which contained notes on all his research to date, including vital information on the soul, spiritual matter, blood, and gic lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie thought that his research on grafting sura together with gic lifeforms could be particrly invaluable. Although the resulting hybrid creatures were monstrosities, he had to admit that it was a very effective way of increasing one''s strength.


    The sura themselves had astounding constitutions, and there were rare few lifeforms that surpassed them. On the other hand, humans tended to be weak, and they only grew by assimting gene fragments into their bodies.


    If Zhang Lie could improve and mature this grafting technique, humans would immediately be much stronger. Zhang Lie himself wasn''t willing to be a mutant, but that didn''t mean other hunters weren''t. It would immediately provide strength, despite the many drawbacks it possessed.


    In addition to research on this technique, the monarch of stars had also penned monographs on transferring wounds and sacrificing one''s blood for temporary boosts in strength. These techniques were particrly difficult to learn, and Zhang Lie passed them on to the members of Team Zenith in case any of them were interested.


    The technique that Zhang Lie was searching for was the basal form of Gaoyuan''s specialty¡ªthe ability of rapid regeneration and regrowth.


    The fundamental idea of the technique was to extract growth factors from his sperm, concentrate and refine them, and use that concentrated essence to facilitate regeneration.


    This was a crazy idea, one that only a genius like the monarch of stars could have brought to fruition. Lunacy and genius were two sides of the same coin¡ªthe nine godsons of the monarch of stars had proven this point.


    Despite the ingenuity of the technique, it wasn''t as efficient as Zhang Lie had expected. He would only be able to recover from one serious injury at once; if the injury was too serious, he might even exhaust his sperm and give himself erectile dysfunction.


    Furthermore, while storing up and refining his sperm, he would be barred from all sort of sexual activity unless he wanted to get more sperm cells from external sources like Gaoyuan did, or install testicles all over his body like the monarch of stars did. Neither option was ptable to Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 513: Autobiography of the Monarch of Stars

    <h4>Chapter 513: Autobiography of the Monarch of Stars</h4>


    The monarch of stars'' research on souls and spiritual matter was invaluable.


    He had even managed to create life from spiritual matter alone. ording to his notes, Shicang was such a creation. He was an alter ego of the monarch of stars'' [Thousand Beasts], which the monarch of stars tried to separate from his main body.


    In some sense, the experiment was a sess¡ªthe monarch of stars had seeded in extracting that soul and giving it a new vessel¡ªbut it was simultaneously a failure, because the separated soul wasn''t a clone of the monarch of stars. Instead, it was an independent entity, a true son of the monarch of stars derived from asexual reproduction.


    Zhang Lie decided to hand these results to the researchboratories of Renhuang in hopes that they would be able to derive something from it. The research materials of the empire of stars would save close to three hundred years'' worth of research time and an astronomical investment besides.


    Sun Mengmeng pulled out a thick tome from among the bookshelves. "Captain, this is an autobiography written by the monarch of stars himself!"


    Li Feng nced at it curiously. "That self-absorbed fellow even wrote an autobiography?"


    Fang Yi likewise looked at it with interest. "Anyone sessful would want to do something simr, I should think."


    "Read it, please!" Zhou Ying strode closer to Sun Mengmeng.


    Everyone was interested in this depraved monarch, after all.


    Zhang Lie smiled as he shook his head, then continued to look for useful materials among the monarch of stars'' study. It was asrge as a library, and Zhang Lie was searching for information on gic lifeforms. This would be useful to all hunters, including himself.


    The empire of stars had existed for centuries, and there was surely information about disaster-grade lifeforms recorded somewhere.


    In his past life, he had heard that there were a few pseudo-disaster-grade lifeforms in the second realm, but he only knew of their approximate locations. He had no information of their abilities or of their natures at all. If he were able to find this information in the monarch of stars'' treasury, he would be able to amass disaster gene fragments much more easily.


    Of course, just pseudo-disaster-grade lifeforms wouldn''t be enough¡ªit would be ideal if there were cataloged information about true disaster-grade lifeforms as well.


    As Sun Mengmeng began to read aloud, Zhang Lie listened in.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t paid the monarch of stars much attention while the monarch told him his life story because he had had to keep an eye on what the monarch of stars was doing, and whether or not he was simply trying to distract Zhang Lie.


    The basic story was simple. In his youth, the monarch of stars very much enjoyed copting with gic lifeforms and members of alien races.


    Some of these lifeforms were so strong that the monarch of stars was unsessful in his attempted rape; they beat him up instead. It was truly a miracle that the monarch of stars had stayed alive all this time¡ªan ordinary sura would have been killed by these lifeforms instead.


    In order to continue his deplorable acts, the monarch of stars had no choice but to grow stronger. As he continued cultivating and subduing more and more gic lifeforms, the monarch of stars grew into his strength.


    Subsequently, because of his powerful physique, he identally killed a gic lifeform while having sex with it. The spiritual essence of the lifeform, filled with horror, anger, and malice, exploded into the air. The monarch of stars absorbed it and instantly felt as though its soul had merged with his.


    The monarch of stars remarked in some detail on the inimitable sensation of this cohabitation.


    The rest was history. As the monarch of stars absorbed more and more such souls, he turned mad due to the influence of subsuming all these foreign souls, but he also grew stronger and stronger.


    "Almost as though he''s grinding up his level by killing mobs," Li Feng murmured.


    As the monarch of stars developed, he began to challenge stronger gic lifeforms all over the realm. In the end, he began hunting down peak-grade lifeforms. What changed his life forever was his chance encounter with a certain gic lifeform.


    Perhaps if he hadn''t met that lifeform, the monarch of stars would still be roaming the second realm.


    That lifeform was a gigantic, beautiful serpent, whose body was sparkling and translucent, covered in speckled, refracting scales. The monarch of stars'' heart thumped.


    Everything else the monarch of stars had raped paled inparison with this serpent. "In others'' eyes, this might be a frightening lifeform, but to mine, she''s a beautiful girl, just waiting for my grasp..."


    The members of Team Zenith shuddered as they listened to Sun Mengmeng read the monarch of stars'' words.


    However, the monarch of stars failed miserably. He was beaten to within an inch of his life, and he barely got away.


    "What?!" All the hunters present were shocked. ording to his narrative, the monarch of stars had been able to defeat even peak-grade lifeforms. At that point, he was a top-tier sura king, almost on par with a sura monarch. How had he still lost to a gic lifeform?


    Among them, Zhang Lie was the most excited.


    If that lifeform were able to defeat the monarch of stars, it had to be a disaster-grade lifeform¡ªand one that Zhang Lie didn''t know about!


    Zhang Lie urged, "Quick, find out where this lifeform''s at!"


    "Let me see. I think there''s a record!"


    Through his autobiography, Zhang Lie and the others confirmed the location of one disaster-grade lifeform. Zhang Lie listened eagerly to Sun Mengmeng''s words, expectant that the monarch of stars would leave more such records.


    He challenged the serpent a few more times, but barely escaped with his life each time. It was then that he learned how to temporarily augment his strength by burning his blood.


    As he continued to cultivate and challenge this lifeform, the monarch of stars unknowingly advanced to the level of a sura monarch.


    Afterwards, the disaster-grade lifeform, annoyed by how frequently the monarch of stars was pestering it, suddenly vanished without a trace. The monarch of stars tramped through half the second realm in search of it, to no avail.


    As he continued searching for the serpent, he continued his old habits until he developed such a reputation that the lifeforms around him began to cower and hide the moment they caught wind of his presence.


    Tiring of his travels, one day, the monarch of stars decided that he would establish a sura empire, then use the resources and manpower such an empire would have to search for this mysterious disaster-grade lifeform.


    Thus he embarked on a path of conquest. Because his fists embodied those of a thousand beasts, because he manifested those beasts as he fought, the sura crowned him the beast king.


    ughtering any enemy that got in his way, the monarch of stars quickly managed to establish a kingdom in his own right.


    His scouts were unable to find any information about this serpent. The monarch of stars, displeased by their inefficiency, began to conquer more and more kingdoms in order to obtain more manpower.


    As he continued his expansion, the monarch of stars'' holdings grew into a sura empire, the empire of stars. When that urred, the monarch of stars who was once the beast king gave himself his eponymous title, intended to represent his dominion over the entire realm.


    Nevertheless, he continued searching for the mysterious serpent that had eluded him for so long. With countless scouts, his search finally bore fruit. That disaster-grade lifeform had returned to where he had initially found it.


    Tempered by war, the monarch of stars believed that he was strong enough to challenge the serpent, that he could match the serpent''s strength. He left to challenge the serpent, full of confidence, only to return to his empire barely clinging to life...

 Chapter 514: Location of the Disaster-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 514: Location of the Disaster-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    Despite participating in countless battles, the monarch of stars'' personal strength hadn''t increased, and he was still no match for the disaster-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie expected that this lifeform was rather strong even for disaster-grade lifeforms. Roughly speaking, the disaster-grade lifeforms of the second realm should be as strong as sura monarchs.


    However, because disaster-grade lifeforms had particrly high resistance against physical attacks, they were generally more difficult to kill.


    That said, the monarch of stars'' armor was half-spiritual in nature, so the fact that the disaster-grade lifeform could defeat him so utterly suggested that it was strong even for a disaster-grade lifeform.


    The monarch of stars returned to his empire dragging his defeated body along. After some recuperation, he again focused his entire attention on strengthening his body. As long as he could reach the realm of an asura, he would be able to defeat the disaster-gade lifeform.


    At the same time, however, he began to feel weaker and weaker. He understood that he was far from reaching the realm of an asura, that there were bottlenecks in the development of the sura. Once he reached such a bottleneck, he would be unable to progress further¡ªakin to hunters who had capped their gene fragments.


    He didn''t know how it was possible for the asura to be so strong given that they too were sura. In order to uncover their secrets, he dedicated himself to research.


    Perhaps because of the thousands of bestial souls trapped within him, or because of his innate craziness, his research became more and more perverse. Once he realized that the essence of life was spiritual matter, he was nigh unstoppable.


    The monarch of stars began to forget his original purpose. As he continued diving into research, he found that his mental state was beginning to deteriorate.


    In the meantime, he had taken on several godsons. He gave his treasured de to the first, divesting himself from its madness-inducing nature, and then handed several fruits of his research to the others, in hopes that they would be able to develop it further.


    He extracted part of his soul and transferred part of the negative emotions he had incurred over.


    In theory, by that point, the monarch of stars should have been freed from the influence of his thousand bestial souls, but in truth, his madness had already seeped into his bones and couldn''t be dispelled any longer.


    The pinnacle of his research was apass powered by spiritual matter. He was confident that, the moment he produced thispass, he would have strength on par with that of an asura. To this end, he was willing to sacrifice millions of souls.


    By that time, the monarch of stars had yet to realize that he had walked down a forbidden path, but it was already toote.


    He spent almost two decades charting his path forward, provoking three sura empires into attacking the empire of stars, destroying them, then sacrificing their people for thepass of his dreams.


    The monarch of stars seeded in this objective, encountered Zhang Lie, and was swiftly trounced by Zhang Lie.


    As Sun Mengmeng flipped through the newest pages to the monarch of stars'' autobiography, a note fell out. Zhang Lie picked it up and found, to his delight, a list of known disaster-grade lifeforms and their locations.


    Before finding the first love of the monarch of stars, the scouts of the empire of stars had explored much of the second realm and discovered the locations of quite a number of peak- and disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The monarch of stars had patiently gone through all his scouts'' reports topile this information, and Zhang Lie would now reap the rewards.


    To be frank, by the time the monarch of stars acquired hispass, he had gained the strength to defeat his first love. By then, however, he had long since forgotten about the serpent.


    Just as Zhang Lie was going through the monarch of stars'' treasury, the Zenith Dojo was undergoing a sneak attack.


    News of the sh between Renhuang and the empire of stars had spread far and wide across the Inte. However, the participants in that fight were still in the capital of the empire of stars, and no word of their victory had been leaked to the public.


    As such, the raiders who had nned to attack the Zenith Dojo made their move right then and there.


    The area around the Zenith Dojo was densely guarded by the Chinese military, and the raiders couldn''t hide for long. The longer they waited, the more likely it would be for them to be found.


    As an explosion rang out, a group of ck-d raiders rushed into the Zenith Dojo, but the dojo was prepared for them. The moment they rushed in, Jun Jiuxiao rushed forward with his [de of Heavenly Wind], cutting one raider apart in a matter of moments.


    Night descended on the dojo. Ye Xianchen attacked with [Nightmarish Strike], decimating the raiders. Hong Xiao yelled out as a ck sun rose behind his back and a white moon by his feet. He charged forward, downing every raider he encountered.


    Behind them, Lin Xiu, Zhang Hong, and a subordinate of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi stepped out of the shadows, ncing at the raiders as though they were clowns.


    It was evident that word of their supposedly covert operation had leaked; they were under the watchful eye of the staff of the Zenith Dojo this entire time.


    Zhang Lie only had one sister, and he would protect her with his life. A n as foolhardy as kidnapping Zhang Hanxiang to control Zhang Lie... Amurong had to be crazed with anger to do such a thing.


    The raiders clearly didn''t expect that Team Zenith would be so hard to take down. There were countless expert hunters within the dojo which easily took down the raiding team.


    The leader of the raiders waspletely flummoxed. He had just received an important piece of news¡ª"Renhuang was victorious against the empire of stars. Retreat immediately!"


    His eyes bulged, and his mind went nk. How could Renhuang seed against all odds? Its opponent was a sura empire, the strongest of all sura empires! Wasn''t it toote to retreat now?!


    They were already surrounded by a group of Chinese soldiers. With Lin Xiu and the others around, the raiders surrendered without a hitch.


    This was nothing more than a minor interlude to the Zenith Dojo of the present; they didn''t even feel that it was worth informing Zhang Lie about.


    It took Zhang Lie a few days to find all the information that the monarch of stars possessed about disaster-grade lifeforms. Within that time, the forces of Renhuang had taken control over the empire of stars'' capital.


    Thanks to the generous "aid" of the monarch of stars, the empire of stars was unable to defend against Renhuang''s takeover. Because the three neighboring sura kingdoms had also been sacrificed, Renhuang''s forces didn''t even have to worry about attacks from the neighboring kingdoms.


    They had plenty of time to search through the capital and inspect the nearby cities.


    The sura within the capital had left behind countless assets when they perished¡ªgold and gems, special ores and minerals, spiritual herbs and nts. These ores and minerals were particrly valued by the rock spirits, and could be used to hire a band of rock giants as mercenaries. Meanwhile, the herbs and nts could be traded to the Yeluo or the wood spirits for special potions.


    The monarch of stars had left behind a whole city of treasures.


    Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith, who had taken control of the treasury, didn''t stop the hunters and reinforcements from sacking the capital.


    There were far too many misceneous trinkets scattered about the residential districts and the like. To be frank, Zhang Lie and the others didn''t feel it worth their time to hunt for treasure, but the hunters at the scene felt differently.


    Zhang Lie had a few trusted hunters and the leader of the rock spirits maintain order within the capital and guard the monarch of stars'' study before motioning for his team to follow him to the monarch of stars'' treasury, where the monarch''s most valuable possessions were kept.


    Thanks to the elder, Zhang Lie knew precisely where this treasury was, as well as what booby trapsy in wait for him...

 Chapter 515: Twelve Stelae

    <h4>Chapter 515: Twelve Ste</h4>


    There were three doors within the treasure, one gold, one silver, and one studded with jewels.


    The silver door had already been opened. The silver door represented knowledge, and it contained records of the monarch of stars'' research¡ªon the soul, on spiritual matter, on blood, on rare and special techniques, and even on the construction of thepass that he possessed.


    The elder had retrieved important information from within this treasury, which he handed to the remaining fighters of the empire of stars. Zhang Lie had killed those fighters and subsequently imed that information for himself.


    The gold door represented time. All things were mutable, but time was eternal, just like gold.


    On the gold door was engraved arge grandfather''s clock. Although the surface of the door looked golden and resplendent, it wasn''t made of gold, but rather a rare and precious gold-like material. The door was particrly heavy and difficult to open; only the monarch of stars knew the proper means of opening it.


    "Stay back!" Zhang Lie punched the door, which caved in easily. He knew roughly what was behind the door. Judging that it was unlikely for the contents of the vault to be destroyed, he opened the door by force.


    A purple haze spread toward the members of Team Zenith from within. Zhang Lie warned, "Beware of the poison."


    The members of Team Zenith moved even further away. "Captain, give us some time to prepare before you just break in like that!"


    "There''s no need." Zhang Lie waved an arm, dispelling the purple haze.


    The vault that was revealed behind the golden door was rather expansive, and it contained twelve steles spaced some distance apart from each other.


    Each stele was saturated with an aura of the mysterious force of time. Upon each stele was engraved an unknown runic script, filled with mystery. The steles were uniformly ck, whereas the runic script glittered in gold. It was thick in certain patches, thin in others, sometimes engraved in deep strokes and sometimes in light.


    What meaning did the script have? Perhaps there was meaning to be extracted from it, but from a careful inspection, the script didn''t seem to possess any meaning. The engraving was haphazard and followed no rules; it looked almost like a child''s scribbles.


    The elder''s memories contained a little information about these steles. Apparently, the monarch of stars had obtained the steles rather unexpectedly, and their origin had something to do with the asura.


    Thinking about the techniques that the monarch of stars and Suiyue had disyed, Zhang Lie came to a sudden realization. "These have to be the steles that impart a time-maniption technique!"


    Quite a few of the sura had tried to glean something from these ste, but the only ones who had seeded were Suiyue and the monarch of stars. Furthermore, the nature of that technique differed drastically between them.


    The monarch of stars gained the ability to speed up time locally around him, whereas Suiyue gained the ability to reverse time.


    Different people understood time differently, but for an ordinary lifeform to grasp the power of temporal maniption required a heavy price. All such techniques came at a cost to their user; the monarch of stars would age faster when he used the technique, whereas Suiyue would lose the time and experience he had acquired.


    In the end, by overusing the technique, Suiyue had ended up as a baby. Even the Yeluo chieftain didn''t know what to do with him, so he was temporarily being kept within Renhuang''s pce. He would be studied and observed carefully during that period of time. As yet, he seemed to be no different from an ordinary sura child.


    Zhang Lie had always been very interested in the monarch of stars'' time-maniption technique, and it had caused him no small bit of trouble in his fight against the monarch of stars.


    As he nced at the ste, he was suddenly overtaken by a strange falling sensation.


    Zhang Lie saw his past life and his present life simultaneously. His present life was far more sessful, of course, but the two lives nevertheless seemed to ovep.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that Zhang Lie boasted the strongest affinity to time than any other hunter of Earth. As a reincarnator, he had experienced two lives for himself, and he was particrly cognizant of the passing of time and hisck thereof.


    He could remember his past life vividly, as though it had only happened yesterday; but he had no choice but to live in the present.


    As Zhang Lie continued to stare at the ste, the members of Team Zenith walked into the vault. They treated the ste as a riddle and fell into deep thought. Suddenly, Fang Yi began to wave his spear as he stared at one stele.


    Sun Xiaowu, taken aback, asked, "What are you doing?"


    Fang Yi frowned. "I can''t help but feel as though the engravings on these ste look like spear techniques."


    Yang Ze nodded. "It''s possible that the answer to these ste will be different for each of us. Perhaps we should even consider circting our gic energy following these engravings?"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes. "ording to you, maybe I should treat these engravings as arrays, instead."


    Zhou Ying took out a sketchpad and began to sketch the ste.


    Hong Xi nced at her in surprise. "I wasn''t being serious!"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "It''s not that. I''m nning on capturing an image of these ste so that I can think more about them when we''re back in Renhuang. This was how I always studied as a child, after all.


    After a moment of silent contemtion, Zhang Lie opened his eyes again. He felt as though he was only moments away from a revtion, but he wasn''t quite there yet.


    Sun Mengmeng suddenly called out, "Look at those small ste! It looks like the monarch of stars and Suiyue recorded their thoughts there uponing to their own revtions."


    Beside the twelverge ste were two much smaller ones, on which the monarch of stars and Suiyue had left their own interpretation of time to help other surae to their own revtions.


    Zhang Lie nced at the two tablets.


    To the monarch of stars, time was a river that couldn''t be traversed backwards, and people were canoes on that river always heading forward in time. The monarch''s revtion was that he could speed up his canoe and pass through the river of time more rapidly. To him, the engravings on the ste represented how he should circte his blood to speed himself up.


    This was a revtion and mechanism for that revtion uniquely suited to the monarch of stars; no other boasted such a strong constitution that they could do the same without injury. Any normal person who tried to copy the monarch of stars would surely have their heart explode.


    Suiyue''s revtion was fundamentally different. Time was like an hourss. It was impossible to change the direction of time in general, but for a little speck of sand to suddenly reverse its trajectory and fall upwards was difficult to notice and had little effect on the whole.


    People might not be able to reverse time as a whole, but they might be able to reverse their own passage through it.


    Suiyue''s understanding involved projecting his soul out of the passage of time, then manipting and reversing his physical body.


    Suiyue''s interpretation was abstract and difficult toprehend, but he had seeded in realizing that revtion. Only now could the members of Team Zenith understand Suiyue''s genius; if he hadn''t met with the members of Team Zenith, and if he had had enough time to grow, he would surely have surpassed the monarch of stars. If he walked this long road to its end, he could well be the second known asura.


    Neither the monarch of stars nor Suiyue''s revtions would be directly relevant to the hunters present: the monarch of stars'' was impossible for a human body, whereas Suiyue''s was too abstract. Everyone''s revtion was uniquely their own.


    That said, themon theme of the two revtions was to begin with their own interpretation of time, to ce it in synecdoche...

 Chapter 516: The First Revelation

    <h4>Chapter 516: The First Revtion</h4>


    The monarch of stars made time a river; Suiyue, an hourss. Their perception of time was different, and the technique they received was likewise different.


    For Zhang Lie, time was a clock. His past life was the night; his current life, the day. A clock disyed only twelve hours of time¡ªwhen the clock hands pointed at ''12'', it could refer either to midday or midnight.


    Zhou Ying had already finished sketching out all twelve ste, and she was trying to piece together her revtion by putting the twelve ste in certain orientations.


    As he looked at what Zhou Ying was doing, Zhang Lie suddenly had a thought. He walked forward, lifting up the heavy ste as though they were as light as feathers. He arranged the twelve ste into a dodecagon, each marking one hour of a clock. The engravings on each stele continued seamlessly from one to the other.


    "Just like this."


    Each hour had its own unique engraving, but each hour also simultaneously represented two times at once. His past life was independent from his present life. He lived in the present; he lived in the past.


    Unlike Suiyue, Zhang Lie infused his revtion into his des rather than use it to strengthen a mental image. After all, at his core, he was a fighter.


    Slowly, he opened his eyes.


    A pair of des appeared in his hands, the sword Guicang and the saber Hanguang, the weapon-type post-peak-grade soulshards he had obtained from the golden rocs. One represented the day, and the other the night, always twelve hours apart.


    As the sword shot forward, Zhang Lie appeared by the wall of the vault in the blink of an eye. The members of Team Zenith stared at him in shock.


    In the past, if they concentrated and strained themselves, they could barely see Zhang Lie''s motion as he drew his de and thrust forward. This time, however, they couldn''t catch even the barest hint of movement.


    If Zhang Lie wanted to kill any of them, none of them would have been able to react in time; the same would be true for any enemy below the level of a sura monarch.


    Zhang Lie shed forward with his saber, gleaming with theplexity and majesty of the passage of time. Where the strikended, the vault which the monarch of stars hadmissioned with great effort and expense began to decay.


    The members of Team Zenith turned to their captain with shock and awe. "Have you already developed your revtion to this extent, Captain?"


    "More or less." Zhang Lie had just barely managed to evoke the sensations and concept he was going for, but it remained to incorporate the most important of his revtions: his reincarnation. This was yet an iplete technique, but Zhang Lie was in no rush.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What''s your new technique called, Captain?"


    "For now, it''s only a simple infusion of my revtion into my des, and I haven''t developed it into a full technique yet."


    "What side effects does it have?" Yang Ze followed up.


    Zhang Lie frowned as he scanned his body, then smiled. "As far as I can tell, it hasn''t affected my body at all."


    Zhang Lie''s dework was somewhat weaker than the techniques that the monarch of stars and Suiyue had developed, but he was certain that, once he incorporated the notion of reincarnation into it, it would be far stronger than either of those two examples.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s disy, Fang Yi seemed to get closer to his revtion, but it was still somewhat hazy in his mind.


    "Captain, could you describe your revtion?"


    Zhang Lie described his analogy, though he had to keep his reincarnation a secret. That was the secret closest to his heart, that he couldn''t reveal even to his trusted confidantes.


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s recounting, Fang Yi sat cross-legged on the floor of the vault, his spear lying beside him. The other members of Team Zenith returned to their own contemtion or watched him quietly.


    "Time flies quick as lightning, and old agees for us all."


    Fang Yi''s eyes suddenly opened wide as he thrust forward with his spear, as quick as lightning. ck thunder skimmed past the members of Team Zenith, and a swathe of Fang Yi''s hair turned white.


    "Time passes like wind, leaving naught but smoke behind."


    His spear blurred like a cloud of smoke before shooting forward once more, draped in Fang Yi''s revtions, intent, and meaning.


    As he leapt backwards, a clone appeared where he stood, mirroring his movements action for action.


    When Zhang Lie asked for the name of his new technique, Fang Yi replied, "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]."


    Fang Yi''s techniques were built on the foundation that Zhang Lie had taught him, but they were uniquely his own. The first part of the technique would cause his opponents to decay, but it would also affect him to a lesser degree. The second part of the technique spawned a clone, a temporal echo of his own actions.


    Fang Yi was certain thatbining the two parts of the technique more seamlessly would dramatically increase its impact, but this wasn''t something he could achieve as yet.


    Li Feng again asked the same question¡ªwhat were the drawbacks?


    Fang Yi replied, "[Born of Lightning] ages you, whereas [Swallowed by the Wind] might destabilize your memories."


    "Destabilize your memories?"


    Fang Yi thought for a moment. "To be more precise, it destabilizes your perception of time. When my temporal echo was present, it was difficult for me to figure out which was the true me¡ªthe one who had struck first, or the one who was about to strike."


    Zhang Lie hmmed. "The manifestation of your echo leads to a duplication of your memories and senses."


    It wasn''t a particrly serious drawback, and the technique was certainly worthwhile.


    Upon seeing Fang Yi''s sess, the other members of Team Zenith tried even harder to glean what knowledge they could from the ste, but no matter what they tried, they didn''t have any sess. The only ones who managed something were Zhang Lie and Fang Yi.


    Time and space were fundamental principles, and it was fiendishly difficult toprehend and incarnate even part of it.


    Fang Yi''sbat abilities were on par with the rest of Team Zenith''s, but he had unparalleled talent inprehending, understanding, refining, and constructing new techniques in both Zhang Lie''s past and current lives...

 Chapter 517: An Overnight Fortune

    <h4>Chapter 517: An Overnight Fortune</h4>


    Once he finished looking over all twelve ste, Zhang Lie headed toward the door studded with jewels while the members of Team Zenith remained in the room of gold.


    The jewel-studded door zed with color whenever a beam of light struck it, and it would surely fetch a high price at least with the rock spirits¡ªthough the rock spirits didn''t have much money in their own right.


    Zhang Lie again used his lockpicking technique¡ªhis fist¡ªto break open the door. Within the vault was a pedestal. Zhang Lie walked closer to see a rainbow-colored scale on top of it, as beautiful as a gemstone in its own right.


    It was evident that the scale hade from the disaster-grade lifeform that even the monarch of stars had been unable to take down. There were materials from quite a few more gic lifeforms within the vault, and Zhang Lie even found a few caged soulbeasts¡ªperhaps prototypes that the monarch of stars had been working on.


    Zhang Lie had the members of Team Zenithe over and kill them all, but, unfortunately, no soulshards condensed.


    The news of Renhuang''s victory spread across the sura kingdoms before it reached the world federation.


    Many of the sura had been paying attention to the conflict between the seven-kingdom coalition and the humans. They had expected that the tiny Renhuang would be crushed in a matter of moments, but they were dumbstruck to learn that Renhuang had actually defeated the coalition. Not only that, the empire of stars had even sent eighty percent of its forces toward Renhuang.


    The sura couldn''t help but be even more curious about this mysterious Renhuang. No sura kingdom would dare to cross a sura empire, and especially not the empire of stars¡ªbut a small human settlement had done so!


    The more seriously the sura looked into the matter, the more shocked they became.


    Was this really a human settlement? How could they even have offended a sura empire to begin with? They belonged to two entirely different realms of existences!


    It was only with further research that the sura determined that Renhuang was a settlementposed of many races. Even so, its governor had to be crazy to offend a sura empire. Was he hoping for his city to be destroyed?


    The sura were even more curious as to why the empire of stars had to send 80% of its forces out to deal with such a tiny city. Was there something unusual about it that required the monarch of stars to expend so much in terms of resources?


    What secrets could be hidden within that tiny settlement?


    Several of the sura empires dug deeper into the mystery of Renhuang and found out that it had managed to raid Xuechi.


    The sura were rmed. To have taken down the godson of the monarch of stars¡ªno wonder the empire of stars was reacting so disproportionately!


    Meanwhile, the forces of Renhuang had finished raiding the capital of the empire of stars, and they learned what it was like to be wealthy overnight.


    Zhang Lie distributed the contents of the treasury ording to each hunter''s contribution in the battle.


    Of course, those who truly contributed were the hunters of Team Zenith and the representatives of the four prime races, but everyone would receive something for their troubles. In Renhuang''s moment of direst need, despite knowing that they might end up sacrificing their lives, reinforcements had nevertheless appeared. Zhang Lie would remember what they had done.


    Many of Renhuang''s forces decided that they would participate in the rest of Renhuang''s wars and battles no matter what.


    The empire of stars was simply too affluent a target to ignore. After defeating three sura empires, it possessed a treasury containing four sura empires'' wealth.


    Even after distributing the spoils of war, there were countless treasures remaining within the treasury¡ªrewarding a hundred thousand fighters had only consumed about 5% of its umted wealth.


    Zhang Lie mulled things over for a moment before deciding to bring the forces through the nearby cities of the empire of stars. After all, it wasn''t every day that they managed to take down a sura empire, and they might as well ransack the nearby cities as well as the capital.


    It was only then that the sura learned of the news of the empire of stars'' defeat¡ªthe empire of stars, the strongest of the known sura empires!


    Even three sura empires working in tandem had lost against the empire of stars! Who could believe that it had been destroyed by a puny human settlement?


    Where had the monarch of stars gone? He was heralded as the sura closest to bing an asura, and surely he wouldn''t watch his own empire fall to ruins.


    The sura began dispatching scouts everywhere, and it was only then that they learned of the Yeluo poison that Renhuang had employed.


    A rare few fighters from the seven-kingdom coalition had made it out alive and escaped back to surands.


    A few more survivors had appeared from the fight against the empire of stars. No matter how strong the poison, the hundred thousand troops of Renhuang couldn''t expect to chase down all three million sura from the empire of stars. A rare few survivors had managed to escape, bringing news of destruction to the nearby sura kingdoms.


    Upon learning of the terrible news, the sura were all enraged.


    "We can''t allow them to produce more of this poison!"


    "No matter what, we have to destroy any trace of this poison."


    "The sura can never rest easy with this poison around¡ªRenhuang has to be eradicated at all costs!"


    The sura''s fear gave rise to anger; they worried that their position as the hegemons of the sura realm would be shaken.


    Even the empire of stars had been destroyed by Renhuang because of this poison¡ªand the empire of stars was the strongest known sura territory!


    When the other sura empires learned of the news, they too fell silent. They knew far more of what the monarch of stars had done than did their ordinary citizens; the fall of the empire of stars might have been partially Renhuang''s fault, but the monarch of stars had dealt it the killing blow himself.


    Nevertheless, they had to treat Renhuang seriously. Despite what the monarch of stars had done, Renhuang had managed to defeat an armyposed of 80% of the monarch of stars'' forces.


    In the end, the monarchs of each sura empire would convene, then begin a mass conscription of troops for war¡ªbut that was all to happen in the future.


    Meanwhile, the forces of Renhuang headed back to Renhuang, their bellies full, their storage pouches filled to bursting, carrying wagons after wagons of treasure behind them. The rock spirits were the happiest among them all¡ªthe ores, minerals, gems, and jewels they had consumed over the past few days wouldst them for almost a decade.

 Chapter 518: Conquerors of the Sura

    <h4>Chapter 518: Conquerors of the Sura</h4>


    The reason Renhuang''s forces had to resort to carting around their spoils in wagons was because they had filled up their storage pouches to the brim¡ªyes, none of the hundred thousand fighters had any space remaining in their storage pouches!


    In the end, they had no choice but to resort to carrying around their treasures as though they were troops from a medieval period.


    The treasures of four sura empires were concentrated among the forces of Renhuang.


    The rock spirits had consumed such a great deal of ores and minerals that they had be picky and fussy, refusing to consume anything that didn''t contain precious gold.


    ording to the leader of the rock spirits, the rock spirits had consumed too much in too short a period, and they needed some time for their bodies to digest it properly.


    Regr rocks and minerals were far too mundane for the forces of Renhuang to bring back, and all sorts of herbs and nts were tossed along the roadside.


    Zhang Lie invited the reinforcements from the four prime races to return to Renhuang with him for a celebratory feast. None of the races refused; indeed, they were even feeling somewhat guilty that they had reaped the spoils of war without contributing much to the battle against the empire of stars.


    Renhuang''s forces made it safely back to Renhuang, with no deterrent or obstacle in their way.


    When the sentries at Renhuang''s walls saw the triumphant forces, they alerted the Yeluo chieftain at once, who rushed out of the city to wee them home. The oue of the battle was obvious given their happy smiles and generally jovial mood.


    Zhang Lie walked up to the Yeluo chieftain. "Aplete victory," he summarized.


    The Yeluo chieftain and the sentries on the city walls knelt as he approached. "Congrattions on your sessful campaign, Governor!"


    Zhang Lie extended a hand to help the Yeluo chieftain up, then brushed the dust from his robes. "You''ve worked hard as well."


    The Yeluo chieftain replied respectfully, "No, no, it wasn''t hard at all. We''ve not had any trouble while all of you were gone¡ªyou must all have had it harder."


    "Here, something for you."


    Zhang Lie pped his hands. The fighters of Renhuang unloaded wagon after wagon, revealing gems and jewels, treasures and artifacts, nts and spiritual herbs. The Yeluo chieftain''s eyes bulged at the sight.


    Amidst the herbal aura the spiritual herbs and nts gave off, amidst the resplendent light from the gems and jewels that dazzled the eyes, the Yeluo chieftain could almost visualize how Renhuang would develop over the next few years.


    The herbal aura was strong enough to attract the wood spirits over, as well as the other sentries guarding the city in the absence of Renhuang''s forces.


    Zhang Lie waved his arms as he shouted, "Let all of Renhuang know that we''ve defeated the empire of stars! We return triumphant!"


    The hunters'' forums had been rtively quiet in absence of news from Renhuang.


    "Hasn''t it been quite a few days? Why don''t we know anything about the oue of the battle between Renhuang and the empire of stars yet?"


    The forces of Renhuang had had to travel a great distance to get to the empire of stars, and they were the only ones who could inform the hunters of Renhuang''s victory. With no ess to the forums in their own right, they hadn''t been able to spread the word¡ªuntil now.


    "What news do you need? It''s evident that they''ve been destroyed to thest!"


    No one viewed Renhuang''s advance favorably; it was almost a given that Renhuang would lose. Their opponent was the empire of stars, after all, the strongest of the known sura kingdoms, and they had sent three million sura against Renhuang.


    "With the four prime races helping out, surely at least some of the troops would make it out alive?"


    "It''s hard to say. They''re fighting against three million sura, three million!"


    "It''s obvious that Renhuang will lose¡ªthe question is, by how much."


    "Isn''t Zhang Lie an idiot? Rather than defending his city, he chose to attack with a fraction of the sura''s forces!"


    "Renhuang''s walls wouldn''t have done anything against the sura. Attack or not, the oue would have been the same."


    "At the very least, Zhang Lie''s a hero for daring to resist the sura invasion. We shouldmemorate that, if nothing else."


    "You idiot¡ªdon''t you mean that he''s a fool for deliberately provoking the sura?"


    Suddenly, an urgent announcement sent the hunters gasping.


    [After a month-long campaign, Renhuang''s forces return sessful in battle. This is a grand victory for Renhuang, the grandest victory for mankind!]


    "Are you dreaming? Renhuang, victorious?!"


    The post continued, "We defeated three million sura and made our way into the empire of stars''nds, where we sacked their capital."


    The poster was one of the hunters who had participated in the battle. The moment he returned to Renhuang, he left via teleportation array, informed his family of his safety and well-being, and began posting on the forums.


    "What? The opponent has three million forces¡ªsurely the fight would drag out for a few months at least, if you wanted to defeat them all! And you im to have taken only a month to do so? Are you a fool, or do you think we''re all fools?!"


    "iming to have defeated three million sura and sacking the empire of stars'' capital... you must be living in a dream! Are you sure you''re alright?"


    The poster defended himself. "What I''ve ryed is the incontrovertible truth. If you don''t believe me, you can do some research for yourself¡ªore visit Renhuang or walk into the empire of stars''nds. It''s safe now¡ªwe''ve taken care of all the sura we''ve seen."


    Within the dimensional world, it was impossible to use regr technology, and there was no way to provide irrefutable evidence.


    Just as more hunters were preparing to mock the poster, another hunter replied, "As a member of Renhuang''s forces, I can testify that he isn''t lying. We beat the sura, and we beat the empire of stars!"


    "I''m also from Renhuang. It really does feel like I''ve been living in a dream all along."


    "I''m from Renhuang too. The empire of stars is gone, and the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, killed the monarch of stars himself!"


    Despite more and more posts, the other hunters refused to believe this new reality.


    "Ridiculous¡ªthe monarch of stars is known as the sura closest to bing an asura! How could Zhang Lie have killed him?"


    "We''ve witnessed it with our own eyes¡ªall of us did!"


    "I couldn''t believe my eyes either, but it''s true!"


    "Zhang Lie possesses the ability to kill the monarch of stars¡ªperhaps he''s already on the same level as an asura!"


    "I''m a human that was rescued from imprisonment within the empire of stars. I can verify that Renhuang really did destroy the empire¡ªhe''s saved us all!"


    Thatst reply was from an ount that hadn''t been active for over twenty years.

 Chapter 519: Resource Distribution

    <h4>Chapter 519: Resource Distribution</h4>


    Rescuing hunters from the sura certainly sounded like something Renhuang had done in the past. As more and more imprisoned hunters returned to Earth, to their families that had given up all hope of ever seeing them again, the tide of the verbal battle turned in favor of Renhuang.


    One person''s words could have been easily dismissed, but with so many people speaking up for Renhuang...


    The hunters on the forums gradually began to believe that Renhuang really might have won a victory after all. Some hunters began to investigate, and the truth easily surfaced.


    The empire of stars was so massive that research on it wasn''t particrly difficult. Word of what had happened in the empire of stars was already spreading among the sura, and it would reach the other races sooner orter.


    The destruction of the empire of stars wasn''t something that could be hidden for long, and the sura had no intention of hiding it.


    When word finally reached the first hunters, the tone in the forums shifted immediately. No one dared to besmirch Zhang Lie again.


    Zhang Lie naturally didn''t know about what was happening on the forums; even if he did, he wouldn''t have cared. Renhuang was hosting another celebratory banquet,and a festive atmosphere spread throughout all of Renhuang.


    Everyone in Renhuang was happy¡ªnot just because of their victory over the empire of stars, but because of the spoils they had reaped.


    Zhang Lie specially ughtered a peak-grade lifeform as the centerpiece of the hunters'' feast. Unfortunately, the peak-grade lifeforms that they had obtained from the empire of stars weren''t yet mature and ready to be consumed, or he would have ughtered them all.


    Luckily, Zhang Lie had been rearing a few peak-grade lifeforms for just such an event.


    Sun Mengmeng reported, "Captain, we''ve prepared the same cauldron asst time."


    Zhang Lie ordered that all the peak-grade lifeforms in the farm be ughtered and reced with the new ones that they had acquired from the empire of stars.


    All the hunters of Renhuang gathered at its central za.


    There, the Yeluo had finished their preparations. Zhang Lie stood on the stage as he infused gic energy into his voice, which echoed as he spoke, "First, my heartfelt congrattions to everyone¡ªfor witnessing history, and for partaking in its creation!"


    Huge cheers resounded from the crowd, echoing in the skies, marking mankind''s sess and triumph.


    Zhang Lie continued stirring up the crowds. "Before the battle, I told you all that it was a good thing that the empire of stars attacked¡ªand now you can see that my words were entirely truthful! We stand here, in Renhuang, at the forefront of history! We were the first city to ever destroy a sura empire, the first alien race to ever destroy a sura empire¡ªall of us here will be immortalized in legend!"


    The fighters'' morale, already high after the surprising victory, rose to its zenith.


    "Renhuang''s sess is due to all of you here, all your hard work, so I''d like to invite all of you to partake in this feast in gratitude for your effort. Eat whatever you want¡ªI promise you you''ll all go home with your bellies full!"


    The entire city shouted Zhang Lie''s name.


    As the peak-grade meat stewed, the entire za began to fill with the aroma of meat.


    Once everything was ready, Zhang Lie motioned for the members of Team Zenith to maintain order as the crowds surged toward the food.


    The hunters squeezed and shoved each other, as did the members of the four prime races, followed leisurely by the Yeluo, crag eagles, and wood spirits. The rock spirits had no interest or ability to consume the meat broth, so they stood by the outer border of the za.


    Even so, the line of hunters waiting for the food snaked all throughout the za and toward its outskirts.


    "Praise Renhuang!"


    The hunters who had managed to get their food early immediately began to eat by the wooden tables that had beenid out.


    Under ordinary circumstances, they would never have been able to consume such high-quality food. Despite the danger and uncertainty of the battle, they had ultimately seeded in taking down a sura empire and sacked centuries'' worth of treasure from their capital.


    The empire of stars was the strongest of the sura empires, and its treasuries wereparable to three other sura empires.


    In other words, echoing what Yun Bing had once said, it was sufficient wealth and resources to propel Renhuang forward by a hundred years of development; once its researchers had fully digested the research materials, it might even be worth three hundred years instead.


    After the banquet, Zhang Lie began dividing up the spoils of war on the spot.


    Everyone present, including both the forces that had participated in the battle and those that had stayed behind to protect Renhuang, would be eligible.


    In some sense, it was like investing in the stock market¡ªnow that the war was over, Renhuang would pay out dividends. The four prime races were the ones that stood the most to gain.


    They had invested in Renhuang since before the battle started, and they would each rake a thirtieth of the profits from the battle. A thirtieth didn''t seem like much, but given the magnitude of the empire of stars'' treasury, it was enough wealth to build a city from the ground up.


    The herbs that were immediately usable were handed to the Yeluo chieftain, and those that weren''t were left to the wood spirits to cultivate. Ores, gems, jewels, and minerals were ceded to the rock spirits.


    A few remaining oddities, trinkets, and other treasures were kept in Renhuang''s national treasury, filling it up to the brim.


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled beatifically as he looked at all the resources that Renhuang had gained.


    "These resources might be significant, but they''re not the best of the treasures we imed from the empire of stars," Zhang Lie reminded him.


    The Yeluo chieftain stared at Zhang Lie agape. What could beat these resources that had taken even the empire of stars centuries to amass?


    Zhang Lie handed over the research materials that he had imed from the monarch of stars'' study.


    He didn''t dare cart them around or leave it for anyone else to handle¡ªthe research went straight into his own potbellied toad pouch. They were so precious as to be worth more than even the twelve ste of time.


    The Yeluo chieftain''s eyes bulged. His gaze turned scorching, and he gaped at the papers Zhang Lie deposited in his hands without fully believing that they were real.


    He murmured in shock, "Th-These will speed up our development by centuries!"


    The research institute that Zhang Lie had ordered to be built was currently specialized for herbalism, and itcked significant research on other topics of interest in the second realm.


    With the research materials from the empire of stars as its foundation, Renhuang would be able to reach the frontier of modern knowledge much more quickly, and it would even be able to evolve beyond it.


    The Yeluo chieftain flipped carefully through the papers, particrly those pertaining to herbalism. The empire of stars'' centuries of work wasn''t as specialized as the Yeluo n''s, but it wasprehensive and worthy of careful perusal.

 Chapter 520: Arrival of the Three Races

    <h4>Chapter 520: Arrival of the Three Races</h4>


    On the other hand, the empire of stars'' research on gic lifeforms and their biology was so detailed that the Yeluo chieftain could hardly believe what he was reading.


    The empire of stars was particrly advanced when it came to biological research both with regards to the sura and to gic lifeforms atrge, and it would certainly have synergy with the Yeluo''s research into herbalism.


    Much of the biological research had been performed by no less than the monarch of stars himself.


    Zhang Lie said, "The empire of stars is far beyond us in terms of biological research. Do you think it''s feasible that their grafting methods will be applicable to the hunters of Renhuang?"


    The Yeluo chieftain perused the research materials for long moments. "The records are detailed, so learning how to perform the procedure won''t be a problem. We don''t have skilled specialists for such procedures, but our advances in herbalism should be able to make up for it. It''s only a matter of time, and whether there are hunters brave enough to be willing to give it a try."


    Zhang Lie thought it over for a moment. "It might be a risky endeavor, but I think some hunters will be willing to do it for augmented strength. Take any volunteers who are willing to give the procedure a try.


    "I understand, Governor!"


    "Will this research be useful?" Zhang Lie continued, handing the Yeluo chieftain the monarch of stars'' work on souls and spiritual matter.


    The Yeluo chieftain frowned as he scanned its contents. "Spiritual matter? Soulshards are formed from condensation of spiritual essence, another facet of spiritual matter... the researcher responsible for this had to be a once-in-a-lifetime genius," he murmured.


    Lunacy and genius were two sides of the same coin, after all.


    "Governor, do you know who authored this work?" If it were possible, the Yeluo chieftain wanted to meet this researcher for himself. It would be a waste of talent to kill him or to leave him among the sura; he should be brought back to Renhuang at any cost.


    "It was the monarch of stars."


    "The monarch of stars?!"


    "That''s right. Well? Will this research be useful?"


    The Yeluo chieftain chuckled bitterly. "I can''t say. These notes were written by a genius researcher, but I can hardly im to be one such. It doesn''t look too difficult toprehend, but I''m not sure if I''ll be able to make practical use of it. If you don''t mind me being honest, I''m not sure anyone in Renhuang could."


    "It''s a shame, then."


    Zhang Lie felt as though he had acquired the rights to a gold mine without being able to mine gold from it. Spiritual essence was truly a mysterious quantity; space, time, and the soul represented three of the deepest subjects of research in the entirety of the second realm.


    The Yeluo chieftain continued, "If you want to pursue research on the soul, Governor, it''s not entirely impossible. None among the Yeluo are capable of such a feat for the moment, but we can hand this task to our descendants. Now that Renhuang is flush with resources, I think we should build a facility to nurture our youth."


    "A school, you mean?" Zhang Lie asked the chieftain. "How did you learn about schools?"


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled. "I didn''t know about these schools initially. It was only through a chance conversation with Miss Yun Bing that I learned about the existence of such facilities and the military. I think building a school in Renhuang should be of utmost importance, but Miss Yun rejected my suggestion out of hand given that we didn''t have enough resources. Education is a long-term investment, after all."


    Indeed, education was a long-term investment that would take immense effort and wouldn''t produce any results in the short term.


    To be frank, by the time an academy was established and running smoothly, Zhang Lie and the rest of Team Zenith might have advanced to the third realm already.


    However, there were certainly many benefits to developing the next generation of Renhuang hunters; at the very least, Zhang Hanxiang would be able to benefit greatly from whatever investments into Renhuang''s infrastructure that Zhang Lie made now.


    "I''ll consider this carefully. Right now, we don''t have enough members of the younger generation in Renhuang to make this a priority, but I''ll certainly discuss this with Yun Bing."


    Just then, Yun Bing rushed toward Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain. Zhang Lie turned toward her with a smile. "Ah, wonderful timing, Yun Bing! I was just mentioning you to the Yeluo chieftain."


    "I apologize for interrupting, Zhang Lie, but there are representatives of three alien races here to see you!"


    "Representatives from three alien races? Where are they from?"


    "I don''t know. They''re respectively from the Lightborne, Goldherald, and Bluemoon ns, and their n leaders are seeking an audience with you."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I''ve never heard of these races."


    Just then, however, the Yeluo chieftain interrupted, "I''ve heard of them over the course of my travels.


    These are races that the sura have been suppressing quite harshlytely, and the Lightborne were almost hunted to extinction because of the sura. They had no choice but to go into hiding, though I''m not sure what they could be doing here now..."


    "Perhaps they''re here to congratte us for vanquishing the sura?" Yun Bing suggested.


    "Well, there''s one way to find out."


    The world federation was shocked to learn that Zhang Lie''s Renhuang had managed to vanquish no less than the empire of stars. This was impossible¡ªit had never been done in history, and Zhang Lie had created a miracle!


    Countless human hunters all over the gxy puffed out their chests upon hearing of the news¡ªno longer would the humans be like cattle to the sura. No, they would rise up and take control of the second realm!


    Even more hunters were curious as to just how Renhuang and Zhang Lie had managed such a feat, and the hunters of Renhuang were happy to answer them.


    "We all received a huge shock when the monarch of stars suddenly appeared before us."


    "What? How could the monarch of stars appear right before all of you?"


    Their assertions were met by stark disbelief.


    "Right? I can barely believe it myself. He arrived even before his entire army did, but the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, didn''t seem to be startled at all, as though he had anticipated the monarch of stars'' arrival."


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie agreed to the audience with the three n leaders.


    As expected, their biology was near-iprehensible to humans.


    The Lightborne, Goldheralds, and Bluemoon ns were from entirely different races. The Lightborne were wrapped in brilliant light, as though they were miniaturized suns. Apparently, their light was harmful to the sura, and they were targeted severely as a result.


    The Goldheralds had bodies fashioned out of a golden alloy, and they too radiated golden light. Their heads were haloed, and golden wings sprouted from their backs. They were divided into four sses based on theposition of their bodies: the highest ss, gold; the second, silver; the third, bronze; and the fourth, steel.


    Zhang Lie was surprised to learn that such a small race nevertheless had four stark divisions.


    The leader of the Goldheralds exined that the gold ss currently consisted of him and his family; the silver ss were their guards and some of their fighters; the bronze ss were, by andrge, ordinary citizens; and the steel ss were the weakest of their lot.


    Theirposition didn''t dictate their status in society, but it was a measure of their strength. In some sense, they were much like the rock spirits, who were able to grow stronger by consuming relevant ores. Furthermore, there was a ss beyond gold, but none of the Goldheralds currently possessed that ss.


    With every generation, theirposition would decay by one ss.


    After being expelled from contested territory by the sura, the Goldheralds were forced to leave their hometown. Once, they had consistedrgely of golds and silvers, with bronzes and steels hardly anywhere to be seen, but their sh against the sura had prompted rapid deterioration among their ranks.

 Chapter 521: Temporary Departure

    <h4>Chapter 521: Temporary Departure</h4>


    The Bluemoon representative had blue skin and a pair of bright, lustrous dark eyes.


    ording to the Yeluo chieftain, the Bluemoon n and Redmoon n were known as particrly vengeful races. Any amount of disrespect was met with swift retribution in kind.


    The Bluemoon representative nced askance at the Yeluo chieftain, who immediately fell silent. If the Bluemoon representative were to maintain a grudge against him, he would never hear the end of it.


    The representative smiled and said, "Compared to the Redmoon n, we''re actually rather mild. At the most, we''d poison you, not chase you to the ends of the realm."


    Even Zhang Lie seemed rather taken aback by the Bluemoon representative''s malicious smile.


    The Bluemoon n was as skilled at making poisons as the Yeluo n.


    "Thank you for introducing yourselves. I have just one question for you all¡ªwhy have youe to Renhuang?"


    The three representatives lowered their heads at the same time. The Lightborne representative stepped forward and formally requested, "Governor of Renhuang, we seek to join your city!"


    "For what purpose?" Zhang Lie pressed. He didn''t intend on allowing just anyone to join Renhuang.


    "Because Renhuang is opposed to the sura, and it''s the only known force that has managed to take down a sura empire."


    The Lightborne were still being hunted down by the sura on sight, and it would be terribly difficult for them to survive in the second realm. As such, they sought to find shelter among one of the other races, but none would dare offend the sura by taking them in.


    Fortunately, they were simply afraid of offending the sura rather thanckeys of the sura; indeed, many of the races of the second realm were dissatisfied with the sura''s tyranny. It was thanks to these races that the Lightborne had even survived for so long¡ªotherwise, the sura would long since have hunted them down to extinction.


    The Goldherald representative also spoke up. The Goldheralds wanted to take revenge on the sura, but also to ally themselves with Renhuang. They needed quarries, which the sura monopolized in the second realm. The only other location which had plentiful ores and minerals was Renhuang. Without these ores, the Goldheralds would only get weaker generation by generation.


    In truth, in the past few decades, they had already begun weakening dramatically.


    Fortunately, the rock spirits were still digesting the resources they had amassed during the invasion of the empire of stars, and Renhuang had quite the supply of quarries at present.


    That said, Zhang Lie didn''t intend on offering these resources for free¡ªthe Goldheralds would have to offer something in exchange for them.


    With the rock spirits temporarily immobilized as they digested their gains, there was plenty ofbor opportunities for the Goldheralds. The rock spirits tended to be the ones who picked up dangerous hunting requests from the hunters'' guild, and the Goldheralds would be reasonable substitutes for the task.


    As for the Bluemoon n, they wanted to join Renhuang because the sura had killed some of their n members, and Renhuang was the most promising force inimical to the sura. Furthermore, they had heard of this unusual Yeluo poison that Renhuang had made use of, and believed that their specialty at poison would be useful to Renhuang.


    Renhuang had already destroyed a sura empire, and it showed signs of being able to break the sura''s hegemony over the second realm. The sura surely wouldn''t give up on their position lightly, and there would be a showdown between the two forces sooner orter.


    "Governor Zhang Lie, we hope you''ll ede to our request!"


    The three representatives each made their stance clear, ?and Zhang Lie agreed that a mutual partnership would be beneficial. After informing them of the primaryws within Renhuang, he instructed them to seek out Yun Bing.


    On the hunters'' forums, many hunters were still eagerly trying to find out just what had transpired during the fight between Zhang Lie and the monarch of stars, and the Renhuang hunters who had participated in the fight eagerly regaled them with what they had witnessed.


    "I can''t believe it either¡ªthe monarch of stars stepped into the battlefield himself, even before the rest of his army! It scared all of us stiff, but the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, didn''t seem to be startled at all, as though he had anticipated the monarch of stars'' arrival.


    "The monarch of stars is known to be the existence closest to an asura, and his appearance was absolutely appalling. He had four heads and eight arms, and was followed by all sorts of demonic shadows, each of which looked like a rampaging beast.


    "When his aura hit me, I was struck dumb, moments from copsing. Despite his horrifying appearance, the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, stood stoically in front of all of us, his clothes fluttering in the wind. He unsheathed his twin des and drew first blood..."


    The bragging hunters spun a tale so fanciful it almost seemed to havee out of legend, and Zhang Lie''s status took on a mythical quality.


    "It was incredible! Even the legendary monarch of stars was no match for Zhang Lie. Except for an asura himself, no one could hope to best him!"


    "The champion of mankind, Zhang Lie! He''s never been defeated in the second realm, and I''m proud beyond belief to be a hunter of Renhuang. With him around, there''s no need to worry about the fate of mankind!"


    One of the hunters continued, "The fight between Zhang Lie and the monarch of stars shook heaven and earth. Zhang Lie ultimately imed victory, but he paid a heavy price for it.


    At the very end, the monarch of stars exploded into a mass of ck tendrils, one that sought to swallow up our entire army. It was then that the members of Team Zenith stepped in, blocking their advance until Zhang Lie turned them all to ash with a slice of his sword."


    "Zhang Lie is truly a paragon of a hunter, a role model for us all!"


    "He''s too handsome¡ªZhang Lie, I''ming for you, I''m going to have your babies!"


    The mockery and insults that had been heaped upon Zhang Lie had turned into the highest of praises.


    As brilliant as his reputation now was, Zhang Lie paid these forums no mind.


    After the celebration, Zhang Lie left Renhuang after just a few days in order to seek out the disaster-grade lifeforms whose information had been recorded in the monarch of stars'' study. How could he rest? This information was so precious it had taken the empire of stars centuries topile.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms were so rare that meeting them generally required flukes of luck, but here was a premade list right for him. All the lifeforms recorded in the list were stronger than ordinary peak-grade lifeforms; even if they hadn''t been disaster-grade lifeforms at the time, they might have ascended in the intervening centuries.


    Zhang Lie had maxed out all his gene fragments save his disaster-grade ones, and his only remaining goals were to cap his disaster gene fragments and to kill an asura in hopes of going beyond the realm of disaster-grade genes.


    Neither goal was straightforward, and he had to begin preparations immediately. Once matters within Renhuang were settled, he left the city with the list and a map in hand...

 Chapter 522: An Official Interrogation

    <h4>Chapter 522: An Official Interrogation</h4>


    As for Renhuang, Zhang Lie didn''t expect his departure to pose much of a problem. Renhuang''s administrative staff was talented and multipurpose, and they could easily handle matters without him.


    Within an office designated for the highest authorities of the world federation, Amurong sighed. Despite his maniptions, he hadn''t ended up with the recipe for Zhang Lie''s limit-breaking potions that he had been coveting all along.


    These potions were enough to shake the entire Milky Way, but trying to wheedle them out of Zhang Lie now was an illogical decision. He had no choice but to postpone his ns.


    However, it was already toote. With a huge m, the door to his office burst open, and Hong Tianqi and a group of Chinese hunters walked in.


    Amurong got to his feet in rage. "Hong Tianqi, what are you up to?!"


    Martial Sage Hong Tianqi smiled coldly. "Shouldn''t that be my question?"


    Amurong was incensed by the sudden intrusion, but he feared Hong Tianqi''s strength too much to chase him away outright.


    "Don''t forget the mandate of the world federation¡ªthis is an office for its highest authorities. Your barging into my office is the highest mark of contempt¡ªagainst me, the presiding member of the highest authorities!"


    .


    Hong Tianqi marched up to Amurong, lifted a foot, and stomped on his table. "You want to speak to me of contempt, ofw, ofmon decency?!"


    Amurong frowned. "No matter what your problem is, you shouldn''t have barged in here like this. I know we''ve never seen eye to eye, but I should hope that you''ll at least respect my position!"


    Amurong knew that Hong Tianqi wouldn''t have barged into his office without damning proof of his involvement in illicit affairs. Nevertheless, he couldn''t back down now.


    "I respect the highest authorities of the world federation, but I won''t respect someone like you. You don''t have the right to this title, and it confers you no authority to do what you''ve done!"


    "Hong Tianqi, how dare you malign me!" Amurong thundered, mming a fist on his table.


    Hong Tianqi smirked at one of his subordinates. "Bring the detainee over. Let''s see if our presiding authority knows him, shall we?"


    A ck-d man was quickly brought up to Amurong. Upon seeing his identity, Amurong''s face fell. The man in question was the authority whom Amurong had been working with¡ªnot only had he failed in his task, he had failed so utterly that Hong Tianqi had managed toy his hands on him.


    "Hong Tianqi, this is an authority of the world federation! How dare you restrict his freedom¡ªhow dare you detain him! Don''t you know what this means to your standing in the public eye? You, Hong Tianqi, certainly can''t be allowed to act in this manner as a highest authority of the world federation!"


    No matter what, Amurong had to feign innocence. He was still the presiding authority, after all, and if he were to continue denying all ims, no one could countermand his authority.


    Hong Tianqi chuckled coldly. "As for you, Amurong, I wonder what the world would think of the presiding authority of the world federation inciting kidnapping and terrorism?"


    Amurong frowned. "Hong Tianqi, this is a serious usation, and one that I won''t take lightly. Who is this man, and what are you trying to pull?"


    "You understand better than anyone else present," Hong Tianqi mocked. "You masterminded an attack on the Zenith Dojo and attempted to kidnap Zhang Hanxiang in order to obtain the recipe for Zhang Lie''s limit-breaking potions."


    Amurong snorted. "nder!"


    "nder? You refuse to admit your crimes even with this witness right in front of you? The day I seized this authority, I learned of your involvement. Subsequently, I traced his bank ounts and learned that he bankrolled the attack on the Zenith Dojo and the kidnapping of Zhang Hanxiang."


    The caught authority scratched his head. "I apologize, Amurong¡ªthe n was a failure, and I was caught. Please, get me out!"


    Amurong wanted nothing more than to p his face. Just how had he failed so miserably?! Not only had he acted during an inopportune moment, he had even failed; not only had he failed, he was even about to bring Amurong down with him.


    He had to have been blind to work with a fellow like him!


    Amurong hadpletely forgotten that the only reason his ally had struck was on his insistence, that it had always been him who believed Zhang Lie incapable of beating the monarch of stars.


    With Hong Tianqi right in front of him, Amurong naturally couldn''t reveal any of his emotions.


    Calmly and coolly, he stated, "Authority Fulong, I''ve never instigated you to perform such deplorable tasks."


    Hong Tianqi began tough. "Amurong, are you truly so thick-skinned? I can''t believe you think you can get away with this."


    Amurong spread his arms. "Hong Tianqi, no matter what you think, I''m sure there''s been a misunderstanding¡ª"


    "I''m sorry to interrupt you, Amurong," Fulong murmured. "I had no choice¡ªI can''t defeat Hong Tianqi, and I don''t want to die, so I actually recorded one of our conversations just in case."


    Amurong wasn''t a good man, and Fulong knew very well that Amurong might even try to get rid of him once he had obtained his desired recipe. In order to protect himself, he had recorded his conversations with Amurong just in case¡ªand indeed, they were nowing in handy.


    This time, even Amurong''s coolposure crumbled.


    One of Hong Tianqi''s subordinates retrieved a recording from a pocket regarding his ns to attack the Zenith Dojo.


    "Well, Amurong?" Hong Tianqi asked, smirking. "Do you still intend on denying your crimes? Let me show you why no one dares to go against me."


    Even so, Amurong gave ast-ditch effort. "Hong Tianqi, I don''t know what this is. I''ve never said anything remotely like what the recording suggests¡ªyou must have falsified it!"


    "Amurong, you''ve been an authority for so long¡ªis this the best you can do? Aren''t you even going to own up to your crimes?"

 Chapter 523: Schism in the World Federation

    <h4>Chapter 523: Schism in the World Federation</h4>


    "With all this evidence stacked against you, your word means nothing,"


    Hong Tianqi summarized. Suddenly, Amurong reached out and grabbed the recording device from his hands, then crushed it to pieces. "Evidence? What evidence?"


    Hong Tianqiughed. "Crush it all you want, Amurong. I have countless copies!"


    Amurong mmed a fist on his table in rage. "Hong Tianqi, just what do you want?!"


    "Oh? Are you finally admitting to your crimes now? Very well. Let me state my demands, then¡ªgiven your nature and capabilities, you don''t have the right to remain as the presiding authority of the world federation. Step down."


    "Impossible!" Amurong stood in a fit of rage.


    Hong Tianqi remained unperturbed. "You don''t think you''ll get away with touching me and mine, do you?"


    The two authorities stood directly opposed to each other, and the fluctuations in their gic energy shed.


    Shapeless energy erupted like a volcano, wrecking the entire office. Its walls began to crack. Neither man made a move; the interaction between their energies, unrestrained, was much like a disaster.


    The other hunters in the room ducked down and clung to safety against the floor, trying to stay afloat as though they were canoes in a storm.


    The walls of the office continued to crack, revealing the gold alloy within. Even the alloy was making screeching sounds, as though it were about to reach its breaking point. As the pressure in the room rose to a crescendo and the hunters thought they were about to be squeezed into pulp, the walls finally gave out and the office exploded like a bomb.


    That such a thing could happen within the offices of the highest authorities of the world federation immediately drew intergctic attention.


    Hong Tianqi and Amurong reined in their gic energy once more. Given their positions in the world federation, this wasn''t a problem that could be resolved by martial force alone. Their fight wouldn''t end up remaining as a private dispute; it would undoubtedly draw public attention. The reason that Hong Tianqi had confronted Amurong was to turn public opinion in his favor.


    The opinion of the representatives that made up the world federation would decide their fates.


    What had happened that day would be the prelude to a great upheaval within the world federation...


    The office of the presiding authority of the world federation had exploded, and a schism was about to split the federation into two: Hong Tianqi and Amurong were finally in formal opposition.


    The next day, Hong Tianqi held a press conference, exining his discovery of what Amurong had done and iming Amurong to be a despicable piece of trash.


    He revealed that Amurong was knowingly targeting a pir of the human race, that he was deliberately trying to provoke unrest and foment disorder. All these charges rendered him incapable of being the presiding authority of the world federation¡ªor even an authority at all.


    He admitted to barging into Amurong''s office, and he provided the recording which he had shown to Amurong.


    "The destruction of the office was caused by tension running rife between the two of us, but that''s not the issue at hand. Amurong must be punished for his misdeeds and stripped from office. No criminal should be able to y such a fundamental role in the world federation!


    "What has Amurong done ever since bing the presiding authority of the world federation? Nothing more than to schedule trips to some impoverished star systems! He''s never done anything productive or instrumental to the world federation, and I think the world federation deserves a better leader!


    "And not only has he been useless, he has evenmitted a crime by taking advantage of his station!"


    As a group of reporters took furious notes, Hong Tianqi made his stance clear.


    The conference was being spread live across the gxy, and any hunters could view it on a livestream as well.


    "To think that Amurong was such a man¡ªhe''s entirely unworthy of my respect!"


    "How did he manage to advance to such a position in the first ce? I think Hong Tianqi''s absolutely right¡ªit''s time for him to step down!"


    "How could he? He tried to target my idol''s dojo! Zhang Lie was fighting for all of humanity in the second realm. Not only did this damnable presiding authority not offer a single measure of help, he even tried to backstab Zhang Lie!"


    "Imagine if he had seeded in his terrible ns!"


    "Right? He was taking advantage of Zhang Lie being in the second realm and waging a war against the monarch of stars to try to kidnap his sister!"


    Amurong''s reputation fell to rock bottom.


    By the time Zhang Lie reached the first marker on his map, there was nothing to be seen, let alone a disaster-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie scoured the region and found an alien race nearby. With a superior-grade lifeform aspensation, he learned that he was toote¡ªthere had been an unusual patch ofnd nearby, but it had vanished two decades ago.


    Clearly, that disaster-grade lifeform had moved on to another location.


    Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the alien race to have settled here. Disappointed, Zhang Lie had no choice but to continue to the next marker.


    A peak-grade lifeform asrge as a mountain slumped over, its head bursting apart in a shower of red. As he sat on the mountainous lifeform''s body, Zhang Lie crossed out another marker on his map. "This is the third one already..."


    It was only then that Zhang Lie realized a significant problem with his quest. The sura had no understanding of disaster-grade lifeforms; the lifeforms they had cataloged were simply stronger than regr peak-grade ones.


    There was a big gulf between peak- and disaster-grade, and killing these peak-grade lifeforms who had yet shown no advancement toward disaster-grade provided no disaster gene fragments at all.


    He patted the lifeform beneath him. "How could you have been so slow at advancing? How many years had it been¡ªand you still hadn''t managed to make it to disaster-grade? Ridiculous!"


    Zhang Lie knew that the transition from peak- to disaster-grade was a bottleneck, or the second realm would have been filled with disaster-grade lifeforms by now. Even so, he needed an outlet for his emotions.


    Zhang Lie took a swig of water, retrieved his map, and set off toward the next lifeform.


    ording to the monarch of stars'' information, his scouts had clearly experienced the effects corresponding to a disaster-grade domain there.


    Zhang Lie arrived at a cave high in the mountains, one whose entrance was covered with all sorts of spiderwebs. Allegedly, deep within the cave was a particrly brightly pigmented disaster-grade spider.

 Chapter 524: A Spiders Lair

    <h4>Chapter 524: A Spider''s Lair</h4>


    As he stepped into the cave, Zhang Lie caught a glimpse of the spider-type lifeforms within.


    Given his strength, however, most of them seemed to be pitifully weak. They werergely mutated-grade lifeforms, with a few superior-grade ones scattered among them. Zhang Lie would easily be able to take them all down.


    As he strode deeper into the cave, Zhang Lie eventually came across stronger spider-type lifeforms. A speckled red-and-ck spider approached. It was peak-grade, and barely small enough to fit within the depths of the tunnels.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened.


    Perhaps a peak-grade lifeform would be threatening to others, but it was hardly anything worth worrying about for Zhang Lie himself. Zhang Lie punched forward casually with his right arm.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" The entire cave shook. Before the peak-grade spider could retaliate, it had disintegrated into nothing but powder. That was the extent of Zhang Lie''s current strength, after all. He encountered three more peak-grade spiders after this one, but they were all dealt with as easily.


    Very quickly, Zhang Lie ended up before a gigantic chasm. As he approached, a frightening screech rang out from their deep within, like the cries of a demon from the abyss.


    Purple fog wafted out of the air like mes. It swallowed Zhang Lie up, corroding the rocks all around him and causing them to hiss and smoke.


    Zhang Lie shielded himself with his gic energy as he smiled. Surely this was a disaster-grade lifeform? It had to be! He was sure he could sense the primordial aura that was gathering all around him.


    Two gigantic scorpion-like pincers emerged from the depths of their, crystalline, unbelievably sharp, and wickedly beautiful.


    Zhang Lie''s smile grew evenrger. "A disaster-grade lifeform¡ªfinally, another disaster-grade lifeform!"


    Four pairs of blood-red eyes lit up like mes in the darkness, bringing not light and warmth, but despair and horror. The eight eyes stared pointedly at Zhang Lie; he had clearly been ted as prey.


    A screech emerged from the depths of their.


    Following the spider''s cry, countless spider-type lifeforms began to scuttle toward Zhang Lie from all throughout the cave.


    The densely packed spiders scurried around Zhang Lie, as though the purple fog that surrounded him was perfectly harmless to them. Their eyes were blood-red, and their legs clicked against the rock with a sound that made Zhang Lie shudder.


    From deep within itsir emerged a double-headed spider with a crystalline carapace. Its pincers were like ives, its teeth like battleaxes.


    It was so humongous Zhang Lie wondered at how it had managed to ever make its way within the cave. Zhang Lie was barely the size of one of its leg hairs.


    The purple fog in the air thickened, and it began sapping away at Zhang Lie''s gic energy.


    Thankfully, Zhang Lie himself possessed two soulshards that were strongly resistant to poison, and the effect of the purple fog could be neglected for the moment.


    As he nced at the spider in front of him, Zhang Lie beamed. "That''s more like it!"


    He had finally found his first disaster-grade lifeform.


    The disaster-grade spider waved its legs, parting the fog as though it were the surface of the sea. The ground of the cave began to crack, causing a huge wave of energy to spread toward Zhang Lie.


    A disaster was taking form!


    It waved its legs madly, sending out torrents of energy toward Zhang Lie and carving out grooves in the cave floor. The scythes of wind smashed apart everything in their way, even its fellow kin.


    The entire cave began to shake. Zhang Lie dodged the attack, sliding between the spider''s legs.


    "[Rune: Seal]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. As the tablets smashed down on the spider''s head, ripples spread out from the two tablets, sealing its will and power.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie sent a fist smashing down on the spider''s brain. A ck serpent shot forward with the punch, biting down on one of the spider''s exposed eyes and breaking off a small chunk of crystal.


    The spider screeched in pain, echoes of sound reverberating throughout the cave. The pressure from the sound waves was so intense that Zhang Lie felt it as a physical force.


    The spider''s screeches spurred the superior-grade lifeforms into action. All the spiders within the cave went crazy as they began to rampage, their eyes burning with red light as they leapt into the air and toward Zhang Lie.


    "Die!" Within the sea of spiders, a ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and a bloody moon beneath his feet.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Large swathes of spiders fell to the ground, immobilized by the aura of [Eclipse]. As Zhang Lie punched forward with a fist, distorting space, more and more spiders began to fall.


    Those spiders below peak-grade werepletely unable to defend against [Eclipse]''s aura, and even the peak-grade spiders were hard-pressed to guard against the force of Zhang Lie''s fists.


    However, all the spiders in the cave had entered a rampaging state, and they continued to attack Zhang Lie regardless of the danger to their bodies.


    Even as their carapaces cracked, even as their bodies burst open, they continued swarming him.


    The disaster-grade spider mmed down with its legs. As it did so, dozens of peak-grade and superior-grade spiders pounced on Zhang Lie at once, preventing him from escaping.


    Just as the spider''s legs were about tond, Zhang Lie unsheathed his twin des and defended against the blow. The force of Zhang Lie''s attack was sufficient to tear the spider''s two front legs off its body. Shards of jade-green crystal fell to the ground.


    Gripping the twin des Guicang and Hanguang, Zhang Lie sent arcs of sword energy into the air, slicing apart the superior--grade spiders that came leaping at him. The peak-grade spiders deflected the attack and continued to scuttle toward him.


    A pir of gic energy rose from Zhang Lie''s body.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A dragon''s howl shook the skies. Before the superior-grade lifeforms could make a move, Zhang Lie struck. An array of blood-red dragons cleared the ground all around Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 525: Assimilating Disaster Gene Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 525: Assimting Disaster Gene Fragments</h4>


    By then, Zhang Lie had finished his warm-up, and nothing was left of the dozen or so peak-grade spiders that had scuttled toward him.


    Zhang Lie rushed toward the side of the disaster-grade lifeform.


    Comically, the disaster-grade lifeform actually tried to flee. Whenever it tried to attack Zhang Lie, it was hurt instead, and it didn''t want to risk it any longer.


    It howled at Zhang Lie in an attempt to expel him, or perhaps as a threat, announcing that this was its domain, that this cave and all its contents belonged to it and it alone.


    The spider''s legs struck at Zhang Lie as they whizzed through the air. Meanwhile, the spider devoured its fallen kin, consuming their bodies for the resources to regenerate its body.


    "Is this all you''ve got? [First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. The beams sliced through the spider''s legs with barely any resistance at all.


    The crystallized legs broke and smashed to pieces, but Zhang Lie''s blow drew no blood. Except for causing the spider to crash down to the ground, Zhang Lie''s attack had dealt almost no damage whatsoever.


    A disaster-grade lifeform was more or less impervious to physical attacks, but cutting off its legs and hindering its movement was certainly a viable tactic.


    The first form of Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] activated, revolving quickly about his gic core. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    The disaster-grade double-headed spider waved its few remaining legs in an attempt to fend off Zhang Lie''s blow. Seven of its eyes glowed with blood-red light as the force of Zhang Lie''s attack was abruptly countered. Behind the tsunami, however, was yet another sword technique.


    Zhang Lie''s de was so fast that even the disaster-grade spider could barely see a blur as he struck.


    "[The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" ck gic energy covered the de''s tip and ravaged the spider''s body from the inside out. As Zhang Lie infused more and more energy into the attack, the spider''s remaining eyes burst apart, and his sword energy could be seen from the wounds all over its body.


    The head was a critical point. Even the disaster-grade spider screeched in pain, unable to believe that such a small lifeform like Zhang Lie could boast such terrifying strength.


    He was trouncing the spider easily; if the spider were to continue fighting, it would surely lose the fight. The spider waved its remaining legs by the front of its eyes as it tried to chase Zhang Lie away, then began to scurry back toward itsir. With its intelligence, it was well aware that it would be no match for Zhang Lie.


    Strangely, even though it was retreating, Zhang Lie didn''t give chase. He even smiled at the spider. The moment he did, the spider realized that there might have been a trap waiting for it, but it was all toote.


    Behind it, a white wyrm blinked into existence. The next moment, the spider felt the presence of a foreign soul invading its thoughts. Its thoughts seemed to slow, and the wounds by its eyes seemed to magnify.


    Struck by a mental blow, the spider fell into temporary paralysis. A frightening, corrosive energy entered its brain through the wounds by its eyes, finally prompting it to retaliate with the full force of its might as it tried to retreat.


    Zhang Lie mmed a palm against the ground, activating his superior-grade white-grub soulshard and causing the struggling disaster-grade spider to stick to the ground.


    As Zhang Lie infused gic energy into his soulshard, the spider struggled against its restraints to no avail, only bing more and more entangled as time passed.


    The next moment, the spider saw a moonlight wyrm in its mindscape, a sharp horn on its forehead and its maw wide open. Brilliant white soulfire burned over its body.


    All faded to ck. The spider lost control over its body as its soul was torn to shreds.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade double-headed spider. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade double-headed spider, you may receive one to ten disaster?gene fragments.]


    The gigantic spider''s body was criss-crossed with cracks. Upon devouring enough souls, Zhang Lie''s moonlight wyrm had been able to shred even a disaster-grade lifeform''s soul. At the very end of the battle, Zhang Lie had silently released Whitey in order to give the retreating spider an unexpected blow, which made the rest of the fight much simpler.


    Zhang Lie quickly recovered the core of the double-headed spider, a ck, crystalline orb out of which many spikes protruded.


    This wasn''t a good ce to absorb such gene fragments; Zhang Lie left the mountainous cave and headed to a secluded location nearby, the depths of a forsaken valley. It was unlikely that any gic lifeforms would pass by; even if they did, with Whitey guarding Zhang Lie, he likely had nothing to worry about.


    The ck, crystalline orb appeared in Zhang Lie''s hand. Just like the first core he had consumed, this one was made of an exceptionally sturdy crystalline material, and it was the size of a fist. It radiated palpable warmth, as though it were still alive.


    This was the gic core of a disaster-grade lifeform, the source of all their energy¡ªtheir heart.


    To be honest, it didn''t even look like an edible object.


    Just from holding it in his hands, Zhang Lie could feel an oppressive energy radiating out from it. The spikes were far sharper than they seemed, and they were pricking his palm.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the dark, spiky core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound five times before the transformation wasplete. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    It took him an entire hour before he felt the core start to soften. Ten minutes or so after that, the core softenedpletely.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body. Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole.


    As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body. Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart in his stomach.


    Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    After absorbing disaster gene fragments within the first realm and barely making it out alive, Zhang Lie expected that it would be far simpler to do so in the second realm, after his body had made advancement after advancement. Nevertheless, he had underestimated the strength and potency of the disaster-grade lifeforms of the second realm.


    His body couldn''t contain and rein in so much energy; he could feel his blood beginning to boil...

 Chapter 526: Effects of the Schism

    <h4>Chapter 526: Effects of the Schism</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s blood boiled. Energy ran rampant throughout his body, causing blood to seep out of his pores and boil in the air. A haze of white steam surrounded him.


    The pain was unimaginable.


    Despite how tough Zhang Lie was, he had curled up into a ball on the ground. His head spun as he forced himself upright one stumbling step at a time.


    The agonizing process he was going through was essentially a full-body blood transfusion between him and the disaster-grade lifeform''s core, an evolution of the gic code in his very cells.


    Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] activated on its own. Because of the gic energy surging through his body, Zhang Lie was able toplete one cycle of cultivation in just a minute, an unimaginable speed.


    As he continued to cycle the gic energy through his body, he suddenly felt himself starting to swell, as though his body couldn''t take it any longer.


    Indeed, were Zhang Lie to open his eyes, he would find his body inting like a balloon; at some point, he would surely pop. As his body continued to balloon, Zhang Lie spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Following this, blood began to well out of all of his orifices.


    After all, one aspect of his framework was water-attuned, and the fact that his body temperature had somehow ended up so high meant that his body had gone entirely out of control.


    To be frank, Zhang Lie was already losing control over his body. If not for his overwhelming willpower, Zhang Lie would long since have been rendered unconscious.


    His body ballooned, tearing his clothes to shreds, and he was about to explode. His skin was already starting to crack and tear, and ck gic energy was seeping out from within.


    Rocks crumbled. The ground cracked. ck beams of light shot out of his battered body, piercing through every lifeform in sight.


    However, the second realm was able to tolerate a far greater output of energy than the first realm, and the will of the world didn''t appear to save Zhang Lie from his self-imposed cmity.


    As Zhang Lie''s body reached its limits, the gic armor hidden within his body finally activated, suppressing the strength of the disaster-grade core and revitalizing Zhang Lie''s body.


    Zhang Lie''s cells began to function once more. With the help of his gic armor, a denseyer of gic energy surrounded him, forming a structure much like a cocoon.


    Slowly, his body stabilized, and he fell into a deepa. There hey, blissfully unaware of the conflict he had caused within the human world.


    "nder, mere nder! Hong Tianqi falsified that recording to frame me for an incident that never urred!"


    The same day Hong Tianqi held his press conference, Amurong announced one of his own in defense and retaliation.


    "I admit that I was once tempted by Zhang Lie''s limit-breaking potions, but that was all for the good of the world federation, for all intelligent life in the Milky Way! As the presiding authority of the world federation, I have to think of the good of all!" Amurong was thick-skinned enough to drag the entirety of the world federation into this affair.


    "After all, Zhang Lie shouldn''t be able to monopolize these limit-breaking potions¡ªthey''re treasures that belong to every lifeform of the Milky Way! I never carried out any of these ns," Amurong asserted. "That said, I stand by my ims¡ªfor the greater good, the recipe for these limit-breaking potions must be regted by the world federation."


    The reporters'' cameras continued to sh as he spoke.


    "You all saw what happened with the Musi n a few months ago, didn''t you? Zhang Lie made use of the scarcity of these potions to shake the entire world federation to its very foundations. You''ve all seen the havoc he''s wreaked with these potions, and if we allow Zhang Lie to continue monopolizing them, we''ll only doom ourselves. I simply want jurisdiction over these potions to pass to the world federation. Am I mistaken in this belief?


    "I swear on my conscience: all that I''ve done has been for the greater good, for the good of the world federation. Compare this to my main detractor, Hong Tianqi, who''s still trying to shield Zhang Lie! If we allow Zhang Lie''s actions to go uncontested, he will ruin the entire world federation¡ªmark my words!


    "So what if he''s had a few sesses in the second realm? He brought down a sura empire, but how will the rest of us benefit? He would do the entire gxy some good if he were able to rid the second realm of the sura entirely, but will he be able to achieve such a lofty goal?"


    The contrasting press conferences led to vigorous debate on the forums.


    "The presiding authority of the world federation''s absolutely right. Zhang Lie has to be reined in, or he might end up bing a cmity."


    "Indeed. Isn''t it unfair that China and Zhang Lie are monopolizing these limit-breaking potions for themselves? The entire Milky Way should have ess to it!"


    "It truly is unfair. Zhang Lie''s working for his own good, not the good of humanity!"


    Of course, others held dissenting opinions.


    "Your wife''s a valuable good¡ªwhy don''t you share her with us? It''s for the good of humanity!"


    "Why don''t you share your money with us, then?"


    "Zhang Lie made that discovery by himself, with his own resources, using his own talent. Why shouldn''t he profit from it?"


    "We''ve already had this discussion countless times, and there''s never been a consensus. But if you listen carefully to what the presiding authority wants, he would be satisfied with Zhang Lie ceding control of the recipe to the world federation, not sharing it with the public."


    "What''s the difference?"


    "If he were to share it, everyone could make use of it, but if he were to cede control of it to the world federation, only those vetted by the world federation would qualify to see the recipe."

 Chapter 527: Old Boy Network

    <h4>Chapter 527: Old Boy Network</h4>


    Amurong''s words were contentious, but they had achieved their desired effect.


    The authorities of the world federation had been concerned with whether or not Amurong was guilty of the crimes Hong Tianqi had used him of¡ªnow, he had deftly changed the topic toward seizing control of Zhang Lie''s research.


    All of the Milky Way was hoping to see this mysterious recipe, after all.


    Even so, Amurong didn''t get off scot-free¡ªnot everyone was so easy to fool.


    "Isn''t it despicable of Amurong to be trying to attack the Zenith Dojo while Zhang Lie was fighting off the monarch of stars?"


    "Regardless of the justification, this is behavior unbefitting of the presiding authority of the world federation¡ªshameless, petty, and despicable."


    Zhang Lie had garnered quite a few fans throughout the Milky Way, and they continued broaching the subject of Amurong''s crimes.


    Not only was Amurong used of attacking the Zenith Dojo and attempted kidnapping, he had even instigated others to do so on his behalf. Yesterday, the highest court of the world federation had detained Amurong for investigation, and he had had to pay heavy bail to even host his press conference.


    There would be a court ofw to try him for his actions, and his reputation and amount of resources avable to him dipped sharply. Nevertheless, considering what he had amassed over the years, he wouldn''t be put down quite so easily.


    One scandal wouldn''t be enough to topple him from his vaunted position,


    and he would bergely shielded from his actions because he had acted through an intermediary. Amurong had recruited the services of the bestwyer in the world federation, and he would soon emerge free from the morasses of court.


    Nevertheless, Hong Tianqi surely would not let him go easily. If Amurong wanted to stabilize his position, he had to fend Hong Tianqi off somehow¡ªand the four prime races as well.


    The four prime races were cooperating with Zhang Lie to obtain limit-breaking potions amenable to their respective races, and they had no intention of going easy on anyone who dared to meddle with their ns.


    Fortunately for Amurong, he wasn''t working alone. As the presiding authority of the world federation, he had plenty of politicians and businessmen on his side.


    The attack on the Zenith Dojo reached a new peak of publicity as Hong Tianqi released all the evidence he had obtained on Amurong''s illicit activities.


    He had long tried to gather evidence on Amurong''s machinations and plotting, and he had amassed a veritable stash by this point. Some pieces of evidence were concrete, and others were circumstantial; nevertheless, Hong Tianqi released it all.


    No one could have imagined that the presiding authority of the world federation had gotten his hands so dirty. The release of all that informationnded the world federation in a crisis of faith: the public had lost their trust in a cornerstone of their society.


    The world federation had neither its own army nor power in its own right, only the trust of the masses. That Hong Tianqi had chosen to release his cache of evidence in spite of this was a disastrous blow.


    Hong Tianqi wasn''t finished. In a stunning promation, he dered that he would found a new world federation.


    The entire gxy was abuzz. Amurong''s reputation was more or less ruined for the short term, but the corporations that worked closely with him and depended on him for beneficial partnerships naturally had to protect him. Theyunched smear campaigns against Hong Tianqi, using him of acting against the greater good.


    Hong Tianqi himself wasn''t alone; behind him stood the four prime races and countless other subordinate races like the blood demons, all of whom were counting on Zhang Lie to obtain their race-specific limit-breaking potions.


    Once again, Amurong publicly requested that China and Zhang Lie share the recipe for the limit-breaking potion for the good of all.


    Even now, Amurong didn''t regret what he had done. These limit-breaking potions had the power to shape the future of the gxy. If he didn''t control this power, it would soon be used against him.


    That was why Amurong had taken such a grave risk.


    Indeed, Amurong''s predictions were urate. Hong Tianqi''s coalition, built upon the strength of these limit-breaking potions, loomed over Amurong''s old boywork.


    The schism between the two halves of the world federation grew even more pronounced. On one side was Amurong and his team of politicians and mercenaries from all over the gxy.


    On the other was Hong Tianqi, the four prime races, and all sorts of subordinate races. Everyone knew that Hong Tianqi was unconditionally supportive of Zhang Lie, and they were essentially proxies of each other.


    Amurong had attacked the Zenith Dojo, and in doing so, roused Hong Tianqi''s ire. Zhang Lie''s supporters wouldn''t take this lying down.


    The subordinate races who had sided with Hong Tianqi viewed this as an investment to get in Zhang Lie''s good graces.


    They were counting solely on Zhang Lie for his limit-breaking potions. If something were to happen to Zhang Lie before he could obtain any results, they would go home empty-handed and devoid of whatever investment they had made.


    As a result, Hong Tianqi found more and more supporters on his side.


    If not for Amurong''s tireless efforts all these years in solidifying his connections with thergest corporations in the gxy, he would have lost all his influence already.


    Even so, as these races continued heaping pressure on Amurong, he felt as though he were on a raft amidst a gathering storm, barely able to keep himself afloat.


    He was very d that Zhang Lie hadn''t made any further progress in his research with the alien races. If that were to happen, Hong Tianqi''s forces would consolidate, and his would be crushed by their onught.


    Amurong feared the fruits of Zhang Lie''s research, the power of the limit-breaking potions he had devised. Just the promise of that name alone had resulted in the support of countless alien races all over the gxy.


    In terms of reputation, Amurong couldn''t stand up to Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie had just raided a sura empire, and his renown and reputation had instantly reached its apex.


    From every perspective, it looked as though Amurong was on the losing end; if he didn''t turn the tides, all that awaited him would be death and destruction...

 Chapter 528: Gathering of the Sura

    <h4>Chapter 528: Gathering of the Sura</h4>


    Deep within a secluded valley, a fist broke through a gigantic ck cocoon, and a humanoid figure emerged from within. His hair was ck, his skin white, his muscles filled with strength, his eyes with a glint.


    Zhang Lie had finally finished absorbing the disaster gene fragments he had obtained from the disaster-grade spider, and his body was filled to the brim with explosive strength. By now, Zhang Lie was peerless within the second realm, with only the asura able to fight on the same level as he did.


    His clothes had be mere tatters upon the assimtion process for his disaster gene fragments. Luckily, he had packed a change of clothes, which he brought out now from his potbellied-toad soulshard.


    After consuming his first disaster-grade core in the second realm, he continued searching for more and more disaster-grade lifeforms, knowing nothing of the fiasco that was shaking the human world.


    Following the monarch of stars'' information, he approached a patch of desert.


    There, he walked for a month on end, with nothing in sight but yellow sand all around him. There were barely a few gic lifeforms that he had encountered, and none were strong enough to be worth a fight. He hadn''t caught even the barest shadow of the promised disaster-grade lifeform in the monarch of stars'' notes.


    Fortunately for Zhang Lie, food and drink wouldn''t be a problem. He had packed arge quantity of water in his soulshard, and he was a water-attuned gic hunter in his own right.


    However, navigation within the desert proved to be difficult. There was sand all around him, and the horizon remained the same no matter which direction he looked. He suspected he was tracing out circles in the desert; he didn''t know how long he would have to continue such a seemingly fruitless search.


    Meanwhile, the sura had convened a gathering of the kingdoms. Such a gathering required the uniform approval of all sura empires, and every sura kingdom that mattered would be present.


    Such meetings always portended great changes in the realm of the sura.


    "As you all know, the empire of stars has been defeated."


    The ancient, weathered hall was filled with sura. Only nine seats were ced at the very center, each as ornate as a throne. However, of those nine seats, only five were upied.


    The sura on the thrones released fearful auras, ones that identified them as sura monarchs themselves. ?To the back of the nine thrones was a gigantic statue of an asura, thrice the size of that within the monarch of stars'' pce.


    Everyone seated in the hall was a sura king.


    Without fail, such meetings produced results, and these results would permeate the entirety of the second realm.


    The five sura on stage were each sura monarchs, and they held vaunted positions in the gathering. Each had a single veto avable to them.


    "It''s hard to believe that the empire of stars has fallen¡ªand harder still that it was brought down by an alien race, a human settlement called Renhuang."


    The sura kings sitting in the stands gaped. Although word had since spread among the sura, and although everyone present had heard the news, the fact that a sura monarch was confirming these rumors for themselves made them suck in a breath.


    "Apparently, the governor of Renhuang is a human!"


    "When did these humans get so strong? They can even destroy the empire of stars now?!"


    The sura kings whispered to each other.


    The leftmost sura monarch on stage began, "Renhuang''s currently massing forces to target we sura atrge. Many among these forces were once bitter rivals of the sura."


    The throne on which this sura monarch sat was patterned with a shattered sun.


    The monarch of the sun boasted the second strongest of the sura empires, barely weaker than the empire of stars.


    Of course, by this point, it was now the strongest sura empire. The throne that had once been at the left was the monarch of stars''; it had since been reced with the monarch of the sun''s.


    Below the stage, one sura king chuckled coldly. "Insolence! Don''t they think we can beat them easily?"


    "It looks like we must have been too lenient to the alien races in the past for them to think that such behavior is eptable."


    "They''ve forgotten who the true rulers of the sura realm are¡ªit''s time we teach them a lesson."


    Upon hearing of the forces amassed against the sura, the sura kings were all incensed. They felt as though their authority was being challenged.


    The second sura monarch affirmed the monarch of the sun''s words. Behind his throne was a pitch-ck moon. The empire of the moon was just slightly weaker than the empire of the sun.


    The sura had quite a few subordinate races, and Renhuang had be a melting pot of sorts among the races of the second realm. They had managed to sneak in a few spies, and the sura monarchs were very well informed regarding Renhuang''s affairs.


    One sura king asked, "But isn''t that what we want?


    I heard that the Lightborne sought sanctuary in Renhuang. We were trying to hunt them down, weren''t we? If we allow all our enemies to gather in Renhuang, we can defeat them in one fell swoop."


    "Ants will be ants¡ªthey can never devour a dragon."


    The sura kings rubbed their palms greedily, as though they were getting ready to charge toward Renhuang at any moment.


    The third sura monarch began to speak. "I understand your feelings. Renhuang is strong enough to possess a threat to us, a threat to all sura. If we don''t make a move, they might take the initiative instead."


    The third sura monarch''s throne was engraved with the sky.


    The fourth sura monarch nodded in agreement with the third. Behind his throne was the roiling sea.


    The fifth monarch concluded, "We have decided tounch an attack against Renhuang."


    His throne was patterned with a crumbling mountain peak.


    The monarch of the moon had silver hair and seemed to be getting rather corpulent. He warned, "Don''t forget that all our enemies are gathering at Renhuang because it managed to take down the empire of stars."


    The sura kings below the stage fell silent. Indeed, no matter how prideful they were, that was a truth they would have to keep in mind. The strongest empire of the sura and its monarch had died to Zhang Lie''s hand...

 Chapter 529: The Yeluo Poison

    <h4>Chapter 529: The Yeluo Poison</h4>


    Zhang Lie finally emerged from the endless desert into what seemed to be a rainforest.


    He sighed. "How did it end up like this, just how did it end up like this..."


    He had spent one and a half months within the desert before finally giving up. He was certain he could sense the presence of a disaster-grade lifeform within, but he simply wasn''t able to find it.


    It was evident that the disaster-grade lifeform was hiding from him.


    Zhang Lie was exasperated¡ªas a human, he had always been underestimated by his foes. However, despite the fact that he had traveled through the desert while stealthed, the disaster-grade lifeform within still managed to detect and avoid him somehow!"


    "I wonder if the monarch of stars'' information is urate?"


    The disaster-grade lifeform within the desert, which the monarch of stars had named the shaji, had the ability to burrow deep into the sand and an almost precognitive ability to sense danger. It was likely thistter ability that had allowed it to avoid Zhang Lie for so long.


    In the end, Zhang Lie gave up. ording to the monarch of stars'' information, there was a stronger-than-usual peak- or higher-grade lifeform, a golden chimpanzee, within a nearby rainforest. Whether it was a disaster-grade lifeform remained to be determined.


    Zhang Lie walked through the forest, crowded with trees that had grown to a massive size. To hug one such tree would take fifty hunters circling it hand to hand.


    Among the chimpanzees that lived in the forest, the ck-furred ones were over five meters tall. There were also silver- and golden-furred ones present, each on a higher level of strength than thest.


    Beneath Zhang Lie''s feet and surrounding him were the carcasses of many such chimpanzees. The unceasing rain swept their blood away as Zhang Lie walked through their corpses.


    Not long after Zhang Lie had entered the rainforest, the ck-furred chimpanzees began to swarm over him. Unfortunately for them, they had picked a terrible target.


    They were so persistent that Zhang Lie didn''t have a choice but to kill them.


    After killing a few of the chimpanzees, however, he seemed to have angered the entire pack. Zhang Lie killed all the chimpanzees that came for him; by the time he was done, the entire forest was littered with carcasses.


    Subsequently, the ground began to shake. As the shaking grew more and more intense, Zhang Lie''s eyes began to brighten. Could he have found his target already?


    As a gigantic tree before him was uprooted, a chimpanzee about a hundred meters tall and covered with golden fur appeared before him. The trees that were so tall Zhang Lie couldn''t see their tops even when he craned his head were nothing more than tall grasses to the chimpanzee.


    As it craned its head down and roared, sound waves rushed toward Zhang Lie like a flood. The sound waves alone caused no little amount of pressure to Zhang Lie.


    The chimpanzee''s eyes were blood-red. It opened its mouth wide and bared its sharp, fierce teeth. Its golden fur stood stiff and upright, and it was clearly enraged that Zhang Lie had been killing its kin.


    Zhang Lie picked at his ears. "Is it really only this strong...?"


    He was rather upset that, despite trudging all the way out of the desert and into the forest, despite being bitten by mosquitoes and having to kill what seemed like an endless wave of chimpanzees, his only reward was a peak-grade lifeform.


    It was true that this golden chimpanzee was quite close to disaster-grade, about as close as the golden roc that he had initially encountered, but the difference between peak- and disaster-grade was like a chasm, and the two types of lifeforms were fundamentally distinct.


    Disappointed, Zhang Lie turned to leave, but the golden chimpanzee refused to let him go. It mmed a fist onto the ground, cratering it and causing Zhang Lie to stumble.


    "I was just about to leave. What''s the matter with you?" Zhang Lie''s voice emerged from the canopy¡ªout of nowhere, he had managed to scramble up onto a tree.


    The golden chimpanzee roared again, so loudly it forced the rain aside with the force of its breath. Zhang Lie tutted in exasperation. "What, you''re ming me? If your kin didn''t attack me, I wouldn''t have attacked them."


    The golden chimpanzee''s muscles bunched up. In anger, the chimpanzee unlocked itstent potential. As it smashed its fists against the ground, a frightening shock wave spread out around the point of impact, crushing boulders into powder and uprooting countless trees.


    Indeed, this was the strength of a peak-grade lifeform about to ascend to disaster-grade.


    The golden chimpanzee lifted its fists to discover that nothing was beneath them.


    "Rather brutish, aren''t you?" Zhang Lie''s voice appeared by the chimpanzee''s shoulder. "Why am I speaking with a beast, anyway? Did my brain get fried from being in the desert for so long?"


    There had been absolutely nothing of note in the desert. No matter Zhang Lie''s willpower, it was impossible not to have been affected by such a prolonged period of solitude.


    The golden chimpanzee''s pupils widened as fear leaked out of its gaze. It hadn''t even seen Zhang Lie''s movements, and it didn''t understand how such a small creature could move so rapidly. Despite its rage, the golden chimpanzee understood the threat that Zhang Lie posed.


    Obeying its instincts, it tried to run away, but it was already toote.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie waved a hand carelessly. His fistnded on the golden chimpanzee''s head. A shiver spread throughout its body, and the mountainous form of the golden chimpanzee slumped to the ground.


    Zhang Lie jumped down from its body. "Well, I don''t think I''ll kill you. I hope you''ve learned your lesson."


    He had gotten tired of killing endless hordes of lifeforms along his journey, having killed more than his fill of even peak-grade lifeforms. If he didn''t have to, he had no intention of making a move.


    He turned around sharply, then vanished from sight amidst the downpour.


    At the gathering of the sura, a heavy silence had fallen on the stage and its surroundings after the sura kings verified that the monarch of stars himself had been defeated by Renhuang.


    The monarch of the sun dered, "Now, all of you should be aware of just what kind of threat Renhuang possesses to us. Apparently, they have developed a toxic poison that''s targeted specifically at us sura. No matter what, we have to level Renhuang and prevent any of this poison from spreading!"


    Renhuang was strong, but five sura monarchs and countless sura kings were present at the gathering. Together, they were a force that even the monarch of stars wouldn''t have dared to provoke.


    "Indeed, Renhuang has to die for what they''ve created¡ªwe can''t let this poison spread!"


    "We have to raze Renhuang to the ground!"


    "No matter what, knowing what they''ve done, we can''t let them survive."


    The sura kings had realized that Renhuang''s continued existence threatened not only their hegemony over the sura realm, but even the existence of the sura.


    If this poison that they had developed could be mass-produced and purchased by alien races, how were they to survive?


    This was the primary reason the sura monarchs had convened this gathering.


    "For the future of the sura, we have to destroy Renhuang. This isn''t just mere conflict between our races, but rather a battle to the death. As long as Renhuang lives, the sura will perish!"


    Despite knowing that Renhuang had the strength to destroy even the empire of stars, the sura had no choice but to wage war against Renhuang.


    Renhuang represented far too big a threat to the sura.


    "Kill these humans!" one sura king stood up and shouted.


    "Destroy Renhuang, kill the humans, and defeat the alien races that have made themselves our enemies!" the other sura kings echoed.


    The sura monarchs and sura kings were very confident in their sess, believing that they were far stronger than the monarch of stars. After all, the monarch of stars was just one sura monarch, whereas they had five working in tandem.


    .


    "Silence!" the monarch of the sunmanded, raising his hands.


    The sura kings quieted down.


    The monarch of the moon began, "From now on, we will no longer call the humans livestock. Our opponents are worth paying careful attention to; after all, they did manage to defeat the empire of stars and gather an alliance of alien races against us."


    The monarch of the sky, whose body radiated a mysterious aura, murmured, "We cannot afford to underestimate this opponent."


    The scarred monarch of the sun replied, "Since it seems like we''re all in agreement, let''s discuss our n of attack."


    The monarch of the sun was surrounded by superheated air at so blistering a temperature that the air seemed to twist and shift all around him.


    The monarch of the moon emphasized, "We have to be cautious of this poison that they possess."


    One of the sura kings in the crowd spoke up. "From one of my fighters who participated in a battle against Renhuang, the effects of this poison are particrly debilitating. Being in contact with just one drop will cause your body to begin to melt, and you''ll lose all yourbat strength."


    Another sura king added, his face pale, "First the seven-kingdom coalition, then the empire of stars... if even these forces weren''t able to defeat Renhuang, well, that tells us just how strong this poison is."


    The sura kings'' faces fell.


    Not a single sura king had escaped unscathed from the battle against Renhuang, and it seemed quite usible that this mysterious poison was effective against them. Otherwise, it was impossible to imagine that they could be defeated by humans.


    The monarch of the sun nodded gravely. "We''ve received important information from those who escaped the fighting, and we monarchs have some strategies ready for dealing with this poison."


    The space around the monarch of the sky began to crack, shatter, and reform. This wasn''t something that he did intentionally, but was rather a side effect of his strength.


    Although the empire of the sky was third in the rankings, the monarch of the sky''s strength was almost at the level of the monarch of stars''. The only reason his empire was third was because he was toozy to improve its ranking; it was rumored that, if he wanted to, he could turn into the second monarch of stars at any point.


    To date, neither the monarch of the sun nor the monarch of the moon had faced him inbat, and neither had a measure of his true strength. Of the monarchs of the nine sura empires, he was the most mysterious.


    The sura kings all perked up as they leaned forward and waited for the monarchs to speak. Had they alreadye up with a countermeasure so quickly?

 Chapter 530: Unreliable Rumors

    <h4>Chapter 530: Unreliable Rumors</h4>


    The monarch of the sky cleared his throat. "We have not, regrettably, found an antidote. Even with our five empires working together, we haven''t been able to get beyond a preliminary analysis."


    The sura were not particrly skilled at herbalism and potion-making, and the only sura empire that had excelled at science and research was the empire of stars. The five surviving empires together didn''t even have half its research capacity.


    If the empire of stars were still around, it would have found at least some countermeasure to the Yeluo poison. Unfortunately, it was one of the first casualties of Renhuang''s ascent. It would take at least one or two years before the five empires'' research would bear any fruit, and twice that for the production of any promising antidotes.


    However, Renhuang was almost right at their doorstep; they didn''t have the time to wait any longer. The sura monarchs had no choice but to find a more expedient approach.


    The monarch of mountains was a man filled with muscles that shook when he moved. "No matter how potent this poison is, Renhuang''s method of tossing it from the skies is easy to defend against.


    As long as we avoid touching the poison, everything will be fine."


    The monarch of the sea was a svelte, handsome sura. "At this gathering, we will disseminate a technique that allows all sura to summon a me. If you see poison approaching you, activate this technique and burn the poison away before it cannd."


    The monarch of the sun added, "Once we disseminate this technique, you should teach it to all your sura fighters¡ªand better yet, all the sura you govern."


    This wasn''t a foolproof technique, but it was an effective countermeasure.


    The sura kings nced at each other, smiling in relief at having attended the gathering.


    The monarch of the moon added, "We have another technique prepared. It forms scabs of blood from foreign blood, which both grants you some defense and prevents poison from entering your body. Any source of blood suffices: your enemies'', gic lifeforms'', or even your own."


    "That said," the monarch of the sea cautioned, "we don''t know whether it''ll prevent the poison if you use your own blood, and we don''t rmend trying that on the battlefield."


    The sura kings marveled at the intelligence of the five sura monarchs for havinge up with two countermeasures so quickly.


    The monarch of the sun continued, "We must also focus our attention on the unusually strong hunters that have emerged from within Renhuang. Some are as strong as sura kings."


    When did humans grow so strong? This was a question that the sura kings had been asking themselves repeatedly. Not only that, their strength seemed to havee out of nowhere, without giving the sura any time to prepare.


    The sura kings gritted their teeth. Having such a rapidly developing enemy wasn''t a good sign; they had to take down the humans at any cost.


    The monarch of the moon took out two portraits that were nominally of Li Feng and Fang Yi.


    One man was covered in brilliant me, radiating so much light he could eclipse the sun himself. Scales crept up his arms and feet, and he looked half-draconian. The other was wreathed in wind and thunder, with the aspects of a tiger and a dragon.


    There were only portraits of Li Feng and Fang Yi because the only sura to have escaped came from the raiding parties that had encountered the two hunters.


    Shouta''s forces had all died. Shicang''s were corpses. Suiyue''s had all perished in an attempt to save their liege from being taken away as a baby. Gaoyuan''s syphilis had been so potent that it had imed the lives of all his own forces.


    The portraits were made following the descriptions provided by those sura that had escaped from Renhuang, and were somewhat unreliable to begin with given the circumstances. As a result, the finished portraits were so embellished that even Li Feng and Fang Yi would be hard-pressed to recognize them as themselves.


    "ording to reports we received from within Renhuang, the hunters who killed the allied invasion forces are part of this ''Team Zenith'', and their strength is on par with the strongest sura kings. They''re the elites of Renhuang," the monarch of the moon exined.


    The sura kings had found it hard to believe that mere humans had been able to take down a sura monarch, but after looking at these portraits, everything seemed to make sense. These weren''t humans¡ªthey were basically peak-grade lifeforms!


    Indeed, it made sense that only such monstrosities would be able to take down sura kings.


    Those sura who had escaped from the battle had, to some extent, exaggerated the humans'' capabilities intentionally. It was embarrassing to have lost to humans, but far less so to lose to monsters in human guises.


    The monarch of the moon continued, "ording to our sources in Renhuang, the man on the left is known as Li Feng, and that on the right is Fang Yi."


    The monarch of the sky added, "Although Li Feng looks like a human, he transforms into a half-draconian form in battle. He''s said to possess the bloodline of an arclight dragon, and he has frightening capabilities."


    The sura''s sources weren''t particrly urate; even in Renhuang, they would have to sift out fact from fiction, exaggeration from lie.


    Some of the sura kings gasped. "A peak-grade dragon''s bloodline? Surely this Li Feng isn''t a half-breed!"


    Beside him, another sura king rolled his eyes. "That''s impossible. Don''t you remember the monarch of stars'' experiments? He''s tried it countless times, and it hasn''t ever seeded. Members of different species might still be able to have sex with each other, but their biology doesn''t allow for interbreeding.


    "If you have the time, you should have a look at the science magazine series distributed by the empire of stars. The monarch of stars came up with the idea himself in order to improve the sura''s understanding of the world as a whole, and it includes details of many experiments that the monarch of stars conducted."


    In truth, the monarch of stars had distributed this magazine in order to find useful research assistants¡ªthis was how he had found Fenghe. However, Fenghe was his lone sess from this venture. Most of the sura preferred physical, rather than intellectual, domination.


    "Could the humans have found a way to perform this interbreeding, then?"


    "It''s very likely. You know of Fenghe, the monarch of stars'' godson, don''t you?"


    The sura kings nearby shuddered; no one thought highly of mad scientists.


    "Surely half-breeds are just the next step up from Fenghe''s creations¡ªit''s not strange at all."


    The monarch of the moon held the portraits in his hands up high. "We monarchs agree with this sentiment. It''s very likely that the humans'' breakthrough had to do withbining their own bodies with those of gic lifeforms to produce superpowered mutants.


    "This Li Feng might be an exception, but how about Fang Yi? All our eyewitnesses report seeing him transform into a dragontiger with dual elemental attunements in wind and thunder. I''ve never heard of such a beast, but it''s clearly peak-grade or higher."


    The sura kings nodded earnestly as they nced at the portrait of Fang Yi.


    The monarch of the sky warned, "We suspect that there are far more of these mutants than were reported to us. At the very least, the six members of Team Zenith are all such mutants."


    The sura kings became even more serious. They couldn''t treat the humans in Renhuang like humans; they were mutants, a new race in their own right.


    Of course, if Li Feng and Fang Yi were to hear of such a conjecture, they would fall overughing...

 Chapter 531: A New Deity

    <h4>Chapter 531: A New Deity</h4>


    While the sura wereing up with ns to deal with the Yeluo poison, Zhang Lie had given up on the map left behind by the monarch of stars. He had decided to explore the realm by himself instead, based on the information he recalled from his past life.


    In the end, after half a month, he found... absolutely nothing.


    Zhang Lie''s memories of disaster-grade lifeforms in the second realm were iplete and rather haphazard; he had been far from being able to challenge such lifeforms so early in his past life.


    He simply had too little information. As yet, information about disaster-grade lifeforms hadn''t been publicized in the second realm, and no hunters would have the ability to take one down even if they had known about it.


    Furthermore, these lifeforms often made their habitats deep in dangerous areas for hunters, which were naturally unexplored as a result. Without detailed information, it would be difficult to find theirir and hunting grounds, and waiting for these lifeforms to appear naturally would take far too much time and energy.


    In the end, Zhang Lie had no choice but to pull out the monarch of stars'' map and set off for his next destination anew.


    ording to the map, there was one such lifeform in Mt. Mn.


    Along the way, Zhang Lie encountered his fair share of alien races. Instead of interacting with them, however, he simply stealthed and headed straight for the mountain.


    Unfortunately, once again, he found nothing but a peak-grade lifeform waiting for him.


    If nothing else, it did look very cool. Its body glowed with golden light, making it seem almost saintly. It looked lupine but actually wasn''t. When Zhang Lie headed toward itsir, he found it lying at the top of the mountain, sleeping on a gigantic rock.


    Zhang Lie was about to leave when the lifeform suddenly attacked him, and Zhang Lie immediately counterattacked.


    With his strength, the oue of the fight was obvious. However, what came next was the problem.


    This lifeform turned out to be the guardian deity of an alien race that lived nearby. After Zhang Lie killed it, a group of aliens charged toward him in a frenzy.


    Zhang Lie was very much rmed; he hadn''t expected that there would be aliens that treated a peak-grade lifeform like a guardian deity. He tried to exin himself, but the aliens refused to listen. They insisted on tying him down and sacrificing him on an altar in the mountains.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to bring them to their senses with his trusty fists...


    "Deity, our new guardian deity, please, protect us all!"


    An hourter, Zhang Lie found himself seated on a gigantic golden throne, a group of aliens prostrating themselves by his feet.


    They had found him almost right after he had killed the lifeform in battle. Apparently, they were here to bring it a few offerings, but they had witnessed itsst moments instead.


    Zhang Lie and the group of aliens stared at each other for quite some time before the priest of their group shouted, "This is an evil demon, a heavenly tribtion!"


    "The demon dared to kill our guardian deity!"


    "Demon! Today is the day you perish!"


    The aliens'' eyes all turned red, as though they had suddenly be feral wolves.


    Because they were bringing their guardian deity offerings and praying to him, the group of aliens was rather diverse. Young and old, males and females alike had made their way up the mountain to pay respects to their guardian deity.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Surely you''re not talking about that lupine lifeform up above?"


    The priest rapped the ground with his cane. "That''s our guardian deity, the manifestation of our faith! With him around, no one would dare attack our vige."


    Zhang Lie''s eyebrows rose. He could understand worshiping a higher force, but not if that higher force was a gic lifeform¡­


    "Everyone, attack this evil demon! Only then will our tribe be safe for another day!" the priest urged.


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "Listen up¡ªthat wasn''t a deity, just a gic lifeform. And I''m not an evil demon, just a passerby."


    However, the priest paid him no mind. He shouted, "Bind this demon, then prepare to sacrifice him atop the mountain! Only with the blood and lifeforce of the demon can we pacify the heavens'' anger!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head when he noticed the aliens charging toward him. As a kind, righteous man, he naturally had to correct these aliens'' mode of thinking.


    .


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" His fists sent a tremor down the mountain as the nearest aliens were sent flying. Zhang Lie controlled his strength very well; the aliens were only injured, not dead.


    His face turned cold. "This is a warning. Don''te closer, or I won''t hold back."


    The priest mmed his cane on the ground. "Damned devil! How could you hurt our kind¡ªeveryone, we can''t submit to the devil! This is a trial from the heavens!"


    The aliens brushed themselves off and rushed toward Zhang Lie once more.


    "I warned you." Zhang Lie struck with a fist¡ªand this time, he didn''t hold back.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, radiated from his arm. As the ripples of energy spread from Zhang Lie, the aliens at the front of the pack fell limply to the ground, their blood draining into the rocks of the mountain.


    The priest stood stupefied, as did the other aliens fortunate enough to not be standing at the front.


    "Evil demon, how dare you ughter my kind! I shall be your opponent!" One of the aliens leaped up into the air and fell down like a meteor.


    When the other aliens saw him move forward, their eyes lit up once more with hope.


    "Look! That''s the strongest warrior of our n!"


    "With him around, I''m sure the demon will fall in no time!"


    "Warrior, ughter that evil demon!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" One errant fist from Zhang Lie was all it took to crush the top warrior of the alien race.


    The excited aliens choked on their yells as their best warrior died in front of them.


    He wasn''t that weak¡ªhe seemed to have been on the verge of reaching the level of a sura king. Compared to Zhang Lie, however, that level of strength was meaningless.


    Zhang Lie asked again, "Do you still want to fight?"


    The aliens were so shocked that their legs began to tremble, and they fell to the ground in a kneeling position.


    Even the priest dropped his cane. His face beatific, he announced, "Our old deity has fallen, and a new one arises in his ce!"


    The aliens all knelt on the ground.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    The priest continued, "We were mistaken. Our guardian deity has simply shed his old form and metamorphosed into a new one! Ah, our deity!"


    The aliensy prostrate on the ground as they venerated Zhang Lie, whose eyes were bulging.


    What on earth were they doing? Zhang Lie knew that there were all manner of alien races in the second realm, each with its own customs, but he had never seen one that praised their opponents as deities if they couldn''t beat them...

 Chapter 532: Pilgrimage

    <h4>Chapter 532: Pilgrimage</h4>


    Zhang Lie truly hadn''t expected such an oue.


    He had disyed his strength, been venerated as a deity, and forced onto a golden throne dripping with overstated opulence. He had no choice. If they refused to listen to his exnations, then he... would ept his new role as guardian deity.


    It took a serious bout of questioning before Zhang Lie obtained the answers he was looking for.


    These alien half-beastmen, whose faces were painted with white streaks and who had rather imposing statures, used to be a very weak race in the second realm. They called themselves the Baimei.


    Their ancestors were subordinate to another race, but when they were killed in a war, the Baimei were cast adrift. They roamed the second realm before finally settling in this mountain protected by their guardian deity.


    There were some benefits to being weak: the guardian deity was a peak-grade lifeform, and it wasn''t interested in the Baimei at all. Furthermore, the entire mountain was enveloped in his peak-grade aura, dissuading any gic lifeforms from drawing near. As a result, the Baimei found sanctuary here.


    The Baimei slowly grew stronger as their environment became more and more favorable to their growth. They hunted nearby and tithed the best part of their hunt to their guardian deity.


    The peak-grade lifeform was intelligent enough to ept this agreement. Itzed around the top of the mountain and allowed this arrangement to persist on ount of the free food it was receiving.


    As the years went by, the Baimei grew stronger and stronger, until they were developing fighters on the level of sura kings. However, they werergely unaware of their newfound strength. When they found themselves bested by Zhang Lie, who was even stronger than their previous guardian deity, they naturally submitted once again.


    Zhang Lie rather liked this race, because they would remain loyal as long as he was stronger than any of them.


    The priest gathered all the Baimei and shouted, "Today, our guardian deity has cast off his old form for a new one. Let us rejoice!"


    In order to win the favor of their guardian deity, the Baimei spared no expense. They had feted Zhang Lie immediately. All sorts of specially prepared meat filled a gigantic table, and Zhang Lie even noticed the meat of peak-grade lifeforms among them.


    Two Baimei women, their clothing half-exposed, sat on either side of him, carefully pouring him wine and feeding him small pieces of meat.


    Zhang Lie shuddered and dismissed them. He asked the priest, "Do you know if there are any strong lifeforms nearby? Stronger than your previous guardian deity."


    "No stronger lifeform could reside in the regions surrounding this mountain. Our guardian deity is the strongest of all," the priest replied definitively.


    Zhang Lie clutched his face, certain he was asking these questions to the wrong target.


    The priest began to pray. "The guardian deity will shield us from the invasion of gic lifeforms, the pain of illness and disease, and protect us and ours."


    "Oh, guardian deity!" The Baimeiy prostrate on the ground as they kowtowed.


    "The guardian deity will protect the weak. He will grant us fortitude, mental sanity, strength of the body, our lifeforce, the light and heat we sense," the priest continued reciting.


    Zhang Lie winced. In some sense, this was a mass brainwashing of the entire tribe. By repeatedly hosting such sermons and ingraining these words in the tribe, the Baimei would instinctively fear and venerate the strong


    Zhang Lie didn''t have time to allow them to idolize him, and he certainly wasn''t a god or deity of any sort. Nor was he willing to provide for them and shield them from harm, or all that nonsense. He had to keep searching for more disaster gene fragments.


    The only reason he had stayed was to try to get more information out of the Baimei.


    Zhang Lie raised his hands. "Stop, stop, all of you!"


    The priest turned and asked, "Have we done anything to dissatisfy you, guardian deity?"


    Zhang Lie responded directly, "I have my own affairs to deal with, and I can''t stay here forever. Ie from a settlement called Renhuang. If you''re interested in seeing the world atrge, head there¡ªI don''t have time to y with you anymore."


    Zhang Lie activated a soulshard, sprouted a pair of ck wings from his back, then flew up into the air.


    The stunned Baimei didn''t react until Zhang Lie was long gone.


    "You can''t leave us behind, guardian deity! Without you, we can''t survive!"


    "Guardian deity, you can''t give up on us, and we can''t go on without you!"


    "Without the guardian deity''s light to guide our path, how will we make our way in this world of darkness?"


    Zhang Lie looked down at the Baimei from his vantage point high above. "You all already have the strength to eke out a living in the sura realm, and you don''t need any deity at all."


    The Baimei weren''t weak. The only reason Zhang Lie could dominate them so easily was because he was too strong.


    After generations of stable growth, the Baimei had quite a few promising fighters who were almost on par with sura kings, and they would be a force to be reckoned against anyone but the sura and Renhuang.


    They might not be the strongest in the realm, but they certainly weren''t weak. Much of their hunting even focused on bringing down peak-grade lifeforms.


    The priest hurriedly asked, "Is there anything that dissatisfies you, guardian deity? Please, tell us outright¡ªwe''ll do anything for you to stay!"


    The Baimei all fell to the ground prostrate in despair. "Please, don''t desert us! Without a deity, how will we live on?"


    "Rely on yourselves!" With a beat of his wings, Zhang Lie vanished from sight. A map slowly drifted down toward them.


    The Baimei were silent where they stood. What were they to do? Their deity had left them behind!"


    One of the Baimei murmured, "Our god is gone..."


    Some of the Baimei clutched their heads in pain as they ulted. "What have we done? Why would our god desert us?!"


    Some were in such despair that they tried tomit suicide.


    "No! This is a trial handed to us by the deity himself!" the priest shouted.


    He picked up the map that had drifted down toward the ground. This was a copy of the map that they had found in the sura king''s treasury, and it marked Renhuang''s location.


    The priest continued seriously, "Before our deity left, he told us to embark on a pilgrimage."


    "A pilgrimage?"


    The priest spread his arms wide. "He left us behind to return to the skies, but before he did so, he provided us with a trial, one to determine the worthy who would be able to apany him there. We need to leave this safe haven and head into the wilderness of the second realm. We need to head toward Renhuang!"

 Chapter 533: The Horns of War

    <h4>Chapter 533: The Horns of War</h4>


    "Toward Renhuang?"


    The n head of the Baimei stepped forward. "I understand! When the deity told us to rely on ourselves, he didn''t mean that we would need to live independently of him. He meant that we had to make our way to Renhuang by ourselves!"


    The priest held the map in his hands up high. "This is a trial from our god himself! Let us follow in his footsteps and head to the holy city! There, an important task surely awaits us. The sess of this pilgrimage will determine the fate of our n!"


    The rest of the Baimei nodded fervently. Although they didn''t know what awaited them in Renhuang, they would surely obey an edict from their deity.


    The priest continued, "We will surely encounter trial and tribtion along the way. There will be paths we''ve never gone down, mountains so tall we won''t believe we can cross them, oceans and rivers we''ve never seen, foes we''ve never encountered.


    "We might be injured and lose our resolve, but all this is a trial from our deity. As long as we work together, we can break down these obstacles in our way. These obstacles won''t defeat us; we''ll only grow stronger as a result."


    As the priest gave his speech, the eyes of the Baimei grew ardent.


    "Now, we move toward Renhuang, to the holy city of our guardian deity, in search of his continued presence!


    The Baimei began their grave and perilous undertaking toward Renhuang. For countless generations, they had been protected in the mountain they made their home¡ªbut a few words from Zhang Lie was sufficient to send them packing.


    Deep within sura territory, the gathering of kings continued.


    The sura kings'' faces were ashen. Renhuang had developed a potent poison against the sura, and it had even made a breakthrough in creating mutant half-breeds.


    No ordinary sura empire had such innovation.


    The monarch of the sun continued, "There are more and more alien races amassing at Renhuang, some of whom possess fighting strength on the level of sura kings themselves. The longer we wait, the more aliens will arrive at Renhuang, and the more unfavorable this war will be for us."


    "At the very least, however, we do know of Renhuang''s own forces," the monarch of the sky added. He motioned toward the monarch of the moon.


    "The vanguard of Renhuang''s forces are from a race known as the rock spirits, a powerful nomadic tribe whose exploits were widely known over ten thousand years ago. Even back then, their fighters were on par with sura kings, and they boasted abined strength equal to that of our sura empires. However, there were no records of their ever waging war against a sura empire, and we don''t have a good sense of their abilities."


    The monarch of the sea emphasized, "Regardless, we are confident that the rock spirits possessed the ability to raze an ordinary sura kingdom to the ground. ording to our ancient records, some sura kingdoms did sh against the rock spirits. The names and identities of those sura kingdoms have been lost to time, but the rock spirits have persisted for over ten millennia.


    "Ten thousand years ago, the rock spirits weren''t willing to contest the sura, but we don''t know what has happened to them since. Their return now, ten thousand yearster, might see them a far stronger foe than before."


    "The rock spirits possess indomitable bodies of rock, and they can strengthen and upgrade their bodies by consuming rare ores, minerals, and metals. Beloved by the earth, they can regenerate endlessly from dirt and rock as long as their cores aren''t broken. Most importantly, their physical defense is extraordinary, and even we have only a select few techniques that can break through it," the monarch of the moon exined.


    "ording to our records, there were sura kings that had fought against these rock spirits before. They had wounded the rock spirits and pierced their defense at grave expense, only to have that defense regenerate in the blink of an eye," the monarch of the sky concluded.


    The gathered sura kings couldn''t help but think of two infamous sura kings.


    "Like Gaoyuan and Suiyue?"


    The monarch of the sea pondered the question for a moment. "Their regenerative abilities are unlikely to be on par with Gaoyuan''s. Closer to Suiyue, I would think."


    The sura kings nodded. Gaoyuan was truly disgusting.


    The monarch of the sun warned, "Their regenerative abilities might be weaker than Goayuan''s, but it''ll be almost as hard to kill them as it would be to kill Gaoyuan. Remember: as long as you don''t break their cores, these rock spirits can regenerate endlessly."


    "Furthermore, Renhuang boasts three other alien races. Two of them tend to remain behind to guard the city, and won''t participate in the battle. The race that will assuredly do so is the crag eagles, but we don''t know much about them," the monarch of the moon began.


    The crag eagles were indigenous to Mt. Wanren, and they rarely traveled beyond its boundaries. There were at least tens of thousands of races in the sura realm, and even the sura couldn''t keep extensive records on each.


    The monarch of the moon continued, "Our records suggest that the crag eagles were known for their speed. They used to be a stronger race, but were gravely weakened by some cmity or another. They should no longer be at their heyday, but for some reason, they seem to have developed new abilities.


    "The crag eagles have been reported to be able to control flocks of avian lifeforms, even superior-grade ones. Dealing with these crag eagles will involve destroying the flocks that they control, as well."


    In some sense, the crag eagles were avian summoners.


    The monarch of the sea nodded. "The crag eagles will be invaluable scouts in the battle toe. We must kill every bird we see in the region."


    The sura kings'' faces were pale. They thought that the human half-breeds would be Renhuang''s trump card, but Renhuang seemed to boast force after force.


    They had the Yeluo poison, the half-breed mutants, strong and versatile alien races, some of whom had recently gained new powers and others of whom had revived from millennia of slumber...


    Some perceptive sura kings asked the natural follow-up question, "Why would such strong races submit to Renhuang?"


    The rock spirits had had the ability to fight a sura empire in their heyday, and the crag eagles had gained a powerful new ability. Both races would have done very well for themselves as independent entities, but they had chosen to submit to Renhuang instead.


    Why would they be willing to do so? What had the governor of Renhuang offered them?


    The monarch of the sun''s face turned serious. "This is the third and most important point of our discussion: be wary of the governor of Renhuang, Zhang Lie."


    The monarch of the moon said, "Based on our scouts'' reports, it was he who took down the monarch of stars. He can fight on our level. These reports might be exaggerated, but we believe that none of you will be able to take him on. If you encounter him, don''t try to oppose him. Report back to us immediately, and allow the five of us to take him on at once."


    The sura kings all sucked in a deep breath. All five sura monarchs would challenge him simultaneously?


    The monarch of the sun repeated, "Renhuang is a grave threat that has to be eradicated at any cost. With the poison that they''ve developed against us, they surely will continue their aggression.


    We have only two routes ahead of us: to cower and hide, or to mobilize our true strength. Let us strike fear in the hearts of all who live in the sura realm. Let them tremble in the face of our majesty!"


    The five sura monarchs stood up simultaneously. "The sura will live on for eternity!"


    The sura kings lowered their heads and prayed, "May the asura guide us!"


    They faced not the five sura monarchs, but rather the statue of the asura behind them. Their fervent prayers ended the gathering of kings and marked the beginning of a great war...

 Chapter 534: Legend of the Sea God

    <h4>Chapter 534: Legend of the Sea God</h4>


    The merpeople were an alien race that lived by the seaside. ording to the monarch of stars'' information, there was a peak- or higher-grade lifeform in the vicinity, which the merpeople worshiped as their guardian deity.


    After his experience with the Baimei, Zhang Lie shuddered at the idea of wasting his time and ughtering so many foes pointlessly.


    This time, if he were to discover that this supposed guardian deity was only a peak-grade lifeform, he would leave immediately before anyone could stop him.


    Despite all his travels, he had only amassed ten disaster gene fragments, for a grand total of eleven. He was very dismayed at the results he had obtained.


    Of course, it wasn''t unexpected. The sura were unaware of the existence of disaster-grade lifeforms, and the monarch of stars had only specified that the lifeforms be stronger than ordinary peak-grade ones.


    In other words, many of the lifeforms on the list were still far from evolving into disaster-grade, and a century or five wasn''t enough time to breach that gap.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms were so rare that they were difficult to find even with the monarch of stars'' information. Dredging through the memories of his past life, he recalled the existence of three disaster-grade lifeforms in the second realm, but none as clearly as were recorded in the monarch of stars'' files.


    The monarch of stars'' information was detailed and described the nature of the lifeform in question. Zhang Lie''s memories were vague and imprecise, and he had killed one of them, the golden roc, before it had fully morphed into disaster-grade.


    Furthermore, information about disaster-grade lifeforms was mutable and quickly became outdated¡ªwithout specific information, it would be difficult to find theirirs and hunting grounds, and there would be no way for Zhang Lie to strike.


    The monarch of stars'' information had beenpiled some time ago, but it at least provided a start. Indeed, Zhang Lie had only found the double-headed disaster-grade spider thanks to the monarch of stars''ption.


    Although he wasn''t sure how many disaster-grade lifeforms he would ultimately find, he had no other recourse.


    Zhang Lie headed to the merpeople''s vige, which was situated right by the sea. The buildings were worn-down, and the tribe didn''t seem to be prospering.


    A small, thin merchild rushed out of the vige.


    This was the first time Zhang Lie had ever met her like. Her hair was blue and draped down her shoulders, her skin was smooth and shiny, scales crept up her arms, and she had wide soles, almost like flippers, covered with a thin membrane.


    These merpeople seemed more like a cross between man and dolphin rather than man and fish.


    The merchild''s body was heavily wounded and bruised. She was as thin as a stick, and she seemed to be running away in a hurry from something behind her. She banged against Zhang Lie''s body and stumbled to the ground. Behind her came a number of loud voices. "Catch her, quick, catch her!"


    "Please, save me!" The merchild dragged himself up from the ground and caught the corner of Zhang Lie''s hem as though she were grasping at a lifeline. Her wide, lustrous eyes pleaded at him. In human years, she looked to be a child about thirteen or fourteen years of age.


    A mob of merpeople followed after her, waving all sorts of tools and implements. They frowned upon seeing Zhang Lie with the merchild.


    "Human, scram! This is none of your business!" the leader of the mob warned.


    Zhang Lie stepped back and extricated himself from the merchild''s hands. He didn''t much care about the conflict between the child and the rest of the tribe; who knew what she had done?


    The mob seemed rather surprised that he had acquiesced so easily. One of the men from the mob strode forward and caught the child''s arm.


    She screamed and turned to Zhang Lie again. "Please, save me! They''re going to feed me to a gic lifeform!"


    The man pped her on the face. "How dare you call the sea god that!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. Had he found a trace of the sea god so easily?


    The child cried out, "Even if you sacrifice me, there''s no way you''ll find more fish around! The reason there aren''t any fish near this vige is because that creature''s eating them all!"


    The man gave the child another p. "Nonsense! The only reason we''ve been able to thrive for this long is because of the sea god''s blessing. It''s an honor for you to be a sacrifice, to be able to serve the sea god for eternity."


    The child continued to struggle even as her face turned red. "If you think it''s an honor, why don''t you serve the sea god yourself?!"


    The man''s face turned dark. "The tribe raised you, and your life belongs to the tribe. It''s time you pay it back."


    The child''s words seemed to provoke an immediate response from the rest of the mob.


    "That your flesh and soul will forever be with the sea god is an honor. If we were chosen, we would dly be the sacrifice, but we weren''t chosen."


    "What better reason to live could there be? We dedicate our entire lives to the sea god."


    "Your sacrifice will bring peace and prosperity to the entire vige."


    The unfortunate child was unable to ovee the mob, and she was quickly dragged back into the vige.


    Zhang Lie suddenly spoke up. "Can I participate in this ceremony?"


    The man who had spoken earlier frowned. "You''re not from this tribe. What reason would there be to permit you in?"


    Zhang Lie naturally wasn''t interested in the ceremony, but rather this sea god.


    "I''m a reporter¡ªno, a wandering bard. I roam the second realm in search of different cultures and experiences, and I''d like to write an ode based on this ceremony to disseminate your culture and beliefs," Zhang Lie exined.


    The man still remained suspicious. "There has never been an outsider allowed to witness the ceremony."


    "Aren''t there exceptions to every rule?"


    The man waved a hand at him impatiently. "Scram!"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "Alright, I won''t lie about my identity any longer¡ªI''m actually a devout believer of this sea god myself! While I was exploring the region, I''ve heard countless tales of his exalted visage, and I''ve always wanted to witness the sea god in person."


    The man nced at the rising tide, which had crept all the way up to their ankles while they were talking. "I don''t have time to waste with you. I don''t care if you''re a wandering bard or devout believer. Leave immediately, or I won''t go easy on you."


    Momentster, the merman felt himself sailing through the air, not knowing just what had happened. Hended right by the mob''s side. Taking advantage of themotion, Zhang Lie grabbed the merchild.


    He shouted, "I repeat, I want to see this sea god for myself!"


    Despite the fact that Zhang Lie had made a move, the merpeople weren''t enraged¡ªthey looked around them with shock and fear. What Zhang Lie didn''t notice was that the tides were behaving erratically. By this time, the water level was already past his legs...

 Chapter 535: The Sea Gods End

    <h4>Chapter 535: The Sea God''s End</h4>


    "Return us our sacrifice! The sea god is on his way here!" the anxious merpeople shouted.


    One of the elders spoke up. "This brat ran off right as the sacrificial rites were about to take ce, and we''ve wasted enough time already. The sea god is almost here, and if there''s no sacrifice in sight, none of us will be able to bear the brunt of his anger."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Is that so? I''d like to see this sea god for myself, then."


    With a terrible tremor, roiling waves gathered by the sea and were about to smash down onto the vige when Zhang Lie strode forward.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" His fist sent a shockwave of force outward, causing heaven and earth to tremble. The wave fell apart before it couldnd on shore.


    More and more tidal waves appeared over the horizon. Zhang Lie leapt high into the sky. The waves swamped the merpeople, who begged the sea god for mercy even as they were swept into the sea.


    The skies filled with dark clouds that came out of nowhere. The sea roared, and waves continued crashing onto the beach, swallowing the vige whole.


    Nine twisters of water broke the surface of the sea like dragons ascending to the skies, so thick that thirty men hand-in-hand wouldn''t be able to encircle them. Zhang Lie flew out to see this so-called sea god for himself.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie''s technique possessed such strength it made the very air warp. Ripples of energy spread out all around him, tearing the pirs of water apart.


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on the shadow barely visible under the surface of the water. "Found you. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The image of a serpent appeared behind him. As he punched downward, the serpent sshed into the ocean and caused water to explode all around the point of impact. It tussled with something underwater and finally managed to drag it up toward the surface.


    The creature that emerged was pitch-ck with an elongated body and nine heads. Out of its coarse ck skin grew long feelers, and each of its nine heads was equipped with an unusual and frightening proboscis.


    This was a gigantic nine-headed sea cucumber.


    "Che! It''s still a peak-grade lifeform!"


    Even though it was almost at the level of a disaster-grade lifeform, it hadn''t quite managed to breach that boundary.


    "This can hardly be considered a sea god."


    Indeed, it was overwhelmingly difficult to find disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The merchild that Zhang Lie still held in his arm looked toward him in shock. Even though she didn''t believe that there were gods in the world, the nine-headed sea cucumber looked unimaginably strong¡ªbut Zhang Lie didn''t seem to pay it any heed.


    The surface of the sea began to ripple. Waves, growing magnitude and reaching an impossibly high crescendo, swept toward the beach. A disaster was taking form!


    The nine-headed sea cucumberunched another attack. Its body ballooned, and nine pirs of water spouted from its heads. Its body contracted as the pirs twined about each other and focused on Zhang Lie, who was forced to dodge the attack.


    The pirs of water brushed the surface of the sea, dividing it in two. When it strucknd, a huge spray of water burst into the sky, causing the nearby cliffs to crumble.


    The sea cucumber looked monstrous, but it did have monstrous strength as well.


    The merpeople swam back tond. They were particrly talented swimmers, and it would be very difficult for them to drown.


    They frowned when they saw Zhang Lie.


    "How dare you challenge the sea god! Your death is nigh!"


    "Could a mortal like youpete against a deity? Everyone, look at this example of what will happen if we invoke our sea god''s wrath!"


    "No lifeform can defeat the sea god in the ocean!"


    They couldn''t wait for Zhang Lie to perish. If he hadn''t interrupted the ceremony, their vige wouldn''t have been destroyed by the tidal waves. All they had to do was sacrifice the kid¡ªbut Zhang Lie had taken her away! Otherwise, the sea god surely wouldn''t have be enraged.


    The nine-headed sea cucumberunched another attack. Its body ballooned, and nine pirs of water spouted from its heads. They merged to form a gigantic dragon that looked as though it would swallow Zhang Lie whole.


    Rather than dodging, Zhang Lie manifested a pair of des.


    With strokes so swift none of the spectators could catch his movements, Zhang Lie sliced the dragon apart. Scales appeared over his hands and arms, and he transformed into a dragonwolf in the blink of an eye.


    The nine-headed sea cucumber manifested even more tidal waves.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within and sapping the waves of their energy.


    The attack arced toward the sea cucumber, slicing it apart. However, the sea cucumber boasted particrly strong regeneration. It managed to take Zhang Lie''s attack head-on, healing rapidly even as its body became wounded.


    "Oh? Take this¡ª[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves as they tore the sea cucumber apart so wildly that even its regeneration faltered in light of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    The merpeople gaped as they saw their deity perish at this outsider''s hands. That was their sea god¡ªand now it had been killed!


    Unexpectedly, Zhang Lie had taken on their god and survived. None of them would have been able to replicate the feat, but Zhang Lie refused to bow down to their constraints. He had taken up his de against the sea god, and he had seeded in what they would have imed to be an impossible task.


    "God-killer!" a merman shouted.


    "He''s a god-killer!" the other merpeople echoed.


    The merpeople began to run from Zhang Lie in fear that he would target them.


    Indeed, unlike the Baimei, the merpeople behaved rationally and sensibly.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "This supposed sea god was far too weak. Where will I find stronger lifeforms to hunt?"

 Chapter 536: An Astute Merchild

    <h4>Chapter 536: An Astute Merchild</h4>


    The merpeople screamed as they ran away from him.


    Zhang Lie was very pleased with the merpeople''s reactions; it would have been very strange if they had revered him like the Baimei. The merpeople were, as expected, scared.


    What Zhang Lie didn''t notice, however, was that there was one exception among the merpeople¡ªthe little girl in his hands. Her eyes glowed with bright light as she turned to Zhang Lie, who had vanquished an impossible foe.


    The sea god which had been strangling the vige of life and resources¡ªZhang Lie had killed it in two or three blows. He was clearly stronger than the sea god, and if she could learn something from him, she would be secure for the rest of her life.


    As though he were used to failing to find disaster-grade lifeforms by now, Zhang Lie didn''t feel perturbed by his failure. Indeed, he was starting to distrust the efficacy of the monarch of stars'' information, given how many failures there had been.


    Zhang Lie hovered above the surface of the sea, let the child in his hands go, and turned to leave.


    "Wait!" the merchild yelled out. "Please, take me with you!"


    For a child, she was particrly perceptive, and she knew that she wouldn''t be able to stay in the vige any longer. She would be lucky if the incensed vigers didn''t burn her at the stake.


    Neither did she want to remain in the vige any longer¡ªwhy would she want to live with people who tried to sacrifice her?


    The only one who could save her was Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie continued walking away, pretending to not have heard her words.


    "I know where many strong lifeforms live!"


    Zhang Lie stopped short.


    The child continued, "There are many strong lifeforms nearby, and I can promise they''re no weaker than this sea god¡ª no, they''re even stronger!"


    When she saw Zhang Lie stop, she knew that she had grasped a lifeline.


    Although she didn''t know why Zhang Lie was searching for them, she had guessed that those were his targets. If she revealed her knowledge, he would surely bring her with him.


    Zhang Lie whirled around and asked, "How do you know what I''m searching for?"


    "You expressed your displeasure at the sea god being so weak twice over."


    Once was at the start of the battle, and the other was at the end. From her perspective, Zhang Lie seemed to be searching for an opponent strong enough for him to battle. Her deceased father had told her tales of strong heroes and strong fighters doing the same, in hopes of ascending to a higher realm.


    Given how strong Zhang Lie was, she didn''t know what heights he was aspiring to, but that didn''t matter. She was certain she could make use of the fact that Zhang Lie was trying to hunt down strong lifeforms.


    If she were wrong, that didn''t matter; it wasn''t as if her situation could get any worse. On the other hand, if she were right, her circumstances would immediately improve for the better.


    Zhang Lie nced at her skeptically. "Why should I trust you, little girl?"


    To be honest, he was rather tempted by her offer. He hadn''t been very sessful with the monarch of stars'' information, and he didn''t know just how long it would take him to find a second disaster-grade lifeform.


    The merchild might be another opportunity for him.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know howrge thendmass of the second realm waspared to the oceans and seas, but he was certain that there were many strong deep-sea lifeforms. In general, oceanic lifeforms were stronger than terrestrial ones.


    In the deep sea, the water was icy cold, and such lifeforms would have to bear the brunt of immense pressure every time they moved. The deeper they went, the stronger the lifeforms would get.


    If he couldn''t find any disaster-grade lifeforms onnd, doing so at sea wasn''t a bad idea.


    "I know that there''s a demonic lifeform at the center of a gigantic whirlpool nearby, that there''s a hulking beast of steel in a nearby ocean, why the sea of storms is always stormy..."


    The merchild revealed the existence of quite a few seemingly strong lifeforms in the region. "You see, we merpeople know quite a few legends about the seas, and behind each legend is a gic lifeform. My father was responsible for surveying the nearby seas in order to see if there were another ce where we might be able to make a vige. He left the domain of the sea god and traveled to many ces. All my knowledge came from my father."


    The merchild looked pleadingly at Zhang Lie.


    "Very well. I''ll recruit you as a guide."


    The merchild''s eyes widened, and she smiled radiantly¡ª but the very next moment, Zhang Lie released his aura and kept it hanging around him until she was gasping for breath.


    "But if you lie to me, if I can''t find a trace of these lifeforms you describe, I''ll toss you into the mouth of a peak-grade lifeform myself."


    The merchild gulped and nodded.


    Zhang Lie handed her a vial from his potbellied-toad pouch.


    "Drink this."


    The merchild drank it without asking a single question. Her stomach suddenly seemed to warm up, and she could see her wounds healing with her naked eye. What Zhang Lie had given her was a healing potion concocted by the Yeluo.


    She felt as though she were immersed in a hot water bath,fortable and content. She had never even heard of such potions before! Despite all she knew of the seas, the world was so muchrger than that.


    Zhang Lie carried the girl in his hands as he flew off. She called out, "My name''s Zhu. What''s yours?"


    .


    Zhang Lie seemed unwilling to reveal his name, so Zhu didn''t press him. "Mister, why are you searching for these gic lifeforms? Are you trying to find stronger opponents to defeat?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "Won''t your family be worried that I''m kidnapping you?"


    She smiled sadly. "If I had an ordinary family, I wouldn''t have be a sacrifice for the sea god. My father used to be the head of the vige, and he believed that sacrificing members of the n to appease the sea god was inexcusable. He''s always wanted to escape the sea god and to find somewhere better for us all to live."


    The rest of the tribe, however, didn''t agree with his actions. They viewed the sacrifice as a necessity, as part of the status quo; that was how they had always lived, after all.

 Chapter 537: The Seven Forbidden Zones

    <h4>Chapter 537: The Seven Forbidden Zones</h4>


    Zhu continued, "I don''t understand why my fellow kin won''t leave. Because of the sea god''s continued presence, none of us can catch any fish around here¡ªand the tribe has had to travel to more dangerous waters in order to find food. There''s been so much pointless death as a result. We''re all but living in these dangerous waters, but we have to sacrifice our people to this disgusting ''sea god'' as well!"


    Zhu became more and more enraged as she spoke.


    For the weak, survival was a particrly difficult problem. There were many races that found it difficult just to survive, let alone eat well. At the very least, the sea cucumber would prevent any dangerous oceanic lifeforms from encroaching upon its domain.


    Zhu believed this to be an idiotic decision because of her father''s influence.


    Indeed, it was foolish of the merpeople not to continue looking for better ces to live, but their circumstances had given them no choice. This was how they lived; they would move their vige to a more prosperous location if they could, but they had never found such a location.


    What happened to Zhu''s father was thest straw, and it was what prompted their seclusion thereafter. Despite searching the waters far and wide for many years, Zhu''s father hadn''t found a suitable ce to start a new vige, and he had even died in his quest.


    The remaining merpeople believed that the rest of the world was too dangerous for them, that they surely wouldn''t be able to find anything better than what they already had. Only with the sea god''s blessing would they be able to live on.


    This was a form of survivorship bias: Zhu''s father''s generation was upset with the status quo, and they wanted to imagine a life where they weren''t subservient to the sea god. However, none but Zhu''s father had had the courage to set out in search of a better life.


    Meanwhile, the generation before that had long since grown too used to their life to be able to question it, and Zhu''s father''s generation ended up much the same way.


    That Zhu''s father had been willing to brave dangerous waters for his ideals wasmendable; unfortunately, he didn''t have the strength to see it through. Once Zhu''s father died, the entire tribe was even more certain of their belief that the outside world was too dangerous. From then on, no one had suggested searching for a new ce to live.


    To the nine-headed sea cucumber, these merpeople wouldn''t make a filling meal; at most, they were just like snacks.


    All peak-grade lifeforms had at least rudimentary intelligence. The reason the sea cucumber hadn''t killed the tribe might have been because it was interested in the novelty of their worship, or perhaps because it thought of itself as rearing the tribe for an annual snack or two.


    Zhu had been influenced by her father from birth, and she had a craving for the outside world that none of the other tribespeople could match.


    ording to Zhu, her mother had contracted depression after her father''s death, and her body slowly wasted away. Ever since then, she had lived with her uncle.


    "Where''s your uncle, then?"


    Zhu shrugged. "He was the one you knocked aside at the entrance to the vige."


    Zhang Lie: ...


    "My uncle''s a terrible man, ayabout who does nothing but gamble all day long. He took over my parents'' house and sold all our furniture. In the end, when he ran out of money, he sold me as well. If he were to offer me as a sacrifice, he would receive arge pearl from the vige."


    The vige used pearls as its main currency.


    "You know the rest, Mister."


    Zhu didn''t want to be a sacrifice, so she ran away from the altar and, fortunately, crashed into Zhang Lie. Otherwise, with a child''s strength and stamina, she would ultimately have been caught and sacrificed.


    By the time she had finished telling her tale, they had arrived at their first destination.


    Zhu pointed forward. "Ahead lies the whirlpool strait."


    Zhang Lie nced in the direction of her hand. Countless whirlpoolsy ahead of them. Wind blew in huge gusts, sending huge waves crashing down all around them.


    "This strait is one of the seven forbidden regions of the seas."


    "What are the others?"


    Zhu raised three fingers. "The only other regions I know are the sea of mists, sea of storms, and sea of bones."


    Zhang Lie made up his mind then and there¡ªif he had a chance, he would visit all seven of these forbidden regions.


    The monarch of stars had listed a few peak-grade lifeforms in the seas, but the sura scouts hadrgely focused on terrestrial lifeforms instead.


    "Tell me about this whirlpool strait."


    "ording to the ancient legends of the merpeople, the whirlpool strait is home to a tyrannical creature who can consume the sun and the moon alike, the stars in the sky. The sun falls from the sky to be consumed by the tyrant, and its droppings morph into the moon, which rises from the strait. After the moon hangs above the sky for some time, it dissolves, and a new sun rises above the horizon.


    "The day proceeds until the next time the tyrant wakes up, at which point it devours the sun anew. Thus forms the cycle between day and night. My father once told me that the reason there are so few stars in the sky is because the tyrant has swallowed them all."


    "Heliocentrism? An interesting belief..."


    "Heliocentrism? What does that mean?"


    "Well, our world is round and spins on its axis even as it revolves around the sun¡ªhold on, does that apply to the second realm?"


    Who knew if the world of the second realm was truly spherical? No one had managed to head into outer space before. Once hunters reached a certain altitude, they were bounced back toward the ground by the will of the world.


    As they spoke, Zhang Lie and Zhu had approached the nearest whirlpool. Despite the fact that they were in the air, Zhang Lie still felt a strong suction force pulling him toward the sea. This was clearly an unusual phenomenon, and it hinted at these whirlpools'' artificial nature.


    No lifeform, avian or oceanic, would be able to pass through these whirlpools unscathed.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard and nced toward the center of the whirlpool, where he saw several scallop-like creatures.


    "It looks like there are indeed lifeforms generating these whirlpools from below."


    The whirlpools were of various shapes and sizes. The weaker and smaller ones were generated by mutated-grade lifeforms, and the whirlpools grewrger and stronger as the grade of their corresponding lifeforms went up.


    Zhang Lie seemed a little disappointed. "Is this the true face behind this whirlpool strait?"


    It was nothing more than a horde of unusual gic lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie was a little unhappy.


    "I hope the next location you''re guiding me towards does have lifeforms stronger than the nine-headed sea cucumber, or I''ll throw you into the sea and have these lifeforms gobble you up," Zhang Lie warned.

 Chapter 538: The Whirlpool Tyrant

    <h4>Chapter 538: The Whirlpool Tyrant</h4>


    Zhu cocked her head. "Even the sea god is unwilling to brave the perils of the whirlpool strait. Doesn''t that make these creatures stronger than the sea god?"


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Zhu wasn''t wrong, but this wasn''t the type of strength Zhang Lie was looking for. He snorted, unfurled his wings, and made to leave, but Zhu called him back.


    "Hold on, hold on! The tyrant of the strait hasn''t appeared yet!"


    Zhang Lie pointed a finger at the whirlpools thaty beneath him. "Aren''t these the tyrants you''re talking about?"


    "No!" Zhu replied. "The tyrant makes a hugemotion when it emerges from the depths. It''s iparable to these smaller whirlpools¡ªyou''ll see."


    Zhang Lie''s expression wasplicated. He was shocked and somewhat disbelieving of Zhu''s ims, but his expectations swelled.


    "The tyrant of the whirlpool strait tends to awaken in the evening."


    Zhang Lie hovered in the sky until evening, when the scallops closed up and the whirlpool strait became calmer than at any point during the day.


    The evening light filtered through the clouds and reflected dazzlingly over the surface of the water. The sparkling blue water and rosy clouds evoked a startling sensation of natural beauty, one which Zhang Lie hadn''t expected to see.


    Just above the horizon was a luminous, glowing sun, whose rays shone red as they pierced through the clouds, making the sky look as though it were burning up. Beneath the sun was an idyllic patch of crystal-clear sea, one which seemed to turn red from the evening sunlight.


    A sea breeze began to blow, and Zhang Lie felt unexpectedlyforted by the scenery. No matter when, no matter where, a sunset by the beach was a wonder to behold.


    The scallops each spouted out one final pir of water, not to attack Zhang Lie, but to expel all the water from their bodies and rece it with air before sinking toward the sea floor for a night''s rest.


    When the fading sunlight struck these pirs, they glowed golden, only adding to the natural beauty of the scene.


    He had visited the beach with his family once before. Back then, his parents were hale and hearty, and he had witnessed the sunset with Zhang Hanxiang. Suddenly, the image of Zhang Hanxiang seemed to be Zhu, still in his hands¡ªthey were both orphans who had lost their parents. Unexpectedly, Zhang Lie revealed a gentle smile as he reminisced about his idyllic childhood.


    "In a few moments, as the sun sets, we''ll see a corona of green light. Do you know why that happens?"


    Zhu: ? ? ?


    "As we know, when sunlight hits the atmosphere, it begins to refract. Sunlight might look white, but that light is actually abination of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet light¡ªthe seven colors of the rainbow. Each color of light has its own wavelength, red light having the longest and violet the shortest. The angle of refraction is determined by this wavelength¡ªred light is refracted the least, and violet light the most.


    "As a result, when the sun sets, thest color we should see should be violet or pale blue, but the wavelength of that light is so short that violet lightrgely diffuses away in the atmosphere, leaving only green light behind."


    At the time, he was still a clueless youth, who had parroted that paragraph from a book he''d found in a library in an attempt to impress his sister. Zhang Hanxiang pped her hands in amazement at his exnation, and Zhang Lie had be quite pleased with himself for some time afterwards.


    Instead of reacting with amazement, however, Zhu frowned. "I''ve never seen this green light..."


    It was Zhang Lie''s turn to be surprised. Before he could inquire further, an extraordinary spectacle urred.


    Tremors shook the sea and sky. The surface of the sea reverberated, as did the very air.


    An earthquake? No, that was impossible! The tremors were stronger than an earthquake. The surface of the sea began to rise, and choppy waves smashed against each other.


    An ancient voice came from deep underwater, as though the owner of that voice had lived for millennia. It echoed lowly from beneath the sea, much like the baying of a whale or the keening of a dragon. The surface of the sea darkened, as though a gigantic cloud had covered the sun. From above the surface of the sea, Zhang Lie looked down and saw a shadow of unbelievable magnitude beneath the water.


    Despite being high above the surface, he couldn''t see where the shadow ended. Ripples of energy spread about the shadow''s body, and a primordial aura emerged from the sea.


    The feeling was so intense that Zhang Lie felt as though he weren''t able to breath, and an instinctive tremor shook his body. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile¡ªafter all this time, after all this effort, he had finally experienced this aura once again.


    The aura of a disaster-grade lifeform.


    Even if he couldn''t see its full appearance just yet, its aura was proof enough. The incandescent sea seemed toe alive. Water spun more and more rapidly, as though the sea itself were breaking up, as though there were a mysterious force churning through it.


    Even the air began to swirl as a gigantic whirlpool formed in the sea and everything was sucked within. The effect extended beyond even the sea¡ªa twister formed in the air as a result of the pressure differential, and the suction force was so intense that the entire sky seemed liable to copse.


    Despite his strength, Zhang Lie was unable to remain steady in the air. The whirlpool seemed like a gigantic maw that consumed everything in its path. Even before Zhang Lie could make out its appearance, the world seemed to turn apocalyptic.


    Zhang Lie barely managed to remain in the air, straining against the pull of the whirlpool, when he suddenly felt a blinding light.


    The sun was setting. No¡ªthe sun was being dragged down by the whirlpool!


    "Swallowing the sun and the moon... isn''t that merely a legend?"


    No, it couldn''t be. Zhang Lie could feel the burning, scorching energy of the sun all around him, and his forehead beaded with sweat.


    In the blink of an eye, he shed away. The whirlpool hadn''t sucked down the sun, but it had somehow managed to take in some of the sun''s boundless energy for itself.

 Chapter 539: Another Disaster-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 539: Another Disaster-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    It felt as if a massive drain had opened up in the sea. Seawater whirled around it in a corkscrew, trying to fill the gaping hole. The air above the whirlpool formed a twister, one so strong that space distorted around it.


    Zhang Lie felt unfathomably small, as though he were nothing more than a bug.


    This wasn''t a whirlpool; it was a ck hole that would swallow everything up!


    Indeed, this had to be a disaster-grade lifeform, a disaster-grade lifeform on the level of an apocalypse. Not only did it manage to consume the seawater, it even consumed the radiant light of the sun. No¡ªto be specific, what the whirlpool was consuming was the energy of the sunlight incident on the surface of the sea.


    No matter how strong a disaster-grade lifeform was, it wouldn''t be able to swallow up the sun. What the whirlpool swallowed up was its remnant energy. That was why it was impossible to see the few seconds of green light that emerged at the end of a sunset¡ªthe whirlpool was swallowing it all up.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze turnedplicated. He was excited, but he had to take the measure of this foe carefully. This was a true disaster-grade lifeform, one that had grown into its prime.


    The energy of the sun was all but an infinite reservoir of power, even if the lifeform was only taking it in indirectly and at reduced efficiency.


    The sun''s power was greatly diminished at sunset, but even then, the energy that coursed through the lifeform was immense. What the sunlightcked in intensity, it made up for in volume¡ªthe whirlpool lifeform was sucking up the incident sunlight in an unbelievable region all around the whirlpool strait.


    They were quite some distance from the merpeople''s vige, but if Zhu had never seen that sh of green light, then the whirlpool lifeform had to be absorbing sunlight in at least a humongous area around it¡ªa circr region with a radius of at least ten nautical miles.


    Zhang Lie could hardly imagine just how strong such a lifeform had to be, if this was its daily intake of energy.


    As the remaining sunlight was swallowed up, night descended on the realm.


    Subsequently, a white pir of light connected the sea and the sky, tearing apart the darkness and illuminating the entire world. It was almost like a thick pir of lightning, whose crackle echoed through the sky long after the light had dissipated.


    The pir lit up the moon, and the stars began to twinkle.


    Rain fell from the skies. Zhu tried it. "It''s salty."


    Zhang Lie grinned maliciously. "Open your mouth wide! This is the snot from the whirlpool tyrant of the deep sea. It might extend your life¡ªwho knows?"


    Zhu shivered. "What?!"


    The beam of light was the energy from the sunlight that the whirlpool tyrant was unable to consume, which it subsequently released back into the sky.


    Under the light of the moon, the water vapor falling through the sky formed a rainbow.


    The conjunction of a rainbow and a starry, moonlit sky would have almost been romantic if not for the fact that the water vapor that was still drizzling down was essentially vomit from the whirlpool tyrant.


    Such was the facade behind which romance hid, after all. An "I LOVE YOU" formed from 999 roses was, in some sense, the same as an "I LOVE YOU" formed from 999 cockroaches. After all, growing so many roses surely needed a great deal of fertilizer, and fertilizer came from nothing but feces.


    Zhang Lie nced up at the sky. "Why are there two moons in the sky?"


    Zhu cocked her head. "Haven''t there always been two moons in the sky?"


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    Zhang Lie nced carefully at the second moon, the one that he didn''t recognize. It was slowly moving, and it radiated silver light as it did so.


    "Could it be another byproduct of the whirlpool tyrant''s vomit...?"


    Even after the tyrant had spat out the remnant sunlight, the suction force was as strong as ever. Indeed, it was so intense that even the starlight was being sucked toward its maw, forming a river of ster condensate that trailed down the sky and toward the center of the whirlpool.


    The ster light contained flecks of gold, green, silver, and blue, and it was a miraculous sight to behold.


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. This was where the legend of a monstrous lifeform swallowing up the sun and stars hade from!


    This was surely thergest and most dangerous disaster-grade lifeform that Zhang Lie had met to date. It consumed not only sunlight, but starlight as well. Just howrge was the whirlpool tyrant''s appetite?


    "I''ve caught a big fish."


    Even before he came, Zhang Lie was certain that oceanic lifeforms would be stronger than terrestrial ones, and the same would be true for the disaster-grade lifeforms at sea. He simply hadn''t expected just how much stronger such lifeforms would be.


    It had taken him months to find this one disaster-grade lifeform, and there was no way Zhang Lie was giving up on it now. He summoned Whitey and had it bring Zhu away to safety so he could fight without any distractions.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Because of the fact that he was at sea, all his water-attuned techniques would grow far stronger as a result.


    Sword energy filled the air, cutting apart the massive whirlpool. However, the suction from the whirlpool was so intense that it captured even the sword energy itself, which was consumed in its entirety in the blink of an eye...

 Chapter 540: Battling the Disaster-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 540: Battling the Disaster-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground¡­ before being swallowed up by the whirlpool.


    "You can''t eat everything you see." Zhang Lie snapped his fingers and detonated the two tablets. The swirling water suddenly began sloshing around, and the sea level began to fall.


    A ck shadow was emerging from the depths of the sea.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards simultaneously. Thick fur grew from his skin, followed by scales and a dragon''s ws, as he transformed into a draconic wolfman.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the seas. The haunted souls of the underworld could almost be seen in the darkness.


    Zhang Lie caught a glimpse of the gigantic lifeform beneath the sea, but before he could do more, huge waves rose all around him, trying to sweep him within. He sent the waves crashing down with a slice of his sword, only to be met with the humongous tail of a whale, which swung down at him with the force of the boundless sea.


    In its domain, the whirlpool tyrant was able to fight at full strength, but Zhang Lie avoided the attack deftly.


    Subsequently, a silvery-white pir burst out of the surface of the sea. Zhang Lie moved to dodge, only to see the remnants of his stone tablets being spat out by the whirlpool tyrant. Its gigantic tail mmed down on the surface of the sea and split it in two. Wind wailed, battering Zhang Lie, and a torrential downpour began to fall.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie thrust his de toward the sea as the ocean was dyed ck all around him. The sword energy roiled like ck waves as they spread out around the whirlpool tyrant.


    Only at sea could Zhang Lie''s [The Boundless de] show off its true potential.


    The waves of the underworld river smashed against the whirlpool tyrant''s tail, causing a huge explosion of gic energy. The ramifications of the fight extended from shore to shore.


    Zhang Lie''s technique broke against the underworld tyrant''s tail, but the tyrant didn''t go unharmed. It howled in pain, and the surface of the sea morphed into a giant tsunami.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood-red dragon tore apart the forming tsunami and out its other end.


    Zhang Lie immediately felt an aura that threatened to stop his body cold as a humongous ck figure, wreathed in seawater, appeared before him. It was sorge that Zhang Lie seemed like an ant inparison. The blood dragon smashed into the seawater andnded on the ck figure''s skin, leaving nothing but a faint scratch behind.


    The surface of the ocean trembled. Thanks to the moonlight, Zhang Lie was finally able to discern the true appearance of the figure that had previously been shrouded in shadow. It was a gic lifeform thatbined the characteristics of three lifeforms: the turtle, the dragon, and the whale. It had the form of a whale, the shell of a turtle, and the ws of a dragon.


    Its gigantic body was covered by a thick, sturdy shell, and four ws grew out where a turtle''s flippers would be. Its skin looked like a starry sky. Seawater revolved around it, as though the ocean itself was submitting to its presence. It was the tyrant of the whirlpool strait, the hegemon of the entire sea, the legend that swallowed the sun and stars.


    It opened its mouth and shot a golden beam of light at Zhang Lie.


    His eyes wide, Zhang Lie''s body split into dozens of clones. The golden light scoured the entire ocean before exploding over a nautical mile away. It vaporized part of the sea instantly. A wave of superheated water vapor smashed into Zhang Lie from the back, and he turned to see a cloud of steam rising into the air.


    The golden light left a deep furrow over the surface of the sea for minutes afterwards.


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked into a smile. "Not bad, not bad!"


    He knew that oceanic lifeforms were stronger than terrestrial ones. After his battle with the nine-headed sea cucumber, he estimated that they were roughly 30% stronger, but he hadn''t expected an oceanic disaster-grade lifeform to be so much stronger.


    The whirlpool tyrant opened its mouth again. Its starry skin seemed to glow and shift rapidly as ster radiance shot toward Zhang Lie like a thunderstorm, the brightness so piercing that it filled the entirety of Zhang Lie''s vision.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" But Zhang Lie didn''t fear the attack. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Zhang Lie''s attack shed against the ster beams. The force was such that the very sea parted in two, forming a front where the attacks shed against each other.


    Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. Zhang Lie continued pouring more and more gic energy into the technique, until it shot up a thousand meters high into the air.


    The whirlpool tyrant then expelled a beam of red light, one so scorching-hot steam trailed its path along the sea. This was surely the essence of the sunset, part of the strength that the whirlpool tyrant had umted over the years.


    .


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" As Zhang Lie''s sword technique shed against the red beam, arge quantity of seawater evaporated as steam.


    Zhang Lie''s technique might have been able to part a river, but not the sun. That said, the whirlpool tyrant''s attack was hardly as strong as the sun, and Zhang Lie''s own strength eclipsed his technique''s.


    With a loud shout, Zhang Lie infused more and more gic energy into his de, until he was able to split the beam in two. The energy whizzed around him and exploded to his back, sending his hair and clothes fluttering.


    Sensing that its attack had failed, the whirlpool tyrant tried to duck back underwater.


    "I won''t let you run off! [Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie''s de gleamed brightly as it cut across time and space, and he appeared right behind the whirlpool tyrant.


    The tyrant reacted near-instantaneously. As Zhang Lie emerged, it tried to sweep him away with its tail.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down by the tyrant''s side...

 Chapter 541: Swallowed Up

    <h4>Chapter 541: Swallowed Up</h4>


    The tablets were only able to stop the whirlpool tyrant momentarily, but that was enough for Zhang Lie.


    "[Time''s Passing]!" The des infused with the power of time immemorialnded on the tyrant''s body, but they had little effect. A century, a millennium¡ªall that was but a moment to the disaster-grade whirlpool tyrant, who had lived for eons.


    The pressure of the sea washed over Zhang Lie. Under the tyrant''s control, the pressure hindered Zhang Lie''s movements to a startling extent, making him feel as though he were trying to swim in the deep sea.


    If not for the strength of Zhang Lie''s own constitution, he might have beenpressed into nothing more than a ball of meat.


    The whirlpool tyrant keened once more with the power of its station and the depth of its being. The entire sea reverberated with it, causing the water pressure to grow stronger and stronger.


    It sounded like a warning, or perhaps a threat. It was announcing that it had the upper hand, that all this terrain belonged to him and him alone.


    Gritting his teeth and bearing the increased pressure, Zhang Lie rushed forward.


    The whirlpool tyrant began to make a move, swimming so quickly that it seemed to drag the entire sea along with it. Caught by the currents, Zhang Lie was swept up by the tyrant''s trajectory. He activated the first form of his [Ninecarp Transformation], transformed into a carp, and swam nimbly against the current.


    The tyrant''s movements became more and more rapid, forming an underwater cyclone that had the entire sea trembling and revolving in its wake. The tyrant opened its maw wide, and the seawater gushed into it as though it were a never-ending abyss.


    .


    Everything around it, fish and marine lifeforms alike, coral and granite and debris, was sucked toward its maw. Not even Zhang Lie was able to escape from its grasp.


    The whirlpool tyrant''s appetite seemed to be endless.


    On careful investigation, Zhang Lie noticed that the seawater that flooded into the tyrant''s body was forced out through its gills, leaving the solid matter behind.


    Zhang Lie felt his whole world turning topsy-turvy as he smashed against all sorts of debris.


    A ster river descended from the heavens. The ster light contained flecks of gold, green, silver, and blue, and it was a miraculous sight to behold. The sea shimmered with an otherworldly glow.


    That river led right into the whirlpool tyrant''s maw¡ªunder the tremendous suction it created, even the starlight was unable to escape its grasp.


    Deep in the sea, despite the effects of [Ninecarp Transformation], Zhang Lie found himself being drawn toward the tyrant''s maw. He was certain the tyrant could keep this up for the entire night if it had to¡ªand if that were the case, then he would need to take the initiative.


    Instead of resisting the current, Zhang Lie activated his white-grub soulshard and had it envelope his entire body, then allowed the current to carry him toward and into the tyrant''s maw.


    The moment he was swallowed, the turbulent waters turned calm and cid as the tyrant slowly swam through the sea.


    In mid-air, Zhu saw the whirlpool that had suddenly appeared in the sea vanish, and she heard the whirlpool tyrant keen loudly. Her heart skipped a beat. Could Zhang Lie have lost?


    After Zhang Lie was sucked into the tyrant''s body, he entered a ratherrge space. He activated his dragon''s eye soulshard and looked all around him¡ªhe was now within its body. The body of this whirlpool tyrant actually seemed to be connected to an extradimensional storage space, just like that of his potbellied-toad pouch.


    A strange power in his surroundings was corroding whatever had been sucked in and causing it all to decay. Once all the solids had liquefied, that liquid was absorbed by the walls of the space and then filtered out of the tyrant''s body as waste.


    If Zhang Lie''s body weren''t protected by his superior-grade white-grub soulshard, he would likewise have suffered the same fate. Even with his gic energy as a barrier against the strange corrosion, he would only be able to survive a little while longer.


    Zhang Lie anticipated that none of this solid matter would be able to provide any form of sustenance for the whirlpool tyrant. Its main diet was the evening sunlight and starlight, and it had to consume an entire night''s worth of it to feel satiated.


    Only that quantity of energy would be able to support such a massive lifeform.


    Every day, the tyrant would wake up at sunset, consume a night''s worth of energy, before falling back asleep.


    That sunlight and starlight wasposed of the gic energy that ran through the entirety of the second realm, though hardly any lifeforms were able to absorb it.


    The pocket dimension was unusually corrosive, and even the white-grub soulshard wouldn''t be able to protect Zhang Lie for long. Once the soulshard''s protection was exhausted, the corrosion would target Zhang Lie himself.


    He couldn''t waste any more time.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" Zhang Lie infused spiritual energy into his de, and the de gleamed more and more brightly as he charged up his technique.


    The silvery-white glow illuminated the entire pocket space, and the sword seemed to turn immaterial, as though it belonged to another ne of reality. No matter howrge this space was, it was still part of the whirlpool tyrant, and it connected to its belly.


    As long as the whirlpool tyrant had a soul, Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack would have an effect.


    The whirlpool tyrant howled as its body was suddenly attacked and its soul impaled from within. The seawater began to froth, and tall waves formed over the surface of the sea.


    The whirlpool tyrant could hardly believe that its prey had hurt it from within. Every other foe it had met could be swallowed cleanly into its stomach, where the foe would be dissolved into nothing. What was so different about this puny fighter?


    In the past, the whirlpool tyrant had only encountered oceanic lifeforms, none of which could target the soul directly.


    The whirlpool tyrant''s body was particrlyrge, sorge its outer walls could hardly be found. Even if its prey somehow ended up against a wall, those walls were sturdy and protected by a durable barrier.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie was different. He could strike at the whirlpool tyrant''s soul directly, a direct counter to its physical-based attacks.


    The tyrant was only now realizing how fearsome an opponent Zhang Lie was...

 Chapter 542: The Victor Has Been Decided

    <h4>Chapter 542: The Victor Has Been Decided</h4>


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Spiritual energy condensed into shining waves. Like a tsunami, the waves filled the entire pocket dimension and smashed against the whirlpool tyrant''s soul.


    Though the whirlpool tyrant''s strengthy in its physical body, no part of a disaster-grade lifeform was weak. The tyrant''s soul had been refined and honed by the sun and stars, and two spiritual attacks wouldn''t be able to kill it.


    The tyrant''s body tossed and turned in the sea, sending huge waves cascading down its body. Zhang Lie''s attacks were surprisingly effective, and it felt unimaginable pain that it had never experienced to date.


    Even before evolving into a disaster-grade lifeform, it hadn''t ever experienced such soul-splitting pain, one that struck at the heart of its body.


    It had battled with quite a few stronger oceanic lifeforms in the past, but those had only hurt his physical body. None like Zhang Lie had the ability to target an enemy''s soul.


    Given the whirlpool tyrant''s massive body, a physical injury was easily ignored and negated. After evolving into a disaster-grade lifeform, it no longer had any enemies to speak of¡ªall it did, day in and day out, was absorb the essence of the sun and stars before returning to the depths of the sea. No one offended it; no one dared to offend it.


    That day, however, the whirlpool tyrant experienced the greatest pain it had felt since its birth¡ªand all that was caused by an insignificant, diminutive lifeform.


    The whirlpool tyrant sucked in great gulps of seawater.


    "Onest blow!" The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon in the dim pocket dimension of the tyrant''s body. Sword energy materialized from Zhang Lie''s des into a blood dragon that revolved around him.


    Before he could attack, however, a great quantity of seawater rushed into the pocket dimension. Zhang Lie was still in the middle of charging up for an attack, and he was sucked away by the changing pressure due to his inattention.


    A pair of wings sprouted from Zhang Lie''s back, allowing him to stabilize himself in mid-air. He raised his hands, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him.


    The whirlpool tyrant expelled Zhang Lie from its body through its blowhole with incredible force, sending him out of the sea and into the air. Under the moonlight, he seemed to turn into a silvery-white pir of light.


    The whirlpool tyrant repeated its actions several times, and Zhang Lie had to p his wings to remain steady.


    Waves surged up in a circle around the whirlpool tyrant for miles on end.


    It was truly incensed¡ªas the tyrant of the whirlpool strait, the sea was its domain. No lifeform could challenge its authority, especially not a minuscule bug that hade out of nowhere!


    The whirlpool tyrant''s body burned with blood-red me as it summoned its reserves of sr energy. Red light streamed from its body and illuminated the entire sea¡ªit turned into a miniature sun that rose up high into the sky.


    On a faraway shore, the merpeople hiding in a cave by the cliff were roused awake in a dazed stupor. It hadn''t seemed like that long since they fell asleep¡ªwas it daybreak already?


    All the races of the sea, not just the merpeople, could see a rising sun from the midst of the ocean, one so bright it eclipsed the radiant moon.


    The entire sea turned red. Just above the horizon was a luminous, glowing sun, whose rays shone red as they pierced through the clouds, making the sky look as though it were burning up.


    The sea turned turbulent. Under the red light, gigantic waves crashed down beneath the sun the whirlpool tyrant had transformed into.


    Even without getting close, Zhang Lie could feel a hot, scouring wind burning his skin. From afar, Zhu''s face fell. She had never before seen such potent strength. The whirlpool tyrant looked as though it were about to devour everything in sight, and she was so scared she was paralyzed with fear.


    The moonlight wyrm Whitey evacuated with Zhu; just the fallout from Zhang Lie''s fight with the whirlpool tyrant was something it couldn''t bear.


    "Is this the true strength of the whirlpool tyrant?" Zhu wondered.


    It was far stronger than the sea god that her tribe had worshiped. With one move, it could send waves rippling over the entire sea. With one act, it could send light ring into the sky so brightly that it created a new dawn. This was a true god¡ªhow would Zhang Lie be able to challenge it?


    Zhu found it incredibly hard to believe that there could be other existences able to match the tyrant in strength. Zhang Lie seemed as though he were about to be swallowed up by the red sun himself.


    Facing the scorching wind, the approaching sun, Zhang Lie only smiled coldly. "Don''t you find it interesting that my white-grub soulshard¡ªforget it, you wouldn''t understand."


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers at the sun, causing the tyrant to stop in mid-air.


    The tyrant''s body rippled with energy that was not its own. As the ripples spread out over its body, time and space froze around it.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Within the whirlpool tyrant''s body, the four dragonturtle tablets formed a ck domain. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the space and forming an absolute domain over all things within and without.


    The whirlpool tyrant had made a terrible mistake in swallowing Zhang Lie¡ªit didn''t have the appetite or strength to contain him.


    Before being sent out of the tyrant''s body, Zhang Lie had stuck the four dragonturtle tablets to the interior of the pocket dimension by making use of the adhesive properties of his white-grub soulshard, all for this very moment.


    The tyrant''s defenses were crippled; it was nothing more than a target now.


    The whirlpool tyrant would have been able to expel the tablets from its body with seawater except for the fact that Zhang Lie had adhered them to the pocket dimension, a space that even the whirlpool tyrant didn''t have direct control of.


    "The victor has been decided!"


    Zhu stared openmouthed at the scene. The tyrant might have turned into a sun, but Zhang Lie had frozen that sun with just a snap of its fingers! Zhang Lie was even stronger than that godlike existence!


    She stared at him in awe.


    Nevertheless, the whirlpool tyrant hadn''t given up. Despite the slowed time, it continued to open its maw, from which a beam of golden light formed.


    Zhang Lie knew that he had to end the fight immediately.

 Chapter 543: Radiance of the Golden Qilin

    <h4>Chapter 543: Radiance of the Golden Qilin</h4>


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon revolved around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    A dragon of blood rushed out of the tide apanied by a series of dark, ck waves.


    The whirlpool tyrant ignited his body. Red light red all over the sea. Beneath the tyrant was a roaring patch of frothing red sea.


    With a gigantic torrent of energy, it broke free of Zhang Lie''s spatiotemporal constraints and shot out a beam of red light at him.


    The beam struck the dragon that Zhang Lie had summoned and burst apart in mid-air, igniting the heavens in me. The sea shook, and all the shores bordering the sea were beset with tidal waves.


    Far into the distance, the spectacle that was unfolding in the air shocked almost everyone in Renhuang awake. Sun Mengmeng leaped up onto one of the crag eagles'' watchtowers. Quite a few hunters had already done so; everyone was observing the blood-red sky.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "What''s going on?"


    No one knew whether this was an omen or a blessing.


    The hunters gathered in Renhuang watched the skies with unease. The red sky felt imposing; whether for good or for ill, it seemed to portend a major event.


    Above the sea, the tyrant''s beam continued to sh against Zhang Lie''s dragon. Its energy gradually dissipated, leaving behind the physical projectile that was the source of the attack, a ball of unknown material shining red-hot with heat.


    The energy of the beam might have been sapped away, but not the momentum of the projectile.


    Zhang Lie felt an immense pressure forcing him back, and he was surprised that something had survived [The Boundless de]. With both his swords together, he sent the ball of matter flying up into the air.


    Any regr object would have been disintegrated by his sword technique; what could the whirlpool tyrant be hiding? Was this... a whale gallstone?!


    When the whirlpool tyrant ingested seawater, all solid material was sent to its pocket dimension, whereas liquid was filtered out. Its corrosive ability was very strong, but there were still some materials that even it couldn''t dissolve. All that matter would umte in its digestive tract, forming a solid mass.


    The bottom of the sea boastedrge quantities of heavy metals or creatures that had ingested heavy metals. Massive lifeforms like whales had little control over what they consumed, let alone the whirlpool tyrant¡ªit was as though it sucked up everything within a patch of ocean like an underwater vacuum cleaner.


    The indigestible matter would aggregate, and Zhang Lie had seen that solid mass when he was swallowed into the pocket dimension. The matter that had survived the intense corrosion was unbelievably hard and resistant to corrosion.


    The whirlpool tyrant had to clean out its digestive tract daily, and the "moonlight" it spat out were these gallstones, which formed what seemed like a second moon hanging in the night sky.


    In some sense, it was akin to the whirlpool tyrant''s vomit, but it was undoubtedly a treasure that even Zhang Lie''s sword technique couldn''t disintegrate. It was sturdier and more durable than almost any metal, and there were plenty of alien races who would purchase it at a high price.


    This particr gallstone had been formed when the whirlpool tyrant sucked Zhang Lie into its body, and it ejected the stone now as a weapon against Zhang Lie.


    The tyrant''s body burned with a bright red me. Although it moved very slowly, it possessed an almost inexhaustible source of energy, and it was so massive that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to avoid it no matter how he moved.


    Zhang Lie activated the fifth form of his [Ninecarp Transformation]¡ªthe golden qilin. The red sky turned a brilliant gold, and even the moon turned golden.


    Zhang Lie''s body was encased in golden scales, almost like armor, and antlers grew out of his head. Golden mes burned all around him, releasing a holy aura. The ck sun to his back and bloody moon beneath his feet made him look like a god that had descended from the heavens.


    The sea continued to surge and frothe, its surface gleaming gold. The golden sky and golden sea seemed to merge into one cohesive whole.


    Zhang Lie glowed as brightly as the sun.


    The sky that suddenly turned red one moment and gold the next caused the entirety of the second realm to panic, especially those that lived by the sea. No one knew what was going on; this time, even the sea had turned to gold.


    The races that had lived by the sea for their entire lives had never seen such a phenomenon. Some were certain it was the precursor to an apocalypse; others, a blessing from the heavens. No one could agree.


    Zhu stared open-mouthed. "Just who are you?"


    She didn''t know what race Zhang Lie came from, but she was certain that his race was a mysterious one. In the span of the fight, he had gone from a hairless monkey to a wolfman to a draconian fighter. Just which form was his true form?


    In his golden qilin form, Zhang Lie no longer felt the scorching heat that the whirlpool tyrant was releasing.


    As he faced the whirlpool tyrant, Zhang Lie smiled casually.


    As his twin des danced, he bisected the whirlpool tyrant through its center. The cut met no resistance at all. The two halves of the tyrant''s body split apart on either side of Zhang Lie and fell to the sea with a great ssh.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his sword and canceled his transformation as the will of the world''s voice rose in his mind.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade dragonturtle whale. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade dragonturtle whale, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie let out a long breath. The whirlpool tyrant had been far stronger than the double-headed spider he had found in a mountainous cave; the disaster-grade spider was little more than an ordinary spider inparison.


    The will of the world had been paying careful attention to the fight. The power that Zhang Lie and the disaster-grade lifeform gave off clearly exceeded the limit of the second realm, but the will of the world chose not to make an appearance, as though it were scared by Zhang Lie...

 Chapter 544: Disaster-Grade Soulshard

    <h4>Chapter 544: Disaster-Grade Soulshard</h4>


    Under ordinary circumstances, the will of the world would cordon off any battle that Zhang Lie took part in. For other people, that barrier would be sufficient to curtail the aftermath of the fighting, but Zhang Lie had, without fail, smashed apart all such barriers unintentionally. The will of the world would have to re-establish each cordon it put up in just a few moments.


    As a result, it had simply given up¡ªthe fight between Zhang Lie and the whirlpool tyrant was beyond its ability to restrict.


    Against the twobatants, its barriers might as well have been made of papier mache.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade dragonturtle and obtained its soulshard.]


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. Even he hadn''t expected to obtain one so early¡ªthis was a treasure he hadn''t obtained even in his past life.


    "A disaster-grade soulshard!" Zhang Lie nced at the resplendent object that condensed in his palm. Within the soulshard floated an ornate blue-gold ring inset with a miniature dragonturtle whale¡ªit was an equipment-type soulshard!


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked into a smile as he stored the ring in his soulspace. He was rich! Although this disaster-grade soulshard wasn''t designed for battle, it was an extremely rare spatial-type soulshard that would be a marked improvement over his superior-grade potbellied-toad soulshard.


    Not only was it able to store items, it could even store living creatures, perhaps because it was water-attuned. He might even be able to drag an enemy unwillingly into this soulshard, though it didn''t possess the same digestive properties that the whirlpool tyrant''s stomach did.


    Regardless, Zhang Lie was very satisfied with his new acquisition.


    After he put on the ring, Whitey floated down with Zhu in tow. The moment Zhu stepped down from the wyrm, she circled Zhang Lie as though she had discovered something novel.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''re you doing?"


    "Just what race are you?"


    "I''m a human."


    Zhu''s eyes sparkled. "Are all humans so strong? Can they all be a wolf one moment and a dragon the next?"


    Zhang Lie mulled her words over. "More or less. Why?"


    As long as these humans possessed a transformation-type soulshard, they could transform into whatever they wanted¡ªa wolf, a bird, a chimpanzee, a gigantic dragon.


    Suddenly, he kicked Zhu into the sea. Momentster, she emerged sputtering, "What are you doing?!"


    "You smell bad."


    Zhu''s face flushed. When the whirlpool tyrant had used one of its strongest techniques, she had been so scared that she had peed herself! She hurriedly dove back down into the water to clean herself.


    Zhang Lie instructed the moonlight wyrm, "I''m going to be absorbing the disaster-grade core in a moment. Guard me and make sure that that girl doesn''t approach."


    After the moonlight wyrm devoured the monarch of stars'' tens of thousands of souls, it had gained a consciousness of its own, and it was even able to materialize a physical body. At present, it could appear no different from an ordinary lifeform.


    Zhang Lie could hardly wait to devour that disaster-grade core. He felt as though he was bing a gourmet, and this was his food of choice. He wanted to grow stronger and stronger, and the more that craving grew, the more he coveted disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie extracted the whirlpool tyrant''s core from the left half of its body.


    It was significantlyrger than the double-headed spider''s core that he had absorbed, and it was different in quality as well. The core of the double-headed spider was ck and thorny, whereas the whirlpool tyrant''s core was like a miniature sun.


    The sun''s energy swirled within it like seawater. The core was encased in a transparent exterior. Zhang Lie could see a sea of mes burning within, and a starry sky above it.


    After extracting the core from the whirlpool tyrant''s body, the entire orb turned blood-red.


    The orb was about the size of a fist and made of an impressively hard material. It was scorching to the touch, almost debilitatingly so.


    This was the gic core of a disaster-grade lifeform, the source of all their energy¡ªtheir heart.


    Just from holding it in his hands, Zhang Lie could feel an oppressive energy radiating out from it. The heatpped at his skin, and he felt as though his whole body was burning up.


    Zhang Lie knew that this wasn''t just a mental sensation. Part of his palm had already ckened as a result of holding it for just a few moments¡ªand his body had already been strengthened significantly with his limit fragments and by consuming disaster gene fragments. Anyone else would have disintegrated upon touching the orb.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound five times before the transformation wasplete. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    It took him an entire hour before he felt the core start to soften. After another ten minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely. Blood-red seawater flowed steadily within the core, shining with the rays of the evening sun.


    When Zhang Lie clutched the orb once more, what he felt wasn''t a scorching pain, but rather a palliative warmth, as though he had developed some unusual sense of kinship with the orb, as though it were already part of his body.


    Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole. As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body.


    Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart in his stomach.


    "Ah¡ªAhhh!" Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn. He hissed into the air, and his blood began to froth and boil.


    mes burst out of his body; fire erupted over his skin. He became a man of me, a burning sun.


    Despite how resilient Zhang Lie was, he still fell to the ground in unimaginable pain. His head spun as he forced himself upright one stumbling step at a time.


    Scarlet mes came out of his mouth and ears, and the skies were dyed a lurid red once more.


    Zhang Lie''s blood boiled away entirely.


    He had never before absorbed twenty disaster gene fragments, not even in his past life. As a result, he didn''t know that he had just reached a new threshold of being.


    The blood that left his body was reced by scorching liquid energy, and his heart crystallizedpletely, burning and fuelling his body like a miniature sun, an immense and frightening source of boundless energy...

 Chapter 545: Anointed by Fire

    <h4>Chapter 545: Anointed by Fire</h4>


    The process of absorbing gene fragments from gic lifeforms was, in principle, a gradual transformation from a human hunter to a gic lifeform. Absorbing basic gene fragments gave a human the strength to fight at the level of a regr-grade lifeform.


    With sufficiently many mutated gene fragments, that human would be a mutated-grade lifeform, and subsequently a superior-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie was undergoing such a process now.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms were, in some sense, life on another level of existence. They were to superior-grade lifeforms what gic lifeforms were to regr animals.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms no longer possessed blood, and their organs were all crystallized. This was a fundamental difference into their gic code, and Zhang Lie''s body faced an incredible challenge in bridging the gulf between these two paradigms of life.


    He had absorbed enough disaster gene fragments to initiate the evolution of a peak-grade to a disaster-grade lifeform.


    The pain was unimaginable.


    His skin crisped as it burned and ked off his body. The heat was so intense that it caused the seawater all around him to evaporate and sent salt crystals flying.


    The blood in Zhang Lie''s circtory system was reced with scorching liquid energy that made his body burn up as it spread.


    His cells exploded from the heat before being forged anew, once and again, changing his body from the inside out.


    Zhang Lie circted his [Ninecarp Transformation]. Filled with energy, each revolution of the framework took mere moments¡ª just over half a minute, an incredible and previously unimaginable speed.


    Even Zhang Lie himself could barely believe it, considering that this had previously been an hour-long process that required his full concentration.


    Even more shockingly, this speed was increasing moment by moment. His new ''blood'' proved to be incredibly conductive to his gic energy, and his evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the whirlpool tyrant''s core.


    By the very end of the process, Zhang Lie felt as though he was able to finish hundreds of revolutions of his framework within a minute.


    His body creaked and ached as it reached its breaking point, his bones breaking and regrowing time and again, his capiries bursting beforeing back thicker and thicker.


    His body was being rebuilt from the inside out.


    Upon reaching the threshold of twenty disaster gene fragments, the process of absorbing disaster gene fragments grew even more strenuous. Energy from the core was being transferred directly to Zhang Lie and consolidated as his own strength.


    mes burst out of his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, singeing his eyeballs and tongue. He zed like a furnace, and the blood-red skies were saturated with heat and brightness. The seawater turned red all around him, seething and frothing in a white cloud that covered Zhang Lie''s body. The entire world seemed aze; a pir of fire rose into the air, expelling all impurities from Zhang Lie''s body.


    In these mes, Zhang Lie would be reborn.


    Stricken by me, his body was no longer able to support his human form. His body temperature rose to an incredible degree, and even his water-attuned framework was unable to cool him down. His evolution was growing entirely out of control.


    This evolution was life-or-death for Zhang Lie. If he made it out alive, he would possess incredible power; if not, he would perish, disintegrated into nothingness by the overwhelming energy coursing through him.


    If not for his overwhelming willpower, Zhang Lie would long since have been rendered unconscious. Even so, with his body at its breaking point, consciousness didn''t matter. That he had survived absorbing disaster gene fragments in the first realm was shocking enough, but the potency of this evolution in the second realm went even a magnitude beyond the first.


    With thest shred of his consciousness, Zhang Lie activated the fifth form of his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    The clouds above him turned golden. Golden scales encased Zhang Lie''s charred body, almost like armor, and antlers grew out of his head. Golden mes burned all around him, releasing a holy aura. The ck sun to his back and bloody moon beneath his feet made him look like a god that had descended from the heavens.


    The golden sky and golden sea seemed to merge into one cohesive whole.


    After taking on his draconian form, the strength and constitution of his body became much more potent than before. More importantly, the qilin was innately adept at controlling and manipting fire, and Zhang Lie was able to curb the mes from scouring his body away.


    As the mes of evolution continued to burn within him,his golden qilin scales grew brighter and brighter, twisting the very air with heat.


    The mes continued to temper his body from within, and sparks of fire would re out of his scales from moment to moment.


    After an interminable period, when the mes finally subsided, Zhang Lie let out a hissing breath and canceled his transformation, returning to his original body.


    His charred skin was growing back at a clip visible to the naked eye, revealing new skin as unblemished as white jade, as though he had been born anew.


    Zhang Lie''s eyeballs and tongue grew back. His tongue hadn''t changed, but his eyes werepletely different from before. His pupils looked like miniature scarlet suns, brimming with energy.


    Even his bones and capiries were well on their way to crystallizing, but the transformation was yet iplete. Blood no longer flowed through his body.


    Zhang Lie felt indefatigable, that he had boundless energy he would never be able to spend in its entirety.


    Zhu swam back toward him from afar. He had caused such a great disturbance during the process of his evolution that she simply couldn''t draw near; the air had turned superheated, and the sea had begun to boil. Zhu would surely have died if she had dared to venture closer.

 Chapter 546: Disaster-Grade Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 546: Disaster-Grade Transformation</h4>


    Only when Zhu saw Zhang Lie''s surroundings calming down did she finally dare to approach.


    "What happened to you just now?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t reply. He sent a casual punch to his right, away from where Zhu was standing. He used no technique and barely any force.


    A huge boom caused the sea and sky to tremble. The sound waves that resulted struck them both. Over the distance, the surface of the sea erupted in a wave hundreds of meters tall.


    Wave after wave shook the sea. The seawater exploded into the air and dropped back down as rain, causing the surface of the sea to cave in, as though arge part of the ocean had been eaten up.


    Zhu stared open-mouthed at the scene. Although Zhang Lie could have caused such amotion with his original strength, he wouldn''t have been able to do so so casually.


    She could clearly sense the growth in his abilities. In the past, he had seemed to her like a boundless ocean, wide without end, deep without bottom. Now, however, Zhang Lie felt like a burning sun.


    Even the boundless ocean would vaporize under his infinite energy and relentless heat. No one would be able to touch him; even looking directly at him made one''s eyes burn.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists as he felt the power frolicking through his body, the tremendous strength that seeped into his very bones. He didn''t know just how strong he had be, but he was certain nowhere in the second realm was closed to him now. Even if another whirlpool tyrant were to appear, he would be able to take it on easily without his golden qilin transformation.


    Zhang Lie retrieved a set of clothes from his potbellied-toad soulshard and threw it toward Zhu.


    "Change into these clothes and let''s set off."


    Zhang Lie''s attitude toward Zhu had changed considerably. She knew more about the seas than he had expected, and he had only found his second disaster-grade lifeform because of her presence.


    Zhang Lie''s trust in her was now far higher than his trust in theption of the monarch of stars. For one thing, he wouldn''t have learnt of the seven forbidden zones of the sea without her.


    Zhu nodded as she climbed up onto the moonlight wyrm. Her face red, she asked, "Can you turn around?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. To be frank, given the development in his sensory organs, he would be able to sense her actions keenly even from a hundred meters away.


    Zhu quickly put on her new outfit, but it was rather toorge¡ªher body was much smaller than Zhang Lie''s, after all.


    After a long and tiring battle, followed by an even more strenuous transformation, Zhang Lie didn''t want to continue flying. Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "Whitey, let''s head onward to our next location!"


    Whitey nodded. It swam toward the main half of the whirlpool tyrant''s body and began to push it along. Ever since the fight against the monarch of stars, Whitey had been able to take on material form.


    The whirlpool tyrant''s body was crystalline in nature, and it wouldn''t release any nauseating odors even in death. It was able to float on the sea because of its rtively low density.


    The reason Zhang Lie wanted to bring the whirlpool tyrant''s body with them was in order to repel weaker lifeforms. If any disaster-grade lifeforms were to approach him, however, so much the better.


    Zhu asked curiously, "Now that the whirlpool tyrant''s dead, will the whirlpool strait no longer have any whirlpools?"


    "Perhaps not at night, but there are still those scallop-like lifeforms during the day."


    Zhu asked, "Where are we going next?"


    "To a nearby vige so you can get a new change of clothes."


    ording to the monarch of stars'' map, there was a nearby location that had a peak- or higher-grade lifeform. Since it was on the way, Zhang Lie decided to go have a look.


    Back in the surands, after the gathering of the sura, the generals of each sura kingdom''s army began rallying their forces toward Renhuang.


    "Renhuang has created a poison that will doom us sura. This is a war for the survival of the sura¡ªif we don''t destroy Renhuang, we will be destroyed! It''s us or the humans¡ªonly one race will survive this war!"


    .


    The sura kings exaggerated the development of the Yeluo poison and depicted Renhuang as a den of evil. This was amon strategy¡ªto vilify your opponents and, by extension, to sanctify yourself. The sura kings even made use of the unusual phenomenon that had appeared in the skies overnight.


    "That phenomenon was an omen from the heavens, a sign from the asura themselves! We have to destroy Renhuang¡ªwe have to win this war!"


    The sura kingdoms began sending their forces toward Renhuang. The five sura monarchsbined their strength and set up a military headquarters from which they wouldmand the uing battle.


    The monarch of the moon announced proudly, "Thest group of sura forces has just set off. Over a thousand sura kingdoms are attacking Renhuang simultaneously, with over a hundred millionbined forces!


    "This will be a war of unimaginable scale. Given our numbers, the tiny Renhuang has no chance of sess at all. Even if it somehow gains the cooperation of all the alien races in the sura realm, their forces will perish just by the sheer discrepancy in our numbers."


    The monarch of the sun frowned. "Don''t get ahead of yourself."


    The monarch of the moon chuckled at himself. "I apologize. I''ve been making too many speeches as ofte, and I''m starting to believe my own drivel too."


    The monarch of the sky asked, "What do all of you think about this battle?"


    The monarch of the moon shrugged. "What else? Who can withstand the might of a hundred million sura?"


    The monarch of the sun frowned. "Who knows? No one believed that Renhuang would be able to survive a seven-kingdom coalition, but it continues to stand. When the empire of stars sent its forces against Renhuang, the monarch of stars had to believe that victory was assured¡ªbut once again, Renhuang emerged unscathed."


    He narrowed his eyes. "Let''s observe the battle carefully. Renhuang has to die, no matter what. We''ll have these sura kings test the waters for us."


    What the sura kings didn''t know was that the sura monarchs were simply treating them like cannon fodder; to them, the sura kings were so numerous and so weak that they might as well be ants.

 Chapter 547: Another Brat

    <h4>Chapter 547: Another Brat</h4>


    The monarch of the sky steepled his fingers in anticipation. "I''m very curious as to the origin of the governor of Renhuang, as well as his strength."


    At that moment, the governor of Renhuang had just made it to a small vige of an alien race right by the shore.


    The residents of this small vige were rather simr to the merpeople, but they were different in that they had gills by their ears.


    On the other hand, the merpeople didn''t have such features. The vigers had deep blue skin and rather stout statures. Scales patterned their skin. Whereas the merpeople tended to look more humanoid, the vigers here looked more like fish.


    In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhang Lie draped arge cloak over his body. On the other hand, Zhu''s features were simr enough to those of the vigers that she didn''t need a specific disguise.


    Zhang Lie had already helped Zhu purchase a set of new clothes, but they were more revealing than he had expected. Her new outfit was a crop top and a short skirt made of a material that was unknown to him. It looked like swimwear, which was particrly fitting for her.


    ording to the vigers, it was made with a special type of seaweed, and Zhang Lie had bartered just about fifty pounds of peak-grade meat for it.


    To Zhang Lie, peak-grade meat was all but worthless¡ªhe had tons of it, literal tons, in his storage, but fifty pounds was a considerable amount for the vigers. There wasn''t much food avable in the sura realm, and the only races that didn''t have concerns about food were ones that had established cities and farms.


    Food was still rather scarce and difficult toe by in small viges, let alone anything as nutritious as peak-grade meat. The other party was astounded that Zhang Lie was willing to pay so much, but he didn''t mind as long as Zhu was happy.


    After she put on her new clothes, Zhu was so happy that she began to pirouette on the spot, unable to rein in her smile. After her mother had died, this was the first time she was receiving new clothes.


    Zhang Lie had stored the whirlpool tyrant''s body before approaching the vige, and he had flown himself and Zhu over.


    Whitey wasn''t able to swim at a rapid pace if it had to push the whirlpool tyrant''s body along, and that body was far too eye-catching. Zhang Lie even considered getting a boat, but they wouldn''t be able to steer arge one, and a small one was far less useful than his wings.


    A small craft wouldn''t be able to survive at sea; it would be ovee by peak-grade lifeforms in no time. Of course, given Zhang Lie''s strength, he had nothing to fear, but there was always the possibility of capsizing. A peak-grade lifeform swimming past or under the boat could easily create enough turbulence to cause it to flip.


    When he asked Zhu for suggestions, she shook her head. "I don''t know. The merpeople don''t need boats..."


    It was unrealistic to find a boat that could defend against a disaster-grade lifeform''s attack, so what he had to do was find an appropriate soulshard instead. He was a human, and soulshards were a human-only enterprise. That was the best ce for him to start.


    Zhang Lie continued asking, "Have you seen any gic lifeforms that look like boats¡ªforget it, you haven''t seen boats before."


    Zhu frowned and crossed her arms. "I might not have seen boats, but my father has! He told me about them himself."


    Zhang Lie reached out and rubbed her head. He was about to ask her about where she had seen these boats when cries came from the vige. "A lifeform ising, a lifeform ising! Help!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. Had he found the lifeform of the monarch of stars'' notes so quickly? ording to the monarch of stars, it was a ''seaweed beast''. There was nothing else listed but its name. It was unlikely to be a disaster-grade lifeform, but who could say for certain?


    If it were, Zhang Lie would hate himself for missing out.


    A child continued to yell, "A lifeform ising, a lifeform ising! Help!"


    The nearby vigers didn''t seem to care about the child at all.


    Zhang Lie walked up toward the child. "Where was this lifeform you saw?"


    The child said, in exaggerated fashion, "I''m telling you, it was a frightening beast! Covered in seaweed all over, asrge as a mountain¡ª"


    A middle-aged man grabbed the child from behind and yelled, "You''re still here making things up and trying to swindle others!"


    The child struggled to break free. "I''m telling the truth! A frightening lifeform ising¡ªdidn''t you all see how the skies lit up in red and goldst night? I bet it''s because of that lifeform!"


    Zhu sent a mischievous smile at Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie''s face didn''t change.


    The man turned to Zhang Lie and exined, "You''re from elsewhere, aren''t you? Don''t listen to this little rascal. After his father left, he seemed to be addled in the head. He shouts and tells us daily that a lifeform is approaching¡ªinitially, we were all shocked by his ims, but as the days passed and no lifeform approached, no one would trust him anymore.


    The child continued to struggle as the man continued, "We don''t know what happenedst night. It was as if the seas themselves were enraged, with waves pounding on our vige, the skies turning gold and red... and perhaps because of all that, this brat''s at it again."


    The child suddenly opened his mouth and made to bite at the man, who yelped and let go. The child struck the ground with a pained grunt, but he scrambled up and ran off.


    "What a rascal." The man didn''t seem to mind; this wasn''t his first time grappling with the child. He sighed. "Actually, he''s a pitiful child himself. His father left him and his mother behind, never to return¡ªah, where did they go?"


    When the man raised his head, he found that Zhang Lie and Zhu had vanished from his sight like a puff of smoke.


    The man rubbed his eyes. "I can''t be seeing things, can I?"


    The child ran toward the back of the vige and began to w at the bark on a tree. "I''m not lying¡ªthe beast really does exist!"


    "Can you tell me about this mysterious lifeform?"


    When Zhang Lie''s voice suddenly appeared from behind, the child yelped and turned around. "When did you get here?!"


    .


    "That''s not important. I want to hear more about this mysterious lifeform from you." It was trivial for Zhang Lie to follow a little kid.


    The child seemed very surprised. "You believe me?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Rather than that, it''s more like I came here in search of the beast."


    The child''s mouth was agape.


    Zhu said, "I believe you too. My father told me that there was a very strong lifeform around."


    Zhang Lie turned to Zhu. "You knew? Why didn''t you say anything?"


    Zhu rolled her eyes. "My father told me about countless such lifeforms. How should I remember them all? I simply remembered once I got close to this vige."


    Furthermore, Zhu didn''t know much beyond the fact that it was around this vige.


    The child''s eyes brimmed with hope as he asked again, "Do you really believe me?"


    Zhu folded her arms. "Of course!"


    "No one would believe me¡ªmy father left in search of this beast. There''s no way he would leave me and my mom behind!"

 Chapter 548: A Lucky Charm

    <h4>Chapter 548: A Lucky Charm</h4>


    "Tell me more." Zhu seemed very curious about the child''s circumstances.


    "My name is Huai Geng. When I was very young, about thirteen years ago, a few outsiders came to the vige to search for my father. They had learned of the mysterious beast that lived around the vige, and they threatened to kill everyone in the vige if he didn''t lead them to the beast. They were very strong, and my father was no match for them. He had no choice but to follow suit."


    "Thirteen years ago?!" Zhu shouted. "How old are you?"


    "I''m seventeen."


    "You''re seventeen?" Zhu looked him up and down. Seventeen, truly? He hardly looked anything more than a child. Perhaps his life in the vige was hard, and he wasn''t able to eat enough.


    Huai Geng looked down, aggrieved. "Ever since my father left, he never returned. Everyone said that my father ran off because he was tired of his family, and theyughed at me for being fatherless."


    Zhu patted Huai Geng on the shoulder. "It must hurt, doesn''t it? Don''t worry, my father left me as well. I fully understand your loneliness."


    Huai Geng raised his head in shock. "You, too?"


    As though he had just found apanion, Huai Geng''s eyes lit up brightly.


    Zhu patted her chest and announced proudly, "But I''m even luckier. After my father died, my mother also perished a short whileter because of her broken heart. I was sent to live with my uncle, a deplorable human, and subsequently became the sacrifice to a sea god."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "And just what part of that was lucky?"


    Despite his initial desire to be rid of her, he looked at her with no small amount of pity.


    What was most unlucky about her wasn''t the depressing and upsetting events she had to go through, it was the fact that she didn''t have the time to feel depressed or upset about what had happened.


    Huai Geng nced at her withpassion. At the very least, he still had his mother.


    Zhu frowned at the twin gazes directed his way. "What are all of you looking at me like that for? I''m living an excellent life¡ªthis mister''s going to take care of me, and we''re traveling the realm! I''m finally going to be able to see sights that I''ve never been able to see before, oceans and seas that I''ve never explored¡ªI''m finally understanding why my father loved adventure, because this world is truly glorious."


    Zhu''s eyes shone like stars, like precious gems, innocent and pure. Her excitement was contagious.


    Zhang Lie nced up at the sky. He had barely done anything...


    "Is it really so exciting?" Huai Geng asked. "Why don''t youe home with me? It''s the first time I''m meeting people who are willing to believe me, and I''d like to be a good host."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "We don''t have much time. We came here in search of that lifeform, so please tell us what you know."


    Although Zhu might have been happy to find a friend of around the same age as her, they wouldn''t be sticking around the vige for long. If he and Zhu were to be friends, it would only make both of them sad when Zhang Lie had to depart.


    Huai Geng shook his head. "I don''t know where the lifeform is, either."


    If he did, he wouldn''t have had to suffer being called a liar for so long, after all.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Think carefully. In which direction were your father and those mysterious figures headed?"


    Although Huai Geng had been very young, the events of that day had been so memorable to him that they had all been ingrained in his memory.


    After thinking for a moment, Huai Geng said, "If I''m not wrong, they headed toward the direction of the nearby cave. My father also told me before that the lifeform was in that direction."


    Zhu replied, "We''re not familiar with the surroundings."


    "In that case, let me bring you over." Zhu was the first person to have believed him, and Huai Geng was already treating her like a friend. That he would help Zhang Lie out was solely a courtesy for her.


    Zhang Lie was certain that, if he hade alone, Huai Geng would have all but ignored him. Zhu''s age and appearance, along with their shared background, caused him to sympathize with her. If Zhang Lie had asked him for specifics, Huai Geng might have mentioned the cave, but he certainly wouldn''t have brought him there.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that Zhu seemed to be a lucky charm; with her around, everything became far simpler.


    Zhu asked curiously, "Just who were these outsiders who asked your father to be their guide? What did they look like?"


    Huai Geng gnashed his teeth. "Some had red skin, others had blue skin. They had horns on their forehead and didn''t look like seafarers.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Did they look fierce and carry a scent of blood around them?"


    "Right, do you know them?"


    "More or less." These were none other than sura!


    It looked as though Zhang Lie didn''t have as good an understanding of the empire of stars as he had expected. Just a decade before, there were sura interested in peak- or higher-grade lifeforms.


    "How curious." ording to the autobiography of the monarch of stars, he had given up this search over a century ago. This list of lifeforms had been created then, and it hadn''t changed since.


    "Or perhaps it wasn''t the monarch of stars?" Were there other sura searching for such lifeforms, and for what purpose?


    Huai Geng tugged on his shirt. "Do you know what race they are? What they''re called?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "If you want to seek revenge, I advise you to give up. With your strength, they''d pummel you to death."


    Huai Geng clenched his fists. "I might be short, but believe me, among those of my generation¡ª"


    Zhang Lie suddenly unleashed a tremendous aura, the aura of a scorching sun, as though a disaster-grade lifeform stood before Huai Geng. Huai Geng''s eyes rolled back as he fainted to the ground.


    Zhu stomped her feet. "Mister, he fainted!"


    "Che, he''s far too weak!"


    Zhang Lie had been trying his best to restrain himself; if he had unleashed his killing intent as well, Zhun Gang might have gone crazy or even died on the spot.


    With him unconscious, it would be very difficult for them to find the cave. Zhang Lie retrieved a bit of drinking water from his extra-dimensional storage and sshed it over Huai Geng''s head, startling him awake. He nced to his left and to his right before shuddering as he recalled the events that led to him fainting.


    Zhang Lie shook his head in exasperation. "Just how do you expect to seek revenge like this? You can''t even survive my aura!"


    Huai Geng had grown more than a little scared of Zhang Lie after that experience, and his body trembled upon hearing Zhang Lie''s voice.


    "I''ll grow stronger for sure!" Huai Geng clenched his fists.


    "We can talk once you''ve actually grown stronger." Zhang Lie pointed ahead of him. "Now, lead on!"


    Huai Geng asked, "Will you help me be stronger?"


    "No."


    "Why not?"


    "I don''t have time." Zhang Lie had no intention of bing a nanny.


    "In that case, when will you have time?"


    "Once you''ve be strong."


    Zhu: ...

 Chapter 549: A Lifeforms Lair

    <h4>Chapter 549: A Lifeform''s Lair</h4>


    Zhu broke Zhang Lie off. "Alright, alright, let''s go! I''d like to see this lifeform for myself!"


    Very quickly, the three of them ended up at a mountain close to Huai Geng''s vige, one filled with rocks and a sharp cliff. Wavespped the cliff and broke against it.


    This wasn''t a particrly eye-catching location, filled with nothing but rocks and sea. Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard. He didn''t spot the soul of a disaster-grade lifeform, but there were some remnant traces of spiritual essence.


    "Follow me!"


    Remnant spiritual essence was produced when a lifeform was killed. In general, that essence dissipated very quickly. Most people were unable to see or sense the soul or spiritual essence, so such phenomena didn''t tend to receive much attention.


    That remnant spiritual essence would appear here, in such great quantities that there were still traces remaining, suggested that at least over a hundred lifeforms had recently died in the area.


    With the two youths in tow, Zhang Lie flew around the cliff until he found a cave whose entrance seemed to have caved in. Huai Geng''s eyes opened wide. "There was a cave here?"


    Zhu asked, "You didn''t know?"


    Huai Geng shook his head. "The elders in the vige told us that the cliff was extremely dangerous, and that we should avoid it if at all possible. I came over here a few times, but I can hardly traverse the cliff wall so easily. Mister, I''d like to learn how to do this too. Won''t you teach me?"


    Zhu rolled her eyes at him. "Even I haven''t asked mister to teach me¡ªit''d be my turn before yours!"


    Zhang Lie ignored the squabbling children and picked up a piece of rubble. "This cave should only have caved in recently."


    Zhu asked curiously, "How did you know, Mister?"


    If it hadn''t caved in recently, the spiritual essence would already have dissipated away. In other words, there had likely been something or someone living in the cave beforehand.


    Huai Geng suddenly spoke up. "Ah! Perhaps this was the source of themotion yesterday?"


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Zhu: ¡­


    Neither Zhang Lie nor Zhu spoke up, knowing the exact reason for the disturbancest night.


    With a wave of his arm, Zhang Lie sent all the rubble flying into the sea.


    Huai Geng shouted in excitement, "Mister, teach me that!"


    "It''s not your turn¡ªit''s mine!" Zhu shouted back.


    A rotten odor swept over all three of them, causing the two youths to rear back and pinch their noses.


    "Let''s have a look at what''s within." Zhang Lie stepped forward, trailed somewhat unwillingly by the other two youths. As he had expected, there were quite a number of bones within¡ªboth of peak-grade lifeforms and of the vigers that lived nearby.


    "This might have been a lifeform''sir."


    Huai Geng''s gazended on a pile of bones and a bone flute thaty beside them. His body moved of its own ord; he walked up to the flute and murmured to himself, "What''s this? How could it be here?"


    Zhu crept up to him. "What''s this?"


    Huai Geng turned to her with tears in his eyes. "This is, this is my father''s flute!"


    Zhang Lie''s gaze turned from the flute to the pile of bones nearby.


    "My father said he would give me this flute as a gift foring of age, but when the sura came, my father had no choice but to leave with them..."


    Huai Geng wiped the tears from his face as he turned to the pile of bones.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Your father was a hero."


    He pointed at the bones. "There are sura bones in here. How could the sura have died? Perhaps your father thought that the sura would terrorize your entire vige if he let them leave, so he chose to sacrifice himself rather than to let them seed."


    Huai Geng raised his head. "Really? Could it be true?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s very possible¡ªin order to protect the vige, your father deliberately provoked the lifeform and sentenced him and the apanying sura to death."


    Huai Geng smiled in relief. "Is that so? In that case, my father didn''t desert me and my mother¡ªhe died to protect the vige!"


    Zhu looked toward Zhang Lie, who shrugged. Zhang Lie didn''t know what had urred himself, but it was certainly a usible exnation. It was also possible that the sura had been the one to provoke the lifeform, and that Huai Geng''s father had died as a side effect. No one could say for certain; it didn''t hurt to give Huai Geng some hope.


    Zhang Lie knelt down and went through the sura''s bones in an attempt to find something to identify the sura.


    "This is... Fenghe''s emblem!"


    When the seven-kingdom coalition had struck at Zhang Lie, he had taken the time to go through their insignias.


    He pretty much understood what was going on now. About a decade ago, the monarch of stars handed his research materials to Fenghe, including the list of peak- or higher-grade lifeforms that he had coted. For some reason or another, Fenghe had dispatched some of his sura to seek them out.


    Later, perhaps because he felt that his strength wascking or because he realized he didn''t have the ability to capture them, he gave up on his n. Of the seven kingdoms, the only one which could take down higher-than-peak-grade lifeforms was Fenghe''s, and even he would have a hard time capturing them alive. The effort that it would take to do so was far more than it was worth, so he had called a halt to the n.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie was certainly well equipped to hunt these lifeforms down¡ªhe was now so strong that he didn''t even have to fear disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Zhu asked, "Right, now that thisir''s been destroyed, where could the lifeform within have gone?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "What would you do if your house copsed?"


    Huai Geng carefully stored the bone flute away. "I''d move, of course."


    "Are there any locations well-suited to such lifeforms nearby?"


    Huai Geng shook his head. "I didn''t even know about the existence of this cave, and I don''t know the region outside the vige well."


    Zhu frowned. "Could there be another possibility? That the lifeform didn''t leave to find a newir, but rather some food instead."


    Huai Geng cocked his head. "Why would it go find food?"


    Zhu replied, "ording to my father, gic lifeforms are very interesting creatures. If theirirs are destroyed, they will preferentially seek out a newir far away, not nearby."


    Zhang Lie mulled over her words. "It''s possible."


    Doing so might be a natural safety precaution¡ªthe fact that a lifeform''sir had been found and destroyed might mean that it was being targeted by an enemy.


    "But what does this have to do with hunting for food?" Huai Geng asked.


    Zhu countered, "What do you have to do before a big move?"


    "Prepare as much food as possible, of course¡ªoh!"

 Chapter 550: Another Disappointment

    <h4>Chapter 550: Another Disappointment</h4>


    Huai Geng cocked his head. "Why would the lifeform go find food?"


    Zhu replied, "ording to my father, gic lifeforms are very interesting creatures. If theirirs are destroyed, they will preferentially seek out a newir far away, not nearby."


    Zhang Lie mulled over her words. "It''s possible."


    Doing so might be a natural safety precaution¡ªthe fact that a lifeform''sir had been found and destroyed might mean that it was being targeted by an enemy.


    "But what does this have to do with hunting for food?" Huai Geng asked.


    Zhu countered, "What do you have to do before a big move?"


    "Prepare as much food as possible, of course¡ªoh!"


    Zhang Lie nodded his head. They weren''t in a developed country anymore, and the alien races couldn''t simply make use of storage-type soulshards like humans.


    This was one of the primary reasons the Yeluo had so coveted the humans'' storage-type soulshards, which were so convenient that they were almost a necessity for life.


    The first thing that Zhang Lie and his ilk had to do when moving from ce to ce was to pack up, but those races of the second realm would have to preparerge quantities of food, especially if they were making a long voyage. If they didn''t have food or the ability to hunt for food, they would starve halfway through their journey.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms surely had it better off, but Zhu''s suggestion that it might be trying to find onest meal before it departed was certainly quite likely.


    Huai Geng asked, "In that case, where do you think the lifeform might go to hunt for food?"


    Zhu replied, "Are there any easy sources of food nearby?"


    "Of course not! Even if there were, the vige would have¡ª" Just as Huai Geng replied, a huge explosion and countless terrified yells could be heard from their surroundings.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "It looks like the lifeform''s just found that easy supply of food!"


    Huai Geng rushed out of the cave, followed swiftly by Zhang Lie and Zhu. Huai Geng nced stupefied at the vige in the distance as he stepped out of the mountainous cave.


    Zhang Lie stood by his side. Indeed, as he had expected, half the vige was a pile of smoking ruins. Its buildings were destroyed, its inhabitants exposed, and the sea threatened to swallow it all up. With Zhang Lie''s enhanced eyesight, he could see what was going on within the vige. It was under terrible danger¡ªa ck lifeform covered in seaweed was invading the vige.


    Some fighters from the vige were trying to put up a resistance, but they were no match for the seaweed lifeform.


    Naturally, the easy supply of food nearby for the lifeform was the little vige by the sea.


    The disturbance that Zhang Lie and the whirlpool tyrant had caused during their fight had long since scared the nearby oceanic lifeforms away, and the only readily avable source of food nearby was the vige.


    Zhang Lie peered at the vige carefully. "Given the scale of the damage, this isn''t a disaster-grade lifeform."


    If a disaster-grade lifeform were to attack, the entire vige would be destroyed in just an instant.


    Huai Geng ignored the two of them and leapt into the sea, causing Zhu to stomp her feet. "Oh, that fellow¡ª!"


    He was so weak he had fainted just from Zhang Lie''s aura! Did he really think he could save his vige? Zhu nced toward Zhang Lie, her eyes sparkling. She didn''t speak, but her eyes harbored an obvious plea.


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "In some sense, I was the one who caused this disaster. I would have saved the vige even if you didn''t say anything."


    Zhu smiled.


    Huai Geng returned to the vige to find it in shambles. Half the buildings had fallen. The seaweed monster was continuing to destroy his surroundings and the vigers around.


    A frond of seaweed shot toward Huai Geng, who was wholly unprepared to respond. A figure rushed up and blocked the attack. "Kid, what are you doing back here?!"


    The person who blocked the attack was the middle-aged man who had scolded Huai Geng for yelling about a seaweed monster in the vige square.


    "Where''s my mother?"


    "She and the other vigers went to seek shelter. Go with them!"


    "No!" Huai Geng shouted back. "I''m a man of the vige too¡ªit''s my responsibility to fight!"


    "The rest of us haven''t died yet¡ªit''s no time for kids like you to join in. Scram!"


    ck fronds of seaweed came toward them from all directions, as though they were in the center of a hurricane. The man was decently strong, and he managed to block all the frondsing his way.


    He howled out, "Come at me, you brainless monster! Come at me if you dare¡ªI''ll pull out all your hair!"


    Just then, a ck frond of seaweed silently crept to the man''s back and made to target Huai Geng. When the man noticed, his eyes widened. He pushed Huai Geng away and allowed the frond of seaweed to prate his chest. Huai Geng''s eyes widened as he rushed toward the man.


    As the man spat out blood by the mouthful, he murmured, "I''m sorry, I never revealed that I believed you. I saw your father leave with a few members of an alien race with my own eyes, and I knew that he was trying to protect the vige, but I was never able to convince others of the truth."


    Rumors spread far more easily, after all, and no matter how much the man had tried to exin what he had seen, the rumors only got worse and worse. To protect the unfortunate mother and son, the man chose not to argue any further.


    It was difficult for a single mother to raise a child, and Huai Geng was half brought up by the entire vige. Huai Geng couldn''t help but remember how mischievous he had been as a child, and how it was always that man who had caught him and brought him to all the nearby houses to apologize.


    The man coughed up more blood. "Ignore me¡ªleave!"


    However, it was far toote. The fronds of seaweed nearby had entombed Huai Geng and the man, and they were about to be torn to shreds at any moment. Before that could happen, however, a violent gust of wind shredded those fronds.


    A familiar voice rang out, "Didn''t you want me to teach you a few lessons?"


    Zhang Lie walked slowly forward with Zhu. They stepped into the disaster-stricken vige so casually as though they couldn''t see the cmity unfolding all around them.


    "Your first lesson: only do as much as you can handle. Find an opponent that you''re able to challenge. Challenging stronger and stronger foes is a shortcut to bing strong, but also a path that can easily lead you down to hell. It''s important to be strong, yes, but you need to survive to be able to do so."


    Zhang Lie sauntered forward.


    "Please, Mister, please save this man!" Huai Geng shouted.


    Zhu ran forward and poured the vial of potion that Zhang Lie had given her over his prone body.


    "Do you understand what I said?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Even more fronds of ck seaweed appeared. Zhang Lie turned to those fronds and unleashed his aura. "And when did I allow you to move?"


    The gic energy, ancient and primordial like the sun, sapped away all strength from those around him. The seaweed monster, never having felt such immense power, was so scared that it curled up into a tiny ball...

 Chapter 551: Untempered Growth

    <h4>Chapter 551: Untempered Growth</h4>


    As the seaweed monster curled up into a ball, it bounced into the air, as though it were trying to flee. Right before it was about to escape, Zhang Lie somehow appeared before it. "Have I permitted you to leave?


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" His fistnded on the ball, causing an eruption of water that shook the very air.


    The ck ball of seaweed fell to the ground, quivering as it barely clung on to life. It began waving its fronds of seaweed around, summoning hundreds of fronds that attacked Zhang Lie from every direction.


    The seaweed monster didn''t know why it was sensing such potent strength from the diminutive lifeform standing in front of it, but its intuition told it that if it did nothing, it would surely be torn apart.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, radiated from Zhang Lie''s arm. The ripples of energy spread from Zhang Lie and pulped the fronds of seaweed that spread out from the monster.


    Zhang Lie leapt forward, raised his right leg up high, and then stomped down on the pulpy mass, cratering the ground and sending reverberations through the vige. He dusted himself off and stepped aside.


    There, the problem was resolved!


    Huai Geng and the man stared at Zhang Lie in stupefied amazement. Zhang Lie had dealt with the lifeform that had wrecked their entire vige in no time at all¡ªand even the whole vige working together had been no match for it!


    Zhang Lie returned to Zhu''s side. "Now that the lifeform''s dealt with, it''s time for us to leave."


    Huai Geng called out, "Mister, please wait! How do I be strong quickly?"


    Zhang Lie had no idea how alien races obtained their strength. Humanity''s path was entirely different; they could assimte soulshards to speed up their cultivation and improve their strength.


    "There''s no shortcut to bing strong. Work hard daily, persevere daily, and find opponents you''re able to ovee," Zhang Lie intoned.


    Huai Geng nodded seriously. "Can I really be as strong as you, Mister?"


    "Who knows? It depends on how long you canst." Honestly, he rather doubted that Huai Geng would be able to grow much stronger.


    "How should I find you once I''ve be strong?"


    "Head to the city of Renhuang." Renhuang was far, far away. Huai Geng wouldn''t be able to make his way there without concerted effort and true strength; if he really were to do so, he would be deserving of Zhang Lie''s time.


    Zhang Lie tugged on Zhu''s hand and vanished from sight. As he nced at where Zhang Lie had disappeared, Huai Geng clenched his fists tightly and promised himself, "I''ll certainly make it to Renhuang!"


    The man asked, "Lad, do you want to grow stronger?"


    Huai Geng nodded.


    "Although I can''t make you as strong as that mister, it should at least be eptable for self-defense."


    "Yes, please teach me!"


    By then, Renhuang had just received news of the impending attack of the sura. That there were over a hundred million sura soldiers shocked everyone, but Yun Bing and the others were prepared for this eventuality.


    Yun Bing nced outside the window. "It''s finally time."


    The invasion of the sura was excellent news to Renhuang¡ªyes, excellent news.


    Over thest few days, more and more alien races had gathered in Renhuang in order to make ast stand against the sura. As the number of alien races in Renhuang increased, it was forced to expand. These alien races were given a ce to stay and the ability to participate in Renhuang''s bazaar, but Renhuang''s amodations were ultimately finite.


    The alien races that arrived at Renhuang attracted more and more to Renhuang, some to participate in the ever-expanding tradework, others for safety in numbers, and even more for working opportunities. As the number of people in Renhuang grew, so did the business and employment opportunities within¡ªand the problems and issues that arose.


    One of the more serious issues was the inter-species fighting that was urring on a daily basis. Each species had their own culture and customs, their own history and origin.


    Initially, the alien races tried to be respectful of each other given theirmon foe, but as the days dragged on and Renhuang showed no sign of initiating an attack against the sura, the alien races'' dissatisfaction and malcontent began to boil over.


    In order to reduce the hostility between the alien races, Yun Bing announced that the battle against the sura would begin imminently, and that everyone had to prepare for battle at any time.


    Furthermore, she announced the construction of an arena in Renhuang. The victor of each series of tournaments would be feted with prestige, fame, and honor, along with a set ofvish prizes that had the alien races roaring to participate in no time.


    Ever since the start of the tournament, however, the tensions between the races had only grown more heated, as though there were a bomb embedded in the center of Renhuang that would explode sooner orter.


    Yun Bing and the others had considered the possibility of initiating the war against the sura, but it was difficult to unite all the alien races as one, and, more importantly, Zhang Lie wasn''t around.


    The members of Team Zenith worked very hard to have Renhuang continue operating as a city, but the alien races tended only to be willing to listen to Zhang Lie for such major decisions. Unless the sura were to attack, except for Zhang Lie, no one would be able to mobilize Renhuang''s forces.


    In order to mollify the alien races, Yun Bing thought of a new idea: to introduce ser to the second realm.


    It was a huge hit. The alien races were immediately captivated by the sport, and soon they had begun forming teams. Yun Bing next announced a ser tournament, the Renhuang Cup.


    Given the martial prowess of the hunters and members of the alien races in the second realm, the sport grew significantly more dangerous. Ser balls had to be made of the leather of peak-grade lifeforms; otherwise, they would immediately burst when kicked.


    And these kicks were lethal¡ªthe ser ball whizzed around the field like a bullet, with at least a casualty or severe injury during every instance of the Renhuang Cup. Even the spectators didn''t go unscathed¡ªthe ball asionally went out of bounds and struck an unwary target.


    Even so, the sport was immensely popr, and every match was packed to the brim. Some of the more enterprising Renhuang hunters even began publishing periodicals and setting up betting stands nearby.


    Yun Bing kept careful track of this unexpected development, worried that things seemed to be evolving out of her control.

 Chapter 552: A Mysterious Ship

    <h4>Chapter 552: A Mysterious Ship</h4>


    Next came professional ser teams, fielding not just yers from one race, but rather the top yers from each race.


    Yun Bing couldn''t help but be impressed at the humans'' ingenuity and creativity. She initially expected that it was a good thing for the alien races to be resolving their tensions on the field, but she had underestimated their ability to cause problems.


    At the beginning, with the alien races dedicating all their effort to the ser field, everything seemed to be progressing well, but there suddenly appeared huge flocks of ser-crazed fans who would take to the streets and brawl if their beloved team lost a match.


    At the very least, these brawls only ever took ce outside the ser stadium, unlike in the past, where they could break out at any time, at any ce.


    Yun Bing was worried that ser would spike even more unrest, but she could hardly ban it given how much interest and dedication the alien races had shown toward it.


    A positive side effect of these ''professional'' teams was that the alien races were starting to mingle and understand each other, both on the level of ser yers and of their fans. If nothing else, ser was a shared lingo and shared interest, and that simrity allowed these disparate races to connect.


    The division between alien races had transmuted into the division between ser fans.


    Yun Bing, who had to supervise such affairs carefully day in and day out, felt a creeping sense of fatigue take over her. "Zhang Lie, when will you return?"


    Almost as she was unable to hold out any longer, there was finally news that the sura were attacking. Their main force was a hundred million sura strong, and Yun Bing''s eyes lit up with thankfulness.


    This would be a battle on a scalerge enough for all the alien races to need to cooperate, and the fights that broke out every now and then outside the ser stadium would be gone once and for all.


    Yun Bing never considered how strong these sura were, because from her perspective, no matter how strong they were, Renhuang was surely stronger.


    By a deserted ind on the sea of mists, thepsed governor of Renhuang, was resting leisurely with Zhu around a campfire over which severalrge prawns were cooking.


    Zhang Lie picked up a skewer of prawns and bit into it. "Zhu, are you sure there''s a boat-type lifeform around here?"


    "I don''t know if it is a boat-type lifeform, but my father told me that we need to be traveling with one to get past the sea of mists."


    "But we''ve been here for over half a month! Where''s this supposed lifeform?"


    Zhu had recounted that there were lifeforms that would appear around the sea of mists that were necessary to traverse it. If Zhang Lie and Zhu were to fly into the sea of mists, they would lose their sense of direction in the blink of an eye, never to emerge again.


    That said, even after half a month, they hadn''t seen a single hint of these supposed lifeforms. Zhu picked up another skewer, and her eyes brightened. "These prawns are so good!"


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "Don''t just eat! When will these lifeforms appear?"


    Zhu shrugged. "I can''t say. At any rate, when my father came here for the first time, he found such a lifeform and got on it curiously. It brought him into the sea of mists, where he found a dazzling array of boats within. My father guessed that those were the boats that had gotten trapped within, never to emerge again."


    "If we don''t see this supposed lifeform by tomorrow, let''s leave."


    They had already wasted half a month on the ind. Who knew when these lifeforms would show up? It might, in the worst-case scenario, be a decade or two. Zhang Lie didn''t have that much time to waste.


    As they were talking, fog rose into the air and enveloped them both. Zhang Lie frowned. "It''s still early. Where did this foge from?"


    Suddenly, a huge shadow appeared before his eyes. Zhang Lie pulled Zhu back with him and nced at the shadow in shock¡ªit was a huge beast of steel, with a gigantic body and a hull studded with cannons.


    This was, this was... a warship!


    An old, deserted warship, slowly rusting away, the likes of which could only be seen in museums. It was surrounded by an aura of antiquity, of history long lost. Cannon fire pocked the hull of the warship, leaving indents and bullet holes behind.


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t been to a museum in his youth, he wouldn''t have recognized it.


    He nced at the warship through the lens of his dragon''s pupils, only to see no soul in sight. In other words, the warship had no trace of life. In the human world, that would have been obvious; how could a warship gain sentience? In the dimensional world, however, things were far less concrete.


    That said, how could it be possible that a human-made warship could have found its way to the dimensional world? No technology that was brought in from the outside functioned here, but right before him was a massive warship.


    After a momentary bout of shock, Zhang Lie smiled. "Interesting. Let me find out just what you are!"


    Zhang Lie''s aura rose. He was about to punch the boat when Zhu suddenly pulled him back. "What are you doing?!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You can see that warship, right?"


    "Of course! That''s the boat I mentioned from earlier. Although it doesn''t look much like what my father described, this should be a boat. If you destroy the boat, Mister, how will we enter the sea of mists?"


    ording to Zhu, the warship came from the sea of mists, so they would have to head within to uncover the truth.


    "I''d like to see just who managed to send a warship from the human world here." Zhang Lie leapt up onto the deck, bringing Zhu with him.


    There was no discernible change in the warship when theynded on it. It followed its set trajectory and slowly made its way into the sea of mists.


    Zhang Lie took the opportunity to go through the entire warship, only to find everything exactly as it should be, at least in reference to the warship he had once seen in a museum.


    How could a warship from the human world have appeared in the sea of mists? Most importantly, there was absolutely no one on the ship.


    "Could this be a ghost ship?" Zhang Lie murmured to himself.

 Chapter 553: The Sea of Mists

    <h4>Chapter 553: The Sea of Mists</h4>


    He turned to Zhu. "Was this the boat your father saw?"


    "No, it''s somewhat different. I''m certain my father told me the boat he was on was made of wood, whereas this one is made entirely of steel."


    "Interesting, very interesting!" Zhang Lie became even more curious. Just whaty hidden in this sea of mists? Where did these ghost shipse from, and what secret did they harbor?


    As they entered the sea of mists, a denseyer of mist shrouded them, so thick they could barely see an arm''s length away.


    Just then, a song could be heard over the distance, the voices thrumming with mysterious power.


    Zhu''s eyes widened. "Quick, cover your ears! These are sirens. You''ll be charmed by their songs, fall into a daze and swim over to be eaten by them!"


    "Oh? I have to meet such interesting lifeforms for myself."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. Might the soulshards that dropped from these lifeforms be able to attract other lifeforms nearby? If he were lucky enough to get one or two siren soulshards, Renhuang would be able to make full use of them to hunt downrge quantities of gic lifeforms.


    "I''ll kill them and return quickly." Zhang Lie spread his wings and flew out of the warship.


    Zhu cried out, "Please, don''t go! I''m scared!"


    Zhang Lie ignored Zhu and followed the sound toward its origin, toward these supposed sirens.


    It turned out that there was only one siren, a ghastly creature that floated on the sea, sorge it had to weigh almost a ton. From this grotesque creature came a lovely melody, so loud it was almost frightening.


    As Zhang Lie came closer, the siren began to sing even more eagerly, the song echoing throughout the air. Zhang Lie was entirely unaffected by the song; with his strength, he was more or less immune to mentalpulsion.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" His fist caused a geyser of water to erupt. The sea and the sky shook. Without understanding what had happened, the siren was disintegrated whole.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade siren. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade siren, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Unfortunately for him, no soulshard had dropped. Zhang Lie sighed, then turned back and activated his dragon''s pupils, trying to sense Zhu''s soul in order to return to the warship.


    However, no matter how he pped his wings, he found that he was unable to make any noticeable progress. It was as though he were flying in ce while the warship grew farther and farther away.


    Zhang Lie frowned. With his strength, with his willpower, nothing should have been able to mislead his sensory organs.


    He swung an arm through the mist.


    "So this is it¡ªthe power of space!" Not only could these mists block his vision, they even introduced spatial distortions above the sea of mists.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, radiated from his arm. Ripples of energy spread from Zhang Lie and dissipated the mists, revealing a patch of clear sea. Zhu''s warship was within sight.


    With a leap, Zhang Lie vanished from his original location and appeared on the warship in the next.


    Zhu pounced on him. "I thought you were going to desert me!"


    "Don''t be afraid. You know so much about these seas that I could hardly discard you now¡ªI just went to kill that annoying siren."


    Zhu''s brows furrowed. "That was dangerous! No living creature has ever made it out of the mists safely."


    "Didn''t I return?"


    Zhu looked him up and down. "Are you sure you''re ssified as a living creature?"


    Zhang Lie kneaded her head, causing her to scream and giggle.


    "There are plenty of sirens in the sea of mists. Even if you kill one, there''ll be lots more nearby. After all, this is their home."


    "Oh? That''s a great sign!" In that case, he was much more likely to be able to acquire a siren soulshard.


    Suddenly, he heard the creaking of wood around him. Turning to the source of the noise, Zhang Lie found an even more ancient wooden ship floating to their side. The wood was so weathered that Zhang Lie was surprised that it was still seaworthy. Half its mast had broken off, and its sails were tattered.


    When Zhu saw the ship that had appeared out of nowhere, she suddenly jumped up in fright and darted behind Zhang Lie.


    "What''s this?" On the ship, he could almost see a number of illusory figures crewing it. "It looks like a ghost ship..."


    Zhu stuck even tighter to Zhang Lie. "What? How could there be ghosts in this world?!"


    Zhang Lie seemed unperturbed. "What''s there to be worried about? Calm down. I think our ship is a ghost ship too."


    "What?!" Zhu''s face turned white.


    Zhang Lie hollered at the ancient ghost ship, hoping for a response, but he never received any. His dragon''s pupils revealed not a single soul in the vicinity; it was as if the entire ship was a mirage.


    "A punch will reveal what exactly you are, won''t it? [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A ck serpent shot out of Zhang Lie''s fist toward the ghost ship, smashing a hole in its hull. The serpent continued to make a mess of the ship. The ghostly crew tried to prevent its destruction, but it was no match for the serpent, and the ship slowly sank to the sea.


    Zhu poked her head out from behind him. "Do you know what it is now?"


    Zhang Lie nced at the sea. After the ghost ship fell apart, the logs that had made it up had disappearedpletely.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, I don''t. If we want an answer, I think it''ll lie deeper within the sea."


    After being told that their warship was likewise a ghost ship, Zhu began ncing surreptitiously all around her, and she refused to let go of Zhang Lie''s hand.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "There''s no need to be so frightened. If these ghosts wanted to attack us, they would have done so already. Even when I left you to hunt down a siren, nothing from the ship attacked you. We''re safe, at least temporarily."


    Zhu''s brows furrowed again. "Mister, you weren''t trying to use me as bait when you left the ship, were you?"


    "Nonsense! I inspected the ship beforehand, and I knew that there was nothing hiding aboard. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have left you behind," Zhang Lie replied. "What did your father say about the sea of mists?"


    Zhu thought back to her father''s words. What he had recounted to her were essentially bedtime stories, and Zhu wasn''t confident she remembered all the details.


    "Exploring the sea of mists is an endeavor that ims nine lives in ten," she began.

 Chapter 554: Surrounded by Mist

    <h4>Chapter 554: Surrounded by Mist</h4>


    "My father saw many unusual and strange lifeforms within the sea of mists, along with all sorts of mysterious existences."


    "Like?"


    Zhu''s body curled up. "My father told me that ghosts really existed within the sea of mists."


    "Oh? In what sense?" After realizing that ghosts were just spiritual lifeforms, Zhang Lie had lost all fear he had of them.


    Zhu replied, "Father was alone on the boat on which he sailed into the sea of mists, but a number of people appeared on it as he went deeper and deeper within. However, these people died all of a sudden, all from seemingly random causes."


    "Seemingly random?"


    "Not long after Father got onto the boat, it became very lively. There was even a banquet that was hosted on deck, at which point he met an alien explorer from a hundred years ago. My father told me he recounted arge number of tales. Without these tales, he might never have escaped from the sea of mists."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Just what did he say?"


    Zhu pursed her lips. "He said that they were in a cycle of reincarnation, that they had all died and were simply phantoms passing through time, living within the cracks of the sea of mists, that he was the only living person there. He warned my father that, if he were to die within the sea of mists, he too would be part of the ship, swallowed up by the sea and inserted into the same cycle of reincarnation."


    "It sounds like a fantasy," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Isn''t that so? My father wouldn''t believe it, either, but he had heard of that very explorer before. He should have died a hundred years before, and there was no way he could have been within the sea of mists! My father cautiously and curiously prodded further, but just then, a murder unfolded on the boat. All the passengers went crazy."


    They recognized that there was a murderer on board, and if they couldn''t find that murderer, they might be the next one to die. Everyone tried to search for the killer, but none were able to seed. Absurdly, they descended into a frenzy¡ªsomeone suggested that they had to kill everyone else in order to avoid dying themselves.


    "Furthermore, the boat traversed through siren-infested waters, and it was even attacked by humongous lifeforms. It started out with a hundred or so passengers, but only a scant few escaped the massacre."


    "How did your father survive?"


    "That explorer seemed to have a limited ability to predict the future¡ªording to him, his ne allowed him to preserve his memories between each cycle of reincarnation. The two of them worked together and ultimately managed to survive the onught. Just as my father thought he was safe, however, the next reincarnation began."


    Zhang Lie paid Zhu rapt attention.


    "The second time around, my father killed the murderer before he could strike, but he was branded as a killer instead. The third time around, he pointed out the murderer as soon as the murder happened, but the passengers on the boat began to vanish."


    Zhu continued, "The actions my father took led to unexpected changes in the cycle of events that took ce, and he almost died quite a few times."


    By then, Zhang Lie was even more curious about how Zhu''s father had made it out of the sea of mists.


    ording to Zhu''s description, the sea of mists was a ce of significant spatial and temporal distortion. Dying within the sea would lock a person''s soul within, pulling them into a cycle of infinite reincarnations.


    In the end, after repeating these cycles for what seemed like an eternity, the boat sailed out of the sea of mists, with my father still on it. He never dared to head back within."


    "Did he do anything special?"


    "Nothing more than persevering through each scenario until the boat had passed through the mists."


    Zhang Lie fell into deep thought. He would be willing to believe that the sea of mists possessed temporal distortions, but not this ''infinite reincarnation'' that Zhu had described. His reasoning was simple: they had gone within the sea of mists, and nothing of the like had happened to them.


    They hadn''t seen a single person on their warship, let alone a murder.


    "This sea of mists could very well be an agglomeration of different and mysterious forces, including that of space and time, but..."


    There was still something wrong. Zhang Lie had destroyed a ship he had seen in the distance. Its passengers should have been the ghosts that Zhu had described, but the shadowy passengers certainly weren''t ghosts ording to his dragon''s eye soulshard.


    In that case, what were they? Could they simply be a mirage? Mirages were possible in the oceans and seas, just like in deserts¡ªbut no, these mirages were caused by sunlight, and the mists blocked all sunlight from filtering within.


    Could it have been a temporal distortion, one in which a horrifying scene had been preserved like a memory? Surely not¡ªno person in such a scene would have the agency to talk to Zhu''s father.


    Zhang Lie didn''t think that Zhu was lying, but rather that there was something wrong with Zhu''s father''s ount of events.


    There were three possibilities. The first, and which Zhang Lie privately found the most likely, was that he had spiced up his narrative with fantastic and mysterious elements to make more of an impact on Zhu. The second was that even Zhu''s father had no idea what was going on; this was also a very likely situation. The third and final possibility was that Zhu''s father''s experience in the sea of mists had been different from theirs.


    ording to Zhu, the sea of mists would consume people whole. Those boats and ships that sailed the sea of mists, along with their passengers, were once living historical figures who had perished within the sea and hence be part of the sea.


    Zhang Lie thought this impossible, and a vital part of his reasoning was the warship they were on. How could this understanding of events exin the warship on which they were standing? No human could have brought such a warship into the second realm, and yet...


    There were simply too many possibilities and too few hints for the truth to be deduced immediately.


    "It feels like this situation is getting more and more interesting."


    Just as Zhang Lie smiled to himself, something finally happened on the warship.


    The rusted cannons suddenly fired. Many soldiers appeared on the warship out of thin air.


    "We''re being attacked¡ªprepare for counter-fire!"


    Each soldier¡ªeach sailor¡ªwas wearing a dated navy uniform.


    Zhu shrieked. "Ghosts!"


    She attracted the attention of amander, who walked toward them with a frown. "What are all of you doing here? Return to your positions!"


    Zhang Lie punched themander in the head, killing him instantly. He wasn''t going to participate in this strange re-enactment, and the simplest way to break free was with brute force.


    The remaining soldiers on the boat nced at Zhang Lie in shock, but they quickly perished to Zhang Lie''s attacks. They were each only as strong as a regr human, and Zhang Lie dealt with them easily with a snap of his fingers. After the soldiers died, they vanished with a puff of mist.


    "Mister, are these ghosts?"


    Zhang Lie chuckled. "Ghosts are the manifestation of people''s souls. These apparitions don''t even have any souls¡ªhow can they be considered ghosts?"


    "In that case, what are they? No, wait, Mister! Didn''t they say they were being attacked?"


    As if waiting for Zhu''s words, a huge beam of light shot toward them, as bright as the midday sun¡ªaser cannon!

 Chapter 555: A Galactic Battleship

    <h4>Chapter 555: A Gctic Battleship</h4>


    Zhang Lie summoned his pair of twin des, then shed the beam of light apart. His eyes widened. "How could this appear here? This level of technology can''t be replicated in the second realm!"


    This was the first time since entering the sea of mists that Zhang Lie had been so shocked. Something that he should never have been able to see in the second realm had somehow entered his vision.


    On the other end of the beam was a gigantic battleship made of steel and titanium.


    Zhang Lie''s face crumpled. Zhu might not have been able to recognize whaty before them, but Zhang Lie certainly did. It was the key fighting force in interster warfare¡ªa gctic battleship.


    No high-tech equipment could appear within the second realm, let alone something like a gctic battleship.


    And even if such technology were somehow able to work in the second realm, no teleportation apparatus wasrge or stable enough to transport it over. Even if it were dismantled and put back together piece by piece, it would have taken millions of hours of manpower, and news would certainly have spread to the human world.


    As Zhang Lie thought about just what could be going on, the gctic battleship attacked. Another blindingser shot toward Zhang Lie, sorge it looked like a dragon of light.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie waved his twin des in the air, forming a web of sword energy that caused the beam to dissipate. Subsequently, hundreds of missiles shot toward him, tracing arcs of light and energy through the air.


    Zhang Lie would have to take care of them all alone.


    It was too difficult for him to protect the warship, and too passive an approach for him to take. Zhang Lie summoned Whitey and had it take Zhu away. Wings sprouted behind his back and sent him careening toward the battleship. By the battleship''s hull, a gigantic cannon had appeared, and flecks of energy were gathering about its mouth.


    This was a cannon powered by nuclear fission! This type of cannon was known by amon nickname¡ªa starbreak annihtor. One shot from the cannon was able to pierce through a small-scale, and it would cause irreparable damage to arge one.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards simultaneously. Thick fur grew from his skin, followed by scales and a dragon''s ws, as he transformed into a draconic wolfman.


    As the starbreak annihtor activated, the mists around them and the surface of the sea turned to sma. Even Zhang Lie didn''t dare contend directly against the attack; he chose to flee. It was the smart move, and the only move he could have made. Strong though he was, he surely didn''t have the strength to contend with the starbreak annihtor. Even the scorching heat that resulted in the aftermath of the attack was more than Zhang Lie could stand.


    The beam pierced through the surface of the sea and vaporized a hole through it, forming a whirlpool as water sought to flow into the gap it had left.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but shudder as he nced at the aftermath of the attack. Fortunately, he and Zhu had left before it could strike them; otherwise, they would surely have died.


    The starbreak annihtor would take some time to recharge after each shot, and this was Zhang Lie''s chance to counterattack. He couldn''t let the cannon cast another time.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie morphed into a ck shadow as he dashed forward. His swords shed against the energy shield gleaming over the surface of the battleship to no avail.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The two gravity-controlling tablets dropped toward the battleship. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    The abrupt change in gravity caused a pressure differential that destabilized the battleship''s energy source. The lights flickered, as did its energy barrier.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence. The haunted souls of the underworld could almost be seen in the darkness, piercing through the shield and tearing a hole in the battleship''s exterior. Zhang Lie rushed within.


    As expected, it was another ghost ship. Not a single figure stood within.


    Red light began to re, and an electronic voice droned, "Self-destruct sequence initiated."


    Zhang Lie wouldn''t give the spaceship the chance to self-destruct.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood-red dragon tore apart the battleship from the inside out as Zhang Lie swung his des all around him.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within. The battleship split in two, causing a gigantic explosion that resounded within the sea of mists.


    The battleship exploded into a flurry of fragments, each of which vanished in a puff of mist just as they were about to hit the surface of the sea.


    Whitey flew back, and Zhu asked worriedly, "What was that just now?!"


    "Something called a gctic battleship."


    "A gctic battleship?!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "It''s not something that should have been able to appear in this realm."


    Despite Zhu''s curiosity, she knew not to press further. If Zhang Lie wanted to exin things to her, he would¡ªand if she wanted his continued protection, she would follow his rules.


    "What do we do now? Without the warship around, we won''t know how to get out."


    "Leaving won''t be a problem." He was able to break through the spatial distortions above the sea with his sword techniques, so his escape route was certainly secured. That said, his curiosity had been piqued by the battleship that he had seen, and he had no intention of leaving the sea of mists just yet...

 Chapter 556: Elusive Illusions

    <h4>Chapter 556: Elusive Illusions</h4>


    In his quest for the truth, Zhang Lie took the most direct, the simplest, and the most effective approach.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" His fist caused a geyser of water to erupt. The sea and the sky shook. Mist dissipated in arge area around them, and he brought Zhu charging forward.


    Zhu asked, "Will this sort of method really work?"


    "I don''t know, either."


    Zhu seemed flummoxed.


    "It''s precisely because I don''t know that it needs to be tested. Staying still is also an option, but I prefer to search for opportunities rather than to let theme for me."


    By that point, Zhang Lie had returned to peak condition. He continuously used his fists to shatter the spatial distortions in his way as he proceeded forward.


    The way forward was calm and peaceful, and he didn''t encounter anything unusual. Just as Zhang Lie was expecting that he would leave the sea of mists safely, a huge rumbling sound sent tremors through the sea and sky as a gigantic cruise ship came within sight.


    The cruise ship''s hull had all but rusted away, and a huge bloodstain covered its prow. Zhang Liended on the ship and Zhu stared anxiously around them. "Mister, I''m scared! I feel like something bad''s about to happen..."


    Ghosts of all races appeared on the ship, including those from the sea, humans, and even those that had recently appeared in Renhuang. The cruise ship seemed to be hosting a magnificent party.


    Some of the figures were dancing on deck, others were guzzling down alcohol and wine, and yet others were holding hands and watching the sea from a distance. Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard and confirmed that none of these figures had souls.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him, destroying whatever figures they encountered. Zhang Lie stepped below deck and repeated his actions, killing everyone on board as though he were a mass murderer.


    Zhang Lie thought that the situation had been resolved, but suddenly, music began to y. As ancient lyrics filtered across the cruise ship, the figures appeared once more.


    Zhang Lie walked up to the gramophone and smashed it to pieces, causing the music toe to an abrupt halt. All the figures nced toward him in shock.


    "Brother, what are you doing?" Zhang Hanxiang pushed aside the spectators and walked up to him.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened in shock before he smiled. "You''re finally revealing yourself, are you?"


    Zhang Lie''s fist met her face, and Zhang Hanxiang''s head exploded. The lower half of her body fell to the ground, causing everyone on the ship to scream.


    "Zhang Lie, what are you doing? Why did you kill your sister?!" His mother rushed out of the crowd and nced at Zhang Lie in disbelief.


    "Sorry, my mother has been gone for a long time now!" Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard and confirmed that she didn''t have a soul.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A ck serpent shot out of Zhang Lie''s fist and swallowed the facsimile of his mother whole. It ran rampant about the ship, devouring each figure it encountered. Zhang Lie''s face distorted; anger thrummed through his body.


    Real or not, illusion or not, he had a hard time killing his family. The bulk of that anger was directed at the mastermind behind these events, who had dared to toy with his emotions.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes filled with killing intent.


    He was certain that he was quickly approaching his mysterious opponent, who had no choice but toe up with more and more ludicrous scenarios.


    Suddenly, a figure leapt up into the air and grabbed the serpent.


    "You bastard, you killed your mother and your sister!"


    Zhang Lie nced at the figure¡ªhis father.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Using his finger as a sword, Zhang Lie thrust forward, sending a wave of sword energy toward his father. Zhang Lie''s father blocked the attack with a sword that came out of nowhere.


    "Enough!" Zhang Lie''s aura red with his anger. mes that carried the potency of the sun swept over the entire ship, disintegrating each figure.


    The gramophone began to spin once more. Zhang Lie frowned. Something was wrong; these figures seemed to be able to respawn endlessly.


    Zhang Lie felt as though he could understand what Zhu''s father had felt now¡ªas though his fist hadnded on a bed of cotton, able to absorb whatever force he threw its way.


    While he was thinking about how to progress onward, Zhu vanished from the ship.


    Zhang Lie frowned, but he didn''t panic. Zhu was with Whitey, and there wouldn''t be a problem.


    As he activated his dragon''s eye soulshard, he found that Zhu''s soul was still on the cruise ship. He sent a probing fist slightly off-center in the direction she was in, smashing apart a spatial distortion and revealing her within. Zhu, trapped amidst the mists, was being attacked by another Zhang Lie.


    "What?!" This fake Zhang Lie was in the middle of attacking Zhu and was being blocked by the moonlight wyrm. Except for his appearance, the fake Zhang Lie was nothing like the real one. It was far weaker; the real Zhang Lie would be able to take down the wyrm with nothing more than a finger.


    The moonlight wyrm and Zhang Lie''s dragon''s eye soulshard shared a simr set of abilities. They both granted a spiritual sense permitting the detection of the soul. However, much of Whitey''s abilities targeted the soul, and the fake Zhang Lie didn''t have a soul.


    The fake Zhang Lie''s face turned cruel as he yelled out, "Useless piece of trash! You''re a waste of resources. Go jump into the sea and die!"


    Zhu''s eyes filled with tears. "No, Mister wouldn''t say something like that!"


    .


    "You can''t even bring me out of the sea of mists! What use are you? Why should I keep you around?!"


    Zhang Lie shuddered in disgust at his clone''s antics before smashing it apart.


    When Zhu saw the real Zhang Lie, she was overjoyed. She pounced toward him, hugging his waist. "Mister, I really don''t know much about the sea of mists. You aren''t going to discard me, are you?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "If you have time to think about such pointless matters, why don''t you help me figure out what we should do next?"


    Zhu hugged him even more tightly. "You''re the true mister, you really are!"


    "Let go of me."


    "No, never!"


    Zhang Lie sighed in exasperation. "We''re close to uncovering the truth."


    "Why do you say that?"


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. "It''s using techniques that are more and more underhanded, as though it has nothing better to resort to."


    Zhu asked, "What do you think this opponent is, and where is it located?"


    "We might have misled ourselves," Zhang Lie began slowly. "I always thought that our mysterious opponent was hidden among the mists, that we would be able to uncover the truth by heading deeper within, but who''s to say that our opponent isn''t right by our sides? Or, perhaps, that our opponent''s been right by our sides all along..."

 Chapter 557: Another Disaster-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 557: Another Disaster-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    A dense curtain of mist pervaded the sky above the sea. Zhang Lie had cleared all the figures off the rusty cruise ship. He and Zhu stood above deck.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What does the sea have the most of?"


    "Water and salt."


    "And except for those?"


    Zhu cocked her head. "In the sea of mists, it''s mist, in the sea in general, it''s fish and gic lifeforms... Mister, do you think our opponent''s in the sea?"


    "More urately, at the bottom of the sea."


    Zhang Lie jumped into the sea and activated his dragon''s eye soulshard as he swept his gaze over the seabed. There were barely any lifeforms active by the surface of the sea, but countless deep within.


    This wasn''t particrly unusual¡ªthere was no reason that oceanic lifeforms would want to make their way to the surface.


    How was he supposed to find the culprit among this mess? There were far too many lifeforms living in the sea that had gone uncatalogued, and Zhang Lie hardly knew them all. He killed everything in sight, but nothing changed. The lifeform that was creating these illusions seemed nowhere to be seen.


    When he noticed that the cruise ship was turning away, Zhang Lie immediately returned to the surface of the sea. "Zhu, did you discover anything?"


    Zhu shook her head. "No. Nothing happened!"


    It was very unusual that the cruise ship was changing its course.


    "Perhaps I''ve found it." Zhang Lie nced in the direction at which the cruise ship was headed with his dragon''s eye soulshard and found a small me¡ªso far away it seemed almost invisible, but Zhang Lie was certain that a souly in that direction.


    He scooped up Zhu and shot forward like a loosed arrow, his anger propelling him forward. Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards simultaneously. Thick fur grew from his skin, followed by scales and a dragon''s ws, as he transformed into a draconic wolfman.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" With a punch, he summoned a blood dragon that tore apart the mist and spatial distortions ahead and flew straight toward his target.


    Just then, something unusual happened again. An entire fleet of gctic battleships emerged from the sea, sendingser beams shooting toward Zhang Like like raindrops in a thunderstorm.


    His body covered with a blood-red aura, Zhang Lie escaped the bombardment by brute force, piercing through all the cruisers in his way.


    "Finally!" The truth behind the sea of mists had finally been revealed to him. All that mist was being sprayed out of a gigantic m, the mastermind behind the sea of mists.


    Initially, he was quite flummoxed. When he saw his sister and parents, however, Zhang Lie was almost certain that the sea of mists revealed only illusions, though these illusions boasted an attack power close to what they would have in reality.


    All these illusions were courtesy of the giant m in front of him. They had been extracted from his memories and formed out of the mist that surrounded them¡ªor, more urately, not his memories but rather his brain waves.


    Without his dragon''s eye soulshard, Zhang Lie might have been mired deeper and deeper within the illusions. The warship that had emerged from the sea of mists was exactly like the one he had seen in a museum.


    If not for the subsequent appearance of his parents and sister, Zhang Lie might never have found the truth.


    The fleet of battleships surrounded Zhang Lie and Zhu.


    "Remember: you were the one who started this. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with his left arm, sending a torrent of dragons flooding outward.


    Keening like peals of thunder, the horde of dragons smashed into the battleships that had gathered about Zhang Lie.


    The battleships exploded in the sky like fireballs, vaporizing the mist around them.


    The dragons fought against the battleships in what seemed to be an apocalyptic battle. Some of the dragons were pierced through by the battleships''sers, while some battleships were smashed apart by the dragons. Fire and light filled the air.


    The gigantic m shut its shell and tried to retreat back underwater, aware that Zhang Lie was a dangerous target to provoke.


    .


    "It''s far toote!" Zhang Lie sent a dazzling streak of sword energy toward the m.


    "[Rune: Control]!" He raised an arm into the air and sent the two sealing tablets crashing down. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with sea and sky, suppressing the m''s unique ability.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence, and the haunted souls of the underworld could almost be seen in the dark water. The river smashed toward the gigantic m, destroying it whole.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade mistmeld m. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade mistmeld m, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    By that time, the battle between the dragon horde and the fleet of gctic battleships had likewisee to an end. With the destruction of the m, the battleships puffed into mist.


    Zhang Lie drew a long breath. He swept over the surface of the sea with his dragon''s eye soulshard, observing to his satisfaction that the mist was slowly beginning to dissipate.


    Sunlight shone down over the sea of mists once more, and the sea breeze sent thest few patches of fog drifting into the distance. The world regained its usual color.


    Zhang Lie stretched. "Problem solved."


    Zhu exhaled. "So this was the truth behind the sea of mists!"


    "There are countless mysteries in this world, and some have a very simple resolution¡ª" Zhang Lie suddenly whirled around, his eyes gleaming with cold light. "¡ªor is that just what you''d like me to believe?"


    He was ncing at a specific spot in the sea. He drew his de.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" An incredible wave of energy tore a trench in the sea.


    Zhu shrieked. "What''s going on?!"


    Others might not have noticed it, but Zhang Lie''s dragon''s eye soulshard easily identified a massive spiritual re from underneath the surface of the sea¡ª a disaster-grade soul.


    Zhang Lie''s attack revealed part of the lifeform thaty hidden beneath the surface, a massive shell evenrger than the m that they had vanquished, acquered gold shell studded with gems and jewels and brimming with light.

 Chapter 558: A Disaster-Grade Clam

    <h4>Chapter 558: A Disaster-Grade m</h4>


    No one would have expected the gleaming shell to be just under the surface of the ocean, neither above the surface or deep below it.


    It was shrouded by a thickyer of mist, one that seemed perfectly normal even after the mists high above the surface had cleared up. If not for his dragon''s eyes, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have discovered it.


    Even with his dragon''s eyes, all he could sense was ayer of soul of incredible extent¡ªnot a single soul, but a wholeyer of them¡ªand traces of a spatial power that constrained it.


    Zhang Lie was certain that this soul was the true culprit behind the sea of mists. The gigantic m could only create illusions that could pass off as reality, but it didn''t have the ability to control space.


    However, the sea of mists was filled with spatial distortions. Without following the ship''s path, the unfortunate stragglers who had ended up within the sea of mists would die trapped within a spatial distortion, whereas those that did get on board would be forced to endure the illusions that the m brought them through.


    Considering that Zhang Lie already had 21 disaster gene fragments, he should hardly have been affected by the peak-grade m. Although he still couldn''t be considered a disaster-grade lifeform proper, he wasrgely immune to the machinations of peak-grade lifeforms.


    Nevertheless, his senses had clearly been affected¡ªand the only lifeforms that could aplish such a feat were disaster-grade lifeforms.


    In other words, what had affected Zhang Lie wasn''t the peak-grade m, but rather the disaster-grade m thaty hidden right beneath the surface of the sea.


    "Haha, I''ve finally found another disaster-grade lifeform! You''re not getting away!" Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves as it spread out around the m, locking up the surrounding space and causing it to vibrate.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The energy of [Fists of the Silent Sea] melded into Zhang Lie''s sword technique and strengthened the tsunami even further. Suddenly, the remnant mist in the air began to congregate, surrounding Zhang Lie in a thickyer of fog.


    The jewel-studded m appeared above the surface of the sea. As it opened up, a primordial aura filled the air, and a five-colored fog drifted out from within the shell.


    Zhang Lie felt a sudden bout of dizziness overtake him as his surroundings morphed. A gray fog covered his eyes, so thick he wouldn''t be able to see his fingers if he stretched out his arm. Space contracted around him.


    "Mister! Mister! Mister!" Zhu''s voice suddenly came from close by.


    Startled, Zhang Lie nced all around him. They had returned again to the warship. "Where''s the shell?!"


    Zhu frowned as she waved a hand over Zhang Lie''s face. "Mister, are you alright?"


    "Where did the ms go?"


    Zhu frowned. "What ms, Mister? We just entered the sea of mists!"


    "What?!"


    .


    Zhang Lie shook his head vehemently. "No, that can''t be right. We were deep within the sea of mists, where we discovered two ms. One was a disaster-grade lifeform, a humongous m whose shell was studded with jewels."


    Zhu frowned as she held her palm over Zhang Lie''s forehead. "Mister, you haven''t gone crazy after being isted for so long, have you?


    We''ve just entered the sea of mists, and we haven''t seen anything besides the warship at our feet, let alone these ms. Mister, you were in a daze just now, and it took me a very long time to wake you up."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. He nced at Zhu, then at the warship where he stood. From whaty before him, Zhu clearly seemed to be right. Could he have been dreaming all this time?


    Zhu''s face turned serious. "Mister, could you have encountered a mystery as soon as you entered the sea of mists?"


    "It... seems like that might be the case."


    Zhu frowned. "Mister, you have to be more careful. The sea of mists is exceptionally mysterious, and nine adventurers out of ten die within it. My father barely escaped with his life."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I know that much. Your father got on a wooden boat and was trapped in what seemed like a time loop, wasn''t he?"


    Zhu''s eyes widened. "How did you know, Mister?!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Maybe I can predict the future. We''ll likely hear a siren''s voice soon."


    "That''s what my father told me, Mister!"


    "Not only that, this siren will die very quickly."


    "By what?"


    "By me!"


    Wings sprouted from Zhang Lie''s back as he shot off the warship, leaving Zhu behind. "Don''t go!"


    After killing the siren with one activation of [Fists of the Silent Sea], he headed back to the warship by breaking through the spatial distortions in his way.


    Zhu pounced on him as she cried, just like before.


    Subsequently, when the ghost ship appeared, Zhang Lie struck immediately. Since he didn''t waste time thinking like he had thest time around, there was some time left before the next mysterious event.


    Zhang Lie walked around the warship. Although he hadn''t found anything the first time, he wanted to see if there might be any clues that he had missed the first time.


    What he hadn''t expected was to find a whole room of corpses, dead from all sorts of causes natural and otherwise. Some bled to death from all their orifices, some were sliced in two, others were charred, their bodies ckened, and quite a few had rotted all the way through. A human head rolled to Zhang Lie''s side.


    Zhang Lie leaned down and picked it up to see his own face facing him. The entire room of corpses was all his own, showing him a multitude of gruesome deaths.


    "Distasteful and pointless," he criticized. Zhang Lie threw the human head back into the room and punched forward.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A ck serpent shot out of Zhang Lie''s fist, swallowing up the corpses within and leaving nothing behind.


    Unable to confirm what was going on, Zhang Lie began jotting possibilities on a pad of paper.


    First, he might be within a dream.


    Second, what happened previously might have been the dream, and he was currently in reality.


    Third, he might have suddenly gained the power to predict the future, a wholly imusible event.


    Fourth, he might have entered a time loop the moment he entered the sea of mists.


    Fifth, this might be an illusory realm that was created by the disaster-grade lifeform, one which wasn''t real at all.


    Sixth, the disaster-grade lifeform might have forcibly sent him back in time.


    Zhang Lie had six possible hypotheses in all.


    While he was thinking, the ghost ship appeared before him.


    "Don''t bother me! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" His fist caused a geyser of water to erupt, swallowing the ghost ship whole.


    Next was the gctic battleship; this time, instead of reacting passively, Zhang Lie chose to attack it head-on...

 Chapter 559: A Bewildering Truth

    <h4>Chapter 559: A Bewildering Truth</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s des shed as he attacked the energy shield surrounding a gctic battleship.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Sword energy filled the air, overloading the shield in just an instant. The burgeoning energy tore a hole in the exterior of the battleship. The starbreak annihtor protruded out of the battleship''s exterior as it prepared to fire¡ªbut Zhang Lie attacked first.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" He whizzed into the interior of the battleship, which shed with red light.


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected. Warning! An intruder has been detected." The automated self-defense system activated, and theser guns that emerged from hidden crevices pointed their reticles at Zhang Lie.


    As Zhang Lie destroyed the guns, he headed toward the interior of the battleship, toward its engine room.


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected in the engine room. Self-destruct sequence activated!"


    "Warning! An intruder has been detected in the engine room. Self-destruct sequence activated!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where are you from? How did you get here?"


    "Self-destruct sequence activated. Ten-second countdown initiating..."


    "I''m Zhang Lie, a hunter of the world federation!"


    "Nine!"


    "Is it truly an illusion, then? Very well. [The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    An underworld river hurtled into existence. The haunted souls of the underworld smashed apart the battleship from the inside out.


    As ck sword energy tore the interior of the battleship apart, Zhang Lie flew out. He frowned. He was unable tomunicate with the artificial intelligence present within the battleship, so he had no choice but to keep exploring the sea of mists.


    This time, thanks to Zhang Lie''s foresight, the warship hadn''t been destroyed by the battleship''s starbreak annihtor.


    Zhu shivered as she asked, "What was that just now?"


    "Something called a gctic battleship."


    "A gctic battleship?!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "It''s not something that should have been able to appear in this realm."


    The reason Zhang Lie was frowning wasn''t because of the gctic battleship, but rather because he felt that he had had the exact same conversation before.


    Following its original route, the warship steered into siren-infested waters, which Zhang Lie handily took care of.


    Next, the same cruise ship as before appeared. This time, rather than getting on board, Zhang Lie smashed it apart from where he stood on the warship.


    The warship suddenly changed course, causing Zhang Lie to snort. "Just like before..."


    Again, it seemed like the mastermind behind the sea of mists was fearful of Zhang Lie''s strength and was trying to send him out of the sea of mists.


    Everything that had happened seemed to be a perfect duplicate of what had happened in the past. If nothing else, Zhang Lie was able to confirm that none of that had been a dream.


    "Do you think you can bend me to your whim so easily? I''m not going to stay or leave just because you want me to!" Zhang Lie shouted, flying off into the distance with Zhu.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards simultaneously. Thick fur grew from his skin, followed by scales and a dragon''s ws, as he transformed into a draconic wolfman.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" With a punch, he summoned a blood dragon that tore apart the mist and spatial distortions ahead and flew straight toward his target.


    Suddenly, an entire fleet of gctic battleships emerged from the sea, sendingser beams shooting toward Zhang Like like raindrops in a thunderstorm.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with his left arm, sending a torrent of dragons flooding outward.


    Keening like peals of thunder, the horde of dragons smashed into the battleships that had gathered about Zhang Lie.


    The battleships exploded in the sky like fireballs, vaporizing the mist around them.


    The dragons fought against the battleships in what seemed to be an apocalyptic battle. Some of the dragons were pierced through by the battleships''sers, while some battleships were smashed apart by the dragons. Fire and light filled the air.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, his fists summoned ck dragon after ck dragon, smashing the battleships around him apart.


    At the center of the sea of mists was a gigantic m that exuded mist from within its shell. This m was the root cause behind the mist that pervaded the sea.


    Zhu''s eyes widened. "My father told me about such ms before! Their mists can all but replicate reality."


    The gigantic m shut its shell and tried to retreat back underwater, aware that Zhang Lie was a dangerous target to provoke.


    "It''s far toote!" Zhang Lie sent a dazzling streak of sword energy toward the m. "[Rune: Control]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle appeared before Zhang Lie as he raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with sea and sky, suppressing the m''s unique ability.


    As he was about to strike, Zhang Lie suddenly seemed to wake from a stupor. The reality before his eyes was no different from that which had happened in the past.


    The m shuddered as it suddenly broke free from Zhang Lie''s seal. Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard and scanned the surface of the sea, allowing him to spot the massive soul hidden right beneath the surface of the sea.


    A pir of gic energy rose from Zhang Lie''s body.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    A blood-red dragon''s roar shook the skies. Zhang Lie''s sword energy caused the entire sea to tremble. It smashed apart whatever spatial distortions stood in its way and tore a furrow in the sky as it swept past the m and struck the surface of the sea where the disaster-grade m was located. A primordial aura rose into the air along with a multicolored mist.


    The jewel-studded m slowly appeared above the surface of the sea and made to open up.


    This time, Zhang Lie didn''t stand around waiting.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air.


    Just then, a dragon''s w emerged from within the center of the m and gently touched the center of the attack, dissipating it with seemingly no effort at all. As the rainbow-colored mist diffused into the air, Zhang Lie stumbled back before hitting something.


    He turned back to see his father, whose face suddenly burst apart. Flesh bulged from within, expanding until Zhang Lie had no choice but to retreat. As he swung his sword at the mass of flesh, another face appeared¡ª that of the monarch of stars.


    The monarch of stars'' fist thumped against Zhang Lie''s body, sending him flying backward until he came in contact with the rainbow-colored mist.


    His surroundings faded again to gray mist, so thick he could barely see his fingers.


    "Mister! Mister! Mister!" Zhu''s voice suddenly came from close by.


    Startled, Zhang Lie nced all around him. They had returned again to the warship.


    "Where''s the shell?!"

 Chapter 560: Shengs Sudden Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 560: Sheng''s Sudden Appearance</h4>


    Zhu frowned as she waved a hand over Zhang Lie''s face. "Mister, are you alright?"


    "Where did the ms go?"


    Zhu frowned. "What ms, Mister? We just entered the sea of mists!"


    Zhang Lie calmed down, closed his eyes, and found his memory returning. He touched his face gingerly and felt a sensation of pain.


    The monarch of stars that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere certainly wasn''t real; it simply came out of his memories.


    Zhang Lie was certain that that disaster-grade lifeform possessed the ability to read through his memories. The five-colored mist that it had produced seemed to have the ability to reverse time, but only within the vicinity of the mist.


    Zhang Lie''s dragon''s eye soulshard was able to confirm that Zhu was truly there, but Zhu didn''t retain her memories of what had happened. Could that be a matter of strength, or of the disaster gene fragments that he possessed? If the m could edit his memories too, that would be far too frightening.


    Having restarted his journey through the sea of mists twice over, Zhang Lie was certain that the disaster-grade m wasn''t infallible. As long as he didn''te into contact with the five-colored mist, he wouldn''t be forced back to the beginning.


    In some sense, it was like going toward a bad ending in a visual novel.


    "What sort of trash game woulde up with such a nasty boss?" Zhang Lie muttered to himself as he thought about how to deal with the m when a voice rang out by his side.


    "What did you say?"


    Zhang Lie jumped up in fright as he turned to see a third person on the warship, someone who wasn''t him or Zhu. It was a merman with a solid, sturdy stature, his eyes sharp and piercing, who looked a little like Zhu.


    "Father!" Zhu leapt forward to hug the man before her.


    Zhang Lie raised a hand.


    Zhu turned back and nced at his cold eyes, emotionless and nk. Zhang Lie only looked like that when he was nning to kill someone.


    Zhu hurriedly stood in front of her father, pulling him behind her. "What do you want, Mister?!"


    Zhu''s father smiled as he pushed Zhu aside. "Haha, Zhu, this is normal behavior. Wouldn''t you be surprised if a stranger were suddenly to appear on your ship?" Zhu''s father exined.


    To Zhang Lie, he bowed politely. "Let me introduce myself. I''m Sheng, and I''m a ghost."


    Zhang Lie had kept his dragon''s eye soulshard activated all this time, and the man in front of him didn''t have a soul.


    "You must think my appearance very strange. I felt the same way when I first came to the sea of mists, and only when I saw Zhu could I confirm that I was actually dead."


    Zhu said, "When I found my father on a boat, he told me that he had been trapped within the sea of mists for a few years, unable to leave."


    Sheng slowly continued, "I had hypothesized this possibility given my experience in the sea. I saw an adventurer from over a century ago, who had passed away in the recent decades. I had traveled to his grave before seeing him within the sea of mists..."


    Seeing the desire in Zhu''s eyes, seeing the silent plea writ through all the lines of her body, Zhang Lie sighed and didn''t strike at Sheng.


    "Zhu has already mentioned all of this." Zhang Lie was a little exasperated. He had smashed apart everything the m threw his way with force, but here was a problem he couldn''t resolve with brute force alone.


    Sheng continued, "When I returned to the sea of mists once more, I finally understood something. All those who perished within the sea of mists can never leave, but not only that¡ªanyone who has entered the sea of mists will return to it in death to be one of the ghosts within."


    Zhu cried out in shock, "In that case, if I or the mister were to die, we''d be ghosts ourselves?!"


    "Definitely. The moment you step foot within the sea of mists, you''ll be affected by the mysterious power within." His face suddenly turned bleak as he sighed. "I didn''t think you would enter the sea of mists, but here you are."


    Zhu smiled. "If I hadn''te, I would never have been able to speak with you again."


    Sheng suddenly grabbed Zhu''s ear. "Now, who''s this man by your side and what''re you doing with him? Where''s your mother?"


    Zhu yelped as she ducked. "Ow, ow! Dad, what are you doing? We''ve been separated for so long, and you''re going to interrogate me right away?"


    "Of course I have to! I can''t let you walk away with a strange man, can I? Where''s your mother?"


    Zhu pouted and pushed Sheng aside. "After you left without any word for a few years, Mom was so distraught that she died of heartbreak! She''s been gone for years now."


    Sheng took a step back, stumbling as though he had just been struck by lightning. "I-Is that so?" Sheng clutched his head. "It''s all my fault, it''s all my fault!"


    Only after a long moment of silence did Sheng finally look up. "How did your mother die?"


    "After learning of your death, she slowly wasted away."


    "Didn''t the vige take care of you?"


    Zhu frowned. "Take care of me? Well, if this mister hadn''t shown up when he did, I would have be in our sea god''s belly by now!"


    Sheng gritted his teeth. "These fellows¡ªthey told me that they''d take proper care of you when they sent me out searching for a new ce to live! I swear, I¡ª"


    Zhu waved her hand, motioning for her father to stop. "Dad, there''s nothing we can do about this now. Can you tell us more about the sea of mists?"


    Sheng nodded. "I was never able to explore the sea of mists properly as a living adventurer, and it''s all I''ve been doing since my death. First, the gray mists of the sea of mists are produced by a gigantic m at its very center. I''m not sure of the origins behind the spatial distortion, but there are all sorts of strange and unusual phenomena that take ce within."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In other words, it''s not just the m that''s responsible for the mists?"


    "From my perspective, the m is only part of an ecosystem. All it shows us are illusions, but what manifests these illusions into reality? This is a special property of the sea of mists."


    Zhang Lie wondered to himself, "In that case, if there are other races that cane up with illusions, wouldn''t they be undefeatable within the sea of mists?"


    "In theory, certainly, but any food produced within this sea will turn into mist. Only certain lifeforms and technological devices remain unaffected by this restriction, for reasons unknown."


    Indeed, Zhang Lie had hardly seen anything else in the sea of mists except lifeforms, boats, and ships.


    Sheng continued, "The m at the center of the sea of mists makes use of this unusual phenomenon to hunt for prey, but that''s not all that''s special about the sea of mists. In addition..."

 Chapter 561: The Mystery Deepens

    <h4>Chapter 561: The Mystery Deepens</h4>


    "Hold on, I have a question!" Zhang Lie dered. "How can you prove that you''re not just an illusion the m made up to mislead us?"


    Sheng smiled. "In that case, you''re starting to believe my words, aren''t you? Or rather, you''d like to believe that what I''m saying is right."


    "If Zhu weren''t around, I wouldn''t believe a word of what you said."


    Sheng smiled. "I apologize for the burden of my identity, then. I can''t prove that I''m not an illusion; I can''t say whether or not I''m an illusion myself. To date, I haven''t been able to discover all the mysteries at the heart of the sea of mists. I roughly know that these illusions are created based on one''s memories¡ªah! If there''s something I can tell you that neither of you know about, I should be able to confirm whether I''m an illusion or not."


    Zhang Lie considered his words. "What do you propose?"


    Sheng turned to Zhu. "Zhu, did I tell you about how I met your mother?"


    Zhu rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, multiple times, in fact."


    "How about the story of your mother''s birthday?"


    "Yes."


    "The story of your birth?"


    "Yes."


    Sheng rubbed his head. "Ah, what if I really am an illusion...?"


    He mulled things over for a bit. "Let me tell you how I died, then. Surely you don''t know about that?"


    Zhu had only received secondhand information about her father''s death when her uncle brought her the possessions Sheng had had on him in death.


    Sheng rubbed his head again. "I didn''t expect I would die at the time. It was my second time entering the sea of storms."


    Zhu''s eyes widened. "The sea of storms¡ªwait, the second time? Isn''t the sea of storms a forbidden region? Why would you enter such a dangerous ce twice?"


    "I barely escaped from the sea of storms the first time around. I didn''t want to return, but I had no choice¡ªI left something important behind."


    "What''s so important that you would be willing to risk your life to head back in?"


    "Apanion of mine."


    "Apanion?"


    "To be honest, the first time I entered the sea of storms, I was with two other people. One of them died within the sea of storms, and the other was left behind. I thought that that person had already died, but he managed to contact me through unusual means. For mypanion, I braved the sea of storms once more."


    "But you died this time around?" Zhang Lie questioned.


    Sheng''s face fell. "That''s right. That was myst adventure. I saved mypanion, but I was forever trapped within the sea of mists, soul and all. I expect mypanion was the one who brought all my belongings back to the vige."


    Zhang Lie frowned and began, "It''s true that Zhu hasn''t heard this story before, but that doesn''t necessarily mean that you''re the real Sheng. After all, how can Zhu verify the legitimacy of this story?"


    "In that case, I can''t prove my own identity."


    Zhang Lie continued, "There''s another piece of information I should tell you. You''re not a soul, since souls would possess spiritual essence. You don''t have a trace of spiritual essence on you."


    "Oh? I suppose that''s a good sign¡ªmy soul has beenid to rest deep within the ocean, then."


    The merpeople believed that, in death, their souls would return to the god of the seas. Sheng didn''t believe in sea deities; instead, he believed that everyone''s souls would be reimed by the sea.


    He smiled bitterly. "I apologize. As a human, it must be difficult for you to believe me."


    "No, I''m willing to trust you for now."


    .


    Sheng seemed rather surprised. "Really? Why?"


    "Because believing you doesn''t cost me anything. Even if something unusual were to happen, I have the strength to handle it."


    Sheng smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you for your trust."


    "Enough of that. Please, keep telling us about your investigation into the sea of mists."


    "Not only do these mists boast the ability to make the illusory real, they can even allow for time loops."


    "Just like the story you told Zhu about the ship you were on?"


    "Right. After I left the sea of mists, I thought that what I had witnessed was nothing but an illusion. Ever since bing part of the sea myself, however, I learned that ghosts would take part in these time loops themselves."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Speaking of that, how are you able to leave your own ship as a ghost? I haven''t seen any other ghost who was able to do the same."


    "I don''t understand myself. It does seem to be a unique ability that allows me to wander from ship to ship, unrestrained as the other ghosts are. It''s only because of this ability and my ethereal connection to Zhu that I was able to find my way to this warship. Perhaps I was stronger than these other ghosts while I was alive?"


    "Can you pass through space?"


    The sea of mists was filled with spatial distortions.


    "I can''t, which is why it took me so long."


    Finally, Zhang Lie asked a question he had been intending to ask for quite some time. "Have you ever experienced a time loop from the very start of entering the sea of mists? Not while you were on a ship, but even before it."


    Sheng seemed a little surprised at Zhang Lie''s words. "It looks as though you''ve already discovered one of the subtler features of the sea of mists!"


    Zhang Lie exined what he had experienced twice by now. Sheng was only a ghost, and the m would already know this information by reading his memories, so Zhang Lie didn''t mind sharing at least this information with Sheng.


    If Sheng were a true ghost, he might be able to provide Zhang Lie with some guidance.


    Sheng murmured, "Disaster-grade lifeforms, you say... so that''s how you humans address these major sea gods."


    The marine and seafaring races thought of peak- or higher-grade lifeforms uniformly as sea gods or sea deities, and the strongest among them as major sea gods. These corresponded to the humans'' disaster-grade lifeforms.


    To be frank, except for Zhang Lie, few were well aware of the distinction between peak- and disaster-grade lifeforms in this era. Even the monarch of stars wasn''t aware of the distinction; all those who had fought a disaster-grade lifeform had perished without being able to pass on their newfound information.


    Sheng suddenly seemed to think of something. "Have you ever heard of a phrase like ''the ocean isn''t the only ocean, the sun isn''t the only sun''?"


    "What?"


    "Multiple worlds coexist simultaneously."


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem shocked. He nodded.


    "It looks like you''ve heard of the like, have you?" Sheng was impressed.


    "Tell me more, please."


    Sheng continued, "Parallel worlds exist in our universe, all of which are joined by the sea. These worlds progress along the same timeline as ours, but each with subtle differences."


    "Parallel worlds, you say..."

 Chapter 562: Approaching the Truth

    <h4>Chapter 562: Approaching the Truth</h4>


    Sheng eximed, "Indeed, you know about parallel worlds! During my travels, I learned of a legend of ten suns and twenty worlds. The sun you see daily might look the same to you, but they actually rotate from world to world. Simrly, these worlds look the same from the outside, but they''re each different and independent."


    "This is a little different from the parallel worlds theory that I''ve heard of. In my version, each choice you make can spawn two different worlds¡ªfor instance, a world in which I encounter you, and a world in which I don''t¡ªand perhaps even a world in which you''re still alive. There''s not just one world, but uncountably many worlds."


    In this analogy, the universe was like a tree, every branch and every leaf its own world. Closer worlds were closer on the tree; farther worlds were farther apart.


    Zhu raised her hand. "Mister, you said that there might be worlds where you met my father and worlds where you didn''t?"


    Zhu wasn''t fully able to follow the conversation between the two men, but she did get the gist of it.


    Zhang Lie''s brows furrowed. "In other words, could the disaster-grade m have sent me from world to parallel world?"


    That would be truly disastrous.


    Zhang Lie''s main hypothesis was that all he had encountered was an illusion, but Sheng''s words wentpletely against that notion.


    Zhang Lie believed that the m had forced him to restart his journey through the sea of mists three different times, but if it had truly moved him from timeline to timeline, if that room of corpses he had found truly contained hundreds of his own corpses from different timelines...


    Zhang Lie trembled. He could hardly entertain such notions.


    And what if this weren''t his third attempt in the loop? What if he had looped again and again, thousands of times, but only three of those attempts were preserved in his memories? What if he began each loop anew but only managed to reach the m three times out of countless tries, and were killed all other times...?


    Given his strength, the only existences in the second realm that could kill him was the asura¡ª or himself. No other lifeform could threaten his life.


    Could it be that another him was trying to kill all the other copies of him that existed in the parallel worlds so that the worlds would copse into one?


    Zhang Lie asked, "Could multiple copies of me exist in this world?"


    Sheng shook his head. "That''s not likely."


    "Why not?"


    "Because of Zhu."


    Zhang Lie understood Sheng''s meaning within moments. Zhu had always been by his side; in some sense, Zhu was a marker for him within the sea of mists. Anything else in the sea of mists might have been an illusion, but not Zhu, for she had a soul.


    "Indeed, there''s only one Zhu..."


    In that case, was there the possibility that even his dragon''s eye soulshard was affected as well? Likely not¡ªthese soulshards'' effects weren''t limited to the second realm, so they wouldn''t be so easily subverted.


    Sheng continued, "Of course, there''s another reason. These ''disaster-grade lifeforms'', as you call them, are all very strong; ording to your description, even the whirlpool strait was a result of one such lifeform. But no matter how strong they are, they''re still bound by the rules of this realm. Being able to move a lifeform from timeline to timeline is beyond those constraints."


    If the m really were able to do so, why didn''t it drag its corresponding branched selves into this world with it?


    Sheng continued, "My other hypothesis is that the m somehow makes use of these time loops to send its memories to another parallel world¡ªbut that it''s only a side effect, not a desired consequence."


    "That sounds usible."


    Sheng shrugged. "Regardless of what the m''s abilities are, we need only aplish two tasks. The first is to leave the sea of mists."


    As expected of a former explorer, Sheng was calm and collected despite the unusual nature of the predicament they found themselves in.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I won''t leave so easily."


    The disaster-grade m was a treasure beyond treasure; could he really leave it behind? Furthermore, after the m had caused him so much trouble, he had to kill it at any cost.


    "This is only ever going to end with my killing the disaster-grade m," Zhang Lie announced.


    Sheng nodded in agreement.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I don''t think that the m can transport my memories to parallel worlds, but rather that it forces me to undergo a time loop. It can probably only achieve this effect by forcing me toe into contact with the five-colored mist that it expels¡ªperhaps because of my own strength."


    Zhang Lie possessed 21 disaster gene fragments, which gave him significant resistance to the abilities of disaster-grade lifeforms. Each time the loop reset, Zhu would lose her memories, but Zhang Lie himself didn''t seem to be affected.


    The warship was being dragged along close to the rim of a whirlpool. Zhang Lie flew to the prow and tried to push the warship away with his bare hands. This time, the warship didn''t encounter the cruise ship; it had taken a different path entirely.


    Sheng said, "I know where the m is located. Let me be your guide."


    With a seasoned guide around, Zhang Lie, Zhu, and Sheng found the m much more quickly. A fleet of gctic battleships emerged arrayed around the m, along with countless people¡ªno, countless ghosts who should long since have perished: the monarch of stars, Shouta, Xueju, Xuechi, Musi Yu...


    Figures who had been killed by Zhang Lie himself rose out of the water and stood by the gctic battleships.


    The monarch of stars held hispass in his hands. "Zhang Lie, we meet again."


    Xueju licked his lips. "I bet you have a beautiful body. Not being able to obtain it for myself was a pity for me in life, but it won''t be one in death!"


    Musi Yu shouted in rage, "Zhang Lie, I''m going to kill you!"


    These revived figures shared one thing inmon¡ªnone of them had eyes, only empty sockets where their eyes would have been.


    Zhang Lie snorted. "The dead should remain dead."


    The gctic battleships opened fire on Zhang Lie, sendingser beams shooting toward Zhang Like like raindrops in a thunderstorm.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A ck serpent shot out of Zhang Lie''s fist toward the beams of light.


    "Don''t forget about us!" Xueju, Xuechi, Musi Yu, and all of Zhang Lie''s erstwhile opponents shot their own techniques at him.


    "You''ve all lost to me once, and you''ll lose to me again!" His des swept through the entire battlefield like a hurricane, tearing the figures of his enemies to shreds.


    The gctic battleships fell from the skies, crashing and burning; the only one who managed to block Zhang Lie''s attack was the monarch of stars. Even so, his body was filled with wounds, from which mist continuously dissipated.


    Zhang Lie had long since evolved in power and strength; the monarch of stars, with whom he had fought on equal footing, was no longer his opponent...

 Chapter 563: The Dragon of the Clam

    <h4>Chapter 563: The Dragon of the m</h4>


    Thepass in the monarch of stars'' hands began to spin, causing thousands of stars to drop from the sky.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie''s sword technique drew on the boundless nature of the sea. A tidal wave rose up into the sky and smashed the starlight to fragments. The monarch of stars shielded himself with hispass, which formed a translucent barrier around him.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword energy shed with the shield, a thick scar appeared on thepass before it broke into two.


    Darkness erupted from the monarch of stars, and eyes and mouths appeared all over his body. The pupils of those eyes were darker than the abyss, darker than the night, filled with corruption and chaos.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie sent all four runic tablets crashing down on the monarch. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the space and forming an absolute domain over all things within and without.


    Before the array could reach maximum strength, however, the tablets ground to a halt. Countless tentacles, so thick they seemed like msses, had filled the space the tablets created.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. Waves of sword aura poured from Zhang Lie.


    The bright sword energy rushed toward the sky before falling back down like brilliant rays of sunlight, dissipating the darkness in a wave of energy so intense that the remaining gctic battleships began to sputter and fall.


    An incredible wave of energy tore a trench in the sea.


    Zhang Lie waved the des in his hands, cutting the darkness to pieces. The silver sword energy formed a hurricane in mid-air, batting the battleships aside.


    After considerable effort, the battleships finally stabilized. Some shot ballistic missiles toward Zhang Lie, otherser beams, and a few even employed their starbreak annihtors directly.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" In the blink of an eye, Zhang Lie shed away. He darted from battleship to battleship, tracing out afterimages in the sky, before appearing in front of the gigantic m. Behind him, the battleships burst apart in spectacr explosions, almost as though there were hundreds of suns in the sky.


    The gigantic m shut its shell and tried to retreat back underwater, aware that Zhang Lie was a dangerous target to provoke.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood-ant and dragonwolf soulshards, smashing the m apart in mere moments. His eyes turned to the surface of the sea. His pupils gleamed; he had found his true target, the disaster-grade m thaty hidden.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence. The haunted souls of the underworld could almost be seen in the darkness.


    In conjunction with [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar], Zhang Lie tore the surface of the sea apart, unleashing a primordial aura. The jewel-studded m slowly appeared above the surface of the sea and opened up, causing multicolored mist to seep into the air.


    His sword energy was countered by a bout of sword energy from within the m, one that was an exact copy of his own.


    As the mists cleared, Zhang Lie nced at his new enemy with wide eyes. Standing in front of him was none other than... himself.


    "I''d considered the possibility that I would be my own opponent, but it still shocks me to see it happen."


    The other Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand. "Your struggles are futile. You''ll simply perish, just like all the corpses in that room in the warship!"


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Two blood-red dragons howled and tussled simultaneously in the air.


    "Take this! [Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" Zhang Lie infused spiritual energy into his de, and the de gleamed more and more brightly as he charged up his technique.


    His ghostly counterpart, which boasted no spiritual energy of its own, was incapable of using this technique. The sword sliced into the fake Zhang Lie''s shoulder, but he onlyughed. "And how do you intend to pierce my soul, a soul that doesn''t exist?"


    Energy poured out of the fake Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Zhang Lie used the same technique simultaneously, triggering yet another cataclysmic explosion which tore apart the sea and sky, shattering the spatial distortions thaty above the sea of mists and snuffing out the mist.


    The fake Zhang Lie''s body began to destabilize.


    The sea of mists was able to impart form and function to an illusion, but even it had a limit. Zhang Lie''s abilities were far too strong for it to emte in whole.


    Upon realizing this fact, Zhang Lie used his strongest technique.


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon revolved around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    A dragon of blood rushed out of the tide apanied by a series of dark, ck waves.


    The fake Zhang Lie tried to use the same technique, but it was simply beyond his capabilities. The dragon of blood roared toward him, causing even the multicolored mist to dissipate, when a dragon''s w emerged from within the m to block the devastating blow.


    The sea calmed down. Sunlight shone brightly from above, and the sea turned a deep, sapphire blue. The jewel-studded disaster-grade m opened up more fully, causing more multicolored mist to seep into the air and revealing an ornate, baroque pce.


    Within the pce was a dragon, one with deer''s antlers on its head, a dark red mane trailing down its neck, deep blue scales, sharp, fierce teeth, emerald-green eyes, and a fearsome aura. At times real, at times illusory, it looked simultaneously a creature out of this world and one fully steeped in reality...

 Chapter 564: The Clams True Form

    <h4>Chapter 564: The m''s True Form</h4>


    "This should be the base form of the disaster-grade m¡ªno, I suppose it''s the disaster-grade mshell dragon now."


    The dragon sprayed out multicolored mist all around its body. As it tapped on the air with its golden w, a ray of golden light shot toward Zhang Lie, which he deftly avoided.


    The golden light shot out of the sea of mists into the high heavens.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Spiritual energy condensed into shining waves. Like a tsunami, the waves rushed toward the mshell dragon.


    The mshell dragon evaded the attack and teleported to Zhang Lie''s back in the blink of an eye, then swiped down with a golden w.


    Zhang Lie turned. He blocked with a de in one hand and struck with the de in the other.


    The mshell dragon''s tail whipped toward that hand and curled around the de, trying to wrest it from Zhang Lie, but its tail began to decay with the irrepressible aura of time.


    "[Time''s Passing]!"


    Unfortunately, disaster-grade lifeforms were halfway out of time themselves.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie made use of his understanding of the sword to depict the movement of time through space. Time was a fixed quantity, but it flowed through different spaces and different ces at different rates.


    As Zhang Lie shot forward, he increased his own flow of time to an exceptional degree, sending a flurry of attacks toward the mshell dragon in what seemed like no time at all to the outside world.


    Zhang Lie''s application of the technique was simr to that used by the monarch of stars, but Zhang Lie''s version was less utilitarian. The monarch of stars'' technique could be used even outside ofbat: the reason the monarch of stars had been able to carry out so many research projects simultaneously while maintaining hisbat power was precisely because of his time-maniption technique.


    Everyone else only had twenty-four hours in a day, but the monarch of stars was able to stretch twelve hours of work a day into sixty. As a result, he was able to maintain both his research output and cultivation.


    Zhang Lie''s sword technique was only usable in battle, though it did give him incredible strength for a short period of time.


    The mshell dragon was beaten to such an extent that it couldn''t retaliate. Its body was full of wounds, and it was hard-pressed to even back away, let alone morph into mist and fly away.


    Gusts of rainbow-colored mist sprayed from the mshell dragon''s wounds. Zhang Lie, rather worried about the mist, immediately stepped back. He attempted to attack from another angle, but a massive shadow appeared behind him right then and there, sorge it was taller than a mountain, sorge it covered up the sun and all else.


    An ancient and aged hum, one that had experienced all the ups and downs of countless eras, rang out through the air. It sounded like the baying of a whale, the keening of a dragon.


    The shadow opened its maw wide, sucking in the air with such force that a tornado formed in the sky. Zhang Lie turned back and beheld the whirlpool tyrant in all its majesty.


    He was astounded that the mshell dragon had been able to replicate a disaster-grade lifeform. The whirlpool tyrant shone with gleaming red light, like a luminous, glowing sun whose rays shone red as they pierced through the clouds. The sky looked as though it were burning up. Beneath the sun was an idyllic patch of crystal-clear sea, one which seemed to turn red from the evening sunlight.


    "Scram!" Zhang Lie shed at the whirlpool tyrant with his sword, cutting it in half.


    Ever since absorbing the whirlpool tyrant''s disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie''sbat prowess had risen sharply. He had expended great effort to take down the whirlpool tyrant initially, but at this point it was hardly a threat to him.


    As Zhang Lie activated his golden qilin transformation, the red tint to the sky vanished and was reced by great arcs of gold. Golden armor covered his body; antlers grew out of his head. Golden mes burned all around him, releasing a holy aura. The ck sun to his back and bloody moon beneath his feet made him look like a god that had descended from the heavens.


    The sea continued to surge and frothe, its surface gleaming gold. The golden sky and golden sea met at the horizon. The gray mists dissipated, leaving nothing behind to block the splendor of gold. The entire world seemed to revolve around the sun called Zhang Lie.


    Sheng thought that he was an experienced traveler, having traveled to many ces and surviving numerous encounters with unusual and varied lifeforms, but Zhang Lie shocked him once and again.


    "What in the world...?"


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on the mshell dragon. As he stared at the dragon with his own dragon''s pupils, the mshell dragon began to quiver, as though it were on the verge of running away. The next moment, however, it found Zhang Lie standing before itself, blocking its way. Zhang Lie was now so fast that it couldn''t even see him move from ce to ce.


    The mshell dragon breathed out multicolored mist as a sword sh cut it in two¡ªbut the will of the world''s voice didn''t ring out. Zhang Lie''s face turned cold. His gaze swept over the sea and sky, and he noticed that the mshell had vanished from sight. In other words, that mshell dragon hadn''t been the m''s true form¡ªit was only an illusion created by the m itself!


    The m was far too naive to think that it could escape Zhang Lie''s clutches. Zhang Lie didn''t even need to see where it had gone; he simply swung his de down.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!" Zhang Lie''s de made a horizontal sh.


    White light split the sea and the sky, cutting apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    The whole world quaked. A patch of void and chaos expanded where the horizon had been, tearing apart the sea of mists.


    The spatial distortions all throughout the sea of mists were cut apart and smashed to pieces, and the m fell out into the air.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Found you."


    He had made use of his fearsome strength to shatter the sea of mists, dragging the m out of its hiding spot by brute force.


    A thick scar marred the m''s shell, deep and jarring amidst its jewel-studded exterior. Had Zhang Lie struck at the m and the m alone, the strike would surely have split the m in two.


    The m quivered as multicolored mist erupted from the shell. With another horizontal sh, Zhang Lie prised the m shell open...

 Chapter 565: Another Soulshard

    <h4>Chapter 565: Another Soulshard</h4>


    .


    This time around, Zhang Lie finally saw the true form of the disaster-grade lifeform.


    The ornate pce appeared once again within the shell, revealing just a single lifeform within. Rainbow mist covered its translucent body, which had the texture of jelly. It was without scales and without ws.


    ms developed strong defenses to protect against a weak, fragile interior. The disaster-grade m''s ability to manufacture illusions had misled Zhang Lie into thinking that it had lost that weakness upon its evolution into a disaster-grade lifeform.


    After all, disaster-grade lifeforms didn''t have obvious weaknesses, so Zhang Lie had naturally thought that the illusory mshell dragon was the disaster-grade m''s true form. Only now did he uncover the truth.


    In retrospect, this should have been obvious; the evolution to disaster-grade was a dramatic one, but not so dramatic that a m would discard its shellpletely.


    This was another reason the disaster-grade m had been continuously taking advantage of the sea of mists'' unusual characteristics to avoid a head-on sh with Zhang Lie once and again.


    Its ingrained instincts told it to pick on weaker lifeforms, killing them with its illusions. The somewhat stronger ones could be exhausted through these loops and killed once they had been exhausted; the ones that were far too strong would be sent out of the sea of mists on a ship. The spatial distortions that pervaded the sea of mists were the disaster-grade m''s best protection.


    In some sense, this weak disaster-grade m was even more annoying than the disaster-grade whirlpool tyrant that Zhang Lie had faced; in some sense, it was stronger than the entire sura race itself.


    The m refused to allow a direct confrontation, where it would be at an absolute disadvantage. Against Zhang Lie, whom it couldn''t defeat, it simply ran away again and again.


    The first time Zhang Lie showed up, it tried to run off by sacrificing its peak-grade counterpart. Only when Zhang Lie pierced the deception did it finally release its multicolored mist.


    The second time, it tried to bewitch Zhang Lie by means of the mist once more.


    The third time, the m finally had no recourse but to fight.


    The illusory mshell dragon was the disaster-grade m''s ideal self. It wanted ws so sharp they could pierce the heavens, a body so agile and adroit it could soar through the sky. Potent offenses, a strong physical body, impressive speed, immunity to physical attacks¡ªthis was the m''s ideal.


    The m had been trying to sculpt a perfect body based on the power it had umted all these years, only to encounter the even stronger Zhang Lie.


    The disaster-grade m shook as it asked, "Just what do you want?!"


    Zhang Lie was a little surprised. He knew that disaster-grade lifeforms were as intelligent as humans, but he had never seen one that could speak. Given the nature of its abilities, however, Zhang Lie was easily able to understand what was going on.


    "You''re speaking to me through an illusion, aren''t you?"


    This was an illusion that the m wanted to show him, but it was no different from the m speaking in reality.


    The m begged, "I won''t do something like this in the future! Please forgive me."


    "Ha! If I were weak, you wouldn''t allow me to leave unscathed, would you?"


    He hade here to kill disaster-grade lifeforms, and he had no intention of giving up his prey.


    With a single sh of his sword, the m was no more.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade mistmeld m and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the disaster-grade mistmeld m, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. How lucky he had been recently! Upon activating its soulshard, his dragon''s pupils turned into rings of multicolored light, enticing and mysterious, as though anyone who looked at him would immediately fall into a trance.


    Multicolored mist wisped out of his body as he unsheathed his twin des.


    He had more or less grasped the utility of this soulshard, which gave him the ability to put others in a trance and to generate the m''s signature multicolored mist.


    Zhang Lie sliced apart the m''s body to find a glowing jewel giving off radiant light. The mist within the jewel moved in a particrly pleasing pattern, and it was so beautiful Zhang Lie would swear it came from the very heavens. Just one nce left Zhang Lie somewhat bewildered, as though his mind was being sucked into the orb.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie''s willpower was sufficiently strong that he snapped out of his stupor within moments, but the encounter left him rattled. An ordinary person''s mind would almost surely be trapped within the core with just a look.


    He drew a long breath, kept the orb, and canceled his golden qilin transformation.


    The fight against the disaster-grade m wasn''t the usual battle of strength that Zhang Lie had expected, but rather one of wills and willpower. If he had rxed for even the barest of moments, he might have died.


    Although he knew that all thaty before him were illusions, he had no choice. Without having killed the whirlpool tyrant and undergone the disaster-grade evolution, Zhang Lie estimated that he would have already died to the disaster-grade m.


    Because of his [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky], all the mist in the sea of mists had dissipated in its entirety, and the ms that had been responsible were both dead. No longer would the sea of mists be dangerous territory. The sun shone radiantly down on the sea, which glittered with golden light.


    The water was a crystal-clear blue, just like the clear sky, without even a single cloud in sight. Zhang Lie stared at the sky with joy, having missed the sun amidst the dreary, perennial mists.


    "Don''t leave, Dad!" a tremulous voice called out.


    Zhang Lie turned back to see Zhu trying to grab ahold of Sheng''s body, which was gradually fading into transparency.


    As Zhang Lie expelled all the mist from the sea of mists, he simultaneously stripped the sea of its mysterious strength. No longer could Sheng maintain his body.


    He reached out and rubbed his daughter''s head. "Don''t cry. I''m very d I was able to see you again, even after my death. It has truly been a blessing. Don''t you think it best for my soul to go free, rather than to be trapped within the mists for eternity, too?"


    Zahng Lie was a little upset, not because of Sheng''s disappearance, but rather because he still hadn''t gained a full understanding of the mysterious power that pervaded the sea of mists. In the future, he would have to slowly explore that power using the disaster-grade m''s soulshard.


    "Alright, I''m going to go meet your mother now. I wonder how she''ll lecture me? To be honest, I''m kind of looking forward to it..."


    Sheng smiled as he hugged his daughter onest time, whispering in her ear, "Take good care of yourself, and be mindful of the men around you. This fellow you''re traveling with might be strong, but you can''t just hand your body over like that, you hear?"


    Zhu lowered her head, blushing.


    Sheng turned to Zhang Lie. "Can I leave my daughter in your care?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Don''t worry. She won''t have to worry about anything within the sura realm."


    Zhu''s face turned redder.


    Sheng smiled blissfully as his body vanished for good.


    Back within Renhuang, preparations for war were underway. After all, the alien races had gathered there not to y ser, but rather to mount a cohesive defense against the sura.


    When they heard that the sura were finally attacking with an army a hundred million strong, none of the races backed down. They had gotten to know each other after some time, catalyzed by the ser craze that had caught Renhuang by storm, and had at least a basic understanding of each other''s struggles.


    They mobilized rapidly and were ready to fend off the sura army in no time.


    Although there were still conflicts that broke out between races, they would be able to fight side by side without a problem.


    Of course, the members of Team Zenith would take part as well. Their intention was to work together with the elites of the four prime races.


    Despite the fact that their opponents numbered a hundred million, the fighters of Renhuang were confident of their sess. They had the Yeluo poison, after all, and numbers weren''t an impediment to them.


    Renhuang had long since prepared for a major confrontation against the sura, and they had whole warehouses of the Yeluo poison prepared.


    Sun Mengmeng walked on stage to address the crowd. "We might alle from different backgrounds and different races, but now we have amon identity¡ªwe are those who oppose the sura, the citizens of Renhuang! Let us destroy this tyrannical race and restore peace to this realm!"


    The alien races gathered around the stage began to cheer.


    Sun Mengmeng wasn''t as good an orator as Zhang Lie, but it was hardly a problem for her to whip up the spirits of the audience.


    Her speech was short but direct, and it got directly to the heart of the matter. The alien fighters'' morale hadn''t been low to begin with; if Zhang Lie had been here, he might have gotten them worked up to such a frenzy that they would charge out of the city immediately.


    Sun Mengmeng continued seriously, "We of Renhuang have faced the sura many times by now. Each time, we were considered the underdog, but each time, we overcame the sura! How did we seed?


    "We had the strength, and we had the Yeluo poison! A hundred million sura does sound like a daunting number, ?but look all around you¡ªit''s not as though we''recking in fighters, either! Just like thest time and all the times before, Renhuang will win against the sura!"


    Sun Mengmeng raised her arm into the air. The members of Team Zenith followed suit, as did the rest of the crowd. Subsequently, the members of Team Zenith led the fighters out of Renhuang in preparation for their confrontation against the sura.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie left the sea of mists, found a quiet spot, and took out the disaster-grade m''s core.


    Multicolored light revolved within the core, causing all else to fade and lose their luster. It was smaller than the whirlpool tyrant''s, but it seemed to boast a mysterious power.


    This was the gic core of a disaster-grade lifeform, the source of all their energy¡ªtheir heart. Just a single glimpse was enough to unravel Zhang Lie''s rationality, let alone that of amon man.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound five times before the transformation wasplete. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core. It took him an entire hour before he felt the core start to soften, before the mysterious light began to fade away...

 Chapter 566: A Psychedelic Reality

    <h4>Chapter 566: A Psychedelic Reality</h4>


    After another ten minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely.


    Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline, multicolored orb in his hands that glowed like a piece of art. He felt a sense of unusual familiarity with the core, as though it were only an extension of his body.


    Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole.


    As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a huge lump of energy settle in his stomach.. Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart.


    Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn, and his blood began to froth and boil. His body burst with multicolored light, which erupted from all his orifices. The light remained around Zhang Lie''s body, turning him into a glowing jewel that would have dazzled all those around him.


    Like an aurora, the mists around him continuously shifted colors, gleaming green and purple, white and gold, blue and silver. Sr energy swelled within his body, gushing out of his eyes and mouth and melding with the rainbow-colored mist.


    The two sources of energy shed once and again, fighting for dominance as they merged irrevocably with each other. The energy seeped into Zhang Lie''s body through every pore and into every cell.


    The mists surrounding Zhang Lie spun, burned, puffed up, and hissed. If Zhang Lie were the sun, then these colored mists were a corona that augmented his light.


    The mists moved like ribbons fluttering in the sky, dyed with all the colors of the rainbow. They spun around Zhang Lie like skeins of thread, soft as silk, in an explosion of color that was at once captivating and bewitching, as though all of life''s mysteries could be captured in that glowing, resplendent light.


    The light augmented and entuated the sr energy radiating from Zhang Lie, tangling and merging with it as Zhang Lie assimted the new disaster gene fragments into his body.


    His mind on the verge of giving out, Zhang Lie circted his [Ninecarp Transformation] desperately. Filled with energy, each revolution of the framework took mere moments¡ª just over half a minute, an incredible and previously unimaginable speed.


    Even Zhang Lie himself could barely believe it, considering that this had previously been an hour-long process that required his full concentration. Even more shockingly, this speed was increasing moment by moment. His new ''blood'' proved to be incredibly conductive to his gic energy, and his evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the disaster-grade m''s core.


    Unlike before, having already absorbed 21 disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie''s body was barely strong enough to handle the strain of the absorption, but this time around, the disaster gene fragments affected not just his body, but also his mind and mental energy.


    The multicolored light drifted toward his head and soulspace, seeping into a different dimension entirely. Zhang Lie''s head pulsed as though it were about to explode. He clutched his head and keened as he rolled on the ground, barely able to retain a sliver of consciousness.


    As the disaster gene fragments forever changed his mind, they sapped at his consciousness.


    Were it not for Zhang Lie''s expanded soulspace and soul refined for two mortal lives, his consciousness might have winked out from this blow alone. Who knew what would happen then? Perhaps his mind would be reced by something alien or other; perhaps he would no longer be himself.


    Zhang Lie tried to suppress the disaster-grade energy with the strength of his soul, but even that had startlingly little effect. After all, the weakest part of a human body was the brain. As his brain swelled with energy, Zhang Lie''s thoughts turned to mush; he was unable to string together a train of thoughts. He felt as though his brain was like a balloon, which had been forcibly inted to twice its maximum capacity.


    His brain cells gorged themselves on the energy, knowing that they would be destroyed if they didn''t, evolving as they approached a threshold. This was a slow, arduous, grueling process, one that Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and struggled through.


    His skull and bones might have been fortified, but what of his brain? Mists, illusions, and hallucinations appeared before Zhang Lie''s eyes as his will was dragged intoyers of dream. He thought he could see different worlds, different skies, in just the blink of an eye. His body was surrounded by a mysterious energy that tranted him between reality and illusion.


    Zhang Lie journeyed into many different worlds. One was his past life, an alternate reality in which he hadn''t died and was continuing to struggle under adversity; another was a world without gic lifeforms, an Earth that hadn''t been invaded by aliens. Yet another was a pile of ruins and rubble.


    With each blink of his eyes, he took on a different identity in a different ce.


    In time, he learned to break out of these illusions, to distinguish truth from reality. With enough willpower, he could remind himself that he was trapped in an illusion, no matter how rxing or calm that illusion might appear at first nce.


    And each time he escaped from a world of dreams, his headache grew more subdued, and the multicolored mist around him diminished. As he kept honing his willpower, his soul and soulspace absorbed the mist and grewrger.


    As the mist around him vanished and seeped into his body, perfectly intertwined with the sr energy that formed his own core, Zhang Lie felt his body''s condition improve bit by bit.


    When at longst the pain vanished in its entirety, Zhang Lie sat up and opened his eyes. Multicolored light shone within, as splendid as fireworks in the night sky, as radiant as a bonfire, causing the sea and sky''s natural beauty to pale inparison...

 Chapter 567: The Swan Slaver

    <h4>Chapter 567: The Swan ver</h4>


    The colors of all four seasons seemed to swirl in Zhang Lie''s pupils, so beautiful they entranced those around him.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes were the most beautiful pair of jewels in the world; nothing else could evenpare.


    He had found a cave and taken shelter there to undergo the absorption process. He stepped outside to see Zhu roasting some fish she had caught. When she heard his footsteps, she turned to him in surprise, only to fall into a daze as she looked at him.


    Zhang Lie had grown quite a bit more handsome than before. After consuming so many disaster-grade cores, his genes had taken on their most ideal form, and he was well past the stage of an ordinary human.


    Such evolution took ce both within and without.


    What the monarch of stars and Fenghe had done was to grant themselves the speed of a leopard, the explosive power of a lion, and the strength of an elephant by directly splicing those characteristics into their bodies, but this could hardly be considered an evolution; these characteristics weren''t innate or natural to their bodies, and they were nothing more than tools,parable to a sword or de.


    True evolution built on one''s foundations, just like how smaller and smaller transistors ultimately led to cheaper, faster, and more lightweight phones andputers. It would hardly make sense to splice a smartphone with a television in order to get arger screen, or to equip it with a ten-pound battery to have longer battery life. That wasn''t evolution; it was horror.


    Zhang Lie''s recent evolution had adapted both his body from the inside and the outside.


    He had grown stronger, his muscles morepact, his looks more handsome, endowing him with the ssical beauty of Grecian statues. Most important, however, were his eyes that seemed to captivate the soul.


    Zhang Lie knew that his features might change as a result of absorbing these disaster gene fragments, but he didn''t realize the change would be quite so potent. Even Zhu seemed to be attracted to him now...


    The fish in Zhu''s hands dropped to the ground. Heaven and earth seemed to turn ck and white; Zhang Lie was the only source of color in the world.


    The light gleaming from his eyes, with irrepressible charm, like the first rays of sunlight in winter, a gentle breeze in spring, were enough to befuddle one''s mind. The sun, the moon, and the stars lost their luster inparison to the twinkling of his eyes.


    Zhang Lie walked forward and waved a hand in front of Zhu''s face. "Hey, are you alright?"


    Zhu stood dazed, saliva dripping out of one corner of her mouth...


    Zhang Lie took two steps forward before all the birds in the sky began falling to the ground before him, before the fish in the sea leapt ashore, waving their tails about madly as if hoping that Zhang Lie would eat them...


    Zhang Lie clutched his head. "This will be troublesome..."


    He had just absorbed the m''s disaster gene fragments, and it would take him some time to rein in his newfound strength. The mistmeld m''s signature ability was in its potent mental strength, which manifested as irresistible charm. Once he fully digested the new fragments, however, this side effect would thankfully vanish.


    After his third absorption of disaster gene fragments, the increase in Zhang Lie''s strength was immense. Although he didn''t undergo as significant an evolution as the previous absorption, he had grown stronger across the board.


    His bones had crystallizedpletely, and his soulspace had grown one sizerger. His soul, on the other hand, hadpressed and grown more refined. His [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªSecond Form: Piercing the Soul] would be far more potent than before.


    His brain was faster and more efficient; he felt impressively alert and able to notice even the smallest of details.


    Whitey received a fraction of his rewards as well, considering it was harbored in Zhang Lie''s soul. Currently, it was in an egg-like state within Zhang Lie''s soulspace, having reverted into that form during the process of Zhang Lie''s evolution. It had originally been a peak-grade soulbeast, so Zhang Lie was very interested in seeing just what its evolution would look like.


    It took Zhu embarrassingly long to recover, but she was clearly still unused to Zhang Lie''s transformation. She would stare at him in the day and at night, and sometimes she even crept closer while asleep.


    Zhang Lie spent the better part of the week on the ind. Only when he could repress his charm and prevent it from affecting his surroundings did he finally prepare to set off again.


    Zhu asked, "Where are we going next, Mister?"


    "My intention is to head back tond, to a kingdom governed by a gic lifeform."


    "A gic lifeform''s kingdom?" Zhu frowned. Zhang Lie had told her what these gic lifeforms were, but as far as she knew, such lifeforms had no culture they could call their own. Despite the fact that they were about as intelligent as humans, their nature meant that they would hardly form kingdoms of their own.


    As Zhang Lie traveled the realm, the world federation again turned in earnest to the uing sura invasion.


    [A hundred million sura are on their way to attack Renhuang!]


    Just like every other time before, there were those who felt that Renhuang was at the end of the line, that it would surely fall to this cmity.


    "A hundred million sura? The sura are going to kill Renhuang¡ªthere''s no way Renhuang can survive!"


    "Is that so? You must be truly naive!"


    "What did you say thest few times Renhuang encountered such cmities? Renhuang''s much stronger than you give it credit for. Don''t you know that just about all the races hostile to the sura have gathered at Renhuang for ast stand?"


    "Right! The ones who will truly decide Renhuang''s fate aren''t wementers sitting idly by, nor the alien races who have gathered at Renhuang, but rather Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith!"


    "I''m in Renhuang myself, and I haven''t seen any sign of Zhang Lie around. Preparations for the battle are being organized by the members of Team Zenith. In truth, Zhang Lie seems to have left Renhuang quite some time ago."


    There were more than fighters in Renhuang; some of the civilians were businessmen and merchants, and they had no intention of participating in the fight against the sura.


    "Zhang Lie isn''t there? In that case, surely Renhuang is doomed!"


    Many believed that Renhuang wouldn''t be able to create another miracle without Zhang Lie, that he was the only reason Renhuang had survived this long.


    "Where is he? Doesn''t he care about his own city?"


    Unfortunately, no one was able to answer that question.


    Zhang Lie was, at that moment, heading toward the kingdom of gic lifeforms that the monarch of stars had carefully marked in his notes.


    Gic lifeforms weren''t much less intelligent than members of an alien race. Some, like the mistmeld m Zhang Lie had encountered, were even equally intelligent, if not more so. The mistmeld m possessed far more intellect than a typical human, but even so, it had yet to create a culture of its own.


    Gic lifeforms didn''t have an understanding or concept of culture and tradition; their strengthy in evolution, adaptation, and survival.


    As a result, Zhang Lie''s im of a kingdom of gic lifeforms left Zhu very confused.


    Didn''t gic lifeforms not have any ability to maintain a culture of their own?


    How could they have created a kingdom, then?


    Zhu had heard many tales from her father, but she had never heard of the like.


    In truth, Zhang Lie was rather surprised as well.


    Many gic lifeforms boasted the requisite intelligence for culture and heritage, and yet they had never seen evidence of such culture from these lifeforms. This had prompted some scientists to suggest that gic lifeforms were artificial in one way or another, as though their brains had been limited in some fashion that prevented them from creating cultures of their own.


    When Zhang Lie saw what the monarch of stars had written, he had idly wondered whether these lifeforms could one day develop to be like humans, but that thought had been dashed by what he subsequently read.


    Apparently, the gic lifeforms had created a kingdom of their own, but no apanying culture. This kingdom didprise multiple species of gic lifeforms, but their rtionship was one of master and ve, not equals.


    The ruler of this kingdom was a ck-and-white swan. Unlike other gic lifeforms, this swan had the special and potent ability of granting other species and lifeforms strength.


    This strength came in the form of a seed, one that would grow stronger with the lifeform and impart it withmensurate strength, but the swan could reim this seed at any time. Once the swan reimed it, the lifeform would quickly shrivel up and die.


    Every so often, the swan would have the lifeforms to which it had given its strength tithe half the strength their seeds had stored up back to the swan. In truth, it was more like 80%, but the swan imed that it was only half.


    In order to keep the lifeforms docile and obedient, the swan would asionally give the lifeforms under its sway some benefits, like free food. This food came in the form of gic lifeforms that were shepherded by a rather intelligent lifeform under the swan''s control. As a result, the swan didn''t need to do anything at all on its own; it simply went about its own business and happily imed some of its ves'' strength once in a while.


    In order to amass more strength, the seeded lifeforms would all work hard to hunt down stronger and stronger prey, and they would even fight among themselves. If they were able to kill each other and consume their seeds, they would receive a dramatic increase in strength.


    The kingdom of the swan had been built on such unstable principles, and it was better termed an arena rather than a kingdom. Perhaps because the monarch of stars was interested in these seeds or in the swan itself, he had described the kingdom in great detail...

 Chapter 568: Energy from the Masses

    <h4>Chapter 568: Energy from the Masses</h4>


    An interesting tidbit of information from the monarch of stars'' files was that the strength in these seeds could be distributed from one lifeform to another, and these seeds essentially behaved like currency.


    If the one who controlled these seeds hadn''t been the swan, but rather an alien race or some more intelligent species, a kingdom of gic lifeforms might truly be a reality.


    "So even gic lifeforms have developed to such an extent where they know of very..."


    With this sort of ability, it was likely that the swan had experienced rapid growth, and it might well be a disaster-grade lifeform by now¡ªa perfect target for Zhang Lie.


    Given the monarch of stars'' extensive notes, Zhang Lie quickly found this supposed kingdom.


    To be honest, it seemed rather destitute. It was surrounded by dense forests and tall mountains, but there were far more lifeforms, and of a far higher caliber, than he expected within the kingdom. Peak-grade lifeforms weremonce, and superior-grade lifeforms formed the majority of the popce.


    All sorts of gic lifeforms could be seen within, much like all sorts of alien races could be seen in Renhuang.


    Zhu tugged at Zhang Lie worriedly. "Mister, will we be discovered?"


    Zhang Lie turned around. "Discovered by what?"


    "Gic lifeforms...?"


    "Oh, we were discovered a while ago."


    "What?!"


    A lifeform leapt out before Zhang Lie and roared, sending a burst of wind toward him and Zhu. Zhang Lie''s eyes shed. The lifeform instantly prostrated itself like a little kitty before Zhang Lie kicked it aside.


    "So what if we''ve been discovered? It hardly affects us."


    Zhu stared, her mouth agape. She thought she had grown used to Zhang Lie''s surprises, but the sight of a peak-grade lifeform cowering before Zhang Lie from just a single nce was still too shocking a sight for her to bear.


    Zhang Lie continued calmly, "Don''t worry, the lifeforms around won''t be able to see us."


    Indeed, despite themotion the peak-grade lifeform had caused, none of the other lifeforms around seemed to notice a thing.


    All those lifeforms who had turned to Zhang Lie found themselves mired in an illusion.


    Zhang Lie and Zhu had be all but transparent, and they wouldn''t be noticed by any lifeform nearby. In fact, the peak-grade lifeform that had jumped out at them had been controlled by Zhang Lie, with the intention of reassuring Zhu that all was well.


    Unlike regr lifeforms, these gic lifeforms all exuded a bloody scent. The center of their foreheads bulged with purplish-ck veins, as though their capiries were the roots of a flower that grew out of their heads.


    As they walked deeper within the kingdom, the lifeforms only grew more and more numerous. Zhang Lie saw the traces of an ancient city left behind by some other civilization.


    It was very likely that the swan had built its kingdom atop these ruins, and the only remaining structure from this ancient civilization was the castle that stood in the middle of the city.


    Zhang Lie found a secluded location where Zhu could hide, warded that location for safety, and headed into the castle himself. He walked around the interior of the castle, where he heard the howling of a beast and what sounded like a duck''s quack. He followed the source of the noises to arge chamber where several gic lifeforms seemed to be having¡­ an orgy.


    At the very center of the crowd was a swan with ck and white striations across its body.


    The other lifeforms stayed well away from the swan. When Zhang Lie walked into the room, the gic lifeforms seemed to notice him immediately. They stopped what they were doing and raised their heads, only to be caught unawares by his multicolored eyes.


    Subsequently, almost as though they were in a daze, they returned to what they had been doing.


    Zhang Lie walked up to the swan, raised a fist, and made to punch it.


    Suddenly, the swan''s eyes gleamed. It made a huge honk, and its wings shot toward Zhang Lie like the sharpest of des.


    Zhang Lie took half a step back, tilted his head, and punched forward.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" His fist caused a geyser of water to erupt, exploding the bodies of all the lifeforms around him except for the swan.


    The swan barely dodged the attack. It spun rapidly in the air, taking advantage of the momentum of the attack to evade it in full. It cawed loudly, and its aura instantly grew to that of a peak-grade lifeform. It seemed to be at the boundary between peak- and disaster-grade.


    The discordant sound was particrly loud and jarring, and it shook the gic lifeforms within the kingdom awake. Unexpectedly, however, none of those lifeforms rushed to aid the swan.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie threw out one lone punch, so strong it warped the space all around his fist. Ripples of energy spread out from him as the swan threw the nearest lifeform within reach at him¡ªa lifeform that looked like a top hat, with sharp, vicious teeth where the interior of the hat was.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, pulping everything in its wake.


    The bowl of the hat-like lifeform was a pocket dimension, much like the whirlpool tyrant''s belly or the potbellied toad''s pouch. Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] was fully sucked within, and it proceeded to wreak havoc throughout the lifeform''s body.


    As the hat-like lifeform moaned and whined, the swan''s ck-and-white body turned a pale white. The hat-like lifeform had been unable to resist even a single blow from Zhang Lie.


    Knowing that it had encountered a truly dangerous existence, the swan tried to escape, but Zhang Lie appeared in its path before it could do so. He sent another punch toward the swan, space distorting and reforming in the aftermath of his attack.


    Ripples of energy crossed each other in mid-air, and the frightening burst of wind that heralded the attack seemed poised to destroy heaven and earth.


    The swan ducked behind the hat-like lifeform, which absorbed the second of Zhang Lie''s punches and exploded with a bang, unable to withstand the potency of Zhang Lie''s attacks.


    The destruction that resulted was harrowing. The entire room bore thick scars from the explosion, and all the lifeforms'' carcasses had been disintegrated. The swan had been caught near the center of the explosion, and its body was marred withyers of wounds. The fact that it hadn''t been torn apart was testament to its own strength.


    Zhang Lie punched forward once more with [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]. He moved so rapidly that he was by the swan''s side before it could recover from the attack. It had no time to dodge; it was forced to defend itself with its two wings as force exploded from Zhang Lie like a tsunami.


    The swan was thrown back like a bullet. It smashed against the wall, cracks propagating from the point of impact. Its two wings had broken, and blood trailed down its body.


    Zhang Lie was just about to kill it with onest blow when a figure pounced toward him and met him fist for fist. Zhang Lie marveled at the strength of the silver chimpanzee that stood before him, his fur glowing silver, his arms gleaming with the luster of gold.


    That the chimpanzee hadn''t died was shocking. Zhang Lie hadn''t used any specific technique, but 31 disaster gene fragments afforded him a shocking level of strength.


    That said, the chimpanzee hadn''t gone unharmed, either. Its body was partially caved in, but there was no flesh or bone to be seen, only translucent crystal.


    .


    Zhang Lie had seen the likes of this before¡ªthis was a pseudodisaster-grade lifeform! This silver chimpanzee''s arms had crystallized! Although he had never seen a peak-grade lifeform evolve to disaster-grade, he had seen a pseudodisaster-grade lifeform before.


    There were countless gic lifeforms in the second realm, and it was reasonable that they all had different routes to evolution.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    Zhang Lie raised both his arms into the sky, and the image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him. The two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground, blocking the exit from the chamber. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    Zhang Lie''s intention was to disrupt the two lifeforms from fleeing, as well as to block the most obvious exit.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A ck serpent shot out of Zhang Lie''s fist toward the two movement-impaired lifeforms, who were unable to dodge the attack.


    The chimpanzee sucked in a deep breath and blocked the blow for the swan. As the serpent bit into it, its body quickly began to corrode away.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. "It''s all over now."


    Just as he was about to take down the swan, however, the entire castle seemed to quake, and the cries of all sorts of gic lifeforms could be heard in the distance. They poured in like the tide, breaking the walls of the castle down in their urgency. The swan''s cries had finally had an effect...

 Chapter 569: The Swans Reckoning

    <h4>Chapter 569: The Swan''s Reckoning</h4>


    The beast tide was frightening in size.


    Zhang Lie twisted his head, his eyes gleaming with a rainbow sheen. Multicolored mist rose from the ground, stupefying the gic lifeforms at the head of the pack. As they reached Zhang Lie, they stopped short.


    The gic lifeforms'' eyes all took on a rainbow sheen. Zhang Lie pointed at the swan, and they all looked toward it.


    The swan shivered and honked, but it had already lost control of all its gic lifeforms. A horde of lifeforms yelled, screeched, and howled as they swarmed the swan. Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard had trapped all these lifeforms in an illusion; he had swapped their perception of the swan and Zhang Lie.


    The swan had no choice but to trigger the seeds embedded in each lifeform''s forehead. Their hearts thumped loudly as ck capiries spread all over their skin.


    The gic lifeforms rushing toward the swan keened in pain as they fell to the ground.


    A ck flower grew over their heads as ck energy was extracted from their bodies.


    Some of the gic lifeforms had beads of ck energy asrge as watermelons, whereas others were small like green beans. Once all the energy had been extracted from the lifeforms, their bodies quickly became thin and emaciated, nothing more than skin and bones.


    All that energy gathered on the swan''s body, which expanded like a balloon.


    Zhang Lie watched on with interest, curious how much stronger the swan would get. It was right at the border of peak- and disaster-grade, but this was a known bottleneck that stymied countless lifeforms. At the very least, Zhang Lie had seen three such lifeforms, two at the pinnacle of peak-grade and a third that had almost crossed into disaster-grade, die at his hand.


    At this point, Zhang Lie had no interest in peak-grade lifeforms. They had to be at least pseudodisaster-grade in order to augment Zhang Lie''s strength.


    Now that the swan''s lifeforms had been controlled by Zhang Lie, it was reiming its strength through the seeds embedded in their bodies.


    The swan''s body grewrger andrger. Its head broke through the roof of the chamber as it transformed from a 1.5-meter tall swan to a 15-meter tall one. Muscles bulged all over its body.


    It had taken in too much energy, so much its body couldn''t handle it. Its skin began to crack; its eyes had turned blood-red. Blood-red tendrils quivered around its body like little snakes. Those tendrils twisted and twined against each other before finally coalescing around the swan''s neck.


    Zhang Lie considered the swan carefully. Based on the fluctuations in its aura, it had certainly reached disaster-grade, but its body was nowhere near crystallizing.


    "Indeed, the transformation to disaster-grade isn''t straightforward."


    There were no shortcuts to such an evolution. Even if it boasted energy and powermensurate with that of a disaster-grade lifeform, it would still need a suitably strong body to match that power.


    The swan roared. Waves of energy spread out around it like a tsunami. Its voice was filled with notes of anger and pain. A crazed madness seemed to have taken ahold of it.


    The walls of the castle, whose foundations had grown more and more unsteady as the fight progressed, crumbled. Given the amount of energy at its disposal, the swan could almost be considered a pseudodisaster-grade lifeform.


    Blood-red tendrils flew around it as Zhang Lie unsheathed his des and cut them apart.


    The swan unfurled its wing at Zhang Lie, boundless energy filling its body to such an extent that it felt it was about to explode. It was a miracle that it hadn''t. It charged at Zhang Lie, trying to expend its reserves of energy before it could wreak more damage on its own body.


    Zhang Lie leapt high in the air and struck with [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave].


    A tall wave of sword energy shed against the swan''s wing, drowning it in a massive explosion and wounding its body.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]! The swan''s wing, draped in inky-ck liquid energy, caused heaven and earth to shudder.


    Zhang Lie watched on with wide eyes¡ªthe swan had somehow managed to replicate his technique! The swan''stent ability, magnified in times of stress and strife, had somehow enabled it to copy Zhang Lie''s technique whole. As it fought an uphill battle, as it tried to slough off the energy that filled its body, it was slowly evolving to disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie sliced apart the swan''s attack, tearing space as he cut a narrow path to safety.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" He dashed toward the swan and appeared right above its head, where he thrust his de into the swan''s forehead. However, the swan''s body had grown sorge that his thrust was almost as effective as pricking himself with a needle.


    The tendrils on the swan''s neck exploded, morphing into thousands of spikes that shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" With another sh from Zhang Lie, an underworld river hurtled into existence. The haunted souls of the underworld could almost be seen in the darkness, tearing the spikes apart.


    The swan reared back. It attacked Zhang Lie once again with its stolen technique. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]! Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, spread out from the swan''s wings, crushing all resistance in its way.


    With its life on the line, the swan''stent potential erupted. Given the energy it had just absorbed, the strength and range of its blows were even greater than Zhang Lie''s own.


    "Size doesn''t determine everything! [First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. Waves of sword aura poured from Zhang Lie.


    The bright sword energy rushed toward the sky before falling back down like brilliant rays of sunlight, dissipating the darkness in a wave of energy so intense it was forced to shield its eyes.


    Just because the swan could imbue its techniques with more energy didn''t necessarily make them more potent.


    To Zhang Lie, the swan''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] was essentially a novice''s. Although it looked impressively intimidating, it had hardly managed to capture the essence of the technique, a level of mastery born of repetition and experience.


    In the end, Zhang Lie only cut off one of the swan''s wings without killing itpletely. He wanted to see whether the swan could evolve into disaster-grade, furnishing Zhang Lie with even more rewards...

 Chapter 570: Zhus Metamorphosis

    <h4>Chapter 570: Zhu''s Metamorphosis</h4>


    Unfortunately, the swan proved to be a disappointment. Sensing the enormity of Zhang Lie''s strength, the swan waddled off cradling its injured wing, without the strength or courage to keep fighting.


    "Die!" Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf and blood ant soulshards, then sent a frightening blow of sword energy down toward the swan.


    The injured swan was bisected cleanly. Zhang Lie poked around the swan''s corpse until he found its heart, which had already ckened. Countless ck roots trailed around the connected arteries and veins.


    Despite the fact that the swan''s body had been bisected, its heart continued to beat, filled with a tremendous amount of energy. The swan might not have fully be a disaster-grade lifeform, but its heart was already turning into a disaster-grade core¡ªit wouldn''t be able to contain so much energy otherwise.


    Had the swan continued to fight, it would likely have turned into a true disaster-grade lifeform.


    In that case, would it be possible that other peak-grade lifeforms might evolve with their lives on the line when pushed to the limit? Perhaps Zhang Lie might be able to farm disaster-grade lifeforms in such a fashion...


    He retrieved the swan''s ckened heart and stored it away before leaving the chamber in search of Zhu.


    Zhu sighed in relief when she saw Zhang Lie leave the ruined chamber. "You scared me to no end! I saw a whole bunch of lifeforms rush into the chamber, and I was so worried!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "They were nothing more than small fry, no matter their quantity. Let''s go find somewhere quiet."


    "Won''t this do?"


    The lifeforms had rushed into the castle following the swan''s cries. Either they had died, or they had morphed into Zhang Lie''s most loyal guards. Indeed, this was the safest location around.


    Zhang Lie found afortable spot, warned Zhu to stay away, and began absorbing the swan''s core. He cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Then, Zhang Lie closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    After he swallowed the core, Zhang Lie''s skin turned red. Steam hissed from his body, and ck pricks of energy dotted his skin. His capiries turned ck, but only for a split second. Soon, he seemed perfectly normal.


    After all, the swan wasn''t yet fully a disaster-grade lifeform, and it only ended up providing five disaster gene fragments. Zhang Lie absorbed all that potency within a few moments.


    However, the encounter with the swan had been particrly important to Zhang Lie.


    The disaster gene fragments were vital for his advancement, of course, but more important was the strategy he had stumbled on that would allow him to quickly amass such fragments. No longer did he have to search the entire world for pre-formed disaster-grade lifeforms¡ªhe could just make them himself!


    Zhang Lie found Zhu sitting in front of a firepit, cooking part of the giant mistmeld m he had in.


    While she was with him, they nevercked for food. Zhu had a rich diet of peak-grade lifeforms. Initially, she was too weak to consume much of the rich fare, but her body and appetite had grown considerably since then.


    The thin, skinny girl who was barely able to avoid being blown away by a gust of wind had grown strong and healthy.


    "Are you done so quickly this time around?" Zhu asked curiously. "I didn''t notice anything unusual, either. Have you finished the absorption?"


    "It wasn''t a full disaster-grade lifeform, so the absorption was more or less trivial."


    "Well, I''m almost done cooking, so you''re just in time!" Zhu waved a hand at him, beckoning him closer.


    Half the m was roasting above the fire, steam hissing as it left the m meat. Zhang Lie sniffed as he approached the fire. "You added some alcohol?"


    Zhu nodded. "Just a little bit."


    Seeing that the m was just about ready, Zhang Lie reached for it with a hand. It wasn''t particrly hot to him; with his current strength, he was impervious to regr me. He cut apart the m meat into small pieces, and a fragrant odor wafted into the air.


    Zhu picked up a pair of chopsticks and had a bite, sighing in enjoyment.


    Zhang Lie ate some of the meat as well. Zhu''s cooking was quite good. She had added a few spices¡ªhe tasted the notes of garlic, chili, and pepper, as well as the alcohol she had mentioned.


    Seafood was best when hot and piping, with a freshness unique to its kind. The garlic, chili, and pepper blended seamlessly with the taste and mouthfeel of the m meat, leading to a veritable explosion of vor when ingested.


    Zhu dug in with gusto.


    "Zhu?" Zhang Lie noticed the problem rather quickly. Zhu''s strength had improved, but she still shouldn''t have been able to consume so much peak-grade meat. If she ate too much, she would turn red like a boiled prawn, a reflection of the fact that her body wasn''t well equipped to handle so much rampant energy.


    As she continued to eat, however, her eyes took on the sheen of a rainbow, an enticing fragrance emanated from her body, and her sea-blue hair seemed to be wreathed in colored mist.


    Zhu was evolving, bit by bit.


    Zhang Lie had seen this sort of evolution before on Mt. Wanren, when the crag eagles consumed some golden roc meat and began turning golden themselves. However, their evolution was far less intense and immediate than what Zhu seemed to be undergoing now.


    This sort of evolution had only been reported to ur for alien races, whose evolution was linked to consuming particrlypatible flesh. Most alien races could only grow stronger by cultivation and training, but they were limited by the fundamental restrictions of their race. Only a rare few could hope to ovee those barriers.


    Of course, there were some exceptional alien races, such as the sura and the rock spirits, who boasted different routes to evolution of their own.


    Many alien races, however, were unable to find such routes to evolution¡ªor rather, for whom such routes didn''t exist. As a result, they had to grow stronger only incrementally, battle after battle.


    As a result, growing stronger was much harder for them than for humans.


    Humans started at a lower baseline, but as long as they didn''t die, they could keep amassing gene fragments, progress through the realms, and ultimately reach the level of a sura king after a few decades.


    However, members of the alien races werergely incapable of realizing such a feat, considering that the flesh of gic lifeforms was of little more use to them than ordinary food. It wasn''tpletely useless to them, but trying to get stronger by eating the flesh of gic lifeforms was a much slower and much less efficient process than extracting gene fragments outright, as humans did¡ªunless these alien races could find the flesh of particrlypatible lifeforms to consume.


    Doing so would allow them to augment their genes and strengthen their body from a gic level, allowing them a straightforward route toward evolution. However, there were millions of species in the second realm, and perhaps only a hundred of those at most would provide such an effect.


    This route to strength was a perilous and highly variable one, which required persistence and no small amount of luck. One generation¡ªeven a hundred generations¡ªmight not be sufficient to find a suitable match.


    However, once that match was found, these alien races would have a chance to undergo a massive evolution in strength, unlocking newfound talents that would herald the rise of their race...

 Chapter 571: A Manmade Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 571: A Manmade Disaster</h4>


    When the crag eagles consumed golden roc flesh, they obtained the ability to control flocks of weaker bird-type lifeforms, an incredible power with immense utility.


    Zhang Lie was very curious as to just what power Zhu would gain. The multicolored mist hanging around Zhu began to spin, and her eyes glowed with light. Her body blossomed, her skin became smoother and shinier, and her face more exquisite, as though she were a doll in miniature.


    She looked dreamlike in her evanescent, mystical beauty.


    Subsequently, she curled up like a cooked prawn. The evolution continued for the entire night, and Zhang Lie stayed by her side all along. The rainbow mist finally began to dissipate as the transformation finished.


    Zhu was still a young girl¡ªher age hadn''t changed, but she seemed to grow far more refined, with a mature aura unbefitting children her age. Though a girl in appearance, she had a face and charm that captivated one and all.


    Her snowy-white skin was warm and wless, and her jewel-like eyes shone with rainbow light. Her hair was glossy and seemed to contain all the shades of blue the sea had to offer. As she twirled in the light of dawn, her appearance captivated Zhang Lie''s gaze.


    She smiled at him. "How do I look?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very much like the disaster-grade m I defeated. To some extent, you''re able to hypnotize others and create illusions as well, perhaps at a level sufficient to control superior-grade lifeforms. Once you train your mind further, I believe this ability can be strengthened considerably."


    To others, controlling superior-grade lifeforms would be a potent ability, but Zhang Lie thought little of it.


    Zhu pursed her lips. She had tested her new ability out on Zhang Lie, but he hadn''t seemed to be affected at all! Not only that, he even calmly and coolly analyzed her.


    "You''re far from being able to hypnotize me with your illusions just yet¡ªbut perhaps one day, we''ll see." Zhang Lie rubbed her head, causing Zhu to smile. "You really are lucky¡ªit''s almost impossibly difficult to hunt down a lifeform whose genes arepatible with yours."


    Countless alien races in the sura realm had tried to replicate the same feat to no avail, but Zhu had done it unintentionally.


    Zhu rolled her eyes. "This was bound to happen eventually. You feed me different peak-grade lifeforms every day!"


    Indeed, in the process of hunting down disaster-grade lifeforms, Zhang Lie and Zhu hade across all sorts of different peak-grade ones, and they ate a different species'' meat daily. There was hardly anyone else in the second realm who could boast such treatment.


    "Shall we set off now?" Zhang Lie turned to leave.


    Zhu followed behind her. "In search of more disaster-grade lifeforms?"


    "No. The efficacy is far too low." Zhang Lie had spent half a year to obtain 36 disaster gene fragments. At this rate, he would need another year or two to reach his disaster gene capacity, and that would require that he maintain his current good streak of luck. ?If he were unlucky, it might well take him half a decade to do so.


    Zhang Lie didn''t have much time to waste, and there were matters he had to resolve in the third realm. If he were unable to ascend within two years, he would miss quite a number of important opportunities.


    He replied calmly, "Fighting against that swan has given me inspiration. My intention is to build an arena¡ªor, more precisely, a farm¡ªto raise my own disaster-grade lifeforms."


    Zhu gaped at him. "A farm, to... farm disaster-grade lifeforms? How could that be possible?"


    "We won''t know until we try, will we?"


    Zhu nodded for a moment before vehemently shaking her head. "No, that can''t be! Peak-grade lifeforms are frightening enough¡ªhow do you expect to rear disaster-grade ones?"


    Zhang Lie touched the water by his feet. "Isn''t this ocean a convenient ce to set up a farm? We won''t even have to find any food."


    Zhang Lie''s words left Zhu agape. He wanted to make the seven forbidden regions of the sea... a farm for himself? Using the lifeforms within as food and opportunity to cultivate a disaster-grade lifeform?


    This was an arrogant, insane n, one that Zhu would have said was impossible for anyone else¡ªand she barely knew anything about gic lifeforms herself. If Zhang Lie''s n had been revealed to the sura, or even to any race within the Milky Way, those aliens unfortunate enough to overhear it might have fainted on the spot.


    Hardly anyone knew of these supposed disaster-grade lifeforms, but ignoring that, just treating the seven forbidden regions of the sea like nothing but amon pond was shocking enough.


    Before Zhang Lie entered the second realm, the hunters of the Milky Way had found it almost impossibly difficult just to survive onnd, let alone the sea.


    Just as they were finally experiencing a period of stable, uninterrupted growth, Zhang Lie was already setting his sights on something greater...


    As he waded into the sea with Zhu, Zhang Lie activated his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard at full power, causing rainbow-colored mist to pour out of his body.


    That mist quickly dissolved through the sea, trapping all the peak-grade lifeforms it encountered in an illusion whichpelled them to gather at a specific location, a basin of water formed by two crescent-shaped inds.This would be the site of Zhang Lie''s first test.


    Under the effect of Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade soulshard, peak-grade lifeforms continuously swam into the basin, where they began to battle against each other. Blood dyed the basin red.


    Countless peak-grade lifeforms flooded into the basin and fought against each other, battling with their lives on the line. As Zhang Lie hoped, the victorious lifeform ultimately evolved into a disaster-grade existence.


    Lightning fell from the high heavens, striking a lifeform and sending ripples of energy from the point of impact. Huge waves disintegrated the two inds as the lifeform struck by lightning grewrger andrger, morphing finally into a gigantic bear.


    But just as it finished its evolution and roared into the skies as if to announce its birth, Zhang Lie crushed it with a lone punch that fell from the skies like a meteor.


    The lifeform that had just evolved to disaster-grade perished before its new genes had even settled in. A frightening burst of energy split the sea, vaporizing the water and forming a gigantic cavity.


    Water rushed into that cavity like a whirlpool, dissolving everything within save for a crystalline orb as hard as diamond, the core of the newly minted disaster-grade lifeform. As Zhang Lie fished it up and stared at it, he began tough. This was the first manmade disaster-grade core¡ªhis experiment had been aplete sess!

 Chapter 572: Establishing a Farm

    <h4>Chapter 572: Establishing a Farm</h4>


    Zhang Lie held the core high up in the air, his heart thumping. He had sessfully produced a disaster-grade lifeform, but he still had to ensure that the disaster-grade core generated in this fashion would be as readily absorbed as natural ones.


    Zhang Lie began absorbing the core immediately. He cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Then, Zhang Lie closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    After he swallowed the core, Zhang Lie''s skin turned red. Steam hissed from his body as primordial energy flooded it. He let out a hissing breath. His body had already begun to crystallize, and the absorption process went much more smoothly this time around.


    [For swallowing a disaster-grade core, you received 10 disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie raised his head to the skies and began tough. "Haha, I''ve seeded, I''ve really seeded!"


    If he were able to farm disaster-grade lifeforms en masse, he wouldn''t have to worry about not having ess to enough disaster gene fragments¡ªand not just him, the rest of Team Zenith could use a simr strategy to max out their disaster gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie got to work. He traveled through the sea, a human-shaped disaster of his own making. With the power of the disaster-grade mistmeld soulshard, hepelled the peak-grade lifeforms within the region to ughter each other.


    However, Zhang Lie quickly reached a bottleneck once the number of peak-grade lifeforms in the nearby regions diminished greatly.


    Just as he was wondering what to do, Zhu suggested, "Mister, do you know the sea of rampaging sharks?"


    "One of the seven forbidden regions?"


    Zhu nodded. "The sea of rampaging sharks, much like the sea of corroding bone, has a great deal of strong lifeforms within."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes opened wide. "Peak-grade lifeforms, too?"


    Zhu shook her head. "The sharks in the sea of rampaging sharks have the special ability of growing stronger by eating other foes, without any limit to their growth whatsoever."


    In some sense, they were simr to humans, but their growth rate was even higher.


    .


    Humans were limited by the maximum gene fragment capacity they could sustain, but these sharks had no such limit. The more they ate, the stronger they grew. They might not have limits of their own, but they were constrained by the limits of the realm¡ªthat was, to disaster-grade at most.


    "Why do these sharks still exist, then?"


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, these lifeforms with unfettered growth potential should have either taken over the entire ocean or been hunted to extinction.


    Zhu shrugged. "It''s likely because the sea of sharks neighbors the sea of whales, another of the seven forbidden regions¡ªwell, six, now."


    Zhang Lie had killed the whirlpool tyrant and dispelled the mists above the sea of mists. The whirlpool strait still existed in principle thanks to the weaker lifeforms that produced whirlpools during the day, but the sea of mists had been conquered for good.


    Zhu said, "My father once told me that the sharks in the sea of rampaging sharks originally weren''t very strong. It was only when they fought off another n that they developed into their true potential."


    It seemed as though these sharks had experienced the same evolution as Zhu had just a few days ago: they had consumed the flesh of apatible species and gained an incredible ability.


    Once these sharks evolved, they initiated a war in the sea before being roundly trounced by the giant whales that lived nearby.


    Once the sharks retreated from the whales'' territory, the whales didn''t give chase. Perhaps the leaders of the two races had an agreement; subsequently, the sharks began to expand into territory that didn''t belong to the whales. Because they werendlocked on one front, they ultimately chose to stop expanding beyond a certain point.


    Zhu added, "The sea of corroding bone contains an unusual lifeform known as the bone-corroding shrimp. These shrimp are tiny, but they breed surprisingly quickly. Ten pairs of bone-corroding shrimp can produce ten thousand shrimp within two or three days. Their blood is corrosive, and they consume almost anything in sight. An ordinary lifeform would be consumedpletely within moments, down to the bone."


    "These giant whales must be a blessing to the ocean, then. If they were to perish, their death would unleash two disasters on the ocean."


    Zhang Lie suddenly had a thought. He dove deep into the ocean and began releasing colored mist, which diffused into the water and spread throughout the forbidden regions of the sea.


    Ayer of multicolored mist appeared above the five unexplored regions, gathering especially thickly above the sea of rampaging sharks, sea of corroding bone, and sea of giant whales. No oceanic lifeform knew the origin of this mist, nor whaty hidden beneath.


    As the lifeforms sucked in the mist, their irises glowed with a rainbow gleam. They immediately swam toward the forbidden regions and remained there, never to appear again.


    Some of the lifeforms suspected that this was an unusual phenomenon caused by the sea of mists, and indirectly, they were right.


    Three species of the forbidden regions, the giant whales, the rampaging sharks, and the bone-corroding shrimp, which had persisted as neighbors in rtive peace and prosperity, suddenly devolved into war.


    The giant whales were behemoths; even the smallest among them wasrger than the whirlpool tyrant in size. Despite their massive girth, they were surprisingly agile in the water, and they would even hunt in packs.


    Many alien races who learned of these three forbidden regions thought that the giant whales were acting as protectors of the ocean, and even Zhang Lie fell into this trap.


    However, they were all mistaken.


    Without the giant whales around, the bone-corroding shrimp could ultimately spread across the entire ocean and even begin destroying the nearbyndmasses; simrly, without the bone-corroding shrimp around, the giant whales could dominate over the entire ocean. They remained where they were because the bone-corroding shrimp were an inexhaustible, immediately avable source of food.


    These two species restricted and bnced each other in a rtively stable equilibrium, but a cmity could rapidly and irrevocably destroy this delicate bnce.


    The rampaging sharks were blood-red sharks with a multitude of sharp teeth, so sharp and hard that they seemed to be able to grind steel to pieces. These sharks were somewhat afraid of the giant whales, who were known to be sly and despicable, and who hunted in groups. Under ordinary circumstances, these sharks would stay well away.


    The appearance of the rainbow-colored mist had curtailed this instinct, and these sharks were the first to break the bnce between the whales and the shrimp.


    Once the sharks began attacking the whales, the shrimp likewise swarmed into whale territory.


    Under the effect of the rainbow mist, the three forbidden regions dered war on each other, entangling the fate of three races...

 Chapter 573: The Suras War

    <h4>Chapter 573: The Sura''s War</h4>


    Under the rainbow mist, the forbidden regions of the sea were littered with corpses, and the clear blue water had been dyed a garish red. As the fighting grew more and more intense, even the n leaders were dragged into the melee¡ªtoo much of their kind had already perished.


    The leader of the rampaging sharks roared. Blood circted rapidly within its body, and blood trailed behind him as he swam forward.


    "You giant whales were the ones who caused my n to lose their rationality. Don''t deny it¡ªyou whales have been eyeing our territory for a while now. Hand over the culprit who killed nine of my sons!"


    The giant whale bayed in rage. "Your sons killed my daughter! Their lives are forfeit, and so is yours!"


    As the two races battled to the death with each other, the entire ocean was in turmoil. Waves a hundred feet high swept the ocean as the seafaring races evacuated tond for safety.


    The giant whales had a hard time dealing with simultaneous attacks from the rampaging sharks and bone-corroding shrimp, but they were reinforced by their subordinate ns¡ªthe seals, manatees, walruses, oysters, and many more whom the giant whales had agreements with.


    Many of these lifeforms were peak- or higher-grade, and the rampaging sharks grew stronger and stronger with every battle and every foe they devoured.


    The battle that raged between the three forbidden regions impacted all five.


    Some oceanic lifeforms, realizing that the defeat of the giant whales would portend doom and unleash the rampaging sharks and bone-corroding shrimp on the ocean atrge, joined the battle on the side of the whales.


    This was Zhang Lie''s first time seeing the true strength of the second realm''s oceans, which were almost unimaginably deep. The truly strong lifeforms roamed not the surface of the ocean, but rather its depths.


    The seven forbidden regions of the ocean hardly represented its full strength; no, far from it. Thirteen more forbidden regions were known to oceanic lifeforms, though these were deep underwater. The seafaring races only knew of the forbidden regions on the surface of the ocean, but not whaty below.


    One of the underwater regions consisted of deep-sea jellyfish, whose tentacles could paralyze with the briefest touch.


    The rampaging sharks were forced back by thebined assault of the giant whales, the whales'' subordinate races, and the other powers of the ocean that feared the sharks being unleashed. Driven to a corner, they had no choice but to use their trump cards¡ªfive peak-grade sharks who were at the cusp of disaster-grade.


    Over a few centuries, the sharks had amassed a considerable amount of strength. Knowing that their opponents were wily giant whales, however, they consolidated that strength in a small number of sharks, which roamed underwater and were hidden from the surveince of the whales.


    The whales had once blocked the sharks from expansion, but they didn''t kill them all off. As a result, the sharks had united against amon enemy. Under the tremendous pressure and threat of the whales, the sharks grew stronger more and more rapidly.


    As the fighting continued, the numbers of the oceanic races dwindled. No one noticed this problem; they assumed that they were simply casualties from the fighting. In truth, Zhang Lie had captured arge fraction of the missing peak-grade lifeforms.


    The leader of the giant whales frowned as he oversaw the fighting. "Just what unusual ability have the sharks obtained now?"


    Under the rainbow fog, more and more of these peak-grade lifeforms vanished from sight. Zhang Lie smiled at the new farm he had started up, a small patch of ocean wholly his own. He had used the whirlpool tyrant''s soulshard to set up a miniature patch of ocean, then popted it with the peak-grade lifeforms he had sequestered from the fighting.


    He had instigated the battle from the very beginning. The children of the leaders of the two ns had perished because of Zhang Lie¡ªhe had controlled them with his mistmeld m soulshard.


    Not only that, Zhang Lie was sending arge group of these lifeforms into the hands of the rampaging sharks so that they could grow stronger even more quickly.


    The rampaging sharks didn''t disappoint him. Over the course of the battle, another ten peak-grade sharks reached the bottleneck to disaster-grade. Zhang Lie continued squirreling these lifeforms away as they grew stronger and stronger.


    He was very pleased about how his miniature ocean was developing.


    With the bone-corroding shrimp around, he didn''t have to worry about the source of the lifeforms'' food. It was only because of the giant whales'' interference that the bone-corroding shrimp and rampaging sharks couldn''t work together.


    In truth, these two races were particrlypatible with each other¡ªthe shrimp would reproduce rapidly, and the rampaging sharks could grow much stronger much more quickly by consuming these shrimp.


    As long as Zhang Lie could resolve the issue of the shrimp''s food, he would have a factory that could churn out disaster-grade lifeforms at will. In the future, the members of Team Zenith, and even the human race atrge, would be able to obtain disaster gene fragments much more easily.


    Of course, getting to this point would require far more time and energy on his part.


    Back in the human world, another war was waging.


    As the schism in the world federation cut deeper and deeper, Hong Tianqi and Amurong''s supporters formed two opposing factions that contested control over the Milky Way. Amurong represented old power and thergest conglomerates, whereas Hong Tianqi represented new activism and the representatives of the four prime races.


    Simultaneously, the war between the sura and the people of Renhuang had begun in earnest, and it had, by now, persisted for months.


    Much of the potency of the Yeluo poison had been stripped by the sura''s new techniques, but Renhuang wouldn''t give in quite so easily.


    The members of Team Zenith showed off their burgeoning skill and growth, killing the majority of the sura kings who participated in the fighting.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a hundred clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The hundred clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold. Sun Xiaowu''s battalion,posed of none but his clones, was a lethal strike force that could appear anywhere on the battlefield.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" On another battlefield, a light dragon descended from the heavens like a beacon of shining light, dissipating the ck mes thaty below.


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    On yet another battlefield, Fang Yi pierced the ranks of his enemies like a spear that could prate anything...

 Chapter 574: The Monarchs Decision

    <h4>Chapter 574: The Monarchs'' Decision</h4>


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Along the spear''s breadth rose a dragon of wind and a tiger of thunder. As they twined around each other, the tip of the spear gleamed, crackling with concentrated power.


    The spear strike rent the battlefield in half.


    Yang Ze alone handled the eastern front. The battlefield was shrouded in thick white mist, and a horde of blue sharks seemed to roam within it.


    Many of the sura fighters quickly developed a phobia of mist and fog, and even of the water vapor that emerged from the most mundane of things.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each was at least thirty meters long, and they easily covered the skies with theirbined bodies.


    They swooped down toward the sura, turning them into petrified wood on contact.


    In the center of an outburst of green light, Zhou Ying''s hair rapidly grew so long it reached her leg, fluttering in an invisible wind. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend. Pulses of green energy rippled from her, healing the wounds that the Renhuang fighters had sustained.


    Zhou Ying and the shaman of the wood spirits were always able to take to the battlefield at the most crucial of moments. She was heralded as the goddess of life, able to petrify the sura and simultaneously heal the wounded. She was bane to the sura and boon to her allies; allegedly, she had even forced back a sura monarch.


    The member of Team Zenith who stood out most as a result of therge-scale warfare, however, was none other than Sun Mengmeng. She alone provided artillery support for countless battlefields.


    Where she set her bow, purple-red mes filled the air. Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut. Only a series of afterimages were visible of her hand as she shot countless arrows of purple me of her bow, producing what seemed like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the sura fighters began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    Where Sun Mengmeng went, a fatality of meteor showers followed.


    The members of Team Zenith had all made a name for themselves during the fighting, and all the sura fighters knew and feared them. Their names spread throughout the sura and the alien races working with Renhuang.


    The sura monarchs convened a meeting at their headquarters.


    The monarch of the sun boomed, "To date, he still hasn''t made an appearance."


    The monarch of the moon nodded. "ording to our spies, the governor of Renhuang may have left Renhuang some time ago."


    "Shall we strike?" the monarch of the sky asked.


    The monarch of the sea shook his head. "The reason the governor of Renhuang hasn''t appeared is because we haven''t put enough pressure on Renhuang yet. Just like us, he doesn''t think his side needs his help."


    The monarch of mountains concluded, "In either case, it seems like as long as our opponent doesn''t use its trump card, neither will we."


    "I wonder if that''s good or bad..." the monarch of the sun mused.


    The monarch of the moon: "Regardless, let''s try to apply pressure to Renhuang. I''d like to see whether or not the governor of Renhuang is indeed present. If he isn''t¡ª"


    The monarch of the sky cut in, rubbing his palms. "If he isn''t, it''s time to rid ourselves of Renhuang''s damnable army."


    Zhang Lie hadn''t appeared on the battlefield at all, but his presence was keenly felt. Without the threat of Zhang Lie, the sura monarchs would have leveled the Renhuang army long ago.


    The monarch of the sea asked, "Is it time to enact our n?"


    .


    "Yes¡ªmove those pawns!"


    Back in Renhuang, Hong Xi nudged Sun Mengmeng. "What do you think of the nicknames you''ve gotten on the battlefield? The demoness of purple me, the tyrant of¡ª"


    Sun Mengmeng cut her off with a sigh. "Well, it''s not as if we want those titles, but you''d better notugh at mine. Don''t they call you ''the maiden of sun and moon''?"


    Hong Xi clutched her head as she moaned. "I don''t want a title like that!"


    In the battle against the sura, Hong Xi''s aura of [Eclipse] had proved to be a great boon.


    She changed the topic. "Why do you think the Yeluo chieftain summoned us all back?"


    The members of Team Zenith all yed instrumental roles in the fight against the sura army, but Sun Mengmeng and Hong Xi had temporarily left the battlefield. They had received a transmission from Yun Bing iming that the Yeluo chieftain had seeded in a piece of research that would turn the tides of war.


    With this research, they would apparently be able to finish the sura off for good.


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "It would be amazing if it were really that impactful."


    The sura army seemed to be fighting on equal footing with the Renhuang forces, but there were a number of hidden problems with the Renhuang forces that were only now making themselves known.


    After all, Renhuang''s forces were a coalition of wildly different races, and it was basically a given that there would be spies mixed in.


    The sura were frequently able toy ambushes for Renhuang''s forces, and the unstable stalemate had only been preserved so long because of the members of Team Zenith.


    It was impossible to ferret out these spies, so the members of Team Zenith instead decided to decentralizemand of the army to a cohort of supervisory tacticians and strategists formedrgely from members of the four prime races.


    While these spies still had a detrimental effect on Renhuang''s strategy, the overall result was eptable, and Renhuang''s forces fell prey to sura ambushes much less frequently.


    The problem was that the five sura monarchs had barely made an appearance on the battlefield, and if they were to strike simultaneously, Renhuang''s forces would surely suffer even if they could hold the five sura monarchs back. After all, there was currently no force sufficient to counter their simultaneous incursion.


    Perhaps the members of Team Zenith could take them on for a while, but it was unlikely that they woulde out victorious.


    Furthermore, Renhuang had far fewer resources than the sura, and a prolonged battle would prove more and more disadvantageous for Renhuang once it started to drag on.


    Renhuang would run out of provisions and supplies, and once they began to suffer defeat, the morale of the alien races would drop and the army would fragment.


    At that point, Renhuang would have well and truly lost.

 Chapter 575: Yeluo Poison #2

    <h4>Chapter 575: Yeluo Poison #2</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng could sense that the sura were gearing up for a big move.


    Among the allied forces, there were a few races who seemed to be behaving strangely¡ªthey were wandering around the encampment of the other races. Sun Mengmeng specially assigned a few fighters to follow them around.


    "I hope these other races won''t be so easily tempted to defect, but if they do..." Renhuang wouldn''t show them any mercy.


    Sun Mengmeng and Hong Xi quickly arrived at Renhuang''s academy. Much of the equipment had been grown naturally by the wood spirits, though they resembled modern electronicb equipment. Theb they headed towards was geared at biological research.


    The Yeluo chieftain met them with huge eyebags and messy, wild hair. When he saw them approach, however, his eyes lit up with anticipation. "You''re here!"


    The Yeluo chieftain boastedbat strength at least equal to that of a sura king, but at the moment, he seemed unbelievably weary.


    For someone with his constitution to get so exhausted would have required operating without sleep for a few weeks, not just days.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Chieftain, I understand how much you value your research, but you have to take more breaks. If you copse¡ª"


    Ever since the Yeluo poison had been countered by the sura''s simple techniques, the Yeluo chieftain had gone into a frenzy as he pursued a refinement of the poison.


    "No, no, let''s not talk about this now. Come, have a look! I''ve made an incredible breakthrough¡ªthis is the newest formtion of the Yeluo poison!"


    Sun Mengmeng and Hong Xi''s eyes brightened. The Yeluo poison was a potent tool against the sura, but the sura had begun guarding against it.


    Renhuang''s original strategy of having flocks of bird dump that poison over the Yeluo troops had faltered, and they had no choice but to ther it over their weapons instead. The poison was effective, but not as instrumental as it had been.


    With the Yeluo chieftain''s new breakthrough, however, it might reim its original presence.


    "Come, follow me." The Yeluo chieftain brought them to what was essentially a fume hood.


    The fume hood was made not with a chemically resistant polymer, but rather a thin membrane made from the eyes of a certain insect-type lifeform from the second realm. The Yeluo chieftain had specifically issued a bounty for them in Renhuang''s guild.


    Within the fume hood was a squirming object, something that looked a bit like a slime. "This is my new invention."


    .


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "It looks like... a gic lifeform?"


    "Have a look."


    As the Yeluo chieftain depressed a button, a sura corpse dropped into the chamber from above. The squirming lifeform pounced on it and stuck to its body.


    In a matter of moments, the corpse had been dissolved whole.


    "This is a biological wonder," the Yeluo chieftain introduced happily.


    Hong Xi seemed rather perturbed. "It feels a little disgusting. Is this a biological lifeform?"


    "Essentially. It acts on instinct and is unable to think for itself."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "How did you make it?"


    "Oh!" The Yeluo chieftain smiled happily. "Well, I''ll have to thank Zhou Ying and the shaman of the wood spirits for that.


    When Zhou Ying''s body merged with the shaman of the wood spirits'', their merger represented an elevated form of life, one distinct from anything I''ve ever seen before."


    He directed the two of them toward what seemed to be a microscope constructed out of a flower, with almost the same functionality. He disyed a cell sample of Zhou Ying and the shaman''sbined form by the base of the flower and motioned for Sun Mengmeng to have a look.


    Sun Mengmeng saw, to her surprise, that that cell sample was growing at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    The Yeluo chieftain continued excitedly, "These cells have a frightening vitality and regenerative ability, so much so that they seem to be able to subdivide without any limit whatsoever."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Does Zhou Ying know of this?"


    Hong Xi answered before the Yeluo chieftain could. "Of course not¡ªor she''d beat the chieftain up!"


    "These cells possess unusual characteristics reminiscent of a nt. They can survive even in bitter cold, and all they fear is extreme heat. Under ambient conditions, they can grow and reduplicate endlessly, needing nothing more than sunlight to survive. These cells are truly a miracle, as though they came from the goddess of life herself."


    The Yeluo chieftain became more and more agitated as he spoke¡ªto him, this was a discovery that would revolutionize the very foundations of the world.


    He retrieved a vial. "At the beginning, I used these cells to manufacture poison in much the same way we had been doing before, and the quality of the resulting poison far surpassed anything we had ever madepared to the new poison, all our concoctions to date are worthless. Any other concoction is worthless!"


    "Are these cells really that impressive?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded firmly. "You know about the potions of regeneration we make, don''t you? In the past, if you had an arm chopped off, you''d need to retrieve that arm and make sure that the wound isn''t too damaged if you wanted to use a potion on it. The potion of regeneration we made with Zhou Ying''s cells is far superior."


    Hong Xi frowned. "Do you mean to say that it can even regrow limbs?"


    The Yeluo chieftain shook his head. "No. More than that¡ªif you''re still alive, even if half your body has been chopped off, that potion can save your life and regrow it all."


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes widened. "What?! Doesn''t that mean that we can prevent the deaths of any Renhuang troop?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "That''s right, but this potion is still nothingpared to the new Yeluo poison we''ve developed."


    "You mean to say that the new Yeluo poison has an even stronger effect?"


    "Of course¡ªit''ll end the war against the sura all by itself."


    "Truly?!" Sun Mengmeng listened with bated breath, unable to believe the truth of the Yeluo chieftain''s words.


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "It''s as instrumental as the nuclear warheads of your past, the starbreak annihtors of your present."


    Thebination of Zhou Ying''s cells and the Yeluo poison had produced something beyond his wildest imaginations¡ªa biological lifeform.


    Sun Mengmeng asked again, "Can this new poison really win the war against the sura?"


    "Yes, definitely."


    The Yeluo chieftain walked deep into theboratory and retrieved a tub of powder kept securely under lock and key. "This is the inactive form of the new poison."


    "A powder?" Sun Mengmeng seemed a little disappointed. The sura now guarded against any mysterious liquids or powder thrown their way, and this new form of the poison seemed rather unusable...

 Chapter 576: The Eve of War

    <h4>Chapter 576: The Eve of War</h4>


    "Powder, yes, but not any old powder. As soon as this powder touches a sura, they''ll be melted from the outside in, then transformed into the biological lifeform I showed you. This lifeform is almost impossible to kill, especially for the sura. Its only weakness is fire. Burning it will convert it to powdered form, where it''ll be blown into the air."


    Hong Xi murmured in surprise, "In that case, can''t it live on indefinitely?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "Exactly, just like Zhou Ying''s cells¡ªand it''s even more frightening when burned, since it''ll turn into airborne particles that, when sucked in, can destroy the sura from the inside out."


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes widened. "What about the blood clots that the sura have been using to counter us?"


    The Yeluo chieftain shrugged. "External sources of blood will protect them, but sura blood won''t."


    Sun Mengmeng grew visibly excited. "When will you be able to mass-produce it?"


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled. "I knew what you were going to ask. The warehouse already has a significant stockpile."


    Just then, Sun Mengmeng''s doublegrowth flower shook. It turned red, a sign of imminentbat against the sura.


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened. "We have to hand the poison to the troops immediately!"


    "No, wait," Sun Mengmeng suddenly said. "Hold on. We don''t have thatrge a supply of this new poison. We should divide it among us humans and the first few races that joined Renhuang. We can hand the rest to the allied races from the Milky Way, but we have to ensure that they don''t spread any information to the sura. If anyone dares do so, they''ll be branded a traitor and treated ordingly."


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled wearily. "Spies, I presume? It looks like you all aren''t having the easiest time, either."


    The sudden meeting among the sura monarchs shocked the Renhuang forces.


    For the first time since the war began, the members of Team Zenith gathered together. Li Feng brought up the fact that the sura were mobilizing en masse, something they had all noticed during their respective fighting. "Do you think they''ll finallye at us in earnest?"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "It''s hard to say. Perhaps they''re trying to distract us. From what I can see of the forces they''ve sent against us, I don''t think they''ll be able to take us down in a direct confrontation."


    Fang Yi nodded. "We haven''t seen any of the sura monarchs on their side, either."


    Yang Ze frowned. "Are the sura actually using tactics against us? That''s more annoying than I expected..."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "They have their trump cards, and we have ours¡ªthough, well, ours is absent."


    Everyone''s faces turned glum. They knew whom Sun Mengmeng spoke of, of course. It was disappointing that they couldn''t seem to achieve very much without his presence.


    They turned to face the sura army massing in the distance, which outnumbered their own forces by over fifty million. So densely were they packed that they were like a ck gue spreading over the horizon.


    Li Feng sighed. "I hope this upgraded Yeluo poison will prove effective, or else..."


    Just then, a sura king approached the neutral territory between the two forces and shouted, "Forces of Renhuang, surrender now!


    The sura have dominated over the sura realm for millennia, and no one has ever been able to disrupt our superiority¡ªnot in the past, not in the present, nor in the future. If you surrender now, we sura may consider going easy on you."


    Before the battle began in earnest, such high-handed words would raise the sura''s morale¡ªin principle. The humans were particrly inventive with their insults, and the sura hade out on the losing end of every verbal battle, but the sura couldn''t give up now. This was a tradition of the sura, and any army that didn''t ede to such a tradition was widely recognized to be scared of their opponent.


    Li Feng strode forward with swagger. "Oh? I thought I heard a dog barking, but it turned out to be a sura!"


    The sura king''s face turned green. "Do you truly think a ramshackle ce like this ''Renhuang'' of yours can take down us sura? You humans only deserve to be our ves!"


    Yang Ze spread his arms. "Sura, sura¡ªyou''ve grown fat from your time as tyrants of the realm. It''s well past time that you be taken down!"


    "Indeed? You lot truly are asking to die, aren''t you? Sura, charge forward!" With the wave of an arm, the sura king summoned forth the forces that had been massing over the horizon. The stomping of their feet made the very earth shake.


    "Charge!" The members of Team Zenith took the vanguard, followed by Renhuang''s forces.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the sura fighters began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    Dozens of sura kings made a beeline toward Sun Mengmeng. If she were allowed tounch technique after technique undeterred, the sura would all die to her aerial bombardment.


    "If you want to attack my sister, you''ll have to get past me, first! [Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a hundred clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The hundred clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold as they rained down on the sura kings.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" A light dragon descended from the heavens like a beacon of shining light. Li Feng leapt up to the head of the dragon, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light that descended on the sura kings.


    He turned back and called out, "Sun Mengmeng, keep unleashing your techniques! We''ll hold these rabble back!"


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a corona of purplish-ck me around her. She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    "[Syzygy]!" Sun Mengmeng shot out dozens of arrows toward the battlefield, sending pirs of purplish-ck me ring toward the skies. The pirs exploded in mid-air and transformed into a violet moon, whose rays of light shone down on the entire battlefield...

 Chapter 577: Traitors One and All

    <h4>Chapter 577: Traitors One and All</h4>


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Along the breadth of Fang Yi''s spear rose a dragon of wind and a tiger of thunder. As they twined around each other, the tip of the spear gleamed, crackling with concentrated power.


    He pierced two sura kings in as much time it took to draw breath before ncing toward the remaining sura kings with a challenging stare.


    The sura kings stepped back subconsciously. Eventually, one sura king suddenly yelled out, "What are you all waiting for? We charge together!"


    As the sura king''s voice rang out, several among the Renhuang forces struck at their allies.


    Their allies fell, and those around them stared at the traitors with consternation. Who would have expected betrayal to struck so keenly?


    "We''ve simply made the logical decision."


    Sun Mengmeng nced around her, seeing if she recognized any of the traitorous races. One group was the Goldherald n, and another the Tangsan. The Tangsan would carry their forefathers'' ashes with them, thinking that it would bring them strength. Before any major events, they would pray to those ashes hoping to be blessed.


    Sun Mengmeng hadn''t expected such a major n to betray them.


    The Goldherald envoy bowed his head apologetically. "The sura promised usvish gifts and generouspensation. Now that so many sura kings have perished, there''snd and resources aplenty for all of us. Once the sura take you down, we''ll be awarded part of the conquerednd for our own. If the sura are willing to sign a treaty with us and treat us on equal footing, why should we work with you underdogs? I do all this for my n, for my race, for my family and children."


    Among the defecting races were those that had once been subordinate to the sura, and those that had been secretly persuaded by the former races.


    Most of the alien races had joined Renhuang''s army in order to secure profit for their own race. Only a few truly viewed the sura as their enemies.


    Now that the sura were promising them even higher rewards for victory, they naturally flocked to the other side. With one fell swoop, the sura weighted the scales further in their favor.


    The members of Team Zenith watched this happen without any emotion. They had anticipated that the sura would do something like this, after all, but some of their allies couldn''t help but turn enraged.


    "Are you all crazy?! Once we perish, do you think they''ll treat you as well as promised?"


    "The moment we no longer be a threat, the sura will turn on you. Wake up! You''re just a dagger to be used against us, a dagger that''ll be discarded the moment it bes useless."


    "Haven''t you seen what the sura have done to their enemies? You''ll be next. They can''t trust any of you¡ªyou''ve already betrayed a force once, and you can easily do so again."


    Those races that had betrayed the sura refused to listen to any reason; the die had been cast. In fact, as some of the allied races recognized just how disadvantaged they were, even more began to defect from Renhuang''s forces.


    With the allied troops in turmoil, the sura charged forward. The allied races were trapped between the sura onught and the defecting races, and the battle turned more chaotic than ever before.


    The sura king who had given the signal to defect stared at the scene with a mocking smile on his face. "I told you all, didn''t I? Just the barest hint of stress, and this so-called army will copse."


    Beside him, another sura king licked his lips. "You, demoness of purple me, Sun Mengmeng! Why don''t youe be my concubine? I promise I''ll treat you well!"


    His words sent the other sura kings into a frenzy. "No, she''s mine!" "I had my eyes on her first!"


    "Hold it, you fools! We still have to catch them all first."


    The sura kings were so confident in their victory that they had already begun dividing up their expected spoils.


    "You guys cany im to all the rest, but the goddess of nature is mine!"


    "They''re humans as strong as us sura kings, aren''t they? I really am quite interested in seeing them for myself."


    "The maiden of sun and moon belongs to me!"


    Yang Ze smirked at the squabbling sura kings. "Surely you don''t think you''ve won already?"


    The sura kings shouted back, "Your so-called alliance has already fragmented. Do you think you can turn the tides of war?"


    Yang Zeughed again. "Renhuang has never had to rely on any alien race, and it never will. It''s time to use our secret weapon, isn''t it? I can''t stand the sight of these trash anymore¡ªlet''s have them all rot away!"


    The other members of Team Zenith nodded, and Yang Ze called out loudly into the air, "Unleash the weapon!"


    The skies clouded over, and the pping of wings drowned out the sound of battle. Everyone raised their heads to see countless flocks of birds taking to the air, controlled by the crag eagles.


    "What do you think you can aplish at this point?" None of the sura kings seemed concerned. The sura fighters punched upward almost in unison, shattering the vials and dissipating the powder within.


    The human hunters and forces from the four prime races each tossed out the vials of poison that had been distributed to them beforehand, but the sura fighters only watched on stoically.


    They had seen such tactics being used in the initial skirmishes against Renhuang. Those tactics had quickly be obsolete once Renhuang''s forces learned that the sura hade up with counters for them.


    "Your resistance is futile!" a sura king called out.


    Some of the other sura kings began tough and titter, but they quickly noticed that something was wrong. What the subsequent flocks of birds had dropped down on the sura army wasn''t vials of poison, but rather the corpses of sura fighters!


    The sura were enraged and incensed by this vile act. This was the greatest insult that the humans could bring to bear against them; the sura didn''t fear death, but despoiling their bodies after death was a grave insult.


    As the sura fighters mored for vengeance, a cry rang out from their side of the battlefield.


    "Calm down!" Everyone turned to the sura king who had spoken, some in rage, some in anger, some in bafflement. "The scales of war have tilted in our favor. The humans are clearly trying to enrage us, and we can''t fall into their trap. Remain calm and logical."


    Another sura king shouted back, "Our victory is all but determined. No matter what Renhuang does, it meets its end today. Kill them all!"

 Chapter 578: One Trump Card

    <h4>Chapter 578: One Trump Card</h4>


    "No, there''s no need to charge in! The forces of Renhuang have splintered, and we have nothing to worry about."


    "Right, we have no need to worry. You can torture them however you wantter, but before we secure victory, we have to present a united front."


    "Surely there''s no way the humans canunch aeback now! All they''re doing is trying to mount ast-ditch resistance¡ªand failing at that, too!"


    Arge group of sura kings spoke up against the rash one who had called for a charge.


    Sun Mengmeng chuckled coldly. "Do you really think that that will be the case?"


    Li Feng pointed toward the ground. "Have a good look¡ªthis is a present we''ve prepared for you! It''s time for this war to draw to a close."


    The sura found, to their surprise, that the corpses of their fellow kind seemed to have gone wrong somehow. They quickly dposed, and strange, sticky slimes emerged from within their corpses.


    "What''s this?!"


    Any bits of flesh that touched the powder that had been dispersed through the air and scattered over the ground likewise became fleshy blobs that squirmed and writhed.


    There were countless sura corpses scattered and strewn over the ground, which became hotbeds of infection and rapid development of the lifeforms that spawned from the revised Yeluo poison. These slimy lifeforms now instinctively moved toward the sura.


    The sura attacked the slimy blobs, causing them to explode. As they did so, the sticky fluid that made them up was dispersed through the air. When a blob of fluidnded on a sura, that sura was near-instantly devoured and transformed into arger slime.


    People tended to fear the unknown; the sura were no exception. They began to panic.


    A sura king roared in rage, "Damned Renhuang, what have you done?!"


    Some of the sura kings, having guessed at what was going on, were even more furious. "Damn you, damn you all to hell! You''ve developed this monstrosity that only targets the sura¡ªwill you stop at nothing to see our race go extinct?!"


    Yang Ze shook his head. "Please respect our science. These aren''t monstrosities¡ªwe call them Yeluo Poison #2."


    Li Feng held two fingers up before him in a V, as a sign for victory. "Science is the impetus for change. Instead of getting upset at us, why haven''t you tried to surpass us instead?"


    Some of the sura kings roared back, "Not only have you humans developed poison specifically targeted against us sura, you''ve even furthered your research with these monstrosities. You humans will all perish!"


    Sun Mengmeng chuckled coldly. "That was true even before this battle. After this war, either the humans or sura will go extinct¡ªand I think I know who the winner will be."


    Another sura king shouted, "Don''t panic. Remember, we have the techniques that the sura monarchs imparted to us! Activate your blood scabs!"


    The sura fighters cut themselves open and allowed their blood to scab over their skin, but it was useless.


    The upgraded Yeluo poison was perfectly able to dissolve scabs of Yeluo blood. The sura fighters had to make use of a different approach¡ªtounch the slimy blobs away with whatever techniques they had in their possession.


    At the beginning, this approach proved fruitful, but as the number and size of these blobs increased, the sura were unable to hold them back any longer.


    Renhuang''s forces, which had begun to fracture, suddenly pulled together in light of this new development.


    "So you had this up your sleeve all along!" The same words carried apletely different tone when spoken from members of an allied or defected race.


    Those who continued standing by Renhuang smiled in joy and relief, whereas those who had betrayed Renhuang roared in outrage.


    The Goldherald and Tangsan ns gritted their teeth and regretted trusting the sura so fervently. If they had known that Renhuang had been hiding this Yeluo Poison #2, devised specifically against the sura, they wouldn''t have betrayed the humans!


    Why hadn''t the humans told them anything?! Weren''t they allies?


    The alien races that were secretly subordinate ns of the sura felt much the same way. They could havein in hiding¡ªbut now everyst one of them was exposed.


    They thought that they knew all of Renhuang''s secrets, but here was one that had been kept hidden from them all along.


    Indeed, even among the races of the universe, the humans'' ability to scheme was almost unparalleled, especiallypared to the sura who respected and revered strength above all else.


    The upgraded Yeluo poison proved particrly effective when conveyed through a living medium, because the poison''s mobility had been greatly increased.


    The pincer-style attack that the sura had been counting on immediately broke down as the sura forces were waid by the Yeluo slimes.


    "It''s time to finish the sura once and for all."


    Sun Mengmeng''s garuda bow suddenly began to burn with purplish-ck me, so hot they caused the air all around them to warp.


    A sura king sent a wave of force pushing the slimes back, but as he did so, blobs of slime exploded all over his body. The slime rapidly began to devour the sura king''s body as they drained it of nourishment. The sura king tried to resist the poison, but it was far more potent than he had expected.


    "Save me!" Before the eyes of the gathered kings, a sura king was devoured to thest.


    A collective shiver passed through the crowd of kings. The original Yeluo poison was effective only on ordinary sura; sura kings boasted at least partial resistance to it, and the worst it would do was temporarily weaken them. This advanced form of the poison, however, could devour a sura king whole. In other words, they were no different from ordinary sura when it came to this poison.


    Some of the sura kings used fire and found, to their surprise, that it was effective against the slimes.


    "Quick, burn them all!"


    However, the mes only made their problem worse.


    The mes were indeed able to burn the slimes to a crisp, but the ash that was produced mixed with the resulting smoke. Suddenly, some of the sura who had made sure to stay away from the blobs of slime suddenly began to scream.


    The poison had entered their bodies through their lungs, turning them into blobs of slime from the inside out.


    This was the first time this Yeluo poison had appeared on the battlefield, and the sura kings werepletely unable to defend against it.


    The original Yeluo poison seemed to boast an astounding effect against the sura, but as long as the sura took proper precautions, that poison couldn''t affect them. However, the revised Yeluo poison had appeared so suddenly that everyone was caught unaware.


    At that critical moment, Sun Mengmeng made her move.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine more ming moons appeared in the sky, so bright they eclipsed the sun and dyed the entire battlefield in shades of purple and ck.

 Chapter 579: The Victor is Clear

    <h4>Chapter 579: The Victor is Clear</h4>


    Nine suns of purplish-ck me hung in the air, unleashing a burst of heat that turned the battlefield into a sea of fire.


    As the fires burned, even more of the slimes were incinerated. Particles of ash dissipated into the air and were sucked in by the hapless sura.


    Yang Ze sent white mist out to envelop the entire battlefield. Hordes of sharks formed from gic energy roamed the mist, attacking the sura and the races that had defected from Renhuang.


    The shaman of the wood spirits melded with Zhou Ying. In the center of an outburst of green light, Zhou Ying''s hair rapidly grew so long it reached her leg, fluttering in an invisible wind.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    The dragons shot toward the sura and their allies, petrifying whomever they caught. Against the roaming shark hordes and wood dragons, the sura and their allies werepletely unable to retaliate against Renhuang''s forces.


    .


    Only when the defectors were forced to fight Yang Ze and Zhou Ying as enemies did they realize how frightening they were on the battlefield. The sharks and wood dragons seemed to spawn endlessly, and there was no end to their barrage.


    The defectors shouted in regret, "Please, let us go! We understand that what we did was a mistake¡ªwe were wrong to believe in the sura! We''re willing to do anything for Renhuang. Please, let us go this once, please, let us go on ount of the fact that we were once allies!"


    The members of Team Zenith ignored the defectors. If apologies were all it took to resolve a problem, why would wars be necessary?


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Dozens of dragons brimming with light spawned on the battlefield, attacking both the sura and their allies.


    Chaos descended on the defectors.


    "It''s useless trying to reason with them. If we want to live, we have to defend ourselves against their onught!" the leader of the Tangsan race howled as he charged toward the members of Team Zenith.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. The leader of the Tangsan n swerved to the side, barely avoiding a killing blow.


    "[Wind''s Spirit]! [Floating Clouds]!" In a sh of wind and thunder, Fang Yi appeared behind the leader of the Tangsan.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. As he manipted his spear, a tower of lightning crashed down on the Tangsan n leader.


    The leader of the Goldherald n raged, "I finally understand, I finally do! This was all a set-up to ferret us out! You already knew that there were spies among your ranks, but instead of trying to ferret us out, you concocted this n to have us betray you of our own ord! Team Zenith, I have to give you credit¡ªyou''re far more devious than I expected."


    The members of Team Zenith had done nothing even as they revealed themselves to be traitors, knowing that they had a trump card that could reverse the tide of war.


    The Goldherald n headughed at his own naivete and foolishness. "What a devious n, what a devious n!"


    He regretted what he had done. Why had he listened to the sura''s insidious whispers? Renhuang, who had been able to provoke such a severe response from the sura, surely was prepared to deal with them.


    He looked up, his eyes brimming with anger. "But it won''t be that easy to take me down."


    "We''ll see about that!" Sun Xiaowu yelled out, raising his hands. "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as he attacked the Goldherald leader.


    A huge explosion sounded. By the time the Goldherald leader regained his senses, all he could see was the sky above him. His body had been smashed into the earth in the shape of a ''´ó''. It ached all over, and he was sure some of his ribs were cracked.


    Among the four prime races, one of the nightdemon elders had experienced this precise attack. "Ah, I remember how much that blow hurt!"


    As the sura charged forward again, heedless of the slimes surrounding them, Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut.


    As her peak-grade bow began to burn, Sun Mengmeng fired an arrow into the skies, creating a glowing purple-ck moon whose rays shone down on the battlefield and covered the sura in me.


    By then, the sura kings understood their fate. With the revtion of the refined Yeluo poison, the victors of the battle were clear.


    One of the sura kings shouted, "Retreat!"


    "Do you think we''ll let you leave so easily? You really don''t think anything of Renhuang, do you?" Zhou Ying intoned, her body glowing with pulses of green light.


    Zhou Ying radiated an imposing but benevolent aura. Her long hair fluttered in an immaterial breeze. The green pulse of energy that limned her body made her look beautiful, sanctified, and holy, as though she were a true goddess.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy at once, causing the ground to quake.


    Tens of thousands of jade-green dragons rushed out of the earth, The dragons covered the entire battlefield, forming a prison between heaven and sky. None of the sura fighters were able to do much against the onught of hordes and hordes of dragons before being trapped within.


    The sura kings were able to muster some resistance, but fleeing was out of the question.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" Sun Mengmeng''s hand blurred as she shot out an entire field''s worth of arrows.


    A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the purple moon she had summoned.


    The mes arced across the air, swallowing up all the sura kings within. Fire scoured the battlefield; as long as Sun Mengmeng didn''t stop channeling her technique, the inferno would never end.


    Not only did the sura kings have to contend with the wood dragons that came from below, they also had to deal with Sun Mengmeng''s aerial bombardment. As the members of Team Zenith charged forward, they fell from the skies one by one.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a hundred clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Explode]!" Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky.


    The clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one. Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. As it cried out, Sun Xiaowu rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he punched at the sura kings...

 Chapter 580: Pushing the Responsibility Around

    <h4>Chapter 580: Pushing the Responsibility Around</h4>


    "[Arclight Descension]!" Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on Zhang Lie like a beam of light.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Horde]!" White mist swept over the sura as hundreds of translucent sharks attacked them.


    The result of the battle was, of course, a full victory for the forces of Renhuang. They had killed over fifty million sura and countless sura kings, turning the tide of war against the sura for good.


    Amidst a battlefield filled with slime, the alien races let out ear-splitting cries. Morale reached its peak; the atmosphere was joyous.


    The sura monarchs convened a meeting at their headquarters.


    The monarch of the sun mmed a palm on the table in rage, causing it to cave in. Fiery-red cracks spiderwebbed from the point of impact and caused the table to split into pieces. In a sh of red light, the table was incinerated.


    The monarch of the moon nced at the monarch of the sun coolly. "There''s no reason to be so angry. The oue of that battle can''t be changed."


    The monarch of the sun roared, "What would you have me do?! Let those arrogant pieces of trash be?"


    The monarchs'' intention was to ovee Renhuang with a massive army. By making use of the traitors in their midst, the sura would gain the upper hand and decimate Renhuang''s forces in a pincer-style attack. Even if they couldn''t destroy it all, they would force Zhang Lie to show his hand.


    In the end, not only had they not managed to force Zhang Lie out, their entire army had been destroyed.


    The monarch of the sky''s face was dark. "None of us could have anticipated that Renhuang would have had such an ace up their sleeves."


    If they had known, they would have destroyed that poison at any cost.


    The monarch of the sun''s eyes glinted with me. He was unable to rein in his aura any longer; a sun appeared by his back. "Despicable scum. Not only has Renhuang developed a poison that specifically targets the sura, they''ve alsoe up with these monstrosities. Just where did they learn of such malicious tactics?"


    The monarch of the moon said, "We should focus on how to deal with the Renhuang army."


    The monarch of mountains snorted. "More and more of these alien races are joining Renhuang after their victory. They''repletely ignoring out dominion, and they''re even spreading into sura territory."


    After the disastrous results of thest battle, the sura were unable to resist the human incursion any longer. The forces of Renhuang rushed into sura territory and imed arge quantity of theirnd by conquest.


    "At its core, Renhuang''s army is controlled by the members of Team Zenith, those odious humans," the monarch of the sea pointed out. "As long as we kill them, we won''t have to worry about the army as a whole."


    "Indeed, we can''t allow them to spread any further," the monarch of mountains replied. "Even if the sura are to perish, we have to destroy Renhuang''s core."


    Renhuang was far too dangerous a threat, able to create poisons and lifeforms that were specifically tuned against the sura.


    The monarch of the sun nodded. "This is a matter of life and death for the sura," he stressed. "If we don''t defeat Renhuang, we''ll perish."


    The monarch of the sky rolled his eyes. "You don''t have to state the obvious."


    "Onto the specifics, then," the monarch of the moon suggested. "Are the three of you going to strike at Renhuang yourselves?"


    A silence dragged on. The monarch of the sea, mountains, and the sun were silent.


    None of them could guarantee sess.


    Not only did they have to deal with the threat of the governor of Renhuang, who still hadn''t made an appearance, they wouldn''t easily be able to handle the refined Yeluo poison or the members of Team Zenith.


    ording to the few sura who had managed to escape from the culling, even sura kings fell prey to that poison. In that case, they couldn''t be confident that they, as sura monarchs, wouldn''t suffer the same fate.


    That said, the only opportunity they had to test that hypothesis out was to go onto the battlefield themselves, but they would have to put their lives on the line to do so.


    The monarchs all looked at each other, waiting for one of them to take the lead.


    The monarch of the moon was the first to speak up. "I don''t feel that these lifeforms can be all that strong. After all, science still obeys basic principles. The original version of the poison was only effective against ordinary sura fighters, with significantly reduced effect on sura kings. It''s very likely that this biological lifeform follows the same principles, but one level more advanced."


    The monarch of the sky nodded. "A very reasonable analysis¡ªit might be effective against sura kings, but not sura monarchs. Sura kings are quite a bit weaker than sura monarchs, after all. In that case, why don''t you test the effects of this poison for yourself?"


    The monarch of mountains pped his hands. "A very reasonable suggestion. Moon, you''re confident in your analysis, aren''t you? If you lead a charge against Renhuang''s army, I''m sure you''ll be able to take them all down in no time at all."


    The monarch of the sea gave him a thumbs up. "Indeed, Moon!"


    None of the sura monarchs were idiots, and none of them wanted to risk their lives without any certainty.


    The monarch of the moon immediately shook his head. "Oh, no, I couldn''t. I haven''t been feeling very welltely, you see. Why don''t we have Sun take the lead? He''s the strongest among us all, as well as the ruler of the strongest sura kingdom. I''m sure his strength will cause the humans to cower."


    "Enough!" the monarch of the sun shouted.


    The other four sura monarchs all shut up.


    The monarch of the sun scowled at the four monarchs. "Have you forgotten that ourmon enemy is the humans, not each other?"


    The four sura monarchs lowered their heads.


    The monarch of the sun waved an arm. "No one need go. None of us know what Renhuang is hiding¡ªwe didn''t know of their poison then, and we didn''t know of these lifeforms now. Who knows if Renhuang might have even more trump cards up their sleeve?"


    The silence dragged on. In the past, while they had spies in Renhuang, they would have been able to obtain information quite readily, but now that all their spies had been rooted out, the sura monarchs were entirely blindsided.


    The monarch of the sun made a final promation. "None of you will have to test the waters, and neither will I."


    The monarch of the moon''s eyes widened. "In that case, are we to do nothing against the human incursion?"


    The monarch of the sun shook his head. "Just because we won''t test the waters doesn''t mean no one will."


    "Y-You want to wake him up?!" the monarch of the sky''s eyes bulged in shock.

 Chapter 581: Preparations for the Rite

    <h4>Chapter 581: Preparations for the Rite</h4>


    "I think it''s time," the monarch of the sun affirmed.


    The monarch of the moon nced at the other sura. "Just who are you talking about?"


    "The asura." The monarch of the sun turned around and nced reverently at the statue behind him, his tone serious and respectful.


    The monarch of the sea and the monarch of mountains traded nces. "The asura? The legendary gods of the sura?"


    Did the asura truly exist? Ordinary sura revered the asura, but they believed them more fiction than fact. Even some sura monarchs felt the same way.


    Only a rare few sura monarchs knew of the existence of the asura, the oldest of the sura, who were born in the infancy of the second realm. It was the asura who first found lifeforms that werepatible with the sura race and who set the foundations for the sura''s current grandeur. Subsequently, they even found a secondpatible race, which ultimately gave rise to the sura''s dominion over the second realm.


    The asura were the oldest and strongest of the sura. Their presence alone hurt the realm; as a result, they had chosen to go into deep slumber. Only when the sura were in critical danger would the sura monarchs be able to summon the asura for aid.


    "Colleagues, fellow kings, it''s time to act. Now that Renhuang has developed such a potent weapon against the sura, who knows what else they might be hiding? We have to retaliate with full force to prevent the destruction of our race."


    When the other sura monarchs learned of the imminent summoning of the asura, they were all in shock.


    The asura held a venerated position among the sura, and the sura monarchs had all grown up hearing about their legends and exploits. When sura kings were crowned, they swore to be loyal not to their citizens, not to heaven and the second realm, but rather to the asura. It was no exaggeration that the sura respected the asura above all else.


    The monarch of mountains smiled in relief. "With the asura around, we won''t have to test this poison for ourselves."


    The monarch of the sea cried out, "Not only that, the asura will be able to take down all our foes!"


    The monarch of the moon warned, "Indeed, we do have the qualifications to call on the asura, but don''t forget about the ritual sacrifice we have to prepare."


    "Indeed¡ªa hundred million sura corpses is no easy number to acquire," the monarch of the sky added, sighing.


    The monarch of the sun nced at the others with a sinister and frightening smile. "Under ordinary circumstances, no, but our circumstances are anything but ordinary. The sura are facing an unparalleled crisis, and I think many of the sura would be willing to give up their flesh for the good of the race."


    The monarch of the sky nodded. "I understand. Since all the sura kings have perished on the battlefield, their territory is unguarded and uncontested. We can im their citizens without affront."


    The monarch of the moon''s eyes lit up. "An excellent solution!"


    The monarch of mountains shrugged. "We''re doing them a service, after all. Without the protection of a sura king, they''d be killed by the alien forces eventually."


    To the sura kings, ordinary sura were nothing more than ants. To the sura monarchs, the sura kings were nothing more than tools¡ªthey had served their purpose as cannon fodder, and now, the sura monarchs wouldy im to their citizens.


    The sura kings were truly a pitiful breed.


    The monarch of the sun''s frightening smile never dimmed. "I imagine they must think it a great honor to be sacrificed for the awakening of the asura."


    The monarch of the sky palmed his jaw. "We can''t announce what''s going on to the realm atrge. We have to find a more ptable excuse so that the sura wille seek us out themselves."


    The sura monarchs had all amassed their strength by internal conflicts that allowed them to swallow up nearby kingdoms. All five monarchs gathered here had advanced through their abilities at scheming.


    The reason that the sura had all but turned on themselves was because they had grown so strong as to have no significant enemies in the second realm.


    Without any enemies to pige or plunder, the sura kings had no choice but to turn on each other for resources instead, resulting in the creation of sura monarchs and sura empires.


    The summoning ceremony required significant resources and preparation, and the sura monarchs turned their focus from the ongoing war to preparing for the ceremony.


    The skirmishes between the sura and the forces of Renhuang grew less and less frequent as the sura monarchs motioned for the sura to cede their territory in preparation for a final stand by the five sura monarchs'' empires.


    In the human world, on the other hand, another war was brewing.


    "You understand what I mean, don''t you?"


    A newmittee member sat facing Amurong in Amurong''s newly repaired office. Thismittee member boasted a sterling reputation, and he was one of the first of Hong Tianqi''s allies.


    Now, however, he sat in Amurong''s office in a panic, sweat beading on his forehead. "Can you let go of my wife and daughter first?"


    Amurong replied coolly, "Oh? And here I thought you hade to seek me out because you understood that Hong Tianqi was a vile and corrupt leader. Why don''t you join my alliance?"


    The man trembled in fear. "Whatever the case may be, my wife and daughter are innocent. Please, let them go!"


    "I have something to show you," Amurong replied, ignoring his pleas. He turned on a monitor, from which themittee member could see his wife and daughter tied to a bed.


    The man stood up. "Wife! Mei!"


    Amurong massaged his ears. "There''s no need to shout. They can''t hear you."


    Dozens of men of all races appeared on the screen, walking into the bedroom. They tore apart the clothes of the woman and the girl, smiling lecherously as the females screamed.


    Amurong smiled in delight. "An exciting sight, isn''t it? I wonder how long your family will be able to survive their assault. Quite a few have died midway through the proceedings, and othersmitted suicide almost at the very beginning."


    The man wed at Amurong''s cor with a fist. "Y-You¡ªmy daughter''s fourteen!"


    Amurong licked his lips. "Even better."


    Themittee member''s eyes filled with despair, as though he were looking not at a person, but an incarnation of sheer evil.


    Amurong pushed the man aside as he admired what was happening on-screen.


    "I hear that there are severals on which child prostitution is particrly in vogue. I''m sure there would be arge market for your daughter."


    Themittee member''s eyes turned red as he shrieked in madness, "Amurong! When others find out what you''ve done¡ªjust you wait!"


    Amurong poured out two sses of wine, cradling one in his hand. "How long do you think they''llst? One hour, two hours, three hours, a day, two days?"


    His tone was calm and unperturbed, as though nothing out of the ordinary were happening at all...

 Chapter 582: The Depths of Evil

    <h4>Chapter 582: The Depths of Evil</h4>


    .


    In rage, themittee member tried to punch Amurong''s face, only to be kicked aside by Amurong''s foot. He curled up in a corner of Amurong''s office like a shrimp.


    Amurong sipped at his wine. "I quite like these so-called rock demons. They''re considered one of the bottom rungs of society, despised by most of the races in the Milky Way. However, I have to admit that they''re truly quite... virile.How would you feel about me having them take your daughter''s virginity?"


    On the screen, the girl began to shriek in panic. "Save me, save me!"


    Amurong took another sip of wine as he admired the screen. "No ordinary person would be able to survive such assault, I think. Even if they live on, their mental health will be irreparably damaged, and they''ll be shells of their former selves. They won''t be able to interact with the outside world, and their lives will turn into a series of nightmares."


    Themittee member had, by now, prostrated himself on the floor of Amurong''s office. He reached out and tugged at the hem of his pants, begging with a face filled with snot and tears, "Please, I beg of you, let them go! My wife and daughter are innocent. Take whatever you want from me, make me do whatever you want¡ªI''ll do anything!"


    "Ah, it looks like my shoes are dirty."


    The man immediately stuck out his tongue and made to clean Amurong''s shoe, but just as he did so, an explosion rang out on-screen. The door to the bedroom was sted open as a number of figures rushed inside and defeated the assants within.


    Hong Tianqi appeared in the screen. "Long time no see, Amurong. How have you been?"


    Amurong froze. The next moment, the winess in his hand shattered.


    "Ah, you can''t respond to me? How boring." Hong Tianqi snapped his fingers as the girl was brought to the screen. "Amurong, I have to say, I knew you were an immoral man, but I hadn''t expected you would stoop this low. You were once the presiding authority of the world federation¡ªdon''t you remember that? Is this the type of scum you always were?"


    Now that Amurong had ceded his authority as the presiding member of the world federation, he no longer had to maintain a good name and reputation.


    Just then, his secretary rushed into his office. "Sir, something''s wrong! I''ve just received a call from your estate¡ªyour son was seized while returning from school, and his whereabouts are unknown. We''ve already dispatched a staff to look for him."


    Amurong shook his head. "No, there''s no need."


    "Sir?"


    Amurong pointed at the screen. "Look, there he is."


    Hong Tianqi was holding on to a child as though he were a chick. "To be honest, I''m not used to such methods either, but I don''t mind wallowing in the mud with you. You won''t regret this, will you?"


    Amurong''s son cried out, "Father, save me! Father!"


    Hong Tianqi smiled. "Send everyone you''ve kidnapped safe and sound to their residences. If any of them are hurt in any way, I''ll do the same to your son. If any of the women have been harmed, I''ll castrate your entire family. Don''t doubt my words¡ªyou know I have the ability to aplish this."


    Hong Tianqi''s words didn''t perturb Amurong; Amurong seemed to behave like a statue of evesting ice. He dragged the man on the floor up, carefully brushed off his clothes, then said politely, "Everything''s fine. Hong Tianqi did very well, so please tell him that I won''t touch any of his men again."


    The man stared at Amurong in bewilderment. Moments ago, his family had been in the likes of hell; the next moment, Hong Tianqi had turned the tidespletely. He was unbelievably and immediately relieved that he had chosen to side with Hong Tianqi. If he had sided with Amurong instead, Amurong would surely have discarded him like a pawn in times of peril.


    He spat a glob of saliva at Amurong''s face. Amurong didn''t dodge. Instead, with a p of his hands, he signaled two muscr bodyguards to enter and escort the man out.


    The moment the man left Amurong''s office, he began to cry. Shivering and quaking, he called Hong Tianqi. "I''m sorry, I¡ª"


    Hong Tianqi met him with a sunny smile. "Don''t you worry. I''m sorry I couldn''t have gotten to the ce sooner, but I''m d nothing worse happened. I pride myself on helping out my allies in times of need."


    "I really don''t know how to thank you, Hong Tianqi. Without you, I simply can''t imagine what would happen to my family. I swear, I''m willing to do anything for you, absolutely anything!"


    Compared to the man''s emotional outburst, Hong Tianqi was a bastion of calm. "Alright. Wipe away your tears, and go make sure your family is safe and sound. They had quite a bit of a scare, so anyfort you can provide them would be good."


    "Thank you, thank you!"


    Inside his office, Amurong wiped away the saliva on his face. "Has my son been released?"


    His secretary replied, "Don''t worry, sir, he''s safe and sound. At the very least, Hong Tianqi is honorable and trustworthy."


    Amurong''s expression was cold. "A son means little to me. Even if he dies, even if more were to die, I can always breed more."


    What Amurong was afraid of wasn''t his son being injured, but Hong Tianqi bing mad. If Hong Tianqi were to start kidnapping those around him, then his associates would be in danger.


    Amurong was shrouded in darkness, and he feared nothing except the darkness turning on him. If Hong Tianqi were to do something like that, his faction would splinter and break apart. He was only holding his faction together because they were bound bymon profit; if something were to threaten that profit, then Amurong would have no leverage.


    More importantly, he had always believed that Hong Tianqi was an honorable man, unwilling to sumb to the level of evilness and cruelty that his methods led to.


    However, it seemed as though that weren''t the case¡ªHong Tianqi simply didn''t deign to use such underhanded approaches.


    But if Amurong were to go to even greater extremes, then Hong Tianqi might well follow suit. At that point, he would be even harder to handle.


    Amurong''s secretary couldn''t help but shiver. He asked, "Sir, in that case, what should we do next?"


    "We can''t touch Hong Tianqi and his allies. In that case, let''s try to bring the moderates to our side."


    Quite a few of the authorities had chosen to watch matters unfold without dering for one side or another. Amurong felt that it was time to force their hand.


    The secretary retrieved a list that he had prepared beforehand.


    Amurong tapped on one particr person and instructed, "Ah, I remember this man¡ªhe''s a lolicon, with a particr preference for young girls aged ten and under. Find some incriminating evidence and send it over."


    "Next..."


    "I''ve seen his information too. He''s afraid of his wife, so seduce him with a mistress and threaten him that way."


    "The subsequent person, sir, is a youngmander in the military who was orphaned at a young age."


    "The hot-bloodedness of youth, hmm? He''s single, so arrange him a girlfriend and have her kidnapped."


    Of course, this kidnapping would be faked. This ''girlfriend'' would be one of Amurong''s direct subordinates tethered to his control.


    "Any person has something they value above all, and that induces weaknesses that we can control. And if they don''t already value something, we''ll make them value it."


    The secretary couldn''t help but sigh internally at the darkness in Amurong''s heart.


    Amurong continued, "Make sure the kidnappers look like Hong Tianqi''s men."


    "I understand, sir!"


    Once he had everything nned out, Amurong poured himself a ss of wine.


    "I read a book in the past about a billionaire who bought an entire. After doing so, he denied the lifeforms within free ess to resources like air, sunlight, and so on."


    The secretary blinked speechlessly. If that were to happen in real life, such poor governance would immediately be reported to the world federation, and the idiotic billionaire would immediately be made an example of.


    "I admire that billionaire, but I also find him spectacrly stupid."


    "Indeed, sir."


    "That said, I still admire him. In my childhood, my dreams were to be just like that man, with the status and authority he possessed. Subsequently, I found that such acts were against thews set out by the world federation. Undeterred, my next dream was to change thosews."


    Amurong turned toward his secretary. "If you were that billionaire in control of an entire, what would you do?"


    The secretary joked, "Well, perhaps I''d force them to watch a minute of advertisements of mymercial holdings each day to gain ess to fresh air..."


    Amurong smiled. "Is that it?"


    "I''m sorry, sir?"


    "Force everyone on that to purchase yourpanies'' goods to gain ess to fresh air and sunlight¡ªand even then, force them to watch advertisements beforehand."


    The secretary lowered his head. "Indeed, sir, your suggestion overwhelms mine."


    Amurongughed loudly. "You still have much to learn, I see!"


    He turned and looked out the window, stretching out a hand that seemed to grasp at a in the dark void of space.


    "When I be rich, as rich as that billionaire¡ªno, even richer than that, I want the entire poption of the Milky Way to bow to my whims. I want them to seek my approval before breathing, before having ess to sunlight, before drinking a sip of water!"


    This was the puerile and frightening dream of a puerile and frightening man.


    This was why Amurong had been so perturbed when Amurong saw Zhang Lie control the entire gxy with his limit-breaking potions. That was exactly the strength of his dreams, and how he had garnered the support of so many conglomerates in the first ce¡ªthe promise of immense profit through the process of Amurong realizing his dreams.

 Chapter 583: Awakening the Asura

    <h4>Chapter 583: Awakening the Asura</h4>


    Amurong quickly delegated the rest of his devious n to his secretary.


    "At this rate, in just half a year''s time, Hong Tianqi''s faction will be isted. In the end, he''s too weak to contend with me." Amurong stepped toward the window and stared cidly at outer space.


    The secretary smiled. "Perhaps you''re the only one who dares say something like that in the entirety of the Milky Way, sir."


    Amurong shook his head. "I''m not saying that Hong Tianqi is weak¡ªin terms of pure strength, I might not be his match. I''m talking about fortitude."


    Hong Tianqi was, even after all he had done, a man of morals.


    Amurong sighed. "Hong Tianqi has the support of Zhang Lie and the four prime races of the gxy, and his fame is higher than ever before. He has a hand of aces, so it''s a pity that he doesn''t know how to use them well."


    The secretary smiled and ttered Amurong, "No one in the Milky Way can best you, sir."


    Amurong smiled. "In truth, if Hong Tianqi were any better at manipting others, we would truly have lost."


    "But you were the victor in the end, sir."


    In time, Hong Tianqi''s faction would be ostracized and alienated, and Amurong would take over. He would easily be able to manipte Hong Tianqi''s faction into turning on itself, to crumble and fall apart.


    These were his ns for the future, unrealistic though they may have seemed to a neutral observer''s eye. At present, his faction was currently the far weaker, and his daydreams of crushing Hong Tianqi could only remain dreams.


    Hong Tianqi, with the support of Zhang Lie and the four prime races of the gxy, feared no challenge. Perhaps Hong Tianqi might not be able to take down Amurong, but he certainly was able to consolidate his power and authority.


    Back in the second realm, the sura were facing a dilemma of their own.


    On a giant altar that the sura had constructed knelt a hundred million sura, filling the altar to the brim.


    "Kin, the sura are at the crossroads of destiny. If we are unable to ovee this challenge, our race will perish."


    At the center of the altar, beneath a great statue of the asura, the monarch of the moon began to speak. All the sura looked toward the statue, a hundreds-of-meters tall statue that rose into the clouds, carved with such painstaking care that it looked as though it coulde to life at any moment.


    The five monarchs were all standing on the altar.


    "The foolish alien races have banded together in an attempt to challenge our might. They''ve found a group of evil demons who have helped theme up with poisons and biological lifeforms that target the sura. For the survival of our kind, we have no choice but to eradicate these humans from our realm. This is a crusade, a crusade by the sura against the humans and their allies."


    The monarch of the moon''s hypnotic voice echoed throughout the altar.


    "Unfortunately, as a result of these demons'' poisons and biological warfare, our sura fighters have been faltering on the battlefield, and their sacrifice will not be in vain."


    The monarch of the sky continued, "Now, the alien races are attacking our territory in earnest. We''ve been forced back time and again, and we don''t have any other means of dealing with their poison and biological warfare. I ask for your strength, for the strength of the asura!"


    The sura who were at the altar had heard all this before; it was the truth.


    The monarch of the sun called out passionately, "Fellow kin, we have no choice but to awaken the asura who have been trapped in long slumber, to awaken those who are our gods! We need your strength for an ancient rite, one which will awaken the asura with your hearts and voices."


    The sura trapped in the altar were unbelievably excited to be able to meet their legendary gods, the asura. Only a rare few realized their fate. Most of the sura began cheering for the asura, their voices echoing through the altar and resounding over the horizon.


    The next moment, the monarch of the sun raised a miniature sun in his hand, and a ck moon appeared behind the monarch of the moon.


    Space shattered around the monarch of the sky, and a tsunami roared behind the monarch of the sea. The monarch of mountains cracked the ground beneath his feet.


    The five sura monarchs made their moves as one. The sun exploded. mes flooded the ground, scorching the earth. The monarch of the moon''s power surged forward, corroding everything it touched.


    The sacrificial ritual reached its peak, and the hundred million sura died without knowing just what had happened.


    Veins of blood trailed from the altar. The corpses of the dead sura shone with blood-red light that was absorbed by the statue.


    The statue shook. Its surface began to crack as a pir of blood-red light rushed into the sky, dyeing the heavens red. An ancient aura emanated from the statue, causing even the sura monarchs to stagger back.


    The entire realm shook as all lifeforms in it saw a blood-red pir rising to the sky.


    The five monarchs each got on one knee. "We greet the asura, who have awakened from their slumber!"


    The cracked surface of the statue crumbled away to reveal an asura in its interior, one who looked exactly like the statue¡ªa true asura!


    Immense energy could be felt from the asura. The sura monarchs instinctively bowed their heads, and every lifeform in the sura realm trembled. A massive upheaval was on its way.


    The asura slowly opened his eyes. When he nced at the five sura monarchs, they felt drowned by the full force of his aura. Their bodies trembled; their blood frothed.


    "How many years has it been?" the asura wondered, almost to himself. His voice shook heaven and sky. His breathing and speaking alone caused the space around him to shatter. The asura''s eyes seemed to be able to prate allyers of reality. "Tens of thousands, surely."


    As though he had detected something, the asura raised his head. The will of the world had appeared; from the spatial distortions around him, it seemed to be trying to expel him from this realm. The asura snorted and yelled out, "Scram!"


    The will of the world instantly fell motionless.


    The asura frowned. "For what reason have you woken me from my slumber? Is the sura race near extinction?"


    Before the asura asked his question, none of the five monarchs had dared to speak.


    The monarch of the sun, his forehead beading with sweat, trembled as he spoke, "My lord, a fearsome force has appeared within the sura realm, one that has engineered poisons and biological lifeforms that specifically target the sura. During the most recent sura attack, all our sura kings perished in the onught. We five monarchs are the only sura kings that remain in this realm, and our race is facing a tribtion beyond all known to date."

 Chapter 584: Three Days Time

    <h4>Chapter 584: Three Days'' Time</h4>


    Before the monarch of the sun could finish speaking, the asura understood everything.


    "You pieces of trash!" The asura''s words were apanied by pressure that made the five sura monarchs feel as though a mountain was pressing down on their backs. They began to vomit blood. "If you can''t even protect ournd, what''s the point of keeping the five of you around?!"


    "No, please, my lord! We''ve tried our best to stop the onught, but our opponents are dastardly and wicked!"


    The five monarchs pleaded for their lives. The asura didn''t respond. With a snap of his fingers, the five sura monarchs all lost a part of their body. Before they could scream, the asura stepped forward, piercing the boundaries of space as he appeared atop Renhuang.


    After their massive victory and the subsequent withdrawal of the sura, the forces of Renhuang had been able toy im to city after city. Renhuang''s territory grew to ten times its original size, until it wasrger than even the average sura empire.


    When the asura appeared out of thin air, space began to distort and the earth began to crack. The space around Renhuang seemed like an apocalyptic nightmare. The asura''s strength was much like Zhang Lie''s strength after having swallowed the disaster-grade core in the first realm. Just his presence alone was sufficient to affect the entire realm.


    However, the will of the world wasn''t trying its hardest to send the asura out of the realm, for two reasons. First, the asura''s effect was localized around a rather small region; and second, the will of the world didn''t have the strength to counter an asura.


    The second realm wasrge and robust, and it was mostly able to sustain the asura''s strength for the time being. He had slumbered in the world for millennia, and the realm had had time to get ustomed to his presence.


    The asura''s gaze swept across the city, his eyes seeming to wander into past and present. "Zhang Lie, is it? Interesting."


    A guard of Renhuang walked up to the asura. "Who are you?"


    With a casual wave of his arm, the asura sent a tsunami of energy toward Renhuang. The walls fell; the guards were sent flying. Half of Renhuang was destroyed in a mere instant, turning into nothing more than a pile of ruins.


    By the time the citizens of Renhuang reacted, there was a deep abyss scarring the borders of Renhuang. The force that had struck the walls of Renhuang proper was, shockingly, only a side effect of the asura''s attack.


    The asura continued calmly, "I''ll give you three days to find this so-called Zhang Lie. If he doesn''t appear by that time, all of humanity will go extinct."


    The asura, a god among men, didn''t spare a single nce for the human sentries scampering about in the aftermath of the attack as he departed.


    When word of the terrifying event spread to the real world, the hunters'' forums immediately exploded.


    "Just what is this asura? He''s more frightening than anything I''ve seen to date in the second realm!"


    "Oh, I know, I know! I saw it in a history book once. This looks to be an asura, one of the gods of the sura."


    "What?! Isn''t that a myth, nothing more than a legend?!"


    "The legendary asura are apparently able to make the heavens quake when they breathe out and the seas tremor when they breathe in. When they raise their arms, they can crack heaven and earth, tearing the very space apart. It looks as though there''s some merit to this description, doesn''t it?"


    "Do the asura truly exist? And they''ve even made an appearance in Renhuang? We''re doomed, we''re doomed, Renhuang''s doomed!"


    When Amurong learned of this news, he raised his head to the sky andughed madly. "Very good, very good! Spread the news immediately. We have to target Zhang Lie and Hong Tianqi now!"


    On Amurong''smand, countless people took to the forums and began besmirching Zhang Lie and Renhuang''s reputation.


    "Zhang Lie thinks that amassing a coalition of alien races will be sufficient against the sura, does he?"


    "If nothing else, the sura have ruled over the second realm for millennia. Now that they''ve awakened their god, Renhuang is bound to fall."


    "Renhuang''s far too ambitious to think that the humans alone can overturn the sura''s tyranny!"


    "No one has been able to aplish anything against the sura, not us, not hundreds or thousands of races before us. Who do you think you are?!"


    "Renhuang''s army is nothing but a joke. Do you really think that the sura can be vanquished with nothing more than a few limit-breaking potions?"


    "The culprit behind this entire affair is Zhang Lie. If he hadn''t sparked such conflict, matters wouldn''t have deteriorated to this extent."


    "In my opinion, no one should enter the sura realm for the moment. In fact, we might as well leave it for good!"


    Amurong''s crude tactics were stunningly effective.


    "I was shocked to learn that Renhuang was amassing forces against the sura, so shocked my hands and legs turned cold. Does Zhang Lie really think that being able to take down a sura empire means that he can take down the entire sura race, too?!"


    "Look at what he''s done. Because of Zhang Lie, none of us can enter the second realm¡ªhe''s blocked off all our ess to the second realm, and we won''t be able to grow stronger as hunters!"


    The ordinary hunter hadn''t been able to reap any rewards from Zhang Lie''s sesses, but his perceived failure had certainly saddled them with penalties. As a result, Zhang Lie''s reputation came crashing down again.


    "It''s all Zhang Lie''s fault! Now look at what he''s done..."


    "Damned bastard! Now it''s not just the humans who can''t enter the second realm, but all of us!"


    "You humans were the ones being persecuted by the sura, not the rest of us. If you want to overthrow the sura, leave us out of it!"


    Protesters even staged demonstrations outside the Zenith Dojo, which was fortunately well guarded by the Chinese military.


    "Come out here and face us!"


    "Zhang Lie, you wretched bastard, get out here!"


    "You don''t speak for the entire human race. How dare you drag us all down with you!"


    Meanwhile, Hong Tianqi and his faction were deep in the midst of their nning.


    "Are we ready?"


    "Everything''s ready," his trusted aide confirmed. "But sir, are you really going to do this?"


    One of his allies advised, "Martial Sage, you''ll have to pay too heavy a price to return to the second realm..."


    "And yet it''s a price I must pay. No one in the second realm can stop an asura. All of Renhuang will perish, and what Zhang Lie has reaped will go to naught. More importantly, the entirety of the Milky Way will be barred from advancing into the third realm."


    The soldiers standing behind Hong Tianqi nced at his back with respect.


    "But if Zhang Lie were to return, all these problems would be solved, surely?"


    Hong Tianqi shook his head. "I''d prefer for him not to return."


    "Ah?"


    "Zhang Lie has more potential than any other fighter I''ve seen. At worst, I''ll lose much of mybat ability upon returning to the second realm¡ªbut if Zhang Lie were to face the asura himself, China and all of mankind might lose their hope for the future."


    Hong Tianqi had always viewed Zhang Lie as the hope for the next generation, but even he didn''t think that Zhang Lie would be a match for the asura.

 Chapter 585: Against the Asura

    <h4>Chapter 585: Against the Asura</h4>


    Within his office, Amurong cackled when he learned of the news of Hong Tianqi''s impending actions. "Are you sure that Hong Tianqi''s about to make a move?"


    His secretary replied, "Yes, sir."


    "I knew it! I knew Hong Tianqi would do something¡ªhe surely wouldn''t leave matters be in the second realm. Ha, he''s too weak!"


    The secretary smiled. "Perhaps you''re the only one who dares say something like that in the entirety of the Milky Way, sir."


    Amurong waved the ss of red wine in his hand. "I''ve mentioned it before, haven''t I? Hong Tianqi might be strong, but he''s not vicious enough to aplish anything truly great."


    The secretary asked, "What should we do next, sir?"


    "Once Hong Tianqi enters the second realm, initiate a full-scale battle against Earth. We''ll capture all their humans in one fell swoop!"


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye as everyone awaited Zhang Lie''s appearance. Nevertheless, even when the asura appeared above the skies of Renhuang once more, Zhang Lie was nowhere to be seen.


    The asura sighed and slowly raised an arm...


    On the hunters'' forums, countless messages denigrated Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, you coward! It''s clear you''re unwilling to take responsibility for your actions!"


    "And here I thought he was an honorable man! He''s no hero¡ªchampion of mankind? Feh!"


    "Coward, sniveling little coward!"


    Hong Tianqi stood by the teleportation apparatus, ready to use a special technique to break through the boundaries between realms.


    Just then, across the blue skies of the second realm, a ck streak fell from the skies above Renhuang like a meteor. The streak of light left a long scar in the sky. It moved so rapidly that it appeared in front of the gathered crowd almost immediately as it appeared in sight.


    The ck streak struck the asura, leaving the five monarchs standing agape. They were unable to react in time; almost as the streak appeared, the asura fell from the skies and smashed into the ground.


    A man stood hovering in the air, gic energy shining from him more radiantly than the sun.


    "You''ve all worked hard in my absence."


    Even the members of Team Zenith were astounded by the man hovering in front of them.


    "You''re... Zhang Lie?!"


    In his absence, Zhang Lie had grown unusually ravishing, and there was a depth and breadth to his aura that had previously beencking. He bore the intensity of the sun itself.


    "I''m back now. Leave everything to me!" Zhang Lie extended an arm in the direction of Renhuang, where his water-attuned gic energy extinguished the blood-red mes within.


    Yun Bing stared at him in shock. Just how strong, how immense of a reservoir of gic energy did Zhang Lie have to have to aplish such a feat? Being able to extinguish fire with water-attuned gic energy was trivial, of course, but for Zhang Lie to be able to engulf the entire city with his energy was anything but.


    Zhang Lie''s face was calm and unperturbed, as though he had done something entirely ordinary. Given the magnitude of his energy reserves, he could even spawn an ocean out of thin air, let alone quash a burning fire.


    "You must be the governor of Renhuang, Zhang Lie!" the monarch of the sun shouted, stepping forward.


    "Scram!" Zhang Lie replied, his eyes zing with fury. No one saw how he struck, but the next moment, the five monarchs found themselves bleeding out of all their orifices.


    A cloud of dust mushroomed from the ground as the asura emerged unscathed.


    "Hah! Interesting. I hadn''t expected that anyone else would be able to achieve a level of strengthparable to mine. You must be Zhang Lie, then."


    "And you an asura? At least you''ve saved me the effort of having to hunt you down."


    Zhang Lie nced at the three-headed, six-armed nightmare whose aura marked him as an existence even stronger than disaster-grade with surprising casualness. A thorn grew out of each of his elbows.


    "Oh? I''m a little curious¡ªwhy would you want to find me?"


    "I need an asura''s thorn. Enough talking¡ª[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie seized the initiative, striking at the asura with a rapid blow that was nothing more than a blur to the onlookers below.


    Water surged beneath them. As a frightening gust of gic energy emanated from Zhang Lie, the five sura monarchs were sent flying.


    "Oh? It looks like I''m being underestimated."


    The asura likewise unleashed his strength. Space warped around him. The ground split as giant boulders took to the air. The illusion of a sea of blood manifested behind the asura''s back, and overwhelming energy corroded at the foundation of the realm, turning his surroundings to void.


    The asura and Zhang Lie exchanged blows at a pace so fric that the spectators were only able to see their afterimages. Where they collided, space shattered like ss.


    A storm raged outside the borders of Renhuang as Zhang Lie and the asura destroyed the entire world around them. Their fight was in another dimension of strength entirely.


    The five sura monarchs were certain that, were they participants in the fight, they would be defeated in the blink of an eye. The tempo of their battle was intense; it wasn''t merely a matter of speed and strength.


    Recognizing that Renhuang might fall if he were to keep fighting around its borders, Zhang Lie tried to lure the asura away from the city. The asura recognized this point, but he immediately followed suit.


    The two of them shed with fist and leg, arm and foot. A frightening battle ensued in the air, causing all the spectators to quail. The weaker among them, buffeted by the energy released in the aftermath of their attacks, were sent flying.


    The space around them was cracked and torn, oozing with void and the ravages of outer space. Their power went beyond what the realm could handle.


    The asura sighed. "This realm''s too weak for the two of us. It''s impressive enough that you''re able to match my pace to this extent."


    "What a coincidence¡ªI think the same."


    The sunlight paled in contrast to the energy that radiated from Zhang Lie, causing the realm''s stability to deteriorate even further.


    By this time, he had capped out his disaster gene fragments, and thanks to a series of unexpected events, he had evolved into a disaster-grade lifeform in his own right.


    The asura gave him a smile that showed off his teeth. "Excellent."


    As they left the confines of Renhuang, Zhang Lie began to muster his full force. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A wave of gic energy swamped the asura, drowning him alive...

 Chapter 586: Annihilating the Asura

    <h4>Chapter 586: Annihting the Asura</h4>


    As he brandished his two fists, the asura summoned two mountains of me around him, countering the assault of Zhang Lie''s gic energy. Neither party backed down; space began deteriorating at an ever-increasing rate.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie loosed another blow. Gic energy transformed into a frightening dragon, one which rushed toward the asura with domineering authority.


    The asura punched forward with his six arms, sending a sea of blood to devour it whole.


    Zhang Lie''s body shed as he summoned his dual des, with which he defended against the onught of the sea. With a sh of both des, he cut a cross in the asura''s chest, but no blood leaked out. Instead, Zhang Lie saw a pulsating mass of red crystal.


    The asura had, of course, undergone the disaster-grade crystallization.


    "You won''t be able to beat me,d¡ªI''m the god of the sura realm! Now, die!"


    With ck mes wreathing his left arm and a wave of bloody water circling his right, the asura morphed into a gigantic demon over hundreds of meters tall. He was an asura, hegemon of the realm! How could he lose to an outsider a few thousand years his junior?


    "Asura, times have changed!" With his des in his hands, the aura surrounding Zhang Lie seemed to grow even sharper. "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    The sword energy bisected the gigantic demon in half, leaving another scar on the asura''s chest.


    Roaring in anger, the asura charged forward. Blood-colored me covered his body and filled heaven and earth.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards simultaneously, transforming into his draconian form. His des, gleaming with rainbow light and a timeless authority, shed down.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!" His des sliced through the me, the sea of blood, and even the asura''s disaster-grade form cleanly, as though they were all made of nothing more durable than papier mache.


    .


    It bisected the asura''s soul and simultaneously the constraints of space and time.


    The asura''s eyes widened and gradually lost their color. "H-How could this be? I''m a god of the sura realm!"


    He was among those who had brought the sura to glory and dominion, a status that hadsted for millennia. The sura''s current strength could, inrge part, be attributed to him¡ªas was the fact that this realm wasmonly termed the ''sura realm''. In that case, how could he have lost to an outsider, a weak and paltry human?


    The asura stared in shock at the sword that had impaled his chest. His indomitable will refused to sumb to Zhang Lie''s gic energy. As a sea of blood and red me roared behind him, he once again transformed into a gigantic demon.


    mes burned earth and sky, but Zhang Lie called out with a cool smile, "It''s useless. Your soul has already been cut apart¡ªit''s time to perish! [des, Reverberate]!"


    Zhang Lie''s twin des struck the asura''s chest in the shape of an X, sending crystalline kes of red flying. Sword energy gathered at the tip of the des in the intersection of the X and culminated in a massive explosion that consumed them both.


    Even so, the battered asura didn''t give up. As energy swirled around the gigantic demon, the six thorns on his elbows began to spin.


    Wreathed in me, he seemed to be at the eye of a tornado that extended high into the sky. This was the asura''s strongest attack, as well as thest one he would ever use. He sacrificed his lifeforce and steeled his will for a single deathblow, one so intense that, if it were to strike the ground, the entire continent might sink into the ocean.


    Zhang Lie nced at the technique casually. Before he had maxed out his disaster gene fragments, he would surely have perished, but now, even an asura''s deathblow was straightforward for him to deal with.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the skies. Sword energy suffused the air like a thick mist and overwhelmed the asura''s sea of blood immediately.


    The asura''s deathblow was nullified; his technique was sucked into Zhang Lie''s underworld river and destroyed.


    After that, the asura had no choice but to recognize his defeat. All the energy had been drained from his body, his soul had been split in two, and he was on the verge of drawing hisst breath. With listless eyes, he dropped from the sky and fell to the ground like a puppet.


    A god of the sura had fallen...


    "Y-You, how could you be so strong?!" The asura had been at the peak of the second realm. Even among his kin, he was unparalleled and unmatched, let alone to outsiders or alien races far beneath his scrutiny. And yet, despite all that, the asura had been soundly defeated, crushed by Zhang Lie''s strength.


    He simply couldn''t understand how Zhang Lie hade into his strength¡ªbut that was natural. Zhang Lie''s path to evolution had long since deviated from what was rational or usible; he had gone to extremes in everything he did, acquiring disaster gene fragments, the status of a peak-grade lifeform, and hitherto unknown limit fragments in the first realm.


    Even before maxing out his superior gene fragments in the second realm, he had sufficient strength to kill a disaster-grade lifeform.


    After he had used the seven forbidden regions of the sea as his own personal farm, he even managed to max out his disaster gene fragments and elevate his status into that of a disaster-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie''s true strength was far beyond the limits of the second realm, and he even had to hold back during the fight against the asura so as not to trigger a cataclysmic instability in the second realm as he had in the first.


    As a result, in response to the sura''s question, Zhang Lie sighed and replied, "Because I''ll never stop advancing. If you had chosen to ascend rather than to continue guarding this small fraction of the universe, perhaps you would have aplished far more yourself."


    The asura nced up at the shattered sky, at the ground veined with magma, and his lips curled up in a smile ringed with self-mockery.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward, thrust his sword into the asura''s forehead, and imed his six thorns.


    All the ingredients he needed for Potion #5 were nowplete. Times had changed, and the asura who had refused to ascend had fallen prey to a rising star. Thus the world ever moved forward; to halt in the path of cultivation was to fall prey to time and the clutches of history.


    The asura''s body slowly crystallized. Crystals emanated from his body and spread throughout the ground, causing a whole field of red spider lilies to bloom. The cracked skies slowly began to repair themselves, absorbing whatever energy they could from the realm.


    The crystals that now pervaded the ground were filled with energy; if used appropriately, they would be a valuable resource for Renhuang.


    In death, at longst, the asura gave back what he had reaped from the realm...

 Chapter 587: The Five Monarchs Demise

    <h4>Chapter 587: The Five Monarchs'' Demise</h4>


    By Renhuang''s border, the monarch of the sun asked, "How do you think the battle is going?"


    None of the five sura monarchs dared to chase after the two fighters; their fight was on a different level entirely than anything they had ever witnessed.


    Even the aftermath of their techniques could kill them¡ªthe sura kings would be of no help at all.


    They didn''t know how far away Zhang Lie and the asura had gone, but even from a distance, they could still see the damage wreaked by their techniques.


    As a result, the five monarchs stayed close to the borders of Renhuang as they waited for the battle to conclude.


    The monarch of the moon rolled his eyes at the monarch of the sun. "Was the asura''s victory ever in doubt? Our god can hardly lose to a mortal."


    The monarch of the sky snorted, "There won''t even be a trace of Zhang Lie''s body left behind when the asura''s done with him!"


    Just as the monarch of the sky made this remark, however, a deep male voice sounded by the sura monarchs'' ears.


    "Who were the five of you talking about, hmm?" Zhang Lie had appeared behind the five sura monarchs out of nowhere, scaring them stiff.


    They were all sura monarchs, but even their senses hadn''t caught a trace of Zhang Lie''s motion!


    The monarch of the sky''s eyes bulged as he trembled. "Z-Zhang Lie! A-Aren''t you supposed to be fighting the asura?"


    Zhang Lie grabbed the monarch of the sky''s head with a hand. "Whose body did you say would be turned into nothingness, hmm?"


    The five monarchs paled. If Zhang Lie were here, then the asura must have¡­ They couldn''t believe it; no, they couldn''t believe it at all! The asura was the god of the sura, an undefeated legend! How could he have lost to an outsider, and a paltry human at that?


    Just what insidious tricks had Zhang Lie used? Did Renhuang have some sort of poison that was effective even against an asura?


    Regardless, the fact that Zhang Lie was standing right in front of them meant only one thing: the asura had perished.


    With a light squeeze, Zhang Lie burst the head of the monarch of the sky. The remaining four sura monarchs trembled. Why had theye to Renhuang? Were they just courting their own deaths? It was no longer important to find out how Zhang Lie had defeated the asura¡ªthey just wanted to preserve their own lives.


    The monarch of the sun hurriedly made an overture. "Please, there''s no need to fight! We sura are willing to be your ves. Surely having strong, sturdy ves like us is a benefit?"


    The monarch of the moon nodded. "Indeed. There aren''t many who possess the strength of a sura monarch among the humans. Team Zenith might be strong, but they''re still a bit weaker than we are."


    The strength that Zhang Lie had demonstrated was enough to make the sura monarchs fear him. Knowing that they weren''t his match, they surrendered simultaneously.


    The monarch of mountains boomed, "If you allow us to live, the sura will be subordinate to the humans."


    As sura monarchs, they had learned quite a bit from the awakened asura. Someone as strong as Zhang Lie would have to leave the second realm sooner orter, or be forced into deep slumber like the asura. His overwhelming, burgeoning strength would force him out of the realm¡ªor destroy it for one and all.


    In other words, he only had two choices left to him, each of which represented an opportunity for the sura. As long as they were able to secure their lives now and preserve the strength of the sura, they would easily be able to spark rebellion once Zhang Lie left.


    "No, I think not. They''re far stronger than you are." Zhang Lie smiled and waved a hand. In a sh of rainbow-colored gic energy, the monarch of mountains'' body popped like a bubble.


    The remaining three sura monarchs realized that they wouldn''t be able to convince Zhang Lie with words alone. "Attack!"


    The monarch of the sun burst into mes like a sun. The ground cracked, shining with the red light ofva, and the entire world seemed to be dyed red for a moment.


    The monarch of the moon evoked darkness, and behind the monarch of the sea rose a towering wave.


    With a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie quelled it all. Theva from the monarch of the sun, the darkness from the monarch of the moon, and the waves from the monarch of the sea¡ªall of it vanished without a trace.


    The three sura monarchs each took a step back in shock. Their attacks, their strongest attacks, had been quelled in the blink of an eye! It was clear that Zhang Lie was operating in a different dimension of strength entirely.


    No matter how strong they were, they were only able to use their techniques to influence the realm¡ªbut Zhang Lie was manipting the realm directly.


    .


    Put differently, whereas they had to use paints or colored pencils to apply color to a piece of paper, Zhang Lie could do it with nothing more than an idle thought. Any color he wanted would appear on it; any color he didn''t want would disappear.


    This was a level of maniption that marked Zhang Lie as a higher-dimensional being.


    In some sense, Zhang Lie felt the same way. Ever since he had maxed his disaster gene fragments, he found that his perspective of the world had shifted, as though he were a four-dimensional being who could see through the entirety of the three-dimensional realm. No one who wasn''t on the same dimension as he was would be able to deal him a blow.


    His body seemed to be trying to escape this dimension entirely, but he forced himself to remain within. If his body were removed, he would immediately begin to destabilize the world rapidly with his presence, just like trying to force a watermelon to fit inside a cup of water.


    The second realm was more resilient than the first, and as long as norge-scale fighting broke out, Zhang Lie''s presence could be just about tolerated.


    With a wave of a hand, the three monarchs'' bodies were entirely destroyed.


    The battle had been a short one, but Renhuang had sustained more damage than any that hade before. The buildings that had taken therger part of two years to construct had been destroyed in one fell swoop.


    Yun Bing stepped forward and apologized. "I''m sorry I couldn''t protect the city and its buildings."


    "It''s not your fault at all. I can hardly expect you to muster a defense against an asura."


    Zhang Lie might not be a god, and he wasn''t able to manifest an entire city out of nothing, but it wasn''t problematic for him to spearhead the rescue efforts. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed his gic energy and lifted the rubble from the ground. "Save everyone you can, then send me a report of the casualties."


    Yun Bing gaped at him; she had never seen anyone do something on such arge scale so casually.

 Chapter 588: Potion #4

    <h4>Chapter 588: Potion #4</h4>


    Zhang Lie snapped Yun Bing out of her daze. "Well, let''s start work."


    Yun Bing nodded and departed immediately, arranging for the remaining fighters in the vicinity to begin searching through the rubble immediately.


    There were quite a few casualties, and a significant number of people had gone missing in the aftermath of the conflict between Zhang Lie and the asura.


    Fortunately, most of the core personnel of Renhuang had survived safe and sound. The Yeluo chieftain, Chu Feng, and the others had all remained behind, making rebuilding a far less daunting process than it would otherwise have been.


    Yun Bing asked, "What should we do next?"


    "We have no other choice but to rebuild atop these ruins." Zhang Lie surveyed the ruins of the city. The asura had gone easy on them, in principle¡ªhe didn''t deign to target anyone, but his indiscriminate attack on the city was sufficient to level it whole.


    None of the buildings in the city had survived intact, and there were quite a few people sobbing by corpses that had been excavated.


    Because the majority of the human fighters had left with Team Zenith, there were rtively few human deathspared to alien ones, but Zhang Lie was upset regardless. If he had seen the emergency notice that Sun Mengmeng had sent him just a bit earlier, if he had rushed back to Renhuang an hour or two beforehand, this tragedy wouldn''t have happened.


    Beside him, Yun Bing gently patted him on the back. "Zhang Lie, you did what you could. No one could have expected the sudden arrival of the asura. Furthermore, you''ve already managed to get revenge for them. Compared to the worst that could have happened against an asura, I think this was already quite a mild oue."


    Zhang Lie didn''t know how to console those who had lost loved ones. Instead, at the very least, he could meet their material needs.


    "Do we have enough construction materials and food to begin rebuilding immediately?"


    Yun Bing nodded. "The rock spirits have survived unscathed, and we certainly have plenty of construction material. As for food, we still have a significant portion remaining in our storehouse.


    We can make up the difference from the frontline troops. Sun Mengmeng and the rest of Team Zenith have made significant headway in usurping sura territory, and they''ll certainly be returning with supplies.


    With a wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, a veritable mountain of lifeforms appeared before Yun Bing, causing her eyes to bulge. Most of these lifeforms were peak-grade.


    She had no idea how Zhang Lie had managed to acquire such arge supply of peak-grade lifeforms, considering how rare a resource they usually were.


    She swallowed a gulp of saliva. "Zhang Lie, did you kill all these lifeforms?"


    He was able to remove the rubble studding Renhuang with just a wave of an arm, quench the mes with a press of his palm, and conjure a mountain of peak-grade meat out of nowhere...


    "You haven''t be a god already, have you?"


    From Yun Bing''s perspective, only a god could aplish such miraculous feats.


    Zhang Lie only smiled. "Is this enough? If not, I still have more meat in my supply."


    Yun Bing''s eyes widened. She continued pursuing her train of thought. "Zhang Lie, have you really be a god?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "No. Gods don''t exist in this universe. These supposed gods are just stronger hunters or stronger fighters. I''m not a god, just stronger than average. When you get to my level, you''ll understand that these miraculous acts aren''t as miraculous as they seem."


    During his adventure in the sea, Zhang Lie had not only finished maxing out his disaster gene fragments, but also found arge number of important herbs that had never been harvested.


    Now that he had his own peak-grade farm, he could also obtain as many peak-grade lifeforms from his whirlpool-tyrant extradimensional space as he needed.


    "Make sure you''re not falling behind on your cultivation, do you understand?"


    "Y-Yes, Zhang Lie!"


    After delegating Yun Bing with a number of responsibilities, Zhang Lie left. He wouldn''t be of much help with reconstruction, and he had tasks that he needed to aplish himself. His subsequent objective was to produce a vial of Potion #4, which would allow him to enhance his peak gene capacity.


    Before concocting the potion, however, he wanted to check in on Team Zenith. As Yun Bing had reported, the members of Team Zenith were doing very well, and they were particrly excited for Zhang Lie''s return.


    The alien races and forces of Renhuang had been taking down sura city after sura city, but they had been worried about the possibility of encountering a sura monarch.


    Upon hearing from Zhang Lie that he had killed the rest of the monarchs, the members of Team Zenith brightened up. They no longer had any threats to be worried about¡ªthey could im the entirety of the sura territory for themselves!


    Once everything was settled, Zhang Lie found a quiet, secure location where he began to brew Potion #4.


    He retrieved all the fruits and herbs he had obtained throughout his travels in the second realm¡ªone of which he had found in Hong Tianqi''s personal treasury, another which he had uncovered from Xueju''s quarters, and a third, blessed by the wind, in Mt. Wanren after helping out the crag eagles. He had acquired these ingredients at no small expense, and they represented records of his journey through the second realm.


    Thest and most important ingredient was an asura''s thorn.


    The other ingredients were rare and precious, but they could be found again at great cost. However, these were likely the only six asura thorns he would ever be able to acquire in the second realm.


    Unless he were able to find a substitute ingredient, he had to handle those thorns with utmost care¡ªit was looking very likely that he would only be able to produce at most six such potions in this realm.


    As far as he knew, only one asura had remained in the sura realm, and Zhang Lie had already hunted him down.


    The four fruits that he had collected, which formed the basis of the potion, represented the four base elements of alchemy: earth, water, wind, and fire.


    Zhang Lie had been ruminating over how toplete the recipe almost as soon as he entered the second realm. The higher the grade of these limit-breaking potions, the more taxing their concoction became. The preparation for these ingredients was so intricate that no ordinary hunter could imagine its like.


    Furthermore, he didn''t haveplete information about Potion #4, so he had had to research, contemte, and work out a refined recipe given what little he knew of it. Even if he were toplete every step perfectly, Zhang Lie didn''t know whether his concoction would be a sess, but he would surely try his very best.


    He carefully retrieved the ingredients he had prepared, meditated for half an hour, and then began the concoction process in earnest...

 Chapter 589: Birth of a Supernova

    <h4>Chapter 589: Birth of a Supernova</h4>


    Zhang Lie took almost half a month to finish the concoction. He treated the ingredients with care and devoted attention, and after one soul-crushing failure, sessfully brewed a vial of Potion #4.


    ncing at the rainbow-colored potion in his hand, Zhang Lie felt a burden fall from his chest. It had taken longer than he had expected, but he had finally done it.


    He downed the potion in one gulp.


    Unlike the previous three potions, Potion #4 didn''t taste like anything. It trickled down his body as though he were swallowing a cloud. However, his body responded immediately. A scorching heat enveloped him from head to toe, as though he had immersed his entire body in a vat of chili peppers.


    Zhang Lie could clearly sense how, under the dominating effects of this potion, his pores seemed to breathe out fire.


    Sweat poured down his back. Zhang Lie felt as though he had been runningps in the rain, his body wet and damp all over. His body, which had already crystallized, radiated light. The few impurities remaining in the crystal structure were wiped away.


    His body seemed to turn into a miniature universe. The primordial elements of earth, water, wind, and fire tempered his organs and made them anew.


    Marshaling the herbal energy of the potion, Zhang Lie began to circte his gic energy ording to his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    The outeryer of crystal ked off his body like the shell of an egg, revealing an interior as hard and clear as diamond.


    After ten full cycles, the gic core in Zhang Lie''s dantian grew to twice its size, and began to take on an opalescent sheen. The gene fragments that augmented his body seemed to have been converted to pure gic energy. Zhang Lie directed all that energy toward the [Ninecarp Transformation] engraved on his gic core.


    His body bulked up,pressed, and bulked up again, increasing both his stamina and capacity for explosive force.


    Zhang Lie''s stomach rumbled. After advancing to disaster-grade, he was able to live off the ambient energy in the realm, but consuming the potion had given him an insatiable hunger. His body still remained crystalline, as did his bones, but the position of his organs had shifted in order to amodate the internal world that had sprung out of thin air.


    In order to replenish his body''s supply of energy, Zhang Lie ravenously consumed all the meat he had prepared in his extra-dimensional storage beforehand.


    Only when he had consumed everything he had did he sigh in relief. His body had grown far stronger; he was now easily able to strike with twice his original strength. More importantly, his peak gene capacity had gone up by another fifty points. Furthermore, after sessfully concocting Potion #4, Zhang Lie was now able to set his sights on a Potion #5, for disaster gene fragments, and then a Potion #6, for a level of strength even Zhang Lie currently had no idea about.


    .


    At any rate, however, those were ns for the future. It was just about impossible to be able to concoct those potions in the second realm.


    After all the meat Zhang Lie had consumed, he reached his new peak gene capacity immediately. By this point, his data were so far out of the norm that he was basically a human asura.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Fifth Form: Qilin


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (advanced), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Dragonturtle (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster), ...


    Zhang Lie was so excited about his data that he howled into the air.


    A massive gust of wind erupted around him. The sea began to frothe, and all the gic lifeforms within trembled as they lowered their heads. The alien races felt a staggering strength overwhelm them, one that seemed to havee from the heavens themselves.


    The races who believed in gods and deities all prostrated themselves on the ground.


    The will of the world appeared and honed in on a specific spot in the sea. It didn''t do anything to stop Zhang Lie, nor did it drop down a cordon of light¡ªit knew that doing so was meaningless. ?The strength that Zhang Lie possessed would shatter such a barrier instantaneously, and it would hardly be of any use.


    Energy burst from Zhang Lie''s body in one long breath, sending a cyclone into the air. Beneath him, the waves ?churned, forming tsunami after tsunami that struck the shores of the sea. The entire second realm was trembling from Zhang Lie''s strength.


    The energy that filled his body was unbelievably dense, almost as though he had captured a supernova. His body began to crack. Blistering energy erupted from that crack and shattered everything around him; he was more blinding than even the sun.


    Most of the energy gathered around his heart and gic core.


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t crystallized them both beforehand, he would never have survived the absorption process for Potion #4. Even with his heart strengthened, Zhang Lie felt as though it could explode at any moment.


    He finally understood how disaster-grade lifeforms evolved, because he was undergoing that process himself.


    A disaster-grade lifeform''s gic core was located where its heart would be. Upon evolution, the energy spread out all over its body would concentrate in its heart, which caused a staggering amount of pain.


    Zhang Lie had killed over ten disaster-grade lifeforms, but this was the first time he was able to learn more about the disaster-grade evolution.


    He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, after which blood began streaming from his orifices. The blood that left his body evaporated instantly, revealing just how hot his body had be.


    A frightening current of energy seemed poised to tear Zhang Lie to shreds, then rebuild him from whatever remained.


    Zhang Lie witnessed his own dissolution, unable to do anything about it. His mind and soul had been fortified after absorbing the disaster-grade mistmeld m, and he retained consciousness throughout the entire process.


    Unimaginable quantities of energy burst from his body, warping the world around him and shattering the realm...

 Chapter 590: The Refinement Process, Redux

    <h4>Chapter 590: The Refinement Process, Redux</h4>


    Zhang Lie circted his [Ninecarp Transformation]. Filled with energy, each revolution of the framework took mere moments¡ªjust over half a minute, an incredible and previously unimaginable speed.


    The rate at which he circted gic energy through his body increased further and further, until the energy moved so quickly it formed what seemed to be a continuous loop, whose speed Zhang Lie was no longer able to sense.


    The cirction of his own gic energy through his framework induced the herbal energy all around him to flow in a specific fashion and elerate his growth. He slowly reined in the rampant gic energy, then guided it where he needed it most.


    Just as Zhang Lie''s situation was about to stabilize, the will of the world struck at the worst possible moment.


    [Energy has exceeded maximum threshold. Activating third-realm transferral routine.]


    A familiar voice rang out in his mind.


    [Energy has exceeded maximum threshold. Activating third-realm transferral routine.]


    [Energy has...]


    After the warning sounded three times, before Zhang Lie could do anything, a seven-colored pir of light shot down toward Zhang Lie and transforming him into a gigantic cocoon.


    As the refinement energy from the realm wrapped around him, the tamed disaster-grade energy began to run rampant again, scouring Zhang Lie''s body with its strength.


    This refinement process, much like that which had urred between the first and second realms, was a key step to advancing toward the third realm.


    The refinement energy would allow the gene fragments that a hunter had amassed within the second realm to permeate throughout the hunter''s body, elevating a hunter''s status on a fundamental, gic level.


    Every ascension would be apanied by a refinement process¡ªin the first realm, in the second, and in the third and higher realms¡ªand this boon was what motivated hunters to ascend.


    Zhang Lie was undergoing such a process, but his example was clearly extraordinary. His forced teleportation into an extradimensional space wouldn''t kill him, but he would have to suffer the ravages of the herbal energy for a little while longer.


    The herbal energy from Potion #4 and the refinement energy from the will of the world represented two disparate sources of energy, one which was rebuilding Zhang Lie''s body, and the other of which was trying to seep into it.


    Where they shed, Zhang Lie''s body suffered¡ªfor instance, while sugar and mustard could both enhance the vor of food, using them together would create a discordant vor profile.


    As the two types of energies ravaged his body, they began to sh with and destabilize each other, treating Zhang Lie''s body like a battlefield.


    To be honest, Zhang Lie was astounded that he was even still alive. The two frightening sources of energy continued warring over his body, and the sensation of his body tearing itself apart from the inside wasn''t something he wanted to bear for even an additional second.


    From the moment the two energies mixed in his body, his fate was sealed. Caught in the grasp of two forces beyond his control, Zhang Lie sought the only refuge he could: his framework.


    However, the disaster-grade gic energy which was running rampant around his body was far stronger than what his framework could generate and control. Whenever he cycled his framework, he would be able to process a small portion of that disaster-grade gic energy, nothing more¡ªeach cycle processed the equivalent of a drop of water, and he had an entire sea''s worth of energy to filter.


    His body felt like a neverending fractal of pain; Zhang Lie was impressed with himself for not going mad on the spot.


    If not for the fact that he had already evolved into a disaster-grade lifeform, which had granted his soulspace and mental fortitude massive enhancements, he could very well have gone into aa from which he would never awaken.


    The refinement process in the second realm was almost an order of magnitude more intense than that in the first.


    The disaster-grade energy tangled with the refinement energy, and the explosions that resulted were strong enough to crack the extra-dimensional space to which he had been transported.


    As the will of the world tried to repair that space, even more refinement energy came pouring in.


    His stats had gone beyond the peak of the second realm, and, more importantly, the will of the world didn''t like how much havoc and damage he had wreaked. As a result, his refinement process deviated significantly from the norm.


    With the disaster-grade herbal energy running rampant throughout his body, the refinement energy was unable to pervade Zhang Lie''s body the way it was supposed to. As a result, when Zhang Lie circted gic energy through his framework, he was blocked from essing that refinement energy due to the herbal energy''s presence, so he would have to strip the barrier of disaster-grade herbal energy surrounding his body first¡ªand with nothing more than his own framework to do so.


    Forcing himself to ignore the pain that felt poised to send his body into shock, Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and began the arduous task of cycling gic energy throughout his battered body.


    The longer it took Zhang Lie to absorb the herbal energy, the longer he would suffer the pain carving away at his body. Unusually, however, Zhang Lie found himself slowly getting limated to the pain.


    After undergoing so many painful evolutions, Zhang Lie''s tolerance for pain was immense. The pain he was experiencing now was little worse than the excruciating pain he had suffered through in the past, and if he had managed to survive such ordeals before, why couldn''t he do it again?


    Zhang Lie expected that, if he were to keep circting gic energy through his framework, he would be able to slowly consume the herbal energy and finish the refinement process just like he had done in the first realm, but what he didn''t consider was that he had a hundred disaster gene fragments now, and only ten disaster gene fragments before.


    As the two disparate sources of energy shed again and again within Zhang Lie''s body, something unusual began to happen. Zhang Lie''s battered crystalline body began to crack, but just as the cracks seemed as though they would cause his body to shatter, the herbal energy and refinement energy would repair those cracks.

 Chapter 591: Disruption of Natural Law

    <h4>Chapter 591: Disruption of Natural Law</h4>


    The confluence of the two streams of energy led to the synthesis of a new, refined energy source. There was just a little of this synthesized energy at the beginning, but that was enough to spark a chain reaction.


    This new energy began to devour the two streams of energy that fed into it. The will of the world continued supplying more and more refinement energy to the extra-dimensional space, but it still wasn''t sufficient.


    However, Zhang Lie''s situation only went from bad to worse. The new energy seemed to be entirely ipatible with his crystalline body, and it corroded the crystals on contact.


    The new energy ran rampant throughout Zhang Lie''s body and began dissolving it from the inside out, though it wasn''t able to harm his soul.


    Instead, while the energy dissolved his body, it also incorporated itself within it.


    The bead of energy grewrger as it devoured Zhang Lie''s body, and subsequently the entire extra-dimensional space. Energy radiated out from Zhang Lie, then condensed into the facsimile of a human body.


    Zhang Lie sat up and clenched a fist. His body was no longerposed of crystalline disaster-grade material; it was pure energy now.


    With a moment''s thought, Zhang Lie was able to solidify that energy into what seemed to be corporeal form. He poked himself tentatively; there didn''t seem to be any difference rtive to a body of flesh and blood.


    His soulspace had expanded by almost an order of magnitude, and all the gic energy in his body was being infused into his gic armor.


    Zhang Lie''s attention turned to his gic core, but his eyes bulged upon seeing it anew. His [Ninecarp Transformation] had evolved again!


    Caught within the recesses of pain, Zhang Lie had focused singrly on his framework. He had expected significant advancement as a result, but not a full evolution.


    After the qilin came a lifeform that looked somewhat draconic, but not entirely so. Lightning crackled and wrapped around it; the apanying thunder seemed to strike at his soul.


    However, it wasn''t the time to be carefully studying the changes in his framework. The refinement process was still ongoing. Zhang Lie marshaled the energy of his gic core to surround his body and those of the disaster-grade lifeforms he had killed to date.


    As the refinement energy entered the mix, it looked as though Zhang Lie suddenly became wrapped up in a seven-colored cocoon. Within that cocoon, Zhang Lie began forging the next refinement to his gic armor. He melted down the crystalline exterior of the disaster-grade lifeforms, then incorporated all sorts of precious materials that he had prepared beforehand into the mix.


    Time lost all meaning as Zhang Lie worked on forging his new armor.


    After the inclusion of the various disaster-grade lifeforms, his new gic armor turned ck, giving it an imposing and domineering appearance, its edges so sharp they seemed to be able to tear space apart.


    .


    While Zhang Lie had established a form for the armor, that form had yet to solidify. The cocoon of energy surrounding Zhang Lie dissipated as the bulk of the energy, along with the gic armor, melded with Zhang Lie''s body.


    [The refinement process has concluded. Please advance to the third realm immediately!]


    The moment Zhang Lie''s gic armor was wholly incorporated into his body, the will of the world rang out in his mind, and Zhang Lie''s data automatically appeared for his inspection.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (advanced), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), mewing (superior), Runic Smander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Dragonturtle (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster), ...


    "? ? ?"¡ªthe first line of Zhang Lie''s data sheet alone was shocking enough. He knew what techniques he had mastered and what gene fragments he had, of course; what he hadn''t been certain of was what grade of lifeform the will of the world would assign him.


    After his evolution, he had grown to a level beyond even the will of the world''s ability to evaluate! If he weren''t mistaken, however, he had to be stronger than at least a standard disaster-grade lifeform.


    [Because your status exceeds the threshold of the second realm, you are unable to return to the second realm. You must ascend to the third realm immediately!]


    The next notification, however, was like a bucket of cold water.


    "As expected..."


    The extradimensional space around him began to melt away. He felt as though he was being forcibly expelled. Zhang Lie had predicted such an oue. The feeling of expulsion was strong, but not entirely irresistible, and Zhang Lie certainly didn''t intend on being expelled against his will.


    "I''m not ready just yet. Don''t force my hand," he warned the will of the world, but it only repeated the same warning.


    [Because your status exceeds the threshold of the second realm, you are unable to return to the second realm. You must ascend to the third realm immediately!]


    Pitch-ck gic energy exploded from Zhang Lie''s body as he turned into pure energy, destroying the extradimensional space with an explosion of multicolored light. The space was already in tatters from the bursts of energy that were expelled from Zhang Lie''s body during his evolution; now, he destroyed it outright.


    In the sh of an eye, Zhang Lie returned to the ocean, but that patch of the ocean seemed to have lost all its ability to sustain life.


    [Your continued presence in this realm is warping naturalw. Please ascend to the second realm immediately!]


    [Your continued presence in this realm is warping natural...]


    [Your continued presence in this realm...]

 Chapter 592: Two Factions

    <h4>Chapter 592: Two Factions</h4>


    Zhang Lie ignored the warning thrice over.


    Where hended in the sura realm, the skies shook and the ocean quaked.


    The space all around Zhang Lie was fragmenting. His strength had reached the peak of what the second realm could withstand, but it was thankfully stronger and more resilient than the first. At the very least, Zhang Lie''s presence alone wouldn''t destroy the realm for the moment.


    To the will of the world, however, Zhang Lie was a nuisance and a pesky disturbance.


    [Warning! Your continued presence in this realm will cause irreparable damage! Expulsion proceduremencing!]


    [Warning! Your continued presence in this realm...]


    [Warning! Your continued...]


    Zhang Lie felt an immense force, much like a formless hand, reaching down toward him.


    "I''ve told you, I don''t intend on advancing for the moment!"


    Zhang Lie shot a beam of ck gic energy into the air, fending off the formless hand that sought to capture him.


    A huge shock rumbled through the ground. The devastating force of the attack caused the skies to warp, and cracks began to propagate all across the realm.


    Zhang Lie, stubborn as he was, refused to bepelled to another''s will again.


    Energy roiled through the cracked and leaking skies, as though an apocalypse was nigh. His surroundings suddenly turned gray, and the oceans lost all sign of life. As the grayness spread, all the lifeforce it captured was transferred to the will of the world as energy, strengthening its attacks.


    In order to deal with Zhang Lie, the will of the world had begun consuming the lifeforce of the lifeforms within the second realm, as well as the ambient energy present in the realm itself. Back in the first realm, it had done so as well; Zhang Lie was now fighting against the entire realm itself.


    After the refinement process, Zhang Lie''s strength had grown dramatically, and he could easily distort naturalw with his attacks. In order to suppress him, the will of the world would need a far stronger source of energy.


    .


    As they shed with each other again and again, destruction spread across the realm. Now that Zhang Lie was a post-disaster-grade lifeform, he would irrevocably damage thend beyond repair if he were to use even a fraction of his total strength.


    In terms of strength, he was now far stronger than even an asura. The will of the world, believing that Zhang Lie had the capacity to wreak tremendous havoc, was trying to remove him at any cost.


    Zhang Lie had suffered the same fate in the first realm already.


    "I''ve told you, I don''t intend on advancing for the moment!" ck gic energy burned brightly around Zhang Lie, shining with tiny pinpricks of light that were reminiscent of a gxy of stars. With a casual flick of an arm, he shattered the constraints the will of the world was trying to impose on him.


    "If you keep bothering me, I''ll crush you whole!" Zhang Lie''s words caused the will of the world to go silent. It didn''t depart immediately, but it didn''t strike at Zhang Lie, either. It knew that doing so would be meaningless.


    Once the will of the world stopped attacking him, Zhang Lie reined in his energy and repaired the cracks in the world all around him. He sealed off much of his energy within an extradimensional space to reduce the burden on the realm.


    By the time he returned to Renhuang, the battle between the sura and Renhuang''s forces was over.


    Sun Mengmeng nced at him, overjoyed. "Zhang Lie, you''re back!"


    Zhang Lie nodded with a smile.


    Sun Mengmeng looked him up and down. She felt as though something had changed, but she couldn''t say what. He seemed too approachable, so approachable his aura felt like that of an ordinary human. Where had that domineering aura gone? It felt as though he had no gene fragments at all.


    This was clearly impossible for anyone in the second realm.


    Sun Mengmeng tried to scrutinize him carefully; he seemed like a deepke, cid on the surface, but with a depth that belied the senses. Just sneaking a peek at him made her feel as though she were staring into the heart of the sun. She shivered, and cold sweat beaded over her forehead.


    Zhang Lie pretended not to notice anything. "How did the battle go?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "We''ve dealt with all the sura. There are a few alien races opposed to what we''re nning to do, so we''re convening a meeting to discuss what happens next."


    "About what? We''ll build a kingdom the likes of which have never been seen atop the ruins of the sura empires. Those who are willing to stay can stay; those who aren''t should scram."


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, these races that had contributed barely anything to Renhuang''s victory had no right to dictate what happened to the spoils of war afterwards.


    Sun Mengmeng nodded fervently. "With you around, Zhang Lie, I agree that there''s no need for a meeting. We can simply announce our n and let the alien races themselves decide whether or not to continue working with us."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''ll leave you to it, then. I need to return to Earth¡ªit''s been too long since I''ve visited. I wonder how Hanxiang''s doing?"


    "It hasn''t been too long, has it? Two years in the dimensional world, but fewer than three months in the real world. Right, speaking of Hanxiang, I remember something that happened recently. Are you aware of it, Zhang Lie? No, no, of course you wouldn''t be¡ªyou haven''t been in Renhuang."


    Zhang Lie immediately grew interested. "What happened?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "I''ll tell you, but you have to promise me not to get upset."


    "Go ahead, tell me."


    "The Zenith Dojo was attacked a while back. If we''re not mistaken, the target was your sister, Zhang Hanxiang."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. A fearsome aura emanated from him, and the air around him began to hiss.


    Sun Mengmeng stepped back in shock and fear. "Zhang Lie, calm down, calm down! Nothing happened to the Zenith Dojo or to your sister. We have plenty of experts in the dojo, along with the protection of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi and troops from the Chinese military. We suffered no losses at all¡ª"


    "Who did it?!"


    "Amurong!"


    "That damned authority from the world federation?" Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes, which glinted with killing intent. "Rather daring, isn''t he?"


    "Hold on, Zhang Lie!" Sun Mengmeng shouted. "He''s not the presiding authority of the world federation anymore. Hong Tianqi forced him to cede his role. It''s precisely because of this incident that the world federation has been divided into two factions."


    "Divided? The martial sage really is working hard on my behalf..."


    "He really supports you, Captain. Of the two factions, one is formed primarily by you, Hong Tianqi, and the representatives of the four prime races. Many are in support of you."


    Zhang Lie seemed a little surprised, but he motioned for Sun Mengmeng to continue.


    "The other faction, naturally, isposed of Amurong and the conglomerates that support him. Our faction currently has the upper hand, but Amurong''s more wily than we expected. The two factions are holding each other back in an unstable equilibrium for the time being."


    "That''s natural. If a fight really breaks out between the two factions, it won''t benefit anyone in the Milky Way. I think I had better go have a talk with this Amurong fellow."

 Chapter 593: A Recipe and Some Information

    <h4>Chapter 593: A Recipe and Some Information</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng called Zhang Lie back. "Wait, Captain! We''ve acquired a lot of resources and rich, fertilend as a result of conquering the sura. Won''t you have a look at it first?"


    The distribution ofnd would have to await the meeting, but much of the treasures they had obtained from sacking the sura cities were already in hand.


    The staggering amount of resources they had acquired throughbat shocked anyone who saw it all, but Zhang Lie only waved a hand. "There''s no need. Just leave me the sura corpses to feed my fish."


    The extra-dimensional space he had set up in his whirlpool tyrant soulshard needed a huge amount of food. Although the bone-corroding shrimp was a good source, more was always better.


    Every day, Zhu would bring an assortment of hypnotized peak-grade lifeforms into the ocean with her to fight and capture more such lifeforms. Those who perished would be used as food, and those who were caught alive would be reared in his soulshard as well.


    Zhang Lie intended to expand his farm whenever he could; it could be a permanent source of gene fragments for humanity. Furthermore, he wouldter be able to pass this farm down to Zhang Hanxiang.


    Hong Tianqi sat in his office dealing with the documents on his desk. Over the course of thest few months, he had continued exchanging blows with Amurong, who always seemed to be able toe up with the most malicious ideas¡ªrecently, he had tried to kidnap a member of a neutral authority''s household, then toy the me on Hong Tianqi.


    In a great twist, Hong Tianqi managed to turn the tables and uncover the truth¡ªthat it was Amurong''s men who had done so. The neutral authorities had intended on staying well away from the conflict, hoping that both Amurong and Hong Tianqi''s factions would be weakened, without expecting that they would end up as the targets themselves.


    Hong Tianqi at least had the courtesy to send his men out to rescue Amurong''s hostages, but Amurong became even wilder than he had before. He even set up a team specifically for such kidnappings, and they became far more frequent than before.


    As Amurong''s faction warred against Hong Tianqi''s, the neutral authorities were the ones who suffered the most casualties.


    Some among them deduced that the two factions were about to dere war on each other, and they were getting rid of potential enemies beforehand. In the end, they had no choice but to join one of the two factions, speeding up the rate at which the world federation was splitting apart.


    After perusing a few documents, Hong Tianqi suddenly received a call from Zhang Lie.


    "Zhang Lie, have you finished with your objectives in the second realm?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Martial Sage, given yourwork, I''m sure you''re aware of what''s been going on here even without my reports."


    Hong Tianqi smiled. Of course he knew¡ªif not for Zhang Lie arriving just in the nick of time, he would have descended on the second realm himself.


    "Everything''s dealt with, including the asura. The second realm will now be ruled by humanity," Zhang Lie summarized.


    "I wasn''t confident that you would be sessful against the asura, but my confidence was clearly misced. Given the talent you showed in the first realm alone, I should have known better¡ªbut even then, I could hardly have expected that you would be able to kill him! Truly, you''re a genius of your generation."


    Hong Tianqi wasvish in his praise of Zhang Lie.


    The sura had once been the hegemons of the second realm, and they had even reared humans like livestock back then. However, Zhang Lie alone had ended the tyranny of the sura and forevermore changed thendscape of the second realm.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "On behalf of mankind, I thank you for what you''ve done."


    Humanity would no longer be relegated to such a demeaning role, and tens of thousands of humans would be freed from the captivity of the sura. Furthermore, the members of Team Zenith would build a new kingdom in the ruins of the sura territory, one in which humans and aliens could coexist.


    Because of the crucial role they had yed in the battle, the members of Team Zenith had amensurate say in dividing the spoils of war. With the four prime races backing them up, the humans would surely be able to advance their n.


    However, Hong Tianqi had expected that several of the alien races would try to advance their own agendas, and he was surprised that Zhang Lie had the time to return to Earth and to contact him.


    "I''m part of humanity, after all. Furthermore, I didn''t achieve all that much¡ªit wasrgely thanks to Team Zenith''s hard work."


    Zhang Lie''s words were unusually modest; if not for his killing the asura at the end, no matter how many alien races there were opposing the sura, they would all have lost in the end.


    Hong Tianqi sighed. Zhang Lie, who had seemed like nothing more than a rascal during the Void Cup, had matured greatly since then.


    Hong Tianqi had expected that it would take another three to five years before he would be a major yer in the world federation, but Zhang Lie had corrected him with his actions alone. All it had taken him was less than a year in Earth''s time.


    "Don''t you have to organize a meeting with the other alien races after the end of the war?"


    "Well, the members of Team Zenith are going to handle everything for me. All I have to do is make an appearance."


    .


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "You rascal!"


    He wanted to do the same thing Zhang Lie did, but there was no way he would be able to do so.


    "How''s stuff going with Amurong?"


    "It''s getting to be a real problem, but dering a feud in earnest will have massive ramifications for the entire gxy, so..."


    Amurong was afraid of dering a feud, whereas Hong Tianqi was worried about the results of doing so. Countless lives would have to be sacrificed if they truly began to fight, and it would be a terrible waste. Of course, if Amurong insisted on forcing the matter, Hong Tianqi wouldn''t hold back, either.


    "I have the means for a bloodless victory," Zhang Lie suddenly asserted.


    "What? Don''t joke around with me¡ªAmurong and the conglomerates under his control aren''t that easy to handle."


    "What if I release the recipe for the limit-breaking potions #1 and #2? Would that help?"


    "What? Are you really willing to do so?" Hong Tianqi looked at him in shock, then broke out into a smile. "If you do that, we really might be able to avoid a battle entirely, but... would you be willing to do so?"


    "Well, I''ve been collecting arge quantity of herbs required for these potions, and I do want to start selling them off..."


    "Oh, you!"


    "Furthermore, I have some important information about disaster-grade lifeforms."


    "Disaster-grade?"


    "The rank above peak-grade in strength."


    "Is that so? I''ve never heard of it."


    Zhang Lie summarized the information briefly for Hong Tianqi, leaving him so excited he almost crushed his transceiver to pieces.


    "With these two bargaining chips, Amurong''s faction will surely crumble, I just know it!"

 Chapter 594: Evanescent as a Dream

    <h4>Chapter 594: Evanescent as a Dream</h4>


    Indeed, things went ording to Hong Tianqi''s n. The moment the Zenith Dojo revealed that it was ready to share that information, Amurong''s faction copsed.


    All notable organizations in the Milky Way immediately signaled that they would work with Hong Tianqi. Amurong lost in the blink of an eye¡ª no one was willing to give up on such rare and precious information for the tenuous promises that Amurong was making.


    .


    In Amurong''s office, his secretary asked, "Sir, are you heading to China immediately?"


    "Yes. We have to make our move before our power base crumbles entirely. We need to seize the initiative, even if that means using the crudest of methods."


    "You mean¡ª"


    Amurong''s eyes glinted. "We might not be able to touch Hong Tianqi, but Zhang Lie''s nothing more than a greenhorn. Even if he can defeat an asura, I''m surely stronger than he is. As long as we can catch Zhang Lie, all our problems will be solved immediately¡ªand if we can''t, we''ll grab his sister, Zhang Hanxiang."


    "I understand, sir. I''ll begin preparations immediately." After Amurong''s secretary left his office, he sent a message through his transceiver: Amurong''s heading to China.


    Amurong himself didn''t know that his trusted secretary had already betrayed him.


    Once again, the Zenith Dojo was packed to the brim with people. This time, the excitement was because of the news that the recipe for Potions #1 and #2 were going to be released to the public.


    After learning that the Chinese government would be handling the distribution of the recipe, the hubbub quieted down¡ªuntil a batch of research results made headlines again.


    The world federation had expected that it would take quite some time until other races gained the ability to make use of these limit-breaking potions, but the research results had arrived surprisingly quickly.


    Was Zhang Lie a genius, or had the four prime races done everything in their power to speed up the research?


    That the recipes were ted to be published caused a stir; the revtion of the new research results was a bombshell. Strong as the limit-breaking potions might be, they were thought to only be suited for human consumption¡ªuntil now.


    Countless alien races made a visit to Earth with the hopes of securing a cooperation with Zhang Lie for their race. The Zenith Dojo and its environs were jam-packed with people, so much so that Zhang Lie wanted to retreat back into the sura realm.


    Fortunately, there were staff around to handle the visitors, and Zhang Lie only had to meet the most important ones.


    As he walked out of the teleportation array, he saw Zhang Hong there to wee him. "Zhang Lie, you''re finally back¡ªquick, I need all the help I can get!"


    Zhang Hong, whom Zhang Lie had left in charge of the dojo, was now a powerhouse at business management, and she had a whole staff of administrators under hermand. The stronger the dojowork became, the more impactful and influential Zhang Hong was.


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie nced toward the door. "Who''s that?"


    Zhang Hong nced at the ck-robed envoy who had just walked in before looking down at her notes. "He''s the representative of the ghost dragons."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes turned slitted as he activated his dragon''s eye soulshard. He smirked. "Indeed? I wonder why the previous presiding authority of the world federation is trying to sneak into my dojo."


    The ck-robed envoy''s eyes lit up with a cold aura. Killing intent blossomed around him, and a howling wind sent everything around him flying. Amurong gave up on his disguise and struck immediately.


    From his perspective, Zhang Lie''s strength was limited. Even though he might have disyed incredible strength for a second-realm hunter, he would be nothing in the third realm.Meanwhile, Amurong himself was a fourth-realm hunter. Although he couldn''tpare with Hong Tianqi, it would be straightforward for him to capture someone like Zhang Lie.


    The moment Amurong dashed toward him, Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed with multicolored light.


    Amurong''s momentum was arrested as his eyes zed over with a rainbow sheen. He stood stock-still where he was.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "So this is all the strength a presiding authority of the world federation amounts to? Pathetic."


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and pped Amurong on the face. A crisp smack rang out, and a streak of red appeared on Amurong''s flesh. "This is for trying to attack the Zenith Dojo!"


    Zhang Lie pped him once more. "This is for running around and causing trouble for Martial Sage Hong!"


    "And this is for coveting my limit-breaking potions!"


    Zhang Lie pped Amurong once and again, the crisp smacks reverberating about the courtyard. Just as he was starting to enjoy it, Amurong reached out and grabbed ahold of his wrist, causing Zhang Lie''s eyes to widen. "How can you still move?!"


    Amurong grinned maliciously. "I''ve survived the second realm and more. Do you really think a petty trick like this can take me down? You really must underestimate me!"


    "Is that so? And how are you so certain you''re not under my control? You''re the one underestimating me, Amurong!"


    Amurong smirked as he punched Zhang Lie''s stomach, his destructive gic energy spreading throughout Zhang Lie''s body and crippling him.


    Hong Tianqi and his men arrived toote to deal with Amurong, who managed to ovee them all with brute force.


    A massive palm smashed down from the sky, covering heaven and earth. Those who weren''t strong enough to resist its pressure were forced still and rendered immobile. Amurong, however, seemed not to fear the hand at all. He had already prepared an escape route, and he vanished with Zhang Lie in tow in a burst ofck fog.


    Just as Amurong disappeared, Hong Tianqi''s palm smashed down where he stood, causing all of China to quake.


    As he escaped out of a teleportation array, Amurong released a long breath. Had he been any slower, he might have been forced to remain in China. He nced at Zhang Lie and began to roar inughter. "Haha! As expected, I''ve won!"


    Now that he had caught Zhang Lie, everything would belong to him.


    Immediately after having escaped, Amurong received a message from Hong Tianqi.


    He replied leisurely, "What''s the matter, Hong Tianqi? You seem unusually bothered today."


    "Return Zhang Lie immediately, or I''ll dere war on you with full force!"


    Amurong cackled. "Oh? Why don''t you try it? If you do so, I''ll kill him immediately! Thisd''s core to your faction and to how you''re keeping it together. Without Zhang Lie, the four prime races wouldn''t be supporting you so strongly¡ªthe research results for the limit-breaking fragments are already out, as you know, and they can easily keep going by themselves from there."


    Hong Tianqi sucked in a deep breath and tried to quash his anger. "What do you want from me, Amurong?"


    "Those research results, as well as half the spiritual herbs that China has collected to date."


    Amurong thought that those were all the fruits of Zhang Lie''sbor.


    "Very well," Hong Tianqi replied. "I''ll give you half the herbs first, and the research results after you let Zhang Lie go."


    "No¡ªI want both."


    "And what if you suddenly renege on your promise?"


    Amurong chuckled coldly. "You seem to have forgotten that I''m the one calling the shots here. Furthermore, who said that I''d release Zhang Lie just like that?"

 Chapter 595: Reality and Illusion

    <h4>Chapter 595: Reality and Illusion</h4>


    Upon hearing Amurong''s words, Hong Tianqi was bbergasted by his thick skin. "Amurong, just what do you want?!"


    "Who knows if the research results you''ve given me are valid? Surely you need to give me some time to verify them."


    "How long do you want?"


    "Ten years."


    "Ten years¡ªyou just want to destroy Zhang Lie''s future!" Hong Tianqi shouted.


    Amurong shrugged. "I simply want to be cautious. Zhang Lie''s a dangerous fellow, as you know, able to defeat an asura in the second realm alone. This sort of existence will surely exceed us two in strength, and I have to at least try to curb it a little."


    "I won''t agree."


    "In that case, I suppose you''ll learn of Zhang Lie''s idental death tomorrow in the news." Amurong was certain that he had a good grasp of Hong Tianqi''s personality, that he would surely ede to any request on Zhang Lie''s behalf.


    If Zhang Lie remained under Amurong''s control for ten years, then Hong Tianqi would likewise be under his control for ten years.


    "Three years, three at most!"


    "No¡ªten!"


    Hong Tianqi shouted back, "In that case, I suppose neither of us will have what we want. Three years¡ªthat''s it."


    Amurong scowled. "If you insist."


    The rest of the transaction proceeded smoothly.


    When Amurong nced at the papers in his hands, he raised his head to the skies andughed. "Haha, Zhang Lie, Hong Tianqi! What you''ve both worked hard to achieve has be my possession and mine alone!"


    Upon confirming the veracity of the documents he had received, Amurong thought he could see a long and illustrious future ahead of him. With these results in hand, his race would be able to obtain limit fragments as well.


    Not long afterwards, Hong Tianqi sent half of China''s stockpile of spiritual herbs to Hong Tianqi. Thanks to Zhang Lie, that stockpile filled the entire suite of warehouses around the harbor. The crates were stacked several dozen high, and there were so many of them that each warehouse felt like a maze.


    Amurong happily sent Hong Tianqi a message. "Thank you for the herbs. Don''t forget to move your troops further back¡ªI''m ufortable having them so close by. And of course you''ll resolve all that nonsense about the kidnapping incident for me, won''t you?"


    Hong Tianqi roared in rage, "Amurong! Don''t think you can get away with everything!"


    "Hmm? Zhang Lie''s doing fine now, with good food and a good ce to live, and servants of his own. From your tone, it doesn''t look like you think he deserves those amenities. Very well, then..."


    "Are you threatening me?!"


    "Of course!"


    A fearsome aura erupted from Hong Tianqi. Even across the transceiver, Amurong could feel his rage¡ªbut his mask of calmness didn''t slip.


    In the end, it was Hong Tianqi who gave in. "Very well. I''ll have my troops retreat, and I''ll deal with the kidnapping incident. Is that satisfactory?"


    "Haha! I''m very thankful, Hong Tianqi."


    Three years'' respite allowed Amurong to develop and flourish at leisure.


    The limit-fragment research that Zhang Lie pioneered continued to flourish, supported by China''s massive stockpile of spiritual herbs.


    Amurong himself began leading research into limit-fragment development for his race. At the beginning, he wasn''t able to make as much progress as the skilled researchers sponsored by the four prime races, but he quickly began poaching talent from all over the gxy.


    The development went surprisingly smoothly, and he even established apeting organization to contest the four prime races''boratory for superiority.


    The four prime races were against this development, but Amurong''s mature results quickly prompted investment into hisboratory.


    After all, not every race was on good terms with the four prime races, and not all of them wererge or strong enough to get priority in thatboratory.


    Amurong''s researchboratory sessfully broke the monopoly that the four prime races''b held.


    As for Zhang Lie, he had long since been crippled.


    Amurong had been secretly adding aphrodisiacs into Zhang Lie''s food. Initially, Zhang Lie was able to resist their effects given his constitution, but increasing dosages over the long term eventually wore down his resistance.


    As the drugs took noticeable effect, Amurong sent some prostitutes into his apartment.


    Zhang Lie''s long-term imprisonment and drugged mental state gave him no outlet for his boredom but sex. He neglected his cultivation and growth as a gic hunter; his honed skills fell by the wayside.


    If he had been a sharp de three years ago, he was nothing more than a rusted old club now¡ªjust a piece of worthless trash. When he was finally freed from his captivity after three years, he even looked longingly back at his apartment and the women within...


    Amurong had no intention to keep him alive. He had already arranged for his men to find a suitable opportunity to kill Zhang Lie, then to retrieve his corpse and bring it back.


    Useless though he might be now, Zhang Lie was still atent threat. He might seem harmless at the moment, but who knew when he might explode?


    As for Hong Tianqi, ever since Zhang Lie had been taken away, he was like a tiger whose ws had been cut off. He had even tried to rescue Zhang Lie two years ago, but after that, he was hard-pressed just to protect himself.


    Without Zhang Lie''s stabilizing presence, the four prime races gradually took over the limit-fragment research¡ªand without these limit fragments, China was nothing more than a small country in a small.


    Hong Tianqi had lost his reputation and position after continuously eding to Amurong''s requests. Apparently, he had devoted himself to improvement within the dimensional world, but he had gone missing during one war or another.


    Amurong nced at the starry sky. This was his time to shine.


    A decade passed. Amurong managed to re-establish the world federation based on his growing influence. His underhanded means and connections meant that he was prospering day by day, and even the four prime races had to defer to him.


    One day, while he was walking through the streets, he saw a beggar by the roadside. Only when his son pointed him out did Amurong recognize the beggar as his erstwhile rival, Hong Tianqi. Amurong shook his head in pity, tossed down a ten-thousand point banknote, then walked away.


    Behind him, the beggar suddenly yelled out, "I''m the king of the gxy, the head of the world federation, hahaha!"


    Two decadester, Amurong had no equal.


    Three decadester, Amuron was crowned the monarch of the Milky Way. There were no dissenters.


    Everyone in the world federation was forced to put on a cor. Only by paying a sufficient amount of tax would they be able to breathe freely and enjoy pure, unpolluted water.


    Everything was proceeding ording to Amurong''s dreams, for everything was indeed nothing more than a dream...


    "What''s this fellow doing?" Hong Tianqi nced at Amurong, who was standing before the teleportation array and dancing like a fool, in shock.


    Upon learning that Amurong was nning to attack Zhang Lie, he and his men had rushed over, only to witness such a sight...

 Chapter 596: A Land of Dreams

    <h4>Chapter 596: A Land of Dreams</h4>


    "I''m the king of the gxy, the head of the world federation! You''ll all be kneeling at my feet!" Amurong''s eyes were zed over. He was shaking his head as his limbs iled. He twisted his hips from time to time, and he had taken off the clothes on the upper half of his body.


    He danced from the teleportation array all the way to the door of the Zenith Dojo. As representatives from all sorts of races watched on, he yelled out, "I''m the king of the gxy¡ª"


    Hong Tianqi was dumbstruck by vicarious shame. Was this really the opponent he had been feuding with for so long? He... was actually very gratified to see his opponent make such a public fool of himself.


    He sidled up to Zhang Lie, who was recording the scene in a memory crystal. "What''s going on?"


    "It''s exactly as you can see," Zhang Lie murmured.


    Hong Tianqi folded his arms. "I can''t tell what he''s doing!"


    Who would believe that the previous presiding authority of the world federation would be humiliating himself outside the Zenith Dojo?


    Hong Xiao sidled over and whispered to Hong Tianqi, "The moment this man saw my master, he roared out, tried to attack him, and then was frozen stiff. Shortly after that, he went mad!"


    Hong Tianqi frowned. "Do you think I''d believe you?


    Amurong''s a fourth-realm hunter. How can Zhang Lie beat a hunter like him in terms of strength?


    You¡ª"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Martial Sage, it''s true that I can''t beat Amurong in terms of gic energy and brute strength, but I do think I''m superior in terms of mental techniques."


    Hong Tianqi''s frown deepened. "Amurong''s a member of the ghost dragons, don''t you know? His body''s half-spiritual, and he''s innately gifted with mental techniques! How could you¡ª"


    "I obtained a peak-grade soulbeast soulshard in the second realm, then a very interesting disaster-grade mindmeld m soulshard. With the additional boost from my limit-breaking potions..." Zhang Lie trailed off, but what he revealed was sufficient to shock Hong Tianqi.


    "No, that can''t be¡ªhe''s almost the equivalent of a peak-grade lifeform! How could you have dealt with him so easily?"


    "It wasn''t as hard as you think. He looked me in the eye, and I gave him a wonderful dream, easy as that."


    Hong Tianqi clutched his face. "And what do you think he''ll do once he wakes up? If you push a man like that to the brink, who knows what he''ll do!"


    "No, Martial Sage. He thinks he''s in the real world, after all. Unless he''s willing to be a servant of my Zhang household, he''ll never be able to wake up."


    Hong Tianqi blinked a few times, then abruptly nodded. "I''ll assume that you know what you''re doing¡ªI''ve never gone wrong believing you just yet."


    The representatives of the races who hade to pay Zhang Lie a visit were staring at Amurong and pointing fingers at him.


    "Isn''t that Amurong, the previous presiding authority of the world federation?"


    "Indeed. What''s going on here?"


    "Perhaps he''s gone crazy because he can''t take the stress anymore..."


    Zhang Lie was getting tired of watching Amurong''s antics, and he patted the martial sage on the shoulder. "Can I hand him to you, Martial Sage?"


    Hong Tianqi nodded, then motioned for his men to restrain Amurong.


    Amurong continued to dance madly, even after Hong Tianqi pummel him in the face. Hong Tianqi gave him two more punches, until Amurong''s face was swollen and his eyes were ckening, but he continued to dance. Hong Tianqi was disgusted by the sight of his erstwhile rival.


    A rainbow gleam shed in Zhang Lie''s eyes. Amurong suddenly shivered; as if the illusion had changed, he turned left and right before focusing on Hong Tianqi.


    "Ah, Hong Tianqi, what are you doing here? Haven''t you been begging in the streetstely? Why are you dressed so neatly today? Well, it''s good to see you making a man of yourself. I can even consider making you one of the guards in my estate."


    Amurong nced at the nearby onlookers, the many representatives who were gathered outside the Zenith Dojo. When he saw them pointing at him, he shouted irritably, "What are all of you doing? How dare you not kneel upon seeing the monarch of the gxy!"


    Hong Tianqi frowned and turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, why don''t you dispel the illusion? It''ll be too shameful to see him going outside like this."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. ?"I can''t cancel the illusion now. Unless he sees through it himself, you''ll have to break it by force."


    Hong Tianqi was taken aback. "By force? If that''s the case, surely he''d be a fool!"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Even Hong Tianqi seemed shocked by the versatility of Zhang Lie''s technique. If the illusion were broken by force, Amurong would be a fool. Otherwise, even if Amurong were to see through the illusion, he would have to swear to be Zhang Lie''s loyal servant before he could escape from it.


    Amurong began to shout, "Why isn''t anyone kneeling down? I''m the monarch of the gxy! If you remain so disrespectful..."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "What do we do about him now?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged again. "Send him to an old folks'' home, perhaps? And maybe one day he''ll finally realize what happened to him."


    Amurong nced all around him. "Where am I? Am I in a dream?


    What are all of you doing? I''m the monarch of the gxy!"


    Unfortunately for Amurong, he received no response but another punch from Hong Tianqi.


    Amurong reeled back and cried out in shock, "Hong Tianqi, you maniac! How dare you hit me¡ªguards, capture this man and send him to a mental hospital!Ah, wait¡ª where have my troops gone?"


    Hong Tianqi clutched his face. "He''s done for."


    Amurong suddenly noticed Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie! Shouldn''t you be dead?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I know you won''t believe me, but here''s the truth. You never became the monarch of the gxy, and you never had troops of your own. You''ve been living a dream, an illusion! After leaving the teleportation array, you never stepped out of the Zenith Dojo."


    Amurong seemed to recall something. His eyes became vacant, and he shook his head vigorously all of a sudden. "No, no! That''s impossible¡ªit happened five decades ago!"


    "You were trapped in a mental world of your own making. Fifty years might have passed in it, but it''s only been five minutes here. I don''t know just what happened in your dream, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that this is the real world."


    Zhang Lie retrieved his memory crystal and yed back the recording, showing Amurong how he was making a fool of himself.


    Amurong shook his head. "No, no, that''s impossible, this is all fake! I''m the monarch of the gxy!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Your subconscious mind knows that you''re in an illusion, that you couldn''t have had so much sess without any setbacks. You just don''t want to admit it."


    Amurong stilled, but he regained his verve just momentster. "I know I''m dreaming, because all of you are fake, you''re all just figments of my imagination..."


    Zhang Lie and Hong Tianqi both sighed. Reality or dream, Amurong was done for.


    Hong Tianqi formally began, "Amurong, for trespassing in Chinese territory and attempting to assault the Zenith Dojo dojo leader Zhang Lie, you have vited Chinesew. As a defender of China, I formally arrest you."


    Amurong roared, "No, no! I''m the monarch of the gxy! Everyone in the Milky Way must bow to me!"


    Hong Tianqi snorted. "No matter who you are, under Chinesew, you''ll receive the same punishment. If you''vemitted an offense, you''ll pay for it!"


    Amurong began screaming. "I know what you''re doing¡ªthis is a plot against me, you''ve kidnapped me! Then, you''ve used cloning technology toe up with a fake Zhang Lie to make me believe that this is the true reality! Hong Tianqi, I''ve really underestimated you. So you''ve actually been pretending to be crazy all this time¡ªfor three whole decades!"


    Thebination of the disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard and Zhang Lie''s frightening mental strength led to an attack of immense potency.


    Amurong had spent what seemed to be five whole decades in a dream, and he refused to believe that it had only been five minutes in reality.


    He continued screaming, "Don''t think that you''ll get away with this! My disappearance will shake the entire gxy, and my forces will hunt you down! When they do, you''ll die!"


    Hong Tianqi shook his head, exasperated by Amurong. "Take him away¡ªI don''t want to hear his rambling for even a moment longer!"


    His subordinates dragged the screaming Amurong away. Despite his protests, Amurong never tried to resist capture with gic energy, only his body.


    For a dream to be reality, and for reality to be a dream¡ª at least subconsciously, Amurong was afraid of this technique and of Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie had experienced these illusions for himself, and he knew how realistic they could be.


    Hong Tianqi, on the other hand, despite being a martial sage, had little experience with such illusions. Based on what had happened with Amurong, he harbored a healthy dose of respect and fear against Zhang Lie, who possessed a technique against which he couldn''t defend or evenprehend.


    Fortunately, they were on friendly terms.


    Zhang Lie actually possessed far more frightening variants of mind control: he was even able to create multiple personalities within one''s mind, then erode the original personality by the passage of time, a wless brainwashing technique...

 Chapter 597: Intergalactic War

    <h4>Chapter 597: Intergctic War</h4>


    The former presiding authority of the world federation, Amurong, had be a crazy maniac under the power of the disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard.


    Upon seeing how strong mental abilities could be, Zhang Lie decided to use the soulshard once on each member of Team Zenith and on Zhang Hanxiang herself so that they could learn to identify and break free from mentalpulsion.


    As for the others around him, he would give them atent mentalpulsion himself¡ªif someone attempted to hypnotize them, they would wake up immediately or attack the hypnotist if they couldn''t.


    The recording of Amurong dancing naked in front of the Zenith Dojo quickly spread on the hunters'' forums.


    "Haha, what''s this? Who made it? They''re really talented!"


    "Amurong: I''m a stripper!"


    "Amurong: I''ll be the king of the gxy!"


    "I never expected I''d see Amurong, of all people, on the forums."


    Of course, some doubted the veracity of the video. "Is this real?"


    "Of course it''s fake! Would the previous presiding authority of the world federation ever strip his clothes in public?"


    "Right, even if he did, he''d do it in thefort of his own home. I bet someone who looked like Amurong was doing it for attention."


    "Isn''t he worried that Amurong will take revenge on him for sullying his image? Though I have to say, his poprity y really did work out..."


    Someone suddenly shouted, "Look, look at the news!"


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Hong Tianqi is having a press conference now. He''s caught Amurong!"


    Everyone turned to the news, where Hong Tianqi was speaking to a crowd of reporters. "Last night, we caught a person who was intending to cause harm to the dojo leader of the Zenith Dojo, the head of the limit-fragment researchboratory, Zhang Lie. The identity of that person shocked us all¡ªhe turned out to be the former presiding authority of the world federation, Amurong! We are deeply hurt by his betrayal."


    The image shifted to Amurong, who was currently in a prison cell.


    He was shouting, "You''re all dead! How dare you kidnap the monarch of the gxy¡ªI''ll cut off your air supply, just watch me!"


    Hong Tianqi continued, "Because the former authority''s mental health is in question, we regret that we can''t invite him to this press conference."


    On screen, Amurong yelled out, "Release me! I''ll give you everything you want. Do you want to be an official? If you release me, I''ll let you govern as manys as you''ve dreamt of. Money is no matter either¡ªit''s all just a chain of numbers to me! And¡ª"


    Hong Tianqi shut off the monitor, sighing as he kneaded his forehead. Was this really his former opponent? How much time had he spent on a man like this?


    A reporter asked, "We''ve all seen former authority Amurong behaving in an unusual fashion. Could this assault attempt be due to some sort of mind control or mentalpulsion?"


    Hong Tianqi exined, "To be frank, I''ve noticed problematic behavior from Amurong in the past. After all, why would a rational person want to start a war in the Milky way?


    My team and I have spent a considerable amount of time cataloging his misdeeds to date. Thanks to his brave secretary, who has chosen to work with us, we''ve uncovered the truth."


    The depths of Amurong''s misdeeds, most of which had only been revealed after his madness, shocked even his rival Hong Tianqi. He simply couldn''t believe that Amurong had done such ignoble things making use of his station as presiding authority.


    Amurong''s secretary walked forward and stood before the gathered reporters. "The former presiding authority used to be a reasonable, rational man, but after the failure of his kidnapping attempt, his personality changed. I suspect that he suffered too severe a blow during that time to fully recover."


    "What were the signs of that change?" a reporter asked.


    The secretary began, "After losing his position as presiding authority, Amurong became a little crazed. He told me that he wanted to be the monarch of the gxy, that he wanted all intelligent life to put on a cor, that he wanted to charge for clean air and drinking water..."


    "Were you responsible for helping him in his misdeeds?"


    The secretary clutched his face as he cried. "I was very scared. Amurong was frightening. Despite losing his position, he still maintained a great deal of power, and my family was in his hands. I had no choice. I, I deeply regret what I did as his aplice."


    Hong Tianqi patted the secretary''s shoulder. "Amurong''s secretary is a little distraught, so let''s let him rest for now."


    After his departure, the reporters continued asking questions. "Martial Sage Hong, we know that you almost brought about intragctic war as a result of your conflict with the former authority Amurong. What are your ns now that he''s indisposed?"


    "The conglomerates that had been working with the former authority have contacted us individually, and most are willing to pursue a long-term rtionship with China."


    Of course, these conglomerates had all paid a hefty price to do so. Hong Tianqi shed a brilliant smile. Amurong had fallen at precisely the right time for China to profit.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "We''ll handle everything that Amurong has left behind. Whatever we can keep using, we will; whatever we can''t, we''ll discard. Once we have Amurong''s estate put to rights, we''ll form a new, united world federation responsible for the entire gxy."


    Another reporter raised a hand. "Next, the question everyone wants to know about: how will Amurong be sentenced?"


    "ording to intergcticw, the culprit Amurong should be sentenced to the fullest extent of thew, but his mental state prevents such an oue. Instead, he''ll be sent to the best mental institution in the entire Milky Way, whose inhabitants boast not only a "monarch of the gxy," but also a "champion of void" and "emperor of the starry skies". I''m sure Amurong will find himself in goodpany. In order to monitor Amurong''s mental state, we''ll be publicly sharing a stream of security footage from the institution."


    .


    The next day, when Zhang Lie began to worry about whether or not Amurong had been faking his craziness, he went searching for the stream of his security footage.


    There, he found Amurong standing in front of the camera, a red cape billowing behind him. He yelled out, "I, the king of the gxy, demand to know the location of my troops!"


    That red cape was just a tablecloth.


    The moment Amurong appeared, a potbellied middle-aged man shoved him aside. "Your troops shall not stop my assault¡ªme, the champion of void!"


    That man subsequently stumbled back as a stick-thin fellow stepped forward. "Ha! I''m the ruler of the Milky Way! Face me, you cowards!"


    "You fools! I, the sage of red lightning, shall rule over you all!"


    As more and more lunatics stepped into view, the shocked crowds were struck dumb.


    "If you want a fight, you''ll have it!" Amurong shouted. "Troops, forward!"


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie was curled up on his couch,ughing so hard tears seeped from his eyes.


    "Just what is all this nonsense?"


    "There surely are a lot of illustrious figures living in this mental institution..."


    "Keep fighting, monarch of the gxy, Amurong! Bring out your courage and your backbone!"


    "I can''t believe it..."


    "Amazing¡ªis an intergctic war about to erupt? That''s the first thing I saw when I turned on the stream!"


    "The king of the gxy against the champion of void, the emperor of chaos against the sage of red me..."


    The stream of the mental institution to which Amurong had been sent immediately drew the public eye. It catapulted into the top ten streams that day, with a huge number of followers. As more and more hunters learned of the stream, that number continued to grow.


    The stream included details on the life of former presiding authority Amurong within the institution¡ªit disyed the food he ate, his sleeping figure, the wars he had with the other residents of the institution, and his radiotherapy.


    Amurong would never be able to escape his new prison. The doctors and nurses in charge of Amurong all reported to Hong Tianqi, and they would make sure that Amurong consumed pills on a strict schedule. Some of these pills were meant to keep him calm and sedated, but the majority were hallucinatory in nature.


    In other words, Amurong would be trapped within the delusions of his mind, never to escape.


    In some sense, this was the best possible oue for him¡ªto live out his fantasies in his mind with dedicated care, rather than to face the consequences of his crimes in the real world.


    Just as Zhang Lie was watching Amurong''s stream, he received a message from Hong Tianqi. He replied, "Starting a stream was an excellent idea."


    Hong Tianqi seemed rather surprised. "You''re watching it?"


    "Aren''t you?"


    "Well, of course I am..." Hong Tianqi watched the stream whenever he had time. Seeing his erstwhile enemy making a fool of himself in the public eye was a guilty pleasure of his.


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Do you have any interest in bing an authority of the world federation yourself?"


    Zhang Lie seemed surprised by the question. "That''s what this call is about?"


    Hong Tianqi shrugged. "You know the mess that Amurong left behind, and I do need to find a newmittee."


    Hong Tianqi hadrgely managed to deal with that mess, and it remained for him to restructure the world federation. "Your status and reputation have far improved from before. Conquering the sura realm and pioneering research into limit fragments are strong aplishments that would guarantee your admission individually, let alone together."


    "Let me consider it," Zhang Lie replied.

 Chapter 598: Dividing the Spoils

    <h4>Chapter 598: Dividing the Spoils</h4>


    As Zhang Lie was dealing with the schism in the world federation, the post-war meeting was urring in the second realm. That meeting was, more colloquially, when the allied Renhuang forces gathered in order to divide up the spoils of war, as was standard practice.


    The same situation had urred after the second and third intergctic wars in which the Milky Way had participated.


    The result of the second intergctic convention was the construction of the world federation, and the result of the third was the institution of the highest authorities who would oversee the Milky Way as a whole.


    Team Zenith, on behalf of Renhuang, had indicated that they would be building a kingdom atop the sura ruins. In fact, Renhuang was already doing so, led by the human race and the four prime races of the Milky Way, along with the countless races that supported them.


    They were starting to settle thend, and the barest outline of a kingdom could be seen amidst the sura ruins. This kingdom would epass human and alien alike, and it would dominate the second realm.


    However, there were quite a few races that didn''t want to see the humans supnt the sura.


    Renhuang had grown into its strength far too rapidly¡ªin just two or three years, there were countless hunters within who had strength equivalent to that of a sura king.


    Some of these contrary races were afraid that the humans would be the next sura. Once this human kingdom were constructed and the humans began devouring the sura''s resources, they would surely grow into the seconding of the sura...


    No, they would be even stronger than that. At least the eight sura empires had been decentralized, but now there would only be one human kingdom.


    The mighty warriors who had in a dragon were poised to be a dragon themselves¡ªand one mightier than the one that had been in.


    These alien races had been making moves behind the scenes in order to disrupt Renhuang''s construction. As a result, it had taken Team Zenith over a month to set up the preliminaries for their new kingdom.


    The meeting was held at what had been the capital of the monarch of stars. Originally, this meeting should have taken ce in Renhuang, but this proposal had been met with stark refusal from quite a number of the allied races, who were gradually starting to distance themselves from the humans.


    As the human representative, Sun Mengmeng was the first to speak. Her deration of intent to form a new kingdom, however, was met with surprising dissent.


    "I''ve never heard of a kingdomprising multiple races!"


    "Renhuang''s already toorge. In order to prevent it from growing unwieldy, I think there should be stiptions against its growth."


    "We are absolutely against the creation of a multiracial kingdom!"


    Hong Yu nced at these alien races as though she were looking at a bunch of country bumpkins. "What''s wrong with such a kingdom? There are countless sessful examples of such kingdoms all throughout the Milky Way."


    "I don''t know what this Milky Way you''re referring to is¡ªwe''re in the second realm, not everywhere else."


    "It''s very difficult to broker agreement in kingdoms of multiple races. Each race should have their own kingdom; these kingdoms may then work together in an alliance."


    Sun Mengmeng pointed at the map disyed prominently in the room. "Regardless of anything else that we agree on, Renhuang is iming this territory as its own."


    ording to the original treatise prepared at the start of the alliance, the sura territory would be imed by whoever drove back the sura on that plot ofnd. However, several of the alien races banded together to im a stretch ofnd right in the middle of the proposed Renhuang kingdom, forcing it to be split up.


    Li Feng said sternly, "You guys don''t have to be part of our kingdom, but don''t prevent us from starting one!"


    "That''s not our intention at all. After all, thend was imed by multiple races working in tandem, and it''s natural that there might be conflict over any one piece."


    Sun Mengmeng smirked. "Conflict? No, I don''t think you understand. We''re the ones who took over all thisnd, not any of you! And even if you did, we im it by right of force and conquest. If any of you want to challenge our im, so be it."


    Sun Mengmeng''s words immediately threw the meeting into a hubbub as the representatives of Renhuang shed against those of the alien races.


    Of course, none of the alien races dared to fight the members of Team Zenith in directbat; they favored a war of words instead.


    Just then, a low voice resounded from outside the hall. "I hear that some object to the founding of the new Renhuang kingdom."


    A man appeared in the center of the meeting room out of thin air, his aura so forceful that it felt as though a mountain were pressing down on the representatives'' heads. Everyone bowed down, though not by choice. ck cracks splintered the space all around him. "Who dares im the spoils of Renhuang? Is it you?"


    "N-n-no, I, I didn''t have such an intention! It was all a misunderstanding..."


    Upon hearing themanding voice, Sun Mengmeng and the others let out relieved smiles, whereas the dissenting races began to sweat.


    "Listen up: if you''re going to speak, it had better be a valuable contribution to the discussion. Otherwise, the lives of your n are forfeit. I im thisnd by conquest."


    The man''s palm pressed down on therge map, his fingers smoldering and leaving a scorch mark where Renhuang stood. "We of Renhuang aren''t negotiating with you about the construction of a new kingdom¡ªwe''re just informing you of that fact. Anyone who dares contest thisnd will be met with immediate reprisal."


    The alien races quaked as they countered, "H-how could you?! Thisnd includes our original territory¡ªyou''re just like the sura!"


    "Are you unwilling to ept these terms, then?"


    The man turned and nced at the two speakers, who evaporated away like steam or fog. No trace of them remained.


    This demonstration shocked the entire room. None of the alien races dared to speak. They shut their mouths and lowered their heads.


    Team Zenith had been far too lenient with them, so much so that they had forgotten just how Renhuang had managed to survive and eke out a ce for itself and how it had defeated the sura.


    The man standing in front of them killed sura monarchs as if they were nothing more than domesticated animals.


    No one believed that an existence at this level of strength would deign to participate in their mortal affairs, but here he was.


    "Does anyone else have an opinion?" Zhang Lie asked again. This time, all the alien representatives shook their heads as though they had been shocked.


    "No, no, of course not!"


    "We were only providing suggestions and rmendations, but the choice is yours, of course!"


    "Indeed, please take all thend you want!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very well. Remember your words if you want your n to continue living. To be honest, I don''t mind culling more alien races from the second realm, so as to have more space for the rest of us..."

 Chapter 599: The Kingdom of Limit

    <h4>Chapter 599: The Kingdom of Limit</h4>


    The representatives of the alien races didn''t know what to do. Discourse was built on disagreement, but if they couldn''t disagree with Zhang Lie, what was the point of the meeting? Were they simply to ept their fate?


    The Huoluo n head was vaporized just for making an errantment! After his example, none of the alien races dared talk back to Zhang Lie.


    One representative whispered, "If our ns find out that we left this meeting losing all our territory rather than gaining any, what will they say?"


    How would they survive from now on?


    Beside that representative, another shouted, "You bastard! It''s a great honor for yournd to be imed, don''t you see? Think about how important a person like Zhang Lie is! Of course we have to support his ventures. I''d even be willing to hand over my wife and daughter, let alone mynd, to the cause!"


    The representatives that had been the most vocal were all cowed into bootlickers.


    Zhang Lie stretched out two fingers. "There are two choices for all of you: either join my kingdom, or make a living outside my domain."


    "Of course we''ll follow you, Zhang Lie! Anything you say!"


    "As long as you don''t disdain us, Zhang Lie, me and mine will be your loyal citizens!"


    The alien races changed their tune as though they were flipping the pages of a book. They stood up and knelt down. "We greet His Majesty, ruler of the second realm!"


    Their coordinated motions made Zhang Lie feel as though they had rehearsed it all beforehand.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, what will our kingdom be called?"


    "Let''s call it Limit."


    That day, the kingdom Limit was born. What had started out as a meeting to divide the spoils of war had ended up being a meeting to announce the creation of a new kingdom, Limit.


    The topic of the meeting shifted to thews and protections in ce for humans and aliens alike.


    Because of Zhang Lie''s presence, the alien races were all in agreement in just a short month. No one dared to hinder the creation of the kingdom; Team Zenith suffered none of the setbacks that seemed to have been omnipresent.


    A monthter, a grand ceremony was held in the capital of Limit¡ªthe city of Renhuang, which had been rebuilt anew and eclipsed any of the former sura capitals in grandeur and prominence.


    That day, a group of aliens arrived at Renhuang, having gone through countless trials and tribtions as they made their way across the sura realm. When they saw the majestic city in front of them, they knelt prostrate on the ground. "This is our holy city!"


    These were the Baimei, the tribe who had been so impressed with Zhang Lie that they had begun worshiping him. After passing through almost the entirety of the second realm, the Baimei had arrived at Renhuang at longst.


    They were astounded by the wealth and grandeur of Renhuang. Led on by their stick-thin priest, the Baimei walked into the city. Their pilgrimage had thinned but strengthened them. A third of their number had perished in the arduous trial, but the remaining two-thirds had grown far stronger than they were before. There were ten who were at the level of a sura king, and three among those ten wereparable to a sura monarch.


    They entered the city to see festivities all around them. The residents of the city were all out in the streets, with guards maintaining proper order all around them.


    The priest found a bystander and asked just what was going on.


    The resident of Renhuang replied happily, "Today, our new king is ascending to the throne. He''s the king of us humans, as well as the king of the second realm. I heard that even the realm''s name will be changed."


    A new king of their holy city?


    "He''s here, he''s here! He''sing!" Amidst the residents'' joyous cheering, a carriage drawn by eight peak-grace draconic lifeforms passed by. When the priest saw the inhabitants of that carriage, his face turned rapturous.


    Crag eagles filled the sky, dropping basket after basket of flower petals. Thousands of glowing birds swarmed the air, heralding the momentous asion.


    The eight peak-grade lifeforms were likewise shining brilliantly under the sun. They were all draconic lifeforms with indomitable might, and their eyes gleamed with rainbow light.


    In order to find the eight most suitable peak-grade lifeforms to draw this carriage, the members of Team Zenith and the alien races in support of Zhang Lie had scoured almost the entirety of the second realm, and the result spoke for itself.


    Even one of those lifeforms alone would have required the entire Baimei tribe working together to take down. Just what sort of being couldmand eight of these lifeforms to drag a carriage for him?


    The ornate carriage was painted in ck andvishly decorated in gold, a magnificent piece of art. The interior of the carriage was filled with plush goose down. A young man in his twenties sat within, an imposing aura surrounding him. His authority seemed to eclipse the heavens''; it seemed to be deeper than the sea. Anyone among the crowd strong enough to discern his cultivation instantly began to sweat.


    The moment the dragon carriage appeared, the residents on either side of the road began to cheer with overwhelming enthusiasm. The sound reverberated through the air into a deafening crescendo.


    When the Baimei saw the man in the carriage, their eyes widened and their hearts thumped.


    The sound of bugles carried through the air as hundreds of peak-grade lifeforms called out as one.


    The Baimei, however, paid no attention to the cacophony. They were fixated on one thing, and one thing only: the newly crowned king was their god!


    .


    Zhang Lie forced a smile as he waved at the gathered crowd. His coronation ceremony had been prepared with utmost care¡ªbut Zhang Lie had to be the one to hypnotize the hundreds of peak-grade lifeforms and eight peak-grade draconic lifeforms dragging his carriage along.


    It had been a great deal of trouble. Furthermore, he had been forced to wake up at 5 AM that morning. Yun Bing had prepared a robe embroidered with dragons for him to put on for the coronation, but Zhang Lie had vetoed that idea immediately.


    How outdated such attire was! Not to mention how difficult it was to put on. Instead, Zhang Lie put on a ck coat, one made with peak-grade dragon leather. In some sense, this was a draconic robe as well. Most importantly, it was easy to put on and take off.


    However, in order to demonstrate Zhang Lie''s majesty, a series of annoying and cumbersome events was ted to take ce. He would have to sit in the carriage and be paraded all throughout Renhuang, so that all its residents could see their new king.


    It was all very troublesome, and Zhang Lie very much wanted to hypnotize everyone present before sneaking to one of the nearby stalls hawking food, but Yun Bing and the others had put so much thought into this ceremony that he had no choice but to see it through.


    Following behind Zhang Lie were the six members of Team Zenith, each riding a peak-grade lifeform. Smiles decorated their faces¡ªsmiles of happiness and pride. They waved toward the onlookers.


    Trailing the members of Team Zenith were Renhuang''s forces, each also on a peak-grade lifeform. These included human fighters and representatives of the four prime races, as well as bodyguards nominally responsible for Zhang Lie''s safety.


    1. The same limit as in ''limit fragments''.

 Chapter 600: Renaming the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 600: Renaming the Realm</h4>


    Behind Team Zenith were the members of the Yeluo n, seated in a carriage. As thanks for their contribution in developing the Yeluo poison, Zhang Lie gave them a prominent spot in the procession.


    Above them, the flying crag eagles traced out rainbows in the air.


    The rock spirits, each asrge as a walking castle, followed behind the Yeluo tribe. They were apanied by the wood spirits, who shone with a glittering green glow.


    The four races that had been with Renhuang since the very beginning were treated with respect befitting their station.


    As the dragon carriage finally looped around the city and stopped at the newly constructed pce, Yun Bing and the others formed an escort in two orderly rows as they waited for Zhang Lie to step down from the carriage.


    Zhang Lie saw many familiar faces¡ªthe lord of Qi, Zhou Liao, Xia Na, and so on. He raised his head and nced at the pce as he steadily walked onward.


    The pce had been built in the style of ancient Chinese architecture but updated with modern principles, and it had clearly taken painstaking effort.


    Following Zhang Lie were the Yeluo chieftain, the shaman of the wood spirits, the members of Team Zenith¡ªall those who had contributed to Renhuang from the very beginning.


    As they were nearing the top of the ?castle, a slender figure in a ck cloak emerged. Her cloak was embroidered with a dragonwolf, one that seemed to be caught mid-leap. It was clearly the work of a talented artisan.


    Zhang Lie''s eyebrows rose. "You''ve arrived at the second realm already?"


    Zhang Hanxiang stuck out her tongue. "I heard you were going to be crowned king, so I worked hard thest few months hoping to give you a surprise.


    Well? Did it seed?"


    "Of course! I''m very d you could be here for the most illustrious point in my career as a hunter to date."


    Zhang Lie took in the sight of his sister that he hadn''t seen in years. He flicked her nose and asked her casually, "How are your gene fragments looking?"


    Zhang Hanxiang wrinkled her nose. "Sister Mengmeng has already arranged for me to cap my regr and mutated gene fragments, and I just have superior and peak ones left."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "There''s no need to rush. It won''t help you if you take in too many gene fragments without learning how to make use of your new strength appropriately or efficiently."


    "Yes, Brother!" Zhang Hanxiang nodded, then sped a cloak around Zhang Lie''s back. She stood back and watched on as Zhang Lie ascended to the dais in front of him, her eyes filled with pride and adoration.


    Atop the dais was a crown. At this point in the ceremony, someone was supposed to ce it on him, but no one in the second realm dared to im that honor.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to put in on himself; it was a great honor, but also one saddled with heavy responsibility.


    That said, the crown felt surprisingly light on his head.


    Zhang Lie summoned his de Guicang from his soulspace and raised it high into the air. A pir of light emanated from the de and shot into the heavens, shining even more brightly than the sun. As the sword shed, the sky began to crack.


    Zhang Lie made what seemed like a series of aimless strokes, but by the time he was done, one word was disyed prominently in the sky for all to see: Limit.


    Carved out of Zhang Lie''s sword energy, the word didn''t dissipate, even after quite some time had passed. It seemed as though it would remain forever above the sky of Renhuang.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his sword and announced, "Witness the rise of our new kingdom¡ªthe kingdom of Limit!"


    His reservoir of gic energy allowed his voice to be carried far and wide throughout the realm. It felt as though Zhang Lie''s words were ingrained in everyone''s heads.


    "Limit, the kingdom of Limit!"


    "We''ve suffered through a terrible war, but in doing so, we''ve vanquished the sura and ended their tyranny over the second realm. From today onwards, I announce that the second realm shall be named the limit realm!"


    His domineering voice shook the entire realm, along with the lifeforms and the will of the world within. The news that Zhang Lie had just founded a kingdom and renamed the entire realm quickly spread across the Milky Way, shocking everyone who heard it.


    The hunters'' forums were quickly peppered with posts suggesting that Zhang Lie didn''t have the capacity or authority to do so.


    "Not even a monarch has the right to change the name of the realm! Who gave you that authority?"


    "If you want to be a king, so be it¡ªbut what makes you think you can change the name of the realm just like that? I''m not buying it!"


    "Right? It''s almost as though Zhang Lie''s bing a sura monarch himself!"


    Of course, there were those who sided with him.


    "Actually, isn''t it reasonable? After all, we''ve all but hunted the sura to extinction. When the sura ruled the second realm, they called the realm the sura realm. Since Zhang Lie''s now our de facto ruler, doesn''t it make sense that he can rename it too?"


    "Exactly! Don''t you think it''s ludicrous to continue calling the second realm the sura realm if there are no sura within it?"


    "No, I disagree! The people who actually should get to decide the name of the realm should be the inhabitants of the second realm, not us inhabitants of the Milky Way! Only they have the right to name their realm¡ªwe''re nothing more than passersby to whom the second realm is just a stop on our journey to the third realm. On the other hand, those who were born in the second realm are tied to that realm, and only they should have the opportunity to name their home."


    "He''s not wrong. Zhang Lie''s not an inhabitant of the second realm, and he has no right to name it."


    "Oh? Talk to Zhang Lie about it, then¡ªor be as strong as he is, first!"


    "Why should Zhang Lie listen to the likes of you?"


    "That said, how did the second realm end up being called the sura realm in the first ce?"


    "Apparently, by the time the first hunters made it into the second realm, it was already dominated by the sura, who called it the sura realm. These inhabitants are now Zhang Lie''s citizens, so Zhang Lie''s choice of name does reflect the second realm''s inhabitants'' will!"


    The decision caused quite a stir, but most people agreed that Zhang Lie had such a right.


    While it would be a stretch to say that the entirety of the second realm belonged to Zhang Lie, he did control a significant majority of it. As the ruler of all thatnd, he had a say in the name of the realm.


    Furthermore, as long as the original inhabitants of thatnd epted the new name, there was no problem at all.


    After the ceremony was over, Zhang Lie finally allowed himself to loungezily within the pce. Just as he sat down, however, Zhang Hanxiang came over to find him.


    "I can''t believe you didn''t tell me beforeing to the second realm," Zhang Lie groused.


    "Don''t be like that, Brother. I just wanted to give you a surprise¡ªyou didn''t tell me you were going to be crowned king, either! I''m your only kin now, and of course I have to attend such an illustrious ceremony."


    Zhang Lie scratched his head in embarrassment. "To be honest, I find these ceremonies quite annoying. I only did it on Yun Bing and the others'' request to demonstrate the might of mankind. In fact, I don''t n to ever host such ceremonies again."


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head seriously. "No, Brother, you have to! You know how proud our parents would be to see you like this."


    "Oh? If that''s really the case... very well." Zhang Lie caressed Zhang Hanxiang''s head, his voice gentle and endearing.


    Zhang Hanxiang suddenly raised her head. "Wait, Brother, if you''re a king, then am I a princess?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his sister''s head again. "If you were a princess, then I''d be a prince, not a king."


    "Oh, that''s true. In that case, I''d be¡ª"


    "I suppose you''d still be a princess, though each has its own, unique designation. Princesses and princes are still quite standard on the whole, though."


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "Very well, Brother, ?I''ll be the princess of Limit!"

 Chapter 601: Meritorious Evaluation

    <h4>Chapter 601: Meritorious Evaluation</h4>


    "Shall we call you Princess Lingxiang, then?" Zhang Lie asked his sister.


    "I do like that name, Brother¡ªyes, I''ll be Princess Lingxiang!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Very well. There are quite a few peak-grade lifeforms in the city, so pick one you''d like. Furthermore, I''ll have a few peak-grade lifeforms serve as your bodyguards and escort."


    Zhang Lie controlled arge number of peak-grade lifeforms through his mistmeld m soulshard, which could serve as troops for Renhuang as necessary, or as gene fragments for Zhang Hanxiang and the like.


    He continued, "I''ll pick out a few good hunters from Renhuang''s forces to join your guard as well. I don''t need any guards, but you do."


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head and raised a tiny fist. "I don''t need any¡ªI''m not weak!"


    Zhang Lie smiled as he gripped his sister''s fist. "I know you''re not weak, but as a princess, you''ll need your own set of guards. Otherwise, how could you be a princess?"


    "Is that so?"


    "Under ordinary circumstances, yes."


    "Can I have Mengmeng, then? Please? We''re good friends!"


    Zhang Lie chuckled wearily. "Unfortunately, Sun Mengmeng has a lot of work on her te. She''s the first female general of our kingdom, and she doesn''t have time to serve as your bodyguard."


    The six members of Team Zenith were all going to be ying important roles in the kingdom.


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded obediently.


    "Don''t worry¡ªI''ll choose the best hunters to be your guards," Zhang Lie promised.


    "Will you take a stroll with me through the city?" Zhang Hanxiang suddenly asked.


    Zhang Lie thought about it for a moment before agreeing.


    The Baimei were still in awe of the ceremony they had witnessed. "Priest, wasn''t the man who was just crowned king... the god we devoted ourselves to?"


    The priest nodded sagely. "That is indeed the case."


    "How did he be the king of Limit?"


    The priest replied, "Clearly, this is the kingdom of god. He arrived from the heavens in order to kill our false deity and lead us all to sanctuary."


    "So that''s how it is!" The Baimei all nodded happily.


    A Baimei youth said, "Since we''ve found our god again, priest, when will we be able to meet him?"


    "It''s not yet time."


    The Baimei seemed to be taken aback. "After all that effort? Didn''t wee here so we could witness the god again?"


    The priest shook his head. "It won''t be as easy to meet our god as we''d like, and he won''t make himself avable just because we want an audience with him. It''s clear that he has a lot on his mind at the moment considering the ceremony, so we should start by establishing ourselves here first."


    "How?"


    "We need to establish a church for our god and spread our religion."


    "Yes, Priest!"


    What the Baimei didn''t know was that, at that moment, their supposed deity wasn''t busy at all. He was being pulled from ce to ce amidst the bustling kingdom by his earnest sister.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glimmered with rainbow mist, shrouding himself in an illusion so that he wasn''t recognizable.


    The day after Zhang Lie''s crowning ceremony, politics began in earnest.


    The four prime races would each form subordinate kingdoms on the four sides of Renhuang, protecting and guarding it from external threats.


    As nned, Hong Xi became the captain of the imperial guards and was tasked to set up a garrison. She was being groomed to be themander of Renhuang''s forces once Sun Mengmeng and the other members of Team Zenith ascended to the third realm, but Hong Xi herself didn''t want such a responsibility. Instead, she wanted to ascend with everyone else.


    The Yeluo chieftain, who was once the rector of Renhuang''s academy, now became the much more impressive-sounding rector of the imperial academy.


    The shaman of the wood spirits became the minister of agriculture, and the race of wood spirits were in charge of the forests, woond, and farnd all throughout the kingdom. They were very grateful to Zhang Lie. As the head of one of the first ns who had joined Renhuang, they weren''t disappointed by the choice they made. Even now, they could hardly believe that the humans who had approached them would one day be able to take down the sura and take over the entire realm.


    The rock spirits obtained the rights to huge quarries filled with rare and precious veins. They would be responsible for developing mineral supplies for the kingdom, for which they would receive a tithe of what they managed to produce.


    The newly established kingdom would need all these resources for infrastructure, and Zhang Lie could no longer allow the rock spirits to consume all the rocks they found.


    Even so, given howrge the kingdom of Limit was, the rock spirits wouldn''t have to worry about food for centuries at least¡ªand if they were to run out of food, Zhang Lie would dere war on his surroundings until the rock spirits had enough to eat.


    The second realm was extremelyrge, far more so than the kingdom of Limit. Limit only took up a third of the original sura territory, and the alien races who had worked together with Zhang Lie retained the other two-thirds.


    Zhang Lie had no intention in ruling the entire realm, but ying a game of conquest every now and then wasn''t too bad. After all, at the moment, there was no force in the second realmparable to the kingdom of Limit.


    Yun Bing became the grand chancellor of Limit, and Chu Feng the chief architect and minister ofnd. He would be responsible for resolving territorial disputes between alien races.


    Su Hong worked in tandem with Hong Xi as the captain of Renhuang''s guard. Over ten times as many troops were under his control than in his previous position.


    As a crowd watched on, Zhang Lie put a crown on his sister''s head, titling her the Princess Lingxiang. Except for Zhang Lie, she would be the only member of royalty in the kingdom of Limit.


    Once Zhang Lie had delegated his work to a team of hunters he trusted and crowned Zhang Hanxiang a princess, the ceremony concluded. Everyone left the pce except for Zhang Lie and Yun Bing.


    "Congrattions on bing the first grand chancellor of Limit, as well as the first female grand chancellor."


    It was evident that Yun Bing was the best fit for the role; she had taken on a simr responsibility back in Renhuang, after all.


    Yun Bing clutched her forehead. "Oh, don''t joke with me! I''m going to be even busier than before. You should help me out if you have the free time."


    There was more to aplish with every passing minute, and Yun Bing felt as though she was falling behind already. She was in the middle of securing new assistants, but the rate at which she did so was overwhelmed by the rate at which more work arrived.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As you know, I''m terrible with all this."


    "At least sound more upset about it!" Yun Bingined.


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "Ah, how about this? I''ll make you the prime minister as well."


    Yun Bing''s jaws dropped. "You''re giving me more responsibility?! Doesn''t that mean I have to work harder?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Now that you have more authority, you can delegate responsibilities to the variousmittee members too. That should increase your efficiency."


    Yun Bing clutched her face. "Don''t forget that we''re a monarchy, not a republic."


    "Well, when I ascend to the third realm, who do you think is going to be responsible for this kingdom?"


    Yun Bing blinked.


    "You have to consider this question. I can''t remain in the second realm for life, and I''ll have to ascend sooner orter. Who would take my position?"


    "How about Hanxiang?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "My sister isn''t suited for the role. She''s a princess, and she''ll remain a princess¡ªnever queen."


    Zhang Lie knew very well how demanding the role of a monarch was.

 Chapter 602: Dont Get Complacent

    <h4>Chapter 602: Don''t Get Comcent</h4>


    It was easy for someone like Zhang Lie, who boasted a great deal of power and strength and had two lifetimes'' worth of experience, to be a good monarch.


    He was easily able tomand his popce, and he had the strength to back up thosemands. On the other hand, Zhang Hanxiang was different. She had grown up under Zhang Lie''s protection, and he knew far more aboutmanding others than she did.


    Furthermore, because she was so sheltered, she could be rather naive and knew quite little about some parts of the world, which would make it easy for others to take advantage of her. She was also a fair bit weaker than Zhang Lie.


    Even if Zhang Lie were to raise Zhang Hanxiang''s gene fragments to the peak of the second realm, allowed her to imbibe Potions #1, #2, and #3, and fed her some disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie would still worry that she could be the puppet of some mastermind behind the scenes who wielded true power over his kingdom.


    "Hanxiang grew up under my wing, and she doesn''t know much about the world. She wouldn''t be able tost long against those wily old foxes all around. Even if she had the ability to do so, I''d be worried for her to grow too attached to her authority. Authority''s a drug, and countless people ruin their lives because of their addiction to it. Just look at the former presiding authority of the world federation¡ªhe''s been sent to a mental institute!"


    He was a brother and essentially a father figure to Zhang Hanxiang, and he couldn''t bear for her to suffer any pain. How, then, could he push her into this trap?


    Yun Bing frowned. "Aren''t you being too much of a worrywart, Zhang Lie? Hanxiang''s very smart, and she knows enough to take care of herself!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Regardless, my hope is for Hanxiang to focus on her cultivation, to go out wandering the kingdom with her friends. Wouldn''t it be both tiring and boring for her to be a monarch?"


    Yun Bing muttered in a small voice, "Well, I don''t see you being very tired at all!"


    "What did you say?"


    "Ah, nothing¡ªjust that with Sun Mengmeng and the others around, nothing will happen to Hanxiang."


    "But Sun Mengmeng can''t stay in the second realm for the rest of her life. She''ll advance sooner orter, as will Zhang Hanxiang. I refuse to let the kingdom of Limit hinder our advancement. The second realm is only a stop along our journey of cultivation, nothing more."


    Yun Bing rolled her eyes. "And how about my cultivation?"


    Zhang Lie chuckled. "You''re always wee to quit your position, but I hope I''ve given you adequatepensation for your troubles to date."


    "Perhaps so," Yun Bing acknowledged. To be honest, she felt as though she were being handsomely¡ªperhaps even too handsomely¡ªrewarded for her position.


    Given her strength and skills, she was unlikely to have been able to finish maxing out her peak gene fragments even after two decades in the second realm. Since following Zhang Lie, however, she had done the impossible in just one year.


    Indeed, before Zhang Lie''s ascension to the second realm, even veterans wouldn''t have been able to max out their peak gene fragments without two decades of hard work, let alone a novice like Yun Bing. The death toll that these hunters faced was also immense.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie had managed to supply all his followers with peak gene fragments in just one short year. The day he was crowned king, Zhang Lie even gifted Yun Bing a vial of Potion #3.


    Yun Bing alone could never have reached such strength, not in this life, and not ever.


    She was greatly relieved to have chosen to traipse all this way through the second realm to find Zhang Lie, along with Chu Feng. If she hadn''t made that decision that seemed so crazy at the time, she wouldn''t have aplished so much today. Despite the perilous journey, despite all the dangers she had barely skirted by, the oue was all worth it.


    Most importantly, Yun Bing herself boasted strong administrative abilities and had shown dedicated interest in learning to do more. Naturally, Zhang Lie had made use of her well.


    She patted herself on the chest. "Very well. I''m confident I can take on anything you want to aplish."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I want to establish a parliament to guarantee proper functioning of Limit even after I ascend to the third realm¡ªeven when Hanxiang does so as well."


    Limit wasposed of a dizzying number of alien races. With Zhang Lie around to maintain centralized power, there would be few conflicts to resolve. As time passed, however, and as Zhang Lie left for the third realm, problems would naturally arise. When Zhang Hanxiang herself departed, the kingdom would begin to splinter.


    As a result, he had to develop a contingency n beforehand.


    He continued, "Divide the parliament into two levels. The upper level shall consist of eighteen seats: three humans, one wood spirit, one Yeluo, one crag eagle, and one rock spirit. These four other races were present in Renhuang since the very beginning, and they deserve a seat of their own. Give one seat each to the four prime races, and let the other seven be contested by all the remaining alien races."


    By giving the humans three of the eighteen seats, he would guarantee that they always had a say, but didn''t necessarily monopolize all decision-making.


    "How will these parliament seats be assigned? Election via the lower level of parliament?"


    .


    Zhang Lie pursed his lips. "With me around, there''s nothing for something soplicated. We''ll settle the matter with brute force¡ªlet the eleven strongest leaders of the various alien races take the seats."


    Yun Bing''s eyes widened. "Is that really alright?"


    She wasn''t sure that personal power and governing ability was corrted.


    "We''ll have the eleven seats be decided in such a fashion for now. Every year, the lower level of parliament can vote whether or not to expand the upper level by one seat¡ªbut only one seat at most."


    Yun Bing frowned. "If we leave this decision to the lower level of parliament, what if another race starts to dominate parliament at that level?"


    "The humans will have to fend for themselves, of course. We''re not their nannies¡ªthere''s no reason we should have to take care of them to such an extent."


    "You''ll allow the kingdom of Limit to fall to another race''s hands?"


    Zhang Lie frowned and nced into the distance. "Of course not. Don''t you know how many disciples are in training at the Zenith Dojo, and how many Chinese hunters are rapidly ascending through the realms? Furthermore, I think you might be forgetting or misinterpreting something."


    The reason Zhang Lie had founded Limit was to reduce human casualties in the second realm and provide an opportunity for stable growth for human hunters, but that didn''t mean that he would excise all conflict.


    In the past, human hunters had grown stronger and stronger by repeatedly shing against the sura. Now that Limit had been founded and the humans were in power, they had lost that natural impetus and incentive to grow, evolve, and thrive. It would be short-sighted of Zhang Lie to remove all modes ofpetition entirely.


    "I''ll repeat once more: the kingdom of Limit is nothing more than a stop along the grand path of cultivation. No matter howfortable, spacious, or opulent this stop is, it''s not the end of humanity''s evolution¡ªa far longer chapter of our lives lies ahead. Yun Bing, you won''t remain in the second realm all your life, either. We have to keep looking forward, and we have to keep moving forward."

 Chapter 603: An Absent King

    <h4>Chapter 603: An Absent King</h4>


    It took Yun Bing quite a while to process Zhang Lie''s words. As she ruminated over them, she couldn''t help but grow more impressed by him.


    She was dedicating all her resources and time to managing this kingdom with Zhang Lie, and she boasted great power within Limit as a result. If not for Zhang Lie''s words that resounded like a bell in her head, she might have been satisfied at making this her endpoint.


    What was wrong with having Limit be the end of her journey? Indeed, Yun Bing might even have thought this a grand aplishment, one worthy of her n.


    Zhang Lie, however, had no such intention. He intended to keep moving forward no matter what, despite being an emperor who boasted immense power, who could dominate the entirety of the second realm if he wanted to.


    And yet he continued progressing ever onward, inexorably.


    To be honest, if Zhang Lie hadn''t ascended to the third realm in his past life and gained important perspective about cultivation, he might feel the same way about Limit as well¡ªbut what his reincarnation had taught him was that power and authority were far less important as they seemed.


    The kingdom of Limit would be just one of many aplishments in his life; perhaps arger one among thousands, but nothing more. No matter how grand the aplishment, it wasn''t something worth sacrificing the rest of his future for.


    He had helped free humanity from the perils of the second realm and defeated the sura once and for all, toppling their hegemony over the realm. He had built up a new force, a new kingdom, one that would allow new hunters to progress and ascend in a stable fashion. That was all.


    The past would remain the past; he would have to move ever onward. Grander sights and a more glorious future awaited him.


    Yun Bing lowered her head. "I had almost lost myself. Thank you for your pointers, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t be. You''ve done very well for yourself. I hope you''ll be able to keep up with us¡ªthe third realm is far more exciting than this one."


    Yun Bing nodded, then asked, "Right, how will we select the members of the lower level of parliament? Surely not by the same test of strength?"


    "We''ll prepare thirty seats in the lower level for now, to be elected by members of the higher level of parliament and epted or rejected based on a simple majority vote. In the future, members will be elected to the higher level of parliament by the votes of the lower level, again by a simple majority vote."


    Yun Bing nodded. There was always the possibility of corruption among their ranks due to the influence that the upper level had in selecting the lower level, but that was true no matter the system. This was a method that would be worth testing for the moment andter adapted or modified depending on its performance. Luckily, Zhang Lie was around, and he would be able to resolve any disputes or loopholes immediately.


    Yun Bing continued, "How would you like to apportion authority between you and the highest level of parliament?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I don''t see a need to do that. Preserve the authority of the monarchy¡ªbut Hanxiang and I won''t participate in the daily operation of the parliament."


    This wasn''t a democracy, but Zhang Lie didn''t see a problem with it. He would quickly ascend to the third realm, as would Zhang Hanxiang.


    Once they had both departed, the monarchy that Zhang Lie had set up would be a vestigial organ, nothing more. Even if Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang were to have children, that would be a matter for generations in the future.


    That Zhang Lie had been crowned king was more a symbolic gesture than anything else; if the monarchy didn''t participate in simple affairs of parliament, then it might as well not be present.


    Zhang Lie retained power over the entire kingdom, but he wouldn''t exercise it. Instead, he delegated that responsibility to the parliament that he would set up¡ªa standard technique that he had now grown very ustomed to.


    "Who will be prime minister?"


    Zhang Lie blinked. "You?"


    "Didn''t you say that you wanted me to follow in your footsteps?" Yun Bing retorted. "We need to be training a sessor immediately."


    "Very well," Zhang Lie sighed.


    The parliament would rule over day-to-day affairs. The monarch could choose the prime minister and had veto power over parliament, but with Zhang Lie''sissez-faire attitude, the prime minister had de facto authority over the entire kingdom.


    "Have the monarchy choose the prime minister. If all members of the monarchy are in absentia, the choice shall be made by the upper level of parliament. Let that be the standardw for all such decisions."


    "I''ll leave you to polish the ws in this system¡ªjust let me know what you end up changing," Zhang Lie said, waving Yun Bing off.


    "My goodness¡ªyou''re going to throw all this at me, too? It''s your system!"


    "I very much admire your efficiency and administrative abilities, Yun Bing¡ªthey''re far better than mine!"


    "Watch out¡ªone day, I might sell this entire kingdom away!" she gritted.


    Zhang Lie smiled again. "Try it. Would anyone be as daring as to buy it?"


    Indeed, no one in the second realm would now dare to countermand Zhang Lie''s authority.


    Yun Bing clutched her head; her workload had just increased once again. Suddenly, she thought of an interesting nugget of information. "There''s something unusual happening in Renhuang."


    "What is it?"


    "A new race arrived in Renhuang recently, apparently called the Baimei. They''re promoting a new religion in the city."


    The Baimei? That name sounded familiar.?Zhang Lie frowned. "Let them go as they please, as long as their religion doesn''t promote discrimination."


    Everyone had their own beliefs, even the alien races, and Zhang Lie felt it wholly inappropriate to strip that away.


    "As long as they''re not cultists, let them be."


    "Nothing untoward has happened yet, no."


    "Do you know anything about their background?" Even so, Zhang Lie had to be concerned¡ªif he didn''t handle it well, it might spread like a pandemic across the entire kingdom.


    "No, just that theye from far, far away. There haven''t been any problems yet, but I thought this to be an issue worth raising."


    Zhang Lie frowned again. "Aren''t you being rather incautious? You don''t seem to have done much research about them despite their unusual background."


    Yun Bing grinned. "It''s because of their god, you see."


    Had Yun Bing be a convert, too??"Tell me more." Zhang Lie didn''t believe in deities; any lifeform that promoted itself as one and tried to start a cult surely had to be evil.


    "I was given a portrait of their god. Please, have a look." Yun Bing''s smile grew even wider.


    With a flick of Zhang Lie''s hand, the portrait flew over .


    The martial god stood towering above the skies, an aura of strength and force billowing around him. He stood atop eight gigantic dragons, a honed de lifted high above his head.


    All depictions of deities boasted something simr; no cult wanted to disparage their deity on the basis of appearance.


    "This deity... seems rather familiar somehow?"


    "Take a closer look," Yun Bing suggested, snickering.

 Chapter 604: Illusory Training

    <h4>Chapter 604: Illusory Training</h4>


    "Isn''t this... me?!" Zhang Lie finally recognized that he was the one being depicted on the portrait, but that the artist had taken certain liberties with his appearance.


    The Baimei¡­ Zhang Lie finally remembered who they were now! While trying to hunt down disaster-grade lifeforms, he had ughtered a post-peak-grade lifeform following the list coted by the monarch of stars.


    Unexpectedly, the alien race living at the foot of the mountain which this beast made its home treated the beast like a deity. The fact that Zhang Lie had ughtered it was naturally a source of tension.


    Zhang Lie had just killed the lifeform when the alien priest and his followers hade up to the top of the mountain for a sacred ritual, and they caught Zhang Lie red-handed. Fortunately for the Baimei, their priest was intelligent enough to venerate Zhang Lie as their new god instead.


    Zhang Lie had left them a map and amand to find him in Renhuang¡ªand the Baimei had indeed made that thousand-mile journey.


    Zhang Lie found their dedication remarkable and unfortunately rather risible, but he didn''t know what to think about the fact that they had begun trying to spread their religion.


    Yun Bing continued, "Many of the citizens of Renhuang saw your fight against the asura, and they also witnessed your strength for themselves. They already revere you, so the religion is spreading at an amazing rate."


    Was Zhang Lie supposed to stop them? He felt as though he would just make matters worse. With his current strength, he really was quite indistinguishable from a god. In the end, his desire to avoid trouble won out. "Very well¡ªlet them be."


    Once he had finished his business, he would immediately ascend to the third realm; he could afford to let his sessor deal with the issue, couldn''t he?


    Yun Bing was basically able to manage the entire kingdom on her own, and she would onlye to Zhang Lie with matters too important for her to deal with. After making a few other reports, she turned to leave.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Hanxiang had already finished choosing her new mount. Zhang Lie marveled at how smoothly things were going for her¡ªit had taken him far too long to try to finish maxing out his peak gene fragments himself.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie began to train the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Hanxiang, and others in resisting illusion-based techniques by constructing nightmares for them.


    At that very moment, their eyes were all gleaming with a rainbow sheen. Zhang Lie had them experience an illusion, then wake up after a set amount of time. He would repeat that process over and over again, until they were able to develop some resistance to it¡ªjust like how you could develop resistance to poisons by exposing yourself to small quantities of poison at a time.


    Zhang Lie''s training intensified in a simr manner. He started by constructing small nightmares for them, ones that weren''tpletely realistic and would allow them to identify the differences between dream and reality. Ideally, they would be able to jolt themselves awake.


    Subsequently, he would inflict more detailed and moreplicated nightmares on them, until they were almost unable to distinguish between dream and reality, their senses dulled and muddied.


    Zhang Lie felt as though it was almost time to stop. Short bouts of illusion were eptable, but if they were to experience these illusions for too long, they could easily develop mental problems.


    He was rather satisfied with Team Zenith''s ability to resist these illusions, which had started out strong and was growing even stronger with his training. More surprisingly, however, was Hong Xi¡ªher original resistance was even higher than those of the members of Team Zenith.


    Although she still couldn''tpare to Zhang Lie, who had reincarnated, she was still miles beyond the others in terms of mental resilience.


    This wasrgely an artifact of her upbringing and childhood¡ªshe had had to grow strong in a n besieged by what seemed to be an unassable foe in order to take care of her brother. It was a credit to her resilience that she had even survived so long.


    Zhang Lie was also shocked that Zhang Hanxiang''s mental resilience was on par with those of Team Zenith''s. His sister was far less a greenhouse flower than he had given her credit for.


    He caressed his sister''s head lovingly. "Very good. Keep working hard."


    Although Zhang Lie had deliberately softened the impact of her nightmares, it was impressive enough that she had gotten to the third stage in his training already.


    Zhang Hanxiang nced at him with visible unease and dissatisfaction. "Are we still continuing, Brother?"


    Li Feng gasped as hey on the floor drawing breath. "Captain, this is the most horrifying, most disgusting training I''ve ever experienced!"


    Perhaps a hundred years might have passed in an illusion, and even if you knew your world were fake, you didn''t know how to break out. Everyone within seemed as though they were real, and you could easily develop some feelings for them.


    Worse still, Zhang Lie liked toyer these illusions one within the next like a matryoshka doll. Upon breaking out of the first set of illusions, you would find yourself in a second set, rather than reality. And when you discovered something wrong with the second set of illusions and broke through that as well, you might find yourself in a third set.


    Yang Ze''s forehead beaded with sweat. "I killed myself in the illusion¡ªonly to find myself in another one!"


    If not for the fact that Zhang Lie would break them out of their illusions after a set period of time, Yang Ze wouldn''t have been able to distinguish reality from illusion. Eachyer of illusion was more realistic than thest, and it was almost impossible to distinguish them all.


    The firstyer was obviously a dream. The secondyer seemed real, but contained events that would never happen in reality. The thirdyer, on the other hand, was almost a perfect copy of the real world.


    In general, the firstyer was a pleasant dream, the second a nightmare situated in the real world, and the third a dream that seemed infinitely close to being real, just like the one in which Amurong had found himself.


    At times, Zhang Lie would switch the order up, turning the firstyer into a nightmare, the second a pleasant dream, and the third a near-reality nightmare. Unless you were able to distinguish illusion from reality, you could very well be trapped deep within your mind.


    Fang Yi rolled his eyes at Yang Ze. "You''reining about threeyers? I''m already on the fourth¡ªthere''s still a long way to go."


    Yang Ze was repulsed. "Fouryers?! Captain, just how manyyers of illusions did you prepare?"


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "It doesn''t matter how manyyers there are. An illusion is just that, nothing more¡ªas long as you''re able to cleanly distinguish between illusion and reality, as long as you have that willpower, you can break through even 99yers of illusions."


    "99yers! No, there''s no way!" Yang Ze pretended to slump down and froth from his mouth.


    Beside him, Hong Xi really did begin to vomit. Her face was pale, almost stark white. Sun Mengmeng patted her back as she sat by her side. It took Hong Xi a long while to recover, and her face remained pallid all throughout.


    "Just what did you see to make you so ufortable?"


    Hong Xi shuddered with her entire body, as though she didn''t want to relive her experience ever again.

 Chapter 605: To the Farm

    <h4>Chapter 605: To the Farm</h4>


    Fang Yi suggested, "Perhaps you might want to speak about what you experienced? It could help you figure out how to better ovee the same scenario again."


    Hong Xi continued to shiver like a wounded mouse. She raised her head to Zhang Lie and pleaded, "Master, do I have to continue experiencing this?"


    Zhang Lie steeled his expression. "What do you think? When your brother ascends to the second realm, he''ll face the same training."


    Fang Yi began describing his own experiences. "In the fourthyer, I led a wonderful life. I forgot all my old memories and lived in a time of peace.


    The races of the world federation all got along in harmony. The dimensional realm never appeared, and there was no such thing as gic evolution. I was a regr human, who went to university, got married, and had a family and children."


    Hong Xi sighed weakly, "At the beginning, sure. I''ve experienced both pleasant dreams and nightmares in the fourthyer multiple times. I once became a weapon used for international warfare, forced to ughter countless enemies. When the war finally ended, by the time I returned home, my parents and brother had all been killed by an opposing force, and their corpses were mailed back to me dposing and rotten."


    Everyone present shivered. Hong Xi gestured before her. "Can you imagine how it feels to receive such arge package, filled with the only remnants of your family you''d ever have again?"


    This¡ªthis was too cruel. For hunters who hovered at the edge of life and death, however, this wasn''t something that would necessarily cause their mental state to crumble. They consumed gic lifeforms daily and killed for a living; the boundaries of life and death had already begun to blur.


    Hong Xi continued, trembling, "That isn''t it. Subsequently, when I lost in a war, I was enved by the opposing forces, then reared like a dog. Worst of all, the one who enved me looked exactly like my former nemesis from the Musi n. Now that I''m back in the real world, I can''t help but vomit when I recount how I wagged my tail and licked his feet in the illusion."


    The members of Team Zenith let out simultaneous expressions of revulsion.


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. "Brother, don''t you think you''re overdoing it?!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You need to learn to ovee these traumas¡ªthat''s the goal of this training. I can''t control the contents of these illusions. All of you are the ones who do so. The more you fear something, the more the illusion will try to replicate it.


    "I know this is hard, and I know this is challenging, but in case you ever face a foe skilled in such techniques, I can''t have you allnding up in a mental institute like Amurong. Do you understand?"


    .


    Everyone shivered. They had all witnessed what had happened to Amurong, and how the former presiding authority of the world federation had been sent to a mental institute, his reputation and name tarnished for good.


    They had believed that Zhang Lie had done something to him, but they only understood now that it had all been Zhang Lie''s illusions, so strong that even Amurong couldn''t resist them.


    Zhang Hanxiang rushed up to her brother. "I have to train, I have to train! I don''t want to end up naked and dancing in front of strangers!"


    Indeed, having witnessed the adverse effects of sumbing to an illusion, the hunters steeled their hearts and forced themselves to undergo the grueling training.


    Sun Mengmeng requested seriously, "Let''s start a new round of training immediately. I''m prepared."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You''ve all just left the illusions behind. If I send you back in now, your mental state will start to deteriorate¡ªand I want to train you all, not ruin you. We have plenty of time remaining, so let''s go on an excursion."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Is it really alright to pause this training halfway?"


    "Don''t worry. There''s plenty of training ahead for all of you¡ªa continuous cycle ofbat practice, mental resilience training, and a break. We''ll be setting off immediately."


    Zhang Hanxiang was more concerned about something else.


    "Brother, where are we going next?"


    "I''ll show you all the farm that I''ve set up. Once I ascend to the third realm, all of you will be responsible for taking care of it."


    With his hands, Zhang Lie split the air around him, causing them all to appear by the seaside.


    The sea was a crystal-clear blue, its surface unusually calm and cid. Brief gusts of wind rippled the water, causing it to break into a myriad fragments. The sunlight gave the surface of the water a golden gleam. The sky was an unbroken blue, with nothing more than a few wisps of white cloud in sight.


    ncing all around her, Zhang Hanxiang shouted, "It''s the sea!"


    Zhang Lie restored the cracked space behind him.


    The blue of the sky seemed to meld perfectly with the blue of the sea, forming a scenery where the horizon couldn''t be seen.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Zhang Lie, why have you brought us to the sea?"


    Zhang Hanxiang had already removed her shoes and was running barefoot over the beach, the wavespping over her feet. She shouted back, "Why else? To have fun, of course!"


    Her face glowed with joy, as though she were a flower blooming. Her dress was uplifted by the wind. Her bright eyes glittered in the sun brighter than any jewel.


    Zhang Hanxiang felt as though she had returned to an idyllic past, while Zhang Lie watched her quietly from afar, his smile fatherly. He was the only one who remembered acutely that this was the first time that Zhang Hanxiang was walking along the beach with her own two feet.


    As Zhang Hanxiang felt the icy bite of the water, she shivered and chuckled.


    Zhang Lie said, "Rxing was one objective, but another is¡ª"


    Before he could continue, a bout of howling interrupted him. Where the sea and sky met, a line of ck appeared. A horde of gic lifeforms rushed toward Zhang Lie, stirring up the entire ocean. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The idyllic ocean suddenly began to rampage. The members of Team Zenith gathered together and frowned¡ªnone of the lifeforms present were weak; they were uniformly peak-grade.


    They had instinctively all gathered around Zhang Hanxiang, hemming her in from four sides. None of the members of Team Zenith panicked. They knew that they had the ability to defend themselves, and Zhang Lie was there for them too.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Why have these lifeforms appeared here, and in suchrge numbers?"


    Peak-grade lifeforms tended to be leaders of a pack, and it was rare to see two or more in close proximity¡ªbut here was a group of peak-grade lifeforms all gathered together! Just what was leading them, a disaster-grade lifeform?

 Chapter 606: Kingdom of the Sea

    <h4>Chapter 606: Kingdom of the Sea</h4>


    Zhang Lie sped his palms behind his back and calmly watched the horde of peak-grade lifeforms moving toward him. The swarm of lifeforms was sorge that it nketed the ocean in the blink of an eye, but Zhang Lie still had no intention of stepping forward. He continued watching the sight calmly.


    And since Zhang Lie didn''t attack the horde, neither did the members of Team Zenith. They huddled around Zhang Hanxiang and waited for Zhang Lie to make a move.


    Right before the peak-grade lifeforms were about to overwhelm the members of Team Zenith, a crisp, clear female voice called out, "Halt!"


    The voice didn''t sound demanding at all, but the entire horde of lifeforms stopped short. The voice was pleasant and melodious, so much so that it almost sounded synthetic or electronic.


    A gigantic lifeform emerged from among the pack, one hundreds, possibly thousands, of meters tall. It was sorge it took up about five or six ser fields'' worth of space.


    The lifeform seemed to be an erged form of a whale, and standing atop the whale''s head was a young girl. Compared to the whale, she was minute, but her existence was unmissable.


    "Mister!" The girl leapt off the gigantic lifeform toward Zhang Lie, spreading her arms wide open as she fell atop him.


    The sunlight reflected her pale skin and rainbow-colored hair and eyes. She looked resplendent.


    Waves smashed against the shore and retreated back toward the sea. Zhang Lie stretched out his hands and caught the girl in mid-air, who curled up in his arms.


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed a little jealous. "Brother, just who is this girl?"


    Zhang Lie gently let the girl down. "She''s my general of the seas, Zhu."


    Sun Mengmeng walked up to them. "Captain, I didn''t know that the kingdom of Limit had any naval forces!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I constructed it in secret. In theory, it''s just in case we ever need to fend off naval forces in the future, but in practice, they just help feed livestock in my farm."


    "They''re... food?" What was Zhang Lie talking about? Was this a joke?


    Zhang Lie pointed at the pack of peak-grade lifeforms. "As you can all see, I''m raising a flock of fish."


    The crowd stared at the horde of peak-grade lifeforms, then at Zhang Lie.?He called these peak-grade lifeforms fish?


    Sun Mengmeng clutched her face. "I knew that this couldn''t be a natural phenomenon¡ªso you were behind it, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie saw the shock on Team Zenith''s faces, but no understanding. He still hadn''t exined himself clearly enough.


    "Follow me." With a wave of his hand, he pulled everyone into the extra-dimensional space of his whirlpool tyrant soulshard.


    Upon seeing the frightening post-peak-grade lifeforms within the miniature ocean, the members of Team Zenith were astonished. Sun Mengmeng asked, "Just where are we?"


    "My farm, of course."


    "What?!"


    "Didn''t I tell you that we were going to visit my farm?"


    "Yes, but this¡ª"


    This was entirely beyond their expectations. They didn''t expect that this "farm" would be keeping a bunch of peak- or higher-grade lifeforms in an extradimensional space! Such lifeforms were very difficult to find in general, but almost all the lifeforms in Zhang Lie''s personal space were post-peak-grade or higher.


    More aggravatingly, to Zhang Lie, these lifeforms were all "fish".


    If word of this farm ever spread, the entire world federation would be shaken; this news was far more shocking than Zhang Lie establishing a kingdom of his own.


    The members of Team Zenith acutely felt that they were falling behind him; they had no idea when he had done what he did.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, just what are you nning to do with this farm of yours?"


    Li Feng added, "Surely you don''t intend on ruling over the seas as well?"


    Zhu giggled. "Mister''s already done that!"


    "What?!"


    This was the first time they had ever heard of the like. They had carefully been managing the kingdom of Limit, thinking that it would be their grandest aplishment in their career as hunters.


    For this achievement, their names would spread throughout the second realm, as would Zhang Lie''s¡ªbut they had just discovered that founding the kingdom was the tip of the iceberg for Zhang Lie. The kingdom of Limit dominated thend.


    For millennia, no one had been able to ovee the sura''s hegemony; Zhang Lie had done it.


    There was once a time when humans constantly had to live in fear of the sura; Zhang Lie had changed it all.


    No one had ever been able to construct a whole kingdom of humans; Zhang Lie had done it.


    Perhaps in a thousand, ten thousand years from now, all of humanity would still praise his name. No one could eclipse Zhang Lie''s aplishments¡ªhe would be a star of history, a champion of mankind, a hero of legend. But now, Zhang Lie was showing them that he had aplished even more than that.


    Li Feng was almost trembling as he asked, "Captain, did you found a kingdom in the sea at the same time you founded one onnd?"


    No ordinary person could found a kingdom, but Zhang Lie had founded two.


    "More or less," Zhang Lie replied breezily.

 Chapter 607: A Disaster-Grade Farm

    <h4>Chapter 607: A Disaster-Grade Farm</h4>


    The members of Team Zenith had already guessed the answer, but they couldn''t help but be shocked when Zhang Lie confirmed it regardless.


    Just what had Zhang Lie done while he was gone?


    "All I wanted to do was start a farm, but it becamerger andrger just like that..." he murmured in exasperation.


    The members of Team Zenith didn''t know what to say. His small farm had grown to encapste the entire ocean¡ªwho else but Zhang Lie could say such a thing, and just what was his exasperated expression supposed to mean? Didn''t he know how many people wanted to do the same but never seeded?


    It was as though Zhang Lie had been searching for a guard dog, only to bring back the wolf of legends Fenrir.


    Zhang Lie turned his head to Zhu. "Have we really formed a kingdom of the sea?"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t sure whether his farm had met the criteria to form a kingdom of the sea; he had delegated all that work to Zhu.


    Zhu shook her head.


    The members of Team Zenith sighed in relief; Zhang Lie hadn''t aplished as impossible a feat as they expected. A kingdom of the sea couldn''t be constructed out of nowhere; their skills would still be of use.


    That was why they were so shaken by Zhu''s subsequent remarks. "We could easily found such a kingdom, of course, but since our goal is to take over the entire ocean, there''s no need to settle for something so trivial."


    "Indeed."


    Team Zenith''s eyes bulged. Just how ambitious was Zhang Lie?! Was he really trying to rule over the entire ocean as well? His ambition was far toorge to be contained within the second realm. And what did he mean by the fact that founding a kingdom of the sea was meaningless¡ªin that case, why had they worked so hard on the kingdom of Limit?


    They had dedicated all their effort over thest few years to construct the kingdom, to free humanity from the oppression of the sura, to topple the sura for good, and to be the premier force of the realm¡ªand to Zhang Lie, this was almost meaningless.


    Zhang Lie asked Zhu, "How''s the progress?"


    "We''re doing quite well."


    Zhang Lie had handed Zhu control of several post-peak-grade lifeforms and tasked her with conquering the south. She absorbed all defeated forces into her own and formed a truly magnificent army, one that caused the alien races of sea and shore to submit to her.


    With those alien races, sheunched attacks on the strongest races of the sea. Zhu''s forces and authority began to snowball; only when she couldn''t handle things on her own did she ask Zhang Lie to step in.


    Out of nowhere, Zhu had earned a title of her own¡ªthe queen of the seven seas. Only Zhu herself knew that all her power came from Zhang Lie, and all she was doing was helping him grow his farm.


    Li Feng asked, "Captain, are you going to expand to the sky as well?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, there''s no point. I formed a naval force in order to get easy ess to peak and disaster gene fragments."


    There was simply no reason to form an aerial kingdom as well, even if he could. Once he ascended to the third realm, all this would be for naught, anyway. What he did want to do wasy the groundwork for humanity to be able to seed on its own merits.


    Being monarch over the entirety of the second realm was easily within his power, but there really was no point.


    Zhang Lie always set his sights higher and farther, never satisfied with what he had achieved. The second realm had once been challenging for him, but now, all he wanted to do was to cement humanity''s role in the second realm.


    "I built my farm for myself, but I''m passing it down to all of you."


    The members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang were stunned.


    "There are plenty of post-peak-grade lifeforms in the farm, and if you make use of them properly, you can give birth to disaster-grade lifeforms."


    Disaster-grade lifeforms!


    Hong Tianqi hadn''t yet announced the existence of these lifeforms to the world. He was nning to do so in order to establish himself as the presiding authority of the world federation once he took on that role.


    He had intended on setting up specialized hunting teams for such lifeforms, but they didn''t exist in the first realm.


    Zhang Lie''s encounter was an ident, nothing more.


    There were a rare few natural disaster-grade lifeforms in the second realm, but the second realm all but belonged to Zhang Lie by now. Setting up a hunting team would require his approval.


    If he were to do so forcefully, appealing to his position as the presiding authority of the world federation and his own reputation, he would be overstepping his limits, even if Zhang Lie didn''t mind.


    Zhang Lie exined what he knew of disaster-grade lifeforms to everyone present. The members of Team Zenith knew a little because of their previous interactions with Zhang Lie, but this was the first time that Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi were hearing of the affair.


    "So that''s the next level of strength beyond peak-grade! Was a disaster-grade lifeform what destroyed the cksteel settlement?"


    "In that case, do disaster gene fragments exist?"


    "If they''re gic lifeforms, then surely they have gene fragments!"


    Zhang Lie listened to their conversation quietly without interrupting them.


    Finally, Li Feng couldn''t satiate his curiosity any longer. "Captain, just howrge is the difference in strength between peak- and disaster-grade?"


    Yang Ze scoffed. "Do you need to ask? It''s proportional to the difference between mutated- and peak-grade, of course!"


    Zhagn Lie shook his head. "More urately, it''s proportional to the difference between regr- and peak-grade."


    Everyone''s eyes bulged¡ªdisaster-grade lifeforms were far stronger than they had expected.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Disaster-grade lifeforms are particrly troublesome to deal with, but not because of their raw strength. That said, even all of you working together might not be able to take one down¡ªyou''re allcking in strength as well."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded. They understood that they werecking; perhaps they seemed exceptionally strong to the average hunter, but they were nothingpared to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The reason that disaster-grade lifeforms are hard to kill is because their bodies have crystallized. Unless you damage their core, physical attacks are all but useless. They also have immense regenerative abilities."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    "Worst, though, is their rarity. I estimate there are a thousand post-peak-grade lifeforms for every disaster-grade one, and you certainly won''t be able to find a thousand post-peak-grade lifeforms grouped together. Trying to find a disaster-grade lifeform without any information is akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack, and you could very well traipse through the entire second realm without finding one."


    Zhang Hanxiang understood at once. "That''s why you wanted to make your farm, Brother!"


    "Exactly right. In the future, you won''t have to go hunting down these lifeforms like me¡ªjust make sure to feed the fish in this farm. Of course, before that, you''ll have to ovee my training first. With your current strength, it''s almost impossible for you to take down a disaster-grade lifeform. You might not need to fight one in the wild, but I have my reputation to consider."


    "Yes, Captain!" the members of Team Zenith shouted.


    So all that Zhang Lie had done was for them! Paying him back with dedicated training was the least they could do.

 Chapter 608: Committee of Authorities

    <h4>Chapter 608: Committee of Authorities</h4>


    While Zhang Lie was training the members of Team Zenith, Hong Tianqi had finished assembling a newmittee for the world federation.


    He messaged Zhang Lie and said that he had something important to tell him, so Zhang Lie had to return to Earth. When he met with Hong Tianqi, he learned that ns for themittee of authorities had been finalized ahead of schedule and would happen in two days.


    The reason Hong Tianqi had called him back was to ask his opinion about being an authority himself. "Have you decided?"


    .


    Zhang Lie replied that he would be willing to take on such a position, but that he wouldn''t frequently attendmittee meetings.


    If anyone else had said it, Hong Tianqi would have pped them on the face. The presiding authority himself was personally asking Zhang Lie to take on the role, and Zhang Lie replied that he would shirk his responsibilities!


    "If you insist." Against Zhang Lie, however, Hong Tianqi couldn''t seem to muster up any anger at all. He epted easily.


    "In that case, I''m happy to ept."


    Hong Tianqi continued, "Make sure you find a good substitute for yourself if you''re not attending in person."


    "No problem. I''ll certainly be there when themittee is established."


    By this point, Zhang Lie was the most popr hunter on the hunters'' forums bar none. His name was always on-screen; he simply did too much and caused too many incidents. Every two days or so, there would be a new news article about him.


    Two months in the second realm were just six days on Earth, after all.


    The kingdom of Limit had been formed quite some time ago, but it was still a fashionable and popr topic of conversation on the forums. By this time, far more hunters were in support of it rather than against it.


    With his own strength, Zhang Lie had imed the sura territory as his own and founded a kingdom that was thergest force in the second realm. The days of sura tyranny were over; the humans were free to grow and prosper.


    In the light of this information, an evenrger piece of news emerged: the world federation was reforming.


    This piece of information naturally caught the hunters'' attention.


    The day themittee was set to reform, everyone famous or important in the gxy was present at the headquarters of the world federation.


    The headquarters of the world federation had been deserted for thest few months after the schism, but with Hong Tianqi reconstructing themittee, it became the center of attention once again.


    The representatives of various ns flocked into the headquarters of the world federation.


    This was the first time Zhang Lie was present. There was a round table filled with twenty seats in the center of arge auditorium that was filled to the brim.


    Those seated in the stands were only there to listen in and report on the meeting; the authorities would all be seated in the center.


    Zhang Lie noticed several allies of his seated around the table, including representatives from the four prime races. They smiled at each other.


    Zhang Lie was the youngest of themittee members present; perhaps he was even the youngest in recorded history. However, none of the senior members dared to underestimate him. They paid careful attention to newsing out of the gxy, and they knew how instrumental a role he yed in recent events.


    In some respect, much of the news had been directly caused by the young man seated in front of them¡ªand most prominent of all was what had happened to Amurong.


    Amurong had gone crazy after paying a visit to the Zenith Dojo.


    Even though Hong Tianqi had imed that Amurong had gone crazy long ago, that he had simply been triggered that day in the Zenith Dojo, none present at the round table believed his words.


    Although they didn''t know just what had happened within, they were certain that Zhang Lie was responsible for Amurong''s madness. Who could underestimate someone able to topple the sura and construct a kingdom of their own in the second realm?


    Humans were at the bottom of the totem pole when Zhang Lie arrived in the second realm, and quite a few other races, including the sura, had reared humans like livestock. And now? The sura were killed almost to thest, all thanks to the human in front of them.


    Underestimating someone like Zhang Lie would be a death sentence, they were sure. To the othermittee members seated around the table, Zhang Lie was a demon draped in human skin.


    When Hong Tianqi arrived at the scene, Zhang Lie smiled at him, and Hong Tianqi smiled politely back. He nced around the table and saw that all the seats were filled.


    He stood up and announced, "We''ve ovee the darkness. It''s finally time to put an end to an old era and wee the new."


    Those seated around the table pped politely.


    "The only reason I can stand here today is thanks to everyone''s support. I hereby announce that the world federation will begin functioning once more." Hong Tianqi''s gaze swept over everyone present. He had hand-picked themittee members himself; they were those that had stood by him when the schism urred. "First, an important piece of news."


    Everyone nced at Hong Tianqi, who was scrolling through a report. "The leader of the limit fragment researchboratory and of the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie, has discovered a ss of lifeforms beyond even peak-grade."


    What? Weren''t peak-grade lifeforms the highest ss of lifeforms that existed? Otherwise, why would they be known as peak-grade?


    Hong Tianqi continued, "Because these lifeforms are disasters that walk the realm, they will be called disaster-grade lifeforms."


    With a p of his hands, his aides distributed a copy of the reports to eachmittee member.


    "These lifeforms boast a hundred times the strength of a regr peak-grade lifeform, and they are to peak-grade lifeforms what peak-grade lifeforms are to regr-grade ones. Their bodies have crystallized, and they''rergely resistant to any forms of physical damage. Their core is their only weakness," Hong Tianqi introduced.


    Zhang Lie peered at the report. The first few pages were useless; they were simply the notes that he had shared with Hong Tianqi.


    The remainder of the report was a list of incidents expected to have been caused by disaster-grade lifeforms, including the destruction of the cksteel settlement. It was clear that, in thest few years, the world federation had been coting information about these incidents and the lifeforms behind them. They were clearly stronger than usual peak-grade lifeforms, but the world federation had yet to settle on a standard ssification for them.


    The othermittee members, recalling their own experiences with what could usibly have been such lifeforms, were initially surprised but quickly grew to ept this information.


    One member proposed, "If there are disaster-grade lifeforms, are there disaster gene fragments?"


    "Of course," Zhang Lie responded.


    "Have you obtained any?" themittee member pressed, prompting the attention of everyone around the round table.


    Zhang Lie nodded. It was something that would have been revealed sooner orter; hiding the truth was meaningless.


    The members were somewhat shocked, but it did exin the abnormal strength that Zhang Lie disyed while fighting against the asura. Zhang Lie had likely already known about such gene fragments very early on, and he had already begun acquiring them...


    "How are their effectspared to peak gene fragments?"


    "They''re iparable," Zhang Lie replied. "Just one disaster gene fragment is stronger than a hundred peak ones."

 Chapter 609: The Disaster-Grade Revelation

    <h4>Chapter 609: The Disaster-Grade Revtion</h4>


    Everyone was silent. One disaster gene fragment was the equivalent of a hundred peak gene fragments?!


    The information rapidly filtered throughout the Milky Way, prompting a massivemunal search for these supposed disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Unfortunately, such lifeforms were so rare as to be almost non-existent, particrly in the first realm, which was far too weak for disaster-grade lifeforms. Zhang Lie''s encounter was a pure ident, nothing more.


    In the second realm, however, the hunters'' efforts were more fruitful. Working together, they had identified quite a few such lifeforms, causing even Zhang Lie to be impressed.


    The moment the meeting finished, Zhang Lie returned to the Zenith Dojo.


    At this point, from experience, he knew that it was easy to mistake post-peak-grade and disaster-grade lifeforms.


    "Ah, look¡ªsomeone issued a bounty for information on such lifeforms! Wait, Hong Tianqi''s doing it too! And I''m sure they''ll be trying to hunt down such lifeforms sooner orter..."


    ...but how many would die as a result?


    When the existence of such lifeforms had been revealed in his past life, a lot of overeager hunters who didn''t know their limits had died. Despite the fact that limit-breaking potions could now be obtained, disaster-grade lifeforms were still far too strong for the average hunter.


    Only those who had encountered them would understand their might.


    Zhang Hong sent a cup of coffee into Zhang Lie''s office. "How did the meeting go yesterday?"


    Zhang Lie put both hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "It was very boring."


    After the initial revtion of disaster-grade lifeforms, the rest of the meeting revolved around various problems in other sr systems.


    .


    "Themittee members even voted to give me an award."


    "An award?"


    "For making an overwhelming contribution in the second realm by constructing a kingdom and giving the hunters of the Milky Way a stable foundation for their development. However, I rejected the award."


    Zhang Hong seemed surprised. "Why? Isn''t the award a good thing?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Ites with the expectation that I would do something simr in the future. If I ept, I''ll be saddled with responsibilities I''d rather avoid."


    Zhang Lie preferred his freedom, thank you very much.


    Zhang Hong nodded, then asked, "Should we build a hunting team for these disaster-grade lifeforms ourselves?"


    "Are there hunters in the dojo who are interested?"


    "All sorts of factions have been sending us inquiries about cooperation, and there are many willing to provide us with manpower and resources. Their terms are very generous. A lot of hunters in the first realm have now joined our settlement, and hunting teams preferentially ept those from the Zenith Dojo.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. "They don''t want our hunters¡ªjust our information."


    To date, only Zhang Lie was known to have any experience hunting down disaster-grade lifeforms, and those forces believed that he might have revealed something to the members of the dojo that he didn''t in public.


    However, Zhang Lie had basically shared all the information he had with Hong Tianqi; there was no information for him to squirrel away. The only important piece of information he had neglected, which only Zhang Hanxiang and the members of Team Zenith knew about, was the artificial farm he had constructed in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie rubbed his jaw. "ept the requests to form hunting teams. We have no reason to refuse such generous terms."


    "In that case, is there special information or experience that you''d like to share with these factions?"


    "In theory, I''ve told everyone everything..."


    Zhang Lie mulled things over for a moment. His sess had been predicated on his overwhelming strength, which wouldn''t be useful for the general public.


    "The most important thing to understand is that different disaster-grade lifeforms have different attributes. By figuring out what those attributes are and determining their weaknesses, hunting down such lifeforms will be much safer."


    Zhang Hong nodded. "We''ll be sharing this information with any hunters we cooperate with, then?"


    "The second point is to make sure that they raise their strength to the utmost before attempting to take down such lifeforms."


    Zhang Hong nodded again. "I''ll make sure to inform our coborators of these two points."


    "Good. Alright, we''re done here, and I have to head back to the second realm." Zhang Lie drained his cup of coffee and walked over to the teleportation array.


    When he returned to the second realm, he found the members of Team Zenith hard at work training. Time passed like a dream.


    Yelling, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Hurled forward by wind and storm, the spear shot forward with incredible force. Fang Yi''s spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. it left a dozen afterimages in its wake, surrounding Zhang Lie''s body.


    "Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Lie praised, but he hadn''t taken a single step.


    The sh of metal filled the room. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, but Zhang Lie seemed to be able to block all his attacks with careless sweeps of his arm. No matter what he did, the tip of his spear would stop inches from Zhang Lie. Fang Yi knew that Zhang Lie surely had made a move, but his movements were so rapid that Fang Yi didn''t detect them at all.


    But Fang Yi never gave up. As Fang Yi attacked, Zhang Lie''s body was buffeted by billowing winds and a gathering storm.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    Thebination of wind and storm generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    "Very good¡ªyou''ve improved much more than before. You understand the intery between strength and flexibility now, so let me show you something new."


    This was the first time Fang Yi had seen Zhang Lie move in this match with him. He leisurely stretched out a hand, his motions as slow as those of a snail, but his technique seemed to be faster than even Fang Yi''s own [Heaven''s Judgment].


    Fang Yi''s forehead beaded with sweat. Among the members of Team Zenith, Fang Yi had the fastest technique, but he was unable to keep up with Zhang Lie even in the domain of his expertise.


    With a casual flick, Zhang Lie dissipated the wind and lightning surrounding the spear, sending it flying through the air before its tip speared the ground. Fang Yi himself had been sent flying. By the time he regained his senses, he was lying beside his spear.


    Everything had moved too quickly, so quickly he couldn''t believe it.


    "Did you intuit something?"


    Fang Yi wasn''t hurt. He leapt up from the ground and bowed to Zhang Lie. "Thank you for the pointers, Captain. It''s something to deal with time, isn''t it?"


    "Indeed." Zhang Lie smiled and nodded. He had since gained a deeper understanding of the twelve ste of the monarch of stars, and he was able to disrupt the passage of time in the realm owing to his personal strength. Now of space nor time could constrain Zhang Lie any longer.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear at Zhang Lie. "Here''s my finishing blow. Captain, I''ming for you!"

 Chapter 610: Zhang Lies Advice

    <h4>Chapter 610: Zhang Lie''s Advice</h4>


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Launch your attack!"


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones. The spear thrusts and strikes came toward Zhang Lie from every direction.


    "You''re even faster than before!" Zhang Lie praised, though he still didn''t move.


    The spear thrusts pierced Zhang Lie, revealing him to be an illusion, but that illusion continued to talk. "You''ve made very good progress on the technique you intuited from the twelve ste."


    Fang Yi''s forehead beaded with sweat. Sweat drenched his clothing and beaded down his back. He had tried his hardest to maintain the technique for as long as he could, but to no avail. He couldn''t even touch the hem of Zhang Lie''s clothing.


    Fang Yi''s spear thrust through space and time, but Zhang Lie''s body remained stubbornly immaterial.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques.


    The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time. The only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi''s spear. Even so, the spear was only able to move inches at a time, no faster than a snail''s crawl, as it headed toward Zhang Lie.


    Just as the spear was about to touch Zhang Lie''s head, Zhang Lie snorted, smashing the dim, gray field of stasis apart.


    The spear flew through the air andnded on the ground, just like Fang Yi. By the time he regained his senses, he was lying beside his spear. What had just happened?


    Zhang Lie sped both hands behind his back and asked again, "Did you understand?"


    Fang Yi sat upright. "I did! You were ahead of me this entire time, Captain¡ªwe weren''t in the same timeline! As a result, no matter how fast I was, no matter how rapidly I attacked, all I would be doing damage to was your afterimage."


    Zhang Lie turned back. "And what do all of you think?"


    Yang Ze sped both palms over his mouth as he tried to rein in hisughter.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Hanxiang replied earnestly, "So that''s what happened! If you''ve passed to another timeline, then you might as well be objects in two different dimensions, unable to intersect or touch each other."


    Yang Ze clutched his stomach. "I can''t hold it in anymore¡ªno, no, all this nonsense about time is just a red herring!"


    "Really? What was wrong?" Zhang Hanxiang asked.


    Yang Ze smiled. "All Zhang Lie did was to use his water-attuned gic energy to create an illusion of himself, and all of Fang Yi''s attacks struck at that illusion. They naturally didn''t hurt Zhang Lie."


    "Really?" Fang Yi and Zhang Hanxiang both seemed astounded.


    Zhang Lie nodded as he smiled as well.


    Yang Ze had seen through Zhang Lie not because Yang Ze was stronger than Fang Yi or Zhang Hanxiang, but because he likewise had a water attunement. Though Zhang Lie''s illusion was deftly crafted, Yang Ze had noticed its signs.


    Zhang Lie continued, "What I want to impart upon you is that you need to pay attention to detail, even if you have ess to what might seem to be a superior power. You could have noticed that I was using an illusion from almost the very beginning, but you were all caught up in my tempo. As a result, Fang Yi, no matter how quickly you attacked, no matter how strong your attacks were, you could never have hurt me."


    "When was this?!" Fang Yi asked in shock.


    He simply couldn''t believe that he had been fighting an illusion all this time, that he had lost not to temporal power beyond his ken, but rather a small trick.


    "From the very start, I said. My illusion was just an inch or two off from the very beginning, and you wouldn''t have noticed it in an intense battle. As the fight continued, I increased the distance between myself and my illusion. By the second bout, I was already a meter away."


    "Y-You''re crazy!" Fang Yi shouted.


    They had exchanged a flurry of blows from the very beginning; the fact that Zhang Lie was able to defend himself while simultaneously constructing a detailed illusion beggared belief.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Sometimes, a little trick can be all you need to secure victory. Make sure you''re not being controlled or directed by your opponent. You believed that I would only use superior techniques against you, but small tricks are sometimes all you need."


    Fang Yi grumbled, "You call that a small trick?"


    No one else would be able to replicate what Zhang Lie had done in such high-intensitybat.


    .


    Zhang Lie asked, "Would you like me to show you more?"


    Fang Yi reared back and shook his head warily. "No, no, Captain, you''re too strong for the likes of me!"


    "What, you can''t keep up? Don''t you have any more stamina?"


    It was past time for Zhang Lie to check how the members of Team Zenith were doing.


    "Don''t, don''t! Captain, I admit defeat, I surrender! Don''t just look at me¡ªhow about the others?" Fang Yi scampered behind Yang Ze and the other members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Your [Heaven''s Judgment] is about as strong as you can get it within this realm, but your attacks are still more rigid than I''d like. I rmend that you try to develop its speed instead¡ªyou can try to augment it with the power of time that you intuited, advancing it to another level entirely."


    "Thank you, Captain!" Fang Yi bowed earnestly.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze turned to Yang Ze. "Since youughed so loudly just now, let''s see how you perform next."


    "Looks like I won''t be able to avoid a thrashing, either," Yang Ze murmured, unwillingly stepping forward. He had grown leaner under Zhang Lie''s hellish training, but his eyes were sharper and steelier than ever before, as though he were a deepsea shark hunting for prey...

 Chapter 611: A Great Kick

    <h4>Chapter 611: A Great Kick</h4>


    "Captain, here Ie!" Yang Ze drew his greatsword. White fog burst forth from around him, surrounding the entire space.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You''ve grown faster than before, and your maniption of water-attuned gic energy is deftly controlled. It''s just that¡ª"


    Hundreds of sharks swam toward Zhang Lie.


    "¡ªthere''s nothing interesting about repeating the same attack on arger scale." Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "[The Boundless de: Fade]!"


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. Even without loosing a punch, he was able to cause his water-attuned gic energy to reverberate through the air, sending the fog and shark hordes flying.


    However, there was nothing in sight. Yang Ze had darted to Zhang Lie''s back, where he lifted his greatsword high over his head.


    Zhang Lie twisted his head and looked at him, at which point Yang Ze''s body dissipated like ripples disturbing a calm body of water. Zhang Lie was able to make use of his gic energy to conjure illusions; Yang Ze was even more skilled at this technique than he was.


    "I''m right here, Captain!" Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze seemed to phase in and out of existence.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that Yang Ze had a very deep understanding of [Mirrored Refraction]. He swam through the air, leaving buds of water behind. Zhang Lie had seen him use these buds to great effect in the past, and they were extremely annoying to deal with.


    Yang Ze had unusual skill at manipting his gic energy.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to counter his technique with brute force. He punched toward a direction with nothing in sight, but Yang Ze, still swimming through the air, suddenly seemed shocked.


    Heunched a [Fists of the Silent Sea] of his own in yet another direction. The two punches didn''t seem as though they should intersect, but unusually, they did. The two fists met head-on, and Yang Ze''s body burst into another wave of ripples.


    Fang Yi swore¡ªthe Yang Ze who had appeared in mid-air was actually just a detailed illusion! And Zhang Lie was standing in an entirely different position than he had been just moments before.


    Fang Yi had been tricked precisely because of this technique that both Zhang Lie and Yang Ze seemed to have honed to an unbelievable level¡ªhe couldn''t help but think that they were opponents very well suited for each other.


    It waspletely impossible to determine whether the Yang Ze that he could see was real or fake; he had known that Yang Ze might pull something like that, but try as he might, he couldn''t find any tells.


    He might very well send his strongest attack against a clone, and present his back to what he thought was a clone but was actually Yang Ze himself.


    Yang Ze''sbat style was to wreath himself in illusions so detailed one couldn''t discern them from reality, and hepletely countered someone like Fang Yi, who relied on simple martial ability.


    The fight between Yang Ze and Zhang Lie was essentially one of technique, not strength.


    Everyone else was likewise captivated by the fight. All of them had thought that the Yang Ze in front of them was the real thing, but it really was difficult to tell. They hadn''t managed to distinguish Yang Ze from his clones, either.


    Indeed, the members of Team Zenith uniformly avoided fighting with Yang Ze as much as they could, because he was too disgusting an opponent.


    Bursts of water filled the battlefield, and the buds that Yang Ze had ced initially finally exploded. Lotus flowers made of pure water blossomed from the buds, each an intricate construct of gic energy.


    As the flowers bloomed, they released ripple after ripple of water-attuned gic energy, criss-crossing in mid-air and exploding into huge torrents of water. The battlefield soon became a roaring sea, and waves seemed to crest over the twobatants.


    Any ordinary hunter would have been torn to pieces by the water-attuned gic energy.


    This was a new technique that Yang Ze had developed by dedicated training: [The Lotus Blooms].


    He knew that this technique wouldn''t be able to hurt Zhang Lie; unless he had the time to amass a thousand such blooms, Zhang Lie could easily negate the force of this gic energy. He was a water-attuned hunter as well, and one who had more mastery over his element than Yang Ze.


    Unless Yang Ze had the time and energy to overwhelm Zhang Lie in one massive explosion, he wouldn''t be able to use this technique against him. The first time he had tried out the technique inbat, Zhang Lie allowed him to amass his gic energy andunch his technique at full strength.


    This was the one and only time that Zhang Lie had gotten serious during training; he eventually caused the blooms to dissipate with brute force.


    Ever since then, Zhang Lie hadn''t given him the time to charge up his technique to full power.


    As the lotus flowers blossomed, however, the density of water-attuned gic energy reached a critical point.


    "Have a taste of my de!" Yang Ze shouted. Water-attuned gic energy gathered around the twobatants. As the aura of [The Boundless de] exuded from Yang Ze, a giant shark emerged behind him, opening its maw wide so everyone could see its rows upon rows of sharp teeth. "Captain, here Ie! [The Boundless de: Shark''s Wrath]!"


    Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself toward Zhang Lie.


    Its maw wasrge enough that it seemed as though it could swallow up even earth and sky, and its sharp teeth and ferocious aura caused even the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang to take a step back.


    If that shark were to smash against the ground, a huge wave of water would swamp them all.


    Zhang Lie smiled, reminiscing the past. "Do you remember a simr bout we had back in the Zenith Dojo?"


    He lifted an arm, and a serpent materialized around him. A ck serpent uncoiled from behind Zhang Lie''s back. As it raised its head, waves of dark energy flooded the room. As the serpent hissed, ck ripples spread out from its body, releasing waves of corrosive energy that scoured the battlefield.


    The members of Team Zenith had grown since then, but so had Zhang Lie. Even before the giant shark shed against the waves of corrosive energy, it grew weaker and weaker as it approached Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, but Yang Ze didn''t dare to meet his attack fist for fist. He knew that doing so was asking to die¡ªeven with the best regenerative potion that the Yeluo n had to offer, he would be bedridden for a week at least.


    As the giant shark struck the serpent, its body dissolved into water-attuned gic energy. Zhang Lie kicked the air, sending Yang Ze, still thirty meters or so away, flying out of the battlefield


    and skidding over the ground for more than a hundred meters before his momentum waspletely sapped.

 Chapter 612: Squeezing Out Potential

    <h4>Chapter 612: Squeezing Out Potential</h4>


    "You''ve done very well for yourself. It''s clear that you''ve mastered thebination of spatial and water-attuned techniques in your arsenal," Zhang Lie praised.


    Yang Ze sighed as he scrambled up from the ground. "Ah, I''m still too weak! Captain, if you came at me seriously, I probably wouldn''t be able to defend against a single blow of yours."


    Yang Ze''s shark had been dispelled immediately upon smashing against the serpent''s corrosive body. He understood that the difference between him and Zhang Lie was like that between a chicken''s egg and a diamond.


    "Nonsense¡ªyour current development is already excellent. You''ve surpassed me down your chosenbat style and route as a hunter."


    Notably, Zhang Lie didn''t ask Yang Ze if he had intuited anything; he had already begun developing his own techniques that made up for his shorings and increased his repertoire of options.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yi seemed to be as straight and direct as a spear, without any flexibility whatsoever.


    Zhang Lie hoped that Fang Yi could learn from Yang Ze, who was as formless as water. He was difficult to sense or see, who made use of the battlefield creatively and had dozens of tricks or techniques for avoiding, deflecting, baffling, confusing, and misdirecting his opponent while setting the stage for himself.


    "I''ve already tested Fang Yi and Yang Ze, so which of you is up next?"


    "Me, me!" Sun Xiaowu rushed forward. Unlike Fang Yi''s speed and strength, Sun Xiaowu focused on sharpness.


    Zhang Lie was very pleased with the results of Fang Yi and Yang Ze''s training. From the aura emanating from Sun Xiaowu, he seemed to have made equally significant progress.


    As for Sun Xiaowu, he certainly didn''t dare take it easy against an opponent like Zhang Lie. Their captain hadn''t cked off; he seemed to be progressing farther and farther aheadpared to them.


    Sun Xiaowu raised a hand, his polearm gleaming with resplendent light.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in a burst of golden feathers as they rained down on the battlefield. However, the golden feathers all seemed to skirt by Zhang Lie without touching him.


    "To have honed [Golden Divide] to such an extent must have required intensive training," Zhang Lie remarked.


    Sun Xiaowu had grown far stronger than he had expected, surely a result of an endless amount of hard work. A minute''s worth ofbat might have taken ten years'' worth of experience, after all.


    The thousand clones formed a battalion that charged toward Zhang Lie even as Zhang Lie began to smile.


    "Show me just how much stronger you''ve be! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" The frightening aura that exuded from Zhang Lie like a flood, like a typhoon, vanquished all the clones and extinguished Sun Xiaowu''s golden radiance.


    "Take this! [Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, shining brightly as they absorbed Zhang Lie''s attack.


    The ground quaked; the sky shook. The strength of Zhang Lie''s fists shed against [Adamantine Aegis] and released what sounded like the deep tolling of a bell.


    Waves of energy exploded from the point of impact. The members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang clutched their heads in pain as the runic script dissipated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" The next moment, Sun Xiaowu''s body divided into thousands of illusions as Zhang Lie watched on in pride.


    It was then that he sensed a fluctuation of gic energying from behind. "Hmm? Interesting."


    His lips curled up into a smile as he noticed something amiss.


    "I''m behind you, Captain!" Sun Xiaowu called out in delight, thinking that his deception had seeded. "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    Intense strength emanated from his body. Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    Zhang Lie met Sun Xiaowu''s punch with one of his own in a direct strike, causing the golden energy to explode over thend. Sun Xiaowu''s image cracked and fizzled away¡ªthat "Sun Xiaowu" had just been one of his clones.


    Fang Yi chuckled bitterly. "Can''t you all actually fight properly for once?"


    But Sun Xiaowu wasn''t finished. Golden radiance covered the sky as his clones gathered together, each seeming simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. A golden glow radiated from all their bodies, basking the world in light.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. He rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he punched at Zhang Lie, who met him with nothing but his bare hands.


    If anyone else had met his strongest blow with nothing but their unprotected body, Sun Xiaowu would have mocked them for their arrogance, but when he saw Zhang Lie do so, his eyes were filled with disappointment.?Indeed...


    Zhang Lie''s palm alone was sufficient to stop the golden qilin''s might. His palm was far smaller than the massive qilin, but it boasted ridiculous strength.


    "Captain, you''re far too strong!" Sun Xiaowu gasped.


    Just then, Zhang Lie tossed the qilin back toward him, causing Sun Xiaowu to panic. He immediately activated [Adamantine Aegis]. The golden qilin struck Sun Xiaowu in a burst of golden light.


    When the explosion cleared, Sun Xiaowu was left standing. His armor had transformed him into a ten-meter tall golden giant surrounded by runes.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very good. I was about to lecture you on training your techniques but not your body, but you''ve clearly ovee that difficulty. It looks like you''ve developed both your offense and defense very well, so let''s continue."


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head fervently. "No, Captain, don''t! You''re far too strong; I''ve had enough!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "There''s still more potential in you yet! Take this¡ª[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"

 Chapter 613: Swords of Light

    <h4>Chapter 613: Swords of Light</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s punch sent a wave of roiling ck energy toward Sun Xiaowu, destroying everything in sight.


    "Captain, don''t get so serious!" Sun Xiaowu jumped back in shock; this attack would be quite dangerous if itnded.


    "Xiaowu!" Sun Mengmeng cried out in worry. She trusted Zhang Lie, of course, but she couldn''t help but see her beloved brother in danger.


    Under stress, Sun Xiaowu''stent potential sparked to life. Golden radiance emanated from his body as the runes surrounding him began to swivel and rotate at their maximum speed.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Explode]!" Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden giant, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward with immense force and surprising speed toward the ck serpent''s body, but no matter how he attacked, the energy from his golden fists was corroded away the moment it touched the serpent''s body.


    Even so, Sun Xiaowu''s [Goldenscale Palm] was indeed sapping away at Zhang Lie''s strength, one small drop at a time.


    As Zhang Lie''s destructive aura drew closer and closer, Sun Xiaowuunched a zing finisher.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light so intense that everyone was forced to cover their eyes. He was surrounded by a storm of golden runes. The golden giant had grown to three times its size, with an even more imposing aura.


    For some reason, the golden giant looked a little like Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie nodded to himself. The hunter with the mosttent potential among those gathered here wasn''t the skilled illusionist Yang Ze, nor the straightforward and direct spearmaster Fang Yi, but rather she who possessed the [Avatar of the Fae], Zhou Ying.


    In terms of fighting potential, however, that honor went to Sun Xiaowu. Without pressuring him a little, it would be impossible to identify the limits of that strength.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Golden light basked the entirend as a golden qilin emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s palms.


    The qilin was wreathed in a dazzling array of golden runes that made it look like a miniature sun. When it shed against Zhang Lie''s destructive strength, it... won out. The world regained its color. Sun Xiaowuy weakly on the ground panting, his head raised toward the sky. He had squeezed out all his strength and energy, and he was too weak to even move his fingers now.


    Sun Mengmeng released a deep breath.


    Zhang Lie pped. "Very well done, Sun Xiaowu. That was an excellent punch at the end."


    That he was able to summon the qilin without relying on the strength of his clones represented a massive advancement.


    Sun Xiaowu was one of those hunters who grew in battle; the more difficult the battle, the faster he advanced. Zhang Lie would have to keep pushing him so that he could discover his limits.


    "However, I think you can make your attacks even more forceful. You may want to work onbining your [Blinding sh] with your [Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]¡ªI think thatbination has a lot of potential."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, how strong was that punch of yours at the very end?"


    "Perhaps... a hundredth of my maximum strength?" Zhang Lie had to think about his response for quite some time.


    Sun Xiaowu chuckled bitterly to himself. There he was, dead to the world, and Zhang Lie had barely used his strength at all!


    "As you know, if I attack at full force, I''ll damage the integrity of the second realm permanently, so I can hardly use more than that." Zhang Lie turned to Li Feng. "I believe it''s your turn."


    "Here Ie, Captain!"


    "Very well. Show me how you''ve improved in the past few months."


    Li Feng thrust his sword toward Zhang Lie and sent a silver dragon surging toward him. It was far stronger an attack than Zhang Lie had anticipated, but Zhang Lie dissipated it in the blink of an eye. Li Feng stumbled back in the resulting explosion.


    "Not bad¡ªyou''re as fast as expected for a light-attuned hunter."


    "As fast as expected? Captain, I didn''t even see your attack!" Li Feng might be outmatched, but he wasn''t about to give up just yet. "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of a few white dragons, which he shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "Very good!" Zhang Lie scattered the dragons with a wave of his left arm as Li Feng morphed into a beam of light and shot toward him.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    However, the same thing happened again. The dozens of serpents were torn to shreds before they could touch Zhang Lie. How could it be? He had attacked at close range! Li Feng suspected that Zhang Lie had used some trick or another¡ªfor example, splintering space around him into a flurry of shards, which would dispel any attack directed toward him, or making use of his water-attuned gic energy to form a series of formless des that would serve as his shield.


    Frowning, he asked, "Captain, just what are you doing?"


    "Would your opponents tell you what they''re doing?" Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "If they do, they''re surely misdirecting you. Would you like to make this a mental battle, too?"


    Li Feng shook his head earnestly. Fighting with Yang Ze was hard enough, but Zhang Lie was even more wily.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    "Not bad!" Zhang Lie smiled. His palm clenched into a fist, which he struck at the beam of light descending from above.


    With an explosion of ck mist, a ck serpent swallowed the dragon whole as the sword of light descended from Li Feng''s hands.


    Zhang Lie grabbed the sword with his bare hands. Compared to the gigantic de, his palms were infinitesimally small, but his grip alone was able to halt its advance. As Zhang Lie squeezed the de, it dissipated into motes of energy in mid-air...

 Chapter 614: Do You Understand?

    <h4>Chapter 614: Do You Understand?</h4>


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on Zhang Lie like a beam of light.


    Struck by the dazzling light, the onlookers had to shield their eyes.


    "Come!" Zhang Lie''s ck serpent rushed forward and devoured the pir of light, sending Li Feng flying into the distance. Li Feng clutched his palm in pain, sucking in air as he dealt with the bacsh from the blow.


    "Ah, sorry, I got too excited!"


    "I can continue, Captain!" Li Feng''s eyes grew resolute.


    Zhang Lie nodded approvingly. "Let''s do so, then."


    Li Feng replied, "I''ve emted one of your techniques with my own, Captain, and I''d like to get your opinion of it."


    "Very well."


    Li Feng''s aura grew to its peak. Wrapped up in shining light, an arclight dragon emerged from his body and circled upwards.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Li Feng shouted. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air before diving toward the ground.


    Li Feng''s [Light''s Bulwark: Hundred Dragons Soaring] mirrored his own variant of [Fists of the Silent Sea], except his ck dragons had transformed into Li Feng''s white ones. The quality and quantity of these dragons were ?iparable to his, but they bore Li Feng''s distinctive mark.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, his gic energy materializing in the form of the head of a bloody dragon, one that devoured Li Feng''s dragons whole. The frightening energy shook the skies and splintered the heavens.


    Just as the dragon was about to smash into Li Feng''s body, Zhang Lie waved a hand and dispelled his attack.


    Li Feng''s body was drenched with sweat. He sank to the ground, whereupon Zhang Lie called out, "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine, I''m fine. Captain, I simply can''t believe your strength!"


    "Did you intuit something from thatst technique?"


    Li Feng mulled things over for a moment. "Captain, your skill was too amazing. I simply can''t absorb it all at the moment."


    "Think about it some more, then try to test out what you understand from it." Zhang Lie patted him on the back.


    The members of Team Zenith fell into deep thought. Hong Xi nodded as though she had understood something. Sun Xiaowu looked as though he had gleamed some inspiration, but lost it the next moment. Zhang Hanxiang turned to her brother and asked, "Brother, why do you have to be so mysterious?"


    Yang Ze exined, "What our captain means is that we can learn from his techniques, from his behavior and philosophy, from hisbat, but we can''t emte himpletely. If we do so, we''d be ruining our own futures."


    Zhang Lie nodded firmly at Yang Ze.


    Of the four hunters he had tested, Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng had both been influenced by his skills, whereas Fang Yi persisted down his own path. As yet, however, Yang Ze was the only one who had developed something entirely his own.


    That said, Zhang Lie didn''t necessarily think that Yang Ze was doing the best of all the members of Team Zenith. Every hunter had their own strengths and weaknesses, and their paths to glory would be different.


    In terms ofbat ability, Sun Xiaowu took the lead. Yang Ze''s finesse and thoughtfulness with his techniques were unparalleled, and Fang Yi''s devotion to his path would surely bear fruit.


    It remained to test the four females.


    "Let me go first." Sun Mengmeng strode forward, her garuda bow materializing in her hands.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward her opponent.


    With a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie caused the three ming arrows to explode in mid-air.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut. Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, everything began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. However, the ming arrows seemed to avoid Zhang Lie entirely; even the purple mes spreading across the ground did the same.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. She loosed arrows more and more quickly, until her hands blurred. Purple arrows struck the ground like raindrops in a storm, drowning out Zhang Lie''s figure. When her arrows exploded, they formed pirs of me over ten meters high.


    For an entire minute, Sun Mengmeng continuedunching arrows through the battlefield. She panted for breath; her fingertips trembled. All she could see was purple me.


    "Is this all you''ve got?" Zhang Lie''s voice sounded from amidst those mes. With a snap of his finger, ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The mes were easily extinguished by his spatial maniption.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air, blocking the pulse of energy from Zhang Lie''s attack.


    As the full moon rose, Sun Mengmeng leapt off the ground, then rushed forward with her daggers in hand.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    The ck moon behind her, the wind her wings, Sun Mengmeng rocketed herself forward, trailed by a streak of purple me. She glowed with such brilliance that the spectators all stared at her agape.


    With the barest hissing, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger. As she thrust forward, Zhang Lie swiveled his body to the side to avoid her de, grabbed ahold of her by the waist, and pirouetted on one leg to dissipate her forward momentum.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes shone with passion and scorching me, as though she were trying to light Zhang Lie aze. Zhang Lie gazed directly back at Sun Mengmeng as he spun more and more rapidly. Sun Mengmeng closed her eyes and leaned forward¡ª


    Zhang Lie suddenly let go of Sun Mengmeng, sending her flying into the distance like a javelin. She flew higher and higher into the air, higher still, until she finallynded by the side of a mountain with so much momentum that her body was half-stuck in ce.


    The members of Team Zenith winced.


    Zhang Lie sped both hands behind his back. "Did you intuit something?"


    Hong Xi turned aside, unable to watch the scene any further.


    Zhang Hanxiang chided, "Brother, if you keep this up, you''ll be alone for the rest of your life!"

 Chapter 615: An Immense Blow

    <h4>Chapter 615: An Immense Blow</h4>


    Yang Ze shook his head. "I was always very curious why our captain didn''t have a girlfriend despite his personality and strength, and now I know..."


    Zhang Hanxiang chided, "Brother, can''t you read the room?!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "What are all of you thinking? We''re here to train¡ªor do all of you want to run a few hundredps around the borders of Limit?"


    Yang Ze hurriedly shouted back, "Well done, Captain, well done!"


    Hong Xi murmured, "There''s a lot to learn from that interaction, I think."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "Mengmeng''s techniques were very good. She wrapped gic energy around herself like a robe, bolstering her offense and defense¡ªand she looked good while doing it, too. If not for the fact that she was fighting against my brother, she would surely have won."


    Sun Mengmeng climbed out of the ground, her face gray with dust and caked with mud. She howled, "Zhang Lie!"


    Her body burned with purplish-ck me so intense that it dyed the heavens the same color.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very good! This is exactly the attitude you should bring to training, but I think you can magnify your aura some more¡ªimagine, for example, that I were your father''s killer. Did you manage to intuit something from our bout?"


    "Intuit¡ªyou bastard!" Sun Mengmeng materialized her garuda bow, which instantly lit up with me so hot it could burn the very air itself. Even from afar, the members of Team Zenith could sense the sudden change in temperature, and the scorching heat pricked their skin.


    Zhang Hanxiang raised both her arms and called out, "Mengmeng, please don''t open fire recklessly! We''re innocent!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s mouth spasmed. "It looks like my sister''s really angry."


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes. "I would be, too. What a romantic scene¡ªand she was tossed off into the distance just like that! I''d ignore my master for the rest of my life if he did that to me."


    Fang Yi folded his arms. "I can understand what the captain''s thinking. We''re in the middle of training, and he''s trying to help Sun Mengmeng, but she¡ª"


    Hong Xi narrowed her eyes at him. "That''s why you and my master''s love lives will never go anywhere. If my master ever wanted a woman, I guarantee you a flock would rush to his bed, but as for you..."


    Hong Xi shot a nce at the spear in Fang Yi''s hand. "All you''ll have is your spear."


    By now, Hong Xi was all but a member of Team Zenith, having survived battle after battle with them, and they were able to joke with each other easily.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her. She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck me seeped through those cracks, and the ground beneath her feet turned a glowing red.


    By then, Sun Mengmeng had transformed into a fearsome warrior of hell. ck me red from her bow, transforming into an undead phoenix.


    "Are you strengthening your fire maniption by making use of your anger?" Zhang Lie nodded approvingly. "It''s a natural and effective idea. Bybining the force of your emotions with your fire-attuned gic energy, you can improve the strength and temperature of your mes."


    The mes around Sun Mengmeng''s body grew even taller and hotter.


    Zhang Hanxiang clutched her forehead. "Brother, stop provoking Mengmeng!"


    Zhang Lie turned to her. "What do you mean, provoking? I''mmenting on her strategy and praising her!"


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "Poor Mengmeng."


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward Zhang Lie. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    Zhang Lie lifted his hand and deflected the stream of arrows as he turned to his sister again. "Exactly what do you mean? Be clearer!"


    Zhang Hanxiang shrugged. "I don''t know how to exin it better. Deal with it yourself!"


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the sky. They overshadowed the sun''s radiance as they fell toward the ground. Zhang Lie sent a flurry of punches into the sky, causing the moons to explode in mid-air in a flurry of arrows.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. Sun Mengmeng''s wrath had elevated her strength and unlocked her potential; she was over ten times as strong as she normally was.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie sent a dragon of blood howling into the air. Space cracked; the arrows all above him were sucked into the void.


    Sun Mengmeng continued loosing arrows in his direction. Her entire bow was zing. Sacrificing all her remaining arrows, she created a glowing ck moon in the sky, which exploded into rays of moonlight. Zhang Lie caused those rays to dissipate with a single punch, then shouted, "Come on, keep going! Expel all your rage and anger!"


    The mes surrounding Sun Mengmeng erupted like a volcano, distorting space in a huge area around her.


    The members of Team Zenith could easily sense how strong her gic energy had be in her rage. Their faces turned wary¡ªSun Mengmeng''s mes were simply too domineering. None of them would be able to approach her in this state, not even Fang Yi and Sun Xiaowu, who were best at closebat.


    Even their strongest attacks might not be able to defeat the mes surrounding Sun Mengmeng.


    Yang Ze''s mouth spasmed. "We''d better avoid angering Sun Mengmeng in the future."


    His illusions would instantly vaporize in her heat. He was a water-attuned hunter, and should have had the advantage over a fire-attuned one¡ªin theory. If he met Sun Mengmeng in this state, however, he would immediately run away.


    "How frightening a woman in love can be..." Hong Xi murmured.


    The others nodded hastily. Everyone was a little scared of Sun Mengmeng now.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t seem to feel the intensity of the heat at all. He strolled through the mes as though he were appreciating flowers in his garden. As he sped his hands behind his back, he shook his head. "Keep going, Sun Mengmeng! Your mes can get even stronger, I''m sure of it!"


    In truth, he was already very satisfied with her performance. Sun Mengmeng''s mes had reached an intensity that bordered his own strength in the past¡ªat this very moment, she wasparable to a disaster-grade existence. In other words, she had obtained the qualifications to fight against a disaster-grade lifeform...

 Chapter 616: Unleashed Potential

    <h4>Chapter 616: Unleashed Potential</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng howled into the air. Fire-attuned gic energy erupted from her body, and her pitch-ck eyes burned red. me howled and roared around her. She used no technique, but the mes formed a ck hurricane with her at its eye. It burned everything in sight;va rose to the ground where she stood.


    The members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang hurriedly stepped back.


    Zhang Lie stood right at the edge of the hurricane. The ck mes scorched everything in sight, but he seemed entirely unperturbed and unaffected. He pped. "Very good, very good! Keep up this strength!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s explosive strength had reached and even exceeded Zhang Lie''s own, back when he had no disaster gene fragments to speak of.


    "You''re demonstrating incredible potential, Sun Mengmeng!"


    Pitch-ck mes sparked to life across her bow, causing the mes to grow even more intense.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone.


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward Zhang Lie like a waterfall.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" With one punch from Zhang Lie, the waterfall dissipated into a rain of fire that scattered all over.


    The members of Team Zenith hurriedly defended themselves. Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear, deflecting the mes that came from one direction.


    Yang Ze waved his greatsword, sending a huge shark swimming forth.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light, and runes revolved around his skin. His armor had transformed him into a ten-meter tall golden giant, one that shielded hisrades.


    The three simultaneous techniques dealt with the fallout from Sun Mengmeng''s blow.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched yet another attack.


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward Zhang Lie, but he was able to smash them all apart with just a single punch.


    "Is this it, Sun Mengmeng?" Zhang Lie seemed a little disappointed.


    From pure energetic output alone, Sun Mengmeng exceeded his former self, but her techniques were significantly weaker in terms of willpower and integrity.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" mes burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body, but despite her anger, her mes had reached a limit. They grew higher, but their temperature didn''t change.


    Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck. The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    The arrow caused no earth-shattering explosion: Zhang Lie caught it with two fingers, preventing it from moving even a single inch forward.


    "Is this it?" He asked again, breaking the arrow with a simple pinch of his fingers.


    Sun Mengmeng tried to draw her bow once more, but Zhang Lie appeared before her in the next moment. She immediately transformed her gic energy into defense, circling her mes inward to push back her attacker.


    "It''s pointless!" Zhang Lie''s palm, covered in a thinyer of spatial energy, pierced through the curtain of me and extinguished Sun Mengmeng''s fire with water-attuned gic energy.


    Sun Mengmeng tried to draw her bow once more, but Zhang Lie appeared before her in the next moment.


    "I said, it''s pointless!" He gently flicked her forehead, sending her flying out into the distance. She broke the sound barrier and, again, flew into a mountain.


    The mountain burst apart. Dust and smoke rose billowing into the air, only to be blown away by pitch-ck me in the next moment.


    ck mes, stuck together, flowed likeva along the ground. Wrapped in me, Sun Mengmeng strode forth. Her pupils had been reced by ck me, and she looked like a demon who had climbed out of an abyssal pit.


    The members of Team Zenith felt the heat creeping up their skin, and even Zhang Lie could sense the heat in the air even through his instion. "Ah, perhaps I''ve gone too far."


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the heavens and the earth, dyeing everything in sight a patch of ck.


    Zhang Lie watched the disy in surprise. "Disaster-grade..."


    Sun Mengmeng hadn''t exceeded the boundaries of a disaster-grade lifeform, of course, but she did have the capability to take one down. Her techniques had true strength and image behind them; they weren''t just shells.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes turned serious, and space around him began to warp.


    "[Rune: Quell]!" A dragonturtle tablet rose into the air, quelling the fire-attuned gic energy that filled thend.


    Zhang Lie punched toward the sky, his water-attuned gic energybining with spatial maniption to instantly quench the me.


    Even Sun Mengmeng, gone half-mad with anger, couldn''t hope to surpass Zhang Lie.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" She pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and shot out along with her arrow.


    Even before the arrownded,va rose out of the ground, igniting the earth and sky alike. It was almost impossible to believe that this was an attack of a second-realm hunter without any disaster gene fragments to her name...

 Chapter 617: The Enraged Sun Mengmeng

    <h4>Chapter 617: The Enraged Sun Mengmeng</h4>


    The enraged garuda rushed forward, bearing all of Sun Mengmeng''s anger and strength.


    Zhang Lie had to face this attack seriously¡ª it was far stronger than any that Sun Mengmeng hadunched at him in the past.


    It would be straightforward for Zhang Lie to avoid the attack or destroy the attack, but behind him were the members of Team Zenith. Sun Mengmeng herself had copsed weakly to the ground after using that attack, her gic energy spent.


    If Zhang Lie were to destroy the garuda just like that, the ck mes that made it up would explode, striking the members of Team Zenith and Sun Mengmeng. The members of Team Zenith were strong enough to defend themselves, and far enough away that they would be severely injured at most, but Sun Mengmeng would be unable to bear even the aftermath of the attack in her weakened state.


    Zhang Lie had to absorb that attack in its entirety.


    "Come at me!" Water-attuned gic energy emanated from his body in an abyssal torrent, causing the earth to shake and the skies to tremble. ck cracks appeared above the heavens.


    With his finger as a de, Zhang Lie activated [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]. A beam of sword energy bisected the garuda horizontally, discing its upper and lower halves before it exploded from the inside out, torn apart by thousands of beams of sword energy.


    The members of Team Zenith stared open-mouthed at the sight.


    Zhang Lie had only shed forward with his sword once, but the garuda had been torn apart by what seemed to be thousands of such shes.


    Yang Ze''s face was filled with doubt.


    Sun Xiaowu was recalling the scene carefully but fruitlessly.


    Fang Yi frowned. Suddenly, as though he had just understood something, his eyes opened wide.


    Li Feng sighed and shook his head.


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi just looked on in shock as the garuda disappeared within the spectacr explosion in a burst of gic energy. It hadn''t even managed to attack Zhang Lie once.


    As the ck mes slowly burned out, Zhang Lie nced all around him. The ground was filled with molten streaks ofva; the superheated air was hot and dry. He didn''t want to have to move to a different location, so he would have to repair the battlefield. Pressing his palm into the ground, the temperature of the air quickly began to cool down, and ripples of water-attuned gic energy emanated from Zhang Lie''s feet.


    The remnants of the ck me were instantly quenched. Theva solidified into granite. Zhang Lie stepped on it to test its texture, and he nodded in satisfaction. The battlefield was even more sturdy than before¡ªwith spatial maniption, Zhang Lie had ttened andpacted the granite.


    "Haha, I''m useless." Sun Mengmengy weakly on the ground, so devoid of energy she couldn''t even move a single finger. Tears welled up in her eyes¡ªshe wasn''t able to do anything against Zhang Lie even with her strongest attack.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t countered or blocked it; he had nullified it in its entirety.


    Sun Mengmeng knew that she couldn''t hurt Zhang Lie even at full strength, but she had expected to at least be able to hinder him. How naive she was to think she could see Zhang Lie taken down a notch or two!


    "I thought you had fainted," Zhang Lie remarked in surprise.


    "Are you disappointed in me, Captain? I allowed myself to be controlled by my emotions and rage, and even then, I couldn''t do anything against you. I''m a long way away from reaching your level of strength. Aren''t I useless? I fell prey to my anger, and losing my self-control is taboo for a hunter and fighter¡ªand even then, despite giving in to my anger, I was still unable to ovee you."


    All her hard work seemed to be meaningless in front of Zhang Lie''s strength.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Who said you were useless?"


    He spread his arms wide. "Look at where I''m standing."


    Sun Mengmeng blinked, not understanding what he meant.


    Zhang Lie exined, "When I fought the other four members of Team Zenith before you, I didn''t move a single step¡ªbut look at where I am now, and where I started."


    Zhang Lie had deliberately stood as still as a pir in the previous fights.


    Sun Mengmeng grumbled, "But I''m a long-range attacker!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "As if the others don''t have long-ranged attacks! They didn''t have the strength to force me to step aside, but you did. You forced me to counter-attack you."


    Sun Mengmeng blinked.


    "Don''t you think I would be able to deal with your bow and arrows by standing still? At the very least, I could exhaust all your stamina."


    "And if you were to unsheathe your de?"


    Zhang Lie nced up at the sky. "That''s a different story."


    "As expected..." Sun Mengmeng also turned to the sky and sighed.


    "You might not believe me, but you''d believe the rest of Team Zenith, wouldn''t you? Ask them how strong they think you are."


    By then, the members of Team Zenith had walked over to Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng. Zhou Ying eximed, "Of course! Mengmeng, you were extremely impressive. Even from far away, we could feel the heat from your mes."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Sis, yourst arrow was way too frightening. I don''t think the six of us together would be able to defend against it."


    Yang Ze nodded firmly. "We were barely able to deal with the aftermath of your mes, let alone your arrows."


    Zhang Hanxiang stepped forward and sped her hands around Sun Mengmeng''s arm. "Mengmeng, please ignore my brother. He''s like a piece of deadwood, tough and hard, and you''d be better off without him."


    Li Feng whispered, "It''s all because you encountered a manic like our captain. Anyone else would have been burnt to a crisp already."


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Feng. "You seem to have recovered quite well. Would you like to go for a second round? I think there''s still a lot of potential in you that we might be able to squeeze out together."


    Suddenly, Li Feng clutched his hand in pain. "Argh, my hand, my hand! My old wounds are reopening¡ªI''m done for!"


    Fang Yi nudged him. "What? Didn''t you just drink a Yeluo restorative?"


    "Scram!" Li Feng red at him. He fell to the ground and began to roll around. "Argh, my wound, my wound!"


    Zhang Lie turned back to Sun Mengmeng. "Even if you don''t trust my words, wouldn''t you trust the others?"


    Sun Mengmeng raised her eyes and met his gaze. "Is that really true?"

 Chapter 618: A Callous Male

    <h4>Chapter 618: A Callous Male</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang prodded her brother with her hand. "Quick, praise Mengmeng!"


    Zhang Lie blinked at her. "Haven''t I already done so after our fight?"


    Zhang Hanxiang stomped on her brother''s foot. "Go on, do it! I can assure you, Mengmeng wants to hear your praise!"


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "Your explosive strength is more than sufficient for hunting down disaster-grade lifeforms, and you''re already stronger than I was when I first started hunting them."


    Her brother Sun Xiaowu might have the greater disposition forbat, but Sun Mengmeng''s rapid-fire attacks and explosive strength were shocking.


    Sun Mengmeng smiled, causing Zhang Hanxiang to sigh in relief. "Mengmeng will be happy now, I''m sure of it!"


    However, Zhang Lie suddenly changed his tune. "That said, you need to keep working hard. Did you manage to intuit anything from our battle just now?"


    Zhang Hanxiang palmed her face.


    Her brother continued seriously, "Giving in to your emotions isn''t a good idea. It can give you a temporary boost in strength, but as a hunter, you need to learn how to remain calm and collected at any time. Of course, there are ways to assimte your emotions properly into your techniques, but you need to keep in mind that it''s a double-edged sword."


    Zhang Lie turned to face everyone. "I''m not speaking just to Sun Mengmeng, but to all of you. Strong emotion can unlock our potential, but the techniques derived in this fashion can be very unstable, and your opponents can easily take advantage of your emotional state."


    Everyone nodded.


    "This is why we have to master our emotions, rather than to let them control us. Take advantage of the strength they provide, but never lose control."


    Everyone nodded again. They had been on countless battlefields before; they knew what to do, and this was a rtively simple matter.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Mengmeng, can you stand?"


    Sun Mengmeng nced at Zhang Lie with anticipation as she shook her head.


    "Hanxiang, why don''t you help Sun Mengmeng up?"


    Zhang Hanxiang suddenly folded her arms over her stomach. "Brother, I suddenly feel like I have a stomachache!"


    "How about Hong Xi, then?"


    Zhang Hanxiang kicked Hong Xi''s shin, who startled and yelped, "Ouch, my leg! It hurts!"


    Zhang Lie red at her, causing Hong Xi to suck in a breath and stand up straight. "My leg stopped hurting."


    "Very good. Help Mengmeng up," Zhang Liemanded.


    Hong Xi bowed and did as he said.


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "Brother, you''ll be alone for the rest of your life like this!"


    Zhang Lie red back at her. "There''s no need for you to worry about me¡ªworry about yourself first. It''s your turn."


    "Ah, my stomach is acting up again! Have someone else go first." Zhang Hanxiang scurried away.


    Zhang Lie turned to Zhou Ying. "Are you ready, Zhou Ying?" Hong Xi had to take care of Sun Mengmeng, after all.


    Zhou Ying stepped forward, pulled out her dagger, and got into a battle-ready stance.


    "Very good. If Hanxiang were half as sensible as you are, there''d be nothing for me to worry about."


    "Captain, here Ie!" An outburst of green light shielded Zhou Ying. Her hair grew long enough to reach her legs, turning into a green the color of sparkling jade. She looked so beautiful that the members of Team Zenith were immediately enraptured.


    The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend.


    Recently, Zhou Ying had been working on her [Avatar of the Fae], and she had developed the exceptional ability to undergo the transformation even withoutbining forms with the shaman of the wood spirits. Now, she was able to activate this transformation at will.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Giant vines broke through the granite that covered the ground.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, shattering the earth. Waves of energy minced up the vines, but they simply regrew.


    "This is quite an annoying attack. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie punched toward the ground, sending a huge chunk of granite flying up into the sky.


    "Don''t forget who your opponent is, Captain!" Zhou Ying had somehow appeared before him, her dagger gleaming green as she swiped forward.


    As though he had predicted her move, Zhang Lie reached out with two fingers and pinched the de of her dagger. "How could I have forgotten?"


    Without the shaman of the wood spirit around, Zhou Ying had to make use of her own strength.


    Assimting with the shaman''s body would endow her with significant strength, strength enough to affect the entire battlefield, but that strength ultimately didn''t belong to her, and Zhang Lie had to spend all her energy and concentration to control and harness it ording to her desires. As a result, she had to be stationary on the battlefield, but that wasn''t her preferred style.


    She was very good at nning and ambushing her opponents, rather than devastating them with brute force. Instead of attacking directly with an unfamiliar body and unfamiliar strength, she would rather make use of the burgeoning life-attuned energy she possessed.


    Assimting with the shaman of the wood spirits strengthened her abilities but was in conflict with her ownbat style. Since then, she had been working hard onbining the advantages of bothbat styles, and she had recently made a breakthrough.


    The vines around her rapidly grew longer and thicker, and they began sprouting leaves. The leaves morphed into huge trees which rustled in the air.


    Zhou Ying''s body was extremely acrobatic. She twisted her waist and kicked out at Zhang Lie like a snake. As Zhang Lie caught her ankle, beams of green light shot toward Zhang Lie from all angles.


    He frowned as he tossed her aside, only to have the leaves of the giant trees catch her and bring her protectively inside the forest she had just created.


    Dozens of green beams shot toward Zhang Lie, but such an attack had no chance of hitting him. Contorting his body, he narrowly avoided a few of the green beams, then darted away.


    Just as he stepped beyond the shrubbery, countless leaves flew toward him, each one as sharp as a knife. Amidst the storm of leaves, Zhang Lie waved his left arm, gic energy rippling from it like a shield, protecting him from the barrage.


    As the ripples struck the leaves, they rebounded into the air, but precisely at that moment, a green needle shot toward Zhang Lie, camouged by the leaves that obstructed his vision.

 Chapter 619: Trying Her Best

    <h4>Chapter 619: Trying Her Best</h4>


    With a resonant clink, Zhang Lie reached out and grabbed a tiny jade needle with his hand, one formed out of pure gic energy. It was so thin that it could barely be seen with the naked eye.


    "Excellent performance, Zhou Ying. Your fighting style is very mature, and you''ve surpassed my expectations! Your maniption of gic energy is precise and already extending into the microscopic."


    In response, Zhou Ying sent a flurry of jade-green leaves rushing over toward him, a veritable tornado of green, each leaf as sharp as a de.


    A ck serpent materialized from Zhang Lie''s back and wrapped around him, dissolving any of the leaves that approached him.


    A figure flew toward the serpent, wrapped up in a shroud of leaves, and struck it with a dagger. Beneath her feet, a great vine grew out of the ground.


    Before the serpent could retaliate, Zhou Ying had jumped backwards, somersaulted into the air, and used the bark of a nearby tree as a springboard tounch herself at the serpent once more. She continued moving nimbly through the forest, with which she was as familiar as with her own backyard.


    Her reservoir of gic energy wasn''t strong enough to unleash [Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure], but her [Earthbound Prison] was a natural environment in which she could shine. The giant vines and forest that had sprung out of thin air would stymie her opponents and dramatically increase her maneuverability.


    "Not bad!"


    Zhou Ying moved at a rate so fast the members of Team Zenith were getting dizzy. As Zhou Ying plunged strike after strike into the serpent''s body, it began to dissipate.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!" She began to move even more quickly, darting through the air in a series of afterimages. She appeared atop Zhang Lie''s head. As she clutched her dagger in a reverse grip and arced it downward, her face lit up in a smile. "I''ve seeded."


    Zhang Lie turned back with a smile, as if he''d guessed where she would be all along. Zhou Ying''s eyes widened.


    As Zhang Lie punched toward his back, he knocked Zhou Ying''s dagger flying¡ªalong with Zhou Ying herself. She smashed against a tree, which caved in at the point of impact.


    Zhou Ying was quite badly bruised, but she recovered almost instantly.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes turned serious. He clenched his fist, and space around him began to crack.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Abyssal energy materialized and exploded in Zhang Lie''s vicinity. Zhou Ying''s pupils contracted; she was scared stiff by the attack.


    Fortunately, the attack barely missed her by inches, causing her to exhale in relief. She felt as though she had seen the gates of hell, that the god of death had brushed by her side. Zhou Ying nced behind her with a shiver.


    What Zhang Lie had evoked with his punch wasn''t destruction, but annihtion. Beside Zhou Ying was a huge depression about ten meters wide and extending for over a few kilometers. The trees that Zhou Ying had summoned were all swallowed up by the energy.


    Half the forest had vanished in an instant, leaving behind nothing but a wide chasm and strewn debris.


    Despite Zhou Ying''s mental resilience, she was still shocked¡ªif that attack had touched her at all, she would have evaporated, leaving nothing behind. She was certain she wouldn''t have been able to defend against the attack for more than a second.


    Right then and there, she wholeheartedly believed the private nickname the members of Team Zenith had given their captain¡ªa humanoid disaster-grade lifeform,no, one that surpassed disaster-grade. Zhou Ying had never seen a disaster-grade lifeform for herself, but she was nevertheless confident that no lifeform could best Zhang Lie''s strength.


    "Shall we continue?" Zhang Lie murmured softly.


    Zhou Ying was so frightened that she shook her head violently, without speaking.


    Seeing her terror, Zhang Lie blinked a few times. He suddenly seemed to be a regr hunter again, as though his terrifying aura had just been a dream.


    "Very good. You''ve improved greatly, Zhou Ying."


    Zhou Ying pursed her lips. "Captain, you''re not just trying to console me, are you?"


    Zhang Lie smiled as he shook his head. "No, of course not! I really am very impressed by your mobility inbat."


    Zhou Ying was naturally overjoyed to receive such high praise from him.


    "Did you intuit something?"


    Zhou Ying frowned. She volunteered hesitantly, "It''s useless to do anything in the face of absolute power?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head again. "It looks like you haven''t grasped the essence of my attack. You revealed your location too early on in the fight; your ability to control the terrain around you is exceptional, but you need to take more advantage of it. Hide yourself within that terrain and conform your attacks to it."


    Zhou Ying nodded. "I did! I judged that controlling the trees and leaves like I did wouldn''t be an effective means of attack against you, which was why I took the initiative to attack. I needed to create my own openings."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Indeed, that was good judgment. In that case, do you understand why you lost?"


    Zhou Ying sighed. "If I did, I wouldn''t have lost."


    "You didn''t calm down and think about your actions rationally. Everything before [Storm of Leaves], you did very well¡ªbut [Storm of Leaves] was your downfall."


    Zhou Ying seemed flummoxed.


    "You revealed your hand and attacked before seeing your opponent''s condition¡ªyou rxed."


    Zhou Ying thought back to the battle. She hadn''t rxed, had she? She waited until the serpent dissipated, thought that that was her chance, and then attacked. And then¡­


    She gaped at Zhang Lie. "Captain, were you the one who dematerialized your serpent? You shouldn''t have had any problem maintaining it despite my attack..."


    "It looks like you understand now." Zhang Lie nodded with a smile.


    Zhou Ying screwed her face up. Zhang Lie was so strong¡ªwhy did he have to y such tricks too! He could easily overwhelm them with brute strength¡ªwas he just treating them likeb rats?


    Zhang Lie knew what Zhou Ying''s expression implied, of course. "Just because I''m strong doesn''t mean that I can''t make use of tactics. No¡ªit''s precisely because I''m strong that I need to brush up on my tactics as well. More importantly, I want to help you all identify your blind spots and weaknesses."


    He reached out and patted Zhou Ying''s shoulder. "You have a lot of potential, and I hope you''ll work hard to try to unearth it. Don''t let yourself fall behind."


    "I''ll work hard, Captain!" Zhou Ying replied seriously. "I won''t let you down!"


    Zhang Lie turned to the others. "Hanxiang, it''s your turn!"


    Zhang HaZhang Hanxiang suddenly folded her arms over her stomach. "Brother, it looks like my stomachache hasn''t gone away!"


    Zhang Lie red at her. "Hurry up!"


    "Alright, alright! My stomachache suddenly abated." Zhang Hanxiang jumped up and walked toward Zhang Lie.


    "Don''t say that I''m bullying you¡ªHong Xi, youe here too."


    Hong Xi, who had been taking care of Sun Mengmeng, also stepped forward.


    "The two of you will attack me together. If you can touch me, I''ll count it as a win for you!"


    The two females'' eyes sparkled as they prepared for the battle.

 Chapter 620: A Tall Mountain

    <h4>Chapter 620: A Tall Mountain</h4>


    Hong Xi activated all herbat-oriented soulshards. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right. Behind her, multicolored light red.


    The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air¡ªbut with a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie dispelled her technique.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Hanxiang held her palm up and channeled bitter cold. Cold air froze everything around her. Ayer of frost covered the ground, and snow began to drift down from the heavens.


    "If nothing else, you at least have the bravery to face me head-on."


    Zhang Lie blocked his sister''s palm strike with his own. He used no strength whatsoever; he simply matched her force with his palm. His palm was like a piece of glowing-hot steel, so hot no frost was able to condense on it.


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. Sheunched a flurry of attacks at Zhang Lie, channeling the might and intensity of a blizzard, a snowstorm. When the members of Team Zenith exhaled, they breathed out puffs of warm air.


    As Zhang Lie''s sister, Zhang Hanxiang naturally wasn''t weak. Despite her young age, she was close to being able to catch up with the members of Team Zenith¡ªbut her opponent was none other than Zhang Lie. Despite her flurry of attacks, she couldn''t hurt her brother at all. He deflected all her attacks perfectly.


    Meanwhile, Hong Xi gave up on her long-distance techniques. She leapt forward with [The Elusive Moon], then activated a superior-grade illusory leopard soulshard to speed herself up further. She appeared behind Zhang Lie.


    "[Moon Seeker]!" A silvery sheen emanated from her feet as she struck at his lower back¡ªbut she was sent flying into the distance somehow, without even seeing how Zhang Lie had turned around or attacked.


    Making use of the momentum, Hong Xi revolved in midair and waved her fan. Her sword glinted with moonlight, and she shot forward once more.


    Once again, Zhang Lie waved at his back and dissipated her attack.


    As the snow fell, Zhang Hanxiang''s ice glowed blue. Everything around her began to freeze.


    Zhang Lie shot a punch in her direction, dissipating her evocation. The wave of energy sent the snow swirling in a flurry, forcing her to stumble back. Hong Xi hurriedly rushed up to support her.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" Her de seemed to cut apart a silvery veil in the sky¡ªbut Zhang Lie intercepted her attack once more. She didn''t see how; he had made his move after hers, but before she could reach him, his palm had already struck her chest.


    Fang Yi recognized this move¡ªit was infused with the power of time.


    Zhang Lie''s attack struck Hong Xi once more in a burst of me. Hong Xi''s spirit-fox robe sent a protective burst of foxme toward Zhang Lie, but it didn''t hurt him at all. His water-attuned gic energy easily countered it.


    Zhang Lie''s body glowed with the telltale sheen of [Mirrored Refraction], one which extinguished the me and knocked Hong Xi away. She crashed against tree bark. What had struck her wasn''t the force of the explosion, but rather Zhang Lie''s palm. It had bypassed heryers of protection and hit her directly.


    Zhang Hanxiang skated over the frozen ground, her body as limber and agile as an acrobat''s. des of ice formed by her feet, which she shot at Zhang Lie. But once again, without seeing just how Zhang Lie had countered her attack, she was sent flying into the distance.


    She revolved in mid-air in an attempt to dissipate the momentum from Zhang Lie''s attack, then ran around him in search of an opportunity to strike. Zhang Lie called out, "If you don''t attack me, I''m going to attack you!"


    Just then, a silver shadow appeared beside him. Hong Xi, wrapped in a gale of wind, struck at Zhang Lie with a silver sh.


    That was Zhang Hanxiang''s signal to act. She shot out a few icicles at Zhang Lie, who knocked them out of the air without any visible movement. At the same time, he caught Hong Xi''s de.


    Zhang Hanxiang barreled forward, surrounded by a whirlwind of ice. As she came close to Zhang Lie, he punched in her direction and sent her flying. Zhang Hanxiang skidded sharply on the ice, sending a pir of ice spiking upward to halt her backward momentum.


    Meanwhile, Hong Xi attacked with [Fists of the Silent Sea], which Zhang Lie again countered with a kick. Hong Xi was sent flying up into the air like a rocket.


    The aura around Zhang Hanxiang deepened. Her hair began to freeze over, and her fists had turned noticeably blue.


    Zhang Lie felt a deep chill sweep over him. He smiled at his sister as he shed downward with his hand, splitting the domain of permafrost in half. Gic energy exploded from Zhang Hanxiang''s body, sending chips of ice rising into the air.


    Hong Xi fell from the sky in a heap, unable to arrest her momentum any longer. Upon seeing herpanion''s state, Zhang Hanxiang cried out, "I''ve had enough¡ªthat''s it! We simply can''t find a window of opportunity to strike!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "Brother, why do you keep asking that question? I''ve watched all your previous battles so far, but all I can tell is that you''re disgustingly strong!"


    The members of Team Zenith all nodded; they felt much the same way.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "The fact that you''re saying that means that you don''t understand what you did wrong. There were plenty of opportunities for the two of you to demonstrate your strengths, but you didn''t work together effectively. I''m very disappointed¡ªI allowed the two of you to fight me together, but you didn''t coordinate your attacks at all."


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. "That''s not true! Hong Xi and I were in sync!"


    "Cooperation doesn''t mean you don''t drag each other down¡ªit means you work together with each other to augment both your attacks. You and Hong Xi were both attacking me at the same time, yes, but you were doing sopletely independently of each other. Furthermore, you never varied your techniques¡ªyou always casted them the same way. You need to reflect on these points and work harder in the future."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded, sighing.


    Zhang Lie turned to Hong Xi. "As for you, Hong Xi, you''re too reliant on your soulshards. You need to hone your technique as well."


    By then, Hong Xi had fainted; she couldn''t hear Zhang Lie''s words.


    1. º®Ëª (read ''han-xiang'') means bitter frost¡ªexcept ˪ is actually pronounced ''shuang''. This is a mistake on my part, and unfortunately one too pervasive to be worth changing at this point.

 Chapter 621: A Long-Delayed Ascension

    <h4>Chapter 621: A Long-Dyed Ascension</h4>


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Once Hong Xi wakes up, ry what I said to her."


    Overall, he was quite satisfied with the results of his impromptu examination. Everyone in Team Zenith had a near-disaster-grade strength, and it would be trivial for them to protect and guard the kingdom of Limit. In addition, despite his criticism, both Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi had grown greatly as hunters.


    Given theirbat ability, Zhang Lie wasfortable allowing them ess to disaster gene fragments without having to worry about whether he was stunting their growth.


    The members of Team Zenith had finished their training, and he had already worked out the governance of Limit with Yun Bing and the others. Once they assimted the various alien races into the kingdom, it would prosper as a whole.


    Yun Bing was an excellent prime minister, and she managed the kingdom effectively. There was little that he would have to worry about in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie considered leaving behind some of his soulshards for Zhang Hanxiang; it was past time to clean up his inventory, after all.


    His superior-grade forest wolfman, windborne eagle, and runic smander soulshards from the first realm were no longer able to match his strength, but even Zhang Hanxiang might be a little disdainful of them. After all, there were plenty of soulshards avable for sale or trade in Limit, and Zhang Hanxiang was using peak-grade soulshards herself.


    Zhang Lieughed. "If nothing else, these are the soulshards that the king of Limit, Zhang Lie, once used in the first and second realms. Give me some face, won''t you?"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "Indeed. They do have historical value, and I''m certain I''ll be able to get a high price for them if I put them up for auction."


    Zhang Lie intended to leave the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard for Zhang Hanxiang to manage; it was originally intended for her and the members of Team Zenith, after all.


    When Zhang Lie passed her the soulshard, Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes widened. She understood what Zhang Lie was about to do. "You''re going to leave me again, Brother, aren''t you?"


    "I''m not leaving¡ªjust ascending into a higher realm. It''s a natural thing to do as hunters and cultivators, after all. In fact, I''ve already overstayed my wee in order to help you all build a better foundation here."


    Zhang Hanxiang was a little dejected and upset.


    "There''s no need to worry. In a little more time, Ye Xianchen, Jun Jiuxiao, and Hong Xiao will be arriving in the second realm, along with other members of Team Zenith. By that point, the Zenith Dojo will have a solid foundation here.


    "I''ve already informed Yun Bing to build a replica of the Zenith Dojo within Renhuang once everyone from the Zenith Dojo gets here, and you can draw in new recruits then¡ªaliens and humans alike."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Brother, can''t you do it?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his sister''s head. "It''s a task for you, as well as a trial."


    With the members of Team Zenith and the Zenith Dojo around, along with her status as princess of Limit, it would be trivial for Zhang Hanxiang to aplish this task. It wasn''t a true trial at all¡ªjust a means by which he could help his sister secure her own forces.


    Limit belonged to him, and problems would eventually arise once he left. The incorporation and assimtion of all the alien races into Limit would be a breeding ground for trouble. Zhang Lie was able to suppress that trouble on the basis of his raw strength, but once he left, who could say?


    Would Zhang Hanxiang be ready to ascend to the third realm within a decade or two? Zhang Lie didn''t know. Just in case, he would have her establish the Zenith Dojo within the second realm so as to safeguard herself. Zhang Lie would be able to mobilize this strength, and the forces within would be loyal to her and her alone.


    Before his departure, Zhang Lie had nned out everything.


    Except for his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, he left almost everything else to Zhang Hanxiang in hopes that she would be able to defend herself well.


    The superior-grade white grub and blood ant soulshards would hurt him to give up. The first had taken him over half a year to obtain; the second boasted frequent utility. They were starting to get dated, but they had sentimental value to him.


    The superior-grade eternalspring cocoon soulshard was still valuable to him, so he would keep that as well.


    He couldn''t bring himself to give up his peak-grade moonlight wyrm soulshard. He had raised the wyrm from the very beginning and cultivated a deep enough rtionship with it for it to be worth keeping.


    The others all had their own extra-dimensional storage, so there was no reason for him to leave his potbellied-toad soulshard behind.


    His peak-grade dragonwolf and golden roc soulshards were still usable; thetter was the source of his twin des Guicang and Hanguang.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak)


    Zhang Lie smiled at having all his affairs settled. With a burst of mental energy, he called out, "Will of the world, I''m ready!"


    Space cracked around him, and the ground began to tremble. The release of Zhang Lie''s strength was impossible for the will of the world to ignore.


    The will of the world''s voice rose in his mind. [Your status exceeds that permissible within the second realm. Please advance to the third realm immediately!]


    Zhang Lie''s entire body, wrapped up in rainbow-colored light, was transported to the extradimensional space that had been used for the refinement ceremony. Despite the fact that he had already passed through the process once, the will of the world ran him through it again¡ªa big boon.


    His strength consolidated once more, and the refinement energy seeped throughout his body. As a pir of light rose into the air, Zhang Lie floated up with it into the third realm.


    What he didn''t notice was that, as he ascended, the will of the world''s voice seemed to take on a malicious tinge.


    The third realm was known as the meru realm. Zhang Lie had ascended to it in his past life, and he had some understanding of it. It wasposed of thousands of smaller worlds.


    As the light descended, Zhang Lie nced at his surroundings in shock.


    He had been dropped among a number of aliens who looked startlingly like humans, except for the fact that their arms were jade-green. If Zhang Lie hadn''t been able to distinguish between the aura of a human and that of an alien, he might have gotten confused himself.


    The will of the world should have sent him to a human settlement; how had he ended up in what seemed to be a small non-human vige?


    He politely asked the old man in front of him, "Excuse me, sir, where am I?"


    The old man scanned him up and down. "You don''t look familiar to me. I''m sure I''ve never seen you before. Who are you?"


    Just as Zhang Lie was about to respond, a bell from somewhere nearby began to toll. Someone from within the vige shouted, "The demon bats are here, the demon bats are here!"


    Zhang Lie sensed a huge wave of iing lifeforms, but by the time he lifted his head, everything had already grown dark. The darkness even seemed to be... rapidly spreading? Frowning, Zhang Lie had a closer look¡ªthe darkness was actually a swarm of bats, thousands of bats of humongous size...


    1. Sorry, this is one of those hard names to trante. It has Buddhist connotations and has something to do with boundlessness.

 Chapter 622: The Third Realm

    <h4>Chapter 622: The Third Realm</h4>


    The ck bats were each asrge as a human, but their wingspan made them seem multiple timesrger. There were so many of them that they covered heaven and earth, screeching in the evening light that was nowpletely obscured from sight. Their eyes were blood-red.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are these gic lifeforms?"


    The old man tugged on Zhang Lie with a hand. "Follow me."


    Zhang Lie discovered that the residents of the vige had all returned to their houses. With his dragon''s pupils, he saw that they were all sheltering in underground cers.


    "What''s going on?"


    "There''s no time to talk¡ªthe demonic bats are almost here!" The old man was surprisingly strong; he dragged Zhang Lie into his house.


    "Help me!" he shouted, motioning to the other side of the stove. Zhang Lie lifted it up and moved it aside to reveal a wooden trapdoor. "Quick, hurry and go on in!" The old man beckoned.


    The two of them headed into the narrow and cramped cer, which was about five people wide. It was filled with stockpiled food.


    The old man sighed in relief. "Lad, you look thin, but you''re surprisingly strong!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Sir, just what''s happening outside?"


    "From time to time, those demonic bats will fly out of their caves in the evening to attack nearby settlements. They''re very strong, and they seek out prey not by relying on their eyes.


    "Unless you hide in an underground cer, they''ll be able to find you. I used to have a kid around your age, but his ankle was wounded and he was too slow to join me in the cer. In the end, he was captured by the bats." The old man''s voice suddenly became upset.


    Zhang Lie was just about to ask where he was again when crying noises could be heard from outside.


    "Let me go!"


    The old man''s body shuddered. "That brat¡ªit''s that brat''s voice! He must have been out ying when the bats came!"


    The boy''s cries were heartwrenching; they pierced through the walls of the cer. The old man fretted. No one in the vige could take down such arge swarm of beasts¡ªno one in the past, that was.


    .


    As Zhang Lie made to rush outside, the old man held him back. He cried out, "Lad, what are you doing?!"


    "Stay here. I''ll have a look at how strong these bats are for myself."


    The old man tried to drag him back. "No, don''t! You''ll just lose your life like this!"


    "There''s nothing to worry about¡ªI don''t believe there are any gic lifeforms that can kill me around here!"


    Zhang Lie strode boldly outward to see a monkey-like alien child whose shoulders were mped tightly by a bat''s ws. As he was dragged up into the sky, he shouted, "Let go of me! Save me, please!"


    The boy continued to struggle, but he was unable to ovee the bat''s strength.


    Zhang Lie noted to his surprise that the bats were intelligent enough to use such a tactic rather than to eat him up immediately. They were trying to take advantage of his cries to lure his rtives and kin into helping him, the most effective bait they coulde up with.


    However, none of the vigers from the vige rushed out to help. Clearly, this wasn''t the first time this tactic had been tried on them.


    Unfortunately for the bats, their opponent was Zhang Lie.


    The moment they discovered Zhang Lie, they pounced on him with mockingughter, as though they were surprised that someone was still falling for their trap after so long. The bats whirled around him like a tornado.


    With a snap of his fingers, Zhang Lie caused heaven and earth to shake. A wave of energy emanated from him and shredded the ck tornado, sending a rain of blood toward the ground.


    A barrier of gic energy protected Zhang Lie from any of the remnants of his attack. Standing in the blood, he looked like a demonic god who had descended onto the realm.


    The third realm was far more stable than the second, as though its structural integrity were reinforced with some formless strength. In the second realm, if he needed to, Zhang Lie could crack the sky with a snap of his fingers, but in the third, all it had done was clear out an entire wave of bats.


    It wasn''t that Zhang Lie had gotten weaker; the world had simply gotten stronger, as had the lifeforms within. ?If the second realm were a piece of wood, then the third was a bar of steel. Zhang Lie could easily smash apart a piece of wood with a hammer, but not a bar of steel.


    Zhang Lie had appeared to be stronger in the second realm because he could manipte space and time within it. In the third realm, however, these options were currently locked to him.


    Another wave of bats approached. Zhang Lie leapt up toward the sky like a loosed arrow.


    This time, he punched forward with a fist.


    The bats disintegrated before they could draw close, exploding in showers of blood in mid-air. Zhang Lie''s gazended on the child still struggling and shouting. A gigantic bat suddenly flew before Zhang Lie, blocking his path forward.


    It was two or three timesrger than the other bats. Its eyes shone with a purplish-red glow. It let out a shrill screech that hurt Zhang Lie''s head.


    Was this how strong a mutated-grade lifeform in the third realm was? A regr human would have burst from the inside out if they were in close proximity to the bat.


    "Scram!" Zhang Lie thundered, roaring like a ck dragon. The bat, struck dumb by his aura, suddenly went mute in mid-air.


    As Zhang Lie approached, the bat tried to run off.


    "[Rune: Gravity]!" With a manifestation of his will, Zhang Lie summoned a dragonturtle tablet, one that crashed down on the bats still in the air.


    They fell like rain, thudding on the huts and houses of the vige. They screeched as theynded on the ground, but were unable to break free due to the massively increased force of gravity.


    Zhang Lie caught the alien boy in his arms. Hended on the ground and released him, but the boy seemed so afraid of the bats still lying and screeching on the ground that he clutched onto Zhang Lie tightly, unwilling to let go.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glimmered with rainbow mist, creating a fog that spread throughout the vige, and the bats'' eyes zed over with a rainbow sheen.


    With a snap of his fingers, the tablet vanished. The bats began to fly into the sky and beyond the horizon.


    Zhang Lie pped his palms. "I''ve taken care of the bats. You can alle out now!"


    His voice resounded for quite a while throughout the vige before there was any movement. The first to emerge was the old man who had been with him...

 Chapter 623: Spatial Rifts

    <h4>Chapter 623: Spatial Rifts</h4>


    The old man nced around carefully. Only when he confirmed that there were no more bats did he finally let out a shaky breath.


    "Lad, I didn''t expect you would be so strong. I don''t know how to thank you."


    Very quickly, the other vigers headed over. When the young boy saw his parents, he ran over to them with tears in his eyes, who teared up themselves.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Sir, do you know where there are humans around?"


    Zhang Lie had to find a human settlement quickly. Only then would he have ess to a teleportation array to return to the real world; otherwise, he would be trapped within the dimensional one.


    The old man shook his head. "I''ve lived here for decades without hearing of the name. Lad, are you searching for your n?"


    "Yes, I am."


    The old man harrumphed. "We live on a small world, one norger than ten thousand miles in diameter. I''ve not met any other sentient race around. I rmend searching on arger world instead."


    "Do you know where the wormhole to ess other worlds is located?"


    "Twenty years ago, our world still had such a wormhole. It was located in that cave over there, and we would use it to trade with the residents of another world. However, at that time, a swarm of demonic bats began to upy that cave.


    "We organized a battalion of fighters to defeat the bat incursion, but the bat king leading the flock was far too strong for us. Its cries were enough to cause our fighters to implode¡ªour vige alone had over a hundred skilled fighters, but they all died to the bat king."


    The old man sighed.


    The arrival of the demonic bats had marked the downfall of the world. The alien race tried to force the bat king back, but to no avail. Thousands of alien fighters had perished, and even the regr demonic bat swarms proved too much for the remaining people.


    Not long ago, thest alien city met its end. There were only a few small tribes remaining scattered throughout the world.


    A middle-aged man walked forward and introduced himself respectfully. "To be honest, our numbers are rapidly dwindling. Each and every child is precious to our vige, and we are truly grateful for what you''ve done."


    The old man advised, "Lad, why don''t you stay? You saved our entire vige and our child. All of us will treat you like one of ours."


    Zhang Lie nced toward the direction of the cave the old man had pointed towards. "I still intend to have a look at the cave."


    The old man continued, "Lad, the bat king is truly a dangerous foe. If you head there yourself, you''ll almost certainly die."


    Despite his words, Zhang Lie remained resolute. The old man sighed and realized that Zhang Lie would likely not be persuaded against the idea; instead, he dug around and found a bup sack of green fruit. "Our vige isn''t particrly rich, and this is all we can offer you. Please ept this, if nothing else. These fruits aren''t particrly special, but they''ll at least satiate your hunger. If you eat one, you won''t have to eat anything else for a few days."


    Zhang Lie was about to refuse the man, but he insisted on giving the savior of a vige child a reward, even if it was paltry. Eventually, Zhang Lie epted.


    He didn''t ask the old man where the cave was located. With his mistmeld m soulshard, he had controlled a swarm of bats that were now flying back to their cave, and they would lead Zhang Lie there.


    As the bats returned to the cave, they began attacking their own kin. Zhang Lie continued strolling forward through the cave, wreathed in rainbow-colored fog.


    The fog spread through the cave. All the bats caught within the mist became controlled by Zhang Lie''s soulshard, and they began to attack their own kind.


    The carnage spread deeper into the cave as Zhang Lie ventured further. With a shrill screech, countless bats exploded in mid-air, raining a waterfall of blood down on Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie waved it away with a casual sweep of his arm, shielding himself with gic energy. A ck shadow appeared before him¡ªa gigantic bat whose wingspan filled up the width of the cave.


    Its eyes were dark red and beady, and they gave off a cold aura. This bat was at the level of a superior-grade lifeform. If Zhang Lie weren''t mistaken, this was the superior-grade bat king the vigers had mentioned.


    A superior-grade lifeform in the third realm was equivalent to a post-peak-grade one in the second. Because of the difference in the integrity of the realm, trying to fight it might be equivalent to fighting a disaster-grade lifeform in the second.


    But so what? Zhang Lie''s strength was more than sufficient for the task. He nced coldly at the superior-grade bat king, forcing it into submission with a gleam of his eyes.


    The bat king''s cold, beady eyes let out a rainbow gleam. With a screech, the bats that were rampaging against each other calmed down. The bat king lowered its body, retracted its wings, and knelt before Zhang Lie. The other bats followed suit.


    Zhang Lie ignored the bat king and walked deeper into the cave, his feet stepping on a soft, mushy substance that felt like mud¡ªguano. He could see bits of white solid scattered amidst the guano, likely all that was left of the alien fighters'' bodies.


    The other bats followed behind him. Zhang Lie didn''t have any intention of eating the bats, although he had heard that deep-fried bat was a delicacy. However, he couldn''t neglect the possibility that these bats harbored some kind of dangerous virus, threatening enough that his immune system wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    Despite the possibility of obtaining "free" gene fragments, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to take the risk.


    He felt a current of air deep within the cave. "I suppose it''s right here..."


    The entrance to the wormhole was covered up with a deep pile of guano. Zhang Lie snapped his fingers and motioned for the bats to clean it up, revealing a tunnel shining with light and exuding spatial ripples around its entrance.


    This was a wormhole that connected the countless worlds of the third realm.


    Zhang Lie stepped inside, followed by the bats.


    Generally, such wormholes were stable when they linked from smaller worlds to each other, but not necessarily forrger ones. Spatial rifts and distortions were amon danger, and even small rifts could instantly kill a superior-grade third-realm lifeform.


    A peak-grade lifeform might be able to traverse such a rift, but at extreme cost. Meanwhile, even a disaster-grade lifeform had to avoid therger rifts. Dealing with the rifts themselves was hard enough, but travelers also had to contend with the vortices that surrounded these rifts, slowing them down and misdirecting them. Fortunately, most of therger rifts urred in wormholes between therger worlds.


    At some point, a genius inventor hade up with a tool to navigate these wormholes more safely¡ªa wormhole shuttle.

 Chapter 624: A Relaxing Meal

    <h4>Chapter 624: A Rxing Meal</h4>


    The wormhole shuttle was a device that would allow its passengers to zip through the wormholes. It couldn''t negate the spatial riftspletely, but it provided a means by which weaker lifeforms could travel from world to world. It also moved very quickly. A regr person would need to walk for three days to get from one side of the wormhole to another, but a shuttle required only an hour.


    There were even worse dangers in a wormhole than spatial rifts¡ªvoid nodes. At these nodes, there were void-type lifeforms that were able to roam freely through the wormholes of the third realm and somehow defend themselves against the ravages of the spatial rifts.


    They hunted for prey along these wormholes; even a strong third-realm hunter would be hard-pressed to do much against them, because destructive techniques couldn''t be unleashed with impunity within these wormholes¡ªjust like how people who shouted recklessly atop snowy mountains could cause an avnche.


    Strong attacks could decimate the wormhole entirely, spawning destructive spatial rifts that could instantly kill an entire party.


    Within the third realm, there were specialized mercenary teams that hunted down these void lifeforms. Their skin and bones were principal ingredients for crafting wormhole shuttles, and each shuttle could be sold for an astronomical price.


    As a result, despite the danger of these lifeforms, there were frequently hunting parties that traversed the wormholes and hunted them down.


    The wormhole that Zhang Lie was in was very short. In almost no time at all, he had reached the other side. The entrance was covered by ayer of vines, which Zhang Lie cut off with a simple wave of his hand.


    He heard a series of pained screeches¡ªthe vines shot toward him as though they were venomous snakes. There were so many of them that they filled the exit to the wormhole, but they all exploded once the bat king screeched.


    Zhang Lie strode out the wormhole to find the deste ruins of a stone city, surrounded by gigantic trees and vines. The trees grew out of the houses. Vines covered the ground and trailed up the walls. Zhang Lie felt as though he had stepped inside a forest treehouse.


    Behind him was thergest building in the city, where the entrance to the wormhole was located. On its roof grew a gigantic carnivorous nt, vines spilling everywhere from its roots.


    The bat king''s screech hadn''t managed to kill it. Vines swarmed toward Zhang Lie from all directions.


    "Is this a nt-type lifeform, then?" Zhang Lie sent a punch flying toward the nt, tearing apart the vines and exploding the flower at the very top.


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade bloodborne flower. By consuming the petals of the mutated-grade bloodborne flower, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    Unfortunately for Zhang Lie, the petals had all been annihted by his punch. Before he could think about the message some more, he felt a huge swarm of mantises zipping toward him.


    They were each about two or three meters tall, and they flew at a surprisingly rapid clip. The demonic bats that Zhang Lie controlled flew into the air, but they were easily struck down by the mantises.


    They screeched, but all their sound waves could do was disorient the mantises for a moment. If the mantises managed to get close to them, the bats would die.


    The bat king finally took to the air. Its shrill screeching caused arge number of mantises to implode. Blood and forelegs rained down from the sky.


    Suddenly, with a blinding sh of light, part of the bat king''s wings was cut off. A blood-red mantis appeared behind the bat king. It was about the size of a human¡ªsmaller than the other mantises, but more than an order of magnitude faster.


    The superior-grade bat king was about to open its mouth tounch another sound wave, but the red mantis chopped its head off before it could do so.


    The superior-grade bat king''s body fell from the sky. The red mantis darted through the flock of bats, killing every bat it touched.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie sent a fist flying into the sky, gic energy rushing out of him like a flood. The frightening aura swept over the mantises and caused them to drop from the skies. The red mantis, with its extreme speed, avoided Zhang Lie''s punch and began to counterattack.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade blood mantis. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade blood mantis, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade blood mantis. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade blood mantis, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    The blood-red mantis darted faster and faster, leaving countless afterimages in the air. It swiftly closed in on Zhang Lie, lifted its forelegs wide in an attempt to behead him, and¡ªthat was it.


    The moment it met Zhang Lie''s gaze, its eyes took on a rainbow sheen. The red mantis suddenly became petrified. With a wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, the red mantis immediately darted off respectfully. The remaining mantises in the sky all fled, but Zhang Lie didn''t give chase.


    There were still quite a few bats left. They weren''t very strong, but Zhang Lie didn''t intend to let them go. If he were to do so, they would immediately return to the cave and terrorize the alien race on the other side of the wormhole.


    He had the bats scavenge for firewood as he roasted some of the fallen mantises. The bats had their fill, and, curiously enough, so did the blood-red mantis.


    Zhang Lie enjoyed his meal to the pleasant chime of notifications in his head informing him that he had gained more and more gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ¡­


    Genes: Basic, 10; Mutated, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m?(disaster)


    After finishing his meal, Zhang Lie proceeded deeper into the city. He quickly heard some soundsing from the distance...

 Chapter 625: A Small World

    <h4>Chapter 625: A Small World</h4>


    As Zhang Lie followed the noises in the distance, he came across a group of gic lifeforms chasing after a few members of an alien race.


    The aliens were battered and bruised all over. The ?group of lifeforms chasing after them consisted of members of various species¡ªwhat looked like dinosaurs, green-skinned dog-sized smanders.


    The aliens had bronze skin, jade-green hair, and muscr physiques, but they had clearly been pushed to their limits already.


    "Keep the lifeforms barely alive," Zhang Lie murmured, sending the blood-red mantis into the fray like aet.


    Bloodied streaks appeared on the lifeforms'' legs, and they all fell to the ground. The blood-red mantis was an existence close to peak-grade. Dealing with these lifeforms was trivial for it.


    Zhang Lie appeared above the aliens'' heads and punched down with [Fists of the Silent Sea]. His attack skirted over the aliens and sent the lifeforms reeling, vomiting blood as they staggered.


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade greenskin smander. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade greenskin smander, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie had controlled his strength very well so as to not cause the lifeforms to explode¡ªthey wouldn''t taste good that way.


    The aliens all turned around to stare at Zhang Lie. He ?wore the aura of the strong, and he was followed by a flock of ck bats, but none of the aliens had ever seen his like. They ran off in rm.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Don''t you think you''re all being a little ungrateful?"


    In a sh of red light, the blood-red mantis blocked the aliens'' path. Zhang Lie leisurely killed the dinosaur-like lifeform.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade earth tyrant. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade earth tyrant, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie was a little surprised to learn that the dinosaur had actually been a superior-grade lifeform.


    Forced to a halt, the aliens nced warily back at Zhang Lie, not knowing if he was friend or foe.


    They had been chased by that pack of lifeforms for what seemed like eternity, and yet Zhang Lie had taken care of it all in one swift blow. Furthermore, he was apparently in control of a swarm of gic lifeforms, and the aliens didn''t dare make a move against him.


    One of the aliens strode forward respectfully. "Thank you for saving us, kind sir. Is there anything we can do for you in return?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you know where I can find the human race in this world?"


    "The human race?" The aliens nced at each other in confusion. "We''ve never seen or heard of humans."


    Zhang Lie sighed. It seemed as though he had his work cut out for him in this realm. "Perhaps your elders might know. Lead me to where your tribe is."


    The aliens hesitated. Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed with a rainbow sheen, and then so did the aliens. They patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder.


    "Of course! You saved our lives. It''s the least we could do."


    "And here I thought it might be dangerous to lead a stranger into our tribe! Howughable¡ªa hero like you surely wouldn''t attack us."


    "No problem at all. We won''t hesitate to help our savior, after all."


    Zhang Lie had used his mistmeld m soulshard to revise the aliens'' wariness of him and elevate their feelings of gratitude. He had deep reserves of mental energy, and what he could do with it was staggering.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Let''s deal with these gic lifeforms first. We''ll have a meal right here."


    The aliens were shocked. "It''s far too dangerous! Any lifeform who smells the meat wille rushing over."


    Zhang Lie licked his lips. "Even better."


    Despite their mental conditioning, the aliens began looking like Zhang Lie as though he were crazy. Nevertheless, withoutint, they began preparing the lifeforms for consumption. Zhang Lie took some water out of his soulspace to the aliens'' surprise¡ªin this world, water was an extremely preciousmodity.


    As the aliens cooked the meat, Zhang Lie had the demonic bats stand guard and deal with any lifeform that was drawn by the scent of the food.


    A pack of what looked like dogs had rushed over in the meantime. The demonic bats stunned them with their screeches, then dragged them up into the air with their ws before dropping them to the ground, supplementing Zhang Lie''s feast.


    The aliens made the lifeforms into roast meat and meat broth, which was vorful in a way that he wasn''t used to. The aliens'' spices were different from his own, but they were interesting and developed in their own right.


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade greenskin smander, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 11]


    Zhang Lie continued eating.


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade greenskin smander, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 12]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade greenskin smander, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 13]


    The aliens all gathered by the fire and ate alongside Zhang Lie. As they enjoyed their meal, they questioned him as to his origins.


    "From over there." Zhang Lie gestured vaguely at the stone city behind him.


    The aliens nced in that direction curiously; they weren''t aware that there were other aliens in that direction.


    Zhang Lie picked up a dinosaur drumstick and had a big bite.


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade earth tyrant, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade earth tyrant, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 2]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade earth tyrant, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 3]


    Once he had obtained all ten superior gene fragments, he gave the rest of the meat to the aliens, who were shocked by the precious gift.


    The dog-type lifeforms that the demonic bats had killed were made into a simple hotpot with wild vegetables that grew in the region. It was unfortunately rather nd; hotpots needed a particrly rich broth, and Zhang Lie made a mental note to himself to obtain some satchels of broth¡ªthe equivalent of teabags¡ªwhen he returned to Earth.


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade wastnd hound, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 11]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade wastnd hound, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 12]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade wastnd hound, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 13]


    As they feasted and conversed, the aliens and Zhang Lie grew closer to each other. One of the aliens brought out a vat of wine. He poured out a cup and handed it to Zhang Lie.


    "Have a taste of our homemade alcohol!"


    Zhang Lie had a gulp. Spicy warmth radiated down his body, as though he were simmering from the inside.


    [For consuming regr-grade alcohol, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 21]


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. This was a very interesting brew! Not only did it give him gene fragments, it was even strengthening his body bit by bit. He was very surprised. As a disaster-grade lifeform, it should have been almost impossible for his body''s strength to be raised by normal means, but this alcohol could somehow do it...

 Chapter 626: Mysterious Alcohol

    <h4>Chapter 626: Mysterious Alcohol</h4>


    Zhang Lie wasn''t one to give up such a marvelous brew. "How do you brew this alcohol?"


    The alien sniffed. "Heh! This is a secret recipe of our n. The alcohol''s made with a few rare flowers, fruits, and herbs, along with the blood of some gic lifeforms. Prolonged consumption can even generate permanent increases in strength!"


    He stood up and flexed the steely muscles that rippled underneath his bronze skin.


    Another alien patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. "Once we get back to our vige, we''ll treat you to more alcohol."


    The alien who had flexed was called Mu. Muughed and continued, "The potency of our special brew increases with age. The longer the alcohol gets to mature, the stronger its effects. Every year, we have apetition among our n''s fighters. The winner of the entire affair gets a vat of hundred-year-old alcohol, and just one gulp of it gives you the strength of a superior-grade lifeform."


    Zhang Lie downed another cup of alcohol and listened to the will of the world''s chiming voice. [For consuming regr-grade alcohol, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 25]


    This alcohol was really quite impressive. Alien races had particrly limited routes to advancement; they either had to consume the flesh of apatible race or undergo long bouts of training, but this race had managed to concoct what was essentially a potion every alien race could consume.


    Even humans had to kill their own gic lifeforms to be able to derive gene fragments from them, but this alcoholpletely disregarded such a rule.


    Indeed, Zhang Lie was tempted topel the aliens to give him the recipe.


    Initially, his reason for heading toward the aliens'' vige was to get potential information about humans from their elders, but now he had a second as well.


    Mu''s face flushed. "To be frank, two centuries ago, we had an even better recipe for higher-grade alcohol, but wecked a specific kind of fruit. This fruit could only be found in another small world, but the entrance to that world was blocked by a swarm of bats. There was a superior-grade bat king that even our n chieftain could do nothing about."


    Mu continued, "I heard from the previous n head that the superior-grade bat king''s cries had the ability to cause people to implode from within. Our chieftain could withstand its cries, but it impacted his fighting ability ?to such an extent that he had no choice but to retreat after suffering grievous injuries. Ever since then, that wormhole has gone unused."


    Another alien piped up, "Actually, there used to be a city in the direction you said you came from, with a particrlyrge marketce to facilitate trade. When the tunnel was blocked off, the city gradually grew decrepit, and everyone moved elsewhere."


    None of the aliens knew that the superior-grade bat king had recently perished.


    Zhang Lie frowned as he rummaged through his potbellied-toad pouch and retrieved a big sack of jade-green fruits. "Is this the fruit that you mentioned?"


    Mu nced at the sack in surprise. "They look very simr to what I''ve been told about them, but I''d have to confirm it with my elders."


    Zhang Lie and the aliens had more or less finished their feast by then. There was still plenty of meat left, and Zhang Lie motioned for the demonic bats and blood-red mantis to finish them off.


    The demonic bats flocked to the meat from the skies, many targeting the superior-grade earth tyrant¡ªbut the blood-red mantis got there before they could. Its wings buzzed in a threatening fashion, and none of the bats dared draw forward lest they incur its wrath.


    The mantis began to consume the earth tyrant''s meat. As it did so, its carapace became even redder, and its body seemed to burn with bright red me. It devoured the rest of the meat in no time at all.


    Even the aliens and Zhang Lie, who were some distance away, could sense the scorching heat that emanated from its flesh.


    While Zhang Lie was ncing at the suddenmotion, the cry of birds came from afar. Overhead flew a flock of mutated-grade silver-feathered birds with sharp ws like metal hooks.


    The swarm of bats ose to the skies, outraged that there were scavengers who hade to steal their food.


    However, the bats werergely regr-grade, and they could do little against the mutated-grade birds. The regr-grade bats'' screeches had no effect against the birds. The mutated-grade ones did, but it was very limited, and there were far too few of them to have a noticeable impact.


    The blood-red mantis''s evolution was far less impressive than that of a peak-grade lifeform evolving into a disaster-grade one. As its carapace cracked, the mantis furiously rushed out of the molten shell it left behind. It had turned a deep-red color, and its body grew even smaller¡ªits body had been the length of a human, and was now half that size.


    However, size was by no means a reliable indicator of its strength.


    Mu seemed particrly surprised by the mantis''s growth. "Savior, your gic lifeform¡ª"


    The dark-red mantis''s body glowed with red light as it flew into the flock of birds like aet. As it rampaged through the flock, silver feathers fell to the ground, covered in blood. A pair ofrger silvery birds appeared at the front of the flock, their size marking them as the leaders of the flock¡ªand the leaders of a mutated-grade flock were surely superior-grade themselves.


    However, the superior-grade birdssted almost no time at all against the evolved mantis. It had attacked them before they even realized it; their wings were scarred with blood-red streaks, and lines of blood had appeared on their necks before they were able to make a move.


    Blood fountained into the air as the birds fell from the sky. As the blood hit the mantis, it hissed and instantly vaporized into a bloody mist.


    The aliens nced at the massacre in shock. The superior-grade birds had seemed particrly strong, but the dark-red mantis had taken care of them in no time at all. In that case, how much stronger did its master, Zhang Lie, have to be?


    They all turned toward Zhang Lie, who had vanished. They turned back to the flock to find that Zhang Lie had somehow darted into its midst without their notice.


    .


    "You idiot!" Zhang Lie called out. "How am I supposed to absorb those gene fragments if you''re the one killing the lifeforms?!"

 Chapter 627: Personable and Charming

    <h4>Chapter 627: Personable and Charming</h4>


    The dark-red mantis lowered its head in shame, and the remaining birds were so scared by the presence of this new intruder into their midst that they all tried to fly away.


    Zhang Lie killed two and tossed their carcasses at the aliens for them to handle. "Let''s have a second round!"


    The aliens rubbed their stomachs. "We''re still very full."


    "Well, I''ll eat them all myself, then!"


    In the end, the aliens made camp again and roasted the silver birds for Zhang Lie.


    .


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade silverwing bird, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 21]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade silverwing bird, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 22]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade silverwing bird, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 23]


    Perhaps because he had killed too many gic lifeforms recently, Zhang Lie''s body reeked of blood. No more gic lifeforms bothered them on their journey onwards. These lifeforms weren''t fools; the smell of blood would attract gic lifeforms, but too strong a smell of blood would indicate danger, instead.


    Despite how full the aliens imed to be, they each cut off a slice of meat for themselves¡ªsuperior-grade flesh was still a rarity for them, after all. The rest was picked clean by the dark-red mantis, who needed the nutrients to support its sudden growth spurt.


    By that time, the bats had all died, but Zhang Lie didn''t mind. It would be trivial for him to amass another group of lifeforms, at any rate.


    He rubbed his jaw. "I suppose I had better name you. How does Red Comet sound?"


    Once Red Comet had eaten its fill, Zhang Lie and the aliens set off again. As they headed into a forest, they were once again beset by gic lifeforms.


    As a result, the will of the world''s voice continuously chimed in Zhang Lie''s head once again.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade darkpack wolf. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade darkpack wolf, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade darkwind spider. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade darkwind spider, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade demonhead pig. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade demonhead pig, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    Finally, after dealing with what seemed like an interminable number of lifeforms, Zhang Lie arrived at the aliens'' vige. In order to avoid any suspicion, Zhang Lie had Red Comet remain at the entrance to guard against any foes that might approach.


    The vige wasn''t anything special¡ªthe houses were built of y, and the buildings of wood. By the time they drew near, they had already been spotted by the sentries in the watchtowers.


    Aliens rode over on two regr-grade lifeforms, surrounding the crowd and pointing their spears warily at Zhang Lie.


    Mu called out to the leader of the guards, "Amu!"


    Amu, who seemed like he could be Mu''s superior, nced at the ragtag band in annoyance. "Why have you brought outsiders into the vige? Surely you know the danger they possess."


    Mu cried out passionately, "He''s our savior, Amu, he saved us all and shared a great deal of food with us! I''m sure he wouldn''t hurt the vige."


    Amu frowned even more tightly. "Just how long have you known him? How are you so certain?"


    "How could he?" Mu retorted, as though it were only natural.


    "Right, right! Our savior has shown us nothing but kindness all this time."


    "We have to thank him for our lives!"


    The other aliens all spoke up on Zhang Lie''s behalf, but Amu rebuffed them all. He turned to Zhang Lie. "As thanks for saving my kinsmen, I''ll overlook the fact that they''ve brought a stranger like you here¡ªnow scram!"


    Mu frowned. "Amu, how could you? If not for our savior''s help, we would have been eaten by beasts! We brought him here as an honored guest to our vige, but now you''re trying to cast doubt on him!"


    Amu''s frown only deepened again. He narrowed his eyes on Zhang Lie. "Just what have you done to my foolish son?"


    Mu might be simple-minded, but not to such an extent that he would bring a stranger of unknown origin into his vige.


    "Do you really want to know?" Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed with rainbow light. "Look me in the eye, and I''ll tell you."


    As the rainbow glow grew stronger, Amu slowly rxed and began to smile. "Oh, of course! You''re Mu''s savior¡ªI truly have to thank you. Quick,e inside." He introduced himself in more detail. "I''m the captain of the guards, and I''m responsible for keeping the vige safe. I apologize for treating you like a threat before."


    Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard had erased Amu''s wariness.


    Amu clutched Zhang Lie on the shoulder warmly. "I truly have to thank you for saving my sone, the asion calls for a feast!"


    Zhang Lie followed him deeper into the vige as he asked, "Do you happen to know about a race known as humans?"


    Amu cocked his head. "I''ve never heard of them, but the elder may know more. He''s the longest-lived of us all, and he''s far more knowledgeable than any of us."


    As they headed into the vige, the aliens began to point and nce at Zhang Lie with interest, not having seen his like before.


    They had just walked up to Amu''s house when an elderly, wizened alien, supported by two younger attendants, appeared before them. The elder was garbed in thick clothing, and the wrinkles on his face were so numerous and so deep that a fly could get lost in them. His face was dark.


    Amuughed when he saw the elder. "Ah, speak of the devil!"


    The elder''s voice was deeper than Zhang Lie would have expected from such a frail body. "Amu, what''s the meaning of this? Who''s this outsider?"


    Amu patted Zhang Lie on the back. "This is my son''s savior, as well as my honored guest!"


    The elder mmed his walking stick against the ground. "Ridiculous! Have you lost your wits? Don''t you remember how your father died?"


    Mu countered, "Elder, this man''s different! He''s my savior and my friend!"


    The elder thundered at Mu and hispanions, "And you brats¡ªhow could you bring an outsider into the vige? Don''t you know how risky this is?"


    An alien beside Zhang Lie turned to him and whispered, "Don''t mind the elder too much. In the past, a member of the tribe brought in an outsider. Not long after the outsider left, others of his race came to rob us all. We managed to hold them off after a long fight, but with the location of our vige revealed, we had no choice but to retreat."


    Zhang Lie nodded and strode forward. "Elder, are you sure you don''t recognize me?"


    His eyes shone with rainbow light once more, and the elder''s lined face quickly turned radiant. "Ah, you''vee, you''vee!"


    He red at Amu. "How could you not tell me in advance of this man''s arrival?!"


    Amu scratched his head in confusion, then turned to Zhang Lie. "Just what''s going on?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Nothing¡ªI''m simply very personable and charming."


    Amu''s eyes gleamed again. "Indeed, personable and charming, personable and charming!"

 Chapter 628: The Alcohols History

    <h4>Chapter 628: The Alcohol''s History</h4>


    Amu tugged Zhang Lie away and into his house. "Come on, we''ll have a feast as thanks for what you''ve done. I have alcohol of excellent quality."


    As they walked inside, Amu headed down into the cer and brought out a vat of ten-year-old alcohol. Zhang Lie swallowed a proffered cup, at which point he heard the will of the world''s voice once again.


    [For consuming ten-year-old alcohol, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 31]


    He took out some of the carcasses he had hunted on the way to the vige and handed it to Mu. As he wined and dined some more, his gene fragments increased once again.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ¡­


    Genes: Basic, 45; Mutated, 45; Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m?(disaster)


    As they conversed, Zhang Lie changed the topic of conversation to his second reason for visiting the vige. "I heard that the vige was once able to brew even stronger alcohol, but that it hasn''t been able to acquire the necessary ingredients recently."


    Amu frowned. "Exactly right¡ªand it''s a real shame. A flock of gic lifeforms from who-knows-where blocked ess to a wormhole we used for trade, and even our chieftain himself was unable to do anything against them."


    "To be honest, I came across what I believe to be your missing ingredient recently." Zhang Lie retrieved a sack of jade-green fruits from his potbellied-toad pouch."


    Upon seeing those fruits, Amu''s eyes widened. "Could it be...?"


    Mu asked, "Amu, do you recognize these fruits?"


    Amu shook his head. "I''ve never seen the fruits for myself, either. We''d need the elder to confirm it."


    As a result, Mu ended up hefting the sack of fruits toward the elder''s house.


    When the elder saw those fruits, his hands trembled. He dug one out of the sack and sniffed it carefully, causing his eyes to widen. "I hadn''t expected to see these luojia fruits in my lifetime again... just where did you acquire them?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "A group of aliens from another small world stuffed them in my hands."


    The elder''s eyes grew even brighter. "In that case, has the wormhole between our world and the other reopened?"


    "It has," Zhang Lie confirmed.


    "Very good, very good!" the elderughed in joy. "Now, I can finally restore my ancestors'' recipe to its full glory!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''ve already scoured the world for these fruits, however, and it might be a few years before any more grow. Furthermore, it''s a long distance away. With the current strength of your vige, do you really think you can survive the journey?"


    The elder narrowed his eyes. "Lad, I know what you want. State your price."


    "I heard you had some vats of hundred-year-old alcohol."


    "I''ll trade you one vat for these fruits."


    "Ten vats."


    "We don''t have such arge supply avable. At the most, I can give you five such vats, along with ten ten-year-old vats."


    .


    Amu''s eyes widened. "Elder, I didn''t know we still had so much good alcohol remaining!"


    The elder rolled his eyes. "If you had known, it would have vanished in a few days, I''m sure."


    "Five hundred-year-old vats and thirty ten-year-old vats."


    The elder snorted. "Our vige doesn''t have arge supply of the ten-year-old vats either. Fifteen and no more."


    "Fifteen, then, as well as a hundred vats of whatever new alcohol you brew."


    The elder was so incensed that he almost jumped up. "Do you think this is in water? We''re brewing alcohol here! Thirty vats at most!"


    "Deal!"


    Zhang Lie pulled out nine more sacks of the fruits, which he dumped in the elder''s house. The fruits rolled out of the sacks and spilled over the floor. A faint fragrance drifted up toward the elder and Zhang Lie.


    "That''ll be fifty hundred-year-old vats, three hundred ten-year-old vats, and three hundred vats of your new alcohol, then!"


    The elder''s eyes rolled back, and he slumped to the ground.


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "When the vige learned that I was leaving, they gave me all the fruits they had stockpiled."


    The fruits were indeed very filling. The aliens of the other world had stockpiled these fruits in their cers to avoid bat attacks, but now that Zhang Lie had killed them all, the fruits were no longer necessary.


    The elder stared openmouthed at the fruits on the floor. "Did you really scrounge up all the fruits in that world?"


    "Nothing so exaggerated."


    The elder''s face turned serious. "To be honest, we don''t have so much alcohol avable for trade."


    "That''s to be expected. I''ll take whatever you do have." Zhang Lie''s goal was to im everything that the vige currently possessed.


    The elder shook his head. "At this point, we don''t have a single vat of hundred-year-old alcohol in our vige."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In that case, do you mean to renege on your deal?"


    The elder coughed. "No, no, not quite! We don''t have it now, but we used to have quite a stockpile."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Where our original vige was located, we had a secret cer with vats of hundred-year-old alcohol¡ªand even a legendary grade of alcohol beyond that!"


    Amu interjected in shock, "The legendary thousand-year-old alcohol?!"


    The elder shook his head. "No, just five hundred years old."


    To be honest, Zhang Lie was very impressed by the alcohol that this alien race could brew.


    With enough time, the alcohol would continue maturing and developing new potential. Who knew if they could produce a disaster-grade brew if they left it to settle for a thousand years?


    Zhang Lie understood what the elder was getting at. "I assume the route to your old settlement isn''t safe."


    The elder smiled. "As long as you bring the alcohol back, the five-hundred-year-old vats will be yours, too."


    "Oh? Aren''t you afraid I''ll im them all for myself?"


    The elderughed. "Lad, what''s in those vats is concentrated pre-processed alcohol. If you drink it directly, you''ll die."


    Amu nodded. "No lifeform can bear the force of its kick. When I was young, I snuck a taste of a vat, and it left me bedridden for three months."


    The elder smirked. "Lad, with your strength, perhaps you might survive the ten-year-old brew, but surely not the hundred- or five-hundred-year-old ones."


    It was only then that Zhang Lie realized that the wily old elder had been intending to bait him from the beginning. When he came to that realization, Zhang Lie was tempted to use the mistmeld m soulshard against him once more.


    The elder was clearly trying to rip Zhang Lie off...

 Chapter 629: The Beast Tribe

    <h4>Chapter 629: The Beast Tribe</h4>


    Unfortunately for the elder, his opponent was Zhang Lie.


    The elder looked at Zhang Lie serenely. "In order to process those vats into actual alcohol, you''ll need the secret technique of our n."


    Zhang Lie had no intention of letting this old man rip him off. "It''s not a problem for me to make that trip, but I want the recipe that''s been passed down within your n."


    Amu mmed a foot on the floor. "That''s the basis of our n''s strength!"


    The elder nced at Zhang Lie meaningfully. "Thisd''s strong enough to take it by force if he wanted to, anyway."


    Zhang Lie nced at the elder in surprise.


    It was likely that he had guessed that Zhang Lie had ess to some form of mentalpulsion. After all, Zhang Lie didn''t put the elder under deep hypnosis; he simply changed the elder''s perception of him. Most people wouldn''t have suspected anything¡ªthe same way they believed that Earth was a surrounded by the void of space without necessarily seeing the proof of it for themselves.


    It was a known fact; who would doubt such a thing?


    Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard had put such a mental suggestion in the elder''s brain, causing him to treat Zhang Lie like an honored guest. However, there was no basis for this treatment, and no corresponding memories in the elder''s brain that had been revised. Under such conditions, the brain tended to manufacture fake memories of its own, in the same manner that delusional people conjured up false memories to fit their delusions.


    Only particrly strong-willed or introspective people would discover that their supposed memories didn''t truly exist.


    What most impressed Zhang Lie was that, despite the fact that the elder knew that those memories were fake¡ªor rather had guessed that they were fake¡ªthe elder didn''t treat Zhang Lie like an enemy.


    The elder was naturally incensed upon realizing the truth, but he quickly calmed down. He was intelligent enough to realize that, if Zhang Lie were able to revise his memories with nothing more than a simple nce, Zhang Lie was an enemy too strong for him to handle.


    There was nothing to be gained from idle resistance; Zhang Lie was likely able to ughter the entire vige if he wanted to. In fact, he could even turn the respected elder into a prisoner of the vige, exchanging his identity with Zhang Lie''s own. He didn''t have any idea about the depths of Zhang Lie''s power, so he cleverly chose to y along with the charade.


    Amu was the only one flummoxed among the three of them; he cocked his head upon seeing the elder and Zhang Lie looking at each other with identical knowing smiles.


    The elder sketched a quick map, which he handed to Mu. He told Zhang Lie, "Mu lived in our old vige as a child, and he knows roughly where the vats of alcohol are located. He''ll be your scout."


    They set off without any rest. The moment they emerged from the vige, Red Comet zipped over to find them, and they set off toward the location of the old vige together.


    They encountered three regr-grade lifeforms along the way. Red Comet battered them down before Zhang Lie could make a move, then retreated so that Zhang Lie could take the kill.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade hellwind serpent. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade hellwind serpent, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie rapped the mantis''s head. "Oh, you..."


    He had intended on hypnotizing the gic lifeform with his mistmeld m soulshard and using it as a mount, but Red Comet had dealt with it before he could say anything.


    He gave two of the carcasses to Red Comet, then roasted the other one on the spot.


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade hellwind serpent, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 46]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade hellwind serpent, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 47]


    As Zhang Lie obtained his fifty-fifth basic gene fragment, hemanded Red Comet, "Go find two mutated-grade lifeforms. I want the fastest ones there are¡ªdon''t kill them, just let me know when you find them."


    Who knew how much longer walking would take?


    However, Red Comet didn''t make a move. It stood still and rubbed its forelegs. Zhang Lie frowned. "Can you not understand human speech?"


    Red Comet roughly understood what Zhang Lie wanted, but fine detail eluded it.


    Sighing, Zhang Lie used his mistmeld m soulshard on Red Comet. It might be incapable of fully understanding speech, but surely it could process thoughts, at the very least.


    Red Comet instantly vanished. It came back almost in the blink of an eye, motioning toward a particr direction. Zhang Lie stepped through the air, not moving much slower than Red Comet itself, and quickly found the indicated target¡ªtwo superior-grade ck leopards.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened, and he rubbed Red Comet along its head. "Not bad."


    He appeared before the two ck leopards in a blink, his eyes glowing with rainbow light. The ck leopards howled threateningly, but their eyes quickly turned rainbow-colored as well. They slowly rolled over on the ground, as docile as two house cats.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and scratched their bellies, causing the leopards to nudge Zhang Lie with their heads and rub their bodies against his. Red Comet ?whirred its wings and clicked its mandibles in a threatening fashion, causing the ck leopards to rear back¡ªthey were a little scared of it.


    "Very good. You''ll be my mounts starting from today¡ªI suppose I''ll call you White and Whiter."


    Zhang Lie rather liked their paradoxical names, considering they were ck leopards.


    He brought White and Whiter back toward where Amu was waiting for them. Zhang Lie rode on White, and Amu on Whiter. The two superior-grade leopards were extremely fast, and their auras prevented any lower-grade lifeforms from drawing near. The rest of the journey went quickly and uneventfully.


    Suddenly, Amu pointed before them. "Ah, the original vige is right ahead!"


    Zhang Lie nced far into the distance, where he saw a pile of ruins¡ªwood and stone strewn all over, houses that had copsed and been exposed to the natural elements, charred ground, bones, and piles of rubble and ash.


    "It looks like you suffered a serious robbery indeed," Zhang Lie murmured.


    He also noticed a great deal of bones from gic lifeforms in the remnants of the vige.


    Amu nodded. "Those from the beast tribe were particrly vile."


    "The beast tribe?"


    "Ah, you must not know, savior. The tribes around here all have different abilities, and they''ve been given nicknames rted to those abilities. The tribe that attacked us was the beast tribe, and they''re a tribe of beast tamers. Working together, they''re able to subdue beasts of incredible strength¡ªbut of course not at your level, savior."


    Amu rubbed Whiter and shot an idle nce at Red Comet, zooming through the air.


    He had never seen such powerful tamed lifeforms before, not even in the beast tribe. Red Comet was particrly impressive; it was so fast that he could barely catch its motion, and much too fast for him to react to it in time.


    If the beast tribe had possessed a gic lifeform as strong as Red Comet, none of them would have survived the ordeal.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Has anyone returned to this vige after the invasion?"


    Amu shook his head. "Not as far as I know, but some members of the tribe might have returned secretly. Is something the matter?"


    1. I have no idea what the author is thinking.

 Chapter 630: Two Tamers

    <h4>Chapter 630: Two Tamers</h4>


    Zhang Lie frowned. "The ground''s been cleared away, and there are a few burial mounds over there. There''s a trail of fresh footprints, both humanoid and bestial."


    Mu replied, "It could very well be those from the beast tribe hoping to loot the remains of the vige. Their tribe isn''t too far from here."


    Zhang Lie nced around. He could sense fluctuations of gic energy nearby. He thought that they came from gic lifeforms, but were there really any wild ones that wouldn''t run away upon sensing Red Comet and the two superior-grade ck leopards? Either they were very confident peak-grade lifeforms, or weak lifeforms that were scared stiff.


    Under these circumstances, however, the most likely scenario was neither of these hypotheses¡ªit had to be someone from the beast tribe! The lifeforms he was sensing were being controlled by one of their beast tamers.


    "The elder was a wily old fox indeed..." Zhang Lie smiled coldly as he allowed their mysterious enemy toy their ns.


    He wanted to see just what these beast tamers could achieve, as well as what gave them the courage to try to tail Zhang Lie. If they chose not to make a move, they would get off scot-free, but if they did, well, Zhang Lie was ready for them.


    Indeed, tailing Zhang Lie and Mu were tamers from the beast tribe.


    "As expected, those from the alcohol tribe have returned to their vige! Father''s guess was right¡ªthey must have a secret alcohol cer somewhere around here! Their millennia of hoarding surely couldn''t have amounted to just those few pitiful vats of alcohol. I bet everything they have is hidden underground¡ªincludingrge quantities of their hundred-year-old brew!"


    As he thought back to the taste of that divine alcohol, one of the beast tamers licked his lips, his eyes filling with greed.


    Beside him, the other tamer urged, "Brother, shouldn''t we return and head back to our tribe? Something seems strange."


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Our beasts are trembling, as if they''re afraid of something."


    The other tamer began tough. "Kaimie, you''re the only coward among us. If we can find their stockpile of hundred-year-old alcohol and drink it all ourselves, we''ll be fearsome warriors. There''d be nothing that could stand against us then! If you return and inform the tribe of what we''ve found, how much of the alcohol do you think will be given to us?"


    Kaimie hesitated after hearing his brother''s words.


    His brother continued, "You know how much alcohol''s in one of the alcohol tribe''s storehouses, don''t you? You can drink your fill, then hide the rest away forter. You''re interested in Cuihua, aren''t you? I see you making faces at her all the time."


    "Y-Yes."


    "As long as you bring her enough of this alcohol, I''m sure she''ll go out with you."


    Kaimie blushed. "Cuihua isn''t like that!"


    His brother nced askance at him. He had no intention of mentioning the fact that he had lured Cuihua to bed with him using three vats of hundred-year-old alcohol which he had sacked from the alcohol tribe, and whom he remembered rather fondly.


    "If you''re strong enough and boast enough resources, Cuihua will naturally be attracted to you," he affirmed.


    Kaimie thought for a moment and nodded slowly. The two tamers trailed behind Zhang Lie.


    Mu led them directly to the secret underground cer. When he broke through the hastily bricked up entrance with a punch, a strong aroma of alcohol wafted out.


    Zhang Lie strode in to find vat after vat of alcohol. He broke the seal off a vat to find sticky pre-processed alcohol within.


    Mu sighed. "You''ve ruined that vat!"


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    Mu exined, "The alcohol precursor has to be kept in an inert environment at all times. You''ve broken the seal, and recing it will be useless now!"


    "Is that so..." Zhang Lie turned behind him and called out, "Did you all hear that? This alcohol precursor has to be brought back to the alcohol tribe. It won''t be of any use to you, so you''d better leave now!"


    Mu''s eyes widened as he nced to his back and saw nothing but deste ground. "Savior, who are you talking to?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "There are a few flies around."


    Two tamers slowly appeared from afar, their beasts mbering through the ruins. The older said, "I''m very curious how you noticed our presence."


    Mu frowned. "Kaichen!"


    Kaichen''s lips parted in an exaggerated grin. "Hand over the alcohol now!"


    The other tamer, Kaimie, added, "If you don''t want to be food for our lifeforms, hand over those vats immediately. The two of you won''t be able to do anything against our lifeforms!"


    Zhang Lie nced at the two lifeforms, one of which was regr-grade and the other of which was mutated-grade. He really didn''t know what gave the tamers ?confidence that they could overwhelm him.


    Kaichenughed again. "I''ve waited here for over three months! At least let me get something for my troubles."


    Mu thundered, "You damned beast tribe! Not only did you ransack our vige, you even killed so many among our n. I''ll give you nothing!"


    Kaichen shrugged and spread his arms wide. "I''ve waited over three months for you in penance¡ªthat means something, surely? Don''t think that you''re still the dominant tribe you used to be. Hand over the alcohol and I might spare your lives."


    In the past, the alcohol tribe had been the strongest of the tribes in the region, with close ties to many of the neighboring ones. There were even rumors that a hegemon would emerge from their midst and unite the world.


    However, an incident had urred. One of the key ingredients necessary for the tribe''s famous alcohol had be impossible to acquire, and the ties that it had forged slowly fell apart.


    The alcohol tribe''s power and prestige grew lower by the year. They managed to develop new brews after a hefty amount of research, but they were only ersatz versions of the original.


    Kaichen mocked, "Are the two of you all the tribe sent to retrieve these vats? Do they think we''re so stupid that we wouldn''t keep any guard around the area?"


    Zhang Lie called out, "Red Comet, kill the hunters and cripple their lifeforms!"


    Kaichenughed as though he had heard a marvelous joke. Who did this upstart think he was? He and his brother were beast tamers from the beast tribe! Perhaps they would have to be worried about people from the alcohol tribe in the past, but surely not when they had be so downtrodden.


    In a sh of red light, Kaichen''s smiling face fell from his head.


    Out of the corner of his eye, in hisst moments of consciousness, he seemed to see his brother''s head beside him. The two gic lifeformsy crouched on the ground, paralyzed with fear.


    Mu''s eyes widened. How had Zhang Lie taken care of the two beast tamers so easily? But it did make sense¡ªthose silver birds were far stronger than these tamers. If they fell to Zhang Lie, then it was only reasonable that these tamers would, too...

 Chapter 631: Without Even a Corpse

    <h4>Chapter 631: Without Even a Corpse</h4>


    "What should we do? Kaichen might be a bastard, but he''s the son of the chieftain of the beast tribe! Once he finds out that his son was killed, he''ll surelye for us."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "How would he know that we''re the culprits?"


    Mu suddenly stopped short.


    "And even if he does, does he know where the alcohol tribe''s vige is located?"


    Zhang Lie snorted. The elder had likely suspected that there were beast tamers around scouting the location of their old vige, and he had specifically sent Zhang Lie on this mission to deal with them. He''d be certain to teach the elder a lesson.


    "Come on¡ªwe''ll clean up here and bring the alcohol back." Zhang Lie waved a hand unhappily, motioning for White and Whiter to clean up the corpses while he cleared away the cer as quickly as he could.


    Zhang Lie was just about to leave when Mu shouted, "Hold on!"


    "What''s the matter?"


    "There''s a second floor to this underground cer. The older brews are all kept there; the first floor only has the standard stuff."


    Mu pushed open a hidden chamber.


    Once again, Zhang Lie had to be impressed with the elder''s cunning. If Zhang Lie had killed Mu along the way or otherwise reneged on his promise, he wouldn''t have been able to obtain the precious brews of the alcohol tribe. Meanwhile, the alcohol tribe might have lost some of its alcohol, but the really precious vats would have been preserved¡ªand Zhang Lie had just cleared the way for them to retrieve it.


    As they headed deeper into the cer, the pervasive aroma of alcohol grew stronger and stronger. Zhang Lie''s face flushed; he was getting drunk just smelling it. He immediately purged himself with gic energy.


    Unlike the first floor, the second floor wasn''t filled with vats. What itcked in quantity, it made up for in quality. An overwhelming fragrance had settled around the vats. It was clear at a nce¡ªor a sniff¡ªthat this was good alcohol. In principle, sealed vats shouldn''t have given off any smell at all, but the air was thick with the heady scent of alcohol.


    Naturally, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to give up on this treasure. He looted the alcohol and stored it all in his extradimensional space. Subsequently, he killed the two tamed lifeforms from the beast tribe andmanded Mu, "Roast them."


    Mu jumped up in shock. "But the beast tribe coulde at any moment!"


    "Good¡ªI hope they do!"


    Mu sighed, but he did roast the meat following Zhang Lie''s orders. Based on what he had witnessed on the way to the alcohol tribe''s old vige, he was more than convinced of Zhang Lie''s strength.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie continued adding to his collection of gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 65; Mutated, 55; Superior, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m?(disaster)


    After acquiring all the gene fragments he could obtain, he gave the rest of the meat to White and Whiter.


    Satiated with food and alcohol, Zhang Lie set off on the way back to the alcohol tribe''s vige. The only thing he was upset about was that the beast tribe hadn''t dispatched any more tamers in his direction.


    By the time Zhang Lie and Mu returned to the alcohol tribe, quite a few vigers had gathered by its entrance awaiting them.


    When they saw White and Whiter, they seemed rather amazed. Some of the bolder vigers even stepped forward trying to pat the two leopards, but they were dissuaded against that notion thanks to the leopards'' bared teeth and howls.


    Zhang Lie pped White on the head, motioning for it to be quiet.


    With the help of two attendants, the elder walked out to greet Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes at him. "Very good, elder."


    The elder feigned ignorance. "Is something the matter?"


    "You never mentioned the ambush waiting for us at the location of the old vige."


    The elder schooled his expression into perfect innocence. "Was there an ambush? My goodness¡ªI had no idea!"


    He was, indeed, a wily old fox. Zhang Lie snorted. "I was deeply wounded while fighting off the members of the beast tribe, and¡ª"


    Mu interjected, "What? Savior, you¡ª"


    Amu dragged Mu away before he could say anything more. "Come, son, let''s talk inside! Don''t disturb the elder and your savior."


    Amu stood with the tribe on principle, but he knew how strong Zhang Lie was, and what a bad idea it would be to rouse his ire. The two superior-grade lifeforms he had ridden back were proof enough of that. What could a small turtle do in a confrontation between a lion and a dragon?


    The elder fretted. "My goodness! There are some healers in the tribe, and I insist they have a look at you."


    "There''s no need. Alcohol''s good enough¡ªdouble the quantity of hundred-year-old vats owed to me."


    The elder sighed. "It''s not that I''m unwilling, but rather that the vige doesn''t have such arge supply of alcohol to give you."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Don''t try to fool me¡ªI brought these vats back myself."


    "I''m afraid I simply can''t give you more alcohol¡ªour tribe needs to maintain our strength as well. How about you choose from one of the beauties of the tribe? Or I can even introduce you to my own granddaughter..." The elder smiled, his eyes twinkling.


    If Zhang Lie epted one of the tribe''s women, they would be able to count on him for some support.


    "Do you really think I don''t dare to kill you?"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes narrowed in anger. "I could very well chop you to pieces and have no one in this tribe think anything of it."


    The elder''s forehead beaded with sweat. "Please, calm down! Perhaps we could set up a different kind of trade. Our tribe hassted for millennia, and we still have some treasures. If you''re willing to ept them, let''s let bygones be bygones."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his jaw. "Mu told me that the alcohol tribe has been in decline for quite a while now."


    "Haha, you''re not wrong, but we once used to be the strongest tribe in the region. Two hundred years ago, all thisnd belonged to us. We controlled it all; our word wasw. Even a thin camel isrger than a horse, and our tribe still has quite a few treasures from that age. I''m sure there are some that will catch your attention."


    Zhang Lie was indeed quite tempted. This tribe had dominated this world for some time, after all, and they very well might possess something Zhang Lie coveted.


    "Let me have a look."


    The elder brought Zhang Lie back to his little cottage. He retrieved a worn-down chest and revealed a secretpartment within.


    "Hoh! I hadn''t expected you to hide your treasures in this little cottage, Elder."


    The elder smiled in mock embarrassment. "Most of our treasures, we had to leave behind during the raid, but I couldn''t bear parting with a few artifacts left behind by our ancestors."


    The elder ced the various items on the table: a shortsword studded with jewels, a pitch-ck stone, a dried tree root, the hand of a mummified corpse, and a tattered map.


    Zhang Lie nced at the objects with a cultivated air of indifference. He shook his head as he picked up the shortsword, sighed upon inspecting the stone, sniffed the root, squeezed the mummified hand, and finally picked up the map.


    His actions seemed casual, but his eyes were perfectly serious.


    This¡ªthis was the key to thergest treasure of the third realm!


    He had obtained a piece of the map from Musi Yu way back when, but he didn''t expect to find the second piece here in this small vige.

 Chapter 632: Worse than a Mongrel

    <h4>Chapter 632: Worse than a Mongrel</h4>


    Zhang Lie sighed and put down the tattered map, shaking his head. "Elder, to be honest, none of these look any good. They''re all trash, but well, I like making friends. I''ll ept all this trash as medical fees."


    "Lad, please, don''t y these tricks with me. If they really were trash, why would you take them away?" The elderughed. "I''m getting old, and my brain''s not so agile anymore. Take what you want¡ªtake them all if you will, but I hope that you''ll show this rundown tribe a little mercy and leave us something."


    Zhang Lie picked up the root. "I''ll take this¡ªI need a supplementary ingredient for one of my brews."


    Then, he picked up the tattered map. "This as well¡ªyou''re surely not going to find anything with just this one piece, and I like collecting all sorts of oddities. With these two items, I''ll ignore the fact that you didn''t tell me about a potential ambush from the beast tribe."


    The elder asked, "If you don''t mind my asking, I''m a little curious as to just what this root is. We''ve had it in the vige for quite some time. As the alcohol tribe, we''re well-versed in all sorts of herb and nt lore, but none of us have ever managed to identify just what it is."


    Because the alcohol tribe had to experiment with different nts for brewing alcohol, they were much more knowledgeable about herblore than the other tribes around, but even they had no records of this pitch-ck root.


    Millennia of research and study had left behind what was essentially an encyclopedia of herbs and nts within the tribe, so it was even more extraordinary that the root hadn''t been cataloged at all.


    If not for the premier brewmaster of the era iming that this root had potent medical properties, it wouldn''t have been preserved in the elder''s chest. However, that was all the brewmaster was able to uncover about the root.


    "This is a darksky anchoring root. When a particrly rare species of tree dies, the roots that are left behind age into this ck mass over millennia. This root can stabilize gene fragments in someone''s body, but it''s useless for most people¡ªit won''t be able to make you stronger, or grant you ess to potent power, or make you handsome, or anything of the sort."


    Of course, if it didn''t have any utility, Zhang Lie wouldn''t covet it. He believed that this root''s stabilizing properties would be instrumental to Potion #5, which would cause evenrger shifts in Zhang Lie''s genes than the previous four potions had done.


    "And what of the map?" The elder asked about the other item.


    "It''s just a bonus."


    The elder smiled. "I might be old and close to blind, but that doesn''t mean I''m clueless. The map was thest item you picked up, and clearly the most important in your mind. When I brought out all the items, your gazended on the map immediately."


    As expected of a wily old fox, to be able to catch such subtle details. Zhang Lie emphasized, "The map is useless. Do you understand me?"


    "As you will. There was never such a map in this vige; all you imed for yourself was a tree root."


    Talking with the elder was a painless affair¡ªhe understood what Zhang Lie meant almost immediately. Some curiosity was eptable, but too much could lead Zhang Lie to do something drastic.


    "We''ll let bygones be bygones, then." Zhang Lie strode to the door of the hut and retrieved the vats of alcohol from his potbellied-toad pouch. Arge number of mud-sealed vats appeared out of thin air, emanating such a potent and aromatic scent of alcohol that everyone around could smell it. The members of the n all began pouring out of their houses and heading toward the elder''s.


    "I''ve brought back what you requested," Zhang Lie dered.


    As the elder saw his n''s delighted faces, he nodded in satisfaction. He slowly walked to the doorway and proimed, "Kin and kith, hear me! Our honored guest has retrieved our long-lost alcohol from our old vige¡ªalong with the ingredients for our ancestral recipe! The worst of our days are over¡ªlet us rejoice for our future, for our esteemed guest!"


    Cheers echoed through the entire vige.


    On the other hand,pared to the festive atmosphere in the alcohol tribe''s vige, that in the beast tribe''s vige was dark and cold.


    "Kaimie and Kaichen, those two bastards, still haven''t returned," the chieftain of the beast tribe informed everyone gathered within the tent¡ªhis other sons and close aides.


    His eldest son, who sat to his left, immediately replied, "I headed to the ruins of the alcohol vige and found new footprints there. Following the footprints, I saw an underground cer that we hadn''t noticed before."


    The chieftain''s face grew darker. "In that case, you believe that Kaimie and Kaichen were killed by men from the alcohol tribe?"


    "That''s my guess."


    The chieftain hissed. "I told them to report to me instantly if they were to find anything! Those damned fools!"


    The chieftain''s eldest daughter sat to his right. With a mocking tone, she suggested, "Perhaps Kaimie and Kaichen simply took all that alcohol for themselves and ran away."


    To her right sat the chieftain''s third-eldest son. "Kaimie''s not so daring, but as for Kaichen..."


    The chieftain mmed a palm on the table, smashing it to splinters. "If Kaichen really did that, I''ll skin him alive!"


    His eldest daughter spread her arms. "Now that he''s gone missing, what can you do?"


    "We''ll see." The chieftain narrowed his eyes and pped his hands, causing a blood-colored shadow to dart to his side¡ªa gigantic wolf with fur the color of blood. Scales grew out of its body and limbs, and its head looks simultaneously like that of a snake and a wolf. Sharp incisors emerged from its mouth, and it would stick out its long slitted tongue from time to time.


    Everyone within the tent stood up, wracked by fear. That was a blood-colored snakewolf, amander-ss lifeform!


    The chieftain''s eldest son snapped out of his daze and warned, "Father, be careful!"


    The chieftain of the beast tribe gently patted the snakewolf''s nose. "Don''t worry. I''ve tamed it already."


    Within the tent, the chieftain''s children and aides slowly began to kneel. As one, they chorused, "Congrattions, chieftain! Our peerless leader will establish dominion over a thousand beasts and lead our tribe to glory!"


    Despite their words, their expressions were all subtly different¡ªsome were shocked, others surprised, more scared, and some regretful.


    The chieftain''s eldest son asked, "Father, when did you tame amander-ss lifeform?"


    The chieftain of the beast tribe smiled cockily. "It''s all thanks to the alcohol tribe. The snakewolf was very fond of alcohol, so I gave it a great deal of the hundred-year-old brew and took my chance when it was drunk."

 Chapter 633: Awaiting the Alcohol

    <h4>Chapter 633: Awaiting the Alcohol</h4>


    Only then did the chieftain''s children and aides understand why he had insisted on attacking the alcohol tribe despite the grievous injuries their tribe would suffer.


    Back then, quite a few elders and personal aides had strenuously objected, but the chieftain overrode all those objections.


    The chieftain exined, "Not only is this snakewolf particrly strong in its own right, it even has the ability to track people by blood. Just one drop of blood will lead us to the owner of that blood."


    The chieftain''s eldest daughterughed. "Very good, Father! With this snakewolf around, Kaichen will be doomed no matter where he tries to hide."


    The chieftain''s second-eldest son smiled maliciously. "Kaichen surely didn''t predict this oue. How unlucky of him!"


    The chieftain took out a small bottle of blood. After taming the snakewolf, he had specially informed everyone in the tribe to present a bottle of their own blood to him. The snakewolf stuck its long tongue within and licked a drop or two, then shook its head.


    The chieftain''s eldest son asked, "Father, were you able to find him?"


    The chieftain smashed the bottle in anger. "He''s dead¡ªthey''re both dead, and their corpses have been destroyed! The snakewolf can''t find any trace of them if no part of their body has survived intact."


    "What?!"


    "They''re both from the beast tribe¡ªhow could they have died? Was it the alcohol tribe?"


    "Not even their corpses? Just how did Kaimie and Kaichen die?"


    The eldest daughter of the chieftain suggested, "It''s really not too hard to get rid of their corpses¡ªjust feed them to the lifeforms all around."


    The beast tribe chieftain thundered in rage, "Useless trash though they may be, they''re my sons! I won''t let their deaths go unavenged¡ªthe entire alcohol tribe will pay!"


    "But we don''t have any clues, and we don''t know where the alcohol tribe has gone!" his eldest son protested.


    The chieftain of the beast tribe snorted. "Don''t worry. The snakewolf''s special ability might be to track others by blood, but it can do so by scent as well."


    Zhang Lie remained with the alcohol tribe for some time. He did want to leave, but brewing the alcohol would require considerable time. He had nothing else to do, so he walked his leopards and killed some regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms in the meantime.


    This world was rather low-leveled in the grand scheme of things, and he didn''t see any superior-grade lifeforms nearby. In fact, Zhang Lie suspected that Red Comet might be the only peak-grade lifeform around, and almost certainly that there were no disaster-grade lifeforms to hunt.


    One day, there was amotion from outside the vige. Every rm bell in the alcohol tribe was ringing, and the tribespeople immediately dropped what they were doing and scurried into action.


    Zhang Lie appeared in the watchtower in the blink of an eye, shocking Amu, who had gotten there first.


    Beside him, someone from the alcohol tribe murmured, "Is this a beast stampede?"


    There were countless beasts in the vicinity rushing toward the vige like a tsunami. Their eyes were red, and their odor carried through the air.


    Amu''s face turned dark. He grabbed the railing with such force that it splintered to pieces in his palms. "No. They''re from the beast tribe."


    He had witnessed one such scene before in his life, and it was one he would never forget¡ªthe original invasion of the alcohol tribe.


    One of the fighters from the alcohol tribe pointed at Zhang Lie. "It''s all your fault! You must have brought the beast tribe over, just like the foreigner from the past! None of you can be trusted!"


    Amu sent a punch in the direction of the speaker, sending him flying. "Do you think it''s the time to be fighting among ourselves? Go, prepare for battle!"


    Amu sighed as he nced at Zhang Lie. "This is a conflict between tribe and tribe."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s no problem. Before you finish brewing the alcohol, I need to keep this tribe safe, at any rate."


    He stepped off the ground and flew outside the watchtower, White and Whiter rushing out with him. In a whirr of red light, Red Comet had zipped to his side.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Ripples of gic energy emanated from Zhang Lie''s fist, exploding amidst the beast horde in a torrent of water. The frightening waves of energy decimated half the horde in an instant, leaving nothing but bone and blood behind.


    The fighters of the alcohol tribe stared at Zhang Lie in shock. Just how strong was he that he could destroy half the beast horde in one blow?


    Amu''s eyes widened. "This is, this is the power to control space!"


    Legends had been passed down among their tribe of fearsome hunters at the acme of strength who had the ability to warp space and time.


    "It''s like a legende alive..." Amu murmured.


    The beasts from the beast horde began to rear back. They had lost all their momentum; the air was heady with fear.


    Zhang Lie sighed as he nced at the floor strewn with lifeform remains. "I used too much strength by ident. I suppose we can''t have a feast anymore..."


    "To think there was such a fighter in the alcohol tribe! Might I know your name, and why you''re helping them out?" A man riding a lifeform emerged from the midst of the beast horde. His mount had scales covering its body and limbs, and its head looks simultaneously like that of a snake and a wolf. Sharp incisors emerged from its mouth, and it would stick out its long slitted tongue from time to time. It looked like a snake-wolf hybrid.


    "What kind of mongrel is this?" To his surprise, Zhang Lie found that it was a peak-grade lifeform.


    The man''s expression turned dark, but he didn''t dare say a word.


    Zhang Lie hastily exined, "I''m talking about your mongrel of a mount, not you¡ªyou''re worse than the mongrel."


    The man roared in rage, "I''ll kill you, you bastard!"


    His eldest son, who rode a superior-grade toad, hurriedly pulled him back. "Father, remain calm! We don''t know how strong our opponent is. There''s no need for too much bloodshed yet."


    The man sucked in a deep breath and visibly reined in his anger. He stared at Zhang Lie. "I''ve never seen the likes of you around. Who are you?"

 Chapter 634: A Problem Resolved

    <h4>Chapter 634: A Problem Resolved</h4>


    Zhang Lie responded to a different question entirely. "I guard the alcohol tribe."


    The beast tribe''s chieftain''s eyes glinted with murderous light. "And you aren''t afraid of my beast tribe?"


    "Sir, you''re a clever man. Why stay with the alcohol tribe?" asked the chieftain''s eldest son, riding on a toad.


    Zhang Lie began tough. "And why not? Why should I listen to the likes of you¡ªa mongrel, trash worse than a mongrel, and the son of that trash?"


    The beast tribe''s chieftain was unable to rein in his anger any longer. "Attack!"


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up as he snapped his fingers. White, Whiter, and Red Comet rushed out into the beast horde.


    Red Comet darted straight at the snakewolf, zipping around it and inflicting wounds all over its body before the snakewolf could react. White and Whiter pounced toward two of the superior-grade lifeforms in the horde, striking in unison.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Brash and arrogant, without the strength to back it up."


    The tamers of the beast tribe were strong fighters in their own right, even ignoring their beasts.


    The superior-grade leopards were having a hard time vanquishing their opponents, but Red Comet dominated the snakewolf. Even among peak-grade lifeforms, it was one of the strongest around.


    The beast tribe''s chieftain was unable to do anything about Red Comet; it moved so quickly that he couldn''t react to its motion in time. His face dark, he muttered, "To think you''re a tamer yourself, too."


    "Ha! I''m more skilled at manipting people than beasts." Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed with a rainbow gleam. He intended to wrest control over the snakewolf, but the beast tribe''s methods were umonly effective¡ªfor the first time, hispulsion failed.


    Instead, Zhang Lie struck at the beast tribe''s chieftain, capturing him in a dreamscape almost immediately. He had the chieftain control his snakewolf and attack the other superior-grade beasts of the beast tribe, causing his eldest son to cry out, "Father, what''s gotten into you?!"


    The beast tribe''s chieftain mmed a huge punch into his son, knocking him off his toad and onto the ground.


    The chieftain''s son was barely fighting on equal footing with White, ? and when the chieftain suddenly knocked him down, the toad he controlled froze up. That was White''s chance, as well as Zhang Lie''s.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie''s technique was faster than even Red Comet''s movement. He struck the snakewolf before it could react, ripples of water and spatial distortions striking its body head-on.


    The snakewolf''s body trembled, and then copsed.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade snakewolf. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade snakewolf, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Of course, this was the result of fine control on Zhang Lie''s part. ?The snakewolf''s organs had all exploded under the impact of Zhang Lie''s punch, but its skin remained intact.


    After Red Comet lost its target, it hovered into the air and began striking at the other superior-grade lifeforms nearby instead. It honed in on a white bird controlled by the chieftain''s eldest daughter, who didn''t notice Red Comet''s presence.


    As though predicting what was about to happen, Zhang Lie suddenly shouted, "Hey, leave the birdbrain intact!"


    A beam of blood shot into the air, slicing off half of the white bird''s wing. As blood-red light criss-crossed in the air, the chieftain''s daughter and the white bird fell from the air, diced into cubes.


    Red Comet clutched the bird''s head with its forelegs and brought it safe and sound to Zhang Lie, whereupon Zhang Lie rubbed at his temples. "No, that''s not what I mean!"


    Red Comet cocked its head. He put down the bird head and returned with the head of the chieftain''s daughter.


    "Alright, alright, that''s enough! Stay away from me."


    White wasn''t doing very well; the tables had turned. The superior-grade toad''s body was wounded all over, but its skin and blood were poisonous. White''s mouth and teeth were all starting to decay, and purplish-green poison dripped down its mouth. The toad was wounded, but it seemed as though it would survive the ordeal¡ªuntil Zhang Lie struck and killed it with a single punch.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade sac toad. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade sac toad, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    At the same time, Red Comet finished off the chieftain''s eldest son.


    The battle ended very quickly. When the other tamers of the beast tribe saw how strong Zhang Lie and his three gic lifeforms were, they didn''t dare fight back.


    With their chieftain dead and three of the strongest tamed lifeforms killed in a sh, the other tamers began to run off. Zhang Lie shook his head. He had Red Comet clean up the battlefield while he finished off the regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms¡ªhe still needed to max out those gene fragments.


    Red Comet flew fast and killed even more quickly. With every sh of red light, it decapitated another head. The tamers screamed; their beasts howled. Some of the tamers, scared stiff, dropped to the ground on jellified legs and begged for mercy, but Red Comet ignored them all. As it swiped and swiped, the tamers of the beast tribe continued to fall.


    Zhang Lie was also enjoying himself. With every punch, he heard the pleasant chime of the will of the world''s voice.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade ghost wolf. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade ghost wolf, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade sabre leopard. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade sabre leopard, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade ckwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade ckwind mantis, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade ck spider. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade ck spider, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade white dragontiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade white dragontiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie strode through the battlefield like a god of war. His body was drenched in blood, and a smile decorated his face. Every punch rippled with gic energy, killing whatever lifeforms it struck.


    The fighters of the alcohol tribe had gathered to fend off the onught, only to find that they werepletely unnecessary.


    The battlefield was filled with debris, the scattered corpses of the beast tamers and carcasses of gic lifeforms. So concentrated was the stench of blood and offal that it wouldn''t clear away for three whole days.


    Those of the alcohol tribe grew more fearful and respectful of Zhang Lie, submissive in the light of his strength and simultaneously fearful because of it.


    Zhang Lie had long since grown used to those gazes.


    With the battle concluded, Zhang Lie had the alcohol tribe bring arge pot over to cook the lifeforms'' carcasses and prepare a feast for one and all. Zhang Lie''s orders were carried out with the determination and urgency of an imperial edict. The entire tribe mobilized, cleaning the carcasses and getting to work.


    Very quickly, the tribespeople''s fear of Zhang Lie''s strength morphed into festive joy as they realized that their nemesis was gone for good. The beast tribe, which had assaulted their home and forced them to flee, had been decimated in battle.

 Chapter 635: Final Destination

    <h4>Chapter 635: Final Destination</h4>


    The alcohol tribe set up arge fire on which several lifeforms'' carcasses were being spitroasted. They passed alcohol around and drank to their hearts'' content as they sang and rejoiced.


    Zhang Lie portioned away much of the meat, leaving behind only that which he needed¡ªonly his own kills would give him gene fragments, after all.


    As he devoured a whole tableful of food, the will of the world chimed.


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade ghost wolf, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 95]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade white dragontiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 77]


    [For consuming ten-year-old alcohol, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 78]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade darkwind spider, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 96]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade darkwind spider, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 97]


    [For consuming ten-year-old alcohol, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 79


    He drank big gulps of wine and ate big mouthfuls of meat as he gained big improvements to his gene fragments.


    "Bring over the spoils of battle!" Amu shouted.


    Eight tribespeople waddled over with a humongous pot in which the peak-grade snakewolf had been stewing. Zhang Lie dug in with gusto.


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade snakewolf, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 11]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade snakewolf, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 12]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade snakewolf, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 13]


    White, Whiter, and Red Comet all got their fair share of food.


    Despite suffering from the effects of the poison, White still seemed remarkably healthy. Its superior-grade constitution would likely alleviate much of the deleterious effects in time, but the wounds to its mouth and jaw meant that it could only lick at the meat broth as it watched Whiter and Red Comet gulp down mouthfuls of meat.


    Zhang Lie then consumed the superior-grade sac toad, given that he was immune to the effects of the poison because of his eternalspring cocoon soulshard.


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade sac toad, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 11]


    As he feasted, Zhang Lie''s gene fragments again grew rapidly in quantity.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 20; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m?(disaster)


    Thanks to the presence of all sorts of regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms from the beast tribe, Zhang Lie''s basic and mutated gene fragments had reached their capacity.


    Three dayster, owing to the hard work of the alcohol tribe''s brewers, the tribe''s new brew wasplete.


    Zhang Lie collected his vats of alcohol as promised. The elder asked, "Will you really not stay here in this tribe with us?"


    "No, I won''t."


    "If you''re willing to do so, we''ll make you the new chieftain of our tribe. No one will object¡ªwe lost our old chieftain during the beast tribe''s assault and haven''t established a new one since."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''ve already refused you a few times, and I''ll do so again. I need to find my own race."


    "Will you really not consider it? My granddaughter''s physique is unparalleled. She''s as strong as a tiger or a bear, her skin is the most perfect bronze, her muscles are¡ª"


    Zhang Lie broke the elder off. "Elder, please stop talking about your granddaughter."


    He was worried that he would develop some form of mental trauma if he kept picturing the elder''s granddaughter in his mind.


    He knew that the elder wasn''t trying to be malicious; these aliens simply had a different perception of beauty than he did. To them, the perfect woman was muscr and tanned, with the strength of a dragon and the voice of an ox.


    To Zhang Lie, these women seemed more like weapons of war.


    The past night, the elder''s granddaughter snuck into Zhang Lie''s bed. Zhang Lie, wary of the presence of an assassin, ended up fighting with the elder''s granddaughter and copsing half the cottage.


    To be honest, he had to praise her strength. She was an unparalleled fighter, stronger than both Amu and Mu, and she was clearly the top fighter of the tribe. If he were to marry a woman like her¡­


    Just imagining it made Zhang Lie''s mind feel as though it were about to burst. He had had a girlfriend in his past life, after all!


    The elder sighed. "To be honest, it''s very difficult for me to understand your sense of beauty. What''s so good about skinny wrists and legs? They break so easily! And pale white skin, a voice as reedy as a mosquito''s¡ªI simply don''t understand it."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Indeed, it looks as though our viewpoints are diametrically opposed."


    He even suspected that there was a hidden force in the alcohol tribe, one that mobilized only in times of great danger¡ªthe women. They usually didn''t serve as fighters, except in times of need.


    The elder sighed. "If you don''t like my granddaughter, there are still plenty of women in the tribe you can consider."


    "Haha, perhaps another time! Goodbye!" By then, Zhang Lie had made his escape. He was heading toward another wormhole.


    The entrance of that wormhole was guarded jealously by a ratherrge tribe, and it was apparently protected by a guardian lifeform.


    Zhang Lie set off on White with three hundred vats of alcohol in his extra-dimensional storage. Thanks to White''s aura, no gic lifeform dared to bar his path. He quickly arrived at the tribe the elder had directed him towards.


    When Zhang Lie arrived, he was immediately interrogated. "Who are you?"


    When the guards saw Zhang Lie''s mount, one of them frowned and asked, "Are you from the beast tribe?" The guard seemed rather hesitant; Zhang Lie didn''t look like a regr tribesperson.


    Zhang Lie ignored the questions. His eyes radiated rainbow light as he mesmerized all the guards with his mistmeld m soulshard.


    The guards bowed to Zhang Lie at once, their eyes shining in rainbow colors.


    Zhang Liemanded, "Bring me to the wormhole."


    "Yessir!" The guards escorted Zhang Lie into the tribe and toward the entrance of the wormhole, which was as well-protected as was imed. The ground was paved with stone, and the surroundings covered in stone pirs.


    As Zhang Lie approached the wormhole, the ground began to shake. The stone statues that stood in front of the wormhole suddenly began to morph into beasts of stone. When Zhang Lie''s eyes shone radiantly once more, the stonebeasts transformed obediently back.


    As he stepped into the wormhole, Zhang Lie instructed the guards, "Return to your original posts and forget everything that happened here."

 Chapter 636: Granite Rhinoceros

    <h4>Chapter 636: Granite Rhinoceros</h4>


    As the guards leading the way bowed, Zhang Lie stepped into the wormhole.


    A light breeze drifted toward him; it was nothing like a tempest, but it had frightening destructive ability on its own. To most hunters, that breeze would be like the scythe of a reaper.


    Without the strength of a superior-grade lifeform, just touching that breeze would inflict serious damage. A weaker lifeform could be ripped apart, chopped into cubes by even the weaker spatial rends.


    A thinyer of water appeared over Zhang Lie''s body, blocking off the spatial rend that crept toward him.


    Wormholes were known to be very dangerous. An idiot who chose to battle within a wormhole could easily destabilize it and let in a torrent of spatial rends, destroying the wormhole in its entirety.


    The three gic lifeforms that apanied Zhang Lie all reared back, particrly White and Whiter. They felt as thought their bodies could explode at any moment.


    In some sense, the mere act of traveling through these wormholes was a form of training. Anyone who walked through them would gain some understanding of the power of space, especially for newly evolved lifeforms like Red Comet. Fending off these spatial rends with one''s own power boasted great benefit¡ªat the expense of great danger.


    Zhang Lie strode into the wormhole, and the three lifeforms had no choice but to grit their teeth and follow suit.


    ording to the alcohol tribe''s elder, they had originally been the guardians of that wormhole, but as it went into decline and stronger and stronger aliens began showing up through the wormhole, the alcohol tribe had no choice but to block it off. They were worried that someone whom they couldn''t afford to offend would head through that tunnel and demand alcohol they no longer possessed.


    The alcohol tribe''s alcohol was a treasure even among the top worlds, after all, and there would surely be those who sought its recipe.


    To be honest, the alcohol tribe had indeed encountered quite a few opportunistic aliens, and they chose to publicize their recipe out of concerns for their own safety. In the end, however, the fruit that was the core ingredient of the brew could be found nowhere else and didn''t seem to have any obvious substitutions.


    These fruits were precisely the ones that Zhang Lie had given the elder ten huge sacks of.


    Since no other power in the third realm was able to obtain these fruits, they were unable to brew the alcohol tribe''s alcohol. They had spent considerable effort trying to engineer and develop modifications that didn''t require the fruit, but all their creations were significantly inferior.


    As a result, the alcohol tribe''s alcohol grew more precious by the day. As long as the alcohol tribe held control over the wormhole, it would be able to govern trade for the entire world, but once the fruit-world''s wormhole was blocked off by a swarm of demonic bats, the alcohol tribe began to decline. Without ess to those essential fruits, they were unable to brew their signature alcohol, and they were eventually forced to give up their im over the wormhole to therger worlds.


    After quite some time, Zhang Lie and his three lifeforms finally arrived at the exit to the wormhole.


    The exit was located high up in the mountains of another world in a secluded location. It was clear that whoever governed the wormhole on this side had chosen to leave its precise location a secret¡ªno one was willing to provoke foes from another world, after all. Perhaps this was a consensus that all the tribes had reached together, but since the elder didn''t specify, Zhang Lie didn''t know the details behind the decision.


    White and Whiter''s bodies were all covered with wounds. Blood matted their glossy ck fur, dyeing it a deep shade of red. Nevertheless, their mental strength seemed to have increased greatly.


    Red Comet''s body likewise had a few injuries. Spatial rends had scored a few wounds on its body, but they were nothingpared to what White and Whiter had suffered.


    Regardless, it was clear that Red Comet was the clear winner of the ordeal. The whirring of its wings was already generating weak amounts of spatial force, and it had clearly gained a glimmer of insight.


    Within the third realm, spatial maniption would be the domain of the strong. A lifeform or hunter who possessed dominion over space was generally an invincible force.


    Zhang Lie retrieved some Yeluo concoctions from his potbellied-toad pouch. The Yeluo chieftain had been inspired by the newly developed sura poison, and the new potions he had made from Zhou Ling''s cells were incredibly potent brews that shouldn''t have existed in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie himself didn''t have any need for such potions, but they could be useful for bartering or for his allies in the third realm. He applied the concoction on the three lifeforms, whose wounds healed in an instant.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know what to do next. After all, since he had been transported to a strange location in the third realm, with no way to contact the human settlements in the realm, he could only hope that he would be able to reach them by slow exploration.


    The third realm was immense, and he hadn''t ever heard of anyone traveling through it all. Zhang Lie''s search was destined to take quite some time.?At the very least, that event won''t happen for a while yet. She''ll still be safe for the moment.


    Zhang Lie suddenly turned to Red Comet. "Can you scout for the nearest city?"


    Red Comet buzzed in agreement and flew off in an instant. The effect of its spatial maniption was obvious¡ªRed Comet was using it to gain a boost in its flying speed.


    Zhang Lie suspected that, after going through several more wormholes, it might be able to reach the boundary between peak- and disaster-grade.


    Red Comet returned in bare moments. It was waving its forelegs excitedly, a sure sign that it had made a discovery. Given how excited it seemed, perhaps it had indeed found a city. Zhang Lie followed behind it expectantly.


    He cut down a few trees and made a simple wagon held together by gic energy. He retrieved a few vats of alcohol from his soulshard, then stowed them on the wagon and tethered the wagon to White and Whiter, pretending that he was a merchant.


    He intended to use that identity to try to find information about the human race, but before he could reach the city Red Comet was directing him towards, the ground beneath his feet suddenly started to tremble.


    Zhang Lie turned in the direction of the motion to see a huge rhinoceros-type lifeform chasing a heavily wounded youth, his face gray with dust and streaked with sweat, his clothes so tattered they were barely more than rags.


    Compared to the youth, however, Zhang Lie was more interested in the superior-grade lifeform¡ªit represented free gene fragments for him. He stepped forward, transcending the boundaries of space as he appeared before the rhinoceros, stopping the train-like creature with nothing but his palm alone.


    Red Comet morphed into a beam of light, whizzing around the rhinoceros and cutting deep into its skin. White and Whiter pounced toward the rhinoceros from both sides of Zhang Lie, and Zhang Lie himselfy a palm sizzling with gic energy on the creature''s skin.


    With a low groan, the rhinoceros fell to the ground, bleeding from all its orifices.

 Chapter 637: In Search of News

    <h4>Chapter 637: In Search of News</h4>


    The youth who was being chased by the rhinoceros turned around upon hearing themotion.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade granite rhinoceros. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade granite rhinoceros, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    "How wonderful¡ªwe''ll have a meal immediately after that journey."


    Red Comet began slicing up the rhinoceros. Zhang Lie broke off a chunk of flesh and noticed to his relief that the granite rhinoceros was thankfully not made of pure granite. He had Red Comet cut up the rhinoceros meat into smaller pieces to be roasted.


    The youth who had been chased finally reacted. He broke free from his stupor and bowed down to Zhang Lie in thanks. "I thank you for my life."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, indicating that he didn''t much mind.


    The youth continued, "My name is Jie Jiuquan, and I''m the ninth son of the king of the realm."


    "King of the realm?"


    "That is indeed my father."


    This world had a king of the realm? That was impressive. So-called "kings of the realm" were recognized by the will of the world and granted authority over a small part of the realm. They were responsible for protecting their territory and maintaining order within it.


    In other words, they were akin to masters of the realm, with powers that supersededmon sense. Even a strong hunter wouldn''t dare offend a king of the realm needlessly.


    Zhang Lie scrutinized the other party carefully. Among humanoid aliens, he was rather beautiful. Except for a few scales by his left arm, he looked almost indistinguishable from a human. He was on the young side, about thirteen or fourteen years old.


    Zhang Lie nodded to himself, but he didn''t much care as to the alien''s status.


    Suddenly, however, the ninth son of the king of the realm knelt down on the ground. "Please, ept me as a disciple!"


    Zhang Lie nced at him. "Well, you''re certainly curious. Why should I believe that you''re the ninth son of the king of the realm? And even if you are, why should I take you as a disciple?"


    "I have a token to prove my identity¡ªthough I have no means by which to induce you to allow me to be your disciple save my identity."


    "Hmm." Zhang Lie nced at the young prince appraisingly. "Do you know how to make a fire?"


    The ninth prince nodded. He hurried off in search of some dry branches. This was clearly his first time carrying out such a task in practice, but he did have the theory down¡ªin the end, he seeded on his first attempt.


    Zhang Lie skewered the rhinoceros meat and left it above the fire to roast. "As a prince of the realm, how did you end up in such straits?"


    The ninth prince sighed. "Some of my guards betrayed me and lured a few third-level beasts over. The guards that were loyal to me fought to their deaths, and I was forced to flee. If I hadn''t met you, master, I would have perished to these beasts."


    These third-level beasts that the prince made reference to were clearly superior-grade lifeforms.


    "Why would you want to be my disciple? As a prince, you hardly need martial strength¡ªso you''re simply interested in my protection, aren''t you? More urately, you''d like a bodyguard and escort rather than a master¡ªor perhaps more than that."


    The ninth prince countered, "Wouldn''t you benefit from my status?"


    "I''m not interested. You do seem intelligent and interesting, so I''ll send you to the nearest city once we finish our meal, but that''s as far as I''ll go."


    Zhang Lie had no desire to stick his nose into trouble, no matter how much he admired the prince. ?Not only had the prince been able to make his request withposure despite his near-death experience, he was even able to treat Zhang Lie calmly and naturally despite the strength that Zhang Lie had demonstrated.


    For a child in his teens to aplish that much was certainly impressive, but even that wasn''t enough for Zhang Lie. He was the king of Limit, and he had seen countless geniuses from all over the gxy when the Zenith Dojo recruited new talent.


    At his level, his interest in students was far more important than their own talent. The members of Team Zenith, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen couldn''t strictly be considered geniuses, but his guidance was enough to elevate them over themon hunter.


    The ninth prince replied seriously, "When I be king, I''ll give you anything you want, Master."


    "Haha, you?" Zhang Lie nced at the child, his face still caked with dust and mud, and couldn''t helpughing.


    He divided the roast meat among the two people and three beasts. "I''m satisfied with my life. Why should I go along with you just for your fantasies?"


    The ninth prince puffed up his chest. "Are you looking down on me, Master? When I be king, I''ll own this entire piece of the realm¡ªheaven and earth alike!"


    Zhang Lie sighed and shook his head. "Believe what you will. Finish your meat and I''ll send you to the nearest city. You''ll find arge bed there where you can dream whatever you like."


    The ninth prince nced at him in worry. "Master, if you send me back to the city, you''ll be sentencing me to death."


    "What''s the matter?"


    "My guards'' betrayal had to be nned by my brothers, and if they were to find out that I''m not dead, they surely won''t let me go. An assassination attempt on one of the princes is no trifling business. My brothers have no choice but to continue with their n, and they won''t let me get back to the capital safely."


    "In other words, you desperately need a bodyguard." Zhang Lie nodded. "Well, you''re interesting enough, and I''d rather you not die so quickly."


    The ninth prince''s eyes widened. "You ept, Master?"


    "That depends on whether you have a reward that would satisfy me," Zhang Lie replied.


    The ninth prince earnestly announced, "As long as you can guarantee my safe return to the capital, Master, I''ll give you as much gold and jewels¡ª"


    "Enough, enough! I''m not interested in those trifles."


    "How about beautiful women, Master?"


    Zhang Lie coughed as he spat out the meat in his mouth. "Do I look so desperate?!"


    "I apologize, Master. My mother¡ªthe empress¡ªtold me that any man who didn''t like gold or jewels was interested in women, or otherwise in men... Master, are you fond of men?"


    Zhang Lie clutched his head. "Just what did your mother teach you?"


    The ninth prince smiled. He wouldn''t repeat his mother''s actual words, of course¡ª"Most men want gold or women. Those who want neither are the most dangerous."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Well, I don''t want women or men. Do you have any information on the human race?"


    "The human race?"


    "Those of my kind."


    "I apologize, Master, but aren''t you a scaleman like me? I don''t know anything about these ''humans'', but I''m sure the royal study has the records you need."

 Chapter 638: Ninth Prince of the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 638: Ninth Prince of the Realm</h4>


    Zhang Lie hadn''t thought about matters from this perspective before, but it was clear the prince had a point.


    Since this world had a king of the realm, he would surely possess the most information out of anyone in the world. All the news and secrets of various worlds would naturally concentrate in the pce.


    The ninth prince thought for a moment, "I can''t just bring any random person into the pce, let alone the royal study. Of course, a prince''s master would easily be able to ess these ces."


    "Ha! Do you think you can hire me, Zhang Lie, on the basis of this information alone? Surely you have some treasures of your own as well."


    The ninth prince scratched his head in embarrassment. "I do have a few, but I doubt you''ll be interested in them, Master. The only thing that you might want is this."


    The ninth prince retrieved a familiar piece of a tattered map from a hidden slit in his belt.


    "This is¡ª"


    The ninth prince exined, "This is the only treasure I possess that may catch your attention, Master."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where did you obtain this?"


    The ninth prince hesitated midway through proffering this map to Zhang Lie. "My mother, the empress, gave me this right before her death. She told me that this map had extraordinary origins, and even my father was unaware of its provenance."


    Zhang Lie snatched the piece of the map up. "This is more than enough to send you back to the capital, but insufficient for me to help make you king."


    The ninth prince thought for a moment. "Master, if you aren''t interested innd, gold, titles, or women... well, the royal treasury has an herb that can elevate your biological status."


    "Hoh? That sounds extraordinary." Thinking that Zhang Lie didn''t believe him, the ninth prince continued,


    "The herb is a fiery-red flower, like a burning piece of the heavens. It possesses immense energy. Father obtained two sprigs from an unknown source, and he''s already consumed one."


    Upon hearing the ninth prince''s description, Zhang Lie was unable to remain calm. He shot upright. "Is the flower about the size of your face? Does it exude red light¡ªdo the petals look like burning mes, does it scorch the air all around it?"


    The ninth prince frowned. "I only had a single look at the treasure. It was preserved by my father''s power, and I wasn''t able to get too close a nce. What you said sounds reasonable, Master, but how do you know so much of it? Have you seen this herb before?"


    "For this flower, I''ll make you king."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed with light. He could hardly have imagined that a primordial starflower would have made its way to this¡ªit was one of the primary ingredients that Zhang Lie was nning Potion #5 around.


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s response, the ninth prince immediately bowed. "Thank you for your assistance, Master."


    Zhang Lie urged, "We''ll leave immediately once you''re done eating."


    The ninth prince gulped down his portion of meat, hungry after his ordeal, whereas Zhang Lie had just enough meat to acquire his missing gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 30; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m?(disaster)


    He had the ninth prince ride on Whiter. The ninth prince was very shocked to see that a third-level beast was only suited to be his master''s mount¡ªjust how strong did his master have to be?


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do we need to search for your remaining guards?"


    The ninth prince shook his head. "My older brothers wouldn''t take the risk of leaving any of them alive."


    The ninth prince''s tone was calm and logical, but it highlighted his family''s terrible cruelty. Either his guards were purged, or they had beenpelled to work for his brothers instead.


    White and Whiter moved rapidly. They arrived in a neighboring town within moments, and White and Whiter''s presence shocked the aliens within.


    Zhang Lie and the ninth prince were forced to leave them outside the town. To Zhang Lie''s surprise, the ninth prince possessed no money, and Zhang Lie had to sell off a few of the Yeluo potions.


    Thanks to their superb effect, he was able to fetch a high price for them from the local apothecary.


    He bought the ninth prince a change of clothes. When the ninth prince walked out of the dressing room, Zhang Lie stared at him with such shock that it looked as though his eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.


    The ninth prince''s face was pale white, his eyes clear and limpid like water, with intelligence and maturity unbefitting his age. His features were exquisite, his limbs slender and delicate. All the women of the world would be jealous of his appearance.


    "You''re... cross-dressing?"


    The ninth prince nodded. "I''ve simply touched up my appearance a little."


    "Is this something that interests you?" Zhang Lie couldn''t help but wonder just what he had experienced within the pce to end up with such an unexpected hobby.


    The ninth prince touched his hair. "Well, I don''t dislike this get-up, but it''s hardly just a matter of personal interest. My brothers'' eyes and ears are everywhere to be found, and I need to disguise myself to avoid unnecessary trouble."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Return to your original appearance. Dress like a prince."


    The ninth prince seemed flummoxed.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "If anyone were to find out that you dressed as a woman to survive, you''ll be aughing-stock when you make it back to the pce."


    "The ends justify the means," the prince retorted.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Change."


    He wanted to use the ninth prince as bait for the other eight princes'' men to get a sense for the methods they tended to use.


    To his credit, the ninth prince understood Zhang Lie''s reasoning within moments.


    "Master, I understand! You''re trying to make it seem as though I have a strong backer, so strong I can appear in public after the assassination attempt without any disguise. That will cause my brothers to think twice before trying again."


    Zhang Lieughed. "I don''t need to pretend to be strong."


    The ninth prince frowned. "Master, you mean¡ª"


    "Do as I say, immediately!"


    The ninth prince returned to the dressing room a young girl and emerged a young man.


    "Very good. Let''s set off."

 Chapter 639: Bladewielder of the Wang Clan

    <h4>Chapter 639: dewielder of the Wang n</h4>


    Curiously, Zhang Lie and the ninth prince encountered no trouble on their way.


    Zhang Lie was a little bored. Were the other eight princes really so easily intimidated that they didn''t dare attack, as the ninth prince had suggested?


    The ninth prince informed Zhang Lie, "We''ll be at the capital after the next city."


    Zhang Lie nodded, then nced all around him. "Are they finally here?"


    The ninth prince frowned. "What''s wrong, Master?"


    Zhang Lie began tough. "They''re finally here. Three¡ªno, four of them."


    The ninth prince suddenly noticed a man in front of them blocking their path forward. He sat on an ornate chair with a greatsword in his hand. "Ninth prince, I''ve waited for you for too long."


    "Wang Jian!"


    Zhang Lie turned to the prince. "Is this man famous?"


    The ninth prince''s face was pale. "He''s Wang Jian, the dewielder of his generation from the Wang n."


    The Wang n was one of the threergest ns of the capital¡ªreally, of the entire world. The Wangs were famed for their skill with the de, the Fengs for their skill with the polearm, and the Qians for their money. The Wangs would choose a representative swordsman from each generation to serve as the n''s killer. Wang Jian, who sat before them, was precisely that man.


    Wang Jian turned to Zhang Lie. "I don''t know who you are, and nor do I care. The fight to be the king of the realm isn''t for the likes of you. Leave¡ªI don''t want to sully my de."


    The ninth prince turned to Zhang Lie with surprising urgency. "Flee, Master! The dewielder of the Wang n is peerless in battle!"


    Wang Jian sighed. "Ninth prince, I truly do pity you. You shouldn''t have been born to royalty, or you wouldn''t die here today."


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Come out, all of you! Stop hiding!"


    A gust of wind passed by. Leaves shook, but no person emerged from the surroundings.


    Wang Jian smiled coldly. "I hardly need any support to kill the likes of you."


    "Well, since you''re already here, you might as well stay here." Zhang Lie leapt down from White and brought the ninth prince down from Whiter. Hemanded, "White, you''ll deal with the man from the south. Whiter, from the west. I''ll leave the rest of them to you, Red Comet, and I''ll deal with Wang Jian myself."


    The three lifeforms darted off.


    Wang Jian frowned. "What do you mean?"


    The ninth prince seemed flummoxed. "Master, you¡ª"


    "Let''s get some information out of you, first." Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed with a rainbow gleam, one mirrored in Wang Jian''s gaze.


    "Who sent you over?"


    Wang Jian replied, "I''m the Wang n''s de."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Which prince controls you?"


    "I''m the Wang n''s de!" Suddenly, the sword in Wang Jian''s hand began to resonate. His eyes shed, and the rainbow gleam dissipated from them. Wang Jian unsheathed his sword, a pitch-ck de on which blood had congealed. The moment he drew that de, his killing intent spiked,bining both his own killing intent and that of his de.


    Zhang Lie was rather surprised by how immense that killing intent felt. Just how many people had that de killed?


    The reason Wang Jian was able to break free from the mistmeld m''spulsion was because of his own mental fortitude and his de. The dualyers of killing intent over Wang Jian''s body were so intense that it materialized as ck smoke, as though a frightening demon were swiping its ws toward Zhang Lie.


    Death to those who betray the Wang n!


    Death to those who make enemies of the Wang n!


    Death to those hostile to the Wang n!


    He was the de of the Wangs, brainwashed to serve them and only them. He was the strongest swordsman of his generation, as well as the strongest assassin.


    Wang Jian didn''t dare take Zhang Lie lightly any longer. Who knew if he would break free of the next mentalpulsion? He had to kill Zhang Lie in one blow.


    "A sword, then?" Zhang Lie murmured to himself. "It''s been a long time since anyone forced me to draw my own de."


    He hadn''t needed to use one ever since entering the third realm, and even for quite a while before that.


    Wang Jian''s sword had ferocious killing intent, but it was indeed a good de.


    Zhang Lie stretched out his middle and index fingers, forming a de with his hand.


    Wang Jian''s face turned cold. Did this opponent think the dewielder of the Wang n would be so easily defeated? "Don''t joke with me."


    The Wang n''s scions developed their dework in the midst of battle; they refined and honed their skills with killing intent. The more enemies they slew, the stronger their skills became.


    As the dewielder of the Wang n, Wang Jian had to have killed over ten thousand men¡ªtraitors, spies, the strong, the malicious, the weak, enemies of n and town and kingdom.


    Each man he slew grew his de''s killing intent, and he unleashed all that killing intent now. No one would be able to block the Wang dewielder, not even the famed swordsmen of the capital.


    Wang Jian, named for the de, had been endowed with talent since his birth. At the tender age of ten, he had defeated his instructor in the sword, and he had always won any challenges from members of his generation since. How could his sword, into which he had infused all his energy and strength, be blocked by two small fingers?


    The next moment, Wang Jian''s face grew rmed. When his de touched Zhang Lie''s fingers, his nascent wave of sword energy was nipped in its bud. In its ce, he felt the rming strength of Zhang Lie''s [The Boundless de].


    By then, however, it was toote for Wang Jian.


    So this was a true master of the de¡­?Wang Jian''s eyes revealed his regret. He didn''t regret provoking Zhang Lie, but rather that he clearly didn''t understand the sword.


    Compared to Zhang Lie''s burgeoning sword energy, his own techniques were nothing. His des meant nothing in the face of this strength; he had wasted fifteen years of youth for naught. Nevertheless, his face was one of unadulterated joy. For a demaster to die to such a blow was undoubtedly a high honor.


    Wang Jian''s body disintegrated in a sh of sword energy, leaving a long, deep scar on the ground like a gully. The ck sword, filled with killing intent, ttered to the ground.


    Zhang Lie nced at the de and tutted to himself. "Refining a de with killing intent is hardly the correct path forward. Such a de will strip your agency and swordsmanship."


    He sighed as he looked at the ground once more, at the ck fog seeping from the de.


    "Well, it''s not like you can hear my words any longer."


    He picked up the de and stored it inside his potbellied-toad pouch.


    The ninth prince trembled as he asked, "Master, did you really kill the dewielder of the Wang n?"


    "Hmm? So what if I did?"


    The ninth prince''s eyes lit up. "Master, you''re far too strong!"


    "It''s too early to be excited. There''s still plenty of trash around to clean up," Zhang Lie advised him.


    The ninth prince seemed confused. With the dewielder of the Wang n dead, what else was there?


    Suddenly, a beam of energy rose into the air, like a glint reflected off the sun. A polearm shot out of the forest, followed quickly behind by a ray of red light...

 Chapter 640: The Fight for Succession

    <h4>Chapter 640: The Fight for Session</h4>


    "So there''s something around even Red Comet can''t deal with on its own..." Zhang Lie murmured.


    He knew very well how quickly Red Comet could move, so this opponent clearly boasted some strength. The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot. He appeared right behind the man who was trying to run away.


    When the man noticed his presence, he swung his polearm toward Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie halted the attack with a single pinch of his fingers. His eyes took on a rainbow gleam, mirrored immediately in the other man''s eyes. Red Comet rushed forward and knocked his polearm aside.


    The man broke out of the illusion due to the intense pain of Red Comet''s blow, but before he could react, Zhang Lie punched him in the face and sent him dropping to the ground in an explosion of dirt.


    As the man mbered up, he was again caught within Zhang Lie''s gaze.


    White, whose body was bleeding all over, dragged over a corpse with its mouth, and Red Comet proudly disyed another corpse it had shed to pieces.


    When he saw the body that White brought over, Zhang Lie was momentarily shocked¡ªit was the corpse of an alien not endemic to the third realm, but rather from the Milky Way.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Where''s Whiter?"


    He shed over to Whiter''s side. Compared to White and Red Comet, Whiter''s battle was far more intense. Wounds festooned its body. One of its legs had been chopped off, and an eye had exploded from an unfortunate jab.


    Zhang Lie instantly grew angry.


    "Who dared to touch my cat?!" His aura swamped his surroundings like a tsunami. The entire world began to shake, as though a dragon were waking from deep slumber.


    "And how about me?" an unfamiliar voice piped up.


    Zhang Lie turned to the stranger, and his anger dissipated immediately. Whiter''s opponent didn''t have it easy, either; in fact, he had suffered worse than Whiter. All Whiter lost was a leg and an eye; its opponent had lost half its body.


    "What sort of superior-grade lifeform is this? How does it have ess to spatial abilities?" Whiter''s opponent grumbled.


    Zhang Lie nced at Whiter in surprise. Had it really developed spatial abilities? It had to have gained a glimmer of understanding while they were traveling through a wormhole, one which solidified during this life-and-death battle.


    In a moment of rity summoned by the stress of battle, Whiter managed to infuse its understanding of space into one of its swipes, which had cut its opponent apart.


    "Very good, Whiter." Zhang Lie retrieved a Yeluo concoction from his potbellied-toad pouch and applied it to Whiter.


    Whiter''s flesh squirmed, and one of its back legs and its mutted eyeball were quickly growing back.


    The alien who only had half his body left called out, "Lord of Renhuang, will you save me too? I think I''ll make it with your help!"


    Zhang Lie twisted his head. "You recognize me?"


    The alien smiled at himself deprecatingly. "Who in the Milky Way hasn''t heard your name or seen your face?"


    It looked as though he really was from the Milky Way, after all.


    Zhang Lie took out a vial of potion from his soulshard and waved it in front of the alien''s face. "Do you want this?"


    "Of course." Despite his apparent desire for the potion, however, this alien was hardly about to die. Even with the lower half of his body cut off, with his guts spilling out, he still spoke with gusto. He was a member of a very special race, and his body was segmented much like that of a centipede''s.


    That the lower half of his body had been cut off didn''t seem very life-threatening, and he could very well have dragged himself back to the nearest city for emergency treatment.


    "You don''t seem particrly hurt."


    The alien chuckled drily. "You must be joking, lord of Renhuang! I may look fine, but I''ll surely bleed out in three to five hours."


    "Who are you?"


    "I''m Heijie Niu, from the star Heiman in the Milky Way. I belong to the Heijie n."


    "I''ve never heard of it."


    "It''s a small n, lord of Renhuang,pletely unlike the humans whom you represent. After you managed to take over the second realm with the help of the four prime races of the gxy, everyone knows of you and your n."


    Zhang Lie continued waggling the potion in front of the alien''s face. "I''ll exchange this vial of potion for whatever information you possess."


    "Absolutely, lord."


    "Tell me about the rtionship between the various princes."


    "The king of the realm is getting old, and he''s looking for a sessor."


    "It looks like there are quite a few races participating in thispetition."


    "There are four ns participating in all¡ªthe Heijie, the Yinlian, the Jindao, and the Zijing."


    "Which princes do the various factions support?"


    "The king of the realm is fond of the eldest prince, and he''s also supported by the various factions of the court. Hemands the army of the kingdom, and he''s the most likely sessor at the moment.


    "The second prince is supported by the Jindao, and the third prince by a local power, the Wang n¡ªthe third prince''s mother is the Wang n head''s younger sister. The fourth prince is supported by the Feng n; his mother is the Feng n''s head''s older sister.


    "The fifth prince has the Qian n''s support. His mother''s from a branch family of the Qians, and his wife is the Qian n head''s daughter. The Qian n is a n of merchants possessing tremendous wealth, and the fifth prince''s informationwork is unparalleled.


    "The sixth prince is supported by the Yinlian, and the seventh prince by us, the Heijie. The Zijing endorse the eighth prince, and as for the ninth prince¡ªwell, he''s an orphan. His mother was amoner who died a few years ago, and he''s essentially a powerless pawn."


    Zhang Lie frowned, causing Heijie Niu to duck his head and shut his mouth abruptly.


    Zhang Lie continued, "How did these four ns end up participating in the battle for session?"


    "We Heijie wanted to establish ourselves here in the third realm. The Yinlian are indigenous, and they want greater authority here. The Jindao and Zijing ns are a little different."


    "Oh? In what sense?"


    "The Jindao are participating in order to obtain a certain treasure from the royal treasury."


    "What treasure?"


    "The primordial starflower!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted with frost. "Somehow, I have the feeling that''s what your n wants, too."


    Heijie Niu smiled. "Of course, but our main goal is to establish a city on this world, one guarded by the king of the realm."


    The Heijie imed that they wanted a city, but it wasn''t just that. The worlds of the third realm were fractious and prone to violent conflict, and the politics of the various worlds were often very unstable.


    Zhang Lie suspected that the Heijie were trying to establish themselves here with the intention of conquering the nearby territory and spreading out from there.


    "And the Zijing?"


    "Well, they im they''re interested in the resources of this world, but I thought that that seemed like a mere excuse."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Because they''re very strong, far stronger than the other three ns."

 Chapter 641: The State of Affairs

    <h4>Chapter 641: The State of Affairs</h4>


    "Strong? How strong?"


    "The Zijing n is the strongest among our four ns. They''ll surely be able to get a considerable amount of resources by helping a prince ascend to the throne, but the Zijing are rich and strong enough that it can''t be worth the effort in general. They surely have an ulterior motive for doing so."


    "What motive?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Are there humans in this world?"


    Heijie Niu shrugged. "The humans are active in worlds that are seven or eight wormholes away. Lord of Renhuang, just how did you make it over here, anyway?"


    "Seven or eight...?" Zhang Lie''s face turned cold. That damned will of the world¡ªit had to have done this on purpose!


    Almost all hunters who ascended were sent directly to their respective race''s settlements. Even if there were some error, they would at most be sent outside those settlements, or to nearby worlds.


    That Zhang Lie had been ten worlds away from the nearest human city clearly wasn''t an error, but a deliberate choice on the will of the world''s part.


    Zhang Lie had suspected that these wills of the world were impartial moderators of their respective realms, but it looked as though they could certainly favor or disfavor certain individuals. In that case, he wouldn''t go easy on them when he took revenge, but that revenge would be a long way away in the making.


    Zhang Lie''s expression didn''t change despite his thoughts. He coldly tossed Heijie Niu the vial of potion in his hands.


    Heijie Niu swallowed it in one gulp. His wounds began to close, staunching the flow of blood. As the wounded portions of his body slowly began to regrow, he asked, "Lord of Renhuang, how did you end up traveling with the ninth prince?"


    Although Wang Jian was the only person that had appeared in front of Zhang Lie and the ninth prince, there were still men from the various princes surrounding them, observing the ninth prince''s new backer.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "He''s my disciple. Don''t try toy your hands on him, or I''ll smash your head to pulp."


    Heijie Niu ducked down. "To be honest, of the nine princes, the least likely to ascend to the throne is the ninth prince. Anyone else might win the session, but not him."


    "Why?"


    "For one, the ninth prince was born toote. The other princes have all been amassing their forces for decades, the crown prince foremost among them. He''s been a prince for sixty years by now, and he''s built up an impressivework. His mother''s the empress, and he''s just half a step from the throne."


    "In that case, this crown prince is particrly strong?"


    "Of course! Otherwise, the other princes wouldn''t be cooperating against him. If you''re interested in this world, Lord of Renhuang, why don''t youe join our n and support the seventh prince? He''s got quite a stable base of power himself. With the Heijie n and the lord of Renhuang himself, he''d surely be the new king of the realm."


    "I''ve already epted a deposit from the ninth prince, and I certainly won''t renege on my word."


    Heijie Niu pursed his lips. "A poor bastard like him? What could he give you¡ª the seventh prince will pay double that price!"


    .


    Zhang Lie snorted. "The seventh prince wouldn''t be able to pay that price¡ªnot even the king of the realm would."


    To be honest, if someone were to offer him two pieces of the map, Zhang Lie might have given in. These map fragments were particrly valuable, and he was lucky just to find two so recently. It was very unlikely that a second piece would be present in this world.


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Why did so many princes decide to target the ninth prince together?"


    He should have been the least threatening of all the princes, after all.


    "The prince himself is useless, but his death would be a useful weapon."


    "Oh?"


    Heijie Niu narrowed his eyes. "It doesn''t matter who strikes first¡ªwhat''s important is who his killer seems to be."


    Zhang Lie contemted this revtion. "You mean that, if this Wang Jian had failed to kill the ninth prince, you would kill the ninth prince yourself andy the me on the Wang n?"


    Heijie Niu shook his head. "No. We''d try toy the me at the first prince''s feet."


    "Oh?"


    "Upon doing so, the first prince himself will be obligated to investigate the truth behind the ninth prince''s death. Doing so, he''ll surely uncover that the Wang n''s Wang Jian was the killer, and he would gain the impression that the Wang n was trying toy the me on him."


    Zhang Lie finished, "Regardless of the truth, it''s sufficient for the first prince to find a scapegoat. He''ll surely mp down hard on the third prince. At that point, you''ll give the third prince a push from the back to remove him from thepetition."


    Politics was indeed a devious field¡­ "The princes certainly care very much for each other," Zhang Liemented acidly.


    Heijie Niu shrugged. "It''s apetition for the throne, after all."


    No one had expected the ninth prince to find a savior like Zhang Lie, who was able to repel all the assassins that hade his way.


    "However, I can''t be certain whether or not you''ve lied to me."


    Heijie Niu replied seriously, "I can swear to the heavens that nothing I''ve told you has been a lie."


    "Very well. Let me ascertain the truth for myself." Zhang Lie''s eyes glimmered with rainbow light. Heijie Niu was caught in his gaze immediately.


    "Did you lie to me during my interrogation?"


    Heijie Niu shook his head. "No, but I left out a few details."


    "Ha! What details?"


    "The forces under our control, the princes'' personality, the status of each prince''s forces, the status of the king of the realm."


    Zhang Lie thought back for a moment. Indeed, Heijie Niu had spoken a lot, but none of that information was particrly useful. Just as Zhang Lie was about to ask for the information that Heijie Niu had chosen to hide, some tter came from behind him.


    Without even turning his head, Zhang Lie smiled. "Come out¡ªdon''t hide back there!"


    The ninth prince walked out of the shadows. Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised, because he had detected the ninth prince''s presence some time ago.


    "Did you hear it all?"


    "Yes, I did."


    The ninth prince was rather touched. He knew that the deposit that Zhang Lie had spoken of was just a scrap of tattered parchment, one that was important to himrgely because his mother had bequeathed it to him on her deathbed.


    The only thing special about that parchment was that even his father was unable to determine its provenance. It could neither be burned by fire or sliced apart by a sword¡ªbut that was it. Nevertheless, this seemingly useless fragment was, to Zhang Lie, something the seventh prince¡ªor even the king of the realm!¡ªwas unable to procure.


    Compared to him, he knew how much morepetitive his seventh brother was. He had more strength and support, but Zhang Lie had nevertheless chosen to side with the ninth prince.


    The ninth prince couldn''t help but be touched. No one had ever been so kind to him save his mother and his mother alone. Most people approached him with a secret agenda in mind.


    Most importantly, his brothers betrayed him and used him as a scapegoat at every junction.


    Just like Heijie Niu had mentioned, he was like an orphanpared to the other princes. To add insult to injury, the reason he had been assassinated wasn''t due to his status as a prince, but rather because his death could be used as a weapon to hurt his brothers.


    And even so, despite all that, Zhang Lie had chosen to stick with the ninth prince.

 Chapter 642: The Nine Princes

    <h4>Chapter 642: The Nine Princes</h4>


    Zhang Lie beckoned the ninth prince over. "Sit down. We''ll hear this information together."


    Heijie Niu began, "The king of the realm''s health is declining day by day. I believe he''ll be dead within two or three years."


    Zhang Lie stilled. "Two or three years? Is the king of the realm''s health that poor?"


    "After all, he''s lived for thousands of years. Even though he''s supported by the will of the world, his body''s still going to decay away sooner orter."


    "Tell me more about the battle for session."


    "There are three separate factions: one for the crown prince, and two for the other princes."


    Heijie Niu picked a branch off the ground and drew tworge circles in the dirt, one which hebeled the crown prince and the other which hebeled the other princes.


    "Of the two factions formed by the other princes, one is indigenous and the other is supported by aliens from the Milky Way."


    Heijie Niu divided the circle representing the other princes in two. The indigenous support came from the Wang, Feng, and Qian ns; the alien support from the Hei, Jin, Yin, and Zi ns.


    "The two factions are nominally enemies, but there are a few temporary alliances in ce. The Zijing n and Qian n are in cahoots, as are the Jindao and Feng ns. The Yinlian and Wang n are working together, while we, the Heijie, are working with the crown prince."


    Heijie Niu then drew ovals connecting the various informal alliances.


    Zhang Lie nced at the drawing on the ground. He couldn''t help sighing, "Things really are quiteplicated in the capital, aren''t they?"


    Heijie Niu shrugged. "This is how court intrigue tends to go."


    Zhang Lie lifted his head and turned to the ninth prince. "Did you know about this beforehand?"


    The ninth prince shook his head.


    Heijie Niu sighed. "The ninth prince has no backer and no strength. He''s not considered a part of the battle for session at all, and he''s been kept in the dark. Of course, with your presence, lord of Renhuang, the ninth prince is now considered a dark horse."


    "And what about the other princes?"


    "The crown prince was tutored by the king of the realm himself, and he''s beyond a peak-grade level. The second prince, supported by the Jindao, has strength just slightly inferior to the crown prince himself. He''s ambitious and charismatic, and I''m sure he''s up to something."


    Zhang Lie continued, "What about the princes supported by the indigenous ns?"


    "The third, fourth, and fifth princes, supported and fostered by the three major ns of the capital, are intelligent and resourceful in their own right, but too young to pose a threat to the first two princes in general."


    "And the others?"


    "The sixth and seventh princes are rather inferior, especially inparison to the first five. They were born to houses that had recently ascended to the nobility, and their background didn''t prepare them well for session."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "In that case, why is your n in support of the seventh prince?"


    "Heh! It''s precisely because the seventh prince is inadequate that he''s easy to control."


    "Hmm..."


    "The eighth prince is a piece of trash, and the ninth prince doesn''t have any backers to speak of. He was such an inferior option that we didn''t look closely at them."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "And the Zijing n is willing to sponsor a piece of trash?"


    "As I''ve said, there has to be something wrong with the Zijing n."


    Heijie Niu''sments about the Zijing n were the same within hypnosis as before. It looked as though there really were something suspicious about the Zijing ?n that he would have to investigate.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Return to your n and tell them that I, Zhang Lie, am interested in working with the Heijie."


    Heijie Niu''s eyes widened. "Lord of Renhuang, you''re willing to help the seventh prince?"


    The ninth prince shook.


    Zhang Lie chuckled coldly. "Given what I''ve learned, if I really wanted to help one of the princes ascend to the throne, do you think I would choose the seventh prince?"


    "In that case, what do you want, Lord of Renhuang?"


    "There''s no need for you to worry about that. Tell the Heijie of my intentions."


    "I understand, Lord."


    Heijie Niu knew that Zhang Lie''s help would be of tremendous utility to the n. If the seventh prince had the chance to be the king of the realm, Zhang Lie might help them out in return for some benefits; on the other hand, if the seventh prince were to threaten the ninth, Zhang Lie might kill the seventh prince and all his supporters.


    Zhang Lie had the strength to meddle in this game of kings. Whereas the weak had to be chosen, the strong had the right and might to choose.


    Zhang Lie turned around. "Let''s go."


    The ninth prince hesitated. "As for him..."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "If he dies to a gic lifeform, it''ll be his own bad luck."


    As they headed off, Zhang Lie noticed that the ninth prince seemed to want to say something, but was visibly holding back. He turned around impatiently. "What''s the matter? Spit it out!"


    "Master, the man called you... lord of Renhuang?"


    "Yes, yes, I built a kingdom or two and ruled over a huge tract ofnd. It''s nothing too impressive."


    The ninth prince''s mouth spasmed. "In that case, Master, are you nning to head back to that kingdom?"


    "No," Zhang Lie replied curtly. "I''ve already left, and I can''t return, not that I have any intention to."


    "Why not? Wasn''t it a kingdom you built with sweat and tears?"


    With sweat and tears? It really hadn''t been anything too strenuous¡ªconstructing his farm had been rather a slog, but the rewards were well worth it. "Once you climb to the peak and witness your surroundings, you''ll understand how I feel and why I''ve made the choices I''ve made."


    The ninth prince lowered his head. "Yes, Master."


    To be able to construct a kingdom was something countless men spent their entire lives working fruitlessly towards, but Zhang Lie had written it off as though it were a meaningless aplishment.


    He simply couldn''t understand how Zhang Lie could give that kingdom up so easily, but he wouldn''t press the matter further.


    The ninth prince''s behavior was very satisfactory to Zhang Lie; he was truly assimting to his identity now.


    Beforehand, the ninth prince had been formal and courteous, but only because he had a request to make of Zhang Lie. Now, he was truly treating Zhang Lie like his master and senior.


    Perhaps it was because he had learned that Zhang Lie himself was once a king, or because he had learned from Zhang Lie''s conversation with Heijie Niu that Zhang Lie had no intention to betray him for another prince.


    Zhang Lie continued calmly, "Before you ascend to the peak of that mountain, you won''t understand my feelings. To me, a mountain is just a mountain. After climbing one mountain, you set your sights on another. Our lives are filled with mountain after mountain, and there''s no need to be too fixated on any one of them. Of course, these are just my thoughts. You can agree or disagree with them at your leisure."


    The ninth prince nodded.


    Zhang Lie jumped up on White, while the ninth prince got on Whiter.


    The ninth prince continued hesitantly, "Master, there''s still something that bothers me. Why choose me, and not any of my other siblings?"


    Zhang Lie had rejected the seventh prince''s offer immediately, but was the scrap of tattered parchment the ninth prince had given him really worth that much?


    The ninth prince thought that someone like Zhang Lie could easily have discarded him for another prince, vastly increasing his own chances at acquiring the primordial starflower. So why had he chosen the ninth prince, the prince least likely to take the throne? Zhang Lie had the qualification to work with any of the princes, after all...

 Chapter 643: Entering the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 643: Entering the Capital</h4>


    Zhang Lie nced at the ninth prince, still deep in thought. He asked, "What do you think of the crown prince?"


    The ninth prince hesitated. He didn''t understand why Zhang Lie was suddenly asking about the crown prince; did he intend on working with the crown prince?


    Knowing that the ninth prince had gotten the wrong impression, Zhang Lie rified, "I mean, what do you think of the crown prince''s life?"


    "Born to nobility, the crown prince is the eldest and most established among us. Father values his work, and he''s aided by the most senior and superior officials. His life''s about as perfect as it can get," the ninth prince exined.


    Zhang Lie smiled. Hidden behind the ninth prince''s words was a sense of jealousy.


    "From my perspective, his life is pitiful."


    The ninth prince''s eyes widened. "What''s there to pity? He won the gic lottery from birth, and he''s head and shoulders above us other princes. He''s supported by most of the senior officials as well¡ªMaster, what am I missing? You were a king yourself, weren''t you? Your opinion seems much like those of themoners, the ones who im that the life of royalty is bad because they weren''t born into it!"


    The ninth prince was born to royalty, but his life was almost like that of amoner. The ideal life of royalty was something he could witness daily through his eldest brother, and it was something he had yearned for and coveted since he was little more than a child.


    To the ninth prince, the crown prince''s life was absolutely perfect.


    Zhang Lieughed. "It is a pleasant life, isn''t it? The crown prince, favored of the king, aided by the best officials¡ªbut it''s precisely this sort of life, this easy, obvious, natural life without any trials or tribtions whatsoever, that makes it dull, boring, and meaningless."


    To be born to wealth, with parents that doted on you, intelligent and advantaged from a young age¡ªwell, that was the secret to an easy life. But wasn''t it a rather pitiful one, too?


    Zhang Lie exined, "Games are meant to be yed on harder difficulties¡ªonly then do people gain enjoyment for their sess. What fun is an easy game?"


    The ninth prince processed Zhang Lie''s words, then shook his head. "Perhaps only someone like you would be able to say that, Master."


    Zhang Lie was very happy that he had encountered the ninth prince first.


    Supporting the first prince was undoubtedly the simplest and most boring strategy, the second and third princes slightly less so, the fourth through eighth princes much more difficult, and the ninth prince hellish.


    Not only did the ninth prince start out with no resources, manpower, or strength, he was even being chased after by the other princes. Who knew what would happen once he returned to the capital?


    That said, this was the environment in which Zhang Lie could make the most of his strengths.


    The ninth prince smiled. "If what lies ahead of me is a road to hell, Master, would you be willing to lead me through it?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "I wouldn''t bring you to hell¡ªI''d take you to the peak of the tallest mountains, to show you sights you''ve never seen before."


    After this incident, the ninth prince and Zhang Lie''s rtionship had deepened considerably. The ninth prince had more faith and trust in Zhang Lie than before. Of course, it wasn''t to the extent when they could confide in each other, but at least the ninth prince wouldn''t doubt Zhang Lie any longer.


    The two of them quickly arrived at the capital, which Zhang Lie noted to be far less impressive than that of Limit.


    The kingdom of Limit was a multiracial one, with all sorts of shing architectural styles and ideals. Meanwhile, the capital that stood before them seemed much more staid. It looked grand and imposing from the outside, but there was nothing particrly special about it¡ªjust its size.


    As the two of them strode toward the gates leading within, they were halted by the city guards. The ninth prince took out his token of identification. "I''m the ninth prince, and I seek entry to the capital."


    The guards replied, "Owing to the number of people trying to pass themselves off as the princes, I have to report this matter immediately."


    A group of guards suddenly enclosed them. The guard captain held out a bounty with Zhang Lie''s figure depicted on it. "Identify yourself!"


    The ninth prince asked, "Just what''s going on?"


    The guard captain replied coolly, "Your highness, please allow me to carry out my duties. The person beside you is a criminal, one who hasmitted a whole slew of crimes. He''s destroyed quite a few cities in the past."


    The ninth prince snorted. "This man is my guest and my aide. You im that he''smitted a series of crimes¡ªdo you mean to assert that I''m his aplice?!"


    The ninth prince''s tone and stance caused the guard captain to take a step back subconsciously, but he quickly came to his senses. With some embarrassment that he had lost out in a confrontation against the useless ninth prince, he stepped forward again. "Your highness, I have orders I must follow."


    Zhang Lie had nevermitted any of these listed crimes, and it was evident that he was being targeted by the other princes in an attempt to target him and remove him from the ninth prince''s presence.


    Would these other princes strike them within the capital? Zhang Lie wasn''t sure, but he certainly would take precautions against such an oue. He didn''t want to be detained; he could easily break free, but it would be a hassle.


    His eyes gleamed. He was just about to use his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard to resolve the problem when a shout came from afar.


    "Hold it, hold it!"


    When the guard captain saw Heijie Niu walking toward him with a few others from his n, the guard captain frowned. "You''re... the guests being hosted by the seventh prince?"


    Heijie Niu smiled. "Captain, this man is a guest of the seventh prince. Please, allow him to depart."


    The guard captain''s brows furrowed. "That¡ªwell, I''m simply not sure what to do. My superiors insisted that I arrest this man."


    Heijie Niu''s smile grew firmer. "I''m afraid I can''t allow that, Captain. The seventh prince himself requested his presence. If you refuse to let him go, you may have to bear the brunt of his anger..."


    The guard captain hesitated. He didn''t want to offend his superiors, but he certainly didn''t want to offend the seventh prince.


    It was obvious from this interaction what sort of position the ninth prince had. The guard captain was arresting the ninth prince''spanion to his face, but he was willing to defer to the seventh prince just because one of his men had made his way over.


    Heijie Niu slid a bag of coins into the guard captain''s hands. "Let''s make this interaction a pleasant one, Captain."


    The captain smiled as he hefted the bag, then waved an arm. "There''s no criminal here¡ªwe made an error in judgment. Retreat!"


    The guards dispersed and Heijie Niu turned toward Zhang Lie with a smile. "Lord of Renhuang, these are fellow members of my n. They''ve agreed to your offer of cooperation."


    The Heijie n had clearly anticipated this problem, so they had rushed over in order to help Zhang Lie resolve it. That was more than sufficient courtesy to start off their coboration. After all, the indigenous ns might not be aware of what sort of existence Zhang Lie was, but the races of the Milky Way certainly knew all about him.


    As for Zhang Lie, he could have resolved this spot of trouble himself, but he would remember what the Heijie had done...

 Chapter 644: The Ninth Prince Goes to Court

    <h4>Chapter 644: The Ninth Prince Goes to Court</h4>


    Zhang Lie looked Heijie Niu up and down. "Oh, very good. You seem to have recovered in no time at all."


    Heijie Niu flushed. "Lord of Renhuang, your potion was miraculous!"


    He crept closer to Zhang Lie and whispered, "Lord, if you don''t mind, I''ve told my n that I was wounded after exchanging a few blows with you, not your cat..."


    Whiter let out a hoarse roar before nudging Heijie Niu''s body, shocking him so much that he leapt back.


    Zhang Lie nodded wearily. "I see..."


    The Heijie representatives walked up and proffered their buglike appendages to him. "Lord of Renhuang, it really is you! We were shocked to learn that you had made your way into this world as well. We understand your thoughts, and we''re delighted to be working together with you."


    Zhang Lie grasped their cool appendages and shook them firmly. As he looked them in the eye, his mistmeld m soulshard activated.


    Zhang Lie gave each of the Heijie a subconsciousmand: not to betray him.


    The Heijie invited him into the capital, warning him as they stepped within, "Lord of Renhuang, there are no humans here. It may be better for you to put on a disguise to save yourself some trouble."


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    This was the capital of an alien world, and they could very well be in hostile territory. Without any idea of how the ninth prince''s enemies mighte at them, it was only prudent to take countermeasures. Zhang Lie feared no attack, but the ninth prince might be adversely affected by things he could shrug off.


    As he patted his cheeks, his face slowly began to morph into that of another person entirely.


    The ninth prince was shocked by the transformation, but this was simply one of the abilities that Zhang Lie had gained ess to ever since bing a disaster-grade lifeform. He was able to control every muscle and bone in his body at will.


    Because the ninth prince''s status in the pce wasn''t particrly high, he was unable to bring Zhang Lie with him. Before he entered the pce, he requested the de that Wang Jian had left behind. His eyes shone with determination, as though he were about to do something momentous.


    .


    Despite the fact that the ninth prince had said nothing about the assassination attempt throughout the journey to the capital, he had certainly been threatened and angered by the ordeal.


    He had been stopped at the gates to the capital, his man had been seized right before his eyes¡ªdid the world think that he didn''t exist?!


    Zhang Lie estimated that the ninth prince was about to make sorge a fuss that others were forced to pay attention to him.


    Worried about his safety, Zhang Lie had the ninth prince bring Red Comet with him, who would guard him from harm. Even if Red Comet couldn''t fend off his assants, it was fast enough to run away with the ninth prince and return to Zhang Lie''s side.


    As a beast, Red Comet was surprisingly easy for the ninth prince to walk around with. After all, a number of the princes had their own pets, but the ninth prince''s fourth-level beast was clearly a cut above the rest.


    The Heijie invited Zhang Lie to meet with the seventh prince, but Zhang Lie rejected the invitation outright. He would have an audience with the seventh prince when it came time, but given that he had just arrived at the capital, Zhang Lie didn''t want to make too big a fuss. ?His current identity was the master of the ninth prince, and it would seem rather strange for him to visit the seventh prince on his first day in the capital.


    In truth, Zhang Lie didn''t mind the rumors; he simply didn''t want to meet the prince. Was he so free an individual that he would agree to such meetings on the seventh prince''s whims?


    Heijie Niumented, "The ninth prince is finally safe now that he''s within the capital. No prince would be so foolish as to make a move within. If a prince were to do so, the other princes would immediately react."


    That the capital was neutral territory was an implicit agreement between the princes. If any of them were to break that agreement, the capital would immediately descend into chaos.


    Outside the capital, of course, it was another matter entirely.


    Heijie Niu continued, "The Heijie n have a manor in the capital. Lord, if you need a ce to stay..."


    "I''m not interested." Zhang Lie did not want to live with these bug-like aliens.


    Suddenly, however, he thought of something. He was running out of money. He turned to Heijie Niu. "How were the effects of the healing potion?"


    Heijie Niu''s eyes brightened. "It was the best potion I''ve ever consumed!"


    "Do you want to buy some for the future?"


    "You''re interested in selling your stock?"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Heijie Niu bought twenty vials at an extremely high price, using the currency native to this world.


    With that money, Zhang Lie found afortable inn in which to reside. The inn was clean and spacious, though he had to pay extra for hot water.


    Furthermore, White and Whiter couldn''t be brought inside the inn and had to remain out in the stables. As Zhang Lie was finishing up a nice, long bath, however, he found a panicked stablehand waiting for him.


    White and Whiter''s presence in the stables were causing all the horses and animals present to panic. Their legs were shaking, their bodies trembling.


    As a result, Zhang Lie had no choice but to pay for a neighboring room in which White and Whiter could be temporarily installed.


    The next day, the ninth prince got up bright and early, dressed himself, and attended that morning''s court.


    Not every prince had the right to participate in court, especially not a powerless prince like him. However, the reason he had left his pce was to survey a particr territory on the king''s orders, and he had received special dispensation to report to court. His intention was to disy Wang Jian''s sword and describe what had happened to him,ying the me at the other princes'' feet and reminding them of his continued existence.


    The ninth prince marched into court. The crown, second, and third princes were all present. Only they had a standing invitation to morning court; they were the three princes most favored by the king.


    This was why the other princes had tried to trap the third prince and tarnish his reputation¡ªso they could rece him.


    The crown prince asked, "Ninth brother, are you hale? I received news that your guards perished on your way back to the capital."


    The crown prince was over a hundred years of age, but he still seemed as strong as a hunter in his prime. He had been in the army and had even suppressed a rebellion. Killing intent radiated from his body, which was lithe and muscr. Two long scars marred his face.


    The ninth prince bowed. "Thank you for your concern, eldest brother. Unfortunately, I encountered a pack of third-level beasts, though I managed to escape unscathed."


    The second prince remarked, "A pack of third-level beasts! You must have suffered greatly, ninth brother."


    The second prince''s stature was far less intimidating than the crown prince''s. Just like the crown prince, he was over a hundred. He looked like a schr, demure and staid¡ªbut the ninth prince knew precisely what kind of cunning many behind that cultivated exterior. He was barely weaker than the crown prince himself.


    "By a chance encounter, I met a man who saved my life, second brother."


    The third prince''s eyes shed upon hearing this recounting. "Oh? What man is this? I must meet him myself to thank him for saving my ninth brother!"

 Chapter 645: In Court

    <h4>Chapter 645: In Court</h4>


    The third prince''s aura was as sharp as a sword. He gave off a domineering aura of sharpness, of des at every corner. Even his eyes seemed to carry a fraction of that ideal.


    The ninth prince knew that the Wang n was the third prince''s sponsor, and the n had taught the third prince a specialized sword technique that only the core disciples of the n had ess to.


    This sword technique, the ''path of kings'', had dominance baked into its very name, and only the royal members of the Wang n were permitted to study it.


    Nevertheless, despite satisfying these harsh conditions, the third prince was still overshadowed by the crown and second princes, though he was certainly stronger than the average hunter.


    The Wang n head had once mentioned that the power of the technique would only grow with the third prince''s position; if the third prince were able to take the throne, his mastery of his technique, as well as its strength, would instantly soar to unparalleled heights.


    At that point, the third prince''s strength would eclipse the crown prince''s, and it would even approach that of the king of the realm himself.nIf he were allowed to continue cultivating that technique while serving as king, his strength would only increase by leaps and bounds.


    "You''ll certainly have a chance to meet my savior, third brother," the ninth prince replied.


    Based on how cordial the conversation seemed to be, a stranger might suspect that the four princes had a good rtionship with each other.


    "His Majesty has arrived!"


    An old man walked stiffly into court from the front, supported by attendants on either side of him. His robe was lined and embroidered with silver, with a draconic lifeform that didn''t look quite like a dragon stitched where his chest was. He held his head erect, supporting a heavy crown. Despite the obvious signs of his age, his aura of authority nketed them all.


    The ninth prince found that his father seemed to have grown far older in his absence. His hair had turned snowy-white, his eyes were drooping, and his skin seemed to be hanging in folds. He looked as though he might tip over and copse at any moment.


    "We greet the emperor!" the princes chorused, bowing down.


    "We greet the emperor!" The officials followed suit, after the princes.


    "Rise!" With a whispered word from the realm of the king, the court convened. "State your affairs."


    The officials each began to report on the various issues they were having from all over thend, as well as the steps they had taken to resolve those issues.


    Whenever there was a question, the king of the realm would solicit the crown prince''s advice.


    Once the crown prince had spoken up, the second prince would immediately present his own opinion, often much at odds with the crown prince''s, and the third prince would follow suit.


    The three opposing factions tended to argue for hours and hours on end, with the king of the realm breaking any stalemates.


    A simple question could mire the court for an entire hour, even two. The ninth prince shook his head, thinking about how inefficient the court had be.


    An urgent disaster that had been reported required immediate attention, but it frequently took an hour of bickering before the three princes were all satisfied.


    But even then, the princes didn''t settle on a course of action. Over the course of the argument, more questions, problems, and conundrums would undoubtedly emerge, spawning even more arguments in the process.


    The ninth prince didn''t participate in the heated battle of words.


    Perhaps many years ago, this court had responded promptly and efficiently to the many affairs brought up by the court officials, but as the king of the realm grew older and older, the court began to stagnate. All its actions were slow and unwieldy, as though it had likewise grown old with the king.


    The king of the realm, in his old age, hadrgely lost control of his ability to manage the realm, but he didn''t want to abdicate the throne immediately. As a result, he gave the three princes a permanent invitation to court under the pretext of learning from his judgment, but fundamentally for the sake of preserving the delicate equilibrium where the three opposing factions met.


    Many years ago, the king of the realm might have been a wise ruler, but in his old age, he was using what he had learned over his long tenure to maintain his rule at the cost of his realm.


    Everyone knew that fact, but no one dared to say it out loud¡ªwhoever exposed this scheme would surely be sentenced to death.


    It took an interminable amount of time before the arguments finally quieted down.


    Everyone was hungry andcked the motivation to argue further; a recess was called so that everyone could go home and have a meal before returning to court for a second round of quarrels.


    Before everyone was dismissed, the king of the realm turned to the ninth prince. "What are your feelings on the development of the south?"


    The ninth prince strode forward, bowed, and reported, "The south is growing and expanding ording to n. Even in the poorest regions, all the citizens have adequate food and lodgings¡ªall thanks to your wise governance."


    The king of the realm nodded. "I heard you encountered some troubles along the way. Were your guards all ughtered?"


    The ninth prince''s tone slowly turned weighty and despondent. "I encountered a group of assassins while returning home, your majesty, and... I almost failed to return."


    The second prince frowned. "Ninth brother, didn''t you say that you encountered a group of third-level beasts?"


    "They were spurred by the assassins, yes."


    The king of the realm''s voice grew in his anger. "Who dares assassinate a prince of the realm?! Jing Heng, step out!"


    The crown prince strode forward. "I''m here, your majesty."


    "Were you aware of the assassination attempt on your brother?"


    "I''ve just learned of it, your majesty."


    "Take care of your brothers. I''ll leave the investigation of this affair to you¡ªfind the assassin within seven weeks."


    The ninth prince frowned. The fact that the king of the realm hadn''t pressed him for details and was handing the whole affair to the crown prince meant that he wasn''t invested in this case.


    This wasn''t an oue the ninth prince desired.


    "Your majesty, the assassins have all been killed."


    "Indeed? By whom?"


    "By a man I''ve since taken as my master, your majesty."


    The third prince snorted. "A ridiculous im. What could a country bumpkin teach a prince?"


    The ninth prince ignored the third prince''s words. Before the third prince could change the topic of conversation, the ninth prince continued, "This sword was under the possession of the assassins."


    The ninth prince retrieved Wang Jian''s sword from within his robes.


    Even before the sword was unsheathed, everyone present could sense the thickyer of killing intent emanating from it, so strong that the closest officials were turning pale.


    The crown prince''s brows furrowed. "Such dense killing intent could only have been produced by the des of the Wang n."


    The third prince snorted. "Nonsense! Who can confirm the provenance of this sword?"


    Despite his words, the moment the sword was revealed, his forehead had begun beading with sweat.


    The crown prince turned to the king. "Your majesty, to identify whether this sword indeed belongs to the Wang n, I motion to summon the Wang n head."


    The king of the realm nodded andmanded, "Summon the Wang n head!"


    The Wang n head quickly made his way over to the court, where he confirmed the de''s origins. "This is indeed a Wang de, though I''m confused as to how it ended up in the ninth prince''s hands."


    The ninth prince''s eyes narrowed. "Because the assassin is from the Wang n!"


    The Wang n head replied, "You mean to im that the assassin was the dewielder of the Wangs, Wang Jian?"


    "Who else?"


    The ninth prince sensed that something was wrong; the Wang n head was far too leisurely about this usation.


    The Wang n head shook his head and replied sorrowfully, "You must be mistaken, ninth prince. Wang Jian perished in his sleep a few days ago."

 Chapter 646: A Courtly Fiasco

    <h4>Chapter 646: A Courtly Fiasco</h4>


    "What?!" The entire court was in an uproar.


    The king of the realm asked, "What happened? How did he suddenly die? Why was there no news about this from the Wang n?"


    Right after the ninth prince imed that the Wang n''s Wang Jian was the assassin, the Wang n head announced that Wang Jian had died at home. Did he think everyone present was an idiot?


    The Wang n head sighed and clutched Wang Jian''s de tightly in his hands. Gritting his teeth, he called out, "Wang Jian was poisoned to death! I''m enraged and heartbroken at the death of my nephew¡ªthey''ll fear the retribution of the Wang n!"


    The third prince sighed. "What a pity! I could hardly have expected the Wang dewielder would die so suddenly..."


    The ninth prince snorted. "This is farcical. With Wang Jian''s strength, how could he have died in the Wang manor? Why was there no news of his death beforehand? Do you dare present the corpse to court so that his identity can be determined?"


    The third prince retorted coldly, "Ninth brother, you''re asking for far too much. Do you intend to dishonor Wang Jian so grantly as to reveal his corpse to one and all?"


    The Wang n head added, "To preserve the Wang n''s name, we''ve chosen not to publicize the death of our dewielder. Even among the n, very few know of Wang Jian''s death. It would be an embarrassment for the world atrge to know that we couldn''t even protect our own dewielder."


    Suddenly, as though he had just realized something, the third prince called out, "Ah, I understand now! No wonder the ninth prince''s unknown master could have defeated the renowned dewielder of the Wang n¡ªhe had to have been a fake!"


    The crown prince chuckled coldly. "I''m just wary that the person who died in the Wang manor wasn''t Wang Jian, but rather an innocent."


    The head of the Wang n lifted his head up high. "What are you implying, crown prince? Don''t you think the Wang n can recognize its own?"


    The crown prince strode forward. "Indeed, only the Wang n knows whether this is truth or deception."


    "Crown prince, you make it sound as though the Wang n''s trying to hoodwink his majesty with a fake corpse! We know nothing of the ninth prince''s attempted assassination. Even if the killer were Wang Jian, he surely did so of his own ord. The Wang n cannot be held responsible."


    The crown prince sighed. "What a pity for Wang Jian! All his life, he killed and bled for the Wang n¡ªbut in death, the Wang n is severing all their connections with him. A pitiful dog, surely?"


    The Wang n head gritted his teeth, but he didn''t dare contradict the crown prince.


    However, the third prince did. "Eldest brother, whatever could you mean? We still can''t be confident that the mastermind behind the ninth prince''s assassination attempt was Wang Jian. Do you have evidence to back up your ims?"


    The crown prince bowed toward the king of the realm. "Your majesty, I will surely do my best to investigate the assassination attempt directed at my ninth brother. To do anything else would be to invite ruin and disrepute to the court. If the mastermind strikes again, their next target might not be the ninth prince¡ªperhaps they might strike at me, or even at you, your majesty!"


    The second prince folded his arms. "Eldest brother, do you mean to suggest that there are people plotting a coup?"


    The third prince turned to the king and bowed as well. "Your majesty, I agree that there is a pressing need to resolve this matter to its fullest extent and to cleanse the Wang n''s tarnished name. I am likewise willing to devote my attention to this case."


    The crown prince hurriedly added, "Your majesty, I assure you that I won''t let the mastermind behind this deed go unpunished."


    The king of the realm nodded. "I''m very pleased by both princes'' willingness to help out their brother. I leave the investigation in your hands."


    "Yes, your majesty," the crown and third princes said simultaneously. They nced at each other, and a spark seemed to ignite in the air between them.


    The Wang n head''s neck was already beading with sweat. He requested, "Your majesty, may I bring this sword back to my n? This is the Wang n''s sword, after all, and it had once been Wang Jian''s possession. I think his parents would be very happy to see it returned to their son."


    The king of the realm replied indolently, "Since it belongs to the Wang n, the Wang n may certainly reim it."


    The Wang n head nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, your majesty, for your benevolence."


    Before he could finish, however, the king of the realm''s half-closed eyes suddenly shot open. He stared coldly at the Wang n head, and the temperature of the air in the court suddenly seemed to fall.


    "You may bring the de back this once, but if it ever appears in front of me again¡ªthen it shall be imperial property."


    Upon sensing the king of the realm''s jaw-dropping authority and strength, the Wang n head''s legs turned to jelly. He knelt down on the ground, his head pressed against the floor. "Yes, your majesty!"


    The king of the realm continued, "The court''s hunt begins in two days. Princes, prepare to participate. Ninth prince, I believe you''re old enough to participate in this year''s hunt as well."


    The ninth prince excitedly bowed. "Yes, your majesty!"


    The implication was that the king of the realm had deemed him of age.


    The king continued, "Have this master of yours apany you at that time. I''ll see if he''s qualified to be the master of a prince."


    "Yes, your majesty."


    "Very well. Court dismissed. How old I''m getting¡ªeven half a day''s worth of court is starting to be too much for me to handle."


    The officials of the court and gathered princes all bowed as they watched the king of the realm depart.


    As the ninth prince strode out of court, the third princemented acidly from behind, "That country bumpkin you call your teacher has no ce being the master of a prince, not even of an inadequate one like you. If you don''t want an ident to happen during the hunt, you''d best avoid bringing him with you."


    The ninth prince looked back at the third prince. "Thank you for your advice, third brother, but I have my own ns. I hope you''ll be more careful in the future."


    The third prince''s eyes went round. "What do you mean?!"


    The crown princeughed as he too stepped out of court, his hands behind his back. "Do you intend to keep bullying our ninth brother, third brother? Aren''t you afraid the court officials willugh at you?"


    Upon seeing the crown prince walking over, the third prince snorted again and stalked off into the distance.


    The crown prince patted the ninth prince warmly on the shoulder. "I didn''t expect you would be so daring on your rare asions at court. Excellent performance, ninth brother. I remember my first appearance at court¡ªI was ten or so, and I was so scared I could barely speak."


    The ninth princeughed. "You must be joking, eldest brother. Your performance at court is still an example for us all. My tutors have often impressed upon me the skill and deftness with which you handled your initial appearance."


    The crown prince waved a hand. "Ha! It was nothing worth speaking of. Ninth brother, I hadn''t expected you would be so pleasant to speak to. We should converse more often."


    The ninth prince smiled dryly.


    "Tell me more about what happened. I want to learn more about your ount of events so that I can help find the culprit."


    The ninth prince recounted what had happened that fateful day.


    To be frank, the crown prince knew who the assassin was¡ªit was evident the moment the ninth prince revealed the assassin''s weapon to the court. He simply didn''t know if he had enough evidence to indict the third prince.


    What he was about to face was a heated battle¡ªwhether the crown prince would be able to conjure up evidence more quickly than the third prince could get rid of it.


    When the ninth prince returned to his chambers in the pce, he let out a long sigh. He tossed his clothes to the ground as he slumped.


    "Why are you so upset?"


    The ninth prince jumped up in shock. He should have been the only one in his chambers; even if any of the pce maids were toe by, they would only do a cursory sweep of the room before leaving.


    Because of how low his status within the pce was, the pce maids even frequently forgot about his existence.


    Who was this mysterious person in his chambers¡ªcould it be another assassin?!

 Chapter 647: Repercussions of the Assassination

    <h4>Chapter 647: Repercussions of the Assassination</h4>


    The ninth prince didn''t panic; panic wouldn''t help save him. Only a fool would dare to assassinate a prince within the pce, so whoever this stranger was, he might only be here to give the ninth prince a warning, or perhaps to kidnap him, but regardless, the ninth prince didn''t think he would be in life-threatening danger.


    As long as he were alive, he had a chance to break free.


    When the ninth prince turned around to see the man behind him, however, he instantly rxed. "Master!"


    Zhang Lie calmly sipped his tea.


    As though he had just thought of something, the ninth prince suddenly cried out, "Why are you here, Master?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "What, am I not wee?"


    The ninth prince shook his head. "Of course you are, but this is the pce!"


    "So what? It''s not a problem for me to enter the pce at will. The only ce that poses even a little challenge to me here is your father''s chambers¡ªthe rest of it might as well be my backyard. I even toured the pce before stopping here."


    The ninth prince praised, "As expected, Master! Where else did you go?"


    The moment he saw Zhang Lie, his face suddenly brightened and his eyes lit up. He rushed to sit by the table, looking more like a little rascal than a dignified prince.


    "I had a look at your father''s concubines, and, well, he has rather... interesting... interests."


    The ninth prince smiled awkwardly; he didn''t know how to continue this thread of conversation, or even if he should.


    "Then, I went to your third prince''s quarters and added a bit of pepper and the like to his underwear. While I was there, I heard about something interesting."


    "What?"


    Zhang Lie stretched out two fingers. "I learned two things on my tour. First, that your father''s doing much better than he appears. At the very least, he''s not at the point where he''ll die within the next two or three years. I was almost discovered while skulking around."


    The king of the realm wasn''t stronger than Zhang Lie, but the fact that he was supported by the will of the world meant that Zhang Lie had to deceive that higher-order entity if he wanted to travel the pce freely.


    If not for the king of the realm''s old age preventing him from essing all that authority, his aura would be able to epass the entire pce. That would have allowed him to detect even a foreign mosquito''s presence.


    In fact, he would even have been able to expand his aura to the capital atrge.


    Zhang Lie stretched out another finger. "Second, the third prince isn''t the one who wants to kill you."


    That revtion shocked the ninth prince more than his father''s feigned ill health.


    Zhang Lie recalled what he had seen: the third prince, his face sullen, was returning to his quarters. The Wang n head followed quickly behind him. The third prince beckoned him to a meeting room. "Wang n head, are you dissatisfied with me?"


    The Wang n head bowed. "Of course not, third prince."


    The third prince grabbed the Wang n head by the cor. "In that case, do you hope for my death?!"


    The Wang n head nced at the third prince calmly. "Why do you say so, third prince?"


    The third prince countered, "Why did you send the Wang dewielder to kill the ninth prince, that useless piece of trash?"


    The Wang n head replied smoothly, "As I exined in court, Wang Jian wasn''t the one who tried to assassinate the ninth prince."


    "Let''s hope so, then." The third prince let go of the Wang n head and returned to his seat. "You should know that the Wang n isn''t the only important n in the capital; I think the Feng and Qian ns would be happy to work with me as well. After all, putting all your eggs in one basket isn''t necessarily a good idea."


    This was little more than an idle threat, however. The third prince could indeed work with the Feng and Qian ns, but it wasn''t an opportune time to break off ties with the Wang n. A partnership required mutual trust, and the third prince knew the Wang n the best of the three major ns.


    The third prince asked, "What do you think?"


    "What do you mean, third prince?"


    The third prince was so angered that he almost jumped out of his seat again. "Don''t try to fool me¡ªhow do you intend to clean up after your mess?"


    The Wang n head smiled again. "Third prince, what mess is there to clean up? I haven''t done anything."


    "I know what you''ve done¡ªas does my father, the ninth prince, the crown prince, and the entire court. The reason my father didn''t punish the Wang n right then and there is because the Wang n''s des are still useful to him.


    "It''s only for that reason that my eldest brother wasn''t able to do anything to you on the spot, but given his personality, he won''t give up on this opportunity to weaken your standing in court. I''ll be caught in the aftermath, too. You know how important Father''s will is. If the crown princees up with enough evidence, you and I will both suffer."


    The Wang n head changed the topic. "Third prince, I think the most important thing we should focus on is the uing hunt, not anything else. Even if the crown prince were to make trouble for us, it would be after the hunt. By that time, don''t you think we would have the opportunity toe up with evidence of our own?"


    The third prince nodded. "You''ve thought about this, then?"


    The Wang n head smiled. "The king has made his stance clear. Regardless of how much evidence the crown princees up with, as long as we deny the charges, who can stand against us?"


    "Be that as it may, things areing to a head. I feel as if something''s about to happen¡ªno, that it''s in the process of happening."


    The Wang n head bowed. "You''re overthinking things, third prince."


    "Why did you suddenly strike at the ninth prince?"


    "I think he''s a bit dangerous."


    "Hoh? How can a piece of trash without any backing be dangerous?" The third prince simply had no idea how the Wang n head viewed him as a threat.


    "Isn''t it dangerous enough that he was willing to oppose us so publicly during his first appearance at court?" The Wang n head''s eyes sharpened, as though they were des that had been unsheathed. "I keep thinking that this ninth prince will be a thorn in our sides in the future. Even now, he''s in the middle of forging an alliance with the crown prince. Nipping this problem in the bud is the best way to proceed."


    The third prince rejected the Wang n head''s idea immediately. "We''ll have to pay too high a cost to do so. I disagree."


    "If there''s nothing else, may I depart, third prince?"


    The third prince narrowed his eyes. "I hope you recognize just whom you''re working with. Go¡ªprepare for the next hunt. This year, I have to beat the crown prince."


    "Yes, third prince!" The Wang n head walked out of the third prince''s quarters and was just about to leave the pce when he saw a man standing before him.


    The man''s hair was thered with oil. He was rotund and porcine, and he seemed as round as a meatball. The fat on his face narrowed his eyes into slits. The Wang n head immediately recognized this man as the fifth prince. His behavior, however, wasn''t princely at all. He looked far more like a merchant instead.


    "Ah, n head Wang! I''ve finally found you." The fifth prince waved at the Wang n head from afar.


    The Wang n head bowed toward the prince, then marched quickly away as though he hadn''t seen a thing.


    Many people knew that the Wangs and Fengs didn''t like the Qian n, and that intrinsic dislike extended to the fifth prince whom the Qian n supported. Even before the battle for session, the Wangs and Fengs were united in their distaste of merchant ns like the Qians.


    The fifth prince called out, "Ah, n head Wang, wait up! Don''t ignore me!"


    The Wang n head continued on his way without turning back. "Fifth prince, please, be mindful of your actions. Who can say whether or not we''re being watched here in the pce?"


    The fifth prince stered a smile on his face. "What could you mean, n head Wang? Surely no one will report on idle gossip."


    "Our alliance isn''t public knowledge. Be more prudent!"


    The fifth prince smiled again. His narrow, slit-like eyes glinted coldly. "Don''t worry. I''ve bribed the nearby ?pce maids and guards. No one will overhear our conversation."


    The Wang n head shook his head again. "Better to be careful."


    "I''m simply too anxious to speak to you. You did very well, n head Wang¡ªexcept for the fact that the ninth price didn''t perish. You didn''t let him go intentionally, did you? Or does he really have someone in his employ strong enough to take down the Wang dewielder?"


    The Wang n head sighed. "I was very shocked to hear the news. My ns all went haywire¡ªI was nning toy the me on the third prince, and now..."


    The fifth prince replied, "Well, we''ll try again. The hunt will be an excellent opportunity."


    "Indeed¡ªI don''t intend to spare the man who killed the Wang dewielder, either."


    The Wang n head narrowed his eyes as sword energy red up around him. Someone who ruined his ns sopletely had to suffer for what they had done.


    If this n had been a sess, the fifth prince would have been able to take out the third¡ªbut the assassination attempt had failed thanks to the appearance of the ninth prince''s mysterious master.


    Thankfully, the third prince still needed the Wang n''s aid. If the third prince had pushed aside the Wang n in a fit of rage, the Wang n could have suffered terribly for this mistake. Only with the third prince dead would the Wang n be safe from retribution.


    However, this incident had forced the Wang n and the fifth prince''s hand. Regardless of the sess of the assassination attempt, the Wang n and the fifth prince were tied together.


    If the Wang n were to break the alliance off, the fifth prince could bring up the Wang n''s attempted assassination; simrly, if the fifth prince were to do so, the Wang n could do the same.


    The fifth prince continued, "I''ve been trying out the famous sword cultivation techniques of the Wang n, but they don''t seem to be anything impressive."


    The Wang n head smiled. "You''ve chosen the path of wealth. It''s easy to umte wealth, but converting that into power is a slow process. Rather than quality, it cares more about quantity¡ªsimply surround your sword with whatever treasures you''re willing to spare."


    The more the fifth prince sacrificed to the sword, the stronger he would be.


    The Wang n head continued earnestly, "As long as you''re wealthy, you can umte a whole sea of sword energy and defeat your opponents by exhausting their reserves!"

 Chapter 648: A Complicated Affair

    <h4>Chapter 648: A Complicated Affair</h4>


    The fifth princeughed gaily. "Haha, very well! What I have the most of in this world is money. Very well¡ªI''ll acquire my strength by umting as much treasure as I can!"


    The Wang n head continued, "Fifth prince, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now. If I spend too long talking with you, I might rouse the other princes'' suspicions."


    The fifth prince bowed toward him. "Farewell, n head Wang."


    The Wang n head bowed and turned to leave. After strolling well away from the fifth prince, he turned to the sky. "Third prince, I understand very well not to put all my eggs in one basket."


    Zhang Lie recounted the entire sordid tale to the ninth prince, who began tough in earnest. "Amazing, amazing! I bet the fifth prince and the Wang n head didn''t expect to be overheard at all."


    "What''s your perspective on the matter?"


    The ninth prince poured himself a cup of tea. "I wouldn''t have believed it if not for what you''d witnessed¡ªthe fifth prince and the Wang n conspiring against the third, and I, the unwilling sacrifice. The Wang n is bold indeed to try to im two princes with its nefarious plots!"


    "They don''t seem to care about any retaliation from your part at all."


    The ninth prince chuckled bitterly. "You wound me, Master."


    But it was the truth, after all. Compared to the Wang n, the ninth prince had almost no authority at all.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I hadn''t expected the Wang n to betray the third prince. Indeed, Heijie Niu''s information was iplete."


    The ninth prince thought for a moment. "I don''t understand why the Wang n head would want to break off that alliance.


    The Wang n head''s sister is the mother of the third prince, so the Wang n head is the third prince''s uncle. They''re bound by blood¡ªthere''s no reason for the Wang n head to defect unless something has gone seriously wrong. What could that reason be?"


    The third prince''s status and authority was growing by the day, and the fifth prince paled inparison. The third prince wasn''t the most impressive among the princes, but he was at least ahead of the fifth through eighth princes.


    Why would the Wang n give up such a promising candidate?


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Rted by blood? All you princes are rted by blood, too¡ªand that hasn''t stopped any of you from trying to kill the others."


    The ninth prince nodded, sighing. "Indeed so, Master."


    His mood was rapidly sinking; indeed, it was too naive for him to be thinking that blood rtions meant much amidst the royalty.


    "To understand the rtionship between the third prince and the Wang n head, we can proceed in two directions," Zhang Lie advised.


    "Which two directions?"


    Zhang Lie stuck up a finger. "For one, we can ask those around him."


    "Who?"


    "The crown prince!"


    "The crown prince?


    Zhang Lie nodded. "He''s responsible for the investigation into your assassination attempt, so in some sense you have a partnership with him. I think he would be happy to answer your questions on this front."


    "And the second direction of approach, Master?"


    "You."


    "Me?"


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "Don''t you think it strange?"


    "Do you mean to suggest that I might have an important clue in my hands, Master?"


    "Indeed!"


    Zhang Lie replied. "Why would the fifth prince want to kill you, the ninth prince? It would take considerable effort to do so considering your status, and it would cause significant trouble that could well be traced back to him. So why? Why would the fifth prince want to kill you? Could you be able to threaten him somehow?"


    The ninth prince replied, "Doesn''t he just want to make use of me to tether himself firmly to the Wang n and to remove the third prince from the equation?"


    Both of them could point to the other and implicate them in the assassination of the ninth prince, which would prevent either of them from betraying each other.


    The ninth prince continued his cool analysis. "The Wang n head and the fifth prince are devious and malicious, and they naturally know how to control each other."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You''re still too naive. They don''t want to tether themselves to each other¡ªthey want to tether the other person to themselves and simultaneously have the ability to walk away freely without the other party''s knowledge."


    The ninth prince frowned. "You mean that both the Wang n head and the fifth prince think that they can get away with my assassination scot-free?"


    "It''s certainly possible. Who knows? The fifth prince, working with the Qian n, might be able to take down the Wang n and the third prince¡ªor the Wang n may be trying to take down the fifth prince instead."


    "No one can say for certain, and you''re ying against people who are far more experienced in this game of courtly intrigue than you are."


    The ninth prince nodded.


    Zhang Lie scrutinized the ninth prince carefully. "If they wanted to tether each other to themselves, it would be better to focus on a smaller incident ather than the assassination of the prince.


    From my perspective, the fact that they''re willing to take that risk means that you know something crucial to their ims to the throne."


    Zhang Lie''s words left the ninth prince deep in thought. Did he really know something like that?


    Zhang Lie continued firmly, "You surely know something that would deal the fifth prince and the Wang n a severe blow."


    The ninth prince continued thinking. What might that be? What did he know?


    "Think carefully. Even the smallest of details might unravel the bigger picture¡ªis there anything exceptional that you might have done?"


    The ninth prince frowned. "But I haven''t interacted with the Wang n and the fifth prince at all recently..."


    Given his position in the pce, none of his brothers were willing to talk to him, nor were any of the major ns of the capital willing to sponsor him."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Not at all? Even an off-hand remark might make all the difference."


    The ninth prince slowly shook his head. There was simply nothing he could think of, no secret that had been revealed to him, no errant conversation.


    Zhang Lie let out a long sigh. It looked as though they wouldn''t be able to make any progress on this front, then...

 Chapter 649: Analyzing the Pieces

    <h4>Chapter 649: Analyzing the Pieces</h4>


    Zhang Lie continued questioning the ninth prince. "Why did you seem so upset on your way back here? Isn''t it a good thing that you''re establishing a rtionship with the crown prince?"


    "Master, you know what happened in court?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I was right in the pce¡ªwhat do you think?"


    In his mind, the ninth prince praised his master for being so skilled at stealth that he could eavesdrop on the court''s affairs without being caught.


    He took a deep breath and replied, "I wanted to take down the Wang n or to damage my third brother''s standing somehow, but in the end, I was unable to aplish anything. I saw Wang Jian try to kill me with my own eyes, and I even possessed the murder weapon¡ªbut even with all that evidence, the Wang n slipped away scot-free. Doesn''t that make me rather useless, Master?"


    The ninth prince''s intention was to remind the entire capital that he, the ninth prince, existed. He wanted all those who thought him useless or irrelevant to fix their eyes upon him, to see what he could aplish.


    Even the guard captain of the capital had ignored his presence and tried to detain his master in front of him; this was a memory the ninth prince could never forget.


    And yet, despite all the evidence he possessed, he had managed to achieve nothing. He was still that useless prince of the past.


    "Hahaha!" Zhang Lie suddenly began tough, so much that he was almost curling up into a ball.


    The ninth prince frowned. His face turned dark. "Master, I know I''m useless, but there''s surely no need to make fun of me so."


    Zhang Lie continuedughing. "Do you know why I''mughing at you?"


    "At my uselessness?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "At your naivete."


    The ninth prince was rather confused, so Zhang Lie borated, "How long has the third prince been in power? And how about the Wang n? Do you think that one de alone would be enough to topple these major powers of the capital?"


    The third prince had been in power for five or six decades, whereas the Wang n had been established centuries ago in this world.


    "You, a child in your first decade¡ªdo you really think you can upend those powers whenever you want?


    That de might mean a lot to you, but it''s nothing more than a toothpick to these major powers. Even the crown prince might not be able to suppress the Wang n without sufficient preparation in his own right."


    The ninth prince lowered his head. "As expected, I''m useless."


    "Your uselessness is as much an advantage as it is a disadvantage."


    The ninth prince raised his head sharply. "How can that be? How can my ineptitude¡ª"


    "It''s precisely because you''re useless that the others will underestimate you, to give you opportunities where none might have existed before. How did you manage to end up with the Wang dewielder''s de, for example?"


    "Because you were strong, Master!"


    "That''s part of it, sure, but the more important reason is that the Wang n underestimated you. They believed that the Wang dewielder would certainly be enough to get rid of you, but you managed to subvert those expectations."


    The ninth prince nodded hesitantly.


    "From this perspective, then, do you really think you''re still the useless ninth prince of before?"


    The ninth prince, deep in thought, sat in silent contemtion. Zhang Lie didn''t disturb him; he quietly had a cup of tea. By the time he finished, the ninth prince''s eyes were aglow once more. "I might still be my useless self, but I have you, Master!"


    "You do have me," Zhang Lie affirmed.


    "My presence elevates you from an individual to a force to be reckoned with, one with an unknown level of strength, whom the other princes all know very little about. But there''s something else, too."


    The ninth prince tilted his head. "What?"


    "You''re not useless¡ªthe assassin''s de was crucial, critical evidence. The king of the realm simply wanted to leave the Wang n alive for now."


    The ninth prince sighed. "I should have taken that into ount. In hindsight, it does make sense what my father would have done."


    "It''s precisely for this reason that even the crown prince might not have been able to take down the third prince and the Wang n, but the crown prince would have been able to leverage that de far more effectively than you."


    The ninth prince stared thoughtfully at his tea. "I understand, Master. You think I should have handed this de to the first prince."


    "Very good."


    The ninth prince smiled weakly. "If only I had thought about that point before the court session today."


    "Actually, the best oue would have been to hand the sword to the third prince, not the crown prince."


    The ninth prince frowned as he tried to unravel Zhang Lie''s thoughts. "In hindsight, yes. However, at the time, neither of us knew that the mastermind was actually the fifth prince."


    If he had handed the sword to the third prince, the third prince would have understood that the Wang n was betraying him. That would have frayed the trust between the Wang n and the third prince, and the ninth prince would receive the third prince''s gratitude.


    "It seems as though you have much to learn," Zhang Lie surmised.


    "I understand, Master!"


    "That said, your choice wasn''t particrly bad, either. Your most important task now is to establish a rtionship with the crown prince. The other princes are all attacking the crown prince. He doesn''t need an ally; he needs a spy. You''re the prince who can best y that role, because ?the other princes are all on poor terms with him. He can''t refuse your help¡ªhe needs you too."


    "In that case, Master, what do you intend to do during the uing hunt?"


    "Tell me more about the hunt¡ªI don''t know anything of it."


    The ninth prince blinked in surprise. "Here I thought you knew everything!"


    "There''s much that I''m unaware of regarding yoru customs and culture."


    The ninth prince began his exnation.


    Every year, the king of the realm and his favored princes would participate in a hunt. Those who obtained the highest-quality prey would obtain an impressive assortment of rewards, and it would be an excellent opportunity for the princes to disy their strengths in front of the king.


    The prey of these hunts were superior-grade lifeforms.


    The king of the realm was able to make use of his authority to temporarily help the lifeforms within the hunting grounds grow rapidly, so that they could easily ascend to mutated- and superior-grade.


    These mutated-grade lifeforms would be the bottom of the food chain; peak-grade lifeforms stood at the top.


    "Some of the hunting grounds even have legendary fifth-level beasts."


    Fifth-level beasts¡ªin Zhang Lie''s terms, those were disaster-grade lifeforms! Zhang Lie was excited, but understandably wary. They were extremely rare even in the third and higher realms, or someone would have shared their existence well before Zhang Lie did.


    Furthermore, the disaster-grade lifeforms of the third realm and up were far stronger than in the second realm. Even Zhang Lie, strong as he was now, couldn''t take such lifeforms lightly. If they really existed, however, Zhang Lie didn''t mind obtaining a few disaster gene fragments ahead of n...

 Chapter 650: The Start of the Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 650: The Start of the Hunt</h4>


    The ninth prince sighed. "Unfortunately, the winner every year is the crown prince."


    "Don''t worry. You''ll be the victor this time."


    ording to the ninth prince, there was no need to hand over the entire lifeform as proof that it had been hunted; only the head was enough.


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up in a smile. In that case, he would be able to fill up essentially all his gene fragments during this hunt.


    "Master, my father wants to meet you during the hunt. Will that be alright with you?"


    "Very well."


    The ninth prince nodded.


    Zhang Lie put both hands behind his head and leaned back. "I have to say, your quarters are the worst ones in the pce. I suppose I''ll have to make do for a few days, just in case anything happens to you."


    The ninth prince was overjoyed. "I''ll have a room prepared for you immediately, Master!"


    There were no maids around this part of the pce, and the ninth prince had personally fixed his roof when it needed fixing. Indeed, he did all the chores around his quarters.


    Was this the due treatment afforded a prince? The ninth prince didn''t mind; he had grown used to it since the past. While his mother was alive, she had been the one doing all the chores, and the ninth prince had learned from the very best. He even rather enjoyed doing these chores, because they gave him fond memories of his mother.


    Meanwhile, the Wang n head brought the killing de back to the Wang n.


    "What do you think, Jian Mo? I can''t believe Wang Jian would perish so easily, especially given his talent."


    Jian Mo hefted the de, out of which killing intent surged. As his eyes gleamed, that killing intent suddenly shrunk back and disappeared within the de. He inspected the de carefully. "Wang Jian was killed in a single blow without being able to retaliate."


    The Wang n head frowned. "Did the king of the realm himself strike at Wang Jian?"


    Right as he spoke, however, he shook his head. "No, it can''t be. If that were the case, he would have taken down the Wang n."


    "Who, then?"


    The Wang n head sighed. "A man I''ve never seen or heard of."


    "A foreigner?"


    "It''s very likely." The Wang n head scrutinized Jian Mo carefully. "How do you view your chances?"


    "There''s no one in this world whom I, Wang Mo, can''t kill." Jian Mo''s body overflowed with killing intent so strong and so condensed that it seemed to waft up from his body, forming a demonic sword behind his back.


    Even the Wang n head had a momentary look of fear. The man in front of him, who was known as Jian Mo and whose given name was Wang Mo, had been the previous dewielder of the Wang n. While he was active, the name of the Wang n had soared to especially great heights, striking fear in all its enemies.


    The Wang n head''s eyes narrowed. "Someone who dares kill a Wang dewielder cannot go unpunished. I''ll leave you to reim the ninth prince and his master''s heads."


    "As you know, no prey has ever been able to escape my clutches."


    As the hunt drew near, Zhang Lie and the ninth prince headed toward the designated location. Hills stretched out as far as the eye could see, and a strange power seemed to permeate the air.


    This power was a manifestation of naturalw, but Zhang Lie''s strength hadn''t developed to the extent that he would be able to do anything more than sense it¡ªfor the moment, he wouldn''t be able to understand the foreign power deeply.


    The royal hunt was so massive an affair that the princes, their aides, the court officials, and the support staffbined constituted thousands of men. The king of the realm, however, didn''t make an appearance. He remained ensconced in a golden tent.


    Each of the princes brought their own followers. The crown prince had so many they could have doubled as a military battalion; apparently, he would be simultaneously participating in the hunt and guarding the king of the realm.


    The second prince arrived with the Jindao n. This was the first time Zhang Lie had met them; they were all dressed in golden armor and equipped with golden des.


    They seemed strong, but Zhang Lie couldn''t help finding them rather vulgar and ostentatious given their get-up. Ignoring their outer appearance, however, they did seem to be rtively strong. Quite a few among their fighters were at a peak- or post-peak-grade level of strength.


    The third prince came along with his own guards and the Wang n. Every member of the Wang n was equipped with a sword. One person in particr caught Zhang Lie''s attention; the moment he appeared, he had been shooting death res at Zhang Lie as though there were some great enmity between them. His body was wreathed in killing intent, so strong he had to have butchered countless humans to get to this point.


    From him, Zhang Lie sensed a familiar aura, one much like Wang Jian''s¡ªthe dewielder who had stepped down the wrong path in his pursuit of the sword. The man in front of him was even further off-track than Wang Jian, so much so that Zhang Lie was surprised he was still a man rather than a demon.


    The third prince told Jian Mo, "I''m very surprised the Wang n was willing to spare you for such an asion. Though seeing as you''ve been ncing at my ninth brother''s direction, I suppose they have an ulterior motive for doing so."


    Jian Moughed. "You''re overthinking things, prince. I am ever your aide."


    The third prince snorted. "I care not for the Wang n''s ns. Don''t you cause trouble for me¡ªand don''t forget what his majesty said. This is the Wang n''s final chance."


    Jian Mo lowered his head. "I understand, prince."


    This was the first time Zhang Lie had seen the fourth prince. His features were rough, his dialect vulgar. He held a great polearm in his hands.


    If the third prince were a sword, he was a polearm, fierce, unbridled, and untamed. Behind him were the men of the Feng n.


    The fourth prince nced in the third prince''s direction. "To think the Wang n has sent Jian Mo. I wonder who they''re trying to kill? Do you think you have the skill to stop him?"


    The final question was directed at the one-armed bodyguard standing by his side, who red at Jian Mo with hatred in his eyes. "He was the one who chopped my other arm off."


    "No, then?"


    The one-armed bodyguard''s voice was hoarse, as though his throat had been scraped raw. "Ten years ago, I wouldn''t have been able to block his blows. Ten years hence, he will not be able to block mine."


    Of all the princes, the fifth was the most gaudy by far. He was draped in satins and silks, gold and silver, jewels and gems. He gave off a palpable aura¡ªa clear sign that he had made progress down the Wang n''s path of strength-through-wealth.


    Behind him was arge group of guards, decked out much like the Jindao with gem-studded golden armor and des. The fifth prince might not be particrly strong, but his showmanship made up for what hecked.


    When he saw Jian Mo in the third prince''s retinue, he almostughed out loud. It looked as though the Wang n head had truly been annoyed by Wang Jian''s death...


    1. Jian Mo (½£Ä§), lit. sword-devil. A nickname or title of sorts.


    2. Jindao (½ðµ¶), lit. gold-de.

 Chapter 651: Meeting the King of the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 651: Meeting the King of the Realm</h4>


    This was also Zhang Lie''s first time seeing the sixth prince. Compared to the other princes, he didn''t stand out. Behind him stood members of the Yinlian. The Yinlian were humanoid bugs with silver carapaces. Their four arms were like scythes, and their beady eyes stared around them.


    The seventh prince was pale and stick-thin.


    Had Heijie Niu lied to Zhang Lie? The seventh prince didn''t seem at all apetitor to the other princes¡ªno, he waspletely out of his element.


    But only when Zhang Lie saw the eighth prince did he understand why Heijie Niu had imed that the seventh prince had redeeming features, because the eighth prince had absolutely none. He was so weak and frail that he tottered even as he walked, as though he could be blown away by a strong gust of wind.


    Two huge eyebags made him look like a panda, and only his presence could make the seventh prince seem like an eptable candidate. It looked as though he was clear-headed about his prospects of bing the king of the realm and had long since given in to hedonism.


    Zhang Lie became even more curious about the Zijing, who had chosen to sponsor such a useless prince.


    Even the ninth prince, who had nothing to his name, would have been a better choice. Anyone could see that the ninth prince was far more excellent a candidate than the eighth in anything but age.


    The princes trailed in, one by one. The prince with the smallest retinue was, as expected, the ninth prince. He came with no one but Zhang Lie, who brought White, Whiter, and Red Comet with him.


    Zhang Lie noticed quite a few pairs of eyes looking in his direction, and Heijie Niu waved an arm when Zhang Lie nced his way.


    The fourth prince considered, "I heard the ninth prince picked up a mysterious master out of nowhere who managed to kill the Wang dewielder. What do you think of his strength?"


    The one-armed bodyguard replied, "I can''t tell."


    "You, the top polearm-wielder of the country, can''t tell anything?"


    The bodyguard shut his eyes and didn''t deign the fourth prince''s question with a response.


    Undeterred, the fourth prince continued, "What do you think of his chances against Jian Mo?"


    "They aren''tparable."


    "Why?"


    "Jian Mo has reached maturity with the Wang n''s techniques, and no ordinary person will be able to block his attacks. I suspect I''m the only one in the capital with the strength to do so."


    Zhang Lie had, without doing anything, managed to capture the attention of much of the princes and their retinues¡ªjust like a panda in a zoo. Everyone wanted to see what this man who could kill the Wang dewielder was like.


    Who was the Wang dewielder? The hallmark of the Wang n, the strongest of his generation¡ªand yet he had been in by a nameless fellow whom none of them had ever heard of.


    The crown prince strode over. "Ninth brother, it''s only been a few days, but your mood seems to have improved greatly."


    The ninth prince smiled and bowed. "Greetings, eldest brother."


    The crown prince looked Zhang Lie up and down. "Is this your master, then? I heard he killed the Wang dewielder. Are you interested in bing one of my guards?"


    The ninth prince made a face of mock horror. "Eldest brother, I''m right here!"


    The crown princeughed. "Haha! It''s just a joke, ninth brother. I have many a guard, but you only have the one master. I could hardly take him from you."


    The second prince likewise came over. "I''m very interested in offering you such a position myself. You might be better served by doing so than serving as my ninth brother''s subordinate."


    The ninth prince bowed. "Second brother, my master isn''t my subordinate."


    Zhang Lie replied coolly, "I prefer being a master than a guard."


    The third prince scrutinized Zhang Lie carefully. "Better than the trash from before, at least."


    So too did the eighth prince. "And yet it''s uncertain whether or not you''ll be able to keep your position."


    The sixth prince agreed. "Not everyone can be the master of a prince, even a useless prince."


    The crown prince nodded. "Only a sage of the ages would qualify."


    "Perhaps not," the eighth prince opined. "After all, he''s not Father''s get by blood."


    The ninth prince bit his lips and refused to speak.


    The crown prince frowned. "Eighth brother, you know such words are forbidden within the pce."


    The eighth prince seemed unperturbed. "And we''re not in the pce, are we? Everyone knows that Father hates this fellow."


    Just then, a guard walked out of the golden tent. "His majesty summons the ninth prince for an audience!"


    The princes all made way as the ninth prince and Zhang Lie entered the golden tent.


    The realm of the kingy atop a massive golden bed, his body seeming half-paralyzed. "You''re here, ninth prince."


    The ninth prince bowed. Zhang Lie simply cupped his fists. He felt a wave of force wash over him, but he didn''t respond.


    Beside them, a guard called out stridently, "Kneel in the presence of the king!"


    Zhang Lie red at the guard. "I apologize. I''m suffering from hyperostosis, and I can''t kneel down."


    "You dare disrespect the crown?" The guard drew his de.


    Before a conflict could arise, the king of the realm spoke. "Enough. I understand that their worlds do not have monarchs. Is that urate?"


    Zhang Lie nodded coldly. That the Jindao, Yinlian, Zijing, and Heijie ns were able to move freely within the capital meant that the king of the realm didn''t spurn outsiders.


    The king of the realm asked, "What race do you belong to?"


    "The human race!"


    The king of the realm pondered Zhang Lie''s response momentarily. "I''ve heard of them, but I don''t know much."


    "Allegedly, the worlds in which they''re active are quite a few wormholes away."


    "In that case, what do you hope to gain by traveling here?"


    "Would you believe me if I said it was an ident?"


    "There must be a reason you''ve stayed."


    "I was shocked by the deep potential in your ninth son, and I believe he''ll be a peerless king. I was unable to resist the temptation to ept him as my disciple."


    "A peerless king? One superior to me?"


    "It''s only a matter of time."


    "Haha, may it be so!"


    "It''s the truth," Zhang Lie pressed. At least, a fraction of it.


    "What can you teach him? Strength and martial ability?"


    "I can teach him how to kill the sons you''ve carefully brought up," Zhang Lie countered snidely.


    The guards made to attack him, and even the ninth prince seemed shocked. However, the king of the realm onlyughed.


    "Very interesting. I''m curious what you''ll do. Very well. I leave my youngest son in your care."


    1. Yinlian (ÒøÁ­), lit. silver-scythe.

 Chapter 652: A Princes Master

    <h4>Chapter 652: A Prince''s Master</h4>


    "You should be worried about your other children," Zhang Lie suggested to the king of the realm.


    The king of the realm nced toward his youngest son with benevolence. "Learn well from your master. I''m too old to be able to protect you much any longer. I know the ambition in your heart, but I didn''t want to embroil you in this mess."


    Zhang Lie seemed unperturbed. "Such is the fate of royalty. You might want to free him from that fate, but others won''t necessarily agree."


    The king of the realm nodded. "With you at his side, I''m far less worried."


    That was the end of the conversation. Zhang Lie waved at the king of the realm and the ninth prince bowed. The two of them then walked outside. "Master, just what did you and Father talk about?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "Didn''t you hear? You were right there."


    The ninth prince folded his arms. "Master, the two of you were clearly having a deeper conversation than I could follow. I still don''t understand!"


    "Think about it some more."


    In the end, as the ninth prince harangued him, Zhang Lie had no choice but to be clearer.


    "I''ve seen your father before."


    The ninth prince seemed very shocked. "In the pce? Why didn''t you mention it?"


    "Not formally," Zhang Lie rified. "Your father must have sensed me skulking around the pce, but he chose not to interfere."


    "He chose not to interfere?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "He doesn''t want to expose just how much of his strength he still possesses."


    "In that case, you mean that he''s faking his weakness?"


    "No¡ªit''s true that your father is getting old, but it''s not as serious as he''s making it out to be. The reason he called me over was to see what sort of person I was. If he could easily do so, he would have gotten rid of me¡ªbut he can''t.


    "As a result, all he can do is ask about my objective here to get a better sense of who I am and what I want. The fact that he''s not revealing his true strength means that he''s carrying out some n behind the scenes, one more important to him than you.


    "You were too weak to sense it, but the moment I entered the tent, he tried to force me to kneel using the authority of the king of the realm. When I remained unperturbed and refused to kneel, he knew then that I wouldn''t be easy to manipte."


    That was why the king of the realm had prevented the guard from forcing Zhang Lie to kneel. He knew very well that Zhang Lie wasn''t someone he wanted to¡ªor could afford to¡ªprovoke at that point.


    "Your father views you more favorably than I expected."


    "What do you mean, Master?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Did you think that your father didn''t like you because he doesn''t pay you any attention?"


    The ninth prince nced thoughtfully at him. "Master, do you mean that my father has been neglecting me deliberately?"


    "He knows that he''s growing old, so he doesn''t have the strength to protect you. The only way he can ensure your safety is to ignore you and let the other princes underestimate you. As a result, you would naturally be freed from the battle of session. However, your brothers don''t understand him at all. They believed that your estrangement was real, and the more idiotic among them even tried to kill you."


    If not for the assassination attempt, the king of the realm might not have tolerated Zhang Lie''s presence.


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "In some sense, you have to thank the fifth prince."


    The ninth prince''s eyes revealed a turmoil of expression. He too had mistaken his father''s intentions; in the past, he had always been a little scared of his father, as though he were just a stranger who had somehow taken pity on him.


    The ninth prince chuckled bitterly. "Don''t you think it''s ludicrous that his caring for me entails that he pretend not to care for me?"


    "That''s the manner of royalty, after all. You''ll understand when you''re older."


    The ninth princeughed. "As though you aren''t a king yourself, Master."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "My kingdom is very different from yours. I don''t have to deal with the same problems; he''d likely have gone bald if he weren''t supported by the will of the world."


    The crown prince ambled over not long after they emerged from the golden tent. "What did Father talk to you about?"


    The ninth prince smiled. "He just had a chat with Master."


    The crown prince seemed very shocked. "Father agreed?"


    "He didn''t disagree."


    The crown prince scanned Zhang Lie up and down once more, finding him more and more inscrutable with every passing second.


    Any master a prince took on had to be carefully vetted, and these masters uniformly had the highest pedigree in their favored field. The master of a prince might one day possess power beyond his station; were the prince to be a king, the master might naturally take on the role of a prime minister, ruling over the court from the shadows.


    The rtionship between a prince and his master was almost like that between son and father. Such a master would be the prince''s greatest aid in ascending to the throne and supporting him once he got there.


    As a result, the crown prince could barely believe his ears when the ninth prince imed that a man he had picked up out in who-knew-where had been approved by the king of the realm himself.


    The reason the crown prince had been such a favorite for the throne was because of his three masters, each of which possessed incredible authority in their own right.


    The second prince overheard their conversation from afar. He smirked. "As expected, Father''s growing old."


    The crown prince had to re-evaluate Zhang Lie''s standing; he wasn''t quite sure how to treat Zhang Lie in the aftermath of this decision.


    The ninth prince strode forward and spoke up instead. "Eldest brother, I have a question for you."


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Is there a crack in the rtionship between the third prince and the Wang n?"


    The crown prince frowned. "Whom did you learn this from?"


    "No one. I simply felt that there was some tension in their rtionship..."


    The crown prince looked around him before he pulled the ninth prince aside. "Don''t tell anyone about this, especially not the third prince. If he hears you, he''ll give you a beating."


    The ninth prince nodded knowingly. "It''s just a superficial alliance, then?"


    The crown prince shook his head. "It''s hard to say."


    "Oh?"


    "After all, they''re rted by blood. Of course, that rtionship might have grown tenuous, but it''s hardly non-existent. The schism between the Wang n and the third prince started in the previous generation.


    "The third prince was disrespectful of his uncle, and the Wang n head didn''t much like his nephew. That mutual dislike shifted into direct conflict on the topic of the third prince''s marriage. The third prince wanted to marry the woman of his desires, but the Wang n insisted that he marry a daughter of the Wangs. This stretched the rtionship between the two parties to an extreme."

 Chapter 653: A Flick of His Fingers

    <h4>Chapter 653: A Flick of His Fingers</h4>


    "What happened in the end?" Zhang Lie asked the ninth prince.


    "In the end, the third prince took no wife. Even now, he only has a number of concubines to his name."


    In other words, the rtionship between the Wang n and the third prince had only soured gradually over time; it hadn''t been caused by a single, abrupt event. However, while the rtionship was fraying, it wasn''t yetpletely cut off.


    Suddenly, as the sound of a horn rose into the air, the crown prince cut short their conversation. "Alright, it''s time for the royal hunt to begin!"


    The ninth prince bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, eldest brother."


    The three of them strode back to the rest of the princes and prepared to set off, raising gs and banners representing each prince.


    Zhang Lie asked the ninth prince, "Do you have a banner prepared?"


    The ninth prince shook his head.


    The royal hunt began with the ear-splitting boom of a drum. An imperial envoy called out, "His majesty expectantly awaits each prince''s exemry performance. He reminds all gathered here that this kingdom was built on the back of skilled warriors who cleared out a patch of safe haven, and..."


    Each prince jumped up onto their respective mounts. Many of the princes had superior-grade mounts, whereas the crown and second princes actually had peak-grade mounts.


    The two princes nced at each other with frost and mutual distaste.


    Zhang Lie asked the ninth prince, "Do you have any techniques for taming beasts?"


    "Of course, Master."


    "When we return to the pce, let me have a look at a few manuals."


    Zhang Lie wouldn''t need such techniques himself, of course, but it would be a different story if he could pass such techniques to Zhang Hanxiang back on Earth.


    The kingdom of Limit controlled arge group of peak- and superior-grade lifeforms via Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard and Zhu''s own mentalpulsion abilities, but it would surely benefit from methods that everyone could use.


    Red Comet whirred by Zhang Lie''s side, giving off the aura of a peak-grade lifeform. The crown and second princes both looked askance at the ninth prince, shocked that he too had ess to such a lifeform.


    Only when the retainers for each prince had gathered neatly together was it blindingly obvious that the ninth prince had almost nothing to his name. The other princes all had dozens of people, whereas the ninth prince''s party wasposed of three lifeforms and two men.


    Jian Mo continued staring at Zhang Lie, his gaze like two drawn swords.


    The Jindao, on the other hand, were all focused on the golden tent in which the king of the realm resided. When the second prince coughed, they snorted and turned around.


    Zhang Lie''s face was a veneer of calm. Rainbow fog surrounded his body, giving him an ethereal appearance.


    Not far away, the eighth prince yelped, "Hey, what''re you doing?!"


    Zhang Lie preferred to ignore trash.


    The imperial envoy finally finished, "...in hopes that you will assist each other, valuing fraternity over the results of the hunt. I hereby announce themencement of the royal hunt!"


    The princes all set off at once, rushing into the forested area where the hunt was ted to take ce.


    At the same time, the rainbow fog erupted from Zhang Lie''s body.


    "What''s going on?!"


    Amidst the rainbow fog, a beam of sword energy shot into the air. Jian Mo pped his mount, which jumped up into the air. At the same time, the other princes made their moves.


    The first and second princes'' peak-grade mounts bellowed simultaneously, temporarily stunning the other princes'' mounts. A few of the weaker guards'' mounts even copsed to the ground.


    The Jindao in the second prince''s retinue shot toward the fourth prince, beheading their mounts.


    The Yinlian supporting the sixth prince brandished their scythes, whereas the seventh prince''s Heijie tossed out ck cans that spilled an oily, viscous substance onto the ground. Any lifeform that touched the oil slumped over.


    The Zijing standing by the eighth prince likewise made their move. A purple, crystalline powder spread through the air, causing anyone who inhaled it to go into a rampage.


    Zhang Lieughed loudly as he rushed out of the melee with the ninth prince. Formless energy shielded him from any errant attacks and pushed aside all those standing in his way. Just then, a wave of sword energy tore apart the curtain of rainbow-colored mist and disintegrated whatever stood in its path as killing intent erupted from the man who hadunched the attack.


    "Jian Mo!" Everyone present stopped short. The concentrated killing intent that he had revealed made them feel as though a sea of blood and mountains of corpses were about to overwhelm them.


    Zhang Lie met the fearsome attack with a smile, as though he couldn''t sense the killing intent at all. Calmly, he stretched out a hand.


    In the chaos of the melee, only a few people had been able to catch Jian Mo''s blow in its entirety.


    The crown prince shook his head. "The ninth prince''s master is rather arrogant, isn''t he?"


    The second princeughed coldly. "Trying to defend against Jian Mo with just a hand¡ªrisible."


    Even the two of them couldn''t guarantee that they would be able to achieve such a feat at full strength.


    Zhang Lie''s fingers tapped Jian Mo''s de in an explosion of energy. The impact produced what sounded like a sonic boom, as though the ground where Zhang Lie had been standing had just been bombarded by a collection of cannons.


    The bystanders looked on in disbelief as Jian Mo and his sword flew out into the distance while Zhang Lie and the ninth prince rode gaily into the forests with their mounts.


    The crown prince was agape for far too long before he began tough. "And here I thought the ninth prince''s master was a clown¡ªbut it was me!"


    The third prince smiled. "The ninth prince really has hidden his trump card well."


    From a distance, the ninth prince turned and bowed to the gathered princes.


    .


    The second prince''s face turned dark for a moment. "Could you get past this man if he were to block you?"


    The Jindao by his side replied, "He''s certainly strong, but no match for me."


    During themotion, the king of the realm had stepped outside his golden tent without drawing anyone''s attention. As he nced at the aftermath of the melee, a faint smile danced around his lips. "It''s rather exciting this year, isn''t it? They''ve begun to quarrel even before the start of the hunt..."


    The guard standing outside the tent jumped up in shock. "Your majesty! Is something the matter?"


    The king of the realm waved a hand at him, motioning for him to step back. "I''m not dead yet." His eyes honed in on one prince in particr, upon which he sighed. "I''m really getting old."


    Subsequently, he sped his hands behind his back and returned to the golden tent.


    Meanwhile, Jian Mo flushed with shame at the fact that Zhang Lie had dealt with him with just a flick of his fingers.


    Two decades ago, he had been the peerless dewielder of the Wang n, a honed sword that had never suffered any defeat. However, his embarrassing performance now¡ªin in sight of the princes and their retinues¡ªwould result in countless jokes made at his expense. Such an incident left him unbelievably furious.


    1. Zijing (×Ͼ§), lit. purple-crystal.

 Chapter 654: Sweeping Through the Forest

    <h4>Chapter 654: Sweeping Through the Forest</h4>


    Had his de grown dull after only two decades? No, it couldn''t be¡ªhe was Jian Mo, the sword demon! Waves of killing intent poured out of his body, condensing as demonic apparitions that surrounded him.


    The sensations he had given up after his retirement came flooding back.


    Most Wang dewielders died during their tenure, like Wang Jian, or descended into madness thanks to therge quantity of killing intent they were surrounded by daily.


    Only a rare few dewielders could survive two trying decades of ughter and still retire safe and sound. These rare dewielders would be given the responsibility of killing any future dewielders who had descended into madness.


    In the end, these dewielders almost uniformly went mad themselves.


    When a previous dewielder killed a current one, the older dewielder would frequently absorb the killing intent possessed by the current one, dramatically increasing the chance of the older one going mad himself.


    dewielders boasted authoritymensurate with their strength and sacrifice. They sought the peak of the sword willingly, knowing that they would have to suffer the apanying mental strain that could easily overwhelm them.


    If they were able to survive the two decades, they would be able to transmute that killing intent into sword energy which they could use to boost their own cultivation to incredible levels, but such a realm was essible only to a rare few.


    Those dewielders who had survived their tenure would subsequently have to refrain from killing to augment their own strength, but how many of them would truly be able to do so? Most had long since been corrupted by the pleasure of killing.


    Each task they received from the n could well be theirst.


    Even so, despite these circumstances, a genius emerged from the heart of the Wang n¡ªWang Mo, now called Jian Mo.


    As a youth, he had been dazzled by the sword. Even from a young age, none in the n could stand against him; he rose to the title of dewielder by killing the previous one and iming his sword, rather than waiting for him to retire.


    Ever since he became the Wang dewielder, he had never suffered defeat; no one could block his de. He killed many, most at the top of their craft. The general consensus was that such a genius would be bound by the de, unable to extricate himself from his position.


    The stronger the dewielder, the more likely they were to go berserk.


    However, Jian Mo seemed to be the exception of all exceptions. Not only did he safely conclude his two decades of tenure, he never went crazy afterwards. Most dewielders ended up being controlled by their des; he truly wielded his de.


    The man whom he had been now returned in full force. He had a solitary target: Zhang Lie.


    "Jian Mo, you''vee." A one-armed polearm master stood before Jian Mo.


    "If you don''t want to die, scram!" Jian Mo''s voice was as sharp as a de''s.


    The one-armed man clutched the stump of his other arm. "My old wound is hurting again in your presence. I practiced the polearm for two long decades all for the sake of this fight, to avenge myself for the loss of an arm."


    Jian Mo frowned. "Who are you? I''m not interested!"


    "Whether you remember me is no issue; surely you remember my polearm." The man drew his polearm and hefted it before him, a blow that Jian Mo easily blocked. "Now I remember. You''re from the Feng n, aren''t you? A cocky bastard who called himself the best polearm master in the capital, only to have one arm chopped off by my de. You wouldn''t have survived if not for your elders'' presence¡ªand you kept training anyway?"


    The man snorted. "It''s thanks to you that I woke up from my delusions. After my ignominious defeat, I dedicated myself to training. Now, I''ve truly be the master of the polearm."


    Jian Mo drew his de in earnest. "Is that so? Very well. My skills have grown rusty, so you''ll be the first sacrifice to regain my strength!"


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade ckwind wolf. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade ckwind wolf, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    After drawing away from the other princes, Zhang Lie and the ninth prince embarked on the hunt. Thanks to White and Whiter''s keen senses of smell, they were easily able to find the lifeforms hidden in the forest.


    The ninth prince pped as he walked up to Zhang Lie. "Amazing, Master, you''ve killed another one!"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his lower jaw as he pondered what was going on. "It''s strange..."


    "What''s the matter?"


    "I can''t seem to control these gic lifeforms."


    His mistmeld m soulshard couldn''t take effect against them, almost as if¡ªwell, just like what had happened when he tried to control the beast tribe''s tamed lifeforms in the previous world. Could the king of the realm''s domain be strong enough to protect these beasts from such an effect?


    A red beam of light darted around them as Red Comet brought back the carcasses of another few superior-grade lifeforms. The ninth prince cried out in amazement, "Master, with you around, we''ll certainly take first ce!"


    They had barely arrived in the forest, but they had hunted down ten superior-grade lifeforms already. Zhang Lie had killed four alone, and Red Comet, White, and Whiter had killed the other six together.


    Zhang Lie called for a temporary break, cleaned up the carcasses, and began roasting them even as the other parties tried to hunt down these lifeforms as though their lives depended on them for the sake of their respective princes.


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade ckwind wolf, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 21]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade ckwind wolf, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 22]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade ckwind wolf, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 23]


    "Come,e, have a taste! You''re far too thin." Zhang Lie handed the ninth prince a generous portion of meat.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (advanced), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 60; Peak, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    After their meal, they continued to hunt down more such lifeforms.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade wildwind leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade wildwind leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade moonlit serpent. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade moonlit serpent, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade icestruck starturtle. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade icestruck starturtle, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Any lifeform Zhang Lie encountered fell before him in a single sweep. Given the boost from his limit fragments, even a third-realm superior-grade lifeform meant nothing to him.


    As for the mutated-grade ones, they started running away the moment they sensed White and Whiter''s presence. The superior-grade lifeforms ran away from Red Comet, but by the time they could sense him, they were already dead...

 Chapter 655: The Wang Clans Betrayal

    <h4>Chapter 655: The Wang n''s Betrayal</h4>


    To Zhang Lie, superior-grade lifeforms were no problem at all.


    The ninth prince hadn''t participated in any previous hunts, but he had heard that mutated-grade lifeforms were the lowestmon denominator around, and superior-grade ones were moremon than dogs.


    Nevertheless, it was still difficult to find a peak-grade lifeform. At the very least, despite Zhang Lie and the others having been in the hunting grounds for so long, they had yet to find a peak-grade lifeform, as though such lifeforms were deliberately avoiding Zhang Lie.


    ording to the rules set out for the hunt, a mutated-grade lifeform was worth one point; a superior-grade, ten points; a peak-grade, one hundred points. It would be far more efficient for Zhang Lie to hunt down peak-grade lifeforms rather than superior-grade ones.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t even able to use his tried-and-tested strategy¡ªto control these lifeforms and have them search for more of their own kind. Just as he was getting perplexed, Zhang Lie sensed a fight breaking out in the distance.


    He and the ninth prince crept over to find the third and fifth princes embroiled in an argument. When he then saw the mountainous peak-grade lifeform''s carcass between them, Zhang Lie understood the source of the conflict.


    The third and fifth princes were fighting over the peak-grade lifeform''s carcass, and their retinues had begun to fight. The men of the Wang n and the fifth prince''s guards were embroiled in the heat of battle.


    The third prince''s sword glowed with sword energy, which smashed down on the fifth prince''s troops.


    Zhang Lie turned around. "Ninth prince, didn''t the crown prince im that the rtionship between the third prince and the Wang n was fraying?"


    The ninth prince nodded.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "If the Wang n suddenly betray the third prince at a critical juncture, do you think that rtionship would snap?"


    The ninth prince replied, "Of course! Do you have a n, Master?"


    "Heh¡ªjust you watch."


    The third prince roared inughter. "Fifth brother, this is yourst chance. Leave now, and I won''t kill your men."


    The fifth prince stood at the back of his forces and allowed them to fight the third prince on his behalf. He replied calmly, "Who can say how the battle will go?"


    The third prince shook his head. "Fifth brother, you know we''re different. You''ve never liked swordy even from a young age.


    Meanwhile, I''ve been trained by the Wang n since my childhood. Our father founded his kingdom on the basis of martial strength. He became the king of the realm because he was at the pinnacle of his power. As princes and sessors, we have to emte him."


    The fifth prince nodded, drawing his sword. "Oh, I very much agree!"


    The third princeughed. "You, a swordsman? Haha! Do you fatty really think you canpare to me?"


    "Let''s test it, shall we?" the fifth prince replied coolly.


    The third prince lifted his de high overhead. The aura of royalty emanated from him as he swept his de straight down. The fifth prince''s aura of wealth merged with his sword energy and defended against the third prince''s strike.


    .


    Strong as the third prince''s royal aura was, the fifth prince''s aura of wealth eclipsed it on the basis of sheer magnitude alone.


    When the third prince found himself forced back, he cried out, "Y-You know the Wang n''s arts?!"


    Just then, a sh of sword energy struck the third prince''s chest from behind. Before the energy could strike his body, a thin barrier of light materialized into existence and nullified the attack.


    Given the third prince''s status, it was only natural that he would possess such life-saving artifacts. In order to protect his nine sons, the king of the realm had infused part of his own energy into jade pendants which he had handed out to them. At that crucial moment, the third prince''s pendant protected him from the life-threatening blow.


    Suddenly, the members of the Wang n rose up and ughtered the rest of the third prince''s guards.


    The third prince thundered in anger, "Betrayal from the Wang n, then?! Betrayal of my blood!"


    The fifth prince himself was rather shocked. He had prepared an excuse as to why he knew about the Wang n''s arts, not expecting that the Wang n would reveal their betrayal so publicly.


    They hadn''t even mentioned a word of this to the fifth prince beforehand, but it was certainly a wee surprise.


    The third prince called out, "When did the Wang n get in cahoots with the fifth prince?!"


    None of the Wang retainers answered. Their eyes shining with a rainbow sheen, they sliced at the third prince.


    The third prince snorted and swung his sword in a wide arc, ughtering the betrayers¡ªand leaving himself unguarded for the fifth prince''s counterattack.


    The third prince stumbled back, significantly wounded by the assault. He spat fresh blood out of his mouth. The betrayal of the Wang n was a heavy blow, both spiritual and corporeal.


    The fifth prince smiled. "On ount of our fraternity, I''ll end matters here. You''re no match for me."


    "Do you think you can ovee me?!"


    The fifth prince shook his head. "You don''t understand, do you? Your aura is meant to be a king''s, but you''re nothing more than a prince¡ªand the third prince, at that. Above you lie the crown and second princes, and you''re a fake king twice over."


    "And so what?"


    The fifth prince''s aura blossomed. "On the other hand, my aura is one of wealth and prosperity. It can grow without extent¡ªand given my fortune, my sword shall be peerless.


    The third prince snorted. "Your fundamentals arecking. No matter the strength of your aura, your sword will be weak."


    The fifth prince began tough. "But as we''ve seen, money solves all problems. Regardless of howcking my fundamentals are, as long as I keep cultivating my aura, my wealth shall make up for any other deficiency."


    The third prince''s guards had been suppressed. The members of the Wang n and the fifth prince''s guards surrounded the third prince.


    The third prince sighed. "I had intended to demonstrate this sword technique on my eldest and second brothers, but it looks as though you''ll be my guinea pig instead. Indeed, I can''t underestimate any of my royal brothers."


    The fifth prince smiled insincerely. "At this point, what can you do?"


    The ninth prince was shocked by how affairs had yed out. He was sure no one expected the Wang n''s sudden betrayal, but Zhang Lie onlyughed at the sight as though he had anticipated it well in advance.


    He turned and scrutinized Zhang Lie''s expression. "Master, did you know this was going to happen beforehand?"


    "More or less."


    Frowning, the ninth prince continued, "Master, did you arrange this beforehand?"


    Zhang Lie''s smile grew wider. He was naturally the mastermind behind the Wang n''s sudden betrayal.


    In truth, even before the hunt began, Zhang Lie had activated his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard on everyone present¡ªeveryone save the princes, who had were protected by the king of the realm''s authority.


    However, their retinues were unprotected, and Zhang Lie easily put them under his control. That was the cause behind the Wang n''s sudden betrayal.

 Chapter 656: A Fruitful Collaboration

    <h4>Chapter 656: A Fruitful Coboration</h4>


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, should we save the third prince?"


    Zhang Lie hmmed. "It''s up to you. Both choices will benefit us."


    If they didn''t save the third prince and allowed the fifth prince to kill him, the ninth prince would have one fewerpetitor. On the other hand, if the third prince were to survive, he surely would strike back against the fifth prince and the Wang n, miring the princes in conflict.


    The ninth prince smiled. "In that case, I''ll choose to wait and see what happens."


    "Very well."


    Zhang Lie gave him a meaningful smile. "The third prince might not need your support, after all. Look at his expression."


    Despite being surrounded by the Wang n and the ?fifth prince''s troops, the third prince''s expression was cid. He drew a sword from his back, a ck, scaled sword whose hilt was engraved with a dragon''s head. The sword let out the cries of a dragon, as though it were truly alive.


    "This de is called Zhanlong," the third prince introduced.


    As though he had suddenly noticed something, the fifth prince called out, "Retreat!"


    The third prince waved his sword in a graceful arc. Sword energy erupted in the form of a gigantic dragon, sweeping over the men who surrounded him.


    The fifth prince hurriedly defended with a strike of his own. As the draconic aura swept toward him, several guards strode forward and blocked the killing blow.


    The fifth prince shuddered, his forehead beading with sweat. "I hadn''t expected you would have such a technique, third brother. I''m truly impressed."


    The third prince sighed. "I''d intended on using it against our eldest and second brothers¡ªbut you forced me to show my hand, fifth brother."


    The fifth prince''s eyes narrowed. "Even the Wang n were unaware of this de and this technique. Third brother, you''re truly skilled at subterfuge."


    "Ha! There''s no one we can trust around here besides ourselves, is there? We''re brothers by blood¡ªbut that hasn''t stopped us from targeting each other."


    "Everyone thought that you were developing a king''s aura, but you were developing a draconic one instead! A masterful blow indeed¡ªand one that almost lost me my life."


    "The Wang n had suggested the path of kingship¡ªand solely the path of kingship. In other words, either I grew up to be king, or my life''s cultivation would be worthless.


    This was the source of perennial conflict between me and the Wang n. Everyone believed that I didn''t get along with my uncle, but the truth is more fundamental: I don''t believe in the Wang n''s philosophy. Their path is too narrow and inflexible, and they would only have dragged me down. Fifth brother, I hope my experiences serve as a warning to you."


    Cultivating a king''s aura sounded impressive, but it was a far more difficult path than it sounded on the surface. Before truly bing king, the third prince''s cultivation would be significantly weaker than those of his generation.


    Only when he had truly be king would his authority and strength soar without limit¡ªbut he needed that strength to be king in the first ce.


    "Stuck in this quandary, I decided to travel down a different path¡ªI would cultivate two different auras simultaneously, focusing on the other one to give me temporary strength. Once I grew strong enough to im the throne, I would return to cultivating the king''s aura."


    The third prince drew his de of kings with his left hand, and his draconic de with his right. The two auras melded into one, forming the visage of the dragon king.


    "Thus, my approach. I have to say, I''m rather pleased with my decision. Cultivating two auras at once gives me roughly double the strength, after all."


    Given the third prince''s resources, it was straightforward for him to cultivate two auras simultaneously. For his draconic aura, all he needed to do was to kill draconian or half-draconian lifeforms and collect their blood, which he would use to nourish his de.


    For the third prince, the difficultyy not in finding these lifeforms, but rather in doing so without being discovered by the Wang n and the other princes.


    In the end, the third prince had seeded.


    The fifth prince stepped back, thinking to retreat. The reason he had dared to fight against the third prince was because he thought that the third prince''s cultivation wascking¡ªa king''s aura was eminently unsuited to one who wasn''t a king.


    However, if the third prince had a draconic aura, matters were different. As the third prince had imed, the fifth prince''s swordy was fundamentally wed, whereas the third prince had all but reached mastery. In that case, there was no way the fifth prince could win against the third.


    Zhang Lie turned to the ninth prince. "It''s time for us to make a move."


    The ninth prince continued staring at the confrontation.


    "The fifth prince doesn''t dare to fight with the third prince now that the third prince''s secrets have been revealed. He''ll have his guards dy the third prince with their lives while he sneaks away. In the end, the third prince will win this battle¡ªbut to what end?"


    The Wang n had betrayed him; the third prince no longer had a backer.


    Zhang Lie struck.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea]! Ripples of energy circled Zhang Lie''s fists and arms. What seemed like a tornado crashed down where the two princes stood.


    "Who is it?!" Neither prince had expected the presence of a third, stealthed party, especially not one who wouldunch a sneak attack.


    Spatial fluctuationsbined with water-attuned gic energy in a humongous explosion that cracked stone and split the ground.


    Their guards were blown away into the distance; the two princes were barely able to stand where they stood. Against such a frightening attack, all they could do was hunker down and shield themselves.


    By the time the two princes reacted, the peak-grade lifeform between them was gone.


    Considering the strength of that blow, however, the two princes only gulped, swallowed their saliva, and pretended not to notice a thing. All they had lost was a peak-grade lifeform, after all; if they were to give chase, they might lose their lives as well.


    That said, it wasn''t as if Zhang Lie would give them the chance to catch up. He had long since run off with the ninth prince.


    "Did you get the peak-grade lifeform?" the ninth prince asked.


    "When have I ever failed?" Zhang Lie replied cockily.


    He chopped off the peak-grade lifeform''s head and stored it inside his superior-grade potbellied-toad pouch.


    On the other side of the forest, the second prince and members of the Jindao n were currently meeting with a mysterious figure.


    The second prince asked, "Are the preparations ready?"


    The mysterious figure was draped in arge cloak that covered his entire body. "Don''t you trust us by now? We''ve gathered all the peak-grade lifeforms together already. It''s why we''ve snuck so many superior-grade lifeforms into the hunting grounds to begin with."


    The second prince replied seriously, "We only have this one chance. I''ll only ept sess¡ªnot failure."


    The mysterious figure turned to the Jindao bodyguard by the second prince''s side. "The martial god of the Jindao, aren''t you? #93 on thebat leaderboards of the third realm, supposedly with the power to destroy a gxy¡ªwith him around, there''s nothing to fear."


    The Jindao raised his head proudly and countered, "You''re one of the hundred strongest races too, aren''t you? I''m rather surprised that you''d participate in this world''s battle for session, myself."


    The Jindao clearly knew the cloaked figure''s identity; unlike the Jindao, however, that representative was likely in the upper echelons of strength, perhaps in the top twenty strongest fighters on the leaderboard.


    The mysterious figure smiled. "Lucky that we have different objectives, then¡ªyou the primordial starflower, and I the resources that this world possesses."


    1. Zhanlong (Õ¶Áú), lit. sh/strike/behead/kill-dragon.

 Chapter 657: The Jinghun Clan

    <h4>Chapter 657: The Jinghun n</h4>


    The famed Jindao warrior idly murmured, "If you hadn''t approached us, we wouldn''t have known that your race were participating in this battle as well. Just what is your true objective?"


    The second prince pped his hands. "That''s enough! We''re all working together now¡ªlet''s focus on achieving our goal. If you can aid me in bing the king of the realm, I''ll satisfy all your requests."


    The mysterious figure asked, "Is it time to make a move?"


    The second prince rubbed his hands in anticipation. "I can''t wait."


    The mysterious figure snapped his fingers, as though sending out a signal. Purple ripples of light emanated from his hand. The effect of the snap was obvious. Momentster, the howls of subdued beasts could be heard all over the hunting grounds.


    Purple crystals grew out of the superior-grade lifeforms within the hunting grounds; their eyes took on a purple sheen.


    In a hidden part of the hunting grounds, the peak-grade lifeforms that had been gathered together began to roar the moment they sensed the signal. Crystalline purple horns grew out of their heads, and their eyes likewise turned purple.


    As he heard the echoing roars in the air, the second princeughed wildly. "Roar and howl, you beasts! Your blood and flesh shall propel me to the throne!"


    All the lifeforms gathered in the hunting grounds suddenly began to rampage, forming a massive stampede that shook the ground wildly. Even the air was vibrating, as though fireworks were being set off continuously in the distance.


    The beast stampede rushed in one direction: the entrance to the hunting grounds, from which the king of the realm was located.


    The Jindao warrior jumped onto his mount. "It''s time for us to set off as well."


    The second prince nodded and motioned for satchels of blood to be distributed to his guards. "Make sure you act properlyter, you hear? Don''t raise any suspicions. Now, set off¡ªwe must save the king!"


    The sudden stampede surprised Zhang Lie and the others.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie''s fist caused a geyser of water to erupt. The sea and the sky shook. Frighteningly strong water-attuned gic energy, imbued with the power of space, swallowed up a huge wave of beasts in a tsunami.


    Blood and flesh scattered across the ground, which had exploded into shards of granite and dust.


    The will of the world''s notifications chimed endlessly in Zhang Lie''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade strikebreaker leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade strikebreaker leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade demonic starlion. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade demonic starlion, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade brightsnow ox. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade brightsnow ox, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Before Zhang Lie had the time to collect their carcasses, another wave of gic lifeforms had emerged.


    The superior-grade lifeforms in the hunting grounds were so densely packed that only Zhang Lie''s personal farm boasted a higher density of such lifeforms.


    The ninth prince, White, and Whiter rushed around the battlefield, collecting Zhang Lie''s spoils. The ninth prince grumbled, "Just what''s going on? Why did these beasts suddenly begin to stampede?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did something like this happen before?"


    The ninth prince retorted, "Master, given Father''s strength, would he have allowed this sort of thing to happen in the past?"


    Zhang Lie quickly noticed that the superior-grade lifeforms'' carcasses all seemed to have a crystalline, purple growth. When he tried to pull out the crystals, he found that they seemed to have grown out of the lifeforms'' brains.


    "This is... some sort of mental maniption?" It was somewhat like the mistmeld m soulshard he possessed; the difference was that his soulshard was more like hypnotism, whereas these crystals were parasitic growths that physically controlled their targets'' brains.


    Zhang Lie smashed a crystal with his fist.


    "The Jinghun race!"


    He suddenly recalled a name. They were among the top twenty races of the gxy, and their name alone would cause a stir among much of the gxy''s races. They had risen up rapidly in strength because they had a special ability to control gic lifeforms.


    By feeding lifeforms a diet contaminated with crystalline powder, they were able to induce the growth of a crystal in their bodies that would eventually invade their brains and gradually gain control of their nervous system. As necessary, this crystalline powder could grow into a crystalline shard that would be able to manipte these lifeforms'' bodies directly.


    The Jinghun were rumored to be unable to control intelligent lifeforms, whose brains were far moreplicated to be subject to the Jinghun''s powder.


    Only this rumor saved the Jinghun from extinction¡ªotherwise, the other races of the Milky Way would have banded together in an attempt to eradicate this threat once and for all.


    "To think that some of the Jinghun have managed to sneak into this world..." That would be rather troublesome to handle.


    Among the hundred strongest races of the gxy, the top fiftyrgely had the ability to conquer a middle-sized world. The presence of the Jinghun here meant that there was something they wanted to acquire on this world at any cost.


    The ninth prince shouted, "Master, another wave of beasts is approaching!"


    "How troublesome!"


    The water-attuned gic energy in Zhang Lie''s body frothed as space around him started to distort and fray.


    Zhang Lie''s fists rippled with energy. When he punched forward, that energy erupted and exploded amidst the beast horde in a torrent of water, sending frightening waves of energy emanating from the point of impact. A tornado of energy swallowed up half the beast horde in an instant, leaving nothing but bone and blood behind.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade starbreath tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade starbreath tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade amber dragonturtle. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade amber dragonturtle, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade dark ox. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade dark ox, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    The will of the world''s notifications continuously rang out in his head. Red Comet whizzed through the superior-grade lifeforms, killing more with every second.


    White, Whiter, and the ninth prince worked tirelessly to amass Zhang Lie''s spoils, which had grown to the size of a small mountain. Zhang Lie stored it all in his soulshard with the wave of an arm.


    The ninth prince, weakest among Zhang Lie''s party, grumbled tiredly, "When is this stampede going to dissipate?!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "It looks as though I''ll have to revise my strategy."


    Zhang Lie had intended on killing all the lifeforms that came his way. That wasn''t a problem, but he was now more interested in the beast horde''s target, as well as what exactly the Jinghun were up to.


    1. Jinghun (¾§»ê), lit. crystal-soul.

 Chapter 658: Jian Mo

    <h4>Chapter 658: Jian Mo</h4>


    The Jinghun, by virtue of their natural talents, were troublemakers one and all. They had single-handedly provoked much of the serious fighting within the gxy owing to their ability to manipte and control others.


    As a result, the other races of the gxy hadrgely banded together against them, and the Jinghun had no choice but to lie low in the shadows.


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, have you been able to identify something?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "These superior-grade lifeforms aren''ting for us¡ªthey''re just passing by.


    Our opponents'' objectives are clear. They''re trying to get rid of all other living creatures in the hunting grounds."


    The ninth prince''s eyes widened. "The entire royalty, then."


    "Perhaps not everyone..." Zhang Lie smirked.


    "Master, you mean that this might be a manmade disaster?"


    He nced in the direction in which the lifeforms had rushed off, and his face grew rmed. "Father''s in danger!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie punched forward once more, using a technique with such strength it made the very air warp.


    Waves of gic energy pulped whatever lifeforms they came across.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade thousandeye serpent. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade thousandeye serpent, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade stargleam weevil. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade stargleam weevil, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade deathbane butterfly. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade deathbane butterfly, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    He hopped up on White and called out, "Return to the entrance to the hunting grounds! We''ll uncover the truth there!"


    The ninth prince rushed up onto his mount. Zhang Lie''s words from before had changed his perspective on his father. Now that his father was in danger, the ninth prince couldn''t sit still.


    "We''ll go save him!" Zhang Lie leapt over the carcasses strewn all over the ground as he headed toward the king of the realm''s golden tent. The lifeforms behind didn''t follow him; instead, they began eating their fallenrades.


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    The Jinghun had clearly given the lifeforms three orders. The priority was to kill all foreign life around, the second was to devour their fallenrades, and the third to rush toward the king of the realm''s golden tent.


    The thirdmand was the objective, but upon arriving at the tent, the lifeforms would focus on carrying out their priority objective.


    Zhang Lie was a little worried that the surviving lifeforms would grow stronger and stronger as they devoured each other, much in the same way that he had artificially "grown" disaster-grade lifeforms in his farm, but there wasn''t time to worry about such matters now. His own priority had to be to check in on the king of the realm.


    White and Whiter rushed forward with full force, ignoring the lifeforms behind them.


    On their way back, they saw the third and fifth princes embroiled in battle. The two princes were enemies, but they had allied together to face the threat of these lifeforms. Their backs to each other, they fended off the beast stampede.


    The two princes hardly had the time to notice them.


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, shall we help them?"


    Zhang Lie tilted his head. "Are you certain?"


    The fifth prince had tried to kill the ninth prince, after all...


    The ninth prince grimaced, but he replied, "They''re still my brothers."


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers and had Red Comet zip toward the two princes, easily killing the lifeforms that surrounded them.


    Zhang Lie felt that this decision woulde back to bite the ninth prince, that the ninth prince needed to be more cold-hearted, but he did as the ninth prince asked. The ninth prince had to experience this truth for himself, after all.


    Of course, his help only amounted to killing a wave of lifeforms surrounding the two princes. Whether they could survive would have to depend on themselves.


    The third prince noticed a sudden red glow at the edges of his vision. He frowned and shouted, "Isn''t that our ninth brother''s fourth-level beast?"


    "It doesn''t matter¡ªfocus on breaking out of this mess first!"


    With thest of their strength, the two princes eventually managed to free themselves.


    After leaving the two princes behind, Zhang Lie suddenly smelled a concentrated stench of blood from up ahead. The ground before them was littered with carcass after carcass.


    The ninth prince frowned. "Should we detour?"


    "There''s no need."


    Zhang Lie rushed forward. Before them, superior-grade lifeforms formed a mountain of carcasses, numbering perhaps in the thousands.


    Atop the mountain, at its apex, was a man with a ck sword. ck, cloying aura surrounded him¡ªkilling intent made manifest. Where itbined with his gic energy, it formed a whirlpool of ck, reaching out to its surroundings with what looked like feelers and tendrils.


    The ninth prince''s face turned pale. "Master, that''s Jian Mo!"


    "So what?" Zhang Lie shrugged.


    Jian Mo slowly raised his head. His eyes gleamed the color of blood. When Zhang Lie fixed his gaze on him, death stared back.


    "I''ve finally found you!" The reason Jian Mo had unleashed such ughter was in order to find Zhang Lie.


    "Master, Jian Mo¡ªJian Mo''s gone mad!" All the lessons the ninth prince had had on the Wang dewielders came flooding back to him in a moment of intense rity. These dewielders could grow umonly strong by killing others, but many of them ended up being corrupted by their killing intent through this process, turning them into murder machines.


    This was the fate to which Jian Mo had finally sumbed.


    When Jian Mo slew the one-armed polearm master who had challenged him, his killing intent rose up once more. Then, however, he had still been conscious and in control; what had caused the madness to descend was the beast stampede.


    Jian Mo had no choice but to ughter the beasts that came his way, and the burgeoning killing intent that resulted was thest straw for him.


    When Jian Mo struck, a ck sh engorged with killing intent shot toward Zhang Lie. Those fighters who had weak wills or insufficient mental strength would likely be frozen stiff with fear¡ª"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"¡ªbut Zhang Lie wasn''t one such.


    A ck serpent materialized behind his back, shooting forward with a punch of his fist. The serpent devoured Jian Mo''s killing intent as it soared into the skies, striking Jian Mo''s body with an explosion of corrosive energy and sending Jian Mo flying back.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    Jian Mo was the only opponent that Zhang Lie had found even moderately interesting since entering the third realm.


    Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down by the monarch''s side. Ripples of energy criss-crossed the space whose boundaries were marked by the two tablets.


    Jian Mo, mad with killing intent, found the energy in his body rampaging with even more ferocity. Killing intent shot out of his body, tearing skin and flesh apart...

 Chapter 659: The Beast Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 659: The Beast Stampede</h4>


    Jian Mo roared. Killing intent surged over his body, fusing his blood, flesh, and bones.


    "Kill, kill, killkillkillkillkillKILL!" As he mumbled to himself, his killing intent sharpened once more.


    From the ninth prince''s perspective, Jian Mo was turning into some sort of monster. In the chaos, Jian Mo''s body and killing intent melded together more strongly than ever before, transforming him into a monstrous lifeform.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand to defend himself and the ninth prince from the des of energy spawned by Jian Mo''s killing intent, sending sparks flying into the air as the killing intent scrabbled to find purchase amidst Zhang Lie''s defenses.


    Jian Mo morphed into a ck shadow that shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "I suppose I''ll have to get serious while you''re in this state, won''t I?" As Jian Mo pressed on relentlessly, Zhang Lie found his fingers starting to hurt. He retrieved a de he had left unused for quite some time: Guicang.


    As Zhang Lie struck with his de, a formless aura enveloped White, Whiter, and the ninth prince and pushed them away.


    Zhang Lie and Jian Mo shed in a brilliant explosion of light. The aftermath of that confrontation scarred the ground, leaving wide gullies criss-crossing the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed with rainbow light. Jian Mo, crazed as he had be, wasn''t susceptible to Zhang Lie''s mentalpulsion, but his mind did freeze up for a split second as a result of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    That was all the opportunity Zhang Lie needed.


    "[The Boundless de]!" Guicang shed. Zhang Lie''s blow prated Jian Mo''s chest, and his umted sword energy exploded in Jian Mo''s body and tore it to pieces.


    Zhang Lie sucked in a breath and sheathed his de again. "Let''s go!"


    The ninth prince, White, and Whiter, hiding by a corner of the battlefield, popped their heads out. "You''ve killed Jian Mo already, Master?" the ninth prince called out in surprise.


    "Look at the battlefield¡ªcan''t you see?" Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him.


    The ninth prince was agape in shock. "Master, how did you kill Jian Mo so quickly? He was devoured by madness!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "He''s not as strong as you think. If he can''t even control his will, do you think he can really control his sword?"


    Could a swordsman manipted by his sword be considered a true swordsman? Jian Mo was only intimidating because of his killing intent, and that killing intent didn''t necessarily trante into strength.


    The ninth princeughed nervously. "You might be the only one around who can im that, Master."


    Zhang Lie leapt up onto White and continued rushing forward.


    "We''re almost there," he suddenly said, after they had traveled some distance ahead.


    The ninth prince seemed confused.


    "To the stampeding peak-grade lifeforms, right over there!" Zhang Lie pointed to his front, where they could all see a group of ten peak-grade lifeforms all charging forward in a certain direction.


    The ninth prince was very shocked. They hadn''t seen any trace of peak-grade lifeforms during their hunt, but there were ten of them right here!


    Shock quickly gave way to fear.


    "Fourth-level beasts!" the ninth prince cried out, his face turning pale. "Master, could the mastermind be controlling these fourth-level beasts as well?!"


    "It''s quite possible." After all, it was clearly unnatural for them to see a pack of ten peak-grade lifeforms all gathered together when they hadn''t even seen one during the hunt.


    The ninth prince''s face turned ugly. "There are quite a few of these fourth-level beasts within the hunting grounds, and even fifth-level ones as well. If they''re all under the mastermind''s control, just what kind of forces will he possess?!"


    "There''s no rush. We''ll deal with the ones here, first. [Rune: Resonate]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle appeared over him as the four tablets revolved in mid-air. They crashed down in a square, surrounding the peak-grade lifeforms.


    A ck array spawned to life. The four tablets began to resonate, sending ripples of ck energy into the enclosed space within, sealing it off from space and time.


    The peak-grade lifeforms halted to a standstill. Zhang Lie leapt down from White. "[Shadow and Light]!"


    His sword technique broke the spatiotemporal seal and left countless bleeding shes across each of the ten lifeforms'' bodies. With a snap of his fingers, the four tablets dissipated. The ten lifeforms fell to the ground, dead.


    The will of the world''s notifications chimed in his head.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade heavensilk dragon. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade heavensilk dragon, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade demonsoul wolf dragon. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade demonsoul wolf, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade armorbreak beetle. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade armorbreak beetle, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    After all, Zhang Lie had reached his disaster gene capacity in the second realm alone.


    Given the additional limit fragments he had acquired from his foundational breakthrough and Potions #1 through #4, he might even have been able to take on ten disaster-grade lifeforms at once, let alone ten peak-grade ones.


    By now, he hadrgely filled up his gene fragments in the third realm. He might not be a famous third-realm hunter yet, but his strength was far beyond what anyone could have expected.


    After iming all the peak-grade carcasses, they set off again toward the king of the realm''s golden tent.


    "We''re almost there!"


    By then, the tent and its surroundings had been ravaged by the stampede of lifeforms, but the king of the realm''s elite bodyguards were barely holding the beasts back.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Upon seeing what was going on, Zhang Lie made his move. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring toward the ground and decimating the beast horde.


    The ninth prince waved and called out, "General!"


    The general guarding the king nced at the reinforcements in surprise. "N-Ninth prince?!"


    White and Whiter were so fast, and Zhang Lie so adept at dealing with the obstacles in their way, that the ninth prince was the first prince to return to the king''s side.


    "Ninth prince, y-you''re the first to return!" The general was particrly shocked that his body barely showed any signs of injuries at all.


    The ninth prince asked, "Is Father alright?"


    The general patted his chest. "With me around, his majesty shalle to no harm!"


    Just as Zhang Lie and the ninth prince arrived at camp, a group of fighters could be seen storming back from the left. Upon seeing them, the general called out,


    "It''s the crown prince, the crown prince! Send an escort to bring him back!"


    A group of elites rushed out of the beast horde and cleared a way for the crown prince.


    When the crown prince returned to the camp and found the ninth prince present, his eyes grew wide. "Ninth brother? What are you doing here?"


    "I''ve just returned, eldest brother."


    The crown prince was covered in dust and grime, and he had been bloodied on the way back. His guards all boasted injuries of their own.


    However, the ninth prince seemed entirely unharmed.


    It was only reasonable that the crown prince was so shocked¡ªthe ninth prince was known to be a weakling, but he had somehow made his way back through the beast stampede unharmed and unscathed, arriving before the first prince himself.


    If not for the creases in the ninth prince''s attire, the crown prince might even have suspected that the ninth prince had remained in the camp all along.


    He knew that the ninth prince had no capabilities to survive such a stampede by himself, so the only factor that could have made a difference was...

 Chapter 660: The Golden Tent

    <h4>Chapter 660: The Golden Tent</h4>


    The crown prince''s gazended on Zhang Lie. Not only had Zhang Lie not suffered any injuries, his clothes weren''t dusty at all. He seemed like someone who had just taken a walk in a garden rather than having escaped a beast stampede.


    This sort of situation made Zhang Lie seem even more inscrutable.


    Just then, the general asked, "Crown prince, what happened to the rest of your retinue?"


    As far as he could recall, the crown prince''s party initially had almost a thousand members. Now, there were fewer than a hundred left.


    The crown prince replied, "The beast stampede happened far too suddenly. In order to rush back as quickly as I could, I only brought a group of elites back with me. Along the way, we encountered two or three waves of fourth-level beasts, and we ended up losing quite a few members of our party."


    The general sighed. "How unlucky!"


    The crown prince asked in worry, "Is Father alright?"


    The king of the realm''s safety would determine whether he could be the next emperor. He thought that there was a very good chance that he would inherit the throne barring any mishap, but if something were to happen to the king of the realm now...


    The ninth prince replied, "With the general guarding the camp, how could something have happened?"


    "In that case, ninth brother, let''s make sure that Father''s alright ourselves."


    "You''ve spoken my mind, eldest brother."


    The two princes arrived at the entrance to the golden tent, whereupon they were admitted.


    "Father, we apologize foring to your assistance toote."


    The king of the realmy in his bed, weak and tired. "I''m perfectly fine¡ªmy life hasn''t been threatened, and you''ve all done nothing wrong. Come, enter!"


    The king of the realm''s face looked particrly pallid and ashen. As the two princes entered, he began to cough wildly, as though he were truly not long for this world.


    Zhang Lie coughed himself, inwardly muttering about the king of the realm''s ir for the dramatic.


    The first prince replied, "Out of concern for your safety, Father, we rushed back as soon as we could."


    The king of the realm replied hoarsely, "It must have been a difficult journey for you both."


    The crown prince''s eyes shed with anxiety and tears. "I was so worried for you, Father!"


    Zhang Lie red at the ninth prince.?Look at how good an actor your eldest brother is! He could easily have received an Oscar back on Earth¡ªhe''s an actor in his bones, waid by the blood of royalty!


    The ninth prince hurriedly stepped forward. "Father, I couldn''t bear the thought of you being in danger."


    Zhang Lie nodded.?Very good¡ªat the very least, he could keep up with the crown prince.


    "Now that I''ve confirmed that you''re safe, Father, I''m very relieved." Suddenly, however, the crown prince clutched at his abdomen.


    The general grew rmed. "What''s the matter, crown prince?"


    The crown prince gritted out, "It''s nothing. I was injured on the way back, but there were more important things to worry about at that point. With Father safe, though..."


    "Eldest brother, let me help you bandage your wound!" the ninth prince offered.


    "No, no, there''s no need."


    Zhang Lie smiled to himself. He stepped out of the golden tent and shouted, "Imperial physician! We need the imperial physician! The crown prince is about to sumb to his injuries!"


    The crown prince''s forehead beaded with sweat. "No, no, I''m quite alright. It''s only a minor injury, and there''s no need to make such a fuss."


    The ninth prince advised, "No, eldest brother, you need to be more careful! These beasts are cunning and vile, and who knows what sorts of poison and disease they might carry?"


    The crown prince realized that he had taken his acting a step too far, and the ninth prince and Zhang Lie were taking advantage of that opening.


    The king of the realm sighed. "That the two of you could return so quickly is all I could ask for."


    The king of the realm tried to smooth things over, his eyes betraying his words and revealing that he had seen through everything.


    Nevertheless, it was toote. The imperial physician was already making his way over. After inspecting the crown prince''s injuries, he was subject to a murderous re from the crown prince.


    He coughed and stammered, "The c-crown prince''s injuries are r-rather serious..."


    The crown prince was still looking at him expectantly, causing the imperial physician to suddenly change his stance. "...but thanks to his strength, vigor, and youthful physique, he''s already starting to recover. I''ll write him a prescription to speed up his recovery and prevent infection."


    The king of the realm nodded slowly. "Very well."


    Only then did the imperial physician, his forehead beading with sweat, retreat. He red at Zhang Lie as he stepped out of the tent.


    The king of the realm''s gazended on Zhang Lie. "You did very well. Even the crown prince suffered serious injuries, while you managed to protect the ninth prince perfectly. A reward is due, I believe."


    The ninth prince lifted a hand to his mouth to cover up his smile.


    The crown prince bowed and interjected, "Father, perhaps we should deal with the beast stampede first?"


    The king of the realm nodded.


    The general asked, "Princes, the two of you returned from deep within the hunting grounds. Were you able to discover any reason for the stampede?"


    The reason the general hadn''t asked this question earlier was because he didn''t expect the ninth prince to know anything. On the other hand, the crown prince, who had once quelled a rebellion, had some experience dealing with this sort of affair.


    The crown prince shook his head. "All I can say is that this beast stampede happened so suddenly and in such great numbers that it was likely a manmade incident, but I have no proof of such."


    The ninth prince added, "It was the Jinghun n."


    The king of the realm frowned. "The Jinghun n!"


    "Do you have any evidence, ninth brother?"


    The ninth prince shook his head. "I learned of the matter and their involvement from my master."


    The king of the realm turned to Zhang Lie. "Indeed?"


    Zhang Lie bowed. "Your majesty, I am confident in my hypothesis."


    "And what do these Jinghun have to do with the beast stampede?"


    "They''re able to control gic lifeforms¡ªthe beasts that you refer to. The third- and fourth-level lifeforms I slew possessed crystalline growths that serve as evidence for their involvement."


    The ninth prince took out a translucent shard of crystal, which he had imed from the carcasses.


    "These crystals were introduced into these lifeforms'' bodies by the Jinghun, who subsequently induced their growth and masterminded this stampede."


    The king of the realm asked, "Can we break them free of thispulsion?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Only the Jinghun n can control these crystals. Unless you destroy the crystalline growth on these lifeforms'' bodies or kill the lifeforms themselves, you can''t break them free of thepulsion. Fortunately, the Jinghun can''t control lifeforms that are too intelligent."


    The crown prince understood the subtext behind Zhang Lie''s words. "In that case, you suspect that there are Jinghun within the hunting grounds. Are you able to find them?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Unfortunately, that''s outside of my abilities."


    Zhang Lie wanted to watch the show unfold, after all.

 Chapter 661: Deviation

    <h4>Chapter 661: Deviation</h4>


    The king of the realm pressed Zhang Lie for more details. "What else do you know?"


    Zhang Lie made something up. "I expect¡ªand I''m sure you share this guess, your majesty¡ªthat one of the princes is behind this stampede¡ª"


    Before Zhang Lie could finish, a guard called from outside the tent, "The second prince requests an audience!"


    The king of the realm replied, "Send him in."


    The second prince was covered in dust and grime, and there were visible wounds over his body. He knelt immediately as he entered. "Father, I rushed straight back worried that something had happened, but it seems I was still toote. Please punish me, Father!"


    The king of the realm shook his head. "There''s no issue¡ªI''m right here."


    "I''m very relieved, Father."


    Just then, the second prince clutched his abdomen, an expression of pain marring his face.


    "I suffered wounds on the way back, but I was so concerned for your safety, Father, that I neglected to tend to them. Now¡ª"


    The crown prince''s lips twitched, as though he were experiencing a bout of deja vu.


    Zhang Lie nudged the ninth prince. "Look at your two older brothers¡ªlearn from their antics!"


    The king of the realm sighed. "Send for the imperial physician and have him remain here, this time! The princes will need medical attention after braving a beast stampede¡ªfor now it seems as though there''s only been abdominal pain, but if any of the princes were toe in on stretchers..."


    Zhang Lie was about to leave the tent when the crown prince gestured that he would be the one to do it this time.


    He rushed out of the tent and called urgently, "Summon the imperial physician! My second brother''s about to perish! His injuries are life-threatening!"


    The second prince''s mouth began to spasm.


    The imperial physician rushed over and examined the second prince''s injuries. His forehead began to bead with sweat. "...the second prince is grievously wounded, but...thanks to his strength, vigor, and youthful physique, he''s already starting to recover..."


    The king of the realm didn''t want to listen to the nonsense any longer. "Enough. Have his wounds bandaged and prepare some medicine for him."


    After the second prince left, the king of the realm sighed, "I''m more worried about the rest of your brothers."


    The crown prince consoled him, "Father, there''s no need to worry. The princes are all guarded by the will of the world, and they aren''t weak. They''ll at least be able to protect themselves."


    "Let''s hope so, then." The king of the realm paused. "If there''s nothing else, let''s end this audience here. I''m a little tired."


    As they walked out of the tent, the crown prince began, "I intend to help shore up our defenses. The imperial troops should make their way over in a matter of moments to clean up this mess. What are your ns?" He turned expectantly to the ninth prince and Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie nced at the ninth prince before replying, "We''ll join you."


    Neither the king of the realm nor the crown prince had any intention to retreat. Behind themy the kingdom atrge; if these beasts were to escape the hunting grounds, it would spell doom for the citizens whom they protected.


    There were far too many superior- and peak-grade lifeforms for the cities of the kingdom to handle on their own, so unless it was a matter of life or death, the royalty wouldn''t retreat.


    The crown prince frowned. "Why isn''t Father retreating himself?"


    The general sighed. "I advised his majesty to retreat, but he insisted on seeing all his sons safe and sound first."


    The second prince, who had just been bandaged, left the medical tent just in time to see the others.


    "I intend on guarding the perimeter. Shall we head there together?"


    The crown prince retorted, "How about your injuries? They seemed rather serious..."


    The second prince narrowed his eyes. "Before I headed to Father''s tent, I heard that you were on your deathbed, eldest brother. Aren''t your injuries serious?"


    Zhang Lie and the ninth prince smirked as the crown prince smiled awkwardly. "The imperial physician is particrly skilled, and I''m alright now."


    The two princes'' verbal battle awed Zhang Lie and the ninth prince.


    To his surprise, Zhang Lie noticed that the second prince''s troops werergely intact. As far as he knew, the second prince was weaker than the crown prince, so what was the factor that had preserved his troops?


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on a masked Jindao fighter, from whom he could sense the aura of the strong. That man would surely be a challenge to face.


    The masked Jindao fighter, sensing Zhang Lie''s gaze, looked back at him and nodded his head slightly.


    Another wave of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms approached them all.


    "Everyone, charge! We protect his majesty!" the crown prince shouted, drawing his sword.


    The crown and second princes charged forward with their retinues, followed by Zhang Lie and the ninth prince. Zhang Lie nodded at their strength; both princes had surpassed the level of a peak-grade lifeform. Zhang Lie could see that the second prince was holding back, but the one who was hiding even more of his strength was the masked Jindao fighter.


    Zhang Lie himself was participating in the defense. Water-attuned gic energy wrapped around his palm and wrist. As he punched forward, he infused the power of space into the mix and produced high-energy explosions in the midst of the beast horde, annihting an entire group of superior-grade lifeforms in one fell swoop.


    As the defense against the beast stampede dragged on, the guards in the camp grew noticeably weary and wounded. Their stamina could be recovered with potions to an extent, but not their mental exhaustion.


    The second prince whispered to the masked Jindao fighter, "It''s time. Prepare to make our move!"


    The second prince noted that the guards and even the crown prince himself were in bad shape, but the Jindao shook his head. "Second prince, we had better wait. This is a critical period, and we can''t afford to be careless."


    The second prince frowned. "Wait? No, we can''t wait any longer¡ªif we keep waiting, it''ll be toote!"


    The Jindao replied, "It''s not yet time. We need to wait¡ªthere''s a factor we hadn''t considered in our ns that''s throwing off our predictions."


    They had expected that the guards would be close to their breaking point by now, but they still seemed able to fight. The sole reason was an additional fighter in their midst: the ninth prince''s master.


    One man though he might be, Zhang Lie''s effect on the defense was as impactful as a whole battalion of elite soldiers. His seemingly careless blows had devastating impact on the beast hordes, and Red Comet was killing quite a few lifeforms by itself as well.


    The second prince frowned. "It looks like we''ve underestimated this fellow. I can''t believe that the ninth prince was responsible for this..."


    The Jindao fighter warned, "He''s very dangerous, and we need to be extremely careful of him."


    The second prince was taken by surprise. "Didn''t you say he would be easy to deal with initially?"

 Chapter 662: Holding Nothing Back

    <h4>Chapter 662: Holding Nothing Back</h4>


    The masked Jindao fighter replied, "I still can, but I mis-evaluated his original strength."


    The second prince whispered, "Good, then. We can''t miss this opportunity¡ªwe have to strike now!"


    "But these troops still have the stamina to keep fighting, don''t they?"


    The second prince shook his head. "Regardless, we have to strike now, or we won''t have a chance to do so. If I''m not mistaken, the imperial guards are almost on their way here. Once the main force arrives, our opportunity to strike will be over."


    The Jindao fighter sighed. "Second prince, patience is key."


    The second prince frowned. "You don''t dictate my actions. Release the fourth-level beast horde."


    "Now, this early?"


    The second prince nodded. "We have to destroy the defenses in one fell swoop, and it gives us the cover to strike."


    The Jindao fighter knew the second prince''s behavior to be a reflection of his anxiety. He had spent over a decade in preparation for this n, and he was only one step away from sess. He didn''t want to give up so easily. After all, if this n were to seed, the second prince would surely be able to im the throne for himself.


    The Jindao fighter had no choice but to pretend to agree. He sent a message to the Jinghun via a specialized technique.


    Not long after that, the beast stampede began to evolve. Behind the current horde of beasts came a group of peak-grade ones, so densely packed together that the general''s face crumpled.


    Zhang Lie frowned.?That the peak-grade lifeforms would only appear now, and in such arge group...


    The mastermind behind this stampede had to have been preparing this assault for a long time. This was a middle-sized world, and there were at least five hundred peak-grade lifeforms charging toward them. Such an incredible number of these lifeforms would have taken an equally long amount of time to prepare¡ªand it would be trivial for them to destroy one weakly defended city after another.


    After so much fighting, the guards were already getting weary. Many continued to fight despite their wounds; the biggest problem was theircking medical supplies, rather thanbat ability.


    In order to protect the king of the realm, the general had prepared a month''s worth of rations and medical supplies for the entire guard, but no one had expected this to be a prolonged siege. The medical supplies had been exhausted, and the reinforcements from the imperial troops had yet to arrive.


    The beast horde seemed to have picked exactly this moment to strike.


    "Protect his majesty! Protect him¡ªretreat!" the general cried out.


    The second prince immediately held them back. "General, we can''t retreat! The capital''s not a hundred miles away from us. If these peak-grade lifeforms were to break through, it would be a disaster for our kingdom!"


    The general''s face turned pale. "But his majesty¡ª"


    By then, the second prince had already unsheathed his sword and was about to behead the general when Zhang Lie appeared by his side and caught the second prince''s de.


    The second prince was fast, but someone else had been faster.


    "My goodness, second prince, whatever could you be doing?" Zhang Lie called out.


    The general was so scared that he fell to the ground.


    The second prince snorted as he sheathed his de, knowing that he would have no further chances to kill the general. "During times of strife, how dare he disrupt the morale of the troops? None of us princes have sounded a retreat¡ªit''s no ce for a general to countermand us."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "He was only worried for his majesty''s safety!"


    The second prince narrowed his eyes, which gleamed with frost. "Do you mean that I don''t care for my father, that I''d like him to die?!"


    Zhang Lie ignored the second prince''s idle pretense. "Who can say?"


    The second prince''s eyes burned with rage. "You¡ª"


    By this time, the crown prince had noticed what was going on and headed over to break up the conflict. "That''s enough! The fourth-level beasts are about to attack us¡ªwe can''t break out in internal conflict now!"


    The second prince snorted. "For such a weak-willed general to bemanding us would be an even worse travesty."


    The crown prince shook his head. "To kill the general of the guards at this crucial moment would be the worst thing you could do for morale."


    The second prince snorted again. "I''ll defer to you, eldest brother, but if this fellow dares talk about retreat again, I won''t show him clemency. None of you will be able to deter me then, I assure you."


    The general stood up. "Crown prince, are we truly not going to retreat?"


    The crown prince shook his head. "The second prince''s actions might have been inappropriate, but he didn''t act without reason. Behind us lies the capital. If this fourth-level beast horde reaches it, it would spell disaster for our kingdom. If we contain the fighting here, those who perish will be guards¡ªif we retreat, those who perish will be ordinary citizens!"


    The general exined, "Crown prince, I''m not afraid of death, but your highness and his majesty are right here! Neither of you can perish!"


    The crown prince shook his head. "Father hasn''t spoken a word. No one can retreat now."


    The general nodded firmly. "I understand, your highness!"


    The crown prince dered, "Everyone, we fight to thest! The imperial troops will make their way over within half a day!"


    As the defense continued, Zhang Lie put in more effort than before against the peak-grade horde. After all, he still had a lot of peak gene fragments that he needed to obtain.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie''s fist smashed into the ground and sent ripples into the distance. The ripples erupted in a shockwave of force, making heaven and earth tremble. Roiling energy swept over the peak-grade horde, causing them to rampage in earnest.


    Compared to superior-grade lifeforms, peak-grade ones were superior in all aspects. Even Zhang Lie couldn''t take them down easily bare-handed. Even Zhang Lie had to take the fight seriously; the guards had it much worse.


    The defensive lines seemed on the verge of breaking, and it was up to Zhang Lie to shore up any holes.


    Zhang Lie''s fists rippled with water-attuned gic energy imbued with spatial force. The streams of water revolved more and more quickly around his wrist, augmented by the two streams of energy, sending a hurricane of force spiraling up around him.


    The weaker staff hurriedly hid in tents; even the guards themselves seemed to be on the verge of being blown away.

 Chapter 663: The Heart of Man

    <h4>Chapter 663: The Heart of Man</h4>


    The princes present were unable to believe that such an aura could emanate from a single person. ?Zhang Lie was still charging up for his attack, but it almost looked as though his attack had alreadynded.


    The skies were trembling, the earth shaking, the wind roaring¡ªit felt as though the heavens themselves were impressing their authority on the realm.


    The crown prince''s eyes widened. "The ninth prince has truly found an imposing master..."


    The guards were all shaken. "Who could this be? Who could boast such strength?"


    The entire camp shook¡ªeverything swayed but in one location, the king of the realm''s golden tent.


    Finally, as the energy Zhang Lie gathered up reached a critical threshold, he released it in what was purportedly a technique but which seemed to have reached an entirely new level of strength.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" The sea devoured everything in sight. The heavens seemed to lose their color, and an oppressive silence descended on the realm.


    A tsunami devoured the peak-grade horde, vanquishing them as though they had never existed.


    The hunting grounds were scoured into t, featurelessnd as the troops'' morale rose greatly.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade ghoul of heaven and earth. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade ghoul of heaven and earth, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade void leopard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade void leopard, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade megold mountain lion. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade megold mountain lion, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie''s one punch had cleaned up a hundred peak-grade lifeforms, dramatically decreasing the burden that the guards around him had to bear.


    The crown prince lifted his sword and held it high. "An alien hero has helped us in this time of crisis¡ªmy fellow warriors, we can''t lose out to them! Charge! Charge, in the name of our homnd!"


    Reckless though it might seem, the crown prince''s decision was the correct one. If the troops were to remain on the defensive, they would eventually be forced back by the peak-grade lifeforms.


    The troops didn''t have much of their strength remaining, but the peak-grade lifeformsing at them seemed endless. Now that Zhang Lie had turned the tides of battle¡ªeven if for just a moment¡ªthe crown prince had to take this opportunity to try to magnify that advantage, even at risk to his life.


    The crown prince led the charge himself, a lone man and his sword against a tide of beasts. With brute force, he beheaded a peak-grade lifeform, then ran toward the next without even looking back.


    Seeing their fearless leader in action, the troops'' morale rose greatly. "Charge! Follow the crown prince''s lead!"


    The masked Jindao fighter frowned. Zhang Lie''s unexpected appearance was on the verge of derailing their ns. He looked toward the second prince, but the second prince said nothing.


    The Jindao fighter was certain that, no matter what happened next, the second prince wouldn''t call off this n.


    "Look!" the second prince hissed, pointing at Zhang Lie. "That likely had to be that man''s full strength¡ªhe''s not making any further moves!"


    Whereas the crown prince and his men had gone charging forward, Zhang Lie was leisurely sitting down and setting up a spit on which he could roast meat.


    The Jindao disagreed with the second prince''s judgment: this didn''t look like a man who was entirely out of energy. On the other hand, he was simply toozy to keep fighting.


    "Move!" the second prince shouted, following the crown prince into the distance.


    He had to admit to himself that he wouldn''t have been as decisive and bold as the crown prince; that difference between the two of them made him even more jealous, even more certain that the crown prince had to die.


    .


    The Jindao fighter stayed where he was. After some time, he slowly made his way toward the king of the realm''s golden tent.


    The crown prince had seeded in his endeavor. Despite facing nigh-insurmountable odds, he had endowed his troops with a vision of victory. He, who had been nurtured by the king of the realm as his next sessor, was an impressive prince.


    If nothing untoward were to happen, the crown prince would sessfully kill the remaining peak-grade lifeforms and reach a new level of renown, one which would cement his position as the crown prince¡ªand the king of the realm''s sessor.


    The crown prince was so qualified that others couldn''t help but be envious of him; he might not have been a natural ruler, but the king of the realm had molded him to be his most suitable sessor.


    The crown prince was overjoyed by sess. He turned around and called out, "Second brother, I''ll leave the rear to you. Take this opportunity that the ninth prince''s master has given us to clear out these beas¡ª"


    A sword slid into the crown prince''s chest from the back and prated through his front, with such strength that it annihted the king of the realm''s protection. The crown prince''s eyes widened.


    "Why?" He forced out that one word with trembling lips and quivering voice. "Why, second... brother?"


    The crown prince knew how cruel the session of kings could be, but his father had stabilized it all during his long reign. He knew that the ninth prince had suffered an assassination attempt, but surely that was something that could never have happened to him. He knew the other princes all wanted to get rid of him, but also that they would never try something like this in the public eye¡ªor would they?


    How could the second prince dare to strike him down with so many eyewitnesses around? It was meaningless¡ªhe could never hope to gain the throne this way, unless...

 Chapter 664: King of the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 664: King of the Realm</h4>


    ...unless Father was gone himself¡­?At the point of his betrayal, the crown prince seemed to see through everything.


    He had underestimated the second prince and devoted all his attention to dealing with the threat of peak-grade lifeforms thaty before them instead. Survival was the most important thing¡ªhe expected that everyone, like him, would be focused on the threat of the peak-grade horde.


    Most importantly, his brothers were a blind spot of his. He was so far ahead of his other brothers, and his father all but viewed him as his sessor. As a result, the crown prince never expected any of them to pose a threat to him¡ªor indeed to backstab him.


    "Why?" the second prince asked rhetorically. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    "Crown prince!" The crown prince''s guards finally rushed forward.


    The advent of the peak-grade horde had caused the troops to split up. The crown prince had rushed ahead of his guards by too much, giving the second prince an opportunity to strike.


    The second prince continued, "Eldest brother, you''re too outstanding, so outstanding it makes the rest of us jealous, so outstanding none of us would ever have a chance against you. I don''t understand why Father chose you; I don''t think myself any worse inparison. Unfortunately, because of your presence, Father won''t acknowledge my strengths¡ªso I have to kill you in order to have Father give me a chance."


    The crown prince clutched his bloodstained chest. "Second brother, are you crazy? Look at what''s happening around us¡ªhow do you expect to take down these fourth-level beasts?! The ninth prince''s master gave us a fighting chance, but you''ve just destroyed that chance!"


    "Perhaps so. I''ve contracted a terrible illness, after all¡ªjealousy. Out of jealousy, I had no choice but to do all this. Don''t you think it strange that there were suddenly so many lifeforms stampeding around the hunting grounds?"


    The crown prince''s eyes widened. "You can''t have¡ª"


    The second prince burst out inughter. "Indeed, I was the culprit behind all this! The lifeforms that battled you and me, that killed all the guards around, all those that you see¡ªthey''re all under my control! I caused this disaster!"


    The crown prince could barely believe his ears. "Are you mad?!"


    The guards all around them had seen the second princeunch a sneak attack on the crown prince. They were staring at the confrontation now, their eyes bulging, thoughts whirring through their heads.


    The crown prince, ignoring the fact that every motion was tearing his wound ever wider, the fact that blood had dyed half his body red, roared out, "You crazy fool! Don''t you know what sort of devastation these beasts will wreak if we can''t defend against them? Have you thought of the consequences?!"


    The second prince smiled coldly. "And even so, I chose this decision. I chose this oue. Otherwise, the throne would havended in your hands¡ªthis would have been Father''s kingdom, your kingdom¡ªnever mine. Why should I feel bad about ruining it?"


    The crown prince clutched his head. "You''re mad, absolutely mad! How could you have be his way? Was it the aliens?!"


    The second prince chuckled coldly. "At this point, there''s no need to pretend to care about me, brother. In order to induce this cmity, I secretly sent lifeforms under my control into the hunting grounds one after the other. The setup alone took me years; I only had this opportunity thanks to Father''s declining health."


    "It really was you¡ªI knew there was a mastermind, but you?"


    The second prince shook his head. "Such is the battle for session, after all." Hearing this, the guards all began to panic.


    "The second prince caused this cmity?"


    "The second prince is trying to kill the crown prince!"


    "What should we do?"


    The crown prince snorted and pointed his de at the second prince. "Don''t forget that Father''s still around. It won''t be so easy for you to take the throne."


    "Don''t worry¡ªI''ve nned for this. Someone will take care of Father."


    Suddenly, a Jindao fighter within the camp rushed into the golden tent, sending a golden pir of light roaring into the air.


    "What?!" The crown prince''s face crumpled.


    The second prince drew his de and shouted, "Where are you looking, brother? I''m your opponent!"


    The guards fell into a panic after the second prince''s sudden assault on the first, and the peak-grade lifeforms barreled forth.


    The second prince never intended to leave any eyewitnesses behind. Without amander to guide them, many of the guards perished in the first charge.


    The second princeughed evilly. "Don''t worry, Brother. After you die, I''ll send Father and the other princes to the underworld with you so you won''t be lonely!"


    Even after getting rid of the crown prince, the second prince couldn''t be certain that he would be able to im the throne on ount of the other seven princes he had to face. If he were to kill them all, however, the second prince, the sole survivor, would by necessity be the winner of this battle of session, as well as the next king.


    The crown prince had been heavily wounded by the second prince''s sneak attack. Despite his superior martial ability, his body was weakening dramatically the longer the fight dragged on.


    He was just about to lose to the second prince when something suddenly happened back at the base camp.


    A frightening aura rose into the sky, causing heaven and earth, grass and shrub and tree, air and water, to tremble. It seemed that the entire world was paying its respects to the man who had invoked this aura. Even the rampaging peak-grade lifeforms halted, trembling.


    The aura seemed to activate some primal part of their bodies that allowed them to shake off the Jinghunpulsion and to instead submit to their rightful king¡ªthe king of the realm, who ruled over all that the world had to offer.


    Even the crown and second princes couldn''t help stop their battle and turn back toward the base camp.


    "Father!"


    "Father!" One prince''s voice was jubnt; the other''s, horrified.


    Sensing the king of the realm''s aura, the guards all began to kneel. "Long live the king of the realm!"


    As long as the king of the realm were alive, they would be safe¡ªhe, the king of the realm, couldpel all living creatures of this world.

 Chapter 665: A Third-Realm Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 665: A Third-Realm Disaster</h4>


    Despite the fact that the crown prince''s blood was turning his armor red, he still roared out inughter, "Second brother, it looks like your ns have gone awry¡ªFather''s not so old as to be incapacitated just yet!"


    The second prince''s eyes turned blood-red. He shed forward with his sword. "It doesn''t matter¡ªif I kill you, I''ll be Father''s only sessor. I''m far superior to his other choices!"


    The crown prince snorted and blocked his de. "Give up, second brother! Apologize now to Father and he might still forgive you. Give up now and we can still be brothers!"


    "Shut up! My path is set in stone, now¡ªthere''s no backing out for me."


    The crown prince spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He didn''t know if he could hold out until the king of the realm got to him; he could only fight with his words. "Second brother, your beast stampede has been defeated. Why remain so stubborn¡ªyou don''t have a choice? Kneel down and apologize to Father; that''s the only way you might be able to live."


    "I don''t need a way out!"


    The crown prince replied, steel in his voice, "Then you''re destined to fail."


    The second prince lifted his head to the skies and roared out inughter, "Don''t you think I would have a backup n?"


    A frightening aura descended from deep within the hunting grounds, one that made it feel as though a disaster was nigh. The aura struck at the guards'' minds and souls oppressively, enervating them and canceling the morale boost from the king of the realm. The peak-grade lifeforms stilled and turned instead to this imposing existence.


    The crown prince''s face fell. "How could you¡ªno, impossible, you can''t control an existence of that caliber!"


    The second prince shook his head. "As you know, nothing in this world is absolute¡ªyou simply need to use the right technique."


    "You managed to control a fifth-level beast?!"


    A fifth-level beast was a disaster-grade lifeform, the source of cmity, the talk of legends. Allegedly, these lifeforms could destroy whole cities just by walking through them, and destroying whole kingdoms wouldn''t be much more of a struggle.


    As the crown prince, he knew very well just what these fifth-level beasts represented. They were existences even the king of the realm had to be careful with.


    That the hunting grounds would possess fifth-level beasts was an ident, one that even the king of the realm had never expected. In fact, this was the first time the king of the realm was sensing a legendary fifth-level beast for himself.


    It might not be impossible for them to kill the beast, but they were too close to the capital forfort. If they were to strike now, the capital would surely be affected in the aftermath.


    The fifth-level beast had actually been in the king of the realm''s hunting grounds for some time. The reason it hadn''t left was because it was enjoying its stay, considering that people were deliberately feeding it and providing it with amenities.


    The crown prince shook his head in disbelief. "Impossible. No one can control fifth-level beasts, not even the Jinghun n."


    The second prince was rather surprised. "You know that name, eldest brother? Ah, I see¡ªthe ninth prince''s master, again. He''s an alien too, after all."


    The crown prince frowned and narrowed his eyes at his second brother. "Just how did you do it?"


    "We knew we couldn''t control it fully, so we didn''t try. All we did was make it want to fight."


    Within the camp, Zhang Lie was happily consuming his roast meat.


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade jade rattlesnake, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 70]


    The snake meat was fresh and delicious, and the entertainment was quite interesting as well. When he saw the second prince backstab the crown prince, Zhang Lie whooped in delight.


    "He''s finally made a move! Is it time for the climax?" He wasn''t surprised; this was within his predictions. The second prince had been behaving erratically, and Zhang Lie suspected that one of the princes was the mastermind.


    The ninth prince certainly couldn''t have done it, and the crown prince didn''t have a motive. He was the sessor to the throne in all but name.


    In that case, the culprit had to be among the seven princes. The third and fifth princes were mired in battle, caught unawares by the beast stampede, so he could exclude them both as well. Zhang Lie found the second and eighth princes most suspicious.


    The reason he suspected the eighth prince was because he still didn''t understand why the Zijing n was willing to be his backer, but it was the second prince''s strange behavior that ultimately drew his eye.


    The second prince lived constantly in the crown prince''s shadow, just one step from the throne. As long as the crown prince were around, the second prince would never be able to seed; that feeling would eventually overwhelm him and cause him to do something crazy.


    As a result, Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised when he learned that the second prince was the mastermind. He had the power to stop the second prince from attacking the crown prince, of course, but he chose not to interfere.


    He had no reason to do so; the crown prince''s death would only help the ninth prince. As the second prince had said, the crown prince was far too outstanding, and such an outstandingpetitor had to die. Otherwise, he would have to face the ninth prince in battle someday.


    The crown prince might be the ninth prince''s only backer now, but the ninth prince would gain more from the crown prince''s downfall than he would lose. After all, the crown prince himself posed more of a threat than the other seven princesbined.


    Just then, a golden beam of light shot toward the air, and Zhang Lie turned around. The Jindao fighter was making his move. Before the pir of light could do anything to the camp, however, an even more imposing aura emanated from the golden tent at its center.


    All living creatures of the world, in that one immortal moment, seemed to prostrate themselves to the king of the realm.


    "He''s made his move, has he?" The king of the realm might have seemed to be on his deathbed, but Zhang Lie knew that he had kept some of his strength in reserve.


    The Jindao fighter might be strong, but he was nothing in the face of the king. It took just a moment for the king of the realm to annihte him.


    Within the tent, the king of the realm stood up with such authority that everyone knelt down. The ninth prince bowed his head and called out, "Your majesty!"


    The guards present did the same, their gazes scorching. This was their king, the king of the realm!


    Suddenly, from behind the second prince, deep within the hunting grounds, came apeting aura, a primordial aura that heralded disaster. Zhang Lie knew what this signified¡ªa third-realm disaster-grade lifeform. It looked as though he couldn''t remain a bystander any longer...

 Chapter 666: Worldbreaker

    <h4>Chapter 666: Worldbreaker</h4>


    The disaster-grade lifeform seemed to be a golden tortoise, one carrying a mountain on its back. It was massive, and they could see it lumbering toward them from a distance.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. If such a lifeform were to produce a soulshard, it would clearly be a high-grade defensive one.


    Just then, however, the king of the realm told Zhang Lie, "I''ll take care of the fifth-level beast¡ªI leave my son''s fate in your hands."


    "On what grounds?" Zhang Lie was rather unhappy at having this prize be taken away from him.


    "I''ll thank youvishly afterwards."


    Before Zhang Lie could ept or reject this offer, the king of the realm flew off toward the disaster-grade lifeform.


    "Wait! Let me touch it first!" Zhang Lie shot a de of sword energy toward the disaster-grade lifeform from afar, then sighed as he trudged toward the two fighting princes, ready to take on the role of a nanny.


    He activated his stealth, walked up to the second prince, then downed him with a single punch.


    The crown prince coughed out blood with every gasp, and his armor had turned a lurid red. "Why were you hiding your strength? I almost died!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Well, you clearly haven''t diedpletely."


    The crown prince: ...


    Zhang Lie was likely the only person he had met who had dared to be so rude to his face.


    The crown prince clutched the wound on his chest, ignoring Zhang Lie''s acerbic tone¡ªhe didn''t have the strength to care, after all. "Quick! I''m about to die!"


    Zhang Lie replied confidently, "Don''t worry, I''ll save you when you''re on yourst breath. Your father had mee over, so I guarantee you won''t die."


    If the crown prince had already died, then Zhang Lie would have walked away without any fear of reprisal, but with the crown prince still alive, the king of the realm would clearly be angered with Zhang Lie if Zhang Lie didn''t save him.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t afraid of trouble, but he did want thevish rewards the king of the realm had promised. Furthermore, if he didn''t save the crown prince, the king of the realm might disfavor the ninth prince because of him.


    "Why do you need to wait until I''m at death''s door? Can''t you save me now?"


    "No, of course not. Otherwise, how could I prove my importance¡ªhow could I be deserving of my promised vish reward''?"


    "You¡ª!" The crown prince, drawn to anger, spat out another mouthful of fresh blood


    Only then did Zhang Lie finally, unwillingly, p a palm on the crown prince''s chest and marshal his gic energy to subdue the foreign energy rampaging in his wounds. Subsequently, he retrieved two Yeluo restoration vials and poured them into the wound on the crown prince''s chest, causing the flesh to regenerate at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    When the crown prince woke from his sudden unconsciousness, he cried out in surprise, "What miraculous potion is this?!"


    Zhang Lie had easily saved him from life-threatening danger.


    He ignored the crown prince''s question until the crown prince added, "Do you have any additional vials? I''d like to distribute them among the soldiers!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed. "I do. What can you afford to trade for them?"


    Beside him, one of the crown prince''s royal guards called out, "For you to donate your potions to us valiant fighters is an honor¡ªargh!"


    Before he could finish his words, Zhang Lie had pped him aside. He flew out into the distance like a bullet.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Someone just got knocked away by a peak-grade lifeform. Did you all see that?"


    The crown prince nced in the direction in which his guard had vanished, swallowed a gulp of saliva, and nodded.


    Zhang Lie next headed in the direction in which the king of the realm and the disaster-grade lifeform were facing off. The king of the realm had the upper hand; he was able to make use of the strength of the realm, so his upper limit was naturally above disaster-grade.


    Even Zhang Lie, who had yet to finish acquiring his peak limit fragments, might not be a match for the king of the realm.


    After all, Zhang Lie had recently ascended to the third realm. He might be able to defend against the world''s formless will, but he hadn''t yet amassed so much strength as to ignore it entirely like in the second realm.


    However, the disaster-grade lifeform the king of the realm was facing was rather unusual in its own right. It had ridiculous defense and a rampaging ability that allowed it to grow stronger inbat.


    Given its humongous size, a drawn-out fight would surely disfavor the king of the realm.


    The crown prince offered, "As long as you''re willing to give me those potions, I''ll agree to any request that''s not unreasonable!"


    "What counts as unreasonable?"


    "Telling me to die or to give up my position as sessor to the throne, for example..."


    "Remember what you promised, then!"


    Zhang Lie tossed him a pouch of vials. "Have the guards collect all the peak-grade carcasses on the battlefield for me."


    "You want them all?" The crown prince was shocked¡ªthese carcasses would be a wealth of treasure.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Just a fraction, preferably the ones that would be easier to cook and consume. I have a great need for them."


    Given the extent of the stampede, there had to be at least a thousand or so peak-grade carcasses strewn over the hunting grounds. Zhang Lie couldn''t be certain which ones he had killed and which ones he hadn''t, so he had simply asked for them all. That would save him considerable effort.


    By then, the disaster-grade lifeform had been dealt a serious blow by the king of the realm, and the mountain on its back was crumbling away.


    Even so, a disaster-grade lifeform was no joke. Sensing that its life was in danger, it fought at full strength. It charged up a beam of golden light from its mouth and shot it into the distance with frightening strength.


    The beam was headed straight toward the crown prince. Without even stopping to think, the king of the realm caught the beam with his own body, crying out as he was sent flying from the impact.


    .


    In order to protect his son, the king of the realm had no choice¡ªand the disaster-grade lifeform had sessfully turned the tables on him.


    If the king of the realm had been at full strength, he might still have found the disaster-grade lifeform a challenge, though certainly not such a threatening one. Unfortunately, in his old age, he was barely able to use 70% of his peak strength.


    Sensing that the king of the realm was in danger, Zhang Lieunched a punch at the disaster-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie''s fists rippled with water-attuned gic energy imbued with spatial force. The streams of water revolved more and more quickly around his wrist, augmented by the two streams of energy, sending a whirlwind gusting through the entire battlefield.


    The guards all around him had to thrust their weapons into the ground lest they be blown away themselves.


    The attack seemed to have drawn the attention of even the will of the world. As Zhang Lie infused more energy into his arm, the entire world seemed to shake. Finally, as the energy Zhang Lie gathered up reached a critical threshold, he released it in one fell swoop. A sea of energy flooded everything in sight, roaring as it headed straight for the disaster-grade lifeform, crushing the mountain on its back.


    The disaster-grade lifeform let out a cry that shook the skies as it fell to the ground...

 Chapter 667: Quelling the Threat

    <h4>Chapter 667: Quelling the Threat</h4>


    Zhang Lie wasn''t finished. At the same time, he punched forward with his left fist. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    The world shook. The skies trembled. The ground beneath his feet quaked.


    Before Zhang Lie''s punch couldnd, however, a man flew through the air and beheaded the disaster-grade lifeform with a chop, stealing Zhang Lie''s kill.


    [You sessfully assisted in killing a disaster-grade world-bearing tortoise. By consuming the core of the ?disaster-grade world-bearing tortoise, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie, unable to dissipate the force he had gathered in his left fist, redirected it at the ground instead. ?A crater formed out of nowhere, causing the entire hunting grounds to shake. It was sorge that perhaps a third of the tortoise could have fit within it.


    Upon seeing that crater, the guards present¡ªand even the crown prince himself¡ªall swallowed a gulp of saliva. If Zhang Lie''s attack hadnded on any of them, they would die without a corpse.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I apologize, your majesty¡ªI was unable to hold back."


    The king of the realm''s face was turning green. "It''s quite alright¡ªI understand."


    The figure who had darted out to im the disaster-grade lifeform''s head was, of course, the king of the realm. ncing at the damage that Zhang Lie had wrought, even he couldn''t help but worry about what might have happened if the blow had struck him, instead.


    Fortunately for Zhang Lie, his blow did enough damage that the will of the world had counted him as a participant, or he wouldn''t have received anything from that fight.


    With the disaster-grade lifeform dead, the king of the realm easily subdued the remaining peak-grade lifeforms.


    Once all of them had been killed and the hunting grounds were once again free from threats, all the guards began to cheer as they collected the spoils of war and tended to the wounded. The crown prince directed the guards to store those carcasses in the camp.


    ording to his agreement with Zhang Lie, he was collecting all the carcasses for him to sift through.


    The second prince was brought back to camp trussed up and tied down. The other princes gradually made their way back from deep within the hunting grounds¡ªfirst the third and fifth princes, clearly wounded.


    When the third prince returned, he quickly inquired, "How is Father?"


    The ninth prince replied, "Please don''t worry, third brother. Father''s still hale and hearty. He slew a fifth-level beast and quelled the stampede."


    The fifth prince sounded as though he couldn''t believe his ears. "What did you say?"


    The ninth prince rified again, "Father hasn''t yet lost his strength.


    The third and fifth princes couldn''t believe it. They had seen the king of the realm grow so weak that he had to be supported even when walking¡ªbut now the ninth prince was iming that he hadn''t lost his strength? ...and that he had even killed a fifth-level beast?


    The ninth prince continued, "Father was just pretending to be old in order to ferret out any conspiracies against the crown."


    The third and fifth princes nced askance at each other.?No wonder!


    The third prince eximed, "I knew it! Father''s heroism surely can''t be defeated by age."


    The fifth prince nodded. "Indeed. As the king of the realm,even in old age, Father would still have the strength to quell any threat."


    The remaining princes slowly trickled back to camp: first the fourth, then the sixth, and finally the seventh and eighth princes.


    This could be viewed, in some sense, as a ranking of their respective strength.


    The third prince was wounded and his guards had all died, but the severity of his wounds didn''t require immediate treatment by the imperial physician. His dual-de cultivation had proved immensely valuable for his strength, and he was a post-peak-grade fighter in his own right.


    The fourth prince''s guards had been so heavily wounded that they required immediate attention from the imperial physician, but his troops were already remarkably well preservedpared to those of the other princes.


    The fifth prince, who had returned with the third prince, likewise had lost most of his guards, and he himself was wounded as well.


    The sixth prince, protected by the Yinlian, returned with only a scant few guards. He had even lost an arm.


    The seventh prince''s Heijie had also suffered grievous losses. He might have been covered in dirt, grime, and blood, but he was at least in better shape than the sixth.


    Zhang Lie was most surprised by the eighth prince. Although his guards were wounded, he had barely a wound on him. Only the crown and second princes had survived the stampede better.


    It looked as though his guards were surprisingly strong, but in that case, why didn''t they try to make their way back to base camp? If they had done so, the king of the realm would surely have taken note of their strength.


    The princes were all shocked andter overjoyed to hear that their father had retained his strength, but their supporters and backers were much more ambivalent.


    The third and fifth princes came over to Zhang Lie to thank him personally. Zhang Lie shook his head, indicating that it was no big deal.


    The third prince smiled. "It might only have been a small gesture to you, but it was a big help to us."


    The fifth prince even suggested, "Would you like to be my guard? I''ll fulfill any request and satisfy all your terms!"


    .


    The princes had all noticed Zhang Lie''s strength; having experienced it for themselves, they knew how difficult it was to make it out of the beast stampede and how strong Zhang Lie had to be to have done all that alone.


    The ninth prince and Zhang Lie had been the first to make it back. They knew how weak the ninth prince was, so the only reason they had seeded had to have been Zhang Lie alone.


    The princes tried to tempt Zhang Lie with ever higherpensation, but Zhang Lie rejected them all.


    The eighth prince snorted. "Who do you think you are, to refuse us all? A strong alien, perhaps¡ªbut still an alien nheless."


    Zhang Lie ignored the eighth prince''s remarks as he continued devouring peak-grade lifeform meat with gusto.


    Just then, the king of the realm''s personal guards walked over to them. "His majesty would like to invite the princes and the ninth prince''s master for an audience."


    The princes and Zhang Lie walked into the tent to find the king of the realm seated upright on his throne, giving off such an imposing aura that the seven princes were forced to their knees.


    Their foreheads beaded with sweat as they felt the king of the realm''s imposing aura for themselves, overjoyed that the king of the realm was still strong enough to protect the world, but simultaneously worried that they would never be able to obtain an opportunity to inherit the throne.

 Chapter 668: The Outcome of the Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 668: The Oue of the Stampede</h4>


    The king of the realm, ignoring theirplicated feelings, motioned weakly for them to get up.


    The seven princes felt a strange force beneath their knees lifting them up.


    The king of the realm continued, "There were many... surprises... that urred during this hunt. It was only thanks to your eldest and ninth brothers that I survived unscathed."


    The crown prince bowed. "Father, that''s nonsense! It would have been trivial for you to deal with the stampede even without your assistance."


    The king of the realm waved a hand curtly. "That the two of you were able to make it back was impressive enough. If no one has any objections, I''ll consider both of you winners of this year''s hunt."


    The eighth prince called out, "Hold on, Father! I acknowledge my eldest brother''s contributions, but what did my ninth brother do?"


    The ninth prince was always inst ce; now that he had suddenly risen to the top of the standing, the eighth prince was feeling threatened.


    The crown prince replied, "Our ninth brother rushed back with his master and has been working hard to repel the beasts. It''s all thanks to his master that we were able to muster our defenses and save the lives of our guards!"


    .


    The crown prince turned to the king of the realm. "Father, I have to object to my being crowned the victor of the hunt. To be frank, my life was saved by the ninth prince''s master as well."


    The other princes all looked toward Zhang Lie with shock. Just what had happened while they were absent?


    The ninth prince shook his head. "No, eldest brother! If not for your guards defending the camp, none of us would have survived."


    With the wave of a hand, the king of the realm announced decisively, "We''ll deal with the matter of the victor and the prizester. For now, bring forth my wayward son."


    The guards called out, "Summon the prisoner!"


    The p to the golden tent lifted. The second prince was escorted in between two guards. His hair was messy and untied, but his eyes were gleaming like a wolf''s.


    The crown prince shouted, "Second brother, do you acknowledge your crimes of attempted fratricide and patricide?!"


    The second prince inclined his head to the sky. "I made a bet and lost¡ªthat''s it. The crime I''m most guilty of is not seeing past your false veneer! Father, you truly are a skilled actor. You were hiding your strength all along while the rest of us thought you were growing old¡ªbut it turns out that we were all mistaken."


    The crown prince shouted again, "Insolence! Do you have no shame for your crimes?!"


    The second prince chuckled coldly. "There''s nothing I regret. If you were in my position, eldest brother, you would have done the same. Of course, if I were like these other trash behind me and far from the throne, I wouldn''t bother trying to go for it. I''d just sit tight and wait for you to be crowned king, eldest brother, then live a happy life as a prince."


    The princes standing behind the second prince all began to berate him.


    "You bastard, don''t lump us in with the likes of you!"


    "Clearly, you''re the trashiest among us!"


    "You call us trash, but you''re the one who failed to execute your n and kill us all!"


    Everyone turned to thest speaker, the eighth prince, who raised his head to the ceiling of the tent and didn''t meet their gaze.


    "Father, you truly are a skilled deceiver. All of us failed to see through your disguise for over a decade¡ªI was in too much of a hurry, indeed." The second prince sighed. "And the sudden appearance of the ninth prince''s master¡ªthe king of the realm is the king of the realm, I suppose. As long as you remain alive, the world will protect you."


    The second prince believed that Zhang Lie''s sudden appearance was thanks to the will of the world¡ªand Zhang Lie found this exnation surprisingly usible.


    After all, the king of the realm was essentially being protected by the entire world, and many plots and schemes against him would be dissolved by what seemed to be a series of coincidences. Even in his old age, the world and the realm atrge was still protecting him.


    When the ninth prince was being chased by superior-grade lifeforms and found his way to Zhang Lie, their chance encounter could be chalked up to random chance¡ªor a manifestation of the power over fate that the king of the realm possessed.


    If the ninth prince hadn''t met Zhang Lie, even if he managed to escape the superior-grade lifeforms chasing after him, he would still have been killed by Wang Jian. If the ninth prince hadn''t brought Zhang Lie back with him, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have participated in the hunt.


    If the will of the world really had made a move, that suggested the king of the realm would have perished in battle without Zhang Lie.


    Was he unable to take down a disaster-grade lifeform alone? Zhang Lie frowned as he thought back to the fight. Surely not¡ªthe king of the realm might have had a hard time, but he should have been able to win easily.


    In that case, could it be that there were some future incident awaiting the king of the realm? Perhaps there was still a strong enemy lying in wait, hoping to kill the king of the realm when he thought himself safe...


    The interrogation of the second prince was still ongoing when Zhang Lie snapped back to his senses. The king of the realm mused, "Are you dissatisfied?"


    The second prince snorted. "Of course! If I were some distance away from the throne, I wouldn''t have minded, but I''m just one step away! I can almost grasp victory¡ªall to be stymied by my eldest brother. Why shouldn''t I try to im the throne for myself, then?"


    The crown prince frowned. "Why didn''t you attack me directly, then? Why do something so foolish?"


    The second prince sneered. "Eldest brother, if you were to die, who would be the prime suspect? Surely not the third or fourth princes, nor the ninth prince, farthest from the throne. No, I would be the suspect¡ªI would be the prime beneficiary of such a crime, after all. So why not set my sights on the throne directly instead?"


    The crown prince sighed. "You''re truly ambitious."


    The third prince cried out, "Second brother, you didn''t use to be this way. What happened to you?"


    The fourth prince folded his arms. "Second brother, is power so important that you would scheme against your family like so?"


    The second prince snorted. "Ridiculous. Would either of you give up the throne for this so-called fraternity?"


    The crown prince continued gravely, "It''s all because of those foreigners, isn''t it? I''ve told you not to get too close to them¡ªwho knows what their true ns are? They''re not trustworthy!"

 Chapter 669: A Mysterious Shard

    <h4>Chapter 669: A Mysterious Shard</h4>


    The second prince snorted. "No, I''m not being controlled by an outsider. Taking over the throne was my idea!"


    The king of the realm frowned. "Come clean. Which of the princes are working with you, and where''s the Jinghun n?"


    Upon hearing the king of the realm''s words, except for the crown and ninth princes, the remaining princes'' faces uniformly turned pale.


    The third prince asked, "Father, do you mean that you''re suspecting one of us as well?"


    The king of the realm nodded. "Your second brother spent years importing third- and fourth-level beasts into the hunting grounds without being discovered¡ªa clear sign of the manpower of the group sponsoring him."


    To catch these beasts and to import them into the hunting grounds required tremendous amounts of manpower and resources, and while the second prince had quite a list of backers, their strength wouldn''t have been enough to carry out this ambitious n. It was therefore natural to deduce that the second prince was working with a yet-unnamed party.


    The king of the realm sighed. "I did underestimate you¡ªno, we all did. You''re a much stronger schemer than I expected."


    The king of the realm did have to praise the second prince''s ability to scheme and his patience.


    "You never exposed yourself despite years of nning. The kingdom hosts an annual hunt, but despite all the beasts you''ve smuggled in, you never gave into the temptation to im victory for yourself. Instead, you let your eldest brother im all the glory, gritting and gnashing your teeth year after year. It must have been difficult, no?"


    The second prince''s smile was wry. "It''s useless to talk about this now¡ªin the end, I failed."


    The king of the realm replied, "You were always intelligent from a young age, and it was difficult for me to choose between you and your eldest brother. As your father, I''m ultimately responsible for what you''ve done.


    Reveal the mastermind behind this affair, the princes you''re working with, and the location of the Jinghun. If you do so, I''ll consider this matter resolved."


    The second prince turned around.


    The crown prince sighed. "Second brother, why don''t you reveal the truth? If you don''t, Father won''t be able to let you go."


    The king of the realm took a deep breath and waved a hand. "Very well. If you refuse to speak, then we''re done here. Guards! Take my traitorous son away and behead him!"


    The crown prince immediately got on his knees and begged, "No, Father! That''s my brother¡ªyour own son!"


    The king of the realm red at the second prince. "Do you suggest that I should leave him alive so he can keep plotting to overthrow me?"


    "Father! He¡ª"


    The king of the realm pointed at his second son. "If he refuses to see reason, there''s nothing I can do."


    The crown prince turned to the second prince. "Second brother, don''t bicker with Father¡ªhe''ll really kill you!"


    The ninth prince drew his sword and held it by his neck. "Father, if you''re going to kill my second brother, you''ll have to kill me first!"


    The king of the realm stood up in shock. "What are you doing? Are you threatening me?!"


    The ninth prince cried out in sorrow, "Father, I only have one second brother!"


    Zhang Lie folded his arms as he watched the drama ensue. He was really quite impressed by the entire family''s ability to act. The king of the realm had pretended to be half-dead, and now he was taking on the guise of a disappointed father who wanted to im his son''s life. The crown and ninth princes, understanding his intent, supported their father in his act.


    The third prince, ncing around and realizing what they were all up to, suddenly called out, "Second brother, don''t you remember who pulled you out of a pond you fell into when we were young? It was our eldest brother!"


    The crown prince continued, "When you fell seriously ill in your youth, I remember that Father paced outside your bedroom for the entire night without sleeping."


    The third prince added, "When we did something wrong, the three of us were silent no matter how Father tried to question us¡ªand we always shared the same punishment. Have you forgotten all that?"


    The crown, second, and third princes were all rtively simr in age, and they shared quite a few memories.


    The third prince continued, "Don''t you remember how our eldest brother would shield us from the mistakes that wemitted?"


    In the end, his lips trembling, his eyes tearing up, the second prince finally cried out, "Father, I was wrong. Brothers, I apologize!"


    Everyone smiled in relief.


    The second prince began, "The idea was initially proposed by the Jindao."


    The king of the realm asked, "And what about the Jinghun n? Did the Jindao bring them into the fray?"


    "The Jinhun n actually... actually¡ªaaaaargh!"


    The second prince''s eyes suddenly glowed with purple light as a small shard of purple crystal emerged from his skull.


    The king of the realm and Zhang Lie noticed the problem immediately.?Something''s wrong!


    However, before they could react, the second prince, clutching his head and keening in pain, exploded right before their eyes.


    Blood and brain matter sshed onto the king of the realm and the princes'' faces.


    The king of the realm trembled, his fists clenched tightly, his body quivering in anger. This¡ªthe Jinghun n were deliberately trying to provoke him!


    The crown prince stood still, shaken by what had happened, his pupils narrowed. The other princes were likewise petrified. Their own brother had died in front of their eyes in just a matter of moments, without any prelude whatsoever.


    The princes were all enraged and scared¡ªit was only now that they truly understood that their battle for session had been corrupted by the entrance of another party.


    Those who lost this battle never used to die; at worst, they would be sent to the borders of the kingdom, with little grasp of the kingdom''s politics¡ªbut none of them had expected such an oue.


    The eighth prince slumped to the ground in shock. His brother, who had just been about to repent, had exploded right before his eyes...

 Chapter 670: The Kings Anger

    <h4>Chapter 670: The King''s Anger</h4>


    What was most frightening about the incident wasn''t that the second prince''s head had exploded, but rather that it might happen to any of the princes at any time.


    The eighth prince''s face turned pale, whereas the seventh prince, unable to hold it in any longer, vomited on the spot.


    The king of the realm howled into the air¡ªhe was distraught at the fact that his son had died right before his eyes. He had never intended to kill the second prince; it was all an act to get the second prince to confess to his crimes and give up whatever information he possessed.


    His aura exploded around him, overturning the golden tent and sending the air roiling.


    .


    A huge crater spawned into existence by the princes'' feet. Zhang Lie pushed the ninth prince behind him and dispelled the king of the realm''s explosive aura.


    The king of the realm was so enraged that the entire world seemed to shake. The skies turned blood-red, and cracks propagated through the heavens. A rain of blood began to fall.


    "Your majesty, please remain calm!" Zhang Lie was undoubtedly the calmest person present. After all, he didn''t much care that the second prince had died. He had infused a bit of his will into his words, which pricked the king of the realm into sudden consciousness.


    He picked up a shard of purple crystal which had fallen to the ground amidst the explosion. "Beware the Jinghun n."


    The king of the realm calmed down almost instantly as Zhang Lie made his move. Quashing the anger and pain that threatened to overwhelm him, he gritted his teeth and asked, "The Jinghun n, again? What''s going on?"


    Zhang Lie handed over the crystalline shard to the king of the realm. "As you can see, the second prince had a crystal shard lodged in his brain, just like the peak-grade lifeforms that were the vehicle for this invasion."


    The king of the realm narrowed his eyes. "Do you im that my son became one of those mindless beasts?"


    The king of the realm refused to touch the crystal shard, so Zhang Lie stuffed it in the crown prince''s palms instead.


    "The parasitic shard wouldn''t have impacted the second prince''s thoughts. If that had happened, your majesty, you would have noticed immediately. With your protection, it would have been immensely difficult for the princes to be controlled by a third party. In addition, as I''ve imed, the Jinghun aren''t able to control intelligent species."


    The king of the realm seemed a little disappointed. On one hand, he didn''t want his children to be subject to mentalpulsion; on the other, he hoped that the second prince hadn''t done something so foolish of his own ord.


    "The point of the crystal shard was to prevent the second prince from revealing what he knew." Zhang Lie mimed an explosion with his hand.


    The princes turned pale as they recalled what had happened.


    Zhang Lie added, "It''s possible that the second prince might have been affected by the shard to some extent¡ªperhaps not to the point of total control, but it could certainly have warped his thoughts and emotions. Its primary purpose, however, is to seal the second prince''s mouth."


    The crown prince clutched the shard of purple crystal in rage. "These aliens¡ªhow dare they perform such a vile act!"


    Zhang Lie analyzed coldly, "As far as I can tell, this shard was imnted willingly."


    "On what grounds?" the king of the realm asked.


    "In order to guarantee that both parties would take their alliance seriously. As far as I know, the Jinghun aren''t so strong that they''d be able to imnt these shards without consent."


    The king of the realm was so incensed that he was almost vibrating. "Oh, my foolish son! To think he was willing to stake his life on the line for this so-called cooperation..."


    The crown prince frowned. "Who would go this far for the throne?"


    "I think he was duped."


    Everyone turned toward the ninth prince, who had just spoken.


    "I don''t think our second brother would be so easy to fool. He would surely be against the idea of leaving his life in another person''s hands¡ªI think there''s a very strong chance that he was duped, or that he epted the terms unknowingly, or¡ª"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s impossible for him not to know¡ªhe''s certainly strong enough to sense the shard lodged in his brain. However, it''s certainly possible that the second prince didn''t know about just how dangerous these crystal shards were."


    The crown prince nodded. "Perhaps the Jinghun told him that this shard was only to prevent people from leaking details of the n."


    Zhang Lie nodded, and the crown prince continued, "But what the second prince didn''t expect was that it would explode and kill him to prevent him from leaking any information about the Jinghun n."


    The king of the realm clenched his fist tightly. "For killing my son, the Jindao and Jinghun ns will pay. I hereby expel them from the realm¡ªthe Jinghun shall never get a foothold on this world!"


    The king of the realm turned back to his second son''s headless corpse, sighing as he nced at it again. "We will host a grand funeral for my son. Don''t speak of his betrayal. To the world atrge, we''ll announce that he was assassinated while protecting me with his body."


    "Yes, your majesty!"


    In the end, the king of the realm was still a father, and he couldn''t bear for his son''s name to be sullied given the circumstances of his death. He sighed again as though he had aged a decade in an instant. "I''m very tired, and I''d like to have a rest now. I''ll award the prizes for the hunt subsequently."


    Zhang Lie leaned back and reyed the second prince''s words in his head. Was there another prince under the Jinghun n''s control? The Jinghun were a dangerous existence, one that had to be eradicated at any cost.


    Which prince bore the most suspicion?


    Zhang Lie turned around and surveyed all eight remaining princes. The crown and second princes were exempt, of course; the second prince was dead, and he had attempted to assassinate the crown prince before his death, and that assassination attempt would have seeded if not for Zhang Lie''s presence and the king of the realm''s hidden strength.


    The ninth prince was innocent as well; he had been with Zhang Lie all along. Zhang Lie was confident in his ability to judge one''s character, and he was certain that the ninth prince had no connection with the Jinghun.

 Chapter 671: Trouble in the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 671: Trouble in the Capital</h4>


    As for the remaining six princes, Zhang Lie couldn''t really tell which of them were traitors to the realm. Who was in cahoots with the Jinghun n?


    The third and fifth princes were the crown prince''s closestpetitors. Even though Zhang Lie had seen them struggling amidst the beast stampede, he couldn''t rule out their involvementpletely.


    The remaining four princes all had a credible motive for conspiring with the Jinghun as well.


    The crown prince suddenly announced, "I''ll get Father a new tent."


    The king of the realm was just about to retire for a rest when a small group of a few dozen wounded troops rushed into the encampment.


    The crown prince nced at the troops with a frown. "They seem to havee from the capital."


    The ninth prince folded his arms. "After this long? We''ve resolved the problem already!"


    "Something''s wrong. It''s impossible that only so few imperial troops havee as reinforcements¡ªand they''re all injured!"


    The princes all rushed out to have a look. "What''s going on?" the crown prince hollered.


    One of the guards dismounted from his horse and knelt on the ground. "Crown prince, something''s very wrong! The capital''s about to be overwhelmed!"


    "What?!" The princes all nced at the guard in dismay. Matters at the hunting grounds had just been resolved; had something happened to the capital in the meantime?


    The guard reported, "The capital''s been attacked by arge number of beasts, including a significant number of fourth-level ones. The imperial guards are desperately defending against the onught."


    Another guard reported, "The capital''s defenses have almost been breached. We humbly request that the king of the realm return to the capital immediately to defend the kingdom!"


    The crown prince''s frown deepened. "The capital''s defenses should be more than up to par for a beast stampede."


    The capital of the kingdom was the heart of the world and the king of the realm''s residence, and the king of the realm would obviouslyy down his strongest defenses there.


    The walls of the capital were constructed with the best materials avable in the world, and they should have been able to resist even disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The first guard exined, "While the capital was under siege by the beasts, a rebellion took ce within the capital itself. Those damned bastards rushed toward the pce and tried to wrest control of it, and now everything''s in a mess!"


    The crown prince paled. "Who did this?!"


    "A foreign race¡ªthe Jindao n!"


    "The Jindao n?!"


    The Jindao had been present in the world for quite some time, and they had managed to sneak arge number of strong fighters into the capital without drawing any attention to themselves. Now, those fighters had caused a huge fiasco.


    .


    Zhang Lie smiled coldly. "It looks as though the second prince was simply a pawn in the Jindao''s ns."


    The ninth prince sighed. "I wonder how my second brother would have felt to learn of this..."


    The third prince shook his head. "This might be part of the Jindao''s ns, too. The moment they realized that their ns had gone awry, they had to make their move and secure their objective before the king of the realm could get rid of them."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Regardless, the Jinghun also have to be involved somehow."


    The guards added, "The imperial guards are working with the Yinlian n to subdue the Jindao, but at this rate, with both the beast stampede and the Jindao rebellion urring simultaneously, it''s only a matter of time before the capital falls to these invaders. We need his majesty to return."


    The crown prince turned around. "I''ll report this to Father immediately."


    However, the king of the realm was already standing right behind him. "I''ve heard everything I need to."


    "Your majesty!"


    "We greet his majesty!"


    The guards and princes all bowed down, but the king of the realm cut them off with a curt wave of his hand. "We must return to the capital immediately."


    He turned to Zhang Lie. "Master, I don''t believe I''ve asked for your name...?"


    Zhang Lie was just about to state his name when he realized that the Jinghun n were still around. The reason the Yinlian and Zijing ns hadn''t recognized him was because he had disguised his appearance.


    If he were to reveal himself now, the other princes would know his name, and those princes'' backers would likewise be informed of his presence. However, Zhang Lie was so famous that they would surely make the connection to him from name alone.


    Thus, Zhang Lie gave a pseudonym, the first name he could think of. "My name is Hong Tianqi!"


    The Yinlian who apanied the sixth prince looked Zhang Lie up and down. The Heijie n knew of Zhang Lie''s true identity. They were a little shocked to see him report a false name, but they didn''tment on it.


    "Let''s proceed to the capital, then, Master Hong." The king of the realm escorted Zhang Lie through a rift he had sliced open in the world, which led them directly to the capital.


    The capital had clearly seen better days. On the outside, it was being battered by an entire stampede of beasts¡ªpeak-, superior-, and mutated-grade alike. ? All these lifeforms had a crystalline purple shard on their heads.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but remark, "What an investment..."


    He simply couldn''t fathom where the Jinghun had obtained so many lifeforms, nor why they were willing to expend so many on this world.


    The king of the realm''s face gradually grew pale, as though he had just thought of something.


    The interior of the capital was faring much better than the exterior; the Jindao had made a beeline for the pce without attempting to wreak havoc. The pce was heavily guarded, and the Wang and Feng ns had temporarily allied in order to defend against the outside threat.


    However, as one of the top hundred races of the Milky Way, the Jindao fared well even against these imperial guards and local ns. Their resources and strength were iparable to those of the natives.


    Zhang Lie''s Zenith Dojo was still a weaker forcepared to these races, but once those hunters from the kingdom of Limit ascended to the third realm, he was confident that they would fare well against any of the top hundred races.


    Perhaps he might even be able to take over the third realm, just as he had with the second?


    Even if not, Zhang Lie was confident that the kingdom he had devoted his efforts to would bear fruit. Once the hunters of Limit ascended, the entire realm would know of the kingdom.


    Although the Jindao were able to hold off the defenders for the moment, they knew that prolonging the battle would ultimately be against their favor.


    While the rest of their n shed against the defenders, a small group of elites broke through the defensive lines and headed straight for the imperial treasury.


    Zhang Lie recalled the Heijie mentioning that the Jindao were interested in the primordial starflower that was in the imperial treasury, and his face turned dark in an instant. The primordial starflower was meant to be his!


    It looks like the Jindao are out of patience.?Sensing that the second prince''s coup was a failure, they decided to seize the treasure by force. Zhang Lie called out, "I''ll deal with the pce. You can handle the border of the capital."


    Surprised to be given amand, the king of the realm hesitated for a moment, nodded firmly, and rushed off in the opposite direction.

 Chapter 672: The Jindao Assault

    <h4>Chapter 672: The Jindao Assault</h4>


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Water-attuned gic energy frothed over Zhang Lie''s fists, sending ripples of energy into space.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, that energy erupted in a flood, spreading out around Zhang Lie like a hurricane of water. Everyone within the capital felt a sudden chill and breathlessness.


    As the hurricane revolved, the buildings nearest the pce were uprooted and sent flying. Pirs of shattered stone and balconies of wood whipped through the air, and even the pce infrastructure seemed as though it would topple at any moment.


    The entire capital was caught in the vortex of the hurricane, including the fighters battling it out at the entrance to the pce.


    As the water vapor dissipated, Zhang Lie frowned. A member of the Jindao had been able to block his attack.


    "A human?"


    The Jindao fighter who had sessfully defended against Zhang Lie''s attack bowed. "I am Jin Yu of the Jin Dao, 90th on the leaderboard of warlord-ss fighters. May I ask your name?"


    Jin Yu knew that the current human warlord was Chen Xiao, but Chen Xiao didn''t use water-attuned gic energy. Jin Yu didn''t think anyone but a warlord would be able to produce such a powerful blow.


    "Would you be willing to show your true appearance?" Although Jin Yu''s opponent presented himself as a human, Jin Yu was certain that his opponent was anyone but.


    The human race had suddenly grown famous over the entire universe thanks to the appearance of a certain fighter, the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, but humanity as a whole was still nothing more than a weak power in the third realm.


    On the other hand, many of the major races of the gxy had absolute authority in a number of worlds, and they even controlled a few of their own.


    The third realm was farrger than the second; if the second realm was like a high school, the third realm was a university. The full might of many races was only made known in the third realm, where there was considerable room to expand and no dominant race like the sura.


    In fact, if not for the unusual existence known as the asura, as well as the ridiculous penalty for descending from one realm to the next, control over the second realm would never have passed to Zhang Lie.


    After all, Musi Yu, famed third-realm warlord of the Musi n, had grown so weak after his descension into the second realm that he had been taken as a sura concubine.


    Musi Yu wasn''t particrly strong among the third-realm warlords, but even so, the fact that he had been subdued by a sura king was testament to the intensity of the penalty.


    On the other hand, it also shone a light on how abnormally strong Zhang Lie had been to be able to wrest control of the second realm from the sura atrge.


    Even so, despite the existence of hunters like Hong Tianqi and Zhang Lie, humanity was a weak race on the whole, and it would remain weak until the widespread adoption and development of limit-breaking potions.


    To the Jindao, who were among the hundred-strongest races in the third realm, the humans were so weak as to be non-participants in the politics of the third realm, because their fighters were too sub-par.


    Although humanity boasted asional shes of brilliance, those genius hunters whizzed through the third realm and quickly ascended to the fourth. As a result, humanity''s foundations in the third realm remained weak, and it only had one warlord-ss fighter in the third realm at present: Chen Xiao.


    Jin Yu had never heard of another human warlord.


    In the past, mankind had had a second warlord-ss fighter, Musi Yu, who forcibly returned to the second realm and was subsequently in by the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie.


    Jin Yu was shocked by Zhang Lie''s strength, and he had even sought to learn more about this unusual fighter who was able to kill a third-realm warlord in the second realm.


    He had heard that Zhang Lie had recently advanced to the third realm, but Jin Yu never thought to connect that piece of information with the man standing before him. It was true that Zhang Lie was very strong, that he had managed to establish his own kingdom within the second realm, but there was no way someone who had just ascended would boast such overwhelming strength.


    Thus, if the man in front of him wasn''t Chen Xiao, then he couldn''t be a human at all. He had to be a member of another race, in disguise! The reason Jin Yu had this notion was because of the Jinghun n.


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, he was also very surprised to see another warlord from the Jindao n present. As expected of one of the hundred strongest races of the third realm!


    Zhang Lie still had to be careful around warlords; even the lowest-ranked warlord was beyond the level of a peak-grade lifeform, and corresponded to a hunter who had maxed out all his peak gene fragments.


    They boasted all sorts of techniques and mysterious soulshards, and quite a few could even stand against a disaster-grade lifeform on their own.


    Most importantly, they were both representatives of the Milky Way. Zhang Lie, who had ascended to the fourth realm in the past and knew about the secrets of the fifth, understood that they bore the same fate.


    A hunter who could ascend to the level of a warlord would surely be able to contribute to the Milky Way during the epoch of disaster, so under ordinary circumstances, Zhang Lie didn''t want to kill warlords of the Milky Way¡ªevil bastards like Musi Yu being the exception.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are you here for the primordial starflower?"


    Jin Yu nodded, cupping his hands again. "If you''re willing to stand aside, sir, the Jindao will surely reward you."


    "I''m afraid I can''t. You''ll have to get through me first. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie confirmed the Jindao''s motives and swung a punch at the warlord-ss fighter.


    The world shook. The ground beneath his feet quaked.The skies trembled, and stars seemed to fall from the heavens.


    Jin Yu''s golden de shone as brightly as the sun. He drew it and swung it down to defend against Zhang Lie''s fist. A flood of water erupted from the point of impact, and the ground caved in where the Jindao warlord stood. The force of [Fists of the Silent Sea] pressed down on him like a thousand-year-old cier.


    The ground continued to copse around the Jindao fighter.


    Gritting his teeth and bearing with the oppressive force, he shouted to hispanion, "Run! I''ll hold this fellow off!"


    The other Jindao fighters immediately rushed toward the imperial treasury.


    While Zhang Lie had the ability to take care of the Jindao warlord''spanions, he chose not to do so. Instead, he quirked his lips. "Do you really think you can hold me back? [Rune: Gravity]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him as a ck tablet came crashing down onto the ground. The Jindao warlord, who was barely holding his own against Zhang Lie''s attack, groaned as he was forced to one knee, blood dripping from his nose and mouth...

 Chapter 673: Formless Will

    <h4>Chapter 673: Formless Will</h4>


    Even so, the Jindao warlord didn''t intend to give up. Zhang Lie wasn''t in a rush, either. He was waiting for the Jindao to break open the treasury first. The Jindao were clearly prepared; they might actually be able to manage such a feat.


    The imperial treasury was where the king of the realm amassed the rare and precious treasures he had acquired with his authority over the world.


    Just as Zhang Lie thought the Jindao warlord was about to give up, the Jindao warlord howled. The radiance of a soulshard emanated from his body, transforming Zhang Lie''s oppressive pressure into a force which propelled the Jindao''s next attack.


    The Jindao was supremely confident in his attack; it was what allowed him to defeat the previous 90th-ranked warlord.


    The strength of this attack wasmensurate with his opponent''s techniques. Itbined the force of Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea], the gravity from his dragonturtle tablets, as well as Jin Yu''s own martial ability.


    The resulting counterattack shook the entire capital. Even the king of the realm, quelling the beast horde gathered outside the capital''s borders, could feel the strength propagating through the air.


    Sword energy shed through the entirety of the capital.


    "Interesting." Zhang Lie chuckled, curling his fingers leisurely. He wasn''t at all panicked by the counterattack.


    Jin Yu''s soulshard-and-techniquebination would prove quite interesting to behold.


    Jin Yu howled, "Fall to your own de!"


    "You''re trying to attack me with my own techniques? I don''t think so¡ª[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward once more, using a technique with such strength it made the very air warp and crushing all resistance in its way.


    "How could this be!" Jin Yu was shocked, but he was a veteran of such battles and was able to respond quickly. Another beam of sword energy shot into the air.


    The image of a dragonturtle materialized behind Zhang Lie once more as the two gravity-altering tablets crashed down by Jin Yu''s side. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    Jin Yu, who had just leapt into the air, lost all his momentum immediately and almost fell straight down.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie''s fist morphed into a demonic serpent which shot out into the air, dissolving the space around it to strengthen its physical form. Where the serpent passed by, it left behind a small patch of dark void, like a pitch-ck stream.


    Jin Yu knew that he would be unable to defend against this technique. He had no choice but to use his final trump card.


    Jin Yu''s sword swung through the air, harvesting the energy of the realm. A golden qilin''s scale manifested out of thin air, forming a shield that stood before Jin Yu. It was formed out of abination of gold-attuned energy and spatial force.


    As the demonic serpent shed against the golden qilin shield, a huge explosion rang out. Waves of energy buffeted Zhang Lie and Jin Yu. The ground shook, and a gigantic pit opened up beneath them.


    The golden qilin shield were strong enough to bear the initial wave of corrosive energy, but the serpent still lingered even after the attack, causing the shield to rapidly tarnish with its presence.


    Jin Yu''s face grew rmed. No one had ever managed to break through his defense using such a technique before!


    Once again, heunched a counterattack with his technique that reflected an opponent''s blow. The demonic serpent''s corrosive energy twined with the golden qilin shield.


    Jin Yu caused the shield to explode, shattering the serpent''s form. The corrosive energy that erupted from the explosionbined with the golden qilin''s energy, growing sharper and more prating as Jin Yu infused spatial force into the attack.


    As expected of a third-realm warlord¡ªthis was his ace in the hole.


    Zhang Lie thought that Jin Yu''sbat style was focused on defense, but he had been mistaken. Jin Yu focused on capturing his opponents'' attacks with his defense, then retaliating by converting those attacks into his offense. Not only that, his attacks weren''t weak in their own right.


    Jin Yu''s currentbat strength was infinitesimally close to that of a disaster-grade lifeform, but unfortunately for him, it was nothing inparison to Zhang Lie''s, who had already been deemed a disaster-grade lifeform by the will of the world.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" Instead of drawing his sword, Zhang Lie simply made a stroke with his finger. A formless will shot forth, dull and colorless, but the strongest fighters situated in the capital all took note.


    It seemed entirely unthreatening, but the moment Jin Yu sensed the energy, his eyes grew wide.


    The energy cut through Jin Yu''s aura, through his sturdy golden qilin scales, with effortless ease, as though it was only natural. That was what made the attack so sinister. Jin Yu''s golden scales, sturdy as steel and reinforced with spatial aura, could hardly be cut so cleanly or easily, and Zhang Lie''s corrosive energy was much the same.


    However, Zhang Lie had easily cut apart something that should not have been cut, as though the energy that dissipated from Zhang Lie belonged to a higher dimension.


    Jin Yu had no choice but to materialize another golden qilin shield, a whole row of them, forming an imprable wall.


    Each scale wasposed of gold-attuned energy and reinforced with spatial force, then reinforced once again by the array Jin Yu was utilizing for the technique.


    However, the formless energy sliced through this wall as easily as any obstacle that hade before, as though it were made of papier mache.


    How could this be??The Jindao prided themselves on the strength of their gold-attuned gic energy, purer, sharper, and stronger than those of other races. How could their pride have been sliced apart so easily by Zhang Lie?


    Jin Yu was truly at a loss...

 Chapter 674: A Treasure in Hand

    <h4>Chapter 674: A Treasure in Hand</h4>


    Nevertheless, in a testament to his skills as a warlord-ss fighter, Jin Yu quickly realized the crux to Zhang Lie''s superior prating strength. It was a matter of quantity, it had to be!


    Gold-attuned gic energy was excellent at offense and defense, but the quantity of gic energy that Jin Yu had brought to bear was nothing inparison to Zhang Lie''s.


    If Jin Yu''s defense consumed ake''s worth of gic energy, then Zhang Lie''s attack was an entire sea''s worth¡ªallpressed into a thin, slender de of energy.


    Just thepression required was unimaginable; it was only natural that the resulting attack would be able to prate through anything and everything. Getting punched by a fist would hurt, but if all that energy waspressed to the size of a needle, it could pierce you through.


    Jin Yu might have been able to muster a strong defense, but it was spread out over too wide an area andcked thepression that Zhang Lie''s techniques possessed. Zhang Lie''s needle-like beam of sword energy easily prated Jin Yu''s defenses.


    This knowledge hade at far too high a price¡ªJin Yu''s life.


    As the beam of sword energynded on Jin Yu, it burst in an explosion of light so intense that Jin Yu was reduced to atoms.


    Jin Yu had learned his lesson toote. If he had another opportunity to relive thest few minutes, he wouldn''t have dared to bar Zhang Lie''s way. Running away would have been the smart move. Not only that, he had even been so foolish as to think he could kill Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie shook his head in exasperation. "Is this what amounts to 90th on the warlord leaderboard?"


    That leaderboard was a measure of the strongest third-realm hunters, and the ranking was recognized by even the world federation itself. Before his death, Musi Yu had been one of those warlords on thest decade of the leaderboard.


    In his past life, Zhang Lie had thought the warlords far superior to his lowly self. He had stayed in the third realm long enough to finish maxing out his mutated gene fragments, then moved on to the fourth realm as nothing more than cannon fodder.


    He hadn''t expected to encounter a warlord so quickly in the third realm. In his subconscious, he continued thinking of them as far removed from ordinary hunters, and it was only after this fight that he re-evaluated his perspective.


    Now that he had maxed out his superior gene fragments and obtained more than half his peak gene fragments, it was surprisingly trivial for him to deal with even warlord-ss fighters. Disaster-grade lifeforms were truly powerful, after all.


    Once Zhang Lie had the time to finish maxing out his peak gene fragments, he doubted he would be able to find a rival in all of the third realm.


    Even after killing Jin Yu, Zhang Lie didn''t rush into the imperial treasury. He stood quietly outside, even going as far as to retrieve a stool and table from his soulspace. He brewed a cup of tea as he waited.


    Those Jindao who had rushed into the imperial treasury finally emerged, only to see Zhang Lie waiting for them.


    He beckoned them over. "Would you like to sit down for some tea? This might be yourst opportunity to drink any."


    The Jindao grew rmed. "What happened to Warlord Jin Yu?"


    Zhang Lie cocked his head and smiled. "I''m sitting right here brewing tea. What do you think happened?"


    The Jindao reared back in shock. "Impossible¡ªhe''s a warlord!"


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on the treasures that the Jindao were holding, and his smile deepened. "I can''t be bothered to waste time on the likes of you. Hand over the treasures."


    The Jindao clutched the boxes tighter toward themselves and took a step back.


    Just then, a purple beam suddenly emerged from the ruins. A figure hadin hidden, waiting for the Jindao to emerge.


    "Ha! I''ve been waiting for you for quite some time."


    However, Zhang Lie waspletely unsurprised. He strode before the Jindao and summoned the de Guicang, then struck forward with a technique.


    The two beams of energy intersected in a brilliant explosion, as though the sun had crashed into the earth. The explosion of light overwhelmed the entire capital; in a matter of moments, Zhang Lie and his mysterious opponent had struck each other hundreds of times.


    By the time the light finally receded, the ground was a mess. The doors to the treasury were knocked off their hinges, and the ground was pitted and cracked.


    Zhang Lie held two boxes in his hands, and his mysterious opponent was whizzing through the skies. As he nced at the crystallized limb thaty on the ground, as well as the corpses of the Jindao strewn over the ground, Zhang Lie''s eyes turned cold.


    Just then, the king of the realm rushed over. Zhang Lie slid the boxes into his extradimensional space. "What''s going on by the border?" he asked smoothly.


    "I''ve dealt with the incursion," the king of the realm replied. He turned to the pce in growing anger. "Just what happened here?"


    "There was a man skulking around, and I was almost caught unawares." Zhang Lie pointed at the crystalline limb on the ground. "The assant was stronger than I expected, and I only managed to divest him of an arm."


    The king of the realm''s frown deepened as he turned to the wide-open hole in front of the treasury where its doors had once stood. "And the treasures they stole?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I was unable to retrieve what my assant took. He guarded whatever he had taken with his body; if I see him again, I''ll rip him to pieces."


    The king of the realm''s lips pressed firmly together as he nced at the Jindao corpses on the ground. There was no trail to follow now.


    "The opponent deliberately targeted the Jindao as he fled. He''s very strong¡ªon par with a warlord, I''d say. It''s all my fault. I wasn''t able to catch him!"


    Zhang Lie sent his gic energy roiling until a trickle of blood crept out of his mouth.


    Upon seeing that Zhang Lie was injured, the king of the realm hurriedly reassured him, "Master Hong, you''ve done more than I could have expected. It''s clear that our opponents have been nning for this assault for quite some time."


    Zhang Lie might have been sighing outwardly, but he was snickering to himself inwardly.


    Most of what he had told the king of the realm was the truth¡ªthe mystery assant was warlord-level in strength, and he had deliberately killed the Jindao. However, Zhang Lie hadn''t expected him to be willing to risk severe injuries to get at the treasures that the Jindao had imed.


    Otherwise, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have let him take even a single treasure from his grasp.


    However, the opponent had paid a steep price for what he had taken. He hadn''t only lost an arm¡ªZhang Lie thought that there was a good chance that he might never see the mystery assant again.


    At the very least, Zhang Lie had imed the primordial starflower, which was now safely in his soulspace, and he had managed to push the me for this robbery onto the mystery assant.


    Even if the king of the realm suspected him of anything, he could hardly prove it. He released a long sigh. "As fate wills."


    All the Jindao within the treasury were dead, but all those who had remained by the imperial pce hadn''t managed to escape from the capital. The king of the realm caught them all. At the very least, he was able to preserve a fragment of his honor. Subsequently, he began to restore order to the capital.


    Not long afterwards, the eight princes returned with their remnant forces. They all sighed in relief when they saw that the capital was still standing, but the destruction that had been wreaked in the aftermath made them wince.


    The capital would be the princes'' burden now. With everything resolved for the moment, Zhang Lie asked the crown prince where his peak-grade carcasses were being stored, then snuck off for a feast while the princes deliberated on the capital''s reconstruction...

 Chapter 675: An Offer of Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 675: An Offer of Alliance</h4>


    Zhang Lie left the pce and headed outside the capital, whereupon he retrieved the two boxes he had reimed from the Jindao. He didn''t know if there were any security precautions the king of the realm had taken that would alert him when his treasures were imed, so it wouldn''t be safe to open up the boxes within the capital.


    The first box contained what felt like a burning star, resplendent in its beauty and possessing overwhelming energy. Any hunter would be struck dumb by such a treasure¡ªthis was the primordial starflower that Zhang Lie had been searching for. He hadn''t expected to have obtained it so quickly; it was meant to be a reward for securing the throne for the ninth prince.


    The second box contained a scrap of a tattered map , but it was quite a bit smaller than either of the two pieces he had reimed from the ninth prince or the alcohol tribe.


    He couldn''t help but wonder what was in the remaining box that the mystery assant had taken...


    Given the contents of the second box, it looked as though the Jindao¡ªor perhaps the Jinghun?¡ªwere also searching for pieces of this map. That would be a headache for him. How many scraps did the Jindao possess, and how many did the Jinghun possess?


    If they were to hide the scraps back in their homeworld in the Milky Way, it would be far harder for Zhang Lie to get ahold of them.


    Well, he would leave it to chance.


    After storing both boxes carefully, Zhang Lie headed back to the ninth prince''s quarters and waited for the ninth prince to return.


    Now that he had gotten what he hade for, there was no need to continue helping out the ninth prince, but Zhang Lie wasn''t one to give up halfway. He had promised the ninth prince that he would lead him to the throne; he would keep that promise.


    Furthermore, if he were to leave now, it would easily rouse the king of the realm''s suspicions. Indeed, it was quite likely that the king of the realm had already closed off all the wormholes leading to other worlds.


    It wouldn''t be easy for Zhang Lie to leave even if he wanted to, and there was still the matter of the peak gene fragments that were waiting for him to im.


    His spoils were quickly delivered to the ninth prince''s quarters, and Zhang Lie began to roast some meat right then and there. Everyone else was busy restoring the pce and the capital to order, so Zhang Lie''s actions were particrly awkward. However, no one who realized what he was doing said a word.


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade arclight grouse, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 11 ]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade starrune leopard, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 26]


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 40; Disaster, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    After consuming two peak-grade and one superior-grade lifeforms'' worth of meat, Zhang Lie suddenly grew tired of his feast.


    He frowned and headed outside in search of a cook who could help him prepare something more interesting to consume, but just as he was about to leave, he found the third prince walking in his direction.


    The third prince was beaming, and the guards behind him carried a huge bundle of gifts. "I heard that someone was so daring as to be roasting meat in the ninth prince''s quarters. The only person I knew who fit the bill was you, Master!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I''ve never epted you as my disciple."


    The third prince blinked innocently. "If you were willing to take my ninth brother as a disciple, why not me too?"


    Zhang Lie refused him immediately. "I won''t ept you as a disciple. If that''s all you''re here for, please return!"


    The third prince continued seriously, "Master, when I saw your prowess in the hunting grounds, I was shocked to see such a heroic figure. From then on, I was determined to apprentice under you. Master, please ept me!"


    Zhang Lie made a gesture with his hand. He didn''t touch the third prince at all, but the third prince found himself unable to bow. "Don''t try to drag me into your politics. You''re trying to find a new backer after the situation with the Wang n, aren''t you?"


    Within the hunting grounds, Zhang Lie had exposed the Wang n''s treachery.


    This wasn''t the first time the Wang n had tried to get rid of the third prince; not only had the Wangs tried to pin the me of the ninth prince''s assassination attempt on him, they had even tried to kill him within the hunting grounds. The third prince could hardly bear this betrayal¡ªhe had to end this rtionship once and for all.


    Keeping any Wang retainers around was like leaving the sword of Damocles hanging over his neck. After splitting away from the Wang n, the third prince had to find another backer who would support him.


    The crown prince was supported by basically all the officials of the court; he was a faction unto itself. Furthermore, he had the backing of the king of the realm. He alone could face off against the other princesbined.


    The second prince was dead, and the Jindao had been branded traitors.


    The fourth prince was being supported by the Feng n; nothing had changed there.


    The fifth prince had the Qian n¡ªand now, seemingly the Wang n as well¡ªas a backer, and he had suddenly eclipsed the other princes as a result.


    The sixth prince had the Yinlian; the seventh, the Heijie; the eighth, the Zijing. The ninth prince, who should have been the weakest, had somehow ended up with a master like Zhang Lie. He had quickly closed the distance between him and the other princes during the hunt, given the impressive results that Zhang Lie had shown.


    On the other hand, he, the third prince, had dropped a few ranks thanks to the betrayal of the Wang n. At this point, he was sure that even the fourth and fifth princes had eclipsed him in strength¡ªand he wouldn''t take that lying down.


    Before the hunt, the crown prince had been the top contender, the second prince was second, and he was the third. This was only natural; the older princes had more time to amass their strength.


    However, the hunt had changed everything. He had lost his base of power, and he couldn''t maintain his strength. If that were the case, the power and authority whose scraps he had wed for all these years would be for naught¡ªand he would either be eliminated or be absorbed into another prince''s faction.


    The second prince, who had died, was clearly the biggest loser of the annual hunt, but since he was now also out of thepetition, that dubious honor naturally fell to the third prince¡ªhe had lost his backer entirely.


    However, the third prince didn''t regret his decisive actions. The Wang n had been a hidden enemy, one that was now exposed. If they hadn''t struck during the hunt, they would have struck during an even more critical period, and the third prince had not cut off their avenue of attack.


    Now, it was time to find a reliable partner to work with. The other princes'' backers would hardly wee him, so his only choice was the ninth prince''s master. That was why he hade to visit him...

 Chapter 676: In Search of a Backer

    <h4>Chapter 676: In Search of a Backer</h4>


    Zhang Lie was the most likely backer the third prince could think of.


    The other princes had all cultivated longsting rtionships with their respective backers over a prolonged period of time, and it would be foolish for him to attempt to tear a rift in those rtionships over the short term.


    On the other hand, the ninth prince''s master was a rising star, a soaring meteorite, one who had immediately made his name known after the royal hunt.


    ording to the third prince''s investigation, the ninth prince''s master was so strong he could even topple a fifth-level beast with one blow and strike the second prince down in an instant.


    The person who had saved the crown prince from the second prince''s assassination attempt, and who had caught the second prince alive, was precisely Zhang Lie.


    If the third prince could wrest him away from the ninth prince''s side, it wouldn''t be impossible for him topete against the other princes¡ªor even to rece the crown prince.


    The third prince had trained in swordsmanship from a young age, and he believed there would be much inmon between him and Zhang Lie. He hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would refuse him outright.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "You intend on treating me like a recement for the Wang n, don''t you?"


    The third princeughed awkwardly. "Master, surely not! The Wang n is nothingpared to the likes of you."


    "Well, I''m not interested."


    The third prince refused to back down. "But Master, I''m interested in you! If you''re going to support a prince, why not support a better candidate like me instead?"


    Zhang Lie looked him up and down. "And what about you is better?"


    "I''ve been carefully developing my power within the capital for decades, and I bring much more to the table than my ninth brother can. All I''mcking is a strong backer! Conveniently, with the second prince''s death, much of his umted power and connections is up for grabs. If we work together, we''re sure to be able to im them all."


    Zhang Lie chuckled. "You seem very certain of yourself. Are you sure you''ll be able to wrest it all?"


    "What do you mean, Master?"


    "We can discuss a potential coborationter, but it''ll be after the next court session."


    "I understand, Master! It''s important to take the time to think through matters carefully, after all." The third prince beckoned for his guards to leave the gifts behind.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Take back these gifts. I haven''t promised you anything."


    The third prince demurred. "This isn''t for taking me as a disciple, Master, but rather for saving my life within the hunting grounds. If you''re willing to take me on as a disciple, I''ll certainly prepare something even morevish."


    The third prince bowed and left with his guards.


    Zhang Lie unwrapped the gifts to find a few vats of alcohol, some spiritual herbs, and various articles of clothing made with the fur and leather or peak-grade lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie then turned behind him and called out, "As a prince who intends to be the king of the realm one day, you''d better not develop the bad habit of eavesdropping on people."


    The ninth prince ducked his head as he crept out from behind a building. "I can''t fool you, Master."


    Zhang Lie retorted, "If you could, I wouldn''t be qualified to be your master."


    "Did you n all this during the hunt, Master?"


    The ninth prince was referring to how Zhang Lie had saved the third and fifth princes.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Don''t forget¡ªyou agreed to it too."


    The ninth prince had to admit that that was true.


    "Why? What are your thoughts about this?" Zhang Lie added.


    The ninth prince bowed. "Master, I could hardly stop you from doing what you want. If nothing else, I''m thankful for your pointers and your care all this time. I''ve learned a lot from you, and your lessons will stay with me for my entire life."


    "Ha! Well, I like your personality. Don''t worry. The third prince might be a decent candidate, but guiding you to the throne is a far more interesting prospect."


    The ninth prince rxed with a sigh of relief.


    "Saving the princes was just a passing kindness, nothing more."


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, why did you say you would consider coborating with him, then?"


    "If it works out, it would be a partnership between you, me, and him, not just me and him."


    The ninth prince frowned. "Is there some benefit to doing so? What am I not seeing, Master?"


    Zhang Lie smiled mysteriously. "You''ll find out in the next session of court. I think your father''s about ready to make his move."


    "Master, can''t you tell me directly?"


    Zhang Lie ignored the question and instead asked, "Do you know any of the cooks around here?"


    "You''re going to poison someone, Master?"


    Zhang Lie rapped the ninth prince''s head with his knuckles. "I''m not going to wrap myself up in courtly intrigue! I just want to have someone prepare the peak-grade lifeforms that we brought back from the hunt. I''m tired of roasting my own meat."


    The ninth prince rubbed his head as he replied, "I heard that, except for my father and my eldest brother, everyone else has to bribe the cooks if they want anything good prepared for them."


    .


    He didn''t know whether it was true; after all, he had never had money before.


    "It''s convenient that the third prince has just brought us these gifts, then, isn''t it? Bring these to the kitchens and have them make us a feast tonight."


    The ninth prince walked over to the kitchens, only to have the cooks refuse his gifts. "We could never ept your money, ninth prince! It''s our duty to prepare the carcasses the princes have brought back from the hunt."


    He was wholly unused to receiving such friendly smiles and polite gestures from the cooks, who had previously treated him with contempt and disdain. "Please, take these gifts. We''ve brought back quite a few more carcasses than the other princes."


    Afterwards, Zhang Lie praised the ninth prince for what he had done. "Very good. Insisting on giving them the gifts was the right choice."


    The ninth prince found himself unustomed to the difference in treatment he was suddenly receiving overnight¡ªnot just from the cooks, but also the pce maids and guards.


    In the past, the ninth prince had been an outcast in the pce, and he had never received such deferential treatment.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "Information travels quickly within the pce. We''ve just returned, but half the pce knows what happened during the royal hunt by now.


    The servants that survive within the pce have all already developed informationworks of their own, after all."


    "You mean it''s rted to what happened during the hunt, Master?"


    "That''s obvious. You performed outstandingly during the hunt and was recognized by the king of the realm himself, and everyone in the pce knows it. It''s only natural that their attitude toward you would shift as a result. More simply, the pce revolves around the king of the realm. However well he treats you will be how the servants treat you, too."


    The ninth prince scratched his head. "I''m a little unused to it..."


    Zhang Lie warned, "You have to get used to it sooner orter. You''re aiming to be the king of the realm, aren''t you? People''s attitudes to you will shift daily based on your actions, and you need to be able to respond appropriately."


    The ninth prince nodded, thanking Zhang Lie for his advice.


    Very quickly, the kitchen staff came by the ninth prince''s quarters with te after te of delicacies. Zhang Lie swallowed a gulp of saliva and quickly sampled each te as it arrived.


    With a pair of chopsticks in his left hand, he picked up a thin slice of stir-fried peak-grade dragonsnake, which was coated in a thinyer of spices which exploded with vor in his mouth.


    Then, he grabbed a roasted demonwolf drumstick with his right hand. The gamey taste of the meat waspletely covered up by either the seasoning or the method of cooking the meat, and Zhang Lie devoured it all within moments...

 Chapter 677: Unusual Rites

    <h4>Chapter 677: Unusual Rites</h4>


    The will of the world''s voice rang out in Zhang Lie''s mind.


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade dragonsnake, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 41]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade demonwolf, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 47]


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie had a bowl of astral hydra porridge, which he pronounced irresistibly fresh and delicious.


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade astral hydra, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 51]


    All sorts of delicacies were served to the ninth prince: crispy fried duck liver, iced monkey brain, wintermelon chicken soup, steamed bear w¡ªas expected of imperial chefs, their cooking was impable.


    Zhang Lie vacuumed down the food almost as quickly as it came in to the apaniment of pleasant chimes in his head.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 120; Disaster, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie leaned back and burped when he simply couldn''t eat any more.


    He was done with his superior gene fragments now, and he only needed thirty more peak gene fragments. Those would be easy to obtain, so it was well past time to focus on his disaster gene fragments.


    The ninth prince''s stomach was so full it almost seemed as though he was pregnant; he couldn''t consume anything more.


    To be frank, the ninth prince hadn''t consumed much food, not even a hundredth of what Zhang Lie had eaten. The difference was that the intelligent races of the Milky Way were able to convert that food into gene fragments, whereas alien races didn''t have this advantage.


    That said, consuming high-quality meat like this would eventually allow them to grow stronger, and the alien races had specialized professions or techniques for increasing the rate of absorption.


    The ninth prince, who had never had such opportunities, was naturally the weakest among the princes.


    There was still plenty of food remaining on the table. The ninth prince wanted to keep the leftovers for the next day, but Zhang Lie shook his head immediately. "Dump it all."


    "Wouldn''t that be too wasteful?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You''re not the same ninth prince you were the day before¡ªyou''re the victor of the royal hunt! All eyes in the pce are on you, and if you continue living the same way you used to, they''ll start looking down on you again."


    "But no matter what, we shouldn''t be wasteful. That''s what Mother always told me..."


    It wasn''t as though the ninth prince was starving for food; he simply wasn''t used to banquets with such extravagance. There were hundreds of dishes arrayed in their quarters, and Zhang Lie had only taken a bite out of many. Dumping it all felt like a huge waste.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes again. "When you be the king of the realm, you can implement such policies all you''d like, but for now, you have to act like a proper prince. Surely you aren''t worried you won''t have such banquets again with me around?"


    .


    The ninth prince sighed and replied resolutely, "Alright, I understand."


    "We''ll have such a feast again once the remaining carcasses from the hunt are brought back."


    It took just one day for the king of the realm and the imperial guards to restore the capital to minimum working functionality. Before the restoration could continue in earnest, the king of the realm called for a day of mourning.


    The entire capital seemed to be draped in white. All businesses had closed up for the day, the buildings shrouded in white cloth. Families hung white banners from their windows as the entire capital observed a day of grieving.


    The king of the realm stood atop the stage in the central za of the capital, seemingly having grown much older overnight.


    His speech began, "Yesterday, the capital was besieged by arge group of beasts, killingrge swathes of our imperial guards. These same beasts attacked the royal hunting grounds, and my second son perished in the attack while defending against the beast onught. We have all suffered casualties and losses."


    The aliens were all dressed in ck or white, their heads lowered as they listened to their king.


    "My son, the second prince, was a brave fighter and a virtuous man. He who should have led us to light and glory instead departed from the world too early¡ªa tremendous loss." Tears trailed down the king''s face. "I was very proud of him. He died a true hero, just like our fighters who stood against unimaginable odds for the sake of all."


    From beyond the city gates, six princes draped in white marched toward the za bearing the weight of a coffin between them.


    The ninth prince led the procession, throwing paper money into the air, which floated toward the ground like snowkes. The third prince carried a portrait of the deceased second prince, and the second prince''s wife carried the second prince''s token of identification. Behind the princes were an honor guard ying the bugle in a funerary dirge.


    An oppressive air of solemnity overcame the onlookers.


    Just as the procession reached the za, however, the nature of the ceremony changed abruptly. The six princes all broke out into dance, still carrying the coffin as they did so.


    Zhang Lie reared back in rm. This was¡ªa part of the aliens'' ceremony?


    Paper money floated above their heads, tossed toward them by the onlookers and honor guard.


    The six princes danced wildly and vigorously amidst a shower of paper money. The coffin shook and rattled, as though the second prince himself were dancing along with them.


    The princes'' moves grew wilder and wilder, as though they were breakdancing.


    Zhang Lie was horrified by the culture shock; it felt as though he was seeing a boy band intrude on andpletely disrupt a solemn ceremony...

 Chapter 678: The Second Princes Coffin

    <h4>Chapter 678: The Second Prince''s Coffin</h4>


    The next moment, as the dance reached its apex, the third prince stepped forward and burst out in song. "Hey there¡ªquietly, hisst breath having expired¡ª! As though he were¡ªa fallen leaf, floating in the wind¡ªto his soul we pay our respects, our tears!"


    The fourth prince took over. "With my mournful voice¡ªI sing out my sorrow, in order that¡ª you may depart with ease¡ª!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether the second prince would indeed depart with ease; if he were the one in the coffin, he certainly wouldn''t.


    Nevertheless, the song and dance continued. It was the fifth prince''s turn. "As though you had¡ªdreamt a marvelous dream¡ªnever to wake up again, your smile as gentle as a breeze. All things change in time¡ªeven the stars will move¡ªbut our love will remain here, here where you spilled blood¡ªin passion and glory!"


    An official remarked to his neighbor, "The princes are really amazing! The hardest part of this dance is to keep the coffin from touching the ground¡ªthat would be bad luck.


    The more intensely the coffin rattles, the more sessful the ceremony is, but the more likely it bes for the coffin to touch the ground. Nevertheless, the princes have shown us an amazing dance while bncing all these factors¡ªthe royalty are truly incredible!"


    Zhang Lie''s lips spasmed. It was indeed interesting¡ªso much so that the coffin was making all sorts of flips and rotations in mid-air.


    Finally, the remaining five princes stepped forward together, singing in a chorus, "Please, depart with ease¡ªleave your earthly roots behind!"


    Zhang Lie was bbergasted.


    All the funerals he had been to were dreary affairs, but this one had overturned all his expectations.


    The citizens watching the rites all began to p and dance.


    Even the second prince''s wife began to sing. "To live is to hurt¡ªthere''s far too much in life that''s unfortunate¡ª! But all we can do is¡ªto tell ourselves steadfastly, never to let go! Stand back up, stand back up out of the ruins of our copse¡ªcalm our hearts and breathe in the miracle of life!"


    Her voice was outstanding, and a joyous smile filled her face. She looked unusually happy,pletely out of ce at this funeral. If this were to happen in China, she would be considered a public disgrace, one who would drown in the face of negative public opinion.


    However, Zhang Lie hadn''t seen thest of the surprises just yet.


    The princes and their wives began to sing earnestly, all together, "Our tears have formed a river, but still¡ªstill we live! Love will allow us to live on, to be one with the world! And when our love and hope face the sun¡ªour tears of yesterday shall evaporate. Do not give up on the morrow¡ªdream your dreams, wish your wishes, fill yourself with strength and courage¡ªlet your love and hope shine by the moonlight!"


    Zhang Lie forced himself to stifle hisughter, but some among the Heijie were unable to do so. The cultural disconnect between this funeral and what they were used to was simply too shocking. Those among the Heijie who had made such gaffes quickly pped to hide theirughter.


    As they sang and danced, the princes grew close to the za. Their practiced steps, efficient actions, shocking physique, attractive appearances, andpletely unconventional songs and dances made Zhang Lie feel as though they really could be a boy band that would take the gxy by storm.


    "Turn back and take a look at your homnd¡ªthe future lies in wait, a myriad paths to travel¡ªI opened the window and basked in the weing dawn!"


    The crowd in the za split into two, leaving room for the princes to maneuver. The princes ced the coffin right in the middle of the za, as though they were giving him the seat of honor. Then, they stood around the coffin like a campfire, pping their hands as they spun, sang, and jumped.


    Zhang Lie watched the proceedings with a shudder. He couldn''t bear the thought of dying in this world, then having his funeral publicized and watched by all, his corpse forced to rattle in its coffin, without a shroud of solitude and solemnity.


    It was only natural that there would be differences between cultures, but Zhang Lie hadn''t expected one so extreme. Earth tended to favor solemnity, and those solemn funerals were intended to make the living cry out their grief and pain.


    On the other hand, in this world, funerals were joyous asions in which friends and family would send the dead off with happiness and festivities, hoping that the dead would be able to leave the world with a smile, and that the living would turn away from grief.


    Once the princes had finished their performance and returned to their seats, the crown prince stepped onto the stage. This performance was dedicated to the dead imperial guards, rather than the second prince.


    "Theyy there¡ªquietly, theirst breaths having expired¡ª! As though they were¡ªfallen leaves, floating in the wind¡ªto their souls we pay our respects, our tears!


    "Even the wind cannot capture any trace of their passing¡ªbut they live on, they live on in our hearts forevermore! Life passes like a dream¡ªa dream of gold, a dream of pleasure¡ªa dream of honor on the battlefield, honor in death, honor in sacrifice!"


    Zhang Lie listened calmly as the ceremony proceeded. The king of the realm himself should have officiated the ceremony, but the fact that the crown prince was doing so instead revealed the king''s intentions to have the crown prince seed him.


    Few others had noticed this subtle shift.


    The crown prince continued, "Everyone''s hearts, ripped apart by loss, by tears¡ªthe mountains and rivers mourn you! These dead guards, just like the rest of us gathered here, have their own names and families. They led simple lives filled with hope. They are brothers and sisters to us all. On this day, as the crown prince of the realm, in the name of this world, wememorate the dead who have given their lives that we may live."


    This ceremony marked the end of this incident that shook the capital and threatened the session of the throne.


    The princes felt as though this was the worst it would get, that they were mired in the most intense battle for session in the history of this world, that they would be able to secure victory by uniting under the leadership of the king of the realm to resist the masterminds behind the attack, the Jinghun n.


    Little did they know that this was only a portent of things toe...

 Chapter 679: Finally Entombed

    <h4>Chapter 679: Finally Entombed</h4>


    Given the strength the king of the realm had revealed, the princes believed that he would easily be able to survive two or three more decades. The battle for session would be drawn out as a result.


    The crown prince continued to speak even as tears fell from his eyes; this finally made Zhang Lie feel as though he really were at a funeral.


    "Today, the entire world shall grieve for your absence, the greatest of respects we can pay¡ªa memorial to disaster and the resulting humanity we witnessed in its aftermath. Disaster may have struck, but we remain standing. It may have weakened us temporarily, but I assure you all, we shall grow stronger for it.


    "We have worked together to ovee this crisis, and we can do so again. Our dead stand with us; we cannot let them down. Lie in peace, our dead brethren. To you we give our tears and grief, candles lit amidst the darkness. May the strength of this world bolster us."


    Zhang Lie nced around him as the crown prince''s speech nearedpletion.


    "We live on because of your sacrifice, with love and strength and endurance aplenty. We know that this will be the best way tomemorate you, that this is what you would have wished for, from a world away."


    The crown prince bowed solemnly as the citizens of the capital pped, recognizing his authority as the sessor to the realm. As time passed, the king of the realm would gradually let the crown prince host all sorts of events, until the public and the officials were familiar with treating the crown prince as though he were the king himself.


    Zhang Lie privately swore that he would never attend an alien funeral again; watching it all had been too much to bear. Commemorating the dead wasn''t the issue¡ªZhang Lie simply found it far too hard to stifle hisughter for so long.


    Zhang Lie thought that the end of the crown prince''s speech would mark the end of the funeral rites, but there was actually more.


    The princes all stepped up on stage, and Zhang Lie felt an uneasy premonition overwhelm him.


    Indeed, in the very next moment, the princes lifted up the second prince''s coffin, and the guards of the za and their friends and family lifted up the dead guards'' coffins.


    All the coffins that had beenid out in the za were now up in the air, supported by the dead''s friends, rtives, andrades-in-arms.


    With the crown prince leading the ceremony, the princes began to sing and dance with the second prince''s coffin as they led the procession out of the za, followed by the groups of people carrying the other coffins.


    All those who had been chosen for this ceremony were trained in this unusual art form, and their performances were no inferior to that of the princes.


    The procession passed all the way out of the capital, where the king of the realm had designated a plot ofnd in which to bury the dead who had given their lives to defend the capital.


    The second prince should have been buried in the royal mausoleum, but his traitorous behavior before his death had repercussions, and this was one such. Although he was heralded as a hero who had died in defense of the king, he too was buried with the imperial guards. The families of those guards were very satisfied with this decision¡ªit was a rare honor for their sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, to be buried together with royalty.


    The ceremony ended once thest coffin had been securely buried underground.


    As several families grieved before the graves of the dead, the crown prince walked over to Zhang Lie. "I apologize, Master Hong, for being unable to spare any time for you over the past few days while I was busy with the pce and my second brother''s funeral."


    .


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, indicating that he didn''t much mind.


    "The remaining fourth-level beast carcasses should be brought back to the pce by tomorrow. I''ll have the best cuts of meat prepared in the royal kitchens and sent to the ninth prince''s chambers. In addition, I intend on hosting a private banquet tomorrow. Would you be interested in attending, Master Hong?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Despite having just buried your second brother?"


    The crown prince exined, "It''s a small, private banquet hosted annually after the royal hunt, in which we consume the spoils that we princes have hunted."


    Zhang Lie shook his head, causing the crown prince to sigh. "It''s a shame. Master Hong, you saved my life, and I hope to be able to repay that favor in kind."


    "I prefer to dine alone or with a few close confidantes," Zhang Lie replied mildly.


    The crown prince smiled and nodded his head, with the grace and bearing that dignified royalty. "May I ask for your ns for the remaining fourth-level beasts, Master Hong?"


    Zhang Lie had killed arge portion of the peak-grade lifeforms. ording to the rules of the hunt, those carcasses were now his spoils.


    However, he certainly hadn''t killed them all, and a significant fraction had been killed by the guards in the princes'' retinue.


    If Zhang Lie insisted on iming all the peak-grade carcasses, the royalty would have to give appropriatepensation to the guards who had worked hard for their kills and even, in some cases, ced their lives on the line.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you have any suggestions, crown prince?"


    The crown prince replied, "The carcasses of fourth-level beasts can be dismantled for furs, meat, and all sorts of medicinal ingredients. If you prefer not to consume them all, Master Hong, you may exchange their bodies for gold, gems, jewels, or spiritual herbs."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I don''t need wealth. Have it be exchanged for a suitable quantity of spiritual herbs, then."


    Zhang Lie was an herbalist and pillmaster, after all, and he''d be able to do far more with herbs than gold.


    Talking with the crown prince was rxing; unlike the other princes, he never offered to recruit Zhang Lie outright. If not for his promise to the ninth prince, he believed that the crown prince would easily seed the king of the realm.


    After sending the crown prince off, Zhang Lie found the ninth prince rushing toward him, sweat staining his robes. "Master, how was my dance? I didn''t embarrass you, did I?"


    Among the princes, the eighth and ninth princes had the least strength. The eighth prince had flopped around like a salted fish after the ceremony, his face deathly pale. The ninth prince was in better shape, but even so, he looked as though he had just run a marathon.


    Zhang Lie''s mouth spasmed. "I''ve never had a chance to witness an alien funeral before, and I simply can''t get used to it. That said, you princes were indeed the star of the ceremony."


    The ninth prince blinked. "Thank you, Master. I''ll keep working hard to catch up to my brothers."


    Zhang Lie suddenly rapped the ninth prince on the head. "Your goal is to be the king of the realm, not to emte your brothers in these funeral rites!"


    The ninth prince yelped as he clutched his head. "Master, I had to spend a great deal of effort beforehand to keep up with my brothers for this ceremony!"


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. "Then you''ve wasted all your time!"


    1. I don''t understand why the author is highlighting the protagonist''s intolerance and disrespect for alien cultures, but there you have it.

 Chapter 680: A Reward of Land

    <h4>Chapter 680: A Reward of Land</h4>


    Sensing that Zhang Lie was really growing angry, the ninth prince hurriedly changed the topic. "Master, what did my eldest brother want with you?"


    His face turned uneasy.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "Are you that insecure?"


    The ninth prince shrugged. "You misunderstand me, Master. I just wanted to know if the crown prince was making his move against us, in case you wanted to discuss some sort of strategy."


    Zhang Lie coughed. "I''m afraid he would ?squish you within moments if he really wanted to. He mentioned that he was hosting a private banquet and invited us, but I declined."


    The ninth prince thought about Zhang Lie''s words. "A private banquet¡ªI heard that a few princes would do that regrly after each royal hunt, but I''ve never been invited."


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, do we need to host such a banquet too?"


    "Only the weak would need to form packs; the strong can thrive alone."


    The ninth prince was speechless. "Surely I need loyal men for when I be king?"


    "Now''s not the time."


    "Why not?"


    "No one knows where the Jinghun n are hiding. Are you certain that whatever men you recruit now will truly be loyal?"


    The ninth prince shrugged. "But I''ll need men of my own eventually, won''t I?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Are you dissatisfied with me?"


    "No, of course not, Master! I''m just hoping to n for the future."


    "We can worry about the futureter¡ªthere are trials we''ll need to ovee now."


    "Trials? What trials?"


    "You''ll find out in court tomorrow."


    After the funeral ended, the various princes all invited Zhang Lie to their private banquets. He became the target of all the princes'' attention.


    Those who hadn''t participated in the royal hunt didn''t understand why Zhang Lie had suddenly experienced a meteoric rise in poprity; after all, he was new to this world, and no one had ever heard of him before.


    More shockingly, despite receiving invitations from all the princes, he rejected them all and remained entirely focused on the ninth prince. This behavior cast a mysterious veil over Zhang Lie''s background and identity.


    That night, as the crown prince had promised, the peak-grade carcasses had all been made into a series of delectable dishes for Zhang Lie and the ninth prince, which they consumed with gusto.


    Zhang Lie''s gene fragments shot up once again.


    As a disaster-grade lifeform, Zhang Lie was easily able to handle absorbing so many gene fragments in such a short period of time, but an ordinary hunter might explode from the shock if they tried to emte his behavior.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie''s peak gene fragments had just maxed out overnight, and he could clearly feel the increase in his strength. A simple punch was enough to cause space around him to cavitate; his body was bursting with energy.


    Just as in the second realm, he felt as though he was now in control of the space around him.


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, if Father decides to award the prizes for the royal hunt tomorrow, what should we ask for?"


    "I''ve decided on my reward for protecting the emperor. As for your victory in the hunt¡ªwell, you can think of something suitable yourself."


    "Do you have any suggestions, Master?"


    Zhang Lie mulled it over for a moment, then said decisively, "Land."


    The ninth prince frowned. "Whynd?"


    "Land gives you the right to raise your own troops¡ªand with those troops, you''ll be able to develop thatnd, incentivize people to settle there, and build wealth and power. You''ll need all the resources you can get."


    "What for, Master?" the ninth prince asked, cocking his head.


    "Within the capital, there''s no way you''ll be able to defeat the other princes, who have amassed their power steadily for years. As a result, you won''t bepetitive for events within the capital. Even if someone like the second prince dies all of a sudden, you''ll hardly get any of his wealth or resources¡ªthey''ll only be consumed by the other princes. It would be near-impossible for you to build up a base of operations within the capital."


    The ninth prince thought that Zhang Lie''s words were very sensible.


    "If you try to build a base of operations within the capital, the other princes will surely send their men in as spies. Thus, you have to start by targetingnd beyond the reach of the capital."


    "Master, do you mean that we should start beyond the capital and then expand inwardster?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "This is your best chance at developing a power of your own."


    "But, Master, didn''t you object to me trying to do so now?"


    "No¡ªI simply object to you doing it in the capital. The capital is far too developed for the likes of you, but you could easily start to amass power beyond the capital and work your way within. Furthermore, that''s only an excuse. There''s a more important reason to getnd right now."


    "But wouldn''t all the princes be givennd after the battle for session ends?"


    "Those are twopletely different matters," Zhang Lie replied.


    "But why, Master? If I ask fornd far away from the capital, where power is concentrated in this kingdom, wouldn''t that be equivalent to giving up on the throne?"


    "No, it simply gives others the impression that you want to give up on the throne. Whether or not you do, of course, is up to you."


    The ninth prince contemted Zhang Lie''s words for a few moments in silence. "Master, I still don''t understand. What''s the true reason behind this suggestion?"


    "I''ll let you know after the court session."


    The ninth prince pursed his lips.?Court, once again!?Just what did his master think would happen there?


    The next morning, the king of the realm specially sent ?messengers to the eight princes, heads of the threerge indigenous ns of the capital, and even Zhang Lie requesting their attendance at court.


    The ninth prince nced at Zhang Lie in exasperation. "Master, do you intend to attend court like this?"


    "What''s the matter? Do you expect me to beautify myself just for a session at court?"


    "No, Master, but can''t you at least dress more formally? I could prepare a set of formal court attire for you..."


    "Formal? What, don''t you think this is formal enough? I''m not one of your court officials¡ªwe can go as is!"

 Chapter 681: In Court

    <h4>Chapter 681: In Court</h4>


    Court was held daily in the morning, but not all officials were eligible to be present.


    Those who had matters to report were expected to be present; those who didn''t, to excuse themselves. Not all officials had the privilege to attend, but most did.


    The standard court sessions were intended to deal with urgent business;rger court sessions, which all officials were expected to attend, were held only monthly or even once every few months.


    Such court sessions were meant to report on events that affected the kingdom on arge scale, and which none of the individual officials had the authority to adjudicate.


    Theserger court sessions were held whenever such an event urred, and the number of people in attendance was a metric for how important the event was.


    This time around, all eight princes and all officials were formally mandated to be present, and even the heads of the major ns of the kingdom had been summoned. Such a major court session hadn''t been held in a very long time, and everyone present naturally realized that something massive must have happened.


    The second prince''s death and the attack on the capital all pointed toward one culprit: an alien race, the Jinghun.


    Few knew of the Jinghun, not even the royalty. When they tried to learn more through their informationworks¡ªthe other alien races present in the realm¡ªthey were immediately and uniformly told that the Jinghun were trouble, that they stirred up trouble and were wrapped up in trouble and always left trouble behind them.


    Whenever the Jinghun appeared in the third realm, they manifested disaster after disaster.


    Their racial ability was also a pain to deal with. Given the extent to which they could manipte gic lifeforms and the trouble they caused, they were a higher-priority target than gic lifeforms for more races.


    The royalty and court officials were naturally worried about the presence of the Jinghun in this realm given their unsavory reputation, and this court session was undoubtedly intended to deal with that problem.


    The session began with the usual salutation to the king of the realm: "May his majesty live a thousand years!"


    The gathered figures all bowed to the king of the realm. After the funeral, the king of the realm looked far older and more weary than before, but the domineering aura around him had only grown stronger.


    "I assume everyone has heard of what happened during the royal hunt?" the king of the realm asked.


    One of the officials called out, "It was a heart-wrenching disaster, your majesty¡ªall our hearts are with you!"


    "A sudden disaster caused the death of tens of thousands of troops. We grieve their loss, especially the loss of the second prince."


    "Indeed! Losing the second prince in this freak ident is a terrible blow to the future of the kingdom."


    "An ident?" the king of the realm echoed. "No, this is no ident! ording to an internal investigation, the culprit and mastermind behind this attack was the Jinghun n. I hereby pronounce them wanted criminals!"


    "A wicked race, wicked! We''ve been far too kind and lenient toward these aliens¡ªno such disaster would have urred otherwise."


    The Wang n head''s eyes stared grimly at Zhang Lie with anger and hatred.


    Jian Mo hadn''t returned from the hunt, and the unexpected defection of the Wang kinsmen from the third prince''s retinue had led to the alliance between the Wang n and the third prince formally breaking down.


    The Wang n head med all this on Zhang Lie¡ªeverything had been going well until his arrival!


    However, the Yinlian, Heijie, and Zijing all looked toward the Wang n head after he made this pronouncement.


    The Heijie representative chuckled coldly as he stated, "The capital has just suffered from a grave disaster. What do you intend to aplish by sowing discord within the kingdom at this critical juncture?"


    The Yinlian representative called back, "It looks to me as though the Wang n head is trying to mire the entire capital in chaos!"


    The Wang n head hurriedly appealed to the king of the realm. "Your majesty, did you hear what these vile aliens are saying? We can''t trust them¡ªthey might stab us in the back out of nowhere! Your majesty, I implore you to expel them from this world!"


    The king''s eyes narrowed. When the crown prince caught that subtle gesture, he spoke up. "n Head Wang, it''s too reckless to make such a move, especially before we find the Jinghun n."


    The Wang n head shook his head and replied firmly, "It''s precisely because we''re in such a situation that we have to act even more urgently!"


    The king of the realm finally spoke up, his voice overwhelming all others. "n Head Wang, do you think me such an easy person to fool?"


    The Wang n head shivered, lowering his head and not daring to speak further.


    The crown prince continued, "We can''t afford to make hasty generalizations just because of the actions of the Jinghun and Jindao. I believe that there are aliens who truly deserve our trust and cooperation¡ªaliens like Master Hong."


    The Wang n head lowered his head and gnashed his teeth¡ªthat Master Hong the crown prince spoke of was exactly the enemy he wanted to expel!


    "If not for Master Hong''s generous aid, I would have perished during the hunt as well," the crown prince finished.


    The Wang n head sighed. "I understand, your highness."


    The king of the realm turned to the crown prince. "Crown prince, you were present at the royal hunt, and you were one of the earliest toe to the camp''s defense. What are your thoughts on the incident that day?"


    The crown prince stepped forward out of the throng of officials.


    "Your majesty, may I begin by summarizing the affair as I understood it?"


    "Naturally."


    "This incident began at the royal hunt. A beast stampede overtook the hunting grounds, oneprisingrge quantities of third- and fourth-level beasts.


    "Following information provided by Master Hong, we were able to identify crystalline purple shards on the heads of the rampaging beasts, which he imed to be the characteristic of beasts under the mentalpulsion of the Jinghun n."


    Many of the officials turned to Zhang Lie then.


    The crown prince continued, "I returned to base camp with a group of elites, whereupon I met Master Hong returning with the ninth prince. With his help, and with the help of the second prince and his forces, which returned next, we stopped the beast stampede in its tracks.


    "Subsequently, a mythical fifth-level beast appeared, seemingly under the control of the Jinghun as well. His majesty managed to handle the crisis, but unfortunately, my second brother perished in the aftermath."


    The atmosphere at court seemed to suddenly grow heavy.


    "Later on, we learned that the stampede was meant to divert his majesty''s attention and weaken his strength. Our opponent''s true objective was the imperial treasury. We learned that, while we faced off against a beast stampede, so did the capital. The Jindao made their move then, and they rushed toward the imperial treasury."


    Everyone present had suffered the effects of the incident for themselves.


    "Thanks to his majesty and Master Hong, the capital was saved from the beast onught, but the mastermind behind the attack managed to steal three treasures from the treasury."


    The king of the realm interjected, "Are there any results from interrogating the members of the Jindao?"


    The official overseeing the interrogation spoke up. "Your majesty, the Jindao are proving resilient to our tactics. We need more time!"


    "You have three days¡ªgive me results as soon as possible!"


    "Three days, your majesty? Three days is a little¡ª"


    "What, is it too long? If you don''t have results for me within three days, I''ll have you reced with someone who can get me those results!"


    The official gulped. "Yes, your majesty!"

 Chapter 682: Scapegoat

    <h4>Chapter 682: Scapegoat</h4>


    The king of the realm then turned to the crown prince. "What are your thoughts on what happened during the royal hunt?"


    The crown prince replied earnestly, "Your majesty, after long consideration, I feel that the Jinghun have to have some other supporters we don''t know about."


    The king of the realm propped himself up on his armrest. "Indeed? borate on your thoughts."


    "Your majesty, don''t you think that there were too many third- and fourth-level beasts around? Surely the Jinghun couldn''t have managed to capture and transport them all unnoticed."


    The king of the realm nodded. "I feel simrly. The royal hunt is conducted annually, and although I''ve manipted the hunting grounds to produce more third- and fourth-level beasts, they would not naturally appear in suchrge numbers. The only possibility is that the beasts were not originally within the hunting grounds."


    The crown prince nodded, adding, "Because the royal hunt urs annually, there should be a limit on how many such beasts would be present at any one time. However, we faced what felt like a whole ocean of them."


    The king of the realm opined gravely, "My belief is that someone deliberately brought arge group of second- and third-, and perhaps even fourth-level beasts, into the hunting grounds."


    The gathered princes couldn''t help but think back to their second brother''s ploys before his death.


    The king of the realm shouted, "n Head Qian!"


    The Qian n head emerged from among the gathered officials. "Yes, your majesty!"


    This was the first time Zhang Lie saw the Qian n head, which was an unforgettable sight. He was as corpulent as a meatball, and although he dressed in court attire, his robes were embroidered with gold and shot through with golden threads. His swollen, sausage-like fingers were full of rings, and he gave off the impression of being a mobile treasury.


    Did he really value showing off his wealth so much that he would sacrifice his personalfort for it?


    The Qian n head bowed toward the king of the realm, folds of fat jiggling beneath his clothes.


    The king of the realm asked, "Know you your crimes?"


    The Qian n head scratched his head. "Your majesty, I don''t understand what you mean."


    "Wasn''t it your n who sent these beasts into the hunting grounds?"


    Everyone present was shocked by the king of the realm''s usations. They had thought that the Jinghun were the masterminds behind this entire affair¡ªbut there was actually another party who was responsible!


    The person in attendance who was most shocked by the king of the realm''s usation was undoubtedly the fifth prince, whose backer was the Qian n. However, he didn''t dare say anything, afraid that he would be embroiled in the fiasco as a result.


    The Qian n head jumped up in shock. His legs turned to jelly as he flung himself toward the ground. "Your majesty, I would never do anything of the sort! We of the Qian n are merchants and businessmen. I would never dare participate in a rebellion!"


    The king of the realm narrowed his eyes. "I don''t think I''ve ever specified what the Jinghun were trying to aplish, have I?"


    The Qian n head kowtowed again and again. "Your majesty, I can exin! Wanting to know more about what had happened within the hunting grounds, I bribed the guards that had been present and learned about what had happened from them."


    The king of the realm chuckled coldly. "Who but the richest n in the kingdom would have the ability to catch so many beasts and thework with which to transport them to the royal hunting grounds?"


    The Qian n head shook his head again and again. "Your majesty, I really don''t know anything!"


    "In that case, how do you exin this evidence?" the king of the realm retorted. "Guards! Set the evidence in front of the Qian n head so that he might have a closer look."


    Following the king''smands, the guards ced a pile of documents on a tray, which they proffered to the Qian n head.


    As the Qian n head perused these documents, his face turned dark. He had expected that the king of the realm would need some time to look through the evidence, but the king had done so remarkably quickly.


    The king of the realm continued, "There''s evidence that you caught beasts from all over the kingdom, then sent them into the hunting grounds. Do you deny these allegations?"


    The Qian n head bowed deeply like a quivering slug. "Your majesty, I plead ignorance to these ims! Could someone in the n have done so without my knowledge?"


    The king of the realm''s resultingugh was harsh and cold. "Indeed? Do you think they could have managed operations on this scale without you hearing about it? Three whole years of sending beasts into the hunting grounds¡ªwithout your knowledge? Do you think me a fool?!"


    The fifth prince''s face was a rictus of shock. "n Head Qian, how could you do this to me?! How could you sponsor a rebellion behind my back?"


    The fifth prince''s face had turned dark. His backer had betrayed him and the rest of the realm!


    The king of the realm snorted. "Very good, n Head Qian, very good! I received reports that you even told the guards patrolling the hunting grounds that it was the second prince who wanted to send these beasts within in order to increase the difficulty of the hunt."


    The Qian n head bowed again, so deeply his entire face was stered against the floor. "I''ve made a mistake, your majesty, fifth prince! I shouldn''t have listened to the second prince and sent the beasts into the hunting grounds!


    "I had no idea what the second prince was up to; I only heard that he wanted to increase the difficulty of the hunt, because otherwise he wouldn''t have the opportunity to be the victor¡ªI never thought the second prince would be trying to rebel against the kingdom with the support of an alien race!"


    The king of the realm asked, "n Head Qian, who''s the current emperor?"


    "Your majesty, of course!"


    The king of the realm continued, "Whose kingdom is this?"


    "Yours, your majesty!"


    The king of the realm slowly stood up. "In that case, whom should your loyalty be to?"


    "You, your majesty!"


    The king of the realm eximed, "In that case, why did you not report this affair to me? Why did you go along with the second prince''s wishes?"


    The Qian n head was sweating profusely. The officials watching him winced; they understood his reasoning very well. That was how they had felt themselves not too long ago, though none of them took it to such an extreme.


    The king of the realm had spent a long time pretending to be ill and sickly, but no one realized that it was all an act.


    The officials of court had all already decided on which princes they would support to seed the throne, but the Qian n had taken it too far and would now suffer the consequences.


    The king of the realm would use him as a scapegoat to maintain his own strength, to inform the members of his court by his own actions that he, the king of the realm, was not yet dead.


    The king of the realm continued, "I gave the Qian n money andnd to develop, to establish a storefront in every city of this kingdom. I gave the Qian n all that¡ªand you use it to betray me?!"


    The Qian n head continued kowtowing, smashing his head so hard against the floor that his forehead was bruised and bleeding.


    "This kingdom has no need for traitors. Guards! Drag n Head Qian outside and behead him. Seize his n''s assets and properties. Expel his direct rtives from the kingdom; demote the members of his n''s branch families tomoners. Never will they be merchants or officials of the court."


    The king of the realm''s pronouncement almost made the Qian n head faint.


    "Your majesty, your majesty, I recognize my mistake! Please, forgive me!"


    He crawled over to the fifth prince and tugged on the hem of his robes. "Your highness, please save me! Please¡ªfor the sake of my daughter!"


    The fifth prince''s eyes were icy-cold. "You were in cahoots with the second prince; you might as well join him in death."


    The fifth prince could hardly speak up for the Qian n head.


    This was no small misdemeanor; it was treason against the king. Assaulting the capital and breaking into the royal treasury, conspiring with an alien race¡ªeach of these crimes would have been enough to sentence the Qian n head to death...

 Chapter 683: Prizes and Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 683: Prizes and Punishment</h4>


    Even if the fifth prince did speak up for the Qian n head, nothing would change. The fact that the Qian n was in cahoots with the second prince meant that his name would be tarnished if he tried to defend the Qian n head now.


    The king of the realm might not punish him, but nothing good woulde out of such a confrontation.


    By that time, the Qian n head had be petrified with fear. The guards stepped forward and dragged him out bodily.


    The officials of court felt somewhat sympathetic to the Qian n head''s plight. The king of the realm was making an example out of him, certainly, but wasn''t this a rather extreme example? The entire Qian n would perish overnight!


    None of them had expected that the Qian n would receive such severe punishment.


    After all, they weren''t a small n. They were one of the three ancient ns of this world, one of the three pirs of the kingdom. Destroying the Qian n in this fashion would immediately and gravely impact the kingdom''s finances¡ªbut the king of the realm had done so anyway, without giving them any quarter.


    The officials couldn''t help but tremble in fear. If the king of the realm learned of their actions while they thought he was ill and sickly¡­ They were far weaker than the Qian n; if even the Qian n suffered such a dire punishment, wouldn''t they have it worse?


    The n heads of the other tworge ns stood upright, but their heads were downcast and their legs were trembling underneath their robes. The Wang n head had gone particrly pale.


    The king of the realm was trying to shake out any other troublemakers by passing such a heavy sentence on the Qian n, and the Wang n head was naturally worried. He had done as much in support for his candidate as the Qian n head, and he had even sponsored assassinating a prince.


    If the king of the realm were to set his sights on him, the Wang n head surely wouldn''t fare any better than the Qian n head. He was very worried that the king of the realm would clear out his n, but, to be frank, there wasn''t much of a chance of that happening.


    If nothing else, the three ns were critical to the day-to-day functioning of the kingdom.


    Now that the king of the realm had excised one of their numberpletely, dealing with another of the major ns would cripple the kingdom''s economy and recovery, especially after such a harrowing disaster.


    It had been many long years since the king of the realm controlled the kingdom with an iron fist. The officials who had been alive throughout his long tenure were thrown back into the past, when he had first imed his throne for himself.


    They were sorry for the Qian n, of course, but what could they do? At least the Wang n head was relieved: the Wang n was likely safe from the brunt of the punishment.


    When the prime minister noticed the officials'' behavior, he ventured, "Your majesty, might your punishment be a bit too harsh? It''s the Qian n we''re considering, after all..."


    The king of the realm red at him, his gaze as sharp as daggers. "Do you doubt me?"


    "No, your majesty!" The prime minister didn''t dare rebuke the king of the realm.


    The king of the realm snorted. "How many warriors and guards died because of the Qian n, and how many citizens of the capital fell? For their greed, for their desire to retain their power¡ªhow many lives did we have to sacrifice? And you ask that I keep a man like the Qian n head, a n like the Qian n, in power?!"


    The prime minister lowered his head. "I understand, your majesty."


    The king of the realm continued, "Regardless of the motive behind his actions, he and his n must pay the price for their consequences. With so many valiant guards and citizens'' lives lost, his n can hardly go unpunished."


    "Yes, your majesty!"


    "I hope I have no cause for handing out such a punishment ever again." The king of the realm red at the Wang n head, who nodded fervently, his face pale.


    The Wang n head was extremely relieved that he hadn''t been implicated in this affair, because the king of the realm was truly incensed now.


    The fifth prince''s face turned dark, but the third prince had to cover his mouth to hide a smile.


    In this incident, the second prince had suffered the most¡ªhe had lost his life.


    The next-biggest loser was the third prince. Meanwhile, the biggest winner was the ninth prince.The fifth prince had looked like the second-biggest winner, but now that the Qian n had been implicated in the second prince''s treason, the fifth prince had lost his advantage.


    The third prince might have lost his backer, but he wasn''t out of the running just yet¡ªhe had built up a sizable base of power after all these years independent of his rtionship with the Wang n.


    The king of the realm continued, "Now that appropriate punishment has been doled out, it''s time to discuss rewards. During this year''s royal hunt, there were two princes who outshone the others and whom I have dered to be the victors of the hunt: the crown and ninth princes.


    "They rushed back to assist me when the beast stampede started, and I would hardly have dyed the prize ceremony so long if not for the unusual and extenuating circumstances thereafter. I hope that the princes will understand."


    "Of course, your majesty!" the crown and ninth princes replied earnestly.


    Many of the less-informed court officials, who didn''t know precisely what had happened during the royal hunt, were shocked. It naturally made sense that the crown prince was one of the victors; he won the royal hunt every year. But what about the ninth prince?


    None of the court officials paid the ninth prince any mind; he was the youngest prince and the one with the least impressive pedigree, with no backer to speak of. He was useless and ostracized within the pce, and not even the king of the realm paid him any mind.


    However, in this year''s royal hunt, the ninth prince had somehow beaten all the other princes and emerged the victor.


    The court officials who had once ignored him now paid him their fullest attention, causing the ninth prince to stand straight up with his head erect. This was the oue and response he desired.


    The king of the realm asked, "What rewards do you want?"


    The crown prince replied, "Your majesty, I have only received the very best from you. I need no other reward."


    The ninth prince bowed and echoed, "You''ve already given me the best reward I could dream of, your majesty."


    "You don''t want anything more?"


    The ninth prince smiled. "If anything, I''d like more praise from you, your majesty."


    "Oh? You did very well during the royal hunt. You showed outstanding bravery against the beast stampede, and although I''ve overlooked you in the past, you''re a prince befitting your station, one who doesn''t lose out even to your brothers."


    The ninth prince was so delighted that his face flushed red, and the other princes all shot him jealous nces, particrly the eighth prince.


    The king of the realm continued, "Praise is necessary, but I insist that both of you also receive a reward for what you''ve ovee. This was a promise I made, and a promise I shall keep. Since the crown prince is the victor every hunt, let''s start with you, ninth prince."


    The ninth prince requested, as he had discussed with Zhang Lie, "Your majesty, I would likend to call my own."


    "Land?" Everyone looked at the ninth prince in surprise, but when they considered his decision more carefully, they found it wise. Although he was now making a name for himself in the battle for session, it was toote for himpared to the other princes, who had already built up significant power.


    Better to ask for a plot ofnd and leave the capital rather than duke it out with the other seven princes.


    This choice left quite a few of the more astute officials nodding¡ªthey believed that this was the wisest choice as well.


    The king of the realm looked toward Zhang Lie, then back at the ninth prince. "Are you certain?"


    "Yes, your majesty!"


    The king of the realm nodded. "Very well. Send for a map!"

 Chapter 684: Theft of the Jade Seal

    <h4>Chapter 684: Theft of the Jade Seal</h4>


    Two guards unfolded a gigantic map before the king of the realm, who sent a brush flying toward where the ninth prince stood.


    "Circle whatever patch ofnd you want." The king of the realm had no qualms about the ninth prince''s decision; in some sense, this meant that he approved of the fact that the ninth prince was seemingly dering his intent to drop out of the battle for session.


    The king of the realm dered, "Except ?for the capital and its surroundings, you can have any piece ofnd you want."


    The ninth prince lifted the brush and circled a patch ofnd without any hesitation. Again, this was something he had nned with Zhang Lie in advance. Thend was exactly where the wormhole that led to the alcohol tribe''s world was.


    With ess and control over a wormhole, the ninth prince would be able to grow his wealth withmerce.


    To others, the spatial rends within the wormhole would be problematic, but Zhang Lie was able to controlrge quantities of peak-grade lifeforms to be used as manualbor for transporting goods. With valuable alcohol from the alcohol tribe, along with ess to the peoples of the other world, it would be trivial to develop the ninth prince''snd.


    No matter who eventually ascended to the throne, the ninth prince and Zhang Lie would be able to marshall an army strong enough to contest him.


    The king of the realm made noment regarding the ninth prince''s choice. He nodded and said, "The deed to thend will be sent to you within a day."


    "Thank you, your majesty!"


    The king of the realm turned to Zhang Lie. "And what of you, Master Hong?"


    Zhang Lie stood still, as if he hadn''t heard the king.


    "Master Hong?"


    When Zhang Lie failed to respond, the king of the realm shouted, "Master Hong Tianqi!"


    Zhang Lie jolted in shock. The king of the realm was referring to him!


    "Yes, your majesty!" In a moment of thoughtlessness, Zhang Lie had failed to recognize his assumed disguise.


    The king of the realm smiled. "Master Hong, for protecting me and rescuing the second prince, I am obligated to reward you. Although the imperial treasury was ultimately burgled, this disaster would surely have gone far worse if not for your presence, and we may not even have caught the Jindao."


    "In that case, your majesty, I''d like to request the fifth-level beast''s inner core!"


    Zhang Lie''s audacity shocked the gathered officials.


    "What? Don''t you know how many years it takes for a fifth-level beast to appear? If not for his majesty, who could have killed such a beast¡ªand you''re demanding its core?"


    "You''re far too greedy! On what grounds do you make this request?!"


    "Even if you did save his majesty, you''re asking far too much!"


    In the light of this outrage, the king of the realm''s response shocked them all. "Very well."


    The king of the realm was more reasonable about the request¡ªfifth-level beasts were rare, but not so rare as to be non-existent.


    The king of the realm had killed one such beast many years ago. Although their beast cores were rare, to alien races, these cores were nothing more than a convenient battery for energy, nothing more.


    Finally, and most importantly, Zhang Lie had to take partial credit for killing the fifth-level beast. If Zhang Lie hadn''t been around, he might have been able to kill the beast himself, but he would have suffered greatly as a consequence.


    As a result, the king didn''t mind giving up the fifth-level beast core.


    The king of the realm continued, "Just a fifth-level beast core isn''t a sufficient reward. How about bing one of my bodyguards?"


    The court officials were again shocked by the king of the realm''s words. A fifth-level beast core alone wasn''t a sufficient reward? Just what had Zhang Lie done to deserve such an honor? Not only that, the king of the realm had offered to make him a bodyguard!


    This was an indubitable honor¡ªalthough it didn''t confer much in terms of status, Zhang Lie''s new role would be of immense importance when it came to protecting the king.


    Moreover, ever since thest king of the realm''s bodyguards died, that position had remained vacant¡ªthe king of the realm was strong enough that, if there were an opponent he couldn''t handle, neither would any bodyguards he could appoint.


    How strong did Zhang Lie have to be for the king of the realm to offer him such a position himself? Surely he wasn''t joking?


    In this world, the king of the realm was an indomitable existence.


    "I apologize, your majesty, but I''m not interested."


    "Are there any positions that would interest you?"


    All the officials were ncing curiously at Zhang Lie now. He wasn''t a prince who had somehow ended up as amoner, was he? None of them had ever been offered such a choice!


    Zhang Lie''s response, however, again shocked them all. "I''m not interested in a position as an official!"


    Didn''t Zhang Lie care about giving offense to the king of the realm? After all, the king of the realm had just had the Qin n head dragged off to be beheaded...


    The officials were waiting for another show, but the king of the realm''s response was unexpectedly nd. His face lined with regret, he announced, "What a pity. In that case, all I can do is officially confer upon you the title of sage. You shall be responsible for tutoring the ninth prince."


    Was the king going to give up so easily? How differently he was treating Zhang Liepared to the Qian n head!


    None of the officials understood his intentions. After all, most of them hadn''t participated in the royal hunt, and they had no understanding of Zhang Lie''s strength. If they did, they would know why the king of the realm was treating him so cordially.


    "Very well." Zhang Lie, who was the first king of the kingdom of Limit, certainly had no interest in a court appointment in a middle-sized world.


    Upon seeing how quickly Zhang Lie rejected his offer, the king of the realm didn''t press any further. He returned to discussing the incident at the imperial treasury. "Next, an announcement: the Jindao staged a revolt in the capital during the beast stampede, and they burgled the imperial treasury. Three treasures were lost, and we must reim them immediately. I''ve already made use of my authority to lock down the wormholes leading to and from this world."


    One of the officials asked, "Your majesty, which three treasures were taken?"


    "The primordial starflower, a piece of a mysterious map, and half a jade seal."


    "What? The jade seal has gone missing?!" The court officials all suddenly seemed to panic.


    Zhang Lie knew of only one seal that would cause such a disturbance.?The proof of kingship¡­


    The sessor to the king of the realm needed this seal to authenticate his identity. The seal was granted by none other than the will of the world, and it provided a direct link ofmunication with it. Without the seal, the king''s sessor wouldn''t be recognized by the will of the world.


    The king of the realm continued, "I split the seal up into two pieces, one of which I carry with me, and one of which I leave in the imperial treasury, as a precaution against theft."


    Upon learning about this, the court officials and princes all became even more flustered. If they were unable to reim the seal, the session of the throne would forevermore be lost.


    The crown prince stepped forward. "Your majesty, please permit me to reim this seal!"


    The court officials'' eyes widened again. If the crown prince were to seed, he was all but guaranteed to be the king of the realm''s sessor.


    The king of the realm''s eyes shed with appreciation. "Are you certain?"


    "Yes, your majesty! This seal is an emblem of royalty, and we can''t allow it to fall into an outsider''s hands!"

 Chapter 685: Abrupt Refusal

    <h4>Chapter 685: Abrupt Refusal</h4>


    The king of the realm nodded. "Very well. If you''ve made up your mind, I certainly won''t stop you. I have half the jade seal here, and it can allow you to sense the other half automatically. Remember that alien races often have strange and unusual powers. Be cautious, and take whatever manpower you need."


    The crown prince announced, "Your majesty, I would like Master Hong''s support!"


    The king of the realm frowned. "Master Hong isn''t one of my court officials, so you''ll have to ask his opinion. Master Hong, what say you?"


    The king of the realm would be able tomand anyone else in court but Zhang Lie¡ªto the king of the realm, Zhang Lie was immensely strong, so strong that even he didn''t have a good sense of Zhang Lie''s full capabilities. In fact, he even felt a small prick of danger when he focused his attention on Zhang Lie.


    The crown prince turned to Zhang Lie and politely requested, "Master Hong, would you do me the honor of hunting down the jade seal with me?"


    "I apologize, but I refuse," Zhang Lie replied instantly, again startling the court officials.


    To be frank, if Zhang Lie were willing to dedicate all his resources to the task, the Jinghun wouldn''t survive for any more than a few days, but the problem was that he didn''t support the crown prince. If the crown prince were indeed able to recover the jade seal, the king of the realm would likely make him his sessor immediately.


    If Zhang Lie were to help the crown prince do so, the crown prince would certainly be indebted to him when he became king, but Zhang Lie simply didn''t care. Compared to supporting the crown prince,


    Zhang Lie would much rather support the ninth prince, because that was what he had promised.


    When the officials who had thrown their lot in with the crown prince heard Zhang Lie''s abrupt refusal, they were all quite upset. Was Zhang Lie looking down on the crown prince?


    "Who are you to reject the crown prince''s offer? You should be grateful that he''s extending you an offer himself!"


    "You''re just an alien¡ªdo you really think that we need your help?"


    None of the officials who spoke up were present during the royal hunt, because those who were present would surely not have dared speak up. After the royal hunt, even the king of the realm was courteous toward Zhang Lie.


    The crown prince, seething with anger, turned and red at the officials who had spoken to make them shut up. Subsequently, he bowed to Zhang Lie. "Master Hong, thank you for considering my request."


    "Are you unwilling to lend your assistance against the wretched Jinghun n, Master Hong?" the king of the realm asked. He was quite worried about what might happen if the crown prince were to set off alone; if Zhang Lie were apanying him, he didn''t have to worry about anything¡ªit would be the Jinghun''s problem then.


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''m certainly interested in participating, but I believe that the crown prince is acting too rashly."


    ...he certainly couldn''t reveal his true thoughts, that he didn''t want to go because he didn''t want to see the crown prince be the king of the realm.


    Despite the crown prince''s earlier warning re, one of the court officials supporting him retorted, "What exactly do you mean? Bringing back the jade seal is the responsibility of royalty¡ªour responsibility! How dare you im that your cowardice is the crown prince''s rashness!"


    "The crown prince has always thought deeply about his actions, and he''s never rash when he proposes such ns."


    "Refusing an invitation is disrespectful enough, but you''re besmirching his highness''s reputation outright!"


    Zhang Lie smiled wryly. "Don''t you think that the Jinghun are anticipating such a chase?"


    The ninth prince nodded. "Master''s words are very reasonable. By now, the Jinghun should have realized that they only possess half the jade seal, and that his majesty can track them with the other half."


    Zhang Lie concluded, "It''s only to be expected that the Jinghun would have a trap waiting for anyone chasing after them."


    The king of the realm and the crown prince were both silent.


    Finally, the crown prince replied, "In that case, should we allow the thief to leave uncontested, leaving the session of the throne broken forevermore?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, certainly not¡ªbut we don''t have to rush. Leave the wormholes sealed. The Jinghun only have half the seal, and they''ll surely want to im the other half as well. All we need to do is wait¡ªthey''ll certainly find their way back here themselves."


    "For how long?" the crown prince asked.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "That''s difficult to say. At most one or two decades, perhaps?"


    The king of the realm called out, "I''m afraid we cannot leave the jade seal, the emblem of royalty, in the hands of outsiders for so long. Master Hong, state your conditions! What will it take for you to apany the crown prince on this mission?"


    Zhang Lie smiled wryly. "Your majesty, it''s not that I''m unwilling to go, but rather that I''m unable to."


    The king of the realm frowned. Was he refusing even to negotiate?


    "If you don''t mind my bluntness, your majesty, I''m afraid to die!"


    The court officials all began tough, but the princes and those who had participated in the royal hunt did not. They knew of Zhang Lie''s abilities¡ªhow could he, a man whom even the king of the realm respected, be afraid of death?


    The king of the realm sighed. "Fearing death is a natural instinct, and I can hardlypel you to apany the crown prince."


    He understood very well that Zhang Lie''s ''fear of death'' was simply a euphemism¡ªZhang Lie believed that the crown prince would end up falling into the Jinghun''s trap, killing himself and losing his remaining half of the jade seal.


    Zhang Lie bowed. "Your majesty, please allow me to speak bluntly. The piece of the jade seal that remains is your biggest advantage, and you shouldn''t give it up so readily."


    "I will take your analysis into ount," the king of the realm replied coolly.


    "Do you have any suggestions besides waiting?" the crown prince asked Zhang Lie.


    "I can help you interrogate the Jindao, your highness."


    "Interrogate the Jindao?"


    "Indeed¡ªI am certain I can make them speak up!"


    The official responsible for the interrogation harrumphed. "Despite all our efforts, we''ve not been able to get the Jindao to crack. What do you think you can do that we can''t?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t reveal the extent of his abilities. "I can give it a try, but I can''t guarantee sess. All I''ll reveal is that I have special abilities."


    Zhang Lie was certain that his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard was superior to any technique the aliens had.


    The king of the realm nodded. "Very well. Let Master Hong give it a try!"


    Subsequently, the court session was overtaken by quite a few uninteresting affairs regarding the reconstruction of the pce and restoration of the capital, followed by countless trifling affairs rted to the beast stampede in the capital. Zhang Lie found himself almost falling asleep as he listened to the officials recounting their problems.


    After an interminable period of time, when the skies were finally turning dark, did the king of the realm finally dismiss the court.


    Zhang Lie vanished immediately, leaving just an afterimage behind.


    The king of the realm shook his head with a sigh. "Ninth prince, please stay behind. I have some things that I need to discuss with you."


    By the time the ninth prince returned to the pce, Zhang Lie was already asleep. Even so, he woke Zhang Lie up by shaking the bed. "Master, I have a question for you..."


    Zhang Lie yawnedzily. "Ask me tomorrow. I''m far too tired after that dreary session at court."


    "Can''t you go to sleepter, Master?"


    "No..."

 Chapter 686: To the Interrogation Chambers

    <h4>Chapter 686: To the Interrogation Chambers</h4>


    To be frank, Zhang Lie would be fine even if he didn''t sleep at all. As a disaster-grade lifeform, Zhang Lie didn''t need to eat or sleep. Eating just allowed him to maintain bodily function, but given his gene fragments, he would be fine even if he didn''t consume anything for decades, let alone sleep.


    Whether or not Zhang Lie wanted to sleep depended on his mood; he wanted to preserve a shred of humanity, after all.


    After how boring court was today, all he wanted to do was sleep that boredom away¡ªnot because he was tired, but because he wanted to do so.


    The ninth prince eventually gave up shaking Zhang Lie''s bed, and he only woke up deep into the night. By then, the ninth prince had already fallen asleep, and he had left a teful of food for Zhang Lie on the table.


    Zhang Lie had a few bites before thinking back to what had happened that day in court, along with the conversation between the king of the realm and the crown prince.


    A moment''s thought was all that it took for him to be certain that a cmity would descend on the world.


    The next morning, when the ninth prince woke up, Zhang Lie was ncing at him.


    "Did you have something to ask me?"


    The ninth prince nodded blearily. "I have a few questions for you once I wash up, Master!" Once the ninth prince had done so, he sat down by Zhang Lie''s table.


    "Master, I''d like to know why Father wanted to get rid of the Qian n."


    "Didn''t you see at court?"


    The ninth prince replied seriously, "Because he was so angry at my second brother''s death¡ªor his own safety¡ªthat he couldn''t control his rage? But surely he wouldn''t get rid of the three major ns of the capital so simply!"


    "That''s part of it, certainly, but your father isn''t the type to let his emotions cloud his judgment. He truly is incensed, but the Qian n has awork throughout the entire kingdom. At worst, he should have punished the Qian n gravely, but this is too extreme."


    The ninth prince mulled over Zhang Lie''s words. "Do you mean that there''s something I''m missing, Master?"


    "Indeed, the most important reason for the king of the realm''s actions: he''s running out of time."


    The ninth prince was startled.


    "It''s not unusual that you missed it¡ªmost people wouldn''t have noticed."


    "What? How could that be! We all saw in court today that the king''s strength had returned to around its peak level! I couldn''t even bear to look at him directly. Won''t he live for at least two or three more decades?"


    Zhang Lie began tough. "Hah! Given your father''s health, even a few more months might be difficult. It''s precisely because he''s running out of time that he doesn''t need to conserve his strength any longer."


    The ninth prince frowned. "Master, you mean that Father''s just feigning strength?"


    "That''s right. I think he must have been injured after fighting the disaster-grade lifeform. This sort of acting is verymon, and you know your father''s capable of it¡ªjust like how he pretended to be weak for a few decades despite having quite a fair bit of strength left. Now, it''s the opposite."


    The reason he had pretended to be weak was to draw out his opponents, and the reason he was now pretending to be strong was to terrify anyone who had been nning to make a move. The king of the realm was truly a skilled actor.


    "Your father knows that he won''t be able remain king for long, so he has to push the crown prince to be king right now. He has to clear out all the obstacles that might hurt the crown prince''s session, so he''s using the Qian n as an example to prevent the other powers from making a move."


    The ninth prince thought back to what happened at court."No wonder¡ªFather looked to be exasperated and impatient, and I thought that was because the capital had been attacked and he had lost face as a result."


    "In some sense, the Jinghun have helped us. If theplete jade seal were in the king of the realm''s hands, we would have witnessed the crown prince''s coronation within the next few weeks.


    .


    "Now that half the jade seal is missing, if the crown prince is unable to reim it in time, the coronation won''t be able to proceed. This dy is particrly beneficial to us, because it allows you to grow as a candidate."


    The ninth prince nodded. "So that''s why! I was wondering why you didn''t go with the crown prince to seek out the Jinghun, Master."


    "Do you have any other questions?"


    "None rted to court¡ªbut I''d like to know when we''re setting out."


    "Have you received the deed ofnd?"


    "No."


    "In that case, what''s the rush?"


    The ninth prince scratched his head in embarrassment.


    "Join me at the interrogation chambers¡ªwe''ll speak with the Jindao together."


    The ninth prince scrambled to get ready. "Master, what are your ns for developing thend?"


    "We''ll do it by eye."


    With the ninth prince leading the way, Zhang Lie quickly arrived at the interrogation chambers, but the officials responsible for the interrogation were rather unweing. It was only reasonable: Zhang Lie was an outsider with no credentials to his name. If they, trained professionals, were unable to deal with the Jindao, what did this outsider think he could aplish?


    "Don''t make trouble for us, do you hear?"


    "Don''t waste my time. Let''s get going!"


    The two men stared coldly at each other before the official led Zhang Lie into the building, past a set of thick, steel doors. Five Jindao were imprisoned in a cell, wounds striping and scarring their bodies, their skin dyed red with blood. They had clearly been under torture.


    The officialmanded a few servants to upend buckets of water over the prisoners, forcing them awake.


    As the Jindao blearily opened their eyes, they began tough. "You''re here again? Well, keep it upe on!"


    The official folded his arms with a smirk. "Go on."


    Zhang Lie smiled confidently. "Brute force isn''t always the solution, you realize."


    "Oh?" the official retorted. "You don''t think we''ve tried to turn them on each other, to bribe them to talk, to dangle freedom before them?"


    It was precisely because none of these methods had worked that the interrogation was going so poorly.


    "Of course not¡ªbut I have a superior method." Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed with rainbow light as he activated his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard.


    The Jindao''s eyes took on a rainbow sheen.


    Zhang Liemanded, "Reveal all you know about the Jinghun n!"

 Chapter 687: Complete Hypnosis

    <h4>Chapter 687: Complete Hypnosis</h4>


    The Jindao werepletely hypnotized by Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard.


    Like a marite, he began, "The Jinghun are an intelligent race from the Milky Way, and are considered among the hundred strongest races there¡ª"


    Zhang Lie broke him off. "I know all that. What I want to know is whether or not you encountered any of the Jinghun after entering this world."


    The court official in charge of interrogation was shocked¡ªeven their best efforts hadn''t produced any results with the Jindao, but Zhang Lie had gotten them to talk with nothing but words alone.


    "Yes," the Jindao replied.


    "When?"


    "Before the n was enacted, we met with the Jinghun."


    "What did you discuss?"


    "The specifics of the n."


    "Do you know where in this world the Jinghun are hiding?"


    "Within the capital. It''s very likely that they''re in the pce."


    The official''s eyes opened wide, as did the ninth prince''s.?The pce? The king of the realm was right here! How could he not have sensed their presence?


    The official interrupted, "Where in the capital are the Jinghun located? Where in the pce?"


    It would certainly be dangerous for an enemy to be hiding right by the king of the realm. No one but Zhang Lie had considered this possibility; they had underestimated the audacity of the Jinghun n.


    When the Jindao remained silent, the official began to panic. He shook the Jindao violently. "Where are the Jinghun hiding? Tell us!"


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. He had listened carefully to the second prince''s words before the second prince died.


    "It looks like the reason the Jinghun are able to safely ensconce themselves in the capital is because they''re being protected by some stronger force. If I had to guess¡ªprobably a crown prince?"


    The official turned, rmed by Zhang Lie''s seditious remarks. "Do you mean that the Jinghun are supported by one of the princes?"


    "That''s the most likely possibility."


    The Jindao nodded. "You''re correct. The Jinghun are supporting one of the princes."


    "Which one?"


    "We don''t know either," the Jindao replied.


    The official gritted his teeth. "Are you nning on hiding information even at this critical juncture?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "They can''t lie to me at the moment. Presumably, the Jinghun never revealed this information to the Jindao."


    The Jindao replied, "It was Warlord Jin Yu''s hypothesis that the Jinghun were supporting a prince."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his jaw. "It looks like the warlord knows something we don''t, doesn''t he?"


    It wasn''t likely that these grunts would be privy to more sensitive information, after all¡ªwhich made it more of a pity that Zhang Lie had killed this warlord already.


    The official turned around. "I''ll report this to his majesty immediately!"


    Zhang Lie motioned for him to stay. "There''s no rush. Let''s finish the interrogation first."


    Turning back to the Jindao, he asked, "What other forces do the Jindao have on this world?"


    "There are none. The others all left before the betrayal."


    The ninth prince sighed. "They''ve thought of everything, haven''t they?"


    "Give me more specifics about your n."


    "Our goal for helping the second prince was to obtain the primordial starflower, but we found that it would be quite difficult for him to beat the crown prince. Then, the Jinghun suddenly approached us."


    The official summoned the guards standing watch to fetch brush and parchment.


    The Jindao continued, "The Jinghun revealed that they had a n and wanted the cooperation of the second prince. Initially, the second prince refused, but he was ultimately unable to resist the Jinghun''s temptation."


    One of the other Jindao added, "If I recall correctly, the Jinghun said something along the lines of, ''Would you really be satisfied with being a prince, rather than the king, your entire life? Can you really stand the notion of the crown prince stealing your fame and glory? You''re half a step from the throne¡ªwon''t you regret walking away now? You''re no worse than the crown prince!''


    "Naturally, after these words, the second prince couldn''t refuse the Jinghun''s offer.


    "Using the Qian n''swork, the Jinghun were able to imnt their shards on quite a few lifeforms, which they then transported to the hunting grounds. Thanks to the second prince''s authority, nobody doubted or reported their actions to the king of the realm.


    "Right before the n was about to be enacted, the Jinghun found us and suggested that we prepare a safeguard."


    "Is this when you worked out the idea of burgling the imperial treasury?"


    The Jindao nodded. "Both we and the Jinghun n suspected that the king of the realm wasn''t as weak as he appeared. If he truly were that weak, there would be no way to promote the rate of growth of beasts within the hunting grounds."


    "So you made use of the second prince?"


    The ninth prince smiled wryly as he listened to Zhang Lie''s questions. In the end, the second prince, who thought himself a man of wit and cunning, was nothing more than a ything in the aliens'' eyes.


    The Jindao nodded. "The Jinghun also seemed to want something from within the imperial treasury, so our goals were aligned. If the second prince were to seed, we wouldn''t have to do anything; if he were to fail, we would burgle the imperial treasury."


    Zhang Lie summarized calmly, "The Jinghun were responsible were creating the beast stampede targeting the capital, while the Jindao started a revolt within the pce."


    The Jindao nodded. "That''s right. The second prince was essentially a backup n."


    In the end, neither of the alien races had looked favorably on the second prince''s chances.


    There were so many princes that, even if the second prince sessfully killed the crown prince, he was unlikely to take down the others as well. The second prince''s n was, in truth, no more than a delusion on his part.


    The ninth prince frowned. "But you began to act even before matters at the royal hunt concluded."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "They were likely signaled by the Jinghun."


    "Our n was perfect. The king of the realm would be weakened trying to curb the stampede at the royal hunting grounds. It would take him all his strength to rescue the crown prince, subdue the second prince, and finally quell the threat of the disaster-grade lifeform.


    Of course, the best-case scenario would be if the crown prince was killed in the attack, which would have been so heavy a blow to the king of the realm that our chances would have risen dramatically."


    Unfortunately for the Jindao, they hadn''t nned for Zhang Lie''s appearance. The king of the realm was able to focus on the disaster-grade lifeform while Zhang Lie handled the second prince''s treachery.


    Zhang Lie whistled. "Giving up on a warlord for your n¡ªwell, you certainly took quite the gamble."


    "Sacrifice is necessary, because this matter affects our entire n."


    Zhang Lie''s interest was immediately roused. "The primordial starflower can save your entire n?"


    Indeed, the Jindao had dedicated two warlords for this mission alone...


    "Right, because it might be able to get us a higher-grade limit-breaking potion!"


    Upon hearing the words ''limit-breaking potion'', Zhang Lie''s eyebrows rose all the way to his scalp.

 Chapter 688: Independent Research

    <h4>Chapter 688: Independent Research</h4>


    He was the inventor of these limit-breaking potions in this life. At this period in time, he was certain he possessed the most knowledge of these potions out of anyone in the entire gxy¡ªso he was even more astounded to hear about this from the Jindao.


    The Jindao continued, "In order to develop potions suitable for the Jindao, corresponding to the mutated-grade limit fragments provided by Potion #2, any sacrifice is worth it."


    The ninth prince asked Zhang Lie, "Master, what are these limit-breaking potions?"


    There was no one better the ninth prince could have asked.


    The strongest limit-breaking potions in the Milky Way were developed by Zhang Lie alone. He was their inventor and their foremost researcher, and he controlled over eighty percent of the limit-breaking potions avable in the Milky Way, as well as over ny percent of the ingredients and spiritual herbs required for the potions. The remaining ten percent werergely general-use herbs that were avable inrge quantities.


    And yet, despite all his knowledge and his stranglehold on these limit-breaking potions, he had never expected to hear about them from the Jindao in the third realm. He didn''t intend to reveal all this to the ninth prince, however; it would be meaningless.


    Even though Zhang Lie himself didn''t respond, the hypnotized Jindao did it for him. He shouted passionately, "A hero whose intelligence and courage has ovee the very heavens! In the second realm, he overthrew the sura and founded a kingdom of his own, pulling humanity out of the weeds of the weak. He is the champion of mankind and the discoverer of these limit fragments, Zhang Lie!"


    ...Zhang Lie? Champion of mankind, who founded a kingdom in the second realm...??The ninth prince peered at his master, his lips twitching.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t wanted to expose his identity too early on, but now...


    The Jindao exined, "Limit-breaking potions allow you to increase the number of gene fragments you can absorb, raising the upper limit for the entire race as a whole. At present, only the humans have ess to three different limit-breaking potions, whereas the other races of the Milky Way are far behind. With the help of Zhang Lie, several races have begun making headway, but they''ve only developed one such potion so far."


    Zhang Lie frowned. He murmured to himself, "With the help of the limit fragment research society, the one that Amurong had spearheaded? Surely not¡ªif that society were behind all this, the world would have fallen long ago."


    The strongest races of the Milky Way had pooled their assets to fund this society, and destroying a middle-sized world in the third realm was well within their capabilities.


    The Jindao continued, "ording to our investigation of these limit fragments, the primordial starflower will be a vital ingredient for our race''s Potion #2."


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief. "An internal investigation, then..."


    He could hardly have known that the Jindao''s rebellion was all for a limit-breaking potion, but it did make sense. Now that Zhang Lie had published the recipe for his limit-breaking potions, each race waspeting toe up with variants suitable for their consumption.


    "Our n should have been wless. The king of the realm would have rushed back to the capital to deal with the beast stampede along its borders, giving us an opportunity to sneak into the imperial treasury."


    Zhang Lie asked, "What would you have done if the king of the realm had chosen to return to the capital to quell your uprising instead?"


    "Given the king of the realm''s weakness, Warlord Jin Yu would have been able to stall him for long enough for our n to seed. The Jinghun warlord alsoy in ambush."


    Zhang Lie recalled Jin Yu, whom he had fought. Given Jin Yu''s defensive ability, he really might have withstood the king of the realm''s assault for some time, and the Jinghun''s own warlord would have provided critical support.


    However, no one predicted Zhang Lie''s involvement. If not for Zhang Lie, the Jindao and Jinghun''s ns would have seeded already.


    Given Zhang Lie''s understanding of the Jinghun, he believed that they had a third objective in mind: weakening the king of the realm.


    This seemed like an intricate n to Zhang Lie, but it wasmonce for the Jinghun; the second prince, and even the Jindao n as a whole, were both just pieces on a gameboard for them. The Jinghun''s unbelievable ability to scheme and manipte was why they were so hated by one and all.


    Zhang Lie asked the Jindao a few more questions, but was ultimately unable to obtain more information about the Jinghun. He called the interrogation off.


    By now, the official in charge of the interrogation was simpering to him, his original arrogance gone. "Master Hong, I am truly grateful for your assistance. I must report this to his majesty at once¡ªfor the Jinghun to be lurking by a prince''s side is far too dangerous a thought to behold."


    "Hold it." Zhang Lie''s eyes shone with a rainbow gleam, mirrored in the official''s gaze.


    The ninth prince frowned. "Master, what are you doing?"


    .


    "I''m simply removing some information from his head that I''d like to keep a secret."


    For instance, Zhang Lie didn''t want anyone else to know how his mistmeld m soulshard operated. The official had understood it as a form of hypnotism, but Zhang Lie had hidden that understanding away and reced it by something inscrutable; all the official would be able to say was that Zhang Lie used some mysterious technique to get the Jindao to speak¡ªjust like how someone with no knowledge of Chinese might be able to recognize that certain logograms were Chinese characters, but with no idea of what they meant.


    Zhang Lie had preserved his memories but obscured his understanding.


    "We''ve gotten all that we came here for. Let''s go!" Zhang Liemanded.


    The ninth prince asked, "Where to next, Master?"


    "I''m tired. I''m going back to your quarters to sleep."


    He had learned quite a wealth of information from the Jindao, but none of it was particrly actionable.


    However, the king of the realm didn''t give Zhang Lie the opportunity to sleep. The moment they returned to the pce, they received a summons from the king.


    When Zhang Lie arrived at the king''s quarters, the king praised, "To think that the Jinghun were in the pce! You''ve done very well, Master Hong."


    "It was nothing, your majesty."


    "Which prince do you think the Jinghun are working with?"


    "To be frank, we haven''t caught sight of any of the Jinghun to date¡ªwe don''t even know how many of them are present in this world. I don''t have a good guess."


    "How many of the Jinghun would be required to control such arge group of beasts?"


    "At least thirty. More, since they had to cause a havoc in both the hunting grounds and the capital simultaneously."


    "I understand," the king replied, nodding. "Excellent work. I''ve just had the fifth-level beast core extracted, and it''s a convenient time to gift it to you." The king of the realm pped his palms andmanded that the beast core be presented to Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 689: A Massive Improvement

    <h4>Chapter 689: A Massive Improvement</h4>


    The disaster-grade core was golden. It gave off light as bright as a radiant sun, with so much energy gathered near its surface that Zhang Lie felt his palms pricking with pain just by getting close to it.


    Zhang Lie bowed. "Thank you, your majesty!"


    "You''ve now done the kingdom another great service by getting the Jindao to talk. What other reward would you like?"


    The official responsible for interrogation suggested, "Master Hong has a unique technique for dealing with such criminals and suspects. If Master Hong doesn''t mind, how about obtaining a court position working with me?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m too used to my freedom by now."


    The official sighed. "It''s a pity."


    Despite having observed and overseen the entire interrogation, the official still couldn''t make heads or tails of what Zhang Lie had done. He was surely very aplished in the field, with an incredible talent for interrogation.


    The king of the realm nodded. "If you don''t have any ideas at the moment, I can wait. Let me know when you''ve decided what you want."


    "Very well."


    Zhang Lie left the king''s quarters and returned to the ninth prince''s quarters, where the ninth prince badgered him about what the king of the realm had wanted.


    "Nothing much, just a few details about the Jindao. In the next few days, I''m going to be in closed cultivation. Unless something major happens, don''t disturb me."


    The ninth prince nodded.


    When Zhang Lie returned to his room and retrieved the disaster-grade lifeform''s golden core, the radiant brightness shone through even the walls of the estate.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the radiant golden core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound a few times before the transformation wasplete. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated rainbow-colored gic energy from his body into the core.


    It took him an entire hour before he felt the core start to soften. After another ten minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body. Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole.


    As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt as though he were swallowing a flurry of metal shards which prated his throat and exploded in his gic core.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but suck in a prolonged breath, his face turning pale. Subsequently, almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn. Disaster-grade energy swirled around his body, and his blood began to froth and steam.


    Zhang Lie''s blood boiled. Energy ran rampant throughout his body, causing blood to seep out of his pores and boil in the air. A haze of white steam surrounded him.


    The pain was unimaginable, but Zhang Lie''s pain tolerance had been rising sharply. After all, in the second realm alone, he had suffered such pain ten times before.


    Closing his eyes, Zhang Lie began to circte gic energy through his body. As his blood boiled, his body began to glow. It gave off a radiant golden light, dyeing the entirety of the ninth prince''s quarters gold.


    The king of the realm frowned as he turned toward the source of the disturbance. "Have the ninth prince''s quarters be sealed off."


    Zhang Lie''s body seemed to have as much energy as a supernova. A frightening current of energy seemed poised to tear Zhang Lie to shreds, then rebuild him from whatever remained. The disaster gene fragments reformed his body from the inside out.


    Gic energy circted through his framework, faster and faster. As he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light.


    Circting gic energy through his body now took just over half a minute, an incredible and previously unimaginable speed, and his evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the disaster-grade core.


    His body creaked and ached as it reached its breaking point, his bones breaking and regrowing time and again, his capiries bursting beforeing back thicker and thicker. Golden light burst out of his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, singeing his eyeballs and tongue. He shone like a miniature sun. He felt as though a tremendous pressure weighed him down, like a mountain was bnced atop his head.


    A golden pir of light rose into the skies at the eve of his transformation, dyeing the entire capital a shade of gold. Some said that a deity from the heavens was paying the king of the realm a visit; others, that the king of the realm had made a breakthrough; and yet others, that this was the prelude to disaster.


    Even when the beam of light dissipated, the discussion going on within the capital didn''t cease.


    By then, Zhang Lie had reined in the light and concluded his first third-realm disaster gene fragment absorption.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 40; Disaster, 10


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Now that he finally had disaster gene fragments again, Zhang Lie''s strength had increased by leaps and bounds.


    As he stepped outside his chambers, the ninth prince bowed. "Congrattions on your sess, Master."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''m a little hungry. Can you prepare some food for me?"


    "Yes, Master. The third prince is also requesting an audience."


    Zhang Lie nodded again. "Have hime dine with us, then."


    The three of them sat together at a table, the third prince staring angrily at Zhang Lie.


    "You''re leaving the capital?" The third prince was here to discuss the ninth prince''s choice of reward from the king of the realm.


    "There''s no reason to stay in the capital¡ªwhy not leave beforehand?"


    The third prince pressed, "What happened to cooperating with me?"


    "We can do so from beyond the capital."


    "It seems like I''ve erred in my judgment. You don''t have any ambition at all, do you?" The third prince pped a palm on the table, then whirled around and left.


    Zhang Lie continued sipping leisurely at his tea, as though the third prince had never appeared.

 Chapter 690: Packing Up

    <h4>Chapter 690: Packing Up</h4>


    The ninth prince asked, "What''s going on?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "The third prince needs a partner to take down the crown prince together. From the looks of things, the crown prince will sessfully ascend to the throne if he can manage to recover the jade seal, so he wanted to see whether we had any ideas to stop him. However, when you requestednd, you basically signaled your intention to leave the capital and to remove yourself from the battle of session."


    The ninth prince ahhed in understanding. "The third prince was trying to make use of us, Master? But you didn''t give him what he wanted, so he left in disappointment."


    The ninth prince himself was calm. Working together with the third prince was a route to sess, but hardly the only one. Victory and defeat would rest with the crown prince and the Jinghun.


    Zhang Lie said, "As I''ve told you, the Jinghun have basically given us the time we need to prepare. You still have a chance at victory."


    The mountain thaty to the back of the Wang n''snd was known as Jianzu.


    Only a few members of the Wang n were permitted into this restricted area. All those who retired from the Wang n would reside in Jianzu and take on the surname Jian, instead. Few of the n lived in Jianzu, but everyone who did had surpassing talent and strength.


    The Wang n head himself entered Jianzu, stopping at an idyllic patch ofnd halfway up the mountain, where an old man was farming the fields.


    He seemed not at all special. His hair and beard were white, and his skin bronzed from long exposure to the sun. He was just like an ordinary farmer¡ªbut an ordinary farmer on Jianzu was surely extraordinary.


    This was sacred territory for the Wang n; no one who lived on Jianzu was anything less than exceptional, and the more ordinary he seemed, the stronger he had to be.


    The old farmer''s actions were precise and perfect in every respect, and he almost seemed like a robot as he mechanically went about his tasks. His body was perfectly in tune with nature. If the Wang n head weren''t paying attention, he might have overlooked the manpletely.


    He strode to the side of the field and stood silently until the old man finished with his tasks. Only when he had finished everything did the old man wipe his face with the kerchief hanging by his neck.


    He turned to face the Wang n head. "Ah, child! Why have youe over all of a sudden? Surely it''s not to observe my farming techniques?"


    The Wang n head smiled. "Elder, it looks like you''ve passed yet another threshold of strength."


    The old farmer waved a hand. "Not an elder, no¡ªI''m just a in farmer."


    The Wang n head smiled. "Elder, please don''t be modest. When the Wang n suffered trial and tribtion, barely hanging on to ourst lifeline, you were there. If not for your assistance, our n would have been wiped away."


    Before the king of the realm ascended to his throne, the Wang n, who supported the king, made an enemy as strong as ten of the Feng ns. When the Wang n was about to be destroyed by that enemy, an arc of sword energy pierced the heavens and defeated the enemy from afar.


    "I was still nothing more than a child back then. Being able to witness such a divine skill was a tremendous honor."


    Only when he became the Wang n head did he learn about the truth behind Jianzu and its inhabitants.


    The elder wasn''t a genius in his youth, unlike Jian Mo. In fact, his swordwork was only ordinary, and his talent was average. At the time, the Wang n was being threatened by an enemy n. Its geniuses fell in battle; its swordsmen were whittled down. Even the dewielder of the elder''s generation had perished.


    When the elder was sent to the battlefield, his performance was middling at best. He barely eked out a victory each time¡ªor barely escaped, narrowly avoiding death. It was because of thisck of talent that he survived two whole centuries in the n, until a new generation of Wangs revived its strength.


    When the elder retired, he gave up on his sword and retreated to Jianzu, where he farmed and lived off thend, entirely forgotten by the rest of the n. Even when older members of the n retired to Jianzu,they were surprised to see a farmer farming there.


    If not for the elder''s sole strike on the eve of the Wang n''s defeat, no one would have realized that such an undefeatable existence lived on Jianzu.


    The farmer drank from a huge bowl of tea like a cow gulping down water, then sighed infort. "There''s no need to go around in circles. If you''vee to find me, you must have encountered a problem of some sort."


    The Wang n head nodded. "Indeed."


    The old farmer sat down on the earth, then picked up a pipe from nearby. "What''s the problem?"


    "The reputation of the Wang n."


    "I''m not interested."


    The Wang n head frowned. "Elder¡ª"


    The old farmer broke him off. "The Wang n should maintain its own reputation¡ªwhy bother me? One of the reasons everyone who retires to Jianzu changes their name is to sever our rtionship with the Wangs: in hopes that we don''t need to control you and rein you in, and that you kids can learn to develop and thrive outside of our influence."


    "Jian Mo''s dead!"


    The old farmer blinked.


    The Wang n head added, "He was killed by an alien."


    "Oh, that young fellow?" The old farmer took a pinch of tobo and lit it with what seemed like a sh of energy with a swipe of his fingernails. He sighed in satisfaction. As he breathed out a smoke ring, his eyes seemed to grow unfocused. "Who killed him?"


    The old farmer had quite an impression of Jian Mo, a talented young fellow who was unfortunately too enamored with killing. He hadn''t expected that the next time he heard news of him would be about his death.


    "An alien..." the old farmer murmured to himself. "Are aliens these strong nowadays?"


    The Wang n head reported, "The man who killed Jian Mo was called Hong Tianqi, and he''s going to bbe leaving the capital in a few days."


    The old farmer sighed. "It''s been a long time since I left Jianzu. I wonder what the world''s like these days? I think I''ll have a stroll outside."


    The Wang n head bowed deeply in gratitude.


    The ninth prince happily ran back to his quarters with golden parchment in his hands. "The imperial edict is here¡ªand the deed to thend, Master!"


    Zhang Lie nodded approvingly. "Let''s pack up and set off, then."


    In truth, there wasn''t much to clean up. The ninth prince was poor to begin with, and all of Zhang Lie''s possessions were in his extra-dimensional storage. The two of them left the pce carrying nothing. Zhang Lie asked, "Is there anyone you need to say farewell to?"


    The ninth prince rolled his eyes. "Master, you know how I''m treated within the pce."


    "In that case, let''s set off."


    Half a month ago, they had rushed back to the pce; half a month hence, they were leaving without a care. Too much had happened in those two weeks, and the ninth prince''s life had changed irrevocably. A decade and a half of being a prince had hardly aged him as much.


    Thest time he was forced to turn away from the pce, he had been caught in one of his brothers'' ns. This time, he was turning away from the pce of his own ord, chasing an elusive victory.


    The ninth prince of the present and the ninth prince of the past were hardlyparable...


    1. ½£×æ, lit. sword-forefather/ancestor

 Chapter 691: An Old Farmer

    <h4>Chapter 691: An Old Farmer</h4>


    White and Whiter were kept just outside the ninth prince''s pce, alongside Red Comet.


    The food made with the peak- and superior-grade lifeform meat that Zhang Lie and the ninth prince couldn''t finish all went to the three lifeforms. The food had been specially prepared by imperial chefs and was fit for a prince; White and Whiter had both grown fat.


    After consuming so much high-quality meat, the three lifeforms had all grown tremendously. Their bodies boasted far more strength than before, though they had yet to fully absorb and convert that energy to strength.


    Zhang Lie patted White on the stomach. "White, you''ve grown fat! As though you were five months pregnant."


    The ninth prince sighed as he poked at Whiter. "Whiter, if you grow any fatter, you might not be able to move."


    The two ck leopards had gorged themselves without exercise until their bodies had swollen to the size of Persian cats.


    "If you keep growing fatter, you''ll be like Garfield," Zhang Lie warned.


    The ninth prince asked, "What''s Garfield?"


    "A very fat cat."


    White howled in dissatisfaction, either because Zhang Lie had called it fat or because it was announcing that it was a cat.


    Zhang Lie patted him on the head. "Alright, alright. It''s time to get going now."


    Zhang Lie rode on White, and the ninth prince on Whiter. The two leopards howled and leapt forward. Red Comet''s wings whirred as he kept pace with them.


    At the same time, in the imperial pce, the crown prince was getting ready to set off.


    "Are you leaving now?" the king of the realm asked, seated on the throne.


    The crown prince nodded. "My preparations are ready, and it''s time to leave."


    The king of the realm sighed. "It''s a pity that Master Hong was unwilling to apany you. With his help, you would be sure to recover the seal."


    The crown prince seemed a little shocked. "Not even you canmand him, Father?"


    "I''m getting old," the king of the realm sighed.


    The crown prince truly was startled. His father had all but admitted that his strength was inferior to Zhang Lie''s. Perhaps in his prime, he might have been able to coerce Zhang Lie into going on the expedition, but no longer.


    The king of the realm tossed a chest on a table to the crown prince. He caught it, opened it a slit, and saw radiant, multicolored light so bright he was dazzled. He hurriedly shut the chest again.


    The crown prince promised, "I''ll recover the jade seal in its entirety!"


    The king of the realm waved him away. "Go."


    After he left, the king of the realm''s gaze turned icy cold. "It''s well past time to find these Jinghun for myself."


    By then, Zhang Lie and the ninth prince had already departed from the capital.


    Zhang Lie and the ninth prince encountered no trouble on their way to thend the king of the realm had bequeathed them. As they passed by a city and recalled the day they met Wang Jian, the ninth prince''s eyes lost focus for a moment. He asked, "Master, do you remember this road?"


    "A little, I think."


    "You killed the Wang n''s dewielder right here." The ninth prince pointed before them, only to find a farmer standing where Wang Jian had once stood. He was seated on a stool and leisurely smoking a pipe.


    Zhang Lie and the ninth prince immediately tried to steer clear to prevent a collision, but the old farmer halted them with a wave of his arm, sending a streak of sword energy forward and barring their path. Zhang Lie deflected the blow with water-attuned gic energy at his fingertips.


    The old farmer asked, "The ninth prince and Master Hong, correct?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Who sent you here?"


    The old farmer raised his head and looked at the sky, as though he couldn''t hear Zhang Lie''s question. "It''s been a few decades since I left the mountain. This time, I realized that the world has truly changed. The king of the realm has grown old, and the capital was actually attacked! Quite a few alien forces have gathered within¡ªI can''t imagine it. In my time, there was only ever the Yinlian."


    Zhang Lie frowned. The farmer before him had no aura whatsoever, and he seemed to be perfectly ordinary. His hair and beard were white, and his skin bronzed. He seemed to be the quintessential image of a farmer.


    However, he seemed perfectly attuned to nature, with shes of sword energy asionally visible from his aura.


    "You''re truly strong," Zhang Lie remarked. He hadn''t expected to see such a master of the sword around. "Are you from the Wang n?"


    He had made many enemies in this world, but only one n stood out for its prowess with the sword.


    "I''m from the Jian n," the old farmer rified.


    Zhang Lie contemted his words. "Because of Jian Mo, or because of the third prince?"


    Those were the only two incidents he could think of that would prompt such a response.


    "It''s been a long time since I participated in worldly affairs. Jian Mo died because his skills weren''t up to par; it''s a pity, but it was well deserved. However, as a senior member of the Jian n, I can''t simply let his death go so easily. That''s why I''m here today.


    "I''ve been on a mountain for decades, and I''m quite curious as to the world''s strength atrge. If you can defend against one of my blows, I''ll annul whatever grudge lies between my n and you."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Sounds like a bargain for me."


    "Will you give it a try?"


    "I will. I''m quite curious about your strength."


    A bamboo pole appeared in the farmer''s hands. It was a perfectly ordinary pole, but the moment the farmer picked it up, his aura changed. He transformed from an old farmer into a swordsman of yore. No sword energy billowed from him; all of it had already seeped into heaven and earth.


    The breeze that blew by was a de; the water vapor in the air was a de. A leaf spun around by the wind was a de. The earth in the ground was a de; the cloud passing through the sky was a de. With the old farmer at its center, a world of des shot toward Zhang Lie.


    As the des split the air, the trees around Zhang Lie fell one by one.


    Zhang Lie didn''t move. He stood still, and the sword energy dissipated all around him. Zhang Lie seemed like a tall mountain, a vast sea, a starry sky, an imprable gxy. Just his aura alone was able to suppress the sword energy emanating from the old farmer.


    "Very interesting. It''s been too long since I met an opponent of this caliber. Jian Mo didn''t die in vain," the old farmer remarked.


    Killing intent surrounded the old farmer, pouring into the bamboo pole he was using as a sword. The pole exploded, and the killing intent manifested in the form of a ck de.


    With just one nce, Zhang Lie identified that the old farmer''s sword style was exactly the same as Jian Mo''s, though there was a marked difference between the old farmer''s technique and Jian Mo''s, or even Wang Jian''s.


    .


    When facing thetter two swordsmen, Zhang Lie found it difficult to identify whether it was the man controlling the sword, or the sword controlling the man. Killing intent had corrupted their mind and soul; Jian Mo''s corruption, in particr, had been absolute.


    However, the old farmer had mastered the technique with the wisdom of age and experience. His de killed not for the sake of ughter, nor for the sake of worldly affairs, but by whim and whimsy alone...

 Chapter 692: The Kings Death

    <h4>Chapter 692: The King''s Death</h4>


    In other words, the old farmer''s understanding of the de had reached a level that neither Jian Mo nor Wang Jian could ever hope to replicate. He manifested a de with his own aura as support, then spurred it forward with killing intent.


    Zhang Lie leisurely stretched out two fingers.


    The ninth prince grew rmed. Even he felt that Zhang Lie was taking the farmer''s attack too lightly. He knew how strong Zhang Lie was, and he was certainly very confident in Zhang Lie, but could he really survive this blow with just two fingers?


    Even he, hardly a swordsman at all, could sense the burgeoning power behind the blow.


    The old farmer''s swordsmanship was extraordinary. It wouldn''t be a problem for Zhang Lie to defend against the blow, but doing so with just two fingers was the height of arrogance.


    The de struck Zhang Lie''s fingers with a clink. The ninth prince watched the confrontation warily¡ªwas Zhang Lie really going to seed?


    With two fingers, he was pincering the ck de. Gic energy erupted from his body and was transferred to his fingers. He gave off the impression of a mountain so tall it touched the heavens, a sea so vast it was without end.


    The waves of the sea battered the ck de until a crack marred its surface.


    The old farmer''s eyebrows rose. Ever since he had attuned himself with nature, none had been able to block his blows.


    However, Zhang Lie seeded in doing so where all others had failed.


    "Two fingers are enough," Zhang Lie stated, his tone calm, as though he had done nothing more strenuous than pluck a flower from the roadside.


    The old farmer''s will seemed immense, but the sword¡ªthe bamboo pole¡ªwas perfectly ordinary. As long as Zhang Lie could block all that sword energy, he had nothing to fear. Of course, overwhelming the farmer''s will was hardly easy; only Zhang Lie could do it so readily.


    The old farmer nodded to himself. "You''re indeed very strong. As promised, the feud ends here."


    "Hm? I don''t think I said you could leave, did I?" Zhang Lie''s voice remained calm even as he threw a punch at the old farmer. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Ripples of air formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, growing more and more intense as Zhang Liebined spatial force with his water-attuned gic energy.


    Wind blew all around the twobatants. The trees that hadn''t fallen from the farmer''s blow were now uprooted whole. Even the ninth prince was unable to remain standing. Luckily, Whiter moved quickly and bit him by the hem of his clothes, anchoring him to the ground.


    White, Whiter, and Red Comet all hunkered down as they retreated.


    The attack seemed to have drawn the attention of even the will of the world. As Zhang Lie infused more energy into his arm, the entire world seemed to shake.


    Zhang Lie''s aura rose rapidly. The water-attuned gic energy swirling around him condensed around his arm, kneading space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    The old farmer frowned, his heart pumping. Had he underestimated this opponent?


    Zhang Lie continued charging up his punch, packing what seemed to be an entire sea of energy in one blow.


    "I defended against your de; now, you''ll defend against my fist."


    The sea devoured everything in sight.


    The old farmer struck with a thrust, trying to split the torrent of watering his way into two. However, he hadn''t realized just how frightening and dense the attack was. This sort of attack wasn''t something a person could defend against; it was a blow that could spell doom to the entire world.


    Against the torrent ofpressed water, the farmer''s attack was meaningless.


    The old farmer struck forward with a dozen shes, each of which would have felled a premier fighter of the era¡ªbut even a dozen, then six dozen, then over a hundred such shes could hardly mitigate the force of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    As the flood was on the brink of swallowing up the old farmer, ck sword energy burst forth from him, shattering everything around him.


    By sacrificing his strength, the old farmer forcibly stopped the attack short¡ªbut Zhang Lie''s attack was more sophisticated than that.


    Zhang Lie emerged from the torrent of water, hsi fist still clenched tightly shut.


    The sky began to crack as the umted energy in Zhang Lie''s fist reached a critical threshold. As he punched forward, the old farmer flew out into the distance, blood pouring out from his mouth and tracing an arc in mid-air. He fell to the ground limply, spasming a few times before turning still.


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Do you really think that I, Zhang Lie, would be so easy to subdue? You should have been prepared to suffer the consequences of defeat!"


    Zhang Lie grabbed the old farmer by the neck. Before he could shut his eyes for thest time, Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed with rainbow light as he activated his mistmeld m soulshard.


    Very quickly, the old man''s gaze took on a rainbow sheen. Zhang Lie subsequently tossed the old man back down and threw him a vial of Yeluo restorative.


    When the old farmer drank the potion, his wounds recovered quickly.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What''s your name?"


    "I have many names, most lost to time. Two centuries ago, I was known as a dewielder, then subsequently as an elder and a farmer. Now, they all call me Jian Zu, and I''ve forgotten my original name."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Very well. From today onwards, you''ll be known as Jian Nong."


    The old farmer bowed. "Thank you for granting me a name, Master."


    After subduing Jian Nong, Zhang Lie motioned for White and Whiter toe over. Neither leopard dared resist, though they were still skeptical about the old farmer.


    The ninth prince, stupefied by what he had witnessed, immediately asked Zhang Lie, "What happened to him?"


    "Nothing. From today onwards, Jian Nong here will be your bodyguard," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Jian Nong?! Alright..." The ninth prince didn''t think it was wise to continue questioning Zhang Lie, lest he reveal something too shocking for the ninth prince toprehend.


    After Jian Nong, no one else barred Zhang Lie''s path. He and the ninth prince headed to the city closest to thend they had just acquired. As they drew close to the city, the ninth prince couldn''t help but ask, "Master, how are we going to develop thend?"


    "There''s no rush. Let''s see what the nearby cities are like first."


    The party wandered around the border of theirnd through the neighboring cities and viges. Zhang Lie spread his rainbow mist wherever they went.


    All sorts of aplished craftsmen and masters of their trade left in pursuit of Zhang Lie, their entire families in tow, toward the ninth prince''s new territory.


    "What are your ns, Master?" the ninth prince pressed again.


    "The most important issue we have to deal with right now is manpower and talent. Trying to acquire these through regr means would take far too long, and extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary action."


    Zhang Lie had hypnotized arge number of the indigenous citizens of the kingdom to help the ninth prince construct a city.


    "I have ns for the city''syout and structure. With so much manpower, it should be finished in no time at all."


    Just as the citizens wereying out the foundations for what would eventually be the ninth prince''s city, however, the skies turned blood-red. Mourning cries echoed over the horizon, as though the entire world were grieving a loss. The ninth prince stood stock-still, disbelief radiating through his features.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s going on?"


    "Master, my father is dead!"


    1. Å©, lit. farmer

 Chapter 693: Preparing for a Counterattack

    <h4>Chapter 693: Preparing for a Counterattack</h4>


    Let time rewind until the third day since the crown prince left the capital.


    The king of the realm, as usual, was dealing with paperwork in his study. He rubbed his brows and murmured to himself, "I truly am getting old, aren''t I..."


    He had heard nothing from the crown prince over thest three days, and he couldn''t help but be a little worried. However, there was nothing he could do but await the news of his return.


    Just what were the Jinghun doing? Were they really in the capital? ording to the half of the jade seal he had remaining, there were no Jinghun in the capital at all.


    No one knew that the crown prince''s half of the jade seal was fake. The king of the realm didn''t dare trust the crown prince with such a precious object; in other words, the crown prince was just bait for the Jinghun.


    The king of the realm was mulling over what to do next when a servant came by bearing a bowl of soup. "Your majesty, the imperial chefs have prepared a thousand-year-old lotus soup for you."


    The king of the realm frowned. "I don''t believe I ordered them to prepare it."


    The servant replied, "We servants requested it upon seeing how tirelessly you were working, your majesty."


    "Is that so?"


    The king slowly reached out to the soup¡ªbut he dropped his hand immediately upon seeing a sh of malice in the old servant''s eyes.


    "Leave it be. I don''t have the habit of drinking soup at night."


    The servant seemed to turn anxious. "Yes, your majesty! I''ll pour it away immediately!"


    "It would be a pity, wouldn''t it? Too wasteful to just discard it¡ªwhy don''t you drink it instead?" The king of the realm grabbed his servant''s neck and poured the soup down his throat.


    The servant clutched his neck in pain as he keened. His face gradually turned ck, and his body withered.


    The king of the realm sighed. "Two whole decades¡ªand you betrayed me at thest."


    "Save me, your majesty..." The servant reached out weakly with a hand before slumping to the ground.


    ps resounded throughout the pce as a man slowly made his way inside. "Impressive, very impressive! To think that the king of the realm would remain so wary even in his advanced age! I must say, we''ve underestimated you."


    If he was nervous, the king of the realm didn''t disy it. He narrowed his eyes at the unwee intruder, whose body wasposed entirely of white, translucent, crystalline matter. Within the crystal were arcs of light which darted back and forth throughout its interior.


    The king of the realm asked, "Are you a Jinghun, then?"


    The man introduced himself. "I am Ren Kunjing, 56th warlord on the rankings, and I''d like to have that half of the jade seal that remains in your possession."


    The king of the realm shook his head. Unfortunately, I don''t have that half of the jade seal with me."


    "You might be able to fool others, but not this." Ren Kunjing took out the half of the jade seal that he possessed. It was a huge block of jade, the size of his fist, with half a soaring dragon carved on it¡ªits other half was on that part of the jade seal that the king of the realm possessed.


    Upon seeing the other half of the jade seal, the king of the realm''s eyes brightened. "Excellent! I hadn''t expected that the Jinghun would hand the jade seal back so easily. I suppose I have to ept this gift, don''t I? Though I am curious as to why I had been unable to sense the seal until now."


    "That''s simple, isn''t it? The jade seal wasn''t in this world until moments ago, and not even the king of the realm would be able to sense it."


    "So you brought the jade seal to another world... well, none of that is important. Now that both halves of the jade seal are present, the proof of kingship is once againplete."


    "Indeed?"


    A sh of blinding light disoriented the king of the realm. Subsequently, before he could do anything, the aging king found his head dismembered from his body.


    Zhang Lie and the ninth prince heard about the news from the badly wounded crown prince. They were astounded to see him so badly injured, and even more so once he had ryed the news of the king''s passing.


    The crown prince then summarized to them what had happened.


    The Jinghun, having sessfully acquired the jade seal in its entirety, hoisted the eighth prince to the throne. By the time the crown prince found out about the incident, it was already toote. He had no choice but to rush back overnight with the troops defending the border.


    Simultaneously, the other princes, the two indigenous ns, and the Heijie and Yinlian, all attacked¡ªbut none of them could defeat the Jinghun, and they were ughtered almost to thest.


    The ninth prince asked, "What about Father? What happened to him?"


    The crown prince replied, "You saw the heavenly phenomena, didn''t you?"


    The skies had turned blood-red, the will of the world itself cried out in sorrow...


    The ninth prince sank to the ground. "In that case, Father has really passed away..."


    Zhang Lie asked, "What of the other princes?"


    The crown prince shook his head, and Zhang Lie frowned. "What does that mean?"


    "The eighth prince sentenced them all to death!"


    The ninth prince''s eyes widened. "What happened to our eighth brother?"


    "He''s not our brother anymore¡ªjust a puppet of the Jinghun."


    The ninth prince didn''t understand. "Why did the Jinghun make the eighth¡ªhim be the king?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "He''s the easiest to control, undoubtedly."


    The crown prince added, "Before Father died, he made a change to the rules of session as a safeguard: only those who were rted to him by blood could be the king of the realm."


    For this amendment to dissolve on its own after his death would take anywhere between a hundred to a thousand years, and the Jinghun can''t afford to wait that long.


    Furthermore, the Zijing turned out to be a subordinate race to the Jinghun!"


    Zhang Lie hmmed. "Interesting that they would make a move right after I left..."


    The crown prince sighed. "Master Hong, if you had been present, you might have been able to prevent this tragedy!"


    The ninth prince asked, "Master, what should we do now?"


    "Kill our way back, of course!" Zhang Lie replied immediately.


    The crown prince said, "As part of the ceremony for the eighth prince to inherit the throne, the Jinghun will host avish celebration in the capital, and that''s our best opportunity to strike. It''s ted for four days'' time, and if we rush back now, we''ll just barely make it. However, there''s one big problem¡ª"


    The ninth prince turned to Zhang Lie. "Master, how confident are you in your abilities?"


    The crown prince added, "The strongest forces of our world were unable to take down the Jinghun. Can you seed?"


    Zhang Lie coolly replied, "With the king of the realm dead, no one in this world can stop me."


    His eyes radiated a rainbow gleam.


    Jian Nong suddenly interrupted, "What happened to the Wang n?"


    The crown prince frowned. "You''re, you''re¡ªthe famed forefather of the Jian n?!"


    Jian Nong asked, "Oh? You recognize me?"


    The crown prince bowed to him. "How could I forget you, Elder?"


    Jian Nong shook his head. "I''m no elder. I used to be a farmer, and now I take care of cats." Jian Nong had spent his days in captivity looking after White and Whiter.


    The crown prince couldn''t help but stare at Zhang Lie in shock. Was this an borate joke? The man in front of him was clearly the esteemed elder of the Wang n, he who was the strongest demaster of this generation! How could he be a cat caretaker?!


    1. Surprise, surprise...

 Chapter 694: Storming the City by Force

    <h4>Chapter 694: Storming the City by Force</h4>


    The crown prince''s voice was tinged with excitement. "With your help, Elder, I''m sure we''ll have a good chance at sess."


    Jian Nong''s expression remained calm. "You haven''t yet responded to my question. How is the Wang n now?"


    "Elder, the Wang n worked together with us to resist the Jinghun, but we were ultimately all defeated. I don''t know what happened in the end, but with Jianzu protecting the Wang n, I suspect the n territory is still safe."


    Zhang Lie instructed, "We set off immediately. We''ll deal with all this mess before the eighth prince is crowned."


    It took them only two days to return to the capital, but by then, the Jinghun had already taken control over it all.


    As they nced toward the city walls from afar, the crown prince asked, "What should we do nex¡ª"


    Before the crown prince could finish his question, Zhang Lie was already taking action.


    Ripples of air formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, growing more and more intense as Zhang Liebined spatial force with his water-attuned gic energy. The streams of water revolved more and more quickly around his wrist, augmented by the two streams of energy, summoning what seemed to be a massive whirlwind. The crown prince stepped forward and shouted, "Hold on!"


    However, he was toote.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, that energy erupted in a flood, arcing through the air and swamping the entire capital like a giant tsunami.


    When the guards on the city walls saw what was happening, their faces turned rmed. "An enemy attack!"


    However, their voices were drowned out by the flood of water, which crashed against the tall, sturdy walls of the capital and broke a gigantic gap through it.


    The crown and ninth princes stood frozen in shock. The capital, which had survived all manner of assault for millennia, had just been broken through by Zhang Lie. How many enemies had the wall stopped? How much invaders'' blood had the wall absorbed? And yet, despite all that, the wall crumbled with just one punch.


    The walls were hardly shoddy; Zhang Lie was just too strong.


    The entire capital shook in the aftermath of the punch. After the flood of water, the water-attuned gic energy exploded through the air, sending pulses of energy that covered the entire capital. It seemed almost as if a disaster-grade lifeform had gone on a rampage within the capital, sending wind and rain so strong that some of the guards were blown straight off the walls.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy shot through the gap in the walls and annihted whatever it touched.


    As the hurricane revolved, the buildings nearest the pce were uprooted and sent flying. Pirs of shattered stone and balconies of wood whipped through the air, and even the pce infrastructure became unstable.


    The crown and ninth princes continued watching the aftermath of the attack in shock.


    Behind the walls stood nothing but rubble. None of the guards who were patrolling the walls were anywhere to be found; they had either been blown away or had fallen to the ground as the walls did.


    The crown prince''s lips twitched. "Master Hong, we came here in order to prevent the Jinghun''s dastardly ns, not to destroy the capital."


    "I know!"


    The crown prince felt as though he were about to pull out his hair.?You know? And yet you still punched down the city walls? Don''t you know how much damage that would cause to the city''s foundations?


    Zhang Lie knew what the crown prince was thinking, but he was unperturbed. "I simply want to resolve this problem as quickly as possible."


    The crown prince retorted, "Your attack would have drawn the attention of all our enemies! You¡ªhold on, was that your intent?"


    The crown prince realized that Zhang Lie really was trying to deal with everything with brute force alone¡ªand indeed as quickly as he promised.


    Quite a few members of the Zijing and some of the scalemen rushed over to check out the problem.


    Neither of the two princes were surprised to see some of the scalemen working with the eighth prince. Despite the fact that the eighth prince was in cahoots with the Jinghun, he was still a prince in his own right, and he held the jade seal that was proof of kingship.


    The Zijing were formed out of purple crystals. They and the apanying scalemen rode out to the site of the incident on superior- and peak-grade mounts. There were three hundred or so Zijing and a few tens of thousands of scalemen, but they were less frightening than the mounts that they rode.


    Likely, over half the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms in the entire world were gathered in the capital of this kingdom.


    The Jinghun had prepared for this takeover for years, decades even, and they wouldn''t allow for anyone to get in their way. The stampede that had urred at the royal hunt was nothingpared to what came at Zhang Lie and the others now.


    One of the Zijing leaders rode up to them. "Hah! To think you woulde running back here¡ªwe were wondering how to chase you down."


    One of the scalemen shook his head. "All your guards who gave up their lives for you to escape, crown prince, and here you are again! They''ve wasted their sacrifice!"


    The crown prince shouted, "Where''s the eighth prince?"


    "His majesty is preparing for his coronation with Warlord Ren Kunjing."


    "Let that bastarde out here!"


    The Zijing leader smiled. "Why don''t you and the ninth princee into the city instead? Come witness the eighth prince''s coronation."


    The ninth prince frowned. "This is improper¡ªthe king of the realm hasn''t received a proper burial, and you''re already trying to hold a coronation?"


    "The kingdom can''t go without a king for too long, after all."


    The crown prince frowned. "Having no prince on the throne would be better than having the eighth prince there."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Why bother trying to reason with them? We''ll fight our way in."


    The Zijing leader grew noticeably displeased. "Do you think you can get through me? I''m the 99th warlord on the leaderbo¡ª"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, shattering space and causing a massive explosion that struck at the very will of the world. Another boom of energy rippled through the capital, and the 99th warlord disappeared from the face of the world.


    "This trash is fit to be a warlord?"


    Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] was more destructive than a hurricane. Even before the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms could do anything, they were blown away along with the Zijing and scalemen mounted on them. The Zijing''s bodies disintegrated in midair, as did the scalemen who had sided with the Jinghun.


    The will of the world''s voice continuously rang out in Zhang Lie''s head as he received notifications for his kills, but Zhang Lie ignored them all...

 Chapter 695: Destruction in the Capital

    <h4>Chapter 695: Destruction in the Capital</h4>


    Only then did the turncoat scalemen guards regret siding with aliens and the eighth prince. They had received no advantage to doing so. They were sent out as cannon fodder against Zhang Lie, where they were quickly annihted.


    The effect of Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] set off explosions through the streets, as though he hadunched a cannon rather than punched with his fist. Even then, not all the energy from the attack had dissipated. As the attack spread through the capital, the ground began to cave in.


    The entire capital seemed to have sunk by a few dozen centimeters, and the area directly in front of Zhang Lie and the two princes had turned into a huge, abyssal pit whose bottom couldn''t be seen.


    It seemed to stretch endlessly, and neither prince could make out any of the flesh or blood that had surely fallen in. Their foreheads began to bead with sweat. The crown prince, in particr, hadn''t seen the extent of Zhang Lie''s strength.


    The only blow of Zhang Lie he had witnessed was within the hunting grounds. He knew that Zhang Lie was strong, but not this ridiculously strong. Was Zhang Lie truly still a biological lifeform? He was a monster! Just one punch had decimated thousands of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms, along with countless scalemen and the warlord of the Zijing.


    The crown prince was certain that Zhang Lie had been hiding his strength during the royal hunt¡ªwhat he was disying now was his true strength.


    If the crown prince were to learn that Zhang Lie hadn''t been hiding his strength during the royal hunt, and had instead grown this much between the royal hunt and the present, he would be even more shocked.


    By now, Zhang Lie had maxed out his superior and peak gene fragments¡ªand not just the standard 100 fragments, either, but also the 50 limit fragments for each type. All that,bined with his ten disaster gene fragments, meant that he was at apletely different level of strength inparison to his previous self.


    Indeed, trying topare Zhang Lie to his past self was an insult; they were simply iparable in terms of strength.


    Would anyonepare a regr-grade lifeform to a disaster-grade one, or an ant to a dragon? If Zhang Lie were to encounter Warlord Jin Yu again, he would be able to crush him before the warlord could activate his defensive abilities.


    Even the ninth prince, who had remained by Zhang Lie''s side all along, was surprised by the strength he could marshal. Jian Nong ho,se;f was sweating. He was very d Zhang Lie hadn''t fought him seriously, or he wouldn''t have been able to survive.


    Just as the crowd stood stupefied by Zhang Lie''s attack, a beam of light pierced the skies from the center of the capital. The formless will of the world descended from the heavens.


    The crown prince grew rmed. "The ceremony''s about to begin!"


    The eighth prince and the Jinghun''s actions were faster than predicted. Zhang Lie and the others had rushed over at their fastest speed in order to stop them before the ceremony could begin, but the eighth prince and the Jinghun had sped up as well to prevent such an urrence.


    Inheriting the position of the king of the realm required the will of the world''s agreement. The eighth prince would have had to let the will of the world familiarize itself with him bymunicating with it through the jade seal, and this was a process that would normally have taken three days or so. The eighth prince and Jinghun had, however, worked so quickly that their preparations were allplete.


    "Regardless, I got here in time!" Zhang Lie leapt off the ground straight for the heart of the capital, followed by White and Whiter.


    As they grew closer to the pir of light, they saw a gigantic altar¡ªan elevated stage¡ªaround which the Jinghun andrge numbers of court officials were gathered. Atop the stage, the eighth prince held the jade seal high over his head with both hands. A beam of light emanated from the seal and struck the skies, sending feathers of light floating down and dancing around the eighth prince, a sign of the will of the world''s attention.


    Ren Kunjing turned to the unwee intruders and jeered, "Crown prince, you were toote!"


    The eighth prince''s body slowly rose into the skies. The crown prince gritted his teeth and yelled out, "Damn it, the link to the realm is starting!"


    The eighth prince roared inughter. "Eldest brother, I was nothing to you before. No one thought well of me, and everyone thought well of you. Even so, I''m the victor today!"


    "You, who killed your brothers and your father¡ªno bastard like you will ever call yourself my brother!"


    The eighth prince shouted back, "When I take on the authority of the king of the realm, I''ll sentence you all to death!"


    "Aren''t you ashamed? Joining hands with aliens to kill your own father¡ªhow can you stand to face us at all?"


    "You think you''re so great after doing well in the royal hunt, ninth brother? You''re nothingpared to me, nothing!"


    The ninth prince grew so angry his eyes were almost bulging. "Wake up, eighth brother! The Jinghun are just treating you like a puppet¡ªthey''re making use of you!"


    The eighth prince grinned disdainfully. "Look how jealous you are! Scram¡ªsince you''re so weak, I won''t mind sparing your life.


    Otherwise, just you wait until I be the king of the realm. I''ll destroy both of you together if you continue opposing me!"


    Zhang Lie said not a word. He lifted his arm and punched forward. Gic energy transformed into a frightening dragon, one which rushed toward the eighth prince with domineering authority. It broke through the sound barrier, sending peals of thunder around the capital.


    Ren Kunjing leapt into the air and moved to defend against Zhang Lie''s attack, but he couldn''t stop Zhang Lie''s gic energy from exploding in mid-air, spreading out around him like a hurricane of water. Howling gales and a maelstrom of water terrorized the capital, sending buildings flying through the air. The altar splintered and cracked, and the eighth prince barely maintained his footing.


    Ren Kunjing tried his best to disrupt the flood. However, despite being pushed back by Zhang Lie''s dragon, he ultimately sent the dragon, who had been heading straight to the altar, flying up into the air, whereupon it exploded in a sharp burst of light.


    The crown and ninth princes were incredibly shocked to see Ren Kunjing deal with one of Zhang Lie''s punches seemingly unharmed, but no one could see that Ren Kunjing''s hands were still trembling, that there were cracks spiderwebbing through the crystalline substance that made up his body.


    Furthermore, he had hardly countered or neutralized the attack, just diverted it.


    He frowned and asked coldly, "Who are you?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond to his question. Instead, he looked him up and down and asked, "Are you a Jinghun?"


    Ren Kunjing snorted. "With this level of skill, you certainly can''t be nameless. I''ve met all the warlords ranked above mine, but I''ve never heard of the likes of you."


    The eighth prince continued floating in mid-air. Wisps of formless energy cradled him as the jade seal radiated with light. A multicolored heart manifested, releasing dazzling rays of rainbow light with every thump.


    The heart slowly descended into the eighth prince''s chest, trailing rainbow skeins of light.


    This was the heart of the world! It granted its bearer the authority and might of the king of the realm, and it was currently assimting with the eighth prince''s body. Once the assimtion wasplete, he would be the true king of the realm...

 Chapter 696: Kneel!

    <h4>Chapter 696: Kneel!</h4>


    "Haha, I can feel it already¡ªan immense, boundless power! I''m merging together with the very world itself... is this the power of the king of the realm?"


    The eighth prince roared inughter, causing the crown prince to be more and more agitated.


    The ninth prince didn''t know how to stop the eighth prince by this point, either.


    Ren Kunjing narrowed his eyes. "No matter who you are, once the eighth prince is crowned, we''ll have won."


    One of the Jinghun shouted, "Wouldn''t it have been better for you to hide out in who-knows-where? And yet you came right back here to die! I really don''t understand how some people think. We''ve made more preparations for the sess of our n than you could ever hope to ovee."


    Just as the Jinghun thought that they had grasped victory, the eighth prince''s body suddenly began to expand.


    "What''s going on? What''s happening to me?" The eighth prince''s body ballooned, as though massive tumors had begun growing out of his body.


    Even the Jinghun around the stage had no idea what was happening.


    "Hold on, hold on! I don''t want to be the king of the realm anymore!" The eighth prince began to shriek in an attempt to stop the ceremony, but it was already toote.


    Now that the ceremony was in progress, there was no stopping it.


    The eighth prince''s body grewrger andrger, like a squirming meatball, as the rainbow heart continued pouring energy into his body.


    Finally, as the eighth prince''s body grew past a critical threshold, it exploded, scattering bits of blood and flesh all over, as though he were a rotten watermelon.


    The jade seal fell to the ground.


    Everyone stared at the stage with shock and horror. The jade seal, dyed red with blood, gave off an eerie, otherworldly light, as though it had been cursed.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "As expected."


    When Ren Kunjing came to his senses, he gasped, "A trap left behind by the king of the realm!"


    The crown prince, who seemed to have thought of something, suddenly raised his head to the skies andughed.


    Ren Kunjing frowned, dissatisfaction evident on his face. "What are youughing at?"


    The crown princeughed again. "At your stupidity."


    "What do you know?"


    The crown prince countered, "Do you know why princes must learn to cultivate?"


    One of the Jinghuns hedged, "Isn''t it to allow the princes to protect themselves better?"


    "It''s to be able to handle the strength afforded the king of the realm," the ninth prince murmured in realization, surprising both Ren Kunjing and the crown prince.


    The crown prince nodded. "Father told me about this once. The king of the realm is peerless, but assimting this strength into your body requires that you be strong in your own right as well."


    Ren Kunjing''s face turned pale. He knew where the Jinghun had gone wrong now¡ªand, given the faces the Jinghun were making, so did the rest of them.


    The crown princeughed even more wildly. "What a joke, what a joke! You Jinghun allowed the eighth prince to do whatever he wanted in order to make him easier to control, but you also caused him to give up on his cultivation.


    "Weren''t you all confident in your n? That you would seed even if the eighth prince was so weak he couldn''t even kill a chicken? But none of you realized that a weak piece of trash like him wouldn''t be able to absorb the realm''s power, did you? Haha!"


    Ren Kunjing''s abashed expression quickly dissipated. "So what if we''ve lost the eighth prince? He was nothing but a piece of trash¡ªand we have two other princes right here!"


    His words jolted the other Jinghun out of their reverie. "Indeed, the eighth prince was a piece of trash! Weid down all the groundwork for thisd to take the throne, but he couldn''t aplish even that much."


    Ren Kunjing immediately changed his target to the two remaining princes. "Crown prince, ninth prince, are either of you interested in bing the king of the realm? All you need to do is step up onto the stage and pick up the jade seal. There''s no need for any more fighting¡ªeverything''s right here for you."


    The crown prince''s eyes widened. He hesitated.


    The ninth prince sneered. "You killed our father and destroyed our world. Even if we wanted to be the king of the realm, we wouldn''t sully ourselves with what you''ve done."


    Ren Kunjing shook his head. "Ninth prince, you''re nothing more than a child¡ªof course there are principles you wouldn''t understand. Crown prince, you, on the other hand..."


    The ninth prince turned to his eldest brother. "Brother, we can''t be tempted by these demons! Could you really be satisfied to be one of the Jinghun''s mindless puppets?"


    Rainbow light, tinted blood-red, continued to emanate from the jade seal lying in the center of the stage.


    The crown prince stepped forward unconsciously, as ifpelled by an otherworldly force.


    However, just as the crown prince stepped forward, Zhang Lie firmly ced one hand on his shoulder and met his gaze. His eyes shone with a rainbow gleam.


    Now that the king of the realm was dead, the protection that the king had ced on the princes had dissipated, and they were no longer immune to Zhang Lie''s hypnotism.


    As the crown prince''s eyes glowed rainbow, he snorted and called out, "You surely jest. I, the crown prince of the scalemen, will serve no puppetmasters like you!"


    Ren Kunjing sighed. "What a pity. I didn''t want to go to any extra trouble, but now it seems like I''ll have to use force. Which prince should I target, I wonder?"


    Ren Kunjing nced at the two princes as though they were twoparable appliances he wanted to purchase.


    Finally, his eyesnded on the ninth prince. "As irresolute as the crown prince might be, he''s an adult, and he''ll be harder to control once he bes king. You, on the other hand, ninth prince¡ªyour age is just right. And if we corrupt him too much by ident, well, there''ll still be the crown prince left."


    Formless energy emanated from Ren Kunjing, making the ninth prince feel as though a ck storm were approaching him. Ren Kunjing''s eyes looked like a ck viper that was wrapping itself around his body. The ninth prince trembled, but he didn''t take a step back.


    Zhang Lie strode forward and shielded the ninth prince, breaking Ren Kunjing''s disy of force in an instant.


    Ren Kunjing frowned. "There''s nothing to gain from going against us Jinghun, fighter."


    "Is that so? You, street rats who have to hide from the public eye, think you''re strong enough tomand me? All of you, kneel!"


    With a shout, Zhang Lie''s body swirled with rainbow fog.


    The eyes of the Jinghun who were staring at Zhang Lie all glowed rainbow. Following hismand, they knelt.


    Ren Kunjing''s mind froze for a moment, but he broke thepulsion by sheer force of will. As he nced around and saw hispanions sumbing to Zhang Lie, he cried out, "What have you done?!"

 Chapter 697: Aura of Dominance

    <h4>Chapter 697: Aura of Dominance</h4>


    The Jinghun shouted, "From today onwards, we serve Master Hong!"


    Ren Kunjing nced at hispanions in shock. "Are you all crazy?!"


    The Jinghun shook their heads. "No, we''ve just finally awoken to the truth. How foolish we used to be! We didn''t know how magnificent Master Hong was. Only after we met him did wee to understand the reason why we were born."


    Even the scalemen who had sided with the eighth prince were kneeling with one knee on the ground.


    Ren Kunjing shouted, "Just what did you bastard do to my kin?!"


    Zhang Lie countered, "Just what you''ve done to everyone else, of course."


    Ren Kunjing nced around him at hispanions. Their mannerisms had changed all of a sudden, as though they had turned into controlled beasts all of a sudden¡ªno, it was worse! The beasts that the Jinghun controlled would turn into what were essentially robots, but these Jinghun seemed to retain the ability to think. Only their thoughts had been corrupted.


    Ren Kunjing could hardly believe this.


    The Jinghun boasted particrly strong reserves of mental energy; how else would they be able to control peak-grade lifeforms? Their high mental resilience meant that it was unthinkable for them to be subject to mentalpulsion.


    Nevertheless, hispanions had all begun to kneel down, and it was evident they were being controlled. Just how strong did Zhang Lie''s reserves of mental energy have to be to control even the Jinghun?


    The more he thought, the more Ren Kunjing''s head began to hurt. Suddenly, he felt a strongpulsion to bow down toward Zhang Lie, to prostrate himself on the ground and to lick his feet. As his consciousness eroded away, Ren Kunjing yelled out madly, condensed a small purple crystal in his hand, and stuck it into his brain.


    Heughed out loud. "Haha! If I do this, you won''t be able to control me."


    Zhang Lie was impressed by Ren Kunjing''s resolve. In order to avoid being controlled, he was using his own techniques against himself. "But will it be effective, I wonder?"


    Ren Kunjing''spanions pounced on him from behind and held him down. Ren Kunjing''s consciousness flickered as rainbow light trickled out of his eyelids.


    The Jinghun housed their mental energy in those crystal shards and used them to power their mentalpulsions, but other Jinghun were able to subvert that energy and use it for their own purposes, as though they were hacking into someone else''s mind.


    "As long as yourpanions disrupt your hold over yourself, your resistance will be meaningless."


    Ren Kunjing roared in outrage, broke free of hispanions'' holds, and tried to flee, but Zhang Lie stopped him before he could get away. He pounded Ren Kunjing into the ground.


    Ren Kunjing''s eyes continued to sh rainbow on and off until, with a muted groan of pain, he finally submitted. When he opened his eyes again, they shone with a rainbow gleam.


    "I serve only you, Master Hong!" Ren Kunjing dered.


    Thus ended the fight against the Jinghun. The cmitous n the Jinghun hade up with never came to fruition; Zhang Lie controlled them all before it could.


    The ninth prince picked up the jade seal on the stage, but Zhang Lie called out, "I don''t advise you to try to proceed with the ceremony unless you want to die!"


    The ninth prince fretted, "But the world''s in turmoil! After the Jinghun made a mess of the capital, we need a capable leader..."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you want to die?"


    The ninth prince might be stronger than the eighth prince, but not by much."


    "Master, do you want me to hand the throne to my eldest brother, then?"


    "If you want to take control of the throne from behind the scenes, I won''t stop you."


    "No, I want to inherit the throne. Despite all that has happened, my will hasn''t changed."


    "In that case, I have an idea."


    After the Jinghun were finally subdued, the crown and ninth princes worked together to clean up the mess. When the Jinghun and the eighth prince took control, the Feng and Wang ns were almost destroyed to thest.


    The swordmasters of Jianzu rushed down from their mountain to protect the capital, but the Jinghun boasted significant manpower of their own, as well. None of these swordmasters were able to ovee Ren Kunjing, and all they could do was retreat with the rest of the Wang n, along with the third prince.


    The ninth prince sighed in relief. At the very least, not all the princes had perished. The third prince was still alive, as was the seventh.


    The Heijie had a particrly strong life-preserving instinct, and they fled from the capital with the seventh prince as soon as they noticed that something was wrong. By the time they returned, however, they noticed that the disturbance had been quelled.


    Both the third and seventh princes were shocked.


    Zhang Lie had taken down the Jinghun with his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, and no such terror could strike the capital again.


    Meanwhile, the crown and ninth princes sessfully handled the restoration efforts together.


    After a short discussion, they decided to prioritize the funeral of the king of the realm and of their brothers who had fallen.


    In less than a month, the capital was once again in mourning¡ªthis time, for the king of the realm and the three fallen princes. A funeral for four members of the royalty, including the king of the realm himself, would be withoutpare.


    The capital was dyed in a holy, sacrosanct white. All businesses had closed up for the day, the buildings shrouded in white cloth. Families hung white banners from their windows as the entire capital observed a day of grieving.


    Rows of coffins filled the za at the heart of the capital, leading all the way out through the gates of the capital. The major streets were all filled with coffins, a rather sinister sight.


    From beyond the city gates, the crown and ninth princes draped in white marched toward the za bearing the weight of a coffin between them.


    The coffin, ornately decorated with gold and jade, was gilded with gold leaf in floral patterns. The third prince stood at the very front, tossing paper money in front of him, while the seventh prince stood with a portrait of the king of the realm. Behind them were three coffins for the fourth, fifth, and sixth princes. Because the princes were so short-handed, they were unable to carry all the coffins at once.


    They had no choice but to have the crown and ninth princes carrying the king of the realm''s coffin, while the third and seventh princes observed the funeral rites.


    The fourth, fifth, and sixth princes'' coffins should have been carried by their rtives, but the Jinghun had killed them all. The crown prince''s wife and the queen had been ravaged by the guards in the eighth prince''s employ.


    The former eighth prince, whose actions were unforgivable, was stricken from the register of royalty. Never would history know of the eighth prince''s existence, of the betrayal of the Jinghun, or the assassination of the king of the realm.


    The king, it would be written, had perished of natural causes as he was handling the affairs of the realm. He had departed in peace, swiftly followed by four of the princes, devastated by the loss of their father and mentor, over the next few months.


    History was written by the victors; few knew how much cruelty and evil these lies covered up...

 Chapter 698: Another Funeral

    <h4>Chapter 698: Another Funeral</h4>


    With their immediate family lost, the three princes'' coffins were carried by their distant rtives.


    Paper money fell like snowkes from the sky.


    Behind the princes were an honor guard ying the bugle in a funerary dirge. An oppressive air of solemnity overcame the onlookers.


    Zhang Lie had attended such a funeral before; he knew that he was about to experience a rollercoaster of emotions.


    As he nced at the funeral procession, he couldn''t help but recall the boy band that the eight princes had once formed. Now, that boy band had dissolved, never to resurface again. Three of the eight princes were resting in those very coffins, and one had been buried who-knew-where.


    The eighth prince''s body had burst apart as he died, and no piece of him survived intact. All that was left were pieces of mincemeat, and he would only have a cenotaph at best.


    On this very street, the seven princes had broken out into song and dance as they carried the second prince''s coffin with them. They were all gathered here again, but three princes who had been standing were now lying t¡ª they who had once carried their brother''s coffin were now being carried themselves.


    How cruel were the whims of fate!


    Zhang Lie''s thoughts drifted into errant thoughts of reincarnation and the cyclic nature of life as the funeral procession proceeded slowly onwards.


    Paper money floated above the princes'' heads, tossed toward them by the onlookers and honor guard. Amidst a flurry of paper money, the four princes began a dirge for the dead. Moving in practiced synchrony, they danced and soared and jumped, the coffin rattling as they moved.


    Those rtives from branch families were far less skilled at the ceremony than the princes were¡ªthey were nothing more than the princes'' apaniment.


    The princes'' moves grew wilder and wilder, as though they were breakdancing. Zhang Lie very much wanted tough, but he resisted the temptation.


    After all, he had known the king of the realm and the dead princes, and it would be far too disrespectful to them to do so. To be frank, Zhang Lie didn''t want to attend such a funeral again, but he couldn''t help but be drawn to the spectacle.


    This performance¡ªno, this funeral¡ªdeviated from thest. Thest time, the princes only had to lift the second prince''s coffin. This time, however, there was one huge gilded coffin and three smaller ones, along with a whole row of coffins to the side.


    It was clearly quite difficult for the crown prince and the ninth prince to handle their father''s coffin alone. It was designed to be ornamental and was far toorge and unwieldy, five times the size of any of the other coffins around. With just two people, it proved extremely burdensome to lift and carry around while dancing, but neither prince balked at the difficulty.


    They danced with grace and style, sending the coffin careening through the air and catching it at the veryst moment.


    If either of the two princes were to make a misstep and send the coffin flying¡ªZhang Lie couldn''t help but shudder at the thought.


    The four coffins rolled in the air as the four princes danced. As the remaining citizens of the capital walked on, the crown prince began a song whose dissonance struck Zhang Lie with full force.


    "Hey there, as though he were¡ªa fallen leaf, floating in the wind¡ªto his soul we pay our respects, our tears!"


    Fortunately, the crown prince was a gifted warrior, and he was able to handle much of the burden of even his father''s unwieldy coffin.


    The crown and ninth princes sang and danced, keeping the king of the realm''s coffin persistently in the air. The thought of the aged king''s corpse rolling around in his coffin was too much for Zhang Lie to bear, and he couldn''t help but want tough again.


    In the end, he had no choice but to cover his lips with his hand and clench down tightly. The hardest part about watching the funeral was to avoidughing¡ªusually, in funerals on Earth, it was precisely the opposite.


    The ninth prince took over. "With my mournful voice¡ªI sing out my sorrow, in order that¡ªyou can be at ease."


    Zhang Lie could never be at ease with such a ceremony.


    The third prince stepped forward and continued, "As though you had¡ªdreamt a marvelous dream¡ªnever to wake up again¡ªbut our love will remain here, here where you spilled blood¡ªin passion and glory!"


    The four princes stepped forward together, singing in a chorus, "Please, depart with ease¡ªleave your earthly roots behind!"


    The citizens of the capital, their eyes brimming with tears, sang along, "To live is to hurt¡ªthere''s far too much in life that''s unfortunate¡ª! Stand back up, stand back up out of the ruins of our copse¡ªcalm our hearts and breathe in the miracle of life!"


    As their voices echoed in the air, the princes continued, "A river of tears we might swallow¡ªbut tomorrow will be, it will be, a better day! Strive¡ªstrive to persevere, to live without giving up! And when our love and hope face the sun¡ªour tears of yesterday shall evaporate."


    The princes, leading the procession, gradually drew closer to the capital. They had clearly conveyed their emotions in their song and dance. All four princes began to cry, touched by the intensity of the moment.


    "Do not give up on the morrow¡ªdream your dreams, wish your wishes, fill yourself with strength and courage¡ªlet your love and hope shine by the moonlight!"


    The crowd in the za split into two, leaving room for the princes to maneuver. The princes ced the king of the realm''s coffin right in the middle of the za, as though they were giving him the seat of honor, and the three princes'' coffins by his side.


    "Turn back and take a look at your homnd¡ªthe future lies in wait, a myriad paths to travel¡ªI opened the window and basked in the weing dawn!"


    The princes stood around the coffins like a campfire, pping their hands as they spun, sang, and jumped.


    Their voices, rich and deep, carried through the air...

 Chapter 699: Alcohol Transfusion

    <h4>Chapter 699: Alcohol Transfusion</h4>


    After the song and dance, the princes gathered in remembrance of the dead.


    The crown prince was the first to walk on stage.


    "This very day marks the departure of the man I most respected in this world. A virtuous, far-seeing leader¡ªnoble and mighty, the ruler of this realm! He bestowed us with warmth and peace, riches and freedom¡ªour greatest leader! Cmity befell him all too soon, and he left before any of us were parped for it."


    The crown prince''s voice was deeply sorrowful, and it struck the gathered crowd''s hearts like a mallet. Everyone could sense the visceral sorrow and pain that filled the crown prince.


    "To everyone here, he was a worthy king, the embodiment of a perfect ruler. To me, he was a father, an excellent father who nurtured and encouraged me to be who I am today."


    More scalemen attended this funeral than thest. Everyone had at least a few flowers in their hands¡ªsome had a full bouquet or two.


    Those with just a few flowers were here to attend the funeral of the king of the realm and the fallen princes, while those with bouquets were here to attend those funerals in addition to those of their loved ones.


    Zhang Lie even saw an alien with ten bouquets in his hands, signifying that ten close friends or rtives had perished in the coup.


    The crown prince continued orating, "Before the king of the realm left us all, thest time I saw him, he entrusted me with his hopes and expectations. He wished that I would inherit his strength, courage, and intelligence¡ªbut in truth, I did not seed. Compared to him who was almost perfect, I was far too immature."


    Some of the aliens began to cry upon hearing the crown prince''s speech, as though they too had been caught up in his emotions.


    The crown prince''s feelings resonated with them and magnified their own.


    "As I lifted my father''s coffin and recalled the roads we traveled together, the memories we developed¡ªmy heart dripped with blood. How I regret not having apanied him more, how I regret not having seen him before his death!"


    The crown prince bowed to a captive audience as everyone pped and cried, to be followed by the ninth prince. This was the ninth prince''s first public speech, but he wasn''t nervous. Rather, he was so dedicated to the speech that he had forgotten how to be nervous.


    "Those soldiers, guards, and fighters who lie dead, their souls drifting on the wind¡ªfor these noble souls, I pay my respects. They may leave no trace in the heavens, but they remain forever in our hearts."


    The crown prince''s speechmemorated the king of the realm and the princes, whereas the ninth prince''s wouldmemorate those who had been casualties during the coup.


    "All our hearts have been ripped apart by loss; these dead guards, just like the rest of us gathered here, have their own names and families. They led simple lives filled with hope. They are brothers and sisters to us all. On this day, as the ninth prince, in the name of this world, wememorate the dead who have given their lives that we may live."


    The ninth prince observed a moment of silence for the fallen, and the crowd mourned.


    "Rest in peace. May your souls head toward a happier future, free of loss and burden."


    "Sleep forevermore, brethren."


    "You may have departed from your home, but you''ll live on in our hearts!"


    Everyone in the za wiped at their tears. Such was the nature of cmity¡ªit could never be nned for. Some of the more unfortunate had memorialized their fathers just half a month prior; now, they stood and mourned their husbands, their wives, their children.


    Such was the cruelty of war.


    "Today, the entire world shall grieve for your absence, the greatest of respects we can pay¡ªa memorial to disaster and the resulting humanity we witnessed in its aftermath. Disaster may have struck, but we remain standing. It may have weakened us temporarily, but I assure you all, we shall grow stronger for it."


    The two princes'' speeches finally reminded Zhang Lie of a human funeral.


    "Friends and family,rades-in-arms, we hope you will find peace. We live on because of your sacrifice, with love and strength and endurance aplenty. We know that this will be the best way tomemorate you, that this is what you would have wished for, from a world away."


    The ninth prince bowed deeply as the crowd apuded.


    They dispersed and offered flowers to the dead, starting with the king and princes before moving to their friends, rtives, and loved ones. Flowers were heaped atop the royal coffins, a sign of respect from the masses.


    The king of the realm, who had brokered a longsting peace for the world with his ascension, was worthy of respect.


    The princes gathered once more. They, the guards of the za, and the dead''s friends and family, lifted up their loved ones'' coffins. With the crown prince taking the lead, the princes began to sing and dance as they led the procession out of the za.


    Only when the king of the realm and princes had been safely buried in the royal mausoleum did the ceremony trulye to an end.


    Afterwards, the ninth prince asked Zhang Lie for the method he had spoken of that would allow the ninth prince to ascend to the throne. When he saw what was required for that method, however, he was shocked stiff.


    "Master, this is..."


    Before the ninth princey nothing other than alcohol, huge vats of it.


    "You''re not looking down on this alcohol, are you? I specially procured it from another world¡ªit''ll dramatically increase your body''s constitution once you drink it, and allow you to be truly strong."


    The ninth prince peered at his master in doubt. "Are you certain, Master?"


    Zhang Lie scowled. "Of course! Otherwise, if not for my promise, I wouldn''t be sharing this with you!"


    The ninth prince unsealed a vat of alcohol and could immediately smell its concentrated aroma.


    Zhang Lie continued, "This alcohol is particrly precious¡ªit has to age for over a century to reach full effect."


    When the ninth prince swallowed a big cup, his face flushed red. His stomach felt as though it were burning up from the inside, and his body turned the color and consistency of a cooked prawn. Simultaneously, a mysterious strength seemed to flood through him.


    "Come, drink some more, drink some more!" Zhang Lie poured more and more alcohol for the ninth prince...

 Chapter 700: Eve of Departure

    <h4>Chapter 700: Eve of Departure</h4>


    A monthter, the ninth prince stood atop a dais, holding up a jade seal with both hands.


    As the proof of kingship linked with the will of the world, it descended on the dais, and a pir of light from the heavens enveloped the ninth prince.


    The ninth prince floated in mid-air. Wisps of formless energy cradled him as the jade seal radiated with light. A multicolored heart appeared in the air, releasing dazzling rays of rainbow light with every thump. It slowly descended into the ninth prince''s chest, trailing rainbow skeins of light.


    This was the heart of the world, which granted its bearer the authority and might of the king of the realm.


    The three remaining princes stood quietly beneath the stage, not trying to prevent the ceremony.


    Their eyes were ringed with a rainbow gleam; with Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard at work, they had lost all interest in bing king.


    After consumingrge quantities of the alcohol tribe''s alcohol, the ninth prince''s body was able to mergepletely with the heart of the world, unlike the eighth prince.


    As the ninth prince inclined his head and roared into the air, the entire world shook. The skies were dyed a vibrant gold. The golden radiance heralded, to all the lifeforms of the world, that a new king of the realm had been born.


    The ninth prince felt as though his body were full of energy, as though he could easily control the entire world. He fell to the stage and appeared before Zhang Lie, whereupon he bowed deeply. "Master."


    The ninth prince knew very well that his aplishments were all thanks to Zhang Lie. Without Zhang Lie''s presence, he would have died to the pack of superior-grade lifeforms chasing after him.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, he wouldn''t even have managed to return to the capital safely.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, he wouldn''t have managed such impressive feats during the royal hunt.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, he would have remained the powerless ninth prince.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, he wouldn''t have acquired the king of the realm''s jade seal.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, he couldn''t have be the king of the realm, no matter what.


    As a result, even after bing the king of the realm, he remained wholly respectful of Zhang Lie¡ªno, more so.


    Zhang Lie had finally fulfilled his promise to the ninth prince. He nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. You might be the new king of the realm, but you were ultimately aided by external factors. Remember that your strength is all you can count on for certain, so don''t fall behind on your cultivation. Otherwise, you won''t be able to maintain your position stably."


    Subsequently, the ninth prince convened his first session of court.


    He sat on the throne where his father used to sit as he watched the hundred officials of court kneel and bow to him.


    Zhang Lie nced at the ninth prince, smiling at him as though the ninth prince were his son.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s smile, the ninth prince''s firstmandment was, "Grant my master a seat!"


    Very quickly, the guards rushed over with an ornate seat, which was ced before any of the officials. Zhang Lie sat down with a smile.


    The ninth prince¡ªno, now the king of the realm¡ªproimed, "From today onwards, my master need bow to no person, not even me!"


    The ninth prince didn''t grow infatuated with his newfound power. It was precisely because he had be the king of the realm that he was now aware of Zhang Lie''s limitless strength, which was able to upend the entire world.


    As for Zhang Lie, the reason he had favored the ninth prince wasrgely because he understood the ninth prince''s character. Otherwise, he would hardly have spent so much effort on him.


    One of the more senior officials, envious of Zhang Lie''s treatment, advised, "Your majesty, this sort of thing..."


    Even he, an elder who had served two kings of the realm from almost the very beginning, hadn''t received such preferential treatment¡ªbut now Zhang Lie, a neer to court, didn''t have to show anyone else respect?


    The king of the realm replied, "Were it not for my master''s assistance, our world would have fallen to the Jinghun. If not for the fact that my master has expressed a desire to leave, I would even go as far as to instate him as premier to the court. Anyone who raises an objection shall be sentenced to death! Furthermore, I grant my master the title of duke, the Duke Yongheng!"


    The officials were all astounded. The previous king of the realm had never conferred the status of nobility to anyone, let alone as high-ranking a position as duke. The king had ruled alone for what seemed like an eternity.


    In principle, dukes had to answer to the king of the realm, but in practice, their dukedoms would be like independent countries.


    As a duke, Zhang Lie wouldn''t need to obey the king of the realm''smands, and he would be able to collect his own taxes, field his own troops, and even raise a standing army. In other words, he would have a personal kingdom of his own.


    The previous king of the realm hadn''t abolished the notion of nobility, but the fact that the king of the realm had refused to use that power over the course of his long tenure spoke to his dissatisfaction with it.


    The court officials were all in a hubbub because of the king''stest pronouncement, but before they could refute the king''s judgment, a wave of rainbow fog passed over them all.


    The king of the realm waved a hand and dispelled the protection of the realm from court. As a result, the officials were struck by the full force of the fog. They knelt as one and shouted earnestly, "The king is wise! Long live the king!"


    After bing the king of the realm, the ninth prince learned that his power could, to some extent, suppress the ridiculous power of hypnotism that his master possessed.


    He also learned that Zhang Lie had never used that hypnotism on him, leaving him relieved and even more respectful of Zhang Lie. "Master, if you don''t mind, I''ll grant you thend that I received from the previous king."


    Thend was in the process of being developed when the incident with the eighth prince and the Jinghun happened, and it was quite a pity.


    "Thank you, your majesty," Zhang Lie replied.


    The ninth prince continued, "Master, how do you n to deal with the Jinghun?"


    "They have quite useful abilities, so I think I''ll leave them with me."


    The king of the realm sighed. "Unfortunately, I don''t know what they''ve done with the primordial starflower. I apologize, Master, but I can''t fulfill the promise I made to you initially. Aspensation, please, take anything you want from the imperial treasury."


    "Very well."


    "What will you do next, Master? Do you have any ns for the future?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are there any more disaster-grade lifeforms around here? The fifth-level beasts you speak of."


    The king of the realm leaned back in contemtion as he essed his powers. After a few moments, he smiled. "None that have fully formed, but there are two that are about to evolve."


    "Oh? Not bad. I''ll wait for them to evolve into disaster-grade lifeforms before killing them. I intend to use this world as a base while I conquer other worlds to find disaster-grade lifeforms within."


    "Do you need any support? Some troops, perhaps?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no need. You just became the king of the realm, and it won''t look good if you start dispatching troops to conquer other worlds. There''s no need to worry about my business. Restore the capital and stabilize your position first."


    "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie turned and called out, "Jian Nong, while I''m not around, you''ll guard him for me!"


    In principle, after bing the king of the realm, the ninth prince should have been the strongest existence in this world apart from Zhang Lie, and even if he somehow encountered an opponent he couldn''t face, he would be able to escape using the authority innate to his position.


    However, Zhang Lie knew that there were no absolutes in the universe. The king of the realm wasn''t impossible to kill; the death of the old king was a cautionary tale.


    This period, during which the king of the realm was still limating to his skills and authority, would be when he was the weakest. Furthermore, the king had obtained his strength from Zhang Lie''s alcohol, rather than from proper training, and it would take him time to consolidate that power.


    Jian Nong wasn''t all that strong, but he would do in a pinch. With him around, it was unlikely that the new king would suddenly fall.


    Jian Nong didn''t dare refuse Zhang Lie''smand. He immediately nodded. "Yes, sir!"


    1. ÓÀºã, lit. eternal

 Chapter 701: Another Core

    <h4>Chapter 701: Another Core</h4>


    Following tradition, the three princes would be sent away from the capital to serve as lords of their own estates.


    Depending on their rtionships with the ninth prince, the three princes were treated very differently.


    The crown prince''snds were rich and fertile, and he had everything he could possibly want there. On the other hand, the third prince was sent to barrennd. The ninth prince clearly bore a grudge against the third prince, who had tried to steal his master away from him. The seventh prince''snd was rather normal, neither rich nor barren.


    The Heijie left with the seventh prince, who promised that he would parcel out some of thatnd to them.


    With the king of the realm in power, it would be tremendously difficult for any of the princes to revolt.


    Once everything was settled, the king of the realm asked, "Master, one of the fourth-level beasts has finally evolved. Would you like to head over now? Please, let me send you on your way!"


    "Thank you. I''ll ept the offer."


    With the wave of a hand, Zhang Lie vanished from the king of the realm''s sight. The king of the realm had teleported him all the way to the depths of a desert, where Zhang Lie sensed an ancient, primordial aura¡ªthe signature of a disaster-grade lifeform.


    Gic energy rippled around Zhang Lie''s body. As he raised an arm, water-attuned gic energy imbued with spatial force circled his fists, moving so rapidly that a hurricane of sand seemed to form around him.


    Then, Zhang Lie punched forward. The energy erupted in a flood, drowning the sand from above.


    The ground beneath Zhang Lie exploded. A giant dragon of sand emerged from beneath him, soaring hundreds of meters into the air. Its scaly armor was pitch-ck, with de-like protrusions that seemed to be able to cut anything.


    The disaster-grade lifeform had been preparing a sneak attack on Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie had attacked the moment he sensed its presence.


    Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] fell like a waterfall from the heavens, striking the disaster-grade lifeform directly.


    A frightening wave of energy erupted from the collision. Sand and dust burst into the air, filtering the sunlight and turning the skies dark. The disaster-grade lifeform shrieked in pain as its crystalline armor burst apart, a heavy gash on its head.


    If it weren''t a disaster-grade lifeform, this blow alone would have bisected its body. Even so, the blow was sufficiently strong that it flung the lifeform away like a half-broken bup sack.


    Subsequently, the lifeform burrowed back into the sand, trying to escape.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie struck with his right arm. Even before his punch materialized, the air began to crack.


    The world shook. The ground beneath his feet quaked.The skies trembled, and sand and dust exploded in a circle around him.


    As the punchnded, space itself seemed to distort, and the desert shuddered ominously. A burst of energy rushed into the air, propelling the sand upward in waves thousands of meters tall. The disaster-grade lifeform was flung up out of the sand.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Without giving it an opportunity to react, Zhang Lie punched at it again. Waves of energy warped the space around him, causing the particles of air to vibrate so rapidly that they annihted anything in the vicinity of the punch.


    The disaster-grade lifeform lifted its tail high into the air, forming a shield of sand, but the strength of Zhang Lie''s blow tore it all apart. As the ?disaster-grade lifeform roared, sending a veritable flood of sand against Zhang Lie''s attack, an explosion erupted in the skies.


    Hot wind and flurries of sand scoured Zhang Lie''s face. With the sand blocking his vision, Zhang Lie was unable to make full use of his mistmeld m soulshard, but he didn''t mind. Brute force was all he needed here, after all. Gic energy condensed from all over his body. With another punch, he summoned a gigantic serpent.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" The serpent, thousands of meters long, seemed to encircle the entire desert with its appearance.


    It shot out and bit the neck of the disaster-grade lifeform, which struggled as though its life were on the line. Its pitch-ck body tangled together with the serpent''s, and the protrusions from its carapace cut the serpent apart like des.


    However, the serpent''s body was an amalgamation of corrosive darkness- and water-attuned gic energy, and it began to dissolve the disaster-grade lifeform''s carapace instead.


    The disaster-grade lifeform''s carapace was surprisingly resilient, however, and the serpent couldn''t finish it off just yet.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie didn''t intend to wait. He made a stroke with his finger, sending a formless will shooting forward.


    His attack was in and ordinary, seemingly unthreatening. The disaster-grade lifeform spun up a shield of sand with its tail, but Zhang Lie''s in attack cut through the sand as though it were nothing, followed by the disaster-grade lifeform''s carapace.


    As the attack prated deep into the lifeform''s body, it exploded.


    The disaster-grade lifeform was annihted in an instant. Moments before death, the disaster-grade lifeform cut off the lower half of its body and expended all its energy at once to manipte the entire desert.


    The sand all around them morphed into countless beasts, which flung themselves at Zhang Lie and swallowed him whole. Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. Summoning the de Guicang, he shed forward, shattering the world.


    The entire desert split in two, and the disaster-grade lifeform''s body along with it.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade ckhorn viper. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade ckhorn viper, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie sheathed his sword and found the disaster-grade lifeform''s gic core in his head.


    It was a mud-yellow color, and it seemed to attract the sand all around him. When Zhang Lie''s palm touched it, he could feel pinpricks of pain.


    He frowned. "How should I return?"


    He felt something focus its attention on him¡ªsome maniption of space from afar.


    Zhang Lie allowed the energy to grab ahold of him and send him away, returning him to the pce within moments. Clearly, the king of the realm had been paying attention to his fight.


    Zhang Lie nced all around him. "Is court still in session?"


    The king of the realm chuckled. "Master, your fight finished too quickly."


    Zhang Lie had killed the disaster-grade lifeform so quickly that even the king of the realm would be unable to match his speed.


    "Master, would you like me to teleport you to the soon-to-evolve fourth-level beast?"


    "No, not yet. I''ll wait until it''s fully a fifth-level beast," Zhang Lie replied, then left.


    After his ascension to the king of the realm, the ninth prince had granted Zhang Lie a manor within the pce. This would be Zhang Lie''s first time heading there. When he saw the signboard proiming the name of the manor, he couldn''t help but smile¡ªthe manor had been granted to ''the protector of the realm''.


    Zhang Lie rather liked the position that the king of the realm had thought up for him.


    Servants came pouring out of the manor before he could make his way within. They gathered outside in two neat rows, bowing respectfully as they weed him. There were all sorts of beauties among the servants, sourced from any number of alien races...

 Chapter 702: Another Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 702: Another Evolution</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s mouth twitched. Was this really the work of the king of the realm, who was still little more than a teenager? Did the king of the realm really think him so lecherous? Just what was he thinking?


    Surely not. Zhang Lie realized in just an instant that this was probably an idea that someone else had suggested to the king of the realm in an ill-guided attempt to induce Zhang Lie to remain in this world.


    Unfortunately for them, Zhang Lie, who was in the middle of his second life, was no longer such an inexperienced greenhorn that he would lose his mind at the sight of beautiful women.


    He ignored them all, prohibited them from bothering him unless they were explicitly summoned, and began the process of absorbing the disaster gene fragments into his body.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with Guicang, then allowed his blood to drip onto the disaster-grade core. Like a wad of cotton, the disaster-grade core continuously absorbed Zhang Lie''s blood, dyeing it red. The sand that surrounded the core began to avoid Zhang Lie''s palm, until it too was dyed red.


    Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound a few times before the orb was entirely a clear, vibrant blood-red color. He clutched the prickly disaster-grade core as he sent concentrated, rainbow-colored gic energy into it for over an entire hour before he felt it starting to soften.


    After another ten minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, flecked with blood-red grains of sand, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it. Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole.


    As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body. Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart.


    Zhang Lie hissed as his body began to turn red, the color of a boiled prawn. Blood frothed and boiled within his body as a terrifying energy rampaged his body from the inside out. Blood seeped from his skin and pores, then boiled in the air. The residue detached itself automatically from his body, forming blood-red grains of sand that revolved around him.


    Twenty disaster gene fragments were a threshold for evolution. Zhang Lie believed that he wouldn''t undergo such an evolution again considering that he had already be a disaster-grade lifeform, but it had happened nevertheless.


    Perhaps because Zhang Lie was finally getting used to absorbing disaster gene fragments, or perhaps because his status of life had increased to that of a disaster-grade lifeform, the process was far more painless than before.


    After a moment, Zhang Lie shut his eyes ?calmly. This level of pain was something he was far too used to¡ªit would be easy enough to bear.


    His blood boiled, his body swelled, and golden light emanated from his body.


    As the golden light spread, the bloody grains proliferated, revolving in Zhang Lie''s chambers and forming a miniature hurricane. Unfortunately for the rare treasures that decorated the room¡ªon the king of the realm''s orders¡ªall of it was scoured and destroyed by the bloody grains that surrounded Zhang Lie.


    The king of the realm, noticing the disturbance, shook his head with a smile in familiar exasperation. He waved a hand and used the realm''s authority to iste Zhang Lie''s room.


    He was a young king in the prime of his power. The previous king, who was ailing and growing old, and thus unable to control the realm''s authoritypletely, had only managed to block off the light emanating from Zhang Lie''s chambers.


    The new king of the realm was young and yet immature, but he was able to manifest greater power.


    That day, when Zhang Lie absorbed the disaster-grade core in the ninth prince''s quarters, there was no one around. Now, however, Zhang Lie''s estate was filled with servants, and it would take quite some time to send all of them away.


    In court, a few of the officials noticed the changes in the king of the realm''s expression.


    "Is something the matter, your majesty?"


    The king of the realm shook his head. "It''s nothing. You can continue."


    As Zhang Lie absorbed more disaster gene fragments, they changed his body from the inside out. His muscles erged. Gic energy circted through his framework, faster and faster.


    As he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light. Circting gic energy through his body now took just over ten seconds, an incredible and previously unimaginable speed,


    The blood-colored sand began to revolve more and more quickly. Zhang Lie''s body gave off popping sounds, and his evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the disaster-grade core.


    His bones broke down and regrew time and again, and his capiries burst beforeing back thicker and thicker.


    The entire room where his body was located was being scoured clean.


    The king of the realm''s barrier began to crack. The energy that Zhang Lie absorbed from the disaster-grade core made him so strong that he was unconsciously affecting space itself.


    His eyes and mouth began to radiate rainbow light, which seeped out through the barrier that the king of the realmid down. The cracks widened, and the entire manor began to shake. The king of the realm had no choice but to dismiss court, then teleport over to Zhang Lie''s manor.


    The servants and maidens knelt down upon seeing the king. "We wee your majesty."


    The king of the realm, however, had no attention to spare for them. He hurriedly reinforced the barrier by physical contact.


    By that point, Zhang Lie was undergoing the most crucial part of his metamorphosis. The bloody grains of sand were slowly turning rainbow-colored, forming a gigantic cocoon wrapping around Zhang Lie. Suddenly, ck beams of light shot out from within the cocoon, along with huge waves of energy.


    The king of the realm hurriedly reached out to contain the energy within.


    If he allowed it to escape, it would level the entire capital to the ground.


    The king of the realm gritted his teeth as he tried to vent the energy away. Sweat trickled down his head. "Just what is Master up to? He would have destroyed the entire capital if I hadn''t done anything!"


    ording to the lingo of the Milky Way, Zhang Lie was all but a starbreak annihtor in a human form.


    Even the king of the realm''s reinforced barrier began to crack. He knew that, once it did, the frightening energy within would engulf him within moments. Even so, he didn''t give up. He continued pouring energy into the barrier, attempting to vent whatever energy Zhang Lie was exuding.


    As the cracks continued to propagate, however, the king of the realm felt his strength waning. Just when he was about to reach his limit, the ferocious energy from within rxed, and the king couldn''t help but sigh in relief.


    He had almost perished.


    To be frank, he had never expected that, as the king of the realm, he would almost lose his life trying to vent the excess energy that Zhang Lie was exuding upon treading new ground with his cultivation¡­


    1. You would think that Zhang Lie would have learned to iste himself given that he''s basically leveled settlements in the past while absorbing gene fragments, wouldn''t you?

 Chapter 703: Another Farm

    <h4>Chapter 703: Another Farm</h4>


    Such an embarrassing event made the king of the realm promise himself that, once his control over the realm were solidified, he would devote himself to cultivation so that nothing like what happened that day could happen again.


    Cultivation was strength; cultivation was might¡ªhe had to stop relying on his master too much. Because he had been apanied by Zhang Lie, the king of the realmcked a driving force for improving his strength. After all, anyone he couldn''t defeat, Zhang Lie could.


    But what if Zhang Lie himself were the problem, just like what happened today?


    Just the excess energy that Zhang Lie gave off was enough to level the entire city. If Zhang Lie hadn''t reined in that energy in time, even the king would have been swallowed up whole.


    Zhang Lie didn''t care about what the king of the realm, who stood outside his chambers, thought. He was deep in thought as he scrolled through his data.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 20


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    As Zhang Lie stepped outside his chambers, the ninth prince bowed. "Congrattions on your sess, Master."


    The king of the realm''s hands were still trembling. He hadn''t yet fully recovered from the shock of venting all that excess energy that Zhang Lie was giving off.


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "What are you doing here? Is court over?"


    The king of the realm rolled his eyes at him.?It''s all your fault!


    "Well, it''s rather convenient. Send me to the fourth-level beast that''s about to evolve, will you?"


    "Now?"


    "Is there a problem?"


    The king coughed. "Naturally not, Master, but please stay far away from the capital when you absorb these cores. I''m very worried that the energy you give off will be enough to destroy the capital."


    "Ah, I overlooked this issue. That''s not a problem."


    The king of the realm nodded. "In that case, let me send you to where the evolving fourth-level beast is located."


    Spatial energy locked in on Zhang Lie and whisked him away, sending him to the depths of the deep sea.


    As he felt the pressure bearing down on him, Zhang Lie experienced a momentary sensation of difort.


    A weaker hunter might have been unable to bear with the sudden change in pressure, and would explode on the spot. However, Zhang Lie was hardly weak. Just one or two breaths was all it took him to limatize himself to this new biome. Such was the strength of a disaster-grade lifeform, after all.


    Zhang Lie could sense a potent lifeform around him, but he didn''t know where that lifeform was located. He looked all around, but he wasn''t in much of a hurry. Instead, he released rainbow fog around himself and instructed the lifeforms that fell prey to gather around him.


    Subsequently, he began rearing lifeforms in the deep sea, just as he had done in the second realm.


    For two whole months, Zhang Lie let them roam freely around him while he solidified his foundation after his recent advancement.


    One day, the king of the realm whispered telepathically in his head, "Master, that fourth-level beast has finally evolved!"


    Only then did Zhang Lie find the disaster-grade lifeform that he had spent two months feeding. It was so big it looked like an underwater mountain. Inparison, Zhang Lie was far smaller a figure.


    Just one eye of the lifeform was asrge as a gymnasium. The moment Zhang Lie appeared in front of it, the disaster-grade lifeform mired in darkness sensed the strength in Zhang Lie''s body. It had lived for countless years in the depths of the sea, and it had never encountered anything as mysterious as Zhang Lie.


    Just then, Zhang Lie''s eyes shone with a rainbow gleam, causing the disaster-grade lifeform''s mind to go nk.


    The illumination from his gaze allowed Zhang Lie to identify the lifeform''s true identity: a gigantic sea turtlerger than even the whirlpool tyrant he had encountered way back when.


    Zhang Lie reached a hand out to the disaster-grade lifeform''s brain, trying to extract its core directly. As he applied pressure with his palm, the disaster-grade lifeform''s skull began to crack. The crack quickly propagated through the lifeform''s body, causing it to writhe in pain. As it did so, the rainbow gleam in its eyes began to recede. It opened its mouth wide, like a gigantic ck hole. Zhang Lie felt a tremendous suction take over his body.


    Currents of seawater converged around the sea turtle''s mouth, as if trying to push Zhang Lie within the turtle''s belly. Zhang Lie felt as though he were fighting against the entire sea.


    As expected, it was easy for a disaster-grade lifeform to break through hispulsion. Nevertheless, Zhang Lie could defeat it on the basis of brute strength alone.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" Zhang Lie''s fists rippled with water-attuned gic energy imbued with spatial force.


    The entire sea seemed to swirl around him and his arms, revolving at faster and faster speeds.


    It was as though Zhang Lie were battling for control over the seawater with the disaster-grade lifeform. As both of them used their techniques, a whirlpool formed between them, one with such strength that it sucked in all manner of aquatic lifeforms nearby.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the oceans trembled. Half the ocean seemed to have been struck by that blow, and the seawater began to froth.


    The force was so huge that it spread even to the surface of the sea, forming a gigantic wave that seemed as though it would swallow up the shore.


    The king''s face fell. "Master, just what are you doing?"


    He immediately teleported to the scene and suppressed the roiling oceans.


    Even the gigantic disaster-grade lifeform was unable to hold out against the effect of this punch. Its mountainous body was forced back time and again.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy exploded, shaking the entire ocean and forming a huge geyser of water over its surface, hundreds of meters tall. The seabed cracked; the seafloor crumbled. Ocean debris and dead lifeforms were sucked into the current.


    Zhang Lie''s punch had rocked the entire sea.


    The king of the realm stared open-mouthed as he sensed what was going on underwater. He knew that Zhang Lie was strong; he had broken the walls of the capital, which had withstood over a millennium of invasions.


    Even so, he thought that that was the extent of Zhang Lie''s power¡ªbut the destruction that Zhang Lie was wreaking on the seafloor now made him rethink that notion. If this punch hadnded on the capital''s walls, half the capital would have been demolished in an instant.


    To be frank, though Zhang Lie had held back then, it would have been impossible for him to wreak such havoc. The most important factor augmenting his strength was the fact that he was now fighting underwater, and his gic energy was water-attuned.

 Chapter 704: The Kings Duties

    <h4>Chapter 704: The King''s Duties</h4>


    Even so, more surprisesy in wait for the king of the realm. He was shocked that the disaster-grade lifeform managed to survive Zhang Lie''s punch, even if its body was heavily wounded and its skull was one good hit away from shattering.


    "It looks like you''re quite durable, aren''t you?"


    The disaster-grade lifeform, entirely enraged at the beating it had received at Zhang Lie''s hands, made to smash into Zhang Lie with its massive body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" The world shook. The sea quaked. The ground beneath his feet shuddered. Water gathered and rippled out from Zhang Lie. He punched forward, shattering the constraints of space and time. Everything in sight exploded.


    Waves thousands of meters tall erupted over the surface of the sea.


    The king of the realm tried his best to curtail the disturbance as he grumbled, "Master, can''t you hold back?!"


    Deep in the sea, the disaster-grade lifeform''s head exploded. However, its core wasn''t located in its brain, so despite the injury, the lifeform was unruffled. Not only that, a second head poked out of its shell.


    By now, Zhang Lie was used to the unusual abilities and techniques that disaster-grade lifeforms possessed, and he took this new development in stride.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie''s technique possessed such strength that it splintered space. The distorted space turned the depths of the sea into a void of chaos. Spatial distortions and rends sliced the lifeforms within to pieces, and the disaster-grade lifeform''s wounded body grew even more battered.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie summoned a serpent, thousands of meters long, with a massive infusion of gic energy, which began to corrode at the turtle''s shell.


    Subsequently, he drew Guicang and beheaded the turtle''s second head.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    The slim beam of sword energy that this technique now produced didn''t seem threatening, but within it was condensed the full force of the sea. It pierced through all the obstacles in its way, then exploded within the turtle''s shell, annihting half its body as it did so.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade mountainbearer turtle. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade mountainbearer turtle, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie extracted a dark blue core from the turtle, one that looked as though it contained an entire sea within. As he retrieved the core, he felt the entire ocean seem to revolve around it. A prickling sensation filled his palm.


    This disaster-grade lifeform was surprisingly resilient, considering it had only just evolved.


    After the battle was over, the king of the realm teleported himself to Zhang Lie''s side.


    "Master, is the battle over?"


    Zhang Lie could sense the fluctuations in spaceing from behind, but he didn''t turn around. "You didn''t have toe over just to fetch me."


    The king of the realm rolled his eyes at him in exasperation. "Master, do you think I wanted to be here? You don''t realize how devastating your abilities are. If I hadn''t shown up, countless lifeforms who lived by the sea or within it would have perished. Master, where do you n to absorb this gic core?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Right here. Will you guard me?"


    The king of the realm shuddered as he thought back to the disturbance that Zhang Lie''s fight had caused. "You''d better go elsewhere, Master."


    "Right here. Is that inconvenient?"


    Don''t you damn well know??"It''s a little inconvenient..." The king of the realm wanted to scream at his master, but he couldn''t get the words out of his mouth.


    After all, his master was still his master, and, more importantly, even after ascending to the throne, he couldn''t beat him.


    In the end, the king of the realm transported Zhang Lie to the top of a mountain.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the sky blue core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior.


    Like a wad of cotton, the disaster-grade core continuously absorbed Zhang Lie''s blood, dyeing it red, along with the water within it. Zhang Lie had to reopen the wound a few times before the transformation wasplete. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, rainbow-colored gic energy from his body into the core for over an entire hour before he felt it starting to soften.


    .


    After another ten minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole.


    As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body. His face turned blue, and he began to tremble. His arms and legs turned cold and stiff. Energy ravaged his body, but his blood didn''t boil. Instead, it froze over, attacking his body via another vector.


    The air crackled. Zhang Lie felt as though he were surrounded by water-attuned gic energy.


    The disaster-grade deep-sea turtle''s core was particrlypatible with Zhang Lie, himself a water-attuned cultivator. The core merged easily with his body and began pumping gic energy within. He felt as though he were situated in the middle of the ocean, feeling his body being battered like waves, gic energy spreading out from him like waves...


    As the waves struck his body, his bones creaked, and his muscles strained under the force. Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and bore with the incredible pain. The pressure of the sea locked up his body, freezing it in ce even as energy surged through it.


    His gic energy quicklybined with the deep-sea turtle''s. Excess energy vented from his eyes and mouth in a flood of deep blue light. ?The mountain shook. Rock quaked and crumbled as Zhang Lie''s framework merged seamlessly with the disaster gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie felt the blue disaster-grade energy surround him like a cocoon.


    With a shout, Zhang Lie burst the cocoon in a flood of rainbow-colored gic energy, sending a torrent of water into the air around him. Everything seemed to vibrate, and cracks propagated down the mountain.


    The king of the realm, watching from afar, sighed. "As expected of Master¡ªeven a small advancement in his strength is enough to cause a mountain to crumble..."


    Fortunately, he had sent Zhang Lie up into a deserted mountain, one with nothing at all around it, so it wouldn''t matter even if the mountain were destroyed...

 Chapter 705: A Troublemaker

    <h4>Chapter 705: A Troublemaker</h4>


    Despite his self-assurance, however, even the king of the realm was startled the very next moment.


    The mountain, unable to bear the energy that Zhang Lie had sent deep into its interior, trembled and broke down. The entire mountain copsed.


    The king of the realm: ...


    He felt that, if his master were to advance a few more times, the world that his father had left him would be entirely destroyed.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 30


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    With the second disaster-grade lifeform in this world defeated, Zhang Lie was nearing the end of his tenure in this world.


    In truth, Zhang Lie hadn''t nned on staying here for so long. If not for the primordial starflower and the piece of the tattered map, he might have left far sooner.


    Because he had remained in the third realm all this time, Zhang Lie didn''t realize what ramifications his actions had in the Milky Way atrge. Beforehand, he had hidden his identity, but now that the dust had settled, there was no reason to go incognito any longer. He had restored his former appearance, and his actions in the third realm shocked the entire gxy.


    Now that Zhang Lie was a famous individual in the world federation, almost all the races of the Milky Way were keeping tabs on him.


    "What? Zhang Lie took down a warlord?!"


    "He should have just ascended to the third realm! How could he have grown stronger so quickly?"


    "Zhang Lie doesn''t need to limatize at all¡ªhe was a warlord from the moment he entered the third realm!"


    To the races of the gxy, the peak of the third realm were the warlords.


    That Zhang Lie had managed to kill a warlord so quickly, without even acquiring all his gene fragments, was testament to his impossiblebat ability.


    "Is this the power of his limit fragments and disaster gene fragments...?"


    Everyone in the Milky Way knew that advancement brought with it growing pains.


    Once the hunters ascended, they would go from the peak of a lower realm to the chaff of a higher; this was basically an unwritten rule. Even those hunters who had made names for themselves in the second still had to fight for their lives and w their way toward the peak of the third.


    The hunters'' period of weakness meant that survival was an issue. If they were to leave their respective cities and venture into the wilderness, they could easily die.


    Some of the third-realm hunters who harbored a certain dislike for Zhang Lie for one reason or another had hoped to teach him a lesson in the third realm, but the fact that Zhang Lie was able to climb the warlord ranking immediately made them have no choice but to give up on their ns.


    Some of the races discovered an even more interesting point: Zhang Lie hadn''t arrived in the third realm in a human settlement, but rather ten worlds or so away from it, on the Yinlian homeworld.


    They were even more shocked¡ª just what had happened to Zhang Lie to lead to such estrangement? Could he have ventured there immediately after ascending to the third realm? But it was so far away¡ªit had to be exceedingly dangerous! Was there anything special about that world?


    The aliens were very curious, but they had long since gotten used to improbable and exceptional things happening to Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie was Zhang Lie, after all.


    His friends and family had all been somewhat worried, but after hearing thetest news, their fears were assuaged.


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "I told you all, didn''t I? There''s no need to worry about our captain¡ªhe''ll survive anything the third realm throws his way!"


    Sun Mengmeng chuckled. "I wonder who it is that hasn''t been sleeping or eating properly during this period of time?"


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "Sorry, I don''t intend to be taunted by someone who shouts Captain''s name in her sleep."


    Sun Mengmeng flushed red.


    Yang Ze nced at the other members of Team Zenith. "I have a bold n."


    Zhou Ying followed up, "I have an immature suggestion."


    Li Feng nodded. "I understand what both of you are thinking, because I feel simrly."


    Fang Yi spoke for all of them. "Let''s ascend to the third realm!"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "Now that the situation in the kingdom of Limit has stabilized, Captain''s inheritance and the empress of the seas should be enough to deal with any threat."


    "Limit will be able to survive just fine without us at this point."


    Sun Xiaowu agreed. "Once Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Hong Xiao ascend and obtain their peak gene fragments, they''ll be able to form the pirs of the kingdom."


    Yang Ze concluded, "In that case, it''s well past time for us to ascend."


    Zhou Ying shrugged. "We already have our disaster gene fragments maxed. There''s no reason to remain in the second realm, and I''d like to follow in our captain''s footsteps."


    Li Feng said, "Let''s talk to Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi about this. Once we finish our preparations, we can set off."


    Zhang Lie had no idea what was happening back on Earth, because he didn''t have ess to a teleportation apparatus and was unable to leave the third realm.


    However, he was in no hurry. He began to use the Jinghun under his control.


    Borrowing the authority of the king of the realm, he went around the entire world capturing gic lifeforms, then rearing them in the royal hunting grounds. Subsequently, using the remnant authority of the past king there, he had the lifeforms duke each other out in order to produce a disaster-grade lifeform.


    This sort of strategy required immense numbers of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms, and he wouldn''t be able to manufacture very many with the lifeforms of just one world¡ªso he would steal lifeforms from other worlds as well.


    He asked the king of the realm how many nearby worlds there were.


    "Master, there are three medium-sized worlds, ten small worlds, and onerge world."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Tell me how to get to them."


    "Master, what are you nning?" The king of the realm frowned. He was somewhat afraid of his master, and worried that he was about to set a n in motion that would destroy his home. Others might not be able to manage such a feat, but Zhang Lie...


    "I just want to rear a few gic lifeforms!"


    The king of the realm thought back to Zhang Lie''s three beasts, White, Whiter, and Red Comet. While he was weak, White and Whiter had taken care of him, and he was on very good terms with them. Red Comet preferred to be aloof.


    "Very well. Let me give you the coordinates."


    "Do you have any wormhole shuttles?"


    The king of the realm nodded, then handed Zhang Lie thergest craft in the imperial treasury.

 Chapter 706: The King of Moxing

    <h4>Chapter 706: The King of Moxing</h4>


    The silver-sleek craft looked like a battleship, sorge it could fit thousands of men inside.


    The king of the realm introduced, "My father made this craft himself. Supposedly, he intended to use it to conquer other worlds."


    "Oh? It''ll be very useful, then!"


    Zhang Lie stored the beasts and hypnotized Jinghun in the shuttle as he steered it into a wormhole.


    Thus began the legend of Zhang Lie and the Jinghun. With the scalemen world as their home base, they began to attack all the middle-sized worlds around them. Using Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard and the Jinghun''s ability to control lifeforms, they sent whatever they could capture back to the scalemen world.


    Zhang Lie''s actions were initially very sessful. By hypnotizing the alien races of those worlds, he was able to obtain information about the location and number of peak- and superior-grade lifeforms within.


    Although there were also reports of disaster-grade lifeforms, most of those were legends or myths, and Zhang Lie didn''t have the time to confirm each one. At the beginning, in what now seemed like a fit of idiocy, he had done something like that following the sura monarch of stars'' notes, wasting three years of his time.


    It was far more efficient to cultivate disaster-grade lifeforms instead. However, Zhang Lie and the Jinghun made such a big disturbance as they captured more and more lifeforms that they aroused the attention of the kings of the realm of those worlds.


    For instance, in a world known as Moxing, Zhang Lie had just controlled arge number of beasts when the king of the realm himself appeared before Zhang Lie and asked in a high-and-mighty tone, "Who are you and what are you doing here? Are you nning to start a war of the worlds?"


    Zhang Lie ignored his questions and asked calmly, "Does your world have any disaster-grade lifeforms? I suppose you would call them fifth-level beasts."


    The king of Moxing frowned. "Fifth-level? what are you nning?"


    "To absorb their cores. If you refuse, that''s fine, we can search for them slowly on our own as well. We might also bring a few specialties from this world home with us¡ªyou won''t mind, will you?"


    They had caught enough lifeforms from this world already, at any rate. If the king of the realm were able to direct them to a disaster-grade lifeform, that would just be the cherry on top.


    Zhang Lie had no time to spare; he knew what wasing. Before then, he had to acquire as many disaster gene fragments as he could to strengthen himself.


    The king of the realm nced behind Zhang Lie and saw a huge procession of lifeforms being transported through the wormhole. The procession of lifeforms was crowded and stretched as far as the eye could see, like a long river trailing down from the distance.


    Gic lifeforms weren''t particrly valuable, and they were nuisances in that they frequently attacked cities and viges. However, these were resources that the aliens depended on to grow stronger.


    Furthermore, once too many lifeforms were removed from the world, past a critical mass, they would find it difficult to reproduce, destroying the food web in the local ecosystems and even causing some species to go extinct.


    Such urrences weren''t purely theoretical, either. In the past, there had been a kingdom surrounded by forest. The citizens of the kingdom were allowed to gather whatever resources they needed from it, and were even encouraged to do so by their king. When the entire forest was cut down, the kingdom turned into a desert.


    These gic lifeforms that were everywhere didn''t seem particrly important, but it would be far toote to regret it once they went extinct.


    Most importantly, these were lifeforms of Moxing! Why should he allow the arrogant alien in front of him to im them?


    The king of Moxing shouted, "Stop your foolish actions. All these lifeforms are important to this world, and if you continue seizing them unreasonably and illegally, I''ll expel you forcefully!"


    Zhang Lie was unperturbed. "I believe I''ve made myself clear. Tell me where the disaster-grade lifeforms are, and I''ll leave after acquiring their cores. Otherwise, I''ll have to search for them myself."


    The king of the realm narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me?"


    "If you want to understand it that way, I doubt I can dissuade you."


    Zhang Lie remained calm despite knowing that the alien in front of him was the king of this realm.


    The aliens of this world were pitch-ck, with two long antennae growing out of their heads. Serrated de-like protrusions grew out of their arms and legs, and their skin was reflective and shiny. In some sense, they looked like cockroaches.


    The king of this realm was farrger and muscrpared to those of his cohort.


    "A mega-cockroach?" Zhang Lie murmured to himself.


    The king of the realm was so angry he looked as though he could explode at any moment. Although he didn''t understand what a cockroach was, he was certain it couldn''t be anything good. Red light and white smoke red from his body.


    "No one has dared to speak to me like that for a very long time. None of you will leave this ce!"


    "Ha!" Zhang Lie nced at the king as though he were a fool, while the nearby Jinghun shot him pitying nces.


    The Jinghun warlord, Ren Kunjing, asked, "Do you need me to make a move?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand at him curtly. "There''s no need. A king of the realm of a medium-sized world is hardly someone I have to worry about."


    Ren Kunjing sighed and shook his head, ncing at the king as though he were a corpse.


    This was the first time in years that the king had been so humiliated.


    He struck first, so rapidly that he broke through the constraints of the world in mere moments. His fist was just about tond on Zhang Lie''s body when Zhang Lie widened his palm and caught the fist easily as an explosion struck the point of impact.


    "Is this all you''ve got?" Zhang Lie''s voice was somewhat condescending.


    The king of the realm howled. Energy red from his body, and he rained punches down on Zhang Lie.


    However, Zhang Lie easily deflected or blocked each of his blows. A gust of wind surrounded the twobatants. The difference between them was apparent: one of them was attacking at full strength, and the other was defending leisurely with just a hand.


    "[Rune: Control]!" As he dealt with the king''s punches, Zhang Lie summoned his gravity and anti-gravity tablets and sent them down crashing by the king''s side.


    ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    The field of energy distorted the king''s blows, and he frowned immediately as he loosed a punch. "This¡ªcontrol over gravity?!"


    In his panic, his punch went wide. He used his powers over the realm to try to correct the misaligned gravity, weakening his defenses considerably.


    Fights between experts were concluded in mere moments; even the smallest opening could be exploited and turned into a lethal w.


    Zhang Liebat experience meant that he caught all such openings. His fists rippled with energy. Streams of water revolved more and more quickly around his wrist, augmented by spatial force, summoning what seemed to be a massive whirlwind that sucked up even the gic lifeforms and made the shuttle toss and turn.


    Ren Kunjing summoned a crystalline barrier in front of the lifeforms and the Jinghun to shield them from the aftermath of the attack.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, space shattered before him.


    The king of Moxing grew rmed, unable to believe that a mysterious alien would be able tomand such strength. He had no further time to think before Zhang Lie''s tsunami swallowed him whole...

 Chapter 707: A Fist Like a Maul

    <h4>Chapter 707: A Fist Like a Maul</h4>


    Water-attuned gic energy exploded through the air, and ripples of energy emanated from Zhang Lie.


    Ren Kunjing''s crystalline barrier was unable to withstand the force of the impact, and it shattered within moments. Exasperation red through his eyes¡ªhe was entirely focused on defense, and yet he was unable to block even the secondary shockwaves that resulted from Zhang Lie''s attack. The difference in their strength was simply toorge.


    It felt like a gulf that couldn''t be breached¡ªthe difference between man and god, rather than man and man. To Ren Kunjing, Zhang Lie was nothing less than a godlike existence.


    As Ren Kunjing''s crystalline barrier shattered, the aftermath of Zhang Lie''s attack blew past him. A disaster had just struck.


    A hurricane formed from water-attuned gic energy roared through the skies, sucking up the very earth itself, uprooting the trees and gigantic boulders it came across. Even therger gic lifeforms didn''t escape unscathed; they too were sucked up into the hurricane. The Jinghun held on with as much strength as they could muster, but the weaker among them were already starting to be swept up in the hurricane''s path.


    It was as though hell had descended on the world.


    Ren Kunjing stood in the eye of the hurricane, allowing his body to be buffeted. He was the second-strongest present besides Zhang Lie, and the only one who was able to stand upright with nothing but his own power.


    Although he wasn''t able to protect his kin and the lifeforms he was escorting, he could at least protect himself.


    Zhang Lie''s punch had struck far toorge an area for him to do anything against. Back in the world of the scalemen, Ren Kunjing had barely been able to block a punch from Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie had grown far too rapidly since then.


    In some sense, Zhang Lie was indirectly responsible for the death of the old king of the realm.


    The warlord leaderboard had existed in the third realm from almost the very beginning, but only the top ten warlords generally had the strength to kill a king of the realm. In the past, Ren Kunjing would hardly have been a match for the king of the realm.


    These kings were the strongest existences of the third realm, and even old kings possessed near-boundless power. In the past, only those among the top ten warlords had ever managed to kill a king of a medium-sized world, and only the top warlord had managed to kill a king of arge world.


    However, one man was all it had taken to dramatically increase the strength of all races of the Milky Way: Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie! He had appeared out of nowhere and raised the upper limit of strength that any race in the Milky Way could aspire to.


    Limit fragments and disaster-grade lifeforms¡ªthese were concepts that no one had ever heard of, but Zhang Lie seemed to understand them intimately.


    All the races in the Milky Way benefited, and Ren Kunjing was one such beneficiary. The knowledge that disaster-grade lifeforms existed widened the horizons of all the hunters in the Milky Way, and they were no longer satisfied with just hunting down peak-grade lifeforms.


    It was well known that there were lifeforms stronger than peak-grade, but no race had ever demonstrably shown that there were lifeforms strong enough to require their own category and designation.


    There had never been those strong enough or dedicated enough to hunt down such disaster-grade lifeforms. They had investigated some examples of these particrly strong lifeforms in the past, but no one had discovered the secret to absorbing these gic cores.


    Ren Kunjing nced at Zhang Lie, who stood floating in the air, surveying thend with the arrogance of the strong. It was he who had shared that secret with the world, too.


    Ren Kunjing had begun idolizing Zhang Lie without even knowing it.


    In the past, only the top ten warlords of the third realm had possessed the strength to kill the kings of medium-sized worlds, but he, nothing more than a mid-rank warlord, had been able to do the same thanks to the advancements that Zhang Lie had introduced.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know that, after the revtion of disaster-grade lifeforms, the entire gxy had gone mad trying to hunt them down. Among the most fanatical were the Jinghun, who boasted a unique racial talent that allowed them to hunt down such lifeforms with ease. Meanwhile, many other races who were interested in hunting down such lifeforms didn''t even know where to start.


    Ren Kunjing had sessfully absorbed disaster gene fragments, and it was this increase in strength that ultimately allowed him to take down the king of the realm.


    That day, Zhang Lie shocked Ren Kunjing again. His growth rate exceeded anything that Ren Kunjing had ever known, and the increase in his strength was obvious.


    "Just how many disaster gene fragments has he obtained during this period of time...?"


    Ren Kunjing was starting to feel sorry for the cockroach-like king of the realm. For someone like him to be antagonizing a monster like Zhang Lie¡ªwell, his life would be forfeit.


    The king of the realm had vanished entirely, but not because his body had been annihted.


    "Teleportation? Unfortunately, that won''t be effective against me."


    Zhang Lie quickly identified where the king of the realm had gone by studying the remnant spatial fluctuations on the battlefield. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    Even before his punchnded, the skies had begun to shake violently. The space around him exploded, and the king of the realm, who was hiding in an extra-dimensional space, was critically damaged by the attack.


    His face was the color of mud, and he could barely keep the blood spilling out of his mouth.


    He had been nning tounch a sneak attack on Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie had divested him of that opportunity.


    As he spat blood out of his mouth, the king of the realm shouted, "Stop, please! I surrender!"


    Anyone who could be the king of the realm would hardly be a fool. The king had made use of the realm''s power and was still defeated in one blow¡ªhe knew he wouldn''t be able to win on brute strength alone.


    His arrogance and superiority had been wiped clean from his face, leaving behind nothing but an unctuous smile behind.


    Zhang Lie thought that the matter was resolved, only to see the king of the realm''s eyes suddenly grow wide. He eximed, "What''s that behind you?!"


    Zhang Lie turned around, giving the king of the realm the window of opportunity he needed to flee.


    Ren Kunjing shouted, "He''s running away!"


    The king of the realm smiled, then stepped through a spatial portal he had created on the spot. Of course he was running away! The man in front of him was far too frightening; he would have to fear for his life if he remained behind.


    In principle, as long as he were supported by the world itself, no one would be able to kill him...


    However, the king of the realm didn''t notice the attack that Zhang Lie was charging up on one arm.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A frightening punch sent spatial rends tearing through space, ripping the king of the realm''s body apart...

 Chapter 708: A Terrifying Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 708: A Terrifying Hunt</h4>


    The king, who thought he had escaped safely, was caught unaware and offered up no resistance. He was torn up by the spatial rends like a wet rag.


    A rain of blood sttered through the sky as Zhang Lie clutched his head. "Ah, I lost control!"


    Ren Kunjing pped. "Congrattions on killing a king of the realm!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "All I wanted to do was kill a disaster-grade lifeform."


    Now that he had killed the king too, Zhang Lie couldn''t afford to stay¡ªhe didn''t want to rouse any more trouble.


    Ren Kunjing sent the remaining lifeforms into the wormhole, then left with his men. They had collected enough gic lifeforms, and no one wanted to deal with the king of the realm''s sessor.


    The next king of the realm would surely seek Zhang Lie out in an attempt to get revenge, but Zhang Lie certainly wasn''t going to let himself be killed. If he were to kill the next king, yet another one would pop up and continue seeking revenge on Zhang Lie, forming a vicious cycle with no end.


    That would be a waste of Zhang Lie''s time.


    He transported the gic lifeforms to the hunting ground and allowed them to kill each other. The first disaster-grade lifeform that popped out, however, was Red Comet.


    Zhang Lie was speechless. He did want to have Red Comet, White, and Whiter grow stronger, but not that strong...


    After rearing the three of them for so long, Zhang Lie couldn''t bear to kill Red Comet. Instead, he left in search of more gic lifeforms.


    "There isn''t much time left..." he sighed, ncing at the skies.


    Subsequently, he and the Jinghun headed off to a second medium-sized world.


    The king of the realm they met this time was far more intelligent. Just one blow from Zhang Lie was enough to make him submit.


    The king of the realm gave Zhang Lie a winsome smile, hoping to make him his ally, but Zhang Lie refused. He promised to leave as soon as the king of the realm revealed the location of any disaster-grade lifeforms on that world.


    The king of the realm sighed, but he eded to Zhang Lie''s request.


    The lifeform from that world was ava toad, one whose habitat was an active volcano.


    The path leading into the volcano was studded with obsidian, so blisteringly hot that Zhang Lie would have burned up if he didn''t have the body of a disaster-grade lifeform.


    The king of the realm watched Zhang Lie from afar, curious as to just how strong this mysterious alien from another world was. If Zhang Lie were badly hurt after killing the disaster-grade lifeform, he would take the opportunity to finish Zhang Lie off.


    Zhang Lie leapt into the volcano and struck immediately. His fists rippled with water-attuned gic energy imbued with spatial force.


    As the energy coiled around his arms, the sudden influx of water disturbed the air within the volcano, sending a huge burst of ash into the air and turning Zhang Lie soot-ck.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie''s aura continued to rise rapidly. The water-attuned gic energy swirling around him condensed around his arms, kneading space as though it were nothing more than paper and sending superheated air belching out of the volcano crater. A storm descended and dispersed the air.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the gathered energy erupted in a flood, sendingva shooting up hundreds of meters high. The entire volcano shook.


    Zhang Lie leapt forward. The energy from his punch had caused an eruption, and a flood ofva rushed out of the volcano. Boulders flew out of the volcano like meteors, and the atmosphere turned an ashy red, as though the end of the world was nigh.


    The king of the realm widened his eyes in shock. He had underestimated Zhang Lie, not expecting that he would be able to cause a disaster of such magnitude with an errant blow. He began cleaning up Zhang Lie''s mess immediately, quelling theva and diverting its flow.


    He dug a huge hole at the bottom of the volcano and sent the streams ofva into it.


    In the meantime, as the volcano spewed outva, it also spewed out a disaster-grade lifeform¡ªa dark red toad, covered in magmatic armor.


    Radiant light glowed from the cracks in the armor. The toad was about the size of a cruise ship, and it sent a flood ofva pouring out of its mouth at Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie''s fist morphed into a demonic serpent, one which swallowed theva whole.


    The serpent coiled around the toad as it struggled to escape, stripping itself of its outeryer of magma. Zhang Lie appeared in front of the toad before it could free itself. He stood atop its nose as his eyes glowed rainbow, stilling the struggling toad.


    Zhang Lie beheaded it with one blow, then retrieved the disaster-grade core from its carcass.


    The fiery-red core seemed to be filled with magma and the explosive strength of the volcano. It radiated such heat that even Zhang Lie found it scalding to the touch.


    The king of the realm sighed as the pit he had dug filled withva. He wiped away the sweat on his forehead.


    If he hadn''t responded in time, the cities and viges closest to the volcano would have been caught in the aftermath of the explosion, and they could well have been wiped away.


    The king of the realm nced up in vexation at the ck ash roiling through the skies. kes of ash drifted down from the air like snow; if he didn''t handle this well, there would be longsting impacts on the atmosphere and the life in the region...

 Chapter 709: One More Departure

    <h4>Chapter 709: One More Departure</h4>


    Despite the cataclysm brewing above him, the king of the realm didn''t regret informing Zhang Lie where the disaster-grade lifeform was, because he knew he would have been unable to defend against the attack Zhang Lie had just disyed.


    If he really were to fight against Zhang Lie, he wouldn''t even have a twenty percent chance of winning.


    Even if the volcano were ruined, it was just a patch ofnd. The king of the realm could clean it up readily with his powers. On the other hand, if he were to fight against Zhang Lie, he would surely die.


    The choice between a patch ofnd and his life was obvious.


    Momentster, Zhang Lie pulled out the disaster-grade core and waved farewell to the king of the realm, who sighed. Didn''t the stranger know how to clean up his own messes?


    Zhang Lie left the world without a second thought. He returned to the world of the scalemen, to the mountain which he had destroyed by absorbing a disaster-grade core there. He sat now in its remains as he began absorbing his second core.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched theva-red core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red. The heat felt as though it were receding from the core; the core now responded to his touch.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, rainbow-colored gic energy from his body into the core. It took him an entire hour before he felt the core start to soften.


    After another ten minutes or so, the entire core had softenedpletely.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, within whichva seemed to creep, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it. Once he felt such a sensation, Zhang Lie couldn''t resist his impulses any longer, and he swallowed the core whole.


    The next moment, his body turned fire-red, as though he were molten steel. His blood boiled, his body swelled, and the earth beneath him started to melt. A pir of me burst into the air as the disaster gene fragments reformed his body from the inside out.


    Gic energy circted through his framework, faster and faster. As he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger bursts of me.


    Circting gic energy through his body now took just over half a minute, an incredible and previously unimaginable speed, and his evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the disaster-grade core.


    The temperature of Zhang Lie''s body grew to a shocking degree. The earth beneath him had melted almostpletely, andva now pooled underneath him.


    The king of the realm was speechless. An entire mountain had vanished from sight the first time Zhang Lie absorbed disaster gene fragments there; now, even its remnants were going to be eradicated too.


    Half a month ago, a mountain had dotted thendscape there; now, it seemed like there would be nothing left.


    mes roared out of Zhang Lie''s eyes and mouth, and a vortex of hot wind formed around him. The air surrounding Zhang Lie spontaneouslybusted. He was wreathed in me and cocooned inva. As ck light speared the cocoon, a huge wave of energy poured out and dyed the skies red.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (intermediate)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 40


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Half a monthter, therge number of lifeforms Zhang Lie stole from various worlds finally led to the birth of another disaster-grade lifeform.


    After absorbing this lifeform''s core, Zhang Lie reached a grand total of fifty disaster gene fragments. He was very lucky that the lifeform had even condensed a soulshard¡ªthe disaster-grade lifeform was a phantasmagorical desert fox, and its soulshard was a gown of gauzy fabric.


    The gown was what resulted from distilling the night sky seen from the desert into a garment. It was breathtaking and striking beyond words, but unfortunately, it didn''t seem like something a man could wear.


    "Well, I do need to prepare a gift for thatss..."


    ncing at the skies, the king of the realm sighed. "Master, must you leave?"


    After Zhang Lie told the king of the realm that he was about to leave, the king of the realm sought out Zhang Lie for an audience.


    Zhang Lie downed a cup of wine. "I have my own affairs to take care of, and no time to waste."


    Zhang Lie didn''t want to leave so quickly, either. He hadn''t finished acquiring all his disaster gene fragments, but the incident in the future was about to happen. Zhang Lie couldn''t afford to stay here any longer; if he couldn''t prevent this incident this time around, he would regret it for the rest of his life.


    The king of the realm was very curious as to just what his master was thinking about. He knew how strong his master was; what could be so important for him to behave in such an urgent fashion?


    "What''s the matter, Master?"


    "Nothing. I''m just off to hunt down a wife, to do something I never managed to do before!"


    Thanks to the world map that the Jinghun had provided, Zhang Lie had confirmed the location of the world he would have to head towards. He had expected that it would be a journey requiring him to pass through multiple worlds, but in truth, he was right next to the world in question.


    This time around, he couldn''t leave any regrets behind!


    "Hunting down... a wife?"


    "More or less," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Do you need my help?"


    "You''re trapped in this world as the king of the realm. You can''t leave now!"


    The king of the realm asked, "Can''t you stay just a little while longer?"


    Zhang Lie had almost forgotten that the king of the realm, despite having inherited his position already, was only a teenager.


    He ced a hand atop the king of the realm''s head. "Don''t forget, you''re a king of the realm now. You''re no longer the youth who needed me to survive¡ªthis world belongs to you, and you need to learn to be independent now!"


    The king of the realm sighed. "Master, will we ever meet again?"


    "If you work hard enough, I expect we will. We''ll have plenty of time in the future."


    The king of the realm nodded. "Take care, Master."


    "You too." Now that the youth had be king, it was past time for Zhang Lie to take his leave¡­

 Chapter 710: The Palace on Mt. Yun

    <h4>Chapter 710: The Pce on Mt. Yun</h4>


    Mt. Yun, located a hundred miles outside the city of Dongyang, was the tallest mountain there, though its height, at a paltry 800 meters above sea level, was nothing to boast of.


    The reason it was famous was because the mountain boasted more than five dozen luxurious manors, within which lived politicians and dignitaries of all sorts. The higher up the mountain a manor was, the higher the position of those within.


    There was only one road winding up the mountain from its base; the other face of the mountain was a steep cliff.


    Today seemed to be a special day, because the road, not more than twenty meters wide, had turnedpletely pink from bottom to top. The reason it was pink was because the road had been carpeted with orchid petals so thick they were inches deep. Even from hundreds of meters away, one could smell their intoxicating scent.


    The trees on either side of the mountain were dressed in wedding gowns¡ªyes, not just draped in white cloth. Each tree''s gown was custom-made and white as snow, withce frills and nes of pearl. They signified immacte purity, wlessness.


    Thend within a hundred miles from Mt. Yun had been locked down and ced under security. This wasn''t something that could be aplished with wealth alone¡ªone needed strong political backing as well.


    Sincest night, the entire region had been cleaned to spotlessness.


    Someone strong had dispelled the clouds in the air, making the sky shine as brightly as a gemstone. Rays of light from the morning sun struck the mountain in its entirety.


    Outside the cordon, quite a few citizens had gathered. As they looked toward Mt. Yun, they murmured to themselves.


    The aliens of this world would easily be considered beautiful to the human eye. They boasted silver hair, gemstone-like eyes, green or blue or red, snowy-white skin, slim bodies, and sharp ears like those of an elf.


    "Is the wedding about to begin? It''s said to be thergest interrealm wedding in a lifetime! Even from afar, it''s a sight to behold. Look at those people manipting the very clouds!"


    "Indeed! It''s a grand asion. Apparently, the strongest champions of the eastern and western realms will put together a show."


    "The wedding ceremony will be hosted first in the east, and then in the west..."


    "Ah, the luck of that western brat¡ªhe''ll be marrying the princess of the east, the daughter of the eastern king himself!"


    "It''s a pity that she''ll end up as nothing but a political sacrifice..."


    "That''s how arranged marriages are, you know."


    "What a pity..."


    "Who knows? No one has seen the princess'' appearance before. What if she''s an ugly old hag?"


    "Che! The princess might be a mystery, but everyone has seen the handsome prince of the west, the son of the western king. Despite its being a political marriage, I can''t imagine that the two parties would differ too much in terms of appearance."


    It was hard to believe that at the top of the mountainy what was essentially a pce. The buildings in the pce wereyered atop each other, melding idental and oriental architecture into an impossibly cohesive whole.


    Pink and white were the colors of the day, and it seemed almost as though the entire pce had put on a wedding gown itself.


    The ptial manor was a hundred acres wide, withvish interior furnishing. The outdoor pool was filled with clear blue water. Water drained out of one end of the pool and down its edge like a waterfall toward the nextyer of the ptial structure, a pond filled with a hundred and eight gleaming silver fish.


    By then, all manner of guests had arrived at the patio next to the pool, with all manner of luxury transportation: carriages drawn by superior-grade lifeforms.


    Aliens in formal attire arrived at the pce, one after the other. Most of them were personages that the public would hardly ever have the opportunity to see¡ªbusinessmen and politicians all, each influential in their own right.


    Suited attendants passed through the crowds of guests, passing them beverages and exquisite hors d''oeuvres.


    Mt. Yun was located on arge world, and it didn''t seclude itself as a medium-sized world might. Instead, it harbored close connections with quite a number of worlds surrounding it, as though it were the center of a constetion. It was linked to countless medium-sized and small worlds, each of which were linked to otherrge worlds as well.


    There were many intelligent races inrge worlds, each with their own cities and settlements. They weed alien visitors and cooperated with them to mutual benefit, much like a modern-day metropolis. The races of the Milky Way were no exception.


    The current king of the east was coborating closely with the races of the Milky Way on all manner of projects, and the guests at the wedding reception included many of the strongest races of the Milky Way: the Tianxin, the ck eagles, the Poxian, the Jinghun, the starbeasts, the Jindao, the winged¡ªover half of the top hundred races of the Milky Way had representatives present.


    The worlds of east and west wererge even by third-realm standards, with rich, fertilend and an immense wealth of resources. Even the hundred strongest races of the Milky Way were happy to make connections with the indigenous races there.


    A lithe, middle-aged man stood out from the crowd. His suit was immactely pressed, his waist and back straight, his hair cropped short, his face handsome and his gaze resolute.


    "Has anything unusual happened around the Milky Way recently?"


    He was surrounded by over a dozen people, and it was apparent that he held a high position even among this influential crowd. All intelligent lifeforms of the world of the east knew his name: he was the youngest-ever king of the eastern realm, Li Zongming, as well as the host of today''s reception.


    One of the aliens of the Milky Way suggested, "Perhaps Zhang Lie, the champion of mankind?"


    "The champion of mankind? ?What about him?"


    He discovered how to absorb disaster-grade cores, as well as the existence of limit fragments!?That was what the guest wanted to say, but the indigenous races would hardly understand what he was talking about.


    "Indeed, the champion of humans. The reason he''s special, well... he managed to get into the warlord ranking almost immediately upon entering the third realm. He''s ranked 85th now."


    "Oh? Don''t all you intelligent aliens suffer from a period of weakening upon entering this realm?"


    "Yes, but not him. That''s why he''s special!"


    Li Zongming''s interest was piqued. "A curious individual. I''d like to meet him someday."


    Just then, an attendant whispered a few words in Li Zongming''s ear.


    Li Zongming smiled and inclined his head. "I apologize, but I''ll have to excuse myself. The delegation from the west has arrived."

 Chapter 711: A Magnificent Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 711: A Magnificent Wedding</h4>


    Within the pce, in avish room, two makeup artists were ving away at the young woman who sat between them.


    One of the makeup artists was male, and the other was female. The female artist was putting makeup on the young woman''s exquisite face, while the male artist stood behind the young woman, thinking deeply as he felt her lustrous silver hair.


    "My dear, this is hardly eptable! How do you expect me to style your hair if you refuse to put it in a bun! What long, beautiful hair you have¡ªbut how can a bride leave her hair down?"


    The young woman shook her head once more. "I refuse to put my hair up in a bun. Can''t I leave it as is?"


    The male artist pouted. "But then I won''t be able to answer to my superiors¡­ Why are you so reluctant to put your hair up today? It''s the day of your wedding!"


    The female artist sniffed. "What''s there to be surprised about? Miss Qianqian is the most beautiful woman I''ve ever set eyes on, whether or not she dresses herself up."


    The male artist scowled. "That may be, but her hairdo and makeup will only entuate her natural beauty. Alright, alright¡ªI''ll rack my brains ande up with something."


    The young woman''s smile reminded one of flowers blooming. "Thank you."


    Half an hourter, the female artist carefully slid a circlet over the young woman''s long hair, before leaning back and pping with excitement, "It''s done! My dear, you''re the most beautiful bride I''ve ever seen. Stand up and have a good look!."


    The young woman slowly stood up. Her long, straight hair had been ited into two braids which twined down her back, gems and jewels of all colors studded into her hair.


    Her wedding gown, pure white, gleamed resplendent. Each gem on the gown was custom-made with a wless starstone, and the entire gown took a thousand and one such stones. Thergest stone was iid over her chest, cut into the shape of a heart, and surrounded by a border of small red jewels.


    The young woman was a paragon of beauty, somehow simultaneously curvaceous and slim. Her veil hid her sparkling eyes and exquisite features, the natural extension of her beauty. Her wedding gown had no bustle, revealing the curves of her perfect body to the world. The circlet on her head was made of white gold and iid with starstones in silver and white, all cut into the shape of flowers.


    As she nced at her reflection in the mirror, Li Qianlin''s pale blue eyes grew misty, and a faint sense of worry seemed to echo between her brows. Lightly pursing her lips, she asked, "Am I truly beautiful?"


    Lush trees were carefully cultivated on the ptial grounds, blossoming with fragrant white-and-pink flowers. Around the trees were all sorts of strange and precious flowers, herbs, and shrubs¡ªsome priceless for their spiritual or medicinal properties, but all merely decoration for thend here.


    Underneath the fragrant blooms and tall, lush trees, guests strode by talking to each other as they sipped on wine and champagne.


    No one would dare to speak too loudly on such an asion, for fear of ruining their carefully cultivated image of elegance.


    Just then, two huge beasts flew through the air.


    One seemed to take up the entirety of the skies, its body massive and covered in radiant scales. Antlers shining in all the colors of the rainbow adorned its head like a crown. Its imposing aura pressed on the guests despite how far away it still was.


    The lifeforms on the ground, superior- and peak-grade alike, all lowered their bodies, as though paying respects to the lifeform from above.


    The other lifeform was equallyrge, and its scales glittered with such radiance that even the sun seemed to pale inparison. Its presence alone shook the ground.


    A halo of light shone above its head, and nine pairs of wings kept it aloft, forming strong winds that buffeted the guests below. Their hearts pumped; the lifeform seemed to be staring at them with an air of disdainful arrogance.


    "The star of the show''s here," one of the guests whispered.


    The two beasts carried avish pce between them, resplendent in its wealth. Just a jewel studded on its outer walls wasparable to the total wealth that the average guest possessed.


    The floorboards themselves were made of a crystalline, jewel-like material, so precious an ordinary family could live on a small piece for a lifetime.


    What stood out the most, however, was the radiant jewel that hung at the very top of the pce and gave off light. As the pce appeared more closely within sight, however, the guests realized that it wasn''t a jewel at all, but rather the core of a disaster-grade lifeform. It gave off a shining re, one so bright that it hurt one''s eyes even looking at it from afar.


    The worlds of east and west had been connected and in contact for quite some time, and they had met each other both in diplomacy and in war. This marriage, political as it was, would be a milestone in the history of both worlds.


    Li Zongming was waiting on thewn as the flying pcended, followed by a dozen or so attendants. They stopped about thirty meters or so from where the giant beasts hadnded. With a faint smile on his face, ever the polite host, Li Zongming weed the western delegation.


    As the pce''s doors sprung open, golden radiance melded into long stairs of light.


    A long sheepskin carpet rolled down the steps, and a rain of flower petals floated down from the top of the pce.


    A guest reached out and caught a petal in his hand, only to find it dissolving away like snow¡ªit was made of energy.


    The first people to step down from the pce were two armored knights, each on one side of the stairs, followed by an alien who looked like a lion walking upright.


    The lion-man was over two meters tall, his body tawny red, with hands like an eagle''s ws. His whiskers and mane were turning white, though he hadbed them tidily behind his head. His appearance was beyond reproach.


    Although he was smiling, his imposing aura made some of the guests take a step back.


    These aliens of the world of the west were known as the Suanni.


    Following behind the elder was a young Suanni, likewise garbed formally in a suit with ck shoes and a ck tie. His golden mane was brushed neatly, and he looked much like the elder who had stepped down before him.


    His eyes shone brightly as he took in the sights.


    Only when the two Suanni had descended did Li Zongming walk up to wee them. The old man likewise stepped forward, and the two of them gave each other a warm hug. This old man, the king of the western realm, was Li Zongming''s counterpart across thend.


    "Duan Zisuan, you''re as much of a hulk as ever," Li Zongmingmented.


    "From now on, we''ll be rtives by marriage." Duan Zisuan guffawed and beckoned the young man behind him forward. "Duan Gen, greet your father-inw!"


    The golden-maned man stepped forward and bowed formally. "Duan Gen greets his father-inw."


    Li Zongming smiled. "There''s no need for all the courtesy. You must have had a long journey, so let me lead you to your rooms for now. The ceremony is ready, and we can begin once you''re prepared."


    Duan Zisuan nodded. "It''s about time. Thanks for your hard work."


    A few dozen attendants stepped out of the pce, all of whom seemed stern and tight-lipped. They surrounded the father and son as they proceeded to their quarters.


    As Li Zongming led them there, the wedding guests all greeted him. He returned each greeting one by one.


    Duan Gen smiled warmly, with passion in his eyes that he couldn''t hide. He couldn''t help but think of the silver-haired, blue-eyed maiden''s figure. His heart itched, as though thousands of ants were crawling over his skin. Her prideful gaze and disdainful expression, the aura of ice that surrounded her¡ªhe had wanted to ravage her in bed for quite some time, and today, he was finally going to get what he wanted.


    Once the two Suanni had emerged unscathed from the throngs of guests and were in their personal chambers, Duan Zisuan asked, "Duan Gen, do you know how much sacrifice this wedding cost me?"


    Duan Gen bowed. "Thank you for your assistance, Father."


    Duan Zisuan shook his head. "No need for such words between father and son. Li Zongming has only one child, whom you''ll be marrying. I need you to conquer her. The world of the east has been growing stronger and stronger thesest few years, and Li Zongming has been a particrly effective ruler. I hope this marriage will prove to be a blessing for us."


    Duan Gen requested, "Father, may I go see the bride?"


    Duan Zisuanughed. "You''ll be able to see her shortly. Are you in such a hurry?"


    Duan Gen''s eyes shone. "I want to see what she looks like in her wedding gown."


    Duan Zisuan sighed and waved at him. "Well, go on!"


    Duan Gen licked his lips, his eyes turning as lustful as a beast''s.


    His life had been ruined five years ago, when he met Li Qianlin for the first time. She was fifteen, her beauty already having flowered. She looked at the world with pride in every fold of her body and disdain in her eyes, like a white lotus blooming in the solitude of a tall mountain. He dreamt of her at least weekly.


    The first time he met her, he had been twenty-one. He vowed that he would obtain that ice-cold young woman, then make her into nothing more than his ything. He wanted to see Li Qianlin beg for him, to lose that pride in her eyes and sink into despair, instead, to make her lick his toes like a lowly servant.


    As these thoughts ran through his head, Duan Gen found himself getting an erection...

 Chapter 712: An Uninvited Guest

    <h4>Chapter 712: An Uninvited Guest</h4>


    "You''re unbelievably pretty, Miss Qianqian!"


    "You shine like the night sky."


    "I''m sure his highness will be thrilled!"


    After countless hours of makeup and then dress-up, her makeup artists and attendants were all very satisfied with their handiwork. They pronounced her the most beautiful young woman they had everid eyes on.


    Although it was the day of her wedding, Li Qianlin couldn''t summon up any joy. As though she were a girl walking to her execution, Li Qianlin had lost all hope in the future.


    She had seen Duan Gen quite a few times before. The lecherous look he had thrown her way during their first encounter left an indelible impression on her mind, and she felt disgust whenever she saw his appearance.


    He was strong, of that there was no doubt. There was no one who could best him among his generation in either the east or the west, and he was widelyuded to be the strongest person aside from the kings of the realms themselves.


    However, strength was often negatively corrted with niceness, and Duan Gen was no exception. That only made him more dangerous and more detestable.


    Uponing to the realm of the east, he had yed cruel tricks on almost all the talented youth of his generation, showing off his strength and proving his dominance.


    Even so, this odious man would be her husband. That was her fate, a fate that couldn''t be changed.


    She was hailed as the goddess of the east, but despite her fame, she too knew how it felt to be a young girl. She had dreamt that, in her time of need, a prince would show himself and save her from the cruel grasps of tyranny¡ªor that she would be attracted to another person and, oveing whatever trials came their way, end up together with him. It was an impossible daydream, but she still couldn''t let it go.


    Li Qianlin was intelligent, and she had epted her ce in life since she was a young girl.


    Even if she were to marry a repulsive husband, she would y the role of virtuous wife to the best of her ability.


    Suddenly, there was amotion from outside the doors to her chamber. They swung open violently, and a man forced his way inside despite the protests of Li Qianlin''s guards.


    "Oh? I suppose this get-up¡­ is eptable." The man looked her up and down as though she were an object, then gave her a ratherckadaisical evaluation.


    "Prince Duan Gen, I must express my heartfelt admiration at how brazenly you force your way into an unmarried maiden''s chambers," Li Qianlin retorted.


    "Ah? I''m your husband, aren''t I? What nonsense are you spouting?"


    "Just my fiance, if you please," Li Qianlin corrected him.


    Duan Gen hadn''t changed from before. He''d act like a gentleman in front of his betters, but rough, coarse, and brutish to anyone else, as though he were an undisciplined hound. He looked Li Qianlin up and down again as though he wanted to lick her all over, causing her to shudder.


    "All of you, get out," Duan Genmanded, smiling lecherously as hemanded her attendants and guards.


    None of them knew how to react. Only when Duan Gen repeated himself did the attendants rush out. The guards, of course, were unwilling to let the princess go unsupervised.


    Duan Gen''s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    Worried that Duan Gen would target them in the future, Li Qianlinmanded them to leave the room.


    Duan Gen scowled and called out toward their backs, "You''re all untrained dogs¡ªlooks like I''ll have to break you in in the future myself!"


    "They''re not dogs," Li Qianlin protested, "but my loyal subordinates."


    "You''re still bickering with me? I remember how you looked at me the first time we met¡ªand I knew then that I wanted you to be my ything."


    Duan Gen sneered as he nced at Li Qianlin''s stubborn face, then suddenly grabbed her hand.


    "Ouch!"


    Duan Gen''s hand, like a steel pincer, made Li Qianlin yelp in pain. He grew excited at seeing her pained expression. "I must say, your disgust is ravishing. How about we consummate our marriage in advance?"


    "You dare?!"


    "Dare? What don''t I dare to do? Cry out as loudly as you want¡ªthe louder you are, the more excited I''ll be. I''ve tested the soundproofing in this room, you know. I had my fun with one of your attendants in here, and no one could hear anything from the outside."


    "You! You were the one who killed Tao?!"


    Li Qianlin''s eyes widened in disbelief. Her closest attendant, the girl she had grown up with since childhood, was more like a sworn sister to her than a servant. Half a month ago, she had died of mysterious causes. Her body was found thrown into a well, and she had clearly been brutalized before her death.


    Because Li Qianlin''s marriage was nigh, the king of the realm had sealed off all information regarding the affair, and Tao was given a quiet burial. Duan Gen had visited the pce the night before Tao''s corpse was found.


    "For a servant to stare at me so brazenly¡ªwell, I couldn''t let that slide. I have to say, I did enjoy myself. I dug out her eyeballs, and she was moaning piteously as blood dripped out of her sockets."


    Li Qianlin had expected that she would be able to grow out of her dislike of him, that Duan Gen would ultimately turn a new leaf with her careful guidance, but it looked as though that had only been a childish fantasy.


    Some people would never change.


    Li Qianlin''s eyes grew resolute. She couldn''t let herself be married to such a nightmare.


    "Let go!" With a scream, the young woman kicked at Duan Gen''s groin as she began to resist.


    The unexpected kick caused Duan Gen to loosen his grip, freeing Li Qianlin from his grasp. As the only heir of the king, she could hardly just be a pretty face. Gic energy filled her body in an instant.


    "You wretch, you kicked me!" Unfortunately, her opponent was far too strong. The king of the west had heaped his son with all sorts of treasures. With a roar, darkness consumed the entire room, trapping Li Qianlin in an airless cage.


    Li Qianlin bit her lips. Only now did she realize just how strong her new husband would be¡ªas strong as a king of the realm, far stronger than the rumors had imed.


    Duan Gen drew closer and closer, but even as Li Qianlin''s face grew pale, her eyes remained resolute.


    "Your eyes are very pretty, and I do like how you continue to resist me. I want to dye them in the colors of pain and despair¡ª to y with my prey, to force them to submit to me." Duan Gen cackled as he drew even closer. "Li Qianlin, the first time I met you, when you stared at me just like that, I swore to myself I''d drown you in the depths of despair."


    Thest sliver of light winked out as Duan Gen continued fanning Li Qianlin''s fears. He reached out to her with a hand, thinking to grip her lower jaw tightly and force her to look at him.


    Li Qianlin despaired.


    "Li Qianlin, how do you think it''ll feel to have lost your virginity before the wedding banquet? Bearing with the pain of your loins while you greet the wedding guests¡ªjust what sort of expression would you make, ?I wonder?"


    "You damned bastard! I, Li Qianlin, will never submit to you, even in death!" Gic energy roiled around her body, and she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Before she could do anything more, however, the space in the room suddenly seemed to freeze up.


    "Haha! You don''t think I''d let youmit suicide, do you?" Duan Gen''s lecherous hand finally made its way to Li Qianlin''s lower jaw, but it suddenly vanished the moment it did so.


    Li Qianlin had never expected that someone would stand up for her in her time of need, saving her from her misery and vanquishing the bastard in front of her.


    As darkness overwhelmed her, she had prayed for salvation¡ªbut thatsted only an instant before cold logic and rationality took over. They were in the world of the east, in her father''s pce!


    Except for her father, no one would be able to stop this man, and no one would have expected him to be right here in her rooms. Her father would be very busy preparing for the wedding, and there was almost no chance she would be found.


    Even so, when Duan Gen''s hand disappeared, her eyes lit up in hope.


    A man appeared behind Duan Gen.


    The next moment, as Duan Gen''s techniques shattered, she found herself able to move again.


    She tilted her head and stared at her savior. Among the men she had seen, the man''s face was hardly better than ordinary, but his warm gaze made her feel safer than anyone else to date.


    His deep, profound eyes seemed to have a story to tell; she felt suddenly as though she knew him, even though she was certain she had never met him before.


    He reminded her of the king of the east.


    How had this man made his way in here?


    They were in her personal chambers, on the eve of her wedding! All those who were rich and influential enough had secured an invitation to her wedding, and the security presence from thesebined personages, along with the heightened security from both kings of the realms themselves, made this pce all but a fortress.


    Even so, this mysterious man had somehow made it into her chambers. Furthermore, he had even managed to creep up behind Duan Gen, a man as strong as a king of the realm, while evading his notice entirely. None of the guards from outside seemed to have noticed his presence, either.


    In other words, he had to be far stronger than even Duan Gen himself¡ªhe had to be on another dimension of strength entirely.


    His face was rather youthful, but Li Qianlin was sure she knew everyone of note around her age in the worlds of east and west.


    Duan Gen trembled subtly. "As a guard that the king of the east assigned to Qianqian, you''re not bad¡ª"


    Zhang Lie rified Duan Gen''s misunderstanding with a simple action. He kneed Duan Gen''s groin from the back, crushing Duan Gen''s testicles like persimmons.


    Before he could react, Duan Gen found his head crashing into the ceiling. He mmed back down to the floor, a patch of blood forming by his pants. He clutched his groin and yelled out in pain, curling up into a ball.


    Zhang Lie kicked him and mmed down hard with one boot over his stomach, remarking leisurely, "Indeed, the soundproofing in these chambers is excellent."

 Chapter 713: Treatment Against Perversion

    <h4>Chapter 713: Treatment Against Perversion</h4>


    "Your cries aren''t too bad yourself!" Zhang Lie listened to Duan Gen''s pained howls with a grin on his face. His gic energy filled the rooms, and he controlled all the space within.


    Duan Gen clutched his groin and yelled out in so high-pitched a voice it seemed as though he had just been castrated. "I''m the prince of the west and prince by marriage of the east! No matter who you are, the fact that you''ve hurt me will be your end. My father will kill you!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. He walked forward and stepped on Duan Gen''s head. "Which of your hands touched her?"


    Duan Gen shrieked, "You bastard! How dare you step on your master''s head¡ªyou''re really asking to die, aren''t you? When my mene, they''ll tear your corpse to pieces!"


    "Your men? You want them to see you begging me for mercy, is that it?"


    Zhang Lie stared at the pitiful man in disdain as he slowly crushed his right arm. He infused pitch-ck corrosive energy into his palm, causing Duan Gen to screech in pain as his skin and bones melted away.


    He howled in rage and madness, "I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you for sure! You''ll suffer my pain thousandfold! I''ll dig out your eyes and have a hundred men prate your body, I''ll pour oil up your ass and burn you alive!"


    Perhaps an ordinary person might be scared by Duan Gen''s threats, but Zhang Lie was wholly unfazed.


    As for Li Qianlin, she could barely believe her eyes. Duan Gen, first among his generation, who had defeated countless legends, was nothing more than a baby in front of this man, without any ability to defend himself whatsoever.


    Li Qianlin scrutinized the man before him more closely. From his appearance, it was evident that he didn''t belong to this world. Either he came from other worlds in the third realm, or he was a lifeform from the Milky Way.


    However, she didn''t understand how he had suddenly appeared in her rooms, nor why he had bothered. Most people would steer clear of trouble. As Duan Gen stated, he was the prince of the west, and he would soon be prince of the east by marriage as well. Laying a hand on him meant simultaneously offending two kings of the realm.


    Li Qianlin was Duan Gen''s fiancee, and those who weren''t in the know could very well write off Duan Gen''s interactions with her as forey between husband and wife.


    Perhaps because she had felt so hopeless, the fact that someone was beating Duan Gen up made a feeling of exuberance well up from her heart. It spread throughout her entire body and filled her with relief, excitement, and bliss.


    But the show wasn''t over yet.


    After crushing Duan Gen''s arm, Zhang Lie parroted Duan Gen''s words back to him.


    "You said you enjoyed ying with those who resist you, that you wanted to watch them submit, didn''t you? I''m much the same way¡ªbut what I like most is seeing perverted bastards like you die the same way you''ve hurt others in the past. Your gaze looks just perfect¡ªyou really are mentally ill, aren''t you? Don''t worry, I can cure you no matter how severe your illness!"


    Zhang Lie poked out Duan Gen''s eyeballs with his fingers, causing them to explode leaving nothing more than sockets behind.


    Duan Gen clutched his face in pain, blood seeping out between his fingers. His opponent was clearly able to remove them swiftly and cleanly, but he had chosen a far crueler method instead.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I love seeing perverted bastards like you struggle to no avail. In the end, you''ll have to kneel down in front of me and beg for mercy¡ªnothing could make me happier."


    Zhang Lie repeated the words that Duan Gen had said to Li Qianlin, making her realize that he seemed to be taking revenge on Duan Gen for her.


    Li Qianlin racked her brain trying to think of where she might have encountered Zhang Lie before, but she had no recollection of any interaction with him. But why else would he stand up for her?


    "After losing your dick, your eyeballs, and one arm, I wonder what sort of expression you''ll make at the wedding banquet? Will you stand before them with your pain, shame, and weakness obvious to one and all? I really am quite curious."


    Zhang Lie lifted Duan Gen up by his mane, then smashed a fist into his stomach, cracking his bones and sending Duan Gen convulsing as he vomited out blood.


    Zhang Lie reached out and grabbed one of Duan Gen''s legs, then pulled on it until it tore off his body.


    Only then did Duan Gen finally lose hope.


    "Hey, you''d better not die just yet¡ªI''m only halfway done with you!"


    Duan Gen understood that his opponent was a crazed man, that his threats against Zhang Lie were meaningless. He began to beg for mercy. "Please, let me go! I understand my wrongdoing now, I really do!"


    Zhang Lie peered at him with interest. "Oh? I don''t think so. Didn''t you say you wanted a hundred men to prate you, to pour oil up your ass and light you ame? You can''t die until then, you know¡ª I won''t let you."


    Duan Gen shivered involuntarily. He pleaded as he smashed his forehead against the ground, "Please, let me go! I won''t do it again, never again!"


    Li Qianlin was very surprised that Duan Gen, whom everyone called a demon king behind his back, was actually willing to beg for mercy.


    Duan Gen was a perverted bastard, but that didn''t make him a fool. Instead, he had to be far more intelligent than an average person to hide his perversion.


    At the moment, he was nning to give up his pride and beg for mercy until his father was able to save him. Then, he would pay Zhang Lie back a hundred times, a thousand times what he had suffered at his hands.


    Neither would he let Li Qianlin go. She was surely affiliated with that bastard in some way!


    "Good, good! You''re still a kid, aren''t you? I''ll take it easy on you and give you one opportunity to prove yourself."


    Zhang Lie nced around the room and finally set his eyes on a crystal high heel, which he picked up.


    "Come, shove this up your ass!"


    "What?!" Duan Gen''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Zhang Lie continued, "You want to turn over a new leaf, don''t you? Prove it. Shove this up your ass and crawl out from this room. I''ll believe you then."


    Duan Gen shouted, "I''ll be ruined! My reputation¡ª"


    "You''re unwilling to do it, then?" Zhang Lie''s face turned dark.


    1. The author''s own perversion is showing...

 Chapter 714: The Scene of the Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 714: The Scene of the Wedding</h4>


    Duan Gen could feel the killing intent gathering by Zhang Lie''s body. If he didn''t do as Zhang Lie demanded, Zhang Lie really might kill him!


    Just as he was about to plead for mercy again, Zhang Lie, who was losing his patience, stuffed one heel into his mouth. Then, he looked threateningly at him, then at the other heel.


    Duan Gen wanted to shriek, but the heel was a surprisingly effective gag. Finally, unable to take Zhang Lie''s re any longer, he prated himself with the heel. Blood fountained out of his ass, and his whole body began to tremble.


    Even so, Zhang Lie wasn''t done with him just yet. With a quick prod of his fingers, Zhang Lie crippled Duan Gen''s cultivation.


    By then, Li Qianlin had curled up into a small ball by the edge of the room as though she were a wounded rabbit. "Just who are you?"


    Zhang Lie was stronger than Duan Gen. His attention hadn''t been directed at her yet, but who was to say he wouldn''t suddenly turn on her?


    Zhang Lie nced at her and couldn''t help stifling a smile. "Who am I? A princee to save you in times of need, of course."


    Li Qianlin raised an eyebrow. "You liar¡ªyou don''t look like a prince at all! More like a demon king who wants to steal a princess away."


    Zhang Lie''s lips quirked. "Will you leave with the demon king, then, princess?"


    She felt almost as though she were drowning, and Zhang Lie her only lifeline.


    Even so, she resisted. "Father told me not to trust strangers."


    "Well, it''s not up to you." Zhang Lie lifted Li Qianlin up by force as she began to pound his chest with her fists, but she could do him no harm. All she did was sense the scorching heat radiating from his body, as well as his firm chest.


    After all, Li Qianlin''s gic energy had been temporarily sealed.


    "What are you doing? Are you really going to abduct me?"


    Zhang Lie kicked Duan Gen, whoy in a heap on the ground. "You won''t leave? Do you really want to marry this bastard?"


    Li Qianlin shook her head violently.


    "In that case, leave with me!"


    Zhang Lie kicked the door to her rooms open. Her guards and attendants were sprawled on the floor, and Li Qianlin couldn''t help but be nervous when she saw their bodies.


    Zhang Lie exined, "Don''t worry, I didn''t kill any of them. They''re all just asleep."


    Li Qianlin asked, "Where are you bringing me?"


    "Anywhere''s better than staying behind and marrying that ass, surely?"


    A look of revulsion crossed Li Qianlin''s face. I don''t mind a cripple, but I won''t marry a bastard like him."


    Zhang Lie smiled with satisfaction¡ªthis sounded like the Li Qianlin he knew.


    She nodded firmly. "You''re right. Anywhere would be better than this."


    In hisst life, Li Qianlin had broken free from Duan Gen''s grasp, kicked him in the groin until his testicles burst, and fled from her wedding. In her race to freedom, she leapt through two different worlds and encountered Zhang Lie for the first time.?Don''t worry. I won''t hurt you, and I won''t let anyone else hurt you!


    She had died for him in her past life; in this life, he would make sure her previous sacrifice wasn''t for naught. He had the ability to protect her, after all, even against the likes of Duan Zisuan.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes grew firm, causing Li Qianlin to be even more confused. She had never met this person; why would he do so much for her?


    She asked, "I still don''t know your name."


    "I''m Zhang Lie."


    "Zhang Lie..." Li Qianlin murmured.


    Zhang Lie nced at the pce, still adorned in shades of pink and white. "A festive asion, isn''t it? No wonder you''re dressed like this."


    Li Qianlin blushed. "My clothes are ruined."


    "Here, for you."


    Zhang Lie tossed her the disaster-grade gown of starry night he had recently obtained.


    Li Qianlin was familiar with these curious soulshards that the aliens of the Milky Way were able to procure, and she had some of her own, but nothing of this quality.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "For such a wedding to be without a bride and groom is truly a pity..."


    "What are you nning?"


    "What do you think?"


    When Zhang Lie revealed his n, Li Qianlin nced at him as though he had grown a second head.


    "Are you crazy?!" Were all kidnappers so bold these days?


    In the main pavilion, ssical music yed in the background and the fragrant scent of beautiful, elegant flowers wafted in the air.


    The rows of white seats had long since been filled as the guests gathered to witness this historic wedding that would unite the two worlds of east and west.


    A priestly middle-aged man stood at the very front of the gathering, a smile on his face as he waited for the bride and groom to arrive.


    "Tonight, under the auspices of the moon and the night sky, we shall witness the pairing of two stars." The woman who would moderate and act as hostess for the wedding ceremony stepped out from behind the stage, her voice clear and crisp.


    "My goodness¡ªit''s Dong Mingxing! She''s the hostess for tonight''s ceremony!"


    Even the guests, famous and influential as they were, were shocked by the choice of hostess.


    She was dressed in an elegant but understated close-fitting red dress, cut in such a way that one of her silver-white thighs could barely be seen. A mink shawl was draped over her shoulders. She looked the very picture of mature beauty.


    "To think the king of the east would manage to secure the top performer of the world for this wedding¡ªwell, I suppose I can hardly expect anyst!"


    "Apparently, even the famous and wealthy have a hard time scheduling even a simple meal with her."


    "I''d die for a night alone with her!"


    Many of the guests were immediately enraptured.


    "Only someone like the king of the east would be able tomand her time..."


    "No, that''s not right. She''s here only because of the bride¡ªI heard that the king of the east''s daughter was like a niece to her."


    "I''m curious as to this mysterious bride¡ªshe''s hardly made a public appearance before, has she?"


    The murmurs of the shocked guests didn''t faze Dong Mingxing''s speech.


    "Tonight, in this sacred chamber, the bride and groom shall be tethered forevermore in holy matrimony. On this auspicious asion, the most fortunate and gifted couple of the east shall be united as one." Her voice was mellifluous and effortlessly charming.


    One of the guests whispered to his neighbor, "Won''t Dong Mingxing''s presence upstage the bride?"


    "Right¡ªif she''s even prettier than the bride, then..."


    "The king of the east is no fool, and he wouldn''t allow her to host the ceremony if that were the case. Who knows? The bride might eclipse even Dong Mingxing in beauty!"


    The guests'' anticipation rose to a climax.

 Chapter 715: A Shocking Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 715: A Shocking Appearance</h4>


    Dong Mingxing''s mellifluous voice caught the hearts and ears of the present guests. "On this joyous, festive asion, we stand together in the pce atop Mt. Yun in witness of the marriage between Mr. Duan Gen and Ms. Li Qianlin. I am honored to be the hostess for the wedding tonight."


    The guests chattered away. "Could there really be a more beautiful woman than Dong Mingxing?"


    Many of the guests staunchly refused to consider this possibility.


    "First, please allow me to offer my heartfelt thanks and wee to all the guests that are gathered here. Let the wedding ceremony begin!" Dong Mingxing raised her arms high up into the air.


    On that signal, countless golden superior-grade lifeforms took to the skies, forming a gigantic golden flock. Golden powder scattered through the air reflected the evening sun, shading the entire sky in streaks of red and gold.


    The guests witnessing the ceremony from below gasped in awe. Only someone like the king of the realm would be able to marshall a flock of superior-grade lifeforms¡ªand for nothing more than to set the ambience for his daughter''s wedding, too.


    The king of the east smiled. The preparations for this wedding had taken an inordinate amount of work, but it was also an ideal stage for him to show off his strength.


    Two pairs of ten peak-grade dragons appeared from either side of the pavilion, each pulling a gigantic, ornate carriage. Those within the carriages flung golden confetti and flower petals out their windows, and behind each carriage trailed a long banner of light.


    The dragons on the left were yoked to a carriage with a silver banner, and those on the right, a gold banner. The two sets of dragons circled and revolved around each other before pulling apart, their motions so organized that it was apparent how much effort had been put into training them.


    The dragons made their final revolution in the air, their trajectories criss-crossing and forming two hearts with the banners behind the carriages. Just then, a multicolored beam of light struck the center of the two hearts like an arrow, dyeing the entire sky in rainbow light.


    "Now, as the band ys an original wedding march, let us wee the bride and groom with thunderous apuse!"


    The guests all began to p vigorously as the band started to y¡ªbut even as the spotlights gathered on stage, after a pregnant silence descended long after thest guest had stopped pping, the stage remained empty.


    No shadow of either the bride or groom could be seen.


    Dong Mingxing coughed politely to break the tension. "It appears that the stars of today''s show are a little nervous!"


    Li Zongming and Duan Zisuan''s smiles froze on their faces.


    "Please, let''s give our stars a bit more time!"


    ¡­


    When no one made an appearance even after her pronouncement, even Dong Mingxing seemed to start fretting. The guests began to grow visibly displeased despite her best attempt to keep the ceremony proceeding forward absent the two stars of the show.


    Li Zongming beckoned an attendant over. "Have someone check on just what''s happening with the bride and groom."


    "...today, we witness a match made in heaven, a fusion of east and west, a distition of beauty and talent!"


    Just as Dong Mingxing was about to run out of titudes to throw at the crowd, two figures finally made an appearance from backstage. She sighed in relief as one of the staffers gave her an "OK" gesture, and she turned to the crowd. "Let us, once again, wee the bride and groom with thunderous apuse!"


    Arrayed along the stage were thirty-six children, forming a choir as they sang a lilting melody.


    As nned, the brightest and most extravagant fireworks were released at that very moment, dyeing the skies in phantasmagorical color.


    "Now, we witness the conjoining of two hearts made for each other! Now, we witness the moment of holy matrimony! Now, we tether man and woman, husband and wife! Together, united in mind and body, they shall bear the ordeals of life, whatever wind and rain maye their way!"


    Dong Mingxing''s pleasing voice sparked the excitement of the crowd.


    The lights on stage dimmed as a group of young and middle-aged people took to the stage, carrying bouquets of flowers and candles with them. They sang in low, pitched voices, their candles, though weak individually, brightening up the entire stage as they gathered in a circle.


    These singers were the closest rtives,panions and confidantes of the bride and groom, and they came bearing well wishes.


    Meanwhile, Dong Mingxing strode down the stage and began singing alongside the children, her sonorous voice intoxicating the crowd.


    A group of ten page boys and flower girls then appeared on stage, the two youngest at the very front, scattering flower petals from a basket, whereas the older ones at the back held candles up high. The procession was arranged in height and age, as though representing the passing of time.


    Finally, the two stars of the wedding made their appearance.


    Even before they took to the stage, the guests felt as though they could sense the impression of a starry night sky, one whose natural beauty stunned and overwhelmed all.


    The bride stepped forward in a gossamer gown, ethereal and otherworldly in her appearance. The luminous fabric glowed in the candlelight, making her look as though she had descended from the heavens.


    If there really were angels in this world, she would be the most beautiful among them.


    Her wless gown molded an equally wless body. The curves and arcs of her body were elegant, lithe, and graceful, and the guests felt themselves charmed by her presence.


    Her wedding gown might well have been holy garb.


    Her face was hidden behind a veil, and all that the guests could see of her shining sapphire eyes were shes of blue light. That and the contours of her face alone were enough to capture the imagination of many.


    The bride was always the focus of the wedding; this wedding was no exception. No, she was more than just the focus!


    The instant Li Qianlin walked out on stage, the entire world seemed to lose its color, as though everything was shrouded in ayer of dream and shadow.


    The guests'' attention werepletely gathered on the bride standing on stage, the most beautiful bride anyone present had ever seen. Heaven and earth seemed to fade to ck and white, leaving the bride as the only source of color in the world.


    Her appearance, as beautiful as a delicate flower, as the finest jade, brooked no criticism. Her graceful, dignified bearing had no equal in the realm.


    Even the most grandiose praise would fail to capture all her beauty.


    The moment she appeared, she was as splendid as the sun. As she stepped forward, she eclipsed even the moon in purity.


    She effortlessly imed the hearts and minds of all present.


    Even the two kings of the realm, who were the most worldly among them all, were stunned by Li Qianlin''s beauty. A goddess might well pale inparison to her.

 Chapter 716: A Wedding for the Ages

    <h4>Chapter 716: A Wedding for the Ages</h4>


    While the guests were stupefied by Li Qianlin''s charm, one of them murmured, "No wonder the king of the east was willing to have Dong Mingxing host the wedding. She really is absurdly beautiful..."


    Li Qianlin''s beauty would be besmirched even by the highest of praises. The men were shocked; the women were jealous. The diaphanous gown seemed to illuminate itself without any source of light whatsoever. It made Li Qianlin''s body look as though it were studded with jewels¡ªthis wasn''t a wedding gown, it was the raiment of the gods!


    Dong Mingxing herself was captivated.


    Many of the female guests murmured to each other as they tried to identify the designer of the gown.


    Even Li Zongming was openmouthed. He didn''t seem capable of reconciling the woman on stage with his daughter.


    When had she be so beautiful?


    Li Qianlin''s beauty was stunning to begin with, but what really allowed her to capture the attention and imagination of the crowd was the disaster-grade gown of starry night.


    Duan Zisuan was very pleased with his new daughter-inw.


    Li Zongming came to his senses after sneaking a few more peeks at his daughter.?My daughter is really pretty, isn''t she? Thatd got a bargain.


    Li Zongming nced at the groom, who stared at the crowd with a resolute gaze and deep, intelligent eyes. He was dressed neatly in a suit. He was not particrly handsome, and could hardlypare to Li Qianlin in that regard, but he stood as her equalrgely due to his aura, which red as though it would devour everything in sight. The two of them, standing together, looked like a matched pair.


    Strangely enough, Duan Gen''s body was wrapped up in colored fog, and only the outline of his body could be seen from afar.


    The colored fog was so imprable that even Li Zongming and Duan Zisuan were unable to ovee it.


    Li Zongming thought that it was something the westerners had nned, worried that Li Qianlin''s beauty would make her seem far too superior a match to Duan Gen. On the other hand, Duan Zisuan thought that it was something the easterners had nned, worried that Duan Gen would eclipse Li Qianlin instead.


    The two kings''plementary misunderstanding made Zhang Lie''s ridiculous n go as nned.


    Everyone''s focus was on the bride, and the weak illumination on stage meant that no one realized that the groom''s identity had changed.


    The bride and groom, holding hands, walked toward the front of the stage. Their other hands, they held up in the air, four fingers extended. One finger was for loyalty, another for fidelity, the third for abiding love, and thest for mutual partnership.


    Li Qianlin felt as though she were in a dream.


    "Under the auspices of heaven and earth, I so swear that, be it in illness or in strife, in pain or poverty, my love for my partner shall not waver."


    "Under the auspices of heaven and earth, I so swear that, be it in illness or in strife, in pain or poverty, my love for my partner shall not waver."


    The bride and groom made matching bows to each other.


    The customs of the worlds of east and west were different from those on Earth. The will of the world itself would recognize and approve of their marriage, and they would receive corresponding marks as a result.


    "So sworn: Li Qianlin."


    Li Zongming watched on with benevolence. He had raised his daughter for two whole decades, and it was finally time to let her go.


    "So sworn: Zhang Lie!"


    Duan Zisuan''s eyes suddenly widened in shock. Zhang Lie?! What? Who was this?!


    Before either king could react, the skies lit up in gold. A thousand stars shone brightly, heaping well wishes on the newlywed couple. Two beams of rainbow light tangled in the air andnded on the two newlyweds'' foreheads, a proof of marriage.


    When newlyweds swore vows to each other under the will of the world, they would be bound together for life. If they ever were to betray each other, they would be punished by the will of the world.


    The beam from the will of the world caused the rainbow fog surrounding Zhang Lie to dissipate, and the bride and groom were revealed in their entirety.


    The guests grew silent, and Li Zongming jumped up in his seat.


    The groom holding hands with the bride wasn''t Duan Gen¡ªhe was a stranger no one knew! Who was this ''Zhang Lie''? Why was he marrying his daughter? Whose idea was this? Where was Duan Gen?


    Duan Zisuan was equally flummoxed to find an unknown groom standing on the stage. What had happened to his son? What was this farce?


    "Who''s that?" Duan Zisuan was so angry that his face was turning green. This was his son''s wedding, but where was his son? This was a public insult to the world of the west! In rage, he thundered, "Li Zongming, do you take me for a fool?"


    "Calm down, Duan Zisuan! I don''t know what''s going on either." Li Zongming suddenly twisted his head andmanded, "Stop the music!"


    Only then did the guests finally start to react.


    They nced at the king of the west, thundering in rage, and were utterly baffled. Wasn''t the wedding going perfectly? The bride was a beauty for the ages! What was there to be upset about?


    Only btedly did they realize that the groom wasn''t a Suanni¡ªhe was from an alien race.


    "Hold on, isn''t something wrong?"


    The bride was far more beautiful than expected, and that beauty gave an otherworldly shine to the wedding. The groom, however¡­ wasn''t the groom supposed to be a Suanni?


    What did he call himself, Zhang Lie? Who was this Zhang Lie?


    The bride was the original bride, the wedding was the original wedding, the kings of the realm were the original kings of the realm, but the groom... was someone different?


    Even Dong Mingxing seemed baffled. "Just what is that girl thinking?"


    This was Dong Mingxing''s first time being a host for a wedding, and it was an honor for her to even agree to it¡ªwas Li Qianlin trying to make a clown of her?


    Dong Mingxing knew that Li Qianlin was a serious girl, but upon looking at the ersatz groom on stage, she couldn''t help but feel as though she was at the receiving end of a prank. And if she, who actually knew Li Qianlin, felt this way, what would the guests think?


    For this historical marriage to suddenly be so farcical...


    The indigenous people of the worlds of east and west were unable to ept what had happened, but the aliens of the Milky Way were behaving in another manner entirely. After all, they quickly recognized the identity of the man on stage¡ªhe was a human!


    The starbeasts were particrly close allies of the human race, and they recognized Zhang Lie immediately.


    "Isn''t that... the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie?!"


    "Really?!"


    "Really?!"


    "It really is!"


    Many of the aliens from the Milky Way were gobsmacked.


    Zhang Lie had truly made a ssh and an indelible impression in front of this gathered crowd.


    For him to be recing the groom on such a momentous asion¡ªno one could believe it; it was the stuff of whimsy and daydreams.


    "No matter who he is, he''s a true man, I say!"


    "Hear, hear!"


    Some praised Zhang Lie for his courage, but others disparaged his idiocy.


    "A true man, perhaps¡ªbut one who doesn''t have long to live..."


    "If not for all the guests present, the two kings of the realm would have ripped him to pieces already!"


    Li Zongming leapt up onto the stage. "Who are you?!" To his daughter, he asked, ?"Just what''s going on?"


    Zhang Lie stood with a grin on his face, ignoring the kings growing more and more agitated. His eyes were for his bride and his bride alone. Even Zhang Lie hadn''t expected to end up marrying Li Qianlin in such fashion.


    As for Li Qianlin herself, she was even more confused. She didn''t know how to begin the story of her convoluted and unimaginable evening...

 Chapter 717: I Was Forced

    <h4>Chapter 717: I Was Forced</h4>


    She could hardly say that her fiance was about to rape her, and a mysterious man crippled him as a result. She didn''t know this man at all, and no one would believe her words¡ªat the very least, she couldn''t even believe what had happened, and she had witnessed everything!


    Why would a stranger save her, join her on stage, and even marry her? And why did she swear this binding oath that would intertwine their lives for now and ever after?


    While Li Qianlin was lost in her thoughts, Zhang Lie gripped her hand tightly and shielded her with his body. "Don''t worry. I''m here."


    He turned to the crowd and announced, "You''ve all heard, haven''t you? My name is Zhang Lie!"


    Duan Zisuan stood up in anger, and his two guards shot toward Zhang Lie like bolts of lightning.


    As the shocked crowd watched on, their bodies rapidly grew, tearing their clothes and revealing their frightening true forms.


    The guard on the left morphed into a four-meter tall baboon-like creature, whereas the guard on the right transformed into a five-meter tall giant seemingly d in a tiger''s pelt. Muscles bulged all over his body.


    The two beastmen crashed into the bouquets arrayed all over the stage, sending a storm of petals into the air.


    "Protect the guests!" Li Zongming shouted. The eastern guards rushed out from the perimeter and escorted the guests away.


    The baboon-like guard howled and pounced toward Zhang Lie with such a fierce expression that even the guests watching from a distance gasped audibly.


    "Scram!" Zhang Liemanded. No one saw what he had done, but the next moment, the fierce baboon''s entire body turned charred ck as he flew out into the distance like a bullet.


    The tigerman, who had also pounced forward in an attempt to rescue Li Qianlin from Zhang Lie''s grasp, stilled and scrabbled to stop his forward momentum.


    Suddenly, punch after punch rained down from the heavens, causing so much destruction it seemed as though the stage of the wedding had been the birthce of a disaster.


    Amidst the sudden bursts of gic energy, the guests instinctively shielded themselves as Zhang Lie brought Li Qianlin soaring into the air. In the middle of his leap, he morphed into a bolt of golden lightning, carrying Li Qianlin with him as he flew off into the distance.


    He was so quick that no one was able to catch up to him, not that many dared to do so after his disy of strength.


    The carriages and steeds were struck the most badly by the punches that suddenly rained down from the heavens. The superior- and peak-grade lifeforms were sent flying, and the carriages themselves had all been overturned.


    The lifeforms trembled as they cowered on the ground, even more frightened than if they had encountered a disaster-grade lifeform.


    The wedding was a wreck; what should have been a glorious ceremony that would be remembered for a generation had, in just a matter of minutes, been reduced to nothing but rubble.


    The bolt of golden lightning, carrying Li Qianlin, fled thousands of meters away in an instant. Just as they left the territory of Mt. Yun, however, a golden barrier suddenly shed into existence before Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie was forced to halt in front of that barrier, still carrying Li Qianlin by her waist.


    On the other side of the barrier was the hostess of the ceremony, Dong Mingxing.


    Many knew of Dong Mingxing''s beauty and talents, but few were aware of her true strength in cultivation. In fact, though few knew it, she was even stronger than Duan Gen.


    Dong Mingxing blocked Zhang Lie''s path. By then, she had changed into a suit of golden armor forbat.


    "Qianqian, just what are you doing?" Dong Mingxing called out, exasperated.


    Li Qianlin chuckled. "Would you believe me if I said I were kidnapped?"


    Dong Mingxing gaped at her. She had sworn her vows with perfect sincerity¡ªor the will of the world wouldn''t have marked the bride and groom! She didn''t know just what had happened to cause Li Qianlin to ruin her own wedding, but her priority had to be to save her at any cost.


    "Leave Qianqian behind, or die!" Dong Mingxing shouted coldly.


    "Move aside!" At least toward Li Qianlin''s friend, Zhang Lie would be a little more courteous.


    "I''ll let you go as long as you leave Qianqian behind. This is your only chance to live: none among my generation is my equal." Dong Mingxing was confident in her strength and ability.


    Zhang Lie had no intention of repeating himself. He shook his head forcefully, then flung a punch straight at Dong Mingxing.


    Dong Mingxing sniffed as she deflected the punch with her spear. "Don''t you understand?"


    "Hah! Even a king of the realm wouldn''t be able to stop me, Zhang Lie, from leaving. But you''re Qianqian''s friend, and I don''t want to hurt you." Zhang Lie shrugged.


    "Hm?" Dong Mingxing suddenly sensed something from the periphery of her vision¡ªa huge shadow had appeared out of thin air, a red glow emanating from its back. With a crisp snap, her spear was broken in two. A huge force flung her far into the distance.


    Where Dong Mingxing had stood was now a red gic lifeform, about twenty or thirty meters tall, whose carapace shone a lustrous rose red, as though it were made of precious gems. The protrusions emanating from its carapace were red at their base and turned to a purple-golden hue by their tips. Blood-red lightning crackled in the skies, causing the lifeform''s carapace to glow even more brightly.


    As though it had survived countless battlefields, the lifeform''s eyes were filled with killing intent. Its arms were like a reaper''s scythes, and wings fluttered so quickly they were almost invisible on its back. The lightning grew more and more intense.


    "That, that''s¡ª"


    Dong Mingxing had stabilized herself in the air, but her eyes were filled with shock. The lifeform that had suddenly appeared in front of her was none other than Red Comet.


    "A fifth-level beast...!"


    A legendary fifth-level beast was rare even in the worlds of east and west, and only a king of the realm of arge world would be able tomand them.


    Even a king of the realm of a medium-sized world had no such capability.


    Dong Mingxing suddenly thought she understood what was happening. Indeed, only a king of the realm would be so daring, so strong, as to snatch away a bride on the eve of this momentous wedding! Who else would dare to destroy a historical marriage between two worlds? Who else would be able to control a fifth-level beast?


    It was apparent that this king was, for some reason or another, unwilling to see the worlds of east and west forge an alliance.


    By then, Zhang Lie, whose departure had been deterred by Dong Mingxing, saw the disaster-grade steed that the king of the westmanded rise into the air.


    It shot straight toward Red Comet, who shed away like a bolt of lightning, but it was still unable to extricate itself from the other lifeform''s hot pursuit...

 Chapter 718: The King Gives Chase

    <h4>Chapter 718: The King Gives Chase</h4>


    Duan Zisuan''s eyes were bloodshot. "You wretched couple¡ªyou crippled my son?! I''ll tear you both to pieces!"


    The gigantic disaster-grade lifeform pounced toward them again, but Red Comet forced it back with its speed.


    The king of the east mobilized all the guards in the vicinity. They rose into the sky like stars, surrounding Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin.


    Li Zongming bowed politely. "Thank you for stalling for us, Miss Dong. Leave the rest to us!"


    As Li Zongming walked to the front of the guards, hemented with some surprise, "A fifth-level beast! I don''t know where you''re from or why you''vee, but everything is meaningless. You''re surrounded now¡ªgive up."


    Zhang Lie nced at the guards and clutched Li Qianlin even more tightly. "If I want to bring her away, none of you can stop me."


    Sensing the strength of Zhang Lie''s gic energy, Li Zongming continued, "Qianqian, don''t make such a fuss. Come over here."


    However, the usually obedient Li Qianlin shook her head immediately.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "King Li, don''t you care about the safety of your guests?"


    Li Zongming frowned. "What are you implying?"


    "Nothing. Well, consider this a gift from me to you, dear father-inw." Zhang Lie snapped his fingers, and thousands upon thousands of beasts responded to hismand.


    They appeared from all corners of thend, then rushed toward the tallest mountain in sight: Mt. Yun.


    Earth shook and trembled underneath their feet. At the base of the mountain, a stampede of beasts was quickly forming, one made of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms in suchrge numbers that the Jinghun would have overthrown the king in an instant if they had such a force behind them as they stormed the capital.


    The citizens of east and west were shocked by the presence of so many beasts, as was the king of the east, Li Zongming. Where had so many beastse from? Why were they gathered around Mt. Yun?


    Rationally, Li Zongming understood that they hadn''t gathered around Mt. Yun, but rather that there were so many of them that they gave off the visual illusion of having congregated there, but Li Zongming simply didn''t understand how, despite being the king of the realm and having the ability to sense it in its entirety, that he hadn''t noticed such arge group of lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie could see through his thoughts. "A king of the realm''s sensory abilities aren''t foolproof. As long as there''s a source of greater mental energy around, the king will be blinded by his sight."


    Li Zongming wanted tough. "You im that your mental energy is stronger than mine? I''m backed by the entire world!"


    As the sea of beasts rushed up Mt. Yun, Zhang Lie lowered his head. "What a pity. The guests gathered here to witness a wedding¡ªtheir lives will all be forfeit!


    "Lots of powerful people have gathered there, haven''t they? I''d estimate that about thirty percent of those in charge of the realm are present. Howrge a blow do you think it would be if they were all to perish here?"


    Atop the mountain, the aliens of the Milky Way were now all but certain that the man who had snatched away the bride was none other than Zhang Lie.


    Despite the beast stampede, these aliens panicked less than the indigenous races.


    The starbeast representative noted that the lifeforms'' foreheads were each studded with a purple crystal, a sure sign that the Jinghun were responsible. The representative headed to his Jinghun counterpart, who was leisurely drinking wine.


    The Jinghun had also been invited to the wedding, and it was thanks to that invitation that Zhang Lie had managed to sneak inside. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to do so as silently as he did.


    The starbeast sat down by the table and asked, "This is your doing, isn''t it?"


    The Jinghun representative was none other than Ren Kunjing. He smiled and asked, "What are you referring to, Warlord Xing Ying?"


    Xing Ying was 30th on the warlord leaderboard, stronger than even Ren Kunjing himself¡ªbut even more shockingly, what the other races of the Milky Way considered a supetive ranking, Xing Ying and the four prime races themselves considered low.


    Xing Ying rolled his eyes. "What else? Who else besides the Jinghun could control suchrge numbers of gic lifeforms?"


    Ren Kunjing smiled as he drank more wine. "Who knows?"


    Others might not, but he knew very well who else could¡ªZhang Lie! And not only could he control gic lifeforms, he could even control humans.


    Xing Ying frowned. "Only the Jinghun would cause a shard of purple crystal to appear on the lifeforms'' foreheads. You can''t deny that, surely."


    Ren Kunjing sighed. "As you say, Warlord."


    Xing Ying nudged him and whispered, "How did you Jinghun end up working with Zhang Lie, and just what are you up to? Why did he suddenly snatch this bride? She''s a beautiful woman, there''s no doubt about that, but she''s nothing more than a member of an indigenous race in the third realm..."


    "I only met the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, by coincidence. As for why he''s doing this, well, it''s not a topic I feelfortable getting into myself. You''d better ask him if you want the full details. Right, when the beasts rush up toward the mountain, please don''t target them. They won''t attack any of you, either. Once this is over, we can split the lifeforms among us all."


    Xing Yingughed. "Of course! We''ll do anything to support the champion of mankind. You know that the four prime races have always been allied with him, and we''ll hardly desert him in a time of need. We all know Zhang Lie''s name in the Milky Way by now, at any rate."


    The world federation had dered that they were now in an age of limit fragments, an age of Zhang Lie''s making.


    Xing Ying patted his chest. "On behalf of the champion of mankind, and with the reputation of the four prime races, no alien here will attack the lifeforms. We''ll all sit back and watch the show¡ªin fact, I''ll let the other three prime races know now."


    Xing Ying got up from the table and moved through the crowd.


    Li Qianlin asked, "This is your goal?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Whether or not it''s my goal depends on your father''s actions."


    Li Zongming''s face darkened. Hemanded the guards, "Go protect the guests and deter the beasts'' advance. I and the king of the west can resolve matters here by ourselves."


    As the guards departed, the only people remaining in the sky were the king of the west''s gigantic disaster-grade lifeform, Red Comet, the king of the west''s guards, and the king of the east himself.


    Li Zongming cried out confidently, "Even if you''ve lured my guards away, nothing will change. I''ve taken care of countless presumptuous aliens like you before¡ªand in this world, I''m the only undefeatable existence."


    How many members of an alien race, how many warlords, had tried to stir up trouble in the world of the east? To Li Zongming, Zhang Lie didn''t seem particrly strong¡ªjust absurdly bold.

 Chapter 719: Father-in-Law

    <h4>Chapter 719: Father-in-Law</h4>


    "Undefeatable? I think not!" Ripples of air formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, growing more and more intense as Zhang Liebined spatial force with his water-attuned gic energy.


    Zhang Lie''s aura rose rapidly. The water-attuned gic energy swirling around him condensed around his arm, kneading space as though it were nothing more than paper. summoning what seemed to be a massive whirlwind.


    The king of the west''s guards were the first to leap forward. As they did so, a flood of gic energy overwhelmed them, propelling them into the distance as Mt. Yun shook violently.


    A frightening wave of energy erupted from the collision, annihting the king of the west''s guards. Even the ones that were further away fell from the skies andnded among hordes of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms, and they were unlikely to make it out alive.


    The rest of Zhang Lie''s attack struck at the top of Mt. Yun, sending flower petals and gold foil scattering through the air. Buildings of wood and stone copsed, and the stage, a gigantic red heart, tore in two.


    Li Qianlin''s gown glowed with radiance, shielding her from the attack¡ªanything less would be an insult to a disaster-grade defensive-type soulshard, after all.


    "Do you know what you''re doing?!" Li Zongming shouted, diverting the flood with one arm. As his palm formed a fist, he continued, "You''re making the entire world your enemy."


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]! The entire world, you say? Hah! For her, it''d be a shame not to do that much!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes sparkled with his pronouncement. Waves of water erupted from him, shaking heaven and earth. His punch met Li Zongming''s head-on, shattering space around them.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down by the king of the east''s side. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    Li Zongming, sensing the shift in gravity, corrected it with the wave of an arm, but just as he defended against Zhang Lie''s move, Zhang Lie struck once more.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie''s technique possessed such strength it made the very air warp. Ripples of energy spread out all around him, forming a sea of chaos.


    Li Zongming shed forward with his palm like a de, tearing apart Zhang Lie''s technique.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie raised an arm into the air and sent the two sealing tablets crashing down. The tablets began to resonate at the same time. Golden script appeared on their surfaces, sending ripples out around them that restricted the flow of energies both physical and mental.


    Li Zongming''s control over the world suddenly weakened, and the sea of chaos Zhang Lie marshaled came roaring back at full force.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie summoned a serpent, thousands of meters long, with a massive infusion of gic energy, one whose body was so long its head was up in the clouds.


    Li Zongming leapt up with a fist, punching the serpent''s lower jaw. The serpent retaliated with a sweep of its long tail as Li Zongming vanished from where he stood and appeared behind Zhang Lie in the very next moment.


    As though he had predicted it, Zhang Lie was waiting for him with Guicang unsheathed. "The spatial fluctuations in the air betrayed your presence."


    Li Zongming clearly hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would be able to see through his teleportation ability, and he allowed Zhang Lie to get a clean hit in through the armor on his shoulder.


    As the king of the east and a supetive fighter, this was a clear blow to his reputation.


    "Father!" Li Qianlin shouted in worry.


    Ignoring the blow, Li Zongming punched Zhang Lie with a thump that resounded through the skies, but Zhang Lie took not a single step back. Just like Li Zongming, he allowed the hit tond as he shed forward with his de.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" The sword strike was dull and in, but Li Zongming felt an overwhelming sense of danger. He immediately retreated, but it was toote.


    Overwhelming energy, as vast as the sea, swallowed him up, crushing space around him. Li Zongming was unable to make a move before he was overwhelmed.


    Time stilled for a moment. Then, a golden ball of energy formed where the king of the realm stood, a golden sun that shone so brightly it tore apart the sea of power surrounding Zhang Lie. The entire sea turned golden and was cut apart by the beams of light.


    The skies were all dyed golden.


    As a king of the realm¡ªand of arge world at that¡ªLi Zongming could hardly fall so easily to a simple attack from Zhang Lie. Mere moments before the blownded, he protected himself by drawing on the power of the world.


    Even so, he was unable to negate the force of the attackpletely. His carefully styled hair for his daughter''s wedding had be a mess, and blood seeped out of a corner of his mouth.


    Li Qianlin was extremely surprised to see her father injured. In her memories, her father was invincible. Even against the king of the west, Duan Zisuan, he rarely sported an injury¡ªand he had never been injured on his own territory, the world of the east.


    Li Zongming reined in his disdain for the aliens of the Milky Way. His face turned serious. "I respect your strength, and you are indeed stronger than the aliens I''ve had to put down to date, but even so, I''m the king of the realm!"


    The golden sun brightened to a painstaking degree. As though a god were descending from the heavens, the air turned scorching hot, and the rays of sunlight broke through the cloud cover like des.


    "Hah! If you weren''t my father-inw, I would have put even more force into the attack." Zhang Lie didn''t fear anything the king of the realm could throw at him. An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it.


    As though the gates to hell had been opened and all sorts of vile ghouls and spirits were rushing out, the atmosphere darkened and a chilly wind swept past them all.


    The rays of sunlight attempted to prate the river, but the river absorbed all that sunlight and only grewrger instead.


    Li Zongming howled. A hundred thousand rays of sunlight materialized into a saber of light that struck the river directly. Half the sky was shining; the other half was pitch-ck.


    Neither side seemed about to back down.


    The guests gathered atop Mt. Yun were shocked by the scale of the battle. How could this mysterious stranger who had stolen the bride of the wedding be able to fight the king of the realm on equal footing on his homeworld?


    "You seem to be able to control the naturalw of this world to some extent, but those are all puny tricks inparison to what I can do as the king of the realm!"


    While Li Zongming and Zhang Lie were facing off, Li Zongming activated his authority as the king of the realm, warping gravity and space around Zhang Lie...

 Chapter 720: The Final Blow

    <h4>Chapter 720: The Final Blow</h4>


    Zhang Lie had used his dragonturtle tablets to great effect against his foes, never suspecting that he would fall prey to simr effects himself. The sensation was vertigo-inducing, and he could feel his gic energy roiling in his soulspace.


    It took Zhang Lie only a moment''s contemtion to summon the two gravity-controlling tablets and re-orienting himself, but even so, he had left an opening for the king of the realm to exploit.


    Between experts, such openings could often be lethal, and golden radiance had just torn apart Zhang Lie''s underworld river. The light would prate him within moments, but Zhang Lie didn''t seem to panic at all.


    .


    The golden light shed by. The skies were dyed fully golden once more. The inhabitants of the entire world could see the light¡ªnot just atop Mt. Yun, but over the entire world.


    Li Zongming, king of the east, firmly believed that nobody would be able to withstand his blow. The guests, witnessing what had happened, believed that Li Zongming had taken care of the arrogant upstart who had dared to im his daughter as his own.


    "He''s truly a brash youngd, isn''t he? Daring to snatch the bride away from such an important wedding¡ªhe had to know he wouldn''t make it out alive!"


    "Indeed. I wonder who gave him the idea that he could seed if he''s incapable of dealing with the king of the realm''s wrath?"


    "He did seem strong, didn''t he? It''s just that his opponent was even stronger."


    The guests who had chosen to remain on Mt. Yun were all esteemed personages in their own right, and they had seen their own share of trouble. This was nothing inparison¡ªor so they''d like to think, but in fact, they were trapped on the mountaintop by the horde of lifeforms that were slowly gaining ground despite the defenders'' best efforts.


    Those who could fight were already doing so, while the remaining guests huddled at the top of the mountain. As time passed, however, they calmed down. After all, there was nothing they could do, so they might as well watch the king of the realm''s fight and the guards'' defense.


    Suddenly, one of the guests asked, "Just what happened to the groom?"


    Indeed, what had happened to the king of the west''s son?


    "I heard the guards mention that he was found in the bride''s room, crippled in more ways than one..."


    The guests'' eyes widened.


    "Ignoring the fact that he was found in his fiancee''s room, what do you mean, crippled in more ways than one?!"


    "As a man, as a warrior, and as a person..."


    Xing Ying''s lips twitched. "The champion of mankind is truly quite something." ?Did he bear the groom some deep enmity, so deep he would cripple him personally?


    Li Zongming was just about to turn and leave when he suddenly sensed something from where Zhang Lie was standing.


    A strange half-dragon half-wolf blood-colored demihuman floated in mid-air. His appearance was far removed from anything the king of the realm had ever witnessed, but his aura was familiar enough that Li Zongming could ce him immediately: this was Zhang Lie!


    "This is your true form?"


    By then, Zhang Lie had activated his dragonwolf and blood ant soulshards, absorbing the blow from Li Zongming''s golden light on the basis of physical strength and fortitude alone.


    Li Zongming frowned. "No, that''s not right. You aliens from the Milky Way use these treasures known as soulshards, don''t you? To think there were such powerful transformation-type soulshards!"


    "You''re not bad yourself. This is the most anyone has pushed me in the third realm, I should think."


    The next moment, Zhang Lie morphed into a bolt of blood-colored lightning and shot forward at Li Zongming, who had to make use of his authority as the king of the realm to suppress the attack.


    Even so, these constraints were meaningless to Zhang Lie. After his dragonwolf transformation, Zhang Lie received such a huge boost to his abilities that he could transcend naturalw¡ªno gravity or spatial barriers would deter his movement, because his strength was enough to eclipse those effects.


    Li Zongming''s eyes widened as Zhang Lie charged forward, the sword in his hand forming a veritable of sword strokes as he waved it around.


    Li Zongming, caught unprepared by the sudden increase in Zhang Lie''s strength, was forced back.


    He howled. His skin began to give off golden light, and he shone so radiantly he was like a miniature sun. Zhang Lie''s sword shes were annihted by his radiance. As the light struck the gathered lifeforms, they burst into golden me, swallowing them up whole.


    The golden lightnded not just where the lifeforms were concentrated, but also atop Mt. Yun, where the guests were gathered. It took Li Zongming''s full concentration to control his power; he had no energy to spare for shielding others.


    Fortunately, many of the guests were strong fighters. They would lose out in a direct confrontation against Li Zongming, but blocking the aftermath of his attack was straightforward enough.


    The warlords of the Milky Way were able to counter the beams of light with nothing more than a wave of their arms. After the knowledge of disaster-grade lifeforms and limit fragments was disseminated to the public, the aliens of the Milky Way had grown stronger and stronger.


    Zhang Lie darted between the rays of light so rapidly and skillfully that he was able to avoid the bombardment of light and appear before Li Zongming in no time at all. As he swung his sword, it broke the protection of the golden light, leaving a thin line of blood on Li Zongming''s neck.


    "If you weren''t Qianqian''s father, I''d have killed you with that blow!"


    Li Zongming stepped back and thundered in rage, "Insolence! You''re not the only one with a soulshard!"


    As a bird''s cry echoed amidst the heavens, Li Zongming began to transform. In the blink of an eye, he had be a gigantic bird with three ck feet.


    He had exchanged arge number of peak-grade lifeforms to purchase such a soulshard from aliens from the Milky Way.


    As he pped his wings, the golden energy condensed into a molten core, a gigantic sun whose diameter was thousands of meters long.


    The sun turned night into day, illuminating the entire world. All the indigenous inhabitants of the world were wondering just what was going on. Too much unusual stuff had happened that day¡ªthe sky shing golden and ck, and now, the appearance of another sun?


    The gigantic sun, which Li Zongming raised above his head at great cost, was sorge that it dwarfed even the tallest mountain of the east.


    Zhang Lie whistled, "King of the east, you truly don''t care for your subjects, do you? Whether or not it kills me, we''ll see, but it''ll surely kill at least all those guests at Mt. Yun."


    "Let fate decide life and death. This is my strongest blow. If you can defend against it, I won''t stop you from leaving." Li Zongming''s tone was no longer that of chasing down a criminal. To be frank, he had conflicting feelings of his own...

 Chapter 721: Defeating Both Kings

    <h4>Chapter 721: Defeating Both Kings</h4>


    The sudden change in Li Zongming''s attitude was because Zhang Lie hadn''t taken his life even when he was clearly capable of doing so. However, Li Zongming was the king of the realm, and he certainly couldn''t let Zhang Lie go so easily.


    Zhang Lie had ruined the wedding between east and west, crippled the king of the west''s son, and kidnapped his own daughter. He had destroyed the two kings'' reputation, and Li Zongming could hardly be seen to side with him or to give him any quarter.


    In order to maintain the dignity of his position as the king of the realm, Li Zongming had to strike with full force. If Zhang Lie were able to survive this blow, that would imply that Li Zongming had tried his best and failed to stop Zhang Lie; on the other hand, if Zhang Lie couldn''t, then he would perish for his crimes.


    Li Zongming continued, "There''s no need to worry about the guests on Mt. Yun. Immediately as I strike, I''ll teleport them all away."


    "Oh? Well, then, let''s face off¡ª[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him. He looked like a demon descending on the world. Li Qianlin gaped. "He truly is a demon king..."


    The pitch-ck gic energy covered up the skies, causing the aliens of the Milky Way to panic. Even they had never seen gic energy so vast and so concentrated.


    Zhang Lie was disying strength on par with those of the top three warlords of the realm, and disaster struck even before his technique took form. His gic energy roared as it took the form of a vast, angry sea, whose sheer presence alone was wreaking all sorts of havoc on the world.


    Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. They roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The pressure made everyone feel as though there were mountains weighing down their heads, making them unable to breathe.


    Countless deepsea lifeforms took shape in the raging sea, rushing out of its surface and soaring through the skies. In mere moments, the skies were dark, gloomy, and filled with clouds.


    As the clouds grew darker and lower, descending toward the surface, thunder crackled. The waves grew more and more agitated, as though they werepeting with the wind for attention, and roiling ck waves swept across the entire sky.


    Half the sky was golden; the other half was dark.


    As Zhang Lie swung his sword, the roaring waves all morphed into ck dragons, crashing against the might of the golden sun. From the ground, the spectators witnessed an epic sh between light and darkness.


    The golden sun emerged from the pitch-ck sea, evaporating the seawater with violent sunlight. The entire sea seemed like a monstrous lifeform, and the water, the feelers with which it wrapped around and began to devour the sun.


    The sun, which had crept halfway out of the sea, was pulled back within and assaulted by countless ink-ck lifeforms, its energy slowly drained away.


    Frightening waves of energy struck the air. Li Zongming thought he had a high estimation of Zhang Lie''s strength, only to find that he had underestimated him when Zhang Lie attacked at full force.


    He expected that he would be able to save the guests at. Mt. Yun afterunching his strongest attack, but he turned out not to have such a luxury.


    The energy that radiated from the collision between the underworld river and golden sun was so intense that half the eastern world would be swallowed up, let alone Mt. Yun.


    Li Zongming had no choice but to devote his entire attention and authority to curtailing the shockwaves.


    "I''ve waited for this opportunity for a long time!" The western king, Duan Zisuan, struck. He had been lying in wait to see how the fight would y out.


    Now that the king of the east had suffered a serious blow and Zhang Lie was exhausted after what seemed to be a serious expenditure of energy, it was his time to shine.


    Duan Zisuan roared as his body morphed into a giant red baboon-like creature that was poised to swallow Zhang Lie whole.


    Zhang Lie, however, didn''t seem impressed. "Well, I''ve been waiting for you to show up all this time!"


    After learning that his son had been crippled and exploding in rage, how could Duan Zisuan bear to refrain from the fight? It was apparent that he was nning something. Since Zhang Lie had the energy to spare, he had been paying attention to Duan Zisuan throughout the fight.


    The Zhang Lie of the past hardly had the ability to survive conflict against a king of the realm, but he had heard of Duan Zisuan''s vile and treacherous personality before.


    With a sh of Hanguang, Zhang Lie blinded Duan Zisuan, thenunched his strongest sword technique at him.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Thebination of that technique with the sea of gic energy that Zhang Lie had previously manifested caused the entire sea to explode, extinguishing the golden sun in an instant.


    Duan Zisuan howled as he retreated, wounded to the core by just a single attack from Zhang Lie.


    .


    "You''re not the only one who knows how tounch sneak attacks!" Zhang Lieughed confidently. His eyes glowed with a rainbow gleam, and the disaster-grade steed that Duan Zisuan rode turned on him immediately. Its eyes likewise shining in the colors of the rainbow, it opened its maw and swallowed up Duan Zisuan whole.


    Zhang Lie had long since controlled the king of the west''s disaster-grade mount before the fight even began, and the fight between Red Comet and the king''s mount had been nothing more than a facade. It had been waiting for a signal from Zhang Lie to give its former owner a lethal blow.


    Zhang Lie pointed his sword at Li Zongming. "King of the east, do you insist on continuing to fight?"


    With the golden sun annihted and Li Zongming''s energy spent, the oue of the fight was all but decided.


    Li Zongming didn''t understand why the king of the west''s mount had suddenly turned against him and eaten him whole, but he did know that he wasn''t a match for Zhang Lie.


    "What do you want?" he asked wearily.

 Chapter 722: Li Qianlin Alone

    <h4>Chapter 722: Li Qianlin Alone</h4>


    "Nothing but the hand of your daughter!" Zhang Lie replied.


    "State your demands directly¡ªat this point, is there really any need for false pretenses?" Li Zongming couldn''t believe Zhang Lie''s words.


    His strength was more than sufficient to kill Li Zongming and im the worlds of east and west for himself, but this man was iming, after he had defeated all challengers, that he had done so solely for his daughter?


    As a ruler and an ambitious man in his own right, Li Zongming could hardly ept such reasoning. His daughter was certainly a jewel, worth a city or kingdom, but wasn''t an entire world too much of a stretch?


    There might not be many women whose beauty was on par with Li Qianlin in the world of the east, but there were surely a few¡ªlike Dong Mingxing, for example.


    Was a woman really worth offending two kings of the realm and their representative countries? If Zhang Lie were a rash and reckless youth, Li Zongming would at least be able to rationalize his behavior, but Zhang Lie was strong enough to beat him and had enough foresight to have controlled the entire fight from beginning to end!


    Furthermore, it looked as though he still had a trump card up his sleeve.


    Would someone like this really be a rash, reckless youth? At the very least, Li Zongming wouldn''t believe it.


    Zhang Lie countered, "You want to marry your daughter off to forge a political alliance with the world of the west, don''t you? What if I im the world of the west for myself?"


    Li Zongming blinked. "And what do you want after conquering that world? For me to support you to be the king of the realm?"


    "Do you think I would need your assistance to be king?"


    Li Zongming sighed. "In that case, you intend for my daughter to be the queen of the western world?"


    Zhang Lie replied firmly, "As I''ve imed, I''m not interested in anything besides Qianqian, let alone the position of the king of the realm. The entire world of the west shall be my bride-dowry. What say you?"


    Li Zongming replied, "I want to make sure you understand that the world of the west won''t be as easy to take down as you think. What you killed wasn''t the king of the west, but rather just one of his clones.


    Zhang Lie did know that; the king of the realm of arge world could hardly die so easily. Nevertheless, he repeated himself. "That''s not something you have to worry about. Whether or not I can conquer the world of the west is my own affair."


    Li Zongming asked once more, still somewhat skeptically, "And for this feat, you only want my daughter in exchange?"


    "Qianqian might be nothing to you other than a bargaining chip, but she''s a priceless treasure to me."


    Li Zongming snorted. "Ridiculous! My daughter is a priceless treasure to me as well."


    "In that case, why would you marry her off to such trash?"


    This was a question Zhang Lie very much wanted to find out the answer to.


    In his past life, although both the eastern and western worlds had attempted to chase down Li Qianlin, the eastern forces wereckluster andckadaisical, as though Li Zongming wasn''t taking the hunt seriously at all.


    The reason Zhang Lie chose not to deal Li Zongming any lethal blows was partly because he was Li Qianlin''s father, and partly because of his leniency in the past.


    This represented that Li Zongming at least had some shred of a conscience.


    On the other hand, if Zhang Lie were to kill Li Zongming, his rtionship with Li Qianlin would be far more fraught¡ªLi Qianlin and her father were still rather close, and they weren''t enemies just yet.


    Killing Li Zongming meant that Li Qianlin would treat him like a murderer, an enemy, a nemesis.


    Given Li Qianlin''s personality, she would never be able to entertain a rtionship with Zhang Lie if that were the case.


    As a result, if Zhang Lie truly wanted to build a longsting rtionship with Li Qianlin, he would need Li Zongming''s support. That said, if Li Zongming had married off his daughter to such a wastrel simply for power and an alliance with the west, Zhang Lie would surely give him a beating before deposing him from kingship.


    Li Zongming countered, "Who else but the son of the western king would be qualified for my precious daughter?"


    Zhang Lie: ¡­


    "...did you ever make any attempts to learn about that son''s personality?"


    Li Zongling sniffed. "Do you treat me as a fool? I wouldn''t just hand my daughter off to any man! I''ve met Duan Gen quite a few times, and he''s both handsome and talented¡ª"


    Li Zongming peered at Zhang Lie and coughed. "Well, rtively talented, as all things go."


    Compared to Zhang Lie, that western prince was nothing more than trash. Zhang Lie and Duan Gen were so different in strength that they were simply iparable.


    Zhang Lie felt as though he hade to a sudden realization. Li Zongming did love his daughter, and he wanted to give her the best of everything. However, "best" didn''t take his daughter''s thoughts into ount. Perhaps this would have been a viable strategy while she was small, but it became more and more problematic as she grew older.


    Li Zongming folded his arms. "I only agreed to the wedding after significant investment on western king''s part."


    Li Qianlin was unable to hold her words any longer. "Father, you were grossly mistaken! Duan Gen''s a bastard¡ªhe pretends to be the perfect man in front of you and the king of the west, but he''s the vilest person I know! Did you know that he was the one who killed Tao?"


    Li Zongming snorted in disbelief. "And whose nonsense did you listen to this time? How could I be mistaken?"


    Li Qianlin gaped. Her face flushed red. "You were mistaken, and not only that, he almost¡ª"


    Zhang Lie covered up Li Qianlin''s mouth.


    "I''ll be bringing her with me so both of you can cool off. We''ll return once I im the western world!"


    "Hold it! Leave my daughter behind!" Li Zongming shouted.


    Zhang Lie retorted, "After our marriage vows, Qianqian belongs to me¡ªshe''s a member of the Zhang family! To be quite honest, I wouldn''t feelfortable leaving her with you, given the history of your past decisions."


    He vanished with Li Qianlin in a bolt of light, and the wounded Li Zongming was hardly in any shape to give chase.


    The lifeforms that had participated in the blockade on Mt. Yun also slowly retreated. One of the king''s guards stepped forward and asked, "Your majesty, will you really allow that man to leave with the princess?"


    "What, you want to chase after him?"


    The guard immediately lowered his head, bowing and mping his mouth shut.


    Another guard asked, "Your majesty, what should we do with the western king''s son?"


    Li Zongming waved a hand airily. "Wrap him up and send him back to the world of the west!"


    He wasn''t certain that Zhang Lie would seed in his task, so it would be unwise topletely alienate the king of the west.


    However, if Zhang Lie were being truthful, the western world would end up facing a tumultuous period ahead, and the king of the west''s anger would bepletely concentrated on Zhang Lie rather than on the king of the east.

 Chapter 723: Shaking Both Worlds

    <h4>Chapter 723: Shaking Both Worlds</h4>


    "Well, I suppose I''ll let the two of them duke it out for now..."


    Li Zongming made up his mind, waved to Dong Mingxing, and vanished from the spot.


    In the western king''s pce, the king of the west, seated on his draconic throne, suddenly opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood. In rage, he roared, "You wretched couple! I''ll tear both your corpses to pieces!"


    Thunder and lightning crackled over the entire western sky.


    To be frank, Zhang Lie''s sudden appearance and disruption of the wedding led to no smaller a ruckus than when he had revealed the existence of disaster gene fragments and disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Both in the third realm and in the real world, the news made headlines, but Zhang Lie cared not for such trivial affairs. He returned to the amodations that the Jinghun had set up for him in the world of the east.


    Zhang Lie hadmanded Ren Kunjing to lead him to the Jinghun representatives present in the world before he controlled them all with his disaster-grade soulshard.


    On the surface, it seemed as though Zhang Lie were cooperating with the Jinghun, but in truth, Zhang Lie was controlling them all. Whenever he encountered a Jinghun not under his control, he would use his soulshard on them.


    As though she were protecting herself, Li Qianlin folded her arms across her chest. "Just what are you trying to do?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What do you think I''m trying to do?"


    Li Qianlin replied, "I understand your intentions now! You want to gift the world of the west to my father, then formally marry me so that you can control both the worlds of east and west!"


    Zhang Lie stilled.


    Li Qianlin, ncing at his face, smiled. "Haha, I''ve guessed right, haven''t I?"


    Zhang Lie looked at her with a grimace. "Just who do you think I am? That''s what your father assumed, too¡ªbut not everyone wants to be the king of the realm, and I''m hardly interested. I''m here for you!"


    Li Qianlin snorted. "For me? Do you really think me such a naive maiden? We''ve never met before. How could you stand to offend two kings of the realm for me? Should I consider you a hero, then? I hardly believe that you would be so infatuated with my beauty!"


    Zhang Lie knew that Li Qianlin didn''t have any of her memories from her past life, and he wasn''t mad at her. He reached out a finger and tugged on Li Qianlin''s lower jaw. "I fell in love with you at first sight. From then on, I was certain that you would be my woman, and only my woman!"


    Zhang Lie''s domineering aura caused Li Qianlin to flush. Despite her misgivings, she was charmed. Li Qianlin did feel a certain sense of liking for this mysterious man who had appeared in front of her, not to mention how he had saved her from a traumatic life.


    Perhaps this truly was love at first sight?


    "Really?" Li Qianlin asked.


    Zhang Lie continued, "At that time, I was hardly deserving of you, so I worked harder and harder to be a man who would be your equal. When I finally grew strong, strong enough that I was willing to try for your hand in marriage, I learned that you were already betrothed.


    "That was a tremendous blow to me, as though my heart had been scooped out of my chest. Despite all that, as long as you were happy, I would have left you be. I snuck into the wedding to see if the groom was a man worthy of you, only to find that he was nothing but trash. As a result, I had no choice but to take you away, even if I had to rouse the ire of two kings of the realm."


    Li Qianlin''s eyes gleamed. That was a romantic story, indeed¡ªas long as it were true. Wary, she turned her head. "That''s a nice story, but how can I be sure of its authenticity?"


    This was a story worthy of a daydream, but Li Qianlin couldn''t afford to be so naive. As the daughter of the king, she rationally and logically couldn''t believe that there would be a man who was willing to go against the entire world for her.


    Zhang Lie reached out to Li Qianlin''s petite, delicate hand and ced it on his chest. "Touch my scorching heart and sense the truth it reveals."


    Zhang Lie did, surprisingly, have some experience at picking up women. After missing out on Li Qianlin in his past life, he had worked quite hard at developing such skills.


    Li Qianlin flushed red and lowered her head, but Zhang Lie tilted her head upwards so that their gazes met.


    As Li Qianlin''s eyes dted, Zhang Lie leaned closer and closer¡ªbefore he was interrupted by a voice from outside. "Zhang Lie, you''re back!"


    It was Ren Kunjing.


    Li Qianlin suddenly came to her senses and pushed Zhang Lie aside.


    "Ren, Kun, Jing!" Zhang Lie roared, rushing out of the door and punching Ren Kunjing straight through two or three houses before he came to a halt, his body slumping against a wall.


    He fell to the ground in an abused heap of crystal. "What did I do wrong, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie brandished his fists and cracked his knuckles. "Nothing. Did I say that you did something wrong? I''m just practicing my punches. You don''t mind, do you?"


    Even before Ren Kunjing could speak, Zhang Lie had already begun to punch him. His arms blurred, moving so quickly all Ren Kunjing saw was a blur of shadow.


    By the time he finished venting his anger, Ren Kunjing''s body had be a patchwork of cracked and shattered crystal.


    When Zhang Lie stomped away, some of the Jinghun timidly crept forward to tend to Ren Kunjing''s injuries.


    Subsequently, Zhang Liemanded, "We head for the world of the west!"


    He, Li Qianlin, and the Jinghun gathered by the wormhole between east and west.


    Because both worlds wererge worlds, the connecting wormhole was also abnormally wide, and there was a very high chance of spatial rifts being formed. Traveling between the worlds of east and west thus required a wormhole shuttle.


    Fortunately, Zhang Lie had obtained a shuttle from the scalemen world, and he didn''t need to purchase one of his own. Otherwise, given how exorbitant these shuttles were, Zhang Lie and the Jinghun would have had a big headache.


    By the wormhole, everyone was talking about what had happened between Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin, as though they were the protagonists of the entire world.


    "You didn''t see it, did you? During the wedding, the daughter of the eastern king looked like a fairy descending from the heavens. Just as the marriage was about to take ce, a bolt of lightning shot down from the skies, taking on the form of a man.


    "The man cried out passionately, ''I''ve always loved you, forever and ever!'' The eastern king''s daughter, her eyes tearing up, retorted, ''In that case, why did you get together with her?!'' With bloodshot eyes, the man replied, ''It''s all a misunderstanding! I loved you, and I wanted to see you happy¡ªbut I''m far too weak to give you any such happiness.''


    "The eastern princess pulled up her gown and leapt down from the stage on crystal heels. She hugged the man tightly and began to cry. ''I''ve never found more happiness from anyone but you.''


    "The western prince inclined his head to the skies andughed in hurt and bitter betrayal. ''Ha! Ha! I gave you everything you ever wanted, everything you will ever want¡ªbut you''re still going to leave with him?''


    "The eastern princess hugged the man tightly as she replied, ''I''m sorry. You are a good man, and there are far better women than me.''


    "The western prince begged, ''I can give you anything, even my heart! Please, don''t desert me!''


    "The eastern princess replied, shaking her head, ''I will only love one man in my entire life: him.''"


    The surprising reveal that Zhang Lie had dreamt up had somehow be a love triangle on the level of a soap opera.


    The entire world of the east was abuzz at the fiasco that the wedding had be.


    In the world of the west, it was treated like a ludicrous joke.


    Many famous people regretted that they had not been in attendance. Because no one truly understood what had happened, the rumors that ended up spreading to the public were filled with all sorts of make-believe.


    In its retelling, the story had gained all sorts of disparate versions¡ªa jilted boyfriend, a former girlfriend, a rival of the western prince, reincarnation¡­ Some enterprising fellows had even turned the entire debacle into a romantic musical that was already appearing on stages around the world¡ªone of which was right beside them.


    A man and a woman stood on stage, one in a white gown, the other in a rainbow-colored outfit.


    The male actor shouted, "You''re heartless, unreasonable, and cruel!"


    The female actor retorted, "And are you not heartless, unreasonable, or cruel yourself?!"


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    The man: "How am I heartless, unreasonable, or cruel?!"


    The woman: "When have you ever not been heartless, unreasonable, or cruel?!"


    The man: "No matter how heartless, unreasonable, or cruel I am, I''m no more so than you!"


    The woman: "Me?! ? No, you''re the most heartless, unreasonable, and cruel person I''ve ever met!"


    Zhang Lie: ¡­


    Beside him, however, Li Qianlin seemed very interested in the performance, and she evenughed out loud.

 Chapter 724: Topsy-Turvy

    <h4>Chapter 724: Topsy-Turvy</h4>


    Even in their wildest dreams, the actors surely couldn''t have guessed that those figures they were acting out were standing right there in the audience, watching them raptly.


    Several of the Jinghun present pped and shouted, "Bravo! Bravo!"


    It was meant to be a romanticedy, but the Jinghun acted as though they were watching a thriller instead. The Jinghun felt that this was high praise: theirrades'' antics had been so influential that there was even a y about it.


    Zhang Lie would have been perfectly happy to apud if someone else had done this instead of him, but he couldn''t help frown upon watching this ersatz performance.


    The two actors on stage were acting out the scene of Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin''s confrontation on stage during the wedding, but Zhang Lie found this reenactment farcical. If they really were to face off against each other in the wedding, they would have been struck down by the two kings of the realm.


    However, the captive audience didn''t see any issue with this reenactment. To them, as long as there was sufficient drama involved, any logical inconsistencies could be smoothed out.


    Given how the actors on stage were dragging out the y, they could divide a single wedding into thirty-six episodes, and they would be able to enact all thirty-six episodes if Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin remained in the headlines.


    Most importantly, there were countless such retellings of the wedding floating around. There were several popr variants among these.


    The past boyfriend: Zhang Lie was Li Qianlin''s past boyfriend, but the king of the east forcefully separated them because of hisck of strength. In rage, Zhang Lie was motivated to grow stronger than he ever had been before. When he learned that Li Qianlin was getting married, he rushed over to crash the wedding.


    The past girlfriend: this version arose because much of the audience, not having attended the wedding personally, was unaware of whether Zhang Lie was male or female, and treated him as female. Interestingly enough, many favored this version above the others.


    This supposed ''Zhang Lie'' was Duan Gen''s past girlfriend, but they broke up because of their differences in status or because of Zhang Lie''s abrasive personality. Upon hearing that Duan Gen was getting married to Li Qianlin, ''Zhang Lie'' crashed the wedding, crippled Duan Gen, and snatched away the bride, in order that no one would have what she, Zhang Lie, couldn''t possess.


    The elopement: Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin were in love, but the king of the east separated them by force. The day of the wedding, Zhang Lie contracted with an external party to escape with Li Qianlin.


    In this variation, the reason that Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin were able to escape weren''t because of their own strength, but rather that of the mysterious party. ?This external party was unwilling to see the worlds of east and west allying with each other; this version suggested a grand conspiracy at y.


    Revenge: this was an even more ludicrous version of events. Allegedly, the king of the west had destroyed Zhang Lie''s entire n, leaving him the only survivor.


    Zhang Lie cultivated for many long years hoping for a chance to take revenge. He wanted the western king''s line to perish, and for the western king''s reputation to diminish in the public eye. During the wedding, he snuck into the ceremony and struck at an opportune moment, crippling Duan Gen and snatching away the bride.


    Reincarnation: Zhang Lie couldn''t stand this version, which was far too fantastical for his taste¡ªsomething along the lines of Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin being fated to be together in three separate reincarnations.


    Generational feud: the king of the west snatched away Zhang Lie''s woman in the past, and Zhang Lie now snatched away his son''s woman in the present.


    Generational feud, redux: the king of the east snatched away Zhang Lie''s woman, and Zhang Lie now snatched away his daughter.


    After the performance, Zhang Lie tipped the actors¡ªhe wasn''t particrly enthused by the performance, or at all, but Li Qianlin liked it very much.


    Enjoying the results of someone else''s hard work certainly was worth some money; it would be immoral not to pay. Zhang Lie would hardly do something so hical, at least not in sight of Li Qianlin...


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie discovered that Li Qianlin had gone missing. He searched for her and found her in front of a noticeboard.


    Li Qianlin pointed at two of the notices and shouted, "Zhang Lie, look! There are bounties on us now!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "What''s exciting about that?"


    "Well, no one has ever issued a bounty on me before. Of course I''m excited!"


    She walked up to inspect the drawings carefully before clucking her tongue in annoyance. "Am I that ugly? Who drew these notices?!"


    "That''s how your father thinks of you, of course!"


    "Liar!" Li Qianlin retorted.


    "Don''t you want to be drawn in an ugly fashion? Would you rather have the whole world search for your exact likeness?"


    Li Qianlin pursed her lips. "Aren''t you a hero? With you around, what do I have to fear?"


    Zhang Lie had to exin, "The reason you''re drawn in such an inurate fashion is because your father doesn''t really want to chase you down."


    Li Qianlin frowned. "Can''t he just not issue these bounties, then?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "He has to at least put in the illusion of effort to maintain cordial rtions with the west, after all."


    This sort of thing had happened in Zhang Lie''s past life, but the context was different. In his past life, the king of the realm didn''t want to chase Li Qianlin down. In this one, he thought the chase would be meaningless, a waste of time and effort. If even the king of the east were unable to stop Zhang Lie, how would anyone else be able to seed?


    Zhang Lie appreciated his own portrait. In his past life, Li Qianlin was the only one who had a bounty issued on her, not him.


    "It looks a little like modern art..." Zhang Lie''s drawing looked like that of a monster, with eyes, ears, mouth, and nose all out of alignment. When he turned to Li Qianlin, however, his thoughts about the perceived inuracies of his drawing vanished.


    Li Qianlin''s portrait looked like that of a different person entirely, fat and fuzzy with hair.


    "No, this won''t do! I have to talk to my father about this!" In anger, Li Qianlin reached out to tear the bounty from the noticeboard, but Zhang Lie stopped her in time.


    In this life, Li Qianlin didn''t have to experience a harrowing chase before meeting with Zhang Lie, and her personality was somewhat different from before.


    Or rather, this was Li Qianlin''s original personality, and her escape and subsequent maturity had changed her for the better. That change was what ultimately got Zhang Lie interested in her...


    1. I hope this is not also the author''s perspective on this work...

 Chapter 725: Comprehensive Plan

    <h4>Chapter 725: Comprehensive n</h4>


    Regardless of what Li Qianlin were to be, however, Zhang Lie''s feelings for her wouldn''t change. He truly did love her.


    "Qianqian¡ªand you bastard! I''ve finally found you both!" As the two of them were teasing each other about whose depiction was uglier, a female voice came from behind.


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin turned to the voice in shock.


    "You?" Zhang Lie nced at the speaker skeptically.


    "Ah, Xingxing!" Upon seeing the speaker, Li Qianlin rushed forward and hugged her friend tightly.


    Dong Mingxing was wearing sunssesrge enough to cover up half her face, a scarf around her neck, and a wide-brimmed hat, but even so, Li Qianlin recognized her immediately. She asked joyfully, "How did you find us?"


    Dong Mingxing rolled her eyes. "I heard the king of the east state that some brash fool wanted to attack the world of the west, in which case there''s no way to avoid passing by this wormhole. I waited here¡ªand lo and behold, here you are."


    Zhang Lie nced all around him.


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "Don''t worry, I came alone. Anyway, how would someone like you, who dared to spirit away the princess of the east and bride to the west during her very wedding, even fear any pursuers?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I don''t fear them. I just wanted to see how many of them there were. We''re leaving for the west soon, so I have to deal with them quickly."


    Dong Mingxing couldn''t help but be inwardly relieved that she had trulye alone. From the expression this person was making, he didn''t seem to be joking.


    His face was cool and unperturbed, his tone calm, as though he were simply asking what they would have for dinner that night.


    Dong Mingxing was truly scared now: from her encounters and experiences with him, she knew that he had to be an experienced killer.


    Li Qianlin asked, "Xingxing, what are you doing here? Could you be worried about me?"


    Dong Mingxing reached out for Li Qianlin''s shoulders and slowly pushed her an arm''s width away. "I came to ask you just what''s going on."


    "What do you mean?"


    Dong Mingxing frowned at her. "You told me you were going to get married, and then you made such a big fuss during the wedding! You ran away and eloped with this man¡ªjust what''s going on, Qianqian? Why didn''t you tell me that you were going to do any of this? I thought we were the closest of friends!"


    Li Qianlin''s eyes widened. "Ah, you wanted to conspire with me? Me too¡ªwe truly think alike!"


    "Is that all you''re going to say to me?!" Dong Mingxing rapped Li Qianlin hard on her head.


    She put her hands on her hips. "Don''t you have anything more important?"


    Li Qianlin lowered her head. "I''m sorry, Xingxing."


    Dong Mingxing sighed again. "What will I do with you? Well, we can worry about thatter. Who''s this wastrel of a man?"


    Li Qianlin shook her head. "I didn''t know him before the wedding."


    Dong Mingxing tugged on Li Qianlin''s earlobe as she eximed, "You don''t know him?! If you didn''t know him, why would he snatch you away from the wedding¡ªand such an important one, at that? If you didn''t know him, why would he dere war on two worlds just for you?"


    Li Qianlin groused, "Actually, I''d like to understand why, myself. He told me he fell in love with me at first sight."


    Ren Kunjing widened his eyes. "Love at first sight?"


    The Jinghun, all of whom were controlled by Zhang Lie, would do as he instructed without any reservations whatsoever. However, they still retained their original intelligence. Upon hearing of this "love at first sight", Ren Kunjing and the other Jinghun nced askance at Zhang Lie.


    They had been with Zhang Lie all this time, and they knew very well that Zhang Lie had never had a chance to meet with Li Qianlin. To their knowledge, the wedding was the first time the two of them had met.


    Zhang Lie introduced himself, "Hello, you''re Dong Mingxing, aren''t you? I''m Zhang Lie, an alien from the Milky Way. As you heard, I was enraptured by Qianqian''s beauty at first nce."


    Dong Mingxing rubbed her palms. "Are those your dying words, then?"


    Those sounded exactly like the words of a Casanova...


    Li Qianlin sighed. "Xingxing, you''re as brutish as ever!"


    She had always been this way¡ªonly when there were problems her fists couldn''t solve did she turn to her mind.


    Dong Mingxing rolled her eyes. "Who do you think I''m trying to protect, here?!"


    "But, Xingxing, can you really beat him?"


    Dong Mingxing frowned. Indeed, this fellow was able to defeat even the king of the east, who had managed to escape from the wedding with Li Qianlin in tow...


    In order for them to chat morefortably, Zhang Lie brought them all to a coffeeshop.


    Dong Mingxing took a sip of coffee and questioned, "This is how you tricked my darling Qianqian to be with you?"


    Dong Mingxing looked at Li Qianlin as though she were an idiot.


    Li Qianlin grumbled, "I''m not with him!"


    Dong Mingxing reiterated, "This is how you tricked my darling Qianqian to be with you?"


    "I told you, I''m not with him!"


    Dong Mingxing turned to her with a scowl. "Not yet¡ªbut I can see you will be!"


    .


    "That''s because we can''t separate from each other..."


    Dong Mingxing was speechless. "Oh? I don''t see any restraints on you two!"


    "If I were to return to my father, I''d be forced to marry a bastard. Xingxing, listen to me, do you know what Duan Gen did to Tao?"


    Li Qianlin told her all that she had found out about him.


    Dong Mingxing sat upright, her beauty an icy mask. "I knew that that bastard was trashy, but not to this extent... I did tell you to reconsider marrying him, didn''t I?"


    Li Qianqian spread her hands. "I''m the princess of the east, and my life has never been mine to control. I live with countless privileges and resources, and my duty to the world is likewisemensurate. I could hardly abuse my station and neglect my responsibilities..."


    Dong Mingxing frowned. "So, how did this responsible princess end up eloping with a stranger?"


    "I was kidnapped!"


    "In that case, Mr. Kidnapper, what''s so good about this willful princess? Why not kidnap me? I''mrger than this princess over here, you see."


    Dong Mingxing cupped her breasts to demonstrate their superior size.


    Zhang Lie sipped his coffee and smirked. "Don''t make jokes like these if you can''t afford the consequences."


    Dong Mingxing changed the topic. "Do you really intend to invade the western world with just these forces?"


    Zhang Lie replied coolly, "Manpower is no concern. I have plenty of means of acquiring more. Please don''t worry, Miss Dong. Qianqian''s my woman, and I wouldn''t endanger her in any way. Any enemy would have to climb over my corpse first."


    Dong Mingxing stared at Zhang Lie appraisingly. "You really are serious, aren''t you? But I do have to warn you¡ªthe king of the west won''t be a trivial foe."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "No king of the realm would be. But I''ve made my preparations, and I''m not worried."

 Chapter 726: Completely Crippled

    <h4>Chapter 726: Completely Crippled</h4>


    Dong Mingxing''s face was serious as she confirmed, "You''ve finalized all your preparations? Beware¡ªhis strength might pale inparison to the king of the east, but the king of the west has had a long tenure in the western world, weathering all sorts of conflicts and upheavals."


    "Thank you for your concern, Miss Dong."


    "Where are your preparations, at any rate? I don''t see anything!"


    Zhang Lie countered, "What''s there to prepare for? It''s not anything major¡ªpreparing for nothing is the same as preparing for everything! If I want to be with Qianqian, I have to destroy the world of the west¡ªI don''t want to deal with flies buzzing left and right around me otherwise. Only by exterminating theirir once and for all will I get rid of them for good. As for my preparations, I''ll just have to sweep through whoeveres at me."


    Dong Mingxingughed. "Air of flies? Be careful that you don''t find air of dragons, instead¡ªdon''t be swallowed up whole!"


    Zhang Lie was unruffled. "Dragons and flies are no different to me."


    Li Qianlin watched as Zhang Lie and her best friend argued with each other.


    "Make a moreprehensive n," Dong Mingxing suggested.


    "There''s nothing to n. I''ll deal with whateveres my way when it happens!"


    Dong Mingxing shrugged. "It looks like you don''t trust me, do you?"


    From her perspective, someone who was so bold as to im that they would take down the world of the west had to be entirely prepared. Surely no one would head there without any preparation like a fool?


    Zhang Lie countered, "Indeed, even if I had aprehensive n, I wouldn''t reveal it to you, would I, Miss Dong?"


    Dong Mingxing pped her hands together. "Very well, that''s settled. I''ll head to the western world with you guys!"


    Li Qianlin''s eyes widened. "You? Why?"


    Dong Mingxing rolled her eyes at her. "I''m worried that you''ll be kidnapped, of course!"


    "I''ve already been kidnapped..."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very well. With a skilled fighter like Miss Dong around, I can be much more rxed. I was worried that I wouldn''t be able to protect Qianqian in the heat of battle, but your presence will solve that problem neatly."


    "Don''t you have your men, too?" Dong Mingxing asked.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "None of them would be as thoughtful as you, Miss Dong."


    "Hold it!" Li Qianlin objected. "No, I can''t bring Xingxing into this just for me!"


    Dong Mingxing patted Li Qianlin on the head. "You didn''t drag me in¡ªI chose to participate of my own ord."


    "But it''ll be dangerous!"


    Dong Mingxing rolled her eyes. "You don''t fear the danger¡ªwhy should I?"


    "But I don''t want to drag you into this!"


    Dong Mingxing smiled. "Are you warning me not to steal your man?"


    Li Qianlin''s face flushed red. "He, that kidnapper isn''t my man!"


    Dong Mingxing''s smile widened. "I don''t think I mentioned who your man was, did I?"


    Li Qianlin''s cheeks turned as red as an apple, and you could almost see the steam wafting out of her head.


    Dong Mingxing began tough. Zhang Lie finally said, "It''s time for us to set off. We can''t leave the western king to his own devices for too long."


    By then, the king of the east had sent Duan Gen back home. He roared and raged, crushing everything in his room to pieces. His shrill voice prated the walls of his estate. Zhang Lie''s gic energy, notably and frighteningly corrosive, had wrecked his body irrecoverably.


    "Scram, all of you! I''m not a cripple, I''m the son of the western king! You''re all pieces of trash, doctors who don''t live up to your reputation! If you can''t even heal my injuries, what good are you?!"


    Servants and physicians alike were hounded out of his rooms. When they saw the king of the west outside, they knelt down by the floor, trembling and not daring to raise their heads.


    Duan Zisuan was standing right outside and calmly watching his enraged, crazed son. Only when his son had slumped to the ground, gasping for breath, did Duan Zisuan walk in and ask, "Are you done making a fuss?"


    Duan Gen struck a ghastly figure. The dashing Suanni he had been during the wedding was no more. His eyes were now empty sockets, one of his arms had been sliced away, and one leg wrenched off. Duan Gen was left with one leg, one arm, and no eyes.


    Duan Gen, once the prince of the west, the top cultivator after the two kings of the realm¡ªhe was now aplete cripple.


    Duan Zisuan''s face turned ugly. How had a joyous wedding ended up like this? Not only had he lost his reputation, his son had even been turned into... this.


    Duan Gen crawled toward his father on one arm and one leg, then clutched onto the hem of his robes tightly.


    "Father, as the king of the realm, you must know how to save me! I don''t want to be a cripple, and I don''t want to lose my masculinity! You don''t want your line to end with me, either, do you?"


    Duan Zisuan turned to the physicians. "How is the prince?"


    One of the imperial physicians stepped forward. "Your majesty, his highness was gravely wounded by a viin. He lost an arm, a leg, and his genitals. Furthermore, his anus was ruptured, and he''ll have a hard time controlling his ability to defecate and urinate in the future."


    As the physician gave his report, everyone began to smell a truly vile odor¡ªDuan Gen was, as stated, simultaneously defecating and urinating uncontrobly. Blood seeped into his stool.


    Everyone knew how terrible Duan Gen looked, but no oneughed at him. They all fell silent.


    Duan Zisuan broke the heavy silence. "Master, you''re the most famous physician of the west. Are you unable to help my son?"


    The old man kneeling on the floor began to tremble. "Your majesty, I''m afraid I''m incapable of doing anything. The prince''s body is being ravaged by an unusual energy, one so corrosive that I was barely able to protect his life by amputating his lost limbs. However, that energy has seeped deep into his bones, and it can''t be removed by ordinary means.


    "Take his highness''s eyes for example. Even if we were to excise the corroded flesh and bone around his eye sockets, that energy would still remain, devouring his highness''s wounds each and every second."


    In other words, Duan Gen had only two futures: one in which he was unable to bear the constant torment and killed himself, and one in which he was unable to bear that torment and went crazy as a result.


    Duan Zisuan clenched his fists tightly. The lines of Zhang Lie''s face were engraved in his mind; his face flushed red as he considered Zhang Lie anew.


    No amount of torture he inflicted on that wretched couple would be able to quench his anger.


    The physician shook his head again. "I apologize, your majesty. I would be able to do something against poison, but not this mysterious energy. I regret that I am no expert like you."


    "And if I were to assist you?"


    The physician pondered the problem for quite some time. "Your majesty, with your strength and all sorts of rare and precious herbs, I might be able to induce the prince''s limbs to grow back, but his eyes and genitals were clearly targeted. Even if they were restored, they would never fully function again."


    Duan Zisuan pleaded, "Master, I only have this one son!"


    "Your majesty, as a father myself, I understand your feelings wholeheartedly. However, I don''t believe that anyone else in this world save the culprit behind his highness''s injuries would be able to save his life."

 Chapter 727: The Alien Races Gather

    <h4>Chapter 727: The Alien Races Gather</h4>


    "Damned fool! If you can''t even save my son, what good are you?!" Duan Zisuan seethed at the uselessness of this royal physician. With a wave of his hand, the physician''s head exploded, scattering blood and brain fluid on the closest attendants. Their faces were filled with horror and dread, but they didn''t dare scream lest they be the next target.


    Duan Zisuan''s attitude had shifted faster than one could flip a book¡ªand in a single second, he sentenced a physician, the top physician of the world, who had saved countless people within it, to death.


    He roared in outrage. Thunder and lightning crackled through the sky as the guards and attendants quailed.


    Just then, an imperial guard rushed toward the king of the realm. "Your majesty, we have a problem! Arge group of enemies has emerged from the wormhole from the east to the west, and we suspect that they''re aliens from the Milky Way! They''vee with massive numbers of third- and fourth-level beasts under their control, and they''re attacking our world with the intention of capturing your head!"


    Duan Zisuan recalled just what had happened during the wedding, and Zhang Lie''s face flitted through his head.


    "Are you finally here, then?" Duan Zisuan gritted his teeth. "I was just about to seek you out for revenge¡ªperfect timing."


    Duan Gen called out from the floor, "Father, you have to take revenge for me! Tear that fellow into shreds¡ªcut off his dick and stuff it up his ass! No, even that won''t be enough. Dig out his eyeballs and have a hundred men rape him. Stuff his dick up his nostrils¡ªpour alcohol into his ass, then light it up and watch him burn!"


    The moment the conversation shifted to torture, Duan Gen seemed to gain a spark in his eyes. His words and tone were malicious and vile; the guards and attendants kneeling on the floor shivered upon hearing the conversation.


    They were afraid that they, too, would be Duan Gen''s targets. Such torture would be a fate worse than death.


    Duan Gen gritted his teeth. "And we can''t forget about that Li Qianlin, either. Before digging out the man''s eyes, I''ll have him witness Li Qianlin being raped by a hundred men¡ªno, I''ll find a hundred hounds in heat, then gather an audience from the worlds of east and west. I''ll trap her in a cage and loose the hounds at her..."


    Duan Gen began tough loudly. He grew strangely excited just thinking about such thoughts of revenge, so much so that he began tough wildly.


    Duan Zisuan caressed his son''s head lovingly. "Very well. I''ll capture that vile, treacherous couple. There are still a few guards and attendants here. You might have lost your eyes, but if you''ll feel morefortable hearing the sounds of torture..."


    "Thank you, Father!"


    The kneeling guards and attendants immediately pleaded for mercy. "Please, your majesty, please spare us! We''ve done nothing wrong..."


    Duan Zisuan departed as though he hadn''t heard anything, his eyes glinting with frost.


    "Is this the western world, then?" Zhang Lie and a group of Jinghun departed from the shuttle and stepped into the world of the west.


    The Jinghun had informed Zhang Lie where the wormhole leading to the western world was¡ªthe Jinghun had eyes on almost each and every in the third realm.


    The moment they stepped into the world, they saw a group of alien races waiting for them: the Tianxin, the ck eagles, the Poxian, the Jinghun, the starbeasts, the Jindao, the winged¡ªa diverse group.


    Zhang Lie was surprised that this group of aliens included even those among the four prime races, like the winged and the nightdemons.


    "Can you exin to me what''s going on?" Zhang Lie turned and asked the nearest Jinghun.


    The time and location of the meeting had been arranged by the Jinghun, and so had this weingmittee.


    Since the Jinghun were under the control of Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade soulshard, they should have been incapable of harming him, but there was always the possibility that someone among the Jinghun had been able to break free of that mentalpulsion.


    After all, there was such a diversity in soulshards that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be surprised if there were one that could defend against his own.


    Zhang Lie was as calm as ever as he surveyed the crowd. There were over a hundred races present, most among the hundred strongest races of the gxy, and each brought a few dozen or even a few hundred representatives with them.


    Behind these aliens wererge quantities of gic lifeforms, those that had survived the initial assault on Mt. Yun.


    .


    "What are you nning to do with so many people around?" Zhang Lie asked.


    He wasn''t frightened; numbers would do anything against him with his mistmeld m soulshard.


    He recalled being very surprised when the Jinghun had informed him that there would be no need to prepare a new batch of lifeforms after that fight. ording to the original n, those lifeforms would be ceded to the alien races topel them not to side with the king of the east during the assault.


    Zhang Lie expected that the Jinghun still had a batch of lifeforms in reserve, but now, it was apparent that they had somehow managed to reim control over the original gic lifeforms. It looked as though they had carried out another transaction with the aliens instead.


    Xing Ying rolled his eyes. "We''re here to help you."


    Ren Kunjing exined, "Once everyone learned that you were the mastermind behind crashing the wedding, they flocked to participate."


    The nightdemons called out, "Champion of mankind, you should have let us know in advance that you were going to be invading the western world!"


    Zhang Lie was a little embarrassed.


    The western world was arge one, and it had a wealth of resources. Anyone who participated would be able to obtain quite a significant share.


    Ren Kunjing apologized. "I should have let you know, Zhang Lie, but I wanted to give you a surprise given that they''re all here bearing good intentions."


    Xing Ying added, "The four prime races have always been your greatest allies, Zhang Lie! Don''t be a stranger when you''re nning something so exciting."


    The winged: "We''re only able to send this small group of people on short notice, but there''ll be even more here shortly."


    This sort of situation was tantamount to doing a favor for Zhang Lie. When the alien races learned of this affair, they immediately sent a delegation to the western world¡ªit was evident that they would obtain a fair share of rewards following Zhang Lie, given what had happened in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie had constructed a kingdom of his own, the kingdom of Limit, which epted all races within it.


    This, of course, included the races of the Milky Way. The four prime races had been treated very well, almost on par with the founding races of Limit, and were therefore able to obtainrge tracts ofnd within the second realm¡ªperhaps a tenth of the totalnd that Limit possessed.


    The benefit that the races derived from thisnd was so great that the other races were immediately jealous.


    After that incident, when these other races learned that Zhang Lie was about to do something on a simr scale, they immediately rushed over. The alien races guessed that crashing the wedding was just the prelude¡ªthat what Zhang Lie really wanted to do was build a second kingdom of Limit.


    If he really were to do so, they could be part of the founding races of the kingdom in the third realm, especially the four prime races! They had obtained huge rewards in the second realm, including massive tracts ofnd. They had already ownedrge quantities ofnd in the first realm, and if they were to obtain some more in the third as well, they would be able to develop a new set of forces stably ascending from the first realm to the third.


    What Zhang Lie was doing now was converting the indigenous peoples''nds into a cradle for the alien races'' warriors, and it would be foolish not to participate. This would be a history-defining moment in the third realm!

 Chapter 728: Conquering the West

    <h4>Chapter 728: Conquering the West</h4>


    Zhang Lie epted the alien races'' help with grace. "Supporting forces? Very well¡ªI ept your help. However, all of you have to listen to mymand at all times, or I won''t be responsible for your deaths!"


    "Of course!" Warlord Xing Ying replied, pumping a fist in the air. "Anyone who disobeys you will have to get through me, first."


    "Very good. In that case, let''s set off."


    Regardless of whether or not there were any dissenters in their midst, Zhang Lie had absolute strength and his mistmeld m soulshard¡ªthere would be nothing to fear from these aliens.


    Dong Mingxing asked, "Is this part of the n you concocted?"


    Li Qianlin cried out in surprise, "To think you alien races were all working in cahoots!"


    Xing Ying bowed. "Your highness, we''ve gathered in the champion of mankind''s, Zhang Lie''s, name."


    Everyone was curious about the identity of this indigenous princess that Zhang Lie had captured.


    "Oh? It looks like this demon king is quite famous in the Milky Way..."


    Xing Ying nodded. "It would be difficult to find someone who hasn''t heard of Zhang Lie where we''re from."


    "Can you tell me more?" Li Qianlin asked curiously.


    Zhang Lie broke their conversation off. "I have a question for you all."


    Xing Ying''s eyes shed. "What''s the matter, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie took out the tattered scraps of a map that he had been collecting. "Have you seen the likes of these before?"


    Xing Ying fell deep in thought. "I feel like I may have, but I can''t be certain. I believe some among the n had started collecting these scraps. I''ll make a few inquiries on your behalf when I return."


    One of the nightdemons called out, "We''ve seen these scraps a few times! No one knows their purpose, but these scraps are indestructible."


    The winged: "Some of us have tried to search for these scraps hoping to make armor out of them, but we found the search surprisingly difficult. Even the winged haven''t managed to collect more than a few pieces, far from enough to make armor out of."


    The other races all gathered around, quite a few of whom mentioned that they had seen such a few scraps before. Those representatives didn''t realize that a rainbow gleam filled their eyes as Zhang Lie caught their attention.


    "See if you can retrieve them. I''m very interested in such scraps, and I''m willing to exchange them for alcohol that, when imbibed, will generate superior gene fragments."


    He didn''t intend to purchase them for too high a price, or that would reveal his desire for them and the true worth of these scraps. If that were to happen, there would surely be some unscrupulous merchants hoping to rip Zhang Lie off.


    Xing Ying patted his chest. "There''s no need for anything in trade. The starbeasts will fully support your ns, champion of mankind!"


    The nightdemon representatives added, "These scraps aren''t worth anything to us, either. We''ll send over whatever we have."


    The other representatives agreed.


    Li Qianlin nced at the scraps curiously. "I believe my father has a few of those lying around, too."


    Zhang Lie was quite surprised. His intention had been to obtain these scraps from the alien races, but he had overlooked the indigenous peoples as well.


    Li Qianlin continued, "I''ve seen my father try to inspect their origin, but he never seeded."


    Only a rare few knew of the true use of these scraps; Zhang Lie would have to try to get them from the eastern king at some point.


    The invasion quickly began in earnest.


    Zhang Lie''s strategy was simple: superior- and peak-grade lifeforms would stampede through contested territory, Zhang Lie would control whoever he encountered with his mistmeld m soulshard, and the races of the Milky Way would take down any stragglers.


    They advanced at such a breakneck speed that Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing were shocked. To think that the people of the western world would be so helpless in front of Zhang Lie!


    If Zhang Lie were to attack the eastern world, they doubted it would fare much better. With Red Comet and the disaster-grade lifeform that Zhang Lie hadpelled away from the king of the west, no army could stop his advance.


    However, Zhang Lie knew very well that it didn''t matter just how many cities he took down. He would need to deal with the western king once and for all.


    In fact, he had barely touched the cities and towns that he had conquered, knowing that the only ones who lived there were ordinary people unrted to his goal.


    Zhang Lie knew that the western king surely wouldn''t hide from him. This was one of the reasons the races of the Milky Way were willing to throw in their support¡ªnot only did Zhang Lie possess the strength needed to kill the king, he had even sessfully roused the king''s anger by crippling his son and stealing his son''s bride. The king of the west bore Zhang Lie a crippling grudge, and only one of them would be alive by the end of the conflict.


    As Zhang Lie expected, the king of the west himself showed up to oppose him. He quickly gathered his elites and made his way over to where Zhang Lie was situated, with a massive force sorge that he had to have been cultivating it for years.


    With the king of the west were all manner of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms, the strongest of the forces the king could marshal.


    Thunder and lightning crackled through the skies. The king of the west, Duan Zisuan, stood in the midst of all that lightning. He shouted, "Knave, step forward and face your death!"


    Zhang Lie soared into the air and stood opposite the king of the realm. "Duan Zisuan, have you finally decided to face me in battle?"


    Duan Zisuan''s actual body was farrger than those of his clones. His clones were only two meters tall, whereas his true body was five meters tall. His ws were sharp and long, and he bared his ferocious teeth. His mane waved in the stormy air, his eyes were filled with bloodlust, and the air of a tyrant exuded from his every pore. He felt like the master of the world.


    Duan Zisuan called out, "Surrender with your subordinates. Come to the pce with me and treat my son''s wounds, and I can give you a fast death."


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up. "If you surrender to me now, I''ll give you a fast death as well."


    Duan Zisuan narrowed his eyes. "You''ll turn down my offer, then?"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "We haven''t started fighting, have we? Who can say who the victor will be?"


    Duan Zisuan morphed into a bolt of lightning and shot toward Zhang Lie.


    He was far faster than his clone, and if his true body had been present during the conflict with the king of the east, he might really have been able to cause Zhang Lie some damage, but Zhang Lie was perfectly capable of dealing with the western king alone without any distractions around. Duan Zisuan''s sharp ws glinted with lightning. "I''ll be iming your head!"


    "No one alive has that power!" Zhang Lie retaliated with a fist.


    As lightning crackled through the sky, water-attuned gic energy distorted the space around Zhang Lie and exploded in mid-air, dissolving Duan Zisuan''s w attack. Zhang Lie charged up another punch with his other fist.


    Ripples of air formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, growing more and more intense as Zhang Liebined spatial force with his water-attuned gic energy. Whatever lightning Duan Zisuan sent his way was easily countered by the warped space around Zhang Lie...

 Chapter 729: Against the King of the West

    <h4>Chapter 729: Against the King of the West</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s aura rose rapidly as the swirling water-attuned gic energy and spatial force condensed andpressed around his arms, sucking in the nearby space. A whirlwind spun into existence around them, scattering the troops and mounts that the king of the west had gathered.


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, that energy erupted in a flood in mid-air, twisting the entire world and shattering any semnce of naturalw. The howling winds, like uncaged beasts, destroyed everything in sight¡ª and this was just one blow from Zhang Lie.


    One blow was sufficient to direct the course of the entire battle.


    Before Zhang Liey patches of destruction, as though an apocalypse had just struck the world. Large swathes of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms had been sucked up into the whirlwind and through the air.


    The troops of the western world were unable to imagine an alien who could wreak such destruction. Even the aftermath of his blows weren''t something they could withstand.


    The weaker among them were struck by the ripples of force until they vomited out blood, and even the stronger ones wouldn''t be able to stand being sucked into the whirlwind. Even the aliens supporting Zhang Lie were shocked by the impact.


    They had witnessed his punch once before, but whenever they did so, they grew more and more frightened.


    Zhang Lie''s fist was enough to cause an apocalypse all by himself.


    Fortunately, given their prior experience, all the aliens had retreated in time, leaving only a few idiots behind who were sucked into the whirlwind. Even the aftermath of the attack was no joke.


    Xing Ying stared openmouthed at Zhang Lie. He, who was considered among the upper echelon of warlords, was still nothingpared to Zhang Lie.


    He was certain that Zhang Lie''s punch would be able to kill over ny percent of the known warlords, and even the top ten on the ranking might be incapable of defending against such a blow unscathed.


    "And he''s still 90th on the rankings? It''s an insult to us all..."


    If Zhang Lie really were 90th with this strength, any warlord above him had to be iparable ashamed of themselves.


    Lightning split the whirlwind. Duan Zisuan emerged from the attack standing. "Is this your full strength? Just this?"


    Despite Duan Zisuan''s words, the blood trickling out of his mouth was testament to the power behind Zhang Lie''s fists.


    Duan Zisuan''s entire body crackled with lightning as he shot toward Zhang Lie again. His ws were like those of an eagle, and the entire sky seemed to be filled with sharp bolts.


    An attack stronger than roaring winds or howling storms approached Zhang Lie. The afterimages of the western king''s ws ovepped,pounding the strength of the attack, and he seemed to have the ability of drawing more lightning from the heavens to aid himself.


    Xing Ying''s face turned pale-white. Despite being one of the top warlords, he was feeling a sense of fear upon watching Zhang Lie and the king of the west fight.


    Duan Zisuan''s ws were stronger and faster than any attack he possessed, and he doubted he couldst any longer than a second against him.


    After all, this was the strength of a king of the realm of arge world. Even he would be rendered useless in light of this attack, but Zhang Lie seemed capable of bearing its brunt easily.


    Zhang Lie''s fists rippled with energy. Streams of water revolved more and more quickly around his wrist, augmented by spatial force and the power of [Mirrored Refraction].


    Zhang Lie pummeled the king so quickly his fists left afterimages behind, each of which seemed to refract light. Hundreds and thousands of these afterimages seemed to attack at once, preventing the western king''s lightning from surrounding Zhang Lie.


    The twobatants shed in mid-air, releasing so much energy the environment was vanishing bit by bit.


    Mirrored light struck like a scythe; lightning like a spear. All the remaining forces, be they supporters of the king of the west or the aliensing to Zhang Lie''s aid, stopped fighting and retreated far, far away.


    The battle was like a disaster descending on the world. Just mere proximity alone would cause damage; the two batants'' level of strength was in a different dimension entirely.


    "[Syzygy]!" A wheel of ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and blood-red moonlight by his feet. Zhang Lie''s attacks grew stronger and stronger, and rays of light emanated from him in bursts.


    As the fight proceeded, Duan Zisuan found hisbat ability decreasing more and more, as though his body was being corroded away. His richbat experience allowed him to identify the problem near-immediately: the domain of moonlight spreading from Zhang Lie.


    Just as Duan Zisuan tried to retreat to escape from Zhang Lie''s domain, Zhang Lie struck. His fist caused a geyser of water to erupt, shattering space around him. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    Duan Zisuan blocked the attack with his ws, forming a storm shield. Zhang Lie''s punch struck the shield and caused it to explode, sending Duan Zisuan flying out into the distance.


    Duan Zisuan barely stabilized himself in mid-air, then used his authority to control the lightning crackling through the skies.


    "I invoke the authority of the king of the realm to inflict divine punishment!"


    A pir of lightning fell from the sky, turning everything white for a split second.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie feared nothing. He responded with another technique, one with such strength it made the very air warp.


    The fist tore the pir of blinding lightning apart even as Duan Zisuan invoked another such blow with his authority. This pir was even thicker than thest¡ªbut this time, the lightning struck Duan Zisuan himself, rather than Zhang Lie.


    The spectators watching the battle from below gasped.


    Xing Ying shouted, "The king of the realm missed?!"


    How could Duan Zisuan miss such an attack? He had done so intentionally, sending the energy of lightning through his ws, then brandishing his ws at Zhang Lie. The shadow of two gigantic ws which tore the surrounding space apart covered the spectators.


    As Duan Zisuan swept downward with his ws, two runic tabletsnded around him.


    "[Rune: Control]!" ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the sky and caused Duan Zisuan to stumble. He immediately rectified the natural flow of gravity using his power as the king of the realm.


    However, he was shocked to no end. To Zhang Lie, the runes engraved on the runic tablets were ancient, iprehensible script, but to him, the runes formed an embodiment of naturalw.

 Chapter 730: A Prolonged Assault

    <h4>Chapter 730: A Prolonged Assault</h4>


    Duan Zisuan found it impossible to believe that Zhang Lie had aplished such a feat.


    As the king of the realm of arge world, he had tried the same thing countless times, hoping to infuse his weapons with the strength of naturalw, but he had never seeded.


    Even so, the runes that appeared on the two tablets were clearly manifestations of naturalw.


    How much skill, how much effort, how much wisdom was required to achieve such a lofty goal? Duan Zisuan could only chalk it off as power from a higher realm.


    While Duan Zisuan was recovering from his astonishment, Zhang Lie had already rushed forward, the de Guicang in his hand.


    Duan Zisuan howled, discharging the power of lightning from his body. The hair all over his body stood straight up. The lightning shot out of his mouth like a railgun, striking Zhang Lie''s de and nullifying his attack.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie summoned a serpent, thousands of meters long, with a massive infusion of gic energy, one whose body was so long its head was up in the clouds. It leapt toward Duan Zisuan,


    who invoked the authority of the realm for a third time, strengthening the lightning that crackled around him. Lightning crashed down around him, and Duan Zisuan melded into the field of lightning.


    The serpent cried out as its humongous body was struck all over. It dissipated before it could evenunch its first attack.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" With incredible speed, Zhang Lie avoided the lightning array, Guicang in his hand.


    The sword shes heunched were in and ordinary. There was nothing shy about them, nothing that would prompt closer investigation¡ªjust thin slices, given form by Zhang Lie''s gic energy, but the king of the west reared back in shock.


    His mane grew rigid as he shouted, "Three thousand bolts of lightning, three thousand peals of thunder!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether that was part of the king of the realm''s authority or his personal strength, or perhaps a mix of both.


    Three thousand bolts of lightning shot toward Zhang Lie like arrows loosed from a bow, criss-crossing in mid-air and forming a huge flood of lightning all aimed at just one target.


    Zhang Lie cut apart the bolts of lightning with Guicang, radiant energy bursting forth from his body and erupting amidst the clouds.


    The dark clouds above Zhang Lie began to dissipate, revealing a patch of blue sky. As the sunlight struck Zhang Lie, it reflected off of sparkling golden armor.


    It felt as if there were nothing else in the world save for him and his opponent.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie struck once more. An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold¡ªnot just from their senses alone.


    The spectators puffed out clouds of white air. The temperature had dropped to sub-zero values, and they huddled around each other as a strong wind buffeted them. Ayer of frost had begun creeping up their feet. Bloody kes of snow fell from the sky; it felt as though a gate to the underworld had suddenly opened.


    The entire world of the west could see the underworld river in the sky. Hundreds of thousands of ghastly lifeforms seemed to float in and out of sight, rushing out into the river that stained the skies ck.


    Duan Zisuan retreated quickly as the river rushed toward him in a torrent, and the ghastly creatures swiped their ws at him.


    Duan Zisuan fled into the clouds and used his authority to summon peals of thunder that reverberated through the river. The river shook, but it resisted the attack and remained in the air, undispeble.


    The remaining thunder surrounded Duan Zisuan, bolstering his strength.


    A bolt of lightning struck him then. He absorbed that energy fully and descended like a god of lightning from the heavens. As he swiped forward, his ws discharged lightning that criss-crossed in mid-air and formed a shield against the river''s might.


    The next moment, he vanished from the spot. He made use of his authority over space to teleport right behind Zhang Lie in a peal of thunder. As his ws descended, the entire world felt as though it was about to be shed apart.


    Zhang Lie dissolved into a mirage as he allowed himself to be carried along the current, escaping the ws. As he did so, heunched a huge sh at Duan Zisuan, who invoked the world''s authority to teleport right behind Zhang Lie and sh forward with his ws.


    Zhang Lie, activating his dragonwolf and blood ant soulshards, transformed into a bloody dragonwolf. A wave of his sword sent a flurry of des into the air, countering Duan Zisuan''s ws of lightning without backing down.


    Peals of thunder could be heard all around them as Zhang Lie continued swinging his sword, his shes as numerous as raindrops in the sky. The ground cracked to pieces, then disintegrated.


    In closebat, Duan Zisuan found his energy being sapped away once more. He knew he had to end the battle immediately, but he couldn''t find an opportunity to retaliate. Zhang Lie''s attacks were dense and innumerous.


    Duan Zisuan howled. Despite the potential for injuries, he knew he had no choice but to charge forward, lest Zhang Lie drain all his energy beforehand.


    However, Zhang Lie was easily able to predict his actions.


    "[Rune: Control]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets, sealing the lifeform''s will and power.


    The twobatants'' speed had been evenly matched, but now, Duan Zisuan''s ws suddenly seemed far slower than before. Zhang Lie took the upper hand, shing through Duan Zisuan''s defenses.


    Duan Zisuan howled, discharging the power of lightning from his body. The hair all over his body stood straight up. The lightning shot out of his mouth like a railgun. Zhang Lie turned his attack into defense, clenching his fists tightly as he did so.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A dragon of blood howled as it emerged from Zhang Lie''s fists, dispelling the dark clouds that loomed over his head.


    Duan Zisuan''s ws, crackling with lightning, struck the dragon. However, the dragon blocked those blows with its sturdy body and was just about to strike him physically when Duan Zisuan howled again. The lightning energy that emanated from his body morphed into a suit of armor that protected him from the blood dragon''s assault.


    The chestpiece caved in, but the lightning that emerged from the armor annihted the dragon. The armor greatly increased Duan Zisuan''s strength and speed, and he zipped toward Zhang Lie again in a bolt of lightning...

 Chapter 731: A Prolonged Burn

    <h4>Chapter 731: A Prolonged Burn</h4>


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie''s sword, imbued with the power of time, shed forward faster than his body could react.


    The attack arrived in front of Duan Zisuan even before he could release his own attack. Duan Zisuan was beyond shocked that Zhang Lie was able to marshal the power of time, the most abstruse of all naturalws.


    Even a king of the realm of arge world wouldn''t necessarily be able to control that world''s time, but Zhang Lie, who possessed no external authority of his own, was able to modify the flow of time with just his own power. He could control gravity, space, and even time¡ªjust who between the two of them was the true king of the realm?!


    As the tip of the swordnded against Duan Zisuan''s lightning armor, it burst apart. Duan Zisuan stumbled back.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him. He looked like a demon descending on the world.


    Li Qianlin''s eyes widened, and she remarked again, "This fellow is truly a demon king..."


    As pitch-ck gic energy covered the skies, the aliens of the Milky Way all began to panic. Even they had never seen such frightening, boundless energy, which portended disaster even before his techniquended.


    The superior- and peak-grade lifeforms knelt in obeisance to the ruler of such might; the weakest among them were forced to sumb by the very might of the force alone.


    The rocks that flew into the sky shattered into pebbles before they could approach Zhang Lie.


    The gic energy''s sheer presence alone was wreaking all sorts of havoc on the world.


    From the surface of the sea of gic energy, waves charged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. They roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The surface of the sea frothed, as though dragons were emerging with the tide.


    The pressure made everyone feel as though there were mountains weighing down their heads, making them unable to breathe. Countless deepsea lifeforms took shape in the raging sea, rushing out of its surface and soaring through the skies.


    An apocalypse drew near.


    The waves grew more and more agitated, as though they werepeting with the wind for attention. As Zhang Lie swung his sword, the roaring waves all morphed into ck dragons. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Duan Zisuan fled into the clouds and used his authority to summon countless strikes of lightning.


    He chose not to use his authority as the king of the realm to control gravity and space in hopes of constraining Zhang Lie. He knew very well from experience that, on fights of this level, the debilitating impact such control over naturalw could have on the rest of his power. Better for him to summon lightning and y to his strengths.


    The lightning formed a waterfall that poured over his body.


    Duan Zisuan sped his hands together, then drew his fingers apart. Lightning crackled between them, and the full force of the lightning he had summoned with his authority as king danced in his palms.


    In an extravagant, blinding sh, a bolt of lightning in the form of a dragon shot toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie''s sea of gic energy exploded. The scorching white sh struck the sea and annihted the apparitions within, but that lightning grew progressively weaker as it passed through the sea''s manifold defenses. By the time it reached Zhang Lie, there was only a pitiful bit of light left, which easily dissipated with a swing of Zhang Lie''s sword.


    .


    The dragon of lightning was unable to destroy Zhang Lie''s sea, and now, it was time for Zhang Lie''s counterattack.


    Against the overwhelming pitch-ck sea, the darkness that threatened to engulf the skies, even the most stubborn enemy might be tempted to retreat.


    "I''ve almost forgotten how to fight," Duan Zisuan marveled to himself. His blood-red body began to glow with light like a furnace, and steam poured out of his pores. He seemed to have truly be engrossed in the fight.


    "Ever since bing the king of the realm, my life has grown far more rxed. In my world, no one dares to disobey mymand, and I''ve not had to participate in battles of life and death. And with decades, centuries of such stagnation, I''ve grown paralyzed. I began to incorporate the authority of the king into my fundamental fighting style, using the lightning I control to crush any opponents I encounter.


    "It''s been far too long since I fought against a strong foe, and even my battles with the king of the east only go so far. Using my strength and authority as the king wasn''t a bad choice, but I''ve almost forgotten my original style¡ªto burn, burn with my blood and body on the line!"


    Duan Zisuan morphed into a bundle of mes. His strength seemed to grow tremendously, and the pressure he exuded became more acute. His eyes shed like those of an apex predator. "It''s been far too long since I felt my blood boil."


    mes sparked from Duan Zisuan''s ws, but the light it gave off seemed paltrypared to the expanse of the sea. He didn''t believe that those mes would be able to damage the sea, but he did want to test his original techniques to see how they fared.


    Duan Zisuan swiped forward with his ws, forming a hurricane of me, so hot it melted the boulders that studded the ground. The hurricane shed against the sea directly in a ssh of red on ck.


    The twobatants faced off once more, and the fiery hurricane blocked the advance of the pitch-ck sea like a shield.


    The hurricane burst apart into a cordon of me. Half the sky turned ck, and the other half was red. Neitherbatant allowed their gic energy to dissipate.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. Just above the horizon was a luminous, glowing sun, whose rays shone red as they pierced through the clouds, making the sky look as though it were burning up.


    The sea turned turbulent. Under the red light, gigantic waves crashed down beneath the sun. At peak strength, the sea would have been able to absorb the entirety of Duan Zisuan''s attack, but it had been weakened by the lightning dragon that Duan Zisuan shot its way...

 Chapter 732: His Life at Stake

    <h4>Chapter 732: His Life at Stake</h4>


    The aliens of the Milky Way and the western elites were both extraordinarily relieved that they had been far enough away from the twobatants to not be caught in the aftermath of their fight.


    "Oh? You''re not too bad!" Zhang Lie stood atop a wave on theherworld sea, a blood-colored whirlwind revolving around his sword.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" A blood-red dragon emerged from the sword, revolved around Zhang Lie, then soared toward Duan Zisuan and tore apart the defense afforded by his firestorm.


    Duan Zisuan extended his ws and blocked the dragon''s advance. His lightning armor fizzled and began to tear, and countless wounds appeared on his ws. Blood and flesh scattered in the air, where they lit up as though a thousand mes surrounded him.


    Duan Zisuan swiped forward with his ws, sending a renewed firestorm spreading out around the dragon like a twister. After trapping the dragon, he easily shredded the outeryer of energy surrounding the dragon, but the bacsh from doing so caused him to spit out fresh blood from his mouth. He was sent reeling backwards, crashing down toward the ground like a meteor.


    Duan Zisuan had forced Zhang Lie to use an advanced technique against him, but that didn''t make him stronger than Li Zongming.


    In truth, Li Zongming was the stronger of the two kings, but Li Zongming hadn''t been fighting Zhang Lie to the death.


    Bothbatants were holding back then; if Li Zongming truly did intend to prevent Zhang Lie from abducting his daughter, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have gotten away so easily.


    Of course, the only reason Zhang Lie dared to abduct Li Qianlin was because he was confident he could escape even if the two kings did their best to stop him.


    Duan Zisuan''s defense had dramatically weakened Zhang Lie''s attack, which wasn''t able to finish Duan Zisuan off. It wasn''t that easy to kill a king of the realm of arge world, after all.


    Red mes red where Duan Zisuan hadnded. He stood within the mes like a demon king being resurrected.


    "It''s time to end it¡ª[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. Waves of sword aura poured from Zhang Lie.


    The bright sword energy rushed toward the sky before falling back down like brilliant rays of sunlight, dissipating the darkness in a wave of energy so intense that it could be seen all over the western world.


    The thunderclouds in the sky burst apart.


    Duan Zisuan rose into the air, his ws burning with heat. Red light burst from his palms and formed what seemed to be a gigantic sun. The heat was so intense that it baked the air. Even from a distance, the aliens of the Milky Way and warriors of the west could feel the change in the atmosphere.


    The sun was sorge that it dwarfed even Duan Zisuan himself.


    Undeterred, Zhang Lieunched an attack toward Duan Zisuan, a sword sh so strong that it tore the ground apart even before itnded. The sun was split in two, and it burst with heat so dramatic that the entire sky turned red as though it had been lit ame.


    Amidst this maelstrom of heat, Duan Zisuan caught the sh of energy with his two ws, crackling with lightning and fire. The energy dissipated as twin pirs of lightning and me rose into the air.


    With the de Hanguang, Zhang Lie split both pirs in two.


    Duan Zisuan howled. The red aura around him red, and hisst reserves of lightning burst forth from his body. His mane puffed out as thebination of fire and lightning pierced the air with heat more extreme than what had appeared in the battle thus far.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Zhang Lie bisected even this pir of impossible energy, tearing apart the elementalndscape and revealing the pale blue skies that had been hidden from sight all this time.


    Duan Zisuan, wrapped in lightning and fire, invoked his authority once more to summon a thick pir of lightning at Zhang Lie''s location, which he blocked with his twin des.


    The lightning revolved in mid-air, forming a waterfall that poured over Duan Zisuan''s body, causing it to radiate visibly. His ws, sharp and crackling, seemed as though they could tear through anything.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie sent all four runic tablets down on him. They began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the sky and forming an absolute domain over all things within.


    Duan Zisuan''s body suddenly slowed down, and the lightning and fire petered out. This was Zhang Lie''s chance to counterattack. He sprung forward, blocking any bursts of energy with his des.


    Duan Zisuan suddenly noticed something amiss. From his perspective, Zhang Lie had suddenly sped up countless times, and his des, whirling like the wind, easily cut apart his elemental phenomena.


    He quickly realized that the four runic tablets were to me for warping naturalw around him. He thought that the two tablets controlling gravity were shocking enough, but for all four to be able to control space and time as well¡­


    "As expected of the product of a higher realm..."


    Duan Zisuan wasn''t wrong; the origins of the manual from which Zhang Lie had learned his framework might well be from a higher realm.


    With a moment''s thought from Duan Zisuan, the array of runic tablets broke apart, but by then, Zhang Lie was already right in front of him. "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    He infused spiritual energy into his de, and the de gleamed more and more brightly as he charged up his technique.


    The silvery-white glow illuminated the entire space.


    Lightning and fire condensed around Duan Zisuan''s ws as he tried to block Zhang Lie''s blow, but the sword strike passed through his ws as though they were non-existent. It cut through his ws, through his body¡ªand directly struck his soul.


    Duan Zisuan howled in pain. The injury was far more serious than anything Zhang Lie had inflicted to date.


    Unbidden, fire and lightning burst from him, but Zhang Lie didn''t step back. He bore the brunt of Duan Zisuan''s counterattack as heunched his own blow. "[Time''s Passing]!"


    Duan Zisuan''s ws easily blocked this attack, but even so, his ws suddenly shuddered. Like nts that had be desated, his ws were quickly aging and chipping away. The power of time corroded his body, and huge patches of fur fell to the ground. Duan Zisuan''s eyes widened in shock; he had the temptation to cut off his arm.


    Fortunately, Zhang Lie''smand over time was still weak, and Duan Zisuan himself was far from death...

 Chapter 733: Self-Immolation

    <h4>Chapter 733: Self-Immtion</h4>


    Duan Zisuan was shocked by Zhang Lie''s mastery of time, and the incredible number of strange techniques he had with it as the theme. In addition to [Shadow and Light], Zhang Lie possessed the four runic tablets from his dragonturtle transformation, along with [Time''s Passing].


    Zhang Lie had made truly notable advances in his understanding of time.


    He held his des crossed against each other. They gave off blinding light.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    A sea of spiritual and gic energy materialized before Zhang Lie. The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. Spiritual energy condensed into shining waves. Like a tsunami, the waves filled the entire pocket dimension.


    Not backing down, Duan Zisuan sped his hands together, his wrists aligned and his fingers spread out. Red mes burst forth from his palms, forming the shape of a Suanni. A waterfall of lightning rained down on him.


    As fire and lightning coiled around him, Duan Zisuan''s strength rose to its peak. The entire world seemed to be shaking and trembling at the very idea of his attack.


    Massive quantities of lightning- and fire-attuned gic energy poured into Duan Zisuan, and even the aliens of the Milky Way watching from afar widened their eyes.


    They had almost grown numb to the increasing levels of strength they had been witnessing during this fight¡ªbut this was so far beyond the norm that they grew worried once more.


    Any of the twobatants'' blows could have annihted them easily, but this attack seemed as though it would go beyond simple annihtion.


    As Duan Zisuan howled, the lightning and fire fused together into a dual-element dragon, which shot out toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea formed a bulwark against the dragon, causing a massive explosion in mid-air as brilliant white light, lightning, and mes rained down from the sky.


    The aliens of the Milky Way and western elites retreated to avoid the bombardment.


    The fight between Zhang Lie and the king of the west was only growing more and more serious; huge tracts ofnd around them would be caught in the aftermath.


    Despite the explosion, neither Zhang Lie nor Duan Zisuan stopped their fight. This would be a battle to the death.


    The twobatants exchanged blows in mid-air, lighting the skies up in red and gold and white.


    Streaks of lightning shed. Brilliant white light red across the sky, dotted with darkness from Zhang Lie''s water-attuned gic energy. The twobatants faced off, sword energy shrouding Zhang Lie, and lightning and fire revolving around Duan Zisuan.


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Duan Zisuan like a hurricane, carrying the waves of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea with them. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants¡ªclods of earth and stone, which were instantly annihted in the hurricane''s center.


    As the hurricane grewrger andrger, the entire battlefield turned dark. Even the spectators found themselves having to hold hands in order to avoid being sucked through the air.


    Not to be outdone, Duan Zisuan unleashed his ultimate attack: ws of thunder and me, forming dual suns in the sky. A purple sun of lightning and red sun of fire ovepped each other high above the twobatants and merged into a purplish-red sun that burned so brightly, so dazzlingly, that none were able to look up at it but all could feel its heat.


    Scorching heat washed over the world, and everything in sight seemed to distort. The spectators began to sweat furiously.


    Zhang Lie''s attack shed with Duan Zisuan, sending another burst of explosions through the air. The entire sky turned white¡ªnot just on the battlefield, but over the entire world.


    The next moment, all that vanished¡ªswallowed up by Zhang Lie''s ck and blood dragons.


    Even after swallowing up the purplish-red sun, the dragon duo didn''t seem satisfied. They continued flying onward to Duan Zisuan, who howled as he discharged lightning at full capacity. His electrified fur glowed red as he consolidated his strength within his body, which ballooned in size.


    The next moment, his body blurred as he swiped at the hurricane with his lightning- and fire-filled ws.


    Duan Zisuan could feel his strength being sapped away the closer he got, and his ws turned bloody from just a moment''s contact. Regardless, he gritted his teeth and bore with the pain. Even as the hurricane sucked away his strength, he ripped it apart with his two ws.


    ck gic energy exploded from its midst, sending even the spectators far away reeling from the impact. The twin ck and blood dragons emerged in view once again.


    Duan Zisuan, whose strength had reached a new peak beyond what he knew was possible, batted both dragons away with nothing but his ws.

 Chapter 734: Sword Splitting the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 734: Sword Splitting the Sky</h4>


    .


    The spectators'' eyes widened¡ªDuan Zisuan seemed as though he had suddenly split in two, but it was only a trick of the light that urred because of how fast Duan Zisuan was moving!


    Zhang Lieughed. "Shall we keep fighting, old man?"


    Duan Zisuan''s body was growing bruised and battered, and more and more wounds had appeared on it. He had received quite a few crippling blows. Forcefully shredding apart the hurricane had caused serious injuries to his ws, which were so bloody parts of his bones could be seen.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Just how muchbat strength do you even have left?"


    "It looks as though I''ll have to use my trump card," Duan Zisuan acknowledged.


    Light shed from his body as he began to transform. His mane turned into pale blue me, his body likewise went from red to pale blue, and dragon scales appeared over his ws.


    Duan Zisuan''s sudden transformation was, nevertheless, wholly familiar to Zhang Lie.


    This was the favorite trick that the aliens of the Milky Way employed¡ªsoulshards.


    The king of the east had soulshards of his own; it stood to reason that so too would the king of the west.


    Pale blue fire burned over the wounds on Duan Zisuan''s ws. He looked the spitting image of a lion from hell. With the authority afforded the king of the realm, Duan Zisuan summoned lightning and imbued spatial aura into it, turning it from purple to ck. The ck streaks of lightning cut across the air like void, more frightening than any physical attack.


    This void lightning was something that Duan Zisuan had produced only by appealing to his authority as the king of the realm, which he surely could not have generated otherwise.


    The authority of the king was a massive boon, and different people could use this boon in very different ways. Whether or not a king of the realm was weak depended not only on their own strength, but also their mastery over their authority.


    Duan Zisuan''s pale blue mes and void lightning were far stronger weapons than his lightning, fire, or twin ws.


    Upon seeing Duan Zisuan''s transformation, the spectators uniformly thought that victory had been decided.


    After that transformation, even an ordinary civilian would be able to sense the power billowing from Duan Zisuan. If he had been a tall mountain, he was now a.


    Duan Zisuanughed coldly, "Everyone thinks that the world of the west was suppressed by the east because of Li Zongming''s unparalleled strength, but in truth, he''s no stronger than I am. At least in terms of martial force, I''m absolutely confident that he''s no match for me."


    After all, Duan Zisuan and Li Zongming had never faced each other in direct battle. If they really were to start fighting, at least one of their worlds would be destroyed entirely, and the two kings had stopped their fights before they ever got to that extent.


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised. "Oh? An interesting trump card, indeed."


    "And now, it''s time for you to die!" Duan Zisuan swiped his ws. Though he was far away from Zhang Lie, the void lightning and pale-blue mes tore apart space and flew toward Zhang Lie in the blink of an eye. The ability of the lightning to move directly through the void was what made it so overwhelmingly strong.


    Even so, the attack that Duan Zisuan thought would surely end Zhang Lie was easily blocked.


    Golden scales like armor appeared over Zhang Lie''s arms. He murmured, "Surely you don''t think you''re the only one with a trump card?"


    Golden radiance filled the sky. Its source was the golden scales that had densely covered Zhang Lie''s skin, and deer''s antlers sprouted from his head. Golden mes burned all around him, releasing a holy aura. The ck sun to his back and bloody moon beneath his feet made him look like a god that had descended from the heavens.


    Even the ground seemed to be dusted with ayer of gold.


    The golden light was so bright and reflective that the spectators all had to cover their eyes. Zhang Lie had transformed into a de facto golden sun.


    Duan Zisuan didn''t expect that Zhang Lie would also possess a trump card of his own. This was the first time in the fight that he truly felt fear, even before Zhang Lieunched any of his own upgraded attacks.


    Even being armed with void lightning and his pale-blue mes brought Duan Zisuan littlefort. He had never felt fear since bing the king of the realm¡ªnot until now.


    Dispelling his thoughts forcefully, Duan Zisuan struck. Void lightning criss-crossed in the air, forming countless serpents¡ªbut they were all vanquished with a straightforward sh from Zhang Lie''s sword.


    Duan Zisuan could hardly believe his eyes. He swiped forward with his ws, summoning even more lightning serpents, imbued with his pale-blue mes¡ªbut Zhang Lie easily dodged all their attacks, sauntering through the air as though he were doing nothing more taxing than taking a stroll through his backyard.


    Duan Zisuan howled in outrage. The pale-blue mes surrounding him began to ze, and the void lightning smashed into the mes and formed huge pirs of fire. The ground beneath him cracked where the pirs zed.


    Against the pirs of fire, however, Zhang Lie was unperturbed. He unsheathed Guicang, and golden light spilled out from the de.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    White light split the sea and the sky, cutting apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    The whole world quaked.


    A patch of void and chaos expanded where the horizon had been, tearing apart the world of the west.


    Duan Zisuan sensed his control over the void lightning being stripped from him¡ªas though the lightning were leashed, and now the leash had been cut.


    His face grew rmed. His leash was formed from spatial authority that came from the world itself. "How could there be anyone in this world who can cut through that authority¡ª!"


    Duan Zisuan''s pale-blue mes all winked out as his body fell from the sky. The sh happened so quickly the spectators could have easily missed it with a blink.


    Indeed, they were all stupefied, wondering just what had happened¡ªgiven their level of strength, none of them had a clue what was going on.

 Chapter 735: Inept Rage

    <h4>Chapter 735: Inept Rage</h4>


    Duan Zisuan turned back to look at the... line... in the air that separated heaven and earth.


    Zhang Lie''sst attack had been too abstruse for even the likes of him toprehend.


    Duan Zisuan was just about to retaliate when he suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. When he looked down, he discovered that his body, just like heaven and earth, had been bisected in half. He held his body firmly in ce with sheer force of will and spite as he tried to retaliate, but Zhang Lie''s des were faster. He cut him vertically this time, quartering him and sending him falling from the sky.


    Zhang Lie''s attacksted only for a few seconds, but that was enough. Sky and ground stitched back together, but Duan Zisuan''s body was forever cut apart.


    Suddenly, however, Zhang Lie sensed something and struck in that direction with his sword¡ªonly to have his sh blocked by abination of void lightning and pale blue me.


    "Indeed, dealing with you is far more vexing than I expected," a familiar voice called out.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. Duan Zisuan was standing in front of him, wholly unhurt! Hadn''t he killed Duan Zisuan and quartered his body?


    Zhang Lie nced down at where Duan Zisuan''s corpse had fallen, only to find the pieces of his body reced by a cracked soulshard.


    A soulshard! "I''ll admit you do have quite a few treasures," Zhang Lie murmured.


    "I certainly didn''t expect you would be able to force me to use my second life. I only have one such soulshard, after all." As the king of the realm of arge world, Duan Zisuan had even managed to tame three disaster-grade lifeforms, a testament to his wealth.


    Although Duan Zisuan imed to have only one such soulshard, he could very well have simr lifesaving talismans.


    Zhang Lie was initially very confident in his ability to take down a king of the realm of arge world, but given what Duan Zisuan had already pulled out thus far, he couldn''t help but feel that he had chosen a difficult opponent.


    Zhang Lie was certainly stronger than even two such kingsbined, but their artifacts and trinkets made them far more difficult to deal with. Who knew what other strange soulshards the king of the west possessed to drag out this fight?


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie was confident in his strength. "Regardless of how many such soulshards you have, you''ll die today! I''m done with my warm-up. Are you prepared?"


    Zhang Lie knew that he had to use his full strength to prevent any more of such mishaps. His eyes glowed with all the colors of the rainbow. His heart beat like a dragon''s roar, echoing between earth and sky.


    Rainbow-colored gic energy erupted from Zhang Lie in a pir, then morphed into a dragon that prowled the clouds.


    Zhang Lie''s own aura grew even more threatening as he unveiled his true strength, causing Duan Zisuan''s body to tremble. The void lightning around him began to flicker, and Duan Zisuan had a hard time reining it in.


    He felt a sense of fear and foreboding stronger than he ever had before in his life. He had felt some amount of stress when Zhang Lie unveiled his golden qilin transformation, but this was on another level entirely¡ªa premonition of sudden doom.


    Zhang Lie''s qilin transformation felt like a simple disparity in strength, nothing more, but this rainbow-colored energy made him feel despair.


    Duan Zisuan couldn''t believe that there was a strength in this world that could eclipse even his own. Heunched an opening volley of a hundred strikes of lightning, each like a sharp, ck sword.


    An ordinary hunter, like one of the aliens spectating the fight, or even the warlord Xing Ying, would be pierced to death dozens of times over, but against Zhang Lie, Duan Zisuan viewed this as nothing more than a probe.


    Zhang Lie watched coolly, a calm smile on his face, even as the aliens and elites from the west gaped at him.


    The western elites couldn''t help but mock him. "What''s wrong with this fellow? Is he shocked stiff by the might of our king?"


    "He''s a sitting duck! Does he really think he can get away with remaining still in front of the king of the west?"


    "He must have figured out that he can''t defeat our king¡ªhe''s decided tomit suicide!"


    The aliens of the Milky Way frowned as they analyzed Zhang Lie''s actions. "His aura and strength have grown to a level that I can''t even imagine. Perhaps he''s even stronger than the king of the realm now, but how could an ordinary lifeform possess such strength? He must have had to pay a price that we can''t even imagine.


    "It''s very possible that, in this form, the champion of mankind Zhang Lie might be rendered immobile for some time¡ªor perhaps that he isn''t in very good control of this form. In either case, this is a critical w, but how else would he be able to defeat the king of the west?


    "This was a truly exciting fight, but it might end in a very boring fashion."


    However, both the aliens and the western elites were wrong. The reason Zhang Lie didn''t avoid the blow was because it wasn''t necessary to.


    The void lightning didn''t strike Zhang Lie; instead, it swerved away from him and revolved around him almost as though it were a cat seeking to please its master.


    As Zhang Lie extended a finger, a small tendril stretched out from the main body of lightning and rubbed against it.


    Duan Zisuan nced at what was urring before his eyes in shock. Even he, the owner of this void lightning, was unable to ''tame'' it as well as Zhang Lie had¡ªand not only that, it was his lightning, his property, his craft!


    His face pale, Duan Zisuan asked, "How did you do it?!"


    "Water is the origin of all things."


    "Impossible. Impossible! No one can tame lightning to this extent, not even me!" Duan Zisuan had ascended to kingship in part because of his affinity to lightning, but even he had never seen the like of Zhang Lie.


    "This is impossible!" Duan Zisuan could hardly believe his eyes. He swiped forward with his ws, summoning even more lightning serpents, imbued with his pale-blue mes¡ªbut, as though Zhang Lie were in another dimension entirely, the attack didn''t even scratch him.


    In the blink of an eye, Zhang Lie appeared right before him,


    causing Duan Zisuan to panic. With the authority of the king of the realm and the void lightning he maintained under tenuous control, he tore space apart and fled.


    Sweat dripped down Duan Zisuan''s forehead as he panted for breath. Just now, he was certain he was about to die.


    In Zhang Lie''s eyes were mirrored his own fear. As the king of the realm, how could Duan Zisuan afford to let such fear linger around and control him? No, he had no choice¡ªhe had to kill Zhang Lie and dispel this fear.


    Duan Zisuan howled, fortified himself with courage, then turned back toward Zhang Lie...

 Chapter 736: Inversion of Space and Time

    <h4>Chapter 736: Inversion of Space and Time</h4>


    Lightning fell from the sky. The waterfall of lightning that coalesced on Duan Zisuan imbued him with the energy of lightning, and his authority as king of the realm, inbination with the lightning and fire he controlled, allowed him to generate more and more void lightning.


    Realizing that his authority wouldn''t be able to produce void lightning quickly enough, Duan Zisuan gritted his teeth and filled his own body with that spatial energy, transforming himself into a living furnace.


    Duan Zisuan was putting his very life on the line. His body cried out in pain; blood seeped out of his mouth and nose. Even a king''s body found it difficult to tolerate such a vicious act¡ªbut it was doubtlessly the best decision Duan Zisuan could have made.


    Against an existence like Zhang Lie, Duan Zisuan had no choice but to gamble on a slight chance at life.


    He sped his hands together, his wrists aligned and his fingers spread out. Red mes burst forth from his palms, forming the shape of a Suanni. Void lightning revolved around him and turned his surroundings to the darkness of space.


    The pale blue mes condensed over the void lightning as Duan Zisuanpressed it again and again until it was nothing more than a frightening pinprick of darkness.


    Space began to warp around the lightning singrity.


    This was the same technique Duan Zisuan had used earlier, but it had beenpletely overhauled and enhanced by the use of higher-tier ingredients. Before, Duan Zisuan''s projectile had been ''mere''pressed lightning and hot me, but now, he was using void lightning and pale blue me.


    Thebination of these two exotic materials would produce far more devastating an attack.


    As the projectile shot toward Zhang Lie, heaven and earth shook. An apocalypse descended on the world. The blue me and ck lightning morphed into a gigantic dragon, a dragon of the apocalypse.


    Zhang Lie stretched out a finger. The void lightning surrounding him likewise began to revolve and condense atop the finger, forming an orb the size of a thumb, which he then shot out toward Duan Zisuan.


    Small though it might be, the orb contained immense energy. It rotated violently as though it were a drill, distorting space and forming a translucentyer of wind all around it. Everything in its path was annihted, even the apocalyptic dragon that Duan Zisuan had produced.


    The moment the orb impacted the dragon, the dragon''s entire body exploded.


    Bolts of void lightning flew through the air, raining pale blue me across thend. The void darkness cleared, returning light to thend.


    Duan Zisuan couldn''t believe his eyes¡ªhis strongest attack, with the strongest materials he could generate and control, had lost to a thumb-sized orb of void lightning?!


    Duan Zisuan howled. His emotions were in turmoil; without thinking, he reached out and tried to grab the orb of lightning, hoping to divest it of Zhang Lie''s control.


    Only when his fingers touched that orb did he realize why it possessed so much prating power¡ªbecause this orb of lightning was far denser and rotating far more quickly than anything he could produce.


    In other words, no matter how much Duan Zisuan tried to manipte his lightning, it was essentially a block of wood, whereas Zhang Lie''spression caused the lightning to be an iron nail, one that could easily prate the wood given sufficient velocity.


    Furthermore, the extreme speed at which the orb rotated was enough to reach the limits of naturalw. The orb didn''t distort space as it moved; space distorted to make it spin and move even faster.


    However, this knowledge came toote for Duan Zisuan. His fingers were obliterated, and the destruction quickly spread throughout his body.


    It was toote for him to regret what he had done. With another vengeful howl, Duan Zisuan covered his ws with void lightning and pale blue me, thinking that he would be able to pry apart that orb with brute force, but its rotational velocity proved too steep a barrier to surmount.


    Duan Zisuan pitted his hands against the orb and lost¡ªbut with the sacrifice of his hands, he did manage to deflect the orb''s motion, sending it whizzing past his shoulder.


    Having lost his strength, his vitality, and now both his arms, Duan Zisuan knew that the victor had been all but decided, but he refused to concede.


    His son had been crippled, his world invaded. The mastermind stood before him, but he was incapable of doing anything about it! He roared in outrage, in defiance ofmon sense. ck light exploded from his body, turning himself into twin suns of void lightning and pale blue me.


    Zhang Lie could sense Duan Zisuan''s rage as the two sunsbined into one, producing an explosion of light so intense that all the spectators were forced to avert their eyes.


    Duan Zisuan had used his very soul as fuel for this self-destructing explosion.


    "Haha, haha! If nothing else, we''ll die together!" With a madugh, heunched himself at Zhang Lie.


    "It''s useless!" Zhang Lie replied calmly, a counterpoint against his madness. He shed downward with a de.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!" Zhang Lie''s de bisected what seemed to be an image of Duan Zisuan''s body.


    None of the spectators understood what they were seeing.


    Duan Zisuan himself felt as though something vital had gone wrong with his body. The two halves of his body slowly slid apart, just like in the image Zhang Lie had cut.


    Duan Zisuan''s pale-blue mes all winked out as his body fell from the sky, and his self-destructing attack seemed never to have urred.


    Neither the elites of the west nor the aliens of the Milky Way could exin this phenomenon.


    They understood that the king of the west was hoping to bring Zhang Lie down with him in a kamikaze attack, but all Zhang Lie did was sh at where Duan Zisuan had been. Somehow, that sh had transferred to Duan Zisuan''s actual body.


    Even Dong Mingxing, who considered herself adept with the sword, was stupefied¡­

 Chapter 737: A Ruined Mind

    <h4>Chapter 737: A Ruined Mind</h4>


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!" Put simply, Zhang Lie''s technique allowed him to cut space and time¡ªto cut apart his enemy in the past, rather than the present.


    .


    As long as Zhang Lie was able to pinpoint his opponent''s location in spacetime, he would be able to kill anyone.


    Zhang Lie had shed at where Duan Zisuan was before he fled from Zhang Lie¡ªbefore he had shot out his final blow.


    With the Duan Zisuan from the past dead, his attack likewise vanished into thin air, and there was no chance of self-destruction at all.


    In the end, because Duan Zisuan was too slow to react to Zhang Lie''s abstruse attack, he was even unable to use any of his life-saving talismans.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his de and slowly descended to the ground.


    The skies thundered and turned blood-red¡ªclear proof from the world itself that its king had perished. The king of the west was finally dead.


    The aliens of the Milky Way cheered, overjoyed, while the western elites despondently tossed aside their weapons. Since Zhang Lie was able to kill even the king of the realm himself, their resistance would be futile; all they would aplish was die. As one, the elites chose to drop their weapons and surrender.


    A furor descended on the capital with the king''s passing. Some of the more daring citizens piged from the pce or from the wealthiest of nobles¡ªthe entire capital was a mess.


    The king of the realm of the scaleman world had perished too, but there, because of the presence of several princes and the Jinghun, who had rapidly restored order, the king''s passing had proceeded smoothly.


    On the other hand, the world of the west had been invaded, and the king''s original sessor, Duan Gen, had been crippled. The natural order of things had been turned upside down, and no one could muster up the forces to quell the riot.


    Those in the know, who might otherwise have taken control over the world, were wary of Zhang Lie, whom they couldn''t defeat. Without anyone in a leadership position stepping forward, the furor in the capital only grew wilder and wilder.


    More and more citizens took to the streets and snatched whatever they could.


    "Your highness, we have to run! Our enemies are here¡ªeverything''s over!" In the pce, one of the loyal servants of the Duan n tried to drag Duan Gen away in hopes of sustaining the royal line and returning to power one day, but Duan Gen only snorted.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. There''s no way Father can lose¡ªnot even if my father-inw were to show up! He''ll surely return with the head of his enemy. He promised me that he would make the bastard who shamed me pay a hefty price! Don''t forget: my father is the king of the west, a veritable god in this world!"


    The servant shook his head. "Your highness, please, I''m not lying to you. The entire world is in an uproar. Thunder crackled through the skies, which changed color between gold and ck.


    "Subsequently, the entire world was shrouded in darkness, then an eerie blood-red gleam showed up. You may have lost your eyes, your highness, but you surely heard the will of the world mourning for its lost ruler!"


    Duan Gen thundered, "Did the enemy send you to corrupt my thoughts? I''ll wring your brain off! Don''t you know what sort of existence Father is? He''s the king of the realm, and there''s nothing he can''t do in this world! He promised to bring me back the fellow who crippled me so that I could torture him to death myself¡ªhe wouldn''t lie!"


    Duan Gen had, in fact, heard the will of the world''s mourning cries, but he resolutely pretended not to have done so, nor to entertain the thought that his father might have died.


    The loyal servant huffed. "Your highness, we have to leave immediately, before our enemies arrive! If we don''t run away now, everything will be over. You''re the only son of his majesty, the only hope for the royal family of the west¡ªyou can''t die!"


    "Indeed, your highness! Times have changed, so you''d better listen to that advice!" a voice boomed from a distance. To the officials of court, this voice would be unfamiliar, but to Duan Gen, it was nightmarish. Even after quite a few days had passed, Duan Gen would dream of this voice every night.


    "Aaargh!" Duan Gen twisted his head in the direction of the voice. Though he had lost his eyes, he could keenly feel Zhang Lie''s presence. Zhang Lie had walked into the room, he was sure ofi t.


    "Fortunately, I rushed over right after killing your father, and even more fortunately, you''re stubborn and foolish. Otherwise, I really might have missed my opportunity to kill you!"


    Zhang Lie was sitting by the windowsill, with something in his hands.


    Duan Gen fell from his wheelchair onto the ground as he screamed, "What are you doing here?!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "I''m here to find you, my little eunuch! It''s been a while. How are you doing?"


    Duan Gen rolled and crawled his way to a corner of the room and shouted, "What are you doing here? You shouldn''t be here!"


    Zhang Lie pursed his lips. "I came over here specifically to see you. Your reaction upsets me, you know?"


    The servant, who hadn''t met Zhang Lie before, blocked Duan Gen protectively. "Who are you?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Old man, this is none of your business. Step outside and let me speak with his highness." As Zhang Lie spoke, his eyes glowed with a rainbow gleam. The servant hurriedly made himself scarce, as did the scant few officials remaining with Duan Gen.


    Duan Gen, who had boldly imed that he would chop off Zhang Lie''s head, now turned toward his leaving retainers as though his lifeline was slipping through his fingers. He immediately shouted, "Where are you all going? Come back immediately! Aren''t you my father''s most loyal subjects?"


    Zhang Lie instructed them, "Close the door as you leave."


    The men did so.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Now that we''re alone, I''m a little nervous. Aren''t you?"


    Duan Gen cried out in panic, "Don''t leave! I''m thest hope of the western world¡ªdon''t desert me!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "You? You''re just a piece of trash."


    Duan Gen shrieked. "Guards! Guards, where are my guards?!"


    Zhang Lie cut him off. "There''s no need to shout. Even if you shout your throat hoarse, no one will appear. The fact that I''m right here in front of you should be sufficient evidence that your father''s dead¡ªthat his dynasty is over."


    Duan Gen shook his head. "No, that can''t be! It has to be because the soundproofing in this room is good enough that they can''t hear my voice!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Oh? So what if they can hear you? The capital''s a mess. Who still remembers that you exist, I wonder? I''ll open the door for you. Shout all you want¡ªI''ll let you go if even one person shows up."


    With the power of the mistmeld m soulshard, Zhang Lie had convinced all the guards that nothing was amiss in the prince''s quarters.


    In truth, however, the enemy of the world was right in there with the prince himself. This was the biggest threat to his life Duan Gen had ever faced.


    Zhang Lie''s cruel revtion of the truth was like a bucket of cold water over the pampered prince''s head; he was clearly intending to crush the prince from a psychological level...

 Chapter 738: The Beggar Prince

    <h4>Chapter 738: The Beggar Prince</h4>


    Duan Gen, terror marring his face, began to shout, "Don''t you dare do anything! My father''s the king of the west! His eyes are omniscient, and he''ll quickly discover that something''s wrong here. He''ll rush over immediately!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Indeed, the king of the realm is here."


    He dropped something on the ground. It cracked on impact with the floor and split in two.


    Duan Gen asked, "What''s this?"


    "The king of the realm, as you requested¡ªor rather, his head."


    Duan Gen shook his head in shock. "No, that can''t be. That can''t be! My father''s the king of the realm, an undefeated existence in the west! He''s the god of the west, he''s invincible! Even the king of the east wouldn''t be able to do anything about him in his home territory. He wouldn''t lose, and he surely wouldn''t die!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "What a pity. I shouldn''t have dug out your eyeballs initially, or you would be able to see your father''s head for yourself now."


    Duan Gen cried out, "You must be lying! You know that I''m blind, so you''ve brought someone else''s head here to scare me!"


    "If you don''t believe me, feel free to touch it. I left you an arm and a leg, didn''t I? You should be thankful for my pity."


    However, Duan Gen didn''t dare to reach forward.


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "What''s the matter? Scared?"


    Duan Gen was indeed scared. If whaty before him was indeed his father''s head¡ªhe didn''t think he would survive the trauma.


    "It took me some time to preserve the integrity of your father''s head. After all, when I killed him, I bisected him vertically, even his head. Everything else was alright, but his brain fluid spilled everywhere..."


    Duan Gen shook his head, mumbling nonsense to himself to avoid listening to Zhang Lie: "My father''s the god of the west, he''s invincible! Even the king of the east wouldn''t be able to do anything about him in his home territory. He wouldn''t lose, and he surely wouldn''t die!"


    Zhang Lie offered him half the head. "Come now, touch your father''s head. It''s fresh."


    Duan Gen curled up into a ball.


    Zhang Lie sneered at Duan Gen, feeling a sense of triumph at his weakened, pitiful state. In his past life, Duan Gen had been a terror to Li Qianlin, and he was repaying that favor now.


    Zhang Lie tossed aside the other half of Duan Zisuan''s head, then pulled Duan Gen up by his hair. "I don''t have time to y around with you."


    Rainbow fog wafted out from Zhang Lie''s body as he activated his mistmeld m soulshard. The fog drifted over to Duan Gen''s body.


    Duan Gen''s voice became quieter and quieter, until he obediently shut up.


    "Where''s the proof of kingship?" Zhang Lie had returned to the king of the west''s pce primarily for this question. He didn''t care about Duan Gen''s continued existence; Duan Gen was a cripple. However, he did have to acquire the proof of kingship of the western world.


    After he slew Duan Zisuan and rummaged through his belongings, he was unable to find that proof.


    In general, kings of the realm didn''t tend to carry the proof of kingship with them, and the only one who knew where it might be located besides the king himself was the one person he trusted more than any other in the world: his own son, Duan Gen.


    If Duan Gen possessed that proof of kingship, he could very well initiate the ceremony to coronate a new king, which would cause even more trouble for Zhang Lie. And if Duan Gen were to take the throne, unpolished, inexperienced, and crippled though he might be, he would still be the king of the realm of arge world, and there was the potential for even more trouble in Zhang Lie''s horizon.


    Duan Gen didn''t even need to initiate such a ceremony; just keeping the proof hidden would be sufficient to foil Zhang Lie''s ns. Even if Zhang Lie were to set up a government, the moment someone else became the king of the realm, all the structures of power in the world would be meaningless.


    On the other hand, as long as he were to deliver the proof of kingship to Li Zongming''s hands, that alone would be sufficient to consider the world of the west ''conquered''. That was how important the proof of kingship was, and the reason he was in Duan Gen''s rooms now.


    Duan Gen, controlled by the mistmeld m soulshard, began, "Father hid the proof of kingship in a ce no one would ever think to look in."


    Indeed, as Zhang Lie had suspected, Duan Zisuan had told his son about where it had been hidden¡ªperhaps to allow his son onest chance at negotiation even if everything were to go awry.


    Despite all of Duan Zisuan''s ns, he had never anticipated that his son''s captor would be equipped with a soulshard with the ability of mentalpulsion.


    "Where is it located?"


    "The mouth of the golden dragon decorating the roof of my father''s quarters."


    "...there?"


    Duan Gen nodded. "Father said that the safest location was the most dangerous, and the most dangerous location was the safest."


    Indeed, no one would have guessed that the proof of kingship was located in such an ostentatious location.


    Zhang Lie had suspected that it was kept in the royal treasury, just as the scaleman king had done, or in some location only the king of the realm and Duan Gen knew about. This was why the servants loyal to the Duan had no choice but to bring Duan Gen away, because he was the only remaining person in the world to know where the proof was hidden.


    Zhang Lie had even considered the notion that there might be some hidden passageway or special mechanism by which the proof would need to be recovered.


    The fact that it was simply hidden in an obscure location made it far easier to recover than he had suspected.


    After finding out where the proof of kingship was, the only remaining problem was dealing with Duan Gen himself.


    Beheading him felt like letting him off far too easily; Zhang Lie had suffered greatly because of what he had done, and Li Qianlin had even died because of him. Even crippling this bastard himself wasn''t enough. He wanted Duan Gen to suffer as he himself had suffered a hundred times, a thousand times over.


    "From today onwards, you''ll be no prince, just a lowly beggar, one everyone can kick or step on."


    Zhang Lie settled on deep hypnosis. From that day onward, Duan Gen, the erstwhile beloved prince of the realm, would experience aplete reversal of fortune...

 Chapter 739: Overwhelming Victory

    <h4>Chapter 739: Overwhelming Victory</h4>


    After hypnotizing Duan Gen, Zhang Lie headed to the king of the west''s quarters.


    The king''s pce in the world of the west was farrger than that in the scaleman world. There were nine gigantic golden pirs in the structure, with a dragon coiled around each one. The pirs supported a circr dome engraved with intricate illustrations about the history of the world, iid with delicate stained ss.


    The most eye-catching of the engravings was at the apex of the dome. A golden dragon coiled around the apex, as though it were peeking down from among the clouds, staring at any passersby from a position of authority.


    In the golden dragon''s mouth was a pearl the size of a watermelon, which shone and glimmered when light struck it. This watermelon-sized pearl clearly wasn''t the proof of kingship.


    Zhang Lie frowned. With the king of the west dead, it was impossible for Duan Gen to maintain his rationality in the face of his mistmeld m soulshard. In that case, there had to be some secret hidden in the pearl. Zhang Lie leapt up and retrieved the pearl from the dragon''s mouth.


    When he held it in his hands, he quickly noticed the problem. He crushed the pearl to powder¡ªand indeed, in its very center was a jade seal glowing with light, the proof of kingship of the west.


    This marked the end of his sessful invasion of the world.


    Zhang Lie then headed toward the imperial treasury. Quite a few imperial guards were already there, having immediately rushed over after the king of the realm''s death. They were all attacking the doors to the treasury, knowing very well that within it was the umted wealth of the king for an entire lifetime and beyond.


    However, the imperial treasury was naturally warded by the strongest protections the king of the realm could bring to bear, and these guards hadn''t the slightest chance of seeding in their objective.


    Even in his death, the king of the realm was far stronger than ordinary people could hope to defeat, but these guards'' rationality had been wholly taken over by greed and thirst for the treasures that had to lie within.


    After all, it would take some time for the invading army to muster, and they would have plenty of time to steal whatever treasures they could carry and run off with them. They would be able to live off those treasures for their entire lives.


    These guards didn''t notice that themander of the army was walking toward them, that he was standing basically at their backs. Of course, even if these people noticed Zhang Lie, they ignored him; none of them knew who he was, after all.


    "All of you, scram!" his voice rang out, augmented with gic energy.


    The guards turned toward the neer with displeasure. Who was so domineering as to think that he could take on them all?


    The moment they turned toward Zhang Lie, they were met with his rainbow-colored gaze. Instantly, they fled from the scene.


    Of course, there were a few guards who hadn''t turned around despite themotion, who were desperately banging at the doors to the treasury.


    Zhang Lie didn''t waste his breath. He attacked the recalcitrant guards.


    Ripples of air formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, growing more and more intense as Zhang Liebined spatial force with his water-attuned gic energy. Zhang Lie''s aura rose rapidly. The water-attuned gic energy swirling around him condensed around his arm, kneading space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    A hurricane spun into existence around him, worsening the devastation of the capital.


    Zhang Lie himself seemed to have transformed into a human-sized hurricane. The roofs of the houses nearby were sucked into the air, as were the guards in close proximity. They yelled and screamed, not having been able to run away in time.


    All the buildings near the pce were uprooted and sent flying. Pirs of shattered stone and balconies of wood whipped through the air, and even the pce infrastructure became unstable.


    Those daring citizens who remained in the capital could see a gigantic ck hurricane emerge in the center of the capital, roaring like a frightening beast as it swallowed up everything in sight.


    Some who observed the phenomenon suggested that the world itself was raging at its king''s death, and others that the king''s soul had returned to the capital and was in outrage at the devastation wreaked on the pce.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, clearing aside the rubble and bodies strewn all over. All the guards that had been blocking his way were gone; there was no need for him to do anything more.


    He walked up to the doors of the treasury, having learned how to unlock it from Duan Gen by manipting his gic energy in a certain manner. The rich scent of treasures and herbs filled his nostrils¡ªthe umted wealth of centuries, even millennia. The gleam was so dazzling as to make him avert his eyes.


    Even Zhang Lie, who had pilfered more than his fair share of treasuries, was shocked by the wealth. It was oundishlyvish.


    Cataloging the treasures within by himself could very well take him years.


    So many treasures and herbs were umted within that anyone would have been dumbstruck at the sight. As expected of arge world''s treasury¡ªthe king of the realm had kept all the best treasures of the world for himself.


    Among the herbs was a core ingredient for Potion #5, a surprise acquisition for Zhang Lie.


    "Ah, so there really were such fragments here, too..." In addition, Zhang Lie found five pieces of the tattered map within the treasury.


    There were so many treasures here that Zhang Lie couldn''t help but think of Team Zenith. If his team were here, he wouldn''t have to search through all of it himself. However, this was no trouble. He''d take the best treasure, then offer a bit to the aliens of the Milky Way in exchange for their help.


    As for Zhang Lie, after he arranged for Red Comet, White, and Whiter to keep guard over the treasury, he went back to his temporary campsite to meet up with Li Qianlin.


    Li Qianlin shouted excitedly, "I saw your fight with the king of the west from afar¡ªit was really exciting! The entire world seemed to be devastated by both of your attacks. I almost couldn''t believe that you were able to eke out victory in the end..."


    Zhang Lie pretended to be upset. "Oh? Were you hoping for me to lose? If that were the case, you''d be a widow, you know?"

 Chapter 740: The East, Once Again

    <h4>Chapter 740: The East, Once Again</h4>


    "Widow? What do you mean, widow? Who''s to say that I would be willing to remain your widow?"


    After Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin familiarized themselves with each other, Li Qianlin''s mischievous personality began to shine through.


    "If you were to die, I''ll have my father find me a new partner. How can a princess like me be without a prince?"


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up in a smile. "Perhaps it''s time to consummate our marriage, then."


    Li Qianlin blushed all the way down her neck, and she snapped her mouth shut.


    Thinking that he had gone overboard, Zhang Lie changed the topic. "I''m going to go see your father. Will youe with me?"


    Li Qianlin frowned. "I don''t really want to see him."


    "You''re still mad?"


    Li Qianlin shook her head. "I''m just afraid it''ll be awkward. We didn''t talk much before this, at any rate."


    After the death of Li Qianlin''s mother, Li Zongming had be broody and prone to silence. He set his mind to governing the realm, isting himself from worldly affairs. He had been rather strict and old-fashioned with his daughter, which was how the wedding with the prince of the west had almost seeded.


    In Zhang Lie''s past life, that wedding had caused a disaster, one that might easily have been prevented with propermunication.


    "It''s exactly why you need to talk with your father more."


    Li Qianlin smiled weakly. "What''s there to discuss?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Well, how about this? Even if you don''t want to talk to him, you should still go visit. I''ll hide your traces¡ªI promise your father won''t know."


    "My father''s the king of the realm!"


    "Is that all that impressive? After all, I just killed one such king..."


    Li Qianlin: ...


    "I have a convenient soulshard for you." Zhang Lie pulled out a multifaceted soulshard, one that would hide Li Qianlin''s traces. Its effects were much like the venombane scorpion soulshard Zhang Lie had once possessed, but its stealth ability was of such high quality that even a king of the realm wouldn''t be able to detect it.


    He had obtained it by killing the disaster-grade lifeforms that the king of the west controlled, then absorbing their disaster-grade cores. As a result, his stats had risen once more.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (advanced), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), ...


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 60


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie was now at a grand total of sixty disaster gene fragments. This,bined with the strong foundations he had developed in previous realms, made him far stronger than even a king of the realm.


    He easily tore apart space and transported Li Qianlin back to the world of the east, in search of her father.


    After the disastrous wedding, the eastern king''s pce had received no small amount of damage, all of which had since been fixed by the king himself. Zhang Lie didn''t hide his aura; Li Zongming sensed him almost immediately as he arrived outside the pce.


    Li Zongming teleported himself to the entrance to the pce immediately. The two men stared at each other without speaking, until Zhang Lie tossed Duan Zisuan''s head and the proof of kingship of the western world to the ground.


    Duan Zisuan''s head had been wrapped up in a cloth bundle. After it hit the ground, it rolled toward Li Zongming. The cloth bundle unraveled, revealing the head neatly sliced in two.


    Li Zongming was startled. He had some understanding of Zhang Lie''s strength, having fought with him, and he wasn''t surprised that Zhang Lie was able to defeat Duan Zisuan. However, he was deeply impressed by Zhang Lie''s speed.


    It hadn''t even been a month since Zhang Lie proposed to invade the world of the west, and he had already seeded in what Li Zongming expected to be a time-consuming endeavor.


    His target had been the king of the western world, which was considered highly developed even amongrge worlds.


    Given the amount of resources and skill such a king surely possessed, attempting to kill them would be a difficult and foolhardy endeavor.


    As the king of the east, Li Zongming knew very well just how many life-saving talismans and tricks such kings possessed. Unless his life were toe to a natural end, or if he didn''t want to be king any longer, no one would be able to kill him. If he wanted to hide, no one would be able to find him.


    As a result, although it might be possible to defeat a king of the realm, it was far harder to kill one. Such a feat was only possible if Zhang Lie''s strengthpletely overwhelmed the king of the west''s; otherwise, the king of the west would have been able to take advantage of even the smallest opening to escape.


    A king of the realm who was in hiding, who possessed near-limitless resources in his own world, could hardly be found by his enemies.


    Li Zongming was confident that Zhang Lie had the strength to defeat a king, but to also kill that king was much more demanding a request.


    To be frank, he had expected that Zhang Lie might take years, even decades, to aplish such a goal¡ªto defeat the king of the realm, build up his forces, and then finally ferret out the king and kill him once and for all.


    Li Zongming was simultaneously shocked and frightened. The fact that Zhang Lie had been able to get rid of the king of the west within a month meant that he could do the same with Li Zongming himself.


    He couldn''t help asking, "Just how did you do it?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "With brute force."


    This was the worst answer Li Zongming could have received, as well as the one he least wanted to hear. However, it was the answer that Zhang Lie gave: that he had ovee the king of the west on the basis of brute force alone, something so ridiculous it bordered on impossibility.


    Li Zongming wouldn''t have believed this if not for the incontrovertible proof lying before him¡ªDuan Zisuan''s head, and the proof of kingship of the western world. Killing the king and taking the proof of kingship sounded like an easy task, but who could actually manage such an impossible feat?


    Li Zongming sighed as he nced at Duan Zisuan''s head.


    Duan Zisuan had been sometimes his rival and sometimes his partner. Li Zongming knew how devious and wily the man could be; who could have imagined that this would be his fate?


    He had imed, and Li Zongming had likewise believed, that no one would be able to kill him in the world that was his domain, but there was always someone stronger out there. Even a king of the realm wasn''t truly invincible¡ªwho knew when you might provoke an existence far stronger than you and be wiped out?


    Li Zongming didn''t know how he should treat Zhang Lie. After a very long silence, he finally asked, "What are your ns with Qianlin?"


    The marriage mark remained on Zhang Lie''s forehead, and Li Zongming sighed in relief.


    Evidently, he had no intention of annuling his marriage with Li Qianlin. Perhaps his vows were even serious¡ªperhaps he really had done all this not just to receive the resources from the tworge worlds.


    Li Zongming had once believed that Zhang Lie was doing all this for profit, but after witnessing Zhang Lie''s strength for himself, he changed his mind.


    There was no need for Zhang Lie to adopt such tricks and techniques, after all. If he really wanted to, he could take over the world of the east by brute force alone, too...

 Chapter 741: Just a Coincidence

    <h4>Chapter 741: Just a Coincidence</h4>


    If Zhang Lie wanted to take over the worlds of east and west, no one would be able to stop him. There was simply no need for him to manufacture such a ploy; it was a needless waste of time for all involved.


    Li Zongming now understood very well that Zhang Lie wasn''t interested in bing king of the realm. Otherwise, with his strength, he would be able to take over hundreds ofrge worlds, let alone just these two.


    Zhang Lie said, "My ns with Qianqian depend on what she wants with me. I will respect her wishes, but I''d like to keep her by my side if possible."


    Without the life-and-death situations they faced together, there was no means by which their deep-seated love for each other could blossom.


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to give up. He wanted to keep Li Qianlin by his side so that they could develop their feelings for each other over time, but Zhang Lie didn''t intend to force her to agree. If Li Qianlin wanted to leave, Zhang Lie would apany her, instead.


    Now that he was in the third realm and had saved Li Qianlin from a terrible fate, there was nothing urgent that he had to do. Why not rx and spend some time with her instead?


    Li Zongming sighed. "I won''t meddle in the affairs of the young. Qianlin has grown of age, and it''s past time I granted her her freedom."


    A hatchling had to leave its nest at some point, after all.


    Li Zongming sighed. His voice was gentle, perhaps somewhat lonely, as though he had suddenly grown old. "Qianlin''s an adult now, one with her own desires, her own life, and her own freedom. I shouldn''t have forced her into what I thought was the best life for her. To be honest, it likely wouldn''t have gone as I nned. With you at her side, I can rx."


    Zhang Lie was very surprised by Li Zongming''s change of heart. "What made you change your mind?"


    "Ever since her mother died, I''ve been too overprotective of Qianlin. I keep wanting to give her the very best, as though I''m trying topensate for something. I wanted to steer her toward the best future for her. With her mother gone, I had to put in twice as much effort to make sure she grew up well¡ªbut what I thought best almost destroyed her life."


    By now, Li Zongming had found out what had almost happened to Li Qianlin before her wedding, and what Duan Gen had attempted in her rooms.


    The king of the realm had the authority to y back a recording of the past in a certain region of space to understand the truth of what happened there, unless that ability was blocked by someone of the same level of strength.


    Zhang Lie possessed that ability, but why would he try to hide Duan Gen''s ignoble deeds?


    Li Zongming was shocked beyond measure upon seeing what had happened. To think that Duan Gen was such a bastard¡ªand that he hadn''t noticed! If not for Zhang Lie''s appearance, his daughter''s life would have been irrevocably ruined¡ªand he would be responsible.


    The more he investigated Duan Gen, the more shocked he became. Duan Gen was far more vile than he seemed even at first nce¡ªhe was filth, utter trash, the worst of human scum. The moment Li Qianlin was betrothed to him, he had raped and killed her personal attendant right in the pce itself, ignoring any semnce of his authority.


    He shuddered to think what might have happened to his daughter.


    Li Zongming sighed. "I leave my daughter in your hands. Please apologize to her on my behalf."


    "Why don''t you apologize to her yourself?"


    "I can''t bear to speak to her. I''m far too ashamed of myself," Li Zongming replied, seemingly growing even older in an instant.


    "But she''s already here."


    As Zhang Lie spoke, the teary-eyed Li Qianlin deactivated the soulshard Zhang Lie had given her.


    Li Zongming stared at her in surprise. "Ah, this¡ª"


    Li Qianlin rushed forward and pulled her father into a deep embrace.


    The father and daughter ended up chatting for the entire afternoon before Li Zongming found Zhang Lie in a secluded corner of the pce. "I truly have to thank you. It''s been far too long since my daughter and I had a heartfelt conversation, and I understand her ns now. I heard my daughter mention that you were searching for these unusual fragments."


    Li Zongming sent a box floating toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie opened it to find tattered pieces of the map he was reconstituting¡ªten pieces in all.


    This was thergest haul Zhang Lie had had since he started collecting these scraps.


    Li Zongming exined, "I tried to collect these fragments when I was young, thinking that I might be able to uncover their secret once I amassed enough of them."


    Although Li Zongming didn''t know of the provenance of these scraps or what they represented, the material alone was noteworthy.


    Even a king of the realm was unable to destroy these fragments or view their past history; they were made with a power eclipsing even these kings.


    "However, after spending so much time and effort collecting just ten fragments to no avail, I gave up."


    Who knew how many more fragments were out there¡ªten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million? Li Zongming had turned over what seemed like the entire world for those ten scraps, and he couldn''t fathom how much harder it would be to collect more.


    "At any rate, these fragments are useless to me, so I might as well hand them over to you. If you manage to collect them all, I hope you''ll let me know just what they signify."


    Zhang Lie knew the secret behind these scraps, but he didn''t reveal it. It was a secret he would keep.


    "Of course."


    Li Zongming asked directly, "That said, would you like a new wedding between you and my daughter?


    You might already have a marriage mark, and your marriage was recognized by the will of the world, but..."


    Li Zongming couldn''t help but smile faintly at the thought of the wedding. No one could have expected that Zhang Lie would appear in such a dramatic fashion, nor that he would be able to properly establish the vows with Li Qianlin.


    He was even more gratified to see that the marriage mark hadn''t been annulled.


    As long as both parties were willing, that mark could be dissolved at any point.


    With the mark present, neither of the couple would be able to betray the other. While they remained in the world of the east, they would be punished by five strikes of lightning if they tried to do so; just the thought of betrayal would lead to a warning from the will of the world.


    Given Zhang Lie''s strength, however, he didn''t think such punishment would do anything against him, though he was a little worried that Zhang Lie would take advantage of his daughter as a result.


    "With regards to the wedding, I''m willing to defer to Qianqian. If she wants another wedding, I certainly won''t object."


    "Who wants to marry you?! That''s not something I''ve settled on yet," Li Qianlin interrupted their conversation.


    Zhang Lie turned around to see that she had packed up. "Really? Where do you intend to go now, Qianqian?"


    "I''m leaving with you, of course! Don''t misunderstand me¡ªI''m not interested in being yourpanion, just in the manifold worlds atrge. I heard that you were nning to leave for a human settlement a few worlds away, and I''m interested in going there too. We''re just traveling in the same direction, you hear?"

 Chapter 742: A Crippled Beggar

    <h4>Chapter 742: A Crippled Beggar</h4>


    Zhang Lie smirked. He knew what Li Qianlin was thinking, but he didn''t expose her.


    "Hey, say something! What''s with that evil smile?" Li Qianlin called out.


    "Nothing, it''s nothing." Zhang Lie knew that Li Qianlin was rather thin-skinned at heart.


    Quite a fair bit of the contents of the western treasury, with Zhang Lie''s approval, went to line the pockets of the aliens of the Milky Way who participated in the battle.


    There were simply too many treasures around, and in such great quantities that their eyes zed with greed upon seeing them.


    They were very excited: from start to finish, they were in no danger at all, and yet they had reaped such substantial rewards.


    Following Zhang Lie was the best decision they had ever made. Quite a lot of the aliens decided that they would stick to Zhang Lie no matter what, following him wherever they went.


    The "fee" for this treatment was the scraps that Zhang Lie was collecting.


    None of the aliens had been able to identify what good these shards were; better to give them to Zhang Lie to get in good standing with him.


    In order to demonstrate their strength and capabilities, the four prime races even began buying these scraps in bulk.


    A rumor from who-knew-where suggested that these scraps were the key to a massive secret, one that might be rted to limit fragments. As a result, the limit fragment research society that Amurong had spearheaded likewise began purchasing these scraps in earnest, dramatically increasing the difficulty of acquisition for these scraps.


    Many of those races who possessed some such scraps began hoarding them as they waited for their value to appreciate, and those who didn''t have these scraps tried to scrounge them up.


    The Milky Way had somehow ended up in a scrap-collecting frenzy.


    Zhang Lie only found out about this affairter. He immediately told the four prime races to halt what they were doing, or the scrap bubble would only keep growing and growing.


    With the efforts of the four prime races, however, most of the scraps had be consolidated with just a few parties. The four prime races sent all the scraps they could acquire to Zhang Lie, an impressive collection.


    Zhang Lie had only managed to collect a few dozen on his travels, but the aliens of the Milky Way, in conjunction with the four prime races, had managed to acquire almost three hundred.


    It took Zhang Lie quite a few days to piece together as many of the scraps as he could. With about sixty percent of the scraps in his possession, he was able to make out the outline of the map.


    "This is..."


    Zhang Lie frowned as he scrutinized the partial map he had assembled.


    "Was there such a ce in the third realm...?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t think so, but the location the map suggested seemed somehow familiar to him. It looked as though he would have to gather the remaining scraps before he could uncover the secret in earnest, but this was no easy feat.


    Despite the aliens'' best efforts, they had only managed a 60%pletion. The remaining 40% would be far harder to find.


    Zhang Lie thought to himself, "It might be time to mobilize all the worlds of the third realm, then..."


    Naturally, Zhang Lie wouldpensate the aliens of the Milky Way who had brought him scraps of the map. He portioned out another fraction of the treasures from the king of the west''s treasury among those aliens as reward.


    One of the affairs that rocked the Milky Way was the fact that the four prime races were collecting these scraps of an unknown map; another was Zhang Lie''s ranking on the warlord leaderboard.


    Zhang Lie, who had recently just ascended to the third realm and had just appeared on the warlord leaderboard, was now rocketing up the rankings.


    He had catapulted from the 90th position to the 30th position¡ªWarlord Xing Ying had given up his position to Zhang Lie, iming that he was far inferior to him.


    The denizens of the Milky Way were shocked by how fast Zhang Lie was ascending the ranks¡ªand even more shockingly, none of the other warlords disagreed with his new ranking.


    Not only had Zhang Lie been the fastest warlord ever, he was now the speediest to ascend up the ranks as well.


    Those in the third realm at least had four months to witness and grow used to Zhang Lie''s progress up the ranks, but to those back on Earth, all this had happened in just two weeks.


    Some citizensmbasted the four prime races for indulging Zhang Lie''s every whim just because he was the pioneer of the limit fragments they now depended on, but such criticism quickly vanished.


    After all, the hundred races of the Milky Way had all agreed that Zhang Lie deserved his new spot on the ranking.


    Zhang Lie was unaware of what was going on back in the Milky Way, but even if he were, he wouldn''t have cared.


    Right then, Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin, along with Dong Mingxing, who had been dragged along as apanion, were seated at a teahouse in order to watch a beggar.


    Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing were very curious about just how one specific beggar was faring. That beggar was dressed in nothing but rags, dirt and dust all over his body. His eyes had been gouged out, and he had lost one arm and one leg. He was emaciated and pale, and garnered pity just by existing.


    He was fervently begging, "Please, sir, please, madam, I''ve gone a few days without food!"


    This was hardly entertaining to any other onlooker. None of the passersby walking along the streets paid any heed to the beggar, not expecting that he had once been the crown prince of the realm¡ªDuan Gen!


    Upon witnessing the pitiful Duan Gen, neither Li Qianlin nor Dong Mingxing knew how to behave. Was this really the arrogant, talented bastard who had once graced the halls of nobility?


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "So these are his circumstances now."


    The passersby hurried along the road, ignoring the beggar. Despite how pitiful Duan Gen was, no one was willing to spare him any charity.


    The world of the west was an unsafe ce now that Zhang Lie had invaded with his army, which meant that everyone kept their purses closed and doors shut as they tried to figure out how to navigate the insecure future ahead.


    And if they were struggling themselves, who among them would be willing to donate to beggars?


    Duan Gen had spent a whole day begging to receive just a few paltry copper coins.


    He grabbed onto the hem of a passersby''s pants as he pleaded, "Please, sir, anything will do!"


    The man kicked him away impatiently, causing the coins to topple out of his bowl. The few coins within scattered onto the streets. A few thugs rushed out of an alley and picked them all up, then ran off...

 Chapter 743: The History of the Worlds

    <h4>Chapter 743: The History of the Worlds</h4>


    Duan Gen no longer had any eyes, but his circumstances meant that his ears had grown far more sensitive.


    Upon realizing that his copper coins had been stolen, he hurriedly picked up his walking stick and hobbled into the alley where the thugs had disappeared.


    Crippled though he had be, his body still possessed no small amount of physical strength.


    The moment he rushed into the alley, however, he was met with yells. "Damn beggar! Who do you think you are to chase us down like this?!"


    One club after another smashed into Duan Gen''s face, causing him to crumple to the ground. Another thug snatched away his walking stick while the others pummeled him until he was bleeding and bruised all over.


    The five thugs spat on Duan Gen''s prone body, and one of them finally pulled out three copper coins. "Here, I''ll even fund your medical expenses for you."


    Duan Gen trembled as he arduously picked up the copper coins like a flea-bitten dog desperately scrounging for a bone.


    Li Qianlin cried out, "Those thugs!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What''s the matter? Do you pity him?"


    Li Qianlin sighed. "No. If not for Duan Gen''s current straits, I''d have been the first to volunteer to cripple his other leg, too!"


    Dong Mingxing also sighed. "I know what he''s done, but seeing what''s happening to him now..."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You women are far too sympathetic to viins."


    Dong Mingxing replied, "In fact, I very much doubt that that beggar is truly Duan Gen. Given how prideful he is, he shouldn''t be willing to be a beggar even if the alternative was death. Just how did you manage it?"


    For a prince to suddenly be a pauper, especially a prince like Duan Gen¡ªDong Mingxing couldn''t believe it.


    "I have a few tricks. You''re wee to guess at them," Zhang Lie offered.


    In the alley, Duan Gen slowly got up and hobbled away.


    Dong Mingxing frowned. "I suppose he really had no other choice... but would a man like him really be able to ept it?"


    Li Qianlin hummed thoughtfully. "Do you mean that, now that he''s a beggar, he has no choice but to remain one?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    Dong Mingxing ventured, "What else would he do? Mourn the past?"


    Li Qianlin turned to Zhang Lie. "We can''t guess what you did. Will you tell us?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head with a smile. "I changed my mind. Don''t be too nosy."


    Li Qianlin: ...


    Dong Mingxing: ...


    Li Qianlin changed the topic. "Given how he''s doing, I doubt he''ll be able to hold out for much longer."


    Zhang Lie''s smile widened. "Don''t worry. I won''t let him die so easily."


    Killing Duan Gen would be a trivial affair for Zhang Lie, but that would be far too kind for someone like Duan Gen.


    Zhang Lie had to exact his revenge through slow, deliberate torture.


    Zhang Lie continued, "When he''s about to starve to death, someone will bring him porridge. When he''s about to freeze, someone will generously donate him a nket. Don''t worry¡ªhe won''t die."


    Li Qianlin''s eyes narrowed. "Were you responsible for those thugs just now, too?"


    Zhang Lie smiled faintly. "Am I so vulgar? That was clearly a random urrence."


    Zhang Lie denied the im, but neither Li Qianlin nor Dong Mingxing believed him. They even began to pull their chairs farther away.


    They swore to themselves never to rouse Zhang Lie''s ire in the future, or they might very well be subject to his cruel vengeance.


    The two women had been curious about what would happen to Duan Gen, only to realize that the rest of his life would be lived out in abstract misery. Despite what he had done, the two women were starting to pity him...


    Zhang Lie changed the topic. "Right, has your father told you what he ns to do with the west?"


    Li Qianlin countered, "Do you know how arge world forms?"


    "From the original three thousand that this realm possessed?"


    "No, not quite. There were three thousand worlds in all in this realm¡ªall of which you would consider small worlds. There were no medium-sized orrge worlds around."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. He understood, now¡ª"As the worlds warred with each other, the victor absorbed the loser, and some worlds grewrger by retion!"


    Li Qianlin nodded. "Exactly so. My father even had his own hypothesis regarding the formation of the realm. He believed that the third realm originally consisted only of onerge world, which then split into three thousand due to some unknown event."


    Zhang Lie found this exnation surprisingly usible. The first and second realms had beenposed of a singrrge world, so the three thousand worlds of the third realm did seem rather unusual.


    Dong Mingxing ahhed in understanding. "In that case, your father''s trying to merge the worlds of east and west to form an evenrger world? And that might only be his first step."


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "He does want to form arger world, yes, but your insinuation about realm domination ispletely unfounded.


    The position of king of the realm is a cage. The only way someone would be able tobine all the worlds into one is if they weren''t a king of the realm but was nevertheless able to kill all the kings of the realm..."


    Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing both turned to Zhang Lie as one. Well, here was one such person.


    Zhang Lie leaned in. "Oh? How do youbine multiple worlds together?"


    Li Qianlin replied, "You simply have to merge two proofs of kingship together with your gic energy."


    "Let''s try that if we get the opportunity, then. Alright, you''ve both had a chance to see how this bastard ended up. It''s time for us to depart now, I think."


    There was no reason for the three of them to remain in the world any longer.


    Just as they exited the teahouse, however, they found Ren Kunjing rushing over.


    Zhang Lie leapt over to Ren Kunjing''s side, whereupon Ren Kunjing called out in a panic, "Zhang Lie! I''ve finally found you!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s wrong?"


    .


    "Something''s happened to the humans!"


    Zhang Lie''s brows rose, and a wave of power gusted out from him. Like a hurricane, that wave of power swamped the entire street, sending the passersby flying away. "Any who dare to attack the humans shall perish!"


    So immense was the pressure surrounding Zhang Lie that the nearby houses began to creak and groan, and Ren Kunjing, who was standing right beside him, was almost forced to the ground. He wheezed, "Zhang Lie, I can''t speak properly!"


    Zhang Lie hurriedly reined in his energy.


    Ren Kunjing continued, "This is information I received from the Milky Way. Apparently, the world on which the human settlements are located is currently under attack."


    Zhang Lie was unable to return to Earth, but the other aliens under his control were able to do so themselves and return with corresponding information.


    "Ever since the humans figured out where you were located, they''ve been trying to send out delegations to reach you, but the human world isn''t on good terms with its neighbors. The humans wanted to make use of a wormhole connected to a neighboring world, but they ended up shing with the race located there!"

 Chapter 744: The Empty-Headed Mengtai

    <h4>Chapter 744: The Empty-Headed Mengtai</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s face turned cold. "We''ll set out for the human world immediately. Those who oppose the humans will learn a lesson¡ªthat I''m the champion of mankind!"


    Zhang Lie and the Jinghun set off with a group of gic lifeforms in tow, not expecting that the aliens of the Milky Way were right there waiting for them. It looked as though they had all decided to follow Zhang Lie''s lead.


    The humans of the third realm were active on a medium-sized world. Because they weren''t indigenous to the realm, they weren''t eligible to be kings of the realm.


    Instead, their world was led by indigenous draconians, who were on very good terms with the humans. They helped out and watched over each other, considering therge number of rtively strong enemies nearby.


    The draconians and humans existed on equal footing.


    The humans required the draconians to maintain control over the world, whereas the draconians, low in poption, required the manpower of the humans. The two species coexisted in harmony.


    Not only had Zhang Lie met these draconians before, he even had quite a few friends among them. ?The draconians looked much like humans, though they had the pupils and horns of a dragon. Inbat, they were able to effect a draconic transformation.


    Thepleteness of this transformation determined a draconian''s strength; the closer to a pure dragon they could be, the stronger they were. Cultivation for draconians involved trying to activate thetent potential in their blood and bloodline.


    Draconians tended to be hot-tempered, forthright, and blunt, but they respected those with intelligence.


    The most unusual draconian was their current n head, the wise sage Liszt. He was a deeply intelligent draconian, one who would have quickly be the king of the realm of arge world if not for hisck of ambition.


    Was there a corrtion between those of high intelligence and an aversion to material things like money and power? Liszt wasn''t interested in power; it was sufficient for him to see the draconians survive through the ages.


    Instead, he preferred to cultivate heroes, heroes of legendary deeds and triumphs. Many of the strongest fourth-realm human hunters had been personally trained by him. ording to the sage, he had been waiting for a hero of legend, a once-in-a-lifetime talent, whom the entire realm would revere andud. This hero would unite the three thousand worlds of the realm and be recorded forevermore in the annals of history.


    Zhang Lie shook his head at this notion¡ªa hero of such caliber was the stuff of an overactive imagination. He asked, "Just what race dared to provoke the humans?"


    He was a human himself, and had spent quite some time in the third realm. He had quite a good idea of what races were most hostile to humans here¡ªessentially all the races that popted the nearby worlds. The humans were alone in a sea of enemies, and there were so many of them that he didn''t know who the aggressor was.


    "The Mengtai," Ren Kunjing reported.


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "You mean those giants the size of mountains, the big-headed and brainless ones? To be honest, I''m surprised they haven''t gone extinct given the average intelligence of their kind."


    Ren Kunjing was a little taken aback. "You seem to be very familiar with this race, Zhang Lie."


    Although Zhang Lie had been in the third realm for almost half a year, he had never set foot in human territory.


    There were three thousand worlds and three thousand races in the third realm. Even a warlord like Ren Kunjing, who had been in the third realm for who knew how many years, couldn''t guarantee that he knew even half the races around.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Of course I had to ascertain how the humans were doing in the third realm before ascending from the second. I simply didn''t expect that my preparation would be in vain, given the unusual circumstances of my arrival."


    Ren Kunjing nodded; Zhang Lie''s exnation made sense.


    Fortunately, in the three worlds they had to hop between, there were aliens from the Milky Way familiar with where the wormholes were located on each world.


    Otherwise, if Zhang Lie were working alone, it would have taken him far longer to find the required wormholes to advance through his journey¡ªthe two-week journey might have stretched out to a whole month, or even four.


    The next world, thest one before arriving at the human world, would be the most difficult to pass through: it was the Mengtai homeworld.


    The aliens of the Milky Way asked for Zhang Lie''s instructions on how to proceed.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glittered with malice. "We''ll attack them directly, of course. Invade thergest Mengtai settlement and kill their king of the realm. We''ll let them know the power of humans, of the enemy they''ve chosen to make!"


    The Mengtai were a nomadic race, and they didn''t have a capital. However, the nomads primarily wandered around a central region where the king of the Mengtai was situated.


    Zhang Lie and a number of the aliens of the Milky way knew where that region was, and they quickly set out to find it. Along the way, they encountered quite a few Mengtai.


    The Mengtai were asrge and strong as bears, but their appearance and aura were even more fierce. They had long ws and gigantic mouths with sharp canines that revulsed the eye.


    Zhang Lie and his followers quickly made their way to the central region where the Mengtai were located.


    The Mengtai immediately grew wary upon seeing arge group of foreigners in their territory, and a band of Mengtai blocked the aliens'' way. "Who are you?"


    Ren Kunjing turned to Zhang Lie. "What should we do?"


    "Let''s knock. It''s onlymon courtesy."


    The Mengtai frowned. Who was this idiot? There weren''t any doors around!


    Li Qianlin blinked. "Weren''t we here to cause trouble?"


    The Mengtai were growing increasingly annoyed at being treated as though they weren''t there. "Answer us! Who are you, and why have youe here?"


    Nevertheless, Zhang Lie continued ignoring him as he leisurely answered Li Qianlin''s question. "We''re here to cause trouble, yes, but we''re individuals of high moral standing. We''ll remain polite and courteous."


    The Mengtai warriors, incensed at being ignored, exploded with fury. Their eyes turned bloodshot, and they prepared to attack Zhang Lie and his delegation outright.


    However, before the Mengtai could strike, a blur of red light whizzed past the Mengtai warrior, who was neatly cut into multiple pieces.


    "Brother!"


    The other Mengtai gaped at the sight. They whirled their heads as they searched for the red blur, which slowly resolved into the shape of a dark red mantis hovering in the air.


    Compared to the Mengtai, it was far smaller¡ªperhaps only the size of their heads, but its scythes were almost twice as long as its body. They were charged with killing intent and shone with a cold gleam.


    Despite its small size, it radiated a frightening aura, one that immediately made the Mengtai grow wary. Just looking at the mantis made them feel as though their lives were in danger; their hearts beat like drums, as though pounding on their ribcages in an attempt to get them to leave.


    "What''s this?" The Mengtai decided to run away to warn their n head, but by the time they saw the mantis for themselves, it was already toote...

 Chapter 745: A Polite Greeting

    <h4>Chapter 745: A Polite Greeting</h4>


    As the red light red again, the Mengtai warriors fell to the ground, their heads separated from their bodies.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and clenched his fists tightly. "Now, let me politely introduce myself to the Mengtai n!"


    A gigantic pale-blue fish materialized from Zhang Lie''s back and soared toward the clouds as though it was leaping out of water. It hovered above Zhang Lie''s head. It was sorge that it was almost like a whale in size, and it seemed as though it could swallow up the sun and moon.


    Gic energy condensed over Zhang Lie''s body, and howling winds began to rage over the in. It struck where the Mengtai were located, sending countless tents flying into the air.


    Zhang Lie''s technique possessed such strength that it made the very air warp.


    The Mengtai all came out of their tents to inspect what had caused the disturbance, and they were frightened stiff by the giant pale-blue fish they found floating through the air.


    A titanic figure appeared from the midst of the Mengtai, roaring as loud as a cannon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie met the roar with a punch. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The fish above his head transformed into thousands of far smaller fishes, melding with the force of Zhang Lie''s punch as itunched toward the titan.


    The titan tried to shield the area against the onught of the tsunami-like wave of force, but to no avail. All he could block was a small portion of the attack. The humongous wave swept through the clearing and the people he was trying to protect.


    The wave crushed whatever resistance it met; it swallowed up the young and old, males and females alike. The water turned blood-colored. Bones and canvas were carried along the waves as Zhang Lie''s attack finally dissipated.


    The shocking scale of the attack shocked all the onlookers, especially Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing. They had both witnessed how strong Zhang Lie was¡ªhe had in the king of the west in front of them, after all.


    Li Qianlin turned to herpanion and muttered hesitantly, "He seems to have grown even stronger..."


    Zhang Lie''s attacks were evenrger and stronger in scale than when he faced the king of the west. Just how had Zhang Lie grown so much stronger in so short a period? Neither Li Qianlin nor Dong Mingxing had any sense of just how strong the man in front of them was.


    What sort of ''polite greeting'' was this? Zhang Lie was just battering them all down with force! Just what grudge did he bear against them?


    The aliens of the Milky Way understood Zhang Lie''s sudden increase in strength very well: after all, he had just obtained twenty disaster gene fragments, and it was only natural that his strength would increase in leaps and bounds.


    After the tsunami passed, all that was left before them was a mess of ruins. The entire Mengtai campsite, about asrge as a medium-sized city, had been destroyed.


    The tents that had once dotted the region had all been yanked out from the ground and turned into nothing more than tattered scrap. Even ayer of grass and topsoil had been pulled into the air.


    The only lifeform that remained standing was a mix of a lion and a bear. He looked somewhat like the other Mengtai, but yet somehow different. His body was asrge as a mountain. A bull''s horns grew out of his head, and a pair of wings sprouted from his back like a cape.


    This was the n head of the Mengtai, the king of the realm of this world¡ªBeiqi.


    Beiqi was battered and bruised all over. There were wounds all over his body, and much of his fur had been scraped or tugged away. Bone was visible on his ws and one leg, a result of his disastrous attempt to block Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Not only did he fail, he even became gravely injured as a result.


    As he watched the tribe he had raised from the ground up perish in a freak tsunami, Beiqi''s body shook. He howled into the air, crying out, "Just what have I done to provoke such a response?!"


    The aliens of the Milky Way nced at each other with a smile. How pitiful were those who lived without living, who died without understanding why they died! This king''s tribe had perished, and he didn''t even know why.


    Zhang Lie replied, "If someone''s targeting my race, surely it makes sense for me to target theirs back."


    Beiqi''s eyes widened. "You''re a human?"


    As far as he knew, humans were a weak race, without any notable strength to their name. The Mengtai and the humans had been feuding with each other for a very long time. If not for the draconians, Beiqi expected that the Mengtai would have been rid of the humans multiple times over by now.


    Of course, it wasn''t as though the humans were simply parasites. Without the humans around, the Mengtai would have been able to wipe out the draconians, instead. The humans and draconians were mutually dependent on each other: the humans didn''t boast any particrly strong fighters, while the draconians were at a numerical disadvantage, and could easily be overwhelmed by sheer numbers alone.


    As far as Beiqi could recall, there were no strong humans around. Who was this strange human who had decimated his tribe in one fell swoop?


    Warlord Xing Ying volunteered, "Zhang Lie, how about letting me handle this fellow?"


    The starbeast Xing Ying had identified this as a good opportunity to demonstrate his skills in front of Zhang Lie. The warlords of the other three prime races all red at him, envious and regretful that they hadn''t seized this opportunity for themselves.


    Beiqi was even more surprised, then. Thisrge group of aliens was being led by a human? How could this be? Humans were weak and pitiful!


    Beiqi could hardly believe his eyes. The alien who had just spoken was like the human''spdog¡ªand the other aliens around were making regretful expressions, as though they too wanted to bepdogs themselves!


    When had humans gained the qualification to lead such arge, diverse group of aliens? How could this be?


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As you will. If you want to have some fun, so be it. Just be careful."


    Xing Ying whistled. Ster energy surrounded him, morphing into feathers that covered his entire body. His wings outstretched, Xing Ying transformed into a gigantic starbeast who seemed as though he could devour the stars in the sky.


    Ster light shone from his golden feathers. His aura red as he demonstrated his full strength.


    After transforming into a starbeast, Xing Ying was no smaller than Beiqi himself.


    The two gigantic beasts began to fight tooth and w. Xing Ying''s ws rent the sky, and his feathers shot toward Beiqi like meteor showers. Beiqi and Xing Ying shed against each other over and over again, crushing mountains in the wake of their attacks.


    Despite the forcefulness of their sh, neither party was able to emergepletely victorious.

 Chapter 746: Assault on Mankind

    <h4>Chapter 746: Assault on Mankind</h4>


    The aliens of the Milky Way, watching the two beasts brawling, began to shout and cheer in excitement.


    Zhang Lie watched the fight as a spectator. At the beginning, he found it quite entertaining¡ªit had been a long time since he had watched other people fight, rather than fight himself. The fact that the twobatants were both giant beasts also lent the fight some novelty, but the more he watched, the more boring it all seemed to be.


    Zhang Lie''s face was expressionless as he observed the proceedings.


    The fight was hardly exciting at all; to his eyes, thebatants were brawling inelegantly like two giant babies. Their techniques were childish and unusual, and even watching two babies fight might have been more entertaining.


    Zhang Lie felt this way because he was simply too strong, far stronger than the twobatants. As a result, he found the match rather insipid and dull, even though everyone else was having a good time.


    By then, the two gigantic beasts had begun tearing at and into each other. Their fight was brutal and barbaric, as though they really were two wild beasts rather than intelligent lifeforms in their own right.


    The aliens of the Milky Way whooped.


    Xing Ying had transformed into his starbeast form, a golden eagle. Although all his stats had increased greatly, even he couldn''t escape ?from the grasp of Beiqi, who was asrge as a mountain and had the strength of one to boot. It was almost impossible for Xing Ying to escape his grasp.


    Seeing that Beiqi was about to rip off Xing Ying''s wings, Zhang Lie sent his two disaster-grade lifeforms into the fray.


    Red Comet transformed into a beam of red light that shot toward Beiqi, instantly bloodying him all over. The other lifeform was the massive radiant-scaled beast that had originally belonged to the king of the west. It pounced forward and opened its maw wide, preparing to bite down on Beiqi''s flesh.


    Beiqi sent it flying away with a bat of his w.


    The fight between two gigantic beasts was now between four, and it was even three against one.


    The three beasts instantly took the upper hand and forced Beiqi onto the defensive. Realizing that he would be unable to beat the three beasts together, Beiqi immediately tried to run¡ªbut Zhang Lie certainly wouldn''t let him leave quite so easily. He finally struck.


    A fishposed of gic energy materialized behind Zhang Lie. He pointed a finger at Beiqi,unching a wave of sword energy at him. The fish surged forward like a shark, riding the wave expertly and mping down on Beiqi''s neck as Beiqi struggled futilely.


    The energy flooded Beiqi, sending him crashing down to the ground as the aliens of the Milky Way cheered.


    Blood-red rain poured from the skies, and Zhang Lie extended his palm to catch a drop in his hand. "It''s the third time I''ve encountered this phenomenon."


    The aliens of the Milky Way, along with Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing, gasped. Some would be hard-pressed to witness such a phenomenon once in their lives, and Zhang Lie had done so thrice?


    The aliens of the Milky Way were particrly shocked, because they knew that Zhang Lie had only been in the realm for less than a year. Was Zhang Lie cursed? Witnessing such an unlucky phenomenon three times in short session couldn''t have been mere chance.


    Meanwhile, the humans were ring warning sirens and sending reports wherever they could. Everyone in the human settlement had been dragged into the conflict, a legendary war at the border of the draconian world and the Mengtai one.


    The two worlds were very close together, and the wormhole connecting them was very short¡ªso short that you could almost see one world from the other.


    In order to prevent enemy invasion, the draconians had built a great wall by the exit of the wormhole on their end, one over a thousand meters tall and thirty meters thick, difficult to climb and surmount. It was made of a special type of reinforced stone that granted it particr hardness and resilience.


    It had withstood all manner of weather, all number of battles, without falling.


    Both worlds hadmitted hundreds of thousands of force to the battlefield; the Mengtai had dispatched almost all their warriors over.


    However, the humans and draconians couldn''t afford to do so. They were being attacked by multiple forces at the same time, so they had no choice but to split their fighters and protect all the wormhole exits they could.


    The Mengtai had instigated this attack, but upon seeing that the draconian world was about to be taken down, the other races nearby likewise attacked the world as one, hoping to gain some of the spoils from the assault.


    The two warlords of mankind had been seriously wounded, and the sage of the draconians had personally taken to the battlefield. Even so, they weren''t able to hold back the enemies'' advance.


    Dragons soared through the air, spraying their fiery breaths onto the battlefield, but some doughty Mengtai warriors leapt up high and began tearing at their wings.


    More and more aliens of all sorts appeared: giant birds burning with ck me, monsters with green skin, trees with pitch-ck bark...


    Mankind fought, and fought, and fought some more.


    The invaders didn''t expect just how stubborn and persistent the humans and draconians would be. Despite being bombarded by attacks on all fronts, they were somehow resilient enough to fend them all off.


    The humans didn''t seem as though they would give up without a fight.


    In the past, the aliens would have retreated by now; no one was interested in fighting to the death against such crazed fools. However, this was a rare opportunity to defeat these pesky foes once and for all.


    Basically all the enemies that the humans and draconians had from the nearby worlds were gathered together for this one battle. Who knew when such an opportunity woulde again? Furthermore, if they were to retreat, the humans would surely take revenge on them once they recovered from this beating.


    With victory right before their eyes, the aliens certainly weren''t willing to give up.


    Atop the wall, a gigantic gray dragon gripped onto the stone tiles with its ws as its tail swept aside all foes who dared to draw near. Its eyes were like sapphire gems, as deep as the sea, with intelligence and wisdom beyond measure. A long beard grew from its chin. Quite a few of its scales had been torn off in the heated battle, and blood covered its body. One of its wings was bent unnaturally and stained with blood.


    A catapult tossed a gigantic fireball toward the wall, striking it like a meteor and exploding upon impact. The gray dragon deftly struck down as many fireballs as it could from the air, but there were so many of them that it couldn''t defend against them all. As the fireballs struck the gray dragon''s body, it howled in pain before falling from the wall with a great thud.


    The aliens swarmed the fallen dragon, as though intending to devour it alive.


    The draconians and humans fought on to the best of their ability, but they were so outnumbered that they were only being pushed farther and farther back.


    As the gray dragon fell, the aliens all whooped and cheered, while the humans'' and dragons'' morale dropped to a nadir...

 Chapter 747: Isolated

    <h4>Chapter 747: Isted</h4>


    The strongest warrior of the Mengtai stepped forward. He was almost asrge and tall as the Mengtai chieftain. His stature was such that even his allies feared him.


    In truth, the Mengtai champion and the Mengtai chieftain were rted. The warrior was the younger brother of the chieftain; they shared the same father, but were birthed to different mothers.


    The Mengtai champion was as strong as the Mengtai chieftain¡ªyes, even though the chieftain was the king of the realm. Just like a mid-rank warlord, the Mengtai champion boasted power on par with that of a king without being one himself.


    Right then and there, he was mocking the gray dragon that had just fallen from the walls.


    "So you can be subject to this sort of indignity too, draconian sage!" The Mengtai champion shook his head. "With your strength, I expected we would be able to have a good fight¡ªbut your kin dragged you down with them."


    The sage had expended all his effort trying to protect the wall as well as the humans and draconians on it, and it was difficult for him to exert his full strength. He had no choice but to remain on the wall, a sitting duck, as he shielded it from all attacks.


    The Mengtai champion sighed. "Near the boundary of the world, your authority as king of the realm is greatly diminished. You''re basically asking to die."


    The gray dragon shook himself as he rose erect, then roared at the Mengtai warrior.


    The Mengtai champion shook his head. "Human or draconian, you won''t save either today."


    The draconian sage finally spoke up. "I am the king of this realm, I and no other! If the world dies, I die with it; if the world lives, I live with it!"


    He stood anew, invigorating the gathered human and draconian troops. The draconian sage was the pir that held up this world and all the lifeforms on it.


    The Mengtai champion sighed again. In a pitying tone, he replied, "You, the strongest of the draconians, shouldn''t die in such a pointless manner. Why not join us instead?"


    The draconian sage replied with his actions, not with words. It swiped its ws toward the Mengtai warrior. As exhausted and weary as it was, however, the Mengtai warrior easily parried his blows, sending him flying. The gray dragon crashed into the side of the wall, causing the ground to quake and the wall to shake.


    The wall, which had been riddled with holes from the shrapnel and projectiles fired during the invasion, finally gave out. With a huge crash, the wall that had formed an inedible part of this world''s history, that had survived more battles than anyone present, finally copsed.


    The crash was so loud that it shook the entire battlefield. The humans'' and draconians'' morale, so recently relit, was extinguished with the destruction of the wall.


    Frightening w marks scored the draconian sage''s belly. Blood leaked from the wounds, which were so deep that his internal organs almost seemed to be visible.


    A rain of blood fell from the skies. The humans and draconians looked up at the bloody light that radiated from the high heavens, and pained cries echoed throughout the battlefield.


    The will of the world itself was crying out in agony; the rain of blood was its tears. It was clear what had happened: the king of the realm had just perished.


    The Mengtai champion began tough. "Hahaha, the king of your world is dead! This world''s done for!"


    The humans and draconians, their hands trembling, looked down at the destroyed wall and the dead king. What power would defend this world against the invaders'' onught?


    The Mengtai champion''s eyes gleamed with cold light. "And the root cause of all this is you humans."


    The reason the Mengtai and the other aliens had suddenly invaded this world, breaking the unstable equilibrium that maintained everything in a fragile bnce, was the humans. They saw the humans grow noticeably stronger in a frighteningly short period of time, causing them all to feel a sense of peril.


    One could argue that this effect had originated from Zhang Lie, or rather, from the limit fragments that he had disseminated.


    When humans began adopting these limit fragments in earnest, the humans of the third realm quickly grew stronger.


    Potion #1 and Potion #2 had likewise be widely avable after Zhang Lie unveiled their recipe. When these third-realm hunters consumed those potions, theirbat strength increased by a shocking two or three times.


    In the past, humans had been unable topete with the Mengtai. One Mengtai would be able to kill two or three humans in a battle, and only a few elites were able to fight on equal footing.


    However, as limit fragments spread more and more widely, humanity as a whole grew far stronger. By now, an ordinary third-realm hunter could take down two or three Mengtai with ease.


    As humanity grew stronger and stronger, the stable conditions of the kingdom of Limit in the second realm meant that the hunters ascending to the third were in far better shape than before.


    The butterfly effect that Zhang Lie had caused, the initial unveiling of limit fragments, was growing into a storm that would swallow up the entirety of the dimensional world. Its ramifications were already obvious in the third realm.


    In just a single year, the number of human hunters in the draconian world had grown by a third, and their overall strength by three or four times. It was obvious just how much stronger the humans would be if left unchecked.


    Not only that, after Hong Tianqi remade the united world federation, humans were also considered much more highly within the Milky Way itself. The confidence and pride that the newer generation of human hunters now possessed was the source of a massive blooming of talent.


    For those who knew what to look for, the signs of the humans'' future development was obvious.


    Quite a few alien races in worlds neighboring the draconian world could sense the burgeoning human threat. They were certain that, at this rate, the humans would end up swallowing all the worlds around within the year.


    The draconian world wasn''t on good terms with many of the worlds around, and even those that were allied with the draconians didn''t particrly want to see humanity rise up.


    After all, among the manifold worlds, any alliance could be broken with sufficient incentive.


    That was why so many aliens had gathered to attack the draconian world.


    The circumstances of this conflict were particrly devastating to the humans. The draconian world was surrounded by arge number of now-hostile worlds, which would bar any reinforcements from being transported over.


    None of the neighboring worlds would permit any reinforcements for the forces they were trying to destroy, after all. In just mere moments, the humans became isted from the rest of the world.


    This was a product of the humans'' new age; their ancestors had hardly faced this problem. Before Zhang Lie appeared out of nowhere, humanity was a far weaker race, and they had to protect themselves from the other races of the Milky Way by taking advantage of the alien worlds all around them.


    What they feared most of all weren''t gic lifeforms or these races indigenous to the dimensional world, but rather the aliens of the Milky Way who were in directpetition for soulshards and gic lifeforms.


    They never expected that the humans would ever be the dominant race of the Milky Way, so strong that even the four prime races were all but subordinate to them...

 Chapter 748: A Morale-Crushing Blow

    <h4>Chapter 748: A Morale-Crushing Blow</h4>


    The rapid growth of humanity caused the alien races in the nearby worlds to be on high alert. Eventually, the races decided tounch a pre-emptive strike and kill the threat in the cradle.


    However, these races didn''t expect that the humans would have grown so strong as to be able to repel theirbined assault. Even the Mengtai had lost quite a few fighters, but the Mengtai champion wasn''t upset at all¡ªinstead, he was relieved.


    It took thebined forces of all the aliens in neighboring worlds to suppress the humans and draconians.


    If the humans had had a little more time, they might even have won the conflict and destroyed all the nearby races instead.


    Although the king of the realm had the authority to seal off the wormholes leading from one world to the others, that authority wasn''tpletely imprable. A warlord-ss alien would be able to do so at great expense: not only would it require immense strength, breaking such a seal would unleash an immense spatial rift, one that would immediately wreak havoc on the wormhole itself. Only under exceptional circumstances would it be sensible to take such risks.


    The invading aliens had snuck into the draconian world beforeunching a sneak attack on the humans and draconians.


    Meanwhile, the Mengtai champion had personally broken through the seal between his world and the draconian world. Because of how close the two worlds were, the spatial rift didn''t persist for long.


    The Mengtai champion shouted, "Draconians, heed my words! There''s no need for you to die just because of the humans in your midst. You''re all indigenous to this realm, unlike those human invaders! We only intend on killing the humans. We''ll let you go if you kill one of yourrades around."


    The Mengtai beside him all began to heckle at the draconians. "Right, right, we''ll let you go as long as you do as our champion says!"


    "None of us will attack you if you have a human head."


    "Go on, kill the humans around you! We Mengtai will happily ept you as our ves!"


    The humans nced warily at the draconians all around them. Although they had been close allies, so close they trusted each other with their backs, who knew whether the draconians would be tempted by this offer immediately after their king had perished and their wall had fallen?


    One of the humans called out, "Ignore their words! They''re despicable trash who want to turn us against each other!"


    One of the draconians stood forward. "I''m an indigenous member of this world. I have a family, brothers, parents¡ªI really don''t want to die here. My wife just gave birth to a son, and they''re waiting for me to go home."


    The humans'' faces fell. It was only natural: no one wanted to die a pointless death. It would be foolish to refuse the Mengtai''s offer; the draconian fighters couldn''t live just for themselves, but also for their families and rtives. It was a regretful act of betrayal, but the humans understood their decision.


    The Mengtai champion smiled. He would allow the draconians and humans to sh against each other and whittle each other down, reducing the casualties that his side would have to take. More importantly, he and his warriors would be treated to a good show.


    Once the draconians got rid of the humans, they would kill the draconians to thest, leaving not a single one behind.


    Now that they were enemies of the draconians in truth, they had to eradicate them all. Otherwise, there was always the possibility that the draconians would one day grow strong enough to contend against them.


    However, the draconians'' subsequent actions werepletely antithetical to the Mengtai champion''s n.


    The draconian who had just spoken sucked in a deep breath and continued, "But if I betray my ally, my family and rtives would surely look down on me. Even if I do survive, shame will forever be my cloak and shroud, and my conscience would burn in hell."


    The draconian shouted in a rally, "Betrayal or death¡ªI choose betrayal! If you want to kill the humans, you''ll have to kill us all! You Mengtai trash¡ªyou''re the ones fit to be our ves, not the other way around! Come at us if you dare: I''ll see how many of you I can drag down with me!"


    The draconians'' fighting spirit burned.


    Somehow, they hadn''t been overtaken by despair. Their morale soared. Indeed, if their choices were betrayal or death, who among them would choose betrayal? And if they were about to die, then there was nothing to fear.


    The humans cheered.


    Zhang Lie very much liked the draconians because of their backbone.


    The Mengtai champion didn''t want to face such a group of draconians, and neither did his kin. "Your king is dead! What strength could you hope to bring to bear against us?" one of the Mengtai warriors shouted back, hoping to dissuade the draconians with words alone.


    However, the draconians retorted, "If our king died here, it would be honorable to apany him in death!"


    "We live together, and we die together!"


    "None of us draconians would be afraid of death!"


    The human fighters were likewise emboldened by the draconians'' resolve. "Brothers, we humans will fight with you to thest!"


    "We humans will fight with you to thest!" the other human hunters chorused.


    The Mengtai champion frowned.


    Rather than turn on each other, the humans and draconians seemed to have derived some ridiculous camaraderie from his words.


    "And if you die, what of your children? What of your parents and families? Have you ever considered who lies beyond the walls you guard? You might want to die with your friends, but can you afford to forsake your families? When you all perish, we''ll trample on your kin, we''ll rape your wives and daughters! Draconian blood shall stain thend, now and forevermore!


    "The humans, on the other hand, aren''t even from this world. Only these human hunters will suffer; their families will bepletely safe, realms apart from you and us."


    The draconians'' eyes all turned red with anger as the Mengtai champion continued to threaten them. "Think of your family. Even if we don''t strike, our allies very well might."


    Some of the Mengtai began to shout, "Even if none of you attack the humans, your families will all be our ves, never to rise beyond their station!"


    .


    The draconians did start to hesitate now. They weren''t afraid of death, but what of their families?


    Seeing that the threat had been effective, the Mengtai champion continued, "From the moment your king died, draconians, you''ve lost this fight! There''s no chance you and the humans can win! There are only two options in front of you: kill the humans ?beside you and live, or perish with your families."


    One of the Mengtai echoed, "Go on! Choose: yourrades-in-arms, or your family? I would surely choose my own family¡ªblood is thicker than water! If you kill those around you, you and your family will live!"

 Chapter 749: Sudden Reversal

    <h4>Chapter 749: Sudden Reversal</h4>


    All the Mengtai fighters began to smile maliciously. They had never harbored any intention of letting go of the draconians. They simply didn''t want to dirty their hands further¡ªto watch a good show as the draconians turned on the humans.


    To the Mengtai, the draconians had no choice but toply. Their king had perished, and they had lost any chance at agency. With their strongest fighter dead, what was there to fear about the draconians?


    The Mengtai champion simply wanted to watch the draconians and humans turn on each other¡ªand to save his warriors a few deaths.


    Upon sensing that the draconians were faltering, the Mengtai champion continued, "With the death of your king, your resistance is futile. Why sentence yourselves and your families to death? Live on!"


    As the draconians fell into a moral conundrum, a voice interrupted, "I don''t think I''m quite dead yet!"


    The voice was so familiar that everyone was taken aback. They turned to the speaker¡ªthe draconian sage, who was slowly getting up as he clutched his chest. Because of his serious injuries, he was unable to maintain his draconic form. His body slowly shrunk until he became a white-robed elder.


    Upon seeing that the sage was still alive, the draconians and humans let out relieved expressions. They had been saved from making a terrible choice, a terrible mistake!


    The Mengtai fighters'' eyes widened. They shouted, horrified, "The draconian sage isn''t dead!"


    The Mengtai champion''s face turned dark. "Sage, how have you resurrected?"


    The sage coughed violently. A few drops of blood spattered his lips. "I never died."


    The sage had only gone unconscious because of the severity of his wounds¡ªand he had just woken up from his daze.


    The draconians hurriedly rushed toward the sage to help him tend to his injuries.


    The Mengtai warriors frowned. If the sage was alive and well, just which king of the realm had died? The will of the world had indeed grieved for one such king just now...


    The Mengtai champion''s eyes suddenly widened. He thought of one possibility, but it was so ludicrous that he refused to entertain that thought. "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"


    Some of the humans were looking up at the sky. Red though it might be, the skies grew progressively clearer as they extended into the territory of the humans and draconians¡ªbut red filled the entirety of the Mengtai skies. The humans understood what had to have happened. "If it''s not our king that died..."


    The draconian sage quickly understood what was going on as well. He sighed. "The world has to be mourning for a reason. If I''m still alive, then another king of the realm has to have perished. Your world is the closest¡ªI rmend checking up on your king."


    The Mengtai warriors nced at each other, notprehending what the sage was talking about¡ªor, more urately, choosing not toprehend it.


    How could they ept such an unbelievable truth?


    The Mengtai champion''s eyes turned blood-red. "You... you killed my elder brother?!"


    Everything had been going ording to n¡ªuntil now. The king of the Mengtai had fallen!


    One of the Mengtai warriors asked, his voice quavering, "Behemoth, what are they talking about?"


    Behemoth was the name of the Mengtai champion. The humans found it rather funny how different the names of the two Mengtai brothers were. Whereas the Mengtai chieftain had the name of a pig , the Mengtai champion was named for a mythological beast. It was apparent who the favored child was.


    The Mengtai warriors stubbornly refused to consider the truth.


    "Champion, what do the draconians mean? It''s clear that the draconian sage was the one who died¡ªbut now it''s suddnely our chieftain that perished?"


    .


    "Right, how could that be the case?"


    "Behemoth, you have to teach them a lesson!"


    The humansughed as they mocked the Mengtai. "What, you still don''t understand? While you were all here attacking us, your chieftain was killed!"


    Behemoth''s eyes turned blood-red. "It had to be you, all of you! You were only pretending to fight seriously¡ªbut in truth, you sent an assassin to take down my elder brother while we were all distracted! Draconian sage, this has to be your doing!"


    The sage sighed. "Unfortunately, though I would have dearly wanted to do that, we humans and draconians are spent just from repelling all your invasion attempts. It''s not us, but someone else. At this point, does it really matter who? You''d better head back to your settlement and see what''s going on!"


    The draconian sage hoped that Behemoth would retreat with the Mengtai. Only then would the humans and draconians gain some breathing room to repair the damage that had been wrought on their world, to deal with the aliens invading from all other fronts.


    Realizing what the draconian sage was trying to do, the humans began to mock and taunt the Mengtai. "Don''t you understand? You were betrayed by your allies! You allowed them to pass through your homeworld, but do you think those aliens are really your allies? No! You might want to get rid of us humans and draconians, but those aliens would be perfectly fine getting rid of you guys instead!"


    The Heifeng, whose members were gigantic birds burning with ck me, immediately called out, "Ridiculous! Nonsense!"


    The humans were using the Mengtai''s own tactics against them. The Mengtai had been trying their best to convince the humans and draconians to betray each other; now, it was time for the humans and draconians to sway the Mengtai instead.


    The humans continued, "You allowed the other aliens to pass through yournds, and they took that opportunity to kill your king! Otherwise, how do you exin your king''s sudden death? What other cause could there be for his death except for a sneak attack from these other races?"


    The more the humans talked, the darker Behemoth''s face became. The Mengtai all began ncing at their allies furtively, with distrust and simmering rage.


    The Mengtai and their allies had far weaker a bond than the humans and draconians, and the death of the Mengtai chieftain was a crippling blow. The Mengtai were therefore easily roused to arms by the humans'' words.


    The Mengtai fighters'' eyes had all turned red, and the other alien fighters immediately got into defensive stances.


    The humans and draconians smiled gleefully: their n was working!


    Behemoth roared in outrage, "Enough! If I don''t bring your heads back with me, there''s no way I can face my dead brother and my kin!"


    The Mengtai warriors all howled, recovering from their rage and temporarypse of judgment. They turned to target the humans and draconians, who understood that Behemoth had made up his mind to kill them.


    The Mengtai''s proof of kingship was kept in a secure location that would be difficult to find. Furthermore, even if it were to be stolen, the perpetrators would hardly make it out of the Mengtai homeworld¡ªBehemoth would find and defeat them first.


    However, with the Mengtai chieftain dead, the Mengtai''srgest settlement had likely suffered serious losses. Behemoth and his warriors had to show that the Mengtai''s sacrifice had been worth something.


    If they were to fail to bring back even the draconian sage''s head, Behemoth''s reputation would instantly plummet.


    Furthermore, this was the best chance to take down the humans. If the humans were to survive, they would surely take revenge on the Mengtai. Behemoth wasn''t confident that he would be able to take down the humans if they were to invade.


    Just as Behemoth was about to strike, however, an ear-splitting crash came from behind him. A gigantic pale-blue fish soared toward the clouds as though it was leaping out of water...


    1. Peppa Pig, apparently...

 Chapter 750: A Massive Explosion

    <h4>Chapter 750: A Massive Explosion</h4>


    A fish? No, that was no mere fish¡ªit was the size of a whale, one that could swallow up sun and moon alike!


    Howling winds began to rage over the battlefield, sending everyone stumbling.


    The whale that had suddenly appeared above their heads shocked all the fighters. The pressure it gave off was so immense that no one dared to breathe.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie punched forward with a roar. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him.


    The giant fish hovering in the sky crashed down toward the ground. With a gigantic quake, the Mengtai walls cracked and crumbled, unable to withstand the onught of waves that were thousands of meters high. All the Mengtai were stupefied.


    The walls that they had erected had withstood their fair share of assaults from the humans and the draconians, and generations of warriors had shed blood on the wall.


    How many enemies had the wall stopped? How much invaders'' blood had the wall absorbed? For all that it represented, the wall crumbled to just one punch from Zhang Lie.


    Everything happened so quickly that even Behemoth couldn''t react in time. One moment, everything was fine; the next, the wall had been entirely destroyed. Rubble flew like meteors andnded on the battlefield.


    Because the Mengtai and the other aliens were standing close to the Mengtai side of the battlefield, they found themselves under heavy bombardment. Quite a few warriors lost their lives to the rubble from their very own wall, and the Mengtai catapults were smashed to pieces.


    The draconians and humans, who were quite far away, suffered no such injuries.


    After the flood of water, the water-attuned gic energy exploded through the air, and the aftershock caused all manner of spatial rifts to disrupt the battlefield. The Mengtai and the other aliens weren''t fast enough to escape the devastation, and they were crushed to pieces.


    The only survivors were those that were far from the wall to begin with.


    The surge of energy shook heaven and earth, causing an evenrger spatial rift to spawn from the entrance to the wormhole on the Mengtai world, wreaking further devastation.


    Behemoth stared at Zhang Lie in shock. What was going on? This was far too frightening! He had never expected that there would be a human who could grow so strong as tomand heaven and earth. This was no power a living creature should be able to possess¡ªeven he, the Mengtai champion, would have died to the attack if he were standing in its vicinity.


    This wasn''t on the level of a simple ''attack'' anymore¡ªit was ''annihtion''.


    A group of people appeared where the wall had once stood. Despite the spatial rifts rampaging around them, the group of people seemed not to care. They strode forward directly, an action the aliens all thought to be suicidal. The spatial rifts ahead were so strong that they could rip even a fourth-level beast to pieces; who would try to brave its might?


    The group of people walked out through the spatial riftpletely unharmed, as though the spatial rift were only a gentle breeze to them. Who were these people who could brave the might of a spatial rift with nothing but their bodies?


    The Mengtai warriors widened their eyes, disbelieving what they were seeing. Such ferocious spatial rifts¡ªwere these even living beings?!


    Although the Mengtai couldn''t im to have the strongest physical constitution among the inhabitants of the three thousand worlds, they were surely among the strongest in that regard. Even the Mengtai didn''t dare to brave these spatial rifts with their bare bodies¡ªbut these people seemed entirely immune!


    Only the strongest of the Mengtai, the champion Behemoth, as well as the draconian sage understood what they were seeing. These people weren''t braving the rifts with their bare bodies, but rather shielding themselves from the spatial rifts with their own strength and their own authority over space.


    Their leader was the most amazing of them all. Behemoth simply couldn''tprehend what he was doing¡ªdespite walking at the very front and hence having to deal with the majority of the force of the spatial rift, he sauntered as though he were simply strolling through his backyard.


    Light refracted around his body, and the force of the spatial rifts gradually grew weaker the closer they got, until they barely had the strength of a weak breeze.


    Behemoth was certain that he would never be able to master spatial force and his own energy to this extent, not now, and not in a hundred years.


    It was only because of the team''s leader that the rest of the team was able to stride through the spatial rift safely.


    As they drew closer, Behemoth was able to identify them clearly. Their party was unusual in that it wasn''tposed of just one race. There were all sorts of strange races in that one group, some of whom even Behemoth hadn''t seen before, along with two fifth-level beasts: a blood-red mantis and a giant covered with shining scales, with a pce on its back.


    Behemoth would have a hard time against just the two fifth-level beasts together, let alone the members of the party. He didn''t even dare look directly at the party''s leader. Was that sort of strength, that sort of aura, really something a living being could possess?


    Behemoth didn''t understand how the Mengtai had roused that man''s ire.


    Suddenly, among the humans came excited cries. "Ah, it''s Zhang Lie, the champion of mankind Zhang Lie!"


    "Zhang Lie''s here to save us!"


    "He''s here with the other aliens of the Milky Way, too!"


    Indeed, the party wasposed of Zhang Lie and the aliens apanying him.


    Because they would have to march through spatial rifts, Zhang Lie didn''t bring toorge a group with him. Only warlord-level hunters were eligible to join him, along with the two disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Although Zhang Lie was able to counter much of the spatial rifts'' strength with his own abilities, the members of the group still had to be individually strong in order to resist the rifts'' assault on their bodies.


    The cheers of the humans behind him meant that the arrival of this party would be a nightmare for the Mengtai. Clearly, the humans recognized this party, which had to have mobilized for them.


    Behemoth scrutinized the party''s leader even more closely. Although he looked like a human, Behemoth didn''t dare think of him as one. Firstly, he could hardly believe that humans could be so strong, and secondly, if the leader of that party were truly a human, he and the other Mengtai were all dead meat.


    Unfortunately, it seemed they were all about to die.


    Behemoth finally understood how his brother, the Mengtai chieftain, had fallen. The man in front of him would have dealt with his brother in no time at all. Behemoth didn''t dare think further about what might happen, and he had no time to do so. He had to give hisstmand now, before he lost the nerves to do so entirely.


    "Rush over to the humans and draconians! Only by doing so can we live!"

 Chapter 751: Sun Mengmeng, Again

    <h4>Chapter 751: Sun Mengmeng, Again</h4>


    Behemoth was surprisingly clear-headed in times of crisis. He knew just how frightening the party before him was, and he was certain the Mengtai wouldn''t be able to win in a direct confrontation.


    All he could count on, then, were the hostages to his back.


    His eyes glinting, Behemoth fled toward the draconian sage. He believed that the party was a rescue party for the humans, so they surely wouldn''t allow the draconian sage to die. Only by capturing the draconian sage and using him as a hostage would Behemoth have the opportunity to escape with his life.


    Although the party was braving the rifts with their bodies alone, even they didn''t dare move too quickly. Hindered by the rifts, their mobility would surely decrease. Behemoth''s only opportunity was now: once the party emerged from the rifts, he would surely die.


    Following behind Behemoth were the rest of the Mengtai warriors. The aliens looked at each other, then the fleeing Mengtai, before shivering and joining the Mengtai ranks.


    The humans shouted to each other, "Hold on! If we can buy enough time for Zhang Lie to pass through the rifts, he''ll surely destroy these invaders!"


    The draconians, understanding the severity of the situation, immediately tried to protect the wounded sage.


    "Scram!" Behemoth roared, swiping his ws.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward Behemoth and exploded once they came in contact with his body, producing three fiery bursts. Three burns marred Behemoth''s flesh, impeding his forward advance.


    Zhang Lie blinked. Those three arrows with purple me¡ªhe saw a young woman standing atop a portion of the wall that was still upright. She pointed her greatbow at the sky, dyeing the clouds with tints of purple and red.


    Countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the Mengtai fighters and other aliens began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    As he nced at the woman on the wall, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. Her exquisite features shone in the firelight, her hair like burning mes. The woman who carried a garuda bow was looking at Zhang Lie, who had just emerged from the spatial rift, and smiling radiantly.


    Behemoth stumbled back. "Just who are you?"


    He was shocked. No human had ever managed to force him back in a direct confrontation. The only one who had ever had a fighting chance against him was the draconian sage. Where had this womane from?


    "I''m Sun Mengmeng, from Team Zenith!"


    Behemoth had never heard of this name.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a corona of purplish-ck me around her. She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me. Her mes were so intense that they were burning even the stone at her feet, causing it to turn red.


    The wall was made of specially reinforced stone resistant to pration and to changes in temperature, so the fact that the mes surrounding Sun Mengmeng were able to heat up that stone shocked even the draconian sage himself.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes shed red as her anger reached a crescendo. It melted into her mes, and she drew her bow taut. ck me surged from either end of the bow, and the mes around Sun Mengmeng''s body grew even taller and hotter.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''ve truly grown, Sun Mengmeng. You can harness your emotions to fuel your strength now."


    He hadn''t expected the members of Team Zenith to ascend so quickly, but since she was here, the other members of Team Zenith had to be, too.


    In that case, Zhang Lie had nothing to worry about.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward Behemoth. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    The arrows struck Behemoth, who had just leaped upwards, and the ck mes burst in a splendid explosion in mid-air, sessfully blocking Behemoth''s attack.


    Zhang Lie nodded in satisfaction.


    Sun Mengmeng had likely only ascended recently, with few gene fragments to her name. As far as he could tell, she was only considered a peak-grade lifeform, but that didn''t mean Sun Mengmeng was weak.


    Even ignoring the boost that her limit fragments gave her, the very fact that she had maxed out all her disaster gene fragments in the second realm meant that she was at least as strong as Behemoth, if not more so.


    Zhang Lie expected that the current Sun Mengmeng already boasted the ability to kill a disaster-grade lifeform.


    Xing Ying and the others, who had just walked out of the spatial rift, asked, "Zhang Lie, what should we do?"


    "Clean up the battlefield. There''s no need to worry about the invaders."


    Indeed, the invaders weren''t strong enough to be considered opponents¡ªthat was why Zhang Lie hadn''t said "defeat the enemies".


    There were fewer than fifty people in Zhang Lie''s party, but all of them were warlord-level fighters. To them, the battle in front of them could hardly be considered a battle. The only fighter who could even pose the slightest semnce of a threat was Behemoth, no one else.


    Zhang Lie hadmanded them to ignore him, and they would listen to Zhang Lie''smand.


    "Yes, Zhang Lie!" the warlords replied, then shot into the battlefield, easily dealing with the Mengtai and the other aliens.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie folded his arms and watched Sun Mengmeng fight against Behemoth, wanting to see how much she had advanced in the meantime.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the sky. The ck moons overshadowed the sun''s radiance and fell from the sky one by one toward Behemoth''s body, each a meteor.


    Behemoth roared and swiped at the moons, wing them all apart and causing them to burst in an explosion of ck me. The mes fed on Behemoth''s gic energy and fur, causing him to scream in pain...

 Chapter 752: Dozens, Hundreds of Zhang Lie

    <h4>Chapter 752: Dozens, Hundreds of Zhang Lie</h4>


    ck smoke poured from Behemoth''s body, which was charred and smoking. His fur had all been burned away, and there were still a few small mes on his body that had yet to be extinguished.


    Fortunately, the Mengtai champion''s racial ability allowed him to regenerate quickly, sealing his wounds and preventing further damage from the mes.


    Zhang Lie rubbed at his jaw. Sun Mengmeng still wasn''t at full strength because she didn''t have time to acquire gene fragments yet. If Sun Mengmeng had maxed out her peak gene fragments already¡ªno, even just her superior gene fragments¡ªshe would have been able to seriously burn Behemoth, if not kill him altogether.


    "And she''s been working on her [Nine Moons of the Underworld], too," Zhang Lie murmured, nodding.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" Sun Mengmeng struck again. Her entire bow was zing. Sacrificing all her remaining arrows, she created a glowing ck moon in the sky.


    .


    A torrent of a ck,va-like substance poured down from the moon. Behemoth was forced to shield himself with both hands, causing Zhang Lie to nod more vigorously. Anger was the catalyst that Sun Mengmeng used to grow her mes, but she wasn''t blinded by her emotions.


    She wielded her anger like a tool against a strong foe. Her initial technique, [Nine Moons of the Underworld], had been to induce Behemoth to jump up, before she followed up with [Lunar Apostasy] to strike him in the air.


    Even Zhang Lie would have trouble dealing with thisbination attack.


    Zhang Lie suddenly thought of a possibility. "Sun Mengmeng can''t have nned out thisbination attack while thinking about fighting me, could she...?"


    Behemoth howled as theva burned his palms and trickled down his arms. Even Zhang Lie, standing quite a distance away, could smell his charred flesh.


    Behemoth howled again and fled from the attack, but by then, Sun Mengmeng''s next technique was ready. The mes surrounding Sun Mengmeng erupted like a volcano, distorting space in a huge area around her.


    The warlords on the battlefield all nced up at Sun Mengmeng, standing atop the ruined wall.


    Xing Ying sighed. "And here I thought Zhang Lie was bad enough¡ªbut there are more humans like him?"


    Ren Kunjingmented, "Indeed, all the new human hunters are monstrous..."


    The winged warlord ughtered a Mengtai fighter trying to run away as she continued chasing down the invading aliens.


    "None of them can hold a candle to Zhang Lie, but it truly is shocking how quickly they''re advancing¡ªand in such great numbers. Looks like the rest of us had better work harder to keep up."


    The nightdemon warlord rolled his eyes. "You haven''t been paying attention to gctic news, have you?"


    The winged warlord replied, "I focusrgely on the third realm, though I do pay attention to therger pieces of news gxywide¡ªyou know, Zhang Lie, Hong Tianqi, and the like. Do you mean that you know who the woman standing on the wall is?"


    "We''re all warlords strong enough to be high up the leaderboard. Who has the time to be worrying about trivial news?" The aquatic warlord snapped her fingers, causing crystal lotuses to bloom on the battlefield, each one trapping an invading alien.


    Few of the warlords had begun paying attention to Sun Mengmeng and the other members of Team Zenith.


    Among the hunters of the second realm, of course, the members of Team Zenith were hunters that everyone knew of, but that knowledge didn''t extend to the third realm.


    Ren Kunjing smiled in glee. "The woman on the wall is known as Sun Mengmeng, one of the key members of Zhang Lie''s team. She''s known as the red rose of the battlefield, and she''s the most eye-catching of the female hunters in his team. She even has her own fan club in the Milky Way!"


    Xing Ying peered at him. "You seem to know a lot about this woman..."


    Ren Kunjing shrugged. "I''m a fan myself. After investigating Zhang Lie some more, I knew that I had to pay attention to the members of his team, Team Zenith. During the Void Cup, she was also ranked very highly, and judged to be one of the hunters in the Milky Way bearing the most potential."


    Ren Kunjing''smentary caused all the warlords to look twice at Sun Mengmeng. A human, one of Zhang Lie''s favored subordinates, whose potential was through the roof...


    Sun Mengmeng''s fire-attuned gic energy formed a ck hurricane, one with explosive strength. By then, the entire wall had turned glowing red, and the stone beneath her feet was starting to melt, so strong was the fiery energy she emitted.


    The warlords all turned serious. Even if Sun Mengmeng had been an unknown figure before this fight, all the warlords remembered her face now.


    Xing Ying''s voice was serious. "She''s got real skill. Those mes are truly something extraordinary."


    It would be difficult even for them to approach her, and Sun Mengmeng had just recently ascended to the third realm! If they gave her time to develop, who knew how much stronger she would be?


    Only a few warlords present could even be confident of being able to defeat her.


    Xing Ying guessed, "Is she already nearing the level of a mid-rank warlord, then?"


    None of the warlords present took that information well. How much effort had it taken them to get to where they were? How much blood, sweat, and tears? How much time, and how much danger had they gone through?


    Zhang Lie alone was incredible enough, and now, there were even more talented humans popping up! Elites like Zhang Lie weren''t unheard of, but they were so rare that it would be lucky to see one from a given race in ten thousand years¡ªbut not only did the humans have Zhang Lie, they now also had Sun Mengmeng!


    Xing Ying shook his head. "It would be too much to call her a female Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie''s inscrutable even to us all¡ªat most, she''s a less developed Zhang Lie."


    The winged warlord sighed. "One was bad enough, but two is worse. If a third pops out¡ªI might just lose my reason to live."


    Another warlord who had been in the third realm for yearsughed. "Hah! This sort of existence might appear once or twice in a few thousand years. If a third or fourth warlord-ss human shows up, we might as well quit our jobs and go into retirement!"


    "Ah, well..." Ren Kunjing began. "It looks like it''s time for us all to retire, then."


    "What?! Don''t scare me like that, my heart''s weak! Do you mean to say that¡ª"


    Ren Kunjingughed. "The six members of Team Zenith might not all be as strong as each other, but they''re certainly all on the same level. Furthermore, Zhang Lie''s sister and disciples are about as talented as the members of Team Zenith, so there might not be just a few¡ªperhaps a dozen, and as time grows, a few dozen, a few hundred, a few thousand..."

 Chapter 753: The Scorched Mengtai

    <h4>Chapter 753: The Scorched Mengtai</h4>


    Hundreds, thousands of humans as skilled as Zhang Lie?!


    The warlords were speechless.


    Sun Mengmeng was covered in a hurricane of ck me which swept across the battlefield.


    The ck me burned at a frighteningly high temperature, and the me melted everything it came into contact with.


    The warlords had to stop chatting and protect the humans and draconians.


    Pitch-ck mes sparked to life across Sun Mengmeng''s bow, causing the mes to grow even more intense.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moons she had summoned. The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall.


    Behemoth, his movements restrained because of the hurricane of ck me, was struck full in the face by Sun Mengmeng''s attack. He roared in outrage, but there was hardly anything he could do in response.


    The waterfall of me burst in mid-air and fell to the ground as fiery drops of rain.


    Behemoth leapt backwards to avoid the attack, but Sun Mengmeng''s attack sshed in such a wide range that avoiding it entirely was impossible.


    Realizing that he couldn''t retreat further, Behemoth sucked in a deep breath and rushed in the direction of the me, intending to barrel straight through it with brute force. None of the warlords looked favorably on this n of action.


    Behemoth seeded in his n and escaped from the fiery waterfall, but he paid a heavy price in doing so. His entire body, recently healed, turned charred ck again.


    He swiped forward at Sun Mengmeng, who didn''t panic. It was far too easy to think that Sun Mengmeng was an archer unskilled in closebat.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air. She leapt into the air, bolstered by ck me. She swung her daggers to meet Behemoth''s ws, flying backwards from the impact.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Making use of the excess momentum, Sun Mengmengunched yet another attack in mid-air. Her surroundings began to burn with dark mes. Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward Behemoth from nine different directions, preventing him from escaping.


    Behemoth howled again, destroying one of the phoenixes with the resulting sound wave. Swiping his ws, he took down two further phoenixes, which exploded like ck roses and singed his already-damaged body, sending Behemoth staggering back.


    Waves of heat saturated the battlefield, distorting the air all around them. The scorching heat stung everyone on the battlefield. A hot wind blew by, spreading the superheated air and causing everyone to wince¡ªbut that wasn''t all. The exploding phoenixes set off a chain reaction that caused all eight remaining phoenixes to explode in quick session, producing waves of such heat that everyone visibly recoiled. Behemoth, caught in the midst of the explosions, was burned alive.


    With a huge crack, the parts of the wall that had yet to copse from the Mengtai assault finally gave out.


    The walls that the draconians had erected had withstood their fair share of assaults from the humans and the draconians, and generations of warriors had shed blood on the wall. Even so, it couldn''t withstand the heat of Sun Mengmeng''s me.


    The draconians were stupefied. Their wall had given out not once, but twice on the very same day! The sound of the wall crashing down reverberated between the two worlds.


    Behemoth was gravely injured. ck smoke rose from every pore in his body, and the fact that he had survived at all was testament to the constitution of the Mengtai.


    Zhang Lie nodded with approval. In just a single year, Sun Mengmeng had not only learned to control her emotions to fuel her fire, but also to enhance all her signature techniques.


    Everyone believed that her [Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria] would only summon nine phoenixes, but the true power of her technique was when her opponents struck at those phoenixes to produce massive explosions of ck me.


    Sun Mengmeng had wrapped up all that power within the facade of her phoenixes, a marked improvement from before. She had made great strides forward since the fight she had had with Zhang Lie.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck. The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. It radiated such heat that everyone on the battlefield could feel it.


    That heat had beenpressed once and again, until it seemed almost like a miniature sun.


    As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, piercing everything in sight.


    The arrow caused no earth-shattering explosion; it wasn''t at all shy. As it shot forward, it impaled Behemoth through the chest before he could react, leaving a smoking hole behind where it passed through.


    The arrow flew through the battlefield and shot into the wormhole, where it spawned a whole flock of spatial rifts. It finally exploded by the Mentai wall, sending an inferno of ck me roaring into the heavens.


    The entire battlefield and sky was dyed ck.


    The heat from Sun Mengmeng''s attack had been so intense that itpletely melted the rubble from the wall that Zhang Lie had knocked down.


    The smoking hole in Behemoth''s chest burned with that same me.


    Sun Mengmeng leapt down from the wall toward the ground, kept her bow, and gave Zhang Lie a ''V'' sign¡ªV for victory. Zhang Lie smiled at her, but Sun Mengmeng didn''t move.


    Just as she had made her hand signal, a ck shadow pounced toward her from behind¡ªit was none other than Behemoth. The Mengtai constitution was so incredible that, despite the hole in his chest, Behemoth didn''t die instantly. His eyes were filled with hatred, with an aura of destruction that posed palpable danger...

 Chapter 754: Team Zenith Reunites

    <h4>Chapter 754: Team Zenith Reunites</h4>


    Behemoth hated Zhang Lie, and he hated Sun Mengmeng even more. If not for Zhang Lie''s sudden appearance, if not for Sun Mengmeng''s interruption, the Mengtai would have long since taken down the draconian world. All this was Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng''s fault, so even if he had to die, he would surely drag them down with him!


    Sun Mengmeng noticed Behemoth drawing closer, but she pretended not to notice him. If Behemoth''s attack were tond, Sun Mengmeng would have been critically injured.


    Moments before the attack hit home, a shadow suddenly appeared behind Sun Mengmeng. The appearance of the shadow caused Behemoth to feel a bone-chilling cold. His bestial instincts caused him to freeze for a moment.


    Sun Mengmeng smiled brightly at the appearance of the shadow¡ªwhose identity was none other than Zhang Lie.


    No one saw how Zhang Lie struck. One moment, Behemoth was about to strike; the next, he had been kicked flying like a rubber ball.


    With a smile, Sun Mengmeng followed up on Zhang Lie''s attack. She nocked her bow, and the image of a garuda appeared behind her. ck me revolved around her and scorched the air.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" Sun Mengmeng released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the heavens and the earth, dyeing ck everything in sight. The ck me devoured Behemoth whole. He was already critically injured, and he couldn''t muster up any further resistance against this attack. His body scattered to the winds as ash.


    Zhang Lie ignored Behemoth and turned to Sun Mengmeng. "You''ve grown stronger, but also more careless. If I weren''t here, you would be dead now because of your carelessness!"


    Sun Mengmengughed. "I intentionally revealed an opening because you were here, Captain. I wanted to see if you woulde rescue me!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s dominance in the second realm didn''t cause her to be big-headed, but Zhang Lie thought it prudent to remind her to be cautious given how long it had been since theirst meeting.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "I''ll teach you a lessonter! Now, tell me, how is it that you chose such an opportune time to ascend to the third realm?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "Captain, let me be clear on one thing: we all only ascended after maxing out our disaster gene fragments. We had intended on preparing further and finding sessors for our positions in the kingdom of Limit, but we received urgent news about the aliens'' invasion of the human homeworld in the third realm. After talking with Fang Yi and the others, we decided to advance prematurely."


    Time passed even more quickly in the third realm than in the second. Zhang Lie had spent a year in the third realm, but that had only been three or four months in the second. It had only been a month since Sun Mengmeng and the others began working on their ns to ascend.


    The difference between the rate at which time passed in the second and third realms was massive, but even that paled inparison to that between Earth and the third realm. A year in the third realm corresponded only to roughly a dozen days on Earth.


    Sun Mengmeng had intended on ascending a few dayster, but the urgent news she received caused her to revise her ns.


    The human homeworld was being attacked. If it were destroyed, hunters ascending from the second realm to the third would be sent to a randomized location, which would greatly increase the difficulty of ascension for humanity atrge, not to mention the cost of building a new teleportation apparatus back to Earth.


    As a result, in order to protect humanity, the members of Team Zenith chose to ascend.


    Zhang Lie rified, "Everyone''s in the third realm, then?"


    "Right, Captain, everyone''s advanced!"


    Zhang Lie was overjoyed¡ªcoincidentally, he was in need of helpers. He nced all around him. "Where are the others?"


    "They''re still dealing with the invading aliens in the wormholes all around."


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. As he manipted his spear, a fuside of lightning shot through the battlefield.


    With his brilliant spear, Fang Yi dominated the battlefield.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that very moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently through the battlefield. Flowers of blood bloomed where his clones passed by, in such great numbers that the tide of the battle turned toward the humans and draconians.


    The invading aliens were particrly shocked. Why weren''t such powerful humans at the main battlefield with the Mengtai? What were they doing guarding the other wormholes to the human homeworld?


    Mist spread through the air. Hundreds of sharks formed a horde within that mist and roamed the battlefield, tearing at whatever alien they encountered. When any of the sharks were defeated, more spawned from the mist, an endless army.


    Yang Ze stood atop a wall overlooking the battlefield. Lotus flowers made of pure water blossomed from the buds with which he had seeded the battlefield, each an intricate construct of gic energy. "Looks like I have enough prepared now."


    There were over a hundred lotus flowers blooming.


    Yang Ze snapped his fingers.


    Ripple after ripple of water-attuned gic energy emanated from each flower, bursting apart in the air and forming huge waves that swallowed up all the aliens trapped within the cloud of mist. The mist dissipated, leaving no trace of any of the aliens behind.


    One of the human hunters rushed forward. "Thank you for your assistance. Aren''t you from Team Zenith?"


    Most of the human hunters had tuned in to the Void Cup, and they had at least some impression of Yang Ze.


    The strength he showed would have been absolutely incredible for a seasoned third-realm hunter, let alone one who had just ascended.


    Yang Ze replied, "I''m Yang Ze, from Team Zenith."


    Curious though the hunters might be about the source of his strength, there were more pressing matters. "The Mengtai are leading the charge against the human homeworld. The draconian sage, king of the realm, has headed to the Mengtai battlefield himself, but I''m afraid¡ª"


    Yang Ze held up a hand. "Don''t worry. The strongest ranged attacker in Team Zenith was assigned to that battlefield. With her around, no Mengtai will ever im the humannds."


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The hundred clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that they pinned down all the invaders on the ground. To them, Sun Xiaowu was a walking cmity.

 Chapter 755: The End of the Battle

    <h4>Chapter 755: The End of the Battle</h4>


    With a low shout, Sun Xiaowu and all his clones jumped up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" The entire sky was covered in golden radiance. Thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    As Sun Xiaowu punched forward, a golden qilin materialized out of nowhere and rushed toward the invaders.


    The entire battlefield shook. The wall trembled violently, as though its very foundations were shaking. The attack struck like a nuclear warhead, sending the golden light ring up for thousands of meters, so bright that it felt as though the sun had fallen to the ground.


    Many on the battlefield couldn''t even open their eyes, overwhelmed by the sheer brightness. The aliens who had dared to invade the human homeworld, stunned by the attack, all dropped their weapons and surrendered.


    Over on his own battlefield, Li Feng was likewise putting up an excellent show.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. They swept across the battlefield, destroying whatever invader they came across¡ªnot a fight at all, but rather a one-sided ughter.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, which he sent flying at the invaders, who were unable to respond adequately to the attack.


    Initially, the invades had had the numerical advantage, and the humans and draconians were forced into the defensive, but with Li Feng''s appearance, the flow of the battle began to shift.


    The invaders werepletely suppressed and forced to fall back, and the weaker among them had fallen prey entirely to the arclight dragons.


    The invaders regretted their actions immensely. If they had known that there were humans of this caliber on the battlefield, they wouldn''t havee¡ªthey didn''t want to die!


    Sensing an opportunity, Li Feng raised the sword in his hands high into the air andunched another attack.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" A light dragon descended from the heavens like a beacon of shining light. Li Feng leapt up to the head of the dragon, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    A dragon of light flew over the entire battlefield. Li Feng swung down and cleaved the sky, tearing apart the night and shing at the veil of chaos. As the strikended, an explosion of white light erupted from around Li Feng, annihting the invaders.


    If Zhang Lie were around, he would have been ted to see Li Feng''s rapid improvement in strength.


    The humans and draconians cheered.


    An outburst of green light shielded Zhou Ying. Her hair grew long enough to reach her legs, turning into a green the color of sparkling jade. She looked so beautiful that the members of Team Zenith were immediately enraptured.


    The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend. An aura of vitality filled the battlefield. The injured humans and draconians found their wounds healing at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Zhou Ying made her move.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" As she released all her stored energy, the ground began to quake. Thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth like trains roaring out of the ground.


    Giant vines broke through the earth.


    The invaders tried to muster a resistance against this field-wide attack, but the dragons continuously poured out from deep underground like soldiers in Zhou Ying''smand.


    The humans and draconians cheered in triumph. They rushed onto the battlefield and slew the foes trapped by Zhou Ying''s vines, which tangled up and wrapped around the inavders, absorbing their life force and sprouting boughs, branches, and leaves.


    The trees grew over the captured invaders, leaving an imprint of their horrified faces in the bark. Even more frighteningly, the vines didn''t stop at absorbing the live invaders'' energy; they absorbed the corpses littering the ground, too.


    The vines pierced the corpses and quickly absorbed the remaining blood and vital energy from their bodies, shrinking and desating them.


    In a matter of moments, the ground, which had just been littered with corpses, became a lush, verdant forest.


    However, none of the fighters found this greenery at allforting; it was instead a source of fear. The forest had grown out of existence from the lifeforce of the living and the dead.


    As Zhou Ying extended her control to the trees, their leaves began to rustle. They transformed into sharp des that scoured thend, a storm of green leaves that quickly turned bloody as it struck the invaders. The humans and draconians watched with wide eyes as the invaders fell by the dozen.


    The humans and draconians were very much relieved that Zhou Ying was on their side. The storm of leaves avoided them all, targeting only the invaders. The leaves themselves were like a reaper''s scythe, continuously harvesting the lives of the invaders. The allied forces couldn''t hold back a shudder.


    The woman standing on the battlefield, surrounded by green motes of light, gave off an aura of life and vitality¡ªbut she felt more like a goddess of the dead. In some sense, she was a goddess of life, but the domain of life involved both granting vitality and taking it away.


    Both the humans and draconians stared at her in awe.


    In one fell swoop, she had taken control of the battlefield and devastated the enemy forces, leaving behind only human and draconian corpses strewn across a forest. No invader''s body was left behind.


    As soon as the members of Team Zenith took to the battlefield and dealt with the invading aliens, the human homeworld''s crisis was fully resolved.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "In that case, I won''t need to worry about the other invaders."


    The wounded human warlords stepped forward and extended their hands. "Thank you for your assistance. You must be the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie¡ªwe''ve all heard your name! I''m one of the two human warlords of the third realm, 85th on the ranking, ah, well, 86th now."


    Zhang Lie shook his hand. "I know of you. Chen Fan, right?"


    Zhang Lie knew quite a bit about the human warlords. This Chen Fan hadn''t be a warlord in his past life, but he was still a famed hunter in his own right. Perhaps because of Zhang Lie''s presence and the butterfly effect he caused, Chen Fan had be a warlord in this life.


    Chen Fan smiled in gratitude. "It''s an honor that you know my name, Zhang Lie. I''m hardly anyone famous, and I was only able to advance to my current station thanks to the limit potions you developed."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes shone. "Right, how about the other warlord? I''ve always been interested in meeting Chen Ruiming. He''s done so much for the good of humanity in the third realm."


    Chen Ruiming had been a warlord in Zhang Lie''s past life, and he was one of the hunters whom Zhang Lie deeply respected. He had been a third-realm warlord for decades, and was particrly fond of cultivating gifted hunters in the third realm. He had helped out Zhang Lie quite a few times in his past life.


    Although he hadn''t made much of himself in the fourth realm, he was still someone Zhang Lie remembered and heeded.


    Chen Fan''s face fell.


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Chen Fan sighed. "Warlord Chen Ruiming perished in the recent invasion in order to protect the humans and the draconians. Behemoth killed him."

 Chapter 756: Rivals in Love

    <h4>Chapter 756: Rivals in Love</h4>


    "Killed!" Zhang Lie was taken aback. "Has Warlord Chen Ruiming really perished? What a shame...


    No, hold on! He might not be among the strongest warlords of the third realm, but even so, it shouldn''t be so easy for Behemoth to kill him, surely!"


    Chen Fan sighed. "We trusted the wrong ally. The ckwind race has been on good terms with the draconians, so when the Mengtai attacked and the ckwind came to help us, we were very d. And then..."


    Zhang Lie understood what had happened; he had defeated members of the ckwind race on the battlefield. "And then the ckwind betrayed you and assassinated Warlord Chen Ruiming, I take it?"


    This wasn''t something that had happened in Zhang Lie''s past life. In some sense, Zhang Lie was partially responsible for the issue.


    Chen Fan''s face was stony. "None of us expected the ckwind to betray us at the most crucial moment."


    Zhang Lie replied coldly, "The ckwind will pay with blood for killing a human warlord."


    "Destroying a world isn''t that easy," Chen Fan cautioned. "Now that we''ve destroyed the invading forces, they''ll surely send even more against us."


    Neither Chen Fan nor the rest of the humans took Zhang Lie''s words seriously. Even though they had witnessed his strength, they were doubtful of what he could aplish.


    After all, destroying a world was far harder than it seemed, and there were eight worlds allied against them. If there had been just one, Chen Fan would easily have believed that Zhang Lie could take it on, but not eight together at once.


    Zhang Lie was just one hunter. Sun Mengmeng was just one hunter. There might be two strong humans around, but there were eight worlds. Even if Zhang Lie could handle three, and Sun Mengmeng could handle one, there would be four remaining.


    Chen Fan didn''t dare imagine that there were hunters around as strong as Sun Mengmeng; he simply couldn''t believe that the other members of Team Zenith were as impressive as Sun Mengmeng.


    Chen Fan continued, "It must have been a struggle for all of you to get here so quickly, and you must be tired. Have a good night''s rest, and we can talk about avenging Warlord Chen Ruimingter."


    The injured draconian sage was slowly walking toward the humans, supported by a few other draconians. He had reverted to his human form and was sizing up Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng. "I had hardly expected to find such strength among the humans. You have my gratitude for saving the draconian world, for saving us all!"


    The other draconians had likewise canceled their battle transformations. In their usual forms, they were much like the humans, except for the horns on their heads.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It was only natural for us to help¡ªthis is also the human homeworld, after all."


    As the spatial rift died away, the rest of Zhang Lie''s group rushed over.


    The draconian sage, other draconians, and the humans all became visibly nervous¡ªafter all, Zhang Lie''s retinue was farrger than they had expected.


    There were over a hundred aliens from the Milky Way, along with the massive hordes of lifeforms under Zhang Lie''s control, forming a ck mass in the horizon. The draconians and humans, who were unprepared and defenseless, could hardly help but be anxious.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "There''s no need to worry. The aliens are all myrades, and the lifeforms under my direct control."


    "What?!" Chen Fan and the draconian sage, along with both the human and draconian forces, were shocked by Zhang Lie''s words. That veritable army of lifeforms, tens of thousands strong¡ªthe weakest among them was a superior-grade lifeform, and those lifeforms alone could easily take down a world by themselves!


    No wonder Zhang Lie feltfortable iming that he would seek revenge by destroying the invaders'' worlds! With such a staggering number of forces, he would be able to aplish anything.


    "Zhang Lie!" Li Qianlin waved at Zhang Lie from the very front of the party. She strode forward and checked his body for any wounds, rxing when she didn''t find any. "When I heard that you were going to brave a spatial rift, I was so frightened¡ªbut it seems like you really seeded!"


    Just then, Sun Mengmeng casually walked up to Zhang Lie and took ahold of his wrist. "Zhang Lie, who''s this?"


    Sun Mengmeng had heard about Zhang Lie crashing Li Qianlin''s wedding. After all, the news had taken the entire gxy by storm.


    However, given Sun Mengmeng''s understanding of Zhang Lie, there was no way he would simply snatch a woman for no reason whatsoever. Furthermore, Li Qianlin showed no outstanding talent or aptitude for anything; she was just a pretty face.


    Sun Mengmeng had the better body, and she felt that they were equally beautiful. In terms of style and poise, she couldn''t hope topare to Li Qianlin, who was a princess by birth, but she was far and away the victor in terms of strength.


    Considering all these factors, it was apparent that she, Sun Mengmeng, was the superior candidate.


    Li Qianlin nced at Sun Mengmeng with no small amount of distaste herself. The two women made eye contact, their eyes sparking.


    Sun Mengmeng extended a hand. "I''m Sun Mengmeng, Zhang Lie''spanion and one of the members of Team Zenith."


    Li Qianlin raised an eyebrow. "Zhang Lie''s subordinate, then? And here I thought you were someone established in your own right."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "And who are you?"


    Li Qianlin smiled sweetly and tugged on Zhang Lie''s other wrist. "I''m his wife."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Another one of you, then."


    Li Qianlin frowned. "What? What do you mean?"


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "I''ve dealt with far too many shameless women like you in the past, calling yourself Zhang Lie''s woman, Zhang Lie''s wife, Zhang Lie''s lover, Zhang Lie''s long-lost daughter, Zhang Lie''s long-lost sister¡ªsuch women have only appeared in greater and greater numbers ever since he established the kingdom of Limit."


    Li Qianlin pointed at her forehead. "I''m not like those types of people. Don''t you see my forehead? This is a mark of marriage conferred by the will of the world itself."


    .


    Sun Mengmeng shrugged. "I don''t care what the will of the world ims. Have you registered your marriage at the world federation''s department of civil affairs?"


    Li Qianlin gaped. "Department of civil affairs...?"


    "Don''t you know?" Sun Mengmeng sneered. "If not, then your marriage surely isn''t formalized under gcticw. You''re iming to be married under false pretenses¡ªit''s a crime that could see you jailed! As long as your marriage isn''t recognized by the department of civil affairs, it can hardly be considered a marriage in truth."


    Li Qianlin retorted, "In our world, a formal marriage is recognized by the will of the world itself!"


    The two rivals in love hated each other at first sight. They began to bicker and feud with each other, while Zhang Lie watched on at a loss for words...

 Chapter 757: Fighting for Affection

    <h4>Chapter 757: Fighting for Affection</h4>


    In the end, however, Zhang Lie had to step forward and calm the two women down.


    After cleaning up the battlefield, the humans and draconians retreated back to their world. Thanks to the humans'' influence, the draconian world was reminiscent of Earth.


    Sun Mengmeng and Li Qianlin''s friends andrades dragged the two of them apart, since they began to re and hiss at each other on sight.


    Dong Mingxing pulled Li Qianlin aside and told her, "Didn''t I tell you? Zhang Lie''s interested in you, so make sure you keep him tightly in the palm of your hand. There are countless women who would be willing to snatch away such powerful men in the blink of an eye."


    Li Qianlin chewed on her fingers in vexation. "I didn''t expect that I would have a rival so quickly. You know how he looks at other women as though they were men¡ªwho would have foreseen thepetition?


    "No, hold on, I''m a princess of the realm of arge world! Why should I care about whom Zhang Lie likes, and who likes Zhang Lie?"


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "If you don''t start being honest with yourself, Zhang Lie will really be snatched away by someone else."


    Li Qianlin twisted her head and snorted, "I don''t care!"


    Dong Mingxing smirked. "Is that so? In that case, I might have to consider getting close to Zhang Lie myself. He''s a serious and powerful man with great ambitions, after all. I became a fan of him after witnessing his fight with the king of the west."


    "You dare!" Li Qianlin shouted at her best friend.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie instructed Ren Kunjing, "Go hunt down the proof of kingship located on the Mengtai world. If you can''t find it, find someone who knows of it."


    Ren Kunjing frowned. "This might be difficult. You killed the Mengtai chieftain, Zhang Lie, as well as the Mengtai champion, the chieftain''s brother¡ªand you also razed thergest gathering of the Mengtai to the ground.


    We tried to search for the proof of kingship in the ruins of the gathering, but we didn''t find anything."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "If it were easy, I wouldn''t need you to do it."


    Xing Ying suggested, "If you can''t find the proof of kingship, there are more... forceful means."


    Sun Mengmeng, who had recently advanced to the third realm and wasn''t familiar with all the details regarding kings of the realm, asked, "What means?"


    Xing Ying extended two fingers. "When a world is without a king, there are two methods of obtaining the proof of kingship."


    Ren Kunjing jumped in. "The first method is to summon the will of the world directly by using a technique with enough strength to destroy the world. This isrgely a theoretical method, because there are only a rare few people who can manage such a feat."


    Xing Ying turned to Zhang Lie. "Fortunately, Zhang Lie is one such person."


    Ren Kunjing then continued, "The second method is to be the strongest race in the world."


    Xing Ying borated, "The proof of kingship is granted to the race most able to protect the world. Whether that race is the Mengtai or some other race entirely doesn''t much matter to the will of the world."


    Ren Kunjing sighed. "But if an indigenous race has be the king of the realm and you want the will of the world to recognize a new king, you''d have to be quite brutal."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "In what sense?"


    "To hunt them to extinction...?" Zhang Lie murmured.


    Ren Kunjing scratched his head. "Not entirely, but you need to decrease their numbers by roughly four-fifths."


    The four hunters'' conversation didn''t escape the notice of those around them. The draconians and humans were well aware of just how many Mengtai there were¡ªover ten million in all. In other words, Zhang Lie and the others would have to kill eight million Mengtai.


    Thergest problem at present was that Zhang Lie had razed the central Mengtai territory to the ground, so hunting down the proof of kingship was almost hopeless."


    Zhang Lie considered the problem seriously, then announced, "We''ll avoid hunting down the Mengtai if possible. I dislike the idea of hunting a race down to extinction."


    "I understand!" Ren Kunjing immediately replied.


    Zhang Lie might not like the idea of genocide, but he would ughter the Mengtai if that was what it took to recover the proof of kingship. He continued, "Bring back anyone who might have an idea as to where the proof of kingship is located. If you''re unable to obtain any useful information, we''ll use ourst resort."


    "Yes, Zhang Lie!"


    The draconians and human hunters who had participated in the battle trudged wearily to their barracks to rest, whereas Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng left to reunite with the rest of Team Zenith.


    Li Qianlin walked over to Zhang Lie and helped tidy up his attire, just as a wife would. "Getting here so quickly was taxing enough. Don''t overwork yourself, you here?"


    As Zhang Lie sped Li Qianlin''s pale white hand in his own, Li Qianlin began to blush.


    Just then, Sun Mengmeng grabbed onto Zhang Lie''s hand. "Qianlin, there''s no need to worry. I won''t let Zhang Lie tire himself out."


    Li Qianlin frowned. She didn''t know how to respond until Dong Mingxing nudged her back. "Very well, Sun Mengmeng. I hope you''ll take good care of him¡ªhe''s always working too hard, and he doesn''t know how to take care of himself!"


    Zhang Lie smirked as he watched the two women bicker over him. In his past life, he hadn''t seen this side of Li Qianlin''s personality.


    Sun Mengmeng tugged on Zhang Lie''s hand. "Zhang Lie, let''s go!"


    As she watched them leave, Dong Mingxing sighed and shook her head. "You lost that confrontation."


    Li Qianlin gritted her teeth. "Who would have expected that demoness to be so forceful?!"


    Dong Mingxing shook her head again. "You need to calm down and be more in control of yourself. Men prefer kind, virtuous women. You need to pretend to be magnanimous and caring, to not mind that Zhang Lie has other women by his side, in order to remain his favorite."


    "Don''t you think I understand?" Li Qianlin sniffed. "Just you wait. I''ll work on my forbearance and introduce you to a brand-new Li Qianlin!"


    "Let''s hope so..."


    Everyone in Team Zenith was overjoyed at the long-awaited reunion.


    "It''s been a while, Captain!" Li Feng called out.


    Fang Yiughed. "Captain, we''re here to ride on your coattails again¡ªyou don''t mind, do you?"


    Sun Xiaowu smirked. "Of course not¡ªwe''re his right-hand men!"


    "We missed you, Captain. Did you miss us too?" Zhou Ying asked.


    "Of course I did! You''re all elites I fostered from the very beginning. How could I forget about you all?"


    The reunion was a festive asion. Zhang Lie had the draconians arrange a manor for him, and they were more than happy toply given what he had done to save them all.


    1. Oh boy...

 Chapter 758: In Search of Proof

    <h4>Chapter 758: In Search of Proof</h4>


    After a momentary pause, Li Feng asked, "Captain, what''s the deal with those aliens from the Milky Way?"


    Yang Ze''s question was different. "Captain, I heard you snatched away arge world''s princess at her wedding!"


    Zhou Ying added onto that question. "Why did you do it, Captain?"


    Sun Xiaowu piled on. "Captain, what were you thinking? My sister almost sobbed herself to death when you did it¡ªyou have to exin yourself!"


    Zhang Lie raised his hands in surrender. "Enough, enough! I don''t know where to start answering your questions. A lot of things happened to me in the third realm, so many that I wouldn''t be able to tell you about them all in three days and three nights."


    Sun Mengmeng leapt forward. "Captain, you''ll at least tell us why you crashed the wedding, won''t you?"


    Zhang Lie raised his head and nced up at the sky. "I was struck by love like a jolt of lightning: in a sh, I found myself with intense longing for the bride."


    .


    Sun Xiaowu''s lips spasmed.


    Zhang Lie sighed and turned to the members of Team Zenith. "Alright. Enough about me¡ªall of you were training hard in the second realm, weren''t you?"


    The hunters all knew he wanted to change the topic. Since he was unwilling to tell them more about the wedding, none of them would push him.


    Li Feng patted himself on the chest. "Captain, there''s no need to worry about us. We''re far stronger than we were in the second realm, so we''ll surely be able to take on any responsibilities you give us!"


    "I don''t have anything nned for you at the moment. After all, you''ve all just advanced, so take the time to im your new gene fragments. Once you''ve all maxed out your superior gene fragments, there''ll be plenty of responsibilities waiting for you all. Come, let''s drink!"


    Zhang Lie retrieved a vat of alcohol from his soulshard storage. "This is remarkable alcohol," he introduced, handing cups out to everyone. As the hunters downed the alcohol, their eyes brightened.


    Li Feng suddenly shouted, "Captain, just what is this alcohol? I just received some gene fragments!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "I told you, it''s good alcohol."


    Yang Ze sighed in rxation. "The third realm is truly iparable to the second. I can''t believe alcohol like this exists!"


    Zhang Lie poured himself a cup and took a gulp. "Haha, there are more amazing things in the third realm to discover. Once you''re all done with the alcohol, I''ll have the Jinghun bring over some lifeforms for you to kill. We''ll work on your regr, mutated, and superior gene fragments for now. Stabilize your foundations after that, thene back to me for peak gene fragments."


    Sun Xiaowu shouted, "Yes, Captain! With you around, we won''t even have to go hunting ourselves!"


    The hunters of Team Zenith drank together for the entire night.


    Ren Kunjing was a particrly efficient aide, and he had returned by the next morning.


    Zhang Lie had also been drinking for the entire night, but his remarkable constitution kept him clear-minded even when everyone fell down drunk. The alcohol he had shared was very potent; even the hunters of Team Zenith, who were all peak-grade lifeforms, were affected by it.


    However, after drinking for the entire night, not even Zhang Lie was immune to the effects of a hangover. His head throbbed with pain, as though two hammers were continuously beating on his temples.


    As he stumbled to the gates of the draconian enve, he found a few Mengtai kneeling before them.


    Zhang Lie turned to Ren Kunjing. "What''s this? You like those tricks about making sinners kneel and show their repentance?"


    Zhang Lie believed actions spoke louder than words. No matter how these sinners knelt or lived their lives now, the dead wouldn''t revive. What was the point?


    Ren Kunjing rolled his eyes. "Zhang Lie, you were the one who told me to bring any relevant Mengtai back here!"


    Zhang Lie winced as he palmed his head. "I remember now. I was drinking the entire night, so I''m having a hard time thinking straight."


    Ren Kunjing continued, "These Mengtai are the chieftains of each of the nomadic tribes. None of their tribes canpare to the one led by the king of the realm, but they''re all rtively important people in their own right.


    "We''ve asked about the proof of kingship before, but they''ve staunchly refused to reveal what they know. However, our informants are certain they know more than they''re letting on."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his temples. The effect of the alcohol had yet to subside; they had drunk all the vats of alcohol that Zhang Lie had had in his storage.


    The alcohol packed a punch, but the side effects were equally overwhelming. No ordinary hunter would be able to bear it, so the fact that Zhang Lie was even standing was extraordinary. None of the members of Team Zenith had yet woken up¡ªand Zhang Lie had drunk far more than they had.


    Ren Kunjing exined, "That''s why I''ve brought them all here so you can interrogate them all simultaneously, Zhang Lie."


    The Mengtai chieftains begged for mercy as they knelt.


    "Please, let us go! We really don''t know anything!"


    "We apologize! If we had known that the humans were under the protection of such strong hunters like you, we wouldn''t have attacked.


    We deeply regret our foolish actions, and we''ve repented. We shouldn''t have struck at the humans and draconians."


    Zhang Lie and Ren Kunjing watched on coldly, unperturbed by the chieftains'' cries.


    Since the humans had emerged as theplete victor of the confrontation, the chieftains naturally had to defer to them, but if Zhang Lie and the others hadn''t made it to the human homeworld on time, or if the members of Team Zenith hadn''t ascended quickly enough, the draconian world would now be the property of the Mengtai.


    The humans, who would lose their homeworld and be teleported to a random location in the third realm upon ascending, would have much greater a mortality rate.


    Zhang Lie and Ren Kunjing knew very well that, in the dimensional realm, strength was might. The humans and draconians had won; that was why the Mengtai chieftains were regretful. If the humans and draconians had lost instead, the Mengtai would have lorded over them and not spared them any mercy. Their cruelty was apparent on the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie began, "As long as you tell me where the proof of kingship is located, all of you will have a chance to live."


    The Mengtai cried out, "We don''t know, we really don''t! Something as important as the proof of kingship could only be under the care of our king, and none of us have any clue where he would hide it."


    "Right, how would we know? None of us are close to the king of the realm!"


    "If I''m not mistaken, something as important as the proof of kingship should be located by the king''s side. Didn''t you find it?"

 Chapter 759: The Conundrum, Resolved

    <h4>Chapter 759: The Conundrum, Resolved</h4>


    Ren Kunjing turned to Zhang Lie. "There''s something suspicious about all these chieftains, isn''t there?"


    The chieftains all lowered their heads to the ground as one, their bodies trembling.


    "But we really don''t know a thing!"


    "We''re all just minor yers in the Mengtai world. How would we know where the proof of kingship is located? It''s far too important for the likes of us!"


    If they had known that the humans had such a powerful backer, they wouldn''t have dared to invade.


    Zhang Lie''s temples were still throbbing, and he was somewhat unwilling to use his mistmeld m soulshard.


    .


    However, it was clearly the most effective way of obtaining information. Zhang Lie stepped forward and was just about to use his mistmeld m soulshard when Ren Kunjing stopped him. "Zhang Lie, give me a chance to show you my capabilities."


    Zhang Lie''s temples were hurting, so he was very happy to have Ren Kunjing take over.


    Ren Kunjing smiled coldly. "As far as I know, the king of the realm is chosen among the chieftains of every generation¡ªnot on ount of their strength, but rather their poprity, in the sense that each chieftain casts a vote for their candidate. In other words, you chieftains were the ones who nominated him to his position."


    If the selection for the king of the realm were truly based on strength, Behemoth would surely have been the king.


    Ren Kunjing smirked. "In that case, I''m sure you all understand why I suspect you have more information you''re not telling us."


    The chieftains all shook their heads. "No, no, we don''t know where the proof of kingship is! We were only responsible for selecting among the candidates!


    The high priest was the one responsible for conferring the kingship and overseeing the transfer of authority..."


    Ren Kunjing asked, "In that case, where''s the high priest?"


    "He died when you attacked thergest Mengtai gathering," the Mengtai chieftains replied.


    Zhang Lie: ¡­


    Ren Kunjing snorted. "It looks like you guys still don''t understand the importance of the matter. Do you think that you''ll be able to go back to ruling the Mengtai if you can withstand this hurdle? There''s no way you''ll seed. As you know, there are only two means of obtaining the proof of kingship when a world is without a king: either destroy the world, or destroy the ruling race."


    Zhang Lie rubbed at his temples again.


    Ren Kunjing smiled. "The first means is difficult to aplish, especially if the will of the world is stubborn. I personally prefer the second means¡ªgenocide."


    Zhang Lie retrieved a cup from his storage-type soulshard and poured himself a ss of water. He found a piece of ginger and gathered gic energy by his fingertips before peeling the ginger, slicing it, dropping the slices into the cup, and then vibrating the molecules of water within with fine control, just like a microwave.


    Very quickly, he prepared a hangover remedy.


    He didn''t much care whether or not the Mengtai chieftains revealed the truth behind the proof of kingship. His headache was the more pressing problem; once he resolved that, he would easily be able to activate his mistmeld m soulshard andpel the Mengtai chieftains to reveal all that they knew.


    Ren Kunjing red at the chieftains.


    "The proof of kingship is granted to the race most able to protect the world. Whether that race is the Mengtai or some other race entirely doesn''t matter to the will of the world."


    The chieftains trembled. "Just what are you nning?"


    "Genocide," Ren Kunjing repeated.


    The Mengtai chieftains'' eyes widened.


    "If you all refuse to tell us anything, we can only choose to give up on the proof of kingship and wipe your race off the face of the world."


    The Mengtai chieftains all kowtowed violently. "Please, let our race go! Our king is dead, and there''s no way we can pose a threat. Don''t doom us to extinction!"


    "We Mengtai haven''t done anything to merit this level of punishment! If you''re going to kill anyone, just kill us and be done with it!"


    Ren Kunjing scowled. "As long as you tell me where the proof of kingship is located, all the Mengtai will be spared. But if you don''t..."


    The Mengtai chieftains continued kowtowing, until all their heads were bruised and bloody.


    "We truly don''t know!"


    "Please, we know nothing!"


    "As long as you let our race go, I''ll be willing to do anything!"


    Ren Kunjing gritted his teeth, not knowing how to proceed.


    Zhang Lie continued sipping on the ginger tea as he watched Ren Kunjing. When his headache finally dissipated, he handed his ss to the Jinghun warlord. "My turn, I think."


    As Ren Kunjing took the proffered ss, Zhang Lie called out, "Lift your heads."


    The Mengtai chieftains continued kowtowing, as though they would smash their own skulls open and die as long as Zhang Lie and Ren Kunjing refused to spare the Mengtai.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I have a task for you. If you can aplish it well, I''ll let the Mengtai go, and I''ll even ignore the fact that the Mengtai attacked the humans and draconians.


    The Mengtai chieftains all lifted their heads, only to be caught by Zhang Lie''s gaze through his mistmeld m soulshard.


    The Mengtai chieftains'' expressions turned ck as they were caught by Zhang Lie''s hypnosis.


    Zhang Lie began, "The task is very simple: reveal the location of the proof of kingship."


    The Mengtai chieftains responded as one, "The proof of kingship is located at the sacrednds of the Mengtai."


    "Where is that?"


    "When the various tribes select a chieftain to rule them all, that new chieftain will head toward the sacrednds and inherit the kingship with the help of the high priest."


    The chieftains who had stubbornly remained silent now divulged all their secrets.


    Ren Kunjing, who once again realized the power of Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, shivered.


    "Do you know where these sacrednds are?"


    The Mengtai chieftains replied, "We haven''t been there ourselves, but we know roughly where it is."


    They told Zhang Lie what they knew, and he pped his hands as he turned to Ren Kunjing. "Well, there''s that."

 Chapter 760: Plans for War

    <h4>Chapter 760: ns for War</h4>


    Ren Kunjing couldn''t help but ask the chieftains, "Why did you hide this information? Do you really think we wouldn''t dare ughter the Mengtai?"


    None of the Mengtai chieftains responded. They would listen only to Zhang Lie''s orders, since he was the one in possession of the mistmeld m soulshard.


    Zhang Lie echoed Ren Kunjing''s question. "Indeed, why didn''t you tell the truth? Aren''t you afraid of our threat?"


    The Mengtai would hardly need that proof of kingship when all of them were dead.


    The chieftains replied, "Purging our race will take quite some time. Because you''ve killed the invading forces of other alien races nearby, they surely won''t let you go.


    "We attacked the humans because we thought they were growing to be too strong a threat. Now that everyone was defeated and the invaders'' reinforcements have likewise fallen, the humans are a clear threat, and the invading races are surely all nning for a concerted attack even now."


    The draconians'' neighbors were no amicable ally; that was evident enough from the battle the humans and draconians had just gone through. The reason the aliens hadunched an invasion of the human and draconian world was because they wanted to defeat the draconians once and for all, then nip the humans'' growth in the bud.


    The fact that none of these aliens had returned meant that the humans had defeated them all.


    Without having seen the members of Team Zenith fight for themselves or how Zhang Lie led his group of warlords through a spatial rift, they had no clue just how strong Zhang Lie was. All they knew was that their forces hadn''t returned.


    How could the aliens do nothing? From their perspective, even if their forces hadn''t returned, the concerted assault would have gravely weakened the humans and draconians, and both sides had to have suffered.


    This would be an excellent time tomit more resources to the invasion and to swoop up the spoils of war.


    The Mengtai chieftains snickered at each other. "We''re familiar with the invading alien races, and we know how they''ll respond. They know how threatening the humans are, and they won''t be able to remain still. They''ll attack sooner orter, just you wait."


    Ren Kunjing seemed to understand what the chieftains were saying. "So the lot of you were just waiting for the other aliens to attack, thinking that your crisis would be resolved then?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Even if we were to purge the Mengtai, that isn''t something we could do in just a few days. As long as you manage to stall until more invading forces arrive, you would be able to protect the proof of kingship and crown a new king. With the king''s presence, you''d be able to protect your world once more."


    The Mengtai chieftains might appear pitiful in front of Zhang Lie, but they had their own ns and schemes.


    Ren Kunjing snorted. "If we can kill one king of the realm, don''t you think we can kill a second?"


    Zhang Lie exined the chieftains'' reasoning. "They must believe that we won''t be able to withstand the assault of the alien races."


    Ren Kunjingughed coldly. "They truly underestimate us, don''t they?"


    Neither Zhang Lie nor Ren Kunjing were particrly concerned about the Mengtai chieftains'' thoughts. After all, Zhang Lie''s forces were sufficient to handle even the invaders of a few dozen different worlds.


    "Are we going to be attacked by even more aliens, then?" Zhang Lie murmured. "An excellent opportunity to hunt down more proofs of kingship."


    Ren Kunjing suggested, "Shall I send someone to retrieve the Mengtai proof of kingship?"


    Zhang Lie nodded and added, "Help me prepare lifeforms of all rarities."


    "Are you intending to help the members of Team Zenith get their gene fragments?" That was the first thing Ren Kunjing thought of.


    "Indeed!"


    "I''ll go prepare the lifeforms at once, Zhang Lie!"


    By the time the members of Team Zenith woke up, they found an orderly line of gic lifeforms waiting for them. Ren Kunjing introduced, "The first row of lifeforms is regr-grade, the second is mutated-grade, and the third is superior-grade."


    The members of Team Zenith blinked.


    Yang Ze sighed. "I feel like collecting gene fragments has be far more boring than before. There''s none of the fun of collecting them one at a time anymore¡ªah, my youth..."


    Zhang Lie replied, "If you''re interested in slowly collecting gene fragments, I won''t stop you. Ren Kunjing, let one portion of the lifeforms go. This fellow wants to do it all himself!"


    "Ah, wait, Captain!" Yang Ze hurriedly changed his mind. "No, pretend I didn''t say anything! I''m very d I can skip the tedious process of collecting gene fragments normally¡ªonly losers without powerful backers have to do that!"


    The members of Team Zenith were stunned by Yang Ze''s shamelessness.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Alright, get your gene fragments now. We have a lot of work to do!"


    The members of Team Zenith began killing the lifeforms, then roasting the carcasses or making a hotpot by the side. They had never expected to find it so... painful... to collect gene fragments and consume the lifeforms'' meat.


    They could clearly recall how happy they had been to even get a chance to consume superior- and peak-grade lifeform meat, but now, they were forced to eat so much in one go that they were growing tired of it.


    "Growing stronger is truly an arduous process," Yang Ze remarked, picking up yet another slice of peak-grade lifeform meat.


    Ren Kunjing''s mouth spasmed. If this could be considered painful, he was sure that 99% of all hunters would be more than willing to undergo such pain.


    The members of Team Zenith quickly replenished their gene fragments. Meanwhile, the draconian sage and Warlord Chen Fan, after a period of rest, recovered from their injuries.


    The next morning, Zhang Lie convened a meeting between them all, and the aliens of the Milky Way also joined in. They wanted totch onto Zhang Lie, so they naturally had to ally with the humans as well. Even though quite a fair number of them had shed against the draconians and Chen Fan in the past, on ount of Zhang Lie, they were willing to let bygones be bygones.


    "The aliens of the neighboring worlds will attack sooner orter. I suggest we take the initiative and attack them first," Zhang Lie began.


    Chen Fan frowned. "Zhang Lie, I know how strong you are, and how your team has enough firepower to wipe out a medium-sized world. You''ve even brought so many aliens from the Milky Way with you, and there must be over half the warlords on the third-realm leaderboard here at the moment. Even so, I''m afraid you might not have a good understanding of the current situation in the draconian world."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, you''re mistaken. I understand the situation very well: our foes are just small fry. There''s nothing to worry about, so rx!"

 Chapter 761: Enemy of the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 761: Enemy of the Realm</h4>


    Chen Fan frowned. "Zhang Lie, don''t you know how many worlds border ours, and how many foes we have?"


    Zhang Lie replied smoothly, "There are six worlds in the immediate vicinity of this one, led by the ckwind, Mengtai, devil trees, giant demons, ck spirits, and greenskin beasts respectively.


    "The ckwind, once an ally, betrayed the humans and draconians in our time of greatest need. In total, this world has eight enemy factions, two of whom are worlds farther away allied with the Mengtai. They also participated in the earlier invasion attempt."


    Chen Fan and the draconian sage nodded to themselves; it seemed that Zhang Lie at least had an understanding of their current straits and wasn''t simply spouting empty words. Though they were still somewhat skeptical of Zhang Lie''s ims, they understood that his n wasn''t simply idle whimsy.


    Zhang Lie was actually quite familiar with the worlds surrounding the draconian world, and he had even been to them personally in his past life.


    After all, he had remained in the third realm for a very long time then, and his memories of the third realm were all but imprinted in his head. "If we also consider the worlds allied with the Mengtai allies, I expect we''ll have to face twelve such worlds in all."


    Upon hearing how many enemies they would have to fight, the members of Team Zenith all sucked in a deep breath, but they looked more excited than scared.


    Chen Fan apologized. "Zhang Lie, it looks like you''ve put serious thought into this proposal. I''m sorry for dismissing you so abruptly earlier."


    "There''s no need for that. You''re simply thinking of the greater good for humans and draconians alike."


    Chen Fan responded seriously, "It''s certainly true that attacking the invaders and gaining the upper hand is important, but I think we should consider trying to pressure some of the aliens into backing down and trying to source whatever allies we can.


    "Given your strength, Zhang Lie, along with the members of Team Zenith and the warlords of the Milky Way, I''m sure we can take down two or three worlds rapidly. The other worlds will be shocked by our ability and submit to us."


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. "There''s no need for such trouble. We can beat them all with brute strength."


    Chen Fan frowned. "Twelve worlds at once? Zhang Lie, do you intend on taking on all three thousand worlds of the third realm?"


    The human representatives were likewise doubtful of Zhang Lie''s n.


    "The aliens are fearful of us humans because of how quickly we''re growing. Zhang Lie, you may have the ability to take down twelve worlds at once, but what about the others? We''ll only draw more and more enemies, fearful of our growing strength. Zhang Lie, do you intend to take down all the worlds by force?"


    "We''ll never see an end to the carnage..."


    This was a strategy only alien races who were naturally prone to fighting would attempt.


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "And what''s wrong with that?"


    Even after the invasion attempt, quite a few of the humans preferred a more diplomatic approach, while others were scared of the endless warfare that would result if they did otherwise.


    Chen Fan and the other humans and draconians present fell silent, not knowing how to respond.


    Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help butugh. "This is truly a response I''d expect from you, Captain."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "If ten worlds want to make us their enemy, we''ll take them all down.


    "If a hundred worlds want to make us their enemy, we''ll take them all down.


    "If a thousand worlds want to make us their enemy, we''ll take them all down¡ªand if all three thousand worlds want to make us their enemy, we''ll im all three thousand for ourselves."


    Chen Fan stood up in shock. "Zhang Lie, are you... dering war on the entire realm?"


    "If all you see are enemies, what will you see at the end of your ughter?" the draconian sage asked. He had remained silent during the entire meeting; this was his first time speaking up.


    He was a being of ancient wisdom and experience, and his eyes shone with deep insight. His question seemed to be probing Zhang Lie''s innermost desires.


    "I represent the world. All shall lie at my feet!" Zhang Lie announced arrogantly, as though this were some trivial feat.


    Chen Fan frowned. "Aren''t you being a little too ambitious, Zhang Lie?"


    However, the draconian sage suddenly lifted his head andughed. "Haha, haha! Haha!"


    Everyone turned toward the draconian sage, who had broken out inughter. It took him a while to return to his senses. "I apologize. It''s been too long since I was so excited."


    Chen Fan frowned again. "Sage?"


    The draconian sage looked directly at Zhang Lie. "I might be a useless pile of old bones, and I know you might not think much of us draconians, but I and the rest of the draconians shall lend you our full support."


    Chen Fan''s eyes widened.


    The sage continued, "It''s been too long since I saw such a sparkling piece of jade¡ªno, you''re no piece of jade, but rather a star shining brighter than the sun! I eagerly await what kind of change you''ll bring to the three thousand worlds of the realm, and I admire your drive that keeps you charging onward despite what anyone else says."


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised by the sage''s pronouncement; his favorite activity was to cultivate new heroes and turn them into legends in their own right. With his experience, he had helped out countless hunters with tremendous potential, and was known to be mentor, patron, and witness to a host of geniuses and legends.


    The sage''s eyes had never been mistaken before.


    Zhang Lie countered, "And if I''m charging headfirst into the abyss?"


    "Then we''ll be going into the abyss together," the draconian sage replied without hesitation.


    Chen Fan mulled it over, but announced, "I still oppose this decision."


    Zhang Lie smiled faintly. "I apologize, Chen Fan, but this is a decision I''m making for myself, irrespective of what you think. As you know, my Team Zenith can''t remain in the third realm for good, and we won''t be able to protect the humans here forever.


    Furthermore, the aliens of the Milky Way won''t always remain our allies. Once everyone ascends to the fourth realm, what will you do?"


    Chen Fan retorted, "With the limit-breaking potions you''ve devised, Zhang Lie, we humans will surely have the power to protect ourselves!"


    Zhang Lie smiled wryly. "In the end, you''re leaving the problem unresolved for future generations."


    "Is there anything wrong with that?" Chen Fan countered. "Humanity will need challenges to grow."


    "Have you considered that, by that point, human hunters might be facing thebined wrath of all three thousand worlds? I''m confident that I will be able to conquer all three thousand. Are you certain there will be hunters in future generations who can say the same?"


    Chen Fan fell silent.


    "We''ve already retreated time and time again. There''s no need to do so any further. I, Zhang Lie, hereby dere that I''ll unite all three thousand worlds into a massive world, one ruled by the kingdom of Limit! I shall lead mankind on the path to glory, to greatness!" Zhang Lie announced, shocking Chen Fan and making him stumble back with the force of his promation. He looked at Zhang Lie in shock, his mouth gaping, yet unable to speak.


    "My decision is final, regardless of your opinions on the matter. If anyone dares to stop me, you''ll be my enemy, the enemy of mankind. Alright¡ªwe can stop the meeting here. Sun Mengmeng, you''re a fire-attuned hunter, and you have some degree of advantage against the devil trees. I''ll leave them to you."


    Sun Mengmeng, who had been riled up by Zhang Lie''s promation, immediately epted the order without question. "Yes, Captain!"

 Chapter 762: Preparing to Retire

    <h4>Chapter 762: Preparing to Retire</h4>


    "As for the other invaders, there''s not much to note about them, so I''ll just leave the rest of you to divide them up among yourselves. Better to have something to look forward to."


    Zhang Lie retrieved a block of wood from his soulshard, which he cut into pieces with his finger. Subsequently, he inscribed the names of the invading races on them, then shuffled up all the pieces. "Go on¡ªeach of you, pick one!"


    The members of Team Zenith each took one piece.


    Sun Xiaowu eximed, "My target''s the greenskins!"


    Fang Yi: "Mine, the ck spirits."


    Zhou Ying: "And I, the giant demons!"


    Yang Ze asked, "What do the bearmen look like? Half-men, half-bear?"


    Li Feng murmured, "The longhairs seem like they''d be a race focused on strength..."


    Zhang Lie nodded with satisfaction. "The aliens you''ve picked out are your targets, and they''re located in the neighboring worlds. You''ll be responsible for dealing with them, but you don''t have to kill them: just make them submit. Either kill the king of the realm of their world, or make them hand over the proof of kingship."


    "Yes, Captain!" the members of Team Zenith chorused.


    The draconian sage asked, "And what about the ckwind race?"


    Zhang Lie smirked. "I''ll deal with them myself."


    He was intending to avenge Chen Ruiming''s death on his own.


    Yang Ze couldn''t help butin, "This truly is an insane task, isn''t it? We''re being asked to subdue kings of the realm even though we just ascended and know nothing about the third realm!"


    The humans beside them, including Chen Fan, all nodded. To them, this would likewise be a Herculean task.


    A king of the realm was the strongest existence in the world they governed, and asking a newly ascended hunter to kill one was like asking a baby to assassinate a princess.


    Chen Fan''s lips spasmed. He suggested, "I think the members of Team Zenith need some time to understand this realm better."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "They''re just the kings of mid-sized worlds, aren''t they? They''re hardly anything impressive¡ªI managed to kill the king of arge world when I possessed the same number of gene fragments they did! As my subordinates, they can hardly fall behind¡ªI''d be embarrassed to consider them my prot¨¦g¨¦s unless they can manage such a feat."


    The humans beside Zhang Lie were all stupefied by the task.


    The draconian sage suddenly frowned. "The aliens all around us seem to be making their moves. Shall I seal off the wormholes to this world?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "There''s no need. They''vee at just the right time¡ªTeam Zenith, your targets are here!"


    "Yes, Captain!" they chorused.


    Chen Fan hurriedly added, "It''s hardly possible for neers to the third realm to kill kings of the realm, even of mid-sized worlds! I managed to be a warlord without defeating one myself..."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded. "We don''t necessarily have to kill them¡ªjust subdue them."


    Chen Fan coughed. "There''s only one Zhang Lie in this world. Don''t feel pressured to replicate his sess."


    Yang Ze replied seriously, "Thank you for the advice, but our captain''s always been our target. We don''t want to end up a mediocre warlord like you, after all!"


    Chen Fan felt as though he had just been pierced through the chest. The neers he was trying to support, calling him a mediocre warlord...


    Li Feng added insult to injury. "How long has it been since you''ve ascended to the third realm? Why haven''t you managed to kill even a king of the realm of a mid-sized world?"


    Zhou Ying added to the barrage. "You didn''t purchase your rank as warlord, did you?"


    Chen Fan coughed even more violently. "It looks as though none of you will respect me until I show you my true strength! Zhang Lie, you don''t mind if I teach them a lesson, do you?"


    He might not dare strike Zhang Lie, but he was certain he would be able to handle his team!


    The members of Team Zenith looked at each other. "Who''s going to be our representative?"


    Yang Ze stood up. "Let me go."


    Chen Fan snorted. "I don''t mind if you alle at me at once!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help smirking at the thought¡ªChen Fan wouldn''t even be able to handle one, let alone all of them..


    Meanwhile, the human hunters watched the scene y out with interest. They were growing quite annoyed with the members of Team Zenith, who came off as rather arrogant by insulting Warlord Chen Fan, who had protected the draconian world for decades.


    However, it was true that none of the hunters present were able to take on the members of Team Zenith. Furthermore, at least part of their dissatisfaction came from their own envy and jealousy at the members'' strength. Envy was simply a product of their experiences.


    Despite the fact that the members of Team Zenith had saved them from a fate worse than death, they couldn''t help but feel inferior whenparing themselves against them¡ªand they were more than happy to see the members of Team Zenith make fools of themselves.


    Chen Fan strode to a nearby clearing and prepared himself. "Come, face the cruelty of the third realm!"


    The members of Team Zenith nced at each other wryly. In the end, Yang Ze stepped forward and faced off against Chen Fan.


    "I''m Yang Ze of Team Zenith. Let''s have a good fight."


    The hunters stepped back to give the twobatants some space.


    "Do you see how he''s acting like he''s undefeatable even though he just ascended to the third realm? Who does he think he is? Everyone here was a monster in the second realm¡ªthat''s how they managed to ascend!"


    "Does he really think his performance in the Void Cup and his participation in establishing the kingdom of Limit are all that impressive?"


    "Zhang Lie, please don''t mind. At worst, your team will lose some face, but if you were to wait for the aliens to teach them that lesson, they might lose their lives!" one of the hunters whispered to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie responded with a smile, "If there really is someone able to teach them a lesson, that would be a nice surprise."


    As Zhang Lie spoke, Yang Ze quickly took down Chen Fan.


    Mist spread over the clearing and the nearby grounds. Chen Fan, as an experienced warlord, did have some skill of his own, but unfortunately for him, his opponents were the members of Team Zenith. A single horde of sharks from Yang Ze was enough to take him down.


    Yang Ze had already maxed out his superior gene fragments, and the limit fragments he had umted back in the second realm meant that Chen Fan was no opponent for him.


    The human hunters gaped. They couldn''t have imagined that an experienced warlord like Chen Fan would lose so miserably and so quickly. They gained an improved understanding of Team Zenith''s true strength.


    Ten minutester, Chen Fan slunk to a corner and sighed. "I''m growing old, and the times are changing more rapidly than I expected. It might be time for me to retire..."


    The draconian sage observed Chen Fan''s actions with no surprise in his features, and neither did he head over to console his longtimerade-in-arms.


    Just then, Ren Kunjing returned. "Zhang Lie, I''ve retrieved the Mengtai''s proof of kingship!"


    "Oh?" Zhang Lie was quite surprised. "That easily?"


    "The Mengtai chieftains'' information was urate, and I found the proof of kingship hidden where they said the high priest was located."


    Ren Kunjing passed the proof to Zhang Lie. The Mengtai proof was no jade seal, but rather a scepter of bone¡ª one made not of human bones, but rather of Mengtai bones. The bone was crystalline and translucent; it was apparent that the scepter was an artifact of great quality.


    Zhang Lie inspected the scepter momentarily before tossing it to the draconian sage. "I''ll leave it in your care, I think."

 Chapter 763: With One Punch

    <h4>Chapter 763: With One Punch</h4>


    The draconian sage beheld the Mengtai proof of kingship with aplicated expression on his face. The Mengtai had warred with the draconians for centuries. Had they really been defeated so easily?


    "There''s no need to rush to merge the Mengtai world with this one. Let me gather the proofs of kingship of the other nearby alien worlds, first." Zhang Lie stepped forward. "Ren Kunjing, assemble the warlords. I havemands for them."


    Following Zhang Lie''smand, the warlords divided into four parties led by the four prime races. They would split up and attack the worlds neighboring the draconian world, taking revenge on the races who had dared invade human territory.


    Once everything was settled, Zhang Lie shed toward one rebuilt wall of the city.


    Beyond the wall was a wormhole connected to the ckwind world. Because the draconians and the ckwind had always been on good terms, that wall was more symbolic than anything else¡ªit was perfectly ordinary, without any particr reinforcement. The draconians never expected that the ckwind would one day betray them.


    Zhang Lie''s sudden appearance frightened the draconians and humans guarding the wall, but they quickly recovered. "Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie waved at them and looked far into the distance, where the ckwind forces had gathered.


    The blue skies were hidden by ayer of swarming darkness. Firebirds burning with ck me had taken to the air, and their ck feathers were falling from the skies. The ckwind had sent quite a number of forces over.


    They were obeisant to their enemies, but willing to strike at their former allies with significant force. Even when the draconians were facing serious threats, the ckwind provided little in terms of aid, and their reinforcements only fought half-heartedly.


    On the other hand, almost all the ckwind forces had gathered to invade the draconian world.


    The king of the ckwinds was a gigantic ck firebird, whose wingspan was over a hundred meters long. mes roared and crackled over its body, giving it a devilish appearance.


    The ckwind king called out, "Where''s the draconian sage? Send the draconian sage out!"


    Zhang Lie looked up. "Do you have a will, or anyst words?"


    The ckwind king sneered. "Weak, worthless human, what gives you the courage to speak to me?! Even your warlord Chen Fan lowers his head in my presence! Either have your warlord step forward, or the draconian sage. I do not grant audiences to weaklings!"


    Zhang Lie smiled faintly. "You care about strength and position, do you?"


    One of the ckwinds began to mock the humans. "Of course our king prizes propriety! If the humans are sending someone like you out¡ªsurely it can''t be that the draconian sage and Chen Fan are gravely wounded, are they?"


    The ckwind king continued, "Humans, submit to me now and be ves of the ckwind, and we''ll consider letting you live. If I''m not mistaken, the neighboring worlds have already begun preparingrger invasion forces to attack you. Even if you managed to defend against their incursion somehow during thest battle, you certainly won''t be able to defend against this one. You''ve all lost¡ªthis is yourst chance!"


    One of the draconian guards standing on the wall shouted back, "You ckwinds are shameless, despicable backstabbers! You broke a hundred-year pact andunched a sneak attack on a human warlord! Even if you were to win this conflict, it would be nothing but a shameful victory!"


    The ckwind king sneered. "And so what if I''ve backstabbed you? It''s all you draconians'' fault for siding with the humans. We ckwind aren''t so idiotic. A victory is a victory; there''s no shame in that."


    It seemed as though the aliens had all tried to reach out to the draconians requesting an alliance against the humans, but the draconians, loyal to a fault, had staunchly refused.


    The mes on the ckwind king''s body grew even fiercer. "You should have epted your fate. To dare to kill my n''s warriors¡ªyou humans and draconians are truly arrogant beyond belief! Do you really think surviving a wave of invasions led by the Mengtai is all that impressive? Today, you humans and draconians shall be wiped away from the face of this realm!"


    "Are those yourst words?" Zhang Lie asked mildly. Gic energy exploded from his body, and a gigantic pale-blue fish materialized behind his back and soared toward the clouds as though it was leaping out of water. It was the size of a whale, one that could swallow up the sun and moon alike.


    Howling winds began to rage over the battlefield; everyone in sight was startled by the sudden appearance of the fish. Gic energy whirled around Zhang Lie, gathering dust and dirt. All thaty behind the walls began to shake.


    Zhang Lie''s attack had roused a storm even before it struck.


    A tremendous pressure struck everyone in sight, making it difficult for them to breathe.


    The ckwind king, who suffered that pressure most acutely, felt as though his life was being threatened. Only then did he understand just how frightening the seemingly ordinary man in front of him was; he was an existence that should never have been provoked. If not for the mes surrounding the king, he would likely have been sweating profusely by now.


    Heughed nervously. "That, I feel that¡ªI think we can afford to chat a little longer!"


    Unfortunately for the ckwind king, he hade to this realization toote.


    "Very well. Let''s chat with our fists! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. Constructs of energy emerged from Zhang Lie''s fists. They roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons, overwhelming any opposition in sight.


    The gigantic fish hovering above Zhang Lie''s head leapt into the sea of gic energy Zhang Lie had created as it surged toward the ckwind king.


    The ground quaked; the entire wall shook. Everything happened so quickly that the ckwind forces had no time to react. The water-attuned gic energy exploded through the air, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The water-attuned gic energybined with spatial power to produce a series of high-frequency vibrations. Almost like an eraser, those vibrations swept across the ckwind forces and caused them all to vanish from sight, leaving behind clear skies free of ck me.


    The humans and draconians guarding the wall were stupefied. Just one blow from Zhang Lie had cleared away all the ckwind forces gathered¡ªthat innumerable force that had swallowed up the skies, wiped out in one fell swoop!


    There might well have been as many ckwind gathered as the entirety of the invasion forces that the draconian world had somehow ovee.


    .


    The humans and draconians looked toward Zhang Lie with deep awe and respect.


    Zhang Lie''s attack triggered a set of spatial rifts as it struck the wormhole leading into the ckwind world, but Zhang Lie didn''t care. As the humans and draconians watched on in shock, he walked through the spatial rift with nothing but his bare body.


    On another battlefield, Fang Yi had begun facing off against the ck spirits.


    The ck spirits werepletely wrapped in ck cloth from head to toe. The slivers of their bodies that showed through the cloth were pitch-ck, the color of the abyss, the void, outer space...

 Chapter 764: Wheel of Time

    <h4>Chapter 764: Wheel of Time</h4>


    No one had ever seen the uncovered body of a ck spirit. When a ck spirit died, they would dissipate in a cloud of ck smoke, leaving nothing but ck cloth behind.


    Fang Yi shot forward with a low grunt. Hurled forward by wind and storm, heunched his spear with incredible force.


    Fang Yi''s spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. It moved so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. Fang Yi struck a ck spirit with every strike, piercing their bodies through. The wind- and thunder-attuned energy on the spear destroyed the ck spirits from the inside out.


    The ck spirits cried out in agony as they dissipated into mist, and a flurry of ck cloth filled the air.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger.


    He struck the heart of the ck spirits, generating a storm of wind and lightning so strong it reached all the way to the wall and sent flying the humans and draconians guarding it.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. Thebination generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    The ck spirits were torn apart, barely able to muster any resistance. Suddenly, however, a number of ck bandages shot out of the ground and tangled Fang Yi up.


    Fang Yi sneered. He twisted his spear, crackling with lightning, and tore apart those bandages. Even more appeared and shot toward him like serpents.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that very moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently through the battlefield. ck smoke bloomed where his clones passed by as the ck spirits'' heads were pierced through.


    .


    Countless ck spirits suddenly appeared behind Fang Yi, daggers in their hands.


    As though he had predicted their appearance, Fang Yi swept his spear behind him. Crackling with lightning, the spearhead snapped the ck spirits at the waists.


    "There really are too many of them¡ªit looks like I''ll have to show off some of my new skills." Fang Yi wiped at the sweat on his forehead.


    He recalled what Zhang Lie had told him back in the second realm. "Your [Heaven''s Judgment] is about as strong as you can get it within this realm, but your attacks are still more rigid than I''d like. I rmend that you try to develop its speed instead¡ªyou can try to augment it with the power of time that you intuited, advancing it to another level entirely."


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind him, seemingly taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi spun the spear in his hand as he charged up his attack with gic energy. The wind and lightning tore apart the ck cloth covering up the ck spirits, but more and more ck bandages spawned from thin air to rece them.


    As Fang Yi attacked, the wheel of time behind him suddenly began to glow. As it did so, Fang Yi''s movement and attack speed began to grow faster. As he attacked, another wheel manifested behind him, increasing his attack speed even further. As the skill activated once and again, his speed rose to an astonishing crescendo, as though his attacks were being yed on fast forward at an ever-increasing clip.


    As Zhang Lie had suggested, Fang Yi worked hard on developing his intuition with time before incorporating it into his attacks. His temporal ability manifested as a wheel of time.


    Fang Yi subsequently engrossed himself in research in order to master this new ability. In the world federation''s archives, he found a huge quantity of material rted to time.


    The aliens of the Milky Way were superior to the indigenous races of the dimensional world in two respects: their ability to absorb gene fragments, and their advanced technology and scientific development.


    The aliens of the Milky Way had a technical and nuanced understanding of space and time, which provided a firm foundation for applying such abstruse concepts in the dimensional world.


    Fang Yi researched these materials, considered them in the context of the monarch of stars'' twelve ste, and cultivated his technique into the wheel of time that he now demonstrated.


    The principle that he took advantage of was the differing passage of time in different realms.


    By storing up his wind- and lightning-attuned gic energy and continuously circting it, he was able to produce a speed boost that was active on himself and could stack indefinitely using this principle.


    The fact that time progressed simultaneously and at varying rates in different realms allowed for the possibility that they could be added together¡ªjust like how the passage of time differed between Earth and the dimensional world, and even between the second and third realms.


    In developing his technique, Fang Yi used superstring theory as a basis: there was a hierarchy between worlds, and time progressed faster the lower you went within this hierarchy.


    Those hunters who existed and traveled between Earth and the dimensional world were subject to different rates at which time passed. Each dimension, each world, had its own rate at which time passed, and the total rate at which time passed was additive between eachyer of time.


    In other words, by establishing more and more discrete dimensions, each with its own rate of time, Fang Yi was able tobine them all together into an augmentation effect applied on himself.


    More abstractly, this was the same principle at work when hunters ascended between realms¡ªthey were fundamentally changed by their progress into another dimension. That was why third-realm hunters were naturally more advanced than second-realm ones, though that disparity didn''t necessarily trante into actual strength.


    Sufficient quantities of gic energy could ovee quality¡ªthat was how Zhang Lie, as a second-realm hunter, had managed to defeat the third-realm warlord Musi Yu.


    Fang Yi repeatedly went between Earth and the second realm and sensed the minute changes in time, from which he finally identified the crucial features of his new technique.


    Thanks to the ability to teleport between dimensions so readily, Fang Yi was able to glean a deeper understanding of his wheel of time, which was actually rather poorly named.


    Instead of stacking temporal energy on himself, Fang Yi was reallypressing the boost afforded by his wind- and thunder-attuned gic energy. Hebined it with his understanding of time toyer these boosts on top of each other in a perpetual cycle; the temporal energy simply served as a conduit for his gic energy to manifest such a multiyered boosting effect.

 Chapter 765: Sinister Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 765: Sinister Spirits</h4>


    At present, Fang Yi wasn''t strong enough to be able to use that temporal energy directly; he had to mediate it with his gic energy instead.


    Bybining it with his wind- and thunder-attuned gic energy and affixing thebination to his spear, he was able to umte power through his attacks. With sufficient power, he could form a wheel of time, each of which would increase his perception of time by one second.


    In other words, in a single second, Fang Yi would be able to perform two seconds'' worth of attacks. A single second might not seem like much, but it might well be the determining factor in fights at Fang Yi''s level.


    A single additional second of movement would shift the tempo of the fight toward Fang Yi, and Fang Yi''s wheels of time could continue stacking on each other and raising his attack speed to unfathomable levels.


    This was the new technique that Fang Yi had been working on since his fight with Zhang Lie.


    "I was hoping to use this technique to surprise Zhang Lie, not expecting to have to resort to it so quickly¡ªbut we are in the third realm, after all."


    By then, Fang Yi hadyered twenty wheels of time on himself, and he was moving so quickly to an observer that even his speech became a garbled mess. No one knew what he was saying. He attacked at an unimaginable rate: his spear left so many afterimages behind it almost seemed like a trail.


    The entire sky seemed to be filled with ck cloth and bandages as more and more wheels of time appeared behind Fang Yi. At the beginning, it had taken Fang Yi a whole minute of attacking to generate one wheel, but now, it only took three seconds.


    When Fang Yi got to thirty stacks, the afterimages of his spear melded together into a true trail. His arms were shadows, invisible to the naked eye, and he was surrounded by strips of ck cloth and bandages that were testament to the number of ck spirits he had killed.


    Suddenly, a ck spirit surrounded by dark energy appeared. It was twice the size of the other ck spirits, and the ck cloth bandages around its body waved violently like snakes. It gave off a strong sense of foreboding as it attacked Fang Yi with its cloth.


    "You must be the leader of the ck spirits!" Fang Yi cried out, breaking into a grin.


    The ck spirit didn''t respond. It waved its bandages around like a scythe, which Fang Yi easily dodged with his enhanced speed. The bandages on the ck spirit spun in a spiral and twisted into the shape of a corkscrew that shot toward Fang Yi.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear. His spear, which looked at that moment like an electric drill, struck the ck spirit''s corkscrew.


    Fang Yi''s attack was faster and naturally possessed more prating power.


    His spearhead shot straight toward the ck spirit, whose corkscrew-bandage suddenly split apart into the form of a whip.


    However, Fang Yi was prepared. With the thirty wheels of time at his back, the ck spirit''s sudden transformation was easy for him to adapt to.


    Rather than charge forward recklessly, Fang Yi took a step back. The ck bandages cut the ground like a de of wind; luckily, Fang Yi had reacted in time, or he would have been severely injured.


    Once the ck spirit realized that it wasn''t a match for Fang Yi, the bandages on its body split apart and linked with those of the other ck spirits. It pulled the hundreds of ck spirits remaining on the battlefield close.


    Fang Yi, realizing that something was amiss, immediately struck. His ck spear left thousands of afterimages behind as he attacked the ck spirits''bined form like a storm.


    Out of thebined spirits emerged a flood of ck bandages which shed against Fang Yi''s spear. As thebined spirits moved, they gave off a huge cloud of ck smoke. More and more wheels of time appeared behind Fang Yi''s back.


    The spear moved so quickly that it was burning up from the friction. Its surface turned red-hot as Fang Yi forcefully defended against the spirits'' attack. Meanwhile, thebined spirits morphed into a gigantic ck spirit, dozens of meters tall. Its body was swollen with a few human-sized lumps.


    As it raised its hand high into the air, thousands of ck bandages shot out of its body and fell toward Fang Yi like raindrops.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time.


    The spear pierced space and time, its tip descending into the void. Everything froze and turned gray: the gigantic spirit, as well as the bandages shooting down toward Fang Yi. The only color¡ªthe only movement¡ªin the world came from Fang Yi.


    The thirty wheels of time to his back radiated light as they fought off the onught of frozen time.


    Compared to when he was in the second realm, Fang Yi had improved by so great a margin that it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call him a new man entirely.


    Not only was he able to move his spear in the space of frozen time, he was even able to move his body now as well. Though he was still only able to move slowly, the speed at which he moved didn''t really matter when everything else was frozen.


    Fang Yi stabbed his crackling spear into the gigantic ck spirit, and the grayness broke. The world snapped back to its colored form as time began to move again. The wind and lightning at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear burst in an explosion so spectacr even the human and draconian guards on the wall had to shield their eyes.


    The gigantic ck spirit exploded.


    Fang Yi had thought that he would be able to kill the ck spirit in one strike, but the ck spirit proved to be even more stubborn than he had expected.


    A huge hole had been blown out of its chest, and he could see the sky on its other side. However, even so, the ck spirit wasn''t dead. A huge cloud of ck smoke emanated from its wound, and the ck cloth surrounding its body began to heal the massive hole.


    The bandages on the ck spirit began to twist and transform into something even more sinister as parts of its body were revealed. Fang Yi saw row after row of sharp teeth, within which emerged babies'' cries, so shrill he couldn''t help but cover his ears.


    Even the guards on the wall, far away, had to do the same thing.


    Eyes appeared out of the skin revealed by the shifting bandages¡ªnot just on the face of the ck spirits, but all over their bodies. On the other hand, where its eyes should have been located, there was only a singr purple iris.


    The eyes that dotted its body had no sclera or pupil, only an eerie green glow amidst the darkness which seemed to be directed straight at Fang Yi, at those who walked amidst darkness...

 Chapter 766: Fang Yis Genius

    <h4>Chapter 766: Fang Yi''s Genius</h4>


    Above Fang Yi''s head, the bandages from the gigantic ck spirit coalesced into a sword, one which struck down at Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi dodged the attack in a blur and counterattacked with his spear, striking back with thousands of thrusts in just a few moments.


    The ck spirit blocked, its sword transforming into a shield, which caught the spear thrusts with ease.


    .


    Wheels of time condensed by Fang Yi''s back, and his attacks grew faster and faster.


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward, and the ck spirit''s shield trembled before it burst apart into a frenzy of corkscrewing bandages, each of which attacked Zhang Lie like a drill.


    Infusing his spear with more and more gic energy, Fang Yi parried the attacks with it and sapped the attacks of their momentum.


    Subsequently, the ck bandages merged together and formed a ck cyclone, as though the ck spirit were about to showcase one of its trump cards.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Once again, Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure. Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Even Zhang Lie himself would be shocked by the sight of Fang Yi''s attack. It was difficult enough tobine elemental and temporal energy, let alone adding something as vtile as spatial energy into the mix.


    No one else would have dared such a risky proposal, but not only had Fang Yi done so, he had even seeded.


    Hebined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, and space.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest.


    Fang Yi poured more and more gic energy into the attack. A storm roared into existence around him. Only within a space of frozen time would Fang Yi be able to pull off such an attack. If he had to devote so much attention to a technique in the midst of a heated battle, his opponents would surely be able to kill him.


    Most importantly,bining spatial, temporal, and elemental energy required precise care. Any attack on Fang Yi would disrupt his concentration, and the bacsh alone might well be a lethal injury.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but he held together the fraying world long enough for it to stabilize.


    Anyone witnessing his attack would have denounced him as a crazed fool to attempt to control such phenomena as spatial rifts and to make use of it to strengthen his attack, but Fang Yi, bogglingly, seeded in even this.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into his lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle, and the space around Fang Yi, like shattered ss, grew so unstable that it seemed liable to copse at any moment.


    Temporal energy entered the fray, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi was very familiar with wind and thunder, having worked with them all throughout the first and second realms. Afterbining them with temporal and spatial forces, the wind and lightning gained qualities that were foreign to Fang Yi, and they even began to merge with each other, forming natural phenomena much like the spatial rifts and void lightning that Fang Yi had just generated.


    All these phenomena were particrly dangerous, and the fact that Fang Yi was meddling and even experimenting with them would make others think twice about associating with him.


    Somehow, Fang Yi had managed to contain and curtail these dangerous phenomena, condensing them by the tip of his spear and maintaining an unstable equilibrium by keeping the forces rotating quickly.


    Zhang Lie himself wouldn''t dare y with such dangerousbinations of energies, but Fang Yi had no choice. He wanted to grow stronger and surpass Zhang Lie, to obtain his approval. If he could harness the energy in these exotic forces for himself, that could make all the difference.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the forty wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Harnessing such powerful and destructive phenomena required amensurate price.


    Fang Yi''s peak-grade spear began to crack, and even Fang Yi''s own body was giving out. He bled out of his orifices, and the bones in his arms began to creak.


    As the types of energy melded further, the unstablebination destabilized further. Space and time began to splinter and crack, and all around Zhang Lie appeared unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions that seemed to skewer space.


    Fang Yi''s skin began to bleed. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of tears in his skin. The cracks in his spear propagated.


    Fang Yi howled as he struck with the potent mix of energy he had created, shattering the frozen world of gray and sending spatial rifts and void lightning directed straight at the center of the mass of ck spirits.


    The resulting explosion was so intense that calling it a disaster would be an understatement. A tsunami or a volcanic eruption would be nothing more than a minor inconveniencepared to this cataclysm, as though a hundred starbreak annihtors were being fired at once...

 Chapter 767: The Black Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 767: The ck Spirits</h4>


    The explosion from Fang Yi''s condensation of unstable energies destroyed everything in its path; nothing could stop the attack. Spatial rifts and void lightning tore through the air.


    Frightening energy poured out of Fang Yi. The only reason that energy had yet to explode was because of the frozen world of gray that Fang Yi had erected. With the stasis gone, the pent-up energy finally exploded all around Fang Yi.


    The wall to Fang Yi''s back, hundreds of meters tall, was obliterated in an instant. Although the wall by this wormhole was smaller and less reinforced than that by the Mengtai wormhole, it was still a wall that the draconians had constructed with the finest craftsmanship and had maintained daily, expecting it tost multiple lifetimes.


    And yet, that wall which had survived generations of warriors and assault, was blown away by Fang Yi''s attack.


    The humans and draconians were sent flying, along with countless stones. Everything seemed to have happened in a sh. The guards were watching Fang Yi charging up for an attack; the next thing they knew, they were flying through the air.


    Fang Yi swept forward and rushed into the wormhole. Before his eyes, the wormhole expanded by an order of magnitude in size.


    The gigantic ck spirit, on the other hand, had been annihted entirely by Fang Yi''s attack.


    Fang Yi''sbination of energies had resulted in an exceptionally devastating and unusual attack. Perhaps because of the inclusion of spatial and temporal energies, even though the attack would normally have resulted in the formation of spatial rifts, it had expanded the wormhole by ten times its size instead.


    Fang Yi gulped for breath. The attack had consumed so much of his energy that he was wrung dry like a rag. His legs turned to jelly, and he almost stumbled to the ground. Fang Yi hurriedly supported himself with his spear, but it crumbled to dust as itnded.


    Just as Fang Yi was about to fall, a figure flew toward him from the wall. With huge wings blotting out the sun, the figurended by Fang Yi''s side and helped him up.


    "If we draconians were to let a victorious hero like you kneel on the battlefield, we''d lose all our reputation." The winged figure who had flown out from the devastated wall was a doughty draconian warrior.


    Fang Yi took another huge gulp of breath. "Thank you."


    He was so drained that his arms and legs were turning numb, he waspletely out of gic energy, and even walking was a challenge. The forty wheels of time to his back had vanished.


    "Thank you. You''ve worked hard," the draconian emphasized.


    Fang Yi retrieved a restorative from his extra-dimensional storage and drank it all, giving his battered and bruised body the chance to repair itself.


    That version of [Heaven''s Judgment] was one of his two trump cards. He had another one, but Fang Yi had barely managed to cast the first. He couldn''t even stand to think about the second at the moment.


    His second trump card was theoretical at best. He believed he was capable of casting it, but he had never actually done so. As for how strong it was, even he couldn''t be certain.


    He had tried out his first trump card once in the second realm, and it had been so strong that the will of the world had almost forced him into the third. After that incident, Fang Yi hadn''t dared to practice that technique in the second realm again¡ªand he believed that his second trump card was at least five times stronger.


    When Fang Yi turned back to see the shattered wall behind him, he sighed. "I''m sorry¡ª"


    The draconian shook his head. "There''s no need to apologize. If you all weren''t here, we''d have lost our entire world, not just a wall. You fought to preserve our world¡ªand you''ve done so."


    "Thank you," Fang Yi murmured.


    This was why humans liked the draconians. If he had fought tirelessly to protect the world, only to be criticized for ruining a wall...


    The draconian smiled warmly. "We''re the ones who should thank you. Fortunately, all us guards responded quickly, and none of us were seriously injured from the explosion."


    Fang Yi smiled.


    The draconian pulled out a note from his pocket. "Right, the draconian sage had me bring over some information about the ck spirits'' world."


    "News?"


    Zhang Lie certainly wouldn''t have passed on any information even if he had any¡ªsubduing the neighboring worlds was meant to be a trial for the hunters of Team Zenith. However, the draconian sage thought differently.


    The draconian continued, "ording to the sage, all of you are nning to head to the neighboring worlds to kill their kings of the realm. In that case, you''ll definitely need this information."


    Despite everything, the humans and draconians continued to harbor doubts about whether or not the members of Team Zenith truly had the ability to do so. After witnessing Fang Yi''sst technique, however, the draconian was entirely convinced.


    The draconian continued, "We don''t get along with the dark spirits, and our information about them isn''tplete. Nevertheless, I hope it can be of some use to you."


    In truth, none of the aliens neighboring the ck spirits got along very well with them.


    "Who knows what these cloth-wrapped fellows are thinking?" the draconian grumbled. "When we saw that they were among the invaders, we were very surprised."


    Fang Yi nced at the report.


    "The information''s written in the Chinesenguage, so I''m sure you can understand it," the draconian acknowledged. "We draconians admire yournguage, and quite a few draconians have learned it. The draconian sage is the most impressive of all: he can write in Chinese as naturally as in the draconguage."


    Fang Yi asked, "Whatnguage do the draconians use?"


    The draconian wrote two logograms on the ground which looked to be some analogue of cuneiform.


    "What does it mean?"


    "Hero!" the draconian responded with a smile.


    .


    Fang Yi peered at a particr section of the report.


    "The ck spirits live in a ck desert, one shrouded by night all year round. No living lifeforms can be detected in the vicinity, and the only lightes from pale slivers of moonlight from high above. In that case, how do the ck spirits manage to... live?"


    The draconian shrugged. "That''s a question we''ve always had. No one understands the biology of these ck spirits, and many even suspect that they''re not true living beings."


    Fang Yi recalled how the ck spirits had dissolved into ck smoke as they died.


    "If they''re not alive, what are they?"


    The draconian shrugged again. "Who knows?"


    Fang Yi continued to read through the report the draconian had passed him.


    Within the ck desert appeared countless spirits, which were different from the ck spirits. These spirits had no consciousness of their own and were unable tomunicate with living beings. They would attack whatever life they spotted, and when killed, they would turn into piles of ck sand.


    Their strength was on par with first- and second-level beasts, or, in human terms, regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms. Because of how many such spirits there were, they were quite annoying to deal with.


    The king of the ck spirits lived in a pyramid, which was particrly dangerous.


    A pyramid...??Fang Yi frowned. Surely the ck spirits weren''t rted to ancient Egyptians from Earth?

 Chapter 768: The Black Desert

    <h4>Chapter 768: The ck Desert</h4>


    The draconian noticed Fang Yi''s frown. "What''s the matter, Fang Yi?"


    "This report mentions a pyramid. Are these pyramids like the ones in Earth culture?"


    The draconian shrugged once more. "I don''t know myself. I haven''t been to the ck spirits'' world, and neither do I know these pyramids you refer to."


    Fang Yi put away the report. "Regardless, thank you for the information. Do you know how I can find this pyramid?"


    The draconian replied, "The sage knew you would ask this question! He said to follow the moonlight."


    Fang Yi frowned. "Follow the moonlight?"


    Fang Yi quickly understood what the sage meant. There was no day in the world of ck spirits, only eternal night. The moon hovered in the air as though it were fixed in ce, and was therefore the best marker with which to locate himself.


    Fang Yi wondered, "Just how is it that your sage knows where this pyramid is located despite being on bad terms with the ck spirits?"


    The draconian smiled. "The sage has been alive for far longer than you or me, and he knows secrets that have been lost to time. All the neighboring races have wondered about the ck spirits, and they''ve managed to piece together some information about their mysterious world."


    Fang Yi turned and looked toward the distance. "Do you happen to know how the others are doing?"


    The draconian replied, "There''s no need to worry about your teammates. They''re all very strong, and they''ve all managed to dispatch their respective enemies. They''re also heading toward their targets'' worlds at the moment."


    Fang Yi smiled, reassured. "In that case, it''s past time that I set off, too."


    The draconian frowned. "You won''t rest, Fang Yi? It looked like you exerted yourself quite a bit just now."


    "There''s no need. I won''t let them leave me behind." Fang Yi passed through the wormhole and entered the ck spirits'' world.


    As the draconians'' report had indicated, he found himself in a ck desert. The night sky was starless; the only illumination came from the moon hanging high up in the sky.


    The three thousand worlds seemed to obey no scientific principles¡ªeach world had its own astronomical quirks. It was possible to look up and see the night sky in some worlds, but the star charts that were produced from different worlds never agreed with each other.


    In the past, there were schrs who had tried to look deeper into this mystery. Some guessed that the three thousand worlds belonged to separate gxies, or that they were all microscopic regions within an entirely new universe, but anyone who had ascended toward space, hoping to uncover the truth behind the three thousand worlds, had never returned.


    In the end, no one dared to pursue this mystery further.


    Fang Yi grabbed a handful of sand from the ground¡ªeven the specks of sand were ck. Purplish-ck mes lit up in front of him. They gave off no warmth. In fact, they made him feel even colder than before, as though he were slowly melding into the endless night, as though he were traipsing into the abyss. Each me was as tall as a human.


    As the draconian sage''s report stated, Fang Yi was attacked immediately as he entered the desert.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi shot forward. Hurled by wind and storm, heunched his spear with incredible force. Fang Yi''s spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies.


    He thrust his spear forward once more, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. The spirits burst apart. They were indeed the level of regr- or mutated-grade lifeforms, but there were so many of them that it would be impossible to kill them all.


    Fang Yi took to the sky, trying to avoid the spirits'' attacks¡ª but unexpectedly, the spirits floated up with him.


    "It looks like I have no choice, then. [Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. The dragon of winds stirred up an entire cloud of ck sand and turned into a ck dragon. The storm tiger lit up the entire desert with lightning.


    The two beasts tore apart the spirits and made a path forward. Fang Yi ran into the distance, his steps buffeted by wind and crackling with lightning.


    ording to the draconian sage, he was supposed to follow the moon.


    Suddenly, however, the sands in the desert began to shift like the tide. Before Fang Yi appeared a gigantic vortex. Considering he was in the air, Fang Yi didn''t expect to be affected. Suddenly, however, an insect emerged from the center of the vortex. It looked like a mix between a scarab and a centipede, with a chitinous exoskeleton giving off golden light. It had two sharp ws, and it seemed particrly ferocious.


    The golden scarab opened its mandibles and tried to swallow Fang Yi whole.


    Fang Yi snorted. He thrust the spear in his hand, wreathed in wind and lightning, into the scarab''s mouth. A bystander might have thought this to be a suicidal act, but Fang Yi''s strike caused the scarab to keen in agony.


    Lightning danced on the scarab''s exoskeleton as Fang Yi pierced its body whole. The spear flew out of the other end of its body, and the will of the world''s voice rang out in his mind.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden sand scarab and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden sand scarab, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Is it a peak-grade lifeform, then??Fang Yi had heard that kings of the realm were able to tame peak- or even disaster-grade lifeforms, but he hadn''t expected to encounter such lifeforms so quickly.


    Fortunately for him, he was lucky enough to have a soulshard drop.


    While he was drinking with Zhang Lie, he heard Zhang Lie bemoan theck of soulshards since entering the third realm.


    Fang Yi felt simrly: the rate at which soulshards were dropping seemed to be far lower than before. He and the rest of Team Zenith had had to kill a whole bunch of gic lifeforms in order to amass gene fragments, but not a single soulshard had dropped.


    Therefore, Fang Yi was quite surprised to have obtained a soulshard on his first kill here.


    He thought that killing the peak-grade golden sand scarab would be the end of things, but it was just the beginning. All around Fang Yi, within the pitch-ck desert, countless vortices emerged. It seemed as though all the sand in the desert were gathering around Fang Yi as one scarab after another rushed toward him.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that very moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently through the battlefield. As wind and lightning exploded in the air, the scarabs were sent flying.


    Nevertheless, they clung on to life stubbornly. Even when their heads were blown off, they refused to die. Even if they were cut in half, a new head would spring out of one end of their bodies, as though they were earthworms.


    Wind howled and lightning shed through the skies. The purple lightning lit up the ck desert, and the wind blew ck sand into the sky. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    Buffeted by the wind, the particles of ck sand gained fearsome prating power, and they shot through the scarabs'' exoskeletons like bullets, producing an opening through which lightning could spear through their bodies, destroying their cells and vitality, finally killing the peak-grade sand scarabs...

 Chapter 769: The Mysterious Pyramid

    <h4>Chapter 769: The Mysterious Pyramid</h4>


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden sand scarab. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden sand scarab, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden sand scarab. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden sand scarab, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade golden sand scarab. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade golden sand scarab, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The will of the world''s voice continuously rang out in Fang Yi''s mind.


    Fang Yi continued waving around his spear until thest sand scarab was finally destroyed, at which point he dropped down onto the sand, his hands on his knees, as he panted for breath.


    "Our captain''s trials truly are quite something..." Fang Yi wiped at the sweat on his lower jaw, then took a long swig of water from his extra-dimensional storage.


    After a short rest, Fang Yi continued onwards. Despite the fact that he had moved on as quickly as he could, a huge swarm of spirits was waiting for him.


    "These troublesome pests!" Fang Yi waved his spear, charged with wind and lightning, and activated his movement technique [Floating Clouds]. He darted from spirit to spirit, a trail crackling and blowing behind him.


    The spirits were annihted instantly as Fang Yi tore a path from among them. He moved so quickly that the spirits weren''t able to catch up or react.


    A sandstorm appeared before Fang Yi. The air moved so quickly that the particles of sand scraped over his face like a razor. The moonlight was covered up as clouds of ck sand appeared all around him, with a twister of sand approaching from the horizon. The scale of the storm was so massive that it looked as though he would be swallowed up.


    "A sandstorm?!" Fang Yi turned around, but no matter where he looked, the sand seemed to head in his direction. Despite the fact that he was moving at full speed, the sand seemed to draw closer and closer.


    Fang Yi had no choice but to try to dispel the storm by force, then.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. The lightning shot toward the heart of the storm, while the winds served as a barrier to deflect it.


    Large quantities of ck sand surrounded Fang Yi and wore away at his shield of winds.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Thatbination generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body. With a low shout, Fang Yi charged into the midst of the storm, trusting in his technique to defend him from the worst of the onught.


    Lightning splintered through the skies as the ck sand burned in the overwhelming heat ?generated by the lightning.


    Fang Yi''s wind shed against the twister time and again. When Fang Yi infused more and more gic energy into his winds, it won out against the desert twister. He bore an opening through the walls of sand the twister erected, then charged out through that opening while the ring of elemental energy provided by [Floating Clouds] exploded behind him. The explosion granted him a much-needed boost of momentum, increasing Fang Yi''s speed and pration ability and allowing him to break through the second barrier of sand.


    For a split second, Fang Yi seemed to see a pyramid at the center of the storm, but he hardly had the resources or presence of mind to look back and examine what he had seen more closely. He ran off at full speed to avoid being sucked back into the storm.


    He ran through the air for what felt like an eternity before he stopped and gasped for breath.


    Zhang Lie''s trial truly was difficult. Fang Yi hoped the other members of Team Zenith were doing fine.


    It took a few interminable hours before he finally saw a grand pitch-ck pyramid appearing over the horizon. As he had suspected, this pyramid was constructed in much the same manner as pyramids on Earth.


    The difference was that it was made out of some gold-like substance rather than stone. Its exterior were smooth, and Fang Yi didn''t see even a single crack or hole in it. At the top of the pitch-ck pyramid was engraved a curious eye, one which seemed to be... glowing?


    A purple light shot out from the eye straight toward Fang Yi, who hurriedly evaded the beam using [Floating Clouds].


    Where the purple beam struck the earth beside him rose a wall of ck sand. The superheated air was scorching; the ck sand had vitrified.


    From Zhang Lie''s maniption of the sand with lightning, he estimated that the melting point of the ck sand was two or three times higher than that of normal sand. In other words, the purple beam produced so much heat that the sand had reached a temperature of over 5,000 degrees Celsius.


    Fang Yi wiped at the sweat beading on his forehead. Fortunately, he had dodged the attack, or he would have received serious injuries from just a scratch by the beam. Despite having maxed out his peak gene fragments, Fang Yi would instantly turn into roast meat if he were struck head-on by the beam¡ªhardly a fitting end for a hunter like him.


    "Suchser beams have to have a recharge period and downtime to dissipate the excess heat. There''s no way that it can be used in quick session..."


    This downtime was the best opportunity for him to destroy that weapon.


    With an obsidian spear in his hand, with wind and lightning surrounding him, Fang Yi prepared to make his move. Just before he struck, however, the eye atop the pyramid shot out another beam of purple light.


    The light shone as brightly as the sun, tinting the desert sand purple. The entire desert lit up for one splendid moment. Fortunately, Fang Yi was able to evade once more with the help of [Floating Clouds].


    The beam struck a nearby sand dune, which turned into ss and burst apart. The superheated air, carried by the desert wind, struck Fang Yi and left him open-mouthed. Was this the level of technology in the third realm? There was barely any downtime at all! Itsted only a few seconds, which was far too little time for Zhang Lie to get closer to the pyramid.


    The purple beam of light that Fang Yi had seen looked so much like aser that he was certain the attack was technological in origin. Common sense had misled Fang Yi.


    While he was thinking, another beam of purple light shot out of the tip of the pyramid.


    He might be able to avoid these beams with [Floating Clouds] at the moment, but the closer he got, the more difficult such a process would be. Just one direct hit could end Fang Yi for good.


    "This is truly annoying! [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time.


    The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time. The wind, theser beam¡ªeverything was halted in this grayscale world.


    However, keeping everything in stasis would be a tremendous toll on Fang Yi, and he was still quite some ?distance away from the pyramid. Despite his speed, he certainly wouldn''t be able to make it to the top of the pyramid while maintaining this stasis, but as a spearmaster, Fang Yi hardly had a need to do so. He cocked his spear, imbued it with the power of wind and lightning, and threw it like a javelin...

 Chapter 770: A Difficult Foe

    <h4>Chapter 770: A Difficult Foe</h4>


    Fang Yi''s spear arced through the air like a meteor before stabbing into the ck eye at the top of the pyramid. Fang Yi deactivated the frozen world of gray, and the eye continued shooting out its purpleser¡ªbut a peak-grade armament-type soulshard was now embedded in its opening.


    Theser exploded, causing a purple explosion at the top of the pyramid.


    Fang Yi smiled as the pyramid began to sh with red light, as though some alert had begun to sound. ck smoke poured out of the pyramid and rose into the sky. Fang Yi recognized this smoke as the same smoke that had emerged from the corpses of the ck spirits.


    Arge flock of ck spirits emerged from the smoke, and purple mes lit up all around the desert. Tens of thousands of ck spirits appeared in the air and surrounded Fang Yi, as though they were a huge battalion of soldiers tasked with killing him.


    Fang Yi raised his arm up high. The peak-grade spear which he had thrown was now summoned back into his palm. He imbued his spear with the power of wind and lightning. Then, with a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand,


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. Fang Yi thrust his spear forward, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions.


    ck bandages filled the air as Fang Yi''s surroundings red with light.


    Gusts of ck sand filled the air. Lightning crackled at the center of the ck spirits, but when the smoke and sand cleared, Fang Yi was nowhere to be seen. A figure darted among the ranks of ck spirits, generating wind and lightning where he went.


    Huge swathes of ck spirits were pierced through by lightning, causing them to dissipate into ck smoke.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. The dragon of winds stirred up an entire cloud of ck sand and turned into a ck dragon. The storm tiger lit up the entire desert with lightning.


    The two beasts tore apart the spirits and made a path forward. Fang Yi ran into the distance, killing his way toward the ck pyramid.


    Another change urred as Fang Yi grew closer to the pyramid. Red light shone from its base, like a protective cordon that connected straight into abyssal depths. Huge ck bandages emerged from beyond the red light and shot into the skies as though they were feelers of the ck pyramid. The bandages deflected Fang Yi''s attacks and shot toward him.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Wind howled and lightning shed through the skies. The purple lightning lit up the ck desert, and the wind blew ck sand into the sky. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    Fang Yi tore a hole in the bandages that shielded the pyramid even as the bandages mmed against the ground, generating huge waves of sand that shook the entire desert.


    Swathes of ck spirits, unfortunate enough to be caught up in the attack, were smashed into the sand; the pyramid''s attacks didn''t distinguish between allies and enemies.


    The remaining bandages struck at Fang Yi, who evaded the attacks with [Floating Clouds]. Using the t side of the bandages as tforms, Fang Yi continuously jumped, dashed, ran, and kicked off the bandages, slicing them apart even as he dodged their attacks.


    The ck bandages corkscrewed toward Fang Yi, who dove between the gaps in the pyramid''s attack with [Floating Clouds], simultaneously changing his direction abruptly in mid-air and striking at the attacking bandages to deflect their blows.


    Lightning sparked around him as the corkscrewing bandages drew close.


    Fang Yi continued to spin in the air as the nearby bandages gathered together and formed a huge corkscrew, which shot straight at Fang Yi.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" Fang Yi morphed into lightning for mere moments, and the wind swelled around him.


    The ck corkscrew''s attack barely missed Fang Yi''s true body and struck at his afterimages.


    Fang Yi had constructed mirrors of wind, which reflected light from his lightning to generate false illusions of himself, a technique he had developed after his fight with Zhang Lie.


    During that fight, Zhang Lie had made use of illusions to great effect, and Fang Yi swore that he wouldn''t fall prey to such tricks again. As a result, he worked hard on developing this extension to his footwork technique in order to understand the basis behind what Zhang Lie had done, and then to emte it with the tools avable to him. That would grant himprehensive knowledge of such techniques, which he would be able to use against Zhang Lie in the future.


    .


    With this technique, Fang Yi shot even closer to the ck pyramid. He thrust forward with his spear, generating sparks as it struck the surface of the pyramid. All Fang Yi''s spear managed to do was leave a faint scratch on its surface, causing him to frown. He stepped on the smooth outer wall of the pyramid, wind and lightning gathering by his feet.


    Fang Yi dashed up the pyramid. The exterior of the pyramid was hard and sturdy, and Fang Yi''s spear was unable to do much damage against it.


    However, there was a crack in that exterior: at the very top of the pyramid, where the eyeser had been. Fang Yi''s attack had left a gaping hole from which he could enter.


    The ck bandages naturally tried to stop him, but they were unable to do so. No matter how they attacked, Fang Yi was able to evade with [Floating Clouds]. Just as he was about to reach the apex, the sand in the desert began to shift. ck sand gathered near the base of the pyramid, forming a gigantic whirlpool.


    Sand suddenly burst out of the tip of the pyramid, and a gigantic lifeform emerged from its midst. It was a peak-grade sand scarab¡ªno, from the aura it gave off, it had to be no less than disaster-grade!


    The disaster-grade scarab was over ten times the size of the peak-grade variety, with eight beady eyes that gave off light in the night. All eight were staring straight at Fang Yi. The scarab scuttled quickly up the exterior of the pyramid. Even though it had just been at the base moments ago, it caught up to Fang Yi in a sh...

 Chapter 771: Disaster-Grade Guards

    <h4>Chapter 771: Disaster-Grade Guards</h4>


    Upon sensing the frightening presence behind him, Fang Yi forced himself to remain calm. He kicked backwards with his right leg.


    "[Wind''s Spirit]!" His leg, crackling with lightning,nded directly on the disaster-grade sand scarab''s head with such force that it caved in, its crystalline exoskeleton cracking.


    Simultaneously, Fang Yi used the momentum from that kick tounch himself forward like a bullet, treating the sand scarab like a springboard off of which heunched toward the top of the pyramid.


    Just as he was about to reach its apex, another disaster-grade sand scarab pounced on him. Fang Yi opened his eyes wide¡ªthere was another such scarab?!


    The scarab swallowed up Fang Yi whole before he could react.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" A shout and a thunderous impact could be heard from within the disaster-grade lifeform''s body, and the power of wind and lightning erupted from its exoskeleton.


    A spear formed from wind and lightning pierced the scarab''s body, and Fang Yi emerged from that hole. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    Half the scarab''s body was ravaged by the elemental energies. After emerging from the scarab''s body, Fang Yi continued heading straight for the apex of the pyramid.


    Waiting for Fang Yi was a gigantic hand made out of the ck cloth unraveled from the ck spirits'' bodies, as well as yet another disaster-grade scarab.


    The scarab sprayed out a burst of ck sand and leapt toward Fang Yi, while the ck hands descended toward him.


    Fang Yi, unable to react in time, was sent flying by the two attacks. He marshaled the wind andnded firmly on the desert floor, skidding to a halt and leaving long furrows across the sand.


    ck sand rose up in a wave around him. The sand that the sand scarab had sprayed at him had no small amount of venom, which was already starting to corrode Fang Yi''s body.


    Fang Yi scoured his body with lightning, cleansing whatever motes of ck sand remained on his body. Fortunately for Fang Yi, he had a remarkable constitution bolstered by limit fragments. Anyone else inflicted by such poison would have copsed already.


    Fang Yi saw two disaster-grade scarabs scurrying around the side of the pyramid, defending it from all intruders. It looked as though he wouldn''t be able to make it inside without getting rid of the two scarabs¡ªand if he didn''t make it inside, he couldn''t find the king of the ck spirits and kill him.


    The two scarabs opened their maws and shot out ck sand like pirs of water.


    Fang Yi leapt high into the air and avoided the attack. ck cloth suddenly emerged out of thin air above his head, blocking Fang Yi''s retreat.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that very moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently through the desert and broke free of the trap by brute force.


    His next opponents were the two disaster-grade sand scarabs, both of whom had activated their disaster-grade domains.


    The ck sand within that domain began to froth, as though each particle of sand had be a miniaturized bullet. The stacked domains were far stronger than each would individually be; the only reason Fang Yi was able to survive at all was because of his constitution. A superior-grade lifeform would have been devoured whole by the ck sand.


    The two sand scarabs advanced, sandwiching Fang Yi from left and right. Fang Yi knocked one scarab to the ground and sent the other one flying; the scarabs that hade from left and right were now up and down.


    As ck cloth shot toward Fang Yi, he rotated his body in mid-air and avoided the attack. His spear glowed with energy. The wind around him spun him faster and faster. Lightning gathered by the tip of his spear, sending sparks flying as the spear scraped against the scarabs'' exoskeletons and left long scratches on their crystalline exterior.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body. He shot out of the entrapment, again heading straight toward the apex of the pyramid.


    He pierced through the ck cloth with the charged tip of his spear, but just momentster, the two disaster-grade scarabs had caught up. They were right about to spit out ck sand at Fang Yi when he used another technique.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" Temporal energy surged toward the tip of his spear. The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time.


    The wind, the ck cloth, the scarabs¡ªeverything had frozen. The massing ck spirits werepletely still, as were the two disaster-grade scarabs. The only color in the space came from Fang Yi and his crackling spear.


    As his spear revolved and the grayscale world returned to normal, the two scarabs'' heads exploded, and their crystalline bodies slumped to the ground.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, knocking aside the ck cloth that threatened to swarm him.


    The two sand scarabs, who had somehow survived, circled around Fang Yi and gradually closed in on him like a trap about to spring.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi attacked the two scarabs before it could happen. Wind and lightning shout out from his spear, striking the two scarabs and causing their bodies to shake and vibrate. With a huge, resonant crack, the two scarabs'' bodies split apart in a huge explosion.


    Even so, the shocking vitality the scarabs possessed meant that they could still fight. In addition, the remnant parts of their bodies shook and trembled. A head and tail grew out of each part; the two sand scarabs had split into countless smaller scarabs, each of which were stronger than an ordinary peak-grade lifeform.


    They were small only inparison to their disaster-grade "parents", butrgerpared to an ordinary peak-grade lifeform. They scurried through the sand, apanied by endless strips of ck cloth from the air.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. He thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, knocking aside the ck cloth that threatened to swarm him.


    As he fought, more and more wheels of time began to stack behind his back. The two disaster-grade scarabs shot out streams of ck sand toward Fang Yi, and the ck cloth again blocked off any means of escape.


    The smaller sand scarabs drew close and emted their disaster-grade counterparts.


    Faced with such a formation, Fang Yi had no opportunity to slowly stack more and more wheels of time.


    "Everything''s aligned now!" Fang Yi had been moving in such a manner so as to align the ck pyramid and the two sand scarabs in a straight line.


    Wind and lightning surged around his spear in quantities farrger than seemed possible. Fang Yibined that energy with temporal energy, causing the light around his spear to sh a dazzling array of colors, blue and ck and purple, as though he had broken open a wormhole right in front of him.


    Fang Yi grinned.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Once again, Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    The wheels of time he had steadily amassed to date were necessary to help defray the cost of maintaining and moving in the frozen world.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, condensing as they circled around the tip of Fang Yi''s spear and sucking in the nearby space, turning it to putty. Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible...

 Chapter 772: A Bitter Fight

    <h4>Chapter 772: A Bitter Fight</h4>


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, and space.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest.


    Fang Yi poured more and more gic energy into his technique as wind and storm circled him.


    Only within a space of frozen time would Fang Yi be able to pull off such an attack. If he had to devote so much attention to a technique in the midst of a heated battle, his opponents would surely be able to kill him.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    Fang Yi''s spear, thrumming with the power of elements and time, was a weapon of legends. Formless lightning shed over its surface, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    Fang Yibined the power of space and time, wind and lightning. and focused them all on the tip of his spear in an unstable equilibrium.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    The two scarabs closed in on Fang Yi as a dragon''s howl echoed through the air. Wind and lightning poured out of Fang Yi, striking the two scarabs and causing their bodies to shake and vibrate.


    With a huge, resonant crack, the two scarabs'' bodies split apart in a huge explosion. Even so, the shocking vitality the scarabs possessed meant that they could still fight.


    In addition, the remnant parts of their bodies shook and trembled. A head and tail grew out of each part; the two sand scarabs had split into countless smaller scarabs, each of which were stronger than an ordinary peak-grade lifeform.


    They were small only inparison to their disaster-grade "parents", butrgerpared to an ordinary peak-grade lifeform. They scurried through the sand, apanied by endless strips of ck cloth from the air.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the skies. He thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, knocking aside the ck cloth that threatened to swarm him.


    More and more wheels of time began to stack behind his back.


    Fang Yi got into position, retreating backwards and prompting the scarabs to give chase.


    The two disaster-grade scarabs shot out streams of ck sand toward Fang Yi, and the ck cloth again blocked off any means of escape.


    Faced with such a formation, Fang Yi had no opportunity to slowly stack more and more wheels of time.


    "Everything''s aligned now!"


    Fang Yi had been moving in such a manner so as to align the ck pyramid and the two sand scarabs in a straight line.


    Wind and lightning surged around his spear in quantities farrger than seemed possible. Fang Yibined that energy with temporal energy, causing the light around his spear to sh a dazzling array of colors, blue and ck and purple, as though he had broken open a wormhole right in front of him.


    Fang Yi grinned.


    Once again, Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    Only within a space of frozen time would Fang Yi be able to pull off such an attack. If he had to devote so much attention to a technique in the midst of a heated battle, his opponents would surely be able to kill him.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    Fang Yi''s spear, thrumming with the power of elements and time, was a weapon of legends. Formless lightning shed over its surface, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    Fang Yibined the power of space and time, wind and lightning.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost...

 Chapter 773: A Worthy Victory

    <h4>Chapter 773: A Worthy Victory</h4>


    Fang Yi hadbined six different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; and the fundamental forces of space and time.


    Among these, spatial rifts and void lightning were particrly dangerous, and the fact that Fang Yi was meddling and even experimenting with them would make others think twice about associating with him.


    But if he didn''t take this risk, how would he be fit to party up with someone like Zhang Lie?


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to fade. This monstrous technique required amensurate cost, one farrger than Fang Yi had to pay when he used this technique in the past.


    His peak-grade spear began to crack, and even his own body was giving out. He bled out of all his orifices, the bones in his arms began to creak, and green veins appeared on his forehead. All his strength was barely enough to control the motion of the spear.


    All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The sixbined energies formed a cyclone around Fang Yi and his spear. Fang Yi tried to condense the energies further with his willpower, but he found himself unable to do so at all. The already unstable construction began to spiral out of control. Fang Yi''s skin began to bleed. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of tears in his skin.


    All Fang Yi could do was howl as he released the frightening medley of energy.


    Fang Yi had never once imagined that his spear could feel so heavy. This wasn''t the first time he had used this technique, but he had never tried tobine so much energy before. Just tossing out the spear drained all the energy from his body.


    As Fang Yi loosed the spear, it shot toward the apex of the pyramid like a cyclone on the move.


    The frozen world of gray splintered in an instant.


    A tsunami or a volcanic eruption would be nothing more than a minor inconveniencepared to this apocalyptic blow. The explosion from Fang Yi''s condensation of unstable energies destroyed everything in its path; nothing could stop the attack.


    The two scarabs were annihted, and half the ck sand in the desert seemed to vaporize. Even the hiddenyers of the scarabs'' bodies, deep within the sand, were forcibly revealed by the attack.


    The cyclone''s eye was like a ck hole, devouring and absorbing everything in sight, including the scarabs'' centipede-like bodies.


    Fang Yi was shocked by what was revealed. The disaster-grade scarabs, whose bodies were segmented like centipedes, each segment of which could be an independent scarab if detached, were uprooted in their entirety.


    Their bodies were incredibly long¡ªstretching thousands of meters deep, like some manner of weed hidden beneath the desert.


    Fang Yi was very relieved that he had such a trump card. If he were to continue fighting with the disaster-grade scarabs as he had been doing, he would surely have exhausted all of his stamina without any sess.


    Fang Yi''s cyclone spun and spun, pulling more and more of the disaster-grade scarabs'' bodies out of the sand, like a tape measure retracting tape.


    The attack was so forceful and fast that the scarabs were unable to react in time, and couldn''t muster any resistance against the attack.


    Only then did Fang Yi realize that his foe hadn''t been two such scarabs, but just one: the two scarabs'' centipede-like bodies, much of which had been hidden beneath the sand, were actually connected.


    Fang Yi''s attack was so sudden that the scarabs couldn''t even voluntarily cut off the afflicted parts of their body to save themselves.


    The cyclone distorted space and time along its path. The ck bandages tried to form a wall to halt its advance, but to no avail. The cyclone struck the pyramid with overwhelming force.


    Finally, the aftermath of Fang Yi''s attack made itself known. In the process of charging up the technique, Fang Yi had generated huge amounts of energy all around him. The only reason that energy had yet to explode was because of the frozen world of gray that Fang Yi had erected. With the stasis gone, the pent-up energy exploded all around Fang Yi.


    Flurries of ck sand rose into the air, and the entire ck spirit world was shaken by the eruption. The ck spirits that were starting to gather around Fang Yi were all sent flying; the resulting aftershock from the technique wiped away everything in sight.


    The peak-grade spear in Fang Yi''s hands disintegrated, and he knelt down on the floor panting, his entire body drained and bereft of vital energy.


    He raised his head and looked forward. There was a gaping hole in the desert where ck sand had once been located. Huge quantities of ck spirits were sent flying by the aftermath of the technique, and the disaster-grade sand scarabs had finally been killed. Left behind on the ck sand was a sparkling disaster-grade core.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade golden sand scarab. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade golden sand scarab, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The pyramid didn''t fare much better. The frighteningbination attack had pierced through its imprable shell, and the pyramid was now missing over three quarters of its infrastructure. A gaping hole was visible through its exterior, giving a glimpse into the buildings within.


    Fang Yi could see that within the ck pyramid was something akin to abyrinth, with countless corridors and dangerous traps¡ªbut there was no sign of the king of the realm purported to live here.


    "Hold on. Where''s the king of the ck spirits?"


    Not only that, there didn''t seem to be a single living lifeform within the pyramid, or even a ck spirit.


    "What''s going on?" Fang Yi murmured to himself. Was there something wrong with the draconians'' information?


    Fang Yi''s heart began to palpitate, and cold sweat peppered his forehead. The ck sand around Fang Yi suddenly began to move. Three whirlpools appeared in three different parts of the pyramid, and three smaller pyramids appeared from the centers of those whirlpools¡­

 Chapter 774: The Strongest Black Spirit

    <h4>Chapter 774: The Strongest ck Spirit</h4>


    What were these whirlpools doing here? While Fang Yi attempted to understand the strange phenomenon, fumes of ck smoke began to emerge from the gigantic pyramid, and ck bandages from its base.


    Fang Yi''s eyes grew wide. "What? Hasn''t the pyramid been destroyed...?"


    How could there be smokeing out of the base of the pyramid??Hold on¡ªthe base!?Fang Yi nced toward the pyramid''s base. Upon thinking back to the empty interior, he smiled grimly. "So that''s it."


    He tried to stand up again, but he was still suffering from a bout of weakness from unleashing his ultimate technique. The sand beneath his feet began to shift. The three smaller pyramids seemed as though they were monsters devouring the ck sand all around them.


    As the sand drained away toward them, Fang Yi found the sand beneath his feet give way. "Is this the end for me?"


    ck bandages covered up the moon in the sky. The ck bandages approached from above, and the three pyramids from all around him. Fang Yi, whose body stubbornly refused to move, found himself in dire straits.


    He winced. "It''s a pity that I wasn''t able to finish Zhang Lie''s trial. He''ll be disappointed, I suppose..."


    As the ck bandages shot down toward Zhang Lie, an eagle''s cry pierced the skies. Golden ws tore the ck cloth to shreds as an eagle swooped down toward Fang Yi, grabbed him, and rose again into the skies.


    Only when they escaped the bandages did Fang Yi discover that the figure that had grabbed him was a golden eagle, whose feathers were like starlight. As he stretched his wings, golden radiance lit up the entire night sky.


    "You are..." Fang Yi thought that this golden eagle looked particrly familiar.


    "Zhang Lie had mee," the golden eagle replied.


    Zhang Lie!


    The golden eagle was none other than Xing Ying. Xing Ying continued, "Zhang Lie knew how difficult this trial would be for all of you considering that you''ve only just ascended, so he specially assigned us warlords from the Milky Way to follow you from behind. After all, you''re all his precious followers."


    Fang Yi blinked. "Us warlords?"


    Xing Ying rified, "The other warlords are tailing the rest of the hunters in Team Zenith."


    Beneath them, the smaller pyramids began to revolve rapidly. ck sand gathered where they stood, forming miniature cyclones which tore through the desert. The cyclones were strong enough to cause a shift in the air currents, and even Xing Ying was affected.


    Fang Yi nced down at the revolving pyramids. "As expected, the storms I encountered were caused by those pyramids."


    "The pyramids are basically mobile warships the ck spirits can deploy at will."


    "What?"


    Xing Ying didn''t exin. Instead, hemented, "You''re really unlucky, aren''t you? The ck spirits are by far the strongest race among those around the draconian world."


    More ck cloth emerged from the base of the pyramid and struck at Xing Ying and Fang Yi. Despite the sandstorm and turbulent conditions, Xing Ying easily flew out of reach while chatting with Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi had aplicated expression on his face as he watched Xing Ying dodge the attacks with ease. Was this the strength of a mid-rank warlord, a warlord from one of the four prime races?


    Xing Ying continued amiably, "I have to admit that yourbat strength is truly extraordinary. For you to be able to destroy the pyramid to such an extent¡ªthe ck spirit king must have been truly annoyed with you to summon the three mobile pyramids to attack you."


    "No, no, you overpraise me. Compared to you, I''ve hardly managed to do anything."


    "There''s no need to be so modest¡ªeven if I were to attack the pyramid myself, there''s no way I''d be able to wreak such damage. It looks like there are really strong hunters besides Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng among the humans."


    Although quite a few warlords had taken note of Team Zenith''s performance during the Void Cup, not every warlord had the time or interest in doing so. To the warlords of the third realm, rookies of the first realm were nothing impressive.


    If the third-realm hunters were like adults, then second-realm hunters were teenagers, and the first-realm hunters just little rascals. No matter how outstanding one such rascal was, none of the third-realm warlords would pay them any mind.


    The only reason they knew of Team Zenith was via Zhang Lie; all they knew was that he had a group of outstanding subordinates. Before that, no one in the third realm paid any attention to the members of Team Zenith, nor the unharvested potential they represented.


    After all, the members of Team Zenith were all humans. The proud warlords didn''t want to admit that there were members of other alien races more talented than they were¡ªand of course, the chief reason why the members of Team Zenith had been neglected was because they were always beingpared to someone far more radiant: Zhang Lie.


    Fang Yiughed. "Everyone in Team Zenith is exceptionally strong. You''ll see what I mean once you face them for yourself."


    Xing Ying nodded. "I''ll take your word for it. Do you have any insight regarding the ck spirit king?"


    "You mean the king of the realm?"


    Fang Yi''s gaze turned to the ck pyramid, his eyes sharp as spears. "Yes, I do."


    Xing Ying warned him, "The mission that Zhang Lie gave me was to protect your life, but I won''t step in in a fight between you and the king. That''s still your responsibility, and the most I''ll do is take care of the trash out here. Are you alright with that?"


    "It''s far more than enough. Thank you."


    "In that case, let''s set off." Xing Ying pped his wings and flew toward the apex of the pyramid in a beam of light.


    ck cloth shot straight toward Xing Ying, but he was always able to dodge and fly between the small openings left behind in each attack. As Xing Ying flew past attack after attack, the ck cloth resorted to defense instead, firmly covering up the entirety of the ck pyramid.


    Golden light tore through the ck cloth and charged into the pyramid proper. Xing Ying shouted, "Go!"


    He tossed Fang Yi forward. As he fell, Fang Yi took a long swig of restorative, then retrieved a spear¡ªan armament-type soulshard conveniently dropped by a peak-grade sand scarab. The tip of the spear was sharp and honed to a fine edge.


    As he fell, the restorative swiftly began to heal his wounded arm and body.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Stormwind Explosion]!" Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    The momentum that Xing Ying had given him during his toss allowed Fang Yi tounch down toward the pyramid like a meteor.


    With his spear before him, Fang Yi broke through countless walls as he shot into the interior of the pyramid. Within moments, he had arrived at the baseyer of the pyramid. Its ck foundation prevented him from going further; the tip of Fang Yi''s spear began to spark...

 Chapter 775: King of the Black Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 775: King of the ck Spirits</h4>


    "Break!" Fang Yi howled, facing the base of the pyramid. He furiously poured gic energy into his spear. Wind and lightning circled around him.


    The ck ground of the pyramid began to crack, and Fang Yi''s gic energy seeped into the crevices.


    The wheels of time to his back red with light. There were five of them in all; with his fivefold speedup, Fang Yi quickly turned the ck ground red with heat. The cracks propagated, as more and more gic energy emanated from Fang Yi.


    Wind and lightning gathered around the tip of his spear, seemingly turning his entire body into a drill. Another wheel of time emerged from his back, and Fang Yi''s attack speed grew even faster.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body.


    "Break!" Fang Yi howled again. The loop of energy dissolved into fragments, boosting his next few attacks and sessfully allowing him to break through the ground, which gave way to his rampage.


    As he had expected, there was a huge, cavernous space underneath the ck pyramid. If the ground were transparent, an inverted pyramid would have been visible directly underneath the exposed pyramid¡ªthese "pyramids" weren''t actually pyramids, but rather octahedra.


    Fang Yi''s spear broke through countless walls, traps, and ck spirits. He dashed straight toward the center of the inverted pyramid, where the ck spirits were gathered densely.


    This was where they were all hiding!


    ck bandages stretched out from the ck spirits'' bodies as they tried to stop Fang Yi. However, Fang Yi''s body was crackling with wind and lightning, which formed an inverted cone around his head and body, as though he really were the tip of a drill. He shot forward with such momentum that none of the ck spirits'' attacks could touch him, let alone stall him.


    The moment Fang Yi entered the inverted pyramid, he could sense a strong presence much like a snake coiled up and waiting to strike, deep below him.


    Just sensing the presence alone was enough to make his back drip with sweat. He was certain that the king of the ck spirits was located deep within the inverted pyramid.


    Wheel after wheel appeared behind Fang Yi''s back. In almost no time at all, he had stacked ten such wheels. With his aura perception, Fang Yi was more or less able to identify where in the pyramid the king of the ck spirits was located.


    He was heading straight for the apex of the inverted pyramid, directly antipodal to where the purpleser-eye had been situated.


    The wheels of time behind him continued to stack more and more as the wind and lightning around him spun faster and faster. No matter how sturdy the walls of the pyramid were, no matter how dangerous the traps they contained, nothing was able to stop Fang Yi''s advance.


    As he neared the bottom of the pyramid, however, he found a force opposing him. The wind-and-lightning drill encountered an object of such supetive hardness that it was unable to prate it immediately.


    That had to be where the king was located!


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward and burst through the final wall.


    A startling amount of ck smoke drained out of the hole that Fang Yi had created, but he was protected by the winds around him.


    Fang Yi''s aura cleared a path, blocking the smoke from approaching his body.


    On the opposite side of the wall was a tomb, with a coffin at its very center. The frightening presence that Fang Yi had sensed came from the coffin.


    Fang Yi''s attack shot straight toward the coffin and drilled a hole in it. The tip of Fang Yi''s spear crackled, and the resulting wind and lightning tore the coffin to pieces.


    However, even the wind couldn''t prate the body within: a mummy with its hands crossed over its chest.


    In truth, the ck spirits were basically mummies as well, but the mummy in the coffin was wrapped up tightly in the ck cloth bandages, whereas the ck spirits that were so prevalent outside were wrapped only loosely and haphazardly, with parts of their strange bodies exposed.


    The mummy within the coffin was wrapped up so tightly and elegantly that it almost seemed like a piece of art. It held an ankh in its crossed hands, one fashioned in an unusual manner. The loop of the ankh was an iid eye, one much like what Fang Yi had seen at the apex of the pyramid.


    This eye was golden, and it was so detailed Fang Yi could have believed that it came from a real person.


    Fang Yi''s technique struck the mummy''s face, which was covered by a mask. Though Fang Yi''s technique had easily been able to prate everything else in the pyramid, the mask held firm against it.


    Even when Fang Yi increased the intensity of his attack, the mask stubbornly refused to break.


    It was almost as though Fang Yi''s attack was going against the heart of the entire world, which was adamantly protecting the mummy from harm¡ªor rather, the mask that it wore. Was this the proof of kingship?


    Fang Yi recalled what Zhang Lie had mentioned. The proof of kingship was protected by the world from material damage. It could only be destroyed if the entire world was destroyed first.


    The mask was that proof!


    Suddenly, the mummy woke up and opened its eyes. The eyes had no sclera; they were pitch-ck, almost as though Fang Yi was looking into the abyss.


    ck smoke poured out from the mummy. The ankh''s eye lit up in purple as a beam of light shot into the sky out of the pyramid along the hole from which Fang Yi had burst through.


    From the outside, Xing Ying could see a purple beam of lighting from within the pyramid and illuminating the entirety of the night sky. Fang Yi sucked in a breath. Fortunately, he had encountered such aser before when trying to enter the pyramid.


    The moment he saw the mummy''s ankh sh purple, he subconsciously noticed that something was amiss and moved instinctively to avoid the attack.


    Two basins lit up with ghostly blue fire, providing enough light that Fang Yi could clearly see the interior of the tomb. On the floor and the ceiling were hieroglyphs with unknown meaning, while murals were carved onto the four walls.


    The mummy who wore the proof of kingship as a mask was clearly the king of the ck spirits.


    "Who dares disturb my sleep?!" the king of the ck spirits roared. ck bandages appeared all around him like tentacles.


    Despite the mummy''s overwhelming presence, Fang Yi was unruffled. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It left dozens of afterimages in all directions, knocking aside the ck cloth that threatened to swarm him.


    Neither party relented. More wheels of time shed from Fang Yi''s back, and purple beams of light shot out from the king''s ankh.


    Fang Yi evaded with [Floating Clouds]. Simultaneously, he charged his spear with wind and lightning, so bright it made the entire tomb shine as though it were day...

 Chapter 776: The Undying Spirit

    <h4>Chapter 776: The Undying Spirit</h4>


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Stormgod Explosion]!" The roar of thunder resounded within the tomb as a god of lightning materialized from behind Fang Yi and pummeled the mummy with its fists.


    The king of the ck spirits didn''t meet Fang Yi''s attack with one of his own. Instead, he immediately recalled all the bandages and, using them as a spring,unched himself through the air, up the hole that Fang Yi had made, and out of the pyramid.


    "I won''t let you flee!" Fang Yi shouted as he gave chase, retracing his steps and flying out of the hole.


    Another purple beam shot down from above,unched by the king of the ck spirits.


    Fang Yi evaded with [Floating Clouds]. The spear in his hands tore apart the foundations of the pyramid around him as he carved out a space for himself to dodge the attack.


    The king of the ck spirits, meanwhile, sessfully made it out of the pyramid. He floated in the air, his arms spread, as if summoning something. Within the inverted pyramid, all the spirits transformed into ck bandages that shot toward their king.


    The king gathered all those bandages, coiling them around and around each other, forming a sphere that looked like some form of egg.


    Xing Ying, supervising Fang Yi from the air, widened his eyes. "This won''t be good..."


    He shot through the air, his ws glinting with light. He tried to slice apart the ck sphere, but the three small pyramids shifted and blocked him from attacking.


    The ck sphere slowly unraveled, turning into a ck giant. It bent down and plucked off the top of the ck pyramid to use as a weapon, roaring as a sandstorm formed around him.


    Rather than being wrapped up in bandages, it was made up of one: a giant of cloth that was stitched together to form a muscr figure. The king of the ck spirits was embedded within the giant''s chest.


    Xing Ying sighed. "Good luck,d..."


    When Fang Yi emerged from the inverted pyramid, he was shocked to see the giant standing above him. The giant mmed a palm down on Fang Yi, who hurriedly dodged with [Floating Clouds].


    The giant''s palm struck the cracked pyramid, sending rubble flying all over.


    Fang Yi emerged from the smoke, his spear charged with wind and lightning.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that very moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently through the battlefield, bolstered by the wheels of time to their back.


    Each clone instantly thrust forward with their spear hundreds of times. The strikes looked like illusions, but they all manifested in reality. Thousands of spears criss-crossed in mid-air, striking the giant and spawning countless wheels of time to the clones'' backs.


    In the blink of an eye, each clone had twenty such wheels strengthening their attacks, but the giant''s muscles, formed from ck cloth, were stronger than the thickest armor. Even repeated attacks from the clones'' spears were unable to hurt the giant.


    The giant swept forward with his arm, dissipating the clones with nothing but brute force. Its strength was frightful; strong gusts of wind followed its every move. It tore a hole in the sandstorm raging across the battlefield.


    Fang Yi appeared behind the giant''s head, the ck spear in his hand sparking with lightning. The giant opened its mouth, revealing a purple glow as he charged up a beam attack.


    Fang Yi''s eyes lit up. That attack came from the ankh''s eye¡ªthe ankh was in the giant''s mouth!


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques.


    Temporal energy surged toward the tip of his spear.


    The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time. Everything froze and turned gray: the wind, the ck sand, the giant, and even the beam of purple light coalescing around the giant''s mouth.


    The only color in the space came from Fang Yi and his crackling spear.


    "Let''s give you a taste of your own medicine!" Fang Yi tossed out the spear in his hand straight toward the giant''s mouth.


    The frozen world of gray cracked. Time began flowing anew, and the giant''s mouth brimmed with purple light. Fang Yi''s spear wasn''t sufficient to destroy the ankh.


    Moments before the giant was about to release its beam attack, Fang Yi leapt toward him, somersaulted in mid-air, charged his leg with wind and lightning, and kicked at the haft of the spear, propelling it forward deeper into the giant''s mouth and piercing the ankh located there. Purple light exploded, and the resulting explosion sent Fang Yi flying into the distance.


    Xing Ying, hovering in the air, smoothly caught him. Fang Yi summoned his spear back into his hand.


    Xing Ying murmured, "The king of the ck spirits doesn''t seem to be dead just yet."


    The explosion of the purple light had knocked the giant''s head off, but the giant wasn''t the king himself.


    The king''s head was located at the giant''s chest. Although the explosion was impressivelyrge, causing the giant''s neck and even chest to cave in, the king of the ck spirits wasrgely unhurt.


    "He''s truly a pest to kill!" Fang Yiined.


    "It looks like you''ll have to keep fighting," Xing Ying replied, pping his wings to get closer.


    "I''ll use my final trump card, then." Fang Yi leapt forward. The wheel of time expanded behind him as he charged up to the giant with his spear.


    The headless giant punched at the spear, blocking it but unable to send Fang Yi flying. The two attacks were at an impasse when Fang Yi''s wheel of time suddenly red with light.


    "[Wheel of Time: Break]!" With a howl from Fang Yi, the wheel of time behind him broke in a shower of light.


    Next to Fang Yi appeared a shadow of himself, one which suddenly merged with Fang Yi''s body and gave him a tremendous boost to his strength. The wind and lightning circling the spear doubled in intensity.


    As the next wheel of time broke, even more light red from Fang Yi''s back. A second shadow appeared, merged with Fang Yi, and boosted his strength, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth...

 Chapter 777: The Mummified King

    <h4>Chapter 777: The Mummified King</h4>


    As more and more wheels of time behind Fang Yi broke, more ephemeral shadows appeared and boosted his strength to so intense a degree that even Xing Ying could feel his aura from afar.


    The sandstorm had beenpletely dissipated by Fang Yi''s wind. Xing Ying jumped up in shock as Fang Yi suddenly grew stronger and stronger in his vision.


    This was Fang Yi''s final trump card, and it was founded on the basis that time could be stacked additively.


    Fang Yi had identified this idea from the reference materials that he had read through and used it as the basis for his time-rted techniques. Time stacked; it didn''t pass or fade away. Like age, time was cumtive¡ªa person grew one year older every year.


    Because he was able to sense this stacking of time from two different worlds, Fang Yi had intuited a technique that could take advantage of this feature of time. His wheels of time didn''t prolong time or reduce the rate at which it flowed, but rather stored time and released it over a prolonged period.


    This stored time was kept in the wheel to his back. When these wheels of time were destroyed and the stored time was released, the equivalent of a bug was produced. It was as if two separate programs called Fang Yi were simultaneously running, and both Fang Yi''s actions would manifest in the real world, directly doubling his power.


    Fang Yi''s trump card was built off this bug. A single thrust from him would be doubled in strength, but that wasn''t where the crux of this techniquey. Even more astoundingly, when the second wheel of time broke, Fang Yi''s strength would be doubled once again¡ªthe first wheel doubled his strength, and the second wheel doubled it once more, a fourfold increase in all.


    This was why Xing Ying was so shocked.


    As a third-realm warlord from one of the four prime races, Xing Ying was learned and cosmopolitan. Anything that could shock him had to be truly extraordinary¡ªlike the twenty wheels of time that Fang Yi had just broken. It hadn''t raised his power by twenty times, but rather doubled it twenty times over¡ªa million-fold increase.


    Xing Ying was gobsmacked.


    The incredible power that Fang Yi''s wind and lightning gave off was difficult to imagine.


    Fang Yi''s first trump card,bining six disparate energies, was an evolution in the quality of his attack, whereas his second trump card, breaking the wheels of time, was an evolution in the quantity of energy his attack involved.


    A million-fold increase in his strength was far beyond the limit of strength Fang Yi was otherwise able to produce.


    Even Xing Ying was sent flying within moments, and the sandstorm was quelled instantly. The three smaller pyramids were forcibly sealed. The ck giant before Fang Yi was struck with the bulk of all that energy, instantly evaporating its arm. Its defense was a jokepared to Fang Yi''s strength now.


    Energy overwhelmed the giant and destroyed his surroundings. Even the will of the world was unable to survive unscathed.


    The entire world seemed to shake, and a crack appeared on the ck spirit king''s mask.


    Simultaneously, cracks propagated through the sea and sky. Sand poured into those cracks, and Xing Ying, watching all this from afar, murmured to himself, "There''s another monster like Zhang Lie among the humans..."


    While observing Fang Yi''s fight, Xing Ying had be convinced of Fang Yi''s strength.


    To him, Fang Yi was a genius among the hunters of the Milky Way, but one still rather far removed from a walking miracle like Zhang Lie.


    Even upon seeing Fang Yi use his trump card, Xing Ying''s perspective didn''t change. He thought he was even erring on the side of overvaluing the members of Team Zenith, but it was now clear that he waspletely mistaken.


    With the strength that Fang Yi was giving off now, Xing Ying had to admit that Fang Yi was equally as monstrous as Zhang Lie.


    The ck sand evaporated off the desert, leaving behind magmatic ground.


    Steam rose into the air, not just around the ck pyramid, but around almost a third of the ck spirit world, even thousands of miles away.


    The ck pyramid waspletely destroyed. Lava poured into the inverted pyramid. All that was left of the ck giant was a half-cracked mask that fell from the sky, along with Fang Yi himself. Xing Ying hurriedly caught Fang Yi, who thanked the warlord.


    Just as with Fang Yi''s other trump card, the strength of this technique was proportional to its cost. Fang Yi had essentially done the equivalent of casting his technique twenty times in quick session, draining all of his stamina in one go. He didn''t even have the strength to raise his hand.


    Xing Ying marveled, "You''re truly an impressive fellow."


    He squinted toward the ground. "But... it looks like the ck spirit king still isn''t dead."


    Fang Yi also nced downward, where he saw a pile of ck rags beneath the mask, struggling amidst theva.


    How had the ck spirit king survived such a devastating blow? The proof of kingship was sturdy enough to block a significant fraction of Fang Yi''s attack, so that the king was able to survive with the barest modicum of health. However, he seemed to be on the verge of dissipating entirely, far weaker than he had once been just moments ago.


    "Please, I don''t want to move even a finger!" Fang Yi called out to Xing Ying.


    Xing Yin replied, "You should know that Zhang Lie forbade me from interfering directly, don''t you?"


    "I really can''t move. Won''t you just kill the king and take the proof of kingship?"


    Xing Ying narrowed his eyes. "Fine, but you''ll owe me a favor!"


    "This is too easy a task to warrant a favor, surely?"


    Xing Ying ignored Fang Yi''s protests. He swooped down and wed at the bundle of rags, then killed it with his ster gic energy.


    A rain of blood fell from the night sky as the world howled in pain. The king of the ck spirit had finally been killed...

 Chapter 778: The Cautious Yang Ze

    <h4>Chapter 778: The Cautious Yang Ze</h4>


    Compared to Fang Yi, the other members of Team Zenith were having a far easier time.


    Yang Ze waszing atop a wall on the draconian world, eating an exotic fruit that was a specialty of the world. He sighed in satisfaction. "It''s really sweet!"


    Beneath the wall, a few bearmen were brawling against a horde of sharks.


    This was the first time that Yang Ze had encountered bearmen. They were even more ferocious and intimidating than bears. Most of the bearmen were over three meters tall, which sharp canines and ws that were half a meter long, blood-red and glinting with cold light. They fought standing on their hind legs.


    There were a few tens of thousands of bearmen beneath the wall, facing off against a horde of over a thousand sharks.


    The bearmen grinned with malice as they charged forward, expecting that their numerical advantage would allow them to easily overwhelm the sharks. After all, they had ten times the number.


    Almost immediately after the battle started, the bearmen found that they were mistaken, terribly so. No matter how many sharks they killed, more would appear out of the mists. The shark horde seemed to bepletely endless.


    The bearmen had nearly inexhaustible stamina and numbers, but only nearly so.


    The guards patrolling the walls had never seen a battle y out like this before. All they had to do was stand guard like dummies while a horde of sharks fought off the bearmen by their feet. The bearmen began to die in droves as the sharks appeared inrger andrger numbers.


    These sharks were all the work of one man, who was leisurely lounging on the wall and snacking on some fruits.


    Except to repel some of the bearmen during their initial assault, Yang Ze had done nothing but sit back and rx throughout the battle. He watched the bearmen perish while fighting off an endless horde of sharks with interest.


    He didn''t think he could ever understand battle-crazed fellows like Fang Yi¡ªthis was how a battle should go. How rxing it was to obtain a victory without doing anything! In order to alleviate his boredom, Yang Ze would control his sharks and y around with the bearmen from time to time.


    There were initially tens of thousands of bearmen, but they had been whittled down to just a few hardy veterans fighting against impossible odds.


    Yang Ze was surrounded by crystalline lotus flowers. He continued spectating the battle from up high, as though he were in control of the entire battle.


    As the bearmen continued to die, the champion of the bearmen found warning bells ringing in his head. Although the bearmen were beastkin, with above-average constitution and below-average smarts, it was clear that something was fishy with this battle. The hordes of sharks before them werepletely unkible!


    The bearman champion regretted that he hade to this understanding far toote, only after most of his kin had been sacrificed to this pointless battle. No matter how unintelligent he was, it would be difficult not to realize that the man controlling the sharks was the one eating fruits and smiling at them from high above the wall.


    The human''s smile was mocking, as though he were watching a group of animals put on a show.


    The bearman champion knew that, if he were to allow the shark hordes to continue decimating his kin, they would all perish here. For the sake of his race, he had to charge forward now.


    With an angry roar, he leapt up into the air, swiping his ws and killing two sharks instantly. As long as he could take down this human, the others would be no match for the seasoned bearmen warriors¡ªand it would be the bearmen who would be ughtered then.


    "This is the bearman champion?" Yang Ze continued to rx, with no intention of moving from his seat at all. He scrutinized the iing bearman champion.


    The bearman champion wasrger by half than the other bearmen, and he was over five meters tall. He leapt up toward the wall from fifty meters away¡ªand, astonishingly, sessfully ascended the wall.


    "He''s strong, I''ll give him that. Pity about his brain, though..." Yang Ze snapped his fingers with a bored flick. The lotus flowers around him shot forward and exploded around the bearman champion.


    As the gic energy exploded, the bearman champion fell to the ground, his body devastated by the explosion and shredded into pieces.


    "Is he really that weak as to fall prey to such an explosion?" Yang Ze sneered. "This couldn''t even be considered a warm-up."


    The bearmen were astounded by how easily their champion had fallen.


    "No stronger than an ordinary peak-grade lifeform," Yang Zemented. With a wave of his hand, more and more crystal lotuses flew out onto the battlefield, like a battalion of soldiers waiting for Yang Ze''s order.


    While Yang Ze was snacking on fruit, he had been manifesting these lotus flowers with his gic energy. However, they had been hidden behind the draconian wall, where the bearmen were unable to see them.


    Within the mist that saturated the battlefield, the crystalline flowers exploded one after another, reaping a harvest of blood with each explosion. Not a single bearman survived.


    The guards atop the wall were agape, shocked by how easily Yang Ze had ended the battle, as though all the skirmishes they had had with the bearmen in the past were just a lie.


    Hundreds of crystalline lotus flowers surrounded Yang Ze. He looked onward at the wormhole before him and chose not to head in just yet.


    "I suppose I''ll stockpile a few more flowers first."


    After all, he was about to face a king of the realm, and he had never fought against one such before. It would be better to be safe than sorry.


    "In that case, I''ll go for a thousand¡ªno, ten thousand flowers." Yang Ze made this decision after ncing at the pile of bearmen bodies littering the ground.


    Quite some timeter, his hands in his pockets, ten thousand crystalline lotus flowers behind him, Yang Ze sauntered into the wormhole into the bearmen world. He found himself in a forest without end.


    "How should I find the king?"


    At any rate, the first step was to identify the closest town or vige to see if there were any news about the king. Yang Ze expected that finding the king of the realm would be difficult, but he quickly came across a vige or small town fenced by logs of gigantic wood.


    "I thought it would be harder..." It did make sense that, since the draconians had erected a wall on their side of the wormhole, that the bearmen would have a corresponding wall as well.


    The draconians and bearmen were on rather neutral terms, and would trade with each other from time to time. However, there were also frequent altercations between members of the two species, leading to the creation of a defensive perimeter on either side of the wormhole.


    The difference was that the draconians had erected their wall on a in, whereas the bearmen made theirs out of gigantic logs within a forest.


    The bearmen were specialized for fighting in forested areas, and the fact that a forest had grown up around the entrance to the wormhole on the bearmen world was a key part of their defenses.


    Yang Ze''s appearance caused a few bearmen guards to poke their heads out from above the wall. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

 Chapter 779: The King of the Bearmen

    <h4>Chapter 779: The King of the Bearmen</h4>


    The bearman warriors had only gone through the wormhole less than a day ago. Considering their experience with the draconians, the bearman warriors should be within the draconian world by now. How, then, had humans passed through the wormhole and into the bearmen world?


    Yang Ze countered, "Where''s the king of the realm?"


    The bearmen stilled before thundering back, "I''m the one questioning you! Where are our warriors?"


    "Getting information out of you all isn''t that easy, is it¡­ To be honest, I''d prefer not to resort to violence. If it were Zhang Lie, well, I suppose he''d ''politely'' greet you all. I guess I''ll emte him..."


    Yang Ze unsheathed his de as water-attuned gic energy burst forth from him. He activated [Mirrored Refraction]. Wavespped from his longsword, and a great white shark appeared behind him.


    Realizing that Yang Ze was about to attack, the bearmen yelled, "Sound the rms! Enemy assault!"


    However, they were toote.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!" Waves sshed as Yang Ze swung his sword, a gigantic shark by his back. As Yang Ze infused gic energy into the technique, the shark materialized into reality, swimming forward as heunched his attack.


    The wooden palisade that the bearmen had constructed, that had stood for as long as the forest had been around, fell to the attack. The shark tore a hole in the wood, sending chips of wood flying all over.


    All the bearmen present had grown used to the palisade, and it gave them a sense of reassurance whenever they looked at it. That day, however, an enemy had easily torn a hole in the wooden pirs, sparking instant panic among the bearmen.


    Yang Ze shook his head. "How poor the quality of this wood is! Could you all have neglected the upkeep of the fence after not fighting the draconians for too long?"


    The bearman defense was far too shoddypared to that of their draconian counterpart. If Yang Ze had attacked the draconian wall in the same fashion, he might have been able to drill a hole through at most, rather than an entire stretch of the palisade¡ªa spacerge enough that he and any of his forces could easily attack the defenseless interior of the bearmen vige.


    This was the difference between the draconian and the bearman defense.


    The bearmen''s ineptitude was evident from their panic at having their defenses breached. If such a situation had happened to the draconians, they would immediately rally and counterattack instead. This difference derived frombat experience. The draconians continuously warred against the Mengtai, and they had trained an elite force of soldiers.


    Yang Ze leisurely walked forward as his surroundings filled with white mist. The mist spread through the forest. Shark hordes appeared among the trees and swam past the defensive border.


    As the bearmen mustered, they were quickly taken down by the fierce, prowling sharks, giving the white mists a faint tint of pink and dyeing the ground red.


    Yang Ze bore the bearmen no mercy: either they died, or he would. Showing kindness to an enemy was akin to treating himself cruelly. His gaze sharp, he strode into the vige. He observed the bearmen corpses calmly¡ªif the bearmen hadn''t fallen, the humans and draconians would have.


    The bearmen had been the invaders, and they had no one to me but themselves for being counter-invaded by humans.


    The one-sided ughter quickly ended.


    The king of the bearmen, sensing Yang Ze''s arrival and invasion, retaliated. A cyclone headed straight for Yang Ze, dispersing the white fog he had put up. ws sliced Yang Ze''s body apart.


    Yang Ze looked at the two halves of his body in shock, then slowly dissipated into mist¡ªhis ''body'' was simply an illusion spawned from [Mirrored Refraction].


    Over the past year, Yang Ze''s understanding of [Mirrored Refraction] had grown to even greater heights. He was now able to spawn such illusions in a split second, and the illusions were as good as real.


    He appeared atop the wooden palisade. "Is the king of the bearmen unwilling to face me directly?"


    The moment Yang Ze appeared, a w swiped at Yang Ze''s head. This time, however, it remained hovering above its body. It spoke while floating: "I''ve found you."


    To see a decapitated head speaking was a frightening sight. Of course, once he finished speaking, Yang Ze''s ''body'' slowly vanished once more.


    The king of the realm, hidden in the forest, was shocked by his two failed attempts at assassination. He intended on retreating and then finding another location from which to attack Yang Ze, only to notice something to his back.


    "King of the bearmen, I''ve found you!"


    The bearman grew rmed. He hadn''t noticed Yang Ze appearing behind him at all! He was hidden on a nearby hill, about five hundred meters from the vige.


    Yang Ze had traced the king''s location via his second attack.


    The king of the bearmen was surprisingly intelligent¡ªor, rather, unusually experienced with these sneak attacks. His long-distance w swipes, which changed direction with the wind, meant that Yang Ze couldn''t be certain of their source. However, even though the king of the bearmen could hide the direction from which he attacked, he couldn''t hide the energy he gave off.


    If Yang Ze couldn''t even find a bear hidden in the forest, he could hardly call himself a member of Team Zenith.


    The king of the bearmen was about to turn back and attack, only to find his surroundings filled with crystalline lotus flowers.


    The next moment, the lotus flowers exploded. Water-attuned gic energy filled the air.


    The short-ranged explosion caused no small amount of damage to the king, who had lost a fair bit of his fur. Countless ice crystals,rge and small, had pierced his skin and drawn blood. A trickle of blood seeped out of his mouth.


    When the king of the bearmen turned around, Yang Ze saw him clearly for the first time. The king was hardly as magnificent in stature as the champion of the bearmen; instead, he was smaller and thinner than average, only about the height of an average human man. He was roughly of the same size and height as Yang Ze, and his limbs were thinner than those of an average bearman.


    Despite his smaller body, his ws were wholly undiminished in size and still half a meter long.


    Compared to his bulkier and stronger kin, Yang Ze found the king in front of him arger threat. His eyes were as sharp as des, and it was clear he was more than adept with his ws.


    Yang Ze curled his finger, beckoning the king forward as he sent all the crystalline lotus flowers he had deposited in the vicinity floating toward him.

 Chapter 780: Ten Thousand Lotus Flowers

    <h4>Chapter 780: Ten Thousand Lotus Flowers</h4>


    The king of the bearmen didn''t ask how Yang Ze had found him. He simply swiped at Yang Ze, intending to cull the threat before it was toote.


    However, Yang Ze was prepared. His body dissipated into mist as the king of the bearmen, realizing his attack had failed, swiftly retreated.


    "I won''t let you go! [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Yang Ze struck again, his sword shing toward the king like the current along a river.


    The king of the bearmen swiped again with his ws, but Yang Ze evaded by darting through the trees.


    Wavespped at his feet. In the blink of an eye, he closed in on the king of the bearmen and sliced downward with his de.


    The king defended with his ws, causing an explosion as their attacks met. The wind from the attack ruffled Yang Ze''s hair. As Yang Ze clenched his fists, water-attuned gic energy rippled around him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea]!" Yang Ze invoked his authority over space, whichbined with his water-attuned gic energy and formed circlets around his arms.


    The space around himpressed and shook.


    A sudden wind blew through the forest, sending the leaves rustling and falling off their branches. The wind gathered by the king of the bearmen''s w, which he shot out as daggers.


    A fist and a w struck simultaneously.


    Neither man nor bear had any intention of retreating, because they both understood that doing so would be akin to relinquishing control over the tempo of the battle. Who would ultimately win out depended on who could withstand the storm of blows from the other party longer.


    Yang Ze''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] shed against the bearman''s ws. Those ws pierced Yang Ze''s chest as Yang Ze''s fists smashed against the bearman''s face. The force of the impact burst one of the chieftain''s eyeballs, but he smiled grimly.


    It was evident that Yang Ze had received a more serious injury. However, the bearman didn''t expect that Yang Ze would reveal a simr smile, the smile of victory.


    He suddenly noticed that his attack on Yang Ze didn''t feel as though he had struck flesh, and there was no trace of blood on his ws.


    Yang Ze shed forward with his de, causing the chieftain to jump back in shock. However, he was a moment toote, and a thin line scored his chest.


    The king of the bearmen couldn''t help but ask, "Just what did you do?"


    Yang Ze touched his chest. "It''s a unique technique I developed thatbines authority over space and water-attuned gic energy to shroud me in an isted space. All attacks toward me will be repelled and refracted.


    The bearman seemed to have struck Yang Ze, but his attack had actually missed. Under the effects of [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision], Yang Ze could attack his enemies, but they would have a far harder time attacking him.


    It was as though he were a flower reflected in a mirror, or the moon on the surface of ake¡ªvisible, but untouchable.


    Of course, all this was predicated on the fact that Yang Ze''s opponent didn''t have his own authority over space.


    "Is that so?"


    Although the king of the bearmen didn''t possess any such authority, he was able tomand space because of his authority as king of the realm. Imbuing his ws with thatmand easily allowed him to rip Yang Ze''s defense apart, but that was within Yang Ze''s expectation.


    After all, he was in the third realm. All hunters and existences who had made it this far had a unique skill or quality of their own, and they wouldn''t be so easily defeated. Unlike in the second realm, where just possessing authority over space was a remarkable, all-epassing talent, such talent was rare but hardly unheard of within the third realm.


    "If you''re able tomand such authority, you must be one of the humans'' so-called warlords," the king of the bearmen called out. Wind howled as it gathered around him.


    Yang Ze replied, "No, I''m just a nameless fighter!"


    The bearman scoffed, refusing to believe Yamg Ze. "No nameless fighter could wound me. Do you truly think I believe the human race is that strong?"


    "It''s not that we''re strong, but rather that you''re weak!" Yang Ze called back.


    The bearman bared his incisors in rage. "Insolence! Nameless fighter or warlord, the only fate awaiting you today is death!"


    Yang Ze continued taunting, "What, you''re already angry? Surely I couldn''t have gotten a rise out of you so easily!"


    The bearman swiped with his ws, morphing into a cyclone. His attacks, imbued with the power of space, tore apart Yang Ze and the nearby trees.


    Yang Ze burst into fog as the king of the bearmen frowned. Yang Ze''s voice came from all around the forest, its source unable to be traced. Light from [Mirrored Refraction] shot through the air.


    "Don''t get so upset, king of the bearmen. Don''t you want to know what I''m doing here, and how I made it here in the first ce? Aren''t you curious how the bearmen who are invading human and draconiannds are doing?"


    The king of the bearmen sniffed, and his eyes brightened. His ws shot toward Yang Ze''s precise location, leaving Yang Ze with no choice but to block the attacks with his de. "To think the bearmen had such an acute sense of smell..."


    The king of the bearmen, shrouded in wind, rushed forward again.


    Yang Ze grinned. "Aren''t you curious about the fate of your kin, sent to die?"


    The king of the bearmen replied, "Naturally, but you''re simply trying to divert my attention!"


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Horde]!" Over a hundred translucent blue sharks shot toward the king of the bearmen as a horde.


    Meanwhile, the king swiped forward in a flurry, disintegrating the sharks in an instant.


    At the same time, Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction] to hide himself. He appeared far in the distance.


    "King of the bearmen, do you know why I wasted so much time talking nonsense to you?"


    The king frowned.


    "Look around you," Yang Ze advised.


    The king did so, and he instantly grew rmed.


    Somehow, all around the forest were crystalline lotus flowers, hovering in mid-air, so numerous that he could see patches of blue dotting his vision no matter where he looked.


    However, he knew how dangerous these flowers could be. A hundred flowers exploding had caused him no small amount of damage, and there were thousands in his vicinity...


    Yang Zeughed. "Don''t bother counting. There are 9,900 in all, and I snuck in an extra 100 while we were talking to have a nice, even number."


    Yang Ze''s smile was the most frightening expression the king felt he had ever witnessed. Yang Ze had carried on a conversation in order to focus the king''s attention on him, as well as to taunt the king so that he wouldn''t escape.


    All his nning was for this finale...

 Chapter 781: Another Proof of Kingship

    <h4>Chapter 781: Another Proof of Kingship</h4>


    The king of the bearmen nced at the lotus flowers that surrounded him. He shook his head. "I have to admit, human warlord, that you''re a strong opponent and worthy foe, but it''s not as easy as you think to kill a king of the realm."


    Fluctuations of spatial force surrounded the king of the bearmen and shielded him.


    This world belonged to the bearmen, and their king could easily manipte the world. If he wanted to leave, no one would be able to stop him, even if the king of the bearmen was still a novice with regards to the maniption his authority afforded him.


    In particr, he only had a weak understanding of space, and he was unable to teleport himself in the midst of battle like certain other kings.


    Even so, Yang Ze, who wasn''t particrly skilled with spatial maniption himself, wouldn''t be able to stop him. Unlike Zhang Lie, he wasn''t able to halt or interrupt the king mid-teleportation, but he had predicted that the king would make use of such an authority to escape.


    "Right, didn''t you want to see your kin? All of them, along with the champion, are right here."


    Yang Ze tossed out a pile of heads from his extra-dimensional storage, spilling them all over the floor.


    Thergest among them was a head the king of the bearmen could recognize at a single nce: that of the bearmen champion.


    .


    The champion''s skull was missing a few patches, and wooden stakes were stuck haphazardly over it.


    Yang Ze smiled. "I used it as a base for some handicraft. You don''t mind, do you?"


    The king of the bearmen was immediately enraged. He regretted that the bearmen warriors had all perished, but it was only the natural course of events. However, the fact that those same warriors had had their bodies mutted after death...


    "I''ll kill you!" The moment before the king''s teleportation concluded, he forcibly terminated it¡ªonly to realize that he had been caught in Yang Ze''s trap.


    "Well, goodbye!" Yang Ze snapped his fingers, detonating the lotus flowers all around them. Even if the king wanted to leave now, it would be impossible.


    Forcibly teleporting away would only spawn a spatial rift, one which would kill him instantly.


    Yang Ze''s trick at that crucial moment had paid offpletely.


    Back when Zhang Lie had spent the entire night drinking with the members of Team Zenith, he had mentioned that kings of the realm could make use of the innate authority of their station to teleport.


    As a result, defeating a king of the realm was difficult, and killing one was even more so.


    Yang Ze understood that he had to find a way to prevent the bearmen king from leaving.


    Fortunately, he knew that the bearmen were a passionate race, but that would also prove to be the bearmen''s downfall.


    "Despicable human!" the bearman king roared out, moments before he was swallowed up by ten thousand lotus flowers in full bloom.


    The destructive ability of those lotus flowers far outshone that of his other abilities, and the world itself seemed to shake so profoundly it felt almost as though it were tearing itself apart.


    As the explosions interacted with one another, the ebullient water-attuned gic energy resulted in even more chain explosions, annihting the trees in the vicinity. Even Yang Ze, who had leapt up to avoid the worst of the explosion, was unable to avoid it entirely.


    However, that Yang Ze was only ever a reflection created by [Mirrored Refraction].


    The real Yang Ze was far further away. He had predicted that the simultaneous detonation of ten thousand lotus flowers would create a stupendous explosion, but the force of that explosion was even stronger than he expected. Even from far afield, Yang Ze could sense the aftermath of the explosion.


    He hurriedly turned his back on the forest and ran off into the distance, but too slowly. A shockwave bowled him over, causing him to stumble and fall. He patted the dirt off his clothes, along with the leaves on his head.


    He grumbled, "Damn it, I hit myself with my own attack! If I were any slower, I might have be the first hunter to kill himself with my own attack..."


    Fortunately, there wasn''t anyone around to see his disgraceful state.


    Yang Ze turned back to see how much destruction he had wreaked, only to suck in a gulp of cold air. The forest he had been in had vanished entirely. In its ce was a giant pit.


    The water-attuned gic energy that had filled the forest was now falling to the ground as rain. Simultaneously, the skies turned red, and blood began raining down from the heavens. It was likely that the rain would fill the pit and turn it into ake, but he didn''t know what color thekewater would be.


    In the center of the giant pity nothing more than a pile of bones, all that remained of the king of the realm.


    One of those bones noticeably stood out from the others; it shone and gleamed like jade.


    "This must be..."


    Yang Ze stepped forward and plucked out that bone, from which he thought he could sense the fluctuations of the world. This was the proof of kingship!


    Yang Ze was shocked that the previous king of the bearmen had dared to transform the proof of kingship into a bone, which he had inserted into his own body. Without killing him, there was no way to obtain that proof of kingship.


    However, this also made life much easier for Yang Ze, since he was easily able to obtain the proof after killing the king. If the king had instead hidden the proof in some unknown location, that would have given Yang Ze a headache.


    With the sessful acquisition of the proof, Yang Ze hadpleted the task that Zhang Lie had assigned him.


    Upon receiving his assignment, Sun Xiaowu had headed toward the wall bordering the greenskins'' world.


    Their skin was green, and their muscture four or five times as defined as a regr human. Each greenskin was a hulk. Their mouths, filled with sharp teeth, made them look more like humanoid beasts rather than intelligent lifeforms.


    A few of the greenskins were even riding on rhinoceros-like creatures. Such cavalry was rather rare in the third realm.


    The greenskin riders waved the ils they held as they loudly shouted, "Charge! Charge for the glory of the greenskins!"


    The greenskin leading the charge had particrly dark green skin.


    He shouted, "Break through the walls! There arerge numbers of undefended humans and draconians behind it. We''ll be able to do whatever we want with them¡ªkill them, rape them, pige their houses!"


    ording to the draconians'' information, the greenskins operated on a strict hierarchy based on the color of their skin. The vanguard, whose skin was the darkest of all, was likely their leader.


    He led a battalion of over ten thousand soldiers that were heading straight for the wall.


    "Curious that they would favor greener individuals..." Sun Xiaowu murmured to himself.


    Most humans were rather disturbed by the greenskins, especially ones with unusually dark pigmentation like the greenskin vanguard. His skin was a deep spinach-green, a color that offended human sensibilities.


    The guards on the wall rushed toward Sun Xiaowu. "Sir Sun, the greenskins areing! We need to make our move!"


    "Indeed, it''s almost time."


    Sun Xiaowu leaped high into the air as gold-attuned gic energy radiated from him like a second sun.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky...

 Chapter 782: Toward the Greenskins World

    <h4>Chapter 782: Toward the Greenskins'' World</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones were simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that the greenskins fell to the ground like wheat being reaped.


    The guards observing the battle from the wall gaped.


    The greenskin vanguard leading the charge knocked down as many feathers as he could with his il. He pped his mount and leapt toward the walls, raising his il high overhead. "Your life is forfeit!"


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, shining brightly like a brand.


    The il smashed down, releasing fiery sparks around the point of impact. The metal rang like bells on a clocktower, a dull toll which resounded across the battlefield.


    "...you''re that weak?" Sun Xiaowu seemed terribly surprised. He expected that the greenskin vanguard would be far stronger. His look of bbergasted astonishment humiliated and immediately enraged the greenskin vanguard, who howled as he gripped onto his il with both hands.


    However, Sun Xiaowu struck first. He released [Golden Divide] with a sh of his sword, chopping off the vanguard''s two hands as blood spurted from his wounds.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from his body, and he radiated frightening shockwaves of energy that sent the greenskin vanguard flying off into the distance like a bullet. He smashed down onto the battlefield, forming a giant pit where hended.


    The greenskin vanguardy in the pit, his body nothing more than a bloody pile of meat. It was a scene so gruesome the greenskins shuddered and looked away, their morale falling to its minimum.


    Their vanguard, the strongest greenskin present among the troops, had been crushed in a single blow. How were they meant to fight this ridiculous foe?


    "It''s over!" Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light as runes revolved around it. "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from his body,


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The entire battlefield shook. The wall trembled violently, as though its very foundations were shaking. The attack struck like a nuclear warhead, sending the golden light ring up for thousands of meters, so bright that it felt as though the sun had fallen to the ground.


    The overwhelming radiance forced all the onlookers to shut their eyes. The aftershock sent golden beams of light scattering across the battlefield and wiping out huge swathes of the greenskins.


    Once the light had cleared, there was nothing left of the ground but a pit so deep its bottom couldn''t be seen.


    At least thirty thousand greenskin corpses were scattered within, over ny percent of the greenskin forces that had participated in the invasion.


    There were no more than two thousand greenskins left on the battlefield, and those that remained had lost all motivation to fight. How were they supposed to repel a foe who could defeat the majority of their forces in a single blow?!


    Sun Xiaowu slowlynded back down on the wall. The human fighters shouted, "We can handle the rest!"


    Sun Xiaowu nced down at the battlefield, at the two thousand or so greenskins left. He nodded. There weren''t many human and draconian fighters present, but their opponent was hardly going to put up any resistance at all.


    The rest of the battle was finished in just half an hour.


    The greenskins themselves weren''t weak; Sun Xiaowu was simply too strong.


    After the battle concluded, Sun Xiaowu made to head off into the greenskin world. The draconian guards at the wall provided what information they could about the greenskins.


    "They''re a vicious race, battle-hardened soldiers one and all. Every member of the greenskins can put up a fight," an older human guard began. "They''re no less martial than the Mengtai, and there''s been quite a few skirmishes between us and the greenskins for some time now.


    "We must have participated in over a hundred battles against each other. An individual greenskin isn''t particrly overwhelming in battle, but the greenskins'' strength lies in their staggering numbers. Their gestation period is short, and they can field truly ridiculous numbers of soldiers."


    A draconian guard added, "The greenskins have three generals, a marshal, and a king. The greenskin vanguard you just killed was one of the three generals."


    Sun Xiaowu smirked. "Oh? That weakling? Are the greenskins all as weak as he is?"


    The human guard warned, "Sir Sun, your strength is extraordinary, but you shouldn''t underestimate the top fighters of these alien races.


    "The general you killed was the weakest of the three generals, and the other two are far stronger than he is. They''re on the level of warlords, and the marshal is even stronger¡ªhe''s on par with a mid-rank warlord!"


    The draconian guard added, "As for the king of the greenskins, no one has ever seen him fight¡ªeveryone who has witnessed it has died. It''s no exaggeration to im that he might well be a match for one of the top warlords."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded, his face turning serious. Although he didn''t know just how strong warlords could get, Sun Xiaowu had witnessed some human warlords, whom he didn''t find particrly strong.


    On the other hand, there was a big gradation in strength among the warlords, and those near the top of the ranking could be troublesome foes indeed.


    "I''ll be careful," Sun Xiaowu replied.


    Once the battlefield was cleaned up, Sun Xiaowu set off through the wormhole to a barren desert. He raised his head and saw a great wall in the distance.


    As expected of a race prone to fighting, the defensive perimeter the greenskins had set up was iparable to the wooden palisade of the bearmen. The greenskins had a magnificent wall, over two hundred meters long. It was solid stone, seemingly reinforced, and surrounded by a moat.


    Judging from the state of the wall, it felt as though the greenskins had been preparing to invade the draconian world for quite some time, and they had taken advantage of this particr opportunity to do so.


    The moment Sun Xiaowu approached the wall, the greenskin scouts noticed him. Volley after volley of arrows shot down toward him in an arc...

 Chapter 783: Learning from Bad Examples

    <h4>Chapter 783: Learning from Bad Examples</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu curled his lips. Ayer of golden runes covered his skin as he activated [Adamantine Aegis]. The arrows and spears shot down from above let out clinks and thunks as they struck him, unable to harm him at all.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body suddenly split into dozens of clones, simultaneously real and illusory, an entire battalion of soldiers by himself.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. They cocked their arms. A golden glow radiated from all their bodies, basking the world in light. Thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. As Sun Xiaowu punched forward, a golden qilin materialized out of nowhere and soared toward the greenskins.


    The formidable wall that the greenskins had set up, fed and nourished with their enemies'' blood, two hundred meters tall and thirty thick¡ªbut the gigantic golden qilin, bolstered a thousand times over by Sun Xiaowu''s clones, smashed it apart.


    The entire battlefield shook. The greenskins stumbled atop the wall, as though they were experiencing a massive earthquake.


    Golden radiance shot a thousand meters into the air, so bright it felt as though the sun had fallen to the ground. Rocks and rubble were sent flying. As they crashed back down, they smashed unfortunate greenskins into paste.


    A burst of energy erupted from where Sun Xiaowu''s attack firstnded and swallowed up the houses and buildings thaty behind the greenskins'' wall.


    Despite the copse of their houses and buildings, however, the greenskins didn''t seem to panic too much. Huge quantities of greenskin warriors emerged from the destroyed ruins of their city, forming a green tide that threatened to swamp Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Golden Divide: Soar]!" Thousands of clones raised their hands as one. Golden radiance lit up the battlefield, so bright everyone had to close their eyes.


    Sun Xiaowu''s thousand clones all struck with [Golden Divide], forming a sea of resplendent gold.


    The name of his technique bore some simrity to Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar], but the simrity was in name only. Zhang Lie''s technique used water-attuned gic energy as a means of manipting space, while Sun Xiaowu''s variant of the technique hadn''t reached such elevated heights. He had only named his technique in the same fashion to honor his mentor and captain.


    Sun Xiaowu''s golden wave swept up the tide of greenskins, bloodying them and crushing them against the ground. Even so, more and more greenskins began to emerge from the ruins, charging forward fearlessly.


    At that moment, two figures tore apart the golden wave and retaliated with attacks of their own, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu with frightening force.


    The ground cracked. Rubble stained with the blood of the deceased greenskins burst apart, sending flesh and bone flying all over. Two rows of Sun Xiaowu''s clones were obliterated in an instant.


    Two greenskins with dark green coloration leapt out of the crowd, darker evenpared to the vanguard whom Sun Xiaowu had killed in the initial skirmish back on the draconian world.


    These two greenskins were undoubtedly the two generals that the guards had mentioned. One of them held a long two-handed hammer, whereas the other had two one-handed hammers. They attacked from the skies, but even they were unable to distinguish the true Sun Xiaowu from his clones.


    The greenskins preferred brute force to strategy: since they were unable to identify the true Sun Xiaowu, they would simply kill him and his clones together.


    The two greenskin generals fell among Sun Xiaowu''s clones like twin meteors, at which point they began toy waste to whatever clones were in the vicinity.


    As they raised their hammers, huge swathes of clones were reduced to nothing but energy, dissipating in mid-air. The rest of the clones, however, didn''t panic. They smiled as though they had lured the two generals into a perfect trap.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!" Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright the entire battlefield was illuminated.


    The next moment, all of Sun Xiaowu''s clones erupted in an explosion dozens of times stronger than the [Golden Divides] had aplished.


    The two generals, trapped by the field of clones, were unable to escape in time.


    The explosion of gic energy spawned a frightening hurricane. More importantly, Sun Xiaowu''s clones didn''t just explode¡ªbright beams of golden light shot out of their cores,plete with piercing golden des that covered the entire battlefield.


    [Golden Divide] was just a single attack, akin to scooping out a cup of water from a bucket. On the other hand, self-destruction was equivalent to spilling the entire bucket of water.


    The resulting burst of energy was orders of magnituderger, and the two greenskin generals only survived the explosion for a few seconds before even their hardy bodies were obliterated.


    Sun Xiaowu had picked up this technique from Yang Ze. Thanks to Yang Ze''s lotus flowers, Sun Xiaowu had picked up a simr technique: exploding clones. Explosions were truly the peak of art.


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head amidst the smoke and dust. "Stronger than the vanguard I killed before entering the greenskin world? Perhaps so, but not by much."


    Most likely, the guards who had passed him that information hadn''t faced off against the other two generals themselves, and they were basing their information off of hearsay and word of mouth.


    It was an exaggeration to im that the two greenskin generals were at the level of mid-rank warlords¡ªthough even such warlords would likely die if they were trapped in a field of Sun Xiaowu''s exploding clones.


    The remaining greenskins, devastated by their two generals'' death, halted their forward charge. If even their generals had died to this enemy, how were they meant to defeat him?


    An arrow, fast as lightning, suddenly shot toward Sun Xiaowu. It was so quick he barely had any time to react, but Sun Xiaowu managed to catch the arrow headed straight for his temple.


    However, the arrow had so much momentum that Sun Xiaowu was unable to halt itpletely; although he had grabbed its shaft, the arrow simply continued straight for its target with Sun Xiaowu''s own hand in tow.


    Because Sun Xiaowu wasn''t prepared for the sudden attack, he was unable to exert his full strength on the arrow, which struck his temple...

 Chapter 784: Against the Greenskins

    <h4>Chapter 784: Against the Greenskins</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu''s [Adamantine Aegis] activated instinctively, and ayer of golden runes covered his skin. He had trained the technique to such an extent that it would automatically activate during times of danger.


    The golden runes blocked the arrow, and Sun Xiaowu broke its shaft with a hard tug. He raised his head and found the greenskin archer who had shot the arrow atop a wall.


    The archer was holding a steel bow over two meters tall. He had sharp, piercing eyes and was the tallest greenskin Sun Xiaowu had seen, at three meters and counting in height. There was a long scar across his face.


    Upon seeing this hulking greenskin, Sun Xiaowu sucked in a deep breath. His skin was such a dark shade of green that it was almost ck.


    The greenskin archer''s aura was no trifling matter, and Sun Xiaowu could sense it distinctly even from afar. He would have believed that this greenskin were the king of the realm, but in fact, he wasn''t.


    Upon witnessing the greenskin archer, the greenskins'' gging morale instantly recovered.


    "Our marshal''s here!"


    "Our marshal can''t be defeated!"


    "As long as our marshal is here, we greenskins won''t ever lose!"


    The greenskins roared, their morale soaring¡ªand this sudden change was all due to the presence of one greenskin on the battlefield.


    "So this is the greenskin marshal..." He was already about the darkest possible shade of green, so Sun Xiaowu wondered just how much darker the king of the greenskins would be. And if the greenskin marshal''s aura was this intense, how much stronger was the greenskin king?


    Sun Xiaowu curled his finger at the marshal, motioning for him to attack.


    The greenskin marshal stored his bow and instead took out a double-headed battleaxe three meters long. The de itself took up a meter. This was a weapon made for ughter.


    The greenskin marshal leapt high into the air. His overwhelming strength made him rise like a cannon. He reached the apex of his jump before falling like a meteor, making use of his downward momentum to swing his axe straight at Sun Xiaowu.


    This time, however, Sun Xiaowu didn''t take the sh head-on.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" He split into over a hundred clones, each one simultaneously real and illusory.


    Even the greenskin marshal wouldn''t be able to identify which one was the true Sun Xiaowu immediately. As his axended, at least fifty or sixty of Sun Xiaowu''s clones were sent flying into the air, where they dissipated.


    The axe struck the ground with all its downward momentum, leaving furrows in the ground so deep no light struck their depths. The remaining clones of Sun Xiaowu all exploded, but the marshal dissipated the energy from the explosion with a sweep of his axe.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" The next moment, Sun Xiaowu generated a thousand clones of himself.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    The marshal swept his axe in an arc, producing des of wind that shot out toward Sun Xiaowu''s clones.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" The remaining clones all clenched their fists. Their arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over their skin. The golden radiance lit up the battlefield, as though a golden sun was rising out of its midst.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s clones, and they all began to radiate frightening shockwaves of energy.


    The greenskin marshal, waving his axe, destroyed all these clones without allowing them to reach him. In front of overwhelming strength, a numerical advantage was meaningless.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" A shout came from above his head. One of the Sun Xiaowus had, at some point, leapt up from behind the marshal and was quickly approaching with a golden fist.


    Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body,


    Sun Xiaowu punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The marshal waved his axe and smashed it against Sun Xiaowu''s fist, releasing a wave of golden light throughout the battlefield. The ground caved in, and cracks appeared on the marshal''s axe. Little by little, however, the marshal''s overwhelming strength began to pressure Sun Xiaowu and force him back.


    Just then, the ground behind the marshal burst open as another Sun Xiaowu appeared from underneath the ground, an outstretched fist glowing golden and ted with scales.


    The marshal was confounded.


    A frightening aura came from beyond the greenskins'' wall, as though the entire world were going against Sun Xiaowu. Even so, Sun Xiaowu''s fist punched forward into the marshal''s back.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Pierce]!" Golden light shot out of Sun Xiaowu''s fist and burst from the marshal''s chest.


    The marshal, who had been prepared for a frontal assault, was caught off-guard by the sneak attack from the back.


    From the front, Sun Xiaowu batted away the marshal''s axe and punched forward with his other fist, radiating with golden light. His arm suddenly bulked up, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin.


    The moment before the fist was about tond, however, an axe shot toward him from the void. Sun Xiaowu was forced to give up on his blow and switch to channeling [Adamantine Aegis],


    Ayer of golden runes appeared over Sun Xiaowu''s skin, shining brightly like a brand. At the same time, Sun Xiaowu hurriedly stepped back as the marshal''s body was split apart by the axe.


    A greenskin stepped out from the void. As he appeared, the skies suddenly turned a purple hue, as if weing the greenskin and heralding his appearance...

 Chapter 785: The Best Actor

    <h4>Chapter 785: The Best Actor</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu hadn''t expected to see a greenskin even more powerful and charismatic than the greenskin marshal, only to be provedpletely wrong the very next moment.


    The greenskin in front of him was far stronger than even the marshal, like a mountain that could never be ovee. Sun Xiaowu found it growing progressively harder to breathe as the greenskin fighters all began to cheer.


    "The king of the greenskins!"


    "It, it really is the king!"


    The greenskins were more excited than they had ever been. Even though the marshal had fallen, even though Sun Xiaowu''s golden waves had killed thousands of greenskins, the greenskins'' morale rose sharply upon seeing their ruler in the flesh.


    Their eyes were fiery with ardor, as though they were seeing a god of their kind descend on the earth...


    "The king of the greenskins is here! This human''s done for!"


    Sun Xiaowu swallowed a gulp of saliva. If this greenskin was the king, then he was currently about to face the boss of this expedition, the strong and mysterious king that the human and draconian guards had warned him about. Allegedly, all those who had seen him fight were dead.


    From his experience, however, Sun Xiaowu was certain that the guards had exaggerated the greenskins'' strength. After all, the greenskin marshal he had just fought certainly wasn''t on the level of a high-rank warlord.


    Even though Sun Xiaowu hadn''t fought against such a warlord before, the greenskin marshal simply wasn''t all that strong. Comparatively speaking, the guards were certain that the king of the greenskins was stronger than the greenskin marshal, which suggested that the king was the one who was trulyparable to a high-rank warlord.


    In that case, Sun Xiaowu had to focus. From the fact that the king of the greenskins had emerged out of the void alone, Sun Xiaowu knew that the king was a foe he would have to take seriously.


    "He''s the strongest greenskin king in history. His birth was heralded by the world itself¡ªthe skies turned purple for thousands of miles! The shamans of the greenskins hailed the unusual phenomenon as a portent of great strength."


    "My uncle''s second aunt''s great-aunt''s cousin was born in the same vige as the greenskin king. He witnessed the purple skies himself on the day the king was born! It spread for thousands of miles, and almost everyone in the greenskin world was able to see it. He''s a natural-born ruler, I say!"


    "I remember that too! My parents told me that all the shamans witnessing the sight prostrated themselves on the ground, hailing the supreme king of the greenskins, the ruler who would elevate the greenskins to glory, to denizens of arge rather than a medium-sized world!"


    Sun Xiaowu couldn''t help but feel as though the king that these greenskins were describing sounded like a protagonist of a novel.


    The greenskin king wrapped his hands around the lower half of the marshal''s body. "What happened to you, marshal? Don''t die! We were separated for only a moment¡ªhow could this have happened?!"


    "I-I''m right here, your majesty!"


    The greenskin marshal was surprisingly hardy. Sun Xiaowu''s blow had prated his chest, and the king of the greenskins'' axe strike had identally struck the marshal and split his body into two. Even so, he hadn''t yet died.


    The king tossed the lower half of the marshal''s body aside and instead grabbed ahold of his upper half.


    "Don''t die, marshal! Who did this to you?!"


    The marshal spat out huge mouthfuls of blood. "Your majesty... I''m afraid I... I won''t be able to serve you any... any longer!"


    "No! No, marshal! Without you, who would lead my army?" the king shouted gravely. "Without you, who wouldmand my forces? Marshal, you can''t die! I don''t know what I would do without you!"


    The marshal raised his head to the skies. "I underestimated my opponent."


    The king roared in outrage, "Who did this to you? I''ll seek revenge for you immediately!"


    The marshal nced up at the purple skies, his eyes turning ssy. "To have been able to serve you, my liege, has been the... the greatest of honors¡ª! If an afterlife exists, my king, I would be your marshal again in a heartbeat!"


    The king shouted back, "No, I won''t allow it! I don''t want you to be my marshal in an afterlife¡ªI want you to remain my marshal now!"


    The marshal sighed. "Dying is a natural part of life, your majesty."


    The king of the greenskins was crying like a child who had lost a beloved pet. No! I''m the king of the realm. If I forbid you from dying, you won''t die!"


    The marshal gasped for breath. His voice grew softer and weaker. "I''m tired, your majesty. I see the three greenskin generalsing toward me..."


    The kingmanded forcefully, "Shut your mouth! I won''t allow you to die!"


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t know what was going on, but this was an excellent opportunity to strike.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body suddenly split into dozens of clones, each simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. They cocked their arms. A golden glow radiated from all their bodies, basking the world in light.


    Thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Better to strike while the king of the greenskins wasn''t paying attention. The king might have been having a private moment with his marshal, but they were still on a battlefield. Sun Xiaowu was perfectly within reason to strike, underhanded though it might be.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    As Sun Xiaowu punched forward, a golden qilin materialized out of nowhere and rushed toward the invaders. The king tossed the marshal''s body toward the attack, which exploded as it struck the golden qilin. A mist of blood filled the air.


    The king picked up the axe he had thrown down, which was three meters long. As the king of the greenskins hefted the axe, a wave of purple light shot out of the de.


    Sun Xiaowu felt as though his golden qilin had smashed against an imprable barrier.


    .


    The king of the greenskins harshly criticized Sun Xiaowu, "You cold-blooded fellow! I was putting on an act with the marshal. It was an opportunity for me to raise my standing among the greenskins, to capture the hearts of my soldiers, but you had to interrupt it! How will youpensate me?!"


    Sun Xiaowu hardly knew what to say.


    Was the king of the greenskins instead a petty, calcting monarch?


    The king of the greenskins continued, "I was just about to reach the crescendo of the act! It''s rare for there to be such opportune scenarios for me to show myself off at my best. I was waiting for the greenskin bards to make this moment into a story and legend to be passed down the greenskin race!"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "You''re too poor an actor. I couldn''t watch anymore."


    The king of the greenskins thundered, "Ridiculous! I''m the best actor among all the greenskins. Otherwise, how could I have be king?"

 Chapter 786: Fighting the Greenskin King

    <h4>Chapter 786: Fighting the Greenskin King</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. Surely the king wasn''t serious¡ªthe strength he had shown far exceeded that of the marshal.


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t know what to make of the king''s strength. Was he truly a strong warrior, or an actor as he imed to be? No, why not both? Couldn''t he be both a king and an oddball actor?


    Sun Xiaowu got into a battle-ready stance. "Oddball king, I challenge you to a fight!"


    The greenskin fighters on the battlefield were all upset by the cavalier way Sun Xiaowu was referring to their king.


    "He''s dead meat!"


    "No human can get away with such insolence, not even these so-called warlords! He''s nothing more than an antpared to our king!"


    "The king of the greenskins can''t be defeated within the greenskin world!"


    The greenskins all raised their arms and hollered, "Our king is unrivaled!"


    "Our king is unrivaled!"


    "Our king is unrivaled!"


    "Very good. Thank you for your support, everyone! I''ll kill this insolent human and hang his head on the wall to memorialize the dead marshal and greenskin fighters!" The king of the greenskins swung his axe, evoking a stream of purple energy that covered half the skies.


    "[Golden Divide: Soar]!" Thousands of Sun Xiaowu''s clones raised their hands as one. Golden radiance lit up the battlefield, forming a sea of resplendent gold.


    As the two auras shed, a hurricane spawned on the battlefield. The golden light shot out all across the battlefield, sending the greenskin fighters yelling as they scurried for shelter.


    "So you do have some skill, after all!" The king of the greenskins swung his axe again, breaking apart Sun Xiaowu''s defense and sending a stream of purple mes toward Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" Sun Xiaowu clenched his fists. His arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. Golden radiance lit up the battlefield.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body, sending frightening shockwaves of energy through the air.


    The king of the greenskins smiled coldly. "Do you think an attack of this magnitude can injure me?"


    Just as the king drew close to Sun Xiaowu, Sun Xiaowu smiled. "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright the entire battlefield was illuminated. The clones that had been scattered across the battlefield allunched themselves at the king of the greenskins as they exploded one after another, sending golden projectiles flying all across the battlefield.


    Sun Xiaowu''s [Goldenscale Palm] had only been a distraction for the king; he had been nning to self-destruct his clones all along.


    The king of the greenskins defended himself with purple me, but his defense faltered against the likes of thousands of clones detonating simultaneously. His skin turned ck in patches, but that difference was hardly noticeable on ount of his dark coloration.


    The enraged king of the greenskins red at Sun Xiaowu as a pir of purple light rose from him. He swung his axe again at Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu''s expression turned serious. "As expected of a king of the realm¡ªeven my clones'' self-destruction didn''t hurt you much. I''ll have to use my trump card, then! [Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over ten meters tall. Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    Sun Xiaowu raised both his hands, as did the mecha. He sped both hands together and blocked the swing of the greenskin king''s axe with brute force, shocking his opponent.


    Sun Xiaowu was likewise astounded. From the king''s attack, he could sense the weight of an entire world. As expected of a king of the realm¡ªthe greenskin king was able to impart the force of the world itself behind his attacks.?Hold on¡ªthe weight of the world? In that case, the axe itself...


    Upon seeing that his attack had been ineffective, the king of the realm raised his axe once more and swung it at Sun Xiaowu from the side.


    "[Golden Divide]!" With his arm as a de, Sun Xiaowu blocked the greenskin king''s strike.


    The king was once again stupefied to see his attack blocked by Sun Xiaowu''s golden glow. He continued swinging his axe. The purple light emanating from it sent ripples of energy through the air and striking the ground, but Sun Xiaowu blocked all those swings by hardening his body and using his own arms as des. The twobatants temporarily fought to a standstill.


    The king''s purple axe and Sun Xiaowu''s golden arms shed against each other time and again, slicing apart the battlefield with explosions of energy.


    The king of the greenskins, fighting at full strength, didn''t have the attention to spare for the rest of his kin, who had retreated at full force to avoid being caught in the aftermath of the twobatants'' attacks. Even so, huge numbers of greenskin fighters had been struck down, and their blood dyed the battlefield red.


    The twobatants fought more and more fiercely, neither willing to give in to the other.


    The king of the greenskins lifted his axe high above his head. Purple energy gathered around the de, ring like a violet sun that lit up the sky, filled with boundless vitality.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden mecha. In the mecha''s hands, the strength of the technique rose to another level entirely, one that Sun Xiaowu himself would have trouble matching.


    The ground quaked, space splintered, and the entire world seemed to tremble. A golden fist shed against the violet sun¡ªand the golden glow won out.


    The king of the greenskins, frowning, used a stronger attack, forming another violet sun above his de as the axe reached the apex of its swing. It exploded into shes of purple light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu like a meteor shower...

 Chapter 787: Golden Qilin

    <h4>Chapter 787: Golden Qilin</h4>


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    Sun Xiaowu couldn''t help but be reminded of something that Zhang Lie had mentioned in the second realm. "When you manage tobine your clones with your [Adamantine Aegis: Martial God], you''ll surely unlock a lot more of the potential of your framework."


    Following Zhang Lie''s guidance, Sun Xiaowu had finished this program,bining the two techniques together into one ultimate skill.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand mechas all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously. Each strike was like a miniature sun, and the entire sky turned glittering gold.


    Out of each mecha grew a long de, over five meters wide and so long they seemed to pierce the clouds. The des formed a waterfall of golden light, tearing apart the greenskin king''s axe strikes in a mere instant.


    The greenskin king''s face grew rmed. He hadn''t expected that Sun Xiaowu possessed such a trump card up his sleeve. He immediately began swinging his axe around rapidly. The de of the axe was so sturdy that it didn''t break even when subject to the golden light.


    The greenskin king tried to swing his axe around arger radius to dissipate the golden light and reflect the attack, but he had underestimated Sun Xiaowu''s strength.


    The golden light carried so much momentum with it that the king was buffeted all around the sky. If not for the surprising strength of his axe, it would have been destroyed in an instant.


    Sun Xiaowu took the opportunity to exert even more pressure on the greenskin king. As he struck once and again, the sky suddenly began to crack.


    "As expected." Sun Xiaowu had a suspicion as to why this was happening. When he caught the axe with both hands, Sun Xiaowu recalled feeling as though the weight of the entire world was against him.


    He was certain that the greenskin king''s axe was none other than the proof of kingship itself.


    Upon sensing the crack that had developed in the sky, the greenskin king grew even more rmed, but Sun Xiaowu seemed heedless to the damage he was causing. After all, it wasn''t his world that he was destroying.


    As more beams of golden light struck the greenskin king''s axe, more and more cracks appeared in the sky. Unfortunately for Sun Xiaowu, his gic energy couldn''tst very long. The thousands of golden mechas around him grew illusory, and he was forced to consume a restorative from his storage space.


    This restorative was something developed by the research academy in the kingdom of Limit in the second realm, and it allowed hunters to restore their gic energy.


    As he nced at the greenskin king in the sky, he sighed. "If only I could divide myself into ten thousand clones¡ªI would have been able to kill the greenskin king in one blow!"


    Suddenly, purple light began to radiate from the king. Two suns appeared in the air, one gold and the other purple.


    As the purple sun fell from the sky, a frightening pressure descended on Sun Xiaowu. All the greenskins in the world could sense the overwhelming pressure, and they slowly prostrated themselves on the ground.


    The purple sun continued to fall, causing the battlefield to ze with heat like red-hot metal.


    Even before the sun struck the ground, Sun Xiaowu could sense the burgeoning energy within.


    The greenskin king had suffered greatly due to Sun Xiaowu''s golden beams. His arms were trembling incessantly, and his legs had been cut off. Wounds scarred his body, but the king didn''t run away. It wasn''t out of pride; if he were to run, the entire world might be destroyed.


    The greenskin king shot forward in an arc. His body burned with glimmering purple energy.


    The falling sun was over a thousand meters wide in diameter, and it was sorge it could easily swallow up the entire battlefield.


    Sun Xiaowu''s face turned serious.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it.


    Originally ten meters tall, Sun Xiaowu''s mecha grew over a thousand meters in height, its body wrapped up in golden runes. It was asrge as the falling sun. It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens. Thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    As he swung his fists forward, the golden qilin materialized and soared into the air, its scales radiant and shining with golden light. It basked in the golden skies, its aura growing so bright that it seemed as though a qilin god had descended on the world. Its long whiskers floated in the air as golden clouds wrapped around his body.


    The qilin shone like a sun in its own right, five thousand meters long after being augmented by his mecha form. It took up the entire battlefield, and was so immense in size that even the purple sun seemed to be nothing but its ything.


    The greenskin king recoiled in shock. "Just what is this monster?!"


    The golden qilin opened its maw wide and bit down on the sun, shattering it. Purple me burst from the sun''s surface, but its mes could hardly hurt the golden qilin.


    The qilin then shot toward the sky, breaking through the cloud cover. Within its mouth, barely holding on for dear life, propping its jaws open with his axe, was the greenskin king.


    As the king continued to struggle, more and more cracks appeared in the sky.


    The qilin boasted such absolute strength that even the proof of kingship was unable to mitigate the forcepletely. A crack appeared on the axe''s de as the greenskin king burned his own vitality to activate a technique ofst resort. A purple aura radiated from him as a purple halo of light materialized over his head.


    The king struck. His axe shed, forcing the qilin''s mouth wide open and allowing him to break free.

 Chapter 788: The Woolly Mammoths

    <h4>Chapter 788: The Woolly Mammoths</h4>


    Burning all his vitality, the greenskin king exuded a purple aura of such radiance that he seemed almost to turn into a sun himself. Purple clouds gathered in the sky and surrounded the king as he released his most devastating blow.


    The will of the world imbued the king''s axe as a purple pir of light arose out of the king''s body.


    A small world appeared above the de of the axe, a manifestation of the greenskin world itself. As the greenskin king''s axe struck the ground, it felt as though the entire world was falling.


    The battlefield shook and quaked as the full might of the world fell on one and all.


    Sun Xiaowu was certain that this blow was stronger than the strongest blow the warlords at the top of the rankings could produce. Even they might sumb to its might, but Sun Xiaowu had nothing to fear.


    The golden qilin rushed into the air, its body glowing white. It smashed against the greenskin king''s axe, causing even more cracks to appear and propagate above the skies.


    The world quaked again. A chasm leading to the abyss appeared on the battlefield as the ground split and cracked.


    Many a greenskin fighter, observing the cataclysm without paying heed to their surroundings, fell into the cracks that sprouted up around the chasm.


    The entire world seemed poised to split apart¡ªand, indeed, the world in miniature that had manifested above the axe did.


    Golden light shed with the king''s purple aura in a devastating explosion, causing the ground to split even further. Rubble flew through the air as a shower of light descended on the entire battlefield, annihting the weaker greenskins and sending the greenskins'' defensive wall tumbling down.


    Pieces of the cracked world fell to the ground like meteors, causing explosions to ring out again and again on the battlefield.


    .


    The greenskin king himself was sent flying. He smashed into the cracked wall in an impact so severe it spawned a huge gust of wind. His body, bruised and battered, had suffered heavy injuries. He was bleeding profusely from his head, and half the bones in his body had been pulverized.


    The strength of his axe, bolstered by the proof of kingship, was able to deflect what would otherwise have been a deadly blow¡ªbut he was still severely hurt in its aftermath.


    Sun Xiaowu, protected by his [Adamantine Aegis], was hardly affected by the impact.


    The battlefield had turned into a mess. Gold and purple light had ravaged itpletely, leaving only a scant few greenskin survivors.


    The greenskins'' famed defensive wall had gone tumbling down.


    As the destruction of space grew more and more intense, a spatial rift spawned on the battlefield, wrecking the surroundings further. The greenskins were unable to defend against its onught.


    Sun Xiaowu stepped across the shattered battlefield and toward the ruins of the greenskin walls.


    By then, the greenskin king had sat upright. "Are you here to im my life?"


    Sun Xiaowu was silent.


    The greenskin king raised his head to the sky and howled in bitterughter. "To have lost to such a strong hunter as you¡ªwell, my life was worth something, after all. You must be the strongest human around, aren''t you?"


    Sun Xiaowu thought about the king''s words for a moment. "No, I don''t amount to much."


    Sun Xiaowu wasn''t lying. He might have been among the strongest hunters of the third realm, but inparison to the whole of humanity, to the strongest human hunters in the fourth and even higher realms, he really was nothing much.


    The greenskin kingughed at himself again, regret welling up in his eyes. "And here I thought I could easily destroy you humans... I''ve truly made a gross mistake."


    The greenskin king seemed to be misunderstanding something. He believed that the humans had been hiding their full strength all along. Only when forced to reveal their hand by thebined assault of the alien races did they finally show off their might.


    However, the greenskin king''s misunderstandings meant nothing now. After all, he had lost this battlepletely.


    "I hope you''ll at least leave some of the greenskins alive for future generations."


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "I can''t promise that, but I''ll do my best."


    "Have the proof of kingship, then."


    The greenskin king tossed him his axe, then pped his palms against the ground and rocketed toward Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu caught the axe in one hand and the greenskin king''s head in the other. He told the king, "If you want to die like your fighters, I''ll grant your wish."


    "Please," the king replied, closing his eyes, finally at peace.


    Sun Xiaowu tossed the king high into the air, then decapitated him with a swing of the axe. He stowed the king''s head, hefted the axe that was the proof of kingship over his shoulder, then turned to leave. "A warrior ought to be respected. I''ll leave the rest of the greenskins alive¡ªat worst, I''ll get a scolding from Zhang Lie."


    Another battlefield shone with evanescent light.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons,


    Unlike Sun Xiaowu and Yang Ze, Li Feng had yet to secure an overwhelming one-sided victory. His opponents were what seemed like woolly mammoths, each over five meters tall and built like small mountains.


    Thergest among them was a mammoth with silvery-white fur, over eight meters tall. The lumbering titans were poised to take down the draconians'' walls.


    Fortunately, their numbers were far smallerpared to those of the greenskins and bearmen. There were only a thousand of the mammoths in all, but that didn''t make their forces any easier to deal with. Li Feng had developed a splitting headache trying to fight them.


    Each mammoth was d in thick, heavy armor. ording to the information provided by the humans and draconians, the armor was made of froststeel, which was extraordinarily tough. Given the mammoths'' already hardy constitutions, they became nothing less than walking tanks.


    The mammoths charged together in a row, making use of their thick armor and sturdy bodies to weather whatever attacks came their way. They even boasted tower shields that were three meters tall and one meter thick.


    As Li Feng''s white dragons attacked their shields, the sound of metallic impacts could be heard from afar. The shields caved in, but whenever a mammoth in front seemed about to fall, that mammoth would be reced by another one behind him.


    Li Feng frowned. "These foes are far harder to deal with than anything I''ve encountered to date."


    Previously, Li Feng had only handled a ragtag frontlineposed of foot soldiers like the bearmen and greenskins, along with various members of other races. The mammoths seemed like a true battalion.


    "If only these shields were gone!"


    Beside him, human guards shot out volley after volley of arrows at the mammoth troops. The arrows, despite being infused with gic energy, were unable to prate the mammoths'' shields. The guards informed Li Feng, "Actually, the phnx formation the mammoths are using were imparted to them by us."


    "You!" Li Feng cried out.


    One of the other guards hastily exined, "The mammoths were one of the more friendly races to us, and there was open trade between us, the draconians, and the mammoths."


    One of the mammoths grabbed a hold of arge boulder with its trunk, then tossed it toward the wall in a wide arc. It smashed against the reinforced stone like a meteor, and the impact was so great that a patch of the wall broke free and fell to the ground.


    Li Feng''s mouth twitched. "Friendly, you say?"


    If this were considered friendly, Li Feng didn''t want to imagine just how much worse some races could get...

 Chapter 789: Striking the Mammoths

    <h4>Chapter 789: Striking the Mammoths</h4>


    Who in the world would believe that these woolly mammoths could constitute a friendly race? The guards who had told Li Feng this turned around, not daring to face him.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" If Li Feng were to let these gigantic boulders strike the wall, the wall would likely topple immediately. He hurriedly stepped forward, summoning hundreds of serpents ring with blinding light.


    The hundreds of serpents turned all the boulders to dust.


    As Li Feng cast his skill, the woolly mammoths began a furious charge toward the wall, causing the ground to shake. Clouds of smoke and dust rose up from their stampede.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" A light dragon descended from the heavens like a beacon of shining light. Li Feng leapt up to the head of the dragon, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    At that moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens. As the dragon swooped downward in the direction of the mammoths, the silvery-white mammoth emerged from its pack, a ck froststeel shield before it. The shield that the silvery-white mammoth held was over two meters thick, twice as thick as the shields the other mammoths were carrying.


    The mammoths were sorge they looked essentially like moving walls, and the silvery-white mammoth the centerpiece of that wall. Its shield glinted and glimmered with light, distinct from the shields that the other mammoths possessed.


    Li Feng''s white dragons smashed against the froststeel shield, denting it with the force of the impact and sending even the silvery-white mammoth stumbling back a few meters.


    Subsequently, Li Feng leapt high into the air, the sword in his hand shing. Just as he was about to strike the mammoth, the nearby mammoths all leapt up and raised huge hammers from behind their shields.


    Thirty mammoths in total jumped up, forcing Li Feng to redirect his attack and sweep his sword forward.


    Li Feng cleaved the sky, tearing apart the night and shing at the veil of chaos.


    The white radiance exploded among the mammoths, tearing apart their bodies and sending fresh blood spraying into the air.


    As the silvery-white mammoth saw its kin being killed, it howled in outrage and tossed its thick froststeel shield toward Li Feng.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the mammoth and piercing through its shield in mid-air.


    The silvery-white mammoth leapt high above the ground and howled, sending a flurry of wind and snow shooting straight at Li Feng.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Light gathered by Li Feng''s de. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, each giving off starry light.


    The nascent blizzard was halted with brute force. As the dragons swooped down, the silvery-white mammoth waved the giant hammer it held in its trunk and smashed apart dragon after dragon.


    However, Li Feng''s attack targeted not just the silvery-white mammoth, but rather the entire herd of mammoths. The mammoths all raised their shields to defend themselves against the onught of the dragons.


    Li Feng scowled as he leapt back up onto the wall. "Why are all the mammoths so practiced with their shields?!"


    They rapidly andfortably switched between offense and defense, and were far more skilled with their maneuvers than their human and draconian counterparts.


    A human guard beside him exined, "The mammoths'' living conditions are terrible, and they''ve had to learn to do this to survive."


    Li Feng grumbled back, "We can''t let these mammoths roam free any longer¡ªthey''ll take over this world one day if left unchecked!"


    After the mammoths blocked the dragons'' descent, they charged forward once more. Their massive bodies meant that they were each tanks in their own right, and theirbined assault would surely be able to take down the wall.


    "[Arclight Descension]!" Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. A gigantic light dragon''s head appeared to his back, exhaling white light with every breath.


    White ripples of energy struck the mammoth forces with such force that they were forced to halt their assault.


    The silvery-white mammoth smashed its hammer against the ground, causing a shockwave of energy that counteracted Li Feng''s skill.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Li Feng punched forward, his right arm covered by radiant scales. The image of a white dragon appeared over Li Feng''s arm, coiling around it and shooting out as Li Feng howled.


    The silvery-white mammoth smashed this manifestation apart even as Li Feng morphed into a beam of white light and closed in on it.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" This time, the silvery-white mammoth was unable to react in time. Li Feng''s arm, charged with concentrated light-attuned gic energy, pierced through the mammoth''s chest.


    Li Feng attempted to extract his arm from the mammoth''s body, but he found himself unable to do so. The mammoth had bunched its muscles up tightly, forcibly trapping Li Feng''s arm.


    Li Feng raised his head in shock, only to see the mammoth let out a terrifying grin. A wave of frost swept over its skin, freezing its blood and Li Feng''s arm.


    Subsequently, the silvery-white mammoth raised its hammer high and smashed it down where Li Feng''s body was. Li Feng blocked the attack with the gigantic sword in his hand, but the mammoth was so strong that Li Feng was forced to grit his teeth as he infused gic energy into his arm deep within the mammoth''s body.


    The next moment, the mammoth''s chest glowed with light¡ªand burst in a terrible explosion. Blood and slivers of red ice exploded like shrapnel. Li Feng shot back as the other mammoths came to their leader''s aid.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly with the sword shes, imbued with the power of the vast expanse of the gxy.


    The sword shes approached the herd of mammoths, which raised their shields in an attempt to block the attack.


    However, their shields had been severely weakened by repeatedly blocking Li Feng''s attacks, and they were all sliced apart by Li Feng''s shes. The mammoths exploded in a shower of blood as Li Feng released a deep breath upon sheathing his sword.


    The humans and draconians cheered. As they began to clear the battlefield, Li Feng began to meditate. He was nning to raise his strength to the utmost before entering the mammoth world.


    One of the draconians came over to him. "The draconian sage bade mee over with information about the mammoth world."


    Li Feng frowned. "Isn''t this a trial from my captain, Zhang Lie?"


    The draconian shrugged. "The mammoth world is extremelyrge. Surely you wouldn''t want to have to search all thatnd for traces of the mammoths?"


    "I suppose that''s reasonable..."


    The draconian continued, "Because the mammoths used to be on good terms with the draconians, their side of the wormhole isn''t guarded by a wall. We''ve just erected the wall on this side, too."


    "No wonder it looked so haphazard! If even a single mammoth had reached it, I''m sure it would have copsed."


    The draconian added, "However, the mammoths don''t even need a wall to defend their world.


    "Why?"


    "It wouldn''t be able to stop a strong individual, andrge armies would falter just upon entering the world. Weaker individuals and smaller armies, on the other hand, don''t even pose a threat."


    Li Feng blinked. "Is their world that uninhabitable? In what climate do they live? A desert? A wastnd?"


    "No¡ªa frozen tundra, a world covered in ice!"


    "So that''s how it is!"


    "The mammoths'' world is bitterly cold. In your units of measurement, the average temperature is around -30 degrees Celsius. Snowstorms perennially rage over the world, and there are frequently blizzards and sh freezes. There''s never good weather and barely any sunlight. These are the conditions that produced the mighty mammoth warriors we faced today."


    No wonder they didn''t need any defenses.


    "Because of how difficult it is to survive in their world, the mammoths have always been open to trade, and we used to be one of their best trading partners. The humans imparted them with several techniques that would greatly improve their survival under such terrible conditions.


    "As you know, there are hardly any nts that can survive the climate, so the mammoths are forced to hunt for a living. In order to be sessful in their hunt, they would need strong constitutions as well as battle tactics and techniques. That was how the mammoths ended up being so proficient with their shields."


    Li Feng folded his arms. "You''ve bred mighty enemies indeed."


    The draconian shrugged. He didn''t seem at all regretful or angered. "The mammoths have always been friendly and kind toward us, and we could hardly expect their betrayal."


    "That''s only to be expected. You gave them the key to their strength¡ªthe reason the mammoths were friendly and kind was because they were weak! After they learned tactics and formations from you, they managed to thrive even in their bitter climate, strengthening their herd and resolving the problem of their immediate survival¡ªand giving them the opportunity to start thinking about attacking other races."


    Li Feng emphasized, "Under such conditions, they must have learned the need to be vicious, both to others and to themselves. Otherwise, they would have been imed and eaten by gic lifeforms long before. The only reason they were kind and friendly was because the draconians and humans were stronger than they were at that point in time, and they needed our cooperation."


    The draconian''s face finally fell. "It''s as you said. However, we realized it toote, and they began to move against us at the worst possible moment."


    Li Feng cocked his head curiously. "But even so, you don''t seem to be too upset?"

 Chapter 790: The Wuxia Fanatic

    <h4>Chapter 790: The Wuxia Fanatic</h4>


    The draconian shrugged again. "I''m upset and enraged that the mammoths betrayed us, but what good will those emotions do for me now? It''s not as if they''ll help resolve our situation."


    "That''s a remarkably cool-headed perspective..."


    "It''s all thanks to the rest of you, after all," one of the draconian guards, who was walking back to the wall after cleaning up the battlefield, added. "If not for your timely assistance, we would have been far more regretful of our actions. But with the champion of mankind Zhang Lie and the members of his team, we still have a chance to turn things around."


    The draconian continued, "Because of the harsh conditions of the mammoths'' world, their reproductive ability has been very limited, and there likely aren''t even a hundred thousand mammoths.


    In the past, hunting down sufficient quantities of food had always been a problem. They might have resolved that problem with the humans and draconians'' tactics, but there were still unavoidable losses and injuries in the process.


    Another draconian added, "The mammoths are pack creatures, and the entire herd lives together by the only volcano in their world."


    Li Feng seemed very surprised. "There''s a volcano in their world?"


    "A dead one, but it still gives off some heat¡ªand anything is better than the bitter cold elsewhere. After the mammoths gathered there, one of their subsequent kings managed to use his authority to increase volcanic activity in the region.


    "The mammoths'' world is trapped in eternal winter, and the volcanic region that the mammoths have developed is the only ce not ravaged by ice and snow."


    Li Feng nodded. "That''s what I thought! For them to be able to craft froststeel shields clearly requires a source of heat, but I didn''t think that their forges would be powered by geothermal energy!"


    All this information could certainly be valuable, and Li Feng was very d he had chosen to listen to the draconians'' reports. He asked the most important question to him. "Where is the mammoth herd located?"


    The draconian replied, "I could hand you a map, but it wouldn''t be meaningful. All their kings of the realm have the ability to shift the terrain of their world. The current mammoth king is particrly skilled in that regard, and I expect you''ll only encounter difficulty after difficulty searching for the mammoth herd."


    Li Feng grew visibly exasperated. "What? In that case, how am I supposed to find the mammoths?"


    Aerial visibility would be severely limited by the inclement weather and snow, and it would be far too difficult to conduct a proper search.


    "We draconians can provide you with an approximate location. Although the king of the realm can manipte the terrain, it would be impossible for him to move the entire herd away on short notice.


    "Head straight south once you exit the wormhole on the mammoth side. That was how we draconians arrived in mammoth territory when we visited it as guests¡ªif nothing has changed, that''s where you''ll find the mammoths!"


    "Thank you." While speaking with the human and draconian guards, Li Feng had finished healing his body from the injuries he had taken during the fight against the mammoth herd. He headed straight for the wormhole.


    Upon passing through, Li Feng noticed a violently cold breeze blowing toward him. Before him was a sea of ice and snow, a blizzard forming around him. The ground was white and frosty; all he could see was white.


    "It''s really cold!" Li Feng''s cells quickly limatized to the heat and began to warm up his body. As a peak-grade lifeform, Li Feng wasrgely unaffected by the environment. He would be able to adapt to all sorts of unusual conditions, extreme or otherwise, in a matter of moments.


    Unless the temperature suddenly fell by a hundred degrees Celsius or so, no peak-grade lifeform would find it more than a minor encumbrance.


    It wasn''t that such lifeforms weren''t able to sense the fluctuations in temperature. In fact, they were even more sensitive to the fluctuations than most other lifeforms, but their cells were also much more easily able to deal with these phenomena.


    Li Feng''s entire body was wrapped up in white light as he headed south following the guards'' directions.


    Indeed, as the draconians had imed, there seemed to be nothing around but snow, snow, and more snow. Even trying to find a gic lifeform in thisndscape was difficult.


    That said, there were quite a few gic lifeforms in this world, most of whom were particrly strong thanks to their having to survive such terrible living conditions.


    Li Feng encountered quite a number of snow-capped hills He flew directly over the shorter ones, and, rather than waste time traversing the taller ones, destroyed them with a few bursts of his light-attuned techniques.


    He quickly encountered a valley that seemed considerably warmer than elsewhere. A small, golden mountain appeared before him.


    The mountain suddenly spoke: "You''re here."


    Li Feng nced at the mountain more carefully, only to realize that it was an eight-meter-tall mammoth.


    Li Feng responded, "I''m here."


    "You shouldn''t havee."


    Li Feng thought for a moment before countering, "Why did youe?"


    The golden mammoth: ???


    He responded, "The king of the realm sent me over."


    Li Fengmented, "With that sort of opening remark, you must have read quite a few wuxia novels..."


    The golden mammoth sighed. "I had quite a few human friends, from whom I learned about the fascinating history of your culture. In order to hear more stories about these ancients, I would frequently head to the draconian world and exchange my froststeel for these tales."


    Li Feng sucked in a deep breath. A mammoth who was a wuxia fanatic...?


    The golden mammoth continued, "I''ve learned so much from you humans that I don''t want to be on bad terms with them. If you turn around and leave now, I can pretend that I''ve never seen you."


    Li Feng chuckled coldly. "You don''t want to be on bad terms with us humans? You invaded human territory!"


    The golden elephant raised his head to the sky. "It''s true. For the good of our race, for our survival, we had no other choice."


    "You can also pretend that you never saw me."


    "I''m afraid that, if I were to let you pass, you would wreak havoc and destruction on us mammoths."


    "In that case, there''s nothing to discuss." Gic energy exploded from Li Feng''s body, and white light shot forth.


    Meanwhile, the golden mammoth pulled out a de crafted from froststeel, about the size of a doorframe. "This de of froststeel is eight meters long and imbued with hoargold. It weighs ten thousand kilograms!"


    Ten thousand kilograms...?!?Li Feng''s eyes widened.

 Chapter 791: A Peerless Blade

    <h4>Chapter 791: A Peerless de</h4>


    Li Feng sucked in a deep breath. A sword weighing ten thousand kilograms? He could tell the mammoth was truly a wuxia fan...


    The golden mammoth raised his sword. "My sword will strike at no nameless foe! State your identity!"


    "I''m Li Feng, from Team Zenith!" Li Feng proimed.


    The golden mammoth nodded gravely as he swung the sword with his trunk. A single, simple swing sent the whole valley trembling from the impact. The golden mammoth''s near-limitless strength elevated the in, unadorned sword to new heights.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, which were all torn apart by the sword energy derived from the mammoth''s swing.


    Li Feng was shocked that a native of the third realm was able to produce sword energy.


    The golden mammoth''s sword energy was like a cier, strong and unyielding, smashing into everything in its way.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    Even so, the mammoth''s unadorned de smashed most of the serpents apart, leaving only a rare few who passed by unscathed. However, those serpents couldn''t harm the golden mammoth through his staggering defense. His muscles were all bunched up, as though he were wearing a suit of heavy armor.


    The mammoth''s sword swung closer and closer to Li Feng, giving off an aura of blizzard and frost.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" With a shout, Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the mammoth''s de.


    The explosion shook the entire valley. As the ice and snow cleared, amidst a barrier of white light, Li Feng was hurriedly retreating from the golden mammoth.


    Thankfully, the golden mammoth couldn''t keep up. Though he was faster than the rest of his kind, his body was still made for lumbering rather than rapid movement.


    "Just how did you learn such a technique?!" Li Feng was shocked by his strength.


    The golden mammoth replied, "Not only do I frequently go to the draconian world to listen to stories about Earth''s ancient heroes, I also hunt out in the wild. Every day, in blizzard or snowstorm, I swing my sword ten thousand times against the elements themselves.


    "At first, the sword was so heavy that I could barely lift it up for ten swings, let alone a hundred, a thousand, or all ten thousand, but as I trained myself, the sword gradually grew lighter. The ten thousand strikes that used to take me the entire day and night began to take up only the day, and after that, only the morning.


    "Among the mammoths of the tribe, I didn''t use to be anything special. As I continued my unusual training, however, I grew stronger and stronger. Even those who were once stronger than me have long since be unable to defeat me. Before I knew it, no one but the herdleader of the mammoths could do anything about me, and I became the sessor to the herd!"


    "Oh? Very well, then¡ªtake this! [Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Li Feng punched forward, his right arm covered by radiant scales. A dragon of light materialized around his arm and shot toward the golden mammoth, who swung his de once more.


    The in sword vanquished the dragon in a single swing.


    "I had the herd make me an even heavier sword, with which I smashed apart the floating pieces of ice in the icy river. I slew the gic lifeforms that emerged from the river every day for thirty years, until I was easily able to break the ice and even the frozen ground nearby. I grew so strong that even the herdleader had to be careful when sparring with me."


    In other words, this was the tale of how a wuxia fanatic grew to be a wuxia protagonist himself...


    Somehow, the golden mammoth, who had been so enraptured by wuxia legends that he began to train following those methods, had seeded in his objective. Only his physique and racial constitution had allowed him to aplish such a feat.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Finding that his punch was useless, Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him, producing sword energy so sharp the blizzard was pushed back in a hemisphere around him.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" An arclight dragon appeared behind Li Feng. He punched forward, and the dragon shot toward the golden mammoth like a bullet from a sniper rifle. The light dragon left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful. The dragon shed against the mammoth''s sword in yet another explosion, one which tore apart the frozen ground.


    The valley shook as though there were an earthquake. The walls to the valley began to crack, but neither Li Feng nor the mammoth were about to relent. The ground fell from their feet as the aftershock of the sh spread and reverberated around the valley. Huge boulders fell from the walls, smashing down by their heads.


    The boulders were each the size of small mountains, but any which were about to strike the twobatants were obliterated by the aftershocks from the sh. As even more boulders began to fall and andslide urred, however, both Li Feng and the golden mammoth were forced to retreat. The twobatants shed until they reached the mouth of the valley.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire frozen tundra. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens. The light dragon shot out toward the golden mammoth, who again defended with a precise swing, one honed from years of training and refined to such perfection that Li Feng was unable to break through the mammoth''s defense simply.


    It would take more than what Li Feng had demonstrated for him to break through the mammoth''s immacte defense.


    As Li Feng''s dragon swooped toward the mammoth, so too did Li Feng himself charge forward. He overtook the dragon as the golden mammoth sliced the dragon apart, but Li Feng was too fast, his actions too sudden, for the mammoth to defend against his strike as well.


    Li Feng''s shining sword of light cut a long sh from the mammoth''s shoulder all the way to his chest, leaving a scorching wound that caused the mammoth to wince in pain. His long years of training had saved his life; his muscles were thick and corded enough to prevent the injury from being too serious.


    Li Feng shed at the mammoth again¡ªbut the mammoth trumpeted in outrage and sent his de crashing against Li Feng''s own. The heavy de smashed apart Li Feng''s sword of light, sending a flurry of snowkes into the air.


    Suddenly, the golden mammoth stopped. "What''s your sword called?"


    Li Feng countered, "Is it important?"


    The golden mammoth nodded. "The de is yourpanion, your sibling and brother-in-arms, an extension of your very arm."


    Li Feng scratched his head and sighed. "It derived from the soulshard of a peak-grade arclight dragon, and I obtained it in the second realm. Does that satisfy you?"


    The golden mammoth nodded, then struck again with all the might of a frozen cier.

 Chapter 792: Sparing the Innocent

    <h4>Chapter 792: Sparing the Innocent</h4>


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng yelled out, defending himself once more from the mammoth''s attack. He pulled out another de, from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, shining against the snowy backdrop.


    The golden mammoth suddenly announced, "My sword technique is known as the [Nine Wanderers]. After defeating countless foes all over the world, I headed to other nearby worlds to challenge whoever I could find. This technique was born of those experiences. I fought arge number of humans and draconians during that time. Warlord Chen Ruiming himself who gave me advice, and it was with his help that I finalized this technique for myself."


    Suddenly, the golden mammoth''s attack pattern changed. The froststeel de in his hands shot out with surprising speed, blocking the starlight from Li Feng''s technique.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly with the sword shes, imbued with the power of the vast expanse of the gxy. The starlight was so bright, so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy.


    The golden mammoth blocked the attack again. Astoundingly, he even shifted the currents of air and sent the starlight from Li Feng''s technique turning back on itself, forming eddies that sapped the technique of its energy.


    However, even the mammoth was having a hard time with such a maniption¡ªLi Feng''s attack was simply too strong.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!" Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    The mammoth trumpeted, shing forward with his heavy de and breaking another of Li Feng''s techniques with brute force, in yet another explosion of light and snow.


    Li Feng frowned as yet another of his attacks waspletely blocked.


    The golden mammoth felt like a steel wall, imprable to anything he threw his way. None of his techniques had achieved their desired impact.


    "I can''t believe I have to show off one of my trump cards so early on!" Li Feng sighed, then sheathed his sword and returned it to his soulspace.


    The golden mammoth frowned. "Why are you giving up so easily?"


    "I''m not giving up. I simply intend on revealing a fraction of my true strength. I had intended on leaving this technique against the king of the realm of your world, but now, it looks like you''ll be the first to taste it."


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!"


    Light-attuned gic energy gathered on Li Feng''s fist,pressing once and again. His fist began to glow with white light, but in far more muted a fashion than his shy attacks moments ago.


    Nevertheless, the golden mammoth knew he couldn''t take this attack lightly. He charged forward, swinging his de. The de struck Li Feng''s fist in what seemed like the explosion of a nuclear bomb.


    All the light-attuned gic energy that Li Feng had gathered burst apart in a splendid explosion that rocked the entire tundra and sent waves of snow billowing around the air. The snowy clouds high above them exploded in a cloud of frost.


    Even the golden mammoth was forced back two stumbling steps. If he hadn''t been prepared, the force of the explosion would have sent the heavy sword flying out of the golden mammoth''s reach.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" Light exploded in the sky with such force that space itself began to warp. Shockwaves roared through the air like thundering dragons.


    Light-attuned gic energy covered the skies and filled the entire space around Li Feng. The golden mammoth''s eyes narrowed. "Just what are you doing?"


    Li Feng, struggling to contain all the light-attuned gic energy pouring through the skies, replied slowly, "You have your wuxia, and I have a man I need to catch up to. He once told me not to emte him, but rather to learn from him¡ªto incorporate his techniques into my own. I understand this, but when he shines so brightly in front of us, how can we resist the temptation to copy his sess?"


    By this time, the dark clouds above them had been reced by glittering brilliance. Li Feng''s strength covered the skies. "But I think there are more than two options than to emte or to learn. No¡ªI''ll absorb his techniques and make them my own!"


    Li Feng was a hunter independent of Zhang Lie, with his own thoughts and his own principles. Unlike the rest of Team Zenith, he chose to forge a different path.


    "My techniques shall eclipse my captain''s in strength!" Li Feng punched forward, causing the gic energy to pour down like a flood. Thick, concentrated energy, like roaring dragons and galloping steeds, like sharp des piercing heaven and earth, fell from the sky.


    The golden mammoth concentrated all his strength on the de and swung it in a wide arc, attempting to dissipate the gic energy around him. However, that sword energy was drowned out in the face of Li Feng''s gic energy.


    Li Feng''s technique ttened thend until the valley itself became level ground.


    The golden mammoth, caught under the onught of energy, suffered grievous injuries. However, his long period of training, of dedicating itself to the art of the sword, bore fruit. Despite the attack, he had stubbornly lived on, though his injuries were so serious that he couldn''t even move his legs.


    The golden mammoth murmured weakly, "To be able to die to a strong hunter like you¡ªI''ll have no regrets."


    Li Feng didn''t nce back. He flew off into the air.


    The golden mammoth gritted his teeth as he slowly got back to his feet. "Why not strike me? Am I not worth your time?!"


    Li Feng rolled his eyes. "Do you want to die?"


    The golden mammoth shook his head. "No, but neither do I want to live with shame!"


    "The king of this worldmanded you to invade the draconian world, but you refused him, didn''t you?"


    The golden mammoth: ...


    If not for the golden mammoth''s refusal, the silvery-white mammoth would hardly have been the one leading the charge against the humans. After all, the golden mammoth was the most powerful in the herd after the king of the realm itself.


    The golden mammoth didn''t deny Li Feng''s charge. He grimaced. "I have very good friends among the humans. I can''t change the herdleader''s mind, but I can choose to obey my own principles."


    "In that case, there''s no need for me to kill you," Li Feng exined.


    The golden mammoth called out to his back, "I know I don''t have the ability to stop you, and it''s rather thick-skinned of me for me to be making this request, but if you manage to beat the herdleader, would you mind sparing the life of my kin?"


    Li Feng thought for a moment. "If you tell me where the herd is, or lead me to it, I''ll consider your request."

 Chapter 793: Blinded by Arrogance

    <h4>Chapter 793: Blinded by Arrogance</h4>


    As Li Feng negotiated with the golden mammoth, the blizzard around them suddenly grew far more intense, and the temperature dropped to a bone-chilling level.


    A voice came from behind. "There''s no need. I''m already here."


    Li Feng turned around to see a twenty-meter-tall figure striding toward them through the blizzard.


    The golden mammoth trembled. "Herdleader!"


    The mammoth who appeared had long fur, glittering and crystalline like diamond. Wind and snow circled him. He had the stature of Optimus Prime. The mammoth herdleadermented, "I''m disappointed. You were unable to stop even a puny human. You became so weak because you spent all your time with the humans in the draconian world."


    The golden mammoth began to cough out blood.


    Despite the golden mammoth''s injuries, despite the fact that the golden mammoth was to be the next sessor to his title, the mammoth herdleader didn''t seem to care for the golden mammoth at all. Instead, he harshly criticized the golden mammoth for failing his duties.


    Li Feng frowned.


    If nothing else, the golden mammoth had tried to stop Li Feng at the cost of his life. Even if he had failed in that mission, the fact that the mammoth herdleader was simply criticizing him without attempting to help with his life-threatening injuries was ridiculous.


    "You''ve truly disappointed me. How dare you refuse my order tomand the invasion troops, to criticize me in front of the other mammoths for turning against our allies, for nothing but these weak, puny humans! It''s clear you don''t respect my authority!"


    The golden mammoth wearily raised his head. "I apologize, herdleader, but even now, I haven''t changed my mind. The humans and draconians are allies to our world, and they''ve contributed to our survival in this frozennd. I refuse to turn my back on our allies when they''re in need!"


    If not for the humans imparting the mammoths their knowledge of military formations and cksmithing, the mammoths would surely have a much harder time surviving their bitter climate.


    The mammoth herdleader cried out, "Who made you my sessor, and who has been protecting the herd all this time? Who elevated our living conditions? Not the humans, not the draconians, not our allies¡ªbut me! Without me, would the herd still be around?"


    Li Fengughed coldly. "Hah! As if you were solely responsible for your herd''s welfare! Or do you im that you''ve never received any kindness from the humans or draconians? Herdleader, you''re far too self-centered!"


    If not for the humans'' knowledge, the mammoths wouldn''t be able to hunt for food so easily, and neither would they grow strong enough as a race to begin invading their neighboring worlds.


    More importantly, neither would they have been recognized by the will of the world.


    The mammoth herdleader had worked hard to elevate the tribe, and his strength was hardly in question, but it would be inappropriate for him to im all the credit.


    Li Feng sighed. "What a pity. I wanted to have a look at the volcano around which the mammoths built their base, but you''ve alreadye to die!"


    The mammoth herdleader snorted. "Given what you can see of our living conditions, shouldn''t it be obvious why we''re hoping for something better?"


    "Yes, but to do so by betraying your allies is wrong!"


    The mammoth herdleader pointed at Li Feng as he shouted to the golden mammoth, "Look, look right here, my young sessor! Some random human is standing in front of me and criticizing me shamelessly and impolitely. This is all your fault. If you had attacked the draconians with the rest of the tribe, you wouldn''t be lying on the ground as wounded as you are now! This is all your fault!"


    The golden mammoth remained quiet upon hearing the herdleader''s words.


    The herdleader criticized him even more viciously. "If you had listened to me, there would be no humans pushing into our territory now¡ªand you couldn''t even redeem yourself by stopping a single human! You''re useless, utterly useless!"


    Li Feng interjected with a harshugh. "Useless? No, not him¡ªbut soon, you will be!


    I had thought that, as the king of the realm and the leader of the mammoths, you would be far more insightful and open-minded, but you''re just a petty and narrow-minded fellow!"


    The mammoth herdleader twisted his head. "Do you want to die, human?"


    Li Feng taunted, "What, you think you can kill me?"


    The mammoth herdleaderughed. "Puny human, I could kill you with just one finger!"


    Li Feng raised his head to the skies. "I wonder which race it was that had to submit and bow down to us for some information that we don''t even use anymore?"


    "You dare!" the mammoth herdleader howled, punching forward with a leg. Ice and snow shot forward, freezing Li Feng''s face even before the main force behind the attacknded.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng''s hands moved so quickly they were hardly visible, sending countless dragons of light flying out toward the mammoth and counteracting his punch. Light and ice exploded, and the frozen ground grew even frostier. Li Feng began to prepare another attack.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. They tore apart the shield of ice and snow around the mammoth and struck him directly.


    However, the mammoth herdleader''s skin and hair was even tougher and more resilient than the golden mammoth''s. Li Feng''s dragons of light were able to prate the snowstorm shield, but not the mammoth''s hair itself.


    The mammoth herdleader grinned, stomping out the dragons with his legs.


    .


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" Li Feng, now d in a suit of dragon armor, waved his left arm. A seal of light materialized around him.


    The next moment, a gigantic dragon''s w struck the mammoth herdleader from above.


    The frozen ground began to crack.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed toward the mammoth.


    The mammoth herdleader reached out and grabbed the arclight dragon. "Is this all the strength you have?"


    With a heavy stomp, the dragon dissipated into formless energy.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him as he shot forward in a beam of light.


    The mammoth mmed a leg on the ground, causing a wall of ice to erupt. Li Feng''s fist smashed into that wall. Subsequently, as the mammoth raised a leg and smashed the wall apart, Li Feng was sent flying. He stabilized himself in mid-air, then readied another technique.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" An arclight dragon appeared behind Li Feng. He punched forward, and the dragon shot toward the golden mammoth like a bullet from a sniper rifle.


    The light dragon left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    As Li Feng continued to punch forward like a gatling gun, the dragons he manifested broke apart the ice that the mammoth herdleader had created. Li Feng''s rain of bullets was finally able to prate the mammoth herdleader''s defense and wound his body.

 Chapter 794: Li Feng Covering the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 794: Li Feng Covering the Sky</h4>


    The mammoth herdleader howled as a flurry of snow gathered around him and sted toward Li Feng like a blizzard.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" Light-attuned gic energy gathered on Li Feng''s fist,pressing once and again. As Li Feng struck, the beams of light sliced apart the blizzard.


    "I''ll admit you have some strength of your own!" the mammoth herdleader called out. He was forced back as concentrated light-attuned gic energy left a scar on his head.


    Li Feng unsheathed his sword. "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire frozen tundra. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens.


    The mammoth herdleader mmed his legs against the frozen ground, causing it to explode. Ice and rock erupted from its depths, piercing the light dragons that Li Feng had summoned.


    Li Feng leapt into the air, his sword shining as it cut through the dark clouds that had gathered overhead. He left a long trail of light behind him as he swung downward.


    The mammoth herdleader mped the sword and halted its momentum with his two legs, but even he couldn''t handle it allpletely. Despite his astounding defense and muscture, the ground beneath his legs began to crack, sending a flurry of snow into the air.


    The energy contained within the sword of light made his legs feel as though they were burning up.


    The mammoth smashed his trunk into the de of the sword, causing it to shake before it shattered.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng yelled out, defending himself once more from the mammoth''s attack. He pulled out another de, from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, shining against the snowy backdrop.


    The mammoth mmed his legs against the ground once more and invoked the authority of the king of the realm, teleporting huge ciers in front of him to block Li Feng''s attack.


    The dragons struck the cier, perforating it as though they were meteorites and sending shards of ice flying all over.


    The mammoth herdleader kicked the cier toward the center of the dragons, where it exploded. As he howled, he summoned three des from the void. Each de was made of froststeel, two fifteen meters long and one ten meters long.


    Surprisingly, the mammoth herdleader used three des, one for each foreleg and one held with a curled trunk. The mammoth sliced all the dragons apart in a blink. The herdleader announced, "It''s been many years since Ist picked up my des¡ªperhaps decades, or even centuries. You should be honored to die to them."


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!" Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    The mammoth spun the three des he held like windmills, juggling his des from left leg to trunk, trunk to right leg, and right leg to left leg. The rapid spinning sent a flurry of snow straight toward Li Feng. As the mammoth''s des spun faster and faster, the three des seemed to turn into howling fans.


    Li Feng''s own sword shed against those des in a shower of light, sending rays of light drilling through the frozen ground and propelling kes of snow into the air at such speed they began to evaporate.


    Meanwhile, the mammoth herdleader spun his swords faster and faster, reinforcing and imbuing them with the strength, the strength of three thousand worlds. Li Feng''s sword of light seemed to g inparison.


    As his dragons were obliterated once more, Li Feng leapt high into the air, his body ring with light. The light lit up the heavens, causing motes of starlight to glow around him, as though the Milky Way were descending from space.


    When the starlight struck him, it exploded and struck the mammoth and ground beneath like a gatling gun.


    The mammoth made use of the authority of the king of the realm to reinforce the three des once more, augmenting his attack further.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly with the sword shes, imbued with the power of the vast expanse of the gxy.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy.


    Li Feng''s silver dragon shed against the three thousand worlds in yet another spectacr explosion, as though two gxies were colliding.


    The magnitude of the attack exceeded the threshold that could be supported by the world. As light shed, the snowy clouds in the sky were blown away, revealing a patch of starless sky.


    The mammoth breathed out clouds of white smoke, legs and snout trembling. On the other hand, Li Feng seemed to have energy in excess. Luminous starlight revolved around him.


    Li Feng shook his head. "You''re far weaker than the golden mammoth."


    "What?" The mammoth herdleader was certain he had misheard.


    "If you weren''t the king of the realm, you would be no match for the golden mammoth!"


    The mammoth herdleader was unable to ept Li Feng''s judgment. "You mean to im that I''m weaker than that fool?!" He was the king of the realm!


    "You don''t believe me? Let me show you the truth, then." Li Feng, his palm outstretched, reached for the sky. Light-attuned gic energy exploded above him.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" Light exploded in the sky with such force that space itself began to warp. Shockwaves roared through the air like thundering dragons.


    The dark clouds above Li Feng and the mammoth herdleader had been reced by glittering brilliance, as though the heavens were now a sea of light. Large numbers of arclight dragons frolicked in the sky...

 Chapter 795: Three Blades, Combined

    <h4>Chapter 795: Three des, Combined</h4>


    The mammoth herdleader''s eyes narrowed. As he nced at the frightening power coalescing in the heavens above him, he found himself trembling involuntarily. All he could do was forcibly calm himself, trumpeting his rage and anger, then sheath his fifteen-meter-long des. He pounded the ground with his legs, causing the entire world to tremble.


    In order to block Li Feng''s wide-range attack, the mammoth herdleader invoked the authority of the king to teleport a whole mountain range over.


    As Li Feng waved a hand, the light-attuned gic energy morphed into a roaring river that poured down on the mammoth herdleader like a flood.


    Countless thundering dragons, like sharp knives that could rend earth and sky, hurtled toward the mammoth.


    The mountain range that the mammoth herdleader used as a defensive barrier exploded. The flood of dragons struck the mountain range like a nuclear warhead exploding. Huge boulders were sent flying into the sky. Blocks of ice cracked, producing rainbow glimmers in the air when struck by incident light.


    Li Feng''s technique surpassed rationality.


    The mammoth herdleader stomped his legs once more, annihting the boulders that seemed liable to crush him with frost so cold it shattered the boulders and turned them into naught but dust.


    As he trumpeted, his three desbined into one. Sword energy red, and the des formed a humongous shadow that dwarfed everything in sight. So sharp was the sword energy emanating from his de that a boulder flying toward him was cut in half upon entering a boundary of a few dozen meters from the mammoth.


    "Let''s end the battle with this blow! [Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!" Li Feng shouted. Dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, thousands of them in all.


    Li Feng''s technique mirrored Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring], but it was considerably faster.


    Thousands of dragons suddenly appeared in the air, shrieking in cacophony. On Li Feng''smand, however, they all descended from the skies in a meteor shower.


    The mammoth waved his de and vanquished a few dozen, but the dragons came in such numbers that the mammoth simply couldn''t deal with them all.


    Even so, despite the steep numerical disadvantage, the mammoth seemed at ease. He began to spin and rotate like a whirling dervish, forming a hurricane of frost and de around himself.


    Thebination was astounding. Snow from the ground was sent flying back up into the sky in what seemed like a localized blizzard.


    Li Feng drew his sword once more. Light-attuned gic energy gathered on his de. As the de shone radiantly, Li Feng closed his eyes and recalled a memory of Zhang Lie fighting. He opened his eyes once more, eyes glowing, as a technique manifested from him.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that tore apart the mammoth''s technique. It struck the mammoth''s three-debination and dissipated into thin air even as it forced the mammoth stumbling back.


    Li Feng nced at the sword in his hand, downcast. "As expected, I can''t just make up techniques in the heat of battle!"


    The mammoth herdleader red in disbelief. Li Feng''s expression and undeveloped technique¡ªwas that something he hade up with on the spot?


    Was Li Feng testing new techniques on him during this battle of life and death?! The mammoth herdleader was fighting for his life, but Li Feng thought so little of him that he was simply treating this battle like mundane practice!


    The mammoth herdleader''s rage red. The ground resonated. Ice cracked. The mammoth flew into the air like a rocket.


    Li Feng calmed down, concentrated, and gathered his gic energy again.


    "Perhaps like this?" The sword technique that Zhang Lie had once used reyed in Li Feng''s mind, once and again. Li Feng ignored the mammoth charging toward him.


    The mammoth herdleader invoked the authority of the king of the realm as he teleported himself on top of Li Feng''s head, his three des whirling. "Die!"


    "Yes, just like this!" Li Feng''s eyes opened wide as energy red from his sword. "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Realm of Heaven]!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars and even the will of the world itself.


    The mammoth herdleader was visibly perturbed. "Impossible! How can anyone but memune with the will of this frozen world?!"


    A holy chant seemed to fill the air. The light-attuned gic energy that gathered around Li Feng manifested as angel''s wings surrounding him.


    The golden mammoth, down on the ground, mbered out of a deep snowdrift, panting heavily. He felt as though he had almost died of suffocation.


    Both Li Feng and the mammoth herdleader had deliberately taken the battle away from where the golden mammothy, or he would have long since perished from the aftermath of their attacks.


    If a peak-grade lifeform were to wander into the fighting, it would have been killed near-immediately¡ªand the rest of the attacks would annihte even its bones. The golden mammoth was far stronger than an ordinary peak-grade lifeform, but he was heavily wounded.


    As the golden mammoth nced up at Li Feng, still amassing more and more light-attuned gic energy with every passing second, he sighed. "To think you still had such an attack¡ªI''ve truly lost!"


    Although the mammoth herdleader was right beside Li Feng, he found that his fifteen-meter-long des were unable to strike him, as though they were dimensions¡ªno, worlds, apart. This had to be spatial maniption!


    The mammoth herdleader understood what was going on within moments. Li Feng had made use of spatial maniption to field a barrier between him and the mammoth, stretching out the meters of space thaty between them into hundreds, thousands of miles.


    "Laughable. Do you really think you''re the only one who can manipte space? Don''t forget who the king of this frozen realm is!"


    The mammoth spun the three des he held like windmills and simultaneously invoked the authority of kingship to imbue his next attack. The three des spun with the strength of three thousand worlds, spinning faster and faster, ever faster, and destroying the barrier that Li Feng had put in ce between them.

 Chapter 796: By the Volcanoes

    <h4>Chapter 796: By the Volcanoes</h4>


    Li Feng seemedpletely unperturbed by the mammoth herdleader''s counterattack. A hundred dragons wrapped around his sword, and his light-attuned gic energy was formingplicated patterns around him.


    As the light shifted and transformed, Li Feng''s de shot toward the mammoth herdleader.


    The entire battlefield was filled with radiant light, holy and pure, as though Li Feng had opened the gates to heaven.


    As the light receded, however, the mammoth herdleader seemed to vanish. Nothing was left behind; he seemed to have evaporated from the world.


    The golden mammoth stared at the scene in shock. He had understood the principles behind all the blows that had been exchanged in the battle to date¡ªall except for the veryst blow.


    Li Feng slowly dropped his sword and released a deep breath. "I was almost sucked into the attack myself. Better not to use something like this too much."


    The golden mammoth''s mouth was still agape; he had yet to recover from the shock of Li Feng''s attack. Subsequently, a bloody blizzard descended from the sky¡ªa rain of blood which had frozen over given the temperature.


    As the heavens mourned for the death of the king, the golden mammoth finally came to his senses. "Just what was that final attack? Where did the mammoth herdleader get transported to?"


    Li Feng turned to the golden mammoth. "Ah, you haven''t died yet."


    At the start of the battle, he had tried to move away from the wounded mammoth, but as the battle dragged on, Li Fengpletely forgot about his existence.


    The golden mammoth asked again, "Just what was that final attack? Could you be a wuxia swordsman yourself?"


    Li Feng scratched his head. "How should I exin this... I don''t suppose you''re familiar with data modeling? ?Vector space modeling? Advanced mathematics? Conversion of energy, refining energy, the secondw of thermodynamics?"


    The golden mammoth shook his head more and more furiously.


    Li Feng shrugged. "In that case, I won''t be able to exin it to you."


    The golden mammoth sighed. "To think that humans possessed so many other private collections of wuxia techniques! We mammoths have truly underestimated your kind."


    Li Feng''s lips spasmed. "I suppose they are... wuxia techniques... of a kind, but ones soplicated that you wouldn''t want to delve deeply into them."


    The golden mammoth sighed again. "In the end, we were far too arrogant!"


    The mammoth herdleader''s arrogance had gradually spread to the rest of the herd. The mammoths believed that, after they had learned some human knowledge, that they had eclipsed humanity entirely. They believed that their understanding of the world, built upon the foundations the humans had taught them, had long since eclipsed human knowledge.


    Now, however, the mammoths were learning that they had been entirely mistaken.


    The humans had hardly shared everything with the mammoths; they had simply passed on a small gift, one which didn''t contain many core principles or advanced extensions of the same ideas.


    After the mammoths learned and mastered this knowledge, after hunting became trivial for them and they were able to build stronger and more insting shelter, they grew more and more arrogant. They believed that the information that humans had provided them were the limit of what weaklings like the humans could aplish; that they, mammoths with far superior constitution, could advance themselves further.


    The golden mammoth knew this to be a lie, but he had no way of proving it to the rest of the mammoths.


    Li Feng nodded. "An understandable development."


    The golden mammoth continued, "Ever since the king of the realm emerged from our herd, we no longer visited the other neighboring worlds as much. Instead, we isted ourselves. Trying to change my herd''s mindset will require a sudden shock."


    Li Feng nodded, understanding what the golden mammoth meant. The mammoth wanted to shock his herd out ofcency, while Li Feng needed to acquire the proof of kingship. Their goals were aligned.


    Li Feng asked, "But are you really willing to give up on the proof of kingship so simply?"


    The golden mammoth nodded. "Even without the proof of kingship, we mammoths can likewise be strong."


    The golden mammoth was wise beyond his years, so much so that Li Feng would have been a little worried as to just how strong he would be in the future if not for Zhang Lie''s presence.


    He countered, "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll wipe out all the mammoths after taking the proof of kingship?"


    The golden mammoth replied, "I wouldn''t tell anyone else where the proof of kingship is, but you''re a different story."


    "You trust me?" Li Feng was skeptical. He had only fought against the golden mammoth once; it was hardly as though they were old rivals.


    The golden mammoth smiled. "If you were nning to kill all the mammoths, you would hardly spend so much time talking with me. Isn''t that so?"


    Li Feng nodded. "I suppose that''s reasonable."


    The golden mammoth continued, "Of course, the primary reason is that you''ve conveyed your feelings to me through your swordsmanship."


    That... was a very wuxia-vored answer.


    Li Feng strode forward, lifted the golden mammoth, and slung him around his shoulders.


    The golden mammoth suddenly requested, "Can you haul me on your back in a different position? This is how you''d carry me to the herd if I were your prey!"


    "You''re rather demanding, aren''t you?" In the end, Li Feng didn''t adjust how the mammoth was slung on his back.


    Although the draconians had provided Li Feng with some information about the mammothnds, this was the first time Li Feng had witnessed it for himself.


    There were eight volcanoes in the region, with the one in the middle being thergest. The other seven surrounded the central volcano in a rough ring. All eight volcanos were active, and smoke trailed out of their craters. They warmed up the mammoths that gathered around them.


    The golden mammoth exined, "Because of the warmer climate around the volcanoes, there are more prey in the region."


    The lifeforms of this frozen world had unwillingly adapted to the cold; they preferred slightly warmer climates. Of course, that didn''t mean that they wanted the climate of the equator rather than of the North Pole, but rather that they sought spots of warmth¡ªexactly like the volcanoes would provide.


    The nearby volcanoes meant that the ground around the mammoths wasn''t frozen, and was far more convenient andfortable than the rest of thend.


    The gic lifeforms tended to be active in the vicinity of the volcano. None approached the volcanoes directly given the presence of the mammoth herd and the fact that they wanted warmth, not extreme heat.


    As more gic lifeforms gathered around the volcanoes, so too did their predators. Thanks to therge numbers of lifeforms around, there were plenty of lifeforms for the mammoths to hunt. No longer did they have to wander hundreds of kilometers away or hunt on precarious terrain like a frozen river.


    The mammoths even tried to grow nts and vegetables in order to add variety and essential nutrients to their diet, in the same way that housecats would sometimes consume weeds and wild grass to deal with the umted fat in their stomach.


    In the past, the mammoths had had to trade for such precious supplies, but now, they could even grow their own sustenance.


    Li Feng''s eyesight was very developed, and he could see pirs of me from afar, which rose and fell in sync with a pulse from the ground.


    The golden mammoth exined, "We craft and forge our weapons from the earth''s fire. Although we learned how to forge weapons from humans, it was far too expensive for us to maintain other types of forges in this weather. Our wise ancestors were the ones who thought of this idea."


    Li Feng rolled his eyes. "And then, the intelligence and wisdom amassed throughout generations of hard work¡ªyour herdleader destroyed it all!"


    The golden mammoth''s face turned downcast. "I won''t judge the herdleader for his actions. Although he had truly grown too arrogant by his demise, he has contributed greatly to the n himself. His aplishments shouldn''t be judged by our contemporaries, but rather by our descendants."


    Li Feng contemted, "A wise leader making a terrible mistake near the end of his life? I can''t help but feel a sense of deja vu..."


    The mammothnds were divided into an inner and an outer sanctuary. The inner sanctuary consisted of mud houses, along with a simple wall formed from bricks of ice. The outer sanctuary had igloos.


    Li Feng asked, "What separates these two regions?"


    "The warriors live on the outskirts, while the women, children, and elderly live within."


    "Oh? It looks like your herd is surprisingly harmonious." Li Feng was a little shocked that the warriors who fought on behalf of the herd were willing to sleep in such icy quarters.


    The golden mammoth peered at him strangely. "You don''t think we would separate ourmunity into serfs and lords, do you?"


    "Don''t your warriors mind?" Didn''t they think that shedding blood for the n made them deserve better treatment?


    The golden mammoth shook his head. "This frozen world is a worse ce to live in than the draconian world, than wherever you humans live. The threat of frightening beasts lies all around us. I freely admit that. It''s precisely because we need to protect our herd that we warriors have to fight, to guard, to defend. All mammoths, once theye of age, be warriors that contribute to the safety of the tribe."


    The mammoths thought this a natural progression of life, but Li Feng somewhat pitied the mammoths for not having even the right to decide their own fate.


    Peering carefully at Li Feng, the golden mammoth added, "You pity us? We disagree. Only a few talented mammoths are willing to be smiths for the tribe, and only because the herdleader forced them to. We never have enough smiths, since being a warrior is a matter of peerless honor."


    Li Feng sighed. "It''s clear that your herdleader was excellent at brainwashing the entire herd."

 Chapter 797: The Impending Eruption

    <h4>Chapter 797: The Impending Eruption</h4>


    The golden mammoth shook his head vehemently. "No, this isn''t brainwashing! Every mammoth wants to be a warrior, because only warriors can bring honor to their family, to contribute to the herd! If you want to be more realistic about it, bing an outstanding warrior will allow you to improve your family''s life."


    "Yes, I understand. That''s precisely what brainwashing is all about!"


    China''s gaokao was precisely one such type of brainwashing¡ªeducation is required to have a future, to get into a good university, and hence to obtain a stable career.


    Without studying, it would be impossible for an ordinary child to surpass the likes of those born with golden spoons in their mouths¡ªas if studying would bridge that gap! And what if those exam results that someone ved for were stolen by a bribed, corrupt official? What then?


    Li Feng shrugged. "That''s brainwashing for you. Your herdleader gave you an incentive to be a warrior¡ªto provide for your family¡ªand inculcated you with those beliefs day in and day out, forcefully indoctrinating you to adhere to those beliefs! It might seem like he''s trying to help you out for the future, but he''s really stripping you of all other possibilities!"


    The golden mammoth nced curiously at Li Feng. "I''m not sure how you humans view this, but I don''t see this necessarily as a bad thing. Don''t you agree?"


    Li Feng mulled it over for a moment before nodding.


    In the context of the situation, perhaps it was sensible. Humans had the freedom to do what they wanted, but the mammoth herd needed as many warriors as it could generate to survive such trying conditions. If the mammoths were allowed to choose their upations freely, the mammoth society would copse near-instantaneously.


    "Most of our current smiths were injured in battle and forced to be smiths because they had no other choice. Those are our igloos. They''re where our warriors sleep, as well as our storehouses for food. It''s very easy for food to spoil in warm conditions, but they can be kept for an entire year in our igloos without a problem." The golden mammoth pointed at an igloo in the distance.


    As Li Feng and the golden mammoth walked closer to the volcano, the temperature began to rise above bone-chilling and into bearable.


    The mammoth herd had really found an excellent piece ofnd.


    Li Feng asked, "Aren''t you afraid that the volcanoes might erupt?"


    The golden mammoth shook its head. "We don''t have anything to worry about. The king of the realm can suppress any volcanic eruptions!"


    "Not anymore," Li Feng reminded the golden mammoth.


    He wilted. "Even so, my kin and I won''t leave!"


    "Why?"


    "Because the sheer cold and hunger are more frightening than death itself."


    Suddenly, the ground began to quake.


    The golden mammoth''s eyes widened as he looked toward Li Feng. "I suddenly have a bad premonition..."


    "What a coincidence. I do too." Li Feng put down the golden mammoth, then retrieved a restorative from his soulspace. "Drink this."


    The golden mammoth didn''t hesitate. After doing so, his injuries began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    As tremors continued to spread through the earth, many mammoths came out of their huts and igloos.


    The golden mammoth gulped in astonishment. "This potion is marvelous. Is there any more?"


    Li Feng noticed that the golden mammoth was sorge that a single vial of potion wasn''t enough to help him recover. He took out four more and passed them to the mammoth.


    The mammoth herdleader had, as the king of the realm, been suppressing the eruption of all eight volcanos since he became king. Now that he had been killed by Li Feng, the volcanoes were finally unleashing their pent-up might.


    The golden mammoth grumbled, "Why didn''t you give me something like this earlier if you had it? You wouldn''t have had to carry me on your back like a trussed pig!"


    "I was afraid you would run off after recovering."


    "Do I look like someone who would do that?!"


    "There''s no time to argue. Drink up¡ªsomething''s going to happen!"


    The eight volcanoes were all trembling like pots of boiling water, as though they were charging up for something massive. If the volcanoes were to erupt and ssh moltenva everywhere, where almost all of the mammoth herd was gathered...


    The golden mammoth''s injuries quickly vanished, and not a moment too soon.


    With an ear-splitting boom, volcanic ash spewed into the air. All eight volcanoes began to erupt, and ming boulders shot out of their craters.


    "No!" Li Feng and the golden mammoth shouted at the same time.


    Li Feng transformed into a beam of light and rushed into the air.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, which crashed against the fiery boulders and caused them to explode like fireworks.


    The golden mammoth rushed to the herd. "Are all of you alright?"


    When the other mammoths saw him, they cried out in surprise, "The golden mammoth has returned! The golden mammoth''s back!"


    Some of the mammoths rushed up to it. "Just what''s going on? We saw a rain of blood just now, as though the entire world were groaning!"


    The golden mammoth cried out, "I''ll exin the detailster! Pack up¡ªwe can''t stay here any longer!"


    The mammoth herdleader had beenpressing andpressing the energy of these volcanoes for many long years, preventing them from causing a disaster. As a result, the volcanoes had umted far too much energy than they should have, and even the king of the realm''s authority was growing ineffective against them.


    With the herdleader''s death, that energy was right about to be unleashed on the mammoth herd.


    The golden mammoth believed that the reason the mammoth herdleader had been so desperate to find sanctuary for the herd, even to the point of betraying his allies, was to find a new home for the mammoths.


    The golden mammoth''s thoughts were biased, of course, but it didn''t matter. The mammoth herdleader was dead, and the golden mammoth would rather remember him as a leader forced to betray his allies than one blinded by arrogance.


    The mammoths asked, "Where''s the herdleader? Where is he?"


    The golden mammoth shook his head. "The herdleader isn''ting back."


    "What? What happened?"


    "Did something bad happen to the herdleader?"


    "Could the herdleader have deserted us?"


    The mammoths began to panic, and the golden mammoth sighed. "The herdleader died in battle!"


    "No! Impossible!" one of the mammoths cried out. "The herdleader is the king of the realm, invincible in this world!"


    The golden mammoth shouted, "I''ll exin it allter! We have to evacuate now¡ªsomething''s wrong with the volcanoes!"


    Some of the mammoths seemed very confused. "Pack up? Where to?"


    1. The famously brutal nationwide college entrance examination taken by high school students in China.

 Chapter 798: Immediate Evacuation

    <h4>Chapter 798: Immediate Evacuation</h4>


    Some of the mammoths became agitated the moment they heard that they were going to be leaving theirfortable homes by the volcanoes.


    "I won''t leave, we won''t! This is our home. No matter what, we can''t go back out into the freezing hintends again!"


    "I''m going to stay right here and wait for the herdleader toe back. Once the herdleader''s back, I''m sure he''ll be able to resolve all our problems."


    They remained unwilling to believe that the herdleader had died and were still expectantly awaiting his return.


    The entire herd fell into chaos.


    The golden mammoth shouted, "The herdleader isn''ting back! Everyone, we have to stay strong!"


    Li Feng flew down toward the golden mammoth after having done a survey of the volcanoes. "That was just a preliminary eruption, which dislodged the ash and boulders in the volcano''s crater. The next eruption will be massive.


    "Have your herd pack up and evacuate immediately! We might be able to halt the eruption of one volcano, but not all eight¡ªnot unless your herdleader somehow revives from the dead, or if my captain shows up."


    The mammoth herdleader had been invoking the authority of the king of the realm all this time in order to preserve the living habitat of his herd. He was able to stall the volcanic eruptions, but it was only ever a dy¡ªeven he couldn''t prevent the eruptionspletely.


    During the many years in which the volcanoes were suppressed, they amassed a great deal of energy. The mammoths periodically vented that energy with their geothermal forges, but it was only a small fraction of the total energy that the volcanoes contained.


    Li Feng and the mammoth herdleader''s attacks had caused the entire world to shake and quake. The aftershocks from the battle was the trigger that finally initiated the volcanoes'' eruption.


    However, thanks to the mammoth herdleader''s suppression, the craters of all eight volcanoes were blocked with ash and rubble. The first eruption had cleared out all that mess; the second eruption would be devastating.


    Upon seeing Li Feng appear, the entire mammoth herd was in an uproar.


    One of the mammoths shouted, "What''s a human doing here? Are the two of you working together?!"


    Another mammoth howled, "Golden mammoth, it must be your fault! You''ve long since wanted to be herdleader¡ªand you refused a directmand from the herdleader to attack the humans! You must have taken this opportunity to backstab the herdleader with this despicable human!"


    "Golden mammoth, I thought you were the strongest warrior of our herd, but you''re actually just a despicable backstabber!"


    "Did you make these arrangements with the humans well in advance? Right, you frequently head to the draconian world, don''t you? You must have nned this!"


    Li Feng sneered. "It doesn''t look like you mammoths are as harmonious as you imed."


    Now that the volcanoes all around the herd were about to explode, the veneer of harmony around the herd had been warped and shattered.


    "Enough!" the golden mammoth roared, energy bursting out of his body and quelling the mammoth herd. "The volcano''s right about to explode. Now isn''t the time for this!"


    The other mammoths didn''t seem to agree. "What do you mean, it''s not the time for this? It''s precisely because we''re in such danger that we need to understand what''s going on. Who knows where you might lead us otherwise!"


    As the situation deteriorated further, the reputation and name that the golden mammoth had built up began to crumble.


    "It has to be you¡ªyou were the one who killed the king of the realm, you''re the one who wants to destroy our herd in cahoots with the humans!"


    "Return our king to us!"


    "The humans and draconians must not want to see us mammoths grow stronger! It''s all because of them!"


    Many of the mammoths picked up shards of ice and threw them at the golden mammoth.


    The ice shattered on impact with the golden mammoth''s body; his constitution was far stronger than would be hurt by the ice, but not his heart. It felt as though the shards of ice were skewering him alive. He had worked so hard for the herd; was this all he was worth?


    The golden mammoth was trying to evacuate the herd to save them all, but none of them were willing to listen to or believe him.


    Li Feng folded his arms and watched on as the mammoth herd argued. A barrier of light protected him from any projectiles the mammoths threw his way.


    He was rather interested in how the golden mammoth would react, but that didn''t mean he would help it, or even the rest of the mammoth herd. After all, it didn''t matter to him whether the mammoth herd lived or perished.


    As long as he could keep the golden mammoth alive, he would be able to obtain the proof of kingship.


    Li Feng nced up toward the volcanoes. The second eruption was nigh, and given the situation, it seemed as though the mammoth herd would be unable to escape cmity.


    "Halt, all of you!" a weary butmanding voice rang out from within the herd. The voice resonated like a tolling bell, and the mammoths all froze the moment they heard the speaker.


    They parted as an old mammoth, his fur snowy-white, emerged from their midst. "What are all of you doing? The volcanoes are about to erupt! If you don''t move, you''ll be dead!"


    This old mammoth clearly possessed supetive status within the herd. The belligerent mammoths who had been targeting the golden mammoth stopped immediately, and all the mammoths hung their heads in shame.


    Li Feng asked, "Who is this?"


    The golden mammoth''s eyes regained their color. "This is the elder of our herd, the oldest and most honorable of us all, as well as the teacher and mentor of the herdleader."


    One of the mammoths pointed at the golden mammoth with dissatisfaction. "But elder, he¡ª"


    The elder cut him off. "Have you forgotten the herdleader''s words?!"


    All the mammoths fell silent as the elder continued, "If the herdleader isn''t present, then we listen to his sessor''smands! Everyone, listen to him no matter what!"


    Despite the elder''s words, one of the more recalcitrant mammoths still called out, "Elder, it''s possible that this fellow worked with the humans to assassinate our herdleader! We can''t take his words for granted!"


    The elder turned to the golden mammoth. "Have you done anything to betray our herd?"


    "No!" the golden mammoth shouted steadfastly. "I would never. May lightning strike me down, may blizzards freeze me over if I ever do!"


    "Good, good child. I believe your im."


    Even so, some of the mammoths still seemed displeased. "Elder, are we going to believe him so easily?"


    The elder snorted. "If he were to attack any of you, who present would be able to stop him? That he isn''t doing so means that he''s still the warrior, the champion we all know and respect. There''s no time for any further discussion. Everyone, we retreat at once!"

 Chapter 799: Complete Eruption

    <h4>Chapter 799: Complete Eruption</h4>


    The elder''s reasoning seemed a little farfetched, but the mammoths finally noticed the immediacy of their situation as the elder shouted again, "What are you all standing there for? Leave! Flee!"


    The ground trembled far more intensely than before, and the volcanoes began spewing out ash and boulders once more.


    This time, three volcanoes erupted in session. Waves of heat buffeted the mammoth herd, and burning boulders arced down from the sky. Three headed straight for the mammoth herd.


    While the mammoths gaped at the boulders in shock, the golden mammoth rose into the air, punching at the boulders with such force that they crumbled into pieces.


    As the golden mammothnded back on the ground, he shouted, "Quick! Run!"


    No one was able to stop the eight volcanoes from exploding. Lava began pouring out of their craters as the entire sky turned a fiery red color.


    The three volcanoes to the left, as well as the one in the center, had all begun to erupt.


    Faced with the huge patches ofva, the mammoth elder''s face turned white. "Our herd is done for..."


    Even so, the golden mammoth had no intention to give up. He grabbed onto one of the other mammoths and shouted, "Lend me your sword!"


    "Here!"


    The golden mammoth turned around and grabbed a de from the air, only to find his froststeel sword thrown by Li Feng himself. Li Feng had taken the de upon defeating the golden mammoth, and he was returning it to him now.


    The golden mammoth bowed in respect before turning back to the boulders, waving the in, unadorned sword with his trunk.


    The simple strike had been honed by endless repetition, leaving a long furrow in the ground which was quickly filled by theva. The golden mammoth struck again and again, carving out strokes that formed a ''#'' in the ground, a makeshift seawall that would ideally divert the flow ofva.


    The golden mammoth hade up with this idea after learning about how humans would build such seawalls to prevent the tides from ruining their sand sculptures.


    The mammoth world possessed no sand or beaches, but in a moment of inspiration, the golden mammoth realized that this knowledge he had picked up from the humans could apply directly to this scenario.


    Theva was indeed diverted, and didn''t directly overwhelm the mammoth herd.


    The golden mammoth turned and shouted, "There''s no time to pack up! Run!"


    The elder agreed. He too shouted, "Your lives are more important!"


    Just then, the volcanoes erupted again¡ªall five remaining. As huge quantities of rock andva emerged from the volcanoes, the entire sky grew crimson, as though it had been lit on fire.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned hundreds of serpents, ring with blinding light, forming attice in the air that disintegrated the rock andva. Li Feng, like a god descending from the heavens, was defending the mammoth herd alone against the eruption.


    The mammoths stared at him from the ground, unable to believe that a human would be willing to help them out.


    Li Feng shouted without turning back, "What are all of you doing? Run!"


    Only then did the mammoths finally begin to flee.


    The golden mammoth bowed his head again in gratitude. "Thank you."


    He continued to divert the freely flowingva.


    The mammoths were absurdly strong. Li Feng saw one particr mammoth dig up the foundations of his igloo and run off with it on his back¡ªand doing so at a paceparable to those of the other mammoths as well.


    As the eight volcanoes all erupted, theva swamped the mammoths from all directions, and the golden mammoth''s seawalls lost their effectiveness.


    The remaining mammoths were trapped by theva and unable to flee.


    The golden mammoth cried out, "Is this a punishment from heaven for betraying our allies?"


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Radiant light gleamed, and the redness of the sky was drowned out with white. An illusory dragon of light descended from the heavens and tore a path out of theva, allowing the remaining mammoths to flee.


    Theva slowly consumed that path and the dragon itself, but Li Feng summoned it once more.


    The golden mammoth''s eyes were bright as he charged forward with his froststeel de. "Let me help!" He struck forward with a simple blow, but one that had enough strength behind it to split mountains.


    Theva was diverted to either side of the strike.


    "Follow me!" The golden mammoth led the way as he continued waving his sword to split theva and rock blocking their path. "Warriors of the herd, get into our defensive formation!"


    The warriors hurriedly pulled up their shields and built a defensive perimeter around the mammoth herd. Meanwhile, the nonbatants gathered in the interior of the protective circle.


    "We''ll prevent theva from reaching us!" the golden mammothmanded.


    Theva was slowly creeping over the path the golden mammoth had created with his sword, and all the mammoth warriors used their own techniques to defend against the incursion. Some kicked at the ground with their legs, while others summoned rocks with their gic energy. As the warriors protected the women, children, and elderly, they finally made it out of the vicinity of the volcanoes.


    The mammoths began to tear up as they looked back at their territory, which was now quickly being swallowed up byva. That was where generations of mammoths had made their home.


    Before them were boiling-hot patches ofva, with a shocking temperature that made them feel as though they were overheating, but their hearts were icy cold.


    The mammoths had lost far too much¡ªnot just their territory, but also countless material possessions and life.


    Although the golden mammoth had tried his best, there were some mammoths who had steadfastly refused to leave their homes.


    Some of the older mammoths were content to die where they lived, and knew that they wouldn''t be able to make it far without dragging down the rest of the herd. Of course, there were also some who were remarkably foolish, believing that their herdleader woulde back and save them at thest moment...

 Chapter 800: A New Leader

    <h4>Chapter 800: A New Leader</h4>


    The mammoths weren''t a populous race, and there hadn''t even been ten thousand of them at their peak. Over a thousand warriors had died in the draconian invasion, and another thousand in the volcanic eruption, leaving fewer than six thousand in all.


    Surviving, finding a new territory to im as their own, and searching for food would all be problems in the near future.


    The mammoths no longer tried to attack the golden mammoth; his actions in saving them from the volcanic eruptions spoke for themselves.


    The golden mammoth was, by now, in a very fatigued state. He didn''t know just how long he had been swinging his sword to prevent the incursion of theva. If not for his training, if he hadn''t spent years swinging his sword ten thousand times each day, he wouldn''t have had the stamina to continue on. Even so, he had expended much of it, and he was panting heavily as he and the rest of the herd moved on.


    As the mammoth elder walked over, the golden mammoth hurriedly perked up. "Is there anything else, elder?"


    The elder inclined his head. "Please lead us, herdleader."


    "Herdleader?" The golden mammoth nced to his left and right.


    The mammoth elder exined, "As the sessor to the herdleader, now that the former herdleader has perished, we need you more than ever."


    Li Feng smirked as he nced at the mammoths from afar. He didn''t stand with the mammoth herd. Considering that he was an outsider, it was fortunate enough that he wasn''t being attacked on sight.


    After all, Li Feng was responsible for killing the former mammoth herdleader, and he was indirectly responsible for causing this entire disaster.


    Of course, Li Feng didn''t regret what he had done. In the end, the disaster had been caused by the mammoths'' greed and attacking the draconian world.


    The golden mammoth shook his head. "No, no, how could I? Elder, you''re the most respected mammoth in our herd, and you''re qualified and experienced. You should be the next herdleader! What''s more, you were the one who trained the former herdleader. No one but you could be qualified to take on this role!"


    The mammoth herdleader shook his head. "You are qualified. I''m growing old, and my mind is starting to deteriorate. I don''t know how much longer I can live, and there''s no one else in the herd but you suited to the role."


    The golden mammoth shook his head. "No, no, I can''t!"


    The elder continued, "You can. You must! Your reputation in the herd is soaring, and you''ve saved all our lives. During the eruption, I was unable to aplish anything. It was your bravery, your courage, that saved us all!"


    The golden mammoth replied, "No, elder¡ªI only did what any mammoth warrior would do!"


    The elder replied, "And it''s precisely for that reason that you''re qualified to be the next herdleader! You have the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to lead us mammoths to a brighter future. With your de, you struck us a path out of disaster!"


    Given the elder''s insistence, the golden mammoth found it hard to refuse him. He looked toward the other mammoths, hoping to get their input on the matter.


    One mammoth volunteered, "I apologize for my callous remarks toward you earlier. We shouldn''t have suspected you of being in cahoots with the humans!"


    "It''s only thanks to you and that human that we were able to survive."


    "Why don''t you be the herdleader? You''re the most suitable person for that role out of all of us!"


    "Right! If it weren''t for you, we would all be encased inva by now. Yourbat ability and attitude make you the perfect choice to be herdleader."


    "We apologize for what we said, all of us! You''re the only one who can lead us out of trouble."


    Li Feng watched on coldly. These mammoths really did have somewhat disgusting personalities. Now that the entire herd was trapped in such a troublesome situation, they naturally turned to the strongest mammoth around, whom they had just spurned not a few moments ago¡ªthe golden mammoth.


    If it were Li Feng, he would hardly be willing to drop the matter for nothing but a few words.


    "Herdleader!" one of the mammoths called out, and the others followed suit.


    "Herdleader!"


    "Herdleader!"


    "Herdleader!"


    The golden mammoth, however, seemed to being around to the idea. The sparkle in his eyes made it evident that he was honored by their behavior.


    Li Feng watched on, conscious of his role as a spectator and a spectator only.


    The golden mammoth finally epted the nomination. "If everyone''s in agreement, I''ll take on the role temporarily, then."


    The mammoth elder began, "Herdleader, our first priority is survival. What should the six thousand of us do?"


    The golden mammoth replied, "Do you have any thoughts, Elder?"


    The mammoth elder thought for a moment. "Many years ago, the herdleader and I had considered ns for such an eventuality¡ªif we were suddenly invaded by other worlds, or if our territory was somehow destroyed. Back then, the herdleader prepared a second home for us all. We''ll be able to take shelter there."


    The golden mammoth''s eyes brightened.


    The elder unfurled a map. "Only I and the former herdleader know about this location. It''s worse than our original territory, of course, but it''ll help us get our footing. The herdleader leftrge quantities of frozen meat behind for times of need."


    The golden mammoth replied, "Wonderful! Our former herdleader was truly a visionary."


    He had resolved all the mammoths'' immediate problems.


    The elder sighed. "He was simply nning for the future. But now..."


    .


    In the end, the herdleader had grown so arrogant that he had made a mistake from which he would never recover, but he had been a wise and thoughtful leader before that.


    The golden mammoth replied, "Actually, the former herdleader might not have perished."


    "Really?"


    "He was sent to an unknown world, from which he might be able to return."


    The elder shook his head. "Is that really different from dying?"


    The golden mammoth fell silent.


    The elder emphasized, "Don''t reveal this to anyone."


    The golden mammoth seemed perplexed. "Why not, Elder?"


    "The herd is willing to ept you as its new herdleader, so you shouldn''t instill them with idle hope, hope that might note to fruition."

 Chapter 801: Dream On

    <h4>Chapter 801: Dream On</h4>


    Upon hearing the mammoth elder''s words, the golden mammoth couldn''t help but look at Li Feng, who was lounging about in the distance.


    "I understand, elder. Please bring the herd toward their new home. I still have some personal affairs to take care of, and I''ll catch up as soon as I can."


    The elder nodded and waved his trunk. "In that case, I''ll see you soon, herdleader."


    The golden mammoth headed to Li Feng''s side. "Have you waited for a long time?"


    "No, I''m fine. Are your affairs settled?"


    The golden mammoth nodded. "The elder will take care of everything, after all."


    Li Feng nced at theva that was quickly hardening into magma. Because of how cold the frozen world was, theva solidified even more quickly than it otherwise would have, without causing as much damage as such eruptions did on Earth.


    The golden mammoth asked, "Why did you save my kin? You could certainly have stood back and done nothing."


    The mammoths had invaded the draconian world, and from that perspective, the mammoths were enemies of the humans.


    Li Feng replied, "You told me that the condition for handing me the proof of kingship was to avoid harming the innocent. I simply helped out in times of need."


    "You had no such responsibility."


    The condition was for Li Feng to avoid harming the mammoths, not for the mammoths to avoid injury.


    Li Feng smiled faintly. "Perhaps that wasn''t the primary reason¡ªI just didn''t want to see you die."


    If Li Feng hadn''t made a move then and there, the golden mammoth might have chosen to die with the rest of his kin within theva¡ªthough given his constitution, theva might not even be able to kill him. "If you were to die, I wouldn''t be able to obtain the proof of kingship, either."


    "In that case, let''s head out and im it now." The golden mammoth revealed a rare smile and walked toward one of the volcanoes, which were still spewing outva.


    "Where is the proof of kingship located?"


    The golden mammoth pointed to thergest volcano, the one in the center of all the others. "Inside there."


    Li Feng and the golden mammoth were able to fly through the sky, ignoring theva flowing beneath their feet.


    The volcanic eruptions started and stopped abruptly. No longer did freshva flow out of the craters, but that didn''t mean that the volcanoes were now safe. In truth, it was still very dangerous to get close to the volcanoes at all.


    One reason was that the volcano might erupt again at any point, and another was the ash that continuously emitted from the crater. The ash from the active volcanoes was extremely hot, so much so that a peak-grade lifeform would be smoked meat if it were held over the crater''s lip.


    However, both Li Feng and the golden mammoth had gone beyond the realm of an ordinary peak-grade lifeform.


    White light red around Li Feng''s body, surrounding him with light-attuned gic energy. The golden mammoth needed no such technique; his physical constitution was strong enough to withstand the high heat.


    Man and mammoth flew down to the interior of the volcano, where it was scorching hot.


    Li Feng reminded the golden mammoth, "Make sure you avoid breathing in as much of the ash as possible. If you inhale too much, you''ll copse."


    After passing through a thickyer of ash, they found boiling-hotva underneath them, flowing sluggishly along the ground. Because of the recent eruption, the interior of the volcanoes were still somewhat unstable, andva was still flowing up from deep underground.


    The golden mammoth exined, "The proof of kingship is located within theva."


    Li Feng''s eyes opened wide. "Within theva?"


    "It''s an unexpected hiding spot, isn''t it?"


    Li Feng nodded, then took a deep breath and submerged himself within. With adequate preparation, and considering both parties were beyond peak-grade lifeforms, they were even able to venture into theva.


    Deep below the surface, following the golden mammoth''s guidance, Li Feng found an ancient furnace surrounded by the world''s aura. Li Feng headed over and pulled the furnace out of theva.


    "This is the proof of kingship?" Li Feng was startled by the appearance that the proof of kingship of this world took on.


    What the proof of kingship looked like was determined solely by the king of the realm, but he hadn''t expected that the former mammoth herdleader would have transformed it into a furnace of all things.


    The golden mammoth exined, "We obtained some information about crafting and forging from the humans, but none of us had ever seen a furnace before, and we were all confused about what it looked like and how to make one of our own.


    "The draconian world did have regr furnaces, but such furnaces were hardly sufficient for forging froststeel. Forging froststeel requires extreme temperatures, and we wouldn''t have been able to achieve those temperatures with the draconian design.


    "In order to allow us to get started with forging, the herdleader transformed the proof of kingship into a furnace, one whose resilience and thermal resistance made it a far superior furnace to anything we would be able to construct on our own."


    The golden mammoth concluded proudly, "By making use of the volcanoes and the furnace made from the proof of kingship, many in our herd learned to forge! After that, even if we weren''t able to make other furnaces resistant enough for froststeel, we were able toe up with other means for forging it."


    A furnace was only used to lock in heat and raise the temperature within it to a high enough extent that impurities could be melted from the froststeel ore.


    However, the mammoths didn''t initially understand this point.


    After the herdleader converted the proof of kingship into a furnace, the mammoths began to understand the principles behind cksmithing, and they came up with the idea of using geothermal energy and the earth as a natural furnace.


    As such, the furnace that the proof of kingship had be was not just a proof of kingship, but also an important artifact in the history of the mammoth herd.


    Li Feng stored the furnace in his extra-dimensional storage without another word. He offered to the golden mammoth, "I''m going to leave now. Do you want to join me?"


    The golden mammoth was very surprised. "I''m the new herdleader¡ªI can''t just leave my herd behind!"


    Li Feng shook his head. "From my perspective, they''re not treating you like part of the herd, but rather a tool they can make use of and then discard."


    The golden mammoth frowned. "Perhaps so, but since they''ve chosen me, I won''t betray their trust. They''ve already lost a herdleader, and I won''t be the second."


    Li Feng sighed.


    The golden mammoth was a wuxia fanatic, one who would swing his de in the snow day in, day out, for ten thousand swings a day. He wouldn''t even stop in a blizzard¡ªand it was precisely this persistence that allowed him to go from one of the weakest mammoths in the herd to its strongest warrior in just a few decades.


    The golden mammoth was more stubborn than a rhinoceros.


    "I know that you mammoths are going to be migrating to this so-called second home. The trip will be perilous; you''ll have to pass through the habitats of many dangerous lifeforms. If you have to travel with a group of elderly, women, and children, to a destination you have no understanding and information about, you could very well perish along the way. Do you really intend on being the mammoth herdleader despite these challenges?"


    "Yes. Absolutely," the golden mammoth affirmed. "I can''t refuse now. The lives of the entire herd depend on me!"


    Li Feng pursed his lips. "Well, if you''ve made up your mind, I don''t suppose I''ll be able to stop you. If you continue pursuing your dream, I''m sure you''ll grow strong, but you''d better not try to invade the humans again. I''ll be off with the proof of kingship, then."


    Li Feng waved a hand, then flew out of the volcano. The golden mammoth really was an interesting fellow...

 Chapter 802: The Wise Elder

    <h4>Chapter 802: The Wise Elder</h4>


    By the time the golden mammoth returned to the herd, the elder had finished assigning every mammoth a task.


    "Ah, the herdleader''s back! Let''s set off!" The mammoth herd began making its way toward their new destination.


    The golden mammoth asked, "Elder, how far away are we headed?"


    "It''s not too far. A regr mammoth would be able to make the journey in three or four days, but for arge herd, we might take five or six days."


    The golden mammoth rxed. It wouldn''t be a long trip, then.


    The journey would be more dangerous the longer it was, especially for such a big herd. Many of the mammoths had packed enough food to eat for a week along the journey, so hunting wouldn''t be a big issue.


    The elder continued, "This is meant to be a shelter, so it certainly can''t be too far from our original home. A shelter we would have to walk for two weeks to reach would simply be too far away."


    "The herdleader truly was wise to havee up with such a n," the golden mammoth sighed in relief.


    However, the elder shook his head gravely. "We can''t be toocent."


    "Are there still problems?"


    The elder rolled his eyes. "You''re still far too young. There are plenty of problems¡ªnot just the herd''s lowered morale, but also crippling issues that could prove to be our downfall!"


    "Crippling issues?"


    "Our original territory was warm and cozy because of the presence of the eight volcanoes nearby, and the lifeforms and predators it attracted provided a steady source of food. While the herdleader and our warriors were still around, this was a significant positive¡ªbut now, with our herd on the move, and the need to protect the elderly, women, and children with us, the warriors shall have to exert themselves to defend us all."


    "That''s true," the golden mammoth replied seriously. The mammoth warriors had been able to hunt for food easily with all the lifeforms around, but those lifeforms would now serve to deter the mammoth herd from reaching their destination.


    The lifeforms that had gathered around the volcanoes formed a ring around the region that blocked off easy ess to the herd''s shelter.


    Now that the mammoth warriors were tied up because of their need to protect the rest of the herd, they were now juicy prey for such lifeforms. In particr, the elderly, women, and children, none of whom were able to fight well, were basically walking pieces of meat.


    The mammoth swore, "Even if I have to give up my life, I''ll protect the herd from harm."


    The elder shook his head. "You''re the herdleader, and you have to focus on yourself first. If the situation deteriorates too much, you may have to sacrifice the elderly mammoths."


    The golden mammoth sucked in another deep breath. "In the end, I''m still too young. I''ll have to rely on your expertise and experience, elder!"


    "This isn''t a test," the elder replied seriously. "For the sake of the future, you''ll have to make hard decisions. For the good of the herd, you cannot afford to hesitate. Do you understand?"


    The golden mammoth gritted his teeth.


    The elder reached out with his trunk and stroked the mammoth''s fur. He continued gently, "We elderly can''t live for much longer, at any rate. We would be happy to give our lives for the young of the herd. After all, we''d just drag the rest of you down once we reach the shelter."


    The golden mammoth''s eyes brimmed with tears. "If such a situation really happens, I''ll consider it..."


    "No!" the elder shouted. "You can''t just consider it. You have to be decisive!"


    The golden mammoth didn''t know how to respond.


    The elder sighed. "I know you''re a kind-hearted child, one who still needs training to be a better herdleader, but none of us¡ªneither you nor I¡ªhave a choice."


    The golden mammoth nodded.


    The elder sighed and continued, "Kindness should be a good thing, but not in such dire times. Do you know why I believed you when you returned to our herd?"


    The golden mammoth thought back to what had happened and suggested, "Elder, isn''t it as you said? That if I had wanted to hurt the herd, I''d have done so already?"


    The elder shook his head gravely. "No. I just made that up. The volcanoes were about to erupt, and I grabbed the simplest reason that came to mind that would convince the entire herd and stop them from arguing.


    The herd was already vilifying you, but there was a crucial w in their thought process. I merely pointed out that if you truly were an enemy, you could have easily killed them all."


    The elder rubbed at the fur on his face. "Naturally, the herd wouldn''t be able to keep thinking of you as an enemy after that, not that they had time to do so¡ªthe volcanoes were really about to erupt by then."


    The golden mammoth asked, "But elder, weren''t you afraid that I really was in cahoots with the humans?"


    The elder burst out inughter. "I watched you grow up. Don''t you think I know what kind of person you are?"


    The golden mammoth lowered his head. "Thank you for your trust, Elder."


    "The reason I said what I said was to convince the herd as quickly as possible and to get them moving, but what truly made them change their minds was your actions during the cmity. When the volcanoes erupted and a disaster struck, when the other mammoths all thought to run and flee, you were the one who stood at the very front and forged a new path for us all."


    The mammoth elder caressed the golden mammoth''s head. "Child, you have never disappointed me. Be more confident¡ªyou''re our herdleader not just because we need you, but because we''ve recognized your strength and courage! Now, ignoring the problem of the lifeforms around us, we''ll have to deal with the problem of food. Fortunately, many of the mammoths in the herd have brought some stockpiles of food with them, and the lifeforms around mean that we won''t have to go too hungry."


    The golden mammoth nodded.


    The elder continued, "Did you hand over the proof of kingship, then?"


    The golden mammoth''s eyes bulged in shock. No one had seen him give away the proof of kingship, surely?


    The elder smiled. "There surely had to be a reason that human was protecting our herd, and the only thing I could think of was the proof of kingship."


    The golden mammoth lowered his head. "I apologize, elder. I selfishly gave away the proof of kingship. Please punish me!"


    The elder shook his head. "It was a wise move. We couldn''t have kept the proof given the cmity, and it was a good idea to give away the proof before it could stir up even more trouble for us. It''s clear that he''s a strong human. Far better to make reparations and curry goodwill," the elder concluded.

 Chapter 803: Difficult to Fathom

    <h4>Chapter 803: Difficult to Fathom</h4>


    The mammoth herd continued traipsing through wind and snow.


    Suddenly, a mammoth shrieked, "Beasts! There are beasts iing!"


    The golden mammoth turned toward the direction of the voice and indeed saw a wolf-type lifeform approaching from afar.


    "As expected," the mammoth elder murmured. The mammoth herd was approaching the ring ofnd in which other lifeforms lived.


    Once the mammoths discovered the wolf, it immediately vanished from sight.


    The golden mammoth shouted, "All warriors, be on the alert! Prepare for an ambush!"


    The mammoth warriors immediately got into position.


    The herd had traveled in an orderly procession. Following the elder''s arrangements, the mammoth warriors were positioned along the outer boundary, while the elderly, children, and women were within.


    Those warriors who still had their shields lifted them toward the outside of their defensive perimeter, while those without served as scouts on high alert for their enemies.


    The lifeforms that had appeared in sight were nothing more than scouts; the main party of beasts would soon appear.


    Fortunately, the herd consisted of many skilled warriors, who would be able to defend even against an ambush lying in wait for them.


    The herd warily inched forward, their progress slowing to a crawl. Suddenly, as a wolf howled, packs of wolves appeared from all over. The golden mammoth unsheathed his froststeel de from its back.


    As he howled, he waved the in, unadorned sword with his trunk with enough force to split a mountain, with a will honed by thousands of swings. A single swing flung up ice and snow all around the herd and killed an entire swathe of wolves.


    The mammoth warriors charged forward, each an experienced fighter after years of hunting. They knew how to fight off packs of wild lifeforms, and it would be straightforward for them to each handle multiple enemies at once.


    The golden mammoth''s froststeel de danced in the frosty air. The mammoth''s long mane was stained red, and he advanced like a god of death.


    Upon seeing how ferociously the mammoths were counter-attacking, the wolves were forced to retreat as a number of mammoth warriors began to cheer.


    The golden mammoth, on the other hand, didn''t seem at all happy.


    The wolves that had just rushed over were nothing more than cannon fodder for the main army of lifeforms that were heading toward them. The true fighting force and the leader of the beasts were observing the mammoths fighting from a distance, far enough away that the mammoths couldn''t detect them.


    Over the next three days, the mammoths were harassed time and again by the beasts¡ªin the morning, afternoon, and night. Some of the beasts they found while forging ahead toward their shelter, while others were clearly charging toward them. The moment the mammoths forced them back, they hurriedly ran off.


    The mammoth warriors did fine even under such stress, understanding the nature of hunts. The harassment had only been ongoing for three days, and they were still able to hold out against their enemies.


    However, the nonbatant mammoths found themselves being startled almost every hour, and they suffered under the mental and physical toll their exodus had brought. Immediately after losing their home and quite a few of their loved ones, they now also had to deal with incessant attacks from enemy lifeforms.


    The wolves and other creatures continued harassing the mammoth herd, making a ruckus in the distance or revealing themselves to the mammoths. They did so for two reasons: in order to threaten the mammoths and make them feel as though their lives were constantly in danger, and to frighten the mammoths, particrly the nonbatant mammoths, and induce a state of panic among them.


    Some of the warriors tried to chase off the lifeforms, but they clearly didn''t intend on giving up on such promising prey as the mammoths. If the warriors had been by themselves, they would haveid an ambush for these arrogant upstarts, but with the rest of their kin with them, the warriors didn''t dare to do anything that could put them in danger.


    As time passed, the situation worsened. Even the warriors grew fatigued, and the nonbatant mammoths suffered most. Because of the constant strain and fear, all of them grew visibly weary and slowed down their pace.


    A journey that would originally have taken five days was now projected to take eight. The mammoths still had three more days of travel to go.


    This was undoubtedly a nightmare for most of the mammoths present.


    The golden mammothmanded that all mammoths who had to urinate or defecate had to do so in groups of three in case any of the weaker ones among them were picked off by the enterprising vultures. They had learned this lesson only after some of the older or younger mammoths were picked off in this fashion.


    The warriors and golden mammoth sighed and gritted their teeth. Despite their family''s begging, none of the warriors made a move. They understood that, at this point, the herd couldn''t split up. The moment they did so, they would be a prime target for the predators.


    As the number of deaths grew and grew, morale dropped to a breaking point.


    The golden mammoth finally understood what Li Feng had told him: traveling with a group of nonbatants was truly a draining process.


    "You''re all warriors¡ªyou have to protect us!"


    "Why aren''t you going to rescue those mammoths that were taken away by the beasts?!"


    "We can''t fight! You have to fight on our ount!"


    "Where''s my son?!"


    "Be more serious! You''re the only ones we can count on!"


    The warriors had once considered protecting the herd their responsibility, and the nonbatants respected the warriors'' sacrifice.


    Given their circumstances, however, all the mammoths were starting to grow physically and mentally weary, and that respect and rtionship between the two factions began to fray.


    All the mammoths became irritable and prone to fits of emotion. It was easy for them to grouse andin about each other, and their thinking became sluggish.


    This was the first time the warriors realized just how small-minded and petty the rest of the herd was. Were they truly obligated to protect them at the cost of their lives? They were only warriors, not gods.


    By the fourth day, some warriors, unable to bear the tension, had quietly left the herd. They were strong fighters, and easily able to brave whatever danger came their way. With their territory gone, what obligation did they have to protect the rest of the herd?


    By the fifth day, more and more mammoths were breaking away from the main party.


    The golden mammoth was, for the first time, sensing the stress of his position.


    He turned to the elder and asked, "How can I resolve this problem?"


    The elder only smiled sadly at him. "This is your first test as our herdleader, and you have to resolve it by yourself."


    "But elder, I don''t know what to do! If I don''t do anything, the herd will surely fall to the lifeforms skulking around us!"


    "This is hardly the only danger our herd has to face. You''ll encounter many such situations in the future, and you need to start learning how to deal with them."


    The golden mammoth sucked in a deep breath. "Elder, the lives of the herd are in danger! This is far too high-stakes for a simple test!"


    "Look around you at the ice and snow. There''s no one here to help us but ourselves. We have to rely on each other to stay warm, to stay healthy, to stay sane. Most of the mammoths in the herd are tied to others by blood or marriage, and there''s no way for them to sever those rtionships so easily. Those mammoths that have left are those with the fewest obligations and ties to the herd, and it''s only natural that they would want to leave. Their departure will cause some consternation, but the herd isn''t at its breaking point yet."


    That was exactly why the situation was perfect for a trial for the golden mammoth.


    Even if the golden mammoth were to fail and the herd began to crack apart, the elder would be around to save the day. Losing a thousand mammoths from the herd would hurt, but it was far less impactful than having a strong, insightful, and experienced herdleader.

 Chapter 804: Pride and Prejudice

    <h4>Chapter 804: Pride and Prejudice</h4>


    The elder told the golden mammoth, "In the future, you''ll encounter countless trials. The most important thing is to remain calm. If you begin to panic, then everyone else will start to panic as well. I''m growing old, and I won''t be able to remain by your side for much longer."


    The golden mammoth hesitated. "I''m just afraid that I''ll¡ª"


    The elder waved his trunk. "Don''t worry about it and go try your best. I''ll be watching."


    The golden mammoth scratched his head in embarrassment. "Elder, I don''t know where to get started..."


    The elder sighed. Indeed, the golden mammoth had just be the herdleader, and it would be unreasonable to expect too much from him. "I''ll give you another hint, then. The reason the mammoths are panicking is because they''re unsettled. They don''t know what they should be doing; the warriors are leaving because they''ve grown disillusioned with life within the herd. Do you understand?"


    The golden mammoth''s eyes brightened. He knew what he had to do. He stepped forward and shouted, "Everyone, our new home, our new shelter, is right before our eyes! We can''t let our hard work go to waste now! The reason the warriors haven''t been able to investigate the whereabouts of the missing mammoths is because we don''t have many warriors left. We need the warriors to stay with us, to protect all of us from the predators and lifeforms you''ve seen lurking around thesest few days!"


    Upon hearing the golden mammoth''s words, the other mammoths all raised their heads.


    The golden mammoth shouted, "Warriors, do you feel no pride in your station? No honor and glory? Surely you wouldn''t sumb to just a few days of hardbor¡ªour hunts are far more intensive than that! Stay strong!"


    The warriors of the herd looked silently at the golden mammoth.


    "Even if we''ve lost our home, we can build a new one. As long as we''re still alive, we can build a home no matter where we are!"


    Suddenly, a snowball smashed into the golden mammoth''s face.


    He thought that he would be able to raise the herd''s morale, but the result didn''t seem to be as he expected.


    A mammoth rolled up another snowball and flung it at the golden mammoth. "It''s all your fault! It''s because you didn''t manage to stop the human warrior that we''re suffering now!"


    "Why weren''t you the one who died¡ªwhy did it have to be the former herdleader?!"


    Rage quickly spread through the herd.


    "Right, why weren''t you the one who perished? If the herdleader were still around, we wouldn''t be in such dire straits!"


    "Return the herdleader to us! Return our territory to us!"


    "What a terrible herdleader¡ªyou can''t even protect your kin!"


    The mammoths were all very upset. Their territory, their home, had been consumed by the simultaneous eruption of eight volcanoes, and their herdleader had suddenly died out of nowhere. They had no choice but to leave their home, only to find themselves gued and harassed by beasts along the way.


    Those negative emotions had been stewing in their hearts and minds, and now, they had finally found an outlet.


    "You keep talking about this second home, but we''ve already been walking for so long! I don''t see anything but ice and snow!"


    The golden mammoth''s sudden speech had made him the other mammoths'' target.


    The elder clutched his face, unable to look at the scene. The golden mammoth was far too naive, and he had too simplistic a conception of the other mammoths'' mental state. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have tried to rouse the mammoths from their depressed stupor with nothing but a few sentences and a peppy speech. Given how gloomy the atmosphere was, this would be a far harder task.


    Perhaps the former herdleader might have been able to aplish such a feat, but the golden mammoth was still a beginner to his role, and he hardly had enough authority in the herd to inspire the sullen mammoths.


    In some sense, the other mammoths had all grown too self-important under the leadership of the previous herdleader.


    They had abundant resources, and the nonbatants in particr had a rather leisurely lifestyle. Given theirfortable state of life in the past, their indolence wasn''t a problem. In times of crisis, however, thatziness and self-importance had to be stripped away.


    The elder felt that he bore some responsibility of his own. He had helped the previous herdleader too much, causing him to gain too much sess and hence an inted sense of self-confidence.


    The elder wouldn''t make the same mistake with the golden mammoth. He would have the golden mammoth see the herd for whom they truly were¡ªto understand their basest thoughts, as well as the problems that gued the herd at its core.


    He had to make sure that the golden mammoth didn''t go the way of the previous herdleader.


    The golden mammoth stood still and allowed the other mammoths to throw snowballs at him until they were tired. Even after they grew bored and too exhausted to make a move, the golden mammoth continued to stand silently.


    The elder looked at the golden mammoth in surprise, then shook his head. It looked as though he did have more of a n, after all. The elder had underestimated him!


    The golden mammoth raised his head. "Are you all finished? No more snowballs to throw my way?"


    The mammoths were silent.


    "If you''re all done, then, are you ready to listen to me calmly now? First, the home you lost was my home, too. I''m a mammoth, just like all of you! I know what it feels like to lose my home¡ª I know what it feels like to lose my friends and family.


    "I was more upset than any of you at the former herdleader''s death! But we cannot, cannot allow these trials and tribtions to turn us against each other, to criticize and make life difficult for each other."


    The mammoths couldn''t help but agree with their new herdleader''s heartfelt words.


    "We all share each other''s pain, but that pain shouldn''t be used to hurt each other.


    We''re one herd, one race, one family. We need to stay strong, and we need to work together."


    This time, the golden mammoth''s heartfelt words seeded in touching the other mammoths'' hearts¡ªinparison to his previous speech, which consisted of soulless words only designed to raise morale."


    The mammoths slowly began to nod along with the golden mammoth''s words, but just then, the wolves'' howls all around them rose into a crescendo. This time, unlike all previous times, huge packs of wolves began rushing toward the mammoths from all around them.


    After five days of torture, the wolves must have thought the mammoths ready for the kill.


    The golden mammoth shouted, "Warriors, protect our kin!"


    The mammoth warriors immediately raised their shields and weapons, encircling the women, children, and elderly in a circr barrier and blocking the wolves that came at them from all directions.


    As the golden mammoth howled, he struck using his in, unadorned sword with enough force to split a mountain, a will honed by thousands of swings, and an indescribable sense of age and maturity.


    A single swing flung up ice and snow, cracked the ground, and killed an entire swathe of wolves.


    The golden mammoth rushed out of the defensive encirclement and began a one-man stand against the wolves that came at him every which way.


    Blood and bone sprayed all around him as the golden mammoth cut a path out of the wolf packs, heading straight for the giant wolf that stood at the tallest peak of the battlefield and oversaw it all. That silvery-white wolf was clearly the leader of all the wolf packs. If he were able to kill that wolf, the remaining leaderless wolves would surely flee.


    However, the wolf packs had chosen a perfect time to strike, while the warriors were all exhausted and fatigued. It would be trivial for any of them to make a mistake, and a mistake could be lethal in a battle for life and death.


    One warrior made such a mistake. He lost focus for a moment, only to see a wolf sessfully breach the defensive encirclement and snatch away a mammoth child with its teeth...

 Chapter 805: A Brush with Danger

    <h4>Chapter 805: A Brush with Danger</h4>


    Mammoth children were veryrge, and even the smallest was over a meter tall.


    However, the wolves weren''t ordinary either. They were all veryrge, and most had the strength of mutated-grade lifeforms. There were even over a thousand superior-grade wolves. The mutated-grade ones were over two meters tall, and the superior-grade ones were taller.


    Thanks to one mammoth warrior''s momentary distraction, the wolves were able to snatch away a mammoth child. Instead of consuming that child immediately, several wolves gathered around the child and began to w and bite at it.


    They injured all four of its legs, leaving fresh blood running along the snow. Subsequently, they dragged the injured child, who was by then screaming and crying, in arge circle around the snow, leaving a trail of blood behind.


    "My child!" The mammoth mother tried to rush out of the protective encirclement to save her son, but she was stopped by the warriors. "Please, save my son! Please!"


    Instead of eating the mammoth child directly, the wolves tossed him on the ground and allowed him to moan and whine piteously while several wolves circled him to prevent his escape.


    Subsequently, the wolves began to spread out, ncing mockingly at the mammoth herd to see what they would do.


    These wolves had some amount of intelligence; they weren''t simply hunting on bestial instinct. The wolves knew that they wouldn''t be able to break through the mammoths'' defensive perimeter, or that even if they could, they would suffer far too much in terms of casualties.


    The wolves had never intended to destroy the mammoths'' defensive parameter, but only to snatch away one of the weaker mammoths and have the mammoth herd break apart on its own.


    "Please, save my son! You''re all warriors from the herd, and you''re the only ones who can do it! Please, don''t let my son die right before my eyes!" the mammoth mother cried out, kneeling in front of one of the warriors.


    The warriors looked at each other, unsure how to proceed. The wolves had clearlyid out a trap for them; the only reason the warriors were able to protect the herd was because of their defensive formation.


    If any warrior were to break the formation now, the entire herd would suffer as a result.


    The heart-wrenching sounds of mother and son simultaneously crying out for each other caused the entire herd to stir.


    No one knew how to resolve the situation. Just as it looked as though all hope was lost, a voice shouted, "Let me through!"


    The golden mammoth gave up on trying to kill the leader of the wolf packs and rushed back toward the mammoths with his heavy de in hand, swinging it around and killing dozens of wolves in one go.


    The wolves tried to stop the golden mammoth. Two of their strongest bit down on his hindlegs and mped their jaws shut, two on his forelegs, and one on his shoulder.


    Even so, the golden mammoth was far too strong for the likes of them. The wolves'' teeth found no purchase; to them, the mammoth''s skin was like imprable rubber.


    The golden mammoth continued forging onward despite the wolvestched onto its body. He shook them off roughly, killing each with a single swing of his de. He charged forward amidst a pool of blood, breaking through the wolves'' encirclement and saving the battered child.


    The mammoth consoled the child, "There''s no need to fear. I''m right here!"


    As an entire pack of wolves pounced on the golden mammoth together, he swung his froststeel de in an arc, killing them all.


    Fresh blood fell like rain as the wolves'' severed limbs ttered to the ground. The golden mammoth raised his sword and shouted, "Come at me if you dare!"


    The wolves were too frightened of this warrior to take the offensive. As the golden mammoth headed back to the mammoth herd, none of the wolves dared to bar his way.


    The mammoth returned the child to his mother, who sobbed as she thanked him profusely.


    Just as the golden mammoth rxed, the leader of the wolf pack suddenly pounced toward the mammoth in a blur of white, fast as lightning.


    The mammoth mother''s eyes opened wide as she shouted, "Be careful!"


    The golden mammoth, who was still focused on the herd, never noticed the attack from behind.


    Just then, a beam of white light split the sky andnded straight on the leader of the wolf pack, causing his attack to miss the golden mammoth.


    Realizing that he had been foiled, the wolf leader immediately pulled away, howled into the air, and scurried off with his pack.


    Upon seeing the wolves leave for good, the golden mammoth breathed out in relief. He looked up at where the beam of light hade from, but there was no one in sight. Even so, he bowed deeply to express heartfelt gratitude.


    After that incident, the mammoth herd finally united in strength once more.


    After one final day''s worth of walking, the mammoth herd finally reached the shelter that the former herdleader had set up.


    The elder pointed at the valley in front of them. "It''s right there."


    Amidst wind and snow, the mammoths could see a thin, narrow path snaking down into the valley. Many of the mammoths began to cry and weep. After a hellish week, they had finally made it to their destination.


    Just then, the howl of wolves caused the snow all around them to tremble. The wolf packs appeared once again. The golden mammoth shouted, "Defensive formation, now!"


    It was only then that he realized how many other shadows had been hidden by the snow¡ªnot just the wolves, but also all sorts of other lifeforms.


    "This is¡ª" The golden mammoth turned pale. There were far more than wolves lying in wait for them. It was hard enough for the mammoths to defend against the wolves alone. If they had to defend against other predators simultaneously...


    More and more shadows appeared from a distance. From above, it was clear that a massive group of lifeforms was converging on the mammoths'' location.


    The mammoth herd felt an overwhelming sense of weakness and despair, so much so that even the path to shelter, to their new home, had turned hazy. What covered and blinded their eyes wasn''t snow, but tears. For what had they worked so hard?


    The elder red at the surrounding lifeforms. "It looks like they aren''t going to forgive us!"


    Gic lifeforms were hardly devoid of intelligence. In truth, the strongest lifeforms, superior-grade and above, possessed intelligence on par with humans. Some peak-grade lifeforms even boasted human-surpassing intelligence, such as the leader of the wolf pack.


    Knowing that he wouldn''t be able to deal with the mammoth herd himself, he immediately sought out the other lifeforms around with an offer of coboration.


    There were already arge number of lifeforms paying attention to the mammoths'' movements, and the strongest among them quickly epted the wolf pack''s offer.


    By then, the golden mammoth hade to a conclusion. "All warriors, give up on defense! Carry the young and elderly on your backs and head straight for shelter!"


    If they were to stay and defend against the overwhelming number of lifeforms that surrounded them, everyone would die. If they managed to make it into the valley, however, they might have a fighting chance.


    There was only one path into the valley, and it was surrounded by tall, unscble walls. As long as someone could defend this path, the mammoth tribe might yet survive. The golden mammoth was confident that he would be able to do so.

 Chapter 806: Disaster-Grade Wolves

    <h4>Chapter 806: Disaster-Grade Wolves</h4>


    Upon receiving the golden mammoth''s orders, the mammoth warriors hurriedly grabbed the elderly and children around them and rushed off toward the valley.


    The golden mammoth also made his move. He picked up the mammoth elder and three children as he galloped toward that narrow path of salvation.


    Before the lifeforms could surround them all, the mammoths ran away.


    The elder shouted, "Remember what I told you before?"


    "Do you have any suggestions, elder?"


    "There''s no time. Quick, sacrifice us elderly. We can dy the lifeforms for a few precious seconds!"


    The golden mammoth ignored the elder and continued to run for his life.


    The elder cried out, "Did you hear me? Toss us aside!"


    The golden mammoth replied, "Elder, we''re a step away from sanctuary! How could I bear to let you all down now?!"


    The elder was simultaneously infuriated and touched. "You¡ª"


    Just then, a white wolf leapt past the mammoths and blocked the entrance to the valley, causing the mammoths to stumble back.


    The wolf was none other than the leader of the wolf pack.


    The golden mammoth allowed the elder and children to get off him as he unsheathed his sword in rage and roared, "Just how far are you going to go?!"


    As the other gic lifeforms approached, the elder despaired. "Is this the end of the mammoth herd...?"


    Just then, a blinding sh of light came from the sky, illuminating the entire snowfield, as though a sun had suddenly appeared amidst the world of frost. This was an exceptional phenomenon: the skies of the mammoths'' world was always clouded. It was eternal winter, and ice and snow were all the mammoths knew.


    White dragons of light soared through the air like meteors, manifesting into reality. Their roars shook the entire snowfield as they descended to the ground.


    The lifeforms that had been intending to attack the mammoths were all struck down by the dragons. Light red from all around them, lighting up the path forward for the mammoths.


    The golden mammoth smiled in relief and gratitude. This familiar attack¡ªhe knew who hade to their rescue.


    The wolf pack, thinking victory was imminent, never expected this devastating blow. They were crushed in an instant.


    The golden mammoth took the opportunity to send the leader of the wolf pack flying as he shouted, "Rush into the valley, now! I''ll hold these lifeforms back!"


    The mammoths rushed down the path toward the valley as though their lives depended on it. More lifeforms gave chase, but they had to face the golden mammoth, first.


    The golden mammoth''s in, unadorned de sent all the lifeforms flying. A pool of blood formed where he stood, and the limbs of fallen lifeforms were strewn all around him. The golden mammoth smiled as he nced up at the sky again¡ªin thanks for Li Feng''s assistance.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. The dragons seemed to be burning with light; their bodies were covered with pale white me. They swept through the hordes of lifeforms and held them back.


    The pale white fire spread over the lifeforms that struck them and lit up the clouded world, which remained in a perennial half-darkness. The dragons, almost like messengers of heaven, vanquished all the mammoths'' foes.


    The golden mammoth stood guard at the entrance of the ?valley as Li Feng devastated the battlefield from above. Man and mammoth seized control of the battlefield, causing the errant lifeforms to quail despite their superior numbers.


    These lifeforms weren''t idiots. The mammoths were at the weakest they had been in decades, maybe centuries, and they were juicy prey indeed.


    However, no lifeform wanted to die. It was evident that the mammoths would get away, and there was no need to keep fighting against the golden mammoth and Li Feng any longer. Some of the lifeforms began pulling back, angering the leader of the wolf pack. He had nned this ambush for an entire week, and he had sought out the help and cooperation of these other races¡ªonly to have his n ruined at thest moment!


    He harbored a grudge against the mammoths because his very father had been hunted down by mammoth warriors. He had waited for many years for a chance to seek revenge. How could he give up on this opportunity? As he howled, he shot forward in a flurry of ice.


    Even the golden mammoth, who had lived in this frozen world for his entire life, found it difficult to deal with a barrage of snow.


    The leader of the wolf pack pounced toward the golden mammoth and knocked him flying.


    Li Feng was shocked by the strength that the wolf leader had disyed. He had been tailing the mammoths for quite some time, and he was also keeping half an eye on the wolf leader.


    When the wolves firstunched an assault against the mammoths, it was Li Feng who had helped the golden mammoth out. However, the wolf leader had only attacked a scant few times, and Li Feng had been unable to get a good sense of its true strength.


    Given the speed and strength with which it pounced toward the golden mammoth, however, Li Feng now recognized that it was at least a pseudo-disaster-grade lifeform, if not one in full.


    The wolf leader howled again, as though informing its pack that it would take care of the golden mammoth while the pack and other lifeforms rushed into the valley.


    With their leader holding back the golden mammoth, the other wolves and lifeforms immediately grew bolder.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" Li Feng, now d in a suit of dragon armor, waved his left arm.


    A seal of light materialized around him as a gigantic dragon''s w appeared in the air like a pir of light. It swiped at the wolf pack, leavingrge furrows in the ground and sending the wolves at the forefront careening into the air.


    Meanwhile, the golden mammoth charged forward at the leader of the wolf pack like a mad bull, raising the froststeel sword in his hand up high and barreling toward him.


    As he swung his sword down, the ground beneath him cracked and left a deep pit behind. Snow drifted into the air, hundreds of meters high.


    However, the wolf leader was nowhere to be seen. With its extreme speed, it had easily dodged the golden mammoth''s telegraphed blow.


    As Li Feng''s dragons cried out, a white dragon descended from the air and smashed the wolf leader into the ground.


    Li Feng smirked as he rxed his arm, motes of light gathering around him.


    The golden mammoth struck again with his de as the wolf leader roared. A blizzard formed around the wolf leader, and the mammoth was forced to defend with his de.


    A beam of light crashed down onto the wolf leader like a bolt of lightning, tearing the blizzard apart and illuminating the snowfield.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him, condensed, and fell from the heavens, piercing the head of the wolf leader.


    The wolf leader, who was sizing up the golden mammoth, had no attention to spare for Li Feng.


    The golden mammoth was himself a disaster-grade lifeform, while Li Feng''s was even beyond that. As a result, the cooperation between Li Feng and the golden mammoth allowed them to easily take down the wolf leader together.


    Even so, despite the fact that the back of his head had been pierced clean through, the wolf leader was still struggling. Li Feng frowned. "The core isn''t in his head?"


    The core tended to be located in a disaster-grade lifeform''s head or chest, where the heart would have been. To kill a disaster-grade lifeform for good, they would have to remove its core from its body...

 Chapter 807: A Second Home

    <h4>Chapter 807: A Second Home</h4>


    The golden mammoth swung his heavy de in an arc, trailed by wind and frost.


    "Ah, I''m still here!" Li Feng leapt up high in a beam of light as the froststeel de swung down, shattering the wolf leader''s skull and freezing its body.


    As the golden mammoth kicked that body in anger, it shattered like a block of ice, revealing a deep blue core within. The core was surrounded by snow and patterned with frost, revealing an unusual beauty.


    Upon seeing their leader die, the remaining wolves and many of the lifeforms were too scared to continue fighting. They retreated immediately. Some lifeforms, however, refused to give up¡ªand Li Feng and the golden mammoth were more than happy to teach them the error of their ways.


    Li Feng shouted to the golden mammoth, "You take the left, and I''ll take the right!"


    Given the strength of the twobatants, they quickly dominated the battlefield. Fresh blood dyed the snow red.


    Within moments, the snowfield was littered with the carcasses of gic lifeforms. Li Feng and the golden mammoth slumped against each other, panting and releasing white huffs of air as theyughed.


    The golden mammoth asked, "Didn''t you say you didn''t care about whether I lived or died?"


    Li Feng snorted. "I don''t want an alien I saved to die for meaningless reasons. Beautiful appearances all meld together after a while, but interesting souls¡ªwell, those are few and far between."


    The golden mammoth asked, "Do you know what you humans call people like you?"


    "A righteous hunter, loyal to my friends and handsome beyondpare?"


    "No, arrogant and awkward¡ªlike a tsundere!"


    Li Feng groused, "You''re a mammoth! Stop trying to emte human speech."


    "Tell me honestly, are you interested in my body?"


    "No¡ªI don''t like men!"


    "Who said I was male?"


    Li Feng: !?


    It was true that he couldn''t distinguish whether the golden mammoth was male or female from appearance alone, but given his tone and mannerisms¡­


    "A female wuxia fanatic...?"


    "What''s the matter? Females can''t like wuxia? This is gender inequality¡ªdo I need to give you a beating?!"


    Li Feng dragged a carpet out of his extra-dimensional storage, wrapped it around himself, and curled up into a ball.


    "Why aren''t you speaking?"


    "I''m cold!" After the heat of battle had dissipated, Li Feng was experiencing the bone-chilling cold of the world.


    The golden mammoth couldn''t help butugh at Li Feng''s expression.


    "Ah, don''t youugh at me now!" Li Feng yelled, mock-punching the mammoth''s thick hide with his fists as the golden mammoth continuedughing away.


    "Thank you. Truly, thank you," the golden mammoth continued,pletely sincerely.


    As the mammoth herd walked out of the valley and found the snow littered with carcasses and dyed a lurid red, the mammoths all sucked in a deep breath.


    All that destruction¡ªat least ten thousand carcasses¡ªhade from just a man and a mammoth.


    As experienced hunters, they could see that many of the gic lifeforms had begun to flee as the man and mammoth unleashed carnage and ughter, only to be killed mid-escape.


    Li Feng jumped up and patted his clothes down. "Your kin are here."


    The mammoth warriors stood at attention, a respectful distance away from the two fighters. "Herdleader!"


    All the races of the three thousand worlds respected the strong; the mammoths were no exception.


    The golden mammoth got up. "Good timing. Gather a few people and clean up the battlefield. Take away all these lifeforms¡ªwe won''t have to worry about food for quite some time."


    The warriors replied, "Yes, herdleader! The elder would like you to enter the valley. There are many tasks that he needs you to aplish."


    "Very well."


    The golden mammoth turned to Li Feng. "Li Feng, would you like toe with me? Have a look around our second home."


    Li Feng nced at the golden mammoth for a moment before finally nodding. He was rather curious as to just what the mammoths'' new home was like.


    The warriors hesitated, but they didn''t challenge the herdleader''s decision. After all, if not for Li Feng''s help, they might very well have died before reaching the valley.


    The golden mammoth handed the wolf leader''s core to Li Feng, who epted it with thanks. There was little alien races could do with disaster-grade cores; it would be better for the golden mammoth to do Li Feng a favor instead. In addition, Li Feng was due at least half of the core given his contribution.


    The path to the valley was hemmed in from either end with steep walls. It was wide enough to fit two or three mammoths walking side by side¡ª akin to a threene road. The moment they walked down the path, they felt a sense of warmth.


    The end of the road was a tall, unruly wall of stone.


    Li Feng blinked. "There''s no path forward?"


    "This way, herdleader!"


    One of the mammoth warriors beckoned to the herdleader and her guest from behind a boulder. Only then did Li Feng and the golden mammoth notice the hidden path leading beyond the rock wall.


    As they entered the valley, Li Feng''s eyes lit up. The interior and exterior of the valley werepletely different.


    Within the valley were all sorts of rare and precious trees and grasses, a miracle of nature in this frozennd. Li Feng couldn''t remember thest time he had seen a fleck of green in this world. If not for the snow gathered at the top of the trees, Li Feng might very well have believed that he had been teleported to another world entirely.


    The environment was once more warm and cozy¡ªnot as warm as the volcanic region by the mammoths'' original home, but far more so than the frozen tundra outside.


    Even the golden mammoth was astounded. "We haven''t traveled to another world, have we?"


    The mammoth elder walked over with a smile. "Herdleader, you''ve returned safe and sound! How do you feel about our new home?"


    "I''m very pleased!" The difficult journey had drained the golden mammoth of her expectations for the new home. She had almost expected the second home to be just arge cave¡ªbut this, this was almost paradise.


    .


    The entire herd had been thrilled by what they had found.


    The elder introduced, "Everything here is very safe, and we have a steady supply of ice and spring water, so water avability isn''t a concern. The warriors just told me that you and your honored guest have cleaned up the lifeforms pursuing us. With their carcasses, we won''t have to worry about food for a long time, either."


    The golden mammoth replied, "I have a question, elder. Why is this valley so warm?"


    The elder smiled mysteriously. "Follow me!"


    Li Feng and the golden mammoth followed the elder down a certain path. Suddenly, the golden mammoth frowned. "What''s this smell?"


    Li Feng frowned. He had a guess, but...


    The elder brought both of them to a small pond, boiling with frothing water, as Li Feng''s eyes widened. This was a hot spring!

 Chapter 808: The Trek Back

    <h4>Chapter 808: The Trek Back</h4>


    The mammoth elder exined, "A very long time ago, the former herdleader found this valley and a curious pond of frothing water nestled within. The walls of stone all around block the worst of the inclement weather, and the frothing water continuously gives off heat. The former herdleader was very taken by this location, so he improved it a little with his authority and told me about it."


    Li Feng murmured, "No wonder the temperature within this valley is higher than that outside¡ªthere''s a hot spring right here!"


    "A hot spring?" the golden mammoth asked.


    "The humans call the frothing water you describe a hot spring."


    The elder seemed to suddenly understand something. "So this is a hot spring! I''ve learned about it before from my human friends, but I''ve never seen one in practice."


    "There are two different mechanisms by which hot springs can be produced. First,va deep underground, perhaps as a by-product of a volcanic eruption, can be exposed by shifting tectonic tes. Any uncooledva deep underground will continuously release huge quantities of heat, forming natural hot springs in the vicinity and turning much of that water into steam," Li Feng exined. "Second, water that seeps into the ground as part of the water cycle can subsequently be heated up geothermally to form hot water, which bubbles back up to the surface."


    The golden mammoth asked curiously, "How was this hot spring formed?"


    Li Feng shrugged. "I don''t know, either. We''d need to find a geologist to figure that out. Either possibility might be the case here."


    After all, the hot spring was located in a valley, and simultaneously rather close to regions of volcanic activity.


    "That said, I don''t think it would be easy to find a geologist."


    Most hunters who had managed to ascend to the third realm were hunters first and foremost, though perhaps a few had made geology their hobby.


    "But I might be able to find some specialists from the world federation to ask for more information, if it''s of any interest?"


    The elder murmured to himself, "The former herdleader once said that, if there were ever a crisis that forced the herd to depart from its home, this valley would be a perfect shelter. I never expected the day when we were forced to use it would evere..."


    No one had expected the mammoths, at the height of power, to suddenly need to relocate so suddenly.


    The golden mammoth wondered, "Isn''t this an idyllic valley? It''s even safer than our original territory. Why didn''t the herdleader send some mammoths here first?"


    The elder replied, "The valley might berge, but it''s not limitless. The former herdleader was an ambitious mammoth, and he wanted to be able to keep expanding. Furthermore, this valley is too safe, and it would be easy for the mammoths situated here to growcent. At that point, no strong warriors would emerge from our tribe. Of course, those aren''t the only reasons. The most important is froststeel."


    "There aren''t any froststeel veins here..." Li Feng began.


    The elder nodded. "The former herdleader mentioned that this valley is extremely safe, but that safety also precludes opportunity."


    The golden mammoth nodded without fully understanding what the elder meant.


    Li Feng nced at the hot spring and suggested, "Let''s make amunal bath. I heard that hot springs have the ability to relieve stress and lethargy. All the mammoths must be tired from making their way here, and I''m very curious what hot springs are like myself."


    "How?" the golden mammoth asked.


    "The water here seems too hot for direct bathing. We simply have to divert some water from the hot spring and from the regr stream here."


    Both Li Feng and the golden mammoth were fit adults, and they immediately began to enact their n. They rapidly dug channels to divert the flow of water and quickly managed to develop a simple, crude bath.


    As the golden mammoth and Li Feng submerged themselves in the warm water, feeling almost as though they were about to dissolve in it themselves, the golden mammoth sighed in rxation.


    Li Feng praised, "No wonder so many people enjoy soaking in hot springs."


    The golden mammoth suddenly asked, "I know it''s rather thick-skinned of me, but I''d like to ask if you can spare somend for us mammoths. It doesn''t have to be toorge, as long as it''srge enough for us to live in."


    Li Feng hmmed curiously. "Aren''t you satisfied with this valley of yours?"


    "It certainly is idyllic, but I want to make a contingency n for the future. This frozen world is hazardous, and I need to be able to think of the good of my people."


    Li Feng replied, "I''ll help you ask around, but I can''t make any promises."


    "Thank you, my friend. I''ll be happy to go to the draconian world with you and formally apologize to the leader of the humans for the former herdleader''s transgressions."


    Eventually, Li Feng and the golden mammoth were forced to drag themselves out of the hot spring bath. The golden mammoth steeled himself as the elder came back to report on the status of the herd, but she couldn''t help letting out a sigh. Almost a thousand mammoths had been lost to the herd during the arduous trek.


    Some had fallen behind during the journey and likely perished, while others had left the herd to be independent warriors. Fewer than five thousand mammoths had ended up at the valley¡ªand to think that the mammoths had been ten thousand members strong before the volcanic explosions!


    The hot spring was immensely popr with the mammoths, many of whom fell in love with such a novel bathing experience.


    When the golden mammoth exined her ns to the elder, the elder immediately agreed to reforge connections with the humans. After all, the elder now understood that there was a huge gap between the mammoths and the humans, and the mammoths still had much to learn from them.


    Thus, the golden mammoth and Li Feng set off back to the human world.


    On another battlefield, tens of thousands of demons emerged in the draconian world through a spatial wormhole.


    The demons were uniformlyrge, over three meters tall. Their skin was purple, and they gave off a horrendous stench. Large pustules covered their skin, and they each held a huge spiked mace.


    Zhou Ying stood atop the city walls. An outburst of green light shielded Zhou Ying. Her hair grew long enough to reach her legs, turning into a green the color of sparkling jade. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend.


    When the demons saw the beautiful goddess atop the walls, their eyes opened wide as they shouted, "A woman!"


    "A woman!"


    "A woman!"


    They turned crazy at the sight of her.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each was at least thirty meters long, and they easily covered the skies with theirbined bodies.


    The dragons curled around the demons, who swung their maces and chipped away at the dragons'' bark. When those slivers of barknded on the ground at their feet, they transformed into trees that wrapped around the demons and prevented them from moving.


    Some of the demons reacted quickly enough to avoid the sudden trap, but others weren''t so fortunate. They began to turn to bark. What Zhou Ying didn''t expect, however, was that the demons'' bodies would contain such severe poison that the bark was dyed purple.


    Fortunately, her trees were particrly resistant to poison, and they would be able to hold out for some time. In the absence of any external factors, the demons would poison the wood dragons to death, but the wood dragons would likewise turn the demons'' hearts to wood.


    However, the demons who had escaped the trap began to save theirrades, who were currently only partially turned to wood. The demons tore off parts of theirrades'' bodies, only to have those torn-off parts regrow at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Zhou Ying frowned. "Superb regenerative abilities... it looks as though this will be a drawn-out fight."

 Chapter 809: A Primordial Demon

    <h4>Chapter 809: A Primordial Demon</h4>


    The toxic poison within the demons'' pustules significantly bolstered their own regenerative abilities and countered Zhou Ying''s.


    "If dealing with enemies of this caliber is difficult, it simply means that I''m not using enough of my strength. I just need to be even stronger!" Glowing green light shot out from Zhou Ying''s body. Her hair glimmered with green threads. "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Thousands of wood dragons emerged from the ground, covering up the entire battlefield. Zhou Ying''s dragons had increased in quality and quantity. The thick dragons were almost thrice asrge as before, with ck bark that shone with the luster of gold.


    The demons continued swinging their maces, but to little effect. The gigantic dragons wrapped around the demons.


    This time, the demons'' poison was no longer effective. Rather than turn the demons to wood, the dragons crushed the demons directly. Blood sttered everywhere. The demons'' blood was still poisonous, and the dragons avoided absorbing oring into contact with them as much as they could.


    Zhou Ying''s lifeforce had been strengthened once and again from the disaster-grade lifeforms she had absorbed in the second realm, and her strength was iparable to what it was before.


    She believed that victory was all but guaranteed after summoning her ebony dragons, only to have a ferocious demon suddenly emerge from the demons'' ranks. He was over four meters tall, his skin a nauseating purplish-ck color, withrge pustules all over his skin. He leaped out from among the demons and headed straight for Zhou Ying, still standing atop the city walls. In just two leaps, he had advanced by hundreds of meters.


    The ebony dragons it jumped off of were immediately stricken with purplish-ck sludge which gave off a noxious smell and emitted a purple vapor as it corroded the ebony dragons'' barkskin.


    Deliberately or otherwise, this demon hadin hidden among the demon troops, and no one had taken note of him. The demon ranks were unruly; even if they knew about tactics and strategy, they didn''t apply them, or only did so haphazardly. In the chaos, it was easy for such a demon to go unnoticed.


    Several ebony dragons reached out for the demon, trying to halt his progress. However, despite the demon''s size, it was unusually agile, and it deftly avoided the dragons trying to chase it down. It continued leaping toward Zhou Ying.


    The demon''s lips curled up in a sneer. He was certain that such a petite, frail woman would be piteous in closebat; all she could do was summon some silly nt-based dragons.


    The demon raised his spiked mace high into the air as the human and draconian guards stood protectively in front of Zhou Ying.


    However, Zhou Ying seemed to be as calm as ever. As though she could understand the derision in the demon''s eyes, she murmured, "Just what makes you think I''d be weak at closebat?"


    With a wave of her arm, a ray of light pierced the demon''s throat, scoring a line through the demon''s neck. Purplish-ck blood shot out from the demon''s neck wound as his head slowly slid off his neck and fell down the wall, his eyes bulging all the while.


    The demon''s headless body fell with it, smashing into the ground. To hisst breath, he couldn''t believe how strong the petite human woman had been.


    Even the human and draconian guards were shocked by Zhou Ying''s strength. Their backs turned cold with sweat. They believed her to be physically weak, that herbat style was much like a summoner''s: she would stay back and have her dragons harry enemies from afar.


    However, they werepletely mistaken.


    They had all seen the gigantic demon, which even the hundreds of guards working together might not have been able to take down by themselves. One strike from the demon''s mace would easily kill dozens of them¡ªand yet Zhou Ying had taken the demon down with a simple wave of her hand.


    Naturally, after the gigantic demon fell, the other demons didn''t do much better.


    They quickly realized that they were no match for Zhou Ying and ran off as soon as half their number was decimated. Before they could escape, however, the ebony dragons opened their maws wide and expelled a storm of leaves.


    The leaves had such sharp edges that they might as well have been serrated daggers. The leafstorm struck the demons and slowed them down tremendously. It couldn''t do much damage to the resilient demons, but preventing them from escaping was good enough.


    Zhou Ying knew that it would be impossible to restrain all the demons with just her thousands of ebony dragons. Instead, as she knelt down and ced her palms on the ground, ring after ring of green light spread out from her. The guards on the wall felt a curiously refreshing sensation, as though they had just been immersed in a hot spring.


    Their cells feasted on the vitality as the guards gaped at their bodies.


    Zhou Ying shouted, "I''ve boosted everyone''s strength! Go kill all the demons. Don''t leave even a single one behind. Don''t worry¡ªas long as I''m around, no one will be injured!"


    The human and draconian guards charged forward in a frenzy, leaping down from the walls and rushing toward the demons.


    Beneath the wall, a series of great vines rapidly grew out of the earth and formed a throne. Zhou Ying stepped delicately onto the throne and followed behind the guards. As she moved, ebony dragons grew out of the earth right in front of the demon wormhole, preventing them from escaping.


    Meanwhile, the guards, along with huge numbers of ebony dragons, ughtered the demons that were trying to escape. The demons struck at the guards, but the guards were healed almost immediately by the light that Zhou Ying gave off.


    The oue of the battle was obvious. Bolstered by Zhou Ying''s vitality, the guards were easily able to deal with all the demons on the battlefield.


    Zhou Ying reined in her energy and began to replenish her supply of vitality.


    One of the draconian guards walked over to her. "The draconian sage had mee over with information about the demons'' homeworld. The sage mentioned that, if the members of Team Zenith were to kill the invading aliens, they would keep on going and pursue the invaders into their homeworlds. These worlds can be quite dangerous, and there are still a lot of unknowns within them. As such, the sage had me bring over a report containing whatever information we draconians know."


    Zhou Ying asked, "Does the sage know that our captain has made this task into a trial?"


    The draconian guard nodded. "Yes, but given the danger of the situation, he believes the champion of mankind won''t mind."


    Zhou Ying nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, this information will help."


    She certainly didn''t n to look a gift horse in the mouth.


    The draconian began, "The demon homeworld isposed of a huge swampy forest, filled with poisonous herbs and grasses. Even the air is fetid and poisonous. The demons are a crazed race; all they care about is ughter and women. They kill the men they defeat and rape the women."


    As Zhou Ying thought back to the demons'' horrifying appearance, their bodies covered with pustules, she shuddered.


    The draconian guard spread his arms. "Apparently, they even quite like corpses. Not only can they rape them with abandon, they can even consume the corpses once they''re done with them..."


    Zhou Ying''s eyes sparked with horror. "These bastards¡ªI won''t let them reproduce and spread their evil any longer! It''s well past time someone took care of them!"

 Chapter 810: Reforestation

    <h4>Chapter 810: Reforestation</h4>


    The draconian guard smiled. "If you can truly extinguish the demonic threat, we would be very grateful. The demons have been particrly active in recent years. Led by their king of the realm, they invade our world through the wormhole annually, and we suffer significant losses in troops whenever that urs."


    Zhou Ying sighed. "The draconians truly are in a precarious state..."


    It felt as though the draconians were surrounded by enemies.


    The draconian guard shrugged. "All three thousand worlds are like this, to some extent. All linked worlds experience conflict from time to time. Anyway, back to the demons. The demons are omnivorous and eat basically anything in sight, poisonous or not. They enjoy raw meat and will settle for corpse flesh¡ªwe''re basically no different from gic lifeforms to them. "


    Because the demons lived in such an inhospitable world, their digestive system, poison resistance, and regenerative ability had all been developed to frightening levels.


    The draconian guard continued, "The demon king is the most frightening existence of all¡ªa primordial great demon, the progenitor of all demonkind, and thergest tumor of all our neighboring worlds!"


    Zhou Ying asked seriously, "What''s so special about this great demon?"


    He was surely her target, and she needed to learn as much about him as she could.


    The draconian guard continued, "His very existence is an anomaly. From his titles alone, you can identify what makes him stand out: the primordial great demon, the tyrant of poison, the king of toxins!"


    "He''s particrly poisonous?"


    "Calling the great demon ''poisonous'' is like calling a sperm whale ''big''. I have to say, you were truly unlucky to be chosen to fight the great demon. In my opinion, even the most sinister neighboring world, that of the ck spirits, pales inparison to the demon world¡ªand all because of the great demon. Do you know how the demon race was spawned?"


    "How?"


    "All the demons used to be other lifeforms, but when they came into contact with the demon king''s skin, they slowly transformed into demons themselves!"


    Zhou Ying frowned. "You mean that these demons are just poisoned lifeforms?"


    The draconian nodded. "All whoe into contact with the demon king''s skin will slowly transform into demons."


    "Thank you for the information. I''ll keep it in mind when facing off against this demon king. Now that I''ve finished resting, it''s time for me to bid you all farewell."


    Even the unwee revtion wasn''t enough to shock Zhou Ying. She got up and made her way toward the wormhole to the demon world.


    With every step she took, she began to transform. Green motes of light trailed from her feet and covered her body. Her hair turned green, a shade the color of sparkling jade. She looked so beautiful the guards were immediately enraptured.


    "Please, be careful!" the draconian guard murmured, as she stepped through the wormhole.


    When Zhou Ying arrived in the demon world, the first thing she noticed was the grayish-purple smog in the air. The exit of the wormhole was a gnarly, twisted forest. The trees had drooping branches and oily ck bark.


    Thick miasma blocked any sunlight from reaching the ground, but even so, the trees seemed to be able to grow without any issue.


    The universe was filled with all sorts of nts and trees, and Zhou Ying had grown used to seeing oddities along her travels. The forest floor was covered not with grass, but dark green and ck lichen.


    By the roots of the unusual trees that made up this forest were small flowers and grasses, but one look at them was all it took for Zhou Ying to realize that they were poisonous, highly so.


    In addition to the greenery, there were curious bugs flying all over. Some hadnded on the trees'' bark, while others were zipping through the forest. ording to the draconians'' information, all the living creatures in the demon world were poisonous.


    There was a swamp in the distance that gave off a persistent stench, and there were even a few unmelted bones floating above the brackish water.


    Zhou Ying very much disliked this environment, as well as the thought of fighting on her enemies'' turf. She certainly wasn''t about to deal with a purported primordial demon under such conditions.


    "It looks as though I''ll have to reforest thend, then." With a snap of her fingers, a pulsing green ring of energy emanated from Zhou Ying.


    Green motes of light spread throughout the forest. Thick, lush vines sprouted from the ground, growing toward the light. Branches and leaves appeared on the vines.


    Some of the vines wrapped around the dark purplish-ck wood and began emitting Zhou Ying''s unique brand of vitality. The vines melded with the bark and turned the trees'' leaves from a dark purple to a deep green.


    All over the swamp, more and more vines emerged from the ground and turned into trees.


    Zhou Ying nned to make the entire environment her own.


    With Zhou Ying at its center, lush greenery continued to grow and proliferate throughout the demon world, which gradually turned more and more green as time passed. In less than half an hour, thend within a hundred kilometers of her had all been reforested. That greenery waspletely at odds with the rest of the forest, which boasted a purplish-ck palette.


    However, the original inhabitants of the world didn''t have any intention of letting Zhou Ying do as she pleased. Within the forest, thousands of ck figures darted through the trees, heading toward the center of the verdant bloom: Zhou Ying.


    The moment Zhou Ying appeared in the swamp, the primordial demon had detected her. It expected that Zhou Ying would immediately set off in search of him and die a fruitless death, only to be simultaneously threatened and disgusted by Zhou Ying''s actions. The primordial demon immediately summoned reinforcements in the form of demons, who were shocked to find that thend itself seemed to have turned against them.


    The leaves rustled. The trees, which shook as though they hade to life, began to work against the demons. The leaves shone with green light and shot toward the demons, each leaf as sharp as a de.


    The demons were quickly swallowed up by the forest, cut down by the leaves that came at them like a storm. Even if the demons were to break a tree down by the trunk, a new one would quickly regrow.


    The demons, realizing that they wouldn''t be able to keep forging forward through the forest, turned and tried to leave, only to hear a horrendous, frightening roar that was so loud they could feel the sound waves surging toward them like a storm. A huge figure appeared on the horizon.


    Upon hearing that roar, the demons all jumped in shock. Subsequently, they turned back around and charged into the forest, as though their fear of death had been eclipsed by the source of that roar. They charged forward heedless of caution, paving the way to the heart of the forest with the bodies of their kin.


    Within a few minutes, thousands of demons had died, many from running over each other, but none of them had any intention to give up. Finally, as blood dripped down their bodies, they stumbled past a final copse of trees and into the heart of the forest.


    Zhou Ying was standing upright, vitality so thick it was palpable flowing out from her. The trees in the immediate vicinity were lush and strong. Even when they were destroyed by the demons, they regrew within seconds.


    Against the thousand or so demons remaining, who had survived the wild scramble into the clearing at the heart of the forest, Zhou Ying said, "Demons, I praise your courage for entering this de¡ªbut you won''t be able to change a single thing."


    The demons had entered some form of craze. They ignored their fallenrades and ran on, deeper and deeper within the verdant forest, searching for the woman at its heart¡ªand the moment they found Zhou Ying, they pounced...


    ¡­only to find their ws swiping at thin air.


    Zhou Ying''s body suddenly burst apart into a whirlwind of leaves, which melded into the forest.


    The demons were all stupefied.

 Chapter 811: Demons Without End

    <h4>Chapter 811: Demons Without End</h4>


    The demons had rushed onward, unheeding of their lives, believing that everything would end the moment they killed Zhou Ying. However, the Zhou Ying they had found had dispersed into a flurry of leaves, just like that.


    It was as though they had been hard at work treasure-hunting, searching and sleuthing for clues along the way, forging forward because of the promise of an amazing treasure lying just ahead. They had a few dicey encounters, lost their loved ones, backstabbed theirpanions, killed their brothers with their own hands¡ªand when they finally reached the location of the treasure and opened the shining golden doors to the vault, they found... nothing.


    There was just a line of text engraved on the walls: "Congrattions, brave warrior. The most valuable treasure is the scenery you saw along the way."


    The demons screamed and howled, waving their spiked maces madly as a storm of viridian leaves drowned them all.


    The forest shook as a humongous figure, over five meters tall, appeared in sight. His skin was pitch-ck, and he held a spiked mace of the same unusual color. The spikes on the mace dripped with poison, and the figure''s skin was filled with pustules that gave off a poisonous fog.


    The trees it passed by all began to wither¡ªnot just the green trees that Zhou Ying had summoned, but even the purplish-ck mangroves that had initially belonged to the world. Every step the figure took dissolved tree roots and mud into sticky toxin, like the sludge near a swamp.


    Even before it came close, Zhou Ying could sense its frightening aura, as well as a stench so vile it was basically toxic in its own right¡ªas though the figure were a corpse that had been left to rot for weeks on end.


    Zhou Ying knew who the figure had to be, then¡ªthe primordial great demon.


    The leaves rustled around her as she sent them flying toward the figure like daggers, but they began to wilt just by being near the primordial demon, so toxic was the poisonous mist that it was spreading.


    No lifeform could get close to it: not the trees, nor even the poisonous bugs that lived within the swamp.


    Zhou Ying''s [Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison] certainly wouldn''t be enough to deal with a foe of this magnitude of strength. Instead, she struck with [Worldbound Enclosure] immediately. Natural energy poured out of her, causing thend to emit a green glow as it began to quake.


    Within moments, countless wood dragons emerged from the earth, surrounding the primordial demon among them all. The ebony dragons were dozens of meters long, and their barkskin was covered with golden luster.


    With every wave of its mace, the primordial demon sent huge swathes of dragons flying.


    More and more dragons emerged and tried to overwhelm the primordial demon, but it was far less clumsy and lumbering than its huge size would suggest. It rapidly waved its mace around and cleared out patch after patch ofnd and air, sending chips of wood flying all over. Some of the dragons were sturdier than steel, protected by barkskin of surprising resilience.


    A regr demon might be unable to break through their defenses, but to the primordial great demon, it might as well have been ordinary bark.


    Zhou Ying''s forest continued emitting glowing green energy, replenishing her vitality as they processed the nutrients in the soil and turned it into life-giving energy, resurrecting the wood dragons.


    The primordial demon''s actions suddenly sped up by an order of magnitude, as though someone had pressed a fast-forward button. Its spiked mace swung repeatedly through the air, only to be caught off-guard as a beam of light shot out of the heart of the forest.


    The wrist holding the spiked mace had been sliced off entirely by the beam of light, but the primordial demon''s hand was already starting to regenerate. Its regenerative ability was even stronger than that of regr demons, and it was easily able to regrow even a cut-off hand. However, by then, the ebony dragons had surrounded itpletely.


    The primordial demon roared, tearing at the dragons with its arms as it tried to pick up its mace.


    Zhou Ying certainly wasn''t about to let it seed. She had a few ebony dragons wrap themselves around the mace and fly off with it into the distance, denying the primordial demon its weapon.


    The ebony dragons surrounded the primordial demon like a cocoon even as it continued to resist. As the primordial demon struggled, the cocoon deformed, but the limitless dragons won out in the end. The demon stopped struggling, and ck fluid seeped out of the cocoon in huge quantities.


    Zhou Ying''s verdant forest glimmered with light. Motes of vitality dotted the air like fireflies, then flowed into Zhou Ying.


    Suddenly, she nced up at the sky and frowned. There was no rain of blood from the heavens. ording to Zhang Lie, when a king of the realm died, the will of the world would mourn the king''s passing, and a rain of blood would fall.


    However, nothing had happened after the "death" of this king.


    Just as Zhou Ying was contemting what was happening, another gigantic demon appeared in her line of sight: again five meters tall, again pitch-ck, again with a spiked mace coated with poison, again with skin covered with pustules, again releasing poisonous fog...


    The demon in front of her was exactly the same as the one she had just defeated, as though it had been cloned. Zhou Ying furrowed her brows, frowning. "Was it just a stronger demon that I defeated, rather than the primordial demon...?"


    The new primordial demon pounced toward her, and Zhou Ying retaliated with the same techniques as before, using her ebony dragons. Next, while it was tied down, she zipped through the forest and cut off its head.


    So incredible was the demon''s regenerative ability that it didn''t die immediately even after its head had been severed. Instead, bulbous flesh appeared around the wound, as though the demon was about to grow another head.


    Zhou Ying quickly killed the demon with her ebony dragons before it could do so, but the moment it died, another demon appeared over the horizon, exactly the same as before.


    She could identify no difference between that demon and the former two she had killed. Two such demons might have been a coincidence, but three meant that something was amiss.


    Zhou Ying couldn''t distinguish one demon from another, but it was obvious that those three demons were all mirror images of one another.


    "Well, we''ll see just how many copies of you there are!" Zhou Ying continued to batter down the demons with brute force. Vitality emanated from her, and the purplish-ck forest slowly turned green.


    More ebony dragons emerged from the soil and trapped the demon, allowing Zhou Ying to kill it.


    However, the demons that subsequently appeared were beyond what Zhou Ying could imagine...

 Chapter 812: Self-Destruction and Revival

    <h4>Chapter 812: Self-Destruction and Revival</h4>


    The fourth, the fifth, the sixth demon were dealt with in much the same way as the first three, but the seventh demon managed to block Zhou Ying''s lethal blow after it had been trapped by the wood dragons. Fortunately, Zhou Ying was still able to pierce through the demon''s head with a quick toss of her dagger.


    After that, the demon entered a stage of paralysis as its head tried to regrow, and Zhou Ying sessfully killed it then. The eighth demon then appeared, and it too blocked Zhou Ying''s blow.


    These demons that appeared one after the other seemed to have the exceptional ability to learn from their previous counterparts'' death, though they seemed a little slow to pick up on the appropriate counters for the strategies that Zhou Ying was using.


    After all, it took them eight tries to learn to block Zhou Ying''s single devastating blow.


    Of course, part of that reason was that Zhou Ying''s sneak attack was both fast and lethal, so much so that it was difficult to avoid or counter even if you knew that the blow wasing.


    The demons seemed almost like bosses in a game that had been granted such a statistical advantage over the yer that they could never be defeated.


    Zhou Ying was certain that these demons had to be a singr entity; there was too much that couldn''t be exined otherwise.


    Even so, despite the fact that these demons had learned to block Zhou Ying''s blow, she was still able to kill them.


    The demon swatted Zhou Ying with a palm. Zhou Ying''s body split apart into a flurry of leaves, only to have a second Zhou Ying suddenly appear atop the demon''s head and stick a dagger straight into its brain.


    Zhou Ying was testing a hypothesis: this time, she wouldn''t kill the demon immediately. She would trap it and see if she could discover anything new.


    Although each of the demons was individually quite weak, the fact that they would keep appearing right after she had killed one made them particrly troublesome foes.


    The demon trapped by the wood dragons smirked. "It''s useless. Your struggles are futile!"


    The trees in the forest rustled as Zhou Ying''s voice echoed. "So you can talk? I thought you were a doddering fool who only knew how to fight!"


    The demon roared out inughter. "Foolish, foolish indeed. No matter how many times you kill me, I''ll juste back to life. I''m invincible. A thousand deaths, ten thousand deaths¡ªnothing will hurt my immortal body."


    "So you are the primordial great demon, after all!"


    The demon king smirked again. "As charged. I''m a special existence, one that can never die."


    "So not only can you reproduce by contact with other lifeforms, you must have some exceptional abilities of your own¡ªregenerating your body from a drop of blood, perhaps, or being able to clone yourself?" Zhou Ying hedged.


    Given the demon king''s extreme regenerative ability, it could very well have left a piece of its flesh in a hidden location, which would regrow into a new demon king once its previous body had died.


    However, the possibility of this happening was rather small. After all, who knew if the flesh that the primordial demon cut off would grow into another primordial demon and swallow up the first?


    The next possibility Zhou Ying thought of was that the demon king in front of her wasn''t its true body, but just a piece of flesh that the true demon king cut off and somehow induced to grow into a clone or facsimile of the real thing, while the true bodyy in hiding. But if that were the case, why didn''t the demon king just manifest hundreds or even thousands of such clones?


    Zhou Ying then considered the possibility that these clones were time-limited, and that it was impossible to have too many active at the same time. But that didn''t seem right, either. If that were the case, why wouldn''t the demon king summon a group of them all at once to attack Zhou Ying after realizing that she was strong enough to easily defeat them?


    Why did the demon king create one, and only one, clone at once?


    Zhou Ying then recalled how, when she sliced off the demon king''s wrist, that it immediately became a pile of toxic sludge. It was apparent that the demon king''s flesh was no longer able to restore itself once it was separated from the main body. That flesh would quickly spoil and turn into a pile of toxic sludge.


    Could the demon king have, like the sura monarch Suiyue in the second realm, gained ess to mastery over time? No. Zhou Ying shook her head immediately.


    She had experienced temporal power before at the hands of Zhang Lie and Fang Yi. Zhou Ying couldn''t im to be an expert, but she was certain that the demon king''s power was something other than time.


    The demon king that Zhou Ying''s wood dragons had subdued was now little more than a ball of meat and flesh, so these bodies couldn''t be illusions, either.


    Zhou Ying settled on one possibility. "In the end, the most likely answer is that these bodies are all your clones."


    The primordial demonughed. "I don''t know what these ''clones'' are, but my power is inexhaustible and far superior to anything you puny humans might possess. You could hardly understand it."


    "The power to be killed over and over again?"


    The primordial demon was certain of his own superiority. "Your struggles are meaningless. Even the strongest foe would be exhausted to death after facing me time and time again."


    It was Zhou Ying''s turn to smile. "Your ability isn''t all that strong. At the very least, it has a major w."


    "Oh? That''s impossible. My perfect, unparalleled ability has no such w!


    Surely you don''t think that you''ll be able to deal with me just by trapping this body of mine?"


    Zhou Ying fell silent.


    The primordial demon raised his head to the skies andughed. "Haha! I hadn''t expected that my opponent would be so naive. Indeed, as you''ve seen, only one of me can be in existence at any point in time. Before the previous me dies, the next me won''t be able to appear¡ªso you just have to stop the previous me from dying. Don''t you think I have a contingency for this obvious mechanism?"


    Zhou Ying continued curiously, "Considering how quickly you regenerate, you certainly can''t be able tomit suicide if you''re all bound up."


    The demon continued to smile.


    "Your body might give off a toxic poison that''s harmful to my ebony dragons and continuously corroding their bodies, but my dragons can restore themselves, and it won''t be that easy for you to escape."


    Zhou Ying was supplying more and more of her vitality to her dragons, restoring the damaged wood faster than the poison could corrode it.


    "This poison is convenient," the demon king agreed, "but it''s not my only means of escape."


    Suddenly, the demon''s stomach bloated, and something seemed to be making its way out of its body, as though it were about to vomit. The demon''s constipated expression looked as though it was simultaneously trying to induce a gag reflex while preventing the vomitus from flowing out of its mouth. Its eyes turned bloodshot as yellow bile trickled down its nostrils, so corrosive it made its own body decay.


    Zhou Ying grew rmed at the sight. A thick vine grew out of one dragon and plugged up the demon''s mouth, but it was already toote. As though the vomitus had finally found an opening, the demon king''s body burst apart with such frightening corrosive ability that the poison seeping out of the demon king''s body was nothing inparison.


    Simultaneously, the pustules on the demon king''s skin all exploded, sending yellow-green phlegm, vomitus, and dark blood all over. Zhou Ying shuddered in disgust¡ªthe demon king had self-destructed, and the resulting explosion of bodily fluids had dissolved thousands of her dragons.


    Zhou Ying sucked in a deep breath.


    If not for the fact that she had bound the demon king up tightly, she might very well have perished from the attack as well. More importantly, the demon king was still hale and hearty, and its next body would be pristine.

 Chapter 813: Viruses of Different Strains

    <h4>Chapter 813: Viruses of Different Strains</h4>


    Very quickly, the demon king made a reappearance. He called out arrogantly, "I told you, there''s nothing you can do about me. Don''t bother to struggle needlessly¡ªI''ll be able to revive no matter what!"


    Zhou Ying asked, "I''ll grant that I can''t seem to kill you. How are you doing it?"


    "I might as well be a mutated virus, you see. It spreads via touch, and every lifeform I encounter will turn into a demon. Once my body dies, infected lifeforms will enter the second stage of infection, and one of them will be chosen at random to be my host. As long as demons still remain in this world, I will never die!" the demon king crowed.


    A regr hunter might be shocked or feel powerless, but Zhou Ying seemed to take everything in stride. "Have you looked closely at your surroundings?"


    The demon king turned around. It had felt its environment changing, but it didn''t notice precisely how until Zhou Ying pointed it out. A lot of greenery had suddenly appeared in the world...


    Zhou Ying smiled. "I''ve taken over much of the forest already, and my reach will only keep expanding with time. Very quickly, this world will be taken over by the force of nature, and I''ll be in control of all the lifeforms within. No demon shall survive under my rule!"


    Then, she killed the demon king''s body.


    If the demon king were a virus with animals as its vectors, then Zhou Ying was a virus with nts as her vectors. This would be a showdown of control and transmission. Zhou Ying''s wood dragons emerged from the soil, overwhelming the demon king in a huge flood.


    As more and more of thend around Zhou Ying were subsumed under her control, her power waxed and began spreading even more quickly. The revived demon king felt threatened for the first time in recent memory. It had never encountered such a pesky foe, one who tried to take over the environment rather than fight it outright.


    None of its enemies had ever found a way to deal with it. All they could do was run away¡ªor die to his self-destructing bodies.


    However, Zhou Ying was different. Her skill might well be in direct opposition to the demon king''s own, and more frighteningly, it could visualize how she might seed.


    The demon king used its ultimate technique. It caught one of the demons around it and began to consume it whole while the other demons watched, trembling. They had been gically transformed to serve him and him only, and they weren''t even able to escape from his grasp.


    As the demon king consumed more and more demons, its body began to grow wildly. Pustules began to spread over the surface of its body,rge and bulbous, as though they were the heads of the demons it had consumed.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Ying''s energy continued to invade the forest and thend around it. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, she had terraformed half the world''s swamps into verdant forests.


    No miasma filled the air in the forests; the trees hummed with life. In her arena, filled with trees, nts, grasses, and shrubs, Zhou Ying was nigh undefeatable.


    She looked around her and began to frown. After killing thest demon king, no new one had appeared. Surely the demon king couldn''t have gotten so scared that it chose to run away? That was hardly possible.


    ording to the information that Zhang Lie had shared with the members of Team Zenith, kings of the realm rarely left their world. Only in their native world could they exert their full strength.


    Regardless of what the demon king was nning, Zhou Ying was certain that she would be able to ovee it. What she had to do now was take control over as much territory as she could to bolster her power.


    Suddenly, she felt a disturbance by the edge of the forest. Dark miasma flooded into her forest, causing any greenery it came into contact with to wither and die.


    A huge demon king appeared in her sight.


    Zhou Ying was astounded. The leaves of the forest shook and began to fall.


    Her eyes bulged. This monstrosity was the demon king? It was over twenty meters tall, and its skin was pitch-ck and covered with pustules all over. Bulbous tumors grew out of its limbs, and it exuded a fearsome miasma that gave off a truly vile stench, as though it were thebination of a month-old corpse allowed to dpose, a basement full of rotten eggs, coated with ayer of rotten durian.


    As it trod over the ground, everything around it began to dissolve and dpose.


    Zhou Ying couldn''t allow this ''evolved'' form of the demon king to get closer to the heart of the forest¡ªif she did, everything would die, and her hard work would be for naught.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!" Vitality swept forth from her like the tide. The verdant forest gave off a jade-green glow as energy seeped out of the trees and grasses.


    The ground quaked. Momentster, burgeoning roots emerged from the soil and transformed into dragons of wood, forming a huge tide that swamped the demon king.


    The demon king was surrounded by miasma so thick that even the reinforced ebony dragons were having trouble. Their bark was dissolved entirely by the miasma, and their bodies had grown so soft upon reaching the demon king that it could tear through them with a single swipe.


    Zhou Ying had to adjust theposition of her ebony dragons. They began to twine around each other, forming pirs of wood and shielding each other from the worst of the impact. Even though the demon king''s miasma was able to destroy their outeryer, they formed structures multiple dragons thick, enough to weather the assault.


    Suddenly, the demon king''s stomach began to bloat as it spat out dark yellow vomitus, dissolving the pir of dragons whole. The bile was so corrosive that the ebony dragons couldn''t even regenerate; Zhou Ying''s strength wasn''t sufficient to counteract that corrosion.


    She had no choice but to continue supplying new wood dragons from the earth, inducing more and more growth. If not for the entire forest supporting her, she would have grown tired near-immediately.


    Zhou Ying and the evolved demon king entered a stalemate: she continuously summoned more ebony dragons, while it continued spewing bile. Both sides were waiting for the other to be drained of their energy.


    Zhou Ying was the first to suffer the impacts of a drawn-out battle. The forest''s vitality wasn''t limitless, and the trees by the outer perimeter slowly began to wither and die.


    Just as she was about to copse, however, the evolved demon king reached its threshold first. It didn''t have an unlimited supply of bile, after all; as it continued to vomit, the tumors and pustules on its body began to shrink...

 Chapter 814: The Devil Trees

    <h4>Chapter 814: The Devil Trees</h4>


    When the evolved demon king saw that Zhou Ying was still barely holding on, it chose to self-destruct immediately. Its stomach began to bloat as it triggered its gag reflex and simultaneously held in its vomit. Its eyes turned bloodshot as yellow vomitus trickled down its nostrils, so corrosive it made its own body decay.


    The demon king''s swelling stomach looked like a bomb about to explode.


    Upon seeing the demon king''s condition, Zhou Ying''s eyes widened, and she immediately controlled her ebony dragons to prevent the demon king''s n. Her wood dragons twined together into thick pirs, passed through the demon king''s domain of miasma, and smashed into its stomach as the evolved demon king burst apart.


    Dark yellow bile exploded all around it, each drop of vomit like a bullet piercing through the trees of the forest and exploding whatever it came in contact with. Yellow-green pus from the demon king''s pustules exploded and apanied its vomit.


    Zhou Ying''s face crumpled. Any lifeform in the forest who came in contact with a single drop of vomit would either die or, worse, be a demon itself.


    The demon king''s body likewise exploded, sending pitch-ck blood flying all over. Its entire body was poisonous, including the vomitus it sprayed out, the pus from its pustules, and the blood flowing through its body.


    The demon king''s explosion was so massive in scope that it covered the entire forest.


    Zhou Ying responded immediately. Thousands of wood dragons emerged from the earth¡ªnot to prevent the explosion, but rather to dive straight back underground.


    The demon king''s self-destruction melted almost the entirety of the forest, which Zhou Ying had spent such effort trying to terraform. As the poisonous air spread throughout, all the nts began to wilt, wither, and die.


    .


    The demon king''s poison dissolved not only the greenery, but also the soil. Where the evolved demon king''s body had once been was now a dark yellow swamp that was emitting noxious purple miasma.


    The wood dragons emerged from where they had dove down into the earth, revealing a protective cocoon they had formed. The dragons twined around the cocoon''s exterior were dissolving from the poison, but those within were safely shielded.


    The cocoon broke open with a burst of vitality, revealing a goddess of nature with long, ck hair that shone like jade. She was so beautiful that anyone who saw her would be immediately enraptured, and motes of vitality shone around her like fireflies.


    Zhou Ying stepped out of the cocoon and sucked in a deep breath as she saw thend that had turned back into a poisonous swamp.


    If not for Zhou Ying''s astounding vitality, she would have been poisoned to death from the breath she had inhaled alone. The swamp was so poisonous that it was still corroding the soil and slowly spreading, growing everrger.


    It was slowly expanding beyond a swamp and into a sea, one where no greenery would ever grow out of the corrupt soil.


    Even after the demon king''s explosion, no rain of blood appeared, nor cries of mourning. The demon king hadn''t yet died.


    It was likely that the demon king had lost all capability for battle against Zhou Ying, and was currently hiding in a secluded corner of the world. Although it had sessfully negated Zhou Ying''s efforts since entering the world, the demon king was in no shape to hinder her further terraforming.


    Without anything else in the world to threaten her, Zhou Ying left the poisonous sea and rekindled her efforts once again. When the entire world turned green, no matter where the demon king was hiding, she would have the final victory.


    In the draconian world, the wall that Sun Mengmeng had been guarding now bordered a sea of purple mes. Devil trees were screeching in pain as they burned.


    As Zhang Lie had indicated, Sun Mengmeng''s elemental attunement perfectly countered the devil trees, who were being ughtered one-sidedly on the battlefield, which looked like a scene straight from hell.


    A gigantic devil tree screeched even as it rushed through the fire and toward the walls.


    "This must be the devil trees'' leader," Sun Mengmeng murmured, pulling her bow taut as mes licked her body. Three arrows filled with purple me left her hand. "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three arrows exploded on contact with the gigantic devil tree''s body, piercing it through.


    As Sun Mengmeng put down her bow, the burning devil tree fell to the ground with a huge crash.


    The human and draconian guards standing on the wall had foreheads beading with sweat¡ª from the waves of heat emanating from the battlefield, and from Sun Mengmeng''s stunning performance.


    They had seen how Sun Mengmeng stood atop the wall like a god of war.


    At the start of the battlefield, she had summoned a shower of purple meteors that lit up the heavens and turned the battlefield into a sea of purple me. Subsequently, she shot at whatever devil tree was able to make its way past the fields of fire and toward the wall. Her firepower alone was sufficient to defend the wall.


    The humans and draconians stared at Sun Mengmeng''s figure, tinted purple by me, with awe and respect, with fear and rapture.


    Tens of thousands of devil trees had been killed by the huntress who surveyed the battlefield from above. If the devil trees had known of such a peerless existence, they would never have dared to attack the draconian world.


    Only when thest devil tree had been burned to a crisp by the mes did Sun Mengmeng finally hop off the wall. Her skills, well suited for field coverage, gave impressive results without draining her unduly.


    "Wait for the mes to die out before reaping the spoils of the battlefield. I don''t expect any more devil trees to invade; I''ll head straight to their world and get rid of their king."


    One of the guards, who had btedlye to her senses, stepped forward. "Miss Sun, the draconian sage wishes to provide you with some information about the devil trees'' world."


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the guard appraisingly. "More information would be appreciated."


    "The devil trees'' world is arge forest, one almost without end. All the trees within are devil trees, and the king of the devil trees has styled itself the world tree. It is an ancient tree spirit that has weathered years innumerable."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "In other words, I''ll be besieged from all fronts the moment I enter the world."


    "Indeed so. The devil trees are cruel and crazed entities, ones that would immediately rush toward foreign invaders and turn them into fertilizer for themselves."


    "Very well. I''d like to see if I''ll be fertilizer, or they wood ash."

 Chapter 815: Burning the Devil Trees

    <h4>Chapter 815: Burning the Devil Trees</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng entered the devil trees'' world via the wormhole. As reported, before hery a forest of pitch-ck trees, so densely packed she couldn''t see its borders. The trees were pitch-ck and dozens of meters tall, the trunks so thick it would take five or six grown men holding hands to encircle them.


    Even more shockingly, there was a tree so tall it seemed to extend straight into the clouds, and its trunk was so thick that one could carve a city into it, a veritable metropolis of the world. Its branches were like the spokes of an umbre that shaded the world.


    This had to be the king of the realm.


    The moment Sun Mengmeng stepped into the forest, all the trees seemed to rustle at once. An eerie smile formed on the bark of the nearest trees as roots pierced the ground like feelers. Branches twisted and morphed into the trees'' arms as the trees in the forest turned into devil trees.


    The trees swarmed toward Sun Mengmeng.


    ording to the draconians'' information, when the devil trees were in their tree forms, their roots were intertwined into awork that could rapidly transmit information. As a result, all the trees would immediately learn when an intruder stepped into their world.


    The devil trees, as numerous as the tide, flocked over to Sun Mengmeng¡ªbut despite their steep numerical advantage, Sun Mengmeng remained calm. She summoned her garuda bow and activated her fire-attuned gic energy.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    Only a series of afterimages were visible of her hand as she shot countless arrows of purple me of her bow, producing what seemed like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the valley a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the devil trees burst apart in spectacr explosions.


    As the purple mes burned on and on, the devil trees'' world morphed into purgatory. The devil trees cried out as their bodies turned to ash. The purple mes were manifestations of Sun Mengmeng''s gic energy, and were hundreds of times hotter than ordinary mes.


    As Zhang Lie had said, Sun Mengmeng was a perfect counter to the devil trees. The purple mes spread quickly among their number, and they were all consumed by fire.


    They screeched shrilly but continued to rush at Sun Mengmeng, willing to sacrifice their lives for this one attack.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air. The moon glowed, causing purple me to explode and clearing out a whole patch of devil trees.


    As though they didn''t fear death, more and more devil trees tried to crowd around Sun Mengmeng, as though all of them had simultaneously gone mad.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her. Next, she activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me. Her mes were so intense that they were burning even the ground at her feet, causing it to turn red.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward the devil trees. The scorching heat twisted the air and turned the devil trees into nothing more than ash.


    The ck mes from Sun Mengmeng''s technique absorbed the purple mes that continued to burn and spread even further, without any sign of stopping¡ªalmost as though they would stop at nothing to burn the whole world down.


    The scene in front of Sun Mengmeng was apocalyptic.


    "I''ll kill any of you that approach," Sun Mengmeng called out, gripping her bow tightly in her hands.


    Upon sensing the remarkable heat and Sun Mengmeng''s insolent threat, even the devil tree king couldn''t stand still any longer. The world tree itself made a move.


    As the king invoked the authority of the realm, a cyclone manifested around the world tree, stirring up fallen leaves and branches and blowing out the ck mes. The world tree''s leaves were no joke¡ªa single leaf had a serrated edge sharp enough to cut steel apart.


    Kings of the realm were at a level at which their bodies had no weaknesses to exploit. The world tree''s leaves were sharp, piercing projectiles in their own right. As the storm raged, a volley of leaves flew toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, overshadowing the sun''s radiance and falling from the sky one by one, each a meteor.


    The two attacks nullified each other. One moon blocked the world tree''s leaves and exploded in ck me, followed rapidly by the other moons. ck me crept closer to the world tree, devouring everything in sight.


    The storm that the world tree had summoned spread the fire and spurred it onwards. Quite a few sparksnded atop the world tree''s leaves and began burning it.


    The world tree''s storm was almost more a hindrance than a help. As the surroundings filled up with ck me, the remaining three moons that Sun Mengmeng had summoned fell toward the world tree.


    The world tree waved a branch and caused all three moons to explode, leaving scorch marks on the surface of its bark. The ground trembled and cracked as a thick root emerged from the ground, slicing toward Sun Mengmeng like a sharp sword.


    .


    As it struck, thunder resounded in the air. The pressure from the strike alone was sufficient to extinguish the mes on the ground.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers around her as she stomped on the ground.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    Wreathed in ck me, Sun Mengmeng took to the air. In her chitinous armor, she looked like a warrior who had just opened the gates to the underworld. ck me surrounded her, scorching hot, making her look like a star that was falling to the ground.


    Her ming arrows struck the world tree''s roots and exploded in mid-air. The explosion was strong enough to crack the roots and branches and send them flying off, leaving green sap that sizzled as itnded on the mes.


    A face appeared in the world tree''s bark as the devil tree king shrieked in agony, its cries causing sound waves to billow around the tree, almost as though a cyclone had been summoned. Since bing a tree, it hadn''t experienced such pain for decades...

 Chapter 816: The Devil Tree King

    <h4>Chapter 816: The Devil Tree King</h4>


    A swarm of ck dots emerged from the world tree''s body¡ªwhat seemed to be a whole host of ck beetles.


    The world tree lived in symbiosis with arge number of bugs and insects, who lived off the tree''s sap and the pests that tried to harm it. When the world tree was in trouble, they were its first line of defense.


    If the devil trees were likemoners and soldiers, then the ck beetles were the imperial guards.


    They were present inrge numbers and had speed and agility far surpassing the devil trees''. The beetles that emerged from the world tree would be able to devour all the devil trees in the world if they wanted to.


    The swarm looked like a storm of ck clouds. Each beetle was the size of a human and looked fierce and sinister.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, which shot down rays of moonlight. on the descending beetles.


    The beetles burst apart into ck fireballs and fell from the sky like an endless rain of ck. The smell of charred flesh filled the air with a sharp tang.


    Arge beetle emerged from the ck mes. It wasrger than the others, and its carapace glinted with metallic light.


    Three arrows filled with ck me left Sun Mengmeng''s hand.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Pierce]!" The three ckme arrows corkscrewed around each other, trailing light and heat as they struck the beetle directly in a congration of darkness, piercing through its carapace and drilling a small hole in the world tree''s bark, though the world tree''s regeneration quickly healed it.


    There were many symbiotic bugs that the world tree sustained, almost an ecosystem in its own right. Sun Mengmeng had just dealt with one group when another one appeared in even greater quantities, like a ck storm poised to overwhelm the entire world.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow,


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall. They scoured the bugs from the sky and even the devil trees on the ground; half the world seemed to be alight.


    The devil tree king roared in outrage as the entire world shook. The ground cracked, and thick roots emerged like gigantic dragons. Compared to these roots, Zhou Ying''s ebony dragons were minuscule inparison.


    As the ground continued to quake and the terrain transformed, the devil trees on the ground stumbled and fell. Huge roots mmed down toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Sun Mengmengunched another attack in mid-air as she propelled herself backwards. Her surroundings began to burn with dark mes. Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose up around her and shed against the thick roots. As the ck mes exploded, the roots were flung back.


    The mes formed a ck rose in the air, which burst apart and intensified the mes all around them. The tree roots were obliterated, as were the devil trees on the ground below them. Blistering heat swept over the battlefield, melting boulders and turning the ground intova.


    The world tree let out a shrill scream. Its crown of leaves shook wildly, and the face that appeared on its bark made an enraged expression. It had been many long years since any lifeform had dealt it so much damage.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" As Sun Mengmeng channeled her anger into her mes, her fire-attuned gic energy reached new heights. ck mes erupted from her very body, and the ground beneath her began to melt.


    She drew her bow taut. The ck mes that had gathered around her condensed into an arrow of pure ck. Behind Sun Mengmeng appeared a ck sun, one which gave off piercing light. The temperature of the battlefield ratcheted up.


    With ck mes coursing through her body, Sun Mengmengpressed the arrow she was forming once and again, packing in more and more heat until it reached a critical threshold.


    The arrow was pitch-ck and limned by ayer of ck me that seemed to have transformed into sma. The shadow of a golden bird emerged before the ck sun to Sun Mengmeng''s back. ck me flowed through its body likeva.


    Its eyes were piercing; as it spread its wings wide and cawed, the ckme arrow shot out of Sun Mengmeng''s bow, transforming into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could pierce everything and anything.


    The arrow caused no earth-shattering explosion. It was in and ordinary, and no sound marked its advance. It flew across the battlefield, which ignited with ck mes behind it.


    Thick roots emerged from the world tree and wove themselves into a wall that blocked Sun Mengmeng''s arrow. Heat heralded the arrow''s appearance; even before it struck the wall of roots, ck scorch marks were appearing on the roots'' surface.


    As the arrow drew closer and closer, those marks began to spread and grow darker.


    The thick roots might as well have been papier mache¡ªthe arrow pierced through the root barrier almost instantly.


    Considering how fast the arrow was, the world tree was unable to prepare another defense in time. The arrow struck the world tree''s bark directly, piercing it whole and causing the hole left behind to erupt into mes. A wave of heat followed the arrow, swallowing up heaven and earth.


    The hole the arrow left in its wake was the size of half a city. The world tree began to tilt, and then to fall¡ªbut right before it could do so, thick roots emerged from the ground and propped it up.


    Given the world tree''s superior regenerative abilities, it should have been able to recover from the wound in the blink of an eye, but the world tree was unable to do so this time. The hole in its trunk was toorge, too gaping, and the ridiculous heat packed into the arrow had all but cauterized the wound.


    If not for the roots that were holding it up, the world tree would have copsed. It had lived in the world for so long that it had lost track of time, and it would be no exaggeration to call it the most ancient tree the world knew. All its enemies had perished with the passing of time and age, and it had all but forgotten how to deal with such dangerous foes...

 Chapter 817: An Annoying Foe

    <h4>Chapter 817: An Annoying Foe</h4>


    Regardless, if the world tree wanted to survive this ordeal, it would have to give its all to stop Sun Mengmeng¡ªor die in the process.


    The entire world shook as a thousand thick roots emerged from the ground like gigantic dragons. The world tree itself morphed into a titanic devil, its branches and leaves twisting to form two thick palms. The devil uprooted itself, inclined its head, and roared up at the sky.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    Only a series of afterimages were visible of her hand as she shot countless arrows of ck me of her bow, producing what seemed like a meteor shower that tinted the air ck and gave the valley a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    The ming ck meteors gave off an aura of destruction and annihtion. The devil tree king swept an arm before Sun Mengmeng''s arrows, causing them all to explode and summoning up a strong gale.


    With overpowering strength, it wiped out the arrows from the sky¡ªat a cost. ck mes ravaged the king''s palms, burning as it spread.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward the devil tree king at such high temperatures that the very air warped and began tobust.


    The devil tree king blocked them all with hundreds of branches. The mes erupted with a spectacr explosion, but the branches bolstered by the king of the realm''s authority survived the onught and flew toward Sun Mengmeng.


    .


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. ck mes whirled around her like a cyclone, and the air turned scorching.


    As she released her arrow, it morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird that radiated red light as it arced through the skies. ck mes red from under its wings that seemed to cover the sun, spreading out in waves from the garuda, charged with so much energy that they could destroy heaven and earth.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the heavens and the earth, dyeing everything in sight a patch of ck. The devil tree king''s branches splintered and cracked in the face of that attack.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and, supercharged with Sun Mengmeng''s energy, readied for a devastating blow.


    Even before the arrownded,va rose out of the ground, igniting the earth and sky alike. ck mes gathered, sucking in the light from all around like ck holes and devouring everything in sight.


    With its branches burned to a crisp, the devil tree king lost its primary means of protecting itself. It stretched out its ck, burning palms in an attempt to block the fierce garuda''s assault, but they broke and splintered in an instant. The ming garuda struck at the devil tree king with the power of annihtion, sending huge gales whirling through the battlefield on impact.


    All the remaining devil trees were wiped out by those gales, and the devil tree king, its whole body ame, finally fell to the ground. The entire world shook as shockwaves buffeted everything in sight.


    The world tree''s roots, now exposed, burned amidst the ck me, giving off a malodorous smoke. With one final arrow from Sun Mengmeng, the fallen world tree ceased its struggles, and the will of the world mourned the passing of another king.


    A rain of blood fell to the ground, though it was unable to extinguish the ck mes.


    Sun Mengmeng stored her bow. The battle was over.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Ying had turned the entirety of the demons'' world green. She had used her vitality to fill the entire world with greenery, thinking that she would be able to ferret out the primordial demon, only to be unable to find him.


    "Could he have escaped from the world?" she wondered.


    That was unlikely, so there was only one possibility: it was hiding in the poisonous sea that she had just vacated.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!" Zhou Ying summoned arge number of ebony dragons to search for any traces of the primordial demon. She could vaguely sense its presence deep below, but was unable to capture it.


    Her ebony dragons could only survive for a short period of time, and they weren''t able to track down the primordial demon during that time.


    Zhou Ying recalled how Zhang Lie had mentioned that it would be very difficult to trap a king of the realm who waspletely focused on fleeing and hiding.


    She had avoided the poisonous sea during her reforestation. With her trees as surveince, it should have been very hard for the primordial demon to escape unnoticed, but it had indeed done so.


    Zhou Ying quickly thought of a skill that kings of the realm possessed: spatial teleportation.


    That had to be how the demon king was able to escape her surveince and head into the poisonous sea!


    Although the primordial demon hadn''t demonstrated this power during their battle, that didn''t mean that it was incapable of doing so. Each king of the realm had varying levels of affinity with their authority, and spatial attunement was one of the hardest to make full use of. Invoking that element of a king''s authority required careful thought and deliberate practice, especially in abat-oriented environment.


    Most kings of the realm who were unfamiliar with the inner workings of space tended to avoid using such techniques inbat, but that didn''t mean they wouldn''t use it outside ofbat. While Zhou Ying was slowly reforesting the entire, the primordial demon used that unfamiliar power to teleport itself into the poisonous sea.


    Even if Zhou Ying were to slowly dredge the toxic sea, the primordial demon would likely teleport away again.


    "Indeed, a king''s authority is truly a blessing. There''s no oxygen in the sea, so the fact that the demon king can still survive there is..."


    Hold on¡ªoxygen??Zhou Ying thought she had the spark of a new idea. How did the primordial demon deal with the issue ofcking oxygen?


    The answer was simple: an existence on the level of the demon king didn''t need oxygen to begin with. It was already past the level of a peak-grade lifeform, and it could survive even without consuming food or breathing.


    Zhou Ying sighed when she realized that her new idea wasn''t a breakthrough.


    Once again, she returned to the problem of trying to drag out the primordial demon. It would be rtively easy, if time-consuming, to dredge the silt from the sea, or even to strip the neighboring area of oxygen, but neither strategy would get her closer to the primordial demon, who possessed the power of teleportation and could escape at will.


    "What would Zhang Lie do at a time like this?" Zhou Ying wondered.

 Chapter 818: A Single Punch

    <h4>Chapter 818: A Single Punch</h4>


    If Zhang Lie were around, he wouldn''t have to think of a way out of this conundrum at all. Even if the king of the realm possessed authority over space, so too did Zhang Lie, and Zhang Lie would be able to wall off the king of the realm and prevent him from teleporting away easily.


    However, Zhou Ying wasn''t Zhang Lie. She might not be able to stop the king of the realm so cleanly or easily, but she still wanted to give it a try.


    "I surely can''t give up without trying. That''s not how we hunters of Team Zenith operate!"


    .


    Having made up her mind, Zhou Ying summoned arge number of vines to suck up and purify the poison, depleting the swamp bit by bit. However, the poison was so toxic that the vines would dissolve almost immediately, and Zhou Ying had toe up with a new strategy.


    With a snap of her fingers, she animated the nearby trees and made them into treemen, who began to dig up the mud forming the poisonous sea and transporting it elsewhere.


    Ordinary treemen sumbed easily to the poison and began to wilt rapidly, but the n was bearing fruit: the sea of poison was diminishing in volume slowly with every passing second. Zhou Ying stood right by the border, closing her eyes and pushing at the edges of her sensory perception.


    Wind blew across the forest and caressed her face, sweeping up errant leaves. Zhou Ying, who stood at the edge of the forest, seemed to have be one with thend.


    By the time the sea of poison was at half its former height, the primordial demon couldn''t remain still any longer. It began to activate its teleportation routine to run away.


    The moment Zhou Ying sensed the fluctuations in space, she opened her eyes. "I''ve finally found you! [Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    She cut forward with her shortsword, sending a silver beam of light forward that split the sea of poison in two.


    The teleportation circle that the primordial demon was constructing had likewise been cut apart. The primordial demon red, unable to believe that Zhou Ying had managed to sense it through thickyers of poison and detritus.


    Zhou Ying had sent the vines into the sea of poison despite the fact that they would rapidly corrode not just to suck away the mud and poison, but also as a probe for her senses.


    With her vines, she would be able to sense any changes in the sea of poison below her, no matter how minute. Her [Void Cut] split the primordial demon in two, so quickly and cleanly that it died without being able to evade or defend against the blow.


    The will of the world mourned the passing of another king as a rain of blood fell from the skies.


    Zhou Ying had seeded in her goal, but even though the king was dead, she had no clue where its proof of kingship was. As a result, she was forced to search the entire world for any hint of its existence.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie had reached the other end of his wormhole as well. He entered a forest of ck Chinese parasol trees. An unusual ck sun hung in the air.


    Zhang Lie stretched his limbs, wondering how to smoke the king of the realm out, when he suddenly noticed a formless will studying him. The moment he stepped into the world, the ckwind king had sensed his presence.


    A ck firebird had appeared above him, with an immense wingspan that seemed almost to blot out the sky.


    "Human, what are you doing here?"


    In truth, the ckwind king was rather perplexed. He had just sent his kin over to the draconian world, so how did a human make it through the wormhole so shortly afterwards? What had happened to the ckwind warriors?


    The ckwind king''s body red with mes as he snarled, "Tell me, or I''ll burn you to a crisp!"


    "The ckwind race will perish today," Zhang Lie intoned, clenching his fists tightly as blue gic energy gathered around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from his arms. As he flicked his wrists, a frightening aura descended on the world, and the skies began to darken. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him andunching shockwaves toward the ckwind race sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging in the king''s direction.


    The shockwaves and water-attuned gic energy exploded, releasing a huge burst of energy that swallowed up the nearby lifeforms like a rampaging beast.


    The ckwind who were hovering in the sky were immediately annihted, and the resulting aftermath of the attack spawned a cyclone that ravaged the remaining ckwind forces.


    The ck Chinese parasol trees were uprooted whole, transforming what had once been a forest into tnd.


    The mes on the ckwind king were all but snuffed out; he looked like a dim candle as he floated in the air.


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised. "Oh? You''re not dead yet even after a direct hit from me? That''s impressive."


    The ckwind king invoked the authority of the king to connect to the ck sun in the sky. Sr mes fell toward him, infusing him with their strength and healing his injuries rapidly.


    He shouted, "My people, your king needs your assistance!"


    Huge flocks of the ckwind emerged from the forests, surrounding the ckwind king and flying toward him like moths toward a me, converting their bodies and lifeforce into his strength.


    Zhang Lie was taken aback by the fact that the ckwind king was sacrificing his people so easily just to bolster himself.


    In the span of just a few breaths, after linking up with the ck sun in the sky and restoring himself with his n''s vitality, the ckwind king transformed into a gigantic sun, one so hot it lit the forest ame just by being close to it.


    After his evolution, the ckwind king was in high spirits once more. "Human, I''ll acknowledge your strength. It''s little wonder why the ckwind soldiers haven''t yet returned¡ªbut now that I''ve transformed fully into a ck sun, you have no chance of victory. On ount of your strength, if you kneel on the ground and decide to be a ve to the ckwind n, I might consider sparing your life."


    "You''re finished with your grandstanding now, aren''t you?"


    Zhang Lie had had the opportunity to take down the ckwind king with another well-timed blow, but he chose not to do so.


    He wanted to wait for the ckwind king to reach the peak of his strength, then crush him then¡ªto make him sense the deepest of despair.


    The ckwind king went silent. As far as he could recall, any of his enemies who witnessed him in this ascended state fell into despair; who could fight a force of nature like the sun?


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t seem to be perturbed by his transformation at all.


    The ckwind king called out, "Human, you''re far too arrogant for your own good. Feel the difference in our strength!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Well, if you''re done, you can die now. [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy wrapped around his finger. As he pointed his finger like a sword, a ck serpent shot forward with the aura of [The Boundless de], causing the entire world to quake with its motion.


    In one bite, the serpent swallowed up half the ck sun thatposed the ckwind king''s new form.


    "You dare!" The ckwind king roared in outrage. Sr res emerged on its surface as it summoned a sr storm. Ions and sma shot out from the sun in a st, sending thunder and lightning crackling through the skies.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" The ck serpent materialized anew behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. Though it was a construct of gic energy, it looked just like a physical being. It was unfazed by the ckwind king''s attack.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" The ck serpent charged into the sky like a current of darkness, throwing its bulk directly into the sr storm with a sizzle. It opened its maw wide, nning to swallow up the sun, as the ck sun began to burn even more violently. The two opposing forces shed against each other with a violent explosion.


    Zhang Lie clenched his palm more and more tightly as the ck serpent''s form condensed and began to absorb the ck sun into itself...

 Chapter 819: Return of the Hunters

    <h4>Chapter 819: Return of the Hunters</h4>


    "You!" The ck sun fell from the sky, heading straight for Zhang Lie. The ckwind king was trying to strike Zhang Lie with his very body, but Zhang Lie instantly transformed into a dragonwolf and struck at the half-crippled sun with a punch that shook the entire world. The ck serpent and sun exploded instantly.


    ck mes roiled across heaven and earth. The serpent''s ck, corrosive energy rained down on the forest and melted it down.


    As the rainnded on the ground, the earth began to sizzle¡ªand for a hundred, a thousand years, nothing would ever grow on this soil again.


    The ckwind king was once again reduced to a candle-sized me that could be snuffed out at any moment. He tried to run away, but found Zhang Lie waiting for him along his escape route, his hands sped behind his back, a faint smile on his face.


    The candle me shivered in mid-air. "Hold on, hold on! I think we should have a discussion instead!"


    The me was so weak that it would have been snuffed out by a strong wind.


    Zhang Lie''s face was cold and dark. Water-attuned gic energy gathered around him, shaking the space with its force.


    "What''s there to discuss?


    "Did you have a discussion with the draconians before betraying them?


    "Did you have a discussion with Chen Ruiming before killing him?


    "Did you have a discussion with the humans before backstabbing them?"


    The ckwind king trembled again in fear. "I was wrong. The ckwind n shouldn''t have attacked the humans; we''re willing to serve the humans and atone for our mistakes!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glimmered with rainbow light as he searched through the king''s memories for the location of the proof of kingship. After doing so, he reached out and grabbed the me with his hand. "You don''t deserve to serve us humans. Be extinguished!"


    Zhang Lie snuffed the me out in his palm, retrieved the proof of kingship, and returned to the draconian world.


    By that time, the draconian world was safe from any incursion. The members of Team Zenith and the warlords of the Milky Way had sessfully aplished their tasks and resisted the incursion of the alien races.


    As for whether or not they would be able to kill their respective kings of the realm, Zhang Lie wasn''t concerned. He believed in the ability of his subordinates and the warlords he sent to tail them.


    Once he returned to the draconian world, Li Qianlin asked him excitedly, "You''re back! How did it go?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "Aren''t you underestimating me? Even your father was unable to beat me up, let alone the king of a medium-sized world."


    Zhang Lie ced an object on the table: a carving of a ck phoenix, emitting the foreign and mysterious aura of a proof of kingship.


    Li Qianlin stuck out her tongue. "I was simply worried for you."


    Zhang Lie caressed her cheeks and gazed into her lustrous eyes. Li Qianlin watched him expectantly, and Zhang Lie was about to lean in when a voice came from outside the room. "Captain, I''m back!"


    Yang Ze strode in to see the two people together before hurriedly covering his eyes and striding back out. "Ah, my eyes were injured in battle just now. I can''t see anything, and I didn''t see anything! Continue on..."


    Zhang Lie sighed as he turned around. "Get back here!"


    Yang Ze warily sidled back up to the entrance to the room.


    Zhang Lie remarked, "I didn''t think you would be the first one back¡ªbut I suppose it''s not surprising. You''re wily and cunning, and far more suited to war than the others."


    Yang Ze grumbled, "Ah, what do you mean, Captain! You make it sound as though I''m weaker than the others¡ªas though I''m only good ating up with tricks! I won''t deny that I''m smart and intelligent, but I''m a strong hunter, too! I''m not idly bragging¡ªI''m as strong as I''m handsome."


    Zhang Lie nced at Yang Ze''s face with interest. "What a pity... I didn''t know you were so weak!"


    Yang Ze frowned. "Captain, are you criticizing my strength, or criticizing my looks? You¡ªwell, you might not look favorably on my strengthpared to yours, but you can''t deny that I''m handsome!"


    He retrieved a golden vertebra from his extra-dimensional storage and ced it on the table, right next to the ckwind phoenix statue. The golden vertebra gave off the aura of a proof of kingship; it was the prize that Yang Ze had recovered after a heated battle.


    "Look at this, look at this¡ªit''s proof of my handsomeness!"


    Li Qianlin pursed her lips. "This proves your strength at most, not your handsomeness, surely?"


    Yang Ze seemed to be terribly shocked. "Ah, Mrs. Zhang! Are those truly your heartfelt words? You''re already treating Zhang Lie like your husband and agreeing with him on everything, aren''t you? You''ll make my heart bleed!"


    Li Qianlin couldn''t help but blush at Yang Ze''s mode of address for her.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Alright, enough. How did you feel about the trial this time around?"


    Yang Ze thought back to his fight. "Kings of the realm really are quite interesting, aren''t they?"


    Yang Ze''s fight had been rtively straightforward, so he simply found the kings of the realm to be interesting, rather than exasperating, difficult, or troublesome foes.


    Zhang Lie didn''tment. He raised his head and looked out the window, having sensed another party''s aura even before they entered the draconian city.


    "What''s the matter, Captain?" Yang Ze asked.


    Very quickly, a fiery-red figure appeared in sight: Sun Mengmeng had returned. She didn''t have many injuries visible on her body; even her clothes hadn''t burned off the way they tended to during a heated battle.


    The moment she saw Zhang Lie, she smiled. "Captain, I''m back. I''ve aplished the task you''ve set for me."


    Zhang Lie nodded. The moment Sun Mengmeng stepped into the room, she locked eyes with Li Qianlin. Sparks flew where their gazes met.


    As though challenging Sun Mengmeng, Li Qianlin sidled closer to Zhang Lie. Meanwhile, Sun Mengmeng marched into the room and sat on Zhang Lie''s other side, the two women continuing to stare at each other all throughout.


    Yang Ze coughed and dispelled the awkward atmosphere. "How were your spoils, Sun Mengmeng?"


    "It took me some time, but I managed to find the proof of kingship in the devil tree king''s body." Sun Mengmeng retrieved the proof of kingship, a glowing seed.


    Zhang Lie asked her, "How did you feel about the trial?"


    Sun Mengmeng thought for a moment. "It was an enlightening experience. The devil tree king was a very difficult foe, and the others would have had a much harder time with it than I did."


    Yang Ze cocked his head. Did Sun Mengmeng really think her trial was difficult? Why was his different?


    Sun Xiaowu was the next to return. He had a long, thin object draped around his shoulder, over three meters long in all. It was wrapped in cloth.


    When he saw Sun Mengmeng and Yang Ze sitting within, Sun Xiaowu sighed in relief. He hung the cloth-wrapped object by the doorframe. "Luckily, it looks like I''m not thest one back."


    Sun Mengmeng walked up to him and gave him a once-over, then patted him on the shoulder.


    "You''ve done well," she reassured him.


    Sun Xiaowu smiled embarrassedly and unwrapped the object. "Captain, I''ve brought back the proof of kingship."


    Zhang Lie nodded and asked, "How did you feel about the trial?"


    Sun Xiaowu''s weariness was apparent from his face. "The king of the realm was very strong, and I almost failed to make it back."


    Yang Ze frowned. "The king really was that strong?"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "Of course! He could invoke the authority of the world itself! Didn''t our captain mention that the king of the realm has to be essentially the strongest member of the strongest race in the world? How could a king of the realm not be strong?"

 Chapter 820: The Death Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 820: The Death Spirits</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng turned toward Yang Ze. "Didn''t you encounter a king of the realm too?"


    Yang Ze thought, "I did kill one, but he didn''t seem all that strong..."


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Perhaps you met one of the weaker ones?"


    Zhang Lie smiled as he listened to the hunters'' conversation. Li Qianlin poured him tea, and he took a sip. He knew the answer to their conundrum, but he didn''t intend on revealing it.


    Dong Mingxing also ran into the room, enticed by themotion she heard. "Ah, Zhang Lie, you''re back! And there are so many people with you, too."


    Dong Mingxing had a seat and began sipping at tea, her movements so natural it was almost as though she had made herself at home.


    Li Qianlin began, "As far as I know, there are no weak kings of the realm."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "We fight differently, so we mighte to different conclusions about the same foe, after all."


    Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu both found the kings of the realm they faced to be quite strong, but Yang Ze disagreed. The kings might have been somewhat interesting, but nothing more than that.


    Whereas the Sun siblings preferred to tackle their enemies head-on, Yang Ze preferred to get his hands dirty as little as possible. To put it nicely, Yang Ze was sly and slippery. He fought dirty.


    He preferred to avoid direct confrontation and to make use of strategy and tactics to win his battles as efficiently as possible, and many of his techniques were designed to help him achieve just that.


    Strategy and tactics were part of his strength, after all. Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu had to face their foes with a hundred percent of their strength, but Yang Ze only needed half, or even less, of that. This was the difference that tactics achieved during a battle, as well as what Zhang Lie wanted everyone to learn from him.


    However, trying to use tactics efficiently enough to deal with foes of the same level was hardly straightforward, and Zhang Lie didn''t insist that everyone focus on it.


    The fourth to return was Fang Yi, but he had to be carried back in.


    Yang Ze gulped. "What happened to you?"


    Xing Ying, who had carried Fang Yi back, replied, "Thanks to the miraculous potions you guys brought back from the second realm, he''s fine¡ªjust physically exhausted and drained."


    The restoratives that Zhou Ying had produced were able to increase cellr activity and alleviate muscle fatigue rapidly, but even they couldn''t do much about mental fatigue. Instant recovery was impossible, especially given how much Fang Yi had exerted himself.


    The members of Team Zenith knew that Fang Yi had been experimenting with two ultimate techniques in the second realm.


    "I used both of my ultimate techniques in quick session," Fang Yi exined in embarrassment.


    Yang Ze sucked in a deep breath. "The king of the realm you faced was that strong?"


    Fang Yi sighed, relief creeping into his tone. "As expected of one of our captain''s trials¡ªit was far too harsh! If not for Warlord Xing Ying''s assistance, I wouldn''t have made it back."


    Even Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu seemed taken aback by this revtion.


    After a moment''s silence, Yang Ze murmured, "I might have killed a fake king..."


    Fang Yi turned to the three hunters who had returned before him.


    "Did you all kill your assigned kings of the realm, too?"


    Fang Yi was shocked that they were all unharmed. Sun Mengmeng, he could understand¡ªshe had been facing devil trees, and her elemental attunement was a perfect counter for them. Yang Ze and Sun Xiaowu, on the other hand, didn''t seem injured either. Sun Xiaowu''s face had traces of fatigue, but Yang Ze looked as though he had juste back from a walk outside.


    The three hunters all nodded, pointing at the proofs of kingship they had retrieved.


    "How?" Fang Yi asked curiously.


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "By defeating the king in battle, of course!"


    Fang Yi sucked in a deep breath. "Didn''t you have to do anything special?"


    Sun Xiaowu cocked his head. "What are you referring to?"


    Fang Yi scowled. "Why are all of you fine? When did I start falling so far behind?!"


    Fang Yi knew that the hunters of Team Zenith were all roughly equal in strength¡ªat least, that was the case before they had ascended to the third realm.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "No, you haven''t fallen behind. You''re just unlucky."


    Fang Yi turned to Zhang Lie. "What? What do you mean, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s exactly as I''ve stated. Why do you think I dispatched some warlords to help you out?"


    "Isn''t it because I was so weak that I needed the help?"


    "No¡ªthe trial I nned was for all of you to fight against the kings of the realm to get a sense for their power and the authority they control. Feel what the peak of the third realm is like. I hope all of you have gotten a sense of that. Of course, I don''t intend for any of you to die in a trial. The world of the ck spirits is rather unusual, and none of the three of them would have fared any better than you there."


    Yang Ze asked curiously, "What''s so special about it?"


    "Any living creature who steps into the world of the ck spirits will be haunted by void spirits. They''re about as weak as mutated-grade lifeforms, but theye in endless numbers. There''s also a mysterious ck pyramid, the apex of which can shoot out aser of light..."


    Fang Yi described his experience in that unusual, arcane world.


    The other three hunters of Team Zenith were gobsmacked. Compared to Fang Yi, they had been ying on easy mode; Fang Yi was trapped on a nightmarish difficulty.


    Endless spirits, a ck pyramid, and the inverted pyramid thaty beneath, disaster-grade lifeforms hiding in the desert¡ªall of Fang Yi''s encounters were far beyond what they had to go through.


    When Yang Ze finished hearing Fang Yi''s recounting of his struggles, he patted him on the shoulder. "You''ve had it hard, my dear friend."


    Fang Yi seemed on the verge of tears. "I feel like I''ve been targeted... Captain, Zhang Lie, have I done anything to offend you? Tell me directly if that''s the case¡ªI could have died fighting the king of the ck spirits!"


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Am I that petty?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded seriously. "Right, if our captain really didn''t like you, you wouldn''t have made it back alive."


    She felt an instinctive desire to defend Zhang Lie.


    Li Qianlin agreed. "I don''t want to agree with this woman, but she''s right. If Zhang Lie really wanted to mess with someone, he wouldn''t need to use such tricks. One nce and you''d be vaporized."


    Zhang Lie choked on his tea.


    Fang Yi still didn''t understand. "Why was I the only one who received this ''special treatment''?"


    Yang Ze replied, "It must be because our captain really values you and wants to challenge you in particr."


    "...I''m touched, but I''d rather not in the future, thank you."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You really are overthinking it. I said it just now, didn''t I? You were simply unlucky. You were the ones who picked out which kings you would face, not me."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Are these ck spirits really that powerful?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Well, they''re backed by a superrge world, the death spirits'' world."


    Li Qianlin grew pale. "The death spirits?!"

 Chapter 821: Transformation and Resurrection

    <h4>Chapter 821: Transformation and Resurrection</h4>


    "Who are these death spirits?" the four hunters of Team Zenith asked.


    Li Qianlin replied, "Among the three thousand worlds that make up the third realm, there are ten superior ones. The most mysterious and frightening among the ten is governed by the death spirits."


    Yang Ze seemed very surprised. "Even bigger thanrge worlds like the one you''re from?"


    Li Qianlin nodded, her face uneasy. "The ten superior worlds have existed for tens of thousands of years, and they''re basically permanent fixtures in the realm. No other world cane close to eclipsing their strength.


    In the history of the realm, all sorts of worlds,rge and small alike, rise and fall in time. Only the ten superior worlds have survived the relentless passage of time."


    Zhang Lie exined, "The ck spirits Fang Yi had to deal with are subordinate to the death spirits."


    Li Qianlin asked, "Just how did all of you end up provoking the death spirits, anyway?"


    "Are they troublesome foes?" Sun Mengmeng questioned.


    Li Qianlin clutched her head. "It''s not a matter of trouble¡ªthe death spirits simply aren''t an enemy you want to make!"


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "Zhang Lie, I know you''re very strong, but there are some enemies that even you can''t afford to make."


    Although she had witnessed Zhang Lie killing the king of the west for himself, the death spirits were the most frightening among the ten races in charge of the superior worlds. Having such a race as an enemy was akin to shooting yourself in the foot.


    When she saw only confused faces around her, Li Qianlin continued exining, "The death spirits are the most mysterious among the ten races. All the worlds that have ever gone against the death spirits have been extinguished, and not even a single living lifeform has made it out alive."


    Dong Mingxing continued, "All the worlds around the death spirits'' world, be theyrge or small or medium-sized, have been annihted by the death spirits¡ªto thest."


    The death spirits brokered no treatises and forged no alliances. All they had were enemies.


    Li Qianlin took over. "Not only will the death spirits kill all the life on the worlds they take over, they even consume the will of the world¡ªpermanently crippling the world from sustaining life, and turning it into a pitch-ck desert."


    Fang Yi added, "The ck spirits'' world was such a desert. I didn''t see any nts during my incursion there, nor any other native life."


    Yang Ze''s focus was different. "Even the will of the world can be consumed?"


    Li Qianlin shook her head. "I''m not clear on the specifics, but allegedly, the will of the world can''t be sensed in any of the worlds that the death spirits have conquered.


    "This is the proof of kingship from the ck spirits'' world." Fang Yi revealed the cracked mask that he had retrieved at significant cost.


    Yang Ze eximed, "It''s cracked!"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Just how intense was the battle for you to be able to crack the proof of kingship?"


    Zhang Lie pointed at the axe that Sun Xiaowu had brought back. "Isn''t your proof of kingship chipped as well?"


    Sun Xiaowu smiled in embarrassment. "Ah, I suppose that''s true... but surely not as badly as Fang Yi''s."


    The mask that Fang Yi had brought back had clear cracks running through it; it looked as though it would break in half if just a little force were applied.


    Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing looked over all the hunters of Team Zenith again. They thought that Zhang Lie was the only notable hunter among the humans, but even his subordinates were no joke. They had never heard of anyone being able to crack or chip a proof of kingship before.


    After all, the proof of kingship was supposed to represent the world itself; it could hardly be damaged or destroyed.


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "Though there is a connection between the ck spirits and the death spirits, they aren''t one and the same. From the glowing from the proof of kingship, it''s clear that the will of the world isn''tpletely extinguished¡ªjust very weakened.


    "Well, I suppose it makes sense. The ck spirits are akin to a band of scouts for the death spirits, and they''re the precursor to the death spirits'' invasion. If they drain the will of the worldpletely, they wouldn''t be able to maintain a wormhole into that world."


    "The ck spirits are a precursor to invasion?" The members of Team Zenith were shocked¡ªas well as Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing, who had yet to make that connection.


    Zhang Lie exined, "The death spirits annihte every world close to them, and not a single world has escaped that fate. Because of the death spirits'' overexpansion, the other nine superior worlds banded together against them. As an attempt to fly under the radar, as it were, the death spirits began to employ the help of the ck spirits."


    Li Qianlin seemed to understand. "To avoid the other nine worlds'' detection while continuing their n of conquest by means of the ck spirits... I see."


    Fang Yi frowned. "But the void spirits that popte the world are only as strong as mutated-grade lifeforms, and the ck spirits themselves don''t seem particrly strong. The only troublesome foe I encountered in the ck spirits'' world was the king of the ck spirits. If the ck spirits are just a disguise for the death spirits, rulers of a superior-grade world, shouldn''t they be stronger?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s very likely that the only true death spirit you encountered was that king of the realm¡ªthe other ck spirits might well be derivative existences, like clones, in a sense. The death spirits themselves are an unusual form of life, and they defymon logic."


    Li Qianlin hmmed. "I''ve never heard of these ck spirits or void spirits under the death spirits'' control. All I''ve heard about are the death spirits'' soldiers."


    "What''s that?" the four hunters of Team Zenith asked simultaneously.


    "Something like cannon fodder for the death spirits," Li Qianlin responded.


    Zhang Lie rified, "We''ll have to discuss the rtionship between the void spirits and ck spirits in more detail, then. First, the ck pyramid that Fang Yi saw isn''t a building, but rather an artifact that the death spirits possess: a battleship of sorts. It has some defensive capabilities, but its main purpose is to serve as an altar."


    Sun Mengmeng didn''t understand. "A sacrificial altar for religious rituals?"


    "No¡ªfor creating derivative spirits." Zhang Lie continued, "The ck and void spirits are produced from that altar. As for what they''re made of¡ªhave all of you considered what happened to the original inhabitants of these worlds?"


    Li Qianlin and the others gasped. "You mean¡ª"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "The void spirits are made out of the corpses and souls of the dead, and the ck spirits the elite counterparts made from mutated- and higher-grade souls. Of course, there''s some opportunity for void spirits to evolve into ck spirits during this process as well."


    Fang Yi frowned. "You mean that the spirits I had to kill were the original inhabitants of the world?"


    They didn''t seem to have any feelings or conscious will, and Fang Yi would have hesitated to call them life. They were artificial creatures who shouldn''t have existed in the universe.


    "Not just those inhabitants, but also the souls and bodies of any warriors from other races who perished in battle against the death spirits. If I''m not mistaken, there''s about a thirty percent chance regr-grade lifeforms can morph into ck spirits, and about a fifty percent chance for mutated-grade lifeforms."


    Yang Ze asked, "What happens to the failures?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "They turn into void spirits who patrol the endless deserts, attacking any living lifeforms they encounter."

 Chapter 822: The Quaking Golden Mammoth

    <h4>Chapter 822: The Quaking Golden Mammoth</h4>


    Fang Yi sucked in a deep breath. "The ck and void spirits are both artificially created monsters, then..."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "How cruel. Not only do the death spirits destroy the worlds they invade, they even turn their original inhabitants into these monstrosities."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "There are plenty of cruel races among the three thousand worlds. Genocide is part of that harsh reality."


    Fang Yi focused on something different. "In that case, just what are the death spirits?"


    If the void and dark spirits were both monsters that came from living lifeforms'' souls and bodies, what was the true nature of the death spirits?"


    Zhang Lie hummed. "As far as I know, all the death spirits are like clones of the death spirit king but with individual, independent minds.


    As for the origin of the death spirit king, there are a few hypotheses I know of. Some suggest that the death spirit king was a biological experiment gone awry, or a collective consciousness formed fromrge quantities of souls of the malignant dead. However, as far as I know, all these are legends or unfounded rumors."


    Li Qianlin asked curiously, "As an alien from the Milky Way, how do you know so much about these death spirits? You even know more than Dong Mingxing and I, and we''re native to this realm!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I traveled widely in the past."


    Sun Mengmeng asked worriedly, "Since we killed the ck spirits, will the death spirits seek us out for revenge?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "They''lle for us eventually, but it''s no easy feat for them. The other nine races from the superior worlds are keeping a close eye on them because of their rapid expansion.


    "Those races have divided into three major factions. One faction acts allegedly to preserve the peace among the three thousand worlds, but really to maintain the rule of the ten superior worlds.


    "Four superior worlds are represented in this faction. Of the remaining five, three are in a long, drawn-out war against the death spirits, and the remaining two don''t want to be dragged into this mess."


    Fang Yi remarked, "For the death spirits to be able to survive thebined assault of three superior worlds for all this time¡ªthey really have to be quite skilled."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "After all, they can repurpose their dead and turn them into void spirits, and any warriors they capture can be treated simrly. In other words, they grow stronger the longer the war drags on, whereas it''s the opposite for the three races fighting against them."


    The hunters of Team Zenith still seemed rather worried to have provoked such a powerful existence, but Zhang Lie didn''t pay it much mind.


    "We''ll have to deal with them sooner orter, so it isn''t a problem. Furthermore, the other superior races do have methods that would be effective against the death spirits¡ªthey''re just too costly to be worth using. None of the superior races can justify using those methods, so they''ve simply been curbing the death spirits'' development rather than striking them down directly."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Why are the death spirits so bent on expansion, anyway? Do they simply want to amass more ck and void spirits?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "That''s simply a secondary advantage. Their primary goal is to absorb as many wills of the world as they can, in order to strengthen the death spirit king. It''s attempting to absorb the wills of the world in order to augment its own strength and, eventually, devour all three thousand worlds of the realm."


    "The death spirits are that ambitious?" Li Qianlin''s face grew pale¡ªshe was a native inhabitant of thesends, and the person present who would be most affected by the death spirits'' goals.


    "Too ambitious, perhaps," Dong Mingxingmented with a wry smile. From her perspective, the three thousand worlds were so immense that the death spirit king''s ambition was just a ludicrous dream.


    Zhang Lie replied seriously, "That''s only the start of the death spirit king''s objectives. Its next step is to absorb the collective will of the third realm, and then that of the fourth and fifth realms¡ªand finally to escape from this dimension altogether and devour the Milky Way, the universe atrge!"


    "Aren''t you being a little dramatic?" Dong Mingxingughed to counter her swelling anxiety. Devouring the three thousand worlds was enough of a nightmare¡ªand that was only the beginning?! She shook her head. "No, it''s impossible."


    The death spirit king''s ambitions were so lofty that no ordinary person could take them seriously. Someone who expressed the intention to rob a bank had to be dealt with, but someone who imed that they would storm the World Trade Organization''s headquarters was just a fool.


    However, what Zhang Lie spoke of had really happened¡ªin his past life. The death spirits'' ambitious n had almost seeded in its entirety, all thanks to the mouthpiece known as the ck spirits.


    As the ck spirits slowly expanded and transferred the power of their captured worlds to the death spirit king, the king grew stronger and stronger, until it finally unleashed its true might.


    The nine other superior worlds, in conjunction with the whole of the realm, barely managed to stop the death spirit king, but the third realm paid a heavy price for quelling that threat. Only a thousand of the three thousand worlds remained; the other two thousand had been absorbed and stripped clean of lifeforce by the death spirits.


    When the ck spirits attacked their neighboring worlds, the humans and draconians were dragged into this conflict.


    Zhang Lie had been one of the hunters participating in the war against the death spirits, and he would never be able to forget the massive army of ck spirits that he encountered on the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie didn''t intend to let such a tragedy happen again.


    With the superior worlds holding the death spirits back, the death spirits wouldn''t dare to take action against them yet¡ªat least, not with a frontal attack.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Neither Li Feng nor Zhou Ying have returned yet. Could something have gone wrong?"


    Fang Yi asked, "Captain, Li Feng and Zhou Ying aren''t as unlucky as I am, are they?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry¡ªthe kings they have to deal with are rtively tame. The king that Li Feng has to face isn''t particrly strong, and I expect he''ll return shortly. The king that Zhou Ying''s dealing with... well, that demon''s a little disgusting, but it won''t be a problem."


    Yang Ze patted Sun Mengmeng''s shoulder. "We all know how strong Zhou Ying is. She''d be able to survive an attack that would kill the rest of us. Ignoringbat strength for the moment, Zhou Ying''s vitality and regenerative abilities exceed all of oursbined. Unless the aliens have someone like Zhang Lie who can suppress her with brute force, no one will be able to harm Zhou Ying at all."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Li Feng''s also made a lot of progress on his end, and his cultivation is proceeding along a different path from all of ours. A king of a medium-sized world won''t be a challenge for him."


    After a few days, Li Feng returned alongside a golden mammoth.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Li Feng, you''re finally back! But you didn''t have to go to the trouble of bringing back a specialty from your world for us¡ªit''s not like we''recking food."


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie, the golden mammoth immediately reared back, sensitive to the disparity between her power and his own. She immediately shrunk back behind Li Feng and asked, "Li Feng, are all yourpanions so frightening?"


    Li Feng shook his head. "Captain, this isn''t food or prey. She''s a friend from an alien race, and I brought her back because she wanted to speak with you."

 Chapter 823: A Cruel Conclusion

    <h4>Chapter 823: A Cruel Conclusion</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng sidled up to Li Feng. "If I remember correctly, your target was the mammoths, wasn''t it? How did you end up bringing one back with you? Tell us all about what happened!"


    As Yang Ze ate a skewer of meat, his eyes suddenly widened as he thought of a possibility. "This has to be the princess of the mammoths!


    "I was reading a novel recently¡ªthe male protagonist, venturing into enemy territory, had a chance encounter with the enemy''s princess. The princess had an ideological conflict with the rest of her race, and she voluntarily helped the male protagonist. Not only did she help him retrieve the riches from the royal treasury, she even eloped with him. It has to be something like this, I''m sure of it!"


    Li Qianlin sighed. "Eloping with a foreign princess¡ªhow romantic!"


    Dong Mingxing nced at her good friend, then up at the ceiling as she sighed. Li Qianlin essentially was that foreign princess...


    Sun Mengmeng smirked. "Li Feng, I did underestimate you. Who would have known you were such a romantic? How did you meet this princess?"


    Yang Ze cried out, "It must have been a struggle for you to make it out with the enemy princess!"


    Li Feng''s face turned dark.


    The golden mammoth called out, "W-We''re brothers!"


    Yang Ze pped. "Oh? He''s a prince, then? Li Feng, you really are quite something!"


    Sun Xiaowu took a few steps back and announced in mock horror, "Li Feng, I didn''t know you had such divergent tastes! We''d better pretend not to know each other in front of outsiders just in case they develop any misunderstandings..."


    Zhang Lie was likewise smiling. "Not bad, Li Feng¡ªyou''re even targeting princes now?"


    Li Feng scowled. "Yang Ze, stop making things weird! Mypanion is female, and there''s no such rtionship between us. This is the current herdleader of the mammoths. A lot has happened between us, and the reason I brought her here today is because she has something to say to Zhang Lie."


    Yang Ze''s eyes brightened. He asked in a gossipy tone, "A lot happened between the two of you? Is it something you''d feel embarrassed discussing in public?"


    Li Feng turned so that his back was to Yang Ze. "Actually, what happened was as follows..."


    Li Feng exined what had happened in the mammoths'' frozen world. "Although the mammoths made it to sanctuary safely, the golden mammoth would like to request a plot ofnd to make a new home."


    Everyone turned to Zhang Lie, who had final say over all such decisions.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I understand the situation now. What can the mammoths provide to us?"


    The golden mammoth replied, "There are only about five thousand of us left, and we won''t need a big plot ofnd."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As Li Feng mentioned, the reason you want thisnd is to develop as a species. Won''t your numbers grow as a result?"


    Li Qianlin nodded. "That''s right. If the five thousand of you were to reside in harmony for, say, a hundred years, your poption should easily double. Within five hundred years, there might well be a hundred thousand mammoths. By then, you wouldn''t be a small tribe any longer, and you might start conflict with the humans and draconians again."


    Zhang Lie continued with his main point. "The mammoths have betrayed their allies once before. How can I trust your kind?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "We know Li Feng very well, but we of Team Zenith need to be responsible for the fate of mankind and the draconians. How will you ensure that your kind will not betray us again?"


    The golden mammoth replied sincerely, "We mammoths have suffered greatly for that betrayal, and we wouldn''t dare do so again. As long as I remain the herdleader of the mammoths, we shall be the most loyal of allies to mankind."


    Li Feng tried to defend hispanion. "The golden mammoth can be trusted."


    "Li Feng, you must be tired. Quick, I''ll have a bath drawn for you. It''s been a long time since Ist saw you, so let''s have a good chat."


    Yang Ze dragged Li Feng out before he could say anything more.


    "But they''re all ganging up against the golden mammoth!" Li Feng cried out.


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "Have you gone dumb from fighting too much? Don''t make things hard for our captain! You''re a member of Team Zenith, and it''ll be very hard for Zhang Lie to speak for the good of mankind when you''re here defending yourpanion."


    "But I''m responsible for the golden mammoth¡ªI was the one who brought her back!" Even so, Li Feng obediently followed behind Yang Ze.


    "Don''t worry. Don''t you know what kind of person Zhang Lie is?"


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "If Zhang Lie weren''t open to negotiations, he would have ignored the mammoth. Why do you think they''re having an extended conversation now?"


    "To scam the mammoths?" Li Feng answered without having to think about it.


    Yang Ze patted Li Feng on the chest, causing him to smile embarrassedly. Indeed, Li Feng should have excused himself earlier¡ªhe couldn''t both side with his team and with hispanion.


    Li Feng called back, "Keep on talking! I''m going to take a bath first!"


    Zhang Lie was unimpressed by the mammoth''s promise. "You im that you''ll remain a loyal ally to mankind as long as you remain the mammoth herdleader. What if you die or are otherwise removed from your position?"


    Sun Mengmeng red. "You aren''t trying to take advantage of Li Feng to plead your case to us, are you?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I''m only having this conversation with you now because of Li Feng. If he hadn''t brought you back, I''d have told you to leave immediately¡ªyou''re promising nothing but still asking fornd in return. Aren''t you being a little thick-skinned?"


    Sun Xiaowu snorted. "If the mammoths were still allies to the humans and draconians, it might not be an unreasonable request, but the mammoths have betrayed the humans and draconians. Why should we now cede you somend?"


    Zhang Lie''s gaze was cold and sharp as he proimed, "One betrayal paves the way for more. Be grateful that I haven''t dealt with you mammoths any more strongly instead."


    Fang Yi took a deep breath. "You mammoths betrayed us humans when we were in need. Why should we help you out now that the tides have turned? Do you take us for fools? Are we humans and draconians somehow responsible for your wellbeing?"


    The golden mammoth blushed.


    Zhang Lie continued, "To be frank, a plot ofnd isn''t much to us, and I''m not opposed to giving it to the mammoths, but you need to give me a reason, a reason that can convince me and bring profit to us humans."


    The golden mammoth raised her head. "What do you want?"


    "Good. I like someone who''s willing to negotiate. If necessary, the mammoths will fight alongside us humans, and the humans shall have mining rights for the froststeel ore located in your world."


    The golden mammoth''s eyes widened. "That¡ªyou want us to fight for you, and you want to steal our valuable resource away from us?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "You have to understand something: the froststeel veins don''t belong to you, but to the world you inhabit. That world no longer belongs to you, but to me!"


    The golden mammoth hesitated. "But¡ª"


    Zhang Lie interrupted her and held out a second finger. "In addition, we humans defeated you mammoths in battle. I have the right to demandpensation from you, and if you want to establish a working rtionship with us again, you need to pay a price. Third, the moment you betrayed us, you lost all hope at forging an alliance on equal terms. You''ll be subordinate to us, nothing more."


    The golden mammoth knew that forging an alliance wouldn''t be easy, but for the reality to be so cruel...

 Chapter 824: In Search for the Proof

    <h4>Chapter 824: In Search for the Proof</h4>


    Indeed, the mammoths had lost in battle, and they had hardly any bargaining chips to their name.


    The golden mammoth sighed. "As the herdleader, I can provisionally agree to your terms, but the ramifications of this agreement are extensive. I''ll have to discuss this more with the entire herd before I can ept them in full."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s eptable. You must be tired¡ªSun Xiaowu, will you arrange some amodations for our guest?"


    Sun Xiaowu led the golden mammoth off. Sun Mengmeng stayed behind and asked, "Giving the mammoths a plot ofnd¡ª"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It''s not a problem. Once the eight worlds are merged into one, the draconians'' medium-size world will be arge one, and there''ll be plenty of space for the mammoths. One plot ofnd isn''t much¡ªthe bearmen have a forest by their territory that we can have the mammoths move into."


    The mammoths'' phnx formation boasted incredible defense. In Zhang Lie''s past life, that defense had yielded astonishing results against the death spirits. Trading argely worthless plot ofnd for the cooperation of the mammoths only had upsides, no downsides.


    By the time Li Feng finished his bath, the golden mammoth and Zhang Lie had finished their negotiations.


    "I apologize for troubling you, Captain."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "None of that. If you hadn''t brought a representative with you, I would likely have sent one there myself. After all, the mammoths are strong and sturdy, and their prized froststeel ore is a very valuablemodity. For the moment, their thick hides and hearty constitution make them the best possible race for mining it."


    Once the worlds merged, however, their frozennds would be less cold, and other species would be able to mine the ore as well.


    "Right, I also have this." Li Feng brought out the furnace in his extra-dimensional storage¡ªthe mammoths'' proof of kingship. Everyone seemed surprised.


    "This has to be the most unique proof of kingship I''ve seen..." Yang Ze murmured.


    Zhang Lie asked, "How did you feel about this trial?"


    Li Feng contemted the question. "It was interesting. The king of the realm was surprisingly strong, and I did manage to improve my own abilities in battle."


    "Good, very good."


    Fang Yi clutched his face. "In the end, I was the only unlucky one..."


    Yang Ze patted him on the shoulder. "Don''t give up yet, Fang Yi. Zhou Ying still isn''t back yet!"


    Just as Zhou Ying''s name was brought back, she finally returned.


    Sun Mengmeng strode up to her and weed her. "You''re back!"


    Zhou Ying nodded. "I''m back. I killed the king of the realm, but I haven''t been able to find the proof of kingship."


    Yang Ze eximed, "So that''s what took you so long! But our captain mentioned that killing the king of the realm was the primary objective, and it wasn''t necessary to bring back the proof of kingship, didn''t he?"


    Zhou Ying smiled wryly. "I wanted to aplish the trial as perfectly as possible¡ªit''s not every day we get a mission from our captain, after all. How did you all do?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "We killed the kings and brought back the proofs of kingship."


    Zhou Ying nced at everyone in the room. "All of you?"


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    Zhou Ying immediately got up. "In that case, I had better go have another look. I''m sure I can find the proof of kingship!"


    Sun Mengmeng hurriedly held her back with a chuckle. "There''s no need, no need! We simply got lucky, that''s all."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "There''s no need to head back now. I''ll assign some people to search for that proof of kingshipter."


    "Very well." Zhou Ying sighed and sat down.


    "What did you think of the trial?"


    Zhou Ying scrunched up her face. "It was disgusting, vile and disgusting from every perspective! That primordial demon was harder to kill than a cockroach and far more disgusting besides."


    This was an unusual remark, especially for someone asposed as Zhou Ying tended to be. The members of Team Zenith looked on with interest. "Just what sort of king of the realm did you encounter?"


    Zhou Ying described her experience, causing all the members of Team Zenith to gasp and frown.


    Li Fengmented, "A viral king of the realm sounds absolutely horrible."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "Even after its death, it''ll spread to other hosts and continue living on¡ªtruly disgusting."


    Yang Ze added, "And it can even self-destruct!"


    Sun Mengmeng folded her arms. "Captain, how could you let someone like Zhou Ying deal with something so vile?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "You chose the enemies you were going to face by lottery. I''m hardly responsible!"


    With all the members of Team Zenith gathered, everyone began to chat and joke with each other.


    Fang Yi led the conversation. "Zhou Ying, did you know that Li Feng came back with the enemy prince?"


    Zhou Ying''s eyes widened. "Oh, has Li Feng finally found a malepanion? I thought that might be likely!"


    Li Feng gaped. "Hold it, hold it! I brought back the new herdleader of the mammoths. She''s not a prince, and I''m not interested in the same sex!"


    Zhou Ying twisted her head. "Isn''t it just a matter of time?"


    Sun Xiaowu changed the topic. "Zhou Ying, Li Feng, do you know what happened to Fang Yi during his trial?"


    The members of Team Zenith had all sessfully finished their trials, and the two teams of warlords who had been dispatched to take down the other two kings of the realm had likewise returned.


    The warlords were all elites among the races of the Milky way, and while it would still be difficult for one or two of them to deal with the king of the realm of a medium-sized world, dozens of them working together would easily be able to seed. Not only that, they even retrieved the proofs of kingship as well.


    Zhang Lie brought a number of warlords with him toward the giant demons'' world, only to be stupefied when he found a verdant forest waiting for him at the other end of the wormhole.


    He was very surprised by what had happened, but before he could ask, Zhou Ying hastily exined, "I reforested the entire world during my quest to subjugate the primordial demon."


    "Even so, were you still unable to find the proof of kingship?"


    Although he didn''t know how precisely Zhou Ying could view the world through her greenery, she had transformed the entire world into a forest, and even searched through the world for quite some time. He couldn''t imagine that she would be unable to find the proof of kingship after such a thorough search.


    Could the king have transported it out of the world? Surely there was no king of the realm so foolish...


    "Did you ever see the primordial demon use the authority of the king?"


    Zhou Ying nodded. "I saw the primordial demon try to teleport away before I killed it."


    "If it were able to make use of the world''s authority, then the proof of kingship has to be in the world..."


    The proof of kingship could be removed from the world, but that would strip the kings of the realm of their powers. In other words, the fact that this king could still use those powers meant that the proof of kingship hadn''t been removed.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where have you looked?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "Everywhere I could think of. The surface of the world, certainly, and even the poisonous sea that the king created and hid in..."


    "If there are any ces you''ve missed, that''s where the proof of kingship is most likely to be hidden." Suddenly, Zhang Lie had a sh of inspiration. "Did you search in the world''s core?"

 Chapter 825: Back to the Milky Way

    <h4>Chapter 825: Back to the Milky Way</h4>


    "No," Zhou Ying replied. "My vines can''t reach the world''s core."


    "In other words, it''s very likely that the proof of kingship is hidden there," Zhang Lie surmised. "Everyone, we''ll dig deep toward the world''s core until we find that proof of kingship!"


    "Yes, Zhang Lie!" the warlords shouted, beginning to dig straight away.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie walked toward the poisonous sea and rubbed his jaw. He believed that the most likely ce the proof of kingship could be was deep below the sea.


    As he clenched his fists, blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him and roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like a rampaging sea.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the poisonous sea.


    The poison sshed all over. Spatial fluctuations caused the poison to break down in the air, and it fell to the ground like heavy rain.


    None of those currently present on the world were weak, and they all activated their own defenses before the poison reached them. Zhou Ying stood still, thick vines erupting from underneath her legs and wrapping around her body tightly.


    After the rain of poison stopped, the forest around them had melted. All the leaves had dissolved and fallen to the ground, leaving only pitch-ck bark behind, along with muddy ground that was starting to give off a fetid stench.


    Everyone present had been able to deal with the poison in their own way. Zhou Ying walked forward, only to see that the sea of poison had be a huge pit, the mud within having been excavated by Zhang Lie''s punch.


    A green barrier of energy enclosed her as she transformed. Her hair turned the color of jade, floating in the windless air. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and she seemed to have be one with nature. Motes of vitality sprung into existence around her like fireflies.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!" Natural energy poured out of her, causing a mass of green dots to emerge from the ground, like sprouting seeds. The ground quaked. Momentster, burgeoning roots emerged from the soil and transformed into huge dragons of wood, which dove deep into the pit.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you think you''ll be able to find the proof of kingship?"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "I can''t be certain."


    No one present knew precisely where the king of the realm had hidden the proof of kingship, nor how deep it was.


    Zhou Ying frowned. "The primordial demon truly is disgusting. Not only was he difficult to kill, he''s even leaving us with this mess after his death."


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Other worlds still had inhabitants who could be interrogated for information after the king of the realm was killed, but the primordial demon king was thest remaining inhabitant of its world¡ªall the other inhabitants had to be killed before it could die, and there were no clues to go off of.


    Trying to find the proof of kingship under such conditions was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. The only solution was brute force, with as much manpower as they could bring to bear.


    Zhang Lie finally understood why Zhou Ying had had so much difficulty trying to find the proof of kingship. The hidden proof wasn''t something a single person alone could find.


    Zhou Ying began, "While hunting for the proof, I wondered whether there might have been some other inhabitants besides the demons. The primordial demon might have arisen from a mutation that subsequently infected all the other inhabitants of the world."


    "It''s possible," Zhang Lie replied, "but we won''t be able to find anyone to confirm or deny that hypothesis anymore."


    Even though Zhou Ying''s root dragons dug deep into the ground and searched systematically for the proof of kingship, they were unable to find anything.


    "As expected of that disgusting, vile virus¡ªit won''t let us seed so easily!"


    Since it wasn''t buried deep within the sea of poison, the primordial demon had to have been prepared for such an event and hidden the proof of kingship long in advance, in a location near-impossible for anyone else to discover.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "The primordial demon was prepared to waste our time from the very beginning."


    As Zhou Ying unleashed her energy, waves of vitality poured out from her and into the forest, rippling through the trees. All the leaves began to rustle as the trees uprooted themselves from the ground, their thick branches twisting into gigantic arms. The trees emerged as treemen, all of whom began to dig into the ground in search for the proof of kingship.


    In the end, thanks to the many treemen that Zhou Ying animated, along with the warlords who had skilled perception abilities, the proof of kingship was finally uncovered after a long, exhausting struggle.


    It was hidden nowhere special, buried in a plot of unmarked, perfectly ordinarynd. Not only that, the primordial demon had made the proof of kingship a tiny grain smaller than a pea. If not for the aura it gave off, as well as the warlords'' sharp senses, they would easily have overlooked it.


    Finally, they returned to the draconian world, where Zhang Lie assembled all eight proofs of kingship in front of the draconian sage.


    The draconian sage peered at the items. "You''ve really managed to obtain all eight proofs of kingship¡ªbut why ce them in front of me?"


    Calm though the sage looked, he was unbelievably shocked. Although he knew that Zhang Lie and the others were very strong, he hadn''t expected that they would be able to acquire all eight proofs of kingship at all¡ªand hardly so quickly. Kings of the realm could be defeated with great difficulty, but killing them was exponentially harder. It required absolute, overwhelming power.


    The draconian sage even knew that the hunters who had aplished this task wasn''t the man in front of him, but rather his subordinates. For the humans to have be so strong all of a sudden was something that the draconian sage was still unustomed to.


    Zhang Lie exined, "I hope that you''llbine all these worlds with yours."


    "Very well!"


    Zhang Lie seemed rather taken aback by the draconian sage''s easy eptance. "Aren''t you going to ask why?"


    The draconian sage replied calmly, "I''m sure you have your own reasons. It only matters to me whether or not your requests are beneficial to the draconians."


    "Thank you, then."


    The moment Zhang Lie walked out of the draconian sage''s residence, Sun Mengmeng ran up to him. "Right, Captain, when are you going to head back to Earth? Hanxiang''s very worried about you."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "Ah, I''ve forgotten entirely!"


    He had asked the Jinghun to ry news about him back to his friends and family on Earth a long while ago, but he had forgotten to follow up after that because of the whole string of events that ensued afterwards.


    Zhang Lie hurriedly ran to the teleportation apparatus and back to Earth.


    At the same time, Li Qianlin suddenly received a message from the king of the east.


    Li Qianlin was still able to maintainmunication with the king of the east through special means, and she gasped upon reading the contents of the message. "The worlds of east and west are going tobine..."


    Over a year had passed in the third realm, but only two months back on Earth. When Zhang Lie returned to the Zenith Dojo, he found itrgely unchanged.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s return, Zhang Hong sighed in relief. "Dojo leader, you''re finally back! When you vanished after ascending to the third realm, we were all shocked to death. If not for the fact that this had already happened once before when you ascended to the second realm, we would all be on a manhunt for you!"


    Zhang Lie winced. "Did anything happen to the dojo during the two months in which I was gone?"

 Chapter 826: More Disaster Gene Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 826: More Disaster Gene Fragments</h4>


    Zhang Hong rolled her eyes at him. "Who would dare attack the Zenith Dojo now? Hong Xi and the others have all developed into skilled hunters. Even without you around, they''re strong enough to deal with any challengers. However, scientists from the limit fragment researchboratory have asked to speak with you for advice and guidance."


    "I''m not interested in that at the moment. How''s Hanxiang?"


    "She''s in the second realm. I''ll call her back immediately."


    "If she''s busy, there''s no need."


    Zhang Hong smiled. "Hanxiang insisted that we let her know the moment you returned."


    "Very well, then." Zhang Lie returned to his house, had a shower, changed his clothes, and went on the Inte.


    It had been far too long since he had been without ess the online forums, and he was very curious about the events that had transpired in the meantime. He searched for relevant news about the Milky Way¡ªonly to find himself looking at articles about him.


    No matter how he searched, his name was always in the top ten articles, and he was even more trendy than the stars and idols of the day. The news of him conquering the eight worlds neighboring the draconian world in the third realm was currently spreading across the forums.


    "Team Zenith has done it again¡ªthey''ve destroyed multiple medium-sized worlds since ascending to the third realm!"


    "We''re all hunters from the Milky Way, aren''t we? How could the members of Team Zenith be so exceptional?"


    "The champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, has to be hiding his secrets. I''m telling you, there has to be something he''s not sharing with the rest of us, something on the level of disaster-grade lifeforms and limit-breaking potions! Who knows¡ªhe might have limit-breaking potions of an even higher grade."


    "What? Zhang Lie has even more advanced limit-breaking potions? He has to share them with us!"


    Zhang Lie did have such limit-breaking potions in his possession. It was likely because of such rumors that representatives from various researchboratories were reaching out to him for more information.


    "Forget about it! Don''t you remember how recently these potions were released? It''s likely that even Zhang Lie, their inventor, hasn''t managed to uncover their true potential yet. I bet it''s because the members of Team Zenith all had maxed disaster gene fragments by the time they ascended¡ªZhang Lie must have revealed that secret to them beforehand!"


    "Disaster gene fragments are that strong? Argh! Why didn''t I learn about them sooner?"


    "Even if you did, would you be able to kill the disaster-grade lifeforms needed to obtain them?


    "Disaster gene fragments are astonishing, but who among us can really kill one? Haven''t you seen how many corporations were recruiting teams to kill disaster-grade lifeforms? How many of them seeded? A numerical advantage is simply a joke in light of their strength. As far as I know, no corporation or organization has managed to consistently kill disaster-grade lifeforms yet."


    For one, disaster-grade lifeforms were very difficult to find. Zhang Lie had gone out hunting for them for three whole years in the second realm and still didn''t manage to cap his disaster gene fragments that way.


    Meanwhile, the gxy atrge had only learned about disaster-grade lifeforms for less than a year. Even if all the hunters mobilized, they wouldn''t be able to find very many such lifeforms¡ªlet alone divide them among all the hunters. Whether or not they could kill any of the lifeforms they encountered was also a problem.


    "It''s very possible that the kingdom of Limit has managed to secure a steady source of disaster gene fragments."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Many organizations and corporations are trying to enlist the help of the kingdom of Limit, aren''t they? As you know, the kingdom of Limit is thergest organization in the second realm.


    "They were able to take over the second realm rapidly, and they have countless hunters on the level of sura kings. Furthermore, the members of Team Zenith were able to overwhelm all opposition while they were in the second realm."


    "And then?"


    "Only China has been able to get a reliable source of information about these disaster-grade lifeforms. Everyone else is having trouble finding urate, timely information."


    "And what''s wrong with that?"


    "What? Isn''t that a huge issue?" another poster replied. "Everyone''s searching for disaster-grade lifeforms now. Don''t you think those hunters from the kingdom of Limit are interested too?"


    "The kingdom of Limit''s the greatest power in the second realm! They have their own informationwork, and they don''t have to rely on others."


    "But why wouldn''t they? Who wouldin about having too many disaster gene fragments?"


    Everyone seemed to be discussing the kingdom of Limit: whether they had found a stable supply of disaster gene fragments, whether they were highly interested in acquiring them, and...


    "The outstanding performance the members of Team Zenith have disyed in the third realm is likely to be due to their having maxed out their disaster gene fragments. But how many disaster-grade lifeforms would they have to kill to do so?"


    "They would need sixty in all, sixty! I don''t think the hunters of the Milky Way have even found and killed sixty among them all."


    "Is it possible that they haven''t maxed out their disaster gene fragments?"


    "If they haven''t, how could they be able to kill kings of the realm after immediately having ascended to the third realm? Many of the warlords in the third realm have already acquired limit gene fragments!"


    "So what if they have ess to a secret wealth of disaster gene fragments? Not like we could force them to give it up..."


    "There aren''t any organizations that would dare to oppose the kingdom of Limit in the second realm now, unless a second Zhang Lie appears!"


    Zhang Lie closed the browser¡ªthere wasn''t any interesting information avable.


    Zhang Hanxiang rushed back within moments. She bulldozed into the room and hugged Zhang Lie tightly. "Brother, you''ve returned!"


    Zhang Lieughed as he patted Zhang Hanxiang on the back. "You''ve grown taller since west saw each other! How have you been in the second realm?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied with a smile, "Everyone is treating me well. Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen have both ascended as well, and Yun Bing''s been very thoughtful to me. The kingdom of Limit is developing at a steady but rapid pace.


    "Have you been neglecting your training?"


    "No, of ?course not! I''ve almost maxed out my disaster gene fragments now, and I''ll be able to advance to the third realm and fight with you in no time at all, brother!"


    "Don''t rush. Make sure to consolidate your strength in the second realm, first."


    The third realm would quickly be mired in conflict, a battle the likes of which had never been seen before in history. Zhang Lie didn''t want his sister to be trapped in this mess.


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded obediently.


    "Has the recent release of information about disaster gene fragments caused you any trouble?"


    "No, brother," Zhang Hanxiang replied. "After all, I''m your sister, and no one would be as foolish as to try to hurt me."


    Anyone who dared to harm even a single hair on Zhang Hanxiang''s head would be inviting disaster-grade retaliation on themselves.


    Zhang Lie had left a number of strong hunters behind in the second realm to guard the kingdom from any who might try to subvert his rule. The kingdom of Limit was also supported by the four prime races, along with many other indigenous ns of the second realm. Their strength was unparalleled, and anyone who dared to hurt Zhang Hanxiang wouldn''t be able to survive in the second realm any longer.


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "Yun Bing has dealt with anything annoying that hase my way. There are quite a few spies in the kingdom of Limit hoping to glean more information about disaster gene fragments, but no one has dared to make an overt move."


    "As long as they''re not affecting the kingdom unduly, it''s not a problem," Zhang Lie replied. "It''s been too long since we had a meal together. Would you like to have dinner with me?"

 Chapter 827: Merging of the Worlds

    <h4>Chapter 827: Merging of the Worlds</h4>


    Just as Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang finished up a pleasant meal between the two of them, Hong Tianqi called Zhang Lie up. As expected, he too was asking about a reliable source of disaster gene fragments.


    "Zhang Lie, to think I treated you like a brother! Aren''t you going to tell me about this stable source of disaster gene fragments I heard you have?"


    Unfortunately for Hong Tianqi, Zhang Lie had no ns to reveal the existence of his disaster-grade farm at the moment.


    "No, no, it''s all a misunderstanding! How could I have a stable source of disaster gene fragments? I simply prepared enough for the members of Team Zenith beforehand, but all my stock has been consumed by now."


    Hong Tianqi could hardly press Zhang Lie for more information given his stance, so he had no choice but to leave unsatisfied.


    Before Zhang Hanxiang and the others had ascended with maxed disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie had no ns to open the farm to his allies.


    Zhang Lie continued, "In the near future, we''ll likely be approached by all sorts of troublesome figures wanting to learn about our secrets. I won''t be able to stay in the dojo all this time¡ªthere are still many affairs I''ll have to handle in the third realm. I''m going to be heading back now, and you should return to the second realm as well. After all, it''s safer there for you than it is here."


    The second realm was nowrgely under Zhang Lie''s control, and there would be many hunters looking out for her there. There were also many such people in China, but there was no analogue of Yun Bing to help her head off unwee guests and issues.


    Zhang Hanxiang pouted. "Again? When''s the next time I''m going to see you, brother?"


    Zhang Lie caressed Zhang Hanxiang''s head. "You''re the princess of Limit, aren''t you? You need to learn to be independent, and to focus on your own affairs."


    After dinner, Zhang Lie returned to the third realm.


    By then, a week had passed, and the draconian sage had finalized ns for merging the draconian world with its eight neighbors together. The synthesis of the nine worlds would happen the day after.


    Li Qianlin found Zhang Lie almost immediately after his return.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "The worlds of east and west are going to merge. Father is inviting us both to attend."


    Zhang Lie did want to see what the merger of tworge worlds was like for himself before he managed such a feat. He nodded. "Once the draconian world and the others start to merge, I''ll have to spend some time nning for our next target. After that, we can return and have a look at my father-inw."


    Li Qianlin clicked her tongue. "I haven''t promised to marry you, have I?"


    "Hah! Would anyone else dare to take you as their wife now?"


    Li Qianlin stuck out her chin proudly. "I''m as beautiful as a fairy, and the princess of the east besides."


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. "I''ll destroy anyone who dares to talk to you."


    Li Qianlin stomped on his foot.


    "Alright, then. If you''re unwilling to be with me, I have no choice. Your happiness should be prioritized above all else, after all. Very well. Do you think I would be a better fit for Sun Mengmeng or for Zhou Ying? I heard there were a lot of draconian women who were interested in me, too, and many races of the Milky Way have shown interest in me as well. Who should I choose? One, two, perhaps all...?"


    Li Qianlin''s face turned dark. "You dare!"


    "Alright, alright, don''t get angry now. Do you want to take a walk?"


    Zhang Lie reached out and grasped Li Qianlin''s slender, soft hand.


    Li Qianlin didn''t object. She nodded slightly.


    The next day, all the humans and draconians gathered at the altar as the draconian sage attempted to merge the nine worlds. The dragon''s scale that was the draconians'' proof of kingship glowed with light. A pir of light emerged from the proof and illuminated the world.


    The will of the world descended, and the eight proofs of neighboring worlds floated into the air, surrounding the draconian proof and merging into it one by one. Eight shadows circled the world, translucent and illusory: a world of ck sand, of bearmen, of frozen ice, of desert, of charred earth, of forest, and of Chinese parasol trees.


    The eight different worlds were slowlybining into the draconian world, like eight differentndmasses merging into one.


    In a shaking forest, the bearmen watched in shock as their world merged with the draconians. The mammoths in the valley found thend shaking violently, and the air getting warmer. In the desert, the greenskins were at a loss for words.


    Simultaneously, the eight proofs of kingship morphed into glowing balls that melded into the dragon''s scale. With a loud roar from the draconian sage, the scale grew wild.


    The will of the world was starting to merge with the other eight worlds, devouring their will and their power.


    The draconian sage unleashed his aura. His strength had grown dramatically in an instant as the worldsbined. The dragon''s scale had turned nine-colored after the merger, and visions of all nine worlds could be seen reflected on its surface: a world of draconians, of ck sand, of bearmen, of frozen ice, of desert, of charred earth, of forest, and of Chinese parasol trees...


    Zhang Lie remarked, "It looks like this is arge world now."


    "Only arge world, afterbining nine medium-sized ones?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "It''s not easy to be a world power, after all. Furthermore, the world of ck sand was almost nearing copse: the will of the world''s strength had been almost entirely sapped even before Fang Yi severely damaged its foundations. It''s lucky enough that it survived the merger. I expect the draconian sage will have his hands full for quite some time. The greenskins'' proof is likewise cracked, and some energy has to be expended to fix it."


    Fang Yi and Sun Xiaowu both lowered their heads, but Zhang Lie continued, "There wouldn''t have been enough energy for the draconian world to be a superior one without twenty or so medium-sized worlds, or one or tworge ones."


    Sun Mengmeng sucked in a deep breath. "Are superior worlds sorge?"


    One medium-sized world was about the size of an Earth continent, and the draconian world was now about twice asrge. Twenty continents would correspond to about five Earth volumes.


    Zhang Liemanded, "Next up, I''ll be dividing the warlords into five groups. Each of you will bemanding a group of warlords and expanding in five different directions simultaneously."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, could you be..."


    Yang Ze murmured, "Captain, you''re not intending on founding a new kingdom of Limit in the third realm as well, are you?"


    Zhang Lie smiled meaningfully.


    Dong Mingxing was rather surprised by Zhang Lie''s decision. "Isn''t it a little foolhardy to be dividing your forces five ways?"


    Although the members of Team Zenith individually had the ability to take on the king of the realm of a medium-sized world, they wouldn''t simply be facing five worlds.


    The kings of the other worlds weren''t stupid; the worldsmunicated, and if they realized that the humans were overextending themselves in an attempt to expand, they would surely band together, just like how the worlds neighboring the draconian world formed an alliance against the humans and draconians.


    To others not familiar with Zhang Lie, such a reckless n was doomed to failure, but no hunter of Team Zenith raised aint. They believed that, as long as Zhang Lie weremanding them, they could do anything.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry. I still have some tricks up my sleeve."


    The merging of multiple worlds shocked many of the hunters of the Milky Way. Very few of them knew that the three thousand worlds could even be merged together, and even fewer had seen such an urrence for themselves. Even the authorities of the world federation had mostly only heard rumors of such an event.


    When the humans spread word of what was going on, the entire Milky Way was shocked.


    .


    "This is the first time I''ve ever heard of that..."


    "The humans in the draconian world merged nine worlds together at once. Just what is the champion of mankind thinking?"


    "Is the kingdom of Limit going to be reborn in the third realm...?"


    "I feel like something big''s going to happen!"


    All the aliens of the Milky Way, particrly those who were situated in the third realm, were interested in what was going on. "If the humans are merging worlds together, there''s no reason we can''t do it too..."


    "Perhaps we can give it a try."


    "With what? Don''t you all know?"


    "Know what?"


    "Essentially all the warlords on the warlord ranking have gathered in the draconian world. Only warlords have the strength to resist kings of the realm, and if you can''t even defeat a king of the realm, how do you n on obtaining proofs of kingship? Without these proofs of kingship, how will you merge multiple worlds together?"


    Some of the more perspicacious hunters wondered, "Just what are the warlords doing, all gathered there?"


    "I''m going to head to the draconian world too¡ªsee you! Given what happened initially when the kingdom of Limit was founded, we''ll surely benefit if we head to where all the action is happening."


    "Haha, as a third-realm hunter, I wasn''t able to participate in defeating the sura kingdom in the second realm and constructing the kingdom of Limit. This time, I''m surely going to join in!"


    After the merger of the nine worlds, the draconian sage''s increase in strength and authority caused him to be surrounded by a mist¡ªa manifestation of the strength possessed by the will of the world. It would take the sage some time to absorb and limatize himself to this newfound strength.


    Zhang Lie had gone to find the sage for a discussion.


    "How''s absorbing the energy from the merger going?"


    The sage blinked at him. "If there''s anything I can do for you, please tell me. Without your help, the draconian world would have been destroyed. We wouldn''t have been able to acquire eight proofs of kingship and strengthened our world, either."


    Zhang Lie brought out a few tattered scraps of the map he had been collecting. "Have you seen these before?"


    The draconian sage peered at them closely. "I feel as though I have, but it''s so long ago that I can''t remember any details."


    Even the draconian sage didn''t know about the secret lying within these scraps¡ªit looked as though he would have a hard time obtaining all the fragments without merging all three thousand worlds together.


    Zhang Lie continued, "How many disaster-grade lifeforms are there in the other eight worlds?"


    The draconian sage easily epted the new term ''disaster-grade lifeform'' for what he knew as ''fifth-level beasts''. "There are five of them in all, two in the bearmen world, one in the frozen world, one in the greenskins'' world, and one in the Chinese parasol world.


    "Excellent!" Zhang Lie wascking exactly fifty disaster gene fragments to reach maximum capacity. "Sage, would you be able to send me to where those lifeforms are located?"


    "Of course. The first disaster-grade lifeform is the guardian deity of the bearmen, revered as their deity and located directly in the middle of theirrgest settlement."


    With a wave of the sage''s hand, Zhang Lie''s vision blurred. The next moment, he found himself in the bearman settlement...

 Chapter 828: A Direct Route

    <h4>Chapter 828: A Direct Route</h4>


    Before him was a quiet, idyllic thicket, within which were many caves and log cabins.


    Bearmen originally didn''t live in packs, but ever since a king of the realm emerged among the bearmen, things had been different. The new king had assembled all his people to form a settlement of bearmen.


    Those who had wealth and luxury could afford log cabins for themselves; those that didn''t dug holes beneathrge, shady trees.


    At the center of the settlement was a gigantic tree, one that had been around for centuries, with thick bark and dark green leaves. Its crown was so massive that it covered up a third of the settlement by itself.


    Suddenly, a roar came from underneath the hollow in the massive tree. The entire forest seemed to quake, and frightening gusts of wind radiated out from that hollow in all directions, bending the trees and sending leaves rustling through the air. The nearby log cabins creaked and began to fall apart.


    Zhang Lie stood at the epicenter of the wind, his robes fluttering but his body perfectly still.


    A pair of pale blue eyes lit up within the tree hollow, rousing fear in anyone whom it saw. Fear bubbled up from the bearmen''s hearts, an instinctive fear that seemed to arise with no rhyme or reason.


    A wild beast''s aura emerged from the hollow. Sharp ws extended out from within, and a golden figure emerged from its depths. This was a golden-yellow bearman, over a hundred meters tall. Its fur was perfectly golden, with so many scars over its body it looked like a carved totem. As the bearman walked out of the hollow, the entire bearman settlement was abuzz.


    "Why has the deity climbed out of the hollow? What''s going on?"


    "Has something startled our deity?"


    "It''s been hundreds of years since the deityst walked the earth¡ªbut he''s been awakened thrice now in a matter of days!"


    The bearman deity could hibernate for decades or even centuries on end, but it had woken up three times in recent memory.


    The first time was when the king of the realm was killed and the will of the world mourned his passing. The second time was when the nine worlds merged together. Only a few dayster, the bearman deity awakened for the third time, causing a panic to descend on the bearmen.


    After losing their king, the only reason the bearmen had been able to preserve their authority in the world was because of the bearman deity. If something were to go wrong with him, they would all lose their ce in the world''s hierarchy.


    The bearman deity walked out of the hollow and stared straight at Zhang Lie. It had awakened upon sensing Zhang Lie''s arrival.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glimmered with rainbow light, freezing the bearman deity in ce. Zhang Lie didn''t waste his time. Clenching his fists tightly, he gathered blue gic energy around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    It was so sudden and so ominous that all the bearmen were in shock. An immense pressure weighed down on their bodies, as though they were trapped under a mountain.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. andunching shockwaves toward the bearmen. The shockwaves sounded like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. They resonated until they reached a crescendo.


    Before the bearmen could figure out just what was happening, a huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the settlement.


    The shockwaves and water-attuned gic energy exploded, releasing a huge burst of energy that swallowed up the dazed bears like a rampaging beast.


    Struck directly by Zhang Lie''s attack, the bearman deity was mmed against the bark of the gigantic tree, leaving a deep impression in its trunk as its leaves fluttered madly.


    The next moment, the shockwaves and water-attuned gic energy exploded, releasing a huge burst of energy that swallowed up the nearby lifeforms like a rampaging beast.


    The log cabins were sent flying in an instant, along with trees and branches that had been uprooted or knocked off their base.


    The bearmen settlement looked as though it had been struck by a Category 5 hurricane. Everything in the vicinity had been reduced to rubble; one punch from Zhang Lie was sufficient to clear a battlefield.


    "Oh, you survived," Zhang Lie remarked with some surprise.


    The bearman deity hadn''t been annihted in one blow. Diamond-like wounds appeared beneath its golden fur.


    The bearman deity''s eyes shed. After being struck by Zhang Lie''s attack, the incident pain allowed him to regain some semnce of rationality. He stuck a w into the bark, sending chips of wood flying as he pulled out a humongous axe from within the tree, over fifty meters tall and engraved with ancient runes, perhaps designed specifically for the deity himself.


    Zhang Lie sneered. "A disaster-grade lifeform that uses weapons? Interesting."


    As he suppressed Zhang Lie''s control with his incredible willpower, the bearman deity''s body red with golden light, dyeing the entire forest golden. The leaves gave off a lustrous gleam, and the grass on the ground shivered and stood at attention. Even the fur on the bearman deity''s body pricked like golden needles.


    The environment itself became a weapon against the unwee intruder Zhang Lie. The most pronounced change was in the axe that the bearman deity held, which gave off a sharpness that felt as though it could prate anything.


    "A domain of pration..."


    The bearman deity swung his axe in a wide arc.


    Zhang Lie was shocked by the attack. The bearman deity had transferred the potency of his domain entirely to his attack, to the swing of his golden axe that had captured, condensed, and concentrated all that sharpness into a single lethal blow.


    Zhang Lie felt as though a wave of sword energy was about to overwhelm him¡ªa piercing sensationposed of all the matter, all the vital life, in the environment around him. Zhang Lie faced not the swing of an axe, but a sharpness with the weight of the entire forest behind it.


    The bearman deity''s attack was nothing less than masterful, and it was clear he was a grandmaster of the de. In exercising his aura, the bearman deity far exceeded any opponent Zhang Lie had ever faced.


    "Very interesting¡ªbut unfortunately, I''m your opponent!"


    Zhang Lie stretched out two fingers. Water-attuned gic energy exploded around him, swamping the forest with tidal waves that filled the sky. The energy gathered around Zhang Lie like a whirlpool and condensed around his fingertips.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" As Zhang Lie thrust forward, heunched a beam of sword energy at the bearman deity, dull and colorless, far less resplendent than the bearman deity''s attack. It looked wholly unthreatening, but the bearman deity felt lethal pressure from the attack...

 Chapter 829: A Lost Cause

    <h4>Chapter 829: A Lost Cause</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s sword shed against the bearman deity''s axe without any special effects whatsoever, as though a leaf was lightly touching down on the surface of a still pond, as though it were perfectly natural. It met the axe''s swing head-on and sliced through it with no resistance.


    The bearman deity''s eyes opened wide. It simply couldn''t believe that its powerful swing had been so easily dispelled. His powerful swing brushed by either side of Zhang Lie, leaving countless stumps in its wake and creating a road in the forest.


    The bearman deity''s golden fur glowed even more brightly, until a radiant golden light condensed and concentrated on the head of his axe. He had transferred all the strength of his domain into the axe for a supercharged blow in hopes that it would block Zhang Lie''s finger-sword. However, his efforts were in vain. Zhang Lie''s attack, which seemed to bypass physical and naturalw,pletely ignored the bearman''s defense.


    The fundamental idea behind Zhang Lie''s attack was to concentrate a sea of energy into so narrow a beam that it could cut through everything, the same way a steel sword could easily cut through a wooden axe.


    The beam of sword energy broke through the axe and struck the bearman deity''s body. Cracks and splinters propagated over its surface.


    The next moment, water-attuned gic energy gushed out of those cracks in a flood, obliterating the bearman.


    The will of the world''s voice rang out in Zhang Lie''s head. [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade goldsword bearman. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade goldsword bearman, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The water-attuned gic energy transformed into a twister that tore apart the trees in the area. Thick bark and branches were reduced into nothing but splinters and leaves.


    Where the bearman settlement had once been, where an ancient, weathered tree reached toward the sky, there were now nothing but destruction and destion. The tree had been uprooted whole, and even ayer of dirt, grass, and leaves was scraped off the ground.


    .


    In the epicenter of the devastation was a glowing golden orb in the ground, surrounded by an aura of sharpness like a miniature gale. A mountain of swords seemed to be reflected in the center of the orb.


    After picking up the orb, just as Zhang Lie was about to be teleported away, he noticed something unusual by the bearman deity''s axe.


    "Hold on!" Zhang Lie disrupted the impending teleportation with his own spatial maniption, then walked up to the axe. There was a box located within the de; if not for the fact that [The Boundless de] had pierced through it, he wouldn''t have discovered the secret lying within.


    After retrieving the box and opening it, he found another box nestled within, then another, then another...


    Zhang Lie''s face turned dark. After opening a dozen boxes in session, until there was only a palm-sized box left, Zhang Lie found a few scraps of the map he had been trying to assemble.


    Zhang Lie was stunned. He frowned and nced around him, then vanished from sight momentster. He reappeared by one of the bearmen who had survived the assault, then woke him from his daze with a sharp p.


    When the bearman saw the destruction before him, as well as Zhang Lie standing malevolently above him, he opened his mouth and tried to scream, only to be shut up immediately by the rainbow gleam in Zhang Lie''s eyes.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where did the bearman deity''s axee from?"


    Zhang Lie wanted to know whether the axe was of bearman make, and why the axe contained a few scraps of the map within it.


    The bearman was silent for a moment, then responded, "I don''t know."


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    "It''s the first time that those of our generation have seen the bearman deity strike, but I heard my father mention that, in the past, there were frequent incursions into our territory by demonic wolves. Back then, he and the elder had fought alongside the bearman deity, and the bearman deity had already possessed his axe by then."


    "Are there others in your tribe who know where the axe might havee from?"


    "The chieftain and the elder!"


    "Where are they?"


    The bearman didn''t answer immediately. He turned to the ruins of the bearman settlement and hedged, "I suppose they''re dead."


    Zhang Lie''s brows furrowed.


    "A few days ago, the chieftain was killed while heading toward the draconian world, and even the proof of kingship was taken from us. And in his old age, the elder likely didn''t survive the destruction of the settlement."


    If not for the fact that this bearman was well and truly under his control, Zhang Lie could very well believe that the bearman was taking him for a fool. Yang Ze had clearly finished off the bearman chieftain, while Zhang Lie himself had killed the elder in the aftermath of his attack...


    "Is there anyone else who might know?"


    "I suspect they''re all dead, too."


    Zhang Lie sighed and raised his head. "Sage, please teleport me back!"


    The draconian sage had been paying his full attention to Zhang Lie. On Zhang Lie''s shout, he teleported Zhang Lie back to his residence.


    "Sage, do you know about the history behind the axe of the bearman deity?"


    Zhang Lie was grasping at straws, but surprisingly, the sage did know. "I''m not sure about the specifics, but I know that the bearmen found it in an ancient ruin."


    "A ruin?" Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. "Sage, where''s this ruin?"


    "It was too long ago. The ruin has long since vanished from the annals of history."


    Zhang Lie sighed again. "Well, I didn''t expect it would be so easy. I need to absorb this core, so please send me to somewhere deserted."


    The draconian sage nodded, teleporting Zhang Lie to the world of ck sand¡ªor rather, the region of ck sand, now that it had already merged with the draconian world. There were no living lifeforms in the region, and no matter howrge a disturbance Zhang Lie caused, there would be no issue.


    With the destruction of the ck pyramid in the region, the souls that had been trapped in the desert were finally released. The void spirits had likewise disappeared.


    This was the ideal ce for Zhang Lie to absorb disaster gene fragments.


    After a long, exhausting process, Zhang Lie finally acquired ten more disaster gene fragments, and his data reached even more ridiculous heights.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 60


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)

 Chapter 830: Killing the Demonwolf

    <h4>Chapter 830: Killing the Demonwolf</h4>


    As space shifted once more, Zhang Lie was teleported back to the sage.


    "Now for the second disaster-grade lifeform!"


    "The second disaster-grade lifeform is also in the bearmen region. If the bearman deity is considered the guardian deity of the bearmen, then the second disaster-grade lifeform is his nemesis, his counterpart and bitter rival, with whom he frequently fights: a demonwolf."


    With a wave of the draconian sage''s hand, Zhang Lie was surrounded by ripples in space. The next moment, he found himself before a gigantic cave, one so dark he couldn''t identify what was inside. However, Zhang Lie could feel a strong presence emanating from the depths of the cave.


    As Zhang Lie released a breath, something began to happen from within the cave. Glowing green dots lit up¡ªglowing pairs of eyes, from ck figures who leapt out of its depths. These were huge, fierce ck wolves, their fur standing straight up. Wind blew around them like ck smoke. They opened their mouths and revealed sharp teeth.


    Most of the wolves in the pack were superior-grade lifeforms. A small fraction was peak-grade, and there were even a few post-peak-grade ones.


    However, whether or not these wolves were strong was immaterial to Zhang Lie.


    He activated his mistmeld m soulshard, his eyes gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. The moment the wolves nced into his eyes, they rolled on the floor and revealed their furry bellies, then obediently led the way deeper into the cave for him.


    "It looks like I''ll be able to make use of these wolves for the uing invasion, too..."


    Suddenly, a disaster-grade aura emerged from deep within the cave as a pair of glowing green eyes radiated light. ck smoke drifted forward like the tide, surrounding Zhang Lie.


    "A disaster-grade domain that inhibits vision? No, it can''t be¡ªit''s far too simple and straightforward an effect for disaster-grade lifeforms! There has to be more to it, I''m sure." Zhang Lie found that the gic energy around him was slowly dissipating away¡ªthis was something he was innately familiar with. "It looks like the luded vision is just a side effect¡ªit''s an aura of corrosion or assimtion."


    A sh suddenly came out of nowhere, but Zhang Lie easily countered it with a fist of his own. As the energy from the explosion dissipated, Zhang Lie smiled. "It''s useless. You might be able to sense my scent, but I can sense your breath, too."


    As he clenched his fists, blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura as a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie''s technique possessed such strength it made the very air warp. The water-attuned gic energy shook the cave andunched shockwaves toward the disaster-grade wolf. The waves sounded like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the cave. Thebination of spatial maniption and water-attuned gic energy caused the water to spread out around Zhang Lie like a hurricane of water.


    The water-attuned gic energy weakened the power of the ck mist, clearing out a patch of air surrounding Zhang Lie and sending the disaster-grade demonwolf flying into the distance.


    The other wolves in the pack fled in fear as a cold gaze fixed itself on Zhang Lie. ck mist came pouring back into the cave from all directions, trapping Zhang Lie within.


    Just as the mist was about to envelop Zhang Lie, the disaster-grade demonwolf struck from all directions. Zhang Lie didn''t move; he surrounded himself with water-attuned gic energy. When the wolf''s attack struck that energy, it caused the air to vibrate, but that was it.


    "[Rune: Gravity]!" With a thought, the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and the runic tablet of gravity crashed into the ground.


    The tablet shook, and the runic script iid within it began to glow almost at random. A crushing force of gravity enclosed the space¡ª but right before it could trap the demonwolf, it leapt high up and escaped the domain. Zhang Lie smiled. "I''ll grant that you act fast, at least. [Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening rustle as its scales creaked.


    The ck serpent began devouring the mist around itself, thinning it and revealing the disaster-grade demonwolf, who attacked in a burst of speed. When its wsnded on the serpent''s scales, however, all that energy was sucked dry in an instant.


    The mist had thinned to the point that the demonwolf, understanding that it was no opponent for Zhang Lie, chose to flee.


    Zhang Lie pointed toward the direction in which the wolf was heading. The wolf might have fast reflexes and even faster speed, but the serpent outshone it in even those areas. When it caught up, it didn''t give the wolf any opportunity to run away. It immediately wrapped around the wolf, which exuded ck mist in an attempt to force the serpent to back off.


    However, the serpent absorbed all that mist entirely, nullifying the attack that was the demonwolf''s pride and joy. The demonwolf''s signature ck mist, high movement speed, and rapid flurry of strikes allowed him to dominate the entire forest, countered only by the bearman chieftain and deity.


    If not for their working together, he wouldn''t have to hide in this cave at all¡ªbut evenbined, they were hardly able to kill him. His speed was far superior to theirs; they couldn''t prevent him from running away.


    However, Zhang Lie, who had suddenly appeared before him, was able to counter him easily andpletely.


    When all the mist finally thinned, Zhang Lie was able to see the disaster-grade wolf''s true form for the first time. Its green eyes were bloodshot, revealing its anger and rage. Its body was about half the size of the bearman deity, and its glossy fur had turned ck from long-term exposure to the ck mist it gave off.


    With a snap of his fingers, Zhang Liemanded the serpent to kill the wolf.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade demonwolf. By consuming the core of the peak-grade demonwolf, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The demonwolf left behind a pitch-ck orb trailing ck smoke. As spatial fluctuations enveloped him, Zhang Lie found himself teleported back to the ck desert, where he absorbed the core, obtained another ten disaster gene fragments, and returned to the sage''s residence...

 Chapter 831: The Third Disaster-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 831: The Third Disaster-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    This time, it took Zhang Lie quite some time to absorb the disaster gene fragments, because his [Ninecarp Transformation] had reached another threshold. Although it didn''t advance, Zhang Lie had managed to gain a perfect grasp of the intricacies behind each transformation.


    When he returned to the draconian sage''s residence, before he could speak, the draconian sage asked, "The third disaster-grade lifeform, now?"


    "Of course!"


    The draconian sage began, "In light there is darkness, in bitter cold, fiery-hot mes. Such is the duality of mater¡ª"


    Zhang Lie broke the draconian sage off. "Sage, just what are you trying to say?"


    "I''m trying to give you information about the third disaster-grade lifeform. Don''t interrupt me, please."


    The draconian sage continued, "Unexpectedly, the frozen world of the surface is a counterpart to the superheated subterranean world beneath it. A preponderance ofva and me naturally result in an abundance of fire-attuned gic energy, which has given birth to an unusual lifeform in that world..."


    "Enough¡ªjust send me to the disaster-grade lifeform!"


    The draconian sage sighed, waved a hand, wrapped Zhang Lie up in spatial fluctuations, then dropped him off in andscape of fire andva.


    The environment was so hot that Zhang Lie felt as though he were nearing the surface of the sun. If not for his disaster-grade ability to limatize to even the harshest environments, Zhang Lie might have vaporized on the spot.


    Zhang Lie was shocked. "Is this really the subterraneanyer of the frozen world...?"


    Before Zhang Lie was a huge river ofva which constantly emitted mes. Even the air was glowing red and suffocating. An egg would be cooked in half a second; ordinary superior-grade lifeforms would perish in days.


    The moment Zhang Lie appeared in the underground world, a pack of fiery dogs rushed toward him, their bodies burning with me. Rather than mes feeding off their body, however, it was more like their bodies were made out of mes entirely.


    Zhang Lie activated his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, but they were entirely useless against these ming dogs, who wereposed of me and seemed tock rationality entirely.


    Zhang Lie kicked at the ground, sending ripples of water-attuned gic energy flying around him and snuffing out the mes on the dogs.


    Zhang Lie projected into the environment. He could sense a disaster-grade lifeform''s aura within theva in front of him, but it seemed to simultaneously be spread out throughout the entire river ofva.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!" The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie.


    A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Upon feeling the change in Zhang Lie''s aura, theva began to quake. The mes red.


    Zhang Lie pressed both palms t on the ground, then leapt forward like a tiger, evading the flood of mes.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" The [Fists of the Silent Sea] formed a fist inbination with the ck serpent form and a mallet with the golden tiger. The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystal, spinning so quickly it cut apart theva like a de.


    Lava sprayed out from the river, which suddenly turned turbulent.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space. They tore apart space and sky, shooting into the river ofva like raindrops in a thunderstorm and sprayingva all over.


    Theva became turbid and rotated quickly, gathering and clumping together to form a giganticva dragon that opened its maw and bit forward. It was the manifestation of the entire river ofva, and its jaws wererge enough to fit a hundred Zhang Lies within them.


    Zhang Lie saw through the artifice immediately. Theva dragon was nothing more than a construct, not a disaster-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards. Red fur grew out of his skin, and dragon scales covered his limbs. Dragon horns emerged from his forehead, and his aura was immediately magnified.


    A blood hurricane manifested, sending hot wind blowing all over. Zhang Lie''s ws swiped at theva dragon and tore it apart. The ground shook asva spread madly across it and formed countless moreva dragons.


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals floated around his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" As he cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing theva to quake. The next moment, they shot out through his fists, their trajectories criss-crossing over theva, beautiful and striking even as they pierced through theva dragons and sunk into the river ofva.


    The entire world seemed to be quaking, as though the river ofva was roaring in rage. Huge quantities ofva flowed down the river like a flood, filling the entire underground space.


    Zhang Lie summoned the sword Guicang, splitting the space before him into two pieces and shielding himself from the impending attack. None of theva was able to hurt Zhang Lie at all.


    A beam of light shone down from above, as though a deity of the sword was descending to the mortal realms. A torrent of water-attuned gic energy exploded forth from Zhang Lie, and a ferocious shark was manifesting behind his back.


    As water-attuned gic energy rotated around his body and formed a miniature cyclone, the de Guicang seemed to reflect the boundless ocean.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" The ferocious shark shot forward into the depths of theva, sending steam hissing into the air on impact. Zhang Lie''s water-attuned gic energy blocked the steam from his body.


    As the river ofva dried up, the form of ava smander was finally revealed. It was massive and formed from what seemed to be free-flowingva, radiating such heat in its vicinity that it would melt even the sturdiest metal.


    Zhang Lie activated his mistmeld m soulshard again, but it didn''t have the desired impact. The disaster-grade smander opened its maw and shot out a flood of crimsonva.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    At the same time, Zhang Lie''s gic energy changed attunement again.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it. The impossibly hot undergroundyer suddenly cooled down. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood...


    .

 Chapter 832: Cleaning Up the Threats

    <h4>Chapter 832: Cleaning Up the Threats</h4>


    .


    The river of ck serpents swallowed up the redva on impact; it was hardly a fight. The ck serpents then demolished everything in their path and drenched theva smander. Theva exploded, destroying the ck serpents¡ªthe smander had self-destructed its outer shell.


    After doing so, the smander revealed its red ruby-like body. Its actual body was far smaller in size; itsva exterior was more like armor that was formed from its excellentva-maniption abilities.


    The smander''s true body was only as tall as a regr human, far smaller than the humongous creature that had been formed out ofva. ?The difference in size made its true body look rather cute, so much so that Zhang Lie was tempted to keep it like a pet, but he quashed that impulse near-immediately. He had to avoid being fooled by the smander''s cute exterior appearance¡ªit was still a disaster-grade lifeform, after all.


    The heat that its red ruby-like exterior exuded was over ten times hotter thanva. The moment Zhang Lie thought the true fight was about to begin, the disaster-grade smander croaked twice. Its eyes leaked outva as though they were tears, and it turned tail and burrowed into the magma.


    Zhang Lie sliced forward, but the smander was so far that all Zhang Lie managed to cut off was a quivering red ruby tail.


    Given the regenerative abilities of disaster-grade lifeforms, it would be able to regrow its tail in the blink of an eye.


    "I won''t let you escape so easily! [Rune: Float]!" With a thought, the image of a dragontutle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and the runic tablet of anti-gravity appeared above the hole that the smander had dug.


    ck ripples emanated from the gravity-altering tablet, and ancient runes in an unknownnguage appeared on it. The disaster-grade smander continued to scrabble in the ground, but it felt a force that relentlessly pulled it up and impeded its motion¡ªand for Zhang Lie, even a minute dy was enough.


    With a swing of the de Guicang, he bisected the disaster-grade smander.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-gradeva smander. By consuming the core of the disaster-gradeva smander, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie retrieved the disaster-grade core from the smander''s carcass. It was surrounded by scarlet mes and seemed to be filled with moltenva.


    As spatial fluctuations surrounded him, Zhang Lie found himself teleported back to the ck desert, where he absorbed the disaster-grade core. Upon doing so, Zhang Lie felt his power grow once more.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (advanced), Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 80


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie needed only to kill two more disaster-grade lifeforms to max out his disaster gene fragments.


    As spatial fluctuations surrounded him, Zhang Lie returned to the draconian sage''s residence.


    The draconian sage was smiling as he received Zhang Lie. "Do you need some time to rest?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "They were just a few small creatures¡ªI hardly need to rest. We''ll continue!"


    The draconian sage nodded. "I really do admire the endless energy that youth possess..."


    "Come on,e on!"


    "The fourth disaster-grade lifeform is from the greenskins'' world, and was the reason it became a desert. The greenskins'' world had initially been rich and replete with resources, but the explosion of the greenskins'' poption, coupled with the existence of this disaster-grade lifeform, drained what the world could support."


    Zhang Lie frowned. He expected that the disaster-grade lifeform was likely some sort of glutton that fed off of lifeforce or vitality in the vicinity, but his guess waspletely off the mark.


    "The greenskins began to raid other worlds both to get resources and to reduce their poption. In addition to that, wars frequently break out within the greenskins'' world, primarily with this disaster-grade lifeform as their opponent. The greenskins call her the mother of cockroaches, and she possesses a frightening reproductive ability. She''s able to give birth to tons, literal tons, of cockroaches in one go!"


    Zhang Lie''s mouth spasmed. "So you mean you want me to clean up a cockroach infestation?"


    The sage countered, "Not quite. Don''t you want some disaster-grade cores?"


    "Alright," Zhang Lie epted wearily. "I suspect the greenskin king had the ability to deal with this infestation of cockroaches, but that he chose not to do so in order to curb the greenskins'' own growth. The mother of cockroaches might have an insane reproductive ability, but I can''t imagine the greenskins had it much worse."


    The greenskin king had likely left the mother of cockroaches around as a threat in order to refine the next generation of greenskin warriors.


    Zhang Lie asked, "It''ll be easy for me to get rid of the mother of cockroaches, but how will we curb the number of greenskins afterwards?"


    The sage replied, "You don''t have to worry about that. The draconians'' world isn''t like the greenskins'' world from before. Our world now has thebinedndmass of nine medium-sized worlds, and we have far more resources than the greenskins'' world ever did. We''d be able to support three greenskin races, not just one. What''s more, aren''t you all still expanding into other worlds?"


    The draconian world, unlike its medium-sized self just a few weeks ago, now had more than enough resources to support even the greenskins.


    "Even if you didn''t have an invasion n, I would have made my own move at some point. The draconian world doesn''t need any chaff around."


    Zhang Lie guessed, "Were you nning to take advantage of the greenskins?"


    "Yes, I was¡ªthey need the training. Now that the nine worlds havebined, all the alien races in the draconian world are all to be considered native inhabitants, and I''ll need to be looking out for everyone even if they don''t belong to my n."


    "Oh? You are magnanimous, after all. Teleport me over, then!" Zhang Lie requested.


    With a wave of the draconian sage''s hand, Zhang Lie found himself surrounded by spatial fluctuations. The next moment, he found himself in a desert, one filled with huge ck cockroaches crawling all around him.


    Each cockroach looked fierce and was about as tall as a human. The moment they saw Zhang Lie, they began pping their wings madly. Their probosces leaked with unusual clear fluid, and their bodies emitted a vile, terrible stench.


    Upon seeing these disgusting cockroaches, Zhang Lie didn''t even bother with his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard. He sensed the disaster-grade lifeform underground and chose to attack with brute force.


    As he clenched his fists, blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave manifested in the air. The fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging through the desert...

 Chapter 833: Mother of Cockroaches

    <h4>Chapter 833: Mother of Cockroaches</h4>


    As the frightening wave of energy struck the sand, the ground began to crack and splinter. Blue water-attuned gic energy raged like a storm, sending huge swathes of sand and boulders into the air.


    A huge wave of energy swamped the desert, sending the ck cockroaches flying into the air, where their bodies were annihted.


    As though Zhang Lie had opened a portal to hell,rge swarms of cockroaches were sent into the air in a ck tide, provoking a visceral sense of disgust.


    The ck cockroaches released a dark yellow fluid as they were cut apart by the gic energy, and a vile stench emanated from their carcasses.


    Like a voracious beast, the blue gic energy devoured all life nearby. None of the cockroaches were spared. The ground broke apart,yer byyer, as cockroaches were sucked out of its interior and destroyed amidst ocean-blue energy that reminded one of ocean waves.


    This was a disaster for the cockroaches, a race with arger quantity of lifeforms than Zhang Lie had ever seen to date. Zhang Lie''s punch had been intended for the disaster-grade gic lifeform underground, but it had actually struck directly at the cockroaches'' burrow.


    Of course, Zhang Lie could sense the lifeforce that was teeming underground, but the visual impact of all that life was astounding.


    Even Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea] wasn''t able to clear out all the cockroaches. More and more began pouring out from the ground¡ªsuch was the might of a race that could devour and deplete all the resources of a rich, bountiful world.


    The cockroaches weren''t fully responsible, but they certainly yed an important role in this achievement. They continued pouring out from underground, as though a ck flood was overwhelming thend.


    From the center of the cockroaches, Zhang Lie could sense a disaster-grade aura. A titanic w emerged from underground, as sharp as a scythe, but Zhang Lie attacked before the lifeform could.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!" The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals, which shot out with Zhang Lie''s attack. They tore apart the sky as they pierced through the endless waves of cockroaches and prated the interior of the disaster-grade mother of cockroaches.


    An ear-splitting screech could be heard from the hole in the ground that Zhang Lie had created. The screech was so shrill that it distorted the air, and the weakest of the cockroaches froze stiff and fell to the ground like drops of rain. However, even more swarmed up and took their ce.


    As the ck scythe-like appendix began to fall toward Zhang Lie, he shot a nce at it. The golden tiger behind Zhang Lie made a move then, swiping its ws and cutting the appendix in two.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers,bining water-attuned gic energy and spatial fluctuations into potent silver beams that could pierce through anything.


    They tore apart the waves of cockroaches, exterminating them as though they were made of premium insecticide.


    Within moments, cockroach carcasses filled the ground. The disaster-grade mother of cockroaches had no choice but to step out herself, emerging from amidst a veritable mountain of carcasses.


    Her humongous body made her look like a skyscraper. She was at least fifty meters tall, and like a centipede, her body was segmented. Each segment was engorged, and the visual impact of her body alone was stunning.


    The leg that Zhang Lie had chopped off had already regrown, and dozens of scythe-like legs came sweeping toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him. The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight.


    After that, all the legs of the mother of cockroaches were suddenly cut off.


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals manifested around his body like silvery-white starlight, glimmering in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" As he cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing theva to quake. Their bodies were translucent, and they gave off light in all the colors of the rainbow as the sunlight struck them. They roared into the air, causing the entire world to quake.


    The dragons shot out through Zhang Lie''s right arm, hundreds of them in all, criss-crossing in the sky. Their silvery-white scales, like angels'' feathers, covered up the entire sky and turned it into a sea through which the crystalline dragons swam.


    The disaster-grade mother of cockroaches was unable to handle theirbined might. Her body was torn apart by dragon after dragon, until she was nothing more than pulp.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade mother of cockroaches. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade mother of cockroaches, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The cockroaches'' bodies were crushed by the impact of the mother of cockroaches falling to the ground.


    Despite her ''death'', the mother of cockroaches continued to squirm and struggle. She clung stubbornly to life, devouring all the carcasses around her, but her body had been torn apart sopletely that any recovery she hoped to achieve proceeded at a cial pace.


    This was the first time Zhang Lie had seen a lifeform with such vitality.


    Ordinary disaster-grade lifeforms would perish the moment their cores left their bodies, but the mother of cockroaches seemed to be the exception that proved the rule.


    The disaster-grade core was located right in the center of the disgusting ck mess, and Zhang Lie honestly didn''t want to dig through it to im the core for himself. However, it would be difficult to get to it via any other means; even a king of the realm''s authority over space would be hard-pressed to im such a core outright.


    There were very many lifeforms in the region, but superior- and lower-grade lifeforms were unable to touch a disaster-grade core, nor even to get close. For instance, using the disaster-gradeva smander''s core as an example, a superior-grade lifeform that drew close to it would be burned to death before being able toy a single hand on it.


    It wouldn''t be too difficult to find peak-grade lifeforms around thanks to the draconian sage''s authority, but Zhang Lie had a better choice.

 Chapter 834: Phoenix in White

    <h4>Chapter 834: Phoenix in White</h4>


    "Sage, please send me to Red Comet, the disaster-grade lifeform I brought here with me!"


    The sage had been paying attention to Zhang Lie''s actions. The moment he heard Zhang Lie''s request, Zhang Lie was surrounded by spatial fluctuations.


    Red Comet and another disaster-grade lifeform had remained in the draconian world all this time as Zhang Lie''s mounts and brawlers. Except for Zhang Lie, no one couldmand them.


    Zhang Lie''s sudden appearance startled Red Comet, but it quickly recovered and nuzzled against the side of Zhang Lie''s body.


    Zhang Lie patted Red Comet and jumped up onto it. "Bring me to the desert region where the mother of cockroaches has fallen. Help me retrieve the disaster-grade core within."


    Red Comet pped its wings and shot forward like a beam of light. As a disaster-grade lifeform that focused on speed, its base movement speed wasparable to Zhang Lie''s. If it were to activate its domain, it would be able to move so quickly that it could eclipse even Zhang Lie. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, it had already appeared within the desert.


    However, by then, the mother of cockroaches'' body had already begun reforming into crystalline chunks that pulsed as though controlled by some heartbeat or another, or as though something were gestating in its midst...


    Zhang Lie had no intention to allow the mother of cockroaches to recover. He struck with a snort, sending a tidal wave of water-attuned gic energy toward it. A violent shark appeared from behind Zhang Lie''s body as the energy circled around his body and condensed by his index finger.


    As Zhang Lie pointed that finger toward the pulsing tumors, the violent shark shot forward, opening its bloody maws wide and revealing row after row of ferocious teeth. It bit apart the tumors, allowing some unidentified object to fly out and flee. With its incredible speed, Red Comet caught it easily, shing it apart with a scythe-like appendage.


    The gestating object was a small cockroach, the heart of whose body was the mother of cockroaches'' disaster-grade core.


    Arge group of mysterious ck dots pulsated and squirmed within the pitch-ck core, like small tadpoles but somehow far more sinister. It was shrouded by a dark aura. As Zhang Lie reached out toward it, water-attuned gic energy wrapped around it and brought it back to Zhang Lie''s palm.


    Zhang Lie shuddered at the strange way it felt in his palm, then turned to Red Comet. "Good job. You can return to the draconian world now¡ªI''m going to be absorbing this disaster-grade core."


    Red Comet nodded obediently.


    "Sage, to the ck desert!" Once again, spatial fluctuations surrounded Zhang Lie, and he reappeared within the ck desert. After he absorbed yet another disaster-grade core, his disaster gene fragments reached a critical threshold.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (advanced), Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 90


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Just one more disaster-grade core would be sufficient for Zhang Lie to max out his disaster gene fragments.


    After he finished the absorption process, the sage sent him back to his residence, whereupon he provided Zhang Lie with information about the final disaster-grade lifeform in the newlybined world.


    "Thest disaster-grade lifeform is originally from the ckwind world. The Chinese parasol forest within was half-destroyed because of a battle between the king of the realm and another man whom we shall not here name."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do you intend to me this on me?"


    Zhang Lie had no intention of acknowledging responsibility: the forest had been burned down by the ckwind king!


    "The disaster-grade lifeform of the forest is apparently from the same ancestor as the ckwind n, and was once on good terms with both the ckwind n and the draconians. I have quite a bit of information on the lifeform: a white phoenix. It has chosen to live in seclusion in the ckwind world, and as far as we know, it''s an ancestor of the ckwind n¡ªor at least the ckwind themselves think so."


    "They think their ancestor is a gic lifeform?" Zhang Lie seemed astounded. "Are they crazy?"


    "I''m not familiar with the details, but ording to the ckwind n, their n arose as a result of one of their forefathers coupling with the white phoenix..."


    Zhang Lie seemed unsettled by the idea. "The ckwind might consider themselves mongrels, but I''ll hardly subscribe to the idea."


    If that disaster-grade lifeform were truly an ancestor of the ckwind n, why didn''t the white phoenix help them when Zhang Lie was ughtering them all?


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Send me over. It doesn''t matter what connection it has with the ckwind n."


    With a wave of a hand, the draconian sage wrapped Zhang Lie up in spatial energy and whisked him away. The next moment, he appeared in the Chinese parasol forest.


    This was the site of the battle between the ckwind king and Zhang Lie. After the battle, arge swathe of trees had been uprooted where they stood, and the ckwind king had even burned much of the forest down.


    Fortunately, about half the trees still remained. The draconian sage sent Zhang Lie to thergest remaining tree in the forest.


    Zhang Lie nced around him. "Where''s this supposed white phoenix? I don''t sense any disaster-grade aura at all..."


    Was the sage mistaken? Had he made a mistake after chauffeuring Zhang Lie around for so long? That was impossible¡ªthe authority of the king of the realm should have perfect control over iing and outgoing teleportation.


    Zhang Lie nced all around him in search of something amiss before his gaze finallynded on the crown of the tree.


    "What an interesting hiding technique..." Atop the highest branches of thergest Chinese parasol tree was a gigantic translucent egg. "Even spiritual perception can''t sense it, let alone visual perception."


    Visual stealth alone would do nothing against Zhang Lie; what really mattered was spiritual stealth. This effect wasparable to Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard¡ªno, it was even better.


    The mistmeld m''s soulshard was only able to hypnotize a target, while the egg affected the target''s spiritual senses directly. If not for Zhang Lie''s remarkable spiritual integrity and his belief in the draconian sage''s abilities, he might well have been fooled.


    "Looks like it''s still asleep..." Zhang Lie smirked. He clenched a fist tightly as spatial fluctuations gathered around it. Blue gic energy condensed around Zhang Lie''s arms, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "...perfect timing for me to strike, then."

 Chapter 835: Black Hole

    <h4>Chapter 835: ck Hole</h4>


    As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, a whirlpool of energy formed around him, around the entirety of the forest. ck leaves began to fall from their branches as the gic energy overwhelmed the air, spinning so quickly that it made the remaining trees in the forest swerve and bend.


    The giant fish in the air swam and waved its fins, marshaling the wind and clouds in the sky.


    The remarkable surge in energy that resulted from Zhang Lie''s attack startled the translucent egg awake. It shook, and a crack marred its surface¡ªbut it was toote.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie''s attack was ready. Huge gales of wind surrounded him, and giant wavespped the border of the forest. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the settlement.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him.


    Although Zhang Lie had released many such punches before, this was surely the strongest among all his attacks to date. Not only had Zhang Lie charged up a massive attack, he was now at a staggering ny disaster gene fragments, and he was far stronger than before.


    The ocean waves swallowed up the translucent egg as shockwaves surged forth from Zhang Lie, as though a rampaging beast were devouring everything in sight.


    Even the tallest and sturdiest Chinese parasol trees began to crack at the trunk and fall to the ground, sending leaves and splinters of wood through the air. Some of the trees were uprootedpletely and sent flying. An entireyer of dirt was scraped off the ground, and even the air seemed to be charged. Everything in the vicinity was destroyed, swept clean.


    From the air, one could see that a patch of open ground had just been cleared within the forest. The detritus had all been swept against the neighboring trees.


    Despite taking Zhang Lie''s remarkably strong blow head-on, the translucent egg hadn''t yet perished. It burst apart in a flurry of pale white mes, which reached toward the sky and spread apart like a fresh flower. Finally, the mes transformed into a white phoenix.


    The phoenix was surrounded by pale white mes, which produced not physical heat but rather spiritual heat. The mes were almost illusory in nature; at the very least, they couldn''t do much in the physical realm. Instead, in the spiritual realm, they would burn at your very soul.


    Being struck by this sort of me would be no joking matter. No matter how hot physical mes got, Zhang Lie wouldn''t be afraid of them. His vitality and constitution meant that he would easily be able to regenerate and recover from wounds, and he was quite confident of being able to resist intense me. After all, he had killed quite a few disaster-grade lifeforms specializing in exactly that.


    However, this was the first time he had encountered a disaster-grade lifeform that directly attacked the soul, other than the mistmeld m that he had faced way back when.


    If his soul were to be injured, it would take a long time for it to heal properly. After Zhang Lie finished maxing out his disaster gene fragments, he would have to return to the world of the east with Li Qianlin to witness the merger of the worlds of east and west.


    The two worlds wererge even forrge worlds. Despite the battle that Zhang Lie had had with the king of the west, the world of the west was stillrgely intact¡ªor rather, a world of that size was basically impossible to destroy.


    The merger of the worlds of east and west was therefore very likely to create a superior world, and if that were to happen, the other superior worlds likely would make a move. A spiritual injury at this moment would be noughing matter. Zhang Lie would be forced into passivity, into letting things happen without his explicit control.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to treat this fight even more seriously.


    The pale-white phoenix lit up the entire forest in a shade of ghostly white, as though the ck Chinese parasol trees had been bleached of their color. The pale-white phoenix''s wings fluttered, and it looked as though it were the lord of this ghostly domain. mes continued to ze in the air.


    As it cried out, it swooped down at Zhang Lie, bringing huge clouds of pale-white me with it.


    Zhang Lie countered with a tidal wave of water-attuned gic energy. A fierce shark appeared from behind Zhang Lie as gic energy gathered around him, condensing by his index finger in the form of a small whirlpool.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" As Zhang Lie pointed that finger toward the phoenix, the fierce shark shot forward, opening its bloody maws wide and revealing row after row of ferocious teeth. It smashed into the white phoenix, causing steam to rise into the air, and bit off one of the phoenix''s wings. However, Zhang Lie''s water-attuned energy wasn''t able to snuff out the mes.


    The pale-white mes glowed brightly as they burst apart in the shark''s stomach. Fire poured out of its mouth and lit it ame. The shark perished under the mes'' onught.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Looks like I''ve underestimated this phoenix. Not only do these mes target the soul, they even seem to be able to counter water-attuned gic energy."


    In other words, the phoenix''s mes were an ascended, evolved form of ordinary fire. Despite its elemental advantage, it had paid quite a price to counter Zhang Lie''s attack. Its mes, which had originally filled the entire sky, seemed to have shrunk considerably.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The pale-white phoenix and pitch-ck serpent shed together, dividing the sky between ck and white. The phoenix released its pale white mes, while the ck serpent emitted ck mist.


    The two types of energy sizzled as they came in contact with each other.


    The pale-white phoenix swooped down from the sky like a meteorite, trailed by a long stream of white fire. The me trail grew longer and longer, as though the phoenix were a saw that were cutting apart the heavens.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward. The ck serpent shot forth, shing against the phoenix once again.


    Unlike the shark from before, the serpent wasn''t immted from the inside out by the phoenix''s pale-white mes. Instead, the air itself sizzled as they crashed against each other.


    Neither party was about to relent. The pale-white mes tried to devour the ck serpent; the ck serpent corroded and consumed the energy that made up the mes. Both forces pitted themselves against the other fervently. In the end, the phoenix''s mes won out, but at great cost.


    The phoenix''s body reduced in size once again. It sprayed out a mist of white me, covering itself under a smokescreen.


    Zhang Lie transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him. The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot.


    In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the pale-white phoenix...

 Chapter 836: Just One More

    <h4>Chapter 836: Just One More</h4>


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward once more, another ck serpent appeared behind him.


    The moment Zhang Lie struck, however, its scales turned blood-red, and dragon''s horns emerged from its head. In the blink of an eye, it became a dragon of blood that surged forth with Zhang Lie''s punch.


    With frightening, boundless energy, it devoured the pale-white mes, then exploded¡ªnot because of the mes themselves, but because the blood dragon self-destructed, spreading its aura of annihtion in a wide area about him.


    Pitch-ck energy devoured everything in its surroundings like a typhoon. The hovering pale-white mes were sucked in and quickly snuffed out; the dragon''s energy was like a ck hole.


    The pale-white mes tried to resist the ck energy''s incursion, but they never stood a chance. They sumbed to the energy, found themselves devoured, and were banished out of existence.


    The ground splintered and cracked around them, and huge boulders and clumps of dirt were sent flying into the air.


    The ck hole''s massive suction force pulled in even the boulders and dirt, forming a massive storm in the air that spread wider and wider. The next moment, the ck hole suddenly pinched shut and vanished from sight, leaving nothing behind. The mes and energy that were sucked away vanished without a trace.


    As the ck hole vanished, leaving a vacuum in the air, the storm only grew more and more intense. A hemispherical hole was left in the ground.


    Zhang Lie, standing in the eye of the storm, had an ugly expression on his face¡ªbecause as the ck hole vanished, so too did the phoenix''s disaster-grade core. Not only had the energy of annihtion snuffed out the phoenix''s pale-white mes, it had even destabilized space to such an extent that a ck hole formed.


    The ck hole swallowed everything up, including the disaster-grade core. Who knew where the core had gone?


    Zhang Lie turned to the sky and asked, "Sage, do you have a means of reiming the lost core?"


    Space shifted once more, and Zhang Lie found himself back in the draconian sage''s residence.


    The sage shrugged. "You shouldn''t have released such an attack without having foreseen the consequences."


    Zhang Lie cried out in exasperation, "The disaster-grade lifeform was too weak¡ªit couldn''t even survive that one attack!"


    The sage rolled his eyes. "And just how many disaster-grade lifeforms do you think could have achieved such a feat?"


    Even kings of the realm would have been hard-pressed to do so, let alone mere disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is there a way to reim it?"


    The sage shrugged again. "To be honest, I don''t know where the core is, either. I can''t locate it with my senses¡ªit''s been removed from the world entirely."


    Zhang Lie sighed, but he wasn''t too disappointed. Killing disaster-grade lifeforms wasn''t a particrly difficult task for him. Whereas others had to group up and scheme to barely manage such a kill, Zhang Lie had dealt with five in a row without any rest except to absorb their disaster-grade cores.


    Furthermore, he had aplished all that within three days.


    "Are there any more disaster-grade lifeforms in the vicinity?"


    The sage rolled his eyes once again. "Do you think that disaster-grade lifeforms are like radishes, that they''re everywhere to be found? An ordinary medium-sized world only tends to have one or two disaster-grade lifeforms. When the nine worlds merged together, the original disaster-grade lifeforms in the draconian world were killed by your warlords."


    The world of the dark spirits could not sustain any native life, not even nts, let alone disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The demons'' world had one or two disaster-grade lifeforms to begin with, but the primordial demon had transformed them all into demons. That world only consisted of nts, poisonous bugs, and demons.


    The devil trees'' world also had a disaster-grade lifeform, but it was killed when Sun Mengmeng set the entire forest aze.


    In the end, Zhang Lie was missing just ten disaster gene fragments, a particrly annoying gap.


    There were surely a great deal of post-peak-grade lifeforms in the upgraded draconians'' world, but it would take quite some time to develop them into disaster-grade lifeforms. Zhang Lie was going to leave for the world of the east with Li Qianlin in two days, and he didn''t have the time to spare.


    "Right, I still have the proof of kingship from a medium-sized world in my possession..." Zhang Lie retrieved a scepter of bone from his soulspace, the proof of kingship of the Mengtai world. The Mengtai world wasn''t among the eight worlds neighboring the draconian world, so Zhang Lie had forgotten about it.


    The sage nced at the proof of kingship curiously. "You want me to merge this world with the draconians'' world and see if there are any disaster-grade lifeforms within?"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    The draconian sage didn''t refuse. He sent an announcement to all the humans and draconians in the world, informing them of the uing merger and shocking them all. How long had it been since the nine-world merger? The original inhabitants hadn''t even managed to get used to the changes yet, and another one was alreadying.


    The Milky Way''s forces were moving far too rapidly¡­ Were kings of the realm so easy to kill? Weren''t they the peak of their respective worlds?


    The draconian sage initiated the merger of the worlds immediately, without giving the humans and draconians any time to prepare. Given the experience from before, he was certain the humans and draconians could handle the shock.


    A beam of light shot into the air, and the scepter of bone floated up along with it. It morphed into an orb of light and revolved around the pir. The dragon''s scale that the draconian sage was responsible for began to glow with light.


    The entirety of the draconian world began to tremble as the shadow of another world appeared over the horizon, shocking everyone.


    The orb of light floated down toward the dragon''s scale andbined with it.


    All the inhabitants of the world, the draconians, the mammoths, the bearmen, and so on, saw the new world above the horizon, a world that was slowly approaching theirs. As the will of the Mengtai world dissolved into that of the draconians'' world, the draconian sage roared. The dragon''s scale radiated light in ten colors, and the images of ten different worlds shed over it.


    After the merger, the draconian sage''s strength and abilities rose by another level. He still wasn''t fully ustomed to his newfound strength, but was able to use it reasonably effectively.


    The draconian sage closed his eyes. "There is indeed a disaster-grade lifeform in the Mengtai world."


    Zhang Lie grinned.


    The draconian sage continued, "This disaster-grade lifeform is known as Bahamut, the king of beasts. It''s a guardian deity of the Mengtai n, as well as the beast that will ultimately destroy the world during an apocalypse."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his palms. "No need for all these stories. Send me over!"


    With a wave of a hand, the draconian sage wrapped Zhang Lie up in spatial energy and whisked him away. Zhang Lie found himself before a gigantic mountain range, one which gave off the aura of a disaster-grade lifeform.


    He was certain that Bahamut had to be within...

 Chapter 837: Worldshaker

    <h4>Chapter 837: Worldshaker</h4>


    Zhang Lie didn''t have time to slowly and leisurely hunt down disaster-grade lifeforms. As he clenched his fists, blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura in the rapidly darkening skies. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging forth.


    The ocean waves swallowed up the entire mountain range as shockwaves surged forth from Zhang Lie, as though a rampaging beast were devouring everything in sight.


    Zhang Lie found that he was mistaken. There was no disaster-grade lifeform within the mountain range¡ªthe mountain range itself was the lifeform.


    Amidst billowing clouds of smoke, a gigantic figure suddenly made itself known. It roared so loudly into the skies that the entire world seemed to tremble. A gale blew away the smoke that had diffused into the air.


    Its head was that of a hippopotamus, its limbs those of a lion, its back and tail those of a crocodile. Its tail was as straight as a log, its muscles bunched up like rocks. It opened its maw wide, so wide it seemed as though it could swallow up an entire mountain, and swiped forward with its long ws. Zhang Lie was forced to dodge.


    The ws rent the space behind Zhang Lie for thousands of miles, cutting apart the mountain thaty behind him.


    Zhang Lie punched forward with his fists, forming a hurricane with his gic energy. Bahamut suddenly sucked all that energy into his ck hole of a mouth, consuming Zhang Lie''s pale blue gic energypletely.


    To think there would be a disaster-grade lifeform able to swallow up his whole attack without suffering any side effects...


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!" The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. It looked somehow metallic, as though it were constructed straight out of gold, and a pair of ded wings formed twin mountains on its back.


    Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles. His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    "Let''s see what else you can suck into your mouth! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals, which shot out with Zhang Lie''s attack. They tore apart the sky as they prated space.


    Bahamut opened its maw wide once more, sucking up the silver crystals¡ªwhich pierced straight through its head. It was unable to break down Zhang Lie''s attack in time.


    "As I predicted!"


    The reason Bahamut was able to swallow its opponents'' attacks had to be because of the unusual biology of its body or its disaster-grade domain. Unlike other disaster-grade lifeforms, its domain wasn''t something that could be imposed on its environment, but was rather something that activated within its body.


    Zhang Lie suspected that Bahamut''s domain was something like a ck hole hidden in its stomach, allowing it to consume its opponents'' attacks without damaging its body.


    However, no domain was invincible. Just like how Zhang Lie had managed to break apart the bearman deity''s domain of sharpness with condensed sword energy, his golden tiger transformation''s prating attacks would be the worst match for Bahamut''s domain.


    Bahamut itself was very surprised: this was the first time it had encountered an enemy whose attacks it wasn''t able to consume.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers,bining water-attuned gic energy and spatial fluctuations into potent silver beams that could pierce through anything.


    The silver light shot toward Bahamut like raindrops in a storm. Realizing that it wouldn''t be able to absorb these attacks, Bahamut swiped at the beams with its ws.


    The golden tiger''s attacks boasted such fearsome prating power that Bahamut found it difficult to counter them. The silver beams left scars and long streaks of wounds along his body. After the bombardment, Bahamut''s body was shot through with holes. Only the vitality of a disaster-grade lifeform allowed it to remain standing.


    Taking advantage of his foe''s weakness, Zhang Lie transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight and appeared in front of Bahamut''s body. His ws rent at the sky, at the void. Bahamut matched Zhang Lie''s ws with its own, sorge Zhang Lie''s ws looked like toothpicks inparison. Physically, it seemed impossible that Zhang Lie''s ws would be able to affect Bahamut''s, but it was Bahamut who ended up yielding under the blow.


    "It''s over!" Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals manifested around his body like silvery-white starlight, glimmering in the air. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    As he cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing theva to quake. Their bodies were translucent, and they gave off light in all the colors of the rainbow as the sunlight struck them.


    They roared into the air, causing the entire world to quake. The next moment, they shot out through his fists, hundreds of them in all, criss-crossing in the sky. Their silvery-white scales, like angels'' feathers, covered up the entire sky and turned it into a sea through which the crystalline dragons swam.


    The silver dragons annihted Bahamut, leaving only crystalline fragments on the ground where it once rested, along with a sparkling disaster-grade core. The ck disaster-grade core seemed to harbor a humongous ck hole that sucked everything nearby into it.


    Zhang Lie picked up the core, found himself surrounded by spatial fluctuations, and vanished from the spot.


    The next moment, he appeared in the ck desert and began absorbing hisst disaster-grade core with undisguised anticipation.


    Subsequently, a frightening burst of energy shook the entirety of the draconian world.


    Humans, draconians, and other races alike all looked toward the ck desert that hadbined with the draconian world. White clouds spiraled overhead; the stars shone and glimmered with sudden brightness. All life in the world could feel that some unusual disturbance was happening right then and there.


    The moment Zhang Lie capped his disaster gene fragments, energy began swelling from him. The draconian sage tried to suppress the energy, but he found that he was unable to do even that despite being the king of the realm of this world. All he could do was to transfer the energy into outer space, but even that became problematic...

 Chapter 838: Zhang Lies Metamorphosis

    <h4>Chapter 838: Zhang Lie''s Metamorphosis</h4>


    If the waves of energy that Zhang Lie were giving off were not contained, they would immediately destabilize the draconian world, which had just been merged with nine others.


    As a result, the draconian sage had no choice but to deal with this energy one way or another. After he transferred it all to outer space, hundreds of neighboring worlds around the draconian world began to quake, and even the shockwaves from that energy proved challenging for the kings of the realm all around to deal with.


    Who knew what had happened?


    Themotion was so massive that it drew the attention of the champions of all three thousand worlds, and even that of the superior worlds.


    The kings of the realm of the superior worlds all nced toward the draconian world at once.


    One such king was located within a dark tomb,rge and spacious, more ornate than even the pces of kings ofrge worlds, in a chamber surrounded by eighteen pirs lit by pale blue me.


    If Fang Yi were present, he would recognize that this tomb seemed much like the base of the inverted pyramid that he had witnessed during Zhang Lie''s trial.


    The walls of the tomb were inscribed with hieroglyphs whose meaning had been lost to time, covering the floorboards, pirs, and ceiling. A ckgold coffiny in the center of the tomb, and its lid was slowly disced.


    ck bandages gushed out of the coffin like appendages, tens of thousands of them squirming within the darkness of the coffin, as though millions of lifeforms had been stuffed into this dark coffin and subsequently amalgamated by some dark technique. A pair of blood-red eyes lit up, and an ancient, hoarse voice echoed in the chamber.


    "I feel a source of miraculous strength, stronger than even the will of superior worlds, of the will of the third realm itself! A perfect meal has finally appeared after so long..."


    In a world filled with blood, a fierce-looking man rolled out of bed, on which was syed arge number of aliens from various races, some whose bodies were made of granite, of steel, of fire. All these aliens were naked, with unknown fluid covering the lower half of their bodies.


    The fierce-looking man nced up at the sky, in the direction of the draconian world.


    "An existence stronger than even a superior king of the realm has just been born..."


    If Zhang Lie were present, he would immediately notice some simrity between the fierce-looking man and the sura of the second realm.


    In another world, gloomy and dreary, with light showers of rain so fine they hung like mist in the air, unusual ck nts grew out of the ground, tendrils squirming amidst a sea of bones of dposing lifeforms, moving in the direction of the draconian world...


    Ten suns hung in yet another world, the hard, baked earth burning with scarlet, hellish mes. An existence glowing like a sunnded on a golden mulberry tree, one sorge that thergest tree of the devil trees'' world was nothing but an ant inparison. The glowing existence who had stopped there quietly turned its head toward the draconian world.


    In a world where everything aged and rotted away, with a dark, dreary wind that aged everything it touched, no lifeform should have been able to survive¡ªand yet a species did, and it managed to thrive.


    A species that could make such a hellish habitat its home had to be extraordinary, and extraordinarily dangerous besides.


    The timerot species of this world of decay, and the hellspawn species of that world of hellfire, were both species that had mastered the superior worlds that were their home.


    The remarkable environment in which they grew, that prevented other species from invading their worlds, allowed them enough time and opportunity to develop and nurture unusual abilities that derived from their environment.


    They became nightmares for their neighboring worlds, allowing them to stand at the top of the three thousand worlds, existences that no other species could ignore.


    A pitch-ck creature climbed out of an ancient graveyard, morphed into a chilling wind, and flew toward the draconian world.


    In a world covered by permafrost many times over, so cold that even ten suns in concert wouldn''t be able to affect the surroundings, so cold that even time slowed to a crawl, so cold that even the mammoths'' world would be an oven inparison, a world whose temperature was infinitesimally above absolute zero, deep within the ice, the king of the realm of that frozen world sensed the disturbance in the draconian world.


    The species that governed this world of frost were special existences known as frostsouls.


    The king of the realmmanded, "Identify the source of this disturbance. If it''s a threat to us, deal with it immediately."


    A frostsoul rushed out of the ice and vanished by the horizon, headed for the draconian world.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie had finally maxed out his disaster gene fragments, and he felt strength surging from his body beyond what he had ever experienced. His [Ninecarp Transformation] finally evolved once again, and the various transformations it entailed grew even stronger.


    While Zhang Lie''s gic energy was still nominally water-attuned, that energy was charged with the potential to change and manifest into different forms.


    As a fish, that energy took on a boundless volume; as a serpent, it became corrosive; as a tiger, it turned into sharp, piercing ice; as a dragonturtle, it grew heavy and substantive; as a qilin, it became fiery and scorching; as a river dragon, it invoked the authority of heaven.


    In other words, Zhang Lie was able to substantially change the characteristics of his gic energy, and was now even able to simultaneously merge two transformations together. He was therefore able to counter any of his opponents on a fundamental level and dramatically change his fighting style from moment to moment.


    Compared to before, Zhang Lie''sbat ability had grown by leaps and bounds.


    He nced all around him, only to see that the sand that had formed the ck desert had all evaporated. Instead, the ground was filled with ck-coloredva, so hot it was distorting the air. He... might have made argermotion than he was expecting.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t mind. After all, the draconian sage was supervising his motions, and the sage would be able to avoid disaster. Zhang Lie stepped forward and vanished from the spot. The space before him tore apart like rice paper.


    The next moment, he appeared directly before the draconian sage.


    After maxing out his disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie was able to rend space with brute force, allowing him to teleport himself even without the draconian sage''s assistance, to anywhere in the draconian world he had been before.

 Chapter 839: Preparations for the Merger

    <h4>Chapter 839: Preparations for the Merger</h4>


    The draconian sage chastised Zhang Lie, "Don''t just distort space like that¡ªrestoring that torn space will cost valuable energy! The draconian world doesn''t have much energy left after its merger and subsequent evolution, so if you keep doing this, it''ll be very difficult for me."


    Much of the draconian world''s hoarded energy had gone into restoring the half-dead world of ck sand, as well as the two worlds whose proofs of kingship had cracked, during the merger. It didn''t have a significant supply of energy left.


    "Call me whenever you need to be transported, but don''t just tear apart space like that!"


    Only Zhang Lie had the privilege of making arge world''s king of the realm his dedicated chauffeur¡ªand it was the king who had made such an offer, too.


    The draconian sage continued, "You never mentioned that you would release so much energy after absorbing all these disaster-grade cores! Couldn''t you have warned me before destroying the ck desert?"


    "I didn''t know I would have caused such argemotion, either..."


    The draconian sage sighed. "Fortunately, I sent you to the ck desert. If you had made such a mess anywhere else in the world, I would have choked you to death on the spot!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Would you be able to manage such a feat?"


    The draconian sage fell silent. Even after bing the king of the realm of arge world, the draconian sage wasn''t confident that he would be able to defeat Zhang Lie at all.


    "Scram!" The draconian sage scowled, waving his hands madly at Zhang Lie.


    After Zhang Lie left, he rested for a night before setting off the next morning with Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing.


    With Zhang Lie''s strength and speed, it would only take a blink of an eye for him to transport them all to the world of the east, but this was a rare opportunity for him to spend some time alone with Li Qianlin, and to cultivate their feelings for each other. He wasn''t about to give up on such an opportunity.


    He summoned Red Comet and the disaster-grade rainbow-scaled dragon which carried a pce on its back. Zhang Liemanded the dragon to slow down rather than to fly at its fastest speed.


    Li Qianlin was no idiot. She noticed what was going on, but she didn''t expose Zhang Lie. After heading to the draconian world, she hadn''t been able to spend time privately with Zhang Lie at all, nor even have a private conversation with him.


    There was still some time until the merger ceremony, and speed wasn''t of the essence, so there was no rush, either.


    The king of the west''s dragon and pce was luxurious indeed. Zhang Lie enjoyed his amodations in the pce surrounded by two beauties. The group, taking their time to return to the world of the east, enjoyed five days'' worth of scenery before they finally arrived.


    The moment Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin arrived in the world of the east, the king of the realm noticed them instantly. They brought such arge disaster-grade lifeform with them that even a fool would notice the disturbance, let alone the king himself. He appeared in front of the disaster-grade lifeform as Zhang Lie, Li Qianlin, and Dong Mingxing left the pce.


    Zhang Lie waved at the king. "Long time no see, father-inw!"


    Li Zongming nodded politely. "Goodd. I wee you to witness the merger of east and west."


    He turned to his daughter, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "Wee back, Qianlin."


    Li Qianlin smiled at her father. "I''m back."


    He urged, "Go on, go prepare. You''re my daughter, the princess of the east, and you have to stand by my side during the ceremony now that the two worlds are finally merging once more."


    Li Qianlin nodded, waved to Zhang Lie, and left with Dong Mingxing.


    The king continued, "Zhang Lie, I think you had better leave the disaster-grade lifeform by the foot of the mountain. Don''t scare the other guests."


    Only then did Zhang Lie notice that the appearance of the rainbow-scaled dragon was shocking the other aliens entering the world through the wormhole. Zhang Lie nodded, then set off with the dragon.


    Li Zongming asked him, "How is your rtionship with my daughter progressing?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean, how far have the two of you gone?"


    "It''s... going well, I suppose?"


    Li Zongming frowned. "What do you mean, ''you suppose''? Either it''s going well or not!"


    "I think, well, haha, how are preparations for the merger?" Zhang Lie hurriedly changed the topic upon sensing Li Zongming''s re.


    Li Zongming sighed. "As well as I might hope. Parts of the western world mounted a resistance against me, but I managed to suppress it."


    The reason that Li Zongming had waited so long even after obtaining the proof of kingship was because there were still elements in the west with power of their own.


    However,pared to the power a king of the realm of arge world could bring to bear, their resistance was fruitless. They were annoying simply because they could appear at any moment and didn''t have a consolidated base of power. Thus, Li Zongming had to expend great effort to deal with them.


    After all, he couldn''t simply ughter his way through the entire world, so he had toe up with methods to suppress and handle the protesters.


    Whenever it seemed as though the western world''s resistance was dying down, rumors of an impending merger caused more resistance to re up, dragging out the process for a prolonged period of time.


    "Has everything finally settled, then?"


    "For the moment, at least. No problems will arise during the course of the ceremony; I can guarantee that much."


    Kings of the realm weren''t infallible, and they couldn''t spend all day surveilling theirnd.


    Of the millions of existences on a world, as numerous as the stars in the sky, the king of the realm would only pay attention to the brightest, the strongest among them, such as Zhang Lie and disaster-grade lifeforms. Anymotion on their part would be transmitted to the king of the realm instantly.


    Ordinary, powerless lifeforms, on the other hand¡ªthe king of the realm didn''t have so much time as to be able to scour through them all for the rabble-rousers among them, who were able to slip through his sight by means of their mediocrity.


    Zhang Lie warned, "Be careful. The worlds of east and west arerge even amongrge worlds, and they could very well form a superior world when merged. The moment that happens, trouble will be afoot."


    Li Zongming nced at him curiously. "You know something?"


    "It''ll take a while for the tworge worlds to merge, and there''s plenty of time for problems to ur."


    Unlike the merger of a few medium-sized worlds, which had taken only a few hours, the merger of a fewrge worlds might take multiple days.


    Li Zongming replied seriously, "I have contingency ns for everything I can think of."


    "What do you know of superior worlds?"


    "They''re the strongest of the three thousand worlds."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Have you heard of other superior worlds beyond the ten?"


    Li Zongming blinked. "Do you mean that there''s a reason there are only ever ten superior worlds among the three thousand?"


    "Did you know that the ten superior worlds call the three thousand worlds a breeding ground?" Zhang Lie countered.


    "You mean to say that the superior worlds will strike the moment the merger happens?"

 Chapter 840: A World of Gloom

    <h4>Chapter 840: A World of Gloom</h4>


    Zhang Lie nodded. "The reason the superior worlds haven''t taken control of all three thousand is because the formation of a superior world will result in an outpouring of the will of the world''s energy. The superior worlds wille to im that energy then."


    "What happens to a world that has its energy consumed?"


    "It perishes. It bes a world devoid of life, where no living lifeforms can tread. However, the goal of these superior worlds isn''t to destroy the three thousand worlds, nor can they do so.


    "After centuries, these worlds will regain their capacity for life, turning into a few dozen or a few hundred smaller worlds. Once these small worlds be inhabited once more, they''ll go to war with each other before eventuallybining into medium-sized worlds, and hence intorge worlds, and finally into superior worlds once more.


    "The moment that happens, the ten superior worlds will destroy it and let the cycle happen anew. In other words, they treat the three thousand worlds like a plot ofnd, one which can be farmed over and over again for resources.


    "This is the truth behind the ten superior worlds."


    Li Zongming had wondered why there were only ever ten superior worlds. He had made a few bold conjectures, but none as bold as the truth, as the cruel and harsh reality that awaited him.


    This wasn''t a war of the worlds; it wasn''t universal conflict. No, they were all actors in a game, a game in which none of them could be winners. Be they small orrge or medium-sized¡ªall these worlds were nothing more than crops to be harvested by superior worlds. The difference was just that some of these crops were immature, some were barely sprouting, and some basically ready for harvest.


    Only now did Li Zongming realize that the struggle between him and the king of the west all these years, for generations in the past, was all because of the pressure exerted by the ten superior worlds.


    A ball of emotion seemed to disgorge itself from his throat. Despite all his struggles, was he nothing more than a pig in a pigpen?


    "A pig, a pig¡ªnothing more than a pig, of course. It''s so horrible it could be nothing but the truth. All these years that I wasted, that I spent for nothing, all these years fattening myself up for ughter¡ªjust what have I been doing?"


    Li Zongming raised his head to the skies andughed a terribleugh. The entire world quavered with the strength of his emotions, and rain poured down from the heavens above.


    Li Zongming''s mood was unconsciously affecting the weather, and everyone present felt a sudden heaviness suffuse the air.


    Li Zongming was able to ept that the worlds had to war with each other; this was naturalw, the means and impetus by which the worlds grew stronger, but the fact that what waited for them all at the apex of their strength was nothing but ughter...?


    After Li Zongming finishedughing, he shook his head wearily, tears in his eyes. "After inheriting the throne, I neglected Qianlin''s mother for the sake of the realm, tending to the world with my utmost care¡ªand for what?!"


    "Are you alright?"


    Zhang Lie could understand the king of the east''s feelings. He had spent his entire life striving to reach the peak of the three thousand worlds, only to discover a harsh truth instead.


    That he hadn''t gone crazy was already testament to his mental fortitude.


    As though he still harbored some hope, Li Zongming asked, "Is this the fate of all superior worlds?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    Li Zongming was about to ask another question when Zhang Lie interrupted, "The superior world that doesn''t treat you like a crop is even worse."


    "Which world?"


    "The world of the death spirits."


    Upon hearing that name, Li Zongming shuddered.


    Zhang Lie continued, "All superior worlds are alike. Nine of the ten worlds treat the three thousand worlds like arablend, and thest one wants to swallow it all up. Why do you think the superior worlds are all trying to stop the death spirits?"


    Li Zongming asked, "What are the superior worlds trying to achieve?"


    As the king of the realm of arge world, Li Zongming did know more than the ordinary person about the goals of the death spirits, but with some misunderstandings about what the other superior worlds were doing in order to prevent the death spirits'' sess.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Surely you don''t think that the superior worlds are defending against the death spirits just out of the kindness of their hearts, in an attempt to protect the realm?"


    Li Zongming replied, "As far as I understand, the superior worlds are preventing the death spirits from invading the realm and absorbing more worlds ceaselessly."


    The death spirits were currently absorbing a few medium-sized and small worlds, as well as the fewrge worlds they could get their hands on without being obstructed by the other superior worlds. If they were allowed to continue growing, however, they would soon set their sights on superior worlds.


    Li Zongming believed that the other superior worlds had banded together to prevent precisely that threat. He had originally believed that the superior worlds were existences worthy of honor and respect, that their strength derived from their long and illustrious existence.


    "Given what you''ve said, it seems like my understanding of these worlds ispletely mistaken."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Let''s say that you know half the story. It''s true that the superior worlds are trying to stop the death spirits, but only because the death spirits would cut into their crop yields otherwise."


    Li Zongming sighed. "To think that even the superior worlds I once honored were such petty, dark existences... how did you even learn of this secret?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "The Milky Way isrge, and our gxy is connected to more than just the three thousand worlds of this realm. It''s hardly a secret to us. Of course, not all lifeforms from the Milky Way know about this information. I''m a rather special existence even among hunters from the Milky Way."


    Li Zongming nodded in understanding. Zhang Lie was making this up; the hundred strongest races of the Milky Way certainly knew about superior worlds, and some among the four prime races might know even more, but no matter what they knew, their information certainly wasn''t asprehensive as Zhang Lie''s...

 Chapter 841: The Stubborn Li Zongming

    <h4>Chapter 841: The Stubborn Li Zongming</h4>


    As a regressor, Zhang Lie was patently familiar with some secrets and rules of superior worlds that had been revealed to him in the past.


    Li Zongming asked, "Just how strong are the superior worlds you know of?"


    "Those aliens that rule over superior worlds are all ancient existences, ones who have lived for tens of thousands of years and have the treasure to show for it. They''ve been reaping world after world, and have since built up a frightening stockpile of energy.


    "The kings of the realm are monsters in their own worlds, and they''re able to make use of all that stored energy at will. The amount of energy they have is directly corrted with their strength."


    Li Zongming, as a king of the realm himself, understood that point. Compared to superior worlds that had been stockpiling energy for millennia since he was even born, the world of the east was nothing more than a child¡ªno, more like an unborn baby.


    "What do you n to do?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Li Zongming sighed. "What wille wille."


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    If Li Zongming wanted the world of the east to advance to the level of a superior world, he would have to face the assault of the other superior worlds sooner orter.


    Only if his world were able to survive that assault would it have the qualifications to be a true superior world, but in tens of thousands of years, no world had ever managed such a feat. The ten original superior worlds had never been defeated or reced.


    Zhang Lie rified, "Do you still intend to continue the merger?"


    "Are you trying to prevent me from doing so?"


    "No: I simply want to prepare you for what''s about to happen."


    "Are you going to help me?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do you really think that highly of me? The opponent''s a superior world!"


    "You will, won''t you?" Li Zongming nced at Zhang Lie seriously.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Do I have any other choice?"


    Li Zongming was Li Qianlin''s father. If Zhang Lie didn''t want to see Li Qianlin upset, he would have to make a move.


    Of course, that was only one among many reasons. In truth, even without Li Qianlin''s presence, Zhang Lie would have been quite interested in breaking through the monopoly that the ten superior worlds had on the realm.


    Li Zongming smiled in relief. "I knew I wasn''t wrong to entrust my daughter to you. If you really can''t hold back the superior worlds'' assault, don''t force yourself to stay and die. Run away with Li Qianlin, as far away as you can."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Don''t say that as though you''re going to die¡ªI won''t allow you to!"


    "Haha, haha! You truly are bold..."


    As Li Zongming raised his head to the skies andughed for real, the gloomy atmosphere and dark clouds dissipated. The world basked in sunlight once more.


    Li Zongming had made up his mind. He wouldn''t be cowardly, not even against superior foes.


    His goal wasn''t to showcase his own talent, but rather to inform the superior worlds that not allrge worlds were pigs or crops to be harvested, that even the superior worlds wouldn''t be able to stop them all.


    Not all kings of the realm could be heroes, but they were each talented.


    At the very least, they were the strongest members of their races in one or more aspects, and they were paragons for their kind.


    Li Zongming could hardly back down just because he would be facing a difficult fight. So what if the superior worlds were stronger than any foe he had faced to date? That was no reason to back down. At worst, he would perish with them.


    The world of the east''s hard work and umted resources would allow them to hold out against the superior worlds'' invasion, he was sure of it.


    The predominant reason for Li Zongming''s courage, however, was that he had never truly experienced the strength of a superior world for himself. From his perspective, a superior world was just a world that wasrger, with a more robust poption and a stronger king.


    The merger ceremony continued without a hitch.


    The world of the east was arge world that had millennia of history, and it was far superior to the draconian world. There weren''t many inhabitants of the draconian world, and the draconian sage only needed a few days of preparation. If the world of the east was a proper kingdom, then the draconian world of the past was little more than a vige. Now, after it hadbined with nine other medium-sized worlds and evolved into arge world, although it still couldn''t hope to match the world of the east''s culture and history, it was at least asrge as a small kingdom. There was no fuss, no pomp, and a minimum of ceremony¡ªbut the world of the east was different.


    There were too many inhabitants in that world, and it would be very problematic if some disaster were to arise during the ceremony.


    Li Zongming also wanted to take advantage of this asion to make his citizens feel as though they were working together to achieve a lofty goal.


    The merger ceremony between the worlds of east and west was to be held at the wormhole that connected the two worlds and the port of the eastern world. On either side of the port were flowers in red and blue. The red flowers were a specialty of the west, and the blue ones that of the east.


    The trees were arrayed with traditional folk attire of the two worlds. The east favored elegance and subtlety; the west, extravagance and lordliness. The trees were arrayed alternatingly in the two worlds'' outfits, as though they represented citizens from the two worlds holding hands, signaling friendship, peace, and prosperity toe.


    Thend within a hundred miles had been locked down and ced under security. This wasn''t something that could be aplished with wealth alone¡ªone needed strong political backing as well.


    The ground had been swept clean, without even a speck of dirt.


    Strong aliens had dispelled the clouds in the air, making the sky shine as brightly as a gemstone. Rays of light from the morning sun struck the mountain in its entirety.


    Outside the cordon, quite a few citizens had gathered.


    "The two worlds really are about tobine! I never thought I would see the day..." Apparently, the strongest champions of the eastern and western realms will put together a show together, too."


    .


    "A historical asion indeed!"


    "It''s a pity we won''t be able to witness it ourselves. The only ones who can make it into the port are the rich and famous."


    "I wonder how those in the west are reacting to this news?"


    "How else could they react? Didn''t you hear about all the unrest?


    It''s not as though they can refuse. Their king was taken down, and ours obtained their proof of kingship. They don''t have the right to refuse!"


    "I have to say, our king is truly ambitious and daring!"


    A red carpet unrolled out of the wormhole, surrounded with flowers on either side that gave off a pleasant scent. Their rich, fragrant blooms lent an air of elegance to this asion.


    As the guests arrived at the scene, the ceremony began in earnest...

 Chapter 842: An Extravagant Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 842: An Extravagant Ceremony</h4>


    All manner of luxury transportation parked by the port: carriages drawn by gic lifeforms, ornate to the extreme, studded with gold and jewels. Each carriage was more extravagant than thest, as though the guests were each trying to outshine the other.


    There were all sorts of lifeforms being used as mounts, but they were uniformly at least superior-grade.


    Guests dressed in traditional eastern and western attire came pouring out, businessmen and politicians all, each influential in their own right. Essentially everyone rich and famous was present, including the nouveau riche of the west.


    After the king of the east Li Zongming took control of the western world, he stripped much of the wealthiest and most influential westerners of theirnd and riches, then distributed them to his supporters.


    Suited attendants passed through the crowds of guests, passing them beverages and exquisite hors d''oeuvres.


    A gigantic stage stood in the middle of the venue, a temporary construction that was nheless as ornate as a pce. Clearly, no expense had been spared for this asion.


    As beasts began to cry out and howl, an imposing authority spread through the sky as two great beasts made their presence known. Antlers shining in all the colors of the rainbow adorned their heads like crowns. Their aura pressed on the guests despite how far away they still were.


    The lifeforms on the ground all lowered their bodies, as though paying respects to those above. They were the size of small cities, and the air shook as they passed through. Their scales glittered with such radiance that even the sun seemed to pale inparison.


    A halo of light shone above their heads. Nine pairs of wings kept them aloft, forming strong winds that buffeted the guests below. The lifeforms seemed to be staring at them with an air of disdainful arrogance.


    "The stars of the show are here," a guest whispered.


    The two beasts carried avish pce between them, resplendent in its wealth. Just a jewel studded on its outer walls wasparable to the total wealth that the average guest possessed.


    As the disaster-grade beasts pped their wings, radiant light shone through the sky, spreading out from them like stardust. They shone as brilliantly as the sun, their gigantic wings covering up the skies, their eyes piercing sun and moon, star and sky.


    The two disaster-grade lifeformsnded on stage as the rainbow light they brought with them spread throughout the venue. The pce they carried between them radiated such light the guests had to shield their eyes. A ck figure appeared from its doors.


    The golden light materialized in the form of stairs. A long sheepskin carpet rolled down the steps, and a rain of flower petals floated down from the top of the pce.


    The first people to step down from the pce were two ck-d bodyguards, one on either side of the stairs, followed by twenty to thirty aliens dressed in suits. They sped their hands behind their backs, standing straight up. As the golden radiance dimmed, the figure of the eastern king, Li Zongming, came into view.


    Thunderous apuse filled the venue.


    Li Zongming extended a hand behind him. "Let''s go, Qianlin."


    A woman of peerless beauty appeared behind him, graceful and lithe, as radiant as a chrysanthemum blooming in the summer heat, as lush as a pine tree whose branches unfurled in a spring breeze, as pure as a rising sun at dawn, as fresh as a lotus flower blooming amidst a patch of verdant green.


    Her shoulders were narrow, her hips slender, her neck a graceful line that revealed her white, perfect skin. Her brows were fine and thin, her lips red and luscious, her teeth as white as ivory. Her eyes shone as bright as stars, and two dimples appeared on her face as she smiled.


    She was graceful and reserved, warm and unassuming, gentle and carefree.


    She dressed in the elegant attire of the east, with exquisite ornaments that magnified her beauty. Gold and silver hairpins studded her fine ck hair, pearls radiant against her skin.


    Her essories and clothing only served to embellish her beauty.


    She walked down the steps with practiced ease, giving off a fragrant scent that didn''t lose out to the flowers around her, her beauty so picturesque that one could get drunk on it. On that day, no one could think of her as anything less than a heavenly maiden.


    The nouveau riche of the west felt their hearts beating out of their chests. "She''s too beautiful¡ªI''m in love!"


    "I heard that the princess of the east was a radiant beauty, but not to such an extent!"


    "She has captured my heart..."


    "I don''t think I''ll be able to avoidparing any other woman to her now..."


    "I''d give ten years of my life just for a touch of her hand!"


    The eastern guests couldn''t help but titter at their uneducated western counterparts.


    "You didn''t attend our princess'' wedding, did you? She was even more beautiful then, so much so that I''m having trouble expressing it in words. Even a celestial maiden wouldn''t have been fit to do more than be one of her attendants."


    The eastern guest who had spoken looked into the air, as if reminiscing about a dream.


    A frown marred the appearance of a middle-aged western woman. "You must be exaggerating, surely?"


    "No, certainly not. No onees close to matching our princess'' peerless beauty. The day of her wedding, our children were all struck down by an affliction: they fell in love at first sight, swearing never to marry any but her."


    The nouveau riche of the west clenched their fists. "We''ll work hard to be deserving of that princess!"


    "Hah! Keep dreaming. She''s already spoken for."


    "What? By whom?!"


    "You''d better keep your mouth shut. The groom snatched the princess away from the hands of the king himself."


    "Wasn''t the king incensed?"


    "Surprisingly not. He''s strong enough to win her hand, after all. He ughtered his way through the western world and delivered the head of the western king to our king himself as her bride price. Even if the eastern king didn''t want to recognize him, he had no choice¡ªif the man could kill the king of the west, he could kill the king of the east, too."


    The nouveau riche gulped: truly, he was no match for this groom.

 Chapter 843: The Center of Attention

    <h4>Chapter 843: The Center of Attention</h4>


    "It''s him!" Everyone''s gaze turned toward the direction the guest pointed at. The doors to the pce opened once again as Zhang Lie walked out in a tailored suit, stretched, and leapt down the stairs in one fluid move. Hended by Li Qianlin''s side, and she turned and smiled at him.


    Li Zongming and Li Qianlin had, by then, walked to the stage. Li Zongming stepped forward and announced, "Thank you, one and all, for taking the time out of your busy schedules to witness the merger of east and west! The worlds of east and west each have millennia of history. Many of you present might not even know that these two worlds were once just a single world."


    Indeed, most of the guests weren''t aware of this fact.


    Li Zongming exined, "Long ago, when the two worlds were still one, thest king of the realm had two outstanding sons. Perhaps an ordinary father would have been overjoyed, but not the king. When the king suddenly passed away, the session to the throne became a problem, and the two princes both feuded for that privilege."


    While everyone was engrossed in Li Zongming''s story, one of the nouveau riche''s eyes glinted as he stepped through the crowds and toward the stage.


    Li Zongming shouted, "In the end, the two princes tore apart the proof of kingship, splitting thebined world into the worlds of east and west you know today.


    Only a few people are aware of this history behind the worlds¡ªso few they might be able to be counted on two hands. This information has been lost to time and history.


    The guests at the ceremony were shocked.


    "The worlds of east and west were one?"


    "This isn''t something the king of the east made up, is it?"


    "No, it can''t be," another guest argued. "There''s no reason for him to do so. I did hear a rumor like this in the past: that the worlds of east and west were initially one world, which separated into two because of a schism, a huge conflict. Could it be the one the king of the east just mentioned?"


    Another guest murmured, "To be able to tear a proof of kingship into two..."


    No ordinary person would be able to damage a proof of kingship, let alone split it apart. How had someone managed such a feat? To have split apart the will of the world, too?


    "Could it have been the two princes of thest king of the realm who did it?"


    Perhaps because the king of the east had nted some of his men among the crowd, the guests rapidly began to believe his words.


    "That''s very likely. Don''t you think it interesting why the two worlds were known as the worlds of east and west to begin with? None of the other worlds share this naming pattern¡ªonly us! I always wondered whether there might have been the worlds of north and south, too, but now I really do understand!"


    "I always felt like east and west were names that were far too simple, that the kings of the realm should have changed them..."


    Li Zongming continued, "As generation after generation passed away, fewer and fewer remembered this piece of information. However, even if all the citizens were to forget this fact, we royalty have known this for millennia, hoping against hope for the one day during which the two worlds might rbine into some semnce of their ?former glory."


    The guests understood what the king of the east was saying. "So the kings of the realm have been working toward this goal all along¡ªnever giving up on conquering the other, and never changing the name so that subsequent kings of the realm are ever reminded of their directive."


    Li Zongming nodded. "Every sessor is told by the previous king about this long history between the worlds. When I became the king of the east, I seeded not just the throne, but also the hopes and desires of all kings past, the ns they concocted toward this end."


    While Li Zongming continued his speech, a nouveau riche from the west, his face sunken, crept closer and closer to the stage.


    Everyone focused on Li Zongming; no one noticed him besides Zhang Lie, who smiled coldly and did nothing.


    "Every king has been working hard to achieve this goal, and not just in the east. Kings of the east and west have both been fighting to reunite the two worlds, growing stronger and stronger in order to keep up with each other and to aplish this goal."


    Neither king had ever contemted the possibility of merging peacefully; both sides desired to overwhelm the other with brute force and im their proof of kingship. Li Zongming made grand ims about all kings of the east inheriting their predecessors'' will, but they were simply covetous of their sister world.


    In order to gain the strength to devour each other, the two worlds had initiated quite a number of wars and invaded their neighbors.


    ording to him, the worlds of east and west were initially worlds that belonged together. Thebined world had been among the top ofrge worlds, and even after the split, the worlds of east and west barely maintained their status asrge worlds.


    After millennia, as they fought against each other and grew with every attempt, the two worlds each grew into the peak ofrge worlds after having assimted with many small worlds in the meantime.


    Li Zongming raised his arm to the sky and announced, "We have finally achieved the goal of generations of kings of the east: today, I invite you all to witness the merger of east and west!"


    The guests below the stage all pped in earnest.


    Li Zongming eximed, "Being able to witness the two worlds merging for myself, having finally finished the taskid down by generations of kings of the east, is a high honor indeed."


    "Li Zongming, die!" Just as Li Zongming reminisced about the sess of this lofty goal, the western revolutionary scrambled on stage, took out a weapon hidden by his chest, and was pushed to the ground by Li Zongming''s bodyguards before he could do anything.


    Zhang Lie smiled coldly at the interloper. The reason he hadn''t bothered with him was because he thought the westerner too foolish and too weak. If he weren''t strong, what could he do even if he managed to get close to the king?


    There wasn''t such a thing as dynamite within the three thousand worlds. Even if there were, it would be difficult for him to harm anyone else given the tight security and what little he had managed to sneak in...

 Chapter 844: A Wave of Attention

    <h4>Chapter 844: A Wave of Attention</h4>


    "Let go of me, let go of me! Li Zongming, you bastard! I''m going to avenge the king of the west!" The western revolutionary struggled in vain, pinned down as he was by a number of bodyguards. He was barely able to pull out a bottle securely wrapped within his clothes and smashed it against the ground, sending a fog of ck smoke gushing out.


    .


    "Poison!"


    "This scoundrel¡ªhe snuck poison into the venue!"


    "Help! Poison!"


    The revolutionaryughed as the guests gasped and cried out in shock.


    "Haha, haha! All of you, go and die!"


    The three figures on stage remained perfectly calm. As Li Zongming pointed at the mess, a gust of wind blew past, and the poison fog vanished as though it were never there, leaving only the revolutionary''s mad, raucousughter behind. As the revolutionary himself discovered that the poison was missing, hisughter grew softer and softer until it dissolved into an awkward silence.


    This was why Zhang Lie hadn''t made a move: he knew that his involvement wasn''t necessary.


    The king of the realm would be able to deal with all such trivial assassination attempts with barely a thought. Even if all the guests were to release a cloud of poison, Li Zongming could neutralize it all.


    Li Zongming''s bodyguards knelt on the ground. "Your majesty, we apologize for our negligence!"


    Li Zongming waved a hand. "All responsible guards will be docked a year''s pay. Don''t let the same thing happen again."


    "Yes, your majesty!"


    Zhang Lie smiled wryly at Li Zongming. "It isn''t easy being you."


    Li Zongming shrugged. "You''ll always have detractors, no matter what you do. Something as crazy as merging the worlds of east and west¡ªit''s only natural that some people would try to stop me. I simply have to deal with them."


    Li Zongming said this response not only to answer Zhang Lie''s question, but also to exin himself to the guests present.


    He continued, "I know there are quite a few revolutionaries in the west who are attempting to stop me, but we shouldn''t let that detract from our goal. The desire to merge the two worlds has been passed down to me through a long line of eastern kings spanning millennia. I won''t stop this n just because of a bit of resistance.


    ¡­


    ...


    ¡­By merging the two worlds, we canbine and pool our forces into something better for both¡ªto have the strength, speed, and adaptability on the universal stage," Li Zongming continued his speech.


    Li Qianlin snuck a nce at the sky and whispered, hiding a bit of boredom, "Father, I think we had better initiate the merger soon."


    Li Zongming nodded. "You''re right. Now, I''ll initiate the process of merging the two worlds!"


    The guests all widened their eyes and focused on this historic moment, unwilling to miss out on even a second of the process.


    Li Zongming pulled out the jade seal that was the proof of kingship of the west. As his entire body radiated with light, the proof of kingship of the east appeared in his hand.


    The jade seal of the west was engraved with the image of a five-colored dragon; the jade seal of the east, with a firebird whose backdrop was the sun.


    As both seals appeared in Li Zongming''s hands, they began to glow and emit energy.


    As the energy from both seals met, the heavens shook. Suddenly, the lifeforms engraved on the two seals came to life.


    The five-colored dragon let out a howl that shook the skies. The firebird croaked out a call, pped its wings, flew out of the jade seal, circled it, then soared into the sky. The five-colored dragon did the same, revolving around the seal and flying through the air.


    The jade seal of the west in Li Zongming''s left hand began to emit lightning and me: scarlet me, violet lightning, as though a disaster were descending onto the world, as though the mes of purgatory were cleansing the realm.


    The scarlet mes and violet lightning gave way to a five-colored explosion, turning the seal into what seemed like a glowing moon. It was as beautiful as a gem, and its multicolored glow lit up the sky. The jade seal of the east in the king''s right hand radiated golden light like a ming sun.


    As the golden sun appeared, the will of the world was summoned to the scene.


    The western seal in the king''s left hand, glowing like the moon, and the eastern seal in the king''s right hand, shining like the sun, drew closer and closer to each other.


    The five-colored dragon and the sunbird flew around each other in the air.


    The sun and moon grewrger and appeared behind Li Zongming. The sun luded the moon, forming the equivalent of a sr eclipse.


    The five-colored dragon and sunbird likewise drew closer, until the two mythical creatures seemed as though they were entwined.


    As Li Zongming finally brought the two seals together with a resounding p of his palms, theybined into one. The shining sun and glowing moon released scarlet mes and violet lightning through the sky. A radiant outpouring of light lit up the skies with a golden glow.


    Li Qianlin and Zhang Lie stood together by the side of the stage, watching Li Zongming''s figure.


    The wormhole connecting the worlds of east and west¡ªand all the wormholes stemming from both worlds¡ªvanished in that instant.


    As the two seals merged, Li Zongming himself began to glow.


    Behind him appeared a golden corona around a ck sr eclipse. The outline of the western world could be seen over the horizon, and the five-colored dragon and the sunbird hadbined into a gigantic six-colored egg which reflected all the light that shone toward it.


    Li Zongming''s body red with light, and a thick pir of it shot into the skies and enveloped the egg above. It struck the western world, causing the will of the world there to materialize.


    The two worlds began to tremble violently as they neared each other.


    The illusory world of the west gradually grew clearer. The two wills of the world were like white and ck, mutually attracting and entangling each other without any resistance at all, as though they were a natural pair.


    Thendmasses and oceans from the two worlds began tobine. A ring of energy surrounded them both.


    Li Qianlin frowned. "This didn''t happen when the draconian world merged with the others, did it?"


    "As expected." Zhang Lie seemed to have predicted it all. The merger of two exceptionally strongrge worlds immediately resulted in the formation of a superior world.


    The phenomenon that Li Qianlin had observed was a hallmark of that superior evolution.


    As the will of the world supervised the process, naturalw was instated on the worlds with runes falling from the sky like rain.


    Just then, all the kings of the realm of superior worlds raised their heads as one, as though they had all received some form of signal...

 Chapter 845: The Evolution Begins

    <h4>Chapter 845: The Evolution Begins</h4>


    Rain drizzled as a writhing pitch-ck lifeform sat atop a sea of bones, as though the bones thaty beneath it were its throne. When it sensed the formation of a new superior world, it raised its head and looked toward the skies.


    "How curious... a massive burst of energy just moments ago, and now a new superior world forming¡­ How long ago was thest evolution into a superior world? A century, three centuries? Forget it: it won''t seed, anyway."


    A humanoid figure leaned against a golden mulberry tree. Beneath its feet was scorching earth and soil, and a hundred suns revolved around the mulberry tree''s branches.


    Ten suns hung in the sky, and as time progressed, the ten suns in the sky descended from the west andnded on the mulberry tree. Ten other suns revolving around the figure''s head flew into the sky and toward the mulberry tree, which appeared over the horizon from the east. The mulberry tree itself seemed to have some ability to distort or warp space.


    The figure who leaned against the mulberry tree nced greedily at the sky as it sensed the merger of the tworge worlds.


    "How many years has it been? Another pig ripe for ughter, but that direction... that damn fellow Feitian''s gotten lucky again."


    The nine superior worlds had agreed that they would each be responsible for a certain portion of the third realm and partitioned the worlds evenly between them.


    Long ago, the superior worlds had warred with each other in order topete for the energy released during the formation of a superior world, until one time, a superior king of the realm perished in such a conflict. Only then did the superior kingse to their senses: there was no reason for them to fight to their deaths just for these resources.


    Instead, they brokered an agreement that would give them each a plot ofnd to tend to. They and they alone would be able to im the superior worlds that formed within theirnd; none of the other superior worlds would make a move.


    Just then, in a world submerged by blood, in which over ny percent of its mass was a sea of blood, a monstrous creature emerged from its surface. It cast a shadow that seemed to stretch throughout the world.


    It looked like a long worm with an unusual head. It had no nose or ears, only a single eye located at one end of its body. One arm grew out of each of its two nks. The blood-colored eyeball seemed to be able to prate the sky.


    "Come, Pozhi!" the worm howled.


    The sea of blood frothed. A dark red pce rose from its depths, constructed out of bone with an unusual dark red coloring that couldn''t be scrubbed off. It looked as though it had been coated inyers of fresh blood.


    The doors to the pce opened wide, and a three-headed, six-armed monstrosity mbered out. Its heads each had three eyes and looked like a raging hog. Its hair and beard were made of me.


    Pozhi got down on one knee, showing utmost respect and deference to the worm.


    The worm informed it, "A superior world has just formed."


    One of Pozhi''s heads visibly perked up. "Finally¡ªafter an entire millennium!"


    That head then sprayed out a burst of fire.


    Its left head did the same. "Haha, we can finally feast on more energy!"


    Pozhi''s right head licked its lips. "It''s been far too long since I was on a battlefield. I miss the taste of blood already."


    The worm nodded. "Gather a force of ten million xuluo, head to that world, and bring back its energy."


    Pozhi''s three heads all nodded immediately. "Yessir!"


    With a wave of his hands, Pozhi summoned forth a myriad bloody figures from the sea, half of whom had three heads and six arms, and half of whom had three heads, four eyes, and four arms. All were uniformly fierce-looking.


    "It''s time to fight!" Pozhi announced.


    The xuluo who emerged from the sea of blood roared in excitement, so loud the air seemed to vibrate.


    Back in the world of the east, the merger of the two worlds continued. More and more runes fell to the ground like rain.


    The two worlds rotated around each other, faster and faster as they approached, six-colored light strobing in the sky. Like yin and yang, the two worlds seemed at that moment to be perfectly bnced, to be in unity.


    The energy from the merger spread throughout the entire world; the lifeforms within would be its beneficiaries. Their natural talent and physical fortitude would both be enhanced by leaps and bounds.


    The lifeforms in both the worlds of east and west nced at themselves in shock, noticing the changes to their bodies. Those who had been strong became even stronger; those who had been intelligent became even more intelligent.


    Even though he was already a disaster-grade lifeform with maxed disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie could likewise sense his cells furiously multiplying as he received the benediction from the world.


    The lifeforms that received the greatest boon were undoubtedly disaster-grade lifeforms like Red Comet and the five-colored dragon. Compared to humans and aliens, their evolution was far more obvious. Red Comet began to molt; its new exoskeleton was still scarlet, but with traces of gold.


    Zhang Lie felt as though he was able to sense the possibility of a higher level of evolution beyond disaster-grade from the changes to Red Comet''s body¡ªa post-disaster-grade lifeform!


    Li Qianlin asked worriedly, "How long will the merger take?"


    She had witnessed the merger of the draconian world with the eight other medium-sized worlds, which had finished in what seemed like the blink of an eye. On the other hand, the merger of east and west seemed to be taking far longer.


    Although Li Qianlin could sense that the merger process waspletely different between medium-sized worlds andrge worlds, she was worried that the process would be interrupted midway through.


    "At least a day," Zhang Lie replied. "The merger of the draconian world with the others only resulted in an evolution into arge world, but the merger of the worlds of east and west will form a superior world. Furthermore, the world of the east is asrge as twenty medium-sized worlds, more than twice the size of the draconian world even after the merger.


    "Also, the two worlds aren''t merging quite yet¡ªthey''re evolving into a superior world together first. That evolution will take even more time. Just be patient and wait."


    Li Qianlin blinked. This was the first time she had heard that piece of information. "Hold on, what did you say? Isn''t Fatherbining the two worlds?"


    "He is, but during that process, this world will simultaneously evolve into a superior world."


    "Really?" Li Qianlin murmured in excitement. She had never witnessed how strong superior worlds were for herself¡ªof course she would be excited to find out that her world was evolving into one!

 Chapter 846: The Xuluo Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 846: The Xuluo Invasion</h4>


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help disappoint Li Qianlin. "The evolution won''t be as straightforward as you think," he warned.


    "Really? Is there some risk involved?"


    "Not just mere risk¡ªhave you already forgotten what I told you?


    We''ll be facing repercussions immediately. The current superior worlds will attack us in reprisal¡ªlook!"


    Zhang Lie pointed toward the sky.


    Li Qianlin nced in the direction he indicated, only to see a huge eye appearing high in the sky.


    It was abnormallyrge, and its pupil looked like a portal into an abyss of blood. Many of the guests stared at it in shock, only to cry out in pain as their eyes began to cry tears of blood.


    The moment Li Qianlin looked into the eye, she found a fountain of madness pouring into her brain. Her sight was immediately zed in ayer of red. She saw a bloody sky, a bloody sea, a monster thaty just below the surface of the sea¡ªbut before she could glean its true appearance, her eyes began to bleed as though they had been burned by fire.


    Zhang Lie hurriedly shielded Li Qianlin. "Don''t look into the eye. You''ll go crazy!"


    Li Qianlin shivered and called out to the audience, "Don''t look at the sky!"


    However, her warning came toote. The guests who had already done so were screaming and crying as they poked out their own eyeballs and ced them in their mouths.


    Li Qianlin nced all around her in rm and fear.


    "Just what is that eye?!"


    "Weak lifeforms can''t look at superior kings of the realm directly. Otherwise, terrible phenomena will appear¡ªaliens who grow that strong will be able to affect weaker lifeforms with their mere presence alone," Zhang Lie exined.


    Everyone within a hundred kilometers of the venue would be able to see the eye, and they would immediately go crazy as a result.


    None of them were as lucky to have someone like Zhang Lie around to block their gaze, nor were they as strong. Many of the inhabitants of the eastern world went mad immediately.


    Within the event venue, Li Qianlin cried out in shock. "you mean that that eye in the sky is from a superior king of the realm!"


    Zhang Lie pointed at one of his eyes. "Not the king itself¡ªjust one of its eyes."


    Li Qianlin nced all around her at the chaos that had ensued. "All this because of an eye...?!"


    "Anyone below a certain threshold of strength will go crazy the moment they see a single part of such a king''s body¡ªnot even an eye. Even a strand of hair would be sufficient. In severe cases, they might even go mad. Just look over there."


    One guest that had gone crazy was turning into a bulbous ball of flesh and meat. Dozens of heads and dozens of arms grew out of it, each head with just one lone eye and a mouth¡ªand extending further and further from its main body.


    With a wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, the monsters in the venue all burst apart. Flesh and blood scattered like raindrops.


    "Once the transformation begins, there''s no hope for them," Zhang Lie continued calmly.


    "What are we to do? Why has the eye of a superior king appeared here?!"


    Zhang Lie seemed rather nonplussed. "You''re panicking already?"


    Li Qianlin blinked a few times, then sucked in a deep breath. "You''re right, I can''t panic now. I''m the princess of the east, and my father has to concentrate on merging the two worlds. I have to stabilize the situation!"


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "No, you''re misunderstanding me. This is just the beginning."


    "What?!"


    Li Qianlin was staring uprehendingly at Zhang Lie when the eye in the sky closed, leaving behind a gigantic hole¡ªa wormhole into another world.


    Figures of blood crawled out from within the wormhole as Li Qianlin gasped in shock. "What are those?"


    "The army of the superior world." Zhang Lie peered at the bloody figures. "From the xuluo world, I believe." Zhang Lie had seen their like before in his past life, during the great defense against the death spirits'' incursion.


    They were fearless fighters who advanced without any regard for their lives.


    "Why has an army from a superior world appeared here?" Li Qianlin wasn''t the only one who was thinking that¡ªall the guests were.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Isn''t it obvious?" They were invading the world!


    "But why?" Li Qianlin asked, refusing to believe her eyes.


    "To consume the energy released by the world''s evolution, of course."


    A world that had initiated the process of evolution into a superior world was simultaneously at its weakest and with the richest rewards for any invaders. It was far from able to defend itself against other superior worlds, and its energy would greatly enhance whatever world imed it for its own.


    A humongous three-headed, six-armed monstrosity mbered out of the wormhole. Its heads each had three eyes and looked like a raging hog. Its hair and beard were made of me.


    It sucked in a deep breath with all three heads as it stretched. Its middle head sprayed out a burst of me as it guffawed, "Ah, the sweet scent of an evolving world!"


    The moment it appeared, everyone present felt pressure akin to a mountain pressing down on their bodies.


    The head on its left said, "The air is fresh, and there''s nothing weird about the weather. We''re lucky that this world seems so normal."


    The head on its right said, "No drizzling rain, no ten suns in the sky¡ªthose would have greatly diminished the strength of our army."


    The head in the middle rolled its eyes and said, "Among the three thousand worlds, how many worlds like that do you think could ever evolve?"


    There were quite a few worlds among the three thousand that had terrible environments¡ªfor instance, among the six worlds that the members of Team Zenith had invaded, the world of frost and ice and the primordial demon''s world had the most challenging environments.


    Of the three thousand worlds, perhaps a thousand had such crippling environments, and only a rare few among those thousand would ever evolve to be a superior world.

 Chapter 847: Heavens Might

    <h4>Chapter 847: Heaven''s Might</h4>


    A massive army gathered in the air through the wormhole. Half the world of the east could see their invasion, not just the guests gathered at the venue.


    "What''s that in the sky?"


    "Just what is going on...?!"


    Pozhi shouted at the entire world with all three heads at once, "Useless trash! Quail and tremble¡ªyour doomsday is here!"


    The next moment, before anyone could react, Pozhimanded his troops, "Xuluo, charge!"


    The xuluo soldiers that had gathered in the sky now leapt toward the inhabitants of the eastern world, flooding out of the hole in a ck tide.


    Even the most foolish inhabitant of the eastern world could understand the xuluo''s purpose now¡ªthey were none other than an invading force.


    Li Qianlin was calmer than Zhang Lie had expected. She immediately called out, "Protect the king!"


    Zhang Lie reached out and grabbed her icy-cold hand. "There''s no need to worry. Your father and I expected that the other superior worlds would interfere. The superior worlds that have existed since ancient times aren''t willing to see more members join their fray. They''ve been treating the three thousand worlds like their personal pigpen."


    "Father prepared for this?" Li Qianlin rified, but before Zhang Lie could respond, the elite troops of the eastern world rose into the sky.


    Ever since he had informed Li Zongming about the secret behind the superior worlds, Li Zongming had been nning for this eventuality, and he had managed to gather his forces outside the venue before the start of the ceremony.


    The guests'' morale instantly rose.


    "The eastern forces are here!"


    "They''ll surely be able to deal with all our enemies!"


    "Daring to invade the eastern world at this critical juncture¡ªthese invaders are asking to be ughtered!"


    Pozhi coldly mocked the eastern troops charging forward in response to the xuluo invasion. "Ignorant fools!"


    The sound of ughter echoed through the sky. A simple sweep of the xuluo''s hands killed arge swathe of the eastern elites even though they hadn''t seemed to move at all. Blood and corpses rained down from the sky. In just a single sh, the eastern troops found themselves overwhelmed.


    Indeed, even the peak ofrge worlds wouldn''t be able topare with a superior world in terms of strength.


    "Why? Just how could this be?" Everything had happened so quickly that the guests in the venue didn''t know how to react nor what had happened.


    Li Qianlin''s fingers trembled. Her face was so pale that Zhang Lie was pained just from looking at her. The eastern elites had risen up to, and subsequently fallen from, the sky in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing behind but blood and corpses. No fighting had happened, only bloodshed and ughter.


    "Heaven''s might..." Zhang Lie murmured.


    The xuluo cultivated a strange power known as heaven''s might, a power that gave them superhuman strength.


    Zhang Lie had witnessed this unusual power for himself in his past life during the defense against the death spirits. The hunters of the Milky Way had tried to analyze this mysterious power in detail, and some genius or another had actually seeded.


    The xuluo were an unusual ss of lifeform that hovered between life and death. It was this precarious bnce that allowed them to ess this otherworldly power. In terms of the scientific principles that governed the Milky Way, it was quantal in nature.


    The famous thought experiment of Schrodinger''s cat details an experiment in which a cat is ced in a box, along with a poisonous capsule with a certain chance of breaking and killing the cat. Before the box is opened and the state of the cat is observed, the cat would exist in a superposition of live and dead states.


    The xuluo''s power was the ability to choose the desired oue if it were more likely than not¡ªif they were more likely than not to kill the eastern soldiers, it would be guaranteed. In other words, they could manipte cause and effect.


    A seed that was nted in the ground and watered daily would slowly grow into a tall tree. nting the seed was the cause, watering it was the process, and the tall tree was the effect. Heaven''s might allowed the xuluo to skip the process between cause and effect and turn the seed directly into a tree.


    The seed that was to grow into a tall tree would be subject to the elements for years and years, and all sorts of incidents could happen in the meantime¡ªfloods, fire, a hunter chopping it down for wood¡ª but as long as it was more likely than not to survive into maturity, heaven''s might would allow it to mature immediately.


    The most potent use of this ability was in reproduction.


    The xuluo had four heavenly kings, each of whom had a fighting force of ten million xuluo. There were four hundred million xuluo in all, and they were the only one among the ten superior worlds with such immense reproductive abilities.


    A male xuluo could get a female xuluo pregnant with that heaven''s might in the blink of an eye, and the female xuluo could gestate that fetus in just a single night. It was obvious how potent this ability could be.


    The xuluo, who possessed this heavenly power, were a force that none of the other superior worlds could afford to ignore.


    Zhang Lie let go of Li Qianlin and stepped forward, but Li Qianlin held him firm. "Where are you going?"


    Zhang Lie caressed Li Qianlin''s cheek. "To help your world resolve this challenge."


    "But this isn''t your world!" Li Qianlin was touched, but logic jolted her awake. This wasn''t Zhang Lie''s world, and Zhang Lie wouldn''t be protected by the will of the east...


    Zhang Lie shook his head and replied seriously, "Don''t worry. These xuluo can''t do anything against me."


    He took a single step forward, cut through space, and vanished from the spot.


    The forces of the east were ughtered in a mere instant, and none of them knew how such a feat had been aplished. Even the veteran soldiers began to shrink back as the xuluo fighters smirked and grinned maliciously.


    Zhang Lie appeared before the xuluo.


    "Haha, another victim!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond to their taunts. He clenched his fists tightly and gathered blue gic energy around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura in the rapidly darkening skies.


    A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air. Howling gales shook the air around him. Everything within a radius of ten kilometers was blown away.


    When Pozhi noticed him, his face suddenly grew serious. He sensed a major difference between Zhang Lie and the eastern troops who had charged forward likembs to the ughter¡ªeven he couldn''t use heaven''s might to damage Zhang Lie, meaning that, if they were to fight against each other, he was the disadvantaged party.


    "Be careful!" Pozhi shouted at the xuluo, but it was already toote...

 Chapter 848: Pozhis Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 848: Pozhi''s Nightmare</h4>


    A whirlpool of energy had gathered before Zhang Lie by the time he punched forward with a shout. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him and roaring through the skies like galloping steeds, like a rampaging sea.


    The xuluo were sent flying by the tidal wave of energy that rushed toward them, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The venue looked as though it had been struck by a Category 5 hurricane. The guests were all sent stumbling to the ground, and the artfully crafted stage flew off into the sky. Even the aliens standing beyond the cordon found it difficult to maintain their bnce.


    Zhang Lie''s strength had crossed a threshold ever since he capped out his disaster gene fragments.


    The waves of energy cleared outrge patches of the xuluo.


    "Oh?" Zhang Lie was very surprised that a few xuluo had managed to withstand the might of his skill. "Not bad!"


    Pozhi''s body was covered in me. Like a bulwark, he protected the xuluo behind him from harm. Thanks to Pozhi''s defense, not all the xuluo perished under Zhang Lie''s blow.


    Pozhi''s three heads and nine eyes red daggers at Zhang Lie. "Just who are you?"


    Zhang Lie chuckled coldly. "A passerby who''s going to ughter the xuluo to thest!"


    Pozhi''s left head looked up at the sky andughed uproariously. "Hah! You and whose army?"


    Pozhi''s middle head narrowed his eyes at him thoughtfully. "The superior evolution couldn''t have happened for no reason..."


    Pozhi''s right head pronounced, "I am Pozhi, themanding general of the xuluo world, the right hand of the xuluo king! Your strength isn''t too bad. If you surrender now, I''ll report this matter to my king, and you''ll be granted the opportunity to reincarnate as a xuluo. Given your strength, you might well be the fifth xuluo lord."


    Pozhi''s left head threatened him archly, "On the other hand, if you try to resist, you''ll certainly die."


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" Zhang Lie didn''t waste his breath on these invaders. A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr.


    Though it was a construct of gic energy, it looked tangible and physical. It let out a threatening rustle as its scales creaked.


    Pozhi''s middle headmented, "Looks like it''s another disobedient one..."


    Pozhi''s left head mocked, "Pitiful alien, you don''t understand just how strong the xuluo are, or how frightening our heaven''s might is!"


    Pozhi''s right head scoffed. "Do you really think you''re all that strong just because you managed to get this world to evolve? We xuluo have destroyed so many superior worlds that you wouldn''t be able to count them on both hands."


    Pozhi''s middle head shouted, "Ignorant fool, shake under the power of heaven''s might!"


    Pozhi raised an arm high over his head, then swung it down while an intangible force spread out from his palm.


    It ignored the constraints of space and distance andnded squarely on Zhang Lie''s body before floating by harmlessly.


    Pozhi''s three heads seemed to suffer indigestion. His left head turned darker, his middle head greener, and his right head pale. He spat out a mouthful of blood along with a spray of mes.


    The bacsh from a failed usage of heaven''s might was more severe than Pozhi had expected. He had never experienced a situation in which his heaven''s might was ineffective; in the past, no matter what, he had always been able to injure or at least drain his opponent.


    However, the force had had absolutely no effect on Zhang Lie, as though his hands were trying to push against a mountain''s worth of mass. It simply wouldn''t budge.


    Po Zhi''s understanding of heaven''s might was very basic: he only used it as a force multiplier to send his enemies flying. However, when he used that technique on Zhang Lie, it felt as though he were trying to push apart apletely impossible given the strength he possessed.


    The heaven''s might that was the xuluo''s pride seemed to be entirely useless against Zhang Lie¡ªor rather, Pozhi''s heaven''s might was ineffective against him.


    Pozhi had heard that weak xuluo were incapable of attacking far stronger opponents with heaven''s might; heaven''s might would only function if there were a greater chance than not that the desired effect could take ce.


    In other words, if the xuluo wanted to strike a killing blow and couldn''t do so with over 50% probability, that blow wouldn''tnd. If the xuluo wanted to deal an injury and couldn''t do so with over 50% probability, that injury wouldn''t be dealt.


    The will of the world was indirectly implying that Pozhi couldn''t even do anything to his opponent.


    Pozhi couldn''t ept this result. Was he no different from the xuluo who had perished in front of Zhang Lie?


    It was only natural for Pozhi to be panicking¡ªhe had leaned on heaven''s might for all his fights, and even if he didn''t have a 50% probability of killing his opponent, he surely had a 50% probability of wounding them.


    As long as that were the case, heaven''s might would be effective¡ªand if it were effective, then he would be able to consistently deal more and more damage with heaven''s might. Very quickly, he would then also be able to kill his opponent with a 50% probability.


    Pozhi was stronger than the strongest kings of the realm ofrge worlds, and he had never before seen an existence whom he couldn''t even hurt with heaven''s might.


    Pozhi refused to believe that this could happen, that he would be nothing more than a weak xuluo who was unable to defeat his opponent.


    The xuluo race had grown so prosperous because of heaven''s might that Pozhi didn''t know how to defeat an opponent without using it. He had never learned how to deal with stronger opponents whom he couldn''t handle.


    "No, impossible! This is impossible¡ªthere''s no way heaven''s might can be ineffective, no way at all! Heaven''s might is invincible!" Pozhi fell into a blind panic. His arms waved around madly, depleting his supply of heaven''s might again and again.


    All that energynded on Zhang Lie''s body and passed through him as though he were being caressed by a gentle breeze.


    Pozhi groaned in pain as he clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of bloody me, spraying it all the way toward Zhang Lie.


    The ck serpent behind Zhang Lie uncoiled and dissolved the me with its pitch-ck energy¡ªonly to see Pozhi falling from the sky and crashing into the ground.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    What was going on? Why had his opponent suddenly copsed?

 Chapter 849: The Zongming World

    <h4>Chapter 849: The Zongming World</h4>


    Zhang Lie understood the situation quickly after recalling what had happened to the xuluo who had failed to use heaven''s might.


    Heaven''s might was a particrly strong racial power, with the ability to skip the process between cause and effect, bypassing naturalw and picking out the best future. How could such a ridiculous strength note with any drawbacks?


    More urately, this drawback was a risk that users of heaven''s might took. If heaven''s might were to have no effect on its target, the user would suffer karmic bacsh¡ªthe cause of Pozhi vomiting blood.


    Heaven''s might was so strong that Pozhi had never encountered any foe immune to it, and he had all but forgotten its risks.


    After all, the xuluo just needed to be able to deal an injury to the target with 50% probability, and heaven''s might would do the rest. After a few injuries, the xuluo would have over 50% chance of killing the opponent, and heaven''s might would take care of that too.


    Who could be so strong as to resist heaven''s might, especially given Pozhi''s own strength?


    Pozhi hadn''t considered such a possibility until he met Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie drew closer and stepped over Pozhi''s prone body, a boot on his head.


    Pozhi found his body growing so weak and emaciated it was as though he were nothing more than bones, as though he had just survived an illness that had brought him to the gates of death. With a quavering voice, he called out, "You can''t kill me. The moment you do so, the xuluo world will take revenge. All of you will have to die!"


    "I''ve never feared the superior worlds, and I''ll hardly start with the xuluo!" With a wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, the ck serpent behind him shot forward and began to dissolve Pozhi''s body with a mist of ck fog.


    Pozhi''s cries echoed in the world of the east as his body was reduced to nothing.


    The death of Pozhi drained the morale of the xuluo, but they didn''t retreat. If they were to retreat to the xuluo world, they would face the same fate: death. The xuluo howled, then rushed toward Zhang Lie and tried to swamp him with sheer numbers.


    Zhang Lie didn''t want to sully his hands against such trash. He motioned to the ck serpent, which stuck out its tongue, hissed, and darted toward the xuluo.


    Heaven''s might was useless against Zhang Lie; it was likewisergely useless against the serpent he summoned. Although heaven''s might did manage to do some amount of damage to the serpent, it was a manifestation of energy, and damage to its physical body was irrelevant.


    It opened its maw wide and swallowed uprge swathes of the xuluo, dissolving them in mere moments.


    Red Comet rushed into the air and transformed into a beam of blood that zigzagged through the battlefield, destroying the xuluo it encountered even before they could use heaven''s might.


    The disaster-grade five-colored dragon likewise made its move, spraying out multi-colored mes and burning the xuluo to a crisp. Try though they did, the xuluo were unable to break through the dragon''s defenses with heaven''s might.


    From ground level, Li Qianlin watched the fighting ensue. Her eyes focused on Zhang Lie, who stood above the heavens like a martial god.


    In the blink of an eye, the fighting ended. Zhang Lie had sessfully protected the evolving world.


    Within Li Zongming''s pir of light, the egg that had formed from the synthesis of the two worlds'' proofs of kingship began to crack. A massive beast emerged, with such a strong aura that the pir of light fizzled away.


    It had scales in six colors, with a pair of golden wings behind its back. It had a long, narrow mouth, with eight horns on its head like a golden crown. A ring of light glowed behind him as brightly as the sun. The moment the mythical beast emerged from its egg, runes seemed to re over the entire world.


    As the energy from the evolution condensed and the will of the world descended, Li Zongming began to radiate six-colored light.


    After the world of the east evolved into a superior world, Li Zongming''s own strength grew by leaps and bounds. His aura revealed the current state of his strength.


    Those inhabitants of the east and west who had survived the xuluo incursion found themselves kneeling on the ground, praising Li Zongming''s strength.


    Now, Li Zongming could immediately and intuitively control naturalw. He seemed to be bathed in a golden glow, as bright as the sun, preventing anyone from looking directly at him. If they were to do so, they would feel a scorching pain in their eyes.


    After the world''s evolution, Li Zongming had gained a shred of divinity, as though a piece of the world had been infused into his own body. That divinity was imbued with a fewmandments.


    The first was the inability to bear direct witness to a god: if someone weak were to look directly at Li Zongming, their eyeballs would burn to a crisp. Because Li Zongming had just ascended, the penalty for doing so was still weakpared to observing the king of the xuluo, Feitian.


    The secondmandment was a mark of identity: anyone who noticed Li Zongming''s presence in the world of the east would know that he was its king.


    The thirdmandment was a weak form of omnipresence: anyone in the world who mentioned "the king of the east", "Li Zongming", "the king of the realm", or other such rted phrases would be overheard by Li Zongming himself.


    Li Zongming looked down at the inhabitants of both worlds and began to speak, his voice reverberating through the air. "The merger of the worlds of east and west isplete. From today onwards, neither world shall exist independently. I name the world by my identity: henceforth, this world shall be known as the Zongming world!"


    The easterners cheered; the westerners had no choice but to ept this reality.


    Li Zongming let out a deep breath. The wishes and expectations of generations of kings of the realm¡ªhe had been the one to fulfill them all.


    "Rise." With a wave of Li Zongming''s hand, the people who had been kneeling down were now supported up by formless energy.


    Li Zongming frowned as he noticed the carnage at the venue. Half the eastern world had suffered from the xuluo invasion.


    Many of the elite troops had died or were injured, and quite a few inhabitants of the world had gone mad from their brief view of the xuluo king. Some were even turning into monsters. Time shed in Li Zongming''s eyes; he reviewed what had happened while he was engaged in the evolution of the world.


    With a huff, he forced those who had gone mad to their knees, stripped them of their recent memories, and waited for them to recover. However, those who had begun turning into monsters didn''t revert to their usual selves¡ªas Zhang Lie had imed, they couldn''t be helped any longer.


    "A superior world''s forces really did show up... Thank goodness he gave me that warning, and thank goodness he was here himself..."


    Li Zongming nced at Zhang Lie, then reined in his energy. He had expected that, once the worlds of east and westbined and the world evolved into a superior one, his newfound strength would be sufficient to defeat Zhang Lie and wipe clean the humiliation from having suffered a loss to him.


    Instead, only now did he realize just how frighteningly strong Zhang Lie was.


    Before, he had only seen the sea from its surface; now, when he dove into it, did he realize how deep it was. He had known that Zhang Lie was strong, but not how strong. What his evolution had allowed him to do was toprehend the enormity, the whole, of that strength¡ªbut he was as far away from defeating it as ever.


    Zhang Lie was like an abyss, but it was only now that he had been able to see his unimaginable depths.


    Li Zongming began to sweat. That Zhang Lie hadn''t destroyed the world of the east during their fight was a blessing he didn''t deserve.


    Of course, what Li Zongming didn''t know was that Zhang Lie hadn''t possessed such strength from the beginning. It was a result of his maxing out his disaster gene fragments.


    Zhang Liended in front of Li Zongming. "Congrattions on bing the king of the realm of a superior world, your majesty."


    Li Zongming raised his head to the sky andughed. "Haha, there''s no need to be so formal. Just call me father-inw!"

 Chapter 850: The Four Great Lords

    <h4>Chapter 850: The Four Great Lords</h4>


    Li Qianlin flushed crimson. "Father!"


    The sess of the merger of the two worlds made Li Zongming very pleased. "You deserve at least half the merit¡ªno, three quarters!¡ªfor facilitating the process. Without your help, the two worlds couldn''t have merged, and we would all have suffered a terrible cmity."


    Now that the cmity was over, new life would flourish, and the world of the east, now the Zongming world, would grow even stronger than before.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What do you n to do about the xuluo?"


    Li Zongming had been intending to grant Zhang Lie a prize or award, but it seemed that Zhang Lie didn''t much care for anything that Li Zongming could provide him.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The xuluo belong to a superior world, and it''s not likely that they would give up on trying to im this one for themselves. The next time theye, their numbers will be evenrger than before."


    Zhang Lie''s words struck Li Zongming like a bucket of cold water, depleting him of his excitement.


    Li Zongming shook his head. "I can''t think of any other approach but to resist them head-on."


    The Zongming world was a new superior world, and it hardly had the reserves that an ancient world like the xuluo world did.


    The eastern elites had perished almost the moment they encountered the xuluo troops; heaven''s might was too potent a power, and they had no defenses against it.


    If not for Zhang Lie, the two worlds wouldn''t have been able tobine and evolve, and he, Li Zongming, would have perished. In some sense, his life was beholden to Zhang Lie.


    "I have never intended to give up. Even if theye at me with all their strength, I shall live and die with the world itself." Li Zongming took a deep breath. "You don''t need to do the same. Leave with Qianlin, please."


    Li Qianlin''s eyes widened. "Father¡ª!"


    Li Zongming raised an arm, preventing Li Qianlin from speaking further.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It would be a pity for this newly minted superior world to be annihted. I may have a solution."


    "What solution?"


    "The xuluo king was able to create a wormhole linking the xuluo world to this one. Are you able to do the same?"


    Li Zongming mulled it over for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. "Before the evolution, definitely not. Now, however, I have this authority. When the xuluo king forcibly opened a wormhole to this world, it left the coordinates to the xuluo world behind: when you look into the abyss, the abyss looks back at you."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It''ll be easy, then. I''ll head over and kill the xuluo king!"


    Li Zongming sucked in a deep breath. "Can you do it?" The opponent was none other than a king of a superior world!


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I''m not sure, but given my current strength, even if I can''t kill the king, I doubt he''d be able to trap me there."


    Li Zongming nodded. "Give me some time to familiarize myself with my authority first."


    "Very well!"


    Within the xuluo world, the sea of blood frothed.


    "Why have you sought me out? I was enjoying my sleep," a humongous ck figure spoke. The sea of blood frothed and shook with every word. Blood-red lightning shed through the bloody skies. The ck figure drew near; its appearance would have made anyone gasp. It wasrge and tall, so tall its head seemed to broach the sky.


    Its name was Qiantuo, one of the four great xuluo lords like Pozhi.


    Another xuluo approached, with four eyes and four arms, carrying four suns and moons in its four palms. It strode above the surface of the water, a long dragon''s tail behind it. The blood-red suns and moons caused the sea of blood to shine in eerie red light. mes raged on its head, and horns grew out of it. This was the xuluo lord Luohou.


    Just then, the sea began to surge once more. Another massive figure appeared, the size of a continent. It had nine heads, each wreathed with blood-colored flowers whose petals gave off a rotting stench. The flowers shook, revealing the sharp teeth hidden in the bud at their centers. Some sort of clear, viscous liquid dripped from those buds.


    Each of its nine heads had thousands of eyes, and it had eight spidery appendages. Nine hundred and ny-nine hands grew haphazardly out of its body, giving it a frightening appearance. The spiderlike creature stood up, making it apparent that it was at least four times the size of Qiantuo and Luohou.


    "Vemacitrin." Qiantuo and Luohou both bowed down toward the nine-headed spider, the oldest of the four xuluo lords. Although they were all great lords in title, Vemacitrin had another identity: the son of heaven''s might.


    Three of the four great lords had assembled.


    Vemacitrin nced around itself, mes shooting out of its mouth as it spoke. "Where''s Pozhi? He''s never beente before."


    The sea of blood roiled as Feitian emerged from the depths of the sea. Qiantuo and Luohou immediaely knelt, and even Vemacitrin lowered its nine heads. "Forefather!"


    Feitian''s words stunned the three lords. "Pozhi is dead."


    "What?!" Vemacitrin cried out, "Impossible! We are in no conflict with the other superior worlds. The death spirits'' war is still a decade away."


    Feitian continued, "Recently, a world evolved into a superior world."


    "A new superior world!" Vemacitrin, Qiantuo, and Luohou''s eyes shone with greed.


    "Forefather, you mean that Pozhi was killed by the defenders of this world?" Vemacitrin''s voice was like peals of thunder. As it spoke, lightning shed in the sky.


    Feitian nodded.


    Luohou frowned. "A new superior world¡ªhow could it boast the strength to kill Pozhi?"


    Vemacitrin nodded. "Among us four, weak and young though he might be, Pozhi is at least as strong as the king of arge world. It would be trivial for him to deal with a newly ascended superior king with heaven''s might."


    One of the four lords had recently perished in the frontlines, and Pozhi had been his recement. There wererge gradations in strength even among the four heavenly lords, and Pozhi was far removed from the other three.


    Pozhi called Feitian "your highness", whereas Qiantuo and Luohou called him "forefather." This was because Qiantuo and Luohou were rted to Feitian by blood and within ten generations; Pozhi, on the other hand, was far too many generations away from Feitian to count.


    "An ident must have urred during the xuluo invasion. Qiantuo and Luohou, the two of you will head to this new superior world and im it for the xuluo. The death of Pozhi leaves an opening among the four great lords. I think Fuzhang has had enough time to rest, by this point."


    Vemacitrin''s eyes brightened. "Is Fuzhang returning?"


    "I''ve summoned him back already."

 Chapter 851: Descension of the Great Lords

    <h4>Chapter 851: Descension of the Great Lords</h4>


    Feitian''s voice heralded the appearance of yet another figure, one whose body seemed to bridge ocean and sky. The lower half of its body was a long serpent''s tail. Arge ring of silver appeared behind his back. His ck palms were so humongous they were half his height, and they sucked in the light around them.


    Luo Hou lowered his head and bowed. "Master!"


    Vemacitrin''s nine heads all smiled at the same time. "Fuzhang, you''re finally back. Have your wounds recovered?"


    "The injuries I sustained on shing with the king of the death spirits? Largely."


    Vemacitrin smiled again. "To be able to take a palm strike from a crazy bastard like the king of the death spirits and still recover so quickly¡ªeven our forefather would be hard-pressed to do the same."


    "I was simply lucky," Fuzhang replied, sighing. "It''s truly a pity for Pozhi. I thought I would be able to rest a little longer, only for him to die so quickly¡ªeven among the descendants of the xuluo, Pozhi is outstanding."


    Fuzhang was one of the four great lords before Pozhi rose up to that position. He was themander of the xuluo forces, and among the oldest of the lords. He came from the same generation as Vemacitrin.


    As such, they got along rather well. Compared to them, Qiantuo and Luohou were still from a far younger generation.


    Feitian replied," Fuzhang, you''ll head to this newly evolved world with Qiantuo and Luohou."


    Fuzhang nodded. "My life on it, forefather."


    "Three of the four lords?" Vemacitrin called out in surprise. "Is this new superior world really that strong?"


    If he included Pozhi in the count, four great lords in total would have been dispatched to the world. Four lords was enough manpower to wage war against another ancient superior world¡ªbut they were only being sent to deal with a newly evolved one!


    The xuluo had always thought of these new superior worlds as pigs that were now ready for ughter. The xuluo only had four such butchers, and for all of them to be mobilized for a single pig was exceptional. Vemacitrin thought that Feitian was making a mountain out of a molehill.


    Feitian roared, "There will be no second defeat. With absolute strength, we will crush the inhabitants of the three thousand worlds and prove that the superior worlds rule over them all. We will annihte all resistance."


    Feitian wanted to make an example of the new superior world that had dared to resist its advances.


    He continued, "This time, we lost ten million xuluo. Vemacitrin, pick out ten million fighters among those xuluo you control."


    Li Zongming began to familiarize himself with the authority of a superior king, while Zhang Lie dissected the xuluo corpses and Pozhi in order to understand the secret behind heaven''s might. Although he hadn''t managed to do so, he did discover something interesting.


    "As expected."


    The moment he saw Pozhi, Zhang Lie felt a sense of familiarity.


    After analyzing the bodies of the xuluo, Zhang Lie thought of a hypothesis, one which he had validated by the time he dissected Pozhi''s body.


    The xuluo were evolved forms of the sura¡ªor, more precisely, the xuluo and the sura belonged to the same genus, like dogs and wolves, humans and apes, or tigers and cats.


    Of course, there were still significant differences between the xuluo and the sura. The key connection was between the xuluo and an evolved form of the sura¡ªthe asura.


    Those sura who had grown strong enough to evolve into asura were gically distinct from the sura, but they bore nascent simrity to the xuluo. This was a topic worth investigating in more detail: how could the race that had once dominated the second realm, the sura, be so simr to the xuluo of the third realm? Only the asura had been known to have the ability to break through the barrier between these realms, as the hunters of the Milky Way did.


    Zhang Lie hazarded a new hypothesis. The sura hadn''t evolved into the xuluo; instead, the xuluo had devolved into the sura. Perhaps there was an ident that had caused a xuluo to fall into the second realm, after which point his offspring many generations hence grew into the sura race.


    This was why the sura were so unusual among the second realm: they alone had the ability to consume the lifeforce of other species. Zhang Lie''s second hypothesis was that the sura had deliberately been ced in the second realm¡ªthe hakoniwa, or "garden-in-a-box", theory.


    .


    Back in the Milky Way, some hunters had suggested that the dimensional realms were artificial worlds created by some yet-unknown entity.


    After all, the five realms seemed to belong to parallel universes, but were somehow all ensconced in the same hidden dimension that was essible to hunters of the Milky Way. Could this stunning artifice have urred naturally?


    Zhang Lie chose not to ponder such a question for the time being. After all, this was information that he wasn''t privy to even in his past life, and he would need to advance further to even begin to deduce clues for that question.


    "In that case, would I be able to produce peak limit-breaking potions from xuluo bone essence...?"


    The reason peak limit-breaking potions couldn''t be mass-produced was because they required asura thorns as a main ingredient. Now that Zhang Lie had noted the simrity between the xuluo and the asura, would he be able to substitute materials from xuluo bodies instead?


    "I won''t be able to use the original recipe, in that case. It''ll take some more time..."


    Zhang Lie stored all the xuluo bones he had acquired, intending to study them carefully.


    Beyond the Zongming world, a gigantic eyeball popped into existence. An inhabitant of the world would immediately notice that this eyeball looked identical to the one that had appeared right before the invasion of the xuluo: Feitian''s eye.


    Feitian''s eye closed and was reced by a huge ck hole, from which emerged a gigantic palm that sucked up all light around it. The palm grabbed at the edges of the hole and forcibly widened it.


    Cracks spread out from the hole as another hand emerged and widened the opening.


    Fuzhang emerged from the erged hole, followed by Qiantuo and Luohou. Qiantuo nced at the Zongming world with confusion in his eyes.


    "This is where Pozhi lost his life? It looks just like an ordinary world..."


    As Qiantuo spoke, the entire Zongming world shook. Lightning crackled over the void.


    The sessful evolution of the Zongming world meant that it was protected by the will of the world. There was a formless barrier protecting it from outside intrusion, and even a superior king wouldn''t be able to bypass it easily.


    Feitian could only put the opening of the wormhole beyond the Zongming world.


    Fuzhang warned, "Remain cautious. None of your predecessors died in battle¡ªthe xuluo who possess heaven''s might are invincible, but this invincibility breeds carelessness. The deaths of previous great lords is because of carelessness, notbat ability."


    As he spoke, twenty million xuluo soldiers emerged from the ck hole, filling the void like buzzing mosquitoes...

 Chapter 852: An Intense Strike

    <h4>Chapter 852: An Intense Strike</h4>


    Fuzhang continued, "The reason I''ve been able to survive so long isn''t because I''m any stronger than the other great lords, but because I''m more cautious."


    Luohou lowered his head. "Yes, I understand, Master!"


    Fuzhang nodded. "Qiantuo, greet the inhabitants of this world. We xuluo need to be polite, respectful guests."


    "Yes, Master!"


    Qiantuo stepped forward and shouted, "You inhabitants of the world, listen up! You''ve been surrounded by the xuluo, so if you don''t want to die, surrender immediately! King of this world, if you surrender now and hand over your world''s energy immediately, I''ll consider allowing you to live on!"


    Qiantuo''s shout caused an impact like a tsunami broaching the shore. Lightning crackled over the skies of the Zongming world, and the sound wave enveloped it entirely. If the lightning were to strike, it felt as though the Zongming world would be pierced through.


    Li Zongming had noticed the unwee guests the moment they arrived at the scene. Before the lightning could strike the barrier surrounding the Zongming world, he stepped forward and out beyond its boundaries.


    Six-colored light surrounded him and morphed into a solid shield that stopped the lightning cold.


    At the same time, he sent a request for assistance to Zhang Lie, who was currently investigating Red Comet''s growth.


    Red Comet had been given a boost during the evolution of the world, and its carapace had taken on a golden sheen as a result. Its attributes had improved dramatically, and it gave Zhang Lie a hint as to whaty beyond disaster-grade.


    If Red Comet were able to advance into a post-disaster-grade lifeform, then Zhang Lie could very well obtain even more advanced gene fragments.


    "The evolution of the world simply provided an opportunity for Red Comet to consolidate its experience. Gic lifeforms need to fight and gain experience throughbat in order to grow¡ªthere''s no way around it."


    Red Comet had participated in all manner of battles during its travels with Zhang Lie, giving it the means to take advantage of the opportunity. Otherwise, it might have taken Red Comet many more years to advance.


    "It''s time to start nning out a post-disaster-grade farm..."


    Just then, Zhang Lie sensed a disturbance that spread across the world, followed by an urgentmunication from Li Zongming.


    "Something''s wrong! The xuluo are back, and they''re right outside the world''s boundaries!"


    Zhang Lie had expected that the xuluo wouldn''t be willing to give up on a rare prize like this recently ascended superior world. He was right about to head out when Red Comet pointed at itself.


    Zhang Lie understood its intent. "You want to participate, too?"


    Red Comet nodded. It too understood the need to gain experience to unlock its true potential and ascend into a higher form of life.


    "In that case, let''s go together."


    Beyond the boundaries of the world, Li Zongming was panting as he tried to defend against Qiantuo''s attack.


    Qiantuo sneered. "So you''re the king of the world that killed Pozhi? You don''t look like anything exceptional¡ªhardlyparable to the ancient superior kings."


    Qiantuo''s speech was interspersed with crackling lightning. Li Zongming hurriedly manipted the world''s energy into a screen that could defend against those attacks.


    Fuzhang said, "Pozhi arrived at this world during the merger process. This king didn''t participate in the battle; it''s clear that what killed Pozhi wasn''t the king himself, but rather something unique about this world."


    Qiantuo yelled out, "King of this world, you have no hope of taking down three xuluo lords on your own. Hand over the world''s energy, and we''ll allow a fraction of your citizens to leave."


    Li Zongming called back, "I, Li Zongming, am not so cowardly as to take such an offer! Don''t think that you''re superior to us just because you''re from an ancient superior world. Even if I have to die, I''ll take pieces of you with me!"


    "You overestimate your own abilities, fool!" Luohou cried out. The suns and moons he carried in his four arms shot out blinding rays of light straight at Li Zongming.


    Qiantuo roared. His sound wavesbined with crackling lightning and Luohou''s attack into a devastating strength that could annihte the world.


    Li Zongming''s eyes widened. He was confident he would be able to block the blow, but there was no chance at all that he would be able to shield the entire world as well. Just as he was at a loss, space shattered around him, forming a ck hole. A fish rushed out of it, sending a huge wave soaring into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The waves roared through space like galloping steeds, like a rampaging sea, interfering with the xuluo lords'' attack and dissipating it in an explosion of energy that sent the xuluo fighters flying away. The only ones who withstood the force of the explosion were the three great lords of the xuluo.


    By then, clouds had gathered over the skies of the Zongming world. shes of light could be seen over the horizon. The disaster-grade five-colored dragon and Li Zongming''s sunbird, sensing something amiss, flew toward where the battle was taking ce.


    Zhang Lie''s pale-blue waves rippled with spatial fluctuations. They devoured the beams of light, sound waves, and lightning that the xuluo lords shot his way, growing into a tsunami that threatened to wipe out the entire xuluo army.


    Fuzhang made his move then. His pitch-ck palms grewrger and wider, until they were the size of the entire Zongming world. They covered the entire battlefield like a wall, shielding the xuluo behind from all harm.


    The palms emitted an unusual suction force that absorbed the pale-blue gic energy entirely.


    Fuzhang took a deep breath, and his palms shrunk to their usual size. sping them behind his back, hemented, "You must be the one who killed Pozhi."


    Zhang Lie and Red Comet stepped out from the ck hole from which they had teleported to the scene. Before him were three massive xuluo, each the size of the Zongming world.


    Zhang Lieughed. "The xuluo sent three of their great lords over¡ªthey truly think highly of us, don''t they?"


    "Zhang Lie, you''re here!" Li Zongming breathed a sigh of relief, as though Zhang Lie were his savior¡ªand indeed, he was.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Can you take on one of them, father-inw?"


    "If it''s only to dy them, certainly..."


    "Very well. Red Comet, you''ll deal with the one with four arms. I''ll deal with this one with big palms. Father-inw, you''ll handle thest one! We''ll deal with this rabble quickly. I''m nning on having dinner with Qianqian, after all..."

 Chapter 853: Against the Great Lords

    <h4>Chapter 853: Against the Great Lords</h4>


    Li Zongming nodded upon hearing Zhang Lie''smand. Red Comet morphed into a beam of light that shot toward Luohou.


    Qiantuo opened his mouth to howl, with sound waves crackling with the force of lightning. Li Zongming defended against the blow with six-colored light that transformed into a shield before him.


    Zhang Lie activated his [Ninecarp Transformation]. An ocean of water-attuned gic energy billowed from him, and a pale blue shark rose into the air from behind.


    Water-attuned gic energy condensed around him at a frightening rate, swirling around his index finger in the form of a small whirlpool and forming a sharp de of water.


    Fuzhang cursed at the xuluo warriors. "What are you all doing, standing around like that? We''ll hold these defenders off¡ªgo and attack the superior world!"


    The xuluo reacted immediately. They ran around the three lords'' battlefields and toward the Zongming world. None of them dared to go anywhere near the three lords while they were inbat. A single flick of their fingers could easily kill one or two million of them. If they were uncautious and were struck by a wide-area attack, they would turn to dust immediately.


    A dense cloud of xuluo, like flies, divided into two clouds of ten million xuluo each. They routed around the battlefield and set off for the Zongming world.


    Zhang Lie slowly raised his index finger up high as the pale-blue gic energy rushed into the depths of space and formed a waterfall that cascaded down. The waterfall struck like a de, and the shark that swam through it seemed as though it could swallow up the sky.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow.


    The shark swam forth and opened its bloody maw as Fuzhang extended his palm and blocked the blow.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy wasn''t able to prate Fuzhang''s palm. Instead, Fuzhang caught the shark and held it still. Compared to Fuzhang''s ridiculous mass, the shark looked like nothing more than a small fish.


    Fuzhang''s ck palms boasted an unusual suction that drained the shark of its gic energy. With his other palm, he sent a gale blowing toward Zhang Lie, almost forcing him to stumble back. Fuzhang was very surprised, but he seemed toe to an understanding quickly.


    "No wonder. No wonder Pozhi was in by you¡ªheaven''s might is ineffective."


    In his near-immortal existence, Fuzhang had only met a handful of people who were immune to the effects of heaven''s might. As he suffered the bacsh from heaven''s might, a trickle of blood leaked out of Fuzhang''s lips, and his eyes widened in shock.


    All those whom Fuzhang''s heaven''s might was ineffective against were superior kings of the realm, who made use of their world''s energy to counter heaven''s might. The only person he had met who was not a superior king and still somehow able to counter this near-invincible ability made Fuzhang very shocked indeed.


    If not for Feitian''s directmand, Fuzhang would drop everything and run.


    Fuzhang was as strong as a superior king, so the fact that his heaven''s might was ineffective against the unprotected Zhang Lie meant that Zhang Lie had to be someone absurdly strong.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Although Zhang Lie''s gic energy was nominally still water-attuned, it had essentially taken on the corrosive properties of his serpent transformation.


    On the other hand, on the other side of the battlefield, Li Zongming was beingpletely suppressed by Qiantuo.


    Although Li Zongming could control the energy of the world and use it to defend himself against heaven''s might, Qiantuo was still able to win out. Li Zongming wasn''t weak; he was simply so concerned about the fate of the Zongming world that he found himself distracted during this critical battle.


    As the xuluo warriors approached the Zongming world, they began to cheer. The moment the xuluo made it inside, they would easily take over the world¡ªa newly evolved superior world didn''t have the resources or manpower to stop them.


    Just as they were about to break in, however, two humongous shadows rushed out of the Zongming world. One opened its maw wide and swallowed up arge number of the xuluo.


    Its five-colored scales glimmered with light, like the most precious of gems. The horns on its forehead looked like a crown. It was the size of a small city, with a mouth to match. A halo of light shone above its head. Nine pairs of wings kept it aloft, forming strong winds that buffeted the xuluo. It stared at them with an air of disdainful arrogance. On its back was a luxurious pce, ornate and intricate.


    The other disaster-grade lifeform was equally extravagant. The ring of light on its back shone as brightly as the sun. Its huge wings covered up the sky, and its lithe body exuded grace. Its sharp eyes looked as though they could pierce through the sun and stars.


    As it flew, space seemed to ripple. Its rainbow-colored feathers gave off light in the seven colors of the dawn, and it left a rainbow trail behind it, so beautiful that any onlookers would be instantly attracted to it.


    Atop the sunbird was a pce that didn''t lose out to that carried by the five-colored dragon, with exquisite architecture and a stream of flowing water. It was a style that harmonized with nature, and the clouds and mist surrounding it made it look like a building of myth and legend.


    The two disaster-grade lifeforms were none other than Zhang Lie''s five-colored dragon and Li Zongming''s sunbird.


    As they noticed the explosions ringing out through the air and the danger their masters was in, they hurriedly flew toward the outer extremities of the world and arrived just in time to hold the xuluo back.


    Li Zongming was so touched by their timely arrival that he felt as though he were about to cry.


    With the two lifeforms stalling the xuluo, the Zongming world would be safe for a little more time. In that case, he could devote his full attention to the fight ahead.


    While Fuzhang was still in shock at Zhang Lie''s strength, Zhang Lie struck.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    Fuzhang came to his senses and struck forward with a pitch-ck palm, which swiftly grew until it was thrice the size of his body.


    Zhang Lie''s ck serpent nimbly darted through the cracks between the fingers.


    Fuzhang sneered. His tail reached out and grabbed the serpent, but the moment it came into contact with the serpent''s body, it began to sizzle. Fuzhang ignored the pain of contact, reached out with his other hand, grabbed the serpent''s head, and sucked it into his palm.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight and appeared behind Fuzhang, swiping down with his ws.


    Fuzhang''s tail curled back and defended against the ws. An explosion rang out in the depths of space. The snake-like tail twisted and bent under the impact. Fuzhang whirled around and struck with his palms.


    Zhang Lie widened his eyes in shock. Fuzhang''s palms were covered in pale-blue water-attuned gic energy, with ripples erupting in front of them. A shark swam forth in a denseyer of gic energy¡ªan exact replica of the blow that Fuzhang had absorbed from Zhang Lie earlier...

 Chapter 854: Fuzhangs Strength

    <h4>Chapter 854: Fuzhang''s Strength</h4>


    Zhang Lie pulled away, and the ck serpent appeared behind him again. Its thick body wrapped around Zhang Lie and corroded away the force of Fuzhang''s replica of Zhang Lie''s attack. Its scales turned a blood-red color and horns protruded from its forehead as it transformed into a bloody dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the bloody dragon tore apart the shark and shredded the pale-blue gic energy with its signature corrosion.


    "It''s useless!" Fuzhang defended with his palm again, and the bloody dragon was sucked inside his pitch-ck skin. Just when it was almost entirely absorbed, Zhang Lie suddenly smirked.


    His n had seeded.


    With a snap of his fingers, the bloody dragon self-destructed, releasing a force of annihtion right in the middle of Fuzhang''s palm.


    Fuzhang''s eyes opened wide as pitch-ck energy billowed from his palm. His palm was unable to handle the impact of the destruction. The unstable energies formed a ck hole over it, which devoured half his arm.


    Zhang Lie smiled coldly. "Your ability isn''t to devour anything, but rather to reverse heaven''s might."


    Heaven''s might turned cause into effect, skipping the process in between. Fuzhang''s genius was to reverse-engineer this process and revert effect into cause instead.


    Although it looked as though he were devouring Zhang Lie''s attack, he was simply reforming the energy into its basal state, then temporarily holding that energy in¡ªthough to someone not in the know, it would look as though he had absorbed that attack.


    The reason Fuzhang was able to replicate Zhang Lie''s attack wasn''t because he had absorbed the technique and released it, but because he had used heaven''s might to turn cause into effect once more.


    And once Zhang Lie understood the principles behind the attack, it was trivial to defend against it.


    Zhang Lie waited until Fuzhang had begun activating heaven''s might before he triggered the power of annihtion, causing an explosion that spread to even the part of the energy Fuzhang had converted. That had cost Fuzhang an arm.


    "Let''s end it here! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie cocked back his left arm, channeling his gic energy into the attack, and sent its full force at the golden roc.


    Howling with the force of thunder, causing even space itself to tremble, the horde of dragons flew toward Fuzhang as one. The ck dragons were fierce and domineering, and their trajectories criss-crossed in mid-air.


    All hundred dragons boasted the power of annihtion, as though Zhang Lie had used [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade] a hundred times in session.


    Fuzhang was incapable of stopping even a single bloody dragon, let alone a hundred. The battle hade to a close¡ªor so Zhang Lie thought.


    However, Fuzhang remained calm even in what seemed like insurmountable odds. His fist clenched tightly. A serpent wrapped around it and shot forth as he punched forward with heaven''s might, causing them all to explode at once.


    The power of annihtion mushroomed through space, forming eddies and vortices of energy that devoured everything in the vicinity¡ªnot just a ck hole, but a strip of barren void.


    Even Red Comet and Li Zongming, who were fighting in the distance, had to hurriedly avoid the spreading devastation. Man and beast alike felt cold sweat dotting their back¡ªno one but Zhang Lie could have unleashed such devastation.


    If Zhang Lie had used this in arge world, he would have destroyed at least a full third of it.


    Qiantuo and Luohou emted their opponents and fled from the roiling waves of ck, but the ordinary xuluo had no such capabilities. They were unable to escape the ck clouds of annihtion and were killed in an instant.


    Fuzhang unclenched his pitch-ck hand and absorbed the energy of annihtion.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned ugly. He had intended on using [Fists of the Silent Sea] as a finisher, but he had failed.


    "To think heaven''s might could be used in such fashion..."


    Fuzhang had used the power of heaven''s might not on Zhang Lie himself, but rather on the ck dragons. He might not have been able to hurt Zhang Lie himself, but he could certainly damage Zhang Lie''s dragons easily.


    As a result, Fuzhang was easily able to destroy all hundred dragons with just one punch.


    "Thank you for the energy," Fuzhang called out, smiling. "Now, it''s time for some payback."


    Fuzhang cocked his arm and punched forward. Pitch-ck annihtion shot forth like a cannon beam. The hundred ck dragons had been sacrificed for this one attack.


    "Do you really think I''ll be hurt by my own attack?" Zhang Lie scoffed. He unsheathed the de Guicang, then sliced at the beam with a will that seemed to be able to divide heaven and earth.


    Zhang Lie easily cut open a path through the attack; the beam rushed forward on either side of him. "This energy is only the aftermath of my attack. If you think you can repurpose this waste to kill me¡ªyou must be the biggest fool in the realm."


    Fuzhang lifted a palm to block Zhang Lie''s sword sh, but his heaven''s might was ineffective against it. As the sh struck Fuzhang, it cut his palm in half.


    "Master!" Noticing that his master was on the losing end of the battle, Luohou tried to rush over to help, but his momentary distraction gave Red Comet an opening to slice off one of his arms.


    "For the glory of the xuluo!" Fuzhang''s eyes burned with the ze of death. Energy erupted from his body; his chest cracked. Fuzhang pounced toward Zhang Lie, intending to send both of them to their deaths¡ªbut Zhang Lie was faster.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    He struck once more. An underworld river materialized in space, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold¡ªthe temperature had dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Fuzhang''s snakelike tail curled around him and activated heaven''s might on the flood of serpents, which began to explode one by one, but they came in such great numbers that heaven''s might was unable to stop them all.


    In the end, Fuzhang was drowned under a flood of serpents...

 Chapter 855: A Mysterious Power

    <h4>Chapter 855: A Mysterious Power</h4>


    .


    The serpents consumed Fuzhang''s body rapidly with their power of corrosion. Fuzhang tried to self-destruct, but found that any energy he gathered was immediately consumed by the serpents.


    In the end, he died an ignoble death, consumed to thest by the serpents.


    After Fuzhang was dealt with, Zhang Lie turned to the battlefields on either side of him.


    Li Zongming was bolstered by the world''s energy, and heaven''s might was ineffective against him. He would be able to hold out for a while longer.


    Red Comet, on the other hand, was suffering terribly. It had no means of countering heaven''s might, and its gleaming carapace was now riddled with holes and scorch marks. Arge patch had been visibly burnt, and the blood-colored gic energy that surrounded its body rendered its natural healing abilities far less effective. One of its scythes had cracked and half its head was gone.


    If Zhang Lie had been anyter, Red Comet might have died.


    Of course, its opponent wasn''t faring much better. Luohou had started the battle with four arms and was down to two.


    One had been cut off by Red Comet with incredible speed at the start of the battle, whereas the other was cut off while Luohou was distracted by Fuzhang''s death.


    Red Comet outshone Luohou in speed, but its battered body meant that Luohou''s heaven''s might would be able to kill it quickly.


    Zhang Lie could hardly stand for this. Red Comet was an important case study for Zhang Lie''s future ascension to lord-ss, and he couldn''t let it die now.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him. He looked like a demon descending on the world.


    Pitch-ck gic energy filled the battlefield. Even the xuluo had never seen gic energy so vast and so concentrated.


    His gic energy roared as it took the form of a vast, angry sea. Waves charged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    As he sensed the tremendous pressure bearing down on him, Luohou turned to see the waves, serpents, and ck, roiling energy about to overwhelm him. His face turned pale as he crushed the suns and moons he held in his hands, transforming them into the energy with which he mustered a final defense.


    The blood-colored sun exploded when it came in contact with the ck sea, forming a blood-colored sr sword. Luohou infused heaven''s might into it and swung down at the iing waves.


    Sr res formed the de of the sword. The res seemed to extend indefinitely and, bolstered by heaven''s might, divided the sea in two.


    A beam of sword energy emerged from the parted sea. Zhang Lie, with Guicang in hand, flew over uponunching a strike. Luohou hurriedly defended himself with his de.


    Zhang Lie''s presence here meant that Fuzhang had died.


    The death of his master enraged Luohou and sent him into a frenzy. He was unable to suppress his anger. His right hand tore apart the bloody moon it held. Fragments of bloody rock formed a storm in the air.


    Zhang Lie intoned, clenching his other fist tightly as blue gic energy gathered around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from that arm. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward Luohou.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him and roaring through the skies like galloping steeds, like a rampaging sea.


    Zhang Lie''s attack struck Luohou''s lunar storm and caused so massive an explosion that bothbatants were sent flying from the impact.


    As the explosion continued, it began to radiate a destructive purple energy.


    Luohou hadn''t expected that Zhang Lie would use a wide-range attack against him. Doing so at such close distance was essentially a kamikaze attack that would bring them both down.


    From the fragments of his crushed moon, Luohou manifested a blood-colored lunar scimitar, which blocked the aftermath of the explosion.


    Even so, his body was in tatters. One of his eyes was pierced clean through by a lunar fragment, but losing one eye was no big loss for Luohou, who had four to begin with.


    On the other side of the explosion, Zhang Lie''s giant fish acted as a shield and nullified the effect of the explosion.


    Red Comet, sensing an opportunity, struck forward in a beam of red-gold light.


    Luohou summoned a shield around him, but Zhang Lie attacked at the same time. Ayer of water-attuned gic energy covered Guicang. Ripples of energy emanated from Zhang Lie as the giant fish merged with his body.


    Zhang Lie and Red Cometunched a pincer-style attack at Luohou. Luohou was forced to block Zhang Lie''s attack with the sr sword in his left hand and Red Comet''s charge with the lunar scimitar in his right.


    "I''ll kill you both!" he gritted out.


    As heaven''s might linked the sr sword and lunar scimitar, Zhang Lie had a bad premonition. Thinking back to the skill that Fuzhang had disyed, he called out to Red Comet, "Retreat!"


    Red Comet followed Zhang Lie''smand instinctively, and Zhang Lie did the same.


    "A pity..." Infused with Luohou''s heaven''s might, the sr sword pierced through Guicang, and the lunar scimitar through Red Comet''s scythe.


    If not for Zhang Lie''s quick thinking and Red Comet''s fast reflexes, that attack would have dealt a heavy wound to both parties.


    Luohou shed his sword in Zhang Lie''s direction, causing the sr mes that made up the de to extend and strike at Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie didn''t attempt to block at all; he dodged instead.


    Luohou called out, "You''re aware of what I''m hiding, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 856: Against Luohou

    <h4>Chapter 856: Against Luohou</h4>


    As a regressor, Zhang Lie knew that there were two types of heaven''s might. One involved ''cause and effect'', and the other involved ''pration''. This use of heaven''s might could prate all defenses; in other words, it allowed its user to deal true damage.


    .


    Water-attuned gic energy gathered on Zhang Lie''s de as a pale-blue shark emerged from behind Zhang Lie. Guicang shone with a pale-blue sheen, as though ocean currents were travelling along the de. A waterfall cascaded out of its tip.


    "[The Boundless de]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and the shark swam forth.


    "The only reason my master could have lost to you was because he hadn''t recovered fully from his injuries. Take this¡ªthe strongest blow my master taught me!" Luohou''s sword and scimitar released a blinding glow. The sr re and moonlight illuminated the entire battlefield.


    Luohou cross-shed with the sr sword in his left hand and the lunar scimitar in his right.


    Sr res and moonlight shot out simultaneously. The power of sun and moonbined, condensing into celestial energy. To this potentbination, Luohou infused his heaven''s might. Blood-colored radiance forced everyone to look away.


    Thebined attack instantly pierced through Zhang Lie''s shark and evaporated the sea of gic energy.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. Luohou''s weapons weren''t particrly amazing; it was all thanks to the unbelievable strength of heaven''s might.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon. The dragon''s howl shook the air, but it too was pierced clean through by Luohou''s attack.


    Only the four great xuluo lords were able tomand this extended power afforded to heaven''s might, which represented an evolution toward true heavenly strength. Compared to ''cause and effect'', ''pration'' was the simpler and cruder power, which only made it more devastatingly effective.


    From a scientific perspective, the reason a steel sword could easily slice through a wooden sword was because steel was far denser than wood. One could order all materials in this fashion, but the ascended form of heaven''s might allowed its user to rearrange this order at will.


    Zhang Lie activated [Syzygy]. A burning ck sun rose behind his back, and a bloody moon red into existence at his feet. Under thebination of the two auras, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a god. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him.


    Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    As the domains of ck sun and blood moon manifested around Zhang Lie, Luohou found his own energy being sapped away. Luohou didn''t panic¡ªinstead, he almost wanted tough.


    "Haha, just what do you think you''re doing? Are you a professional clown?"


    The xuluo that had gathered behind Luohou all began tough.


    "Victory has been decided. The moment Lord Luohou''s attacksnd, the battle will be over."


    "In the end, they''re just a newly evolved world. They might have put up a bit of a fight in the beginning, but they were going to lose to us xuluo sooner orter."


    "Once Lord Luohou finishes dealing with this opponent, he''ll be able to turn to the king of the realm fending off Lord Qiantuo''s advance. It''s a pity about Lord Fuzhang''s sacrifice, but all this was necessary."


    Luohou couldn''t help but taunt Zhang Lie, "No matter how many times you augment your strength, it''s all useless. The ascended power of heaven''s might isn''t something you can hope to ovee so easily."


    Zhang Lie''s sword resonated as he intoned, "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. Waves of sword aura poured from Zhang Lie.


    The bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight. As Zhang Lie swung his sword, they shot toward Luohou, who was about tough out loud when he found himself at a loss for words.


    The sword energy didn''t diminish as it struck his celestial des the way he had assumed it would¡ªno, what happened shocked Luohou immensely. The sword energy was so strong it bisected his celestial energy, and Luohou''s attack shot harmlessly past either side of Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie stood still, as though Luohou''s attack had never appeared.


    Luohou''s eyes bulged. "Impossible, impossible! How could you have defeated heaven''s might¡ªno one in the three thousand worlds could do so!"


    "Who knows? Heaven''s might is a strong power, almost invincible in its own right¡ªbut not so the wielder."


    A steel sword might be able to slice through a wooden sword, but not a tree. If Zhang Lie''s attack was dense and thick enough, even heaven''s might would be ineffective against him.


    "You dare im that I''m weak? You''ll pay a heavy price for this, human!" Luohou roared. The sr sword in his hand began to burn brightly. Enraged almost to the point of losing his rationality, Luohou was just about to strike when Red Comet suddenlyunched a sneak attack.


    "You bastard!" Luohou hastily shed in Red Comet''s direction with his sword, imbued with heaven''s might, and cut off one of Red Comet''s wings. At the same time, Zhang Lie struck again.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie, and the tip of his de arrived right by Luohou''s nose in the blink of an eye.


    Luohou''s eyes widened. In the face of death, at the veryst moment, he reacted just quickly enough to turn his head and survive the attack with half his face scraped off.


    Zhang Lie allowed his momentum to propel him forward even as Luohou''s sword and scimitar burst with bloody me. He tore apart the me with Guicang, revolved, and unsheathed Hanguang. The two swords criss-crossed and formed a web in mid-air¡ªbut an explosion from Luohou''s swords tore it apart.


    The two swords shed against each other hundreds, thousands of times.


    Zhang Lie''s arms moved so rapidly that the xuluo, watching from afar, could only see a blur. With rapid shes and strikes, Zhang Lie was slowly but surely chipping away at Luohou''s celestial energy...

 Chapter 857: A Massive Fight

    <h4>Chapter 857: A Massive Fight</h4>


    Luohou spun faster and faster, turning himself into a hurricane. He imbued his surroundings with sr me and lunar moonlight, causing the hurricane to spin toward Zhang Lie like a celestial drill¡ªforcing Zhang Lie back and deterring him from his attacks.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The stronger attack enveloped Luohou in an instant. Luohou''s heaven''s might was immensely strong, but Zhang Lie''s [de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells] was on a different level entirely. Luohou''s des were crushed into powder by the force of the waves that Zhang Lie summoned, and Luohou himself spat out mouthfuls of blood from the impact.


    He howled and transformed himself into a de, infusing his own body with the ability to prate anything. With the threat of death hanging over his head, Luohou unlocked his true potential.


    He burned more fiercely than his shattered sr sword, because his fuel was his own lifeforce. He had a keener edge than his shattered sr sword, because looking death in the eye had triggered the full power of heaven''s might.


    In that one instant, Luohou only had one thought on his mind: to be a de so sharp that he could even pierce Zhang Lie.


    Tens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands of years of experience...


    When Luohou traded all that for a single-minded vision, even an ancient superior king would avoid this attack¡ªbut not his opponent, because his opponent was Zhang Lie!


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Zhang Lie''s des into a blood dragon that revolved around his body. Hanguang''s light coalesced into a ck dragon that likewise curled up around him.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Luohou like a hurricane, carrying the waves of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea with them.


    The strength of Zhang Lie''s des tore Luohou apart in an instant.


    Luohou''s death caused the remaining xuluo to panic.


    Just who was this monster? How could a newly evolved superior world have a man like this, someone who could kill two great lords of the xuluo one after another? There were only a handful of such people even in established worlds!


    For instance, the formermander-in-chief of the xuluo army, Fuzhang, was considered the strongest xuluo after the king himself for surviving a single blow from the king of the death spirits. Even Fuzhang couldn''t im to defeat two great xuluo lords simultaneously¡ªand Fuzhang was one of the four great lords, with even the enhanced version of heaven''s might!


    Even so, these great lords that had once seemed invincible to the xuluo had been killed by a man who came from a newly evolved world, who wasn''t even the king of the realm.


    Just who was this man?


    The xuluo had invaded countless newly evolved worlds and were veterans of all sorts of battles. This was the first time they had lost so severely, and the first time they had seen an existence who wasn''t the king of the realm but was stronger than one.


    They had encountered aliens from the Milky Way before, but they weren''t particrly familiar with them. After all, most lifeforms from the Milky Way didn''t know much about superior worlds, considering they were so weak. Even the premier warlords of the third realm wouldn''t be able to handle a few blows from a xuluo lord.


    Most of them were passersby who left the moment they collected enough superior gene fragments, without staying and partaking in the endless warfare among the three thousand worlds.


    Before the knowledge of disaster gene fragments spread widely across the Milky Way, the hunters of the Milky Way had been uniformly rather weak.


    Zhang Lie''s appearance heralded the start of a new period, a renaissance for the hunters of the Milky Way. All the superior worlds would soon remember the name of one race in particr: the humans.


    Though the xuluo were frightened by Zhang Lie''s martial prowess, that didn''t mean they had lost their witspletely. If nothing else, they were experienced fighters after so many invasions. Although their current situation was dire, they understood what they had to do.


    "Don''t be frightened. We still have one surviving xuluo lord. This fellow must have exhausted all his resources to kill the first two¡ªLord Qiantuo is almost finished with his battle against the king of the realm. Subsequently, while he handles this man, we''ll charge into the superior world and im it for ourselves!"


    The xuluo knew that, as long as they could invade the Zongming world, they would be able to use it as a bargaining chip.


    The five-colored dragon and Li Zongming''s sunbird were guarding the Zongming world from the xuluo, but there were only two of them and far too many xuluo to count.


    Though they were disaster-grade lifeforms, and strong ones at that, their defensive abilities were limited. There were a small group of xuluo that made it past the two lifeforms and into the Zongming world, but Zhang Lie didn''t have the time to deal with them now.


    After sessfully killing Luohou, Zhang Lie rushed to Red Comet''s side and checked on its wounds. It was badly wounded, but not in critical condition.


    Indeed, after that grueling battle, Red Comet''s body was starting to fill with energy once again¡ªthe reward for having survived it being the potential it had unlocked from the experience. Once Red Comet''s wounds recovered, its strength would likely show marked improvement.


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Zongming''s battlefield.


    Li Zongming was in poor shape, with wounds marring his body and blood leaking out of his orifices. If Zhang Lie didn''t go help him now, this newly minted superior king of the realm would be struck down within moments.


    Zhang Lie swung his sword again, summoning a huge ck serpent. Water-attuned gic energy gushed forward like violent waves. The serpent wrapped around Zhang Lie''s arm and was infused into his next attack.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold. The xuluo breathed out puffs of white air as a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood. Zhang Lie swung Guicang in an arc, teleporting through space and striking thest great lord of the xuluo...

 Chapter 858: Counter-Invasion of the Xuluo

    <h4>Chapter 858: Counter-Invasion of the Xuluo</h4>


    Qiantuo, sensing a threat from afar, opened his mouth to howl. The force of lightning imbued the sound waves he emitted. Heaven''s might shed against Zhang Lie''s underworld river in a series of stunning explosions that sent gic energy flying in all directions.


    Even a single drop that struck the xuluo would cause them to dpose rapidly amidst a series of frenzied screams.


    Qiantuo''s face grew rmed. Only now did he realize that, while he was fighting off Li Zongming, Zhang Lie had in two of the great xuluo lords. Knowing that he wasn''t as strong as Fuzhang or Luohou, Qiantuo would have immediately retreated if he could¡ªbut Zhang Lie would hardly allow that.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him. He looked like a demon descending on the world. ck gic energy filled the battlefield. Even the xuluo had never seen gic energy so vast and so concentrated¡ªa veritable sea of gic energy, roaring in rage.


    Waves charged forward across its surface, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Qiantuo roared once more, imbuing heaven''s might into his voice. His sound waves and lightning formed a coherent attack that struck the surface of Zhang Lie''s sea and caused the serpents swimming underneath its surface to explode into ck gic energy. As the energy seeped deeper into the sea, more and more serpents were generated.


    Zhang Lie had revised his [Fists of the Silent Sea] as a result of inspiration from Sun Mengmeng''s technique. For [The Boundless de: the River Lethe], he had taken inspiration from Yang Ze.


    Yang Ze had surrounded the battlefield in mist, then conjured packs of sharks that would roam the mist.


    Zhang Lie was a mentor and friend to the members of Team Zenith, and they all learned and improved from each other. The members of Team Zenith treated Zhang Lie as an example to emte, while Zhang Lie refined his techniques with the help of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie had incorporated Yang Ze''s sharks and mist into his [The Boundless de], so that the serpents that swam within the sea could be reconstituted by the sea after being destroyed.


    As long as the sea remained, more and more serpents would spawn¡ªthe boundless sea was the font of life, which gave birth to an endless stream of creatures.


    Even Qiantuo''s lightning-infused attacks were unable to counter the sea''s might. The sea swallowed up Qiantuo, devouring him with corrosive gic energy. The serpents within the sea gathered around him and bit at his body, causing Qiantuo to shriek and struggle as he tried to free himself in vain.


    Qiantuo''s body was veryrge, but Zhang Lie''s [The Boundless de], at full power, could cover up a third of a superior world.


    Qiantuo''s body was slowly devoured by the serpents, leaving only his bones behind¡ªbut even so, with Qiantuo''s tremendous vitality and strength, he somehow remained alive. That didn''t, however, mean that he had survived.


    "Sleep forevermore! [The Boundless de: Requiem of the End]!" Zhang Lie thrust the de into Qiantuo''s skeleton. A small ck hurricane of gic energy seeped within the cut, and des of shining light erupted all over Qiantuo''s bones.


    The bones cracked and dissipated into powder as the remnant gic energy exploded.


    The xuluo stared at the scene in shock as the final xuluo lord was defeated. Theirst hope had been extinguished; Qiantuo too had fallen to Zhang Lie.


    None of the four great lords of the xuluo were a match for Zhang Lie¡ªbut before the xuluo could think about what to do next, Zhang Lie struck at them.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summong a blood dragon. A dragon''s roar shook heaven and earth. The blood dragon''s figure overshadowed a huge swathe of the xuluo.


    Zhang Lie shed forward with Guicang. "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within. The pitch-ck sword sh grewrger as it headed toward the xuluo, slicing them all apart in one fell swoop.


    The battlefield filled with silence.


    Li Zongming hobbled over. "Zhang Lie, th-thank goodness you were here!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Can you open a wormhole to the xuluo world?"


    Li Zongming nodded. "Now that I''ve familiarized myself a little with the power of a superior king, I can. What''s more, that arrogant bastard from the xuluo world opened a wormhole right by my doorstep. I can easily reverse the maniption.


    "As long as the Zongming world remains a superior world, the xuluo world will never give up on their invasion¡ªwe have no choice but to fight. Rather than have theme to our doorstep, we may as well go to theirs."


    Thirty million xuluo had died, as well as all four of the great xuluo lords. The only defense the xuluo world boasted was its king.


    "The king must be lonely without his subordinates¡ªI''ll go pay him a visit and send him to the underworld myself," Zhang Lie replied, sheathing Guicang and Hanguang.


    Li Zongming smiled wryly. "Do you need my help?"


    "No. You''d better deal with the xuluo that got past the two disaster-grade lifeforms and have invaded the world. Don''t let them hurt Qianlin¡ªleave the counterattack on the xuluo world to me."


    Upon being reminded of the dregs of the xuluo still remaining in the Zongming world, Li Zongming''s face turned ugly. "I''ll leave the xuluo world to you, then. Don''t force yourself to keep going if you can''t¡ªyou have toe back alive."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Take good care of Qianlin. If she''s missing even a finger, I''ll raze the Zongling world to the ground myself."


    Li Zongming rolled his eyes. "Who do you think I am? Would her father allow Li Qianlin toe to any harm?"

 Chapter 859: Entering the Xuluo World

    <h4>Chapter 859: Entering the Xuluo World</h4>


    "Ah, help me bring Red Comet back as well!" Zhang Lie handed the badly wounded Red Comet to Li Zongming.


    Li Zongming condensed the energy of the world over himself and infused it into Red Comet''s body in a sh of rainbow light. Although it was somewhat of a waste to use the world''s energy for simple healing, this was treatment that Red Comet deserved.


    If not for Red Comet, he, Li Zongming, wouldn''t have been able to survive his fight against the xuluo lords. If Red Comet hadn''t fought off Luohou, Luohou and Fuzhang would have attacked Zhang Lie simultaneously. Even if they couldn''t kill Zhang Lie, they would have slowed him down enough that Li Zongming would be in danger of dying to Qiantuo. He was a recently ascended superior king, and he didn''t have the reserves to fend off a great xuluo lord for extended periods of time.


    Li Zongming continued to infuse the world''s energy into Red Comet''s body. "This fifth-level beast has contributed greatly to the survival of the Zongming world, and I won''t let anything happen to it! The sacrifice of its body and life will be repaid multiple times over, this I swear."


    Red Comet hadn''t done so in order to protect the Zongming world¡ªrather, it was just listening to Zhang Lie''s orders.


    As the six-colored rainbow light spread throughout its body, Red Comet''s wounds healed and began to glow in rainbow light. After absorbing the world''s energy from Li Zongming, and after having survived a fight to the death, Red Comet''s strength would increase by leaps and bounds, and he might even reach a new threshold of being.


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Open the wormhole. I''ll head off immediately."


    Li Zongming waved his hand with a frown of concentration. The wormhole from which the xuluo had emerged slowly began to open up, revealing the blood-colored heaven and sea of the xuluo world.


    Zhang Lie stepped forth on his campaign.


    Back in the xuluo world, Vemacitrin was grousing at Feitian. "Forefather, what are you doing? I''m aplishing the task you assigned me¡ªpicking out thirty million xuluo warriors among the poption! This is a massive undertaking, and I need time to carry it out."


    Vemacitrin was in the middle of his selection when Feitian suddenly summoned him back for an audience.


    Feitian slowly announced, "I have some bad news. Fuzhang and the others are dead."


    "What?!"


    Vemacitrin thought he had to have misheard.


    Feitian repeated, "The xuluo forces were killed to thest before they were able to invade the world!"


    Vemacitrin''s eyes grew wide. "That''s impossible! Fuzhang and the others are all xuluo lords, and Fuzhang himself was from the first generation of lords! Even the king of the death spirits was unable to kill him, so how could he have perished in a nameless world?"


    Feitian replied, "This is the truth, unbelievable as it may be. I cannot sense Fuzhang or the other two any longer."


    Vemacitrin suggested, "They might have encountered some ident or entered a special territory that could block your senses. At any rate, I won''t believe that an invasion force consisting of three xuluo lords and thirty million xuluo could be wiped out by a newly evolved superior world!"


    After all, this was thergest invasion force they had sent out in years.


    Feitian continued, "The power I left on the xuluo lords'' bodies allowed me to sense their conditions to some extent. I am certain that they''ve all been killed."


    Vemacitrin couldn''t help but ask, "Forefather, if you could sense their conditions, why didn''t you save them?"


    "Far easier said than done."


    By the time Feitian sensed that the three xuluo lords were in danger, it was already toote.


    "The most important thing to do now is to make sure that we xuluo can survive the uing crisis."


    Vemacitrin snorted. "You think the opponent will be so daring as to invade the xuluo world? They''re just asking to die!"


    Feitian frowned. "Do not underestimate our opponent''s ignorance and foolishness, nor their strength. For three xuluo lords to be in one after the other¡ªthis is a foe we have to pay attention to."


    Vemacitrin frowned. "Forefather, aren''t you a little too worried? I''d rather that they invade the xuluo world more quickly so I can kill them all."


    Vemacitrin''s perspective was very different from Feitian''s.


    The xuluo world belonged to the xuluo, and they had reserves of energy that had been steadily collected over millennia. Any invaders would swiftly die.


    Vemacitrin continued, "I''ll take this opportunity to avenge the other three lords."


    Rationally, Feitian knew that no lifeform would be able to do any damage to the xuluo world while he, Feitian, remained in power.


    Even so, Feitian felt a budding sense of unease. He didn''t believe in a sixth sense or the like, but the pinnacle of heaven''s might allowed him to sense the connections of fate thaty between objects.


    In some sense, Feitian could predict the world''s future. What he saw wasn''t an unknown opponent, but rather the karmic retribution that was about to befall the xuluo world.


    In order to strengthen their homeworld, the xuluo had attacked any newly evolved superior worlds in their vicinity and ughtered huge quantities of life. The number of casualties under the xuluo invasions would fill up a superior world and more¡ªand would eventually result in a karmic bacsh as a tribtion to the xuluo.


    Feitian could sense that their enemies were drawing near.


    Vemacitrin suggested, "Forefather, if you''re so worried, why not dispatch my brother? If I''m working with him, I''m sure we''ll be able to deal with this enemy easily¡ªeven if he''s managed to kill three xuluo lords in session!"


    Feitian mulled the suggestion over.


    Vemacitrin whined, "Forefather, my brother''s been trapped for long enough!"


    "I''m worried that if I release your brother, it''ll incite arger disaster."


    Vemacitrin asked, "Forefather, in that case, may I ask how long you intend to trap my brother underground? For eternity?"


    "I''m unable to control him, and I don''t know what sort of disaster he would unleash as a result."


    Vemacitrin sighed. "In that case, I''ll start preparing for battle, then."


    .


    After a long pause, Feitian finally said, "If the enemies are too difficult to handle, I''ll consider releasing Potian."


    Zhang Lie passed through the long, winding wormhole before finally arriving at the xuluo world, with a blood-colored sky and a blood-colored sea. The air carried the stench of blood, and a pce made of bone was visible near the horizon. This was the first time that Zhang Lie had been to the xuluo world; or, more urately, the first time he had had the opportunity to go to one.


    Even so, Zhang Lie didn''t feel at all pleased or interested by the idea. Instead, he felt visceral disgust. The moment he entered the xuluo world, the wormhole behind him was sealed shut. From the sea of blood beneath him, he sensed a burgeoning killing intent...

 Chapter 860: The Final Xuluo Lord

    <h4>Chapter 860: The Final Xuluo Lord</h4>


    A nine-headed spider with thousands of eyes on every head emerged from the bloody sea. Nine hundred and ny-nine hands grew out of various parts of its body like fur or hair. Its nine heads sprayed out purplish-ck mes.


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. Clenching his fists tightly, he gathered blue gic energy around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from his arms. A frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    Howling gales shook the air around him. The surface of the sea raged, and the purplish-ck mes that Vemacitrin exhaled were sent flying by the gales of wind that Zhang Lie conjured. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, and they swamped the nine-headed spider.


    The spider''s heads tilted in shock. Zhang Lie''s attack had snuffed out the mes that it produced. Its eight legs flung waves of the bloody seawater into the sky, shing against Zhang Lie''s pale-blue gic sea.


    Zhang Lie''s energy easily won out. As the pale-blue gic energy overwhelmed the spider''s defenses, the nine-headed spider leapt high into the air.


    Underneath it, the pale-blue gic energy exploded uponing into contact with the bloody sea. The pale-blue gic energy rampaged like a storm, causing the bloody seawater to swirl up into the air and strike the nine-headed spider.


    The spider''s sneak attack had failed miserably. Not only had it not managed to hurt Zhang Lie, it even lost three of its legs to Zhang Lie''s counterattack. Even so, the nine-headed spider didn''t seem to mind. "You must be the fellow who killed Fuzhang, Luohou, and Qiantuo¡ªand Pozhi as well, I suppose."


    "Looks like the xuluo predicted I would being..." Zhang Lie wasn''t too surprised. If the xuluo couldn''t even sense enemy presence in their own world, they would have no right to call themselves inhabitants of a superior world.


    The nine-headed spider continued, "Let me introduce myself. I''m Vematricin,st of the four great xuluo lords, prince of the xuluo. We''ve been waiting for you."


    Battalions of xuluo warriors surrounded Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie didn''t speak. Instead, a tidal wave of water-attuned gic energy appeared behind him. A violent shark appeared from behind Zhang Lie''s body as the energy circled around his body and condensed by his index finger.


    Vematricin''s thousands of eyes gleamed. "Today will be the day of your death."


    "I have no intention to be a guest to the xuluo," Zhang Lie replied mildly. The shark swelled as it merged with Zhang Lie''s body.


    "[The Boundless de]!" Zhang Lie swung his sword, and a wave of water-attuned gic energy spread out all around him.


    While Zhang Lie and Vematricin were deep in battle, Feitian found himself at a mountain range deep within the sea of blood. Feitian reached out with a hand and prodded at the mountain, which began to crack. The cracks propagated at an extremely fast rate, and the entire mountain began to copse. Huge boulders fell and tumbled down the mountain, causing seawater to surge forth.


    A localized whirlpool formed at the scene, and a centipede''s head poked out of the eye of the whirlpool. The centipede looked around until it saw Feitian. Curiously, it asked, "Father, what are you doing? I was having a good sleep. Why did you wake me up?"


    The centipede who had poked its head out of the eye of the whirlpool was none other than Feitian''s first son, Potian.


    Feitian informed him, "A strong foe hase to the xuluo world."


    Potian replied in exasperation, "So what? I was having such a nice nap!"


    "As you know, I''m quite skilled with heaven''s might. I can see that this person brings with him the karmic retribution for the xuluo''s indiscriminate ughter of so many newly evolved superior worlds."


    "And then?"


    Potian didn''t seem as though he wanted to do anything about it. His rtionship with his father was rather poor, and he lived a rtively indolent life.


    If not for Feitian waking him up and trying to pester him to fight, Potian might have been interested in the intruder who had dared to step into the xuluo world, but now that Feitian hade over himself to seek his assistance, Potian was far less happy about the idea of doing so.


    He wasn''t Feitian''s tool, after all; wasn''t it embarrassing for him to make a move just because his father wanted him to?


    Feitian continued, "Vemacitrin is in battle now, and I don''t expect he''ll be able to survive."


    "Oh, that fellow?" Potian murmured, without any intention of helping out.


    Vemacitrin worshiped Potian, but Potian didn''t necessarily like him back¡ªat best, he tolerated Vemacitrin''s presence. After all, Potian and Vemacitrin shared the same lineage.


    "If you y the invader, I''ll free you from captivity."


    "And why do I need freedom? I was doing fine sleeping all day. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Potian continued, "If there''s nothing else, scram! Don''t bother me any further."


    Feitian sighed. "I know that you''re upset at me because I''ve been suppressing your strength, but your natural affinity for heaven''s might is simply too strong. If I don''t do it, the entire xuluo world would be destroyed!"


    "This is something that happened so long ago that I don''t care about it any longer. Just leave!" Potian couldn''t be bothered to deal with Feitian and slowly slunk back into the whirlpool.


    Feitian felt a headache pounding. His son, who had once imed that he would rule over the third realm, had lost all that motivation after being chained down for ten thousand years.


    Perhaps he had been too harsh.


    Feitian continued, "If you don''t stop that fellow, you won''t have a ce to sleep any longer."


    Potian frowned. "That would be troublesome indeed, but there are three thousand worlds in this realm. I can find somewhere else."


    "You¡ªyou really do hold a grudge against me, don''t you? Your brother''s about to die! What will it take to get you to fend off the invaders?"


    "Can''t you do it yourself, Father?"


    "I have my own ns!"


    "Then carry them out¡ªgoodnight!" Potian slunk back into the blood-colored whirlpool.


    "Half of the world''s energy from the new superior world¡ªI''ll give it to you!" Feitian shouted.


    Potian turned back around. "Ny percent."


    "Sixty percent, at most."


    "Eighty percent, and the freedom to choose which eighty percent I want."


    "Deal!"


    "Haha, haha!" Frighteningughter came from within the whirlpool of blood, as though thousands of people were simultaneouslyughing.


    "Father, you should have opened the negotiation with these terms. I wouldn''t have had to waste time on this charade in that case."


    The whirlpool of blood burst apart, turning into a red mist. A long, segmented body rushed out of the whirlpool. The centipede wasposed of thousands of segments, each of which had a human face embedded in it. On either side of each segment were human-like hands and legs.


    Feitian was exasperated by the behavior of his eldest son. "Just who does he take after, I wonder..."


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie''s battle with Vemacitrin was growing more and more heated.


    Zhang Lie''s shark burst apart into a horde of smaller pale-blue sharks that spread out over the sea, sweeping away the xuluo that had prepared an ambush for Zhang Lie.


    They tore apart the xuluo as Vemacitrin barely defended against Zhang Lie''s blows. As more and more sharks manifested in the sea, Vemacitrin found itself hard-pressed to handle the horde of sharks with its five remaining legs.


    Its nine heads frowned as over eighty percent of the xuluo strike force was defeated at once. The remaining were being chased by Zhang Lie''s sharks and forced to scatter.


    Although they were all fighters from a superior world, and elites at that, they seemed weak and pathetic in front of Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "Is this the famed might of the xuluo?"


    "You!" Vemacitrin''s nine heads spat out purplish-ck me, condensed to an extreme.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Zhang Lie sneered. "You think these mes can hurt me? You really are overconfident! [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth. Its skin sizzled as it came in contact with Vemacitrin''s mes, but the ck serpent was able to survive the mes intact with the power of its corrosion.


    Vemacitrin imbued heaven''s might into its mes, sliced the serpent apart, and rushed toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie''s body glowed as he transformed into a russet dragonwolf, his aura instantly magnifying. As a blood-colored storm formed over the battlefield, Zhang Lie vanished and reappeared near-instantly behind Vemacitrin.


    ck me appeared in mid-air and flew toward Zhang Lie like heat-seeking missiles, but Zhang Lie ignored them all. He swung his sword, causing green blood to spurt out from Vemacitrin''s body. Its nine heads howled as the mes red around Zhang Lie, but he snuffed out the mes with nothing more than a few shes of Guicang as Vemacitrin watched in disbelief.


    How could heaven''s might be ineffective against Zhang Lie? Vemacitrin quickly realized how the three xuluo lords had fallen against Zhang Lie¡ªtheir opponent waspletely immune to heaven''s might.


    The ck serpent coiled around Zhang Lie. Its scales turned a blood-red color and horns protruded from its forehead as it transformed into a bloody dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" It charged along with Zhang Lie''s fist, roaring in rage as it flew toward a stunned Vemacitrin...

 Chapter 861: Potians Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 861: Potian''s Arrival</h4>


    Vemacitrin''s five legs seemed to be hard at work weaving something as purplish-ck mes continued to pour out of its nine heads.


    "[Web of Heaven''s Might]!" A web of red and ck flew out from Vemacitrin and smashed into the bloody dragon. Vemacitrin had quickly realized that heaven''s might was ineffective against Zhang Lie and came up with a countermeasure. Instead of trying to use it directly on Zhang Lie, it targeted Zhang Lie''s attacks instead.


    The blood dragon exploded instantly¡ªbut Vemacitrin could hardly have predicted that the true horror would only start then.


    Zhang Lie had been inspired by Sun Mengmeng''s refinement of her own techniques. She had split her technique into twoponents; the truly devastating part of Zhang Lie''s skill would only be triggered after the blood dragon''s explosion.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. The entire sea of blood began to boil. Vemacitrin''s web of red and ck, stitched with heaven''s might, was shredded in an instant.


    Its nine heads nced at the explosion in dismay. The explosion had urred so close to Vemacitrin''s body that it didn''t have the time or space to avoid the attack.


    Just then, a tail emerged from underneath the sea of blood, curled around Vemacitrin, and pulled him underwater before the dragon''s carcass detonatedpletely.


    The explosion of the energy of annihtion that made up the blood dragon''s body was on the level of a weapon of mass destruction, one that seemed as though it could even destroy arge-sized world.


    It enveloped the sea of blood, dposed it at an atomic level, and transformed the energy so produced into more destruction. Even Zhang Lie, who hadunched the attack, had to flee in order to avoid being caught by the aftermath.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that consumed everything in sight, draining the sea of blood until it reached some threshold. At that point, it shrunk down to a pinhole and vanished, leaving a vacuum in the water. A storm manifested around that vacuum as the seawater cavitated, leaving a spherical hole where Vemacitrin once stood. The sea of blood, drained at least in the vicinity of the hole, was now nothing more than seabed.


    As the ck hole vanished, the seawater that had been held at bay flooded back into the vacuum in a tumultuous cascade.


    Zhang Lie stood in the air as he nced down at the destruction he had wreaked.


    He suddenly felt a sense of premonition. A high-pressure stream of bloody water shot at him, but Zhang Lie was able to react and dodge near-immediately.


    Two figures emerged from the sea of blood, one of which had a centipede''s head. "Well, he really is quite strong, if he can even avoid such a blow."


    The other figure was Vemacitrin.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Given what happened right before the explosion, Vemacitrin shouldn''t have been able to escape. In that case, there was only one possibility.


    Zhang Lie turned to the centipede. "Did you save the spider?"


    The centipede was none other than Potian.


    Potian replied, "He''s my brother, after all. If he were to die in front of me, my father would give me a beating."


    That said, Vemacitrin was hardly unscathed. It had lost four more of its eight legs, and the back half of its body had been consumed by the energy of annihtion.


    Despite its heavy wounds, Vemacitrin seemed very happy. "I''ll admit that you''re strong, stronger than the great lords of the xuluo, but now that my brother is here, you''re dead now!"


    The blood-colored centipede emerged fully from the sea.


    The centipede wasposed of thousands of segments, each of which had a human face embedded on its back, and whose limbs were a human''s arms and legs. It was almost as though its body were formed from over a thousand interconnected humans.


    Vemacitrin introduced his brother. "You''re aware of heaven''s might, and presumably of its ascended version, after having fought the xuluo lords. My brother, Potian, was the one who pioneered the development of this ascended form of heaven''s might thousands of years ago."


    Zhang Lie looked the centipede up and down, unable to believe that the centipede in front of him was the one who had made that astounding discovery.


    "Enough!" Potian called back. "No need for your introduction. I''d like to preserve some of my mystery."


    Vemacitrin shuddered. "I''m sorry, Brother, I shouldn''t have revealed everything!"


    Potian sighed. "I can''t tell whether you''re doing these things deliberately or by ident."


    Vemacitrin continued, "But so what if he knows? Surely he''s not an opponent for you, Brother!"


    Potian rolled his eyes. "You might underestimate your opponent, but don''t underestimate your father. He''s at the pinnacle of heaven''s might, and he wouldn''t have released me if not for the existence of a foe even he would have a hard time dealing with. He''d much rather lock me up for life. Even now, I don''t understand why he released me rather than fight himself."


    Allegedly, Zhang Lie was the karmic bacsh from the xuluo''s actions all these millennia for invading and conquering newly evolved superior worlds.


    Potian had yet to study the base version of heaven''s might as deeply as its father did, and this notion of karma wasn''t something it could confirm. Nevertheless, its face became serious. "I don''t know what you are, but for my freedom, you''ll have to die here. Vemacitrin, you''ll support me from the back!"


    "Yes, brother!"


    Potian soared into the air. Vemacitrin began to spit out threads of red and ck fire from its nine heads, which it wove deftly with its remaining appendages.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie cocked back his left arm, channeled his gic energy into the attack, and sent it straight at Potian.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred dragons flew toward Potian.


    The dragons were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion. It was as though Zhang Lie had used [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade] ?a hundred times in session.


    Simultaneously, Vemacitrin tossed out a purplish-ck fireball which flew over Potian''s head and struck the dragons soaring overhead. It burst apart into a ming web that seemed to surround the entirety of the sky, and its threads were reinforced with heaven''s might.


    The ck dragons exploded in mid-air far from Potian, the energy of annihtion they contained within them forming a chaotic storm and tearing the web of threads apart. Seawater was sucked up from the sea and into the sky, into the mess of ck gic energy that hung overhead.


    Potian used its own body as a sword, reinforcing itself with potent prating ability. It flew right into and through the middle of the explosion, detonating what dragons remained.


    The storm continued raging overhead, but Potian, who had reinforced its own body, suffered no damage from passing through the storm.


    Zhang Lie''s lips finally quirked up in a faint smile. "Interesting. Finally, a worthwhile enemy!"

 Chapter 862: Zhang Lies Might

    <h4>Chapter 862: Zhang Lie''s Might</h4>


    Zhang Lie shed forward. Guicang struck Potian in such a manner that both parties were shocked.


    Potian was astonished that, even though it was using heaven''s might, Zhang Lie was able to block its attack. Heaven''s might was an attack that couldn''t be blocked; it was karmic in nature. In other words, Zhang Lie was strong enough to affect naturalw with nothing but his sword.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie was very surprised that Potian''s attack had left a dent on Guicang. Potian''s heaven''s might was far superior to the heaven''s might of the xuluo lords he had fought.


    As Zhang Lie activated his [Ninecarp Transformation], water-attuned gic energy wrapped around his sword and cascaded down it like a waterfall. The pale-blue shark behind him swam into the air.


    Potian''s tail grew taut like a steel cable as it struck Zhang Lie with its tail.


    The pale-blue shark mped down hard on the centipede''s tail, only to be torn apart as Potian swung it around violently.


    At the same time, Vemacitrin snuck up to Zhang Lie from behind, its nine mouths continuously producing purplish-ck thread that its legs wove into huge fireballs, half the size of its body¡ªand Vemacitrin''s body was asrge as andmass.


    The ming balls of fire were farrger than Zhang Lie''s own body. These fireballs, which Vemacitrin had woven in a hurry, were sorge they could cover up a third of a continent. It had woven them while Zhang Lie and Potian were exchanging blows with each other.


    The size of the resulting explosion would be unknown until they wereunched, but they were sorge that Zhang Lie certainly wouldn''t be able to avoid them. If he had noticed them earlier, Zhang Lie would have stopped Vemacitrin at all costs, but Potian prevented him from doing so.


    "Die!" Just as Vemacitrin was about to toss those fireballs out, however, Zhang Lie stepped forward. The image of a dragonturtle appeared behind him, and his gic energy immediately turned from a pale blue color to a deep, dark brown, like muddy water.


    The thick sludge then turned blood-red under the effects of his soulshard. The gic energy froze space solid, trapping Potian and Vemacitrin within its domain.


    Potian felt as though it were wading through a swamp, costing it tens or even hundreds of times more energy just to move forward, or even to wiggle a single finger. It felt as though a mountain were pressing down on its body, one so heavy it could barely breathe, slowing down all its bodily processes.


    Even the air seemed to solidify and turn to syrup. The surface of the sea sank; its lowest point was right underneath Zhang Lie.


    Potian and Vemacitrin found themselves restrained, leaving only Zhang Lie free to move.


    "No matter how strong your heaven''s might is, it won''t matter if you''re unable to cast it." Zhang Lie shot forward like a beam of light, and the gic energy that had condensed on his de erupted.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" A wave of energy rushed toward Potian, apanied by a fountain of blood that swallowed it whole.


    Vemacitrin, struggling against the solidifying space, managed to toss out its fireballs, which exploded in mid-air. A giant web of fire hung over Zhang Lie and Potian, with heaven''s might imbued in every strand.


    Vemacitrin''s attack was intended to free Potian from the trap.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie shouted, summoning the runic tablets controlling gravity and anti-gravity.


    Zhang Lie''s sword sh half-crippled Potian as the attack struck it head-on. Its head split into thirds and crumbled away in the aftermath of the attack, but Potian didn''t die. Where the head had fallen off, a new one reappeared.


    To Potian, losing a head was no big deal. There were thousands of human heads embedded in Potian''s segmented body, but each of those heads were actually Potian''s own. In other words, as long as any of the thousand heads remained alive, Potian would not die.


    The two runic tablets reverberated, and golden runes appeared over their surface.


    ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity. The mysterious fluctuations in gravitational strength caused Zhang Lie''s opponents to lose control of their own bodies.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Zhang Lie swung his sword again, summoning a huge ck serpent. The serpent wrapped around Zhang Lie''s arm.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold. A chill permeated the air, and even the sea froze over with a thinyer of red-tinted ice.


    A strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all. The world was turning into a hellscape. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Zhang Lie leapt high into the air and into the flood of serpents, whose target was the web of ckme hanging over them all.


    The serpents crashed into the web, which sizzled as though it were being corroded away. As more and more serpents flung themselves into the web, it finally disintegrated.


    Zhang Lie led the charge through the web. As he did so, the serpents clumped together and began to metamorphosize, transforming from a flood of serpents into one gigantic ck serpent that broke through the enclosure and headed straight for Vemacitrin.


    After activating [Ninecarp Transformation]''s serpent form, Zhang Lie''s dragonturtle domain vanished, and Vemacitrin was able to move once again. It tried to avoid the attack, but it was too massive to be able to do so.


    The ck serpent pierced through Vemacitrin''s body, and small serpents detached from the main body and began devouring it from the inside out.


    Vemacitrin screamed in pain; its massive body was now an impediment. Pain swarmed its senses as it tried to peel off the serpents with its nine hundred and ny-nine hands. The flowers on its heads grew vines that likewise did the same, but to no avail...

 Chapter 863: A Superior King

    <h4>Chapter 863: A Superior King</h4>


    Potian tried to rescue Vemacitrin, but was prevented from doing so by the gigantic web that had fallen from the sky.


    The threads of the web, imbued with heaven''s might, had significant prating ability. Potian''s personal strength and deep understanding of heaven''s might were more than enough for it to break free, but it had taken a bit of time to do so. That, in addition to Zhang Lie''s two runic dragonturtle tablets, meant that Potian was unable to save Vemacitrin in time.


    In some sense, Vemacitrin hadmitted suicide by releasing that ming web.


    By the time Potian broke free, it found itself enveloped in a sea of gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him. He looked like a demon descending on the world.


    ck gic energy filled the battlefield. Even the xuluo had never seen gic energy so vast and so concentrated¡ªhis gic energy roared as it took the form of a vast, angry sea.


    Waves surged toward Potian.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    A tremendous wave enveloped Potian whole.


    Potian''s face grew rmed as it roared, imbuing its body with heaven''s might as it made to pierce through the waves.


    Countless sea serpents emerged from underneath the sea''s surface in ripples of seawater, charging toward Potian. When they were destroyed, their energy returned to the sea, primed to form more such serpents. As long as the sea remained, the serpents would spawn endlessly¡ªthe boundless sea was the font of life, which gave birth to an endless stream of creatures.


    Even if Potian had mastered heaven''s might, it couldn''t use it endlessly against a never-ending stream of opponents. Even so, Potian was truly a strong foe. Its heaven''s might was so potent that it really did manage to charge out of the waves¡ªonly toe face to face with Zhang Lie, who had been waiting for it.


    Zhang Lie raised the de Guicang. Under the influence of his active soulshards, his gic energy turned blood-red.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon. A blood-red dragon''s roar shook the skies. Zhang Lie''s attack shed against Potian, who had transformed his entire body into a de.


    Naturalw warped and cracked under the force of the explosion, which was so intense it affected the metaphysical itself.


    By then, Zhang Lie had gleaned some understanding of heaven''s might and Potian''s application of it. Its head was smashed apart and its body flung backwards into the underworld sea beneath him. The raging sea surged forth and rent Potian''s body into several pieces.


    Even so, Potian remained alive. The various pieces of its body began to grow their own heads, but the serpents that constituted the sea surrounded each piece and began to corrode them away.


    Potian reversed its heaven''s might and used it for defense rather than offense. Potian was the only one of the xuluo who had managed to aplish such a feat.


    Just then, a giant ck figure emerged from the sea of blood and appeared behind Zhang Lie¡ªVemacitrin. Vemacitrin had made use of its monstrous vitality to survive the serpents'' corrosion, and it had managed to pluck them all off its body before it was corroded away.


    Immediately after dealing with this time-sensitive issue, Vemacitrin began to attack once more. The flowers on its heads began to spray out a stream of poison.


    Vemacitrin didn''t think it could beat Zhang Lie; rather, it had lost its sense of rationality after suffering the huge amount of pain that had been caused by the serpents devouring its very body.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air. Waves of sword aura poured from Zhang Lie.


    The bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight. As Zhang Lie swung his sword, they shot toward Vemacitrin, shing apart the flowers on its head. The purplish-ck protective web of mes was unable to hold Zhang Lie''s attack back.


    Just as it seemed as though Vemacitrin would die, a sigh filled the entire world, echoing in mid-air as a bolt of blood-colored lightning fell from the skies, striking Zhang Lie''s attack and cracking his de.


    Zhang Lie knew that the xuluo king might interfere in his battles, but he hadn''t expected such precise timing. That said, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to give up. The xuluo king''s meddling had sparked Zhang Lie''spetitive mindset. "I, Zhang Lie, will kill whom I please! Not even a superior king can stop me!"


    He infused willpower and gic energy into his de, causing the light it gave off to re. Even the blood lightning seemed to be taken aback by the strength of the attack.


    More and more lightning forked down from the heavens, striking Zhang Lie''s sword and annihting his attack.


    However, the reason the attack had failed wasn''t because of the lightning, but because the amount of energy Zhang Lie was putting into the attack had crossed some critical threshold.


    The attack erupted in a splendid explosion, annihting the blood lightning in an instant.


    A roar echoed through the air: "No!"


    The voice sounded angry. Its wrathful shout sounded like the world itself was going against Zhang Lie, and the shout was so forceful that the few remaining xuluo fighters found themselves bleeding from all their orifices. They dove down into the sea of blood, refusing to show their heads.


    Amidst the xuluo king''s anger, the entire sea of blood began to swell and surge, bursting into blood-red mes¡ªbut this wasn''t enough to stop the explosion that Zhang Lie had triggered.


    Vemacitrin''s body, located by the epicenter of the explosion, was annihted. Blood-colored mist filled the air and skies.


    "Intruder, you''ve in my son!" As the sea of blood swelled, a gigantic bug appeared from its depths, a huge eye located where its head would be. Beneath the eye was an extremelyrge face, with a hand growing out of each cheek, a shocking sight.


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "And you''ve invaded and taken control over hundreds or thousands of superior worlds. Isn''t it only fair?"

 Chapter 864: Theory of Debt

    <h4>Chapter 864: Theory of Debt</h4>


    "No!" Feitian cried. "The xuluo have never invaded other worlds. We did it in order to maintain peace, to providew and order! The third realm has limited resources, and all the energy has to be divided among three thousand worlds! If there are too many superior worlds, draining the realm of its energy, who knows what might happen?"


    Zhang Lie raised his head to the sky andughed. "Hahaha, haha! You pirates dare to speak ofw and order? You might as well argue that you need to maintain ie inequality! In that case, let me ask you: what happened to the energy from the destroyed superior worlds?"


    Feitian frowned. "I don''t know what you heard from others, but what you''re doing now is destroying this world¡ªand the realm with it."


    Zhang Lie seemed unperturbed. "Don''t try to fool me. You might im again and again that all you''re doing is in order to maintain bnce in the realm, but you''re simply finding excuses for destroying world after newly evolved world! You superior worlds then use that energy to strengthen and grow your own worlds¡ªto consolidate power!"


    Feitian narrowed its eyes. Its face turned fierce and evil, and it dropped the righteous tone from its speech. "You know more than you let on, don''t you?"


    Its eye was calm and cid, like the surface of an undisturbedke, as though its flurry of emotions moments before was nothing more than an act.


    Feitian was very surprised that Zhang Lie knew the truth that was hidden from all but the ten superior kings and their trusted aides. Indeed, the ten superior worlds had used "bnce of power" as an excuse to invade newly formed superior worlds, collecting all that energy for themselves so that they and future generations might grow stronger and stronger.


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "Did you think we were all ignorant and clueless?"


    Each of the three thousand worlds of the realm had their own will, but these wills were all subordinate to the will of the third realm. Because the third realm had been divided into three thousand worlds, the will of the third realm itself was iplete and existed in a rather passive state, but it was superior in quality to any of the wills of individual worlds. Even a superior king of the world was nothing more than an ant to the will of the third realm itself.


    "I''m very curious which world you''re from." Feitian narrowed its eye, which stared straight at Zhang Lie.


    .


    Zhang Lie patted his chest. "I, Zhang Lie, stand for myself¡ªI won''t tie myself down to a single world!"


    Feitian supposed that Zhang Lie was being backed up by another ancient superior world. "Don''t you think I''d know what sort of world has the resources to cultivate a monster like you? Certainly not a run-of-the-mill world! I thought you represented the karmic bacsh from the xuluo destroying and absorbing so many smaller worlds, but it seems as though the situation is moreplex than that."


    Zhang Lie''s appearance was too much of a coincidence¡ªwhy was he in the domain of the xuluo world, rather than in the domain of the other superior worlds?


    This seemed like nothing more than a coincidence, but Feitian, who cultivated the arcane power of heaven''s might, knew that there were no coincidences in this realm. All was linked to karma, to cause and effect.


    Why had someone like Zhang Lie appeared in a newly evolved superior world?


    Feitian''s original hypothesis was "karma". The karmic bacsh from the xuluo''s actions would catch up to them sooner orter. Unlike the other superior worlds, the xuluo were particrly susceptible to karma because of the heaven''s might they cultivated, just like how drowning was a disproportionately high cause of death for swimmers.


    Those who made use of karma would ultimately die of karma.


    Feitian had delved deep into the study of heaven''s might, and it could barely glimpse the truth of the universe behind a veil of fog. It had been prepared for a karmic bacsh someday¡ªbut it hadn''t expected to fall prey to a scheme instead. None of the three thousand worlds would be able to avoid such schemes, not even a superior world like the world of the xuluo.


    Zhang Lie''s appearance was one such scheme¡ªit wasn''t only karma, but also the machinations and maniptions of the other superior worlds.


    Feitian didn''t know what sort of n had been concocted: whether Zhang Lie had been recognized as a promising descendant and was sent to a world in the domain of the xuluo in his childhood to grow up to overthrow the xuluo, or whether he had developed into an elite before being sent into a world that was just about to evolve into a superior one.


    Regardless of which possibility it was, Feitian shuddered at the depths of the n that had to have gone into Zhang Lie''s appearance now.


    The mastermind behind that n was surely an expert on karma, who was aware of the one weakness that the xuluo were unable to avoid. Sooner orter, they would be struck by karmic bacsh on ount of their racial arts.


    Karma was something that might have been opaque or abstruse to any other race, but for the xuluo, karma was more rigorous than science itself.


    Other superior worlds weren''t able to make use of heaven''s might, and they naturally wouldn''t suffer any karmic bacsh for having destroyed too many superior worlds. However, the xuluo were irrevocably linked to this art, and the tally of their evil could only be dyed and held back so long.


    In the end, they would have to pay for their actions¡ªas though the xuluo were arge corporation that had taken on one too many loans, were forced to repay them all with interest, and would necessarily go bankrupt as a result.


    Feitian had been working to resolve this problem the moment he became aware of it, once he had mastered the power of heaven''s might as deeply as he could, but by then, it was toote. Heaven''s might had been in use for tens of thousands of years, and the bacsh the xuluo would have to suffer had only snowballed since.


    Most worryingly, the xuluo world now seemed to be subject to the machinations of its nine other ancient foes.


    This was something that had been nned for millennia; Feitian was sure of it.


    A few faces shed across Feitian''s mind, but there were only a scant few people in the third realm who had insight into karma as he did¡ªand none were as skilled as to be able to identify this critical w in the xuluo world.


    At the very least, there were no such sages among the xuluo''s enemies.


    Could it be an unknown sage he was unaware of, or perhaps someone from an even higher realm?


    Regardless of these thoughts, it was clear that Feitian only had one path open to him: to get rid of the trouble standing in front of him at any cost.


    To Feitian, Zhang Lie wasn''t important¡ªwhat mattered was the karmic bacsh from the xuluo''s actions. It had never paid attention to Zhang Lie from the very beginning.


    Feitian''s next step had to be to dy the karmic bacsh further, to hold off the debt collectors for a bit longer...

 Chapter 865: Heavens Might

    <h4>Chapter 865: Heaven''s Might</h4>


    Feitian eventually concluded, "Regardless of who''s supporting you, we xuluo have vanquished arge number of worlds and attempted to invade yours. After killing my son, however, you''ve wiped clean my karmic debt against you."


    Zhang Lie cocked an eyebrow. "I decide when this matter is over, not you."


    "Your world hasn''t suffered any losses. You gain nothing by fighting me." Feitian swam toward the middle of the blood sea, reaching out as though hoping to save Potian, who had yet to die from its wounds.


    Zhang Lie shed at him, sending a wave arcing overhead. "And what of the elite fighters who perished in battle? What of the dead from the Zongming world? If you had seeded in the offense, would you have left and retreated if we had told you that you''d gain nothing from us? No¡ªyou''d have sucked up the world''s energy first."


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t been present, Li Zongming would have perished from the assault, and Li Qianlin would have suffered a grievous fate.


    Zhang Lie was immensely relieved that he had apanied Li Qianlin to the merger ceremony and prevented such tragedy.


    Feitian''s eye narrowed. The giant eyeball on its head seemed to pierce through Zhang Lie. "Do you really intend to wage war against me?"


    "Wage war?" Zhang Lie scoffed at the notion. No, I''m here to destroy the xuluo world!"


    Zhang Lie activated [Ninecarp Transformation]. Water-attuned gic energy wrapped around his sword and cascaded down it like a waterfall. As he unsheathed Guicang, a pale blue shark rose into the air from behind him.


    Feitian''s body emerged from the depths of the blood sea. It was then that Zhang Lie realized that Feitian had more than one head¡ªhe had at least a dozen, each of which were strung along its body. Each of its heads had only one eye and one mouth. The sea of blood began to froth; its body filled the entire sea.


    Feitian''s enormous white wormlike body was visible beneath the sea of blood.


    At this point, Zhang Lie was starting to get used to the grotesque bodies of the strongest xuluo.


    "[The Boundless de]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and the shark swam forth.


    Feitian''s eye red at the shark, causing it to burst apart in mid-air. By this point, it had cultivated heaven''s might to such an extent that it could kill an opponent by ring and thinking about attacking that opponent.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized anew behind Zhang Lie, resembling the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. He didn''t fear Feitian''s stare at all. With just a moment''s thought, the serpent wrapped around Zhang Lie''s arm.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" He struck once more. An underworld river materialized in space, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold, and the temperature dipped below freezing. Ayer of thin blood-colored ice appeared over the sea.


    A strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all. The world was turning into a hellscape. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood as Zhang Lie swung Guicang at Feitian.


    The serpents flew through the sky and straight toward it.


    Feitian nced at the serpents, which began to explode as though they were fireworks.


    "It''s useless!" it cried out. "No matter how you attack me, you won''t be able to seed. My heaven''s might has identified a path to victory¡ªone in which you''ll only leave this world as a corpse!"


    Zhang Lie ignored Feitian''s words. He lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him, looking like a demon descending on the world.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" ck gic energy filled the battlefield. Even the xuluo had never seen gic energy so vast and so concentrated¡ªhis gic energy roared as it took the form of a vast, angry sea.


    Waves charged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call..


    As Feitian red again, the underworld river exploded. The serpents within were killed and transformed into pitch-ck gic energy. The exploding serpents reformed into a ck tide, which returned to the sea. The surface of the sea began to froth, as though dragons were emerging from deep below the surface.


    Feitian frowned. Its body squirmed and shifted deep within the sea of blood. As it invoked the king of the realm''s authority, arge patch of the sea shed against Zhang Lie''s underworld river in a massive explosion of water.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s howl shook heaven and earth. The blood dragon tore apart the seawater as it charged toward Feitian, which red at it. Unlike before, however, heaven''s might was ineffective against the dragon.


    Feitian was shocked. Its tail emerged from underwater. Infused with heaven''s might, it struck the blood dragon, which exploded and fell to the sea in a rain of blood.


    Feitian''s humongous eye seemed to be able to pierce through anything. "You''ve developed some form of heaven''s might yourself!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond. He wasn''t a fool; he had encountered heaven''s might more than once or twice. It would be silly of him not to take advantage of the opportunity to emte his opponents'' techniques for himself.


    Feitian nodded to itself. "No wonder my heaven''s might was ineffective¡ªyou boast your own version of the technique. Only heaven''s might can counteract heaven''s might¡ªbut if you''ve developed a form of heaven''s might yourself, you''ll have to suffer my karmic bacsh too. You''ll die here today!"


    "Oh? I decide when I die, not heaven, and certainly not some ersatz mockery of heaven''s power like you!"


    Hanguang appeared in Zhang Lie''s hand. As he swung the de, two of Feitian''s arms were chopped off its body...

 Chapter 866: Death Foretold

    <h4>Chapter 866: Death Foretold</h4>


    Feitian didn''t seem to care about its injuries. The sea of blood swelled and surged toward Zhang Lie like a wall of blood.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    His de annihted the seawater that threatened to overwhelm him in a burst of energy, then turned it back on Feitian. Feitian retaliated with a burst of blood-colored energy from its mouth.


    The high-temperature energy warped the air as it vaporized everything it encountered. When it struck Zhang Lie''s blow, the two different types of energy struggled to overwhelm each other, but neither could seed. Instead, a huge explosion filled the battlefield.


    The seawater evaporated, leaving the seabed visible. It began to crack, split, and melt under the energy of the explosion.


    Feitian blocked the explosion with the bulk of its body, whereas Zhang Lie destroyed the remnant energy rushing toward him with a swing of his sword.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. He appeared before Feitian in the blink of an eye, and his sword shes fell like rain.


    His sword was imbued with the metaphysical concept of time, but Feitian''s body was so massive that Zhang Lie found himself unable to strike at its weak spots.


    Feitian had curled its body up, shielding its sensitive organs with enough bulk that it looked almost like a in its own right.


    However, Zhang Lie had no intention of giving up and leaving before destroying the xuluo world. The xuluo king had to die at any cost.


    "[Syzygy]!" A burning ck sun rose behind Zhang Lie''s back, and a bloody moon red into existence at his feet. Under thebination of the two auras, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a god.


    His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes glimmered on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Zhang Lie''s aura grew stronger as stronger as Feitian''s heaven''s might weakened.


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Zhang Lie''s des into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons coiled together, and even before the technique was unleashed in its entirety, Feitian felt deeply threatened by the attack. It hastily uncurled its body, but it was toote.


    The twin dragons shot out toward Feitian like a hurricane, bearing down on it with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Before the dragons struck, the huge pressure mounting on Feitian cracked the seabed and formed a humongous whirlpool right around Feitian. The whirlpool gave off so much suction that it was almost like a ck hole.


    The boulders in the sea detached from the seabed were sucked into the whirlpool, at which point they were instantly turned to rubble.


    Feitian''s body didn''t survive unscathed. The blow cut it up into pieces, and its blood sprayed everywhere. Limbs and flesh filled its vicinity, even as it tried to stitch itself back together using the authority of a superior king.


    Zhang Lie had no intention of giving Feitian such an opportunity.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" His disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light.


    As spiritual energy flowed through him, Zhang Lie found himself capable of seeing into Feitian''s soul. It was a fuzzy spherical object, so blurry and indistinct that Feitian seemed hardly like a lifeform itself.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the northern lights overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible. His cutnded not on Feitian''s body, but directly on his soul. As the radiant light assaulted Feitian''s soul, its body froze up.


    The disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, when incorporated into Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack, had the ability to target and corrupt its opponents'' souls.


    Even though superior kings were protected by the wills of their world, Zhang Lie''s incredible mental energy was able to prate that barrier and stun Feitian for a moment.


    The sea of blood began to drain away.


    While Feitian stood still and unmoving, Zhang Lie readied another blow.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" The sky turned red as red scales covered up Zhang Lie''s body like a te of armor. A deer''s antlers appeared on Zhang Lie''s forehead, and his body was surrounded with scarlet light.


    It looked as though he were a fiery qilin, but the scarlet light didn''te from scarlet mes, but rather from fiery-red water-attuned gic energy that derived from his transformation. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    The temperature at which his body zed caused the nearby seawater to vaporize, and the entire sky was dyed scarlet.


    Feitian''s soul continued to struggle, but it was still severely affected by the disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real.


    The mysterious and phantasmagorical light stunned and captivated everyone in sight...

 Chapter 867: Inconceivable Growth

    <h4>Chapter 867: Inconceivable Growth</h4>


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre. The high-temperature steam was so hot that it vaporized much of the sea of blood uponing in contact with the surface of the water.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace¡ªas was the case with the torn-apart fragments of Feitian''s body, which turned into cured meat after being suffused with the steam.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy. As hebined them both, he produced an even more devastating effect.


    The spiritual, metaphysical seabined with the scarlet steam that hung around Zhang Lie, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    Zhang Lie struck with his two des. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward Feitian''s prone body.


    Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    No lifeform could block such an attack¡ªbut perhaps a world would be able to do so.


    Either the will of the world had acted independently, or Feitian had subverted the authority of the king. Under ordinary circumstances, the will of the world wouldn''t act to prevent the death of a king of the realm, but it acted now.


    The energy of the world formed a gigantic barrier over the top of Feitian''s head.


    As the tsunami smashed into the barrier, the entire world trembled. Huge quantities of the world''s energy were consumed in mere moments to maintain the barrier, but the aftermath of the explosion was too much for it to bear. Potian''s body was sent flying, and even the will of the world seemed to be incapable of withstanding Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish].


    A tiny crack appeared in the barrier, one which was mirrored by a huge crack that ran through the skies, as though the entire world were protecting Feitian. As Zhang Lie''s attack continued, the crack in the sky began to propagate, and the protective barrier seemed as though it would shatter at any moment.


    The xuluo world seemed close to absolute destruction. It was shaking violently as the seabed began to crack, causing the seafloor to tilt and stratify. Seawater drained into the cracks and formed huge whirlpools over the surface of the sea.


    Just as the protective barrier was about to bepletely destroyed by the simultaneous assault of spiritual and gic energy, Feitian finally broke out of its mental stupor and rapidly began to address its crisis. Its body began to stitch back together as the xuluo world, depleted of its vital energy, began to dry up and turn dark. Feitian ignored the phenomena and continued to drain energy away to restore its own body.


    Whether or not it won against Zhang Lie would depend on whether the xuluo world would be destroyed first or if Feitian''s body could be restored to full strength.


    Indeed, a superior world that had existed since antiquity, which had drained who knew how many newly evolved superior worlds of their energy, wasn''t so easy to destroy. Before the world could be destroyed, Feitian''s body was restoredpletely. It went on the offense, spending huge portions of the world''s energy in one fell swoop against Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish] had been activated for some time, and it was running out of even his huge reservoirs of stored energy. The moment Feitian regained control over the xuluo world, its burst of energy broke through Zhang Lie''s attack.


    By that point, more than half of the xuluo world''s supply of energy had been used up. The skies, originally a rich, dark red, turned pale as Feitian''s faces darkened: thousands of years'' worth of energy had been depleted in an instant¡ªthe equivalent of hundreds of newly evolved superior worlds'' energy.


    Without that stored energy, Feitian would have died to Zhang Lie.


    Fortunately, it had installed an authority in the world''s core that would cause the will of the world to automatically protect itself when it was in mortal danger.


    Only kings of superior worlds who had been in power for extended periods of time were able to ess this authority. Otherwise, the will of the world wouldn''t act to save a king in mortal danger. Kings were easily receable; the will of the world didn''t derive its strength from its king, and therefore had no need or incentive to keep one alive even longer...

 Chapter 868: Potian Begs for Mercy

    <h4>Chapter 868: Potian Begs for Mercy</h4>


    However, Feitian had made use of the authority of the king to forcefully bind itself to the world.


    As it thought back to how it had almost been killed by Zhang Lie, it grew terrified and angry. How could this little bug have done so much damage to it? It had consumed thousands of years'' worth of energy! Feitian was unable to maintain its rationality.


    "I''ve underestimated you. I was going to send you away, but now, only your death will quench my rage!" Feitian howled. As it invoked the authority of the world, the sea of blood roiled and condensed around him.


    Feitian floated at the eye of the blood-colored whirlpool as its wounds rapidly healed. Its arms, which had been cut off, grew back. "I''ve never been so angry in tens of thousands of years, and I''ve locked this form away for all this time. To be able to pressure me to this extent¡ªyou, mortal, should feel honored!"


    The blood-colored seawater drained into Feitian''s body as it swelled up and evolved. Huge numbers of faces and hands grew out of its swollen body; each face had, as usual, one eye and one mouth.


    Potian''s ruined body emerged from underneath the surface of the sea. It began tough. "Haha, you''re dead meat! Father''s not going to let you go in this form!"


    Potian''s body had split into quite a few pieces, but only a two-segment piece had survived the ordeal.


    Potian regrew from that segment of its body, but it only had the resources to make an additional third segment, a far cry from its previous form. Rather than a centipede, it looked more like arge shrimp.


    Even so, Potian had managed to survive Zhang Lie''s attack.


    "Just existing in his true form is enough to destabilize the xuluo world and do damage to it!"


    The superior kings of each world, including Feitian, generally had far more than enough strength to ascend to a higher realm, but they had chosen to remain because they were afraid of what would happen to the worlds they had spent so much care taking of after their departure. In order to prevent their strength from destabilizing their worlds, they sealed it in an alternate form.


    "Do you know just what this sea of blood is?" Compared to Potian''s original thousand-segment body, its current three-segment form looked strangelyical. The second segment of its body began tough shrilly. "The sea of blood is Father''s own flesh and blood¡ªyes, it fills up the surface of the xuluo world! Now that all that flesh is returning to Father''s body, you''re dead meat, haha!"


    The first segment of Potian''s body cackled proudly. "Why do you think Father was able to suppress my strength? He might as well be the xuluo world itself! No one in this world can defeat him."


    Zhang Lie ignored Potian. He shed in its direction with his de, and the scarlet gic energy annihted the first segment of its body.


    The head on Potian''s second segment grew rmed. Even if the arrogant fellow was about to be killed by its own father, Potian itself didn''t have the strength to provoke him.


    Zhang Lie struck again. Another sh of scarlet gic energy shot toward Potian, leaving a trail of steam in its wake.


    "Save me, Father!" The second segment of Potian''s body immediately ran toward Feitian. Its two segments had four human legs between them, and it was able to run surprisingly rapidly across the seabed.


    Just as Zhang Lie''s strike annihted the second segment of Potian''s body, a mysterious strength descended from the heavens and nullified Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Zhang Lie easily recognized the source of this mysterious strength: heaven''s might! He raised his head and saw Feitian looking down at them from above, its body so massive that it defied all expectations.


    Rather than being a dragon that was curled up around the ground of the superior world, it was more like a humongous parasite whose size was beyond anything that the world could support, as though a tree on a building''s roof had roots which prated through the building, whose canopy covered up the entire rooftop. Feitian had no such roots, but its own body was parasitic in nature. It continuously absorbed more and more of the world''s energy to strengthen itself.


    Potian had been incorrect on one point: Feitian hadn''t chosen to seal away its flesh and blood because it didn''t want to destroy the world.


    Instead, it was trying to dy the ascension process as long as it could while sucking up all the energy from the world to bolster its physical body.


    .


    The sea of blood that covered the entirety of the xuluo world was the result of those efforts.


    The reason Feitian didn''t want to ascend was because it knew that it would have to start from scratch in the next realm. Rather than be a weak bug in a higher realm, it would much prefer to be a tyrant among the three thousand worlds.


    Feitian''s body was humongous. Not only did its massive body wrap around the entire xuluo world, its head, with 9,999 faces, was stuck between the xuluo world and the depths of outer space. It had an equal number of eyes and mouths, and at the very center of its head was an engorged eye the size of the sun. Its body was supported by thirty-six legs.


    It had stored so much power in its body that it was affecting the flow of karma in the world; its very presence was damaging the world''s existence.


    The xuluo world was slowly disintegrating. Cracks propagated from where Zhang Lie''s attack had prated thend, giving rise to a deep abyss.


    The space around Feitian began to warp and crack as the will of the world groaned in pain.


    When Feitian had first sealed its body and turned its flesh and blood into the sea that covered up the world, it was far weaker than before. After millennia, by the time it unsealed its body, its strength had grown by orders of magnitude.


    "Today will be the day of your death!"


    Feitian red at Zhang Lie, triggering an even stronger version of heaven''s might. A storm seemed to strike at Zhang Lie.


    Scarlet gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie like mes and steam. Zhang Lie announced, "You might have grown stronger, but that doesn''t mean that you''re stronger than I am!"


    "Hah!" Feitian ignored Zhang Lie''s words. How could a pitiful mortal like Zhang Lie hope to best its strength? It would crush him underfoot with the absolute disparity thaty between them.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!" White light split the sea and the sky, cutting apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    As the two shades of energybined, everything in sight was destroyed. A patch of void and chaos expanded where the horizon had been.


    Zhang Lie''s sword strike split heaven and earth, the power of heaven''s might, and even Feitian''s massive eye. Its entire body was trembling; fresh blood seeped out of the two halves of its eyeball.


    Zhang Lie''s sword had cut apart the sea and sky¡ªand even the metaphysical concept of karma. If it had just a bit more strength, Feitian would have lost its body as well. This was noughing matter. Only after being the target of the attack did Feitian realize that the eye wound it had suffered would never heal.


    Zhang Lie had cut apart naturalw, flesh and blood, and even the spiritual link between its eyeball and the rest of its body.


    Feitian thought back to what Zhang Lie had said. "You might have grown stronger, but that doesn''t mean that you''re stronger than I am!"


    Zhang Lie, who had surpassed his limits again and again in the first three realms, had far exceeded Feitian''s strength. "We''ll end the fight with this final blow. [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!"


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on Feitian''s body. His sword cut apart a manifestation of Feitian''s body, one which already seemed to be sliced into fragments.


    Feitian''s soul, captured by Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade soulshard, was likewise split into two with Zhang Lie''s blow.


    Feitian''s eyes widened as its body began to crack. "Karma that presides over space and time...?"


    As though it had revealed forbidden knowledge, the cracks on its body swiftly propagated. The next moment, as though Feitian were made of ss, its body shattered into thousands of fragments.


    Potian was stupefied by the scene. It could hardly believe that its invincible father, who had honed its physical body for tens of thousands of years, sumbed to just one blow from Zhang Lie. ?If it hadn''t seen Zhang Lie''s blow from himself, Potian would never have believed that such a ludicrous event could ever happen.


    Feitian''s unsealed form was no weaker than even the king of the death spirits, and yet it was still unable to withstand a single blow from Zhang Lie.


    Potian btedly realized just what sort of monster Zhang Lie was.


    While it was in a daze, Zhang Lie appeared behind Potian and kicked its head. "We meet again, prince."


    Potian''s eyes widened as it realized its fate. Now that Zhang Lie had killed its father, he certainly wouldn''t let it go, either.


    Potian began, "Hold on, wait! I can give you what you want: the strongest form of heaven''s might among the entire xuluo poption. I''m the one who created the ascended form of heaven''s might. You''ve fought against the xuluo, so you know what this represents: it''s a form of strength that someone on your level can''t afford to give up!"


    Potian begged for its life by advertising the overwhelming strength of heaven''s might.


    "Your strength is superior to anything the three thousand worlds can bring to bear. Only the king of the death spirits might be able to stand against you¡ªbut if you have the power of heaven''s might, you''ll be invincible!"


    Potian knew very well that power over karma was on the same level as power over time and space. No fighter would be able to resist such temptation...

 Chapter 869: The Worlds Core

    <h4>Chapter 869: The World''s Core</h4>


    "Even if you think heaven''s might beneath you, you can pass it onto the rest of your race. Heaven''s might can skip the process between cause and effect, and it''ll give your world a big boost. As a newly evolved superior world, you won''t have the foundation, knowledge, or resources that other superior worlds have, and you''ll easily be a target."


    If Potian had a forehead, it would be beading with sweat. Whether or not it were able to convince Zhang Lie would determine its fate.


    "You wouldn''t want to face another enemy like us xuluo, would you? I know you might be strong, but if you had to defend against all nine other superior worlds together..."


    Potian felt as though it had spoken more that day than during thest millenniumbined.


    "If your race has the power of heaven''s might and its ascended form, given your personal strength, none of the other nine superior worlds would dare touch you. After all, who would dare to provoke such a race? Don''t you think so?"


    Zhang Lie replied not with words, but rather a sh of his sword.


    Potian''s body was bisected. As the left and right halves of its body split apart, its eyes widened, as though asking, "Why?"


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "I can learn what I need to on my own."


    Shortly after Zhang Lie had ascended into the fourth realm in his past life, the xuluo race had gone extinct. Not a single xuluo survived. Back then, Zhang Lie was very surprised that even an ancient superior world couldn''t avoid the fate of destruction.


    Hundreds of thousands of years, even millions of years, of history¡ªall that lost in a single moment. Were there really any races that could survive for eternity?


    One of the more established hunters in the fourth realm hadughed at him then.


    There were few existences that could survive for eternity, that was true¡ªbut the xuluo were destined to fall from the beginning. How could a ridiculous power like heaven''s might note without any drawbacks or consequences? They were simply not apparent at first nce.


    The use of heaven''s might was, in some sense, equivalent to taking a loan from heaven, the world, or naturalw. A superior world was arge customer, and the will of the world would overlook small enough debts. Once the debts grew to a certain extent, however, debt collectors would be mobilized.


    The xuluo had been destroyed because they couldn''t pay back their loan on time.


    It was precisely because of his past experience that Zhang Lie knew about the hidden downside to heaven''s might, this debt that would ultimately have to be repaid. Heaven''s might boasted an intoxicating strength¡ªuntil it came time to pay the price for that strength.


    Strong though it might be, Zhang Lie had no intention of allowing any other human to ess this malicious power. "We humans can survive on our own strength."


    The seabed of the xuluo world began to crack once again. Dark energy gushed out of the ground like ghouls mbering out of hell in search of souls and debts owed to them.


    Within moments, the whole of the xuluo world was covered in ck fog. The world itself seemed to be crumbling to pieces.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. The ck fog that tried to close in on Zhang Lie was vaporized by the scarlet gic energy that surrounded him.


    "This is¡ª" Zhang Lie reached out and grasped a handful of fog, which he crushed in his palm.


    The hunters of the Milky Way referred to this substance as apocalyptic essence. Across the three thousand worlds, it bore many names: energy of destruction, energy of annihtion, source of evil, and so on.


    It appeared only rarely, but whenever it did, it marked the downfall of a world. The world''s destruction was guaranteed; no one could stop it.


    Zhang Lie recalled what a hunter had told him in his past life: that the king of the xuluo had realized the double-edged nature of heaven''s might after long contemtion. However, xuluo society had been built on the premise of heaven''s might, and it would be impossible for the xuluo race as a whole to discard that strength even if the xuluo kingmanded it. The entire race would revolt¡ªand even if all the xuluo were somehow willing to ept, the other superior worlds would take advantage of the xuluo''s weakness to attack them.


    All the superior races were crafty and self-serving. It was evident that the xuluo would be dramatically weakened if they were to give up heaven''s might, and they would be devoured by the other superior worlds.


    The xuluo king''s hand was forced by internal and external pressure. Despite Feitian''s knowledge of the perils of heaven''s might, it had no choice but to keep using it.


    It was easy for a thrifty person to spend more, but far harder for an extravagant person to cut down on spending.


    The xuluo had worked hard to get to where they were, and Feitian itself had worked hardest among all the xuluo. Even so, Feitian ''s error in judgment at that critical juncture had doomed the entire race.


    The reason Feitian didn''t ascend to the fourth realm, so fervently collected the energy from newly evolved worlds,and sealed the bulk of its body away was to strengthen both the world and itself in order to suppress the impending disaster and ''debt collection''.


    Feitian knew that it couldn''t dy the inevitable forever, but it didn''t know what else to do.


    Now that Zhang Lie had in Feitian and the world''s energy was allowed to run rampant, the disaster that had been held in abeyance now triggered in earnest.


    Huge cracks criss-crossed through the world. The hole in the sky began to propagate, and the heavens cracked as though they were made of ss. Pitch-ck energy continued to pour into the world as the xuluo began to howl and scream, their bodies dissolving upon being surrounded by the energy.


    Zhang Lie had no intention to save any of the xuluo. Who knew how many newly evolved superior worlds they had destroyed all these years¡ªand how many lifeforms were there in each such world? Their hands were sullied with blood, so much blood it would never be wiped clean from their histories. The other superior races were much the same.


    Zhang Lie''s target had never been the xuluo. Very quickly, he found a glowing beacon of light that came from deep within the world¡ªthe world''s core.


    By the time Zhang Lie closed in on it, it was already surrounded by the mysterious ck fog, tendrils of which wrapped around the core and tried to steal its power away.


    The world''s core emitted pulses of energy in an attempt to resist the fog.


    Zhang Lie reached out, shed the tendrils of fog to ribbons with his swords, and imed the core for himself.


    This was Zhang Lie''s primary objective, and what he believed would be a core ingredient for his limit-breaking disaster-grade potion. However, one superior core was insufficient. If Zhang Lie''s hypothesis were right, he would need at least three superior world''s cores for such a potion...

 Chapter 870: A Superior Envoy

    <h4>Chapter 870: A Superior Envoy</h4>


    With the world''s core being taken away, the destruction of the world proceeded at an ever-increasing rate. The skies continued to crumble, and spatial rifts spawned all over the world.


    Before they could suck Zhang Lie in, he escaped from the world with brute force. Moments after his escape, the spatial rifts merged together and summoned a huge storm.


    The remnant energy in the world burst in a magnificent explosion, swallowing up the world in a shower of light.


    The light illuminated the void and was just about to release a huge wave of energy into the realm when the will of the world suddenly descended, locked the surrounding space down, absorbed the energy from the impending explosion, and prevented its destruction from affecting other nearby worlds.


    In the end, all that remained of the xuluo world was a cloud of rubble where it once stood.


    The xuluo world, one of the ten superior worlds, was wiped off the face of the third realm. This was the karmic bacsh that resulted from use of heaven''s might. The moment the entire race adopted that overwhelming power, the fate of the xuluo world had been written in stone.


    Where the xuluo world once stood, the rubble from the world was slowly condensing. Under the influence of the will of the world, after countless years, the rubble would form a brand new world. This was part of the cycle of the third realm. As older worlds were destroyed, newer ones formed. The three thousand worlds were continuously undergoing such a cycle of rebirth.


    The xuluo world was rather far from the Zongming world, but fortunately, Zhang Lie knew roughly in which direction he was headed.


    At his current level of strength, he wouldn''t need to make use of wormholes to travel between worlds. He was able to brave the void with no protection at all, and it only took him ten days to return to the Zongming world, whereupon he shared the good news with Li Zongming.


    Li Zongming was simultaneously overjoyed and overwhelmed by Zhang Lie''s strength.


    Zhang Lie had taken down a superior world, one that had existed since antiquity! He had never heard of anyone managing the like¡ªand especially not alone.


    However, Zhang Lie had done so. Zhang Lie had created a miracle.


    The xuluo world was a superior world that had existed since antiquity, and the xuluo king was without equal in this realm. None but the other superior kings could be its match¡ªsave for Zhang Lie alone.


    Zhang Lie''s appearance had rewritten history.


    Li Zongming wasn''t sure whether this was good or bad news. Would the other superior worlds consider Zhang Lie such a huge threat that they would band together in an attempt to get rid of him?


    Li Zongming was worried about this possibility, but he had already chosen to side with Zhang Lie.


    Back during the merger of the worlds of east and west, Zhang Lie hadn''t backed down even though he knew that he might be facing the kings of superior worlds. Even if they were all going to band together and target him now, Li Zongming would surely stand by his side.


    Li Zongming sighed and shook his head with a bitter chuckle. "All I wanted to do was to merge the two worlds and finish something no generation of eastern kings before me managed to aplish¡ªand it caused a whole slew of problems."


    Li Zongming could hardly have predicted the ramifications his sess would bring.


    He had at least gained a little insight into the chain of events that followed after talking to Zhang Lie, but he was wholly unprepared for Zhang Lie''splete victory in the xuluo world.


    "I wonder what''s going to happen now...?"


    "At the very least, we''re all fine at the moment."


    Li Zongming gave Zhang Lie a small smile. "You''re not wrong. While you were gone, my dear daughter pined after you, calling your name left and right. She''s been very worried¡ªyou should talk to her."


    Zhang Lie nodded and left.


    Li Zongming sighed, both hands at his back. "It''s well past time my daughter got married..."


    Despite the sigh, Li Zongming''s lips were quirked up, and he looked pleased. To be able to attract such a powerful son-inw¡ªperhaps he should consider having a few more daughters?


    After a dozen days or so, the remaining xuluo invaders had all been captured by Li Zongming, and he had repaired what had been destroyed during their invasion attempt.


    The worst was over: the Zongming world had sessfully evolved into a superior world, and the immediate crisis was past. However, none of those fighters who had died in battle would be able to revive.


    As Li Zongming had suggested, Zhang Lie headed to the young woman who was waiting impatiently for any news of her ''husband''.


    Zhang Lie grinned as he hid his aura, appeared behind the young woman, and covered her eyes with his palms. "Guess who I am!"


    The young woman, startled, elbowed her assant''s stomach¡ªonly to yelp in pain as she felt her elbows m into something harder than steel, harder than anything in the third realm.


    "My elbows," she cried.


    Zahng Lie''s eyes widened. "Are you alright?"


    .


    Luckily for Li Qianlin, Zhang Lie had disabled the gic-energy barrier that now surrounded him subconsciously. Otherwise, she would have been screaming in pain.


    Zhang Lie caressed the young woman''s elbows tenderly as he sighed. "Why did you suddenly attack me?"


    Li Qianlin red at him. "What do you mean, why did I attack you? You were the one who appeared behind me out of nowhere! I was so scared that I responded instinctively. It''s all your fault¡ªouch, my arm!"


    "Alright, alright, it''s my fault."


    Li Qianlin red at him. "So you''re finally done gallivanting around, are you?"


    Zhang Lie blinked. "Were you waiting for me, my dear wife?"


    Li Qianlin blushed. "Hmph! Didn''t you go take down a superior world? How did it go? Are you hurt?"


    Zhang Lie smiled cockily. "Heh¡ªshouldn''t you ask about the superior world instead? I took over the entire world easily!"


    Li Qianlin made a chopping motion with her hand at Zhang Lie''s head. "That''s not something to brag about! Your opponent was a superior world that''s been around forever! Aren''t you being too rash?"


    "Are you worried about me?"


    "Of course!"


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin chatted the afternoon away, growing closer and closer. His rtionship with Li Qianlin had been developing gradually in steady and stablepanionship, but just as they were growingfortable with each other, an unwee guest arrived in the Zongming world: an envoy from a superior world.


    When Zhang Lie received the news and went out to meet with this envoy, whose body was a pir of me, he was understandably upset. "What''s the matter? Are there other superior worlds who want me to invade them?"

 Chapter 871: A Purported Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 871: A Purported Alliance</h4>


    Li Zongming frowned. "Zhang Lie, be more polite! This is an envoy from a superior world, who''s made the long trek over here."


    Zhang Lie sneered. "And so what? I''ve destroyed a superior world before¡ªthey''re hardly anything special!"


    Li Zongming dipped his head to the envoy. "Please don''t mind Zhang Lie, envoy. We''ve just had to deal with a superior world that tried to invade us, the xuluo world, and everyone''s emotions are still rather heated."


    Zhang Lie and Li Zongming naturally fell into a good cop, bad cop routine.


    The envoy waved a hand. "There''s no problem at all. My arrival was terribly abrupt, and I understand it might be an inconvenience."


    From beside Zhang Lie, Li Qianlin murmured, "This envoy is really polite! Did he reallye from one of the superior worlds?"


    Li Qianlin thought of the superior worlds as ancient, majestic existences, which looked down on the inhabitants of other worlds due to their wealth and power.


    The envoy''s hearing was apparently excellent, because he had overheard Li Qianlin''s words. "This is..."


    Li Zongming hastily introduced his daughter. "This is the princess of the Zongming world, and beside her, my son-inw, our strongest warrior."


    The envoy bowed in greeting.


    "No need for such courtesies, please! We''re very interested to know why you''vee to our world so suddenly."


    The envoy smiled. "I believe the conflict between the Zongming and xuluo worlds may have soured your perception of the other superior worlds. We''re not devils, regardless of the rumors that have spread about us among the three thousand worlds."


    Zhang Lie replied curtly, "We''ve never thought of you as devils. Compared to you, devils are far more kind and civil."


    Despite Zhang Lie''s provocation, the envoy didn''t get mad. His head tilted slightly as heughed. "Haha, you really overestimate us, warrior!"


    "Am I mistaken?" Zhang Lie had no intention of lowering himself in front of such an envoy; no, the Zongming world couldn''t afford to do so. The Zongming world had managed to win in a conflict against another superior world, and there was no reason it should defer to envoys from other superior worlds.


    If the representatives of the Zongming world were to lower themselves in front of a superior envoy, that would suggest that the Zongming world had won because of a fluke, that it was still somehow lower in status¡ªbut that wasn''t the case. The Zongming world had the strength to take down any of the superior worlds of antiquity.


    The envoy smiled again. "That''s a terrible misunderstanding. Every superior world is different, just as everyrge world is different. We superior worldsrgely fall into two different camps, those that wee newly evolved superior worlds, and those that don''t. The xuluo world is unusual among the superior worlds; the others are far more friendly toward neers to our rank."


    Who would believe such nonsense?


    "So that''s how it is!" Li Zongming nodded as though in understanding¡ª not because the envoy''s words had suddenly convinced him of their truth, but rather because he now knew the envoy''s motive. "Are you here in search of allies, then?"


    If the envoy''s world was going to attack the Zongming world, it wouldn''t have needed to send an envoy. The fact that the envoy was being so polite and respectful meant that the superior world he represented wouldn''t be sending troops¡ªor rather, didn''t dare to send troops.


    The envoy nodded. "More or less. Going back to the question of the xuluo world: now that the xuluo has been taken down, they''re leaving behind a huge swathe of territory."


    The remaining nine superior worlds had all engaged in a heated debate in hopes of iming all thatnd for themselves.


    "After countless days and nights, we were unable to decide how to best split the territory. In the end, we finally agreed to give the rights to that territory to you, the Zongming world," the envoy exined.


    Li Qianlin nodded in understanding. "In other words, since we were the ones who vanquished the xuluo world, we''ll get control of their territory?"


    "Exactly, princess," the envoy replied. "We of the superior worlds are excited to wee the Zongming world to join our alliance¡ªa great honor, I''m sure."


    Zhang Lie questioned, "And what if we don''t agree with the stance of the alliance?"


    The envoy narrowed his eyes. "Haha! This is a rare opportunity, one that I would strongly urge the Zongming world not to miss out on. After all, the offer will only be extended once."


    The envoy''s eyes glinted with frost.


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "I understand. If we don''t join your alliance, you''ll target us with force."


    The envoy nodded. "We don''t need superior worlds that are uncooperative and unwilling to join our alliance. There''s already one such world around, and it causes us enough of a headache already. After all, maintaining the stability of the three thousand worlds is an objective that we all share, isn''t it?"


    Li Zongming pointed out the crux of the issue. "If we join the alliance, we won''t be enemies, and we won''t be targeted by the other superior worlds. This is certainly a benefit, but there''s no such thing as a free lunch. What do we have to pay to ess that benefit? What''s the cost of joining this alliance?"


    "There''s no huge cost," the envoy replied. "Are you aware of the demon king that resides in this realm, hoping to swallow it all up for himself?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You speak of the king of the death spirits?"


    The envoy''s eyes widened fractionally. He had thought that the inhabitants of the Zongming world were nothing more than country bumpkins who had somehow managed to take down the xuluo world with some fluke of luck after their world evolved.


    "You''ve heard of the king of the death spirits?"


    Li Zongming frowned. He didn''t know who that was, but as the king of the realm, he would lose face to profess ignorance here.


    Li Qianlin, who had noticed the changes in her father''s expression, took over. She had heard about the death spirits from Zhang Lie. With a smile, she began, "Of course we know of the king of the death spirits! The death spirits are host to one of the superior worlds, but they view this realm differently."

 Chapter 872: Collateral

    <h4>Chapter 872: Coteral</h4>


    Zhang Lie took over. "The other superior worlds treat this realm like a farm, but the death spirits treat it like a quarry¡ªwith a one-time supply of resources to be harvested."


    The envoy was quite surprised. "Very fewrge worlds know of the death spirits, and it seems like you all know quite a lot beyond that, too."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We''re a superior world now, after all. Isn''t it natural that we would have more information?"


    Li Qianlin motioned at Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, how about we exin everything we know about the death spirits so that the envoy can correct us on our understanding?"


    From Li Qianlin''s nce, Zhang Lie understood that this exercise was for the benefit of the stupefied Li Zongming instead.


    Zhang Lie began, "It''s not anything extraordinary. The death spirits have continuously invaded the three thousand worlds unlike the other superior worlds, which only target newly evolved superior worlds'' cores."


    Zhang Lie knew quite a bit of information about the king of the death spirits, but the knowledge was hardly unique to him.


    The superior worlds surely knew more; they had had to fend off the death spirits'' incursions countless times over thest few millennia.


    "The death spirits are in so much need of power that they strike at every world theye across, small or medium-sized orrge. They devour the will of whatever world they invade, and they''re thergest tumor among the three thousand worlds. I''ll add that the other eight tumors of the three thousand worlds are you all¡ªthe remaining superior worlds."


    Li Qianlin began, "The king of the death spirits is very ambitious. He''s hoping to devour all the worlds of this realm, take over the realm, swallow up the will of the world, then do the same for all realms below and above this one."


    The envoy pped. "Except for your misunderstanding about the rest of us superior worlds, everything is correct! I hadn''t expected all of you to understand so much about the death spirits. This makes things much easier."


    Li Zongming finally spoke up. "Are the conditions for joining rted to the death spirits, then?"


    The envoy nodded. "Precisely. Since all of you know about what the king of the death spirits is nning, it goes without saying that, if no one stops him, that horrifying existence will swallow up the entire realm. Protecting the three thousand worlds has been the mission and mandate of all the superior worlds."


    "You want us to wage war against the death spirits?" Li Zongming seemed somewhat perplexed.


    The envoy didn''t answer him directly. "The war between the superior worlds and the death spirits had persisted for millennia. When we realized we didn''t have the resources to annihte the death spirits once and for all, we decided toy siege to them instead."


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "Do you not have the resources, or are you just unwilling tomit them?"


    The envoy nced at him. "I know you''re a strong warrior, but don''t look down on the king of the death spirits. You''ll suffer tremendous losses that way. To be able to survive thebined bombardment of the other nine superior worlds¡ªthe king of the death spirits is truly a frightening foe."


    Zhang Lie''s mocking smile widened. He knew the truth behind the envoy''s words, but he didn''t expose the envoy outright.


    "Because of the protracted nature of the battle, the superior kings decided that the superior worlds wouldy siege to the death spirits on a rotating basis for a century each, preventing them from expanding."


    "But you didn''t seed, did you?" Zhang Lie interjected again.


    The envoy grew visibly displeased. "Warrior, I hope you''ll respect the superior kings. If not for their hard work, this realm wouldn''t be at peace! Your world might have fallen to the death spirits without even getting the opportunity to evolve."


    The envoy didn''t mind others talking poorly about the superior worlds themselves, but not the superior kings. After all, he served one such king himself.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether or not the envoy was truly ignorant¡ªor pretending to be ignorant¡ªof the superior worlds'' attitude toward the death spirits. He didn''t want to drag out this pointless argument, so he just ignored the envoy.


    Li Zongming broke the silence. He rified, "Do you intend for us to join this siege?"


    "Protecting this realm is the responsibility of all superior worlds. Now that the Zongming world is a superior world, it bears this responsibility as well. After all, we can hardly let the death spirits get their hands on the far weakerrge and medium-sized worlds."


    "But this world has just evolved!" Li Zongming protested.


    The envoy shrugged. "The xuluo world''s slot in the rotation is in a hundred years. Now that it''s been destroyed, another world has to take over."


    Li Zongming argued, "It''s not that we''re unwilling to take on this responsibility, but there''s no way we can do a good job given ourck of resources."


    The envoy sighed. "This isn''t a problem I can help you with, but don''t worry¡ªyou''ll have a century to prepare."


    Li Zongming frowned. "You expect our world to develop enough to take on the death spirits in just a century?"


    The death spirits were so strong that even the nine other superior worlds working together couldn''t take them down!


    The envoy smiled. "The superior kings are understanding of your plight, and they''re willing to loan you resources and manpower."


    "Really? That''s great!"


    Unlike Li Zongming, who seemed relieved, Zhang Lie''s face immediately darkened.


    .


    As far as he knew, the superior kings were all tyrannical and malicious. There was simply no incentive for them to help out a world that would encroach on their finite resources like the Zongming world.


    The envoy nodded. "The superior kings are indeed very generous. They don''t want to see the siege against the death spirits fail, either."


    The envoy clearly didn''t think much of Li Zongming; there was a clear gulf between how he thought of the other superior kings and Li Zongming himself.


    The envoy continued, "However, our forces don''t simplye out of thin air. They needed arge reserve of resources and time to train, and they''re our strongest elites. If they die to the death spirits, the kings will be quite upset."


    Li Zongming immediately reassured him, "I''ll make sure these forces don''t die for nothing."


    The envoy shook his head. "King of the Zongming world, I''m afraid you don''t understand my point. These forces are valuable to us, so you''ll have to rent them out¡ªand pay a coteral in case of their demise!"

 Chapter 873: A Masterful Plan

    <h4>Chapter 873: A Masterful n</h4>


    Zhang Lie snorted as he heard the envoy''s words.


    The envoy continued, "Superior worlds don''t need the ordinary resources that this world possesses¡ªthe only thing that can serve as coteral is the energy of the Zongming world itself."


    That was the catch, then. All the superior worlds in the third realm were greedy, avaricious wolves, without exception.


    Li Zongming mmed a palm down on his armrest, which splintered. "In the end, you simply want to im this world for yourselves, too."


    The envoy didn''t seem perturbed by Li Zongming''s outburst. "You''ll have to give something to get something. Maintainingw and order among the three thousand worlds is the responsibility of us superior worlds. We''re hardly doing charity, and we don''t know anything about you, so why should we loan you troops for nothing?"


    Li Zongming gritted his teeth. If not for his reluctance to wage war against the other eight superior worlds simultaneously, Li Zongming would kill this envoy right then and there.


    The envoy spread his arms. "A new superior world doesn''t have any resources to spare. Who knows how you defeated the xuluo? What if you lose us all our troops, too?"


    Even as the envoy revealed his true colors, Zhang Lie remained calm.


    "It''s not as though we''ll im your world, is it? You''re simply using it as mortgage. Of course, you can choose not to borrow our troops, but that would make us other worlds quite upset. If the line of defense against the death spirits breaks, though, we''ll be sure to inquire as to why. We might even get rid of you useless folks before we deal with the death spirits in earnest."


    The envoy''s attitude wasn''t one of equal cooperation; it was clear he viewed them as nothing more than bugs to be squashed underfoot.


    "You''ll be able to maintainw and order just by giving up some of your world''s energy. Isn''t that a good trade?"


    Li Zongming wanted to snarl at the envoy to shove this ''good deal'' up his ass, but Zhang Lie had shed to Li Zongming''s side and prevented his outburst.


    Li Zongming nced up at Zhang Lie, perplexed.


    The envoy continued, "Maintainingw and order among the three thousand worlds is a sacred duty of the superior worlds. The other superior worlds are kind enough to offer this trade so that your world can have a few less deaths while defending against the death spirits. Only then will you have the ability to develop as a superior world. Isn''t that so?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Please convey my thanks to the various superior kings. We ept this deal."


    "Can you make decisions on behalf of your king?" The envoy frowned at Zhang Lie as he looked toward Li Zongming.


    Although Li Zongming didn''t know what Zhang Lie was up to, he was certain he had a n.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, the Zongming world would have been taken over by the xuluo; he was willing to trust Zhang Lie unconditionally. Li Zongming nodded. "We will ept this deal."


    The envoy grinned, as though this was the only reasonable oue. "A wise decision. However, even though we''ll be loaning out our warriors, we have additional conditions that you must fulfill."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Other conditions?"


    The envoy nodded. "First, even though we''re loaning these troops to you, they don''t belong to you. We can still mobilize them at will, and you can''t restrict their freedom."


    "What do you mean?"


    "If they think that you''re forcing them to participate in battles where they have a high chance of dying, or they think yourmands are unreasonable, they have the right to choose not to fight or to follow yourmands."


    "What?!"


    The envoy continued, "Furthermore, if they get injured, you''ll be responsible for their medical fees; if they die, you''ll be responsible for reparations to their family. You''ll be responsible for their food and lodgings, as well as weapons. Naturally, these have to be of high quality, or they won''t be effective inbat. Furthermore, because of the high-pressure environment on the battlefield, the warriors can frequently get temperamental, so you need to provide them with women of sufficient beauty as well."


    Li Zongming and Li Qianlin frowned. These ''requests'' were far too demanding.


    Li Zongming replied, "You call these warriors? More likezy good-for-nothings!"


    The envoy smiled and turned to Li Qianlin. "If the princess is willing to serve our warriors herself, they would surely fight at full strength."


    In other words, despite all this preferential treatment, they wouldn''t be fighting at full strength without even more benefits.


    Li Zongming became truly incensed.


    The entire Zongming world began to shake. Lightning shed through the air, and the meeting room in which they were located began to creak and crack.


    The envoy btedly realized that he had gone too far. Weak though Li Zongming might be, he was still a superior king. The envoy gave Li Zongming a fake smile. "I was simply joking, your majesty. Please don''t take it personally."


    "And those ridiculous requests for your troops? Are those also jokes?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, cating the weather and restoring the space around them¡ªuntil all was right with the world again.


    Li Zongming was stupefied. Was he the king of the realm, or was that Zhang Lie? Why could Zhang Lie ess authority that could even countermand his own?


    Zhang Lie said, "We agree to loaning your forces, but we''ll need to negotiate more regarding the details. It''s ratherte out, envoy, so why don''t you rest here tonight? We''ve already prepared the best of amodations for you."


    The envoy''s smile widened. "Naturally."


    If the Zongming world were willing to borrow the troops, then his mission was all butplete. This was only to be expected¡ªwho wouldn''t sumb to thebined pressure of eight superior worlds? Anyone with even a shred of logic would understand what the right choice was.


    After the envoy left, Li Zongming repaired his splintered armrest. Instead of asking Zhang Lie for the details of his n for the envoy, Li Zongming posed another question.


    "Zhang Lie, what do you think these superior kings are nning?"


    "What else? They don''t know how we managed to defeat the xuluo and don''t dare to provoke us to find out, so they''re just using the death spirits as a test subject."


    No xuluo had escaped the destruction of the xuluo world, so they had no sense of the Zongming world''s strength.


    "If these superior kings strike at us and find that we''re strong enough to annihte their worlds¡ªwell, none of them will take that risk. Even if their worlds weren''t destroyed, they would surely suffer huge losses from fighting against a strong foe, and then be easy pickings for the other superior worlds.


    "However, they also don''t want to see the Zongming world take over the territory that originally belonged to the xuluo andpete for more of the precious world''s energy from this realm. They only have one choice left: to make use of the death spirits to whittle us both down, and to get a sense of our strength."

 Chapter 874: In Openmouthed Anger

    <h4>Chapter 874: In Openmouthed Anger</h4>


    The superior kings were ancient existences that had ruled their respective worlds for millennia, and they were seasoned foes in the grand game of politics.


    As Zhang Lie exined what the kings'' intentions were, Li Zongming''s face grew darker and darker.


    "To sum it up, these fellows don''t know if they can beat us, so they''ll send us against their strongest opponent instead. At the same time, they''ll drain us of our world''s energy, reducing the rate at which it can grow.


    "Unlike what they''ve imed, although the Zongming world will have more time to develop in the future, that doesn''t mean the inhabitants of the world can grow stronger. If we were to lose a huge quantity of the world''s energy, our growth rate would drop precipitously."


    And if they hadn''t grown stronger by the next rotation, they would have to continue borrowing troops from the other superior worlds, enmeshing them in a vicious circle.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "In other words, they''re intending to treat our world like an endless source of energy. It''s a good n, I''ll grant them that, and it probably works better than destroying every newly evolved superior world theye across."


    Li Zongming asked, "If you know what they''re trying to pull off, why would you ept?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "What else do you think we can do? Survive against eight superior worlds''bined assault?"


    Li Zongming fell silent.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Don''t worry, I don''t intend to bring the Zongming world down. We''ll see just who''s begging whom by the end, won''t we?"


    Li Zongming''s eyes grew wide. "Do you have more information I don''t?"


    As far as Zhang Lie knew, the death spirits would enact their n to take over the realm imminently¡ªand if they couldn''t defeat this invasion, they wouldn''t be alive for a hundred years regardless.


    "I''ve spoken about this a little to Qianlin. The superior worlds haven''t managed to confine the death spiritspletely. The death spirits have long since evaded confinement by means of a subsidiary race, the ck spirits."


    Zhang Lie exined what was going on to Li Zongming.


    "The death spirits will soon summon the ck spirits, currently scattered all about the third realm, back to the death spirits'' homeworld."


    The ck spirits had collectedrge quantities of world''s energy from all over the realm, and once they were recalled and their collected energy given to the death spirits'' king, the death spirits would break free of the encirclement.


    In Zhang Lie''s past life, the ck spirits'' n had seededpletely.


    If the superior worlds hadn''t dispatched an envoy offering to loan troops to Li Zongming, Zhang Lie had considered the possibility of informing them about the impending threat. After all, the death spirits'' n would imperil all three thousand worlds.


    After his experience with the domineering envoy, however, Zhang Lie changed his mind. He very much wanted to watch those superior worlds squirm and panic.


    Zhang Lie reminded him, "When we negotiate with the envoy again, you need to rify that you''re only willing to borrow these troops when ites time for your turn in the defense rotation. Once the death spirits make their move, these superior worlds will have to fend off the death spirits with every power at their disposal, and they won''t be able to look down on our help at that point."


    The conflict between the Zongming world and the other superior worlds was finally resolved after a few days. Li Zongming entertained the envoy for a few more days, attempting to secure what benefits he could out of the negotiations, but it wasrgely a farce.


    Li Zongming knew that the death spirits were about tounch an invasion, and the terms of the agreement would be nullified without ever being activated.


    After the negotiations were concluded, Zhang Lie bade Li Zongming farewell. "I''ve stayed long enough here. There''s a huge pile of work on my te, and I have to get back to it."


    Li Zongming suggested, "Son-inw, why don''t you move the humans over here? We''re a superior world now, and the resources in this world are likely better than what you have ess to at the moment."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The Zongming world is too replete with resources at the moment, and a superior world isn''t conducive to my ns. We humans need to grow in battle."


    Superior worlds didn''t tend to participate in inter-world conflict¡ªany weaker foes would immediately surrender or flee at the thought of facing a superior world in battle.


    "Furthermore, those other superior worlds won''t want to see the Zongming world grow evenrger. If that happens, they''ll make the Zongming world their next target."


    Li Zongming smiled in embarrassment. "Without your presence here, I won''t feel at ease. After all, if the death spirits really are going to be approaching shortly¡ª"


    "When that dayes, I will stand by the Zongming world."


    Li Zongming was still worried. "I''m afraid that an incident might ur here. The two worlds are far apart, so if something were to happen while you were traveling..."


    "It won''t be an issue for superior kings to hold the death spirits off for a few days. By then, I''ll have made it over to the Zongming world."


    Li Zongming sighed. "Better for Qianlin to go with you, I think. She would be safer there than anywhere else."


    .


    Li Zongming was exasperated: despite being her father, he wasn''t confident that he would be able to protect his own daughter.


    Zhang Lie patted his chest. "Please, rest assured that I''ll take good care of her. As long as I''m still alive, she won''t lose even a single strand of hair on her head."


    After two days'' rest, Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin headed back toward the draconian world. To Zhang Lie''s surprise, Dong Mingxing cae along with them.


    "What''re you doing? Do you intend to behave like Li Qianlin''s personal maid, going so far as to apany her throughout her marriage?"


    Dong Mingxing frowned. "I simply can''t bear to see Qianlin hurt¡ªand I need to supervise your interactions with her to make sure that you don''t do anything untoward!"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Absurd! Have you even asked Qianlin whether or not she wants me to make these untoward advances?"


    Li Qianlin blushed. She lowered her head and didn''t answer.


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "What a pity, what a pity! A radish that I''ve grown for twenty years¡ªand now it''s going to be uprooted and pawed away by a pig!"


    "What do you mean, that you''ve grown? Could it be that you''re interested in Li Zongming? Dong Mingxing, how could you! Qianlin treats you like a friend, but you n on bing her mother?!"


    "What?!" Dong Mingxing was stupefied by Zhang Lie''s assertion.

 Chapter 875: Living in Harmony

    <h4>Chapter 875: Living in Harmony</h4>


    Zhang Lie continued to heckle Dong Mingxing yfully. "Dong Mingxing, aren''t you ashamed? A young woman in your twenties, courting an old man in his hundreds! There are so many good men out there¡ªyou could have had your pick!


    "I know that you might not have many options avable to you, but it surely isn''t hard to find a male of about equal age? How could you set your thoughts on your friend''s father? Have you ever asked Qianlin how she feels about the thought?"


    "You¡ªI, Dong Mingxing, was once considered the top beauty of the worlds of east and west! The number of men who wanted to marry me are enough to encircle the Zongming world twice over. I''ve never needed to worry about a mate!"


    "Who knows? You might have aplex for older fathers?"


    Li Qianlin sat by the side of the room,ughing at her two friends'' antics. After a long period of traveling together, Zhang Lie and Dong Mingxing had gotten to know each other, and they frequently bickered with each other.


    Dong Mingxing''s face flushed red. "No, I don''t like men older than I am! Those who wish to court me have to be the strongest among the three thousand worlds, invincible in the realm, who can save the world from crisis with a simple flip of his hand!"


    Zhang Lie stumbled back, clutching his chest with his arms as though he had been injured.


    When Dong Mingxing saw Zhang Lie suddenly go quiet, she asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Zhang Lie coughed. "The person you described¡ªit couldn''t be me, could it?"


    Dong Mingxing''s face flushed like a ripe apple.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Ah, well, you are a beauty, but your personality¡ªthat is, you''re a good person, I''m sorry!"


    Dong Mingxing''s flush crept up to her ears. She had beenuded as a genius and beauty since her youth, and countless men from east and west had chased after her. When had she ever faced such public rejection?


    "When did I say I was talking about you? Say that to my face once you defeat all the superior kings in the realm!"


    Dong Mingxing left the room and rushed into the pce located atop the disaster-grade dragon.


    Zhang Lie waved at Li Zongming, grabbed Li Qianlin''s hand, then leapt up toward the pce as well. Li Qianlin squirmed, but she allowed Zhang Lie to hold her hand, her face still flushed red.


    The disaster-grade dragon pped its wings and flew off in a burst of five-colored light, followed quickly behind by Red Comet.


    While Zhang Lie was leisurely traveling through the third realm, a disaster was unfolding in the Milky Way, back on Mars. It was being invaded by a swarm of bugs, so densely packed together the skies were a frightening ck mass. Dozens of ns participated in the defense against the swarm.


    From the outside, it looked as though ck clouds had covered Mars up. This was thergest invasion of alien bugs that any in the sr system had faced, and the current situation wasn''t one that Mars alone could handle.


    The inhabitants of Mars once again recalled the fear of these alien bugs that they had already repulsed once before. The innumerous bugs seemed as though they could swallow up the entire world; wherever they went, they left a trail of barrennd behind them.


    Countless warriors perished to their ws, and the ns who valiantly repelled the bugs began to have thoughts of fleeing.


    Just then, a figure descended from the skies like a god from heaven,manding the forces of fire and storm. His arrival alone cleared out a huge hole in the swarm of bugs, causing rays of sunlight to shine down on the surface of Mars once again.


    This was the Marshal of me, Li Pu. When he appeared, the entire battlefield erupted in cheers. Li Pu was the keystone of the Martian offense, an emblem of victory. The Martian warriors felt their morale rise¡ªuntil suddenly, a figure cloaked in stealth appeared behind Li Pu.


    By the time Li Pu reacted, it was toote. A long, barbed tail had pierced clean through Li Pu''s chest, spraying blood over the cheering soldiers.


    The return trip to the draconian world only took three days, even after Zhang Lie secretly requested that the disaster-grade dragon fly more slowly.


    The moment he returned, Zhang Lie headed straight for the draconian sage and inquired about the state of the wars.


    The sage replied, "The other members of your team, Team Zenith, are unstoppable. No king of the realm has managed to resist their assault."


    "We''ve managed to take over more worlds, then?"


    "We''re expanding at a very impressive rate. During the two weeks in which you were gone, the members of Team Zenith took down six new worlds,rge, medium-sized, and small."


    Zhang Lie rxed. "It looks like I won''t have to worry about the expansion of this world, then."


    The draconian sage shook his head, surprising Zhang Lie. "Is there something you need me to handle?"


    "The members of Team Zenith are doing just fine, but the problem is with the other four parties."


    "You mean the warlords of the Milky Way?" Zhang Lie had split up his retinue of warlords into four parties, each led by a member of the four prime races. They were to wage war in four separate directions at once.


    "The warlord party led by the starbeasts has suffered its first defeat."


    Zhang Lie frowned. Each party of warlords had dozens of strong fighters. How could they have lost?


    The draconian sage suggested, "To understand the specifics, I rmend you talk to them yourself."


    The draconian sage led him to where the injured warlords were recuperating from their wounds. Xing Ying was lying in bed, and Ren Kunjing of the Zijing was peeling fruits for him.


    When Xing Ying, wrapped up like a mummy, saw Zhang Lie approach, he tried to force himself to sit up, but Zhang Lie stopped him. "You''re injured. Lie back down."


    Xing Ying looked down, ashamed. "I was too inept, and unable to lead myrades to sess. When I recover, I''ll surely¡ª"


    Zhang Lie interrupted him. "No, no, none of that. You don''t owe me anything; we''repanions. I simply want to know what happened to you, and how you came to be so severely injured."


    Ren Kunjing asked, "Zhang Lie, do you mean to¡ª"


    Zhang Lie''s face was a mask of frozen ice. "These aliens will pay for injuring mypanions so severely."


    Xing Ying was so touched that tears beaded by his eyes. "The world we attacked was at the peak ofrge worlds. The leading inhabitants of this world are gigantic beasts with the remarkable ability of being able tomunicate with gic lifeforms and live in harmony with them."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You mean, like the Jinghun n?"


    Ren Kunjing shrugged. "I came to speak with Xing Ying about this matter as well. After some questioning, I realized this wasn''t the case. These beasts aren''t controlling the lifeforms; they truly are living in harmony with them."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "In harmony? In what sense? Do they support each other, or do they simply stay out of each other''s way?"

 Chapter 876: Here for Your Life

    <h4>Chapter 876: Here for Your Life</h4>


    Xing Ying thought for a moment. "The inhabitants of the world have a strong stench about them. Could this stench be some form of hypnosis that allows them to control the gic lifeforms all around?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "At any rate, I''ll be able to identify the truth by heading to that world and having a look for myself."


    Zhang Lie was very curious about this race that was purported to be able to live in harmony with gic lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie continued, "It''s true that the king of the realm of such arge world is very strong."


    The eastern king Li Zongming had been one such king, and he was far stronger than kings of ordinaryrge worlds.


    "However, there were dozens of warlords in your party, many of whom already have disaster gene fragments of their own. You might not be a match for the king one on one, but surely you had the numerical advantage?"


    Xing Ying chuckled. "We did, but so did they."


    "Manpower on the level of kings of the realm?" Even arge world at its peak shouldn''t have had ess to such potent strength.


    Xing Ying shook his head. "Yes, but not in the manner you''re thinking."


    "What are they, then? Puppets?"


    Xing Ying replied, "No¡ªthey''re gic lifeforms."


    Zhang Lie instantly understood. "Disaster-grade lifeforms!" Only those lifeforms could fight on the level of a king of the realm.


    Xing Ying nodded.


    "How many of them?"


    Xing Ying raised three fingers. "Thirty!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. Thirty disaster-grade lifeforms? This world was a treasure vault!


    Ren Kunjing said, "ording to our investigations, the king of that world enjoys invading nearby worlds, capturing all the lifeforms there, and bringing them back to his own world."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "In other words, these disaster-grade lifeforms came from a few, or even a few dozen, worlds."


    This was a true fortune. Zhang Lie had been in search of disaster-grade lifeforms to spur Red Comet''s evolution, but he hadn''t expected to find such arge group so quickly.


    "Now that I know who it was that injured you, I''ll set off immediately." Zhang Lie rushed out of the room.


    Xing Ying was very touched that Zhang Lie was willing to do so much for them¡ªand with such urgency.


    The fact that Zhang Lie was unwilling to wait even a single moment demonstrated just how much he valued them warlords. From then on, Xing Ying swore to himself that he would be a loyal follower to Zhang Lie.


    With Ren Kunjing''s help, Zhang Lie quickly found the world which Xing Ying and his party had headed towards. He split space and arrived in that world in the blink of an eye.


    As Xing Ying had mentioned, the world was filled with lifeforms. Peak-grade ones were everywhere to be seen, and superior-grade ones were more numerous than dogs.


    Zhang Lie startled the king of the realm with his space-tearing arrival, but the king of the realm rxed upon noticing that Zhang Lie was alone. He dispatched a subordinate to figure out what Zhang Lie was doing.


    Zhang Lie saw the subordinate from afar. If he weren''t mistaken, this was a native inhabitant of this world. Xing Ying''s description had been a little off; the inhabitants were like walking beasts, with fierce, inhuman faces, strong, muscr limbs, and arge, sturdy body.


    "Who are you?" the alien asked.


    Zhang Lie blinked in surprise. "I thought you would bark or yell, but you can speak!" Just like Xing Ying had mentioned, these aliens had a curious stench about them.


    Zhang Lie frowned as rainbow light colored his eyes. In front of him, the alien''s gaze grew unfocused. His eyes likewise took on a rainbow gleam.


    "What race are you?"


    The alien replied woodenly, "We''re the Shouyin."


    "Where''s your king?"


    Before the alien could reply, a spatial rift formed above him. Zhang Lie smiled as he nced upward. "It looks like there''s no need for me to search for him now, I suppose."


    "Friend, don''t you know it''s quite rude to be controlling my kin?" The Shouyin king had made use of his authority to teleport right in front of Zhang Lie. The Shouyin king likewise seemed to be a bipedal beast, but if his subordinate were somewhere between superior- and peak-grade, he was disaster-grade.


    A domineering aura emanated from his body. Pale white lightning forked over his body, and a gigantic pair of wings grew from his back. His limbs were thick and strong, his ws sharp, and his beard wild. His eyes shed with red light, but he sounded calm and collected.


    "Why have youe to this world, friend?"


    It looked as though the king of the realm had been paying attention to the interaction between Zhang Lie and his subordinate, but this was only reasonable. After all, even the king of the realm had to be wary of an existence that could shatter space.


    If not for the fact that Zhang Lie had disyed his power upon entry to the world, the king of the realm would have struck him the moment Zhang Lie attacked his subordinate. However, after that disy of power, the king of the realm was wary of Zhang Lie''s strength.


    "I''m here for one thing," Zhang Lie replied.


    "What''s there in this world that you''re interested in, friend?"


    "Your life."


    As Zhang Lie clenched his fists, blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura in the rapidly darkening skies.


    Sweat dripped down the king''s forehead as he sensed the magnitude of Zhang Lie''s gic energy. Arge fish the size of a whale manifested in the air as the king''s face turned ugly. "This is the first time we''ve met. Has there been a misunderstanding?"


    Howling winds filled the air, and the gic lifeforms in the world all began to shriek and shout as they sensed the frightening gic energy that Zhang Lie was giving off.


    Faced with Zhang Lie''s pressure and the storm that his gic energy had summoned, even the Shouyin king wanted to run away like the gic lifeforms around him.


    However, he was the king of this realm, and it would be terribly embarrassing to do so.


    Howling winds swept at his face as lightning continued to fork around his body. More and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms. The gic energy was so dense around Zhang Lie that the Shouyin king could see it with his own eyes.


    As more and moreyers of gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie, the Shouyin king could keenly perceive how destructive the resulting attack would be if this unknown assant were to release it all...

 Chapter 877: Many Disaster-Grade Lifeforms

    <h4>Chapter 877: Many Disaster-Grade Lifeforms</h4>


    "Hold on! Surely there must be some misunderstanding¡ªI don''t even know your name!" the Shouyin king argued.


    "My name?"


    "I''m Diavus, and my kin call me Skyfather. Our race is known as the Shouyin, and we go by a few other names besides." Upon seeing that Zhang Lie was willing to engage in conversation, Diavus immediately grew excited.


    .


    "I''m Zhang Lie, and I''m here to kill you!" Zhang Lie struck the very next moment. He had umted quite a bit of pale-blue gic energy, which he incorporated into his attack. Water flooded the battlefield.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, and they swamped the nine-headed spider.


    Lightning radiated from the Shouyin king, dyeing the entire sky a radiant white. White shes of forked lightning gathered around Diavus''s body to form a huge shield.


    As the pale-blue waves and the white lightning shed, explosions rang through the air. The waves continued shing with the lightning over and over again. The seawater evaporated; the lightning flickered.


    The sh of the two opposing forces shook heaven and earth. The ground began to crack, and huge clods of earth and boulders were sent flying. After the energy from both attacks had dissipated, the ground was a mess of rubble and devastation.


    Diavus stood amidst the wreckage, one of his wings broken off, half his beard shaved away, and wounds marring his body.


    Diavus shouted, "Who are you, and why do you seek my death?!"


    A tidal wave of water-attuned gic energy appeared behind Zhang Lie. A violent shark materialized around him and soared into the air as the energy circled his body and condensed by his index finger.


    "Don''t you remember the group of people you injured recently?"


    Zhang Lie slowly raised his index finger up high as the pale-blue gic energy rushed into the depths of space and formed a waterfall that cascaded down.


    Diavus seemed to havee to a realization. "Those invaders?"


    Zhang Lie responded with actions, not words. The waterfall struck like a de, propelling the shark forward.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and the shark swam forth. It opened its bloody maw as Diavus shot s huge pir of lightning straight into its mouth, piercing it through and shredding Zhang Lie''s attack. By the time it got to Zhang Lie, only a small sliver of lightning remained.


    Zhang Lie flicked at the lightning with a finger, causing an incredible explosion that dyed the world white. The lightning enveloped Zhang Lie in an instant. Diavus had condensed the bulk of the attack down to this sliver in an attempt to hoodwink Zhang Lie.


    As the lightning dissipated, Zhang Lie''s figure could be seen anew. A ck serpent had wrapped protectively around its body, shielding him from the force of the lightning.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" The ck serpent, which resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr, let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Diavus nodded to himself. "So you''re with those invaders¡ªno wonder!"


    "For injuring my people, you''ll pay with your life." Zhang Lie clenched his fist tightly and cocked his arm. The serpent lowered its head so that it was aligned with Zhang Lie''s fist.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    Diavus, his body wrapped entirely in lightning, radiated light even brighter than that of the sun. He smashed into the ck serpent, and the skies responded in kind. Half of it was pure white, while the other half was pitch ck. The ck energy was dissolving the white lightning, but the white lightning was piercing through the ck energy.


    After the energy of the two attacks dissipated, Diavus found himself in an even more sorry state. His single good wing had been dissolved, as had much of the upper half of his body. If not for his shield of lightning, Diavus would likely have been nothing more than a pile of bones.


    He roared in outrage, "Don''t get too cocky¡ªI''m not alone!"


    Diavus made use of his authority to distort his surrounding space. The space around him began to ripple and warp.


    Zhang Lie didn''t stop him. Instead, he waited expectantly. Zhang Lie hadn''te to this world solely for revenge. His principal reason was the thirty disaster-grade lifeforms under Diavus'' control.


    The appearance of all thirty such lifeforms shook the battlefield once more. Diavus'' authority wouldn''t allow him to teleport disaster-grade lifeforms at will; they had to permit it.


    Zhang Lie activated his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, and his eyes glowed in all the colors of the rainbow.


    Diavus, realizing what Zhang Lie was doing, immediately waved an arm and shielded the disaster-grade lifeforms with the world''s energy.


    "Petty bastard!" Zhang Lie groused.


    Diavus'' forehead beaded with sweat. If Zhang Lie had seeded and subverted the lifeforms, turning them from allies into enemies...


    "If you''re unwilling to give them to me, I''ll simply have to take them by force!" As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    As soon as he killed Diavus, the world''s energy would stop shielding those disaster-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard would take effect.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot. He appeared right behind Diavus¡ªbut Diavus was prepared. Streaks of white lightning shed from his body. Zhang Lie tore apart the lightning with a w, sending blood flying.


    "Che, he still managed to escape." At the cost of an arm, Diavus had fled from Zhang Lie.


    The disaster-grade lifeforms that Diavus controlledunched a simultaneous attack and pounced toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie now faced a dilemma: how was he to kill Diavus while hurting these lifeforms as little as possible? It sounded like an unrealistic goal, but not for Zhang Lie. After all, Zhang Lie was now strong enough to crush arge world underfoot...

 Chapter 878: A Walking Treasury

    <h4>Chapter 878: A Walking Treasury</h4>


    Zhang Lie unleashed his dragonturtle transformation. The image of a dragonturtle manifested behind him as his water-attuned gic energy seemed to turn heavy and sluggish. Ripples of gic energy emanated from him, sealing and solidifying the space all around him¡ªand trapping the disaster-grade lifeforms within.


    Entering this domain was like wading through a swamp. It cost tens or even hundreds of times more energy just to move forward, or even to wiggle a single finger.


    Any victims would feel as though a mountain were pressing down on their bodies, one so heavy they could barely breathe, slowing down all their bodily processes. Even the air seemed to solidify and turn to syrup.


    The disaster-grade lifeforms felt as though they were slowly turning to stone; only Zhang Lie was free to move. As though he were simply strolling through a garden, Zhang Lie avoided the disaster-grade lifeforms'' telegraphed attacks and walked straight to Diavus.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie get closer and closer, Diavus unleashed lightning on a level stronger than ever before. He knew that, if he didn''t fight for his life now, he wouldn''t have a chance to do soter.


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie easily dealt with his attack by raising an arm into the air and sending the gravity and anti-gravity tablets crashing down. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    The lightning that Diavus unleashed grew out of control, and he spat a mouthful of fresh blood from his mouth.


    Just then, the thirty disaster-grade lifeforms managed to break free of their binding and charged toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!" With a smile, Zhang Lieunched a fist toward them, sending the thirty disaster-grade lifeforms flying. At the same time, the ground beneath Zhang Lie cracked. Huge cracks propagated through the ground, sendingva into the air and causing the skies to turn red.


    Diavus, who had been struck by Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea], was a terrible sight to behold. His skin had cracked as though he were a piece of pottery that had fallen to the ground.


    His internal organs had been obliterated, his bones shattered. Asva seeped out of the ground, Diavus screamed shrilly. He had lost all mobility, and his body was being burned to a crisp by theva.


    Zhang Lie''s two runic tablets began to resonate with his [Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]. As ancient runes appeared on their surface, the two tablets began to toll like a bell. A pulse of energy struck all enemies on the battlefield, destroying Diavus'' body.


    A rain of blood fell from the heavens, apanied by a mournful sigh.


    The thirty disaster-grade lifeforms had been injured, but only incidentally. Zhang Lie hadn''t put much force into his attack, certainly not enough to endanger their lives.


    He controlled the thirty lifeforms one by one, then interrogated them as to the location of the proof of kingship.


    Unlike the most annoying kings that Zhang Lie had faced, Diavus didn''t have the inclination to hide his proof of kingship somewhere secret¡ªbut its location was still quite unexpected.


    Diavus had had one of the disaster-grade lifeforms swallow the proof of kingship.


    Even beyond the thirty disaster-grade lifeforms, the Shouyin world was rich and replete in resources. The Shouyin had gathered all the lifeforms from dozens of neighboring worlds here, and the number of lifeforms had increased exponentially after years of reproduction.


    If not for the fact that this world was at the peak ofrge worlds, it wouldn''t have been able to support so many lifeforms.


    How could Zhang Lie give up on such an amazing resource?


    The regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms were too numerous andmon to im, but Zhang Lie was certainly intending to bring all the superior- and peak-grade ones away.


    After all, superior- and peak-grade lifeforms took a rtively long time to reproduce and grow. It would take at least two years for a superior-grade lifeform to mature, and he had even seen records of them taking two or three decades to do so.


    Even artificially, Zhang Lie was only able to speed up this period to two or three months.


    Since Zhang Lie had to investigate whaty beyond disaster-grade on his own, he would needrge quantities of raw materials and lifeforms. This world was like a walking treasure chest to him.


    After securing all the lifeforms he wanted, Zhang Lie left whistling a jaunty tune.


    He didn''t return to the Zongming world by shattering space; because of the lifeforms he was bringing back with him, he had no choice but to make use of the wormhole system instead.


    When he passed through those worlds that had been conquered by Xing Ying and the rest of his party, the indigenous aliens shuddered at the sight of the horde of gic lifeformsing their way.


    If this batch of lifeforms had participated in the initial invasion against their worlds, many of the indigenous aliens would have be nothing more than food for them.


    Zhang Lie took just three days to bring his herd back through the series of wormholes and into the draconian world.


    When the draconian sage noticed the lifeforms flooding into the draconian world, he immediately teleported to the source of the disturbance.


    "I thought the world was being invaded again¡ªbut it''s just you!" the draconian sage groused.


    "I need a ce to conduct research," Zhang Lie requested.


    "That''s fine, but how will you feed all these beasts?"


    This was a headache-inducing question for Zhang Lie as well. It was easy to transport all these lifeforms over, but having to feed them would pose a problem¡ªespecially given the veritable sea of beasts behind Zhang Lie.


    Invoking the authority of the realm, the draconian sage counted the number of lifeforms that Zhang Lie had brought back with them.


    "A million superior-grade lifeforms, a hundred thousand peak-grade lifeforms... just how many worlds did you go through to obtain so many?"


    "Just one¡ªfrom an extremelyrge world."


    "Hah." The draconian sage clearly didn''t believe Zhang Lie''s ims.


    Zhang Lie rified, "That world cultivated a lot of gic lifeforms, so I brought some back with me."


    The draconian sage rolled his eyes. "Don''t speak of these superior-grade lifeforms as though they were some form of specialty produce! Do you know how many of your humanrades die or be hurt trying to hunt down just a single superior-grade lifeform?


    "There''s quite a lot ofnd in this world, enough for all these lifeforms to roam around, but you''ll have to deal with food yourself. Don''t expect my help. I can''t help you with anything more!" The draconian sage teleported away before Zhang Lie could request anything else from him.


    Zhang Lie began to ponder how to deal with the problem of food. Surely it wouldn''t be a good idea to have them feed on each other...

 Chapter 879: Preparing to Ascend

    <h4>Chapter 879: Preparing to Ascend</h4>


    These gic lifeforms were all superior- and peak-grade. Gic lifeforms would indeed be able to evolve more quickly by fighting or devouring each other, but surely not daily.


    Zhang Lie didn''t urgently need so many disaster-grade lifeforms at the moment, but they would y a more active role once he began his research in earnest. But what would he do during the downtime?


    In the second realm, Zhu had resolved this problem with crustacean-type lifeforms that grew and reproduced rapidly.


    The Shouyin had managed to rear so many superior-, peak-, and disaster-grade lifeforms by having peak-grade ones eat superior ones, superior ones eat mutated ones, and mutated ones eat regr ones. In doing so, they were roughly able to maintain a dynamic equilibrium.


    Zhang Lie had two choices in front of him. The first was to find food suitable for these lifeforms, which he rejected almost offhand.


    Zhang Lie had no clues as to where to start. He knew that the third realm had to possess something suitable, but not where¡ªand he didn''t want to devote any time to do so. He supposed he could return to the Shouyin world and bring back the regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms there, but if he were to do so, the draconian sage would ?surely fly into a rage.


    The reason he had been willing to ept so many superior- and peak-grade lifeforms into the world was solely on ount of Zhang Lie. If Zhang Lie were to bring back so many regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms as well, the draconian world wouldn''t be able to support them all. The draconian world would have to be renamed the world of gic lifeforms, then.


    Supporting so many superior- and peak-grade lifeforms meant that the poption of regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms was truly enormous; the total number of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms, rtive to regr- and mutated-grade ones, was no more than 1%.


    If there were a million superior-grade lifeforms and a hundred thousand peak-grade lifeforms, then there had to be at least ten million mutated-grade lifeforms and a hundred million regr-grade ones.


    The draconian world didn''t have the resources to amodate so many lifeforms, not unless it merged with even more worlds. However, if it merged with too many, the draconian world would evolve into a superior world.


    Zhang Lie didn''t want the draconian world to evolve at this point¡ªnot because Zhang Lie was afraid of the older superior worlds, but rather because trouble would keeping once the draconian world got onto the superior worlds'' radar.


    At this point, Zhang Lie wanted to quietly research the level of strength beyond disaster-grade.


    The second option was, as he had considered, to allow the gic lifeforms to fight among themselves and for the victor to devour the loser. However, this method would deplete the supply of gic lifeforms very quickly.


    A million superior-grade and a hundred thousand peak-grade lifeforms seemed like a lot, but this approach would deplete the supply of those lifeforms ridiculously quickly. They would be all gone within fifty days.


    "I don''t have a better option, so I guess I''ll have to arrange that for now..."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but reminisce about his disaster-grade farm in the second realm.


    After dealing with the gic lifeforms, Zhang Lie began his research.


    He summoned Red Comet, then retrieved the xuluo world''s energy from his storage-type soulshard and imbued Red Comet with it.


    Red Comet''s exoskeleton was no longer blood-red. It now gleamed with light of five colors, representing the evolution in Red Comet''s status as a lifeform¡ªbut the evolution stopped almost as quickly as it started, as though there were some bottleneck that had stalled Red Comet''s progress.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "A simple application of a superior world''s energy isn''t enough to lead to a breakthrough, then?"


    It was only expected. Gic lifeforms had to fight with each other and devour their opponents in order to evolve. A superior world''s energy only served to lubricate the process and make it go more smoothly.


    Xing Ying and Ren Kunjing flew over. Ren Kunjing called out with a smile, "I heard that someone brought a huge quantity of lifeforms through the wormhole, and I knew that it had to be you, champion of mankind!"


    Xing Ying nced at all the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms in the vicinity, touched by what Zhang Lie had done. It was evident that Zhang Lie had gone to the world where he had been defeated and killed the king of the realm there.


    If not for the king''s death, Zhang Lie could hardly have brought all these lifeforms with him.


    Xing Ying knelt, one knee touching the ground. "Champion of mankind, I, Xing Ying, vow to go wherever I can be of use to you!"


    With formless power, Zhang Lie prevented Xing Ying from kneeling fully down, then lifted him up. "I only did what I should. You fought for me, so of course I''d defend you."


    Xing Ying nodded, touched by Zhang Lie''s words.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are yourgely recovered?"


    Xing Ying rotated his arms. "Thanks to the special medicine provided by the members of Team Zenith, my injuries recovered in just a few days. I can fight on the battlefield for you again, my liege!"


    "No, no, there''s no need. Get a few more days of rest, and make sure you recover fully from your injuries."


    Ren Kunjing nced at the sea of gic lifeforms behind Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, do you have any ns with those lifeforms behind you?"


    Ren Kunjing really didn''t know what to say.


    Other hunters were desperately hunting down superior- and peak-grade lifeforms¡ªZhang Lie was feeding a million of them. Other hunters were trying their best to search for and kill disaster-grade lifeforms at great expense and risk¡ªZhang Lie had thirty docile ones right here. When had disaster-grade lifeforms be somonce?


    Zhang Lei asked, "Ren Kunjing, there are more superior- and peak-grade lifeforms with the other groups of warlords that have been dispatched, aren''t there?"


    Ren Kunjing nodded. "The four warlord parties picked up quite a number of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms during their invasion."


    The reason the Jinghun had been able to host so many superior- and peak-grade lifeforms was by waging war and allowing the lifeforms to eat their fill on the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Summon all the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms back."


    Ren Kunjing asked, "It looks like you''re nning something big. Do you need my race''s assistance?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, but I''ll call on you when I do need it."


    "Very well. I''ll send a message immediately."


    Back in the second realm, Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Yun Bing, do you really intend to ascend now?"


    Yun Bing replied, "Together with you, yes."


    "The kingdom of Limit will survive without a princess like me, but without a prime minister like you..."


    "As Zhang Lie once said, the kingdom of Limit in the second realm should serve only as a springboard. We can''t pin all our hopes to this kingdom; we should look farther. I''ve handled the kingdom for over a year, and everything has stabilized now. Once Hong Xiao and the third generation of disciples from the dojo ascend, they''ll be the new pirs of the kingdom. Do you understand?"

 Chapter 880: Stowaways

    <h4>Chapter 880: Stowaways</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded, though she still seemed a little confused by the big picture.


    Yun Bing asked, "Don''t you think what your brother''s doing in the third realm is quite familiar?"


    "Is it?"


    "He''s gathering his strength now. Hebined the strength of the human hunters there with the strongest warlords of the Milky Way, and he''s starting to invade other neighboring worlds. It''s precisely what he did in the second realm when founding the kingdom of Limit.


    "I suspect that Zhang Lie is nning to construct a new kingdom of Limit in the third realm, and as prime minister of the second-realm kingdom, how could I not be present for the formation of the new third-realm kingdom?" Yun Bing asked passionately.


    She continued, "I''ve already had a discussion with Chu Feng. He ns on ascending simultaneously. Thanks to your brother''s disaster-grade farm, along with the authority of the kingdom of Limit, we''ve both maxed out our disaster gene fragments as well. Now is surely the best time to ascend."


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "Very well. I do look forward to the surprise on Brother''s face when he sees the two of us!"


    "I''ve delegated all my responsibilities to Hong Xi¡ªthough it may be an inconvenience for her to have to stand guard here in the second realm for a while longer." Yun Bing patted Zhang Hanxiang on the head.


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed reasonably optimistic. "It''s not a problem. Hong Xiao and the others will arrive in the second realm and develop rapidly¡ªI don''t expect it''ll take Hong Xi any longer than three or four months to ascend, and possibly even two."


    Yun Bing asked, "Do you really intend to bring the aliens with you?"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded seriously. "Of course! They''re loyal to my brother, and he might need their support. I''ll be taking the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard as well."


    "Let''s hope there are no incidents in the meantime, then."


    After seeing Xing Ying and Ren Kunjing off, over the next few days, Zhang Lie had the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms duel each other in hopes that more would ascend to disaster-grade.


    The thirty disaster-grade lifeforms also began to spar with Red Comet. It was fortunate that they were doing all this in desertednd, because what they left behind after each battle was destion.


    After Red Comet killed ten disaster-grade lifeforms and devoured them all, it finally seemed to reach the threshold between disaster-grade and whaty beyond.


    Chen Fan warped over to Zhang Lie''s location with the help of the draconian sage, only to witness Red Comet fending off arge number of disaster-grade lifeforms by itself. The scene of the battlefield was shocking; it was as though there were twenty kings of the realm duking it out in the middle of nowhere.


    Chen Fan couldn''t help but tremble¡ªif he were to even draw close to the battlefield, he would likely die within a matter of seconds.


    Zhang Lie had been paying attention to the battlefield, and he knew who was approaching even though he didn''t look in his direction.


    "Warlord Chen Fan, what are you doing here?"


    "Can''t Ie over just to have a chat?"


    Zhang Lie turned and nced at him, and Chen Fan understood his meaning wordlessly: What sort of rtionship do we have that you woulde over to find me for no reason?


    Chen Fan shrugged. "A group of humans ascended from the second realm today."


    Zhang Lie nodded. As he leaned back on afortable chair, he had a sip of tea.


    Although it wasn''t daily that hunters arrived from the second realm, ever since the founding of the kingdom of Limit, humans had been able to develop far more quickly in the second realm. Ascension was expected and had bemonce.


    Things weren''t the same in his past life. For a second-realm hunter to ascend to the third realm was an asion worthy of celebration, and Zhang Lie had indeed received one such.


    Before his regression, the situation in the second realm had been particrly harrowing because of the presence of the sura. Not only did the humans have to fend off the sura, they also had to be wary of other alien races¡ªall the while killing gic lifeforms in order to advance.


    The second realm had been a crucible, but Zhang Lie had resolved the problems there neatly after taking care of the sura and founding the kingdom of Limit. A stable path to ascension had developed as a result.


    Chen Fan replied, "You know these hunters, so I thought I''de over to share the good news with you."


    "I know these hunters?"


    Zhang Lie knew quite a lot of the hunters in the second realm, so Chen Fan''s words weren''t as revealing as he might have hoped.


    "One is Yun Bing, and the other is Chu Feng."


    "Ah, those two!" Zhang Lie beamed.


    Chen Fan mirrored his smile. "There''s another hunter, one I think you''d very much like to see."


    "That I''d very much like to see?"


    When Chen Fan revealed the name of the third hunter, Zhang Lie was ted. He waved a hand to Chen Fan, shattered space, and teleported back to the human city in the draconian world.


    Upon doing so and sensing a familiar aura, he shattered space once more, arriving right behind Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the third hunter. Yun Bing and Chu Feng jumped up in fright, but upon seeing who had shown up, they sighed in relief.


    "Hanxiang!" Zhang Lie shouted, drawing her in for a hug.


    "Brother!" Zhang Hanxiang hugged her brother earnestly.


    Naturally, the third hunter that Chen Fan had mentioned was Zhang Hanxiang.


    Zhang Hanxiang grinned. "Well, Brother? Aren''t you surprised to see me here?"


    "It''s a very pleasant surprise. Wee to the third realm."


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "Did you miss me, Brother?"


    "Quite a bit," Zhang Lie replied honestly.


    After all, Zhang Hanxiang was his only rtive remaining in the world.


    "How are Sun Mengmeng and the others?"


    .


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "They''re all away on conquest."


    Zhang Hanxiang cocked her head. "As the rumors suggested, you really are building a kingdom of Limit in the third realm, aren''t you, Brother?"


    "More or less."


    "In that case, what I brought up from the second realm will surely be able to help you."


    Zhang Lie was curious as to just what sort of help his sister was referring to.


    With a smile on her face, Zhang Hanxiang called out, "Brother, can you find a secluded region free from people?"


    Zhang Lie grabbed her hand, shattered space, and appeared in the wilderness¡ªin a patch ofnd that Zhang Lie was using to rear the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms he had brought back with him. It wasnd originally owned by the Mengtai.


    "Just what did you bring back from the second realm?"


    Zhang Hanxiang smirked. She turned around and was rapidly surrounded by water as a dragonwhale appeared by her side.


    Spatial fluctuations rippled through the air as a number of aliens appeared in sight.


    Zhang Lie was amazed. "Zhu, the Yeluo chieftain¡ªyou''ve alle to the third realm as well?"


    Zhang Hanxiang had brought quite a number of aliens with her up to the third realm.


    The moment Zhu saw Zhang Lie, she began to cry. Her eyes honed in on Zhang Lie, until Zhang Lie felt a pang of guilt¡ªbut surely there was nothing to feel guilty about?


    Zhang Hanxiang called out, "Well, Brother? Aren''t I amazing?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head incredulously. "To have brought a number of aliens along with you..."


    Zhang Lie realized what Zhang Hanxiang had done.


    In general, an alien could only ascend to a higher realm by growing so strong that even the world couldn''t tolerate its presence any longer. Such an alien would be able to enter a higher-dimensional world through the void.The asura of the second realm had done just that.


    This was no easy feat. Any alien who ascended through the void would have to face heavenly trials, just like in xianxia novels.


    These aliens would have to survive the energy of a higher-dimensional realm, but once they did so, their status would evolve. There were quite a few examples of aliens who hadn''t been strong enough to breach this barrier and died during the ascension.


    The fact that the ascension process was so simr to that described in xianxia novels had even sparked some research regarding a possible link between China and the dimensional realm. In the end, the researcher who had suggested such a ludicrous im wasughed at by the entire gxy.


    Earth was a small, insignificant existence in the Milky Way gxy, and China was little more than an atom at suchrge scales. How could an atom have anything to do with the dimensional realm?


    It was as though the researcher were suggesting a connection between a pebble in a river and a vein of gold half the world away.


    Aliens had a very hard time ascending to a higher realm, but the hunters of the Milky Way faced no such challenge. As soon as they maxed out their gene fragments, they were able to ascend, and would even be granted the world''s energy during the ascension process to limatize themselves to a higher-dimensional realm.


    It was almost as though the native inhabitants of the realm and the hunters of the Milky Way had their positions reversed. If not for the fact that only the native inhabitants of the third realm could be kings of the realm, the members of the Milky Way might have thought themselvespletely superior.


    The Yeluo chieftain and the Yeluo warriors didn''t have the ability to ascend on their own; instead, Zhang Hanxiang had packed them up in her dragonwhale soulshard before ascending to the third realm, then releasing them in the third realm after she arrived.


    Zhang Lie scolded her. "If the will of the world found out about this, what would you have done?"


    Zhang Hanxiang lowered her head. "I just wanted to help you, Brother!"


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled and strode forward. "Your majesty, if there''s anyone to me, it should be us. We suggested that the princess bring us along. There''s nothing for us to do in the kingdom of Limit any longer. We''ve finished our research in the second realm after making use of Limit''s resources to collect arge number of strange herbs and nts."


    Zhang Lie red at him. "Don''t try to shoulder the me for this!"


    Zhang Hanxiang was Zhang Lie''s only sister, only rtive. How could he bear to see her hurt? His own affairs paledpared to his sister''s safety.


    Zhu''s eyes filled with tears again. "Do you not wee us here, then? You heartless man! Did you think I wouldn''t catch up to you?"


    Zhang Lie was speechless. "Zhu, your words seem to be implying something..."


    Zhu hmphed. "And should I not? You''ve done that with me, so you have to take responsibility!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes widened. She clutched her mouth in shock as she looked toward Zhang Lie.


    "Brother, no wonder Zhu insisted on following you! I can''t believe you''re actually¡ªI respected you so much, but you... I was wrong, Brother!"


    The Yeluo chieftain sucked in a deep breath and slowly stepped back.?Better not to meddle in his majesty''s affairs...

 Chapter 881: Prepared at All Times

    <h4>Chapter 881: Prepared at All Times</h4>


    Zhang Lie was stupefied by Zhu''s ims.


    "I neverid a hand on you, and the rtionship between the two of us is far from romantic!"


    "You told me that you would bring me with you wherever you went. I worked hard for you, not hoping that my feelings would be reciprocated, but only for an extra nce or two from you! Why would you be so cold-hearted?"


    Just then, the draconian sage arrived with a spatial distortion. It wasn''t clear whether he had chosen to arrive at that moment deliberately¡ªhe had been just in time to see Zhuin about her situation to Zhang Lie.


    The draconian sageughed dryly, awkwardly. "Ah, I came to greet Zhang Lie''s sister, since I and the draconian world are indebted to him. If not for Zhang Lie''s presence here, we draconians would have gone extinct already. I''d like to emphasize that I didn''t deliberately appear at the scene at this moment. Please, continue on, continue on!"


    Zhang Lie''s face turned dark.


    Zhu clutched at her chest as though her heart were being cut apart, as though the pressure from her hands was all that was keeping it from shattering to pieces. She continued, "I really didn''t want anything but a single nce from you, Zhang Lie! Why wouldn''t you allow me even that courtesy? You left me in the blink of an eye, without giving me an additional moment to apany you!"


    Chen Fan had, at some point, walked up to the draconian sage. He whispered, "He used her, then discarded her..."


    Zhang Lie nced at the source of the whisper, causing Chen Fan to raise both his arms innocently. "I didn''t rush over here to watch the show after being informed by my old friend, the draconian sage, I promise! I''m a human warlord, after all, and I still want some face. You left so quickly that I wanted to see what you were doing, and I had sensed your aura..."


    Chen Fan pulled out a bag of roasted seeds from his extra-dimensional storage as he spoke as he made himselffortable to watch the show.


    The humans and draconians were on good terms, and so were human warlords and draconian kings of the realm.


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. It was clear that the draconian sage had meddled to bring Chen Fan over.


    During the exchange between Zhu and Zhang Lie, the draconian sage devoured three bowls of rice. It was almost as though he were watching a drama unspooling in real life¡ªwith Zhang Lie the yboy protagonist.


    Chen Fan regretted that there were no cameras avable in this world, or he would have recorded a video to capture Zhang Lie''s moment of embarrassment for eternity.


    The draconian sage looked toward Chen Fan. He was quite familiar with the look on Chen Fan''s face, and he whispered into his ear, "One authority possessed by the king of the realm is to rey what happened in a certain location at some point in the past."


    Chen Fan gave his old friend a thumbs up.


    Zhu stepped forward and sped her palms, her warm, soft palms, against Zhang Lie''s. Her eyes, which beaded with tears, were clear and limpid. She looked straight into Zhang Lie''s eyes.


    "Zhang Lie, you were the one who saved me from a life of hell. You were my light amidst the darkness! To me, you''re my only rtive, my benefactor, and the person I care most for in this world. Without you, there would never be the present me. I don''t know what ce I hold in your heart, Zhang Lie¡ªbut to me, you''re the most important person in the world, more important than even I myself!"


    No man could avert his gaze from this pair of limpid ocean-blue eyes, gentle andpelling, with the ability to melt even the steeliest of hearts.


    The draconian sage was open-mouthed. "This is incredible. I have to share this with Li Qianlin!"


    Zhu continued seriously, "You were the one who bathed me in light, who showed me what the world beyond my vige was. You shielded me from loneliness. You told me I wasn''t alone when you rescued me. I''ve learned so much from you, too much. I love¡ª"


    .


    Green veins were visible on Zhang Lie''s forehead. "Are you finished, Zhu?"


    Zhu sped one of Zhang Lie''s palms, then pressed it against her soft, cool cheek. "I know you might not think highly of me, Zhang Lie, and I won''t be so willful as to say that I want you to take responsibility for me again. But even if I''m your second, third, or fourth concubine, Zhang Lie, would you be willing to keep looking in my direction? I''ll be standing right here, by your side..."


    The Yeluo chieftain and warriors were struck by the scene unfolding ahead of them. Chen Fan and the draconian sage were simply watching the show, but the Yeluo knew the status of the young woman standing in front of Zhang Lie.


    In the kingdom of Limit, an ordinary citizen might not know who the princess of the kingdom was, nor what the prime minister Yun Bing looked like, but all citizens knew the face of one woman: the queen of the oceans.


    In the year after Zhang Lie''s ascension into the third realm, Zhu had made a name for herself.


    With the endless hordes of disaster-grade creatures under hermand, she crushed all enemies that came her way and took control of huge swathes of the sea.


    All children in the second realm trembled upon hearing her name. A year ago, parents frightened their children by saying that they would be swallowed up by the asura; now, they imed that they would be devoured by the marine creatures of the bloody queen, the queen of the ocean.


    All those aliens who had dared to resist the kingdom of Limit had been crushed by Zhu and her forces.


    And yet, this woman who had single-handedly terrorized the second realm was behaving like nothing more than a helpless girl in front of Zhang Lie. The Yeluo couldn''t help but be amazed.


    Zhang Lie let out a long sigh. "Alright, that''s enough. Do you really want to give these onlookers a show? I won''t me Hanxiang any longer."


    "Really?" Zhu confirmed.


    Everyone fell silent. In that one moment, Zhu''s grievances and love both seemed to evaporate.


    "When have I ever lied to you?"


    Zhu and Zhang Hanxiang looked toward each other before the two young women began cheering in joy, hugging each other and revolving in a circle, as though the infatuated Zhu of moments before had vanishedpletely.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. He knew that something like this would happen. Women truly were born actresses; even someone as young as Zhu had almost fooled him with her acting.


    Zhang Lie chuckled bitterly. His sister had corrupted Zhu with her terrible ideas and antics.


    Zhu and Zhang Hanxiang settled down, and Zhu turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, nothing that I said before was a lie. If you want me, I''ll prepare myself for you at any time!"

 Chapter 882: The Price of Ascension

    <h4>Chapter 882: The Price of Ascension</h4>


    At that moment, Zhu''s face was flushed red¡ªperhaps out of excitement or embarrassment.


    She had been ostracized and shunned in her small seaside vige. If not for Zhang Lie''s opportune arrival, she would have turned into a gic lifeform''s feces, nothing more.


    Zhang Lie had saved her from that awful fate and brought her to newnds, rich beyond her imagination. What she had now, she owed to Zhang Lie.


    While she was an orphan in the dark, it was Zhang Lie who had reached out. When she had nightmares, it was Zhang Lie who clutched her hand.


    Zhang Lie said little, but did far more.


    She had fond memories of watching sunrises and sunsets with Zhang Lie out in the ocean as they traversed the perilous sea of mists. She watched Zhang Lie fight off monsters on her behalf; she discussed how best to construct an aquatic farm with him.


    Zhu knew that Zhang Lie had always treated her like a little girl, one who would never stop progressing forward. Zhu didn''t want to drag him down with her, and she didn''t dare to desire him overtly¡ªshe didn''t feel like she was a worthy match for him, after all.


    Zhang Lie''s status was far beyond her own. Even though everyone in the second realm thought of her as the queen of the seas, Zhu didn''t grow arrogant and overbearing as a result. In her eyes, Zhang Lie would always be the sun shining down from above the highest heavens, whereas she was nothing more than a swimming fish in the sea. As long as the sunlight would asionally shine over her body, she would be happy enough.


    Zhu had a good understanding of Zhang Lie. It was true he didn''t think of her like a woman, but rather a sister, much like Zhang Hanxiang herself. He preferred to believe that her words and actions were nothing more than a prank. "Hanxiang, I know you mean well, but this might hurt yourpanions. What if they can''t get used to this higher-dimensional space?"


    Zhang Hanxiang lowered her head and murmured pitifully, "Brother, you said you wouldn''t me me for what I did!"


    Zhang Lie likewise sighed. He tried his best to make his tone gentle. "The third realm is a higher-dimensional realm, and the quality of energy here is moreplex. You arrived at this realm after the ascension ceremony, so you can''t sense how stark the difference is¡ªbut the rest of you, do you feel any difort?"


    Zhu replied, "I feel as though my entire body''s encased in some form of mud, which is restricting my movement."


    Zhang Lie nced carefully at the aliens that had advanced from the second realm.


    Zhu had been at the level of a disaster-grade lifeform in terms of strength. After ascending to the third realm, her strength had been sealed, and she was now only the level of a peak-grade lifeform.


    The Yeluo chieftain and warriors, who had been peak-grade lifeforms, were now superior-grade lifeforms.


    Their nature as stowaways to the third realm hade at a price: Zhu and the Yeluo warriors would be unable to improve in terms of cultivation until they released that seal.


    However, neither group seemed to mind.


    The Yeluo chieftain exined, "Our herbal and alchemical research has stalled. The herbs and grasses avable in the third realm will be invaluable for making progress, even if ites at a cost."


    Neither the Yeluo chieftain nor the Yeluo warriors felt as though they would have had the opportunity to advance in dimension, so rather than be trapped in the second realm, they were more than happy to pass to the third and continue their research.


    After all, with Zhang Lie around, they wouldn''t need to worry about encountering any danger.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Zhu was too rash. Given your talent and aptitude, none of you would have any trouble ascending naturally. Why adopt such a method?"


    Zhu was the most unfortunate of them all.


    Her talent was monstrous, and the resources she had gathered as the queen of the oceans, along with those she had ess to from the kingdom of Limit, would eventually have allowed her to be like the asura, able to ascend to the third realm on her own merits.


    Now that she had taken this shortcut, her future would be uncertain.


    Zhu stuck out her tongue. "I wanted to see you more quickly, Zhang Lie."


    "You¡ªit''s such a pity! If I were in the second realm, I would have stopped you at any cost."


    Zhu rolled her eyes. "If you were in the second realm, Zhang Lie, I wouldn''t have advanced."


    "With your talent and strength, you would surely have been able to advance on your own with just a bit more time. Why rush?"


    "If I didn''t, it would be pointless."


    Only Zhu knew how difficult it had be to reach the next threshold of strength. Zhu herself didn''t know whether it would take a decade, a century, or even more to reach that level of strength, and she had already been cultivating day and night in hopes of catching up to Zhang Lie.


    As Zhang Lie had stated, Zhu was aware of her own talent¡ªbut that talent didn''t allow her to push much faster or further at disaster-grade. The threshold between peak- and disaster-grade was massive, and every step beyond disaster-grade, even more so.


    The reason the monarch of stars had gone crazy was because of this ridiculously gated progression.


    Zhang Lie didn''t think it was too difficult to get to the realm of the asura, but Zhu was the one with firsthand experience. Her target was so far beyond her that she couldn''t even see the route to it.


    While in the kingdom of Limit, when she received news of Zhang Lie from hunters of the Milky Way, Zhu immediately felt apulsion to head to where Zhang Lie was.


    Zhang Lie was moving at such a rapid pace that she simply couldn''t catch up. The time dtion in the third realm was even more intense than in the second, and who knew where Zhang Lie would be in a decade?


    After a century, by the time Zhu advanced, Zhang Lie would surely have entered even higher-dimensional realms. Zhu would have no choice but to follow behind, chasing after an impossible dream.


    She didn''t want such an ending. Even if she had to sacrifice her future potential, if she could apany Zhang Lie at least through the third realm for just a little while, Zhu would be happy.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Well, since you''ve all ascended, I suppose there''s nothing I can do. At the very least, you''re all experienced researchers, and you can help with my current research. I have a few disaster-grade lifeforms at hand, and I''m nning to investigate what lies beyond it."


    Everyone was shocked.


    "Beyond disaster-grade!" Chen Fan gasped. "Aren''t disaster-grade lifeforms at the acme of strength?"


    The draconian sage added, "Could there really be sixth-level beasts...?"


    The draconians were on friendly terms with the humans, so the draconian sage was well aware of disaster-grade lifeforms, which corresponded to fifth-level beasts in the terminology of the third realm.


    This knowledge was what caused the draconian sage to be so shocked.


    Zhang Hanxiang asked curiously, "Are there such existences in the third realm?"


    Compared to the draconian sage and Chen Fan, Zhang Hanxiang and the others didn''t seem particrly surprised.


    Zhang Hanxiang knew little of the third realm, whereas the Yeluo warriors had a steady supply of disaster-grade lifeforms from the kingdom of Limit. It was well-known that disaster-grade lifeforms were generally a raremodity¡ªbut not so for those in power in Limit.


    After all, the kingdom of Limit had a disaster-grade farm, which had recently expanded tond. To them, disaster-grade lifeforms weren''t lifeforms that heralded disaster, nor the peak of gic lifeforms. They were simply the next level of strength beyond peak-grade existences...

 Chapter 883: High to Low

    <h4>Chapter 883: High to Low</h4>


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Theoretically speaking, there should be higher levels of power possible, but before we verify it through experiment, I can''t confirm the results myself."


    Chen Fan and the draconian sage nodded.


    They thought that Zhang Lie had made a major discovery without their knowledge, but it was still just hypothetical for now.


    Zhang Hanxiang and the others, however, felt differently. Since Zhang Lie believed that there was such a possibility, then he would surely seed in drawing out that possibility. After years of working with Zhang Lie, their trust in him had reached unfathomable heights.


    Zhang Hanxiang and the Yeluo chieftain asked, "Is there anything you need help with at the moment?"


    "Not at the moment¡ªI''m still at the exploratory phase of the research."


    "Brother, if you seed this time, you''ll shake the world again!" Not just in the third realm, either¡ªthe dimensional realm atrge and the Milky Way would be shaken by Zhang Lie''s discovery.


    The discovery of gic lifeforms beyond disaster-grade would be as stupendous as that of limit fragments, or even limit-breaking potions.


    All life in the Milky Way relied on these gene fragments to grow stronger. Only with the existence of disaster-grade lifeforms could there be disaster gene fragments¡ªand the same was true for post-disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The Milky Way still hadn''t yet recovered from the discovery of disaster-grade lifeforms. Many warlords still hadn''t managed toplete their collection of disaster gene fragments. While there were disaster-grade lifeforms in the second realm, they were so few in number, and so overwhelmingly sought, that hunters would count themselves lucky just acquiring one or two disaster gene fragments at a time. It was rare that a disaster-grade lifeform was found, and rarer still that it could be killed.


    There were far more disaster-grade lifeforms in the third realm, but under normal circumstances, human hunters had no ability to search for them and hunt them down.


    This was why the existence of disaster-grade lifeforms hadn''t been known until Zhang Lie.


    Despite all this, while the rest of the world¡ªthe rest of the gxy!¡ªhad their hands full dealing with disaster-grade lifeforms, Zhang Lie had already begun his investigation into post-disaster-grade lifeforms. He was a whole era ahead of the rest of the gxy.


    Indeed, he had been the one to discover limit fragments and disaster-grade lifeforms as well...


    Chen Fan couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief. With Zhang Lie around, humanity was sure to grow strong. Humanity had been rtively weak among the races of the Milky way, but with Zhang Lie around, they were sure to shine.


    Chen Fan was confident that Zhang Lie would be able to lead humanity to greatness.


    "Right, Brother, let me hand this soulshard back to you. I expect you''ll need it."


    Zhang Hanxiang handed over the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.


    The disaster-grade farm from the second realm had been constructed with the dragonwhale as the basis, and Zhang Hanxiang was sure her brother would find some use for it.


    Zhang Lie didn''t refuse her gift. The disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard would do little for Zhang Hanxiang now, and he was very worried that she would continue bringing stowaways with her from the third realm to the fourth.


    Zhang Lie activated the dragonwhale soulshard and looked inside. The disaster-grade marine lifeforms within had all been left in the second realm, but there was still arge quantity of bone-corroding shrimp within.


    "Wonderful!" Zhang Lie cried out. "I''d been worried about what to feed all these lifeforms, but now..."


    The shrimp could be allowed to grow and form a stable source of food for these lifeforms. Zhang Hanxiang had brought him a truly precious gift.


    While the Zhang siblings discussed their respective experiences in the second and third realm, the draconian sage and Chen Fan teleported away.


    Zhu asked, "Zhang Lie, how''s the progress on your research?"


    "It''s hard to say¡ªI''m still working on it. Hanxiang, you haven''t started acquiring gene fragments in the third realm, have you? I have arge number of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms right here, so you can begin by acquiring those right now. Once the farm''s operational again, we''ll talk about the rest of the fragments."


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head. "No, Brother, there''s no need. I''m sure you''re busy with your own affairs, and I can''t keep relying on you. I need to make use of my own strength and abilities to max out my gene fragments."


    .


    "As long as you have the ability to do so. You''ve just ascended to the third realm, so you''re quite a bit weaker than most lifeforms around. Listen to me." Zhang Lie picked out sixteen superior-grade and ten peak-grade lifeforms, which he motioned to stand before Zhang Hanxiang.


    Zhang Hanxiang was unable to resist her brother''smands. She obediently ughtered them all.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll leave the regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms to you. Consider this a trial to make sure you haven''t been cking off in the second realm."


    If the members of Team Zenith were present, they would immediately protest at the preferential treatment that Zhang Lie had shown his sister.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s advancement trial was far more straightforward than what they had to ovee, but there was no helping it. Zhang Hanxiang was Zhang Lie''s only sister, after all.


    Zhu frowned. "Zhang Lie, I feel like you''re pampering Hanxiang far more than me!"


    Zhang Lie pretended not to hear Zhu''s words and changed the subject. "Haha, Yun Bing and Chu Feng have just ascended, so let me bring them over here as well."


    "Please, let us handle the preparation of the lifeforms'' meat." After the lifeforms were ughtered, the Yeluo chieftain and warriors volunteered to cook the sixteen superior-grade and ten peak-grade lifeforms into a sumptuous feast, while Zhang Lie shattered space and brought both Yun Bing and Chu Feng back.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng were very confused by the sudden teleportation, and the feast of lifeforms that was nowid up in front of them.


    Zhang Lie didn''t exin. Instead, he beckoned an equal number of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms over.


    "You''ve both just ascended and have no gene fragments. I''ll help you out with your superior and peak gene fragments, and you can deal with the regr and mutated ones yourselves."


    Chu Feng blinked. Wasn''t there something wrong with this order of acquiring fragments that Zhang Lie had suggested? Shouldn''t they have started from regr gene fragments? They had just ascended to the third realm, and they were already acquiring superior and peak gene fragments...?


    "Well, there''s no choice. I don''t have any regr- or mutated-grade lifeforms with me, so you''ll have to hunt down low-quality trash in the future."


    This strategy could only work for Zhang Lie and his subordinates; if anyone else dared to hunt down peak-grade lifeforms while having no regr or mutated gene fragments, they would surely die.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng were shocked but simultaneously delighted. This was a huge boon to them, and Yun Bing and Chu Feng were even more certain of their n to follow Zhang Lie wherever he went.


    Even after the three hunters finished acquiring all their gene fragments, there was still a huge pile of meat left. With Zhang Lie''s agreement, the Yeluo warriors cooked it all and had a feast to celebrate the neers'' arrival.

 Chapter 884: Post-Disaster-Grade

    <h4>Chapter 884: Post-Disaster-Grade</h4>


    While they feasted, Yun Bing asked, "Zhang Lie, are the rumors true? Will you really build a kingdom of Limit in the third realm?"


    If Zhang Lie were to do so, it would surely cause a great disturbance in the third realm, as well as in the second.


    Zhang Lie contemted Yun Bing''s question for a moment. "You''ve already asked this, haven''t you?"


    Chu Feng replied, "We''d like to confirm it again."


    "You can understand it that way, I suppose¡ªbut it won''t take the form of a kingdom."


    Building a new kingdom wasn''t one of Zhang Lie''s primary objectives, but rather a side effect of what he did want to aplish¡ªfinding all the scraps of the map he had been collecting for so long.


    The most straightforward way of doing so was to take down all the worlds of the third realm.


    Chu Feng thought for a moment. "If that''s the case, then anyone who''s currently employed in the kingdom of Limit could advance to the third realm without giving up their positions¡­ Linking the second and third realms together via the kingdom of Limit will be extremely impactful, I''m sure of it."


    Those hunters of the Milky Way who wanted protection in the third realm would have to join the kingdom of Limit to do so, and they would strengthen the kingdom in the second realm in order to get a good start in the third.


    All those who joined the kingdom of Limit in the second realm would be able to ascend with rtive ease and limited danger¡ªprovided that they achieved something of note in the second realm, as though this were a New Game+ or some sort of roguelike game.


    On the other hand, those who went against the kingdom of Limit in the second realm would be hunted down if they were to ascend to the third.


    The second and third realms were no longer wholly separate or distinct entities, but rather a smaller and arger stage for hunters of the Milky Way.


    The appearance of the kingdom of Limit and its subsequent development in both realms would revolutionize the ascension of hunters.


    Yun Bing asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"


    Her abilities at governance and paperwork were extraordinary, and she had been employed to great effect in the second realm.


    Zhang Lie didn''tck for skilled warriors, but skilled bureaucrats were a different matter entirely.


    "The troops need a logistician to record the worlds that have been taken down, the number of native inhabitants residing within, and the distribution of resources from the world to the frontline."


    Before this, the members of Team Zenith and the warlords hadn''t focused on governing their conquered worlds at all.


    They killed the king of the realm and searched for the proof of kingship. If they were able to find it, they imed it; otherwise, they informed the draconian sage of it, who subsequently ryed the information to Zhang Lie. The humans and the other hunters of the Milky Way would thenb through the world in search of the proof of kingship, unless Zhang Lie had other ideas.


    What treasures there were in the conquered worlds were imed by whichever hunter had a use for it, but they ignored the rest of the spoils. They were skilled atbat, but were no trained military.


    The warlords, at least, had some notion of propriety and training, but the members of Team Zenith bumbled about for all that they were unreasonably skilled fighters.


    Zhang Lie was also much more of a fighter than a logistician, so he had had no easy way of resolving the problem. With Yun Bing''s arrival, however, things were different.


    "Most of the resources should be allocated with a priority toward cultivating a post-disaster-grade lifeform. The remaining should be sent to the frontlines, though I expect they won''t need many of the resources that are avable."


    Everyone had a storage-type soulshard of their own, and they were responsible for putting food and medicine within.


    Yun Bing thought for a moment. "I disagree."


    Zhang Lie blinked. "On which point, and on what grounds?"


    Yun Bing replied, "As you said, the troops are able to function independently with their own storage-type soulshards, and they don''t need to hunt for anything besides the king of the realm and the proof of kingship. In the past, that might have been reasonable, but now, with the Yeluo chieftain in the third realm as well, things have changed."


    "Are you referring to the possibility that the Yeluo chieftain will be able to design better restoratives and healing potions in the third realm?"


    "Yes, precisely. The research into post-disaster-grade lifeforms should be the top priority, but the development of better healing potions and restoratives should be a close second. These potions will immediately be helpful to frontline troops."


    Zhang Lie nodded. He had never heard a singleint about the potions that the Yeluo had produced.


    Yun Bing suddenly asked, "Right, what do you mean by post-disaster-grade research?"


    "I''ve been looking into how to make gic lifeforms that are beyond disaster-grade in strength.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng were as stunned as Chen Fan and the draconian sage had been.


    "Is that possible?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It should be, but I haven''t realized it yet. I''ll have to do more testing."


    Upon hearing that such a thing hadn''t yet urred in practice, Yun Bing sighed in simultaneous relief and regret.


    If Zhang Lie had already developed a post-disaster-grade lifeform, that would be news that would shake the gxy.


    All life in the Milky Way relied on these gene fragments to grow stronger. Only with the existence of disaster-grade lifeforms could there be disaster gene fragments¡ªand the same was true for post-disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Once news of this discovery were to spread, the entire Milky Way would be abuzz.


    The creation of limit-breaking potions had heralded the start of a new era. All the hunters of the Milky Way were studying these limit fragments, which had already been integrated into a hunter''s education.


    Allegedly, the world federation was intending to award Zhang Lie a medal of recognition for his services to the gxy, and Earth would confer upon him the highest award he could receive for his scientific breakthrough.


    The discovery of disaster-grade lifeforms was equally astounding, but it had led to a less pronounced impact simply because of the difficulty in finding and then hunting down such lifeforms.


    Fortunately, no one had discovered the disaster-grade lifeform ensconced within the kingdom of Limit, or it would have caused a gxy-wide hubbub.


    If Zhang Lie were to seed in his research on post-disaster-grade lifeforms, what sort of surprise would be lying in wait for the Milky Way? Zhang Lie simply couldn''t imagine it.


    Inparison, the construction of the kingdom of Limit would be a meaningless achievement. Only now did Yun Bing understood what Zhang Lie had once said: to others, founding the kingdom of Limit might have been an aplishment they could brag about for the rest of their lives, but for Zhang Lie, it was simply a small part of his travels through the dimensional realm.


    Yun Bing and Chu Feng nced at Zhang Lie, their eyes gleaming. Following behind Zhang Lie was the most intelligent decision they had made¡ªhe was the one leading the entire Milky Way forward, the champion of the era, the peak existence of his generation. All the changes that had urred in the Milky Way recently were inextricably linked to Zhang Lie in one form or another...

 Chapter 885: Yang Zes Injury

    <h4>Chapter 885: Yang Ze''s Injury</h4>


    "I''ll leave you to deal with the logistics, then. With regards to manpower, talk to Chen Fan and have him send you a few human hunters," Zhang Lie suggested.


    Yun Bing replied, "There''s no rush. I''d rather wait until the hunters from the kingdom of Limit in the second realm ascend¡ªthey''re people I''ve worked with and am morefortable with."


    It wasn''t that Yun Bing distrusted the hunters of the third realm. Rather, she had just ascended, and understood very little of the logistics currently in ce. It wouldn''t make sense for her to take over right away given her limited understanding; she would have to learn and analyze what the troops were already doing.


    Furthermore, because Yun Bing had just ascended, she wasn''t strong enough that these veterans would listen to hermands unconditionally. She had the ability to make them all listen to her, of course, and she had demonstrated that ability in the second realm, but she didn''t think it was the appropriate time herself.


    "As you will. If there''s anything you can''t resolve on your own, let me know and I can help."


    Zhang Lie turned to the party. "Let me show you around the draconian world. This is where you''ll be living for a long while, so it''ll be good to get a sense for everything."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, shattering space and whisking everyone away.


    The next moment, they appeared in a desert where the ground was ck ss. Zhang Lie introduced, "This is the ck desert of the draconian world, which originated from a world that Fang Yi conquered."


    Zhang Hanxiang nced all around her. "A ck desert? Why isn''t there any ck sand, then?"


    Zhang Lie coughed awkwardly. "For certain reasons, all the ck sand has vanished from the area. Because this world of ck sand had been drained of its energy by the ck spirits, the will of the world was dramatically weakened. Thisnd no longer has the ability to support any life."


    Zhang Lie naturally had no intention to exin that subsequent damage to thend had been because he had absorbed hisst few disaster gene fragments here.


    Zhang Hanxiang stepped on the ss-like ground experimentally. "Of course no lifeforms would want to live on this sort of ck ss."


    With another wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, space shattered once more. He brought everyone to a second patch ofnd, a huge forest.


    "This forest was taken down by Yang Ze. Within it live two races, the indigenous bearmen and the transnted mammoths. The mammoths moved over from a territory that Li Feng gained control over. Because the mammoths are outsiders, the bearmen find them very unwee, and they''re frequently enmeshed in conflict."


    As Zhang Lie spoke, cries and shouts came from deep within the forest before them. Mud, dust, rubble, and trees were sent flying into the air as the mammoths'' trumpeting cries and bears'' howls announced their presence.


    "The draconian sage thinks that it''s good for the two races to fight and exhaust their resources against each other, which would be beneficial for draconian rule. Furthermore, since the mammoths once betrayed the humans and draconians, the draconian sage wants to make life more difficult for them."


    With another wave of his hand, Zhang Lie brought the party to the third location, a barren desert.


    "This is a desert which used to be popted by greenskins, and which Sun Xiaowu conquered. Because two-thirds of the greenskins have been sent to the battlefield, however, there are far fewer greenskins left here."


    The members of Team Zenith had taken down each world, but the responsibility for making sure that these inhabitants obeyed the draconians fell to the draconians'' own forces.


    Zhang Lie brought the party to a fourth location.


    "This is a tundra that Li Feng invaded, andrge quantities of ice-attuned gic lifeforms live here.


    It was part of thend that the mammoths used to live in, but because of how harrowing the living conditions are, the mammoths wanted to move elsewhere. Only a few members of their n still remain in the snowy valleys within."


    Yun Bing asked, "Are they unwilling to move?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You underestimate the aliens. An elder proposed that some remain behind; they don''t trust us draconians and humans fully."


    Yun Bing understood. "Not putting all their eggs in one basket, then?"


    "Exactly so."


    The fifth location was a forest, but a far smaller onepared to the ancient forest in which the bearmen lived.


    "Zhou Ying conquered this world, which was once a fetid swamp. She terraformed thend and turned it into a patch of verdant forest. Subsequently, because we had to search for the proof of kingship that the king left behind, we had to dig up almost the entire forest. Afterwards, Zhou Ying nted some more trees down, and that''s where we are now."


    The sixth region was a charred, scorchednd.


    "Sun Mengmeng took down this world, which was also once a forest. After a heated battle, the forest burned down entirely."


    The seventh region was one final forest, containing ck Chinese parasol trees.


    Zhang Lie gave the neers an extended tour before depositing them all in the draconian city. Zhang Hanxiang, Yun Bing, and Chu Feng scattered to take in the sights, but Zhang Lie called the Yeluo chieftain back.


    "Chieftain, don''t go yet. I want to introduce you to the draconian sage and have him arrange a researchboratory for you. This is the heart of the draconian territory, and there are many herbs specific to the third realm that can be found here. It should be a good start to your research, and I''ll also assign you some manpower to help you collect more."


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "As you will, your majesty!"


    Zhang Lie brought the Yeluo chieftain to see the draconian sage, only to be surprised when the draconian sage was also looking for him. "Good timing. I have some news for you."


    "Did something happen?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Yang Ze''s back, but he''s heavily injured¡ªbattle wounds, he said."


    "I''ll go see him immediately." Zhang Lie rushed off in search of Yang Ze, whom the draconian sage had sent to a nearby infirmary.


    When Zhang Lie found him, he was swaddled in bandages. Yang Ze chuckled ruefully. "Sorry to disappoint you, Captain."


    "No, none of that! How badly hurt are you? Have you had any medication yet?"


    "I''ve consumed some of the Yeluo restoratives from the second realm. I''m not too badly injured, and I should be able to get back to normal in a few days. It''s just that I allowed the king of the realm to run off..."


    Although Yang Ze was hurt, his opponent didn''t fare much better, either.


    Zhang Lie rxed after hearing that Yang Ze had suffered nosting injuries.


    "There''s no need for you to worry about your opponent now. The Yeluo chieftain has just ascended to the third realm, and it''s likely that he''s developed better potions by now."


    Yang Ze''s eyes widened. "The Yeluo chieftain has ascended?!"

 Chapter 886: The Martian Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 886: The Martian Invasion</h4>


    Zhang Lie nodded. "My sister brought him up with her."


    Yang Ze narrowed his eyes. "As a stowaway...? You and your sister are really both troublemakers, aren''t you, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "My sister is apparently fearless of everything, but I''m not sure she has the skills to back it up."


    Yang Ze remained silent for a while longer. For a moment, he seemed to want to speak before subsequently changing his mind.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Just what happened to you? I wouldn''t have expected you to get hurt even if you were against the strongest kings ofrge worlds."


    Yang Ze was strong even among the members of Team Zenith, and his analytical and strategic abilities made him far more devastating than the other members of Team Zenith in battle.


    He had managed to kill a medium-sized king with hardly anything but his wits alone, and Zhang Lie expected Yang Ze to have had easy sess.


    The most fearsome foes for him wouldn''t be intelligent enemies but rather ones with no intelligence at all, whose actions he wouldn''t be able to predict.


    Yang Ze remained silent for a while before replying, "I''d like to take some time to return to Mars."


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    When Yang Ze left Mars, it was almost as though he had been chased out of his n.


    The Yang n and several other prominent ns in the Martian cities had ganged up on him, and Zhang Lie didn''t think that Yang Ze bore his n any goodwill.


    He recalled that Yang Ze had once mentioned that he was nothing more than an outcast, one disfavored by his family and ostracized even among those of his generation.


    Yang Ze was like the protagonist of one of those xuanhuan novels, who had seemed mediocre before grasping at a rare opportunity and subsequently embarking on a journey that would grant him limitless strength.


    After Yang Ze left Mars, Zhang Lie didn''t recall ever seeing him talk about his old family.


    The Yang n, on the other hand, had reached out to the kingdom of Limit more than once or twice. Yang Ze had helped to construct the kingdom of Limit, and held a high position within the Zenith Dojo.


    The entire gxy was aware of the kingdom of Limit and the Zenith Dojo; Zhang Lie''s actions had brought it into prominence.


    The Yang n had been hoping to make use of their connection with Yang Ze to obtain some support from him in the second realm, to get a position of governance in the kingdom of Limit there, and perhaps to join the Zenith Dojo.


    However, Yang Ze didn''t respond to any of the Yang n''s overtures. He had ignored his family all throughout his advancement.


    The members of the Zenith Dojo, Yun Bing, and the others chose to turn a blind eye to the Yang n''s misdeeds on behalf of Yang Ze''s connection to them.


    Although they were aware that the Yang n had, along with the other ns of Mars, tried to ostracize Yang Ze, they were ultimately a blood rtion, and the Zenith Dojo and the kingdom of Limit both treated the members of the Yang n fairly.


    Yang Ze understood Zhang Lie''s confusion. He exined, "Mars has just suffered an invasion of bugs from outer space. The Marshal of me, Li Pu, was gravely injured, and half of Mars has fallen. I know the draconian world is at war. I''m very sorry, but I''d like to take a leave of absence and return to Mars for the moment. I don''t have any fond memories there, but it''s still my homnd."


    Zhang Lie blinked. "You got injured because you were distracted with the issue on Mars?"


    Yang Ze was distracted for two reasons, in truth: the situation on Mars, and the possibility that Zhang Lie might not let him leave.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "In that case, let''s go together."


    "I know that it''ll be difficult to permit my absence during the ongoing war, but¡ªhold on, what did you say?"


    "I said, I''ll go with you!"


    Yang Ze''s eyes widened. "Hold on, Captain! Mars is my homnd¡ªI''d hate to drag you in with me. Furthermore, don''t you have to be here to make sure the invasion goes well?"


    "No, there''s no need for my presence here. Furthermore, we''re friends and teammates, aren''t we? If something like this happened to Mars, I can''t let you go there alone."


    Yang Ze was very touched, but he continued rationally, "Captain, are you sure? There''s a tremendous time difference between the third realm and the Milky Way. Half of Mars has been invaded, and it''ll take at least a month to get rid of the bug infestation. By that time, three years would have passed in the third realm!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It is quite a problem, isn''t it? But don''t worry, I''ll see if the other members of Team Zenith want toe as well."


    "No, no, Captain, you don''t understand! It''s three years in the third realm¡ªI can''t hold you back for that long. So much could happen in three years, and if I were to drag my entire team down with me..."


    "So what?"


    Yang Ze cried out, "What would happen to your n on conquering the third realm, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether tough or to cry. When did he ever profess a desire to conquer the third realm? Who knew what the members of Team Zenith were saying about him behind their back?


    The only reason Zhang Lie was doing so was to finish gathering the pieces of his map.


    "If I want to conquer the third realm, I can do that at any point. The most important thing at the moment is to resolve the crisis on Mars. After all, Mars is where a significant part of humanity lives. Furthermore, even if you didn''t tell me about what was going on on Mars, Hong Tianqi would surely send me a message."


    Although Zhang Lie''s words sounded noble, Yang Ze knew very well that Zhang Lie didn''t care about such trifling matters; he was doing this for Yang Ze, not anyone else. If he were to recall the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Lie''s n of conquering the third realm would have to wait another three years.


    "Given your current condition, I think you''d better get some more rest first. I''ll ask the Yeluo chieftain if he has any better medicine for you."


    Zhang lie returned to the draconian sage''s quarters, where the sage was having tea with the Yeluo chieftain.


    "How is Yang Ze?" the Yeluo chieftain asked.


    "He''s doing fine. Thanks to the regenerative potions you formted, Chieftain, the worst of Yang Ze''s injuries have been dealt with."


    "Thank goodness."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Chieftain, did you ever end uping up with improved versions of your potions?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "Of course! After studying Zhou Ling''s cells in greater detail, I was able to develop an even more superior regenerative potion.


    I have some of my stock with me¡ªyou should bring it to Yang Ze. The Yeluo warriors all have quite arge supply with them, and we''re happy to share them with the warriors in the frontline."


    "Excellent. Can I ask about the effects of the potions?"


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled. "Your majesty, please rx. I wouldn''t hand over potions that are still in experimental testing. These potions perform far better than the original¡ªroughly five times better, I''d say."


    Zhang Lie''s eyebrows rose in delight. The effect of the restorative potions had been remarkable to begin with, and a fivefold increase was nothing short of extraordinary. He was certain that Yang Ze would be able to get out of bed in no more than two days in that case.


    "Very good. On behalf of Yang Ze and all wounded hunters toe, I thank you for your contribution."


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled again. "There''s no need for thanks, your majesty. If you hadn''t brought us out of our valley, we wouldn''t have been able to aspire to such great heights."


    Zhang Lie turned to the draconian sage. "Right, sage, the Yeluo would like to construct a researchboratory in the draconian world..."


    The sage replied, "We were just discussing this during our conversation. I''m very happy to support the construction of such aboratory, and research sesses would benefit us all."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I won''t interfere with the discussion, then¡ªI''m going to hand these potions off to Yang Ze."

 Chapter 887: Hong Tianqis Messages

    <h4>Chapter 887: Hong Tianqi''s Messages</h4>


    After Yang Ze consumed the newest restorative potions from the Yeluo chieftain, he immediately praised them. "I can feel my wounds healing already¡ªno, I think I can even head to the battlefield at this point!"


    Zhang Lie was suitably impressed. "I''m surprised the effects are so obvious and immediate, myself. Hold on and let the potion heal you fully. I''ll have to contact the others."


    Yang Ze obedientlyy back down as Zhang Lie shattered space and vanished from sight. When he told them about what was going on in Mars, everyone in Team Zenith decided to go.


    Once the members of Team Zenith returned to Earth, the ns for invasion would certainly have to be scrapped, and there might even be retaliation for what the draconians had done.


    With another teleport, Zhang Lie headed toward the warlords who had apanied him. He instructed them to hunker down, to stop any expansion, and to patrol the outer limits of the draconian territory.


    After everything was settled, he and the other members of Team Zenith returned to Earth.


    The first thing Zhang Lie did was to look at his transceiver and see who had contacted him. There were many such people, some from the limit fragment research society, some from the major ns of the Milky Way, and others who were all famous or renowned for one reason or another.


    Who knew how they had obtained his private number? This was an old number that Zhang Lie had given out freely, though. Given these organizations'' reach, he expected it would be rather trivial for them to contact him.


    Most of the messages were sent via text¡ªand among them, the most recent were all from Hong Tianqi. The messages had begun a few weeks ago and were sent once every couple of days. Over thest three days, however, Hong Tianqi had sent him a message once every hour, as though there were something truly urgent.


    Zhang Lie called Hong Tianqi on his private number, but Hong Tianqi didn''t respond immediately¡ªlikely he was busy in a meeting or other duties that took up his time. Zhang Lie had a bath, then contacted the members of Team Zenith.


    All but Yang Ze had already left the third realm. Yang Ze had yet to recover fully, and he would make use of the time difference between the third realm and the Milky Way to recuperate before joining them.


    Once they were ready to set off to Mars, they would inform Yang Ze.


    Almost immediately after speaking with the members of Team Zenith, Hong Tianqi called him.


    "Presiding Authority Hong, what may I do for you?"


    Hong Tianqi was seated in front of an elegant redwood table, both his hands propping up his jaw. "King of Limit, there''s a task with which I urgently need your help."


    Zhang Lie and Hong Tianqi looked at each other for a moment, and then both parties began tough.


    Zhang Lie asked, "And what may I, the king of Limit, do for the presiding authority of the world federation? If it''s about disaster gene fragments, there''s nothing I can do."


    "Enough with the titles! Zhang Lie, to be honest, there''s nothing I can do by myself. I need your help."


    "It''s very difficult for me to refuse you, Hong Tianqi." While he was weak, Zhang Lie had received quite a few favors from Hong Tianqi, and it seemed as though he would be calling them in now.


    Hong Tianqi replied, "I don''t think you have any reason to refuse. Are you aware of what''s going on on Mars?"


    Zhang Lie was a little nonplussed. He had just heard about the situation from Yang Ze; and now here was Hong Tianqi, reaching out.


    "A little. Mars is being invaded by an unprecedented swarm of space bugs, isn''t it?"


    Such invasions were frequent as far as ster and gctic disasters went. Other such disasters involved the formation of ck holes, supernova explosions, sr res, and so on.


    Out in the void of space lived a particrly terrifying race of space bugs. When the swarm descended on a teeming with life, it would consume all that lifeforce, theny eggs within the smoking ruins to give birth to even more of their kind. Subsequently, these bugs would fly to nearby worlds and extinguish all bugs there too.


    These space bugs were vermin¡ªonly waste and destion followed in their wake. They didn''t know how to create, only to destroy.


    Such bugs were rtivelymon in the gxy, but the swarms varied in size. Earth had been struck by a smaller invasion of bugs, and Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith had gained a bit of fame from participating in one of those battles.


    If small-scale invasions were handled poorly, they could very well lead to the destruction of the entire. Large-scale invasions were far harder to quell. The outbreak of space bugs on Mars was undoubtedly an example of arge-scale invasion.


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "It''s good that you''re aware. I''d like to employ the Zenith Dojo to provide aid to Mars, and the forces sent to Mars have to include you."


    "If you don''t mind my asking, why aren''t you there helping out at the scene yourself? There are at least a billion people on Mars, and millions of people are getting hurt with every passing day."


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "My positiones with its own frustrations."


    "And yet the previous authority seemed to have plenty of time to spare to embroil me in his schemes..."


    "The situation is different. The world federation has just been reconstructed anew, and I simply can''t take time off at the moment. Furthermore, I suspect that this disaster has been orchestrated by a mastermind."


    "On what grounds?"


    "The invasion was simply too sudden. Large-scale invasions should have been detected well in advance, with sufficient time for the Martians to evacuate. However, the detection was five hourste."


    Five hours might not seem like much, but every second mattered in the face of impending disaster.


    Hong Tianqi continued with certainty, "Now isn''t the time to try to push the me around, but I believe that the invasion was caused by those who don''t want to see humanity prosper."


    "Who do you think is culpable?"


    "I don''t know. There are simply too many suspects," Hong Tianqi replied with some exasperation. "Now that humanity is thriving, its detractors have gone silent, and it''s even harder to find any schemers concocting their ns in hiding."


    Ever since Zhang Lie''s appearance, the rate at which humanity was growing had risen dramatically. Half the gxy''s stock of ingredients for concocting limit-breaking potions was supplied by Earth, and Hong Tianqi, a human, had be the highest authority of the world federation.


    In the second realm, Zhang Lie had founded the kingdom of Limit, and he looked to be doing the same in the third realm as well.


    Humanity''s achievements had shaken the gxy, sparking envy and jealousy from the countless races of the Milky Way¡ªand those who couldn''t bear to see humanity seed.


    No one dared to set their sights on Earth, where the Zenith Dojo was situated, and whose protector was Hong Tianqi. On the other hand, Mars, likewise popted by humans, was rtively undefended...

 Chapter 888: Map Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 888: Map Fragments</h4>


    "It''s precisely because I suspect the presence of a mastermind that I can''t make a move myself," Hong Tianqi told Zhang Lie.


    "Why?"


    "Because I can''t remain the sole protector of humanity. Those who go against Earth will learn that Earth has far more defenders."


    Zhang Lie understood at once. "You''d like me to be the second Hong Tianqi?"


    "What''s the matter? Are you unwilling to do so?" Hong Tianqi''s eyes were twinkling and benevolent, as though he were looking at one of his own disciples.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''ve never wanted to be you."


    It wasn''t that Zhang Lie wanted to surpass Hong Tianqi; they were two independent, separate, and distinct people. There was no need for Zhang Lie to grow into the mold of Hong Tianqi. He was certain that one day, they would walk together, side by side¡ªand it was only a matter of time before he surpassed Hong Tianqi himself.


    If he were to make these views public, there would be countless detractors in the Milky Way who would criticize Zhang Lie''s arrogance, but Zhang Lie himself was confident.


    His foundations were immacte and necessarily superior to those who came before him: he had acquired disaster gene fragments in the first realm, filled them up in the second realm, and had even obtained peak limit fragments in the third realm. These were overwhelming advantages that Hong Tianqi didn''t possess. Even a pig who were somehow granted Zhang Lie''s foundation would be able to grow stronger than Hong Tianqi.


    Hong Tianqi continued seriously, "Now that I''ve taken on the role of the presiding authority of the world federation, I need another strong human to step up to be the defender of Earth. You''re the best choice!"


    Zhang Lie now understood why Hong Tianqi wanted him in particr to support Mars.


    Humanity had expanded beyond the sr system as the gctic age dawned, and they had taken over a fews of their own. Many lived ons where there were other aliens around; such cross-pollination was normal and even expected.


    Mars was a in the sr system. If these space bugs were to take over Mars, they would eventuallye for Earth.


    Even so, Hong Tianqi hadn''t gone to deal with the threat personally. Instead, he intended on hiring the Zenith Dojo to do so¡ªbecause he wanted to demonstrate humanity''s might for the rest of the gxy to see. Humanity was strong even when Hong Tianqi was taken out of the picture.


    "This is why you wanted to hire me and the Zenith Dojo to deal with this crisis?"


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "Is this fee agreeable to you?"


    Even though Zhang Lie had more money than he knew what to do with, his eyes bulged upon seeing the number that Hong Tianqi had quoted.


    That said, Zhang Lie didn''t much care for the money. It wasn''t as though hecked for it; the patent fee for the limit-breaking potions alone was sufficient to catapult Zhang Lie to among the top ten richest figures in the gxy.


    Not only that, the Zenith Dojo took in huge margins from the sale of ingredients for these limit-breaking potions. Even if the Zenith Dojo were to fund its disciples'' advancement with everything that money could buy, Zhang Lie could live for a thousand generations without worry¡ªno matter how profligate he was.


    To Zhang Lie, money wasn''t even just a string of numbers¡ªit was something that had left his mind entirely.


    "Let''s not put a mary value on our rtionship. How about something else, instead?"


    "You don''t want money?"


    "Not really, no. Why don''t you use your connections and manpower to help me find something instead?"


    "What are you looking for?" Hong Tianqi was perplexed. Given Zhang Lie''s status, was there anything he wouldn''t be able to acquire on his own? The king of Limit, the pioneer of the third realm, the leader of the warlords, the ally of the four prime races¡ªwhat could there be that he, Zhang Lie, was unable to ess?


    "I need a few spiritual herbs and grasses," Zhang Lie exined, sending a list over to Hong Tianqi.


    Of course, the list was iplete¡ªZhang Lie had left out the herbs already in his possession, as well as the core ingredient: the energy of a superior world.


    That energy was required to meld and refine the various ingredients that would ultimately form the limit-breaking potion; without its addition, Zhang Lie would be consuming a poison that would cause his body to explode.


    "None of these herbs are all that expensive¡ªthey''re just rare. I should be able to get most of them for you, but could I ask what you''re doing with them?"


    "Research on limit-breaking potions," Zhang Lie replied.


    Hong Tianqi''s eyes widened. "Potion #3?"


    "More or less."


    Hong Tianqi nodded firmly. "I''ll try to find them, but why not ask theboratories interested in working with you to help contribute as well?"


    "If I ask them to do so, they''ll request that I share the fruits of mybor with them."


    Zhang Lie had long sincee up with a refined recipe for superior limit fragments, and none of the members of Team Zenith had reported any ill effects after consuming the superior limit-breaking potion. The research was mature, and there would be no issue with Zhang Lie sharing it with the public¡ªbut the ingredients he was asking for didn''t match up with those that went into the superior limit-breaking potions.


    "I understand," Hong Tianqi replied.


    "Furthermore, could you help me find more pieces of this map?"


    Zhang Lie sent Hong Tianqi a few images of the map he had been collecting.


    Hong Tianqi recognized them immediately. "Oh, these? I searched for them myself back when I was in the third realm!"


    Hong Tianqi didn''t think it was unusual that Zhang Lie was hunting these down; many of the hunters who had ascended to the third realm had tried, but none had seeded.


    The source of these fragments was shrouded in mystery. Anyone who came into contact with a fragment would notice how unusual it was¡ªthese fragments couldn''t be destroyed by ordinary or extraordinary means.


    No one knew what would appear when all the fragments of the map were gathered, and there were all sorts of guesses. Some suggested that this was a map that would lead to the greatest treasure hidden within the third realm; others, that it was a path straight to the fourth realm.


    It might have been the location of the grave of a third-realm warlord who had perished before his prime, or perhaps the location of a secret extradimensional space. One particrly novel hypothesis was that the map was a red herring for a mysterious, powerfulbat technique thaty within.


    However, none of these hypotheses could be verified. There were simply too many fragments that had been scattered all over the three thousand worlds.


    "I collected quite a few fragments myself," Hong Tianqi told Zhang Lie.


    "Really? How many?"


    "Three hundred or so, all hidden away."


    Zhang Lie inhaled deeply.


    When he told the warlords of the Milky Way that he was collecting these fragments, the hundred strongest races of the gxy had all given him their collection. Only the four prime races had managed to acquire over three hundred fragments; the others all had roughly a hundred.


    Weaker races only possessed perhaps a few dozen such fragments, and they had all been taken by the hundred strongest races by force or trade to be given to Zhang Lie.


    Those fragments were something that each race had spent countless years collecting, but Hong Tianqi alone had a collection with that on par with the strongest races. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but be astounded.


    "I hid them in a certain world in the third realm. I don''t mind handing over the fragments to you¡ªthey''re useless to me, anyway, and I''d be happy to assign some manpower to help you find more."


    "In that case, I''ll dly ept this offer of cooperation¡ªwe can treat the herbs and map fragments as the employment fee. I''ll head to Mars immediately."


    Zhang Lie had already been nning on doing so, originally with the other members of Team Zenith, but now, he would bring the entire Zenith Dojo along...

 Chapter 889: A Trial Ahead

    <h4>Chapter 889: A Trial Ahead</h4>


    Hong Tianqi asked curiously, "How many fragments of the map have you collected?"


    "About ten thousand or so," Zhang Lie replied, intending to be truthful with Hong Tianqi.


    Hong Tianqi was so shocked that he could hardly speak. "How many? T-Ten thousand?!"


    Zhang Lie had barely ascended to the third realm a month ago for an observer in the Milky Way. How had he already umted ten thousand fragments? It would have taken a very dedicated or very well-connected hunter to do so.


    Hong Tianqi took what seemed like an eternity to recover from his shock. "As expected of you¡­ But are you still not done with the map even after collecting all these pieces?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head, a small smile on his face.


    "Thank goodness I didn''t collect these fragments on my own, then¡ªten thousand and counting, is this meant to be a puzzle or something?"


    To be honest, Hong Tianqi didn''t know what those fragments were part of. It looked like a map, and Zhang Lie had called them map fragments, so Hong Tianqi followed suit.


    Zhang Lie replied, "It should be a map. I''m almost halfway done with it, and I expect that there will only be another ten or twenty thousand fragments or so."


    "A thirty-thousand-piece puzzle...?" Hong Tianqi felt nauseous just thinking about it. Once again, he was relieved that he hadn''t tried toplete the collection¡ªit would have drained his time and left him with nothing to show for it. Could someone really finish the map?


    "It''s very impressive that you managed to get this far."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I made use of the other races of the Milky Way."


    "That said, don''t get too enamored with it. Who knows how much longer it''ll take you to get the remaining ten or twenty thousand? You''re even more talented than I was at your age, and far stronger. I''m amazed by your talent, and I believe that you''ll reach far greater heights than I did. Don''t waste all your time and talent on this map."


    "I understand."


    "You may have gotten closer than anyone since the appearance of these fragments, but even so, I urge you to focus on what''s important."


    "I know, I know. Leave matters on Mars to me." Zhang Lie was unwilling to speak more regarding the map, because this was one of the only hints about his parents'' disappearance.


    As he hung up and flopped onto his bed, Zhang Lie began to think about matters on Mars once more. If the invasion of these space bugs really had been masterminded by a third party¡­ Regardless of what was going on, however, they wouldn''t be able to stop Zhang Lie.


    He left his room and walked around the dojo as he checked on the disciples who were diligently training.


    The iing disciples were all talented and highly motivated youth. As Zhang Lie''s name spread, more and more people became interested in joining the Zenith Dojo, and the selection process grew correspondingly rigorous. As a result, anyone who could make it in had to be the cream of the crop.


    As far as the older disciples went, however, Zhang Lie was a little displeased. They had grown somewhat indolent and were resting on theirurels.


    The reputation of the Zenith Dojo afforded prestige to anyone who was part of it, and the first batch of the Zenith Dojo''s disciples essentially had VIP status no matter where they went¡ªin China and even throughout the rest of the Milky Way.


    Either they were chatting instead of diligently training, simply going through the motions without putting any heart into their work. Zhang Lie was very dissatisfied by these disciples'' actions, but he didn''t criticize them outright.


    "I heard someone say that the dojo leader himself was out inspecting the disciples'' training. Is something the matter?" Just then, Zhang Hong walked up to him.


    If not for Zhang Hong''s appearance, the older disciples wouldn''t have noticed that Zhang Lie had appeared in the dojo.


    Zhang Lie wasrgely focused on the dimensional realm, rather than on the Zenith Dojo, so his presence here was unexpected and shocking.


    The older disciples jumped up in shock, hastily bowed toward him, and went back to training.


    "Zhang Hong, gather all disciples in the dojo. I intend to make an announcement tomorrow morning during the morning drill."


    Zhang Hong asked, "Shall I inform those in the first and second realms as well?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Yes, have them all return. It should be an eye-opening experience for them all¡ªbut there''s no need to bring back anyone in the third realm. All thebat-ready hunters have returned already."


    Zhang Lie didn''t intend to call Zhang Hanxiang back. Although participating in the crisis on Mars would certainly help her mature, Zhang Lie was worried that something untoward would happen to her during such arge-scale crisis.


    Zhang Hong asked, "Is something wrong?"


    To her knowledge, the Zenith Dojo had never convened such arge-scale gathering before, as though it were about to go to war. However, in the Milky Way, with Zhang Lie and Hong Tianqi around, who would dare to mess with the Zenith Dojo?


    "I epted a request from Hong Tianqi. It''ll be a good opportunity for the disciples to gain practical experience in fighting."


    Zhang Lie intended to make use of this opportunity to shock thezier disciples into training hard again.


    Back in the first realm, the members of the Zenith Dojo had tried to build their own settlement and had to defend against quite a few waves of enemies¡ªsome from other settlements, and others from groups of gic lifeforms. Thanks to the disciples'' hard work and cooperation, they were able to overwhelm their enemies and sessfully construct a settlement.


    After that, however, Zhang Lie had constructed the kingdom of Limit in the second realm. No one dared to provoke those disciples from the Zenith Dojo who ascended to the second realm, and they were easily able to obtain gene fragments for themselves¡ªthere was far less opportunity and reason to go out hunting for gic lifeforms.


    The members of Team Zenith were working hard to expand their territory in the third realm. By the time the disciples in the second realm were ready to ascend, it was likely that there would be no threats waiting for them in the third realm as well.


    If this were to proceed indefinitely, the members of the Zenith Dojo would be useless hunters.


    After his conversation with Hong Tianqi, Zhang Lie realized one thing. He and Hong Tianqi wouldn''t be able to serve as guardians of humanity indefinitely; humanity needed not only a second Hong Tianqi, but also a third, a fourth, a fifth, an endless supply of Hong Tianqis.


    Zhang Lie was certain that he could be the second Hong Tianqi, or even a superior Hong Tianqi, and so could the members of Team Zenith. But what about the future?


    Zhang Hanxiang, Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, Hong Xi, and Hong Xiao might seed¡ªand then what?


    Zhang Lie had realized one thing: if he wanted to prevent others from daring to meddle with humanity, from scheming against humanity, what he needed wasn''t a singr Hong Tianqi, but a whole band of them.


    He intended to make use of this opportunity on Mars to reforge and temper the disciples of the Zenith Dojo¡ªto metamorphosize as hunters after facing a foe that had swallowed up half the already.


    Zhang Hong had some idea of what was going to happen, because she knew that there was no force on Earth that could stand against the Zenith Dojo.


    Even so, she asked, "Are we waging war?"

 Chapter 890: Lavish Rewards

    <h4>Chapter 890: Lavish Rewards</h4>


    Zhang Lie looked up toward the sky. "I suspect you know the answer already."


    Looking up in the direction of Zhang Lie''s gaze, Zhang Hong did understand: it had to be the Martian crisis!


    The next morning, all the disciples of the Zenith Dojo gathered on the field.


    The Zenith Dojo had expanded and expanded again as Zhang Hong purchased all the surroundingnd. By now, it was the size of five stadiums. However, the gathering was still an extremely crowded affair, because the Zenith Dojo had now amassed over five hundred thousand disciples.


    The ones standing at the very front of the field were the hunters of Team Zenith. Yang Ze had returned from the third realm; it had only been half a day on Earth, but over three weeks in the third realm, and Yang Ze had recovered fully from his injuries.


    The six members of Team Zenith stood straight, their heads erect, setting perfect examples for those behind them. They were followed by Hong Xi, Hong Xiao, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen, and subsequently by the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, ordered by seniority.


    The first, second, and third waves of disciples were rtively small, but the number had grown farrger by the sixth, seventh, and eighth waves.


    Zhang Lie walked into the field with both hands sped behind his back, nodding in satisfaction as he observed the disciples standing neatly and waiting for his arrival.


    Sun Xiaowu suddenly shouted, "We greet the dojo leader!"


    The members of Team Zenith thumped their chests with their fists.


    "We greet the dojo leader!" With a shout, all the disciples of the Zenith Dojo repeated Sun Xiaowu''s actions.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but marvel.


    It had been a long time since thest such gathering, perhaps two or three months by Earth''s time, when the disciples of the Zenith Dojo were constructing their own settlement in the first realm.


    Zhang Lie walked up to the stage, whereupon Zhang Hong walked over and draped a cloak behind him.


    Zhang Lie asked softly, "Who thought of this idea?"


    "You mean, what they did just now?"


    "It was imposing, impactful," Zhang Lie praised.


    "Sun Xiaowu and the others suggested it themselves." She fastened the cloak, then stepped back.


    Zhang Lie strode forward, his cloak billowing behind him as he unleashed his aura. The crowd of disciples watched on with bated breath.


    Rather than deal with audio equipment, Zhang Lie simply infused gic energy into his voice. Zhang Lie''s voice filled the field. "You must be wondering why I, the dojo leader, have gathered all of you here today."


    The disciples of the dojo listened quietly. No one dared speak or even murmur; they were all shocked stiff by Zhang Lie''s aura.


    "Mars is suffering an unprecedented disaster, an invasion of space bugs beyond anything ever experienced in its history. Over a billion humans are imperiled, and millions are dying day by day. Humanity looks out for itself, and as a part of humanity, I don''t intend to let those bugs do as they will any longer. I''ve decided to lead all of you to clean up this mess!"


    Zhang Lie cut straight to the chase, not mentioning how Hong Tianqi had tasked him with this responsibility or how he had observed that the first few batches of disciples were growingzy andcent.


    "I don''t intend to expound on morals. Your life is precious and valuable¡ªand it belongs only to you. Our enemy is a swarm of space bugs that has since invaded half of Mars, and heading to that battlefield will put you in danger. Expect the possibility of death. If you don''t want to go with me, turn and leave¡ªgive up your status as a member of the Zenith Dojo. I won''t stop you. Those who intend to follow me to Mars, hone your des and prepare to fight for your lives. You have one day to decide."


    When Zhang Lie was done with his speech, he did a sharp about-face, then marched off the stage. The members of Team Zenith and Hong Xi''s group of four immediately followed behind him.


    They headed to a private conference room. Zhang Lie sat down and crossed his legs. "Yang Ze, are you feeling better?"


    Yang Ze flexed, revealing a muscled arm. "Yes, Captain! I''m ready to ughter some bugs with you."


    No member of Team Zenith raised an objection to Zhang Lie''s words. Either they agreed with his actions, or they trusted him to do what was right.


    Zhang Lie turned to Zhang Hong. "Zhang Hong, please prepare arge shuttle. Given what''s going on on Mars, we need to be prepared that the wormhole will be unusable. Furthermore, inform all participating disciples to gather at the Chinese spaceport next morning."


    "Will there be any punishment for those who don''t intend to go?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "There''s nothing to punish. Respecting their own lives and choosing to leave the dojo is amendable decision, but we''ll reward all disciples who participate and survive with a superior limit-breaking potion."


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened. "Master, are you releasing it publicly so early?"


    "Only within the dojo, for now."


    There were only a rare few disciplies in the Zenith Dojo who had imbibed such a potion; not even Zhang Hong had had ess to it.


    Zhang Lie turned to Hong Xi and the others. "How many sets of ingredients have you been able to collect for the superior limit-breaking potions?"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes. "Master, surely you aren''t underestimating your apprentices? Since we have wood spirits in the kingdom of Limit, we don''t have to go out hunting for these rare herbs anymore. We''ve set up an efficient system of farming to produce them in bulk, with the wood spirits'' help."


    Zahng Lie nodded. "I forgot about this."


    Yun Bing had mentioned something simr. Zhang Lie had delegated this task to her, and then conveniently forgotten about it.


    Hong Xi reported, "Given the rate at which we''re producing these ingredients, we''d be able to supply all of Earth with these potions, let alone the Zenith Dojo."


    "Good," Zhang Lie replied, nodding. "As for rewards, we''ll go with 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 points for a one-star, two-star, three-star, and four-star bug respectively. As for a fifth-star bug¡ªwell, I don''t think any of the disciples can take one down themselves."


    Zhang Hong transcribed Zhang Lie''s words in a virtual interface. She would have to be responsible for implementing and keeping track of this point system.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Offer a superior limit-breaking potion for 10,000 points, but only up to one per person. In addition, offer a disaster-grade core for 100,000 points! Let them purchase peak-grade lifeforms for 1,000 points each, and superior-grade lifeforms for 100 points, only redeemable in the second realm."


    The Zenith Dojo had given all its disciples a regr and mutated limit-breaking potion for free. The former could be obtained by bing a disciple, and thetter after a hundred days in the dojo.


    Many forces in the Milky Way were able to make such limit-breaking potions on their own by now, and the expense was no big deal.


    Hong Xi''s eyes widened. "Disaster-grade cores, too? None of us have maxed out our disaster gene fragments yet!"


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "Hong Xi, aren''t you a Zenith Dojo member yourself?"


    Hong Xi blinked. "Yes, you''re right."

 Chapter 891: Titan-Class Shuttle

    <h4>Chapter 891: Titan-ss Shuttle</h4>


    Yang Ze continued, "In that case, why should you have exclusive ess to the disaster-grade farm? Everyone here is a disciple of the Zenith Dojo¡ªsurely they have the right to have ess to it too."


    Hong Xi argued, "We''re Master''s disciples!"


    "So are they!" Yang Ze countered. ?He was about to keep going when Zhang Lie raised a hand to interrupt him.


    "The dojo willvishly reward those who have the skill and drive to challenge themselves, and their rewards will bemensurate with the effort they put in. Hong Xi''s simply worried that, if more people find out about the disaster-grade farm, the secret will eventually leak out to the public. In fact, that''s not a problem. The Zenith Dojo has nothing to fear, and public knowledge of the existence of this farm won''t change anything."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "I agree. Those who are willing to risk their lives deserve to bepensated well for their sess."


    After Zhang Hong recorded everything down, she told everyone, "In that case, I''ll set up this reward system and prepare for tomorrow''s departure."


    The next morning, Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, and Hong Xi''s four-hunter group waited outside the Chinese spaceport.


    Given the Zenith Dojo''s fame and reputation, it was easy for Zhang Hong to charter a space shuttle on such short notice¡ªbut the members of Team Zenith were shocked by the monstrous shuttle that had appeared before them.


    Sun Xiaowu swallowed a gulp of saliva and gave Zhang Lie a thumbs up even as Zhang Lie turned to Zhang Hong and asked, "You brought over a... titan-ss... space shuttle?"


    A humongous shuttle was parked at the spaceport. Its design was sleek and modern, with a metallic exterior and rays of light streaking down its surface. Inparison to its bulk, Zhang Lie''s body was minuscule¡ªif the shuttle was an elephant, Zhang Lie was an ant. Not only that, the shuttle was outfitted for battle.


    Zhang Hong was truly impressive to have chartered such a shuttle for them on short notice.


    This sort of battle-oriented shuttle was something that boasted enough firepower to take down a small sr system, and China only possessed two or three such shuttles in its entire arsenal. The world atrge had at most ten.


    Zhang Hong replied, "You gave me too little time. I could only make use of my military connections to get such a shuttle, and when they heard that I was going to be sending reinforcements to Mars, they approved it immediately. Allegedly, Hong Tianqi himself expedited the process and lent us the use of a titan-ss shuttle."


    Zhang Lie marveled at the extent to which Hong Tianqi was willing to go to help Zhang Lie aplish his objective.


    Hong Xi asked, "Where''s everyone else?"


    Hong Xiao joked, "Surely they couldn''t all have run off?"


    Li Feng chuckled dryly. "If they all did, we might as well shut down the Zenith Dojo."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "Rx¡ªI''ve worked with some of the older disciples directly, and I know just how motivated they are. Look, they''reing right now!"


    Everyone looked into the distance to see the disciples of the Zenith Dojo converging on the spaceport.


    "Of the 500,000 disciples, over 300,000 have shown up."


    Those who had abstained from participating werergely the neers that didn''t feel particrly tethered to the dojo, and who were the weakest and hence most likely to die.


    After all, this expedition to Mars would be particrly dangerous, and there would always be those who were too scared or had family or children that they weren''t willing to leave behind.


    Zhang Lie didn''t intend to punish those who weren''t able to participate; instead, he would forgive them.


    Even so, the first few waves of Zenith Dojo disciples, who had settled the first realm on behalf of the Zenith Dojo, all showed up. They might be starting to growzy, but thatziness was something they were willing to discard for a worthy cause.


    Theziness had yet to corrupt their soul or form a habit around which their entire lives would revolve. From Zhang Lie''s speech, they recalled the hot-blooded youth they had once been, who had rolled up their sleeves and fought fornd and territory to call their own.


    The hunters of the Zenith Dojo thumped their fists on their chests.


    "356,642 members of the Zenith Dojo, here to report for duty!"


    Zhang Lie was very pleased with the hunters'' performance. Even theziest hunter no longer looked like ayabout; their eyes and minds were sharp, and they all seemed to be ready for danger.


    "Very good. The first wave of hunters will now board!"


    Zhang Lie strode forward at the very front, followed immediately behind by the other members of Team Zenith and Hong Xi''s four-hunter group. The remaining hunters followed suit in an orderly procession.


    The members of the Zenith Dojo were all wide-eyed as they stepped into the titan-ss shuttle. None of them had ever seen a spacecraft sorge and so magnificent.


    The floors were made of some steel alloy, and electronics filled the shuttle. The shuttle''s sheer size was astounding enough from the outside, and the equipment on the inside wasrgely novel.


    Even Zhang Lie had yet to experience a flight on a shuttle of this size before.


    A disciple asked, "Dojo Leader, are we flying straight to Mars on this shuttle?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "That''s right. Given the current situation on Mars, we won''t be able to use a wormhole or teleportation array to get there. Is that a problem?"


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo shook their heads. They couldn''t help but respect Zhang Lie from the bottom of their hearts¡ªonly someone like the dojo leader would have been able to charter a titan-ss shuttle for this trip. There were only a dozen such shuttles on Earth, at best!


    They thought that they would have to face battle after perilous battle on Mars, but this titan-ss shuttle''s firepower would certainly help deal with the worst of the bugs.


    Of course, no matter howrge the shuttle was, it wouldn''t be able to fit all the members of the Zenith Dojo. Only 30,000 people could be transported at once. One of their primary responsibilities was to fix the teleportation apparatus so that the rest of the disciples could teleport straight there from the Zenith Dojo.


    Zhang Lie smiled and cracked a joke. "At any rate, we''re all on the shuttle now¡ªyou can''t get off even if you wanted to. Our goal is to support Mars and defend against the invading space bugs. This is a dangerous mission. You may get hurt, you may die, yourpanions and allies may die¡ªbut in the process, tempered by blood and me, you''ll all be stronger and morepetent hunters."


    The disciples turned serious.


    "Many of you joined the dojo immediately after it was founded. This operation will be a chance for all of you to demonstrate your abilities to the rest of mankind, to the rest of the Milky Way. Those of you who are new to the dojo, watch carefully as your seniors fight. This is an excellent learning opportunity, and I hope all of you will be able to develop as hunters in the process."


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "Zhang Hong, are we ready to depart?"


    "Yes, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie was just about to nod when he suddenly thought of an important problem. "Who knows how to pilot a shuttle around here?"


    Everyone was silent. They were gic hunters, not shuttle pilots. Zhang Lie did have some experience flying a shuttle, but only a personal one, not this titanic monstrosity¡­

 Chapter 892: You Should Know

    <h4>Chapter 892: You Should Know</h4>


    Zhang Lie clutched his face. "Ah, this¡ª"


    Zhang Hong stepped forward. "Dojo Leader, there''s no need to worry. The shuttle has an excellent autopilot system, and the military has helped to coordinate our route."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "For safety precautions, we need a crew at the scene. If something goes wrong midway through our journey and we''re forced to pilot the aircraft manually, none of us would survive."


    A titan-ss shuttle was so expensive to construct that even China only had two or three of the like, and damaging one would be noughing matter.


    Zhang Hong made a few discreet calls and had a crew ready within moments.


    When everything was ready, Zhang Lie waved a hand and shouted, "We head to Mars!"


    The disciples buckled themselves in as the shuttle rose into the air.


    Waves of gravitational force careened toward all the passengers, but Zhang Lie stood still where he was, as though his feet were stuck to the floor. Despite the growing strength of the waves and overwhelming force of gravity, he stood straight and unyielding.


    Behind him were the members of Team Zenith, followed by Hong Xi''s four-hunter group. All of them followed Zhang Lie''s lead, standing straight and still as though the force of gravity meant nothing to them.


    Only Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were able to do so with ease. Hong Xi and the other three were still quite a bit weaker, and they were forcing themselves to remain still with gritted teeth.


    If Zhang Lie didn''t budge, neither could they.


    In mere moments, the shuttle escaped the atmosphere. A robotic voice called out, "Gravitational field deploying in 5, 4, 3, ..."


    While the field was being generated, there would be a temporary loss of gravity within the shuttle.


    Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith still had their feet firmly nted on the ground, as though they suffered no ill effects whatsoever, but Hong Xi and the other four didn''t have the near-mythical strength that the members of Team Zenith did. Their bodies slowly floated up into the air.


    Some hunters were taking a space shuttle for the first time, and they didn''t buckle themselves into their seats properly. They began floating upward in the zero-g environment.


    Few of the hunters had ever experienced zero-g. They lived ons with gravity, and gravity persisted even in the dimensional realm. Some of the hunters began to panic as they floated out of their seats, and incidents could ur as they scrabbled for purchase along the interior of the shuttle, identally activating certain controls ormands.


    Zhang Lie quelled the disturbance as the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind him. His water-attuned gic energy seemed to turn heavy and sluggish, and the runic tablet of gravity appeared behind his back. As the golden runes illuminated the interior of the shuttle, gravity was restored once more.


    Hong Xi''s four-hunter group touched down on the floor of the shuttle, and those hunters who had begun floating up fell back into their seats.


    A robotic voice rang out, "Warning! Anomalous gravitational fluctuations detected. Gravitational generation cannot proceed. Please identify the cause of the problem immediately!"


    "Warning! Anomalous gravitational fluctuations detected. Please identify the cause of the problem immediately!"


    "Warning! Anomalous gravitational fluctuations detected. Please identify the cause of the problem..."


    For safety considerations, such anomalies would cause the associated systems to lock down and remain inoperational to prevent further issues from urring.


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Check that your seatbelts are fastened!"


    Those disciples who had floated into the air immediately buckled themselves in tightly before Zhang Lie turned and eyed Hong Xi''s four-hunter group. "Go have a seat. It''s too dangerous for you all to be standing here."


    Jun Jiuxiao smiled awkwardly as he slid into a seat, followed by Ye Xianchen, Hong Xiao, and Hong Xi. The Hong siblings were rather dejected; they believed that they were at least approaching the same level of strength as Team Zenith.


    Only now did they realize just how far they were from reaching Team Zenith''s level of strength¡ªas if there were an abyss separating the members of Team Zenith from Hong Xi''s group.


    Hong Xi was the most disappointed among the four of them. She had been able to keep up with the members of Team Zenith for the most part in the second realm, but after they advanced into the third, Hong Xi''s strength hadgged behind.


    Of course, this wasn''t Hong Xi''s fault¡ªit was simply that the members of Team Zenith had finished acquiring their third-realm gene fragments, and they had honed their techniques in directbat with kings of the realm.


    The main reason Hong Xi had fallen behind was because she wascking third-realm gene fragments of her own. The moment the Mars operation finished, Hong Xi promised herself that she would immediately delegate her responsibilities to Hong Xiao and ascend into the third realm.


    Once the shuttle flew into space, Zhang Lie canceled his gravity-altering domain, and the shuttle''s gravitational generation proceeded as normal.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo unbuckled themselves from their seats.


    Hong Xi caressed her brother''s head as she looked at him tenderly.


    She had wanted to drop her responsibilities in the kingdom of Limit for quite some time already; just a few days of work had made her head feel as though it would explode. She respected Yun Bing from the bottom of her heart because she didn''t know how Yun Bing could stand to deal with so much for so long.


    She had helped Yun Bing with a few simple administrative tasks, thinking they might be somewhat tedious, but not realizing just how tedious they were. Only someone like Yun Bing, who had been the prime minister of Limit for years, knew just how draining her position could be.


    Hong Xiao suddenly raised his head and looked at her alertly. "Sister, you''re looking really shifty and devious right now. Are you nning something?!"


    "No, no, of course not!" Hong Xi shook her head fervently.


    Zhang Lie had Zhang Hong send out the point reward system the Zenith Dojo would be implementing for this event.


    When the disciples saw the top prize, their eyes widened.


    "What''s this? Potion #3? A superior limit-breaking potion?!"


    "Aren''t there only Potions #1 and #2?"


    "Did the dojo seed in making a superior limit-breaking potion already? None of us knew!"


    One of the disciples raised his hand and asked, "Dojo leader, are all the rewards on this list immediately essible?"


    "You wouldn''t be lying to us, would you, dojo leader?"


    Sun Mengmeng stepped forward. She called out firmly, "Calm down, everyone. Yes, Potion #3 is real. In truth, the dojo leader developed this limit-breaking potion quite some time ago, but there weren''t enough of the rarest ingredients for mass production. As to why it hasn''t been announced until now, well, all of you should know..."

 Chapter 893: An Overwhelming Reward

    <h4>Chapter 893: An Overwhelming Reward</h4>


    The members of the Zenith Dojo looked toward Zhang Lie with shock and respect.


    He was truly an excellent inventor¡ªone who had already developed and mass-produced Potion #3 while the rest of the Milky Way was still researching how to adapt Potion #2 to their respective species, as well as setting up production lines for the core ingredients.


    Zhang Lie was truly at the frontier of limit fragment research.


    Many of those present had joined the Zenith Dojo either because of their deep respect for Zhang Lie or because they wanted ess to the limit-breaking potions that he had developed.


    Upon learning that the superior limit-breaking potion, Potion #3, was now avable, they congratted themselves for having the foresight to join the Zenith Dojo in advance.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t worried that news of Potion #3 would spread; it was just annoying to deal with all the trouble that would result in the aftermath. However, all the disciples of the Zenith Dojo were risking their lives on this mission. Zhang Lie thought it only fair that he presented them with something of value for their efforts.


    Zhang Lie had clearly delineated the dangers of participating in this expedition to Mars, which meant that those disciples willing to brave the battlefield truly wanted to remain in the Zenith Dojo. He might not be able to entrust them with his life, but he would surely show them the courtesy of basic trust.


    Those disciples who hade with ulterior motives, who were only interested in what the Zenith Dojo could give them, rather than the other way around, wouldn''t have been willing to risk the trip to Mars, let alone be among the first wave of disciples that would arrive there.


    With this mission, Zhang Lie was essentially selecting the cream of the crop, a trustworthy group of hunters who would be tempered by this expedition and form the core fighting force of the dojo.


    Zhang Lie was confident that those who managed to survive on Mars would grow into fearsome fighters. With the help of a superior limit-breaking potion, it would be only a matter of time before they exceeded Hong Tianqi himself. Thirty thousand Hong Tianqis¡ªif Zhang Lie could grow a force that strong, no one would ever dare pull anything against the humans again.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo had originally been rather scared of the space bugs they were about to face, but after seeing thevish rewards that they could receive, all that fear dissipated.


    The space bugs might as well have been walking sacks of gold. Nowhere else would they be able to obtain vials of Potion #3, nowhere in the universe! A single vial would be able to purchase an entire.


    Sun Mengmeng instructed, "Everyone, keep this a secret for now¡ªthis is a major development that will shake the entire gxy. The herbs that are required for this potionrgely grow in the second realm, and we don''t have enough of a supply for the entire Milky Way."


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "Once word of this development spreads, the Zenith Dojo will be bombarded by requests and demands from all sorts of entities, so we need to keep this a secret for now."


    The disciples all nodded fervently.


    They returned to perusing the list of rewards. As they nced at an unassuming little line, they rubbed their eyes, sure that they had misread something.


    One disciple drummed up her courage and asked, "Dojo Leader, is something wrong with the rewards?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Not as far as I''m aware. I checked the list over with Zhang Hong before it was distributed."


    The disciple continued uncertainly, "Well, the disaster-grade cores listed here... do they refer to disaster-grade lifeforms?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "What else could they refer to?"


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo all widened their eyes.


    "The disaster-grade lifeforms that you discovered, dojo leader?"


    "Disaster gene fragments..."


    "I''ve read quite a few articles about them. The dojo leader was the one who discovered and identified them. Allegedly, these disaster-grade lifeforms possess disaster-grade cores that have to be absorbed via special means. Disaster gene fragments are said to be remarkably powerful, and they''re something the strongest hunters are fervently seeking out."


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo all began to pool their knowledge together.


    "Is the dojo leader crazy? He''s giving such precious cores out as rewards?"


    "What are you talking about? Of course he''s not crazy!"


    "Then¡ªare we really going to be able to obtain such cores as rewards for hunting down these bugs?!"


    "More importantly, where did the dojo leader find such arge supply of disaster-grade cores that he can give them out as rewards? You know how the strongest organizations are all trying to hunt these disaster-grade lifeforms down, but the majority can''t even find one, let alone kill one!"


    Because Zhang Lie had started a disaster-grade farm in the second realm, he and the members of Team Zenith had never had to participate in the stiffpetition for hunting down disaster-grade lifeforms, and they weren''t aware of just how bad the situation was in the second realm.


    The hunters of the Milky Way and all major factions were trying to find and take down as many disaster-grade lifeforms as they could. The number of disaster-grade lifeforms in the second realm was surely limited; every lifeform that someone else hunted was one less for them.


    Competition was stiff and growing stiffer by the day.


    Zhang Lie had had a hard enough time trying to find these disaster-grade lifeforms with the monarch of stars'' map and detailed information and nopetition besides. The situation had to be far worse for the hunters of the Milky Way.


    To them, the discovery of disaster gene fragments was far more impactful than that of the limit-breaking potions that Zhang Lie had pioneered.


    Although these limit fragments were of immense value to the races of the Milky Way, many of the races were yet unable to develop their own analogues of those potions. On the other hand, every race could absorb disaster-grade cores directly.


    As such, the disciples of the Zenith Dojo were unbelievably shocked to see these cores appear as potential rewards for this mission.


    If other hunters and factions could participate in this mission, the disciples were certain that the space bugs would be wiped out to the point of extinction in a matter of days¡ªthat was how valuable these disaster-grade cores were.


    For the Zenith Dojo to be able to supply its disciples with these rewards, well, some of the disciples were tempted to sell them rather than to absorb them themselves. Rationally, it was near-impossible for them to believe that they could really receive these miraculous cores just by hunting down bugs.


    Of course, the number of points they would have to obtain for this ridiculous reward wasmensurate with its value, but that didn''t diminish the disciples'' eagerness at all. These cores were just that valuable.


    The only thing they worried about was whether Zhang Lie could really supply them with these cores.

 Chapter 894: Worse Than Reported

    <h4>Chapter 894: Worse Than Reported</h4>


    As though he had seen the uncertainty written on the disciples'' faces, Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry. I''ve reviewed the list of rewards. Feel free to exchange your points for anything on the list¡ªif you can obtain enough points, you can even get a dozen disaster-grade cores. I''ll find them somehow. This I pledge to you all."


    Zhang Lie''s pronouncement reminded the disciples of the Zenith Dojo that the man in front of them, their dojo leader, was the king of Limit. He was the monarch of the sole andrgest kingdom in the second realm, and he had the power to do as he wanted. Even though he had ascended to the third realm, he still had control of his kingdom in the second realm.


    The disciples grew excited fantasizing about the rewards they would be able to obtain by ughtering these bugs. They grouped up into parties as they discussed how they would take on these bugs.


    The expedition to Mars was, by this point, more a hunt than a rescue mission.


    Seeing the disciples'' greedy stares, Zhang Lie cautioned, "Don''t get overconfident. It''s not as easy as you think to deal with these bugs. They''ve managed to take over half of Mars in a matter of days. It''s clear that they have a strong leader and tactician, and even the foot soldiers will be stronger than anything you''ve faced to date."


    Sun Mengmeng added, "It won''t be easy to obtain these rewards¡ªyou''ll need courage, and you''ll have to risk your lives!"


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo stood up and thumped their fists on their chests.


    Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng''s words didn''t dampen the hunters'' enthusiasm; if anything, they were fortified by the challenge.


    Zhang Lie led the hunters of Team Zenith and Hong Xi''s four-hunter party to a private conference room.


    "Hong Xi, the four of you will be responsible for leading the disciples of the Zenith Dojo into battle and protecting them. It''s fine for there to be wounded, but you have to make sure they don''t suffer too many casualties."


    Hong Xi and the others nodded.


    Zhang Lie turned to Sun Mengmeng. "Sun Mengmeng, I''ll task you with protecting the Zenith Dojo''s disciples as well. This won''t be difficult for you, will it?"


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "Leave it to me."


    Just then, the titan-ss shuttle''s robotic voice rang out, "Warning! Warning! Arge number of unidentified flying objects are approaching!"


    Zhang Hong grew rmed. "A swarm of bugs?"


    .


    Zhang Lie led the hunters of Team Zenith toward the shuttle''smand center, which hadrge screens from which they could see outside the shuttle.


    There, they saw an endless swarm of bugs approaching them through the void of space, their frightening probosces ttering. The bugs were ridiculouslyrge. Each was the size of an autobus, and thergest were even the size of cruise ships.


    Those bugs that were strong enough to survive in outer space had to be at least four-star¡ªthe equivalent of peak-grade second-realm lifeforms, or mutated-grade third-realm lifeforms. Some of thergest bugs might even have strength on par with superior- or peak-grade third-realm lifeforms.


    The crew that Zhang Lie had requested to pilot the ship opened amunications channel with Team Zenith. "A swarm of space bugs is approaching us up ahead. Yourmand, sir?"


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Get ready for a skirmish¡ªwe''ll barrel through their forces!"


    By then, Mars was in terrible shape.


    Hong Tianqi himself had told Zhang Lie that more than half of Mars had been taken over by the space bugs, but in truth, the situation was much worse than Hong Tianqi had described.


    Hong Tianqi didn''t hide any pertinent information; rather, the situation on Mars was deteriorating in real time, and it had been three whole days between when Hong Tianqi received the news and Zhang Lie set off. Quite a lot could happen in three days¡ªby now, Mars was almostpletely upied by the space bugs.


    Despite the grievous wounds that had been dealt to the Marshal of me Li Pu, the ns and hunters of Mars continued to resist the bugs'' invasion, but to no avail. The bugs seemed toe in endless numbers, and the Martian ns were the first to retreat.


    Because they retreated without informing the rest of the hunters, the painstakingly constructed defensive lines on Mars fell apart within moments, and huge swarms of bugs overwhelmed the Martian military. The situation was far more severe than anyone could have anticipated¡ªand there was worse toe.


    "Scram! I won''t stay here like the rest of you to be turned into fertilizer for these bugs!"


    As the situation on Mars grew worse and worse, the ns began to flee from Mars itself.


    The Martian ns took the lion''s share of the''s resources for themselves and reveled in the power they wielded¡ªbut now that Mars was beset by an overwhelming crisis, their first thought wasn''t to protect their, but rather to flee.


    The Martian military tried to stop them. "If you leave now, Mars will truly be destroyed! There are still about a hundred million hunters in the various settlements, and a few hundred million people on Mars overall!"


    "That''s none of our business! Why should we hunters of the major ns give up our lives for the chaff?!"


    The Martian military boasted little power to prevent their departure.


    "Even the Marshal of me was heavily injured. If we stay, we''ll die! Better to leave while we can."


    The Martianmander himself appealed to the two ns. "The Yang and Gu ns have lived on Mars for centuries! Are you really going to flee as your homeworld gets destroyed?!"


    The Yang n head spoke first. "Of course I''m upset. Everyone is¡ªbut no matter how important ournd and properties are, our livese first! We can rebuild once the worst of the disaster is over."


    The Yang n was among those ns that were departing from Mars.


    "Enough." Li Pu walked out of the military encampment, grimacing as he clutched his wounds. "If they want to leave, let them leave. I''ll stop these damned bugs myself!"


    The soldiers had no choice but to hold Li Pu back.


    "Marshal, you can''t go!"


    "Your injuries are too severe to allow you to fight. The situation on Mars is bad enough¡ªif we lose you too, this will truly be the end!"


    Li Pu cried out, "If I don''t stop the invasion, who will?"


    Just then, a huge crash shook the entire settlement. The hunters turned to the source of themotion. Their faces turned pale; their eyes widened with shock.


    "This is the end..."


    A gigantic ck bug emerged from the ground. It had the body of a python¡ªa long, sinuous body, with an engorged head that faced the sky. The exposed portion of its body alone was over five hundred meters long.


    The hunters, who had had to fend off countless waves of bugs over thest few days, could immediately identify that the bug that had just emerged was a five-star one.


    Li Pu''s face turned pale. "For the bugs to have evolved so quickly..."


    The bugs hadn''t been too dangerous at the start of the invasion. As time progressed and they devoured the''s resources and lifeforce, however, they began to evolve from one-star to two-star, three-star, four-star, five-star¡ªa five-star bug was one that Li Pu would have trouble defeating even at peak strength, let alone in his current severely injured state.


    The fifth-star bug had destroyed the encampment''s underground security measures. With their defensive perimeter down, a swarm of bugs bore down on the encampment like a ck wave filling the horizon.


    Li Pu stepped forward. "All of you, leave! I''ll try to get you as much time as I can!"


    The soldiers called out, "No, General, you can''t! You''re ourst hope!"


    Li Pu''s face was stoic as he shouted, "This is an order from your marshal!"


    Despite their unwillingness, the soldiers immediately saluted him.


    "Yes, Marshal!"


    The Yang n head rushed back. "We''re trapped by bugs from all over! They''re swarming toward us¡ªthey want to take us down in one fell swoop!"


    Li Pu strode forward. "No need to panic. I''ll hold back their assault. The rest of you should form a vanguard and evacuate as many of the civilians sheltering in the encampment as possible."


    The Yang n head frowned. "Most of those civilians are ordinary citizens with nobat ability whatsoever. If we try to escort them out, we''ll all die!"


    The Gu n head advised, "Marshal, think carefully about the situation. It''ll be difficult enough for our ns and your soldiers to push through this endless swarm of bugs. If we have to evacuate the civilians as well, everyone will die!"


    The Yang n head continued, "Li Pu, Marshal Li, do you really not care about the fate of your soldiers?"


    The Gu n head chorused, "Li Pu, think carefully about your brothers-in-arms! You have to be responsible for their lives."


    The Yang n head advised, "Li Pu, there''s no need to risk your life or your soldiers'' lives for people you barely know."


    Li Pu grabbed both n heads by their cors. "Don''t be ridiculous," he spat out. "I''m a soldier, and my duty is to protect everyone on Mars. Among the civilians in the encampment are my soldiers'' families. If you don''t want my soldiers'' help, feel free to try to break out of the bugs'' enclosure yourself!"


    The n heads'' faces turned ugly. Even with the ns'' full strength, they would be hard-pressed to survive under such dire odds.


    The Yang n head struggled to detach himself from Li Pu''s grip. "Calm down, Li Pu, calm down!"


    Li Pu snorted as he threw both n heads to the ground. "Neither of you should have run while the military was setting up a defensive perimeter. If your ns hadn''t fled, we wouldn''t be in such dire straits, and my soldiers wouldn''t have perished! When I heard about what you two fools did, I had half a mind to court-martial you all¡ªand I would have done so if not for these exceptional circumstances!"


    Desertion was a crime punishable by death, and Li Pu hated the idea of deserters.


    Li Pu shouted, "As soldiers, our first responsibility is to the civilians of Mars. What say you, soldiers?"


    "Yessir!" The soldiers remaining in the encampment stomped on the ground with their right boot, sending a tremor through the battlefield.


    "Do as you will!" Li Pumanded the two n heads, then soared into the sky.


    The two n heads talked it over beforeing to the inevitable conclusion that they had no choice but to agree to Li Pu''s terms. This was their only chance at survival. If they were to try to break out of the bugs'' enclosure themselves, they wouldn''t be able to seed.


    The n hunters'' faces were as pale as ash. "We should have fled long ago."


    The Yang n head consoled his family, "There''s no need to make such expressions. The situation isn''t as bad as you expect."


    The Meng n head asked, "Oh? Could it get any worse? We''re hemmed in by a swarm of bugs, and there''s no way we''ll be able to break out. If we have to protect these civilians at the same time..."


    The Yang n head''s eyes glinted maliciously. "If we have no choice, we can use those civilians as bait. Feed them to the bugs."


    The Gu n head reared back. "What would the soldiers say?"


    The Yang n head snorted. "Do you really think Li Pu''s working for the good of themon people? He''s just making a show of it! Don''t you see that he''s indirectly signaling what his forces should do? He''s telling them to use the civilians as bait¡ªdo you really think a simple-minded person could be the Marshal of me? Everyone in his position has trodden on the dead to get where they are. Their hands are fresh with blood!"

 Chapter 895: The Renowned Yang Ze

    <h4>Chapter 895: The Renowned Yang Ze</h4>


    To a malicious person, the entire world was filled with malice; to a kind person, the world was far more beautiful. Those filled with malice found malice reflected in lies and deception, in the masks that people wore.


    As the swarm of bugs approached the settlement, the soldiers grouped up and prepared to break through their lines.


    Suddenly, the ground shook. A huge rumble portended the arrival of another five-star bug from underground, a snakelike worm that was the twin of the five-star bug that Li Pu was currently fighting against.


    The humongous worm surrounded the encampment, causing the soldiers, civilians, and Martian ns to let out identical looks of despair.


    "We''re dead now..."


    "Won''t heaven even give us a chance?"


    Unless a miracle urred, there was no hope of escape. No one else had the strength to prevent the bugs'' one-sided ughter. Civilians scattered and fled, children and babies cried, men howled¡ªand the bugs devoured them all.


    While in the middle ofbat, Li Pu found himself distracted by the appearance of a second five-star bug. That distraction left an opening for his enemy, which mmed its tail against Li Pu''s body and sent him falling to the ground like a meteor.


    He smashed into the ground and formed a crater upon impact. Blood seeped out of his mouth as he tried to stand back up, but the bones all throughout his body had been broken. Though he was a fearsome gic hunter, it would take his body quite some time to regenerate. He wouldn''t be able to regain his mobility in the short term.


    Li Pu had already been fighting with serious wounds that had yet to heal fully. The one devastating blow from the five-star bugpletely crippled his ability to fight.


    Hey in the crater, his eyes staring ssily at the sky. He murmured to himself, "We''re doomed."


    He couldn''t have imagined that there was still another five-star bug present at the scene. His body was so badly wounded that he couldn''t even move. None of his soldiers or even the Martian ns had the firepower to overwhelm such bugs on their own.


    The worm that had taken down Li Pu opened its bloodthirsty maw, revealing sharp, spiky teeth all the way down its throat.


    Meanwhile, the soldiers were suffering huge casualties against the other five-star bug blocking their way. At the height of despair, Li Pu suddenly noticed a shadow appearing in the sky. It appeared behind the swarm of bugs that filled the earth and sky, something metallic that seemed to shine behind the swarm of bugs.


    Li Pu''s face widened into a half-crazed smile. "Am I dreaming...?"


    .


    A pir of light pierced through the bugs in the sky, lighting them ame. It shot straight through the five-star bug''s head, causing it to burst in an explosion of blue ichor.


    Everyone looked up at the sky, at the burning bugs and the sudden sh of light.


    A titanic shuttle could be seen in the distance, with a sleek metal exterior covered in rays of streaking light. They were shocked by its sudden appearance when all hope seemed to be lost.


    Even the bugs seemed surprised by this sudden foe. Those in the sky began to fly haphazardly, and those on the ground scurried aimlessly.


    The five-star bug that was attacking the soldiers twisted its head to the sky and let out a ghastly screech.


    "Yang Ze, go!"


    A small dot burst out of the shuttle, surrounded by pale blue ripples of gic energy. When the soldiers squinted, they could barely make out that the dot was a hunter with his head held high. "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!"


    Huge sharks manifested in the air and formed a shark horde about a fifth the size of the shuttle¡ªas though the shuttle were releasing a swarm of cruisers tobat the bugs. Spatial ripples swamped the bugs in the sky like the rising tide, allowing sunlight to be visible once more.


    The pale blue sharks careened toward the five-star bug, smashing into its body and destroying it in an instant.


    The hunter''s demonstration of power shocked the soldiers and civilians. The bugs that they were unable to do anything about were killed in one strike by this man who had leapt down from the heavens.


    He alone had reversed the cmitous fate that was about to befall the Martians, who had ughtered a foe that would have stymied the Marshal of me Li Pu himself. Just who could this hunter be?


    The Yang n head was gobsmacked. He squinted, then called out with some hesitation, "Yang Ze?"


    Yang Zended on the ground and turned toward the Yang n head. It was clear that Yang Ze recognized him, but then he turned away.


    Yang Ze nced all around him, at the bugs that were swarming all over. He sent his water-attuned gic energy into the air, causing the white mists of [Mirrored Refraction] to emanate from him.


    "That''s Yang Ze?!" the Gu n head asked uncertainly.


    Another n head queried, "n Head Yang, n Head Gu, it seems like both of you are familiar with this hero?"


    The Yang n head nodded with aplicated expression on his face.


    "Do you remember the Yang hunter who helped win the Void Cup?" the Gu n head replied, with a mocking smile directed at the Yang n head.


    "What?! This hero who fell from the heavens¡ªhe''s one of the hunters who won us the Void Cup?" Upon learning of his identity, the soldiers and civilians present began to cheer.


    "He must be here to save us!"


    "Our savior..."


    "They''re true heroes!"


    The atmosphere of despair was washed away with Yang Ze''s mists. The soldiers and civilians present smiled with relief.


    Although the sudden appearance of the titan-ss shuttle had shocked the space bugs, they quickly rallied in a matter of moments. The bugs in the sky furiously struck at the shuttle, while those on the ground swarmed toward the humans.


    As the white mist continued to spread, Yang Ze sent his gic energy swirling around him. Crystalline lotuses condensed in the vicinity of his body.


    The Gu n head continued, "The Yang n head is intimately familiar with this hero. Isn''t that so?"


    The Yang n head''s face turned ugly with regret. The mocking tone in the Gu n head''s voice was evident; Yang Ze had originallye from the Yang n, but the Yang n had spurned him and pushed him away.


    Who would have expected that a nameless bastard like him would undergo such a dramatic metamorphosis after bing one of Zhang Lie''s followers? Not only that, he had even helped win the humans the Void Cup!

 Chapter 896: The Yang Clans Reparations

    <h4>Chapter 896: The Yang n''s Reparations</h4>


    Humanity was more or less a joke with regards to the Void Cup.


    The humans participated in the Void Cup year after year and returned home as losers time after time. The sudden upheaval caused by Zhang Lie and Team Zenith, who became champions in the year of their participation, ended the humans'' shame.


    It was after that point that humans were no longer considered weaklings among the races of the Milky Way. At this point, they were among the hundred strongest races of the gxy.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had brought fame and renown to humans throughout the Milky Way, and their achievements had even been used for instructional manuals for budding hunters.


    Team Zenith''s victory was a boon to all humans¡ªsave for the Yang n.


    When the members of the Yang n saw Yang Ze''s smiling face appear on screen, the elders and n head''s faces all turned green with envy and regret.


    Everyone in the Milky Way learned of the Yang n, who had thrown a talented hunter out of their n, and who Zhang Lie fostered into a burgeoning genius.


    Yang Ze was a rising star, but he wasn''t affiliated with the Yang n. The other great ns of Mars had made fun of the Yang n head for this incident, and the more Yang Ze''s fame grew, the worse the Yang n''s reputation became.


    Yang Ze''s name had first made waves during the Void Cup, and those waves had only grownrger since.


    After the Void Cup was the founding of the kingdom of Limit. Although Zhang Lie''s name was far more widely known, Yang Ze was someone that hunters all over the Milky Way would recognize¡ªand whenever someone brought up Yang Ze, people would mention the Yang n, who had discarded a veritable genius.


    The Yang n head thought that he had grown ustomed to being joked about at his expense, but when Yang Ze once again appeared before him, the Yang n head felt so bitter a taste in his mouth that he couldn''t seem to force any words out.


    The hero that stood before them was meant to belong to the Yang n¡ªand yet hisck of foresight had caused him to sever ties with Yang Ze!


    The Yang n head briefly contemted dying. If he could turn back time, he would surely kill his past self, who had tried to push Yang Ze away. Yang Ze was a member of the Yang n; he should have been one from the beginning!


    The Yang n had continued to make attempts to contact Yang Ze, hoping that he would agree to return to the n, but their offers had beenpletely ignored. Even now, despite Yang Ze being within sight of the Yang n head, Yang Ze had refused to look directly at him.


    One n head who hadn''t participated in ostracizing Yang Ze didn''t know what the other n heads did. His eyes lit up when he heard about the connection between Yang Ze and the Yang n. "n Head Yang, it''s great news that Yang Ze''s one of us! Could you ask him about what''s going on with the titan-ss shuttle?"


    Some of the Yang n members nodded. "Right, n Head, would you ask if we can board the shuttle?"


    One of the Yang elders also requested, "n Head, please see if Yang Ze''s willing to send us away from Mars. If nothing else, we''re rted by blood¡ªhe might do us this one favor!"


    "Yes, n Head! Blood is thicker than water, isn''t it? We might have pushed Yang Ze away from the beginning, but he''s stilling back to lend us a hand in our time of need! I''m sure he''d be willing us to offer assistance."


    The Yang n head rubbed his lower jaw, wishing to believe that the other members of the n were right. If not for Yang Ze''s familial connection to Mars, why would he havee?


    The entire gxy knew just how inhospitable Mars was at the moment. It was filled to the brim with bugs, and there didn''t seem to be any help forting. Even those who were willing to lend aid had to consider whether or not they would survive and be able to return¡ªbut while all those on Mars were trying to evacuate, Yang Ze had returned.


    What did that imply? It meant that Yang Ze was still thinking of the Yang n¡ªit meant that he had returned to save them!


    The reason he had refused to entertain anymunication with the n had to be because he didn''t want to lose face. Now that the Yang n was in danger, he couldn''t sit still and do nothing.


    The Yang n head sessfully brainwashed himself into thinking that Yang Ze still cared about the Yang n. His mood brightened immediately.


    He smiled. "Elders, you''re absolutely right. Blood is thicker than water, and there''s no other reason Yang Ze could have returned here."


    "Thank goodness you agree, n Head! Please, ask him if he''d be willing to escort us out of here!"


    The Yang n head nodded. "As long as I make amends to him, I''m sure Yang Ze will be willing to return to the Yang n given our shared blood."


    White mist continued pouring through the battlefield as Yang Ze released his gic energy. By then, the mist had covered up the entire military encampment.


    .


    The Yang n head walked forward confidently, bowing and smiling at Yang Ze. "Yang Ze, it must have taken you quite some trouble to return here. If you''re willing to return to Mars, does that mean¡ª"


    Yang Ze turned toward him and frowned. "Who are you?"


    Who are you? Who are you? Who are you??Those three words echoed in the Yang n head''s ears. He found it difficult to keep groveling at Yang Ze, but he steeled himself and continued,


    "I know you bear the n and me ill will because of how I treated you in the past, but I did what I did for the good of the n! Won''t you forgive me on ount of the blood that runs through our veins?"


    Yang Ze nced at the Yang n head coldly. Even if Yang Ze had entertained the notion of returning to the Yang n, he would have lost any intention of doing so after hearing the Yang n head''s words.


    Ostracizing and harming Yang Ze ''for the good of the n''? That was just an excuse¡ªand he wanted Yang Ze to forgive him and the n just because they shared the same blood? What kind of reason was that to warrant unconditional forgiveness?


    The Yang n head continued, "We were wrong. I was mistaken, and it''s only to be expected that you would hold a grudge against us¡ªbut if there''s anyone you''re going to hate, hate me. I''m the n head, and I''m willing to bear all responsibility for what you had to go through. The rest of the n is innocent, however, and it''s very dangerous on Mars at the moment. They need to be brought to safety."


    Yang Ze ignored the droning Yang n head. He had his own duties to contend with, and the overwhelming swarm of bugs before him was enough of a headache already. He had neither the time nor the presence of mind to deal with his estranged family, but just because he ignored the members of the Yang n didn''t mean that they would ignore him back.


    "Yang Ze, what are you thinking? Don''t you see how the n head''s all but begging you? Aren''t you going to respond?"


    "Don''t be so arrogant, will you? We know that you came back to help us out! The n head''s willing to let bygones be bygones. Won''t you forgive him?"


    The members of the Yang n, panicking at the thought of having to deal with these bugs for a moment longer, began to berate and harangue Yang Ze in hopes of pressuring him into sumbing.

 Chapter 897: Six-Star Bug

    <h4>Chapter 897: Six-Star Bug</h4>


    Yang Zeughed. "Innocent, you say?"


    When an avnche urred, no ke of snow was innocent.


    Yang Ze had grown up in the heart of the Yang n, and he had seen how vile and corrupt some of these n-based hunters were. He didn''t want to stay in conversation with them for even a second longer.


    The five-star bug that had been struck by the titan-ss shuttle''ssers was badly wounded and momentarily disoriented, but it recovered after a momentary period of rest.


    Yang Ze ignored the members of the Yang n as he strode forward, but they pulled him back. "Hold on¡ªwe''re not done!"


    "Are you trying to sneak off? Do you still consider yourself a member of the Yang n?"


    "You have to apologize to the n head, and then escort us to the shuttle!"


    Yang Ze frowned. Water-attuned gic energy spread out around him like the tides. He activated [Mirrored Refraction].


    "Scram!"


    Those disciples of the Yang n who were reaching forward to grab ahold of Yang Ze were sent flying as Yang Ze shot forward like a phantom, right in front of the five-star bug.


    The crystalline lotuses that Yang Ze had manifested flew ahead of him and smashed into the five-star bug''s body. Water-attuned gic energy erupted in an explosion and formed bloody craters that pockmarked the bug.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!" In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    "Water?" Those around him thought they heard the crashing of waves. The pale-blue gic energy around Yang Ze''s body reached a crescendo and rose into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. It filled the sky, covering the entire battlefield.


    The five-star bug''s eyes narrowed. Despite its size, it was minutepared to the dragonwhale. With a turn of its body, the dragonwhale crushed the five-star bug underneath it in an explosion of water-attuned gic energy, which caused space to warp as it flooded the battlefield like waves.


    Under Yang Ze''s control, the water-attuned gic energy exploded once more in a burst of white mist. It spread all around the bugs that had been circling the military encampment.


    Yang Ze strode forward and lifted Li Pu''s prone body from the ground. "You''ve worked hard, Marshal Li. Leave the rest to us."


    Li Pu''s expression wasplicated. "You came back?"


    Li Pu recognized Yang Ze¡ªthere were few people on Mars who didn''t. Most had recognized him at first sight, but none had expected that he would show up now to save Mars during its time of need. Li Pu himself could hardly believe that the youth he had sent away from Mars would return bearing such ster des.


    Given the devastating blow Yang Ze had just unleashed, Li Pu was certain that Yang Ze was stronger than he was. Even at peak strength, he wouldn''t have been able to block Yang Ze''s attack. To think Mars had let go of such a promising young talent...


    Yang Ze nodded. "Mars is my homnd, after all. I was forced to leave under rather upsetting conditions¡ªbut it''s still my homnd, and I couldn''t bear to see it be destroyed."


    Li Pu was happy for and proud of Yang Ze, gratified that he was willing to return to Mars despite such danger. Though he was now a powerful hunter in his own right, and he owed Mars nothing, Yang Ze didn''t forget his roots. At the same time, however, Li Pu pitied that Yang Ze, who should have be a dragon that would shake the entirety of the Milky Way, would perish against this endless invasion of space bugs.


    Were he to have enough time to grow, a new star of humanity would have risen up from Mars¡ªbut Yang Ze would be dragged down by his homnd instead.


    Li Pu didn''t want Yang Ze to suffer such a fate, so he simultaneously regretted and was relieved that Yang Ze had shown up. Hisplicated emotions merged together into a long sigh. "You shouldn''t have returned..."


    A huge wave of bugs was approaching from the horizon, a ck swarm that threatened to engulf earth and sky.


    "If you''re talking about these bugs, there''s not much to worry about." With a wave of his hand, Yang Ze manifested a horde of sharks from within the mist, which shed against the invading bugs. The bugs formed a ck tide; Yang Ze countered with a barricade of blue sharks.


    The two sides met and began to tear each other apart. Pale-blue sharks exploded into puffs of mist even as they tore the bugs apart in a battle of attrition. The sharks won out. They were made of gic energy, and it didn''t matter even if they were hurt or destroyed. They exploded into mist when destroyed, but could easily reform from the white fog that had filled the battlefield.


    This was a scenario that no one had expected¡ªthat Yang Ze would somehow be able to counter the bugs'' greatest advantage, their seemingly endless numbers. Yang Ze, standing alone in the center of the fog that shrouded the battlefield, turned the tide of the battle.


    Everyone present gulped. Yang Ze was a hunter barely out of his youth, but he was already able to hold back a whole invasion force''s worth of bugs. At that moment, he looked like a god of war, in full control of the battlefield.


    The Yang n head clutched at his heart. Such a martial god should have belonged to the Yang n, but in a fit of lunacy, he had chased Yang Ze out of his homnd and damaged their rtionship irrevocably.


    The Martian soldiers nced toward Yang Ze with awe and respect.


    Yang Ze had been releasing white fog all this time, forming a huge sea of fog, in preparation for this defense. In order to counter the endless swarm of bugs, he had toe up with an equally insurmountable horde of sharks, a process that required huge quantities of gic energy and time.


    Yang Ze was very pleased with the results.


    Li Pu was momentarily shocked before he released a long sigh. "What a pity. If you hade just a few days earlier, we would have been able to supply you with enough firepower to fend off this invasion, but by now, it''s toote."


    Yang Ze smiled. "Not toote, I should think."


    The soldiers walked up to Yang Ze and helped him support Li Pu.


    Li Pu shook his head. "Did you think that I was referring to dealing with all the bugs in one fell swoop,bining the forces of the Martian military, the Martian ns, and your own strength?"


    "Isn''t that what you meant, Marshal?" That question came not from Yang Ze, but the soldiers helping to support Li Pu.


    Li Puughed harshly. "You underestimate the bugs. A few days ago, they had yet to devour the resources of the, but now..."


    The entire battlefield began to shake. A huge sinkhole appeared in the ground, as though the earth itself was trying to swallow everything up. The hunters present felt a huge suction that pulled everything in¡ªthe sharks, the mist, the bugs. The ground began to copse in on itself as a huge existence appeared from underground, the shape and size of a pitch-ck skyscraper...

 Chapter 898: The Reinforcements Have Arrived

    <h4>Chapter 898: The Reinforcements Have Arrived</h4>


    Li Pu exined, "When I saw the second five-star bug, I understood that the bugs had begun to evolve much faster than predicted. The fact that there were two five-star bugs present on the battlefield implied that there had to be a six-star bug somewhere, too."


    The huge six-star bug rose into the sky and widened its maw at the titan-ss shuttle, as though it were about to consume it whole.


    The hunters present at the scene were so shaken by the appearance of the monstrous bug that they had frozen stiff, but Yang Ze remained calm. "Marshal Li, I believe you''re mistaken about something."


    Li Pu nced at Yang Ze in confusion.


    "I didn''te alone, you see." Yang Ze raised his head and looked toward the sky, where a shout could be heard from a distance.


    A huge gale began to blow as a storm of gic energy filled the air, destroying any airborne bugs. The skies suddenly darkened as a fish the size of a giant whale manifested above the ground.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him.


    The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, swamping the six-star bug that was the size of a skyscraper and knocking it down.


    The waves burst apart, filling the air with ripple after ripple of gic energy. A storm of water-attuned gic energy flooded the battlefield, smothering the fog, smashing the ground, and utterly annihting the bugs that were crawling all over. Bug shells, ichor, and appendages were sent flying.


    The six-star bug the size of a skyscraper fell to the ground in a heap. Li Pu nced at the scene from afar, his mouth agape. Just who was the hunter that had knocked a six-star bug down with a single punch?


    "Who is that?!"


    Yang Ze''s head dipped in respect. "The leader of the Zenith Dojo, the king of the kingdom of Limit, the champion of the Void Cup, of mankind, and my mentor¡ªZhang Lie."


    Li Pu''s shocked expression didn''t fade. "Zhang Lie!"


    He now understood the source of Yang Ze''s confidence. With Zhang Lie himself participating in the fight, this invasion of bugs was hardly a problem at all.


    Yang Ze continued proudly, "I also work with a group of excellent hunters."


    Earth-shaking sounds came from all over the encampment.


    In the east, storm and lightning took to the air. A dragon of wind and tiger of thunder manifested in the skies.


    To the northeast, golden radiance illuminated the skies, and a golden rain fell to the ground.


    In the north, a brilliant white light scorched the air.


    To the west, with a surge of vitality, a patch of forest grew out of nothing.


    In the southwest, purple mes formed a bonfire that dyed the skies purple. Huge meteors fell from the skies.


    To the south, a ck sun and silver moon rose into the heavens. In the southeast, paired des of white and ck shot toward the ground.


    Li Pu was shocked by the manifestations that had appeared all over the encampment.


    "These are..."


    Yang Ze smiled. "Mypanions, my team."


    Tears suddenly fell from Marshal Li Pu''s face.


    Yang Ze''s arrival had brought him hope. He knew that the bugs were far more difficult to deal with than they seemed, but as Yang Ze quelled more and more of his fears, Li Pu finally allowed himself to dream of salvation.


    At the height of his despair, Li Pu believed that the entire gxy had forsaken Mars. Only now could he recognize that the opposite was true. He hadn''t cried even in the face of death, even against a five-star bug¡ªbut now, the moment he believed that salvation was truly here, Li Pu cried.


    Yang Ze smiled sadly. Li Pu had had to shoulder too heavy a burden, one so heavy no one else could imagine its weight. He hadn''t had a chance to rest since the start of the invasion¡ªthere were always more bugs to ughter, more battles to win, more troops tomand.


    As the explosions rang out through the air, the swarm of bugs was forced to retreat. They fell back to avoid the ughter.


    The six-star bug slowly crawled back up. Zhang Lie''s blow had heavily wounded the bug instead of killing it entirely¡ªbut the first thing the bug did was try to flee.


    Yang Ze strode forward. "Rest well, Marshal. Leave this six-star bug to me."


    Each step that Yang Ze took summoned crystalline lotuses around him. A horde of sharks appeared to his back.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Horde]!" As Yang Ze unsheathed his de, the water-attuned gic energy around him shot forward in a flood. The sharks followed the current toward the six-star bug, and the crystalline lotuses exploded on contact with its body.


    Green ichor sttered the ground as a chain of explosions wrecked the six-star bug''s body.


    The pale-blue sharks ganged up on the prone bug and tore at its exoskeleton and the flesh beneath. They hindered its movement, slowing it down as Yang Ze''s de traced an arc through the air.


    "[Argent Mirror]!" Yang Ze''s sword swung down. A huge crack extended down the six-star bug''s body from head to tail, less a sword strike than a crack splitting the surface of a mirror.


    The crack propagated, and with the sound of shattered ss, the humongous six-star bug''s body fell apart.


    This was a brand-new technique that Yang Ze had intuited with [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision] as the basis.


    Once the six-star bug was killed and the other bugs retreated, the titan-ss shuttle began tond. Zhang Lie jumped down from the shuttle as Yang Ze stepped forward and asked, "Are all the bugs in space dealt with?"


    The shuttle had been beset by a swarm of bugs while heading toward Mars. Zhang Lie had leapt out of the shuttle and ughtered a path through them.


    He shrugged. "There were too many of them, and I couldn''t kill them all before they ran off. I was a little worried about you, so I had the shuttle head here first."


    Zhang Lie had arrived just in time to prevent the six-star bug from attacking the titan-ss shuttle. At the same time, the teleportation array on the shuttle shed. Countless disciples of the Zenith Dojo surged forth toward Mars...

 Chapter 899: To the Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 899: To the Battlefield</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng stepped forward with a smile. "We''ve finished installing the teleportation apparatus. Three hundred thousand disciples of the Zenith Dojo are making their way over now!"


    While Yang Ze defended the military encampment from the bugs, the other members of Team Zenith and Hong Xi''s four-hunter group had different tasks. Some were responsible for attacking the other bug nests scattered all over Mars, forcing the bugs to retreat, while others installed the teleportation apparatus in a secure and easily defensible location.


    This was the solution that Zhang Lie had proposed to deal with the situation on Mars. If they were to solely defend, it would only give the bugs more time and opportunity to grow; they would have to go on the offensive as well.


    Zhang Lie decided that an elite group of forces would attack the bug nests directly to seize the initiative in this war. They would simultaneously drive the bugs back while more reinforcements arrived from Earth.


    This strategy proved particrly effective, and the Zenith Dojo was able to help the besieged Martian soldiers regain much-needed control.


    Many of the Zenith Dojo''s disciples were smiling gleefully, clearly having bagged quite a number of bugs and points during the defense.


    Zhang Liemanded, "Yang Ze, you''re from Mars. Work together with Zhang Hong to ensure that the Martian civilians return to the encampment¡ªthis is the safest ce they could be at the moment."


    Li Pu walked up to them with the help of a few soldiers. "You must be the dojo leader of the Zenith Dojo, the king of Limit, Zhang Lie. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your assistance."


    Li Pu was about to lower his head and bow when Zhang Lie stopped him. "Marshal Li, you''re far more of a hero to Mars than I am. You''ve been fighting at the forefront ever since the start of the invasion."


    Li Pu chuckled dryly. "I only did my duty, and I didn''t even manage to do it well."


    "No, hardly!" Zhang Lie replied. "To be frank, you shouldn''t be thanking me¡ªI''m here because of Martial Sage Hong Tianqi and Yang Ze. If Yang Ze hadn''t expressed his intention to head to Mars, I wouldn''t havee myself¡ªand if Martial Sage Hong Tianqi hadn''t enlisted the help of the Zenith Dojo, I wouldn''t have brought my ?disciples along."


    Li Pu nodded. "I understand, but I still wish to thank you. The fact that you were willing toe at all despite the grave danger that you and your disciples would face is worthy of respect."


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Li Pu continued, "Are the youths behind you all from the Zenith Dojo, then? Reinforcements from Earth?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied in the affirmative.


    Li Pu lowered his head in gratitude. "I can''t thank you enough."


    No one had looked favorably on the situation on Mars, and no reinforcements were forting. The fact that Zhang Lie had brought so many disciples of the Zenith Dojo over in Mars'' time of greatest need spoke for itself.


    "Marshal Li, please rest. We''ll handle the rest," Zhang Lie suggested. "Right, I have a special restorative I brought back from the third realm. It may help with your wounds."


    Zhang Lie handed over the newest potion that the Yeluo chieftain had researched.


    Zhang Lie had made a name for himself in the Milky Way not just because he had won the Void Cup or founded the kingdom of Limit. Everyone knew that Zhang Lie had been the creator of the limit-breaking potions that had taken the gxy by storm. Even leading herbalists and potioneers within the Milky Way wouldn''t dare im to know more than Zhang Lie did.


    Li Pu therefore knew that anything Zhang Lie handed out had to be worth its weight in gold.


    Of course, what he couldn''t have guessed was that this potion wasn''t developed by Zhang Lie himself, but rather the Yeluo tribe.


    Li Pu downed the potion in one gulp. As though he had consumed liquid vitality, his entire body seemed to teem with life. His wounds began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    He gasped in amazement. "This is an incredible potion! If I had taken it before fighting with the five-star bug and worsening my injuries, I would have been at full strength..."


    Unfortunately, the wounds that he had subsequently amassed would take some more time to heal.


    Li Pu asked with some embarrassment, "Dojo Leader Zhang, do you have more such potions?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Marshal Li, it''ll take a while for your body to handle the stress that this healing potion ces on it. If you drink another one too quickly, the healing might even backfire."


    What Zhang Lie couldn''t say was that Zhou Ying''s cells had gone into that healing potion. If too many such cells flooded into Li Pu''s body, his body would innately reject them all, and he might undergo a monstrous transformation.


    "Ah, my apologies. I don''t mean to consume it myself¡ªit''s for my wounded soldiers."


    Zhang Lie understood Li Pu''s intent, but he shook his head. "I apologize, Marshal Li, but we haven''t begun mass production of these potions."?Your soldiers would benefit from them, but how about my Zenith Dojo''s disciples?


    Although he did have a stockpile of these restorative potions, he preferred to save it for the disciples of the Zenith Dojo. No one would mind having more of such a miraculous restorative, after all.


    Zhang Lie even handed each disciple of the Zenith Dojo one vial of the highest-grade restorative; the other potions were all from the older batches that the Yeluo had produced.


    Conveniently, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had arge stockpile of potions from those older batches, which could now be used immediately.


    Li Pu sighed. "What a pity, but it''s only to be expected. How could healing potions of such strength be mass-produced? I apologize for making a presumptuous request, Dojo Leader Zhang."


    Zhou Ying stepped forward then. "Marshal Li, there''s no need to worry about your injured soldiers. I''ll be able to handle them."


    "You? But¡ª" Li Pu was confused as to Zhou Ying''s suggestion until Zhou Ying sprung into action.


    An outburst of green light shielded Zhou Ying. Her hair grew long enough to reach her legs, turning into a green the color of sparkling jade. She looked so beautiful that everyone was immediately enraptured.


    The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. With a snap of her fingers, a wave of vitality spread out from her in a ring.


    The soldiers in the vicinity found their wounds healing rapidly. In awe, they turned to Zhou Ying, the splitting image of a goddess of nature. Someone shouted, "A goddess, a goddess!"


    "Right, a goddess!"


    The Martian civilians began to kneel toward Zhou Ying.


    "A goddess herself has descended on Mars."


    "Please, goddess, save us all!"


    The Martian civilians had despaired for days after the start of the bug invasion. None had been able to save them¡ªneither the strength of hunters or technology. As a result, they clung to whatever brought them hope, and they were perfectly willing to venerate Zhou Ying as a goddess if she could bring them salvation.


    Yang Ze stepped forward. "Zhou Ying''s no goddess, but it''s true that we''vee to save you all!"

 Chapter 900: An Ethical Dilemma

    <h4>Chapter 900: An Ethical Dilemma</h4>


    Zhang Lie likewise stepped forward to address the citizens of Mars. "We''re from the Zenith Dojo, here as reinforcements."


    The Yang n head emerged from the crowd. "It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dojo Leader Zhang. I''m the n head of the Yang n of Mars."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "I know of you, I believe."


    The Yang n head''s eyes brightened. "A great honor for me that such an esteemed personage like you would know me, Dojo Leader Zhang."


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "To be specific, I know of you because of the incident with Yang Ze on Mars."


    The Yang n head''s face turned ashen. If Zhang Lie knew of him because of Yang Ze, that surely wasn''t a good sign. He hadn''t expected that forcing Yang Ze out of the n and Mars would cause such a devastating chain reaction. If he could rewind time to that fateful moment, he would have done everything in his power to allow Yang Ze to remain.


    The Yang n head smiled in embarrassment. "I believe there must be some misunderstanding between us..."


    Zhang Lie nced at his transceiver and said brusquely, "My time is precious. I''ll give you a minute, nothing more."


    The Yang n head hastily cut to the chase. "Dojo Leader Zhang, would you be willing to escort us away from Mars with that titan-ss shuttle of yours?"


    The other n heads and members of the Yang n all nodded.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Before we exterminate the bugs, no one will be leaving Mars.


    "What right do you have to restrict our freedom?"


    "Even if you saved us, how can you force us to remain here?"


    "We can leave whenever we''d like! You have no authority over us, and you''re not even a Martian yourself. Even Marshal Li didn''t stop us!"


    The hunters of the Martian ns began to push back against Zhang Lie''s statement immediately. They had already finished preparations to leave; they simply wanted to see if they could gain an extra degree of safety with the help of Zhang Lie and the titan-ss shuttle hemanded.


    The Yang n head narrowed his eyes, and his expression turned icy. "We Martians believe in personal freedom. You might be strong enough to fend off the bug invasion yourself, but you have no right to restrict our departure!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "If you won''t heed my warning, then so be it. If you want to die trying to leave Mars, I certainly won''t stop you."


    The Yang n head frowned. "Dojo Leader Zhang, what do you mean?"


    Zhang Lie nced at his transceiver. "Time''s up. I need to discuss ns for the invasion with my disciples and Marshal Li. If you want to leave, feel free."


    The Martian n heads all stood forward in an attempt to block Zhang Lie''s path. The Yang n head shouted, "Dojo Leader Zhang, please rify things before you leave!"


    The Gu n head added, "Don''t leave before you make things clear!"


    "Hoh? Do you really think you can stop me?"


    A burst of gic energy erupted from Zhang Lie, causing the n heads to stagger back. They felt as though they were trying to contain not a person, but rather a gctic cruiser.


    Gic energy billowed from Zhang Lie like waves. The n heads felt as though they were about to be struck by a tsunami. A howling gale shook their bodies; none of them could stand straight. They copsed to the ground, and Zhang Lie walked out from the mess.


    Zhou Ying was kind-hearted enough that she told them all what was going on. If these n heads were to leave with their ns, all of them would be food for the space bugs that had surrounded Mars.


    "There are huge swarms of bugs surrounding Mars. Our captain only cleared away a portion of them, so if you were to leave Mars on your own..."


    All the n heads immediately grew rmed.


    The Yang n head immediately scrambled up from the ground and chased after Zhang Lie. He stumbled and fell as Zhang Lie turned around.


    "What''s the matter, n Head Yang? Don''t prostrate yourself in front of me¡ªI can hardly im such reverence."


    The Yang n head got back up. Without even pausing to clean himself up, he bowed his head deeply. "Dojo Leader Zhang, you underestimate your strength. I apologize for not heeding your advice earlier."


    If nothing else, the Yang n head was at least willing to drop his pride and arrogance in times of need. He continued, "Given how strong you and the Zenith Dojo are, you can surely escort us from Mars!"


    The other n heads immediately followed the Yang n head''s example.


    "Right, the Zenith Dojo surely can do it!"


    "If they were able to enter Mars, they should be able to leave Mars as well."


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, please escort us to safety!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You''re all correct. If I wanted to leave, I certainly could. The bugs all around Mars wouldn''t be able to stop me, and I could escort a group of people out as well¡ª"


    The Yang n head bowed down again in gratitude.


    Zhang Lie snorted. "¡ªbut why should I?"


    The Yang n head froze.


    The Gu n head stood by the Yang n head''s side, bowing down to Zhang Lie himself. "There are over a million civilians in the military encampment."


    The Yang n head understood what the Gu n head was up to. He lowered his head and echoed his rival''s words, "Your decision will impact a million lives on Mars, Dojo Leader Zhang."


    The Gu and Yang n heads were appealing to Zhang Lie on ethical and humanitarian grounds¡ªa matter of life-threatening urgency, a quest to save millions, a need to help the less fortunate. It was only ethical, only moral, for Zhang Lie to help out those in need, even if it came at his own expense. Wasn''t that so?


    Zhang Lie smiled coldly. "You may be right."


    The Yang and Gu n heads gave each other knowing smiles before Zhang Lie continued, "But what of the hundreds of millions of lives still on Mars? Do you expect me to save one person and leave ny-nine behind?"

 Chapter 901: The Origin of the Space Bugs

    <h4>Chapter 901: The Origin of the Space Bugs</h4>


    The Gu n head cried out, "You''re going to give up on us, the millions of lives right in front of you?"


    The Yang n head added, "You''ll be able to save us right away¡ªbut who knows about the rest of the civilians here on Mars? Can you really save them all?"


    In sync, the Gu n head continued, "And if you can''t even save those of us gathered here, how will you save the rest of the?"


    Yang Ze, who had folded his arms and was watching the scene y out from the side,mented idly, "Don''t their words really get your heart pumping?"


    Sun Mengmeng passed around some roasted seeds. "Would anyone like any?"


    "Ah, thank you." Yang Ze epted her offer gratefully.


    Li Feng crunched on some seeds. "If not for what happened with Yang Ze, I might even have believed their words, too¡­ but now, I wish I''d let them try to flee Mars and be eaten by all the bugs!"


    Yang Ze nibbled on some snacks that Hong Xi had provided. "Haha, it really isn''t obvious, is it? That''s probably why they managed to remain in power for so long."


    Zhou Yingmented, "Their speeches are powerful. It''s clear that they''re experienced at this."


    Hong Xi asked, "Is anyone recording?"


    Sun Xiaowu raised his hand. "I am!"


    Zhang Lie was speechless. He shot them a re¡ªwhat''re you all doing there, watching the show? Aren''t you going toe help me?


    The members of Team Zenith all pumped their fists as they cheered Zhang Lie on. They were confident that Zhang Lie would be able to deal with the issue himself¡ªthese n heads were nothingpared to him.


    The Yang n head requested, "Why don''t you send us away beforeing back here?"


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Do you understand what you''re saying at all? If we leave Mars, the bugs will continue to terrorize it. We came over from Earth in order to rescue Mars¡ªall of Mars, not a few pushy people on it! Once we leave, who''s going to hold the bugs back? You?" Zhang Lie pointed at the Yang and Gu n heads.


    "Or you?" Zhang Lie turned to the other n heads, who were standing farther back.


    None of the n heads responded. They looked away and pretended that they couldn''t hear Zhang Lie.


    "Drop this matter now. Anyone who brings it up will be court-martialed!" Zhang Lie turned around and marched off, quickly followed by everyone else from Team Zenith.


    Next, Zhang Lie tasked everyone with a few responsibilities. "Zhang Hong and Hong Xi, you''ll work together with the Martian military to arrange lodgings for the disciples of the Zenith Dojo. Furthermore, distribute some of the food and resources on the titan-ss shuttle to the civilians in need."


    "Fang Yi, you, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen will guard the shuttle. If anyone tries to take it over, I''m sure you know what to do."


    "They''ll die before they can get on board." His gaze filled with killing intent, Fang Yi stared at the various n heads, ? causing them all to flinch.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The rest of you disciples, clean up and scout around the encampment."


    Hong Xiao asked, "Master, what about the prizes?"


    "I''ll leave you in charge of the reward distribution. Tally up how many bugs everyone has killed, then have the disciples pick up their rewards from you."


    Hong Xiao nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Everyone else in Team Zenith, you''ll apany me to speak with Marshal Li."


    They found Li Pu in the infirmary, but were stopped by the guards outside. "The marshal is resting."


    .


    Within the infirmary, however, Li Pu called out, "Let them enter! They''re heroes of Mars, and I could hardly make them wait."


    Zhang Lie walked in with the members of Team Zenith and saw Li Pu lying in bed. Even though he had consumed the upgraded Yeluo restorative, it was no miracle potion. Li Pu still had to rest in order for his body to heal.


    "I apologize for disrupting your rest," Zhang Lie began.


    "There''s no need. I know you wouldn''t havee for no reason. If our positions were reversed, I would have done the same. Furthermore, without all of you around, I wouldn''t even have an opportunity to rest. I''m thankful enough that you didn''t storm my guards," Li Pu joked, but his words didn''t have the desired effect. His time in the military had given him a stern and aloof demeanor, and the way his face contorted could barely be identified as a smile.


    Zhang Lieughed awkwardly.


    Li Pu continued, "The situation on Mars is still worsening, and I can''t continue to rest much longer."


    "We''ve identified a dozen or so bug nests in the vicinity, and they''ve been cleared by the disciples of the Zenith Dojo. The remaining bug forces around the encampment won''t be a threat, but I''d like to know about what''s going on beyond the encampment."


    "Thank you for your hard work. If you hadn''t arrived, we soldiers wouldn''t have been able to hold out¡ªI truly can''t thank you enough. Now, the rest of Mars... You''ve probably seen it from your shuttle, but the rest of Mars is doing rather poorly.


    "The fact that I was here in this encampment already makes it among the more fortunate, and I don''t know how many other encampments have managed to survive the bug invasion, nor how many civilians are still living in fear of the bugs."


    Yang Ze summarized Li Pu''s words crisply, "In other words, the situation on Mars is terrible and worsening by the day, and you don''t know just how bad it is."


    Li Pu began to cough so violently it felt as though he were about to cough his lungs out. "As you know, I was so overwhelmed with defending this encampment that I didn''t have time to worry about the others. We should be able tomunicate with the other encampments, however, so that might be worth a try."


    Zhang Lie raised a hand. "Yang Ze, you''re being too rude! Marshal Li''s a hero of Mars. Before he gasps hisst breath, you have to show himmensurate respect!"


    Li Pu red at Zhang Lie, whoughed. "It''s a joke, Marshal Li. Do you happen to know where all these bugs came from?"


    Li Pu countered, "Have you found a clue as to their provenance?"


    "No, Marshal. I had no clue, and I was hoping you did."


    The origin of these space bugs was mysterious, and no one had ever identified from whence they came. Theirrvae were affixed to meteorites. When these meteorites crashed into a, thervae would quickly reproduce and evolve, devouring all the resources that it contained.


    Li Pu sighed. "Eachrva is only the size of a thumb, so they''re fiendishly difficult to detect. By the time we learn of a bug invasion, they''ve already grown into a massive horde. It''s unbelievable how quickly they can reproduce.


    "They don''t seem like natural biological lifeforms, and there were schrs who proposed that they represented a weapon of biological warfare developed by some race or another. However, none of the races of the Milky Way have the capability for such extensive bioengineering, not even the four prime races."


    1. You''d think these Martians could just leave through the teleportation apparatus that the members of Team Zenith just set up¡­

 Chapter 902: A Recruitment Offer

    <h4>Chapter 902: A Recruitment Offer</h4>


    Yang Ze had studied up on these space bugs before the trip to Mars, and he was ready to show off his knowledge. "Other schrs suggest that they''re from an alien race in an undiscovered part of the universe, sent as an invading force against us¡ªand others even think that these bugs came from the future, in an attempt to destroy the present!


    "All sorts of hypotheses about the source of these bugs have been floated around, but none have ever been verified. These bugs seemed to have suddenly appeared from outer space without ever having left since."


    Li Pu turned to Zhang Lie. "Dojo Leader Zhang, what''s your n for handling these bugs?"


    "Without dealing with the queen, we can''t eradicate the bugs once and for all. I intend to leave Sun Mengmeng behind to guard the encampment while the members of Team Zenith and part of the disciples of the Zenith Dojo head out to kill the bug queen."


    Li Pu sighed. "This is a historic moment for Mars, but I can''t be part of it. It''s a pity that I won''t be able to apany you."


    .


    Zhang Lieughed. "Better for you to remain here and maintain control over the encampment, Marshal Li. Without your presence here, the military may not be able to maintain control.


    Even so, Li Pu was regretful that he wouldn''t be able to observe the defeat of the bug queen himself.


    "Rest well, Marshal Li," Zhang Lie said.


    Li Pu suddenly looked up at Yang Ze. "Yang Ze, I''d like to have a chat with you to pass the time. Would you entertain my request?"


    "Weren''t you going to rest, Marshal Li?" Yang Ze knew what Li Pu would try to convince him of during this chat, so he wanted to push it off as long as he could. "I''m rather apologetic about having disturbed your rest just now, Marshal, and I would hate to take up more of your time."


    Li Pu sighed. "After being wounded, it feels like no one values my presence. Even offering to chat with a junior got me rejected..."


    Yang Ze could hardly refuse Li Pu after hearing this. He sighed and agreed to the chat. "Very well, Marshal Li."


    "Yang Ze, have a good chat with Marshal Li. The rest of us will prepare to set off." Zhang Lie tossed Yang Ze to the wolves, then shut the door behind him.


    Yang Ze sat down by Li Pu''s side. "What did you want to talk about, Marshal Li?"


    Li Pu replied, "You''re stronger than I am, and you''re more famous in the Milky Way. Even when the bugs are gone, Mars will need a guardian."


    Yang Ze smiled. "But what about you, Marshal Li?"


    Li Pu sighed. "You can tell the difference in our strength, can''t you? What sort of guardian am I if I can''t even protect Mars?"


    Yang Ze was able to defeat even a six-star bug, whereas Li Pu wouldn''t even be able to run away from it in time."


    Yang Ze rified, "Are you asking me to return to Mars, Marshal Li?"


    Li Pu''s eyes filled with hope. "When a disaster broke out on Mars, you thought to return immediately, and you even brought the rest of your dojo with you. I know you''ve had a falling out with the Yang n, but it''s clear that you still hold Mars in your heart. After this disaster, I hope you''ll remain on Mars and consolidate a base of power here."


    Yang Ze had clearly demonstrated his strength in battle, and Li Pu was certain he still had a lot of untapped potential. He couldn''t believe that the youth who had left Mars woulde back so much stronger in so short a period of time.


    Yang Ze shook his head. "Marshal Li, as you know, I''m affiliated with the Zenith Dojo."


    "You can both be part of the dojo and remain on Mars, surely? Your dojo leader''s an understanding and rational man. If you make this request, he won''t refuse you."


    Yang Ze shook his head again. "I apologize, Marshal Li, but the only reason I''ve made it this far, the only reason I''m this strong, is because of Zhang Lie..."


    Li Pu raised his hands and cut Yang Ze off. "No, no, don''t refuse my offer right away, will you? Think about it. Perhaps it might unlock new doors for you. You can''t remain in the Zenith Dojo forever, and the Milky Way''s arge ce. Do you really not want an opportunity to leave the dojo and set off on your own?"


    Yang Ze replied with some embarrassment, "Well... I''m so busy running around with my captain all day fighting and training that I haven''t thought about my future."


    Li Pu replied, "In that case, why not take some time to think about it? If you''re willing to remain on Mars, I''d be willing to hand off my position to you right away, no questions asked. As a native of Mars who made a name for yourself during the Void Cup, you''re a source of pride for many a Martian. I don''t think anyone would reject your appointment as the next marshal."


    Yang Ze sucked in a deep breath. Offering his position as a marshal of Mars... Li Pu really was serious. If Yang Ze epted, he would have considerable control over the Martian military from the outset.


    There were multiple such marshals, but each of them boasted incredible authority and power.


    Yang Ze was tempted, very much so. Just like how young girls dreamt of bing princesses, young boys grew up aspiring to be spacefarers and hunters.


    If Li Pu were to transfer his position to Yang Ze, Yang Ze would be a marshal of Mars immediately. He could simultaneously be a marshal and also part of the Zenith Dojo. In fact, he would even be able to open a branch of the Zenith Dojo on Mars.


    He could be the dojo leader of that branch, or have Zhang Lie send a manager over¡ªand as the name of the Zenith Dojo spread far and wide, all those on Mars would be able to receive the training and privilege that came with such a position. Wouldn''t bing a marshal of Mars be a good choice?


    Just then, however, he suddenly thought of the Yang n head''s vile face, and all his ns of remaining in Mars evaporated.


    "I''m sorry, but I''ll have to refuse."


    Li Pu was shocked. "Can I ask why?" These werevish conditions that no other recruit could have received. Even so, was Yang Ze going to refuse?


    "I thank you for your offer, Marshal Li. I''ve always dreamt of being in your position since my childhood, but Zhang Lie has shown me howrge the universe truly ispared to Mars."


    Li Pu didn''t know how to respond to Yang Ze''s words¡ªhe had barely considered the possibility that Yang Ze would refuse. Furthermore, he could tell that Yang Ze''s refusal was genuine and heartfelt, that he really did find Mars too small and constraining for the likes of him.


    Yang Ze knew that he couldn''t leave. The war in the third realm wasn''t yet over, and he wasn''t about to ditch his team halfway through. The reason Zhang Lie had put the invasion on hold was to help support him, and if Yang Ze were to leave Team Zenith the moment a good offer came to him, he didn''t deserve to be a member of Team Zenith.


    If he were a regr disciple of the Zenith Dojo, he might have considered the offer more seriously, but as a member of Team Zenith, it was clearly a disadvantageous offer.


    Yang Ze deeply believed that he could grow far faster as a member of Team Zenith than as a marshal of Mars. Within a few years, he had grown from a talentless youth to a hunter at the peak of the third realm, and all his sess could be attributed to Team Zenith, to his mentor and friend, Zhang Lie...

 Chapter 903: A Family Drama

    <h4>Chapter 903: A Family Drama</h4>


    Yang Ze had made up his mind, and Li Pu knew that it would be difficult to change it. "What a pity that Mars couldn''t secure a talent like you¡­ Honestly, from the very beginning, I should have beaten the n leaders into submission. If you ever change your mind, let me know. As long as I''m a marshal of Mars, I''ll be willing to uphold the offer I made to you."


    "Thank you, Marshal. I won''t disrupt your rest any further, then." Yang Ze bowed, then left the infirmary. He saw Zhang Lie waiting outside for him.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are you done?"


    Yang Ze nodded.


    Zhang Lie met his gaze. "If you want to leave, I won''t stop you. Make the choice that works best for you."


    "Thank you." Yang Ze headed off to make preparations for the bug invasion, only to find his path blocked by members of the Yang n once again.


    The Yang n head was rather ashen-faced, and the other members of the Yang n all had tattered clothes and bruises all over.


    Yang Ze frowned. "What''s going on?"


    The Yang n head knelt down on the ground, followed suit by the rest of the Yang n.


    Yang Ze''s frown deepened. "What are you up to now?"


    The Yang n head pped himself harshly on his cheek. "Yang Ze, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have forced you out of the n on the basis of mere rumor. I was mistaken!"


    Yang Zeughed dryly. "Are you trying these tricks again? Do you think you can rope me back into the n like this?"


    The Yang n head cried out, "No, of course not! It''s all my fault. If you''re angry at the n, hit me, scold me, kill me, even! But please, save those disciples of the Yang n behind me. Among them are your cousins and even your brothers¡ªthey''re all innocent, and they all have a future waiting ahead of them. Please, don''t let them die here."


    Yang Ze frowned. "Now that the Zenith Dojo is here, Mars has the ability to deal with the bug invasion. Stay put in the encampment and don''t try anything, and you''ll all survive."


    "I was wrong to have let you go. Never could I have expected that you would have such sess, Yang Ze, and I regret my decision more with each and every moment that passes." The Yang n head was close to tears.


    Yang Ze was indifferent to the Yang n head''s show of regret and guilt. Impatiently, he asked, "Just what do you want? I don''t have time to deal with the likes of you. Stop wasting my time!"


    The Yang n head crawled forward and tugged on the leg of Yang Ze''s pants. "Yang Ze, please return to the Yang n. Give me an opportunity to make up for my mistakes!"


    Yang Ze''s frown deepened again. So this was what the Yang n head had been nning.


    The Yang n head continued, "Please give me a chance."


    Yang Ze''s lips formed a thin smile. "n Head Yang, just what sort of rtion do we share?"


    "We''re blood rtives!" the Yang n head cried out.


    "We share the same blood, but we might as well be strangers. If not for the limit-breaking potions that my captain engineered, you wouldn''t even remember my name, would you? You have to take responsibility for what you did, and some choices can''t be redeemed even with a lifetime''s worth of regrets. I won''t return to the Yang n, not now, not ever. If not for the fact that I''ve grown used to my name, I wouldn''t even mind changing it."


    Yang Ze extricated himself from the Yang n head''s prying grasp, then marched off quickly. He didn''t want to listen to another word of nonsense from the Yang n head''s mouth.


    "Not even a sliver of a chance?" the Yang n head pleaded.


    "No. You owe me nothing. I owe you nothing."


    "But your blood¡ª"


    "Silence!" Yang Ze cut off the trembling Yang n head. "Would you like me to undergo a blood transfusion, then? Give all your Yang n blood back to you? I''ll submit to that if only to sever all ties with you. Given my current status, it won''t be a difficult feat."


    "No, I don''t mean it that way, Yang Ze!"


    "No? Good. Everything I have now came from Zhang Lie''s benevolence¡ª and even before that, I had to fight for any belonging I wanted. My blood is my mother''s. There''s nothing I need repay the Yang n."


    The Yang n head tried onest tactic. "The Zenith Dojo doesn''t belong to you, Yang Ze! Won''t you prefer your family legacy? If you''re willing to return to the Yang n, you''ll be the next ?Yang n head!"


    Yang Ze whirled back around and nced at the husky-like members of the Yang n, who were still kneeling on the ground. "I''m doing very well in the Zenith Dojo, thank you¡ªthousands of times better than in the Yang n."


    He stalked off into the distance. As the members of the Yang n nced at Yang Ze''s back, they barely checked their malice, anger, and... envy.


    No one else in the Yang n would dare to speak to the Yang n head in this fashion, and all would jump at the opportunity to be the next n head. And yet Yang Zepletely resisted that temptation¡ªhe really did already have something better.


    The Yang n head stood up and shouted hoarsely, in anger, "Leave, then! But even if you leave, don''t forget that Yang blood still flows in your veins!"


    Yang Ze called back without turning around, "You must be mistaken. Don''t forget that I''m no longer a member of the Yang n¡ªyou said so yourself."


    Yang Ze vanished from sight, his head held high.


    "Y-You!" The Yang n head clutched his chest. In his anger and shame, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    The members of the Yang n all mbered up to help support the Yang n head.


    "n Head!"


    "n Head, what''s the matter?"


    "Are you ill or wounded, n Head?"


    "Yang Ze made the n head so mad he spat out blood..."


    The Yang n head pointed in the direction in which Yang Ze had departed, his voice hoarse, his hand quivering in mid-air. "He would have belonged to the Yang n; the honor of the Void Cup would have been shared by the Yang n! The kingdom of Limit would have harbored the Yang n..."


    A moment''s folly had cost the Yang n a hunter who surpassed even the marshals of Mars.


    A moment''s folly had cost the Yang n a genius.


    A moment''s folly had cost the Yang n the chance to take over Mars.


    The Yang n head, whose head was filled with such thoughts, spat out another mouthful of blood and fainted.


    Yang Ze smiled as he left the scene, his steps light. He ignored themotion that had urred behind him¡ªbut the moment he turned the corner, his smile crumpled. "What are all of you doing here?!"


    The members of Team Zenith stared back at him with grins on their faces.


    The members of Team Zenith had just watched Zhang Lie worm his way out of a sticky situation; Yang Ze was the next victim.


    Yang Ze asked, "Were none of you guys going to help me out? Are we truly teammates? Is this all our camaraderie was worth? And to think that I proimed my undying loyalty to the Zenith Dojo! Is this all my faith and dedication is worth?!"


    Li Fengughed at Yang Ze''s antics. "Our captain called me over to watch the show," he imed, selling Zhang Lie out.


    "I passed by, and Zhang Lie gged me over," Sun Mengmeng reported, selling Zhang Lie out for a second time.


    "Captain mentioned that there was a family drama taking ce," Zhou Ying said, chewing on some snacks.


    "My sister brought me over," Sun Xiaowu dered. He nced at his hands in astonishment.


    "My goodness, when did all these recording devices appear? I certainly am not responsible for them, and we never discussed that we''d upload this footage of the invasion of Mars to the hunters'' forums!" Sun Xiaowu hastily stowed his equipment in his soulspace as Yang Ze watched on in growing astonishment.

 Chapter 904: Bug Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 904: Bug Evolution</h4>


    "Fang Yi, weren''t you and the others going to guard the shuttle?" Yang Ze didn''t know whether tough or cry at the interest the other members of Team Zenith were showing in his family drama. "How''s the shuttle? Are you neglecting your duties?"


    "Ah, Captain..."


    Fang Yi turned to Zhang Lie, only to be met with a death stare. "I only left for a bit! Nothing could have gone wrong in that time, surely? We''re not robots, after all, and we need to rest as well. The shuttle has its own defenses, so even if something were to go wrong, we''d be able to head there in time."


    Yang Ze folded his arms yfully. "I must say, you sound quite uncertain. Should you really be asking me this?"


    Fang Yi, Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Hong Xi all sighed.


    Yang Ze turned to Zhang Lie. "Captain, why did you call everyone here?"


    "Ah, I was simply curious about what was going on. This is private n business, and I would hardly feelfortable stepping in!" He sped his hands behind his back and continued seriously, "At any rate, our preparations areplete. We can set off now!"


    Yang Ze blinked, as did the other members of Team Zenith. "Our preparations areplete?"


    Zhang Lie coughed. "Ah, I mean, we have toplete our preparations quickly!"


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight, having teleported away.


    Deep in the underground caverns of Mars, countless bugs were crawling on the walls of the cavern. The ground was littered with all sorts of bug parts.


    In the center of the cavern was a cocoon of unimaginable size, which was thumping like a heart. Capiries appeared over the surface of the cocoon, as though something was gestating within.


    The cocoon glowed with faint light, which grew brighter and brighter with every passing moment. The bugs surrounding it began to move with every pulse of light, as though it were some sort ofmand center that was controlling the bugs'' motion.


    A crack appeared on the carapace of one of the bugs. Subsequently, a pitch-ck arm, one as hard as steel, cracked the carapace from within. The arm was still sticky with fluid.


    The figure widened the crack in the carapace, then emerged from within it as though the carapace had been an egg. It boasted a solid, sturdy humanoid body.


    If anyone had witnessed this scene, the entirety of the Milky Way would have been abuzz. Never had a humanoid bug made an appearance in the universe.


    After the first humanoid bug appeared, the carapaces of the surrounding bugs also began to crack. More and more humanoid bugs emerged as the cocoon itself began to crack. From within the crack, one could see an existence of unparalleled strength, almost fully developed...


    Zhang Lie exined, "ording to our scouts, the bugs are surprisingly intelligent. After this defeat, they understand that there have been reinforcements sent from outside Mars. They''re already starting to consolidate their forces and focus them on specific fronts.


    "As though they were nning to settle everything with a big fight..." Yang Ze murmured.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Not them, us."


    Yang Ze immediately understood what Zhang Lie meant. "The bugs understand that we''re here to ughter them, so they''re responding in kind."


    Zhou Ying frowned. "I believe there''s one more possibility."


    Everyone had learned as much as they could about these bugs in their downtime here. Yang Ze asked, "Do you mean that they''re about to evolve?"


    Fang Yi frowned. "Surely not? We''ve only been here for a day and won a single battle. Would that be enough to prompt such rapid evolution?"


    A rapid evolution had been reported as an emergency measure taken by the bugs in times of crisis. If they were about to suffer defeat, they would pool all their resources together to create a few particrly strong superbugs to counter a force that would otherwise have annihted the entire invasion force.


    Zhou Ying shrugged. "We killed two five-star bugs and even a six-star bug. I expect that the bugs have re-evaluated the danger of this and are taking measures ordingly."


    Each race had a path toward strength. These space bugs, who were invaders that were a blight on the universe, naturally had one of the best such paths: evolution.


    Unlike gic lifeforms, these space bugs only needed to consume enough matter from other lifeforms and umte strength within their body. Once that strength exceeded a certain threshold, evolution would ur. In other words, they were basically stealing the best genes from the creatures they devoured, and were, in some sense, simr to the hunters of the Milky Way.


    The difference was that the bugs were able to manifest the physical characteristics of the prey they devoured. For instance, if they were to hunt down a pack of scorpions, they would be able to grow a poisonous stinger from their backs. If they were to consume a flock of birds, their bones would grow lighter, and they could develop wings. After hunting down a variety of prey, these bugs would essentially turn into chimeras.


    If not for the fact that they would have to reach higher and higher energy thresholds to evolve, these bugs could grow stronger indefinitely¡ªand that limitation was essentially immaterial. Their frightening digestive systems meant that they were able to replenish their energy by consuming just about anything.


    Even more astonishingly, the bugs essentially had a telepathicwork and evolution database set up. When a given bug evolved into a two-star bug, its genes and evolution would be documented and uploaded into the database, which could subsequently be downloaded and emted at will by other bugs in the vicinity.


    As a result, the appearance of a two-star bug frequently heralded a huge swarm of them.


    The only restriction to this sort of unbridled growth was the need for energy. This was why these space bugs invaded every they coulde across.


    In some sense, they were like yers in a game. The mobs they hunted down were converted into experience and equipment, and once they reached certain level thresholds, they could evolve. Some of these yers would post walkthroughs and strategy guides on the relevant game forums to be copied by others, thereby producing a huge wave of high-leveled yers.


    Zhou Ying exined, "I''ve just read a report that analyzed the conditions under which these bugs can evolve. Allegedly, these bugs have a highly developed system for predicting danger. There were quite a few case studies documented in the report of such evolution urring more frequently than expected, not just when their opponents were too strong for them."


    This sort of evolution was a response against danger. When the bugs were forced to confront a strong foe, they would consolidate their strength in just a few superbugs.


    The lower-tier bugs would willingly give up their bodies as nutrition and energy for higher-tier bugs, who were then able to choose the best evolutionary oue from the database that they hadpiled.


    Subsequently, a mass evolution would ur.


    "If a given''s strength is far higher than the bugs had originally predicted or could ount for, they will also evolve in order to take care of such threats."


    The members of Team Zenith were listening to Zhou Ying attentively.


    Zhang Lie summarized, "Our appearance on Mars has catalyzed these bugs'' growth, then."

 Chapter 905: Against the Space Bugs

    <h4>Chapter 905: Against the Space Bugs</h4>


    The space bugs'' ability to evolve to deal with a stronger threat was so difficult to deal with that only a rare few hunters would be willing to counter a bug invasion.


    Yang Ze sighed. "The most troublesome aspect about all this is that, during the evolution process, arge number of mutated bugs or even a bug monarch will appear."


    Zhou Ying added, "ording to the reports I perused, these bugs may even make use of the evolution process to selectively breed a bug monarch."


    "A bug monarch? To lead the bugs in times of trouble, is that it?" Zhang Lie thought out loud.


    None of the members of Team Zenith were able to confirm this guess. The hunters of the Milky Way had tried to study this species in earnest, but there was still much that was unknown about these bugs.


    Li Feng''s outlook was more optimistic. "We don''t know for certain that these bugs are evolving, do we?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "I can feel a lifeform of unparalleled strength gestating. It''s in some sort of stasis at the moment, but once it bes active... It''s already giving off a terrible stench to my senses, and we''re heading straight toward it."


    The hunters fell silent. Among the hunters present, Zhou Ying was surely the authority on such matters.


    The shuttle flew toward where the bugs were most concentrated. Because the bugs had fallen back after their disastrous defeat, the skies were no longer covered with dense clouds of bugs.


    The shuttle shot forth without encountering any resistance. It quickly entered the bugs'' territory. The hunters could see that thend that the bugs had imed was now devoid of all life¡ªall that was left behind was barren ground and a few bloodstained rocks.


    Upon witnessing this sight, Zhang Lie swore that he would destroy the bugs here¡ªhe couldn''t let such devastation strike Earth.


    Eventually, they finally reached the bugs'' nest, an ink-green, bulbous structure shot through with narrow tunnels, like a piece of moldy cotton. Merely looking at the nest made the hunters nauseous.


    As the shuttle approached the nest, a titanic swarm of bugs appeared from within. Land and sky was dyed ck by their arrival.


    "Disciples of the Zenith Dojo, prepare forbat!"


    A high-energyser shot out from the shuttle, scattering the bugs and clearing a patch of sky. The beam was so wide that even the bugs on the ground were annihted, leaving a path straight toward the nest. Countless bugs were burning from having been incidentally struck by the beam, both in the sky and on the ground.


    The members of Team Zenith were standing by the head of the shuttle. Zhang Lie stood at the front, followed by the other five hunters of Team Zenith, and then Hong Xi''s four-hunter party.


    "We attack!" Zhang Lie waved a hand as all the hunters manifested their weapons.


    "I''ll go first!" Fang Yi jumped down from the shuttle, a spear in his arms. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward once more, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. Huge swathes of bugs were cleared out from the vicinity.


    Waves suddenly appeared in the sky, shimmering like a mirage. Spatial fluctuations rippled as Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction]. Dozens of crystalline lotuses surrounded him, all of which he had been manifesting during the flight over. Even while engaged in conversation about these bugs with the rest of Team Zenith, Yang Ze hadn''t stopped creating more of these lotuses with his gic energy.


    "Take this!" Two dozen lotuses were swept forth by the tides of gic energy. They burst apart in mid-air like bombs.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!" Pale-blue sharks appeared in the sky, consuming all the bugs they came across. Yang Ze allowed one shark to carry him through the sky. Whenever any bugs drew near, the crystalline lotuses surrounding him would explode into a ball of mist as shards of ice fell toward the battlefield.


    Sun Xiaowu leaped high into the air as gold-attuned gic energy radiated from him like a second sun. "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    All the bugs in the vicinity were shot down by the feathers, both in the sky and on the ground. Sun Xiaowu was the splitting image of a radiant sun.


    "Hey, watch it, Sun Xiaowu!" Li Feng scowled as he defended against Sun Xiaowu''s feathers. A blinding pir of white shot out of his body,peting with Sun Xiaowu''s golden light in terms of brilliance. Half the sky was gold, and the other half silver.


    As a dragon roared in the air, Li Feng cried out, "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons that dive-bombed the battlefield.


    Zhou Ying stood at the front of the shuttle, her hair blowing in the wind. Vitality surrounded her, so concentrated it manifested as a green barrier. Her hair had turned the color of sparkling jade, and she was so beautiful no one could look away.


    As motes of green light surrounded her, she took two bounding steps forward and leapt off the shuttle, her hands extended.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    Giant vines broke through the earth, and dragons of wood appeared over the battlefield.


    Their bodies were made of thick bark, and they were surrounded with jade-green leaves. As Zhou Ying fell from the sky, the wooden dragons reached out to support her. Zhou Yingnded atop the head of one dragon and surveyed the battlefield from her vantage point.


    As Zhou Ying pointed forward, the wooden dragons surged forth in a tide, crushing any bugs in their way. The fierce wooden dragons easily overwhelmed the bugs.


    The hunters of Team Zenith were able to block the bugs'' advance and simultaneously tear an opening in their defense.


    Hong Xiao cried out, "Sister, it''s our turn next!"


    Beneath the Hong siblings'' feet appeared white moonlight; to their backs appeared ck suns.


    Hong Xi activated all herbat-oriented soulshards. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right. Behind her, multicolored light red.


    The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air, devastating all the bugs ahead of her.


    Hong Xiao charged forward in a silver breeze. The two siblings strode into the battlefield with hard-earned coordination.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were determined to make a strong showing themselves.


    Wind and storm buffeted Jun Jiuxiao''s body as [Wind''s Spirit] propelled him forward. [Floating Clouds] allowed him to teleport between patches of bugs, each of which he cleanly sliced in half.


    As Ye Xianchen made her move, the skies turned dark. Darkness descended on thend as her gic energy manifested in the shape of demons, which barreled forward and wed apart everything in their path. Ye Xianchen''s hands morphed into twin ws, raking apart the bugs in the sky.


    Zhang Lie was very satisfied with the hunters'' performance. Although there was still much they could improve, they clearly had a good grasp of the basics.


    As the cabin doors opened up, the members of the Zenith Dojounched themselves from the titan-ss shuttle.

 Chapter 906: Humanoid Bugs

    <h4>Chapter 906: Humanoid Bugs</h4>


    "We''re going in, boys!"


    "I''ll kill a hundred bugs by myself¡ªdon''t snatch my kills!"


    "Bugs, this day will be a nightmare for you all! Learn who your opponents are¡ªthe disciples of the Zenith Dojo!"


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo fell from the sky and charged forward inbat against the space bugs.


    The members of Team Zenith led the charge at the forefront.


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie felt an overwhelming aura. He looked toward the depths of the bug nest, from which a million unusual bugs had emerged.


    Their ck carapaces were bright and shiny, with the metallic luster of steel. Muscles bulged over their bodies. They strode upright on two legs as they walked toward the disciples of the Zenith Dojo. Their two-meter-tall bodies were so sculpted that they looked like bodybuilders at their prime.


    "Humanoid bugs...?" The disciples of the Zenith Dojo and even Zhang Lie himself were taken aback.


    The bugs took on the racial characteristics of the species they devoured¡ªand the most populous and developed species on Mars was, without a doubt, the humans. After all, human hunters were able to enter the dimensional realm and obtain strength by means of gene fragments.


    Because of the unusual nature of human genes, the bugs had never been able to reproduce human characteristics faithfully, and none had ever appeared before. However, the bugs that had just appeared before them all had clearly done the unimaginable.


    Humanoid bugs had appeared on Mars¡ªthe bugs had sessfully secured human characteristics.


    Many schrs who studied these space bugs had hypotheses and predictions about when the bugs would be able to manifest the characteristics of the hunters of the Milky way, who were able to enter the dimensional realm, but they hadrgely been ignored, their research neglected. Now, however, their theories and hypotheses seemed to have finally borne fruit.


    This was terrible news.


    If the bugs were able to obtain gene fragments by killing Milky Way hunters, they would be able to ascend and evolve rapidly without ever having stepped foot in the dimensional realm.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened in rm. None of the bugs could be allowed to leave Mars¡ªall of them would have to be exterminated.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo had alsoe to that realization. If these bugs weren''t destroyed to the veryst, the sr system and the Milky Way atrge would fall into an unprecedented crisis, one on a gctic level.


    Some of the disciples of the Zenith Dojo charged forward, not realizing their recklessness.


    "Stop!" Fang Yimanded.


    The humanoid bugs punched forward with their fists. The air boomed like a p of thunder, and a cavity formed in the ground.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo who had led the charge fell into the ground. Although these humanoid bugs didn''t look particrlyrge or dangerous, they were each at least at the level of six-star bugs.


    The other disciples of the Zenith Dojo reared back in shock, unable to believe that these bugs could be so strong.


    The humanoid bugs leapt forward, tracing ck arcs in the air, as theynded in front of the disciples of the Zenith Dojo.


    One bug grabbed a disciple by the head and squeezed. His head pulped like a watermelon.


    The disciples around him froze in fear.


    Another bug bisected a disciple''s body horizontally. Blood fountained out; the lower half of the disciple''s body stumbled, then fell to the ground.


    The overeager disciples scrambled to flee, but it was already toote.


    Despite the humanoid bugs'' bulky muscles, they moved astonishingly quickly, catching up to the fleeing disciples in the blink of an eye. As they reached out for the hunters, a strong breeze blew by. Lightning shed in the air as Fang Yi appeared before the humanoid bugs.


    The humanoid bugs nced down at their chests in shock. Where their pectoral muscles had once been, there was now arge hole so deep they could see whaty to their other side.


    The humanoid bugs were fast, but there were hunters who were faster. As lightning shed, Fang Yi''s spear unerringly pierced the chests of all the humanoid bugs around¡ªbut despite what would be a life-threatening injury to a human, the bugs seemed unruffled. They kicked at Fang Yi.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Thebination of the dragon and the tiger tore apart all the bugs within range.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!" Behind him, gic energy exploded forth from Yang Ze''s body. In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. It surged forward, squashing the humanoid bugs with its bulk as it fell to the ground. The water-attuned gic energy that made up its body exploded in the form of tides, swallowing the humanoid bugs up.


    The dragonwhale made such a massivemotion on the battlefield that it caught everyone''s attention. The disciples of the Zenith Dojo, who were running away in panic, quickly calmed down under the realization that their side boasted equally strong firepower.


    Yang Zemanded, "Hong Xi, Hong Xiao, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen, you''ll lead the disciples of the Zenith Dojo forward against these bugs. Zhou Ying, you''ll be responsible for healing and support. Everyone else, charge forward with me!"


    Li Feng and Sun Xiaowu shot forward.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body...

 Chapter 907: Burgeoning Killing Intent

    <h4>Chapter 907: Burgeoning Killing Intent</h4>


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched a humanoid bug, sending it flying like a bullet. Its trajectory caused it to smash into a few of its kind, but its momentum didn''t seem to dissipate.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. They criss-crossed in mid-air and attacked the humanoid bugs.


    The golden and silver hunters strode onto the battlefield, their backs to each other.


    Hong Xi shouted to the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, "Form five-man parties! Seniors, guide your juniors! Quick, the enemies aren''t going to wait for us!"


    The hunters of the Zenith Dojo immediately moved into action. The more experienced hunters, who had participated inrge-scale battles in the second and third realms, quickly helped guide the junior hunters into appropriate formations.


    Yang Ze transformed the water-attuned gic energy expelled from the dragonwhale into a mist that covered the entire battlefield. Hordes of sharks condensed in the air, biting at the humanoid bugs.


    However, the humanoid bugs were far stronger than any of the bugs that came before them, and they were able to destroy each shark with just a single punch.


    Yang Ze continued manifesting them out of the mist. Though the bugs were able to destroy them quickly, it cost him barely any energy to replenish their numbers.


    The experienced hunters of the Zenith Dojo knew how to fight efficiently. Although they might not be a match for the bugs in a one-on-one battle, they were easily able to suppress a bug with five or six hunters working in tandem.


    Hong Xi and Hong Xiao''s presence supported the entire battlefield. They activated [Eclipse] at full strength, sapping away the humanoid bugs'' reserves of energy.


    With a feathered fan in her left hand and a longsword in her right, with white moonlight by her feet and ck sunlight by her back, Hong Xi manifested [Syzygy]. Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air. Her sword traced a brilliant arc,unching crescent des at her foes.


    Strengthened by his sister, Hong Xiaounched a devastating blow that swept away a whole swathe of humanoid bugs. "[Heaven-Splitting de]!"


    Wind and storm wrapped around Jun Jiuxiao, condensing on his de. The silvery-white de glowed resplendently. It tore apart the heavens, cutting apart even space itself and leaving a thin line of void behind. More and more humanoid bugs died.


    "[Darkbane ws]!" ck smoke surrounded Ye Xianchen, covering up the battlefield like Yang Ze''s white mist. ck ws spawned from the smoke, tearing apart one bug after another.


    Motes of vitality surrounded Zhou Ying. As she stretched out a palm, a clean breeze swept over the battlefield, and a wave of vitality surged toward the wounded. Their wounds healed at a rate visible to the naked eye, raising the hunters'' morale and steadily providing support to the disciples of the Zenith Dojo.


    With Zhou Ying present, the disciples didn''t have to worry too much about getting injured. As long as they didn''t perish from their wounds, Zhou Ying would be able to heal them quickly.


    Zhang Lie nodded from his vantage point at the head of the shuttle, satisfied by what he saw.


    The reason he hadn''t struck was because he didn''t want the disciples of the Zenith Dojo to be flowers carefully cultivated in a greenhouse, always shielded by stronger hunters from the front. Their trip to Mars was meant as a learning experience and a trial for the disciples involved.


    The hunters of the Zenith Dojo responded effectively and efficiently, and it was clear that their training had paid off. Even so, Zhang Lie frowned as he looked toward the bug nest, where six humanoids had just appeared.


    These humanoids were evenrger than the ones already present on the battlefield. They were three meters tall, and the muscles on their bodies went even beyond what a bodybuilder could handle.


    "Mutated bugs?"


    As Zhou Yinh had hypothesized, the bugs had already undergone a rapid evolution to counter the threat known as the Zenith Dojo. These mutated bugs were at least half a star stronger than their ordinary counterparts.


    "Seven-star bugs, then..." Zhang Lie murmured to himself.


    Even with the appearance of these bugs, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to step in. They were strong opponents, but he trusted in the strength of Team Zenith.


    The mutated bugs moved with a speed that by their size. They vanished from sight; in the blink of an eye, they appeared before the members of Team Zenith. It was only expected that the members of Team Zenith would be their targets¡ªthey were the ones who were most grantly destroying the bnce of the battlefield.


    One appeared before Fang Yi, punching forward with a fist. Fang Yi blocked with his spear, but the humanoid bug was so strong that Fang Yi was pushed back, his feet forming long furrows in the ground.


    The humanoid bug drew closer and punched forward once more.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky. He thrust his spear forward, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions.


    Astoundingly, the mutated bug managed to catch the tip of Fang Yi''s spear with its bare hands, forcibly stopping the attack.


    Although the bug was only gripping the spearhead with one palm, Fang Yi felt as though he were trying to crack a diamond with his spear. It waspletely stuck in ce; he couldn''t move it at all.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" As he infused gic energy into his spear, wind and storm began to wrap around it. Thebination of the elements generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, allowing Fang Yi to forcibly free his spear from the humanoid bug''s grip.


    The humanoid bug whirled around and sent its arm flying horizontally in an arc around itself.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" Fang Yi drew back with his movement technique, turning illusory for a mere moment.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a howling gale manifested around him.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth.


    The mutated bug held its palms up. The next moment, Fang Yi was shocked stiff.


    Even Zhang Lie, watching the battle y out from his vantage point, was so surprised that he turned pale.


    The mutated bugs had activated some form of gic energy, a sticky, ink-green fluid that looked somehow wrong, a disgrace to physical reality.


    .


    The killing intent in Zhang Lie''s gaze deepened.


    Fang Yi''s spear, imbued with the power of wind and storm, shed against the mutated bugs'' palms brimming with gic energy. The resulting explosion blew apart the disciples and bugs in the vicinity, leaving just a single hunter and bug shing against one another.


    The spear didn''t pierce through the palms, but neither did the palms manage to quell the wind and storm powering the spear. The twobatants drew apart.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body, then pushed Fang Yi back as though it were a rocket thruster.

 Chapter 908: Unexpected Powers

    <h4>Chapter 908: Unexpected Powers</h4>


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques.


    The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time. The wind, the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, the humanoid bugs¡ªeverything had frozen.


    The only one who could move in this world of gray was Fang Yi. The spear prated through the humanoid bug''s chest before the gray receded. Time began to move again.


    "It''s toote to be learning how to use gic energy now, don''t you think?" Fang Yi smiled coldly.


    It was arrogant beyond belief for the bugs really thought they could use something they had just picked up to defeat the humans, who had been cultivating gic energy for centuries.


    Fang Yi was already able to break the confines of time with gic energy; could the bugs, who were simply emting humans, do any better than the original thing?


    Although Fang Yi''s long spear pierced the mutated bug''s chest, the bug didn''t die. It suddenly reached out, gripped Fang Yi''s spear, and sent a punch straight toward his face.


    Beside him, Yang Ze was also being attacked by a mutated bug. The mutated bug careened toward the ground like a meteor, expelling all mist in the vicinity, exploding all sharks, and leaving a huge crater in the ground.


    "As expected, these bugs aren''t so easy to take down¡­ [The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!"


    Waves suddenly appeared in the sky, shimmering like a mirage. Spatial fluctuations rippled as Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction].


    The mutated bug punched forward, exploding yet another horde of sharks.


    Behind those sharks, Yang Ze was ready. He shot forward, [Mirrored Refraction] hiding his true location. By the time the mutated bug noticed him, it was already toote. Yang Ze''s de shed across its throat and sent golden-yellow ichor flying through the air.


    Yang Ze flicked his de to clean it of the vile fluid. "Is this all you''ve got?"


    Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him. A ck figure stood to his back, having appeared there out of nowhere. It was standing there silently, as though waiting for a signal.


    Despite what seemed to be a life-threatening injury, the mutated bug whose throat Yang Ze had shed appeared not to care about its injuries. Even as ichor fountained out of the wound, the bug remained expressionless.


    A few disciples from the Zenith Dojo noticed what was behind Yang Ze. "Be careful!" they yelled, but it was already toote.


    The bug behind Yang Ze pped its palms together right where Yang Ze''s head was, making a wet squelch like a watermelon being crushed.


    Liquid covered the mutated bug''s palms as its face fell ck. A sword had pierced through its chest. Yang Ze was standing behind the bug. "As I said, you''re all just inferior copies of us."


    Yang Ze certainly had no intention of being careless on this battlefield. The body whose head the mutated bug had crushed was none other than one of his illusions.


    The mutated bug suddenly kicked at its back as Yang Ze hurriedly stepped back. Because of the intensity of the bug''s motions, the wound on its neck widened. Half its head hung off its neck, connected by only ayer of skin. The mutated bug lifted up its head, put it in proper position, and then applied ayer of gic energy to seal the wound.


    Yang Ze frowned. "What ridiculous vitality for you not to die even with such a wound. Are you a zombie or a cockroach?"


    Answering his own question, Yang Ze surmised, "As a bug, you have to be a cockroach, I suppose. On Earth, the cockroaches in the south are far more threatening than in the north. Not only are they about the size of your palm, they can even fly. It looks like the cockroaches on Mars are even more annoying to deal with!"


    The mutated bug rushed forward like a rocket, cocking its arm and throwing a punch at Yang Ze. Yang Ze didn''t dodge. He allowed the fist tond on his face¡ªbut it thrust through it without any resistance instead.


    "Do you bugs just have enhanced physical strength? Is that it?"


    Even though his head should have been ttened by the bug''s fist, Yang Ze continued to talk as though he had sustained no injuries at all.


    The mutated bug looked at its own chest once more. Yang Ze''s sword had prated it again, sending a steady stream of ichor leaking from the wound.


    Based on physical strength alone, these mutated bugs were stronger than even a third-realm hunter with maxed out gene fragments. They would be at warlord-level simply based on their physical strength.


    The hunters of Team Zenith, who had maxed disaster gene fragments from the second realm and limit fragments besides, nheless found themselves unable topete with the mutated bugs in terms of physical capabilities¡ªand this was despite the fact that they were physically stronger than just about any warlord in the third realm.


    Only Zhang Lie could beat the mutated bugs in a contest of brute strength.


    "Even so, physical strength is only one dimension of strength. If you''recking any understanding of space and time, you''re nothing more than a baby."


    Fights in the third realm were determined by such abstract concepts more than with physical strength alone, and Yang Ze had gained a deeper understanding of space after having fought with so many kings of the realm.


    "Half the warlords on the warlord leaderboard would be able to defeat you easily, even with your grossly superior physical abilities." Yang Ze''s de cut a long sh through the mutated bug''s chest with another spray of ichor.


    Rather than tending to its injuries, the mutated bug punched forward again and again. Its impressive physical abilities made its flurry of punches seem like a ck storm, the impact of which shattered the ground and sent boulders flying through the air.


    Even so, no matter the force with which the bug punched forward, Yang Ze was like a reflection in a mirror¡ªimmune to the bug''s attacks.


    "Remember the name of my technique: [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision]." Yang Ze bisected the mutated bug with a sh to its waist. Subsequently, he bisected its body again vertically, cutting the bug into four pieces.


    The bug''s quarter-bodies struggled intensely, but they were ultimately unable tobine.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yi was so surprised by the fact that the mutated bug hadn''t perished that he gave up on retrieving his spear and distanced himself from the bug instead.


    The expressionless bug pulled the spear out of its chest and was just about to toss it at Fang Yi when Fang Yi reached forward. The spear vanished from the bug''s hand and returned to Fang Yi.


    The bug looked at its hand a few times and flexed experimentally, not understanding what had just happened.


    .


    Fang Yiughed dryly. "Shocked, aren''t you? This is what we call a soulshard. [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. A thunderstorm raged toward the mutated bug, but it defended against the attack with its thick, sludge-like gic energy.


    Subsequently, with a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand...

 Chapter 909: The Hunters Specialties

    <h4>Chapter 909: The Hunters'' Specialties</h4>


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky. He thrust his spear forward, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. He shed against the mutated bug once more, striking with his spear as the mutated bug defended with its fists. A howling gale surrounded them, and shes of lightning blinded those in the vicinity.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which thrust their spears at the mutated bug. Thebined spear strikes,nding like a burst of rain, finally pierced through the bug''s thickyer of gic armor.


    Fang Yi exploded into action. Wind revolved around his body, and lightning discharged into the air. "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that made his spear look like an electric saw.


    The mutated bug held out two palms brimming with gic energy, preparing to halt the spear''s advance.


    Fang Yi found the bug''s actions ridiculous. Perhaps the mutated bug could have aplished such a feat at full strength based on its offensive capabilities and supported by its unusual form of gic energy, but certainly not when it was injured. The power of wind and storm tore apart its hands, and the chitinous exoskeleton that enclosed its shoulders and body cracked and split.


    The mutated bug failed to stop Fang Yi''s advance. Its body was sent hurling back with the momentum from Fang Yi''s spear.


    Given that it hadn''t died even after its chest had been pierced cleanly through, Fang Yi wasn''t certain if his attack was enough to kill it. When he walked closer, he found to his amazement that the mutated bug was still alive. Its shell had beenpletely cracked, its hands limp and paralyzed.


    The huge corkscrewing hole in its chest was sorge it was a miracle its body hadn''t copsed. Not only that, the bug was still alive, and it was even able to stand up on its own. However, it had lost all itsbat ability.


    Even so, although its life was about to be snuffed out, it refused to stop fighting. War was its life''s purpose¡ªFang Yi understood that much.


    After all, these mutated bugs had been produced in response to an elevated threat that could wipe out the entire bug invasion force. In some sense, it was a pitiful existence, but these bugs could hardly be pitied at all. They were an invasive species that devoured whatevers and lifeforms they came across. If Fang Yi didn''t stop the bug incursion now, his home, Earth, would be the next victim.


    The mutated bug poured the remnants of its gic energy into its palms. It was filled with some strange vitality, an amalgamation of the lifeforce of all manner of lifeforms. It was unable to restore others'' vitality like Zhou Ying, but it demonstrated impressive self-regenerative ability.


    Using its gic energy, the mutated bug was shockingly able to restore its arms to a usable form.


    There was no way the arms could be restored fully. The bug''s hands and arms had been crippled by Fang Yi''s gic energy. Although these bugs didn''t seem to have bones, their very cells had disintegrated. The bug had to continuously prevent the spread of this foreign gic energy to prevent further destruction of its body, and it was shocking that it had restored its arms to the level that it did.


    The next moment, Fang Yi was even more shocked. The punches that the mutated bug threw manifested the power of wind and storm¡ªno, it reproduced the power of wind and storm with its strange brand of gic energy.


    Fang Yi''s eyes widened. "To think this fellow can learn such techniques so easily..."


    The bug wasn''t so foolish as to think it would be able to survive Fang Yi''s attack unharmed; it simply wanted to gain a deeper understanding of Fang Yi''s attack!


    The bug was trying to learn from Fang Yi in battle, even at the cost of its life.


    The mutated bug possessed sufficient defensive ability to block even [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], so there was no reason it couldn''t have done the same to the weaker ability [Heaven''s Judgment]. The reason it hadn''t defended itself and chose instead to face the technique with its bare hands was to understand Fang Yi''s skill on a corporeal level.


    The first time its human opponent injured it, the mutated bug realized how strong it was. The human possessed strength that it didn''t, something that it couldn''tpensate for with physical ability alone.


    To Fang Yi, the technique he had used was no more than one among many. The mutated bug, however, was shocked by what it had observed. Fang Yi hadn''t seemed to move at all¡ªtime had frozen.


    One moment, the bug sensed that Fang Yi was about to attack; the next moment, a spear had pierced through its chest.


    Fang Yi''s ridiculous speed had left a deep impression on the mutated bug, who understood that the hunter before it possessed arcane knowledge it was unaware of, something it couldn''t hope to ovee by pure physical strength alone.


    As a result, the mutated bug decided to take a risk in an attempt to acquire Fang Yi''s power for itself.


    Fang Yi''s eyes glinted with killing intent.


    The fact that these mutated bugs had somehow obtained an ersatz version of humanity''s gic energy, and was even able to learn from its foes, meant that it was an unbelievably threatening foe. Fang Yi had never felt so frightened by a race, not even the sura of the second realm, and he had never felt the need to eradicate all the bugs so keenly.


    Physical strength alone could be countered, but if these bugs had both physical strength and incredible learning aptitude¡­ Fang Yi shook his head. The bugs had to be eradicated at all costs, or they would bleed humanity dry and construct their own civilization atop the corpses of mankind.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth.


    The bug''s replicated technique was only a replica, and an inferior one based on iplete understanding at that. Fang Yi would be able to defeat it easily.


    The bug''s [Heaven''s Judgment] was fully enveloped and consumed by Fang Yi''s version of the attack. It corkscrewed toward the bug''s chest, where it exploded and split the bug''s body into multiple fragments, each crackling with lightning.


    On another part of the battlefield, Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng were facing an onught of bugs. A mutated bug punched at Sun Xiaowu. When the punchesnded, a sound like tolling bells rang out from Sun Xiaowu''s body, and ayer of golden runes appeared on the surface of his skin.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" The golden runes glowed, shining brightly like brands.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward, leaving a cavity in the bug''s chest and sending it flying into the distance...

 Chapter 910: An Arresting Sight

    <h4>Chapter 910: An Arresting Sight</h4>


    The next moment, Sun Xiaowu leaped high into the air as gold-attuned gic energy radiated from him like a second sun.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    The humanoid bug punched all around itself in a flurry in an attempt to defend against the golden feathers. So great were its physical abilities that it actually seeded in surviving the onught.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    The entire battlefield shook. The bug nest in the distance wobbled as though it were about to copse. The attack struck like a nuclear warhead, sending the golden light ring up for thousands of meters, so bright that it felt as though the sun had fallen to the ground.


    The aftershock sent golden beams of light scattering across the battlefield.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo nced at the devastation that Sun Xiaowu had wreaked with no small amount of trepidation and fear. Fortunately, they had retreated in time. If they had been struck by such an attack...


    Only now did they have a good understanding of Team Zenith''s strength. They had never witnessed it for themselves in close quarters. Now, however, after fighting alongside the members of Team Zenith, they understood how strong the members of Team Zenith really were. The aftermath of their attacks was a disaster in its own right.


    If Fang Yi were a human cyclone, then Sun Xiaowu was a walking disaster. It wasn''t that Sun Xiaowu was stronger, but that Fang Yi didn''t dare to use his trump card on the battlefield while any allies were present.


    After all, his trump card didn''t distinguish between allies and enemies.


    Once the golden light had cleared, there was nothing left of the ground but a pit.


    The mutated bug, which had tried in vain to block the attack, had fallen inside. Its carapace was cracked, and it was leaking ichor from all over its body.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many he could field an entire battalion of soldiers by himself. Each clone was simultaneously real and illusory.


    Sun Xiaowu had no intention of stopping just because his opponent was lying at the bottom of a ditch. On the contrary, he wanted to use his strongest attack to finish the battle in one fell swoop.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action.


    They cocked their arms. A golden glow radiated from all their bodies, basking the world in light. Thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    As he swung his fists forward, the golden qilin materialized. It swooped down toward the ground in a golden storm that cracked the ground.


    The pit in the ground widened a hundredfold, and the mutated bug trapped within perished with Sun Xiaowu''s devastatingbination of attacks.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    The mutated bug that was his opponent punched each dragon as it approached, shattering each one within moments. It kicked out with its scythe-like legs.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng dodged the attack, then retaliated with a technique of his own. He summoned hundreds of serpents ring with blinding light, but even those were torn apart by the mutated bug with brute force.


    However, there were over a hundred such serpents, and even the bug wasn''t able to take them all down at once.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" With a shout, Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w.


    While the mutated bug struggled under the onught of the serpents, the w knocked it flying.


    However, the moment the mutated bug touched the ground, it stabilized itself.


    "[Arclight Descension]!" Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. A gigantic light dragon''s head appeared to his back, exhaling white light with every breath. The ground cracked. Instead of retreating, the mutated bug charged forward like a bullet.


    "[Light''s Bulwark]!" Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed toward the mutated bug.


    Ink-green gic energy pooled over the mutated bug''s fist as it punched forward and forcibly dispelled the dragon.


    Upon seeing that the mutated bug had broken through his defense, Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: ?Dragon''s w]!" As Li Feng punched forward, a dragon coiled around his arm. Highly concentrated light-attuned gic energy morphed into a spiked point, much like the incisor of a dragon.


    The mutated bug''s fist, wrapped in ink-green gic energy, shed against Li Feng''s attack.


    Although the mutated bug was able to make use of gic energy, its inexperience clearly showed. It wasn''t able to use gic energy as effectively as even a disciple of the Zenith Dojo, let alone the members of Team Zenith.


    It wasn''t able topensate for itsck of skill with physical ability.


    If physical strength determined everything, the dominant species on Earth wouldn''t be humans, but rather elephants, tigers, lions, or leopards.


    The concentrated light-attuned gic energy pierced through the bug''s fist like a sharp sword.


    The bug remained expressionless, as though it was unable to sense pain, as though it didn''t have a nervous system at all. It kicked forward with its leg, having exchanged its arm for this one opportunity tounch a blow.


    Li Feng stepped backward immediately afterunching the attack. With his light-attuned framework, he was able to skirmish effectively, and there was no need to participate in a melee exchange.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" An arclight dragon appeared behind Li Feng. He punched forward rapidly, each punch morphing into a silver bullet, sending waves of cascading silver light raining down on the battlefield...

 Chapter 911: The Power of Teamwork

    <h4>Chapter 911: The Power of Teamwork</h4>


    The mutated bugs met the hunters'' attacks with their fists. They threw out a flurry of punches, each with so much momentum they seemed like bullets.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    A blinding white glow illuminated the entire battlefield. The ground, stained with fresh blood, waspletely hidden from sight.


    A white dragon emerged from around Li Feng. The mutated bug defended with both hands as Li Feng leapt high into the air and sliced down with a swing of his sword.


    The mutated-grade bug gave up on defense and turned to dodge¡ªsacrificing an arm in the process.


    Li Feng''s huge de sliced down and chopped off one of the mutated bug''s arm.


    The mutated bug had tried to dodge, but the sword of light fell too quickly for even that. With its other arm, the mutated bug punched forward, its fist glowing with ink-green gic energy. It was trying to duplicate Li Feng''s technique, but to do so in front of a master like Li Feng was pure hubris.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: the Stars Descend]!" Light gathered by Li Feng''s de. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, each giving off starry light.


    Each dragon looked like part of a gxy, their hides patterned with the starry sky. Their void-like swipes drained the mutated bug''s attack of its momentum even as the bug continued punching forward with its gic energy, destroying dragon after dragon with its punches. The dragons exploded in a burst of starlight, scalding the mutated bugs and causing their dark yellow ichor to ssh on the ground.


    A group of starlight dragons surged toward the mutated bug, which was torn apart by theirbined assault.


    More mutated bugs, watching the battles unfold from the bug nest, had realized a significant problem with their assault. Why was it that the humanoid bugs were being steamrolled by the hunters of the Zenith Dojo?


    One issue was the existence of a small group of elite forces. The humanoid bugs didn''t have any units like the members of Team Zenith, but this was only a small part of the issue.


    Not only had the mutated bugs identified the main problem, they had evene up with a solution: they had to kill Zhou Ying, who was single-handedly supporting the entire battlefield.


    The humanoid bugs didn''t have a healer like Zhou Ying. They relied on their innate ridiculous vitality and constitution, as well as their own regenerative ability. This would have been superior to what the human hunters possessed¡ªif not for the variable called Zhou Ying. The humanoid bugs'' physical abilities didn''t allow them to dominate as they had nned.


    Zhou Ying''s healing meant that any wounds they dealt would quickly recover. The hunters who were supported by Zhou Ying had an effective constitution no weaker than that of the bugs themselves.


    Some of the mutated bugs tried to attack Zhou Ying, but she was hardly a weakbatant in her own right.


    Huge vines wrapped around Zhou Ying, vines that resembled dragons of wood. They curled around the humanoid bugs who tried tounch attacks at her, but the humanoid bugs were so strong that they were able to rip up those vines with their bare hands.


    Zhou Ying frowned. In order to deal with these bugs, she would have to temporarily stop supporting the disciples of the Zenith Dojo.


    The bugs had incredible regenerative abilities, but the disciples of the Zenith Dojo did not. Her healing couldpse for a moment or two, but if this became a prolonged fight, the disciples of the Zenith Dojo would start to die.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    Thousands of vines emerged from the earth, surrounding the humanoid bugs inyer afteryer of nt matter.


    Before Zhou Ying could rx, however, the vines tore apart from the inside, and the humanoid bugs emerged from their midst.


    Wood dragons flew into the air, but the humanoid bugs'' wings whirred as they deftly avoided the attacks and shot toward Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying snorted. "Do you really think I''m so helpless?" Her entire body began to glow with jade-green vitality. A surge of gic energy filled the battlefield. "If a hundred vines aren''t enough, if a thousand vines aren''t enough, how about ten thousand?!"


    The calm gic energy surrounding Zhou Ying suddenly turned agitated. It spread all over the battlefield, which began to tremble and shake, as though resonating with Zhou Ying''s anger.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Tens of thousands of wood dragons emerged from the ground, covering up the entire battlefield¡ªbut not only had their quantity increased, so had their quality.


    These wood dragons were an order of magnitude more sturdy than thest, and their bark-like skin even shone like lustrous metal.


    The emergence of these ten thousand dragons covered up at least a third of the battlefield. None of the humanoid bugs were able to avoid the attack; the wood dragons trapped them all.


    So numerous were theyers of dragons surrounding each humanoid bug that even they couldn''t break free in one fell swoop. They were trapped and slowly digested by the dragons until they turned into wooden sculptures.


    In a matter of moments, Zhou Ying was surrounded by a verdant forest formed of wood dragons, and the humanoid bugs enclosed within them. Leaves began to grow out of the wood dragons'' flesh.


    The humanoid bugs targeted not only the members of Team Zenith, but also Hong Xi''s four-hunter group that was coordinating the attack.


    For the humanoid bugs to turn the tides, they would have to both deal with the humans'' elite forces as well as themanders of the battle.


    It would take quite some effort to kill the members of Team Zenith, but Hong Xi and the others seemed like much easier targets.


    Hong Xiao was sent flying with a single punch. In rage, Hong Xi tried to retaliate, but her telegraphed attack was easily blocked. If not for Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, who had rushed over, Hong Xi would have sustained a serious injury¡ªor even died on the spot.


    With a feathered fan in her left hand and a longsword in her right, with white moonlight by her feet and ck sunlight by her back, Hong Xi manifested [Syzygy].


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air. Her sword traced a brilliant arc,unching crescent des at her foes.

 Chapter 912: Killing the Mutated Bugs

    <h4>Chapter 912: Killing the Mutated Bugs</h4>


    Hong Xi''s attack was snuffed out by a single punch from a humanoid bug, but Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were there to take advantage of the opening.


    "[Heaven-Splitting de]!" Wind and storm wrapped around Jun Jiuxiao, condensing on his de. The silvery-white de glowed resplendently. It tore apart the heavens, cutting apart even space itself and leaving a thin line of void behind.


    The mutated bug leapt into the air and kicked toward Jun Jiuxiao, who was sent flying. He smashed into the ground, his face bloody.


    "[Darkbane ws]!" ck smoke surrounded Ye Xianchen. Nightmarish ws spawned from the smoke, but generated little more than sparks against the bugs'' steel-like exterior.


    The mutated bug punched the ground, cratering it and dispersing the smoke.


    Hong Xiao rushed back. His sword traced an arc in the air as he shed at the bug''s back, leaving nothing but a faint wound.


    "[Nightmarish Strike]!" Ye Xianchen gripped her daggers tightly. As though a demon were descending on the realm, ck gic energy poured from her and manifested in the form of a fierce demonic head.


    Just as she was about to sh at the bug with her daggers, the mutated bug punched forward. A strong wind swept across the battlefield, dispersing the manifestation and forcing Ye Xianchen to stumble back.


    Hong Xi took her ce, attacking simultaneously with Hong Xiao. The two siblings linked their gic energy andbined them in one devastating blow that caved in the mutated bug''s head and sent ichor spraying out.


    However, the bug seemed to shrug off the impact. It punched forward again, but Hong Xi and Hong Xiao had learned from its antics. Both dodged smoothly, giving Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen an opening to strike.


    They raised their weapons simultaneously, one bright as daylight, the other dark like midnight. Their two shes melded into one, bisecting the mutated bug vertically.


    The four hunters stared at each other in the aftermath of the battle. It was a hard-won victory, and all four hunters were wounded to varying degrees after being struck by the bug.


    A wave of vitality swept over them as their wounds healed. Zhou Ying had finished dealing with her assassins. She smiled and gave Hong Xi''s four-hunter party a thumbs up as she healed them all.


    Hong Xi and the others smiled at her, bowing in thanks.


    Zhang Lie watched the battles y out from his vantage point atop the shuttle. He was pleased with what he had seen.


    Even without the directmand of Hong Xi and the others, without the sustained healing from Zhou Ying, the disciples of the Zenith Dojo managed to hold their own even against the humanoid bugs. They had certainly worked hard to develop their strength.


    "I can''t disappoint everyone else''s hard work, now, can I?" Zhang Lie turned to the bug nest with murderous intent. The space around Zhang Lie trembled as blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms.


    He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    Zhang Lie shouted, "You''ve observed what''s been happening for long enough, don''t you think? It''s time to make your appearance!"


    A howling gale swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the bug nest.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons as they smashed into the bug nest in a flood. A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire battlefield quaked.


    The bug nest exploded upon being struck by the torrent of energy, sending all sorts of bug parts flying into the air.


    The air filled with ripple after ripple of gic energy, which expanded until it covered the entire battlefield. Sea-blue gic energy swept over thebatants like a storm, buffeting both the humanoid bugs and the disciples of the Zenith Dojo. All thebatants staggered, blown off their feet by the blue waves that shook heaven and earth.


    "Is it finallying?" Zhang Lie looked toward the ruin of the bug nest expectantly.


    A figure dashed out of the explosion.


    "I''ve been waiting! [The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The figure that had dashed out of the explosion waved a fist, broke the tide''s advance, and dispelled the manifestation of the shark.


    The figure was of another humanoid bug, but one evenrger than the others that had been revealed to date. It was five meters tall, a veritable giant, and exuded strength from every pore. Feelers grew out of its head, like antlers or even a crown. Its ck, steely skin gave off the luster of metal, and its aura caused all those around it to step back subconsciously.


    "A bug king, then?"


    This bug king had been spying on the battlefield from within the bug nest. Zhang Lie didn''t know what it was nning.


    Zhang Lie had been worried that it would suddenlyunch a sneak attack, and had been keeping an eye on it throughout the heated battle.


    Only after the members of Team Zenith and Hong Xi and the others had dealt with the mutated bugs and the Zenith Dojo had control of the battlefield did Zhang Lie finally expose thergest threat around.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    "It''s well past time you joined those dead mutated bugs, don''t you think?" Zhang Lie clenched his fist tightly. The serpent wrapped around his arm and hissed. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The bug king mirrored Zhang Lie''s punch, dispelling he ck serpent in an explosion of gic energy. The energy sizzled as it touched the bug king''s skin, dissolving even the ck, steel-like material.


    Zhang Lie''s body glowed as he transformed into a russet dragonwolf. Red fur grew out of his skin, and dragon scales covered his limbs. Dragon horns emerged from his forehead, and his aura was immediately magnified.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie morphed into a beam of red light. A howling gale swept past the entire battlefield as all thebatants felt the pressure he gave off.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo craned their heads toward the sky, where this historic battle was taking ce. Their eyes were filled with awe and respect as they tracked the blood-red figure''s every move.


    "The dojo leader will surely win!"


    Zhang Lie''s ws trailed sparks as they left faint wounds on the bug king''s skin, who countered with a punch. Zhang Lie tilted his body and dodged; the punch boomed like thunder to his side.


    Zhang Lie swiped his ws in a flurry, as though he had be a blood-colored twister. The bug king didn''t dodge. Instead, it retaliated with an equally devastating flurry of punches...

 Chapter 913: Appearance of the Bug King

    <h4>Chapter 913: Appearance of the Bug King</h4>


    The blood cyclone and ck storm shed in mid-air, as though two armies were duking each other out for dominion of the battlefield. Neitherbatant relented; the explosion that resulted from the sh turned the t ground of the battlefield uneven.


    The twobatants exchanged hundreds of blows in mere seconds, bolstered by the strength of their constitution.


    The bug king''s ck punches were able to distort space with strength alone.


    Yang Ze watched the fight y out seriously. If he were the one fighting the bug king, none of his tricks or techniques would have any noticeable impact. The bug king''s strength had reached such an incredible level that he was able to distort space with brute force alone.


    Even more astoundingly, despite the fact that the bug king was equipped with a monstrous physique, it was still on the losing end of this fight.


    Even the members of Team Zenith didn''t think that any human could best the humanoid bugs in terms of constitution, but Zhang Lie proved to be a counterexample. He demonstrated that humans could dwarf these mutated bugs in every respect.


    Zhang Lie''s opponent wasn''t a "regr" humanoid bug, if these bugs could even be considered normal at all, but rather their king. The bug king''s constitution had to be a dozen, a hundred times stronger than that of the bugs the hunters had faced themselves.


    The members of Team Zenith didn''t know whichbatant was the more monstrous.


    If not for the bug king''s immensely strong regenerative ability, it would already have been killed by Zhang Lie.


    A ck serpent swooped toward the bug king, only to be crushed by the bug king''s grip. An explosion of dark-red gic energy swept over the bug king as the serpent exploded, but the bug king protected itself with its own ink-green gic energy.


    The bug king''s gic energy was such a dark green that it was all but ck. If the humanoid bugs'' gic energy was a potpourri of those of the lifeforms that they had devoured, then the bug king''s gic energy was a potpourri of the humanoid bugs'' gic energy.


    With its left hand, the bug king summoned lightning; with its right hand, a storm. Unusually, both phenomena were ink-green, the same color as its gic energy. Fang Yi grew rmed as he watched the battle unfold¡ªthe bug king was using his techniques!


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. The bug king had been observing the entire fight from within the bug nest, but it was rather remarkable that it had managed to reproduce the techniques just by sight alone.


    As the bug king made its move, Zhang Lie pulled back. A ck serpent coiled around Zhang Lie. Its scales turned blood-red and horns protruded from its forehead as it morphed into a dragon of blood.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in outrage and shot toward the bug king.


    The moment heunched his attack, Zhang Lie retreated at his fastest speed.


    The bug king''s elemental energies shed against the blood dragon, which exploded upon taking the brunt of the impact.


    The explosion spawned a huge storm of energy. A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    "Dojo Leader, don''t go too crazy! We''re still down here!" The disciples of the Zenith Dojo hurriedly retreated as the pitch-ck energy of annihtion sent shockwaves through the entire battlefield.


    Zhang Lie''s battles were spectacr, but they came with one drawback¡ªa moment''s carelessness might cost the disciples their lives.


    The explosion of the energy of annihtion that made up the blood dragon''s body was on the level of a weapon of mass destruction, one that seemed as though it could even destroy arge-sized world.


    However, because he was cognizant of the presence of the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, Zhang Lie hadn''tunched his attack at full strength. Otherwise, all of Mars might have been consumed by the impact¡ªZhang Lie would have destroyed Mars before the bugs themselves could.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that consumed everything in sight, but once it reached a threshold, the ck hole shrunk down to a pinhole and vanished from sight, leaving a vacuum behind. A storm manifested as the air itself cavitated. A hemispherical hole was left behind on the battlefield, as though a bomb with a few megatons of energy had just been detonated.


    Even more shockingly, the bug king had survived Zhang Lie''s assault. Zhang Lie might not have released his attack at full strength, but the energy of annihtion that he had released was the real thing.


    Zhang Lie had never met a being that could survive the devastating energy without having encountered it before. If he could, he wanted to capture the bug king and use it as a research subject.


    Even though the bug king had survived the explosion, it was badly hurt as a result. Its ck, steel-like exterior was cracked all over, and dark yellow ichor drained from its body. Even its regenerative ability was unable to keep up.


    Ink-green gic energy surged around the bug king like a boundless ocean. Ripples of gic energy wrapped around the bug king''s arms, spinning faster and faster...


    Fang Yi frowned. His eyes suddenly grew wide.


    A howling gale swept over the battlefield. The bug king stood at the heart of a whirlpool of gic energy.


    Yang Ze''s face turned pale. "Is-Isn''t this..."


    The whirlpool of gic energypressed, kneading the surrounding space into a papier-mache ball. The members of Team Zenith finally realized why this sensation was so familiar. This wasn''t the first time they had seen the attack, or even the fifth. They had felt it many times before.


    Hong Xi''s voice trembled. "It can''t be..."


    She had learned that technique as well, though she hadn''t developed it to the extent that Yang Ze and Zhang Lie had. Even so, she had never imagined that she would ever see this technique, which might as well be Zhang Lie''s signature technique, in enemy hands.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Ripples of energy spread out from the bug king, warping the space around him. The ink-green gic energy formed a sickly tide that caused space itself to tremor. Like a raging dragon, the attack shot through the sky.


    It was a corrupted version of Zhang Lie''s own attack.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo, particrly the senior ones, gasped in shock. Had the bug king managed to learn one of Zhang Lie''s signature techniques?


    Fang Yi goggled. For the bug king to be able to reproduce his wind and thunderbination attack was already no mean feat, but it had even managed to copy Zhang Lie''s far more advanced techniques!


    This sort of ability was absolutely shameless!

 Chapter 914: A One-Sided Slaughter

    <h4>Chapter 914: A One-Sided ughter</h4>


    Despite the revtion, Zhang Lie''s face was calm. ck gic energy erupted around him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie cocked back his left arm, channeling his gic energy into the attack, and sent its full force at the bug king.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred ck dragons flew toward the bug king, directed by Zhang Lie''s punch. The dragons were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    The ck dragons shed against the bug king''s reproduction of Zhang Lie''s boundless ocean, careening through it and destroying the bug king''s technique.


    Fang Yi hadn''t lost to the inferior reproduction of his technique; Zhang Lie certainly wasn''t about to lose to his own. Furthermore, [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring] was an evolved version of [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]. The bug king was foolish to think that his inferior copy would be able to win out in such a confrontation.


    In its left hand, the bug king evoked thunder; in its right, a howling gale. As the bug king sped both hands together, the wind and stormbined into one entity. The storm crackled with lightning. ?A wind dragon and storm tiger manifested simultaneously, with an imposing aura that seemed to shake the skies. It erupted in an ink-green cyclone.


    Compared to the first time the bug king cast the technique, the bug king had clearly intuited the fundamental concepts behind it. The bug king''s use of the skill indicated that it had a deep understanding of the principles in y.


    The ink-green cyclone swept up Zhang Lie''s ck dragons, which burst apart in another wave of annihtion. The skies shook.


    That explosion triggered a chain reaction. The other ck dragons in the vicinity likewise exploded, dying the sky ck.


    Upon witnessing the burst of energy heading straight ?for him, the bug king''s gaze grew fearful. As it recalled what had happened to itself the first time it had been struck by the technique, it flinched and hastily stepped back.


    A single blood dragon had been devastating to the bug king; this chain reaction of ck dragons surely had to be worse. As more and more dragons exploded in the air, a haze of ck covered up the heavens. The energy of annihtion that gathered in the air began to suck up its surroundings.


    Fortunately, the disciples of the Zenith Dojo were now well aware of the enormity of Zhang Lie''s attacks, and they had retreated far from the battlefield.


    Hong Xi asked, "Are we far enough yet?"


    Yang Ze replied, "We''d better head a little further out so that our captain can really let loose. I''m not frightened, of course¡ªjust worried that I might obstruct our captain!"


    Fang Yi gave Yang Ze a thumbs up. "Exactly my thoughts, Yang Ze!"


    Li Feng nodded. "Right, we''d best head further out. Who knows what sort of techniques our captain has up his sleeve?"


    They did want to observe Zhang Lie''s battle, but they had to make sure that their lives were safe first.


    As Zhang Lie''s opponent, the bug king was unable to retreat like the disciples of the Zenith Dojo.


    A ck wave of annihtion caught up to the bug king like a nightmare. Fearful of being sucked into the technique again, the bug king''s body split into over a hundred clones, each simultaneously real and illusory.


    Zhang Lie blinked. "Is this Sun Xiaowu''s [Blinding sh]?"


    However, each clone was easily dispersed by the wave of annihtion.


    The bug king continued to flee. A series of ink-green dragons manifested around him, shooting out toward the wave like raindrops in a storm.


    Li Feng, observing the fight from afar, cried out, "That''s my [Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    The light dragons were unable to resist the energy of annihtion, and they were instantly dispelled as the wave struck them.


    The bug king used yet another technique. Hundreds of ink-green serpents, burning with incandescent me, appeared in the air.


    "Looks like your [Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]," Fang Yi murmured to Li Feng.


    Even these serpents werepletely destroyed by the wave of annihtion.


    Li Feng shook his head. "The bug king''s attempts are fruitless. Even a hundred copies of me wouldn''t be an opponent for our captain. What good could my techniques do against him? What''s more, he hasn''t grasped the essence of those techniques. Theposition of gic energy is all wrong!"


    The bug king punched forward. Waves suddenly appeared in the sky, shimmering like a mirage. Spatial fluctuations rippled as an ink-green shark shot forth.


    Yang Ze shook his head. "Is it time for my technique, then?"


    It was equally useless against Zhang Lie''s wave of annihtion. As the wave drew closer and closer, the bug king tried even harder to flee, but to no avail.


    A patch of darkness had almost overwhelmed the bug king when a ck serpent materialized behind itself, sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The bug king invoked Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade], but to no avail. In light of Zhang Lie''s absolute strength, the bug king seemed like nothing more than a small bug, whose fate was to be crushed between Zhang Lie''s fingers.


    The bug king was swallowed up by the wave of annihtion, which once again contracted into a pinhole, then vanished.


    The bug king did not survive its second encounter with the void.


    Deep in an unexplored sector of the universe, a certain lifeform rested on its throne. Suddenly, it tightened its grip around the food in its hand, causing sticky purple fluid to cover its hands. However, the lifeform paid no attention to the mass.


    Its eyes were glowing with anger. "Arva with the potential to be a true bug king, ughtered almost immediately after it was born...?"


    If any disciple of the Zenith Dojo were present, they would have noticed an undeniable simrity between the lifeform seated on the throne and the bug king Zhang Lie had just killed.


    Unlike the cockroach-like humanoid bugs of Mars, however, this lifeform was more like a scorpion. A scorpion''s stinger grew out of its back, and its limbs were more like those of a locust than a human''s.


    "I don''t know who or what you are, nor where in the universe you hail, but the moment I, Akama, identify your presence, you shall experience my wrath."


    Akama strode up to a window, from which it could see the void of space. This "window" was part of a gigantic bug''spound eye, within which Akama was traveling.


    The gigantic bug was currently flying through space, and it was sorge that a single one of its ws could reduce a into rubble¡ªand there were millions of such bugs in the swarm under Akama''s control.

 Chapter 915: A Bold Guess

    <h4>Chapter 915: A Bold Guess</h4>


    After the end of the battle against the bug king, the Zenith Dojo began to clean up the battlefield.


    The full-fledged battle between Zhang Lie and the bug king had shocked the rest of the humanoid bugs. The disciples of the Zenith Dojo, who had retreated from the battlefield, were too far away to be able to block the bugs from fleeing.


    "The most important threat has been dealt with, and the danger on Mars is over."


    Zhang Lie''s sensory perception allowed him to identify that there were norge swarms of bugs remaining on Mars, only a few fleeing humanoid bugs.


    "We''ve done enough, and Mars can handle the rest on its own. The revival of Mars will have to depend on the Martians'' own strength."


    Yang Ze bowed. "Thank you, Captain."


    He knew very well that, if Zhang Lie hadn''te along with him, Mars could very well have been destroyed. If Yang Ze had shown up on Mars himself, he might not have been able to defeat the bug king that had appeared. Furthermore, if he were alone, the bugs would have swiftly devoured all the resources on Mars¡ªand who knew what would happen then?


    There might well have appeared seven- or eight-star bugs, which would have utterly decimated the remaining Martian poption. No hunters would have been able to make it out alive, and Mars would be drained of life.


    This was no exaggeration. Before the arrival of the Zenith Dojo, the space in the vicinity of Mars had been surrounded by bugs, and there was no way any human on Mars could have escaped. The Martians would have had no choice but to await death.


    The Martians only had two options avable to them:mit suicide, or die in battle against the bugs. Regardless of which option they chose, their death was unavoidable.


    If Yang Ze had shown up on his own, he would either have failed to even make it into Mars, or he would perish fighting for his homnd. Neither option was appealing; Zhang Lie''s arrival had prevented an impending tragedy.


    As a result, Yang Ze was overwhelmingly grateful to Zhang Lie. Without Zhang Lie, there would be no Yang Ze; without Zhang Lie, even Yang Ze''s hometown would be gone.


    The members of Team Zenith and the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, seeing Yang Ze''s grateful expression, were touched by the scene. Zhang Lie''s actions had gained him the approval and respect of all the disciples who had participated in the rescue effort; actions spoke louder than words.


    "Any problem with Mars is a problem that extends to the rest of the sr system. If these bugs were to gain a foothold on Mars, their next target would surely be Earth. Protecting your homnd is the same as protecting my homnd."


    Even so, Yang Ze was still touched.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Have the disciples of the Zenith Dojo help clean up the rest of the bugs. Hong Xi, I''ll leave you in charge of supervising the clean-up efforts."


    Hong Xi drummed up her courage. "Captain, I intend to advance to the third realm after we''re finished with Mars. I''ve already finished umting my disaster gene fragments."


    "Very well. I''ll leave the ascension to you. Make sure to hand off your duties and responsibilities before you do so¡ªdon''t leave a mess behind."


    Hong Xi smiled in excitement. "Yes, Captain! I intend to delegate my responsibilities in the kingdom of Limit to my brother."


    Zhang Lie sped both hands behind his back. "A trial is in order, then¡ªI''d like to confirm that Hong Xiao has the administrative ability to handle the affairs of an entire kingdom."


    He turned to Hong Xiao. "In that case, I''ll have you tabte the point and reward distribution for killing bugs. No disciple should receive less rewards than they were promised, but they shouldn''t get anything extra, either."


    Hong Xiao had heard Hong Xi mention that she would be handing over her responsibilities to him, but he had expected that there would be some sort of adjustment period during which he could learn how to take on those tasks. He hadn''t expected that his sister would be departing so quickly.


    Hong Xiao didn''t mind taking over the reins¡ªor rather, he didn''t realize just how heavy the burden he had to shoulder was. He had focused on his personal advancement in the second realm, leaving the duties of managing the kingdom to his sister. He had never undertaken his sister''s role in any capacity.


    Hong Xiao asked with some trepidation, "Will I be able to handle everything?"


    Hong Xi nodded. "Don''t worry. I''ll help you adjust to my duties and get started with them before I leave."


    "I''ll leave the specifics to the two of you to handle, then."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith returned to the military encampment, at which point Yang Ze immediately made an announcement.


    "Friends of Mars, Martians one and all, I have an important announcement to make! After the mess thesest few days, I think this will be wee news." Yang Ze''s voice spread far and wide with an infusion of gic energy, and he could be heard all over the encampment.


    "What''s going on?"


    The civilians and hunters of the encampment gathered quickly.


    "Have the bugs in the vicinity been dealt with?"


    "Did the reinforcements from the Zenith Dojo hold off the bug invasion?"


    "Were you able to establishmunications with those from other settlements? Have you found more sources of food?"


    The civilians and hunters each began to guess as to what the good news could be.


    Yang Ze shook his head. "No, you''re all mistaken."


    The mood instantly fell. "I suppose not. If the bugs were so easy to deal with, Mars wouldn''t be in such a sorry state."


    "I thought the Zenith Dojo was supposed tot be impressive, but it looks like it''s still no match for the bugs..."


    "There''s no need to be so disappointed, disciples of the Zenith Dojo. We appreciate that you''vee, at least."


    "...be more positive," Yang Ze urged.


    "Are there more reinforcements?"


    "Has Earth sent more aid?"


    "Or perhaps other races from the Milky Way?"


    The civilians'' eyes lit up.


    "More reinforcements is always a good sign. We''ll be able to handle the bugs together!"


    "Right, the more people there are, the more hope we have of defeating the bug invasion."


    "As long as the rest of the gxy is willing to help, we''ll surely make it through this crisis!"


    Yang Ze shook his head. "There are no reinforcements."


    "No reinforcements? What could the good news be, then?"


    "I knew it! Who would send reinforcements so easily? The reason the Zenith Dojo was willing toe has to be because of Mr. Yang. The other races of the Milky Way hardly care about us!"


    "Mr. Yang, won''t you tell us the news?"


    "Right, we don''t want to get our hopes up for nothing!"


    Yang Ze, overjoyed with relief that the crisis on Mars was finally over, called out, "Guess more boldly! You might just get the right answer that way."


    "You couldn''t have exterminated all the bugs, could you?"


    Another hunter suggested, "You''ve destroyed the main bug nest and sent the bugs scattering. The disciples of the Zenith Dojo are chasing them down right now!"


    Everyone else in the settlement began tough at the joke¡ªnot maliciously, but rather with delight at the possibility that such a thing could be true, even if it were just a daydream...

 Chapter 916: The End of the Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 916: The End of the Invasion</h4>


    There was little anyone in the encampment could do but dream. The bugs had snatched away their homnd, their livelihood, and even their family. The only things they still possessed were their lives, theirnguage, and the power to dream.


    Yang Ze snapped his fingers. "You''ve got it right."


    The chuckles ground to a halt before the civilians burst into uproariousughter. As theugher echoed through the encampment, more and more people gathered.


    "Haha, to think Mr. Yang''s such a funny man!"


    "I thought he would be difficult to get along with, but he''s more interesting than I thought."


    "It''s been quite some time since I was able tough so freely and forget about the troubles I''m facing..."


    Yang Ze''s expression was earnest and serious, a far cry from those others around him. "I''m not kidding. The Zenith Dojo has taken down the bugs, once and for all."


    Upon seeing Yang Ze''s expression, the civilians''ughter slowly died away. They simply couldn''t believe what he had said.


    "Mr. Yang, you''re not joking, are you?"


    Yang Ze nodded. "I''m not joking. The Zenith Dojo has seeded."


    The civilians gaped in shock.


    "Impossible. How could it be? We Martians worked so hard and sacrificed so many lives¡ªour entire was working together, and even then, we couldn''t do anything about the bugs! They continued to eat away at our and destroy our homnd, burrowing underground and devouring our family¡ªbut you im you''ve dealt with them all?!"


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    The civilians in the encampment made way, exposing the person who was criticizing the Zenith Dojo in direct line of sight.


    They certainly weren''t going to take collective responsibility for what a single civilian had said. The Zenith Dojo had sent reinforcements when no one else did, and they had done so at no cost, without any expectation of payment. They had distributed food and helped them quell the bug invasion. While the bug invasion had disrupted all their lives and brought disaster to their home, the Zenith Dojo had ensured that those of them who remained needed for nothing.


    How could someone level such horrible criticism at the disciples of the Zenith Dojo?


    Furthermore, the Zenith Dojo both had a titan-ss shuttle and the strength to sweep aside all bugs in their way. They had no obligation to help Mars, and could leave at any time. If Zhang Lie was upset by the criticism and decided to leave, what would the rest of them in the encampment do?


    What would the civilians on Mars do?


    Zhang Lie alone hade to help them in their time of need, and the Martians certainly didn''t want to see their saviors leave. The civilians weren''t fools; they knew what Zhang Lie had done for them.


    They made way and revealed the speaker who had criticized the Zenith Dojo so harshly: the dispirited Yang n head.


    The Yang n head no longer had the poise and propriety expected of a n head¡ªindeed, he looked like nothing more than a beggar, with tattered clothing and dirt stains on his face. His hair was clumped and oily, and he was clearly in a drunken stupor.


    After failing to bring Yang Ze back to the Yang n, he had been harshly criticized by the Yang elders. They med him for not recognizing Yang Ze''s genius, for forcing Yang Ze away from the n.


    If Yang Ze were still part of the Yang n, then the Yang n wouldn''t have been the brunt of everyone''s jokes after Team Zenith''s sess during the Void Cup, and Yang Ze wouldn''t have refused to escort the Yang n away from Mars, far from the bug invasion.


    In that case, the Yang n wouldn''t have to clean up after a bunch of disgusting bugs after days of turtling up within the encampment.


    The Yang elders'' vicious, vitriolic remarks continued to echo in his head, as though he were surrounded by a few flies that he couldn''t get rid of no matter how hard he tried. Not only had he been subject to a verbalshing, the Yang n had deposed him of his title and expelled him from the n.


    In times of peace, the Yang n wouldn''t have dared to deal with the Yang n head in this fashion. After all, the n head boasted authority in his own right, and he held control over the majority of the Yang n''s businesses on Mars.


    Even when Yang Ze grew famous for the first time after his victory in the Void Cup and the Yang n became the butt of all jokes, no one was able to shake the Yang n head from his position¡ªbut now, times were changing.


    The bug invasion had changed far too much.


    The Yang n head had proved ineffective at leading the Yang n, and he was naturally spurned and discarded by the rest of the n.


    "Ridiculous. A disaster that the whole working together couldn''t deal with, and you im the Zenith Dojo has handled it within a few weeks? I certainly won''t believe it..." The Yang n head continued his drunken slurs. "You''re just a single dojo! What can you do against a disaster that''s threatening the whole?


    "I''ll admit that you do have some strength. I saw you take down these five- and six-star bugs, but don''t presume that we''re fools."


    Several guards strode forward and arrested the Yang n head. "He mixed pure alcohol from our medical supplies with in water¡ªthat''s how he managed to get drunk!" they announced.


    The Yang n head screamed in madness. "Leave me! Without the Zenith Dojo, without Yang Ze, without Zhang Lie, I would still be the Yang n head. My fall is all your fault! How will youpensate me for this?!"


    The guards dragged the struggling Yang n head away, ignoring his nonsensical words.


    "Let me go! You guards from the encampment are all in cahoots with the Zenith Dojo! What right do you have to arrest me?!"


    The civilians in the encampmentughed apologetically. "Please don''t mind the words of a drunkard. None of us here mind¡ªwe all know how difficult this disaster will be to resolve, and it''s only natural that you weren''t able to do so."


    "No matter what, we''re very grateful that you''ve shown up to assist us during this time of crisis. Dealing with the bug invasion isn''t something that can be handled in a few weeks, but we can take it slowly!"


    "Let''s forget about what just happened, shall we? We''ll treat it as though it were a joke, nothing more."


    Rather than exin with words, Zhou Ying stepped forward and brought out a projector, which yed footage from the battle that the shuttle had been recording. "Everyone, please have a look!"


    Zhang Lie had expected some level of disbelief from the civilians, and had told the members of Team Zenith to prepare some footage as evidence beforehand. The moment the footage was released, the encampment fell silent.


    The video showed Team Zenith fighting against the bugs. Zhang Lie had destroyed the bug nest and in the bug king, and the bugs were forced to flee.


    The civilians'' jaws dropped as they processed the footage.


    One person cried out hoarsely, "Is this true? Is this footage real?"


    "Have you really managed to destroy the bug nests on Mars?"


    "All that you promised¡ªit was true all along?"


    Yang Ze sped both his hands behind his back and puffed out his chest. "There''s no reason for the Zenith Dojo to try to fool you with fake footage. Feel free to walk around the encampment and confirm with your own eyes that the bugs have truly been defeated."

 Chapter 917: Trouble in the Third Realm

    <h4>Chapter 917: Trouble in the Third Realm</h4>


    The civilians in the settlement began to whoop and cheer. Some walked out to bask in the brisk wind and sunlight, confirming that they didn''t see even a single bug in the vicinity.


    In the past, the bugs had been so prevalent that they extended as far as the eye could see. Now, however, all that remained was the familiarndscape of Mars.


    Some of the civilians were so agitated that they began to bawl, while others ran around madly outside the settlement like crazed fools. All around them were smiles of relief and joy that they had survived this nightmarish ordeal, that they would no longer have to live in fear of the bugs that threatened to encroach upon them at every corner. The news that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith brought back was an incredible boon.


    Many sobbing civilians thanked Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, and the disciples of the Zenith Dojo, leaving them simultaneously embarrassed and relieved.


    "Don''t wander out too far¡ªthere might still be a few bugs we haven''t dealt with!" Yang Ze shouted, but no one listened to him. It was as though they had collectively gone mad¡ªthey had been waiting for this moment for far too long.


    Zhang Lie stepped away from the throngs of celebrating people and went to find Marshal Li.


    After a period of rest and recuperation, Marshal Li had recovered fully from his injuries. He was in the middle of perusing a bundle of documents when Zhang Lie found him.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks like you''re in much better health."


    Li Pu mirrored Zhang Lie''s smile. "You''re all here."


    Zhang Lie sat down by the side of the bed. "I''m d you''re doing well."


    "Thanks to the healing potion you brought me, my body''s in far better shape."


    "Ie bearing good news," Zhang Lie said.


    "I can hear the cheers outside already. A huge sess in battle, is it?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    Li Pu frowned. "What, could you have killed all the bugs already? Haha!"


    "More or less. We''ve destroyed the main nest and killed all the bugs on the battlefield at the time. There might still be a few isted groups of bugs on Mars, but they''ll be gone soon enough.


    Li Pu had been making a joke, and he was gobsmacked to hear Zhang Lie''s serious response. "Really?"


    "Would you like to observe some footage of the battle?"


    Li Pu tilted his head toward the ceiling and began tough. "Haha, excellent, excellent news indeed! For a moment, I thought I might not see Mars be freed from the bugs in my lifetime.


    The Zenith Dojo was responsible for changing the fate of Mars. I truly don''t know how to thank you."


    Li Pu hadughed so hard that he almost tore open a wound that had just healed. He clutched his chest in pain, but his cheerfulughter still filled the room.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t be too excited yet, Marshal. The worst isn''t yet over. Half of Mars is in ruins, and much will have to be reconstructed. There are still pockets of bugs that have to be dealt with as well."


    Li Pu smiled. "No matter what, all of you are heroes. Please, ept my gratitude. If not for the timely arrival of the Zenith Dojo, I wouldn''t be here right now¡ªand neither would Mars. I''m so excited that I can barely speak."


    "We only did what was right."


    "If you need any of the soldiers in the encampment, they''re yours tomand."


    "Marshal, shall we talk about the future of Mars? Between Mars and the Zenith Dojo, in particr."


    Li Pu nodded. "We should. You''ve dealt with the immediate problem, and it''s time to think about what happens next."


    "ording to my agreement with Yang Ze and Hong Tianqi, the Zenith Dojo was only responsible for sending aid during the bug invasion. Now that the danger is over, there''s no further reason for us to stay behind."


    "Can Mars continue to hire the Zenith Dojo?" Li Pu hurriedly asked. "Not just to deal with the remaining bugs, but also to guard and defend Mars."


    There were those who had been eyeing Mars. They provided no aid during its time of need, but now that the crisis was resolved, they would swarm around it like flies drawing close to a pile of feces¡ªthen divide a weakened Mars among themselves.


    Li Pu exined sincerely, "The reason Mars was able to survive was because of the cooperation of the Martians and the aid of the Zenith Dojo. We Martians and your disciples traded blood and lives to resolve this conflict, and I don''t want those with ulterior motives to take advantage instead."


    Zhang Lie and Li Pu discussed ns for future coboration. Zhang Lie was willing to provide martial support. Some disciples of the Zenith Dojo would stay behind on Mars to assist in cleaning up the remaining bugs and to guard Mars''s safety.


    "Although I''m only a Marshal of Mars, and I might not be able to promise enough benefits to tempt all of you to stay behind, I''ll discuss the terms of our negotiation with the other marshals immediately. I believe they won''t resist such ster guardians as the members of your dojo."


    After a lengthy discussion, the terms of the contract were finally settled.


    The Zenith Dojo would protect Mars from danger for three years, and it would receive manyvish privileges as a result. Not only would the Zenith Dojo be able to construct branches on Mars, they would be permanently tax-exempt, and they would obtain a third of Mars''s gross domestic product for the next three years.


    Zhang Lie was very satisfied with these conditions. He returned outside to a celebratory atmosphere and convivial mood.


    No one disturbed the members of Team Zenith, who were still hard at work.


    Hong Xi and Hong Xiao had finished tabting the number of wounded and dead that they had, as well as the number of ants that each disciple had killed.


    Most of the casualties from the Zenith Dojo were simply injured, and only a scant few had perished. For those who had died inbat, Zhang Lie would send avish gift of gold to their family as reparations.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo beamed as they thought of the rewards they would be able to obtain from having participated in the defense. They grouped together,paring their spoils.


    Zhang Lie grinned as he observed the disciples of the Zenith Dojo.


    He used to be one such hunter, working hard andpeting with others for such prizes. Now, after his rebirth, however, he was the one giving out the prizes. He had emerged from the forefront of all hunters to stand at the peak¡ªbut fortunately, he wasn''t alone. He had the members of Team Zenith alongside him.


    Just then, Hong Xi walked over. "Captain, there are quite a lot of disciples who managed to exchange for the top rewards. We have enough disaster-grade cores stockpiled, since only a rare few were able to get enough points to exchange for it, but far more people than expected are asking for the superior-grade limit-breaking potion."


    Neither Zhang Lie nor the members of Team Zenith had anticipated the appearance of so many six-star bugs.


    Fortunately, the disciples of the Zenith Dojo had survived the ordeal¡ªthough that also meant that Zhang Lie would have to give out far more prizes than anticipated, as well.


    "Have them speed up the production in the second realm. Everyone worked hard for these rewards, and we won''t renege on them."


    Just then, Zhang Lie''s transceiver beeped. There was a transmission from Zhang Hanxiang.


    Zhang Lie epted the call and smiled, "Do you miss me? It''s only been a month."


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed in exasperation. "A month? I''ve been in the third realm for a year! Where have you been, Brother?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I led a rescue mission to Mars."


    "Why didn''t you bring me along with you?"


    "You''re too weak."


    "You¡ªwell, we can speak about thatter. Something''s gone wrong in the third realm!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What happened? From your tone of voice¡ª"


    "If you don''te back immediately, the draconian world''s going to be destroyed!"

 Chapter 918: Cut Down to Size

    <h4>Chapter 918: Cut Down to Size</h4>


    Zhang Lie raised his eyebrows.


    What was going on that would threaten the draconian world? Only superior worlds would have the strength to do so. Could the draconian world have somehow aroused the attention of a superior world, or had the death spirits made their move early?


    Following the original timeline, they shouldn''t have enacted their n just yet...


    Regardless of what the problem was, it was clear that the forces remaining in the third realm were unable to handle the threat themselves.


    In the third realm were the fruits of Zhang Lie''s research on lord-ss lifeforms...


    Zhang Lie turned to Hong Xi. "Something''s wrong in the third realm, and I have to return at once."


    Hong Xi nodded immediately.


    Zhang Lie summoned the members of Team Zenith, then headed back to Li Pu''s room.


    Li Pu was surprised. "You just left, Dojo Leader Zhang. Was there something you needed?"


    "I need to borrow the use of Mars''s teleportation apparatus to enter the dimensional realm, immediately!"


    Li Pu nodded. "It''s not a problem. I''ll have my guards lead you there personally."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith returned to Mars that very moment.


    When Zhang Lie saw the familiarndscape of the third realm, he sighed in relief. Nothing seemed to have changed¡ªfor now. He headed straight to where the draconian sage was located.


    Just then, the draconian sage was meeting with the Yeluo chieftain, Zhang Hanxiang, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and a few warlords.


    They were all familiar with each other, and Zhang Lie greeted each of them in turn. Zhang Hanxiang stepped forward with a scowl on her face. "You''re finally here, Brother!"


    Xing Ying lowered his head. "It''s our fault¡ªwe were unable to hold back the enemies."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "And who are these enemies?"


    Yang Zeughed coldly. "Who dares attack the draconian world? They''re asking to die!"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "There are always idiots seeking death..."


    The draconian sage replied, "Our enemy is the Worldpact Coalition."


    "The Worldpact Coalition?" This name wasn''t familiar to Zhang Lie. Either this coalition operated in the shadows, or his actions had resulted, via the butterfly effect, in the creation of this hitherto unknown organization.


    The draconian sage reported, "This coalition was formed in light of our actions."


    The draconian sage exined that the members of this coalition belonged to the worlds around the draconian world, which had banded together in order to resist the draconian world''s assault on their territory. While Zhang Lie and Team Zenith were around, they were so afraid of the draconian forces'' strength that they hadn''t dared to do anything.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had headed to Mars, and the warlords began to stop their expansion and consolidate their growth. Following Yun Bing''s suggestions, they had begun to digest the resources of the worlds they had conquered. For half a year, everything seemed to be going exactly as nned.


    "The problem started in the Chiyan world."


    "The Chiyan world!" Yang Ze cried out.


    Everyone turned to him. Yang Ze exined, "Captain, do you remember the world in which I got injured?"


    "The Chiyan world, you mean?"


    Yang Ze nodded.


    The draconian sage continued, "We believe that, after the king of the Chiyan world recovered from his wounds, he began to organize an army to resist our continued growth. He denounced us as an evil power that was trying to corrupt the entirety of the third realm, and the hunters of the Milky Way as tumors that couldn''t grow unchecked."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Is that so?"


    "At first, no one dared to respond to his call."


    With theck of news from Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, however, those worlds gradually grew bolder. They began nning to revolt. No problems arose during the first six months of Team Zenith''s departure, but after ten months, the worlds had set their n in action.


    They seemed to have realized that Zhang Lie and Team Zenith, the strongest representatives of the humans, had left the third realm.


    Zhang Lie chuckled coldly. "So these worlds decided to revolt, is that it?"


    Xing Ying replied, "Led by the king of the Chiyan world, the coalition grew to include over thirty medium-sized and tenrge-sized worlds in the vicinity. Calling us tumors and viruses that were slowly infecting the third realm, they waged war against us, iming that we would pose a grave danger to the realm if allowed to grow unchecked."


    The draconian sage nodded.


    Xing Ying sneered. "The coalition garnered considerable support even from faraway worlds. I suspect that we were growingrge enough to contest their own ims to power and the resources they currently possessed, and that they''re taking advantage of this opportunity to get rid of apetitor."


    Zhang Lie mulled things over for a moment. "We''ve deepened the rift between the native inhabitants of the realm and the hunters of the Milky Way, then."


    This rift had existed from the very beginning, but the superior worlds had always been the main threat.


    Furthermore, only the natives of the three thousand worlds could be kings of the realm, which conferred the indigenous races with absolute strength. The hunters of the Milky Way weren''t threatening in light of that power.


    They were only visitors and travelers who didn''t intend to stay in the third realm for long; they simply wanted to acquire their gene fragments and move on. As a result, there wasn''t much conflict between the kings of the three thousand worlds and the hunters of the Milky Way.


    The discovery of disaster gene fragments and appearance of limit-breaking potions caused a sharp spurt in the strength of the Milky Way hunters, making them a potent threat.


    This allowed the warlords of the third realm to have the strength to take down kings of the realm if they worked together. After ughtering many such kings, the remaining indigenous kings quickly banded together tobat the burgeoning threat.


    This was a very natural series of affairs. The kings of the realm were willing to cooperate with the hunters while they were in a position of power, but now that the hunters had grown strong enough to threaten them, the kings of the realm had to make their move.


    As the hunters of the Milky Way took over one world after another, the Worldpact Coalition was born¡ªbut its story would undoubtedly end in a tragedy.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "How are the worlds under our control?"


    Xing Ying replied, "The coalition has been attacking all the worlds that we''ve taken over, and they''ve reimed over half of them by now."


    Zhang Hanxiang clenched her fists tightly. "The inhabitants of those worlds that were recaptured were enved, their resources irrevocably piged, and thes swallowed up by the leading members of the coalition¡ªand they im that we''re the demons, the viruses, the tumors!"


    Zhang Lie clicked his tongue. "What a mess. But I''m surprised you warlords working together weren''t able to handle this coalition...?"

 Chapter 919: A Divine Plan

    <h4>Chapter 919: A Divine n</h4>


    Xing Ying sighed in exasperation. "They aren''t weak, and they have arge number of troops at their disposal, but they didn''t attack us via a direct confrontation. Instead, once they reim a world, they immediately retreat the moment they notice our presence. They keep fleeing when we advance and make use of the indigenous people to mask their tracks. It''s very frustrating to deal with!"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "In that case, we''ll switch tactics too. Split the members of Team Zenith into two groups. We''ll make our way deep into the heart of their worlds. Regardless of what obstacles we encounter along the way, we''ll just ughter them all. If we encounter an army led by a king of the realm, we''ll retreat immediately. Does that sound like a workable n?"


    "Leave it to us!" the members of Team Zenith cried out.


    The draconian sage understood what Zhang Lie was nning. "Ah, I see. You''ll skirmish with the enemy in order to draw their forces away?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "More than that, sage¡ªyou''re still looking at things too superficially."


    Sun Mengmeng, who was standing beside Zhang Lie, jumped in. "Actually, our captain''s n involves a second, deeperyer. The opponent is a coalition that formed just a few months ago, and there are likely disagreements or conflicts among its members that we can capitalize on. The moment their worlds are threatened, they might very well leave the coalition forces in order to defend it."


    The draconian sage''s eyes gleamed. "Indeed, indeed! They''re not an organized force, so you just need to create incentives to scatter the soldiers¡­ What an intricate n! Once a few soldiers leave the coalition, a chain reaction will follow, and the coalition will quickly copse."


    Yang Ze continued, "There''s even a thirdyer to the n."


    The draconian sage was gobsmacked. "A thirdyer?"


    "Well, more precisely, half ayer. The coalition was founded on the premise that Team Zenith had vanished from the third realm. Our return and direct assault at the heart of our opponents'' worlds will herald our return¡ªas well as the threat and power we possess."


    The draconian sage had only the highest of praises for Zhang Lie. "In matters of strategy, I truly can''tpare..."


    "The moment we destroy one of our opponents'' worlds, the coalition will copse, and the plot of the Chiyan king will fail."


    Sun Mengmeng grinned. Her lips quirked up. "No, there really is a thirdyer¡ªor perhaps a fourthyer, let''s say."


    "What?!" Did Zhang Lie''s spur-of-the-moment suggestion really harbor such depths?


    Yang Ze thought about what Sun Mengmeng had said for a moment. "Yes, you''re right. Our captain''s depths are truly as expansive and deep as the ocean¡ªbut you''re as intelligent for being able to read his ns to such an extent, Sun Mengmeng."


    Sun Xiaowu and Zhang Hanxiang looked at each other in confusion. They were having a hard time following the conversation themselves.


    Sun Mengmeng exined, "Our captain''s main objective isn''t simply to make these kings retreat, but to defeat them all."


    Yang Ze followed up with a chuckle, "If these kings of the realm end up banding together under the threat and continue to resist, then our captain will be able to take them down in one fell swoop thanks to his overwhelming strength."


    Sun Mengmeng cried out excitedly, "This is the true heart of our captain''s n. Regardless of whether our opponents end up banding together or disbanding under the threat of our presence, they''ll all be ying into his palms!"


    Zhang Lie himself was listening to the conversation with no less amazement than the draconian sage had shown. Two and a halfyers, threeyers, fouryers? He hadn''t been thinking as deeply about his innocuous suggestion as Sun Mengmeng and Yang Ze apparently were, but when he saw his sister looking at him with a face full of awe and respect, he smoothly sped his arms behind his back and smiled as though he had been seen through.


    When everyone else saw the smile on Zhang Lie''s face, they were stupefied.


    Such was the intelligence of the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie! A conundrum that had left the gathered hunters present scratching their heads¡ªZhang Lie had solved in a manner of seconds, in a cunning fouryer n.


    How intelligent did Zhang Lie have to be to devise such a n? He was no less intelligent for his strength¡ªbrute strength was far less threatening than brute strengthbined with overwhelming intelligence.


    It was little wonder that Zhang Lie had seeded in founding the kingdom of Limit¡ªhis natural talents lent themselves well to the task.


    The members of Team Zenith puffed up with pride. This was their captain, the man they were pledging their careers as hunters to!


    Being able to follow in the footsteps of such a genius was the best luck they could have ever hoped to receive. Not only was Zhang Lie immensely strong, he even had a once-in-a-lifetime genius. It would be difficult for him not to make a name for himself.


    The draconian sage was wholly impressed by Zhang Lie''s talents.


    As Zhang Lie noticed all the respectful gazes shooting his way, he couldn''t help but blush.


    Really, his greatest advantage was boasting an elite force like Team Zenith. The crux of his suggestion was to stymie and harass his foes with absolute, crushing strength¡ªthe reason the draconian sage and the warlords hadn''t been able to find such a solution was because they didn''t possess such strength.


    Zhang Lie coughed. "Warlords, continue to defend the contested draconian territory. Can you pinpoint the areas where the coalition forces have been sighted? I''ll head there immediately, control their forces, and see if I can do some counterintelligence to make your work easier."


    Zhang Lie turned to Zhang Hanxiang. "Hanxiang, you''ll join the warlords in defending the draconian world."


    Compared to allowing Zhang Hanxiang to wander around the third realm by herself, Zhang Lie was a lot morefortable with the idea of cing her under supervision by the warlords in the area. That would be a much safer option.


    The members of Team Zenith set off immediately. Zhang Lie headed to the most recent location in which coalition forces had been spotted, shattering space and activating his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard to control a number of soldiers.


    Of course, he wasn''t able to control high-rankingmanders and attendants to the kings of the realm. Those people were all protected by the kings'' energy, and Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard would be useless against them. However, he could easily control their foot soldiers, who weren''t protected.


    Weak though they might be, they at least possessed the numerical advantage.


    Zhang Lie controlled roughly ten thousand soldiers in one fell swoop, representing half a dozen worlds, before returning to the draconian world. He had nted the seeds; now, he just had to wait for them to sprout.


    With nothing else pressing, Zhang Lie headed to his new gic lifeform farm in the third realm.


    Right as he walked closer, he sensed a strong aura manifesting in the air. A huge bolt of lightning struck the center of the farm...

 Chapter 920: Post-Disaster-Grade

    <h4>Chapter 920: Post-Disaster-Grade</h4>


    Zhang Lie rushed over, only to find naturalw visibly manifesting around the point of impact of the lightning. Even the will of the third realm itself had shown up. Something seemed to be developing in the heart of the pir of lightning.


    Zhang Lie quickly found Zhu, who had appeared around the source of the disturbance, and asked, "What''s going on?"


    Zhu cried out in surprise, "Zhang Lie, you''re back!"


    Shortly after, the draconian sage also appeared beside Zhang Lie, as though he too had sensed something. "I felt the will of the world''s energy being sucked up by something. Has a lifeform evolved?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Just what''s going on? What''s within that pir of lightning?"


    Zhu replied, "Following your instructions, Zhang Lie, I''ve been allowing the disaster-grade lifeforms to fight among and devour each other. After half a year, Red Comet formed a cocoon."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up in excitement. "You mean, Red Comet''s the one that''s within that pir of lightning right now?"


    Zhu nodded.


    "Has it seeded in its evolution?"


    Zhu shook her head. "I can''t be certain. Fortunately, you returned in time to witness it yourself."


    Zhang Lie looked into the heart of the pir with growing excitement. This very day, he might be able to observe the evolution of the first post-disaster-grade lifeform in the third realm.


    Zhang Lie was tremendously excited.


    As the cocoon wrapped in lightning absorbed more and more of the will of the world''s energy, an unparalleled existence seemed to be on the cusp of being birthed. The aura it was giving off made Zhu have to huff for breath, and even the draconian sage was sweating.


    A crack appeared in the cocoon. A golden scythe, tinted scarlet, speared out from within. It tore the rest of the cocoon apart, releasing a burst of golden light, so intense it tore the thunderclouds¡ªand the rest of the sky¡ªapart.


    The fragments of naturalw that had condensed in the vicinity of the lifeform were crushed to a fine powder. The entire world quaked as a mantis of tremendous size appeared in Zhang Lie''s view. Its red-gold body appeared to be metallic. Its wings whirred, and the rainbow-colored energy of the world reflected off its gleaming scythes.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. "It looks like my theories are right. Even disaster-grade lifeforms can keep evolving!"


    The red-gold mantis gave off an aura that didn''t belong to a disaster-grade lifeform. It was over a hundred times stronger¡ªno, over ten thousand times stronger!


    Zhang Lie watched the evolution with rapt attention. Too much of his future advancement revolved around the existence of such lifeforms. The existence of such lifeforms meant that there were corresponding genes for such lifeforms, and he and the members of Team Zenith could continue growing stronger and stronger.


    The red-gold mantis noticed Zhang Lie and shot toward him in a beam of light, causing Zhu to be nervous. Zhang Lie was able to control the disaster-grade Red Comet, but could he still do the same after Red Comet evolved? What if Red Comet''s first thought was to get rid of its erstwhile owner?


    Zhu couldn''t help but be wary, but Zhang Lie motioned for her to rx.


    The red-gold mantis flew straight toward Zhang Lie, bowling him over with its momentum. Zhang Lie chuckled as he rubbed the mantis''s sleek, metallic exterior. He pped Red Comet''s exterior a few times, trying to nudge it off its body, but Red Comet continued to nuzzle up to Zhang Lie.


    The mistmeld m soulshard was all but ineffective against Red Comet at this point, but Red Comet vividly remembered the memories it had shared with Zhang Lie.


    Its evolution hade with a corresponding increase in intelligence, and it knew very well that all that it had could be attributed to Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie could have killed it in one strike while it was weak, but he had decided to bring it along as apanion, giving it all that it possessed now along the way.


    Red Comet would hardly do anything so foolish as to betray its benefactor.


    "Is this a sixth-level lifeform, then?" The draconian sage scrutinized Red Comet carefully. "Its aura alonepares favorably to mine¡ªI might be weaker than it is."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. It would be rather rude to reveal the truth¡ªthat Red Comet was now far superior in strength to the draconian sage. Its constitution and strength was on the level of kings of the peak ofrge worlds, such as the draconian sage himself, but its speed was several times faster than the draconian sage.


    Furthermore, its facility with space meant that it couldpete on even terms with kings of superior worlds. Its scythes were so sharp that they could cut naturalw itself¡ªand break any physical defense any of its foes possessed. In principle, with good enough timing, it might even be able to kill a superior king inbat.


    Of course, this was only theoretical. The nine extant superior kings were all ancient existences with their own trump cards and reservoirs of power. The only one Red Comet might be able topete with was Li Zongming, newest and youngest of the superior kings.


    Zhang Lie hmmed. "You shouldn''t be called Red Comet any longer. Now that your exoskeleton has turned a shade of gold, let''s call you Gold Comet instead."


    Once Gold Comet grew familiar with its strength and the increased capabilities of its body, it would be a far strongerbatant¡ªperhaps one that could trulypete with superior kings.


    After all, it was the first post-disaster-grade existence in the third realm, as far as anyone knew.


    After Gold Comet finished nuzzling Zhang Lie, it turned to Zhu. Clearly, it had developed quite some rapport with Zhu after spending half a year together with her.


    The draconian sage sighed as he contemted Zhang Lie. "Why is it that you''re able to cause such disturbances no matter where you go?"


    It seemed that, so long as Zhang Lie remained in the third realm, there was always a surprise or another waiting for him.


    If he hadn''t witnessed it for himself, the draconian sage would hardly believe that there could be a sixth-level lifeform in the third realm.


    Zhu suggested, "Now that Gold Comet has evolved into a post-disaster-grade lifeform, is there a name for its current ssification?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We''ll have toe up with something."


    Just as disaster-grade lifeforms were stronger than peak-grade lifeforms, there needed to be a name for post-disaster-grade lifeforms that reflected their superiority over disaster-grade ones.


    Zhang Lie considered, "Only gods can quell disasters, but a god-ss lifeform sounds rather..."


    In Zhang Lie''s eyes, strong though a post-disaster-grade lifeform was, it could hardly consider itself a god. Superior kings of the realm weren''t at that level, either, regardless of what they personally thought.


    Certainly, even the ancient superior kings referred to themselves as kings, not gods¡ªso calling Gold Comet a god-ss lifeform would hardly be appropriate.

 Chapter 921: Monarch Gene Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 921: Monarch Gene Fragments</h4>


    If Gold Comet were a god-ss lifeform, then what would Zhang Lie, who had killed an ancient superior king, be called? A godkiller?


    "Perhaps a myth-ss lifeform, then?" But that didn''t seem too suitable either. Gold Comet was hardly old enough to be considered a myth or legend.


    "Monarch-ss, perhaps..."


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie blinked. "Ah, what an idiot I am! I can tell just by consuming the meat of such a lifeform¡ªthe will of the world surely has some designated name for it!"


    Gold Comet immediately rubbed its scythes against each other, then cut off two big chunks of flesh from its legs.


    Zhang Lie was very surprised. "After ascending to monarch-ss, has your crystalline body turned back to flesh and blood? But no¡ªI could sense how hard it was from when I touched you..."


    Zhang Lie had infused gic energy into his palms when stroking Gold Comet, and he had a good sense of Gold Comet''s bodyposition.


    "In other words, you must be able to transform between flesh-and-blood and crystal freely..."


    Was this a special characteristic of a monarch-ss lifeform??Zhang Lie hurriedly shook his head. "No, now''s not the time to ponder such questions. Gold Comet, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly cut yourself?"


    Gold Comet proffered the meat to Zhang Lie with its scythes.


    "For me?" Zhang Lie was visibly surprised. "You know that I grow stronger by feeding on gic lifeforms, so you''re offering it to me as a gift?"


    Gold Comet nodded.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Thank you. I''m very touched, but don''t do this in the future, you hear?"


    The reason Zhang Lie had fostered Gold Comet''s growth was because he was curious about whaty beyond disaster-grade, not because he wanted to consume its flesh. Gold Comet was a pet; how could he stand to consume his pet''s flesh?


    Meanwhile, on the frontline, the coalition troops were suffering under the sudden appearance of Team Zenith. The members of Team Zenith had split into two parties and invaded the coalition members'' worlds, giving their kings of the realm huge headaches.


    The kings immediately returned to save their worlds, but Team Zenith was far too strong. Three of the kings who had returned perished at their hands. By the time the rest of the kings formed a huge party intending to counter the members of Team Zenith, they had fled.


    "Dastardly humans!" The atmosphere in the coalition''s meeting room was dark and dreary. "Such vile viruses, using these underhanded tactics!"


    The kings of the realm had clearly forgotten that they had used the same tactics against the draconian world to begin with.


    One king asked, "How''s the frontline?"


    "It''s not going well. As the draconian territory shrinks, they''re able to consolidate their defense on a smaller patch of territory, and our tactics aren''t working out against them any longer. We even suffered a few ambushes and lost quite a few of our forces that way. We lost three kings ofrge worlds and four kings of medium-sized worlds in just a single day..."


    The remaining kings all grew visibly frustrated.


    One king stood up. "I can''t stay here any longer. I have to rush back¡ªmy world is being attacked as we speak!"


    The king of the Chiyan world raised a hand. "Sit back down!"


    "If we can''t take down their frontline, it''s meaningless to keep fighting. I''d rather defend my world!"


    Another king cried out, "Are we going to give up on the progress we''ve made thus far? Once we lose this opportunity, that''s it! We''ve spent three whole months executing this n, and we can''t give up on imminent sess just like that."


    The king of the realm that had stood up snorted. "Easy for you to say¡ªyou''re not the ones whose worlds are currently being attacked!"


    "What are you talking about? We''re all allied¡ªif people start to leave, how are we going to maintain our offense? We need to be thinking about the bigger picture. If sacrificing your world allows us to preserve the integrity of our frontline, we''ll surelypensate you for your loss afterwards."


    The superior king that had stood up retorted, "And why does this sacrifice have to be of my world, not your world?"


    Chiyan broke up the debate before it became a fight. "Enough! We can''t be fighting among ourselves¡ªthere are enemies we have to handle!"


    The kings of the realm quieted down.


    "If we can''t take down the draconian world''s frontlines and they''re attacking our worlds, what should we do?"


    Another king suggested, "Why not change our tactics? Rather than go on the offensive, we can focus on defense to counter the six strongbatants that have joined the fight."


    Another king scowled. "Won''t that mean giving up the frontline?"


    The kings of the realm became more perplexed. Zhang Lie''s innocuous suggestion and the reappearance of Team Zenith proved to be a conundrum. If they were to focus on defense, their progress for thest few months would be for naught; if they were to continue focusing on offense, they might lose their own homeworlds.


    The king of Chiyan surveyed the room. ncing at the other kings'' faces, he could see that Zhang Lie had already seeded. The moment the members of Team Zenith were sent out to rejoin the fight, the other kings'' morale had been crushed.


    The king of Chiyan proimed, "We only have one path left to us."


    The other kings reared up in shock. "Are you intending¡ª"


    Chiyan nodded. "Think carefully. These alien lifeforms are all tumors and viruses that will destroy our realm. If we don''t suppress them and get rid of them, we''ll all die anyway. We''ve already tried to muster up resistance. If we draw our forces back now, they''ll only take the opportunity to invade our territory. Do you think they''ll let us live?"


    The kings of the realm couldn''t deny the validity of the king of Chiyan''s statements.


    Zhang Lie had no intention of asking to feed on Gold Comet''s body, but he couldn''t deny that doing so would be hugely impactful to his own growth, and he wouldn''t turn down the flesh that Gold Comet had already given him.


    Gold Comet''s wounds healed almost immediately as Zhang Lie hefted the flesh in his hands. He didn''t have to ingest the flesh at all¡ªgiven his current abilities, he could extract the gene fragments directly with his gic energy.


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade blood mantis, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    Zhang Lie received confirmation that the will of the world termed such lifeforms monarch-grade lifeforms¡ªhis guess had beenpletely correct. "As expected, the name isn''t anything as ridiculous as god-ss."


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade blood mantis, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 2]


    Upon absorbing these two monarch gene fragments, Zhang Lie felt a burgeoning vitality exuding from every cell in his body, which seemed to have turned to miniature suns. His body began to radiate light. A single monarch gene fragment was stronger than even ten disaster gene fragments.


    "This strength is intoxicating..."

 Chapter 922: A Large-Scale Assault

    <h4>Chapter 922: A Large-Scale Assault</h4>


    Zhang Lie continued to absorb more gene fragments.


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade blood mantis, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 3]


    In the end, because of the limited amount of meat that was avable, Zhang Lie only recovered five monarch gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 5


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Just five monarch gene fragments brought Zhang Lie iparable strength. He could hardly imagine just how strong he would be after maxing out his monarch gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie felt strength coursing all over his body, and he wanted to work it off.


    Just then, however, Zhang Hanxiang rushed up to him.


    "Is something wrong, Hanxiang?"


    Zhang Hanxiang jumped up in shock as Zhang Lie suddenly teleported to her side.


    "Did something happen in the frontline?"


    "Brother, you scared me!" Zhang Hanxiang had still been quite a fair distance away from the farm, but Zhang Lie had already noticed hering from that far away¡­ "Just as you anticipated, Brother, the coalition isunching a joint attack in response to Team Zenith''s antics."


    "Faster than I thought... Are they really that easy to bait?"


    None of the kings of the realm had nned for Team Zenith''s sudden reappearance, and they had all been unpleasantly surprised by their sudden encounter with Team Zenith. They were the ones who were supposed to be harassing the draconian world¡ªbut Zhang Lie had flipped the tables on them!


    Furthermore, Zhang Lie had controlled a small group of their soldiers via his mistmeld m soulshard, which provided him with ready information about their ns, and which he could take advantage of to induce dys.


    With sufficient information and a much-reduced defensive border, the draconian territory wasrgely immune to the sneak attacks that the coalition carried out, and the coalition forces'' retreat was frequently dyed by the soldiers controlled by the mistmeld m soulshard.


    The coalition forces were getting pincered by warlords from the front and Team Zenith from the back, and the status of the coalition was deteriorating faster than even Zhang Lie had predicted.


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "The coalition isn''tposed of idiots, either. They''re unwilling to give up on the fruits of theirbor that they worked so hard for. Before the coalition copses, they''re nning on doing one final invasion attempt, as you expected, Brother."


    "Excellent news. We''ll be able to take them all down in one fell swoop, then." Zhang Lie smirked.


    This would be a great opportunity to test out the strength of the gene fragments he had just acquired.


    Gold Comet flew over to Zhang Lie''s side, and he rubbed the mantis''s head. "Would you like toe with me?"


    Gold Comet nodded: it too wanted to test the limits of its strength.


    Zhang Hanxiang nced at the mantis with some surprise. "This is Red Comet, isn''t it? How did it turn golden?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s not Red Comet any longer,but rather Gold Comet."


    Zhu smiled. "Red Comet has evolved, Hanxiang."


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes grew wide. "Beyond disaster-grade?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Monarch-grade."


    Zhang Hanxiang sucked in a deep breath. With evident pride in her eyes, she announced, "Brother, you''re going to shock the gxy once again."


    The existence of a monarch-ss lifeform meant that there were corresponding monarch gene fragments, which would be able to elevate hunters to yet another level of strength.


    "Not quite yet. Monarch-grade lifeforms might exist, but Gold Comet''s the only example of it in the third realm. Even if more such lifeforms appear, I can''t imagine they could do so naturally¡ªso we, the Zenith Dojo, will maintain a monopoly over them."


    .


    At the very least, Zhang Lie didn''t have any intention of releasing this information publicly in the short term.


    He turned to Zhu. "Zhu, continue cultivating more disaster-grade and monarch-grade lifeforms. One or two won''t be enough¡ªI want at least a dozen, preferably two."


    Only Zhang Lie could dare to make such an oundish im. All Zhu''s efforts had produced a single monarch-grade lifeform, and producing a dozen or two would require immense numbers of disaster-grade ones.


    The draconian sage shook his head. "Cultivating more such lifeforms will be impossible, not even two or three. It''ll ruin this world."


    Zhang Hanxiang was visibly confused. "What''s the matter, Sage?"


    Zhu frowned. "But haven''t you agreed to let us use thisnd, Sage?"


    The draconian sage sighed. "If you want to cultivate more lower-grade lifeforms, be my guest¡ªbut the evolution from disaster- to monarch-grade consumes incredible amounts of the world''s energy."


    Zhang Lie recalled the phenomenon that had appeared during Gold Comet''s evolution.


    "If more such evolutions ur, this world will be drained dry."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Zhu, I''m afraid I''ll have to make life somewhat moreplicated for you. You can continue cultivating disaster-grade lifeforms here, but we''ll have to go elsewhere for the monarch-grade evolution."


    It looked as though it would be necessary to take over more worlds so that they could be used as hatching grounds for such lifeforms.


    "Let''s set out to meet this coalition, shall we?" Zhang Lie shattered space, bringing Zhang Hanxiang and Gold Comet with him to the frontlines of the invasion.


    When he arrived, the warlords were in heatedbat with the kings of the realm, who had swarmed the battlefield inrge numbers and were pushing the warlords back.


    The kings were potent fighters in their own right¡ªbut no match for Gold Comet, who was happily sharpening its scythes, excited to test out its newfound strength.


    Zhang Hanxiang looked into the distance, at the air covered by me and smoke. "Brother, be careful. The king of Chiyan was injured in battle against Yang Ze, but after he recovered, he grew even stronger. He''s already past the limits of a peak king of arge world!"

 Chapter 923: Decimating the Kings

    <h4>Chapter 923: Decimating the Kings</h4>


    Scarlet mes wreathed around the king of Chiyan. He looked like a god of fire that had descended to the realm. Every punch he made morphed into a flood of me. The kings of the realm had been fighting on par with the warlords until Chiyan entered the battlefield and tipped the scales in his favor.


    "Don''t worry. Your brother''s never lost before, and he never will."


    Zhang Lie clenched his fist tightly. Blue gic energy gathered around him as space vibrated. The ripples spread out over his arm. As he flicked his wrist, a frightening aura began to emanate from his body.


    A gale formed over the battlefield. Everyone looked toward the skies, which had rapidly darkened. A fish the size of a whale had materialized in the air and was covering up the sun.


    Upon seeing this whale, the warlords cried out in excitement, while the kings of the realm turned stiff. The reason the warlords were so excited was because they knew what this whale represented¡ªZhang Lie was here!


    Meanwhile, the kings of the realm could sense the gigantic reservoir of gic energy that the whale harbored.


    More and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, spinning rapidly until it looked as though he were in the center of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the battlefield.


    The frightening density of gic energy caused space to warp. Towering waves formed of water-attuned gic energy grewrger andrger, like enraged ck dragons, as they swept across the battlefield.


    The kings of the realm grew visibly rmed at the strange phenomenon that was unfolding.


    "Just what''s happening?"


    "I''ve never heard of these tumors having such a secret weapon..."


    "Could something be wrong?"


    A huge ocean swamped the sea and the sky. Waves filled with spatial energy rushed toward the gathered kings of the realm, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The kings of the realm, despite all their strength, felt as though their lives were in danger. This was no mere attack¡ªit was a weapon of mass destruction!


    If they had known that the draconians had such an ace up their sleeve, they would never have formed a coalition to try tobat the draconians. All they could do now was to use their defensive techniques andyer them atop each other in hopes that they would be able to block the attack with theirbined strength.


    The king of Chiyan manifested a sea of scarlet mes.


    The scarlet mes condensed over the battlefield like a thousand sharp swords breaking through the cloud cover, like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The king of the Chiyan world infused his gic energy into the sea of scarlet me, which shed against the pale blue waves in mid-air. Half the sky was red, and the other half blue.


    Subsequently, the pale blue waves exploded in the air¡ªthe heart of the attack. The explosion shattered space and sent waves of force rippling all around it. Like a rampaging beast, it devoured everything nearby. The pale blue waves quenched the scarlet mes within moments as the coalition forces cried out in despair.


    The kings of therge worlds had enough strength to withstand the bulk of the attack, but the kings of medium-sized worlds died almost instantly as they were hit by the attack.


    The warlords were simultaneously overjoyed and shocked by what Zhang Lie had aplished.


    Even though they were fighting with their lives on the line, they were still slowly but surely losing against thebined might of the kings of the realm¡ªbut Zhang Lie''s single attack had changed the trajectory of the battle.


    The warlords finally understood just howrge a gulfy between them and Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie himself marveled at his newfound strength. He had been strong even before absorbing monarch gene fragments, but he certainly wouldn''t have been able to suppress all the gathered kings of the realm with just one attack.


    Thebined might of the kings was quite impressive. Zhang Lie''s attack might very well have been blockedpletely by the kings before his acquisition of monarch gene fragments¡ªat the very least, it wouldn''t have dealt such a heavy blow to these kings, and it wouldn''t have destroyed their army beyond repair.


    This had to be the power of monarch gene fragments.


    The coalition really was unlucky to have roused Zhang Lie''s ire right after he acquired a massive boon.


    The only one among the kings of the realm who could barely remain standing was the king of Chiyan.


    Just as his sister had described, this king of the realm had fought against Yang Ze and improved dramatically in strength after recovering from his wounds. He had surpassed the limits of a regr king of arge world, and was slowly approaching the might of a superior king.


    However, despite his strength, he was held back by the size of his world¡ªhecked sufficient energy from the will of the world to truly advance and be a superior king. Even so, it was impressive that he had managed to reach such heights¡ªand a pity that he had provoked Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie sped both hands behind his back as he propelled himself through the air toward the king of Chiyan. "Are you the king of Chiyan, who injured my teammate Yang Ze? I''ve been interested in meeting you to learn who would be so bold as to hurt me and mine."


    The king of Chiyan nced at the unwee intruder, his eyes narrowed. The moment Zhang Lie appeared, he had sensed Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strength and aura. His very soul was warning him against the man standing right in front of him. The king of Chiyan desperately wished to avoid the uing fight.


    How many years had it been since the king of Chiyan felt so threatened? Never before had he felt such cmitous strength, as though he could very well drop dead and die out of nowhere.


    The king of Chiyan sucked in a deep breath. "Are you the champion of mankind, Zhang Lie?"


    The fallen kings of the realm nced at each other in dismay, unable to believe that the rumored king of mankind was right there in front of them.


    They had exchanged countless blows with the warlords of the third realm, and they had learned from them about an existence of unimaginable strength, one who had be deified.


    The warlords spoke of a man whose strength eclipsed them all by hundreds and thousands of times, who could destroy arge world in the blink of an eye...


    The kings of the realm refused to believe such nonsense. They expected that the warlords were simply making up this figure to frighten them and deter them from trying to invade further.


    Now, however, the kings of the realm were staring at living proof of this legend.


    Even working together, the kings of the realm sumbed to just one blow from Zhang Lie, and the weaker kings were instantly annihted. Truly, Zhang Lie was on the level of a god.


    They thought that the members of Team Zenith were the opponents'' greatest assets, each with the strength of a peak king of arge world, but this was a monster beyond regr monsters. They shouldn''t have formed a coalition; they should havein hidden in their own worlds. How were they supposed to deal with such a monstrosity?

 Chapter 924: A Problem Resolved

    <h4>Chapter 924: A Problem Resolved</h4>


    The gravely wounded kings of the realm all looked toward the king of Chiyan, who was the strongest remaining king. The king of Chiyan himself wanted to flee, but he knew very well that if he tried to do so, he would be killed in a matter of moments.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" Zhang Lie activated his signature technique. ck gic energy gushed out from beneath his feet.


    A ck serpent materialized from behind Zhang Lie''s back, its gic energy so condensed and concentrated it looked almost alive. It hissed at the gathered kings, causing their faces to turn ashen.


    The king of Chiyan forced a smile. "You''re indeed quite strong. I wonder how youpare to the fellow I defeated?


    I''ve grown even stronger since, and I''m certain I won''t lose out even to you!"


    The king of Chiyan forced himself to think of Zhang Lie as an opponent he could defeat. Only then could he keep a tight rein on his emotions and prevent himself from panicking. If he were to ponder just how strong Zhang Lie really was, his mental state would immediately copse.


    He sent out another field of fiery waves, which covered the sky and seemed to be charged with strength.


    Unlike before, however, hordes of sharks swam amidst the sea of fire.


    Zhang Lie frowned. This technique that the king of Chiyan had demonstrated seemed somehow familiar¡ªlike Yang Ze''s technique, or more urately, an enhanced version of Yang Ze''s technique that was subsequently adapted to the king of Chiyan''s own framework.


    It looked as though the king of Chiyan''s fight with Yang Ze had been particrly influential in his development as a fighter.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward. The ck serpent behind him shot forth toward the hordes of fiery sharks.


    As it breached the waves, countless red sharks pounced toward its body, reviving from the mes after their death the same way that Yang Ze''s sharks did.


    The king of Chiyan even added his own ir to the attack.


    After the ming sharks tore off part of the serpent''s body and consumed the mass of ck gic energy, they would explode, causing a second wave of damage to the serpent. Subsequently, the sharks would reform from the sea of mes.


    The repeated explosions caused the serpent to writhe in pain, but the corrosive gic energy that it possessed wasn''t easy for the king of Chiyan to deal with, either. That corrosive energy was slowly but surely sapping away at the sea of mes; neither the ck serpent nor the red sharks were truly winning the confrontation.


    To augment his strength even further, Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. A hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie charged through the sea of mes in a blood-red beam, destroying the sea whole and appearing in front of the king of Chiyan. With a single punch, he blew the king of Chiyan away¡ªonly to see that king morph into a bundle of mes.


    Zhang Lie was very surprised, but it was evident that the king he had struck was no more than a clone made of mes.


    The king of Chiyan had, by then, moved far away. He held his arms high above his head as scarlet mes wrapped around his body and turned him into a scarlet sun, one which dyed the entire sky a lurid red.


    The scarlet sun morphed into a huge dragonwhale, which swallowed up Zhang Lie.


    Subsequently, the scarlet sun exploded, sending mes roaring into the sky. The entire battlefield was consumed by the mes; surely no one could survive the attack.


    Before the king of Chiyan could be gratified by his sess, however, a voice came from behind.


    "Aren''t you going to celebrate after killing one of my clones?"


    The voice sounded nightmarish to the king of Chiyan. He turned immediately, but just as he reacted, a w pierced through his chest.


    The king of Chiyan''s eyes bulged. He had seen his attack swallow Zhang Lie whole! How had Zhang Lie made a reappearance?


    Zhang Lie smiled coldly. "Do you really think I would be incapable of identifying the mirage hidden behind your sea of mes?"


    As fresh blood dyed the king of Chiyan''s chest red, Zhang Lie continued, "Ah, I forgot to tell you, didn''t I? I taught Yang Ze most of his techniques."


    Zhang Lie had fought against Yang Ze countless times, and he was intimately familiar with the mirages that Yang Ze would create with his water-attuned gic energy. It wasughable that the king of Chiyan would dare to try simr techniques on him, but he was happy to y along with the king of Chiyan for a bit.


    Scarlet mes erupted from the king of Chiyan''s body, but Zhang Lie stood amidst the mes as though they weren''t present, as though he was immune to their heart.


    The king of Chiyan shouted, "What are all of you doing? We can''t back down now. The tumors and viruses are already invading our worlds¡ªthey won''t let us go even if we surrender or flee!"


    The kings of the realm, realizing the truth of the king of Chiyan''s words, pounced toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s all useless! Gold Comet, I''ll leave the rest to you."


    A golden beam shot through the air, leaving lines of red across the necks of many a king of the realm.


    The next moment, their heads fell off their bodies¡ªeven to their death, they were unaware of what had happened to them. Their bodies continued to rush forward for brief moments before their momentum drained away.


    Gold Comet waved its scythes, boredom showing through its gaze. It was rather dissatisfied with its first battle after its ascension¡ªits opponents were too weak.


    The warlords stared at Gold Comet in shock. None of them had noticed its arrival because Zhang Lie was so eye-catching. Everyone''s attention had focused on Zhang Lie, not realizing that Gold Comet was almost as strong as Zhang Lie himself.


    There were at least a dozen kings ofrge worlds before them, and a few dozen kings of medium-sized worlds. Gold Comet had ughtered them all in less than a second, so fast the warlords hadn''t been able to catch its movements.


    Gold Comet found these kings of the realm far too weak to be worth fighting against, but to the warlords, the coalition force had been a burdensome enemy. All of them working together had barely been able to hold the warlords back, but Gold Comet had dispatched them all in less than a second. It boasted tremendous attack power and overwhelming speed.


    Xing Ying was the first to react. "Could that be what the champion of mankind once told us about...? A post-disaster-grade lifeform...?"


    Upon hearing Xing Ying''s shocked murmurs, the warlords present at the scene were even more surprised. They stared at Gold Comet with awe.


    The fact that a post-disaster-grade lifeform had made an appearance meant that there were surely corresponding gene fragments to be obtained. They hadn''t yet finished acquiring their disaster gene fragments, and now there was already another evolution beyond that...


    The warlords didn''t know what to think anymore with regards to Zhang Lie. The disparity between them and Zhang Lie was simply toorge. No one present was a match for Gold Comet; they had to finish collecting disaster gene fragments before worrying about anything beyond that.


    Upon witnessing the ughter of the kings of his coalition, the king of Chiyan''s eyes turned ming red. He howled in anger, "Just what have we done? Why do you insist on killing us all?!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t dress his words. "Weakness is tantamount to original sin. Either submit or die¡ªI''ll allow you to choose that much, at least."


    "I''ll kill you!" The king of Chiyan had gone mad from anger. Power burst from his body¡ªhe tried to self-destruct and bring Zhang Lie down with him.


    "No, I don''t think so." Before the king of Chiyan couldpletely self-destruct, Zhang Lie beheaded him.

 Chapter 925: Drug Development

    <h4>Chapter 925: Drug Development</h4>


    Everything happened so quickly that the entire battlefield fell silent.


    The warlords again marveled at Zhang Lie''s strength. He was so strong that his techniques were imprable to the eye¡ªthey could see that he had done something, and they could see the oue of what he had done, but the process in between seemed to be obscuredpletely.


    Zhang Lie returned to Gold Comet''s side. As he took in Gold Comet''s deted expression, he patted it on the back. "Don''t worry. There are plenty of strong foes out there, and you''ll have more than enough opportunity to shine."


    Gold Comet nodded.


    Zhang Lie turned to Xing Ying. "Inform the members of Team Zenith that we''re done here¡ªtell them to return."


    The warlords could clean up the battlefield without his help. Zhang Lie shattered space and returned to the draconian world.


    .


    The moment he returned, the draconian sage teleported to his side. "Well? Is everything resolved?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Are you underestimating my strength?"


    The draconian sageughed heartily. "I suppose you''re right. If you step in yourself, there''s nothing you can''t handle."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where is the Yeluo research facility?"


    The draconian sage teleported Zhang Lie to the entrance of the facility, which was located in the draconian capital. Within the facility, countless spiritual herbs were being cultivated and grown. Quite a number of Yeluo were moving through the facility and watering the nts around them.


    Zhang Lie walked briskly through the facility, straight toward the Yeluo chieftain. Subsequently, he handed him a xuluo bone. "Chieftain, can you see if this material can be a substitute for an asura''s thorn in this potion that I want to make?"


    Zhang Lie handed over the recipe for the peak limit-breaking potion as well as the xuluo bones he had collected. During the war against the xuluo, Zhang Lie had amassed quite a lot of xuluo bones via Li Zongming. Unfortunately, he hadn''t managed to collect the bones of the xuluo king, although he did seed with the four great xuluo lords.


    The Yeluo chieftain pondered the question for long moments. "I can''t give you a definite answer, your majesty. If you don''t mind, would you be willing to leave these materials here? I will inform you the moment I have any sess with them."


    With the third realm''s affairs finished, Team Zenith returned to Mars.


    Although almost a month had passed in the third realm, barely two had done so on Mars. After Zhang Lie left Hong Xi with a few instructions, he brought the members of Team Zenith back to Earth.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo that remained on Mars were able to teleport straight back to Earth via the teleportation apparatus.


    Once Zhang Lie and the others returned to Earth, Zhang Lie immediately reported to Hong Tianqi,


    "Matters on Mars are resolved."


    Hong Tianqi sighed in relief. "As expected of you¡ªyour efficacy truly shocks me."


    "Will you let me know where you''ve kept your map fragments in the third realm, then?"


    "No problem." Hong Tianqi sent Zhang Lie a series of coordinates via transceiver.


    After concerted effort, the gxy had managed to piece together a simple map of the third realm. Zhang Lie looked at the map and the coordinates that Hong Tianqi had given him.


    "This is..." Zhang Lie was shocked to see that the coordinates pointed to a familiar location. "Isn''t this one of the worlds I''ve been to?"


    Zhang Lie discovered that Hong Tianqi had left the map fragments hidden in a world to which he had already traveled, in which a battle for kingship had been taking ce. "Is this fate?"


    He returned again to the third realm, with the members of Team Zenith in tow. Zhang Lie had the other members of Team Zenith continue their conquest of the nearby worlds as he prepared to set off on his journey.


    Just as he was preparing the five-colored dragon for travel through space, however, the draconian sage called him back. "I don''t know where you''re headed, but if you have time, go talk to the Yeluo chieftain. Apparently, he''s made some progress with the research you tasked him with already!"


    "So quickly?" Zhang Lie immediately dropped what he was doing.


    "ording to our research, these bones can rece the asura''s thorn to some extent. This is the fruit of ourbor." The Yeluo chieftain led him to a researchboratory. In a test tube rack was a vial of blood-red potion lined with skeins of gold, which wriggled like worms.


    Zhang Lie asked, "How''s the efficacy?"


    The Yeluo chieftain shrugged. "We''ve done a few tests on living subjects, but they all died."


    "What?!"


    The Yeluo chieftain sighed. "ording to our research, you need to reach a specific threshold in strength or constitution to be able to absorb the potion without any side effects."


    "Just like the other limit-breaking potions, then... those who consume it will likely have to max out their peak gene fragments and superior limit fragments first."


    There were a dozen or so people who satisfied these conditions within the Zenith Dojo, but most of them were on Mars. The only ones who satisfied such conditions in the third realm were the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Hanxiang, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the others.


    Zhang Lie asked, "And will there be any side effects for those hunters who do satisfy these requirements?"


    "We can''t say," the Yeluo chieftain replied, with some hesitation.


    A researcher standing beside him reported, "This is the first time we''re making such a potion. Without your recipe, your majesty, we wouldn''t have had any idea what to do."


    Zhang Lie was a little vexed himself. Although the world atrge believed that the limit-breaking potions were his creation, the truth was that he had simply imported knowledge from his former life into this one.


    His own proficiency with potionmaking was about on the same level as the Yeluo chieftain¡ªand if the Yeluo chieftain was unable to discern how safe this potion was to consume, it was unlikely he would be able to do so himself. Perhaps there was currently no one in the gxy who knew more than he did about these limit-breaking potions, but he was less of a potioneer than, say, the Yeluo chieftain.


    "If we stall here, we won''t be able to make any further progress. Let me call Zhou Ying over."


    Zhou Ying asked, "What''s the matter, Captain?"


    "I''d like for you to be ab rat¡ªor rather, to test out the newest potion that the Yeluo chieftain hase up with."


    Zhou Ying''s [Avatar of the Fae] boasted overwhelming vitality, and she had managed to spur its growth bybining with the shaman of the wood spirits. Furthermore, her constitution was well equipped to handle all sorts of spiritual herbs and medicines.


    "What potion?" Zhou Ying asked.


    "Limit-breaking Potion #4, an experimental version of it!"


    Zhou Ying''s eyes grew wide. "Captain, you''ve alreadye up with peak limit fragments?"


    Two days ago, Zhou Ying had heard that Zhang Lie had discovered a post-disaster-grade lifeform by evolving Red Comet. Now, she learned that he was on the verge of producing Potion #4. Either event would rock the Milky Way, both in quick session¡ªshe didn''t know what to say.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Potion #4 isn''t ready yet. This is only an experimental version, and it''ll have to be tested to see if it''s effective."


    He brought Zhou Ying to the Yeluo chieftain''s researchboratory, whereupon the Yeluo chieftain brought over the experimental vial of Potion #4. He exined, "This recipe is still in its infancy, and we can''t be certain of its effects or risks."


    Zhang Lie added, "There are two conditions required for consuming Potion #4: to have superior limit fragments, and to have maxed peak gene fragments. Among the hunters of the third realm, only the members of Team Zenith and vanishingly few other hunters besides satisfy both these conditions. Of this small pool of candidates, you''re the best suited to potion-testing."


    Zhou Ying nodded firmly. "I ept the risk. You''ve worked harding up with these potions to aid our growth so that we might be able to catch up to you, and we can hardly grow strong without risk. As a gic hunter, I''m more than happy to take this opportunity."

 Chapter 926: Karmic Strength

    <h4>Chapter 926: Karmic Strength</h4>


    Zhou Ying was just about to down the vial in one gulp when Zhang Lie held her back. "Hold on."


    Zhou Ying asked, "What''s the matter? Please don''t worry, Captain, I can handle any side effects that may ur."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, it''s not that. Take a sip at a time, so that we can identify any changes to your body, collect data, and stop any problems before theypound."


    Potion #4 would affect a hunter''s gic code at its most fundamental level, and if something were to go wrong here, even Zhou Ying''s boundless vitality wouldn''t be able to resolve the problem.


    Zhou Ying took a sip. Fire burned her throat and body. It was a scorching baptism.


    She felt as though she was experiencing the blood ants'' gic technique, [Bloodbath]. As the potent effects of the potion surged through her body, a scorching heat enveloped her from head to toe, as though she had immersed her entire body in a vat of chili peppers.


    Sweat poured down her back, as though she had been running through the rain.


    As a disaster-grade lifeform whose body had crystallized, Zhou Ying began to re with light, which resolved into the color of jade.


    Her boundless vitality flooded out of her, sending theboratory apparatus all around her crashing to the ground. Golden skeins of blood revolved around her body, and Zhou Ying instinctively activated [Avatar of the Fae].


    An outburst of green light shielded Zhou Ying. Her hair grew long enough to reach her legs, turning into a green the color of sparkling jade. Green motes of vitality surrounded her like fireflies.


    The green slowly leached out of her body as it turned the color of jade. Her body grew stronger and stronger. Zhou Ying''s eyes brightened, her pupils flecked with gold.


    The Yeluo chieftain was very satisfied. "It looks like you''ve fully digested the potion already."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere?"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "My body feels better than ever. The will of the world informed me that I''ve received a single peak limit fragment."


    .


    Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain nced at each other, both overjoyed.


    "Excellent news!" the Yeluo chieftain grew even more excited. "I expect this is a great sess."


    "No, it''s too early for that," Zhang Lie cautioned.


    Chastised, the Yeluo chieftain nodded. "You''re right, your majesty, it''s not time to grow rxed just yet. We''ll have to collect some more data with respect to Miss Zhou Ying''s body. We still need to confirm that the potion has been absorbed entirely, and that there are no side effects we need to know about."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "If Zhou Ying sessfully finishes the entire potion and obtains fifty peak limit fragments, we can be assured of our sess then."


    Zhou Ying looked toward the vial of Potion #4 she held in her hand with greed, but she knew that it was only sensible to wait.


    After the Yeluo chieftain inspected her fully, he dered that she was in exceptional health. Her vitality had grown stronger and richer upon imbibing the potion.


    The Yeluo chieftain suggested, "At this point, I think you can try consuming the entire vial at once."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Better to find an isted location. I''m afraid the energy released upon consuming the potion will create a mess."


    Considering what just drinking a sip of the potion had done to theboratory, the Yeluo chieftain certainly agreed.


    The group headed to the desert of ck ss. It used to be a desert of ck sand, but after Zhang Lie''s evolution here upon maxing out his disaster gene fragments, all that sand had turned to ss.


    Zhou Ying swallowed the remainder of the potion in onerge gulp. As the herbal energy swept through her body, she felt as though her body had be a world in its own right. What she gave off was no longer vitality¡ªbut rather a world''s energy.


    Zhou Ying''s face took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    Her blood boiled, and energy rushed out of her body and formed a hurricane around her. The ck ss beneath her cracked, and the entire draconian world began to shudder.


    The draconian sage teleported to the source of the disturbance. "What''s going on? What have all of you done?!"


    The energy that filled Zhou Ying''s body had reached a critical threshold, as though a supernova were exploding. Her body began to crack, and frighteningly dense energy seeped out of those cracks.


    The Yeluo chieftain''s face grew rmed. "Something''s wrong!"


    He hadn''t expected that the potion would be so strong.


    Zhou Ying''s body began to repair herself with her boundless vitality, but even as her wounds closed, they opened up again. Zhou Ying made a pained expression. Crystalline powder spread through the air as Zhou Ying''s cells underwent apoptosis. Huge amounts of energy gathered by her heart, and she couldn''t help but cough out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    The blood that left her body evaporated instantly, revealing just how hot her body had be.


    Zhou Ying circted her technique at full force, sending her vitality throughout her body. Golden and ck threads umted around her, forming a cocoon that trapped her within, as though forcing all the rampaging energy back into her body.


    The Yeluo chieftain asked in surprise, "What''s this?"


    Zhang Lie, on the other hand, seemed to be familiar with these golden and ck threads¡ªthreads of karma.


    At that very moment, Zhou Ying was undergoing a metamorphosis. Burgeoning gic energy in her body was destroying it from the inside out even as her vitality healed all that damage. The two forces warred within her, refining her lifeforce and the gic energy contained within the limit-breaking potion.


    The golden and ck threads stabilized the two conflicting sources of energy. The power of heaven''s might, infused into the potion via the xuluo''s bones, activated and skipped past all potential failure oues.


    There had been the possibility that Zhou Ying''s body would decay, unable to handle the stress of the shes between the two forms of energy running rampant through her body; that Zhou Ying would run out of steam and be unable to fuel her transformation; that Zhou Ying would grow mentally unstable...


    All those possibilities were elided over with the help of the power of heaven''s might. Instead, sessy in sight.


    The cocoon split apart. The ck and golden threads vanished in the air, and Zhou Ying was once again surrounded by jade-green vitality. Her advancement had made her dozens of times stronger than before, and gold and ck threads shone in her eyes.


    Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain sucked in deep breaths of relief.


    Zhou Ying had seeded.


    The Yeluo chieftain got to his knees. "Your majesty, my calctions were clearly awry. I never expected the potion would produce so much energy, and Zhou Ying almost died as a result. Please punish me."


    Zhou Ying had managed to absorb a sip of the potion sessfully, but there had almost been a problem when she downed the entire vial.


    If not for the fact that Zhou Ying''s body was brimming with vitality as a result of her unique framework, she might have perished. Zhang Lie had made the right decision in allowing Zhou Ying to be the test subject¡ªany other member of Team Zenith really might have died...

 Chapter 927: The Ninth Princes Dire Straits

    <h4>Chapter 927: The Ninth Prince''s Dire Straits</h4>


    Zhang Lie shook his head. He told the Yeluo chieftain, "This isn''t your fault."


    "Thank you for your mercy, your majesty!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "If you had improperly ounted for the potency of the vial or used inappropriate ingredients, I wouldn''t have let you go so easily¡ªbut this potion contains elements beyond the purview of potionmaking, which can''t be understood using the same framework."


    The Yeluo chieftain was very surprised by what Zhang Lie said. He had brewed the potion himself; what extraordinary elements could Zhang Lie be talking about?


    While Zhou Ying was absorbing the superior limit-breaking potion, Zhang Lie could clearly sense the power of heaven''s might, the remnants of the energy that had been infused into the xuluo''s very bones, which had added some variability to the effect of the potion.


    Sess and failure¡ªboth were governed by heaven''s might. Without heaven''s might, Zhou Ying wouldn''t have been able to obtain limit fragments sessfully.


    But that wasn''t quite right, either. It was more urate to im that Zhou Ying had sessfully used her vitality as a conduit to absorb the power of heaven''s might and use it to seed in the absorption of limit fragments.


    Heaven''s might was a force much like naturalw, and it was far more advanced and abstract an idea than spiritual herbs and ingredients. It was only natural that the Yeluo chieftain had been unable to take such a variable into ount.


    The draconian sage sighed, "Hey, now, don''t ignore me! When are you going to answer my question?"


    Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain both turned toward the draconian sage. Zhang Lie apologized, "Sorry, Sage¡ªwe were too engrossed in our discussion."


    The Yeluo chieftain added, "This is a new potion that his majesty had us research."


    The draconian sage sighed again. "I don''t know how you''ve been able to make so many discoveries, one after the other."


    When Zhou Ying came to her senses, she smiled as she inspected her body. She had gained fifty peak limit fragments, just like that.


    "How do you feel?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Remarkably good, just like when I consumed Potion #3¡ªno, I feel even better than that! Mybat strength has increased by leaps and bounds, maybe even by an order of magnitude. It''s just that¡ª"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are there any issues?"


    Zhou Ying continued hesitantly, "Why am I seeing these strange golden and ck threads?"


    "If I''m not mistaken, that should be the power of heaven''s might. The golden threads represent positive karma, and the ck threads negative karma. If you hone your senses, you may be able to control these karmic threads."


    Zhou Ying frowned. "Karma? It sounds fantastical..."


    "Such is the nature of naturalw. At its extremes, everything looks that way¡ªisn''t quantum mechanics just like that?"


    Zhou Ying nodded. She wasn''t very familiar with quantum mechanics, but she had heard of it and learned a little of it, and it was as abstruse as Zhang Lie imed.


    The Yeluo chieftain continued, "Although it might be possible to absorb the entire potion by drinking it in portions, as a safety precaution, I intend on adjusting the recipe to ameliorate its devastating potency.


    Although Zhang Lie was able to extract and expel the power of heaven''s might from the xuluo bones, he didn''t intend to do so.


    The fact that hunters would be able to encounter and sense the power of heaven''s might was undoubtedly a boon. Just because Zhang Lie himself wasn''t interested in heaven''s might didn''t mean that the members of Team Zenith, or even the rest of humanity atrge, would be the same.


    Although Zhang Lie had learned from the xuluo king himself that heaven''s might was a double-edged sword, it was a power of unbelievable potency. It was only one manifestation of karmic power, just like Zhang Lie''s time-based attack was different from the one that Fang Yi had intuited.


    In the xuluo king''s hands, the karmic power had manifested as heaven''s might; in his son''s hands, it had manifested as the ability to prate one and all.


    Zhang Lie didn''t think much of heaven''s might, but given the talents that the members of Team Zenith possessed, he was certain that they would be able toe up with their own unique manifestations of the power.


    The double-edged nature of heaven''s might could have been a deterrent for some, but Zhang Lie didn''t feel that this was a big problem. He didn''t intend on spreading the power widely, and only a rare few people would be able to ess Potion #4.


    Even then, only a fraction of those who consumed Potion #4 would be able to obtain a karmic power. Unlike the xuluo, not every human would have ess to such power, and no cmity would doom the race.


    With only a few members of humanity having this power, Zhang Lie would be able to nullify or otherwise deal with its negative side effects.


    Regardless, the conclusion was that Potion #4 had an even better effect than expected, and Zhang Lie was very pleased with the Yeluo chieftain''s efforts.


    He retrieved a few more bones from his storage-type soulshard.


    Upon sensing the power imbued in the bones, the Yeluo chieftain''s face grew rmed. "This strength¡ªthese bones are stronger than the previous batch you gave me!"


    "These bones came from the four great xuluo lords. Chieftain, please help me concoct a few more vials of Potion #4 using these bones."


    The Yeluo chieftain was visibly hesitant. "Your majesty, I''m afraid that the potions made with these bones will be even more potent than the sample vial we just tested..."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s not a problem. Brew the potions¡ªI''m confident you''ll be able to lower the potency, and I believe in the members of Team Zenith."


    The Yeluo chieftain sighed. "If you insist, your majesty. I''ll do my best, but I can''t guarantee that it will work out."


    After leaving the Yeluo chieftain with this task, Zhang Lie set off on his multicolored dragon.


    Back in the world of the scalemen, the ninth prince, who had be king, was rather frustrated.


    Zhang Lie had left over two years ago. After bing king, the ninth prince had worked hard to maintainw and order, and the world seemed to be improving day by day. He had re-established connections with neighboring worlds, and even invaded and conquered some to expand his reach.


    The ninth prince had never forgotten the lessons that Zhang Lie had taught him, and the world of the scalemen benefited as a result.


    The new king didn''t know whether he could be a ruler that his descendants would sing the praise of, but he wasmitted to being a wise and virtuous ruler, one who lived up to his master''s reputation.


    Even so, this king was now beset by a huge dilemma, one that could spell the death of the world: it was being invaded by hostile forces.


    Wars between worlds was amon phenomenon, but the problemy with the scaleman world''s enemy¡ªa mysterious foe whose units were wrapped up all over in ck cloth, without any trace of life. No one understood how they were animated, and they had no weaknesses to speak of. They came forth in immense numbers, in what seemed like a neverending flood.


    Those of the draconian world would recognize them instantly¡ªthe ck spirits.


    The appearance of the ck spirits broke the peaceful atmosphere of the scaleman world.


    The ck spirits had suddenly swept through all the worlds around them before ending up at the scaleman world. Unable to handle the blitzkrieg assault, the new king of the realm panicked as the ck spirits took over half the world.


    The scaleman world had just managed to recover from the debacle with the Jinghun n¡ªand now, it seemed that they would be subject to yet another cmity. The new king had no choice but to enter the battlefield himself, but even so, the tide of ck spirits seemed interminable...

 Chapter 928: Reappearance of the Black Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 928: Reappearance of the ck Spirits</h4>


    The ck spirits had fielded a fighter as strong as the king of arge world. Countless strips of ck cloth filled the air like giant serpents, twisting together into a construct twenty meters tall.


    Although the new king was a king of arge world, he was unfamiliar and unpracticed withbat. The ck bandages that danced in the air blocked all his attacks even as theyid waste to his soldiers.


    The new king grew wounded almost immediately. Just as he thought he would die, a fish the size of a whale materialized in the sky.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the ck spirit.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, and they swamped the battlefield.


    Upon seeing the flood of gic energy, the new king''s eyes widened with disbelief. He was familiar with this gic energy, intimately so¡ªhe had seen it destroy the walls of his empire.


    The memory shed before him, as though he were experiencing it anew.


    Just as he and the crown prince thought themselves trapped in a dead end, despair drowning them from all directions, that figure had made an appearance.


    Ripples of air formed around Zhang Lie''s arm, growing more and more intense as Zhang Liebined spatial force with his water-attuned gic energy, sucking in the nearby space like it was nothing more than papier mache.


    Howling gales formed in the air, causing a flood that arced through the air and swamped the entire capital like a giant tsunami.


    When the guards on the city walls saw what was happening, their faces turned rmed. "An enemy attack!"


    The flood of water crashed against the tall, sturdy walls of the capital and broke a gigantic gap through it.


    The crown and ninth princes stood still at that moment.


    The entire capital shook. The water-attuned gic energy exploded through the air, forming a hurricane of water and sending pulses of energy that covered the entire capital. It seemed almost as if a disaster-grade lifeform had gone on a rampage within the capital, summoning wind and rain so strong that some of the guards were blown straight off the walls.


    The storm swallowed up all the infrastructure and buildings close to the city walls, turning them into a pile of ruin and rubble.


    As the hurricane revolved, the buildings nearest the pce were uprooted and sent flying. Pirs of shattered stone and balconies of wood whipped through the air, and even the pce infrastructure became unstable.


    The crown and ninth princes watched the aftermath of the attack in shock. It seemed as though the figure towered over all walls, despite the walls being farrger than he was.


    The pale-blue energy that had reappeared in the new king''s sight, different though it had be in the meantime, was immediately recognizable. That one punch had dispelled the danger that the scaleman world faced, the danger that the ninth prince himself was in.


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t broken down the city walls, the Jinghun would have imed the scaleman world for themselves. What Zhang Lie''s fist had broken wasn''t just the walls to the city, but also the dark clouds that threatened to overwhelm the scaleman world¡ªthe power of fate. Everything that had followed, including the ninth prince''s ascension to the throne, hade as a result of that punch.


    Now, when the scaleman world was once again in crisis, Zhang Lie used the same attack against its enemies.


    The flood of gic energy smashed into the giant formed from ck cloth. Shockwaves surged forth from Zhang Lie, swallowing up the giant and ripping it to pieces. The storm then sucked up all the ck spirits nearby, sweeping through them and decimating their number.


    "Ninth prince, how did you end up in such a sorry state?" A familiar voice rang out by the ninth prince''s ear. He raised his head and looked toward the sky, where a familiar and imposing figure had once again appeared in sight. The ninth prince''s eyes welled with tears.


    It had only been two years since they hadst seen each other, but it felt like an eternity.


    To the new king, that familiar figure was more worthy of respect than even his father. He was a master to the king, but one to whom the new king felt more kinship than even his father.


    A torrent of emotions welled out of him and crystallized into a single word. "Master!"


    The new king, who hadn''t cried despite the doubts and suspicions of his officials and people against his rule, despite the appearance of the ck spirits, despite the overwhelming odds and despair he faced¡ªhe cried now, bawling like a child, because his master had returned. No longer did he need to suffer needlessly, to pretend that he was invincible, because now he had a backer.


    That which could pierce a man''s heart wasn''t a de or bullet, but a kind word and a gentle gaze. Zhang Lie dropped down by the new king''s side and patted him on the shoulder.


    "Ah, you. You''ve be the king of the realm¡ªit''s past time to stop crying."


    The king smiled like a child. "In front of you, Master, I''ll always be a kid."


    It felt as though he had returned to the day two years past, when the man in front of him had saved him from haplessness.


    Zhang Liemented, "You don''t seem to be doing too well over here..."


    The new king sighed. "These invaders are far too difficult to deal with. After they entered our world, they''ve been slowly eroding our control over thend. I learned from a few refugees that these invaders are known as the ck spirits. Allegedly, they''ve invaded quite a few nearby worlds."


    Zhang Lie frowned. Things weren''t progressing as he remembered.


    To his knowledge, the sudden invasion of the ck spirits was something that should have urred years down the line. Was the fact that their invasion had moved forward a result of the butterfly effect he had caused?


    Zhang Lie had no other exnation for the phenomenon.


    The new king was paying close attention to Zhang Lie''s expression.


    "Master, are you aware of the origin of these invaders?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "More or less. As you know, they''re known as ck spirits. In some sense, these spirits aren''t living creatures¡ªthey might as well be mindless spirits of death, like zombies."

 Chapter 929: Slaughtering the Death Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 929: ughtering the Death Spirits</h4>


    The king gasped. "Do you mean to say that these ck spirits are already dead?"


    "More precisely, they''re monsters that were created from souls."


    "Are they ghosts or spirits?"


    "Simr to both, but not truly either. They''re weapons of war created by the death spirits, manufactured from abination of corpses and the living."


    The king rified, "The death spirits are the mastermind behind all this, then?"


    "You wouldn''t understand even if I exined it, and knowing too much would only put you in danger. Finish cleaning up the rest of the ck spirits first."


    If Zhang Lie were to tell the new king that the ck spirits were being controlled by the death spirits, whom even the other superior worlds feared, he doubted any good woulde out of it¡ªit was more likely that the king would shrink back in fear.


    After Zhang Lie dealt with the strongest ck spirit, the king and his soldiers easily handled the rest.


    The king led Zhang Lie to the pce and asked expectantly, "Why have youe, Master? Could you have rushed over because you knew that our world was in danger?"


    Upon seeing the king''s shining eyes, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but sweat. In the end, he couldn''t bring himself to im that it was all a coincidence.


    "I would be lying if I said otherwise. As your master, I was worried about what would happen after I left. Although I have quite a number of disciples, you''re one of the ones I care about most. I left an imprint of my aura behind that would let me know if this world was ever in danger."


    The king was instantly touched.


    Zhang Lie coughed and tried to hide the blush from his face. "Of course, I''m also a busy man with lots of tasks to aplish, and I came back to this world for other reasons as well. After seeing that the ck spirits were bullying my student, there was no way I could let them go."


    The king asked, "Master, what''s your n now?"


    Zhang Lie smirked. "I''ll ughter them all and destroy their stronghold."


    The king bowed and cupped his hands. "Thank you for your assistance, Master!"


    "While I deal with the ck spirits, there''s a task I need you to help aplish."


    "Anything, Master!"


    "It''s just a minor errand. Help me find this item¡ªit''s located somewhere in this world."


    Zhang Lie handed the king the coordinates he had received from Hong Tianqi. Subsequently, he strode out of the pce, beckoned to the multicolored dragon, leapt up onto its back, and flew off in the direction of the ck spirits.


    Not only had Zhang Lie maxed out his disaster gene fragments, he had even obtained a few monarch gene fragments. Even before obtaining these monarch gene fragments, he had been able to ughter a king of a superior world¡ªand now, hisbat strength had grown even further.


    The ck spirits were naturally unable to block Zhang Lie''s advance, but Zhang Lie himself didn''t make a move. He had Gold Comet deal with all the ck spirits while he watched on the throne atop the dragon.


    What made Zhang Lie ufortable was that the worlds that the ck spirits had conquered were sucked free of lifeforms and even the world''s energy. The worlds closer to the stronghold were the worst impacted by the ck spirits.


    The ck spirits began to marshal their forces, their ck cloth bandages spinning together to form a huge ball of cloth which seemed to be bulging monstrously from the inside.


    Gold Comet morphed into a beam of light and bisected the ball in half. However, whatever sustained the ball didn''t dissipate¡ªthe ck bandages unraveled into a long river.


    Gold Comet''s scythes cut apart the river in a flurry, turning cloth into scraps.


    Zhang Lie rode the multicolored dragon into the world in which the ck spirits had constructed a stronghold. Its surface was a barren ck desert, and the will of the world had beenpletely consumed. "This world is dead," Zhang Lie proimed.


    Purple mes spread across the desert, as though a sea of purple me were oveid above it.


    "For there to be so many void spirits¡ªjust how many worlds did the ck spirits take over, and how many lifeforms did they kill?"


    From above, Zhang Lie estimated he could sense about a hundred million spirits.


    He shook his head. "The ck spirits have truly gone crazy."


    He couldn''t understand just what the death spirits were thinking. Did they really think the ck spirits'' rapid, uncontrolled expansion would go unnoticed?


    The death spirit king had left countless ck spirits all over the three thousand worlds¡ªand no one knew how many had been taken over by the ck spirits.


    Now that the ck spirits were aggressively taking over other worlds, however, they would immediately draw the attention and scrutiny of the other superior worlds. Wouldn''t that destroy all the nning that the death spirit king had done to date?


    "Perhaps the death spirit king doesn''t care that his ns will be exposed?"


    But just what had happened to cause the death spirit king to act so recklessly? In the end, Zhang Lie could think of only one thing: the destruction of the xuluo world.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "In the end, it''s my fault again...?"


    Logically, there should have been no reason for the death spirit king to expose his ns even with the destruction of the xuluo world.


    Could something have happened to the barricade that the other nine superior worlds had constructed around the death spirits'' world? Surely not. The nine superior worlds had spent millennia constructing the barricade, and it should have been able to survive the destruction of the xuluo world, at least temporarily.


    If the destruction of the xuluo world had really been problematic, the envoy from the superior world wouldn''t have acted so high and mighty in front of the Zongming world.


    Surely the millennia of construction had shored up the barricade enough to hold?


    "No, I can''t understand what''s going on. There''s some criticalponent of the death spirit king''s n that I''m missing, I''m sure of it."


    The dragon flew over the surface of the. Zhang Lie could sense a vile, disgusting source of energy from deeper within the ck spirits'' territory, and he motioned for the dragon to head toward it.


    He encountered a phenomenon simr to that which Fang Yi had experienced: a huge sandstorm. However, Zhang Lie was no Fang Yi. He stepped outside the pce and stood atop the dragon''s head. As he clenched his fists, blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura.


    A sandstorm began to rage around him. The two sandstorms shed, sending ck sand all over¡ªas though two huge armies were shing against each other.


    A pale blue whale flew out amidst the sandstorm and revolved in the air.


    More and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, spinning rapidly until it looked as though he were in the center of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the air.


    The pale-blue gic energy overwhelmed the opposing sandstorm. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him.


    With a shudder that shook the world, the opposing sandstorm suddenly dissipated.


    The oue of the sh was obvious. The shockwaves and water-attuned gic energy exploded, releasing a huge burst of energy that swallowed up the nearby lifeforms like a rampaging beast.


    "A mobile warship, is it?"


    With the sandstorm quelled, a ck pyramid was exposed within sight.

 Chapter 930: A Worlds Bounty

    <h4>Chapter 930: A World''s Bounty</h4>


    The ck pyramid tried to flee, but it was rooted by the effects of [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar].


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. Gold Comet morphed into a beam of light and cut apart the ck pyramid.


    "Just a mobile warship, not the cruiser itself..."


    The death spirits had developed a unique form of spiritual architecture which could transmute corpses and living matter into ck spirits and void spirits respectively. Beyond that, they had also constructed specialized battleships: arge ck pyramid and three smaller ones.


    Therge pyramid was the main cruiser, whereas the three smaller pyramids were mobile warships that served to protect it. The cruiser had a whole slew of abilities. Not only could it be used in battle, it was the main venue in which the death spirits transmuted corpses into ck spirits.


    Each of the three smaller pyramids was able to summon a storm in the desert in order to shield the main cruiser.


    As a race that thrived off invasion, the death spirits were far more developed on this front than the other superior races.


    ''If I don''t manage to find the main cruiser, I won''t be able to deal with the ck spirits."


    Thankfully, Zhang Lie''s senses were very developed, and he was able to sense therge pyramid. He flew toward it, and it quickly appeared in sight.


    Just then, a purpleser beam lit up the entire night. It was so bright it tinted even the ck sand into purple. A huge beam of light shot toward Zhang Lie, but before Zhang Lie could make a move, Gold Comet had split the beam in half with its scythe.


    Zhang Lie pointed to his front. "Get rid of that pyramid."


    Gold Comet shot forward in a beam of light, its scythes whirling, slicing apart the ck pyramidyer byyer."


    ck fog drifted out of the pyramid and transformed into huge ck bandages, which tried to stop Gold Comet''s advance. However, the bandages were no match for Gold Comet''s scythes¡ªGold Comet now had strengthparable to that of a king of a superior world.


    As Gold Comet continued slicing apart bandage after bandage, more shot out from the ck pyramid. Gold Comet cut the cloth apart into ribbons, over and over again, until the flow of cloth finally slowed.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he directed his finger toward the pyramid, sword energy erupted like a wave which covered up the sky, sliced apart all the bandages, and cut the top half of the pyramid off.


    The existence within the pyramid stilled.


    Upon witnessing whaty within, Zhang Lie grew enraged.


    The interior of the ck pyramid was filled with the bones of various lifeforms. The ck spirits were performing a cursed ritual to transform whatever lifeforms they had captured into ck and void spirits.


    Atop a stone altar, an alien screamed. The ck bandages that surrounded its body tore it apart and devoured it.


    All the bones that were gathered in the pyramid hade from such aliens, sacrificed and devoured one by one¡­ Upon recalling how many void spirits there were in the ck desert, Zhang Lie''s gaze glinted.


    ck gic energy gushed out of his feet. As though a portal to the underworld had opened, a pir of gic energy rose into the air, roaring like fire. As Zhang Lie unleashed this technique, even Gold Comet cowered in fear, not daring to approach him.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together. Its massive body stretched toward the sky, like a titanic beast of yore.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" The serpent pounced forward and swallowed up the entire ck pyramid.


    ck cloth bandages stretched out of the pyramid like a long river, dancing through the air. They reached out for the serpent, only to be dissolved by its pitch-ck gic energy. Undaunted, more bandages spooled out from within the pyramid.


    The master of the pyramid¡ªthe ck spirit king in charge within¡ªgathered all the energy that the pyramid possessed and used it to generate a giant made of ck cloth, who rushed toward the serpent.


    Part of its body was dissolved by the ck gic energy, but its body was so thick that its interior wasn''t damaged.


    The bandages covering the surface of its body melted into ck sludge.


    "Youmentable existence¡ªyou should never havee into existence."


    The ck serpent coiled around Zhang Lie. Its scales turned a blood-red color and horns protruded from its forehead as it transformed into a dragon of blood.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in rage, its howls echoing through the air. The dragon''s howls were like Zhang Lie''s own. Zhang Lie''s anger caused the dragon of blood to redden. mes erupted from its body as it smashed into the ck spirit king in an explosion of cataclysmic strength. The ck pyramid was swallowed up in its entirety.


    A wave of annihtion covered the sky and the ck desert, spreading rapidly and devouring everything it touched. Even Gold Comet, who had evolved into a monarch-grade lifeform, had to avoid the attack.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight¡ªck sand and the remnants of the ck spirits. Shortly after it formed, the ck hole closed up with a snick, leaving behind a huge crater in the desert.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "This sort of feeling..."


    Zhang Liended by the crater, whereupon he could clearly sense huge quantities of the energy of the world at the base of the crater.


    With a wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, the sand within the crater was swept away, leaving behind a tattered coffin. He uncovered the lid, revealing a multi-colored glow.


    Zhang Lie was shocked.


    The coffin was full of the energy of the world, radiant and reflective. The energy was so densely packed that it had condensed into a liquid form, and there was enough energy within the coffin to power a superior world.


    Of course, the energy of a superior world was more advanced in quality, though the fact that the energy within the coffin matched the quantity was shocking enough.


    "It would take at least three or fourrge worlds, two dozen medium-sized worlds, and countless small worlds to gather so much energy..."


    If he weren''t mistaken, the ck spirits had stored all the energy of the world they had umted in that coffin. It had been protected so securely that it had survived Zhang Lie''s assault even when the ck spirit king itself did not.


    Just what were the ck spirits trying to do, im all the energy of the world in their vicinity?


    Zhang Lie frowned as he pondered the question. Were the death spirits trying to incite a war prematurely?


    At any rate, Zhang Lie had no intention of returning the energy of the world within the coffin to the neighboring worlds¡ªit was his by right ofbat.


    Using all this energy to induce the evolution of disaster-grade lifeforms would be a tremendous boon¡ªand it had other uses besides.


    "I suppose I can give the ninth prince¡ªno, the new king¡ªa little gift..."

 Chapter 931: A Sumptuous Feast

    <h4>Chapter 931: A Sumptuous Feast</h4>


    With the ck spirits'' main cruiser¡ªand the ck spirit king within¡ªdestroyed, there was no reason for Zhang Lie to remain on this ruined world. He returned to the pce on the multicolored dragon''s back, then flew off into the distance.


    At the heart of another ruined world was a huge pyramid. If the ck spirits'' main cruiser was the size of a small city, then the ck pyramid that stood at the heart of the world was the size of a province.


    The immense pyramid had been constructed in the center of a number of dead worlds, and was surrounded by arge number of ck pyramids¡ªlike a sun and thes that orbited it. These pyramids were what the other nine superior worlds feared, and which they had dedicated enormous amounts of resources toward to barricade them away.


    The superior world that had once been home to the death spirits had been devoured and drained of its world''s energy, leaving a ruined mess behind.


    The death spirit king had built pyramids atop these ruins¡ªor rather, a fleet of battleships. The ck pyramids that floated in the air were octahedral in shape, thebination of a pyramid with its inverted counterpart, joined at their base.


    Deep within the immense pyramid was a coffin of simrly astounding size. Engraved on the coffin were abstruse diagrams and figures, wreathed in purple me.


    "A shipment of the world''s energy has gone missing..."


    The death spirit king was making use of a special technique that he had devised himself tomunicate with his subordinates via a spiritual link.


    Crazed though the death spirit king was, overflowing with ambition and desire though he was, one had to admit that he had the ability to make his ambitionse true.


    Of all those aliens who strived to be strong, the death spirit king was notable for his unique and innovative discoveries¡ªin particr his research with the spirit. These discoveries were supported by hispleteck of humanity and unconscionable experiments.


    He had created the ck spirit and void spirit race; he had been the first toe up with the idea, and then the practice, of converting lifeforms and corpses into ck and void spirits.


    Among his discoveries was the ability tomunicate via a soul link, much like the transceivers that were used within the Milky Way.


    The fact that modern electronics didn''t work in the dimensional realm meant that this research on the soul was immensely valuable, allowing for swift and efficientmunication between even far-flung regions of the realm.


    If the king of the death spirits weren''t such a madman, he would likely have been venerated throughout the realm.


    "The signal in Cluster #23 has vanished. We have reason to believe that our outpost in Cluster #23 has been destroyed," a death spirit reported from within yet another ck pyramid.


    "This is the third destroyed outpost within two years¡ªequal to the number that was destroyed during the past fifty. Recall all outposts immediately."


    "Your majesty, it''s too early to wage war! This is far beyond our predictions."


    The reason the ck spirits had acted so oundishly was because the death spirits were about tounch their full-scale invasion into the third realm.


    After destroying countless small, medium-sized, andrge worlds within the third realm, they had amassed copious amounts of world''s energy, which they would use to create even more of the ck spirits.


    Simultaneously, they were whittling away at the forces which would turn against them the moment their ambitious ns were revealed.


    "The destruction of Outpost #23 was no coincidence. It''s clear that someone has discovered our ns. In order to prevent any more idents, striking now is the most prudent decision."


    "Yes, your majesty!"


    The death spirit king''s will was conveyed to all his subordinates.


    Zhang Lie returned to the scaleman world, whereupon the new king looked expectantly at Zhang Lie.


    "How did it go, Master?"


    Zhang Lie sniffed. "When have you ever seen me fail at a task?"


    The new king was instantly overjoyed¡ªthe dark clouds that had covered up the world, the impending threat of the ck spirits, those were all gone. This crisis could have overwhelmed his world¡ªbut Zhang Lie had saved the day once more.


    The new king shouted in excitement, "I''ll share the news with everyone immediately!"


    "Did you seed in the task I gave you?"


    The king didn''t disappoint Zhang Lie. Following the information that Zhang Lie had provided him with, he managed to recover the map fragments that Hong Tianqi had squirreled away. Now, Zhang Lie had a grand total of 13,068 map fragments.


    "Master, I''ll be going, then." The new king bowed and left with a spring in his step, then used his authority as king of the realm to transmit the news to the entire popce. "The enemies that have invaded ournd have been killed! We''ve sessfully defended the world!"


    The new king announced a sumptuous banquet, one attended by all the hundred officials of his court. At the banquet, the ninth princevishly rewarded the soldiers who had participated in the defense.


    The soldiers were ultimately responsible for being able to defend against the onught of the ck spirits; otherwise, the world wouldn''t havested until Zhang Lie''s return.


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to ept his disciple''s ardent invitation.


    "Please, Master, sit right here!" The new king motioned to his own throne.


    Zhang Lie discovered a number of new faces whom he hadn''t seen before, clearly officials that the new king had raised to prominence himself.


    Upon witnessing that the king had given this stranger the seat of honor, these new officials murmured to each other in hushed voices. The experienced ones sighed, as though recalling what had happened years ago.


    A younger official asked, "Uncle, just who is this man?"


    The older official beside him replied, "His majesty promoted you only a year ago, so it''s normal that you wouldn''t know."


    "Uncle, who is he? Why would the king grant him the seat of honor?"


    The older official sighed. "It''s the king''s master," he replied, without exining further.


    "His master? But even so¡ªno, that can''t be appropriate! No matter how much his majesty respects his master, this subverts the king''s authority. Who does this master think he is?! No, I have to say something!"


    The older officialughed and shook his head. "If you want to die, go right ahead. Don''t say I didn''t warn you."


    The younger official asked curiously, "Does his majesty respect his teacher that much?"


    The older official downed a few cups of wine before shaking his head, his cheeks flushed. "At this point, it''s not respect anymore. His majesty venerates his master over all else, even the past king. As long as you don''t insult the past king within earshot, his majesty will ignore you¡ªand even if he were to hear it, as long as it''s incidental, he''ll let the matter slide with no more than a few caustic remarks."


    The official downed another cup of wine. "But any who dare to insult his master will be put to death, regardless of status or position, without any chance of defending themselves."


    The younger official''s eyes widened. "But that..."


    The older official lowered his head and downed another cup of wine.


    An official by his other side jumped in. "Hah, there''s no need to worry about your uncle! He was able to survive two tumultuous reigns spanning over fifty years. He survived the transition of power and subsequently the invasion of the ck spirits. Don''t you worry, he''ll be fine. We''ve had a miraculous victory today, and there''s no way his majesty would sentence anyone to death on such a joyous asion."


    The older official shook his head. "You''re quite mistaken. He might not kill anyone today, but he''ll remember the matter in his heart. When an opportunity arises, he''ll find something or another to justify beheading you."

 Chapter 932: The Accidental King

    <h4>Chapter 932: The idental King</h4>


    The third official shrunk back. "Truly? But his majesty¡ªno, how could his majesty be so petty? His majesty is generous and benevolent, and he wouldn''t kill us just because of a few words!"


    Despite the official''s words, he refrained from speaking ill of Zhang Lie. Instead, he lowered his head, ate, and downed copious quantities of alcohol.


    The older official shook his head. "Don''t worry about it too much. His majesty is entirely focused on his master¡ªhe won''t be listening in on us. The most important thing to his majesty at the moment is to further his rtionship with his master, whom he hasn''t seen for over two years. If he could, he''d spend every waking moment by his side."


    The officials turned toward the throne, where indeed they found the king entirely focused on Zhang Lie.


    "Master, please, try this dish! I had it specially prepared for you. I don''t know what sort of dishes you like, so I had the imperial chefs make all the same dishes from two years ago..."


    The officials'' expressions turned rather strange as they watched their king pamper his master. The king hadn''t yet married, had he?


    Based on historical precedent, a king who had just ascended to the throne would frequently choose to crown a consort in order to secure his political standing, but the ninth prince hadn''t needed to do so.


    It was unnecessary¡ªthe court officials had all been brainwashed by Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard, and they wouldn''t contest his rule.


    Furthermore, the king wasn''t just the king of the kingdom, but also the king of the realm. He was vested with power by the realm itself, and his rule was unshakable.


    None of the officials had seemed to mind that the king didn''t take a consort, but upon seeing how close the king seemed to be to his master, their minds were now swirling. Surely their king wasn''t interested in men, was he...?


    Regardless of their king''s sexual inclinations, many of the officials were worried about the continuation and legitimacy of the royal line.


    After the banquet, they promised themselves that they would remind the king of his need to appoint a consort.


    After all, even a king of the realm couldn''t escape the need to be married¡ªin fact, such kings would be pressed more firmly toward marriage.


    The official sighed. "Even if we speak badly of the king''s master, it''s likely he won''t pay any attention to our words. He''s just had a tremendous victory and been reunited with his master, so he''s sure to be feeling exhrated."


    Of course, even so, the official didn''t speak badly of the king''s master. If any official were to speak badly of the king, the king would only smile wryly.


    Compared to their previous king, the current one was rather more rxed. He didn''t mind if any of his officials were to criticize him behind closed doors, but if he heard a single disparaging remark about his master Zhang Lie, the king would immediately be incensed.


    The young official asked, even more curious, "Just what caused the king to be so infatuated with his master?"


    The older officials all chose to remain silent, and one even changed the topic.


    "Shall we discuss something else instead...?"


    Upon seeing the change in the officials'' attitudes, the young official''s curiosity grew without bound. He tugged on his uncle''s sleeve.


    Eventually, his uncle dragged him to one side. "Actually, his majesty shouldn''t have ended up bing the king of the realm."


    The young official''s eyes widened. "Uncle, what do you mean? The king shouldn''t have be king...?"


    The older official continued seriously, "Don''t mention this to anyone, you hear? Even if the king himself doesn''t mind, someone else surely will¡ªand you might drag yourself into a whole slew of trouble."


    The young official''s eyes sparkled. "Uncle, could you borate? Did his majesty not want to be the king of the realm?"


    The current king was a wise and virtuous one, and the world had grown prosperous under his rule. The inhabitants of the world had been able to recover from the crisis of the Jinghun n, and their king had personally led the charge against the ck spirits.


    The young official frowned. He simply didn''t understand what his uncle meant by his words.


    Were there other candidates in the past? As far as the younger official could tell, there could be no better candidate to be king.


    The older official sighed. "You misunderstand what I mean. The current king had been an inferior candidate, without the power to ascend to the throne¡ªthe only reason he''s king now is because his master meddled. Without his master, the current king would be dead in the wilderness.


    "While his majesty was still just the ninth prince, he wasst among his brothers, and the least likely to be the king of the realm. The two princes who were thought most likely to ascend to the throne were the crown and second princes. The former is a lord in the east, and thetter is now deceased."


    "How did the ninth prince end up as king, then?"


    The older official replied, "His master snatched him the throne. If not for his master''s appearance, all our lives would be different. What''s more, the one who managed to stop the ck spirits'' invasion was his master as well."


    The young official snuck a peek at Zhang Lie, his nce betraying his perturbed emotions.


    The older official sighed. "While the king was still just the ninth prince, I expected that the crown prince would ascend. After all, the king''s situation had been awkward and unfortunate¡ªno one expected that the weak and powerless ninth prince would manage to be king."


    If not for the fact that he had helped out the ninth prince once upon a time, he would likely have been stripped of his position as official himself.


    In general, those officials who sided with failed candidates might not die, but they surely wouldn''t receive the favor of the new king.


    Most were stripped of their title and position, then forced to leave the capital, the heart of power. They could be magistrates of a province or town, but never again would they wield great authority.


    The fact that the older official had survived the purge and remained at the capital was firstly because he hadn''t been too closely tied to the crown prince, and secondly because he had helped the ninth prince while he was still a weakling.


    After the ninth prince ascended to the throne, over eighty percent of the officials belonged to the crown prince''s faction. Although Zhang Lie had brainwashed all those officials using his mistmeld m soulshard, the ninth prince couldn''t reasonably make use of them all.


    In the end, the new king would have to cultivate his own officials; he found it rather awkward to make use of the brainwashed ones that Zhang Lie had handed him.


    In order for there to be sufficient positions avable for his new officials, the king of the realm had to decide which ones to strip of power and which ones to keep. After all, he could hardly remove everyone who had been brainwashed.


    .


    There were many officials in court who had been loyal to the past king for life. It did feel strange to have them brainwashed, but they were truly capable at what they did. If he were to rece all the officials immediately, the new officials would be unable to familiarize themselves with their responsibilities beforehand.


    As a result, the king could only retire a few officials at a time, and he had cleaned out about half the former officials two years into his tenure. During this process, he had also grown used to several of the older officials...

 Chapter 933: The Envoys Sudden Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 933: The Envoys'' Sudden Appearance</h4>


    "Master, please, try this dish! I had it specially prepared for you. I don''t know what sort of dishes you like, so I had the imperial chefs make all the same dishes from two years ago..."


    The king served Zhang Lie himself.


    He had no need to worry about the quality of the meat. Zhang Lie had stayed on this world for quite some time, and he had set up a small farm of disaster-grade lifeforms in the world. After his departure, the new king revived that farm.


    Although Zhang Lie and the Jinghun n had taken away therger part of peak- and superior-grade lifeforms from the world, there was still about ten percent of the original number left.


    Most importantly, the world still possessedrge numbers of regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms, which had been deemed too weak or worthless to im.


    Over thest two years, the new king had been diligently taking care of the farm, facilitating their evolution and speeding up the time within the farm by a factor of three.


    Even without Zhang Lie''s specialized attention, it had generated two or three disaster-grade lifeforms and huge numbers of peak- and superior-grade lifeforms. The new king had prepared these lifeforms as a gift in hopes of Zhang Lie''s eventual return¡ªand he made use of them now.


    The new king sighed as he recollected his memories. "Do you remember when I was just a prince, Master? We had juste back from the royal hunt, and youmanded the kitchen to make so many dishes that we couldn''t finish them all. Back then, I didn''t have the same position I do now, but I truly did enjoy the time I spent with you."


    Both he and Zhang Lie had been eating as much as they could stuff into their mouths, and the new king regretted that he hadn''t observed what dishes Zhang Lie consumed most. Otherwise, he would know his master''s favorite food.


    Zhang Lie had a bite. "It tastes different from before."


    The new king frowned. "I specially instructed the imperial chef from two years ago to prepare this feast! For the taste to have changed¡ª"


    The king might have been willing to overlook more minor mishaps, but for the chef to have made such a mistake for the king''s most important guest...


    The king frowned. "I specially instructed the chef to give this feast his best effort because it would be dedicated to you. For him to have made such a rudimentary mistake¡ªis he trying to challenge my authority?!"


    Zhang Lie ced his hand on the king''s shoulder. "No, no, not like that. The meal tastes even better than before."


    The new king rxed. "As long as you like it, Master."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Do you understand what I''m trying to say?"


    As though he were still the ninth prince of two years hence, the king lowered his head. "I don''t, Master. Would you illuminate me?"


    "We''re not the same people we used to be, and you''re no longer the ninth prince of the past. Back then, you had no power or status to speak of¡ªI''m sure you know this better than I do. Even if you made use of the crown prince''s connections to have the imperial kitchen make a feast in your honor, the chefs would only do so half-heartedly."


    Zhang Lie had another bite of food. "But now that you''re the king of the realm, no longer the transparent slip of a prince you were before, the imperial chefs will naturally hang on your every word. They''ll do their best to meet and even exceed your expectations, and it''s obvious that the food should taste different. Do you understand?"


    The king nodded. "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie was using the change in the taste of the food to allude to the change in the prince''s identity.


    Now that the ninth prince had be king, he would never be able to capture the taste of the food he had shared with his master in a small chamber two years ago, and he wouldn''t be able to keep relying on Zhang Lie.


    Just then, an announcement came from outside the great hall.


    "Envoys of various nearby worlds have arrived!" a voice announced.


    Zhang Lie turned to the king. "Have you invited those envoys to take part in the banquet?"


    The new king frowned, some worry clouding his gaze. "I only informed them of the deaths of the ck spirits. The situation unfolding now is somewhat beyond my expectations."


    Zhang Lie had a cup of alcohol. "Send them in, then. I''d like to see what they''re up to."


    "As you will, Master." The king stood up and waved his hand. "Send the envoys in!"


    The pce attendants immediately sprung into action, preparing additional seats, cutlery, and food for the new guests.


    Zhang Lie turned to the king. "How do you feel about the neighboring worlds?"


    "What do you mean, Master?"


    "You''ll see once they enter, I suppose," Zhang Lie replied, as though he had gathered their purpose, but he didn''t borate.


    The envoys quickly walked in. Some among them were the kings of their respective worlds, who had fled while the ck spirits took over.


    Upon entering the great hall, the envoys knelt on one knee. "Congrattions, your majesty! We owe you our heartfelt thanks for destroying the ck spirits and saving our worlds. If not for your defense against their incursion, all our worlds would have been ruined."


    The king shook his head. "I could hardly im to have saved your worlds. The person you should thank is my master, not me."


    The envoys'' eyes glowed as they inspected Zhang Lie.


    The king of the realm leading the envoys called out, "You''re far too modest, your majesty! If not for you, would your master have made a move to save us?"


    "In that case, I''ll ept your thanks." The new king nodded. "You have great timing. We were having a celebratory banquet for sessfully repelling the invasion, and you''re wee to join us."


    The envoys did so.


    Zhang Lie asked directly, "I''d like to know why all of you havee here so suddenly."


    The envoys'' leader replied with a smile, "To thank you and his majesty, honored sir."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In that case, do you grant us license to ignore any requests that you might subsequently make?"


    The leader of the envoys was rather taken aback by Zhang Lie''s abruptness. The envoys had been intending on ttering the new king before following up with their ultimate goal, but Zhang Lie had disrupted all their ns with this statement.


    The leader of the envoys opened his mouth, but didn''t know what to say. Things were decidedly not going ording to n.


    Zhang Lie had no interest in these rabble. It was evident that they hade with a request in mind, and he had no intention of allowing them to beat around the bush. Directly asking about their intentions would be the best n of action.


    The leader of the envoys looked toward the king, who looked back at them expectantly, without any intention of stopping Zhang Lie. Either he had no intention of going against Zhang Lie''s decisions, or he was also hoping that his master would cut to the chase.


    In either case, the envoys had to make their ims now.

 Chapter 934: A Private Discussion

    <h4>Chapter 934: A Private Discussion</h4>


    The king of the realm who led the envoys chuckled and exined, "We''vee over here requesting an alliance with your majesty. More urately, we''d like to subordinate ourselves to your rule."


    The new king frowned. "Subordinate? How so?"


    The king exined, "We''re willing to offer up our own worlds to join up with yours, your majesty, and to be your subordinates."


    The officials of court whispered to themselves, shocked by what these envoys were proposing.


    "And those other kings whom the rest of you represent¡ªthey share the same intentions?" the king rified.


    The envoys nodded. "Your majesty, you''ve done us a great service by destroying the ck spirits. To repay this debt, all we can offer up are our worlds."


    "That is our majesty''s will," the envoys chorused.


    There were a few dozen envoys or so present at the scene. Could all these kings be willing to give up on their worlds and be subordinate to another? There was surely something amiss¡ªthis had to be a poisoned gift.


    The circumstances behind these kings'' sudden desire to give up their worlds were abnormal.


    The king mulled over what he had heard. Did these envoys believe they could gain the strength that he had employed to kill these ck spirits? No¡ªsurely they would be sacrificing too much for the barest idea of a possibility.


    Finally, the king thought of one reason the envoys could be acting in such a fashion.


    As the officials whispered to themselves, the young official who hadmented about Zhang Lie asked his uncle,


    "Uncle, do you know what these envoys are thinking? They''re willing to give up their worlds...?"


    An older official beside him replied confidently, "What else? They''ve clearly been captivated by our king and kingdom''s prowess, and they''re willing to submit to us!"


    Many of the older officials agreed with this point of view. They puffed out their chests and exined proudly, "These other worlds couldn''t do anything against the ck spirits, but we were able to vanquish thempletely. Wouldn''t it be stranger if they didn''t want to join us?"


    "If a threat like the ck spirits emerges again, all these worlds would be in danger. Rather than cower in fear, why not join our world, which has demonstrated its prowess against such foes?"


    The young official frowned. "But doesn''t it seem strange?"


    "What''s strange about it? We were the ones who dealt with the ck spirits, and these envoys clearly respect our might."


    The young official''s uncle nced askance at his peers. "To think there are so many pigheaded fools in the vicinity. Would any of you give up on being a king to be mere nobility?"


    The older officials retorted, "They can sense the strength of the scalemen! If they don''t submit to us now, we''ll conquer themter. It does them no good to resist."


    "I don''t know where your confidence ising from. Have you considered the possibility that these envoys havee for some ulterior motive or another?"


    Without the intervention of the king''s master, the world would have been ruined. Of course, these envoys didn''t know that, but it was far more likely that they had made this offer with an ulterior motive in mind.


    The younger official pressed, "Uncle, do you know what their motive could be?"


    "I''m very d you haven''t been consumed by arrogance and self-confidence, nephew."


    The older officials in earshot frowned. "Official Qing, what could you be talking about? Make your assertions clear!"


    Official Qing replied serenely, "I should think they''re clear enough. I''m calling all of you overconfident."


    "You!"


    Official Qing shrugged. "Me? What about me? Am I mistaken?"


    "Official Qing, don''t keep us in the dark. Just what do you know?"


    "Have you considered what happens to the worlds that have been taken over by the ck spirits? You''ll know what these envoys are here to do, then."


    The older officials were all stupefied. Many of them had no idea what happened to such worlds; they were simply worried about their own world, not others''. All they knew was that the inhabitants of those worlds had been forced to flee as refugees.


    One official asked, "Didn''t the ck spirits just kidnap all lifeforms in the worlds they took over?"


    Now that the ck spirits had been destroyed, was there still anything to worry about on this front? What did this have to do with the envoys?


    Another official hazarded a guess. "Could they be afraid that there are more ck spirits hiding somewhere, or existences on par with the ck spirits? Are they hoping that our world will shield them?"


    If that were the case, things would be quite a bit moreplicated.


    The younger official pondered his uncle''s question. "I helped a few refugees who escaped to our world find a temporary ce to live, and I''ve spoken with them quite a bit. They told me that, after their worlds were seized by the ck spirits, the inhabitants would be kidnapped, and the world would lose its capacity to support life."


    The other officials frowned. "What do you mean?"


    The young official shrugged. "If I''m remembering correctly, nothing would grow on the worlds that have been taken over by the ck spirits. I don''t know anything beyond that."


    Official Qing nodded approvingly. "Very clever, to have investigated beforehand. I''ve also done my own research beforehand on thesemon foes. Allegedly, after the ck spirits invade a world, they snatch away its original inhabitants¡ªand the energy that sustains life on it."


    "What do you mean? That the ck spirits can suck up the world''s energy?"


    "You can understand it that way. The worlds that the ck spirits take over will quickly decay into barrenness, as though they''ve taken away something fundamental or intrinsic to the world. It''s very likely that this change is permanent. Even the defeat of the ck spirits wouldn''t be able to revive the world."


    Although Official Qing had never seen the world''s energy for himself, his guess was surprisingly close to the mark.


    "I expect that those envoys hope that our world can resolve their problems¡ªthat they might be trying to seize that vitality from our world."


    The older officials all bore identical looks of shock and dismay. "They''re intending to steal from our world?"


    "We need to inform his majesty of this information immediately!" The officials began to mor.


    Official Qing smiled. "Don''t worry. I expect our king has seen through their ploys."


    The king was just about to refuse the offer. "I apologize, but I have no intention to exp¡ª"


    Before he could do so, however, Zhang Lie broke him off. "This is too important an affair to treat lightly. We''ll have to discuss it in greater detail."


    Official Qing blinked in surprise, and even the king turned to Zhang Lie skeptically. Zhang Lie calmly took a sip of alcohol. The king, trusting in his master''s ns, agreed.


    "Please, allow me some time with my master." The king invoked the authority of the realm to create a private space in which he and Zhang Lie couldmunicate freely.

 Chapter 935: A Disguised Trap

    <h4>Chapter 935: A Disguised Trap</h4>


    The new king exined, "The fact that they rushed over here immediately after the ck spirits were destroyed means that they''re particrly invested in bing part of our kingdom. They might appear to be here to thank us for what we''ve done, but it''s all a ploy!"


    "Continue," Zhang Lie instructed.


    The new king replied, "The ck spirits consumedrge quantities of the world''s energy from all the worlds that they invaded, leaving those worlds in ruins. Without the world''s energy to support them, the soil will be barren and infertile, and it''s only a matter of time before all thatnd turns to desert. They want tobine their worlds, which have been drained of energy, with ours in order to suck up some of our energy and transfer it to their own!"


    "Very good. You identified the issue quickly and urately. What else?"


    "Master, were you already aware of this?"


    Zhang Lie stretched out two fingers. "You missed two points. There are envoys representing two different types of worlds present right now. The first has been invaded by the ck spirits, leaving few civilians behind, and a world devoid of any energy left. These alien races have had their poption wrecked by the ck spirits, and they don''t have the resources to defend their world any longer."


    The king seemed rather upset. "Master, if you''re already aware of all this, why did you have me analyze the situation?"


    Rather than responding outright, Zhang Lie continued, "The second type of world hasn''t had their world''s energy drained, but all their soldiers and fighting forces have been killed by the ck spirits.


    "Many of these worlds no longer have a king of the realm, and they can hardly muster up any resistance whatsoever. Perhaps there are other neighboring worlds around that are eyeing their resources, or enemies that the worlds made in the past that might seek vengeance now."


    The ck spirits had invaded arge number of worlds, but only to varying extents before they were ughtered by Zhang Lie. The worlds which had been less affected by the invasion might now take this opportunity to attack their neighbors.


    "While the ck spirits were wreaking havoc everywhere, none of these worlds had the time to consider invading the others, but now that we''ve ughtered the ck spirits, these worlds are free to act. Thus, the envoys of these worlds have reached out to us, the world that managed to take down the ck spirits, in hopes that they can shelter under our strength."


    The king frowned. "Master, what do you propose?"


    Zhang Lie asked directly, "Don''t you want to take in these worlds?"


    The new king replied, "Master, as I''ve said, these worlds were all invaded by the ck spirits. They consumedrge quantities of the world''s energy from all the worlds that they invaded, leaving those worlds in ruins. Without the world''s energy to support them, the soil will be barren and infertile, and it''s only a matter of time before all thatnd turns to desert. They simply want to drain our world of its energy¡ªif there were just two or three such worlds, I would be able to ept it, but there are at least a few dozen!"


    The king continued, "Portioning out the world''s energy over twenty or thirty worlds¡ªwell, at that rate, our world will end up a desert too."


    There simply wasn''t enough energy to go around,not among so many worlds.


    Zhang Lie retrieved a coffin from his dimensional storage. "And if you had this?"


    Zhang Lie removed the lid of the coffin to reveal a pool of concentrated world''s energy. The will of the world resonated with the king, expressing its desire."


    The king''s gaze sparkled. "Master, you had so much energy to spare?!"


    Zhang Lie reced the coffin''s lid. "I can''t give you everything in here¡ªat most half."


    The king nodded. "Of course, Master, I understand! It''s a precious resource."


    Before he became king, the ninth prince didn''t know what this world''s energy was, nor why it was so precious. That was information he had only learned afterwards.


    A world''s energy was exceedingly rare, and a medium-sized world could only produce a fistful every year or so.


    Once a world lost its energy, it would quickly start the process of desertification. The end of that process was a barren desert¡ªmuch like the worlds that had been taken over by the ck spirits. Not even weeds would grow on suchnd.


    On the other hand, a world with concentrated amounts of energy would be bounteous, lush, and filled with spiritual essence. Its inhabitants would grow more quickly and develop morepletely.


    The world''s energy was a rare and irreceable resource, which exined why it was so precious. The amount of energy within Zhang Lie''s coffin could spark a war among countless worlds.


    The king desired that energy like all others, but he still hesitated. "Would it really be alright to hand me so much of that energy?"


    The energy present in Zhang Lie''s coffin would be enough to keep the scaleman world thriving for thousands of years, and even half of that was an immeasurably precious fortune. Despite his desire, the king couldn''t help but be wary. It was too precious a gift.


    Zhang Lie caressed the king''s head.


    "What are you talking about? You''re my disciple, after all."


    At any rate, Zhang Lie had obtained this energy from the ck spirits. Acquiring this fortune had been trivial, and Zhang Lie didn''t feel particrly upset about giving it away.


    He smiled. "Furthermore, I''ve already given you far more than the equivalent of half a coffin''s worth of world''s energy. What''s some more?"


    The king sighed. Zhang Lie had truly taught him far too much than he had any obligation to.


    "This is why I''m unable to be independent, Master¡ªI''ll always act like a child in front of you."


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "You don''t want this energy, then?"


    The king patted himself on the chest. "No, I do! Thank you for your generosity, Master."


    The king unraveled the private chamber, and his face turned serious again. Zhang Lie and the king returned to the great hall, and the king faced the envoys.


    The envoys were visibly nervous; they nced at each other. This was a matter that could affect the life and death of their world.


    The king replied seriously, "I ept your request."


    The envoys'' eyes widened. They smiled with unbridled joy. "Thank you, your majesty!"


    The envoys had received what they hade for. Official Qing was very confused, but he didn''t speak¡ªbut the other officials began to panic, thinking that Zhang Lie had misled the king.


    A white-haired official stepped away from his seat and bowed to the king. "Your majesty, if I may, I think it unwise to follow along with these envoys'' suggestions so blindly. May we convene another session of court to discuss it?"


    Of course, the official was wise enough not to point out the mistake directly. After all, the king had already agreed to the n. Pointing out ws in it now would irk both the king and the envoys.


    The envoys all perked up, worried that the king would change his mind¡ªbut they had no reason to worry.


    The king shook his head. "I understand what I''m doing. This deal will proceed."


    The official eyed Zhang Lie suspiciously. "Your majesty, your master has saved our world more than once, but for such an important matter to be decided without further deliberation with the officials of court is a little..."

 Chapter 936: The Worlds Energy

    <h4>Chapter 936: The World''s Energy</h4>


    The king nodded. "Of course, Master, I understand! It''s a precious resource."


    Before he became king, the ninth prince didn''t know what this world''s energy was, nor why it was so precious. That was information he had only learned afterwards.


    A world''s energy was exceedingly rare, and a medium-sized world could only produce a fistful every year or so.


    Once a world lost its energy, it would quickly start the process of desertification. The end of that process was a barren desert¡ªmuch like the worlds that had been taken over by the ck spirits. Not even weeds would grow on suchnd.


    On the other hand, a world with concentrated amounts of energy would be bounteous, lush, and filled with spiritual essence. Its inhabitants would grow more quickly and develop morepletely.


    The world''s energy was a rare and irreceable resource, which exined why it was so precious. The amount of energy within Zhang Lie''s coffin could spark a war among countless worlds.


    The king desired that energy like all others, but he still hesitated. "Would it really be alright to hand me so much of that energy?"


    The energy present in Zhang Lie''s coffin would be enough to keep the scaleman world thriving for thousands of years, and even half of that was an immeasurably precious fortune. Despite his desire, the king couldn''t help but be wary. It was too precious a gift.


    Zhang Lie patted the king on the shoulder. "You''re my disciple. It''s only natural that I would give you gifts."


    At any rate, Zhang Lie had obtained this energy from the ck spirits. Acquiring this fortune had been trivial, and Zhang Lie didn''t feel particrly upset about giving it away.


    He smiled. "Furthermore, I''ve already given you far more than the equivalent of half a coffin''s worth of world''s energy. What''s some more?"


    The king sighed. Zhang Lie had truly taught him far too much than he had any obligation to.


    "This is why I''m unable to be independent, Master¡ªI''ll always act like a child in front of you."


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "You don''t want this energy, then?"


    The king patted himself on the chest. "No, I do! Thank you for your generosity, Master."


    The king unraveled the private chamber, and his face turned serious again. Zhang Lie and the king returned to the great hall, and the king faced the envoys.


    The envoys were visibly nervous; they nced at each other. This was a matter that could affect the life and death of their world.


    The king replied seriously, "I ept your request."


    The envoys'' eyes widened. They smiled with unbridled joy. "Thank you, your majesty!"


    The envoys had received what they hade for. Official Qing was very confused, but he didn''t speak¡ªbut the other officials began to panic, thinking that Zhang Lie had misled the king.


    A white-haired official stepped away from his seat and bowed to the king. "Your majesty, if I may, I think it unwise to follow along with these envoys'' suggestions so blindly. May we convene another session of court to discuss it?"


    Of course, the official was wise enough not to point out the mistake directly. After all, the king had already agreed to the n. Pointing out ws in it now would irk both the king and the envoys.


    The envoys all perked up, worried that the king would change his mind¡ªbut they had no reason to worry.


    The king shook his head. "I understand what I''m doing. This deal will proceed."


    The official eyed Zhang Lie suspiciously. "Your majesty, your master has saved our world more than once, but for such an important matter to be decided without further deliberation with the officials of court is a little..."


    The king red. "Do you intend to imply that I, the king of the realm, don''t have the authority to handle matters pertaining to the world?"


    "No, no, of course not, your majesty!" the official hastily replied. "I simply wish for more prudence. It would be unwise to blindly listen to one-sided advice."


    The king shook his head and waved a hand at the official to dismiss him. "Enough. The matter is settled."


    The official was about to continue speaking when Official Qing stepped forward and interrupted the official. "Your majesty, we trust your decisions. None of us would dare countermand yourmand; he was simply being overly worried."


    Official Qing dragged the unwilling official back to his seat.


    The official whispered to him unhappily, "Official Qing, just what are you doing? Weren''t you the one who mentioned that these envoys are here hoping to steal our world''s energy?"


    Official Qing nodded. "I did say that."


    "In that case, why are you preventing me from speaking up? It''s clear that his majesty is being hoodwinked!"


    Official Qing rolled his eyes. "Do you still think that his majesty is the child he used to be?"


    The official frowned. "No, of course not, but he is still young. Although he inherited the past king''s will to be the king of the realm, he''s still an inexperienced ruler, and it wouldn''t be unusual for him to miss such a subtlety."


    Although all the officials had been hypnotized by Zhang Lie''s mistmeld m soulshard, Zhang Lie hadn''t turned them all into puppets.


    As time passed, although their mental conditioning wouldn''t fade, their own thoughts would adapt to that conditioning. They would reframe arguments in order to convince themselves that their thoughts were truly theirs.


    The official replied seriously, "As an official that the king allowed to remain in court, I naturally have to serve him well and point out ws in his reasoning. Only then will I have done my duty to this kingdom."


    Official Qing rolled his eyes. "Indeed? You turned a blind eye to the king while he was still a prince, and you''ve never before cared for his well-being. Do you now im to be thinking of what''s best for him?"


    The official replied seriously, "Neglecting the king while he was a prince was a mistake on our part. It''s precisely because of that mistake that we need to ensure that his majesty doesn''t stray from the proper path now."


    Official Qing rolled his eyes. "Don''t worry. Even without you, his majesty would be a virtuous ruler."


    "I have no doubt about that."


    Official Qing sighed. "His majesty is more intelligent than you give him credit for. He understood the envoys'' purpose immediately, and he was going to decline their offer before his discussion with his master."


    The official frowned. "You mean, the king''s master¡ªsurely he''s not trying to plot against the kingdom?"


    "If the king''s master wanted to hurt him, he wouldn''t have helped the king ascend to the throne, and neither would he have saved our world. He was able to deal with the threat of the ck spirits alone; he could very well overpower the king by force."


    There was a clear disparity in power between the king and his master; Zhang Lie wouldn''t have to scheme if he truly wanted to get rid of the king.


    The king valued his master even more than the world he governed. The officials suspected that, were the king''s master to request control over the world, the king might hesitate, but would quickly proffer it dly.


    Official Qing shrugged. "All you need to understand is that the king''s master won''t hurt him. The fact that the king suddenly changed his mind after a discussion with his master means that he must havee up with an even more sophisticated approach to deal with the envoys. As such, there''s nothing to worry about¡ªwe''ll see how everything unfolds."

 Chapter 937: I Picked It Up

    <h4>Chapter 937: I Picked It Up</h4>


    Zhang Lie portioned half the world''s energy he had obtained to the new king and instructed him, "Don''t merge this world with the others for some time."


    "How long do I need to wait?"


    "Until the start of the war."


    "The war?"


    "The war against the death spirits!"


    The king frowned, then asked perceptively, "Is there some rtionship between the death spirits and the ck spirits?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "To be precise, the ck spirits are the vanguard sent out by the death spirits. Soon, there will be a war that consumes the entirety of the three thousand worlds. Small worlds will be crushed to dust, and even medium-sized worlds will be hard-pressed to survive. Large worlds could be doomed by just a single wrong move."


    Zhang Lie''s descriptions alone highlighted the enormity of the struggle that they would face.


    "However, this war will also consume the attention of the superior worlds around¡ªpresenting you with the best opportunity for your world''s evolution."


    "Do I not want their attention? What would they do?"


    Zhang Lie patiently exined, "The superior worlds don''t want anypetitors¡ªthey won''t allow the formation of new superior worlds."


    The king nodded, fully trusting in Zhang Lie''s words.


    Zhang Lie stood up. "Thank you for inviting me to the banquet. It''s past time for me to go, I think."


    The king barely refrained from holding his master back. "Will you be leaving now, Master?"


    "There are still a lot of tasks waiting for me to deal with, unfortunately."


    "I don''t know when I''ll ever see you again, Master..."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "While I remain in the third realm, there are plenty of opportunities for us to meet."


    The king dipped his head. When Zhang Lie first left, the king had never expected to see him again¡ªbut two yearster, they had a chance meeting.


    The king asked, "Master, where in the three thousand worlds are you located? Even if I don''t have the opportunity or time to meet you in person, I hope I''ll at least be able to send you a few letters."


    "No need for that¡ªwe''ll meet each other again if it''s fated to be."


    Zhang Lie stepped out of the hall, his back to the king, as he waved a hand.


    With a sharp whistle, the five-colored dragon flew over. Zhang Lie leapt up onto its back and into the pce it bore. The dragon pped its wings and flew toward a wormhole out of the scaleman world.


    The king walked to the entrance to the hall and waved at Zhang Lie as he departed. "Goodbye, Master!"


    The day Zhang Lie left, the death spirits made their move, breaking free of the barricade that the superior worlds had erected around them and setting up the stage for a war of the worlds. The other superior worlds quickly received news of what had happened and convened an emergency meeting.


    As soon as Zhang Lie returned to the draconian world, he received a message from the Yeluo chieftain, who had made a breakthrough in the development of the peak limit-breaking potion. War would quickly break out as a result of the death spirits'' actions, and if the members of Team Zenith could obtain peak limit fragments by then, it would be a great boost to their strength.


    That said, Zhang Lie feared neither the other superior worlds nor the death spirits.


    He rushed to the Yeluoboratory and found the Yeluo chieftain immediately. "You''re finally back, your majesty!"


    "How are the results?" Zhang Lie asked excitedly.


    "I''ve managed to make a few vials of the potion with reduced potency. For safety considerations, however, I think it''ll be necessary to consume these vials in conjunction with the upgraded restorative made from Zhou Ying''s cells."


    "Excellent news. I''ll summon the members of Team Zenith back immediately."


    He instructed the warlords under his control to find the members of Team Zenith and bring them back, while he headed to the farm that had been set up in the draconian world. During this period of time, Zhu had been busy cultivating disaster-grade lifeforms, but monarch-grade lifeforms were clearly far harder to produce.


    Zhu sighed. "Zhang Lie, am I useless? I can''t even help you with such a simple task..."


    Zhang Lie caressed Zhu''s sky-blue hair. "No, no such thing. If monarch-grade lifeforms were so easy to cultivate, the third realm would have been full of them by now. Even Gold Comet only evolved to monarch-grade after being with me for almost the entirety of my stay in the third realm."


    Zhu stuck out her tongue. "Thank you for your constion, Zhang Lie. I feel quite a bit better."


    "I have some special feed for the lifeforms," Zhang Lie added, retrieving the coffin from his storage-type soulshard.


    Zhu seemed bewildered. "Zhang Lie, what''s with the coffin?"


    "Look at what''s inside." Zhang Lie smiled mysteriously, then removed the lid of the coffin.


    As he did so, the world''s energy shone so brightly that a pir of rainbow light shot up into the sky. The phenomenon drew the will of the world''s attention at once, and the gic lifeforms in the farm all began to mor. Struck by desire, they drew close to the coffin¡ªuntil Zhang Lie red at them.


    The draconian sage teleported over and was amazed by what he found. "All this world''s energy? But from where?"


    He looked at the pir of light, almost drooling at its intensity, before turning to Zhang Lie. "You''re causing trouble again..."


    As he looked into the coffin and found enough world''s energy to power his world six times over,


    he frowned. "You piged the world''s energy from the worlds you conquered?"


    The draconian sage was aware of the fact that the hunters of the Milky Way had been invading and seizing all the nearby worlds. They now had at least fifty worlds under their control, and many neighboring worlds surrendered after seeing howpletely the Worldpact Coalition was destroyed.


    If Zhang Lie were tobine all these worlds into one, he would be able to create an unparalleled superior world, the likes of which had never before been seen. However, Zhang Lie had no intention of doing so.


    Precisely what he was nning, the draconian sage couldn''t tell. To the draconian sage, Zhang Lie was a strong and mysterious hunter, and trouble always followed in his footsteps. He was a mystery, but the draconian sage didn''t intend to unravel it¡ªhe wasn''t sure he could deal with whaty within.


    The draconian sage scowled. "How many worlds did you destroy?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do I look like a tyrant that would destroy worlds out of nowhere?"


    Very much so!?the draconian sage wanted to say, but Zhang Lie had never done so.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I simply picked up all this world''s energy."


    Picked up...??The draconian sage pressed, "Please tell me where you managed to ''pick up'' so much energy."


    He certainly didn''t believe that it would be readily avable to be picked up; otherwise, the kings of the third realm wouldn''t have to worry about depleting this rare resource...

 Chapter 938: Zhus Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 938: Zhu''s Evolution</h4>


    The draconian sage turned again to the coffin brimming with world''s energy. He swallowed a gulp of saliva and sidled up to Zhang Lie.


    "Zhang Lie, would you be willing to share some of this energy with me? Just a fraction¡ªa tenth, no, a twentieth would be sufficient!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Of course. We''re allies, aren''t we? You''ve taken care of the humans for so long, Sage¡ªit would be my pleasure to share it with you. It would even be fair to give you all this energy, but I do need it for some of my ns, so I can''t share too much. Will a quarter of what''s here suffice?"


    Many of Zhang Lie''s ns had been facilitated by the draconian sage¡ªthe construction of the disaster-grade farm, the Yeluo researchboratory, among others.


    Furthermore, the draconian sage had been instrumental in helping him collect disaster gene fragments. Considering all these factors, Zhang Lie was more than happy to hand this world''s energy to the sage.


    The draconian sage, who would have been happy just to receive a twentieth of the world''s energy present in the coffin, a rare and precious resource within the third realm,


    suddenly found himself with a windfall¡ªthe equivalent of the total energy a peakrge world would possess. The draconian sage''s eyes lit up in shock and excitement. "Haha, you truly are a friend of the draconians!"


    Zhang Lie turned to Zhu. "Zhu, you snuck into the third realm without receiving the blessing of the realm. This world''s energy will be able to shore up your foundations¡ªtake a portion for yourself, and feed the rest to the disaster-grade lifeforms."


    The draconian sage looked toward Zhu enviously.


    Zhu didn''t realize how precious the world''s energy was, and she was happy to ept a gift from Zhang Lie. "Thank you, Zhang Lie."


    .


    The draconian sage retrieved a quarter of the world''s energy and had the will of the draconian world absorb it. The moment it did so, the world suddenly seemed more vibrant. The world itself was rejuvenated; the lifeforms of the world could feel themselves growing morefortable, although they didn''t know the reason as to why.


    Zhu dipped a hand into the coffin and looked at the rainbow-colored energy cupped in her palm, as beautiful as any jewel. As she did so, strands of energy were absorbed into her body.


    Zhu, who had dropped to the level of a peak-grade lifeform after stowing away into the third realm, was infused with the world''s energy. The restrictions ced on her growth loosened, and dark clouds suddenly appeared in the sky.


    Zhu hadn''t received the second realm''s blessing because of her unorthodox route into the third. Perhaps because the will of the third realm had noticed the intruder, or perhaps because Zhu had simply reached the requisite threshold of power to spawn a trial, a huge bolt of lightning struck from the heavens. Zhang Lie hurriedly reced the lid of the coffin and stored the coffin away, just in case the world''s energy was sucked up by the lightning.


    He didn''t intend to shield Zhu from the trial, which was part of the natural process of her ascension. Of course, if Zhu were struggling to survive it, he would step it then.


    Zhu soaked in the lightning, her genes being activated under its pressure. The world''s energy that she had absorbed elevated her status as a lifeform and strengthened her body.


    Once Zhu''s body charred under the lightning, Zhang Lie made his move. Allowing Zhu to remain within the bolt of lightning further would only injure her. He struck out with his palm, dissipating the thundercloud above her.


    As though its authority were being challenged, the thundercloud seemed to grow darker. A scorching white bolt of lightning exploded from the cloud and struck at him, but Zhang Lie didn''t mind. He retaliated with a punch of his own.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the sky.


    The pale-blue gic energy rippled through the air with unceasing momentum. Like an enraged ck dragon, it struck the lightning and shattered it.


    The lightning seeped through the air, infusing it with a static charge that made the onlookers'' hair rise. Zhu was pulled into an extradimensional space infused with energy and subsequently sent back to the third realm, where she looked to have aged a few years in a matter of minutes.


    Her teenage exterior had matured into that of a young woman. Her eyes were dazzling, as though they mirrored the very gxy itself.


    Zhang Lie and the draconian sage were both able to defend against her charm, but anyone else who saw her would be struck dumb.


    Her wavy hair unfurled in an invisible wind as her status as a lifeform shot up two straight levels into disaster-grade. The restrictions imposed on her as a stowaway had vanished, and she was free to grow stronger again.


    Zhang Lie nodded with satisfaction. "Very good."


    When Gold Comet was still Red Comet, it had absorbed a bit of the world''s energy, which had elevated its abilities and attributes. Zhang Lie wanted to see if it would have any impact on Zhu and the other stowaways¡ªand the experiment was clearly aplete sess.


    Zhu hadn''t understood what the world''s energy was before, but after sensing the benefits that she had received from it, she understood just how precious it was¡ªa miraculous substance that could unlock her future growth.


    She beamed at Zhang Lie in thanks.


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Split the remaining world''s energy among the disaster-grade lifeforms."


    The effect of the world''s energy on these lifeforms was equivalent to that on Gold Comet. After absorbing the energy, they all began to evolve.


    Zhang Lie left Zhu to tend to the lifeforms as he returned to the city, teleported back to Earth, and told Hong Tianqi that he had found his stash of map fragments. Almost as an aside, he asked about the situation on Mars.


    In general, Hong Tianqi wasn''t someone that could be contacted at any time. As the highest authority of the world federation, his schedule had to be unbelievably packed¡ªbut Zhang Lie''s call immediately connected.


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Is something the matter?"


    "Aren''t you supposed to be inordinately busy? How did you have time in your schedule for little old me?"


    Hong Tianqi chuckled dryly. "Little old you? What an understatement."


    Hong Tianqi had responded so quickly not because he was free, but because Zhang Lie was one of the highest-priority people he would do his best to clear time in his schedule for, unless there really were a time-sensitive task at hand that he needed to aplish at that very moment.


    "I''ve found the map fragments¡ªthank you."


    "Ah, those fragments? Good to hear it. Earth has a few too, and I''ll send them to you via Chen Fan."


    "How''s the situation on Mars now?"


    "Thanks to the help of the Zenith Dojo, everything seems to be going back to normal. Thest of the bugs should be cleared away in no time."


    "Good, good. In that case, I''ll hang up now."


    "Hold on!" Hong Tianqi shouted. "I have a question for you."


    "What is it?"


    "What''s up with this Potion #3? Why have I never heard of it before?"

 Chapter 939: The Team Assembles

    <h4>Chapter 939: The Team Assembles</h4>


    "Ah, you heard?" Zhang Lie asked, though he wasn''t particrly surprised.


    Hundreds of thousands of the disciples from the Zenith Dojo had gone to Mars with Zhang Lie, the majority of which were Chinese. Even if none of the disciples were spies that Hong Tianqi had installed in the dojo, it was inevitable that word of the prizes from the Martian defense would spread. Hong Tianqi, who was in a position of power, would easily find out about the existence of Potion #3.


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Were you able to develop Potion #3 this quickly?"


    The limit-fragment researchboratory sponsored by the four prime races had its pick of all the talent and resources the gxy had to offer, but its only sess to date had been with variants of Potion #2, for mutated limit fragments that were suitable for various races in the gxy.


    Meanwhile, despite being a lone, independent researcher, Zhang Lie was far ahead of any other group¡ªhe had alreadye up with Potion #3, for superior limit fragments.


    Hong Tianqi had expected that it would take at least ten years before research into superior limit fragments bore fruit, even with all the resources of the gxy at one''s disposal. He had some familiarity with these limit-breaking potions, and he knew that these limit fragments represented taller and taller walls for a hunter''s ascension.


    However, by announcing that Potion #3 would be avable for all disciples who participated in the bug hunt, Zhang Lie had revealed that he had both seeded in producing Potion #3 and begun its mass production.


    Hong Tianqi was shocked beyond belief. In his effort to verify that all this was legitimate, he even specially sent a trusted subordinate to Mars to investigate this rumor.


    The subsequent investigation vindicated the rumor. There were reports of disciples from the Zenith Dojo who had exchanged their points for such potions, consumed them, and obtained limit fragments as a result.


    After a momentary period of shock, Hong Tianqi was relieved.


    Zhang Lie had been at the forefront of limit fragment research from the beginning. He had started by demonstrating how a hunter could obtain regr limit fragments, and he had now developed a superior limit-breaking potion¡ªall by himself.


    Hong Tianqi had to admit that Zhang Lie had consummate skill, which no other in the gxy was able to match. Not only that, his other aplishments had been equally shocking. Zhang Lie had discovered disaster gene fragments, destroyed the sura in the second realm, and founded the kingdom of Limit.


    Each of these aplishments was astounding; it was as though Zhang Lie was traveling through a timeline far ahead of the rest of the hunters.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I did manage to discover a recipe for it, but I don''t have enough stockpiled herbs to supply them to the entire gxy."


    Hong Tianqi smiled. "I know it must be difficult to mass produce them at the moment, but as for China¡ª"


    Zhang Lie blinked. "Even as the highest authority of the world federation, you''re still concerned about China?"


    Hong Tianqi quirked his lips. "Regardless of my position, I''m a citizen of China¡ªnow and always."


    Zhang Lie inclined his head. "I can''t refuse you, Hong Tianqi. I''ll send a portion of the potions to China the moment I manage to produce them in bulk."


    .


    Hong Tianqi thought for a moment. "I''ll satisfy any request you have¡ªanything you want."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "As if I''m not a citizen of China myself! I''m not holding out because I want you to sweeten the deal¡ªI simply can''t provide you with these potions at the moment."


    "I''ll thank you in advance, then."


    "See you soon." Zhang Lie hung up on Hong Tianqi and returned to the third realm. Because of the difference in the rate at which time passed between Earth and the third realm, a few hours had passed there, and the members of Team Zenith had all received Zhang Lie''s summons and headed back to the draconian world.


    The draconian sage teleported Zhang Lie right to their side.


    Yang Ze asked, "Captain, did you summon us back for some reason?"


    "For three reasons. I''ll discuss them right now," Zhang Lie exined.


    The members of Team Zenith listened seriously. They knew that Zhang Lie wouldn''t call them back for no reason, especially when they were currently spearheading an invasion.


    "First, I''ve sessfully prepared Potion #4¡ªpeak limit fragments¡ªfor all of you."


    The members of Team Zenith gaped. "What?! Peak limit-breaking potions, already?"


    They were shocked, but not as much as Hong Tianqi. They had already consumed superior limit-breaking potions well before they were made known to the public, and it didn''t seem particrly exceptional to them that Zhang Lie had already managed to refine the next potion in the series. Zhang Lie was Zhang Lie, after all.


    Zhang Lie was, in fact, the most surprised of them all. "Didn''t you know about this? I expected Zhou Ying to have told you."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "What does this have to do with Zhou Ying?"


    "Zhou Ying''s already consumed Potion #4."


    "What?!" All the members of Team Zenith beside Zhou Ying were stupefied.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Zhou Ying was the first to consume and test this potion. Zhou Ying, didn''t you mention it to the others?"


    Zhou Ying stuck out her tongue. "I wanted to make it a surprise."


    "You rascal¡ªyou just wanted to see our shocked expressions!"


    Sun Mengmeng suddenly grabbed Zhou Ying and began to tickle her waist, causing her to break out in irrepressibleughter. She shouted, "Stop, Mengmeng, I surrender, I surrender!"


    Zhang Lie coughed a few times before Sun Mengmeng finally let go of her. Yang Ze asked, "Zhou Ying, how did it feel to ingest the potion?"


    Zhou Ying patted down her mussed up hair and clothes. "My experience was rather unusual. It was very much like consuming Potion #3, for superior limit fragments. I received huge increases to my strength, constitution, framework, and techniques¡ªbut not only that, I was able to perceive a mysterious power, which our captain called the power of karma."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Karmic power? Does something so mysterious really exist?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "The first hunters must have thought the dimensional realm mysterious, but by our time, it''s a scientific phenomenon we can exin to some extent. The more you familiarize yourself with mystery, the less mysterious it bes."


    Yang Ze nodded. "The same way people from ancient times would be perplexed by our transceivers and airships, or even microwaves andputers."


    In order to avoid destroying the Yeluo researchboratory, the members of Team Zenith headed to the ck desert before consuming the peak limit-breaking potions.


    The Yeluo chieftain handed each of them a restorative. "While consuming the limit-breaking potion, if you feel unwell at any time, drink this potion immediately."


    "What potion is this?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "It''s the upgraded form of the restorative I devised from Zhou Ying''s cells," the Yeluo chieftain exined.


    "But, Chieftain, didn''t you mention that you already reduced the potency of these limit-breaking potions?"


    The Yeluo chieftain shrugged. "I haven''t been able to test out the potions myself. The herbal ingredients were introduced at reduced potency, but there are factors that I can''t ount for within these potions, and idents might ur."

 Chapter 940: The Metamorphosis

    <h4>Chapter 940: The Metamorphosis</h4>


    Yang Ze frowned. "But aren''t we justb rats, then?"


    The Yeluo chieftain scoffed, "What do you mean,b rats? You''re making a noble sacrifice in the name of biological research!"


    "So we areb rats," Yang Ze surmised.


    Everyone turned to Zhang Lie, who replied, "We''ve relied on the Yeluo n to make our potions for years now, and we know that they''re reliable and ingenious potionmakers. Zhou Ying had an ident when she ingested the first test run of the potion, but she''s standing right there now, hale and hearty."


    The Yeluo chieftain continued, "I''ve prepared safety contingencies. All of you can count on me."


    The members of Team Zenith considered the Yeluo chieftain''s words somewhat skeptically.


    "Even if you don''t trust my skills, surely you''ll at least trust his majesty. If anything goes wrong during the absorption process¡ªfor example, if your brain turns to mush, your cells explode, your body bes paralyzed¡ªas long as those things don''t happen instantaneously, his majesty will surely be able to revert those effects. Of course, if he can''t do so, then I simply have to wish you luck..."


    The members of Team Zenith grew even more wary upon hearing the Yeluo chieftain''s words.


    "Ah, I don''t care anymore! I trust the captain¡ªthe road to strength is always fraught with danger, and if we''re unwilling to take even a bit of risk, we''ll never grow stronger! We''re fortunate enough to have our captain paving the way for us!" Sun Mengmeng downed the potion in one gulp.


    She felt as though she was experiencing the blood ants'' gic technique, [Bloodbath]. As the potent effects of the potion surged through her body, she felt as though she were exuding heat from every pore on her skin.


    Sweat poured down her back. Sun Mengmeng was drenched within moments. Her crystalline body began to glow before turning ck; ck mes had erupted all over her body.


    Sun Mengmeng''s face took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    Considering her framework was fire-attuned, Sun Mengmeng was able to bear the extreme heat¡ªbut then, energy frothed and roiled from within her body.


    Energy rushed out of her body and formed a hurricane around her. The ck ss beneath her cracked, and the entire draconian world began to shudder.


    The members of Team Zenith, rmed, all stepped back. Sun Xiaowu asked in concern, "Captain, my sister will be alright, won''t she?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "Sun Mengmeng''s current condition is much like mine was when I consumed the potion, but her effects seem milder than mine."


    Crystalline powder spread through the air. Huge amounts of energy gathered by Sun Mengmeng''s heart, and she couldn''t help but spit out a mouthful of blood. The blood that left her body evaporated instantly, revealing just how hot her body had be.


    The fire-attuned gic in her body rampaged, wrapping her body up in purplish-ck me. As the potion''s energybined with that in her body, the mes grew ever stronger.


    "Consume the restorative!" the Yeluo chieftain shouted.


    Sun Mengmeng could feel her body''s condition deteriorating by the minute. She immediately consumed the restorative, as the Yeluo chieftain had urged.


    The moment she did so, a huge wave of vitality flooded her body from the inside, regenerating her cells swiftly. Fortunately, the Yeluo chieftain had significantly reduced the potency of the limit-breaking potion, or Sun Mengmeng''s body would have been unable to ovee the strain.


    The consumption of the restorative bypassed the immediate danger that Sun Mengmeng had been facing. Subsequently, golden and ck threads umted around her, forming a cocoon that trapped the purplish-ck me within.


    The mes glowed so brightly that Sun Mengmeng''s figure could be seen within the cocoon. It was like a heart, one which beat to the rhythm of her breaths. As the mes within the cocoon grew brighter and brighter, they finally burned the cocoon away.


    The purplish-ck mes turnedpletely dark as the cocoon was burnt to a crisp. They turned on themselves, eventually forming a thickyer of what seemed like an eggshell.


    As the eggshell cracked, a phoenix wreathed in gold and ck me emerged and soared through the air, lighting up the sky and casting reflections over each shard of ss.


    The phoenix slowly descended from the heavens andnded by Zhang Lie''s side, morphing back into the form of the young woman Sun Mengmeng. Sun Mengmeng''s purplish-ck hair fluttered in the wind like mes. Her eyes burned with inner light.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Sister, are you alright?"


    Sun Mengmeng reined in her aura. "I feel far better than I expected. The benefit of these peak limit fragments is immense."


    Yang Ze asked, "Did you sense this supposed karmic power?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "I was able to witness a few golden and ck threads. If I''m not mistaken, these are lines of fate and karma, the likes of which our captain and Zhou Ying have discussed. As to how to control them, well, that''s something I still have to study."


    With Sun Mengmeng as the firstb rat, the other members of Team Zenith were emboldened to down their own potions.


    They each formed cocoons around their body. Yang Ze''s glowed with resplendent, ethereal blue light, as though he were not of the physical world. Within the cocoon, one could see an entire ocean, the tides rising and falling as they caused the world to quake.


    Pale blue gic energy wrapped around the cocoon, which formed a crystalline bud. The space surrounding the cocoon calmed down, but the interior of the cocoon grew even more charged. The ocean within the cocoon began to froth¡ªclearly, after absorbing the potion''s energy, Yang Ze''s evolution was starting in earnest.


    Sun Xiaowu''s cocoon glowed with golden light reminiscent of a sun. Runes emerged over its surface, and golden scales seemed to be coalescing into existence within the cocoon. However, the specifics of what was going on couldn''t be identified due to the brightness of the light.


    Li Feng''s cocoon was much like Sun Xiaowu''s, covered with a thick silvery-whiteyer of light, as though silver were woven through the ck and gold threads. Dragon howls could be heard from within the cocoon, as though a whole world of dragons had formed within it. However, the light prevented one from looking inward.


    Fang Yi''s cocoon was interwoven with silver and gray threads, and its interior was warped by wind and storm. The cocoon shook perceptibly. Within it, a dragon and a tiger were battling with each other, or perhaps merging together. The two discordant forces circled each other time and again as Fang Yi''s mastery over time bloomed. The hands of a clock grew out of the karmic threads. With each revolution of those hands, a loop of time wrapped around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi''s cocoon was clearly the most advanced among the members of Team Zenith. The power of time and karma were interacting with each other and evolving into something novel, which even Zhang Lie hadn''t seen before. He was very curious as to just how much Fang Yi would grow...

 Chapter 941: A Shocking Sight

    <h4>Chapter 941: A Shocking Sight</h4>


    ced side by side, the four different cocoons were an astounding sight.


    Yang Ze''s cocoon vibrated more and more strongly. Zhang Lie could sense that Yang Ze had finished absorbing the entire contents of the potion, and was now moving onto the final stage of the transformation.


    An ocean surged forth from within the cocoon, sending the sound of rumbling thunder echoing throughout the draconian world. The shards of ss in the ck desert began to vibrate in synchrony with the cocoon, cracking as the vibrations reached a crescendo.


    The disturbance caused by Yang Ze''s cocoon summoned the draconian sage once again, who teleported over and grumbled, "Zhang Lie, what did you do this time?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''m innocent¡ªit''s not my fault!"


    The draconian sage was perplexed as he looked at the four different cocoons. "What are these?"


    The vibrationsing from Yang Ze''s cocoon grew stronger and stronger, as though there were a herd of galloping steeds on the horizon.


    Zhang Lie exined, "Yang Ze and Fang Yi are absorbing the peak limit-breaking potion. Yang Ze''s the one causing this phenomenon."


    The draconian sage scowled. "In the end, it''s something you caused again!"


    Despite the draconian sage''s grumbling, he could hardly expel Zhang Lie and the others. If something did happen, Zhang Lie would certainly step up and resolve the issue in order to avoid causing undue stress to the draconian world.


    Zhou Ying and Sun Mengmeng nced at the transformation urring to Yang Ze in surprise. The crystalline bud that had been formed from his pale blue gic energy was slowly unfolding.


    Zhou Ying asked, "Why didn''t I experience such a phenomenon when I absorbed this potion?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s likely a matter ofpatibility between the xuluo bones that formed the base of your potion and your framework."


    As the crystalline bud flowered in its entirety, forming a crystalline lotus, pale blue gic energy erupted from the cocoon, spreading out all over in the form of raging waves like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The gic energy was, shockingly, charged with authority over space.


    "Zhou Ying, your framework is about life and vitality; Sun Mengmeng, yours about fire. Although Yang Ze''s framework is nominally about water, his understanding, intuition, and mastery over space is beyond anyone else''s in the team. After absorbing karmic power, he''s likely reached a moreplete understanding of space."


    Zhang Lie stood firm amidst the expanding ocean, like andmass that would weather wind and storm.


    The rampaging energy cracked Yang Ze''s cocoon. As Zhang Lie had mentioned, Yang Ze was surrounded by swirling spatial force.


    As his pale blue gic energy surged, space itself began to resonate and vibrate. The shards of ck ss beneath them cracked and splintered, but the vibrations wouldn''t affect Zhang Lie and the others.


    All the hunters present had reached a minimum threshold of strength, and it would be ridiculous for any of them to be unable to withstand the aftereffects of Yang Ze''s evolution.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith might not be affected by this phenomenon, but they couldn''t say the same about the other inhabitants of the world. If the sea were allowed to spread any further, it might cause significant trouble.


    The draconian sage made a move immediately, invoking the authority of the realm to lock down the surrounding area.


    As the gic energy frothed more and more violently, even Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying were starting to grow unsteady. The barrier that the draconian sage had set up began to crack.


    Yang Ze''s figure appeared at the heart of the disturbance, surrounded by blooming lotuses all around him. It was a scene of surprising tranquility and elegance. Ripples of light crept up and down his body, giving him an otherworldly appearance. He suddenly opened his eyes, which gleamed with ck and gold. The rampaging ocean turned ssy within moments, all disturbance quelled.


    Yang Ze turned to Zhang Lie and the others, smiling gently.


    "It looks like you''ve gained quite a bit," Zhang Liemented.


    Yang Ze dipped his head. "More or less."


    The draconian sage grumbled again, "All of you might be happy, but look at what I have to deal with! The barrier almost broke!"


    Just then, Sun Xiaowu''s cocoon began to ripple as well. Piercing golden light emerged from the cocoon, lighting up the entirety of the ck desert. All the inhabitants of the world could sense the golden light that came from afar. As golden runes revolved around the cocoon, a pair of golden arms broke it open from the inside. A giant in radiant gold emerged.


    Sun Xiaowu''s transformation was much like Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying''s; it wasn''t as oundish as Yang Ze''s. The golden giant glowed brightly once more, then faded away, leaving Sun Xiaowu''s regr body behind. The difference was that he now had a corona of gold all around him.


    Following Sun Xiaowu, Li Feng broke out of his cocoon. He caused a muchrger disturbance. As the cocoon broke, the howls of a thousand dragons echoed through the air.


    Dragons of light, so many they couldn''t be counted, rushed out of the cocoon and filled the sky. Subsequently, all at once, they swooped down toward Li Feng''s cocoon, breaking it apart in a wave of overwhelming white light. Gold and ck shed by their eyes, so bright they had to avert the sight.


    The draconian sage breathed a sigh of relief.


    Thankfully, Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng hadn''t caused as much of a problem as did Yang Ze. Otherwise, they would have caused a tremendous headache for the draconian sage.


    Just as Li Feng''s transformation finished, Fang Yi''s cocoon finally began to move.


    Zhang Lie watched on expectantly. Fang Yi''s cocoon was the most unique among the four present, and he expected it to produce thergest disturbance of all.


    Fang Yi''s cocoon was threaded with gold and ck, gray and silver¡ªthebination of karmic and temporal power. As the loops of time surrounding the cocoon broke, the density of temporal energy surrounding the cocoon increased dramatically, tearing a slit in the cocoon. Wind and storm rushed out, summoning gale winds and lightning.


    As the slit widened, a dragon of wind and a tiger of lightning emerged. The howling gales grew stronger, and lightning forked indiscriminately.


    A pir of lightning struck the cocoon as time froze. The surroundings all turned a dull gray; the cocoon was the only source of color. Bolstered by the power of the natural elements, Fang Yi finished thest step in his transformation.


    In the gray world of frozen time, Zhang Lie''s eyebrow twitched. The gray ked off him; he had used his overwhelming strength to free himself from his temporal constraints. He was very surprised that Fang Yi had managed to disrupt the flow of time to this extent by consuming the peak limit-breaking potion...

 Chapter 942: Complete Metamorphosis

    <h4>Chapter 942: Complete Metamorphosis</h4>


    Wind and stormbined and crackled as the wind dragon and storm tiger revolved around the cocoon. Space deformed like putty and was sucked within as the silver and gray threads merged and vanished. Zhang Lie frowned and scrutinized the cocoon more closely¡ªrather than vanishing, they had transformed into the formless energy of time, colorless, shapeless, tasteless, but influencing the world all the while.


    The gold and ck threads of karma continued to weave around each other, twining and twining until they formed a single thread of dark gold.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by this dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled,bining with the spatial rift that was forming and tearing apart the space around Fang Yi.


    The spatial storm and void lightning whirled around each other and merged together¡ªthebination of spatial force and the howling storm on one hand, and thebination of lightning and time on the other.


    All that energy,bined with the karmic power that Fang Yi had sensed for the first time, became something so abstruse that even Zhang Lie couldn''t im toprehend it.


    It was difficult to sense and harder still to understand. Zhang Lie thought that it was a force that belonged to a realm above his ken¡ªsomewhat like heaven''s might, but wholly different.


    Zhang Lie tried toprehend it, but he was only able to glean a modicum of understanding¡ªthat all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time. He now understood what thebination of time and karma resulted in: fate!


    It was a power that transcended both of its constituents. Karma was prophetic, but it could be subverted and blocked. Fate, on the other hand, was trickier to avoid.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a hurricane, as though a new cocoon had formed out of the remnants of the old one.


    Even Zhang Lie himself felt threatened by the cocoon.


    With nothing but his own willpower, Fang Yi was condensing and refining his strength, dividing the various forces thatbined into the power of fate up into skeins of thread of different colors.


    The cocoon shrunk, bit by bit.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. As Fang Yi simultaneously refined the elements of fate, the power of fate itself seemed to be creeping closer to its own evolution¡ªdestiny. Fang Yi was far from being able to channel that overwhelming power, but the fact that he was approaching its threshold was shocking enough to Zhang Lie.


    Fang Yi, having refined those energies to the best of his ability and shrunk the cocoon by half its original volume, broke his control over the gray world of time. Time began ticking anew.


    The draconian sage blinked, bewildered. "What just happened?"


    As the king of the realm, the draconian sage was the highest-authority figure in the world, and he was the first to realize that something was amiss. Time had stopped. The other members of Team Zenith all sensed that something was wrong, but not precisely what.


    The draconian sage sighed. "Anything that has to do with you, Zhang Lie, is always a major problem."


    The members of Team Zenith all turned to Zhang Lie, hoping that he would confirm what had happened.


    "Ah, what''s that?!" The Yeluo chieftain suddenly pointed before him, where Fang Yi''s cocoon had undergone a rather significant change.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Fang Yi''s cocoon didn''t look like this before, did it?"


    Yang Ze nodded. "Fang Yi''s cocoon had cracked, and the energies within it flooded out. How did the cocoon reform?"


    Li Feng added, "Perhaps one or two of us might have been mistaken, but if we''re all saying the same thing..."


    While the members of Team Zenith puzzled over what was going on, lightning fell from the heavens, only to be absorbed by the cocoon. The threads that made up the cocoon split up into different colors, wind and storm in green and purple, spatial rifts and void lightning in ck, time and space in silver and gray, karma and destiny in ck and gold.


    The seven distinct colors shone radiantly, dispelling the lightning and the dark clouds that remained in the air. Sunlight shone down once more.


    Fang Yi stood still and silent, basking in the sunlight. Wind and storm morphed into a dragon and tiger and circled him. Spatial rifts and void lightning were arrayed by his back.


    Loops of timeyered themselves over him, and the mysterious, suffocating strength of fate washed over his body.


    Fang Yi opened his eyes, which shone with newfound wisdom. "How do you feel?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "I''ve learned a lot. I understand a lot, now."


    Fang Yi gave off apletely different impression than before after absorbing peak limit fragments. Zhang Lie had had some idea of just what Fang Yi had gained from his breakthrough¡ªhis understanding of time and space,bined with that of karma, would elevate his mastery of all three powers to an entirely new level.


    Zhang Lie simply wasn''t sure just how much Fang Yi had intuited from the process.


    The members of Team Zenith walked up to him. Yang Ze punched Fang Yi on the chest lightly. "Oho, I thought I made enough of amotion when I broke through, but yours was even more astonishing!"


    Fang Yi smiled in response.


    Zhang Lie pped. "All of you met my expectations and sessfully obtained peak limit fragments. This also shows that the recipe that the Yeluo chieftain has devised is indeed sessful."


    Sun Mengmeng grumbled, "We just almost died in the process!"


    If not for the restorative, their physical bodies would likely have been incapable of absorbing the potent medicinal properties of the potion. Their cells would have undergone apoptosis and killed the hunters.


    The Yeluo chieftain shrugged. "Well, all''s well that ends well. No one died, at the very least, and we figured out how to curb the side effects of the potion."


    The members of Team Zenith were speechless. They felt as though there were something wrong with the Yeluo chieftain''s words, but they couldn''t pinpoint what, exactly.


    He had instructed them to consume the restorative if any problems arose during the process, and they did do so, but the experience was something none of them would ever want to recollect...

 Chapter 943: Preparations for the War

    <h4>Chapter 943: Preparations for the War</h4>


    Nevertheless, obtaining peak limit fragments would simultaneously confer many hidden benefits for the members of Team Zenith to discover themselves.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, you mentioned that you called us here for three things. The first was the development of the peak limit-breaking potion. What are the other two?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The second matter is that the death spirits have made their move."


    The draconian sage frowned. "The death spirits, whom you said were intending on destroying the three thousand worlds?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "Yes, the race associated with the ck spirits."


    However, the members of Team Zenith and the draconian sage weren''t as shocked as Zhang Lie had expected.


    Yang Ze replied, "While on the battlefield, I''ve noticed the ck spirits in the neighboring worlds behaving abnormally. Are they finally making their move?"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, does this mean that the death spirits are unable to wait any longer?"


    Li Feng suggested, "In that case, the death spirits are nning to recall all the ck spirits and trigger a war that will destroy all three thousand worlds?"


    Zhang Lie blinked in surprise. "None of you seem all too shocked. Did you know something beforehand?"


    "A little," Sun Mengmeng replied. "We served as vanguards in the invasion of neighboring worlds, so we''ve had to interact with the ck spirits a little."


    "A little?" Zhang Lie frowned, feeling as though they were hiding something.


    Yang Ze shrugged. "Or rather, we''ve been pushing the ck spirits back all along."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "After all, Captain, you didn''t specially point out worlds we had to target, so we simply chose to fight against the ck spirits. After learning about the death spirits from you, we decided it would be best to forestall their invasion."


    Fang Yi continued, "The ck spirits tried to invade the draconian world in the past, too, so it would be sensible for us to retaliate regardless."


    Zhou Ying seemed taken aback. "All of you did that, too?"


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    Sun Mengmeng said, "No wonder! I was so puzzled as to why the ck spirits in the vicinity have all vanished. I thought that the death spirits were simply recalling their forces in preparation for something big."


    Yang Ze likewise remarked, "No wonder I haven''t been able to find any of the ck spirits recently! I thought they were making a move, but it was just the rest of you!"


    Zhang Lie clutched his head. He finally understood why the death spirits had pushed up their invasion so far forward¡ªit really was a butterfly effect caused by his actions.


    Zhang Lie had wondered just which of his actions could have caused the death spirits'' errant behavior. Even if the pping of a butterfly''s wings in South America were to cause a typhoon in the eastern hemisphere, there had to be a chain of events between the first and thest.


    It was inconceivable that there could be spooky action at a distance. The events had to be linked somehow, and Zhang Lie had only interacted with the ck spirits when they invaded the draconian world.


    His sessful defense shouldn''t have prompted such a response. There were arge number of ck spirits scattered over the three thousand worlds. The destruction of a middle-sized ck spirit world would be all but irrelevant to the death spirits'' ns, and there was no reason that they would rush their nned invasion forward by almost a decade as a result.


    Zhang Lie now understood that what had caused the death spirits'' adverse reaction wasn''t his own actions, but rather those of the members of Team Zenith. Upon revealing what he knew of the death spirits to the members of Team Zenith, the future had changed.


    It had felt good to share what he knew of the future back then, but the consequences of his actions were now catching up to him.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but ask, "How many of the ck spirit worlds did you all attack?"


    "Two," Sun Mengmeng replied.


    "Three," Yang Ze said.


    "Five." Fang Yi.


    "One." Sun Xiaowu.


    "Two." Li Feng.


    "One." Zhou Ying.


    Fourteen in all¡ªfifteen, if the world that Zhang Lie had freed from the ck spirits'' invasion was included.


    Zhang Lie almost spat out a mouthful of blood. No wonder the death spirits had moved their n forward! They had surely found that their outposts were being destroyed at a remarkable, unprecedented rate¡ªall because of what the members of Team Zenith had been doing!


    In the past, Zhang Lie had informed the members of Team Zenith about the death spirits'' ns. This caused the members of Team Zenith to target the ck spirits'' worlds while invading the worlds neighboring the draconian world. Combined, they had destroyed fourteen ck spirit outposts.


    It had taken the death spirits a tremendous amount of resources to send the ck spirits out into the three thousand worlds under the scrutiny of the superior worlds, but fifteen of them had been destroyed in an instant.


    Zhang Lie himself would be incensed, let alone the death spirits.


    Sun Xiaowu seemed confused by Zhang Lie''s expression. "What''s wrong, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie raised his head to the sky and murmured, "Nothing. I''ve just realized howplicated time and fate are."


    "There''s nothing to fear about the ck spirits¡ªand I can''t imagine the death spirits are that strong, either. Captain, we don''t have to worry,"


    Sun Mengmeng consoled Zhang Lie after witnessing his abnormal expression.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The death spirits are hardly as weak as you think. The death spirit king himself is a fiend¡ªafter consumingrge quantities of the world''s energy, he might as well be the strongest existence in the third realm."


    In Zhang Lie''s past life, the death spirit king had only been killed by the nine other superior kings working together in concert¡ªand even then, five of the nine had perished in battle.


    "Stronger than you, Captain?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''ve never fought him before. How would I know?"


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "What''s the third matter you wanted to speak to us about, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Actually, the second and third matters are linked. Now that the death spirit king is making his move, there''ll soon be a war that epasses all three thousand worlds. Get ready."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    Now that they had all consumed the peak limit-breaking potion, Zhang Lie was more confident in their ability to survive and contribute during the uing battle.


    He instructed, "I''ll be sending outmands for the warlords to retreat from the frontline and to start preparing for the uing battle. All of you should tie up any loose ends and prepare for the war to break out at any point as well."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded firmly.


    Zhang Lie was about to continue describing the death spirits'' potential ns when the draconian sage suddenly interrupted, "Zhang Lie, your girlfriend is looking for you."


    "My girlfriend? Li Qianlin, you mean?"


    He spread out his senses and noticed Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing walking over. He immediately turned to the members of Team Zenith. "Alright, we''re done here. I have other affairs to take care of, so I''ll be leaving now."

 Chapter 944: Discussions within the Palace

    <h4>Chapter 944: Discussions within the Pce</h4>


    Zhang Lie vanished from the spot and immediately appeared behind Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing. "Now, where could you girls be heading toward?"


    Dong Mingxing yelped, jumping up in shock. "What''s with you¡ªwhy did you suddenly appear out of nowhere like a ghost?"


    Li Qianlinughed sheepishly. "We needed to talk to you about something."


    "About what?" Zhang Lie cocked his head.


    Li Qianlin replied, "Like you said, the death spirits are making their move."


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. "How did youe by this information?"


    That the death spirits had started making their move was just Zhang Lie''s hypothesis, and he was starting to prepare for the eventuality of war¡ªonly to find that Li Qianlin might be able to confirm that hypothesis for him.


    Li Qianlin replied, "It''s news from my father. Like you surmised, the death spirits broke through the barricade that the other superior worlds set up a few days ago, and they''re currentlyying waste to the worlds in their vicinity."


    Zhang Lie nodded in understanding. "Your father must have learned about this from the other superior worlds. Is that right?"


    Li Qianlin inclined her head. "A few days ago, envoys from the other superior worlds requested that Father participate in the defense against the death spirits."


    Zhang Lie was a little surprised, but not because of the arrival of the envoys.


    The superior worlds would take all the help they could against the death spirits, and they would certainly enlist the Zongming world to that end. Not only would they be able to use the Zongming world as cannon fodder, it would likely be destroyed by the death spirits, leaving them with one fewer enemy to contend with afterwards.


    Regardless of how unwilling the Zongming world was to participate, the other superior worlds would surely band together to force its hand. If the Zongming world refused, the superior worlds would likely destroy the Zongming world before dealing with the death spirits.


    What shocked Zhang Lie was how quickly the death spirits had made their move, even before he had finished his preparations, as though he had done something else to trigger the butterfly effect.


    Zhang Lie didn''t understand which of his actions could possibly have caused this new development.


    He rubbed his lower jaw. "What will happen if the Zongming world refuses to participate?"


    Li Qianlin shrugged. "Father didn''t ask. He wanted to hear your opinion first."


    "I''ll head to the Zongming world immediately."


    Zhang Lie confirmed Gold Comet''s location in the draconian world, then teleported over to it. If he wanted to reach the Zongming world as quickly as possible, he would need Gold Comet''s speed.


    He returned to the two women with Gold Comet in tow. "Alright, we''ll set off now."


    Gold Comet, with Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin riding on its back, morphed into a beam of golden light and shot off. Dong Mingxing was left behind.


    Dong Mingxing blinked a few times before crying out, "Hey, hey! Come back! You''ve left me behind!"


    Gold Comet''s speed was incredible. Within just an hour, they had passed through three worlds and were within sight of the Zongming world.


    Over thest two years, under Li Zongming''s leadership, the Zongming world had been growing stronger and stronger by the day. Zhang Lie had Gold Comet bring them straight toward his pce.


    Li Zongming appeared at the entrance to the pce to wee Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin personally.


    "You''re back! And so quickly, too¡ªI just sent out the news."


    Li Zongming then turned to Gold Comet. "This is... the red fourth-level beast from before."


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s a monarch-grade lifeform, now¡ªording to your ssification, a sixth-level beast."


    Li Zongming''s eyes widened as he looked Gold Comet up and down. "Incredible, son-inw. I expect you have the only such beast in the third realm."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Let''s not discuss Gold Comet at the moment. Shall we consider what the death spirits and other superior worlds are up to?"


    "Very well. I''d like to hear your opinion, Zhang Lie," Li Zongming replied.


    He invited both of them into the pce and had his servants prepare some tea. "I expect Qianlin has already told you about the details," he began.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "The death spirits are finally making their move, and they''ve already broken through the superior worlds'' barricade. The envoys of the other superior worlds have been sent over to enlist you in battle, haven''t they?"


    Li Zongming nodded. "Everything is as you''ve said."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I expected the death spirits would make their move sooner orter, but this is far ahead of schedule."


    "Indeed."


    "What did the other superior worlds tell you?"


    Li Zongming replied, "They intend on convening a meeting among the leaders of all the superior worlds¡ªallegedly to discuss the death spirits'' threat, but realistically to force my hand."


    Zhang Lie cautioned, "You have to attend this meeting. The other superior worlds will never allow you not to participate, regardless of how unwilling you may be."


    Li Qianlin analyzed, "If the Zongming world were to refuse, the superior worlds would likely destroy us before dealing with the death spirits! It might cost them a bit of manpower, but it''s surely better than to let us profit while doing nothing. Isn''t that so?"


    Zhang Lie gave her a thumbs up. "They''re worried that we might be able to take advantaged of their weakened state after defeating the death spirits to destroy them all and take over the third realm in one fell swoop."


    Li Qianlin continued seriously, "That''s right. All thebatants will be weakened by the war, and if our forces were in top shape, then..."


    That would be when the other eight superior worlds were weakest, and even the Zongming world, easily the weakest among the superior worlds, would be able to invade them all easily then. This was an oue that the other eight superior worlds had to avoid at any cost.

 Chapter 945: Come Back Quick

    <h4>Chapter 945: Come Back Quick</h4>


    Zhang Lie exined, "The other eight superior worlds don''t want to see anyone backstab them while they''re fighting against the death spirits."


    In order to prevent this, there was no way they could allow the Zongming world to remain an idle spectator. They gave Li Zongming an ultimatum: either participate in the defense, or die.


    Zhang Lie continued, "It''s clear how strong the death spirits are¡ªall eight other superior worlds feel as though they have to give the battle their all, without having even resources to spare to protect themselves."


    In addition, it revealed that the other eight superior worlds were determined to destroy the death spirits. This time, they wouldn''t simply barricade the death spirits up. They would destroy the death spirits for good, without giving them a chance to retaliate.


    Li Zongming nodded. "I understand what you''re saying, more so than anyone else, but it''s precisely because I understand that the decision is that much harder for me."


    Although the Zongming world had be a superior world, it hardly had the same amount of resources as did the other superior worlds, which had existed since antiquity. The Zongming world had newly evolved, and it boasted far less manpower and strength than the others.


    Li Zongming knew how challenging a foe the death spirits would be. It had required the other eight superior worlds''bined efforts to suppress them¡ªand despite all that effort, the death spirits had broken free again.


    The death spirits would be far stronger than his world was equipped to handle, and it would be a disaster for his world to participate in the battle now. All the gains he had made over thest two years would be wiped out, and he would fare worst among all the superior worlds if they were to manage to defeat the death spirits.


    If the Zongming world didn''t participate, it would be destroyed by the other superior worlds; if it did, it would be suppressed and controlled as a result of its weakened state.


    There simply had been too little time for the Zongming world to prepare. Two years was far too little time for Li Zongming to stockpile energy, and his world remained far below its maximum capacity and capability.


    The moment the war began, the Zongming world would be the first casualty.


    Li Zongming was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Either his world would be destroyed or enved; there was no third option.


    "You only have one choice now: participate in the war."


    Even Zhang Lie wasn''t confident that he would be able to defend against the other eight superior worlds''bined assault, let alone Li Zongming.


    The biggest problem wouldn''t be dealing with the eight other superior worlds, but rather the death spirits and their king. If the Zongming world were to go to war against the other eight superior worlds, the death spirits would continue growing stronger day by day, feasting on the world''s energy of the worlds they conquered. Even if the Zongming world were to survive the eight worlds'' assault, it would subsequently have to contend with the death spirit king.


    Furthermore, the Zongming world and the other eight superior worlds would surely all have their capabilities reduced if they were to go to war against each other¡ªwhereas the death spirit king could keep growing stronger. If they allowed the death spirit king to grow unchecked, he would be a menace that no one could stop.


    Zhang Lie told Li Zongming seriously, "This is something you have to do not just for the good of the Zongming world, but also the fate of the third realm."


    The death spirit king was an evil that had to be eradicated at any cost; if he consumed enough world''s energy, no one would be able to stop him.


    Li Zongming nodded. "I think so too."


    In that case, why did Li Zongming summon him??Zhang Lie understood quickly. "You want to borrow my strength."


    Li Zongming smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "We''re family, aren''t we? I want to take advantage of your strength."


    Li Qianlin lowered her head, flushing.


    "Very well. I''ll head to the meeting with you." Zhang Lie epted readily.


    The death spirits represented a disaster for the entirety of the third realm, and Zhang Lie had no choice but to participate as well.


    "I''ll also have the warlords under mymand participate in this war as part of the Zongming world''s forces."


    Li Zongming was so happy he leapt up and embraced Zhang Lie in a tight hug. "Wonderful, wonderful! My wisest decision in this life was to have Qianlin¡ªthat was what allowed me to grab such an excellent son-inw! Zhang Lie, you''re truly my savior!"


    Zhang Lie pushed Li Zongming aside. "When do we set off?"


    Li Zongming replied, "The envoys mentioned that the meeting will be convened within the next few days."


    "Very well. I''ll head back to the draconian world to make some preparations. Now that the death spirits have made their move, I have a good idea as to what the meeting will be about. Before all three thousand worlds are dragged into this war, I''ll have to set some ns in action."


    Li Qianlin raised her hand. "Actually, there''s a bit I don''t understand. If the superior worlds are so strong, why do they want to embroil all three thousand worlds in the war? After all, many of those worlds might as well be ants inparison to the superior worlds. What could they do?"


    If the superior worlds had really valued the other worlds, they would have discovered the death spirits'' treachery long ago.


    Li Qianlin continued, perplexed, "In that case, why expand the scope of this war?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s true that they don''t think much of the many worlds that form the third realm¡ªallrge worlds and below might as well be ants. Even so, they''ll act prudently."


    Li Zongming waggled a finger. "Daughter, what the superior worlds fear aren''t the manifold worlds of the third realm, but rather the death spirits. They''re worried that, if they were to exhaust too many resources against the death spirits, they would be swarmed by these lesser worlds. They''re worried that an existence like the Zongming world might emerge out of nowhere."


    "An existence like the Zongming world, which would grow to boundless heights while they''re tied up with the death spirits and unable to prevent its growth..." Zhang Lie mused.


    Li Qianlin nodded. "I thought these superior worlds were immeasurably strong, but it looks like they have to worry about quite a lot of things, even so..."


    "Strong doesn''t mean unintelligent, after all," Zhang Lie quipped.


    Afterying out some ns with Li Zongming, Zhang Lie left the pce. "Qianlin, you should stay in the Zongming world rather than head back with me. Apany your father¡ªGold Comet and I will return to the draconian world, deal with matters there, and thene back. I''ll apany your father to the meeting of the worlds then."


    Li Qianlin folded her arms. "You''re getting tired of me already?"


    "Ah, no¡ªit''s just that you''ve rarely been able to return. Why don''t you spend some time with your father?"


    Li Qianlin smiled. "I was just making fun of you. Come back quick, you hear?"

 Chapter 946: Well Talk Later

    <h4>Chapter 946: We''ll Talk Later</h4>


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I''ll be back in about two days."


    He leapt up onto Gold Comet''s back. Gold Comet morphed into a beam of golden light and shot off into the distance.


    Once they returned to the draconian world, Zhang Lie immediately summoned the members of Team Zenith. "Have the warlords all been recalled?"


    Sun Mengmeng shrugged. "Captain, we can''t all be like you. You were only away for a few hours. We''ve informed them to return, but it''ll take them a while to get back."


    Yang Ze asked, "Has something happened, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Indeed. Things are progressing at a faster rate than nned. The death spirits have already made their move. They''ve broken out of the barricade that the eight other superior worlds set up, and the three thousand worlds of the third realm will all be embroiled in war sooner orter. That''s why we need to make some preparations now. I need to speak with the draconian sage immediately."


    "I''ll let him know at once!" Sun Mengmeng rushed off into the distance.


    The members of Team Zenith looked at him with serious expressions. They had learned of the death spirits'' purpose from Zhang Lie, and they knew that the death spirits would be tough foes.


    What kind of opponent would be able to drag the entire realm into a protracted war? This would be the most difficult foe they had faced to date.


    Shortly after Sun Mengmeng left, space within the meeting room began to twist. The draconian sage and Sun Mengmeng appeared directly in the room.


    The draconian sage asked, "Zhang Lie, has something happened? Something rted to the death spirits you were talking about, perhaps?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "The death spirits are moving faster than expected. They''ve broken out of the barricade that the eight other superior worlds set up. The superior worlds are convening a meeting, and the three thousand worlds will all be implicated."


    The draconian sage asked, "Are the death spirits that strong that this war will spread throughout the entire realm?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The death spirits aren''t the ones trying to drag everyone into the war¡ªthe superior worlds are."


    The draconian sage frowned. "Aren''t the superior worlds fighting against the death spirits?"


    "That''s exactly why they want to drag everyone else down with them."


    The draconian sage frowned. "It looks like both sides are troublesome foes, then... Whom should we side with?"


    Zhang lie replied, "We can''t work with the death spirits. The goal of the death spirit king is to consume the entirety of the third realm. If we ally with them, they''d turn us into those vile ck spirits."


    The hunters collectively shuddered as they thought about the vaguely humanoid figuresposed of ck bandages, like walking zombies.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Are the superior worlds trying to prevent anyone from profiting from their victory despite not participating?"


    Yang Ze nodded. "And to stop themselves from getting backstabbed, too..."


    Zhang Lie repeated what he had said in the Zongming world. "They''re worried that, if they were to exhaust too many resources against the death spirits, they would be swarmed by the lesser worlds. They''re also worried that other worlds might take advantage of the war to grow strong and be superior worlds, which would threaten the current superior worlds'' future power."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    "The superior worlds don''t want the current bnce of things to shift. They''d like to remain dominant in the third realm, with no new contenders for power."


    The draconian sage asked, "What are your ns?"


    "We have no choice but to participate in the war."


    The draconian sage nodded. Indeed, they had no other choice. "If we don''t participate, the superior worlds might make an example out of us. They''re all bastards and hooligans¡ªeven if they have to conserve much of their power for the death spirits, it would be trivial for them to destroy a couple ofrge worlds each. This is the strength of a superior world."


    Of course, the Zongming world, which had recently ascended, didn''t count.


    The Zongming world hadn''t had enough time to bolster its resources, and the only indicator that the Zongming world was a superior world was that Li Zongming himself was stronger than a king of arge world. If Li Zongming were removed from the picture, the Zongming world would only be able to fight at the level of a peakrge world.


    Meanwhile, the superior worlds each possessed the strength to take down a few dozenrge worlds much like the Zongming world¡ªindependent of their kings'' powers. If Zhang Lie hadn''t been present to defend the Zongming world, it would have been destroyed by the xuluo.


    "Even if the superior worlds weren''t a factor, we would have to destroy the death spirit king regardless. His ambition is to devour the entire realm, so we have no other choice but to work together with these vile, shameless superior worlds," Zhang Lie continued.


    The superior worlds had no intention of fighting alone; they would drag everyone down with them.


    Zhang Lieid out his ns. "Sage, you''ll prepare a fighting force that will represent your contribution to the war. Members of Team Zenith, you''ll each lead an army conscripted from the inhabitants whose worlds you invaded. I''ll be leading a party of warlords to fight on behalf of the Zongming world."


    The draconian sage sucked in a deep breath. "Hold on, you''ll be a representative of the Zongming world, not the draconian world?"


    "Right. I''ll be participating in the meeting convened by the superior worlds as a warrior of the Zongming world. Is there a problem?"


    The draconian sage cried out, "Yes, there is! You can''t leave us or the humans behind just for the sake of your girlfriend!"


    Although the draconian sage was normally rather annoyed by the problems that Zhang Lie caused all over, Zhang Lie was still the strongestbatant that the draconian world possessed, without a doubt.


    The draconian sage hadn''t been worried about the uing war because of Zhang Lie''s presence, but after the revtion that he would be joining the forces of another world instead, the draconian sage couldn''t help but panic.


    Zhang Lie continued, "In addition, the members of Team Zenith will not participate in the death spirits'' war."


    "Why not?!" the members of Team Zenith and the draconian sage asked simultaneously.


    Sun Mengmeng borated, "Didn''t you have us drink the peak limit-breaking potions so we could do something in the war?"


    The draconian sageined, "You''re not even allowing the draconian world ess to our next strongestbatants? Just what are you nning?"


    Zhang Lie turned to the members of Team Zenith. "I have ns for all of you. We can''t just be focused on the war against the death spirits¡ªwe have to be thinking about the enemies we''ll face after the war, as well."


    "The enemies after the war?"


    "We''ll discuss itter," Zhang Lie replied. He seemed entirely confident of sessfully repelling the death spirits.

 Chapter 947: Already Planned

    <h4>Chapter 947: Already nned</h4>


    In Zhang Lie''s past life, the superior worlds had managed to take down the death spirits without his help¡ªgiven his presence, their victory in this life was all but guaranteed. Furthermore, the death spirits hadn''t managed to absorb as much world''s energy as before, and Zhang Lie had intercepted part of their spoils. The death spirit king wouldn''t be as strong.


    It was true that Zhang Lie had destroyed the xuluo world and weakened the superior worlds as a whole, but he and the Zongming world were more than sufficient to make up for theck of the xuluo.


    What had been done in his past life could easily be achieved in this one. There was no reason to expend all his trump cards and power on this single war alone.


    The draconian sage clutched his head in panic. "Without you and the warlords, without the members of Team Zenith, how will our world survive the war?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Sage, I feel like you''ve gotten too used to our presence."


    The sage lifted his head. "What do you mean?"


    "Before I and the rest of Team Zenith showed up, how did your world deal with the Mengtai invasion?"


    The draconian sage tugged at his head. "But this time around, our opponent isn''t just a medium-sized world¡ªit''s a superior world that far exceeds all others! Even the other superior worlds have to be wary of the death spirits. We would be hard-pressed to protect ourselves in this conflict, let alone fight against the death spirits."


    "You''re quite right. If the death spirits were to invade the draconian world, it would be annihted in less than an hour. Unless I and the rest of Team Zenith were present, the draconian world wouldn''t stand a chance."


    "That''s precisely what I''m saying!"


    Zhang Lie continued, "But you would hardly be facing the death spirits alone, and they certainly wouldn''t be focusing on you. You''re nothing more than cannon fodder in the fight between the death spirits and the other superior races."


    The draconian sage frowned. "That sounds even worse!"


    Although Zhang Lie was stating the truth, the draconian sage was still somewhat hurt by his words. The draconian world was a peakrge world, but it would still be little more than cannon fodder in this war. It didn''t have the strength to do anything instrumental¡ªthough all that would change if Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were to participate on the side of the draconians.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were strong enough to be a third nexus of power in this conflict¡ªor, at the very least, on equal standing with a superior world.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "At any rate, it''ll be straightforward enough for you to survive. You won''t need to fight against the death spirits directly¡ªjust protect yourselves."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Won''t some of the draconians have to sacrifice themselves in battle, then?"


    Yang Ze nodded. "Although I can''t say I understand what you''re nning, Captain, if any of us from Team Zenith were to participate in this war on the draconian world''s side, we would surely be able to mitigate the human and draconian losses."


    This would be a mythical battle which would draw in all three thousand worlds of the third realm, unprecedented in its history. The members of Team Zenith didn''t want to miss out on such a once-in-a-lifetime event.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Sacrifices are only natural. No draconian or human could live wholly under another''s protection, and I and the members of Team Zenith will ultimately set off toward another realm. The draconians and humans shall have to learn to live without our presence¡ªas well you know, Sage."


    Humans and draconians were no flowers to be cultivated in a greenhouse. If Zhang Lie were to continue protecting them all, they would start developing an unhealthy dependencyplex.


    If even the draconian sage was feeling this way, it was evident how the ordinary draconians and humans had to feel¡ªand if this feeling of dependency were allowed to grow, the humans and draconians of the third realm would be crippled.


    Zhang Lie continued seriously, "We''re happy to support you¡ªnot to sustain you."


    The draconian sage nodded. "You''re absolutely right. We''ve been toofortabletely, and we''re already starting to forget our training. It''s too convenient to rely on you and your team, and the death spirits'' war will be an excellent opportunity to forge the draconian and human hunters anew in the mes of war."


    The death spirits'' war would be a massive conflict, and one beyond the level of the draconian world. Even if the humans and draconians were to suffer defeat, there would be no impact on the draconian world.


    Furthermore, the draconian world would still be host to Team Zenith, and it was under Zhang Lie''s protection. The draconian sage simply wanted to avoid unnecessary loss of life¡ªbut in that case, the hunters could never be strong. They were no greenhouse flowers, no pandas to be kept in a zoo. The draconians and humans were proud fighters in their own right, and they had to be kept that way. To do so, their skills would have to be refined in battle.


    Sun Mengmeng added, "Don''t include our human forces in your count. They''ve all been participating in the invasion of neighboring worlds, and humanity as a whole has grown far stronger than it has been before."


    Zhang Lie nodded, adding, "There''s no need to worry too much, Sage. The draconian world has changed dramatically. The draconians, humans, and all manner of other species will serve as excellent fighters."


    The humans, in particr, were bolstered by the increased gains that they had received in the second realm as well as the limit-breaking potions that Zhang Lie had devised. They were iparably stronger than the previous generation of hunters.


    Zhang Lie continued, "With this strength as basis, even in a war of mythical proportions like this one, the draconian world won''t lose too much of its forces. I guarantee it¡ªafter all, you''re not the onlyrge world participating in the war."


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "On the battlefield, you don''t necessarily have to be too much faster than others¡ªjust one step is enough."


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "That''s supposed to be when you''re chased by a tiger, not on a battlefield, surely!"


    Yang Ze said, "Well, the principle is the same. If you don''t want to be cannon fodder, you just have to be stronger than those around you."


    The draconian sage nodded approvingly. "I do feel quite a bit more confident given your words."


    "And not only that," Zhang Lie added, "I can have Zhu arrange for a few peak- and disaster-grade lifeforms to fight alongside you."


    Li Feng grinned. "As expected of our captain¡ªhe''s been preparing for this well in advance!"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, do you have any ns for us during the death spirits'' war?"


    "Surely you must have some ns for us if you''re forbidding us from joining the draconians." Yang Ze turned to Zhang Lie as well.

 Chapter 948: Clamoring to Participate

    <h4>Chapter 948: moring to Participate</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, do you have any ns for us during the death spirits'' war?"


    "Surely you must have some ns for us if you''re forbidding us from joining the draconians." Yang Ze turned to Zhang Lie as well.


    Zhang Lie was just about to speak when sharp knocks rapped at the door. Even before the door opened, the draconian sage had used his authority as king to figure out whoy behind it.


    "Your sister seems to be searching for you," he told Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. Just as the draconian sage could invoke his authority to see whoy behind the door, Zhang Lie could use his power to do the same. "What''s the matter, Hanxiang?"


    Zhang Hanxiang opened the door, her face beaming. "Brother, look who I brought with me!"


    Zhang Hanxiang moved aside, revealing a figure behind her that made the members of Team Zenith light up in excitement.


    "Hong Xi!"


    Standing behind Zhang Hanxiang was Hong Xi.


    Zhang Lie had sensed Hong Xi behind Zhang Hanxiang near-immediately, and he wasn''t too surprised. He smiled as expected. "Hong Xi, you''ve finally ascended to the third realm."


    Hong Xi nodded. "I finished up my responsibilities on Mars. Reconstruction will take some time, and I left Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen in charge of those affairs. Subsequently, I handed my tasks in Limit in the second realm to my brother. With all that settled, I finally ascended."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Excellent timing. You''ve arrived just in time to participate in a mythic battle that will remain in the annals of the third realm."


    Zhang Lie would be fighting in the thick of things, and he might not have the attention to spare for others. He couldn''t take over the role ofmander for the war.


    The warlords, led by the four prime races, could be an independent force on the battlefield. Zhu herself could lead the lifeforms she controlled.


    After seeding in the trial that the realm had seen fit to bestow her, Zhu had lost all the negative side-effects that came as a result of her being a stowaway. Participating in this war would be much-needed training for her, as well as for the disaster-grade lifeforms that she was trying to evolve into mythic-grade. They needed to participate in as many of theserge-scale battles as they could.


    The humans would be led by the warlords; the draconian sage would take care of the draconians.


    The problem rested with the fact that the draconian world consisted of more than just humans, draconians, and gic lifeforms. There were factions and races of varying strength and number, which Zhang Lie intended to make use of on the battlefield.


    The members of Team Zenith and the warlords had conquered many worlds, and there were bearmen, mammoths, greenskins, and so on in the draconian world.


    These races wouldn''t necessarily listen to the draconians. The draconian sage hadn''t had time toe to an agreement with these races, who had been bested by the members of Team Zenith and would only follow theirmand.


    In order for these forces to work in harmony with each other, it was imperative that there be an overallmand in charge of the draconian world atrge.


    It would have been ideal for thismand to consist of Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, but Zhang Lie had to represent the Zongming world, and he ?didn''t want the members of Team Zenith to participate in the war. The third-most suitable person would be the draconian sage, but he didn''t intend to participate personally, either¡ªhe would be immensely difficult to rece if he were to die in battle somehow.


    Hong Xi would be a perfect candidate to fill this role.


    "Hong Xi, I name youmander of the draconian world''s forces in resistance of the death spirits'' invasion."


    Hong Xi was gobsmacked. She had just ascended¡ªshe was nothing more than a newbie! Commander?


    "Can I really do it?"


    Zhang Lie nodded firmly. "You can."


    "No, I can''t!" Hong Xi''s voice quavered.


    Zhang Lie smiled gently. "You''ll be fine. The other races are still cowed by the threat of Team Zenith. If you can exin to them what''s going on, I''m sure they''ll understand the benefits of cooperation. You''ll be able to take advantage of the name of Team Zenith to serve as the battlefieldmander."


    The draconian sage understood what Zhang Lie was trying to do. "You''re trying to form some sort of coalition among us cannon fodder?"


    All the inhabitants of the draconian world could at least agree on two things: they didn''t want the draconian world to be defeated, and they didn''t want to die. In that case, they would have to use others as cannon fodder.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The best approach for our survival is to gather together arge enough group of cannon fodder andpensate forck of quality with quantity. That''s the one chance that the draconian world has for survival on a battlefield with two massive foes."


    The draconian sage was touched that Zhang Lie had thought so far ahead.


    Zhang Hanxiang raised a hand. "I want to participate, too! I want to be part of this mythical battle!"


    Zhang Lie scowled. "Ridiculous! Do you understand just how dangerous it is for you?"


    "Of course!"


    "What would you know? Do you know what the death spirits are like¡ªor how shameless our allies, the superior worlds, can be? ?Do you know of the superior worlds that lord over this realm?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied excitedly, "No, I don''t know any of that, but if it''s a war that you''re calling mythical, Brother, it has to be something truly impressive!"


    Zhang Lie had never thought much of any of the draconian world''s invasion attempts, and the fact that he was calling this war mythical revealed just how imposing and impressive in scope it would be.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s analysis was correct. The scope of this war would epass the entirety of the third realm, the likes of which had never been seen and would likely never be seen again.


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. "If you''re unaware of your enemies, how can you expect to fare well in battle? You''d perish on the battlefield without realizing how you''ve died. Stay behind in the draconian world and wait for my return."


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned and crossed her arms. "Can''t you bring me along with you, Brother?"


    "You know nothing of the enemy! It would be foolish to bring you with me."


    Zhang Hanxiang protested, "But Hong Xi has just ascended as well! She doesn''t know anything about the enemy, either¡ªwhy would you let her be the battlefieldmander?"


    Zhang Lie clutched his head in exasperation. "The enemy we''re facing this time is no joke. The death spirits are being led by the death spirit king, whose goal is to take over all three thousand worlds of the third realm and be the strongest existence within it."


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned.


    "That''s only the start of his ambitions, too¡ªhe ns on using the third realm like a springboard from which to drain the first and second realms dry, before heading up into the fourth and fifth realms. His ambition is bolstered by overwhelming strength, and I can''t afford to take care of others while in the heat of battle."


    Hong Xi trembled and wanted to shrink back.


    She had just advanced, and she didn''t have any third-realm gene fragments to her name. For Zhang Lie to have set up such a foe for her¡ªhow was she meant to do it all?


    Zhang Lie continued, "Our enemy is a terrifying foe, and our allies are unreliable and shameless. The only reason we''re working together with them is because we can''t let the death spirits seed. The superior worlds'' goal is to drag all three thousand worlds into the battle with them, hoping that as many of them perish as possible so that they can profit from those worlds afterwards."


    In other words, they were allies only in name.


    The strongest enemy they had faced to date, and the worst allies to have¡ªthere could be no worsebination.


    Sun Mengmeng suggested, "Captain, considering the big picture, I believe it would be more appropriate for Hanxiang to be the battlefieldmander."


    Zhang Lie red at Sun Mengmeng.


    On the other hand, Zhang Hanxiang seemed very touched. "Thank you, Mengmeng!"


    Sun Mengmeng smiled gently at Zhang Hanxiang.


    Yang Ze thought for a moment, then added, "I agree with Sun Mengmeng. Hong Xi has just advanced, and even if we tell everyone that she''s your disciple, it''ll be hard for her to gain traction. Her roots in the third realm are too shallow."


    Zhang Lie pointed at his sister. "Is Hanxiang any better?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "At the very least, she arrived in the third realm before Hong Xi, and more people are aware of her. Hong Xi''s a perfectly fine candidate, but Hanxiang''s been here longer, and they all know that she''s your sister. The draconians and humans, at least, will do their best to protect her."


    Everyone understood that amander was necessary for the battle.


    The warlords and members of Team Zenith had taken down too many worlds, and the various races would frequently sh with each other unless they were appropriately controlled. An aptmander was necessary.


    However, these races only feared the warlords and members of Team Zenith, so themander of these forces had to have some level of strength, as well as guardsposed of humans and draconians alike.


    Human guards were particrly important: human hunters had participated in the invasion of nearby worlds under the direction of the members of Team Zenith, and the races feared and respected human strength.


    From this perspective, Zhang Hanxiang, who was known to the third realm and a familiar face to the human hunters, was a better choice than Hong Xi.

 Chapter 949: Commander Hanxiang

    <h4>Chapter 949: Commander Hanxiang</h4>


    In terms of status and identity, Zhang Lie''s sister would indeed serve this role better than Hong Xi.


    The draconian sage nodded. "I agree with Sun Mengmeng. Zhang Lie, you mentioned that you wouldn''t be able to remain in the third realm forever. Neither will you be able to protect your sister for life."


    If Zhang Hanxiang were to be the battlefieldmander, Zhang Lie would surely end up protecting the draconian army in battle. As he said, he wasn''t going to send his sister to the battlefield to die, so if Zhang Hanxiang were ever in danger, Zhang Lie would surely protect her.


    Zhang Hanxiang would simultaneously be the battlefieldmander and the shield that would save the draconian army''s lives.


    Although the draconian sage had made up his mind to have the draconians participate in this mythical war, forging themselves anew in the heat of battle, it was toorge a stage, and thebatants too strong, for the draconian sage to truly feel secure about their odds.


    It was as though the death spirits and the superior worlds were two massive cogs. The draconian fighters were like a rock that would be ground to powder between them, crushed in an instant.


    The draconian sage wanted his people to grow stronger, not to die needlessly. With Zhang Lie to protect them, his fighters would be far more likely to survive despite the enormity of the war.


    The draconian sage continued, "Your sister isn''t a flower to be carefully cultivated within a greenhouse, and you won''t be able to assist her for life. If you want her to grow, she needs to have these experiences for herself."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded firmly. "The draconian sage is right. Zhang Hanxiang''s a rather strong hunter in her own right, thanks to your help, and I''m certain she''ll be able to protect herself."


    Although the draconian sage was pushing for this decision partially for his own gain, his words weren''t wrong.


    Hong Xi added, "Master, I''m not doubting your decision, but I dock the confidence to be the battlefieldmander and take on a mythical boss almost immediately after my ascension into the third realm."


    Zhang Hanxiang stepped forward. "Brother, I''m not making a fuss needlessly, and neither am I trying to act spoiled. I truly do want to participate in this battle so I can improve myself. As your sister, I can''t be holding you back all the time. I don''t want everyone to refer to me as your sister¡ªI want to grow strong enough that they refer to you as my brother."


    Zhang Lie replied seriously, "Are you certain? Even the draconian world isn''t strong enough to be more than cannon fodder in this war¡ªand it''s at the peak ofrge worlds!"


    "I understand."


    "Your opponent isn''t simply a king of the realm, but an ambitious madman who wants to consume the entirety of the third realm. Our teammates are hoping that we''ll die so that they can pilfer our resources. Even so, will you join the battlefield?"


    .


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded again. "I understand how difficult this will be for me, Brother, but I insist."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Very well. If you insist, you can be themander responsible for the draconian world''sbined forces. However, since youck experience, and Hong Xi hasmanded forces in the second realm and on Mars, I''d like to appoint her as your deputymander to keep you in check."


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. "Brother, won''t you give me more trust?"


    Hong Xi stood erect. "Yes, Captain! I''m familiar with Hanxiang, and I''ll keep an eye out for her."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I trust in your abilities. Don''t let Hanxiang lead you astray."


    "Brother!" Zhang Hanxiang sighed.


    By the time all this was settled, the warlords had returned after receiving Team Zenith''s summons. They had been scattered throughout the frontlines, but were now brought together once again. Zhang Lie exined what was going on to them.


    "The death spirits have broken past the superior worlds'' defensive barricade, and war will sweep over the three thousand worlds of the third realm. In theing days, I''ll lead all of you to fight as representatives of the Zongming world.


    None of the warlords present questioned his decision. It mattered not to them whether they represented the draconian world or the Zongming world¡ªneither belonged to them, after all. The draconian world contained humans, and most of them had never heard of the Zongming world¡ªbut the important thing was that Zhang Lie was leading them.


    Xing Ying raised a hand. "Who are the death spirits?"


    Zhang Lie had only exined the rtionship between the death spirits and ck spirits, as well as the death spirits'' ambition, to the members of Team Zenith. The warlords were unaware of that connection.


    "Do you know of the dark spirits?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Xing Ying nodded. He had watched Fang Yi encounter and subsequently fight against the ck spirits in the past as part of Zhang Lie''s trials.


    "The death spirits rule over the ck spirits. The death spirit king is a madman who''s trying to swallow up the realm. We''ll be representing a superior world in a war that will sweep over the realm."


    "And what are these superior worlds?"


    "They''re the strongest worlds in the third realm. There are ten of them in all, nine of which are ancient existences, and the tenth of which is new¡ªthe Zongming world, which we''ll be representing."


    Although the warlords didn''t quite understand what the death spirits and death spirit king represented, they knew that these death spirits had to be dangerous threats if they could threaten the third realm atrge. Such threats naturally had to be removed.


    "For Zhang Lie, the champion of mankind!"


    "For Zhang Lie, the champion of mankind!"


    "For Zhang Lie, the champion of mankind!"


    Whether or not they understood was irrelevant; they just had to shout to boost morale.


    Zhang Lie had hypnotized them all with his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, and the warlords were little more than fools who couldn''t think for themselves by now.


    Zhang Lie nodded in satisfaction upon seeing the warlords respond so fervently.


    Afterwards, Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi, with the help of Team Zenith, began to pick out strong fighters among the people they had conquered. Zhang Lie had intended to help them as well, but upon witnessing how smoothly everything was progressing, he simply smiled, nodded, and walked away.


    Team Zenith and the warlords had taken down a shocking number of worlds. Team Zenith had made a name for itself; after the dissolution of the Worldpact Coalition, the neighboring worlds had been unable to muster up any further resistance. They either submitted to the draconian world or were killed. Given these circumstances, many neighboring worlds chose to surrender.


    When these worlds were informed that they would have to send a battalion of fighters to fight in a war against the death spirits, they refused to believe what they heard. A few even thought that this was a ploy from the humans and the warlords who had conquered them. Although they didn''t dare reject the order outright, they tried to dy or push it off.

 Chapter 950: A Demonstration of Power

    <h4>Chapter 950: A Demonstration of Power</h4>


    Xing Ying''s eyes narrowed. "It looks like we''ll have to remind them of our strength."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "It''s not a problem. Once the superior worlds contact them, they''ll beg to join us. We''ll head off to the superior worlds'' meeting for now."


    Zhang Lie motioned the disaster-grade multicolored dragon over.


    After being fed by Zhu for some time, and after consuming a portion of the world''s energy, the disaster-grade multicolored dragon had undergone a rather impressive evolution. Gold Comet, whose evolution enhanced its speed rather than its size, was the exception rather than the norm. Most disaster-grade lifeforms grewrger, like the multicolored dragon.


    Its body had grownrger by a third again of its volume, and the radiant gem-like scales studding its body were even more eye-catching. It looked like a phantasmagorical creature, glowing in all the colors of the rainbow. Itsrge wings covered up the sky, and the crown of light that had condensed over its head had gained a rainbow-colored corona.


    The disaster-grade multicolored dragon was just a step away from monarch-grade, but the threshold would be a difficult one to cross.


    The warlords stepped into the pce atop the multicolored dragon. As its wings pped, the dragon took to the air, far faster now than he had ever been before. It didn''t take long before they returned to the Zongming world anew.


    The moment the disaster-grade dragonnded in the Zongming world, Li Zongming sensed it. Overjoyed by his son-inw''s return, Li Zongming immediately teleported to the pce on the dragon''s back, causing the warlords to look at each other warily.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, calming them down. "Don''t worry, it''s an ally."


    Li Zongming sighed in relief, "Zhang Lie, you''re finally back! We''ve been waiting for you."


    "Are you ready?"


    Li Zongming shrugged. "There''s nothing much I have to prepare. I''m just waiting for the envoys to return."


    Li Zongming noticed the warlords gathering behind Zhang Lie. "These are your reinforcements?" he asked.


    "These are warlords from the third realm, yes, the strongest hunters from my dimension. They''re among the top three of the most powerful forces under mymand."


    The most powerful force was undoubtedly Team Zenith, but the second-most powerful wasn''t the warlords. Rather, it was the gic lifeforms that Zhu was taking care of. The third-most powerful force was the band of warlords. However, the gic lifeforms in his farm were difficult to corral andmand, and the warlords were superior in that regard.


    Li Zongming nodded. "Very good."


    "Where''s Qianlin?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "In her room." Li Zongming dipped his head with a knowing smile.


    Zhang Lie turned around. "Prepare for the uing meeting. I have an important task to take care of."


    He had to go spend some time with his girlfriend¡ªthere was no more important or sacrosanct task than that.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll let all of you know when it''s time to set off."


    He ran off into the distance, making his way into Li Qianlin''s room. When she saw him, she asked, "How are things in the draconian world?"


    "I assigned them some tasks to aplish before the war starts in earnest. Did you miss me thest two days?"


    "A litt¡ªno, of course not! I''m not one of those vixens who''ll stick to you after being away from you for a single day," Li Qianlin corrected herself hastily.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "So you admit you miss me?"


    Li Qianlin blushed. "Who would be interested in a fellow like you? It''s just that I feel a bit less safe without you around..."


    Li Zongming coughed politely outside the door, dispelling the heated atmosphere that was starting to form around the couple. Li Qianlin''s cheeks turned redder.


    Zhang Lie turned and called out, "What''s the matter?"


    "The superior worlds'' envoys are here!"


    "I''ll be setting off with your father, then."


    Li Qianlin frowned in worry. "Take care of Father, please, as well as yourself."


    "Don''t worry¡ªI''m hardly a weakling. I can take down a few superior worlds even if they decide to go against me," Zhang Lie reassured her. "Even if not, I can at least run away."


    The superior worlds'' envoys were drenched in pride so thick Zhang Lie could almost see it oozing off them. Disdain was written in their every action and expression.


    "I''ll praise you for not running away, at least. You might be a new king of the realm, but you''re not stupid. It''ll save me some time."


    Li Zongming asked, "Where will the meeting be held?"


    The envoy snorted. "You don''t need to know that¡ªjust follow behind us. You''re just here out of formality¡ªor do you really think you canpare to the other eight kings of the realm?"


    Zhang Lie very much wanted to punch the arrogant envoy in the face.


    "Bring all of your men along. The kings are interested in inspecting the forces that your world can bring to bear."


    Zhang Lie beckoned the disaster-grade multicolored dragon over, whereas Li Zongming summoned his golden-winged roc. The warlords had all gathered within the pce on the dragon''s back.


    The envoy smirked at the disaster-grade dragon. "Is this all you''ve got?"


    Zhang Lie rolled up his sleeves and was about to smash a fist into the envoy when Li Zongming suddenly pulled him back. "Tolerate it for just a bit longer, please," he hissed.


    Punching the envoy now would onlyplicate matters.


    The envoy ignored Zhang Lie''s actions and pulled out a rock, from which Zhang Lie could sense the energies of at least five kings of superior worlds. The rock itself bore traces of heaven''s might.


    "This is¡ªthe product ofbining the power of multiple kings of superior worlds?" Zhang Lie asked, frowning.


    The envoy had no intention of answering. He smashed the rock apart.


    Shards of rock fell into the void, whereupon they interacted with arcane runes and snippets of naturalw. Subsequently, thosews began to morph and shift as Li Zongming''s forehead beaded with sweat. A tunnel appeared before them, its entrance ringed by nine different colored energies.


    Scarlet me, blood-red clouds, an ancient mystery, death and destion¡ªall these concepts, wrapped around each other, formed a mysterious tunnel at its center.


    "Let''s go." The envoy stepped through the tunnel without looking back.

 Chapter 951: A Miraculous World

    <h4>Chapter 951: A Miraculous World</h4>


    Zhang Lie and the others passed through a tunnel to enter a very special world, one so special that Zhang Lie had never before seen its like, that even the manifestation of naturalw seemed different withinpared to without.


    Scarlet mes formed a sea. A skeleton from an ancient graveyard was stomping over the ground. Ten huge suns hung over their heads. A mysterious ck fog spread through the air. A shower of rain fell continuously through the sky, and cold frost crept over the ground.


    All sorts of unusual phenomena made themselves known¡ªnone physical, none reasonable, but all following some mysterious harmony.


    "This is the world of the meeting," the envoy introduced with some glee. "Long ago, all nine superior kings¡ªall but the death spirit king¡ªopened a portal to this world, formed from their pooled strength. It lies separate from and superior to the three thousand worlds of the third realm, and it''s the safest ce to be found in the realm. If the death spirits were to take control of the three thousand worlds, this independent world will be a refuge and shelter for thest remaining aliens."


    Li Zongming was shocked. "They created a world...?"


    This was something that he, a superior king in his own right, had no idea how to go about doing.


    The envoy sneered proudly. "This is something you won''t be able to achieve, I''m sure. His majesties are entities akin to gods¡ªno, entities beyond gods!"


    Zhang Lie patted Li Zongming. "Don''t think about it. If you want to create a world, you won''t be able to do it alone. It''ll require at least four superior kings, and they''ll need sufficient world''s energy as well. The kings will need to bnce their power until they reach a state of perfect equilibrium."


    In some sense, this was a piece of art made by the nine superior kings¡ªonly art, because it had little functionality of its own.


    After swallowing up the three thousand worlds, the death spirit king''s power would rise to such unimaginable heights that this world could never be kept from his eyes.


    The world''sws were different from those of other worlds, but there was clearly something wrong or imbnced about them. It was difficult for nts and biological lifeforms to thrive in this world, but it was an excellent ce for the kings to meet.


    After all, the superior kings all had their own worlds to tend to, and it would be inappropriate to choose a world that belonged to just one of their domains. A world that existed on its own, unattached to any king, would be a neutral zone convenient for them all.


    The envoy''s eyes zed over with pride. "Be honored¡ªyou''re the first people from beyond the nine superior worlds who have ever stepped foot onto this world! Only the nine superior kings can ess this world. The ess key is thebined essence of all nine kings."


    The envoy brought them toward a massive edifice.


    "The meeting grounds lie ahead."


    Nine huge sculptures surrounded a magnificent castle, each sculpture at least ten thousand meters tall. One had a ferocious expression on his face, another was surrounded by ten suns, one more was made of a number of orbs grouped together, with a long staff in one hand and a robe covering its body.


    Another was shrouded entirely by a dark fog, leaving its appearance obscured.


    Zhang Lie recognized one of the sculptures, a gigantic centipede with pale-white arms growing out of every segment of its body. Its head wasposed of a singlerge eyeball¡ªFeitian.


    The nine sculptures were evidently of the nine kings of the realm.


    Zhang Lie''s group stepped through the air and into the majestic castle, sorge and ornate that even the front entrance was hundreds of meters tall. It was made for no one of human proportions, but rather for giants.


    The envoy brought the group to the highest point of the castle, a furnished open-air meeting room much like a pavilion. Therger part of the space within was taken up by a huge round table. Nine pirs held the ceiling up, and the entire world could be seen from atop the castle.


    Each pir was marked with a different emblem. Zhang Lie could recognize one of them as being associated with Feitian of the xuluo world.


    There were nine seats ced around the huge, ck table.


    "Is this where the meeting will be held?"


    The world suddenly shifted. The glow of the suns turned blinding, as though the ten suns in the sky were all suddenly about to explode. A portal opened up in the sky, out of which came an outpouring of golden light. The sun''s rays pierced everything in sight like sharp des. A figure shrouded in scorching light stepped out of the portal.


    Beneath his feet were scarlet mes, and to his back, ten bright suns. A parade of a hundred suns followed behind him. The ground far beneath him began to smoke and char, and the air turned arid. The temperature rose to a frightening extent.


    Even the warlords, who had all maxed out their peak gene fragments and had some number of disaster gene fragments, found their throats growing parched. Sweat poured down their backs. Zhang Lie estimated that, if they were by a sea, it would have evaporated before their very eyes.


    The envoy grew visibly excited as the figure approached. "They''reing!"


    Li Zongming''s gaze turned serious. The monster that had just walked out from the portal was far stronger, tens of thousands of times stronger, than he was.


    The envoy introduced, "He''s the sr king, from the world of zing sun. The suns behind him are his warriors, and he''s among the top three superior kings."


    Because of the light and heat that surrounded him, none of the warlords or even Li Zongming himself were able to discover what he looked like.


    While everyone was shocked by the appearance of the sr king, a second portal opened up. The ck fog that had been spreading through the air suddenly turned concentrated, and it covered up even the sr king''s radiance.


    A mysterious figure emerged from the fog, so gigantic the entire world seemed to tremble as it made its way over.


    .


    The envoy introduced, "This is the king of ck fog, from the world of the same name. No one has ever seen his appearance, and he''s draped in fog and mystery¡ªor perhaps anyone who has seen his appearance has perished. He''s the most mysterious of the superior kings."


    As ifpeting for attention with the ck fog and golden light, a third portal appeared. The air turned cold, and the warlords finally stopped sweating.


    A harsh chill emanated from the portal, and the ground far below them frosted over. A howling wind, as though snatched from a blizzard, flung itself out of the portal, along with a group of white, ghostly spirits.


    Leisurely following behind them was a huge, white spirit, the queen of the white world. A blizzard was her dress, the chilling air her aura, the howling gale her breath.

 Chapter 952: The Kings Emerge

    <h4>Chapter 952: The Kings Emerge</h4>


    Just then, the world changed once again. Half the world was covered in frosted ice; the other, burning with zing heat. However, neither fire nor ice couldbat the ck fog.


    The spirit of ice, holding a scepter of frost, floated toward the top of the castle as she exuded an aura of majesty.


    "The ice queen of the white world..." This time, it was Zhang Lie, rather than the envoy, who had spoken. In his past life, Zhang Lie had witnessed one of the ice queen''s attacks. With a careless wave of her hand, she had sealed a world in evesting ice.


    She floated by the entrance to the castle, locking gazes with the sr king, who had just walked up to its front. Their gazes met, one cool, one heated. A blizzard roared, and sunlight red. Dark clouds made to cover up the suns, but the sunlight pierced the clouds and sshed golden light onto thend.


    The two kings stood facing each other. Where their auras met, snow melted and refroze as they shed for dominance.


    Just then, a fourth portal opened. Dark clouds seeped out from within, covering up the sky. A shower of rain began to fall.


    .


    The frost and sun didn''t seem to bother the rain one bit. The dark clouds dominated over the sky, pushing out sun and frost. The bones iid in the ground began to shake as an unidentifiable ck mass slowly floated over. An aura of death permeated the air.


    "The king of the world of death, the decaying king."


    As the unidentifiable ck mass squirmed out of the portal, a torrent of bleached white bones appeared behind it. They covered up the ground¡ªjust how many lifeforms had to be killed to produce so many bones?


    ck worms squirmed out from crevices in the sea of bones, revolting the warlords.


    The fifth portal opened up. The first thing that struck the onlookers was the fetid stench. A vile, grayish fluid, frightening and formless, spilled out from the portal. It quivered and swelled, as though it were the source of all filth and waste.


    Small blobs of gray matter were expelled from the organism''s main body, which scattered throughout thend. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, squelching as they tried to escape¡ªbefore they were swallowed back into its interior and digested away.


    It digested everything it touched: ck fog, rain, frost, and sunlight.


    The grayish vapor it produced spread through the air as the stench grew far, far stronger. Even those at the very top of the castle could smell it. The warlords began to vomit, their faces contorted with disgust. Li Zongming clutched at his nose with an ashen face.


    The envoy introduced, "The king of evil, representative of the unclean world, the source of all filth and waste."


    The sixth portal opened. The first thing that could be heard was the beating of drums.


    Everything before the spectators was cloaked in darkness. After the drums, what seemed like a kaleidoscope unfolded before them. It then melted away, revealing a deep abyss filled with ck worlds and suns.


    A giant m, pried half-open, slowly emerged from the portal. Cylindrical growths grew out of its interior, like appendages that helped it crawl forward. A face with no mouth and empty sockets for eyes looked out from within.


    The m''s interior was filled with darkness and chaos. Even given Zhang Lie''s strength, he couldn''t peer into its interior.


    He snuck a nce at the interior of the m, only to suddenly feel a particrly arresting bout of difort. It seemed as though there were countless figures blowing flutes by his ear and whispering words of madness.


    Zhang Lie blinked. He suddenly discovered that it was no illusion¡ªsurrounding the m were many such servants, blowing on single-frequency flutes in a chilling, nauseating symphony that disoriented and difited the warlords.


    The envoy clutched his ears as he warned, "The primordial chaos of myth and legend¡ªwithin that source of chaos grew the king of chaos! Cover your ears¡ªdon''t try to look at the king itself. You''ll go crazy! Don''t you see the monster howling interminably over there?"


    By the side of the king of chaos were arge number of ugly, misshapen giants, whose faces had been reced by tentacles. Their mouths grew out of their chests, and their five sensory organs were randomly distributed over their bodies.


    Some of their eyes grew out of the tentacles, others within mouths, ears by waists, arms, or palms¡ªand it was difficult to figure out where their noses were located. They either had an extra arm or an extra leg.


    "Those lifeforms weak of will and possessing limited strength will be incapable of preserving their sanity and transform into these monstrosities upon hearing the sounds of those flutes. Those who dare to look directly at the king of chaos will suffer the same fate."


    "Once they lose their mind, they''ll be monsters controlled solely by the king of chaos. Even the kings of other superior worlds have a chance of suffering the same fate. Given your limited strength, you''d turn into such monsters the moment you try to sneak even the smallest glimpse. The king of chaos has been deemed strongest among the superior kings."


    The king of chaos was surrounded by arge group of mindless, formless dancers, each ying a madness-inducing flute.


    "In order to interact normally with the other kings, the king of chaos has sealed itself within the m. Otherwise, even if the various kings themselves can tolerate the madness, their subordinates wouldn''t be able to do so. Never, never try to glimpse within the m."


    The ck worms that were slithering through the white bones that had spilled onto the ground began to screech madly. Tentacles grew out of their heads, limbs from the bodies, and a huge mouth from their abdomen. They had no eyes, no nose, and no ears.


    As they screeched, they swarmed around the king of chaos, clearly so weak that they had been immediately corrupted by its aura.


    "As expected of the strongest superior king..."


    A bone-chilling darkness twisted heaven and earth, warping even naturalw. Sun, darkness, fog, and rain swirled around an abyssal wind.


    The four superior kings who had arrived before the king of chaos all bowed down. The king of chaos was so strong that even Zhang Lie nced at it appraisingly.


    The seventh portal opened. Countless orbs of light walked out from within, surrounded by a seemingly endless supply of the world''s energy. The chaos seemed to quell, the disturbance caused by the king of chaos wiped clean.


    This strange, unusual collection of orbs seemed to be formed of countless worlds, which grew and perished as the orbs expanded and shrank.


    It was part of everything, and everything was part of it. It belonged to the liminal, the limitless¡ªit might have been the source of life itself, so deeply connected as it was to the arcane.

 Chapter 953: Frightening Strength

    <h4>Chapter 953: Frightening Strength</h4>


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, the figure formed out of orbs represented the pinnacle of the mathematical sciences, an existence that surpassed time and space. The orbs continued to grow, vanish, and change, causing Zhang Lie''s head to throb as he looked at them.


    Li Zongming, despite being the king of a superior world, bled from both his eyes. The warlords clutched their heads in pain as they curled up on the ground.


    The envoy, who had shut both his eyes,ughed. "To dare to look directly at the king of keys¡ªyou''re lucky your heads didn''t explode on sight."


    Li Zongming groaned. "If you knew what would happen, why didn''t you inform us?"


    The envoy shrugged. "I''m not from your world, after all. Is there a need for me to respect a superior king like you?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "This king is... a collection of wills of the world?"


    The envoy nced at him in shock. "How did you know?"


    "I looked."


    The envoy nced at him agape and retorted, "Ridiculous. Unless the king of keys erects an illusion around itself, perhaps half the kings present would be unable to look directly at it."


    Did this ridiculous country bumpkin think himself stronger than half the superior kings present? The envoy snorted. "The king of keys is the oldest of the superior kings. Its body is formed from a chain of worlds, and it''s simultaneously the king of a superior world and the world itself, allegedly formed from a mutation among the wills of the world. It has a sense of self much unlike a regr will of the world. The other superior kings postted that the king of keys might contain a fragment of the most ancient will of the third realm."


    Many suspected that the third realm had once been a cohesive whole, much like the first and second realms. However, some incident or another had caused it to fragment into the three thousand worlds.


    "The king of keys must possess a fragment of the original will of the third realm, or it wouldn''t have any capacity for independent thought."


    The wills of the world were much like artificial intelligence, and they operated based on a rigid system of rules.


    "Of course, some kings think differently. They suspect that the king of keys was formed from a king who merged his soul with the will of his world, linking the two inextricably. Many of the kings believe in this idea and think that the king of keys grows stronger by absorbing other worlds. Allegedly, the king has already absorbed hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, such worlds."


    Li Zongming frowned. "He sounds like the death spirit king..."


    The envoy snorted. "Like that madman? Of course not!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The two paths are different. If the king of keys were behaving like the death spirit king, the other kings would have done something about it already."


    Li Zongming nodded. "That''s a good point, Zhang Lie."


    If the other superior kings suspected the king of keys, it wouldn''t have been invited to the meeting among the superior worlds.


    In some sense, it was true that the king of keys was like the death spirit king¡ªbut whereas the death spirit king consumed the world''s energy and devoured wills of the world, the king of keys chose to encapste them all instead. Their paths were simr, but their destinations entirely different.


    "The death spirit king''s goal is to destroy these worlds, but the king of keys'' goal is tobine these worlds, along with their wills."


    The king of keys almost seemed to be a focus through which the worlds couldbine and coborate.


    The envoy snorted and folded his arms. "Good that you can understand the difference."


    Wincing as he bore with the pain, Zhang Lie scrutinized the king of keys'' body. As far as he could tell, those glowing bubbles were the true forms of the worlds of this realm.


    The king of keys was an organism formed of myriad worlds. Each world was like a cell, simultaneously microscopic and macroscopic.


    "One of the superior kings oncemented that the king of keys'' body is like a gateway, not the true form of the myriad worlds."


    It was a gateway into a collection of myriad worlds which grew and shrank, which budded and decayed.


    The envoy continued, "The worlds thatprise the king of keys'' body are independent entities that no longer belong to this realm. The king of keys is simultaneously a gateway and the gate key."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Why are these worlds continuously forming and dissolving?"


    This behavior made Zhang Lie think of cellr reproduction.


    "The king of keys can only absorb finitely many worlds. Unlike the death spirit king, the king of keys has a limit, a threshold¡ªit would be impossible tobine too many wills of the world."


    The wills of the world were formless entities that rejected each other only barely, but even the weakest rejection or interaction could grow to a shocking extent when there were millions of wills all lumped together.


    Furthermore, the king of keys'' unique biology, an almost abiological existence, would eventually run into problems.


    As a result of the unusual circumstances surrounding the king of keys, the wills of the world that it encapsted began to develop their own wills.


    In the context of the Milky Way, the king of keys was like a massive supra-artificial intelligence, which consisted of millions of weaker artificial intelligence engines. Because all these engines were linked, however, the enormity of data that was processed at any given moment ultimately caused sparks of intelligence to form from the constituent engines.


    Put simply, the king of keys began to develop split personalities, whopeted to take over its main body.


    The envoy continued, "The king of keys'' consciousness weakened as a result. In order to protect its own ego, it converted all the worlds it absorbed into small worlds, which would continuously reform and unform."


    The worlds that the king of keys had absorbed, which came in a variety of sizes,rge and small, were all converted into small worlds which would each be destroyed after a fixed time interval. This was necessary to prevent the sort of budding intelligence that had almost wrecked the king of keys'' body. The wills of the world were like fetuses that would be allowed to grow for some time before being reverted into fetuses anew.


    Via this approach, the king of keys was barely able to maintain its own consciousness.


    Li Zongming frowned. "In the end, isn''t it continuously destroying worlds just like the death spirit king?"


    The envoy shrugged. "But unlike the death spirit king, it doesn''t seek to expand limitlessly, and neither does it have the ambition to destroy the whole of the realm."


    "That''s hard to say, isn''t it?"


    Perhaps the king of keys simply hid its ambitions upon seeing what had happened to the death spirit king.


    The envoy didn''t dare to besmirch the name of a superior king. He immediately changed the topic. "The king of keys has particr authority even among the superior kings. After all, the core of this world was provided by the king of keys itself."


    Li Zongming was shaken by the envoy''s words.


    The superior kings who had existed since antiquity were far stronger than he had expected. Most had grown past corporal bodies¡ªthey were all entities beyond naturalw, or ones who represented naturalw themselves. Each of them was unimaginably strong, but that was only to be expected. How else would they have survived the passage of time?

 Chapter 954: The Gathered Kings

    <h4>Chapter 954: The Gathered Kings</h4>


    Li Zongming swallowed a gulp of saliva and looked toward Zhang Lie. He was hardly a strong superior king¡ªthe only reason he had survived his world''s evolution was because of Zhang Lie''s presence.


    Upon witnessing the shock in the eyes of Li Zongming and the warlords, the envoy smiled with glee. He hadn''t introduced all the kings out of the goodness of his heart, or because he had nothing better to do. He looked down on Li Zongming and these interlopers who belonged to lesser worlds.


    Li Zongming might be a superior king, but he had no strength to his name. The only reason the envoy was making these introductions was because of a directmand from the king he served.


    Just introducing the various kings was enough to shock and terrify Li Zongming and the warlords.


    The envoy knew very well that, even without inting the kings'' capabilities or strength, their very presence, aura, and history would be more than sufficient to terrorize the aliens before him.


    However, to his surprise, one of the aliens seemed wholly unperturbed: Zhang Lie.


    "Is he shocked stiff?" That was what the envoy thought.


    The superior kings made their way into the castle toward the meeting room at its top. The first to enter was the king of chaos, followed by the sr king and the ice queen.


    The sr king and ice queen were antithetical to each other and clearly bore each other no small amount of resentment. They were swiftly followed by the king of ck fog, the decaying king, and the king of evil.


    The king of keys was a special existence. If it were to walk in directly, half the kings present would go crazy with pain. Instead, it cast a long shadow into the room, which it manipted like a puppet.


    The puppet took on the shape of a gold-haired, blue-eyed loli wearing a long ck dress and with a small bo on her head. Bright bows were tied around her dress.


    Xing Ying was stupefied by the sight of her. "A starbeast?"


    Ren Kunjing remarked with surprise, "I''m seeing a member of the Jinghun n!"


    Zhang Lie understood what was going on immediately. The king of keys'' puppet wasn''t actually a cute young girl; she just looked that way.


    "It''s an illusion. The king of keys is making use of some artifice to make everyone present see the puppet as a member of their own race. For instance, I''m a human, so I see the puppet as a human. You''re a starbeast, and you see the puppet as a starbeast¡ªand so on."


    The warlords sighed in relief.


    They had initially thought that the king of keys was a member of the same race as they were, but a moment''s thought revealed the impossibility behind that line of thinking. They were aliens of the Milky Way, and it was impossible for their race to be endemic to the third realm. Neither could they ever be kings of the world¡ªand the envoy had clearly identified the king of keys as a king who originated from a will of the world.


    The king of keys scrutinized Zhang Lie carefully, then smirked. "Interesting."


    The sr king''s gazended on Li Zongming, his eyes like concentrated beams of sunlight. Li Zongming felt his body burning up. Sweat beaded on his skin.


    "You must be the new superior king, who took down Feitian. To be honest, you don''t seem very strong," the sr king remarked.


    The decaying king writhed. "If even someone like you were able to take down Feitian, he must truly be growing weak in his old age.


    The ice queen''s words were rimed with frost. "I''m curious as to how you seeded."


    The sr king nodded. "Feitian isn''t the strongest among us, but his heaven''s might is quite something. If you were able to destroy the xuluo world, you must have some special talent."


    The king of keys'' puppet said, "Feitian''s destruction was written in fate."


    The sr king turned to the puppet. "King of keys, will you rify your words?"


    The king of keys exined, "Those who im the fruits of karma will be destroyed by karma. The destruction of the xuluo world was preordained¡ªthis new superior king is just the weapon of fate."


    The decaying king disagreed. "Preordained? Hardly. All of us here got to where we were by defying fate."


    The ice queen shrugged. "In that case, Feitian must have been conquered by fate."


    The sr king noticed a ring absence. "Where''s the king of blood?"


    The decaying king murmured, "He can''t have forgotten about this meeting because he''s busy bedding someone, could he? No¡ªthat does sound like something the king of blood is known to do."


    The king of chaos spoke up in the meeting for the first time. "The king of blood has been destroyed."


    Its voice was difficult to make out. Just hearing the voice gave the warlords a splitting headache. Their irises turned dark.


    Li Zongming felt an ufortable chill, as though the madness-inducing flutes were being blown around him. Zhang Lie also frowned¡ªhe could sense that the king of chaos''s voice possessed an unusual strength, as though there were countless ck feelers trying to drag anyone listening to the king into the abyss.


    The superior kings gathered around the table collectively sucked in deep breaths.


    The sr king cried out, "How did the king of blood perish? Was it the death spirit king?"


    The king of keys nodded in confirmation. "Not long ago, the death spirit army attacked the superior world of blood. The king of blood proved no match, and was destroyed by the death spirits."


    The other kings'' faces turned serious. For a superior king of the same caliber as they were to be destroyed¡ªthey grew even more wary of the death spirit king.


    The king of keys continued, "It''s been tens of thousands of years since west convened such a meeting. I doubt I''ll have to remind you all why we''re gathered here."


    The death spirits had broken through the barricade that they had maintained for countless years. All the superior kings here knew that.


    The king of keys exined, "We gather here for two reasons. The first is to wee our newest member, Li Zongming of the Zongming world, whom all of you have just met."


    None of the superior kings particrly cared about the Zongming world, but Li Zongming and Zhang Lie knew that already.


    "The second and main reason is to deal with the death spirits. None of us knew that the death spirit king had been nning for a war for years. He installed the ck spirits among the three thousand worlds and has been secretly harvesting the world''s energy since as he waited for an opportunity to strike."


    The sr king added, "We need to work together to suppress his strength. If we allow the death spirits to grow stronger, he''ll destroy our worlds next."


    The king of keys instructed, "Each of our worlds will prepare a fighting force capable of stopping the death spirit king''s plots."


    The sr king turned toward Li Zongming. "Newbie, are you strong enough to field such a force?"

 Chapter 955: Unknown Machinations

    <h4>Chapter 955: Unknown Machinations</h4>


    The decaying king told Li Zongming, "We''re fighting no less than the death spirits, and you''ll need a sufficiently strong force to be of any use."


    The sr king mocked, "As a new superior king, you likely don''t even know anything about the death spirits, do you?"


    The decaying king jumped back in. "The death spirit king is an immensely strong existence who''s trying to swallow up the entirety of the third realm. He, like us, was once a superior king, but he subsequently went mad for some reason or another. He consumed the will of his own world, then began furiously devouring the wills of the worlds around him."


    The sr king nodded intently. "I don''t want to admit it, but even though the rest of us managed to barricade the death spirits, we don''t have the ability to destroy them all. The death spirit king is exceptionally strong, more so than most of the superior kings gathered here¡ªof course, excluding me."


    Zhang Lie sniggered to himself. The death spirit king might not be stronger than the strongest king present, the king of chaos, or the most ancient king, the king of keys¡ªbut he was far stronger than the sr king.


    "I am aware, thank you," Li Zongming replied, ncing at Zhang Lie.


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t told him about the death spirits, he would likely have made a fool of himself during the meeting.


    The sr king raised an eyebrow at the envoy, thinking that he had informed Li Zongming about the death spirits.


    The decaying king continued, "To be frank, as the king of a newly evolved superior world, I find it very doubtful that you''d have ess to a sufficiently strong force. War is no joke, and we don''t want to bring someone who will just drag us down."


    The sr king and the decaying king took turns speaking to Li Zongming, as though lining up to pummel him. "You don''t have any strength amassed after the evolution of your world and the fight against the xuluo world, do you? Even if you won, it must have been a Pyrrhic victory. Can you really do anything against the death spirits?"


    The decaying king emphasized, "The death spirits are extremely strong, and I don''t want you to be the weak link in our offense."


    The sr king took the same position. "We''ll all need to bring out our trump cards to defeat the death spirits. Can you handle that?"


    Li Zongming replied in the affirmative. "I do have sufficient forces for the offense, yes."


    The decaying king sneered. "There''s no need to put up false pretenses. Don''t you think we''re aware of your situation?"


    The superior kings had clearly investigated the Zongming world. "If you''recking forces, we could be convinced to loan you ours."


    Zhang Lie swept his gaze over the gathered kings, who clearly hadn''t given up on trying to pilfer the Zongming world''s energy.


    He smirked. These kings might have investigated the Zongming world, but they couldn''t have expected that therger part of Li Zongming''s forces came not from the Zongming world, but instead from a peakrge world whose name they didn''t know.


    Neither could they have expected that that peakrge world would contain enough strength to destroy an ancient superior world¡ªand perhaps even two or three of them.


    The decaying king continued, "We kings have been in our positions since antiquity, and we''ve umted a number of forces of our own. We''re happy to trade them to you for some world''s energy."


    Li Zongming shook his head. "Thank you, seniors, but it''s not necessary. The Zongming world possesses enough strength to counter the death spirits'' incursion, and it won''t be the weak link in ourbined offensive."


    The decaying king sneered again. "You''re still refusing to give up? You..."


    The sr king asked, "Is this strength you''re referring to the aliens standing behind you?"


    The superior kings had to admit that Li Zongming had to have some unique talent of his own if he were able to destroy the xuluo world. If he didn''t have enough strength, he could indeed enlist the aid of various alien species of the third realm.


    "In that case, I''ll test the strength of these aliens to see if they''re worthy of participating in the offense."


    The sr king snapped his fingers. A golden chain appeared behind him, engraved with runes. A hundred suns appeared in the air. As the links of the chain began to snap, fifty of the suns dropped down where he stood.


    The sr king exined, "These are half my forces. I expect them to be a decent opponent for you, don''t you think?"


    "Let me join in too." The decaying king motioned. The sea of bones swelled, and countless bones joined together to form a monster tens of thousands of meters tall.


    The king of evil didn''t speak, but within its body of gray fluid grew hundreds of monstrosities, limbs without bodies, rolling heads, and struggling kidney-shaped objects with gills.


    "I don''t much like the sr king, but it is important to get a sense of the strength of your forces." The ice queen motioned for half her ghouls and spirits to step aside.


    Of the seven other superior kings, four expressed a desire to test Li Zongming.


    Li Zongming gritted his teeth, doing his best to quell his rage. These kings weren''t trying to do anything as harmless as "test" Li Zongming¡ªthey wanted to ughter his forces so that Li Zongming had no choice but to borrow troops from them.


    If Li Zongming were to surrender, it would indicate that his forces would be insufficient tobat the death spirits, and he would have to borrow more with his world''s energy.


    Even if he were to win, he would likely lose the majority of his forces in the process, and he would still be forced to borrow more troops.


    The superior kings forced Li Zongming into a corner, and there was nothing he could do about it. They turned a blind eye to his anger.


    The king of keys suggested, "A bet, perhaps? To see whose forces can survive the longest."


    "Of course!" The superior kings all agreed.


    To their eyes, Li Zongming was no more than a ything.


    Even the usually calm Li Zongming couldn''t hide his rage any longer. He raged at the treatment he was receiving at the hands of the superior kings, but more so at his own weakness, at his inability to counter the other kings. He wanted to stand up, but Zhang Lie pressed him down, a smile on his face. Li Zongming tried to struggle, but Zhang Lie wouldn''t relent.


    The king of keys turned toward Li Zongming. "Do you have something you wish to add, king of the Zongming world?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "His majesty would like to participate in the bet as well."


    The other superior kings froze in surprise.


    Li Zongming''s anger was within their expectations, but for him to be participating in the bet as well...? Li Zongming was meant to be a pig dressed for ughter, but no pig would be participating in the bet. It was as though the superior kings were getting ready to divide up the meal when the meal suddenly said, "I want a portion, too."

 Chapter 956: Placing a Bet

    <h4>Chapter 956: cing a Bet</h4>


    The sr king was visibly perturbed. "Are you serious?"


    Li Zongming didn''t understand what Zhang Lie was going for either, but it was clear that the other superior kings treated him like nothing more than a ything.


    This "test" was simply a means by which the four kings could destroy Li Zongming''s forces and force him to borrow troops from them. They had no intention of treating him like an equal, and he didn''t understand why Zhang Lie suddenly wanted to participate in the bet. Nevertheless, he sucked in a deep breath and nodded.


    He wasn''t aware of Zhang Lie''s ns, but Zhang Lie had never led him down the wrong path. Li Zongming could think of no better idea than to follow Zhang Lie''s n.


    The sr king seemed disbelieving. "Are you serious?" he asked again.


    The decaying king echoed his thoughts. "You intend to participate in our bet?"


    "Of course." Zhang Lie nodded decisively.


    "Hahaha!" The superior kings couldn''t rein in theirughter.


    "How interesting," the sr king remarked. "How very interesting."


    The superior kings nced at Zhang Lie and Li Zongming anew, as if seeing them for the first time.


    The decaying king asked, "Do you realize what you''re doing?"


    Did Li Zongming really think he could survive the assault of four other superior kings?


    Zhang Lie challenged, "Do I not have this right?"


    The king of keys nodded. "You do not have this right."


    The sr king frowned. He was just getting excited about the idea when the king of keys denied Zhang Lie outright. He whined, "King of keys, why not let him participate? It''ll at least make things more interesting."


    The king of keys rified, "He doesn''t have this right, but all superior kings participating in this meeting do."


    The ice queen narrowed her eyes. "In other words, the king of the Zongming world, as a superior king, may participate in the bet."


    "Very good!" The sr king beamed at the surprising turn of events.


    The king of keys exined, "All participants willmit a group of forces to the challenge. The participant with the most troops remaining at the end shall be the winner."


    Zhang Lie asked, "And if the Zongming world were to win?"


    The other superior kings blinked. The Zongming world as the final victor...? None of the other superior kings had entertained that possibility. Against thebined assault of four other superior kings¡ªcould the forces of a new superior king survive and defeat them all?


    Of course not! This "test" of the Zongming world''sbat forces was solely intended to get the king of the Zongming world to give them his world''s energy.


    Was Zhang Lie crazy? Did he not understand the kings'' ns? Or perhaps he was waiting for the superior kings to protest that this was no test, but rather just a ploy. If they were to admit it, the Zongming world''s forces would no longer need to participate in this sham.


    What an intelligent fellow¡ªthe sr king and the decaying king, havinge to this conclusion, nced at each other.


    The Zongming world might not have forces on par with theirs, but the king of the Zongming world had at least demonstrated a flexible and creative mind.


    If any of them were to admit that this test was no test at all, Li Zongming would be free to refuse the offer to participate. However, now that they had seen through Li Zongming''s ploys, there was nothing to fear.


    The king of keys exined, "The Zongming world''s ultimate victory is highly unlikely, and such a bet would naturally confer amensurate reward."


    The sr king secretly gave the king of keys a thumbs up.


    The decaying kingmented, "After all, the Zongming world will have to face four superior kings, and has the lowest chance of survival."


    The king of keys suggested, "How about ten-to-one odds on the final victory going to the king of the Zongming world?"


    Li Zongming''s eyes twitched.


    The sr king smirked. "I don''t think that''s appropriate. After all, the chance that the Zongming king will win is infinitesimal¡ªso low it might as well be negative. Even twenty-to-one odds would be reasonable."


    The decaying kingughed. "Even thirty-to-one!"


    The Zongming world as the final victor...? Of course not! Of course not! The four superior kings would surely win¡ªif they couldn''t do so despite attacking the Zongming troops simultaneously, they might as well give up against the death spirits.


    The Zongming troops were hastily assembled and from a newly evolved superior world, whereas the four superior kings'' troops had been honed and trained for millennia. How could they beparable?


    Upon hearing the three superior kings'' words, Zhang Lie''s eyes went wide.


    The other superior kings were clearly mocking the Zongming world, and they thought that Zhang Lie was making such a face because of his rage.


    In truth, Zhang Lie was just upset that he had left much of the world''s energy he had taken from the ck spirits in the draconian world to be used for feeding disaster-grade lifeforms. He only had about half a world''s worth of world''s energy on hand.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We might as well make it fifty-to-one¡ªit makes no difference to all of you, surely."


    The king of keys replied, with some irritation, "Fifty-to-one it is."


    At any rate, the Zongming world could hardly win¡ªthirty-to-one or fifty-to-one, it made no difference.


    Only Li Zongming felt differently. He was certain that the superior kings were about to be scammed, and very badly at that.


    The decaying kingined, "Why are we still talking? Let''s start the challenge, now! You wouldn''t be able to win even with hundred-to-one odds¡ªor do you really think your forces can beat thebination of our four kings'' forces?"


    This wasn''t just a difference in quantity, but in quality. The resources that the four superior worlds had hoarded for so long were boggling¡ªtens of thousands of years of hard work meant that the superior kings'' forces were no easy foe.


    All these forces had once fought off the death spirits and reinforced the barricade surrounding the death spirits'' territory. To the superior kings, their forces could hardly bepared to those of a novice like Li Zongming.


    The king of keys waved a hand in mid-air, forming five puppets representing each of the five kings participating in the challenge. "ce your bets now."

 Chapter 957: An Outlandish Bet

    <h4>Chapter 957: An Oundish Bet</h4>


    Li Zongming was very shocked. The king of keys'' puppet-making ability alone was something that he wouldn''t be able to learn without ten years of hard work, at least.


    Because he had used the world''s energy to make these puppets, the resulting puppets looked almost exactly like the kings of the realm that were participating in the challenge¡ªthe sunlight emitted by the sr king and the frost and ice surrounding the ice queen were captured perfectly.


    "I''ll be betting on my bones, of course." The decaying king pulled out an orb glowing with rainbow-colored energy.


    Zhang Lie sensed what it contained¡ªhigh-quality world''s energy, the likes of which could havee from a peakrge world. It was kneaded into an orb and sent forward by the decaying king, rolling to a halt by his puppet.


    Li Zongming drooled. As expected of a superior world that had existed since antiquity¡ªthe wealth of riches the superior kings possessed were things he could only dream of. The Zongming world desperatelycked the world''s energy, but these kings were so rich they could afford to gamble with it.


    Was this the world of the rich? No other king had such energy to spare¡ªthey would have used it for their worlds or desperately hoarded it in case of emergency.


    If he were to win this bet, he would be able to obtain fifty times its value...


    "I''ll bet on my suns, of course." The sr king rolled an equallyrge orb toward his puppet''s feet.


    "And I, my frost spirits." The ice queen retrieved half arge world''s worth of energy and ced it beneath her puppet.


    The sr king grumbled, "Queen of ice, when have you be so destitute? Are you unable to wager even a full world''s worth of energy? Shall I help add to your wager, then? Or perhaps you''recking confidence in your own forces? Is that it?"


    The ice queen sniffed in displeasure as the air turned cold. "Ridiculous. My forces are your equal in every respect. This is but a game, and it''s best if we take that into ount."


    The sr king waved a hand. The rays of light emitting from his body grew more intense as the temperature of the room returned to normal. "If you''re scared, admit it. No one willugh at you if you lose," the sr king teased.


    "Scared? Who?" A blizzard spun into existence around the ice queen.


    None of the other superior kings made a move. They watched the altercation silently. Each produced a barrier that shielded themselves from the blizzard.


    Zhang Lie stood still, exuding gic energy that served to block the blizzard from entering within a five-meter radius of himself and protecting the warlords behind him.


    "It''s true, isn''t it? You''re anxious about losing!" the sr king taunted.


    The ice queen curtailed the blizzard around her. She was as cold as a block of ice. "Do you think this sort of provocation will be effective? If you want to y, I''ll y with you."


    "Do you dare?"


    The ice queen produced another half arge world''s worth of energy and ced it beneath her puppet.


    "Thank you for your present, queen of ice." The sr king bowed, then added the same amount to his bet.


    "Wait and see who wins first," the ice queen sniffed.


    The king of evil ced the equivalent of arge world''s energy by its puppet. The king of keys nodded. "The king of evil is betting on its own forces."


    Even the mysterious king of ck fog decided to participate, cing arge world''s worth of energy by the decaying king''s puppet.


    The king of chaos retrieved a radiant, multi-colored crystal of energy, so bright it dazzled everyone present.


    "A superior world''s energy...!"


    Even the other superior kings were shocked by the king of chaos''s bet. It was only a half-portion, but its quality counted for far more than its quantity.


    The king of keys praised, "As expected of the king of chaos!"


    The kings all watched with bated breath, wondering on whom the strongest superior king would bet.


    The king of chaos''s actions shocked everyone present. He said, "I won''t be participating in this bet¡ªbut I offer this energy to the victor as a reward."


    The four superior kings'' eyes lit up with greed.


    The ice queen whispered to her frost spirits, "No matter how, you have to secure victory at any cost."


    The sr kingmanded his suns by mental transmission, "Win, win, win! Regardless of the price¡ªand if you can''t, use your trump card. Do you understand?"


    The superior kings had enough world''s energy to gamble rtively freely, but the king of chaos''s prize had been a huge shock.


    It was rtively easy for the superior kings to obtain world''s energy¡ªthey just had to destroy a world within their domain. Every world possessed world''s energy, but only superior worlds had a superior world''s energy. This was a question of quality, and it was why the superior kings had tried their best to extort the energy of the Zongming world from its namesake.


    A superior world''s energy was precious beyond belief, and the only kings present who were rich enough to use it as a bet were the strongest king, the king of chaos, and the most ancient king, the king of keys.


    The decaying king smiled. "I shall be the eventual victor, and this my prize."


    The sr king smirked. He linked to his fifty suns that would be participating in the challenge and channeled his own power into them. They began glowing with blinding light.


    The ice queen did the same, installing a seed of crystalline ice within each of her frost spirits.


    "And you?" the decaying king turned and asked Li Zongming.


    The sr king watched on expectantly. "Who do you intend to bet on? Surely you don''t intend on betting on another king and losing the bet yourself? That would be far too boring."


    Li Zongming turned to Zhang Lie, as though pleading for help.


    Zhang Lie retrieved half arge world''s worth of energy. "I''ll bet on myself."


    Li Zongming asked, "What should I do?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "If you believe me, bet on me. Don''t worry¡ªI won''t lose!"


    "I''m not worried about that, I''m just worried about the other superior kings!"


    Li Zongming was rather doubtful as to whether the other kings would honor the bet when they lost. He had never entertained the possibility that Zhang Lie would lose. He was absolutely confident in Zhang Lie''s strength. Thebined forces of four superior kings might have been a headache, but Zhang Lie had taken on the main xuluo army himself¡ªande out victorious. The four superior worlds'' forces amounted to little more than a scouting party inparison.


    If Zhang Lie were able to take down the main xuluo forces by himself, then winning this challenge would be a piece of cake.


    All the superior kings present thought that the Zongming world had won because of the strength the world possessed, but in reality, that battle was won by Zhang Lie alone...

 Chapter 958: Shocking the Kings

    <h4>Chapter 958: Shocking the Kings</h4>


    Li Zongming was very confident in Zhang Lie''s abilities, but he was worried about what would happen after he won.


    The bet was with fifty-to-one odds. Once Li Zongming won, the other superior kings would treat him not with contempt or disdain, but hatred. What would he do then?


    The decaying king snorted. "Are you going to ce a bet, or not? You''re not going to back down now, are you?"


    Upon thinking about how the other superior kings had treated him like nothing more than a ything, Li Zongming calmed down. So what if he won? He would be doing it fair and square.


    Invoking his authority as king, Li Zongming drew out the energy of his own world, kneaded it into a ball, and ced it by his own puppet.


    His future son-inw had never before disappointed him. If not for the fact that he was worried about the Zongming world copsing, Li Zongming would have staked even more world''s energy on this bet.


    "Haha, hahaha!" The superior kings all stared at Li Zongming''s bet with shock, then began tough uproariously. Thatughter was tinged with mocking and ridicule; they looked toward Li Zongming as though he were a fool.


    Li Zongming smirked. They would soon see who the true fool was for themselves.?You think I''m a fool? You''re all no more than clowns.


    "Very interesting. Very interesting!"


    The four superior kings who were ''challenging'' Li Zongming all pped, their eyes filled with greed. Half a superior world''s worth of energy! It belonged not to arge world, but rather a superior world.


    The four kings salivated. If they were to win, they''d be able to receive both Li Zongming''s bet and the king of chaos''s prize¡ªthe equivalent of a whole superior world''s worth of energy. Their power would double.


    Li Zongming grimaced at the world''s energy he was giving up, but he didn''t hesitate. In truth, this energy had alle from Zhang Lie¡ªor rather, from the xuluo world that Zhang Lie had destroyed.


    The decaying kingughed. "Haha, if you''re going to give away some of your world''s energy, we''ll dly ept!"


    The king of chaos asked, "King of keys, won''t you ce a bet yourself?"


    The king of keys shook his head. "As the banker, I had better not."


    The four kings anticipated the start of the challenge greedily, each believing that their victory was secured.


    The sr king cackled at Li Zongming. "If you don''t want all your subordinates to die, I suggest you surrender as quickly as possible."


    Zhang Lie stepped forward. "We''ll have to see whose subordinates will die first, won''t we?"


    The king of keys instructed, "Challengers, prepare yourselves."


    The five kings'' forces were sent toward five different directions of the world. The kings observed the challenge from atop the castle.


    The independent world that nine superior kings had created together wasn''t particrlyrge¡ªit was about the size of one-third of a medium-sized world, and all the kings could inspect the entire battlefield from their vantage point.


    Zhang Lie stood at the very front, the warlords arrayed behind him.


    Xing Ying asked, "How should we fight?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Follow my directions. Leave the rest to me."


    "Begin!" The king of keys waved a hand, sending a pir of light up toward the sky and exploding there. That was the signal to begin.


    The fifty suns moved first. They whirled around each other, forming a sr wind that shook the skies and blinded the other troops. Their primary target, however, was the ice queen''s forces, rather than Zhang Lie.


    The ice queen gnashed her teeth. "You bastard¡ªyou''re not following our n!" Didn''t he im that they would work together to get rid of Li Zongming''s forces first? What did the sr king think he was doing?


    The sr king smiled with his teeth. "My hand slipped, my hand slipped. I apologize."


    If not for the bet, the sr king had intended on squashing Li Zongming first, but upon seeing the superior world''s energy that was at stake, the sr king''s priorities changed. His new goal was to win the bet and obtain all that world''s energy for himself. Squashing Li Zongming''s forces was a secondary objective.


    After all, he had never thought highly of this newly minted superior king.


    However, the ice queen''s forces were no pushover. They were an elite, trained force, and they reacted to the sudden assault immediately.


    Ice and frost shed against the suns'' advance. The skies split in half, baking in a sr storm on one hand and chilling in a blizzard in the other.


    Suddenly, a fish the size of a giant whale took to the sky, disrupting the ice and sunlight with waves of water-attuned gic energy.


    "You seem to be forgetting who your opponent is!" Zhang Lie clenched his fist tightly. Blue gic energy gathered around him as space vibrated. The ripples spread out over his arm. He flicked his wrist.


    .


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. They broke apart the sh between sun and frost, arced through the air, over the horizon, and smashed into the giant skeleton across the other side of the world.


    Zhang Lie could sense that, among the four kings'' forces, the most threatening was this giant skeleton.


    The ocean waves smashed apart the skeleton. Shockwaves surged forth from Zhang Lie, as though a twister were consuming everything in sight. The bones rattled. Zhang Lie''s sea-blue gic energy crushed an endless supply of bones into powder.


    Atop the castle, the superior kings were all shocked by Zhang Lie''s disy of power. That was a fighter on par with a superior king¡ªand he was just a subordinate of Li Zongming!


    The bones ttered to the ground. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] had destroyed the sea of bones with which the decaying king had swamped the battlefield.


    The decaying king cried out, his eyes bulging, "My bones!"


    The other superior kings hadn''t yet recovered from the shock.


    How could a newly minted superior world like the Zongming world possess such strength? How could there be another existence at the level of a superior king?


    This was impossible! Even the superior worlds of antiquity possessed only one or two such fighters, so how did Li Zongminge to possess one such himself?


    The king of chaos and the king of keys were the first to recover from the shock, as though they had expected this level of strength from the Zongming world. After all, they were both extremely familiar with the xuluo world, and they knew very well that Li Zongming alone would be incapable of dealing with the xuluo race and killing Feitian...

 Chapter 959: The Kings Dismay

    <h4>Chapter 959: The Kings'' Dismay</h4>


    Feitian was a superior king of antiquity as well, and the fact that a newly evolved superior world could deal with him suggested that there was some backer behind its growth.


    Now, that riddle had been unraveled. Within this new superior world were multiple existences with the level of a superior king.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The beam of sword energy shot across space and tore apart the forces that the king of evil had manifested from its body. The energy exploded into tens of thousands of tons of pressure, tearing apart the gruesome, malformed masses that were the king of evil''s forces. They burst apart and morphed into gray fluid, which reconstituted into formless bodies.


    Pale blue sharks swam over, opened their bloody maws, and chomped down on the king of evil''s forces. Zhang Lie''s gic energy digested the gray fluid, leaving nothing behind.


    None of the superior kings expected Zhang Lie to be so strong.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent shot forth.


    He had no intention of approaching these malformed creatures himself.


    The king of evil was the king of the unclean world. In his past life, while fighting against the death spirits, Zhang Lie had seen such disgusting creatures¡ªbut in far greater numbers than now. Interspersed among them were quite a few giant kidney-like organisms.


    As the king of the unclean world, the king of evil''s forces harbored viruses, poisons, and toxins. Once one of the kidney-like organisms died, all who were struck by its gray fluid or attacks would be afflicted by a lethal virus, which would cause them to die a horrible death. Their bodies would fill up with pustules and then slowly dpose, turning them into vile gray matter.


    As a result, only a small number of forces were battling against the king of evil''s troops.


    Zhang Lie''s strength was enough to confer him immunity to those viruses, but he was disgusted enough by them to not want to fight them close-up. After all, he would easily be able to deal with them with his constructs of gic energy¡ªthere was no need for him to get his hands dirty.


    By then, the ice queen and sr king hade to their senses. Their faces shed with anger¡ªthey had underestimated Zhang Lie.


    Neither the ice queen nor the sr king expected that Li Zongming would be so malicious as to hide a unit as strong as a superior king within his forces participating in the challenge. Nor could they have suspected that Li Zongming possessed such a strong subordinate as well.


    The two kings frowned at Zhang Lie. Within a short period of time, he had dealt with the decaying king and the king of evil''s forces, and it was no time for their forces to be shing against each other. If they continued to look down on Zhang Lie and the warlords, they wouldn''t be able to gain any world''s energy¡ªno, they''d even lose part of theirrge stockpile.


    Upon thinking back to the specifics of the bet, the ice queen and sr king turned pale. Li Zongming''s victory was at fifty-to-one odds. He had bet half a superior world''s energy, and his im would be 25 superior worlds'' worth of energy.


    The ice queen and frost king sucked in a deep breath. They had no way of acquiring that much world''s energy¡­ They red at Zhang Lie, and then looked toward Li Zongming simultaneously.


    The sr king gnashed his teeth. "You tricked us!"


    Had Li Zongming been putting on a show to entuate the other kings'' disdain for him? The gathered kings felt as though their intelligence had all been insulted.


    The sr king roared, "You dare trick us?!"


    Li Zongming shrugged and spread his arms. "Sr king, I don''t understand what you''re saying. You were the ones who proposed this challenge, and you were the ones who proposed this bet. They were foisted on me."


    The sr king gave him a thumbs up. "Very well. Very well! I suppose you must have some strength of your own if you managed to defeat Feitian, but don''t think you''ll be able to win so easily just because you snuck such a strong subordinate into your forces."


    The decaying king shouted, "What nonsense are all of you spouting? Focus on the challenge¡ªif we lose, we''re all done for!"


    None of the kings could afford to pay out fifty-to-one odds.


    On the battlefield, the serpent swallowed up and dissolved the king of evil''s forces within moments.


    "You guys can''t lose!" The king of evil''s forces had been vanquished; all he could do now was support the other kings.


    The ice queen shouted, "Ignore those balls of light! Go deal with the Zongming world''s forces first!"


    The sr king likewise shouted, "Get rid of those aliens before focusing on the spirits!"


    Even without the bet, their reputations wouldn''t allow them to lose to a superior king many times their junior.


    The fifty suns of the sr king''s forces shone with blinding light as they conjured a sr storm.


    The ice spirits let out a shrill screech, simultaneously summoning a howling blizzard. Their cries struck at their enemies'' very souls. As the sr storm and howling blizzard spread across the battlefield and shed with each other¡­ they canceled themselves out.


    The sr king roared, "What are you doing? You''re hindering my forces even now?"


    The ice queen stood up in rage. "I should be asking you that. Are you in cahoots with the Zongming king? Are you?"


    The sr king roared back, "Me? If anyone''s the traitor, it''s you!"


    The two superior kings began arguing at this critical moment...


    Li Zongming: ...


    The king of chaos: ...


    The king of ck fog: ...


    The king of keys: ...


    The king of evil: ...


    In the end, it was the decaying king who clutched his head and yelled out, "Focus on yourmon enemy¡ª or do you not care about losing?!"


    Thebination of sr storm and blizzard gave rise to huge quantities of fog and steam, which covered up half the world.


    The kings could barely make out a human figure transforming into a wolfman behindyers of steam and fog. Bestial eyes emerged through the fog, and blood-red ws rent the fog apart.


    Blood-red fur, four limbs covered in dragon''s scales¡ªZhang Lie''s aura strengthened once again. A blood whirlwind manifested around him, dispersing the fog. Zhang Lie had activated his soulshards and transformed into a russet dragonwolf.


    The sr king''s eyes widened. "This fellow¡ªhe can grow even stronger?"

 Chapter 960: The Last Survivors

    <h4>Chapter 960: The Last Survivors</h4>


    Even under ordinary circumstances, Zhang Lie was stronger than an ordinary superior king¡ªand that difference was only entuated under his dragonwolf transformation. At this stage, he was closer in power to the king of keys and the king of chaos than the other superior kings.


    The ice queen and sr king finally realized that, if they were to keep arguing with each other, they would suffer losses from which they might never recover. They finally shut up.


    The fifty suns again glowed with vested radiance. A sr storm formed with a golden tornado at its very center. It gave off intense light.


    Golden waves of heat flooded the battlefield, as did bright orange mes.


    The ice spirits let out a shrill screech, summoning a silvery-white blizzard. Their screeches rang out like cannon fire, striking at their enemies'' very souls.


    The warlords clutched their heads in pain.


    Zhang Lie waved his ws in a flurry. The blood-red ws tore apart the sky and shed open the void, bisecting the scorching sr storm and freezing blizzard of frost.


    A serpent manifested behind Zhang Lie. Its scales turned a blood-red color and horns protruded from its forehead as it transformed into a bloody dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The fifty suns glowed once more, forming another sr storm. The frost spirits simultaneously created a blizzard, hoping to freeze and shatter the blood dragon outright.


    The blood dragon tore apart the glowing suns and flew past the blizzard, then opened its mouth wide and bit down on a sun.


    The sun burst with golden light as it tried to struggle free. Within the sun was a golden bird that furiously pped its wings, only to be caught tightly in the blood dragon''s mouth.


    The forty-nine other suns beside it eachunched a golden beam at the blood dragon, piercing through its body. The ice queen and sr king were just about to smile triumphantly when a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the battlefield.


    The kings watching the challenge from above grew visibly rmed. The king of keys had to step forward, shielding the entire pce with world''s energy to prevent it from being affected by the explosion.


    The pitch-ck energy formed a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight¡ªthe fifty suns, along with huge quantities of bone powder from the remnants of the sea of bones.


    Ayer of earth was stripped bare from the world, along with the orange mes that the suns had given off. Even the dark clouds in the sky were swirling as they were sucked into the explosion. The pitch-ck energy continued to expand.


    The fifty suns weren''t immediately destroyed by the energy; instead, the ck hole continuously siphoned away whatever sr energy they produced.


    Some of the sunbirds, realizing that they wouldn''t be able to escape from the attack, self-immted. A sun''s radiance burst forth from the center of the ck hole, dispersing the energy of annihtion.


    At that point, the ck hole shrunk down to a pinhole and vanished.


    It left a vacuum in the air, causing it to cavitate as a huge storm formed. The barrier of world''s energy protecting the pce rippled. After the waves of energy passed by, what remained of the battlefield was a smoking hemispherical crater, the radius of which was no less than a thousand meters across.


    The superior kings sucked in deep breaths upon witnessing Zhang Lie''s strength.


    This was ridiculous. The four kings who had challenged the Zongming world gulped. They couldn''t be certain that they would survive such a blow directly.


    Even the king of chaos and the king of keys had serious expressions on their faces. No wonder the Zongming world had been able to destroy the xuluo world. Feitian was no match for Zhang Lie''s strength¡ªand Zhang Lie had only revealed part of what he could do.


    Li Zongming smiled with pride. Although he wasn''t the one who had won the Zongming world its victory, Zhang Lie was his son-inw. Li Zongming smugly requested, "King of keys, please announce the results of the challenge."


    Zhang Lie had cast [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade], and the energy of annihtion it produced had swallowed everything up.


    If the superior kings themselves had been present on the battlefield, they might have been able to counter the attack together¡ªbut the only forces there were troops that the ice queen and sr king had dispatched.


    Those forces, strong though they might be, were still far from the level of a superior king. They werepletely unable to defend against the explosion¡ªall the sr king and ice queen''s forces were wiped out.


    The only surviving forces on the battlefield were Zhang Lie and his warlords.


    It was evident who had won the challenge. Shameless though the superior kings might be, they could not refute this fact.


    "I''ve passed the challenge, haven''t I?" Li Zongming asked, turning to the four challengers.


    The kings gnashed their teeth. They had never expected that the Zongming world would be able to win against their troops.


    Li Zongming continued, "None of you are surprised that I passed, surely?"


    The sr king gave him a thumbs up. "Admirable strength, King Zongming."


    The superior kings of antiquity had no choice but to pay more attention to Li Zongming after witnessing the results of the challenge. They were forced to treat him as equals on ount of his victory, and they were forced to be wary of Zhang Lie, who had used his own strength to inform the superior kings not to look down on the Zongming world.


    The Zongming world was no easy target; Li Zongming wasn''t the only inhabitant of the world who was as strong as a superior king.


    Zhang Lie had won respect for Li Zongming with his own fists.


    Li Zongming smiled. "Given my troops''bat ability, I believe I have the right to participate in the offense against the death spirits. There is no need for me to borrow any of your forces."


    The king of keys pped. "Very interesting. I wouldn''t have expected another fighter on the level of a superior king to havee from a newly evolved superior world. You''ve been biding your strength, it appears."


    The king of keys generously apuded Li Zongming.


    This challenge served two purposes.


    The first was to whittle down Li Zongming''s troops, forcing him to borrow the other superior worlds'' forces using his world''s energy. The other superior worlds would all but enve the Zongming world given their disparity in strength, turning it into a means by which all of them could obtain a superior world''s energy.


    The second¡­

 Chapter 961: Getting Off the Hook

    <h4>Chapter 961: Getting Off the Hook</h4>


    The second purpose of the challenge was to identify what trump cards Li Zongming possessed.


    The first purpose was obvious; Li Zongming would have caught on almost immediately if he weren''t stupid. In trying to deal with the first purpose, he would end up revealing his trump cards.


    The other superior kings looked down on Li Zongming, but they were still a little wary.


    After all, Li Zongming had taken down the xuluo world. Although Feitian wasn''t as strong as the king of keys or king of chaos, he was certainly on the stronger side of the superior kings¡ªand yet the Zongming world had crushed the xuluo world.


    Although both the king of keys and king of chaos suggested that Feitian had been destined to fall, the fact that Feitian had fallen to Li Zongming was still worthy of consideration. After all, before that point, the xuluo world had operated in a stable fashion for millennia.


    The ancient superior kings believed that Li Zongming had some ace up his sleeve. One of their intentions was to use this challenge to get a sense of that ace¡ªand they seeded. The root cause of the downfall of the xuluo world had appeared before everyone''s eyes: Zhang Lie.


    The destruction of the xuluo world finally made sense to the superior kings.


    One fundamental cause was the karmic bacsh that the xuluo race had rued, but the direct cause of the downfall of the xuluo was Zhang Lie. Thebination of these two causes had led to the extinction of the xuluo.


    This wasn''t uneptable¡ªthe superior kings just had to figure out what to do next.


    Li Zongming requested, "King of keys, please announce the result of the challenge."


    The king of keys nodded. "It was a very interesting challenge, and it''s been a long time since I saw such an unexpected upset. epting a neer every so often isn''t a bad thing. I dere that the Zongming king has passed our challenge."


    Li Zongming rubbed his hands gleefully. "In that case, I''ve also won the bet."


    The king of chaos sent half a superior world''s worth of energy rolling toward Li Zongming with a wave of his hand, as though it were nothing more than a casual gift.


    Li Zongming grinned as he epted the world''s energy, going into a state of euphoric bliss as he sensed how concentrated it was.


    As a newly evolved superior world, the Zongming world desperately needed a world''s energy for advancement, and the king of chaos had given him just what he needed.


    "You have my gratitude, king of chaos."


    The other superior kings gnashed their teeth, their faces filled with envy, jealousy, and anger. This was supposed to be their opportunity to obtain this prize¡ªbut Li Zongming had snatched it away from under their noses!


    There were no rules against choosing an overwhelmingly strong unit for the challenge, but none of the other kings could have anticipated that Li Zongming had such a subordinate.


    By now, there was nothing they could do to contest Li Zongming''s victory.


    Li Zongming collected all the orbs of world''s energy on the table. These were all his spoils: half a superior world''s worth of energy, which he had bet himself; half arge world''s worth of energy, which Zhang Lie had bet; and threerge worlds'' worth of energy from the other kingsbined.


    The other kings who had participated in the challenge stared balefully at Li Zongming, who smiled happily as he inspected the orbs of energy.


    This was an overwhelming prize that he had won.


    He had been rather annoyed before the meeting that the other superior kings had forced him to attend, but he was now very d that he had made such a decision. He couldn''t have been more pleased by his son-inw, Zhang Lie, who had brought him this fortune.


    Li Zongming kept the world''s energy and asked, "Kings, I trust you won''t forget the odds that were promised to me at the start of the bet."


    The decaying king, who had been intending to scam Li Zongming of his world''s energy, red at him.


    "King of Zongming, I''m warning you¡ªtake what you''re offered and no more."


    The sr king nodded. "You''ve already amassed quite a fortune today. Shut your mouth and don''t force us to be enemies."


    Li Zongming ignored the decaying king and sr king''s words as he continued, "If I remember correctly, you promised me fifty-to-one odds on my victory."


    The decaying king squirmed. The ck flesh that made up its body seemed to froth. "Enough, king of Zongming! Don''t think that you''re all that just because you have a subordinate as strong as a superior king. We all have such subordinates¡ªyou''re not special."


    "Surely you won''t deny me my just rewards? It would damage your reputations as superior kings of antiquity. My son-inw and I didn''t bet much energy¡ªjust half a superior world''s worth of energy, and half arge world''s as well.


    ording to the deal we made at the start of the bet, you won''t have to give me too much: just twenty-five superior ?andrge worlds'' worth of energy."


    Twenty-five superior worlds'' worth of energy?! None but the king of keys and king of chaos had so much energy on hand.


    Li Zongming''s face was calm, as though he hadn''t heard any of the other kings'' threats. "I''ll even discount them and lump them together. Let''s call it thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy, shall we? Given your abundant resources, seniors, I''m sure you''ll be able to give me that quantity easily."


    Thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy¡ªwhen there were only ten superior worlds among the three thousand!


    In the past, there had been more superior worlds that had failed to withstand the test of time, but except for the king of keys and king of chaos, no other king had such luxurious stockpiles of energy.


    The superior kings represented in the challenge would each be able to pay their fair share, but none of them were going to do so. If they did, their worlds would surely regress and their powers diminish.


    The sr king gritted his teeth. "You''ve passed the challenge. Don''t try to ask for what you don''t deserve. It might take us some time to destroy the Zongming world, but if we work together, we''d be able to manage it quite easily."


    The decaying king added, "Let''s try to maintain some semnce of civility, shall we?"


    The sr king narrowed his eyes. "Or do you intend to make all of us your enemies?"


    The superior kings'' intentions were obvious: to back out of the bet and renege on the terms they had promised.

 Chapter 962: Admit Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 962: Admit Defeat</h4>


    The kings who had bet on the challenge simultaneously unleashed their auras. The sr king''s body glowed with the radiance of a thousand suns. The ten suns that shone overhead suddenly seemed to bear down on the castle.


    The decaying king began to froth as dark clouds gathered overhead. The ice queen surrounded herself with an aura of ice and frost. Ice crept from beneath her feet, and a snowstorm beset the castle.


    The king of ck fog sent a turbulent wave of fog overhead, threatening to engulf them all.


    The king of evil writhed as gray matter in the form of malformed creatures split off from its body¡ªlimbs without bodies, rolling heads, struggling kidney-shaped objects with gills, and so on. Much of these creatures were absorbed back into the main body, leaving a vile stench in the air.


    The kings''bined aura tried to repel Li Zongming, but he stood firm.


    "Do you intend to renege on your promises? If you were incapable of fulfilling these terms, you shouldn''t have started a bet at all!"


    Golden wings unfolded from behind Li Zongming, releasing a dazzling golden radiance. A golden roc took to the sky.


    The five kings''bined aura formed a whirlpool of energy, one that would have decimated any existence weaker than a superior king.


    Try as he might, Li Zongming was no match for the kings. His golden roc was sent stumbling back from the force¡ªLi Zongming hadn''t had enough time to grow into his position as a superior king.


    His face flushed red. He was about to be forced back when the doors to the meeting room suddenly sted open. "If you couldn''t handle losing the bet, you shouldn''t have participated to begin with."


    An unusual strength cut apart the five kings''bined aura, sending them all stumbling from the bacsh.


    The sr king, the decaying king, the ice queen, the king of ck fog were forced to the ground, whereas the king of evil''s body fluid exploded. The ck fog of its eponymous king trembled violently.


    Zhang Lie and his warlords rushed into the meeting room. Zhang Lie sped both his hands behind his back and shouted, "You''re all superior kings of antiquity, aren''t you? Have you no shame, no reputation to uphold? Deal with the consequences of your actions! No one forced you to allow fifty-to-one odds."


    The king of keys and the king of chaos considered Zhang Lie seriously.


    He had broken through the five kings''bined aura. A foe of lesser strength would have been disintegrated by the attempt, but Zhang Lie had seeded and transferred the bacsh to the five superior kings instead.


    That indicated that even the five superior kingsbined might not be a match for Zhang Lie.


    The king of ck fog wasn''t using his full strength, but Zhang Lie certainly was able to counter the sr king, the decaying king, the ice queen, and the king of evil. Was Zhang Lie stronger than they had given him credit for?


    Zhang Lie marched behind Li Zongming, informing everyone present with his actions that he supported Li Zongming and no other. He would back Li Zongming up. The warlords followed behind Zhang Lie and stood behind him, lending him an impression of strength.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie return, Li Zongming immediately grew more confident. He snorted. "If I had lost, would any of you have shown me pity?


    No, of course not¡ª you wouldn''t have been satisfied without sucking me dry of my world''s energy!"


    Civility? He didn''t need any civility¡ªhe didn''t want to see the other superior kings at all!


    If Li Zongming had lost the bet, these superior kings would surely have done their best to wring him dry. They would never relent; they were more than happy to see the Zongming world crushed. Li Zongming had no intention of going easy on them, because he knew they wouldn''t do the same for him.


    The sr king, decaying king, and ice queen, despite being superior kings of antiquity, found themselves knocked to the ground. They grew furious, their pride bruised.


    The decaying king roared, "Don''t think we''ll be easy opponents just because you were able to handle our troops. We were superior kings before any of you were born!"


    The sr king threatened, "The death spirits might be an enemy we have to face together¡ªbut it''d only take us a little more effort to get rid of all of you at the same time."


    The ice queen shouted imperiously, "Get down on your knees and apologize!"


    "Oh? You''re all angry because of your pride, aren''t you?"


    Zhang Lie turned to the king of keys. "King of keys, you''re responsible for overseeing this bet, aren''t you? Do you intend on reining in these mongrels?"


    The sr king gritted his teeth. "What did you say?!"


    "Would you prefer that I step in myself?" Zhang Lie stared straight at the king of keys.


    The king of keys met his gaze. Within its blue eyes were a myriad worlds, spinning and tossing and turning, cycling into and out of existence. Even so, Zhang Lie managed to keep control of his senses.


    The king of keys inclined his head. "I am indeed responsible for the bet. All participants will uphold the terms of the bet."


    Zhang Lie turned to the sullen kings. "Did you hear the king of keys? Pay up, or you''ll be disappointing him."


    Zhang Lie didn''t have to deal with the kings on his own; he could simply invoke the authority of the king of keys, who had organized this bet to begin with.


    The superior kings might dare to mess with Li Zongming, but certainly not the king of keys.


    The king of keys continued, "It would be foolish for us to fight among ourselves while the death spirits wage war around us."


    The king of keys had no choice but to step in and mediate the dispute.


    If Zhang Lie and Li Zongming were weak, the king of keys would have done nothing or even helped the other kings to get rid of them, but the strength that Zhang Lie had demonstrated gave even the king of keys and the king of chaos some cause to be wary.


    If they were to begin fighting, it would be easy for them to get rid of Li Zongming, but as for Zhang Lie¡­ The king of keys knew that it couldn''t remain silent any longer.


    "Admit your defeat. There''s no need for any rebuttal!" Zhang Lie crowed.


    The sr king opened his mouth. "But¡ª"


    .


    The king of keys waved a hand, cutting off the sr king''s words. "Enough. As the banker, I''ll shoulder half the burden of the bet. As the participants, you''ll collectively handle the other half."


    The five superior kings widened their mouths. None of them dared to speak, but they were cursing internally. Wasn''t the banker supposed to be responsible for paying Li Zongming? Why would they, the participants, have to contribute as well?


    That was unreasonable, but none of the kings dared to contest the king of keys.


    Meanwhile, the bones of the decaying king, who had been the one to agree to fifty-to-one odds in the first ce, were slowly turning an acid green...

 Chapter 963: Filled Coffers

    <h4>Chapter 963: Filled Coffers</h4>


    The decaying king had promised fifty-to-one odds because he expected the king of keys to pay up on the extremely slim chance that the Zongming world would win¡ªhe had no intention of coughing up the world''s energy himself.


    The sr king sighed.


    As expected.?After their unexpected loss, he knew that the king of keys wasn''t about to pay thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy on their behalf¡ªand they were dragged into the mess involuntarily.


    The sr king had been unwilling to admit to the terms of the bet not just because he disliked Li Zongming and envied his ultimate victory, but also because he knew he would end up taking responsibility for the bet.


    The sr king, the decaying king, the ice queen, and the king of ck fog were all annoyed with the oue to varying extents, but what could they do?


    The king of keys was the most ancient of the superior kings, and it was doubtful that even the four of them working together would be able to ovee the king of keys.


    The king of keys suggested, "The Zongming world''s bet is worth roughly thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy. I''ll pay fifteen, and the five of you will pay three each. What say you?"


    The sr king sighed glumly as he looked at the king of keys.


    "Your majesty¡ª"


    The sr king, the decaying king, and the ice queen barely stopped themselves from spitting blood. Three superior worlds'' worth of energy¡ªthis would be a difficult burden to bear indeed.


    Zhang Lie nodded with a smile. "I''ll naturally ept your suggestion, king of keys."


    The king of keys continued, "However, it''ll be difficult for these kings to pay you the full amount immediately. If they do so, their worlds will be severely degraded, and their strength will fall. This won''t serve us well for the uing battle."


    The sr king, the decaying king, and the ice queen each nodded immediately.


    The king of keys continued, "I propose that the superior energy they owe be taken from the death spirits."


    Zhang Lie rified, "You mean¡ª"


    The king of keys exined, "The spoils of war we im from the death spirits after the end of the war, including our share of their superior world''s energy, shall be used to defray this debt."


    "And if it''s insufficient?" Zhang Lie asked.


    The king of keys smiled. "Do not underestimate the death spirits. The world of the blood king, which they''ve now captured, is a world that has existed since antiquity. It alone possesses six superior worlds'' worth of energy, and the death spirits themselves have at least twelve superior worlds'' worth of energy to their name. That''s eighteen in all¡ªand I''ll handle whatever''s stillcking."


    The sr king, the decaying king, the ice queen, and the king of ck fog might have been dissatisfied with this conclusion, but there was nothing they could do about it, and they were willing to defer to the king of keys.


    "In that case, I''m satisfied."


    Zhang Lie had never expected that the superior kings would be so generous as to hand over the superior world''s energy immediately.


    The king of keys continued, "Now that the Zongming world''s challenge is over, it''s time for us to discuss the main topic of the meeting.


    "The death spirits have the ability to convert warriors that fall in battle to death spirits and ck spirits. It would be far too devastating for our worlds alone to resist the death spirits'' incursion. The death spirits intend to take over the third realm as a whole, and the entire realm should be responsible for defending against the death spirits."


    The sr king nodded. "Quite so, your majesty! We superior worlds certainly shouldn''t have to serve as vanguards alone while therge, medium-sized, and small worlds rx and do nothing."


    The decaying king sneered. "These worlds might even stab us in the back while we''re fighting against the death spirits."


    The king of keys nodded. "As such, I intend to mobilize allrge and medium-sized worlds in the third realm as well. Each world will prepare a fighting forcemensurate with their status and participate in the offensive against the death spirits."


    The sr king added seriously, "The death spirits are enemies to the whole of the third realm. Any worlds they invade are stripped of all life, and we''re all responsible for stopping them."


    Zhang Lie and Li Zongming did notment on the matter. They had expected that the superior kings would try to do something of this nature.


    The other superior kings all approved of the king of keys'' n. Li Zongming asked, "What if a world refuses the order?"


    The sr king smiled with his teeth. "Then we''ll make an example of that world."


    .


    With the meeting concluded, the various kings turned to leave. Before they did so, Li Zongming felt an acute pain in his back. He whirled around to see five superior kings standing before their exits from this world, each of whom were ring daggers at Li Zongming.


    The sr king''s eyes were as blinding as rays of sunlight. Sr res swirled into existence around him, and the ten suns of this world emitted a blinding glow. If not for the fact that they had to face the death spirits in the immediate future, the sr king might already have attacked him.


    The ice queen''s eyes were chilling and filled with frost. A blizzard gathered around her, and her eyes were so severe that it seemed as though she wanted to freeze Li Zongming solid with nothing but her gaze.


    The decaying king''s body writhed. The king of ck fog was still surrounded by mysterious ck fog, but it seemed as though there were a piercing gazeing from within.


    Eyes grew out of the gray fluid that formed the king of evil''s body. As one, they all turned toward Li Zongming, causing the hairs on his body to rise. The king of evil squirmed as gray matter in the form of malformed creatures split off from its body before being devoured again. Limbs without bodies, rolling heads, struggling kidney-shaped objects with gills, and other such monstrosities shrieked in Li Zongming''s direction.


    Li Zongming walked off hastily as he handed over his winnings to Zhang Lie. "You won all this energy, whereas I did nothing. Take it all¡ªonce the war against the death spirits is over, we''ll be rich."


    Li Zongming could afford to be generous in light of his future fortune.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Do you really think we can obtain all that energy?"


    Li Zongming frowned. "You think the king of keys will cheat us?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The king of keys would never stoop to such a level. His ns are never so vulgar."


    Li Zongming frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "If we do make it out of the offensive against the death spirits alive, we''ll likely be able to im all that superior world''s energy¡ªbut there''s a problem."


    "What''s that?" Li Zongming asked.


    "You''ve seen how much the kings who lost the bet hate us, haven''t you?"


    Li Zongming recalled the gazes of those five kings as he walked out of the meeting room. It was evident they wanted to dismember his body, skin him, slice his flesh up into thin strips, add garlic, ginger, and onion, fry him over intense heat, and swallow him whole.


    Zhang Lie smiled at Li Zongming. "Well?"


    Li Zongming rified, "You mean that the king of keys is trying to incite a fight between us and the other superior kings?"

 Chapter 964: Another Advancement

    <h4>Chapter 964: Another Advancement</h4>


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "The king of keys is more refined than that. The other kings are just thinking about how to avoid paying you, but the king of keys is already scheming about what will happen after the war against the death spirits."


    Li Zongming frowned. "You mean that the king of keys is thinking that far ahead already?"


    "Indeed."


    Li Zongming couldn''t help but ask, "Just what is it trying to aplish?"


    "After this bet, the other superior kings must hate us. They''d have ambushed us already if not for the impending war against the death spirits and the presence of the king of keys and king of chaos nearby."


    Li Zongming understood Zhang Lie''s implication immediately.


    "Once we resolve the threat of the death spirits, these kings will strike immediately¡ªand the king of keys is masterminding all this indirectly. Winning this bet and obtaining thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy is both a blessing and a curse," Zhang Lie surmised.


    They would be able to obtain the overwhelming majority of the spoils from the death spirits, but the kings who would be forced to give up those spoils would get madder and madder until theyunched an assault against the Zongming world themselves.


    Li Zongming sighed. "Would it be better if we gave up on this debt?"


    Even he quailed at the idea of going up against four superior worlds who had existed since antiquity.


    "Not necessarily. We''d destroy the image that we worked so hard to build up in front of the superior kings¡ªand they''d again try to treat you and the Zongming world like ythings, to manipte you into bing nothing more than a source of superior world''s energy for them."


    Li Zongming tugged on his hair in vexation. "Stuck between a rock and a hard ce..."


    "This was destined to happen the moment the Zongming world evolved into a superior world. There''s no way the other superior kings would induct another member into their midst immediately.


    Either you would have be their toy, or you would have been destroyed. Fortunately, the death spirits are arger threat, and the superior worlds don''t have time to worry about you at the moment."


    Once the threat was resolved, however, they would strike.


    Li Zongming sighed. "I''m starting to want to join the death spirits..."


    Zhang Lie smiled wryly. "Ignoring the consequences to the third realm if you do so, the first step to joining the death spirits is to surrender the will of your world. Would you be willing to do so?"


    Li Zongming shook his head.


    Could a world without a will still be considered a world at all? A world that had lost its will would be a world of death, one devoid of life.


    Zhang Lie suddenly began tough. "Actually, there''s nothing much to worry about. Even if our enemies don''t attack us, I''d think up a reason to attack them. The current superior worlds are all far too arrogant."


    Li Zongming asked, "Do you have a n in mind?"


    "We''ve already destroyed one superior world¡ªwe could easily destroy more."


    Zhang Lie had predicted that the other superior worlds would eventually be the Zongming world''s enemy. That was why he had hidden the members of Team Zenith and restricted them from participating in the war.


    Zhang Lie and Li Zongming passed through the tunnel and back into the Zongming world.


    Li Zongming said, "I''ll inform the worlds in the vicinity and start mobilizing our forces."


    After the superior worlds'' meeting, each superior world was responsible for mobilizing the worlds in their vicinity in preparation for the offensive against the death spirits.


    What the Zongming world had to do now was take over the informationwork that the xuluo world had set up, and Li Zongming had a lot on his te.


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''ll return to the draconian world and start preparing myself, then."


    Li Zongming nodded. "Please take Qianlin with you."


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. Once war broke out against the death spirits, the safest location for Li Qianlin wouldn''t be the Zongming world, itself a superior world and hence a target, but rather the draconian world, which was a peakrge world and hence far safer.


    Li Zongming wouldn''t be heading to the battlefield; Zhang Lie and the warlords would go in his stead. Although the Zongming world would be protected by Li Zongming, there were stronger forces in the draconian world¡ªthe draconian sage, as well as Zhang Lie''s elites, the members of Team Zenith.


    Unlike the Zongming world, which had roused the attention of the other superior worlds and lesser worlds alike, the draconian world wasrgely unheard of. It would be a superior location with regards to safety, but Zhang Lie didn''t immediately do so.


    "I''ll respect Qianlin''s decision and ask about her intentions."


    Li Zongming nodded. "A good decision."


    Li Qianlin chose to remain in the Zongming world.


    "This world might have changed, but it''s still my homeworld. Don''t worry¡ªmy father will keep me safe."


    Zhang Lie respected Li Qianlin''s opinion, and he didn''t believe that she would be in danger in either world. The draconian world was safer, but as long as Zhang Lie and the other superior worlds'' forces could prevent the death spirits'' expansion, the Zongming world would be safe.


    On the other hand, if Zhang Lie were to fail, then the draconian world would be equally dangerous for Li Qianlin.


    Everything rested on being able to prevent the death spirits'' expansion.


    Zhang Lie rode the disaster-grade multicolored dragon back to the draconian world. He set off for the disaster-grade farm, where Zhu awaited him with good news.


    "Thanks to the world''s energy you provided, Zhang Lie, two disaster-grade lifeforms have evolved into monarch-grade."


    Zhang Lie was ted. He had found the key to the evolution of disaster-grade lifeforms¡ªa world''s energy.


    Zhu continued, "However, these disaster-grade lifeforms have to prepare by fighting and devouring strong foes before their evolution in order to maximize the world''s energy they can absorb."


    "That''s an easy problem to solve. The third realm will be facing a massive war in the near future, and I''ll have you lead these lifeforms onto the battlefield. It''ll be an excellent opportunity for these lifeforms to fight and gain experience, and we''ll have sufficient world''s energy to feed them after the war."


    The monarch-grade lifeforms were, to some extent, capable of resisting the effects of Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld-m soulshard.


    Because they had been reared artificially, neither monarch-grade lifeform was an opponent for Zhang Lie, and he easily killed them both in the blink of an eye. After consuming the monarch-grade lifeforms,


    Zhang Lie reached an unprecedented 25 monarch gene fragments, with an apanying monstrous boost to his strength. In the past, he had needed to activate a soulshard or technique to truly be at the level of a superior king¡ªbut now, he was naturally at that level without doing anything.

 Chapter 965: A Call From Hong Tianqi

    <h4>Chapter 965: A Call From Hong Tianqi</h4>


    After ughtering the two monarch-grade lifeforms in the farm on the draconian world, Zhang Lie returned to his residence just in time to see an envoy arrive from the Zongming world.


    The envoy announced to the entire world, "The third realm has seen the appearance of a frightening demon who''s trying to devour the three thousand worlds. To date, over five hundred have been implicated, and even a superior world has been invaded. Allowing this demon to continue growing in the third realm will only lead to doom and destruction. The superior worlds have convened a meeting and decided tobine the forces of all worlds to resist this demon!"


    The draconian sage teleported right before the envoy. The envoy requested, "King of the draconian world, please respond to the superior worlds'' summons and gather in the draconian world. These are the world''s coordinates."


    The draconian sage peered at the scroll that the envoy proffered him, on which the coordinates for the Zongming world were recorded. The draconian sage nodded and asked, "And if I don''t respond to the summons?"


    The envoy chuckled nervously. "Please don''t make life more difficult for me, your highness. Our world has no choice, either¡ªthe superior worlds uniformly decided on this approach to counter the impending threat."


    The draconian sage promised, "I''ll respond to the summons. I''m simply curious."


    The envoy grimaced. "Those who fail to respond to the summons will be dealt with using extreme methods."


    The draconian sage more or less had an understanding of such ''extreme methods''. He nodded and said, "I''ll gather my forces and set off after three days."


    "Please assemble in the Zongming world as quickly as possible. The superior king whose jurisdiction we lie within is an impatient man. The other superior kings have already assembled their forces, and it would do us no good to be the slowest."


    Although the envoy''s words were polite, his tone brooked no argument. He turned to leave as the draconian sage sighed. "They came, after all. What do you think?"


    Zhang Lie shattered space, appearing beside the draconian sage. He had seen the entire exchange. "Not long from now, there''ll be more such unwee guests. You had better prepare."


    The draconian sage nodded.


    Zhang Lie returned to his residence to find Zhang Hanxiang waiting for him.


    "I thought you''d be here, Brother!"


    "What''s the matter? Why have you been trying to find me?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Uncle Hong Tianqi''s looking for you."


    "He''s free enough to be looking for me personally?"


    "He asked the hunters of the third realm to find me and Sun Mengmeng to have us pass the message to you."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "What''s the matter?"


    Zhang Hanxiang shrugged. "He wants to know what''s going on within the third realm ofte."


    "As the highest authority of the united world federation, how can he not know what''s happening? I''ll head back to Earth and talk to him personally." Zhang Lie returned to Earth and contacted Hong Tianqi, who picked up immediately as the call went through.


    "I''ve been waiting for you to contact me. What''s been happening in the third realm? Who are the death spirits, and what are these superior worlds up to?"


    "You know what''s been happening?"


    "Of course I do! All worlds in the third realm have received summons from the superior worlds."


    It looked as though the superior kings had all worked particrly quickly.


    "Why do you think I''d know anything about what''s happening?"


    Hong Tianqi rolled his eyes. "You''re a ma for trouble. Nothing ever happens without your having dabbled in it."


    Zhang Lie ced his palms over his heart. "You nder me! I wasn''t the culprit this time¡ªsomeone else was."


    "So you do know important information about what''s going on, don''t you?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "How much do you know about the death spirits and the superior worlds?"


    Hong Tianqi had passed through the third realm himself, and he should have learned quite a bit during his time there.


    "I know that a particrly strong race, known as the death spirits, have been barricaded and kept under heavy guard by the other superior worlds, but I''ve never interacted with them.


    "These superior worlds are superior to evenrge worlds, and they''re unassable existences that have persisted since antiquity. No one dares to provoke them¡ªor rather, those who do have all died. There are ten such worlds in the third realm."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Unassable? I think not. That''s just something the superior worlds made up. As far as I''m aware, two superior worlds have perished recently."


    "At your hand?"


    "Why do you think so?"


    Hong Tianqi replied, "Because you''re responsible for everything!"


    Zhang Lie sighed theatrically. "Alright, alright, I''ll admit it. I got rid of one of the superior worlds, and the death spirits got rid of another."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "So just what are these death spirits, and why do the superior worlds need to work together to stop them?"


    "The death spirits originally represented one of the ten superior worlds. Subsequently, the death spirit king tried to grow stronger by absorbing the wills of each world. He started by swallowing up the will of his own world, and then those of his surroundings.


    "His ambition grew so wild that he tried to devour the whole of the third realm. The other superior worlds discovered his ploys andbined forces to stop him."


    Hong Tianqi was visibly rmed. "A demon, then."


    "A demon indeed, but the other superior worlds aren''t necessarily personifications of justice themselves."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "What else is there that you''re not telling me?"


    "Nothing major. Don''t worry¡ªI won''t let the events transpiring in the third realm affect us humans. Believe in me and let me handle this crisis.


    "Ever since the other superior worlds stopped them, the death spirits have beenying the groundwork for a total conquest of the third realm. They''ve recently broken through the barricade, and the superior worlds are preparing to mobilize the whole of the third realm to wage a war the likes of which have never been seen."


    Hong Tianqi wanted to spit out blood. "And you call that ''nothing major?!'' This is a world war¡ªno, a realm war!


    If news of what''s going on were to be released and disseminated, the entire Milky Way will be in an uproar. Only someone like you would consider this ''nothing major''¡ªthe rest of us would be shocked stiff!"


    Zhang Lie mulled over Hong Tianqi''s words. Indeed, this might be a big affair for others, but for Zhang Lie, who was aware of the oue of the death spirits, it didn''t seem like anything major.


    Given what had happened in his past life, the death spirits were doomed to failure. If they were destined to be destroyed by the superior worlds, what was there to fear?


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "It''s a matter for the third realm to deal with. It''s not as if you can do anything about it, can you?"


    Hong Tianqi reluctantly nodded. There was little he could do directly, and Zhang Lie was his best pawn indirectly.


    "You''re certain you can control the situation?" he reiterated.


    "Not entirely, but I expect I''ll be able to curtail it if it gets out of hand. What are you hoping to aplish during this war?"


    Hong Tianqi nced at Zhang Lie thoughtfully. "Nothing, really¡ªI just don''t want the Milky Way to suffer huge casualties."


    "I won''t be able to promise anything with regards to other races, but it won''t impact humans much. In fact, we can benefit from it." Witnessing a mythical war in the third realm would only serve to strengthen the human hunters there. "As for other races, well, there''s not much I can do."

 Chapter 966: Forceful Means

    <h4>Chapter 966: Forceful Means</h4>


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "Alright, you''re right. I won''t be able to aplish anything major with regards to this war. Can I share this news publicly?"


    Hong Tianqi intended to share the information about the third realm at the next meeting of the united world federation.


    That such a mythical war was unfolding within the third realm wasn''t something Hong Tianqi alone could handle. The whole of the world federation had to discuss this event and react ordingly.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Of course it''s not a problem."


    He hung up, then asked Zhang Hong about the current situation on Mars.


    By then, the members of the Zenith Dojo had already finished cleaning out thest of the bugs remaining on Mars, and they were helping out with the subsequent rebuilding. Most of the disciples had already returned, and the rest were remaining on Mars voluntarily.


    The mass production of the superior-grade limit-breaking potion had begun, and many of those disciples who had exchanged for that potion with the points they had earned had already obtained them.


    There was little in the Zenith Dojo that required his attention at the moment. Smiling, Zhang Lie returned to the third realm, by which time a day had passed. The draconian sage teleported to his side immediately.


    "The neighboring worlds have all sent envoys to seek our protection."


    The ''neighboring worlds'' that the draconian sage referred to were those that had been invaded by the members of Team Zenith and the warlords.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "They finally believe us now, do they?"


    These worlds had dragged out the draconian sage''s request initially, but now that the danger was nigh, they had no choice but to seek assistance from the draconian world.


    Zhang Lie certainly didn''t have any precognitive abilities¡ªhe was simply drawing from his experience from his past life.


    The worlds that had been invaded had few forces to their name, and they would be incapable of meeting the superior worlds'' request on their own. Most of their forces had beenmitted to fending off the warlords and members of Team Zenith.


    However, neither could they refuse the superior worlds'' request. Whatever aliens they could muster would be a weak force indeed, and there would be no hope for their survival against these death spirits from a superior world.


    As a result, their only chance of survival was to form an alliance with the draconian world, which boasted exceptionally strong forces like the members of Team Zenith and the warlords of the Milky Way.


    The draconian sage asked, "Do you want to meet them personally?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Let them wait. When I tried to reach out to them before, they did all they could to dy our meeting. If they want the protection of the draconian world, they should work for it."


    The draconian sage nodded. "Indeed¡ªthey do need some sense knocked into them."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Right, Sage, have you considered evolving the draconian world into a superior world?"


    "Yes, but didn''t you say that it wasn''t the right time for it when I brought it up?"


    "During the war between the death spirits and the other superior worlds would be rather good timing."


    The draconian sage thought about Zhang Lie''s suggestion. "Is there any danger to that n?"


    "Of course, but not during the war itself. The danger willeter, once the superior worlds have won."


    The draconian sage seemed open to the idea. "Let me consider it in more detail first."


    "I''ll leave the proofs of kingship I obtained over this period of time with you. Once you make up your mind, you can choose whether or not to evolve the world yourself."


    Zhang Lie tossed the proofs of kingship he had been keeping in his soulspace to the ground. There were so many of them that they formed a small mountain before him.


    Ever since Zhang Lie obtained monarch gene fragments and the members of Team Zenith their peak limit fragments, he had no reason to fear the kings of superior worlds any longer. In fact, Zhang Lie was eagerly anticipating potential fights with superior kings in the future.


    The draconian sage jumped up in shock upon seeing all the proofs of kingship before him.


    "Th-this many?" Just how many worlds had the members of Team Zenith and the warlords conquered in the meantime?


    After handing all those proofs of kingship to the draconian sage, Zhang Lie returned to his house and rested. Given his current strength and gene fragments, Zhang Lie didn''t need to rest at all, but he did so as a form of meditation and preparation before a huge battle.


    After ten continuous hours of meditation, Zhang Lie''s body reached peak performance. He opened his eyes to find the members of Team Zenith present with a group of aliens from other worlds. He headed to the entrance and opened the door. "What''s going on?"


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Captain, we were just about to find you."


    Yang Ze cried out in exasperation, "Captain, deal with these fellows, please! They''ve been bugging us all day!"


    ncing at the disparate aliens who weren''t native to the draconian world, Zhang Lie had a guess as to what they were doing here.


    "They''re seeking the protection of the draconian world in the uing war, aren''t they?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded immediately. "Do you know why they''vee to speak with you, Captain?"


    "More or less."


    They were unable to meet with the draconian sage, so they sought out the members of Team Zenith. The members of Team Zenith were unable to make such an important decision on their own, so they sought out Zhang Lie.


    One alien representative called out, "You were the ones who destroyed our world''s forces! That''s why we''re unable to field an army of sufficient strength for the uing war!"


    Zhang Lie sneered. "Whoever said that can scram. I won''t work with someone like that."


    Fang Yi snorted. "You might not be able to deal with these superior worlds easily, but do you think it''s much easier for us?"


    A formless aura pressed down on the alien representatives, causing them to shut up. They barely dared to breathe.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I understand your struggles. The superior worlds sent out notices with very little warning, and it''s difficult for all of you to face such an enemy without preparation."


    A bold alien representative spoke up. "We had no choice but toe over and seek out the draconian world for help. As aliens, you might not understand how threatening the superior worlds might be. None of us can go against them."


    The hunters of the Milky Way might not know much about the superior worlds, but the inhabitants of the third realm knew quite a bit about them.


    The other aliens nodded. "Even the envoy wasn''t someone any of us could dare to offend."


    One alien exaggerated, "Allegedly, arge world in the past once offended a superior world. In no less than a day, the entire world was eradicated¡ªleaving no trace of it behind."


    "One of our neighbors was impolite to the envoy that showed up, and half the world was destroyed..."


    The other aliens all looked at each other in fear.


    It looked as though Li Zongming had used brute force to transmit the message to the worlds under his jurisdiction more quickly¡ªbut if it were a superior world of antiquity, the entire world might have been annihted, not just half of it...

 Chapter 967: Pep Assembly

    <h4>Chapter 967: Pep Assembly</h4>


    Zhang Lieforted the alien representatives. "I know that all of you are afraid of what might happen¡ªand indeed, these death spirits the superior worlds are trying tobat are fearful.


    "But isn''t that natural? Even the superior worlds have to band together to take on this foe. The death spirits, which only thebined might of the three thousand worlds of the realm can take on, could hardly be anything but powerful.


    "The death spirits can''t be handled by any one superior world, nor even by all the superior worlds working together. I can''t imagine just how strong they really are," one representative said.


    The others nodded, thinking that his words were reasonable.


    Zhang Lie chuckled to himself.?Oh, really??The superior worlds were certainly sufficient to take on the threat¡ªthey simply didn''t want to do so. They were on guard against each other, and they''d much rather send lower worlds onto the battlefield as cannon fodder.


    "The death spirits aren''t a foe our ruined worlds can take on. That''s why we''re all here today."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Since everyone''s aware of how frightening the death spirits are, I won''t waste my breath. Beforehand, I reached out to all of you because I had heard about the war, intending to form an alliance."


    "How do you n to deal with this war?" The alien representatives all drew closer.


    Zhang Lie raised his voice. "The superior worlds, and the death spirits that even the superior worlds might not be handle¡ªboth are unassable foes that we can''t take on. This war will berger than any other in the third realm, in the past or in the future. Compared to these two forces, we''re nothing but cannon fodder. The only way we can survive is by banding together and forming an alliance."


    The alien representatives all nodded, thinking that Zhang Lie''s words were very reasonable.


    "Our worlds can''t hold a candle to those two monsters..."


    "We need to work together. We''re too weak to survive alone."


    "No matter how weak we are, we might be able to prevent ourbined destruction together."


    Of course, the primary reason the alien representatives were so receptive to this idea was that they could simply follow behind the draconian world, which boasted strong fighters like the members of Team Zenith and the warlords. If Zhang Lie, who seemed like a martial god, was speaking of his own insignificance in the war, they would be nothing more than dust on the battlefield.


    The only way they could survive would be by leeching off a stronger force¡ªthe draconian world.


    The formation of the coalition proceeded as smoothly as expected. Zhang Lie and the alien representatives settled on gathering the bulk of their strength and collectively epting the superior worlds'' summons.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie spoke to the warlords about his n. "Once the alien forces gather, you''ll set off together."


    The warlords didn''t understand the benefit the alien forces would bring to them. Xing Ying asked, "Why are we bringing along a group of useless fighters? They''ll slow us down."


    The warlords were well aware of Zhang Lie''sbat ability. Even if they were to apany him, they''d be holding him back¡ªlet alone those weak alien races.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''ll be working alone. These aliens are useless, which makes them perfect cannon fodder."


    If Zhang Lie were leading themand, he certainly wouldn''t agree to the presence of these weaklings, but Zhang Hanxiang would be in charge. Having more cannon fodder around wasn''t necessarily a bad thing; they didn''t need to do anything but block a blow and die.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Furthermore, there''s strength in numbers and perception, don''t you think?"


    None of the warlords disagreed with Zhang Lie, or rather, nothing would change even if they did.


    Zhang Lie then informed Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi of the news.


    The two women reacted differently. Hong Xi asked in surprise, "You''re setting off so quickly?" She had just finished maxing her gene fragments, and she was familiarizing herself with the structure of the third realm.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Hanxiang jumped up in excitement. "We''re finally setting off! I''ve waited for this for quite some time."


    "Prepare yourselves well. There''ll be a pep assembly once the aliens gather."


    In order to leech off the draconian world, the aliens gathered quickly before they could be left behind. They assembled in the draconian world, with the warlords standing guard around the stage.


    Zhang Lie stood on stage as he surveyed all the aliens present, meeting their expectant gazes. They had all assembled quickly with their strongest forces, fearing that Zhang Lie would leave them behind. Zhang Lie winced upon ncing through the crowd¡ªthe worlds had been devastated by the members of Team Zenith and the warlords, and the Worldpact Coalition they had formed had subsequently been crushed. As a result, they barely had any fighters left.


    Zhang Lie walked up on stage. The members of Team Zenith followed behind him.


    "Everyone, we will soon be embroiled in a war of mythic proportions, the likes of which have never been seen in the third realm. You''ll suffer through trial and trouble, but I believe that you can ovee it all. Unfortunately, I won''t be able to lead you on the battlefield."


    The aliens were confused, but they didn''t make a ruckus. Even without Zhang Lie, there were still the members of Team Zenith.


    "I will be leading the warlords to the frontlines with the superior worlds, and I regret that I won''t be able to fight with you. Command of the battlefield will pass to my sister, Zhang Hanxiang."


    Zhang Hanxiang marched onto stage and waved at the shocked aliens.


    The aliens were skeptical of Zhang Hanxiang''s strength, but they didn''t dare to raise an objection.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Everyone, please rest assured. I''m confident in my sister''s strength."


    After the members of Team Zenith consumed the peak limit-breaking potion and confirmed that there were no issues, Zhang Lie had Zhang Hanxiang consume the peak limit-breaking potion as well.


    At this point, Zhang Hanxiang was only slightly weaker than the members of Team Zenith, and she would have no trouble asserting her strength over the all-but-crippled aliens.


    "My sister will be assisted by my disciple, Hong Xi!"


    .


    Hong Xi walked up on stage and bowed to the crowd.


    "Next, the main fighters of the draconian army!"


    With a huge mor, a group of armored mammoths appeared on stage, with a huge group of greenskins to their left and bearmen to the right. In the middle were thebined human and draconian forces.


    The aliens were shocked by the intimidating stature of this formation. Many of the aliens turned pale¡ªthey had suffered under the rampage of the human and mammoth fighters.


    Nevertheless, given the intimidating nature of the forces, they were all at ease with regards to their odds of surviving the uing war.


    "It''s time to set off." With a wave of Zhang Lie''s hand, Zhu appeared with a huge mass of gic lifeforms in tow, most of which were peak- and superior-grade.


    The aliens nced at each other fearfully and prepared to fight.


    "Don''t worry," Zhang Lie called out. "These will be your allies in war, as well as your mounts to the battlefield."


    The aliens nced at each other again, this time in shock. For so many strong gic lifeforms to be nothing more than their mounts¡ªthey marveled at the might of Zhang Lie and the draconian world.

 Chapter 968: Overwhelming Strength

    <h4>Chapter 968: Overwhelming Strength</h4>


    The aliens believed that the members of Team Zenith and the warlords were the draconian world''s trump cards, but it seemed to have ess to far more than they had given it credit for.


    Zhang Lie had performed mass hypnosis on the gic lifeforms to allow them to convey the aliens and fight alongside them.


    The aliens excitedly picked out their own mounts. Subsequently, Zhang Lie waved his hand and announced, "Set off."


    The draconian world''s forces set off toward the Zongming world.


    Zhang Lie tugged on Zhang Hanxiang and whispered to her, "You''re aware that the members of Team Zenith won''t be participating in battle with you, right?"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "I understand. You told me beforehand."


    "If the aliens ask what they''re doing, tell them that they''re on a secret mission."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded.


    The aliens had chosen to ally with the draconian world because they thought the draconian world''s forces would be strong and dependable. However, none of Zhang Lie, the warlords, or the members of Team Zenith would be present on the battlefield with them. If the aliens were aware of this, it would be far more difficult for Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi tomand them all.


    Neither woman had disyed their full strength to the aliens, and it would be difficult to get them to sumb to theirmand.


    On the other hand, the excuse that Team Zenith was taking part in a secret mission was one that could be repeatedly used for quite some time before the aliens started to doubt Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi. As long as they showcased their strength in battle by then, the aliens would naturally ept theirmand.


    "I''ll present you and Hong Xi with a specialized mount." Zhang Lie beckoned the disaster-grade multicolored dragon over.


    Zhang Hanxiang gulped. "Brother, isn''t this your mount?"


    "I''ll lend it to you for the time being. Remember to return it."


    After consuming a portion of world''s energy, the disaster-grade dragon was barely weaker than Zhang Hanxiang herself, and it would be able to protect them both.


    "Thank you, Brother!"


    It would take some time for the aliens to reach the Zongming world. Before then, Zhang Lie and Gold Comet headed somewhere else¡ªthe scaleman world.


    Gold Comet''s speed meant that they reached the scaleman world in the blink of an eye.


    There wererge numbers of alien fighters gathered around the scaleman capital, suggesting that they too were preparing to respond to the superior worlds'' summons.


    There were quite a number of alien troops present. It was clear that the scaleman world had done what the draconian world did. It had gathered together the forces of those nearby worlds that had been invaded by the ck spirits to form a coalition.


    The king of the scaleman world stood on stage as he orated, "All of our worlds have been destroyed or invaded by the ck spirits. Even after my master destroyed the ck spirits, the mastermind behind this invasion remains¡ªthe death spirits."


    The alien fighters'' eyes shone with vengeance. The ck spirits had destroyed their homeworlds and converted their friends and family into monsters.


    The scaleman king exined that the ck spirits had merely been a tool of the death spirits, who had yet to suffer any consequences for their actions.


    "We won''t allow the death spirits to do as they please. Those who destroyed our homnd and killed our people shall die for their actions!"


    The fighters who had had no ce to vent their hatred and anger after the invasion gathered in droves. As the nearby worlds learned of this information, huge swathes of warriors joined the scaleman coalition. Either the death spirits would be killed to thest, or they would be.


    Suddenly, the king looked up at the sky, having sensed Zhang Lie''s arrival.


    Zhang Lie made no motion to hide his presence. He teleported over to the scaleman king''s side, who asked him excitedly, "Master, are you here to fight with me?"


    Zhang Lie would be superior to ten million ordinary fighters.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m here to inform you that the war against the death spirits is on the horizon."


    "Right now?" the scaleman king exined, shocked.


    "No, not yet. Once the superior worlds enter a heated confrontation with the death spirits, once they''re unable to extricate themselves¡ªthat''s when you have to evolve your world. I won''t be able to inform you of the best timing, since I''ll be on the battlefield myself, but don''t worry. With the right timing, they''ll be far too busy to prevent your world''s evolution."


    The scaleman king nodded. "I''ll seize this opportunity. Thank you, Master."


    "You must. If you miss this opportunity, your world will never be able to evolve."


    Before his meeting with Zhang Lie, the scaleman king only had a vague understanding of a superior world and what it entailed, but after the summons, he desperately sought to evolve his world.


    Why did all the worlds have to respond to the superior worlds'' summons? Because the superior worlds were the strongest of all. The scaleman king had never thought his world inferior to any other, but after meeting an envoy from a superior world, he realized that there were existences above even him.


    Those who became kings of the realm wanted to rule, not to be ruled over.


    They were able to convey their authority at least within their worlds¡ªbut now that the scaleman king had identified an authority thaty above his, he couldn''t stand it. He immediately thought about what Zhang Lie had brought up once, evolving his world to a superior one.


    "I have my own objectives to aplish, so I''ll be leaving now."


    Gold Comet morphed into a dazzling beam of golden light, which shot out into the horizon. In the blink of an eye, they had returned to the Zongming world.


    Many aliens had already gathered in the Zongming world. Zhang Lie headed up the mountain to the pce at its peak, where he found Li Zongming.


    "It looks like you''ve mustered up most of the forces already."


    Li Zongming shrugged. "I also terrorized quite a few recalcitrant worlds."


    "I heard you destroyed half a world."


    There was no choice, after all; if he failed to amass enough forces quickly, the other superior worlds would surely try to cast me upon him.


    Li Zongming said, "It''s been a few days since Qianlinst saw you. Will you talk to her now?"


    "I''m nning on doing so."


    Zhang Lie zipped off toward Li Qianlin''s rooms. He spread his arms wide and asked, "It''s been a few years. Won''t you give me a hug?"


    Li Qianlin grumbled, "What do you mean, a few years? It''s been just a few days!"


    "A day without you is like a year lost to me."


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "Is the war about to start?"


    "Almost. Once the stragglers arrive, we''ll set off."


    Li Qianlin began, "This war¡ª"

 Chapter 969: An Oration of War

    <h4>Chapter 969: An Oration of War</h4>


    Zhang Lie patted Li Qianlin. "Don''t worry. I''m not so weak that I''d lose to these death spirits. We''ll surely win this war¡ªbut let''s not talk about the war for today."


    After chatting with Li Qianlin for a while, Zhang Lie returned to the pce.


    "How''s the attendance so far?" he asked Li Zongming.


    "Roughly 70% of all worlds have already sent their troops over. Have the draconian world''s forces arrived yet?"


    Zhang Lie looked toward the outskirts of the pce. "I think it''s about time."


    Li Zongming ?walked outside the pce. "It feels as though a massive army is making their way here."


    A hubbub rang out from a nearby wormhole as a huge army arrived. Each warrior was mounted on a gic lifeform, and the number of warriors present shocked all the other aliens who had gathered.


    Zhang Lie''s gazended on the disaster-grade multicolored dragon as he smiled. "Here they are."


    Li Zongming nced at them. "Very good. The main forces have a ir and panache that wouldn''t lose out to a superior world''s forces."


    The draconian world''s army proceeded to the staging area, guided by representatives from the Zongming world.


    "Aren''t you going to meet with them?" Li Zongming asked.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The war''s about to start. There''s no need."


    Even more troops arrived from another wormhole. Li Zongming remarked with surprise, "It looks like you''re not the only world bringing so many troops."


    A huge army poured out from that wormhole, each fighter''s eyes burning with hatred. Zhang Lie recognized that that army came from the scaleman world.


    A boggling number of fighters had gathered in the Zongming world. Even if each world only supplied a thousand fighters, Li Zongming''s jurisdiction extended over three hundred worlds¡ªgiving rise to a massive army of 300,000.


    Li Zongming hadn''t established a quota for the number of fighters to be supplied by each world, but it looked as though the worlds had supplied an average of three thousand fighters each. In other words, Li Zongming had gathered an army almost a million strong.


    When the flow of fighters into the world slowed to a trickle, Li Zongming stepped forward and ascended into the air. He hovered above the staging area, his voice echoing and resounding through the whole of the Zongming world.


    "I believe all of you are familiar with the enemy we face in this war: demons who are attempting to take over the realm. One world''s strength alone is insufficient to stop these demons, and we have to work together to prevent them from taking over and destroying our worlds. We have to fight together, to resist the incursion of the death spirits..."


    Li Zongming had prepared a passionate speech that dramatically raised the fighters'' morale.


    "We cannot allow the death spirit king to realize his ambitions. The realm consists of three thousand worlds, of millions and billions of lifeforms¡ªall of whom will perish if the death spirit king seeds. He''ll devour the wills of our worlds, converting all of us into ck spirits, a fate worse than death. We have to prevent this tragedy from unfolding."


    The most passionate among the fighters were undoubtedly those that hade from the scaleman world. Many of the fighters had been victims of the ck spirits'' invasion, and they had personally experienced the destruction the death spirit king nned to wreak.


    "Destroy the death spirits! Kill the death spirit king!" the scaleman fighters shouted.


    The other aliens, roused by the atmosphere, echoed, "Destroy the death spirits! Kill the death spirit king!"


    "Destroy the death spirits! Kill the death spirit king!"


    Their voices echoed through the sky.


    Li Zongming sped both hands behind his back. As the fighters'' emotions soared, he waved a hand and invoked his authority as the king to establish a wide passage.


    Zhang Lie appeared behind Li Zongming and shouted, "Warlords, gather!"


    "Yes, Captain!" The warlords of the draconian world stepped forward.


    Li Zongming nodded. "Forces of the Zongming world, gather!"


    As Li Zongming''s voice echoed through the air, tens of thousands of forces from the Zongming world gathered. Zhang Lie nced at them. Although they had suffered greatly during the xuluo invasion, they had recovered and grown stronger in the two years since.


    Li Zongming dered, "In the uing war, you''ll listen to Zhang Lie''smands and fight alongside his warlords. If hemands you to die, you die without any hesitation. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, your majesty!" the Zongming world''s fighters chorused.


    They had personally witnessed Zhang Lie defending the Zongming world, and many of the fighters treated him like an idol.


    Li Zongming patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. "Be careful on the battlefield."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Don''t worry, I''m stronger than you are. Nothing will happen to me."


    Li Zongming was like a father watching his son go to war. "Be careful of the death spirits and death spirit king¡ªbut be even more careful of our supposed ''allies''. None of the other superior worlds are trustworthy. Betray them if you find an opportunity, but above all, make sure youe back safely."


    "I understand," Zhang Lie replied. It was he who had emphasized to Li Zongming once and again that the death spirits'' enemies weren''t necessarily allies.


    "In that case," Li Zongming replied, turning and shouting toward the gathered forces, "we set off immediately!"


    With a wave of his hand, the forces began marching toward the wormhole.


    "Warlords and troops of the Zongming world, follow me!" Zhang Lie was the first to step into the wormhole, followed swiftly by the warlords and Zongming forces. The aliens followed in a long trail behind them.


    The huge wormhole that appeared before their eyes would lead them straight from the Zongming world to the frontlines of the battlefield.


    The captain of the Zongming forces walked up to Zhang Lie. "Prince Consort, would you be willing to give me an autograph! I''m a fan of yours, and I''m very grateful you protected our world on our behalf. Without you, the Zongming world would have been destroyed."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Prince consort¡ªwho told you to call me that?"


    The Zongming captain replied, "His majesty told us to. Do you dislike the term, Commander?"


    "Ah¡ªI suppose it''s alright. Where do you want the autograph?"


    The Zongming captain puffed up his chest. "On my armor, please!"


    Zhang Lie extended a finger. With his gic energy, he engraved his name on the armor.


    "Us too, us too!" The other Zongming warriors, seeing that Zhang Lie was down to earth and perfectly willing to interact with lowly fighters like them, immediately badgered him for an autograph as well.


    By the time Zhang Lie finished giving everyone an autograph, they were at the exit to the wormhole.


    Zhang Lie was initially surprised that the exit of the wormhole led to another world. When he drew closer, he realized that it was instead the remnants of a shattered battlefield.


    Huge chunks of rock and stone floated in the void like debris. Forests and rivers had been destroyed, and countless battered weapons were scattered through the space. There were clear signs that a battle had taken ce, but no corpses to be found in sight.


    The shattered battlefield before them couldn''t have been formed by the annihtion of one or two worlds¡ªthere had to be at least three to five in the vicinity that had all been destroyed. This battlefield might even be the ruins of Blood Heaven, the world of the blood king, who had fallen to the death spirits...

 Chapter 970: The Shattered Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 970: The Shattered Battlefield</h4>


    Zhang Lie suddenly sensed a disturbance and frowned. "Who''s there?"


    The forces that apanied Zhang Lie now gathered behind him, eyes alert, ready for a battle to break out at any moment.


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Show yourself! Don''t force me to act!"


    Light glinted. A throwing knife imbued with frost shot toward Zhang Lie from behind a boulder.


    Snow poured from the air. The temperature in the air suddenly dipped, as though it was suddenly the deep of winter. The throwing knife froze everything it passed through, leaving a thickyer of ice along its path.


    "You must have a death wish!" Zhang Lie called out. Water-attuned gic energy gathered by his fingertips as he swung his arm.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth. His technique sundered the ice and split apart any boulders along its trajectory. Subsequently, the pale blue shark opened its bloody maw wide.


    "Hold on! We''re allies!"


    The shark stopped short. Its maw was still wide open, but it didn''t chomp down.


    Behind a boulder was an armored frost spirit, pale blue and with a half-ethereal body. He emitted an aura of frost as he floated in the air like a ghost. He raised both hands high, an apologetic expression on his face, and a troop of frost spirits followed behind him.


    Zhang Lie chuckled. "Allies, you say?"


    The frost spirit at the frontughed wryly. "It was just a joke¡ªdon''t take it so seriously."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Do you think you''d still be alive if I were taking it seriously?"


    The shark drew closer. As the frost spirit looked into row upon row of sharp teeth, it grimaced.


    The shark formed from gic energy was sorge that, if it bit down, both he and the frost spirits cowering behind him would all be devoured in a single gulp. If he could sweat, his forehead would be dripping.


    "I only wanted to see for myself how strong your forces were, and whether or not you qualify to work with us."


    Zhang Lie sneered. "Is that so? More like you wanted to intimidate us or even kill us outright."


    "No, no, I wouldn''t dare!" the frost spirit cried, waving his hands frantically in disagreement.


    He really did just want to test the humans'' forces, not realizing that Zhang Lie was so strong or that his retaliation would be so swift.


    Zhang Lie called out harshly, "And what do you think you should do after you''ve realized that you''ve made a mistake? Didn''t anyone teach you that?"


    The frost spirit immediately apologized. "I''m sorry, I''ve made a mistake! We''ve made a mistake!"


    Zhang Lie grudgingly dispelled the shark, and the frost spirits gulped in a breath of relief. They felt as though they had somehow survived a cmity.


    Zhang Lie snorted. "You guys really enjoy ying with fire, don''t you? It''s fortunate you met me rather than someone else¡ªyou''d be dead a hundred times over by now otherwise."


    The frost spirits thought to themselves,?You''re not much better.


    "If the frost spirits are here, are the other races here, too?"


    The leader of the frost spirits replied, "The creatures from the unclean world are here as well, but I don''t suppose you want to work with them."


    Creatures from the unclean world¡ª those monstrosities? Zhang Lie recalled the mutated growths and abominations that he had seen birthed from the king of evil''s flesh: limbs without bodies, rolling heads, and struggling kidney-shaped objects with gills.


    Indeed, Zhang Lie had no interest in seeing those monstrosities at all. If he did, he didn''t think he would be able to eat anything for the next day.


    "Why?" Zhang Hanxiang asked.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "They indiscriminately devour any lifeform they see. Remember, during the war, don''t ever get close to the unclean world''s forces. They won''t care if you''re friend or foe¡ªand be wary of the world of ck fog as well."


    This was precious experience that he had learned in his past life during the war against the death spirits. Zhang Lie had seen those monstrosities devour anything in their path with his own eyes.


    The monstrosities from the unclean world were exceptionally dangerous, but they were also a strong tool against the death spirits.


    One of the most problematic aspects of fighting the death spirits was that any corpses and captives would be converted into ck spirits. Captives were guaranteed to transform, whereas corpses had a varying chance of transforming depending on their strength. Weaker corpses who failed to transform would instead be void spirits.


    The monstrosities from the unclean world were vicious existences that countered the death spirits to a considerable extent. They could devour ck spirits to augment their own strength, and even if they were to die, they wouldn''t leave a corpse behind. They would turn into gray fluid, which the death spirits could do nothing about.


    The ck shadows of the world of ck fog were much the same. After they died, they would vanish in a puff of ck fog, so the death spirits were unable to augment their numbers.


    Many of the superior worlds'' forces had participated in the initial war to barricade the death spirits, and they had some experience working with the others.


    The frost spirit remarked in surprise, "Ah, you''re aware of the characteristics of the monstrosities of the unclean world and the ck shadows from the world of ck fog? How did you know?"


    The frost spirits were very surprised. Given Zhang Lie''s strength, they would have heard of him if he had been among the superior worlds in the past.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I fought off those monstrosities during the meeting convened by the superior kings."


    Zhang Hanxiang gave off an aura of frost, one that attracted the frost spirits to her.


    The leader of the frost spirits warned, "Is that so? I''ll give you a warning, then. Be careful of the unclean world and the world of ck fog. If you''re ever consumed by those lifeforms, you''re done for.


    "Even if your superior king personally tries to reim you, all he''ll get back is a monstrosity, or a figure wreathed in ck shadow. There''s nothing anyone can do at that point¡ªthe transformation is irreversible."


    The frost spirits were clearly very familiar with what would happen. Likely, this was something that they had seen quite a few times.


    In this war, everyone would have to be wary of not just the threat of the death spirits, but also of their allies. The frost spirits had drilled that lesson into everyone''s heads the moments they stepped onto the shattered battlefield...

 Chapter 971: The Frost Spirits Commander

    <h4>Chapter 971: The Frost Spirits'' Commander</h4>


    Zhang Liemanded, "Bring me toward your camp. I''d like to meet yourmander."


    The armored frost spirit asked, "You want to see our general?"


    "I do."


    The frost spirit nodded. "Very well. I''ll lead you there immediately."


    The frost spirits brought Zhang Lie and the warlords toward the alien encampment, which had been built atop a massive chunk of ground and rock.


    Upon witnessing the arrival of Zhang Lie and his forces, the aliens looked toward him in a jumble of intent: some scrutinized him, judged him, curiously looked at him, warily looked at him, stared angrily at him, were cautious around him...


    Zhang Lie instructed his troops, "Have a rest nearby for now. I''ll meet with the frost spirits''mander."


    The frost spirits brought Zhang Lie past the aliens, toward the heart of the encampment, a region sealed by ice. A chilly wind swept across them as the temperature of the air dropped precipitously. Zhang Lie''s strength meant that he could bear with the change in the environment without any ill effects.


    The frost spirits all lived in igloos. Many of them floated out of their igloos and considered Zhang Lie curiously.


    The armored frost spirit beckoned Zhang Lie to the center of the icy region. A ciery there, and atop the cier was a castle carved out of ice.


    The armored frost spirit stood at the entrance to the castle and reported loudly, "General, themander of the Zongming world would like to request an audience!"


    A frigid breeze blew by as the gate to the castle opened wide. An authoritative voice spoke, "Enter."


    The armored frost spirit brought Zhang Lie into the castle. Just like its exterior, its interior was pure ice, including all decorations and ornamentations. They entered a throne room deep within the castle, where a three-meter tall frost spirit sat on a throne.


    Unlike the other frost spirits, the frost spiritmander''s body looked solid and physical, rather than ethereal. He wore armor carved out of evesting ice, with a dragonskin cloak tied around his neck, and he looked intimidating and imposing.


    This was the frost spirits''mander, general of the white world.


    Zhang Lie and themander considered each other.


    Given the aura of rime and frost the frost spirits''mander was emitting, it seemed as though he was almost at the level of a superior king, much like the four great lords of the xuluo.


    The armored frost spirit bowed. "I''ll depart and await further orders, Commander."


    Themander turned to Zhang Lie "I expect my men treated you politely."


    Did a sneak attack count as being impolite?


    Themander continued, "Your troops are rathercking in number, I see."


    The white world had contributed a million troops, whereas Zhang Lie had brought roughly 900,000. The difference wasn''t particrly significant.


    In fact, they had gathered about the same number of alien forces from their respective jurisdictions. The Zongming world''s summons had been particrly effective thanks to the scaleman world and its neighbors seeking revenge; the difference in troops came down to what the respective superior worlds could supply.


    The frost spirits'' general said, "The Zongming world is a newly evolved world, after all, and I understand it might not have too many forces to spare. I didn''t expect anything of you in battle, so it doesn''t matter."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "The Zongming world might be a newly evolved world, but that doesn''t mean our forces are inferior. We''ve brought less troops not because we can''t bring more, but because more would be unnecessary."


    "Hoh? It looks like you''re rather arrogant, aren''t you?"


    "There''s simply no need to bring more troops than I''ve already gathered. You don''t have to worry about our strength, either¡ªI can beat your million troops by myself."


    The frost spirits''manderughed. "Ha! I''ll look forward to the demonstration of your strength inbat, then."


    "What''s the situation like?"


    "On the battlefield?"


    "Where else?"


    The frost spiritmander shared whatever information he had. After all, they wererades in battle, and regardless of how much the frost spiritmander looked down on the Zongming world''s forces, it didn''t make sense to cause any conflict at the moment.


    "The death spirit king recently destroyed Blood Heaven and is still in the process of digesting his spoils. This shattered battlefield is the remnants of Blood Heaven, which was destroyed during the fight between the death spirit king and the blood king.


    "There are four different factions currently present on the battlefield: the Zongming world''s, the white world''s, the death spirits'', and finally¡ª"


    "What''s thest faction?" Zhang Lie was quite curious.


    "¡ªthe remnants of the blood world''s forces," themander replied.


    Zhang Lie blinked in surprise. "There are troops who survived the battle?"


    "They''re partlyposed of citizens who managed to escape while the death spirits were attacking, and partlyposed of warriors from Blood Heaven. Regardless of their provenance, they''ve all joined the forces against the death spirits."


    The frost spiritmander asked, "Can you share your ns for the battles ahead?"


    "I haven''t made any special arrangements. At the moment, we''re simply waiting for the forces from other worlds to arrive."


    Suddenly, there was a hubbub from outside the castle. The frost spiritmander frowned and raised his voice. "What''s going on?"


    A frost spirit scout rushed into the throne room. "Commander, something''s wrong! The death spirits are attacking!"


    The frost spiritmander smirked. "It looks like our opponents aren''t going to give us time to get ready."


    Zhang Lie and the frost spiritmander marched out of the castle to see a hundred ck octahedral crystals floating toward them from the skies.


    The octahedral crystals looked like two square pyramids joined together at their base, one inverted and one not. Around each octahedral crystal floated three small pyramids. Zhang Lie had seen these octahedral crystals before¡ªthey were the battleships that the death spirits employed.


    "It''s time that we prepare for battle," the frost spiritmander shouted.


    Zhang Lie shattered space and emerged at the center of the Zongming world''s forces, shocking everyone in sight.


    Zhang Lie didn''t have time to exin. "Prepare for battle!"


    The warlords mobilized immediately, and Hong Xi began dividing the aliens into mobile forces.


    As expected, the superior worlds'' forces were far more used to such rapid deployment. As they were starting to get ready, the superior worlds'' forces had already set off¡ªincluding a group of limbs without bodies, rolling heads, and struggling kidney-shaped objects with gills.


    Waves of these monstrosities poured out from a corner of the battlefield, numbering a million in total. The alien forces that were in front of the monstrosities shrieked as they ran off in fear. The slower among them were devoured directly by the monstrosities, shocking everyone else in sight. It was as though the monstrosities were enemies rather than allies.


    Those troops that were devoured by the monstrosities underwent a monstrous transformation themselves, and they also began attacking their allies. The monstrosities swept up everything in their path like a flood as they headed toward the death spirits'' battleships...

 Chapter 972: Cannon Fodder First

    <h4>Chapter 972: Cannon Fodder First</h4>


    Zhang Lie grimaced. "Ignore themotion. As I mentioned earlier, don''t approach the world of ck fog or the unclean worlds'' forces. Beware of the death spirits¡ªbut also of our allies."


    The draconians and various aliens gulped. Although Zhang Lie had warned all of them before, there was a marked difference between a verbal warning and what they were observing before their very eyes.


    In thest big war in the third realm, many such aliens had been devoured by the unclean world''s monstrosities unknowingly.


    The aliens representing the Zongming world breathed a sigh of relief that they were far from the path of those monstrosities, who treated all the aliens like nothing but cannon fodder. Either the aliens would charge into the enemy lines out of fright, or they would transform into monstrosities themselves and bolster the unclean world''s strength.


    Many would rather die than be such monstrosities.


    The monstrosities didn''t seem to have a single leader ormander; they dominated the battlefield by sheer numbers.


    The frost spirits had also finished their preparations and set off. Compared to the monstrosities of the unclean world, the frost spirits were far more normal.


    Snow began to fall over the battlefield, and a blizzard roared. The frost spirits'' forces charged forward amidst the blizzard, each riding on a spectral, snowy-white horse. The frost spiritmander followed on a massive chariot. The frost spirits were the vanguard of their forces; the aliens they controlled followed tightly behind.


    Hong Xi reported, "Master, our preparations areplete!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We''ll set off immediately! Don''t lose out to the other superior worlds'' forces and have them look down on you."


    Following Zhang Lie''smand, the warlords took the lead. Zhang Hanxiang shouted, "Charge!"


    The aliens and draconians set off together, the aliens surrounding the draconians, and the draconians surrounding Zhang Hanxiang. This was a formation Zhang Lie had devised.


    Zhang Hanxiang wondered, "Hold on, asmander, why am I in the middle of the Zongming forces? Shouldn''t I be at the vanguard?"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes. "That''s not your role. You need to be thinking about how best to reposition our forces and to deal with unexpected variables in battle, not participating in directbat."


    Zhang Hanxiang gritted her teeth. "I feel like I''ve been scammed!"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes.


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "Brother said that you''d aid me, didn''t he? What if you became themander and I participated in the vanguard instead?"


    "That''s ridiculous! Look at the situation before us. Do you think it''s reasonable for us to charge forward?"


    Zhang Hanxiang scowled. "Isn''t everyone doing that? Even Brother and the warlords are right there in front! Why can''t we do the same? This is unfair!"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes again. "Those on the frontlines will die first."


    "But then, why would the other two superior worlds'' forces try to take the lead? If we don''t catch up, we''re going to lose out!"


    "The unclean world''s monstrosities are thoughtless, and the frost spirits are overconfident in their strength. They haven''t analyzed their enemies carefully."


    As Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang spoke, the death spirits made their moves. The pyramids that hovered around each octahedral battleship shed with purple light.


    Hong Xi continued, "Whoever rushes forward now will die."


    All the battleships emitted purple light at once, dyeing the sky and battlefield a lurid purple.


    Xing Ying, who had been scouting at the front, reported, "It''s a high-energy attack!"


    The death spirits'' battleships finished charging up and shot beam after beam of purplesers toward the vanguard of the allied forces in a wave of screams and shouts.


    .


    A number of those beams shot toward Zhang Lie and the warlords. The warlords prepared to defend themselves¡ªonly to see Zhang Lie punch forward and dissipate the energy from thosesers.


    The warlords looked at Zhang Lie in shock. The purplesers had a frightening concentration of energy which even they could keenly sense. None of the warlords were confident in being able to shield against such a barrage by themselves, but Zhang Lie had easily done it.


    Zhang Lie looked toward the battlefield down below, which was suffering from theser barrage. He sighed. "Science truly does change war."


    The death spirit king was a madman, but he was also the only one in the third realm who could boast of significant research and investment into science.


    Compared to the death spirits, the other superior worlds might as well be barbarians. After all, the death spirit king and his research advancements had allowed him to break free of the control of all the other superior worlds.


    The charge of the allied forces waspletely crushed by the fuside of purplesers.


    Hong Xi shrugged. "Didn''t I tell you? Those people who rushed forward perished because of their haste."


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes widened. "Can you predict the future?"


    "No, of course not. I''m simply more careful¡ªmore experienced, let''s say. You''ll understand once you participate in more wars. The death spirits are an enemy that took all the other superior worlds to even handle. How could they fold so quickly? They would surely have some means of dealing with the vanguard."


    Hong Xi had had the Zongming forces hold back so that the unclean world''s monstrosities and the frost spirits could scout for them and uncover the death spirits'' repertoire of attacks.


    The frost spiritmander was aware of what the death spirits could do, but he nevertheless had his men charge forward because of absolute confidence in his own strength. He believed that he could handle whatever the death spirits could bring to bear against him¡ªbut the moment he saw his troops suffer and perish, he couldn''t sit still any longer.


    He punched forward as the temperature on the battlefield dropped precipitously. A white glow, like an avnche, split the sky. A flurry of snow blocked the purplesers as the frost spiritmander''s fist shot toward the death spirits'' octahedral battleships.


    The pyramids surrounding each battleship began to spin rapidly, forming hundreds of ck twisters that coalesced into one, forming a huge barrier against the avnche that threatened to overwhelm them.


    The frost spiritmander scowled. His attack had done nothing to the death spirits at all¡ªat this rate, the situation would spiral out of control...

 Chapter 973: Cruel and Unusual

    <h4>Chapter 973: Cruel and Unusual</h4>


    As Zhang Lie clenched his fists, the space all around him shook. Blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, filling up space and distorting it. Waves coalesced into a flood that enveloped the battlefield and smashed against the death spirits'' ck twisters.


    The ck twisters were dissipated by the pale-blue sea, resulting in an explosion of gic energy that shook the entire shattered battlefield.


    The boulders and chunks ofnd crashed into each other, sending rubble all over as though thend itself were splitting apart. The closest of the death spirits'' battleships suffered the most direct impact. They smashed into each other, buffeted by the shockwaves from the impact, and fell from the skies.


    Everyone looked open-mouthed at the source of the attack, Zhang Lie.


    That was frightening.


    The frost spiritmander himself was shocked. Zhang Lie''s attack was as strong as that of a superior king¡ªhe had only ever seen such destructive prowess from the frost queen herself. In that case, Zhang Lie''s own strength...


    The frost spiritmander simply couldn''t imagine that a newly evolved world could field such a strong troop¡ªit was inconceivable that the Zongming world could be so strong.


    From the frost spiritmander''s perspective, it was as though a that had just developed interster travel simultaneously possessed weapons strong enough to annihtes¡ªas though a newly founded kingdom somehow had ess to nuclear weapons and was using it in battle.


    Even the death spirits were perplexed. They didn''t know what to do, whether to keep fighting or to turn tail and run.


    The battlefield grew even more chaotic than before.


    Seizing the opportunity, the frost spiritmander shouted, "Everyone, charge!"


    Hong Xi also saw the opportunity to strike, and she toomanded the Zongming troops to charge forward. As expected of abat specialist, she had gained significant experience inmand during the second realm.


    The death spirits'' octahedral battleships, after a momentary panic, finally reorganized. By that point, however, the allied forces were already closing in on the death spirits.


    The death spirits responded quickly. Large quantities of ck spirits appeared from the skies, flooding the battlefield like the tide. They charged toward the superior worlds'' forces and shed with them.


    The most impactful sh wasn''t from the frost spirits or from Zhang Lie''s forces, but rather the monstrosities of the unclean world. The troops fleeing for their lives from the monstrosities were corralled toward the ck spirits and forced into a confrontation.


    Behind them was a horde of monstrosities pushing forward, as though two huge titans were about to crash against each other.


    The fleeing aliens either had to kill the ck spirits before them to escape the clutches of the monstrosities, or they would be devoured by the monstrosities and transformed into one of their number.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but pity the aliens who were trapped by the monstrosities, unable to escape from the front or the back.


    Even so, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to lend a helping hand. Cruel though this technique was, it significantly enhanced the aliens''bat ability. They were a ragtag bunch formed from the forces of various worlds, and it was unlikely that they would be able to aplish much beyond serving as cannon fodder or distractions for the ck spirits.


    The most important reason the superior worlds had gathered them here was to prevent them fromunching a sneak attack on the superior worlds while the war was ongoing.


    In truth, the war would be decided by the superior worlds.


    Unlike Zhang Lie''s past life, the death spirits'' forces hadn''t expanded all over the third realm, and there was no need forrge numbers of forces tobat the death spirits'' marauding parties.


    The unclean world''s hical methods forcibly united the alien troops: either they charged forward and ughtered everything in their path, or they would suffer a fate worse than death.


    hical though it might be, this method was umonly effective. The alien forces demonstrated surprising strength, almost on par with that of a superior world''s forces.


    Of course, Zhang Lie would never make use of such tactics with his own troops. Not only were such tactics hical and inhumane, there were scalemen among his troops, ones who acknowledged him as mentor and master to the king.


    Zhang Lie had a conscience; he was hardly like the mess of gray fluid or the king of evil, who had concocted such a psychopathic n.


    Although Zhang Lie made no motion to stop the monstrosities'' assault, Zhang Hanxiang could hardly remain as calm. "This is ridiculous! It''s a strategy right out of the middle ages¡ªthey''re treating the aliens like ves!"


    The crusades of the middle ages made use of ves as cannon fodder. Troops followed behind the ves on chariots, driving them forward with whips and spears.


    Of course, there were atrocities beyond even that. One of the most shocking tactics of war was to take civilians as prisoners of war and force them to assault enemy cities. If the enemy city refused to open its gates, the enemy civilians would be killed right before their eyes. If the enemy city opened its gates, then the allies would be able to take down the city without doing anything.


    Zhang Hanxiang was enraged. The draconians had been at peace since her entry into the third realm, and the human forces had focused on outward expansion. There was little inward strife, and the draconians and humans got along well. Zhang Hanxiang had a number of friends among the draconians and cordial rtions with the aliens of the draconian world...

 Chapter 974: Rules of Combat

    <h4>Chapter 974: Rules of Combat</h4>


    Upon witnessing the unclean world''s atrocities, the young Zhang Hanxiang couldn''t sit still.


    Zhang Lie noticed his sister''s unease, but he wasn''t too concerned.


    The superior worlds of antiquity treated everyone else as lower-ss citizens, though the king of evil was the most extreme even among the superior kings. In essence, the king of evil and the king of ck fog were both one step away from bing the next death spirit king¡ªthey simply hadn''t done anything that would warrant equally harsh censure yet.


    Zhang Hanxiang clenched her fists, cursing at her powerlessness, unable to do anything to change the aliens'' plight.


    The other aliens sighed upon witnessing what the unclean world''s monstrosities were up to. Weakness was original sin.


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes at Zhang Hanxiang. "You''re wrong."


    Zhang Hanxiang criticized, "Don''t you think these monstrosities are truly monstrous? All life should be respected¡ªthe ends don''t necessarily justify the means!"


    "No, you''re wrong."


    Zhang Hanxiang was so infuriated she began tough. "And where am I wrong? Surely you don''t think what they''re doing is just, or moral, or right!"


    Hong Xi responded calmly, "From an ethical standpoint, you''re quite right. However, you''re mistaken about two points. First, this isn''t a tactic aimed at ves. In ancient China, one tactic of war was to tie a torch to a bull''s tail, then to light it on fire. At that point, the bull will charge straight ahead, dealing as much damage as if it had a rider on it."


    "Then you''re simply treating these aliens like livestock!"


    These aliens were intelligent lifeforms too. How could Hong Xi justify treating them in such a manner? Zhang Hanxiang was stupefied.


    "I''m not discussing tactics of war with you, Hong Xi! You¡ªit''s like you''re turning into my brother!"


    Zhang Hanxiang was looking at the situation from the perspective of morality, and Hong Xi was treating it like a discussion of war tactics. It was as though one party had brought up love, and the other principles of physics.


    Hong Xi sniffed. "You''re mistaken again. If your brother were here, he wouldn''t even bother pointing out these mistakes¡ªhe''d just ignore you."


    Hong Xi frowned at herself. Even she felt as though she should have been more affected by the scene.


    "I expect the pressure and stress I''m suffering from having tomand such arge group of forces is taking its toll on me," she analyzed calmly. "My thoughts and emotions have changed."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "What''s the second mistake I made?"


    "Those aliens are warriors, not ves."


    Zhang Hanxiang: ...


    Hong Xi wasn''t wrong, but even so, the unclean world''s actions were too inhumane.


    Hong Xi shook her head. "I won''tment on others'' tactics. At the very least, if it means that my teammates andpanions will be saved, as themander, I''ll use the dirtiest tactics I know of."


    "I can''t say I agree with the unclean world''s tactics, but it is effective, and it benefits the rest of us. Don''t you think so?"


    Zhang Hanxiang didn''t know what to think. It was true that the unclean world''s underhanded tactics would prevent the death of some of their own forces. But was she to pity those warriors chased by the monstrosities, to get angry, or to be relieved?


    Hong Xi shrugged. "Victory in war is built on the bodies of the dead. Being overly merciful to others is equivalent to being cruel to ourselves."


    These monstrosities, which had been birthed by the king of evil, possessed near-limitless regenerative abilities. The ck spirits were unable to kill the monstrosities, but the monstrosities could easily devour the ck spirits.


    The only problem was that the monstrosities would also devour all allied forces in the vicinity. Of course, it was hardly as though they were invincible on the battlefield¡ªthe death spirits'' battleships had purplesers which would evaporate the gray fluid that constituted the monstrosities.


    At the start of the fight, before Zhang Lie could do anything, the purplesers had wiped out arge swathe of the monstrosities.


    The frost spiritmander screeched shrilly, summoning a blizzard as he did so. The sound waves seemed able to prate the souls of those who heard it, allies and enemies alike. Large patches of the ck spirits were frozen solid. Alien fighters rushed forward and shattered the ice.


    Compared to the unclean world''s tactics, the white world''s tactics were far more ordinary. The frost spirits and the alien fighters theymanded acted in harmony to take down the ck spirits.


    Whether the superior worlds'' forces behavedrgely like those of the unclean world or those of the white world remained to be seen.


    The death spirits unleashed another barrage of attacks.


    The warlords rushed forward, stepping through the air as they swept aside horde after horde of ck spirits.


    Whenever a death spirit battleship fell from the skies, it cracked open to unleash a new tide of ck spirits. As ck cloth bandages covered the battlefield, a group of death spirits, wearing ck cloaks, with ck masks over their faces and scepters in their hands, emerged from their battleships.


    "Are you cowards finally emerging from your shells?"


    After the death spirit king swallowed the will of his world, the death spirits grew far less populous than before. That,bined with the fact that they waged endless war, led Zhang Lie to suspect that each battleship wasmanded by just a single death spirit.


    The death spirits wore unusual masks, which gave off an unknown light. Affixed to the forehead of each mask was a mysterious tablet.


    The scepters in their hands were shaped like ankhs. They raised those scepters high into the air. Purple light gathered around the scepters and shot out through the eye of each ankh, straight at the heart of the allied forces.


    The allied forces continued charging forward, only to be blocked by ck bandages from the battleships.


    The death spirits looked toward Zhang Lie, hovering in the sky. Their eyes, like those of a cobra, seemed to pierce his soul.


    Zhang Lie ignored the death spirits. The pale blue gic energy around his body turned ck and rose from his body like ck fog.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The death spirits floated into the air. Three ck pyramids revolved around each one as they flew toward Zhang Lie.


    Gold Comet whizzed to Zhang Lie''s side, its wings whirring in a threatening fashion.


    Zhang Lie asked, "You want to participate in the battle?"


    Gold Comet held up its two scythes in the shape of a cross, nodding seriously.


    Zhang Lie patted Gold Comet''s back. "You''re my secret weapon, and I hadn''t nned on revealing your talents just yet, but if you want to participate, go right ahead!"

 Chapter 975: The Reinforcements Arrive

    <h4>Chapter 975: The Reinforcements Arrive</h4>


    The pyramids that revolved around the death spirits activated their protective protocols and spawned transparent shields around them.


    The death spirits looked around, perplexed by what was going on, when long scars suddenly appeared on the surfaces of the pyramids, causing them to fall from the sky.


    The death spirits began to sweat. Gold Comet had moved so quickly that none of the death spirits had been able to react. If not for the pyramids'' automated protective systems, the death spirits would have died.


    While the death spirits shook in fear, Gold Comet turned back and brandished its scythes in preparation for a second assault. Just as the death spirits raised their scepters, sparkling with purple light, their heads fell from their necks.


    After the ughter of the death spirits, Gold Comet flew toward the death spirits'' battleships. Scars began to appear on the surface of those ships, which likewise began to fall from the sky.


    Gold Comet whizzed through the air, criss-crossing the domain of the death spirits'' battleships. Where it flew by, a battleship would fall. It dominated over the battlefield, moving so quickly that no battleship could catch up to it. A banquet of ughter unfolded.


    The frost spiritmander was likewise in a heated battle, but he didn''t shine inparison to Zhang Lie and Gold Comet. Although he was close to the level of a superior king, that difference was a steep boundary he had yet to cross.


    As the scales of victory tipped toward the allied forces, something unusual urred.


    More and more octahedral battleships appeared in the sky, so densely packed that they appeared to be a ck cloud. Zhang Lie didn''t count them carefully, but there had to be at least a few hundreds of thousands of them.


    Even Zhang Lie couldn''t help but praise, "As expected of an existence that can destroy superior worlds¡ªthey have the power to back up their invasion."


    Even after destroying Blood Heaven, the death spirits were still able to keep fighting against the allied superior worlds.


    If any other pair of superior worlds were to fight with each other, they would both suffer massive losses and be unable to do anything for the short term. The death spirits, however, retained much of their power.


    It was evident that the death spirits had long since possessed power beyond that of an ordinary superior world. Furthermore, the death spirit king, who wielded the most power among the death spirits, had yet to make his appearance.


    Zhang Lie was getting a headache¡ªthe war against the death spirits was ying outpletely differentlypared to in his past life.


    .


    In his past life, the death spirits'' war had spread throughout the realm. Zhang Lie hadn''t participated in the initial assault, only in the subsequent resistance against the death spirits.


    If he remembered correctly, in his past life, the allied superior worlds had waged a particrlyrge battle against the death spirits. They had won, but it was a Pyrrhic victory, particrly for the alien forces. Only one in ten survived the mythical battle.


    The death spirits didn''t have an easy time, either. After the allied superior worlds suffered a tremendous defeat, they were forced to source more cannon fodder from the rest of the third realm.


    It was difficult for Zhang Lie to deal with so many battleships by himself. The pyramids that floated around the battleships merged into a cohesive whole, sparkling with purple light.


    Just then, behind the death spirits, wormhole after wormhole opened up.


    Blinding sunlight illuminated the shattered battlefield as thousands of suns appeared from one wormhole. On closer inspection, these suns turned out to be giant sunbirds, ring with golden light. Tens of thousands of chariots emerged, like a floodposed of sr res.


    The horses tethered to the chariots themselves gave off golden light. Their mane looked like golden mes. They galloped through the air, leaving a trail of me behind them. Within each chariot were mighty warriors dressed in golden armor. Despite the sr king''s odious personality, Zhang Lie had to admit that his troops had outstanding ir.


    The sr corps¡ªthese were the elite troops of the sr world,parable to the frost spirits'' army of the white world.


    During the meeting between the superior kings, Zhang Lie had destroyed fifty of these sunbirds in one fell swoop, but this was no major aplishment. They were elites of the sr king, but just that¡ªthey didn''t represent the forces that the sr king could truly bring to bear.


    In fact, the sr king had tens of thousands of such sunbirds¡ªtherger part of which was currently present on the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie had fought with the sr corps in his past life, and he had at least a basic understanding of them, though much of what he knew had been learned from hisrades-in-arms.


    The frost spiritmander gritted his teeth. "They sure picked a good time to appear."


    The suns in the sky burst with piercing light, creating a sr storm twenty times the size of the one Zhang Lie had experienced. The blinding light covered up the sky and illuminated the depths of space.


    The shattered battlefield trembled. Boulders were melted by the intense heat and light. Space was shot through. The golden storm swept through everything in sight like a disaster.


    The death spirits immediately shielded themselves with a barrier of ck twisters, which absorbed the power of the sr storm and turned golden. Tens of thousands of battleships stood firm against thousands of sunbirds. The battleships, thanks to their massive numerical advantage, were able to defend against the onught of light and heat.


    The frost spiritmander sneered. "For the good of the realm, brothers, we''d better help these weaklings!"


    The frost spiritmanderughed shrilly, summoning a blizzard and staggering the enemies with abination of bone-chilling frost and soul-piercing pain. Ayer of frost formed over the shattered battlefield, and the blizzard swept over the barrier formed by the death spirits'' battleships.


    The barrier was incapable of handling the simultaneous antipodal attacks, which exploded in a burst of heat and a wave of cold. Snow began to fall from the skies, but it melted and turned to rain before it couldnd on the ground.


    The frost spirits''bined attack, in conjunction with the thousands of sunbirds, was as strong as Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]. However, there were far more of the death spirits'' battleships to contend with here¡ªtens of thousands of them, as opposed to the hundreds that Zhang Lie had obliterated.


    The sr corps arced across the air in a stream of mes, leaving behind a glowing trail. The sr warriors held long spears, killing groups of ck spirits with every thrust.


    Any spirit struck by the spear would be burned by golden sr mes.


    A second wormhole opened, unleashing a huge group of aliens fleeing from something behind them with identical looks of terror on their faces. Behind the aliens was an outpouring of ck fog, which covered up half the battlefield near-instantly.

 Chapter 976: Ugly Giants

    <h4>Chapter 976: Ugly Giants</h4>


    Zhang Lie frowned. "We have a problem."


    Hong Xi, noticing the ck fog and recalling what Zhang Lie had said about it, immediatelymanded the troops to stay far away.


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, perplexed, "What''s the matter?"


    Hong Xi rolled her eyes. "You haven''t forgotten what your brother told you before the start of the war, have you?"


    Zhang Hanxiang still seemed confused. "Told me about what?"


    Hong Xi clutched her face and sighed. "That ck fog is pretty much the same as those monstrosities we saw."


    Zhang Hanxiang finally came to her senses. "There''s another king who treats these aliens like ves?"


    Hong Xi shrugged. "I''m not sure about that, but your brother specifically warned us about the monstrosities and the ck fog. I''d assume they behave simrly."


    Shadowy figures emerged from the ck fog. Whenever the ck fog swallowed up an alien, a shadowy figure would be birthed from the fog. The fog spread across the battlefield like a flood, continuously devouring more and more ck spirits.


    Those ck spirits that were swallowed up initially struggled and resisted the fog''s advance, but they quickly sumbed to whatever mysterious power undey the fog. The ck fog swallowed up the death spirits'' battleships, dragging them toward the ground as though it were a conscious, living mass.


    With the inclusion of the world of ck fog, it seemed as though the allied forces were bound to be victorious.


    Just then, the third wormhole opened up. A humongous group of aliens emerged from within, thergest group that Zhang Lie had seen.


    The aliens surged toward the ck spirits. One of them floated in the air. Just one nce was enough to reveal the unusual nature of this alien. Its thick lips; pale yellow skin withrge pores; coarse, curly hair; and thin, unusual ears gave the impression of a mountain goat. The lower half of its body was a mess of feelers and a tail.


    This strange alien gave off the same aura as the king of keys.


    The aliens itmanded rushed into the enemy formation like a group of wild beasts, ughtering whatever enemy was in sight.


    Quickly behind them followed the fourth group of forces.


    A huge pile of skeletons tumbled out of the wormhole in a wave. ck worms crawled through the bones, and countless aliens charged toward the ck spirits from above the sea of bones. Suddenly, the sea of bones itself seemed to swell, forming giantsposed of white bones.


    The giants waved their arms, smashing a death spirit battleship to pieces.


    The death spirits shot out their signature purplesers at the giants, who keened in pain. Holes perforated their bony bodies, only to be repaired by the sea of bones that flowed below them. With their bodies whole again, they continued taking down the death spirits'' battleships.


    A titanic figure appeared by the wormhole, but it was so massive it couldn''t pass through¡ªdespite the fact that the superior kings'' wormholes had a radius of hundreds of meters.


    A huge arm extended from within the wormhole and forcibly widened the opening. It was a pitch-ck figure with no defining characteristics to its body. On its back, it carried an equallyrge coffin.


    The frost spiritmander''s face turned rmed. "A coffin-carrier!"


    Themander of the sr corps was equally surprised. "The decaying king''s bringing out a coffin-carrier? It looks like he''s adamant about killing that fellow..." ?Themander of the sr corps nced toward Zhang Lie.


    As the pitch-ck figure strode forward, the aliens underneath its feet all scattered. Any ck spirit who dared to bar its path was stomped t. With the wave of its hands, the figure easily knocked aside the death spirits'' battleships, which exploded in the air in a shower of purple light.


    The remaining battleships in the vicinity all shot out their purplesers at the figure, but it didn''t seem to damage it at all. The coffin-carrier ignored the battleships and kept trudging forward.


    Meanwhile, a fifth wormhole opened up, revealing a group of monsters, ugly giants who howled relentlessly. Where their faces should have been was instead a thick tentacle. They were four- or five-armed, with ws instead of fingers.


    Their howls struck at a spiritual level, and all the aliens on the battlefield clutched their heads in pain, as though there were countless bugs crawling through their brains, filling their heads; as though their brains were host to a group of cockroaches devouring them from the inside out.


    Zhang Hanxiang saw feelers emerge from the eyes, ears, and nostrils of those around her. Noticing what was happening, Zhang Lie hurriedly shouted, "Cover up your ears¡ªwith gic energy or by any other means! Avoid listening to these howls!"


    The giants'' howls were somehow able to affect the genes of biological lifeforms. Hunters as strong as Zhang Lie were immune to the effects, but the forces that hemanded weren''t uniformly as strong.


    Zhang Lie found that even the frost spirits fighting alongside him were affected by the howls.


    The frost spirits were spiritual in nature, and it was almost inconceivable that they could be affected by the giants'' howls as well. Even more shockingly, the shadowy figures in the ck fog suffered the same effect. Feelers grew out of many of their heads, and an ugly, howling giant emerged from the ck fog.


    Many of the monstrosities from the unclean world likewise grew feelers and turned into ugly, howling giants.


    "Does this count as a food chain...?"


    The monstrosities and the ck fog devoured aliens, only to be countered by these giants. In that case, the giants were at the top of the food chain.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t understand the mechanism by which their howls affected others. It was shocking that even the frost spirits were affected.


    This was the first time the draconians had faced these giants, but the superior worlds'' forces were far more experienced. Themanders in charge of the allied forces immediately motioned for their fighters to seal their hearing.


    The sudden appearance of the giants caught all the forces by surprise, but themanders'' rapid response saved the majority of their forces, with only a few of them turning into giants.


    On the other hand, hundreds of aliens from the draconian world turned into giants. The moment one of them transformed, it began to howl, causing all those around it to transform as well.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "As expected, our ''allies'' might as well be our enemies. Fending everyone off simultaneously is a huge danger and a struggle..."


    A million giants emerged from the wormhole, apanied by not a single alien.

 Chapter 977: Zhang Hanxiang in Battle

    <h4>Chapter 977: Zhang Hanxiang in Battle</h4>


    Thinking back to the giants'' frightening howls, Zhang Lie instantly understood what was going on. He sighed inmiseration for the aliens in the territory of the king of chaos.


    It was clear that, while passing through the wormhole, all the aliens had been affected by the giants'' howls and transformed into giants themselves.


    In some sense, the world of chaos was worse than the unclean world and the world of ck fog. In thetter two worlds, the aliens were treated like nothing more than ves, but they at least had a chance to save their lives. No such possibility was afforded those of the world of chaos; the king of chaos treated the aliens of his jurisdiction like ants, whose lives were entirely irrelevant.


    Zhang Lie was certain that, if not for the fact that lower worlds had the possibility of advancing into superior worlds and fueling these superior worlds of antiquity with rare and precious superior world''s energy, the third realm would look entirely different than it currently did.


    The giants howled as they charged forward, but the ck spirits were immune to their howls. Either the death spirit king had been on guard against the king of chaos'' abilities and had prepared preventive measures ordingly, or the ck spirits themselves were immune because the giants'' howls were only effective to living beings, and the ck spirits didn''t count as alive.


    Zhang Lie was even more perplexed.


    Wouldn''t the frost spirits count as non-living beings too? Their bodies were ethereal, not corporeal¡ªand the monstrositiesposed of gray fluid and shadows in the ck fog, were those alive too?


    Zhang Lie''s gaze turned to the white bones that the decaying king controlled. Those bones were unaffected by the giants'' howls. However, those bones were surely dead. They were all simply being controlled by the decaying king''s powers.


    In that case, the giants'' howls wouldn''t have any effect on items. Were the ck spirits considered items?


    In the end, Zhang Lie settled on the conclusion that the death spirit king had done something to the ck spirits to immunize them from the giants'' howls, likely because he had suffered against them in the past.


    None of the death spirits'' battleships, or the death spirits inside, seemed to be affected either.


    Zhang Lie was speechless. The most danger he had faced on this battlefield to date hade not from the enemy, but from a purported ally. If these giants'' howls weren''t affecting the death spirits, why would they continue howling? Were the giants deliberately trying to weaken their allies?


    Zhang Lie had to admit that the giants possessed astonishing physical strength, each of which was on the level of a peak-grade lifeform.


    A million peak-grade lifeforms represented overwhelming strength, especiallypared to the ragtag groups of aliens that the other kings fielded. The army of giants was fit to be the forces of the strongest superior king, the king of chaos, whose howls could mass-produce forces on the level of peak-grade lifeforms.


    Suddenly, Xing Ying pointed at the sky. "What''s that?"


    At some point, a ck crescent moon had appeared in the sky. The tips of the crescent curved steadily up, as though someone were mocking the entire realm.


    ck blood dripped down from one tip of the crescent. Zhang Lie looked more carefully¡ªno, that wasn''t a moon at all, but a grinning bat on the level of a superior king!


    "As expected of the strongest king..." Zhang Lie could identify the bat''s strength based solely on its aura.


    It opened its sole fiery-red eye, which split into three. Just seeing those eyes made one''s body shudder. Even Zhang Lie was ovee by a split second of fear, whereas everyone else on the battlefield who looked at the bat suddenly froze.


    What had caused that sudden sensation of fear? Zhang Lie understood instantly. The bat had to have some special fearmongering ability. He immediately shouted, "Don''t look up!"


    Those whose minds were easily manipted were shocked stiff the moment they caught sight of the bat in the sky. Some were so scared that they began to urinate or defecate¡ªand the weakest even fell dead on the spot.


    As the ck bat terrorized the battlefield, the death spirits'' battleships began to explode in the air.


    "We can''t just sit here and do nothing. It''d ruin the name of the Zongming world." The other superior kings would look down on the Zongming world''s forces.


    Pitch-ck gic energy emanated from Zhang Lie, coalescing into a ck serpent that coiled around him. Its scales turned blood-red and horns protruded from its forehead as it morphed into a dragon of blood.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in rage andunched itself at the death spirits'' battleships, tearing them apart with its teeth and ws. The dragon shot all the way into the center of the formation of battleships.


    With a snap of Zhang Lie''s fingers, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion swallowed up the majority of the death spirits'' battleships, forming a ck hole that sucked in everything in sight.


    Once the ck hole reached a critical threshold, it shrunk down to the size of a pinhole and vanished from sight, leaving a vacuum behind. A storm manifested as the air itself cavitated. A hemispherical hole was left behind on the battlefield, as though a bomb with a few megatons of energy had just been detonated.


    The coffin-carrier, ck bat, frost spiritmander, and captain of the sr corps¡ªthe strongest troops that the various superior kings had sent out¡ªall looked toward Zhang Lie, the source of the destruction, with a variety of gobsmacked expressions on their faces.


    Zhang Lie smiled.


    The death spirits, having lost such arge fraction of their forces, didn''t dare to keep fighting. They released arge number of ck spirits to cover their trail as they fled. The frost spiritmander and captain of the sr corps simultaneously shouted, "Don''t let these fellows get away!"


    The aliens rushed forward, Zhang Hanxiang foremost among them. She waved her hands inplicated patterns, freezing the ck spirits and turning them into ice sculptures, which splintered and turned into crystalline flecks of ice.


    "Hey, don''t rush so far forward!"


    Hong Xi activated [The Elusive Moon], then followed swiftly behind Zhang Hanxiang with a superior-grade illusory leopard soulshard.


    Subsequently, she activated all herbat-oriented soulshards in one fell swoop. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right.


    Behind her, multicolored light red. The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a silver twister in the air, cutting apartrge swathes of the ck spirits.


    Zhang Hanxiang ignored Hong Xi''s shouts. Her hands shone with ice-attuned gic energy as she shot into the midst of the ck spirits. "I have to show my worth in a battle of this magnitude¡ªit makes no sense for me to remain in the center of the army, protected and coddled!"

 Chapter 978: Suppression and Repression

    <h4>Chapter 978: Suppression and Repression</h4>


    A blizzard formed around Zhang Hanxiang. Her hands glowed brightly in blue, freezing heaven and earth and sending the battlefield into the deep of winter. A burst of icy energy emanated from her, freezingrge patches of the ck spirits.


    "Didn''t I tell you already? You''re themander, and I''m your subordinate! Our role is tomand the army from beyond the midst of battle. If something happens to either of us, the entire army will cease to function!" As Hong Xi spoke, she formed a silver sword in her hand out of gic energy. "[The Hidden Moon]!"


    The sword, imbued with moonlight, seemed to cut apart a silvery veil in the sky.


    "You can stay back andmand!" Zhang Hanxiang skated over the frozen ground, her body as limber and agile as an acrobat''s. des of ice formed by her feet, which she shot at Zhang Lie.


    "I can''t! Captain told me to protect you, so don''t fool around!" Hong Xi waved her fan. Her sword glinted with moonlight, and she shot forward once more.


    "Ha! I rather think you want to demonstrate your prowess on the battlefield as well. Admit it!" Zhang Hanxiang waved her hand, sending out a flurry of ice spikes.


    If Zhang Lie were paying attention to the two women, he would surely have shot down toward them and teach them a lesson, but he had other things on his mind at the moment.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" Zhang Lie cocked back his left arm, channeling his gic energy into the attack, and sent its full force at the ck spirits.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred ck dragons flew into the air. They were fierce and domineering, their trajectories criss-crossing as they formed a ck flood across the sky.


    Just then, a group of blood-colored figures appeared in sight, emerging from the nks of the death spirits'' battleships and blocking their retreat.


    "Those are..."


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    Themander of the frost spirits remarked in shock, "Those are the remnants of Blood Heaven''s forces! What opportune timing."


    Coincidentally or otherwise, those forces blocked the death spirits'' retreat.


    "Charge forward! Take revenge for our destroyed world!"


    "Don''t leave even a single death spirit alive!"


    "Kill them all!"


    Their sessful sneak attack prevented the death spirits from escaping and caused them to incur significant losses. A titanic figure of blood stood tall and firm, dyeing the entire sky blood-red.


    With a wave of its hand, it knocked aside arge portion of the death spirits'' battleships and held them off long enough for Zhang Lie and the others to catch up. Zhang Lie''s ck dragons exploded in mid-air, buffeting the battleships with the ck energy of annihtion.


    The death spirits'' forces, surrounded by the forces of the nine other superior worlds, were ughtered to thest.


    Zhang Lie secretly kept a few battered death spirits'' battleships in his extra-dimensional storage, intending to analyze them carefully after the war was over.


    The leader of the sr corpsmented, "I thought that all of Blood Heaven''s forces would have been converted into ck spirits, but it looks like there were a group of you who managed to avoid their grasp."


    Zhang Lie scanned the remaining forces of Blood Heaven. The blood demons were tall and muscled, blood-colored all over, with ferocious expressions on their faces. The iron tang of blood surrounded them.


    Just like in Zhang Lie''s past life, Blood Heaven had been destroyed by the death spirits before the war began in earnest. However, in the past, there was no mention that a group of forces had survived and participated in the offense against the death spirits.


    "Could they have been on this battlefield in the past, too? In the past, the allied forces had won this battle, and there were no survivors, but now..."


    Clearly, things had changed because of Zhang Lie''s participation. In his past life, despite the allied forces'' victory, they had suffered great losses in this confrontation, but in this life, they had barely lost any troops. Zhang Lie''s arrival had transformed the direction of this battle.


    The captain of the sr corps continued, "And I could never have expected your survival, blood lord."


    The titanic, bloody figure shrunk down into the size of an ordinary, dark red blood demon.


    The blood lord replied, "If not for the blood king sacrificing his life to defend against the death spirit king and blocking his forces, I couldn''t have escaped with these blood demons."


    The captain of the sr corps frowned. "Are the death spirits so strong that even you and your men can''t stand against them?"


    The blood lord nodded. "They''re stronger than you can imagine."


    Zhang Lie interrupted, "We''re still on the battlefield, and we shouldn''t be discussing such matters right now."


    The other leaders nodded.


    The blood lord asked, "I''ve never seen your face. Who are you?"


    The blood lord couldn''t identify from which of the superior worlds Zhang Lie hade.


    "You''re certainly very strong. The only ones who would send subordinates on the level of a superior king to the battlefield are the strongest king, the king of chaos, or the most ancient king, the king of keys. The other superior kings don''t have such deep pockets, but it''s evident that you''re a subordinate of neither king. I can''t imagine which king you serve..."


    When he noticed Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi behind him, chasing after the rest of the ck spirits, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but frown. "I''ll talk to youter. I have some affairs to take care of immediately." Zhang Lie brusquely ended the conversation and flew off toward his own troops.


    The frost spiritmander suggested, "Once we''re done cleaning up the battlefield, let''s meet up and have a chat."


    The blood lord nodded. "I have important news to report to you all."


    Thebined forces of the nine superior worlds, along with the aliens of the three thousand worlds, easily dealt with the remnants of the ck spirits.


    After the end of the battle, Zhang Lie didn''t praise Hong Xi or Zhang Hanxiang. Instead, he sternly confronted them both. "Well done, my dear sister. As themander of the draconian world''s forces, you charged forward all by yourself into enemy territory, ughtering the ck spirits in your path and disying your prowess for all to see."


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "Ah, Brother, if you keep praising me like that, I''ll get embarrassed!"


    Zhang Lie red. "Do you think I''m praising you?!"


    Zhang Hanxiang lowered her head and wrung her hands as though she were a child who had made a mistake.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Hanxiang, you''re a woman. Why are you so absorbed in battle, so much more rash and rambunctious than even most men?"


    Zhang Hanxiang seriously considered her brother''s words for a moment. "It must be because I was deprived of such things in my childhood, so I craved them more as an adult..."

 Chapter 979: The Creation of Life

    <h4>Chapter 979: The Creation of Life</h4>


    In the past, Zhang Hanxiang had been incapable of bing a hunter. She had been trapped in a wheelchair, and now that she was free, all her pent-up emotions were slowly bubbling forth.


    Zhang Lie earnestly advised, "As themander, you should stay behind your troops. If anything were to happen to you, it''d be a devastating blow to the warriors youmand."


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "But Hong Xi''s there to help me! I might as well be a vase, just there to look pretty¡ªbut I''d much rather be like you, Brother, and fight against the death spirits with you!"


    Zhang Lie turned to Hong Xi. "Why didn''t you stop my sister? You even joined her!"


    "I tried, Master, but I couldn''t stop her."


    Zhang Hanxiang raised her head. "Brother, I want to fight as a hunter. When will I ever get the chance to participate in such a mythical war again? It would be pointless for me to be a vase on the battlefield, surrounded and protected by the draconian world''s forces. You surely want to see me develop as a hunter, don''t you?"


    Despite himself, Zhang Lie was starting to be convinced by his sister''s arguments. It was true that his sister would need to develop as a fighter, or she really would be nothing more than a pretty vase.


    "If you insist, I won''t deny you this opportunity. Make sure to be careful, and don''t go too crazy," Zhang Lie warned, sighing.


    He couldn''t spend too much time speaking with Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi¡ªhe had many affairs to take care of.


    "Hong Xi, deal with the troops. I''ll be meeting with the othermanders of the superior worlds'' forces." Zhang Lie soared through the air and vanished from sight.


    Hong Xi nodded as she began to make arrangements for the alien forces.


    After the battle, the shattered battlefield was destroyed to such an extent that it couldn''t even be described as ''shattered'' anymore¡ªmore like ''obliterated''. This was the result of the might that the superior worlds had disyed.


    Zhang Lie stood still before a patch of void. Shortly afterwards, the frost spiritmander, who had finished delegating his own responsibilities, arrived. "I didn''t expect you would be the first one here."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I left everything to my trustworthy subordinates."


    Not long after the frost spiritmander''s arrival, a figure glowing in gold, with shining armor and glittering golden hair, floated toward them. A golden ze followed his every step, as though his path had constructed a bridge arcing toward the void from far away. Zhang Lie recognized the figure as the captain of the sr corps.


    The captain scrutinized Zhang Lie. "You must be from the newly evolved superior world. Aren''t you going to introduce yourself?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "Why don''t you introduce yourself first? It''s basic courtesy, I should think."


    The captain of the sr corps chuckled coldly. "Didn''t you read up on your allies in battle before participating in the war?"


    Zhang Lie remained unperturbed. "I''m familiar with the various superior kings, but who are you?"


    The frost spiritmander chuckled to himself from the side.


    The captain of the sr corps sped both hands behind his back and puffed out his chest. "I''m the sr god''s right-hand man. You can call me the warlord of sun."


    "A warlord?"


    "Indeed!" The captain of the sr corps nodded proudly.


    Zhang Lie tutted to himself. "The world of zing sun must have rather low requirements for being deemed a warlord, then. I''d expect even my dog could be considered a warlord."


    The frost spiritmandermented idly, "I feel the same way. Can''t anyone from the world of zing sun be a warlord?"


    "A warlord, you say? You must have used your connections to get this position. Just how are you rted to the sr king?"


    The captain of the sr corps immediately grew incensed. Golden light zed from his body, spreading to and concentrating in his hair, which extended down his body like radiant golden mes.


    A sun manifested behind him. He extended his left hand, and a golden greatsword appeared in his grip. It was a construct of energy, but it looked and felt as though it were formed of gold.


    The frost spiritmander warned, "Warlord of Sun, I''m warning you now, we''re allies at the moment. If you strike your allies, you''re ignoring the truce that stands between us all¡ªand I won''t side with you when your reckoninges."


    The frost spiritmander made his attitude clear. If the captain of the sr corps were to do anything, he and Zhang Lie would ally against him.


    "Oh? What''s going on here to make our dear warlord of sun so mad?"


    An alien figure approached. Its thick lips; pale yellow skin withrge pores; coarse, curly hair; and thin, unusual ears gave the impression of a mountain goat. The lower half of its body was a mess of feelers and a tail.


    The captain of the sr corps snorted as he stowed his weapon away. If he were to strike now, he would be branded a traitor, an ally of the death spirits¡ªand he certainly didn''t think he could survive against thebined assault of the othermanders.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Your aura feels like that of the king of keys. You must be his subordinate, aren''t you?"


    The captain of the sr corps sneered. "You know nothing at all, don''t you? You were simply lucky to have evolved your world right before this cmity¡ªotherwise, you would never have seeded. You don''t even recognize his highness."


    "His highness?"


    The frost spiritmander exined, "He''s the son of the king of keys."


    "The king of keys can produce heirs?!" Zhang Lie was stupefied.


    The king of keys wasn''t a biological lifeform¡ªat its heart, the king of keys was a manifestation of a will of the world.


    Either the will of the world had somehow gained intelligence of its own, or that intelligence represented remnants of the king''s mind upon fusing himself to the will of the world. No matter what, after meeting the king of keys for himself, Zhang Lie was confident that it was no living being. It could be considered the amalgamation of a million worlds, or even a gate or portal to those worlds¡ªbut it wasn''t alive.


    For such an entity to produce a son, especially one who seemed like a chimera of various alien species, was undoubtedly shocking to Zhang Lie. How could such an event take ce?


    The captain of the sr corps frowned. "What are you trying to imply? Your words show great disrespect to the king of keys. Don''t make me report you!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t care. The king of keys was strong, but not so strong that Zhang Lie feared it.


    Fighting against the king of keys would be interesting, at least...


    The captain of the sr corps grew even more angry upon seeing Zhang Lie''s unperturbed expression.


    The king of keys waved a hand. "It''s not an issue. After all, he''s not my birth father."


    "An adopted son?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t expect to be able to hear such juicy gossip during this meeting.


    The captain of the sr corps hurriedly said, "Your highness, there''s no such thing! The king of keys itself acknowledged your status as prince, which makes you equivalent to its biological son. It doesn''t matter how you were birthed."


    Zhang Lie turned toward the frost spiritmander with an inquiring look in his eyes.


    The frost spiritmander sighed and exined, "His highness Wilbow was created as part of the king of keys'' attempt to understand the meaning of life."


    Zhang Lie was shaken once more. The king of keys was able to create life? Wasn''t that in the territory of gods?


    The frost spiritmander continued, "In order to understand the origin of life, the king of keys molded his highness from flesh and blood, then lit his spark of life using a superior world''s energy."


    Zhang Lie''s astonishment receded.


    The king of keys hadn''t created life out of nothing, but instead of flesh and blood. The former was the domain of gods, but thetter wasn''t too difficult to aplish with arcane knowledge.

 Chapter 980: An Unusual Strategy

    <h4>Chapter 980: An Unusual Strategy</h4>


    Molding life out of flesh and blood was certainly an impressive feat, though not an overwhelming one. Even if the king of keys hadn''t created life from nothing, it was clear that it had superior knowledge and resources.


    Wilbow smiled, but his appearance was so strange that his smile looked somewhat grotesque.


    ck fog drew close toward the variousmanders, coalescing roughly into the shape of a man.


    Zhang Lie hedged, "This representative from the world of ck fog is..."


    The frost spiritmander and the others were used to this curious sight.


    Wilbow shrugged. "This is the nature of the world of ck fog, mysterious and ethereal."


    The frost spiritmander exined, "Even in the past, the world of ck fog never sent any men to participate in battle, only ck fog. We''ve all been curious as to the structure of their world."


    Were there other living lifeforms in the world of ck fog? It was likely that there weren''t¡ªand even the king of ck fog itself might not be a biological lifeform.


    The captain of the sr corps added, "This ck fog is a physical manifestation of the king of ck fog''s strength, as well as a clone of its body."


    The corpse-carrier didn''t participate in the meeting. It listened only to the decaying king''s orders and wouldn''t act on its own. The king of evil''s monstrosities were likewise incapable ofmunication, and just about all themanders who were going toe hade¡ªsave one.


    The moment Zhang Lie recalled his existence, the ck bat appeared. The frost spiritmander and the others hastily bowed. "Wee, your majesty."


    The ck bat folded its wings and transformed into a man in a white coat, wearing silver sses.


    The frost spiritmander pulled on Zhang Lie''s arm. "What are you doing?"


    Zhang Lie was bewildered. "What majesty?"


    The frost spiritmander cried, "He''s the clone of the strongest king, the king of chaos!"


    The clone smiled. "I prefer not to associate myself with chaos. We clones each have the capacity for independent thought, and it would be easy to confuse us. You had better address me as Nightdemon."


    Zhang Lie was curious as to why the king of chaos'' clone took on a human form. Upon recalling that the king of keys'' puppet had appeared as a blonde, blue-eyed loli, he turned to the frost spiritmander and asked, "What does Nightdemon look like to you?"


    The frost spiritmander understood what Zhang Lie was getting at. After all, the first time he encountered Nightdemon, he had asked the ice queen if the clone were a frost spirit, only to be made fun of by the ice queen herself.


    He replied, "The king of keys'' puppets and the king of chaos'' clones all possess the special ability of being recognized as members of the same species by whoeveres into contact with them. Nightdemon must look like a human to you, and he looks like a frost spirit to me."


    To the frost spiritmander, Nightdemon was a shaman of the frost spirits, likewise draped in a white cloak.


    Nightdemon seemed to have noticed Zhang Lie''s curious expression. He exined, "I''ve transformed my appearance so that we can converse more easily."


    After all, Nightdemon''s original form was a bloodsucking bat surrounded by an aura of fear, which would difit the othermanders needlessly.


    It seemed that the most ancient and the strongest superior kings shared the same characteristic: they couldn''t be seen or witnessed directly.


    Looking directly at the king of keys would confound the mind, and looking directly at Nightdemon would produce a sense of innate fear. There were quite a few aliens on the battlefield who had looked directly at Nightdemon and gone crazy as a result.


    The king of keys and the king of chaos were the two most exceptional superior kings, and they boasted characteristics that no other superior king possessed.


    The other superior kings were just somewhat stronger than kings ofrge worlds, just like Li Zongming. They hadn''t changed dramatically as a result of their worlds'' evolution.


    For one, Li Zongming was still yet unfamiliar with the strength that a superior world possessed, and for another, the remaining superior kings were far from the level of the two exceptional kings.


    It was as though the king of keys and the king of chaos had surpassed some formless threshold of being.


    As Zhang Lie pondered these questions, the blood lord finally arrived.


    Nightdemon spoke up. "I believe we''re all gathered, then."


    The blood lord began, "I''m very curious as to just who this newbie is. What king would send such a strong subordinate directly onto the battlefield? Excepting the king of chaos, of course. The king of chaos could certainly afford it¡ªhe has dozens of clones, each on the level of a superior king."


    Fighters as strong as superior kings were exceptionally rare even on superior worlds¡ªexcept the world of primordial chaos. The strongest king also boasted the strongest world.


    The blood lord continued, "Even if the king of chaos were to field a few dozen fighters on that level, I wouldn''t be surprised¡ªbut other kings don''t have so much power to throw around."


    Fighters on the level of superior kings were existences equal to those kings. It was difficult tomand them, and the kings generally kept them close to their sides in case of danger. They were like trump cards to be wielded jealously, not sent to the battlefield¡ªand this wasn''t a battle important enough to warrant such an exception.


    The frost spiritmander exined, "He came from a newly evolved superior world."


    The blood lord frowned. "A newly evolved superior world? I think I may have heard about it from the blood king¡ªa world that destroyed the xuluo world! So you must be from that world? It looks like it''s far stronger than I had anticipated."


    For Li Zongming to be able to send a subordinate on the level of a superior king to such an unimportant battle¡ªhe had to possess multiple such forces.


    Zhang Lie''s smile grew wider. This was a beautiful misunderstanding. He suggested, "Let''s start the meeting immediately. Blood Lord, I heard that you had an extremely important piece of news to share. Could you tell us about it?"


    The blood lord nodded. "The remnant forces of Blood Heaven have recently discovered a shocking truth, a frightening n concocted by the death spirits."


    "What n?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "You all know of the death spirit king''s ambitions, don''t you?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "To absorb more and more wills of the world to grow stronger on his own?"


    "That''s right. The death spirit king is aware of the allied forces that are prepared to challenge him. Strong though he might be, there''s only one of him and eight other superior worlds he has to face¡ªand the king of keys and king of chaos, mysterious and ancient existences, among them."


    Zhang Lie felt as though there was something strange in what the blood lord was saying, but he couldn''t pinpoint it immediately.


    The blood lord continued, "The death spirit king can''t guarantee that he''ll be able to wrest victory from the king of keys and king of chaos, so he''se up with a new strategy instead."


    Nightdemon nced toward the blood lord with interest. "What strategy?"


    "To start by absorbing the lower realms!"

 Chapter 981: Somethings Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 981: Something''s Wrong</h4>


    Everyone shook visibly. What a crazy n this was...


    The blood lord exined, "Asmanders of superior worlds, all of you surely know that there exists another realm beneath this realm, known as the sura realm."


    Themanders nodded. As those in positions of power, they were trusted by their respective superior kings and hadmensurate knowledge about their realm. They were aware of the existence of the sura realm.


    The blood lord continued, "I initially learned of it from a few aliens. The death spirit king, as someone who has the power to go against the other nine superior worldsbined, must likewise be aware of its existence. After analyzing the data I received from these aliens, I came to an unexpected conclusion. There are many dimensional cracks in the third realm. Through these cracks, you can pass into the second realm, the sura realm¡ªthough at a price."


    Zhang Lie was also shocked. "The death spirit king isn''t intending to attack the sura realm, is he?"


    The sura realm was where his kingdom of Limit was located. There wererge numbers of humans there, as well as disciples of the Zenith Dojo. Most importantly, there were many people that Zhang Lie knew well in the second realm.


    The blood lord nodded and continued, "Once the death spirit king learned of the means by which he could descend to the sura realm, he decided to do so in order to strengthen his base of power while waiting for the superior worlds to growx. Even he would be hard-pressed to absorb the three thousand worlds of the third realm at the moment¡ªinstead, he can easily start by absorbing the world''s energy of lower realms and grow stronger before trying to absorb the third realm again."


    Zhang Lie recalled his past life. Back then, the death spirit king hadn''t attacked the second realm. Had they sessfully prevented his n then? In his past life, the allied forces had suffered greatly as a result of this confrontation. Could that have been because they were trying to stop the death spirit king''s frightening n?


    The blood lord added, "As far as I''m aware, the death spirits found a huge dimensional crack that connected to the second realm. The death spirit king used his own strength to forcibly widen that crack until it wasrge enough to amodate a great deal of troops. His intention is to send a huge number of ck spirits through the crack into the second realm."


    Zhang Lie murmured thoughtfully, "As far as I know, descending from the third realm to the second will transport you to an unknown location in the second realm, and you''ll have to pay a heavy price for it."


    Musi Yu was the quintessential example.


    "The death spirit king''s forces will certainly suffer greatly as a result, and he might not be able to gain anything by taking this risk. It wasn''t certain how much of the ck spirits''bat strength could be preserved if they were to descend to the second realm, and it was certainly usible for the hunters of Limit to be able to dispatch them easily."


    The blood lord asked, "And if they were to bring a few of their battleships with them?"


    Zhang Lie''s expression grew far more serious. If these battleships were able to descend to the second realm, even if they lost partial functionality, they would be particrly troublesome to deal with.


    The battleships had the potent ability to convert living beings into ck spirits. Even without anybat strength being preserved, that ability alone would prove disastrous for the second realm.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Surely the will of the third realm and of the sura realm will stop this incursion?"


    "The will of the third realm has been dormant for millennia, and no one knows whether it''ll make a move. Do you think the will of the sura realm will be any match for the death spirit king?"


    If the will of the third realm were going to y an active role in the management of the realm, it would already have stopped the death spirit king from consuming the various wills of the world.


    Even if the death spirit king were to send his forces into the sura realm, the will of the third realm would do nothing about it. At the very least, Zhang Lie couldn''t count on external help.


    Until the death spirit king were strong enough to threaten the will of the third realm itself, it wouldn''t make a move¡ªand by then, it would be toote.


    The blood lord continued, "The death spirit king is intending to dispatch ck spirits into the sura realm, destroy it, then transfer the resulting world''s energy back into the third realm."


    Nightdemon spoke up. "If that''s truly the death spirit king''s n, we have to stop him at any cost. The death spirit king would be unstoppable if he were to grow any stronger."


    The othermanders agreed.


    The blood lord said, "I''ve already sent several of my kin to spy on the death spirits, and I know where the dimensional crack is located. We can stop their n at any time."


    The frost spiritmander nodded. "After an exhausting battle, our fighters are likely all weary and exhausted, and it''s not ideal to fight under such circumstances. We can let them rest for the night and set off tomorrow to topple the death spirit king''s ns."


    The othermanders all agreed.


    After Zhang Lie returned to the draconian party, Hong Xi asked, "Master, how did the discussions go?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "During the battle tomorrow, Hanxiang, leave with the draconian world''s forces. Don''t participate."


    "Why?" Zhang Hanxiang asked.


    Hong Xi frowned. "Master, was there a problem during the meeting?"


    Zhang Lie mirrored her frown. "There wasn''t¡ªbut something feels very strange."


    "What was strange about it?" Hong Xi asked.


    "I can''t put my finger on it, but there''s something fishy going on."


    Zhang Lie knew that, in his past life, the allied forces had suffered greatly during this battle, allowing the death spirits to set their ns in motion. However, he couldn''t reveal this information to the two women.


    He was confident that he could survive even on the worst of battlefields, but not Zhang Hanxiang.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s brows grew furrowed. "Brother, are you undergoing menopause?"


    "What?!"


    "You''re losing sleep, you''re feeling bothered, and you''re bing suspicious of everything!" Zhang Hanxiang ticked the criteria off with her fingers.


    Zhang Lie red at his sister. "The first and the third aren''t true, and the second is all because of you!"


    Zhang Hanxiang consoled her brother. "Brother, there''s no need to worry too much. Wouldn''t it be strange for the other worlds to see you sending your forces away without being able to exin why?"


    Zhang Lie nodded grudgingly.


    Even if a mishap were to ur, Zhang Lie would be able to save Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi. He wouldn''t mind saving the other humans and draconian forces if he could, but under unforeseen circumstances, the only lives he could guarantee were the two women.


    However, by now, there were fewer and fewer cmities that he couldn''t control in the third realm...

 Chapter 982: Forced Into It

    <h4>Chapter 982: Forced Into It</h4>


    With the shattered battlefield broken into chunks, the allied forces each chose their favorite chunk and camped there overnight.


    In the void, there were no celestial bodies to serve as markers of time, and the third realm possessed no clocks. However, there were still methods that the various forces could use to track the progress of time.


    The next day, at the appointed time, the allied forces gathered and headed toward the dimensional crack under the direction of the blood lord.


    Not all the allied forces did so. The king of evil and the decaying king''s forces continued to proceed toward the heart of death spirit territory.


    The remaining forces set off with the blood lord.


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Where''s this purported dimensional crack? I understand if you were unwilling to reveal its locationst night in case of an ident, but now that we''re about to set off, shouldn''t you tell us?"


    The blood lordughed. "It''s precisely because we''re just about to set off that I can''t tell you. If there were a traitor among us, wouldn''t it be problematic?"


    The captain of the sr corps smirked at Zhang Lie. "Could there be a traitor among us, I wonder?"


    Zhang Lie refused to interact with the idiotic captain of the sr corps.


    The blood lord shrugged. "I don''t know if there are any traitors, but we shouldn''t ignore that possibility. I hope you''ll understand why I need to be cautious."


    Zhang Lie didn''t push further. The forces continued onward into a dead world, one filled with familiar ck sand. The world was ratherrge, and it had likely been a peakrge world before its downfall.


    The blood lord led them toward a gigantic abyssal crack. Zhang Lie and the others could feel dense spatial energy seeping out of that crack, leading to another world beyond.


    The blood lord exined, "The other side of the dimensional crack leads to the sura realm."


    The frost spiritmander asked, "Where are the death spirits? I don''t see any of them. Are we supposed to wait here?"


    "The death spirits have already arrived," Zhang Lie shouted.


    The sand in the desert began to shake as countless battleships emerged from underground, surrounding everyone in sight. ck spirits flooded from the battleships, as numerous as raindrops in a storm. They surrounded the allied forces.


    The frost spiritmander grew rmed. "A trap!"


    "An ambush!" Zhang Lie''s face grew dark. As he expected, something would go wrong.


    The blood lord suddenly swelled to multiple times his size. He struck the captain of the sr corps, who was standing beside him, with a massive palm. No one expected the blood lord to suddenly betray them all.


    The captain of the sr corps, caught unaware, suffered the brunt of the impact. A blood-red mark was imprinted on his chest, and frothing golden blood sprayed out of his mouth.


    "Why?!" The captain of the sr corps refused to believe what the blood lord had done.


    The blood lord immediately retreated after his sneak attack, without giving the others the opportunity to retaliate.


    The blood lord''s betrayal was wholly unexpected.


    Zhang Lie thundered, "To think that someone like you would be the death spirits''ckey!"


    The frost spiritmander refused to believe his eyes. "Why would you do something like this? The death spirit king destroyed Blood Heaven¡ªand you''re working for him?!"


    The blood lord narrowed his eyes. "This realm goes to the strong. The death spirit king was stronger than the blood king, and I naturally submitted to him. What''s wrong with that?"


    The frost spiritmander howled, "Have you forgotten that the death spirit king ruined your world? And even then, you were willing to kneel to the death spirit king and be one of hisckeys?!"


    The blood lord shook his head. "That''s a ridiculous im. I never felt the need to take revenge for the destruction of my world¡ªor rather, I was the one who caused that destruction to begin with."


    "What?!" Everyone grew even more shocked.


    The blood lord boasted, "If I didn''t betray the blood king, Blood Heaven wouldn''t have been destroyed. It was because I provided the death spirit king with sensitive information that he managed to destroy the blood king. I instigated this whole affair!"


    The frost spiritmander shouted, "You must be crazy¡ªwhy ruin your own world? You know what the death spirit king would do to it!"


    Nightdemon chuckled coldly. "We all call the death spirit king a lunatic, but we didn''t realize there was a lunatic in our midst, too."


    "A lunatic?" The blood king shook his head. "No, I''m more rational than any of you here."


    The frost spiritmander shouted, "Don''t you know what the death spirit king is intending to do?"


    Nightdemon called out, "The death spirit king''s goal is to devour all three thousand worlds, then the realm itself. If you allow him to do so, even my base form, the king of primordial chaos, won''t be able to do anything to stop it."


    The blood lord shrugged. "And so what? Isn''t that fine?"


    The frost spiritmander shook his head. "It''s useless. This fellow''s gone nuts!"


    Nightdemon was stupefied. "More than a lunatic. He''s willing to be devoured by the death spirit king, to benefit the death spirit king to the detriment of all. I simply don''t know what to say."


    Zhang Lie gave the blood lord a thumbs up. "Even for ackey, it''s hard to be such a diligent bootlicker."


    The blood lord narrowed his eyes. "You seem to be misunderstanding something. The death spirit king himself promised me that I would survive the ordeal. As long as he''s able to devour all three thousand worlds to be an existence never before seen in the realm, he''ll confer me my own world."


    The frost spiritmander snorted. "Do you really think the death spirit king will keep his promise?"


    The blood lord shrugged. "Nothing is certain in this world¡ªyou''ll have to gamble at one point or another. And what if I win?"


    Nightdemon frowned. "As far as I''m aware, you were already a great lord of Blood Heaven, and you were responsible for managing essentially all of its operations. What caused you to want to work with the death spirit king?"


    The blood lord''s face turned wretched. "If your boss were a pig who spends all day thinking about sex, who only thinks with the lower half of his body, you''d want to work with someone more ambitious, too. I don''t know how that piece of trash ever became the king of the realm. All he tells me to do is to find him more women, not to strengthen or expand his domain!"


    The blood lord''s aggrieved expression was clearly the umtion of long years of grudges and misgivings.


    He clenched his fists. "The blood king has sex with any female lifeform¡ªtwo-legged, four-legged, eight-legged, even twelve-legged! And you know what he likes? To make others watch him while he has sex with those females. Do you know how many times I''ve had to resist the urge to vomit while watching him? I have nightmares about him! Who knows when he might suddenly develop an interest in men ande at me instead?"

 Chapter 983: All Sorts of Schemes

    <h4>Chapter 983: All Sorts of Schemes</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang mmed a palm into one of the blood demon underlings, sh freezing and shattering it into flecks of ice. She whirled around, ncing at the blood demons that were surging forward to attack them.


    "Your leader might be a fool, but are all of you going to join him in his craziness?"


    The blood demons smiled wryly. "We don''t have a choice, either. Our world has been destroyed. There''s no one else to lead us but him. The death spirit king is too strong, and if we don''t want to be ck spirits ourselves, all we can do is surrender."


    The blood demon warriors surrounded the allied forces.


    "If not for the fact that we''re still useful, if not for the fact that the blood lord pleaded for mercy on our behalf, we''d already have been converted into ck spirits."


    "Against the death spirits, we have no way to survive other than to beckeys."


    "We''re doing what we do in order to live."


    Despite the blood demon warriors'' tone, they clearly didn''t intend on holding back.


    "We don''t want to drop our grudges, but what strength ?do we have to take revenge?"


    "It''s difficult enough for us to survive..."


    "We don''t want to die with Blood Heaven."


    "Don''t listen to these bastards! No one held a de to their necks and forced them to betray us." Hong Xi manifested a silver sword with her gic energy.


    There had been plenty of opportunities for the blood demon warriors to inform the allied forces of the impending ambush while the blood lord was working with them, but none of the blood demons did so. They were greedy to live, yes, but it was clear that they also thought nothing of the allied forces'' lives.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" Hong Xi''s sword, imbued with moonlight, seemed to cut apart a silvery veil. The blood demons around her were ughtered.


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded, and a blizzard formed around her. Her hands glowed brightly in blue, freezing heaven and earth and sending the battlefield into the deep of winter. A burst of icy energy emanated from her, freezingrge patches of the ck spirits.


    The blood lord cried out, "Who knows when the blood king would have developed an interest in men? Or rather, he''s already done so. He was looking at me strangely, and he was just waiting for an opportunity to get me in bed!"


    In the end, was the blood king the one at fault?


    The blood lord smiled in a crazed fashion. "Rather than let him push me down and take me like a wild beast, I might as well take the initiative and get rid of him first."


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Nightdemon: ...


    The frost spiritmander: ...


    It felt as though the blood lord had gone crazy after the stress of dealing with the blood king for so long.


    The blood lord continued, "I was intending tounch a sneak attack on you guys during the battle yesterday, but I didn''t expect how strong you were. Even millions of the death spirits'' battleships weren''t able to do anything to you, so I could only work on a n B instead."


    The captain of the sr corps cried out, "Is there anyone around who can save me? I think I can make it!"


    Zhang Lie and the others, preupied by their conversation, had left the captain of the sr corps unattended.


    The captain of the sr corps was moaning in pain as he rolled around on the ground, vomiting up golden blood as he did so.


    Zhang Lie said, "Blood lord, your n won''t seed. Even this ambush won''t stop us here."


    The frost spiritmander added, "If you don''t want your kin to perish in this ck desert, surrender now."


    "You''re the ones who will perish here!" The blood lord raised his hands high up in the air. As though signaled, all the death spirits'' battleships glowed a vibrant purple.


    Nightdemon cocked his head. "Is this all you''ve got?"


    The frost spiritmander continued, "Tens of thousands of these purplesers might threaten us, but only that. They won''t be enough to kill all of us, not by far."


    At the most, thesesers might killrge swathes of the aliens, but they would do nothing against the strongest existences among the allied forces.


    On the other hand, themanders present could easily destroy the death spirit battleships.


    "Indeed?" The blood lord grinned ferociously. "We''ll find out, won''t we?"


    Unease suddenly rippled through Zhang Lie.


    "This desert will be your graveyard." The blood lord waved his hand, and the death spirits'' battleships began to shoot theirsers.


    Purple light filled the skies. Tens of thousands of purple beams formed a flood of light. The frost spiritmander and Nightdemon attempted to shield against thesers as Zhang Lie''s face grew visibly rmed. He realized what the problem was, now¡ªthesers weren''t shooting toward them!


    "Block thesers!" The space around Zhang Lie trembled as blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. With a twist of his wrist, a frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons as they blocked the path of the purplesers.


    Pale blue explosions erupted in the skies in shes of blue gic energy and purple light. However, Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] only managed to block a fraction of that light. There were simply too manysers. A portion of the purplesers passed through his attack.


    Meanwhile, Nightdemon and the frost spiritmander were stunned. They could understand why Zhang Lie wanted to defend against the attack, but why was he so rmed about it?


    The two of them quickly understood what was going on. The purple light arced over the skies. From the very beginning, the death spirits'' battleships hadn''t been targeting them.


    Neither the death spirits nor the blood lord were fools. They knew that ten thousand battleships would be insufficient to kill them. Instead, the purplesers shot toward... the abyssal rift, the one that the blood lord had brought them toward, whichy right before them.


    The blood lord cried out, "Go to hell!"


    As the purple light shot into the depths of the right and exploded, spatial fluctuations rippled from the rift. A giant cyclone formed around them.


    The frost spiritmander barely remained on his feet. "Just what''s going on?"


    Zhang Lie''s brows furrowed. "Do you remember the spatial fluctuations we sensed from the abyssal rift?"


    The frost spiritmander was shocked. "Wasn''t that something the blood lord made up to fool us all?"


    "Given what just happened, it looks like it''s the real thing..."

 Chapter 984: Punch That Bastard

    <h4>Chapter 984: Punch That Bastard</h4>


    "Don''t joke with me. Are you saying that there''s a real dimensional rift down this abyssal crack?!


    There''s a limit to how far jokes should go!" the frost spiritmander yelled, but there was nothing that could be done now.


    The explosion from the purplesers sent everything plunging into the abyss. Aliens, ck sand, ck fog¡ªall were dragged within.


    The blood lord watched the spatial storm unfold around him. His body was shielded by a gigantic shadow of blood. He roared inughter. "Revel in this overwhelming sense of despair¡ªit''s thest thing you''ll feel!"


    Arge number of the aliens were hurled down into the rift by the spatial storm, then torn to pieces within.


    "Save me!" the captain of the sr corps cried shrilly. His body glowed with bright light, like a burning sun, as it was flung out into the abyss.


    The captain of the sr corps tried to save himself, but no one had the time to spare him any attention.


    He desperately clung to the ground, but his heavily wounded body was no match for the fearsome energy contained within the spatial storm. Furthermore, there was no purchase to be found in the sand of the ck desert. The captain of the sr corps found himself flung into the rift amidst shrill screams. No one could guarantee that they could survive the resulting spatial turbulence, not even themanders or superior kings themselves.


    It was likely that the captain of the sr corps had perished.


    The spatial storm, like a meat grinder, ground the unfortunate aliens to pulp, including the blood demons who worked with the blood lord.


    The blood demons cried, "Blood lord, this isn''t what you promised!"


    "We''re kin, aren''t we?!"


    "What are you doing? Do you want our entire race to go extinct?!"


    The blood lord was unmoved. He stood calmly, rather far away from the storm, quietly watching as everything was pulped around him. He red coldly at the blood demons. "I told you all roughly about the n, didn''t I? It''s your own fault you didn''t move away from the explosion in time and didn''t prepare anything to save you from it! Why should I step forward to rescue pieces of trash like you?"


    There was nothing to grab onto within the desert, not even a boulder. Hong Xi reacted quickly, shouting, "Everyone, hold each other''s hands!"


    The humans, draconians, and aliens of the draconian world immediately responded to her orders. They grabbed hold of each other. The gigantic mammoths proved to be bulwarks against the storm, protecting and shielding their fellow fighters.


    When the other aliens saw what Hong Xi''s forces were doing, they immediately mimicked their actions. Regardless of whence they came, what they were, their background, their bodies¡ªall the aliens grabbed ahold of each other, forming a giant mass.


    The frost spiritmander punched the ground, sending a shockwave of ice across the desert and freezing everyone''s legs to the ground¡ªbut only for a few moments. As the storm grew fiercer, the ice began to splinter, and it seemed liable to crack at any moment.


    The blood lord gritted his teeth. "Damn it!"


    He wanted to see all the allied forces fall into the abyss. If the strongest among them were to survive, how would he be able to report his failure to the death spirit king?


    His eyes glowed red as he tried to break apart the aliens.


    "Don''t just stand there¡ªhelp us!" the frost spiritmander shouted at Nightdemon and Zhang Lie, who were standing still, seemingly unperturbed by the storm.


    "Truly cold-blooded, isn''t he?" Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted as he stared at the blood lord.


    "Wh¡ª" The frost spiritmander didn''t understand how Nightdemon and Zhang Lie could be so much stronger than he was, despite them all being themanders of their respective worlds.


    Nightdemon turned to Zhang Lie calmly, speaking as though he were inquiring about what they would have for dinner that night. "Would you rather save our forces and have me deal with that fellow, or the opposite?"


    "I want to punch that bastard, of course!" Zhang Lie replied.


    Nightdemon dipped his head. His white coat turned a dark, blood-red color, as though it were dyed with blood. "Then I''ll rescue the forces."


    The red deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. When the entire coat had turned dark red, it shed ck and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings. Nightdemon took to the air, rotating rapidly as he unfurled his wings and morphed into a gigantic bat. A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    Nightdemon spat out a roughly spherical object patterned with red veins. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a polyhedron with many faces, each of which were nearly ck, carved with geometrical precision.


    The faces were haphazard, irregr, and multifaceted, sharply distinct from the regr octahedra that formed the death spirits'' battleships.


    The frost spiritmander cried out, "This is the Shining Trapezohedron, the legendary weapon that was used to kill the death spirit king''s strongest subordinates during the first war against the death spirits!"


    As the trapezohedron rose into the air and began to refract light, it glowed with radiance. The space within its domain, a multifaceted polyhedron extending almost a thousand meters from its center, was projected onto each face.


    Each face was like an independent mirror of the space within, unable to affect the other faces around it.


    The spatial rift and storm were trapped within one face.


    The allied forces, including the aliens, humans, draconians, and even the blood demons, were trapped within another face. They tried to walk out of their face, only to find themselves on another face of the trapezohedron.


    There were 24 such faces in all, and 24 corresponding dimensions.


    As Nightdemon''s eye moved, the Shining Trapezohedron shrank to its original size. All the forces were trapped within, even the frost spiritmander.


    Zhang Lie was immensely shocked by the artifact that Nightdemon had used. As expected of a clone of the strongest king¡ªhis strength was iparable to that of amon fighter.


    Nightdemon curled his wings around him and returned to his white-coated form as the shining polyhedronnded in his palm. He smiled, as though what he had done was paltry, insignificant. He turned toward Zhang Lie. "I''ve saved the forces. It''s time for you to punch the blood lord to a pulp, don''t you think? And I''ll leave the death spirits to you as well."

 Chapter 985: Let Me Join In

    <h4>Chapter 985: Let Me Join In</h4>


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Nightdemon, you might as well deal with this traitor yourself as well."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Give the traitor some dignity, won''t you? He tried his best to sacrifice his allies to the death spirit king, but I easily foiled his ns alone. Wouldn''t that make him seem useless, like a fool?"


    The blood lord stared at the site of the ambush in shock. He gritted his teeth, as though he had suffered some grave indignity. He had tried his best to carry out the ambush, but Nightdemon had ruined all his ns with just a single attack.


    Zhang Lie nodded and stepped forward. "You''re right. We should show some care to our dear traitor."


    "I''ll cheer you on from the back, then!" Nightdemon stepped a few steps back.


    Wilbow, scion to the king of keys, likewise retreated. "Someone as weak as I am would only be a hindrance if I stayed."


    The frost spiritmander, who had been sucked into the Shining Trapezohedron without any resistance whatsoever, trembled as he watched the scene unfold.


    "Don''t think you''ve won just yet. I''m not some bystander that any of you can easily take down!" The shadowy figure behind the blood lord took on an even more garish shade of red. Red light red from his body, as though mes of blood burned around him.


    The blood lord was on the level of a superior king. He had been hiding his strength and biding his time¡ªno one had known that he was at this level of strength.


    Nightdemon had sent all the forces in the vicinity into the Shining Trapezohedron, but the spatial storm continued to grow and move around the desert. ck sand scoured the air, propelled by the wind.


    Blue gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie as space vibrated. The ripples spread out over his arm. He flicked his wrist. A frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the sky.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, adding to the chaos.


    Water-attuned gic energy thundered through the sky like ck dragons. Wavespped each other, growing higher and higher in a crescendo. The entire desert seemed to vibrate, repelling the storm and sending it into the path of the death spirits'' battleships.


    The death spirits, realizing how fearsome a foe Zhang Lie was, immediately retreated in order to avoid the shockwaves resulting from his battle with the blood lord.


    The blood lord considered his opponent seriously. Although he had witnessed Zhang Lie''s prowess for himself on the battlefield, it was only when they were opposed to each other that the blood lord truly realized how frightening Zhang Lie was.


    Pale blue gic energy rushed out of Zhang Lie''s body to form waves that seemed to split the sky. The spatial storm was quelled within moments. The blood lord struck the energy with a fist, echoed by the blood shadow to his back.


    A frightening explosion urred where the two attacks met. ck sand filled the sky for a region ten thousand meters in diameter, as though a bomb had detonated deep down by the seafloor. Even from afar, the death spirits felt the impact of the explosion.


    The death spiritmander sent an urgent message to the entire fleet of battleships: "Retreat, retreat!"


    The explosion of energy was like a ravenous beast that swallowed up all life in its vicinity. The blood lord was sent flying from the explosion.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The sword energy pierced through the blood shadow as the blood lord clutched his chest, severely wounded by Zhang Lie''s attack. "You''re not at the level of a superior king."


    Zhang Lie''s strength went beyond¡ªthe blood lord himself was at that level, and even he was no more than a punching bag for Zhang Lie. He couldn''t repel or defend against any of Zhang Lie''s blows.


    A pale blue shark swam toward him, opening its bloodthirsty maw. The blood lord shouted, "You might be strong, but the death spirit king is even stronger! You don''t understand just how frightening he is¡ªanyone who sees his true form will be fearful of him, will submit to him, will venerate him!"


    The shark bit down, swallowing the blood lord whole.


    Nightdemon pped. "Excellent. Despite the fact that the blood lord was hiding his strength, you still had him dancing in the palm of your hand."


    "You overpraise me, Nightdemon. Will you release our allies now?"


    "Aren''t you going to deal with these battleships first?" Nightdemon looked into the distance, at the swiftly retreating death spirits. "They''re about to get away."


    Upon witnessing the death of the blood lord, the death spirits realized that their n had failed, and they immediately tried to flee.


    .


    "Don''t worry. I''ve ounted for them¡ªand since they''vee all the way here, we can''t let them leave so easily, can we?" Zhang Lie''s gaze was calm, but he spoke with themanding tone of a ruler. As he spoke, a golden beam of light whizzed through the sky, darting back and forth among the battleships and cutting them down.


    Nightdemon smiled, not particrly surprised. "Marvelous."


    The moment the spatial storm began, Zhang Lie hadmanded Gold Comet to fly toward the death spirits'' battleships, and to attack them the moment they showed signs of retreating. Not a single ship was to escape.


    Although Nightdemon appeared unperturbed, he couldn''t help but nce at Zhang Lie a few times.


    For Zhang Lie to have nned this far in advance, before the battle even began, meant that he had predicted this oue.


    Despite the sudden ambush, what Zhang Lie was thinking of was instead to not let his enemies get away. In other words, despite the overwhelming odds against the allied forces, Zhang Lie felt as though he had everything under control.


    The implication was that there were trump cards up his sleeve that he had yet to disy to them, that he would have been able to deal with the problem easily even if he hadn''t done anything.


    Nightdemon''s estimation of Zhang Lie went up a few notches.


    "Shall we head toward the battleships together?" Zhang Lie suggested.


    "Please, lead the way." Nightdemon bowed courteously. His white coat, as though dyed with blood, turned a dark red again.


    Sticky, pitch-ck gic energy oozed from Zhang Lie.


    Wilbow flexed his body. "I''ll join in too, if you don''t mind."


    The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. When the entire coat had turned dark red, it shed ck and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings.


    Nightdemon took to the air, rotating rapidly as he unfurled his wings and morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world. A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Wilbow howled as his body swelled.

 Chapter 986: After the Battle

    <h4>Chapter 986: After the Battle</h4>


    The gigantic ck serpent towered over the spatial storm, a red-eyed bat pping its wings by its head. Beside the bat was a creature with a goat''s head, sharp ears, the upper body of a human, and the lower body ?of an octopus.


    The serpent and the red-eyed bat shot forward. With two existences as strong as superior kings and a monarch-grade lifeform in the vicinity, the death spirits'' downfall was inevitable.


    More and more battleships exploded in the sky in blossoms of violet me.


    The remaining skirmishes finished quickly. Nightdemon flew away from the spatial storm, then released the forces from within the Shining Trapezohedron. He turned toward Zhang Lie. "How should we deal with these blood demons?"


    While the spatial storm was in effect, Nightdemon had grabbed all the forces on the battlefield, including the blood demons. Now that the battle was over, it was time to decide what to do with them.


    "Shall we kill them?" Nightdemon asked calmly, as if this were a trifling matter.


    The blood demons jumped up in shock, then quickly knelt down and begged for mercy.


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "It would be a waste to kill them all like that. The unclean world''s forces are depleting rather quickly, aren''t they? Why don''t we send them there?"


    The blood demons'' eyes widened as they thought of the terrible fate that awaited them.


    "No, please! Please spare us, we know what we did wrong, we won''t dare do it again in the future!"


    "We don''t want to be like those monstrosities!"


    "We were forced to participate in this betrayal against our will! Please don''t send us to the unclean world¡ªit would be a fate worse than death."


    Nightdemon grinned, his teeth visible. "Do you have any other option?"


    Hong Xi shook her head. "If you were worried about this, you shouldn''t have betrayed us from the beginning."


    Zhang Hanxiang''s face was a mask of disdain. "Don''t you think you need to pay for your betrayal?"


    The frost spiritmander stared at the blood demons with stony eyes. "Shut your mouths. Don''t you know how many of our forces died thanks to you?"


    The betrayal of the blood lord and the resulting spatial storm that was created sucked away a part of the king of ck fog, and the captain of the sr corps himself perished in battle. At least a third of the allied forces had been lost because of the storm, a toll more deadly than the initial battle against the death spirits itself.


    The blood lord''s betrayal hadn''t gotten rid of the strongest allied forces, but it did cull the weak. If not for Nightdemon''s timely response, the allied forces might very well have been killed to thest.


    Wilbow shook his head. "The crime you''vemitted isn''t something that can be washed away with just a few pleas."


    The blood demons had caused far too many to die.


    A third of the allied forces¡ªfour million warriors, out of a grand total of thirteen million, had lost their lives as a result of this betrayal, and the blood demons thought they would be able to resolve everything with a simple plea for mercy? Even if Zhang Lie and the othermanders were magnanimous enough to do so, the allied forces as a whole certainly wouldn''t.


    The alien warriors, in particr, were staring daggers at the blood demons. If Zhang Lie and the others were to let them go scot-free, morale would drop significantly¡ªand they themselves wanted the blood demons to pay for their crimes.


    After all, members of their own race had been lost because of the spatial storm.


    The blood demons replied innocently, "We were all led astray by the blood lord! We didn''t have a choice."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "ording to thews of the Milky Way, you''re all aplices. The mastermind might have died, but you''re still guilty. You should be d that we haven''t killed all of you yet."


    Being sent to the unclean world might be a fate worse than death.


    The blood demons'' punishment marked the end of the first battle against the death spirits. The blood lord''s betrayal had been costly, but thankfully, themanders had learned that the death spirit king wasn''t so crazy as to try to send troops down to the second realm.


    The oue of this investigation was positive, even though the losses the allied forces had incurred in the process were uneptable. Zhang Lie in particr was relieved to hear that the kingdom of Limit was fine.


    The humans and draconians had suffered losses, but Hong Xi had reacted quickly enough that they were mitigated to some extent. The blood demons'' betrayal was unexpected, but their response to the sudden crisis wasn''t too bad. As for the othermanders'' forces¡ªZhang Lie didn''t care about them.


    Given that the war was still in progress, there was no time for the fighters to mourn the dead. The frost spiritmander asked, "What are our ns going forward?"


    The strength that Zhang Lie and Nightdemon had disyed had won the frost spiritmander''s respect, and he unconsciously spoke to them as though they were his superiors.


    Nightdemon said, "Let''s meet up with the king of evil and the decaying kings'' forces. I expect they''ve made quite a bit of progress in pushing into enemy territory."


    No one couldmunicate with the king of evil and the decaying kings'' forces, nor the giants of the king of chaos. Those three factions set off on their own toward the heart of death spirit territory.


    When they returned to the battlefield, they found that the spatial storm had annihted the bodies of the fighters that had been sucked into it, not even leaving their corpses behind.


    The fighters werergely unafraid of death, but reiming the corpses of the dead and burying them in their hometowns was a matter of honor, one that thepanions of the fallen deeply regretted being unable to aplish.


    Even so, the war was ongoing, and there was no time for the fighters to wallow in sorrow. Their hurt, pain, and tears would have to be kept for after the war was over. The allied forces set off again, following their original nned route, into the heart of the death spirits'' territory.


    They encountered no battleships along the way, but quite a number of shattered and dead worlds. ck sand floated in the air and made up the ground. The fighters grew tense as they walked forward.


    Zhang Lie noticed a monster from afar, one from the world of primordial chaos. ording to Nightdemon, this monster was known as a night growler.


    When Nightdemon noticed the night growler drawing close, he underwent his bat transformation and flew over to it. The night growler waved its hands and feelers, as though trying tomunicate with Nightdemon.


    Zhang Lie flew over to his side, followed swiftly by the frost spiritmander and Wilbow.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What''s going on?"


    Nightdemon frowned. "The troops led by the coffin-carrier, along with the unclean world''s monstrosities, were attacked by the death spirits'' battleships. The death spirits have them surrounded at the moment."


    Zhang Lie blinked. "You canmunicate with this monster?"


    Wilbow asked, "Aren''t you more curious about the fact that these night growlers are intelligent?"


    The frost spiritmander took a step back and looked at the twomanders. "Don''t you think we''re focusing on the wrong issue here? Shouldn''t we be more worried about our allies'' forces?"

 Chapter 987: Shocking the Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 987: Shocking the Battlefield</h4>


    Zhang Lie blinked. "You canmunicate with this monster?"


    Wilbow asked, "Aren''t you more curious about the fact that these night growlers are intelligent?


    The frost spiritmander took a step back and looked at the twomanders. "Don''t you think we''re focusing on the wrong issue here? Shouldn''t we be more worried about our allies'' forces?"


    Zhang Lie gave the frost spiritmander a thumbs up. "Quite so!"


    Wilbow nodded. "Indeed, that should be our priority."


    Zhang Lie turned to him. "What should we do, then?"


    The frost spiritmander spread his arms. "What do you mean? We have to help them out, of course!"


    "That''s reasonable." Zhang Lie and Wilbow simultaneously nodded.


    The frost spiritmander nced at both Zhang Lie and Wilbow. "Neither of you seem all too concerned..."


    "Well..." Zhang Lie and Wilbow nced at each other.


    Wilbow gestured politely. "Please, you may go first."


    Zhang Lie replied, "As the son of the king of keys, you should begin."


    Wilbow waved his hands. "I insist! Please take the lead."


    The answer was very straightforward: they weren''t the ones who were surrounded by death spirits, and they didn''t much care about the forces associated with the king of evil and the decaying king.


    The frost spiritmander broke them both off. "Enough! We have to set off immediately."


    "Indeed, that''s sensible!" Zhang Lie and Wilbow simultaneously nodded.


    The frost spiritmander turned to Nightdemon. "Nightdemon, may I ask where these forces currently are?"


    "It''ll lead us there." Nightdemon pointed at the night growler.


    The night growler quickly led them to the scene of the battle, whereupon they saw the besieged troops.


    A huge death spirit battleship floated in the air. If their ordinary battleships were the size of skyscrapers, this one was the size of a small city. Watching it float was a breathtaking spectacle. Surrounding it wererge numbers of ordinary octahedral battleships, like buildings that formed the city.


    The battleships were surrounding the forces of the king of evil and the decaying king and attacking them in a one-sided fashion.


    Although the coffin-carrier was extremely strong in one-on-onebat, even it was unable to do much against the violetsers that came at the forces like raindrops in a storm. The moment a bone giant formed from the sea of bones that the decaying king controlled, it was obliterated by a fuside of purplesers.


    Nightdemon frowned. "That huge battleship is the gship of the death spirits'' forces. The death spirit king is in it, I''m certain."


    Zhang Lie was shocked. "Is the death spirit king that easy to rouse to action?"


    Nightdemon replied, "As far as I''m aware, the death spirits have funneled all their resources into their king. They likely don''t have anything to spare on making another death spirit on the level of a superior king.


    "In other words, if we can smoke the death spirit king out of his battleship and kill him, we''ll have won the war." Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed¡ªthis was a chance to end the conflict immediately!


    A voice announced from the death spirit king''s battleship: "Your resistance is futile. The other allied forces won''t being to help you. They''ve already fallen into our trap, and they''re likely all dead by now."


    The aliens who apanied the corpse-carrier were shocked. "What?!"


    The voice from the battleship taunted, "None of you expected it, did you? The blood demons allied with us long ago. In order to deal with you allied forces, we''veid out a trap that can kill even the strongest superior king."


    The aliens grew even more astounded. The blood demons, who had had their world destroyed by the death spirits, were traitors that were loyal to them?!


    One alien shouted, "No, that''s impossible! This is clearly something the death spirits have made up to lower our morale! We can''t be tricked!"


    The voice from the battleship chuckled coldly. "Whether or not I''m lying, I think all of you know full well. Why haven''t the allied forces arrived yet? It''s because they can''t¡ªthey''re dead."


    The frost spiritmander called out, "Our allies are losing morale quickly. Aren''t we going to strike now?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We''ll strike immediately."


    Nightdemonughed. "Didn''t they im that we were dead?"


    Wilbow smiled. "We''ll show them that we''ve returned from the dead, then."


    The frost spiritmander called out, "Everyone, charge forward!"


    Zhang Lie and Wilbow simultaneously gave the same order as the allied forces charged.


    The space around Zhang Lie trembled as blue gic energy gathered and rippled around his arms.


    With a twist of his wrist, a frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air. A howling gale swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the battlefield.


    An ocean materialized out of thin air. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like a herd of horses galloping. They smashed into the death spirits'' encirclement and sent many of their battleships careening into the ground.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire battlefield quaked. The explosion shattered space and sent waves of force rippling all around it. The death spirits'' battleships exploded in violet ?fireballs.


    The explosion of energy was like a ravenous beast that swallowed up all life in its vicinity. Huge boulders were sent flying, andrge quantities of the death spirits with them. Like long bolts of cloth fed into a washing machine, their bodies twisted and contorted, then were torn to pieces.


    By brute force, the colossal blue waves created a gap in the death spirits'' encirclement, shocking them all. None of them had been prepared for the sudden attack that seemed to havee out of nowhere.


    Their first thought was that there were more allied forces and reinforcements than they had expected, not that the blood lord had failed. From their perspective, the blood lord''s n had been wless¡ªand they certainly didn''t suspect that Zhang Lie and the others would be able to break free from the trap easily.


    Subsequently, the othermanders of the allied forces made their move.


    The frost spiritmander unleashed his technique, manifesting a blizzard on the battlefield. The temperature dropped rapidly as ayer of frost formed across the ground. As he howled, the frost spirits'' soul-chilling cries swept over the battlefield.

 Chapter 988: An Astounding Strength

    <h4>Chapter 988: An Astounding Strength</h4>


    Nightdemon stepped forward. His white coat, as though dyed with blood, turned a dark red.


    The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. Then, it shed and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings.


    The ck wings wrapped around Nightdemon as he took to the sky. When they unfurled again, he had morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world.


    A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    The aliens might not know who Nightdemon was, but the death spirits did¡ªhe was the devil who had given all the death spirits nightmares the first time they opposed him in battle.


    "Nightdemon!" an enraged voice bellowed from within the death spirits'' gship, so loud it could be heard throughout the entire battlefield.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks like someone remembers you fondly."


    Nightdemon didn''t respond. With a p of his wings, he tore into the battleships.


    "I suppose I''ll join them too." Wilbow transformed into his monstrous form, with a goat''s head, a human''s upper body, and an octopus''s lower body. His tentacles writhed as he slowly proceeded into the battlefield.


    As Wilbow leisurely proceeded forward, Zhang Lie and the others joined the battlefield and transformed the state of the battle. The coffin-bearer seized an opportunity to strike. The coffin on its back opened up, revealing a ck, bony arm.


    An unknown dark fluid seeped out of the bones, flooding the battlefield and devouring everything in sight. Anything it touched melted in the blink of an eye.


    The dark flood shot into the sky and rained down on the battlefield. The corrosive rain forced everyone, ally and enemy, to expend a bit of energy to shield themselves.


    "This fellow is troublesome not just to his enemies, but to his allies as well..." As before, Zhang Lie and the others would have to be cautious of the death spirits and also of their purported allies.


    He had seen the various superior worlds'' forces hurt their allies in all sorts of different manners, as though all their troops were designed to cause disruption to everyone and anyone: the king of chaos''s night growlers, the unclean world''s gray monstrosities, the world of ck fog''s ck fog, Blood Heaven''s blood demons, and now the world of death''s coffin-carriers.


    Further, the king of keys'' son, Prince Wilbow, neglected his duties and avoided doing much of anything at all.


    Hurting their allies seemed to be a signature of the superior worlds. To date, only the world of zing sun, the white world, and the newly evolved Zongming world had yet to follow in their footsteps.


    "This war''s too hard to fight!"


    The death spirits weren''t overly strong; Zhang Lie''s allies were simply too unreliable.


    Hong Xi activated all herbat-oriented soulshards in one fell swoop. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right.


    Behind her, multicolored light red.


    The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a silver twister in the air, one that affected the entire battlefield.


    Zhang Hanxiang shot forward, trailed by the wind. Behind her were arge group of human and alien forces.


    Zhang Hanxiang was surrounded by snow and frost. She thrust forward with her palms, turning a ck spirit to a sculpture of ice with every strike. Subsequently, those sculptures cracked, destroying the ck spirits entirely.


    The forces that had rushed forward with Zhang Hanxiang weren''t the humans, who had grown far stronger than they had been, but rather the mammoths. Their bulky bodies and froststeel armor allowed them to crush any obstacles before them. The most eye-catching among them was a golden mammoth.


    "A hero shines when serving the nation and its people. You evil creatures, face my sword of justice!" The broadsword that the golden mammoth held crashed into the ground, sending boulders flying into the sky. The massive force of impact struck the ck spirits like a careening train.


    Subsequently, the golden mammoth waved its broadsword around, generating huge gusts of wind that swept across the battlefield and pushed the ck spirits back.


    Hong Xi, standing behind the golden mammoth, was shocked to no end.


    "Just where did Master find such strong aliens...?"


    The mammoths were such strong fighters that they equaled Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang, who had maxed out their disaster gene fragments, in battle.


    On the shattered battlefield, the mammoths had no time to demonstrate their strength before the death spirits were pushed back and defeated.


    Subsequently, just like the other forces, they were incapable of doing anything against the spatial storm that the blood lord had summoned.


    As the mammoths grew used to the battlefield, in their second confrontation against the death spirits, they finally revealed their true strength.


    This was the steel tide that Zhang Lie recalled from his past life¡ªone that had grown stronger in this one, because of the presence of the golden mammoth.


    Chen Fan murmured by Hong Xi''s side, "If I''m not mistaken, that golden mammoth is Li Feng''s girlfriend..."


    "Li Feng''s girlfriend?!" Hong Xi was gobsmacked. She was more surprised than if the death spirits were to suddenly pull out 300,000 troops from nowhere.


    The other humans around her were all very interested in this conversation.


    "To think that Li Feng had such unique taste..." Zhang Hanxiang was among those humans. "I truly underestimated Li Feng..."


    Chen Fan shrugged. "I''m not sure of the details, but I always see Li Feng together with this golden mammoth. I wouldn''t be surprised if Li Feng were to get married to her."


    Everyone nced at the blood-drenched golden mammoth.


    She clutched the hilt of her sword, imbuing it with the strength of her body. Her muscles bunched, so thick that no human could ever hope to match her.


    This was a difference in biology and physiology. As she unleashed her sword strike, the resulting shockwave was as though a storm had passed through the area. The ground cracked, boulders flew every which way, and huge numbers of ck spirits were sent flying. A long furrow was left in the ground.


    The human hunters, upon witnessing the golden mammoth''s strength, gulped down their saliva.


    Was Li Feng able to withstand that? They couldn''t help but imagine what it would look like for Li Feng and the golden mammoth in bed.


    Hong Xi hesitated before suggesting, "Given Li Feng''s strength, he''d surely be able to manage...?"


    The human hunters nodded. That... was likely...

 Chapter 989: Finally Making a Move

    <h4>Chapter 989: Finally Making a Move</h4>


    "It''s not the time to be gossiping about others!" Zhang Hanxiang, who had returned tobat, warned the gossiping hunters.


    A blizzard formed around Zhang Hanxiang. Her hands glowed brightly in blue, freezing heaven and earth and sending the battlefield into the deep of winter. A burst of icy energy emanated from her, freezingrge patches of the ck spirits.


    Hong Xi manifested a silver de with her gic energy. Subsequently, she activated [The Elusive Moon], then followed swiftly behind Zhang Hanxiang with a superior-grade illusory leopard soulshard. In the blink of an eye, she appeared before the ck spirits.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" The sword, imbued with moonlight, seemed to cut apart a silvery veil in the sky.


    Upon seeing the huge gap in the death spirits'' encirclement, and the flood of forces that were now pouring into the battlefield, Zhang Liemanded, "Toss the blood demons in!"


    Zhang Lie was waiting for a good opportunity to deal with these traitors; the aliens too had been anticipating it.


    "I''ll send you all off, then!" Zhang Lie appeared right in front of the blood demons.


    The blood demons begged for mercy, trying to demonstrate remorse for what they had done, but Zhang Lie ignored them all. The blood demons had caused the death of four million allied forces, and they would have to pay amensurate price.


    The blood demons were unable to resist as Zhang Lie grabbed them and threw them toward the gray monstrosities of the unclean world.


    As the aliens watched the blood demons trace out arcs through the sky beforending amidst the monstrosities, they began to cheer, as though they had finally exacted their revenge.


    Whether or not the blood demons would end up in the midst of the ck spirits, the gray monstrosities, or somewhere in their vicinity would depend on luck.


    Even though the captain of the sr corps had perished, the sr corps remained on the battlefield.


    A new leader was chosen from among the corps, who wouldmand the battle in lieu of their fallen captain. Piercing golden light covered up the sky and illuminated the void. A radiant storm, like a flood of gold, manifested over the battlefield.


    The frost spiritsughed shrilly. They summoned a blizzard which merged with the radiant sr storm and tore apart huge numbers of ck spirits and battleships.


    A voice came from the death spirit gship. "The blood lord, that useless bastard! His n failed!"


    The ck bat into which Nightdemon had transformed flew around the gship,ughing. "It looks like it''s the end for you, then."


    Zhang Hanxiang leapt upward to avoid a ck spirit''s attack. She conjured a pair of ice skates out of ice, then began gliding over the frozen ground, gaining momentum with every slide. Her body was as limber and agile as an acrobat''s.


    Zhang Hanxiang moved so quickly that she left a series of afterimages behind her wherever she went. Where she passed, ck spirit after ck spirit would fall.


    With the inclusion of the allied forces, the battle grew rather disfavorable to the death spirits. The allied forces, which should have been destroyed by the blood lord''s betrayal, had appeared unscathed. Once they joined the battlefield, the death spirits lost their numerical advantage.


    After the coffin-carrier sent ck rain pouring down from the skies, a gigantic ck skeletal arm emerged from the coffin and grabbed a hold of the bottom of the death spirit gship. The gship shook, as though the skeletal arm were trying to pull it all the way down to the ground.


    The nearby battleships continuously fired their purplesers at the coffin, but the coffin-carrier seemed to be somehow immune to their attacks. The purplesers had no obvious effect on it.


    The battleships surrounding the gship subsequently made their move. They rushed toward the coffin-carrier and continuously battered it until it stumbled back.


    There were six such battleships in all, each octahedral, but they were dozens of timesrger than an ordinary death spirit battleship.


    Nightdemon flew toward the gship, widened his mouth, andunched a supersonic wave at the gship that caused it to rock violently. As the battleships flew toward Nightdemon, he immediately retreated.


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "Go, Gold Comet!"


    Gold Comet had been eager to make a move. It rubbed its scythes against each other in anticipation. The next moment, it morphed into a beam of gold that ricocheted around the battlefield, leaving a long scar on the gship.


    The battleships tried to chase after it, but they were simply too slow.


    Nightdemon took the opportunity tounch another attack at the gship, forcing the battleships to return¡ªuntil Gold Comet attacked as well. Despite the fact that Gold Comet''s scythes weren''t able to do much damage to the gship, it was able to attack in rapid session, and move so quickly that none of the battleships could catch it.


    Nightdemon and Gold Comet were like mosquitoes that nipped their target and then quickly flew off, prioritizing their safety over dealing damage.


    None of the battleships were able to catch the two of them, and they eventually gave up on doing so. Instead, they surrounded the gship and began to move more and more rapidly, forming a barrier of wind around it. Zhang Lie was intimately familiar with this tactic: they were generating twisters of wind that would shield the gship.


    If the battleships were allowed to continue what they were doing, a twister of immense size would swallow up the battlefield, absorbing both the ck spirits and the allied forces.


    Themanders of the various allied forces certainly weren''t about to let such a disaster ur.


    The coffin-carrier stumbled forward once more. The skeletal arm that protruded from the coffin swept apart two battleships, and Nightdemon dealt with one on his own.


    At this critical moment, even Wilbow couldn''t remain idle any longer. He sted aside one of the battleships. The frost spiritmander likewise took action, sending a punch forward and freezing half a battleship before being knocked aside.


    Zhang Lie also did his part.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" He extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark. The sword energy pierced through a battleship, and the shark devoured it whole.


    "Don''t think you can get away with this!" a voice roared from the gship.


    Wilbow smiled coldly. "And why not?"


    "Do you really think you can win? All of you, die!" The entire gship burst with light. A tremendous amount of energy gathered within it, causing Zhang Lie''s face to go pale.


    As the gship made its move, the other battleships all stopped what they were doing, ignored the enemies before them, and spread out all over the battlefield. They wrapped themselves up in ck cloth bandages, turning intorge ck orbs, as they fled the gship.


    Hundreds, thousands of purplesers shot out of the gship like a light show.


    The superior worlds''manders didn''t expect the sudden attack, which happened too quickly for them to do anything about. Nightdemon and Wilbow were sent flying from the impact of the purplesers, while the coffin-carrier was smashed into the ground by them.


    All those around the gship, be they aliens, ck spirits, or even the nearby battleships, were struck by the purplesers. The battleships, shielded by theiryers of ck bandages, bounced away, whereas the aliens and ck spirits were annihted entirely.

 Chapter 990: Divergent Opinions

    <h4>Chapter 990: Divergent Opinions</h4>


    No one could have expected that the one who would kill the most death spirits in this battle wasn''t Zhang Lie, Nightdemon, or even the coffin-carrier¡ªbut rather the death spirit gship.


    The battleships were evidently prepared for this technique, and they immediately readied their defenses as soon as the gship made its move. They suffered few, if any, losses.


    The gship''s sudden attack rebnced the scales of victory.


    The humans and draconians were also affected by thesers, but because they hadn''t charged forward, they didn''t lose too many of their fighters.


    The warlords had ughtered their way into the heart of the ck spirits, but they were each individually strong. Few died, though many were injured.


    Nightdemon pped his wings. "I didn''t expect the death spirits to have such an ace up their sleeves. I''ve been somewhat seriously wounded. I''ll leave the rest to you, then."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Nightdemon, aren''t you embarrassed?"


    "Ah, you''ve caught me." Nightdemon pped his wings and took to the air again.


    The bombardment of purplesers might have been devastating to anyone else. Nightdemon was likewise injured because he was in such close proximity, but it wasn''t particrly serious. There were too manysers, and the energy spread too diffusely, for Nightdemon to have received a critical injury.


    Nightdemon praised, "As expected of the death spirit gship. The death spirits must have sunk quite a lot of resources into building it¡ªlikely even the majority of their resources."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "In other words, if we can destroy it now, the death spirits won''t be able to bring out a second one."


    Nightdemon leaned back. "Don''t joke around¡ªif the death spirits had a second such gship, I might just cry!"


    "It''s almost time for you to make a move, I think," Nightdemon told Zhang Lie. "No one else will be able to stop the gship, and if you allow it to run rampant through our forces, they''ll quickly fall apart."


    Zhang Lie looked into the distance. "Before that, Nightdemon, would you be able to defend against this blow?"


    The gshipunched another fuside of purplesers. This time, however, they were concentrated in the same direction. The attack was like a blinding sun, one whose radiance covered up the entire battlefield.


    The next moment, the intense purple beam shot out of the gship, thousands of times thicker than that from an ordinary battleship. If the beam were to strike the allied forces, all but those on the level of Nightdemon and Zhang Lie would die.


    Nightdemon hurriedly spat out his Shining Trapezohedron, which struck the purpleser head-on. Purple light exploded over the entire battlefield, as though an apocalypse had drawn near.


    The Shining Trapezohedron captured as much of the potency of theser as it could within its twenty-four faces. Zhang Lie did the same, using his spatial maniption to weaken the intensity of theser.


    The Shining Trapezohedron absorbed the purpleser and sent twenty-four weaker beams flying out every which way, somending on the battlefield and dealing significant damage to the ck spirits and allied forces, and others shooting through the sky and striking the death spirits'' battleships.


    Nightdemon took advantage of the characteristics of the Shining Trapezohedron to reflect and redirect the direction of theser, turning it against the death spirits and destroying a considerable fraction of their battleships.


    Even so, the capacity of the Shining Trapezohedron was limited, and the purple beam was too intense for the Shining Trapezohedron to redirect it all. As it shook and trembled violently, it was pushed back by theser.


    Hong Xi, noticing that something was amiss, immediatelymanded, "Everyone, retreat! Move beyond the reach of these purplesers!"


    The humans and draconians carried out Hong Xi''smand immediately.


    The other aliens didn''t understand what they were doing. "Why are you retreating now? It''s clear that his highness Nightdemon has taken control of the purple light!"


    Hong Xi shook her head. "It''s beyond his capacity to handle."


    "What do you mean?" Nightdemon had indeed blocked the purpleser.


    Zhang Hanxiang rified, "He won''t be able to hold it back for long."


    "That''s impossible! Don''t you know who he is? His highness Nightdemon, clone of the strongest king, the king of chaos! Surely he''ll be able to block the attackpletely."


    "We need to trust in his highness."


    "Don''t you recall what happened during the ambush? We were all about to die from the spatial storm, but Nightdemon saved us all!"


    Many of the aliens refused to believe Hong Xi''s words on ount of their blind faith in Nightdemon, but Hong Xi and the forces of the draconian world were different.


    Compared to Nightdemon, they trusted Zhang Lie more. Before they set off, Zhang Lie had emphasized not to trust in their allies or in the other superior worlds, including theirmanders and even the other superior kings.


    Nightdemon hadn''t done anything to hurt the allied forces so far, and he had even saved everyone using the Shining Trapezohedron. Although this should have engendered some faith in him, the forces of the draconian world trusted Zhang Lie with their very lives. Zhang Lie had told them not to blindly trust in the other superior worlds, and they would listen to hismand.


    When Hong Xi noticed that something might be going wrong with the situation, what she turned to wasn''t her own judgment, or to Nightdemon''s strength, but rather Zhang Lie''s words.


    However, the other aliens hadn''t received such a warning. They instinctively followed the strong.


    "You''re lowering the allied forces'' morale!"


    "Nightdemon is the clone of the king of chaos. What can that battleship do against him?"


    "Right, we need to believe in Nightdemon!"


    Compared to Hong Xi, who wasrgely unknown among the three thousand worlds of the third realm, Nightdemon, who had no small amount of fame, clearly seemed much more reliable.


    One alien even called out, "All of you bastards, don''t you dare retreat! Thismander''s blind!"


    Another alien pointed at his head. "Yourmander''s crazy! How did she make it to her position?"


    A third alien taunted, "If your superior king were to learn about this, he''d be so angry that he''d spit blood. Don''t you think Nightdemon will be able to handle this? You cowards!"


    "You must be so frightened of thesers that you can''t think of anything but turning tail and running! All this is just an excuse to flee from the battlefield, isn''t it?" The aliens around them all began tough.


    Zhang Hanxiang snorted. "Feel free to stay here if you want to die. Hong Xi, let''s go!"


    However, the aliens stood still, refusing to budge and open a path for the draconian forces'' retreat...

 Chapter 991: Believe in Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 991: Believe in Yourself</h4>


    "We won''t move. If we do, you''ll disrupt our formation!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s face was as cold as sleet. "Scram."


    Using the whirling violetsers and the ck spirits all around them as an excuse, the aliens refused to make way for the draconian forces. "There are purplesers all around us, and ck spirits that haven''t been dealt with! How do you expect us to make space for you now?"


    The shing purplesers meant that no one wanted to fight with the ck spirits at the moment. Both sides were cutting their losses; the only ones still fighting without care or regard for their lives were the gray monstrosities. They alone were sufficient to deal with the remaining ck spirits; indeed, they even had the upper hand.


    As such, the reason the aliens refused to move boiled down to their displeasure with the draconian forces'' actions¡ªthey wanted to hinder what they thought were a bunch of cowards and weaklings.


    If they refused to budge from their formations, the draconian forces would have a hard time retreating. It wasn''t impossible, but their speed was greatly reduced.


    Hong Xi was once again reminded of what Zhang Lie had warned her¡ªbeware of your allies, who could well be more dangerous than your purported enemies. These "allies" of theirs could very well be sending the draconian forces to their death.


    However, there were a few other aliens willing to listen. One scaleman called out, "There are purplesers all over! How are we supposed to retreat?"


    Hong Xi replied, "Avoid their trajectories as much as possible."


    Zhang Hanxiang added, "It doesn''t matter if we get struck by the smallersers. We just have to avoid the biggest, thickest one, from the death spirit gship."


    "I understand!"


    To Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi''s surprise, there were finally aliens willing to listen to them. The forces of the Zongming world followed theirmand.


    There were many aliens from the Zongming world, and theirbined numbers allowed the draconian forces to move more freely. With so many aliens moving at once, the other superior worlds'' forces didn''t dare to hold them back any longer.


    Even so, they cried out, "What are you doing? You need to believe in his highness Nightdemon!"


    "Believe in his highness Nightdemon! If he were to find out that all of you were causing chaos in our formation while he''s trying to block the attack, he''d be very upset!"


    .


    "His highness Nightdemon saved us all during the spatial storm. I''m sure he''ll be able to deal with this crisis too!"


    "Yes, he must have an ace up his sleeve!"


    The aliens tried to stop themotion, not with their bodies, but with their words.


    "Are you certain?" The scalemen pointed at the Shining Trapezohedron in the sky. "It''s already been forced back quite some distance."


    The intensity of the purpleser was forcing the Shining Trapezohedron back, bit by bit.


    The scalemen cried out, "I do believe in his highness Nightdemon, but I trust Hong Xi more! When the spatial storm erupted, she was the first to react and to propose a solution. If not for her timely and urate judgment, we''d have lost another third of our forces."


    The scalemen were willing to believe Hong Xi not just because Zhang Lie had warned them to be careful of their allies, but also because of her prudent judgment and track record.


    Another alien from the Zongming world called out, "Look at the forces that Hong Ximands! She lost the fewest forces when the spatial storm erupted."


    The other aliens put too much blind faith in Nightdemon.


    "His highness Nightdemon surely has a way out of this mess!"


    "He definitely knows what he''s doing. We just have to listen to him!"


    "His highness Nightdemon is the clone of the king of chaos, the strongest king! He slew a death spirit on the level of a superior king in the past. There''s no way he''d be pushed back by the death spirits'' weapons! We have to believe in him!"


    These aliens were immediately forced to confront the truth of their beliefs.


    The death spirits'' gship, having dealt with Zhang Lie''s sharks, flew straight at Nightdemon, who was unable to react because of his intense focus on the Shining Trapezohedron.


    The aliens all inhaled in shock.


    Wilbow sent a battleship flying, while the frost spiritmander held another one back. Gold Comet emerged in a beam of golden light, zipping around and distracting a third battleship.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The remaining two battleships flew toward Nightdemon as the aliens began to panic.


    Nightdemon, who had to devote his entire attention to the Shining Trapezohedron, waspletely unprotected. Any blow that the two battleships dealt him might be lethal¡ªand that blow would strike at the very heart of the allied forces.


    Zhang Lie shot forward with his ck serpent. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth. The ck serpent wrapped around the two battleships and halted their motion as the aliens wiped the sweat off their forehead.


    "I told you, there won''t be a problem!"


    "His highness Nightdemon isn''t the only one fighting out there¡ªthe othermanders have joined in! Nothing bad will happen."


    "Even if you doubt Nightdemon''s strength, you shouldn''t doubt the othermanders as well."


    The aliens tried to persuade the draconian world''s forces, only to find that they had already evacuated quite some distance away.


    "Just what are all of you doing? Look, we''re all fine!"


    "Believe in your ownmander, at least!"


    "These cowards¡ªwhat''s there to fear?!"


    The retreating forces spared no thought for the aliens they left behind. They certainly did believe in Nightdemon''s strength, but not to such an extent that they would bet their lives on it.


    They didn''t intend to rely on blind faith andziness¡ªthey''d fight for their own lives themselves.


    There were quite a few aliens who were wondering whether or not to flee with Hong Xi and her forces.


    "These fellows have upended our entire formation!" some aliens began to grumble. "If they can''t even trust their ownmander, who will they trust?"

 Chapter 992: The Heaviest Price

    <h4>Chapter 992: The Heaviest Price</h4>


    The other aliens found it shockingly difficult to understand that Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang were acting in this fashion precisely because they trusted Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie had emphasized to Hong Xi to trust her own judgment, rather than to be led by the nose by the other superior worlds'' forces, and Hong Xi had kept Zhang Lie''s advice in mind.


    On the other hand, the stubborn aliens continued to be entrenched in their position.


    "These fellows¡ªthey''repletely unwilling to listen to us! Look at the state of our battle lines!"


    In truth, the formation of the forces had already been disrupted by the barrage of purplesers even before Hong Xi''s departure.


    Zhang Lie and the othermanders'' actions bought Nightdemon a bit of time, but in the end, he was unable to hold out any longer. The Shining Trapezohedron was forced back.


    The ground quaked and split open. The coffin-carrier, who had been pressed into the ground, mbered out of it. The ck, skeletal arm from within the coffin snatched at the purpleser.


    ck energy wafted from the bone in a continuous stream. Struck by theser, the bone seemed to transform, as though it were about toe back to life. It was surrounded by ck energy that formed muscles around the bone.


    The arm of ck energy grabbed a hold of the purple pir of light as space shattered around it. A storm of ck and purple emerged from the void, and the aliens were forced to shield their eyes from the blinding light.


    The ck energy fought against the purple light, stabilizing the Shining Trapezohedron.


    The aliens watching the scene all cheered.


    "Ourmanders are amazing!"


    "Those rascals¡ªwith ourmanders around, there''s nothing we need to fear!"


    "I told you all, didn''t I? They''re blind, uselessmanders!"


    Upon seeing the coffin-carrier block the purpleser, the aliens all cheered, as though victory were within sight.


    "What do those women know aboutmanding an army? Who appointed them to that position? They must be crazy!"


    "Unblockable? Ourmanders have just blocked the attack!"


    "Once the violetser runs out of energy, it''ll be our turn to counter-attack!"


    The purple light was so intense that the bone forming the ck arm began to crack¡ªit boasted so much energy that it was beyond the level of a superior king to handle. As the ck energy dissipated and the cracks propagated through the bone, the ck skeleton seemed to be on the verge of falling apart.


    Nightdemon turned his head andmanded, "Run! Disperse!"


    Th-This wasn''t going as nned!?The aliens'' cheers suddenly halted. They could tell that something was amiss, too.


    "Shouldn''t we start running?"


    "We should trust in ourmanders... Start running!"


    However, the skeleton crumbled more quickly than expected. By the time the aliens reacted, it was already toote.


    The violet light washed over the coffin-carrier, whose resistance to the light was finite. It could shrug off thesers from the ordinary death spirit battleships, but this thick pir of light, with tens of thousands of times more energy, waspletely different.


    The upper half of its body was evaporated by the light. After losing the support of the skeleton, the Shining Trapezohedron was also on the verge of giving out. Nightdemon was unable to give the aliens more time to react; the Shining Trapezohedron was sent flying by the intensity of the light.


    The sr corps and the frost spirits joined hands,bining a sr storm and icy blizzard, golden light and silver snow¡ªbut against the violet light, it was all meaningless. Their resistance sumbed in the blink of an eye.


    Zhang Lie, Nightdemon, and the othermanders were already starting to flee when the aliens finally came to their senses. This was proof that no one could hold the violet light back.


    Zhang Lie noticed approvingly that the Zongming and draconian worlds'' forces had already retreated. He didn''t care about the aliens from these other worlds¡ªas warriors, they had to be prepared to die.


    The violet light washed over the battlefield, and the aliens were unable to do anything to stop it.


    Compared to the violet light, which could shatter even space, the aliens were powerless weaklings.


    Only then, moments before their death, did they realize how foolish it was to hand their lives over to even someone as strong as Nightdemon. They finally understood Hong Xi''s words, but their understanding hade toote.


    If only they had reacted five minutes earlier! But instead, they had clung steadfastly and stubbornly to their conservative opinions and instead mocked Hong Xi for her actions.


    In the end, they paid the heaviest price they could¡ªtheir lives.


    The void shook as the annihting violetser struck the battlefield, shattering the ground. Even boulders were vaporized by the beam, let alone the aliens within.


    A huge crater was left in the ground, so deep and wide a mountain could be inverted into it. Within the crater, remnant purple light shed and glimmered. Not all of it had dissipated into the air.


    Fortunately, the Zongming and draconian forces had already retreated far away from the battlefield, and they were unaffected by the devastation. Everyone turned toward Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang in gratitude.


    If not for theirmand, they would all have perished amidst the violetser''s destruction. Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang had saved them all.


    Hong Xi couldn''t help but recall Zhang Lie''s advice. If not for her steadfast belief in Zhang Lie, Hong Xi wouldn''t have insisted on following her own judgment¡ªand if Hong Xi had saved the aliens, then Zhang Lie had saved Hong Xi.


    Despite her close shave, Hong Xi wasn''t ted at all. The situation didn''t look promising. Most of the aliens, stubborn as they were, had perished where they stood. At least half the forces had fallen, and many were heavily injured. Only about a fifth were still in fighting condition, most of whom included the Zongming and draconian worlds'' forces.


    The coffin-carrier and gray monstrosities of the unclean world had been destroyed by the violet light, leaving behind only Zhang Lie, Nightdemon, the skiving Wilbow, and the weak frost spiritmander.


    Their impending victory had quickly turned into an impending loss¡ªthe only constion was that Zhang Lie was present, and he could very well turn the tides of the battle.


    After shooting out the violetser, the gship grew dim, as though theser had taken all the resources it possessed. Evidently, the intensity of the light, which even Nightdemon couldn''t block, wasn''t an attack that could be used at will.


    Nightdemon shuddered. "The death spirits might not have a second fighter on the level of a superior king, but their weaponry is off the charts. We can''t underestimate them." He peered at the remaining forces, only to find that the Zongming and draconian worlds'' forces had survived almost intact. "Looks like you have a good subordinate!"

 Chapter 993: Dont Be Lazy

    <h4>Chapter 993: Don''t Be Lazy</h4>


    Nightdemon didn''t particrly care about the losses suffered by the allied forces, even if some night growlers died as well. No wars were bloodless, and the world of primordial chaos had stockpiled far more than enough resources than could be depleted by this confrontation alone.


    "They''re just flexible thinkers," Zhang Lie replied modestly, though he was smiling.


    Wilbow asked, "The death spirits'' weapons are far stronger than expected. Do either of you have a n for dealing with them?"


    "As far as I''m aware, whatever engine the death spirits are using must surely be overheating after producing aser of such high intensity." Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. He very much wanted to im the gship for himself and carefully study its inner workings.


    Nightdemon rolled his eyes. "Speak in English, please!"


    Zhang Lie exined, "In other words, because it expended too much energy, it has to charge up more energy before it can function normally again. Under these circumstances, it won''t be able to react as swiftly, and its attacks won''t be as strong."


    "You seem to understand this the best out of anyone present, so I''ll leave it to you!" Wilbow patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder.


    "You just want to bezy again!"


    Wilbow pointed at the battleships surrounding the gship. Someone has to deal with those battleships, surely?"


    Nightdemon replied, "I was responsible for shielding against the violetser, and I don''t have much more strength left. I''ll have to rely on you guys¡ªthough I can help clean up some of these ck pyramids first."


    "There''s no time to waste!" Wilbow called out. "The death spirits'' gship is about to recover!"


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    "Then I''ll leave dealing with the battleships all around to you guys," Zhang Lie said.


    Wilbow nced around him at the numerous death spirit battleships. "This isn''t an easy task..."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "If it were easy, I''d do it myself!"


    "We''ll take responsibility for this," the frost spiritmander promised.


    Zhang Lie nced at Wilbow.?Look how much more diligent the frost spiritmander is!?Zhang Lie really couldn''t understand Wilbow, who had been sent as amander for the war against the death spirits, but who repeatedly tried to do as little work as he could on the battlefield.


    Wilbow pretended not to notice Zhang Lie''s nce.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward, a blood-colored wind surrounding his body. "Furthermore, protect the remainder of the allied forces. When I fight against the gship, I won''t have any attention to spare for those around me. If the allied forces get in the way, our losses will increase even further."


    Wilbow shrugged. "We''ve already suffered tremendous losses, haven''t we?"


    Nightdemon added, "The remaining allied forces arergely from the Zongming world¡ªwe might as well call them Zongming forces by now."


    "Details, details! If you care too much about these fine details, you''ll go bald. There are still aliens from your respective superior worlds and surrounding domains, aren''t there?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "I can manifest illusions. There''s no way I''d go bald." Nightdemon could make others see him in any form he wanted. "Even when I transform into a bat, I don''t have to worry about going bald."


    Wilbow touched his head. "And I have fur on my head, not hair."


    At any rate, given their strength, they would easily be able to regrow their hair even if it were to fall out.


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Asmanders, surely none of you would want to win a war but return with all your troops dead?


    Wilbow nodded. "That does make sense... I don''t mind, but my father wouldn''t be happy if I were to do so."


    Of course, the king of keys didn''t really mind either. To the superior kings, everyone else was akin to ants.


    Nightdemon nodded. "Protecting these forces won''t be an issue."


    Wilbow slumped. "It just means that we''ll have more work."


    "Don''t worry, I have a helper for you. Gold Comet, work with Nightdemon and the others to deal with the death spirits'' battleships while I handle the gship."


    Nightdemon and Wilbow nced at Gold Comet. Indeed, this was an eptable arrangement. Gold Comet was about as strong as a superior king itself, and their workload could indeed be reduced by a fair portion¡ªcertainly more than it would take to protect the allied forces,rgely from the Zongming world.


    As a blood-colored whirlwind formed, Zhang Lie morphed into a beam of red light and flew toward the death spirit gship, wing apart any obstacles in his way.


    The death spirit gship was surrounded with ck energy and a flurry of bandages. Zhang Lie swiped at those bandages, but more spawned from the heart of the gship.


    A ck serpent manifested around Zhang Lie. Its scales turned a blood-red color and horns protruded from its forehead as it transformed into a bloody dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The ck bandages wrapped the blood dragon up, intending to tear it apart, but this was part of Zhang Lie''s trap. Zhang Lie''s attack wasn''t the blood dragon itself, but rather the energy of annihtion that made it up.


    At that moment, the blood dragon burst apart. A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    By the time the death spirits realized their mistake, it was already toote. The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight. Boulders and the death spirits'' battleships were sucked into the ck hole, along with the remnant ck spirits on the battlefield.


    Nightdemon sighed. "That fellow..."


    Nightdemon and Wilbow were forced to defend the allied forces against the aftermath of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    .


    Even the death spirit gship was sucked into the ck hole.


    From within the ck hole came a burst of purple energy, producing a glow so bright everyone could see it. As the ck hole shrunk, a purpleser emerged from it, encapsting the death spirit gship at its center.


    Right as the gship escaped, the ck hole vanished, leaving a vacuum behind. A storm manifested as the air itself cavitated. A hemispherical hole was left behind on the battlefield, as though a bomb with a few megatons of energy had just been detonated.

 Chapter 994: Push Him to His Limits

    <h4>Chapter 994: Push Him to His Limits</h4>


    Zhang Lie was shocked that the death spirit gship had managed to survive the ck hole.


    Given his current strength, his [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade] should be beyond the level of a superior king''s skill, which meant that the gship was able to defend even against such attacks. Even so, the gship had paid a heavy price. Its exterior, once polished to a glossy finish, was now pockmarked and worn.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" A horde of over a hundred ck dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    ck bandages spooled out of the death spirit gship, attempting to stop the dragons but to no avail. There were too many dragons, and they were able to tear apart the bandages as they drew closer to the gship.


    Suddenly, the gship transformed. Purple lines appeared over the surface of the gship as the octahedral structure unfolded. In the blink of an eye, it became a mecha.


    Zhang Lie stumbled back in shock. "This battleship can transform?!"


    A purple core was iid in the center of the mecha''s chest, and six sharp pairs of wings unfolded behind its back. Its head was red like that of a cobra, and two triangles on each arm like shields.


    Zhang Lie was shocked beyond words that the death spirits'' technology had developed to this extent.


    If the death spirit king were allowed to continue his research, the technology of the third realm would soon catch up to that in the Milky Way.


    The ck bandages wrapped around the mecha and formed its outeryer of armor. It threw a punch and caused a ck dragon to explode. However, the ck dragon was formed from the energy of annihtion. As it burst apart, it spawned a chain reaction, and the ck dragons all exploded at once.


    Upon witnessing this sight, the death spirit mecha instantly grew fearful after having suffered so miserably from the first such explosion. It immediately tried to retreat, but it was too slow. The mecha was sucked into the explosion against his will.


    When it finally emerged once more, its shiny body had be dull and sooty, and its core was dim. It extended an arm and shot out a beam of violet light, which was easily blocked by the de Guicang that Zhang Lie raised.


    The mecha''s core burned as violet light poured out of it. The sizzling of the mes sounded like a soul''s shrill scream. In order to defeat Zhang Lie, the mecha was burning the equivalent of its lifeforce¡ªinitiating a meltdown, as it were.


    Its shield-like arms locked together. The ck bandages unwrapped themselves from its body as the mecha rushed forward, rotating quickly like a spinning top, an electric saw. Violet light surrounded it.


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the battlefield dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted allbatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    As Zhang Lie swung his sword in an arc, the underworld river surged toward the mecha. The serpents exploded as the violet light struck them, but there were countless such serpents. The revolving mecha charged up the river against the current, destroying all serpents that came into contact with it.


    Zhang Lie responded to the attack calmly. Before the mecha struck him, he leapt high into the air and shed down with Guicang from above. The moment the sword came into contact with the mecha, violet sparks shed as ck bandages exploded from the mecha, sending Zhang Lie flying into the void.


    The mecha faced Zhang Lie as its violet core whirred. Energy condensed around its hands as a violet pir of light, one much like the one that the gship had initially shot out.


    Pitch-ck energy exploded from Zhang Lie, as though a demon were descending on the world. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    As the energy covered up the void, even Nightdemon and Wilbow grew shocked.


    Nightdemon chuckled. "To think even what he''d shown us before wasn''t his full strength..."


    Zhang Lie had depths deeper than the abyss. Who knew what his limits were? Perhaps only his original body could push him enough to figure that out.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy roared as it took the form of a vast, angry sea. Waves charged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    A tremendous amount of pressure bore down on the mecha¡ªa ck sea formed of gic energy and filled with serpents.


    The pir of violet light shot into the pitch-ck sea, causing all the serpents in its path to explode. ck gic energy roiled as it vaporized, but more energy manifested to fill its ce.


    In the end, the mecha gave out first. It roared in outrage as it overclocked its engine. Cracks appeared over its core. The violet light, as intense as a hurricane, shed against the sea once more.


    It felt as though there were tens of thousands of malignant spirits screaming, as though they were struggling against the serpents of the underworld river.


    The confrontation between Zhang Lie and the death spirit mecha yed out in the void, with ayer of ck energy above and violet light below.


    The shockwaves resulting from the confrontation tore apart the surrounding space, causingrge numbers of the nearby battleships to explode...

 Chapter 995: World of Black Rain

    <h4>Chapter 995: World of ck Rain</h4>


    If not for Nightdemon and Wilbow''s assistance in shielding the allied forces, they would have been obliterated in an instant.


    The dead worlds all around the shattered battlefield were struck by errant shockwaves from the attack. Without the protection afforded by the will of the world, they crumbled to dust.


    The confrontation between Zhang Lie and the mecha would have been far more difficult if the mecha were in perfect condition, but it had already consumed far too much power after shooting out a high-intensityser for so long. Subsequently, Zhang Lie''s sneak attacks had given the mecha no time to recover from its energy consumption.


    The cracks in the mecha''s heart began to propagate. The violet storm lost its impetus, and it was struck down by the sea of ck energy that Zhang Lie had manifested.


    The ck gic energy burst, destroying and annihting everything.


    Within the center of the explosion was a bead of purple light, just like a firefly shining brightly in the night sky. It flew out of the sea of energy, straight at Zhang Lie.


    The projectile turned out to be the mecha, missing half its body and all four limbs. Only a small fraction of its core still remained, but it was glowing brightly.


    "Die!" The mecha''s voice invoked malice and wrath. As it approached, the fluctuations in energy around it went through the roof.


    Zhang Lie quickly realized what the mecha was trying to do¡ªto self-destruct and bring Zhang Lie down along with it. Of course, Zhang Lie wasn''t about to give the mecha such an opportunity.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon. The dragon''s roar shook heaven and earth. Zhang Lie''s sword pierced through the mecha''s body as violet light rained down the sky¡ªand exploded.


    As it did so, a pale white sword sh shed amidst the void.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Gleaming light honed the edge of Zhang Lie''s sword, and a beam of sword energy rose into the air, thousands of meters high.


    The bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight. As Zhang Lie shed down, the sword energy fell, splitting apart the violet energy and forcing it back.


    The explosion of violet energy was so intense that it took long moments to settle. As the explosion receded, Zhang Lie let out a breath of relief. Nightdemon and Wilbow had defended the allied forces against the worst of the impact.


    The death spirit battleships had all perished in the aftermath of the explosion. Seeing that the battle was over, the Zongming forces cheered.


    Zhang Lie slowly descended to the ground, whereupon Zhang Hanxiang rushed up and embraced him. "Brother, you''re amazing!"


    Hong Xi gave him a thumbs up. "Master, I idolize you!"


    The frost spiritmander asked, "We''re finally done now, aren''t we?"


    Wilbow nodded. "We paid a high price, but we secured a victory."


    After just two battles, there were only about a fifth of the allied forces remaining. The coffin-carrier of the world of ck rain had sacrificed itself, and all the monstrosities of the unclean world had perished.


    Only the Zongming world''s forces were rtively intact. The remainingmanders were Zhang Lie, Wilbow, Nightdemon, and the frost spiritmander. Although they had won, it was a Pyrrhic victory.


    The frost spiritmander frowned. "The death spirit king''s trump card¡ªhis gship¡ªexploded, but where''s the death spirit king? He never appeared, even at the end."


    Nightdemon asked, "Why did you think that the death spirit king would appear?"


    The frost spiritmander replied, "I thought he would be within his gship..."


    Zhang Lie walked over. "When did you get that mistaken impression?"


    The frost spiritmander looked around. "Didn''t you all think that?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I thought so at first, but I understood what was going on after I fought with the mecha."


    Nightdemon replied, "I thought so as well. After all, there was a huge amount of energy stored in that gship. After the initialser burst, however, I still couldn''t sense any living matter in the ship, let alone the death spirit king."


    The frost spiritmander asked, "In that case, where is he? Why isn''t he participating in such an important battle?"


    This was the perfect opportunity for getting rid of the allied forces.


    Wilbow shrugged. "Who can say? Only the death spirit king knows what he''s doing."


    "Where else could he be but the frontlines...?" Zhang Lie looked out into the void.


    Suddenly, Nightdemon stilled. "I know where the death spirit king is now."


    Everyone turned toward him. How had Nightdemon known? He was right in front of them, and he hadn''t exchanged anymunication with anyone. When did he learn of this information?


    Nightdemon continued, "I have clones around most of the superior worlds, and one clone has just transmitted some information to me."


    Wilbow replied in shock, "Hold on, you have clones around most of the superior worlds?"


    "Has the king of chaos been surveilling all the superior worlds?" Zhang Lie asked.


    The frost spiritmander grew visibly rmed. "It''s possible that the king of chaos has been doing this all along. Who knows how many subordinates he has, and how many of them are on the level of superior kings...?"


    Nightdemon cut them short. "That''s not the point! Ignore these details. My clone near the world of ck rain has important information for us."


    Wilbow nodded. "So the king of chaos does have clones situated around all the superior worlds..."


    Nightdemon ignored Wilbow and continued, "The death spirit king has appeared near the world of ck rain."


    Zhang Lie was even more surprised. "He''s attacking, then?"


    The frost spiritmander said urgently, "We have to rush there now. If the death spirit king were to destroy another superior world..."


    "We have to set off immediately."


    There was no time to rx or recuperate. Nightdemon''s urgent information meant that the allied forces immediately rushed off toward the world of ck rain through the void.


    Upon seeing the pitch-ck world, Zhang Lie murmured, "Are we toote?"


    Nightdemon replied, "No, this is just what the world of ck rain looks like."


    Corrosive ck rain fell from the skies, making the troops ufortable and forcing them to shield themselves with their own strength.


    The ground was filled with graveyards and bones. The smoking hulls of battleships were scattered across the ground, each bathed in purple me. The entire world seemed on the verge of copse, both earth and sky alike...

 Chapter 996: The Death Spirit King At Last

    <h4>Chapter 996: The Death Spirit King At Last</h4>


    The world of ck rain was now little more than a smoking husk.


    The moment they stepped within the domain of the world, Zhang Lie, Nightdemon, and the others could immediately sense a frightening energy, as though there were a huge ck hole in front of them that was devouring everything in sight. It was a simr sensation as when Zhang Lie looked at the king of keys directly.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help breaking out in a cold sweat. "Is that the death spirit king?"


    Nightdemon nodded. "That''s right."


    "We''d better rush over. Perhaps the decaying king might still be saved..." Wilbow replied.


    No one thought that the decaying king would be a match for the death spirit king¡ªthe two kings were too different in terms of power.


    Zhang Lie, Nightdemon, and the others could sense that the world''s energy was currently being stripped away. The world itself wailed. Auroras appeared in the sky, along with scars of blood.


    Nightdemon said, "If we follow the trail of the world''s energy, we should be able to find the death spirit king.


    The superior world was sorge that, without anything to guide their way, it might have taken a year or more to find the death spirit king.


    By the time the forces arrived, they found two gships attacking a pitch-ck tree. It wasrge and skeletal, without a single leaf on it. The thick trunk and branches looked like demonic ws. The branches were wing at the battleships, and the trunk was embedded with wailing human faces, as though it fed upon dead spirits.


    The tree was sorge that it belied the imagination. In front of it, even Zhang Lie and Nightdemon seemed like grains of sand. The trunk was so thick that it would take a hundred men holding hands to circle it.


    Zhang Lie had some impression of this tree, which seemed much like a Japanese pagoda tree.


    The gigantic tree''s branches were shing against the two death spirit gships'' ck bandages. Smaller battleships wove around the tree, cutting off whatever branches they could find.


    The tree was pitted, pockmarked, and dripping sap. The two gships simultaneously shot out two thicksers of violet light, obliterating the branches and striking directly at the heart of the tree. The tree screamed shrilly, a cacophony of moans and wails which echoed through the skies and struck at the soul. The allied forces immediately clutched their heads in pain.


    In the end, the gigantic tree was no match for the death spirits'' weaponry, and it fell to the two gships''bined attack.


    On the ground remained only a stump burning with purple me.


    Wilbow asked, "Where''s the decaying king? He can''t be dead, can he?"


    Nightdemon replied, "If he were dead, a rain of blood would pour from the skies. There''s only ck rain at the moment, not blood rain¡ªthe decaying king must still be alive."


    "Could that be him?" Zhang Lie pointed in front of him,


    at the mass of ck substance on the ground, half-dead and pinned there by nine huge pirs. Above the ck mass was a figure in a ck throne above it, a colossal figure asrge as a mountain, draped in ck robes, seated in an ornate ck throne that floated in the sky, with a gold mask on his face.


    His head was like that of a cobra, and beneath his robes were a mess of ck bandages. Though he did nothing, his aura alone represented a tremendous pressure for the gathered crowd.


    The superior world''s energy gathered around the throne, fed to the king by his ck bandages, which stripped the energy from the will of the world. He would wring the will of the world dry of its energy, then devour it whole.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. "That must be the death spirit king, then."


    Nightdemon''s face was likewise serious. For the duration of the entire war, he had kept up a rxed expression¡ªuntil now. "That is the death spirit king. Compared to thest war, he''s grown far stronger."


    Thest war that Nightdemon was talking about was when the superior worlds first banded together to barricade the death spirits away.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Do you regret not having killed the death spirit king back then?"


    .


    Nightdemon shrugged. "It doesn''t make a difference to me, but I suppose that the decaying king, nailed down over there, is certainly regretting his inaction."


    Wilbow was somewhat more curious. "How much stronger is the death spirit king nowpared to then?"


    This was the opponent they would be facing next, and Wilbow was certainly interested in knowing the death spirit king''s strength.


    Nightdemon sighed. "At least three times, maybe even ten."


    Wilbow sucked in a deep breath. "Even back then, all the superior kings had to act together to seal the death spirit king away. What can wemanders do against such an existence?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Back then, the death spirit king had yet to develop such frightening weaponry."


    In truth, if the death spirit king had had such weaponry in his arsenal back then, the war against the death spirits might have gone very differently.


    Wilbow suggested, "I think we need to consider whether or not we should retreat. We only have three people here at the level of a superior king."


    Nightdemon smiled. "Isn''t Zhang Lie here?"


    Zhang Lie waved.


    Nightdemon patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. "He counts for nine, I think."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''m fine staying. I''d like to see what it''s like to sh with a peak existence in the third realm, but will the two of you be able to handle the two gships?"


    It had taken essentially theirbined might to deal with the first gship they had encountered, but there were two here¡ªand they both had ample reservoirs of energy.


    The stump of the Japanese pagoda tree, which had stubbornly remained alive, had burrowed into the ground to escape from the gships. Neither the gships nor the death spirit king gave chase, because an opponent they had to prioritize had appeared.


    The death spirit king nced toward them, his eyes as deep as the abyss, swallowing up all light. "You''re here, primordial chaos?"


    Nightdemon bowed. "I hope you may address this clone by his name. I''m Nightdemon."


    The death spirit king asked, "Did you enjoy the weing ceremony I prepared for you?"


    Nightdemon syed his arms. "It was alright, not too boring. I hope you''ll be more diligent in the future."


    The conversation seemed like one between two friends, not two enemies.


    The death spirit king was garbed in an ornate robe, his face held high. As he took off his gold mask, he revealed the appearance of a god of darkness, a fallen angel. "I know how useless that blood lord is, but I didn''t expect the gship to prove futile against you as well. As expected of you!"

 Chapter 997: Chaos and Death

    <h4>Chapter 997: Chaos and Death</h4>


    In that case, had the death spirit king organized the previous crises just for Nightdemon?


    The death spirit king''s voice was emotionless. "Do you think you''ll be able to stop me this time?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Your opponent this time isn''t me, but rather this man by my side."


    The death spirit king frowned. "Are you looking down on me?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "No. It''s precisely because I know how strong you are that I''m not facing you. This clone is no match for you¡ªI''ll need my original form to take you down. Also, please address me as Nightdemon."


    The death spirit king peered at Zhang Lie. "You rate his skills that highly?"


    Nightdemon smiled mysteriously. "He''s stronger than you can imagine."


    The death spirit king frowned as Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''m fine dealing with the death spirit king. Can the two of you handle the gships?"


    Only aftering into contact with the superior worlds did Zhang Lie realize that the pinnacle of the third realm went beyond the level of a mere superior king.


    Being at the level of a superior king was merely a threshold. The truly strong existences in the third realm went beyond that, and Zhang Lie was only aware of three such existences: the death spirit king, the king of keys, and the king of chaos.


    Wilbow sighed. "It''s a bit difficult. It took essentially ourbined might to deal with the first gship, and these two gships here have ample reserves of energy."


    "If you include me, it shouldn''t be a problem to deal with the two gships."


    A thin, emaciated man, whose body was ink-ck, suddenly appeared in sight.


    Even his clothes were the same shade of ck, as though he were darkness personified. The moment he appeared, the entire world grew dim. Only his eyes stood out. They shone with a mysterious gleam, like a pair of lustrous cat''s eyes in the darkness.


    The man who had appeared out of nowhere shocked Zhang Lie and Wilbow. It felt almost as though he had been there all along, though he had gone unnoticed by Zhang Lie and Wilbow until now.


    Zhang Lie and Wilbow were immediately wary of the strange existence. Given their strength, it was almost impossible for anyone to creep up on them, so who could this ink-ck man be?


    Nightdemon waved a hand. "There''s no need to worry. This is another clone of the king of chaos, apanion of ours."


    "I am yourpanion," the ink-ck man asserted, revealing pearly white teeth and a smile that wasn''t particrly friendly.


    Nightdemon reminded them, "Do you remember when I said that I had a clone around each superior world?"


    Wilbow nodded. "I remember: you''re spying on us all, aren''t you?"


    "This is the clone that was situated around the world of ck rain," Nightdemon exined.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "As long as he''s no enemy."


    As the two gships flew over, Nightdemon and Wilbow rushed forward to stop them. Zhang Lie turned andmanded, "Gold Comet, help Nightdemon and Wilbow!"


    The gships released a huge flood of ck spirits, which surged toward them like the tide. Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang supported the twomanders from behind as Zhang Lie flew beyond the gships. He clenched his fists tightly as blue gic energy gathered around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from his arms.


    With a twist of his wrist, a frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air. A howling gale swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the sky.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the battlefield.


    The death spirit king spread his arms wide, manipting the energy of the superior world to form a barrier against the flood.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire battlefield quaked. The explosion shattered space and sent waves of force rippling all around it.


    The rain clouds in the sky burst, one after another. The explosion of energy was like a ravenous beast that swallowed up all life in its vicinity. Huge boulders were sent flying, andrge quantities of the death spirits with them.


    The pale blue waves dissipated to reveal the death spirit king still seated coolly on his throne. The sleeve of his ornate robes had been torn off, but the death spirit king wasn''t angry. Instead, he was smiling. "Interesting, very interesting. To think that there was an existence like you in the third realm... If I hadn''t started this war, I''d never have known."


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    Sword energy flew toward the death spirit king, who tried to defend with a flurry of ck bandages. However, the sword energy cut them all apart.


    The superior world''s energy that had condensed into a near-solid form over the death spirit king''s body activated. He reached out and grabbed the sword energy with his bare hands as a ferocious shark flew toward him. With his other hand, the death spirit king punched the shark and caused it to dematerialize in an explosion of pale blue energy.


    He tossed the sword energy back at Zhang Lie, who dodged the attack as ck gic energy surged around him.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Dense superior world''s energy gathered over the death spirit king''s palms. Under his control, the energy grew corrupted and developed the power of annihtion.


    The radiant, multicolored energy turned a dull grayish-ck. Space crumbled around the death spirit king. He shot the ball of energy forward, destroying all space in its trajectory.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The ck serpent, which had been able to corrode anything Zhang Lie sent it at, was incapable of handling the corrupted superior world''s energy. It was crushed in an instant, obliterated by the might of the death spirit king.


    Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards. A hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot. He dodged the energy of annihtion and appeared behind the death spirit king''s back.


    The imprint of bloody ws filled the sky. A flurry of ws rained down on the death spirit king, who countered with bandages in equal density. From start to finish, the death spirit king had his back to Zhang Lie...

 Chapter 998: I Underestimated You

    <h4>Chapter 998: I Underestimated You</h4>


    The death spirit king murmured, "Primordial chaos, is this the fighter you were so eager to show me? He doesn''t seem very strong at all."


    Nightdemon had already brought out the Shining Trapezohedron as he tried to counter one of the gships. He smiled and called back, "You''re in too much of a rush! Just wait for the surprise!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    Zhang Lie shot back the moment heunched his attack.


    The blood dragon tore apart the death spirit king''s ck bandages as he sneered, "Is that all you''ve got?"


    The death spirit king punched at the dragon, ayer of superior world''s energy having solidified around his fists, and burst its head open with one punch.


    The next moment, the frightening energy thaty dormant within the blood dragon''s body surged out.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon, shredding the ck bandages. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, causing the death spirit king''s throne to explode and covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that consumed everything in sight¡ªboulders and bones, the ck rain and the graveyards that filled the ground. ?The death spirit king himself was sucked into the explosion.


    This was the first time that the death spirit king panicked and lost hisposure in the battle. At the instant of the explosion, the death spirit king realized that he had underestimated Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion was far stronger than he had anticipated. The death spirit king tried to block it with another barrier of superior world''s energy, only to find that Zhang Lie''s energy had the unusual attribute of being able to devour the superior world''s energy and convert it into more energy of annihtion. The more he tried to resist, the stronger the energy would be.


    "What an interesting strength. In that case, let''s see who among the two of us is stronger!" The death spirit king corrupted the superior world''s energy and countered with his own version of annihtion.


    Zhang Lie''s energy was of higher quality, but the death spirit king had more of his energy to spare. In the end, the death spirit king was able to forcibly dispel the attack.


    The death spirit king praised, "What a pity that I didn''t know of you sooner. If I had known that this realm possessed such strength, I would have studied it carefully. It would have given me another trump card up my sleeve."


    "I know you," Zhang Lie replied, stunning the death spirit king for a few moments. He was certain that he would never have forgotten such a strong and interesting fighter. "You simply don''t know me," Zhang Lie finished.


    "It looks like you''re still able to fight, aren''t you?" The death spirit king sneered.


    "Your death is predestined."?Both in myst life, and in this one.


    The death spirit king sneered again. "Zhang Lie, is it? A confident fellow. You''re strong enough to make me remember your name."


    "Unfortunately, you won''t be able to remember it for long!" ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of over a hundred ck dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    "Ignorant fool! Only the primordial chaos is my match in the third realm. You might have some semnce of strength, but it''s nothing impressive. Let me show you why all the superior worlds fear me."


    Violet mes red up around the death spirit king. The mes gradually turned multicolored, like a superior world''s energy.


    Zhang Lie had previously thought that the death spirit king was burning up his own soul, but he was instead burning fragments of wills of the world. Although these wills operated likeputer programs, they still needed to be managed by administrators or moderators of some sort. The kings of the realm served as these administrators.


    Despite this restriction, the wills of the world''s soul fragments were of a far higher quality than ordinary lifeforms. The wills of the three thousand worlds were, in some sense or another, soul fragments of the third realm.


    The death spirit king was burning up one of these fragments and deriving strength from it. The quality of the souls captured therein was directly corrted with the boon in strength he would receive¡ªand the soul fragments of the realm were potent indeed.


    ck smoke swirled around the death spirit king. As he reached out, it curled up around his arm. Zhang Lie could keenly sense that this ck smoke was the corrupted energy of annihtion that the death spirit king had already produced multiple times.


    Zhang Lie finally understood how the death spirit king had developed this technique¡ªit had to have been through experimentation with these soul fragments.


    With his body protected by the spiritual mes of the realm, and with a source of annihtion at his disposal, the death spirit king was in a near-invulnerable state.


    The death spirit king sent a flurry of punches toward Zhang Lie, destroying the ck dragons that he had summoned. Energy of annihtion was produced whenever a dragon exploded, but the death spirit king was able to counter it with his own energy and the spiritual mes burning around him.


    The multicolored me condensed into an armor that shielded him from attacks as he charged forward against the horde of dragons, striding toward Zhang Lie slowly but inevitably.


    Rather than run, Zhang Lie stepped forward. He brandished Guicang as he dashed toward the ?death spirit king.


    Each of the death spirit king''s punches was imbued with annihtion, as was Zhang Lie''s sword. Sword and fist shed with each other in mid-air, gleaming brightly in the darkness. A storm of annihtion spawned around the twobatants as the dark clouds in the sky were torn apart. The ground, already having cracked, was smashed into powder.


    Within the multicolored ming armor, Zhang Lie could see the crying, keening faces of endless wills of the world. The death spirit king''s strength shook space and distorted naturalw.


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the battlefield dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted allbatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" An underworld river materialized in the sky. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Multicolored me red and ck smoke swirled as the death spirit king destroyed thousands of such serpents in one fell swoop.


    The smokeunched forward like a spear, but Zhang Lie evaded the attack. The next moment, as the smoke exploded, pitch-ck energy swirled around Zhang Lie as though a devil were descending on the world...

 Chapter 999: Self-Sealed

    <h4>Chapter 999: Self-Sealed</h4>


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Pitch-ck energy immediately spread outward and suppressed the exploding smoke. The huge sea of gic energy covered up the skies of the world of ck rain, the dark clouds, the rain itself.


    The allied forces participating in the battle all looked up at the sky, whereupon they found it wholly reced by a pitch-ck ocean.


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The death spirit king rose into the air, his fist wrapped in ayer of dense ck smoke. The punch struck the sea and caused it to quake as huge numbers of serpents were instantly obliterated.


    However, the serpents that perished immediately reformed. The death spirit king''s face grew serious. "He''s as disgusting as the king of evil..."


    The ck smoke, infused with the energy of annihtion, continuously sapped away at the gic energy that formed Zhang Lie''sherworld sea, but to no avail. The rate at which the death spirit king produced his ck smoke couldn''tpete with the rate at which the sea replenished.


    "Please don''t insult me byparing me to that monstrosity!" At some point, Zhang Lie had appeared behind the death spirit king''s back once more. In his hand, Guicang trembled and keened like a dragon. Blood-red gic energy emerged from him, manifesting in the phantasmal figure of a blood dragon.


    "I''m not a wretched monstrosity like him!" The blood dragon''s phantasmal figure soared into the air. Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, the gleam of the de so bright that the world of ck rain weed a new dawn. The blood dragon melted into the de.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, unleashing the blood dragon anew.


    The blood dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth, and Zhang Lie''s thrustnded squarely in the death spirit king''s chest.


    The blood dragon caused theherworld sea to froth, turning the pitch-ck gic energy a garish blood-red color. With the might of the sea, the dragon shot toward the death spirit king.


    The death spirit king fell to the ground like a meteor. Thend quaked and split apart as the whole world rumbled as though it were about to fracture. The allied forces beat a hasty retreat¡ªgiven their current strength, they would die just from the aftermath of the battle.


    The damage dealt by Zhang Lie''s skills had been almost entirely absorbed by the will of the world''s spiritme armor, but the damage was so immense that the death spirit king nevertheless suffered a serious injury himself. The multicolored spiritual mes turned dim and dull.


    If not for the armor, the death spirit king would long since have perished.


    The death spirit king called out, "I retract my previous words. I, the death spirit king, acknowledge your strength. You too have the right to stand at the peak of the third realm!"


    "Are those yourst words?" Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world of ck rain.


    The death spirit king let out a long sigh. "To think there was still such a strong existence in the third realm that I didn''t know anything about¡­ I expected that no one but the primordial chaos would be able to take me on after I absorbed so many wills of the world and world''s energy, but it looks like I was too arrogant."


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" A frightening force descended on the death spirit king, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward the death spirit king.


    "I was nning to leave this for the primordial chaos, but you''ve forced my hand..." Despite the blinding white light that swiftly approached him, the death spirit king didn''t panic. His eyes were calmer than they had ever been as the bandages around his body loosened and fell.


    "Have you ever wondered why even someone as strong as I am wraps bandages around my body?" The death spirit king extended a palm.


    His action would have seemed ridiculous to anyone else. [First Form: Parting the River] was no weaker than [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]. In the eyes of others, it was undoubtedly a suicidal act¡ªbut Zhang Lie suddenly felt a particrly strong sense of unease.


    No, this was no sense of unease¡ªit was the shock of sensing the death spirit king''s unbridled strength, an explosive strength, as though he had been suppressing it until now. This was impossible¡ªhow could the death spirit king still have such untapped reservoirs of strength even at this point in the battle?


    The pale white sword energy struck the death spirit king''s palm. Even before the sword shnded, the death spirit king''s pitch-ck bandages were quickly falling apart.


    The sword energy seemed to be spurring the awakening of whatever the death spirit king had sealed. Radiant multicolored light tore apart the ck bandages and split the force of Zhang Lie''s sh around the palm that he held up.


    Two deep furrows were left in the ground, extending indefinitely into the distance.


    The death spirit king''s ck robe turned radiant. "I apologize for not having considered you seriously. To think I would have found someone beyond the first door..."


    Upon witnessing the current state of the death spirit king''s body, Zhang Lie seemed very confused. Nightdemon, who was still facing the gships, turned serious.


    The death spirit king''s body swelled to an enormous extent, a dozen times its original size. Beneath the ck bandages were countless multicolored, grotesque faces. "Unfortunately for you, I''ve also passed through the first door. Like the primordial chaos, I''ve stepped within."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes at the faces. Each face was a corrupted will of the world!


    The death spirit king continued, "So, as to why I needed to wrap myself up in ck bandages..."


    The ck bandages had appeared only on the ck spirits. The battleships and gships could likewise produce these ck bandages, but ordinary death spirits didn''t use them.


    "...it was to seal away my strength and stabilize my form."


    Multicolored radiance emanated from the death spirit king as though he were a sun. It should have been beautiful, but to Zhang Lie''s eyes, there wasn''t even a hint of beauty. Instead, the scene was umonly eerie...

 Chapter 1000: The Twin Blades Ringing

    <h4>Chapter 1000: The Twin des Ringing</h4>


    Zhang Lie frowned. "There''s something wrong with you..."


    Nightdemon called out, "He swallowed too many wills of the world at once and can''t digest them all. Of course there''s something wrong with his body!"


    The souls of the wills of the world were far superior in quality to ordinary souls. Although the death spirit king was once a superior king, with roughly the same status in terms of body and soul, he had consumed too many wills of the world at once.


    The ck spirits'' n to take over the three thousand worlds of the third realm had initially been very sessful, though there was one issue that the death spirit king hadn''t anticipated¡ªthe spoils that his n afforded him.


    The death spirit king had umted far too many wills of the world than could be handled. By the territory around the scaleman world alone, thirty medium-sized worlds and tenrge-sized worlds had been conquered by the death spirits.


    The death spirit king had managed to acquire at least three hundred wills of the world in all during this venture. That, along with the worlds that the ck spirits had slowly invaded and conquered over time, was far more than the death spirit king could handle¡ªand yet he swallowed them all up in one gulp anyway.


    The death spirit king hadn''t consumed this many worlds at once in the past, but by itself, it wouldn''t have been a serious issue. The death spirit king would be able to digest the worlds with sufficient time.


    The problemy with the current situation atrge.


    The moment the death spirit king put his n in motion, he wouldn''t be able to stop until all three thousand worlds were destroyed. There was simply no time for the death spirit king to digest all those wills.


    In order to counter the allied forces, the death spirit king had to make a move. If he didn''t and chose to focus on digesting the wills of the world instead, he would be dead.


    After the n began in earnest, the death spirit king had no choice but to carry it out as nned. He broke through the superior worlds'' barricade and consumed all the worlds nearby.


    As nned, he swallowed up Blood Heaven and a series of worlds in the vicinity. The death spirit king was starting to grow stuffed.


    The wills of the world, not fully digested, began to struggle within the death spirit king''s body. They wanted to free themselves, so the death spirit king was forced to seal his own body with the ck bandages. Now that he had unsealed his body, the wills of the world began to run rampant once more. They tried to tear apart the death spirit king''s body to free themselves, causing it to be lumpy and distended.


    Wilbow considered the death spirit king carefully. "His body looks a bit like my father''s..."


    Nightdemon shook his head. "They''re quite different. The king of keys itself is formed of wills of the world; its path is unique. On the other hand, the death spirit king is a biological lifeform, with a very different status of life from the king of keys. Upon passing through the first door, imagination and willpower bes more important than the amount of energy you possess."


    The ink-ck man analyzed, "Although the king of keys'' condition isn''t particrly robust, either¡ªthat''s why it''s remained stagnant for so long, and has toe up with other methods to proceed forward along the path. In some sense, the king of keys has taken a wrong turn, but the death spirit king is doing far worse. He''s on the verge of total copse."


    Zhang Lie turned to them and asked, "What are these doors that you''re talking about?"?And if all of you have time to talk and discuss what''s happening to the death spirit king,e over and help me!


    "We''ll exinter. You should focus on your opponent," Nightdemon called back, pointing at the death spirit king. "He''s not going to go easy on you if you get distracted."


    The death spirit king charged forward with a multicolored fist.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie, and he blocked what would otherwise have been an unavoidable blow. The next moment, the tip of his sword was right by the death spirit king''s nose.


    The death spirit king hadunched the attack, but Zhang Lie had somehowmandeered it.


    Even so, Zhang Lie''s sword found no purchase on the death spirit king''s body. Silvery-white sword shes rained down on the death spirit king like a thunderstorm, but he was protected by the world''s energy. His defense was stronger and less permeable than even the will of the world''s barriers, and Zhang Lie''s consecutive sword strikes did nothing to wound him.


    The death spirit king easily pushed aside Zhang Lie''s sword and countered with a heavy punch. Zhang Lie attempted to block the punch with the de of his sword, only to find himselfpletely overwhelmed. The death spirit king had grown at least an order of magnitude stronger than before.


    Drawing Hanguang, Zhang Lie struck at the death spirit king''s neck, but even Hanguang was incapable of prating his defense.


    "Don''t disappoint me too much!" The death spirit king punched forward again, bolstered by a thickyer of world''s energy.


    "[Syzygy]!" A burning ck sun rose behind Zhang Lie''s back, and a bloody moon red into existence at his feet. Under thebination of the two auras, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a god.


    His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him.


    Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, the death spirit king''s radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Even the death spirit king was forced back half a step. Even more excited, he punched forward once more. Zhang Lie responded in kind.


    .


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    As the two attacks shed against each other, the death spirit king licked his lips. His eyes burned with killing intent. "Not bad. Again!"


    The death spirit king seemed to be asking for a beating. Zhang Lie had never seen such a perverse fellow, but he would do his best to fulfill his request.


    Guicang and Hanguang shone in unison. "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Zhang Lie''s des. The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon.


    The two dragons coiled together, then shot forward like a hurricane, bearing down on the death spirit king with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them and forming a whirlpool upon impact. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants. Layers of earth sank into the whirlpool, obliterated in an instant...

 Chapter 1001: Believe in Him

    <h4>Chapter 1001: Believe in Him</h4>


    As the pitch-ck storm grew fiercer, the air around the battlefield turned dark, and the two gships were being drawn into the whirlpool. Even Nightdemon and Wilbow were unsteady on their feet.


    Fortunately, the allied forces had already evacuated, or they too would have been sucked into the mess.


    The ck spirits, so numerous they looked like ants, were torn and shredded apart by the force of the whirlpool.


    Shielded by a truly massive quantity of the world''s energy, the death spirit king survived the otherwise deadly impact. His spiritme shield grew even dimmer, reduced in quantity and quality.


    "Keep going!" The death spirit king charged forward once again.


    As though he just understood something, Nightdemon called out, "Be careful! The death spirit king is making use of your blows to digest the wills of the world!"


    Zhang Lie jumped back in shock, trying to cancel his attack and dodge the death spirit king''s punch instead.


    Wilbow blinked. "Is the death spirit king that intense...?"


    Nightdemon sighed. "He''s trying to make use of external strength to do what he can''t aplish by himself."


    Zhang Lie recalled how the death spirit king hadn''t seemed to grow even slightly weaker despite the force of the impacts he had suffered.


    The death spirit king scowled. "I was just moments from seeding! None but the primordial chaos would have seen through my n so easily..."


    Although it looked like he was merely getting beaten by Zhang Lie, he was actually taking advantage of Zhang Lie''s strength to suppress his own and increase the speed at which he would be able to digest the wills of the world that were stubbornly resisting him.


    The death spirit king continued, "Primordial chaos, even if you saw through what I was doing, you shouldn''t have revealed it! You''ve made everything far more boring now!"


    The death spirit king was truly daring to be attempting such a feat during a battle to the death.


    He snorted, "And so what if you know what I''m up to? It''s hardly as though you can stop me. If you keep trying to dodge, then I''ll attack and kill you."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glimmered with rainbow light. Rainbow fog shrouded him, as though he were a dream, an illusion. Spiritual energy from two lives surged forth as his body glowed with ayer of white light.


    Wilbow cried out, "What''s Zhang Lie doing? He knows that his attacks are only going to strengthen the death spirit king! If the death spirit king goes back to normal, he''s going to be a huge threat¡­ Is this fellow going to betray us and join the death spirit king instead?!"


    Nightdemon, sensing the nature of Zhang Lie''s attack, smiled in admiration. "Believe in him. There''s a reason he''s doing what he is!"


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light.


    He activated the dragon''s eye soulshard that Zhang Hanxiang returned to him, causing his pupils to turn pale white as he looked directly toward the death spirit king''s soul. It was wrapped around dozens of multicolored soul fragments, as though it were the base for some sort of pudding.


    These multicolored soul fragments were likely from the various wills of the world that the death spirit king had consumed. Those soul fragments were embedded throughout the death spirit king''s soul to continuously strengthen it.


    The death spirit king''s soul was the most unusual soul that Zhang Lie had ever seen.


    While in the third realm, he had seen the superior king Feitian''s soul and those of many aliens besides, but no soul was as unusual as the death spirit king''s.


    It was like a bundle of ck sand, seeming to be on the verge of copse at any moment, but somehow unusually strong despite that.


    Countless soul fragments from various wills of the world patched it together and kept it held firm. On the outskirts were various wills of the world trying to break away from its grasp, as though they were about to tear the death spirit king''s soul into pieces.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    The disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, when incorporated into Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack, had the ability to target and corrupt its opponents'' souls.


    As the rainbow light swirled, Nightdemon, Wilbow, and the death spirit king found themselves momentarily stunned. Zhang Lie took advantage of the minute opening to strike, shing down with his rainbow de.


    "Haha, your attack won''t be able to kill me¡ªit''ll only make me stronger!" The death spirit king chose not to block or dodge the blow. He stood still,ughing madly, as the shnded.


    Rather than the desired strengthening effect, however, the death spirit king felt a sharp, stabbing pain as the de pierced through his soul. A tremor of pain vibrated from deep within him. He gasped in surprise. "What sort of attack was that?!"


    Zhang Lie attacked not the death spirit king''s body, but instead his soul.


    However, even his [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] didn''t achieve the desired result. All the death spirit king felt was a sharp pain. The many soul fragments of the wills of the world embedded in his soul protected him from the worst of the attack.


    Zhang Lie''s attack had only injured the soul rather than shed it apart.


    "As expected, he''ll be difficult to kill..."


    It was ironic that the wills of the world, that were trying to tear the death spirit king apart from within, were simultaneously protecting him from the worst of Zhang Lie''s assault.


    If [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] were insufficient, then he would use a stronger attack instead.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" The sky turned red as red scales covered up Zhang Lie''s body like a te of armor.


    What looked like scarlet mes surrounded Zhang Lie, but it was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    As the moisture in the air vaporized, ck smoke roiled into the heavens. The blood-red ''mes'' that surrounded him looked like a coiled dragon.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it, causing it to re as it reached a critical threshold.


    From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves surging forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real.


    The mysterious and phantasmagorical light stunned and captivated everyone in sight.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre...

 Chapter 1002: Truly, Thank You

    <h4>Chapter 1002: Truly, Thank You</h4>


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it vaporized much of the blood-colored water-attuned gic energy. The dark clouds all over the world of ck rain began to burn, and the moisture in the air vaporized near-immediately.


    The allied forces could feel the steadily increasing heat. Sweat dripped down their backs. Zhang Hanxiang emanated an aura of frost, trying to retain some moisture in the air, before the allied forces fainted from heatstroke.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace.


    The decaying king, who was still nailed to the ground, moaned piteously. He had been able to handle the aftermath of Zhang Lie and the death spirit king''s attacks, but what Zhang Lie was doing now was far too frightening.


    Even before the attack was released in earnest, the decaying king was already being scorched by the ridiculously high temperature.


    The death spirit king''s mouth twitched. He felt an ominous portent of danger from his soul and body, stronger than anything he had felt to date.


    Even so, his eyes burned with excitement and ambition. If he were able to defend against this blow, all his problems would be resolved immediately.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    Hebined them both for a devastating effect. The spiritual, metaphysical seabined with the scarlet steam that hung around Zhang Lie, half the attack in the boundary between the real and the illusory, and the other half in illusory-warping reality.


    The attack was so strong that it could distort the very fabric of reality itself.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter.


    Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension.


    The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward the death spirit king''s prone body.


    Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    The death spirit king''s eyes widened in rm. He was trying to make use of Zhang Lie''s attack to refine his body and help him digest the remaining lumps of wills of the world, not tomit suicide.


    The death spirit king realized that he was in danger. He had never expected that Zhang Lie would possess a spiritual attack, nor that it would be so strong.


    Thebination attack was at ridiculous levels of strength on both the spiritual and physical level. One alone was a problem; both,bined, would be more than sufficient to kill the death spirit king.


    Around the vortex of reality and illusion, the scarlet sea and spiritual sea spun around each other, forming a massive tsunami that shook the entire world.


    The death spirit king roared. He pushed the world''s energy hemanded to the limit, until they burned like scorching suns, transforming into power that would cause the universe to tremble.


    The multicolored sun was sucked into the tsunami at the intersection of reality and illusion. The world of ck rain quaked. The ground cracked intorge pieces, and the world began to fragment.


    The tsunami suppressed the multicolored sun, unraveling it bit by bit. The death spirit king screamed as he was caught up in the tsunami, which dissolved his attack and the world''s energy that shielded him.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his des and calmed the fiery-red water-attuned gic energy that continued to pulse from his body.


    The temperature of the world of ck rain dropped. Where the whirlpool had been was a deep hole, one so deep the abyss seemed to reach out.


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, the battle was over¡ªbut just then, multicolored mes poured out of the abyssal hole. Zhang Lie grew rmed as a pir of radiant energy shot into the air. Zhang Lie stepped back and scrambled for shelter as the figure d in rainbow light stopped short in the air, standing proudly with his chest puffed out. To Zhang Lie''s eyes, that was an existenceparable to a devil.


    "Hahaha, thank you, I''m very thankful indeed! Your strength has helped my rebirth tremendously!" The death spirit king nced arrogantly down at the world of ck rain, ayer of lustrous, radiant armor around his body.


    After sessfully surviving Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish], his soul had been perfectly reforged.


    The death spirit kingughed. "Haha, I was only able to merge perfectly with the will of the world because of you. I had been mistaken¡ªeven if I were to borrow your strength, all I would be able to digest was the world''s energy. However, I never digested the true form of these wills¡ªthe soul fragments that were embedded in my soul. That only happened because of your attack."


    Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s pupils and scanned the death spirit king''s soul carefully. It had changed in a remarkably strange and eerie fashion.


    [des, Extinguish] had chopped up the death spirit king''s soul andbined it with the various fragments of the wills of the world.


    The death spirit king shouted excitedly, "I thought I would be able to deal with the impurities in my soul by burning these soul fragments of the wills of the world, but I realized I was mistaken when your attack cut my soul apart.


    The more wills I devoured, the greater the side effects I had to suffer. If I continued devouring the wills of the world, I would eventually have exploded from theirbined effects."


    The death spirit king''s sinister path to power came with consequences, which had been steadily umting in his body.


    "However, they''re all gone now! Truly, thank you," the death spirit king repeated...

 Chapter 1003: I Am Not Me

    <h4>Chapter 1003: I Am Not Me</h4>


    From the perspective of Zhang Lie''s draconic vision, the death spirit king''s soul was entirely different. The form of its soul had been unusual to begin with: a lump of ck sand mushed with pudding.


    Now, the death spirit king''s soul was like the slurry that was produced by blending arge number of fruits together, then adding ayer of mud over it.


    All he could see with his eyes was a pile of squirming fluid. He didn''t even know if it could be considered a soul any longer.


    The death spirit king announced proudly, "Thank you for chopping up my soul and allowing it tobine with the remnant soul fragments of the wills of the world embedded in my soul!


    From now on, I''m simultaneously the death spirit king and the will of the world, the strongest existence in the third realm!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Who are you?"


    The death spirit king narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Have you been so scared by my reappearance that you can''t think straight?"


    "Who are you?" Zhang Lie asked again.


    Zhang Lie really was a little scared¡ªbodies and appearances could be manipted at will, but not souls. However, the soul of the death spirit king in front of him had been mutted and permanently transformed.


    The ''death spirit king'' replied, "As I''ve said, I''m the death spirit king!"


    Zhang Lie countered, "Are you really the death spirit king?"


    The ''death spirit king'' replied, spreading his arms, "Who else could I be?"


    "The death spirit king perished in that attack. You may have revived in the death spirit king''s old body, but you''re not the death spirit king. You''ve simply taken over his name and body. What are you?"


    The reason the ''death spirit king'' believed he was the death spirit king was because the wills of the world had no sense of ego; only the death spirit king''s original soul did. As a result, the revived ''death spirit king'' believed himself to be the actual death spirit king.


    In some sense, it wasn''t wrong, but that was hardly the full story. It was an existence simr to the death spirit king but different from it.


    .


    The ''death spirit king'' frowned. "Laughable. Who else could I be?"


    Nightdemon exhaled in relief. "I thought that Zhang Lie had produced something crazy, but it looks as though digesting all those wills of the world required amensurate price."


    The bundle of souls thatprised the ''death spirit king'' began to vibrate.


    The ''death spirit king'' cried out, "If I''m not the death spirit king, then who am I?!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I think you''d know better than I do just what you are. You can sense it, can''t you?"


    Zhang Lie''s words seemed to prate the ''death spirit king'' deeply, causing his emotions and strength to go out of control. Rainbow light flickered and dimmed. "Of course I know what I am! I''ve been rebirthed¡ªit''s obvious that I would be different from before."


    "Different from before, you say?" Rainbow light shot out of the ''death spirit king''. "Don''t try to confuse me. I''ll kill you! With this reborn body, I can surely do it."


    Zhang Liemented, "You''re simply trying to prove yourself, to demonstrate that you''re stronger than the past death spirit king, that you''ve surpassed yourself."


    "What do you mean, the ''past'' death spirit king? I''m the death spirit king, I''m myself!" the ''death spirit king'' howled, transforming into the brightest object on the world of ck rain.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, you can''t do it."


    The ''death spirit king'' roared in outrage, "Now that the issues with my body have been fixed, I''m the supreme existence of the realm! Even the primordial chaos wouldn''t be able to do anything against me."


    Zhang Lie''s expression remained calm as scarlet steaming water-attuned gic energy exploded from him like a volcanic eruption.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!" White light split the sea and the sky, cutting apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    As the two shades of energybined, everything in sight was destroyed. A patch of void and chaos expanded where the horizon had been, tearing apart the world of ck rain.


    The world seemed to quail when faced with such a devastating blow.


    The defensive barrier formed by the world''s energy was incapable of handling an attack of such magnitude. Zhang Lie easily prated the barrier, bisecting the ''death spirit king'' at the waist. The two halves of his body fell from the sky.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his de and reined in his gic energy. "As I''ve said, that''s impossible."


    The ''death spirit king'' cried in shock, "How could you be so strong? Even my ascended form is no match for you!"


    Zhang Lie exined, "Regardless of whether you truly ''ascended'', you haven''t grown stronger."


    "How could that be?!"


    "Haven''t you noticed?"


    "Noticed what?"


    "The world''s energy within your body has grown weaker."


    The ''death spirit king'' froze. After Zhang Lie pointed it out, the ''death spirit king'' did notice that his reservoir of world''s energy had grown considerably weaker.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "You might have resolved the problem guing your body, but you''ve also lowered the quality of the world''s energy in your body by at least three levels."


    The death spirit king''s original n was to reforge the world''s energy he possessed while in battle with Zhang Lie, and to digest the remaining stubborn lumps of the wills that were embedded in his soul.


    The resulting world''s energy would diminish greatly in quantity, but improve by leaps and bounds in quality.


    However, Zhang Lie had destroyed the death spirit king''s n. His attacks were far stronger than the death spirit king had anticipated.


    Although he had sessfully made use of Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish] to absorb the wills of the world into his soul, the creature that had been rebirthed into the death spirit king''s body was no longer the death spirit king, but rather an entity that had his memories and some semnce of consciousness.


    It wouldn''t be inurate to call it a new death spirit king.


    Zhang Lie continued, "If the original death spirit king were the one tomand this body, despite the reduction in quality of the world''s energy, his reforged body would be more than sufficient to counteract that loss. The problem is that you''re no longer the death spirit king, but rather a new existence birthed from the death spirit king''s soul¡ªandbined with the fragments of the wills of the world."


    The ''death spirit king'' immediately denied Zhang Lie''s assertion. "No, I''m the death spirit king!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You might have inherited part of his memories¡ªperhaps shattered fragments thereof¡ªbut you don''t have thebat instincts that he honed over millennia. As a result, yourbat strength has weakened dramatically!"


    The ''death spirit king'', who had affirmed his identity once and again, began to believe Zhang Lie for the first time.?Who am I...?

 Chapter 1004: Self-Doubt

    <h4>Chapter 1004: Self-Doubt</h4>


    If this new death spirit king had time to limatize to his body, he would surely grow even stronger than the previous one. Nor would he be shaken by Zhang Lie''s words, but the ''death spirit king'', having just undergone a rebirth, was currently in an immature state.


    Zhang Lie had to take advantage of this opportunity to kill him right here, or he would surely continue his n of trying to devour the three thousand worlds given his belief that he was the death spirit king.


    At that point, with the wills of the world perfectly melding into his wretched soul, along with the death spirit king''s ambitions, he would surely be an existence to contend with.


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. No matter what, he had to kill this ''death spirit king'' in the cradle.


    The ''death spirit king'' cried out again, "I''m the death spirit king, regardless of what you im! This will never change."


    The soul of the ''death spirit king'' quavered as Zhang Lie shook his head. "The death spirit king was a majestic existence. Although I only knew him for a short period of time, I have to admit that he''s an opponent worthy of respect.


    "I know you want to be such an existence too, but you aren''t. The death spirit king certainly wouldn''t insist that he was the death spirit king¡ªhe''d reply that his name didn''t matter, just his strength."


    Nightdemon shook his head. "From what I know of the death spirit king, that''s not right. What he would really say is, ''The title of ''death spirit king'' is no longer suitable for my rebirthed self. From today onwards, I am the death spirit god! Only the title of god suits a being like me!'' "


    The soul of the ''death spirit king'' began shaking even more violently, and the world''s energy itmanded began to flicker.


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "That''s why I''m telling you that you''re not the death spirit king, but rather a counterfeit wearing his body and face!"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "The death spirit king I knew was far bolder and far more charismatic. You can''tpare to him."


    Zhang Lie and Nightdemon nced at each other, each understanding what the other was doing.


    The ''death spirit king'' had just been rebirthed, and they couldn''t let it establish its self-awareness. The first step against that was essentially to gaslight its very existence.


    "No, I''m the death spirit king..." The ''death spirit king'' clutched his head in pain. "I am, I am the death spirit king...!"


    The ''death spirit king'' seemed to be trying to convince himself of that fact.


    "I possess the death spirit king''s memories."


    .


    "Those memories are just remnants of his soul."


    "My body is the death spirit king''s."


    "I''ve simply taken over his shell."


    "I''m not the rebirthed death spirit king, but rather a shoddy imitation."


    "If I''m not the death spirit king, what am I?"


    The ''death spirit king'' murmured to himself, trapped in a cycle of self-affirmation and self-denial. It seemed as though the ''death spirit king'' was developing a split personality on the spot.


    This was the first time Zhang Lie had seen something like this happening, and to a superior king no less. If he were able to record it and post it on the web, it would surely go viral.


    "Who am I? What am I? If not the death spirit king, then..." The soul of the ''death spirit king'' finally reached a critical threshold. The souls that had been chopped apart and then forcibly stuck together by Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish] were unstable by nature, and Zhang Lie and Nightdemon had destabilized the amalgamation further with their words. The ''death spirit king'' was beginning to disintegrate on a spiritual level.


    "If I''m not the death spirit king, then none of this needs to exist."


    The ''death spirit king'' erupted with the world''s energy. The multicolored energy burned like mes, as though the body of the ''death spirit king'' was its furnace. Even Zhang Lie had to retreat in the face of those mes.


    "He''s going to self-destruct!" Zhang Lie called out, then nced at the death spirit king''s actions more carefully. "No, it''s self-immting!"


    Nightdemonmented, "As expected of a being who inherited the death spirit king''s personality, with ridiculous self-awareness and self-will despite our destabilizing influence."


    Wilbow nced at them curiously. "What''s going on?"


    Throughout the entire process, he had been stupefied by what Zhang Lie and Nightdemon were doing.


    Wouldn''t it be best to kill the death spirit king directly? He didn''t know what they were trying to aplish.


    Nightdemon spread his arms. "The death spirit king''s consciousness has been reborn. Upon realizing that it wasn''t the original death spirit king, it''s choosing to destroy its body before reforging it anew from its ashes and arge heaping of world''s energy. This will be a true rebirth in body and soul."


    Wilbow cocked his head. "Has he gone crazy?"


    To think of trying such a feat on the battlefield¡ªeven if he were to seed, he would have to face Zhang Lie, Nightdemon, and Wilbow in battle!


    Could this newly forged body be so strong as to handle such a fight? Zhang Lie certainly wouldn''t allow this to happen, and neither would they. They would have to kill the death spirit king before his body could fully form.


    Nightdemon replied, "Either he has absolute confidence in what he''s doing, or we''ve driven him crazy."


    Wilbow shook his head. He didn''t know what to think of the fact that Zhang Lie and Nightdemon had driven an existence on the level of a superior king crazy with just their words.


    He asked what was on his mind. "Why not just kill him?"


    Nightdemon sighed. "If only it were so easy."


    The death spirit king''s body contained great deals of the world''s energy. If he were to self-destruct, none of them would be able to escape.


    Furthermore, the reborn death spirit king wasn''t weak at all. If they were to initiate a battle and allow it to familiarize itself with its body, it might very well kill them all instead.


    Most importantly, the reborn death spirit king could choose to run away.


    Nightdemon and Zhang Lie had deliberately provoked him with words in hopes that his mental state would crumble and copse and they could minimize the fighting they had to do.


    They were half-sessful. The death spirit king''s mental state had crumbled, but he hadn''t died.


    The multicolored me continued to burn as the death spirit king''s body turned to ash. The world of ck rain, refined by the me, morphed into the shell that would be the basis for the death spirit king''s new body.


    Deep within the multicolored mes, a crystal was slowly forming a core.


    Zhang Lie grimaced. The reborn death spirit king, in this furnace-like state, couldn''t be struck with his [Fourth Form: Warping Space and Time], and his other attacks would do essentially no damage.


    In that case, he had only one final trick left to him: [Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars]!


    Zhang Lie raised Guicang high into the air.

 Chapter 1005: All Sorts of Details

    <h4>Chapter 1005: All Sorts of Details</h4>


    Zhang Lie hadn''t been able to use this technique in the past, but after obtaining monarch gene fragments, his strength had risen significantly.


    As a result, he was finally able to study the fifth form of his [Ninesoul Dragonde].


    The scarlet water-attuned gic energy rose into the sky like a gigantic dragon of blood soaring toward the heavens. A frightening burst of gic energy emanated from him. Even before his sword shnded, the entire world of ck rain was shuddering.


    The cracks on the ground continued to propagate, faster and faster, as the burst of gic energy spread out all around Zhang Lie like the tides. The neighboring worlds, possessing far less structural integrity than the world of ck rain, burst apart one after the other.


    Guicang shed in Zhang Lie''s hands as the neighboring worlds continued to pop. Zhang Lie''s shnded on the multicolored furnace, tearing the ground apart and causing the mes to scatter. Even so, as the sword sh struck the core of the furnace, it was blocked by ayer of energy. Even [Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars] was insufficient to break through.


    The multicolored crystal emanated a potent strength. Despite the fact that the core was still iplete, the barrier was sufficient to defend against Zhang Lie''s strongest attack.


    The barrier wasposed of huge quantities of the world''s energy, purified and refined in a constant cycle. Its quality surpassed that of a superior world''s energy, and it wasn''t a substance that would ever have naturally urred in the third realm.


    It was so strong that Zhang Lie''s attack was incapable of doing anything against it. Zhang Lie infused his attack with all his gic energy, causing the barrier to crack, but it wasn''t enough.


    After a long, exhausting battle, Zhang Lie had consumed much of his reservoir of gic energy. As the core continued to form¡ªjust as the newly reborn death spirit king was about to finish forging the heart of its new body¡ªa rainbow beam of light fell from the heavens and struck Zhang Lie.


    The will of the third realm itself seemed to be supporting Zhang Lie. As the realm''s energy poured into Zhang Lie, his sword began to give off a multicolored glow.


    Nightdemon nced at the decaying king, who was still pinned to the ground, and gave him a meaningful smile.


    Zhang Lie''s attack, strengthened by the world''s energy, broke through the barrier. The huge burst of energy obliterated the ground. The world of ck rain, unable to resist the persistent battering, finally broke apart. Chunks of the world crumbled away.


    Zhang Lie''s attack left a crack in the core, from which a wisp of dark sand poured out.


    Nightdemon struck then. He tossed out the Shining Trapezohedron, distorting space into twenty-four faces. Try as it might, the dark sand was unable to fly out of the trapped space. Nightdemon waved a hand, causing the Trapezohedron to contract into a glowing orb that flew back into his hand.


    Nightdemon smiled at the dark sand in the orb. "Where are you headed, death spirit king?"


    Wilbow asked curiously, "What''s going on?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "The death spirit king''s trying to flee."


    Wilbow frowned. "What?"


    Nightdemon exined, "After he realized that he was no match for Zhang Lie, the consciousness of the death spirit king tore its own soul apart and escaped from its newly forged body. If I''m not mistaken, it had been nning this all along."


    The ink-ck man had, at some point, appeared by Nightdemon and Wilbow''s side. "While we were trying to drive the newly reborn death spirit king crazy, he was also trying to take advantage of us."


    Wilbow''s eyes widened. "You mean that the death spirit king had simply been acting?"


    Nightdemon inclined his head. "In a manner of speaking, but also not."


    The ink-ck man nodded. "We can''t exclude this possibility¡ªit''s very likely."


    Wilbow scowled. "Exin yourselves clearly!"


    Nightdemon replied, "Perhaps the newly reborn king did want to reforge its body. If it failed, however, its n was to escape amidst the resulting chaos, once Zhang Lie rxed after thinking that he had killed the death spirit king."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Actually, I suspected that the death spirit king was about to do something simr quite early on. After all, his actions haven''t been logical. He''s been behaving erratically from the beginning."


    The ink-ck man followed Nightdemon''s train of reasoning. "Even if the death spirit king could defeat Zhang Lie, the three of us are still around, and it wouldn''t easily be able to escape. He wouldn''t gain anything by defeating Zhang Lie, since he''d have to face the rest of us, too. Furthermore, if we drag the battle out, Zhang Lie would recover and join back in, along with the decaying king."


    Nightdemon took over. "As such, the death spirit king nned to escape instead, leading to the interesting scene we just observed."


    Wilbow asked curiously, "Do the conversations between the two of you count as talking to yourself?"


    After all, both the ink-ck man and Nightdemon were clones of the king of chaos.


    Nightdemon scowled. "Focus on the exnation!"


    Wilbow thought about the situation for a moment. "In other words, this newly reborn death spirit king turned out to be exceptionally intelligent¡ªhis n would have been beneficial regardless of whether he were to win or lose the fight against Zhang Lie."


    For him to have concocted a n so quickly, though a n of rather limited sess rate, was testament to his intelligence.


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Not just that, I think. The death spirit king was frighteningly intelligent to begin with, and his newly reborn form has inherited that intelligence, after all. He could hardly be less intelligent."


    The death spirit king had been the pioneer of science and technology in the third realm, and he had even created these massive gships.


    Nightdemon and Wilbow had taken quite some time and expended a considerable amount of energy to defeat those gships. If the death spirit king hadn''t been so ambitious, or had had a better understanding of the other superior forces'' strength, the oue of this battle could have beenpletely different.


    The ink-ck man continued, "I''ve been observing the newly reborn death spirit king all this time. It looks as though he''s been thinking of running away all along, and this new body of his is just something to fool us."


    Nightdemon added, "He''s been consuming all the world''s energy he gathered. Even with a newly forged body, without any world''s energy, he wouldn''t be able to beat us¡ªso it''s clear that the death spirit king had been nning to run away."


    Wilbow contemted these revtions. He was shocked and frightened by the depths of the death spirit king''s intellect. "Thank goodness you realized. As expected of a clone of the king of chaos¡ªindeed, the death spirit king has likely been nning this. If he were to escape, we would never be able to find him considering howrge the third realm is!"

 Chapter 1006: Snatching the Reward

    <h4>Chapter 1006: Snatching the Reward</h4>


    Since the newly reborn death spirit king had inherited the original death spirit king''s consciousness, he surely wouldn''t give up on his ambitions, and he would end up trying to take over the realm once more.


    With the death spirit king trapped in the Shining Trapezohedron, the battle was over for the moment.


    The world of ck rain had been destroyed, having cracked into several pieces. The death spirit king''s forces had been destroyed by the aftermath of the fight between Zhang Lie and the death spirit king, leaving only pulverized ground behind.


    The allied forces, led by Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi, had survived the battle. Zhang Lie, sensing that the allied forces were all safe and sound, smiled in relief.


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi had done well during the battle, and throughout the entire campaign. The only mark against them was that they had been rather rash at the start of the fighting. When they all returned, he would award them each with a vial of Potion #4.


    That said, it didn''t seem to be a particrly meaningful prize, and his sister would surely call him miserly if that was all he gave them.


    Only Zhang Hanxiang would ever say something like that¡ªif word of Potion #4 were to spread, the entire Milky Way would be in an uproar over it.


    "I still have some monarch-grade flesh¡ªI suppose it would be a suitable reward too."


    The defeated death spirit king left a mostly formed core behind, which was intended to form the heart of his newly forged body.


    Zhang Lie had attacked and stalled the forging process before it could bepleted, but the world''s energy within had already evolved past that of a superior world. Zhang Lie estimated that this might well be the energy of the third realm atrge.


    The wills of the world that had been consumed by the death spirit king had all been mixed together by Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish].


    In some sense, the death spirit king''s body was an iplete form of the third realm. Perhaps this was the nature of fate: separated things wouldbine, andbined things would separate.


    Once the death spirit king consumed all the wills of the world, he might be the will of the third realm itself. At that point, would the will of the world gain the consciousness of the death spirit king, be known as the death spirit king, or have once been the death spirit king?


    The newly reborn death spirit king had been quite different from the original death spirit king. In the same fashion, the death spirit king who hadbined the wills of all the worlds in the third realm would be significantly different from his present form. Could he still be considered the death spirit king in that case? No one could say.


    It was possible that the death spirit king resulting from such a merger would have no shred of biological desire¡ªno ambition, no humanity, and no interest in absorbing other worlds.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t going to bet on this possibility, nor the other superior kings, nor the biological lifeforms of the third realm.


    Who would be willing to bet three thousand worlds on whether the death spirit king would be the will of the realm or a demon?


    The superior kings certainly didn''t want to see their position as rulers of the realm threatened.


    Regardless of just what the death spirit king would be after swallowing up all those wills, the other superior kings would never allow this to happen. They couldn''t countenance the birth of any being stronger than them in the realm.


    Zhang Lie picked up the cracked core and looked up at the others. "How should we divide this?"


    Wilbow shrugged. "I don''t mind. I only came on my father''s orders. I heard he owes you a debt?"


    "A debt to the Zongming world."


    "Then don''t dream of my share," Wilbow replied. "The death spirit king consumed all the wills of the world and the world''s energy he umted. What you hold is the concentrated essence of all that energy and spiritual matter, and it''s of incredible value!"


    "I suggest dividing the spoils during the superior worlds'' meeting to be convened after the battle¡ªbut before that, I suggest you get the agreement of what''s behind you," Nightdemon suggested.


    Zhang Lie sensed dangering from his back. He whirled around, his sword at the ready.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" The scarlet water-attuned gic energy rose into the sky like an inferno. Itpped forward like a wave, and a blood-colored shark swam forth with the force of the entire ocean behind it.


    It tore apart a piece of some ck substance as a shrill scream sounded.


    Zhang Lie red at the sneak attacker, only to find that it was the decaying king.


    The ck mass of the decaying king sizzled where Zhang Lie''s sword had cut apart a piece of its flesh.


    The decaying king burst apart in an explosion of dark yellow pus, smothering the burning wound and destroying the shark of blood, which released corrosive energy of its own and countered the dark yellow pus.


    "Give it to me!" the decaying king screamed shrilly, pouncing toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie inhaled deeply. The decaying king''s target was the radiant core that Zhang Lie possessed. He understood what was happening now. After all, the decaying king was a superior king in his own right.


    Perhaps the death spirit king might be able to pin him down for some time, but the decaying king could, and indeed did, free himself in the midst of the heated battle between Zhang Lie and the death spirit king.


    However, it had neither helped Zhang Lie against the death spirit king or Nightdemon and the others against the gships. Instead, ity unmoving on the ground, watching the fight between Zhang Lie and the death spirit king as it recovered its strength and waited for an opportunity.


    When the death spirit king was killed for the first time, the decaying king had imed all the world''s energy that had burst from its body.


    It was also responsible for the surge of world''s energy that had helped Zhang Lie during his time of greatest need. Zhang Lie''s final blow, [Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars], was clearly an attack that would destroy the world. The world of ck rain viewed Zhang Lie much like the death spirit king, and it was fortunate enough that the world of ck rain didn''t stop Zhang Lie, let alone help him.


    The one who had ended up giving its hard-won world''s energy to Zhang Lie wasn''t the will of the world of ck rain, but rather the decaying king, who had been forced to do so to avoid the revival of the death spirit king.

 Chapter 1007: Greed without End

    <h4>Chapter 1007: Greed without End</h4>


    Zhang Lie had overexerted himself, and the core of the newly reborn death spirit king had fallen to the ground. The decaying king thought that this was a good opportunity.


    "You destroyed my world during your fight with the death spirit king. The crystalline energy he left behind should be justpensation for my losses!" The decaying king pounced forward.


    "Youy there without helping us, and now you''re ming me for destroying your world?" Zhang Lie retrieved a Yeluo restorative from his extradimensional storage.


    This Yeluo restorative had the rare and potent ability to stimte cellr growth, allowing Zhang Lie to recover from his injuries and restoring half his gic energy. Such a powerful potion had its side effects, of course¡ªafter using this potion, because of the drain on his biological resources, huge pain would wrack his body.


    Zhang Lie shed forward with Guicang. A blood-red river of gic energy manifested around him. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    As the river arced through the air, it turned blisteringly hot. The temperature rose dramatically, as though a portal to the underworld had opened.


    On closer inspection, the river was formed of thousands, tens of thousands, of blood serpents, so numerous as to form what seemed like a fluid whole. Each serpent was a brighter red than blood¡ªthey wereposed of boilingva.


    With a wave of Zhang Lie''s sword, the serpents rained down on the decaying king.


    The serpents bit and smashed into the writhing ck mass that was the decaying king. A pitch-ck skeleton''s arm emerged from the mass, tearing apart the serpents.


    Pitch-ck energy surrounded the arm as it tried to catch Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie blocked its attack with the de in one hand. ?Fire-red gic energy sprayed out of the de in the other. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The scarlet energy exploded. Nightdemon and Wilbow hurriedly flew back as Zhang Lie transformed into the equivalent of a gigantic demon.


    The scarlet gic energy burned the skies above the world of ck rain to a crisp.


    As though the fire itself were crazy, it expanded all over, throwing itself to the whims of the wind, devouring everything it touched without fear. The sea of mes spread at an incredible rate, as though it wanted to swallow up the entire sky.


    From afar, the mes looked like countless thundering dragons, serpents of blood, demons amidst the mes. As Zhang Lie struck, a fiery river hurtled into existence, transforming whatever it touched into gray ash.


    The blood serpents were like thousands of courageous soldiers attacking in force.


    In a matter of moments, the decaying king was drowned in the sea of mes. The ground melted, turning into boiling-hotva.


    Serpents of blood continuously rushed out of the sea of me, tearing, biting, and siphoning the pitch-ck energy thatposed the decaying king. The decaying king swiped at them with its ws, but after they burst apart, they were easily able to reform by drawing on the energy of the sea of fire.


    The decaying king struggled furiously amidst the me as the pitch-ck energy surrounding itself was burnt to a crisp. The decaying king''s true form was revealed¡ªa decayed, pitch-ck skeleton that had lost one arm, and whose lower body was crushed.


    Zhang Lie was very surprised¡ªjust what sort of existence had the skeleton been in its life, that even its skeleton could be a superior king in death?


    Perhaps the death spirit king had been a fourth-realm hunter, whose body had somehow fallen into the third and eventually, over eons, transformed into the decaying king.


    But all this was unimportant now.


    "The moment you messed with me, you were fated to die."


    The blood dragon''s phantasmal figure soared into the air. Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, the gleam of the de so bright that the world of ck rain weed a new dawn. The blood dragon melted into the de. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    A blood dragon appeared. The blood dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth, igniting the mes, morphing into a tyrannical dragon of fire, and piercing through the skull of the decaying king.


    The decaying king''s skull burst apart as an unknown ck substance emerged from it. It was soft and gooey, like brain matter. It fled through the mes and the serpents, thinking to escape.


    "I''m right here, you know!" Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world of ck rain.


    Just as Zhang Lie was about to swing his de down, Nightdemon suddenly appeared before him.


    Zhang Lie scowled. "Scram, or I''ll cut you down along with the decaying king!"


    Nightdemon smiled gently. "Zhang Lie, calm down. Listen to me."


    "You aren''t going to ask me to let go of the fool who tried tounch a sneak attack on me for the so-called bnce of the third realm, are you?" Zhang Lie snorted. "I don''t care for this bnce. I''ll break it today!"


    Nightdemon smirked. "Of course not, Zhang Lie. I''d attack him even if you didn''t¡ªbut there''s no need. He can''t get away."


    The ink-ck man had, at some point, appeared before the decaying king''s path, preventing him from escaping.


    The decaying king screeched, "King of chaos, we''re good friends, aren''t we? We''ve been superior kings for a long time together, haven''t we? Let me go, just this once!"


    Nightdemon smiled gently. "Since you''ve been a superior king for so long, you should be well aware of our rules."


    The ink-ck man continued, "While we were killing the death spirit king and his forces, youunched a sneak attack on one of our number. You''re breaking long-established custom."


    Nightdemon added, "If I remember correctly, you were one of the superior kings who participated in establishing thosews in the first ce. For someone like you to then break thosews¡ªthis just won''t do."


    The ink-ck man continued, "ording to custom, the spoils of war will be divided in a meeting convened among the superior worlds, but you tried to im it for yourself. Do you think yourself above us all?"


    Nightdemon gave the decaying king a grim, mocking smile. "Many think the superior worlds'' rules nothing but a joke, that might makes right¡ªbut don''t forget that we''re all superior worlds! If we don''t follow the rules we set out for ourselves, all of us will be doomed. Do you understand?"


    Nightdemon and the ink-ck man''s words weren''t just for the decaying king¡ªor rather, it was pointless to be lecturing the decaying king now. Their main purpose was to lecture Zhang Lie, who held the core of the reborn death spirit king, instead...

 Chapter 1008: Another Ruckus

    <h4>Chapter 1008: Another Ruckus</h4>


    The decaying king trembled in fear. "I was mistaken. I was blinded by a moment of greed! Please, let me go this once. I''ll be a servant for the king of chaos in the future, please!"


    "I don''t need a disobedient dog." The ink-ck man''s voice was curt.


    With an ear-splitting screech, the decaying king''s pitch-ck brain was turned to ash. The ink-ck man suckedu p the remnants of that ash into his sleeve as the skies rumbled, and a rain of blood fell over the world of ck rain.


    Zhang Lie sheathed Guicang and Hanguang, asking dubiously, "That wasn''t all just an act, was it?"


    Nightdemon asked, "What do you mean?"


    "Could it be that you haven''t killed the decaying king? Could you have hidden it away instead?"


    Nightdemon frowned. "Isn''t the rain of blood ample proof?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "I don''t know what powers the strongest king, the king of chaos, possesses. Who''s to say that you aren''t helping out the decaying king because you''re old acquaintances?"


    Nightdemon sighed. "If you consider me the strongest king, do you really think I would care about the life of an ordinary superior king?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "That''s hard to say. Who knows what you''re thinking?"


    Nightdemon smiled. "I wouldn''t want to ruin the friendship that I''ve worked hard to develop with you over a rule-breaking superior king."


    To Nightdemon, Zhang Lie''s friendship was worth that much. It wasn''t unreasonable¡ªZhang Lie had already killed two superior kings to date, and he boasted a strength superior to even an ordinary superior king. He was certainly more valuable.


    "Is that so?" Zhang Lie still seemed to harbor some doubts.


    Nightdemon waved a hand over the fiery sea, causing a pulsing golden heart to fly into his palm. The golden heart was bruised and cracked, but it still seemed to be full of vitality. A superior world''s energy leaked out of its wounds.


    "The heart of the world?"


    Nightdemon replied, "If you still feel ufortable, Zhang Lie, I imagine holding on to this will help."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "This is the proof of kingship of the world of ck rain, isn''t it? Can I really take this?"


    Despite the fact that the world of ck rain had shattered, that the death spirit king had absorbed much of its energy, that there was no living biological lifeform left on it, it was still a de facto superior world, worth more than even a pristine peakrge world.


    "You''re giving me this just like that?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "I don''t particrly care for one or two superior worlds. If I want them all, I could easily take control of eight of the nine¡ªand of course, thest one would be my own."


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. Nightdemon''s im was rather arrogant, but given the surfeit of clones on the level of a superior king he seemed to possess, he probably could do as he imed.


    "Didn''t you say that we would have to divide up the spoils evenly during the subsequent meeting?"


    Nightdemon rolled his eyes. "That''s for thergest prize. Everything else can be divided on the spot¡ªif we leave everything to be distributed at the end, no one would be motivated to fight."


    Indeed, anyone who fought would be able to im spoils on the battlefield directly. This would be significant incentive for the forces that each king supplied.


    The ink-ck man grumbled, "If we really were to divide everything, there''d be far too much to deal with."


    Zhang Lie sighed as he looked at the vibrating golden heart in his palm.


    The decaying king was no hero, but it had been among the top existences of all three thousand worlds. A moment''s mistake, however, had doomed it for eternity.


    The decaying king was greedy, but what could it do? The death spirit king had stolen much of its world''s energy, and its world was at death''s door. If it wanted to revive it, it would have to im the death spirit king''s spoils for itself.


    If it could swallow all that world''s energy, whose quality went beyond that of a superior world, it might even be able to grow as strong as the king of chaos¡ªbut in the end, it had failed.


    Zhang Lie kept the golden heart he was handed. He didn''t have a use for it, but Li Zongming likely would. "It''s time to exin to me what you were all talking about."


    Nightdemon asked, "What do you mean?"


    "About the doors that you mentioned."


    Nightdemon blinked. "Ah, those."


    "Can you describe these doors in detail?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "It''s no secret. These doors are an easy way to categorize the strength of the various superior kings. Generally, those who ascend to the level of a superior king can sense their path forward in their mind. If you can vaguely sense the existence of a door, you''re at the threshold."


    The ink-ck man picked up the exnation. "The next step is to push open that door. Currently, in the third realm, the only one we know of that has done so is the king of keys. The step beyond that is to step through the door. The death spirit king had just about reached this stage by consuming all these wills of the world and digesting them."


    Zhang Lie pondered this information.


    In terms of the genes and gene fragments that the hunters of the Milky Way possessed, maxing out disaster gene fragments was likely equivalent to touching the door, or perhaps somewhat beyond that.


    In that case, the peak limit breakthrough would correspond more closely to reaching the level of a superior king, and obtaining monarch gene fragments to pushing open the door. The process of acquiring more monarch gene fragments would be akin to stepping through it, and the stage beyond that would be maxing out monarch gene fragments.


    The ink-ck man asked curiously, "As far as I''m aware, you''ve already pushed open the door, and you might even have stepped through it. Are you not aware of such things?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We of the Milky Way follow a different path."


    "What path?" Nightdemon asked.


    "Genes¡ªthe door to life, I suppose."


    "Aliens truly are mysterious, aren''t they?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "What stage is the king of chaos at?"


    "Guess," Nightdemon replied with a mysterious smile.


    Just as they were chatting, they suddenly sensed a disturbance from afar. Nightdemon turned toward the direction of the draconian world, licking his lips.


    "Interesting. Two worlds are evolving to superior worlds right this moment."


    Zhang Lie groaned. "At this time...?" Why hadn''t they evolved earlier? The war was already over!

 Chapter 1009: The Worlds Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 1009: The World''s Evolution</h4>


    Zhang Lie had guessed the identity of the two worlds that had just advanced.


    Nightdemon smirked. "Both worlds seem to be close to the Zongming world, and I expect they''re within the Zongming world''s jurisdiction. What are your ns¡ªwill you consume them?"


    Zhang Lie smiled in response. "You must be joking, king of chaos. There''s nothing that can be hidden from you among the three thousand worlds. Haven''t you assigned a clone to the Zongming world?"


    Nightdemon smiled. "Ha! I would need strong incentive to dare to pry into your affairs."


    Back in the draconian world, the draconian sage walked up to a mountain of proofs of kingship.


    "Zhang Lie said that we should begin to merge the worlds and evolve into a superior world once the fighting between the death spirits and the allied forces grew to its most intense."


    The draconian sage hadn''t expected that the allied forces had just finished fighting against the death spirits, that Zhang Lie had swept through the strongest of their forces and ended the war. This wasn''t the most intense period of fighting; the fighting had just finished.


    The draconian sage, who was unaware of all this, reverted to his draconic form. He soared through the air and circled the mountain of proofs of kingship from above. As he infused the world''s energy into that mountain, the proof of kingship of the draconian world appeared, shining with multicolored light.


    The light struck the mountain, causing the gathered proofs of kingship to float into the air and revolve around the draconian sage. The entire draconian world shook.


    The inhabitants of the draconian world all looked toward the sky, where the draconian sage had finished preparations for the merger. He had exined everything previously, and, having done this in the past, knew what he was doing now.


    Dozens of worlds appeared by the horizon, the worlds that the members of Team Zenith and the warlords had taken down during this period of time.


    The proof of kingship of the draconian world, a dragon''s scale, released a pir of rainbow light that covered the draconian sage. All the proofs of kingship transformed into orbs of light and rushed into the scale. The draconian sage howled as multicolored scales grew over his body.


    The will of the world was starting to merge with the other worlds, devouring their will and their power.


    A dragon''s howl echoed through the world. As it spread to the neighboring worlds, a huge dragon took to the air. The draconian sage released his aura as his strength climbed furiously.


    The dragon swooped down and merged with the draconian sage. The world''s energy encapsted the draconian sage,yer byyer, and formed a gigantic egg, which seemed to be made out of multicolored dragon scales. It gave off a piercing light brighter than even the sun.


    The lifeforms of the draconian world looked toward the horizon, where dozens of worlds were starting to link together. Runes danced over their vision as the draconian world transformed. World after world merged into the draconian world, forming a sympathetic link as light strobed in the sky.


    The evolution of the world into a superior one would result in immense benefits to all the inhabitants of the world. Their talent and status of life would grow by leaps and bounds.


    The aliens were growing stronger at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Those tall and sturdy of stature grew taller and stronger; those wise and intelligent gained more insight. The Yeluo chieftain, who had lots of puzzling ingredients he was trying to figure out what to deal with, suddenly drew connections between them that he had beencking.


    He immediately rushed to hisboratory, where he found to his shock that the herbs within had all been elevated in quality thanks to the evolution.


    They were shining with luster, glowing with radiance. Ordinary spiritual herbs grew rare and potent. Some that would have to be cultivated for hundreds of years to reach maturity were maturing right then and there, developing hundreds of years within seconds.


    An herbal aroma spread through the air as the Yeluo chieftain cried out in shock, "Are these the benefits of evolution? Is this how strong a superior world is?"


    No wonder they were so much stronger than even a peakrge world! Just the benefit of evolution had transformed these spiritual herbs beyond what arge world could possess. Such situations were urring all throughout the draconian world, across the mountains and the wilderness.


    The worlds that had merged into the draconian world were subsidiary and had received reduced benefits, but everyone stood to gain from the evolution. Therge, medium-sized, and small worlds that had merged into the draconian world would all be part of it, though the draconian world was the heart of the world.


    The Yeluo chieftain came to his senses, recalled the potions he wanted to experiment with, and locked himself in hisboratory.


    In the disaster-grade farm that had been set up, the gic lifeforms were howling in excitement as they grew stronger. Regr lifeforms were evolving into mutated-grade, mutated-grade into superior-grade, superior-grade into peak-grade, and some peak-grade lifeforms were even evolving into disaster-grade.


    Only a few lifeforms managed the disaster-grade evolution, while others grew beyond peak-grade but without crossing the threshold. It was no problem for a superior world to harbor multiple disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The lifeforms who were originally disaster-grade shone with multicolored light, having benefited the most from the evolution, more than any hunter or alien. Some began to molt on the spot, evolving beyond the level of an ordinary disaster-grade lifeform, and one even ascended directly to monarch-grade.


    Zhu was shocked to no end by this development, but it wasn''t unreasonable. After all, the disaster-grade lifeforms of the farm frequently fought with each other to train and grow, and the evolution of the world had simply allowed them to realize that growth.


    Zhu herself benefited. Her body shone radiantly, and her racial talent of being able to manipte and control other biological lifeforms seemed to have grown to the point where she could control disaster-grade ones.


    Despite the massive boon, Zhu sighed. "What a pity¡ªZhang Lie brought arge number of gic lifeforms with him out to battle. Otherwise, two or three lifeforms might have evolved directly to monarch-grade!"

 Chapter 1010: First One, Then Two

    <h4>Chapter 1010: First One, Then Two</h4>


    The disaster-grade lifeforms that remained in the farm were left behind in case of an emergency; Zhang Lie had taken the majority out to fight. As such, they would be unable to benefit from the boon of evolution.


    The ck sand desert, which had once been part of the world of ck sand, a ruined world drained by the ck spirits, had turned ssy after Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade evolution there. With the evolution of the draconian world, it became the region of ck ss. The ck ss absorbed the multicolored energy and underwent a transformation.


    The ck ss all around the desert was glowing with light, with the luster of gold.


    The members of Team Zenith spread their arms out and found themselves brimming with energy. Despite having maxed out their disaster gene fragments, they could feel that their cells were being nourished by some unknown energy, that their own status of life was increasing bit by bit.


    Sun Mengmeng murmured to herself, "Is this the benefit of evolution that our captain was talking about?"


    The members of Team Zenith raised their heads toward the sky as they watched the glowing dragon egg.


    The draconian world was about to evolve into a superior world, and they had to stand guard to prevent any idents from urring.


    In the scaleman world, the king who was once the ninth prince stood poised on stage. "The time that my master spoke of hase."


    A dais had been built on the scaleman world, like the site of a gigantic altar. The kings and leaders of the nearby worlds had gathered around the altar, each bearing their world''s proof of kingship.


    Within the capital had gatheredrge numbers of scalemen and aliens from other worlds, all here to witness the evolution of the world.


    One of the kings called out, "Your Majesty, it''s time to begin."


    The king of the scaleman world raised the proof of kingship he held high into the sky. A shining beam of light struck it, enveloping the entire world like the sun. The proof of kingship glowed with rainbow light; the proofs of kingship that the other kings of the realm held floated into the air.


    The aliens all looked toward the sky as dozens of worlds appeared by the horizon, linking up with each other.


    A pir of rainbow light descended and covered up the king of the scaleman world. All the proofs of kingship transformed into orbs of light and rushed into the scaleman world''s proof of kingship. The king howled as blinding light emanated from his body.


    The will of the world was starting to merge with the other worlds, devouring their will and their power.


    As more and more proofs of kingship merged, the king''s strength grew rapidly.


    The world''s energy encapsted the king,yer byyer, forming a gigantic egg. Composed of radiant light, it gave off a piercing light brighter than even the sun.


    Runes danced over their vision as the world transformed. World after world merged into the scaleman world, forming a sympathetic link as light strobed in the sky.


    The evolution of the world into a superior one would result in immense benefits to all the inhabitants of the world. Their talent and status of life would grow by leaps and bounds.


    The aliens were growing stronger at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    All manner of life benefited, even nts and herbs.


    This was partially why the other worlds had been willing to join in the merger of the worlds. Their worlds had been invaded by the ck spirits, and their worlds'' vitality had been taken from them. Nothing would grow; there would be nothing for them to eat.


    For survival, they had entered into this pact with the scaleman world, willing to give up even theirnds. Even so, their worlds'' drained vitality meant that they wouldn''t be able to receive a significant boon from the evolution; they would be part of a superior world in name, though their environs might not differ much from a peakrge world. It was even possible that their worlds didn''t possess enough world''s energy to allow for the evolution into a superior world.


    The inclusion of the world''s energy from the scaleman world, however, was enough to push things over the brink.


    The aliens within and without the scaleman capital could all feel the burgeoning energy in the air.


    The giant egg,posed of radiant light, gave off a piercing light brighter than even the sun.


    Runes danced over their vision as the world transformed. World after world merged into the scaleman world, forming a sympathetic link as light strobed in the sky.


    The evolution of the world into a superior one would result in immense benefits to all the inhabitants of the world. Their talent and status of life would grow by leaps and bounds.


    The aliens were growing stronger at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    All manner of life benefited, even nts and herbs. They were shining with luster, glowing with radiance, across the mountains and the wilderness.


    Ordinary spiritual herbs grew rare and potent. Some that would have to be cultivated for hundreds of years to reach maturity were maturing right then and there, developing hundreds of years within seconds.


    All over the world, gic lifeforms howled in excitement. Gic lifeforms had gained the most from the world''s evolution.


    The hunting grounds that the king of the scaleman world had set up, elerated in time by the world''s energy that had been gathered there, drew in much of the rainbow energy of evolution.


    Regr lifeforms were evolving into mutated-grade, mutated-grade into superior-grade, superior-grade into peak-grade, and some peak-grade lifeforms were even evolving into disaster-grade.


    Only a few lifeforms managed the disaster-grade evolution, while others grew beyond peak-grade but without crossing the threshold. It was no problem for a superior world to harbor multiple disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The kings of the realm who had entered into this pact looked at themselves in shocked surprise as they felt their magnified strength.


    Their worlds linked together, forming thest step in the evolution.


    He who had once been the crown prince, who nowmanded the troops garrisoned in the city, ready toe to the defense of the scaleman king, gazed at the shining egg in the sky with aplicated look: three parts touched, three parts proud, one part resentful, one part envious, and two parts gratified. "Father, are you witnessing what''s happening?"


    His ninth brother had been recognized by all the nearby worlds and crowned king of them all. He had merged all those worlds and evolved the scaleman world into a superior world...

 Chapter 1011: Shaking the Realm

    <h4>Chapter 1011: Shaking the Realm</h4>


    He who was once the ninth prince, whom no one looked favorably on¡ªhe had aplished an overwhelming feat that none other had done.


    With his rule, the scaleman world would only grow stronger.


    The crown prince didn''t think that he would have been able to do the same. He hadn''t been able to defend against the initial tide of ck spirits, and he was even certain that his father, the past emperor, would likewise have failed.


    However, his ninth brother had done so. The rtionship he had formed with Zhang Lie before his ascension to the throne had, in some sense, guaranteed his sess now.


    After the ck spirits, the former crown prince waspletely convinced by the new king''s ability as a ruler. For the remainder of his life, he had decided to be the garrisonmander, to serve and guard the kingdom that his brother had given so much to build.


    The members of the three great ns of the scaleman world, looking at their emperor shrouded in light, gazed at him in aplicated fashion.


    No one had expected the former ninth prince to aplish such an incredible deed.


    At this point, few even remembered that he had been the weakest among all the princes, the most powerless, the prince that everyone had ignored.


    The three great ns all thought that the former ninth prince was the least likely candidate to be king, that he would most likely have perished in the struggle for session, that he was so useless he wasn''t even a pawn to be taken advantage of.


    His status was the only valuable thing about him¡ªif he were to live, he would be able to im a patch ofnd from the new emperor, where he could happily live out an ordinary, unassuming life.


    All those in power in the capital at the time knew that the ninth prince was a piece of trash, an invisible man, whom everyone could bully. To think that he had ended up emperor, venerated by those around him, on the cusp of evolving the scaleman world to a superior one...!


    Under his rule, the scaleman world was reaching the apex of the three thousand worlds of the third realm, a vaunted height that would bring the inhabitants of the world unlimited rewards.


    The former ninth prince''s road to emperor had been an arduous one, almost as though it belonged to a novel. The orphaned youth, now ruler over millions...


    Before the former ninth prince''s ascent to strength, only one man stood by his side.


    This man, whom the kings and leaders of countless world now venerated as their ruler, had once been nothing more than a weakling, who would have fallen to his death with a single wrong step.


    He had danced between life and death quite a few times¡ªbut as the princes who were strongpetitors to the throne fell one by one, the second prince, protected by the Jian n; the third prince, who killed himself; the fourth prince...


    Of the nine princes, the only two remaining were the crown and ninth princes. The ninth prince, who had sessfully traversed countless obstacles in his way, finally took the throne.


    Many didn''t understand why the ninth prince had ascended over the crown prince, but they had all bowed down and acknowledged the former ninth prince''s rule upon theing of the ck tide.


    The ninth prince, not the crown prince, had been the one to protect the world in its time of need.


    Against the onught, all other kings and leaders had fallen¡ªall save the former ninth prince. For his sess, he was venerated and given fealty by the other kings, bringing the scaleman world to an unprecedented level of sess.


    At the altar in the center of the capital, the egg enclosed by the rainbow pir of light began to crack. As the crack propagated, the king of the scaleman world emerged from his shell, his body still bathed in rainbow light.


    As naturalw danced around him, as the world''s energy condensed, a rainbow-colored corona appeared behind the king. He looked down on all who gathered around him, as though he stood at the peak of the world.


    The aliens within and without the capital felt a strong pressure on their backs, the likes of which they had never felt before. They knelt and prostrated themselves, and someone called out, "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    All others echoed the chant. "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    The waves of sound echoed through the capital, wave after wave, and spread even beyond that.


    "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    "We congratte the king of the realm on his sessful ascent. May his light bless a thousand worlds, may his mightst forevermore!"


    The voices of the citizens echoed throughout the world.


    Bolstered by the world''s energy, the king''s strength increased dramatically. He exuded an aura the likes of which couldn''t be replicated.


    Naturalw surrounded him, as blinding as the sun, scorching those who dared to look directly at him.


    After the world''s evolution, the scaleman king had gained a measure of divinity, one that each superior king possessed, and which couldn''t be replicated even by others who were as strong as superior kings.


    Those aliens who looked directly at the sr king would find their eyes scorched; those who looked directly at the frost queen would have even their blood and heart freeze; those who looked directly at the king of ck fog would themselves be surrounded by fog, and even swallowed up.


    Those who looked at the king of evil would melt; those who looked at the decaying king would likewise melt; those who looked at the king of keys would go crazy; those who looked at the king of chaos would be night growlers; those who looked at Li Zongming would feel a stabbing pain in their eyes.


    Even the clones of the king of chaos carried traces of that divinity. Those who looked at Nightdemon would feel a sense of fear.


    Of course, not everyone would be subject to these consequences. A certain level of strength conferred immunity or drastic weakening of these effects. For instance, someone like Zhang Lie wouldn''t be affected.


    The ninth prince''s voice echoed through the evolved world. "The merger of the worlds isplete. From today onwards, the scaleman world is a superior world!"


    Everyone cheered, and their cheers echoed through the air.


    Just as the inhabitants of both worlds cheered in joy, the superior worlds were roused to action.


    In the world of zing sun, a humanoid figure leaned against a golden mulberry tree. Beneath its feet was scorching earth and soil, and a hundred suns revolved around the mulberry tree''s branches. Ten suns hung in the sky.


    "Another superior world¡ªand two of them simultaneously, at that!"


    As the sr king felt the disturbance in the world''s energy in the third realm, sr res formed all over his body, and the ten suns behind him glowed with piercing light.


    When the sr king sensed the direction from which the two superior worlds came, he gritted his teeth. "Damn it, why are they both within the Zongming world''s jurisdiction? Just what''s going on over there for superior worlds to be popping up one after the other? The Zongming world''s bad enough¡ªbut two more, now? Why don''t I ever get this lucky?"

 Chapter 1012: Besotted

    <h4>Chapter 1012: Besotted</h4>


    In the white world, covered by frost and ice, shadowed in perennial darkness, over which a raging blizzard howled with no sign of stopping, grew a remarkable race, the frost spirits.


    The frost queen, seated within her ornate pce on a throne of frozen jade, likewise sensed the appearance of two new superior worlds. She immediately stood up and frowned. "Two more...?"


    Outside the pce, a blizzard continued to rage. She pondered for a moment, then decided, "Now''s not the right time. The war against the death spirits is still ongoing. I''ll make ns once it''s over."


    In the world of ck fog, wreathed in the eponymous ck fog, a humanoid figure could barely be seen in the distance. The fog gradually condensed into a human''s face.


    "Two more superior worlds... but in the Zongming world''s jurisdiction? I''ll give up on them for the moment, then."


    The face of ck fog dissipated.


    At the acme of space and time in the third realm, in an environment of pure darkness, floated a massive pce. The pce was removed from the superior worlds, and even from the third realm atrge. It existed in an alcove in spacetime, in the liminal space between the third and fourth realms.


    In the dim, dark hall that rested within the folds of time, there echoed the low, frenzied beat of a madness-inducing drum, the hollow, monotonous howls of a demonic flute. Countless monsters of myriad forms danced in the hall, nebulous as aether. Women of beauty, sparkling with golden luster, draped in darkness, snake and dragon and man alike...


    Despite their differing appearances, they shared one thing inmon: to thest, they were each on the level of a superior king.


    Countless existences on the level of a superior king danced within a dim, dark hall. On a raised tform at the end of that hall was seated a frightening, awe-inspiring figure, the source of darkness, the origin of a primordial chaos, the end and beginning of all matter. It had no definable boundaries and was difficult to even discern.


    The ultimate sin from the deepest chaos, the core and heart of the abyss, the lord of spacetime, whoy beyond human understanding.


    Those at the peak of the third realm knew it as the primordial chaos, the king of chaos, the strongest of the known kings.


    In truth, it had long since ascended beyond the level of a superior king, and it had given up that position of ruler in the world of primordial chaos. Even so, it stillmanded that world, and it wouldn''t be difficult for it to take over the third realm atrge.


    However, it felt that doing so would be meaningless. Only remaining in this pce in the depths of spacetime could still bring it even the slightest enjoyment¡ªand yet this unfathomable existence was smiling now.


    "More and more interesting things are happening, aren''t they...?"


    The evolution of the world seeded.


    A crack appeared on the surface of the giant egg covered by the rainbow pir of light. As the crack propagated, an illusory dragon soared into the air and revolved around the draconian world. Runes of naturalw appeared in the sky where it passed, manifesting for mere moments to the naked eye.


    As naturalw danced around him, as the world''s energy condensed, a rainbow-colored corona appeared behind the draconian sage. He looked down on all who gathered around him, as though he stood at the peak of the world.


    He had grown quite a bit younger in the process. The draconians raised their heads, their eyes burning with admiration as they stared at their leader draped in rainbow light.


    His rainbow scales were like an ornate robe, and the light that surrounded him and manifested from his every action made him look like a dragon from the heavens. A formless pressure bore down on them all. The draconian sage, who had just ascended, was yet unused to controlling his new strength. Countless aliens knelt on the ground, and the nearby gic lifeforms keened and howled.


    Bolstered by the world''s energy, the draconian sage''s strength had increased dramatically. He exuded an unparalleled aura. Naturalw surrounded him, as blinding as the sun, and the aliens couldn''t help viewing him with fear, awe, and respect.


    The members of Team Zenith stood where they were, raising their heads to witness the draconian sage in the sky, their faces calm.


    "Rise." The draconian sage wrested his aura back and beckoned with an arm. The kneeling aliens were raised back to their feet by an incredible strength.


    Sun Mengmeng strode forward. "It looks as though the merger of the worlds has been a sess. Congrattions, draconian sage."


    The draconian sage slowlynded by the members of Team Zenith. "It''s all thanks to your help. Without you here, without Zhang Lie here, the draconians would have been destroyed by the Mengtai."


    To the members of Team Zenith, the draconian sage remained unfailingly polite, without disying the arrogance of a superior king.


    The draconian sage had to treat the human hunters as equals, because behind them stood Zhang Lie. As long as Zhang Lie remained in the third realm, the draconian sage would treat them with his fullest respect.


    Without the members of Team Zenith and the warlords of the Milky Way taking down world after world, the draconians wouldn''t have had a chance to evolve their world. Without Zhang Lie giving them an opportunity, the draconian world would have been attacked by other worlds during its evolution.


    The draconian sage keenly understood that his sess today could be attributed inrge part to the humans.


    He smiled. "All this was thanks to your hard work. I won''t forget what the humans did, and I hope you''ll help defend the superior draconian world from now on as well."


    Yang Ze replied, "Sage, I expect you''ll be more than our equal inbat."


    Before the ascension, the draconian sage didn''t have strengthparable to that of a superior king, and the members of Team Zenith had grown beyond him.


    The draconian sage remained smiling. "You jest, Yang Ze. I''m still not familiar and practiced with my strength, and I don''t expect I''ll be an opponent for you for quite some time."


    Sun Xiaowu smiled as well. "Since you''ve ascended, Sage, shall we have a big celebration?"


    The draconian sage continued to smile. "Exactly so. I''ve already made preparations for a banquet to be held within the draconian capital, but I''m waiting for the human warriors to arrive."


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the sky. "I wonder how Zhang Lie''s doing...?"


    Sun Xiaowu sighed. "That''s the 56th time..."


    Yang Ze shook his head. "No, already the 60th."


    Fang Yi nodded. "And if we include the two words ''Zhang Lie'', it''s the 180th time in all."


    Sun Mengmeng blinked at them, bewildered. "What are all of you talking about?"

 Chapter 1013: What is Love?

    <h4>Chapter 1013: What is Love?</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu sighed. "Worst of all, my sister doesn''t realize what she''s doing..."


    Sun Mengmeng blushed. "What are all of you talking about?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "Sun Mengmeng, ever since our captain headed to the battlefield, you''ve been repeatedly mumbling his name. ''I wonder how Zhang Lie''s doing...?'' is a question you''ve asked over sixty times by now!"


    Sun Mengmeng looked offended. "What do you mean, that''s what I do all day?"


    "Sis, look over there." Sun Xiaowu pointed at Li Feng. Sun Mengmeng looked over to see him ncing toward the sky, his stubble unkempt, mumbling to himself, "What is love? That we be willing to live and die together..."


    Sun Mengmeng: ...


    Li Feng: "Love, like a shooting star¡ªwith whom is it shared? A full moon hanging beyond the world¡ª deste as a snowfield, with no one who understands it..."


    Upon witnessing Li Feng''s dim, downcast expression, Sun Mengmeng walked over and waved her hand in front of Li Feng''s face. She asked in shock, "What happened to him?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "After our captain took to the battlefield, it''s like Li Feng was infected with some kind of virus. He says all this nonsense, just like aputer throwing up error messages! I think he''s done for. Looks like he needs to be reformatted."


    Li Feng: "Red beans grow in the south, and a few branches'' worth bloom in spring. Gather what you can, for they convey yearning best."


    Sun Mengmeng blinked. "What did you say? After Zhang Lie departed, Li Feng¡ª"


    Zhou Ying and Sun Xiaowu kicked Yang Ze aside. "Don''t listen to his nonsense! It''s all because of the golden mammoth."


    Li Feng''s eyes suddenly glowed. He turned toward them. "The golden mammoth? What happened to her? You were talking about her, weren''t you?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "We were discussing the war against the death spirits, and when the golden mammoth and the others would be able to return."


    Li Feng smiled. "There''s no need to worry. The draconian forces have all participated in many wars before, and nothing will happen to them. Furthermore, our captain''s out there as well, and he''ll guard them for sure. You know he won''t just watch as the allied forces get decimated¡ªand there''s no need to worry about our captain either. No one can take him down."


    Sun Mengmeng felt as though her behavior was somewhat like Li Feng''s.


    Suddenly, however, Li Feng''s eyes lost his sparkle again. He raised his head and looked toward the sky. "Red beans, red pips, pressed into the heart of dice¡ªsuch is the depth of my heartfelt longing for you... Now that the draconian world has evolved to a superior world, when will you return?"


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "Ever since the golden mammoth took to the battlefield, he''s been overwhelmed by mncholy. All he does now is recite snippets of poetry from time to time."


    Yang Ze sighed. "I thought Li Feng was a normal man, but to think he''s interested in bestiality..."


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Bestiality? No, no¡ª"


    Fang Yi interrupted, "You mean, interspecies love!"


    Li Feng: "What is love? That we be willing to live and die together!"


    Yang Ze, Fang Yi, and Sun Xiaowu all clutched their heads in unison. Li Feng''s behavior seemed like a fool''s to them¡ªbut considering the three of them were all single, did any of them really have any right to mock him?


    Under ordinary circumstances, Li Feng would have attacked them forughing at him by now, but ever since the golden mammoth left, it was as though he had be removed from the mortal world. He looked up in the sky, in light and in darkness, and spouted words of poetry from time to time.


    "This night''s stars are notst night''s stars. For whom do the wind and dew wait the night?" Li Feng, infected with a virus as he was, would suddenly present them with a pop-up from time to time. They were sorry for him, but his actions only reminded them that they were all still single!


    Sun Mengmeng''s lips twitched. "It looks like it''s a terminal illness."


    Sun Xiaowu turned back to his sister. "Sis, you aren''t faring much better yourself."


    Sun Mengmengughed. "You must be joking! Li Feng''s pretty much gone crazy, and it wouldn''t be absurd to send him to a mental institute. If I''m worse off than he is, then I might as well deserve death!"


    All the members of Team Zenith, including the soulless Li Feng, all turned to gaze at Sun Mengmeng with a pitying expression.


    Sun Mengmeng''s lips twitched. "It can''t be..."


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "That''s why I said that the biggest problem is that you don''t even realize it."


    Fang Yi groused, "Mengmeng, we all know how much you care about the captain. I think you need to make your feelings clear! Chase after him!"


    Sun Mengmeng blushed in embarrassment. "I''m afraid that it''ll cause unnecessary trouble for Zhang Lie. He said that it isn''t time for us to appear on the battlefield just yet."


    Zhou Ying advised, "Even if you were to do so, Mengmeng, I''m sure our captain wouldn''t me you."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "I don''t want to cause unnecessary trouble for him."


    The members of Team Zenith all sighed.


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "But hasn''t this situation happened in the past already? We''ll drop Li Feng for the moment. Sis, you''ve known our captain for so long, and you were separated from him for quite some time between when he ascended to the third realm and when we did. But you never behaved in such a lovesick fashion before!"


    After Zhang Lie''s ascension to the third realm, Sun Mengmeng had been separated from him for half a year¡ªbut here, it hadn''t even been half a month yet.


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Perhaps it''s because the enemies he''s facing this time are so strong, and he has nopanion by his side¡ªor perhaps because I have nothing to do at the moment, so it''s easy for my thoughts to wander."


    After Zhang Lie ascended to the third realm, Sun Mengmeng had grown more motivated to advance her own strength, but now, Zhang Lie was on a dangerous battlefield all by himself, and there was nothing she could do.


    His allies were all unreliable superior worlds, existences from antiquity whose allegiances weren''t clear. They could easily be Zhang Lie''s worst enemy.


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi weren''t strong enough to help Zhang Lie out in times of need, and they hadn''t received any news or reports as to how the war was going. Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help but worry.


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "Sis, there''s no need to worry. Have you forgotten what sort of person our captain is? He can deal with any enemy on his own!


    I expect they''re already trying to divide up the spoils by now¡ªmaybe he''s the one worrying about how we''re doing."


    "Let''s hope so."


    The unclean world was surrounded by green fog. The entire world seemed like an abyssal trench, with the characteristic gray fluid of the king of evil filling the bottom of that trench.


    More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within that fluid, squelching as they tried to climb out of the abyss, only to be pulled back and devoured.


    Upon learning of the evolution of two superior worlds, the gray fluid burbled and quivered in excitement, and the malformed heads embedded in the fluid screeched in excitement.


    The king of keys smiled. "To evolve at such a critical period... I wonder what the Zongming king will do? In the end, though, they''re destined to die."

 Chapter 1014: Victory, For Now

    <h4>Chapter 1014: Victory, For Now</h4>


    Within the Zongming world, Li Zongming could sense the energy released upon the two superior worlds'' evolution. Despite the fact that he had only just be a superior king, this energy was something that all superior kings could innately sense.


    "Are these the worlds that Zhang Lie mentioned would evolve before he set off?" Li Zongming focused his attention on the ripples of energy. "If I''m not mistaken, one of them is the draconian world to which Zhang Lie belongs. As expected, the worlds he frequent must be exceptional in their own right..."


    Li Zongming continued to review a scroll on his throne, not intending to take action against either world.


    Zhang Lie had informed him of the evolution beforehand; he would discuss how to handle the ramifications with Zhang Lie when he returned.


    "I suppose the other superior worlds will make a move..."


    Back in the shattered world of ck rain, Zhang Lie dered, "I''m heading back now."


    Nightdemon smirked. "So urgently? Do these worlds have anything to do with you?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "After two such worlds appeared within the Zongming world''s jurisdiction, I have to make a move before the other superior worlds can."


    Nightdemon replied, "There''s no need to worry. Before the other superior worlds know that the death spirits have been dealt with, they won''t do anything.


    The Zongming world is safe for the moment. We''ll see how the situation unfolds afterwards."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Regardless, this is urgent business, and I had better rush back immediately. I''ll leave the other superior worlds to you."


    Given that his clone was here, the king of chaos surely knew of the news. The ice queen would be informed by the frost spiritmander, and the king of keys by his son.


    Nightdemon replied, "It remains to contact the king of evil, the king of ck fog, and the sr king. I''ll deal with that."


    Zhang Lie waved at him in acknowledgement, then headed toward the allied forces. Among the survivors, the Zongming forces were an absolute majority¡ªZhang Lie had kept his promise to guard the forces of the Zongming, draconian, and scaleman worlds.


    Hong Xi and the others were working on administrative affairs when Zhang Lie found them. He asked, "How are the losses?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "With everyone''s cooperation, we haven''t lost too many troops."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Good. The war''s over, so we can all go home now."


    Upon hearing the words ''go home'', everyone smiled¡ªand quite a few aliens shed tears.


    They could finally return home, after having survived quite a few life-and-death encounters on a battlefield that seemed to be gxies away.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "None of you will gain any rewards from participating in this battle, and I can''t even ensure that all of you will return safe and sound."


    These were all warriors who had protected the third realm from certain doom with their lives, but Zhang Lie wasn''t even able to give them a reward or guarantee them safe travels.


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Don''t say that, Brother. Everyone came here in order to protect the third realm from the death spirits'' encroachment."


    Before the situation could grow tense, Nightdemon slowlynded by Zhang Lie''s side. "I can handle transporting all your troops back to their homeworlds."


    Zhang Lie turned to him. "Can you?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. I''m a superior king, after all, even if this is only one of my clones. Of course I can establish a temporary wormhole."


    The ink-ck man also appeared by his side. "As for rewards, you can bring it up during the post-war meeting. I don''t know what the oue will be, though."


    The warriors smiled in excitement. Compared to whatever measly reward they might obtain, they were happier about the recognition they would receive.


    "I''ll try my best." Zhang Lie knew very well what the superior kings were like, and how they viewed the aliens of lesser worlds as nothing more than ants. It would be difficult to convince them to give the aliens a fair share of rewards.


    Nightdemon invoked the authority of a superior king. His shadow lengthened; his aura grew tremendously strong. The shadow seemed like the source of darkness, the origin of a primordial chaos, the end and beginning of all matter.


    As his eyes shed, three wormholes appeared. "To the Zongming world, the white world, and the king of keys respectively."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Thank you."


    Before the frost spiritmander left, he extended a hand toward Zhang Lie. "I don''t think I''ll ever forget this war. I hope the next time we meet won''t be on the battlefield."


    Zhang Lie shook the frost spiritmander''s ethereal hand. "Likewise."


    Wilbow also offered Zhang Lie a handshake. "Thanks to you, we were easily able to end this war. I hope we won''t meet again."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help butugh. "Shouldn''t you hope to meet me again?"


    Wilbow rolled his eyes. "You''re a warrior of the Zongming world, and nothing good cane out of meeting you in the future. Either we''re battling against each other, or we''re both on the battlefield against amon enemy."


    Zhang Lie inclined his head with a wry smile. "In that case, I hope I won''t see you again, either."


    Wilbow waved as he headed toward his wormhole. The ten million troops he had brought had dwindled to no more than ten thousand.


    Such was the cost of war. The survival of so many of the Zongming world''s forces could only be attributed to luck and Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi''s hard work.


    Nightdemon floated over. "You truly are an interesting fellow. I won''t bid you farewell¡ªI know we''ll see each other again soon enough."


    "Do you mean in the subsequent meeting, Nightdemon?"


    Nightdemon grinned. His white coat, stained by blood, turned a dark-red color. "Who knows?"


    The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. Then, it shed and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings. The ck wings wrapped around Nightdemon as he took to the sky. When they unfurled again, he had morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world. "Until our next meeting, hahahaha!"


    Nightdemon vanished into the void, leaving nothing but an echo of hisughter behind. The ink-ck man likewise bowed and disappeared into the darkness.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Let''s set off too, then."


    Following Zhang Lie''s lead, the forces of the Zongming world marched into the wormhole.


    Zhang Lie turned to his sister. "Are you satisfied now, Hanxiang? You''ve participated in a mythical battle of the third realm, just as you wanted to¡ªand this battle will surely be recorded in the annals of the realm."

 Chapter 1015: Returning to the Zongming World

    <h4>Chapter 1015: Returning to the Zongming World</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang''s expression was serious. She didn''t reply to Zhang Lie, who pretended not to see how upset she was and continued, "When we return to the draconian world, I expect it''ll have evolved to a superior world.


    Once the hunters return to the Milky Way and spread the news of what we''ve done, the entire gxy will be in an uproar. Your name will be written in the history books! Aren''t you happy?"


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head.


    "What did you learn during this war, then?"


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "That I''m not strong enough to protect anyone. If only I were stronger, I''d be able to aplish more on the battlefield¡ªand I wouldn''t have to watch as my allies andpanions perished!"


    In this war, she and countless others felt their mediocrity, their insignificance. She wasn''t even able to withstand the aftermath of her brother''s sh against an enemy, let alone help him. Like a leaf, she was forced to flutter in the wind.


    "What you''ve learned from this experience makes it more than worth it. You and Hong Xi did very well, and Hong Xi in particr did far better than I had expected. I would have been happy enough to see you both survive such a mythical battle, but Hong Xi even managed to anticipate enemy attacks and make wise decisions multiple times on the battlefield, keeping our losses to the minimum."


    Hong Xi scratched her head. "Master, you''re praising me too much! Didn''t you make me the battlefieldmander for this reason?"


    "I did, because I noted your talent and genius in this area, but you''re far more amazing than I had expected. Even if I were you, given your current level of strength, I wouldn''t have been able to replicate your feats¡ªno, I''m sure no one else on the battlefield would have!"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, those fighters standing around them all nodded.


    Hong Xi had yed an instrumental role in the survival of the forces.


    Initially, many had failed to understand why Zhang Lie had chosen Hong Xi as the battlefieldmander. They werergely unfamiliar with her, despite the fact that she was Zhang Lie''s disciple, and were skeptical of her abilities as a result.


    They felt as though there had to be a better choice for the position, but no one dared to disagree with Zhang Lie''s decision. After the war against the death spirits finished, however, the fighters all uniformly praised Zhang Lie for his choice.


    After the war ended, everyone felt that Hong Xi was the best choice, the only choice, who had been able to do what no other could aplish.


    No one had predicted the blood lord''s betrayal, not even Hong Xi, but she had immediately given the most appropriatemands in light of that information. Her actions in the following battle were even more impressive.


    The fighters who had survived the war were very relieved that they had chosen to believe in and carry out Hong Xi''smands¡ªbecause those who had distrusted or disobeyed her had all perished.


    By word and deed, Hong Xi had earned the respect and admiration of all the fighters on the battlefield.


    "I only did what I should have. You assigned me such an important role, Master, and I had to carry it out to the best of my ability to avoid besmirching your name," Hong Xi replied seriously.


    "Be proud of yourself. Every life here is one you saved. Regardless of what rewards are distributed to you as spoils of war, I''ll have something for the two of you once we return to the superior draconian world."


    "What reward?" Zhang Hanxiang asked curiously.


    Hong Xi frowned. "The superior draconian world?"


    Zhang Lie rified, "Not long ago, the draconian world merged with its neighbors and evolved into a superior world. This was something I arranged with the draconian sage before we set off to war."


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "That''s amazing! It must have grown much stronger."


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi had only a vague understanding of superior worlds; all they knew was that they were extremely strong.


    "We can''t be sure of that just yet."


    Hong Xi narrowed her eyes. "Is something going to happen?"


    "We can talk about thatter when there''s a chance. We''re here."


    The fighters walked out of the other end of the wormhole to find themselves back in the Zongming world. "We''re back!"


    Li Zongming teleported in front of them, a gentle smile on his face. "Wee back."


    Zhang Lie grinned. "As promised, no death spirits will ever trouble us again."


    Li Zongming nodded. "Thank you, and thank you for protecting the warriors of the Zongming world.


    Zhang Lie joked, "Aren''t we going to get a weing ceremony?"


    Li Zongming scratched his head. "You all returned too quickly for me to prepare anything, so no, there''s no ceremony, but you can have my warm and passionate hug instead."


    Li Zongming spread his arms and reached for Zhang Lie, who hurriedly stepped back. "No, no thanks! I''ll ept your intentions, but I''d rather get a hug from your daughter."


    Li Zongming smiled. "Go find her, then¡ªthough I imagine she''ll find you herself when she learns that you''ve returned. Look, isn''t sheing?"


    Li Zongming pointed toward the sky, where Li Qianlin was rushing out of her quarters.


    Zhang Lie subconsciously smiled. Turning to Hong Xi, he said, "Hong Xi, I''ll leave the rest for you."


    Before Hong Xi could react, Zhang Lie had already flown off.


    Li Zongming turned to the fighters who had been standing behind Zhang Lie. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. I''ve provided lodgings for all of you. Please follow me."


    Hong Xi and the warlords followed Li Zongming, whereas the other alien fighters had no intention of staying. They pleaded, "We wouldn''t want to inconvenience you, your majesty. We''d like to bring news of our victory to our kin¡ªwill you allow us to leave?"


    "Yes, we''d like to see our loved ones as quickly as we can!"


    Li Zongming dipped his head. "Naturally."


    The alien fighters bade farewell to Hong Xi and the warlords as they marched toward the wormholes leading to their homeworlds.


    The aliens of the draconian world were very envious. They too wanted to return to their families, but Zhang Lie, their de facto leader, was in the middle of a romantic tryst with the Zongming princess. Not wanting to leave without their leader''smand, they could only head to the lodgings that had been prepared for them, and the banquet that would follow...

 Chapter 1016: Core of Black Rain

    <h4>Chapter 1016: Core of ck Rain</h4>


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin hugged each other in mid-air. The moment Li Qianlin had learned of the news of Zhang Lie''s return, she had flown into the air immediately¡ªbut she didn''t know what to say now that they were right in front of each other.


    She had prepared lots ofints for Zhang Lie, but she didn''t know how to start addressing them. In the end, it was Zhang Lie who first smiled and said, "I''m back."


    Li Qianlin smiled as well. "Wee back."


    The two of them paused for a moment before Li Qianlin continued, "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    He asked, "Did you miss me?"


    Li Qianlin folded her arms. "As if! Who would miss a fellow like you?"


    "My dear daughter spent all day looking at the skies, awaiting your return¡ªbut now that you''re standing right in front of her, she doesn''t want to admit it."


    Li Zongming had, at some point, appeared behind her.


    Li Qianlin blushed. "Father!"


    Li Zongming smiled. "Embarrassed, aren''t you? Sorry to be a bother¡ªI can leave now if you''d like to spend some more time together."


    Zhang Lieughed. "You must have something urgent to tell us if you''re here now, your majesty."


    "No, no, none of that. Call me Father, or Father-in-Law."


    Zhang Lie dipped his head. "Very well, Father-in-Law."


    Li Qianlin''s face blushed as red as an apple.


    Li Zongming smiled, pleased. "I don''t want to disturb the two of you lovebirds¡ªit''s been quite some time since youst saw each other, after all. However, I''d very much like to learn about what happened during the war against the death spirits, and there''s important business that I need to discuss with you. I also have to speak with you before the meeting of the superior worlds, so if you''re both fine with it..."


    As they walked to Li Zongming''s chambers, Li Zongming inquired about the details of the war, which Zhang Lie quickly recounted.


    Li Zongming gasped. "Blood Heaven, destroyed by the traitorous blood lord? He evenid an ambush for you after betraying the blood king¡­ It must have been difficult for you and the others to survive."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I alone likely wouldn''t have been able to protect the Zongming forces. It''s thanks to the king of chaos'' clone that I was able to focus fully on the fighting. Without Nightdemon, I would only have been able to protect a fraction of the fighters, and the allied forces would have suffered greatly."


    Li Zongming sighed. "For a new death spirit king to have appeared on the battlefield after the old one was in, and then a sneak attack by the decaying king... A lot of things have happened."


    The enemies'' strength hadn''t been the biggest factor¡ªit was his purported allies'' actions that had caused several emergencies.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "That said, in the end, it was our victory."


    Li Zongming lowered his head. "I''m truly thankful for your help."


    Zhang Lie waved his hands. "No, there''s no need for that! I volunteered to participate."


    Li Zongming replied seriously, "Regardless, I have to thank you for bringing so many fighters back, safe and sound."


    "I also received two spoils of war from killing the death spirit king and the decaying king," Zhang Lie told Li Zongming.


    He first handed over the crystal that he had obtained from killing the death spirit king. The moment the rainbow-colored crystal was exposed to the air, the entire Zongming world trembled. The will of the Zongming world made clear its desire for that crystal.


    Li Zongming sucked in a deep breath. "This is astounding. If the Zongming world were able to absorb the world''s energy in this crystal, it would surely be elevated significantly."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "This is the biggest reward from the war. It''ll have to be brought to the superior worlds'' meeting, then split up ordingly."


    Li Zongming blinked. "Is there such an agreement?"


    "Did no one tell you?"


    "Who would tell me?" Li Zongming was the king of a newly evolved superior world, and the other superior kings didn''t think much of him. They would be happier to witness his downfall than not¡ªwhy would they inform him of any such obligations?


    Zhang Lie replied, "The king of chaos'' clone told me about it, so I''m confident of its veracity."


    After seeing Zhang Lie present the first spoils of war, Li Zongming was very curious about the second.


    "And the second?" he asked.


    Zhang Lie replied, "The second is ours. It doesn''t have to be shared with the other superior kings."


    Li Zongming grew even more eager to see exactly what it was.


    Zhang Lie retrieved the beating golden heart that he had obtained from the world of ck rain. Upon witnessing the multicolored shine over its surface, Li Zongming felt a sense of budding familiarity with it. He recognized it instantly.


    "Isn''t this a proof of kingship?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Exactly so. It''s a proof of kingship of a superior world."


    Li Zongming recalled what Zhang Lie had told him about the decaying king''s sneak attack, and how Zhang Lie had killed him in retaliation.


    "This is the proof of kingship of the world of ck rain?"


    "Indeed." Zhang Lie proffered the beating golden heart to Li Zongming, who swallowed a gulp of saliva. "You want to merge the Zongming world with the world of ck rain?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "You don''t want to?"


    "I couldn''t possibly..." Even so, Li Zongming didn''t refuse the offer. He epted it immediately. Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to do anything with it, but he would gain an immense benefit.


    Li Zongming asked, "When do you think would be the best time to do so?"


    "After the superior worlds'' meeting. If you want to merge the world of ck rain with the draconian world, you''ll have to summon it over, and that will take some time."


    The two worlds would have to be connected to be merged.


    There was quite a bit of distance between the Zongming world and the world of ck rain, a distance of hundreds of worlds. It would take significant effort to move and then subsequentlybine them.


    This was why the superior worlds of antiquity chose to extract the world''s energy from newly evolved superior worlds, rather than tobine with them¡ªdoing so was a significantly moreplex endeavor.

 Chapter 1017: Informing the Worlds

    <h4>Chapter 1017: Informing the Worlds</h4>


    Li Zongming suggested, "Perhaps we can simply extract the world''s energy from the world of ck rain."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I wouldn''t rmend it myself¡ªthere isn''t much left."


    "Indeed."


    After the death spirit king suppressed the decaying king, he sucked up the world''s energy that it possessed, attempting to drain it of all its resources.


    To the other superior worlds, the current state of the world of ck rain made it rather unptable. Much of the world''s energy had already been drained from it, and the world itself was half-dead. There wasn''t much to be gained from absorbing it¡ªbut the situation was different for the Zongming world, which had only recently evolved into a superior world. As a result, its reserves couldn''t bepared to those worlds that had existed since antiquity.


    Much of the world''s energy from the world of ck rain had be sucked away by the death spirit king; there was little remaining¡ªat least, rtive to what the other superior worlds possessed. For the newly evolved Zongming world, it would provide no small benefit.


    None of the other superior worlds would care about the ruined world of ck rain, but the newly evolved Zongming world was different. The Zongming world would be able to gain a tremendous boon by merging the worlds together.


    Li Zongming couldn''t wait. "If it''s going to take some time to do so, why don''t we try to summon the world of ck rain immediately?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s not a problem."


    Li Zongming immediately infused his energy into the proof of kingship, causing it to beat at a rapid pace.


    At that very moment, the frost spiritmander returned with his scant few troops to the white world, where he was met directly by the ice queen. The frost spiritmander knelt in trepidation.


    The ice queen waved a hand. "Enough with the formalities. Tell me what happened during the war."


    The frost spiritmander recounted the affairs he had witnessed.


    The ice queen breathed a sigh of relief. "To think that this would be such an arduous battle¡ªthe blood lord actually betrayed the blood king? In the end, however, the death spirit king has been killed, and the three thousand worlds of this realm can gain a measure of peace¡ªbut if all that are left of the original troops are these scant few fighters, it must truly have been a devastating battle."


    The frost spiritmander was very d that he hadn''t mentioned how 80% of the Zongming world''s troops had survived.


    The frost spiritmander sighed. "Yes, your majesty. It truly was an overwhelming battle. The death spirit king had managed to develop weapons of war on the level of superior kings, and many of our fighters died as a result.


    All the members of the sr corps perished, even their captain."


    "Indeed? Excellent!" the ice queen cried out in excitement.


    She loved to hear news of the sr king''s losses. Most importantly, the captain of his sr corps had died on the battlefield, while hermander was still alive.


    The frost spiritmander knew of her distaste for the sr king, and had smartly decided to present her with this information first.


    "The forces of the unclean world were entirely wiped out, as was the clone of the king of ck fog. The forces of chaos were wiped out, and only a few fighters from the king of keys survived. Even the decaying king itself perished."


    The ice queen sighed. "I must thank you for your hard work in helping to kill such an ambitious, frightening existence as the death spirit king, then. It''s all thanks to the troops'' sacrifice that the three thousand worlds of the realm are safe once more. You all deserve credit."


    The frost spiritmander bowed. "Serving the white world is my honor, but I do pity those fallen troops. The king of chaos suggested rewarding the fighters and warriors who have survived the war.


    The ice queen nodded. "We''ll discuss this during the meeting to be convened. You''ve also done very well¡ªawait my reward. Go and rest, now. There might still be wars up ahead, and I''ll need you to take to the battlefield again."


    The frost spiritmander was rather shocked. "Another war?"


    "It''s only a possibility for the moment. We''ll see what happens after the meeting¡ªnow, go rest!"


    A frost spirit attendant entered the chamber just then. "Your majesty, a clone of the king of chaos is here."


    Wilbow informed the king of keys of what had happened on the battlefield, who reacted mildly.


    The king of keysmented, "I hadn''t expected you would be able to take down the death spirit king in one fell swoop. What did you think of the Zongming world''s fighters?"


    Wilbow replied, "Theirmander is excellent, and Zhang Lie''s very strong. He''s likely beyond the level of an ordinary superior king in strength. He and Nightdemon killed the death spirit king together.


    The king of keys replied, "If that''s the case, then the uing meeting should be very interesting. Wouldn''t you agree, king of chaos?"


    ck thunder and mes suddenly crossed in mid-air as a double-headed bat appeared before the king of keys.


    Its mouth was filled with fangs, and countless star-shaped eyes shed and moved about its two heads. As its wings pped, more strange ck thunder and mes shed around it.


    "The superior kings'' meeting will ur three dayster. All kings are expected to show up."


    The double-headed bat pped its wings, then vanished back into the void.


    Wilbow asked, "What was that? Why haven''t I heard of such an existence¡ªon the level of a superior king, no less¡ªbefore?"


    The king of keys'' tone seemed mirthful, but not his voice. "There are plenty of clones of the king of chaos you''re not acquainted with."


    Wilbow''s eyes widened. "Father, you mean to say that that double-headed bat was a clone of the king of chaos?"


    "If I''m not mistaken, its name is L''rogg. But is it really a surprise that you haven''t heard of it before? There are countless people among the three thousand worlds, and no one knows how many clones the king of chaos possesses. I wouldn''t be surprised to hear that the king of chaos''s clones could form a battalion, each member with the strength of a superior king."


    In a world over which a hundred suns hung in the air, a pitch-ck, shadowy warrior emerged, a tyrant of the dark. It stood in front of the sr king, golden mes burning all over his body, golden light radiating from his eyes, an expression of intense anger distorting his face...

 Chapter 1018: A Change in Circumstances

    <h4>Chapter 1018: A Change in Circumstances</h4>


    Of course, the sr king wasn''t angry because of the ck suit of armor that had appeared in front of him; he didn''t dare to be angry at the armor.


    The ck armor was another clone of the king of chaos; if he were to destroy that clone, the king of chaos would likely destroy him. He was incensed because of another matter entirely. "A bunch of useless trash! No wonder they were all annihted!"


    The king of chaos''s clone had already exined what had happened during the fight to the sr king.


    The sr king''s anger was directed at the captain of the sr corps, who had lost him his entire set of forces.


    Under ordinary circumstances, the sr king wouldn''t have been so upset¡ªrather, it was because the ice queen''s forces had fared much better inparison. The frost spiritmander and a fraction of the troops hemanded had survived, whereas his had been destroyed in its entirety. He just knew that the ice queen would taunt and mock him during the superior kings'' meeting.


    "I''ve conveyed the message. Please remember that the meeting will be in three days'' time. All kings are expected to be present at the meeting."


    The ck armor vanished into the shadows and disappeared from sight.


    At the same time, just outside the world of ck fog, another clone of the king of chaos appeared¡ªa huge gtinous mass, from which golden tentacles emerged. The ck fog condensed into the form of a face.


    "Is something the matter, king of chaos?"


    As Nightdemon had promised, the king of chaos would be responsible for transmitting information about the uing meeting to the various kings, including the unclean world and the world of ck fog. He shared the news that the superior worlds had won against the death spirits, and informed them as to the time of the meeting.


    Far on the other side of the realm, the world of ck rain began to move. It trembled and shook, then slowly began to float in the direction of the Zongming world.


    Li Zongming told Zhang Lie, "The draconian world and the scaleman world, like you told me, have evolved into superior worlds. I haven''t done anything to impede their growth. What are your ns now?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Ignore them for the moment. Dispatch an envoy to each world to broker an alliance¡ªand we can talk about the rest after the meeting."


    The Zongming world would be able to gain immense benefits from absorbing the two new superior worlds, but Li Zongming didn''t want to be Zhang Lie''s enemy. He would respect Zhang Lie''s decision, considering both worlds had his acquaintances.


    Li Zongming shrugged. "I don''t mind, but I suspect the other superior worlds will."


    "In that case, I hope you''ll take a stance against the other kings, your majesty."


    Li Zongming inclined his head. "Very well. Since you''re familiar with people on both worlds, I''ll consider it as repaying you a favor."


    Li Zongming was very happy to be able to repay Zhang Lie a favor. He owed Zhang Lie far too many, after all, and wouldn''t be able to repay them all even if he were to sell his daughter.


    For one, if Zhang Lie hadn''t ughtered his way into the xuluo world, the Zongming world would have be nothing more than rubble by now¡ªlet alone what he had aplished during this war against the death spirits. Zhang Lie had helped the Zongming world far too much.


    Li Zongming waved a hand. "You''re my son-inw, after all. This bit of trouble is nothing."


    Zhang Lie smiled.


    Li Zongming asked, "What are your thoughts on the uing meeting?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The meeting will be convened once the other superior worlds find out that we''ve taken down the death spirits."


    Just as the two of them were about to discuss the meeting, Li Zongming suddenly perked up and looked outside. "A strong existence has emerged by the border of the Zongming world."


    "How strong?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "He''s on the level of a superior king."


    "Let''s go have a look, then."


    Li Zongming teleported both of them right outside the border of his world,


    where they found a beautiful woman with a long, ck dress, a red sash, golden hair, and blood-red eyes. She covered her face coquettishly with a fan.


    The woman bowed. "The esteemed Zongming king, and Mr. Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie frowned. The woman in front of him felt very strange, as though he were facing another copy of Nightdemon.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard to inspect her soul¡ªthe source of darkness, the essence of primordial chaos, the end and beginning of all matter. It had no definable boundaries and was difficult to even discern. The ultimate sin from the deepest chaos, the core and heart of the abyss¡ª


    Zhang Lie began to sweat. His one nce at the woman''s soul shook him. Even now, as he recalled what he had witnessed, he began to tremble. The woman''s soul seemed like part of arger whole, and it was somehow familiar. He had witnessed its like before in Nightdemon.


    This was undoubtedly another clone of the king of chaos.


    Zhang Lie deactivated his dragon''s eye soulshard, only to find that the woman in front of him had be a massive, bloated body with tentacles, a frightening arthropodal mouthpart with grotesque teeth, and a sickle in its hands.


    Li Zongming frowned and asked, "May I ask what you''re doing here, miss?"


    Zhang Lie''s expression grew stiff. "Your majesty, this is no woman, but rather a clone of the king of chaos."


    In Li Zongming''s eyes, the ravishing woman smiled lightly, still covering her face with a fan; in Zhang Lie''s eyes, the monster waved its sickle and held it threateningly in front of him.


    A tongue extended out of the mouthpart and licked the sickle''s de. The tentacles danced. "It looks like you''ve seen through my illusion, Mr. Zhang Lie."


    Li Zongming cocked his head at Zhang Lie. "What''s the matter?"


    How could this woman be a clone of the king of chaos?


    Zhang Lie exined, "The king of chaos has many clones, and she''s simply one of them."


    The monster replied, "Since you''re here, Mr. Zhang Lie, I imagine the Zongming king has been informed of our victory against the death spirit king."


    Li Zongming nodded.


    "In that case, I won''t have to exin much. The superior kings'' meeting will ur in three days'' time. All kings are expected to show up." The monster left immediately after conveying this message.


    Zhang Lie replied, "This early? Your majesty, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be bringing the draconian troops back to their world."


    Li Zongming nodded. "Why don''t you apany me to this meeting as well?"


    "Of course."


    Zhang Lie nodded, then returned to the Zongming world to bid farewell to Li Qianlin.


    Li Qianlin stood up. "Let me apany you there!"


    Suddenly, realizing the impropriety of her actions, she blushed and exined, "There''s nothing major that I have to do here in the pce, and I hate being supervised and guarded at all times. I feel much freer in the draconian world, and I believe Father will allow me to apany you."


    "I won''t." Li Zongming suddenly appeared outside the door.


    Li Qianlin was startled. "Father, you''re here?"


    Li Zongming smiled. "This is my pce. Why wouldn''t I be here?"


    "You heard me, then, Father?" Li Qianlin''s blush deepened.

 Chapter 1019: The Exceptional Golden Mammoth

    <h4>Chapter 1019: The Exceptional Golden Mammoth</h4>


    Li Zongming shrugged. "After all, I''m still a superior king. I might not be stronger than your husband, but I still have authority over the Zongming world. As long as he doesn''t specially shield himself, there''s nothing in the pce that can hide from my senses."


    Li Qianlin asked, "Why can''t I apany Zhang Lie back? Weren''t you in favor of it beforehand?"


    Li Zongming shook his head. "Daughter, the circumstances have changed."


    Zhang Lie remained silent, causing Li Qianlin to understand that there was something unusual happening.


    "Did something happen?"


    Li Zongming took two steps forward and rubbed Li Qianlin''s head. "Yes, but it''s nothing major. Zhang Lie and I will take care of it, so you don''t have to worry."


    Li Qianlin tossed Li Zongming''s hand aside with displeasure. "Don''t treat me like a kid, Father!" Li Qianlin wasn''t upset that Li Zongming was caressing her head, but rather that he still refused to inform her about what was happening.


    Li Zongming sighed in regret. "It''s true¡ªyou''re not a little kid anymore, and you''d be able to take care of yourself even if we weren''t here..."


    Li Qianlin pressed, "Did something happen in the draconian world, or in ours?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "It''s a bit of both, but mainly a problem with the draconian world."


    Li Zongming shrugged. "There''s nothing much to say. The situation has simply changed."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Now that the draconian world has evolved into a superior world, it''s not very safe."


    Not very safe? Weren''t worlds supposed to increase in strength upon evolution? How could it have grown less safe??Li Qianlin didn''t ask this question out loud. She thought back to what had happened when the worlds of east and west merged into what was now the Zongming world. If not for Zhang Lie''s presence then, the Zongming world would have been destroyed.


    Li Qianlin wasn''t a naive and innocent princess who remained cooped up in a pce. She quickly understood the cause of the trouble and asked, "Those vile superior worlds! Are they going to try for the draconian world next?"


    Li Zongming stroked his daughter''s head. "Don''t worry about it. Zhang Lie and I will take care of it all¡ªbut please, stay inside for the time being. It''s not safe out there.


    The draconian world might be the next battlefield, and the Zongming world might also be implicated. I would strongly prefer if you were to remain with me for now."


    Li Qianlin frowned. "So they wille, then."


    Li Zongming replied, "In two days'' time, Zhang Lie and I will be participating in a meeting among the superior worlds. There has to be someone left in charge in the Zongming world. As my daughter, you''re the best temporary substitute for me, in identity and reputation."


    Zhang Lie added, "I''ll leave Gold Comet behind. It''s strong enough to take on fighters on the level of superior kings."


    Even if it wouldn''t be able to protect the Zongming world on its own, it would be able to flee with Li Qianlin even if she were simultaneously attacked by a few such fighters.


    Li Qianlin nodded. "Very well. Leave the Zongming world to me for the time being!"


    After bidding farewell to Li Qianlin, Zhang Lie met up with the draconian world''s forces. Li Zongming had treated them very well, and they were given the best food and the best lodgings.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie, Zhang Hanxiang hurried up to him and asked, "Brother, are you finished with your tryst with Li Qianlin?"


    Zhang Lie caressed her head. "What''re you talking about? I was discussing business with the Zongming king."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded sagely. "I understand. Marriage is important business, after all. It''s good that you and Li Qianlin are getting along, but please don''t neglect me and Sun Mengmeng!"


    "You''re my sister and my only family. Why would I neglect you because of Qianlin? But I don''t see what this has to do with Sun Mengmeng."


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "Poor Sun Mengmeng..."


    Xing Ying strode forward. "Zhang Lie, will you join our feast? The Zongming king had it prepared for us."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Are you all ready to set off?"


    Hong Xi asked, "Master, are we leaving?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "In three days'' time, I''ll be participating in a meeting among the superior kings. There isn''t much time. Before I leave, I want to send you all back to the draconian world."


    Hong Xi put down her chopsticks. "Let''s go, then."


    Although the fighters were only halfway done with their feast, no one begrudged Zhang Lie''s words. They immediately packed up and prepared to leave.


    After two days, the draconian troops finally returned to the draconian world.


    Upon witnessing the dramatic changes that had happened there, everyone was shocked¡ªeven Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang, who had known about the evolution of the world beforehand.


    The world had grown considerably more massive and wide in extent.


    A draconian fighter couldn''t help but ask, "Is this really our homeworld?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "While we were gone, the draconian world merged with its neighbors into a superior draconian world."


    The aliens couldn''t wait to see what had happened to their worlds.


    With a spatial distortion, the draconian sage appeared in front of them all. He announced, "Wee back, brave warriors!"


    The draconian sage had grown considerably stronger. His old, aged form had seemingly reverted in time, and he was once again in the prime of his youth. There was a divine halo behind him.


    Zhang Hanxiang didn''t immediately recognize him. "Who are you?"


    The draconian sage smiled. "Don''t you recognize me, Hanxiang? It''s only been a few days..."


    Zhang Lie introduced, "This is the draconian sage."


    Zhang Hanxiang couldn''t help but ask, "Sage, why did you install a lightbulb behind your back to show off?"


    The draconian sage began to cough violently, dismissing the halo of light as Zhang Lie chuckled to himself by the side.


    The draconian sage turned serious again and addressed the fighters. "I thank you all for your hard work. With your sweat and blood, you protected and upheld the integrity of the three thousand worlds, defeating the death spirit king and his ambitions. Zhang Lie, Zhang Hanxiang, and Hong Xi¡ªthank you in particr for bringing the troops back safe and sound."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Thank you. If you don''t mind, can we cut this short? Everyone''s tired from their travels, and I''m sure they''ll be happy to see their families again."


    The draconian sage nodded with a smile. "Of course. Stand with the rest of your species, if you please. I''ll transport you to your respective regions with my authority."


    The troops began to spread out orderly. Only when they had segregated did the draconian sage realize just how many different species were represented among the troops.


    Zhang Lie, Zhang Hanxiang, and Hong Xi had really worked hard to make sure that these different species were able to cooperate with each other.


    The draconian sage specified, "The herdleader of the mammoths, please step forward."


    The golden mammoth pointed at herself uncertainly.


    The draconian sage continued, "If you don''t mind, I''d like you to return to the draconian capital with Zhang Lie and the others. Li Feng has been waiting for you, and he''s almost gone mad with anticipation."


    The golden mammoth cried out, "Li Feng was waiting for me?"


    The draconian sage sighed. "More than that¡ªhe spends all day reciting poetry sleeplessly. If not for his astounding strength, he''d long since have copsed!"

 Chapter 1020: Sun Mengmeng, the Broken Record

    <h4>Chapter 1020: Sun Mengmeng, the Broken Record</h4>


    The golden mammoth harrumphed. "Don''t joke with me, please, Sage! You must be over-exaggerating. Li Feng told me that it would be a difficult task for humans and aliens to be together. Humans are going to move on from this realm, and it''ll be difficult for them to be with us, who are closer to beasts. Li Feng told me that it would be impossible for the two of us..."


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Logically, perhaps, but love doesn''t follow the rules of logic. I can''t exin it to you myself¡ªbut when you see what Li Feng''s like, I think you''ll understand."


    The draconian sage nodded. "Indeed. If you want to verify that I''m telling the truth, simply go have a look at Li Feng."


    The golden mammoth, filled with equal parts anticipation and worry that the draconian sage was lying to her, eventually made up her mind. "Very well. I''ll take a look at Li Feng."


    With a wave of his hand, the draconian sage sent the aliens back to their homeworlds while Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, the draconian sage, and Zhang Lie followed behind the golden mammoth.


    The golden mammoth allowed them to follow behind her. She was a little scared, so having somepanions would give her more courage.


    The draconian sage grumbled, "What are you doing here, Zhang Lie? Go be with Sun Mengmeng!"


    Sun Mengmeng, again?


    Zhang Lie turned to the others. "Has something happened to Sun Mengmeng?"


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "That''s why I keep saying Sun Mengmeng has a hard life..."


    The others around him all shook their heads as well.


    Li Feng was seated on a grassy field, his head inclined to look at the sky. He held a de of grass in his mouth. "The autumn wind, brisk and refreshing; the autumn moon, clear and bright. The fallen leaves gather and disperse; the crows doze before startling awake. When will we meet again? I cannot bear this night."


    .


    Zhang Lie turned to the others. "What''s up with him? He''s a poet now?"


    The draconian sage shrugged. "Two days after you set off, he became like this. I think he''s done for."


    The golden mammoth stepped forward, trembling. She murmured, "Your feelings I know, my feelings you share. Long I think and long I recall, in short instants you hold me thrall."


    Li Feng suddenly raised his head and turned to her. "This night''s stars are notst night''s stars. For whom do the wind and dew wait the night?"


    The golden mammoth replied, "My lingering thoughts, a spun cocoon; my naked heart, a fruit unpeeled."


    Li Feng slowly stood up. "You''re back, golden mammoth?"


    The golden mammoth nodded. "I''m back, Li Feng."


    Li Feng''s eyes slowly lit up. "You came back alive!"


    "I heard the draconian sage tell me that you missed me so much you were going crazy. I thought it was all a joke, but now I''m surprisingly happy. You''ve missed me all along!"


    Li Feng smiled. "Of course I do. It''s wonderful that you''re back safe and sound. I worried that something might have happened to you on the battlefield."


    "I miss you, Li Feng." The golden mammoth hugged Li Feng and raised him into the air in her excitement.


    Li Feng hugged the golden mammoth too, but they were so different in size and stature that Li Feng was only able to hug part of her stomach. The golden mammoth was much toorge; it was as though Li Feng were hugging a tank.


    Li Feng shouted, "Ouch! My bones are about to break, to break!"


    However, the golden mammoth didn''t seem to hear him. She waspletely carried away by her emotions.


    "Li Feng, I thought of you so often on the battlefield, scared not of dying, but of never being able to see you again..."


    Li Feng''s face turned green as his bones creaked. The passionate golden mammoth, with her muscles of steel and arms like iron girders, was slowly crushing Li Feng to death.


    "I''m really about to die!" he gasped.


    Zhang Lie lost interest in the man and mammoth in their throes of passion, love, and death¡ªbut Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi watched on with gusto. They took out some sunflower seeds from their soulshards and ate them as they watched. Zhang Lie turned and left without disturbing them.


    Thinking about how Zhang Hanxiang had mentioned Sun Mengmeng, andter that the draconian sage had also mentioned Sun Mengmeng, Zhang Lie suddenly decided to meet with her to see how she was doing, and what had happened to her since his departure.


    He headed to her residence.


    "When do you think Zhang Lie will return?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "Sis, that''s the 180th time you asked that! Please, calm down! You''ve repeated the same thing day in and day out ever since our captain left¡ªspare me, won''t you?"


    Even though Zhang Lie and the Zongming world''s forces had already returned, the draconian world had expanded to dozens of times its original size, and even the members of Team Zenith were incapable of extending their senses to the entire world.


    As such, Sun Mengmeng had no idea that Zhang Lie had already returned. The only one who was able to detect everything happening in the world was its king, the draconian sage.


    "Have I said it that many times already?"


    "Yes, you have!"


    "In that case, Zhang Lie must being back soon, right? When do you think he''ll return?"


    Sun Xiaowu groaned. "That''s the 181st time!"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Aren''t you overreacting?"


    Sun Xiaowu countered, "How do you think you''ll feel if someone repeats the same thing to you time after time for days on end?


    Sis, what''s wrong with you? You''ve been like this ever since Zhang Lie departed!"


    "Departed?" Sun Mengmeng clicked her tongue. "You make it sound as though he''s dead! Say it properly!"


    Sun Xiaowu groused, "Li Feng became a poet, and you a broken record! I''ve had enough of you. If you''re so worried, go find the captain!"


    "How can I? I wouldn''t want to trouble him. Furthermore, it''s been quite some time, hasn''t it? I think Zhang Lie will be back soon. If I leave and miss his return, what am I going to do?"


    Sun Xiaowu roared in outrage. "That''s it! We''ve had this conversation far too many times. If you don''t want to find our captain, I will. I will!"


    Sun Mengmeng held him back. "How old are you that you''re still threatening to run away from home? Zhang Lie told us that we members of Team Zenith can''t show ourselves on the battlefield¡ªthat he has other ns for us."


    Sun Xiaowu clutched his head in agony. "If we keep going like this, either you or I will go crazy."


    Sun Mengmeng suddenly froze in the middle of the conversation. Her thoughts and words came to a halt. She turned her head and asked from the beginning, "When do you think Zhang Lie will return?"


    "Argh! Save me, save me, Captain! Please,e back quickly so I don''t have to deal with this!"


    Just as Sun Xiaowu rushed out of the house, he saw Zhang Lie waiting outside.


    "Hey, Xiaowu! Long time no see¡ªyou seem as invigorated as ever."


    The moment Sun Xiaowu saw Zhang Lie, he was so shaken that he immediately knelt down and grabbed onto his leg. "Captain, you must have heard my pleas day and night to havee back so quickly to save me!"


    Zhang Lieughed.


    "I need your help. Quick,e in with me. If my sister continues like this, I''ll go crazy before she ?does." Sun Xiaowu dragged Zhang Lie into his house.

 Chapter 1021: Too Rational

    <h4>Chapter 1021: Too Rational</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "Sis,e out! Look who I found outside the door!"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "When do you think Zhang Lie will return?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Sis, there''s no need to keep asking that! He''s already back!"


    It had only been a few days since Zhang Liest saw Sun Mengmeng, but it felt as though she had grown much paler.


    The moment Zhang Lie appeared within sight, however, the effect of time suddenly seemed to rewind around Sun Mengmeng, and she became a radiant beauty once more.


    At her level of strength, Sun Mengmeng''s wan and sallow appearance was more a reflection of her mood than anything else. Sun Mengmeng stood up and involuntarily leapt toward Zhang Lie. When she came to her senses, she immediately began to blush.


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "Long time no see."


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "Captain, you''re finally back! If you hadn''t returned, either my sister or I would have gone crazy¡ªand I''d likely have been the one to do so!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know how to respond to that assertion. "It must have been hard for you."


    Sun Mengmeng had a lot of questions for Zhang Lie, but she couldn''t express any of them. Her heart, which had been pittering-pattering in unease, immediately calmed down. "What happened in the war against the death spirit king?"


    Zhang Lie extended his arms. "The fact that I''m here should tell you all I need to know, yes?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded with a smile.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I heard you were making things hard for Sun Xiaowu."


    Sun Xiaowuughed nervously. "Haha, I''ll be leaving first, then!"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "I also intend to be leaving again."


    "Where to?" Sun Mengmeng asked with reluctance.


    "To the Milky Way for now. I promised Hong Tianqi that I''d report to him after the war was over."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded without protest.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "It''s been so long. Won''t you stay for a bit longer?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "So long? It''s only been half a month!"


    Before heading back to the Milky Way, Zhang Lie left for the gic lifeform farm to see how Zhu was doing with her task.


    However, the draconian sage intercepted him halfway. "Have you finished your discussion with Sun Mengmeng?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "There wasn''t much to discuss."


    The draconian sage rolled his eyes. "Sun Mengmeng has been very worried for you."


    "I know, I heard. So what?"


    The draconian sage sighed. "How pitiful Sun Mengmeng is..."


    Zhang Lie sighed as well. "Regardless of what all of you are thinking, there''s no way Sun Mengmeng and I can be a couple. I already have a lover; I''ll be loyal to her in this life and the next."


    Zhang Lie was no fool. Sun Mengmeng was one of his subordinates and teammates, and if the two of them were to get romantically involved, it would change the mood of the entire team. Entering into such a rtionship without careful thought and openmunication could easily cause the group dynamics to copse.


    The draconian sage shrugged. "Li Feng said that too¡ªand now, he''s being embraced."


    Zhang Lie countered, "Are you sure it''s ''embraced'' rather than ''smothered''?"


    The draconian sage harrumphed. "Alright, alright. Let''s discuss something else. What happened to the death spirits?"


    "I''ve returned. What do you think happened?"


    The draconian sage asked curiously, "Won''t you describe the details of the war?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "Is it relevant?"


    The draconian sage replied, "I''m simply curious. After all, it''s a war of epic proportions."


    "There''s nothing much to be curious about. If you''d like to learn more about the details, ask Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi."


    The draconian sage continued, "I also came to ask about the situation with the other superior worlds."


    The war against the death spirits had finished sooner than expected, and the draconian sage needed to make preparations in case of any assault on his world.


    He took a deep breath. "If the superior worlds are going to attack me sooner orter, I have to be ready."


    "Don''t worry too much about it. After all, I and the members of Team Zenith will still be around, so no ordinary superior world would be a threat."


    The draconian sage continued, "And what are the other superior worlds'' attitudes about the draconian world?"


    "I''ll find out during the meeting among the superior worlds to be convened within a few days. Don''t worry too much about this just yet¡ªbut I believe we''ll eventually have to fight the superior worlds of antiquity."


    The draconian sage''s face turned serious. "How likely are we to win?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Have some confidence in me. When have you ever seen me lose? Let''s not speak of this right now. The meeting is in three days, and I still have to return to the Milky Way first to discuss the war against the death spirits."


    Zhu had made very significant progress during this period of time, and there were plenty of disaster- and post-peak-grade lifeforms in the farm to be found. Zhang Lie praised, "Very well done."


    Zhu grinned. "Zhang Lie, you''re back!"


    "Have all the gic lifeforms from the war been returned to the farm?"


    Zhu nodded. "The draconian sage transported them back with his spatial authority."


    Zhang Lie had specially brought a group of gic lifeforms into the war against the death spirits, but only a third of them had made it back alive. He was prepared for this oue; after all, even the humans had a hard time securing their own lives, let alone those of their steeds.


    In fact, thanks to Hong Xi''s impablemand of the battlefield, more lifeforms had returned than he had expected.


    Those that had survived received tremendous boons and experience. As long as there was enough world''s energy, they would eventually evolve into disaster- and even monarch-grade lifeforms.


    As though presenting a treasure, Zhu then said, "Zhang Lie, while you were participating in the war against the death spirits, another disaster-grade lifeform evolved into monarch-grade."


    "Oh?"


    Zhu exined, "Thanks to the evolution of the draconian world, the gic lifeforms were able to benefit from the outpouring of the world''s energy. At first, only regr-grade lifeforms evolved into mutated-grade, mutated-grade into superior-grade, and superior-grade into peak-grade. A number of peak-grade lifeforms evolved into disaster-grade, and those peak-grade lifeforms that didn''t have all now be post-peak-grade."


    "No wonder! I was wondering how there were so many superior- and peak-grade lifeforms¡ªeven disaster-grade lifeforms!¡ªremaining in the farm after I took the majority out for the war. A potent boon indeed."


    Zhu continued, "Among the disaster-grade lifeforms, one even evolved directly into monarch-grade."


    "Show me."


    Zhu brought Zhang Lie to the evolved monarch-grade lifeform, whereupon he patted her on the head with rare praise. "Very well done. To have cultivated another monarch-grade lifeform in such a short time is beyond my expectations."


    He had been nning on rewarding Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi with monarch-grade flesh. The previous monarch-grade lifeforms had been killed by Zhang Lie alone, and he wouldn''t be able to share it; this was opportune timing indeed.


    After leaving the farm, Zhang Lie next headed to the Yeluo research facility.


    The Yeluo chieftain asked curiously, "Why have youe over, your majesty?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I brought some interesting spoils of war back from the battlefield, but I don''t know whom I should assign the research to."

 Chapter 1022: Reporting Back

    <h4>Chapter 1022: Reporting Back</h4>


    The Yeluo chieftain asked curiously, "What exactly do you want to learn about?"


    "The technology employed by the death spirits."


    "I heard from Sun Mengmeng and the others that the death spirits are an extremely strong race in this realm. If you''ve brought the spoils of war back personally, your majesty, they must be of immense value."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Indeed. If we can replicate their research, we''ll be able to gainbat strength on the level of multiple superior kings."


    "Just what are these spoils?" the Yeluo chieftain asked, his curiosity piqued. "May I have a look?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very well. What I brought back is rtivelyrge, so we''ll have to step out of theboratory."


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "Of course!"


    Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain stepped outside and walked to a rtivelyrge patch of emptynd. Zhang Lie then summoned the death spirit battleships that he had collected from the battlefield.


    He pointed at thergest battleship. "This is the death spirits'' gship, and the most valuable of the spoils I collected. It can transform into a mecha in battle, with explosive strength beyond that of a superior king."


    The Yeluo chieftainughed wryly. "I apologize, your majesty, but I''m unable to help you. I only have some modest level of knowledge about herbalism and potioneering, and I''ve never seen the likes of these battleships before."


    "I understand, Chieftain, but I''m curious if you''re aware of anyone who might know anything about such battleships."


    The Yeluo chieftain thought for a moment. "I''ll summon anyone who might be able to help, but please don''t expect much, your majesty. As far as I''m aware, none of them have a deep understanding of this field."


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s not urgent. Although it''s very likely that we''ll have to face superior worlds in battle in the future, it''s not an issue we need to deal with immediately¡ªand we wouldn''t be able to transform research knowledge into more of these ships instantly, at any rate."


    The Yeluo chieftain bowed and retreated. "In that case, let me talk to those experts I know right away."


    Zhang Lie nodded. He would still have to return to the Milky Way and make his report to Hong Tianqi.


    He stepped through space and appeared right before the humans'' teleportation apparatus, which brought him back to the Zenith Dojo on Earth.


    The Zenith Dojo hadn''t changed much sincest he saw it. After all, only a few days had passed in Earth''s time. Nothing much could have happened to the Zenith Dojo in the meantime, especially given that it was under China''s protection.


    Zhang Lie called Hong Tianqi up with his transceiver, but Hong Tianqi failed to pick up the call. Zhang Lie waited¡ªthree minutester, Hong Tianqi called him back. "Are you calling about the war against the death spirits?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You guessed?"


    Hong Tianqi asked, "How''s the situation?"


    Zhang Lie exined briefly what had happened.


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "Superior worlds and the death spirit king¡ªto think there was so much in the third realm that I never encountered, even though I believed I did well for myself."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It''s only normal. Humans and aliens from the Milky Way alike have treated these three thousand worlds like nothing more than a sideshow."


    There were a massive number of aliens in the Milky Way, far more than were in the three thousand worlds themselves, but only a subset of all hunters was ever able to make it into the third realm.


    Most of the weaker hunters were weeded out in the first and second realms; if there were ten trillion hunters who had made it into the first realm, then maybe a trillion would eventually get to the second¡ªbut no more than a million would make it into the third.


    These were just rough numbers¡ªthere were lots of hunters entering the first realm, but only a rare few made it into the third.


    After all, oveing the threshold between the first and second realm was no mean feat. It would take a few years to do so in general, and that between the second and third might even take decades.


    A trillion hunters of the Milky Way sounded like quite a lot, but they were nothing inparison to the worlds of the third realm. A singlerge world might have a few hundred million inhabitants, and there were at least five hundredrge worlds among the three thousand¡ªnot to mention the farrger superior worlds, or the countless medium-sized and small worlds.


    Zhang Lie continued, "At that point, the aliens of the Milky Way and humans could hardly hope to cause any significant impact among the three thousand worlds."


    After all, the existence of disaster-grade lifeforms was yet unknown, and no one had heard of limit-breaking potions. The hunters of the Milky Way had been far weaker, and the humans weaker still. The humans of the past would have wondered if the humans of the present were from another species entirely, such was the difference in power between them.


    Of course, the most important difference was the presence of Zhang Lie, who had ushered the hunters of the Milky Way toward the threshold of a superior world.


    Just what benefits had Zhang Lie brought them?


    First, the human hunters and warlords now resided in the superior draconian world, and the human hunters had some say in the governance of the world.


    Zhang Lie''s actions had undoubtedly elevated the hunters of the Milky Way.


    Hong Tianqi sighed in gratification. "I can''t believe it. You juniors are doing far better than us seniors¡ªthe echelons of strength that we were never able to reach, all of you have. You''ve made a name for yourself in the third realm and its history."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "It was simply a war that shook the realm, nothing more. It isn''t as though I haven''t participated in one such already¡ªI started one once."


    Hong Tianqi recalled that the other man he was speaking to was Zhang Lie, the grand unifier of the second realm, who had changed the fate of mankind there. Calling him the hero of humanity was an understatement.


    His actions in the second realm had shaken it to its foundations, and while the mythical war of the third realm might have been eye-opening for most, it was nothing major for Zhang Lie.


    Hong Tianqi asked, "At any rate, is the war between the death spirits and the rest of the superior worlds over now?"


    "Of course. I ended it personally."


    Hong Tianqi praised, "Incredible. The fighters led by the other superior worlds were allrgely decimated, but yours survived mostly unscathed.


    Zhang Lie, you truly are remarkable. After all, you were the king of the second realm..."


    "No, it wasn''t me. I was just fighting at the front¡ªthe one who saved all the troops was Hong Xi!"

 Chapter 1023: Investigating the Battleships

    <h4>Chapter 1023: Investigating the Battleships</h4>


    Hong Tianqi gaped. "Really? That''s remarkable. I wouldn''t have expected that girl to possess such tremendous talent. Damn it¡ªwhy do all the geniuses gather by your side? It''s as though you''re blessed by the world!"


    .


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "There''s nothing to that im¡ªit''s just a case of birds of a feather flocking together."


    "What''s going on in the third realm now?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "What are you referring to, precisely?"


    "I''m just curious. As far as I know, there''s been a change to the draconian world."


    "I must say you have a very strong informationwork."


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "Of course I do. I have to be aware of how mankind is doing everywhere in the dimensional realm."


    "The draconian world has evolved into a superior world."


    "Really? As expected of you."


    "It looks like you aren''t too surprised..."


    Hong Tianqi shrugged. "I''ve grown ustomed to all sorts of strange events happening around you.


    I heard you mention that the superior worlds of antiquity are all bastards. What do they have to say about the sudden appearance of another superior world?"


    "I can''t imagine they favor it, but we''re on good terms with the nearest superior-world neighbor, the Zongming world.Their king of the realm has promised to protect the two new superior worlds that have evolved."


    "There''s another one?"


    "Yes, one that''s some distance from the draconian world."


    "It looks like the Zongming king might have his own ns..."


    "Don''t worry. I''m active in the third realm, and I''ll make sure humanity thrives."


    "With you around, I''ve never needed to worry. I''m d the situation regarding the death spirits has been resolved. I''ll contact you again if something else happens." Hong Tianqi bade Zhang Lie farewell, then ended the call.


    Zhang Lie browsed the hunters'' forums and found that the hot new topic of discussion was the superior worlds'' meeting."


    "Huge groups of aliens are setting off. Just where are they headed?"


    "To a meeting convened by the superior worlds, if I''m not mistaken."


    "What are these superior worlds? I''ve heard ofrge worlds, but never superior ones!"


    "A type of worldrger than evenrge worlds?"


    "Why not call it a holy world? A superior world sounds so dull and boring! Are there peak worlds beyond these superior worlds, or undefeatable worlds?"


    Zhang Lie was stupefied by thisstment.


    The forums were still discussing outdated information; the war against the death spirits had already finished, and the forums were still discussing the initial meeting convened by the superior worlds.


    Thanks to Zhang Lie, the war against the death spirits had ended far quicker than expected. It had only taken three or four days in Earth time.


    Quite a few posts were discussing the evolution of the draconian world into a superior world. However, there were few people who knew enough toment on what was happening to the draconian world, and many were trying to figure out just what had happened.


    "It looks as though the draconian world has merged with its neighbors."


    "The draconian world looks to be replete with resources these days. I went hiking in the mountains and found a rare herb!"


    Some of the posters had guessed correctly, and Zhang Lie took them to be mostly human hunters. The majority of the hunters from the Milky Way within the draconian world were humans.


    "Really? Can you post the coordinates to the world? I''d like to check it out for myself."


    The other aliens of the Milky Way were all very impressed by the changes that had urred."


    Zhang Lie quickly grew bored of scrolling through the posts. He stepped back into the teleportation apparatus and into the draconian world.


    He had only spent half an hour or so on Earth, but a day had passed in the third realm. Zhang Lie headed to the battleships, where he found several researchers carefully inspecting and examining them.


    When the Yeluo chieftain saw Zhang Lie approach, he immediately beckoned him over. "You''vee, your majesty!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Can you introduce me to these people?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded and shouted, "Everyone, gather over here!"


    Fang Yi floated down from the hull of a tattered battleship. "As expected of you, Captain, to have brought back the death spirits'' ck pyramids!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s Fang Yi doing here?"


    The Yeluo chieftain spread his arms. "Fang Yi was the first among all of us to interact with the death spirits and the ck pyramids. I specially asked the members of Team Zenith whether any of them were familiar with the death spirits'' battleships."


    Zhang Lie sighed. He supposed there was no better choice, neither in the draconian world nor among the hunters of the Milky Way. Trying to find a researcher in the third realm was a near-impossible task. Everyone could enter the first realm, but entering the third realm required a certain level of strength.


    "I never saw a ck pyramid of this size within the world of ck sand I was in..." Fang Yi looked at the ck pyramid with admiration.


    Zhang Lie groused, "If you had encountered this ck pyramid from the beginning, you wouldn''t be here right now." After all, the ck spirits'' gships possessed a strength beyond that of a superior king.


    "You''re back, Zhang Lie!" Chu Feng emerged from another of the battleships.


    Zhang Lie turned to the Yeluo chieftain. "You recruited Chu Feng, too?"


    Chu Feng had a significant understanding of architecture, but architecture and military engineering were two separate fields entirely.


    The Yeluo chieftain sighed again. "As I said, your majesty, please don''t harbor high hopes. There are no such expert researchers in the draconian world, and I don''t have a sense for these battleships myself."


    "So you widened your search criteria?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "Exactly."


    Zhang Lie decided not to rely on any of these ''researchers''.


    Once the superior worlds'' meeting was over, Zhang Lie would borrow a few men from the Zongming king. After all, the Zongming world had once been a peakrge world, and surely possessed some experts on this front.


    "We''ve worked hard to evolve the draconian world, but it only became arge world a year and a half ago. Our foundations are patchy and full of holes."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Have any of you discovered anything? At least one of you must have, right?"


    Fang Yi replied, "In fact, we did."


    "About what?" Zhang Lie asked curiously.


    "About how the cores of these pyramids function and provide energy."


    Zhang Lie was extremely shocked. "You understand the nature of the power source?" How could that be?

 Chapter 1024: Trash into Treasure

    <h4>Chapter 1024: Trash into Treasure</h4>


    Zhang Lie was startled to no end.


    The power source was the most important part of the battleship, as well as the most abstruse to understand. Zhang Lie couldn''t believe that the ragtag group in front of him had understood its mechanisms.


    Zhang Lie and a few others walked into a ruined battleship to find the draconian sage inside.


    The draconian sage smiled. "I heard that you brought back a death spirit battleship. I was curious, so I came to have a look."


    Zhang Lie nodded as everyone walked toward the core.


    Fang Yi exined, "Actually, it''s not particrlyplicated. As long as you''re strong enough, you can sense what''s going on. The motive force that powers these battleships are souls and life."


    The Yeluo chieftain hypothesized, "I suspect that, when bodies are transformed into ck spirits, their lifeforce is extracted and infused into these ck pyramids."


    Fang Yi continued, "The death spirits also use some souls filled with negative emotions as fuel, injecting it into the core¡ªthese ck pyramids are powered by souls and negative emotions."


    The draconian sage shook his head. "The death spirits are truly vile creatures to use such materials as fuel. We''re lucky that Zhang Lie destroyed them all¡ªor who knows how many more species might have suffered under their conquest?"


    Zhang Lie could sense that the vicinity of the core was filled with souls charged with negative emotions, confirming the group''s suspicions.


    "Does that mean that we won''t be able to replicate their methods?"


    Fang Yi shrugged. "It''s not impossible, but do you really want to adopt such an inhumane approach?"


    Chu Feng suggested, "I think we''ll need to start by finding a recement fuel."


    Fang Yi added, "The death spirits'' battleships are strong principally because of their core. Although it''s cruel, thebination of lifeforce and souls charged with negative emotions is a potent mixture that can give rise to explosive strength. I have to say that the death spirits who came up with this source of energy are both insane and insanely gifted. I can''t imagine we''ll be able to find an alternative."


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "We don''t necessarily have to extract lifeforce from aliens¡ªgic lifeforms and nts have it too. As for spiritual energy, we can get those from gic lifeforms. Negative emotions can be harvested from aliens or other races."


    Chu Feng sighed. "The problem is that we don''t have any research materials or researchers. Where would we start?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It is a serious problem, isn''t it? I''ll go headhunt in the Zongming world. In the meantime, see what else you can find."


    Zhang Lie next went off in search of Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang, both of whom were resting after the heated battle. They had eaten their fill and slept the entire day and night.


    Zhang Lie rushed into his sister''s house and woke her up.


    Zhang Hanxiang rubbed her eyes blearily. "Ah? Is it morning already? Good morning, Brother."


    Zhang Lie frowned at her. "What do you mean, morning? It''s evening!"


    "Ah, then I''ll keep on sleeping." Zhang Hanxiang slumped back into bed and began to snore almost immediately."


    Zhang Lie called out grumpily, "Get up! If you keep sleeping, you''ll turn into a pig!"


    Zhang Hanxiang slowly crawled out of bed and spread her arms wide. "Hug me, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Your feet are fine now¡ªyou can walk."


    Zhang Hanxiang reached forward and hugged Zhang Lie, nuzzling his cheek. "But I''d rather have a hug from you, Brother."


    "Don''t act cute now--you''re already a hunter. Wake up and get dressed." Zhang Lie pulled his sister up and carried her into the washroom.


    As she cleaned herself up, Zhang Lie brought out some meat from a gic lifeform and transformed it into a sumptuous meal with some hard work. By the time he was ready, Zhang Hanxiang had emerged from the washroom. She picked up a slice of meat that Zhang Lie had just prepared.


    Zhang Lie tutted at her. "Where are your manners?"


    Zhang Hanxiang stuffed the meat into her mouth and gave her brother a thumbs up. "Your cooking is as good as ever, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Change your clothes and call Hong Xi over."


    Zhang Hanxiang was a little confused as to why, but she did so obediently.


    Hong Xi quickly joined the Zhang siblings for their meal. After the meal, Zhang Lie ced two vials of Potion #4 on the table. "This is one of the promised rewards, Potion #4."


    Zhang Hanxiang picked up a vial and looked at it. "So this is Potion #4..."


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Don''t consume it here. The consumption process will create a big disturbance¡ªit''ll be felt even within the city outside."


    Zhang Hanxiang said, "Brother, I want to absorb peak limit fragments as quickly as possible so that I can grow strong."


    Zhang Lie nodded, then shattered space and brought both of them straight to the territory of ck sand.


    The territory had grownpletely different from before. What was once shards of ck ss beneath them had be a lustrous, metallic material. Zhang Lie picked up a piece to find that some world''s energy had been infused within it.


    This was an unusual change that had taken ce during the evolution of the draconian world.


    The lustrous ck metallic material contained an astounding amount of energy, causing Zhang Lie to frown. All types of energy were infused into the shards of material¡ªfire, life, the ocean, time, wind and storm, metal...


    When Fang Yi took over the barren world inhabited by the ck spirits, a ck desert within which there was no life was left behind. Zhang Lie had consumed Potion #5 there, and a tremendous explosion of energy caused all the ck sand to vitrify. Subsequently, the members of Team Zenith had all consumed Potion #4 there.


    "Could it be that the energy that was emanated by the members of Team Zenith while they were undergoing their transformation ended up being absorbed by all this ss? When the draconian world evolved, all that energy reacted..."


    That energy had fused with the ck ss to form an unusual material.


    Zhang Hanxiang was very confused as to her brother''s actions¡ªhe had picked up a shard of metal, frozen stiff, and was now mumbling to himself. She asked curiously, "Brother, what''s the matter? Is there something unusual about the terrain?"


    Zhang Hanxiang couldn''t sense the energy within the ck, metallic material because her senses were still yet undeveloped.

 Chapter 1025: A Chance Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 1025: A Chance Encounter</h4>


    From Zhang Hanxiang''s perspective, the ground was filled with rocks the likes of which could be seen everywhere. The metallic luster to the material that the shards of ss had transmuted into was subtle and couldn''t be discerned easily.


    Zhang Lie attempted to infuse his gic energy into the material, causing the ck, metallic material to erupt with light. Fire, life, the ocean, time, wind and storm, metal¡ªall those disparate sources of energy were simultaneously activated. The fist-sized ck metal gave off a glow reminiscent of the sun.


    The explosion of energy startled Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi, sending them flying. Zhang Hanxiang asked, "What is this?!"


    The energy was even intense enough to scorch Zhang Lie''s palm and burn off his skin. Given his status of life, Zhang Lie was able to regrow that skin within a single breath, but it showed just what the ck metal was capable of.


    Although it had exploded on Zhang Lie''s palm, and although Zhang Lie hadn''t defended against it at all, Zhang Lie was an existence that could kill a superior king. The intensity of the energy that hade from this material was enough to wound a superior king. Given that this was only a fist-sized chunk of material, the energy it possessed was immense.


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi brushed themselves off as they stood back up. "Brother, what was that?!"


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi were standing rtively far away, and Zhang Lie had suppressed much of the outburst. Even so, Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi had been sent flying¡ªand Zhang Lie realized that, even with his current strength, he was unable to suppress the explosionpletely.


    Zhang Lie tossed aside the chunk of ck metal. "Haha, I''ve found a huge treasure!"


    Such a huge transformation couldn''t have been effected by the remnant energy from the Potions #4 that the members of Team Zenith consumed.


    Although their frameworks'' attunements had somehow seeped into the metal, what had caused the transformation must have been something else entirely¡ªlikely the burst of world''s energy upon the evolution of the draconian world from arge world to a superior one.


    Because of the Potions #4 that the members of Team Zenith had consumed in this region, the metal had been infused with all sorts of strange abilities, including ck fire that burned hotter than regr me, mastery over time, over wind and storm... and even karmic force.


    All sorts of strange and unusual energies had left their traces on the ck metal, but given enough time, this energy would quickly dissipate. However, the draconian world had evolved into a superior one before the remnant energy from the Potions #4 vanished.


    As a result, during the process of evolution, the remnant energies triggered some sort of unusual resonance with the ck metal and fused to it to produce a strong and frightening source of energy.


    This sort of energy was simultaneously chaotic and stable, a contradictorybination.


    It was chaotic because it wasposed of all sorts of strange and unusual energy, without any dominant form or behavior. In some sense, thebination was itself a novel material in its own right.


    The moment gic energy was infused into the metal, it would explode, but it would be inert otherwise. This was why Zhang Lie considered it stable.


    The appearance of the ck metal resulted from a series of rare coincidences. If the same situation were repeated, the ck metal might never have formed¡ªor the energy could even have dissipated and caused a cascading reaction that destroyed the entire region, forcibly halting the world''s evolution.


    In the worst-case scenario, the chain reaction might even cause the world to implode, destroying the draconian world and the worlds in its vicinity.


    It was lucky that the energy had somehow remained inert enough to survive the evolution of the world, and the resulting ck metal was an unbelievable treasure.


    Zhang Lie was extremely excited. It was as though he had just discovered the equivalent of natural gas and coal in the dimensional realm.


    All industrial revolutions on Earth had arisen because of energy; the discovery of this ck metal would lead to a simr revolution in the third realm¡ªor at least, in the draconian world.


    They had just found an energy source for the death spirits'' battleships,and it was eminently possible that the draconian world would be able to reproduce them.


    Zhang Lie would possess the strongest force among all the worlds of the third realm, the fleets of battleships that the death spirits possessed. To be able to mass-produce these ships, which each boasted the strength of a superior king, would elevate the humans to a ridiculous extent in terms of power.


    No longer would Zhang Lie and the others have to bow down to the superior worlds of antiquity, and even the strongest superior king, the king of chaos, wouldn''t be so fearsome if Zhang Lie had the ability to mass-produce these battleships.


    Blue gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie as space vibrated. The ripples spread out over his arm. As he flicked his wrist, a frightening aura began to emanate from his body.


    The skies suddenly darkened as a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    Zhang Hanxiang jumped up in shock. "Brother, what are you doing?"


    .


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s sudden attack, Hong Xi also grew alert.


    "Could there be an enemy nearby?"


    Hong Xi cried out. "For an enemy to have approached... why hasn''t the draconian sage given us any warning?"


    Zhang Hanxiang began to sweat. "There''s only one possibility: the draconian sage has been killed."


    Hong Xi was struck dumb. "The draconian sage is dead?"


    A howling gale swept over the ssy region. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Hong Xi shook her head repeatedly. "No, there''s no way! The draconian sage is the king of a superior world himself. I heard other aliens state that superior kings are godlike existences! Don''t you remember how we encountered Nightdemon on the battlefield? He''s a superior king too¡ªno, just a clone of one. When the spatial storm struck us all, he easily nullified the threat."

 Chapter 1026: Summoning the Draconian Sage

    <h4>Chapter 1026: Summoning the Draconian Sage</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "I was considering that too. We certainly can''t conclude that the draconian sage has necessarily died. He can''t be weaker than another superior king''s clone, can he?"


    What the two women didn''t know was that the draconian sage really was weaker than Nightdemon. The clones of the strongest king were wellparable to the superior kings of antiquity.


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "That''s why the death of the draconian sage is the least likely option. Another possibility is that the draconian sage has been somehow incapacitated."


    Hong Xi took a deep breath. "Don''t scare me like that, Hanxiang! I almost believed you!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s face turned serious. "There''s one final possibility, the most likely of all."


    Hong Xi couldn''t help but swallow a gulp of saliva.


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "That there isn''t an enemy at all, and that my brother simply wants to let loose."


    Water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie. Space itself seemed to tremble.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the sky.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. As though a raging dragon were taking to the skies, a huge pir of water erupted. The waves spread out all around him, resonating until they reached a crescendo.


    The entire world seemed to shake. A huge crash could be heard from half the world over, startling everyone.


    By the time the pale blue gic energy had subsided, the draconian sage had appeared with a teleport.


    "What happened? Is a superior world attacking?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "No, nothing''s wrong. I just wanted to summon you over but was toozy to seek you out."


    The draconian sage: ...


    Hong Xi: ...


    Zhang Hanxiang spread her arms. "The most likely possibility is that my brother was shouting for attention!"


    Hong Xi scowled as she pounced on Zhang Hanxiang. "You tricked me!"


    Zhang Hanxiang struggled as she called back, "You should have known that my brother wouldn''t just attack any enemies if they appeared!


    He''d prioritize protecting us, or warn us to be careful."


    Hong Xi nodded. "You''re right."


    Zhang Hanxiang extended two fingers. "For my brother to have suddenly attacked like that out of the blue¡ªeither the opponent is weak and he''s confident he''ll be able to protect us while getting rid of the opponent quickly, or there''s no opponent at all!"


    "You scared me stiff."


    Zhang Lie''s attack had been so powerful that the surrounding space was still trembling.


    The draconian sage, who thought that Zhang Lie was fending off invaders, was shocked that he didn''t detect anything. He was certain that it was a sign that a superior world had attacked, and he was preparing himself to fight to the death¡ªonly to find that it was just a false rm.


    "What''s going on now? I have so much on my te at the moment," the draconian sage grumbled.


    "Is it about the death spirits'' battleships?"


    "Partially, yes."


    Zhang Hanxiang whispered to Hong Xi, "Does the draconian sage remind you of the Land God in Journey to the West?"


    Hong Xi frowned. "Not initially, but now that you''ve made that connection, it does seem more and more fitting. He arrives immediately when summoned, too..."


    Zhang Hanxiang gave Hong Xi a thumbs up.


    The draconian sage had heard a little about Journey to the West, one of the four great Chinese ssics, and he liked the novel himself. However, he was quite unhappy at beingpared to one of the most minor of characters within it.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''m going to leave."


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "Is that really a good idea?"


    The draconian sage stood still. He felt as though Zhang Lie was trying to tell him something, that he had called him over for a reason.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "If you leave now, the draconian world might explode."


    Zhang Lie''s words shocked the draconian sage to no end. Of course he didn''t want to see such an oue. He frowned. "Did something happen?"


    "Didn''t you say you were going to study the death spirits'' battleships?"


    The draconian sage sighed. "Fine. You''ve got my attention. What is it?"


    Zhang Lie raised his head and looked at the sky. "You can leave if you''d like."


    "I was mistaken. I''ll listen to what you have to say."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''ve found the fuel we needed."


    The draconian sage''s eyes opened wide.?That easily, and that quickly??Finding the requisite fuel, with all the conditions that it had to satisfy, was a massive undertaking. Where had Zhang Lie found it?


    Zhang Lie pointed at the draconian sage''s feet. "You''re stepping on it."


    The draconian sage was so shocked that he took two steps back. He still wasn''t in full control of his aura.


    Zhang Lie reminded him, "Be careful. The ck metal under your feet is the fuel, and it''s highly explosive. If it explodes, the entire draconian world will be destroyed, and there might even be a chain reaction linked to the world''s energy."


    "What?!" The draconian sage immediately grew rmed.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Didn''t you know about this? I would have expected you to mention such an interesting change."


    .


    The draconian sage plucked a piece of metal from the ground. "What dense energy..."


    Zhang Lie groused, "As the king of the realm, you had to have known about this, surely?"


    "Haven''t I just ascended?" The draconian sage smiled sheepishly. "How could I have anticipated such a massive change to a once-useless plot ofnd?"


    The draconian sage wasn''t lying; the draconian world had just evolved, and there was too much he had to keep track of.


    The superior draconian world had been formed from thebination of dozens of worlds, and its surface area had grown by twenty or thirty times its size. The draconian sage simply wasn''t able to inspect each new piece ofnd carefully.


    His priority was dealing with conflicts among the races that were now suddenly neighbors to each other. The change in their circumstances would surely introduce disagreements and shes.


    Inparison, the Zongming world had it easy. Its constituent worlds, the worlds of east and west, had a mutual understanding with each other despite the differences between them...

 Chapter 1027: Explosives and Treasures

    <h4>Chapter 1027: Explosives and Treasures</h4>


    The evolution of the draconian world had resulted from thebination of dozens of different worlds, small and medium-sized andrge.


    In terms of size, the evolved draconian world wasrger than the Zongming world, but there were far more problems as a result as well¡ªall of which the draconian sage would have to deal with.


    His main priority was handling the conflicts and interpersonal rtionships between varied groups of aliens; he didn''t have the time to go through the various changes that had taken ce to the world itself.


    Although the draconian sage had assigned some of his trusted aides to resolve as many of these issues as he could, he had to handle some matters personally.


    Where his subordinates were incapable of handling the issues, the draconian sage would have to step up himself. He had had no free timetely; the reason Zhang Lie was able to see the draconian sage so often wasn''t because the draconian sage was free, but because Zhang Lie caused such a huge disturbance that the draconian sage had to drop everything he was doing to make sure that nothing would affect the draconian world.


    The draconian sage felt as though his head was about to burst from the bombshell that Zhang Lie had just dropped.


    Zhang Lie pointed at the ck metal in the draconian sage''s hands. "Be careful. It might explode!"


    The draconian sage shuddered.


    "I rmend you find someone to block off this area. If someone manages to ignite the metal underneath your feet, the entire draconian world will be nothing more than dust. The neighboring worlds might be affected as well¡ªI estimate over a hundred will be impacted."


    Having sensed the energy contained in just a chunk of the ck metal, and then realizing how much metal was before him, the draconian sage''s face turned pale immediately.


    What Zhang Lie had hypothesized could really happen. They were essentially standing on a pile of dynamite.


    The draconian sage extended a hand and sealed off the surrounding space.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Just find someone to seal it off. There''s no need to seal the space as well¡ªit''s as though you''re trying to make it a biohazard."


    Even so, the draconian sage didn''t feel as though it was safe enough. Invoking his authority as king, he sealed off the space time and again.


    Zhang Lie began to sweat. "This is too much, don''t you think?"


    The draconian sage retorted, "If anyone with malicious intentions were to get in and detonate the entire ce, what would I do?!"?This is my world, not yours¡ªof course you can afford to take it lightly.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll have the battleship researcherse over to investigate the fuel. It should prove handy."


    The draconian sage shook his head in refusal. "Let''s forget it. If we identally ignite this territory, everyone will die."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "This ck metal isn''t as reactive as you make it out to be. Don''t worry¡ªit''s rtively inert! I just ignited a chunk, and nothing happened. As long as no one tries to detonate the entire region, we should be safe!"


    "Should be? I don''t trust in should bes."


    Zhang Lie urged, "The ck metal really is quite inert. Reactivity seems to be produced only by infusion of gic energy."


    After all, the members of Team Zenith, who had charged up the region, had done so by means of their gic energy. It made sense that the trigger for reactivity would be exactly the same.


    Zhang Lie exined, "As long as no one attempts to infuserge quantities of gic energy into the ck metal beneath them, there won''t be a huge explosion."


    The draconian sage was visibly hesitant.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We''ll have to start excavating this ck metal sooner orter, or it''d be a bomb waiting to explode. If we can utilize it well, however, it could be a strong weapon for us instead. Research and development is always filled with risks¡ªthat''s natural, isn''t it?"


    The draconian sage pressed, "Nothing will go wrong, will it?"


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "Don''t worry. This is the base of activity for human hunters too, and I wouldn''t sacrifice their lives."


    The draconian sage hesitantly nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Furthermore, you have to assign a trusted guard to this area, or something really might happen."


    The draconian sage nodded. "I truly have to thank you. If not for your discovery of this area, I wouldn''t have realized that there was a nascent threat here." If someone with malicious intentions had uncovered the deposit beforehand...


    Zhang Lie continued, "I rmend letting the aliens sort themselves out for now. They aren''t stable enough to be fighting against each other yet, and even if there are altercations, human hunters and the members of Team Zenith will be around to stop them."


    The draconian sage nodded.


    With the members of Team Zenith and human hunters around, along with the warlords stationed in the region, the aliens wouldn''t be able to make a big fuss.


    Zhang Lie advised, "Start by understanding the world you nowmand. As the king of the world, if you don''t understand your own world, how can you expect others to take you seriously? This deposit of ck metal, for instance¡ªyou need to know whattent dangers there are around you."


    The draconian sage was struck dumb.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The first thing you have to do is to carefully observe the superior draconian world and see just what changes have urred since its evolution, to avoid the presence of any threats like this one."


    The draconian sage nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll bring Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi to find a spacious, isted ce where they can consume Potion #4. Work hard!"


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "It looks like we can''t consume the potion here, then. We''ll have to find somewhere else."


    Fortunately, the superior draconian world wasn''tcking in territory, especially after its evolution.


    Zhang Lie, Zhang Hanxiang, and Hong Xi had taken only a few steps when Zhang Lie suddenly stopped short. The draconian sage wondered what was happening until Zhang Lie pointed at the sky.


    "Unlock the space around here, please. I can''t get out!"


    The draconian sage btedly nodded and disabled the spatial restraints.


    The moment he did so, the members of Team Zenith appeared.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What happened? I felt the space in this region lock up."


    Fang Yi asked, "Is there an enemy invasion?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Why are all of you here?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "We saw your [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar], Captain, so we rushed over immediately."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand at them. "It''s not a big deal. I was just summoning the draconian sage."


    Sun Mengmeng patted her chest. "Captain, you scared us!"


    Fang Yi asked, "Then why was the space locked up?"


    Zhang Lie pointed at the ck metal at their feet. "Therein lies the answer."


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the metal curiously. "What''s so special about this metal?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "You all have very good timing. The draconian sage and I were just thinking that we needed reliable guards to safeguard this area."

 Chapter 1028: Testing His Sister

    <h4>Chapter 1028: Testing His Sister</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the metal curiously. "What''s so special about this metal?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Its very existence."


    The members of Team Zenith each dug out a chunk of metal for themselves.


    Zhang Lie grinned. "This will be the fuel for our imitation of the death spirits'' battleships."


    Fang Yi raised an eyebrow. "You mean to say that this ck metal can rece lifeforce and souls charged with negative emotions?"


    Yang Ze scanned the metal carefully and remarked with surprise, "It''s filled with energy! If this deposit of metal beneath our feet were to explode, the entire draconian world would turn to dust."


    The members of Team Zenith paled.


    Zhang Lie''s grin grew wider. "I told you all, didn''t I?"


    Fang Yi marveled, "We were still wondering how tobine lifeforce and the negative emotions from souls¡ªbut you''ve already found a recement!"


    Yang Ze praised, "As expected of our captain."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "While we were all wondering what to do next, our captain solved everything on his own..."


    Sun Mengmeng asked curiously, "Just where did this ck metale from?"


    "Actually, it''s a mix of various energies."


    "What energies?" Fang Yi asked.


    "It resulted from the evolution of the draconian world to a superior world, and it''s somewhat rted to all of you." Zhang Lie shared his hypothesis.


    When he finished recounting what he believed to have happened, the members of Team Zenith were all astounded. "The three thousand worlds really are wondrous..."


    "I''ll need all of you to take turns guarding this area. Once the draconian sage has finished analyzing the evolved worldpletely, choose someone responsible and loyal to take over."


    The draconian sage nodded.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Why don''t you do such an important task yourself, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi have to consume Potion #4, so..."


    The members of Team Zenith, who had undergone that process themselves, were well aware of the danger and why Zhang Lie had to be there to supervise them.


    "Once Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi are done, I''ll prepare a feast for all of you."


    The newly ascended monarch-grade lifeform was huge, and its body was easilyrge enough for ten people''s consumption.


    Everyone''s eyes lit up.


    Zhang Lie left with Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi. As he had anticipated, there was plenty of space avable in the draconian world.


    Zhang Lie found the closest patch of barrennd and guided the two women toward it. "We''ll do it here, I suppose."


    Zhang Hanxiang took a deep breath


    as Zhang Lie handed them each a vial of Zhou Ying''s upgraded restorative. "If something goes wrong, consume this vial immediately. Ites in a set with Potion #4."


    Zhang Hanxiang nced at the restorative curiously. "A setbo? Why didn''t Potion #3 have one?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "It''s Potion #4, an upgraded version! Of course it''d be different from Potion #3."


    Hong Xi asked, "Why didn''t you hand this to us beforehand, Master?"


    Zhang Hanxiang sipped a little of Zhou Ying''s restorative potion. She trusted Zhang Lie, but she was curious as to just what this other potion was.


    Zhang Lie called out, "Don''t drink that now! You''re only supposed to consume it if something happens to your body during the consumption of Potion #4."


    Zhang Hanxiang could feel the burgeoning vitalitying from the other potion. "Isn''t this Zhou Ying''s restorative?"


    Zhang Lie corrected, "To be more precise, it''s Zhou Ying''s restorative #2."


    Zhang Hanxiang gaped. "Aren''t they all the same?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Don''t let the Yeluo chieftain catch you saying that, or he''ll beat you up."


    "Are they different, then?"


    Zhang Lie countered, "Do you think Potions #3 and #4 are the same?"


    "In that case, does that mean that Zhou Ying''s restorative #2 is better than the original?"


    Hong Xi jumped in. "Why is it necessary to prepare a vial of this restorative?"


    "Potion #4 is more dangerous than Potion #3. It''s several times more potent, and one of the ingredients used in the potion has ties to naturalw. The potion is quite difficult to bear with a mortal body, and if you fail, there will be disastrous consequences."


    Zhang Hanxiand was astounded. "Even with disaster gene fragments?"


    Both of them had maxed their disaster gene fragments and were considered the equivalent of disaster-grade lifeforms. Would it be difficult for them to bear the effects of the potion even then?


    Zhang Lie replied in the affirmative. "Yes, absolutely, even with superior limit fragments and disaster gene fragments. In fact, if you didn''t have either of those, your body would likely explode on the spot if you tried to consume Potion #4. Obtaining superior limit fragments and disaster gene fragments might as well be a prerequisite."


    Zhang Hanxiang gulped as she looked at the vial of potion in her hands.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "If you''re afraid, you can choose not to consume it. Return the potion to me now."


    Zhang Hanxiang hurriedly turned around to shield the potion from Zhang Lie with her body. "This is our reward for our excellent performance in the war! You can''t take it back."


    Perhaps before she participated in the war against the death spirits, Zhang Hanxiang might have hesitated, but after her participation, Zhang Hanxiang realized how weak she was, and how far she still had to go.


    Hong Xi agreed with Zhang Hanxiang. "Master, you can''t take back a reward you''ve already given out."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "Indeed. We''ve chosen this path, and there''s no reason to turn back now."


    Zhang Lie nodded in satisfaction.


    Zhang Hanxiang suddenly asked, "What''s the sess rate?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Why? Are you scared?"


    Zhang Hanxiang snorted. "Who would be afraid? I''m just asking."


    "A hundred percent." Zhang Lie''s next words shocked both women. He continued, "No one who has taken the potion has had any problems to date. Are both of you satisfied?"


    Both Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi breathed a sigh of relief.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Would I hand my dear sister a problematic potion? You''re my only family, as well as my most precious kin."


    Hong Xi rxed. "Don''t frighten us like that, Master!"


    Zhang Hanxiang grumbled, "Brother, if you know how important I am, then don''t joke about me! Otherwise, you''ll lose me one of these days."


    Zhang Lieughed. "I simply wanted to understand how determined both of you were, and whether you meant what you said when we returned from war."


    Zhang Hanxiang sniffed, then consumed Potion #4 in a single gulp.

 Chapter 1029: Hanxiangs Metamorphosis

    <h4>Chapter 1029: Hanxiang''s Metamorphosis</h4>


    "Shall we drink it together, or separately?" While Hong Xi asked her question, Zhang Hanxiang sniffed and downed the potion in one gulp.


    Zhang Lie tugged on Hong Xi''s hand and brought them both away from Zhang Hanxiang, who felt her blood boil as she swallowed the potion.


    As the potent effects of the potion surged through her body, she felt as though she were exuding heat from every pore on her skin. Sweat dripped down her body, and the crystalline core that had formed upon her transformation into a disaster-grade lifeform glowed with light. Her face took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    Her gic energy frothed and roiled. Clouds of frost billowed around her, forming ayer of ice on the ground.


    A blizzard formed where she stood. Zhang Lie and Hong Xi braved themselves and stood watching her from a distance.


    Hong Xi turned to Zhang Lie. "Hanxiang''s alright, isn''t she?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As I''ve said, Potion #4 is very potent, and such manifestations aremon. Don''t worry. I won''t joke around with my sister''s life. She''s my only living family member, my dear sister."


    Despite his casual tone, Zhang Lie''s eyes were focused on Zhang Hanxiang to prevent an incident from urring.


    Crystalline flecks of powder swirled through the air as the potent energy gathered around Zhang Hanxiang''s heart. The fire-attuned gic energy in her body red.


    Zhang Hanxiang felt as though she were submerged deep within a roaring me, but her dominant ice-attuned gic energy took over. Within moments, the zing heat had turned into a bone-chilling cold, as though she were in the heart of a cier. Zhang Hanxiang felt as though she were simultaneously burning and freezing.


    She cried out in pain, "Brother, it hurts!"


    As Potion #4 continued to react with Zhang Hanxiang''s gic energy, a frosty mist began to spread from her body.


    She curled up into a ball in pain, hugging herself tightly. "It hurts!"


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Quick, consume Zhou Ying''s restorative now!"


    As Zhang Hanxiang''s cells underwent apoptosis, she heard Zhang Lie''s cries. Perhaps consciously or subconsciously, she downed the potion, causing a huge wave of vitality to flood her body from the inside and regenerate her cells.


    The inclusion of Zhou Ying''s regenerative potion alleviated the worst of Zhang Hanxiang''s symptoms. Even so, Zhou Ying''s potion could only heal the injuries inflicted on Zhang Hanxiang''s body, not resolve the fundamental issue itself.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s body continued to be engulfed in ice and fire. Frost propagated over the ground, covering all thaty beneath her in a dazzlingyer of white snow.


    As the potion''s effect grew, the temperature of the air decreased dramatically. Snow began to fall¡ªand Zhang Hanxiang couldn''t help but spit out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    Instantly nervous, Zhang Lie''s fingers tightened into fists. He wanted to rush forward, but Zhang Hanxiang slowly opened her eyes, gritted her teeth at the pain, and called out, "There''s no need to worry, Brother. I can handle it. Ah¡ª"


    Hong Xi patted Zhang Lie by his side. "Calm down, Master. You''ve seen how determined we are."


    The fresh blood fell to the ground. With Zhang Hanxiang at its center, a brilliant flower of ice formed, crystalline and transparent, a pure, unblemished creation, as beautiful as Zhang Hanxiang herself. It looked like a cross between a lotus and a lily.


    Amidst the chilly air of winter, Zhang Hanxiang slowly lost her sense of her extremities. The cold seeped deep into her body, and her beautiful face distorted in pain.


    Zhang Lie, feeling wretched that he had to watch his sister suffer, wanted to rush up to her and prevent her from absorbing any more of the potion. He worked hard to repress this sensation. If he were to do so, it would waste all of Zhang Hanxiang''s hard work and pain to date.


    Rationally, he knew that everyone before her had sessfully consumed the potion, that no member of Team Zenith had had a problem with it.


    Zhang Hanxiang was in no way inferior to any of the members of Team Zenith, and there was thus no reason she should fail¡ªbut despite that logic, he couldn''t seem to reconcile rational thinking with reality.


    What if there were a problem? What if Potion #4 were to fail on his sister, even when it seeded for everyone else? What if his sister''s constitution was unique enough to cause an unexpected interaction with the potion?


    What if, what if?


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but keep thinking about these thoughts. He had just taken a step forward when Hong Xi pulled him back and shook her head.


    She knew how worried Zhang Lie was, but this was a crucial period for Zhang Hanxiang''s growth. Forcibly terminating the absorption would hurt her irrevocably.


    The energy in Zhang Hanxiang''s body grew denser and denser, representing sess in the procedure, as the temperature grew ever colder. The energy released from Zhang Hanxiang''s body turned into a blizzard that spawned around her.


    As her body evolved and her reservoir of gic energy grew, Zhang Hanxiang''s face distorted further in pain.


    Zhang Lie watched on in agony, as though he was hurting more watching his sister suffer than when he was in pain himself.


    Hong Xi continued, "We''ve made up our minds, so let''s give her a little more confidence. I certainly wouldn''t want any interruption in the process."


    Gold and silvery-white threads wrapped around Zhang Hanxiang.


    The moment Zhang Lie saw those threads, he exhaled in relief. Their appearance meant that Zhang Hanxiang was entering the second stage of the absorption, and she was in no danger. Zhang Lie wiped at his forehead to find it beading with sweat.


    The energy that was emanating from Zhang Hanxiang was condensing into threads that wrapped around her body like a cocoon, sealing the winter frost within.


    Within the golden and silver cocoon was Zhang Hanxiang''s prone body, like that of a baby.


    The cocoon pulsed like a beating heart as the energy within it grew denser and denser, until the cocoon itself was unable to hold in the frosty air any longer. It began to crack, releasing a burst of frosty air that swelled into a tide and spread out all around the cocoon.


    Zhang Lie stood before Hong Xi, protecting her from the sudden effect. As the cocoon crackedpletely, a silvery-gold phoenix emerged, then transformed into a beautiful woman.


    Silvery-white hair floated in the wind, as though she were the personification of a crystal lotus in the frozen world before them. Amidst a howling blizzard, the womannded on the ice, pure and elegant in her austerity.


    She seemed like the queen of this domain, her white-gold eyes sparkling, reflecting a whole world of frost and ice within...

 Chapter 1030: Paramount Importance

    <h4>Chapter 1030: Paramount Importance</h4>


    Zhang Lie smiled in relief. "It looks like it was a sess."


    Hong Xi nodded. "It should have been."


    Zhang Hanxiang continued to emanate an aura of frost. "Kneel to me, my retainers!"


    Zhang Lie darted to her side and rapped her hard on the head.


    "Kneel? I think not¡ªI''m your brother! If you want to make me kneel, you''d better grow far stronger than this."


    Zhang Hanxiang clutched her head in mock pain, then beamed at him. "Brother, I seeded."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I saw it."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "How strong am I now?"


    "Roughly at the level of a new superior king¡ªlike the draconian sage. However, you''re not at the level of a superior king of antiquity yet. That difference lies inbat experience andbat strength. If you want to step beyond your current level of strength, you''ll need to fight."


    Although Zhang Hanxiang now had about as many gene fragments as the members of Team Zenith, she lost out significantly in terms ofbat experience and training.


    The members of Team Zenith had gained all their strength by hard work, fighting and killing for all their spoils. They had significantly morebat experience than Zhang Hanxiang, and she would quickly fall in battle against them.


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. I''ll work hard."


    Zhang Lie asked expectantly, "Did you gain any special intuition from absorbing Potion #4?"


    Zhang Hanxiang hmmed. "I think I may have, but I don''t know for sure. It''s fuzzy."


    Zhang Lei sighed. "You had better stay here and see if you can capture any traces of that intuition."


    "Yes, Brother," Zhang Hanxiang agreed.


    Zhang Lie then turned to Hong Xi. "It''s your turn now."


    Hong Xi didn''t hesitate before swallowing Potion #4. Just like Zhang Hanxiang, as the potent effects of the potion surged through her body, she felt as though she were exuding heat from every pore on her skin.


    Sweat dripped down her body, and the crystalline core that had formed upon her transformation into a disaster-grade lifeform glowed with light. Energy burst from her body, cracking the ice-covered ground. ck sunlight exploded from Hong Xi''s body.


    Her face took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    At the same time, silvery-white moonlight spread out from Hong Xi.


    Upon witnessing Hong Xi''s pained expression, Zhang Hanxiang asked worriedly, "Brother, what''s happening to Hong Xi?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "If I''m not mistaken, this is caused by Hong Xi''s framework."


    Zhang Hanxiang remarked in worry, "She''ll be fine, won''t she?"


    "Don''t worry. No one has failed to advance after consuming Potion #4 yet. If you managed to seed, then Hong Xi surely will."


    "That''s true... Hold it! Brother, you''re making it sound like I''m worse than Hong Xi!"


    More or less¡­ Zhang Lie suddenly frowned at her. "Aren''t you supposed to be figuring out the intuition you seem to sense after consuming Potion #4?"


    Silvery moonlight and ck sunlight revolved around Hong Xi, as though her body was their battlefield.


    The two forces struggled without end¡ªuntil Hong Xi''s consciousness suddenly joined the mix, splitting the two forces apart.


    However, the situation didn''t take a turn for the better. After being suppressed, both the silvery moonlight and ck sunlight suddenly red, causing Hong Xi to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    "The situation isn''t great." Zhang Lie''s face turned serious.


    The blood that left Hong Xi''s body evaporated instantly, revealing just how hot her body had be.


    Hong Xi''s graceful features distorted in pain. Energy rampaged through her body, destroying it from the inside out.


    "Quickly, drink Zhou Ying''s restorative!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    With her remaining shred of consciousness, Hong Xi followed Zhang Lie''smand, causing a huge wave of vitality to flood her body from the inside and regenerate her cells.


    Zhou Ying''s restorative was extremely potent, and Hong Xi''s face and expression immediately rxed.


    Perhaps it might be better to say that the Yeluo chieftain''s skill at potionmaking was unparalleled, for there to be no side effects for consuming Potion #4 and Zhou Ying''s restorative in quick session. Zhang Lie had to admit that the Yeluo chieftain had reached unbelievable heights in his understanding of potionmaking and herbalism.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What are you looking at? Go focus on gaining some intuition!"


    Zhang Hanxiang stuck out her tongue. "I can''t do that while Hong Xi''s in such pain."


    Hong Xi''s absorption process had yet to enter its second stage, but the energies were already getting too intense for her to handle. Pitch-ck sunlight exploded from her body, forming a sun around it. Silver moonlight pierced through the sun and spread over thend.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned even more serious than before. "This is problematic. I never expected that Hong Xi''s body would have so many issues..."


    Hong Xi cultivated thebined framework of [Eclipse] and [ck Sun]. Both these techniques were rare, and theirbination even rarer. Zhang Lie himself had studied the same technique.


    Hong Xi hadn''t managed tobine the two techniquespletely, but this wasn''t her fault. [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] weren''t perfectlypatible because they represented diametrically opposed forces, like ice and fire, or heaven and earth.


    A horizon separated heaven and earth, just as a divider separated [Eclipse] and [ck Sun].


    Although the two techniques couldbine to some extent precisely because they were diametrically opposed, theirbination would always be imperfect.


    Zhang Lie made use of his potent water-attuned gic energy to forciblybine [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] into [Syzygy], without relying too heavily on either technique on its own. To Zhang Lie, the two techniques were simply skills that he could use at will, nothing more.


    Hong Xi felt differently. [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] were techniques created by her ancestors, and her n had paid a heavy price to protect them. In the end, of their once-illustrious n, only Hong Xi and Hong Xiao had survived. As a result, the two techniques were of paramount importance to the Hong siblings.

 Chapter 1031: Hong Xis Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 1031: Hong Xi''s Transformation</h4>


    If Hong Xi hadn''t been lucky enough to meet Zhang Lie, the Hong n would have beenpletely exterminated by now.


    Unlike Zhang Lie, Hong Xi found the techniques of [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] particrly meaningful, and she had studied, researched, and cultivated them deeply. Her hard work had subsequently be her downfall.


    [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] were a set of paired techniques, but they weren''t a perfectly matched pair.


    There had originally been little issue with [Eclipse] and [ck Sun], but upon consuming Potion #4, Hong Xi''s body teetered on the precipice. A small w could be immediately magnified, causing a very serious problem indeed. [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] began to sh with each other.


    Zhang Hanxiang hurriedly asked, "Brother, what should we do?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s nothing we can do. We''ll have to keep watching and hope that Hong Xi can make it through this stage herself."


    While the two of them were talking to each other, Hong Xi struggled. She didn''t disappoint the two of them; in the end, she sessfully survived the sh of energies. Gold, ck, and silver threads appeared around her.


    The silver threads were like skeins of moonlight, the ck threads like burning me. The gold threads represented karma and fate. The threads in three colors intertwined and mutually influenced each other.


    They formed a cocoon around Hong Xi, wrapping her up in ck sunlight and silver moonlight.


    The cocoon pulsed like a beating heart. The energy within it grew denser and denser. The ck threads exploded with light, like a burning sun, followed quickly by the silver threads, like a bright full moon.


    The ck and silver threads criss-crossed. Energy spread and twisted between them.


    Two distinct energies swirled around the cocoon, shing against and refining each other, trying to merge together into one. Hong Xi''s cocoon seemed more like a furnace, and the ck sunlight and silver moonlight like steel and me. In their midst, something was being constructed.


    An unknown change was urring within the cocoon. Silver sunlight and ck moonlight appeared, followed by a crisp, sharp snap.


    A crack appeared on the surface of the cocoon. Silver moonlight flooded out, and pitch-ck sunlight rushed into the air.


    The crack propagated, forming a hole. Two beams of light rushed out from the cocoon, shining brightly in the air. Everyone in the superior draconian world could see them.


    In the sky was a pitch-ck sun and a shining silver moon. The remnant energies in the cocoon now swept out over the ground, forming a sea of ck mes that melted the frost that remained from Zhang Hanxiang''s earlier advancement.


    With a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie blocked the advance of the mes, shielding himself and his sister. As silver moonlight merged into the sea of ck mes, the ground cracked.


    The cocoonpletely crumbled. ck mes and silver moonlight shrouded Hong Xi. Her twin eyes were bright: the left had transformed into a miniature ck sun, and the right into a miniature silver moon.


    In the sky, a golden thread appeared between the ck sun and silver moon. As Hong Xi pointed at the sky, her fingers twisting together, the golden thread forced the ck sun and silver moon to merge.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed in understanding. "A genius idea¡ªto make use of karmic power tobine [Eclipse] and [ck Sun]."


    [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] were already a matched pair of techniques, and there was a strong karmic link between them. The longstanding feud between the Hong and Musi ns had strengthened that link manifold, and Hong Xi cultivated both techniques personally. Her idea ofbining the techniques via a karmic link was evidently a huge sess.


    The ck sun and silver moon slowly approached each other. As they grew closer, their colors changed. The ck sun turned slightly gray, and the silver moon, slightly brown.


    The draconian sage appeared by Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang''s side with a sudden teleport. "What''s going on now?"


    Upon witnessing the ck sun and silver moon in the air, he was quite certain that Hong Xi was the cause of the disturbance this time, and Zhang Hanxiang with the sudden change in temperature moments before. When the members of Team Zenith had consumed Potion #4, they had caused simr disturbances around them.


    "Shh!" the two Zhang siblings both shushed the draconian sage immediately, who couldn''t help but remark on the familial resemnce.


    He turned to Hong Xi and watched warily as she absorbed her newly unlocked energy, in case she caused an explosion as Fang Yi had.


    Despite the fact that the draconian world had evolved into a superior world, and that they were in the wilderness, the draconian sage would still be upset to see hisnd explode away.


    The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red. Everyone in the draconian world looked up at the unexpected celestial phenomenon, the merging ck sun and silver moon.


    "What''s that?"


    "Not the beginning of an apocalypse, surely?"


    "Could it be invaders from afar?"


    "Why is there an additional sun and moon in the sky?!"


    Fear, curiosity, panic, and shock¡ªall sorts of emotions filled the aliens, the entire draconian world.


    As the king of the realm, the draconian sage could naturally sense their panic and worry. He immediately announced, "Everyone, remain calm. This is an unusual phenomenon, but there''s nothing to be worried about. Leaders of the various alien races, please maintain order."


    With the king of the realm''s pronouncement, the aliens naturally rxed.


    The ck sun and silver moon merged perfectly, forming a bright-red wheel of fire, as their corresponding energiesbined as well.


    The wheel of me shone with light. A beam of light shot down toward Hong Xi, covering her body. Energy coalesced behind her back and formed a crimson sun. On its surface, a pale blue moon appeared.


    With the appearance of the moon, a pale blue domain formed all around her. Zhang Lie and Zhang Hanxiang, who were within the domain, found their strength being sapped away...

 Chapter 1032: A Perfect Fusion

    <h4>Chapter 1032: A Perfect Fusion</h4>


    The pale blue domain of celestial me that Hong Xi had erected was far stronger than Zhang Lie''s aura of [Eclipse].


    Hong Xi''s twinned eyes glowed. Her ck left eye was ringed with crimson me, and her silver right eye with a pale blue me.


    The two antipodal mes flickered in sync with each other. Suddenly, both eyes glowed gold, and Hong Xi reined in the manifestation of her newfound strength.


    Zhang Lie smiled in satisfaction. "It looks like you''ve seeded."


    Hong Xi lowered her head. "Thank you for taking me in, Master."


    "Your sess is due to the fruits of yourbor. I merely gave you an opportunity."


    Hong Xi continued seriously, "No, Master. When [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] merged into a cohesive whole, I was given a vision of the past by karma. It reminded me that, if you hadn''t been present to save me and my brother, we would have perished. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."


    Zhang Lie touched his nose, about to say something, when a white figure scampered up to her. Zhang Hanxiang dashed forward and pounced on her, hugging Hong Xi tightly. "Hong Xi, you''ve seeded too!"


    "Yes, I have." Hong Xi smiled gently and hugged Zhang Hanxiang back.


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "What special abilities do you have now that [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] have merged?"


    Hong Xi''s understanding of the two techniques far surpassed Zhang Lie''s own.


    Although Zhang Lie had also merged [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] together to form [Syzygy], Hong Xi''s merger of the two techniques was entirely different.


    Zhang Lie had done so forcefully with his overwhelming strength and experience, but Hong Xi instead connected the two techniques via karma. Neither strategy was necessarily superior to the other; they were simply different, as would be the resulting techniques.


    Hong Xi''s back shed blue. "There are two effects. The domain of [Lunar Eclipse] saps away the strength of all enemies in the region and transfers it to me, whereas the domain of [Sr Eclipse] strengthens all allies in the domain, much as [ck Sun] did."


    "Very impressive!"


    Perhaps because of how much the recent war had weighed on her mind, Hong Xi had manifested this twin pair of techniques, an advancement over [Eclipse] and [ck Sun].


    On the battlefield, she would be able to strengthen all her allies and weaken all her enemies, which was where her true strength would shine.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Although I''d like to allow both of you to remain here to get a sense of the powers you''ve unlocked, to extract as much of the potency from the potion as you can, we need to move on. Let''s return to Sun Mengmeng and the others."


    The draconian sage suggested, "Let me teleport all of you back."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Sage, have you finished inspecting the changes to the superior draconian world?"


    "Yes, I have. There were massive changes¡ªI barely recognize my own world."


    The draconian sage himself had grown stronger. Careful inspection and understanding of his world was a path to growing strong as a king of the realm.


    In the past, the draconian world was limited in scope and size, and the effect of this study was minimal. Now that the draconian world was a superior world, the effect of such understanding was noticeably more pronounced.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed. "Did you discover anything good?"


    The draconian sage groused, "This is the main thrust of your questioning, isn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''m just asking."


    The draconian sage continued, "And what of it?"


    "A newly evolved superior world must have lots of goodies, surely." Zhang Lie grinned as he pulled out a list of ingredients for Potion #5, for disaster-grade limit fragments.


    There were surely many spiritual herbs and ingredients that had popped out after the draconian world evolved into a superior world, and Zhang Lie would im what he could. He intended on making quite a few excess disaster-grade potions, and he intended to collect all the ingredients he could.


    When the draconian sage saw the list, he red at Zhang Lie and frowned, "What do you take me for, an apothecary?" This is my world, a superior world! Are you trying to turn my superior world into an apothecary?


    The draconian sage sighed and took the list. "There are many herbs on this list that I don''t recognize. Once I''m done with my affairs, I''ll ask the Yeluo chieftain for assistance."


    The draconian sage didn''t refuse Zhang Lie''s request because he knew what an impactful role Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had yed in allowing the world to evolve.


    As long as their requests wouldn''t actively harm the draconians and destroy their foundations, he would ede to as many of them as he could. After all, the draconian world had only grown to its current glory because of them. Without them, there would be no superior draconian world.


    "Thank you for your hard work," Zhang Lie replied, grinning.


    The draconian sage sniffed as he transported them all back to the members of Team Zenith. When Sun Mengmeng saw them return, she smiled. "It looks like you''re all finished with Potion #4, then."


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled as she puffed out her chest. "I''ve grown quite a bit stronger!"


    Yang Ze nced at Zhang Hanxiang''s chest. "Where?"


    Zhang Hanxiang scowled at Yang Ze as she hurriedly folded her arms.


    Zhang Lie flicked his fingers, sending a stream of water-attuned gic energy at Yang Ze. Caught by surprise, Yang Ze was sent flying. Hended sprawled on the ground.


    Zhang Hanxiang stuck out her tongue at him. "Serves you right!"


    The other members of Team Zenithughed.


    Sun Mengmeng patted Hong Xi on the shoulder.


    "Hong Xi, you''re stronger than we were back then. We could see the manifestation of your evolution all the way over here."


    Hong Xi smiled in embarrassment.


    Zhang Lie turned to the draconian sage. "Have you thought of a good recement?"


    The draconian sage suggested. "How about Chen Fan?"


    "He''s not too reliable."


    The draconian sage replied, "Chu Feng''s one option, and I can select someone I''m rtively familiar with among the draconians as well. Yun Bing would also be suited for the task, but it''s a pity..."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked curiously, "A pity? Why, Sage?"


    The draconian sage replied, "Yun Bing is helping me deal with interspecies conflicts among the aliens. If she has to be sent here, I''d have a huge headache."


    Everyone knew how skilled Yun Bing was at administration.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Yun Bing is indeed very reliable, but it''s a waste for her to work on such a small scale. She should have a grander stage on which to shine."

 Chapter 1033: Cultivation Plans

    <h4>Chapter 1033: Cultivation ns</h4>


    Zhang Lie asked, "How well does Yun Bing handle things?"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded fervently.


    While she was the princess of the kingdom of Limit in the second realm, Yun Bing had been prime minister. She had taken care of everything, and Zhang Hanxiang''s role was purely ornamental.


    Despite the fact that she was a princess of Limit and Zhang Lie''s only family member, and thus should have been a queenly existence, Zhang Hanxiang''s personality and experience made her ill-suited to managing a kingdom. If she were responsible for its administration, she would have made a mess.


    Furthermore, she didn''t have any desire to manage the kingdom, either. Yun Bing had been the one who did everything from behind the scenes.


    While Zhang Hanxiang was still in the kingdom of Limit, Yun Bing had resolved all the problems that had popped up, allowing her to remain a happy princess unfettered by politics.


    Zhang Hanxiang wasn''t a fool. She knew how hard Yun Bing had worked to prevent her from being trapped in any ploys.


    After all, Zhang Hanxiang was the only princess of Limit, the only royalty of Limit, and many people wanted to make use of her identity to cause trouble. These people included both aliens and hunters of the Milky Way.


    No matter how strong the members of Team Zenith were, they couldn''t ferret out all the rats that remained in hiding. It was Yun Bing who dug them out one by one, then twisted their necks, never afraid to dirty her hands.


    She was an impable politician and administrator, a universal handyman.


    Zhang Lie said, "Calling her a handyman is a form of praise! Don''t you understand? If you tell Yun Bing that I called her a handyman and she refuses to be a handyman anymore, no, refuses to help us anymore, what would we do?"


    Zhang Hanxiang visibly hesitated then.


    Zhang Lie continued, "If there''s a kingdom of Limit again in the future, or even a world of Limit, would you be willing to be its administrator?"


    Zhang Hanxiang made a zipping motion with her mouth, implying that she wouldn''t reveal a single word.


    Sun Mengmengughed. "Hanxiang, there''s no need to worry. Yun Bing likes what she does."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked curiously, "She likes being a handyman?"


    Sun Mengmeng folded her arms. "For one, Zhang Lie is Yun Bing''s idol, and she''s been following him since the very beginning. For another, Yun Bing knows she''s skilled in this area, and she''s able to maintain her status and obtain rare resources thanks to her abilities. Because she''sparatively weak at fighting, this is the best path forward for her."


    Zhou Ying nodded. "Yun Bing has always been happy about the fact that her actions can change the entire world."


    That was the true reason she enjoyed her work, not because she liked being a handyman.


    Zhang Hanxiang considered this thoughtfully. "Doing work to obtain resources... hold on, are you sure she isn''t just an employee?"


    Yang Ze joked, "Even our employees are the best of the best."


    The draconian sage interrupted their conversation. "Back to business, which of the candidates do you think is best?"


    "Chu Feng, I suppose. There''s no one more reliable than he is."


    The draconian sage nodded. "Very well. I''ll pick someone from among the draconians as well, and we''ll have Chu Feng and the draconian supervise this territory and each other. I don''t think there''ll be a problem then."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''ll leave this to you, then."


    He waved at the members of Team Zenith. "It''s time for us to head out!"


    Sun Mengmeng rushed over. "What are we doing, Captain? What are you treating us to?"


    "The meat of a monarch-grade lifeform."


    "What?!" The members of Team Zenith were astounded.


    "Monarch-grade?!"


    "You mean, above disaster-grade?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "Thanks to the gic lifeform farm that has been set up, we''ve managed to cultivate lifeforms beyond disaster-grade. The evolution of the draconian world also brought many benefits to the lifeforms in the region, and one of the disaster-grade lifeforms evolved directly into monarch-grade. It''s veryrge."


    Generally, a disaster-grade lifeform that evolved into monarch-grade would shrink rather than grow, and there would only be enough meat for one or two people to consume.


    Zhang Lie added, "It''srge enough that all of us can eat our fill."


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "Captain, you''ve finally seeded in cultivating a monarch-grade lifeform?"


    Sun Mengmeng scowled at her brother. "Have you forgotten that the gold mantis that''s always by Zhang Lie''s side is a monarch-grade lifeform?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied in excitement, "But that''s a unique case, Sis! If we''re able to mass-produce monarch-grade lifeforms at will..."


    It would change the entire development of the Milky Way. Zhang Lie, who controlled the spread of these monarch-grade lifeforms, would be able to have the gxy at his fingertips.


    This was why the members of Team Zenith were always the strongest hunters.


    There were countless hunters in the Milky Way, with all sorts of unique racial abilities and affinities. There were plenty who were more talented than the members of Team Zenith, and humanity was little more than a speck of dust inparison. Humanity certainly didn''t possess enough resources topare favorably to the four prime races of the Milky Way.


    Zhang Lie''s appearance meant that humanity was considered a rising star, but it was still difficult topare it to the four prime races, who had been gathering and stockpiling resources for centuries on end.


    So why was it that the humans, the six members of Team Zenith, were able to dominate the hunters of the Milky Way to such an extent?


    In the second realm, the members of Team Zenith had been stronger than the members of the four prime races. In the third realm, the members of Team Zenith had crushed the members of the four prime races. What exined that discrepancy?


    They had made ample use of limit-breaking potions, and their umtion of gene fragments had allowed them to advance as disaster-grade lifeforms through the second realm.


    Why was it that the members of Team Zenith were able to evolve as disaster-grade lifeforms the moment information about disaster-grade lifeforms was released? It was all because Zhang Lie had set up a disaster-grade farm.


    Many hunters had flitted with the idea of setting up a farm for such lifeforms, and many of the stronger races in the Milky Way had even tried it.


    Some had seeded, but much more had failed. The stronger these lifeforms became, the harder they would be to control.


    Even with a huge investment of resources, these farms were barely sessful¡ªand unlike Zhang Lie, they wouldn''t be able to directly cultivate disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Those sessful farms were at most able to handle regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms. Superior-grade lifeforms were already too difficult to control, even if they had been cultivated since birth.


    There were far too many regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms easily avable in the various realms, and these farms weren''t worth the resources invested into them.


    In the end, everyone who tried to farm gene fragments gave up, and this was why the other races failed where Zhang Lie had seeded...

 Chapter 1034: Another Monarch-Grade Lifeform

    <h4>Chapter 1034: Another Monarch-Grade Lifeform</h4>


    Zhang Lie made use of the rarebination of his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard and Zhu''s special racial abilities to prevent the gic lifeforms from breaking free. This was how he had been able to build such a massive farm, allowing the kingdom of Limit to produce strong warriors without end, strong hunters that would start out in the third realm as disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "Our captain''s gic lifeform farm has clearly been very sessful. The fact that it''s been able to produce a monarch-grade lifeform means that we can generate them en masse."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Mass production of monarch-grade lifeforms is too much."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Can''t it be done?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Disaster-grade lifeforms that want to advance need some sort of catalyst."


    "What catalyst?"


    "The energy of a superior world."


    Everyone in Team Zenith gasped. "That''s ridiculous!"


    The members of Team Zenith had invaded quite a few worlds and interacted with a number of kings of the realm, so they had some familiarity with the world''s energy.


    Although they were yet unfamiliar with superior worlds, they knew that a superior world''s energy was a rare treasure indeed. Currently, there were only nine superior worlds, six from antiquity, and three that had recently evolved. It felt as though there were an unwritten rule in the third realm that mandated that there be no more than ten superior worlds at once, as though the realm could only sustain that many superior worlds at once before older ones were destroyed and newer ones formed.


    The appearance of a new superior world necessitated the disappearance of an older one. This was thew of the third realm, which Blood Heaven and the draconian world had experienced for themselves.


    And yet the evolution of a disaster-grade lifeform into a monarch-grade one required a superior world''s energy?


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "As expected, trying to cultivate a monarch-grade lifeform is no easy feat."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "I suppose so... it would be rather ridiculous to be able to mass-produce monarch-grade lifeforms, wouldn''t it?"


    Yang Zemented, "It''s impressive enough that our captain seeded once."


    "Or rather," Fang Yi added, "No one else would even have known where to begin."


    Li Feng shrugged. "Our captain is exceptionally talented. If he hadn''t revealed the existence of disaster-grade lifeforms to the world, no one would even know about them at this point! We had no clue ourselves."


    Zhou Ying nodded. "That''s right. Many people still aren''t aware that there are lifeforms beyond disaster-grade, either."


    "Haha, my brother''s the best!" Zhang Hanxiangtched on to Zhang Lie''s arm.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Alright, alright, that''s enough. If you keep praising me like that, I''ll get big-headed. Zhu''s the one who did most of the work with the farm, at any rate."


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "But if you didn''t identify how to cultivate monarch-grade lifeforms, Brother, you wouldn''t have seeded!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t deny that.


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "If we need a superior world''s energy as a catalyst, just how many superior worlds do we have to destroy to obtain a hundred monarch gene fragments...?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "A regr world''s energy would work as well, but it''d take quite a bit longer."


    When the scaleman world had been invaded by ck spirits, Zhang Lie had exterminated them all and imed the world''s energy that they had collected, roughly tenrge worlds'' worth. There had been enough world''s energy then to cultivate a few monarch-grade lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie had identified two possible means of cultivating monarch-grade lifeforms: either by having it killrge numbers of disaster-grade lifeforms, or by having it consume a world''s energy, preferably a superior world''s energy.


    The first method would undoubtedly require a tremendous number of disaster-grade lifeforms, which weren''t easy to mass-produce themselves, or a tremendous number of worlds. The first method sacrificed time; the second, resources.


    "At any rate, let''s return to the farm first."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith moved quickly, and they returned to the gic lifeform farm within moments.


    Zhang Lie waved. "Zhu, I''vee over for the monarch-grade lifeform."


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade mountainous peak dragon. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade mountainous peak dragon, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    The members of Team Zenith quickly dismembered the monarch-grade lifeform and made a hotpot with it. Zhang Lie beckoned Zhu over. "Come on, Zhu, join us!"


    Zhu waved a hand. "No, there''s no need. The meat is precious, and I don''t gain as much from it as you all do."


    Even so, Zhang Lie brought Zhu over. "You''re the one who has been taking care of these lifeforms. You deserve to join us, too."


    Everyone began to gobble up the food. Zhang Lie took a slice of meat and felt it melt in his mouth.


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade mountainous peak dragon, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 26]


    Fang Yi ?cried out, "I wanted that slice of meat!"


    Yang Zeughed at him. "Then you''d better grab it faster next time."


    Sun Xiaowu harrumphed. "Go fight by the side¡ªI''m trying to eat!"


    Sun Mengmeng warned, "If you guys don''t start eating, there won''t be any meat left."


    Zhang Lieughed at their antics. "Don''t worry. There''s plenty of meat over there."


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade mountainous peak dragon, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 27]


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade mountainous peak dragon, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 28]


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade mountainous peak dragon, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 29]


    .


    After finishing the meal, Zhang Lie had gained a total of ten monarch gene fragments, and his strength had even increased by almost 20%. Ten monarch gene fragments didn''t seem like a lot, but their effect was evident.


    He once again reviewed his data.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 35


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (peak), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)

 Chapter 1035: Bad to Step In

    <h4>Chapter 1035: Bad to Step In</h4>


    Everyone who finished the meal gained ten monarch gene fragments. Because this was the first time the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang were consuming monarch-grade meat, the impact it would have on their bodies was significant. They would all need to rest and consolidate their strength.


    Unlike what Zhu had said, the monarch-grade lifeform meat turned out to be quite valuable for her. The flesh of high-grade gic lifeforms had a particrly beneficial effect even on aliens, allowing them to strengthen their bodies.


    The explosive strength it contained would hasten their own cultivation, though the effect was far less direct than with the hunters of the Milky Way.


    Zhang Lie stood up and was about to leave when Zhu, who had finished consolidating her strength, opened her eyes and asked, "Won''t you wait for the others?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It isn''t dangerous here, so there''s no need for me to remain present¡ªand what''s more, you''re here too, aren''t you?"


    With Zhu around, no one would disturb the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang from digesting the monarch-grade meat they had just consumed.


    Zhu shoo her head. "That''s not what I mean. Aren''t you going to say farewell to them when they wake up?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "It''s not as though I''m leaving forever¡ªjust a few days. I''ll be back in two days to participate in the meeting among the superior worlds. There''s no danger."


    Zhu widened her sapphire-like eyes, each of which seemed as wide as an ocean. "I''ll miss you, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie reached out and patted Zhu on the head, feeling her soft, cold, wavy hair. "I''ll just be a few days. Keep working hard on cultivating the gic lifeforms and await my return."


    Zhu nodded. "I''ll cultivate another monarch-grade lifeform, so you''d better return quickly!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand in farewell, shattered space, and left.


    He arrived by the disaster-grade multicolored dragon''s side. When the dragon sensed his arrival, it immediately widened its eyes.


    Zhang Lie patted it on the head and grumbled, "You''ve been with me for so long! Why haven''t you advanced yet?"


    It was evident that the multicolored dragon was already beyond an ordinary disaster-grade lifeform in strength, but trying to break through the next threshold was no mean feat. Perhaps different lifeforms had to umte different amounts of energy between each threshold.


    The disaster-grade multicolored dragon keened in protest: Do you think every disaster-grade lifeform is like that weirdo, Gold Comet? It was ridiculous that it had gone from superior-grade all the way to disaster-grade in such a short period of time, and from there into monarch-grade. I''m normal; Gold Comet''s just too fast!


    Zhang Lie didn''t, and indeed couldn''t, realize just how aggrieved the dragon felt.


    "Alright, then, let''s set off!"


    Zhang Lie mbered up the dragon''s back and into the pce therein. The disaster-grade dragon spread its wings, pped them, and flew off toward the Zongming world.


    The moment Zhang Lie arrived, Li Zongming seemed to sense him. He teleported right outside the pce. Zhang Lie waved and stepped out.


    Li Zongming called out, "Zhang Lie, you''re finally here! I was wondering whether you had too many affairs to take care of in the draconian world now that it had evolved into a superior world, and whether it might dy our departure."


    Zhang Lie replied, "There''s no need to worry, Your Majesty. I''m punctual and reliable."


    Li Zongming red at him. "I told you, call me Father or Father-in-Law!"


    Zhang Lie touched his nose without answering Li Zongming.


    Li Zongming didn''t mind. "Do you want to go see Qianlin for a bit?"


    "Of course." Zhang Lie flew to her room and knocked.


    "Come in," Li Qianlin''s pleasant voice called out.


    "Did you miss me?" Zhang Lie asked, pushing open the door.


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "Dream on! You haven''t been gone for long. Why should I miss you?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I''m a lonely child that no one cares about..."


    "You''re a rather fast-growing child, aren''t you?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Just two days ago, I wonder who was it that was almost bawling her eyes out because of me..."


    Li Qianlin blushed red. "Who was almost bawling her eyes out? My eyes were simply sweating!"


    "...just what sort of biology do you have that you sweat from your eyes?"


    "Hmph!"


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and reached out to grab Li Qianlin''s hands. Li Qianlin tried to break free from his grip, but she gave up after a few tries.


    Zhang Lie looked her in the eyes. "I did miss you. I''ve missed you for an entire year."


    "When have we been apart for a year?"


    Li Qianlin blushed as she lowered her head, not daring to look straight into Zhang Lie''s ardent gaze.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "China has an ancient proverb: a day without seeing each other is like being apart for three autumns. It''s been too long, hasn''t it?"


    Li Qianlin freed her hands from Zhang Lie''s grip and turned around. "Is this how you pick up innocent girls?"


    "Why would I do so?"


    "Don''t you have lots of beauties around you? Aren''t you enjoying being around Sun Mengmeng?"


    "What''s this about Sun Mengmeng?"


    "If not Sun Mengmeng, then how about Hong Xi, or Yun Bing? There are so many beautiful women around you that I don''t know how to feel. As an alien princess, I might feel fresh and exciting to you¡ªbut how about after that freshness has passed?"


    Zhang Lie whirled Li Qianlin around and faced her seriously, directly. "The only thing I''d like to steal with my words is your heart."


    The two of them looked at each other, gradually growing closer, just as a voice piped up from outside the door. "I can''t see anything, nothing at all! Pretend I''m not here."


    Zhang Lie turned around in rage. He was familiar with this voice, of course. "Damn it, Dong Mingxing! Don''t you know how to read the mood?"


    If you wanted us to pretend you weren''t here, you shouldn''t have made any noise! Not only were you peeping at us from outside, you even interrupted us at the most critical moment...


    Dong Mingxing snapped back, "I was going to wee you after seeing your dragon! What sort of attitude is this?"


    Zhang Lie found Li Zongming in the audience chamber. Li Zongming sipped his tea and turned to him. "How was your chat with Qianlin?"


    Zhang Lie''s face was as dark as charcoal. "Don''t mention it. I''m sure you saw how it went as the king of the realm, didn''t you?"


    Li Zongmingughed as he handed him a cup of tea. "Don''t be angry. Have some tea and calm down. I can''t imagine Dong Mingxing harbors any ill will."


    Zhang Lie snatched the tea over and downed it in a single gulp. "You knew she was there, and you didn'' stop her!"


    Seeing Zhang Lie drink the highest-quality tea as though it were water, Li Zongming winced. "I shouldn''t meddle in the affairs of the young."


    "Considering how much I do for you, can''t you do this much for me?"


    Li Zongming had a pained expression on his face as he replied, "Surely you don''t expect me to guard the door for you? As the king of the realm, I''d hope I could keep a little dignity..."

 Chapter 1036: Feeling Down

    <h4>Chapter 1036: Feeling Down</h4>


    If nothing else, Li Zongming was Li Qianlin''s father. It was good enough that he wasn''t preventing Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin from seeing each other, and he was happy to provide a little assistance, but for him to serve as a meat shield as well...


    Zhang Lie calmed down somewhat and cleared his head. This wasn''t Li Zongming''s fault.


    "It''s all that crazy woman''s doing!" Zhang Lie grabbed the tea that Li Zongming had just poured and swallowed it all.


    Li Zongming asked, "Do you have any thoughts regarding the uing meeting?"


    "None at all!" Zhang Lie''s temper still hadn''t subsidedpletely.


    Li Zongming smiled. "You haven''t had a chance to rest since the war. Take some time to do so now. I''ve already prepared a guest room. We can set off once it''s time for the meeting. No one will bother you before then."


    Zhang Lie thought back to what had happened during thest few days. Indeed, he hadn''t had an opportunity to rest¡ªhe had been continuously moving from one objective to the next, without any time to rest. Because his body was strong, he didn''t notice the strain, and if he were to continue like this, he would copse.


    Although Zhang Lie''s mental fortitude was stronger than everyone else''s, that didn''t mean it was unlimited. The fact that he hadn''t noticed his strain until now wasn''t a good thing; it was a very serious issue indeed. It meant that he had grown ustomed to his fatigued state, both physically and mentally.


    At that point, it was difficult for him to identify that anything was wrong, and if something really were to happen, his mental or physical state might give out on the spot.


    For example, while staying up overnight, you might feel a little faint. That was normal¡ªbut if you stayed up long enough, you would suddenly feel much more energetic and clear-headed, so much so that you couldn''t sleep even if you wanted to.


    But that was all just an illusion caused by adrenaline. Your brain would eventually be more and more sluggish, and the best solution was to go to sleep immediately before your mental state became worse.


    Zhang Lie''s body would be able to withstand things a little longer, but who knew what would happen during the meeting of the superior kings? It wouldn''t be unusual if the superior kings of antiquity were to gang up on him during the meeting.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Thank you for the offer. I''ll rest a little."


    He took a shower and went to lie in bed. Although he wasn''t tired, in preparation for the uing meeting,


    Zhang Lie thought that he had better sleep. He even contemted knocking himself out, though there was no such need. Eventually, he fell into a state of dormancy.


    He thought he could sense Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing make their way over at some point, but Li Zongming blocked them from entering.


    In a daze, he heard, "His majesty has forbidden anyone from disturbing the guest inside."


    Dong Mingxing snorted. "Don''t you know who I am, and who''s by my side? That''s your princess! How dare you block my way!"


    The guard hesitated. "Miss Dong, please don''t make our lives difficult."


    Dong Mingxing cried out, "You know who we are, and you''re still daring to block us?!"


    The guard replied, "Miss Dong, his majesty himself instructed us to ensure that the guest within can rest well. We can''t let anyone by."


    "Hey, you inside, how dare you avoid our visit! If you don''te out, I''m going toe in for you!"


    Li Qianlin visibly hesitated. "Mingxing, since Zhang Lie is resting, we shouldn''t disturb him."


    Dong Mingxing cried out angrily, "Qianlin, you''re too good-tempered! You can''t let someone like Zhang Lie get toofortable, or something will happen immediately. I''m going to rush in now¡ªwho''s going to stop me?!"


    "And if I do?" Li Zongming suddenly teleported before them.


    Dong Mingxing obediently shut up and lowered her head.


    Li Zongming frowned. "Surely you wouldn''t try to get through me, would you?"


    Dong Mingxing was silent.


    Li Zongming, mindful that this was where Zhang Lie was resting, chose not to berate them loudly right there and then. With a snort, he transported them all away, and Zhang Lie couldn''t hear what transpired next.


    "What''s wrong with the two of you? Imanded that no one was to disturb Zhang Lie. Why did you try to get past the guards?"


    Li Zongming red at them both. "Dong Mingxing, I gave you full permissions to roam the pce because you were Qianlin''s friend, as well as someone who''s aware of the big picture. What made you so rash today?"


    Dong Mingxing instantly lowered her head.


    "Li Qianlin, you have truly disappointed me." Li Zongming stared grimly at his daughter.


    Dong Mingxing hurriedly shouted, "No, it''s not Qianlin''s fault! I insisted on rushing in on my own."


    Li Qianlin shook her head. "No, no, it was me. I made some snacks and, thinking that it was rare that Zhang Lie was here, decided to send him some."


    Li Zongming snorted. "You''re both as thick as thieves, I see."


    Li Qianlin sighed. "I''m sorry, Father."


    Li Zongming sighed as well. "Both of you used to know better."


    Dong Mingxing sounded exasperated. "Perhaps it''s because we spent too much time in the draconian world, which doesn''t have any of the constraints and trappings of court."


    Li Zongming advised, "Be more mindful in the future. Zhang Lie just returned from the battlefield, and he hasn''t had any time to rest. He''s been rushing back and forth because of the evolution of the draconian world, and he''s tired both mentally and physically. It''s rare that he has some downtime, so don''t disturb him."


    Li Qianlin couldn''t help but feel a twinge of pain at Zhang Lie''s suffering.


    Dong Mingxing exined, "We truly are sorry, Your Majesty. We worked hard to make these snacks, and this is our first time giving the fruits of ourbor to a man¡ªso when we heard that Zhang Lie refused to see us, that our hard work was for naught, I was so upset I tried to barge inside."


    Li Zongming sped both hands behind his back. "Indeed? And yet my daughter has never made me any snacks before..."


    Li Qianlin couldn''t help butugh.


    "Father, if you don''t mind, please have these snacks. I''ll make another serving with Dong Mingxingter."


    Li Zongming waved a hand. "Forget it. I''m sure Zhang Lie will be very interested in them once he wakes up, and I won''t try to snatch them away from him. I''ll bring him the snacks once he''s up. I do have to talk to him as well, at any rate."


    Li Qianlin bowed. "In that case, Father, let me and Mingxing make you a serving too."


    Upon witnessing Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing walk away, Li Zongming smiled.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Zhang Lie blearily opened his eyes, stretched, and went off to find Li Zongming. He found him seated in front of a table, sipping tea as he ate his daughter''s snacks with a rare look of enjoyment on his face. He turned to Zhang Lie.


    "Are you rested now?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Ah, it''s not my own bed, so I''m a little unused to it..."


    Li Zongming: ...

 Chapter 1037: No Impression

    <h4>Chapter 1037: No Impression</h4>


    Zhang Lie sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.


    Li Zongming informed him, "You slept for a day and a night."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "Is that so? Maybe I really was too tired."


    Zhang Lie had a sip of tea and reached out for a snack on Li Zongming''s tter, but he blocked Zhang Lie''s grasp immediately. Zhang Lie grumbled, "Hey, don''t be so stingy! It''s just a few snacks!"


    Even when they were dividing up the superior worlds'' energy, Li Zongming had been more generous than this.


    Li Zongming exined happily, "My daughter made them."


    "Qianlin made them? Then I must insist on having a few," Zhang Lie replied.


    Li Zongming pointed at the basket to the side, which had been spatially locked. "Yours are over there."


    Zhang Lie walked over and broke the lock. Thanks to the spatial seal, the snacks were still warm.


    If anyone else were to see that someone had invoked a spatial lock just to preserve the temperature of a few snacks, they would surely spit out blood. This was the equivalent of killing mosquitoes with a railgun¡ªit would have been more than sufficient to let the snacks cool, and then to warm them up againter.


    This was the privilege of a king of the realm, who could do whatever he wanted¡ªeven tear apart space just to kill a mosquito.


    However, neither Zhang Lie nor Li Zongming found anything wrong with using a spatial lock to preserve these snacks. Li Qianlin herself had made them; so what if they preserved it with a spatial lock? No amount of money or strength could buy such snacks.


    Zhang Lie was peckish given that he had just woken up. He stuffed a square of what seemed like cake into his mouth, finding it sweet and fragrant, soft and gtinous. He hurriedly consumed a few more mouthfuls. Brimming with love, he asked, "Did Qianlin and Dong Huskye over?"


    Li Zongming nodded. "To see you, but they left since you were resting."


    "Really?" Zhang Lie nced at Li Zongming skeptically.


    Li Zongming asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "That''s not how I remember it..."


    Li Zongming rolled his eyes. "You were sleeping. What''s there to recall?"


    "Perhaps, but given my strength, I should be able to sense something no matter how soundly I was sleeping."


    "Why would I lie to you? Right, what do you mean by Dong Husky?" Li Zongming changed the topic.


    "I''m referring to Dong Mingxing, of course."


    "Why call her Husky?"


    "A husky is a breed of dog we have on Earth. It''s very mischievous. The first time I saw Dong Mingxing, I thought she was beautiful; the second time, I thought she was beautiful and with an interesting personality. The third time, I thought she was beautiful and with an interesting personality, but troubled and problematic. The Nth time, I realized she was a husky disguised as a beautiful woman."


    Li Zongming sipped his tea. "Mingxing seems to be interested in you."


    "I''m not interested in her!" Zhang Lie replied.


    "She''s a tremendous beauty, as well as a skilled expert of the Zongming world."


    Zhang Lie chuckled coldly. "If I had to be interested in every stunning beauty in the realm, I''d be dead."


    Li Zongmingughed. "I mean, she''s very, deeply, interested in you."


    "I''m not interested."


    Li Zongming nced at him skeptically. "I''m serious. I''ve never seen Mingxing behave like this with another man. To you, she really might¡ª"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I have no interest in her."


    Li Zongming smiled happily. "It looks as though you really are devoted to my daughter. I''m very satisfied. You''ve passed my test."


    Zhang Lie replied, "There''s no need to test me. My feelings toward Li Qianlin, in this life or thest, and even in the future, will never change."


    Li Zongming waved a hand. "Alright, you don''t have to prove anything to me anymore. To me, you''ve long since be my son-inw already."


    "I''m serious." He had loved Li Qianlin in his past life, and he would continue doing so in this one.


    Li Zongming replied, "It looks like it''s almost time for the meeting, and you''ve already rested. We should set off now. Do you want to say farewell to Qianlin?"


    Zhang Lie stuffed the remaining snacks into his mouth, swallowed them all, and then drank a sip of tea. He shook his head. "There''s no need. We''ll just be a few days¡ªhow long could the meetingst?"


    "In that case, let''s set off." With a wave of his hand, Li Zongming summoned a dimensional portal.


    They had been to the superior kings'' specialized meeting world once, and they were aware of its coordinates. Now that Li Zongming was a superior king himself, he could open a passageway to it without any external intervention.


    Zhang Lie and Li Zongming stepped through the long tunnel and back into that unusual world, in which scarlet mes formed a sea, a skeleton from an ancient graveyard was stomping over the ground, ten huge suns hung over their heads, a mysterious ck fog spread through the air, a shower of rain fell continuously through the sky, and cold frost crept over the ground.


    All sorts of unusual phenomena made themselves known¡ªnone physical, none reasonable, but all following some mysterious harmony.


    This unusual world hadn''t changed much despite what had happened to the third realm since theirst visit. The main difference was a patch of emptynd¡ªwhat remained of the fight between Zhang Lie and the troops of the superior kings of antiquity.


    Having been here before, they didn''t need a guide to bring them toward the castle held up by nine great statues. In the meeting room at the very top, they found no one at all present.


    Li Zongming smiled. "It looks like we''re the first."


    The moment Li Zongming sat down, the suns in the sky gave off a blinding re, as though they were about to explode. Zhang Lie turned his head. "They''reing."


    A portal opened in the air, through which blinding sunlight shone.


    A figure wrapped up in the golden sunlight emerged from the portal. Beneath his feet were scarlet mes, and to his back, ten bright suns. A parade of a hundred suns followed behind him. The ground far beneath him began to smoke and char, and the air turned arid. The temperature rose to a frightening extent.


    The sr king was the first to arrive. This time, he didn''t bring a hundred suns with him. This meeting, unlike thest one, wasn''t designed to impress and suppress Li Zongming with their strength.


    Neither did the kings need any bodyguards, since none could guard them but existences on a simr level as they were. The kings did possess such strong subordinates, but they couldn''t be moved around or redirected at will.


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Zongming. "Your Majesty, look at the sr king''s impressive entrance! Don''t you want to be like him?"


    Li Zongming folded his arms. "I wouldn''t do something that wastes so much energy."


    .

 Chapter 1038: Shocking Impression

    <h4>Chapter 1038: Shocking Impression</h4>


    .


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Well, perhaps you should! Being able to suppress your opponents'' aura with your own upon your appearance isn''t a waste of time."


    "Maybe next time," Li Zongming sighed.


    Instead of flying over, the sr king chose to take leisurely steps. Golden stairs manifested under his feet, each stair burning with sr me.


    The sr king walked over one step at a time, the meeting room gradually burning up like a furnace.


    Zhang Lie missed air-conditioning.


    The sr king peered at Li Zongming and Zhang Lie. Li Zongming waved. "Long time no see, sr king."


    The sr king pursed his lips. "Are you the only newbie in attendance?"


    From another direction, a portal to the world opened up. The temperature of the air immediately dropped, and kes of white snow began to pour in through the portal. The snow formed a white carpet over the ground, and a blizzard descended.


    The ice queen of the white world stepped through. A blizzard was her dress, the chilling air her aura, the howling gale her breath.


    The world changed once again. Half the world was covered in frosted ice; the other, burning with zing heat.


    "The ice queen, is it?"


    With the ice queen''s appearance, the scorching-hot air finally cooled down. Zhang Lie thanked her silently.


    "Air-conditioning, finally!"


    The ice queen, just like the sr king, walked toward the meeting room on steps of ice. The ice queen was clearly an expert at manipting ice. On either side of the steps rose giant sculptures that knelt and bowed down to her. As she stepped toward the meeting room, a scepter of ice in her hands, a flurry of snow poured down from the skies.


    The ice queen arrived in the meeting room and met the sr king''s stare with eyes that looked like orbs of ice. Their gazes met, one cool, one heated. A blizzard roared, and sunlight red. Dark clouds made to cover up the suns, but the sunlight pierced the clouds and sshed golden light onto thend.


    The two kings stood facing each other. Where their auras met, snow melted and refroze as they shed for dominance.


    Zhang Lie was no longer thankful to the ice queen. Subject to the two feuding kings, the meeting room was beset by fire and ice, one side so hot that even sweat evaporated instantly, the other side so cold that breaths froze into blocks of ice. The wildly fluctuating temperatures were a nightmare to bear.


    This wasn''t something that could be dealt with just by removing a fewyers of clothing; it was as though they were in a furnace one moment, and an ice cer the next.


    Li Zongming didn''t dare speak up, afraid that they would both gang up on him, but Zhang Lie had no such qualms.


    "What are the two of you doing?!" Zhang Lie called out. "Aren''t you tired of doing this every time the two of you meet?"


    The ice queen and the sr king both looked toward Zhang Lie simultaneously. Thebination of ice and sunlightbined into a storm of both elements that surged toward him, an amalgamation of a golden sr storm and a silvery-white blizzard.


    Thebination of the two forces was multiplicative rather than additive¡ªbut before Zhang Lie could defend himself, Li Zongming stepped forward, blocking both superior kings'' attacks with his aura. They were very surprised that he was able to do so despite having recently ascended.


    Even though the world of ck rain had yet to merge with the Zongming world, in some sense, Li Zongming already qualified as half a superior king of antiquity.


    The reason it was only half was because the world of ck rain was simply in such bad shape that it couldn''t be considered a whole superior world.


    Even so, with an additional half of a superior world in his arsenal, Li Zongming was already starting to catch up with these superior kings of antiquity¡ªbut only catching up, for now. Li Zongming struggled against the simultaneous auras of both kings.


    The ice queen and sr king nced at him maliciously. They had chosen to ignore the newbie who had just ascended in their little feud, but if Li Zongming thought he could step in so easily, they''d teach him a lesson.


    They''d make him learn that, even though he was qualified to be part of this meeting, he didn''t necessarily have the right to speak, or to try to break up their conflict.


    What did a newly ascended superior king think he could aplish? They''d need to teach him that much so he was aware of the rules, at least¡ªhe was yet far from being able to contend with the likes of them.


    Outside the meeting room, wind howled and clouds formed. Snow and sunlight fell from the skies simultaneously, instantly causing Li Zongming to sweat¡ªboth from the heat and from the cold. Just as he was about to be unable to hold out any longer, Zhang Lie stepped forward.


    An aura reminiscent of a deepsea abyss exploded from Zhang Lie as a giant whale appeared from Zhang Lie''s back. A p of its tail crushed the sr king and the ice queen''s manifestations, dispelling the blizzard and bright sunlight, and restoring the temperature and atmosphere of the meeting room.


    The sr king was flung back into his seat, and the ice queen stumbled two steps back in shock at the strength that Zhang Lie had disyed. Both superior kings were stricken with fright.


    Zhang Lie whispered to Li Zongming, whom he had shielded, "If you don''t have enough strength to take them on, don''t try!"


    Li Zongming whispered back angrily, "Do you want me to watch my son-inw get bullied? I have to do it even if I can''t!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile.


    Meanwhile, the sr king and ice queen were unbelievably shocked that they had lost out in terms of aura to someone who wasn''t even a superior king...

 Chapter 1039: The Spectacle of the Kings

    <h4>Chapter 1039: The Spectacle of the Kings</h4>


    After a momentary shock, the sr king and ice queen were both enraged and supremely embarrassed that they had lost to Zhang Lie.


    Fortunately, there was no other person present in the meeting room than Li Zongming, and particrly no other superior kings.


    Otherwise, the others would surely make fun of them. Even the fact that Li Zongming had witnessed their moment of embarrassment was enough to make them want to crawl into a hole.


    The sr king snorted. "Do you think you''re strong just because you managed to take down the death spirit king? Without the king of chaos'' clone around, you wouldn''t even be able to make it back!"


    Another dimensional portal opened up, dozens of timesrger than the ones the sr king and ice queen had created.


    Countless orbs of light floated out from within, surrounded by a seemingly endless supply of the world''s energy. The weather turned calm, and the sr king and ice queen''s auras were suppressed.


    This strange, unusual collection of orbs seemed to be formed of countless worlds, which grew and perished as the orbs expanded and shrank, encapsting all things within.


    It was part of everything, and everything was part of it. It belonged to the liminal, the limitless¡ªit might have been the source of life itself, so deeply connected as it was to the arcane.


    Zhang Lie watched on closely. What entered the world weren''t these orbs that represented countless worlds, but rather a door that connected to those countless worlds.


    As the door drifted over, the orbs formed a projection: a blonde, blue-eyed loli wearing a bo and a ck dress bedecked with ribbons. She sat on a chair far toorge for her body and swung her short legs back and forth. "Why are you standing, ice queen? Why not have a seat?"


    The sr king and ice queen stood up, bowing as they greeted the king of keys.


    Li Zongming did the same.


    The king of keys btedly noticed something unusual about the atmosphere. "This is a world that we nine superior kings worked together to construct. Trying to make a new world like this is a very troublesome affair, so I hope you won''t fight around here."


    The sr king bowed respectfully. "Of course, Your Majesty."


    The ice queen shrugged. "Thank you for your reminder, king of keys. I would not be so foolish as to break the agreement we initially brokered."


    The king of keys inclined his head. "Very good."


    The sr king red at Zhang Lie, as if telling him, "Brat, you got lucky this time."


    "Ha." Zhang Lie smiled coldly. If not for the king of keys'' sudden appearance, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have minded ridding the third realm of two superior kings.


    The king of keys'' appearance at this very moment was surely intentional.


    Another portal opened up, and ck fog emerged from within.


    The ck fog was so thick and dense that even the bright sunlight was unable to disperse it. Wobbling figures could be seen from within the fog, as though a city were hidden inside. The ck fog slowly permeated into the meeting room, but none of the superior kings reacted to its presence.


    The superior kings'' auras kept the fog at a bearable distance of five meters away.


    The ck fog condensed into a chair, forming a humanoid figure.


    The king of keys announced, "The king of ck fog is here."


    A human''s face appeared amidst the fog.


    From another portal came a disgusting stench. A vile, grayish fluid, frightening and formless, spilled out from the portal. It quivered and swelled, as though it were the source of all filth and waste.


    More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, squelching as they tried to escape¡ªbefore they were swallowed back into its interior and digested away. It absorbed everything it touched: ck fog, rain, frost, and sunlight.


    The grayish vapor it produced spread through the air as the stench grew far, far stronger. Even those at the very top of the castle could smell it. Li Zongming clutched at his nose with an ashen face.


    Right after the king of evil appeared, everything became cloaked in darkness. Drums sounded, and what seemed like a kaleidoscope unfolded before them. It then melted away, revealing a deep abyss filled with ck worlds and suns.


    A portal opened in the air, one essentially asrge as that produced by the king of keys.


    Even before the portal opened fully, the world was already greatly affected.


    A giant m walked out of the portal¡ªyes, walked out of it.


    Cylindrical growths grew out of its interior, like appendages that helped it crawl forward. A face with no mouth and empty sockets for eyes looked out from within.The m''s interior was filled with darkness and chaos. Even given Zhang Lie''s strength, he couldn''t peer into its interior.


    He knew that doing so would cause him to feel a particrly arresting bout of difort. It seemed as though there were countless figures blowing flutes by his ear and whispering words of madness.


    The boulders on the ground, the frost that had umted¡ªall life on the world began to screech shrilly. Tentacles grew out of them, followed by limbs and a massive mouth. The howls apanied the m''s motion; the m distorted all naturalw, even the basest logic, in its vicinity.


    This m was naturally the king of chaos.


    The king of chaos'' strength seemed to have increased even further, considering the fact that he was now able to affect even dead lifeforms.


    A bone-chilling darkness twisted heaven and earth, warping even naturalw. Sun, darkness, fog, and rain swirled around an abyssal wind. Except for the king of keys, everyone bowed down to him.


    Zhang Lie''s expression wasplicated. He had enjoyed chatting with Nightdemon, a clone of the king of chaos, but he had not even the slightest interest in chatting with this giant m.


    With a smooth distortion of naturalw, the king of chaos appeared within the meeting room. His voice seemed to emerge telepathically from the m. "It looks like everyone''s present."


    The mental transmission caused Li Zongming, the sr king, and the ice queen to wince in pain. ws and tentacles grew out of the monstrous lifeforms gestating in the king of evil''s body, but it swallowed them back.


    A weak-willed existence would quickly distort under the corrupting influence of the king of chaos, growing tentacles and bing an illogical madman.


    The sr king''s gaze turned to Zhang Lie. "It looks like the decaying king''s dead."


    "You didn''t believe me?" The king of chaos sent another mental transmission at the sr king, who clutched his head in pain.


    "No, no, I wouldn''t dare." The sr king lowered his head.

 Chapter 1040: A Crystal of Worlds Energy

    <h4>Chapter 1040: A Crystal of World''s Energy</h4>


    The king of chaos sent another transmission. "The decaying king disobeyed our original agreement and attempted tounch a sneak attack on Zhang Lie during the war in order to seize the most valuable spoils of war. Zhang Lie killed him on the spot."


    All the superior kings turned to Zhang Lie and looked at him seriously.


    The sr king asked, "And what of the world of ck rain?"


    "Zhang Lie shall im it as his spoils."


    The ice queen frowned. "He is no superior king. What right has he to deal with the world of ck rain?"


    The king of keys smirked. "It looks like someone disagrees with the king of chaos'' actions?"


    The king of chaos sent another mental transmission. "Zhang Lie performed extremely well in the war, with significant merit from killing the death spirit king and the traitorous blood lord. As the most meritoriousbatant of this war, he naturally has the right of the second-best spoils¡ªlet alone the fact that he was the one who killed the decaying king himself."


    The king of keys remarked with surprise, "King of chaos, it wasn''t your clone who took the lead? It looks as though you''ve been skiving off."


    The king of chaos: "A war of that magnitude is little more than a pleasant holiday outing."


    For a war of mythical proportions, thergest ever in the third realm, to be nothing more than a holiday outing...


    The other superior kings didn''t dare refute the king of chaos'' words. In fact, they took the king of chaos'' promation for granted.


    The war had been a big deal only from an outsider''s perspective. The superior kings were quite certain that either the king of chaos or the king of keys would have been able to deal with the death spirit king themselves.


    In that case, just what was the war for? Was it all a game?


    The ice queen stated, "This man is no superior king. Despite his merit, what right does he have to join our meeting?"


    The sr king added, "Since this is a meeting among superior kings, its participants should naturally be superior kings. Zhang Lie isn''t a superior king!"


    The king of chaos sent out another mental transmission. "I invited him over. Is there an objection?"


    The ice queen and sr king, the main recipients of the transmission, clutched their heads in pain.


    None of the kings objected after that.


    Li Zongming tried to ease the tension. "Zhang Lie performed extremely well during the war, and he was one of the main fighters on our side. We''ll be discussing how to divide the spoils from the war, so having one of the main fighters here will help us understand the details of the war better. Am I correct, king of chaos?"


    The sr king questioned, "But didn''t the king of chaos'' clone participate as well?"


    The king of chaos sent another mental transmission. "I would be happy to send a lengthy,plex mental transmission to exin everything in full detail."


    All the kings present paled and rubbed their temples.


    The sr king hastily replied, "No, king of chaos, don''t! You''re absolutely right that having another person around can help us understand the circumstances of the war better."


    "The king of chaos is truly wise. None of us had considered that problem," the ice queen replied. The sr king and ice queen, at this very moment, looked far more like the best of friends than the worst of enemies.


    A human''s face appeared within the ck fog. The king of ck fogmented, "The king of chaos is truly wise. For a superior king to rte the details of the war like a mere messenger would be tremendously impolite, and it makes sense for a person with lower status to do so instead."


    With another mental transmission, the king of chaos corrected, "Zhang Lie is a distinguished veteran of war. Implying that he is of lower status is an insult."


    The king of ck fog dipped his head. "Apologies. I was mistaken."


    The king of keys added, "Although the king of chaos'' clone didn''t seriously participate in the war, he remains an extremely strongbatant. For Zhang Lie to be able to defeat him in merit is a mark of strength."


    The king of chaos announced, "If there''s nothing else, let''s convene the meeting. King of keys, will you host?"


    The king of keys, in loli form, crisply replied, "I hereby announce the start of the meeting convened among the superior kings. As everyone knows, the three thousand wars have recently been part of a war of tremendous scale. In the end, our alliance seeded in defeating the death spirit king, an ambitious madman who sought to swallow up our realm."


    The sr king sighed. "The death spirit king might have died, but we paid a heavy price to do so¡ªand the three thousand worlds have all suffered."


    The ice queen chuckled coldly. "I recall someone''smander even died on the battlefield, haha, haha!"


    The sr king glowed with radiance. The mes that burned over his body red, as though he were about to explode.


    The king of keys raised a tiny fist. "Don''t you make a fuss during this meeting, or I''ll crush you!"


    Zhang Lie found it very humorous that the king of keys was saying all this with the appearance and voice of a loli, but the sr king and ice queen evidently both took this pronouncement very seriously. If they could sweat, their sweat would have drowned half a small world.


    The king of keys'' words were threatening indeed.


    The king of keys continued, "The sess of the war is due to all the hard work of those gathered here. Zhang Lie, present the spoils of war!"


    Zhang Lie unveiled the cracked crystal he had recovered from the death spirit king''s body.


    The crystal glimmered with multicolored radiance, surrounded by concentrated world''s energy. All the kings present, with the exception of the king of keys and the king of chaos, revealed identical expressions of greed.


    The world''s energy present in the crystal was precious not because of its quantity, but rather its quality.


    All the superior kings present could sense that the world''s energy within the crystal was beyond that of a superior world¡ªor rather, the crystal itself was a treasure beyond that of a superior-grade world.


    The king of keys exined, "This crystal of world''s energy is thergest treasure of this war. As agreed upon, all superior kings can obtain a portion of this treasure, and the kings who made the greatest contribution¡ªI, the Zongming king, and the king of chaos, can obtain another portion each."


    The war merit that each king gained would be dependent on their subordinates.


    "Asid out in our initial treatise, this crystal will be auctioned off among us all, and the profit from the auction split equally among each portion."


    The sr king immediately raised a hand. "There''s no need to discuss things any further, king of keys! We''re familiar with the rules. I''d like to offer three superior worlds'' worth of energy to purchase this treasure!"

 Chapter 1041: Reluctantly

    <h4>Chapter 1041: Reluctantly</h4>


    The ice queen smiled coldly. "Do you really think three superior worlds'' worth of energy is sufficient to purchase this treasure? It''sughable. I''m willing to spend five superior worlds'' worth."


    A human''s face appeared amidst the mass of ck fog. "I offer eight."


    Li Zongming watched on from the side, marveling at the riches each superior king seemed to have. Comparatively, he was poor and impoverished. He had been a little happy about acquiring the world of ck rain, but now...


    The king of keys continued, "Hold on, I''m not finished yet. Let me finish."


    The superior kings immediately suppressed their eagerness. The king of keys continued, "This would ordinarily be how things operate, but don''t forget that we''re all indebted."


    Thinking back to the bet that they had all participated in before the war against the death spirits, the sr me burning over the sr king''s body red up, the ice surrounding the ice queen spread and formed a blizzard, the human face in the mass of ck fog lost its delineation, and the king of evil began to writhe as the monstrosities within its body howled and cried.


    "The total debt incurred is thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy."


    The kings were shocked even though they had been mentally prepared. Thirty superior worlds'' worth! Of the kings present, none but the king of keys and the king of chaos had thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy on hand¡ªit was enough to develop thirty superior worlds!


    The king of keys continued slowly, "I believe that this crystal could well be worth thirty superior worlds. Do you agree?"


    The king of keys turned toward Li Zongming, who seemed very reluctant. "I suppose it''ll do!"


    The other superior kings mentally cursed at Li Zongming. Although the crystal contained only about ten superior worlds'' worth of energy, the quality of that energy was beyondpare.


    The energy went beyond that of an ordinary superior world. A superior world''s energy was rare, but it could be obtained at a cost¡ªbut this energy was priceless. The benefit it could provide to a world was difficult¡ªimpossible¡ªto estimate.


    The king of keys nodded. "If there''s no objection, then the spoils of war shall go to the Zongming king."


    The sr king, ice queen, and king of ck fog all red at Li Zongming, as though they wanted to eat him alive.


    None of them had expected that such a valuable treasure would emerge from the war against the death spirits. It was little wonder that the decaying king had been willing to give up his life for this.


    It was something that could bring the gathered superior kings to the realm of the king of keys and king of chaos.


    The superior kings present deeply regretted participating in the bet, and then being willing to annul their debt for the spoils of the war.


    Although they were under heavy debt, they would have been able to repay it at a cost. The king of keys had already promised to take on half the debt, and they each only had to pay three superior worlds'' worth of energy each.


    However, they were too arrogant to pay that price. As established superior kings of antiquity, they had no intention of providing superior worlds'' energy to a newly ascended superior king¡ªindeed, they had been nning on extracting that energy from him instead.


    None of them expected the spoils of war to be a huge treasure¡ªenergy beyond that of a superior world''s.


    Even more than before, they regretted the bet they had agreed to. The superior kings red at Zhang Lie, the source of their misery. If looks could kill, they''d be dead a hundred times over. It was all this fellow''s fault! He had nned everything from the beginning the moment he proposed fifty-to-one odds.


    Now, however, it was toote for regrets. The superior kings stared at Zhang Lie as though they had just sucked on lemons, their faces twisted with envy.


    The king of keys continued, "Following the original distribution, these superior kings were obligated to pay you three superior worlds'' worth of energy each. In other words, that shall be the price of each portion of the spoils. I have two portions of the spoils, equivalent to six superior worlds'' worth, but also owe the Zongming king fifteen."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but drool at what the eventual payout from the bet would be.


    The king of keys continued, "In other words, I would still owe the Zongming king nine superior worlds'' worth."


    Li Zongming waved a hand. "There''s no need, king of keys. I''m grateful enough that you''re willing to distribute the spoils in this fashion."


    The king of keys smirked. "Are you intending to buy a favor from me, then?"


    Li Zongming hesitated. He did have that intention, but the king of keys didn''t seem interested.


    "Aren''t you being a little arrogant? My favor can''t be bought with just nine superior worlds'' worth of energy." The king of keys, clearly havinge prepared, handed over nine orbs each filled with a concentrated superior world''s worth of energy.


    Li Zongming blinked a few times after iming the orbs. This was an astounding prize¡ªhe had thought himself impoverished just a few moments ago, but he had suddenlye into a fortune.


    He needed some time to process this sudden reversal.


    It was possible that he would be able to catapult to third in terms of overall riches among the superior kings thanks to the spoils of war.


    As they nced at the orbs filled with superior worlds'' energy, the superior kings red at Li Zongming with envy and jealousy.


    The king of keys smirked. "However, if you want to im this crystal for yourself, you''ll still have to talk with the king of chaos. The king of chaos did not participate in the bet and owes you nothing."


    Fortunately, the king of chaos would be a barrier against Li Zongming receiving this reward. Otherwise, the other kings might perish with envy.


    No one expected, however, that the king of chaos would simply respond, "Give me two superior worlds'' worth of energy."


    The kings all whirled toward him in shock.


    The king of keys had indicated that the crystal was worth thirty superior worlds of energy, and as long as the king of chaos could produce twenty-five superior worlds'' worth, he would be able to im it without objection from anyone, not even Li Zongming or Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 1042: A Deserved Reward

    <h4>Chapter 1042: A Deserved Reward</h4>


    As long as the king of chaos provided them with adequatepensation, Li Zongming and Zhang Lie would be unable to refuse the offer.


    Such high-quality world''s energy was so rare that it was difficult to make use of it adequately.


    A superior world''s energy was broadly applicable, both for cultivating monarch-grade lifeforms and for upgrading a superior world¡ªand it could even be used as currency among the superior kings.


    However, the king of chaos was willing to give up his two portions of the spoils for just two superior worlds'' worth of energy, which should have been worth six. To give up those portions for two superior worlds'' worth was essentially to give them up for free; he had just quoted a price for matters of formality.


    The superior kings wondered if they had misinterpreted the king of chaos''s mental transmission.


    The king of chaos replied, "I obtained what I wanted from the war against the death spirits. Treat this as a gift from me to the newly ascended superior king, as well as a reward to Zhang Lie, an excellentbatant."


    No superior king would be so kind and charitable as to give out gifts freely; the king of chaos was doing this for Zhang Lie as a reward for his performance.


    The king of keys smirked. "It looks like you really do value him highly, don''t you?"


    Zhang Lie shivered. Being liked by an unknown creature who hid in a m was nothing to be happy about.


    The king of keys turned to Li Zongming. "Do you object to this transaction, king of Zongming?"


    Li Zongming barely processed what was going on. In a daze, he passed two orbs of a superior world''s energy to the king of chaos, who epted it. The king of keys prompted, "Collect your spoils, will you?"


    Li Zongming broke out of his stupor and happily kept the crystal that all the other kings were eyeing. They red at him jealously, their eyes bloodshot, barely resisting the temptation to tear him to pieces.


    For a newly ascended superior king to obtain such a treasure and seven superior worlds'' worth of energy besides...


    The Zongming king had simultaneously been the weakest and poorest of all the kings present. He was still the weakest, but now, by no means the poorest.


    That crystal of world''s energy was a treasure that none of the other kings could acquire even with all the wealth they had amassed to date.


    They looked at Li Zongming with envy, with jealousy, with grudging eptance, with greed.


    Zhang Lie broke the silence. "Shall we continue speaking of the war? The main participants in the war were the conscripts from the various alien races. I believe that, for responding to the summons of the superior worlds, they deserve rewards and recognition."


    The sr king snorted. "Do you think this is any ce for you to speak? Be grateful that we haven''t tossed you out of here. You''re no superior king, nor even a regr king. What right do you have to address us?"


    All the superior kings besides the king of keys and the king of chaos hated Zhang Lie. The moment they saw his face, they thought back to the fifty-to-one odds he had proposed, and the thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy they owed as debt.


    Most importantly, they thought of the crystal that Li Zongming had just imed, that they would otherwise own a portion of¡ªbefore Zhang Lie stole everything.


    The king of chaos sent out another mental transmission. "We can discuss this suggestion further."


    The king of keys inclined his head. "Since the king of chaos has spoken, we shall discuss this suggestion."


    The ice queen shrugged. "I''vevishly rewarded mymander for his performance in the war. King of Zongming, are you unable to provide such rewards out of your own pocket? Is that why Zhang Lie has raised this matter here?"


    The sr king mocked, "Worry not. Since you''ve spoken at this meeting, we''ll naturally satisfy your request. Come over to the world of zing sun, and we''ll give you any reward you want!"


    The ice queen added, "You were the one who won the greatest merit during the war, but is the Zongming king so stingy and petty as to give you nothing for it? How ridiculous. Come over to the white world¡ªI won''t be as miserly as the king of Zongming."


    Li Zongming steepled his fingers to support his lower jaw. "Ice queen, sr king¡ªplease, spare me some face. I know my son-inw is a desirable asset, but please don''t try to snatch him from me right before my eyes."


    Zhang Lie replied, "His majesty has provided me with sufficientlyvish rewards, and I don''t intend to ally with any other superior king."


    "What a pity," the king of chaosmented.


    The sr king asked, "Then just what is it that you want?"


    "I would like rewards to be issued to all fighters in the war, not just themanders. Many gave up their lives to participate in this war, and countless aliens lie dead on the battlefield, with no one to im even their corpses and bury them in their homnd."


    The sr king was entirely unamused. "Why should we care about those ants?"


    "Our victory came about in no small respect because of those ''ants'' you mention. Each fighter gave their strength and life for our sess¡ª and without what they did, we wouldn''t be standing here today. However, those fighters were left to die in the void, with no one to remember their names. Should we not providepensation to their families? I believe that, now that we''re distributing the spoils of war,that they deserve a part of it too."


    Zhang Lie''s words had no effect on the gathered kings, who had no intention to participate in what they viewed to be others'' business.


    Zhang Lie changed his strategy. "This is for the future development of the three thousand worlds. I''m sure none of you would want to see the various worlds refuse your call when another ambitious madman like the death spirit king arises."


    Except for the king of chaos and Li Zongming, the superior kings stared at Zhang Lie like he was a fool.


    Refusing their calls? Then they would simply destroy their worlds.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Even if they were to respond, they wouldn''t fight wholeheartedly for you."


    The superior kings were still unmoved.


    Zhang Lie added, "From another perspective, you can think of it like growing Chinese chives. You''re not providing these resources for nothing; it''s like an investment that you''ll reap in the future."


    The king of keys couldn''t watch this any longer. "I believe that''s quite enou¡ª"


    Just then, the king of chaos began to p. "Well said," the king of chaos transmitted.


    The king of keys turned to the king of chaos skeptically. "Are you serious, king of chaos?"


    All the superior kings looked toward him.


    The king of chaos transmitted, "Back in the world of ck rain, I promised Zhang Lie that I would reward the fighters in the war."

 Chapter 1043: Attempted Persuasion

    <h4>Chapter 1043: Attempted Persuasion</h4>


    The king of keys replied, "Since the king of chaos has made this suggestion, let''s discuss it in earnest."


    A suggestion from Zhang Lie waspletely different than one from the king of chaos. The king of chaos was a superior king, and the strongest among the superior kings. He boasted a position of extreme importance in the meeting, and any suggestion of his would be treated seriously by the others.


    The sr king replied, "Since this is the king of chaos'' suggestion, let''s discuss the fighters'' rewards."


    The ice queen proposed, "How about we distribute rewards to the fighters who have returned?"


    Zhang Lie hastily brought up, "What about those who died in war?"


    The sr king shrugged. "What value do the dead have?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "This isn''t an issue of value. They died on the battlefield and gave their very lives to defend against the death spirits. Shouldn''t wepensate them for their losses?"


    The sr king looked at him as though he were a fool. "Even if we wanted to, would they be able to im it?"


    "Surely they have families."


    The ice queen interrupted, "That''s quite enough. All forces will suffer losses against the death spirits; it''s only inevitable. Look at the sr king¡ªhis entire force was annihted! And he hasn''t brought anything up."


    The sr king gritted his teeth, the ten suns behind his back glowing with light. Even now, the ice queen was prodding at his weak spots.


    A human''s face appeared amidst the ck fog. "Let''s leave aside the living for now. Surely you don''t expect us to collect the corpses of the dead?"


    The sr king snorted. "There are corpses everywhere, and the battlefield itself has been obliterated. How much manpower would it take to im the dead?"


    The ice queen was indifferent. "They''re just dead ants. We''ll set up an obelisk somewhere in the three thousand worlds and record the names and worlds of the dead. It''s cheap and effective."


    The sr king snapped his fingers. "That''s more like it!"


    "Let''s do that, then," the other superior kings agreed.


    The king of keys nodded. "Since the majority of the superior kings approve, we''ll establish an obelisk for the dead. The living fighters shall be rewarded by each king individually.


    The dead''s names and worlds will be reported and inscribed on the obelisk."


    Zhang Lie sighed. He had tried his best. In the end, he wasn''t a superior king, and he didn''t have the authority to oppose the superior kings'' decisions. Neither did Li Zongming have much authority.


    The king of chaos, in the guise of Nightdemon, had promised to bring the topic up while they were in the world of ck rain, but he hadn''t guaranteed any measure of sess.


    Indeed, the king of chaos had already provided more than sufficient help. If he hadn''t spoken, Zhang Lie would have had no recourse. He held no authority among the kings¡ªit was as though he was a stone statue with a heartbeat. Without the king of chaos making the same suggestion, no matter how good of a speaker he was, the other superior kings would have ignored him.


    And he certainly couldn''t ask the king of chaos to aplish everything for him; there was no reason for the king of chaos to grant him that favor.


    The sr king turned around. "However, I heard that many fighters from the Zongming world returned safe and sound¡ªeighty percent of them, in fact. Will the Zongming king be able to produce so many rewards?"


    The ice queen added, "If you can''t afford to do so, don''t strain yourself. Give me the crystal you bear, and I''d be happy to cover the additional costs."


    The sr king and ice queen smirked at each other. Part of the reason they had pushed to reward only the surviving fighters was that they didn''t have too many of those to begin with, and they could save a great deal of their own resources. Further, they wanted to make life difficult for Li Zongming, whom they knew had many fighters remaining.


    Li Zongming smiled. "There''s no need to worry, sr king, ice queen. I''m able to afford these rewards myself. The fighters worked hard to defend the three thousand worlds, and they deserve something for themselves."


    The king of keys continued, "The final matter for discussion in this meeting is the appearance of two new superior worlds."


    Aha.?Li Zongming and Zhang Lie both had serious expressions on their faces.


    The sr king asked, "What do you n to do with the two superior worlds that have appeared within your jurisdiction?"


    Li Zongming and Zhang Lie had nned out an answer beforehand.


    Li Zongming shrugged. "How else? I''ll simply do what you seniors have done to date."


    The sr king smirked. "As far as I know, you haven''t made any move against them."


    The ice queen''s smile was tinged with frost. "As far as I know, you never made a move even when the two superior worlds evolved. I can''t help but wonder if they have any rtionship to your world."


    Under ordinary circumstances, a superior world was weakest during the process of evolution, just as the Zongming world was.


    An evolving world didn''t receive the protection of a king of the realm, who was still getting used to his powers and couldn''t fight at a higher level.


    Not all evolving superior worlds were as lucky as the Zongming world, to have someone like Zhang Lie stand guard.


    An ordinary superior world had, at most, fighters on the level of a king of arge world.


    It was ridiculously rare that a world that had just evolved into a superior one had abatant like Zhang Lie, who was as strong as a superior king in his own right.


    Li Zongming nodded. "I''m attempting to persuade the two worlds to surrender."


    "To surrender?"


    Li Zongming replied seriously, "As you know, the Zongming world has just recently advanced to a superior world, and it can''tpare to any of your worlds in terms of strength or resources. For me to take down two superior worlds at once is a tall order, and I don''t intend to do so by force."


    The superior kings in attendance were all bbergasted.


    The sr king dug at his ear. "Surely I haven''t heard you incorrectly?"


    Li Zongming replied, "Of course not. I''m attempting to persuade the two worlds to surrender. I intend to have them merge with the Zongming world, allowing it to increase in size and providing me with two subordinates at the level of superior kings."


    The ice queen asked again, "Are you serious?"


    Li Zongming nodded. "I am quite serious."


    "Ahaha, haha!" Except for the king of chaos, all the superior kings began tough.


    The sr king smiled as the ten suns behind him glowed with radiance. ?"Haha, to persuade superior worlds to surrender... How funny!"

 Chapter 1044: Unafraid of Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 1044: Unafraid of Trouble</h4>


    As bright light illuminated the room, the temperature of the meeting room soared.


    "You im to be serious? You''re seriously joking, aren''t you?"


    The ice queen also began tough. A blizzard formed in the meeting room, countering the radiant sunlight that the sr king gave off.


    The king of keys shook his head in exasperation. "King of Zongming, you should know better than anyone that no superior king would be willing to submit to another. You''ve already missed the best opportunity to im these superior worlds!"


    A face appeared within the ck fog. "The best opportunity is while these worlds are evolving.


    Once you miss that opportunity, your sess rate will dip dramatically, and you''ll even have to sacrifice your own troops to reim the worlds."


    Li Zongming replied, "I had no choice. I''m the king of a newly evolved superior world, after all!


    While they were in the process of evolving, Zhang Lie wasn''t around. He was participating in the war against the death spirits, and I have no other fighters at the same level on hand."


    The sr king continued, "So you were foolish enough not to strike, and now intend to persuade them to surrender to you?"


    Li Zongming exined, "If I were to leave the Zongming world, who knows what might happen? My only choice was to wait for Zhang Lie to return before attempting to persuade them to surrender."


    The king of keys smirked. "What do you think your sess rate will be?"


    Li Zongming shrugged. "It won''t matter even if I fail. At worst, I''ll destroy the two worlds."


    The sr king asked, "As a new superior king yourself, are you certain you''ll be able to im both those superior worlds?"


    The other superior kings were very envious of the two superior worlds that had appeared.


    They cursed that the superior worlds hadn''t appeared within their own jurisdictions, but rather that of the Zongming world, a newly evolved superior world. If they had appeared in their own jurisdiction, they wouldn''t have missed the best opportunity to strike like that idiot, Li Zongming.


    Who knew what was going on within what was once xuluo territory? In general, a new superior world only appeared once every few centuries or so, but the three superior worlds that had just appeared¡ªincluding the Zongming world¡ªhad done so within just a few years.


    Furthermore, it had given birth to an entity as frightening as Zhang Lie, who could kill superior kings without being one himself.


    No one had heard of such a frightening existence before this event. How was the xuluo jurisdiction so fertile?


    The ice queen said, "As you said, as a new superior world, you don''t have the resources and strength to do anything. Two superior worlds is too much for you to handle, and you don''t want to incur losses, either. Why don''t you split one with us?"


    Li Zongming shrugged. "Very well. Give me the equivalent of a superior world''s worth of energy."


    The sr king frowned. "Aren''t you being a bit ridiculous?"


    Destroying a superior world would reward a superior world''s worth of energy. The fact that Li Zongming was asking for a superior world''s worth of energy as the price indicated that he had no intention of giving it up.


    The ice queenined, "Don''t you see that we''re helping you? Why are you intending to charge us?"


    A human face appeared amidst the ck fog. "Weren''t you the one who imed to be a superior world that had just newly evolved, without strength or resources, who didn''t want to incur too many losses?"


    The sr king shook his head. "Don''t be too greedy."


    The ice queen warned, "Two newly evolved superior worlds is too much for you. Be wary of indigestion."


    A human face appeared amidst the ck fog. "Since two such worlds appeared in your jurisdiction, it isn''t too much to ask for you to give one up."


    The sr king added, "None of us want to see a new superior world emerge. It''ll affect our ability to govern the three thousand worlds¡ªeach one will suck away a portion of our authority. You certainly don''t want to seerge numbers of superior worlds around, do you?"


    Li Zongming raised his head to gaze at the ceiling. Didn''t he? It was hard to say.


    The superior worlds of antiquity were a huge problem, and adding more to the mix didn''t seem like it would make much of a difference. Furthermore, what if the problems could counteract each other?


    When Li Zongming ascended, there were quite a few superior worlds around who tried to extract his superior world''s energy from him.


    To Li Zongming, he really didn''t care how many superior worlds were around.


    The most important factor was that the two newly evolved superior worlds were both rted to Zhang Lie, and they would be able to form an alliance with the Zongming world to counter the superior worlds of antiquity.


    From a long-term perspective, Li Zongming would much rather preserve the two new superior worlds¡ªand he had promised Zhang Lie to do that, as well.


    The ice queenined, "We''re doing this for the good of the three thousand worlds! We''re sufficient¡ªthere''s no need for more superior worlds around. If dozens of superior worlds were to simultaneously exist, we''d end up mired in conflict like therge worlds of the realm."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "The death spirit king was once a superior king..."


    The sr king red at Zhang Lie, his eyes luminous and golden like the sun."


    The ice queen spread her arms. "As you said, the death spirit king is an exception. His appearance is an ident, one that no one could have imagined¡ªand in the end, we dealt with the death spirit king."


    Li Zongming said, "After a cataclysmic war that dragged in the entirety of the third realm."


    The sr king cried out, "Regardless, I''m sure none of us present want to see the appearance of countless superior worlds!"


    The ice queen''s voice also rose. "Since you can''t guarantee that you can deal with both these newly evolved superior worlds, there doesn''t seem to be a problem with us taking one of them!"


    A face appeared within the ck fog. "You''ve already obtained more than sufficient reward from the meeting¡ªseven superior worlds'' worth of energy, and a crystal of energy beyond that of a superior world! There''s no need to vie for even more rewards."


    The sr king nodded. "Digest your gains first. You''ll surpass us soon enough¡ªit won''t do to be too greedy."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Your tone makes it sound as though what I obtained was from your charity, that I should share my spoils with you."


    The sr king spread his arms. "We''ve never said that, but you can interpret it in that way."


    Li Zongming cried out, "All that I obtained during this meeting, Zhang Lie fought for with his life. What does it have to do with any of you?"


    Furthermore, the two newly evolved superior worlds had a link with Zhang Lie as well. Even if they didn''t, Li Zongming certainly wasn''t going to give in regarding this...

 Chapter 1045: The Kings Uproar

    <h4>Chapter 1045: The Kings'' Uproar</h4>


    Li Zongming turned to the king of keys. "King of keys, if I''m not mistaken, the superior kings brokered an agreement that they shall control all new superior worlds in their jurisdiction, unbeholden to all other kings."


    The king of keys slowly replied, "That is indeed the case. If you permit other superior worlds to aid you¡ª"


    Li Zongming broke him off. "It won''t be necessary, thank you. I do not need aid at the present moment."


    "You won''t even consider it?" the sr king asked, the suns behind him shining with blinding radiance. The scorching sunlight struck Li Zongming''s body.


    "If even a single superior world survives, it could prove quite troublesome." The ice queen''s cold, crystal-like eyes lined with frost.


    "You obtained more than sufficient rewards during the meeting. If you have sufficient time to grow, you''ll surely take a great leap forward¡ªbut you may incur heavy losses before that." ck fog drifted from the king of ck fog''s body toward Li Zongming.


    The gray fluid that made up the king of evil''s body roiled. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, squelching as they tried to escape¡ªbefore they were swallowed back into its interior and digested away.


    Against the four superior kings'' threatening auras, Li Zongming turned to the king of keys. "Is there anything else to discuss?"


    The king of keys shook his head. "That was thest topic of discussion."


    Li Zongming stood up. "In that case, I''ll be leaving first."


    When he arrived in the meeting room, Li Zongming''s aura had been in and unadorned. When he left, however, he demonstrated what he had just prepared.


    The image of a giant beast appeared behind Li Zongming''s back. It had scales in six colors, with a pair of golden wings behind its back. It had a long, narrow mouth, with eight horns on its head like a golden crown. A ring of light glowed behind him as brightly as the sun.


    The sudden aura that Li Zongming disyed swept away the ck fog, golden sunlight, and chilly air in the meeting room.


    Li Zongming harrumphed as he stepped through the air and departed. Zhang Lie followed suit, giving Li Zongming a mental thumbs up.


    The sr king, the ice queen, the king of ck fog, and the king of evil could only watch on as Li Zongming left, unable to do anything against him.


    Their eyes filled with rage and envy. Li Zongming had imed the best spoils from this war¡ªand now he was leaving without showing them any respect.


    The sr king''s golden eyes turned blood-red, and the ice queen''s frosty orbs into congealed blood. The king of ck fog manifested two red eyes, representing his jealousy and anger.


    The ice queen''s chilly aura turned to one of bone-chilling cold. "Arrogant. Arrogant to the extreme. He''spletely ignoring us."


    The sr king cried out with rage and envy, "If he''s already like this now, will there still be a ce in this room for us once he grows stronger?"


    The king of ck fog continued with displeasure, "And not only that, he interrupted the king of keys! It''s clear that he doesn''t respect the king of keys. How are we supposed to bear with such a fellow?"


    Seven superior worlds'' worth of energy, two new superior worlds, the world of ck rain, the crystal of energy beyond that of a superior world¡ªLi Zongming had imed all these spoils, and what had they gotten? Nothing at all.


    The ice queen snorted. "He clearly thinks our mercy makes us pushovers, that he''s on the same level as the rest of us."


    The sr king chuckled coldly. "A dog''s a dog, no matter what. I shall go to war against Li Zongming."


    The sr king''s eyes burned. He repeated, "I''ll take over the Zongming world by force."


    The king of keys asked curiously, "For what reason?"


    Naturally, it was because of greed, because of what Li Zongming had obtained during the meeting. The seven superior worlds'' worth of energy was sufficient reason.


    They had looked down on Li Zongming the moment he became a superior king, but with Zhang Lie around, no one was willing to pay the price of taking him down.


    Even if they did, all they would obtain in exchange was a brief moment of pleasure and one or two superior worlds'' worth of energy. It was an unfavorable trade, and not one that was worthwhile.


    Furthermore, if their own strength were to weaken, the other superior worlds might gang up on them instead.


    Now, however, the situation was different. The spoils that Li Zongming had imed during this meeting would be more than sufficient topensate for any losses incurred, but this certainly wasn''t a viable reason for dering war, ?even if all the superior kings present understood.


    Li Zongming was himself a superior king, and he was an active participant in these meetings.


    To dere war just because he didn''t like Li Zongming, because he wanted to im his possessions¡ªthat wasn''t something the sr king could say explicitly. This wasn''t a valid reason to attack another superior king.


    All the superior kings present were essentially implicitly allied, and for the sr king to be attacking an ally right after the war against the death spirits had concluded, and in particr the ally that had contributed the greatest to the war efforts, was unconscionable.


    Even though everyone knew what the sr king was up to, they couldn''t say it out loud¡ªthere had to be a good reason to invade Li Zongming''s territory, to find an excuse to start a war.


    The sr king cried out, "Up until now, the Zongming king hasn''t struck at the two newly evolved superior worlds. He''s had a few opportunities to do so, but he hasn''t taken advantage of them. Although he ims to be persuading them to surrender, I have reason to believe that he has other motivations in mind."

 Chapter 1046: Straying from Your Path

    <h4>Chapter 1046: Straying from Your Path</h4>


    The ice queen immediately added, "I don''t believe that he''s intending to absorb the two newly evolved superior worlds¡ªbut rather to ally with them!"


    The sr king nodded, crying out, "I believe that Li Zongming is intending to form an alliance with the two newly evolved superior worlds to contest our alliance!"


    The sr king barely believed his own words,


    let alone the other kings. The lolified king of keys almost burst out inughter at the sr king''s rationale. Three newly evolved superior worlds, going against all the rest of them?


    Their reserves from having been superior worlds of antiquity were no joke, and even a dozen new superior wolds would hardly threaten them. The king of keys alone could take on three hundred.


    The ice queen thundered, "How malicious! This fellow''s trying to tear apart the three thousand worlds, destroying the longsting peace and foundation that we''ve built up over millennia."


    The ice queen''s words truly sounded pained, as though she had forgotten that she and the others were the ones that had been continuously invading newly evolved superior worlds and destroying them. Even the war against the death spirits was something they had caused by gross negligence.


    If they had killed the death spirit king initially, this war would never have happened, and countless millions of fighters would never have perished in the void.


    Li Zongming might or might not be evil¡ªbut the superior kings gathered here certainly all were.


    Upon hearing the ice queen''s words, the king of keys lowered his head to hide a smile.


    The sr king continued, "The Zongming king''s actions are in stark disagreement with our philosophy, and he''s destroying the peace of the three thousand worlds. As the governors of this realm, we can''t ignore his actions. That''s why I propose that we wage war against his world¡ªwe have to destroy all these newly evolved superior worlds."


    The king of chaos suggested, "Perhaps the king of Zongming merely hasn''t had time to deal with these new worlds."


    The sr king waved a hand. "King of chaos, please don''t try to defend the Zongming king. Fellows like him have to be eradicated at any cost."


    What shone amidst the sr king''s eyes wasn''t the light of justice, but of endless greed.


    The ice queen pped a hand on the table. "I agree with your motion. Count me in."


    The king of ck fog said, "I can''t stand him either. I don''t want to see the Zongming king in our next meeting. Count me in as well."


    The gray fluid bubbled. The king of evil motioned agreement with the n.


    The sr king''s eyes red with greed, with malice and vice. "King of chaos, I know you''re quite interested in that fellow called Zhang Lie, but we have a problem with him as well!


    That damnable fellow hid his strength and tricked us all before the start of the war against the death spirits. We suffered a great deal of losses as a result, and it''s time to do something about it."


    The king of chaos transmitted, "I won''t take part, but by all means, go have fun. I shall take a neutral stance, helping neither side. If you fail, don''te begging me for help."


    The sr king smirked. Fail? That was impossible! The sr king, the ice queen, the king of ck fog, and the king of evil¡ªwith these four superior kings working together, how could they ever be defeated?


    The sr king certainly couldn''t fathom such an oue. If he were to suffer an attack from a group of superior kings, he''d be kneeling on the floor and begging for mercy.


    The sr king turned to the king of keys. "What say you, king of keys?"


    The king of keys seemed to be contemting the idea of joining the alliance.


    The sr king wheedled, "King of keys, you''ve lost nine superior worlds'' worth of energy, too!"


    The ice queen nodded firmly. "Perhaps it might mean little to you, king of keys, but aren''t you enraged that you were tricked by Zhang Lie?"


    The king of keys thought for a moment. "I won''t participate directly, but I can send a helper."


    With the king of keys'' support, the sr king, the ice queen, the king of ck fog, and the king of evil were all very excited.


    The ten suns behind the sr king shone with light, the blizzard around the ice queen red, and the ck fog that constituted the king of ck fog roiled.


    The fluid that made up the king of evil''s body roiled. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, crying out shrilly. Much of these creatures were absorbed back into the king of evil''s main body.


    With the king of keys'' support, the kings were much more likely to seed. At the very least, there would be yet anotherbatant on the level of a superior king working with them.


    Next, they would have to make their own arrangements.


    The sr king pledged, "I''ll take responsibility for one of the newly evolved superior worlds."


    The ice queen followed suit. "I''ll take the other."


    A human face appeared in the ck fog, opening its mouth and stating, "I''ll send out a clone to deal with the Zongming world."


    The king of evil likewise sent out a mental transmission iming he would dispatch a clone to deal with the world of ck rain.


    The four superior kings seemed to be nning to divide up their spoils, rather than going against the Zongming world.


    The sr king reminded them, "Don''t forget that Zhang Lie will still be a problem."


    The four superior kings all nced at each other seriously.


    He was someone who had participated in killing the death spirit king. Although the fight hadrgely been orchestrated by the king of chaos'' clone, the fact that he could take part in such a battle implied that he was at least their equal in strength.


    The king of keys swung his short, loli-like legs with a smile. "How about I have someone take care of him?"


    Upon hearing that the king of keys was volunteering for such a task, the four kings were delighted.


    The sr king cried out in surprise, "If the king of keys is willing to strike, we''ll surely seed!"


    The ice queen nodded. "This is certainly the best scenario."


    After they had a short discussion about the details of the n, the four superior kings each prepared for the invasion individually.


    The king of keys and king of chaos stayed behind. The king of keys asked, "Is something the matter?"


    The king of chaos countered, "Is it fun?"


    This time, rather than a mental transmission, the king of chaos used his own voice. The voice sounded like the deepest whispers from the abyss, like abination of chaos and darkness. The tone alone would be able to drive any ordinary person mad¡ªeven a superior king.


    "I think it''s interesting," the king of keys replied.


    The king of chaos sounded disappointed. "You''re straying from your path."

 Chapter 1047: The King of Chaos Visit

    <h4>Chapter 1047: The King of Chaos'' Visit</h4>


    The king of keys asked, "Are you unhappy?"


    The king of chaos shook his head. "You should know what I''m talking about."


    The king of keys asked, "Aren''t you tempted?"


    The king of chaos replied, "Do you think I should be?"


    The king of keys shook his head. "If you did, you wouldn''t be that strongest king we all admire."


    "You''ve gone down the wrong path."


    The king of keys frowned. "What''s wrong with it? Doesn''t it make me more like an ordinary lifeform, greedy as can be?"


    "And yet you aren''t a lifeform."


    The king of keys countered, "What is a lifeform, then?"


    The king of chaos replied, "You were nning this from the very beginning, when you epted the bet."


    The king of keys shook his head. "The Zongming world did very well, and I''m simply going with the flow."


    The king of chaos replied, "You gave a great deal of superior world''s energy to the Zongming king in order to stoke the mes of this feud. All the parties participating in it will suffer some degree of loss¡ªand when you betray them all at the very end, you''ll be the overall winner of this conflict."


    The king of keys smiled. "I have to thank you for your help. You allowed Zhang Lie to im such a precious treasure¡ªyou must have been anticipating something like this too, surely."


    The king of chaos replied, "I''m not as twisted as you are."


    The king of keysughed. "You''re the one who distorted the three thousand worlds in the first ce. Who do you think it was?that shattered these worlds? And you im not to be twisted¡ªha!"


    The king of chaos was unruffled. "I''m just being myself. That''s how I was in the past, and how I''ll be in the future.


    As I stated in the meeting, this is a present for Zhang Lie. I certainly take responsibility for the state of the three thousand worlds¡ªbut so what?"


    It was hardly a crime to shatter the worlds¡ªor rather, no one would dare to call the king of chaos out on it.


    "You never cared for the treasure these other idiots are bickering with each other for like clowns. You''re ying the long game."


    The king of chaos cleanly distinguished the king of keys from the other superior kings.


    The king of keys smirked. "You understand me very well, king of chaos. What do I care for, then?"


    The king of chaos hypothesized, "Pretending to be greedy in an attempt to seize everything, just like what you think a living being should be like. Is it interesting?"


    The image of the lolified king of keys slowly crumbled away, leaving behind an innocent, artless smile. "I want to be a real living being, and this is the first step toward it."


    "But you aren''t a living being."


    The king of keys asked, "How can you be so certain?"


    "Because I''m standing within the door."


    "But you''re not me!"


    "I''m ahead of you."


    "But you''re not me!"


    The king of chaos shook his head in exasperation. "You shouldn''t be developing such strong feelings toward emting life.


    Indeed, emting life to a certain extent will help you push past the doorframe, but to truly walk within, you''ll have to grow out of, rather than fall deeper into, this ill-conceived notion."


    If Zhang Lie were here, he would understand the king of chaos'' words immediately. Emtion could only get the king of keys so far¡ªin the end, he would have to manifest the root of his being in order to grow further.


    The king of keys replied seriously, "You might be right, but I may not be wrong."


    The king of chaos seemed to understand the king of keys'' thoughts.


    "You''re still emting living beings¡ªtheir envy, their suspicions."


    The king of keys countered, "Why don''t you think that these are my true thoughts?"


    The king of chaos sighed. "Because you''re pretending to be a living being, you think that I''m trying to make it hard for others to catch up to me, but you''re mistaken. It''s boring being alone at the top, and I''d love to see someone else make it here. Unfortunately, I''m already beyond what this realm can support, beyond what you''re chasing after. My life is simply too difficult..."


    The king of keys replied seriously, "I''ll continue taking steps forward. Sooner orter, I''ll catch up to you."


    The king of chaos replied, "It''s rare that such interesting life has spawned. Don''t get too cocky and lose to them."


    The king of keysughed. "What can they do?"


    They were nothing but a group of lower-ss lifeforms. Could theypare to his might? The king of keysughed. Even if he were to handicap himself, he couldn''t conceive of anyone but the king of chaos defeating him.


    The king of chaos shook his head. "You seem to be neglecting one particr person."


    "Who?"


    "Zhang Lie!"


    "You really like thatd, don''t you?"


    "You''ll see why..."


    "I''m looking forward to it."


    The projection of the lolified king of keys shattered into starlight, and he vanished through a dimensional portal.


    The king of chaos sighed. His own projection split down the middle like parchment being torn, leaving nothing behind in this special world.


    Back in the dimensional wormhole leading back to the Zongming world, Zhang Lie gave Li Zongming a thumbs up. "Excellent work. Your departure was very strong."


    Li Zongming sighed. "It was exhrating in the heat of the moment, but I''m worried those superior kings won''t give up."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We can deal with whatever tricks they try to pull against us. There''s no need to worry."


    Li Zongming tossed the crystal of the world''s energy to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie widened his eyes. The crystal was something that even the superior kings of antiquity eyed greedily, and Zhang Lie hastily caught it. "What are you doing?"


    "This is for you."


    "What?!"


    Li Zongming replied, "You were the one who killed the death spirit king. By right, it should belong to you."


    Zhang Lie didn''t ept the gift immediately. "This is a priceless treasure to you, and it might well allow you and the Zongming world to grow much stronger."


    Li Zongming smiled. "I already obtained a lot during that meeting."


    Zhang Lie, for once, was at a loss for words. Ultimately, he epted the treasure.


    Potion #5, for disaster limit fragments, would needrge quantities of a superior world''s energy. Zhang Lie thought that it would take him quite some time to gather enough, but here it was.


    This radiant gemstone possessed ten portions of world''s energy beyond that of a superior world. If it were used as an ingredient, how strong would the resulting Potions #5 be?


    As the two of them emerged from the dimensional wormhole, Li Zongming''s face suddenly changed.


    He could sense a particrly strong auraing from within the Zongming world, one on the level of a superior king. Even more astoundingly, it came from his pce.


    Zhang Lie''s expression likewise changed¡ªthough unlike Li Zongming''s befuddlement, his was more of surprise. He knew just whose aura this was.


    Li Zongming''s face turned serious. "Let''s go have a look."


    Within Li Zongming''s pce was a gorgeous beauty wearing a long ck dress, with golden-blonde hair, red eyes, and a fan covering the rest of her face. She was enjoying Li Zongming''s tea.


    The girl raised her head. "You guys arrivedter than I expected. I had a few cups of tea by now."


    Li Zongming was very surprised upon seeing the young woman, whereas Zhang Lie seemed to have expected her.


    Li Zongming asked, "King of chaos, haven''t we just seen each other? May I ask why you''vee?"

 Chapter 1048: Preparing for Another War

    <h4>Chapter 1048: Preparing for Another War</h4>


    The young woman in a ck dress was none other than a clone of the king of chaos.


    "You couldn''t have forgotten something, could you?" Li Zongming asked.


    Zhang Lie replied, "I don''t think the king of chaos could have left anything behind in the Zongming world..."


    Li Zongming''s face was alert, as though he were facing a deadly enemy. He had gained quite a few treasures during the meeting just now.


    The young woman smiled. "Rx, I''m not here to snatch your treasures. I promised them to you, and I intend to keep my promises¡ªand it''s not as though I have a shortage of superior world''s energy myself."


    Li Zongming asked again, "Your Majesty, could you rify why you''vee?"


    The young woman shrugged. "What''s wrong about my being here? There aren''t anybatants with the strength of a superior king around, only a beast at that level.


    As long as I don''t make a big fuss and sneak in, it''s easy for me to go undetected."


    Zhang Lie''s face sank. Indeed, Gold Comet wouldn''t be enough protection against any enemies. If the young woman in ck had intended to do anything bad¡ªto attack Li Qianlin, for instance¡ªGold Comet wouldn''t have noticed.


    The young woman clearly noticed what Zhang Lie was thinking. "Don''t worry. The beast isn''t weak¡ªI''m just much stronger. I wasn''t the one who called myself the strongest king, it was the rest of them who did."


    Indeed, it couldn''t be helped.


    "None of the other superior kings could easily sneak in, and neither would they be able to aplish anything much in the meantime. Even I have to be cautious not to get too close to that beast. To be honest, even despite my experience, I''ve never seen a beast with the strength of a superior king. That beast''s intuition is particrly strong, and I was almost spotted myself. Are you selling it?"


    Despite being a clone of the king of chaos, it felt like each clone was an independent entity, with its own personality and behavior.


    "I''m afraid not."


    "What a pity," the young woman in ck sighed.


    Li Zongming''s brows furrowed deeper. "King of chaos, please don''t avoid my questions. Why have youe? It''s surely not to consume my tea, is it?"


    The young woman pointed at her head. "I don''t mean to obfuscate my intent. It''s just that there''s an ongoing meeting I''m part of whose oue could affect this discussion."


    Zhang Lie was bbergasted. "A meeting among the clones?"


    The young woman in ck turned to him. "Why would you think we clones need to have meetings?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "If not among yourselves, then whom is it with?"


    The young woman rolled her eyes. "I''m speaking of the superior kings'' meeting."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Are you joking?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We just came back from the meeting."


    The young woman shrugged. "The meeting kept going without you."


    Li Zongming and Zhang Lie weren''t surprised; they seemed to have guessed that it would happen.


    "So we''ve been ostracized?"


    The young woman rified, "In fact, the meeting has much to do with the two of you."


    Li Zongming chuckled coldly. "It looks like you don''te bearing good intentions, then."


    The young woman raised her hands. "Please, I''m not part of ''you''. I intend to remain neutral, or I wouldn''t have shown up here."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Do you have something to tell us, king of chaos?"


    The young woman nodded. "I came here to inform you of the proceedings of the meeting so you aren''t caught unawares. The sr king, the ice queen, the king of ck fog, and the king of evil intend on invading your world."


    "An invasion!"


    "That''s right. This invasion will target not just the Zongming world, but also the other two newly evolved superior worlds under your jurisdiction."


    Li Zongming and Zhang Lie were expressionless.


    The young woman frowned. "You don''t believe me?"


    Li Zongming shook his head. "Of course I believe you, Your Majesty. Zhang Lie and I have been prepared for this since the beginning, and we''re not surprised that they''ll make a move. I''m simply curious as to your presence here¡ªwhy help us?"


    The young woman shrugged. "I don''t like what they''re doing."


    "Thank you for the warning, king of chaos."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Who was so unlucky as to rouse your ire, Your Majesty?"


    "The meddler."


    "Who...?"


    "You''ve seen him before."


    The young woman smiled mysteriously.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Your Majesty, perhaps I''m slow, but I can''t guess who you''re talking about."


    "The mastermind. You''ll see soon enough."


    Zhang Lie pursed his lips. Would it kill the king of chaos to be less mysterious?


    "Zhang Lie, I''m very interested in you. Don''t diee over to the world of primordial chaos at any time. I''ll wee you."


    The young woman smiled and turned around. If not for the fact that Zhang Lie had seen this clone''s true form, he really might have thought of her as a young woman.


    Zhang Lie rejected the offer. "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I''m doing well enough."


    "I knew you''d say that. Well, I''ll be off now. See you." The young woman waved a hand and left. Neither Zhang Lie nor Li Zongming stopped¡ªor rather, dared to stop¡ªthe king of chaos'' clone. Even the king of chaos'' clones were stronger than ordinary superior kings.


    Li Zongming turned to Zhang Lie. "What do you think of the situation?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We obtained quite a lot of treasures recently, and it''s only natural that the other superior kings would be envious of our spoils. Since they''re about to invade us, we have to prepare ourselves."


    "How?" Li Zongming asked.


    Zhang Lie thought about the situation. "We need to summon the two other new superior kings and have a discussion among us all."


    Li Zongming agreed. "Very well. I''ll leave this to you, then¡ªyou have deep connections to both worlds.


    I intend to send you to both worlds as the envoy of the Zongming world to invite their kings over here to discuss how to resolve the situation."


    Zhang Lie asked, "And what about you?"


    Li Zongming sighed. "I''ll be preparing to infuse the seven superior worlds'' worth of energy into the Zongming world."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are you just throwing me all the work, then?"


    Li Zongming asked, "Is that a problem? You know these worlds far better than I do, and you certainly don''t want to see them destroyed."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "They really aren''t giving us any time to rx, are they?"


    Zhang Lie felt like he hadn''t had a chance to rest in ages.


    Li Zongming patted him. "The strong always have plenty of work on their te."


    Zhang Lie added, "Since you''re preparing for war, you might as well help me with one thing."


    "What thing?" Li Zongming asked.

 Chapter 1049: Energy Reserves

    <h4>Chapter 1049: Energy Reserves</h4>


    Zhang Lie exined, "I brought back the death spirits'' battleships from the war, and they''re in the superior draconian world right now."


    Li Zongming''s eyes widened. "Something good, then?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Extremely powerful artifacts, a dozen or so generations ahead of what the three thousand worlds should have been able toe up with. Even ten thousand years might not be enough."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but be impressed with the death spirit king again for the technological marvel that his battleships were.


    The death spirit king was ruinously ambitious, it was true¡ªbut he was also an unparalleled genius, who had devised incredibly powerful weaponry even in this technologically locked realm.


    The death spirit king had prematurely tried to devour the three thousand worlds. If he had focused on developing his weaponry, he would easily be able to surpass the other superior worlds.


    "Each of those battleships had the fighting ability of a superior king, and the strongest even went beyond that."


    Li Zongming''s eyes widened. "Why didn''t you bring such treasures here?"


    Thebat ability of a superior king... if Li Zongming had ess to such technology, the Zongming world wouldn''t have to fear any invasion.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It is a treasure, but an iplete one. None of the battleships survived intact.


    Li Zongming understood immediately. "That was the only way you could get them back under the eyes of the other forces, wasn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "The draconian world ascended first into arge world, then a superior one, in a few years. It doesn''t have the resources or reserves to do anything with the battleships¡ªno skilled researchers of any sort."


    Li Zongming gave him a thumbs up. "You managed to aplish all that in a few years? It took us dozens of generations!"


    .


    Zhang Lieughed. "That''s why I''d like to borrow some of your skilled researchers."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Will the research be ready for the uing invasion?"


    Zhang Lie sighed, shaking his head. "It''ll be very difficult."


    Li Zongming suggested, "I can loan you the people, but you''ll have to conduct the research in the Zongming world."


    "I''m afraid that''s not possible." Zhang Lie shook his head.


    Li Zongming cried out, "I''ve even given you my daughter! I don''t want the spoils of war¡ªI just want to be able to witness the research myself."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "It wouldn''t have been a problem for me to just give you a few ruined battleships, but something happened that makes me believe that performing the research in the draconian world will be best."


    Li Zongming frowned. "And just what might that be, to make the draconian world a superior option?"


    The draconian world was a newly evolved superior world, one that had jumped from a medium-sized world to a superior one in just a few years. The resources it had were roughly equivalent to those of arge world.


    On the other hand, the Zongming world had been a peakrge world before its ascension. It couldn''tpare to the superior worlds of antiquity, but it certainly was a respectable superior world in its own right.


    Li Zongming asked, "How can the draconian world be a better ce for research than the Zongming world?"


    Li Zongming certainly couldn''t think of a reason why. The draconian world was inferior in terms of resources and reserves¡ªhow could the Zongming world notpare favorably in all respects?


    The Zongming world was worse than the superior worlds of antiquity, it was true¡ªbut to the newly evolved draconian world? When had the Zongming world fallen so far behind?


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "The Zongming world is better in almost every respect, but the draconian world has some resources the Zongming world does not."


    Li Zongming asked, "What resources?"


    "Energy!" Zhang Lie handed Li Zongming a chunk of ck metal.


    Li Zongming initially thought the metal wholly unremarkable, but he quickly found something unusual about it.


    The ck metal possessed an inordinate amount of energy that resulted from mixing what seemed like a random, eclectic mix of elements together. If it were to explode, it would release a huge quantity of energy.


    Zhang Lie replied, "The most crucial aspect of the death spirits'' battleships is their energy source. We''re unable to replicate what the death spirits used, so we found an appropriate substitute."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Are you joking with me?"


    "It looks like you don''t believe me..."


    Li Zongming sighed. "Who would be willing to believe that a newly evolved superior world could produce such a ridiculous resource? If others were to find out about this, those greedy superior worlds of antiquity will surely strike, as will the medium-sized andrge worlds all around the superior draconian world."


    In some sense, the ck metal was worth more than a superior world''s energy.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I was very shocked to hear about this news. The appearance of the ck metal is an ident, one that''s not reproducible."


    Li Zongming frowned. "You intend on developing this ck metal as a source of fuel for the death spirits'' battleships?"


    "Indeed."


    Li Zongming finally understood. "That''s why you believe it would be more appropriate to perform the research on the draconian world."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you disagree?"


    Li Zongming shook his head. "No, it''s a rational idea, but you have to be aware of how important the researchers you''re asking for are to me. It won''t be possible for me to provide them to the draconian world directly."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Not even if we share the benefits?"


    Li Zongming rolled his eyes. "I''m not working with you alone."


    Zhang Lie understood what he was getting at. "You don''t trust the superior king of the draconian world, the draconian sage?"


    Li Zongming nodded. "I trust you, but not to the extent that I would blindly make such an important decision."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Would you be willing to have a meeting with the draconian sage, then?"


    Li Zongming waved his hand. "I won''t be able to trust them fully after just a single meeting. You know how long it usually takes worlds to build up trust, don''t you? It''s very difficult for kings of the realm to trust each other, because they have to put their worlds first. If I provide these specialists and the other party refuses to share the research with me, or shares wed or iplete research instead, what will I do?"


    Trust was built up on mutual cooperation. Li Zongming wouldn''t trust a superior king he had never met, even with Zhang Lie''s guarantee. If his trust were misced, he wasn''t the only one who would suffer¡ªthe millions of lifeforms in the Zongming world all would. He would be willing to work directly with Zhang Lie, but he had to be much more careful about working with other superior kings.

 Chapter 1050: A Planned Surprise

    <h4>Chapter 1050: A nned Surprise</h4>


    Li Zongming continued, "You mentioned that the draconian world started out as a medium-sized world a few years ago, didn''t you?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you have a proposal?"


    Li Zongming replied, "Let''s perform a transaction."


    "Tell me more."


    The draconian world was tethered to the human race, and Zhang Lie was rather invested in it.


    Li Zongming exined, "Since the draconian world doesn''t have any reserves or manpower, I''ll provide it to the draconian world."


    Zhang Lie asked, "And what will the draconian world provide?"


    Li Zongming replied, "The Zongming world''s manpower will help the draconian world cultivate their own manpower. The draconian world will provide a fraction of the death spirits'' battleships and the ck metal to power them."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I can''t make this decision myself. I''ll have to discuss it with the draconian sage."


    Li Zongming shrugged. "At any rate, you''ll have to bring the death spirits'' battleships over, or I won''t know what sort of manpower you need."


    Zhang Lie returned to the draconian world. The moment he appeared, the draconian sage sensed him and teleported to his side. "How did the meeting go?"


    "I have two pieces of information, one good and one bad. Which would you like to hear first?"


    The draconian sage sighed. "This is an old saying. Can''t you change it up?"


    Zhang Lie picked for the draconian sage. "The good news is that we received a lot of spoils during the superior kings'' meeting."


    The draconian sage smiled. "What spoils? Just what happened during the meeting? I''m very curious."


    "Listen to the bad news first."


    "Very well."


    Zhang Lie continued, "The bad news is that the superior kings of antiquity are going to be invading us shortly."


    The draconian sage looked as though he had suddenly petrified. After a momentary shock, he cursed. His curiosity about the proceedings of the meeting vanished entirely. He asked, "What''s going on?"


    Zhang Lie certainly wasn''t going to inform him that it was precisely theirvish spoils that had provoked retaliation from the other kings.


    After all, the draconian world, Zongming world, and scaleman world had to swiftly form an alliance against the other superior kings


    If the draconian sage and scaleman king were to find out about the cause of the war, the alliance would fracture even before it was formed. This wouldn''t be beneficial for the uing war.


    "The superior worlds of antiquity were eyeing the two newly evolved superior worlds. The Zongming world, as a new superior world itself, was unable to protect the draconian world and the scaleman world during the meeting. For that, the Zongming king expresses his deepest apologies."


    Although the Zongming world''s rewards were what sparked the conflict, the underlying reason was that the superior kings of antiquity looked down on these young upstarts.


    The draconian sage asked, "What is the Zongming king nning?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "His intention, and mine, is to have a discussion with all three superior kings."


    "Where?" the draconian sage asked.


    He was well aware of how malicious the superior worlds of antiquity were, thanks to Zhang Lie''s recounting of events. The moment he heard that they were approaching, he readied himself to fight back.


    Even if he were to surrender, the superior worlds of antiquity would likely still destroy his world to seize the superior world''s energy it contained. That had been their perennial goal, after all.


    "The meeting will be held in the Zongming world."


    The draconian sage nodded. "Very well. I will participate."


    "Furthermore," Zhang Lie continued, "the Zongming king is interested in a trade."


    "A trade?"


    "Regarding the ck metal and the death spirits'' battleships."


    "You told the Zongming king about this?" the draconian sage asked.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I did. The Zongming king will send his men over to help with the research¡ªand help the draconian world cultivate such manpower of its own. In exchange, he would like the draconian world to provide a certain quantity of ck metal, as well as a portion of the death spirits'' battleships for his own research."


    The draconian sage suggested, "I''ll leave you to make the decision on your own. You were the one who brought the death spirits'' battleships back, after all, and you discovered the ck metal as well."


    Zhang Lie replied, "But the ck metal is ultimately a resource that belongs to the draconian world. How much of the ck metal are you willing to provide?"


    The draconian sage shook his head. "I don''t know enough to say. I''ll discuss and negotiate with the Zongming king when the timees."


    The draconian sage wasn''t particrly worried about the uing invasion.


    For one, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were around. They would be able to take down even the strongest of foes, even if those foes were the superior worlds of antiquity.


    After the chat with the draconian sage, Zhang Lie headed straight for Team Zenith.


    The first person he saw was Yang Ze. He shouted, "Yang Ze, call everyone from Team Zenith over!"


    "What''s the matter, Captain?"


    "It''s finally your time to shine."


    Yang Ze quickly gathered everyone¡ªalong with Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang, who showed up as uninvited guests. Zhang Lie grumbled at their presence. "What are all of you doing here?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied excitedly, "Brother, there must be something up if you''re gathering the members of Team Zenith. Of course I''de and have a look!"


    Zhang Hanxiang''s strength had grown tremendously after consuming Potion #4, and she was hoping to have a chance to test out just how strong she was for herself.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s nothing major. The superior worlds of antiquity areunching an invasion against us."


    The members of Team Zenith, Hong Xi, and Zhang Hanxiang eximed in surprise. "You call that ''nothing major''?" If that wasn''t major, what was?


    "The reason I had all of you stay behind during the war against the death spirits is because I was waiting for this opportunity to give the superior worlds of antiquity a big surprise.


    The members of Team Zenith were very excited to have an opportunity to demonstrate their strength, one that they had been waiting for for far too long.


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "We''ll do as youmand, Captain!"


    "There''s nothing much for the moment. We''ll wait until the draconian sage and the other superior king head to the Zongming world, discuss our ns for the invasion, and then decide on what you''ll do ordingly.


    "I came to inform you to get ready for the uing invasion."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded seriously. This was their first time facing off against a superior world, and they had to be careful.


    "All of you will follow the draconian sage to the Zongming world. I need to head to the scaleman world."


    After bidding farewell to the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Lie left the draconian world and returned to the Zongming world once more...

 Chapter 1051: The Former Ninth Prince

    <h4>Chapter 1051: The Former Ninth Prince</h4>


    As the Zongming world''s energy continued to increase, rainbow-colored lights appeared in the sky.


    Zhang Lie expected that Li Zongming was currently infusing the seven superior worlds'' worth of energy into the Zongming world, and chose not to disturb him. He left on the disaster-grade dragon''s back and headed to the scaleman world.


    Large changes had urred to the scaleman world, the most major of which was its expansion in size. The disaster-grade dragon found itself barred by an alien.


    The dragon howled. Zhang Lie walked out of the pce to see the alien stopping the dragon with a raised eyebrow. The alien cried out in shock, "Master?"


    The alien was none other than the former crown prince of the scalemen.


    The former crown prince called out, "Master, why didn''t you inform us of your return? His majesty has been thinking of you for quite some time!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I just returned."


    The former crown prince continued, "I was wondering just who was so arrogant as to¡ªno, no, I mean, who would be riding on such a magnificent beast. Of course it had to be none other than you, Master!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Long time no see, Crown Prince. I''m here with urgent business for your king."


    The former crown prince didn''t mind that Zhang Lie had addressed him as the crown prince; after all, he knew Zhang Lie''sbat abilities very well, and how important Zhang Lie was to his ninth brother. Even if Zhang Lie were to point at him and call him a dog, the crown prince could hardly express his displeasure.


    "Is it rted to our world''s ascension into a superior world?"


    "Yes, but also no."


    The former crown prince smiled. "Master, your words are as abstruse as ever."


    "I have urgent business to discuss with the king. Please guide me there, Crown Prince."


    The former crown prince smiled. "Ah, I apologize. I was simply too happy to see you again, Master. Please, follow me."


    The former crown prince led the way as he exined, "His majesty has been dealing with all sorts of matters after the evolution of the world, and he''s been familiarizing himself with the environment. It''s a particrly tiring job, and he wasn''t able to sense your return on ount of his inexperience. Please don''t me him, Master."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "It''s no issue at all. This is perfectly reasonable."


    The former crown prince continued, "It''s been a while since youst visited, Master."


    "Is that so?"


    The former crown prince nodded. "I haven''t seen you for a long time."


    "Is that so?"


    "I even have a child now."


    "Congrattions!"


    Zhang Lie''s responses were perfunctory; he didn''t care much about the former crown prince''s conversation¡ªor rather, he waspletely uninterested in the former crown prince. Zhang Lie''s thoughts were entirely on the imminent war.


    "May I show you my child, Master?"


    "If I''m free."


    The former crown prince''s eyes were filled with hope. "Would you be willing to give my child a few pointers?"


    Zhang Lie''s tremendous sess with the weak ninth prince was proof enough of his capabilities, and the former crown prince was well aware of them. If his own child could benefit from Zhang Lie''s teachings...


    As a father, the former crown prince truly wanted the best for his child.


    "If I''m free." Zhang Lie didn''t have the heart to refuse the former crown prince''s fervent hope for his son directly.


    The former crown prince quickly showed him to the pce, where he informed the guard, "Please send word that the grandmaster of the scaleman kingdom is here with me."


    The guard made a face. "Your Highness, his majesty has just gone to sleep. If he were to be awakened now..."


    The former crown prince shook his head. "His majesty won''t me you at all¡ªrather, he''d be full of smiles that the grandmaster is here."


    The guard scrutinized Zhang Lie carefully, but hesitated.


    It was clear that he had been newly recruited if he were unaware of Zhang Lie, never having learned of him or met him before, and he didn''t know just how important Zhang Lie was to the scaleman world.


    The former crown prince frowned. "You don''t believe me?"


    The thought of the imminent war made Zhang Lie brusque and curt. He didn''t want to waste time with this pointless issue of formality.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward. "Let me in."


    The former crown prince held him back. "Grandmaster! This is the royal pce¡ª"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I fought here more than once. The number of people I killed in this pce, why, their blood could form a river."


    The guard looked at him strangely. Just who was this man, to make such ridiculous boasts here within the royal pce? Wasn''t he afraid of being called out?


    Even so, the former crown prince didn''t say anything. He was tacitly agreeing with Zhang Lie''s ims.


    The guard didn''t know what to think. Either he really had done so, or he would face no repercussions upon saying so. In either case, he wasn''t someone the guard could handle.


    Despite the fact that he hadn''t moved, the guard''s forehead was beading with sweat.


    The former crown prince urged, "Haven''t you heard the grandmaster? If you wake his majesty up, you might be med, but if you make this grandmaster act, you''ll surely be med!"


    Upon hearing that even the former crown prince was addressing the man as "grandmaster", the guard understood that this man had to be so far beyond him in status that he had never heard of or seen him.


    He hurriedly headed into the king of the realm''s chambers to send word to the king, who teleported over in his pajamas.


    The king cried out with excitement, "Master, are you here to see me?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Better that you get dressed first."


    The kingughed. "I knew you would appear after the scaleman world evolved! I''ll get dressed immediately. Please don''t leave, Master. I want to show you around this new world."


    The king teleported back into his chambers. The guard goggled at the sight¡ªthis was the first time he had seen his king, who had achieved a grand deed none before him had ever done, reveal such a childlike expression.


    "Alright, Master, let''s go!"


    The king got dressed ridiculously quickly, perhaps the fastest he had ever done so in his life.


    Zhang Lie nodded. The king and Zhang Lie flew through the air, leaving the former crown prince behind. The guard asked, "Your Highness, just who is this grandmaster?"


    "He''s deeply connected to his majesty. Without his appearance, his majesty likely wouldn''t have imed the throne."


    The former crown prince no longer cared to be king, nor that he had been a serious contender before Zhang Lie''s interference. If Zhang Lie had never appeared, the king of the scaleman world might well be an alien puppet...

 Chapter 1052: A Wealth of Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 1052: A Wealth of Knowledge</h4>


    The guard sucked in a deep breath. "You mean that the grandmaster was responsible for putting his majesty on the throne?"


    The former crown prince nodded. "You can interpret it that way."


    The guard asked, "Why have I never heard of this man, Your Highness?"


    The former crown prince smiled. "You must have recently been selected as a guard. You don''t look like a scaleman."


    The guard replied honestly, "Yes, Your Highness. I''m a foreigner."


    "Then it''s only natural that you haven''t heard. Without the appearance of the grandmaster, the scaleman world would have perished before ever evolving into a superior world."


    Only after this conversation did the guard realize just how instrumental a figure Zhang Lie was in the scaleman world. Not only had he cultivated the former ninth prince and put him on the throne, he had even saved the world¡ªand multiple times, at that.


    Zhang Lie and the king stepped through the air.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I haven''t yet congratted you for your world''s sessful ascension¡ªand your growth into a superior king."


    The king smiled. "Please don''t make fun of me, Master. Others might not know, but you surely do."


    Zhang Lie smiled.


    The king continued gratefully, "My present aplishments and the evolution of the scaleman world¡ªall of it is thanks to you."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Have you considered changing the name of the world?"


    The king nodded. "I''m considering it. After all, there are lots of races present here, not just the scalemen."


    It was evident that the scaleman king was very different from the draconian sage, who had likewise ascended bybining countless different worlds, but who had never considered changing the name of the draconian world.


    To the draconian sage, the name of the draconian world was both a testament to its history and a memorial to countless generations of draconians who had protected the world with their lives, as well as countless draconian kings who had kept the world functional.


    If the draconian sage were to change the name of the world, it would be as though he were burying this history and forgetting about the draconians and draconian kings who had given their life for the world.


    The scaleman king, on the other hand, didn''t care too much for history and tradition. He was rtively young, and hadn''t had the same depth of experience.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What do you n on calling it?"


    The scaleman kingughed. "How about Lie Jiu?" [1]


    Zhang Lie was momentarily speechless. "You should probably change that name to include the character ''Lin'', so that others can remember the past and know that this was once the scaleman world." [2]


    "Perhaps I''ll call it the Lie Lin superior world, then."


    The appearance of the envoy from the Zongming world had made it known that the scaleman world was now a superior world.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Are you serious?"


    "Lie Lin..." the superior king puffed out his chest.


    Zhang Lie nodded wryly. "I''ll leave the choice to you."


    The king pointed before him. "The scaleman world''s farm lies up ahead. I''ve modified the flow of time in the vicinity, spurring the growth of these lifeforms. With the evolution of the world, many fifth-level beasts were produced."


    Zhang Lie closed his eyes and spread his senses out. Indeed, he discovered arge number of disaster-grade lifeforms. They filled the forests and the ins like stars in the night sky. Zhang Lie smiled. "Excellent."


    The king asked, "Would you like to take some with you?" It was as though he were offering up a specialty of the world to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie mulled it over for a moment. "I''ll happily ept."


    The king and Zhang Lie walked a little further before the king pointed before him. "This is the town that I built with you, Master."


    After a few years, that small town had grown into arge city that could harbor tens of thousands of people. It was crowded to the extreme, with long lines of people snaking in and out.


    The king introduced, "As nned, Master, once we opened up a wormhole between this world and a neighboring world, the trade that resulted made the town prosper. In a decade or so, it''ll likely be the most prosperous of the scaleman cities."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You''ve been focusing on this city?"


    Ever since the ninth prince became the king of the realm, he had clearly been steering the development of the small town¡ªotherwise, it would never have evolved into its present state.


    The kingughed. "This is a town that we worked hard to build together, Master. How could I give it up?"


    Zhang Lie praised, "You''ve been working hard."


    The king smiled at the praise. "It''s all thanks to you, Master."


    The king continued showing Zhang Lie around. At some point, Zhang Lie said, "I''ve seen enough of your world. It''s time to exin what I''m doing here. Do you have a guess?"


    "Isn''t it to have a look around the scaleman world?"


    "Partly, but not primarily."


    The king thought for a moment longer, then excitedly replied, "Have you returned in order to assist me, Master?!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Unfortunately not."


    "Then why have you returned, Master?"


    Zhang Lie exined kindly, "Do you know how many superior worlds there are in this realm?"


    The king shook his head. "I only learned of these superior worlds recently. The only one I''ve made contact with is the Zongming world.


    Before this, none of the scalemen or the neighboring aliens knew of these superior worlds."


    Zhang Lie continued, "In that case, let me exin these superior worlds to you. The reason none of you have ever interacted with one is that the superior worlds of antiquity are arrogant beyond belief. They treat the inhabitants of all other worlds like ants."


    The king seemed rather concerned. "Perhaps I should be d not to have interacted with them before, then."


    Zhang Lie said, "As far as I know, there are now nine superior worlds in the third realm, just as there were in the past. Of these, six are superior worlds of antiquity: the unclean world, the world of zing sun, the white world, the world of ck fog, the king of keys, and the world of primordial chaos."


    The king of keys was an extremely unusual existence¡ªhe was a world in his own right.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The new superior worlds, who have recently evolved, are the Zongming world, the draconian world, and your world, the scaleman world."


    The king remarked, "To think there are so many! But it''s no surprise, I suppose. There are three thousand worlds in this realm, after all."


    1. The same Lie as in Zhang Lie, and Jiu, meaning ninth, representing the former ninth prince. ??


    2. ÁÛ (Lin) means ''scale''. ??

 Chapter 1053: Certainly Not

    <h4>Chapter 1053: Certainly Not</h4>


    Although the inhabitants of the third realmmonly assumed that their realm had three thousand worlds, just how many worlds there were precisely was still uncertain.


    The "three thousand worlds" was amon turn of phrase, referring to their realm just as "the third realm" did, but "the third realm" was a phrase used by hunters from the Milky Way.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Actually, if worlds were allowed to rete naturally, there should be far more than just nine superior worlds. There might be thirty, ny, even a hundred and fifty."


    Of course, Zhang Lie couldn''t be certain whether this was the case. The fact that there had been nine superior worlds and that there was now nine superior worlds spoke to more than coincidence, as though the third realm''s resources were incapable of supporting more than nine superior worlds simultaneously. Zhang Lie hadn''t been in the third realm for long, and couldn''t be certain about the situation.


    The king replied, "In that case, the three thousand worlds aren''t developing naturally?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "As I told you, among the three thousand worlds are the superior worlds of antiquity."


    "By ''antiquity'', do you mean that they''ve been present forever?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Nothing is eternal in this realm. They''ve simply been here for a long time, so long no one else remembers their history. Over the years, they''ve grown and grown¡ªtens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands, millions.


    "By now, even the kings of those superior worlds may have forgotten how long they''ve lived. In truth, before some of these worlds were annihted, many aliens believed that they could never be defeated. Even the superior kings themselves believed this¡ªbut as things turned out, that was wrong."


    The king nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued casually, "There used to be a superior world here whose jurisdiction we were under, but I destroyed it."


    The king gave Zhang Lie a thumbs up. "Amazing, Master!"


    He wasn''t shocked, merely excited. Although destroying a superior world was an impressive feat, the king didn''t have the context to understand how impressive it was. No matter how strong the opponent was, however, the king had blind faith in Zhang Lie. He was certain there was nothing Zhang Lie couldn''t aplish.


    "The superior worlds of antiquity treat the third realm like a cake. They cut apart slices for themselves, their jurisdictions, and farm out the worlds under their control. If a world in their jurisdiction were to evolve into a superior world, the superior worlds of antiquity would reap those worlds and im them as their harvest."


    The scaleman king understood immediately. "That''s why you had our world ascend during the chaos of the death spirits'' war, Master! The superior worlds would have been too tied up to react."


    "You can understand it in that manner, but notpletely."


    "In what sense?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "Even without the death spirits'' war, no one would have stopped your ascension, but doing so during the war could have prevented unnecessary idents."


    The scaleman king recalled what Zhang Lie had said.


    "Master, is it because of the superior world you destroyed?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Exactly. This was originally the jurisdiction of the xuluo world. Because they attacked the Zongming world, I retaliated, and the Zongming world is now responsible for this territory. It''s an ally of mine."


    The king continued, "Master, have you returned because of these superior worlds of antiquity?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "These worlds are about to attack us."


    The scaleman king was shocked, but he quickly schooled himself.


    Zhang Liemented calmly, "You don''t seem nervous at all. It''s clear you''ve grown."


    No king would panic even in the greatest of cmities. Zhang Lie hadn''t expected that the formerly weak ninth prince could have grown to such an extent in just a few years.


    The scaleman king shook his head. "You mistake me, Master."


    The scaleman world had recently evolved, and the scaleman king had no information about these superior worlds.


    Zhang Lie continued seriously, "Although I don''t want to surprise you, you have to understand just how strong these superior worlds are. They each have at least twobatants with strength equivalent to that of a superior king."


    The scaleman king replied, "I know they might be strong, but we have someone even stronger on our side!"


    "Oh?"


    The scaleman kingughed. "You, Master!"


    Zhang Lie also began tough. "Haha, you really think highly of me, don''t you?"


    The scaleman king nodded. "I''m confident in your strength, Master."


    Zhang Lie continued, "The superior worlds of antiquity are targeting the new superior worlds, who have recently evolved: the Zongming world, the draconian world, and your world, the scaleman world. I''m hoping that the scaleman world will be willing to form an alliance with the other two worlds to counter the superior worlds of antiquity."


    The scaleman king nodded. "Very well."


    Zhang Lie blinked in surprise. "Aren''t you going to ask about the details?"


    The scaleman king smiled. "I trust you, Master."


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "If you keep behaving like this, you''ll eventually be tricked!"


    The scaleman kingughed. "I''ll only ever believe you like this, Master. If you do end up selling me, well, I''ll help you count your profit."


    Zhang Lie patted the scaleman king''s head.


    Although his status had risen twice over, his attitude toward Zhang Lie didn''t change. Once again, it felt as though they were just the ninth prince and his master.


    "You''ll have to make a trip to the Zongming world to discuss ns against the invasion."


    "Very well."


    Once the two of them finished, Zhang Lie and the scaleman king returned to his pce, whereupon they found the former crown prince and his son.


    Upon seeing the young scaleman, who looked much like the former crown prince, Zhang Lie nodded sagely. "Very good. He''ll surely be a leader of the scalemen."


    The former crown prince quickly told his son, "Thank the grandmaster for his blessing!"


    The former crown prince''s son might be young, but he was clearly trained in propriety.


    "Thank you for the praise, Master!"


    "There''s nothing I can teach this child. After all, our routes to strength are different. However, I would be happy to present him with this gift."


    Zhang Lie handed over a peak-grade soulshard.


    He had quite a few peak-grade soulshards in his possession, many of which were incapable of being used in fights at his level. The soulshards would be useful for him, but he could certainly use them as gifts.


    The former crown prince''s son was clearly very excited by the gift. Zhang Lie informed the scalemen, "It''s time for me to be leaving."


    The scaleman king sighed. "Won''t you stay for a bit longer, Master?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The invasion''s about to begin."


    The king didn''t hold Zhang Lie back. Instead, he proposed, "Let me apany you, then."


    The former crown prince instantly jumped in shock. "You can''t, Your Majesty! The world cannot be without a ruler for a single day, let alone a recently evolved superior world!"

 Chapter 1054: Finally Freed

    <h4>Chapter 1054: Finally Freed</h4>


    The scaleman king told his brother, "I have to go on this trip. Please take over my responsibilities for the time being."


    The former crown prince replied, "Your Majesty, this is a tall order. The world has just evolved, and it needs you to support it."


    The king replied, "Brother, if I don''t go with my master, our world will be destroyed."


    The former crown prince, clearly not having expected such a revtion, jumped up in shock. "What?!"


    The king repeated, "Brother, our enemies areing."


    The former crown prince was bewildered. "What enemies? Haven''t the death spirits been killed?"


    The king replied, "The superior worlds of antiquity."


    The former crown prince was stunned.


    The king continued, "There are nine superior worlds in total, not just us, among the three thousand worlds. Of these worlds, six have existed since antiquity. They rear the other worlds like livestock, and ughter them once they evolve into superior worlds."


    The former crown prince''s face turned serious.


    Zhang Lie interrupted, "Most importantly, we''re not dealing with just a single superior world of antiquity, but at least four of them. Countless years of building up strength¡ªwe newly evolved worlds can''tpare to theirs."


    The former crown prince began to panic. "How can this be? Our world just ascended!"


    Zhang Lie finally smiled in relief upon seeing the former crown prince''s antics. This was the normal response to the information he had revealed! The scaleman king had been very unusual in remaining so calm even when he learned of such news.


    The ninth prince smiled. "Don''t worry. My master is on our side."


    The former crown prince came to his senses once more. "That''s right! The grandmaster will surely have a n, just like he did back then."


    Back then, when all hope seemed lost, it was Zhang Lie''s appearance who had saved the day.


    Zhang Lie extended his arms. "The barest outlines of a n, nothing more."


    He sighed. "Our opponents are superior worlds that have existed since antiquity, and four of them at that. I have a strategy for dealing with them, but that doesn''t mean I''ll seed."


    The king informed his brother, "For the good of our world, I''ll need to head toward the Zongming world in hopes of forming an alliance with the two other newly evolved superior worlds to deal with the superior worlds of antiquity together."


    The former crown prince replied, "But you don''t have to go there personally, do you? You''re a superior king! Let me go in your stead."


    The scaleman king smiled and shook his head. "Don''t worry, Brother, nothing will go wrong. My master will be by my side, after all."


    The former crown prince cried out, "But if anything were to happen to you, what would we do?"


    The scaleman king retrieved a proof of kingship from his storage-type soulshard and tossed it over to his brother. "I''ll leave our world in your safekeeping for the time being."


    The king''s brother was very shocked. "What are you doing, Your Majesty?!"


    "It''s only a precautionary measure, Brother. With my master by my side, I''ll be safe and sound¡ªand even if something were to happen, you''ll still be here."


    "Your Majesty, what if something really does happen?"


    The king emphasized, "Nothing will happen with my master around. It''s just a precaution."


    "Please don''t go, Your Majesty! I could never be a superior king in your stead."


    The king rolled his eyes. "What in the world are you talking about, Brother? Are you really the crown prince who seemed poised to take the throne?"


    The former crown prince sighed. "Over the years, I came to the realization that I really can''tpare to you, Brother."


    The king replied, "I have to arrange this alliance personally¡ªnot because I want to, but for the good of our world; not because I want to stay by my master''s side, to apany him to the Zongming world!


    The Zongming king invited me, and I have to ept his invitation personally. This is non-negotiable."


    The former crown prince replied, "I think there''s room for negotiations."


    The king shook his head. "We have to demonstrate our sincerity and determination. I must go personally."


    The former crown prince advised, "I''m worried that the citizens will lose faith if you were to leave so quickly after the world''s evolution..."


    The king shrugged. "Compared to the destruction of the world, this is nothing inparison."


    The former crown prince sighed. "I suppose you''re right."


    The king continued, "While I''m gone, I''ll leave the world for you to handle, Brother."


    The former crown prince chuckled wryly. "I just don''t know if I can do a good job of it."


    The king patted the former crown prince on the shoulder.


    "Of course you''ll be fine, Brother. You''re my brother, after all."


    The former crown prince sucked in a deep breath. "You''re right. I''m your brother, a lord of thisnd."


    The king looked at the proof of kingship his brother held with aplicated expression.


    "Actually, the throne should have been yours to begin with. If something were to happen to me, take over in my stead¡ª"


    The former crown prince broke him off. "None of that, Brother! No one can rece you in this realm. You have toe back safe and sound."


    The king nodded firmly. In that case, I''ll be heading out now."


    The former crown prince replied, "No¡ªyou have to announce what you''re doing in court!"


    The king shook his head. "There''s no time left. I''ll be leaving immediately with my master. If we were to stay for court, my departure would drag out for another few days. The court officials are very difficult to deal with, and they''ll surely try to stop me. By the time I leave, the superior worlds of antiquity will have attacked."


    The former crown prince sighed. His brother wasn''t wrong.


    The disaster-grade multicolored dragon spread its wings and glided overhead. The king waved a hand. "In that case, I''ll be going."


    Zhang Lie and the king leapt into the air, onto the dragon''s back. The king waved toward his brother. "Goodbye, Brother! Farewell!"


    The former crown prince couldn''t help but think that his brother''s smile was as though he were eloping with his lover."


    The moment they left the boundary of the world, the king slumped from his chair onto the table. "I''m finally free."


    Zhang Lie handed him a drink. "It looks like you''ve been working very hard."


    The king smiled wryly. "Isn''t that so? It''s rare that I can have such an opportunity to take a break from my responsibilities. I have you to thank for it, Master."


    Zhang Lie asked, "It must be difficult to be king¡ªno, forget I asked." Of course it was difficult; that much was obvious...

 Chapter 1055: The Zongming Gathering

    <h4>Chapter 1055: The Zongming Gathering</h4>


    If governing a kingdom was like tending to ten thousand chickens, then governing a world was like tending to a hundred thousand chickens, clucking all day and night and giving its owner a headache that persisted from dawn till dusk.


    The scaleman king spread his arms. "Before the evolution into a superior world, it wasn''t so bad. At the beginning, everything was rough, but after I built up enough of a foundation and manpower, I grew used to it. After the world evolved into a superior one, however¡ªeven though I became a superior king as well, my mind and body couldn''t handle the effort, Master."


    "Is it that bad?"


    "Isn''t it?" The merger of dozens of worlds, dozens of cultures and traditions and races¡ªthere would undoubtedly be conflict, and monumental conflict at that.


    The scaleman king sighed. "It''s a miracle that Isted so long. Worst of all, the kings of the various worlds haven''t been helping me deal with these conflicts at all. They''re all fighting each other, even trying to trip me up, in order to obtain as much of the treasure of this world as they can. I''d like to behead them all, myself."


    None of the kings and leaders dared to directly go against the scaleman king, but they used all sorts of dirty schemes and tricks in their attempts to vie for power, and were even working together against the court officials of the scaleman world.


    The scaleman king sighed. "To be honest, I''ve been growing more and more weary after the world''s evolution."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''m sorry to have caused you such a burden. Perhaps I shouldn''t have pushed you onto the throne¡ªyou would still have been the happy ninth prince, then."


    The scaleman king waved a hand. "No, no, I''m not that weak! It''s just tiring."


    Even now, the scaleman king was immensely grateful to Zhang Lie for giving him an opportunity to change his fate.


    "However, when I''m at my most tired, I keep wondering whether I would have been happier choosing not to be the king of the realm and following by your side instead."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Perhaps so, but perhaps not. Who would know?"


    "Indeed."


    There was no going back now, and it was pointless to entertain the notion that he could have been happier. Before all else, he was the king of the scaleman world.


    The disaster-grade dragon flew back toward the Zongming world. The moment it arrived, Li Zongming sent him a mental transmission to have him head straight to the pce, where the draconian sage and members of Team Zenith were already waiting.


    Upon noticing Zhang Lie''s unusual expression, the scaleman king asked, "Has the Zongming king contacted you?"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    The scaleman king replied, "In that case, it''s time for me to meet this new superior king, then."


    Zhang Lie brought the scaleman king to the Zongming pce, whereupon they found Li Zongming and the draconian sage having a discussion over tea. Li Zongming looked over in excitement. "Zhang Lie, you''re here! My discussions with the draconian king are going well. Hold on, this person by your side is..."


    Upon sensing the scaleman king''s aura and recognizing him as a fellow superior king, Li Zongming stilled.


    Zhang Lie introduced, "This is the other new superior king I told you both about, the scaleman king."


    The draconian sage hurriedly stood up and examined the scaleman king, while Li Zongming''s eyes widened. "Zhang Lie, you really are impressive! I thought you had gone over to the scaleman world to discuss the alliance, but you stole the king right over!"


    Zhang Lie was speechless. "I didn''t steal him anywhere; he was willing to apany me back."


    Li Zongmingughed. "It''s just a joke, a joke. Why didn''t you tell me that he wasing?"


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "How do you expect me to? I''m not a superior king, and this isn''t my world! Only you would be able to do so within the Zongming world, not me!"


    The scaleman king greeted the Zongming king. "It''s a pleasure to meet you in person, king of the Zongming world. Your reputation precedes you."


    Li Zongming replied modestly, "Haha, and you must be the new superior king of the scaleman world! You really are young¡ªI wasn''t even a king of the realm at your age."


    The scaleman kingughed. "It was my master who helped me win the throne, and he who helped me evolve my world to a superior one. I couldn''t havee so far so quickly without his aid."


    The draconian sage stepped forward. "How should I address you?"


    The scaleman king replied politely, "You can call me Lie Lin. You must be the superior king of the draconian world. Master brought you up many times in conversation on our way here."


    Li Zongming asked curiously, "Your master? Who is he? I''m very curious who was able to foster a superior king."


    The scaleman king smiled. "He''s right by your side."


    Li Zongming and the draconian sage nced all around the pce before Zhang Lie finally raised a hand.


    "It''s you!"


    "You again?" Li Zongming and the draconian sage cried out simultaneously.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I am indeed the master of this superior king."


    Li Zongming grumbled, "I was wondering who this master could be¡ªbut it''s you!"


    The draconian sage recovered from the shock rather quickly. Almost as though he had expected it, hemented, "I suppose it''s not unusual if you''re his master..."


    After all, all three superior kings present owed their kingship to Zhang Lie.


    Li Zongming added, "It looks like all three of us are deeply connected to you." He patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder. "Bing the master of a superior king just like that? It''s more impressive than I could have expected."


    Zhang Lie raised his head to the sky. "It''s a coincidence, nothing more."


    Hong Tianqi had hidden the map fragments he had umted within the scaleman world. Zhang Lie had arrived just in time to catch the death spirits'' invasion. Because Zhang Lie had once known the scaleman king, he resolved the crisis and was able to collect arge quantity of the world''s energy.


    This series of coincidences led to the birth of the superior scaleman world.


    Li Zongming beckoned the scaleman king over. "Please, scaleman king, join us!"


    The scaleman king replied, "Master''s had a long journey. He should get seated first."


    The draconian sage and Li Zongming could easily see that the scaleman king deeply respected Zhang Lie.


    "Captain, you''re back! We knew it was you the moment we saw the disaster-grade dragon fly by," Sun Mengmeng eximed. The members of Team Zenith, Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Dong Mingxing, and Li Qianlin all walked over at this time.


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "Sis, there''s no need to rush so quickly even if it''s the captain!"


    Sun Mengmeng blushed. "Nonsense! Li Qianlin beat me here."


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "Someone who doesn''t understand the situation might think that the two of you were having a race within the pce."


    Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng simultaneously lowered their heads as they blushed...

 Chapter 1056: Hanxiang, Raring to Fight

    <h4>Chapter 1056: Hanxiang, Raring to Fight</h4>


    Li Zongming suggested, "These are honored guests who came along with the draconian sage. I''m sure they won''t be interested in chatting with older folks like me. Qianlin, why don''t you bring Zhang Lie''s friends and sister to tour the pce?"


    "This is..."


    The members of Team Zenith, Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Dong Mingxin, and Li Qianlin were all very curious about the scaleman king. Zhang Lie introduced, "These are mypanions, student, sister, future wife, and her best friend respectively."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Hong Xi, this is another disciple of mine, your junior brother. He''s a newly evolved superior king."


    Hong Xi was gobsmacked. "My junior brother is a superior king...?"


    When the scaleman king heard that another of Zhang Lie''s disciples was in the group, he was instantly curious about her.


    "May I ask which of you is Senior Sister Hong?"


    Zhang Lie pointed at Hong Xi. "That''s Hong Xi, your senior sister, who became my disciple a few years before you."


    Hong Xi bowed. "Greetings, Junior Brother."


    Hong Xi knew what a superior king represented, so she felt particrly weird about the fact that she suddenly had one as her junior brother. She didn''t know how to treat the scaleman king.


    Fortunately, the scaleman king was very friendly. "Greetings, Senior Sister."


    Zhang Lie said, "Since everyone''s here, let''s not waste time. We need to start thinking about how to resist the superior worlds of antiquity."


    Li Qianlin motioned to leave. "Enjoy your meeting. Dong Mingxing and I will find you allter!" She pulled Dong Mingxing away.


    Everyone prepared themselves for the meeting, their earlier levity gone. Li Zongming began, "Since everyone''s familiar with Zhang Lie, let''s drop the formalities. I''ll get straight to the point. We''ll be going up against the superior worlds of antiquity. As newly evolved superior kings ourselves, we need to work with each other to forge an alliance against their invasion."


    The draconian sage and scaleman king nodded simultaneously. "Naturally."


    Li Zongming asked, "Zhang Lie, do you have any ns?"


    Zhang Lie nced at them all, then said, "First, let me introduce you all to our future opponents: the superior worlds that we''ll have to go up against. The Zongming king and I have discussed this topic beforehand. There are at least four kings that will strike, and possibly a fifth as well."


    Li Zongming took over. "These worlds are respectively the world of zing sun, the white world, the world of ck fog, and the unclean world. The king of keys might also strike."


    Zhang Lie continued, "The reason it''s uncertain is because the king of keys is the most ancient of kings, with some amount of transcendence."


    Li Zongming continued, "Only the king of chaos and his world of primordial chaos will be neutral in the conflict."


    The draconian sage sighed. "Five superior worlds of antiquity attacking us..."


    Even the scaleman king, who was unconditionally confident in Zhang Lie, couldn''t help but turn serious.


    "Three against five?" Three newly evolved superior worlds, versus five that had existed since antiquity¡­ The three kings lost out in terms of numbers, reserves, experience, and forces.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "There''s no need to be so discouraged. The situation looks bad, but we can win¡ªI''m certain of it. The most troublesome aspect of fighting against these superior worlds of antiquity is theirbat strength, particrly for new superior kings like us. In general, the onlybatants who possess the strength of a superior king in our worlds are ourselves."


    Li Zongming continued, "On the other hand, the superior kings of antiquity have fostered subordinates that are on that level. For instance, in the xuluo world, there were three or more suchbatants on that level."


    The draconian sage sounded exasperated. "I''m not feeling any more hopeful..."


    Zhang Lie continued, "I mentioned that the superior worlds'' strongest aspect is their strength, but we''re not weak, either. We have the members of Team Zenith around!"


    The draconian sage hurriedly looked toward the members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie continued, "With the members of Team Zenith ready, there''s nothing to fear from the superior worlds of antiquity. Everyone from Team Zenith has the strength of a superior king, and we''re not far behind our opponents''."


    The draconian sage and scaleman king instantly grew more rxed.


    "All of you, there''s no need to fear the superior worlds of antiquity. It''s true that they have millennia of reserves in their world, but that doesn''t mean we can''t defeat them. The Zongming king and I have killed one."


    Neither the draconian sage nor the members of Team Zenith were aware of this fact, and they were all shocked.


    "Incredible."


    "As expected of our captain!"


    "Zhang Lie, will you reveal your n to us?"


    Zhang Lie began, "My n is very straightforward. Pure defense won''t be enough. Since our offense isn''t weak, we''ll naturally want to take the lead and attack their worlds too. After all, a battle between superior kings will cause disaster no matter where we go."


    The draconian sage cried out in shock. "Quite so, but wouldn''t it be overconfident of us to go on the offensive instead of the defensive? They might take our worlds while we''re upied!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "If we were to focus entirely on defense, we''d end up in a battle of attrition¡ªand we shouldn''t give up on defense entirely, either."


    Li Zongming asked, "What''s our overall n?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Each superior king will take care of his own world. The superior kings of antiquity know of my existence, and they''ll certainly think that I''m in the Zongming world. I showed off my strength to those kings, and they won''t treat me lightly."


    The Zongming king had earned quite a lot of spoils during thest meeting, and one item in particr was very attractive to all the kings present. They would surely focus their attention on the Zongming world.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The Zongming king alone won''t be able to defend against the invasion. I''ll leave Gold Comet in the Zongming world. As for the rest of you, you''ll focus on the offensive. Let me decide who should fight whom..."


    Zhang Hanxiang raised a hand. "Brother, Hong Xi and I want to participate too!"


    Hong Xi nodded. "We''ve consumed Potion #4, and we''re far stronger than before."


    Zhang Hanxiang punched forward a few times. "Brother, I want to test out my current strength!"


    "It''ll be dangerous."


    Hong Xi remained steadfast. "I don''t believe Hanxiang and I will lose even against a superior king."


    Zhang Hanxiang added, "Hong Xi and I are aware of the danger, but we''d still like to do our part. Brother, you once told us that ourbat experience and techniques aren''t up to par, that we''re behind Sun Mengmeng and the others. We''d like to rectify this deficiency!"

 Chapter 1057: Settling Matters of War

    <h4>Chapter 1057: Settling Matters of War</h4>


    Zhang Lie peered carefully at Hong Xi.


    Hong Xi had caused arge disturbance when she absorbed Potion #4. Now that [ck Sun] and [Eclipse] hadbined, she wouldn''t lose out to the members of Team Zenith in terms of strength.


    "If you insist, I''ll have both of you participate as well." Zhang Lie continued, "The superior world of ck rain is tattered, but it''s still one of our spoils. I''m worried the superior worlds of antiquity will send their forces over to im it."


    The draconian sage asked, "Do we have the resources to be worried about our spoils?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "The situation isn''t bad enough that we shouldn''t care about them. We should try to collect whatever we can."


    This sounded somewhat greedy, but Zhang Lie had never been interested in winning a single match or battle¡ªhe wanted to win everything.


    "Hong Xi, can I leave the defense of the world of ck rain to you?"


    Hong Xi nodded. "Of course, Master!"


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll send three people to the white world. Who''s interested?"


    Sun Mengmeng raised a hand. "I want to go."


    "Sun Mengmeng, your framework is fire-attuned. Although it''s somewhat of a bad fit elementally speaking, you''d do better against the ice queen than the sr king. Knowing this, are you willing to participate?"


    The sr king''s power derived from the sun. If Sun Mengmeng were to face him, she would be fighting an uphill battle against a higher-quality version of her own element.


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "It''s important to learn how to fight in disadvantageous situations."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very well."


    Sun Xiaowu called out, "I''d like to go with my sister."


    Zhang Hanxiang volunteered, "My framework is water-attuned, with a specialization in ice. It''ll be a good environment for me to fight in. Let me go as well."


    Zhang Lie nced at her deeply, but he didn''t reject her suggestion.


    Zhang Lie warned, "The white world is perennially covered in ice and snow. Be careful."


    Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang nodded seriously.


    The draconian sage noted that Zhang Lie was very invested in this expedition, far more so than the previous one, in which the members of Team Zenith had chosen their respective targets by drawing lots. This time around, Zhang Lie was seriously valuing eachbatant''s ability and fit for their target world.


    "We''ll also send out threebatants to the world of zing sun."


    Yang Ze called out, "My framework is water-attuned. Let me go!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Your gic energy will be suppressed by the environment and by the sr king himself. I intend to send you to the unclean world to scout around. Given your strength and abilities, it''ll be easy enough for you to flee. Leave the world of zing sun to Li Feng, Fang Yi, and Zhou Ying. Fang Yi, you''ll be in charge of dealing with the sr king himself."


    Li Feng, Fang Yi, and Zhou Ying all nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll handle the world of ck fog myself. Once I finish up there, I''ll head to the unclean world."


    Once everyone''s targets had been assigned, Yang Ze asked a crucial question. "Right, Captain, do you know where these worlds are located?"


    "Somewhat." He had learned quite a bit during the war against the death spirits.


    Yang Ze hurriedly followed up, "Then what about the parts you''re unaware of?"


    Li Zongming raised his hand. "I know roughly where these worlds are."


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Zongming, who spread his arms. "After I participated in the meeting, I was given a map of the three thousand worlds, along with each king''s jurisdiction."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Looks like we still need some information, after all."


    Li Zongming asked, "From where?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Beyond the Zongming world¡ªno, beyond all the superior worlds, there''s someone surveilling us all. If we can ferret out this monitor from our surroundings, we''ll be able to trade for the information we need."


    The draconian sage and the scaleman king were both shocked. "A monitor?! From the superior worlds of antiquity?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "All the superior worlds are being monitored¡ªand some of them don''t even know about it."


    Yang Ze wondered, "Who ordered this surveince? Some existence from a higher realm?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "In some sense. He''s the strongest among the three thousand worlds, the strongest king among the nine superior kings."


    Li Zongming frowned. "You mean that we''ve constantly been under the surveince of the king of chaos?"


    "To be more precise, we''ve been monitored by one of his clones."


    Li Zongming nodded. "It''s no surprise, then. No one knows just how many clones the king of chaos has. I wouldn''t be surprised if he had enough to form a troopposed solely ofbatants on the level of superior kings."


    Yang Ze gulped in shock. "This king of chaos isn''t an enemy, is he?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t worry. If the king of chaos were an enemy, I wouldn''t be trying to focus on offense and defense¡ªI''d try to run away."


    Sun Mengmeng sucked in a deep breath. "Even you can''t handle it, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie hmmed. "It''s hard to say. I''ve never exchanged blows with the king of chaos personally, but I''ve seen one of his clones attack. I''m confident I can deal with his clones, but I''m not sure about his main body. After all, if his clones are on the level of superior kings, just how strong would his main body be?"


    The king of chaos would be someone to watch out for, but thankfully, he wasn''t an enemy at present.


    Li Zongming consoled, "Don''t worry. The king of chaos wouldn''t easily make a move. Even among the superior kings, he''s the most transcendent of us all."


    Zhang Lie continued, "The problem is to figure out how to ferret out the monitor in our vicinity..."


    Li Zongming suggested, "How about weunch a full-scale search of the space in our environs?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "If the king of chaos wants to hide, he won''t be found by any ordinary means."


    Hong Xi timidly raised her hand. "Actually, there''s no such need. We can figure out where the other superior worlds are."


    Hmm??Everyone turned to Hong Xi, who quailed a little when met with the gazes of three superior kings and a whole group of people...

 Chapter 1058: Scared Stiff

    <h4>Chapter 1058: Scared Stiff</h4>


    In the end, however, Hong Xi boldly made her suggestion. "When we headed to the death spirits'' battlefield, we first assembled within the Zongming world. I''m sure that the alien troops elsewhere also assembled in their respective superior worlds before setting out in earnest. This location might not be within the superior world, but it''s surely close to it. Furthermore, the Zongming king mentioned that he has a map with the various kings'' jurisdictions marked."


    Zhang Lie understood Hong Xi''s intent immediately. "We just need to head to each jurisdiction and ask the aliens within where they had to gather."


    The eyes of the members of Team Zenith lit up.


    "Hong Xi, you really are intelligent! We''d never have thought of such a brilliant strategy."


    "It really is amazing."


    "We were all thinking about how we might be able to find the king of chaos'' clone, but you jumped straight beyond that and suggested a strategy for finding the superior worlds'' locations directly!"


    Hong Xi smiled in embarrassment. "No, I simply know a bit more about the superior worlds thanks to my participation in the death spirits'' war. If all of you had participated, I''m sure you would havee up with the same strategy too."


    Upon their arrival in the Zongming world, the scaleman king and draconian sage marveled at how different the Zongming world was from their respective superior worlds. Zhang Lie didn''t sense much of a difference; he simply found the Zongming world morefortable. However, the scaleman king and draconian sage, who were superior kings in their own right, had far more acute senses in this respect.


    The Zongming world, draconian world, and scaleman world were all superior worlds, but they were very different in terms of quality. This distinction made itself evident in the world''s energy they possessed.


    The Zongming world had been infused with seven superior worlds'' worth of energy, and Zhang Lie wasn''t at all worried about whether it would be able to repel the invasion of the superior worlds.


    The increased strength and stability of the Zongming world transferred to its king, Li Zongming. The energy that Li Zongming gave off was already on par with those of the superior kings of antiquity.


    "Is this one of the death spirits'' weapons?" Now that the main matter of import was dealt with, Li Zongming turned to inspect what Zhang Lie had brought with him.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We call them battleships."


    Li Zongming sighed. "It''s a pity they''ve been destroyed to such an extent."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Otherwise, no one on the battlefield would have been able to reim them safely. This is one of the moreplete sets we have."


    Li Zongming nced at the cannon that was exposed by the hull of the battleship. "If there were sufficient energy reserves avable, and if we were to clean up these remnants, would we be able to use this cannon in the invasion?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I''m no expert on this front. You had better ask an expert."


    Li Zongming frowned. "I just wonder if I really do have an expert in this area in the Zongming world..."


    The Zongming world wasrge, but the death spirits'' battleships represented such an advancement in terms of technology that Li Zongming really didn''t know if he had an expert in the corresponding fields. At the very least, he couldn''t think of anyone.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "This isn''t my problem any longer. Don''t forget about the trade you arranged with the draconian sage."


    Li Zongming sighed. "Don''t worry, I won''t forget about it."


    Li Zongming thought for a moment. "Let''s try putting the ck metal inside."


    Zhang Lie turned to leave. "I''ll be setting off, then."


    Li Zongming couldn''t help but ask, "What do you think are the odds of our victory?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Before we start fighting in earnest, I can''t say."


    Li Zongming and Zhang Lie left the death spirits'' battleship, where they found everyone gathered and prepared to set off.


    The draconian sage and scaleman king had returned to their own worlds in preparation for the war.


    "Let''s set off." Li Zongming waved a hand and opened portal after portal, which the members of Team Zenith stepped through.


    Just as they did so, and just as the draconian sage and scaleman king returned to their worlds, the enemies attacked.


    Beyond the draconian world, golden radiance skimmed through the void. Sunlight vanquished all darkness. Hundreds of suns gathered beyond the outskirts of the world. The inhabitants of the draconian world shielded their eyes at the blinding light.


    Countless chariots driven by golden birds charged forward, led by a golden warrior.


    The invading forces numbered, shockingly, dozens of times more than were present for the death spirits'' invasion.


    The golden warrior shouted, "Inhabitants of this newly evolved superior world! Are you aware of your crimes?"


    The draconian sage frowned, unable to find anybatant on the level of a superior king among the enemy forces.


    "You have destroyed the equilibrium among the three thousand worlds. Today, on behalf of the world of zing sun, you''ll face divine punishment!"


    The golden light formed a long river of radiance, and the golden warriors charged forth toward the draconian world.


    Despite the protective boundary around the draconian world, the temperature within rose dramatically. The golden warrior shouted, "Come out and face me!"


    The draconian sage called back, "Send your strongestbatant over. Someone like you doesn''t deserve to talk to me."


    The leading warriorughed. "Would we need to do that against a newly evolved superior world? I think not!"


    The golden warriors all began tough. "Are you underestimating us, or overestimating yourself?"


    "Against a world like yours, we''re far more than sufficient."


    "Do you really think you''re our equal just because your world has evolved into a superior world?"


    This was the attitude of the inhabitants of the world of zing sun, as well as that of the sr king.


    The sr king thought the draconian world, the draconian sage, and Li Zongming beneath him. He hadn''t even sent out abatant on the level of a superior king along with his forces.


    Of course, even if the draconian sage were to destroy them all, it would mean very little to the sr king, who could easily cultivate more soldiers at this level.


    The draconian sage smiled and pped. "Indeed? Very good, very, very good."


    The golden warriors from the world of zing sun looked at each other skeptically.


    "Has this fellow gone mad?"


    "He must be scared stiff by our forces¡ªso scared he went mad!"


    "As expected, these new superior kings can''t hold a candle to our incredible ruler, the sr king! For a superior king to possess such inferior mental fortitude..."


    "After all, this is a newly evolved superior world. How can itpare to our world of zing sun?"

 Chapter 1059: Stalling for Time

    <h4>Chapter 1059: Stalling for Time</h4>


    The draconian sage began tough. "I have to thank the sr king for underestimating me, then. It''ll make the rest of my job far easier."


    The draconian sage let out a loud roar and transformed into a multicolored dragon. His body was so huge that it spread out across the void. Upon sensing the aura of a superior king, the warriors from the world quaked and trembled.


    A simr situation was taking ce at the same time in the scaleman world.


    Troops forged of ice and snow appeared over the horizon, forming a long river of frozen ice as they stepped into the scaleman world. A blizzard surrounded them, snow pouring through the skies. The temperature around these troops dropped dramatically as sleet began to fall.


    The invading forces numbered, shockingly, dozens of times more than were present for the death spirits'' invasion.


    Leading these troops was the frost spiritmander, whom Zhang Lie would recognize immediately.


    It was evident that the ice queen was impressed by hermander''s ability to survive during the death spirits'' war, and she had sent him on another expedition.


    The frost spiritmander shouted, "Inhabitants of this newly evolved superior world! Are you aware of your crimes?"


    Just like the draconian sage, the scaleman king was unable to find anybatant on the level of a superior king among the enemy forces.


    Despite the poor rtionship between the sr king and the ice queen, the fact that they had ended up enemies meant that they thought alike in some sense.


    Just like the sr king, the ice queen believed that it wasn''t worth sending anybatants on the level of superior kings against newly evolved superior worlds.


    From the perspective of the superior worlds of antiquity,batants on this level were the equivalent of starbreak annihtors in the Milky Way, who wouldn''t be mobilized unless absolutely necessary. For Li Zongming to keep someone like Zhang Lie by his side all this time made him look like a fool who had won the lottery to the eyes of the superior kings.


    To the superior kings of antiquity,batants on the level of superior kings were a resource to be jealously hoarded, as well as a threat.


    The scaleman king rose into the air, shielding the scaleman world behind him, as he faced the ice queen''s troops.


    The frost spiritmander called out, "You have destroyed the equilibrium among the three thousand worlds. Today, on behalf of the white world, you''ll face divine punishment!"


    The scaleman kingughed. "And what right do you have to speak for the divine?"


    "We are the divine!" the frost spiritmander retorted.


    The scaleman king taunted, "Save it. Send your strongestbatant over¡ªI don''t want to have to deal with the rest of you trash."


    The frost spiritmander''s face turned dark. "Do you refuse to acknowledge your wrongdoing? Your existence vites thew and order of the three thousand worlds. None of you can be spared."


    The scaleman king snorted. "Ha! Your so-called w and order" is nothing more than might makes right!"


    "It''s not toote to repent. Kneel now!"


    The scaleman king refused to give in. "Say that over my dead body."


    The frost spiritmander waved a hand. "Troops, march forward!"


    Back in the Zongming world, Li Zongming had found a group of people to research the death spirits'' battleships.


    "The cannons can be activated with the ck metal as the fuel, but the battleships themselves are in such poor condition that they''d likely fall apart after one burst."


    Li Zongming and the researchers of the Zongming world had tried to activate one of the death spirits'' cannons. A one-time use would be rather wasteful, but it could be a trump card in times of need.


    Suddenly, he felt a superior king''s auraing from afar. Li Zongming raised his head. "They''vee."


    A golden pir of light rose into the air. As a monarch-grade lifeform, Gold Comet''s senses were particrly sharp. It had sensed the opponent''s arrival before even the Zongming king.


    With a spatial teleport, Li Zongming vanished from the spot. The next moment, he appeared beyond the Zongming world.


    He arrived barely before Gold Comet did, only to find ck fog filling the void. Within the ck fog were countless figures.


    Li Zongming frowned. "To think the king of ck fog himself hase. Wee, wee."


    A human face condensed out of the fog. "King of Zongming, I''d like to borrow something from you."


    "And what might that be?" Li Zongming asked.


    "A newly evolved superior world."


    Li Zongming frowned, clearly displeased.


    The king of ck fog continued, "You have two, after all. Giving one up is no trouble."


    Li Zongming countered, "King of ck fog, have you heard of a joke that we inhabitants of the Zongming world tell among ourselves?"


    The king of ck fog replied imperiously, "I didn''te over to listen to one of your jokes."


    Li Zongming ignored him. "You have two kidneys, don''t you? Surely it''s no big deal for you to sell one."


    The king of ck fog understood his intent. "You''re unwilling, then?"


    "Isn''t that obvious?"


    The king of ck fog cried out, "Are you aware of your crimes?!"


    "I havemitted no crime."


    "You''ve destroyed the harmony among the three thousand worlds, as well as the rules set out by the superior worlds, by attempting to ally with these newly evolved superior worlds."


    Li Zongmingughed coldly. "If I remember correctly, ording to the rules established by the superior kings, I can do whatever I want to the superior worlds that appear in my domain.


    Both newly evolved superior worlds are in my domain, and what to do with them is my concern and mine alone. I exined during the meeting that my intention was to persuade them tobine with mine."


    The king of ck fog replied, "But you don''t seem to have made a move."


    Li Zongming shrugged. "Persuasion isn''t something that can be carried out so quickly. You need to give me time."


    In truth, both parties were stalling for time.


    The king of ck fog was waiting for news that the scaleman world and the draconian world had been sessfully imed by one of the other superior kings, whereas Li Zongming was waiting for Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith to finish off the superior worlds. Both kings were stalling because of their confidence in their allies.


    To the king of ck fog, the two newly evolved superior worlds would be easy prey.


    Four superior worlds of antiquity were attacking simultaneously; their strength wasn''t something the newly evolved superior worlds could match.


    Unlike the Zongming world, which had evolved and rapidly ascended through the ranks thanks to the death spirits'' war, the newly evolved superior worlds had no reserves at all to speak of. Even the king of ck fog alone could easily take on both worlds ande out on top.


    With four superior worlds in the fray, the oue was obvious.


    On the other hand, to Li Zongming, no one could ovee the might of Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith. He harbored absolute confidence in Zhang Lie, and knew that the members of Team Zenith were each as strong as superior kings in their own right...

 Chapter 1060: Diminishing the Fog

    <h4>Chapter 1060: Diminishing the Fog</h4>


    Both kings were stalling for time.


    The king of ck fog chuckled coldly. "Haha, I might want to give you some time, but I''m afraid the other superior kings won''t let me."


    Li Zongming knew what was going on, but he still asked, "What does this have to do with the other superior kings?"


    The king of ck fog, realizing that he had misspoken, hurriedly corrected himself, "No, it''s nothing..."


    Li Zongming had to work hard to feign ignorance. To be honest, he didn''t feel as though he could keep it up¡ªhis opponent''s acting skills were atrocious. He was barely able to hide hisughter.


    After all, Li Zongming knew even more than did the king of ck fog. If the king of ck fog were on the firstyer of understanding, Li Zongming was on the second.


    The king of ck fog felt as though he couldyer another veneer of justification over his ims. "This decision was made jointly by the various superior kings."


    Although he could directly attack the Zongming world, the king of ck fog didn''t want to do so. He could sense that Li Zongming''s aura had grown even stronger than it had been during the meeting. It was clear that he had already digested part of the spoils he had earned during the meeting.


    If they were to start fighting, the king of ck fog, who was only a clone, might not be able to best the Zongming king. Furthermore, he hadn''t seen any sight of Zhang Lie, so the king of ck fog preferred to be more cautious.


    There was no rush; he could take down Li Zongming once his allies had captured the two newly evolved superior worlds. This was something that the other superior kings had agreed to, as well.


    The king of ck fog continued, "Given your attitude, I assume you won''t hand over one of these worlds, then."


    Li Zongming shrugged. "Why should I hand over something that belongs to me by right?"


    While the king of ck fog and Li Zongming dyed each other, a beam of golden light shed apart the air.


    Even the king of ck fog and Li Zongming could barely catch a glimpse of Gold Comet despite being superior kings. The golden scythes tore apart the face formed by the ck fog.


    "What''s this?"


    As Gold Comet shed its scythes, the ck fog scattered. The king of ck fog cried out, "King of Zongming! What bastard is this?"


    Li Zongming shrugged. "Who knows?"


    The king of ck fog was immediately incensed by Gold Comet''s actions.


    "You dare!" The ck fog struck at Gold Comet.


    "Let me help you, king of ck fog." The image of a giant beast appeared behind Li Zongming''s back. It had scales in six colors, with a pair of golden wings behind its back. It had a long, narrow mouth, with eight horns on its head like a golden crown. A ring of light glowed behind him as brightly as the sun.


    Radiant light illuminated the void, scattering the ck fog.


    The ck fog frothed, almost on the verge of exploding.


    Li Zongmingughed. "My goodness! I''m sorry, that was a blunder!"


    Although the king of ck fog''s brain was just fog, that didn''t mean that he was stupid. "So you already knew of the n. Who told you?"


    Li Zongming feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about, king of ck fog? I don''t understand what you''re saying at all."


    The king of ck fog''s voice rose. "Even now, you''re still trying to pretend you don''t know anything?"


    Li Zongming shook his head. "What could you be referring to? I''m not pretending¡ªI simply don''t know."


    Gold Comet had continued scything at the fog during their conversation.


    "Damned bug!" The king of ck fog began to froth. As though the tides were rising, the void filled with ck fog in the form of a tsunami.


    "King of ck fog, let me assist you!" With another burst of radiant light, Li Zongming blocked off the ck fog''s impending attack.


    The king of ck fog cursed, "Zongming king, I''ming for you next!"


    "King of ck fog, what are you talking about? I was trying to help you, but we simply didn''t coordinate! The opponent''s too fast. We need to work together," Li Zongming cried out, even as he sent more beams of light scattering through the void and piercing the king of ck fog''s form.


    Gold Comet''s scythes crossed each other. It whirled in the void, forming a golden drill and prating the ck fog from a different direction.


    The ck fog roiled as Li Zongming frowned. The king of ck fog was a difficult opponent to deal with.


    Li Zongming cried out again, "Sorry, sorry, king of ck fog, I was mistaken!"


    The ck fog slowly condensed and formed a human face once more. "Li Zongming, you''ve already infused the seven superior worlds'' worth of energy into the Zongming world, haven''t you?"


    "King of ck fog, it''s approaching again!"


    Li Zongming yelled out. Golden light condensed. The king of ck fog looked in the direction that Li Zongming was pointing, wary of an actual attack, only to find Gold Comet suddenly speeding into him and piercing him through from behind.


    As the ck fog continuously dissipated from Li Zongming and Gold Comet''s attacks, it slowly lost more and more of its volume.


    Li Zongming cried out, "King of ck fog, I already warned you! Why were you so careless?"


    "You!" If not for Li Zongming''s sudden shout, Gold Comet''s sneak attack wouldn''t have seeded. The ck fog frothed and roiled, then exploded.


    Li Zongming gasped. "King of ck fog, did you explode out of anger?"


    The fog began to rotate rapidly in the air, forming a pitch-ck tornado. Gold Comet did the same, forming a golden tornado and smashing into the nascent ck one.


    Li Zongming struck at the tornado with beams of light, supporting Gold Comet and helping to dissipate the tornado. He called out, "King of ck fog, it seems like you''re struggling to deal with a mere insect! Do you need some more assistance?"


    "Li Zongming, I''ll kill you today!" The king of ck fog even became unable to maintain his human face.


    If not for Li Zongming''s "assistance", the king of ck fog wouldn''t have fared so badly against Gold Comet. He didn''t care about stalling for time any longer; instead, he struck with full force.


    Meanwhile, Gold Comet''s speed had grown to such an extent that its afterimages made it look as though there were hundreds of its clones attacking simultaneously.


    The king of ck fog couldn''t help but be shocked. "Just what is this bug? Where did the king of Zongming find such a pest?"


    As a superior king of antiquity, he was experienced and knowledgeable, but he had never seen the likes of Gold Comet before. An insect that was even faster than a superior king¡ªit was shocking.


    Gold Comet and Li Zongming struck simultaneously once again, diminishing the ck fog further...

 Chapter 1061: Power Differential

    <h4>Chapter 1061: Power Differential</h4>


    The king of ck fog was barely able to condense a face. "Apostle of the king of keys! How long are you going to stand there watching?"


    Gravity shouldn''t have existed in the void, but right after the king of ck fog spoke, a strange force manifested within. Gold Comet''s speed slowed notably.


    "I''m sorry. I''ve never before seen such a strange existence, and I couldn''t help but want to study it some more. Regardless, given your ability to survive, king of ck fog, I''m sure it would take some time for the Zongming king to take you down, even if you''re only here as a clone."


    Li Zongming looked toward the source of the voice, only to find a man wearing a three-piece suit, with a world for a head.


    Stars surrounding the world sparkled, and a thick cloudyer that covered the world revolved and rotated.


    .


    From within the world came a beam of red light, like the man''s eyes.


    Li Zongming''s face turned dark. "As expected, the king of keys is participating in this mess as well."


    The man with a world for a head, who had been addressed as the king of keys'' apostle, gave a slight bow. "I greet the king of Zongming. His majesty found this little game interesting and decided to participate as a result."


    Li Zongming''s face turned dark. "A game?" An attack that might decide the fate of billions, just a game?


    Li Zongming struck, sending a pir of light toward the king of keys'' apostle, which burst on contact¡ªbut nothing happened beyond that. It was as though the apostle had swallowed up Li Zongming''s attack.


    The king of ck fog chuckled coldly. "King of Zongming, it looks like you''re aware of this, after all."


    Li Zongming snorted. "And so what if I do? You dare attack other worlds, but don''t dare to be caught?"


    "I''m very curious how you found out."


    Li Zongmingughed harshly. "I learned about it long ago. I simply didn''t expect that the king of keys himself would deign to participate."


    The king of ck fogughed again. "Surprised, aren''t you? That the king of keys would really send someone over."


    The apostle jumped in. "Is it really alright for you to be so leisurely, king of Zongming?"


    The king of ck fog added, "Those two newly evolved superior worlds of yours might not be able to hold out for much longer."


    The king of keys'' apostle continued, "The king of evil has sent out part of his body to seize the spoils you obtained in the death spirits'' war."


    The king of ck fog roared inughter. "Prepare to have everything you value taken from you, king of Zongming!"


    Li Zongming snorted. "So this is the true face of the superior kings of antiquity? Shameless, all of you, one and all."


    The remainder of the fight would be far more difficult.


    Gold Comet''s speed was affected by the gravity that the apostle of the king of keys was controlling¡ªand that gravity was even able to devour part of Li Zongming''s attacks.


    The king of ck fog alone would be trivial to deal with, but the inclusion of the king of keys'' apostle tipped the scales.


    The apostle was himself abatant on the level of a superior king, and seemed to be more than a match for the superior kings of antiquity.


    By then, Hong Xi had arrived at the shattered world of ck rain, which was slowly floating toward the Zongming world under the influence of its proof of kingship.


    Li Zongming had considered giving up on the world directly and extracting whatever superior world''s energy that remained instead. However, doing so would take some amount of time, and he would lose out on at least a third of the energy that could be obtained by merging the worlds together.


    Although Li Zongming had already infused seven superior worlds'' worth of energy into his world, to the recently ascended Li Zongming, even a small portion of superior world''s energy was precious. If he could help it, he would prefer to gain it in its entirety.


    "They''vee." Hong Xi lifted her head to the sky. A fetid stench filled the air. A vile, grayish fluid, frightening and formless, spilled out from the portal. It quivered and swelled, as though it were the source of all filth and waste.


    More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, squelching as they tried to escape¡ªbefore they were swallowed back into its interior and digested away.


    Although she had already witnessed the king of evil in battle before, no matter how many times she saw it, she was shocked each time. This was the king of evil¡ªno, more urately, it was a split-off portion of its main body.


    The gray fluid was so vast it almost seemed to fill an entire ocean. The malformed bodies represented wave after wave of that ocean. It was difficult to imagine just how massive the king of evil''s actual body was.


    Hong Xi activated all herbat-oriented soulshards. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right. Behind her, multicolored light red.


    The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air. Her sword traced a brilliant arc,unching crescent des at her foes and tearing them apart. The creatures returned to gray fluid, trickled back to the king of evil''s body, and were granted life once more.


    "This strategy won''t work, I suppose..."


    Hong Xi didn''t dare to approach the king of evil''s body, not wanting to give the gray fluid and the malformed creatures any opportunity to touch her. She had seen how unwitting fighters had been transformed into malformed creatures as a result of contact on the battlefield.


    Under the illusory moon, her movements blurred. Using her superior-grade illusion leopard soulshard, she put some distance between them. She made a half-twirl in mid-air, waving her fan as her silver longsword sparkled in the moonlight.


    Her sword sh swept across the ground, destroying whatever malformed creatures it came in contact with.


    "Rather than a superior king, the ''king of evil'' might as well be a ''font of disaster''! I wouldn''t even consider it a lifeform!"


    The fragment of the king of evil''s body didn''t seem to have any capacity tomunicate, nor would it have done so even if it could. More and more malformed creatures grew out of the gray fluid.


    During the war against the death spirits, Hong Xi had witnessed how such creatures had been able to fight off the death spirits. This was a simple strategy, but it was umonly effective, with no easy counter.


    The death spirits had destroyed the gray fluid with concentrated bursts of cannon fire; otherwise, they would have continued to feed on the ck spirits and spawning even more gray fluid.


    "They''re like viruses..."


    Hong Xi murmured to herself, continuing to sh the malformed creatures apart. Her silver sword sketched an argent veil over the battlefield. She intended to deal with this portion of the king of evil''s body by brute force, just as the death spirits had done...

 Chapter 1062: Destroying Evil

    <h4>Chapter 1062: Destroying Evil</h4>


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" The sword sh split the sky, sending an argent veil fluttering forward and tearing apart the malformed creatures.


    Was Hong Xi''s attack effective? Certainly. Hong Xi''s skills had managed to diminish the gray fluid, but by less than a percent of its total volume.


    Hong Xi''s face turned dark. "My techniques aren''t bad, but there''s no way I can generate as much power as a death spirit battleship..."


    The death spirit battleships'' cannon fire was so intense that even a superior king would be hard-pressed to survive a barrage.


    Zhang Lie and Nightdemon had had to work together just to defend against a single beam, and Hong Xi certainly wasn''t at that level.


    "In that case, there''s only one trick in my arsenal, even if I can''t use it perfectly yet¡­ [Syzygy]!"


    Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air.


    The ck sunlight and silver moonlight illuminated the battlefield. They were linked by a golden thread, which brought the two of them into proximity with each other.


    After consuming Potion #4, Hong Xi hadbined [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] into a cohesive whole, and her strength had grown by leaps and bounds.


    The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red. The two celestial bodies ovepped perfectly, forming a bright-red wheel of fire, as their corresponding energiesbined as well.


    The wheel of me shone with light. Energy coalesced behind Hong Xi''s back and formed a crimson sun.


    The red light was as bright as blood, a shade distinct from Zhang Lie''s when he used the corresponding copy of that technique. The light scattered with Hong Xi as its center, slowing down the gray fluid''s movements and deterring the malformed creatures.


    The gray fluid that formed the king of evil''s body and the malformed creatures that were birthed from that gray fluid had their mobility greatly reduced, while Hong Xi''s strength seemed to increase without end. An observer would have noticed that Hong Xi had grown beyond a newly evolved superior king in strength.


    By absorbing power from the gray fluid and the malformed creatures, Hong Xi was temporarily at the level of a superior king of antiquity, with strength equal to that possessed by the king of evil''s body.


    The red light was able to suck away an enemy''s strength and convert it to her own. Any enemy within the vicinity of the red light would be affected without exception.


    With the fan in her left hand, Hong Xi summoned a twister. The blood-red mes of a blood sun burned around her, glowing with heat and blinding light. The blistering temperature caused the ground to turn tova, and the twister on her left hand sucked the mes up.


    The long sword in her right hand gleamed with a red edge, imbued with concentrated scarlet light. Behind her, multicolored light red. The blood mes merged with her sword energy, causing each of her strikes to leave behind a long trail of fire.


    The scarlet shes tore apart the gray fluid and the malformed creatures, and the blood me caused the fluid to boil.


    Despite Hong Xi''s sudden power-up, the damage she was able to deal to the gray fluid was limited.


    Even so, with the activation of [Syzygy], Hong Xi''s attacks had grown strong enough to threaten the king of evil''s body, which suddenly had to expend far more energy to maintain its volume.


    The gray fluid exploded, intending to devour Hong Xi whole.


    Under the illusory moon, her movements blurred. Using her superior-grade illusion leopard soulshard, she put some distance between them. Scarlet shes filled the battlefield, causing the gray fluid to disperse once more¡ªnot as a result of Hong Xi''s attacks, but by the will of the king of evil''s body.


    The gray fluid spread throughout the battlefield as Hong Xi suddenly grew rmed. It would be easy for her to deal with the king of evil if it were localized in one ce, but now that the gray fluid was spreading out...


    It was obvious what would happen if any of the gray fluidnded on her. She too would be a malformed creature, a vector of a vile virus, one which Hong Xi didn''t think she would be able to counter.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" Her sword arced through the air in a sh of bloody light, evaporating the gray fluid before it couldnd.


    The remaining drops sshed onto the ground and transformed into malformed creatures, which pounced toward Hong Xi as though they were zombies.


    Hong Xi waved the fan in her hand, blowing them back as she struck with her silver de.


    The malformed creatures had no intellect to speak of; they continued pouring toward Hong Xi without any care for their own survival. Before they could approach, however, the coat that her superior-grade spirit fox soulshard had transformed into burst into mes, knocking any malformed creatures nearby aside.


    The red sun behind her back glowed with light. Hong Xi''s fan likewise shot out beams of light, as though she were a bloody sun about to turn into a supernova.


    The de in her right hand reflected that light and glinted brightly. With a wave of her fan, the mes poured forth like a tsunami. She sent a sword sh through the mes,bining the energies of sun and moon, forming a scarlet halo of light that dispersed all around her, sweeping away the malformed creatures.


    Hong Xi sheathed her de and fan. Her attack had skimmed ayer off the ground, on which the blood-colored mes now burned. Hong Xi nodded in satisfaction: this was the first time she had used this technique in battle, and to particrly good effect.


    If the king of ck fog were to find out that Hong Xi had vanquished the part of the king of evil''s body which had attacked her, he would surely be hopping mad.


    The king of ck fog had entrusted his hopes to the king of evil, and was waiting for Li Zongming to receive the news and be agitated.


    The superior kings of antiquity wanted to take away everything that Li Zongming possessed, to strip him of his treasures and to make him regret that he had forced their hand.


    In the end, however, in the first confrontation, part of the king of evil''s body had beenpletely destroyed by Hong Xi, a human hunter of little fame within the three thousand worlds.


    Once the king of ck fog found out about this, his expression would surely be a sight to behold, but at that moment, the king of ck fog was facing off against Li Zongming, and had no idea of the nature of the information that awaited him.


    As Hong Xi dealt with her foe, Sun Mengmeng and the others arrived in the white world.


    Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang had formed a trio and headed off toward the white world. After emerging from the wormhole, they headed to the nearest world and asked about the location of the white world.


    The first world they found had sub-zero temperatures. Because of the forced recruitment the ice queen had carried out for the death spirits'' war, there were few living lifeforms in the surrounding worlds,rgely the old, weak, infirm, and the very young. With the worlds'' fighters gone, the worlds slowly entered an age of decay, as though life wereing to an end...

 Chapter 1063: The Frozen Palace

    <h4>Chapter 1063: The Frozen Pce</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang informed everyone about what happened during the death spirits'' war. Sun Mengmeng thundered in anger, "As expected, the superior worlds of antiquity are a gue on this realm!"


    Sun Xiaowu added, "We need to deal with the superior worlds of antiquity. We can''t let them continue harming the realm as they are."


    Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang asked the inhabitants of the world about the location of the white world. They found this question strange, but answered truthfully.


    In order to verify this information, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang headed to a few other worlds and asked the same question.


    These worlds were equally cold and deste. Because so many fighters had been conscripted, there were only a few aliens remaining, and much of the worlds''nd had turned into wastnd.


    The aliens grew very scared upon hearing of the name of the white world. Their eyes were filled with enmity and despair, but they didn''t dare make their true thoughts known.


    Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang''s resolve to destroy the white world grew with everyone they spoke to. In order to preventrge numbers of aliens from turning into sacrifices, the white world had to be destroyed.


    Although it was rather difficult to find the aliens'' settlements in some of these worlds, after visiting a total of five worlds, the three of them were rtively certain of the white world''s location.


    Prepared, they set off for the white world.


    The white world was covered by frost and ice, shadowed in perennial darkness, over which a raging blizzard howled with no sign of stopping. The temperature was so cold that a puff of breath would freeze into ice near-immediately.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Superior worlds are veryrge. How are we going to find the ice queen?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "We won''t have to. I''m sure that the ice queen wille to us, instead."


    Zhang Hanxiang pointed above her. "Look! There''s our clue!"


    Above the snow clouds was an ornate pce of ice, asrge as a small city. It was clear from a single look that the inhabitants of that pce had to be high in status.


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "Surely someone who could afford to live in such a pce has to be the king of the realm¡ªor would be able to contact her."


    "Let''s test it, then." Sun Mengmeng''s garuda bow materialized in her hands. She pulled the bowstring taut. "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Purple mes burned over her fingers, manifesting into three arrows. The energy in the three fiery arrows was so dense that they took on corporeal form. If not for the unusual heat they gave off, an ordinary bystander would never believe that they had been formed of me.


    Sun Xiaowu hurriedly stopped her. "Hold on! We need to consider the situation carefully. We''re in enemy territory!"


    However, Sun Xiaowu''s warning had been toote. Sun Mengmeng had already released her finger.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the pce. They burst apart in the air in resplendent me, dyeing the entire sky purple.


    Within the pce, countless white ethereal figures flew out in shock, flying madly around the outside of the pce.


    Many of them were burning with purple me. They screeched shrilly, and their voices carried so far that even Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang, standing a considerable distance below, could hear them.


    An enraged howl came from amidst the mes. Surrounded by a blizzard, an ethereal figure rushed out toward Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang.


    The howl, imbued with the force of the blizzard, was like cannon fire. Anyone struck by the attack would be obliterated in an instant.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air, blocking the aural and environmental attack.


    The shrill screech was partially a spiritual attack, which struck at their souls. ?Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu were able to defend against it, but Zhang Hanxiang began to bleed from her nose and ears. Despite the cold all around her, Zhang Hanxiang felt her body burning.


    Sun Xiaowu turned to her with concern. "Are you alright?"


    Zhang Hanxiang evoked her aura of ice. "I''m not so weak that I would fall to this attack."


    Amidst a howling blizzard, the ice queen made her appearance.


    As she appeared, the blizzard seemed to magnify in strength. She floated above her ruined pce, the blizzard her dress, the snow her jewels and ornaments.


    The ice queen''s face was rigid with rage, her crystalline eyes filled with killing intent. Her gaze speared Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang. She had been rudely disturbed by the explosion of her pce; of course she would be incensed.


    The ice queen shouted, "I don''t care who you are, and from where youe. Today, all of you will be part of my collection of ice sculptures!"


    The ice queen''s roar morphed into a concentrated beam of frost, of flecks of ice so sharp they could cut through anything,bined with a shrill screech that struck at the very soul.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her. She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that the ground beneath her feet melted and turned red.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward the ice queen at such high temperatures that the very air warped and began tobust.


    A cloud of steam covered up the ice queen, then froze back into ice. While the ice queen''s vision was obstructed, a golden figure charged forward¡ªSun Xiaowu.


    The Sun siblings werepletely in sync with each other. While Sun Mengmeng was shooting out her arrows, Sun Xiaowu had been storing up strength for a coordinated assault.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. His hands morphed into ws. Encased in golden armor, Sun Xiaowu passed through the steam and ice, frightening shockwaves of energy radiating through the battlefield as he punched forward¡­

 Chapter 1064: The Sun Siblings

    <h4>Chapter 1064: The Sun Siblings</h4>


    The ice queen, rmed, hurriedly erected a barrier of ice before her.


    The golden fist smashed apart the barrier of ice, sending the ice queen flying.


    "You!" She immediately counter-attacked. Energy gathered around the scepter in her hand.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" In a blink, Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    The ice queen was momentarily confused by the clones, not knowing which was real and which illusory. After mere moments, however, she quickly reacted. With a wave of her scepter, she summoned countless icicles that shot out all around her.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, ?dyeing the heavens in resplendent gold. Golden feathers shot down from the skies and burst apart as they shed with the blizzard.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, clearing away the clouds of snow.


    The nine ming ck moons dyed the white world dark. The inhabitants of the world all looked up in shock at the nine moons in the sky.


    They could sense an impending conflict.


    The nine ming moons fell onto the battlefield, one by one, each a massive meteor. The moment the ice queen saw the moons falling toward her, her expression changed. Sun Xiaowu was locking down her movement, and the nine moons seemed poised to strike her head-on.


    Zhang Hanxiang was shocked by the magnitude of the battle.


    Although she had seen the members of Team Zenith fighting before, this was the first time she had paired up with them in the third realm.


    They were all immensely strong, so much stronger than her that she waspletely useless in this battle.


    The superior kings of antiquity and the members of Team Zenith were on another echelon of strength entirely, one far above her current abilities.


    The nine ming moons burst apart, one by one, sending ck me cascading across the world. The ice and snow on the ground melted, and the temperature of the white world began to rise.


    The ice queen waspletely unable to act against Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu''sbined assault.


    She raised her head in shock. "Just who are you?"


    She had never heard of these two fellows among the three thousand worlds, but they were as strong as superior kings of antiquity.


    The ice queen felt as though she were going mad. They weren''t as strong as newly evolved superior kings¡ªbut superior kings of antiquity!


    There was a huge difference between established and neophyte kings, just like the difference between a hunter who had maxed out his disaster gene fragments and one who possessed only ten.


    The superior kings of antiquity, however, had pushed open that door. Where the superior kings of


    Newly evolved superior kings had been granted strength because of the evolution of their world; they were barely touching the door.


    antiquity differed was in how wide the door was for them. The frost queen, the sr king, and the king of evil had only pushed it apart a crack, whereas the king of keys had pushed it open enough that he could take one step through it.


    This crack represented an evolution in the quality of the superior kings'' strength, which the neophyte kings were incapable of matching.


    For instance, a single avatar of the king of ck fog was able to fight on equal footing with Li Zongming at full strength.


    Despite the fact that Li Zongming had imbued his world with seven superior worlds'' worth of energy to increase his strength, he was still a novice, with only as much power as an avatar of a superior king of antiquity.


    However, Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu were surely on the level of the ice queen and the others. Otherwise, with theirbined strength, they wouldn''t have been able to suppress the ice queen.


    Sun Xiaowu and his clones performed exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky, dyeing it golden and shocking the inhabitants of the world.


    Ever since the ice queen had be the monarch of the world, they had never seen any color beyond white and various shades of gray.


    Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    The mes reached for the sky, forming a pir of darkness.


    Only today had they seen res of ck and gold through the sky. Thinking back to what they had heard and sensed, they were certain that the fate of the world would be decided in this one battle.


    Faced with the frighteningbined aura from Sun Xiaowu and Sun Mengmeng, the ice queen grew rmed. Even before theyunched their attacks, their auras were already threatening to overwhelm her.


    She was certain that, if she allowed their attacks tond, she would be annihted.


    The ice queen raised the scepter in her hand, and the pristine jewel embedded into its tip began to glow with radiance. That jewel was precisely her proof of kingship. At that moment, she invoked the authority of the realm.


    "How long are you going to sleep? They''re right at my doorstep¡ªif you don''t wake up, I''m going to die!" The ice queen''s cries caused the entire in of frost to shake violently. Ice began to crack, and what seemed like earthquakes shook the white world.


    Cracks propagated through thick, thickyers of ice, as though there were something sealed away deep within the white world that was now waking up.


    Sun Mengmeng shouted, "Quick! We have to make our move now! [Lunar Apostasy]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, which shot down rays of moonlight.


    At the same time, Sun Xiaowu struck. "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. He rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as a golden qilin manifested above him, shining with blinding light, as though a sun were falling to the ground.


    However, Sun Xiaowu and Sun Mengmeng were toote...

 Chapter 1065: Against the Ice Queen

    <h4>Chapter 1065: Against the Ice Queen</h4>


    The thickyer of ice burst apart¡ªgiving rise to a cascading chain reaction that propagated through the entire white world.


    ciers cracked and split open, sending huge chunks of ice flying into the air. Each chunk was sorge as to crush a city, and the inhabitants of the white world had to face a disaster the likes of which they had never experienced.


    Zhang Hanxiang barely kept her footing.


    She and the Sun siblings repeatedly struck at the ice around them, smashing the chunks to powder before they were hit. Just then, from within the cracks, surrounded by an icy mist, a beam of frost shot toward them.


    The gigantic beam covered up the sky and was surrounded by such intense cold that the increase in temperature due to the nine ming moons Sun Mengmeng had summoned waspletely nullified.


    Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu''s attacks were both sealed by the beam of frozen ice.


    From within the icy mist, they could see a humongous figure. Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang all made identical expressions of shock and fear. "What is that?!"


    The humongous figure was the size of a continent. Compared to it, the three hunters were smaller than ants. A thickyer of ice surrounded the figure''s body. It had appeared from deep within the frozenyers of ice of the white world, a humongous figure of ice.


    Sun Xiaowu cried out in shock, "Is this the ice queen''s trump card?" Herbatant on the level of a superior king, which had been hibernating deep within the core of the world...


    Sun Xiaowu said, "Sis, leave this monster to me! You handle the ice queen!"


    Before Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhang Hanxiang couldpletely recover from the shock of the situation, a sea of icy-cold water covered the skies, about to swamp them all.


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed to notice something. "Look! Isn''t there something inside?"


    There was a huge dragon''s figure within the icy-cold water.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Sun Mengmeng immediately struck. Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and restored the falling temperatures of the world.


    The purple meteor shower and the sea of icy water shed against each other, sending a continuous stream of steam into the air. The figure within the seawater keened.


    "Haha, do you think you''re the only one with reinforcements?"


    The ice queen began tough. Herughter transformed into aural waves, which merged with the howling blizzard and shot toward the trio of hunters.


    "I too havepanions!" The ice queen''sughter grew louder and louder as sheunched a devastating attack.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy. The splinterednd of ice cracked further, and shockwaves emanated all around him.


    With just one punch, Sun Xiaowu blocked the ice queen''s attack.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Hanxiang held her palm up and channeled bitter cold. Cold air froze everything around her. Ayer of frost covered the ground, and snow began to drift down from the heavens.


    The ice and frost of the white world transformed into Zhang Hanxiang''s weapons. With a palm strike, she froze the seawater, shattering it, and revealing a giant silvery-white dragon.


    The dragon''s scales were like crystals of ice, strikingly beautiful. It shot a torrent of icy-cold water at Zhang Hanxiang, who countered with repeated palm strikes. With the ice and frost of the white world, she invoked a bone-chilling cold that froze even the icy seawater.


    Just as Zhang Hanxiang had proimed, her specialty was in transforming water-attuned energy into ice. The environment of the white world perfectly suited her, and her abilities were boosted tremendously.


    Furthermore, Zhang Hanxiang herself had a special ability. She was subconsciously able to invoke the bitter cold thaty at the heart of the white world, a feat even she was unaware of.


    Zhang Hanxiang leapt up into the sky, above the frozen seawater, as des of ice condensed beneath her feet. She blurred as she skated forward like a professional.


    The ice queen invoked the authority of the realm, sending two big ciers smashing into the Sun siblings from either direction, hoping to squash them dead.


    Before her eyes, however, ck mes appeared in the heart of those condominium-like ciers, melting them down into nothing more than water.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" mes crept up all over Sun Mengmeng''s body. She whirled her daggers around her as she rushed forward. The ciers exploded as mes burst into the sky, releasing bouts of steam.


    That steam propelled Sun Mengmeng forward, faster and faster.


    The moon burst apart in an explosion of me. Wreathed in fire, in her chitinous armor, she looked like a warrior who had just opened the gates to the underworld. ck me surrounded her, scorching hot, making her look like a star that was falling to the ground.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky, all of whom charged toward the mountainous beast. Each was simultaneously real and illusory, forming an entire battalion of soldiers by himself. Each clone was simultaneously real and illusory.


    The three hunters had each chosen their individual targets.


    The fastest to attack was the skating Zhang Hanxiang. In rage, the crystal dragon smashed apart the frozen seawater with its ws. Zhang Hanxiang leapt up and struck, sending hundreds of icicles before her.


    The icicles struck the crystal dragon''s scales crisply, shattering into pieces against the dragon''s scales.


    The crystal dragon waved its tail in mid-air as Zhang Hanxina defended with a huge shield of ice. Daggers of ice shot out of her palms, cracking the dragon''s scales. The crystal dragon opened its maw wide and shot out a torrent of icy-cold seawater.

 Chapter 1066: Dragonslayer Hanxiang

    <h4>Chapter 1066: Dragonyer Hanxiang</h4>


    Meanwhile, Sun Mengmeng was exchanging blows with the ice queen.


    The ice queenughed as the white world''s energy condensed over her palm. "Haha! To dare to invade my white world¡ªno matter who you are, you''ll all die here today!"


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, which exploded into rays of moonlight.


    The ice queen shot out her concentrated energy of ice, forming an avnche that melted Sun Mengmeng''s attack away. She smiled again. With her other hand, she condensed more energy. "You might have some strength, but how about yourpanions? Are they as strong as you are?"


    As she shot out her energy, countless spikes of ice appeared over the ground, like a forest of icicles.


    Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut. mes surrounded her body. She shot out an arrow, melting the spikes that protruded toward her. "Mypanions aren''t weaker than I am."


    "Indeed? It looks to me as though they''re about to die. No invader can enter my world and leave alive." The ice queen again gathered the energy of ice and frost. She invoked her proof of kingship, concentrating the energy and causing the temperature around her to drop even further.


    Suddenly, however, that energy weakened. As she felt the energy in her hands being snatched away, the ice queen looked toward the source of the problem.


    Zhang Hanxiang was raising her hands high into the sky, surrounded by white snow. She looked like the queen of the white world, and she was the one who had snatched away the energy of ice and frost that the ice queen had gathered.


    .


    The ice queen was shocked beyond belief. "What''s going on?"


    Was this still her world?


    Zhang Hanxiang struck. Even the crystal dragon, who lived in icy-cold seawater, felt a bone-chilling frost permeate him, freezing even his blood.


    Ice and snow surrounded Zhang Hanxiang like a pristine flower of ice. Zhang Hanxiangunched palm strikes continuously before her, infusing that energy into every strike.


    Sharp flowers of ice struck the crystal dragon, causing it to howl in pain, struggling futilely. Its crystalline scales were smashed to pieces as pale blue blood dripped down from the dragon''s body. It roared in rage and pounced toward Zhang Hanxiang, opening its bloody maws wide and intending to swallow her whole.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes turned colder than they had ever been before. All the energy of the white world swirled around her. With a loud yell, she froze time and karma itself. One final strike caused the crystal dragon, trailing pale-blue beads of blood, to fall from the sky.


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade crystal frost dragon. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade crystal frost dragon, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    "What?!" Zhang Hanxiang was bbergasted. That crystal dragon was monarch-grade!


    Zhang Hanxiang''s currentbat strength shouldn''t have allowed her to kill a monarch-grade lifeform; she had been tremendously boosted by the white world''s energy.


    Although the crystal dragon was particrly resistant to ice, Zhang Hanxiang had been able tomand over half the energy of ice and frost that the white world had umted, and that incredible energy was more than sufficient to ovee the crystal dragon''s resistance.


    Even Sun Mengmeng was shocked to see Zhang Hanxiang end her battle first. After all, Zhang Hanxiang was the weakest among the three hunters.


    Compared to Sun Mengmeng, however, the ice queen was even more astounded. Zhang Hanxiang had taken down the crystal dragon, one of thebatants of the white world with the strength of a superior king, within moments. Even more shockingly, Zhang Hanxiang was able tomand the energy of ice and snow of the white world.


    Just who was she??The ice queen cried out, "What sort of monsters are you?!"


    The white world was her world! How could Zhang Hanxiang be able to use that power? This was impossible¡ªwho was she?


    The ice queen forced herself to remain calm. "So what if you can defeat my crystal dragon? My beast of war and ice, who has been hibernating for tens of thousands of years, is a tyrant of the battlefield.


    "I expect yourpanion won''t even be able to break through its defense. Among the three thousand worlds, only existences like the king of keys and the king of chaos have sufficient strength to do so. Yourpanions will never seed!"


    Beside Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu and tens of thousands of his golden clones were charging toward the mountainous beast, which sprayed out a pir of white light.


    Perhaps because the previous attack had been amassed over tens of thousands of years, the current beam attack wasn''t as strong as the previous one, but was far more than sufficient to deal with Sun Xiaowu.


    The beam of white light swept horizontally through the battlefield, freezing Sun Xiaowu''s clones.


    "[Golden Divide: Soar]!"


    Tens of thousands of Sun Xiaowu''s clones raised their hands as one. Golden radiance lit up the battlefield, illuminating the white world, as though the ice had been ted with ayer of gold.


    The blinding radiance forced the otherbatants to look away for a few moments. Sun Xiaowu''s ten thousand clones simultaneously struck with [Golden Divide], forming a sea of resplendent gold.


    Even so, the gold was frozen by ice and frost.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" A series of golden runes glowed over Sun Xiaowu''s skin, shining brightly like a brand. Beneath the ice, those runes simultaneously shone over the ten thousand clones'' skin, breaking them free.


    The mountainous beast slowly raised a humongous foot, intending to stomp Sun Xiaowu into oblivion.


    The huge foot cast a shadow over their heads. The foot wasrge enough to be able to turn an entire city into ruins.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" As he shook chunks of ice from his body, Sun Xiaowu''s aura grew as resplendent as the sun. He clenched his fist. Ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his arm. Sun Xiaowu punched forward, sending frightening shockwaves of energy radiating through the battlefield...

 Chapter 1067: Warlord Sun Xiaowu

    <h4>Chapter 1067: Warlord Sun Xiaowu</h4>


    Theyer of ice that shrouded the giant beast burst apart, causing its foot to move.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into tens of thousands of clones, each simultaneously real and illusory. Against the foot that was the size of a city, Sun Xiaowu and his clones struck with a coordinated attack.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" The tens of thousands of clones performed exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky.


    The entire sky was covered in golden radiance. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    As he swung his fists forward, the golden qilin materialized, like a sun rising into the sky. The golden qilin pushed the mountainous beast aside, shattering the chunks of ice that served as its armor.


    The mountainous beast opened its maw wide and shot out a blinding beam of light, but the golden qilin blocked it with an attack of its own. Ice rained down the sky as the attacknded like a nuclear explosion. Golden light rose into the air, and the overwhelming radiance forced all the onlookers to shut their eyes. The attack pierced the ground in an explosion of light,


    but it only did limited damage to the mountainous beast, who was shielded by thickyers of ice that served as its armor.


    Its continental size, bulked up further by theyers of ice over its body, made it unbelievably tanky and resistant to damage. The golden qilin''s attack only served to break apart the topmostyer of ice, and had far less offensive ability than was necessary to deal damage to it.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall.


    Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    The golden qilin forced the mountainous beast back. At the same time, Sun Xiaowu leapt high into the air, clenching his fists tightly. Golden radiance burned around his fists like a new sun as he struck at one of the mountainous beast''s eyes.


    Its eye destroyed, the mountainous beast roared in outrage, sending another burst of its whiteser beam at Sun Xiaowu. Sun Xiaowu dodged the attack with agile movement in mid-air.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!"


    Down below, Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright the entire battlefield was illuminated. The next moment, they exploded, resulting in a terrifying storm. Golden des embedded in the storm struck at the mountainous beast and caused the ice over its body to break apart.


    The mountainous beast roared in outrage, rearing and elevating itself on its hind legs, then smashing heavily down onto the ice with its forelegs.


    The huge impact caused the ice to crack and break into uneven chunks that destabilized the terrain. Huge chunks of ciers fell toward Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Golden Divide]!" Sun Xiaowu sped his hands together, sending a golden beam of radiance into the air. It turned into a de thousands of meters long.


    .


    Sun Xiaowu shed down with both hands, cutting apart the wind and ice, leaving long scars across the frozen terrain all the way to the mountainous beast. The golden de tore apart the beast''s thick defenses, causing pale blue blood to seep out¡ªbut within moments, the icy aura surrounding the beast froze the wound over and patched up the injury.


    Sun Xiaowu''s face distorted. "Just what sort of ridiculous race is this?"


    It was clear that the mountainous beast before him couldn''t bepared to a disaster-grade lifeform. Sun Xiaowu was reminded of the monarch-grade lifeforms that Zhang Lie had been farming, but those lifeforms were far weaker than those raised in the wild.


    Perhaps because of the damage it had taken, or because part of its ice armor had been sloughed off, the mountainous beast''s movement was far more rapid than before. It attacked furiously, barreling toward Sun Xiaowu, its humongous body a weapon of war in its own right.


    The mountainous beast used no skill or technique. Its speed and momentum alone wasparable. Icy wind surrounded its body, as though it were a moving blizzard.


    The mountainous beast was sorge that, even before impact, Sun Xiaowu was blown away by the surrounding blizzard.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    The moment Sun Xiaowunded on the ground, his body burst with golden light. He charged up energy as his body tensed, theyer of ice beneath his feet cracking. The cracks propagated all around him as the ground itself vibrated with golden light. Sun Xiaowu was like a golden bullet.


    Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden giant that appeared around him, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely.


    The attack struck the mountainous beast in a gleam of light. The huge force of impact caused even the continent-sized beast to flip over.


    The golden light, along with the force of the attack, caused chips and chunks of ice to fly all over. The overwhelming radiance forced all the onlookers to shut their eyes.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand mechas all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously. Each strike was like a miniature sun, and the entire sky turned glittering gold.


    Each golden de was ten meters wide and thousands of meters long, and there were so many of them they filled the sky. The golden des formed a river, a waterfall, that tore apart the sky and headed straight toward the mountainous beast.


    The mountainous beast had just mbered up to its feet when it was struck by the full force of the attack, which boasted so much prating power that even the chunks of ice all over the beast''s body were unable to stop the attack fromnding.


    The golden des broke pastyer afteryer of defense, leaving gruesome wounds all over the beast''s body.


    Wounds crisscrossed the beast''s flesh, so deep and numerous that even the beast''s icy aura was unable to freeze them all quickly enough. Pale blue blood continued to fall.


    The mountainous beast roared in outrage, sucking in the icy air all around it.


    As it did so, the blizzard howling about it strengthened in magnitude. A thickyer of ice froze over the beast''s body, replenishing that which had been lost by [Golden Divide] at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Of course, Sun Xiaowu wasn''t about to let the beast recover so quickly...

 Chapter 1068: Beastslayer

    <h4>Chapter 1068: Beastyer</h4>


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it. ?It was asrge as the falling sun. It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens.


    Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    It grew sorge that it was almostparable in size to the mountainous beast. Sun Xiaowu''s golden qilin was the size of a continent, and it scared all the inhabitants of the world who had never seen anything so massive.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air, its scales radiant and shining with golden light. As it basked in the golden skies, its aura grew so bright that it seemed as though a qilin god had descended on the world.


    Its long whiskers floated in the air as golden clouds wrapped around his body. The qilin shone like a sun in its own right, so brightly it shocked even the ice queen, who was fighting against Sun Mengmeng in the distance.


    The mountainous beast''s single eye was a portrait of fear. It couldn''t imagine how what seemed like an insignificant ant had managed to wound it to such an extent, nor how it could summon an imposing existence of almost the same size as itself.


    The mountainous beast roared, once again shrouding itself in a blizzard as it charged forward. The golden qilin dodged, raking its ws over the beast''s body.


    The beast roared and swiped at it with a foot. The two humongous lifeforms began to wrestle with each other, sending chunks of ice flying.


    The entire in seemed to be about to crack. The beast''s icy armor fell offyer byyer as it tussled with the golden qilin.


    As its armor fell off, its speed and strength increased dramatically, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.


    It began to rampage, suppressing the golden qilin with its enhanced strength and agility.


    "Now''s the time!" Sun Xiaowu had been waiting for precisely that moment during which the mountainous beast''s defense was at its weakest.


    He snapped his fingers, causing the golden qilin to release blinding radiance, so bright it dyed the entire white world golden.


    The next moment, the golden qilin exploded. The ice beneath them cracked, vaporizing in an instant. The golden radiance swirled in the air, an imminent catastrophe.


    The energy it contained swept over the world, sucking up countless chunks of ice.


    Where the golden qilin had exploded, a wide pit remained, sorge a continent could fit within. The ice that had formed the pit had been evaporatedpletely by the golden explosion, uncovering steaming earth. Anyone who saw the sight would have been horrified.


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade warbeast. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade warbeast, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    Upon witnessing the golden explosion, the ice queen''s expression crumbled. The warbeast she had ced her entire confidence in had been killed by Sun Xiaowu. She had believed that none would have been able to deal with the beast except for the king of keys and king of chaos alone¡ªbut Sun Xiaowu had done it, and he had done so easily.


    The ice queen couldn''t be more shocked.


    "Don''t you think you should be paying attention?"


    While the ice queen was distracted, Sun Mengmeng took the opportunity to strike.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone.


    "I''m your opponent!" The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall.


    The ice queen immediately snapped to her senses, shielding herself with ice and frost¡ªbut she was a step toote, and she barely avoided the worst of the damage. If not for the fact that she was an ethereal being, her face would be smudged with ash and dirt.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]."


    Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched yet another attack. Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward the ice queen, revolving around her as the ice queen converted the energy she had umted into a howling blizzard. The ice queen roared, "Don''t think you''ll get away with this!"


    The blizzard smashed into the nine phoenixes, which burst apart into the most beautiful of ck flowers amidst the stark white of the world.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    The beam of light moved so quickly that the ice queen had no time to react. It pierced through her chest, causing ck mes to ignite over her soul.


    The burning sensation caused the ice queen to snarl in outrage.


    She invoked the authority of the realm to suppress the mes. Activating her control over ice, she caused a huge chunk of ice to float up from the ground right before her, causing Sun Mengmeng to suck in her breath. Why hadn''t she fallen yet? [Lunarme Shot] had struck her directly!


    With a wave of the ice queen''s hand, the huge chunk of ice shot toward Sun Mengmeng, the size of a condominium. Sun Mengmeng leapt away from the impact, harnessing her gic energy to burn the space around her with ck mes, causing the temperature of the white world to rise rapidly...

 Chapter 1069: The World of Blazing Sun

    <h4>Chapter 1069: The World of zing Sun</h4>


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. Even before she released her arrow, frightening heat had gathered around her.


    Huge chunks of ice all around melted into water. As she released her fingers, a human-headed, golden-winged bird shining with red light soared into the sky, its huge wings expanded. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the heavens and the earth, dyeing everything in sight a patch of ck. The ice queen released whatever energy she could, summoning the most massive blizzard she had to date. Huge chunks of ice swirled in the blizzard, forming a truly horrifying catastrophe.


    Pitch-ck me and the energy of annihtion spread out in rings around Sun Mengmeng, melting the chunks of ice that came close to her. The ground began to melt, faster and faster.


    The world that the ice queen had worked hard to build was dissolving before her eyes, bit by bit.


    The ice queen, caught by the mes and sent flying, was like a violently burning meteor. The ck mes that surrounded her body were of such staggering temperature that it melted all the ice around her as she flew into the air, leaving long scars across the ground.


    [Lunarfalem Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda] boasted such staggering temperatures that the entire white world seemed toe alive. The ground melted, and meltwater from the ciers formed streams. Ayer of ice over the surface of the world began to dissolve.


    Sun Mengmeng flew into the air chasing after the ice ?queen, who smashed into the ground in a pit.


    Upon witnessing whaty within the pit, Sun Mengmeng''s expression turned cold. There were countless sculptures arrayed around the ice queen, each of frozen aliens and gic lifeforms.


    The ice queen was still burning with ck me, keening with pain. No matter how she tried, the mes couldn''t be extinguished.


    She had consumed too much of her own energy in her fight against Sun Mengmeng to suppress the mes with the energy of ice and frost. All she could do was roll and writhe on the frozen ground, groaning in pain.


    Sun Mengmeng''s expression was fierce. "Exin this."


    "These sculptures are part of my collection. Aren''t they interesting?" The ice queen smiled wickedly even as the mes ate at her nature.


    She had frozen living beings alive and kept them as works of art, despoiling the sanctity of this frozen world. Sun Mengmeng was disgusted. This was a cruel, inhumane act, which she was shocked but not surprised by.


    Sun Mengmeng''s face turned cold. "The superior kings of antiquity really do deserve to die."


    Sun Mengmeng didn''t make a move. She watched quietly as the ice queen writhed.


    The ice queen used thest of her strength to crawl up toward Sun Mengmeng, but Sun Mengmeng kicked her aside expressionlessly.


    The ice queen shouted, "Kill me! Kill me if you dare!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s face was ice-cold, colder than even the environment around her. "Someone like you doesn''t deserve to die. It would hardly be sufficient topensate for what you''ve done. The price of thousands, tens of thousands of lives on your hands¡ªdying would be a blessing."


    The ice queen roared, "Then what do you want?!"


    "Die surrounded by me, by pain, by the gazes of those whom you''ve wronged."


    The ice queen taunted, "Do you fancy yourself a judge? What right have you to judge others? You''re nothing more than a hypocrite."


    "I let those who deserve to be punished be punished. I won''t im to be acting for justice¡ªbut I do believe what I''m doing is right. The man I respect and admire would certainly say that."


    Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help but think of Zhang Lie''s smile.


    After Sun Xiaowu finished dealing with the mountainous beast, he walked over to Sun Mengmeng''s side and gave her a thumbs up. "Amazing, Sis! You took down a superior king of antiquity!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s face was still cold. "I''m your older sister, after all. I can hardly lose to you!"


    As the ck mes burned at the ice queen''s soul, she cried out in pain. Even with the status of a superior king, she couldn''t withstand it. "Kill me, kill me quickly!"


    Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu ignored the ice queen''s cries as they chatted and watched her burn to her death.


    The ice queen had no chance of escape against Sun Mengmeng alone; now that Sun Xiaowu was here as well, her situation was even worse.


    By the time Zhang Hanxiang joined them, the ice queen was begging for her death, but neither Sun Xiaowu nor Sun Mengmeng made a move.


    In the end, as she cursed the hunters one and all, the ice queen burned to a crisp.


    Blood rain fell from the skies. Before it couldnd, it turned into ice and snow.


    They had won the battle. Sun Xiaowu and Zhang Hanxiang beamed, d that all this was over, while the remaining frost spirits nced at the trio in shock.


    The ice queen had lost. Their queen, the ice queen, had lost! She was supposed to be invincible! The remaining frost spirits scattered, intending to run.


    Although the ice queen was dead, the ice that surrounded and encased the white world didn''t melt. Sun Mengmeng melted the nearby ice sculptures with her me, only to find even more aliens trapped beneath.


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Just what has the ice queen done to this world?"


    Sun Xiaowu rapped at the ice with a fist. "It looks like a massive undertaking..."


    Zhang Hanxiang wondered, "How do you think Li Feng, Zhou Ying, and Fang Yi are doing in the world of zing sun?"


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "As members of Team Zenith, they''re surely fine. If we were able to take care of the white world so easily, would Li Feng, Zhou Ying, and Fang Yi have a problem with the world of zing sun? Even if they aren''t able to defeat the sr king, surely they''ll at least be able to run."


    As Sun Mengmeng and the others dealt with the melting ice, Li Feng, Zhou Ying, and Fang Yi had asked around the various worlds for the location of the world of zing sun. By the time they finally arrived at it, all three of them were shocked by the conditions of the world.


    Hundreds of suns hung in the air, and red mes licked the ground. The surface of the world was like a living hell, a burning furnace. The temperature was ridiculously high, and despite the three hunters'' strength, their foreheads were all beading with sweat by the time they took just a few steps in.

 Chapter 1070: An Apple-Sized Sun

    <h4>Chapter 1070: An Apple-Sized Sun</h4>


    Li Feng cried out, "This shouldn''t be known as the world of zing sun, but rather the world of hundred suns, or the world of living hell!"


    Golden birds glided through the air, their exterior lustrous and metallic. Zhang Hanxiang would immediately recognize these birds as the golden sunbirds from the world of zing sun, which she had seen during the war against the death spirits.


    At the heart of the world was a giant mulberry tree, whose golden leaves shone with piercing light. Dozens of nests were arrayed all throughout, hanging on the tree like fruits.


    Li Feng asked, "Are there really lifeforms living in such a world?"


    In fact, there were.


    All lifeforms who could survive in the world of zing sun had to be able to resist abnormally high temperatures. Because of the harsh environment, all lifeforms who lived in the world of zing sun were particrly strong, though there were exceptionally few of them.


    Fang Yimented, "Rather than discuss whether or not there''s life on this world, I think the most pressing question is how we''re expected to find the sr king."


    Li Feng shrugged. "If we call him out, do you think he''ll respond?"


    Zhou Ying asked, "What, like the Golden and Silver Horns from Journey to the West?"


    Fang Yi grumbled, "We''re in enemy territory! Can we be more serious, please?"


    Zhou Ying suggested, "What if we go with the simplest method?"


    Li Feng turned to Zhou Ying. "What method?"


    Zhou Ying pointed at the golden mulberry tree. "Isn''t there a tree right over there?"


    Li Feng asked, "And?"


    "Let''s cut it!"


    Li Feng: ...


    Fang Yi: ...


    Li Feng asked, "Just what sort of logic is that?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "I can sense a tremendous vitality in the mulberry tree. If I''m not mistaken, it''s on the level of a superior king in strength."


    Li Feng and Fang Yi were bbergasted. They looked again at the giant, golden mulberry tree, unable to believe that it was actually an existence on par with a superior king.


    Suddenly, Fang Yi looked up at the skies. He retrieved a spear from his storage-type soulshard. "There''s no need. He''sing."


    Golden radiance appeared in the sky, filling the heavens. Before the light couldnd, the temperature steeply rose, and the mes began to roar.


    Subsequently, with a yell, Fang Yi dashed into the sky with a spear in hand. Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. The golden light burst apart like fireworks.


    Li Feng flew through the air and hovered by Fang Yi''s side.


    "Do you need help?"


    Fang Yi shook his head, his spear pointing at a nt toward the ground. "No need. I''ll be sufficient."


    "Is this the sr king that our captain mentioned?"


    The figure was shrouded in golden sunlight, with ten suns to his back. The temperature of the world, already ridiculously high, rose to a frightening extent after the appearance of this man.


    The man''s eyes, like glowing suns, stared at Fang Yi and the two other hunters. "Who are you?"


    As the ruler of the world of zing sun, the sr king noticed the three hunters'' arrival immediately. The sr king''s eyes narrowed as he spoke. "Forget it. You''ll all die anyway."


    The sr king summoned a miniature sun over his palm, then tossed it toward the three hunters. The sun was only the size of an apple, but it boasted enough energy to make all three hunters react with shock.


    They all dodged, unwilling to face the attack straight on.


    As the apple-sized sunnded on the ground, it caused an explosionparable to that of an atomic bomb. The sr energy within the apple spread all around them, dramatically raising the temperature.


    The three hunters managed to dodge the apple-sized projectile, but not the shockwaves that it released on impact.


    A spearman''s figure broke through the smoke released by the explosion, his spear pointed straight at the sr king.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    The dragon of the winds absorbed the golden energy and morphed into a dragon burning with golden me, whereas the storm tiger roared in mid-air. The dragon and tiger circled Fang Yi, lending their energies to his spear.


    The sr king clenched his fist tightly, as though a sun burned in his palm. As he threw a punch, golden energy exploded around him, sending Fang Yi flying.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Arge flock of golden dragons emerged from where the apple-sized sun had exploded, then surged toward the sr king.


    The sr king snorted. With a wave of his hand, summoning a sr re, he wiped out all the golden dragons.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Fang Yi flew back quickly after having been knocked into the distance.


    "As expected, you''re fine," Fang Yi remarked, smiling.


    Li Feng replied, "This sort of attack won''t be enough to kill me."


    Below them, a wide hole had been formed in the ground, with a radius of over a kilometer. Lava flowed through cracks in the ground; even the surface of the world, tempered by the heat, sumbed to a casual attack from the sr king.


    "And how about you? Are you fine?" Li Feng continued.


    Li Feng had survived the explosion unscathed, but Fang Yi looked a bit haggard after having been sent flying by the sr king.


    Fang Yi grinned. "I''ve only taken superficial injuries. It wasn''t a problem."


    Li Feng looked all around. "I don''t see Zhou Ying."


    Fang Yi shrugged. "Her ability to survive is stronger than oursbined. Even if we were both to turn to ash, she''d probably still be hale and healthy. There''s nothing to worry about."


    "Quite so," Li Feng replied, nodding.


    The sr king nced askance at both of them. "To think both of you could survive that initial volley... it looks like you''re no ordinary invader. Who sent you here?"


    "Justice!"


    "Justice, indeed!" Fang Yi''s eyes burned with fighting intent. He charged toward the sr king, spear in hand.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Wind howled and lightning shed through the skies. The purple lightning spread through the air, and the wind stirred up howling mes. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    "Forget it. Regardless of who''s behind you, you''ll all die." The sr king summoned up another apple-sized sun. Unlikest time, however, as he held it high overhead, the sun suddenly expanded countless times, until it was the size of one of the hundred in the air.


    He tossed it straight toward Fang Yi and Li Feng.


    Li Feng couldn''t help mock, "Just what sort of technique is this? Growing a miniature sun?"


    Meanwhile, Fang Yi had speared the sun with his spear, causing a huge explosion in mid-air...

 Chapter 1071: Arclight Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 1071: Arclight Dragon</h4>


    The golden radiance burst apart in the air. A frightening explosion morphed into a sr re that covered the entirety of the world of zing sun. Boulders on the ground were blown away, and the inhabitants of the world, aliens and gic lifeforms, trembled in fright.


    The sr king''s battle against Fang Yi and Li Feng was cataclysmic.


    A spear arrayed with the forces of wind and storm pierced through the sr king''s golden suns. Twisters of wind sucked up the sr me, and thunder and lightning shed against it in a series of explosions.


    "Interesting. Let''s see how much you can handle, then!"


    The sr king was dressed in thick golden armor, shining with glittering light. His arms were raised high above his head as ten suns responded to hismand, a sr god by might and right.


    Even Fang Yi was shocked by the sight of ten suns advancing toward them. His spear pierced through one, but, spent, was unable to handle the other nine.


    The sr king ignored his futile attempts. With a wave of his hand, he sent the ten suns falling toward them. Even before they drew near, Fang Yi could sense the frightening heat radiating off them, almost sufficient to melt his body whole.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned thousands of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    The serpents of light shot toward the ten suns, tearing at them and causing them to explode before they could strike Fang Yi.


    The golden sunlight radiated through the air, as though there were dozens of sr res that were coalescing into a more massive whole.


    "Thank you!" Fang Yi called back, sending his wind- and storm-charged spear right through the confluence of res.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" he shouted.


    Wind and storm crackled as Fang Yi infused [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow] into the attack.


    The elementsbined at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. The spear spun more and more rapidly, detonating the sr res that hung in the air and increasing the turbulence of the explosion.


    Golden radiance surrounded Fang Yi, the extreme temperature unbearable.


    His spear rotated rapidly as wind and lightning surged forth, carrying the might of the entire sr storm with it.


    The wind drew out the might of the sr storm, and lightning infused itself into the sr energy, turning a bright gold.


    Wind howled and thunder crackled. The sun''s might gathered over the spear andbined with the forces of wind and lightning. Thebination of the three energies turned Fang Yi''s spear into a golden saw.


    Surrounded by a golden storm, by crackling golden lightning, by a golden dragon of wind and tiger of storm, with the sound of the saw whirring like a tiger''s howl, a dragon''s bellow, Fang Yi struck.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body. When the golden sunlight infused its energy within, it turned into a golden loop.


    A golden thunderstorm manifested into existence from behind Fang Yi, like the mes from a rocket boosting himself forward. Sonic booms formed all around him as Fang Yi found himself flying faster than mach speed, shooting toward the sr king like a piercing arrow.


    The sr king snarled at Fang Yi, his face fierce. "You dare steal my strength?"


    Fang Yi had taken advantage of the sr king''s sr energy by wrapping it up in his storm, then absorbing that power.


    "Let me help you out!" Li Feng, now d in a suit of dragon armor, waved his left arm. A seal of light materialized around him. "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    A gigantic dragon''s w shot toward Fang Yi like a pir of light. The dragon''s w moved so quickly that it reached Fang Yi within moments. The w pushed up against Fang Yi and sped him up even further.


    The sr king was outraged.


    The ten suns behind him glowed with resplendent light. As he pushed his palms forward, all that light concentrated into a ray of destruction.


    Fang Yi''s golden saw cut apart that ray all the way back to its source before striking the sr king''s heavy te armor.


    The te armor erupted. The explosion covered up the entire sky; even the hundred shining suns seemed to darken at that very moment.


    Li Feng cried out in shock, "Reactive armor!"


    Reactive armor was somethingmonly installed on tanks or battleships. As its name suggested, it would be able to respond to targeted attacks,monly by installing inert explosives on standard armor. Such explosives wouldn''t respond to minor explosions, but would explode uponing into contact with any anti-tank or anti-battleship attacks to disrupt those attacks.


    This wasn''t the first time Li Feng had seen their like.


    In some sense, Hong Xi''s armor-type soulshard could also be ssified as reactive armor, but this was the first time he had seen its like from the natives of the third realm.


    Fang Yi''s golden saw was an attack that could certainly have pierced through a superior king''s defenses, but he had never expected to find one who was wearing such reactive armor.


    Zhang Lie had only seen the rash, petty side of the sr king during the superior kings'' meetings, not anticipating that he would behave far less cavalierly when it came to his own safety and going as far as to wear reactive armor.


    The reactive explosion sent Fang Yi''s attack off its intended course, causing it to miss the sr king.


    The sr king glowed with golden light, and his sun-like eyes were burning brightly. The reactive armor that had exploded was slowly restoring itself with his energy.


    "For mere ants to have pierced through my armor¡ªit''s been years. I''ll honor you both with death."


    The sr king manifested another sun in his palm, preparing to lob it straight at Fang Yi.


    "No!" Li Feng reacted rapidly to provide him support. "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed toward the sr king...

 Chapter 1072: Monologue

    <h4>Chapter 1072: Monologue</h4>


    The sr king tossed the sun in his palm at the arclight dragon instead, causing its image to dissipate within moments.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him as he shot forward in a beam of light¡ªagainst which the sr king retaliated with one of his own.


    The three-way fight had scorched all surroundingnd within a thousand miles.


    Thend of the world of zing sun had been half-scorched to begin with, but Li Feng and Fang Yi''s fight against the sr king had melted it.


    Fang Yi turned back in mid-air and, seizing the opportunity that Li Feng had left him,unched an attack in rapid session.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time.


    The spear pierced space and time, its tip descending into the void. Everything froze and turned gray: the wind, the burning mes¡ªeverything was halted in this grayscale world. The only color in the space came from Fang Yi and his crackling spear.


    Fang Yi moved extremely slowly. The cost of maintaining this grayscale world was immense. The sr king''s reactive armor had yet to recover fully, and there was still a gap around his chest, right below his neck.


    The moment Fang Yi''s spear struck the sr king''s body, time returned to normal. Golden ichor sshed out of the wound as the sr king grabbed onto the haft of the spear.


    He called out, "I overlooked your abilities. To think a puny ant would be able tomand power over time..."


    Although the sr king looked calm, he was unbelievably shocked. Where had these twobatants, who looked as though they were both on the level of superior kings, emerged from?


    The appearance of such strong fighters would surely leave a mark, but the sr king had never heard of these two fighters, almost as though they had appeared out of thin air.


    This was Zhang Lie''s genius. He had long since predicted that he would have had to fight against the superior kings of the third realm, and had chosen to sequester the members of Team Zenith until now.


    In the end, the superior kings of antiquity really did strike.


    The superior kings didn''t realize that Zhang Lie was able to call on seven or eight morebatants on the level of superior kings, and were caught unprepared.


    If they had known about this in advance, they would have thought more carefully before invading the newly evolved superior worlds. Facing off against three superior kings was different from doing so against ten, and the superior kings of antiquity would suffer serious losses by doing so.


    The members of Team Zenith were all very impressed with Zhang Lie''s nning and foresight.


    Fang Yi found his spear trapped. He was unable to budge the sr king''s grip. He had intended to push the tip of the spear deeper into the sr king''s body¡ªbut the sr king had broken out of the temporal constraints with his own power.


    Against any other superior king, Fang Yi might have seeded, but Fang Yi''s opponent was clearly versed in time as well, and he had the backing of fighting on home ground. The will of the world afforded the sr king fine understanding of the state of his world, including the flow of time. The sr king sensed that he was trapped in stasis and invoked the authority of a superior king to break out of it.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" An arclight dragon appeared behind Li Feng. He punched forward, and the dragon shot toward the sr king like a bullet from a sniper rifle.


    The light dragon left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Li Feng reached out to save Fang Yi as the sr king snorted, kicking Fang Yi toward the dragon of light with such force that it caused a white-colored explosion. Fang Yi''s back was reduced to a mass of bleeding flesh.


    Li Feng hurriedly flew toward him. "Are you alright?"


    Fang Yi shook his head. "It''s a minor injury, nothing more."


    The sr king guessed, "You''re working for the king of chaos, aren''t you? He doesn''t want to see us gain more power?"


    No fighter on the level of a superior king could have emerged out of nowhere. From the sr king''s perspective, all these fighters had to be carefully cultivated over years and years.


    Most importantly, the sr king wascking crucial information. He knew that there were beasts so powerful as to be ssified as monarch-grade, though not what these beasts meant to the hunters of the Milky Way.


    Most superior worlds had monarch-grade creatures, who served like guardian deities of their respective worlds.


    .


    From the sr king''s perspective, the only superior king who had ess to so many strong fighters was the king of chaos. The sr king murmured to himself, "Does the king of chaos fear that we might be able to reach his level if we were able to im the Zongming world''s spoils for ourselves...?"


    Fang Yi and Li Feng nced at each other. They had heard of the king of chaos, the strongest of the superior kings of antiquity, ruler of the world of primordial chaos. But what did the king of chaos have to do with them?


    The sr king, however, seemed to have suddenlye to an understanding.


    "I get it, I get it now! No wonder the king of chaos gave the crystal of world''s energy to the Zongming king! He knew that the Zongming king was a newly evolved superior king, who wouldn''t be able to unlock its full potential for years on end. It''d be useless to him."


    Fang Yi was wholly confused by the direction of the sr king''s thoughts, but any distraction would be valuable to him. Fang Yi had consumed quite a lot of stamina in activating his control over time, and the damage to his back was something that would take some time to recover.


    Light-attuned gic energy continued to scald him; it was particrly potent in a world like the world of zing sun. Despite Fang Yi''s im that it was only a minor injury, it hurt all over.


    While the sr king monologued, he chugged down a restorative, allowing his wounds to seal. He couldn''t help but think of Zhou Ying, and how she had vanished after the sr king''s initial attack.


    The sr king continued to speak. "You don''t fear us¡ªyou fear this energy that''s beyond even that of a superior world! You intend on dealing with all the other superior worlds first before iming that treasure for yourself¡ªmaking us fight among ourselves while you hide behind the scenes like a mastermind. As expected of the strongest king, we can''t match you in wit or in strength!"

 Chapter 1073: Lava Giant

    <h4>Chapter 1073: Lava Giant</h4>


    Li Feng turned to Fang Yi. "What nonsense is he spouting?"


    Fang Yi shrugged. "How would I know?"


    The sr king roared in outrage, "You''re going to send your subordinates at me, but not show up yourself?"


    Li Feng sighed. "It looks like this fellow really thinks that we were sent by the king of chaos..."


    Fang Yi gave the sr king a thumbs up. "Smart!"


    The sr king looked up at the sky. When he saw no sign of motion, he roared again, "King of chaos, I know you''re here! Your clones litter the entirety of the three thousand worlds. You must be here somewhere, in a dark corner, enjoying this show! The two men you''ve sent out have admitted it already!"


    The sr king had evidently misinterpreted Fang Yi''s sarcastic statement.


    Li Feng and Fang Yi certainly weren''t sent by the king of chaos, but even if the king of chaos'' clone were around, he wouldn''t be able to show himself. If he did, it would be akin to admitting that he was keeping an eye on the region.


    Neither Li Feng nor Fang Yi were subordinates of the king of chaos. The king of chaos didn''t fear anyone in the third realm, but he had no intention of shouldering the me for this ridiculous im.


    The sr king gritted his teeth. "Very well. If you aren''t going to show yourself, I''ll kill your two subordinates!"


    "He''sing!" Fang Yi immediately got into a battle-ready stance.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning. A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi''s still-wounded back, taking on the form of a clock.


    Li Feng drew his sword, and light-attuned gic energy gathered on its de. "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The sr king raised his hands high overhead once again.


    Hundreds of suns manifested in the air, filling the sky.


    Fang Yi and Li Feng couldn''t help but suck in a deep breath.


    As though an apocalypse were about to take ce, hundreds of suns appeared overhead, dyeing the entire sky golden. The piercing sunlight shone down on the world, bypassing even regions that were otherwise shaded.


    With a wave of the sr king''s hand, the suns all began falling toward the ground like meteors. Fang Yi and Li Feng were quickly surrounded by blinding sunlight.


    The sessive explosion of the hundred suns was like an aerial bombardment. Sr res formed where the suns struck ground. The series of golden explosions turned the barely livable conditions into something truly hellish.


    With a dragon''s howl, a silvery-white sword sh tore apart an impending golden explosion, courtesy of Li Feng.


    Fang Yi quickly followed up with his spear. The sr king raised his palm and manifested a sr shield before him.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" Fang Yi morphed into lightning for mere moments, and the wind swelled around him. He dodged the shield and stabbed at the sr king from all over.


    The sr king reached out and caught the spear that was aimed at his head as dozens of afterimages pierced his body. The spears didn''t trigger his reactive armor, and neither did golden blood spray from his body. It was evident that they were all illusions, that the sr king had somehow found Fang Yi''s actual body urately.


    The sr king maintained a tight grip on the spear, causing it to be unable to advance or retreat no matter how Fang Yi struggled.


    The wheel of time behind Fang Yi''s back began to turn as another wheel of time stacked onto it¡ªbut neither the increase in speed or strength seemed to prove useful.


    The sr king chuckled. "You''re rather simple-minded, aren''t you?"


    The sr king''s body was covered by reactive golden armor, and the only unprotected parts of his body were his eyes. It was natural that Fang Yi would try to target them.


    "Is that so? [Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors.


    The sr king raised an eyebrow, then turned his shield toward the meteoric dragons.


    The meteoric dragons crashed into the sr shield, causing another wave of golden explosions. The sr shield, just like the sr king''s reactive armor, was able to respond to iing attacks


    and would explode upon being damaged, using the strength of those explosions to counteract the opponent''s attack. If the attack were short-ranged, the attacker would even be burned by the sr mes.


    While the sr king was distracted with Li Feng''s [Birth of the Holy Dragon], Fang Yi kicked at the sr king with a leg wrapped in wind and storm.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!" The kick struck the sr king''s head, causing the reactive armor around his helmet to explode. Fang Yi made use of the momentum of the explosion to escape from his grasp.


    The sr king pped his ringing head. "I''ll admit that both of you are strong even forbatants at the level of superior kings. You might barely be considered strong enough to be at the level of superior kings of antiquity, and dealing with the two of you is a tremendous pain. I think I''ll call on a helper."


    By then, Fang Yi had recovered and was flying back over.


    The sr king pped his palms. Thend some distance away splintered and cracked, and a pir of me roared into the air.


    mes swept over the ground, and the ming boulders that had beenunched into the air now fell like a ming meteor shower.


    A figure emerged from the mes, like a fire giant. mingva circted around its body, as though they were its arteries and veins. Its entire body burned with a dark-red me.


    Its eyes were hollow, making it seem like a robot or golem. Its massive body was thousands of meters tall. It carried a furnace of dark red me on its back, and radiated an unbelievable heat. If it were to approach a bar of steel, that steel might very well sublimate.


    This giant felt like a personification of the world of zing sun, a giant out of hell, a furnace by its back.


    Upon sensing the aura of the dark red furnace, Li Feng''s eyes grew wide. "Is that the proof of kingship of this world?"


    Fang Yi seemed rather skeptical. "Surely not. The proofs of kingship we''ve seen have all been inanimate, haven''t they? There''s no way they could be granted life..."

 Chapter 1074: Overlapping Time

    <h4>Chapter 1074: Ovepping Time</h4>


    The fire giant looked like a giant out of hell, a furnace by its back.


    Upon sensing the aura of the dark red furnace, Li Feng''s eyes grew wide. "Is that the proof of kingship of this world?"


    The sr king exined, "After witnessing the king of ck fog and the king of keys, I couldn''t help but wonder if I too could manifest a will of the world in reality, or tobine it with some other living form. Although the oue of my experiments isn''t what I hoped to achieve, I did end up with a particrly strong weapon."


    The giant that looked as though it came from hell began to run forward, causing the world of zing sun to quake with every footfall it made. Fiery waves formed over the ground as the giant charged toward Fang Yi.


    Despite its size, the giant moved extremely quickly. Fang Yi noticed the giant right as it was about to hit him, and Li Feng immediately grew rmed.


    "Be careful!" Li Fengpressed light-attuned gic energy over his fist, once and again. "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!"


    Li Feng''s fist smashed into the ground in an explosion of light-attuned gic energy, as though a nuclear warhead had detonated. All that energy headed in a certain direction.


    The ground cracked, leaving long scars where the energy passed through, and blocked off the giant''s trajectory.


    Even so, the giant, strong as it was, charged forward and smashed apart the light-attuned gic energy in its way.


    Li Feng''s attack wasn''t fruitless. He had bought Fang Yi valuable time to react.


    As a third wheel of time appeared to Fang Yi''s back, Fang Yi chose not to retreat. He thrust his spear forward faster than wind or storm.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, like a thunderstorm. However, Fang Yi''s attack was insufficient to counteract the giant''s momentum, and he was sent flying.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, radiated from Li Feng''s arm.


    The sky turned a bright white. Shockwaves roared through the air like thundering dragons.


    Silvery-white radiance covered up the sunlight as Li Feng punched forward. The light-attuned gic energy morphed into a roaring river that poured down on the giant like a flood.


    Thick, concentrated energy like sharp des piercing heaven and earth fell from the sky. The des pierced through the giant''s back, causing dark red mes to burst up all around him.


    Li Feng''s strike caused the giant to stumble back a few steps as Fang Yi mbered back to his feet. "Hold him off for me. I''ll charge up for a big blow!"


    "Don''t ask for too much..." When Li Feng saw the energy gathering around Fang Yi, however, he quickly shut up. The amount of energy Fang Yi was unleashing was ridiculous.


    Wind and lightning surged around his spear in quantities farrger than seemed possible. Fang Yibined that energy with temporal energy, causing the light around his spear to sh a dazzling array of colors, blue and ck and purple, as though he had broken open a wormhole right in front of him.


    Fang Yi grinned.


    Thebination of the energies led to a stupendous attack, beyond what would normally have been thought possible.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Once again, Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    The wheels of time that spawned around Fang Yi''s back wasn''t just to strengthen his own abilities, but were a necessary prerequisite for unleashing this skill.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Hebined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, and space.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Sr mes were sucked into the mix.


    Fang Yi poured more and more gic energy into the attack. A storm roared into existence around him, breaking apart the frozen world of gray.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    Fang Yi''s spear, thrumming with the power of elements and time, was a weapon of legends.


    Formless lightning shed over its surface, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi. Fang Yi focused them all on the tip of his spear in an unstable equilibrium.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost...

 Chapter 1075: Uncontrollable

    <h4>Chapter 1075: Uncontroble</h4>


    Unfortunately, before Fang Yi''s attack could stabilize, the sr king had invoked his authority as superior king to break out of temporal stasis. With a wave of his hand, thousands of suns appeared overhead, their golden radiance covering up the sky.


    "Don''t forget about me!"


    The heat generated from thousands of suns caused even the air to start to burn. The entire world became a sea of mes, and even the aliens and lifeforms who could survive in the inhospitable habitant of the world of zing sun began to moan and whine.


    Resistance to fire was different from immunity, especially against thousands of zing suns. The entire world seemed to have be a gigantic microwave.


    With a wave of the sr king''s hand, the thousand suns fell from the sky in a golden flood.


    "Don''t forget about me, either. I''m not going to let you harm even a single hair on Fang Yi''s head! [Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!"


    Li Feng shouted. Dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole.


    The dragons howled as they swallowed up the suns, shing in gold and silver, splitting the sky in twain.


    A gold and silver storm manifested in the air, and piercing light filled the sky. Any lifeform that raised its head would be blinded by the piercing light.


    The dragons of light smashed against the suns, giving off an intense explosion that reached even the ground. Boulders were sent flying into the air as the dark red mes were suppressed.


    The sh of gold and silver formed a barrier that couldn''t be crossed in the battlefield.


    While Li Feng and the sr king exchanged blows, the energy that Fang Yi had gathered nearedpletion.


    Fang Yi hadbined six different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; and the fundamental forces of space and time.


    Among these, spatial rifts and void lightning were particrly dangerous, and the fact that Fang Yi was meddling and even experimenting with them would make others think twice about associating with him. But if he didn''t risk it all, how would he ever surpass Zhang Lie and the others?


    In terms of strength, Fang Yi wasn''t the strongest among the members of Team Zenith. The strength that Li Feng had disyed was something he couldn''t match. Li Feng was able to fight on equal terms with the sr king, but Fang Yi had been sent flying back time and again.


    That didn''t imply that Fang Yi was weak, however. There were no weaklings among the members of Team Zenith. Fang Yi was the most likely to be able to kill any of the other members, because he possessed a technique that could inflict immense burst damage¡ªthe technique he was about to use.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled. Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to break and crack, as did Fang Yi''s own peak-grade spear. Even Fang Yi''s own body was giving out. He bled out of his orifices, veins popping out on his forehead, the spear in his hand trembling almost uncontrobly.


    All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The sr king, who had been in the middle of exchanging blows with Li Feng, nced at Fang Yi with shock. Was that madman trying to destroy the entire world?


    "Scram!"


    "Come on, our fight isn''t over yet!" Light-attuned gic energy gathered atop Li Feng''s de. "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that tore apart the sr storm.


    Just then, the fire giant stomped past the storm of incandescent gold and swirling silver. When Li Feng saw the sight, his eyes went wide. "No!"


    The fire giant''s momentum was greater than that of a freight train¡ªit might as well have been a battleship cruiser in its own right. The giant looked as though it could push an entire continent aside.


    The sr king roared inughter. "Haha, he''s dead meat!"


    While he was charging up for an attack, Fang Yi wouldn''t be able to dodge the fire giant''s blows.


    The sr king''s face turned malevolent. "Kill him before he can do anything!"


    However, Fang Yi''s attack was already nearingpletion. The mixed elemental energy spun as rapidly as a cyclone. Fang Yi tried to condense all that energy with his willpower, but the unstable construction began to fall apart.


    Fang Yi believed that, now that he possessed peak limit fragments and ten monarch gene fragments, he would be able to master this technique¡ªbut he realized that he was far too naive.


    This wasn''t a technique he was even supposed to possess at this level. The skin on his arms cracked. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of his wounds.


    Even a disaster-grade spear was unable to contain the energies that were running rampant throughout his body. Rather than keep trying to rein in the energy, Fang Yi howled and sent the unstable mixture shooting forward, causing all that energy to erupt in an instant.


    The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment. A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    A tsunami or a volcanic eruption would be nothing more than a minor inconveniencepared to this apocalyptic blow.


    The explosion from Fang Yi''s condensation of unstable energies destroyed everything in its path; nothing could stop the attack.


    The corkscrewing energies struck the fire giant. Despite all its momentum, the fire giant''s continent-moving momentum was nothing more than a baby''s fist against the energies that Fang Yi had unleashed.


    The fire giant was sent flying into the distance as thebination of elements wreaked havoc on thend...

 Chapter 1076: Golden Mulberry

    <h4>Chapter 1076: Golden Mulberry</h4>


    The corkscrewing energies shook the entire world of zing sun. Even the sr king himself was unable to control the unbridled energies.


    Dark red mes red. Burning boulders were sent flying into the air. The fire giant was pierced cleanly through by the ridiculously concentrated energy, and that energy struck the furnace at its back.


    "No!" the sr king roared.


    The furnace cracked, and the damage that urred to it was directly reflected on the world of zing sun.


    A crack likewise appeared on the surface of the world of zing sun. As the corkscrewing energies continued to remain in contact with the furnace, that crack began to propagate, on and on.


    The ground shook. Pirs of dark red me rose all over the world, burning madly. Lava seeped out of the cracks in the ground. The corkscrewing energies dealt heavy damage to the foundation of the entire world.


    What the fire giant carried on its back was precisely the proof of kingship, which was intimately connected to the world of zing sun. If the proof of kingship were to suffer heavy damage, so would the world itself.


    Fortunately, the proof of kingship was astonishingly sturdy. As the core of the world of zing sun, it was able to remain intact despite Fang Yi''s supercharged attack.


    The furnace flew hundreds of miles through the air before smashing into a mountain range, toppling it whole. The intense heat surrounding it melted the mountains down.


    The sr king breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the proof of kingship had survived without being destroyed.


    Fang Yi''s attack unleashed such devastating energy that the sr king half-thought that the proof of kingship was done for.


    The fire giant was obliterated by the corkscrewing energies. Dark red me seeped out of the furnace''s crack, reforging the fire giant anew.


    Li Feng''s eyes widened. "What?!"


    The sr kingughed. "Haha, you didn''t think this could happen, did you? Have you forgotten how this giant was forged to begin with?"


    The sr king exined, "After witnessing the king of ck fog and the king of keys, I couldn''t help but wonder if I too could manifest a will of the world in reality, or tobine it with some other living form. Although the oue of my experiments isn''t what I hoped to achieve, I did end up with a particrly strong weapon."


    The sr king smiled. "It''s not an existence on par with the king of ck fog or the king of keys, but it does share some of the same attributes: chiefly among them that, as long as the proof of kingship isn''t destroyed, the fire giant can regenerate indefinitely."


    Li Feng''s eyes grew wide.


    "The fire giant is the avatar of the will of the world. In other words, as long as this world isn''t destroyed, neither will be the fire giant! However, once you destroy my world, even if you kill me, the king of chaos won''t be able to get any benefits from doing so. Will you nevertheless attempt to kill the giant, or will you leave now? Make your choice."


    The sr king was truly frightened by Fang Yi''s attack.


    It had almost destroyed the world of zing sun the first time. If Fang Yi were tounch the same attack once again, who knew what would happen?


    And even if both of these superior kings were taken care of, who knew how many subordinates the king of chaos would keep sending out? The sr king''s only choice was to make the twobatants realize their uphill struggle and quit early.


    Meanwhile, after the sr king''s initial attack when the three hunters arrived, Zhou Ying had been sent flying, badly injured. However, her immense vitality restored her near-immediately.


    An outburst of green light shielded Zhou Ying. Her hair grew long enough to reach her legs, turning into a green the color of sparkling jade. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. She seemed to have be one with thend.


    Motes of green light fluttered around her like fireflies. Every action she made brimmed with life.


    Within moments, Zhou Ying had recovered from her injuries.


    She felt a sudden thirst, a resonance. She lifted her head to see a golden mulberry tree, one that rose directly into the clouds. Its golden leaves gave off a blinding light. Each leaf was metallic, lustrous, like a miniature sun.


    This was precisely the golden mulberry tree that Zhou Ying, Li Feng, and Fang Yi had sensed upon first arriving in the world.


    The leaves of the golden mulberry tree shook, transmitting its desire for Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying finally understood why she had seen the golden mulberry tree immediately upon arriving in this world.


    She was filled with a desire to consume the golden mulberry tree at a gic level, as though it were the most delicious food she would ever consume.


    No, it went beyond even that¡ªthis was a desire facilitated by her very cells, her entire body, a resonance of energy. The golden mulberry tree was an exceptional lifeform among the three thousand worlds, and it too wanted to devour the concentrated energy of life that seeped from Zhou Ying''s body.


    Zhou Ying''s energy was derived from wood sprites, and the wood sprites'' desire and thirst for exceptional nt life was reflected in her very blood.


    A wood sprite who encountered the golden mulberry tree might have chosen a path of symbiosis, but Zhou Ying was no pure wood sprite. Her power simply derived from them.


    The evolution of her framework from the spiritual body of a wood sprite to a divine body thereof meant that she could no longer live in symbiosis with any nt matter, and the golden mulberry tree certainly wouldn''t choose to live in symbiosis with a half-wood sprite, either.


    As a result, Zhou Ying and the golden mulberry tree could only be enemies.


    Countless golden birds made of energy hovered around the golden mulberry tree, like clouds heralding a golden dawn. Each was made of such concentrated energy that they took on solid form.


    The ground quaked as the golden mulberry tree sent thick roots toward Zhou Ying, who leapt back to avoid their attack.


    The golden birds flocked toward Zhou Ying in a golden tide.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    However, the situation seemed particrly unfavorable to Zhou Ying, as though the golden mulberry tree''s existence was naturally at odds with Zhou Ying.


    Most important was the environment. The earth of the world of zing sun was eminently unsuited for ordinary nts. Even with Zhou Ying''s overwhelming vitality, each wood dragon she summoned was only thirty meters thick. Under ordinary circumstances, she was able to summon wood dragons that were three hundred meters thick.


    Secondly, the birds of golden energy were particrly strong against her wood dragon constructs. A straightforward confrontation between the golden birds and her wood dragons saw the wood dragons faltering against the golden birds almost immediately...

 Chapter 1077: Zhou Yings Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1077: Zhou Ying''s Strength</h4>


    The golden birds were made from concentrated sr energy, which was an advanced form of fire-attuned energy. As a result, they boasted immense elemental advantage against Zhou Ying''s wood dragons.


    After repeated contact with the wood dragons, the birdlike constructs of energy unraveled and unleashed tremendous explosions, sending golden mes spreading all around. The wood dragons were all lit ame, and the golden birds that had been at the back of the flock were now able to pierce through them all.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!" A dagger appeared in Zhou Ying''s hand. As she waved it around, a series of afterimages manifested before her, like ck scars criss-crossing.


    Zhou Ying''s dagger tore apart space. As the golden birds exploded, one after another, the golden mes spread all around her, singeing her hair.


    Using her own vitality as a shield, Zhou Ying transformed into a berserker. She waved the dagger in her hands madly as she killed bird after bird.


    The ground quaked as golden roots emerged from the ground. Zhou Ying, as though having sensed them in advance, hurriedly jumped back.


    There was no reason that only the golden birds would attack while the golden mulberry tree hung back.


    As a lifeform on the level of a superior king, the tree possessed no small supply of intelligence. It had been searching for an opportunity to strike, only to have Zhou Ying defend against its blows easily.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!" Zhou Ying pressed her palms against the ground. Green motes of vitality spread out all around her as tens of thousands of wood dragons emerged from the ground, covering up the entire area. Not only had their quantity increased, but also their quality.


    These wood dragons were three times thicker than thest. Their bark was ck, with some resistance against fire, and they were able to block the tide of golden birds.


    Even so, the birds flocked endlessly toward Zhou Ying, destroying the ck wood dragons as they spawned. Only with Zhou Ying''s infusion of vitality did the wood dragons manage to reach a semnce of equilibrium with the golden birds.


    Realizing that they were unable to break through Zhou Ying''s defenses, the golden birds suddenly flocked into the air, gathering by the golden mulberry tree''s branches.


    Golden energy lit up the sky, shining brighter than even the hundred suns. As the golden mulberry tree''s energy poured into them, the golden birds glowed like golden clouds.


    They began to merge with each other, forming arge golden bird that was, incredibly, on the level of a superior king.


    The bird pped its wings, sending scorching golden light raining down on Zhou Ying like a flurry of golden des.


    Zhou Ying knocked whatever des she could aside with her daggers, her body radiant in the light.


    The reason that Zhou Ying hadn''t used hand-to-handbat in her previous battles wasn''t because she was unskilled, but rather that her other skills and techniques were more convenient.


    Zhou Ying was particrly skilled with suchbat, andunching a flurry of speedy blows had been her predominant style of fighting before the acquisition of her current framework. Now that her framework was proving ineffective against these enemies, she returned to her old style.


    The golden bird swooped down toward her, its every feather glowing with resplendent light.


    The golden light pierced through the ground, each beam like a sword. Zhou Ying''s footwork allowed her to dart between the beams. As the golden bird drew closer, Zhou Ying tried to pull away from it, but the golden bird glided through the air in hot pursuit.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dragon''s Enclosure]!" A titanic burst of vitality emerged from Zhou Ying''s body. Giant wood dragons shot out from the earth, forming a pitch-ck sea in quantities sorge as to be astounding. Within moments, roots had speared the golden bird through.


    .


    The golden bird shone with piercing light, cutting apart all the roots in its way¡ªbut there were so many of them that it was forced to slow.


    Meanwhile, a green leaf fluttered through the air, amidst the golden light, and floated to the back of the bird''s head. It transformed back into Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying''s dagger pierced through that gleaming golden light and into the bird''s head, then dragged that dagger all the way down its back.


    The golden bird cried out in pain. The golden light''s intensity redoubled, shattering the roots that bound it and lighting them ame.


    The golden mulberry tree''s leaves shook. They formed a storm of leaves directed straight at Zhou Ying. Each leaf was metallic, lustrous, like a miniature sun.


    The golden storm that headed for her was more fearsome than even the sr king''s sr storm.


    The golden leaves tore apart the burning roots and added ayer of golden mes to everything they passed through. The roots were no longer able to supply Zhou Ying with vitality, and she was no longer able to regenerate them as easily.


    As the leafstorm swept toward Zhou Ying, she waved her dagger around and knocked aside the leaves in her way.


    Suddenly, however, those leaves glowed with blinding light and exploded like burning suns.


    They set off a chain reaction, cascading into the heart of the storm. A wave of golden energy swamped everything in sight.


    The explosions of golden light was an astounding sight, beautiful even in the face of the destruction they wreaked.


    Zhou Ying escaped from the explosion, her body burned in patches. Her burgeoning vitality allowed her to heal from much of those wounds quickly, but anyone else would have lost theirbat strength. The ground shuddered as huge golden roots burrowed upward in an attempt to catch her.


    Zhou Ying''s dagger traced ck arcs through the air as she cut those roots off. Golden leaves continued to flutter toward her in a dense cloud, like butterflies.


    Zhou Ying whirled around in mid-air, tearing apart space with her daggers. Those daggers formed a barrier against the leaves, cutting apart any that drew near. The leaves began to explode once more, but the ck daggers protected Zhou Ying from the worst of the damage.


    Golden birds gathered around the golden mulberry tree. The hundreds of suns in the sky poured their energies into the tree and its surroundings.


    Red me appeared all over thend, then slowly made its way toward the tree. All the energy from the world of zing sun seemed to be gathering.


    Ten nests atop the golden mulberry tree gave off blinding light. Momentster, those beams of light shot toward Zhou Ying.


    Before the incandescent birds could strike her, Zhou Ying felt a wave of extreme, suffocating heat. If this attack were tond, Zhou Ying would surely turn into nothing more than ash...

 Chapter 1078: Lifes Miracles

    <h4>Chapter 1078: Life''s Miracles</h4>


    Zhou Ying revolved through the air, dodging a few beams of golden light as she struck with her daggers, tearing space apart and leaving a ck trail behind.


    A golden beam of light burst in an explosion, its force sending Zhou Ying flying into the distance. With her vitality, however, Zhou Ying easily healed up from the wounds she received.


    The other golden beams of light, realizing that they couldn''t catch up to Zhou Ying, all stopped moving. They spread their wings wide.


    The remaining nine beams all revealed themselves to be superior golden birds.


    Zhou Ying cried out, "This is ridiculous! These birds can be mass-produced?!"


    Was it really meaningful to keep this fight going if the golden mulberry tree could summon such forces indefinitely?


    Of course, this wasn''t a question Zhou Ying expected an answer to. The nine golden birds pped their wings and transformed into beams of golden light. They shot down toward Zhou Ying in a flood, forcing her to dodge and run.


    The nine birds opened their mouths wide and sent golden mes pouring toward her.


    With her dagger, Zhou Ying tore apart space and shed the mes. The nine birds swooped down.


    Zhou Ying dodged as she counter-attacked. If not for her burgeoning vitality, she would long since have perished.


    Under thebined assault of nine superior golden birds, Zhou Ying''s battle intent rose to an unprecedented level. Others only had one life; Zhou Ying''s vitality gave her many. Her actions became swifter and more agile.


    Large numbers of golden roots appeared from underground, intending to prevent her actions, but Zhou Ying leapt between those roots and whirled through the air, using them as springboards. Instead, those roots began to hinder the golden birds'' movements.


    In the blink of an eye, Zhou Ying had killed all nine birds.


    The golden mulberry tree again gave off piercing light as it gathered the energy of the world of zing sun. Golden light poured down from the skies.


    Red me appeared all over thend, then slowly made its way toward the tree. The tree absorbed all that energy, but there was far less of it this time around. Even for a superior world of antiquity, producing ten energy constructs each equivalent to a superior king in strength was a tall order, and much of the avable energy had already been used up.


    Producing another ten such constructs would require some time; they certainly couldn''t be mass-produced. This was Zhou Ying''s opportunity to strike.


    She rushed toward the golden mulberry tree. The tree tried to prevent her approach with golden roots that speared through the ground. Zhou Ying dodged even as she sliced through the roots with her dagger.


    The golden mulberry tree shook as golden leaves formed a leafstorm that headed straight for her. Zhou Ying whirled through the air, shing into the void with her dagger and leaving dimensional scars behind.


    The golden light exploded, swamping the surroundings. Zhou Ying cut space apart once again, then continued running forward, breaking through the leaves. Her dagger struck the bark of the golden mulberry tree, but to no avail. The tree''s attacks were strong, but its defenses weren''t weak, either. Only a faint mark was left on the tree''s bark.


    The golden mulberry tree seemed to grow enraged. Its leaves surrounded Zhou Ying like a hurricane, and its roots waved madly around her. Zhou Ying was forced to retreat amidst the intense attack, only to see the tree uprooting itself. Two thick branches spread out to either side of it, like giant wings.


    Its roots retreated and curled around the tree. The bottom of the tree stump split into two. In shock, Zhou Ying watched on as the tree turned into a giant golden bird. Golden light shed around it, turning its body into one of flesh and bones.


    Despite the fact that this was a bird that had originally been a tree, the giant golden bird looked perfectly natural.


    "Could this be the true ancestor of the golden birds, the primogenitor...?" Zhou Ying hazarded a guess.


    What if all the golden birds of the world of zing sun had been produced by this golden mulberry tree? If it had absorbed the energy of the world, then birthed the golden birds as a result...


    It was protecting both itself and the world of zing sun atrge.


    Zhou Ying''s eyes widened. The golden mulberry tree was able to create life where there had been none before...


    Zhou Ying thought back to her abilities. Bybining the energies of nature and life, she could do something simr, but whereas she was only able to grow nts and trees from nothing, the golden mulberry tree had been able to create a moreplex lifeform¡ªthese golden birds.


    No wonder she resonated with the mulberry tree! Their abilities were simr enough that each of them would serve to be tremendously beneficial to the other. The golden mulberry tree possessed incredible vitality and lifeforce. By absorbing Zhou Ying, its status of life would be elevated, and there would no longer be a single mulberry tree in the world of zing sun, but rather a whole forest of them.


    On the other hand, if Zhou Ying were to absorb the golden mulberry tree, the wood dragons she created would possess incredible resistance to fire, and she would be able to absorb nutrients from the veins ofva that striated the world.


    Surviving, and even thriving, in the world of zing sun would be no difficult feat.


    After fighting against each other, both Zhou Ying and the golden mulberry tree grew even more invested in devouring their opponent.


    The massive golden bird pped its wings, feathers shooting toward Zhou Ying like sharp arrows, a facsimile of the golden leafstorm that it had summoned twice before.


    On her part, Zhou Ying again used [Avatar of the Fae: Dragon''s Enclosure]. Giant wood dragons shot out from the earth, forming a pitch-ck sea.


    However, there could only be a finite number of such dragons, curtailed by the inhospitable environment of the world of zing sun. The wood dragons were suppressed by the golden storm of feathers, but Zhou Ying shielded as many of them as she could, cutting down the feathers with her ck dagger.


    The golden bird pped its wings and drew some distance between them. As it did so, it widened its mouth and spat out threads of golden me, sticky and infused with tremendous heat.


    The temperature of the world of zing sun rose to an extreme...

 Chapter 1079: Adaptation and Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 1079: Adaptation and Evolution</h4>


    Zhou Ying didn''t dare to touch the ming threads. Jade-green leaves emerged from her body. She stepped on them, twisting her body in mid-air and avoiding the golden fluid.


    The golden fluidnded on the ground, which sizzled as golden mes erupted from the fluid and burned it through.


    The ground of the world of zing sun was highly heat-resistant, having been tempered by veins ofva underground. Evenva was unable to melt the ground¡ªbut that ground melted in an instant after being subjected to the spit of the golden bird.


    Just how hot was that spit?


    The golden bird pped its wings and attacked once more. Zhou Ying''s body erupted with natural and life energy as she kneaded the air and tossed it toward the golden bird. Leaves danced in the air and fluttered as Zhou Ying stepped over them to dodge the golden bird''s attacks.


    Unfortunately, the leaves that Zhou Ying created all around her weren''t particrly resistant to heat, and they began to burn almost immediately.


    Perhaps the leaves might have been able to resist the heat elsewhere in the world of zing sun, but where Zhou Ying fought with the golden bird, the heat was at least a dozen times more intense.


    The golden bird swooped down toward Zhou Ying.


    With a wave of her hand, Zhou Ying sentrge numbers of roots spearing out of the ground, intending to restrict the golden bird''s movements.


    However, with a p of its wings, it smashed the wood dragons to pieces and lit them ame.


    Zhou Ying continued to jump through the air. In a matter of moments, she had leapt up to the golden bird''s head. She sliced down with her dagger, beheading the bird.


    The head fell to the dark red ground. Even so, the golden bird was an existence simr to Zhou Ying, with immense vitality. It didn''t die despite losing its head. Within moments, a new head grew out of its neck.


    Zhou Ying sighed. "I should have called Li Feng and Fang Yi over..."


    Now, however, she had no choice but to keep fighting. As the golden bird swooped toward her again, Zhou Ying summoned another group of wood dragons. "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Giant wood dragons shot out from the earth, forming a sea of roots that drowned the golden bird.


    The golden bird dove into the roots even as Zhou Ying imbued them with her vitality and life energy, green motes like fireflies hovering over the sea of roots.


    With Zhou Ying''s infusion of energy, the roots began to grow furiously. If the golden bird could speak, it would surely mock Zhou Ying''s ridiculous actions and her wasteful expenditure of energy.


    Against the golden bird''s heat, no quantity of roots would make a difference.


    However, Zhou Ying hadn''t gone crazy, and she wasn''t a fool.


    The golden bird failed to dash out of the thicket within moments. As more and more roots grew out of the ground, the golden bird''s flight became surprisingly beleaguered.


    The golden bird could hardly believe that it had been trapped by this sea of roots.


    Zhou Ying smiled. "You''re very strong, I have to admit. Ordinary nt life can barely survive in this cursed environment."


    The only nt life in existence in the world of zing sun was the golden mulberry tree, a miracle of life. The stubborn growth of the golden mulberry tree in this absurdly inhospitable environment had endowed it with great boons and the strength of a superior king.


    Zhou Ying walked unsteadily toward the golden bird, somewhat dazed because of how much energy she had just expended.


    "Your strength counters nt life, so my maniption won''t ever be a problem for you¡ªthat''s what you think, at least."


    What Zhou Ying had done had drained so much of her energy that even her face had turned pale.


    The golden bird found to its shock that even its sr mes were having a hard time burning away the roots that enclosed it, that the roots almost seemed to be drawing on the same strength it did.


    "You underestimate the strength of nts," Zhou Ying finished. She struck with her dagger, giving the golden bird a deep cut despite its futile struggles. "nts will evolve in even the most adversarial environments, bing stronger and more resilient in order to adapt to their surroundings, just like you! And since nt life like you managed to survive and even thrive in the world of zing sun, there''s no reason other nt life can''t follow in your footsteps."


    The reason Zhou Ying had been madly supplying those roots with her innate vitality was to elerate their evolution and growth.


    Ordinary roots would have withered and died, but with this infusion of energy from Zhou Ying, they were given a chance to evolve. In the end, they evolved into roots that could withstand the ridiculous heat of the world of zing sun.


    More importantly, Zhou Ying had managed to absorb some energy from the golden bird when she managed to behead it. That attack hadn''t been futile; Zhou Ying had obtained some of its energy by doing so, and that energy proved to be a catalyst for the roots'' evolution.


    In the end, she forcefully created roots and vines that were able to survive in the world of zing sun, highly heat-resistant just like the golden bird itself.


    In some sense, the golden bird was the architect of its own downfall.


    Zhou Ying shed rapidly with her dagger, bisecting the golden bird apart.


    Even so, the golden bird''s monstrous vitality allowed both halves of its body to keep struggling. Zhou Ying wouldn''t be able to kill the bird in this manner, and she hadn''t been intending to do so. She merely wanted to restrict its motion.


    Zhou Ying''s palm came in contact with the golden bird''s body. Golden energy flooded into her, scorching and scalding, as though she were being brought toward the sun''s core. The agony was nearly unbearable.


    Zhou Ying''s hair red green in the golden light, shifting in a breeze that didn''t exist. Her clothes werepletely burned off her body.


    The golden leaves all around her shone blindingly like miniature suns. Something seemed about to sprout from her body; the roots she created all gathered close...

 Chapter 1080: Li Fengs Power

    <h4>Chapter 1080: Li Feng''s Power</h4>


    Just as Zhou Ying herself was evolving, Fang Yi released his technique.


    The sr king, floating in the sky, shouted toward Fang Yi and Li Feng below, "The fire giant is the avatar of the will of the world. In other words, as long as this world isn''t destroyed, neither will be the fire giant! However, once you destroy my world, even if you kill me, the king of chaos won''t be able to get any benefits from doing so. Will you nevertheless attempt to kill the giant, or will you leave now? Make your choice."


    Li Fengughed. "We won''t leave until we''ve gotten rid of all the malicious tumors around, including you."


    Even ignoring the mission that Zhang Lie had tasked them with, the amount of pain and suffering they had seen from the aliens they approached to ask for directions had steeled Li Feng''s determination. Even if he could, he wouldn''t run away.


    Li Feng snorted. "So what if it''s connected to the world?"


    After all, Fang Yi was a devastating weapon, one who could destroy the entire world of zing sun under the right conditions.


    Li Feng motioned toward Fang Yi. "Go, Fang Yi! Destroy that furnace and the entire world besides!"


    Zhang Lie''s task was solely to destroy the superior kings, as well as all forces on the level of superior kings, then to salvage whatever superior world''s energy they could. Somehow, the sr king had converted his proof of kingship into a monster, one that couldn''t be destroyed without destroying the entire world with it,


    though Li Feng didn''t know if any superior world''s energy could be preserved in that case.


    Li Feng continued, "Don''t worry, Fang Yi! I''m sure our captain wouldn''t me us. These are exceptional circumstances, and we''ll need exceptional methods to deal with them."


    The sr king nced at Fang Yi with consternation.


    If the world of zing sun really were destroyed, the sr king would suffer serious injuries, and he would subsequently be killed by Li Feng.


    The sr king had made up his mind: if Fang Yi were tounch that same attack again, he would flee instantly. That technique had been sufficient to pierce through a superior world!


    However, after having used that technique, Fang Yi was barely able to remain standing. He waved a hand at Li Feng in exasperation. "You think that''s an easy technique to pull off? I can''t do it again for a while. I''ll have to rest for a bit."


    Li Feng cried out, "What, you''re limp after just shooting your shot once?"


    Fang Yi called back, "You''re the one who goes limp after shooting your shot once!"


    It was thebination of that technique and the exhausting fight against the sr king beforehand that had caused Fang Yi to be so drained.


    Li Feng cried out, "Can''t you try a bit harder?" He had already threatened the sr king! He continued, "What if I rub you a little?"


    Fang Yi thundered, "How''s that going to help?!"


    Li Feng sighed. "You must''ve grown too limp..."


    The sr king roared inughter. "Haha, it looks like yourpanion''s gone so limp he can''t shoot that attack out again!"


    Fang Yi cursed. "I overexerted myself, I''m not limp!"


    Li Feng shrugged. "Don''t they mean the same?"


    The sr king waved a hand, summoning thousands of suns in the sky.


    "In that case, now''s the best time to get rid of you." The sr king stared at Fang Yi, killing intent in his gaze.


    Fang Yi called out, "I''m leaving the rest to you, Li Feng! I need time to rest!"


    The heat generated from thousands of suns caused even the air to burn. Everything was obscured by the golden radiance.


    Upon witnessing the thousand suns hanging in the air, Li Feng sighed. "You''ve left me with a conundrum..."


    With a wave of the sr king''s hand, the thousand suns began to fall like meteors.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!"


    Li Feng soared into the air, propelling himself upward with every cloud he stepped on. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air, tearing apart the heavens, slicing apart the sunlight and glowing suns, as an arclight dragon rushed into the sky alongside his back. The golden suns exploded in a sr storm that ravaged the sky.


    Even so, the arclight dragon only managed to destroy about a hundred suns, leaving nine hundred to rain down on Fang Yi.


    The sr king struck once more, causing the ten suns to his back to glow bright with light.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Heaven''s Realm]!" Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars and even the will of the world itself.


    The sr king''s eyes widened. The golden mes on his body seemed to stop, as did the radiance he was giving off. "What have you done?"


    Li Feng had somehow managed to steal the superior world''s energy from the sr king under his direct supervision, as though a thief had managed to steal some property despite the owner''s presence.


    Although Li Feng didn''t steal very much of that energy, just a small fraction of it, really, he had indeed done so.


    A holy chant seemed to fill the air. The light-attuned gic energy that gathered around Li Feng manifested as angel''s wings surrounding him.


    The world of zing sun was filled with fire-attuned energy, with light-attuned energying a close second. As all that energy gathered around him, within just a few moments, Li Feng turned into a figure of light.


    Despite the fact that he was standing below the thousand suns, below the sr king''s radiance, none of that light managed to reach him.


    It was as though he were a dimension apart¡ªno, a world apart. This had to be some form of spatial maniption!


    Li Feng seemedpletely unperturbed by the sr king''s counterattack. A hundred dragons wrapped around his sword, and his light-attuned gic energy was formingplicated patterns around him. Light swirled around him, as though manifesting in the form of illusions, as he swung his de down.


    Radiant white light exploded from the point of impact, the holy light of heaven. Suddenly, all that light disappeared, along with the thousand suns and the golden radiance that the sr king gave off.


    The sr king nced at him seriously. "It looks like I''ve underestimated you."


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!" Li Feng struck with his sword. A river of holy light seemed to trail behind him, and arclight dragons could be seen amidst the light. The source of the river was a pair of ornate doors. As those doors opened up, countless arclight dragons poured out from behind the doors, forming a concentrated river of light.


    The sr king retaliated at full power. The ten suns behind him shone brighter than they ever had before, marking him as the ruler of the world of zing sun.


    Ten thousand glowing suns appeared in the air, covering the skies in a thickyer of golden radiance, until no one could see anything other than a solid shade of gold.


    As the sr king waved a hand, those ten thousand suns all fell toward the ground, as though the heavens themselves were falling...

 Chapter 1081: Resurrection

    <h4>Chapter 1081: Resurrection</h4>


    The arclight dragon smashed into the ten thousand golden suns, which exploded to form a sr storm in mid-air. The ground began to melt from the heat.


    In the end, the ten thousand suns proved to be toorge a number for the arclight dragon to deal with.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Realm]!" Silvery-white gic energy burst forth as Li Feng raised the sword in his hand high into the air, as though a god were descending on the world.


    The silvery-white energy swelled and held back the golden storm. The gic energy shook their surroundings, and theva on the ground roiled.


    The entire sky was overshadowed by a silvery-white glow that faced off against the golden light. Holy hymns continued to ring through the air. Any inhabitants of the world who raised their heads to the sky could see the intersection of gold and silver. The silver glow didn''t lose to the gleaming light that the tens of thousands of suns gave off.


    The massive flows of energy affected the entire world. Any who saw the silver glow, be they aliens or lifeforms, heard hymns in their ears.


    The hymns seemed to pierce straight through their soul, until they felt suddenly at ease, as though there was no strife with which to concern themselves.


    The sr king''s eyes suddenly shed. The golden mes around his body lit up, and the ten suns to his back glowed brightly. Golden radiance surrounded him, and his eyes shed with fear.


    The silver glow had affected even him! The sr king''s face grew rmed. He was a superior king, after all. Is this an illusion, or some sort of mental power at work?


    Li Feng''s attack was affecting the sr king on a mental level even before it was released. The sr king couldn''t help but turn serious.


    Fang Yi, who was hastily trying to restore his body to peak condition, was likewise affected by Li Feng''s silvery-white glow. His lips pursed. "What sort of technique is this...?"


    Was it meant to erode at his opponents'' will, to make them want to stop fighting?


    Like waves, the silver glow pulsed forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Each silver wave morphed into an arclight dragon, soaring through the air.


    Even from afar, the pressure made everyone feel as though there were mountains weighing down their heads, making them unable to breathe.


    Countless arclight dagons soared through the sky, which thundered amidst forks of white lightning. It looked as though a holy world were forming in the sky.


    Li Feng struck. A holy storm raged around him. Sword energy manifested as trailing dragons. A god descended as the heavens raged, as lightning forked through the air. Li Feng''s de arced through the air andnded like a heavenly tribtion. Thousands of holy dragons smote the sr king''s suns, like thousands of courageous soldiers attacking in force.


    Li Feng''s attack cut through everything in its path, and even the ten thousand suns were hard-pressed to do anything against it. Suns continuously exploded in the sky. Li Feng, like a manifestation of a heavenly tribtion, tore apart swathe after swathe of suns.


    The sr king raised a hand, causing hundreds of suns to hover in the air. As he clenched his fist, theypressed into the size of apples.


    With another wave, the sr king gathered all hundred apple-like objects together. He tossed them toward Li Feng''s de in a massive, overwhelming explosion that summoned a frightening sr storm. Golden currents swirled through the air, interspersed by shing silver lightning. That lightning tore apart the suns'' golden light and pierced through the sr king''s chest.


    "[The Boundless de: Obliterate]!" A silver dragon manifested around the de, howling as it tore apart the golden storm all around them and raked the sr king''s chest until it was nothing more than bloody flesh and bone. Golden blood sshed out.


    The silver dragon crushed the sr king''s thumping sunlike heart as the sr king''s body instinctively retreated. He stared at Li Feng in disbelief. "I actually¡ª"


    Upon seeing that the sr king hadn''t breathed hisst, Li Feng pushed the attack.


    "[Striking Sun and Moon]!" A frightening force descended on the sr king, energy rumbling and rippling around him. Silvery-white sword energy rose into the air, the de growing thousands of meters long with the infusion of gic energy. Shining as brightly as the dawn, the sword sliced downwards.


    Suddenly, one of the suns behind the sr king burst apart. Huge amounts of energy gushed into the sr king''s body, restoring the mess of flesh and bone that had been the sr king''s chest. His heart regenerated and thumped, filled with energy as boundless as the sun. The sr king raised a hand, and hundreds of suns appeared above him, shielding him from Li Feng''s attack.


    However, Li Feng''s attack wouldn''t be so easy to dodge. The sword struck the gathered suns, which exploded one after another. The huge explosion echoed through the skies, but this was just the beginning. Li Feng''s attack continued essentially undeterred, shing apart sun after sun, which exploded like fireworks.


    Li Feng bisected the sr king''s body.


    One more sun behind the sr king burst apart. Huge amounts of energy gushed into the sr king''s body, stitching it back together. Within moments, the two halves of the sr king''s body were whole once more, without even a scar to be seen.


    Li Feng frowned. "I''m sure I struck you both with this attack and the previous one. It looks as though you have some means of mitigating deadly blows."


    Li Feng, with immensebat experience, wasrgely unfazed.


    Resurrection was a rare ability, one that Li Feng had never seen before, but it was one within his means to deal with and one that his teammates had experienced before. In some sense, Zhou Ying boasted the ability of partial resurrection.


    Based on his teammates'' experience, Li Feng knew that he couldn''t panic upon encountering such an opponent. If he were to do so, victory would be diverted from him.


    Only eight suns remained by the sr king''s back. "It looks like you''re not too surprised."


    Li Feng replied, "Unfortunately, rare though they might be, resurrection abilities do exist. My teammate possesses one such."

 Chapter 1082: Not Too Successful

    <h4>Chapter 1082: Not Too Sessful</h4>


    Li Feng continued, "If I''m not mistaken, your ability is tied to the suns behind your back."


    The sr king shrugged. "And so what?"


    Li Feng continued, "Considering that there are only eight suns left, your ability might be potent, but it''s not limitless."


    "You''re right. However, you won''t have any further opportunities to kill me."


    Li Feng''s eyes were piercing. "If I can kill you twice, then I can easily kill you four, five, six, seven, eight times."


    The sr king shook his head. "I''ll admit that you''re strong, and I do believe that you can kill me many times, but you won''t have the opportunity to do so. The fire giant has revived."


    Li Feng nced toward the fire giant. After it absorbed the energy of the world of zing sun, it had made a partial recovery. Although the furnace on its back was filled with cracks, that didn''t affect the fire giant''s strength. Its aura redoubled.


    Li Feng turned and shouted, "Fang Yi, how''re you doing? Can youunch another attack?"


    "No, I still have to rest a bit more, but I''ll at least be able to stall him." Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    The fire giant rushed over toward Li Feng as Fang Yi''s face turned serious. "Where are you going? Your opponent''s right here!"


    The sr king stood at the topmost point of the world of zing sun as he raised his arms high overhead. Thousands of suns gathered above him, condensing into the image of a starry sky.


    The fire giant, like a giant, mobile war machine, trundled forward. Each step flungva into the air. It gathered steam with every step, until it had the momentum of a freight train.


    The sr king hurriedly attacked Li Feng in order to prevent him from assisting Fang Yi.


    Stars gathered and transformed into glittering gxies. Even the sr king''s fine control didn''t extend to manipting thousands ofpressed suns at once. He was unable to gather them all together; instead, he transformed them into a shining gxy.


    With a wave of the sr king''s hand, that gxy fell toward Li Feng.


    Considering that Fang Yi hadn''t recovered fully from the exertion of thatst attack heunched, the fire giant could very well kill him here. Even if not, it would be enough for the giant to stall Fang Yi and prevent him from recovering.


    What the sr king feared was Fang Yiunching the same attack he had before.


    "You!" the sr king cried out, pointing at Li Feng.


    Li Feng could hardly ignore the sr king''s attack, the gxyposed of thousands of suns. If he were to do so, even Fang Yi would be caught in the aftermath of the attack, let alone its primary target, Li Feng.


    "[The Boundless de: Sunbreak]!" Sword energy roiled. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight and reced it with a silver glow, transmuting that sunlight into something that boosted Li Feng''s strength. The sword in Li Feng''s hands glowed brighter and brighter, until it tore apart the manifestation of the gxy.


    While Li Feng defended against the sr king, Fang Yi began to fight off the fire giant. He used [Floating Clouds] to avoid one attack. The wheel of time to his back began to turn, and another one stacked on top of it. The fire giant''s furnace released immense heat as mes red across his body. The sharp increase in temperature forced Fang Yi back.


    Fang Yi was still somewhat pale, not having recovered fully. It would be difficult for him to go up against the fire giant, which was on the level of a superior king.


    As the fire giant''s punch made to smash into him from above, Fang Yi skittered back in panic. The fist struck the ground, melting it and sending a geyser of fire andva into the air, thousands of meters tall. Fang Yi defended as a fourth wheel of time stacked up on his back.


    Fiery-red cracks propagated through the ground, and mes emerged by his feet.


    Li Feng suddenly turned to Fang Yi mid-battle. "Fang Yi!"


    "Don''t you think you should focus?" The sr king roared inughter as he snapped his fingers. The gxy of suns suddenly burst apart in a meteor shower. Li Feng, caught unaware, was sent flying. He somersaulted in the air before stabilizing his body.


    "[The Boundless de: Earthshatter]!" Sword energy roiled. An arclight dragon reared its head. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight and reced it with a silver glow.


    That glow grew brighter and brighter, until it shone even more splendidly than the gxy the sr king had constructed. The will of the sword was so dense it seemed to have gained a physical form. The sword energy manifested as an arclight dragon that tore through space and shattered the ground. The meteor shower that the sr king created was obliterated.


    Having been struck by the mes, Fang Yi had burns all over his body. Another wheel of time manifested to his back.


    The fire giant struck while Fang Yi was debilitated. Just then, golden light brimming with vitality arced through the air and smashed into the fire giant''s body, sending it flying.


    Jade-green radiance fell from the skies like rain, and Fang Yi''s injuries healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    The sr king and Li Feng, in the midst of a heated battle, both stopped short. They turned to look at the source of the radiant golden light, a beautiful woman. She caught Li Feng''s attention immediately.


    Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Even the energy of the zing suns was hers tomand.


    Li Feng hesitated for a moment. "Zhou Ying?"


    The reason he hesitated was because Zhou Ying''s appearance had changed dramatically. Her gold-flecked eyes made her look like a valiant warrior, quite unlike her usual calm and open demeanor. In gaming terms, if Zhou Ying had been a priest before, she was now a battle priest.


    Li Feng was flummoxed by how she had changed so much in such a short period of time, and what had happened to her after she was separated from the group.


    Zhou Ying waved. "Hi! Li Feng, Fang Yi, it looks like the two of you aren''t doing so well."


    Li Feng clutched his face. "Don''t mention it. Who would have thought Fang Yi so weak? He went limp after shooting his shot just once!"


    Zhou Ying nced toward Fang Yi with a strange expression on her face.


    Thanks to Zhou Ying''s revitalizing energy, Fang Yi recovered from his burns quickly.


    He called back, "Don''t say something that can be interpreted so weirdly!"


    The destruction that resulted from Li Feng and Fang Yi''s fight against the sr king was so intense that it could be felt all throughout the world of zing sun. After Zhou Ying finished absorbing the golden mulberry tree''s energy, she rushed over, conveniently arriving just in time to save Fang Yi...

 Chapter 1083: The Frightening Zhou Ying

    <h4>Chapter 1083: The Frightening Zhou Ying</h4>


    Upon noticing the energy emanating from Zhou Ying, the sr king immediately grew incensed. He shouted, "Why are you radiating the energy of my mulberry tree? What have you done to it?!"


    Zhou Ying smiled, showing her teeth. "The tree was very tasty, thank you."


    "You ate it?!"


    The golden mulberry tree was a vital part of the world of zing sun, a national treasure.


    It was able to maintain the integrity of theva veins that flowed underground and produce huge quantities of golden birds.


    Following Zhou Ying''s pronouncement, perhaps because of the sr king''s anger or because of the instability caused by the loss of the mulberry tree, theva veins exploded.


    The ground cracked, sendingva and fire all over.


    Zhou Ying, Li Feng, and Fang Yi didn''t much mind. After all, the environment was already inhospitable to them. It had already been hot enough to cook someone alive; a little more heat made rtively little difference.


    For the sr king, however, the fact that Zhou Ying had absorbed a treasure of his world made him want to tear out his hair in rage. "I''ll kill you all!" he gritted out.


    The sr king raised his arms high above his head. Eight thousand suns appeared in the air,pressing into a gxy as it fell toward the three hunters.


    Li Feng pointed at the sky. "Leave this to me. Deal with the fire giant! [Holy Dragon Transformation]!"


    .


    Silver light dyed the entire world. Gic energy swept over Li Feng''s body and manifested as a denseyer of silver scales, like a suit of silver armor. Antlers grew out of his head, and his hair turned a radiant silver. Li Feng''s aura strengthened.


    He shot toward the falling gxy as he reminded Zhou Ying,


    "It can resurrect indefinitely, so it''s quite troublesome! [The Boundless de: Godkiller]!"


    Silver radiance swept forward in a tide, like a whole herd of holy dragons. Golden threads mixed and intermingled with the light, infusing the attack with the karmic power Li Feng had intuited while consuming Potion #4.


    That silver light, imbued with golden threads, formed a mysterious sea, simultaneously real and illusory, which existed in between both realms.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The intersection of the real and the illusory¡ªLi Feng''s strengthbined both domains. Thousands of holy dragons swept across the sky. This was a strength that transcended this realm, and Li Feng''s de could kill even a transcendent god.


    With this strength, which converted legend into reality, the sr king''s gxy was wiped away¡ªnot destroyed, not blocked, but rather wiped clean from reality.


    Li Feng''s attack cut the karmic link between the gxy and the world of zing sun.


    The sr king''s face distorted. If he were struck by Li Feng''s de, even his resurrection ability might be unable to bring him back. He would be wiped off the face of the world.


    On the neighboring battlefield, Zhou Ying''s performance was even more shocking to the sr king. As the fire giant charged toward her with all the momentum of a freight train, the entire world of zing sun shook.


    Lava and red mes surged toward her with its advance. The fire giant had gathered so much momentum that a shield of wind formed around it.


    Zhou Ying casually waved a hand. Hundreds of thick roots emerged from the ground. The golden roots easily pushed past the mes and the wind and tangled themselves about the fire giant''s feet.


    The fire giant suddenly tripped, mming down onto the ground and rolling like a car tire until it smashed against the feet of two mountains.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" As Zhou Ying released all her stored energy, the ground began to quake. The sun at Zhou Ying''s back shone with piercing light, illuminating thend.


    The ground quaked as thousands of golden wood dragons emerged from the earth, each three hundred meters wide. They wrapped tightly around the fire giant. Despite the giant''s struggles, the golden vines, brimming with vitality, regrew quickly even when the giant tore them apart.


    The sr king was shaken. "This is impossible!"


    He couldn''t ept the fact that the fire giant had fallen prey to the golden vines. "This is impossible. The fire giant''s a construct of tremendous heat and energy. How can these vines restrain him?"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "These are no ordinary vines, you see."


    The sr king nced at the vines carefully. He quickly identified the crux of the issue.


    "You''ve imbued the mulberry tree''s energy into these vines!"


    "Exactly," Zhou Ying replied, with a snap of her fingers.


    After absorbing the golden mulberry tree''s strength, the vines and roots that Zhou Ying summoned now possessed extreme fire and heat resistance, and they could even absorb nourishment from theva veins underground.


    Neither the fire giant''s heat nor the sr king''s zing suns would do anything against Zhou Ying''s vines and roots.


    Zhou Ying had undergone aplete metamorphosis.


    The furnace on the giant''s back burned vigorously as it emitted red light, as though the core of the furnace were absorbing the energy of the world.


    The giant struggled even more furiously. As its strength increased, it easily tore apart the vines surrounding it.


    "Don''t resist!" Zhou Ying released all her stored energy once more. The ground began to quake. The sun at Zhou Ying''s back shone with piercing light, illuminating thend. "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Tens of thousands of golden wood dragons emerged from the ground, curling around the fire giant''s body and the furnace on its back. A rainbow gleam of energy emanated from the furnace and over the wood dragons'' bodies as they began growing golden leaves.


    The sr king noticed this unusual phenomenon immediately. His face turned stark white. "Bastards!"


    Zhou Ying had somehow managed to use the golden wood dragons to absorb the world of zing sun''s energy through the proof of kingship. If the dragons were to keep sucking out energy, the world of zing sun could very well be drained all the way down to the size of a small world.


    Zhou Ying had noticed the best way to stop the sr king.


    "Stop what you''re doing, right this instant!" the sr king roared, then made to pounce toward Zhou Ying.


    "Heh, have you forgotten? I''m your opponent."

 Chapter 1084: Six Stacks

    <h4>Chapter 1084: Six Stacks</h4>


    "Where are you going? Your opponent''s right here!" The sr king rushed toward the fire giant, but Li Feng blocked his way, repeating what the sr king had told him. The sr king was so infuriated that mes spouted from all over his body. This was no metaphor. Golden mes had erupted over the sr king''s body, ring into the air.


    In a state of extreme anger, the sr king surpassed his limits and manifested a hundred thousand suns in the air. The hundred thousand suns caused even the air to ignite in golden mes, which spread throughout the entire world.


    Li Feng and Zhou Ying watched on seriously, though without any fear.


    "You''ll all perish here!" the sr king roared, linking the hundred thousand suns together to form a golden ocean. Instead of a calming sea breeze, however, what it emitted was a scorching sr storm.


    The golden sr storm burned the air. Even before the attackndedpletely, theva on the ground had already begun to sublimate.


    Even Li Feng and Zhou Ying weren''t entirely confident that they could block the attack in its entirety.


    Zhou Ying asked, "Do you want my protection?"


    Zhou Ying''s golden vines and roots boasted extremely strong fire and heat resistance. She could guarantee saving their lives, at the very least.


    Li Feng replied, "Let me try it on my own for now."


    "Perish under the light of my golden, zing suns!" the sr king roared.


    "I should be the one saying that. It''s time to put an end to this battle." By then, Fang Yi had umted eight wheels of time to his back, tethering wind and storm together. "[Floating Clouds]!"


    The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body. When the golden sunlight infused its energy within, it turned into a golden loop.


    Above the loop was a golden thunderstorm, which swirled around so rapidly that it broke through the sound barrier. Surrounded by wind and storm, Fang Yi thrust his spear forward.


    "[Wheel of Time: Break]!" As Fang Yi roared, the wheels of time to his back splintered, and his body began to glow more and more brightly. Next to Fang Yi, a shadow of himself suddenly appeared, one which suddenly merged with Fang Yi''s body and gave him a tremendous boost to his strength. The wind and lightning circling the spear doubled in intensity.


    As the next wheel of time broke, even more light red from Fang Yi''s back. A second shadow appeared, merged with Fang Yi, and boosted his strength, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth...


    As more and more wheels of time behind Fang Yi broke, more ephemeral shadows appeared and boosted his strength to an extreme. Wind and storm circled him eight times over.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder, scattering the sr storm. A wind dragon and a storm tiger appeared. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth.


    The wind drew out the might of the sr storm, and lightning infused itself into the sr energy, turning a bright gold. Wind and lightningbined into a devastating attack.


    With the eightfold strength afforded by the wind and storm that surrounded him, Fang Yi''s spear tore apart the golden sea. Suns exploded all around him, like fireworks in the sky. Even so, Fang Yi''s strength was insufficient for him to pierce through the golden sea fully.


    Li Feng soared into the sky and grumbled, "You should have stayed back and rested some more! What''s the point of joining in if you can''t get through the attack? [Holy Dragon Sword: Heaven and Earth]!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high overhead, glinting brightly.


    On closer inspection, the sword wasn''t giving off light; light was condensing around the sword. The blinding light absorbed the energy of the golden sea, which was all gathering around Li Feng''s sword.


    As the light-attuned energy that filled the world drifted to Li Feng''s sword, it glowed more and more brightly, and an aura of strength radiated out from him. Li Feng shed down. The suns exploded, and the golden sea was bisected.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning. A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Thanks to Li Feng''s follow-up, Fang Yi was able to establish eye contact with the sr king and to lock in his target. "Thanks, Li Feng."


    Then, Fang Yi struck. "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Once again, Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray,


    Fang Yi wasted no drop of his own strength. When he fought off the fire giant, he had conserved his energy so as to be able to take on the sr king when it mattered.


    While Zhou Ying tangled up the fire giant and Li Feng fought against the sr king, Fang Yi finally recovered.


    He suddenly made his move in order to get closer to the sr king and lock in on him, so as to ensure that his attack would hit. The world turned gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    .


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure. Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Golden threads surrounded wind, storm, time, and space. Fang Yi infused his attack with the karmic strength that he had intuited upon consuming Potion #4, the greatest boon he had obtained from consuming the potion.


    Wind, storm, time, space, and now the mysterious power of karma¡­ All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Sr mes were sucked into the mix, which was held together by the mysterious power of karma. Fang Yi poured more and more gic energy into the attack. A storm roared into existence around him...

 Chapter 1085: A Fated Spear

    <h4>Chapter 1085: A Fated Spear</h4>


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    Fang Yi''s spear, thrumming with the power of elements and time, was a weapon of legends. Formless lightning shed over its surface, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The sr king invoked his authority as a superior king to forcibly break out of the temporal stasis. When he saw the energy that was radiating from Zhang Lie, surrounded by a halo of golden light, his eyes widened.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear. Space was kneaded into a papier-mache ball. Silvery energy stuck together, barely visible, colorless and tasteless and shapeless, yet slowly but surely affecting the world. This was the nature of time.


    The gold and ck threads of karma continued to weave around each other, twining and twining until they formed a single thread of dark gold.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by this dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    They merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    All that energy,bined with the karmic power that Fang Yi had sensed for the first time, led to an unbelievably mysteriousbination, difficult to sense and harder still to understand. This was a force that belonged to a realm above Fang Yi''s ken, somewhat like heaven''s might, butpletely different. It gave off the sense that all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time.


    "Fate!" It was a power that transcended both of its constituents, time and karma.


    Karma was prophetic, but it could be subverted and blocked. Fate, on the other hand, was trickier to avoid.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a cocoon. As Fang Yi infused more and more of his own energy into the attack, the threads of eight different colors began to separate.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    The eight different types of energy formed an unusual vortex, giving birth to a mysterious hybrid. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    The sr king manipted the golden sea, gathering another hundred thousand suns above his head. In a moment of crisis, he unlocked his true potential, condensing them all into a resplendent gxy.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to break and crack, as did Fang Yi''s own peak-grade spear. Even Fang Yi''s own body was giving out. He bled out of his orifices, veins popping out on his forehead, the spear in his hand trembling almost uncontrobly.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by this dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    The resulting mix of energies was so potent as to be able to destroy naturalw itself.


    Even the sr king was hard-pressed to understand just what thebined energy was, only that it was more threatening than anything he had faced before.


    All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    Fang Yi was losing control of his own creation.


    The more advanced energies were particrly difficult to manipte, especially the mysterious power of fate. Fang Yi could create a tiny portion of it, but it remained iprehensible to him. It felt as though something were shifting in a dimension he had no ess to, as though a predestined ending had suddenly be far more vague.


    Even before he couldunch his attack, Fang Yi felt that his fate had shifted irrevocably. No one could say whether this was a blessing or a curse.


    As the unstable construction spiraled out of control, Fang yi''s skin began to bleed. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of tears in his skin. The disaster-grade spear was splintering bit by bit.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Fate]!" Fang Yi howled and sent the unstable mixture shooting forward.


    The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment. A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    The eight different energies formed a huge vortex, against which the sr king tossed the resplendent gxy he hadpressed further and further. The scale of the attack shocked even Li Feng and Zhou Ying, neither of whom were confident in being able to deal with his attack. Even Zhou Ying''s roots, resistant to fire and heat as they were, perished under the onught.


    Li Feng''s dework was very strong, and he might have been able to bisect that gxy, but he would be severely wounded as a result.


    The sr king''s attack was more than sufficient to burn the entire world of zing sun thrice over.


    Upon sensing life-threatening danger, the sr king had unlocked his full potential, establishing a strength beyond that of an ordinary superior king. In other words, following the terminology of the third realm, he had taken one step through the door.


    However, the gxy that neither Li Feng nor Zhou Ying were able to handle was sliced cleanly through by Fang Yi''s spear, as though it had been fated from the beginning.


    The two halves of the gxy slowly faded away...

 Chapter 1086: Oneshot

    <h4>Chapter 1086: Oneshot</h4>


    Fang Yi''s attack and subsequent destruction of the sr king''s manifested gxy seemed ridiculous, but it had happened right then and there.


    If Zhang Lie were present, he would have noticed surprising simrities with heaven''s might; it was as though Fang Yi hadbined both its power over fate and its evolved form''s fearsome prating power.


    The sr king was more frightened than he had ever been to date. He could clearly sense that he wouldn''t be able to block Fang Yi''s attack.


    He immediately invoked his authority as superior king to teleport away.


    For a superior king to run away from a fight within his world was an act of gross disgrace, but the sr king would never choose reputation over life. He had sensed life-threatening danger from Fang Yi''s attack.


    Even so, despite the sr king''s teleportation, the twisting spear that Fang Yi had thrown out nevertheless appeared before him.


    Raging spatial rifts, destructive void lightning, the corrosive wind of ages, the mysterious temporal lightning, fate that couldn''t be understood¡ªall that power merged together.


    The sr king''s eyes contracted. It felt almost as though there were an invisible thread linking the spear to his body. No matter how he tried to teleport away, or even to escape to the ends of the world, the spear followed after him.


    In the end, the sr king spread his arms wide and roared inughter. He chose not to run away, but instead to face Fang Yi''s attack head-on.


    "Haha, if you can kill me, go ahead!"


    The twisting spear prated his body. Spatial rents and void lightning tore apart his body, and temporal lightning and the wind of ages destroyed all that remained.


    Even so, the sr king continued tough madly despite Fang Yi''s attack. The eight golden suns to his back all burst in a shower of golden light, but despite the infusion of that energy, the sr king showed no sign of healing.


    The sr king''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    His regeneration should have taken effect even if he were turned to nothing but ashes, but none of it made a difference now. His body dissipated amidst Fang Yi''s attack.


    Fang Yi called out, "Your death has been fated!"


    Fate had marked the sr king.


    The world of zing rain rained blood for the first time since its evolution as the will of the world mourned the loss of its king. However, the hundred suns that surrounded the world of zing rain meant that the blood evaporated before it could touch the ground.


    The aftermath of the sr king''s heated battle meant that the temperature of the world of zing sun had risen to a ridiculous degree, but it was now cooling down as Zhou Ying''s golden roots sucked out more and more of the superior world''s energy.


    Fang Yi pointed at the cloud of blood in the sky. "A single strike!"


    Li Feng walked over. "I don''t understand how you can brag even when you''ve been reduced to such a sorry state."


    ".


    Fang Yi was in extremely terrible condition.


    That final attack had been beyond what Fang Yi''s own body could handle. His bones had all been crushed, and his internal organs were injured.


    He was limp and bloodied all over, half a step away from death.


    Fang Yi sighed. "Li Feng, you just don''t understand. Coolness is something that sticks with you for life. No matter what my circumstances are, no matter what condition I''m in, I''ll always be cool! It''s my responsibility to preserve my image at all times."


    Despite his injuries, Fang Yi was very happy. Thebination of eight disparate types of energies had been theoretical; in the fight, he had actually achieved it.


    Although he could hardly im that he was able to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhang Lie, he was certain that even Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to survive that attack unscathed.


    "A cool man who can only shoot one shot, alright."


    "It''s one strike!" Fang Yi emphasized.


    Li Feng rolled his eyes. "I know, I know, one shot, right? Since you''re so cool and handsome, I won''t call Zhou Ying over to bother you."


    Fang Yi''s expression crumpled immediately. Although his face was hidden behind a mask of blood, it felt as though he was on the verge of tears."


    "No! Get Zhou Ying toe save me! Li Feng''s going to kill me, he''s trying to steal my glory!"


    Li Feng rolled his eyes. "If you''re so energetic, then I''m sure you won''t die. It''ll be fine to leave you out here like this, wouldn''t it?"


    "You bastard! No wonder you''re fond of the golden mammoth¡ªyour humanity''s deserting you! All your blood is going to turn bestial!"


    Li Feng''s face suddenly darkened. He grinned maliciously. "You''re not able to move right now, Fang Yi, are you?" You can insult me, but if you insult my girlfriend...


    Fang Yi nced at him warily. "What''re you trying to do? I''m warning you, I''m not interested!"


    Li Feng slowly took off his socks. "Come here. Have a whiff of my fermented sweat."


    Fang Yi roared in outrage, "You bastard! Stay away from me, away!"


    While Fang Yi and Li Feng were messing with each other, neither of them noticed a shadow appearing in the sky, wearing ab coat as he smiled at the two hunters. His gaze remained on Fang Yi for a little while longer.


    That white coat, stained by blood, slowly turned a dark-red color. The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. Then, it shed and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings.


    The ck wings wrapped around Nightdemon as he took to the sky. When they unfurled again, he had morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world. A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    He pped his wings and vanished into the void of space.


    "I know Fang Yi''s heavily wounded, but why is he looking so dispirited too? Didn''t you go check on Fang Yi''s condition?" Zhou Ying murmured, perplexed, as she looked toward Li Feng.


    Li Feng''s face was sorrowful. "By the time I arrived, Fang Yi had already be like this. If I''m not mistaken, it''s the price he had to pay for using such a devastating skill."


    Upon recalling the technique Fang Yi hadunched, Zhou Ying couldn''t help but be shocked. That felt less like a technique and more like a heavenly punishment. Zhou Ying was absolutely certain that she wouldn''t have been able to block that technique, and it was understandable that it required such a heavy price.


    Fang Yi turned to Li Feng. "You bastard! You''re envious of my strength."


    Li Feng dangled his sock in front of Fang Yi''s face. Zhou Ying turned and caught him in the act, understanding what had happened immediately. Li Feng hurriedly kept the sock with a devilish grin.


    Zhou Ying sighed. "That''s enough from both of you. Let me treat Fang Yi first."

 Chapter 1087: World of Black Fog

    <h4>Chapter 1087: World of ck Fog</h4>


    Zhou Ying was undoubtedly the biggest winner of this entire affair, having both obtained the power of the golden mulberry tree and absorbed much of the superior world''s energy through the proof of kingship.


    Given the increase to Zhou Ying''s strength, Fang Yi''s wounds healed near-instantaneously.


    Li Feng asked, "What should we do with this world?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "There are two options. First, we can do what our captain did and extract the superior world''s energy present here, or second, we can leave with the proof of kingship and leave the rest to our captain and the other superior kings."


    Li Feng proposed, "Let''s go with the second option, then. I''m a little tired."


    Fang Yi, who had just recovered, agreed. "I just want to rest right now. I don''t feel like I can move even a single finger at this point!"


    After having fought off threebatants on the level of superior kings, the three hunters were unbelievably tired.


    Zhou Ying nodded. "The second option it is."


    Like the hunters in the world of zing sun, those in the white world adopted a simr approach.


    After Zhang Hanxiang and Sun Xiaowu finished consuming the two monarch-grade lifeforms they had taken down, they left the white world alongside Hong Xi.


    After the three of them departed, a pitch-ck figure appeared within the white world. If Zhang Lie were present, he would have immediately recognized the figure as a clone of the king of chaos. Of course, Zhang Lie wasn''t at the scene.


    By then, Zhang Lie had already arrived at the world of ck fog.


    The world of ck fog was a mystery, the world shrouded from sight by ck fog. As Zhang Lie approached, ck fog roiled and flew toward him in the form of countless ck serpents.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the battlefield.


    Huge, reverberating sound waves shook the air, causing the void to tremble. As those waves smashed into the ck fog, huge explosions resulted, causing the fog to dissipate.


    Even so, the center of the world of ck fog seemed like a ck hole, one which swallowed the energy Zhang Lie had invested in the attack whole.


    Zhang Lie snorted. "King of ck fog, aren''t you going toe out and meet with me?"


    The ck fog roiled. No response came.


    "If you aren''t going to meet with me, king of ck fog, I''lle to you!" Zhang Lie cried out, flying into the ck fog.


    After Zhang Lie flew into the ck fog, the ck fog at the outskirts of the world formed a human face, grinning maliciously.


    As Zhang Lie flew into the ck fog, he saw city after city within the world of ck fog. All the buildings, as well as the people within, took the form of ck silhouettes.


    The architecture of the world of ck fog looked as though it were in the industrialization era, with arge number of factories present in each city.


    The factories each gave offrge quantities of thick, concentrated smoke. The ck silhouettes that moved about within the world of ck rain showed no sign of life. They looked like flickering shadows, like robots that had only been programmed to move about.


    Zhang Lie quickly sensed something amiss. The ck fog wasced with slow-acting poison. Breathing it in had no ill effects for a while, but after longer periods of time, those who did so would asphyxiate and die.


    Those flickering silhouettes within the world of ck fog weren''t lifeforms at all.


    Zhang Lieunched an attack at the heart of the world without any hesitation. "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    Discover theplete story on


    The sword sh struck the city and bisected it.


    Zhang Lie''s actions seemed to trigger some sort of response from the world of ck fog.


    The ck fog around the city seemed to writhe in pain. Countless ck ws manifested around the world, all of which tried to w at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie, realizing the fundamental conceit of the world of ck fog, tried to leave, but the fog swarmed him en masse to prevent him from doing so.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The ck fog attacked Zhang Lie from every direction. The ck serpent wrapped around Zhang Lie to shield him, but Zhang Lie was unable to evade all the ck wsing his way.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, sending the ck serpent outward and destroying all the ck ws in sight.


    However, the ck ws seemed to be neverending. Moments after they were obliterated by the serpent, they regrew out of the smoke and attacked Zhang Lie once more. The smoke swirled around him like a whirlpool, intending to devour him whole.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    He morphed into blood-red lightning, whizzing through the air as he tore apart the whirlpool made of ck fog. More fog gathered from the ends of the world, all heading straight for Zhang Lie.


    "King of ck fog, if you don''t intend to let me out of this trap, then I hope you''re prepared and able to pay the price of doing so."


    Blood-red gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, and a blood serpent''s shadow appeared behind him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in rage and charged forward, wing apart the ck fog and smashing into the bulk of it.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Huge quantities of ck fog were consumed by the ck-hole like energy of annihtion.


    As it absorbed more and more of the fog, the ck hole grewrger andrger.


    The king of ck fog, realizing that something was amiss, hurriedly tried to seal Zhang Lie''s attack, only to find that all the energy he poured into the ck hole had been converted into Zhang Lie''s own strength.


    If the king of ck fog were to expend even more energy to suppress the ck hole, it would only grow evenrger.


    The energy that Zhang Lie infused into his [Fists of the Silent Sea] wasn''t enough to devour an entire superior world, but the world of ck fog was particrly unusual. It was surrounded by ck fog, and all that ck fog turned into even more annihtion energy, causing the ck hole to propagate limitlessly...

 Chapter 1088: Nature of Black Fog

    <h4>Chapter 1088: Nature of ck Fog</h4>


    As the ck hole grewrger andrger as it absorbed the ck fog, Zhang Lie took advantage of the distraction to escape from the king of ck fog''s clutches.


    From beyond the outskirts of the world, he could see a huge ck spot appear from amidst a hazy ck fog. The ck spot seemed to be at the center of a whirlpool, growingrger at a rate visible to the naked eye, as ck fog swirled in toward it.


    Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion alone wouldn''t be sufficient to destroy a superior world. The superior kings of antiquity were seasoned warriors; if the king of ck fog were this easy to deal with, he wouldn''t have been able to be a superior king of antiquity.


    He would long since have been reced by stronger, more ambitious superior kings in the millennia past.


    The king of ck fog certainly wasn''t about to go down so easily.


    He stopped trying to suppress the energy of annihtion. Instead, he separated the fog from the mess, then used spatial force to iste the energy of annihtion, and finally invoked his authority as a superior king to toss the ball of annihtion beyond the reaches of his world.


    Of course, isting the energy of annihtion with spatial force wasn''t a strategy that would work long-term, since the energy of annihtion could feed on spatial force as well.


    However, the rate at which it did so was slow enough that the king of ck fog was able to manipte it and transport it away.


    The ck fog reverted to its original shape, although its volume had shrunk by at least a third.


    The ck fog formed a human face. Zhang Lie chuckled. "Are you finally ready to talk with me?"


    The king of ck fog said, "Zhang Lie, aren''t you afraid that the Zongming world will be destroyed in your absence?"


    "As long as I kill you, the Zongming world will have one fewer threat to contend with."


    Zhang Lie''s body red with blood-colored gic energy, like a boundless tsunami.


    The king of ck fog chuckled again. "And yet, by the time you kill me, your Zongming world might already be done for."


    "We''ll see, won''t we?"


    Zhang Lie replied. The blood-colored gic energy around him formed a bloody ocean, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons within his body. Each muscle formed a dragon. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of over a hundred blood dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack. Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred blood dragons flew toward the king of ck fog, directed by Zhang Lie''s punch.


    They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    The king of ck fog could sense the strength of Zhang Lie''s attack. It couldn''t afford to maintain its human face any longer. A single blood dragon had caused the ck fog to shrink by a third its size. How much damage would a hundred blood dragons do? All the ck fog would be destroyed!


    The world of ck fog burst apart into countless dragons of smoke, which attempted to hold the horde of blood dragons back.


    The dragons of smoke and blood challenged each other in the outskirts of the world of ck fog, but the dragons of smoke were no match for their bloody brethren. They dispersed in just one hit.


    Nevertheless, there were countless dragons of smoke, which continued pouring out from the core of the world of ck fog.


    The world of ck fog reformed the king of ck fog''s face. It looked almost as though the king of ck fog was spitting outrge numbers of ck hairy balls to stave off the advance of the blood dragons.


    The king of ck fogughed. "It''s useless. You can''t kill me!"


    Zhang Lie smirked. "All existences will someday perish¡ªand now I understand what you are, king of ck fog."


    The king of ck fog frowned. He didn''t believe that Zhang Lie had such incredible skills of analysis as to be able to discern that secret in one go.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The king of ck fog is nothing more than an offshoot of the world of ck fog."


    The king of ck fog''s eyes widened.


    "Rather impressive that you''ve been able to tell," he grudgingly admitted.


    Countless enemies had entered the world of ck fog, a whole battalion of troops, or evenbatants on the level of superior kings, but no more than ten had ever escaped from the world, and none of the ten had seen through the fundamental truth of the king of ck fog. Thest person who had glimpsed that truth was none other than the king of chaos.


    The king of ck fog felt as though he should be very shocked, but he didn''t even know if he could sense that feeling.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I have to thank the king of keys for this."


    The king of ck fog stilled. Why was Zhang Lie mentioning the king of keys now?


    Zhang Lie continued, "When I first encountered the king of keys, someone beside me exined what his situation was, and hazarded a guess as to his true form¡ªthat he was a will of the world made manifest, or that he had merged his will with that of his world. I used that same guess on you."


    "So it was the king of keys¡ªhold on, your analysis was just a guess? I shouldn''t have admitted it so easily, then."


    Zhang Lie continued curiously, "Now I am rather curious as to whether you were originally the will of the world, or the will of a superior king."


    The king of ck fog snorted. "This isn''t important. you know too much, now, and I''ll have to kill you!"


    The world of ck fog exploded.


    As ck fog swamped their surroundings, the blood dragons burst apart in the void, spreading the energy of annihtion all around.


    Even so, the king of ck fog ignored how much ck fog was being destroyed.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang, cutting apart the ck fog right before him. "It''s natural that you''re panicking. After all, I can kill you¡ªby exhausting your supply of ck fog, or by destroying the world of ck fog outright. That''s why you have to kill me now to hide this secret, to preserve the mystery that hangs around you, to make others believe that you''re unkible."


    The king of ck fog couldn''t have Zhang Lie run away now.


    "Actually, there''s no need for you to be so worried."


    Zhang Lie extended his arm horizontally before him. ck water-attuned gic energy curled around it, and the serpent wrapped around his sword-wielding arm.


    The king of ck fog frowned. "Surely you''re not as naive as to think that I''ll believe you''ll keep my secret?"


    "What I mean is, there''s no need for you to worry, because no matter what, you''ll perish here today. The secrets of the dead are meaningless."


    Gic energy gushed out of Zhang Lie as sword energy soared into the sky, shaking the heavens. The air turned colder. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie struck once more. An underworld river materialized in space, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold, and the temperature dipped below freezing.

 Chapter 1089: Like a God

    <h4>Chapter 1089: Like a God</h4>


    A strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around thebatants, as though a mysterious realm of hell had intersected the third realm.


    As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood as Zhang Lie swung Guicang at the king of ck fog.


    The king of ck fog condensed that fog into two huge palms, which pushed forward and caused all the serpents in their way to explode. However, the serpents came in an endless torrent. Neither side let up.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Zhang Lie lifted the de in his hand high above his head as pitch-ck energy exploded from him. He looked like a demon descending on the world.


    ck gic energy filled the battlefield, vast and concentrated.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy roared as it took the form of a vast, angry sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse. As Zhang Lie swung his sword, the roaring waves all morphed into ck dragons.


    .


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Meanwhile, the king of ck fog unleashed a tsunami of ck smoke.


    Theherworld sea shed against the ck smoke. The ck serpents in the air exploded and reverted to ck gic energy, but before they could reform as serpents, they were swallowed up by the ck fog. The ck fog was able to get rid of the serpents once and for all, but at great cost.


    After a few confrontations, the huge wave of ck fog was no more than a tenth of its original size. It had been five times the size of an ordinary superior world¡ªand now it was only about asrge as a peakrge world.


    The king of ck fog was getting a bit terrified. "Zhang Lie, there''s no reason we have to fight to our deaths. Why don''t we sit down and have a talk instead? All I want is the superior world''s energy that the Zongming king possesses. As long as you''re willing to hand it over, I''ll turn on the sr king and ice queen!"


    "There''s no need for you to worry about them. I''ve already dispatched forces against both."


    The king of ck fog clearly doubted Zhang Lie''s words. "Even if you were to kill me, the Zongming world will be destroyed. Just who could you have sent over? None of the superior kings of antiquity are weak, and the sr king and ice queen are stronger than your ordinary superior king, let alone in their own worlds."


    From the perspective of the king of ck fog, Zhang Lie had no true understanding of the sr king and ice queen''s strength. In other words, he was being overly arrogant and self-centered.


    "I don''t know where you found your helpers, but they won''t be so easily dealt with. No superior king of antiquity is weak. The sr king and ice queen are very intelligent. They tend to turtle up in their own worlds, bolstered by their authority as superior kings, in addition to their personal strength. They''re essentially invincible in their territory. All your helpers will be killed to thest. If you want to protect the Zongming world, you only have one option open to you: working with me."


    Zhang Lie ignored the king of ck fog''s words. The blood dragon''s phantasmal figure soared into the air. Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, the gleam of the de so bright that the void seemed to wee a new dawn. The blood dragon melted into the de.


    The king of ck fog became more and more anxious when he saw that Zhang Lie was unmoved.


    "Zhang Lie, don''t misunderstand! This is yourst opportunity."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Aren''t you also a superior king of antiquity? You have a seat at the meeting table, you''re in your superior world¡ªand yet you still can''t beat me."


    "Zhang Lie, do you really think I can''t beat you?" the king of ck fog roared. The ck fog erupted in a storm.


    "Let''s try it, then!" A dragon''s howl echoed through the air as Zhang Lie swung his sword infused with the blood dragon''s strength. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon. The blood dragon''s howl shook the void. Zhang Lie''s sword tore apart the storm of ck fog, piercing through it.


    The king of ck fog''s humanoid face turned into that of a dragon as he opened his mouth wide and devoured the attack.


    Zhang Lie''s sword pierced through the fog. His attack exploded in the heart of the world of ck fog. "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A frightening force descended on the king of ck fog, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward the king of ck fog.


    Fog roiled, morphing into countless hands and feet¡ªbut they were all cut apart by the pale-white sword energy.


    The sword energy cut deep into the world of ck fog, leaving a huge abyssal trench within.


    Zhang Lie''s [First Form: Parting the River] shouldn''t have been so destructive, but the king of ck fog had expended too much ck fog in the fighting so far, and he felt death drawing near. He, who imed to be impossible to kill, was stricken by the possibility of imminent death.


    His eponymous ck fog had been almost entirely used up, and he wouldn''t be able to defend against another overwhelming attack from Zhang Lie. The king of ck fog had no intention of dying so easily. He retaliated, putting his life on the line. The ck fog manifested in the form of long spears, which rained down on Zhang Lie like a thunderstorm.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie, and he left a series of afterimages in his wake.


    With Guicang, he smashed apart all the spears of ck fog. The king of ck fog noticed that his attacks had weakened significantly, but even so, the king of ck fog didn''t give up. Countless ws emerged from his body and mixed with the fog, even as Zhang Lie drew his other de.


    Hanguang shed, and the ws were all shredded to pieces.


    "[Syzygy]!" A burning ck sun rose behind Zhang Lie''s back, and a bloody moon red into existence at his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him.


    Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array. Under thebination of the two auras, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a god...

 Chapter 1090: The Unclean World

    <h4>Chapter 1090: The Unclean World</h4>


    Struck by Zhang Lie''s twin auras, the king of ck fog grew visibly weaker, and the ck fog turned thin.


    On the other hand, Zhang Lie''s gic energy seemed boundless.


    The king of ck fog cried out, "Hold on, Zhang Lie! Let''s discuss this like civilized men!"


    However, Zhang Lie had no intention of stopping. He crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    A bloody sword in his left hand, a ck de in his right. The des crossed, forming a huge web of shes, as the ck fog was torn to pieces.


    The ck fog condensed anew into a human face. The king of ck fog called out once again, "Hold on, we can discuss things further. I don''t need any superior world''s energy¡ª"


    "Discuss things with my de!"


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The sword energy illuminated the surroundings of the world of ck fog. As a tsunami that seemed poised to swallow up the skiesnded, all that ck fog was consumed.


    Zhang Lie flew into the world of ck fog and saw that it had be a pile of ruins.


    The ruins hadn''t been caused by Zhang Lie''s attack¡ªrather, the world of ck fog had been a dead world to begin with. Who knew how it had happened? Perhaps only the king of ck fog did.


    In order to prevent the king of ck fog from having any chance at revival, Zhang Lie lifted both his des up high. ck sunlight gathered on one, and blood-red moonlight on the other. "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon.


    Sword energy materialized from Zhang Lie''s des into a blood dragon that revolved around his body. Hanguang''s light coalesced into a ck dragon that likewise curled up around him.


    The twin dragons shot forward like a hurricane, bearing down on the king of ck fog with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them and forming a whirlpool.


    Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants.


    Layers of earth sank into the whirlpool, obliterated in an instant. The ck whirlpool continued to spread as the ck and blood dragons pierced the world of ck fog clean through, causing it to crack and shatter.


    Zhang Lie took the shattered superior world''s core for himself. As that core was taken away, the surrounding fragments of the world began to crumble.


    "The unclean world next, I suppose..." Let''s hope Yang Ze didn''t do anything extraneous, so I don''t have to clean up his corpse.


    Not long after Zhang Lie left, the remnants of the world of ck fog caved in. Spatial force erupted, causing a spatial storm to spawn. Subsequently, the remnant energy in the world burst in a magnificent explosion, swallowing up the world in a shower of light.


    The light illuminated the void and was just about to release a huge wave of energy into the realm when the will of the world suddenly descended, locked the surrounding space down, absorbed the energy from the impending explosion, and prevented its destruction from affecting other nearby worlds.


    In the end, all that remained of the world of ck fog was a cloud of rubble where it once stood.


    The world of ck fog had been destroyed, forever wiped off the face of the third realm.


    The rubble slowly began to rete. After countless years, it would form a brand new world. This was part of the cycle of the third realm. As older worlds were destroyed, newer ones formed. The three thousand worlds were continuously undergoing such a cycle of death and rebirth.


    Zhang Lie turned back to the shattered mess, murmuring to himself, "I hope you don''t have to encounter someone like the king of ck fog again..."


    Even if the world did end up with a simr ruler, Zhang Lie didn''t expect he would be there to witness it.


    Beyond the unclean world, Yang Ze floated in the void.


    "99,999, 100,000..."


    Yang Ze wasn''t so bored as to count from1 to 100,000. All around him were gathered countless crystalline lotuses. Of course, these hadn''t grown naturally¡ªYang Ze was manifesting them in the void.


    Despite his frequently jocr attitude, he too had pride, dignity, and self-respect. Zhang Lie had ordered him to scout the unclean world, but not to fight.


    Although Yang Ze had epted the order readily, he felt rather upset. Why was it that the other members of Team Zenith could fight the respective superior kings and attack their worlds, but not Yang Ze?


    Was he so weak? Was his water-attuned gic energy worse than others? Zhang Lie had a water-attuned framework too! No, Yang Ze didn''t think himself inferior.


    At that moment, floating out in the void, Yang Ze wanted to prove himself¡ªbut that didn''t mean he was a fool who would rush in without any preparation.


    Yang Ze was thoughtful, not brash and reckless. Although he wasn''t willing to admit it, he trusted Zhang Lie''s judgment that he wasn''t ready to attack the unclean world by himself.


    The others had grouped up in threes, and it would be far too reckless of him to charge into the unclean world alone.


    Even so, Yang Ze didn''t want to simply scout around¡ªhe wanted to make a move.


    Despite being called the unclean world, the surroundings of the world were far cleaner than the white world and the world of zing sun¡ªbecause there were no aliens or gic lifeforms present.


    The only other superior world that was as "clean" was the world of ck fog.


    He had learned about what happened from some fortunate survivors of the war against the death spirits, and it was this truth that left Yang Ze so enraged.


    The king of evil hadn''t been as merciful as to demand that each world in the vicinitymit some of their people for this war. Rather, he sent out his avatars to terrorize the various worlds,


    herding their citizens onto the battlefield. Those who could flee did, and those that didn''t either were forced onto the battlefield or devoured and transformed into monstrosities...

 Chapter 1091: An Overwhelming Stench

    <h4>Chapter 1091: An Overwhelming Stench</h4>


    Yang Ze learned about the king of evil''s atrocities from the fleeing aliens who had returned to the vicinity of the unclean world, which enraged him to no end.


    He decided to strike before Zhang Lie could return.


    However, he wasn''t so foolish as to strike without any preparation. Instead, he had hung out beyond the borders of the unclean world to amass his strength, creating crystalline lotuses one after another, until he had a hundred thousand of them.


    With his army of a hundred thousand crystalline lotuses, Yang Ze swaggered into the unclean world. The lotuses filled the skies.


    "King of evil, your judgment hase!"


    There were countless abyssal trenches criss-crossing the unclean world. Green gaseous vapors emerged from them.


    Yang Ze was very suspicious of these abyssal depths, and he was certain that exploring them himself would be a foolish act.


    He didn''t understand why the characters in horror flicks tried to investigate something they knew was dangerous, mysterious, or somehow problematic. Wouldn''t it have been better to call the police, or if not, to turn around and leave?


    Why did they explore on their own? Weren''t they afraid of dying?


    Yang Ze naturally wasn''t a character in a horror flick, and he had no interest in investigating whaty within the abyssal trenches.


    He directed ten thousand of his crystalline lotuses into the trenches, forming a crystalline river.


    Nothing happened after ten minutes, but Yang Ze remained patient.


    When nothing happened after twenty minutes, Yang Ze continued to remain patient.


    When nothing happened after thirty minutes, Yang Ze began to doubt himself.


    When nothing happened after forty minutes, Yang Ze finally lost his patience.


    "Could there be nothing within these trenches?" No, that was a dangerous thought¡ªand a foolish one.


    If there weren''t anything within the trenches, then the ten thousand crystalline lotuses should have erupted in a mess of ice and water-attuned gic energy. The fact that they didn''t, then, meant that something was fishy.


    Yang Ze was deliberating whether or not to release thirty thousand more crystalline lotuses into the trenches when something finally happened.


    The entire unclean world shuddered, and huge quantities of green gas erupted from the trenches.


    Yang Ze pped. "Haha, this is exactly what''s supposed to happen!"


    Deep within the trenches, something seemed to be rising. When more and more green gas spawned, Yang Ze couldn''t help but be concerned. "What''s going on?"


    Huge quantities of noxious gas flooded the unclean world, causing Yang Ze to pinch his nose shut and regte oxygen intake using his gic energy. Who knew whether that green gas was poisonous?


    Yang Ze quickly obtained the answer to his question. The moment his skin touched the green gas, he felt a stinging pain, followed by a sizzling noise from his skin. The gas was corroding his skin, and it appeared to be stronger than even concentrated acid.


    After all, Yang Ze was no ordinary human. He was a gic hunter, one who possessed monarch gene fragments, who had maxed out his disaster gene fragments, and who possessed peak limit fragments. He had been ssified as a disaster-grade lifeform upon ascending to the third realm.


    Yang Ze was far beyond ordinary gic hunters in terms of physical specifications, and his skin was harder than steel.


    The fact that his skin was being corroded despite these advantages...


    Yang Ze immediately formed a membrane of gic energy around himself to protect his body from the green gases, but even so, they continued to eat at his membrane.


    Even beforeing into contact with the king of evil itself, Yang Ze felt as though he were on the losing end of things. Was this what the superior kings of the third realm were like?


    Indeed, trying to take down a superior world of antiquity was a dangerous task. Yang Ze felt as though he should have done even more preparation.


    The stench in the air grew thicker as a huge wave of green gas billowed up from the trenches. Yang Ze flew higher and higher in order to avoid it.


    Suddenly, a deluge of amorphous gray fluid emerged from within the trenches, erupting from them like an inverted avnche.


    The fluid quivered and swelled, as though it were the source of all filth and waste.


    The fluid that made up the king of evil''s body roiled. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, crying out shrilly. They tried to escape¡ªbefore they were swallowed back into the interior of the fluid and digested.


    This was the king of evil! Yang Ze had heard about the king of evil''s appearance from Zhang Lie, and he recognized it immediately. "King of evil, I''ve been waiting for you for a long time. Goodbye!"


    Yang Ze tossed the remaining ny thousand crystalline lotuses at the king of evil, then turned to run without even looking back at their effect.


    From his perspective, if the ny thousand crystalline lotuses were able to get rid of the king of evil, there was no need for Yang Ze to do anything more, and on the other hand, if they couldn''t do anything against the king of evil, then the king of evil wasn''t an opponent he was currently equipped to handle. Running away would be the most intelligent choice here.


    The ny thousand crystalline lotusesnded on the pale gray fluid with the sound of exploding fireworks. Water-attuned gic energy gushed out furiously, forming the image of a beautiful, gigantic lotus.


    Crystalline shards flew through the air. Water-attuned gic energy swamped the gray fluid like the tide, smothering it.


    Yang Ze couldn''t resist peering back to see what destruction he had wrought. He was very curious just what the effect of so many lotuses would be. He couldn''t help but gasp as he turned around¡ªbut that curiosity stripped him of his ability to run.


    The gray fluid, and the malformed monstrosities trapped within it, had been frozen solid, turning pale white with frost. Before Yang Ze could be excited, however, the unclean world shuddered again, even more intensely than before.


    The frozen fluid shattered. Huge quantities of gray fluid welled up from the abyssal trenches, like the eruption of a volcano.


    Yang Ze''s eyes widened as he tried to flee, but the gray fluid formed a huge palm that mmed down over him...

 Chapter 1092: Zhang Lies Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 1092: Zhang Lie''s Arrival</h4>


    Yang Ze retaliated with a sword technique. "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!"


    Waves suddenly appeared in the sky, shimmering like a mirage. Spatial fluctuations rippled as Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction]. However, the palm formed of gray fluid crushed the technique in an instant.


    It tried to grab at Yang Ze, only to pass through his body harmlessly.


    At some point, Yang Ze had flown out of reach, leaving nothing more than a mirage behind.


    "You''d better practice harder if you want to catch me!"


    Thanks to the explosion of ny thousand crystalline lotuses, there was plenty of water-attuned gic energy at Yang Ze''s feet. He manipted that energy into mist, then summoned sharks within that mist.


    To the sharks, the mist was like water.


    The pale gray fluid was different from any enemy Yang Ze had fought to date. Huge numbers of malformed monstrosities were birthed from within the pale gray fluid. They bit and tore at the sharks, almost as though this were a fight between summoner and summoner.


    Huge quantities of gray fluid emerged from the abyssal trenches. They coalesced into huge palms.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Yang Ze struck again. His sword shed with ripples and shed apart one palm. The other palms continued grasping at him,ing from all directions, leaving him no room to make a mirage and flee.


    Even so, they didn''t manage to catch Yang Ze. Yang Ze''s body rippled as they tore through him.


    Yang Zeughed. "Haha, how''s that?"


    This was the effect of [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision], a technique thatbined spatial force and water-attuned gic energy.


    As expected of a superior king of antiquity, the king of evil quickly recognized what Yang Ze was doing and locked down the ability to distort and manipte space within the vicinity of the unclean world.


    Yang Ze grew infuriated. "What am I supposed to do now?!"


    The pale gray fluid formed more palms that tried to catch Yang Ze.


    As Yang Ze dodged, he shouted, "Asshole! Let me attack you with all my tricks if you dare!"


    Even more palms formed.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea]!" Yang Ze invoked his authority over space, whichbined with his water-attuned gic energy and formed circlets around his arms.


    As he punched forward, ripples spread out all around his arm, disrupting the gray fluid that made up the manifold palms.


    Subsequently, all those palms burst apart in front of him in a rain of fluid. Yang Ze hurriedly dashed back.


    The green gases that the fluid gave off were already very corrosive; it was apparent that the fluid would be even worse.


    Yang Ze waved the sword in his hand. A current swirled around the sword, deflecting all gray fluid that came his way. Yang Ze was very adept with his sword, and the gray fluid was unable to get close to him.


    However, he didn''t notice that the gray fluid beneath him had suddenly erupted. Deflecting all the fluid around already required a huge consumption of mental stamina, and he was caught unawares by the eruption from beneath.


    Even so, the king of evil was bbergasted to see the gray fluid slide harmlessly past Yang Ze.


    Yang Ze began to roar inughter. "Haha, you didn''t expect it, did you? Do you really think I dared to enter a superior world of antiquity without any preparations?"


    Yang Ze had expected to encounter the king of evil, after all. "Of course I''d prepare a trump card beforehand!"


    Yang Ze''s trump card was thebination of karma and fate. Ever since he had imbibed Potion #4, Yang Ze had felt a tenuous connection to karma.


    If Zhang Lie were present, he would call Yang Ze''s power an inversion of heaven''s might. Yang Ze''s dodging ability reversed cause and effect.


    The next moment, as though the entirety of the unclean world were about to explode, even more gray fluid emerged from the abyssal trenches. Yang Ze could hardly have imagined that all this fluid could fit within.


    "What, you can''t take a joke?"


    Yang Ze was able to dodge any attack where he had even the slightest possibility of dodging it, but if the king of evil were tounch somethinging at him from all directions, his boon might very well be nullified.


    With all his tricks spent, Yang Ze wasn''t certain exactly how to react to this next attack.


    Suddenly, however, water-attuned gic energy erupted from above him, a boundless ocean''s worth. Yang Ze didn''t have gic energy of this magnitude. To the best of his knowledge, only one person did.


    "Captain!"


    A frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the unclean world. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, and they swamped the abyssal trenches.


    The gic energy swamped and nullified the effect of the gray fluid. The ground cracked, and huge holes were formed in the abyssal trenches.


    Yang Ze raised his head to see Zhang Lie descending like a god from the heavens.


    "Captain, you''re finally here!" Yang Ze called out, waving madly at him.


    Zhang Lie slowlynded beside Yang Ze.


    "Captain, I thought I might never see you again!" Yang Ze hugged Zhang Lie''s thigh tightly.


    Zhang Lie pushed him off and grumbled, "Didn''t I tell you that you were only supposed to scout?"


    Yang Ze fibbed, "I dide here to scout, but the king of evil discovered me! Of course I had to retaliate once he startedunching blows my way."


    Yang Ze didn''t even blink when he lied.


    Beneath them, the trenches exploded with gray matter once again.


    Yang Ze patted his chest. "Now that my captain''s here, I''ve nothing to fear from you! [The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale. crescendo


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. It squashed the gray fluid as it fell to the unclean world, concentrated water-attuned gic energy exploding forth in the form of waves amidst the gray fluid...

 Chapter 1093: Many Hands

    <h4>Chapter 1093: Many Hands</h4>


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    Yang Ze released a second gigantic dragonwhale. The pale-blue dragonwhale merged together with the sharks, forming an unusualbination that possessed the unique features of each lifeform.


    The attack pierced through the gray fluid and exploded deep within the abyssal trenches, sending pale blue gic energy surging. A huge hole formed in the trenches, from which more gray fluid poured out.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Just as Zhang Lie was about to attack, Yang Ze stopped him. "Captain, please let me handle it!"


    Water-attuned gic energy surged forth from Yang Ze, like a roaring sea. "The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    With a wave of Yang Ze''s sword, water-attuned gic energy manifested in the form of a giant serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice. It surged forward, swiping its ws. Gic energy burst forth, scattering the gray fluid before it.


    Even so, the gray fluid continued pouring out of the abyssal trenches, seemingly in limitless portions.


    Yang Ze frowned. "Can the king of evil really be killed?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Your attacks aren''t strong enough. Would you like some assistance?"


    Yang Ze wasn''t so stubborn as to refuse help. He epted immediately.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    At the same time, Yang Ze sent out his sea serpent. The two serpents shot forward, piercing through the gray fluid and exploding amidst the abyssal trenches.


    As the gray fluid flew through the air, Zhang Lie and Yang Ze both shielded themselves with an arm. Zhang Lie shed forward and charged toward the abyssal trenches, and Yang Ze hurriedly followed suit.


    The depths of the abyss were so filled with concentrated stench that an ordinary hunter might have fainted from it. Gray fluid squirmed within.


    The fluid that made up the king of evil''s body roiled. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, crying out shrilly. They tried to escape¡ªbefore they were swallowed back into the interior of the fluid and digested.


    That gray fluid surged forth from all around them, as though trying to swallow Zhang Lie up.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Zhang Lie''s punches, imbued with gic energy, caused the gray fluid approaching from all directions to explode.


    Zhang Lie began, "I haven''t seen any otherbatants around. Could the only living entity in the unclean world be the king of evil?"


    Zhang Lie was deep within the abyssal trenches; the king of evil should have dispatched his strongest forces by now, if any existed.


    Zhang Lie hypothesized, "Could the king of evil have devoured them all?"


    Yang Ze''s face turned pale. "Don''t say something so disgusting. It really might be possible!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The blood dragon smashed apartyer afteryer of gray fluid, but even more poured out of the abyssal trenches to rece what was lost. The blood dragon ended up being encased by the fluid.


    Subsequently, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, causing the gray fluid to explode.


    The pitch-ck energy formed a ck hole that devoured its surroundings. The gray fluid was sucked inpletely. Large numbers of the malformed creatures within cried and screeched, but no matter how they struggled, they were unable to break free from the destruction caused by the energy of annihtion.


    As that energy continued to spread outward, even Zhang Lie and Yang Ze were forced to step back.


    The energy of annihtion swallowed up the abyssal trenches. It devoured everything in sight, including ancient rocks and boulders. Everything appeared powerless inparison.


    The king of evil tried to prevent its spread, but the energy of annihtion was more intense than even it had given it credit for. The gray fluid continued to be sucked up and devoured, canceling out the king of evil''s millennia of growth and evolution.


    The king of evil continued creating more of the gray fluid, birthing even more malformed creatures, trying to exhaust all the energy of annihtion, without realizing that the energy of annihtion couldn''t be satisfied.


    The unclean world was steadily trending toward destruction. Without any other recourse, the king of evil was forced to flee from the swelling waves of energy¡ªbut Zhang Lie and Yang Ze weren''t about to let their prey escape so easily.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!" Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra, each head breathing out a beam of sword energy to prevent the king of evil''s escape.


    The malformed creatures continued to screech.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" A horde of over a hundred ck dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred blood dragons flew toward the king of evil, directed by Zhang Lie''s punch. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    The storm caused by the energy of annihtion spread further and further ind. Zhang Lie and Yang Ze had brought destruction and cmity to the unclean world, causing the entire world to be encapsted by a pitch-ck storm, which had continued to spread more and more rapidly.


    The attack left a huge pit in the ground of the unclean world, sorge it might as well be a basin.


    No longer did gray fluid continue to well up from the abyssal trenches. Zhang Lie and Yang Zended on the ground to find remnants of gray fluid still squirming around, with malformed creatures within trying to break free.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang. "We''d better clean up."


    Yang Ze gathered his water-attuned gic energy, turning the air ice-cold. Crystalline lotuses formed all around him, freezing the gray fluid solid. Subsequently, he cleaned up the frozen chunks. Meanwhile, Zhang Lie took a chunk of fluid and infused his gic energy into it to identify where the other remnants were.


    After all, the gray fluid formed part of the king of evil''s body, and it would be possible to sense the rest of the king of evil through it. However, there were quite a number of morsels of gray fluid around, and they were all hiding in difficult-to-reach ces. Dealing with them all would be no small task.

 Chapter 1094: Somewhat Interested

    <h4>Chapter 1094: Somewhat Interested</h4>


    Unfortunately, there was no other choice but to clean up after the king of evil. If Zhang Lie and Yang Ze were to leave now and dispatch hunters to the scene when they returned to the draconian, Zongming, or scalemen worlds, the gray fluid would likely have reproduced to such an extent that they would have to deal with a reformed king of evil. Although Zhang Lie was confident he would be able to do so, there was no need for the hassle.


    It would be most straightforward to deal with the king of evil now and clean up all the gray fluid that remained.


    Yang Ze summoned white fog once more. Thanks to Zhang Lie and Yang Ze''s continued attacks, the unclean world''s atmosphere was filled with water vapor. It was straightforward for Yang Ze to manifest white fog, even over an extremelyrge region.


    Shark hordes appeared within the fog, but the individual sharks weren''t particrly strong. They tended to be defeated by the malformed creatures from the gray fluid, but they could easily re-manifest from the white fog.


    Upon witnessing Yang Ze''s actions, Zhang Lie thought of a good idea. "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    As ck gic energy surrounded him, the temperature of the unclean world dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted everyone present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood, consuming every bit of gray they could see.


    Upon doing so, they exploded into pitch-ck fluid.


    The serpents were unable to withstand the might of the gray fluid¡ªwhich were, after all, fragments of a superior king of antiquity¡ªbut they were likewise able to reform on the spot.


    Thebination of the sharks and serpents significantly cut down on the effort Zhang Lie and Yang Ze had to make to scour the world clean of the gray fluid.


    The blood rain that poured from the skies signaled that Yang Ze and Zhang Lie''s task wasplete. Zhang Lie retrieved the proof of kingship from amidst thest of the gray fluid.


    The proof of kingship was itself gray fluid. If not for the fact that all the gray fluid had now been destroyed, it would have been difficult to detect it.


    Zhang Lie drained away the superior world''s energy via the proof of kingship.


    "As expected of a superior world of antiquity..."


    The world of ck fog had been rich, and so was the unclean world. The superior worlds of antiquity really had stockpiled a lot of treasures over their millennia of existence.


    Even in its rundown state, the world of ck fog had possessed five or six superior worlds'' worth of energy, whereas the unclean world had ten superior worlds'' worth.


    Comparatively, the Zongming world, which had managed to obtain seven superior worlds'' worth during the superior kings'' meeting, was truly a world that had struck the jackpot.


    After absorbing all that world''s energy, Zhang Lie and Yang Ze flew out of the unclean world. Suddenly, Zhang Lie stopped in his tracks.


    Yang Ze nced at him. "Captain!"


    Zhang Lie called out, "You''ve been watching for a long time, haven''t you? Isn''t it time for you to show yourself?"


    Yang Ze nced all around him, but didn''t spot anyone.


    Zhang Lie continued, "To think the strongest king of the third realm would just be a spying thief! Or do you have some other intention, king of chaos?"


    Upon hearing the words "king of chaos", Yang Ze couldn''t help but widen his eyes in shock.


    He had first learned of the king of chaos from Zhang Lie, who told him that he was the strongest superior king in the third realm, whom Zhang Lie couldn''t see throughpletely.


    As Yang Ze warily nced around him, the space around him split up into twenty-four segments. A man wearing a whiteb coat walked out from behind those segments, which wereyered so perfectly Yang Ze wasn''t surprised he had missed them.


    "A human?" Yang Ze was shocked by the identity of the man in ab coat. For the strongest king of the third realm to be a human... Yang Ze simply couldn''t believe it.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The king of chaos isn''t a human. What he is, I don''t know myself. His appearance as a human is simply an illusion.


    Nightdemon, the Shining Trapezohedron in his hands, walked out from behind theyered space. "You''re undoubtedly the man who managed to kill two superior kings, to have been able to detect me instantly."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you enjoy the show?"


    "It was very interesting. To think that you had such an ace up your sleeve¡ªall the other superior kings fell prey to it." Nightdemon nced at Yang Ze with interest.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Don''t you have anything else to say?"


    "Not at the moment... Ah, I suppose there''s one thing. You had better return to the Zongming world quickly."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Is something the matter?"


    Yang Ze asked urgently, "Has something happened to the Zongming world?"


    "You''ll see once you return." Nightdemon didn''t rify. His white coat, stained by blood, turned a dark-red color. The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. Then, it shed and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings.


    The ck wings wrapped around Nightdemon as he took to the sky. When they unfurled again, he had morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world.


    A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear. He pped his wings and left.


    The king of keys was currently traveling through the void among the three thousand worlds of the third realm. He suddenly sensed an imbnce among the worlds.


    "The unclean world, destroyed; the world of ck fog, destroyed... We''ve truly underestimated the Zongming world, haven''t we?"


    A spatial fluctuation appeared before the king of keys. "You''ve returned?"


    A fellow with a for a head appeared before the king of keys.


    "Has the king of ck fog been destroyed?"


    The-headed scout nodded. "The Zongming king''s more tricky than expected. His forces seem to have recovered the death spirits'' weapons of war, and they''re in the process of researching them. I had a little setback, but thankfully, I have something to show for my troubles."


    "Don''t worry¡ªI''m hardly affected. What did you bring back?"


    The-headed scout replied, "I encountered an interesting beast near the outskirts of the Zongming world. I thought you might be interested, Your Majesty, so I brought it back with me."


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie and Yang Ze hurriedly returned to the Zongming world...

 Chapter 1095: An Unexpected Situation

    <h4>Chapter 1095: An Unexpected Situation</h4>


    The outskirts of the Zongming world were wildly fluctuating with energy, and it was clear that a big battle had taken ce.


    Upon stepping into the world and seeing that everything was in order, Zhang Lie let out a long sigh of relief. After hearing Nightdemon''s words, Zhang Lie had been truly worried about the Zongming world.


    Yang Ze asked dubiously, "Was the king of chaos just trying to scare us?" But why?


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I don''t think the king of chaos would do that. There''s no reason to, and no benefit to doing so. Of course, it''s possible that Nightdemon did it as a prank, but I don''t think that''s likely. At any rate, let''s go find Li Zongming and ask him what''s going on. The calmer everything looks, the more likely it is that something has happened."


    As they entered the Zongming pce, they found Li Zongming fretting.


    Zhang Lie hurriedly asked, "What''s going on?"


    Li Zongming sighed. "I''m sorry, Zhang Lie."


    Yang Ze asked, "What happened?"


    Li Zongming sighed again. "That Gold Comet you were raising was taken away by the king of keys'' henchmen."


    "What?!"


    Li Zongming exined what had happened.


    Li Zongming and Gold Comet, working together, had easily suppressed the king of ck fog''s avatar. However, the king of keys had sent a subordinate over to deal with Li Zongming, and Li Zongming and Gold Comet were hard-pressed to deal with bothbatants simultaneously.


    Thankfully, Zhang Lie had in the king of ck fog, and his avatar was dispelled mid-fight.


    Li Zongming continued apologetically, "We thought that the fight would be over the moment the king of ck fog''s avatar vanished, but the king of keys'' subordinate kidnapped Gold Comet!"


    Yang Ze asked, "Why?"


    Li Zongming replied, "He seemed to have been very interested in Gold Comet, for some reason."


    Zhang Lie pursed his lips. "The king of keys, hmm? This matter isn''t over yet."


    If he were going to meddle in Zhang Lie''s business like that, Zhang Lie wasn''t going to let him get off scot-free.


    Li Zongming apologized again. "I really am sorry for both not being able to stop the king of keys'' subordinate and for allowing Gold Comet to be captured."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "It''s not your fault. You''ve already worked very hard to secure the Zongming world, and there was little else you could do. In terms of responsibility, I do take some responsibility for not dealing with the king of ck fog quickly enough. Rest assured, I''ll be heading to the king of keys'' domain to reim Gold Comet."


    Zhang Lie made up his mind right then and there.


    Li Zongming also nodded. "I''ll support you as much as I can."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Let me see how the other two superior worlds are doing right now."


    Right after Zhang Lie and Yang Ze finished their discussions with Li Zongming, Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying''s groups returned from their respective worlds.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes lit up. "Captain, you and Yang Ze are back already?"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "How did things go with the world of ck fog and the unclean world?"


    Yang Ze''s chest puffed up. "Is there anything our captain can''t handle? Of course not!"


    Everyone in Team Zenith nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.


    Upon seeing all the members of Team Zenith gathered back here, Li Zongming asked, "Have you all seeded?"


    Li Feng smiled. "We would be too embarrassed to return if we didn''t."


    "We killed all the superior kings we were responsible for," Sun Mengmeng replied, nodding.


    Even though Li Zongming had been prepared for this, he couldn''t help but be shocked. The eight young men and women in front of him had made history in the third realm, setting an astounding record by vanquishing so many superior kings of antiquity at once.


    The destruction of even a single superior world of antiquity was a major affair, and yet they had dealt with four of them in rapid session. It was no surprise that Li Zongming was so shocked.


    The members of Team Zenith ignored Li Zongming''s stupefaction. Zhang Lie nced at Sun Xiaowu, Sun Mengmeng, and Zhang Hanxiang.


    "All of you seem to have grown stronger than before."


    Sun Mengmeng smiled. "I knew we wouldn''t be able to hide it from you."


    Sun Xiaowu scratched his head in embarrassment. "We encountered two monarch-grade lifeforms in the white world. After we slew them, we consumed them."


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "We each managed to get ten more monarch gene fragments than we started with! Brother, aren''t we amazing? Praise me!"


    Zhang Lie reached out and patted Zhang Hanxiang on the head.


    "Well done. You''ve all worked hard."


    The other members of Team Zenith weren''t jealous. This was a rare opportunity, and they could hardly begrudge the hunters for taking advantage of it. In addition, the monarch-grade lifeforms'' flesh would only grant gene fragments to those who killed it.


    Zhang Lie turned to the other three. "But Zhou Ying seems to have grown stronger than all three of youbined."


    Zhou Ying had a gentle smile on her face. "I was lucky enough to encounter a simr lifeform. After absorbing its strength, although I didn''t gain any gene fragments, I was able to enhance my biological status. It allowed me to shore up my weaknesses."


    Li Feng sighed. "Why couldn''t we have gotten as lucky?"


    Yang Ze patted him on the shoulder. "I know just how you feel, don''t worry."


    While the hunters were chatting, a huge ck shadow appeared beyond the Zongming world.


    Sun Mengmeng instantly grew alert. "What''s that?"


    As the huge shadow appeared over the Zongming world''s airspace, the members of Team Zenith all looked up. Could it be another superior world?


    Li Zongming smiled. "Don''t worry. The world of ck rain has finally arrived."


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes lit up. "Hong Xi''s back, then?"


    Li Zongming teleported everyone beyond the Zongming world, where they saw the world of ck rain steadily moving toward them.


    However, the world of ck rain was in tatters. Li Zongming frowned. "The damage is worse than anticipated..."


    When Hong Xi sensed the members of Team Zenith, she immediately waved toward them and flew over.


    "I''m back, Master!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You''ve worked hard."


    Hong Xi beamed.


    Zhang Hanxiang hurriedly stepped forward to grab her hand. "How was the journey?"


    Hong Xi shook her head. "It was terribly boring. Except for the start, where I had to deal with the king of evil''s clone, I spent the rest of the time zoning out on the world of ck rain, waiting as it slowly moved toward the Zongming world. I was contemting whether or not it would be possible to push it from behind. How about you?"


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "I had a great time! I obtained ten monarch gene fragments!"


    Hong Xi didn''t get jealous. She was very impressed by her friend''s fortuitous gain, and her smile was genuine.


    As Zhang Lie watched the two young women chat, he couldn''t help but smile as well¡ªfor his student, and for his sister, for having found such good friends in each other...

 Chapter 1096: The State of the Worlds

    <h4>Chapter 1096: The State of the Worlds</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng walked over. "Why are you watching Hong Xi?"


    Zhang Lie blinked, breaking out of his reverie. "That''s my student."


    "Is that so?" Sun Mengmeng responded casually.


    Sun Xiaowu rushed over to smooth things over. "Captain, we''ve already dealt with all the majorbatants of the white world, but we''re waiting for you to decide what to do with the world itself."


    Li Feng also walked over. "Same for us."


    Zhang Lie hmmed. "We''ll have to wait and see how the other superior kings respond to decide what to do."


    Zhang Lie sought out Li Zongming. "What do you n to do with the world of ck rain? Do you really intend to merge it with the Zongming world?"


    Li Zongming shrugged. "I''m still contemting what to do. If I do so, it''ll likely take quite a fair amount of superior world''s energy."


    The Zongming world wasn''t particrlyrge, but it possessed significant reserves of a superior world''s energy. In fact, it was even smaller than the other newly evolved superior worlds, let alone the superior worlds of antiquity.


    Absorbing the world of ck rain would cause the Zongming world to growrger, but it would take a fair amount of energy to terraform and repair the world of ck rain beforehand.


    As is, the terrain and environmental conditions of the world of ck rain were hardly conducive to most lifeforms, and this was a conundrum to Li Zongming as well.


    Li Zongming murmured, "I could also just mergerge worlds into my world to expand it. It might cost about as much as fixing the world of ck rain and merging that..."


    It would cost a certain amount of superior world''s energy to deal with the difference in status between arge and superior world.


    "On the other hand, if I merge the world of ck rain, that''s equivalent to trying to merge one or two dozenrge worlds..."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Well, let me know when you figure it out. I''ll be leaving with the others first."


    Li Zongming hurriedly grabbed Zhang Lie''s sleeve. "Don''t leave just yet! I''d like your opinion."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "There''s no big difference either way. You decide."


    If Li Zongming chose not to merge the world of ck rain, he would be able to save some superior world''s energy.


    On the other hand, if he did merge the world of ck rain, he would be able to get significantly morendmass. The cost and benefit were both rtively bnced.


    The Zongming world wasn''t particrlycking in superior world''s energy, but no superior king would be upset at having more of that rare resource.


    The more superior world''s energy a world possessed, the more numerous the citizens'' talent, and the faster they would develop. Neither was the Zongming world particrlycking in terms ofndmass.


    The Zongming world had recently evolved to a superior one, and there wasn''t a pressing need for morend.


    In other words, this choice really depended on the direction in which Li Zongming wanted to steer his world''s development.


    Li Zongming suggested, "How''s the state of the other superior worlds of antiquity?"


    It was clear that he had set his eyes on the worlds that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had defeated.


    "Are the world of ck fog and the unclean world in good shape?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Don''t expect to get anything from those two worlds. I''ve destroyed the world of ck fog, and I''ve already extracted the superior world''s energy from the unclean world."


    Li Zongming sighed.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Even if I didn''t, neither of these two worlds are much more hospitable than the world of ck rain."


    ].


    Li Zongming seemed surprised. "Really?" But those were all superior worlds! Of the three superior worlds that Li Zongming had seen¡ªthe three newest¡ªnone had unfavorable environmental conditions.


    Li Zongming naturally expected that the superior worlds of antiquity would have even better environmental conditions, and that the reason the world of ck rain was so dreary was because of the death spirits'' invasion.


    Zhang Lie and the others had had ast stand against the death spirit king over arge swathe of the world of ck rain''s territory, and Li Zongming had expected that to be the main cause for the current inhospitality of the world.


    It was just like how a farmer from rural areas believed that cities were far superior to viges¡ªbut whether that was true or not was something only someone who had been to both types of areas could make a judgment on.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "They''re superior worlds of antiquity, outdated and ancient. At the very least, the three superior worlds of antiquity I''ve been to have all been in various states of decay.


    "They''re definitely not as pretty as our three new superior worlds. You''ve all seen the world of ck rain. Even before the war against the death spirits, the world of ck rain only ever had graveyards and withered trees all over."


    Sun Mengmeng thought for a moment. "If these superior worlds have existed since antiquity, doesn''t it mean that these worlds are somehow bolstered against the passage of time?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The world of ck fog and the unclean world are about the same. The world of ck fog had already be a pile of ruins; the only difference was that its outside had been covered up by a denseyer of ck fog. Either the will of the world or the original superior king had died to give birth to the king of ck fog. He was known as the most mysterious superior king, but that''s a meaningless title."


    Yang Ze continued, "The unclean world''s filled with abyssal trenches and rocks, and the trenches have all been corroded away! Even after I and the captain cleaned up the ce, there was still plenty of green poisonous gas floating around the vicinity."


    When he thought back to the unclean world, Yang Ze had to suppress an urge to vomit. It was truly unclean, so much so that Yang Ze felt as though his skin would never be clean again.


    Li Zongming nced toward the other members of Team Zenith. If neither the world of ck fog nor the unclean world were appropriate, then how about the white world or the world of zing sun?


    After all, the members of Team Zenith had imed those worlds too.


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "Don''t think about the white world. It''s even worse off than the world of ck rain! The world of ck rain might be tattered, but at least an ordinary hunter might be able to step inside and suffer no ill effects. On the other hand, if you head to the white world, you might freeze to death if you''re not strong enough."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "The world of ck rain at least can support gic lifeforms and aliens, but any who want to live in the white world have to be very specialized indeed."


    Zhang Hanxiang said, "The only good thing about the white world is that there are still living lifeforms there, but not very many of them."

 Chapter 1097: The Merger Conundrum

    <h4>Chapter 1097: The Merger Conundrum</h4>


    Zhang Lie warned, "There''ll be major issues if you try tobine the white world with the Zongming world."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "The Zongming world''s climate and environmental conditions will be adversely affected."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Although the temperature of the white world is rising and returning to normalcy after our fight and because the ice queen has been defeated¡ª"


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "¡ªthe white world''s currently in an ice age, and that permafrost has persisted for millennia. It won''t melt so easily."


    Fang Yi added, "The world of zing sun''s in a simr condition, though in the opposite direction. The entire world''s filled withva veins, and it''s frighteningly hot. If someone without sufficient strength were to enter, they''d burn to a crisp. The environment is far too inhospitable for weaker gic lifeforms and aliens¡ªand Zhou Ying dealt with the most prevalent lifeform on that world already."


    These were the golden birds of the golden mulberry tree. After Zhou Ying absorbed the vital energy of that golden mulberry tree, no more golden birds spawned in the world of zing sun, and the golden mulberry tree itself had consumed all present golden birds during its confrontation with Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying grumbled, "Don''t make it sound like I deliberately killed off all those golden birds! I only did it because of the battle."


    Fang Yi shrugged. "Regardless, my answer''s the same as Sun Mengmeng''s. If the Zongming king''s willing to have temperatures on this world rise across the board by a few hundred degrees, there shouldn''t be an issue."


    A few hundred degrees?! The aliens and gic lifeforms of the Zongming world were far from those of the world of zing sun, which had adapted to the ridiculous heat.


    If the world''s temperature were to rise by a few hundred degrees, the aliens and gic lifeforms of the Zongming world would all be cooked alive. At least 90% of biological life would disappear¡ªand likely more.


    The Zongming world''s reserves of water would all be boiled away.


    Li Zongming suddenly asked, "What if webine both of the worlds simultaneously?"


    The white world was icy-cold, and the world of zing sun was zing-hot. If both could be simultaneouslybined into the Zongming world, wouldn''t their contradictory attributes average out?


    The draconian world and the scaleman world wouldn''t mind, he was certain. After all, he had plenty of superior world''s energy, and he would be able to buy both those other worlds off with it. He was certain the draconian and scaleman worlds would agree.


    Both those worlds were newly evolved superior worlds whichcked a superior world''s energy, and he had established a rapport with their superior kings.


    Even so, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith looked at him as though he were an idiot.


    "What''s the matter?" Li Zongming asked, perplexed.


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "I''ve informed you about the white world already, haven''t I?"


    Li Zongming replied, "I know of the name, of course."


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "The reason the white world is known as the white world is because over ny percent of the world is sealed in ice. The remaining ten percent is seawater."


    Li Zongming nodded. "And so?"


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "Once that ice melts, it''ll turn into water."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "And how do you intend on dealing with all that meltwater?"


    Zhang Hanxiang murmured, "Once all the ice in the white world melts, the Zongming world shall have to be renamed the superior ocean world..."


    Only then did Li Zongming understand what he was missing. His face fell.


    Li Zongming had focused too much on thinking about the merger of these worlds instead of the side effects of doing so.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Unless you invoke your authority as superior king to freeze all that water. It might work in the short term, but it''ll cost a lot to maintain long-term."


    Fang Yi shook his head. "No, it''s not as simple as that. Don''t forget theva veins deep within the world of zing sun."


    Li Feng continued, "If the white world and the world of zing sun are to bebined, a huge quantity of water vapor will be released when the ice andva veinse into contact with each other."


    Fang Yi took over. "That water vapor will turn into rain¡ªin other words, if the white world and the world of zing sun were to merge, the Zongming world would have to be known as the superior world of rain and sea."


    Zhou Ying summarized, "Merging the two worlds together would be less than meaningless¡ªit would be a waste of superior world''s energy."


    Li Zongming''s face turned dark. "Alright, then. I won''t continue pursuing this idea, lest my Zongming world suddenly needs a new name."


    Everyone shrugged.


    Li Zongming sighed. "In that case, it''s back to the world of ck rain again..."


    They had circled around the problem all the way back to the start.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Think about it yourself. I''ll be leaving with the rest of them."


    Li Zongming replied, "Give me some ideas, won''t you?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You''re the king of the Zongming world¡ªthis should be your decision! I just returned after a long fight with a few superior kings, and I''m weary and exhausted."


    Only then did Li Zongming recall that Zhang Lie and Team Zenith had just performed an incredible feat, dealing with four superior kings of antiquity in a short span of time, and it truly was embarrassing for him to keep them here. "You''re right. Go rest¡ªI''ll think about this myself."


    Zhang Lie and the others waved, just about ready to depart, before Li Zongming suddenly thought of something and called Zhang Lie back. "Ah, wait, I forgot something!"


    Zhang Lie turned back. "What''s the matter? If it isn''t too urgent, don''t mention it."


    Li Zongming replied, "It''s not that important, but I think I had better tell you about it now."


    Zhang Lie looked impatient, but he paid attention to what Li Zongming was about to say.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Li Zongming replied, "Because of how difficult it was to deal with the king of ck fog''s avatar and the king of keys'' subordinate, we activated the death spirits'' battleships."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "You can activate it already?"


    Was the Zongming world so developed in terms of technology?


    Li Zongming shook his head. "No. We were able to make use of the main cannon once, but in this unstable state, it self-destructed after that one use."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Then it''s not an issue." There wasn''t anything to discuss if the death spirits'' battleships couldn''t be used. If they could, then it might be a crucial ace when fighting the king of keys, but if they couldn''t...


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith walked away.

 Chapter 1098: A Forced Reward

    <h4>Chapter 1098: A Forced Reward</h4>


    "All of you, gather at the draconian world. I''ll head to the scaleman world first." After splitting up with the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Lie first headed to the scaleman world to identify the situation there.


    The scaleman king was a superior king in his own right, and it shouldn''t have been troublesome for him to deal with the white world''s forces.


    The white world and the world of zing sun truly did underestimate the draconian world and the scaleman world.


    Despite being newly evolved superior kings, they were still fundamentally superior kings, and they easily overwhelmed even a battalion of fighters from a superior world.


    If the ice queen had dispatched the crystal dragon with her troops, the scaleman world would have been in danger¡ªit might even have fallen. After all, the scaleman king, as a newly evolved superior king, wasn''t quite strong enough to face off against other superior-king levelbatants like the crystal dragon.


    It was even possible that the ice queen and sr king had dispatched a battalion of troops because they were overestimating the newly evolved superior kings'' strength¡ªin order to test them in preparation for a long-term conflict.


    The troops wouldn''t be able to take down the two newly evolved superior kings, but they might force them to use their trump cards. The next time around, the white world and the world of zing sun would be able to use other means to force the two new superior kings to capitte¡ªor to send outbatants on the level of superior kings then.


    Unexpectedly, however, Zhang Lie had the members of Team Zenith as a trump card. The ice queen and sr king were defeated without any opportunity to retaliate.


    Regardless, they had sessfully saved the scaleman world from destruction.


    The moment Zhang Lie entered the scaleman world, the scaleman king teleported before him, his face full of smiles.


    Zhang Lie mirrored his smile. "You seem to be happy?"


    The scaleman king''s smile widened. "It''s because of your arrival, Master!"


    "You''ve protected your world. Well done."


    The scaleman king continued to smile. "It''s all thanks to your forewarning, Master. Otherwise, even if I had been able to protect the world, I would have suffered great losses, and I wouldn''t have been able to keep them out of my world."


    "I only did what was reasonable."


    "You won''t believe how happy I am to see you safe and sound, Master."


    "What, were you hoping I''d be injured?" Zhang Lie joked.


    "No, Master, of course not!"


    Zhang Lie''s opponent was a superior king of antiquity.


    Zhang Lie and Team Zenith had had to invade the superior kings'' territory and fight them in their own worlds¡ªa ludicrously dangerous task. Despite his absolute confidence in Zhang Lie, the scaleman king still worried.


    The scaleman king asked, "Master, are yourpanions¡ª"


    Zhang Lie knew what the scaleman king was going to ask.


    "They''re fine, of course."


    The scaleman king bowed. "Congrattions on an amazing feat, Master."


    Because the scaleman king had just ascended to the level of a superior king, he didn''t realize just how astounding the superior kings of antiquity were, and he wasn''t as shocked as Li Zongming to hear that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had killed four superior kings of antiquity in quick session.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I came over here to understand how the scaleman world is doing, as well as to decide how we''re going to split the spoils."


    The scaleman king bowed. "You may distribute the spoils as you wish, Master."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You aren''t going to participate?"


    The scaleman king shrugged. "In the end, Master, this is a fight between you and the superior kings of antiquity, and the draconian sage and I only serve as your pawns. What rewards should a pawn demand?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''ve never treated you or the draconian sage like pawns to be manipted."


    The scaleman king shook his head. "No, Master, I''m notining. It''s all thanks to you that I possess what I do today. I should thank you instead."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are you certain? If you have any grievances, you should state them."


    The scaleman king nodded. "There''s nothing to worry about, Master. The draconian sage and I haven''t been responsible for the heaviest of the fighting. If not for you and yourpanions, our world would long since have been destroyed."


    The scaleman king''s gaze was perfectly sincere.


    The scaleman king continued, "To be able to survive the attacks by the superior worlds of antiquity is prize enough. We don''t hope for more."


    ".


    Zhang Lie smiled and asked, "Do you really not want anything?"


    The scaleman king shook his head. "It''s not necessary."


    "Really? The superior worlds of antiquity have many treasures¡ªten whole superior worlds'' worth of energy, for instance."


    The scaleman king blinked once or twice, then said, "I was almost tempted, but my answer won''t change."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You really are determined. Well, I do have some use for this energy, but considering your world has just evolved into a superior world and how useful it''d be to you, I''ll share five worlds'' worth with you."


    The scaleman king was just about to refuse Zhang Lie''s offer when Zhang Lie continued, "If you truly treat me as a master, then don''t reject my kindness. It''s my duty as a master to help you out."


    "I understand, Master."


    After sharing the world''s energy with the scaleman king, Zhang Lie left. The scaleman king tried to get him to stay, but Zhang Lie refused.


    After returning to the Zongming world, he found that Li Zongming had finally made up his mind to merge the world of ck rain with the Zongming world, and subsequently to spend huge amounts of gic energy to terraform the world of ck rain.


    Although the Zongming world had more than enoughnd to spare as it was, that wouldn''t necessarily hold true for the future. As a long-term consideration, Li Zongming had decided to merge the two worlds together.


    After all, all those who could be kings of the realm had to keep an eye on the big picture, let alone a superior king like Li Zongming.


    Seeing how busy Li Zongming was, Zhang Lie left him to his affairs. He headed off to find Li Qianlin.


    When she saw him, Li Qianlin grumbled, "Do you finally have time for me now, then?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "I''ve been thinking of you all this time."


    Li Qianlin clicked her tongue. "All this time? If that''s the case, why are you only here now?"


    "It looks like you''ve missed me too, haven''t you, Qianlin?"


    The two of them chatted for a while before Zhang Lie headed off to the draconian world.


    Just like the scaleman world, the draconian world was unharmed. The enemies had all been kept away from the borders of the world. When Zhang Lie stopped by, the draconian sage teleported straight over to wee him.


    "Sage, you''re more passionate than usual today!"

 Chapter 1099: Fragments En Masse

    <h4>Chapter 1099: Fragments En Masse</h4>


    The draconian sageughed. "Haha, the draconians know enough to be grateful. Without you and the members of Team Zenith, the draconian world wouldn''t have survived this trial."


    "Sage, what are you talking about? This matter was caused by the evolution of the draconian world into a superior world, and it was partially our responsibility."


    The draconian sage waved a hand. "That''s not how it works. If not for your presence initially, the draconian world would have been destroyed. I was the one who decided to evolve this world. Well, now, let''s not talk about this for the moment¡ªhow were the spoils you got?"


    "Very good. Do you want some superior world''s energy?" Zhang Lie thought he could see what the draconian sage was getting at.


    "This world''s desperately in need of it. It has just evolved, after all." This was the difference between the draconian sage and the scaleman king.


    "We''ll have a meeting in the Zongming world in a few days to divide up the spoils."


    The draconian sage nodded. "If you have time, go talk to Zhu by the disaster-grade farm. It seems that something has happened!"


    Zhang Lie was very surprised. What could have gone wrong with the farm with the draconian sage''s supervision? He couldn''t rest now. Zhang Lie headed immediately to the farm to check on the situation. The farm was at the heart of his ns. Whether or not he would be able to max out his monarch gene fragments depended on the farm''s functionality.


    From the outside, the farm looked no different than before. In fact, it had even gained more disaster- and post-peak-grade lifeforms, clear evidence of Zhu''s effective caretaking.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s return, Zhu happily leapt toward him. Zhu cried out, "Zhang Lie, I''ve been waiting for you for so long!"


    Zhang Lie thought that Zhu''s words were strange, but couldn''t pinpoint exactly why. "Did something happen, Zhu?"


    Zhu replied, "Thanks to the marvelous crystal of world''s energy you provided, three more lifeforms have evolved into monarch-grade."


    Before he left, Zhang Lie had handed half the crystal of world''s energy that went even beyond that of a superior world to Zhu for use on these lifeforms.


    "Very good, very well done. This is excellent news."


    Zhu continued, "I ground up the crystal you provided and added it into the lifeforms'' diet. They began to grow rapidly, and a monarch-grade lifeform appeared in no time.


    "There was no problem at first, but a few days ago, the draconian sage collected a group of corpses that remained after the world of zing sun''s failed invasion into our world and used it to feed the gic lifeforms."


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. "It looks like the draconian sage bears very strong enmity against these troops..."


    Zhu continued, "I didn''t mind at first, but I noticed that one gic lifeform in particr was undergoing very unusual changes. Within just a short period of time, it managed to ascend into monarch-grade, and that growth doesn''t seem to have stopped. It continued to consume more troops from the world of zing sun and is growing even stronger."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How strong is it now¡ªforget it, just show me."


    Zhu led him to this unusual monarch-grade lifeform, which looked like a crab. It was giving off radiant sunlight from all over, and it almost seemed like it was about to evolve beyond monarch-grade.


    "A monarch-grade mutation?"


    Zhu asked, "What should I do with this monarch-grade lifeform, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed at his chin. "It''d be a waste to eat it directly. Let me go ask for more of the world of zing sun''s corpses from the draconian sage. Keep observing it and feeding it. Try to add in some aliens'' and gic lifeforms'' corpses to identify what caused its mutation, and to see whether its ability to grow is limitless."


    Zhu nodded. "I understand, Zhang Lie."


    "As for the other two monarch-grade lifeforms, let me call the members of Team Zenith over and have us consume it together."


    Zhang Lie shattered space and teleported to the members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (advanced), ?Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 55


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    He had once again obtained a few more monarch gene fragments, and was even closer to maxing them out.


    After leaving the farm, Zhang Lie told Zhu, "I''ll bring back some more superior world''s energy. I and the members of Team Zenith have in four superior kings of antiquity in quick session, and we have plenty of spoils to share. After I divide it among Li Zongming and the draconian sage, I''ll be able to bring it here."


    ].


    Zhu nodded seriously. "I''ll keep taking care of the gic lifeforms. You have toe visit, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Once I''ve finished dealing with affairs with the superior kings, I''ll stop by frequently. I''m very interested in that mutated monarch-grade lifeform."


    From a cursory inspection, that mutated lifeform was able to grow swiftly stronger by consuming all manners of corpses, even those of aliens and gic lifeforms.


    Considering that it was already monarch-grade, the fact that it was still able to increase its strength so quickly was unheard of. Could it be able to break through the confines of monarch-grade?


    As everyone left the farm, Zhang Hanxiang said, "Brother, I want to consume more monarch-grade lifeforms! Having just one or two every now and then just isn''t enjoyable enough."


    Sun Mengmeng rapped Zhang Hanxiang''s head. "Do you realize how rare these monarch-grade lifeforms are? At our current stage, only we even know about the existence of monarch-grade lifeforms, and the fact that we''ve been able to consume any at all is all thanks to our captain. Count yourself lucky!"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "It''s likely that we''re the only ones with this knowledge even across the entire gxy. If word of this information were to spread, it''d likely take the entire gxy by storm."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "Everyone else is madly trying to collect disaster gene fragments, and we''re already at monarch gene fragments¡ªthis is all thanks to our captain."


    Zhang Hanxiang rubbed her head. "I simply want to consume more monarch-grade lifeforms to grow stronger."


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "It''s not impossible to grow monarch-grade lifeforms en masse."


    Everyone in Team Zenith looked toward Zhang Lie, thirsting for more strength.


    "The most important factor is whether or not you possess enough superior world''s energy."

 Chapter 1100: Splitting the Spoils

    <h4>Chapter 1100: Splitting the Spoils</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Haven''t we just dealt with four superior kings of antiquity in a row?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We did, but we''ll have to split the spoils and extract the energy of those superior worlds. Even with four superior worlds'' worth of energy, we''d likely only be able to grow two or three monach-grade lifeforms. To max out all our gene fragments, four superior worlds'' worth of energy isn''t enough."


    Yang Ze understood what Zhagn Lie was getting at. "And if we want more monarch gene fragments, then we''ll have to destroy more superior worlds and im more of their energy."


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. "Exactly right."


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "However, where will we go to find that many superior worlds? Except for our draconian world, the scaleman world, and the Zongming world, the only remaining superior worlds are the king of keys'' world and the world of primordial chaos."


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "The three newly evolved superior worlds are all our allies andpanions, and we can''t strike at them. It would have to be the other two."


    Sun Xiaowumented, "One the most ancient of the worlds, the other the strongest..."


    Yang Ze asked, "Captain, do you intend to strike at these two superior worlds of antiquity?"


    "Exactly."


    Despite the hunters'' surprise, they weren''t too shocked.


    "The strongest or the most ancient?"


    "The most ancient," Zhang Lie replied.


    As expected. The members of Team Zenith had suspected this option from the beginning. Ever since they learned that the king of keys had sent a subordinate over to deal with the Zongming world and then to capture Gold Comet, given Zhang Lie''s personality, he certainly wouldn''t let the king of keys get away scot-free.


    "The king of keys sent a subordinate over to attack the Zongming world. It''s time for us to retaliate. Furthermore, the king of keys abducted Gold Comet, and I have to retrieve it. Who''s willing toe with me?"


    Yang Ze sighed. "To be frank, I''m a bit tired."


    Li Feng replied, "We just killed a superior king of antiquity a day ago. If we have to deal with another one so quickly... and as the most ancient king, the king of keys will definitely be stronger than the ones we''ve challenged to date..."


    Fang Yi swung his hands and feet. "I haven''t fully recovered, and I''m still suffering from the side effects of unleashing my ultimate attacks..."


    Zhang Lie looked at them in disappointment. "You won''t participate, then? Very well. After all, the king of keys is a far stronger opponent than the kings you fought, and I won''t force you to take part¡ª"


    Before Zhang Lie could finish speaking, the members of Team Zenith all shouted, "Of course we''re participating!"


    Zhang Lie blinked. "That''s not what you just said!"


    Yang Ze sighed. "We aren''t going to leave you in the lurch."


    Li Feng spread his arms. "We''ve all consumed your monarch-grade meat, so we''re yours! You''d better not leave us behind."


    Fang Yi added, "I''d like to have more monarch-grade meat, too..."


    Zhang Lie folded his arms. "Hold on! All of you were saying you were tired and wounded. I''m not going to force you to participate."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "We won''t let you fight alone, either."


    Li Feng sighed. "It''d be even worse to do nothing and wait for news. I''ve had enough of this sort of pain."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Very well. We''ll defeat the king of keys together."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith returned to the Zongming world once more, this time, bringing the draconian sage with them.


    By then, the world of ck rain had been merged with the Zongming world. Li Zongming was currently in the process of invoking his authority as king, along withrge quantities of superior world''s energy, to terraform the tattered world of ck rain.


    ].


    The draconian sage seemed rather surprised by theck of an audience. "Where''s the scaleman king?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The scaleman king isn''ting."


    The draconian sage seemed rather worried. "What happened?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s nothing. The scaleman world''s perfectly fine, and the scaleman king was able to defend against the superior worlds'' troops. If you were able to do so easily, there''s no reason the scaleman king would fail."


    The draconian sage asked curiously, "In that case, why isn''t he here?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "He felt as though he didn''t put in enough work to deserve a share of the rewards."


    The draconian sage sighed and shook his head. "He really is young, isn''t he?" From the draconian sage''s perspective, they were all entitled to at least a small portion of the rewards even at a base level of contribution.


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''ve already given the scaleman king a fair share of the rewards."


    Quickly, Li Zongming returned. As he took his seat, he suggested, "We''re all familiar with each other, so let''s not make this too formal. Zhang Lie, you can lead the discussions."


    Zhang Lie refused. "This is your world. Better that you take the lead."


    Li Zongming rolled his eyes. "I''m your father-inw, and the others are yourpanions. It''s clear that you''re the best choice to be host."


    The members of Team Zenith agreed with Li Zongming, forcing Zhang Lie to get up.


    "Well, I suppose it doesn''t really matter who''s the host. I''ll cut to the chase, then. This meeting is different than the previous one. It was an emergency meeting called because of the invasion of a number of superior worlds, but our gathering this time is tomemorate a joyous asion. We''ve sessfully neutered the threat, and we''re going to distribute the spoils of war now."

 Chapter 1101: The Key Retaliation

    <h4>Chapter 1101: The Key Retaliation</h4>


    Everyone pped.


    "All of you are heroes for participating in this defense against the superior worlds of antiquity! Without your assistance, we wouldn''t be victorious now." Zhang Lie continued, "Next, we''ll distribute the spoils of war¡ªtwo superior worlds, and the energy from two other superior worlds."


    The draconian sage called out, "To be frank, you all took down the four superior worlds. We shouldn''t get any credit for this."


    Li Zongming nodded. "After all, all we did was defend."


    Sun Mengmeng acknowledged their concerns. "We''ve discussed matters to some extent. Our captain will deal with it."


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "A superior world''s energy doesn''t help us, after all."


    Zhang Lie suggested, "Let''s split up the four worlds'' superior energy into forty portions, one for each person, then. My team represents nine people.


    The draconian sage and Li Zongming will each get two portions of energy, and I''ll use the rest to feed my gic lifeforms. Is that eptable to everyone?"


    Sun Mengmeng spoke for the members of Team Zenith. "Yes, Captain!"


    The draconian sage and Li Zongming also nodded.


    After Zhang Lie distributed the superior world''s energy, he continued, "Next, we have to consider another problem¡ªthe meddling of the king of keys.


    Since the king of keys interfered with our war against the four superior worlds, he''ll have to pay amensurate price. We can''t let go of any superior king of antiquity, and we can''t ignore the fact that the king of keys'' subordinate kidnapped Gold Comet."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "We''ll do as you say, Captain!"


    The others agreed.


    Li Zongming added, "As I said, I''ll support you."


    The draconian sage shrugged. "I''d like to say I''ll support you too, but I doubt I''ll be able to do anything."


    After all, Zhang Lie and the others had long since grown stronger than the draconian sage, and the draconian sage was hardly able to take part in the battle against superior kings, let alone this time, when their opponent was the most ancient king.


    "Of course, I''ll do everything I can," the draconian sage pledged.


    Li Zongming said, "The problem is, we don''t have any idea where the king of keys is located."


    Hong Xi asked, "Can''t we pinpoint the king of keys'' location using the same strategy asst time?"


    Li Zongming replied, "I know where the king of keys'' jurisdiction is."


    "Let''s set off, then!"


    Zhang Lie immediately set off with the members of Team Zenith. ?However, when they got to that location, they found themselves flummoxed.


    Li Zongming had led them to the king of keys'' supposed jurisdiction, but there wasn''t even a single world there¡ªonly the ?void of space.


    Sun Xiaowu suggested with a frown, "Could the king of keys have heard of our n and run off with his various worlds in tow?"


    Yang Ze also frowned then. "Surely the most ancient superior king wouldn''t fear us?"


    Li Feng replied, "Is that really so unusual? After all, we''ve already destroyed four superior worlds of antiquity. I think it''s normal for the king of keys to be fearful."


    Zhou Ying asked, "How would the king of keys have learned about that?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Didn''t the king of keys send someone over?"


    Yang Ze asked, "Are you sure the king of keys'' subordinate told him about it?"


    Li Feng asked, "How else?"


    Sun Xiaowu added, "ording to the Zongming king, the king of keys'' subordinate saw the king of ck fog''s avatar being vanquished before he ran off."


    Yang Ze refused to budge. "But how could the king of keys'' subordinate be certain? Remember how proud and arrogant these superior worlds are."


    Li Feng mulled things over. "Proud and arrogant in their invincibility, so¡ª"


    Sun Mengmeng interrupted them. "Hold it! We''re all going off-topic. Shouldn''t the most important question right now be whether these worlds can be moved at will at all?"


    Zhang Lie hummed thoughtfully. "So where could these worlds be now?"


    The members of Team Zenith were all silent.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "The most ancient king is truly strong to be able to stump us from the very beginning."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What do we do now, Captain? We can''t even find our opponent!"


    Zhang Lie nodded seriously. "Now I''m even more certain that we have to destroy the king of keys."


    An opponent they couldn''t find was very dangerous. This meant that the king of keys could attack them at any time, but not the other way around.


    Zhang Lie said, "Perhaps no one in the third realm knows where the king of keys is¡ªsave one person, an omniscient existence in the third realm."


    "Who?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "The king of chaos!"


    The space before them split into twenty-four segments.


    "As expected, Zhang Lie, you found me." Theyers of space split apart, revealing a man in a whiteb coat.


    Zhang Hanxiang recognized him instantly. "One of the king of chaos''s clones!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "So you were following us."


    Nightdemon smiled gently. "I''ve always been very interested in all of you¡ªeven more so now that you''re waging war against the superior worlds of antiquity. You''ve freed up quite a lot of my clones from their surveince duties, so now they''re following you around."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What purposes do they serve beyond snooping around?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "They''re not snooping, just gathering information about the realm. I can hardly operate without any knowledge, can I?"


    Zhang Lie had no interest in chatting with Nightdemon.


    "I need to know the king of keys'' present location."


    Nightdemon looked up at the sky. "The king of keys is rather difficult to find. He''s a very interesting existence, you see, having swallowed up countless worlds of various sizes. All the worlds in his jurisdiction are now floating around in his body. He wanders around the third realm with them in tow."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "So he''s very much like the death spirit king, isn''t he? Why didn''t all of you punish him for the same reason?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "There are plenty of reasons. First, the king of keys'' personality is far less malevolent than that of the death spirit king. Second, the king of keys'' physical body is very difficult to deal with. Third, the king of keys was one of the original founders of the superior kings'' meetings."


    Zhang Lie was unconvinced. "So it boils down to him being stronger."


    Nightdemonughed. "Perhaps to other kings, but not to me."

 Chapter 1102: Night Banquets Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 1102: Night Banquet''s Invitation</h4>


    Zhang Lie asked, "Then, king of chaos, I''d like to ask why you personally didn''t get rid of the king of keys."


    Nightdemon''s voice was tinged with regret. "Because the king of keys is an interesting existence, and I was very curious how far he could go, but unfortunately, it seems as though he''s straying from the path."


    Zhang Lie frowned. He still didn''t understand the king of chaos'' perspective and thoughts.


    Nightdemon continued, "Of course, the death spirit king is also very interesting, but not half as much as the king of keys. Furthermore, the death spirit king''s path has an end. You saw how he turned out too, didn''t you?"


    The death spirit king had sucked up so much world''s energy that his body was on the verge of giving out, and he had ended up having to transform into a new death spirit king.


    Nightdemon shrugged. "The death spirit king''s path would only have made him a powerful madman, so I didn''t object to the other kings'' ns of dealing with him."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "To even entertain the notion of devouring the three thousand worlds is mad indeed."


    Nightdemon agreed. "He was a madman from the beginning, and he became even more crazed by the end. From the start, he chose an inappropriate path."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You didn''t appear just to reminisce about the past, did you?"


    Nightdemon asked, "Aren''t you trying to find me?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As the strongest king of the third realm, the king of chaos, I''m sure I wouldn''t be able to find you if you wanted to hide from me. If you''ve chosen to speak with me, there must be a reason for it."


    Nightdemonughed. "Oh, it looks like I''ve lost the advantage, then. I should have remained hidden while you tried to search for me."


    Zhang Lie emphasized, "Regardless of what you want from me, I need to know the king of keys'' location."


    Nightdemon reiterated, "As I mentioned, the king of keys will be very difficult to get to. He swallowed up all the worlds he has jurisdiction over, and he wanders the three thousand worlds without a definite location."


    "But you know where he is."


    Nightdemon rolled his eyes. "And why would you think that?"


    "Because you''re the king of chaos! Whether or not you''re the strongest of the superior kings remains to be seen, but you''re surely the one who snoops on people the most. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have so many clones."


    "People-watching is my hobby, yes. That said, given your tone, it''s as if you''re doubting my title as the strongest king in the third realm."


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "Don''t mind the details. Tell us where the king of keys is!"


    Nightdemon nodded. "I do know where he is, but why should I tell you?"


    "Why else did you show yourself?"


    Nightdemon sighed. "Alright. The king of keys is straying from his path, and his newfound humanity is weighing him down. This isn''t a path he should walk down, and I don''t want him to go astray."


    Zhang Lie asked, "So you want me to get rid of the king of keys?"


    Yang Ze frowned. "To find someone to get rid of the king of keys just because he''s not doing what you think is best..."


    Yang Ze''s thoughts made Zhang Lie ask, "Does that mean that, if I don''t develop ording to your whims, you''ll find someone to get rid of me too?"


    Was that why the king of chaos was considered the strongest king, because everyone else who would go against him had been destroyed?


    Nightdemon shook his head. "No, I won''t. I don''t expect I''ll be remaining in this realm for much longer."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What do you mean?"


    Nightdemon replied, "Back to our previous topic of conversation. I do know where the king of keys is located, but why should I tell you?"


    Zhang Lie rified, "You can tell me where he is, but you need a reason for doing so?"


    Yang Ze said, "Didn''t you just propose a reason for yourself?"


    Sun Xiaowu nudged Yang Ze. "He wants some benefits."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "We just stripped four superior worlds of their energy. Did you want a share of it?"


    Nightdemon tossed a glowing orb of light, filled with concentrated superior world''s energy, at the members of Team Zenith. They were shocked to discover that it contained ten superior worlds'' worth of energy.


    "Here, a small gift for you all."


    Nightdemon''s attitude was clear: he had no interest in whatever paltry amount of superior world''s energy Zhang Lie had collected.


    To others, that superior world''s energy might be a rare treasure, but to the king of chaos, it was more or less meaningless.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I don''t know what I possess that might interest you, king of chaos."


    The members of Team Zenith were likewise flummoxed.


    Nightdemon handed Zhang Lie a ck card.


    Zhang Lie took the card, on which some text with a unique script was written. He didn''t know what it meant, but the moment he picked up the card, a stream of chaotic information rushed into his head.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but frown. If he were an ordinary lifeform who wasn''t yet at the level of a superior king, his brain would have copsed under the bombardment of information, turning him into a madman. The sensation of this data filling his brain was somehow familiar, as though he had encountered it before.


    Zhang Lie recalled that the sensation felt very much like when he had encountered the king of chaos for the first time, during the superior kings'' meeting. The band that seemed to y madness-inducing music around the king of chaos had a simr signature to this calling card.


    That music was so disturbing that even a stone in the vicinity would grow feelers¡ªand anyone who wasn''t as strong as a superior king and held this card would likewise turn into a night growler.


    Zhang Lie was very confused as to just what Nightdemon wanted. If it was tounch a sneak attack on Zhang Lie, this mental attack would be far from sufficient.


    Before Zhang Lie could voice his concerns, the chaotic message in his mind resolved into five words: "Invitation to a Night Banquet".


    Nightdemon bowed. "Every once in a while, I organize a banquet among the more interesting existences within the third realm. I hope you''ll participate. Thest few times, I invited the king of keys and his family, as well as a few interesting colleagues within his body. This time..."


    Zhang Lie held up the card. "You want to invite me?"


    Nightdemon shook his head slightly. "No, I want to invite all of you."


    The members of Team Zenith cried out, "All of us?"


    Nightdemon nodded. "That''s right, all of you. I''ve already prepared an invitation for each of you."

 Chapter 1103: The Winner May Attend

    <h4>Chapter 1103: The Winner May Attend</h4>


    Nightdemon handed everyone an invitation to the night banquet, even Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang.


    Zhang Lie grinned. "This is a very interesting invitation."


    The invitation itself was imbued with some of the king of chaos'' unique nature. Those who tried to pick it up withoutmensurate strength would transform into a night growler.


    Losing the invitation and having it fall into someone else''s hands could be a disaster, and those who somehow picked it up unwittingly would find themselves trapped.


    The members of Team Zenith weren''t as strong as Zhang Lie, but they managed to survive reading the invitation with merely a furrow of their brows, though they were rather surprised by the sudden attack.


    Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang clutched their heads in pain as they stumbled, but they were strong enough not to sumb to the madness and grow tentacles.


    The members of Team Zenith were each beyond the level of a superior king, and Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang also possessed strength of a simr level, but the king of chaos was an existence far beyond that of an ordinary superior king. Even if superior kings were able to resist the mental assault, it would take some time for them to do so¡ªlet alone when they were unprepared.


    Zhang Hanxiang grumbled, "Why didn''t you warn us, Brother?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "As I said, it''s a very interesting invitation."


    Zhang Hanxiang scowled. This "interesting" was just a trap!


    Zhang Liemented, "This invitation isn''t bad. It''s imbued with some of the king of chaos'' very nature, and can be used to train mental resilience."


    Hong Xi asked, "Does the king of chaos truly intend to invite all of us?"


    Nightdemon corrected, "More urately, all of you who have defeated the king of keys."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are you intending on rearing gu, king of chaos?" [1]


    Yang Ze rified, "If we win, we''ll be able to participate in the Night Banquet. Otherwise, if the king of keys wins, his side will participate. Is this banquet meant to be a prize ceremony of some sort?"


    Nightdemon smiled. "Well, you''ll find out if you attend, won''t you?"


    Li Feng nced at his invitation, a scrambled, chaotic message. "Is this a banquet for victors, or for the strong?"


    Nightdemon replied, "If you win, then you''ll have proven yourself strong. If the king of keys is still alive by the time the banquet urs, it''ll prove that his path is viable and that he has the right to attend."


    So this was a banquet for the strong, then?


    Nightdemon continued, "You can choose not to attend, of course. I leave that choice up to you. If you don''t attend, I won''t divulge the king of keys'' current location."


    Yang Ze suddenly thought of a question. "And if we kill the king of keys and refuse to attend?"


    If they were to make use of the king of chaos'' information to kill the king of keys, and then not attend the banquet¡­ was there anything forcing them to do so?


    Nightdemon replied, "In that case, I would be quite upset."


    "We''ll attend," Zhang Lie promised, causing everyone from Team Zenith to look askance at him.


    Sun Mengmeng whispered, "Captain, we don''t know what the king of chaos is nning. If it''s an ambush..."


    Zhang Lie replied, "If it were an ambush, I''d be quite disappointed."


    Zhang Lie had seen the king of chaos'' main body only twice to date, and he had worked closely with Nightdemon during the war against the death spirits. He couldn''t im to be very familiar with the king of chaos, but they had reached a mutual understanding. Nightdemon and the king of chaos wouldn''t do something so boorish.


    Furthermore, Zhang Lie didn''t think he possessed anything the king of chaos would be interested in.


    Nightdemon grinned. "Don''t worry. You won''t be disappointed if you doe to the world of primordial chaos."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Can you tell me where the king of keys is located now?"


    "Shouldn''t you be asking me where the world of primordial chaos is, instead?"


    Zhang Lie retorted, "Aren''t you only interested in the victor?"


    Nightdemon replied, "I''m hopeful that you''ll be the eventual victor, myself, and my main body is fond of you too."


    Zhang Lie replied, "You make it sound as though you''re two separate entities."


    "We are, and we aren''t. If I die, my main body won''t die. Don''t you think we are independent, to some extent?"


    "Biological independence?"


    Nightdemon changed the topic, unwilling to divulge more of his secrets. "The reason the king of keys induced this war between the superior kings of antiquity and the three new superior kings is in order to umte more superior world''s energy.


    "If things had gone ording to his n, he''d wait for them to deal with all of you, then go after the superior kings of antiquity to im all that they took¡ªbut s, things did not go ording to n."


    Zhang Lie chuckled coldly. "What a pity."


    "To the king of keys, however, not much has changed. As long as he''s able to deal with all of you, along with the three new superior kings, he''ll still be able to im everything."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "He should be wary of choking on his greed."


    Nightdemon shook his head. "He isn''t greedy, just pretending to be greedy."


    Zhang Lie was skeptical. "What, are you forcing him to be greedy?"


    The members of Team Zenith were likewise surprised. Who else but the strongest superior king could force the most ancient superior king to do anything?


    Nightdemon spread his arms. "This is hardly my fault. On the contrary, I''m encouraging him to discard his supposed humanity."


    The members of Team Zenith all looked toward Nightdemon strangely.


    "What a... curious... hobby."


    "Forcing someone to discard his humanity..."


    Yang Ze''s mouth was pursed as he asked, "Do you intend for the king of keys to be bestial?"


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes were much the same. "So this is what the strongest superior king does..."


    "No wonder the king of keys was driven mad."


    Yang Ze sighed. "Right now, I''m starting to pity the king of keys."


    Li Feng narrowed his eyes. "I feel like all of you are messing with me, but I don''t have any evidence."


    Nightdemon retrieved the Shining Trapezohedron and warned, "I don''t know what your misunderstanding entails, but I am the strongest superior king, and I do want to have a pristine reputation."


    Yang Ze shamelessly asked, "I don''t know what you''re thinking. What have we misunderstood?"


    Sun Xiaowu continued seriously, "We were discussing how you forced the king of keys to abandon his humanity."


    Li Feng frowned. "What could we have misunderstood? Your response is even more suspicious."


    Yang Ze nodded. "I feel like it''s quite inhumane to force others to abandon their humanity."


    Sun Xiaowu agreed. "I''ve only read about such things in novels. To think that this would happen to me in real life, in the dimensional world, to two superior kings!"


    1. Gu refers to mystical venomous insects that have fantastical abilities, and which are grown by cing lots of gu together in a jar, letting them devour each other, and keeping the eventual victor. ??

 Chapter 1104: Off Track

    <h4>Chapter 1104: Off Track</h4>


    Upon witnessing Team Zenith''s reactions, Nightdemon grew somewhat awkward.


    The members of Team Zenith, presenting a united front, refused to be embarrassed by what they had said, which made Nightdemon feel as though he ought to be instead.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes without saying anything. It was hardly as though he could help an outsider against his team, and shameless though the members of Team Zenith were, they were his teammates...


    Nightdemon, as a clone of the king of chaos, had the strength of a superior king. From the very beginning, all he interacted with had beenbatants as strong as superior kings, and thosebatants, knowing of the king of chaos'' prowess, were inordinately respectful.


    Even those that failed to respect the king of chaos had the pride and dignity of the strong, and they didn''t deign to such shameless behavior.


    Strictly speaking, the members of Team Zenith weren''t particrly shameless; they just came from a different background, and had more experience with a wider variety of people.


    They didn''t believe in pretenses of formality, either. To them, only Zhang Lie was worthy of respect. The king of chaos sounded very strong, but he hadn''t interacted with the members of Team Zenith, and they had no reason to respect him as yet¡ªparticrly when it seemed that Zhang Lie could send him flying with a single punch.


    Nightdemon raised his head to the sky andughed loud and long. "Haha, you fellows really are interesting! I''m looking forward to your participation in the banquet."


    Was Nightdemon trying to dispel his embarrassment with a loud burst ofughter? It was essentially like doing something even more awkward to cover up the original awkwardness, then making the other party feel awkward instead.


    Nightdemon asked again, "What exactly did I misunderstand?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Just like in a novel in which a father forces his son to kill his mother to strip him of his humanity..."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "As I''ve said, you''re all misunderstanding."


    Even Zhang Lie, who had been a bystander all this time, couldn''t help but ask, "Exactly what are we misunderstanding?"


    Nightdemon replied, "You''ve got it all wrong from the start. The king of keys isn''t an alien or a gic lifeform. He''s not a human."


    The king of keys wasn''t a human?


    Nightdemon continued, "And if that''s the case, then how could the king of keys have any humanity to begin with?"


    Zhang Lie recalled how the guide who had escorted him to the first superior kings'' meeting introduced the king of keys. He had hazarded a few guesses as to the king of keys'' identity. Thinking back to what Nightdemon just said, he intuited the king of keys'' true form. "The king of keys isn''t a person, but rather the will of the world made manifest."


    Nightdemon nodded. "The king of keys is an unusual existence, distinct from the king of ck fog, who was once a person that became a superior king and then melded with his will of the world. In contrast, the king of keys started out as a will of the world, a freak existence, but also a necessary one."


    "A necessary existence?"


    Nightdemon continued, "The king of keys is the trump card of the will of this realm, the amalgamation of the original wills of the three thousand worlds."


    The first half of this revtion wasn''t particrly surprising to Zhang Lie, who already knew that the king of keys was somehow a special existence, but the second half shocked him. The king of keys was a trump card left by the will of the realm?


    Nightdemon continued, "The king of keys is indeed an incredibly special existence, and this is partly why I''ve left him be for so long despite his nascent simrity to the death spirit king.


    .


    The death spirit king wants to devour the three thousand worlds, whereas the king of keys wants to reforge it."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Even so, I remain unmoved. The king of keys interfered in the war between us and the superior kings of antiquity, and he has to pay amensurate price.


    In addition, he even attempted to destroy the Zongming world and the home base of humanity, the draconian world. I''m not going to allow him to let him do as he pleases in the future."


    Sun Mengmeng agreed. "Even if the king of keys were the physical manifestation of the third realm, we''d still attack him."


    Yang Ze added, "Our ancestors have fought against heaven and earth, deities and demons, for tens of thousands of years. It''s part of our culture by now."


    Nightdemon nodded. "It looks like you''re all very confident."


    "We''re simply doing what''s reasonable."


    Nightdemon continued, "The king of keys might be the will of this realm''s trump card, but the will of the realm has fragmented since its conception.


    Considering that this realm has now been divided into three thousand worlds, the king of keys is essentially nothing but a fragment of his original self. His death won''t affect the third realm, as splintered as it is."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In other words, the king of keys'' will is already divorced from that of the three thousand worlds?"


    Nightdemon spread his arms. "Otherwise, do you think we''d be able to talk here in such a rxed fashion?"


    If the king of keys were able to act as the will of the third realm, it would be his domain. He would easily be able to spy on their conversation, among other things.


    Nightdemon continued, "The king of keys is a fragment of the will of the realm. He has no humanity, no greed, no personality."


    This flummoxed Zhang Lie, who had once been deliberately targeted by the will of the world.


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Perhaps aplete will of the world might be able to develop some semnce of humanity eventually, but what do you think a fragment can manage?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "In that case, what''s the point of scheming against us? Just for fun?"


    "It''s an act of emtion."


    Zhang Lie understood what Nightdemon was getting at. "He''s trying to emte a lifeform? Why?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "A fragment of the will of the realm though he might be, he kept his core mandate: to rebuild this realm and unite it once more."


    Yang Ze murmured, "Emting a lifeform to rebuild the realm? I''m even more confused now."


    Nightdemon spread his arms again. "That''s why I said that he''s already going down the wrong path."

 Chapter 1105: The King of Keys

    <h4>Chapter 1105: The King of Keys</h4>


    "The king of keys, as a fragment of the will of the third realm, was on the level of a superior king from birth," the king of chaos exined. "He''s been working hard to try to build a new realm. This was the goal set by the will of the realm¡ªthough how he''s supposed to do it is unclear."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is swallowing these worlds something he came up with independently, then?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Very long ago, after the will of the realm shattered, one fragment wasmanded tobine all the shattered worlds and forge the will of the realm anew."


    This was why the king of keys was known as the most ancient superior king, because he had been birthed by that incident. The three thousand worlds arose only afterwards. It was as though the king of keys had been present ever since the Big Bang, and all the worlds that were birthed came after him¡ªincluding the superior kings to follow.


    The king of keys was the most ancient superior king not because all the kings before him had perished, but because he truly was a figure that transcended history. From the very beginning, the king of keys had had the strength of a superior king, and it wouldn''t be inurate to call him the first superior king.


    "Consuming these worlds does make the king of keys stronger, but no matter how many he consumes, he can''t elevate his status as a lifeform. It might even dilute his own consciousness and distort his objectives."


    After consuming arge quantity of worlds, the king of keys realized that consuming more worlds could cause him to lose his sense of self.


    "Ever since then, the king of keys has had some semnce of consciousness. After that, he no longer single-mindedly sought to obey themands that he had been left with. He began to think just how he would be able to preserve his own consciousness while bing the new will of the realm."


    Zhang Lie considered the king of keys'' condition. "Is that when he began to continuously destroy the older worlds and birth newer ones within his body?"


    Nightdemon nodded. "That''s right. Afterwards, the king of keys thought of a method to grow stronger even without devouring any worlds."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did the king of keys lean into his nascent humanity and develop a stronger will?"


    Nightdemon nodded. "Through this method, the king of keys was able to grow significantly stronger. He realized that he was slowly approaching the threshold of power that this realm had once possessed¡ªor perhaps more urately, it was slowly birthing a new realm of its own within its body. In our terminology, it grew strong enough to touch the door."


    Although the king of keys was sessful in reconfiguring his own body, that alone wouldn''t be sufficient for it to be the new realm. Ever since then, the king of keys had stagnated.


    "As it watched more and more superior kings appear and how quickly they grew, the king of keys began to grow envious of biological lifeforms."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "For such an ancient existence to grow envious of biological life... it truly is funny."


    The king of keys was an ancient existence; biological life was fleeting.


    Nightdemon shrugged. "As a result, he''s been trying to get closer to bing a biological lifeform and emting their thoughts. After that, the king of keys had a qualitative breakthrough."


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. "After all, the will of the realm should possess a shred of will or humanity of its own."


    Nightdemon nodded. "Thanks to this approach, the king of keys was able to push open the door."


    The members of Team Zenith listened attentively as Nightdemon discussed the king of keys'' origin and transformation.


    "After emting human behavior, the king of keys really did grow more despicable, didn''t he?" Zhang Liemented.


    "However, the king of keys went too far down this path. It''s no longer mere emtion¡ªor rather, he''s bing even more like a biological lifeform than an actual biological lifeform."


    "What''s the problem with that?" Yang Ze asked.


    After all, the king of keys had employed that emtion to great effect in gaining more power.


    Nightdemon sighed. "You''re probably thinking what the king of keys thought¡ªthat this would be a fruitful path. However, fundamentally speaking, the king of keys isn''t a biological lifeform, but rather a fragment of the will of the realm. He can have his own thoughts, and even some fraction of humanity, but if he tries to be a lifeform in totality..."


    The members of Team Zenith didn''tpletely understand why that was a bad thing.


    Zhang Lie said, "If you''re hoping that we''ll help course-correct the king of keys, I''m afraid that''s not our goal. My intention is to kill the king of keys for what he''s done."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "I''m not so foolish as to think you''d spare him."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Then why tell us all this? It''s a bit much if it''s just to make us understand the king of keys better, isn''t it?"


    Nightdemon didn''t mind Zhang Lie''s questions.


    "I''m rather fond of you. You wanted to get the king of keys'' current location from me, so I felt the need to exin everything," Nightdemon replied.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "In that case, please continue."


    "I hope all of you will understand that, the reason the king of keys participated in this scheme against you isn''t for energy. As the most ancient king, it''s hardlycking in this resource. All he wants to aplish is to take the next step along his evolution."


    This was all part of the king of keys'' attempt to forge a more advanced humanity.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I think that''s sufficient background. Can you tell us where the king of keys is now?"


    Nightdemon dipped his head. "Very well. The king of keys is currently in the territory of the world of zing sun, and he''s swallowing up some worlds there."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "You should have told us earlier! Hold on, didn''t you say that the king of keys would dilute his consciousness by consuming more worlds?"


    Nightdemon replied, "Even so, he''s doing it in preparation for the uing fight. He''s learned that the four superior worlds of antiquity have been no match for you, so he''s trying to strengthen himself as much as he can before he has to fight all of you."

 Chapter 1106: Youll Die Today

    <h4>Chapter 1106: You''ll Die Today</h4>


    Nightdemon paused for a moment and contemted the situation. "However, I don''t think the king of keys can consume many more worlds. He''s essentially at his limit. If I''m not mistaken, he should be heading toward the Zongming king''s jurisdiction right now."


    Zhang Lie''s brows furrowed. "Have you been lying to us?"


    Nightdemon feigned innocence. "I''ve never lied to you."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "The reason you dragged this out was to give the king of keys more time to absorb these other worlds, wasn''t it?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Perhaps, but I haven''t lied to you. I do favor you, and it''s precisely because I favor you that I''d like to see you defeat the king of keys at his peak strength, whom I once favored in kind."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In the end, you treat the inhabitants of the three thousand worlds like your ything¡ªwe''re no different than the king of keys to you, are we?"


    Nightdemon pretended to be taken aback. "If you misunderstand me in this manner, I''ll be quite upset!"


    Zhang Lie very much wanted to p the king of chaos, but logic and rationality stopped him¡ªat least for now.


    Nightdemon smirked. "Are you going to keep wasting time here?"


    Zhang Lie hesitated.


    Nightdemon continued, "The king of keys should be swiftly approaching the Zongming world right this moment."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where is he now?"


    This time, Nightdemon was direct. "Starting from the Zongming world, head straight to the south. You''ll find the king of keys in your trajectory."


    Zhang Lie left immediately with the members of Team Zenith, Nightdemon waving at their back. "Don''t forget to attend my banquet!"


    Zhang Lie found the king of keys following Nightdemon''s intel.


    Countless orbs of light floated out from within the king of keys'' body, surrounded by a seemingly endless supply of world''s energy. The worlds twinkled like stars, enmeshed within a condensed gxy.


    The worlds continued to grow and decay, propagating and declining. The gxy was part of everything, and everything was part of it. It belonged to the liminal, the limitless¡ªit might have been the source of life itself, so deeply connected as it was to the arcane.


    It was a window to thousands of worlds, one that was independent of the three thousand worlds.


    Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi, the weakest members of the group, felt an intense headache as they looked into the miniature, condensed gxy.


    The king of keys had grown significantly stronger than when he had made his first appearance during the superior kings'' meeting. Perhaps because of the worlds he had hastily absorbed within the sr king''s jurisdiction, the creation and annihtion of the worlds within the gxy was somewhat chaotic.


    The king of keys wasn''t surprised to see Zhang Lie and the others arrive.


    He called out, "I was just wondering how to nab all of you, so it''s convenient that you''ve all gathered here instead."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "King of keys, are you intending to destroy all the newly evolved superior worlds?"


    The king of keys didn''t answer the question. "You shouldn''t have been able to track me¡ªah, it must have been the king of chaos."


    Yang Ze stated, "Since you interfered with our war against the four superior kings of antiquity, you''re our enemy too. Be prepared to pay the price for what you''ve done!"


    The king of keys began tough, and the worlds within hispressed gxy trembled.


    "Not only do I want to interfere in your war, Zhang Lie, I also intend on destroying all three newly evolved superior worlds¡ªto seize all the superior world''s energy in your possession."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You were the one who abducted Gold Comet, weren''t you?"


    The king of keys replied, "You cultivated an interesting pet. Unfortunately, it stubbornly refused to obey me."


    Zhang Lie extended a hand. "Hand over Gold Comet."


    The king of keys chuckled. "I got rid of it owing to its insubordination."


    "What?!"


    Zhang Lie thundered. Gic energy exploded from his body, shaking the void as though an ocean had been unleashed.


    Anyone who took care of a dog for long enough would develop feelings for it¡ªand Gold Comet wasn''t a dog.


    Gold Comet had apanied Zhang Lie almost from the start of his time in the third realm. Upon hearing that the king of keys had gotten rid of it, Zhang Lie was naturally enraged.


    When the members of Team Zenith saw Zhang Lie cutting loose, they did the same.


    Sun Mengmeng''s bow materialized in her hands. She began to burn with purple mes, mes that rose high into the air and distorted the air around her.


    Sun Xiaowu stepped forward in a burst of golden light, as though he had put on a suit of holy armor.


    Yang Ze''s figure turned blurry as white fog surrounded him.


    Wind and storm whirled around Fang Yi, the wind like a dragon''s bellow, the storm like a tiger''s howl.


    Li Feng red white. A white dragon manifested to his back.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body.


    To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light. ?Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Even the energy of the zing suns was hers tomand.


    Hong Xi activated all herbat-oriented soulshards in one fell swoop. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right. Behind her, multicolored light red. The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    A chilly aura emanated from Zhang Hanxiang, and snow began to fall from the void.


    The members of Team Zenith were all equipped and prepared for war.


    Against ninebatants on the level of superior kings, the king of keys didn''t panic. Instead, hemented with some praise, "I was quite surprised by the results of the confrontation between your lot and the four superior kings of antiquity. I expected they would have dominated over you."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What are you trying to say?"


    "After all, they had millennia of time and resources on their side. To think that there were still such strongbatants in the third realm¡­ I simply don''t know, Zhang Lie, whether you have any more trump cards up your sleeve. If not, you''re destined to perish here."


    Four ck figures appeared from within the king of keys'' body.

 Chapter 1107: The King of Chaos Subordinate

    <h4>Chapter 1107: The King of Chaos'' Subordinate</h4>


    One of the figures that emerged from the king of keys'' body had thick lips; pale yellow skin withrge pores; coarse, curly hair; and thin, unusual ears that gave it the impression of a mountain goat. The lower half of its body was a mess of feelers and a tail.


    This was Wilbow, whom Zhang Lie had been acquainted with as a result of the war against the death spirits.


    Wilbow smiled stoically. "Zhang Lie, I had hoped never to see you again, and yet..."


    Even at the end of the death spirits'' war, Wilbow had expected that his next encounter with Zhang Lie wouldn''t be as allies, but rather as enemies.


    Zhang Lie was too strong, so strong that he threatened the rule of every single superior king. He was certain that there would be some reason, some ideological dispute or incongruency, that would cause his father and Zhang Lie to be at odds with one another.


    Hong Xi frowned. "It looks like there''s something strange to his side?"


    Zhang Lie looked beside Wilbow to see a rather special lifeform, onerger than a stable, and whose lower half was a mess of twisted ropes. It had a few dozen arms, and it resembled a barrel with countless mouths protruding from it.


    Wilbow introduced, "This is my brother Whateley. He''s a bit different from me¡ªand he''s rather embarrassed right now. Those who aren''t strong enough won''t be able to see him."


    His body was gtinous and filled with protruding eyes. Mouths grew out of the arms that extended from its body. They looked like elephant trunks, and were the size of chimney pipes. They were swaying in the air, opening and closing, gray all over and ringed with blue or purple rings. At the very top was half a face, which looked identical to Wilbow''s.


    When Whateley strolled through the void, its mouths closed halfway.


    Yang Ze frowned. "What''s this, the emperor''s new clothes? Your brother is very... interesting."


    The members of Team Zenith saw Whateley as a translucent figure, one who seemed as though he was about to vanish.


    Whateley''s arms wrapped around Wilbow''s, clearly demonstrating his affection for his brother.


    Zhang Lie marveled, "You have a brother? I thought you were part of the king of keys'' experiment to deepen his humanity."


    As far as Zhang Lie knew, that was how Wilbow had been created¡ªout of the king of keys'' desire to experience kinship.


    Wilbow didn''t go into the details. "That''s why I''m saying that my brother''s somewhat different from me."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Hanxiang, can you see Whateley?"


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head. "Only a shadow, at best."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It looks as though you and Hong Xi won''t be a good match-up against him, then."


    Who knew how different Wilbow and Whateley were? If Whateley were able to hide himself morepletely, then Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi would have to face an enemy who could go invisible at any moment in time. It would be a steep disadvantage.


    Wilbow said, "Zhang Lie, I don''t want to fight with you. There''s no need for us to be at odds with each other. Surrender, please. If I beg for mercy on your behalf, my father will spare you."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "If you don''t want to fight, why don''t you surrender?"


    Wilbow sighed in exasperation. "There''s no choice, then."


    "This is your father''s decision," Zhang Lie emphasized.


    The worlds within the king of keys'' body began to rotate rapidly. A-headed figure appeared before them all.


    Swirling red light shed from where the eyes of the-head would be. "It''s rather crowded here, isn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie was filled with anger. "You were the one who abducted Gold Comet, weren''t you?"


    The-headed figureughed. "Are you the owner of that golden mantis? It was very interesting."


    Suddenly, a huge slowly bulged out from within the king of keys'' body. Where it passed by, all the worlds around it exploded and self-destructed.


    The was rust-red, formed of gas, ash, and molten iron. Its exterior was covered with faults and rifts, and the vast ocean of molten iron swirled thickly around its surface.


    As the moved, the sound of rumbling thunder could be heard from a distance, like a siren, a dirge or hymn marking the prelude of destruction.


    The countless worlds around it twisted and distorted with the weight of its motion, returning to their original orderly trajectories only after it had passed them by.


    Wilbow grew rmed. "Father, you''ve even summoned Ghroth?"


    The king of keys replied, "There are sufficient enemies before us to warrant it."


    "The celestial melody resonates. Do all beings perceive it? Music yed by the divine¡ªand yet the ants remain oblivious! Lo, the earth listens. The sunken city, the abyss without light, the caverns of darkness¡ªheed, gods, heed! Hearing the melody, the gods cast off their eternal slumber, embracing their moment of awakening!" Wilbow murmured to himself.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What are you talking about?"


    Wilbow replied, "Zhang Lie, I rmend that you surrender. You had a chance with eightbatants on the level of superior kings, but now that Ghroth''s been summoned, you have no chance at all."


    "Oh? Sounds interesting."


    "Ites from the Demonic Temple."


    "What?"


    "Have you heard of the Hall of Chaos?"


    "Never."


    Wilbow blinked in surprise. "As abatant on the level of a superior king, an ally of Nightdemon¡ªyou aren''t aware of the Hall of Chaos, the location where the king of chaos hosts his night banquets?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "This is the first time I''m hearing of it."


    Yang Ze asked, "Are you iming that Ghroth''s from the world of primordial chaos, that he was once the king of chaos'' subordinate?"


    Wilbow nodded. "Ghroth was a very strong subordinate of the king of chaos, but not a very popr one. The king of chaos, of course, views all his subordinates the same way¡ªbut none of the king of chaos'' subordinates much like Ghroth, because he''s far too strong."


    The king of keys didn''t stop Wilbow from telling Zhang Lie about Ghroth, because the moment Ghroth was summoned, the oue of this battle became clear.


    Despite the fact that the members of Team Zenith had jointly taken down four superior kings of antiquity, the king of keys was unperturbed, solely because of Ghroth''s presence.


    Wilbow continued, "Ghroth isn''t the strongest of the king of chaos'' subordinate, but it''s extremely special. It would definitely be among the top three, but it was so strong that it was ostracized by the others, so it chose to leave the king of chaos and join my father instead."


    This would be an opponent they had to be careful of facing...

 Chapter 1108: The Start of the Battle

    <h4>Chapter 1108: The Start of the Battle</h4>


    Zhang Liemanded, "Pair up and handle each threat. I''ll deal with the king of keys."


    "If you think I''m that easy to deal with, Zhang Lie, you''re underestimating me!" the king of keys replied. "I prepared a few small gifts to deal with you, Zhang Lie. I hope you''ll enjoy them."


    As the king of keys spoke, the countless worlds under his control continued to rotate. Ten million gic lifeforms rushed out from within those worlds, each above disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened.


    The king of keys smiled and exined, "It''s all thanks to your pet that I was able to amass such an incredible force."


    The-headed figure borated, "Although neither I nor his majesty was able to tame your golden mantis, we analyzed it carefully and learned of a technique for rapidly cultivating a strong beast corps. For that, you have our gratitude."


    The king of keys roared inughter. "To havee up with the idea of cultivating these beasts using a superior world''s energy is a genius and exorbitantly wasteful idea¡ªone that''s almost designed specifically for me. The countless worlds under my control are filled with beasts, and I can directly producerge quantities of superior world''s energy."


    To others, a superior world''s energy was precious indeed, but for existences like the king of keys and king of chaos, it was as ordinary andmonce as a regr world''s energy, as was demonstrated when Nightdemon handed over ten superior worlds'' worth of energy as a weing gift.


    Anyone else would have gone crazy to get that much superior world''s energy, even superior kings of antiquity like the sr king and the ice queen. Even so, it was but a trifling quantity for the king of keys and king of chaos.


    The king of keys, whose body was superior worlds made manifest, could easily produce superior world''s energy in bulk and hence cultivate ten million disaster-grade lifeforms, and ones close to breaking through to monarch-grade at that.


    The farming approach Zhang Lie had devised wasn''t particrlyplicated or difficult, but hardly anyone would waste a superior world''s energy on feeding these gic lifeforms.


    The superior kings of antiquity tended to invest any superior world''s energy they came across straight back into their worlds to elevate it. In the past, the hunters of the Milky Way were far from strong enough to havee into contact with the superior worlds, and within the third realm, only Zhang Lie and his cohort currently had that ability.


    As he nced at the hordes of disaster-grade lifeforms, so densely packed they looked like ants, Zhang Lie''s face turned dark.


    Even Zhang Lie would have been hard-pressed to deal with a beast horde of such magnitude¡ªand there were five other enemies nearby, too.


    Hong Xi volunteered, "Let me handle the beast horde. All of you can focus on your respective fights."


    Zhou Ying smiled gently. "Let me help as well. I''m good atrge-scale battles."


    Zhang Hanxiang announced, "I''ll support Hong Xi!"


    Yang Ze stated, "Let me deal with that Wilbow, then."


    Li Feng added, "And I''ll handle his brother."


    Sun Mengmeng stepped forward. "Leave that-headed fellow to me. For abducting Gold Comet, I''ll make him pay!"


    Sun Xiaowu nced around. "In that case, Fang Yi and I will handle Ghroth."


    Fang Yi called out, "Captain, you can focus fully on the king of keys!"


    "Very well!"


    .


    The hunters of Team Zenith got to work immediately after establishing their targets.


    "[Syzygy]!" Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air.


    The ck sunlight and silver moonlight illuminated the battlefield. They were linked by a golden thread, which brought the two of them into proximity with each other. The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red.


    The ck sun and silver moon merged perfectly, forming a bright-red wheel of fire, as their corresponding energiesbined as well. The wheel of me shone with light. Energy coalesced behind Hong Xi''s back and formed a crimson sun.


    The red light was as bright as blood, a shade distinct from Zhang Lie''s when he used the corresponding copy of that technique. The light scattered with Hong Xi as its center, enveloping the disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Even the disaster-grade lifeforms were affected by the technique, and their strength dropped dramatically. In contrast, Hong Xi''s own strength soared.


    She had volunteered to deal with the ten million gic lifeforms with a n in mind. Although her blood moon''s aura couldn''t envelop all the lifeforms, she was easily able to capture at least a third within it.


    The power she leeched from all those lifeforms, from three million of them, was a tremendous buff.


    As everyone watched on in shock, Hong Xi flew into the air, brimming with scarlet mes. The void cracked around her. Even the most ancient king, the king of keys, was surprised by the aura emanating from Hong Xi, which was far beyond that of an ordinary superior king.


    Hong Xi herself was shocked. That shock was apanied by pain. Hong Xi''s body was unable to handle power of such magnitude. Blood leaked out of her orifices, and her internal organs were crushed. Cracks appeared all over her body.


    Tremendous strength was forcing its way out from within; Hong Xi''s body could explode at any moment.


    The king of keysughed coldly. "What a surprise, what a surprise. I have to admit that you''ve gathered some talent around you, Zhang Lie, to have shocked me so early into the fight. However, it looks as though she''s about to explode."


    Wilbow shook his head. "If you give up now, you can save her. She looks like she''s determined to suffer through this misery, but she has no chance of survival!"

 Chapter 1109: The Stubborn Hong Xi

    <h4>Chapter 1109: The Stubborn Hong Xi</h4>


    Hong Xi stubbornly refused to give up.


    This fight was far too important for Zhang Lie for her to do so.


    Zhang Lie had bestowed far too much upon her.


    Without Zhang Lie, she and her brother would be dead.


    Without Zhang Lie, she wouldn''t have the aplishments and strength she had today. This was a rare chance to pay some of that debt back, and even if there were only a shred of a chance, Hong Xi would be willing to give her life up for it.


    Zhang Lie didn''t look at all worried. The change in his expression was almost indiscernible, and there was no panic in his face. He was as calm and collected as he had been.


    The king of keys shook his head in pity. "What a shame, for someone so talented to pledge herself to someone as heartless as you."


    Zhang Lie did worry. He wasn''t heartless; he was confident.


    He wasn''t confident that Hong Xi would be able to master all that strength¡ªafter all, she had just merged [Eclipse] and [ck Sun], and it would take her long periods of training to reach such mastery and to prevent herself from absorbing so much energy that she was about to explode.


    Rather, Zhang Lie ced his confidence in Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying had, at some point, appeared behind Hong Xi. Her long hair was the color of crystalline jade, and it gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, burning like ash. To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    "Don''t worry. Fight¡ªI''m here to support you." Zhou Ying ced both palms on Hong Xi''s back, then poured huge reserves of vitality and natural energy into her body.


    Hong Xi felt a surge of strength revitalize her body, making her feel unbelievablyfortable. The pain melted like snow, and the immense vitality healed the damage she had incurred. "Zhou Ying!"


    Zhou Ying hummed. "Focus your attention on controlling your strength."


    Hong Xi nodded firmly. She continued channeling the effects of [Syzygy] at full power, without caring about the damage that her body would suffer. The scarlet light deepened. This time, the domain encircled five million beasts.


    Zhou Ying smiled even as she sighed. Hong Xi really was putting her all into this.


    Zhou Ying took her own advice and focused on augmenting the throughput of power between her palms and Hong Xi''s body.


    With the fan in her left hand, Hong Xi summoned a twister. The blood-red mes of a blood sun burned around her, glowing with heat and blinding light, so hot the void itself distorted. The twister sucked up the blood-red mes and grew so bright it looked like a bloody sun amidst the void.


    Even from the Zongming world far in the distance, its inhabitants could see a twinkling blood-red star in the sky.


    Li Zongming frowned. "Has it started?"


    The longsword in Hong Xi''s right hand gleamed with a red edge, imbued with concentrated scarlet light.


    Bloody moonlight illuminated the void. The counterpoint between the ck sun and bloody moon was striking, and the king of keys, Wilbow, and the others were all gobsmacked.


    "What nonsense is this?" The king of keys, despite being the most ancient king, was unable to retain his original calm. The worlds within his body grew chaotic as they crashed into each other.


    No one made a move as they watched Hong Xi and Zhou Ying pair up and attack the grouped-up lifeforms.


    As the most ancient superior king, the king of keys had naturally witnessed thebination of vitality and natural energy in the past. Although Zhou Ying was more unusual in that the energy of the golden mulberry tree thrummed within her, her skillset was easily understandable.


    The king of keys quickly realized that she had absorbed the strength of the golden mulberry tree that grew in the world of zing sun.


    The reason the king of keys had headed to that world was because he had intended on trying to absorb that energy as well. He dide across the remains of the golden mulberry tree, but unlike what he expected, all its vitality and natural energy had been drained. After seeing Zhou Ying, he knew who had taken all that energy.


    What most shocked the king of keys was the pairing of Hong Xi and Zhou Ying.


    It should have been impossible to leech the power of five million disaster-grade lifeforms, even if they hadn''t reached monarch-grade yet. Unbelievably, Hong Xi and Zhou Ying working together had managed it.


    All that power should have destroyed Hong Xi''s body, but Hong Xi was holding on thanks to Zhou Ying''s continuous infusion of vitality and natural energy.


    Hong Xi had be immensely powerful. Behind her, multicolored light red. She looked like a goddess descending from the heavens. No one dared look straight at her.


    Even the members of Team Zenith were shocked. Was this really the Hong Xi they knew?


    Although Zhang Lie had anticipated this possibility, he was likewise shocked by the amount of power Hong Xi now wielded. To think thebination of [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] was so potent... Zhang Lie made up his mind to ask her for some pointers after all this was over. After all, he was his master. Surely it was reasonable for him to ask her for this favor?


    Wind blew in an incredible gust. The lifeforms surrounding Hong Xi and Zhou Ying were all flung up into the air.


    The king of keys was beginning to grow fearful of Hong Xi''s strength.


    Hong Xi had yet to strike; just the aura emanating from her body was sufficient to shock all thebatants in sight and to strike fear into the hearts of the gic lifeforms. Blood-colored mes merged with her sword energy, causing each of her strikes to leave behind a long trail of fire.


    .


    Huge swathes of disaster-grade lifeforms were burnt to a crisp with the roaring blood mes.


    Under the illusory moon, her movements blurred, bringing Zhou Ying along with her. Using her superior-grade illusion leopard soulshard, she shot forward. Scarlet shes filled the battlefield and sent mes ring all over.


    The disaster-grade lifeforms proved no match for Hong Xi. Before they could even attack her, they had turned into naught but ash. With each bloody sweep, more and more of the disaster-grade lifeforms were killed.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" Hong Xi''s sword arced through the air in shes of bloody light, evaporating the lifeforms from the void.


    She waved the fan in her hand, blowing them back as she struck with her silver de.


    The red sun behind her back glowed with light. Hong Xi''s fan likewise shot out beams of light, as though she were a bloody sun about to turn into a supernova.


    The de in her right hand reflected that light and glinted brightly. With a wave of her fan, the mes poured forth like a tsunami. She sent a sword sh through the mes,bining the energies of sun and moon, forming a scarlet halo of light that dispersed all around her...

 Chapter 1110: Facing Off

    <h4>Chapter 1110: Facing Off</h4>


    While Hong Xi and Zhou Ying dealt with the ten million disaster-grade lifeforms, Yang Ze and Wilbow began to fight.


    Both sides simultaneouslyunched a sneak attack on each other.


    Yang Ze yelled, "Ah, you bastard! You tried tounch a sneak attack on me!"


    Wilbow, equally enraged, retorted, "Despicable human! You tried to ambush me!"


    .


    Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction] around himself. When Wilbow hit him, his body burst apart into white fog.


    Arge number of white sharks emerged from the fog and attacked Wilbow.


    Wilbow waved a hand, blowing away the fog and the shark hordes.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!" Waves suddenly appeared in the sky, shimmering like a mirage. Spatial fluctuations rippled as Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction]. Huge sharks rode the waves¡ªonly to be vanquished by one punch from Wilbow.


    Crystalline lotuses manifested in the air and blocked Wilbow''s path, but another sweep of Wilbow''s arm sent them all flying. The crystals and the fog were all swept aside.


    Even so, Wilbow had been distracted for a single instant.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea]!" Yang Ze invoked his authority over space, whichbined with his water-attuned gic energy and formed circlets around his arms.


    As he punched forward, ripples spread out all around his arm, spreading all around him. Wilbow defended and counterattacked.


    If nothing else, Yang Ze''s framework and techniques were perfectly suited to dodging.


    Not only did he have ess to refraction and reflection with his water-attuned framework, he evenbined it with spatial force to form [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision]. Most recently, he began to employ karmic force to dodge even the most certain attacks.


    He was a difficult opponent even for the experienced Wilbow.


    On the other side of the battlefield, Li Feng had also begun his fight with Wilbow''s brother, Whateley.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons that divebombed the battlefield, but his technique was easily countered by Whateley.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned hundreds of serpents, ring with blinding light, which Whateley crushed with his dozens of ropelike hands.


    Whateley''s body turned illusory as it melded into the void. The next moment, he appeared right before Li Feng.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" As though having predicted Whateley''s appearance, Li Feng summoned his suit of dragon armor and waved his left arm toward Whateley.


    A gigantic dragon''s w shot toward Whateley like a pir of light.


    By this point in time, Li Feng had gained some sense of intuition about space, as did all those who had reached the level of a superior king. Li Feng had seen through Whateley''s spatial teleportation almost instantly.


    Whateley widened his bucket-like mouth, sucking in the gigantic arclight dragon''s w and swallowing it whole.


    Whateley himself was very aplished with manipting spatial force.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized.


    It coiled around Li Feng''s arm, widened its maw, and shot toward Whateley, who likewise swallowed up this attack.


    Li Feng was about to continue attacking when Whateley''s body began to glow with light. White light erupted from his mouth. Whateley was regurgitating the attack he had swallowed and redirecting it at Li Feng.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him as he shot out a piercing burst of light, intending to prate through Whateley.


    A few dozen of Whateley''s ropelike arms extended outward and trapped Li Feng.


    Li Feng struggled as Whateley opened his mouth wide. Spatial vortices formed within, sucking Li Feng closer and closer toward it.


    Bright silvery-white light burst forth from Li Feng''s body as he freed himself from Whateley''s grasp.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" An arclight dragon appeared behind Li Feng. He punched forward, and the dragon shot toward Whateley like a bullet from a sniper rifle.


    The light dragon left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Whateley opened his mouth wide like a shield. Spatial vortices formed within, sucking in the high-speed bullet.


    Whateley''s arms extended toward Li Feng, who clenched his fists tightly and condensed light-attuned gic energy over them, as though they were suns illuminating the void.


    Li Fengpressed light-attuned gic energy over his fists, once and again.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!" In the end, the fists that barely glowed with light were packed with huge quantities of light-attuned gic energy.


    Li Feng''s fists smashed into the ground in a massive explosion, as though a nuclear warhead had detonated. All that energy headed in a certain direction.


    The energy smashed into Whateley''s arms and erupted, destroying all the arms in the vicinity and leaving a huge white scar in the void.


    Right before the attack struck Whateley, however, he opened his mouth again, twisting space into vortices, and sucked up the white light. Those arms that had been torn apart by the force of Li Feng''s techniques regrew anew. Whateley sprayed out white light, which illuminated the void.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" Waves of energy, so intense they warped space, radiated through the air. The sky turned a bright white. Shockwaves roared through the air like thundering dragons.


    Li Feng had based this technique off one of Zhang Lie''s, but by now, he had converted it into something that waspletely his own.


    As Li Feng punched forward, the light-attuned gic energy morphed into a roaring river that poured down on Whateley like a flood.


    Thick, concentrated energy like sharp des piercing heaven and earth fell from the sky.


    Whateley opened his mouth wide. Spatial vortices shielded him from the attack, and he absorbed the technique whole once more.


    Whateley was like a ck hole.


    "Let''s see just how much more of this you can eat!" Before the flood petered out, Li Fengunched another attack. "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!"


    As Li Feng yelled out, dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky. The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole...

 Chapter 1111: Skiving Off Together

    <h4>Chapter 1111: Skiving Off Together</h4>


    Thousands of arclight dragons criss-crossed in mid-air, falling like meteors straight toward Whateley. Even if Whateley had a few dozen arms, he wouldn''t be able to handle the simultaneous barrage of a few thousand dragons.


    Crystal dust sprayed out of Whateley''s body, particles formed out of spatial force, which affected the air around him and the integrity of that space.


    The thousands of dragons found their flight disrupted by the crystal dust, and some simply dematerialized. Whateley''s entire body, wrapped in spatial force, was able to pass unhindered through the dust.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire patch of void. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens.


    The holy dragon shrugged aside the roaming ropelike arms. A huge de crashed down toward Whateley, who defended with ridiculously condensed light energy that formed a thick pir of light. It smashed apart Li Feng''s technique and sent him flying.


    Dozens of arms wrapped around the holy dragon as Whateley opened his maw wide once more, twisting space into vortices and sucking the dragon in.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, illuminating the void.


    Whateley again filled the battlefield with crystal dust to disrupt Li Feng''s technique. He flew out from among the dust and sprayed out a white ray of light.


    After consuming Li Feng''s light dragons, he subsequently used spatial force topress the resulting light-attuned gic energy to a ridiculous extent, imbuing it with fearsome prating power. It pierced through space and created a sonic boom.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!"


    Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon that countered the ray of light.


    From afar, Wilbow was shocked to see that Li Feng could actually fight on equal footing with his unusual little brother.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!" In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean. Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body.


    Wilbow''s attention snapped back to his own fight against Yang Ze, not daring to be distracted against such a strong opponent.


    After repelling Yang Ze''s attack, Wilbow smiled and called out, "Actually, there''s no need for us to fight to the death. My father might be against you, but I''m not. In fact, I don''t feel any sense of enmity against you. Why don''t we take it easy?"


    Yang Ze was too hard an opponent to face. None of his tricks were able to wound or even kill him; it was too difficult to distinguish his illusions from reality.


    Up till now, Wilbow had no idea how to counteract Yang Ze''s karmic force.


    Wilbow knew of the xuluo''s mysterious heaven''s might, but the xuluo had applied it to offense rather than defense. Their attacks were unmissable, but they could still be countered.


    In other words, the rulers of the other superior worlds had devised counterstrategies against heaven''s might, which was no longer a threat as a result. After all, karma might look like an arcane and mysterious power, but with its principles firmly understood, there was little to fear from it.


    The problem was that Yang Ze''s karmic strength wasn''t something Wilbow could understand.


    Anyone else from Team Zenith hearing Wilbow''s offer of reconciliation would surely have shouted back, "Is this a joke? We''ve been fighting for so long¡ªand you''re telling me you bear me no enmity now?"


    However, Yang Ze''s response was markedly different.


    "Yes, I think that''s very reasonable. To be frank, I''m just a minor member of Zhang Lie''s group, nothing more than an errand boy of sorts. There''s no need for us to fight to the death¡ªwe can just pretend."


    "Haha, that''s exactly right!" Wilbow smiled, but he was inwardly shaking his head. For someone with such strength, with control over karma, to be nothing more than an errand boy? Who would believe that?


    Wilbow continued, "Neither of us need to tire ourselves out needlessly. If your side wins, I hope you''ll spare my life."


    Yang Ze nodded. "And vice versa, I hope."


    Wilbow nodded as well. "Incidentally, I don''t think my father would reject such a capable fighter as you. If you really are no more than an errand boy in Zhang Lie''s retinue, have you considered jumping ship? Join the king of keys¡ªyou''ll have as much status and wealth as you want."


    .


    Yang Ze waved a hand. "No, no, I couldn''t! Anyway, I''m just an errand boy¡ªI could hardly do very much even if I were to defect. Isn''t that right?"


    Wilbowughed again. "Haha, right, what do you call your karmic ability?"


    "[Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision]!"


    Wilbow remarked, "It sounds very special."


    Yang Ze suddenly grew rmed. "Watch out! Behind you!"


    Wilbow didn''t make a move. He looked calmly at Yang Ze.


    Yang Ze scratched his head in embarrassment. "I saw a fly fly by your back, haha."


    Wilbow''s gaze suddenly turned sharp. "Ah, Whateley!"


    Yang Ze didn''t make a move. He looked calmly at Wilbow.


    Wilbowughed dryly. "The fight between Whateley and yourpanion is really intense, isn''t it?"


    Yang Ze and Wilbow both began tough¡ªmore and more loudly, more and more happily, as though they were friends who had known each other for years rather than enemies who had been fighting to the death.


    Even so, they were still enemies.


    Yang Ze continued, "Since ourpanions are both having intense fights, I don''t think I can justify just standing here and chatting with you."


    Wilbow agreed. "Very well. It''ll be troublesome, but my father would scold me after the battle for beingzy and colluding with the enemy if he notices what I''m doing now."


    Yang Ze nodded. "I don''t want Zhang Lie to catch me skiving off, either."


    "Let''s pretend to fight, then?"


    "Very well. Let''s pretend¡ªbut we won''t go hard on each other,"


    Yang Ze agreed.


    Wilbow and Yang Ze bothunched ncing blows at each other, neither seeming to disy any killing intent, as though they were both just there for show.


    Of course, this was only on a superficial level. In truth, neither of them were able to identify any openings in the other. Once they did, they would surely fight each other more fiercely than any other pair on the battlefield...

 Chapter 1112: Star Light, Star Bright

    <h4>Chapter 1112: Star Light, Star Bright</h4>


    Both Yang Ze and Wilbow knew that the other party was just biding his time; they were both waiting for a single critical opening that would win them the fight.


    Wilbow was searching for a w in Yang Ze''s maniption over karma, while Yang Ze was searching for an opportunity to get rid of Wilbow.


    Whateley opened his mouth, causing spatial vortices to form within, before expelling them like a cannon.


    Whateley''s spatial maniption was simplistic but brutally effective.


    It seemed as though he naturally had a very strong ability to manipte spatial force, but that instinctive ability was untrained at fine maniption. Instead, he was able to disy all sorts of unusual and unexpected spatial maniption to surprise his opponents.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly with the sword shes, imbued with the power of the vast expanse of the gxy.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy.


    Just as Li Feng''s blows deflected Whateley''s attack, Whateley shrouded himself with spatial force, then teleported to Li Feng''s back.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon. Whateley emerged from the spatial portal with his arms outstretched, woven into arge web intending to capture Li Feng.


    However, that web was torn apart by Li Feng''s light dragon. Whateley next tried to defend himself with a shield of spatial force, but the light dragon prated through the shield and sent Whateley flying.


    As Whateley flew into the distance, he opened his mouth wide and shot out another cannonball of spatial force.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!" Li Feng soared into the air, propelling himself upward with every cloud he stepped on. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air as an arclight dragon rushed into the sky alongside his back.


    Whateley opened his mouth wide, absorbed the dragon¡ªand even the swords that apanied it.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Realm of Heaven]!" Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars. Holy hymns echoed around him, and the concentrated energy manifested as outspread wings to his back.


    However, there wasn''t much light-attuned gic energy to be found in the void, and Li Feng''s wings looked somewhat illusory.


    A world apart! It was as though he and Whateley were separated not by the length of the battlefield, but by an entire world.


    Whateley wasn''t the only one in the third realm who had ess to spatial maniption on such arge scale. All thebatants on the level of superior kings had ess to some level of such maniption, as did Li Feng.


    Li Feng seemedpletely unperturbed by Whateley''s attack. A hundred dragons wrapped around his sword, and his light-attuned gic energy was formingplicated patterns around him. Light swirled around him, as though manifesting in the form of illusions, as he swung his de down.


    Radiant white light exploded from the point of impact, the holy light of heaven. Suddenly, all that light disappeared.


    Whateley hurriedly activated his own authority over space to counteract Li Feng''s, and his natural talent won out.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    The next moment, Li Feng struck with his sword. A river of holy light seemed to trail behind him, and arclight dragons could be seen amidst the light.


    The source of the river was a pair of ornate doors. As those doors opened up, countless arclight dragons poured out from behind the doors, forming a concentrated river of light and illuminating the void.


    Once again, Whateley opened his mouth wide, distorted space, and absorbed the light-attuned gic energy.


    This time, however, even he couldn''t swallow the entire flood of light-attuned gic energy.


    He hurriedly dispersed some crystal dust to disrupt the flood of gic energy, then fled with defensive spatial maniption.


    Whateley appeared somewhere random in the void, away from the crystal dust he had scattered. His body glowed with piercing light¡ªhe had swallowed too much of that light-attuned gic energy, and he was having indigestion.


    Just then, Li Feng struck again.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!" Silvery-white gic energy burst forth as Li Feng raised the sword in his hand high into the air, as though a god were descending on the world. The entire sky was overshadowed by a silvery-white glow that faced off against the golden light. Holy hymns continued to ring through the air.


    The hymns seemed to pierce straight through Whateley''s soul, until he felt suddenly at ease, as though there was no strife with which to concern himself.


    Although Whateley was skilled with spatial maniption and possessed significant innate strength, he was clearly unprepared for a mental assault.


    He was instantly affected by the holy hymns, and his dozens of ropelike hands drooped as though they had suddenly lost their strength.


    Wilbow suddenly grew rmed. "No!"


    Li Feng had found the one chink in Whateley''s armor.


    Whateley was an incredibly strong existence, but he had never before left the security of the king of keys'' body. Despite his strength, he was nothing more than a kid.


    Li Feng''s holy hymns affected not Whateley''s soul, but rather his mentality and willpower¡ªexactly where Whateley was weakest.


    Whateley lost his fighting spirit. Like waves, the silver glow pulsed forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Each silver wave morphed into an arclight dragon, soaring through the air. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Countless arclight dagons soared through the sky, which thundered amidst forks of white lightning. It looked as though a holy world were forming in the sky.


    Li Feng struck. A holy storm raged around him. Sword energy manifested as trailing dragons. A god descended as the heavens raged, as lightning forked through the air.


    Li Feng''s de arced through the air andnded like a heavenly tribtion. Thousands of holy dragons smote Whateley. The crackling of thunder covered up the sound of hymns, as though it was a requiem for the world...

 Chapter 1113: The Absorption Limit

    <h4>Chapter 1113: The Absorption Limit</h4>


    The holy dragons that Yang Ze summoned were like thousands of courageous soldiers attacking in force.


    Whateley only snapped back to attention when he heard the howling peals of thunder, but by then it was already toote.


    His body was filled with light-attuned gic energy, which crackled from him like lightning. Whateley was full; he couldn''t absorb any more light-attuned gic energy, and neither did he have time to dodge the attack.


    The only choice remaining was for him to forcibly expel all that gic energy at once, spraying it forth in a torrent.


    The two bursts of light-attuned gic energy exploded in the air in close contact with each other, as though they were nuclear warheads.


    Whateley''s body was half-destroyed by the explosion. His dozens of ropelike arms hung limply from his body, most of which had snapped or frayed. Even his mouth had torn open, and he was in extremely poor shape.


    His self-regeneration ability began to activate¡ªmore restoration than regeneration¡ªbut Li Feng wasn''t about to give Whateley the opportunity to do so. Light crackled around his body like lightning.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Annihtion]!" A silver dragon manifested around the de, howling into the void. Wounded as he was by the recent attack, Whateley was unable to distort space and absorb Li Feng''s attack.


    He shrouded himself in spatial force, trying to teleport away, but Li Feng''s attack trailed him like a shadow. Crystal dust burst from Whateley''s body, disrupting the attack and buying him some time to patch up his wounded body.


    The silver dragon sword swept away the dust and shot straight at Whateley, who opened his mouth wide and shot out a burst of spatial force at it.


    The spatial burst shed with the silver dragon sword, which exploded in mid-air into a rain of swords.


    Whateley hadn''t expected this development. The rain of swords tore apart his body and pierced him through.


    Li Feng took advantage of the opportunity to strike. "[Striking Sun and Moon]!"


    A frightening force descended on Whateley, energy rumbling and rippling around him. Silvery-white sword energy rose into the air, the de growing thousands of meters long with the infusion of gic energy. Shining as brightly as the dawn, the sword sliced downwards. Whateley didn''t have the strength to resist, and Li Feng bisected him.


    While Li Feng''s fight finished, Sun Mengmeng and the-headed apostle''s fight continued in full force.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purple mes burned over her fingers, manifesting into three arrows. The energy in the three fiery arrows was so dense that they took on corporeal form. If not for the unusual heat they gave off, no ordinary bystander would believe that they had been formed of me.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the apostle.


    With a burst of gravity, the apostle caused the three arrows to explode right in front of him. The explosion was immense, but the apostle didn''t seem to be affected at all.


    Before they set off, Sun Mengmeng had learned of the apostle''s abilities from Li Zongming. "Gravity maniption, is it?"


    It was a very powerful technique. Even so, Sun Mengmeng cried out confidently, "No technique is invincible! I''ve already thought of how to counter you."


    The apostle bowed. "Oh? Please demonstrate, then."


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes.


    She pulled her greatbow taut, and only a series of afterimages were visible of her hand as she shot countless arrows of purple me of her bow, producing what seemed like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the void a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    The apostle''s gravity maniption redirected the attacks toward the that formed his head.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her.


    She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me. Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that she looked like a warrior out of hell.


    ck mes simultaneously red from her garuda bow, transforming into an undead phoenix.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward the apostle. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    Again, the apostle redirected all those attacks.


    "...you''re that weak?" The apostle''s tone was dissatisfied, disdainful, and mocking. "Is this your so-called counter to my techniques?"


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, overshadowing the sun''s radiance.


    Once more, the apostle redirected the attacks toward his head. He chuckled coldly. "If this is all you''ve got, you''re far too disappointing."


    The next moment, however, as the nine moons struck the''s surface, a huge wave of fire burst forth from the, scorching even the stars. The apostle groaned in pain.


    He understood what he had missed, now. As Sun Mengmeng''s attacks repeatedlynded, his head had turned into a sea of fire, one so hot it felt as though even his lower body was about to burn up.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon,


    one evenrger than his head. As the ckme moonlight struck the apostle, Sun Mengmeng called out, "Your gravity maniption is indeed very strong, allowing you to transfer attacks to the that forms your head and its surrounding gxy, but there''s ultimately a limit to how much energy it can absorb."


    The apostle was currently suffering from indigestion. ck me was melting its head, andva spreading all over thend.


    As huge moons fell from the skies, the apostle hurriedly manipted gravity to push them back up.


    Sun Mengmeng seized this opportunity. Pitch-ck mes sparked to life across her bow, causing the mes to grow even more intense.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moons she had summoned¡­

 Chapter 1114: Supernova Destruction

    <h4>Chapter 1114: Supernova Destruction</h4>


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall. Even the apostle was hard-pressed to deal with the simultaneous attacks.


    Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched a third attack.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward the-headed apostle, who was unable to handle the strain any further. All three attacks struck the simultaneously, sending ck me all over the.


    The ck mes exploded, surrounding the apostle and causing him to scream in pain. The was filled withva. Laser-red spots of light, a deeper red than even the boiling-hotva, shed from the, like eyes that were staring straight at Sun Mengmeng.


    The apostle summoned a storm of gravity, attempting to crush Sun Mengmeng whole.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Without hesitation, Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut. As she imbued her attack with her anger, purplish-ck mes formed around her.


    The ck me on her body subsided and gathered around the longbow in the form of a raging storm. As the mes spun, they condensed into an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    Undeterred by gravity, the arrow pierced through the apostle''s chest. ck mes set the apostle''s body ame.


    However, the apostle''s body was nothing more than decoration. Hurting it did essentially no damage to the apostle; only the that formed his head mattered.


    /p>"[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack shot toward the apostle''s head. It scorched the heavens and the earth, and the resulting wave of annihtion dyed everything in sight a patch of ck. The apostle''s head swiftly turned ck. Smothered by pitch-ck mes, the was being devoured bit by bit.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and shot out along with her arrow.


    Even before the arrownded, the earth and sky alike ignited.


    A garuda shot out with the strength of a superior king. The enraged garuda rushed forward, bearing all of Sun Mengmeng''s anger and strength.


    The-headed apostle, whose head had since ckened, was incapable of manipting gravity again. The enraged garudaunched straight at the, like a meteor that promised a mass extinction.


    A fearsome sh resulted, as though a ck hole from the deep abyss had just been formed. mes rose once more throughout the.


    The belched ck me. Subsequently, it cracked from the inside out, then exploded.


    Scalding air spread out from the point of impact in a wave, affecting even the fight between Yang Ze and Wilbow in the distance. Yang Ze and Wilbow both made to avoid the shockwave, which seemed like the explosion of a new star. Despite the frightening burst of energy, Sun Mengmeng seemed able to stand in the middle of it with little ill effect.


    Sun Mengmeng''s battle had just ended, but that between Ghroth, Sun Xiaowu, and Fang Yi was still ongoing.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    The mboyant attacknded on Ghroth''s body seemingly without any effect. It countered with pale white and pitch ck lightning, which crackled and switched colors in the blink of an eye.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, shining brightly like a brand.


    The crackling lightning struck Sun Xiaowu, dissipating the runes where theynded. His clones, which boasted far less defense, were annihted by the lightning.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    That spear attack, however, was countered by hundreds of meteors that shot back toward Fang Yi, who hurriedly shifted into a defensive stance and pierced through the meteors with his spear.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    Ghroth retaliated with silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning within a violet storm. Not only did it deflect Sun Xiaowu''s attack, it even knocked him flying.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    A windstorm raged. Wind and storm circled Fang Yi as he thrust his spear forward.


    Ghroth countered with white-and-ck lightning within a violet storm. Ghroth''s lightning and windstorm shed against Fang Yi''s own, neither side giving in. The lightning illuminated the entire void.


    The shockwaves from the sh tore apart the void. Ghroth''s elemental wind and lightning powers were stronger than Fang Yi''s, and he ultimately won out¡ªbut Fang Yi wasn''t fighting alone.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body...

 Chapter 1115: Ghroth

    <h4>Chapter 1115: Ghroth</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    However, their opponent, Ghroth, was unusually strong. The fragments of the worlds that had floated in the void shot toward the two hunters in a meteor shower.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward, his fist shattering world fragment after fragment. Even so, he couldn''t keep up against a near-endless barrage of such fragments.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which thrust their spears at Ghroth. [Floating Clouds] helped Fang Yi dodge the attacks in his way as he transformed into a bolt of electricity.


    Within moments, he was standing before Ghroth.


    Ghroth''srge red eyes emitted a burst of scorching red light, apanied byva.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Wind howled and lightning shed through the skies. The purple lightning spread through the air, and the wind stirred up howling mes..


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    The electric saw split the ming boulders and ignited the windstorm in mes, which caught on the edges of the spear. The elemental attack smashed against the beams of red light that Ghroth gave off, shattering the light and sending energy all over.


    While Ghroth dealt with Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu attacked the group of stars he controlled. He leapt up high, golden gic energy circting around him. "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into tens of thousands of clones, each simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" The tens of thousands of clones performed exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the void.


    The clones all merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique likewise merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. As Sun Xiaowu punched forward, the golden qilin materialized into reality and careened toward Ghroth, smashing apart the boulders andva, then crashing into Ghroth''s humongous.


    However, the golden qilin was devoured in an instant.


    The golden qilin had aplished nothing. Even Fang Yi and Sun Xiaowu were gobsmacked.


    Sun Xiaowu''s clone-enhanced golden qilin was able to heavily wound a superior king¡ªbut it did nothing to Ghroth.


    Wilbow called out, "Your twopanions are wasting their time. You don''t realize how strong the three strongest subordinates of the king of chaos are, do you?


    To be frank, up till now, Ghroth had hardly taken the fight seriously. The amount of strength Fang Yi and Sun Xiaowu had disyed was by no means sufficient to force it to do so.


    Yang Ze called out, "This Ghroth fellow seems somewhat like the-headed apostle I fought off!"


    "Rather than saying Ghroth''s like the apostle, it''s more like the apostle was patterned off of Ghroth," Wilbow corrected. "The apostle grew out of Father''s attempt to reproduce Ghroth''s abilities, but he was a failure. Ghroth isn''t weaker than my father¡ªin fact, even my father won''t be able to beat him at full strength."


    Wilbow was supremely confident in Ghroth''s abilities. "Even if all of you were able to defeat Father, you wouldn''t be able to harm Ghroth."


    Wilbow''s words sounded ufortably like the truth. Yang Ze couldn''t help but worry for Li Feng and Sun Xiaowu.


    Silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning shed again. A purple storm howled into the void.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi shouted.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder, scattering the sr storm. A wind dragon and a storm tiger appeared. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw, tearing apart the ck-and-white lightning, as well as the purple storm.


    Ghroth sent another smattering of world''s fragments at the two hunters like a meteor storm.


    "[Golden Divide: Soar]!" Tens of thousands of Sun Xiaowu''s clones raised their hands as one. Golden radiance lit up the battlefield.


    Sun Xiaowu''s ten thousand clones all struck with [Golden Divide], forming a sea of resplendent gold. The tidespped at the impending meteor shower, stopping them cold.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body,


    Fang Yi howled loudly as wind and storm emerged from the loop, sending Fang Yi careening forward. Fang Yi''s attack pierced through Ghroth''s storm and lightning, along with countless volcanoes.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!" Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright the entire battlefield was illuminated. The next moment, they exploded in an explosion dozens of times stronger than the [Golden Divides] had aplished, resulting in a terrifying storm. Moltenva was sent into the sky and fell as rain.


    Sun Xiaowu''s golden clones hadn''t just exploded; each explosion also sent out a hail of golden des.


    The golden storm, saturated with golden des, grewrger andrger as it danced in the air. The golden des crossed theva rain as Fang Yi shouted, "Xiaowu, I won''t forget your sacrifice!"


    Fang Yi augmented his energetic output. The dragon of the winds howled, and the storm tiger roared. The two bursts of energy gathered over Fang Yi''s spear.


    They protected Fang Yi from being harmed by the flying rocks andva while simultaneously tearing apart Ghroth''s protecting of lightning and windstorm.


    Sun Xiaowu shouted, "I''m not going to die that easily! The only sacrifices are from my clones!"

 Chapter 1116: Night Devourers

    <h4>Chapter 1116: Night Devourers</h4>


    Ghroth again shot out a scorching-hotser beam from his eye, one filled with the energy of annihtion.


    Fang Yi''s saw-like spear shed against thatser beam once more in a massive explosion of light.


    The next moment, Sun Xiaowu generated a thousand clones of himself.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    Ghroth''s purple windstorm blocked the effects of [Golden Divide]. As silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning scintited in the void, Sun Xiaowu''s thousands of clones were instantly annihted.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques.


    Temporal energy surged toward the tip of his spear.


    Fang Yi''s spear thrust forward, prating the void and leaving a ck hole behind.


    Everything froze and turned gray: the wind, the scintiting lightning, Sun Xiaowu, golden radiance, purple windstorm, and even Ghroth''s fiery-redser.


    The only color in the space came from Fang Yi and his crackling spear.


    On the rust-red that formed Ghroth''s body, a swarm of bugs flew out, jade-green all over, with green ears resembling ghostly mes, and a gray gleam emanating from their eyes.


    Despite their rapid speed, Fang Yi''s highly sensitive eyes were able to capture their movements. They had huge eyeballs without eyelids, and segmented antennae on their head that wriggled and twisted. Their ten legs were covered in shiny ck tentacles folded upon their pale bellies. They had hard, semicircr wings made out of triangr scales, and their three mouths squirmed wetly.


    These unusual bugs flew out of the rust-red, entirely ignoring the temporal stasis as they fed on the temporal energy around.


    As they did so, their bodies grewrger andrger, and the frozen time returned to normal.


    Wilbow nced at the bugs. "Night devourers, one of the two types of frightful bugs that live on Ghroth''s body! No¡ªmore urately, the most frightening type of bug. Just a few dozen of these bugs can kill abatant on the level of a superior king."


    Yang Ze was shocked. "Live on... as parasites?"


    Wilbow shook his head. "More symbiotism, but I suppose parasitism does work. These night devourers are frightening indeed. Allegedly, their race has consumed more than one superior world."


    The night devourers flew toward Fang Yi.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!" His leg surging with wind and storm, Fang Yi sent a night devourer flying. The remaining night devourerspeted to consume the wind and storm energy in the aftermath of the attack.


    After doing so, the remaining devourers then turned to Yang Ze.


    It was shocking that these night devourers could absorb energy directly.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!" Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger.


    As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over ten meters tall. Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    The mecha even looked a bit like Zhang Lie.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden mecha. The punch was so strong that, before the night devourers could absorb the attack''s energy, their bodies exploded.


    Yang Ze''s eyes lit up as he realized how to deal with the night devourers.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, piercing through the night devourers'' bodies. Although the night devourers could absorb energy and even mass, they weren''t particrly fast or strong.


    Even in those areas, they were on par with an average superior king¡ªbut as long as one could attack with stronger, faster attacks, the night devourers wouldn''t be able to counter them. In other words, they simply had to surpass their opponent in terms of physical attributes.


    This might have been difficult for others, but for Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi, it was a trivial enough problem.


    Both of them had techniques that could boost their own attributes to some extent, and it wasn''t particrly difficult for either to exceed that threshold.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Sun Xiaowu used his hand as a de to execute [Golden Divide]. The night devourers tried to absorb the energy he was giving off, only to be ughtered en masse by the technique instead.


    After killing three night devourers in a row, a second wheel of time appeared behind Fang Yi as his speed and reflexes grew even faster. Boosted by the wheels of time, Fang Yi''s speed rose by a factor of four.


    Ghroth had no intention of sitting still and doing nothing. He sent out his ck-and-white lightning, circled by a nebulous purple cloud.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    It left thousands of artificial images behind as a third wheel of time appeared. Fang Yi''s dense but wide-range attack cleanly defended against and countered Ghroth''s attack.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden giant, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely. The golden light was like a zing sun. A huge wave of gold shot toward Ghroth.


    Following Ghroth''smand, the worlds he controlled shot toward the golden sun and exploded in the void. Unable to fully block the sun''s strength,va rose up on each.


    Even so, the golden sun caused theva to dissipate by momentum alone. The golden light seemed unstoppable. Ghroth was forced to shoot out another blood-redser from his eyes to halt the advance of the attack.

 Chapter 1117: A Walking Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 1117: A Walking Disaster</h4>


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    A windstorm raged and thunder crackled.


    There were now five wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back. The boost afforded by five wheels of time caused Fang Yi''s attacks to grow even stronger. Wind and storm wrapped around his body as he rushed forward like a prating spear that broke through the silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning and the violet storm as he shot toward Ghroth.


    Attempting to halt Fang Yi''s charge, Ghroth sent a tsunami of steel toward him¡ªbut, bolstered by five wheels of time, Fang Yi''s skills were iparable to before.


    The spear forged of wind and storm pierced the tsunami of steel and folded it within its charge, converting its mass to its momentum. The spear corkscrewed through the air.


    Suddenly, Ghroth''s body began to vibrate as holy hymns burst into sound around him like air sirens. Wilbow''s eyes widened. "Ghroth''s using his full power! He''s restoring his bodyprehensively!"


    The holy hymns caused the void to vibrate. The void surrounding Ghroth began to shatter, and the cracks, like those on a windowpane, began to propagate across the void. A spatial rift spawned into existence, dissipating the golden flood.


    Even Sun Xiaowu, in his warlord form, was forced to retreat to avoid the worst of the storm. Fang Yi, however, didn''t do so. He tried to break through the spatial rift with his spear.


    Upon witnessing Fang Yi''s steadfast will, Sun Xiaowu joined in.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    ncing at the twobatants, Wilbow shook his head, disdainful. "It''s futile. Ghroth''s nickname is the star of judgment. He''s a mobile disaster, and this is one of the reasons why the other subordinates of the king of chaos don''t like him."


    Yang Ze asked, "Is this something innate?"


    Wilbow replied, "The reason that Ghroth is termed a mobile disaster isn''t only because he''s so strong that he can spawn disasters easily¡ªrather, he''s so strong he can''t help but spawn disasters no matter what he does."


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s thousand mechas all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously. Each strike was like a miniature sun, and the entire sky turned glittering gold.


    Each golden de was five meters wide and thousands of meters long, and there were so many of them they filled the sky. The golden des formed a river, a waterfall, that tore apart the sky and shed against the spatial rift.


    The storm of des didn''t quell the spatial rift. Instead, both suppressed each other amidst the void.


    With Sun Xiaowu''s technique disrupting the spatial rift, the surrounding space grew notably calmer. After Fang Yi pierced through the rift, he faced the manifold disasters that Ghroth had caused¡ªa tsunami of steel, an eruption ofva, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, and a purple storm. The four elemental forces merged together and exploded in a manner that shocked even Yang Ze.


    Wilbow continued, "Not only can Ghroth create these disasters, he can even incite them. This is the primary reason he was ostracized by the king of chaos'' other followers."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Put simply, not only can Ghroth create and control these disasters, he can even awaken them. For instance, if Ghroth draws near a world with seas or oceans, tsunamis will instantly form. If he draws near a world with volcanoes, they''ll erupt, simultaneously causing earthquakes and cyclones."


    If Ghroth were to approach the world of zing sun, the hundred suns in the sky would fall down to the world like meteors. Even with the golden mulberry tree stabilizing theva veins underground, theva would erupt.


    Yang Ze understood. "Ghroth is, by nature, a walking disaster and disaster elerant."


    The spatial rift that had just appeared was clearly caused by Ghroth.


    Wilbow shrugged. "It''s a particrly troublesome power, one that even Ghroth himself can''t control fully."


    A moving disaster¡ªit was clear why no one would like him.


    .


    Wilbow continued, "That''s why Ghroth''s been in a hibernating state all this time to avoid destroying the three thousand worlds unconsciously. So far, Ghroth''s only been defending passively¡ªbut now that he''s choosing to awaken actively, this fight will bepletely different."


    Yang Ze asked, "Is the reason Ghroth''s been sealed away within your father''s body to prevent histent talent from causing the destruction of this realm?"


    Wilbow nodded. "To some extent. Father also needs Ghroth''s destructive abilities to keep the worlds he controls in check. You should know that Father''s only able to maintain his rationality and will by continuously birthing and annihting these worlds."


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it.


    It was asrge as the falling sun.


    It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air, its scales radiant and shining with golden light. As it basked in the golden skies, its aura grew so bright that it seemed as though a qilin god had descended on the world.


    Its long whiskers floated in the air as golden clouds wrapped around his body. The qilin shone like a sun in its own right.


    The golden qilin would originally be around a thousand meters tall, but in his mecha form, it grew to a staggering fifty thousand meters in height.


    The golden qilin radiated light, illuminating the void. Even Ghroth didn''t seem quite asrge inparison to the qilin. Although Ghroth wasrger than the qilin, it wasn''t by too much. The qilin''srge body broke through the spatial rifts...

 Chapter 1118: Fourfold Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 1118: Fourfold Disaster</h4>


    Fang Yi, surrounded by wind and storm, made it through the tsunami of steel,va eruptions, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, and the violet storm in greatest haste. He hadn''t died, but he felt as though ayer of skin had been stripped off his body. He could smell the scent of roast meating from him as the fourfold disasters followed after him.


    Just then, the gigantic golden qilin flew through the spatial rift, ignoring the spatial rends by means of its bulky body and incredible ?strength.


    It crashed into the fourfold disasters, the tsunami of steel,va spouts, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, and a purple storm.


    The ck-and-white lightning exploded, sending tendrils of sparks everywhere. The steel tsunami dispersed, andva rained down over them. The qilin broke through, and its momentum carried it forth toward Ghroth.


    Ghroth''s eyes shone with red light, halting the qilin''s advance.


    Fang Yi retreated to Sun Xiaowu''s side and hurriedly took out a restorative from his dimensional storage.


    After passing through the fourfold disasters, a sixth wheel of time had formed to his back.


    Within Fang Yi''s dimensional storage wererge quantities of Zhou Ying''s restorative, and he was the only one who frequently made use of them among the members of Team Zenith.


    Fang Yi urged, "Help me stall. I''m charging up for an ultimate technique!"


    Before Sun Xiaowu could respond, Fang Yi took a deep breath and concentrated on his spear to the exclusion of all else. Wind and lightning surged around his spear in quantities farrger than seemed possible. Fang Yibined that energy with temporal energy, causing the light around his spear to sh a dazzling array of colors, blue and ck and purple, as though he had broken open a wormhole right in front of him.


    Light wrapped around the spear. Temporal energy that sped up time and age swirled around it, like wind and lightning.


    Sun Xiaowu sighed. Fang Yi hadn''t given him a chance to respond, but he would have done so nheless. Fortunately, his summoned qilin was going strong.


    Just then, as if to disabuse Sun Xiaowu of such thoughts, another swarm of bugs emerged from Ghroth''s bodies. The night devourers fed on the energy in the spatial rift¡ªalong with Sun Xiaowu''s golden qilin.


    The golden qilin thrashed as it tried to keep the night devourers back, but they were only the size of pigeons. Against a swarm of such small foes, the golden qilin''s tremendous size became a detriment.


    Sun Xiaowu hurriedly rushed forward to defend his qilin.


    Everyone in Team Zenith knew how strong Fang Yi''s ultimate techniques were, and Sun Xiaowu was certain that it would be stronger than his summoned qilin. As long as Fang Yi were able tounch his technique, it wouldn''t be a problem for them to kill Ghroth.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha. "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu clenched his fists. His arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden giant, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely.


    The golden radiance lit up the void, as though golden suns were rising out of its midst. The golden suns formed a golden ocean, so densely packed they seemed to merge together. An overwhelming aura filled the void.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward. Theyered shockwaves formed a tsunami that swept through the void and dispersed the spatial rift.


    Ten thousand mechas charged forward in an astounding sight, as though a whole golden battalion had suddenly manifested in the void.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    The wheels of time that spawned around Fang Yi''s back weren''t just to strengthen his own abilities, but were a necessary prerequisite for unleashing this skill.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    .


    Hebined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, and space.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix. Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    Fang Yi''s spear, thrumming with the power of elements and time, was a weapon of legends.


    Formless lightning shed over its surface, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear. He focused them all on the tip of his spear in an unstable equilibrium. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined six different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; and the fundamental forces of space and time.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift...

 Chapter 1119: A Dramatic Fight

    <h4>Chapter 1119: A Dramatic Fight</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu and his clones continued to take down the night devourers. Fragments of the worlds around them fell to the ground like a rain of meteors.


    The golden qilin rose up and blocked the falling meteors with its body, bathing in the meteoric explosions.


    The fourfold disasters approached mere momentster: the tsunami of steel,va spouts, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, and a purple storm. Inbination with the rain of meteors, theypletely suppressed the golden qilin.


    As scorching-hot steel swirled around the golden qilin, a burst of red light shed from Ghroth''s eyes. Unsealed, Ghroth was revealing his true strength. The red light felt like heavenly tribtion, heralding and bringing destruction.


    The strength that Sun Xiaowu had disyed in his mecha form made Ghroth turn serious. A beam of annihting red light pierced the golden qilin.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    As tens of thousands of his mecha clones struck at once, fearsome waves of energy transformed into a tsunami that killed all the night devourers in the vicinity.


    The tsunaminded on the that formed Ghroth''s head. The rust-red shook. Burning ash and scorching-hot water exploded from the as Sun Xiaowu hurriedly retreated.


    As he did so, his clones charged forward.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!" Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright that the entire battlefield was illuminated, as though ten thousand suns had simultaneously appeared in the air.


    The lightbined and morphed into a golden ocean. The gic energy that made up the clones swelled¡ªand then the clones simultaneously exploded in an explosion hundreds, thousands of times stronger than the [Golden Divides] had aplished.


    A terrifying storm manifested, so strong even the void seemed to tremble.


    Even the burning gas, ash, and scorching-hot water that had been emitted from the storm were forced back by the golden energy. The explosion of energy was apanied by huge golden des that shot forward, propelled by the golden waves of energy from Sun Xiaowu''s attack. The fourfold disasters crashed into the golden des, only to lose out against the des'' advance.


    By the time Sun Xiaowu''s clones exploded, Fang Yi had charged up enough energy to be close to unleashing his ultimate attack.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled. The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to break and crack, as did Fang Yi''s own spear. Fang Yi had requested this spear directly from Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie didn''t possess any monarch-grade spears, but he had a few disaster-grade ones.


    Zhu had been dedicating her efforts to cultivating gic lifeforms within the farm set up in the draconian world. Perhaps because they were being reared artificially, there was a very low chance of obtaining soulshards from them, especially from peak- and disaster-grade lifeforms, but there were so many of them that Fang Yi nevertheless managed to obtain a disaster-grade spear after killing a whole herd.


    He needed a disaster-grade spear; no spear of lesser quality would be able to withstand Fang Yi''s ultimate attack. It would crack and shatter beforehand.


    As the six wheels of time broke, even Fang Yi''s own body was giving out. He bled out of his orifices, veins popping out on his forehead, the spear in his hand trembling almost uncontrobly. All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    This wasn''t a technique he was even supposed to possess at this level. The skin on his arms cracked. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of his wounds.


    However, having experienced this situation a few times, Fang Yi was familiar with the pain thatnced through his entire body. He howled and sent the unstable mixture shooting forward, causing all that energy to erupt in an instant. The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded. The instantaneous burst of energy surpassed that of a disaster. The corkscrewing energy destroyed everything in sight, rushing past the golden light that shielded it.


    ].


    The tsunami of steel,va spouts, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, the purple storm¡ªFang Yi''s attack didn''t just engulf the fourfold disaster. The world fragments that Ghroth had been manipting were sucked into the mix, morphing into a rain of meteors.


    Ghroth countered the mess of an attack with fivefold disasters, each one of which could destroy a lesser world.


    As though thinking that even that wasn''t enough, Ghroth even sent the void storm howling around its body forward, spinning straight toward Fang Yi.


    Each disaster was able to destroy arge world, and thebination of the six disasters could very well destroy a superior world.


    The sixfold disasters and the sixfoldbination of energy shed against each other.


    The void storm howled. Space shattered in the wake of the two attacks. Void lightning and temporal storm sparked through the void.


    The wind of ages blew by. Silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning shed against Fang Yi''s lightning, pittering and pattering. Scorching-hot metal flew through the air alongside a rain ofva as world fragments began to crumble and fall from the skies like meteors.


    The two overwhelming attacks shook the entirety of the third realm.


    The shockwaves that resulted from the sh were enough to swallow up the neighboring worlds, causing them to explode amidst the void...

 Chapter 1120: Infinite Growth

    <h4>Chapter 1120: Infinite Growth</h4>


    Perhaps fortunately or otherwise, the king of keys had swallowed up arge number of neighboring worlds. Even so, the sh between Fang Yi and Ghroth swallowed up over a hundred worlds within minutes.


    Fang Yi''s attack was qualitatively superior, but Ghroth''s attack spanned a wider area. The two attacks were in uneasy stalemate, and this would have been a difficult situation if Fang Yi were fighting alone against Ghroth. However, Sun Xiaowu was around.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    "[Golden Divide: Destion]!" Tens of thousands of Sun Xiaowu''s clones raised their hands as one. Golden radiance lit up the void as tens of thousands of his mecha clones struck at once, forming a flood of golden light.


    The light resolved into the form of a golden dragon, which added its might to Fang Yi''s attack.


    With a sh of golden light, the sixfoldbination of energies became a sevenfoldbination, which quickly broke through the sixfold disasters and barreled toward Ghroth.


    As scorching-hot steel swirled, a burst of red light shed from Ghroth''s eyes. The red light felt like heavenly tribtion, boasting unparalleled authority.


    The red lightning of judgment erupted and smashed into the sevenfoldbination of energies, which had little energy remaining after dispelling Ghroth''s sixfold disasters. The red lightning siphoned away the energy, bit by bit.


    "Hurry!" Sun Xiaowu shouted. They couldn''t give up on this opportunity. However, Sun Xiaowu didn''t hear anything from Fang Yi.


    He turned around to see Fang Yi panting loudly, having dropped his spear, as though he had gone limp.


    "Go on ahead! I need a moment to rest."


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "You really need to improve your stamina!"


    Fang Yi didn''t have the strength to respond. Sun Xiaowu nced at him in exasperation. In the end, he was the only one he could rely on!


    "I didn''t want to showcase this technique yet..." Sun Xiaowu had an ultimate attack of his own, but he had kept it under wraps because he still wasn''t able to use it perfectly. Now, however, he had no choice but to unveil it early.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God]! [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins]!" Sun Xiaowu summoned tens of thousands of clones, which all merged into his main body. Denseyers of golden runes revolved around his skin. As he unleashed his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha.


    Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    A hundred, two hundred, three hundred... a thousand, two thousand, three thousand meters¡ªSun Xiaowu''s growth showed no sign of stopping.


    As though Sun Xiaowu''s mecha form was on steroids, it kept on growing, simultaneously increasing his aura and strength. Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand meters¡ªeveryone on the battlefield watched Sun Xiaowu in awe.


    Sun Xiaowu''s mecha had grown over ten thousand meters tall, and his aura had magnified a hundredfold. Even Ghroth felt threatened by his strength.


    No¡ªSun Xiaowu''s aura might have been enhanced, but his strength and reserves of power didn''t seem to have increased noticeably. The only visible change was to the mecha that stood behind him.


    Eventually, Sun Xiaowu''s mecha stopped growing when it was a hundred thousand meters tall.


    The ginormous mecha no longer seemed small inparison to Ghroth''s-like body. It wasrger than even two or three continents added together, its armor gleaming a resplendent gold. It looked like a sun of titanic proportions, and its strength had increased to match.


    This was the newest technique that Sun Xiaowu had devised, founded on the basis of [Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]. Sun Xiaowu hadbined [Adamantine Aegis] and [Blinding sh] together to create his brand-new [Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God].


    [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins] involved spawning clones with his technique, then merging the clones together to augment his power to a staggering extent.


    Upon witnessing the hundred-thousand-meter tall golden mecha, Fang Yi was gobsmacked¡ªbut also confused. "Aren''t Sun Xiaowu''s clones constructs of gic energy? How exactly is he augmenting himself by splitting up and rbining that energy?"


    The members of Team Zenith had some knowledge of each other''s techniques and strength. Although Fang Yi had never seen Sun Xiaowu use this technique before, he could hazard a guess as to its foundations based on what he knew.


    Sun Xiaowuughed. "That''s the crux of the technique, of course!"


    There was no reason all that strength couldn''t bebined together.


    Sun Xiaowu had always been wondering what sort of creations he could make if hebined ten thousand clones'' worth of power, and the golden qilin manifestation had been the first demonstration of this idea.


    Sun Xiaowu''s Echo of Origins was the next step beyond that.


    Human hunters, as Fang Yi remarked upon, wouldn''t be able to concentrate all that power in their own bodies.


    After all, the clones were spawned from Sun Xiaowu''s own body, and if he were to summon them all back, he would simply replenish whatever gic energy he had consumed. It was the equivalent of multiplying by 1¡ªno matter how many times he did it, it wouldn''t change.


    Sun Xiaowu''s new strategy was to concentrate all that energy not on himself, but rather on the manifestation of the mecha to his back. That idea was able to ovee the usual restriction and allow Sun Xiaowu to multiply his strength¡ª100 by 10,000, in theory.


    Because his own strength was limited, however, he was an order of magnitude less efficient than the theoretical estimate, but it was still a multiplicative enhancement of 10 by 10,000¡ªa hundred-thousand-meter tall mecha.


    By the time Sun Xiaowu finished summoning his mecha, Ghroth''s red lightning had dealt with the sevenfoldbination of energies, and was heading straight toward Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward, an action mimicked by the mecha behind him. An explosion of golden energy, like the most brilliant, shining sun, exploded in the void, spawning a sr storm and simultaneously a void storm.


    Sun Xiaowu was unperturbed by the sudden void storm.


    "[Golden Divide]!" Sun Xiaowu''s palms shone with golden light. He shed horizontally forward with his arms, as did the mecha behind him. The mecha''s huge golden de-like arms sliced the void storm apart.


    Fragments of various worlds, a result of the destruction from the battle, orbited around Ghroth. With a mentalpulsion, Ghroth sent all those fragments raining down toward Sun Xiaowu like a meteor shower...

 Chapter 1121: The Unusual Xiagai

    <h4>Chapter 1121: The Unusual Xiagai</h4>


    Huge boulders and world fragments formed a flood that threatened to swamp Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" Sun Xiaowu clenched his fists. His arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden mecha.


    The huge mecha''s punch was even more striking than that from ten thousand of Sun Xiaowu''s mecha clones striking simultaneously. It stopped the flood in one fell swoop.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Countless insects flew out from Ghroth''s body, a different species than the night devourers.


    They were very small in size,parable to pigeons. They had no eyes or face. Their segmented tendrils waved in ordance to some form of cosmic rhythm. Their ten legs were covered up by ck, glowing tendrils, and the lower halves of their bodies folded up to reveal near-circr wings on which triangr scales grew.


    The dense swarm of insects seemed to form a river amidst the void.


    "What could these puny bugs do?" Fang Yi snorted disdainfully, spinning the spear in his hand as the effect of the wheels of time stacked up. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    He thrust his spear forward once more, so quickly it left hundreds of afterimages in all directions.


    Sun Xiaowu invoked [Blinding sh], summoning ten thousand clones to deal with the bugs. These clones weren''t apanied by individual mechas; these were the simplest clones he could conjure, made of golden light.


    Sun Xiaowu''s application of [Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God] was yet somewhat unwieldy, and he couldn''t conjure so many clones at that level. Otherwise, he would surely do so andbine them with [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins] to augment the size of his golden mecha by another thousand times.


    Although the golden mecha to his back was extremely strong, using it to deal with these small bugs was like trying to shoot down mosquitoes with a railgun. Indeed, the golden qilin he had previously summoned was no match for the numerous, swarming night devourers.


    These bugs were so small as to be particrly annoying to deal with for the gigantic mecha.


    After Sun Xiaowu summoned his clones, the miniature insects whirred and transformed in an instant.


    The next moment, before Sun Xiaowu could react, the heads of the clones all exploded.


    Fang Yi''s eyes widened as he realized something and hurriedly fled.


    Purple lightning crackled around Fang Yi''s body and concentrated around his head. As he screamed in pain, he spat out charred ck bugs from his mouth. Sun Xiaowu shivered upon seeing it.


    Fang Yi grimaced as he exined, "These bugs can take over your brain."


    "The Xiagai insectoids!" Wilbow, observing from afar, revealed the insects'' name.


    "The Xiagai?"


    Yang Ze and Wilbow were trying to waste time and wheedle information from each other as they waited for an opportunity to strike each other. However, after having wasted so much time, they had lost all their motivation.


    Wilbow exined, "As I''ve said, there are two species of insects that live within Ghroth''s body. One are the night devourers, and the other are the Xiagai, bugs that can invade living entitites'' brains."


    "Brainworms?"


    Yang Ze shuddered at the thought of the frightening parasites.


    Wilbow replied, "You can understand it that way. The Xiagai, through some mechanism or another, are able to ess the brains of living entities. Initially, those controlled by the xiagai won''t feel any different¡ªbut soon enough, they''ll start to feel as though their actions have slowed down, and they might even start doubting themselves. It''ll be written off as ailing responsiveness at first, but once they realize what''s actually going on, it''ll be toote. Part of their body will be controlled by the Xiagai."


    Yang Ze grew rmed. "The Xiagai can control humans?"


    Wilbow nodded. "Indeed so. The longer the Xiagai remain in the brain, the deeper their control. Yourpanion is skilled to be able to detect the Xiagai so quickly. Many of their opponents are controlled without even realizing it."


    Yang Ze gasped. "Truly a walking disaster¡ªno, perhaps even a disaster made flesh! To have such catastrophes lurking in its body..."


    Yang Ze''s homeworld, Mars, had once suffered from an insectoid invasion, and he knew very well just how frightening they were. If allowed to grow, they were a force that could destroy entires.


    In fact, the Xiagai that lived on Ghroth''s body were even more frightening than the insectoid invasion that the Milky Way had suffered.


    The insectoid invasion in the Milky Way had been dangerous because the insects could devour, evolve, and quickly reproduce. Even more startlingly, they were able to absorb the racial characteristics of the enemies they defeated, causing them to be exponentially more dangerous as time passed.


    On the other hand, the Xiagai were particrly dangerous. They could directly invade other species'' brains, frequently even without the host''s knowledge.


    By the time they made their presence known, the host would already be controlled.


    From a scientific perspective, Yang Ze believed that the Xiagai had a specific ability that allowed them to burrow into others'' brains.


    Their sudden disappearance and transformation might be attributed to control over space, or perhaps rapid miniaturization of their body into nanoscale dimensions, allowing them to enter their hosts'' brains, feed on them, and then slowly rece their hosts'' brain function.


    Through this means, they would gradually take over their hosts'' brains. By then, if they were forcibly expelled, their host would immediately die.


    Yang Ze shuddered. Even from what little he knew of these bugs, they were frightening to deal with. However, Wilbow wasn''t done.


    The Xiagai were a defensive mechanism for Ghroth to prevent his own body from being taken over, and he rarely released them to the outside world.


    It was clear that Ghroth was shaken by the strength of these hunters, and he had been forced to expose this trump card.


    Wilbow continued, "Allegedly, the Xiagai are pets fostered by the king of chaos, and might be lifeforms that originally lived in the world of primordial chaos.


    Subsequently, the king of chaos bequeathed a swarm of these insects to Ghroth as a gift, and they took over his body.


    On the battlefield, Sun Xiaowu was quickly edging away from Ghroth. He didn''t want to be a parasitic host, not at all.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The golden mecha behind Sun Xiaowu emted his action. His punch formed a golden hurricane, one that felt as though it could pierce through an entire. A huge group of Xiagai perished.


    After recovering, Fang Yi also struck.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward...

 Chapter 1122: A Single Thrust

    <h4>Chapter 1122: A Single Thrust</h4>


    A windstorm raged, and thunder crackled. The boost afforded by two wheels of time caused wind and storm to wrap around Fang Yi''s body as though he were a spear, one that pierced through the swarm of insects.


    At the same time, another wheel of time appeared to his back.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Golden light burst forth from Sun Xiaowu''s golden mecha. It cocked its arm in perfect synchrony with Sun Xiaowu''s actions. As golden light brimmed and spilled throuhgout the void,


    Sun Xiaowu''s body rose into the air until he was directly before the golden mecha''s chest. His arm grewrger as golden scales appeared over his arm, and the image of a golden qilin materialized behind him.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air, a hundred thousand meters long, almost asrge as Ghroth was.


    The qilin''s scales were radiant and shining with golden light, each like a miniature sun. It looked like a god descending from the heavens, its long whiskers floating in the void, surrounded by golden clouds, looking like a sculpture of gold.


    The golden qilin shot forward with Sun Xiaowu''s unch, gleaming in a shroud of golden light. Just the light it gave off seemed like anathema to the Xiagai, which screeched and smoked and turned to dust when they were caught by the illuminating beams.


    Fang Yi, surrounded by wind and storm, hurriedly retreated to avoid being in the qilin''s path.


    The golden qilin shot toward Ghroth, causing the void to tremble where it passed by.


    The tsunami of steel,va spouts, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, the purple storm, the spatial rends, the meteor shower of world fragments¡ªonce again, Ghroth invoked a sixfold disaster.


    Even though thebination attack slowed the golden qilin down, it was able to break through and continue charging forward, albeit at a slower rate.


    Ghroth''s eyes sparked with red light. A tribtion of thunder struck the center of the manifest disasters and finally suppressed the golden qilin''s might.


    Fang Yi shot out with his spear, surrounded by wind and lightning.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" As purple lightning forked through the air, Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    A fourth wheel of time appeared behind his back, causing the wind and storm around Fang Yi to grow more intense.


    The wind and storm revolved around Fang Yi at high speed, turning him into an electric saw that broke through Ghroth''s defenses.


    The Xiagai and night devourers appeared in full force. The night devourers themselves weren''t too difficult to deal with, but the Xiagai were particrly annoying and frightening foes.


    Even Fang Yi had to be wary of them¡ªas a fifth wheel of time appeared to his back.


    "[Wheel of Time: Break]!"


    With a howl from Fang Yi, the wheel of time behind him broke in a shower of light.


    Next to Fang Yi appeared a shadow of himself, one which suddenly merged with Fang Yi''s body and gave him a tremendous boost to his strength. The wind and lightning circling the spear doubled in intensity.


    As the next wheel of time broke, even more light red from Fang Yi''s back. A second shadow appeared, merged with Fang Yi, and boosted his strength, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth...


    As more and more wheels of time behind Fang Yi broke, more ephemeral shadows appeared and boosted his strength to an extreme. Wind and storm circled him five times over.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder, scattering the sr storm. A wind dragon and a storm tiger appeared. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. The wind drew out the might of the sr storm, and lightning infused itself into the sr energy, turning a bright gold. Fang Yi''s strength was multiplied five times over by the wind and storm around him. His spear tore apart the dense swarm of insects, causing the void to explode.


    Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi, working together, managed to defeat the sevenfold disaster. The gigantic golden qilin struck Ghroth''s body.


    Scorching vapors and ash exploded. A golden ocean tore apart rust-red mountains andnd, covering the entirety of Ghroth''s-head.


    Ghroth had suffered an attack stronger than anything he had ever faced to date, and its-head seemed as though it might break apart at any moment.


    Wilbow gaped in shock. He couldn''t understand how Ghroth had been so badly wounded.


    The sevenfold disaster, whichbined with the insect swarms, resulted in an unprecedented catastrophe.


    After Sun Xiaowu loosed the golden qilin, the golden mecha to his back faded and turned immaterial, its energies exhausted.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, faster than even a machine gun. It pierced through the insects flying his way.


    As he attacked, Fang Yi retreated and asked, "Xiaowu, can you keep fighting?"


    Golden light surrounded Sun Xiaowu and returned to his body in the form of gic energy. Sun Xiaowu snorted. "I''m not like you, growing limp after a single thrust! Don''t you worry about me!"


    As though trying to prove that he still had excess energy, Sun Xiaowu stomped on the ground and shouted, "[Blinding sh: Hundred Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a hundred thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the void. He had created a hundred such clones in a single breath, but these clones were far weaker than those he had produced when he only summoned a thousand or ten thousand clones.


    These were merely constructs of unadorned gic energy. It was clear that Sun Xiaowu didn''t yet have the strength to control a hundred thousand clones, but even so, it was an impressive enough feat.


    Summoning so many clones at once would be draining both mentally and physically, even if Sun Xiaowu had regained much of his expended gic energy.


    The hundred thousand clones swarmed toward the sevenfold disaster.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear...

 Chapter 1123: Special Effects Maxed Out

    <h4>Chapter 1123: Special Effects Maxed Out</h4>


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that shed against the sevenfold disasters, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back rotated more and more quickly, but it was still difficult for him to defend against the disasters alone.


    Fang Yi was sent flying by the sh as Sun Xiaowu''s hundred thousand clones lit up with golden light.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!" Sun Xiaowu''s clones exploded in a golden ocean of radiance.


    The force of the explosion halted the sevenfold disasters. Golden des rained down from all directions, clearing out the dense swarm of bugs.


    Fang Yi retreated and asked Sun Xiaowu, "Can you summon one of those gigantic golden mechas again?"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "No, definitely not. I can''t summon those whenever I feel like it. Given my current condition, if I forcibly activate the technique, it''d have at most a tenth of its original strength."


    Fang Yi grumbled, "Don''t you keepining that I go limp after one thrust? Aren''t you the same?"


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "The difference is that I have stamina. Even after that transformation, I can still fight, as I am now. How about you?"


    Fang Yi nced at him seriously. "Without a strong opener, it''ll be difficult to force a decisive victory. I need you to buy time for me."


    Sun Xiaowu exhaled. "To be honest, I don''t know how much time I can buy you."


    After using his ultimate technique, Sun Xiaowu barely had any reserves of energy left, but Ghroth seemed perfectly able to continue fighting. Sun Xiaowu didn''t know if he would be able to fend off Ghroth''s attacks much longer.


    Suddenly, the temperature in the void began to fall. Ice and snow appeared in the air.


    "It looks like you''re in need of some help," Zhang Hanxiang called out.


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes widened. "Hanxiang, what are you doing here? What about the horde of gic lifeforms?"


    Zhang Hanxiang shrugged. "With Zhou Ying and Hong Xi around, I''m hardly necessary."


    Sun Xiaowu nced at the distant battlefield to find Zhou Ying and Hong Xi perfectly in control, having whittled down the number of beasts in the area and leaving Zhang Hanxiang without even an opportunity to attack.


    Fang Yi said, "Hanxiang, I''m not underestimating you, but it''ll be extremely difficult for you to handle Ghroth alone. Sun Xiaowu''s about done for, and I don''t think he''ll be of much use."


    Sun Xiaowu thundered, "What do you mean, I''m about done for? I could fight for another century!"


    "Xiaowu, go rest¡ªdon''t be stubborn. We know about your capabilities," Li Feng said, stepping toward them across the void.


    Fang Yi asked, "Li Feng, where''s your opponent?"


    Li Feng spread his arms. "I dealt with him long ago!"


    Sun Mengmeng also headed over. "It''s just the two of you left."


    Li Feng and Sun Mengmeng had clearly finished off their opponents already.


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "Xiaowu, take a break. We''ll handle this guy."


    Sun Xiaowu acquiesced to his sister''s suggestion.


    Ghroth attacked once again, sending a tsunami of steel,va spouts, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, a purple storm, spatial rifts, and a rain of meteors toward the hunters.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons that struck the sixfold disasters, only for the dragons to be entirely annihted.


    Li Feng grew serious. Indeed, an opponent that neither Sun Xiaowu nor Fang Yi working together could take down had to be a challenging foe.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purple mes burned over Sun Mengmeng''s fingers, manifesting into three arrows. The energy in the three fiery arrows was so dense that they took on corporeal form. If not for the unusual heat they gave off, an ordinary bystander would never believe that they had been formed of me.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward Ghroth like tracking missiles, only to be struck down by the sixfold disasters.


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. Sheunched a flurry of attacks , channeling the might and intensity of a blizzard, a snowstorm. The temperature dropped dramatically, and snowkes floated down. Ice and snow spread all around her, but they were unable to defend against the might of the sixfold disasters.


    Each of the sixfold disasters was able to destroy arge world, and the sixbined could easily destroy a superior world. An attack that wasn''t on that level would have no chance of defending against it.


    Zhang Hanxiang and the other two hunters finally realized how exactly Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi had failed to take down their foe. Against a monster of this caliber, it was impressive enough that Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi had held out against Ghroth for all this time.


    Sun Xiaowu called out, "Sister, we''ll be fine as long as the three of you buy us some time!"


    Fang Yi nodded. "Once we recover, we''ll easily be able to take down this fellow.


    Li Feng''s face turned red. "Are you looking down on us?"


    The three of them had imed that they would quickly take down Ghroth, but their initial confrontation had been aplete defeat!


    Didn''t that mean that the three of thembined weren''t as strong as Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi?


    No, Li Feng wasn''t about to ept such a conclusion! He patted himself on the chest. "Take your time and rest. Leave the rest to us."


    The sixfold disasters grew in strength as they bore down on the three hunters.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. The serpents rushed forward, but they were obliterated by a force that could level even a superior world.


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes.


    Fang Yi called out, "Is this all you''ve got?"


    Li Feng''s flush covered his face and spread to his neck. "I''m simply a little tired after taking down my target so quickly! Be prepared¡ªI won''t go easy on my next strike!"


    Li Feng wasn''t wrong. Taking down his target had expended a great deal of his reserves. He had recovered a little while Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi were fighting, but not to his peak strength.


    With a shout, he summoned a suit of draconic armor, causing silvery-white light to sh from his body.


    Sun Xiaowu shouted, "The special effects from this technique are amazing!"


    "They''re not all I''ve got," Li Feng replied. With a wave of his left arm, he summoned a brilliant, blinding totem of light in the air, like a nascent gxy.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" A gigantic dragon''s w shot forward in a pir of light. Imbued with arge fraction of Li Feng''s gic energy, the pir of light held the sixfold disasters back.


    Li Fengughed. "Haha, see? This is my true strength!"


    However, the moment the pir of light seemed to stabilize, a bolt of red lightning struck the sixfold disasters and obliterated the pir of light.


    "What?!"


    This was the lightning of tribtion. Ghroth had used his attack at the most opportune moment to break through Li Feng''s defenses.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut. Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower...

 Chapter 1124: The Hunters Gather

    <h4>Chapter 1124: The Hunters Gather</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng''s arrows rained down in a meteor ?shower that tinted the air purple and gave the void a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, everything began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. Even the sixfold disasters were held back.


    Sun Mengmeng suggested, "There''s no need for us to dump all our energy into one massive blow. We can just take turns to strip each disaster off, one by one."


    "I understand!"


    As the snow fell, Zhang Hanxiang''s palms glowed blue. Everything around her began to freeze, and winter''s chill descended on the void. The bitter cold froze theva.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Li Feng punched forward, his right arm covered by radiant scales. A dragon of light materialized around his arm and roared, shattering the scorching-hot ocean of steel.


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "This won''t work. The attack''s drawing near!"


    "Shut up! Go rest by the side," Sun Mengmeng called back.


    As Sun Mengmeng channeled her anger into her mes, her fire-attuned gic energy exploded like a volcano.


    Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi shrunk back.


    The ck-and-white lightning and purple storm, interspersed with spatial rifts, drew closer.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air, shattering the ck-and-white lightning.


    Zhang Hanxiang swung both her arms in the air, conjuring needles as numerous as raindrops in a storm. However, in her panic, her attack failed to achieve the desired effect.


    As Sun Xiaowu had said, it was untenable for them to get rid of the disasters one by one.


    Sun Mengmeng and the other reinforcements weren''t weaker than Sun Xiaowu and Fang Yi; they were simply not at peak performance from their recent fighting.


    Further, although they had witnessed Ghroth''s attacks, this was their first time encountering them for themselves, and they still needed some time to familiarize themselves with what he could do.


    Ghroth was a far cry from Wilbow''s brother, Whateley, or the-headed apostle in terms of strength. After all, he had been third in strength against all of the king of chaos'' subordinates.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Li Feng shielded Zhang Hanxiang. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him. A beam of light pierced through the purple storm and spatial rifts.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her. She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming into a warrior of hell. The mes around Sun Mengmeng''s body grew even taller and hotter.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward the lightning of tribtion. Dense swarms of insects flew over. Zhang Hanxiang took the opportunity to attack, conjuring a field of icy flowers that froze them all.


    After the fight in the white world, Zhang Hanxiang seemed to have grasped some higher principle. Her strength had been boosted considerably via her enlightenment regarding her elemental attunement.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" An arclight dragon appeared behind Li Feng. He punched forward, and the dragon shot toward Ghroth like a bullet from a sniper rifle. The light dragon left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Once again, however, Ghroth summoned a sixfold disaster. The starry bullet was expended against the might of the sixfold disasters.


    As Sun Mengmeng, Zhang Hanxiang, and Li Feng frowned at how easily Ghroth had countered their attacks, a hundred thousand golden clones rushed forward in a battalion toward the manifold disasters.


    They exploded one after another, illuminating the void in golden light. The sixfold disasters disappeared amidst the void.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others turned to see Sun Xiaowu, radiant in gold, stepping forward.


    "I can''t bear to watch all of you fight any longer!" Sun Xiaowu shouted, grinning.


    Thanks to their help in buying time for him and Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu had recovered half his gic energy and was able to continue fighting.


    Sun Mengmeng scowled and thundered, "Keep resting! We can take him down."


    Fang Yi strode forward, hefting his spear. "Enough. Who knows how long it''d take you to defeat Ghroth? Just buy me some time."


    Li Feng grinned. "Are you going to use your signature thrust?"


    "It''s a spear strike!" Fang Yi corrected.


    Li Feng nced at him skeptically. "Given your current condition? Do you really have the stamina?"


    "I have to hold out¡ªI can''t back down now. Hold on, what do you mean, my current condition?"


    Li Feng replied, "Don''t forget that we''re around. If you need more time¡ªwe can definitely hold him off a bit longer."


    Fang Yi shook his head. "Once we finish dealing with him, I''ll have plenty of time to rest. I''ve recovered enough energy for a single strike."


    Sun Xiaowu warned, "Don''t try to resolve each disaster one by one, or we''ll end up on the defensive. We have to take the initiative to strike."


    While Sun Xiaowu was speaking, Ghrothunched another bolt of tribtion.


    Sun Xiaowu''s body shed as a hundred thousand clones split from his main body.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!" Light-attuned gic energy gathered on Li Feng''s fist,pressing once and again. His fist began to glow with white light, and heunched a bolt of white light¡ªonly to have it be easily taken care of by a red bolt of lightning.


    Sun Xiaowu''s hundred thousand clones rushed forward, their fists clenched tightly. Golden light manifested around each fist, but before Sun Xiaowu could release his technique¡ª


    "Take my ultimate technique!" Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    The wheels of time to his back spun more and more quickly. Wind and lightning surged forth.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    The disparate energies boosted and augmented each other. Golden threads surrounded wind, storm, time, and space...

 Chapter 1125: Each Hunters Strengths

    <h4>Chapter 1125: Each Hunter''s Strengths</h4>


    Temporal stasis only worked on the weak, with very limited effect onbatants on the level of superior kings. Even in Fang Yi''s region of locked time, the variousbatants on the battlefield could slowly, if arduously, move.


    Three existences easily shrugged off the effect of the time lock: first, the king of keys, whose body was a world in its own right, and who was least affected by the imposition of externalw; and second, Zhang Lie, whose strength was far beyond everyone else present, and who was two or three levels of strength above Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi''s temporal stasis had no effect on Zhang Lie whatsoever.


    However, neither the king of keys nor Zhang Lie had any intention of interfering. They watched each other carefully amidst the void, neither making the first move. Their opponent was, and could only be, each other.


    The third and finalbatant on whom the temporal stasis had no effect was none other than Ghroth. Ghroth''s-headed figure granted him some resistance against the temporal stasis, although much less so than the king of keys'' natural resistance.


    Fang Yi didn''t expect much. He knew very well thatbatants on the level of superior kings would be affected only to a limited extent, which was why he had notified everyone in advance and asked them to buy him whatever time they could.


    Ghroth released a huge swarm of night devourers that drained the temporal energy around Fang Yi. They feasted on that energy and grew engorged. The night devourers were surrounded by gray fog, thunder, and storm.


    Simultaneously, as the night devourers drained the temporal energy, the time lock was released.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others found themselves able to move again, though not freely. They could clearly sense the resistance that they had to wade through, but they were strong enough to fight through it.


    Sun Xiaowu''s golden clones rushed forward. After the night devourers feasted on the temporal energy, they grew strong¡ªand those insects that Sun Xiaowu''s clones had easily taken down were now able to fight on equal footing with them.


    Sun Mengmeng shot out a few arrows, but the night devourers, shockingly, were able to dodge them. After absorbing the energy of time, the night devourers were able to move more quickly.


    "[Golden Divide: Deicide]!" Sun Xiaowu''s golden clones struck simultaneously, their golden des forming a flood.


    The night devourers were able to move quickly enough to dart through the gaps between the des, but the des were so densely packed that they couldn''t avoid them all.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, illuminating the void. The temperature rose sharply as the nine moons fell and exploded amidst the sixfold disasters. Pitch-ck me spread through the void.


    Zhang Hanxiang extended her arms. Snowkes appeared in the air as the temperature of the void dropped dramatically. The ice and frost helped out Sun Xiaowu. It was so cold that even time seemed to freeze for a few moments.


    The night devourers were frozen stiff.


    Upon witnessing the state of the other insects in the swarm, those insects that had been lucky enough not to be frozen pounced on their erstwhilepanions and devoured them whole.


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. "Cannibals!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s hundred thousand clones punched forward, shattering the space before them.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield, causing arge number of night devourers to explode on the spot.


    Ghroth attacked once again, sending a tsunami of steel,va spouts, silvery-white and pitch-ck lightning, a purple storm, spatial rifts, and a rain of meteors toward the hunters.


    Sun Xiaowu shouted, sharing his experience against this attack, "If you want to block his attack, you have to do so at full strength! Don''t hold back, and don''t try to weaken ityer byyer."


    "Got it!" Li Feng nodded. A silvery-white glow, blinding in its intensity, exploded from his body. The shockwaves that emanated from his body were so intense as to distort space. They roared through the air like thundering dragons, turning the void white.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" The light-attuned gic energy morphed into a roaring river that poured down on the sixfold disasters like a flood. Thick, concentrated energy like sharp des piercing heaven and earth fell from the void, disrupting the advance of the disasters..


    The night devourers that had yet to perish, apanied by the Xiagai, flew toward the hunters.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, exploding in the air, shooting down rays of moonlight, and killing the insects.


    The night devourers devoured the mes filling the air. Zhang Hanxiangunched another attack, freezing a number of the bugs.


    The ice that she controlled was particrly unusual, and even the night devourers weren''t able to digest it.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!" As Li Feng yelled out, dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, thousands of them in all.


    The night devourers faced off against the dragons. After devouring the dragons, they would be bitten to death by others. The swarm of night devourers and horde of light dragons waged war for aerial dominance.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone.


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall.


    The rate at which Sun Mengmeng shot out arrows was incredible. Even as the night devourers swallowed her arrows, more would pierce them through and perforate their bodies. They would be lit ame by the mes and subsequently be burned to ash.


    Ghroth''s body shook violently as scorching-hot steel roiled around him, expelling ash and hot vapors through the void, as though he were surrounded by a huge cloud of gas.


    Even against Sun Xiaowu''s golden mecha or golden qilin, Ghroth hadn''t reacted so adversely.


    Ghroth''s eyes were locked onto Fang Yi.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment], and the power of karma¡ªthe greatest boon he had obtained from consuming Potion #4.


    Wind, storm, time, space, and now the mysterious power of karma¡­ All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Thisbination of energies was held together by the mysterious power of karma. As Fang Yi poured more and more gic energy into the attack, a storm roared into existence around him...

 Chapter 1126: The Ultimate Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 1126: The Ultimate Disaster</h4>


    As a font of disaster and even a personification of them, Ghroth had immense control over these disasters that he had birthed. Even mentioning the word "disaster" fell into his purview.


    If all those third-realm existences who had touched the door of power had unlocked their own authority, an authority separate from that possessed by superior kings, that provided intuitive insight andmand into a facet of naturalw on a fundamental level¡ªif the sr king''s authority were the sun, and the ice queen''s the frost, then Ghroth''s authority was disaster.


    He was the representative of disaster, its personification.


    Even so, this representative felt an imminent disaster waiting to unfold from Fang Yi. If the disasters he could incite were sufficient to destroy a superior world, then Fang Yi''s current strength was sufficient to destroy multiple superior worlds in session.


    The disaster that Fang Yi was about to unleash would even be able to kill him.


    Ghroth couldn''t help but panic then. Even when he was struck by Sun Xiaowu''s golden qilin, Ghroth hadn''t panicked. How could he, disaster manifest, be killed by a disaster? This was impossible. Ghroth couldn''t remain calm. He summoned a sevenfold disaster.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Sun Xiaowu released a frightening burst of energy, dyeing the void golden as a hundred thousand clones took to the air.


    Sun Xiaowu punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy. His clones shed against the sevenfold disaster, then exploded.


    Golden waves of energy lit up the void and shook the sevenfold disasters to their core. Sun Xiaowu was treating his clones like bullets, exploding them in the heart of the disasters to destabilize them maximally. This approach was effective, but Sun Xiaowu''s gic energy was rapidly dwindling.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched yet another attack.


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward Ghroth. The ck phoenixes swooped toward the target. Nine pitch-ck mes exploded in the air like roses in a cavalcade of me.


    Zhang Hanxiang joined in. The three hunters, working together, held back the sevenfold disasters.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the arclight dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The energy from the light, soaring into the air, struck down the sevenfold disasters. The arclight dragon that Li Feng rode shot forward, shattering the lightning of tribtion.


    The two species of insects swarmed out of Ghroth''s body en masse, forming a huge ocean.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    The ck arrow passed through the ocean of insects, burning everything in its path.


    The insects screeched shrilly as they burned. Sun Mengmeng''s arrow passed through them andnded on Ghroth''s body, burning him from the inside out.


    Ghroth tried to quell the mes with his own strength, but he found himself unable to extinguish thempletely. However, his body wasrge enough that the mes would take a while to spread and hinder his actions.


    Zhang Hanxiang made her move, freezing arge portion of the insects.


    Even without Sun Xiaowuunching a helping hand, Zhang Hanxiang and the others had gained some measure of experience fighting off Ghroth.


    The only reason they had initially suffered against Ghroth was because they were inexperienced at fighting against him. Ghroth was a troublesome opponent, especially since they had gone in blind.


    Despite the threat of Sun Mengmeng and the other hunters, Ghroth was still intently focused on Fang Yi, from whom he could feel the most significant threat.


    Even though he hadn''t yet struck, the billowing aura of power around him meant that he couldn''t be ignored. Such was the strength of Fang Yi''s ultimate technique.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing. Fang Yi''s spear, thrumming with the power of elements and time, was a weapon of legends. Formless lightning shed over its surface, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear. Space was kneaded into a papier-mache ball. Silvery energy stuck together, barely visible, colorless and tasteless and shapeless, yet slowly but surely affecting the world. This was the nature of time.


    The gold and ck threads of karma continued to weave around each other, twining and twining until they formed a single thread of dark gold.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by this dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi. They merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    All that energy,bined with the karmic power that Fang Yi had sensed for the first time, led to an unbelievably mysteriousbination, difficult to sense and harder still to understand. This was a force that belonged to a realm above Fang Yi''s ken, somewhat like heaven''s might, butpletely different...

 Chapter 1127: Karma and Fate

    <h4>Chapter 1127: Karma and Fate</h4>


    Since he knew that Fang Yi was charging up for an ultimate attack, there was no way Li Feng would give Ghroth the opportunity to disturb him.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, shing against the insects that had emerged from Ghroth''s body.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. Even before she released her arrow, frightening heat had gathered around her.


    Huge chunks of ice all around melted into water. As she released her fingers, a human-headed, golden-winged bird shining with red light soared into the sky, its huge wings expanded. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the void, dyeing everything in sight a patch of ck.


    Sun Xiaowu, having recovered his energy, summoned a hundred thousand shining clones, which formed an overwhelming battalion that charged toward Ghroth.


    Ghroth retaliated with a sevenfold disaster, against which Sun Xiaowu had his clones self-destruct. Golden waves of energy shook the sevenfold disasters, and Zhang Hanxiang further quelled them by freezing the void.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly with the sword shes, imbued with the power of the vast expanse of the gxy. The starlight was so bright, so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy.


    Each sh struck one of the disasters. Dozens of shes criss-crossed through the air in a vibrant array of starlight. The light-attuned gic energy wove a web in the air that halted the tribtion of lightning.


    Even so, the insects continued to approach. The night devourers fed on the remnant light-attuned gic energy in the void.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and, supercharged with Sun Mengmeng''s energy, readied for a devastating blow.


    ck mes gathered, lighting the very air itself ame. The ck mes formed a pitch-ck abyss that no longer radiated light.


    Instead, it sucked in all the light from the vicinity, as though the mes hid an endless, ravenous hunger like a ck hole. The roaring mes birthed the energy of annihtion.


    Even before Sun Mengmeng''s attacknded in earnest, the Xiagai were unable to bear with the intense heat. Their bodies caught on fire, then emitted sounds like exploding bamboo. Either the water in their bodies had turned to steam and made them pop, or their cries were particrly unique¡ªor perhaps both.


    A fearsome garuda, manifested from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, careened into them. The pitch-ck mes exploded then, forming a frightening hurricane within the void.


    Roaring ck waves of me shot straight at Ghroth, igniting his-headed figure ame. The gaseous vapors emitted from his body exploded, turning him into a burning. The scorching-hot steel in his body began to boil.


    With just one attack, Sun Mengmeng had cleared the battlefield and even hurt Ghroth.


    Just as Sun Mengmeng struck, Fang Yi reached the final stage of his preparations. The power of his strike transcended both of its constituents, time and karma. The strike touched the notion of fate, that all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time.


    "Fate!" As the king of keys and Zhang Lie sensed this higher-order principle, even they had to put their fight on hold.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but grin. "He did it, the madman!"


    While observing Fang Yi absorb Potion #4, Zhang Lie realized that Fang Yi had the potential of manipting karma, but even he didn''t anticipate that Fang Yi would achieve such a grand working as quickly as this.


    He had managed to suffuse the power of karma into the disparate energies that he controlled. Although the resulting mix was a potpourri, the fact that he was able to invoke and evoke it was worthy of pride and praise.


    That he could do so to any extent was shocking enough.


    Even the king of keys praised, "Your subordinates indeed have marvelous talents."


    Karma was prophetic, but it could be subverted and blocked. Fate, on the other hand, was trickier to avoid.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a hurricane. The eight different kinds of energy stacked on top of each other and were refined into a cocoon.


    As Fang Yi infused more and more of his own energy into the attack, the threads of eight different colors began to separate.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit. The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    The eight different types of energy formed a destructive vortex at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, giving birth to a mysterious hybrid power. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to break and crack, as did Fang Yi''s own peak-grade spear. Even Fang Yi''s own body was giving out. He bled out of his orifices, veins popping out on his forehead, the spear in his hand trembling almost uncontrobly.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole. Golden mes manifested in the void. The resulting mix of energies was so potent as to be able to destroy naturalw itself.


    All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The more advanced energies were particrly difficult to manipte, especially the mysterious power of fate. Fang Yi could create a tiny portion of it, but it remained iprehensible to him. It felt as though something were shifting in a dimension he had no ess to.


    Even before he couldunch his attack, Fang Yi felt that his fate had shifted irrevocably. No one could say whether this was a blessing or a curse.


    The king of keys frowned. "Yourpanion might be a genius, but he''s simultaneously a madman."


    The king of keys was referring to Fang Yi''s maniption of his own fate. No one could say what would happen if he were to continue using his ultimate attack¡ªthere was, for example, the possibility that he would simply just drop dead one day...

 Chapter 1128: One Peerless Strike

    <h4>Chapter 1128: One Peerless Strike</h4>


    Fate was one of the highest-order principles, and even the king of keys himself couldn''tment on it. Perhaps he would be able to sense it after he became the personification of the third realm as a whole, but at least for the moment, the king of keys had no power to steer or even read the threads of fate.


    No one knew what would happen to Fang Yi in the future if he were to keep using this technique¡ªperhaps a blessing, perhaps a curse.


    This was why the king of keys called Fang Yi a madman. To recklessly use a power that he had no mastery over¡­ Fang Yi was staking his own future as coteral each time he activated this technique, no, worse.


    Coteral implied that it could be paid off, but no one knew how to pay off the hefty price of fate. This was the danger inherent to dealing with karmic power, but Zhang Lie didn''t stop Fang Yi.


    "Only a thin line rests between genius and madness." The cost of invoking fate might be dropping dead one day, but that was just one among many possibilities. Even the king of keys couldn''t be certain.


    Perhaps Fang Yi would be unlucky, or a crucial turning point in his fate would be distorted. No one could be certain of what would happen; turning this future uncertainty into present power was a trade that Zhang Lie would also have made if he had the opportunity to do so.


    Zhang Lie believed that man could triumph over fate. Compared to imminent death, sacrificing a future fate was far more worthwhile.


    Fang Yi''s skin began to bleed. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of tears in his skin. The disaster-grade spear was splintering bit by bit.


    Another disaster-grade spear shattered in Fang Yi''s hands. Each time heunched this attack, a spear would be irrevocably ruined.


    Ghroth''s massive body began to move.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!" Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    The sword struck and pierced into Ghroth''s massive body, but was unable to resist the momentum of his advance.


    Sun Mengmeng, Zhang Hanxiang, and Sun Xiaowu struck simultaneously, but even their efforts couldn''t cause Ghroth to slow.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Godbane Strike]!" Fang Yi howled and sent the unstable mixture shooting forward, causing all that energy to erupt in an instant. The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded. The eight different energies formed a huge vortex, piercing through Ghroth''s body and disintegrating it.


    The tremendous explosion illuminated the void, but there were no subsequent shockwaves. Instead, a ck hole formed and devoured the remnant energies, killing Ghroth.


    The king of keys watched on as Ghroth perished. "It looks like the battle over there has concluded. It''s our turn now."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Aren''t you going to save yourpanions?"


    The king of keys countered, "Will you give me that chance?"


    Zhang Lie smiled as he quietly considered the king of keys, his answer left unspoken.


    Neither Zhang Lie nor the king of keys had begun fighting seriously. They were waiting for theirpanions to eke out a decisive victory, each worried that their indiscriminate attacks would strike their allies and hoping for their victory.


    If either of them were to help out theirpanions, then the other party would take the initiative and seize that opportunity to strike.


    Now that theirpanions'' matches were over, there was nothing to worry about.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly as blue gic energy gathered around him. Ripples of gic energy emanated from his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura.


    The skies suddenly darkened as a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air. A howling gale swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms. It looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the battlefield.


    The king of keys absorbed the attack, sucking it into the myriad worlds he controlled. The attack exploded in the gxy that formed his body, destroying thousands of worlds in a brilliant sh of light.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The king of keys sprayed out a huge number of world fragments, the aftermath of absorbing Zhang Lie''s attack.


    The countless fragments formed a frightening flood, smashing apart Zhang Lie''s raging sharks. Zhang Lie counterattacked with sword energy, but the king of keys absorbed that too.


    The king of keys'' body consisted of countless worlds, and was essentially a miniaturized version of the third realm. It was incrediblyrge, and the king of keys was like a portal that connected one world to the other.


    All of Zhang Lie''s attacks would pass through that portal and enter the universe within. That universe was a vital part of him, but one that even the third realm couldn''t support. His presence in the third realm was only a projection, a physical manifestation of sorts.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The countless worlds glowed with light, and the resulting world''s energy was emitted from the king of keys'' body in a thick, dense pir.


    Only someone like the king of keys could use pure, concentrated world''s energy as an attack. No superior king would be so wasteful¡ªit was the equivalent of crafting weapons out of gold.


    However, the king of keys could easily bear this cost.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth into the pir of energy. The serpent''s natural corrosion was able to erode the pir, but it was sorge and so dense that the greater part of it struck the serpent unscathed...

 Chapter 1129: Repeated Clashes

    <h4>Chapter 1129: Repeated shes</h4>


    The king of keys'' pir of world''s energy wasposed only of the energy ofrge worlds, but there was simply so much of it that Zhang Lie''s serpent was hard-pressed to corrode it all away.


    Only the king of keys could afford to be sovish. No other superior king would be so wasteful with world''s energy.


    .


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. A dragon''s horns grew out of his head, and his aura was magnified. A hurricane of blood and gusts of hot wind spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot, dodging the king of keys'' attack and appearing right before him. He attacked in a flurry of punches that morphed into a blood hurricane, but despite striking the king of keys, his attack had no effect.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in rage. It shot toward the countless worlds that formed the bulk of the king of keys until it smashed into one such world.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm, devouring one world after another.


    The explosion was like a ravenous ck hole.


    Before the king of keys could react, Zhang Lieunched yet another attack. Blood-red gic energy manifested around him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" A horde of over a hundred ck dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Keening like peals of thunder, the horde of dragons smashed into the king of keys'' manifold worlds. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    They exploded upon contact with whatever world they encountered, spreading and adding to a frightening wave of annihtion. If the king of keys had bothered to craft the illusion of a face, it would have disyed a wretched expression.


    The energy of annihtion swept a path of destruction through the worlds that formed his body, converting the world''s energy it thus acquired into more energy of annihtion, which spread faster and faster.


    A single blood dragon might not have been a problem, but Zhang Lie had released hundreds of ck dragons, like mice that had found their way into a sack of rice.


    The worlds that the king of keys had merged together before the battle were all destroyed. Zhang Lie''s initial volley of attacks annihted a third of the king of keys'' worlds¡ªand the fight had just begun.


    In other words, Zhang Lie had almost instantly destroyed thirty million worlds, a rate beyond what the king of keys himself could aplish even if he wanted to cull his worlds.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed his sword. Sword energy billowed around him, tearing even space apart.


    The sword energy struck the king of keys while he was busy trying to handle his internal gxy, resulting in a pincer-type attack from inside and outside.


    The king of keys grew enraged. The worlds within his body began to orbit erratically before time suddenly stopped. The energy of annihtion was forced to a halt, and each of the myriad worlds seemed to morph into eyes.


    All the worlds formed a connected whole as naturalw chained the various worlds together. In a state of extreme anger, the king of keys entered abat-ready stance. Under ordinary circumstances, the tremendous energy he possessed was sealed away by the realm itself, which couldn''t countenance an existence beyond naturalw.


    The unsealed king of keys was unimaginably speedy. As the worlds within his body moved at a hundred times their original rate, so too did the king of keys. The gxy that was his body possessed its own rate of temporal flow and its own set of naturalws, which directly affected the king of keys'' actions within the third realm.


    From the king of keys'' sped-up perspective, the entire realm seemed to have frozen, and all actions were as slow as a snail''s crawl. Only one person was moving at regr speed.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Upon witnessing the king of keys elerate, Zhang Lie had no choice but to follow suit.


    Zhang Lie struck once more. An underworld river materialized in space, one so vast the entire world could see it. Everything turned cold, and the temperature dipped below freezing. kes of snow fell from the sky; it felt as though a gate to the underworld had suddenly opened.


    As though the doors to the underworld had opened, thousands of ghostly specters emerged from within, forming a dense river. On careful inspection, those specters revealed themselves as demonic serpents in such quantities that would cause any witness to shudder.


    The serpents surrounded Zhang Lie, blocking the king of keys'' dramatically elerated skill.


    After the serpents perished, they transformed into a sticky, ck substance before quickly condensing back into the form of serpents.


    The king of keys was very shocked to realize that Zhang Lie could keep up with his hundredfold temporal eleration, but that ability seemed to be restricted to him and him alone. The serpents'' movement speed and regeneration speed couldn''tpare.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!" Pitch-ck energy immediately spread outward and suppressed the exploding smoke.


    Thebatants participating in the battle all looked up at the void, whereupon they found it wholly reced by a pitch-ck ocean.


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie swung his sword, the roaring waves all morphed into ck dragons.


    The sea had transformed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The king of keys pushed his temporal eleration to the utmost, to thousands of times its original rate. World''s energy manifested in the form of a solid punch, smashing into the demonic serpents in a hurricane of rainbow light and significantly distorting Zhang Lie''s underworld river.


    However, the demonic serpents that had been annihted by the king of keys'' attack quickly reformed in an endless tide, resulting in a stalemate.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood dragon, its jaws wide open and its ws poised to swipe.


    It was formed from gic energy and a thick, coiling mass of blood-colored serpents.


    Even the king of keys was forced to retreat within his bubble of elerated time...

 Chapter 1130: The Soul of Keys

    <h4>Chapter 1130: The Soul of Keys</h4>


    The king of keys moved so quickly it was almost as though he were teleporting through space.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the void.


    A frightening force descended on the king of keys, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward him.


    The king of keys had avoided the blood dragon''s attack, but he was unable to avoid the barrage of pale-white sword energy that shot down toward him from above. His body was sliced into ribbons, causing the eyes that his worlds had transformed into to burst apart.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie, and he caught up to the king of keys in an instant.


    As sword energy filled the air, the king of keys blocked what attacks he could with world''s energy. The twobatants reached the upper limit of time dtion within the third realm, and even the members of Team Zenith could no longer follow the rhythm of battle with their eyes.


    Zhang Lie and the king of keys fought on a whole different level entirely, and the members of Team Zenith couldn''t hope to support Zhang Lie in battle.


    .


    Zhang Lie drew his second de, which shed with light. Caught unawares, the king of keys didn''t dodge in time. The attack struck his body directly, causing yet another swathe of worlds within it to explode.


    "[Syzygy]!" A burning ck sun rose behind Zhang Lie''s back, and a bloody moon red into existence at his feet. Under thebination of the two auras, Zhang Lie seemed to have transformed into a god.


    His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, the king of keys'' radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web around the king of keys.


    Struck once more, the king of keys had barely half his original number of worlds remaining. He ignited the world''s energy hemanded, forging it into a frightening torrent.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Zhang Lie''s attack smashed into the king of keys'' stored energy, unleashing shockwaves in the void that devastated the surroundings. Despite being far in the distance, the members of Team Zenith quickly scattered to avoid the aftermath of the attack.


    The members of Team Zenith, who were all gravely exhausted from their fighting, would be heavily injured by these shockwaves alone.


    The king of keys grew even more enraged. Despite using all his tactics, he was still no match for Zhang Lie.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie followed up his attack without giving the king of keys any chance to catch a breath.


    The king of keys thought that he had overestimated Zhang Lie before the battle, only to btedly realize that he was still underestimating him instead. The king of keys had initially expected that Zhang Lie would simply be one or two levels beyond an ordinary superior king of antiquity¡ªbut Zhang Lie turned out to be far stronger.


    "[des, Reverberate]!" A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon.


    Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body. Hanguang''s light coalesced into a ck dragon that likewise curled up around him. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward the king of keys like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants.


    As the pitch-ck storm grew fiercer, the air around the battlefield turned dark. The members of Team Zenith wobbled unsteadily on their feet, once again realizing the limits of Zhang Lie''s strength. If they recklessly tried to participate in the fight, they would only hinder Zhang Lie from unleashing his full might¡ªand they might perish just from the remnant waves of energy that resulted from his attacks.


    Against Zhang Lie''s strength, the members of Team Zenith, who were readily able to ovee even the superior kings of antiquity, would nevertheless be as weak as paper.


    The king of keys was mired in the center of a hurricane. The void shattered around him, and the majority of the worlds hemanded were annihted. World''s energy gushed out from his body, but was still unable to prevent the suction of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    "Let''s end it here!" Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light. "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    The ethereal attack didn''t possess the blinding light of Zhang Lie''s [First Form: Parting the River], nor the overwhelming awe of his [des, Extinguish]. Even so, the might of that spiritual energy shook the bystanders.


    Against the mass of that spiritual energy, the members of Team Zenith felt small and insignificant. Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s eye soulshard as he took in the full force of the king of keys'' soul.


    The multicolored soul wasrger than that of any other lifeform he had previously seen, sorge that even Zhang Lie''s own soul, which had survived two lifetimes, couldn''tpare.


    The size of one''s soul represented its strength¡ªgiven that the soul was whole and healthy.


    The king of keys'' soul was not one such. Various wills seemed to be haphazardly stuck onto bits and pieces of that soul, the leftovers from the king of keys'' indiscriminate merger of the wills of countless worlds.


    This was what led to the incredible size of the king of keys'' soul. However, these wills were rapidly decaying and shattering as Zhang Lie''s attacks destroyed the integrity of the king of keys'' gxy.


    The effects of [des, Extinguish] continued to wreck the king of keys'' body from the inside out, finally revealing the heart of his soul.


    Without being able to cut through his soul, Zhang Lie''s [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] would have dramatically reduced effect, as though his strike werending on armor.


    When he saw the king of keys'' exposed soul, however, Zhang Lie was stupefied...

 Chapter 1131: Opening the Door

    <h4>Chapter 1131: Opening the Door</h4>


    The king of keys'' soul was difficult to describe. Rather than a tree, it looked more like a person, whose outline was a glossy silver, who had grown from a seed.


    The soul of the king of keys, who was poised to take over the third realm, was human-shaped...


    The humanoid''s chest had a bright red seed embedded within it, which was giving off a powerful and ancient aura.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "If I''m not mistaken, that must be the core."


    As Zhang Lie struck, a rainbow arc apanied his sh, as though an aurora were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the void. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    The disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, when incorporated into Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack, had the ability to target and corrupt its opponents'' souls. Everyone was dazed by the rainbow gleam.


    Stuck within a whirlpool of energy, entwined by the ck and blood dragons, then dazed by the rainbow-colored sword energy, the king of keys had no chance to avoid the attack. Zhang Lie''s strike struck the seed and split it in two, causing it to burst.


    The silver figure that was the core of the king of keys'' soul screamed in agony, and the twin dragons swallowed the king of keys whole. A huge glow erupted from the point of impact as countless worlds exploded with such force that Zhang Lie''s twin dragons were annihted by the attack. Swelling waves of energy sprayed into the void, peppered with fragments of the various worlds.


    The members of Team Zenith hurriedly dodged the aerial bombardment as Zhang Lie stood silently, floating in the void and staring at the center of the explosion. The world fragments that emerged from the explosion all seemed to swerve away from Zhang Lie.


    They danced through the air like meteors, flying in all directions. Wilbow stood stiff, paralyzed with shock.


    "Father lost?" Wilbow had been shocked to witness Ghroth''s defeat.


    Wilbow had never anticipated that his father could lose, nor Ghroth. However, thinking about how Fang Yi''s spear had invoked the power of fate itself, Wilbow had no choice but to ept this truth. Fang Yi had sufficient strength to do so, after all.


    Now that he was witnessing the death of the king of keys, Wilbow was even more shocked than before. Zhang Lie had neither procured a spear that could cut through fate, nor had he worked together with five others to kill Ghroth.


    Zhang Lie''s own strength proved superior to the king of keys''; he had never been on the losing end of the fight, and had incurred no injury from the king of keys. This was what Wilbow found most shocking about the king of keys'' defeat¡ªand, most importantly, the king of keys was his father.


    The stars in the void seemed to wink out. The featureless void was now interspersed with fragments of the various worlds, with trees and grasses and flowers and rivers in various shapes and sizes.


    Yang Ze bounded toward Zhang Lie with excitement. "Captain, we''ve won!"


    Zhang Lie suddenly shouted, "Stop! Don''te any closer!"


    Yang Ze hurriedly stilled. The members of Team Zenith looked on in shock. When they noticed that Zhang Lie''s gaze was still fixed on the epicenter of the explosion, they too turned toward it.


    There was a ball of light at the heart of the explosion. The fragments of the various worlds around it seemed to coalesce, as though forming something¡ªa cocoon, an egg, an open door.


    Upon sensing what was within, Zhang Lie grew visibly rmed.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" The void turned red as red scales covered up Zhang Lie''s body like a te of armor.


    What looked like scarlet mes surrounded Zhang Lie, but it was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    Boulders all around him vaporized into nothingness, and the void distorted in the heat. The world fragments zed with me. Red water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, manifesting in the shape of a dragon.


    Zhang Lie had invoked his strongest techniques to face whaty at the heart of the explosion, something so threatening Zhang Lie had no choice but to go all out.


    The scattered world fragments were all drawn toward the center of the explosion, which now looked like a quickly growing neb. The heart of the neb glowed even more brightly than the sun.


    Wilbow heaved a sigh of relief. "Father''s alright!"


    The members of Team Zenith began to panic. "What''s going on?"


    The world fragments formed a massive portal that seemed to lead to a mysterious universe on the other side.


    The members of Team Zenith nced at each other, visible confusion on their faces. Yang Ze asked, "What happened? Hasn''t the king of keys perished?"


    Zhang Lie forced a smile. His silver dragon''s pupils trembled imperceptibly as he stated, "I seem to have opened Pandora''s box."


    No one knew what was disyed within Zhang Lie''s sight, within a pair of eyes that could pierce the soul.


    The door to the portal slowly opened, revealing silvery-white light. Truth and destructiony within.


    Zhang Lie called out, "King of chaos, is this the answer you were seeking?"


    "Zhang Lie, you overestimate me." Ayer of space peeled away, like the superficialyer of an onion. Twenty-four sections of space split apart, and Nightdemon, wearing ab coat, walked out.


    Yang Ze''s eyes grew wide. "Was all this part of the king of chaos'' n?"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes bore holes into Nightdemon. "You''ve been taking advantage of me all along!"


    Li Feng''s face fell. "Is the king of chaos so skilled at maniption?"


    Wilbow sighed. "So all this is the will of the king of chaos..."


    Yang Ze seemed to slump. "No wonder."


    Upon hearing that the king of keysmanded the king of chaos'' third-strongest subordinate, they should have guessed that the king of chaos had a hand in this entire event.


    Sun Mengmeng muttered, "No wonder the king of chaos told us so much about the king of keys, and about inviting us to his night banquet! He was nning to take advantage of us from the start."


    Sun Xiaowu snorted. "I thought the strongest king of the third realm would be better than this¡ªbut they''re all just maniptive bastards!"


    Li Feng nodded. "Truly peas of a pod."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Feel free to disparage me, but don''t think that highly of my abilities."


    Zhang Lie stared coldly at Nightdemon. "What''s there to say at this rate? You''ve been nning all this with the king of keys¡ªto take advantage of my strength to help him step through the door."


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Indeed, I expected that you might have been able to provide a different sort of stimulus to the king of keys, which could catalyze a transformation..."

 Chapter 1132: The Doors Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 1132: The Door''s Transformation</h4>


    Nightdemon sighed. "Isn''t it normal for us to take advantage of each other? But by no means should you think of yourself as a pawn. That was my intent, yes, but the transformation was ultimately effected by the king of keys himself. There was a very real possibility that the king of keys could have perished."


    Yang Ze frowned. "You''re trying to im that the king of keys'' metamorphosis has nothing to do with you?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Think what you will. There''s no direct rtionship, but if you want to consider an indirect one, by all means. The king of keys'' metamorphosis was a result of his own will. No matter what stimuli I contrived, without exercising his own will, he wouldn''t have made it this far."


    Zhang Lie''s face turned dark. "In the end, regardless of what else happened, you took advantage of me."


    Nightdemon sighed. "That''s what I was nning at first, but this development was beyond my own predictions."


    Zhang Lie''s frown deepened. "You''ve been spying on us all this time!"


    "Let''s have that discussionter.Watch out." Nightdemon revealed the Shining Trapezohedron, peeling away anotheryer of space. "Your next opponent is the king of keys'' ascended form, the king of keys who has stepped through the door of strength."


    After the twenty-fourthyer opened up, Nightdemon slid into the crack in space, which closed up againyer byyer.


    The other side of the door harbored not another universe, but rather the fundamental mechanisms of life. Mathematical logic integrated with biology, whichy beyond the constraints of the third realm, the secrets that undey rationality...


    It was like staring into an abyss. The path in front was unclear and iprehensible. Just witnessing it made Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang, the weakest among them, develop a rapidly worsening headache.


    The other members of Team Zenith were barely able to hold on themselves. Behind the doory a throne, one hewn out of raw stone. There seemed to be nothing special about it, but on careful inspection, an observer would notice that it had been constructed out of countless world fragments, each embedding a naturalw.


    The figure behind the door wasn''t seated on this throne. Rather, as though floating or gliding, the figure''s features were blurred and unfocused.


    The shape was roughly humanoid, but it seemed half again asrge as typical human proportions, and there was a thickyer of some gray textile covering its features.


    "You have my gratitude," the figure called out, but its voice was distorted. They were no mere sound waves, but instead were able to impel naturalw. The members of Team Zenith were forced to clutch their ears in pain.


    The blurry figure continued, "Without you, I wouldn''t have been able to give up everything I possessed and wee a new life."


    Zhang Lie''s face turned stiff. Billowing clouds of red gic energy wrapped around him, like a dragon soaring into the heavens.


    "By killing me, you made me face the fear of death¡ªand surpass the limits of humanity."


    The figure behind the door seemed to ignore Zhang Lie''s growing strength, its tone calm and robotic, as though Zhang Lie wasn''t worth any concern whatsoever. "I failed to surpass the limits of humanity for one key reason: not because I don''t understand or haven''t steeped myself deeply enough in humanity, but instead because I had never experienced humanity''s fear of death."


    The members of Team Zenith continued to retreat, incapable of handling the figure''s voice, which seemed poised to destroy their rationality.


    "All life must face death, but I had forgotten this crucial point. As a result, my humanity was iplete¡ªmerely an imitation, incapable of bing real. The king of chaos was mistaken. He doesn''t understand humanity, and he understands me even less. The next step wasn''t to discard my humanity, but rather to capture it even more closely."


    The figure who had stepped through the door finally understood the king of chaos'' intent. "No, the king of chaos wasn''t mistaken¡ªbut what he intended on doing was to give birth to an entirely new world, not what I''ve be."


    The figure beyond the door pointed at its own chest. "I have to thank you. If not for your destruction of my soul, the source of my being, I wouldn''t have been able to stage such a rebirth."


    Zhang Lie''s destruction of the king of keys'' soul had simultaneously destroyed any possibility of the king of keys transforming into a new world and guaranteed him his rebirth.


    From afar, Wilbow called out, "Are you still my father?"


    He couldn''t sense any bit of the king of keys that had been left behind.


    The figure replied, "If you think of me as your father, I''ll be your father; if you don''t, I won''t. No longer am I the king of the past. You may address me as Silver."


    "The king of chaos hoped that you would appear, and I was the one who made you be who you are. In that case, I''m the one who should destroy you, too."


    Zhang Lie summoned swords reaching up into the sky, tearing apart the void. Blood-red gic energy gushed from him like waves, and his aura grew like that of a dragon''s. A frightening strength caused the void itself to tremble as Zhang Lie attacked.


    Silver didn''t strike. It sat down on the throne as Zhang Lie''s attack advanced¡ªbut without being able to strike its intended target.


    Zhang Lie and Silver weren''t far apart, especially forbatants beyond the level of superior kings. It was a distance that Zhang Lie could cross with a single breath, just as though he were taking a single step.


    Even so, crossing this distance suddenly felt like an impossibility.


    Zhang Lie was incapable of reaching Silver no matter how much energy he expended in attempting to do so. He could sense that the separation between them had been locked down by spatial force, a spatial lock that Zhang Lie couldn''t break no matter what he did.


    "This is what the door represents." Silver floated above the throne, its tone calm, as though it had done something inconsequential. "Even if I stand before you, as long as the door is closed, you''ll never be able to step inside."


    Zhang Lie dispelled his gic energy. He knew very well that he would never be able to strike Silver in this fashion.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it, causing it to re as it reached a critical threshold.


    From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves surging forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real.


    The ocean seemed to lie at the boundary of dream and reality, untouchable and imprable, captivating everyone who saw it...

 Chapter 1133: The Third Choice

    <h4>Chapter 1133: The Third Choice</h4>


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    The temperature ratcheted up dramatically, and the members of Team Zenith were forced to retreat even farther away. Sweat drenched their backs. Zhang Hanxiang sent her gic energy out around her to keep the temperature around the group stable.


    Zhang Lie''s domain of scarlet steam looked less like a domain than a red sea, one which overtook the void. The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    Hebined them both for a devastating effect. The spiritual, metaphysical seabined with the scarlet steam that hung around Zhang Lie, half the attack in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other. The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension.


    The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward Silver.


    Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    .


    Around the vortex of reality and illusion, the scarlet sea and spiritual sea spun around each other, forming a massive tsunami that shook the entirety of the void, which began to show signs of cracking apart.


    Space shattered.


    The attack thatbined the real and the illusory, which had decimated everything in its path and ughtered no less than Feitian of the xuluo and the death spirit king. However, against Silver, even this technique didn''t have the desired effect.


    Silver slowly stretched out an arm. The mysteries of life, which went beyond human thought and mathematical logic, reached out¡ªand Zhang Lie''s real-and-illusory attack fell apart in Silver''s hands.


    Silver nodded. "An excellent attack, one that can cause me harm. Don''t feel bad¡ªit''s not a deep or obvious wound, so you can''t see that I''m wounded."


    Silver remained floating above the throne, not looking for a single moment like it had been injured.


    Yang Ze shook his head. "Even our captain''s having difficulty with this opponent..." How was anyone meant to attack Silver if Silver could dissolve any attack before it couldnd?


    Wilbow praised, "Father, you''ve really grown so much stronger since your rebirth! Zhang Lie, I urge you to surrender now¡ªdon''t waste everyone''s time!"


    Sun Mengmeng retorted confidently, "Our captain will surely win!"


    Wilbow extended his arms. "You''ve all seen their confrontation. What makes you think Zhang Lie will win?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied seriously, "Our captain has always been like this. Regardless of how frightening the enemy is, how mind-boggling their strength, he has never lost."


    Wilbow shook his head. "Your blind faith is ill-ced."


    From Wilbow''s perspective, it was impossible for Silver to lose. Win? How could Zhang Lie ever hope to turn such an unfavorable situation around?


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!" White light split the void, cutting apart the horizon. The ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    As the two shades of energybined, everything in sight was destroyed.


    A patch of void and chaos expanded where the horizon had been. Even Silver had to pay attention to Zhang Lie''s attack.


    The source of life dispersed Zhang Lie''s attack once more.


    Silver called out, "Submit to me. Resistance is futile. As thanks to your contribution in facilitating my rebirth, I''ll give you a chance to submit. Kneel to me and swear to be my warrior henceforth¡ªI only have Wilbow left, and I''ll need some additional subordinates, after all."


    Clearly, Silver looked favorably on Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith.


    "This is your sole opportunity, for you and the rest of your team." Silver wanted to collect all the members of Team Zenith. "Death or submission¡ªmake your choice."


    Zhang Lie stuck out a third finger. "I choose the third option."


    Silverughed. "What other choice have you?"


    "I just need to kill you!"

 Chapter 1134: Turning Back Time

    <h4>Chapter 1134: Turning Back Time</h4>


    Silver inclined its head to the void andughed. "Ha! You think you can kill me? On what grounds?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "You''re a newborn, not a reborn individual. Even if you were reborn, you existed in the past, back when you were a weakling. No matter how strong you are now, you can''t wipe away that past."


    Silver cocked its head. "So what?"


    Zhang Lie pointed all around Silver. "On this battlefield exist traces of your past selves, all those that faced imminent death."


    Silver retorted, "And yet you didn''t seed in killing me. Instead, you gave me a new lease on life."


    "I may not have done it in the past, but I can still do it now."


    Silver roared inughter. "Indeed? And what can you do?"


    Even its newfound power didn''t allow it to return to the past. Speeding up time and halting time were two different matters entirely, and halting time and going back in time even more so.


    Zhang Lie had disyed the ability to speed up time during their fight, but reversing time required four higher degrees of strength than that.


    Could the Zhang Lie of the present aplish such a feat? Silver didn''t believe it.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Correcting the mistakes of the past doesn''t require that much work. [Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!"


    In Zhang Lie''s sight, time seemed to suddenly reverse. Zhang Lie and Silver''s shadows manifested around him, shadows of the past.


    Zhang Lie''s attacks rewound, and Silver reverted to the form of a magnificent door. The door shattered and turned back into a ball of light as world fragments burst from it.


    .


    Silver returned to his original form as the king of keys, surrounded by twin dragons, one ck and one red, mired in a whirlpool of annihtion. Time stopped.


    Although Silver didn''t share Zhang Lie''s vision, it could sense that Zhang Lie had managed to capture something.


    "Changing the present doesn''t require going back into the past. As long as I kill the past you, the present you shall be no more," Zhang Lie exined coolly. He stepped through the void and appeared before Silver, the de in his hand lifted high into the air.


    The dended far from Silver''s current position, where there was nothing but the void. The sword strike had no target, certainly not Silver itself, but Silver felt a threat to its existence stronger than anything else to date.


    The temporal energy surrounding Zhang Lie spun furiously. It didn''t know what Zhang Lie was about to cut, but it subconsciously realized that it couldn''t allow Zhang Lie to seed.


    Silver extended a hand. The mysterious source of life, which bypassed rational thought and mathematical logic, struck out.


    Zhang Lie didn''t stop, and he didn''t defend against the iing attack. He allowed it to strike his body, destroying over half of it in a tightly constrained explosion.


    Sun Mengmeng shrieked, "Zhang Lie!"


    "Stop!" Sun Xiaowu hurriedly blocked Sun Mengmeng from rushing toward him.


    Wilbow''s eyes widened. "Is he dead?"


    Even Zhang Lie couldn''t survive such an attack.


    Wilbow shook his head and sighed. "He had a chance to live... what a pity."


    The members of Team Zenith froze where they stood.


    Zhang Hanxiang was stupefied. "How could it be? Brother couldn''t have died!"


    Zhang Lie''s sword fell straight down. The next moment, it was Silver''s turn to freeze.


    Wilbow shook his head pensively. "If he had surrendered, things wouldn''t have yed out in this fashion."


    The members of Team Zenith saw an unbelievable sight. As the de fell, it struck the king of keys'' past form¡ªa shadowy remnant of when the king of keys had died after being struck by Zhang Lie''s [Second Form: Piercing the Soul].


    Zhang Lie''s de split the remnant in half, and that part of his body which had exploded now restored itself in shocking fashion. It didn''t regrow; rather, the fragments of his body that had evaporated were now restoring themselves once again, as if time were being yed backwards.


    As Zhang Lie''s dended, the temporal remnant shattered.


    "You¡ªyou established a link to the karma of space and time!" Silver held Zhang Lie''s gaze as its body began to crack.


    As though it had revealed forbidden knowledge, the cracks on its body swiftly propagated. The next moment, as though its body were made of porcin, it shattered and turned into dust, drifting away in the shockwaves from the fight.


    The door of strength turned into a chaotic rift, as though what had just happened had never existed at all. The mysterious source of life, which bypassed rational thought and mathematical logic, winked out of existence.


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief. If not for his recent interactions with karmic power in all its forms, endowing him with greater understanding of the gift he now possessed, he wouldn''t have been able to reach new heights with his Fourth Form.


    Zhang Lie could never have killed an enemy of the past with this attack before¡ªit was fortunate that he had developed this ability in the intervening period.


    Wilbow''s mouth opened wide as he gaped. His heart jumped and thrummed in shock. "What have you done?!"


    His father, who had seemed to rise to invincible heights, had fallen to a simple strike of Zhang Lie''s de, leaving behind a murmured, fragmented sentence that was impossible toprehend. Wilbow couldn''t ept this oue.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I simply attacked the king of keys in the past, killing him before the situation could devolve to this extent, finishing him off as I should have. And since the king of keys has died, then Silver could never have existed¡ªif I were to kill you as an infant, the ''you'' in the future could never exist, either."


    Yang Ze concluded, "It''s just as if you were to fail to shoot your shot at a crucial period¡ªif that happened, the you of the present wouldn''t exist."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s the idea, but the context..."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "What do you mean, shoot your shot?"


    "Ignore this vulgar fellow!" Sun Mengmeng dragged Zhang Hanxiang to her side before ring at Yang Ze.


    "Haha!" Yang Ze scratched his head in embarrassment.


    Wilbow took a long time toprehend what Zhang Lie had said. "You¡ªyou can turn back time?!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No. I simply killed the king of keys in the past."


    Wilbow cried out, "Isn''t that the same as turning time back?!"


    Zhang Lie nced toward the void in the distance. "Nothing so extreme."


    Turning back time would be like having regressed, giving him memories of the future. In killing the king of keys, Zhang Lie hadn''t reached such vaunted heights, and he certainly couldn''t share the fact that he had indeed regressed in time.


    Wilbow emphasized, "Killing someone in the past and changing their future¡ªisn''t that turning time back?!"

 Chapter 1135: Cannot Be Overwritten

    <h4>Chapter 1135: Cannot Be Overwritten</h4>


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "If I really had turned back space and time, would you all still have memories of the king of keys transforming into Silver?"


    Everyone hesitated.


    Yang Ze asked, "If the king of keys of the past has been killed, then why do we still remember Silver''s existence? Shouldn''t our memories have been overwritten?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "Memories can''t be overwritten so easily, let alone for entities on the level of superior kings like all of you. Memories are a record of time, a source of the past. It won''t be overwritten in the short term, but as time passes, your memories will gradually be blurry, then forgotten, just as if you were in a dream."


    Yang Ze nced at Zhang Lie meaningfully. "So space and time are easier to overwrite than human minds and hearts?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''ve never reached such a stage, so I can''t say. All I did was attack the past. However, what you''ve imed isn''t entirely urate. After some time passes, you''ll naturally forget about Silver''s existence."


    Yang Ze sighed. "Space and time are truly mysterious, aren''t they?"


    Fang Yi, who had the most intuition about spacetime among the rest of them, remarked, "If you could understand spacetime, then it wouldn''t be our captain using his attack¡ªit''d be you."


    Yang Ze folded his arms. "Just because I''m unable to aplish that right now doesn''t mean I won''t be able to do so in the future.


    Fang Yi remarked, "You didn''t even intuit anything when we encountered the twelve ste¡ªI doubt you''ll be able to go too far along this route."


    Yang Ze pursed his lips and thought for a moment, but couldn''t refute Fang Yi''s words.


    Zhang Lie turned toward Wilbow. "You''re thest one. How should we deal with you?"


    Yang Ze asked, "What do you n on doing? It looks like we''ve won."


    Wilbow raised both hands. "I surrender!" Wilbow had no intention of fighting to the death. If his father had been killed, his resistance would surely be equally futile.


    Zhang Lie considered him. "Just how should I deal with you?"


    Wilbow suggested, "Hey, Yang Ze! You promised to spare me if you won!"


    Yang Ze nced up at the void. "I mentioned it, did I? Or didn''t I?"


    Li Fengmented, "If you want to surrender, you''d better be a valuable asset."


    Wilbow pledged, "I''m abatant on the level of a superior king!"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "I don''t think weck that..."


    Sun Xiaowu cocked his head. "Are superior kings all that strong?"


    If anyone else were to make this im, Wilbow would have smashed their heads in. Superior kingsy at the peak of the three thousand worlds! Just how many inhabitants of the third realm could im to be superior kings?


    However, even Wilbow had to remain silent against this crowd¡ªall nine of whom were on the level of superior kings, and who had even killed superior kings of antiquity.


    The world of primordial chaos excepted, the nine humans in front of him had to represent the strongest force within the third realm.


    Wilbow was certain that Team Zenith, as a premier force that had risen up, was a match for the king of chaos'' subordinates. It was a force consisting of ninebatants that went beyond the level of superior kings, in alliance with three newly evolved superior worlds.


    Except for the world of primordial chaos, none could stand against it.


    Wilbow didn''t want to die; he would much rather submit. Against this vicious crew, his strength and might paled inparison. If they were to attack him all at once, he wouldn''t be able to survive for even a single second.


    Zhang Lie alone was an imprable existence. Even after his father was reborn as the otherworldly figure Silver, who was stronger than he could even fathom, far stronger than his father had been.


    Even so, Zhang Lie slew Silver with a single cut. Zhang Lie couldn''t be understood by regr means, either.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze turned murderous. "You killed my cherished pet, Gold Comet. Give me a reason to let you go."


    Gold Comet had apanied Zhang Lie ever since he entered the third realm.


    Wilbow''s desire to live came back in full force. He hurriedly announced, "I know where the mantis is being kept!"


    "Oh? You mean to say that my pet''s still alive?" Zhang Lie let a wisp of his gic energy loose upon hearing that, frightening Wilbow to no end.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Didn''t the king of keys state that Gold Comet was dead?"


    Wilbow shrugged. "That''s what Father said, but it was a lie. There are too many aspects of that beast that were worth research and investigation. Even if it wasn''t going to submit, neither we nor Father could bear to kill it."


    Despite its unwillingness to submit to the king of keys, Gold Comet''s whole body was a pile of treasure. If they were able to identify the key characteristics of Gold Comet''s development, they would have been able to reproduce Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade farm.


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Bring me over."


    Wilbow asked, "Aren''t you going to im Father''s superior world''s energy for yourself?"


    Silver''s rebirth had consumed all the superior world''s energy that the king of keys possessed, but Zhang Lie had in the king of keys before he turned into Silver. As such, there wererge numbers of world fragments and deposits of world''s energy in the void surrounding them.


    Before Zhang Lie left, he decided to collect all the world''s energy.


    The king of keys, custodian to myriad worlds, host to a miniaturized third realm, boasted a frightening amount of world''s energy, and even the remnant energy left over from the fight was about thirty superior worlds'' worth.


    Inparison, the three newly evolved superior worlds were like destitute beggars. Who knew how much superior world''s energy the king of keys had possessed at full strength?


    Thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy would allow them to cultivate even more monarch-grade lifeforms. Zhang Lie would be able to max out his monarch gene fragments, as would the members of Team Zenith.


    .


    "Lead the way!" Zhang Lie instructed, after collecting all the deposits of energy.


    Wilbow obediently marched before them. "Actually, Father hid that beast within his gxy of worlds."


    Zhang Lie frowned.


    Sun Mengmeng asked in concern, "But the king of keys is..."


    Yang Ze asked, "Now that the king of keys has been killed by our captain and the worlds within his body have been shattered, forming the mess of rubble in front of us, can we be sure that Gold Comet is still alive?"


    Wilbow replied, "Even so, the strongest lifeforms are able to cling to life. It''s not so easy for such a strong beast to die."

 Chapter 1136: Not Related by Blood

    <h4>Chapter 1136: Not Rted by Blood</h4>


    Wilbow told the members of Team Zenith, "In order to hide that beast, ''Gold Comet'', Father established an isted pocket dimension specifically for it. Even with Father''s death, that beast wouldn''t have perished."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "But wouldn''t the spatial dimensions have been messed up by the resulting explosions?"


    Wilbow nodded. "Quite so. If the king of chaos were willing to work with us, things would be far simpler."


    Space peeled apart like an onion, one with twenty-fouryers in all.


    Nightdemon walked out from within. "I''d be happy to help."


    Zhang Lie told him, "It looks like you won''t get your wish."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "It was a foreseen oue. The intention was for both sides to act as stimuli for the other, but it looks like the king of keys was too weak to do so. To think you would possess such incredible control over karma and spacetime¡ªit looks like I''ll have to reevaluate your strength."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Ha! Should I apologize for having killed the king of keys?"


    Nightdemon continued blithely. "It''s true that I did take advantage of you, and you gave me a good show, so I''ll help you break open a portal, I suppose."


    Wilbow brought everyone toward a particr world fragment. "It''s around here."


    Nightdemon''s hands grasped the Shining Trapezohedron tightly. A ray of light shone at the world fragment, peeling apartyer afteryer of space before a wormhole was finally revealed.


    Everyone passed through to find Gold Comet in poor condition, tightly locked up and chained.


    Upon sensing a familiar aura, Gold Comet''s eyes opened. He shook as he saw Zhang Lie and the others, his body struggling to free itself, but there was to be no reprieve from the chains.


    Zhang Lie reached out and caressed Gold Comet''s carapace. "There''s nothing to worry about anymore!" He unsheathed Guicang and cut apart the chains.


    Sun Mengmeng cried out, "Zhou Ying!"


    "Leave it to me. I''ll heal Gold Comet to peak health in no time!"


    Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. Each leaf was like a miniature sun, burning like ash. To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Zhou Ying didn''t conserve any of her energy. An ocean of vitality and natural energy flooded Gold Comet''s body, forcing the stakes out and regrowing abused and missing flesh.


    Gold Comet recovered in no time. He excitedly pranced around Zhang Lie, and everyone smiled.


    Wilbow also let out a long sigh of relief upon seeing that Gold Comet was unharmed. Gold Comet''s life was tied to his own. If Zhang Lie and the others found Gold Comet doing too poorly, he would surely pay the price.


    Now that Gold Comet had been unchained and healed, however, there was little to worry about.


    Wilbow asked tentatively, "Since the beast is fine now, would it be possible¡ª"


    Upon catching sight of Wilbow, Gold Comet immediately rushed toward him, his scythes raised and crossed in the form of an X. On Zhang Lie''s approval, it would immediately cut Wilbow apart.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You can go free for now. Stay in the Zongming world. We''ll need to ensure that you don''t have any ulterior motives in mind."


    Wilbow sighed in relief. "How could I dare to hatch a n in secret?"


    It sounded ridiculous, but Wilbow was certain that the superior kings of antiquity had lost entirely in their gambit.


    They had once been the peak force of the third realm, led by none other than the king of chaos, but by this point, the king of keys had been killed, as had the various superior kings of antiquity. The governance of the third realm was about to change irreversibly.


    Wilbow predicted that there would soon be a heated war between the original peak force of the third realm, represented by the king of chaos and his followers, and the newly minted force consisting of Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith.


    The king of chaos and his followers were so strong that even Zhang Lie was unlikely to be able to confront him, but if Zhang Lie were allowed to grow, there would ultimatelye a time where he could do so. If Wilbow were loyal enough, he would be recognized by Zhang Lie and granted a rewardmensurate with his contributions.


    It would be a different sort of life than he was used to, but not an entirely unpleasant one.


    Zhang Lie had no clue what Wilbow was thinking about. "Let''s go back, then."


    Before Nightdemon left, he reminded them, "Remember toe to my night banquet!"


    "We''ll consider it."


    Zhang Lie and the others quickly found themselves back in the draconian world. The members of Team Zenith stretched. "We''re back!"


    "We''ve finally returned." Sun Mengmeng released a deep breath.


    They had just gone through a rather frightening, exhausting adventure.


    Upon seeing Gold Comet by Zhang Lie''s side, the draconian sage easily figured out the oue of the battle. "As expected of you, Zhang Lie. Even the most ancient king is no match for you."


    His gazended on Wilbow. "But this guest..."


    He hadn''t seen Wilbow in their party when they were setting off. The draconian sage had known Zhang Lie for quite some time, but he had never met Wilbow before.


    Wilbow waved a hand in greeting. "Hello, newly ascended superior king! I''m Zhang Lie''s new subordinate."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Ignore this fellow. He was the king of keys'' son, but he surrendered after the king of keys was in."


    The draconian sage''s eyes widened. "The king of keys'' son?!"


    Zhang Lie continued, "You don''t have to worry that he''ll do anything against the draconian world. I''ll bring him to the Zongming world soon enough, and have Li Zongming keep him under guard."


    The draconian sage looked as though he were about to throw a fit. "That''s the king of keys'' son!"


    "That''s right."


    "Is it really alright for you to kill the king of keys and kidnap his son?" the draconian sage cried out. "What if he seeks revenge?"


    Zhang Lie turned around. "Well, that''s true. What do you think, son of the king of keys?"


    Yang Zeughed and fingered his neck. "Should we just kill him, then?"


    Wilbow, however, didn''t treat this like a joke. He tensed up. "Don''t worry, newly ascended superior king. I might be the king of keys'' son, but we''re not rted by blood!"

 Chapter 1137: Snacks of Love

    <h4>Chapter 1137: Snacks of Love</h4>


    In the end, Zhang Lie brought Wilbow to the Zongming world.


    Li Zongming weed them with a curious look on his face. "What happened, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "What else? I''m right here."


    "But how did you end up with this fellow?" Li Zongming pointed at Wilbow.


    "He''s here to serve as a bodyguard for your world for now."


    Li Zongming''s face turned dark. "Hold on, I''m a little confused. You beat the king of keys, didn''t you? What happened to him?"


    "He''s dead."


    Li Zongming continued, "In that case, why are you with someone who used to belong to the king of keys?"


    "He surrendered and is willing to follow me instead."


    Li Zongming nced at Wilbow suspiciously. "How do you know he truly intends to do so?"


    Wilbow clutched his chest. "Please don''t doubt my unwavering loyalty!"


    Li Zongming cried out as he extended a hand, "What loyalty? You were with the king of keys! Now that Zhang Lie''s killed the king of keys, you''re willing to follow him instead. You''re a lily-livered coward! Dig out your liver if you dare¡ªwe''ll see whether it''s as red as it should be."


    Wilbow pulled out a knife, cut open his stomach, then rummaged within it and pulled out a blood-drenched liver, which he ced on Li Zongming''s hand. As he sheathed his knife, the wound healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Entities on the level of superior kings could heal quickly from any wound that wasn''t charged with energy or connected to naturalw¡ªfor instance, attacks infused with gic energy or the world''s energy. All other types of attacks were little more than scrapes.


    Li Zongming nced speechlessly at the liver in his hand.


    Wilbow sketched out a cut on his chest with his dagger. "My heart''s red, too. Do I need to dig it out for you?"


    Li Zongming hurriedly shook his head. "No, no, that''s disgusting!"


    Li Zongming was used to the bloodiness of war, but even so, it was different from having a bloodstained liver in his hand¡ªjust like how it would be disgusting to see someone eating his own excrement despite the fact that everyone produced excrement daily, or feeling disgusted upon seeing others dig their noses when you did the same thing as well.


    Zhang Lie pretended to be ignorant. "I don''t know whether he''s truly loyal, either, so I''d like to leave him here for now."


    Li Zongming cried out, "Isn''t that the same as leaving a potential bomb in my world?!"


    "Yes, it is."


    "You admit to it that easily? Why not leave him in the draconian world?"


    "The draconian sage isn''t as strong as you are."


    Li Zongming was again rendered speechless by Zhang Lie''s response.


    Zhang Lie continued, "You''re stronger than the draconian sage, so if he does something, you''ll be able to stop him. On the other hand, the draconian sage would be at a loss as to what to do with him. Furthermore, I''m not frequently in the draconian world anymore, and it''d be difficult for me to keep an eye on this fellow."


    Furthermore, the draconian world possessed his monarch-grade farm, the most important resource he had in the third realm.


    "And what of Qianlin''s safety?"


    Zhang Lie hesitated a little before nodding. "I''ll take her with me as I leave."


    Li Zongming sighed. "Tell her yourself. It''s between the two of you, so it''s better if I don''t butt in."


    Zhang Lie headed straight to the pce to find Li Qianlin, who was, as always, so beautiful it looked as though she had stepped out of a portrait. Despite the fact that Zhang Lie had just been through a heated battle, the two of them had seen each other quite recently.


    Li Qianlin said, "Father told me that you went off to fight another incredibly strong foe, the most ancient superior king."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "He really was quite strong."


    "What was the oue?"


    "Well, I''m back."


    "Did you manage to kill him?"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Li Qianlin beckoned him in. "I made you a few snacks, which I made myself."


    Zhang Lie strode in and immediately sampled one. "The taste is exquisite. You''ve gotten much better¡ªand these are fresh, aren''t they?"


    Li Qianlin nodded. "I made them today. I make a new serving daily, waiting for you to return."


    "No wonder you''ve gotten so much better recently." It was because of all the practice she had gotten from making them so frequently.


    "I didn''t make them daily to get better, but because I was waiting for you." She worked at the snacks with all her heart, wanting to see Zhang Lie''s pleased expression when he tried them. Li Qianlin continued to smile. "I was hoping to see you return every day, ready and waiting for my snacks."


    /p>Zhang Lie felt as though he was consuming not just the snacks, but also her heartfelt wishes and blessings.


    Li Qianlin propped up her lower jaw with her hands curiously. "Can you tell me about it?"


    "What?"


    "What happened to you during thisst excursion away from the Zongming world."


    Zhang Lie exined how he had tracked down the king of keys and finally engaged in a battle to the death with him.


    Li Qianlin listened patiently, her eyes intently on Zhang Lie''s face.


    Zhang Lie could sense Li Qianlin''s eyes turn moist.


    Li Qianlin clutched her chest. "I made snacks daily hoping for your return¡ªbut I was so worried you might never return! That''s why I did this daily, pining and hoping to believe that you would one day return and tell me all about your exploits."


    Zhang Lie lowered his head. "I''m sorry for making you worry."


    "There''s no need. Perhaps I''m too useless¡ªunlike Sun Mengmeng, I can''t fight alongside you, and neither can I help you. All I can do is make you snacks."


    Zhang Lie shook his head vehemently as he tugged on Li Qianlin''s hands. "That''s nonsense! Your snacks can warm my heart and wipe away my stress. What I''ve worked so hard to aplish all this time is to be able to taste these delicious snacks, to enjoy these periods of rxation and rest that can warm my heart."


    Zhang Lie''s corny words made Li Qianlinugh, lifting her mood. "It''s nothing so exaggerated."


    Upon witnessing that Li Qianlin''s moods were shifting for the better, Zhang Lie continued even more fervently, "No, I''ve been understating it, even. I''m sure I''ve been born just to sample your snacks, surely!"


    Li Qianlinughed. "Thank you forforting me." The worry and concern she had felt waiting for Zhang Lie day after day¡ªall of it dissipated like smoke. "I had been thinking of drugging the snacks to make you stay by my side, but it looks like I won''t have to resort to that after all."


    Zhang Lie nced at the snack in his hand, not sure if he should consume it after the recent revtion.


    Li Qianlinughed again at his hesitation.

 Chapter 1138: No Need To Worry

    <h4>Chapter 1138: No Need To Worry</h4>


    Li Qianlin assured Zhang Lie, "Don''t worry, I gave up on my n to drug you after recalling that you''re immune to third-realm poisons."


    So you really did think about this n in some detail! Women truly couldn''t be roused to anger, and the most beautiful were frequently the most deadly.


    "Follow me."


    "Where?" Li Qianlin asked.


    "We''ll leave the Zongming world for now and head to the draconian world instead."


    Li Qianlin cocked her head. "And then you''ll ditch me there?"


    Zhang Lie went silent.


    "I''ll feel the same way no matter where I am." As long as I''m without you, it''s all the same to me. "At the very least, however, this is my homeworld."


    Li Qianlin''s reasoning left Zhang Lie uncertain of how to respond. "Or do you intend to keep mepany all throughout?"


    "I''m sorry." Zhang Lie was unable to give her a firm promise.


    "My intention isn''t to me you." Li Qianlin knew that Zhang Lie''s excursions tobat stronger and stronger foes was to protect them, to protect the entirety of the Zongming world.


    "I''m sorry."


    Upon witnessing Zhang Lie''s dejected expression, Li Qianlin was silent for a few moments. She replied, "Well, I am getting a little tired of staying home. I don''t mind apanying you."


    As she packed and prepared to leave, Zhang Lie informed Li Zongming, "I''ll be taking Li Qianlin with me for some time."


    Li Zongming nodded, beckoning them away.


    Li Qianlin asked, "Why did you want to bring me to the draconian world all of a sudden?"


    "I wanted to spend more time with you."


    "Couldn''t we have done that here?" She felt as though there were something Zhang Lie was keeping from her.


    "It doesn''t feel that safe around here."


    Li Qianlin cocked her head. "Isn''t that all the more reason for you to stay?"


    "Your father''s around, too."


    Li Qianlin narrowed her eyes. "What''s the real issue?"


    Zhang Lie confessed, "The king of keys had a son who surrendered, and I''m leaving him in the Zongming world for now."


    Li Qianlin''s eyes widened. "Isn''t that equivalent to leaving a bomb here?!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No, nothing so serious, and he has no intention of seeking revenge. Even if he did, don''t underestimate your father''s strength. After absorbing the spoils of war he''s gained, your father''s as strong as any superior king of antiquity. There are only a rare few people who would be able to hurt your father in his own world¡ªas far as I know, only the members of Team Zenith."


    After all, superior kings had an extreme advantage in their own worlds.


    After that, Zhang Lie returned to the draconian world, where he immediately made a beeline for the gic lifeform farm to check on Zhu''s progress. He found it to be filled with pits and holes, with arge number of gic lifeforms'' carcasses around.


    The draconian sage and the members of Team Zenith were all gathered at the farm.


    Seeing the bloodstains on their clothes, though the blood was from the gic lifeforms, Zhang Lie asked dubiously, "What''s going on?"


    "Zhang Lie, you''re back!" Zhu rushed up to him and hugged him tightly.


    The draconian sage let out a deep breath. "Zhang Lie, you''re finally back! We wouldn''t have known what to do otherwise."


    Zhu lowered her head in apology. "It was all my fault. The unusual monarch-grade lifeform went on a rampage."


    "What happened to it?"


    Zhu frowned. "It grew even faster than expected and became particrly recalcitrant. I thought this was an ordinary part of its growth and didn''t pay much attention. It''s all my fault."


    The draconian sage added, "Actually, that lifeform has misbehaved more than once, and it took I and Zhu''sbined effort to stop it from rampaging.


    "Bring me over."


    Deep within the farm, the two rampaging lifeforms had calmed down.


    The special monarch-grade lifeform had, shockingly, reached a stage beyond even ordinary monarch-grade.


    "A post-monarch-grade lifeform... no wonder even the disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard had little effect on it," Zhang Lie surmised.


    It had gradually been freeing itself from the influence of Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, which was very potent, but ultimately restricted by its grade.


    The fact that it could even influence monarch-grade lifeforms was impressive enough, but that was it. At most, it would enforce obedience from monarch-grade lifeforms, but those lifeforms that went beyond it would be extremely difficult to control.


    "Even so, the mistmeld m soulshard should have had some effect, especially in conjunction with Zhu''s special ability. It looks like this monarch-grade lifeform is truly special."


    Was it a mutant that hade into existence by natural chance?


    Perhaps it had been willing to lie low while it was amassing its strength, taking advantage of the farm''s abundant resources and nourishing food, biding its time until it was beyond even the draconian sage''s control.


    p>When it ascended to monarch-grade and stabilized its foundations, this unusual lifeform finally felt strong enough to break free¡ªonly to find the members of Team Zenith back in the draconian world.


    Against the members of Team Zenith, who were able to take down even the superior kings of antiquity, the unusual gic lifeform was little threat.


    "It''s a bit dangerous..." ...almost like a ticking time bomb.


    Zhu lowered her head in shame. "Zhang Lie, it''s all my fault. I didn''t take proper care of the farm..."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "No, Zhu, it isn''t. We were too indiscriminate with our attacks, and we ended up killing more lifeforms than we should have."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "They''re just gic lifeforms¡ªit''s no matter. Conveniently, I have a number of gic lifeforms under temporary storage in the scaleman world, and it''s past time I reimed them. I''ll be heading to the scaleman world shortly to im those lifeforms and replenish our losses. Zhu, don''t worry¡ªthis wasn''t your fault."


    Li Qianlin hugged Zhu and caressed her head.


    "Right, we can''t me Zhu for this. If there''s anyone to me, it''s the person who spends all his time gallivanting about without evening to check on the situation."


    Zhang Lie touched his nose, tacitly acquiescing.


    On the other hand, Sun Mengmeng defended him. "Our captain''s simply trying to protect the three newly evolved superior worlds! He risks his life in every fight¡ªit''s all thanks to him that we can live in such an idyllic fashion."


    Zhang Lie calmed them down. "Alright, alright, let''s not argue about this further."


    Zhu asked, "Shall I continue feeding it?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Let''s do so. I''m curious just what its limits might be."


    To the draconian sage, Zhang Lie was undoubtedly ying with fire, but he had the strength to do so. Despite the fact that the unusual monarch-grade lifeform was beyond a regr monarch-grade one in strength, it paled inparison to Zhang Lie.


    The draconian sage asked worriedly, "What if the lifeform goes on a rampage again?"

 Chapter 1139: Unusual Mutation

    Chapter 1139: Unusual Mutation


    The draconian sage was worried because this was his world. Zhang Lie wasn''t frequently in the draconian world anymore, and the members of Team Zenith were following him around as they waged war on the superior kings of antiquity, leaving only him, a rather weak and helpless superior king, behind.


    If there were another rampage, he would have to shoulder the burden on his own. However, this unusual gic lifeform was beyond monarch-grade, and even he couldn''t do anything about it.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Now that Gold Comet''s back, I''ll let him guard the farm. Gold Comet has exhaustive experience in skirmishing. He might not be beyond monarch-grade yet, but hisbat acumen and experience are iparable to this unusual gic lifeform''s."


    After all, the gic lifeforms within the farm had all been grown essentially artificially, like lions and tigers that had been reared in a zoo.


    Gold Comet had fought and earned his way to his current strength. Unusual though this post-monarch-grade lifeform might be, it had barely anybat experience to speak of, save a few recent skirmishes with the draconian sage.


    In other words, Gold Comet was far and away the superior lifeform when it came to an actual fight.


    Upon hearing that Gold Comet would be around to safeguard the draconian world, the draconian sage sighed in relief.


    "Gold Comet would easily be able to suppress this post-monarch-grade lifeform," the draconian sage agreed.


    Zhang Lie continued, "However, before that, we need to make sure that this lifeform knows that there''s a price to pay for its mischief¡ªthat it has to fear our reprisal."


    The draconian sage asked, "How?"


    "Zhu, were there any other monarch-grade lifeforms that you cultivated in the meantime?"


    Zhu nodded. "I''ve been working very hard, and I managed to coax one more monarch-grade lifeform out."


    Zhang Lie caressed Zhu''s sea-blue hair. "Not bad!"


    Zhuughed. "Keep praising me, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie continued to caress Zhu''s hair as he motioned for the members of Team Zenith to bring that monarch-grade lifeform over. They would ughter it right before the unusual post-monarch-grade lifeform''s shocked and furious gaze.


    Zhang Lie sneered at the unusual lifeform. "If you aren''t obedient, this is what''s going to happen to you."


    Zhang Lie then handed Zhu the spoils of the battle against the king of keys. "There are thirty superior worlds'' worth of energy here, enough to sustain this farm for quite some time."


    Zhu, who had never seen such a huge stockpile of treasure before, was shocked beyond belief. The draconian sage had to wipe away his drool.


    Afterwards, Zhang Lie left with Li Qianlin and headed toward the scaleman world on the back of the multicolored disaster-grade dragon.


    The scaleman king weed the two of them. Noting how intimate Li Qianlin seemed to be, he ventured, "Master, is this your wife?"


    Li Qianlin flushed red.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Ah, you found out."


    Li Qianlin kicked Zhang Lie''s leg, but by this point, her kicks felt barely any stronger than if he were scratching an itch. On the other hand, Li Qianlin winced¡ªit was as though she had kicked a steel bar.


    Zhang Lie turned to her. "What''s the matter? Are you alright?"


    Li Qianlin red at Zhang Lie, the annoying fellow.


    Zhang Lie coughed. He turned to the scaleman king. "You mentioned that you had arge surplus of post-peak-grade and disaster-grade lifeforms?"


    The scaleman king nodded fervently. "Yes, Master! Shortly after you left, there was another swell of breeding lifeforms, and the farm''s almost stuffed full. I''ve been concerned about what to do with them."


    Time in the area had been sped up tremendously by the authority of the superior king. As the scaleman king''s strength grew and the scaleman world gained more energy, the rate at which the gic lifeforms grew and reproduced would only increase. Between Zhang Lie''sst departure from and arrival to the scaleman world, the number of post-peak-grade and disaster-grade lifeforms had increased fivefold.


    The scaleman king asked, "Do you have need of these lifeforms, Master? It''s difficult for me to handle them too much, and there are so many that the farm''s almost beyond capacity."


    The scaleman king had already renovated the farm and doubled its size, but the rate at which these lifeforms were growing was simply ridiculous.


    "Thankfully, the scaleman world''s been growing as well, and there hasn''t been a problem yet. If you need any, Master, please take them away," the scaleman king offered.


    "Very well. I''ll take all the lifeforms beyond superior-grade."


    The scaleman king asked, "Not all of them?"


    "You''ll need some stock to keep breeding, won''t you?"


    The scaleman king replied, "There''s no need, Master. After all, we still have a tradition of annual royal hunts around here, though it''s essentially just me, my brother, and my nephew. It''s a festive asion for us all."


    "No, I''d be embarrassed to take them all¡ªand the draconian world isn''t equipped for them all, at any rate."


    The scaleman king urged, "No need for the courtesy, Master. All my aplishments are due to you."


    Zhang Lie was growing a little impatient. "I''ll be direct, then. Keep rearing the superior-grade lifeforms for me here for now, and once you amass arge number of disaster- and peak-grade lifeforms, I''ll take them off your hands. I''ll alsoe and replenish my stock of gic lifeforms as and when I need them, treating your hunting grounds as a second farm. Is that eptable?"


    The scaleman king bowed. "I''m happy to serve, Master."


    Zhang Lie controlled arge number of the lifeforms with his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, then left with them in tow.


    Li Qianlin asked curiously, "Just what''s your rtionship with the scaleman king? He seems very respectful of you."


    "I gave him a push during a time of need." Zhang Lie slowly retold to Li Qianlin his escapades with the scaleman king, who had once been the ninth prince of his people.


    When he finished the story, she sighed. "To think you were able to raise a prince no one thought highly of to one of the three newly ascended superior kings of the third realm..."


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s hardly as impressive as that. He still needs to grow much more."


    "You really are a demanding master, aren''t you? He''s already a superior king, a man at the peak of the three thousand worlds, with the same status as my father! There are only four superior worlds left among the three thousand, and he leads one of those four! How much further do you want him to go? It''s unrealistic to expect him to be the next king of chaos."


    "Now that you mention it..."

 Chapter 1140: I Destroyed Them All

    Chapter 1140: I Destroyed Them All


    Zhang Lie returned to the draconian world with arge group of lifeforms he had obtained from the scaleman world.


    There were five thousand superior-grade lifeforms, a thousand peak-grade lifeforms, a hundred post-peak-grade lifeforms, and even a dozen or so disaster-grade lifeforms, far more than sufficient to ount for the losses from the unusual lifeform''s rampage.


    Even the draconian sage was shocked by Zhang Lie''s efficiency. If not for Zhang Lie, he would have thought that the gic lifeforms were plotting a rebellion against the draconian world.


    Zhu was simrly shocked beyond belief to see so many new lifeforms to rear.


    Zhang Lie instructed her, "I''ve controlled the lifeforms with my mistmeld m soulshard. I''ll be leaving them in your care."


    Zhu nodded fervently. "Yes, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Hanxiang came over. "When I heard that arge group of gic lifeforms had been brought back to the draconian world, I knew you had to be involved, Brother."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are you here to have a look at the gic lifeforms, Hanxiang?"


    Zhang Hanxiang pouted. "I''m not so free. Brother, Hong Tianqi dispatched a few third-realm hunters to summon you."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s the matter?"


    "He seems to want to ask about the current distribution of power in the third realm."


    "What''s there to discuss?" Zhang Lie didn''t think there was anything particrly noteworthy.


    Even so, Hong Tianqi was the highest authority of the united world federation, and he had dispatched quite a few hunters to search for Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie couldn''t simply ignore him.


    After all, Hong Tianqi was only doing his job. Thest few times they had spoken, Hong Tianqi looked particrly harried, and there was no way he would seek Zhang Lie outlike this if there weren''t urgent business.


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Qianlin. "Qianlin, stay here for a day or two. I''ll have to return to the Milky Way to have a chat with Hong Tianqi."


    Li Qianlin waved at him. "Go, go. Don''t worry about me¡ªI''ll be around."


    Zhang Hanxiang took ahold of Li Qianlin''s arm.


    "Brother, hurry and go. I''ll look after Qianlin. Nothing will go wrong."


    Zhang Lie dipped his head in acquiescence as he shattered space and headed to the teleportation apparatus that led back to Earth.


    Upon witnessing the sudden event, the hunters milling around the apparatus were all shocked, only to btedly realize that it was Zhang Lie. The hunters were shocked and excited¡ªby now, Zhang Lie was one of the premier idols of the third realm.


    Zhang Lie returned straight back to the Zenith Dojo, where he sent Hong Tianqi a message immediately.


    Hong Tianqi had clearly been waiting for Zhang Lie''s call, because he picked up immediately. "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "I heard something major happened in the third realm."


    "It''s been resolved, now."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Troops from the superior worlds of antiquity invaded the draconian world, didn''t they?"


    As the highest authority of the united world federation, Hong Tianqi was privy to at least this much information, but he was clearly unaware that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had dealt with the invasion and subsequently taken down all the superior kings of antiquity.


    What they had aplished would forever be recorded in the annals of the third realm.


    "Everything''s resolved."


    "Everything''s resolved... did you manage to deal with that army, then?"


    Zhang Lie sounded rather upset. "Is this all you came to speak with me about?"


    "What do you mean, ''is this all''? The draconian world''s the base of the third realm hunters! Of course I have to pay attention¡ªand the invasion of a superior world of antiquity is no trifling affair. You''re the strongest hunter in the third realm, and you must know something the other humans are unaware of. That''s why I sought you out for more information."


    The superior worlds of antiquity lorded over the third realm.


    Back when Hong Tianqi was a third-realm hunter, he wasn''t even aware of the upper echelons of strength that these superior worlds represented, and had only learned of them after bing the highest authority of the united world federation.


    If not for the fact that Zhang Lie had started participating in these circles, he would still be unfamiliar with them, and he had always been invested in learning what information he could.


    When he heard that the humans'' home base, the draconian world, had evolved into a superior world, Hong Tianqi was simultaneously excited and worried¡ªexcited that the humans had managed to augment their strength and base of operations significantly, and that all the third-realm hunters would benefit as a result.


    Although he was unfamiliar with the precise evolution of a superior world, it was easy to guess that humanity''s status would risemensurately. On the other hand, he was worried that the sudden evolution would cause trouble¡ªfor example, if conflict arose between the humans and the indigenous people of the world, the draconians; or perhaps if there were a sh between the humans and another world that had merged with the draconian world.


    Of course, these were unfounded worries. If Hong Tianqi had a better grasp of the situation, he would have realized that none would dare to provoke the humans in the third realm any longer.


    Everyone in the third realm knew that the humans were a bellicose race, one primed for war. They had invaded fifty different worlds one after the other¡ªnone would dare provoke such monsters.


    It was normal that Hong Tianqi was worried about a superior world''s invasion, but Zhang Lie rebuffed Hong Tianqi''s interrogation. "What could have happened? You''re worried over nothing. I''ve destroyed all the superior worlds of antiquity except the world of primordial chaos."


    Hong Tianqi shrieked in shock, "Hold it, what did you just say?!"


    Zhang Lie winced as he clutched his ear. "Don''t get so excited!"


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Are we talking about the same superior worlds?"


    Zhang Lie sounded rather confused. "What other superior worlds could there be?"


    Zhang Lie had all but finished his exploration of the third realm, and the only interesting location he had yet to check out was the world of primordial chaos.


    "The superior worlds of antiquity are the overlords of the third realm, aren''t they?"


    "I... suppose so..."


    To the native inhabitants of the third realm, superior worlds were entities beyond their reach, the sky above the sky¡ªbut to Zhang Lie, they were hardly anything worth speaking of.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "Just how did you manage to take nine of them down, then?!"

 Chapter 1141: In A Textbook

    <h4>Chapter 1141: In A Textbook</h4>


    "Why, I simply defeated the superior kings of antiquity inbat," Zhang Lie told Hong Tianqi.


    Hong Tianqi was so agitated he seemed ready to vomit blood. "Can''t you be more specific?"


    "They attacked me, so I got rid of them."


    Hong Tianqi seemed to be at his wit''s end. "How about the details of the fight?"


    "I could tell you about it, but it''d be a long and meandering affair. Remember my fight against the death spirit king?"


    "If I''m not mistaken, all the superior worlds banded together in an alliance, didn''t they?"


    "After that fight, a few superior worlds of antiquity banded together against the newly evolved superior worlds, and we retaliated. In the end, we defeated them all."


    "Hold on, the superior worlds are segregated? And you formed a new faction?"


    Hong Tianqi had a rough understanding of the power structure within the third realm, but he wasn''t privy to the recent tumultuous changes that Zhang Lie had caused.


    "Not in the past, but ever since the war against the death spirits."


    "Did anything happen during that war?"


    "Tworge worlds evolved into superior worlds. You''re aware of the draconian world¡ªit evolved then. Do you understand now?"


    "In other words, the humans were forced to participate in this conflict against the superior worlds of antiquity. How many newly evolved worlds are there?"


    Zhang Lie clutched his head in annoyance. "How is it that you''re unaware of this stuff as the highest authority of the united world federation?"


    Hong Tianqi rolled his eyes. "I''d know if I could investigate it all¡ªbut you''re the pioneer of the third realm at the moment! Far easier to just ask you."


    Although the third realm had been open and essible for decades, humanity had only ever yed a minor role in its affairs.


    There had never been anyone who could go up against a superior king of antiquity, who had discovered disaster gene fragments, and who could kill kings of the realm ofrge worlds. As a result, humanity''s understanding of the third realm stopped at the level ofrge worlds.


    It was only after the appearance of disaster gene fragments that superior worlds had been unlocked to humanity, and no one had yet managed to ascend to the peak of the third realm as had Zhang Lie.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to im that Zhang Lie''s rebirth hadpletely revolutionized humanity''s standing in the third realm.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "The superior worlds of antiquity were the xuluo world, the world of zing sun, the white world, the world of ck fog, the unclean world, the world of primordial chaos, and the rather unusual king of keys, who represents a world in his own right. The only one left is the world of primordial chaos."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Hold on, can I take a voice recording?"


    "For what?"


    "As source material, of course!" Hong Tianqi replied. "The Milky Way doesn''t have any information recorded about these superior worlds.


    All we knew about them was their names and that they were very strong, but we were never able to understand just how strong. Only when you ascended to the third realm did we begin to learn more."


    "You must be exaggerating."


    Hong Tianqi shook his head. "Not at all. Zhang Lie, you''re a pioneer¡ªand every word you say from now on will be valuable research material! It''ll be information passed down to iing third-realm hunters."


    "It really isn''t that important."


    "No," Hong Tianqi disagreed. "It''s far more important than you can imagine. This information could be life-saving, and your name will be preserved now and hereinafter."


    Zhang Lie grinned. "You mean to say that iing hunters will doodle over drawings of me, coloring my face in all shades of odd colors, giving me a mustache and wacky eyebrows, and so on?"


    Hong Tianqi blinked. "Sorry, give me a moment. I suddenly thought of something important I had to do."


    "As you will."


    Zhang Lie and Hong Tianqi were close enough that Zhang Lie didn''t much mind this interruption.


    Hong Tianqi sent out another call. When it connected, he said, "You were nning to include my image in instructional material to be distributed throughout the Milky Way, weren''t you?"


    A voice came from the other end of the transceiver. "Yes, authority! Is anything the issue?"


    "Please exclude my image¡ªjust leave my name."


    The voice was exceedingly respectful. "Authority, if you have any special requests, please let us know. We''ll do our best to fulfill them."


    Hong Tianqi demurred. "After careful consideration, I now believe that my contributions aren''t significant enough to be deserving of an image. It would be too prideful of me."


    "You''re far too modest, authority! The fact that you''re the newest head of the united world federation is more than enough to be in the textbooks."


    Hong Tianqi shook his head. "Do as I say, please! I don''t want any future generations of hunters to doodle on my image¡ªno, no, I simply don''t want any future generations of hunters to criticize my inaction beyond having taken the post of the highest authority of the united world federation. I hope the reason that future generations of hunters are aware of me is because of my future actions, not because my image is in their textbooks."


    The other voice was awed by Hong Tianqi''s humility. "Authority, you are truly an inspiration. I''ll record your words for the future generation!"


    Hong Tianqi ended the call, then turned back to Zhang Lie. "Where were we? Ah, yes, the textbooks."


    "Actually, you shouldn''t have minded."


    Hong Tianqi was unimpressed. "Do I look as though I care about such trifling matters? So what if others doodle on my portrait? It''s something that every student does. I simply feel that I don''t deserve to have a portrait included¡ªdespite the fact that I''m the new head of the united world federation, I''ve done little to justify it, far less than you, at any rate."


    "What I mean is, your portrait has long since been part of textbooks on Earth. I even drew a mustache on you, with a muscled man standing right by your side. If I may say so myself, you were rather dashing."


    Zhang Lie had enjoyed his childhood while his parents were still alive.


    Hong Tianqi: ...


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, Hong Tianqi suddenly very much wanted to recall all hunter-rted instructional material on Earth.


    However, that wasn''t realistic. After all, the damage was already done. He didn''t much mind his portrait being doodled on in the abstract, but for Zhang Lie himself to have done so...


    Hong Tianqi didn''t want to pay Zhang Lie a visit only to find that Zhang Lie''s children''s textbooks likewise had him with a mustache and standing alongside a group of muscled men.

 Chapter 1142: Sharing Information

    <h4>Chapter 1142: Sharing Information</h4>


    Hong Tianqi shook his head to dispel the image. "Let''s return to the topic at hand. What are these superior worlds of antiquity like?"


    "Argh, this is frustrating."


    Hong Tianqi scowled. "This is precious information and research material! Please, be more serious."


    Zhang Lie felt fatigued just thinking about describing all the superior worlds of antiquity¡ªnot just one or two, but rather all nine. After a moment, he suggested, "I think I should call the members of Team Zenith over."


    "Why?" Hong Tianqi didn''t understand the reason behind Zhang Lie''s suggestion.


    Zhang Lie exined, "If this is as important as you im, then the members of Team Zenith should tell you about their firsthand experience instead. After all, they participated in the counterattack, and they''re familiar with the details of these superior worlds, thebat strength of the superior kings of antiquity, and all sorts of miscenea."


    Hong Tianqi seemed a little dubious. "Indeed?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I only took care of four of the superior kings. They''re far more knowledgeable than I am about the world of zing sun and the white world."


    Hong Tianqi couldn''t help but sigh. "To think that all of youpetitors to the Void Throne havee so far..."


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''ll call the members of Team Zenith over and let you know when they''re ready."


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "Very well. It''s been quite a while since Ist saw them."


    Having more sources of information could only be a good thing. Although only the world of primordial chaos remained, Zhang Lie had mentioned that there were newly evolved superior worlds. Analyzing the superior worlds of the past was equivalent to analyzing the superior worlds of the future.


    After Zhang Lie hung up, he returned to the draconian world, where he assembled the members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Brother, you''re back! How was the discussion with Authority Hong?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Hong Tianqi wanted to know about the various superior worlds of antiquity."


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "So you''re preparing that information now?"


    "There''s no such information avable in the third realm¡ªor rather, there might have been, but the superior worlds of antiquity have kept it all locked up for themselves."


    As for the Zongming king, he had just recently ascended, and what he knew waspletely a subset of what Zhang Lie knew.


    Before the ascension, Li Zongming had only known that superior worlds existed in the third realm and were immensely strong existences¡ªand that was it.


    The superior worlds were so far beyond the rest of the worlds of the third realm that none of the worlds knew much about them until the war against the death spirits began in earnest. To the superior worlds of antiquity, the other worlds might as well have been ants.


    "Compiling a database isn''t a bad suggestion..." Perhaps he should let the members of Team Zenith submit a report to Hong Tianqi¡ªbut no, they didn''t know anything about the xuluo world or the world of ck fog.


    By the time they learned of superior worlds, the xuluo world had already been destroyed. In the end, Zhang Lie would have to be the one volunteering all that information.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The superior worlds of antiquity have all been destroyed, and the world of primordial chaos is likely the only one that still has detailed records. The Zongming world has recently ascended and might have some records, but the Zongming king wouldn''t know more than me or the members of Team Zenith."


    Zhang Lie was akin to a walking encyclopedia in the third realm, and there was very little he didn''t know about.


    "Even I don''t know the king of chaos'' limits¡ªhe''s as chaotic as his name. He''s neither good nor evil, and he acts ording to his whims. Who knows what he''d ask for in exchange for all that information?"


    The king of chaos was undoubtedly the entity with the most detailed records of the third realm. The king of chaos had existed since antiquity, and only the most ancient king, the king of keys.


    The king of chaos knew many of the secrets of the third realm, and even what the third realm had been like before it developed into its current fragmented state. If Zhang Lie was a walking encyclopedia, then the king of chaos was like a living tome of history.


    However, no one wanted to ask the king of chaos anything. The king of chaos operated on a principle of chaos, on whimsy. No one knew where his interestsy, which made him particrly difficult to predict, analyze, and understand.


    It was possible to negotiate with just about anyone else, but the king of chaos was different. It seemed that all he did was calcted to make the three thousand worlds even more chaotic, so that he could watch on and enjoy the show.


    Given his strength, however, it would be far too easy for him to mess up the three thousand worlds, but he hadn''t done so. Zhang Lie didn''t understand the principles by which he operated at all.


    He pointed at his head. "Even if I''m not the king of chaos, I still know quite a bit about the superior worlds that have been destroyed. They''re all in here." He tapped his brain.


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Then why call on Sun Mengmeng and the others?"


    "For more detailed information."


    Zhang Lie naturally didn''t want to admit that he wasn''t interested in producing all that information, and it was true that the members of Team Zenith knew more details bout their respective worlds than he did.


    Zhang Lie asked, "How''s Qianlin?"


    Zhang Hanxiang rolled her eyes. "You''ve been gone for less than a day! Do you really think she pines for you day and night? She''s having fun with Zhu on the farm. Do you want me to call her over?"


    Zhang Lie hurriedly shook his head. "No, there''s no need. I''ll be leaving after I summon the members of Team Zenith."

 Chapter 1143: Describing the Worlds

    <h4>Chapter 1143: Describing the Worlds</h4>


    The members of Team Zenith quickly made their way over after being summoned.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, did something happen for you to summon all of us?"


    Fang Yi added, "Are we waging war again?"


    Li Feng frowned. "Is there anyone else left in the third realm who can threaten us?"


    Sun Xiaowu hazarded a bold guess. "Could we be waging war against the king of chaos himself?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, cutting them off. "I summoned all of you not to wage war."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "For what purpose, then?"


    Zhang Lie scowled. "I''m not a battle maniac. We just had a battle of mythical proportions in the third realm¡ªwould I initiate a war again so quickly? Now, would all of you like to leave your mark in history?"


    Fang Yi asked dubiously, "Aren''t we famous enough already?"


    They had apanied Zhang Lie to break new ground in the various realms. They had taken the Void Throne in the first realm and ughtered the xuluo in the second. Those two sesses alone would leave a permanent mark in the annals of humanity''s history.


    Even centuries down the line, their sesses and deeds would be spoken of among the Milky Way¡ªthough anything beyond that was hard to guarantee.


    Zhang Lie rified, "No, what I mean is, would you all like to go further and be others'' research materials? You''ll all be listed as contributors for instructional material for the next generation of hunters, and all researchers of the third realm."


    Yang Ze''s lips twitched. "That doesn''t sound particrly enticing, honestly."


    Sun Mengmeng chose the direct approach. "Captain, is something the matter? Tell us directly, please. There''s no need to beat around the bush."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Alright. Well, this is something I''m not particrly good at. I summoned all of you here because Hong Tianqi wants us topile some research material on the superior worlds."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What''s there to study about them?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Nothing of interest to us, of course, since we know very well what these superior worlds represent¡ªbut others don''t share our wealth of knowledge. They''ve never encountered superior kings before, and quite arge number of hunters from the Milky Way have never been to or heard of superior worlds."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "We''re going to be leaving research material behind for the hunters of the Milky Way?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Not just for the hunters of the Milky Way, but also for humanity. After all, we can''t have a future generation of hunters ascending to the third realm without realizing what superior worlds are."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "If hunters ascend to the third realm and only know of superior worlds as host to particrly strong forces, that wouldn''t be sufficient."


    "But," Yang Ze began, "except for the king of chaos, the other superior worlds are affiliated with humanity now..."


    Li Feng still seemed doubtful of the idea. "What''s there to study? After all, we won''t be enemies."


    Zhang Lie warned, "Perhaps not now, but what about after we ascend? The draconian world has forged deep connections with humans over long years of partnership, but what about the other superior worlds?"


    Fang Yi thought about the current situation for a moment. "Indeed, the superior worlds might remain allied with us for some time after we ascend, but who knows what will happen after a century or two?"


    Zhang Lie continued, "Furthermore, it''s true that we''re currently allied with all other superior worlds than the world of primordial chaos, but the third realm won''t remain static. There will certainly be more superior worlds in the future."


    Everyone was growing convinced of the need to leave behind some details on the superior worlds.


    While the situation was currently favorable to humans and the hunters of the Milky Way atrge, that wasn''t guaranteed to remain the case. Leaving some information behind could help during times of need.


    The hunters stepped through the teleportation apparatus and returned to the Milky Way. Hong Tianqi had been waiting for their arrival, and the call connected to a disy of him eating.


    Zhang Lie suggested, "We''ll call you back."


    Hong Tianqi replied, "No, let''s do it as is. Just speak, and I''ll listen."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Who wants to go first?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "Up to you."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What should we describe?"


    "Anything," Hong Tianqi replied. "The superior worlds of antiquity you''ve been to, for example, and what they were like."


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "I''m simply not sure if it''ll be of any use to you."


    "Of course it will!" Hong Tianqi affirmed. "Every piece of information about the superior worlds of the third realm, of which we know almost nothing, is inordinately precious."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "Very well. Let me describe the white world, a world perennially covered with white snow, hence its name. The world has remained permanently in an ice age, with sub-freezing temperatures on its surface. The king of the white world, the white queen, is a frost spirit¡ªa half-ethereal being, in our terminology..."


    As Sun Mengmeng began her exposition, Hong Tianqi began to take notes.


    Sun Xiaowu added, "The white world was host to two other entities on the level of superior kings, likely post-disaster-grade lifeforms, one a dragon of crystalline frost and another a behemoth."


    Hong Tianqi immediately asked, "After you killed those gic lifeforms, did you find any disaster-grade cores or the equivalent?"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "No." However, they did consume all its flesh.


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "It''s a pity. Disaster- and above-grade cores can be absorbed, which would prove that post-disaster-grade lifeforms really do exist in the third realm."


    The members of Team Zenith were silent. Thanks to Zhang Lie, they had discovered such lifeforms long ago, and had been farming them since. They peeped at Zhang Lie to see what he thought of revealing the information, but Zhang Lie shook his head, warning them against the idea.


    Although Hong Tianqi was trustworthy, the news of monarch-grade lifeforms was incredibly overwhelming, and that information was tied to the existence of Zhang Lie''s farm for gic lifeforms, which he didn''t want to expose.


    That farm was the true treasure that Zhang Lie had cultivated in the third realm, which he and the members of Team Zenith would need to advance their own development as hunters. They hadn''t yet obtained all their monarch gene fragments, and it was better not to reveal that secret for now.


    Hong Tianqi requested, "Please continue."


    Sun Xiaowu took his turn. "The behemoth was a huge titan, about the size of a battleship. It spent millennia hibernating deep within the subterranean ice..."


    After Sun Xiaowu finished, Hong Tianqi continued, "Next, please."


    Li Feng began his tale.

 Chapter 1144: A Matter of Familiarity

    <h4>Chapter 1144: A Matter of Familiarity</h4>


    Li Feng told Hong Tianqi, "The world of zing sun was a superior world over which a hundred golden suns hovered in the sky, and veins ofva flowed under the surface. However, the entire world was surprisingly stable despite the heat. Theva veins never erupted or went haywire, thanks to the presence of a golden tree in the world, a golden mulberry tree."


    Zhou Ying added, "The golden mulberry tree regted the subterraneanva veins and ensured that they were at equilibrium."


    Fang Yi jumped in. "The sr king was a frightening existence, one covered in golden mes. Ten suns circled behind him, forming a ring of suns. With a single wave of his hand, he could manifest a thousand suns in the sky, which would fall toward his opponents like a meteor shower, and he could even regenerate ten times..."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "How did all of you manage to defeat him?"


    Li Feng replied, "Zhou Ying managed to absorb the energy of the golden mulberry tree. That,bined with Fang Yi''s ultimate technique, was enough to y the sr king once and for all."


    Fang Yi continued, "The sr king even made use of his proof of kingship to create an undead monstrosity with a furnace on its back, taking a leaf from the king of keys'' and the king of ck fog''s special characteristics. While the world of zing sun remained whole, the monstrosity would continue regenerating indefinitely..."


    After recording the relevant information about the world of zing sun, Hong Tianqi continued, "What about the other superior worlds?"


    His gazended on Zhang Lie, as if wordlessly prodding him to talk.


    Hong Tianqi was very curious as to what sort of worlds Zhang Lie had encountered.


    Zhang Lie began, "The first superior world I destroyed was the xuluo world."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "The xuluo world and the third realm have the same character Ðë in their name. Is there a rtionship?" [1]


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I have no idea. Only the superior king of the xuluo world would know¡ªhe chose the name himself, after all. All superior kings are free to rename their own worlds."


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "Let''s continue, then."


    Zhang Lie recounted the story of his travels in the xuluo world.


    "The xuluo world had four great lords, each with the strength of a newly ascended superior king. The world itself was covered by a sea of blood. The name of its superior king was Feitian, a huge grub-like creature, with a son known as Potian, likewise a bug. There''s otherwise nothing interesting about the xuluo world, but they do control an interesting power."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "What''s interesting about it?"


    "The power they manifest is known as heaven''s might, a power rted to karma and fate."


    Hong Tianqimented thoughtfully, "A higher-order power... I wouldn''t have expected it to appear in the third realm."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Authority, are you aware of this power?"


    Hong Tianqi rolled his eyes. "Are you looking down on me? Even before Zhang Lie appeared, I was one of the leading hunters of humanity! When I was a third-realm hunter, I might not be as strong as Zhang Lie is now, but I do have a wealth of experience! I''ve encountered karmic power too."


    Sun Mengmeng rolled his eyes. "Brother, have you forgotten that the kindly uncle you''re speaking with was known as a Heavenly Monarch, one of the strongest hunters of the Milky Way?"


    Sun Xiaowu scratched his head in embarrassment. Hong Tianqi was so easy to speak with that Sun Xiaowu had all but forgotten that Hong Tianqi was his idol as a youth, Heavenly Monarch Hong Tianqi!


    The reason that Sun Xiaowu had specified ''as a youth'' was because his current idol was Zhang Lie, who was seated by his side.


    Hong Tianqi emphasized, "Please omit ''was known''¡ªI''m still the Heavenly Monarch Hong Tianqi."


    Yang Ze asked, "Authority, did you end up fighting against any entities who wielded karmic power in the third realm?"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t particrly surprised¡ªafter all, every member of the xuluo could ess heaven''s might.


    "No," Hong Tianqi replied. "Not in the third realm. I encountered such enemies in the fourth realm, many of whom have ess to higher-order energies."


    Not everyone was as ridiculous as Zhang Lie, to have faced such foes¡ªand taken them down!¡ªin the third realm.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The other superior world I destroyed was the world of ck fog. It''s a world that''s surrounded by ck fog¡ªthe physical form of the king of ck fog''s body. The king of ck fog had melded with the will of his world to form the world of ck fog..."


    After hearing Zhang Lie recount his experiences in the two superior worlds, Hong Tianqi sighed. "To have melded his own body with the entire world... these superior worlds really are incredible."


    Yang Ze went next. "The unclean world was filled with abyssal trenches that emanated noxious fumes. An ordinary lifeform would quickly die if exposed to the fumes. The superior king of the unclean world was the king of evil, a frightening king whose body radiated a disgusting stench, formed of an amorphous mass of gray fluid."


    Zhang Lie added, "The gray fluid kept birthing deformed monstrosities, which would emerge from the surface before being swallowed back into the main body and digested..."


    Yang Ze and Zhang Lie took turns informing Hong Tianqi of the unclean world. Finally, Hong Tianqi asked, "What about the king of keys?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The king of keys was formed from the cores of myriad worlds. His body was itself a miniature universe, in which worlds were continuously birthed and annihted."


    Hong Tianqi raised his eyebrows. "Did I hear you correctly? His body is a universe?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s right."


    "Can he be considered biological life, then?" Hong Tianqi asked.


    "No, not at all. He was meant as a trump card for the will of the third realm before it was shattered to form the three thousand worlds."


    "Only you could win against such a foe..."


    "Well, I''m rtively strong."


    Sun Mengmeng boasted, "Our captain''s far too modest. Near the end of the fight, the king of keys transformed into an existence beyond naturalw and mathematical logic¡ªand our captain slew him anyway."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "And what of thisst world, the world of primordial chaos?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m sorry, but I don''t know much about it myself."


    Hong Tianqi was shocked. There was something that even Zhang Lie didn''t know about? Zhang Lie''s understanding of the third realm was beyond anyone else''s in the Milky Way¡ªbut to think that even he had gaps in his knowledge!


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Actually, I''ve never been to the world of primordial chaos. I''ve met the king of chaos a few times, and I know he has a number of clones scattered all over the third realm. He''s so strong that even I can''t see through him. I can''t get a grasp of his personality, either. His actions seem aimless¡ªas his name suggests, he''s like the personification of chaos."


    Hong Tianqi replied, "It looks like you hold him high in your estimation..."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''ve seen his clones strike a few times. The Shining Trapezohedron that he possesses is an extremely strong spatial artifact."


    1. The third realm is known as the ÐëÃÖ (xumi) realm. ??

 Chapter 1145: Dreams of Unification

    <h4>Chapter 1145: Dreams of Unification</h4>


    Zhang Lie apologized, "I''m sorry I can''t provide more information to the Milky Way."


    "No, there''s nothing to apologize for. This is valuable information and research material. The Milky Way had no understanding of these superior worlds before the eyewitness ounts that all of you have provided, clearing away a blind spot in our knowledge. This is particrly valuable for understanding the dimensional realms as a whole."


    Hong Tianqi lowered his head. "As the highest authority of the united world federation, on behalf of the Milky Way, I hereby thank all of you."


    The members of Team Zenith nced at each other, shocked by Hong Tianqi''s politeness. They hadn''t done anything unusual¡ªjust provided an ount of what they had seen and experienced.


    Hong Tianqi raised his head. "In addition, I have a small request for you."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "This isn''t your main goal in contacting me, is it? That information-gathering process wasn''t just a matter of convenience?"


    Hong Tianqi waved a hand. "No, no, of course not. Whether you agree to my request is entirely up to you."


    Zhang Lie asked, "What''s the matter, then?"


    "Some human hunters have cataloged and uploaded the changes to the draconian world to the hunters'' forums, and many Milky Way hunters gxy-wide are interested in moving to the draconian world."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "What''s so good about the draconian world that they''re willing to move there en masse?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Being in a superior world confers many benefits and advantages, Sister, but you don''t notice them because you''ve been enjoying them all this time."


    Yang Ze borated, "After the draconian world evolved into a superior world, spiritual and medicinal herbs spawned all over, and it became a lot easier to cultivate them. However, this is unlikely to be the main reason many of them are interested in moving."


    Li Feng guessed, "If I''m not mistaken, they''rergelying here for our captain, Zhang Lie."


    Fang Yi continued, "There are countless benefits to moving to a superior world, but thergest among them is likely our captain''s protection."


    Yang Ze added, "I suppose the recent war against the death spirits is causing all the hunters to be worried about their safety."


    Zhou Ying nodded. "Being able to get close to our captain might allow these hunters to cultivate their rtionships with him."


    Yang Zeughed cheekily. "In that case, our captain''s like a snack everyone wants to take a bite of."


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "If it were only these hunters from the Milky Way, as the highest authority of the united world federation, I don''t think you would convey such a request to me."


    Hong Tianqi smiled. "You''ve seen through me."


    Zhang Lie continued, "After recognizing the strength of these superior worlds, you realized that the third realm would never be the same¡ªthat it would be unsustainable for the hunters of the Milky Way to form scattered piles of sand throughout the third realm, as they''ve been doing. You want to concentrate them and appoint humanity as their leaders, creating a bastion for the Milky Way in the third realm."


    Hong Tianqi began earnestly, "If this is a sess, you''d lead the Milky Way in the third realm. It''ll give you the power to take over the entirety of the realm, and the hunters of the Milky Way will be your sharpest de."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It''s a good suggestion, but I won''t take part in it."


    Hong Tianqi cried out, "Don''t you know how strong these hunters will be if they''re working together and cooperating?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Indeed? And yet they weren''t even able to interact with the superior worlds of the third realm despite years, decades of experience. I have no need for cannon fodder, nor a group of hunters working for disparate causes."


    Hong Tianqi continued, "This will be very helpful for you when you ascend to the fourth realm."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Authority, I know you''re partially doing this for me, but I really don''t need it. As for whatever benefits I obtain in the fourth realm, I don''t need them. I got this far in the third realm on my own, andter with the members of Team Zenith, and I can repeat my sess in the fourth realm. With my fists, I''ll clear the sky."


    Hong Tianqi frowned. "You aren''t aware of just how dangerous the fourth realm is."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''ll consider this, but if there''s nothing else, I''m hanging up."


    Hong Tianqi quickly interjected, "There''s a question I''d very much like to ask you about."


    "What is it?" Zhang Lie replied.


    "Have you considered building a kingdom of Limit in the third realm, just as you''ve done in the second and the first realms?"


    Zhang Lie was startled. Building his own kingdom of Limit in the third realm? The third realm had three thousand worlds. How was he supposed to build a kingdom to oversee it all there?


    There was an answer, but it was something Zhang Lie had never dared to contemte: to unify all three thousand worlds and generate the third realm anew.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It would be far too difficult."


    "You have the capability to aplish it, don''t you?"


    "I do. I have the necessary foundation and strength¡ªbut don''t forget that the king of chaos is still around."


    As long as the king of chaos remained active, the three thousand worlds wouldn''t be united, and the third realm couldn''t be reborn.


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "It''s not a problem. I was just curious."


    If Zhang Lie were able to unite the third realm and build another kingdom of Limit there, he would have aplished an unparalleled feat beyond anyone''s wildest imaginations, dramatically increasing the status of human hunters.


    What other races'' hunters couldn''t even dream of aplishing, Zhang Lie had managed.


    Even if Zhang Lie weren''t going to unite the hunters of the Milky Way, they would naturally rete by Zhang Lie''s side¡ªZhang Lie, who had already aplished something previously thought impossible twice over.


    The hunters of the Milky Way would respect and revere him, and thereby acknowledge his leadership.


    Zhang Lie''s name and reputation had reached unparalleled heights, and no one would be able to catch up to him in the short term. By then, regardless of whether he intended on allowing the hunters of the Milky Way to migrate to the draconian world, he would have be the de facto leader of all hunters.


    The biggest issue was the king of chaos. As long as the king of chaos remained, Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to gain control of the third realm.


    Hong Tianqi waved. "That''s all for now, then. I still have lots of things I''m busy with, so I''ll be leaving for now."

 Chapter 1146: Another Banquet Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 1146: Another Banquet Invitation</h4>


    After the conversation with Hong Tianqi, Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, do you really not want to unite the third realm?"


    Li Fengmented, "With our captain''s skill, he should be able to do it."


    Zhang Lie steepled his fingers. "Even if I wanted to, I need the strength to do so. As long as the king of chaos remains in the third realm, it would be an impossible feat."


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "I think it''s worth a try. Is it possible to evade the king of chaos while uniting the realm?"


    Zhang Lie contemted the others'' words for a moment. "I suppose it is. I''ll have the warlords continueunching invasions against the various worlds."


    They hadn''t finished acquiring all the map fragments scattered throughout the realm, and gaining control over more worlds would speed up the rate of acquisition.


    "I seem to hear my name being mentioned."


    They had just chatted for a few moments upon returning to the draconian world when the space behind them split apart likeyers of an onion, twenty-fouryers in all. Nightdemon walked out from behind thoseyers.


    Nightdemon said, "I noticed that none of you were within the three thousand worlds, so I came over in search of you."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "What are you up to now, king of chaos?"


    The members of Team Zenith were all clearly wary of the stranger in their midst. Nightdemon raised his hands. "There''s no need to be on your guard. None of you responded to my summons, so I specially made my way over to find all of you. My night banquet''s about to begin."


    Sun Xiaowu snorted. "What are you nning now?"


    Yang Ze frowned. "To take advantage of us again?"


    Sun Mengmeng was nervous. "Or do you have some other scheme up your sleeve?"


    Li Feng spoke for them all. "What ulterior motive do you have?"


    The members of Team Zenith were all in alignment regarding their feelings toward the king of chaos.


    Nightdemon spoke, "Don''t treat me like the bad guy. I''m just here to check if you''re willing to attend."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "Do you really think us that easy to bully?"


    Yang Ze thundered, "We still haven''t settled our score with you over what happened during the fight against the king of keys."


    Sun Mengmeng criticized, "To think you''d have the audacity toe over and invite us to your banquet!"


    "I did nothing wrong during that fight."


    The king of chaos indeed hadn''t done anything wrong; he simply approached them without revealing his true intentions, and there was little beyond that that the members of Team Zenith could criticize.


    Nightdemon shrugged. "In the end, none of you suffered any losses."


    The members of Team Zenith didn''t know what to say to that. They wanted to im that the king of chaos had taken advantage of Zhang Lie and the others, but all he had done was given them information. Zhang Lie and the others had used that information to seek out the king of keys, but the king of chaos had never forced them into anything.


    Nightdemon asked, "Indeed, wasn''t it only because of my help that all of you were able to find the king of keys at all?"


    None of the hunters had any clues where to find the king of keys. If Nightdemon hadn''t helped, the king of keys would likely have taken the Zongming world before Team Zenith could react.


    Even if he hadn''t, the fight between Zhang Lie and the king of keys was so intense that even an errant shockwave could have caused devastating impact.


    Nightdemon''s volunteered information was what had prevented the Zongming world from suffering immense losses.


    "In the end, I also helped all of you find that special beast as an apology."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You''re inviting us to the world of primordial chaos again?"


    Nightdemon nodded. "That''s right. I''m confirming your invitation to the banquet."


    Zhang Lie proimed, "I''ll attend."


    Sun Mengmeng was visibly rmed. "Zhang Lie, you can''t! Who knows what this fellow''s nning."


    Sun Xiaowu warned urgently, "This might be a trap."


    Yang Ze shook his head. "Regardless of how I view him, this fellow has to be up to no good."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Really, is there a reason for all this doubt? If I truly wanted to strike at you, I would have no need to host a trap disguised as a banquet, or anything of the sort. I could simply attack you directly."


    Nightdemon''s words were infused with absolute confidence.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I have wanted to see what the world of primordial chaos looks like."


    Nightdemon smiled. "I won''t disappoint you."


    Sun Mengmeng whispered, "Captain, what are you nning? Why have you suddenly epted the invitation?"


    Zhang Lie retorted, "Didn''t all of you want to unite the three thousand worlds? How can you do that if you''re afraid of the king of chaos?"


    Sun Mengmeng whispered back, "Even so, isn''t this a bit too rash? We''re heading straight into his home territory! What could we hope to aplish?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Considering how much the king of chaos values his banquets, if it''s truly as Nightdemon describes, we should be able to get a sense of the strength he wields by attending."


    Yang Ze thought for a moment. "Captain, you want to identify the number of forces that the king of chaos can bring to bear?"


    "Allegedly, the king of chaos'' clones can form a troopposed entirely ofbatants on the level of superior kings, each with the ability to destroy a superior world. I do want to witness them for myself."


    Nightdemon smiled. "I won''t disappoint you."


    Nightdemon was even more interested in Zhang Lie for his audacity and boldness. It was precisely because of these characteristics that he was able to free the third realm from millennia of boring dullness, as though Zhang Lie had been destined to change everything.


    Nightdemon turned to the rest of Team Zenith. "And how about all of you?"


    "We''ll follow our captain, of course," Sun Mengmeng replied.


    Sun Xiaowu added, "If our captain''s heading over, we have to join him."


    Although he didn''t know what he''d be able to aplish there, he would at least be able to help out if there were a need.


    Zhang Hanxiang ran over. "Hong Xi and I want to attend too! Don''t leave us behind!"


    Zhang Lie nced at her curiously. "Why are you here?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Nightdemon told us that, once we were all gathered, he''d take us to the banquet."


    Nightdemon smiled. "I''m very interested in your sister''s constitution and your student''s abilities. I''d be very pleased to host them."


    Sun Mengmeng warned, "Hanxiang, be careful. This will be a tremendously dangerous affair, and none of us know what could happen."


    Nightdemon frowned. "It''s only a banquet, a festive gathering, an ordinary banquet!"


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Hanxiang, did you hear that? The king of chaos is saying so himself¡ªthis banquet will be dangerous!"


    Nightdemon frowned. "I said that it was an ordinary banquet!"


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "How ordinary could a banquet hosted by the strongest king among the three thousand worlds be? You keep emphasizing that it''s ordinary, which means it has to be sinister and dangerous!"


    Nightdemon shook his head with a rueful chuckle. "That logic is certainly¡ªwell, I''m not even sure how to argue against it."


    Zhang Hanxiang retorted, "I''m not a child anymore! Even if it''s dangerous, I''m not a carefully cultivated flower in a greenhouse, and I''ve participated in my fair share of battles in the third realm."

 Chapter 1147: A Golden Eagle

    <h4>Chapter 1147: A Golden Eagle</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang didn''t want to be left behind by the other members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "If you insist, I can''t say anything against it."


    "Thank you, Brother!" After Zhang Lie wearily agreed, Zhang Hanxiang leapt toward him like a little girl and gave him a tight hug.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Don''t be too happy just yet. If you go, what are we going to do with Qianlin? Leave her behind?"


    Zhang Hanxiang proposed, "What if we bring her with us?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "I don''t mind."


    Zhang Lie resolutely shook his head. "It''s far too dangerous."


    Nightdmon grumbled, "It''s not like it''s a tiger''s den!"


    "Perhaps we can hand her to Yun Bing?" Zhang Hanxiang suggested.


    "Let''s do that." That was the only reasonable choice. "Go find Hong Xi. I''ll let Qianlin know," Zhang Lie instructed, then shattered space and vanished from sight.


    Everyone turned to Sun Mengmeng.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What are all of you doing?"


    Li Feng replied, "We''re interested in your response, of course."


    Sun Mengmengughed. "What sort of response are you hoping to see?"


    Zhou Ying cocked her head. "ording to dramas, by this point, the female lead should be feeling despondent and dejected..."


    Sun Mengmeng wanted to make a stern expression, but it dissolved intoughter instead. "You''ve watched far too many of those shows. I''m not a petty woman like in those dramas¡ªwhy should I feel dejected?"


    Sun Xiaowu nced at his sister doubtfully. "You don''t mind sharing, sis?"


    Sun Mengmeng shrugged. "I don''t."


    "That''s impressive." Her brother gave her a thumbs up.


    Zhou Ying asked, "Mengmeng, how do you maintain your sanity? I''d be very upset if I were in your shoes."


    Sun Mengmeng spread her arms. "It''s not all that impressive. I simply know that I can always stand beside Zhang Lie and assist him in what he does. As for her, how would she make it into the fourth realm with us?"


    Sun Mengmeng emphasized, "Don''t forget that our captain won''t remain in this realm in stagnancy."


    To Sun Mengmeng, Li Qianlin was no threat at all¡ªshe was just a vase who would be discarded past her prime. Once Zhang Lie ascended into the fourth realm, she doubted Li Qianlin could follow suit. Even if she did, Zhang Lie would always be an eagle, wings outspread, seeking the skies farther and farther into the distance.


    A bird of golden thread, petite and exquisite, would never be his match.


    When Zhang Lie''s wings filled out, he would ascend to glorious heights¡ªand the only one who could apany him would be Sun Mengmeng and Sun Mengmeng alone.


    Rather than appear directly before Li Qianlin, Zhang Lie teleported to a nearby location, then slowly walked over as he mentally rehearsed for the conversation.


    When Li Qianlin saw him approach, her expression turned joyous. "You''re back!"


    "Yes, I''m back."


    Noticing some strange trace of an expression on Zhang Lie''s face, she suddenly frowned. "Did something happen?"


    Zhang Lie hesitated. "The king of chaos has invited me to attend his banquet."


    "Go, then."


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised. "You aren''t going to stop me?"


    "Why should I?"


    Zhang Lie widened his mouth, thought for a moment, and thenughed. "I thought you''d tell me something like, ''You brought me here just to leave without me? Do you really love me? What am I to you? Are you tired of me, tired of my body¡ª"


    Li Qianlin nced at Zhang Lie, her brows furrowing as he continued to speak. "Hold on, hold on, what nonsense is this?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "I thought you''d have prepared a whole litany ofints waiting to unleash on me once I returned."


    Li Qianlin nodded. "I did do that."


    "And they all vanished when you saw me?"


    Li Qianlin snorted. "I was going to make you listen to mein once you came back."


    Zhang Lie hesitated.


    Li Qianlin stepped forward and ced a palm over Zhang Lie''s chest, feeling his heart beat.


    "I won''t stop you from doing what you want, but you have to promise to return." To return to my side.


    Zhang Lie reached out and caressed Li Qianlin''s petite hand, a warm smile on his face. "Meeting you was the most fortunate thing that has ever happened to me." He pressed his lips gently to her palm, then zipped away.


    Li Qianlin clutched her hand, a blush creeping up her face, a blissful smile warming it.


    Zhang Lie returned with a radiant smile on his face. "Let''s set off."


    .


    Nightdemon requested, "Extend your invitations."


    The members of Team Zenith retrieved their invitations, which had turnedpletely different. The invitations were now pitch-ck, without any trace of a different shade of color. Primordial chaos seemed to roil from its center, dissolving all else in its wake, dragging it deep into the abyss.


    Tendrils of abyssal matter poked out of the invitations and surrounded them all, bringing them through a transitory kaleidoscopic space into a world without order. There was no ''up'' or ''down''; everything seemed topsy-turvy one moment, and right-side up the next. All seemed mutable, as though naturalw had been discarded by the wayside.


    The world was sorge as to be frightening in extent. It wasrger than even the universe to which the king of keys was host,rger than even the three thousand worldsbined.


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "It was a trap!"


    Nightdemon had, at some point, appeared beside them. "It''s not a trap. You can only enter this ce with my ability."


    Zhang Lie looked all around him. "Where is this? It doesn''t look as though we''re within the three thousand worlds."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "We are, on a technicality, but we''re also not."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "What are you trying to say?"


    Nightdemon replied, "I mean that we''re among the three thousand worlds and also far from them."


    The members of Team Zenith: ...


    Nightdemon hadn''t rified anything.


    He bowed deeply. "Wee, honored guests, to the world of primordial chaos."


    Everyone looked around them. "So this is the legendary world of the king of chaos?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "No wonder no one knows where the world of primordial chaos is. This is a pocket space outside of the purview of the third realm, isn''t it?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Not fully."


    "What do you mean?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Nightdemon replied, "As I said, we''re actually still within the three thousand worlds."


    Zhang Lie marveled, "Impressive, impressive indeed. I wouldn''t have expected such a ce to exist in the third realm, but the king of chaos has taught me a valuable lesson. There''s still much more I have to learn about the area."


    Nightdemon smiled. "You overexaggerate."


    Sun Mengmeng still seemed baffled. "Do you mean to say that the world of primordial chaos is hidden within the midst of the three thousand worlds?"


    Fang Yi asked, "But how can such a massive space remain hidden?"

 Chapter 1148: Toward the Night Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 1148: Toward the Night Banquet</h4>


    The world of primordial chaos was farrger than the third realm could conceivably amodate.


    Yang Ze frowned. "There seems to be something amiss with the nature of space in this world."


    Fang Yi chuckled. "The whole world seems problematic to me!"


    Nightdemon joined in theughter. "Yang Ze, you''ve found the crux of the problem."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The world of primordial chaos isn''t located in the same spatial dimension as the three thousand worlds of the third realm."


    "Like the rtionship between an upper realm and a lower realm?"


    Like the second and third realms, for example.


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Not quite. Space is separated intoyers. As far as I can tell, there can be a maximum of twenty-fouryers, and the three thousand worlds are located on the firstyer. When you teleport, you ess the secondyer of space. In general, entities on the level of superior kings can only ess the first threeyers."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Whichyer of space are we in?"


    "The eighteenthyer,"


    Nightdemon replied. "Follow me. The banquet isn''t located here, but by the time we reach the eighteenthyer, it''s very difficult to perform any sort of spatial teleportation. We''ll have to fly over."


    That white coat, stained by blood, slowly turned a dark-red color.


    The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. Then, it shed and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings.


    The ck wings wrapped around Nightdemon as he took to the sky. When they unfurled again, he had morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world. A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    Nightdemon, in his bat form, spoke up, "Get on."


    Zhang Lieughed as he leapt onto the bat''s back. "I must be the first person in the third realm to have ridden the king of chaos."


    Nightdemon replied, "You''re not mistaken. I''ve never allowed anyone to ride on me, but this is an exception¡ªafter all, this is the final night banquet."


    "What do you mean?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Nightdemon didn''t respond. With a p of his wings, he glided through space.


    The entire world seemed to be distorted in this eighteenthyer of space. Tentacles and mouths grew out of rocks, ck trees uprooted themselves and began to walk, and all sorts of distorted lifeforms were within sight...


    Yang Zemented, "As expected of the eighteenthyer of space... the life here is far different from what we''re used to."


    Everyone had grown used to seeing all sorts of strange lifeforms in every world they visited, but none couldpare to the world of primordial chaos.


    Sun Xiaowu marveled, "These unusual living conditions and theck of naturalws have birthed novel variants of biological life..."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "The eighteenthyer of space originally had no life whatsoever, and wasn''t suited for life, either. The reason the world of primordial chaos ended up this way is as a result of my experiments. Actually, I destroyed the world of primordial chaos during an experiment, so I''m a superior king only in name."


    Nightdemon''s voice was calm, as though he hadn''t just revealed a major secret.


    He nced at them all quizzically. "Why do you all look so surprised?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I always thought that you were the strongest superior king, but you''re no superior king at all!"


    The members of Team Zenith were bbergasted.


    Nightdemon replied, "Well, I''m still the strongest."


    .


    That... was true.


    With the king of chaos'' strength, trying to establish a new superior world wasn''t a particrly difficult feat¡ªit was as easily within reach as eating food or going to the bathroom. However, the king of chaos didn''t do so¡ªlikely because he was nning for something more instead.


    Zhang Lie asked, "In that case, it''s been a long time since youst destroyed a newly evolved superior world?"


    Nightdemon smiled wryly. "Do you think I need to?"


    "What happened to the newly evolved superior worlds in your jurisdiction, then?"


    Nightdemon rolled his eyes. "Do you really think it''s that easy for superior worlds to form? There are only a few worlds that ever make it that far¡ªthe fact that we''ve witnessed three newly evolved superior worlds within the span of a decade is already a new record in the entire history of the third realm."


    "But surely you''ve had at least one form during your tenure as superior king?"


    "Yes," Nightdemon replied, "but I took the king of the realm away."


    "What?"


    Nightdemon suddenly raised his head. "We''re here."


    Everyone looked toward the depths of the darkness to see a pce floating through the ether, pitch-ck and barely able to be distinguished from the surrounding darkness.


    Nightdemon stopped before the entrance to the pce and returned to his usual appearance wearing ab coat.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are you going to participate in this banquet too?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "As a clone, I won''t be participating."


    Nightdemon led them through a long, twisting corridor into a huge central hall, where several unusual guests had already gathered.


    One was a cloud of barely discernible smoke, another a set of green mes, a third an alienposed of countless types of metal ore...


    All sorts of strange and wondrous existences, like models in a fashion show, were present. As Nightdemon led Team Zenith into the hall, everyone turned to look at them.


    Yang Ze exhaled, "It''s like a costume party."


    Fang Yimented, "I should have worn something fancier. How are we going to participate like this?"


    Nightdemon rolled his eyes. "To them, you''re already interesting enough. You might as well be apes dressed in fancy attire."


    Yang Ze scowled. "I feel as though I''ve been insulted."


    Sun Xiaowu nudged Nightdemon. "Don''t think that we won''t beat you up just because you''re one of the king of chaos'' clones."


    Zhagn Lie sighed. "Nightdemon''s words might be blunt, but they''re not wrong. To us, they might look like aliens, but to them, we''re the aliens instead."


    Green mes erupted from one of the creatures like a volcano. Rather than illuminate its surroundings, however, that me gave off no heat or warmth. All they could sense from it was death and decay.


    Death and decay, disorder and chaos¡ªthe mes were causing the ceiling of the great hall to degrade. The mes burned toward them.


    Yang Ze frowned. "It looks like we''re unwee."


    The members of Team Zenith prepared to fight, but the green mes stopped just short of the hunters.


    The mes morphed into a face. "You must be the honored guests of the king of chaos."


    Zhang Lie stepped forward. "That''s right."


    The ming face smiled. "Wee, wee. We were very curious just what the new guests would be like."


    Upon realizing that the green mes harbored neither enmity nor killing intent, the hunters warily stepped forward.


    The mes introduced themselves, "Hello, I''m Tulzscha, the Green me."

 Chapter 1149: Witch of Dreams

    <h4>Chapter 1149: Witch of Dreams</h4>


    The huge reception hall was truly gigantic, almost the size of a small world. Within the hall were all sorts of aliens.


    What came as the greatest shock to Zhang Lie and the others was that every alien present was at least on the level of a superior king, and several of them were as strong as the king of keys. Some among them had even seemed to reach the level of Silver. It was little wonder that, despite how annoying Ghroth was as an opponent, he only ranked third among this hall of seasoned veterans.


    The king of chaos was truly the strongest king of the third realm.


    The members of Team Zenith had once believed that Zhang Lie could kick aside the king of chaos and rule over the three thousand worlds. To them, their captain had always seemed invincible, but against such an overwhelming formation, even the members of Team Zenith were starting to doubt themselves.


    How would they knock aside all these superior kings?


    Strong as the members of Team Zenith were, it was difficult enough for them to deal with a single superior king, but there were dozens of such powerful entities gathered in this hall.


    "Are you all from the same race?" Tulzscha asked curiously.


    "They are," said a female who walked over. Her body was graceful and svelte, if a bit on the thinner side. Her beautiful face was shaped like a goose egg, with a short, straight nose and severe lips. Her beauty, however, overwhelmed all her physical characteristics. She radiated an irresistible charm, like a figure out of dream or fantasy.


    The members of Team Zenith, male and female alike, were struck by the female''s charm. The next moment, however, they shuddered as one.


    The female continued, "I ate one before."


    Everyone btedly recalled that this was the king of chaos'' reception hall. How could there be any human hunters within this hall but them? Like Nightdemon, the female''s appearance had to be an illusion.


    The female, seemingly having thought of something, suddenly continued, "I apologize, you must be upset at hearing my words. I met one of your kind by chance. He seemed interesting¡ªI learned that your race is capable of growing stronger by absorbing beasts you hunt."


    "Is that so? No wonder you''ve gained our leader''s favor." The speaker was a roughly human-shaped figure with a cloak draped around him, with ck tentacles and a bat''s wings. Within the cloak, countless nightmares pped their wings and flew around.


    Despite the many guests present, the speaker had to be among one of the more interesting.


    The aliens all around were idly chatting in groups of twos and threes. Only the speaker was standing alone by the shadowy recesses of a corner of the hall, as though that was where he belonged.


    A polished ck tumor seemed to bulge out of his stony shoulders. His two eyes had been frozen in unnatural and strange positions on his face: one closer to the top, the other to the bottom, and the mouth in between. The eye near the bottom was green and shone with a jade-like light; the other sparked with blood. Despite the unusual nature of these eyes, they looked bizarrely realistic.


    Beneath the cloak, a number of nightmares folded their wings and grabbed tightly onto a body invisible to the naked eye. The twin eyes, shing green and red, seemed to pierce through time and space. Its humongous body stood out even among a hall of esoteric beings.


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "I don''t think it''s particrly interesting. There are plenty of aliens around that can devour other beings to grow stronger¡ªthe king of evil among them, for example. Even beasts can devour each other for strength, and we humans represent only a minuscule portion of power among the three thousand worlds."


    The female made a charming pose. "In the end, the human I saw treated me like a beast and attacked me, so I killed it and ate it. To my surprise, I found that your race isn''t simply devouring these beasts. Despite being foreigners, you have some sort of unusual link to this realm. These beasts are able to transfer some curious items known as ''genes'' to you. It''s very interesting."


    The members of Team Zenith were astounded to hear genes being mentioned.


    The stronger entities of the third realm were cognizant of the ability to grow stronger by devouring beasts. All hunters of the Milky Way had this ability, and it wasn''t something they could hide. The term ''gene'', however, was different.


    No alien to date had been able to understand this terminology, and none understood what it represented¡ªbut here was one exception.


    Nightdemon exined, "This is the witch of dreams. By devouring lifeforms, she can transform into members of that race and possess even their unique racial characteristics."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are you just aware of genes, or can you even obtain them?"


    The witch of dreams smiled. "Not just that. I''ve even been to your world¡ªthe Milky Way gxy, was it?"


    The members of Team Zenith were shocked beyond belief. "You''ve been to the Milky Way?"


    The witch of dreams shrugged. "Not as a human, of course, but as a member of another Milky Way race. I even lived in the Milky Way for some time, but there were some strong hunters around in your world, ones not too much weaker than our leader. As a result, I had to be careful, and it''s only natural that you wouldn''t be aware of this."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were in turmoil.


    They had all thought the Milky Way extremely safe and secure, that no alien could travel in the other direction between realms¡ªbut they were clearly, dearly mistaken.


    The witch of dreams continued, "But after I remained in the Milky Way for a while, I stopped wanting to go there any longer. The time dtion was ridiculous."


    After all, time passed 40 times faster in the third realm than in the Milky Way. Nine days in the Milky Way was a whole year in the third realm.


    Yang Ze suddenly thought of a problem. "You said you transformed? It wasn''t an illusion?"


    The witch of dreams nodded. "That is so. It''s not simply an illusion you''re seeing¡ªI''m physically the same race as you are with the exact same features, although I can''t reproduce."


    "You don''t have reproductive organs?" Yang Ze asked boldly.


    "You can''t reproduce?" Fang Yi asked.


    Reproductive istion?


    The witch of dreams licked her lips, then smiled charmingly. "I do have such organs, but all my children are malformed. Would you like to give it a try?"


    Zhang Lie suggested, "You might be able to transform into a member of our race, possessing the same abilities, but you have to differ on a gic level. The dominant genes are just fine, but the recessive genes are likely problematic. The reason your children are malformed is possibly due to those genes¡ªit''s the same issue with incest."

 Chapter 1150: Keys of the Elder Gods

    <h4>Chapter 1150: Keys of the Elder Gods</h4>


    The witch of dreams licked her lips, then smiled charmingly. "I do have such organs, but all my children are malformed. Would you like to give it a try?"


    Yang Ze could admit that the witch of dreams'' appearance was indeed very charming, but who knew whaty behind such an exterior? Perhaps she was like the king of evil, whose body was a mass of slime, of sticky fluid, that gave out a noxious stench.


    Yang Ze hurriedly hid behind Zhang Lie. He might be able to ept a pile of slime, but if she were a chimera of some sort...


    The witch of dreams sighed upon seeing Yang Ze''s reaction. "It''s a pity. I wanted a human child."


    Zhou Ying asked curiously, "It doesn''t sound as though you''re a mother?"


    The witch of dreams smiled. "I''ve had a few kids. One of my favorite hobbies is to transform into members of various races and collect the corresponding children¡ªof my own blood, of course. It''s a pity, though. Sometimes, the children look so cute that I can''t help but gobble them up."


    Zhang Lie had to revise his previous hypothesis. Perhaps the witch of dreams could give birth to ordinary children¡ªbut she ate all of them. This was truly one of the strongest aliens in the third realm. Despite her beautiful appearance, her personality was more twisted than even a madwoman''s.


    Nightdemon suggested, "Let me introduce you all to some of the guests in attendance. The man in the cloak was Yibb, known as The Patient One."


    Zhang Lie nced subconsciously toward Yibb''s side, where another isted person in the crowded banquet hall was present.


    The figure had no head, organs, or limbs. Its soft, putty-like body drifted like a wave. This gtinous mass could well be the ancestor of all life among the three thousand worlds. Around the mass were scattered a great number of carved stone tablets, each recording some alien intelligence so deep as to be iprehensible.


    The superficial meaning was distinct from the meaning arrived at by deep contemtion, but reading between the lines seemed to yield a different conclusion entirely. It was as though there was an endless amount of intelligence hidden within the inscriptions.


    Mortal intelligence, philosophical quandaries, the meaning of life, intelligence beyond the reach of mankind, divination of the future, martial techniques¡ªthe members of Team Zenith almost found themselves lost in contemtion with just a single glimpse at the tablets.


    They couldn''t have been carved by any lifeform among the three thousand worlds¡ªthe inscriptions seemed almost godly in origin.


    Huge gtinous bugs, with the consistency of jelly, whose bodies were like nothing else in the third realm, squirmed and writhed over the tablets, headless, organless, and featureless, squabbling blindly against each other for territory.


    There were limitless resources from the tablet within their grasp, but they were fighting for a few fragments on top of it. Despite the fact that neverending intelligencey beneath them, none of the wriggling masses could understand it.


    Even a small portion of intelligence would allow one of the bugs to dominate over the rest, to lead them all, but none of the bugs could manage this feat.


    The sight was pure irony.


    Nightdemon patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder. "Wake up!"


    Zhang Lie suddenly came to his senses. "Ah, I''m sorry. I apologize."


    Nightdemon shook his head. "It''s not a problem. Anyone who sees Ubbo ends up like this. It''s because of the Keys of the Elder Gods it possesses."


    Zhang Lie looked back behind him to see all the members of Team Zenith equally attracted to the tablets in sight. He didn''t wake the hunters up immediately; after all, their contents was abstruse and difficult to understand.


    Zhang Lie guessed that understanding or intuiting just a portion of it would be beneficial to the hunters. He intended on taking advantage of this banquet to have the members of Team Zenith all intuit part of the inscriptions.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What are these Keys of the Elder Gods?"


    Perhaps Nightdemon had broken him out of his reverie to prevent him from gaining ess to the endless intelligence captured within the tablets.


    "They''re the floating tablets around its body, containing the knowledge to change the structure of the very universe itself."


    Upon hearing Nightdemon''s exnation, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel as though he was right. As expected.


    Nightdemon sighed. "Ubbo is an existence from roughly the same period as I am, but unintentionally obtained the Keys of the Elder Gods. Others consider this fortunate, but to me, it''s the greatest misfortune."


    Zhang Lie seemed perplexed. "Why do you say that?"


    Nightdemon asked, "Do you know how Ubbo ended up in this state?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    Nightdemon sighed. "It was the aftermath of intuiting the contents of the Keys. Back then, I tried to do so myself, but I stopped myself in time. I felt that the contents of the Keys were too abstruse for mortals like us to study and understand."


    Zhang Lie was shocked that the king of chaos would call himself a mortal.


    The king of chaos was the strongest existence in the third realm, and the entities gathered here in this banquet hall were more than sufficient to take over the three thousand worlds.


    As to why they didn''t, it was likely because they didn''t think it worth their time, and because the king of chaos had a loftier goal in mind.


    Nightdemon continued, "If inhabitants of the three thousand worlds forcibly try to intuit the contents of these tablets, horrible oues will unfold. As it turns out, I was correct to avoid the tablets. Ubbo, who didn''t listen to my advice, ended up in this sorry state."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you think that gods really exist?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "Gods are just what we call them. In the same vein that entities as strong as superior kings are like gods to the weak, we address those who are far stronger than we are as gods. To me, existences that can create realms are undoubtedly gods."


    "Are there stronger existences than you in the third realm?"


    Nightdemonughed. "Perhaps it would be normal for other aliens to ask this question, but you''re from a realm that lies beyond ours. There are no stronger existences among the three thousand worlds, but whether or not there are higher realms beyond¡ªwell, I think you would know better than anyone else, wouldn''t you?"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised that the king of chaos knew of this information. Those entities on the level of superior kings tended to have some knowledge of the existence of a fourth realm.


    Nightdemon looked toward the members of Team Zenith.


    "I suggest you awaken them."


    "Intuiting a bit of information won''t turn them into the likes of Ubbo, surely?"

 Chapter 1151: The Night Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 1151: The Night Banquet</h4>


    "I think you must be mistaken. I didn''t nudge you because I wanted to prevent you from intuiting something. After all, to my original form, you''re more interesting the stronger you are."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Intuiting a bit of information won''t turn them into the likes of Ubbo, surely?"


    "Do you know how those wriggling grubs ended up over Ubbo''s body?"


    "Aren''t they cell-like structures from his body?"


    Ubbo was particrlyrge, and the dense carpet of bugs crawling over its body seemed very much like a group of cells.


    Nightdemon''s mysterious smile made Zhang Lie realize that his original impression waspletely mistaken. Thinking back to Ubbo''s transformation, Zhang Lie instantly understood what Nightdemon meant.


    The transformation to Ubbo''s body had resulted from studying the Keys of the Elder Gods. The reason Ubbo hadn''t transformed into a small bug, but rather a gigantic bug surrounded by the Keys of the Elder Gods, was because of his overwhelming initial strength.


    Zhang Lie didn''t dare gamble with the lives of Team Zenith. He immediately awakened the dazed hunters.


    Nightdemon warned, "You might know others'' names, but it''s better not to address any guest by name during the banquet, at risk of tethering yourself to them by karmic links. Ubbo''s title is the Null Source; you''d beste up with titles of your own."


    Green me asked, "Are you all kings of the realm?"


    The witch of dreams murmured, "I heard that three new superior worlds emerged among the three thousand worlds, and they even defeated all the original superior worlds of antiquity¡ªalong with the king of keys, who''s invited every year!"


    Green me remarked, "They must be impressive if they got rid of even the king of keys..."


    The witch of dreams wondered, "Just who managed such a feat?"


    Green me echoed, "Which superior king among you was so strong as to be able to defeat the king of keys?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "None of us are superior kings."


    Green me red in shock. "None of the new superior kings have been invited?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are they invited each year?"


    Green me nodded. "All newly ascended superior kings are invited to the banquet their first year."


    The witch of dreams cocked her head. "Why didn''t they receive an invitation this year?"


    Green me continued, "As long as these new superior kings can weather the assault of their established brethren, they''ll receive an invitation."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "This year''s newly ascended superior kings are all a little boring, and that Zongming king''s far weaker than the superior kings of antiquity."


    After all, all three new superior kings had been fostered by Zhang Lie. Without Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith present, the three new superior worlds would have been crushed by the superior kings of antiquity, and they were naturally weaker than those that could survive against the superior kings'' assault unaided.


    The witch of dreams asked, "But didn''t they take down the king of keys?"


    Green me added, "If the king of keys is no match for them, how can they be weak?"


    Nightdemon patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. "It was this fellow who took down the king of keys¡ªand even after the king of keys had steppedpletely through the door of power and was reborn anew. It was an interesting evolution. All was within it, and it was within everything. It was no mere continuity of space and time, but rather the boundless source of life, surpassing all naturalw and mathematical logic."


    Upon hearing that Zhang Lie had killed the king of keys, and the king of keys'' ascended form at that, the witch of dreams and Green me couldn''t help but look askance at Zhang Lie.


    Green me remarked, "This year''s banquet seems like it''ll be quite interesting indeed..."


    Nightdemon had been boasting a little, but Zhang Lie couldn''t deny that Silver had been evolving toward such a being at the pinnacle of life.


    If Silver hadn''t been a newborn andmanded greater faculty over its powers, or if it had attempted to kill Zhang Lie from the very beginning, the oue of the fight could have been very different.


    Nightdemon sighed. "It''s a pity that I didn''t have the opportunity to kill it myself."


    Suddenly, a narrow beam of light floated down from up above at an extremely slow rate, as though it was a living being. Strange multi-colored light surrounded it. When it finally struck the ground, it expanded into a cone that could either remain stationary or move to nearby locations.


    Upon witnessing the true form of the light, Zhang Lie was stupefied.


    It belonged to a high-dimensional realm far beyond what humanity couldprehend. Its body had a defined shape, but that shape was soplicated that it couldn''t be determined by eye. Its body was hemispherical andposed of shining metallic cylindrical particles, gray in color.


    Those who looked at it had the strange sense that there might have been multiple glowing, sparkling eyes between the cylinders, but no matter from which direction they looked, all they could see was the space delineated by the cylinders.


    Its true form was soplicated that eyes were insufficient to uncover it.


    The gray of its constituent cylinders was a uniform shade, so it was impossible to distinguish which part of its body was closer, and which farther.


    "This is Daoloth, the Parter of Veils." Nightdemon continued introducing the various guests present. "That wriggling bug, with a head on either end of its body, is Noth. It has no title. It once created a species of interdimensional hounds, the Hounds of Tindalos, alongside the Everbearing Lady K''thun."


    Nightdemon pointed at therge tree behind Noth, pale gray with ck vines hanging down, without any branches or leaves whatsoever. A giant eye was supported on its crown.


    Zhou Ying frowned at K''thun, and K''thun''s giant eye stared back at her.


    Zhou Ying murmured, "I don''t like it."


    "Why?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "It feels like it''s my natural enemy."


    "And there''s the leader of the dog pack, the strongest of the interdimensional hounds that K''thun created."


    Hong Xi frowned. "It looks like there''s nothing there?"


    Nightdemon shook his head. "No, don''t look at it with your eyes. Focus on your senses, your perception of space."


    Everyone immediately tried to do as Nightdemon said. Zhang Lie was first to sense it, quickly followed by Yang Ze.


    "What''s that?"


    An angr, distorted body, with sharp, bony limbs and protrusions from all manner of odd ces¡­ Once the hound appeared within their senses, sight quickly followed.

 Chapter 1152: Formally Begins

    <h4>Chapter 1152: Formally Begins</h4>


    The hound looked rather wolfish, and its body was surrounded by plumes of purplish-ck smoke. Now that the hunters of Team Zenith could sense it, they were shocked they hadn''t noticed it before.


    "Because of its bodily structure and its status as a higher-dimensional being, it can''t be detected with the naked eye. The reason all of you were able to glimpse it so easily is because this is the eighteenthyer of space. On the first fewyers, even sensing it would be an arduous task."


    In other words, in ''ordinary'' space, only Zhang Lie and Yang Ze might be able to avoid being killed by a stealth attack.


    Nightdemon continued, "That''s a mass of amorphous matter that never stops revolving: Cxaxukluth."


    "An interesting name," Zhang Lie remarked.


    "And that''s the world devourer." Nightdemon pointed at a small fireball in the far corner, with three burning flower petals imprinted on its surface.


    Yang Ze asked, "It likes to consume stuff?"


    Nightdemon nodded. "More or less. It consumes worlds as snacks. It was once the nemesis of the king of keys."


    Zhang Lie was very surprised. "Worlds as snacks...?"


    Nightdemon rified, "Its title is the Star Devourer. It used to be famous within the three thousand realms for sucking up worlds within the span of breaths,rge and superior ones alike. It once warred with the king of keys."


    Yang Ze asked, "Why didn''t the superior kings of antiquity band together to take it down?"


    Sun Mengmeng added, "Didn''t the superior kings of antiquity do so against the death spirit king, too?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is this fireball less threatening than the death spirit king?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "They did try to fight it off, but they were all defeated easily and forced to flee. Even the king of keys was no match for it. The Star Devourer used to be a very famous entity, one that everyone among the three thousand worlds feared. A three-year-old child would cry upon hearing its name, and adults would be so scared as to lose control of their bowels. It was taboo."


    Zhang Lie nced toward the fist-sized fireball hovering in the middle of the room, unable to imagine the source of its fearsome reputation.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What happened to it in the end?"


    "My main body was persuaded to strike and capture it. I found it interesting, so I kept it around."


    Zhang Lie remarked, "Only someone like you would allow it to roam freely..."


    Yang Ze asked, "How did you manage to tame it to such an extent that it would happily remain as a small fireball?"


    Nightdemon exined, "Yomagn''tho has the intelligence of a child. When the three thousand worlds were created on ident, it treated the worlds like the candy in a candy jar. As long as I fed it a few worlds regrly and suppressed it with absolute strength, it quickly turned obedient."


    Nightdemon made it sound simple, but this was something only the king of chaos could have aplished.


    Zhang Lie didn''t ask just how the king of chaos had manufactured so many worlds.


    Nightdemon pointed at a patch of dark void. "That''s the World''s Eye."


    Seven spherical eyes floated in a circle, each reflecting a different spatial dimension.


    "The World''s Eye can observe all of spacetime."


    Nightdemon then pointed in another direction. "Another entity with uniquemand of spacetime is the Void God."


    A nebulous cloud of green and ck fog radiated a dark blue mist, with a ck-colored eye of fire in the middle.


    "That''s Azhorra." The guest that Nightdemon pointed to disyed the characteristics of a slug, a squid, and an insect, and it continuously emitted a rather frightening buzz.


    Nightdemon then pointed at an ocean of gray sludge. "That''s the Moon of Thousand Faces."


    The gray sludge looked like it could very well be the origin of life. It looked featureless at first nce, but on closer inspection, there were small ck dots that were like heads, and there were millions of such ck dots within the sludge, floating in it. The heads were alive, and their eyes conveyed a tormented pain. Their lips murmured soundless cries, and tears rolled down their sunken cheeks.


    A bird-like alien, a smander-like one, a living amalgamation of rock and metal, a nt¡ªall these aliens evoked a tormented pain.


    Nightdemon exined, "Those killed by the Moon of Thousand Faces won''t simply die. Their souls will be trapped within the sludge, their heads above it."


    Suddenly, a dense, scorching cloud of air drifted toward them, bearing shrill screams and cries that threatened to pierce their eardrums. These weren''t the sounds of hell, but rather of a living pile ofva.


    As theva rolled toward them, the voices became clearer. It stopped before the gathered hunters, and a ''mouth'' appeared on its surface. It glowed brightly with light, and its ''mouth'' asked, "Leader''s clone, when will the banquet begin in earnest?"


    Nightdemon turned to theva. "Ah, is it already thiste? I expect it''ll start soon. Please wait patiently just a while longer."


    Nightdemon turned back to Zhang Lie. "That was the Starcore Deity, a particrly strong existence among superior kings."


    Clearly, the banquet was about to start, and Nightdemon was speaking rapidly.


    "The pool of mercury that keeps dissolving and reconstituting over there is the Infinite Torturer." Nightdemon then pointed in another direction. "That''s the Violet Smasher."


    A shapeless loop of purple light, roughly the size of a human, emitted electric arcs that caused the air to crackle and pop. Looking at it long enough would reveal a few faint remnants of faces within the light.


    "And that''s Suc''Naath."


    Its appearance was a twisting cyclone, around which spun purple and gold runes. It screeched and scraped shrilly, a nausea-inducing cacophony. Several agonized faces appeared within the cyclone.


    Suddenly, an orchestra began to y. The almost-sinister music and understated, barely audible tune nevertheless possessed a sense of majesty.


    A band marched into the hall. With twisted ws, the yers held long, slender flutes ying madness-inducing tones. The band split up into two paired lines and walked along the border of the hall. As they yed, the sinister but majestic music resounded through the hall.


    Nightdemon sped up. "It''s already time, and there are fewer than ten left. I won''t introduce them one by one."


    Actually, there were quite a few guests that Nightdemon hadn''t introduced yet, like a cloud hovering in the air, a ck pus-like unidentified object, a beautiful female surrounded by mirrors, each reflecting a sight that wasn''t present, and a yellow-green rock...


    Only a hall of this size, almost asrge as an entire world, could fit all these strange entities, some of whom were of massive size.


    There clearly wasn''t enough time for Nightdemon to introduce all the guests; he hurriedly left.


    The guests all looked around expectantly. "It''s starting, it''s starting!"

 Chapter 1153: A Rejected Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 1153: A Rejected Invitation</h4>


    Subsequently, the hunters heard an even more shrill, even more majestic tone. Compared to the madness-inducing melody of distant violins, it sounded more reassured, more amodating, with a specific goal in mind¡ªbut simultaneously taunting and mocking.


    Hong Xi, feeling ufortable, clutched her ears tightly, but she suddenly found that the tone seemed to pierce through her soul. Clutching her ears was useless.


    The witch of dreams remarked, "Enjoy the banquet."


    Her gaze was intent and seemed to convey a deeper meaning. Zhang Lie was just about to ask her to exin when the doors to the great hall were flung open.


    Countless servants were furiously banging at formless drums and ying nausea-inducing flutes that only produced a single tone. The guests alongside them began to screech and scream in a crazed manner.


    Within the door, there echoed the low, frenzied beat of a madness-inducing drum, the hollow, monotonous howls of a demonic flute. The darkest chaos, filled with an air of destruction, slowly emerged and began to seep into everything.


    A kaleidoscopic view appeared before them, revealing a deep abyss filled with ck worlds and suns.


    All the guests present were staring avidly at the chaos, their eyes filled with awe and reverence. Those weren''t the looks of subordinates, but rather of fanatics and zealots, who would be more than willing to sacrifice their lives if need be.


    That was the peak of chaos. All paled inparison to that frightening strength. Just looking at it gave Hong Xi a splitting headache. She unconsciously lowered her head. Zhang Hanxiang felt the same way and didn''t dare look at the chaos directly, and the other members of Team Zenith were all affected to some extent.


    "How impressive. There are very few guests who are daring enough to look at our leader directly. You must be strong," the witch of dreams murmured.


    Zhang Lie exined, "This isn''t the first time I''m witnessing him. I did so during the superior kings'' meeting as well."


    The witch of dreams replied, "That doesn''t count. He sealed away a part of his body and attended the meeting. Well, part of his body is sealed away now too, but peeping and looking at him are two different matters entirely."


    Yang Ze gaped. "This is only a fraction of his strength?"


    Just that fraction was enough to corrupt half the world.


    The witch of dreams shrugged. "The leader''s main body is in another location in space. He has more important affairs to take care of, so he only ever participates in the banquet with a portion of his body. At any rate, if his whole body were to appear here, all of us would suffer for it."


    The king of chaos'' strength was such that he could kill a superior king just by standing in front of one.


    The king of chaos was draped in what felt like the source of darkness, from deep within the ster abyss. A gust of cold and the stench of decay swept toward them.


    Beside the king of chaos was a massive milky-white blob, withrge red eyes the size of rugby balls, supported by skeletal, angr legs with circr suction cups at their base.


    It had no arms, just three spines on its back that stabbed deeply into the ground. Its head made one nauseous, formed byyers ofyers of some white gtinous substance, covered in swollen, bulging eyes. At the very center was a massive beak filled with sharp teeth. As the head squelched and wriggled, the bulbous eyes gazed in different directions.


    The three back spines moved back and forth like oars, dragging the heavy body forward. The beak opened, releasing a shrill, chaotic screech.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What in the world is that?"


    "Don''t be rude in front of her. She''s the All-Mother, our leader''spanion." The witch of dreams gritted her teeth, clearly envious and jealous of her position.


    Zhang Lie scrutinized the entity, which looked somewhat like a decaying cloud of mist. At times, that mist would aggregate to form vile organs and limbs, sticky ck tentacles, a mouth drooling with saliva, or distorted legs with cloven hooves like those of a goat. Zhang Lie shuddered.


    His lips twitched as he remarked, "Your leader truly has unique taste."


    The king of chaos turned to Zhang Lie. A discordant note pierced through his eardrums. His words were near-impossible toprehend, but somehow Zhang Lie understood his meaning: the king of chaos was summoning him.


    The king of chaos sent out another garbled transmission, but everyone seemed to be able to parse it.


    "Wee all to my night banquet. I am honored that you would attend. I''ve invited a few special guests over, nine extremely interesting hunters from the draconian world. They''re very strong, and they managed to take down the superior kings of antiquity. Everyone, please treat them kindly and wee them."


    Countless servants were furiously banging at formless drums and ying nausea-inducing flutes that only produced a single tone. The guests alongside them began to screech and scream in a crazed manner, their voices echoing in the great hall.


    The king of chaos sent another garbled transmission. "Step forward."


    Fearlessly, Zhang Lie strode up to the king of chaos and looked directly at him.


    The king of chaos'' tone was approving. "Excellent gaze. You''re the most unique existence I''ve ever seen in the third realm."


    Upon hearing the king of chaos'' evaluation, the guests revealed all sorts of expressions: there were the jealous, the envious, the contemtive, the awed, and the resentful, among others.


    The witch of dreams murmured, "I''ve never heard our leader evaluate someone else as highly."


    The king of chaos asked, "Are you interested in being a member of this great hall?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed at his temples. "Are you trying to recruit me?"


    The king of chaos replied, "You understand me correctly."


    Zhang Lie refused him instantly. "I don''t intend to be subordinate to another."


    The guests were shocked and angry, incensed by the disrespect that Zhang Lie had shown.


    However, the king of chaos guffawed. "I don''t intend to treat you like a subordinate, just apanion. We can pass through a lonely eternity together, striving for something better, advancing forward all the while."


    Zhang Lie replied resolutely, "I''m still very young, and I havepanions of my own. I''m not lonely, and no matter how enticing your invitation is, I won''t ept. I have my own path forward."


    The king of chaos sounded regretful. "What a pity."

 Chapter 1154: The Dangerous Arena

    <h4>Chapter 1154: The Dangerous Arena</h4>


    The king of chaos then turned to the members of Team Zenith and offered them the same invitation to join him. "And what about all of you?"


    Fang Yi blinked in surprise. "Are we so interesting as to be worth your interest, king of chaos?"


    The king of chaos guffawed again. "I observed your fights against the superior kings of antiquity and subsequently against the king of keys'' subordinates. You''re all very special, and I even specially checked your names and abilities. For instance, that''s Zhang Lie''s disciple, who stands with unwavering strength even against ten million fifth-level beasts alone, with the ability to absorb others'' strength."


    Hong Xi took a deep breath.


    "And you''re Fang Yi, with the ability to control karma and tobine many disparate sources of energy, with the ultimate ability ofunching a fated blow. And that must be Zhou Ying, possessor of immense vitality; that''s Zhang Lie''s sister, Zhang Hanxiang, with a very interesting constitution... All of you have unusual and fascinating abilities of your own. The halls of chaos wee such travelers, and we are naturally interested in gaining newpanions."


    The king of chaos described all their abilities to some extent.


    Zhang Liemented, "King of chaos, it looks like you''ve been peeping on us for quite some time."


    The king of chaos asked again, "Are any of you interested in joining the halls of chaos?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t speak. He allowed the members of Team Zenith to make their own choices.


    As expected, all of them refused.


    Sun Mengmeng spoke for them all. "We thank you for your consideration, king of chaos, but we wish to continue our journey with Zhang Lie for the time being."


    None of them intended to follow anyone but Zhang Lie, let alone this mysterious king of chaos. The members of Team Zenith didn''t know much about him, only that he was the strongest existence among the three thousand realms, with arge number of entities on the level of superior kings as his subordinates.


    However, none of these were sufficient reasons for bingpanions of the king of chaos.


    Doing so required at least the most foundational level of trust, but the members of Team Zenith felt no such connection to the king of chaos, or indeed to the aliens of the three thousand worlds atrge. The guests stared at Team Zenith with hostility, just as they did at Zhang Lie when he refused the king of chaos'' offer.


    The aliens of the three thousand worlds respected and revered the strong.


    Zhang Lie and his party''s firm refusal of the king of chaos'' offer was a sign of disrespect.


    The king of chaos didn''t try to pressure Zhang Lie further. With a discordant huff, he continued, "What a pity. In that case, please enjoy tonight''s banquet."


    The cacophonous music rang out again. Countless servants were furiously banging at formless drums and ying nausea-inducing flutes that only produced a single tone. The guests alongside them began to dance in a crazed manner.


    There was ''food'' at the banquet, but somehow Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had lost their appetite¡ªlive ck octopuses, soup filled with eyeballs, which looked over at you if you approached, and a speaking fish on a te. A knife and fork were stabbed into the fish. When a guest came over and cut off a piece of flesh, the fish would scream and trash-talk.


    "Hey, you piece of trash! Where are you slicing me? You''d better not cut off anything vital¡ªwho knows where you popped out from, if I were to give birth to something like you..."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith shuddered,pletely unwilling to partake of the food. The witch of dreams stepped toward Zhang Lie. "Would you like to dance?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Aren''t men the ones who usually make such a request?"


    The witch of dreams retorted, "Were you going to do so?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I don''t know how to dance."


    "You''ll learn by doing."


    She took hold of Zhang Lie''s arm and dragged him into the dancing arena.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know how to dance, but at his level of strength and mastery of his body, he was able to pick it up quickly by observing others. Furthermore, there was no designated dance style or form at the king of chaos'' banquet¡ªeveryone was dancing haphazardly.


    However, there was something Zhang Lie had to pay attention to: because of all the chaos, the dancing arena might as well have been a battlefield. As pairs of dancers crossed each other''s paths, a moment ofpsed judgment could easily result in serious injury.


    The witch of dreams ced Zhang Lie''s palm on her slender waist, then leaned in. Her hot breath drifted down Zhang Lie''s neck, and her slender waist was lithe and supple. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel heated¡ªbut the moment he reminded himself that beneath this veneer could well be a frightening monster, all interest faded away.


    Sun Mengmeng gnashed her teeth. "That odious woman! I''ve never had Zhang Lie touch me before!"


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "Sister, that creature isn''t even human. I assure you, she stands no chance against you."


    As they danced, the witch of dreams whispered in Zhang Lie''s ear, "All of you really are quite something, to have rejected the king of chaos'' invitation simultaneously. No one has ever refused our leader like this before. Many present had been superior kings, but they chose to give up their worlds to join us."


    "What an honor, then."


    The witch of dreams smiled and reminisced, "Thest time that someone refused our leader was very long ago¡ªit was the king of keys."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Will the king of chaos be upset at us?"


    The witch of dreams smiled. "Why, are you afraid?"


    "Not quite."


    As Zhang Lie danced, he had to nimbly avoid the other dancing guests around him. Zhang Lie suspected that they might be blocking his path intentionally on ount of his refusal.


    The witch of dreams smiled mysteriously. "Don''t worry, our leader isn''t so petty. However, you''d better be prepared."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What do you mean? You mentioned something simr before as well."


    "Do you really think our leader is one to give up so easily?"


    Zhang Lie was about to ask for rification when the music suddenly stopped, as did the dancers. The witch of dreams folded her dress back as she bowed daintily. Zhang Lie hurriedly asked, "What did you mean just now?"


    The witch of dreams gave him another meaningful smile. "You''ll find out."


    Sun Mengmeng also came over to request a dance from him.


    However, Zhang Lie shook his head. "The arena''s somewhat dangerous."


    Sun Mengmeng looked very displeased. "Why didn''t you refuse that witch of dreams just now, then? If you don''t want to dance with me, tell me directly. I won''t force you into it."


    "Very well."


    Zhang Lie, unable to escape, was forced back into the dancing arena with Sun Mengmeng. Although the dancing arena was dangerous, for some reason, Sun Mengmeng seemed overjoyed during the dance.

 Chapter 1155: The True Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 1155: The True Banquet</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang wanted to invite the other members of Team Zenith to dance with her as well, but they all refused her.


    If Zhang Lie were to misunderstand something when they danced with his sister...well, they didn''t want to get on Zhang Lie''s bad side.


    The banquet continued for an indeterminable period of time before the king of chaos suddenly made an announcement. "Everyone, if you''ve had your fill of dancing, it''s time for the main event."


    The witch of dreams cried out in excitement, "It''s here, it''s here! The climax!"


    All the guests seemed very excited. They made way in the hall, forming arge, empty space in the center.


    The king of chaos called out, "Let the true night banquet begin!"


    The guests all cheered and howled.


    The king of chaos continued, "Zhang Lie, friends,panions, from now on, you''ll take center stage. Are you interested in performing for us all?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is this like a talent show?"


    The king of chaos replied, "You''re all very strong, with exceptional strength. Do you wish to fight with mypanions, with a bet on the line?"


    As expected. Zhang Lie nced at the witch of dreams.


    The witch of dreams exined, "Every time the night banquet is hosted, the special guests invited by our leader will spar with us¡ªa form of getting to know one another better, if you will."


    The king of chaos promised, "If you win, I''ll give you avish reward."


    "What reward?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    "A wish."


    The members of Team Zenith were surprised and rather shaken. A wish was tempting indeed.


    "Any wish?" Sun Xiaowu pressed.


    The king of chaos rified, "Of course not, but anything among the three thousand worlds is achievable."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Reviving the dead, or turning back time?"


    The king of chaos stressed, "As I said, as long as it happens within the three thousand worlds, I can do it. If you want me to resurrect someone who perished in the realms beyond, I won''t be able to achieve anything. I''m no god, after all."


    The king of chaos was willing to grant any wish within the three thousand worlds. Didn''t that make him a god of the three thousand worlds, then?


    The members of Team Zenith were once again deeply shocked by the king of chaos'' strength.


    The king of chaos warned, "However, don''t try to wish for something too crafty. If someone were to wish for a hundred wishes, I''ll treat it as a provocation¡ªand I might just p you dead."


    Zhang Lie asked the most important question. "And what if we lose?"


    The king of chaos replied, "It''s no punishment. You''ll simply have to join us and be ourpanion."


    As expected. The witch of dreams had mentioned that the king of chaos wouldn''t give up so easily¡ªand it seemed that this was what she meant.


    The witch of dreams whispered, "Our leader''s very invested in interesting people, and he insists on securing them as hispanions. In some sense, our leader''s a collector. Give up on trying to escape."


    The king of chaos intoned, "Witch of dreams, even if you lower your voice, I can still hear you."


    The witch of dreams mischievously stuck out her tongue.


    The king of chaos continued, "Do you intend to participate?"


    The witch of dreams replied without any hesitation, "Of course! It''s rare enough that a banquet is hosted. Now that there are nine interesting guests, I''ll have to participate."


    The king of chaos then turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, are you and your crew willing to participate in this bet?"


    Zhang Lie hesitated.


    Although a wish was a particrly strong boon, nopanion of the king of chaos was weak. They would surely have outstanding capabilities and all sorts of interesting history, background, and skills. Even the weakest had to be on par with Hong Xi.


    The Patient One mocked, "What, don''t you dare?"


    The Parter of Veils chuckled. "If you don''t dare, just join us directly. We won''t despise you."


    The Everbearing Lady remarked, "Is this the might of the strongest humans?"


    Noth cried, "None of the special guests this banquet seem to be worth anything!"


    The Lord of Dimensions called out, "If you don''t dare take this bet, leave! Don''t show your shameful hide around here any longer!"


    The Parter of Veils turned to the king of chaos. "Leader, I was mistaken. These cowards have no right to be inducted into our halls."


    The Everbearing Lady agreed. "If they''re unwilling to fight, then they can hardly grow stronger."


    Sun Xiaowu stepped forward. "Who says we don''t dare?!"


    Zhang Lie hurriedly pulled him back. "Sun Xiaowu, what are you doing?"


    Yang Ze walked up to Sun Xiaowu. "Captain, we have our pride."


    Li Feng followed suit. "If they''re so insistent for a beating, well, I''ll deliver."


    Sun Mengmeng added, "Count me in. I''m very interested in the wish that the king of chaos promised."


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed. "I was one step slower. I wanted to jump out from the very beginning!"


    Zhou Ying contemted, "After all, even if we lose, the only penalty is to join the halls of chaos. I''m not willing, but it''s not too harsh a punishment."


    Hong Xi nudged Zhou Ying. "Zhou Ying, don''t say that! As human hunters trained by none other than Zhang Lie, how can we lose to these aliens from the third realm? We should be thinking of what wishes to get, not of our defeat!"


    As everyone stepped forward, Zhang Lie shook his head in exasperation and joined them.


    Zhou Ying nodded firmly. "You''re quite right. I should think about what to get if I win¡ªa wish is rather tempting, isn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glowed as fighting intent rose all over his body.


    Fang Yi spoke for them all. "We''ll take this bet. Will those who were mocking us fight us, I wonder?"


    The Patient One chuckled. "You think I wouldn''t dare fight some puny humans?"


    The Parter of Veils continued, "Submit to ourbined strength, the strength of the halls of chaos."


    The king of chaos looked at the gathered guests. "Very well. Besides them, are any other guests interested in participating?"


    Many raised their hands, so many that the king of chaos had to choose thebatants by random selection. In the end, the Star Devourer and Moon of Thousand Faces were chosen.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Who''ll go first?"


    "Let me take the lead." Hong Xi strode forward.


    Her opponent was The Patient One.


    Hong Xi radiated light as she equipped herself for battle, activating all herbat-oriented soulshards in one fell swoop. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right. Behind her, multicolored light red. The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air. Her sword traced a brilliant arc,unching crescent arcs forward.


    The Patient One lifted both hands high up into the air. Darkness rolled toward the twobatants, a dark red color like polluted river water, translucent and cloudy.

 Chapter 1156: Special Abilities

    <h4>Chapter 1156: Special Abilities</h4>


    The Patient One''s attack caused the river water to explode into a flurry of dark red ice crystals that shot toward Hong Xi, who revolved in mid-air and made use of that momentum to wave her fan. Her sword glinted with moonlight, and she shot forward once more, pushing the ice crystals back.


    The ice crystals condensed into a whirlpool that tore apart the moonlight from her sword and coalesced into a long javelin. The Patient One tossed the javelin forward.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" The sword sh split the air, sending an argent veil fluttering forward and shing into the blizzard of dark red ice.


    The javelin tore apart the veil and shot toward Hong Xi.


    .


    Hong Xi''s spirit-fox robe''s automatic defense system activated, giving off mes as bright and colorful as the freshest flowers. The dark red crystals were obliterated into powder that burned away in the heat.


    From The Patient One''s body came countless nightmares, each draped with shiny, oily skin like that of a whale. They each had a pair of horns that curved inward, and their batlike wings pped without any noise. Their ws were ugly but perfectly suited to grabbing objects, and they had an annoying, spiked tail that swished back and forth meaninglessly.


    Most ufortable was the fact that they could neither speak nor make any expressions, because they had no faces. Where their faces would have been, there was nothing but smooth skin.


    Zhang Hanxiang watched the fight with worry for her friend. She couldn''t help but ask, "Just what exactly are those faceless gargoyle-like creatures?"


    The witch of dreams had appeared by her side at some point without her realizing it. "Those are nightmares."


    Zhang Liemented, "Any rtion to Nightdemon, the king of chaos'' clone?"


    The witch of dreams replied, "They''re simr in name only. Nightdemon''s far stronger than these mindless, unintelligent creatures."


    Zhang Lie turned to her. "Why are you standing with us so naturally? Aren''t you supposed to be with the other side?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "There''s only so much space in the hall. It doesn''t matter where everyone''s standing, does it?"


    Zhang Lie turned to Nightdemon next. "And what are you doing here? I thought you weren''t going to participate in the banquet."


    Nightdemon was unbothered. "Just because I''m not participating doesn''t mean that I can''te watch the fight."


    "[Syzygy]!" Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air. Their light illuminated the hall. They were linked by a golden thread, which brought the two of them into proximity with each other.


    The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red. As they ovepped perfectly, they formed a bright-red wheel of fire, and their corresponding energiesbined as well.


    The wheel of me shone with light. Energy coalesced behind Hong Xi''s back and formed a crimson sun.


    The red light was as bright as blood. The light scattered with Hong Xi as its center, enveloping the nightmares and greatly restricting their movement.


    Even The Patient One could sense his strength waning. Meanwhile, the energy of thousands of nightmares was transferred to Hong Xi. Her blood-red light red and illuminated the hall even more brightly.


    With the fan in her left hand, Hong Xi summoned a twister. The blood-red mes of a blood sun burned around her, glowing with heat and blinding light. The blistering temperature caused the ground to turn tova, and the twister on her left hand sucked the mes up.


    The long sword in her right hand gleamed with a red edge, imbued with concentrated scarlet light. Behind her, multicolored light red. The blood mes merged with her sword energy, causing each of her strikes to leave behind a long trail of fire.


    As the ming, blood-red light swept through the hall, the nightmares screeched and perished. The Patient One flung his arms out, forming a dark-red blizzard¡ªonly to have it be melted in an instant by the blood sun''s mes.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!" Hong Xi''s sword arced through the air in a sh of bloody light, bisecting The Patient One and setting him ame.


    Quickly thereafter, The Patient One''s body exploded into dark red fluid, which Hong Xi began to evaporate before it could approach her.


    Subsequently, the dark red snow and fluidbined to form The Patient One anew.


    Everyone appeared to be shocked by this development, even the members of Team Zenith, let alone Hong Xi.


    The witch of dreams tutted. "Yourpanion was truly unlucky to have selected The Patient One as an opponent."


    Zhang Lie turned to her. "Is he problematic?"


    Yang Ze wondered, "What sort of trick did The Patient One use? Hong Xi''s attack didnd, but he was able to revive..."


    The witch of dreams answered, "Because that isn''t his main body."


    Nightdemon exined, "The Patient One attacks with his blood. That polluted, dark-red river, along with the flurry of dark-red snow in the air, are allposed of The Patient One''s blood. You can think of his ''body'' as you see it as a separate entity, though one tethered to his blood."


    The witch of dreams added, "If you don''t simultaneously destroy his blood and body, you won''t be able to kill him in truth."


    Yang Ze gaped. "It''s that troublesome?"


    The witch of dreams nodded. "Without some sort of special ability, no one here could be recruited to the halls of chaos."


    Everypanion that the king of chaos selected had to have some outstanding capability. Even with sufficient strength, without a unique ability, the king of chaos wouldn''t be interested. The guests in this hall had to be the strongest entities among the three thousand worlds, and any of them were stronger than Hong Xi.


    The witch of dreams sighed. "She should give up. Yourpanion might be strong outside, but not within this hall. It''s not as though surrender will kill her, either¡ªshe''ll just have to join the halls of chaos."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Victory hasn''t been decided yet. There''s no rush at all."


    The witch of dreams frowned. "No matter how she struggles, all your confidence in yourpanion will turn into despair. Against The Patient One, how does she expect to win?"


    "We''ll see, won''t we? There might be a miracle."


    Zhang Lie was fully confident in Hong Xi''s abilities.


    The witch of dreams roared inughter. "Haha, a miracle, you say? I never expected to hear that from you. We''ll see what sort of miracle urs, won''t we?"


    As the nightmares were killed, Hong Xi''s strength went down a few levels, but she hadn''t contemted ever giving up.

 Chapter 1157: Catching Up to Master

    <h4>Chapter 1157: Catching Up to Master</h4>


    Countless dark red snowkes danced around the Patient One, each whittled into a sharp de. They glinted with frosty light under the illumination of the hall. As The Patient One swung his arms downward, the shards fell like raindrops in a storm.


    The longsword in Hong Xi''s right hand gleamed with a red edge, imbued with concentrated scarlet light.


    Bloody moonlight illuminated the void. The counterpoint between the ck sun and bloody moon was striking. Behind her, multicolored light red. She looked like a goddess descending from the heavens. No one dared look straight at her.


    A sea of bloody mes manifested around Hong Xi, melting away the frosted des and burning The Patient One himself.


    A field of darkness appeared around Hong Xi. She activated [The Elusive Moon], then activated her superior-grade illusory leopard soulshard to rush forward. Blood-red mes red up in her wake and swept across the hall.


    She struck simultaneously with the fan in her left hand and the sword in her right. The blood sun''s mes sprayed out and turned into a hurricane, evaporating the blood-red river water.


    The rest of the ice crystals reformed into The Patient One. He raised his hands high into the air, condensing the crystals into a pir of ice.


    Hong Xi shed forward, and the blood sun''s mes consumed the pir in its entirety.


    The pir of ice suddenly exploded. The resulting storm extinguished the blood sun''s mes and struck the hall as a flurry of dark red icicles.


    Hong Xi unfolded her peacock fan and sent the icicles flying with a gust.


    As she did so, The Patient One himself flew over bearing a huge scythe in his hands.


    Hong Xi struck with her sword and met the scythe in a sh, sending a spray of ice all over. Hong Xi''s eyes narrowed and sent the ice flying away with a gust of wind from her fan.


    She had felt a particrly threatening sensation from those flecks of ice.


    The Patient One''s scythe suddenly burst apart. Hong Xi wasn''t prepared; as her blood sun''s sword pierced through The Patient One''s chest, the shards of ice that had constituted his scythe prated her snowy-white skin and entered her body.


    As her soul was devoured, Hong Xi choked on air. Within the blood sun''s mes, The Patient One roared in victory, as though the match had been decided.


    The witch of dreams murmured, "The match is over."


    Everyone turned to her quizzically.


    The witch of dreams exined, "The Patient One''s blood is a potent poison. It can corrupt the very soul and cause those inflicted with it to asphyxiate." As the blood enters yourpanion''s bloodstream, it''ll slowly devour her soul. She''ll only have a chance of survival if she heads into water¡ªbut of course there''s no way The Patient One would allow her to do so."


    Regardless, Zhang Lie held to his beliefs. "Hong Xi wouldn''t lose to a small quantity of blood."


    The witch of dreams blinked in surprise. "You really do trust yourpanions, don''t you?"


    Zhang Lie retorted, "This isn''t trust, but rather the truth."


    The witch of dreams shook her head. "Even so, I rmend that you admit defeat. Your trust will kill yourpanion."


    At that moment, Hong Xi was gasping for breath in the arena, her face pale and contorted with pain. Even the weapons in her hands had fallen to the ground.


    With thest remaining specks of ice, The Patient One remade his body and pounced toward Hong Xi.


    Just then, blood-red light rose into the air all around Hong Xi, illuminating the hall. Blood-red moonlight swamped The Patient One.


    Every guest present was surprised by the sudden reversal of fortunes, and even the witch of dreams was shocked stiff.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie let out a triumphant smile.


    The witch of dreams turned toward him. "What? How could this be?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Having a bit of our souls sucked away wouldn''t cause us to lose ourbat strength. The Patient One was too impatient, I believe."


    The witch of dreamsprehended Zhang Lie''s meaning quickly. "You mean that yourpanion was feigning her pain?"


    Yang Ze couldn''t help butugh. "Notpletely .She was simply magnifying her original pain and exaggerating her expressions. Unexpectedly, The Patient One was tricked by this ridiculous ploy..."


    The witch of dreams sighed. "It''s likely been too long since hest fought, especially against an enemy who was weaker. It was simply a moment of carelessness¡ªbut this won''t happen again."


    Sun Mengmengmented, "Rather than discuss how Hong Xi won, I think we had better save her. Otherwise, she really might die."


    The Patient One''s poison didn''t vanish with his death. Hong Xi crawled toward the edge of the arena in pain.


    "That won''t be necessary." The king of chaos made his move, rewinding time in the arena. The poison in Hong Xi''s body was forced out, and The Patient One, who had perished, was revived.


    Zhang Lie praised, "The king of chaos is truly a master of his craft."


    Zhang Lie and Fang Yi, who had gained some understanding over time and naturally had intuition over its domain, were the only ones who could truly understand just how remarkable what the king of chaos was doing now was. Even if a human hunter were to devote his entire life to studying time, he might not reach such a height.


    Meanwhile, a portion of the king of chaos alone was able to reverse time and revive the dead. Perhaps it wouldn''t even be impossible for the king of chaos'' main body to reverse the fate of the three thousand worlds.


    It was little wonder that he could promise to grant any wish within the three thousand worlds. With this ability, there was nothing he couldn''t aplish.


    The Patient One, who had just been revived and didn''t have an understanding of the situation, immediately tried to strike upon seeing Hong Xi, but the king of chaos held a hand out and separated the two parties.


    "Victory has been decided."


    The Patient One immediately understood that the king of chaos had rewound time to save him. "I apologize, Leader, for having been unable to secure a victory for you."


    The king of chaos sent out another garbled transmission, but the excitement and happiness in it were evident. "Your fight was exciting, and I''m very pleased with your performance."


    "Thank you for your grade, your mercy. May your will prate the three thousand worlds."


    The Patient One retreated off the arena as the king of chaos turned to Hong Xi. "The victor may reveal her wish."


    Hong Xi was startled. "Did I really win?"


    She could hardly believe it; after all, the battle had almost grown too arduous even for her.


    The king of chaos acknowledged her victory. "Yes. State your wish."


    Hong Xi turned to Zhang Lie, a questioning look in her gaze. What should I wish for?


    Zhang Lie answered the unspoken question. "This is your victory. You should decide for yourself."


    Hong Xi thought for a moment, then turned to the king of chaos. "I''d like to gain the strength to quickly catch up to my master, to be as strong as he is, to be able to fight by his side."


    Zhang Lie was very surprised that Hong Xi made such a wish.


    The king of chaos was silent for a moment. "I have two different strategies I might employ."


    The members of Team Zenith were all very shocked.

 Chapter 1158: My Own Path

    <h4>Chapter 1158: My Own Path</h4>


    The members of Team Zenith were all well aware of Zhang Lie''s strength, and it seemed impossible that the king of chaos would have two means by which to give Hong Xi an equal portion of that strength.


    The members of Team Zenith all listened closely. They too were participating in this bet, and they were interested in seeing just how the king of chaos would grant Hong Xi''s wish. After all, not all wishes could be granted.


    Some wishes were very easy to state, but hardly easy to grant.


    If you were to wish for a million dors, it was very possible that you might get hit by a car after stepping outside, paralyzing the lower half of your body and receiving a million dors inpensation from the offending car driver.


    If you were to wish for someone to be revived, that person might revive as a zombie.


    Depending on the precise manner in which a wish was fulfilled, even a well-intentioned wish could get twisted into something malign.


    Being able to choose how a wish was fulfilled nullified many of those concerns, and convinced the members of Team Zenith that this bet wasn''t a double-edged sword in disguise.


    Presumably, this wasn''t the first time that the king of chaos had granted someone''s wish, and he was aware that all living beings'' thoughts were distinct. As a result, rather than grant the wish as it was stated, he was giving flexibility in contextualizing the wish.


    The king of chaos continued, "The first method is for me to directly hand you a portion of my body. That would grant you strength on par with Zhang Lie''s, and you would be even stronger than he is within the three thousand worlds, sufficient to be the strongest existence within this realm. However, this methodes with considerable side effects."


    "What side effects?" Hong Xi asked.


    "If I were to fulfill your wish in this manner, you would essentially have turned into mypanion. Because your body has absorbed a piece of mine, you would be forced to remain within the three thousand worlds, without retaining the ability to leave it and return to your own realm. Furthermore, it would be difficult for you to ever reach new heights with this newfound power."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Fulfilling a wish isn''t that easy, is it?"


    Bing the strongest entity within the three thousand worlds, at the cost of forever remaining there, without being able to return to the Milky Way or to ascend to the fourth realm¡­ it was a hefty price to pay.


    The king of chaos could hardly be med for this response, however. If he really wanted to scam Hong Xi, he wouldn''t have delineated the pros and cons of doing so so carefully. Instead, if he were to forcefully grant Hong Xi part of his body, he would essentially be converting her into hispanion by force¡ªand this wasn''t something that Zhang Lie could reverse.


    He would even be justified in doing so, considering that Hong Xi had expressed such a wish.


    In addition, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were yet too weak to defeat the king of chaos, and there would be little they could do.


    The king of chaos continued, "The second possibility is for me to transmit several of my insights,patible with the strength you have demonstrated, directly into your brain. This will significantly enhance your future growth, giving you the potential to be stronger than Zhang Lie."


    "And what are the side effects in this case?" Hong Xi asked.


    "To some extent, it''ll affect your current cultivation, but I''ll do my best to findpatible insights for you. I don''t expect the side effects to be very strong, nor to be anything but a temporary hindrance. The difference is that you''ll have to exert your own energy, strength, and time to digest these insights. Compared to the first approach, this won''t be a quick way of granting your wish."


    Time and energy¡ªthat was the cost.


    The first approach could give Hong Xi immediate strength at a steep cost, which Hong Xi naturally couldn''t ept. Being barred from advancing into the fourth and fifth realms was equivalent to sealing her path forward, and Hong Xi wasn''t interested in this approach.


    The second approach, however, would provide Hong Xi with a key with which to unlock a path toward Zhang Lie''s strength.


    "Forget it, then. My path is mine alone to walk. I would prefer to avoid undue influence." Hong Xi waved a hand and walked to Zhang Lie''s side, startling all the guests present.


    They all thought Hong Xi a fool, to be unwilling to take the shortcut that had been presented to her. Only Hong Xi knew that she was following her heart, that to ept this shortcut would be going against her own principles for seeking strength.


    The king of chaos respected her decision. "Let us continue, then. The next fight."


    Noth slowly slithered to the center of the hall, and Zhang Hanxiang stepped forward. "Let me be the nextbatant."


    Noth pounced over, opening its maw wide. Zhang Hanxiang held her palm up and channeled bitter cold. Cold air froze everything around her. Ayer of frost covered the hall, and Noth''s teeth were frozen solid. Zhang Hanxiang leapt high into the air andunched a flurry of attacks at Noth, thebined force as fierce as a blizzard. The temperature in the hall dropped dramatically, and ayer of frost covered Noth''s body.


    Noth roared. Its maw seemed to transform into a dimensional portal. Wisps of ck smoke with sparkling eyes, like miniaturized versions of the Lord of Dimensions, emerged from Noth''s maw. These were the dimensional hounds that Nightdemon had mentioned, which Noth had created in conjunction with the Everbearing Lady.


    A whole pack of dimensional hounds pounced toward Zhang Hanxiang. As the snow fell, Zhang Hanxiang''s ice glowed blue. Everything around her began to freeze.


    The dimensional hounds teleported through space and appeared all around Zhang Hanxiang, attacking her from different directions and angles, sealing off her path of escape.


    .


    Rather than escape, however, Zhang Hanxiang emitted even more frost. All the dimensional hounds around her were frozen solid and transformed into sculptures of ice.


    As Noth attacked once more, Zhang Hanxiang skated over the frozen ground, her body as limber and agile as an acrobat''s. des of ice formed by her feet and sliced apart the frozen hounds. Several des struck Noth, leaving bloody shes on its body.


    Another pack of dimensional hounds pounced toward her. This time, Zhang Hanxiang pped her palms together, freezing space and time solid in the hall. Flowers of sleet and ice bloomed over the frosty ground. With even space frozen, the dimensional hounds were unable to teleport. The frost froze them where they stood.


    With a wave of her hand, needles of ice formed in the air all around her, then shot down toward Noth and the hounds with deadly speed, freezing Noth''s flesh and blood.


    As threads of frost glimmered in Zhang Hanxiang''s long hair, she punched forward, instantly transforming Noth''s gigantic body into a sculpture of ice.


    Zhang Hanxiang slowly floated back down to the ground as she canceled her partial transformation.


    Zhang Lie praised, "You''ve grown quite a bit stronger, Hanxiang."


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "She''s been in quite a few battles by now, and it''s natural that her strength would increase."


    The witch of dreams murmured, "You were lucky. Noth hates the cold."


    After the king of chaos unfroze Noth, he turned toward Zhang Hanxiang. "State your wish, victor."


    Zhang Hanxiang had evidently prepared her wish beforehand. "I''d like a hundred superior worlds'' worth of energy."


    A hundred superior worlds'' worth!

 Chapter 1159: Dimensional Hounds

    <h4>Chapter 1159: Dimensional Hounds</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang had asked for a hundred superior worlds'' worth of energy.


    The king of chaos waved a hand, causing a hundred colored orbs to appear before him. Each containedpressed world''s energy.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s wish would really be granted! She had dared to ask for it, and the king of chaos had been willing to grant it.


    The king of chaos sent the hundred colored orbs flying toward Zhang Hanxiang, who hugged them all tightly as she happily ran off the stage. "I should have asked for a thousand!"


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "You really chose wisely."


    Zhou Ying asked, "Why did you ask for a hundred superior worlds'' worth of energy, rather than some method to grow stronger?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied seriously, "This is how I''m going to grow stronger¡ªand not just me, but all of us."


    The members of Team Zenith were puzzled until they saw Zhang Hanxiang hand the energy to Zhang Lie.


    She continued, "As long as my brother has all this energy at his disposal, he''ll easily be able to cultivate more monarch-grade lifeforms. With those genes, we''ll all be able to grow strong together."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his sister''s head as the other hunters'' eyes lit up. This was a good strategy indeed!


    However, Zhang Lie cut in. "Don''t try to get more superior worlds'' energy. We have more than enough for all of us¡ªfulfill your own wishes."


    The hunters nodded. Zhang Lie turned to the witch of dreams and asked, "How does the king of chaos have so much superior world''s energy?"


    The witch of dreams replied, "As far as I''m aware, our leader has nevercked for it."


    Nightdemon exined, "There are many sources of superior world''s energy: some collected and recycled from old worlds as they deteriorate, some produced from the world of primordial chaos when it still existed, and more harvested directly from the higher realms."


    Zhang Lie stared. "You can harvest world''s energy from higher realms?"


    Nightdemon shrugged. "My main body can, at any rate."


    While the two of them were talking, the Everbearing Lady had stepped onto the stage. Li Feng was about to join her when Zhou Ying tugged him back and strode out instead. "Hand this one to me. She''s my nemesis, and I hers."


    As Zhou Ying stepped forward, her long hair?fluttered in a spring breeze, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, burning like ash. To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    The Everbearing Lady''s ck vines waved in the air. Her huge gray eye stared at Zhou Ying; bothbatants could sense that each was the other''s natural enemy.


    The ck vines whipped toward Zhou Ying.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" As Zhou Ying released all her stored energy, the ground began to quake. The sun at Zhou Ying''s back shone with piercing light, illuminating the hall and forcing the guests to avert their eyes.


    The ground quaked as thousands of golden wood dragons emerged from the earth, each three hundred meters wide, overwhelming the ck vines.


    The ck vines wrapped around the golden vines and began to absorb their vitality. However, mixed in with that vitality was a portion of sr energy that Zhou Ying had absorbed from the golden mulberry tree in the world of zing sun, which countered the Everbearing Lady''s power to some extent.


    The Everbearing Lady screamed, and her ck vines were sent flying as though they had received a terrible electric shock. Her body began to smoke.


    Zhou Ying''s golden vines were, however, worse for wear. A thickyer of bark had been corroded away by the ck vines.


    As the golden vines counterattacked, pustule-like fruits fell from the Everbearing Lady''s vines. As theynded on the ground, they squelched apart in a burst of rot and decay, showering the golden vines in acid.


    From these fruits emerged a pack of dimensional hounds, which tore into the golden vines. However, Zhou Ying''s near-endless vitality allowed those vines to restore themselves quickly and bind the hounds instead.


    Despite the binding, the hounds were able to leap through dimensions. Within moments, they had appeared by Zhou Ying''s side, and attacked her from different directions and angles, sealing off her path of escape.


    The dimensional hounds were unable to causesting damage to the golden vines, so they had targeted Zhou Ying instead.


    However, they had clearly made the wrong decision. Zhou Ying''s eyes shed with frosty light as she swung her dagger through the void.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!" A leafstorm manifested into existence around her, each leaf a cutting de that tore into the hounds'' bodies.


    The dimensional hounds took damage from Zhou Ying''s spatial maniption, their own specialty.


    Zhou Ying was a frighteningly strongbatant at close quarters. She was able to move agilely, and she was a master with the dagger. She gutted the hounds one by one.


    The golden vines grew forward and wrapped around the Everbearing Lady.


    The Everbearing Lady''s vines tunneled into the ground, causing ck vegetation to grow out of the floor of the hall. Dark vines emerged from the ground and tangled with Zhou Ying''s golden vines, preventing them from approaching.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!" In response, Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the grounds, thrice as thick as the vines, their barkskin shining with metallic luster.


    The dragons swarmed toward the Everbearing Lady in a golden tide.


    The Everbearing Lady''s vines and dimensional hounds werepletely unable to stop this tide. They were swamped and bound.


    The dragons sucked away at the Everbearing Lady''s strength. Golden branches grew out of their skin, but the leaves on those branches were gray.


    The Everbearing Lady tried to struggle and burrow underground, only to find that the golden dragons had locked off any escape even there. No matter how she tried, she couldn''t escape.


    As the golden dragons drained her vitality, she had no choice but to do the same to them.


    By then, the golden dragons had formed a giant tree, their bodies merging together into a strange, lumpy mass. However, that tree wasn''t a pure golden color, but was instead rapidly turning gray. It gave off a moldy, rotten stench.


    Zhou Ying stepped toward the tree and touched its bark, which fell apart into rotted wood and revealed the Everbearing Lady within.


    The Everbearing Lady, having sucked up too much of the sr energy that was anathema to her being, had ck vines now burning with golden mes. Her trunk had thinned by half its radius.

 Chapter 1160: An Exchange of Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1160: An Exchange of Strength</h4>


    The Everbearing Lady had shrunk to half her original size, but after surviving the trial of the golden dragons, what remained of her seemed to have undergone a significant boost in strength. Her ck vines were noticeably quicker.


    The tens of thousands of golden dragons had sucked away the superficialyer of her growth, allowing her to refine what remained.


    Zhou Ying swung her daggers around her, cutting at the Everbearing Lady''s bark with a series of void cuts.


    "You''re done for!"


    As Zhou Ying manipted her fingers, the storm of gray leaves around her morphed into a hurricane that surrounded the Everbearing Lady. She stomped on the ground, summoning another ten thousand golden dragons to swamp and whip the Everbearing Lady.


    The Everbearing Lady struggled again amidst the horde of dragons. Despite her refined strength, she was still in a weakened state, and temporarily unable to escape from the dragons that surrounded her. Zhou Ying thrust forward with her daggers, boring holes into her opponent''s bark.


    At this point, the match had been all but decided.


    The king of chaos announced, "I think we''ll stop there. Zhou Ying, you''re the victor."


    Zhou Ying waved a hand, dispersing the golden dragons and releasing the Everbearing Lady.


    The Everbearing Lady had half-wilted, either because she had lost to Zhou Ying or because the golden dragons had sucked away much of her energy.


    The witch of dreams gaped. "Yourpanions really are strong, to have won three consecutive matches."


    None of the other guests present would have believed that Zhang Lie''s motley crew could win three consecutive fights, but Zhang Lie had aplished precisely such a feat.


    The king of chaos announced, "You are the third victor. State your wish."


    Zhou Ying asked, "King of chaos, you promised to grant any wish, correct?"


    The king of chaos replied impatiently, "There''s no need to confirm it one by one. As I said, I''ll be able to grant essentially all wishes restricted to this realm."


    Zhou Ying nced at the Everbearing Lady and asked, "And what if my wish is for you to hurt yourpanions?"


    The king of chaos seemed to understand roughly what Zhou Ying wanted. He sounded surprised. "As far as I know, this is the first time the two of you are interacting. Is that right?"


    "Yes, it is."


    "You''ve had no previous enmity or feud¡ªthis is your first encounter. Is there a need to go so far?"


    Zhou Ying exined, "Your majesty, you may be unaware that I and the Everbearing Lady are natural enemies of each other on a gic level¡ªand hence that I''ll be able to grow stronger if I can absorb her strength."


    The king of chaos asked, "Does K''thun need to be killed?"


    "No, your majesty," Zhou Ying replied. "I just want to absorb part of the Everbearing Lady''s strength."


    The king of chaos turned to K''thun. "What do you think, K''thun?"


    Indeed, the king of chaos treated hispanions likepanions, not subordinates.


    The Everbearing Lady replied, "I will naturally ede to your orders, my leader, but I have a few conditions of my own."


    The king of chaos asked, "What conditions?"


    The Everbearing Lady replied, "As this human hunter has stated, she and I are natural enemies. Just as she can grow by absorbing my strength, so too can I grow by absorbing hers. I''d like to propose an exchange of energies."


    The king of chaos was silent for a few moments. Zhou Ying spoke again. "I ept these conditions, and am willing to part with a portion of my vitality, but you''ll have to exchange for it with superior world''s energy."


    A portion of her vitality was a minor matter for Zhou Ying, who was overflowing with vitality.


    The Everbearing Lady replied, "I''m willing to trade all the superior world''s energy in my possession, fifty superior worlds'' worth, for a tenth of your strength."


    "I ept."


    Zhou Ying was delighted. Fifty superior worlds'' worth of energy! The Zongming world hadn''t even amassed that much energy in total, even after a few years.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help butugh. "If Li Zongming were to learn about this, he might well vomit blood."


    He had worked so hard for two or three superior worlds'' worth, but Zhou Ying was about to receive fifty for barely any price at all.


    Neither did she have to worry about her safety. After all, the king of chaos was overseeing the operation.


    If the king of chaos were going to strike them, he would have done so the moment they entered the hall. They might have had reservations about attending the banquet initially, but those reservations were now all but irrelevant.


    The king of chaos suggested, "Let me help heal you first, K''thun."


    The Everbearing Lady might have been able to perform the exchange of strength as is, but it would be rather dangerous for her, and Zhou Ying wouldn''t be able to obtain much strength.


    The king of chaos infused part of his own strength into her body, inting it and elevating her past her peak condition. An aura of chaos suffused her. The Everbearing Lady thanked the king of chaos for his generosity.


    The Everbearing Lady''s strength had reached new heights with this infusion of energy.


    "Zhou Ying will begin absorbing power."


    Zhou Ying stepped forward and ced both palms on the Everbearing Lady''s bark. The ck vines parted for her as golden vines emerged from Zhou Ying''s body and came in contact with the Everbearing Lady.


    As Zhou Ying absorbed the Everbearing Lady''s strength, her long hair turned the color of crystalline jade, and it gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. Gray air seeped out of the tips of her hair.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    The gray eye closed again as Zhou Ying pulled back, exhaling deeply. She seemed to have grown significantly stronger.


    Despite the limited duration of contact, the Everbearing Lady had returned to her original withered form. It was her turn next.


    The Everbearing Lady sent out ck tendrils toward Zhou Ying, who extended her hands and transferred roughly a third of her newfound power back to her opponent. The Everbearing Lady glowed with power, green and gold and gray. Her single gray eye was surrounded by motes of green and gold energy, forming a ring of light around it as she screeched shrilly.


    The green and gold light burst apart, causing a transformation in her crown.

 Chapter 1161: Moon of Thousand Faces

    <h4>Chapter 1161: Moon of Thousand Faces</h4>


    Two more eyes grew out of the Everbearing Lady''s crown, one gold and the other a vivid jade green.


    After the transfer of strength, Zhou Ying''s jade-green hair turned a more faded shade of green, and the golden leaves seemed to have likewise lost their luster. Her strength had been temporarily diminished.


    Whereas Zhou Ying had sucked away the Everbearing Lady''s strength, the Everbearing Lady instead received an infusion of channeled energy from Zhou Ying. After her strength was sucked away, the Everbearing Lady had almost wilted. On the other hand, Zhou Ying could still walk off stage with ease, and she simply had to take a short rest to regain the vitality she had consumed. She would even grow stronger.


    The Everbearing Lady, who had her strength sucked away but then quickly replenished with Zhou Ying''s own, would grow stronger than before as well. Zhou Ying''s vitality would catalyze a transformation in her body.


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "What did you gain from absorbing the Everbearing Lady''s strength?"


    Sun Mengmeng echoed the question. "Have you developed any special abilities?"


    To those questions, Zhou Ying simply smiled mysteriously. "I hope to demonstrate during our practice battles in the future."


    She sat down cross-legged and began to meditate to replenish her lost energy.


    "The next fight," the king of chaos announced.


    Li Feng strode forward. On the other side of the hall, a gray ocean rolled up onto the arena. It looked featureless at first nce, but on closer inspection, there were small ck dots that were like heads, and there were millions of such ck dots within the sludge, floating in it. The heads were alive, and their eyes conveyed a tormented pain. Their lips murmured soundless cries, and tears rolled down their sunken cheeks.


    The Moon of Thousand Faces would be Li Feng''spetition.


    Thebatants exchanged no pleasantries or trash talk. The gray, sludge-like ocean simply gushed toward Li Feng.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, which blocked the sludge''s initial assault. Either in reaction to Li Feng''s attack or the Moon of Thousand Faces'' control, gray fog roiled above the sludge and spread across the arena.


    The witch of dreams murmured, "To have encountered the Moon of Thousand Faces... your string of victories shall end here."


    Zhang Lie nced at her. "That''s the third time you''ve said it."


    The witch of dreams: ...


    Nightdemon replied, "It''s very possible that Li Feng might lose this time, so everyone''s watching attentively. After all, it would be a loss of reputation if our invited guests were to win every fight against us."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "How strong is this Moon of Thousand Faces, really?"


    The witch of dreams replied, "Strong even among the halls of chaos."


    "How about inparison to Ghroth?"


    Ghroth was the only particrly strong member of the halls of chaos that they had faced, and the members of Team Zenith could only use Ghroth as reference. They knew that Ghroth had been third among the halls of chaos when he was still one of its members.


    The witch of dreams replied, "Iparable to the walking disaster, but the Moon of Thousand Faces can weather Ghroth''s assault and live."


    The hunters nced at each other uncertainly. It had taken basically all of them to take down Ghroth. It looked as though Li Feng would face an uphill battle indeed.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!" Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    Hundreds of shining serpents tore apart the gray fog andnded in the gray sludge. The serpents,posed of light-attuned gic energy, were slowly dissolved by the gray fog, but even so, as the bulk of themnded on the surface of the sludge, the sludge began to react.


    A nine-headed hydra emerged from the sludge, each head thick as could be, its scales formed of heads of various aliens. The heads sprayed out a breath of gray fog, dissolving the ground of the arena and transforming it into a swamp.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" With a shout, Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, rending the fog and striking one of the hydra''s heads.


    The remaining eight heads all struck at once.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!" Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed toward the sr king...


    One arclight dragon bit off a hydra head. The remaining seven surrounded Li Feng, opened their maws wide, and sprayed out toxic air.


    Li Feng''s body shone with intense white light, illuminating him until he was burning like a midday sun.


    The Moon of Thousand Faces'' toxic gray fog was indeed very impressive, and it quickly corroded the light-attuned gic energy. Even the draconic armor that had just condensed over Li Feng''s body quickly turned an ashen gray.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!" Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him as he shot out a piercing burst of light, intending to prate through the hydra''s heads.


    He fought his way out of the heads'' encirclement.


    The remaining six heads chased after him, toxic gray clouds spraying from their heads.


    Li Feng ran for it. Light-attuned gic energy shone through his corroded armor.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!" The arclight imprint rapidly gathered, and a white dragon appeared behind him. As Li Feng punched forward, the dragon shot toward the hydra like a bullet from a sniper rifle. It left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Li Feng sent out a flurry of punches like bullets from a machine gun. Starlight shone down on the hall of chaos, causing Zhang Hanxiang, Sun Mengmeng, and Hong Xi to gape in awe.


    Zhang Hanxiang murmured, "It''s little wonder that Li Feng''s the only one among all of us who has a girlfriend. His techniques are so pretty."


    Yang Ze scoffed. "A mammoth for a girlfriend..." He would rather not have one than have a mammoth one.


    The remaining six hydra heads were staggered by the blows.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!" Li Feng''s fists, glowing with light, were packed with huge quantities of light-attuned gic energy. They smashed into the ground in a massive explosion, as though a nuclear warhead had detonated. All that energy headed in a certain direction.


    The floor cracked as Li Feng targeted the gray sludge.


    However, the Moon of Thousand Faces wasn''t an easy opponent. The gray sludge roiled forth, exploding as it came into contact with the light-attuned gic energy and shielding the Moon of Thousand Faces'' main body from the blow.


    .


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" A silvery-white glow, blinding in its intensity, exploded from Li Feng''s body. The shockwaves that emanated from his body were so intense as to distort space. They roared through the air like thundering dragons, turning the hall white.

 Chapter 1162: An Ocean of Gray Sludge

    <h4>Chapter 1162: An Ocean of Gray Sludge</h4>


    Li Feng''s technique had been based on one of Zhang Lie''s, but by now, he had converted it into somethingpletely his own.


    As Li Feng punched forward, light-attuned gic energy transformed into a raging flood. Thick, concentrated energy, like roaring dragons and galloping steeds, like sharp des piercing heaven and earth, fell from the sky. The entire hall was lit up with white.


    The six heads simultaneously exploded.


    Light brimmed over Li Feng''s body. As he howled, an arclight dragon manifested over his fists. "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!"


    The dragons roared. As Li Feng punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching thousands of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole.


    The thousand dragons fell toward the Moon of Thousand Faces like countless meteors. The gray sludge transformed into an ashen hurricane, blocking the dragons'' advances and obliterating them.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire patch of void. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens.


    The dragon swooped down, causing the gray sludge to explode where he made contact. The gray sludge formed a pair of hands to catch the arclight dragon, but Li Feng shed down with his sword and rent a hole in those hands, freeing countless souls from eternal torment.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Starcrest Dragonde]!" Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, illuminating the void.


    The shes sent the gray sludge flying through the air.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!"


    Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    The arclight dragon careened into the ashen hurricane. The sword was so sharp it could slice through anything, cutting apart the hurricane in a sh so fast it happened in the blink of an eye. A scar was left on the ocean in its wake.


    The gray sludge transformed into a hundred snakes, criss-crossing in the air.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Milky Way sh]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly as a gxy seemed to unfold around Li Feng.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy.


    The silver dragons, simultaneously real and illusory, swept away the gray serpents as though they had never existed.


    The guests in the halls of chaos were stunned. To think even the Moon of Thousand Faces was being beaten by Li Feng!


    The guests were certain that the opposite was going to happen. After all, Li Feng''s opponent was the Moon of Thousand Faces, one of the strongest attendees at the banquet.


    Only Li Feng himself knew that, despite how the battle might appear to the onlookers, he was only able to do limited damage to the Moon of Thousand Faces. After all, his opponent was able to transform the hall''s sturdy, reinforced floor to a swamp just by breathing out vapors. Much of Li Feng''s attack had been blocked and absorbed by the gray fog.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng cut forward with another sh. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that tore through the gray sludge.


    As Li Feng''s attacksnded one after the other, the Moon of Thousand Faces, having suffered a number of rather serious blows, shrunk in volume. The gray sludge covered far smaller an area than before, bing more ake than an ocean, and the thousand faces became a hundred.


    Li Feng''s attacks, weakened though they might be, were rather effective. On the other hand, the Moon of Thousand Faces had yet to get in even one good hit.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!" Li Feng soared into the air, clouds appearing by his feet to propel him forward. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air as an arclight dragon rushed into the sky alongside his back. The dragon swooped down toward the Moon of Thousand Faces, causing another explosion of gray sludge. The entireke of gray sludge was roiling, and a hundred heads were sent flying toward the sky.


    Their necks were tied together by gray tendrils as they floated toward and attacked Li Feng.


    Waving his giant de around, Li Feng cut apart the heads in a flurry of silver light. The next moment, he began to glow.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Realm of Heaven]!" Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars and even the will of the world itself. A holy chant seemed to fill the air.


    The light-attuned gic energy that gathered around Li Feng manifested as angel''s wings on his back. He seemed to be right by theke of gray sludge, but simultaneously a world apart¡ªin a dimension beyond, where the gray sludge couldn''t attack back.


    Even the king of chaos seemed stupefied. In the eighteenthyer of space, Li Feng had nevertheless invoked spatial authority.


    It was far harder to control space and time in such a deepyer of space, and for Li Feng to be using such a tactic revealed the depth of his strength. It was far more impressive an achievement than when Zhou Ying had torn apart space with her daggers.


    A hundred dragons wrapped around Li Feng''s sword, and his light-attuned gic energy was formingplicated patterns around him. Light swirled around him, as though manifesting in the form of illusions, as he swung his de down.


    .


    Radiant white light exploded from the point of impact, the holy light of heaven. Suddenly, all that light disappeared.


    The heads that had been hovering around Li Feng transformed into wisps of soulstuff, which rose into the air amidst holy light.


    As the Moon of Thousand Faces lost many of the souls that were trapped in its gray sludge, it deted like a balloon that had a leak. Where once there had been an ocean, there was now a little pool.


    "Let this final blow be a mark of honor against a skilled opponent." The next moment, Li Feng struck with his sword. A river of holy light seemed to trail behind him, and arclight dragons could be seen amidst the light. An ornate pair of doors could be seen at the source of the holy river. "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"

 Chapter 1163: Metallic Hurricane

    Chapter 1163: Metallic Hurricane


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!" As the gates of heaven opened up, countless arclight dragons poured out from behind the doors, forming a concentrated river of light and illuminating the hall.


    "Let''s stop the match here." Before the flood of arclight dragons couldnd on the Moon of Thousand Faces, the king of chaos jumped in. He blocked the entirety of Li Feng''s attack.


    "The victor has been decided. We don''t need to keep going," the king of chaos concluded. Li Feng stopped short.


    A human face appeared within the gray sludge. "I apologize, leader. I''ve damaged your reputation."


    "No, you''ve done well. You exhibited our strength and participated in a captivating battle." With a wave of his hand, the king of chaos turned back time. The Moon of Thousand Faces'' body once again grew asrge as an ocean.


    If the king of chaos were to turn back time right after Li Feng hadunched an ultimate attack, he might very well vomit from exhaustion.


    The king of chaos continued, "State your wish."


    Li Feng thought for a moment, then demurred. "Let''s forget about it."


    The guests began to murmur to each other.


    Li Feng continued, "We should strive for our goals. Aplishing them through wishes would be a waste of our lives¡ªwe need to be oveing trials and challenges."


    Would an easy life be meaningful? Not to Li Feng, at any rate.


    If he wanted to catch up to Zhang Lie, he would do so with his own feet. If he wanted superior world''s energy, he would excavate it with his own hands. What kind of man would he be to get everything via the king of chaos'' wishes?


    The guests nced at each other with growing dissatisfaction.


    Hong Xi had also turned the king of chaos down, but she had at least inquired as to the wish¡ªshe was simply dissatisfied with the manner by which it would be granted. On the other hand, Li Feng was rejecting it outright.


    How many entities among the three thousand worlds had wishes they would give anything to fulfill? All those guests participating in the Night Banquet had staked their all on this, and many guests present now had lost their freedom because of their participation.


    They looked toward Li Feng with dismay and annoyance, feeling as though he were embarrassing the king of chaos and highlighting their futility.


    Even so, considering how Li Feng had taken down the Moon of Thousand Faces, none of the guests dared speak up.


    Li Feng''s strength spoke volumes.


    The king of chaos seemed rather surprised. "That''s precisely how I feel. How interesting! It''s a pity that you''ve already chosen to apany Zhang Lie... if you ever change your mind, let me know at any time."


    The king of chaos was making a twofold offer: if Li Feng ever wanted a wish fulfilled, the king of chaos would help him do so, and simultaneously, if he ever felt as though he were being treated poorly, the king of chaos would offer him the most gracious terms.


    "Thank you, but I''m doing well." Li Feng marched toward Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith.


    Aplex entity, whose body was hemispherical andposed of gray shining metallic cylindrical particles, slowly moved toward the center of the hall.


    Those who looked at it had the strange sense that there might have been multiple glowing, sparkling eyes between the cylinders, but no matter from which direction they looked, all they could see was the space delineated by the cylinders.


    The Parter of Veils floated quietly at the center of the hall. Sun Xiaowu strode forward, step by step, as Sun Mengmeng cheered him from behind.


    Sun Xiaowu smiled as he turned back, then clenched his fists tightly.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    The gray, metallic amalgamation transformed into a hurricane of metal that shot toward Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    The metallic cylinders smashed into the storm of golden feathers and continued on unharmed.


    Yang Ze smirked as he turned toward the witch of dreams. "Are you going to say we have no chance of victory again?"


    The witch of dreams hmphed. "Don''t me me for not warning you all in advance¡ªthe Parter of Veils is certainly among the top five guests present."


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The attacknded like a nuclear explosion. Golden light rose into the air, and the overwhelming radiance forced all the onlookers to shut their eyes. The attack struck the hurricane and smashed a hole in it, but it quickly reformed within moments.


    Before the gray metallic cylinders could restore themselves, Sun Xiaowu''s golden clones dashed forward.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!" They suddenly radiated with golden light so bright the entire hall was illuminated.


    However, the Parter of Veils was prepared for this attack. Sun Xiaowu hadn''t noticed that the small eyes hidden behind the cylinders had been paying attention to Sun Xiaowu''s clones, and metallic shards sprayed out of the cylinders.


    The shards tore apart Sun Xiaowu''s clones, and even Sun Xiaowu himself was caught by the spray.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, shining brightly like a brand. As the metal shardsnded on his body, sending sparks flying.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!" The moment the spray of metallic shards stopped, Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over ten thousand clones, an entire battalion of soldiers by himself. Each clone was simultaneously real and illusory.


    The gray metallic cylinders made a move once more, transforming into a hurricane of metal that devoured Sun Xiaowu''s clones.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Seizing that opportunity, Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    He rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he smashed into the hurricane, sending golden light ring and metallic shards flying as a shockwave of force swept over everyone in the hall.

 Chapter 1164: Qilin of Gold

    Chapter 1164: Qilin of Gold


    The golden qilin smashed into the metallic hurricane. The metal sparked as it struck the golden qilin''s body, sending sparks all over as the qilin cried out.


    The metallic hurricane was like a hurricane that had picked up all the scrap metal in a junkyard. All the metal was endowed with high-dimensional spatial authority, which went beyond even that forbidden by the eighteenthyer of space.


    The hurricane wasposed of abination of metal and spatial force. As it repeatedly smashed into the golden qilin, the qilin''s scales began to crack, and the hurricane grew fiercer and fiercer.


    The metal shards began to resonate as their spatial authority tore apart the qilin''s scales, causing it to explode.


    The entire hall shook with the force of the explosion, as though a nuclear warhead had detonated. Golden light red so brightly that it felt as though the sun was exploding.


    The golden qilin burst apart amidst the metal hurricane, sending the remnant shards of metal flying.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" As the hurricane was momentarily disrupted, Sun Xiaowu divided into another thousand clones.


    Before the metal shards could gather once again, Sun Xiaowu made his move. "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    Golden radiance filled the air, so concentrated that much of the shining des struck the eyes hidden behind the metal cylinders and caused them to tremble. They haphazardly danced through the air, scoring lines into the cylinders'' bodies. A few even struck Sun Xiaowu''s own clones and pierced through them.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" The remaining clones all clenched their fists. Their arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over their skin.


    The golden radiance lit up the battlefield, as though a golden sun was rising out of its midst.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    Sun Xiaowu''s remaining clones struck in all directions. The power of his golden punch sent gusts of golden radiance blowing across the hall, scattering the metal.


    "[Golden Divide: Soar]!" Sun Xiaowu''s clones raised their hands as one. Golden radiance lit up the hall.


    The clones all struck with [Golden Divide], forming a sea of resplendent gold. The tides surged, swallowing up all the metal, which cracked in the air.


    Rather than dividing like cells, the metallic cylinders seemed to unfold like kaleidoscopes, forming a turbulent mass.


    The replicating cylinders shed with Sun Xiaowu''s clones'' attacks again and again, shattering the golden light and sending sparks flying. Some of the cylinders ended up shed into pieces by the golden light.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!" Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    The mecha even looked a bit like Zhang Lie.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden mecha.


    The golden radiance burst apart and struck everything in sight, piercing through the floor of the hall. The golden light stormed through the hall, sending the metallic cylinders flying and thudding into the walls. Nevertheless, the cylinders continued to replicate, quickly repairing the damage that Sun Xiaowu had wrought.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden giant, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely.


    The metallic cylinders formed atticework shield to block the radiant light, but to no avail. The golden light struck the cylinders and exploded the shield into smithereens.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    The metallic cylinders which had spread throughout the hall as a result of the fighting now floated up and joined the mass in the center of the arena. They revolved in mid-air at high speed. Spatial authority flickered from the cylinders, transforming them into a metallic hurricane anew.


    "[Golden Divide]!" Thousands of golden mechas simultaneously used Golden Divide, and the entire sky turned glittering gold. Each golden de was five meters wide and thousands of meters long, and there were so many of them they filled the sky.


    Golden fragments filled the air, some forged of Sun Xiaowu''s gic energy, others pieces of the metallic cylinders that had been chipped or sliced off.


    However, the self-replicating metallic cylinders were able to absorb such losses readily.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it.


    It was asrge as the falling sun.


    It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air.

 Chapter 1165: Snatched Away

    <h4>Chapter 1165: Snatched Away</h4>


    The qilin''s scales were radiant and shining with golden light, each like a miniature sun. It looked like a god descending from the heavens, its long whiskers floating in the void, surrounded by golden clouds, looking like a sculpture of gold.


    The golden qilin would originally be around a thousand meters tall, but in Sun Xiaowu''s mecha form, it grew to a staggering fifty thousand meters in height.


    The golden qilin radiated light, illuminating the hall.


    Even the massive halls of chaos seemed small inparison to the golden qilin. The gathered guests retreated from the arena in surprise.


    The golden qilin''s body was sorge as to render the metallic hurricane ineffective. Spatial force flickered as the metallic cylinders were haphazardly scattered about.


    As the metallic cylinders regrouped and attacked the golden qilin, the golden qilin swiped its ws at them.


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t notice that a few scattered, lifeless cylinders were floating into the air and vibrating rapidly. They shot toward him from behind at an incredible speed.


    Fortunately, the golden mecha served as a firstyer of protection, blocking the cylinders for the barest of moments before they pierced through the golden mecha''s gic barrier. By that time, however, Sun Xiaowu had realized what was happening. He sent a punch at his back, deflecting the attack.


    As the metallic cylinders surrounded the massive golden qilin, they began to duplicate again and again, turning into a dense forest of metallic cylinders that surrounded the qilin''s body like a swarm of mosquitoes. If the cylinders were allowed to duplicate again and again, the golden qilin would soon be swallowed up.


    Sun Xiaowu nced at the golden qilin. The next moment, the qilin self-destructed. Golden radiance flooded the halls of chaos, devouring the metallic cylinders within moments. Even the king of chaos frowned.


    The most turbulent of chaotic energies, sufficient to swallow up even a sun, formed a barrier around the golden energy so as to prevent the explosion from affecting any of the guests.


    The golden gic energy was so concentrated as to be able to disrupt space and cause the metallic cylinders to sublimate. The energy that spread beyond the confines of the arena was all siphoned off by the energy of chaos. After the energy faded away, all that remained were burning-red, half-melted metallic cylinders barely floating in the air.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    All of Sun Xiaowu''s clones simultaneously asked, "Shall we keep fighting, then?"


    Sun Xiaowu stared at the metallic cylinders thaty scattered about the hall. "Or do you think you can beat me with this half-formed refuse?"


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones glowed with light as the floating metallic cylinders fell weakly to the ground, signaling the Parter of Veils'' surrender.


    The king of chaos reversed time and reconstituted the Parter of Veils anew.


    With a voice akin to metal rasping against itself, the Parter of Veils announced, "I apologize for my taunts. I admit your strength."


    The king of chaos intoned, "State your wish."


    Sun Xiaowu thought for a moment, but in the end, he replied, "I don''t need anything right now. May I defer my wish for the moment?"


    "Yes," the king of chaos replied, "as long as you''re ready by the end of the banquet."


    Sun Xiaowu dispelled his clones and walked off stage, making a victory sign as he strode up to his sister.


    Subsequently, Yang Ze walked onto stage. "Who''s my opponent?"


    The Lord of Dimensions phased through space and appeared directly before him.


    Yang Ze sucked in a deep breath and asked, "Can I get a different opponent? I''m not a big fan of dogs or bugs."


    The Lord of Dimension bared its sharp teeth and pounced toward him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea]!" Yang Ze invoked his authority over space, whichbined with his water-attuned gic energy and formed circlets around his arms. As he punched forward, the ripples knocked aside the Lord of Dimensions'' sharp fangs.


    Those fangs, however, were imbued with authority over space. They broke apart the ripples on contact.


    In the eighteenthyer of space, spatial authority was hard to invoke and harder to control. Only a shred of spatial force had been imbued into Yang Ze''s attacks, and the Lord of Dimensions easily nullified them, just like a pair of scissors snipping at thread.


    "[The Boundless de: Shark Frenzy]!" Waves suddenly appeared in the sky, shimmering like a mirage. Spatial fluctuations rippled as Yang Ze activated [Mirrored Refraction], but the attacks never reached the Lord of Dimensions.


    The Lord of Dimensions clenched its teeth, phasing through the sharks and preparing to bite Yang Ze.


    As its teeth tore Yang Ze apart, water-attuned gic energy burst from the ''body'' and sent the Lord of Dimensions flying. The shark turned back and made to chomp down on the Lord of Dimensions, but even so, it was still able to phase through space. It appeared right by the shark''s head and bit down, causing the shark to explode in a burst of water-attuned gic energy and sending the Lord of Dimensions flying once more.


    The Lord of Dimensions was propelled high into the air. Meanwhile, Yang Ze stood at the edge of the arena, gathering water-attuned gic energy around him and manifesting lotus after lotus.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" He shed forward with his sword, which sent the crystal lotuses whizzing through the air. The Lord of Dimensions phased and appeared right by Yang Ze''s back, where he bit down again. This time, its teeth passed right through Yang Ze''s body.


    The Lord of Dimensions was bewildered¡ªit could sense spatial fluctuations from Yang Ze''s body. Yang Ze had actually managed to invoke spatial authority even on the eighteenthyer of space!


    The king of chaos praised, "Zhang Lie''spanions truly are a group of geniuses. I''d love to make them mypanions, but it looks as though mine are stillcking."


    Yang Ze was aplishing what Li Feng had likewise managed¡ªto be familiar enough with the constraints of the third realm to be able to invoke spatial authority even in the eighteenthyer of space.


    Beside the king of chaos, the All-Mother asked, "Why not take them by force, leader?"


    The king of chaos shook his head. "That would be far too inelegant. I''d not have a group of puppets, but rather a cadre of warriors who would fight alongside me."


    Beautiful crystalline lotuses floated around the Lord of Dimensions, but what happened next was far less beautiful.


    The lotuses burst apart right in the Lord of Dimensions'' face, causing shards of ice and water-attuned gic energy to blind it.


    The shards of ice scored and embedded themselves into its face in waves of shocking pain.

 Chapter 1166: The Lord of Dimensions

    <h4>Chapter 1166: The Lord of Dimensions</h4>


    Yang Ze hadid a trap for the Lord of Dimensions when it next approached his body.


    "You bastard!" The Lord of Dimensions was outraged. It was a master of phasing through space, dodging its opponents'' attacks readily before counterattacking with its own, which would alwaysnd. In the end, fatigued by a thousand bites and never havingnded a single attack, its opponents would fall and perish in agony.


    This time, however, the Lord of Dimensions was being forced back in its own domain of expertise. Its rage was incredible.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!" Thepping of waves echoed through the hall. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the hall. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The Lord of Dimensions, ignoring the whale, phased through space and made to strike at Yang Ze, spatial force gathering over its sharp fangs as it sought to tear Yang Ze''s attack apart.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. As it flipped, concentrated water-attuned gic energy exploded around itself, smashing into the Lord of Dimensions and sending it tumbling back the moment it tried to strike.


    The most turbulent of chaotic energies, sufficient to swallow up even a sun, formed a barrier around the energy so as to prevent the explosion from affecting any of the guests.


    The king of chaos protected his audience once again.


    The Lord of Dimensions flipped through the air several times before smashing down onto the arena, quite a few of its teeth having been knocked loose in the aftermath of the attack. Its body shimmered with cracks as it looked toward Yang Ze with disbelief.


    Its teeth had been imbued with concentrated spatial force, which should have torn apart the space around Yang Ze, and hence his body. However, Yang Ze seemed wholly unaffected.


    Yang Ze widened his arms. "Don''t look at me like that, will you?"


    The Lord of Dimensions couldn''t help but ask, "Are you truly a human?"


    "Indeed I am."


    As though it had just thought of something, the Lord of Dimensions continued, "No, even if your body is ethereal, I should be able to attack you. Have you been fighting me all this time with an illusion?!"


    Yang Ze couldn''t help but smile. "I would hardly reveal all my secrets to you in public."


    Yang Ze''s karmic power, which he had recently awakened, was an inversion of heaven''s might. Inbination with his skilled illusions, Yang Ze coulde up with all manner of ridiculous techniques.


    "Regardless, it''s immaterial to you now."


    Upon hearing Yang Ze''s voice, the Lord of Dimensions btedly realized that it had been surrounded by thick white fog. All the excess water-attuned gic energy from Yang Ze''s attacks had dispersed into the environment and was now being transformed into white fog, so thick that his hand would be obscured if he extended his arm.


    Pale blue sharks swam through the fog, and a horde surrounded him protectively.


    Yang Ze was never one for brute force.


    Despite being faced with a dense sea of pale blue sharks, the Lord of Dimensions didn''t seem worried. It roared dramatically, "Man, avatar, or spirit¡ªI, Mh''ithrha, shall kill you!"


    The Lord of Dimensions phased through space and appeared directly before Yang Ze. It bit down, but its teeth passed straight through him.


    Yang Ze''s illusion was purely that; he hadn''t invoked any spatial authority or karmic strength.


    However, the enraged Lord of Dimensions could no longer tell illusion from reality. The reason Yang Ze had enraged the Lord of Dimensions with his crystalline lotuses was to cause it to lose its rationality.


    At that moment, Yang Ze was standing not far from the illusion. Water-attuned gic energy surged forth from him like a roaring sea.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!" With a wave of Yang Ze''s sword, water-attuned gic energy manifested in the form of a giant serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice. It surged forward, swiping its ws. The Lord of Dimensions phased through space to avoid it, but the dragon was sorge, and Yang Ze''s attack so opportune, that the Lord of Dimensions couldn''t escape unscathed.


    The Lord of Dimensions counterattacked by opening its maw wide, shooting out a cannonball ofpressed space that tore through the sea serpent. Before it could roar in pride, however, the sea serpent exploded and sent another wave of gic energy surging through the arena, heavily wounding the Lord of Dimensions.


    "The victor is clear," the king of chaos announced.


    The king of chaos dispelled the barrier of chaos and healed the Lord of Dimensions before asking Yang Ze what he wanted.


    Rather than give it up like Li Feng, or defer it like Sun Xiaowu, Yang Ze calmly stated,


    "I''d like to glean further understanding of higher-dimensional space."


    The king of chaosmented, "Your mastery over space must be quite refined for you to be able to invoke spatial authority in the eighteenthyer of space so quickly."


    "And yet it could always be improved, I''m sure," Yang Ze replied.


    The king of chaos stated, "I have two methods of granting your wish. The first is to ept my knowledge and intuition. I have a particr understanding of space, far beyond what you possess, but it won''t be something you can emtepletely."


    "What side effects are there?" Yang Ze asked.


    "None," the king of chaos replied. "If you insist, I suppose one drawback is that the intuition and understanding is wholly mine. Before you digest itpletely, the growth of your spatial mastery will slow to a halt. Furthermore, there wouldn''t be the aplishment and struggle that yourpanion spoke of."


    "This seems eptable to me."


    "Even so, I rmend the second approach. I''ll send you directly to the twenty-fourthyer of space and allow you to develop your own intuition and mastery. The drawback is that it''s rather dangerous, and you might perish. Given your talent, however, I doubt this would be a problem. From what I''ve learned of all of you, you would surely pick the second option."


    Yang Ze narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Give me a moment to think it through, please."


    The first method was clearly simpler...

 Chapter 1167: Three Petals

    <h4>Chapter 1167: Three Petals</h4>


    Yang Ze didn''t care much for the sense of aplishment and the process that only someone like Li Feng, who liked a beast, could value. Yang Ze had no need for these feelings.


    As for the "downside" that he would be unable to progress further with regards to spatial maniption before fully absorbing the king of chaos'' insight¡ªwell, that was hardly a problem at all. He simply had to absorb all that insight quickly.


    It was hardly as if he would lose any interest or happiness in life if he were to be rich.


    Yang Ze definitely wanted to be rich¡ªthere would only be upsides for him for doing so.


    After a moment''s thought, Yang Ze lifted his head and announced, "I choose the first option¡ª"


    Btedly, he found that he was being surrounded by chaotic tendrils of energy. "What''s going on?"


    The king of chaos replied, "It''s no choice at all, I suppose. All yourpanions would pick the second option."


    "No, I pick the first option!" Yang Ze cried out.


    However, Yang Ze found that he had lost his voice. Surrounded by chaotic energy, he phased through the hall and was transported into the deepestyer of space...


    Zhang Lie asked, "King of chaos, are you taking advantage of your position to mess with Yang Ze?"


    The king of chaos replied, "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    The hunters were speechless. The king of chaos was clearly seething!


    Neither Sun Xiaowu nor Li Feng had made a wish, and it felt as though the king of chaos'' wishes were being devalued. His pride wounded, the king of chaos took it out on Yang Ze. He told Yang Ze that there were two options avable, but in truth, there was only one.


    <i>To think I was so kind as to pledge to fulfill one of your wishes¡ªonly for you to snub me! Hmph.</i>


    Sun Mengmeng murmured in concern, "Yang Ze will be alright, won''t he?"


    Fang Yi wasn''t particrly worried. "Don''t worry. Yang Ze''s survived all sorts of mishaps. Nothing will happen."


    Zhang Liemented, "If the king of chaos were going to strike at him, he would have done so already. Perhaps we might be able to win against the king of chaos''panions individually, but if twenty or thirty of them were to charge at us at once, how many do you think you can take down?"


    The members of Team Zenith were silent.


    Zhang Lie continued, "What''s more, none of us have a measure of the king of chaos'' true strength."


    Li Feng said, "We don''t have to worry about Yang Ze''s safety. At the very least, the king of chaos has never tried to take our lives."


    The king of chaos asked, "Have you finished your discussions? The next fighter should step forward."


    Fang Yi retrieved a spear from his dimensional storage. "Let me take my turn, then."


    A small fireball floated forward from the king of chaos'' camp.


    Fang Yi didn''t look down on the fireball just because of its diminutive stature¡ªhe had been paying attention to Nightdemon''s introductions.


    This was the Star Devourer, the frightening existence that treated the three thousand worlds like nothing more than snacks.


    The small fireball rapidly expanded into a huge fireball, with three burning petals imprinted into its surface. The entire hall heated up as the gigantic fireball made its way toward Fang Yi.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward, so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. As it struck the fireball, the superior-grade spear burned bright red with heat. Just a short moment of contact had suffused the spear with heat, causing Fang Yi to feel as though the spear was scorching his flesh.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" Fang Yi morphed into lightning for mere moments, and the wind swelled around him. He pulled back to put some distance between them as the fireball rushed forward and swallowed up the afterimages that Fang Yi left behind.


    As the heat poured forth, Fang Yi''s forehead beaded with sweat.


    The Star Devourer used neither skill nor technique; it simply rushed forward.


    Its mes, which could burn even a world, were its most fearsome attack. Realizing that he would be unable to escape, Fang Yi instead dashed forward, thrusting his spear before him.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    A windstorm raged. Wind and storm circled Fang Yi as he thrust his spear forward. The spear, crackling with wind and storm, caused the mes to swirl, but did nosting damage to the huge fireball.


    Not giving up, Fang Yi boosted his body with the power of space and time.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which thrust their spears at the Star Devourer. [Floating Clouds] helped Fang Yi keep up his attack, but itnded with no impact whatsoever.


    Even Zhang Lie, spectating from the side, murmured, "This fireball''s truly against the rules..."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Is its bodyposed of pure energy?"


    Sun Xiaowu added, "And it has mes of unparalleled heat, too..."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, that''s just what it appears like on a superficial level. Its true core is the three burning petals imprinted on the surface of the fireball, but trying to attack it will require going through the mes. It''s a ridiculous opponent."


    The witch of dreams smiled with glee. "This time, I''m certain that yourpanion will be unable to hold out. The Star Devourer is an entity that the king of chaos himself had to deal with. Although it hasn''t fought much against the other guests present, it has never lost."


    Zhang Lie turned to the witch of dreams. "Thank you."


    The witch of dreams: ???


    She didn''t understand Zhang Lie''s intent at all.


    Zhang Lie exined, "Every time you made such an assertion, mypanions won their battles without fail."


    Li Feng emted Zhang Lie''s actions. "Thank you for your encouragement."


    The witch of dreams cried out, "I mean it this time!"


    The members of Team Zenith chorused in response, "We know."


    The witch of dreams felt a horrible sense of difort.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that made his spear look like an electric saw, so fearsome it could even prate space.


    The wind and storm were able to prate through the mes to some extent, but reaching the fireball''s core was all but impossible.


    As the fireball drew near, Fang Yi was scorched by its heat.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    Leveling the spear before him, Fang Yi dashed into the mes, the wind forming a protective barrier around him.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body.


    Fang Yi howled loudly as wind and storm emerged from the loop like a rocketuncher, sending Fang Yi careening forward.


    Hisbat experience allowed him to identify that the Star Devourer was''t purely a construct of energy, unlike the Moon of Thousand Faces. The three burning petals imprinted on its surface were simply too special, and Fang Yi arrived at the conclusion that those petals had to be part of its core.


    Without striking the three petals, the Star Devourer would only continue releasing more and more mes.

 Chapter 1168: Through the Flames

    <h4>Chapter 1168: Through the mes</h4>


    Fang Yi''s spear thrust into the zing mes. The Star Devourer had looked massive to begin with, almost half the size of a small world on its own, but it was only when he pushed through the mes did he discover whaty within.


    Its internal space wasrger than its external, and it was almost asrge as a superior world from within.


    Advancing through the mes, through the heart of a superior world, was an arduous task. By the time the spear was almost about to touch the petals, they suddenly moved aside, so quickly they were somewhere else in the blink of an eye.


    mes were chasing Fang Yi from behind, and he knew that he wouldn''t be able to remain in the Star Devourer''s body for long. Otherwise, he would quickly burn to a crisp.


    Fang Yi didn''t hesitate. He headed straight through the mes on the other side as the mes behind him pounced on him like demons.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The attack consisted of two different types of energy, one to speed up time, and the other to elerate decay.


    The two disparate sources of energy revolved around the spear, spawning a ck hole in the area and turning the surroundings gray. Everything was frozen in time for a moment¡ªthe blowing wind, the scintiting lightning, the scorching me. The only color in the space came from Fang Yi and his crackling spear.


    Of course, neither Zhang Lie nor the king of chaos were affected by the stopped time, either.


    .


    Zhang Lie was temporarily in a pale gray state. His consciousness was alert and unaffected by the time stop; he watched Fang Yi''s actions quietly.


    If he wanted to, he would likely be able to break out of the temporal stasis, but Zhang Lie would never do so. Disrupting Fang Yi''s skill now would break his concentration and might even lose him the match.


    Meanwhile, the king of chaos seemedpletely unaffected, as though he were immune to temporal shifts or locks.


    The Star Devourer''s mes were moments away from invading the gray world of stasis. Fang Yi would only be able to halt time for a few moments longer. He whirled around and thrust his spear out to defend against the mes chasing after him. The next moment, the gray world copsed.


    With Fang Yi at the center, cracks propagated throughout the world of stopped time. The world unfroze with the sound of ss shattering.


    Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear as the Star Devourer''s mes exploded into a brilliant burst of light throughout the air. Fang Yi defended with his spear.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!" His leg, crackling with lightning, sent multiple fireballs flying.


    The fire suffused the entirety of the space. Fang Yi was almost overwhelmed and temporarily suppressed.


    The mes manifested in the form of two gigantic palms that closed in on Fang Yi from the left and from the right.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions. He kicked at one palm, then used the momentum to somersault in the air to avoid the other.


    A second wheel of time manifested by his back, elerating him. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    It left thousands of artificial images behind as a third wheel of time appeared, countering the disaster of fire that threatened to envelop him.


    Wind and lightning surged around his spear in quantities farrger than seemed possible. Fang Yibined that energy with temporal energy, causing the light around his spear to sh a dazzling array of colors, blue and ck and purple, as though he had cracked open a tunnel through time.


    Light wrapped around the spear. Temporal energy that sped up time and age swirled around it, like wind and lightning.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment]!" Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    The wheels of time that spawned around Fang Yi''s back weren''t just to strengthen his own abilities, but were a necessary prerequisite for unleashing this skill.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure. The Star Devourer''s mes were sucked into the wind that revolved around him, turning them into ming meteors.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Even the eighteenthyer of space was insufficient to suppress Fang Yi''s overwhelming strength.


    Fang Yi''s maniption of spatial force was no subtle affair¡ªhe used strength, brute strength, topel the space around him into motion.


    This might have been difficult for others to achieve, but Fang Yi was perfectly capable of such a feat. In the face of brute strength, all else paled inparison.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Hebined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, and space.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff. Even the eighteenthyer of space was meaningless against such strength.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination. A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing¡­

 Chapter 1169: Two Petals Left

    <h4>Chapter 1169: Two Petals Left</h4>


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    The Star Devourer''s mes burned the gray world caught in temporal stasis to a crisp.


    As the flow of time resumed, all the guests turned to Fang Yi''s technique with consternation. The technique boasted such strength that no one present could be certain of defending against it unscathed.


    The Star Devourer emitted a torrent of me. Rather than trying to avoid the attack, it elerated and smashed into it.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit. The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined six different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; and the fundamental forces of space and time.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to break and crack, as did Fang Yi''s own peak-grade spear. Even Fang Yi''s own body was giving out. He bled out of his orifices, veins popping out on his forehead, the spear in his hand trembling almost uncontrobly.


    All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The skin on his arms cracked. His capiries burst, and blood gushed out of his wounds. His technique seemed to be going out of control.


    However, having experienced this situation a few times, Fang Yi was familiar with the pain thatnced through his entire body.


    Fang Yi howled and sent the unstable mixture shooting forward,


    .


    The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment. A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    The instantaneous burst of energy surpassed that of a disaster. The corkscrewing energy devastated everything in its path. A void storm smashed into the Star Devourer and caused mes to explode all over.


    The Star Devourer''s body was pierced clean through, and the mes that formed the core of its body were unleashed. The king of chaos had to step in, sealing away the arena within which Fang Yi and the Star Devourer were located.


    The floor of the hall had been burned to nothingness, leaving an abyssal trench behind, so deep it seemed to have no end. Heat radiated from it, and the air around it seemed supercharged with mysterious strength. Spatial rifts, void lightning, temporal storm, and the wind of ages¡ªthese were disparate sources of energy that would never ordinarily havebined, but they were all hovering atop the trench now.


    Fang Yi panted for breath as he stared at the fireball.


    He hadn''t managed to kill the Star Devourer in one punch. Even so, he had dramatically weakened the Star Devourer, and the once-massive fireball had shrunk to a fraction of its original size.


    Of the three burning petals, only two remained.


    Sun Mengmeng wondered, "This isn''t some sort of death-substituting ability, is it? Each petal representing one life?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "We have barely any understanding of the Star Devourer. It''s too hard for us to say."


    Li Feng frowned. "If that''s so, Fang Yi will have a tough time..."


    Sun Xiaowu murmured, "Fang Yi''s only good for one cast. If he can''t get rid of his opponent during that time, he''ll be severely weakened in what follows."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s nothing we have to worry about. You all participated in battles against the various superior kings, and you''ve all been growing stronger. Fang Yi will have more stamina sooner orter."


    The Star Devourer sent out another wave of fireballs. Fang Yi had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep fighting.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning. A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, spearing through the fireballs.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    A windstorm raged, and thunder crackled. The boost afforded by the wheels of time caused wind and storm to wrap around Fang Yi''s body as though he were a spear. He shot toward the Star Devourer again.

 Chapter 1170: Growing Stronger

    <h4>Chapter 1170: Growing Stronger</h4>


    The Star Devourer summoned a firewall to block Fang Yi''s path. Fang Yi''s spear, swirling with wind and lightning, struck the wall of fire and caused it to explode. As the mes red, Fang Yi was sent stumbling back¡ªas a second wheel of time appeared by his back.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" At that moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which thrust their spears at the Star devourer. [Floating Clouds] helped Fang Yi dodge the attacks in his way as he attacked from unusual angles.


    The Star Devourer retaliated, sending mes spreading out like a hurricane.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!" Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that made his spear look like an electric saw, so fearsome it could even prate space.


    The wind and storm prated through the mes, cutting into the hurricane as a third wheel of time formed to Fang Yi''s back.


    The mes that were poised to scour the world transformed into huge palms that swatted at Fang Yi. Supported by the three wheels of time, Fang Yi tore the palms apart with wind and storm.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Even the Star Devourer''s mes were sucked into his attack, causing the spear to turn bright red with heat. As the spear pierced through the mes, a fourth wheel of time spawned.


    After having lost its bulk, the Star Devourer grew even faster. It quickly pulled out of range of Fang Yi''s attack.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body.


    Fang Yi howled loudly as wind and storm emerged from the loop, sending Fang Yi careening forward. With four wheels of time to his back, Fang Yi was barely able to control his speed.


    He didn''t manage to pierce through the two burning petals, but instead only brushed past them. His staggering speed scraped away half the mes.


    The Star Devourer condensed its own mes, the tremendous heat gathering around its two burning petals.


    The Star Devourer had never seriously cultivated in its life. It had only devoured without end, growing stronger as it consumed more and more worlds. It had never considered the source of its power, or how to control its strength¡ªit fought solely with innate instincts.


    For one, it had never encountered a strong opponent that it wanted to defeat. The king of chaos was too strong. He had caught the Star Devourer as easily as though it were a chick, and it couldn''t view the king of chaos as an enemy. Furthermore, the king of chaos had ended up feeding the Star Devourer like a pet.


    The Star Devourer had never thought of battle or of growing stronger.


    Against Zhang Lie, however, with an equally skilled opponent who strove for victory, the Star Devourer developed a new desire¡ªto be strong, to triumph, the first desire it had harbored in its life.


    The Star Devourer finally began to harness its strength, recalling the king of chaos'' advice: the day it was able to rein in its heat, its offensive abilities would go up another notch. Although doing so would be tedious and tiring for the Star Devourer, even revolting, it was willing to go through that much trouble to defeat Fang Yi.


    As it condensed its mes, they turned from scarlet to radiant white. Despite the fact that the Star Devourer had grown even smaller, the temperature of its mes reached an incredible height. The mes gave off so much heat that even the eighteenthyer of space was unable to bear the energy, and space around the me began to distort.


    If the Star Devourer were to remain where it stood, it would eventually burn through the very space itself.


    The king of chaos nodded approvingly.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!" Fang Yi kicked off the ceiling of the hall, wind and storm swirling around his legs. He kicked himself off the ceiling, and his [Floating Clouds: Loop of Storms] again sent him dashing forward.


    The Star Devourer sprayed out a torrent of white me, which burned the air.


    Fang Yi swerved. The moment his spear came in contact with the me, the heat struck him like a physical force.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!" As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The attack consisted of two different types of energy, one to speed up time, and the other to elerate decay.


    .


    The two disparate sources of energy revolved around the spear, spawning a ck hole in the area and turning the surroundings gray. Everything was frozen in time for a moment¡ªthe blowing wind, the scintiting lightning, the scorching me. The only color in the space came from Fang Yi and his crackling spear.


    Of course, neither Zhang Lie nor the king of chaos were affected by the stopped time, either.


    Fang Yi thrust back with his spear once again, but this time, the situation waspletely different.


    The Star Devourer had grown used to the temporal stasis, and it was able to react quickly. mes erupted in the world of gray, so suddenly that Fang Yi was unable to dodge. Submerged in the me, Fang Yi''s skin burned in an instant. A fifth wheel of time appeared to his back, and Fang Yi shattered them all.


    "[Wheel of Time: Break]!" As Fang Yi roared, the wheels of time to his back splintered, and his body began to glow more and more brightly. Next to Fang Yi, a shadow of himself suddenly appeared, one which suddenly merged with Fang Yi''s body and gave him a tremendous boost to his strength. The wind and lightning circling the spear doubled in intensity.


    As the next wheel of time broke, even more light red from Fang Yi''s back. A second shadow appeared, merged with Fang Yi, and boosted his strength, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth...


    As more and more wheels of time behind Fang Yi broke, more ephemeral shadows appeared and boosted his strength to an extreme. Wind and storm circled him five times over.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder, scattering the sr storm. A wind dragon and a storm tiger appeared. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.

 Chapter 1171: Gambling with Fate

    <h4>Chapter 1171: Gambling with Fate</h4>


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Scorching white mes and lightning were sucked into the mes; the lightning turned white. Wind and lightningbined into a devastating attack.


    The white mes turned back on their creator, and the Star Devourer caved in.


    Fang Yi, his entire body badly burnt, panted loudly for breath, but he never stopped moving.


    Meanwhile, the Star Devourerunched yet another attack, drawing mes in and spurting them out in the form of dozens of mingnces.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock. Fang Yi thrust his spear forward so quickly it left dozens of afterimages in all directions, sending thences flying away.


    Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky. Hundreds of afterimages appeared all around him, and his spear thrustsnded like raindrops. The Star Devourer manifested a hurricane of me to counter the attack.


    The hurricane and spear thrusts shed against each other repeatedly in small bursts of me. Fang Yi''s spear was incapable of handling fights of this level; it had already begun to crack from Fang Yi''s sixfold ultimate, and those cracks were propagating as the battle continued.


    In truth, even Fang Yi was gritting his teeth and barely holding on.


    He had less than half his wind and storm energy left. His sixfold ultimate consumed far too much of his reserves, and Fang Yi had barely had time to rest during this high-intensity fight.


    Compared to his previous two fights, he had clearly grown much stronger. It was only because of his improved stamina that he was able tost so long; if he had fought with a simr intensity in the fight against the sr king, he would long since have copsed.


    As his spear shed against the Star Devourer''s me, a second wheel of time appeared behind him. His spear was filled with cracks, but even so, it took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    A windstorm raged, and thunder crackled.


    The boost afforded by the wheels of time caused wind and storm to wrap around Fang Yi''s body as though he were a spear. He shot toward the Star Devourer again.


    The Star Devourer formed a wall of fire around itself, but Fang Yi tossed his cracked spear forward without any hesitation at all. The firewall burst apart, and Fang Yi retrieved a new spear from his dimensional storage.


    The moment he was distracted changing his weapons, the Star Devourer emerged from the mes.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" Fang Yi morphed into lightning for mere moments, and the wind swelled around him. He left dozens of afterimages behind as the Star Devourer flew by, trailed by a pack of mes. The afterimages vanished from sight as Fang Yi, bearing with the scorching heat, howled, "Godbane Strike!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened.


    He knew what Fang Yi was nning; that was why he was so worried. Fang Yi''s body was on the verge of giving out, whereas the Star Devourer was stronger than before. This was undoubtedly a tremendous risk.


    Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    .


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Golden threads surrounded wind, storm, time, and space.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment], and the power of karma¡ªtransforming his fivefoldbination of energies into a sixfold one. Wind, storm, time, space, and now the mysterious power of karma...


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    The power of his strike transcended both of its constituents, time and karma.


    The strike touched the notion of fate, that all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a hurricane. The eight different kinds of energy stacked on top of each other and were refined into a cocoon.


    As Fang Yi infused more and more of his own energy into the attack, the threads of eight different colors began to separate.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    Against the eightfold confluence of energies, even the reinforced high-dimensional space seemed liable to copse.


    The eighteenthyer of space simply made it more difficult to invoke spatial maniption; it wasn''t much more reinforced. On the contrary, it was even more unstable than ordinary space and easier to copse.


    The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    The confluence of the eight different energies gave birth to a mysterious hybrid. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost. If not for the king of chaos sealing the space around the hall, the hall would have copsed.


    Even more shockingly to the king of chaos, despite his personal reinforcement that made use of energy from the deepest parts of the abyss, even that energy seemed as though it would be insufficient to handle the shockwaves emanating from the attack.

 Chapter 1172: Broken and Averted

    <h4>Chapter 1172: Broken and Averted</h4>


    The witch of dreams had once stated that the Star Devourer''s rank among the guests of chaos was indeterminate. Now, however, after having learned how topress its mes and gaining some mastery over it, it was surely among the top three.


    Fang Yi had no other choice but to use his trump card. "Fate!"


    Although he knew that Fang Yi possessed such a technique, it was the king of chaos'' first time seeing it in action. Against this type of higher-order energy, even the king of chaos was paying careful attention. "But I wonder if he''ll be able to cast it this time?"


    The king of chaos couldn''t help but feel excited.


    As the wheels of time cracked, so too did Fang Yi''s spear. Even his brand-new spear was unable to withstand the stress that his skills imposed; after all, it wasn''t a disaster-grade spear.


    Even a disaster-grade spear would bepletely trashed by Fang Yi''s eightfold ultimate, let alone a superior-grade one.


    Fang Yi''s own body, however, fared even worse than did the spear. Blood fountained from all his orifices, and green veins bulged from his forehead. The penalty for forcibly using his ultimate skill despite his exhaustion caused incalcble damage to his body.


    As a spearman himself, the king of chaos naturally hoped that Fang Yi would be able to release the skill, but he simultaneously hoped that Fang Yi wouldn''t seed. Only then would he be able to adopt Fang Yi as apanion, following the terms of the bet.


    A spearman who could unleash such devastation was more than worthy of being part of the halls of chaos, and he would be able to elevate the halls of chaos to even greater heights.


    The fated spear was undoubtedly an exceptionally strong attack, even among the hunters of Team Zenith. Zhang Lie himself wouldn''t dare to get hit by that attack.


    Unless he were able to defeat Fang Yi before he couldunch that attack, there was no other recourse. The fated spear was guaranteed to hit.


    Such an overwhelming attack naturally incurred amensurate cost. It would drain essentially all of Fang Yi''s reserves even at about 80% of his peak strength, but he had forcibly activated it with 40% of his strength remaining. Fang Yi was putting his life on the line with this match.


    His bones creaked and cracked. Having depleted the gic energy in his body, the skill was exacting its price from his lifeforce and spiritual energy.


    The gray world of temporal stasis burned to a crisp under the Star Devourer''s mes.


    His enemy released from the time lock, his own strength fading away, Fang Yi sensed the impending toll of defeat.


    His body trembled. His grip faltered, and golden threads spun haphazardly around him. Many tangled around Fang Yi, trapping him within a golden web. The threads turned ck, corrupted with karmic bacsh.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but be reminded of Feitian''s appearance when he died. Those who took advantage of karma and fate would be killed by those same principles.


    Fang Yi had been taking advantage of fate to kill his opponents, and this was the bacsh that had been held in abeyance.


    Perhaps there had been a possibility that Fang Yi wouldn''t have fallen here, but he had twice used the fated spear to kill the sr king and Ghroth respectively.


    Both those opponents were ones that Fang Yi couldn''t have been able to kill otherwise. Fang Yi, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying, despite having the upper hand in the battle, took far longer than expected to finally win against him.


    Against Ghroth, they even had to pay a price and incur a series of injuries in order to finally kill him.


    They could very well have died against the sr king and Ghroth; it was Fang Yi''s fated spear that had allowed them to avoid this fate.


    After employing this technique multiple times, Fang Yi was finally now suffering from its bacsh.


    The possibility of winning against the Star Devourer had been stripped away, leaving just a single oue behind: Fang Yi, unable to withstand the expenditure of his fated spear, would die to his technique.


    In some sense, karmic bacsh was like bad luck; it stripped away the subset of favorable oues, leaving only unfavorable ones behind. Rather than cause those unfavorable oues directly, the effect of the bacsh was indirect. The most frightening part about it was that it could appear at any time and in any fashion.


    Lightning crackled like a demon swiping its ws. A storm raged, and space tore apart. ck-and-gold chains criss-crossed and tangled up under the influence of fate.


    So chaotic was the energy around Fang Yi that even the Star Devourer didn''t dare approach, wary of being sucked into the mess.


    The king of chaos frowned. The energy that Fang Yi had summoned was so frightening that the king of chaos wouldn''t be able to turn back time and revive him even if he wanted to. This was the incredible power of fate.


    Zhang Lie, noticing the badly devolving situation, forcibly broke through the king of chaos'' barrier around the arena.


    The king of chaos advised, "Give up. It''s pointless now¡ªif you approach, you''ll just hurt yourself."


    "Even so, Fang Yi''s mypanion. I owe it to him to try."


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The hall began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the air. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the hall.


    As though devouring the sun, Zhang Lie''s gic energy swamped the chaotic barrier and broke a crack in it.


    Just as Zhang Lie was about tounch another attack, something happened at the heart of the confluence of energies.


    .


    Fang Yi thundered, "My fate isn''t to perish here!"


    Fang Yi burned all his lifeforce and spiritual energy, and even his potential, to break the chains of ck and gold that surrounded him.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    The spear in his hand exploded, only to be reced by a revolving spear that manifested out of gic energy.


    The cracks in the air continued to propagate, shattering space and time, devouring and annihting everything in sight. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared all around the hall¡­

 Chapter 1173: Spear of Chaos

    <h4>Chapter 1173: Spear of Chaos</h4>


    Fang Yi, calling on nothing but his own willpower, had shattered fate and transcended his own limits. A magnificent construct of energy now appeared between his hands.


    Such was the power of that energy that he could barely hold onto it. The muscles of his arms tore, almost to the extent of revealing bone. The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment. A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded. The eight different energies formed a huge vortex.


    The Star Devourer burned incandescent with all that remained of its strength as it tried to shoulder the attack.


    In the briefest moment before impact, the king of chaos dispelled his shield and shot forward so quickly that no one else could react. With his own body, with his own strength, he forcibly took the blow meant for the Star Devourer.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded, but all that energy was absorbed by the power of chaos.


    The next moment, all the members of the halls of chaos grew shocked.


    The king of chaos had been injured, visibly so, and chaotic energy poured forth from his body.


    "Leader!" All the guests present tried to rush up the arena, but the king of chaos shook his head and held them back. "Stay where you are. I''m fine."


    The members of Team Zenith were likewise shocked. They knew how strong Fang Yi''s fated spear was, so strong that it could kill Ghroth and even the sr king in one strike each. None of them dared to try defending against the attack, but the king of chaos had suffered nothing but an injury¡ªand this wasn''t even his main body.


    The king of chaos announced, "Fang Yi is the victor of this fight."


    The Star Devourer cried out, "Leader, I can still fight!"


    The king of chaos retorted, "Had I not made a move, you would have died to that attack¡ªand sopletely that I wouldn''t be able to revive you."


    Fang Yi''s attack disrupted time and space, and it killed its targets on a karmic level. This wasn''t something that could be reversed.


    The king of chaos continued, "Even if you had nine lives, you''d still perish. That''s how unreasonable fate is."


    After Fang Yi finishedunching his attack, his body wavered as though it were about to fall. Fang Yi slumped back, only to find someone supporting him. Fang Yi turned around to see Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie murmured, "In front of outsiders, don''t reveal your weakness. You''re the victor, and you need to present yourself like one as you receive your just des."


    Fang Yi nodded firmly as the members of Team Zenith stepped forward. Zhou Ying immediately began healing Fang Yi, regrowing his burnt flesh at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    "How do you feel?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Zhou Ying murmured, "The situation''s a bit difficult to deal with. Fang Yi was far too stubborn, and he''s depleted all his reserves of energy. Not only are there burn wounds all over his body, he even expended much of his lifeforce, so his internal organs are damaged too."


    Fang Yi coughed weakly. "Can you still save me?"


    Sun Mengmeng grumbled, "Are you only realizing the extent of your injuries now? You shouldn''t have fought so hard to begin with!"


    Fang Yi replied, "Not like I could have joined the halls of chaos, could I?"


    Zhou Ying continued, "The injuries won''t be too difficult to deal with, and I can replenish the lost lifeforce as well. The issue is with the soul and the consumption of potential. Spiritual injuries will recover with enough time and rest, but as for your lost potential..."


    The king of chaos suggested, "Let me handle that."


    The king of chaos made his move, sending the purest chaotic energy he had ess to into Fang Yi''s body.


    Fang Yi, already weakened, mustered no resistance to the energy. Zhou Ying nced at Zhang Lie, as though asking whether she should stop the king of chaos.


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    After the chaotic energy circted once through Fang Yi''s body, Zhou Ying quickly inspected him. "He''s looking much better, and his spirit has been restored as well. The lost potential is no longer a problem. The issue is that there are still traces of chaotic energy left in his body."


    Zhang Lie peered at Fang Yi with a piercing stare before nodding his head fractionally. "The remnant energy will obscure Fang Yi''s fate and prevent any more of this karmic retribution, at least within the third realm."


    The refinement process between the third and fourth realms would likely clear away any remnants of chaotic energy.


    After being treated by both the king of chaos and Zhou Ying, Fang Yi''s body was in far better condition than before. He could now stand up on his own, though his pallor was still concerning.


    "Speak your wish," the king of chaos announced.


    Fang Yi hesitated. "I don''t really have a wish of my own, but..."


    The king of chaos suggested, "I noticed that your weapons have been unable to withstand the might of your techniques."


    Fang Yi''s eyes widened. "Yes, yes, exactly that! I''d like a weapon that can withstand the might of my ultimate."


    Whenever Fang Yiunched that attack, he would destroy a disaster-grade weapon.


    .


    The king of chaos mobilized the purest of chaotic energies he had ess to once again, which could absorb even a sun into the abyss. That energy condensed once and again, spiraling in front of the king of chaos, then elongating into the form of a spear.


    Chaotic energy swirled about the spear. The king of chaos guided the spear, floating on a bed of energy, toward Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi lifted the spear and sensed its might. He, who had used a spear for half his life, could identify it with just a glimpse and a touch. "This is amazing," he breathed.


    The haft was rigid and straight, the tip of the spear glinting with icy light. Chaotic energy infused the spear, likely the sign of a hidden special ability that Fang Yi would have to discover on his own.


    The king of chaos had clearly expended much of his energy. His body remained in a weakened state, with much of the chaotic energy surrounding it having been diminished.


    "Let''s call this weapon Chaos, then. I hope you''ll use it well, and not besmirch my reputation."


    The other members of the halls of chaos stared at Fang Yi with looks of envy and jealousy.


    Fang Yi began waving around his spear, unable to resist showing off a shy technique as he nodded fervently. "Very well. From now on, my weapon will be this spear, Chaos!"


    The members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie returned where they stood, as did the king of chaos, as the witch of dreams stepped forward with a smile. "It''s finally my turn."


    Just then, the All-Mother, who had been by the king of chaos'' side, spoke up. "Everyone''s having so much fun, but I''ve done nothing more than spectate. It feels rather upsetting to be ignored, and I''d very much like to find out just how strong these human fighters are to be able to defeat so many members of the hall of chaos consecutively."


    The king of chaos looked toward his consort with surprise. "You''re interested in these lifeforms?"


    The All-Mother replied archly, "I''ve always been interested in all sorts of lifeforms."


    The king of chaos replied, "I should warn you that your interest frequently leads to unfortunate oues for those involved."


    The All-Mother smiled. "Very well. Let me be truthful, then: the halls of chaos have lost too much of its reputation, and I''d like to at least regain some back."


    The king of chaos beckoned. "As you wish, mydy."

 Chapter 1174: The All-Mother

    <h4>Chapter 1174: The All-Mother</h4>


    The All-Mother turned toward the witch of dreams. "Will you allow me the next match?"


    Unwilling though the witch of dreams might be, she still forced a smile. "I would be honored, All-Mother."


    The All-Mother''s three back spines squirmed forward like oars, tugging her heavy, unwieldy body behind. Her beak opened as she released a shrill, chaotic screech. She was draped in what felt like the source of darkness, from deep within the ster abyss. A gust of cold and the stench of decay swept toward them.


    Herrge red eyes were the size of rugby balls, and the massive, milky-white blob that formed her body was supported by skeletal, angr legs with circr suction cups at their base. Her head made one nauseous, formed byyers ofyers of some white gtinous substance, covered in swollen, bulging eyes.


    At the very center was a massive beak filled with sharp teeth, with the bulbous eyes facing Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng.


    "Who might my opponent be?"


    "Me,"


    Sun Mengmeng announced, stepping forward and retrieving her garuda bow from her dimensional storage.


    "To kill such a lovely young woman fills me both with pity and excitement." The All-Mother struck immediately, feelers extending from her body, so dense as to form a cloud of darkness around her.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Purple mes burned over Sun Mengmeng''s fingers, manifesting into three arrows.


    The energy in the three fiery arrows was so dense that they took on corporeal form. If not for the unusual heat they gave off, an ordinary bystander would never believe that they had been formed of me.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the All-Mother like tracking missiles.


    The feelers exploded in three blooming flowers of me. Even so, they clearly possessed remarkable regenerative abilities, as they restored themselves within moments.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the halls of chaos a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    The explosions bloomed like flowers amidst a rain of purple meteors, which continuously struck the feelers and prevented their forward advance.


    Sun Mengmeng cast [ck Sun], forming a cordon of purplish-ck me around her.


    She activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that she looked like a warrior out of hell. They simultaneously red from her garuda bow and transformed into an undead phoenix.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!" Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward the All-Mother. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    Sun Mengmeng shot out arrows so quickly that all one saw were the afterimages they left behind.


    The arrows continuously put pressure on the All-Mother.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!" Nine ming moons appeared in the hall, overshadowing the illumination within.


    ck mes exploded at the point of impact, clearing away the remaining feelers.


    Before her eyes appeared a monster of gigantic proportions, a cloud of roiling, decaying mist. At times, that mist would aggregate to form vile organs and limbs, sticky ck tentacles, a mouth drooling with saliva, or distorted legs with cloven hooves like those of a goat.


    The mysterious, malformed lifeforms bowed down to the All-Mother. The members of Team Zenith watched on with shudders down their backs.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s this?"


    The witch of dreams exined, "These are the avatars of the All-Mother¡ªher children, if you will."


    The All-Mother mbered forward as Sun Mengmeng nocked an arrow. Her entire bow began to ze. Sheunched her arrows straight toward the ceiling, where they exploded to form ck moons.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" The ck moons covered up the ceiling as zing moonlight began to fall.


    The moonlight wasposed of countless such mes. Like a waterfall, the mes sshed onto the All-Mother and the monsters she created.


    The witch of dreams murmured, "Yourpanion stands no chance."


    Zhang Lie turned to her. "Thank you."


    The witch of dreams cried out again, "I''m not joking! Many among the halls of chaos joined its ranks because of their awe at our leader''s strength; or, even if they don''t, they fear it. The All-Mother is different from the rest of us."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Does she not care about the king of chaos'' power?"


    The witch of dreams replied, "She joined the halls of chaos in order to bear his progeny."


    Li Feng understood immediately. "You mean that the All-Mother just wants the king of chaos'' child?"


    Sun Xiaowu guessed, "So that''s why they entered the banquet together, rather than beforehand like all you guests. She really might as well be your leader''s wife!"


    The witch of dreams scowled. "What do you mean, wife? I won''t acknowledge such a shameless fellow. She''s just a little strong, that''s all."


    Zhang Lie made an ''ahh'' of realization. "You have to admit her status as wife because of her strength, don''t you?"


    The witch of dreams snorted. "She''s shameless and sticks to our leader like a limpet. Even he can''t do anything about her."


    Nightdemon shrugged. "My main body doesn''t mind."


    "So, did they end up having children?" Zhang Lie asked curiously.


    None present believed that the monsters with cloven hooves were the progeny of the All-Mother and the king of chaos. After all, the cloven monsters only bore the aura of the All-Mother, without any chaotic energy whatsoever.

 Chapter 1175: Cloven Monsters

    <h4>Chapter 1175: Cloven Monsters</h4>


    Nightdemon shook his head. "Given how strong my main body is, there''s hardly any chance of that."


    The stronger an entity was, the more difficult it was to produce any offspring. This was a result of evolution at a gic level. The more advanced and personalized such evolution became, the harder it was to procreate.


    Sun Xiaowu joked, "It''s reproductive istion in action!"


    Nightdemon asked, "What''s reproductive istion?"


    "The fact that different species have a hard time reproducing with each other."


    Fang Yi sighed. "Isn''t it a bit ludicrous to discuss reproductive istion in the dimensional realm?"


    Zhang Hanxiang suggested, "I think we need to talk to an expert about this."


    Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Zhou Ying, Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, and Zhang Lie all looked toward Li Feng at once. Li Feng nced behind him to confirm that they weren''t looking at anyone else in his general proximity before pointing at himself with confusion.


    He frowned. "When did I be this so-called ''expert''?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "At the very least, you''re the one most qualified to speak of this problem among us."


    Li Feng cried out, "Captain, you''d better not point fingers at me¡ªyour Li Qianlin''s a gic lifeform too!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "She''s half-spirit, and the gic disparity is far less severe than with beastmen."


    Li Feng thundered, "So you know enough toment on it too!"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Do you understand the problems involved, then?"


    Zhang Hanxiang added, "Will there be problems in reproduction between the king of chaos and the All-Mother?"


    Li Feng grumbled, "Reproductive istion applies to normal gic lifeforms. Do either of them seem like regr lifeforms to you?"


    Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Zhou Ying, Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, and Zhang Lie all shook their heads in unison. The king of chaos was a nebulous, chaotic fog, likely not too different from an evolved version of a gctic neb¡ªand none of them had any idea what the All-Mother was. Even ordinary malformed lifeforms weren''t as monstrous as she was.


    Li Feng continued, "I think that, before you guys discuss any issues rted to reproductive istion, you should consider whether the king of chaos can reproduce at all."


    While the members of Team Zenith murmured with each other, the fight between Sun Mengmeng and the All-Mother reached an apex.


    Sun Mengmeng''s ming moonlight struck the cloven monsters, but thetter were equipped with a fearsome regenerative abilityparable to Zhou Ying''s own. They were actually able to survive the impact of the ming meteor shower and even begin charging toward Sun Mengmeng anew.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!" A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone. The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall, obstructing the cloven monsters'' path.


    The All-Mother spawned even more monsters, forming huge clouds of ck fog that rolled toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]." Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward the All-Mother.


    They exploded in the midst of the cloven monsters, causing ck me to rise up into the air. The cloven monsters struggled and screamed as they were enveloped by the mes. Their pained screams echoed throughout the hall.


    Read the most updated version of this novel and other amazing tranted novels from the original source at [  ]


    "[Lunarme Shot: Might of the Garuda]!" Without any hesitation, Sun Mengmengunched another technique. Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    The ck arrow pierced through the cloven monsters until it finally struck the All-Mother''s chest, leaving a small ck dot amidst the milky-white, gtinous matter that formed her body. The ck mes spread out from the point of impact, causing her huge beak to open with a shrill screech.


    The All-Mother''s regenerative ability was far too frightening. It was so strong that it could suppress the spread of the ck mes, resulting in an equilibrium in which she was able to keep them cordoned off.


    The All-Mother then dug out the damaged flesh in her chest. ck blood, like an even more viscous analogue of gasoline, sprayed out. The blobs of flesh, as though rotting, spawned countless tendrils, and cloven hooves grew out of their underside.


    These cloven monsters were formed out of the All-Mother''s flesh, but these pieces of flesh were different from all the rest. Before they could grow to maturity, they were swallowed up by ck me and burnt to nothing but ash.


    The ck me continuously sucked away at the All-Mother''s lifeforce. Just as the All-Mother cleared all that corruption away, Sun Mengmeng struck once more.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red me, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    The All-Mother howled, and its three back spines moved furiously.


    The All-Mother struck the ck mes, and she was strong enough to break through them with brute force. Only then did she realize just how strong these human fighters were. Sun Mengmeng, in particr, was her direct counter.


    What the All-Mother feared most were attacks like Fang Yi''s, which seemed to have no counter whatsoever. She hadn''t expected another example of such attacks from the humans¡ªbut Sun Mengmeng''s ck mes were exactly one such.


    The ck mes were a perfect counter to her fearsome regenerative ability, curtailing and restricting her ability to spawn more lifeforms.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and shot out along with her arrow.


    Even before the arrownded, the earth and sky alike ignited.


    A garuda shot out at mind-boggling temperatures. Upon seeing it, the king of chaos immediately made his move, cordoning off the arena in which Sun Mengmeng and the All-Mother were fighting. The garuda barreled through everything in its path.


    Scorching waves of heat spread out from Sun Mengmeng, and the temperature in the hall rose dramatically. Even the king of chaos was unable to iste that heat. The members of Team Zenith and the guests of chaos, spectating the match, felt blistering heat envelop them. It was difficult to imagine just how hot it had to be in the middle of the arena.

 Chapter 1176: Self-Selection

    <h4>Chapter 1176: Self-Selection</h4>


    The All-Mother burned amidst the mes, which surrounded her entire body. Despite her fearsome regenerative ability, she was unable to recover from within the heart of the ck mes, and she had lost allbat ability.


    The king of chaos stepped in, dispersing the mes and treating the All-Mother with the most potent energy of chaos he had on hand.


    After the ck mes vanished, the All-Mother recovered quickly from her base regeneration and the king of chaos'' infusion of energy.


    The All-Mother lowered her head and apologized. "I''m sorry I wasn''t able to win."


    The king of chaos waved a hand. "I''ve never cared for victory or defeat. You''ve already done very well."


    The king of chaos turned to Sun Mengmeng. "Victor, state your wish."


    Sun Mengmeng thought for a moment. Unlike Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng, she stated her wish deliberately and quickly.


    "I want to be stronger."


    The king of chaos thought for a moment. "Do you want something like what Hong Xi did¡ªno, I don''t suppose you would go for that.


    Sun Mengmeng nodded once again. "I''d prefer if my path weren''t too affected as a result."


    "As before, I offer you two choices."


    The king of chaos always seemed to provide two choices by which a wish could be fulfilled.


    Zhang Lie thought back to what he had witnessed. No, that didn''t seem quite right. He would only do so for wishes that had to deal with gaining additional strength.


    The king of chaos suggested, "One way is to upgrade your weapon, but I don''t believe doing so will lead to a significant increase in strength for you."


    Although Sun Mengmeng was due for an upgrade, it wouldn''t be a particrly significant one.


    "I won''t change my weapon," Sun Mengmeng stated bluntly.


    Her current bow, the garuda bow, was a gift from Zhang Lie, and held particr meaning for her as a result. If she had wanted to switch to another disaster-grade bow, she would have done so far earlier, without waiting until now to do so.


    Furthermore, Zhang Lie''s garuda bow was more than sufficient for her.


    "In that case, consider the second approach. Your techniques have to do with me, and I can ignite my own chaotic energy to condense a spirit of me."


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes brightened. "That sounds perfect!"


    "Whether you merge the spirit of me with your current one, digest it, or refine and master it, yourbat strength will surely increase."


    "Let''s go with the second method, then." Sun Mengmeng made her choice instantly.


    The king of chaos extracted a portion of the most concentrated chaotic energy from his core, which ignited in the form of pitch-ck me, so intense it might well swallow up the sun. It was a darker shade of ck than even darkness, and would devour the darkness and transform it to void.


    Upon witnessing the me that the king of chaos had conjured, even an expert like Sun Mengmeng grew nervous.


    As the king of chaos continuously infused chaotic energy into the me, it red and burned brightly. Its tip licked the hall''s ceiling. The king of chaos transferred energy from its main body to condense the me and refine it further.


    When the pitch-ck mes were concentrated into an orb the size of a fist, the king of chaos nudged it toward Sun Mengmeng.


    Sun Mengmeng was instantly surrounded by ayer of pitch-ck me. The king of chaos immediately cordoned her off with a membrane, but even so, Sun Mengmeng''s mes were still being devoured by the ck me bit by bit. She was very satisfied with the potency of this new me, and was intending to carefully research whether it would bepatible with her own body.


    After Sun Mengmeng left the arena, the king of chaos looked expectantly at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward as the witch of dreams cried out, "It''s finally my turn!"


    Zhang Lie raised a hand. "Hold on, please!"


    The witch of dreams replied, "What''s the matter? Yourpanions have already finished fighting. As the captain, you aren''t getting cold feet, are you?"


    Sun Mengmeng snorted. "Our captain, afraid? Listen carefully to what he has to say before youment!"


    Zhang Lie continued, "To keep repeating this format, in which we send out contenders one by one, is simply too boring."


    The witch of dreams frowned. "You want to modify the rules established by our leader?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "How about allowing me to choose my opponent?"


    The witch of dreams thundered, "You''re looking down on the rules ofbat set by the leader himself!"


    "Very well," the king of chaos replied.


    Her chance to fight with Sun Mengmeng had been snatched away by the All-Mother, and her eagerly awaited fight against Zhang Lie was likewise gone because of a strayment from him.


    Feeling as though she had been insulted, the witch of dreams turned to the king of chaos. "Leader, I''ve been awaiting this fight for quite some time..."


    The king of chaos replied, "I''llpensate you for thister."


    Seeing that even the king of chaos wasn''t on her side, the witch of dreams turned angrily to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, do you think you''re too good for me?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Those are ambiguous words, you realize..."


    The witch of dreams'' eyes filled with tears. "What, am I not good enough?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "No, you''re simply too good for me¡ªoh, no, I mean, I have better options I prefer... no, that sounds too trashy... we''re just ipatible."


    Sun Mengmeng grumbled, "Are the two of you done making eyes at each other?!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "We aren''t making eyes at each other!"


    The witch of dreams stepped forward as she closed in on Zhang Lie. "Can''t we do it once?"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Tired of this ambiguous conversation, Zhang Lie summoned pale blue gic energy over his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The hall began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the hall.


    The pale blue flood was like a voracious beast. The witch of dreams'' eyes widened. She couldn''t even attempt to defend against the attack as it brushed past her.


    The flood smashed into the wall behind her with a huge quake that shook the entire hall and set it to trembling. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, the tide causing explosions that wrecked the hall.


    The witch of dreams'' hair unspooled around her face as she stood in a daze.


    Thanks to Zhang Lie''s extremely precise control of gic energy, no guest in the hall was hurt.


    Even so, the witch of dreams stood dumbfounded for a long while before she swallowed a gulp of saliva. She would have been wholly incapable of blocking the flood from just now.


    She couldn''t have imagined that the gap between Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith was so immense. If he were on the level of the other members of Team Zenith, she would still have strategies for dealing with him¡ªbut Zhang Lie was on another level entirely! That attack was as though a huge mountain was weighing down on her, so intense that she couldn''t even fathom the idea of blocking it.


    One blow would have ended her.

 Chapter 1177: Runic Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 1177: Runic Confrontation</h4>


    The witch of dreams wasn''t particrly strong as far as the halls of chaos went, and against Zhang Lie, who was stronger than even the members of Team Zenith, she had no chance at victory.


    If they really were to fight, the witch of dreams was certain that she would have lost with just that one blow. If it had struck her... the witch of dreams didn''t want to think about what would have happened.


    She would have died, her corpse obliterated.


    Although the king of chaos would surely be able to revive her, the fear of death was intrinsic to life.


    The witch of dreams wiped at the sweat on her forehead. "Alright. If you have a better option, Zhang Lie, I won''t hold you back any longer. If there''s ever an opportunity, I''lle back for you myself. You''d better wait for me, Zhang Lie!"


    The witch of dreams retreated from the arena with trembling legs.


    The king of chaos ignored this drama.


    "Whom do you intend to choose as your opponent?" he asked.


    "I''d like to fight against Ubbo, the Null Source."


    Zhang Lie pointed at the gtinous-like body surrounded by the Keys of the Elder Gods.


    The guests all turned to each other in surprise, none of them having thought that Zhang Lie would choose the Null Source as an opponent.


    "The Null Source is the most ancient existence in the third realm apart from the king of chaos himself..."


    "Allegedly, even before the three thousand worlds were created, the two of them were already around."


    "To have chosen the Null Source... it''s the most mysterious existence among us all!"


    The guests of the halls of chaos were all murmuring about Zhang Lie''s unusual choice with each other.


    The witch of dreams'' pale face flushed. She was so angry that she stomped around and cried out, "To have discarded me for the Null Source...!"


    Sun Mengmeng corrected her, "Our captain didn''t discard you, but instead chose the Null Source as his opponent."


    Li Feng was more concerned about another matter entirely.


    "How strong is this so-called Null Source?"


    The witch of dreams shook her head. "I don''t know about that. The Null Source has never made a move during all my time here. It might as well be an existence incapable of thought, at this point."


    Nightdemon chuckled. "If you consider the Null Source to be incapable of thought¡ªwell, you''re really underestimating it."


    The witch of dreams seemed surprised. "The Null Source can still think?"


    Everyone looked toward the Null Source¡ªthe members of Team Zenith and the guests of the halls of chaos alike.


    If anyone could be said to know the Null Source best among this group of people, it would have to be none other than the king of chaos¡ªand Nightdemon, his clone, standing right beside them.


    Nightdemon rolled his eyes. "If the Null Source really were incapable of thought, would ite to the night banquets every time?"


    The witch of dreams murmured, "So it''s beening on its own? We''ve always thought that the leader or one of his clones brought him over each time..."


    Nightdemon sighed. "If the Null Source really were unable to think, it would have unleashed a ughter during the night banquets thest few times. It''s simply been upied thinking of high-dimensional problems, so its body only has the basest of instincts. Its intellect is perhaps on the level of a baby or a child."


    Li Feng asked, "Is the Null Source strong?"


    Nightdemon raised his head. "Wait and see."


    The king of chaos asked, "Null Source, are you willing to participate in the night banquet this time around?"


    The Null Source slowly squirmed onto the arena as the guests watched on in shock.


    The king of chaos couldn''t help butugh. "To think that even you''ve developed some interest in our proceedings... it looks like you''re curious about our Mr. Zhang Lie, too."


    The Null Source didn''t speak. It squirmed until it was right before Zhang Lie.


    "Please make your move." Zhang Lie bowed to his opponent.


    The Null Source neither made a move nor spoke. It remained still and silent, right before Zhang Lie.


    "If you won''t, then I''ll have the first strike. [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The sword flew toward the Null Source as Zhang Lie probed his opponent''s strength.


    The sword energynded on one of the tablets of the Keys of the Elder Gods, causing the tablet to shake. Like a self-defense mechanism, huge quantities of slime-like bugs swam toward Zhang Lie in the manner of tadpoles.


    They seemed like fanatics who were swarming to take down an apostate like Zhang Lie, who dared hurt the Keys of the Elder Gods.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and his water-attuned gic energy turned heavy, sluggish, and a dark yellow color. Ripples of gic energy spread out all around him like mud. The slimy bugs ended up stuck in the mud, and their actions turned sluggish, almost stalled.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy was imbued with the power of gravity, and the slimy bugs were particrly susceptible to being trapped in localized gravitational wells.


    "[Rune: Gravity]!" Zhang Lie raised a hand high into the air as the image of a dragonturtle appeared before him. The ck tablets hovered above Null Source''s head. Runes of unknown provenance appeared from the tablets, then floated down and surrounded Null Source.


    Everyone in the hall of chaos felt a stifling weight pressing down on their bodies, as though they were mired in a swamp. Every action took dozens, hundreds of times more effort than normal, and even moving a finger was difficult. It was as though a mountain were pressing down on their bodies, one so heavy they could barely breathe, slowing down all their bodily processes.


    Even the air turned sticky and resilient to motion. The eighteenthyer of space began to solidify.


    The guests present were shocked by the breadth and depth of the attack. They were standing by the periphery, and yet the attack had rendered them almost immobile. How frightening would the gravitational pull be at the center of the arena?


    Even a superior king might be pressed into a solid ball within moments.


    The witch of dreams found it hard to imagine just what would be the oue of a battle between her and Zhang Lie. If Zhang Lie had used this technique from the beginning, the witch of dreams would have been pressed onto the ground, frozen stiff, and Zhang Lie would have been able to do anything he wanted to her. The thought was... provocative...


    The witch of dreams couldn''t help but lick her lips.


    Unlike what the guests were thinking, however, the Null Source wasn''t suppressed by Zhang Lie''s technique at all.


    Light refracted over the Null Source''s body, rendering it immune to Zhang Lie''s attack.


    As Zhang Lie infused more gic energy into the attack, the floor began to cave downwards from the enhanced gravity.


    Even so, either because of Null Source''s own strength or the effects of the Keys of the Elder Gods'' protection, or perhaps even both, the gravity had no effect on Null Source.


    Zhang Lie''s tablets trembled, as did the Keys of the Elder Gods.


    "Useless, is it? I''ll try it again, then!"


    Zhang Lie raised an arm high into the air once more, and the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind him.


    This time, two runic tablets appeared.

 Chapter 1178: The King of Chaos Shock

    <h4>Chapter 1178: The King of Chaos'' Shock</h4>


    "[Rune: Control]!" Zhang Lie''s two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    Even so, Null Source nullified the effects of both tablets.


    Zhang Lie''s tablets, as well as the Keys of the Elder Gods, all trembled.


    "[Rune: Control]!" The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets, sealing the lifeform''s will and power.


    Even those standing by the sides of the arena felt themselves weaken, their thoughts slow.


    However, Null Source''s unusual fluctuations were able to dispel the effect of these gravitational ripples.


    As Zhang Lie summoned the final two tablets, the four dragonturtle tablets hovered around Null Source, causing the Keys of the Elder Gods to tremble even more violently.


    The king of chaos was shocked to no end.


    If the guests of the halls of chaos were able to think normally, they would surely realize that the link between the Keys of the Elder Gods and the Null Source was growing weaker.


    The four runic tablets resonated at once.


    As the four tablets appeared simultaneously, a shocking situation unfolded. The tablets and the Keys of the Elder Gods began to resonate together and to vibrate at the same frequency. Once that resonance urred, the ck runes from the dragonturtle tablets appeared in the air and flew toward the Keys of the Elder Gods.


    At the same time, arcane runes and diagrams from the Keys of the Elder Gods glowed and appeared in mid-air, linking up with the dragonturtle tablets.


    The king of chaos was astounded. His chaotic energy began to run rampant, so shocked was he by the unexpected interaction. The runes from the Keys of the Elder Gods and the dragonturtle tablets looked as though they were chained together as they began to exchange information.


    This was an event of unparalleled magnitude.


    The Keys of the Elder Gods harkened back to the age of gods, and the records within it could date back to a primordial era. Even the very existence of such an era was unclear; this was simply the king of chaos'' best guess.


    The king of chaos hypothesized that the Keys of the Elder Gods could very well have recorded the creation of the dimensional realm atrge, and even the route to godhood¡ªnot just the ability to ascend to a higher realm, from the third to the fourth, but entering the world of the gods themselves.


    However, all of this was just a hypothesis. Even the king of chaos'' strength was insufficient to read andprehend the contents of the Keys. If he were to do so by force, he would end up like the Null Source, a monster whose existence was meaningless.


    The Null Source had be a guardian of the Keys¡ªor, more rudely, the Keys'' ve.


    The Keys of godhood were a creation that the king of chaos had naturally assumed to be unique to the third realm, but Zhang Lie''s tablets were somehow able to resonate with the Keys.


    Did Zhang Lie also possess tablets of that hypothetical era?


    Even the king of chaos had grown interested in Zhang Lie''s dragonturtle tablets.


    When he nced at the contents of those tablets, however, that desire vanished in an instant.


    He couldn''t understand the contents of the tablets.


    Both sets of tablets were, in truth, iprehensible.


    Zhang Lie didn''t deliberately hide the ancient text on his dragonturtle tablets. Despite this, even when the tablets were revealed in their entirety, an existence as old and knowledgeable as the king of chaos was still unable to read them.


    The text of the dragonturtle tablets was clearly an ancient script that had been lost to time.


    Even after so long, the king of chaos had only managed to decipher a small portion of the text from the Keys. Even if he were to study the dragonturtle tablets earnestly, it would be impossible for him to easily understand their contents.


    The Null Source, as if sensing something, amplified the vibrations and fluctuations to new heights, deepening the connection between the two sets of tablets.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t too surprised about the resonance between the Keys and the dragonturtle tablets.


    While ncing at the Keys, Zhang Lie had realized with some shock that the runic script of the Keys and his dragonturtle tablets looked startlingly simr, which was why he had chosen the Null Source as an opponent to begin with.


    He wanted to see if there would be any unusual interactions between the tablets and the Keys¡ªa gamble that had paid off even better than he had expected.


    "I''ll be taking those tablets!"


    The dragonturtle tablets began to vibrate even more violently, as did the Keys.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!" The four dragonturtle tablets began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the space and forming an absolute domain over all things within and without.


    In the region of stopped time, the Keys were slowly rotating to face the dragonturtle tablets.


    Meanwhile, the Null Source continued to deepen the connection between itself and the Keys. Its jelly-like appendages grabbed onto the Keys, refusing to let go.


    "Let go obediently, now..." Zhang Lie''s mud-yellow gic energy roiled toward the Null Source, which defended itself with its localized fluctuations. "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    The world shook. The hall trembled. The floor beneath his feet quaked.


    As he punched forward, gravity changed all around him. Quakes vibrated through the floor, which cracked. The cracks propagated outward through the arena, causing a huge fissure to form by Zhang Lie''s fee.


    If not for the fact that the hall was reinforced, Zhang Lie''s fist would have cracked through the''s mantle itself, causing a historic earthquake and causingva to erupt from the''s very core. All would have been submerged within boiling-hotva.


    Struck by the shockwaves through the air and through the earth, Null Source''s localized defensive waves were continuously being suppressed. The cracks in the floor spread further and further. The Null Source had to resist the shockwavesing at it through two media and maintain a strong tether to the Keys.


    In the end, its body shrunk and bounced high into the air.

 Chapter 1179: The Tablets Merger

    <h4>Chapter 1179: The Tablets'' Merger</h4>


    In a region of space sealed by Zhang Lie''s four dragonturtle tablets, however, the Null Source''s movements were far slower than they should have been. Its body shook violently as it was struck by the shockwaves, and the physical separation between it and the Keys of the Elder Gods grew.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know why the dragonturtle tablets would suddenly resonate with the Keys. Ninecarp Transformation was a mysterious technique, one whose depths Zhang Lie had barely plumbed.


    As the Null Source fought for control of the Keys with the dragonturtle tablets, Zhang Lie made another move.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Having invoked the dragonturtle transformation, Zhang Lie''s gic energy had turned mud-yellow. His punches were all but unstoppable, and the heavy blow shattered the defensive waves around the Null Source.


    The mud-yellow punch, imbued with gravity, was strong enough to destroy everything in its path.


    Waves rippled across the Null Source''s body, increasing its weight and making its movement even more difficult.


    The Null Source retaliated with waves of its own, which spread toward Zhang Lie.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight and evaded the waves.


    The Null Source was only conscious on a fundamental level. It knew that it had to get rid of Zhang Lie, or it wouldn''t be able to keep its Keys. Only then would the dragonturtle tablets vanish.


    The Null Source emitted an intense series of waves, as though a bomb had just exploded.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, manifesting a blood-colored dragonturtle.


    The huge dragonturtle stood in the way of the intense waves. Its strong defenses allowed it to barrel through the attack and smash into the Keys of the Elder Gods.


    The momentum from its charge alone caused the gtinous Null Source''s body to cave in. The waves surrounding its body began to ripple, then resonate at high frequency. Quickly thereafter, cracks appeared on the blood-colored dragonturtle''s shell.


    A dark yellow glow emerged from within the dragonturtle and spread out all over.


    The king of chaos, having sensed something, immediately summoned a barrier of the strongest chaotic energy he had ess to over the arena.


    The mud-yellow energy exploded with devastating force, imbued with the power of gravity. All that energy spread out all over, striking the Null Source with a blow heavier than anything it had sustained during this battle and forcing it to break the link to the Keys.


    The four pieces of the Keys were tugged away by the dragonturtle tablets. The Null Source was just about to stop Zhang Lie from doing so, but Zhang Lie followed up with another attack.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Mud-yellow gic energy erupted from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. Each muscle was like another dragon.


    a horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    The hundreds of dragons soared into the air, covering up the illumination in the hall. Even the halls of chaos, which might as well have been the size of a world, was unable to sustain the hundreds of dragons.


    The dragons swooped down toward the Null Source. Even before they struck, the frightening force of gravity caused the floor to cave in for dozens of meters. The Null Source''s body was sent flying.


    The four Keys merged with the dragonturtle tablets in a dazzling array of light.


    The dragonturtle tablets'' text grew more abstruse, and the energy in the tablets grew more and more intense.


    The king of chaos interrupted, "We''ll end the battle here!"


    The Null Source''s gtinous body, which had exploded into multiple pieces, was slowly reforming.


    Clearly, Zhang Lie''s attack had been insufficient to kill it outright.


    After all, the Null Source could hardly be considered living matter at this point, and it was surely far harder to kill. If Zhang Lie weren''t mistaken, the Null Source was living parasitically on the Keys themselves. As long as the Keys weren''t destroyed, the Null Source would live in an unkible state¡ªand the tablets that had been created during the primordial era surely wouldn''t be easy to destroy.


    In other words, the Null Source was essentially an unkible existence, though it had paid amensurately heavy price to achieve such an objective. It had only basic intelligence, almost none at all¡ªabout the equivalent of a single-celled organism.


    Trading its own intelligence for a persistent body was, to Zhang Lie, an extremely unfavorable trade. It was like turning into a tree to avoid being affected by death.


    The dragonturtle tablets would take a while to mergepletely with the Keys. It looked as though trying to absorb more of the Keys would be impossible¡ªit was likely that the four tablets could only merge with four Keys. Zhang Lie refrained from trying to absorb more of the Keys, but he had no intention of giving up on the Keys that he had already snatched away, either.


    The Null Source reformed. Perhaps because Zhang Lie had stolen four of the Keys away, or because it had been dispersed by Zhang Lie, it seemed visibly weaker than before.


    Zhang Lie nced at the reformed Null Source warily, worried that the Null Source would try to snatch the tablets back.


    A mouth appeared on the Null Source''s body, which opened and closed twice over before it began making noise. "Orange, deux, market, identity, flip..."


    As though it were practicing how to speak anew, the Null Source ran through a series of exercises before saying in a halting fashion, "Don''t worry, I have no intention of continuing to fight with you. I won''t keep trying to wrest the tablets away from you, and I benefit from not havingplete control over them, at any rate."


    Zhang Lie cried out in surprise, "You can speak?"


    The king of chaos seemed equally shocked. "You''ve recovered? When was this?"


    The Null Source replied, "I haven''t recoveredpletely. The fact that I can even speak is a miracle. After four of the Keys were separated from the rest, the seal on my body grew iplete. The Keys'' effect on me has weakened drastically, and I can recover a portion of my intellect and ability to think. I don''t know how long this condition willst¡ªbut at the least, it''s much better than it was before."


    The king of chaos asked, "Are the Keys cursed?"


    "The Keys need a passionless guardian, but now that I''ve read and understood part of it, it''s impossible for me to return to how I was before." The Null Source might have recovered a portion of its intellect, but the changes to its body that resulted from analyzing the Keys were irreversible. "I''ll give you the four Keys. I don''t want to continue living like a grub."

 Chapter 1180: I Want Map Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 1180: I Want Map Fragments</h4>


    "I certainly didn''t want to have a bug''s intellect forever."


    Thinking about how it had been dazed and mindless just a few moments ago, the Null Source shuddered.


    Fortunately, four of the Keys had been taken away, freeing the Null Source from that gross indignity.


    Zhang Lie continued, "In other words, you didn''t end up like this because you managed to decipher the Keys? It was because of the Keys'' influence instead?"


    The Null Source replied, "This is difficult to exin. It''s one of the reasons I ended up this way, but of course, the influence of the Keys is impossible to neglect. Now that you''ve taken away four of the Keys, that influence is waning, and I can partake in basic conversation. However, anything moreplex is still out of the question."


    The king of chaos volunteered, "Although i was able to decipher and understand a small part of the information in the Keys, the contents of the tablet arergely far tooplex and abstruse. I''m very curious just what is described in the Keys¡ªhistory about the primordial era, or the path to godhood?"


    Information about the primordial era was particrly valuable, and no entity in the third realm knew of it.


    The Null Source exined, "The Keys reveal different information depending on how you decipher them. All that information is correct, but what information you get will vary."


    The king of chaos continued, "In that case, despite how much time you''ve spent with the tablets, are you still unaware of their full capacity?"


    The Null Source replied, "Not quite. I''ve managed to decipher a bit of it, but certainly not all. To put it nicely, I''m the owner of the Keys; to put it unkindly, I''m nothing more than a tool."


    "Really?"


    The king of chaos suspected that the Null Source didn''t want to reveal the contents of the Keys.


    The Null Source sighed. "Despite how long I''ve spent with the tablets, I was only able to uncover a bit of information."


    Since the Null Source was unwilling to share, there was little the King of Chaos could do.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now."


    The Null Source squirmed toward the edge of the hall.


    The king of chaos turned to Zhang Lie. "Zhang Lie, you seeded in oveing the Null Source. To be honest, I''m very surprised¡ªand simultaneously regretful. Does someone as brilliant as you really not wish to join me as apanion, to forge the world in our image?"


    Zhang Lie refused once more with a shake of his head.


    "State your wish, then. Any wish," the king of chaos announced regretfully.


    "Any wish?" Zhang Lie rified.


    The king of chaos emphasized, "Please don''t question my ability once and again."


    "And if I want the three thousand worlds?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Everyone in the halls of chaos was astounded, and they began murmuring with each other about Zhang Lie''s wish.


    The king of chaos began tough. "Haha, you truly have a big appetite, don''t you? Others have tried making such a wish as well, but winning this one battle isn''t enough for a wish of this magnitude."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "So you won''t fulfill all wishes in the third realm, then."


    The king of chaos warned, "You''re not here just to embarrass me or to make my life difficult, are you?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Forget it. If you''re unwilling to grant me such a wish, I''d better change it."


    The king of chaos asked again, "What sort of wish do you want?"


    Zhang Lie retrieved a map fragment from his dimensional storage, the fragments of the map that he had been diligently collecting within the third realm.


    "I want all the map fragments from within the three thousand worlds."


    Zhang Lie had once hoped to unify the three thousand worlds, and then to slowly acquire the map fragments scattered about the three thousand worlds. Now, however, since the king of chaos was promising him a wish, why not take advantage of it?


    Zhang Lie intended to take advantage of the king of chaos'' strength to gather those fragments.


    "Ah, those mysterious fragments."


    The king of chaos considered the fragments in Zhang Lie''s possession.


    They had been scattered throughout the third realm for many years, and the king of chaos naturally knew of them.


    "I once found that these fragments were very special, but I don''t know what they are. Do you know the truth behind them, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "If even the strongest king, the king of chaos, is unaware of the true purpose behind these fragments, how would I know? I simply think that they''re very interesting, and there might be arge secret hidden within it. That''s why I started trying to collect them all."


    The king of chaos nced at him skeptically. "Just out of interest?"


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie countered. "King of chaos, as the strongest superior king amidst the three thousand worlds, it wouldn''t be difficult for you to find the remaining fragments, wouldn''t it?"


    The king of chaos pondered the situation for a moment. He could tell that Zhang Lie did know about the purpose of these fragments, but that he was unwilling to reveal that information.


    Otherwise, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have needed to use a precious wish on this goal.


    "Or is this something that even you can''t aplish, king of chaos?" Zhang Lie had no intention of revealing the truth behind the map fragments. There was no need to do so, and he was wary of the king of chaos.


    "You won''t reveal the information you have?" the king of chaos reiterated.


    Zhang Lie turned around. "You can''t do this, and you can''t do that. So your im of being able to fulfill any wish among the three thousand worlds is nothing more than a joke. Forget it. I won''t make things difficult for you. Team, we''re leaving."


    Sun Xiaowu added knowingly, "Don''t be angry, Captain! The king of chaos isn''t a god, after all, and he could hardly manage everything. The three thousand worlds represent a huge area, and the map fragments are tiny. It''s akin to trying to pick needles out of a haystack, and gathering all the map fragments is no easy task."


    "There''s no need for this good cop, bad cop routine. It''s just somewhat troublesome, hardly impossible. To be frank, I''ve collected a few of these fragments myself." The king of chaos tore apart space and dumped out a handful of fragments.


    He clenched them tightly. Zhang Lie saw thousands, tens of thousands of gold threads suddenly re to life between the fragments, tangling with each other in the hall.


    Only those entities who had some understanding and interaction with karma would be able to see those golden threads.


    "Finding these objects isn''t difficult, as far as the required power goes. I simply have to make use of karmic strength, to draw on the connections between these fragments."


    As the strongest king among the three thousand worlds, the king of chaos naturally was familiar with karma.


    To Zhang Lie, the golden threads had gradations in shade, some deep and some faint in color. The fainter ones had less of a connection; the deeper ones had more.


    Even if one could see the golden threads, there were differences between each thread that were only visible to those particrly skilled with karma. Zhang Hanxiang, for example, would be able to see a few of those golden threads faintly, but not them all, not their precise shade, and not the shape they formed amidst the hall.

 Chapter 1181: Gift of the Worlds

    Chapter 1181: Gift of the Worlds


    Fang Yi, who was already skilled at using karmic power for his ultimate attack, saw the hall draped in radiant golden light formed from dense ropes of golden thread. At that moment, his sight was clearer than even Zhang Lie''s.


    As he followed the threads to their other end, he saw a glittering light illuminate the hall, like stardust.


    The king of chaos exined, "Following these threads will allow you to find the remaining map fragments scattered across the three thousand worlds. Step forward, Nightdemon."


    Nightdemon sighed as he stepped forward. The king of chaosmanded him, "I think you''ve had enough fun as a spectator. Command all the other clones to do their best to search for the map fragments. I''ve transmitted the coordinates to the fragments to all of you¡ªI don''t expect it''ll be too difficult."


    Nightdemon grumbled, "All you ever do is leave us with the menial errands!"


    "Scram!" the king of chaos called out.


    Nightdemon''s white coat, stained by blood, slowly turned a dark-red color. The red of Nightdemon''s coat deepened and darkened until it was almost ck. Then, it shed and opened wide, transforming into a pair of bat''s wings.


    The ck wings wrapped around Nightdemon as he took to the sky. When they unfurled again, he had morphed into a gigantic bat with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world. A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    The king of chaos recalled something.


    "Right, I forgot. Tell the ck Pharaoh and the Faceless God to remain behind. There''s something important I''ll need them to do."


    The ck bat nodded, then flew out of the hall as it pped its wings.


    The king of chaos tossed Zhang Lie the map fragments in his hands. Zhang Lie hurriedly reached forward and grabbed them all before they scattered, his hands leaving afterimages through the air.


    From a rough count, the king of chaos had over fifty thousand such fragments.


    "If there''s nothing else, king of chaos, I''ll be leaving now. Once you gather all the map fragments, have Nightdemon bring it to the draconian world¡ªhe''s familiar with the location, after all."


    The king of chaos called out to Zhang Lie, "Hold on! Collecting the map fragments might be tedious, but my clones work quickly. Before they return, let''s discuss a problem."


    "What?"


    The king of chaos continued, "Your previous wish."


    Collecting the map fragments was his wish...?


    "Unifying the three thousand worlds." The king of chaos reiterated Zhang Lie''s original wish.


    Zhang Lie hesitated.


    The members of Team Zenith nced at each other, nervous.


    Neither the king of chaos nor the members of Team Zenith knew that Zhang Lie had no interest in unifying the three thousand worlds at all. He had never boasted such ambitions; rather, that had been the collective wish of Hong Tianqi and the members of Team Zenith.


    When the king of chaos asked for his wish, it hade to mind¡ªbut only as a conversation starter. After all, the king of chaos was also a part of the three thousand worlds, and unifying the worlds would involve taking the king of chaos as subordinate.


    The world of primordial chaos was counted among the three thousand worlds, and for Zhang Lie to control them all meant that he would also control the world of primordial chaos, and correspondingly also the halls of chaos and the king of chaos himself.


    The king of chaos wanted to make Zhang Lie his subordinate, not to be Zhang Lie''s subordinate. That would be too far-fetched.


    The king of chaos, the strongest of the kings of the realm, would hardly deign to be someone else''s subordinate.


    Even though the world of primordial chaos was located in a high-dimensional space removed from the third realm, the high-dimensional space was connected to it and part of it in its own right.


    It would be far too unrealistic for the king of chaos to agree to this wish of unification, and Zhang Lie had known that going in.


    The reason he had done so was to agitate the king of chaos.


    Collecting all the map fragments from among the three thousand worlds was a tedious and time-consuming task. If he had started with that wish, the king of chaos might not have agreed so readily, and might have even asked Zhang Lie questions that he didn''t want to answer.


    In contrast, by stating the wish immediately after one that could not be fulfilled, the king of chaos would agree to it much more readily. However, why was the king of chaos bringing up the original wish now?


    The king of chaos continued, "Given your current abilities, it wouldn''t be too difficult to unify the three thousand worlds, and there''s no need to make a wish to aplish it. You''ve taken down all the superior kings of antiquity, and the remaining three newly ascended superior kings are yourpanions. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to im that you''re only one step away from unifying the realm."


    "You''re not wrong."


    "The only thing barring your way is me."


    The guests understood what the king of chaos meant. "If the world of primordial chaos were to fall to Zhang Lie, he would have unified the realm..."


    They were again shocked by Zhang Lie''s feats. They knew that Zhang Lie had defeated all the superior kings of antiquity, but hearing it stated outright, and by the king of chaos, no less...


    The king of chaos continued, "That was why you made such a wish, wasn''t it?"


    With the king of chaos'' permission, Zhang Lie would have unified the realm.


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond. He looked toward the king of chaos silently, waiting for him to continue.


    "Actually, I wouldn''t mind fulfilling this wish, but it''ll take more than a simple match to do so." The king of chaos raised three fingers. "For as major a wish as unifying the third realm, one match isn''t enough. We''ll have to do three, at least."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened.


    "What?!" The members of Team Zenith were shocked stiff by the implication.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you really intend to fulfill this wish? Could you construct another set of three thousand worlds?"


    The king of chaos shook his head. "I am hardly omnipotent, and I have no such ability. Perhaps the king of keys could have done so, but you killed him and destroyed this possibility."


    "In that case¡ª"


    The king of chaos continued, "I''ve simply lost interest in the three thousand worlds, and it makes no difference to me whether I hand them to you or not. Of course, this is predicated on your victory. If you lose, not only will you be unable to unify the realm, you''ll also have to join the halls of chaos."

 Chapter 1182: The Revived Death Spirit King

    Chapter 1182: The Revived Death Spirit King


    The king of chaos didn''t want to give up on Zhang Lie so easily. As long as he managed to secure Zhang Lie, the rest of Team Zenith would also fall into his hands.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are you crazy? Unifying the third realm would mean that everything in it belongs to me¡ªeven the world of primordial chaos and the halls of chaos!"


    The king of chaos smirked. "Are you scared?"


    "Not me¡ªI''m just worried the stakes are too high for you."


    The king of chaosughed again. "Predicated on your victory."


    Despite the Null Source being no match for Zhang Lie, the king of chaos remained confident. There was clearly something up his sleeve.


    "You won''t bepeting with me yourself, will you?" Zhang Lie frowned.


    The king of chaos replied, "I will¡ª"


    Zhang Lie made to back down.


    "¡ªbut not with my main body. With my clones, instead."


    Zhang Lie rxed. He stood a chance, in that case. The king of chaos'' clones were very strong, boasting supreme power among the three thousand worlds¡ªbut they were still weaker than the king of chaos himself.


    There wasn''t a big difference between three matches and one.


    The king of chaos called out, "What, don''t you dare? Think of the prize¡ªthe three thousand worlds!"


    Zhang Lie gritted his teeth. "I''ll ept the challenge."


    The king of chaosughed. "Haha! Think of this as some entertainment while waiting for the fragments. My clones are on their way."


    Dressed in a long, elegant robe, with a ck steel mask on his face, his eyes as dark as the river Lethe, a scepter in his left hand, and a ck tome in his right, came the king of chaos'' clone. ck bandages trailed down his arms; his prideful appearance was imbued with a force of primal attraction, one that belonged to a deity of darkness or a fallen angel.


    Zhang Lie was shocked by the sight of the clone. Flustered, he cried out, "What are you doing here?!"


    When the king of chaos saw Zhang Lie''s reaction, he smiled in satisfaction. "How''s my clone?"


    This was the most out of sorts Zhang Lie had been since the start of the banquet.


    "Your clone?"


    The king of chaos nodded. "My newest clone, the ck Pharaoh."


    To Zhang Lie, however, this clone was clearly the death spirit king. Zhang Lie''s hands trembled in overwhelming shock. The death spirit king, whom Zhang Lie had defeated and who had perished in the aftermath of the war, had appeared before him once more as the king of chaos'' clone...


    Zhang Lie quickly understood what had happened. "I see. The reason you wanted to kill the death spirit king yourself, and the reason you imed his corpse, was in order to create a new clone for yourself. You have the ability to transform corpses into clones¡ªI don''t think you should be called the king of chaos, but rather the king of the dead."


    The king of chaos shrugged. "You''ve got one part right, at least."


    Zhang Lie nced all around him as he sucked in a deep breath."


    To Zhang Lie, all the guests of the halls of chaos suddenly looked as though they were marites."


    The king of chaos sighed. "They''re all my guests, not my clones."


    Zhang Lie continued to frown. He was unable to identify whether or not the guests really weren''t the king of chaos'' clones. He wanted to confirm something.


    "Do you want to make me into your clone?"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s hypothesis, the members of Team Zenith all looked toward the king of chaos with wild looks on their faces.


    The king of chaos scowled. "I''m not a maniac¡ªI wouldn''t turn mypanions into clones."


    Zhang Lie''s face darkened. He had promised to fight, and he wouldn''t back out now. Regardless, one thing was clear: he couldn''t lose this match.


    Although he couldn''t sense the same energy on the guests of chaos as on the king of chaos and his clones, who knew whether this was a ploy on the king of chaos'' part?


    Despite what the king of chaos imed, if Zhang Lie really were to lose to one of the king of chaos'' clones, what awaited him might not be revival via time reversal, but instead immediate cloning.


    Zhang Lie turned tofort the members of Team Zenith.


    "There''s no need to worry. We simply have to win."


    The thought of unifying the three thousand worlds was too tempting to give up on, especially when it was offered so freely.


    The king of chaos returned to his seat.


    "Begin, then."


    With a wave of the ck Pharaoh''s ck scepter, the river Lethe surged forward. Along the river, countless dead spirits congregated and were propelled toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The hall began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the arena.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire hall quaked.


    The river and the spirits it conveyed were all smashed to pieces. A frightening burst of energy emitted from Zhang Lie in the aftermath of the attack, causing the world of primordial chaos itself to quake.


    The explosion of energy was like a ravenous beast that swallowed up all life in its vicinity.


    Countless ck bandages appeared on the ck Pharaoh''s body, each inscribed with iprehensible runes.


    The ck bandages somehow managed to block the waves of energy in their entirety.


    The ck Pharaoh pointed at the ground with his scepter, drawing a circle around himself. His voice was hoarse and sounded like the screams of hellbound spirits. "Wind, forbidden."


    The ck Pharaoh''s invocation seemed to touch on naturalw itself. The next moment, all the air went still in his vicinity, the air that had been rampaging an instant before turning as calm and docile as a puppy.


    The ck Pharaoh struck forward with his scepter, parting the tides of energy in twain.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    Sword energy flew toward the ck Pharaoh, who intoned once more, "Swords, weapons, forbidden."


    The moment the ck Pharaoh spoke, the sword energy winked out. However, the sharkposed of gic energy continued to surge toward him, and he had to fend off the attack with his scepter.


    Zhang Lie called out, "What an interesting ability."


    ck gic energy poured from his body, corroding the surrounding air, and gathered by his back.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!" The ck serpent, which resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr, let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.

 Chapter 1183: Time Reversal

    Chapter 1183: Time Reversal


    "You''re able to temporarily impose a rule in the vicinity of the arena, extending into the hall, but only one rule. Once the imposition on ded weapons took effect, that on the wind was nullified. Furthermore, you can only restrict a certain object or ss of objects¡ªin my previous attack, you only blocked the sword energy, not the shark." Zhang Lie pointed out the ws and restrictions on the ck Pharaoh''s ability.


    The ck Pharaoh didn''t reply. With his scepter in hand, he formed a cordon of annihtion energy around himself in the form of ck sand.


    The death spirit king''s energy of annihtion grew even more frightening in the king of chaos'' hands.


    Each grain of ck sand boasted enough energy to destroy a small world. The ck sand rose up in a torrent around the ck Pharaoh, whose scepter turned the sand into a terrifying sandstorm.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The ck serpent, which corroded everything in its wake, smashed into the sandstorm of annihtion. The serpent was unable to prate through the sandstorm and perished by its outskirts.


    The death spirit king, after transforming into the king of chaos'' clone, gained more abilities and even grew stronger.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Swiping forward with his ws, he tore apart the ck sandstorm with blood-red gic energy.


    The ck Pharaoh waved his scepter and gathered up the sand to form a ck lion. The lion opened its jaws wide, intending to swallow Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The blood dragon smashed into the ck lion, knocking it back and causing a cavity to form in its ''flesh''. Subsequently, the energy of annihtion exploded around itself, quickly encountering Zhang Lie''s version of the same and counteracting one another.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Blood-red gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. Each muscle formed a dragon, and a horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred blood dragons flew through the air, swooping down like meteors at the ck Pharaoh.


    The ck Pharaoh waved his scepter, weaving ck sand in a shield over the sky.


    The blood dragons struck the ck sand and formed eddies of destruction that swept over the arena. The ck Pharaoh drew a circle by his feet and shouted, "Destruction, forbidden."


    The burgeoning energy of destruction that filled the air winked out. The next moment, Zhang Lie appeared before the ck Pharaoh, skewering his chest with sharp ws. Even the ck Pharaoh''s bandages were unable to stop the attack.


    The ck Pharaoh''s sharp eyes revealed fear for the first time. While he was dealing with the blood dragons, Zhang Lie had made use of his exceptional speed tounch a sneak attack on the ck Pharaoh, whose bandages reacted automatically to the attack. Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and cut the bandages to shreds.


    Then, he spun his body and cleanly bisected the ck Pharaoh.


    The king of chaos praised, "Excellent, excellent! As expected of you. An opponent you defeated, even when converted into my clone, can''t best you."


    If the king of chaos had hands, he would be furiously pping right now.


    Upon witnessing the fight between Zhang Lie and his clone, the king of chaos grew even more invested in recruiting Zhang Lie to the halls of chaos.


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "King of chaos, this is enough probing, I should think¡ªshow your true strength, or the three thousand worlds will be forfeit."


    The king of chaos reverted time, reconstituting the ck Pharaoh''s body.


    "Don''t be so agitated¡ªthere''s no need for us to be enemies. It''s just a match to while away the time. My next clone will be different. I created and tended to it over the course of many years, so you''d better be careful."


    The ck Pharaoh retreated to the king of chaos'' side. Perhaps because it had just been created, this clone was far less agile and lively than Nightdemon and the others, and seemed more like a puppet.


    The doors to the halls of chaos opened once more, and a winged human-faced lion, with two pairs of wings on its back, walked in.


    Where its face should have been, there was only a sunken depression, like a swirling whirlpool, though with the contours of a face around it. The whirlpool seemed to be bottomless, like a portal to the abyss that swallowed up the rays of light around them.


    There was a hoop of light on its back, like a clock of some sort.


    The king of chaos introduced, "This is the second clone who will be participating in this battle, Faceless."


    Faceless pped its wings and flew into the air, the bottomless whirlpool facing Zhang Lie.


    The king of chaos continued, "This is the second most recent clone I created. Before I did so, it was once the subordinate of the death spirit king and a superior king in its own right. After Nightdemon slew it, he brought it here."


    Zhang Lie murmured, "How pitiful! Not only did his subordinate be your clone, he became your clone as well."


    Faceless pped its wings and swooped downward, its ws raking the air and making tearing noises.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The [Fists of the Silent Sea] formed a fist inbination with the ck serpent form and a mallet with the golden tiger. The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystal, which speared through the air and prated deep into Faceless'' abdomen. The overwhelming momentum pinned Faceless'' body to one wall of the hall, and fresh blood leaked out from the wound.


    Zhang Lie taunted, "Faceless? How about Useless?"


    For it to have lost in one blow... even the members of Team Zenith, watching from a distance, were tittering among themselves.


    "King of chaos, is this a joke?"


    The next moment, however, everyone was dumbfounded.


    The loop of light to Faceless'' back glowed, then reversed direction as though time were turning backwards. Fang Yi''s eyes widened. "Temporal maniption!"


    Faceless, who had just been pinned to the wall, reappeared in front of Zhang Lie''s face.


    Zhang Lie didn''tunch an attack, but sharp silver crystals still speared through the air and flew toward Faceless once more.

 Chapter 1184: The Last Match

    Chapter 1184: The Last Match


    The white crystals shot through the air like spears. This time, however, they didn''t pierce through Faceless'' abdomen.


    Faceless pped its wings and avoided the attack. Time flowed backwards¡ªno, time had reversed.


    Faceless, shockingly, had the power to travel through time.


    "Once, twice, thrice¡ªeven if we were to repeat this scenario a hundred, a thousand times, nothing would change!"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted the high-dimensional space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The daggers tore through space in a storm of silver.


    Faceless, overwhelmed by the barrage, was struck clean through¡ªbefore the hoop of light on his back began to rotate counter-clockwise, as though time were turning back.


    The daggers shot backwards from where they had been embedded in the wall, transforming back into gic energy and spatial force.


    The daggers tore through space in a storm of silver.


    Faceless'' wings caused him to revolve in mid-air, knocking the daggers aside and covering him in a burst of yellow sand.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the hall to tremble. The next moment, they shot out through his fists. Hundreds of crystalline dragons interwove through the hall in a stunning, dazzling disy.


    The crystalline dragons were inordinately strong and beautiful. They tore apart the barrier of yellow sand and attacked Faceless behind, shredding him within moments. Time turned back again, and the crystalline dragons again interwove through the hall.


    Faceless'' ws smashed apart crystal dragon after crystal dragon.


    Those dragons that had been shattered burst open into a rain of crystalline flecks, each as sharp as a de. They perforated Faceless as the hoop of light to its back flowed counterclockwise, and the crystalline dragons again interwove through the hall.


    Faceless dodged the crystalline dragons in the air, but there were simply too many of them. The beautiful dragons swooped through the air and bit at Faceless as it reversed time once more. The hundreds of dragons returned where they had manifested, and Faceless seized the opportunity to attack Zhang Lie head-on.


    Zhang Lie morphed into a beam of bloody light and appeared before Faceless, smashing a leg into its face and sending it flying. The crystalline dragons to his back took the opportunity to pounce on Faceless as time reversed once more. The king of chaos shouted, "That''s enough!"


    The crystalline dragons hovered in the air, not swooping down on Faceless, while Faceless also remained motionless as it waited for the king of chaos''mand.


    The king of chaos grumbled impatiently, "If the match were to continue, we''d end up in a loop. It''s not an interesting fight at all¡ªlet''s call it a victory for you, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "What do you mean, call it a victory for me? I would have won if we were to keep fighting!"


    The king of chaos asked, "You mean to say that Faceless wouldn''t be able to take you down no matter what?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "The fact that this clone boasts power over time is interesting. I was initially quite scared when I saw its time reversal, but its own strength is too limited."


    The king of chaos agreed. "After all, it was originally the death spirit king''s subordinate, and it makes sense that it''s not too strong. However, time reversal is a very rare ability, and it''s well worth collecting."


    "It''s not that I''m weak, but rather that you''re strong," Faceless corrected. "I did my fair share of research before fighting you based on the information I obtained from Nightdemon, and I was familiar with your techniques¡ªonly for you to change things up at thest second." Despite being faceless, Faceless was somehow still able to speak.


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "While fighting the ck Pharaoh, I surmised that Nightdemon had to have informed the king of chaos about the techniques I used in the past. As fellow clones of the king of chaos, all of you became aware of my techniques and their counters¡ªbut thinking that those are all the techniques I know is far too naive."


    The king of chaos opined, "That''s not so certain. In truth, the ultimate victor would be difficult to predict. Although the cost of time reversal is as exorbitant as expected, considering that ordinary superior kings would hardly be able to grasp such temporal maniption in full, you must be aware that I''m connected to my clones, and they can draw power and energy from me as necessary."


    Faceless concluded, "You might very well run out of energy first."


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Isn''t that cheating?"


    The king of chaos replied, "They''re all my clones; from a qualitative perspective, we''re all a single entity. Whence the cheating?"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Regardless, I was the winner."


    "Don''t be so happy just yet," the king of chaos warned. "You might have won two matches, but there''s a third one left."


    Zhang Lie appeared unbothered. "If they''re all so weak, I''d be able to face twenty more such opponents."


    "Indeed? You''d best be prepared, then."


    The king of chaos'' remark left Zhang Lie with an uneasy premonition.


    Somehow, on the king of chaos'' unspoken order, ayer of high-dimensional space peeled away from before Zhang Lie like an onion. This was a very familiar scene.


    After sixyers of space were peeled away, a giant ck bat was revealed, with a brilliant white smile the shape of a crescent moon, as though he were mocking the entire world. A fiery-red eye widened, then split into three. Everyone nearby felt a deathly sense of fear.


    "You really are a ve driver, aren''t you? First dispatching us to collect all these map fragments, then back here to participate in a match. Don''t we clones have human rights?"


    Of course, this ck bat was none other than Nightdemon.


    The king of chaos was unruffled. "Am I not you?" You insulting me is equivalent to insulting yourself.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is Nightdemon my next opponent, then?"


    Nightdemon sighed. "Don''t do this¡ªZhang Lie and I arerades in arms!"


    The king of chaos asked, "Don''t you want Zhang Lie to join the halls of chaos?"


    Nightdemon pursed his lips. "Of course I do, but Zhang Lie''s unwilling to do so. It''s never a good idea to force someone against their will."


    The king of chaos continued, "If you win, I''ll give you a vacation."


    Nightdemon pped his wings in excitement, the Shining Trapezohedron hanging off his feet. "Come, Zhang Lie, let''s have an exciting fight to the death!"


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Nightdemon roared, "You fellow, I''ve been wanting to punch you for quite some time now. Aren''t you going to fight me?"


    Indeed,pared to the ck Pharaoh from before, or even Faceless, Nightdemon behaved not like a clone but rather like a living alien in his own right, with his own mentality and thoughts.


    Nightdemon radiated an invisible light as its three red eyes stared at Zhang Lie, magnifying his aura of fear.


    Even so, Zhang Lie''s willpower was extremely strong, and he brushed off much of the mental effects.

 Chapter 1185: Spatial Relic

    Chapter 1185: Spatial Relic


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The hall began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the arena.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire hall quaked. The Shining Trapezohedron began to emit light, and Nightdemon hid within ayer of space.


    Zhang Lie called out, "This is a scam!"


    Theyers of space split apart again as Nightdemon appeared where he had been standing. "This is my weapon..."


    No wonder the king of chaos was so confident¡ªNightdemon''s abilities were all but fraudulent.


    Zhang Lie hurried to attack before Nightdemon could phase away again.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    Zhang Lie didn''t switch up his techniques again. The king of chaos and Nightdemon werergely aware of what he could do. Of course, there were a few trump cards up his sleeve, but he wasn''t nning on revealing them readily.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword energy flew toward Nightdemon, Nightdemon hid once more within the folds of space.


    When Nightdemon reappeared, the shark spun around the hall and continued chasing after him. His Shining Trapezohedron emitted another burst of light, dividing the shark''s body into six fragments.


    Clearly, in the eighteenthyer of space, even the Shining Trapezohedron''s abilities were weakened to some extent. In ordinary space, the shark would have been cleanly divided into 24 fragments.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    The ck serpent, which resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr, let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Nightdemon pped his wings as he swooped forward, the Shining Trapezohedron glowing once more. Zhang Lie''s shadow fuzzed as it too was torn into six pieces.


    Blood-red light shed as Zhang Lie appeared atop Nightdemon''s head.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The Shining Trapezohedron began to emit light, and Nightdemon hid within ayer of space.


    The next moment, the space above Zhang Lie''s head began to peel,yer byyer. Not only did the Shining Trapezohedron allow Nightdemon to hide within deeperyers of space, it even allowed him to pass through thoseyers.


    Nightdemon swooped down with fangs revealed as Zhang Lie dodged to the side and simultaneously grabbed at the Shining Trapezohedron.


    The space around Nightdemon separated into six portions. Zhang Lie didn''t dare step inside, and he hurriedly retreated. His ck serpent shot into the distorted space and was broken up into six fragments.


    If Zhang Lie had charged forward recklessly, he was the one who would have been torn apart.


    The Shining Trapezohedron was an incredible relic, one that would make it incredibly difficult to take down Nightdemon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    Nightdemon had seen [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade] multiple times, and knew that he wouldn''t be able to block the attack easily. He hurriedly pped his wings to distance himself from Zhang Lie, then activated the Shining Trapezohedron to iste the space around him.


    The blood dragon swam among the deepest sixyers of space without exploding. As that space contracted, it became trapped within the Shining Trapezohedron.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Blood-red gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. Each muscle formed a dragon, and a horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred blood dragons flew through the air, swooping down like meteors.


    Nightdemon activated the Shining Trapezohedron once more and captured all the blood dragons within, filling all 24yers of space.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and shed forward. A red beam shot out of each of Nightdemon''s three red pupils, but Guicang shattered them all.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the arena dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted allbatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    An underworld river materialized in the air, one that almost filled the halls of chaos. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Nightdemon activated the Shining Trapezohedron once more, capturing all the serpents within the relic. The space within the relic was quickly filling up, and at that moment, Zhang Lie caused the hundreds of dragons within to explode.


    As huge waves of energy exploded within the Shining Trapezohedron, it began to shake violently.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck energy expanded to fill the entire halls of chaos, forcing the king of chaos to step in. With the purest of chaotic energy, he neutralized the effect of Zhang Lie''s technique and covered the arena with a barrier.


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Everyone in the hall was shocked to see the roiling gic energy that Zhang Lie had produced.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The serpents swarmed Nightdemon, who attempted to summon the Shining Trapezohedron to his side. Because of the explosions that had wrecked its interior, however, the relic was momentarily unable to be controlled.

 Chapter 1186: Passing Through Space

    Chapter 1186: Passing Through Space


    Nightdemon''s eyes widened. He had personally witnessed the catastrophic effect of this technique on the death spirit king.


    He hurriedly pped his wings to draw some distance between them as he waited for the Shining Trapezohedron to regain functionality.


    However, he btedly realized that Zhang Lie''s serpents had filled the entire hall. The explosion of a hundred blood dragons released more energy than a superior world possessed, and it would take quite some time for the relic to work again.


    Nightdemon had no choice but to charge at the serpents in his path and clear a route forward, pping his wings and burning them with beams of energy from his eyes as he tore at them with his ws.


    The spirit serpents weren''t living creatures, and they weren''t affected by Nightdemon''s innate aura of fear. To him, they were certainly among the most troublesome ss of opponents.


    The serpents came in a massive drove. As Nightdemon killed one, it would respawn from the sea of ck gic energy. Countless serpents bit and tore at Nightdemon''s wings, their fangs filled with corrosive gic energy. Nightdemon''s wings grew pockmarked within an instant.


    Just then, finally, the Shining Trapezohedron regained its functionality. Overjoyed, Nightdemon activated it immediately and caught all the serpents within.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon. The blood dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth, and Zhang Lie''s attack shot toward Nightdemon.


    Nightdemon immediately activated the Shining Trapezohedron once more and formed a spatial barrier in front of him.


    The blood dragon prated the barriers and charged straight at him, but by then, he had already hidden within a dimensional fold.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A frightening force descended on Nightdemon, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward him.


    Thisyer of space, along with the subsequent sixyers, were all crushed by Zhang Lie''s technique. Nightdemon, scared by the ferocity of the attack, hurriedly emerged from hiding¡ªbehind Zhang Lie.


    The Shining Trapezohedron let out a bright glow as Zhang Lie tried to dodge, but the range of the attack was toorge for him to do so. In the end, he was caught by the relic and forced into the Shining Trapezohedron, where he saw 24 ovepping regions of space. Each region was about the size of a superior world, and the horizon couldn''t be seen. The ovepping nature of the space within meant that it was nearly impossible to escape. Wherever he flew, he would return to his original spot within moments.


    If he were to fly to his left, he might suddenly find himself in the region above him. Furthermore, the relic was like a Rubik''s cube that Nightdemon could manipte at will.


    Nightdemon roared inughter. "Haha, Zhang Lie, I''ve finally caught you! I''ve won!"


    "This match isn''t over yet."


    Nightdemon taunted, "Oh? And what can you do from within the Shining Trapezohedron? Escape?"


    "We''ll see, won''t we?"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy began to fluctuate wildly.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Thebination of the ck sun and blood moon destabilized the space within the relic.


    Nightdemon''s eyes widened. "Impossible!"


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    Hanguang''s light swept up all the serpents that had been caught within the Shining Trapezohedron and transformed them.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Nightdemon like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool.


    The dragons shattered the interior of the Shining Trapezohedron, causing Nightdemon''s face to turn pale. He was extremely shocked.


    Nothing had ever managed to escape from the prison of the Shining Trapezohedron, and the king of chaos himself had personally refined 24 disparate regions of space to create this relic.


    In a matter of moments, however, Zhang Lie had smashed six of those regions to pieces, and a huge hole had been carved into the seventh. Moreover, his attack didn''t stop there¡ªthe other regions were in danger of being destroyed, as well. Even the king of chaos'' face was turning dark, and he barely hid his shock.


    The Shining Trapezohedron, which even he had toiled over¡­ Despite the fact that he had outgrown the relic, he was still sovereign within the third realm, and this relic had been particrly difficult to create even for him.


    The king of chaos roared mentally to Nightdemon, "Enough! Let him out!"


    If Nightdemon were to perish, he would be able to reverse time and revive him, but the Shining Trapezohedron would be far harder to restore.


    Nightdemon instantly did as he was told¡ªnot just because of his main body''s shouts, but also because the destruction of the relic would swiftly lead to his destruction as well.


    Nightdemon released Zhang Lie instantly, but Zhang Lie''s attack was still ongoing.

 Chapter 1187: Play With Me

    Chapter 1187: y With Me


    The moment Zhang Lie was released from the Shining Trapezohedron, he continuedunching his half-finished attack. The twin blood and ck dragons shot forward in a spiral, distorting even the king of chaos'' sturdiest barrier and demonstrating just what sort of attack had managed to destroy the Shining Trapezohedron''s interior structure.


    Eight of the regions within the trapezohedron had been shattered, and were no longer able to be used.


    Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish] was a powerful attack, but unlike Fang Yi, he wasn''t panting or visibly tired after executing it.


    The domain of Eclipse spread to Nightdemon, who had already grown heavily injured. Upon being struck by the effects of the domain, he visibly sagged.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie, and shining light arced across the hall. Nightdemon hurriedly activated the Shining Trapezohedron.


    Before the Shining Trapezohedron could capture that light, Zhang Lie''s sword struck Nightdemon and chopped off his w holding onto the relic.


    Only then did the relic activate its ability, forming six dimensional barriers around Zhang Lie.


    Nightdemon immediately summoned the relic back¡ªonly to have the attackunched from Zhang Lie''s other hand strike it and send it flying away.


    Nightdemon pped his wings in a forced retreat as his three red eyes shot out beams of light.


    Zhang Lie formed a screen with his sword, blocking the beam.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Nightdemon summoned the relic back once again, but it was toote. Just as he was about to hide in extradimensional space once more, Zhang Lie''s attack struck him.


    The Shining Trapezohedron began to emit light, forming a dimensional barrier around Nightdemon, but the sword strike smashed through it and cleaved Nightdemon''s body in two horizontally.


    The halls of chaos fell silent as the king of chaos cleared away the barrier. "You''ve won."


    The members of Team Zenith broke the pregnant silence with a cheer as the king of chaos reversed time and restored Nightdemon''s body.


    Nightdemon turned to Zhang Lie. "You''ve grown even stronger than when you were facing the king of keys."


    Zhang Lie smiled without saying a word.


    After the battle against the king of keys, Zhang Lie had absorbed more monarch gene fragments, so it was only natural that he would grow stronger.


    More importantly, the fight against the king of keys had provided important experience.


    The king of chaos retrieved the Shining Trapezohedron and began to y with it.


    "My clones haven''t returned yet. Would you like to have some fun with me for now, Zhang Lie?"


    Everyone in the halls of chaos sucked in a breath. Was the king of chaos preparing to fight Zhang Lie himself? Had he still not given up on recruiting Zhang Lie?


    The king of chaos thenughed. "I''m half-joking, but only half. They''re on their way back now."


    Darkness spread through the hall, and shadows morphed into a humanoid.


    A thin humanoid male, whose body was uniformly ink-ck, appeared before their eyes. This was none other than the clone whom they had seen by the world of ck rain.


    The dark man walked up to the king of chaos and presented him with the collected fragments.


    Subsequently, a walking pile of tumors and tentacles, with a fan covering its chest, slowly walked into the hall. She held a huge scythe in her hands. To the members of Team Zenith, she looked like a ravishing young woman wearing a blood-red dress, with a fan covering her face.


    She stepped daintily into the hall in high heels, making her way toward the king of chaos.


    However, after having seen the witch of dreams and Nightdemon before, none of them were so naive as to believe that her appearance was as it seemed.


    This was the clone that they had seen around the Zongming world.


    Despite knowing this rationally, however, their minds kept suggesting that the young woman really was just a young woman.


    The fan in her hands had the ability to influence thought in the form of mental suggestions, which would cause others to view the bulbous monster like a young woman of their race.


    If not for the fact that Zhang Lie had witnessed the young woman''s true form via his draconic pupils, he would have been misled by the fan''s power as well.


    A gust of strange ck current and me silently appeared in the hall as the king of chaos'' third clone returned, a double-headed bat formed from live, icy darkness. The bat''s heads were filled with venomous fangs, and countless starry eyes sparkled and shifted between its two heads.


    The hall was nketed by darkness, and a new moon hung in the air. Moonlight reflected off the various guests'' faces, their shadows mingling, as a figure wearing pitch-ck armor arose from the intersection of those shadows with the air of a tyrant.


    The fifth clone returned, a bulbous mass with golden tentacles.


    A shrill wail echoed through the hall as the sixth clone returned, a faceless mass that continuously produced and absorbed subsidiary limbs.


    The seventh clone was a ck-skinned man with a strange skeleton tattoo on his face, wearing a formal top hat and a long swallowtail coat, who walked slowly into the hall.


    The eighth clone was a lion with the face of a human.


    The floor quaked as the ninth clone, a ck ox bearing a world on its back, stomped into the hall.


    One by one, the clones of the king of chaos returned to the hall and handed him the map fragments they had gathered.


    Zhang Lie, the members of Team Zenith, and even the other guests were all astounded. They knew that the king of chaos had many clones, but not this many.


    The king of chaos'' clones might well be arger group than the guests of the banquet.


    The king of chaos sighed. "What a pity that you all returned so quickly..."


    The king of chaos was clearly very disappointed to not have been able to recruit Zhang Lie to his group.


    The clones all handed the map fragments they had obtained to the king of chaos, and the result was a mind-boggling number of fragments. There were fifty thousand in all, all of which had been scattered across the three thousand worlds, and Zhang Lie didn''t want to think how long it would have taken him to im them all by himself.


    The king of chaos proffered the fragments to Zhang Lie, who hastily epted them.


    The king of chaos continued, "These are all the fragments that my clones have collected among the three thousand worlds. Zhang Lie, your wish has been fulfilled."


    The tentacr woman grumbled, "We had to run across the realm to get all these fragments!"

 Chapter 1188: The Soaring Halls of Chaos

    Chapter 1188: The Soaring Halls of Chaos


    With its wings surrounded by a ck current and mes, the double-headed bat called out, "I went to over a hundred worlds to collect my assigned fragments."


    The tyrannical ck armormented, "You really had to make a bothersome wish..."


    Zhang Lie bowed. "Thank you for your help, everyone."


    The king of chaos asked again, "Zhang Lie, let me extend you an invitation once again. Won''t you join the halls of chaos?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "King of chaos, you already have many excellent subordinates. I would hardly contribute much; there''s no need to insist upon having me."


    The king of chaos sighed. "The three thousand worlds are now yours." He seemed to have no qualms whatsoever about handing over such an overwhelming prize.


    The king of chaos retrieved the proof of kingship.


    Zhang Lie had seen many such proofs, but that for the world of primordial chaos was undoubtedly the most unique. It had no solid form, and was instead a ball of chaotic energy.


    The king of chaos sent the ball of energy floating toward Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie didn''t dare to touch it with his bare hands.


    "Isn''t this your wish?" the king of chaos asked.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Are you really willing to cede control of the three thousand worlds, and even the halls of chaos, to me?"


    The king of chaos replied, "The halls of chaos won''t be anyone''s possessions. From today onwards, the halls of chaos will no longer exist among the three thousand worlds."


    Zhang Lie blinked in shock. "You''re going to disband the halls of chaos?"


    The king of chaos replied, "No, of course not! I''m simply bringing the halls of chaos beyond this realm."


    "All of it?"


    The king of chaos nodded. "I''ll be ascending alongside the halls of chaos."


    Zhang Lie was astounded. "Ascending¡ªno, with the entire halls of chaos?!"


    The king of chaos certainly had the ability to ascend to the fourth realm and be a lifeform there.


    Just like Zhang Lie, he would be a high-ranked fourth-realm existence from the very beginning, rather than having to start from the very bottom of the food chain.


    In addition, alongside the many strong entities of the halls of chaos, the king of chaos would be the leader of an extremely strong force even in the fourth realm. With a little investment and work, the king of chaos could easily reach the same status in the fourth realm as he boasted in the third.


    But would all the members of the halls of chaos possess the qualification to ascend?


    Perhaps half did, but the other half didn''t.


    For the king of chaos to ascend with the entirety of the halls of chaos would be an extremely arduous task, and the realm itself would ce obstacle after obstacle in their way. Those entities who weren''t qualified to ascend but who forcibly tried to do so anyway would receive retaliation from the will of the realm.


    Unlike gic hunters, who weren''t indigenous, who could advance by filling up their mutated gene fragments, and who could experience a refinement process upon ascension, the indigenous aliens were treated very differently.


    It seemed that the dimensional realm was very favorable toward visitors, and some researchers from the Milky Way had even hypothesized that the existence of the realm itself was as a training ground for gic hunters. Many among the Milky Way agreed with this hypothesis.


    This hypothesis was born from the assumption that the Milky Way was the protagonist of the dimensional realm, but whether that was true remained to be validated. One crucial piece of evidence against that assumption was the fact that kings of the realm in the first through third realms had to be indigenous.


    Perhaps this rule was to promote ascension rather than stagnation, to incentivize hunters to ess ever higher realms.


    From this perspective, gic hunters were like yers in a game, while the indigenous peoples of the dimensional realm were like NPCs. For these NPCs to advance to higher realms would require near-constant cultivation, training, and tribtion administered by the will of the realm.


    The king of chaos himself would easily pass through the tribtion, and he had the ability to bring a few dozen people along with him as well. To bring the entire halls of chaos, however... that would spike the difficulty of the tribtion a hundredfold at least.


    Despite the fact that Zhang Lie thought this a foolhardy idea, he had to admit that the king of chaos was a bold and visionary leader.


    "If you don''t want to be my subordinate, you don''t have to go as far as to run to a higher realm with yourpanions..."


    Zhang Lie was joking, of course. This n could not have been conceived of idle fancy alone. He must have been preparing for the ascension to the fourth realm for quite some time, and Zhang Lie''s wish of unification wasn''t at odds with his intentions.


    Once he ascended to the fourth realm, the third realm would have no one to hinder Zhang Lie any longer.


    The king of chaos had suggested the three matches knowing this information.


    From the very beginning, he had been intending to use this trick to recruit Zhang Lie¡ªthough Zhang Lie had proven very difficult to trap.


    The king of chaos asked, "Are you willing to apany me through this tribtion?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I apologize. I''m very interested in the path you take, king of chaos, but I''m a human hunter, and we have our own route to ascension."


    If he were to set off with the king of chaos, he would be viewed as an indigenous himself, and he would have to suffer tribtion by lightning.


    That would lose him an opportunity through the refinement process, which would be a tremendous loss. He couldn''t ept the king of chaos'' offer.


    The king of chaos sighed. "What a pity. Let''s meet in the higher realms, then."


    The king of chaos was certain that Zhang Lie would be able to ascend.


    "In the fourth realm, then."


    The king of chaos suggested, "In that case, all of you had better step outside now. From the outside, witness myst hurrah and determine whether I''m a crazed fool or a visionary."


    Zhang Lieughed. "So this was the true purpose of the invitation?"


    The king of chaos joined in hisughter. "No matter how magnificent my legend, my history, my aplishments, it would be pointless if no one knew of them."


    Zhang Lie inclined his head. "You can''t brag unless there''s someone to brag to."


    "That''s right," the king of chaos agreed. "Among all the inhabitants of the three thousand worlds, I believe only you are qualified to observe my ascension."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Have you considered the possibility of failure?"


    The king of chaos raised his head to the sky andughed. "If I fail, let my corpse remain here as a record of my madness."


    The king of chaos was about to undertake a heroic feat, one that was only possible in the third realm because of the fragmented will of the third realm and the limited power it retained.


    The entire hall of chaos shook as the king of chaos'' slumbering main body entered the fray.


    Space split open as endless waves of chaotic energy were emitted from the cracks, like an abyss leading deep into a ster core, a limitless and liminal space in which all things were sphemed...

 Chapter 1189: Heavenly Tribulation

    Chapter 1189: Heavenly Tribtion


    The king of chaos asked, "Li Feng, Sun Xiaowu, have you decided on your respective wishes?"


    Sun Xiaowu waved a hand. "My captain has already fulfilled the wish I wanted. Let''s wait until the fourth realm when we meet again."


    "Very well."


    The king of chaos turned toward the guests. "Will you all pool your strength to help me with this feat?"


    "Absolutely, leader!"


    Voices rang out from all corners of the hall, loud and quiet, low and high, but one and all filled with excitement and respect.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith hurriedly evacuated from the halls of chaos. Upon witnessing the king of chaos'' true form, Zhang Lie felt as though he were about to be petrified.


    It was a deep abyss filled with ck worlds and suns.


    The king of chaos'' main body was so immense that he had to keep the major part of himself locked away within spaces of different dimensions¡ªand not just in one dimension of space, but rather simultaneously in all dimensions.


    The king of chaos'' main body might well be the source of primordial chaos.


    Huge quantities of chaotic matter seeped out from dimensional cracks, enveloping the halls of chaos. Countless feelers hung down from the sky, as if portending disaster.


    The entire world of primordial chaos seemed to be splitting apart as a frightening energy gushed out from deep underground, destroying the world just by proximity alone.


    Li Feng cried out, "What''s about to happen?"


    "This bastard!" Zhang Lie tossed the proof of kingship for the world of primordial chaos to the ground.


    The world of primordial chaos was emitting huge quantities of energy, so Sun Xiaowu quickly picked up the proof of kingship before it could be flung out of reach.


    "What''s the matter, Captain? This is the proof of kingship of the world of primordial chaos, thergest superior world!"


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "It might be the proof of kingship now, but after today, it''ll be nothing more than a ball of chaotic energy. I was hoodwinked by this damned bastard!"


    The members of Team Zenith hadn''te to the same realization yet. "What do you mean, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie pointed at the cracking world below them. "Do you think the world of primordial chaos willst the day?"


    The cracks on the ground were propagating as huge waves of energy erupted from deep within.


    Zhang Lie continued, "The king of chaos has been storing huge quantities of energy deep within the world of primordial chaos for millions, tens of millions of years. All that umted energy is intended for use today.


    Li Feng understood immediately. "The king of chaos is trying to use that explosive energy as a propent to send the halls of chaos into space?


    Fang Yi added, "To take advantage of the energy hidden in the world to break through the barrier separating this realm from the next, then ascending to the fourth realm..."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "And once that energy explodes, the world of primordial chaos will be no more."


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "The king of chaos is nning to sacrifice the entire world in order to ascend.


    Li Feng asked, "What should we do, then?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "What else? We can''t do anything but watch."


    The king of chaos had been preparing for ascension for countless years, and he would surelty notice any saboteurs. Furthermore, Zhang Lie had no chance at winning against the king of chaos'' main body.


    Even more importantly, Zhang Lie continued,


    "We''ll easily be able to unify the three thousand worlds even without the world of primordial chaos'' proof of kingship."


    The greatest obstacle in their way was the existence of the king of chaos.


    Now that the king of chaos was about to ascend, he would no longer be an obstacle, regardless of whether Team Zenith controlled the world of primordial chaos.


    All the underground energy within the world of primordial chaos exploded. It swallowed up the halls of chaos, shielded by a barrier of chaotic energy, and propelled it toward the sky and the fourth realm.


    The unbelievable momentum caused the halls of chaos to destroy everything in their way.


    The entire third realm was quaking as space itself tore apart. A huge storm began to form, and all the worlds could witness a huge pir of light¡ªthough not from where it came.


    The pir of light consisted of the energy of a superior world, along with millennia worth of umted energy from the king of chaos.


    What the pir was burning wasn''t just a single superior world, but instead the umted wealth of the king of chaos.


    The higher the dimension, the closer was the next higher realm.


    The pir of energy smashed into the barrier of the third realm. The cracks in that barrier began to propagate before a hole opened up, allowing ess toward the fourth realm.


    The king of chaos guided the halls of chaos into that hole. Zhang Lie raised his head and murmured toward the skies. "It''sing!"


    The fragmented will of the third realm appeared right then and there, triggering naturalw and causing countless strikes of lightning to sh through the air.


    A golden snake reared its head and swam out hundreds of miles through the void, illuminating the three thousand worlds with an unusually bright gleam.


    Except for the sound of lightning, the entirety of the third realm was silent. The strongest entities of the realm were all ncing at the unusual phenomenon as they witnessed a historical moment.


    A void storm formed, seemingly boundless in extent. Lightning gathered densely amidst the clouds.


    "It''sing!"


    An electric arc appeared that spread all around itself. The ink-ck void was torn apart as golden streaks of light appeared.


    The golden arcs fell toward the elerating ''rocket''. The electricity was emblematic of a heavenly tribtion; it was controlled by none other than the will of the third realm.


    The energy arced through the skies in beams of red light, in electric strikes that forked, as the king of chaos himself shielded the halls of chaos from the impact. As wind and storm grew fiercer, the chaotic energy that served as his shield began to fuzz and vibrate.


    Zhang Lie stood dazed. He thought he had seen a small biological lifeform, but just for a sh. It was a blood-red horse, or perhaps a dog, whose exact shape couldn''t be determined considering it had only been visible for a sh at best.


    Even so, the implications were shocking. Could a group of biological entities be hiding within the lightning?


    He had never heard of or seen the like. Just what was going on?


    The air was heavy, the pressure intense, as though a thousand mountains were pressing down on them all and preventing them from being able to breathe.


    This was a form of mental pressure.


    Just then, the lightning forked into a thousand branches, smashing down toward the halls of chaos like sledgehammers.


    To the king of chaos, passing through thisyer of lightning wasn''t a difficult feat, but he had to preserve the halls of chaos while doing so as well.


    The lightning struck like a knife or de, snowy-white in its brightness. It fell in an endless shower, incandescent with killing intent. Then, it formed a cage that trapped the king of chaos within, rattling in a metallic fashion.


    Even the fragmented will of the world seemed to be doing its best to stop the king of chaos from ascending while sneaking a group of people with him.


    Within the cage, arge fraction of the lightning transformed into mythical beasts.

 Chapter 1190: Yang Zes Return

    Chapter 1190: Yang Ze''s Return


    It was bad enough for the king of chaos to ascend with one or twopanions in tow, but he was doing so with dozens of people! Even the fragmented will of the world would grow furious at such grant vition of the rules.


    The king of chaos, however, was immensely strong. An eruption of chaotic energy swallowed up the lightning and smashed the cage apart. Radiant light rained down from the heavens, crackling with charged energy.


    The king of chaos broke through the enclosure with brute force and smashed into the firmament between the third and fourth realms.


    The fourth realm visibly shook, and the barrier began to crack.


    The fourth realmunched a retaliatory attack at the king of chaos. The will of the fourth realm was far stronger than that of the third, and even the king of chaos seemed to barely be able to weather the assault.


    The chaotic energy that surrounded the halls of chaos stretched almost to the breaking point. Just then, the doors to the hall were thrown open, and the All-Mother, Star Devourer, Null Source, and other such entities swarmed out to help the king of chaos defend against the attack. The king of chaos struck at full force, smashing a hole in the firmament.


    The will of the fourth realm roared as it made to strike at the halls of chaos, but the king of chaos was so strong that he could defend against the will''s retaliation and steer the halls of chaos through the crack and beyond.


    The will of the fourth realm quaked, but it was incapable of expelling the intruder. In the end, it went silent and slowly began to repair the damage that the king of chaos had caused.


    The will of the third realm was doing the same.


    As Zhang Lie nced at the damaged sky, he sighed. "The king of chaos seeded. He created a miracle."


    After the world of primordial chaos in the eighteenthyer of space, only a pile of ruins remained. It would be difficult for the shattered will of the third realm to clean up the area; even after a millennium, the ruins might remain.


    There was nothing valuable left behind.


    Li Feng asked, "Have we forgotten something?"


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "The fact that we forgot about them must mean that they''re unimportant. We don''t have to pay them any attention."


    Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind Sun Xiaowu''s body, bypassed multipleyers of space, and rapped on Sun Xiaowu''s head.


    Sun Xiaowu turned around. "Who hit me? Stand forward if you dare!"


    "What do you mean, unimportant? Given what just happened, if not for the fact that my spatial control improved so much, I would have been sucked into the mess!" Yang Ze teleported through space to appear right behind Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu jumped up in shock. "Yang Ze, what happened to you? You suddenly appeared behind my back like a ghost!"


    Yang Ze red evilly at Sun Xiaowu. "If I were to be a ghost, you''d be the first person I haunt."


    Zhang Lie looked Yang Ze up and down.


    Yang Ze''s short stint in the 24thyer of space had clearly been very rewarding. Spatial force surrounded him, bending all light in the vicinity in a subtle fashion. Without careful observation and some mastery of space, it would be difficult to sense just how much Yang Ze had improved.


    "Not bad, Yang Ze," Zhang Lie praised.


    Yang Ze smiled with some embarrassment. "I did gain some improvement."


    Sun Mengmeng asked curiously, "What''s the deepestyer of space like?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "It''s not too different from it is here. It''s a location filled with spatial force, though that force is sluggish and difficult to utilize. It''s a fascinating ce, and cultivating spatial maniption there is like training in a space with a hundred times the gravity. Upon returning to ordinary space, I feel like my understanding of space has developed dramatically."


    "Let''s go, then."


    Zhang Lie turned and began to fly off. The explosion that the world of primordial chaos had caused destroyed fiveyers of space along with it, leaving a big hole where the world had once stood. The members of Team Zenith flew to the thirteenthyer.


    As Yang Ze left, he grumbled, "However, I was almost unable to get out. One of the king of chaos'' clones suddenly popped out and teleported me away before the space exploded. I was wondering what was going on, and almost ended up being swept away as well."


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend around them. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    Upon noticing Zhang Lie''s actions, Yang Ze went still.


    "What are you doing, Captain?"


    "Forging a path home."


    A howling gale swept over the world. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the sky.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the hall.


    Huge booms resounded as shockwaves surged forth from Zhang Lie, as though a rampaging beast were devouring everything in sight.


    Zhang Lie''s attack broke a huge hole in the already strained 13thyer of space. Pale blue tides flooded the hole, widening it and sending a storm of shattered fragments of space through the air.


    The hunters had made their way over easily thanks to Nightdemon and the Shining Trapezohedron, but now that the king of chaos and his coterie had left for the fourth realm, Zhang Lie and the others would have to return to the baseyer by brute force.


    Yang Ze grumbled, "Captain, there''s no need for all this! I can handle it."


    Zhang Lie seemed somewhat suspicious. "Can you?"


    Yang Ze replied, "Not before I entered the 24thyer of space and trained there, but my understanding of space is iparable to that from before. I can guide everyone back to the baseyer of the third realm."


    In truth, despite his momentary stint in the 24thyer of space, Yang Ze wouldn''t have been able to aplish such a feat in general, but thanks to the explosion of the world of primordial chaos, the natural structure of space had grown distorted and weakened, and Yang Ze would barely be able to seed.


    Zhang Lie extended a hand. "Very well."


    Yang Ze stepped forward, a serious expression on his face. He couldn''t falter now; he needed to demonstrate his strength in front of Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 1191: Unifying the Realm

    Chapter 1191: Unifying the Realm


    Space warped around Yang Ze. He hadn''t been lying¡ªafter returning from the 24thyer of space, Yang Ze had gained prating insight into the fundamentals.


    Even so, after twenty minutes had passed, Yang Ze only had a forehead of sweat to show for hisbors. Clearly, even manipting the thirteenthyer of space was no straightforward task.


    The members of Team Zenith all looked toward Yang Ze.


    Zhang Lie suggested, "If you can''t do it, Yang Ze, don''t force yourself. It might be faster for me to break through theyers of space with brute force."


    Yang Ze hurriedly promised, "I''ll be done soon, Captain! I''ve almost captured the sensation!"


    Another thirty minutes passed before Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "Can you really do it, Yang Ze?"


    Yang Ze roared, "Stop bothering me! I''m trying to concentrate, and you''ll break my focus."


    After another forty minutes, as Yang Ze''s face took on a startling pallor and sweat had dampened his clothes, Li Feng advised, "Yang Ze, I think you had better stop. Our captain''s brute force¡ª"


    "No, I''m done!" Yang Ze howled. Right then and there, he spread his arms wide and forcibly manifested a pair of doors in the air.


    The other side of the doors was precisely the baseyer of the third realm.


    Yang Ze whirled around with a manic gleam on his face. Despite his exertion, he feigned leisure. "Hahaha, see? I said I could do it, and I did! Only I could have managed such a feat among all the entities of the third realm!"


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Quick, the doors are about to close!"


    Yang Ze''s understanding of space was clearly inferior to the king of chaos'', and his portals onlysted a short duration of time. As the doors closed, the hunters quickly squeezed inside.


    They were relieved when they came out the other end and returned to the baseyer of the third realm.


    They hadn''t expected that the king of chaos'' banquet would be filled with such eventful urrences, nor that the king of chaos had always been nning to ascend to the fourth realm with the halls of chaos and had been nning to do so for tens of thousands of years.


    The king of chaos had always thought of the three thousand worlds as a source of genius and talent. Perhaps he had initially treated the worlds as a resource repository from which he could harvest the necessary materials for ascending into the fourth realm, but as he finished those preparations, he began to acquire excess.


    At that point, the king of chaos began to extract talent from the worlds to form a series of clones, augmenting his personal strength in preparation for taking control of a significant portion of the fourth realm.


    Zhang Lie had to admit that the king of chaos was very different from the crowd, from all the other lifeforms of the three thousand worlds, and even from the hunters of the Milky Way. Zhang Lie didn''t know whether to praise him for his ambition or his daring; just like chaos, the king of chaos was a difficult existence to pin down.


    Sun Xiaowu smirked. "Now that the king of chaos is gone, the third realm belongs to our captain!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Not quite. We''ll have to discuss things with the three newly ascended superior kings as well.


    Yang Ze continued, "Taking control of the third realm atrge isn''t an easy task, and can''t be aplished so simply."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Trying to unify the third realm requires that we unify the three thousand worlds, first."


    Zhang Lie had been thinking of doing so, but only because it would make it much easier for him to hunt down the map fragments he was missing. Thanks to the king of chaos'' help, however, he had now acquired all those fragments ahead of schedule.


    He also had a new reason to unify the three thousand worlds¡ªto ensure that human hunters would be able to survive in the third realm even after his ascension, and in order to provide security for the members of the Zenith Dojo who would ascend into the third realm in the future.


    Now that the king of chaos was gone, it would be trivially easy for him to unify the three thousand worlds, and since it was possible, Zhang Lie would do so.


    There were plenty of advantages to doing so, and chiefly among them was the fact that he would be able to expand his farm of gic lifeforms and finish amassing his monarch gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie continued, "To unify the three thousand worlds, we''ll have tobine them all into one cohesive whole."


    Yang Ze nodded. "Indeed. It''s too hard to govern the three thousand worlds as they are."


    Sun Mengmeng asked with worry, "Will the three newly ascended superior kings be willing to give up their status and power?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "They will, because none of them are fools."


    Yang Ze snorted. "They wouldn''t dare oppose our captain."


    Fang Yi stated, "If any disagree, we can show them our might. Against our martial prowess, all will submit."


    Zhou Ying disagreed. "Fang Yi, I can''t agree with those sentiments. The draconian sage, for one, is a friend and ally of the humans. We''ve weathered thick and thin with them, and they''ve been our stalwart allies even when we were weaker."


    Zhang Hanxiang added, "And Sister Qianlin''s from the Zongming world."


    Hong Xi pointed out, "We''re allied with the scaleman world, and they even fought with us to resist the incursion of the superior worlds of antiquity."


    Li Feng pped Fang Yi on the shoulder. "Lad, are you growing arrogant because of your new weapon?"


    Fang Yi grinned at him with teeth. "You want to fight?"


    Li Feng replied, "I''ll take you up on that offer once we''re back in the draconian world."


    Zhang Lie finally jumped in. "I''ve never considered taking over the three superior worlds by force. What I meant is that the three new kings are all smart and intelligent, and they''ll understand the merit of this unification and their own gains from it."


    Yang Ze nodded. "Quite so, if they''ve kept up so far. I''ve never met the scaleman king, but the draconian sage and Li Zongming are both expert statesmen. They''ll understand your n, captain."


    Once the three thousand worlds were unified, more regions would fall to their governance.


    Zhang Lie continued, "As our allies, they''ll be given even morend to govern, and they''ll have ess to more authority."


    Yang Ze nodded. "Anyone intelligent would realize that it''s far more worthwhile to rule over a tract ofnd in this unified world than just a single superior world."


    As for the scaleman king, Zhang Lie didn''t think there would be any issues there.


    For one, the scaleman king was Zhang Lie''s disciple, and he had always listened to Zhang Lie. To him, Zhang Lie was more important than even the superior world he governed.


    Zhang Lie never intended to call on that aspect of their rtionship,


    but he knew that the scaleman king was growing weary of ruling over his world. If there were an opportunity to manifest change, the scaleman king would ept it readily.


    If someone else were to make this suggestion, the scaleman king might not listen, but he wouldn''t refuse it from Zhang Lie himself.


    The draconian sage wouldn''t be a problem, either. The draconian sage didn''t seek power for power''s sake, and he understood very well that letting go would sometimes be more rewarding than tightly holding onto something.

 Chapter 1192: Piecing Together the Puzzle

    Chapter 1192: Piecing Together the Puzzle


    As for Li Zongming¡­ well, Li Zongming could be convinced. He was intelligent and oriented toward the big picture, after all.


    "We''ll be able to discuss matters with the draconian sage right away."


    Zhang Lie shattered space and created a portal leading back to the draconian world.


    As they stepped into the draconian world, the draconian sage hurriedly teleported to their side. He asked, "There was a terriblemotion just now. Were you all the ones who caused it?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "For you to have appeared before us the moment we returned... even if we were to im ignorance, you wouldn''t believe us, would you?"


    The draconian sage pressed, "Just what happened?"


    Zhang Lie replied seriously, "Unfortunately, we really weren''t responsible this time."


    The draconian sage cried out, "Don''t joke around like this! Just what happened?"


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Why do you me us for everything that happens in the realm? It''s not our fault!"


    "The three thousand worlds have had more things happen over thest decade than thest few centuries. How many of those events were ones that none of you were responsible for?"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but go silent.


    He had been very active in the third realm thesest few years, and had caused arge number of events as a result. Indeed, he did seem to be... responsible... for essentially all that had happened.


    Was the death spirit king''s sudden invasion unrted to Zhang Lie? Of course not.


    The death spirit king had pushed his ns forward because the ck spirits'' outposts were slowly being taken over; he anticipated that some of the superior worlds had seen through his ns.


    In other words, all those events really were connected to Zhang Lie in some fashion.


    The draconian sage continued, "I would believe it if you said that you killed the king of chaos and incited this whole series of explosions, but if you were to im that none of that was rted to your actions, well, I won''t believe it."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Unfortunately, I''m not strong enough to defeat the king of chaos, and we really weren''t responsible for this series of affairs. The explosion was caused by the king of chaos ascending to a higher realm with the halls of chaos, and we were simply spectators for the show."


    The draconian sage seemed to be making an odd expression. "You were only a spectator for the show?"


    Zhang Lie scowled. "That doesn''t seem to be what you should be focusing on¡ªthe important point is that the king of chaos has ascended!"


    The draconian sage didn''t allow Zhang Lie to change the topic. "You haven''t answered my question. You were only a spectator during all this?"


    Zhang Lie nodded in confirmation. "Exactly."


    The draconian sage opined, "It''s not unusual for the king of chaos to ascend with the rest of his crew, is it? After all, he''s the strongest superior king."


    "Within the halls of chaos were another group of entities as strong as superior kings¡ªabout a few dozen of them."


    The draconian sage blinked. "The king of chaos ascended with a few dozen others?"


    "Exactly so."


    The draconian sage experienced a brief moment of shock before he replied calmly, "No wonder there was such a huge disturbance."


    "You don''t seem to be too surprised?"


    The draconian sage shrugged. "I don''t know much about ascension, and neither am I interested. All I know is that it''s an arduous task. Now that I understand why the entire realm was shaking, I''ll bid you farewell now."


    Zhang Lie told him, "A whileter, I''ll be summoning you, Li Zongming, and the scaleman king for another discussion. I have very important news to share."


    The draconian sage turned toward him and pursed his lips. "The fact that you have such an earnest expression... I''m feeling a sense of unease."


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond. Instead, he stretchedzily. "I''ll be heading back to rest for now, then. I fought with the Null Source and three of the king of chaos'' clones."


    The draconian sage''s eyes widened. "What? What happened?"


    Li Feng turned to leave. "I''ll be resting as well."


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "You''re off to find your mammoth girlfriend, aren''t you?"


    Li Feng chuckled as he waved a hand.


    The draconian sage called them back. "Hold on, hold on! What are these halls of chaos, and what happened to the world of primordial chaos?"


    Zhang Hanxiang stated, "I''ll hand over the hundred superior worlds'' worth of energy to Zhu."


    The draconian sage''s eyes widened. "Hanxiang, what did you say? A hundred superior worlds'' worth?"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "It was a gift from the king of chaos."


    The draconian sage was shocked. "Truly? He gave you a gift just like that?"


    Fang Yi gave the draconian sage a thumbs up. The king of chaos was very generous. He forged me a spear stronger than even a disaster-grade weapon."


    Fang Yi retrieved the spear of Chaos.


    Zhang Lie briefly recounted the series of events that had urred during the king of chaos'' night banquet. Afterwards, he left before the draconian sage could ask him any more questions, heading straight for Li Qianlin.


    He informed Li Qianlin of what had happened during his journeys. Li Qianlin responded calmly, but her eyes showed a wealth of emotions.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie headed off to rest.


    After that, with a thudding heart, he spread out the map fragments he had received from the king of chaos.


    His hands seemed to p the void as a titanic burst of energy appeared around him. The map fragments rose into the air. Zhang Lie''s gaze swept across the fragments and he pieced them together mentally, connecting the physical fragments together as he did so.


    The map was swiftly being assembled, but there were so many fragments that it nevertheless took the entire day and night. Zhang Lie never left his room; Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng both tried to visit him, but when they saw the room charged with gic energy, map fragments covering every possible surface, they were both stunned.


    Zhang Lie was sweating profusely as manipted hundreds of such fragments, murmuring to himself, "No, this piece must have been misced..."


    Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng were partially so shocked because he was sweating profusely¡ªhis constitution was such that he could kill a few superior kings without even breaking a sweat.


    Clearly,pleting a puzzle of this magnitude was far more taxing to Zhang Lie than simple-minded ughter, and it was less about physical stamina than mental stamina.


    It took Zhang Lie quite a while to notice their entrance. He raised his head and asked, "What are the two of you doing here?"


    All his attention was devoted to the map¡ªeven with his overwhelming strength, he hadn''t sensed their approach until they were in the same room as he was.


    Sun Mengmeng began, "When I realized you hadn''te out of your rooms for the entire day, Captain, I came over to see what you were working on."


    Zhang Lie blinked. "It''s already been a day and a night?"


    In the past, he had frequently heard that a puzzle of 20,000 pieces could easily take a person three to five days to piece together. He always thought it an exaggeration, but now...

 Chapter 1193: The Puzzles Revelation

    Chapter 1193: The Puzzle''s Revtion


    Even a 20,000-piece puzzle would be a challenge¡ªbut the map fragments were a puzzle consisting of not just 20,000, but rather over 100,000 pieces.


    There were no identifying marks on the backs of those fragments, and Zhang Lie himself had no clue what the final product would look like. This drastically increased the difficulty of the puzzle; it would be a Herculean task.


    Even so, Zhang Lie had managed to finish half the puzzle within half a day¡ªand perfectly urately, as well.


    Furthermore, arge number of the pieces were identical in size and shape, and even the best supeputer in the Milky Way would need over 36 hours to aplish such a feat.


    As Zhang Lie continued piecing together the puzzle, however, he felt as though something was amiss.


    Li Qianlin said, "I made some porridge. Won''t you have a little?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Once I finish the puzzle."


    Ordinary gic hunters would be perfectly fine even if they fasted for a day, let alone Zhang Lie.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Is this map important?"


    Zhang Lie hedged. "To speak of its importance, it is indeed quite important; to speak of its unimportance, it is indeed quite unimportant."


    Sun Mengmeng asked again, "More important than eating?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''ve been collecting these pieces for so long. I do want to know the secret they hide."


    Li Qianlin smiled. "I''ll bring the porridge in, then. Let me know when you''re done."


    Regardless of what Zhang Lie was doing¡ªpiecing together a puzzle, cultivating, even lying in bed and doing nothing¡ªas long as he wasn''t out there gallivanting through the wilderness and was staying somewhere she could apany him, Li Qianlin would be happy.


    Sun Mengmeng urged, "You can finish the puzzle tomorrow. There''s no need to finish it immediately¡ªit''s not going to run off, after all."


    Zhang Lie replied seriously, "While piecing together the puzzle, I came up with an idea as to what the answer could be, and I''d like to verify it."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Do you need some help?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond. He continued with the puzzle.


    Sun Mengmeng suggested, "Why don''t we call Yang Ze and Li Feng over? There are just too many pieces."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Too many cooks will spoil the broth. Two or three people would be ideal."


    Li Qianlin came back with a bowl of porridge and joined in the fun.


    As Zhang Lie pieced together more of the puzzle, an unusual expression came over him, and he began to frown more and more deeply.


    When they were halfway done with the puzzle, Zhang Lie murmured to himself, "No, this can''t be¡ªsomething has to be wrong."


    As they nearedpletion, Zhang Lie began to grow faster and faster.


    By the time they were three quarters of the way finished, Zhang Lie mumbled again, "Surely not... They must only look alike."


    Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng stopped as they nced at Zhang Lie in worry.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, are you alright?"


    Li Qianlin added, "You''ve been going at this for two days. Isn''t it time to rest?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, we''re almost done. I think I know what this puzzle will end up being, and if I don''t confirm it for myself, I won''t be able to rest."


    Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng didn''t dissuade Zhang Lie any further.


    After all, given his strength and constitution, it wouldn''t be a challenge for him to fight for two consecutive days, let alone finish a puzzle. Zhang Lie had eaten something in the meantime, and he had even rested a little near the start. With the two women supervising him, nothing would go wrong.


    By the time the puzzle was four-fifthsplete, Sun Mengmeng stretched and announced excitedly, "Zhang Lie, we''re almost done!"


    However, Zhang Lie''s face was dark. He was furiously piecing together the remaining parts of the puzzle, as though obsessed.


    Sun Mengmeng was shocked by his behavior. "Captain? Zhang Lie?"


    As the three of them worked together, the puzzle finally nearedpletion.


    Thest stretch took fewer than three hours. As more of the puzzle waspleted, it became clearer where the remaining pieces would go.


    As they looked at thepleted puzzle, a sense of aplishment welled up in Sun Mengmeng and Li Qianlin''s hearts. Just as they were about to cheer in jubtion, Zhang Lie mmed down on the puzzle with a fist and sent the pieces flying.


    Sun Mengmeng and Li Qianlin were stupefied.


    "What''s the matter, Zhang Lie?" Li Qianlin called out.


    The two of them found that something really seemed to be amiss with Zhang Lie.


    "No, it can''t be. There must be something wrong with this map¡ªit has to be fake! That can''t be where the map is pointing! Could the king of chaos have done something?"


    No, that couldn''t be. The king of chaos had mentioned that he had tried to collect the map fragments as well, only to lose his patience.


    Could the king of chaos have collected the entire map and then modified it? But there was no reason for him to do so, and no reason for him to lie to Zhang Lie.


    "Again. We must have made a mistake. Let''s do the puzzle again!" As though obsessed, Zhang Lie scattered the pieces of the puzzle and began redoing it.


    Sun Mengmeng and Li Qianlin nced at each other. In silence, they helped restore the scattered pieces of the puzzle.


    Both of them had seen thepleted puzzle, and neither thought that there was anything wrong.


    Clearly, Zhang Lie knew more than they did, but neither of them tried to assuage their curiosity.


    Zhang Lie mumbled to himself, "Perhaps there''s a second way to assemble the puzzle? If we do it again, there won''t be a problem."


    The three of them restored the puzzle as it had been, no different from before. Zhang Lie inclined his head to the ceiling and began tough.


    Sun Mengmeng and Li Qianlin nced at each other again in worry.


    Li Qianlin called out, "Zhang Lie, don''t frighten us so!"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, there''s no need to be so agitated. It''s just a puzzle, isn''t it?"


    Li Qianlin promised, "There really might be a second way to assemble the puzzle. We can try again, if you''d like."


    Zhang Lie continued to smile. "No, there''s no other way. This time, I contemted all other possibilities in my head."


    The second time Zhang Liepleted the puzzle, he was simultaneously assembling a hundred other cases with his mind.


    "I tried all possiblebinations, and even different ways of looking at or thinking about the puzzle. In the end, I concluded that this was the only possibility."


    Sun Mengmeng and Li Qianlin didn''t know what to say, nor what Zhang Lie had found from the map to react in such an adverse fashion.


    Zhang Lie consoled them, "There''s no need to worry. I''m fine¡ªI just feel a little like a fool."

 Chapter 1194: The Truth of the Puzzle

    Chapter 1194: The Truth of the Puzzle


    Zhang Lie continued, "To have spent so long collecting these pieces for a map, a map that we can''t use at the moment..."


    Zhang Lie knew that this was a treasure map, but he hadn''t expected it to be an inessible one.


    "We''ll be able to get at the treasure eventually... but not now."


    The 100,000-piece puzzle revealed a treasure map, as Zhang Lie had anticipated, but the treasure wasn''t located in the third realm.


    This was a map of the fourth realm.


    Only Zhang Lie, who had been in the fourth realm before, could recognize this as a map of the fourth realm.


    If the king of chaos had the ability to collect all the map fragments, could he be unaware of thepleted puzzle?


    Why had the map fragmentsin scattered in the third realm for so long, without anyone bothering to collect them?


    Perhaps the king of chaos really did think it troublesome to do so, but it was more likely, in Zhang Lie''s opinion, that he had seen the map and not recognized that it was a map of the fourth realm.


    Perhaps there were others in the third realm who had collected the map like Zhang Lie, only to find it inscrutable. It was nond they had known;


    no lifeform of the third realm would recognize the map as one for the fourth realm. Even hunters from the Milky Way would be perplexed.


    Indeed, neither Sun Mengmeng nor Li Qianlin had any inkling of what the map represented.


    Sun Mengmeng was a hunter from the Milky Way, whereas Li Qianlin was an indigenous member of the third realm. Sun Mengmeng was one of the most powerful hunters, while Li Qianlin boasted incredible status rtive to most of the aliens. If both of them reacted in this fashion, it was clear that others would react the same way.


    Only those who had entered the fourth realm would know the secret behind this map.


    To obtain a treasure map for the fourth realm in the third... Zhang Lie had tough.


    To have arduously collected these fragments and not be able to transform them into treasure immediately... Zhang Lie had tough.


    "Captain, what if we sent the map to the Milky Way and used the best supeputers to identify it?


    Sun Mengmeng didn''t know the reason for Zhang Lie''s strange behavior.


    Zhang Lie kept the map. "No, there''s no need. This isn''t too bad an oue."


    No one in the third realm would understand the map, but those who had gone to the fourth realm surely could.


    Zhang Lie told his two helpers, "You must both be tired from helping me. Let''s have a good meal."


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes lit up. "Really? What?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We''ll go find two post-peak-grade lifeforms from the farm and roast them."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Ah, that''s it? I thought there would be something good!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do you know how many people would want those peak gene fragments? Now that you''ve gotten some monarch gene fragments, you''re starting to look down on post-peak-grade lifeforms... Sun Mengmeng, you''re really starting to get snobbish," he joked.


    Li Qianlin tutted at him. "You should rest instead¡ªyou''ve worked for so long!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "It''s alright. My constitution can handle it."


    Sun Mengmeng agreed with Li Qianlin. "Right, Captain, you can treat us to a meal at any time. You should rest after your exertion."


    Zhang Lie flexed an arm, revealing corded muscle. "I''m perfectly fine. I could even defeat a superior king now as is."


    Li Qianlin tugged on Sun Mengmeng''s hand as they made to leave.


    "We''lle find you about ourpensation once you''ve rested."


    Zhang Lie scratched his head. "Alright, then. Have Li Feng and the others join us, too. It''ll be more fun with more people."


    After Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng left, Zhang Lie had a good night''s sleep. The next morning, as he walked out of his room, he saw Li Qianlin heading over with breakfast.


    Li Qianlin smiled. "I didn''t know whether or not I should wake you up. Have some breakfast."


    Zhang Lie had a bite of the meal that Li Qianlin brought over and gave her a thumbs up. "It''s excellent. You could be a royal chef¡ªI want to eat your cooking forever."


    Li Qianlin blushed and smiled as she rapped Zhang Lie''s head with her hand. "Don''t speak nonsense while eating!"


    Just then, Sun Mengmeng headed over to see that Zhang Lie had already woken up. "Ah, you''re awake, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Have you had breakfast? Why don''t you join us? Qianlin''s cooking is delicious."


    Sun Mengmeng nced at the meal and said, "I''ve already eaten. I won''t disturb the two of you, then."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "No, no, it''s just a meal. I told you, Qianlin''s cooking is delicious. You have to try it."


    Sun Mengmeng continued shaking her head. "No thank you, I''m already full."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Will you let the others know to join me at the farm after breakfast?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded, then ran away as though she were fleeing.


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin headed to the farm. When Zhu saw him, she happily pounced on him. Zhang Lie asked, "Zhu, how''s the farm doing?"


    Zhu scowled. "Zhang Lie, are you here to see me or your precious gic lifeforms?"


    "Ha! Didn''t I just see you?"


    Zhu pursed her lips. "Well, whatever. I''m just a machine here to tend the gic lifeforms, and I''m not skilled at anything else. I don''t suppose I deserve any recognition."


    Zhang Lie patted Zhu on the head. "No, of course not. I''ve never treated you like a machine, Zhu, and you''re very important to me."


    Zhu nodded. "Thank you, Zhang Lie. The farm''s developing well under my care. Hanxiang brought back a huge supply of superior world''s energy a day or so ago, and a new monarch-grade lifeform was birthed yesterday."


    Zhang Lie pped his hands. "Excellent! Since we''re all here, we''ll ughter that lifeform and have a feast."


    The members of Team Zenith all looked at each other in excitement. They would be able to acquire more monarch gene fragments!"


    Zhang Lie continued, "How''s that special monarch-grade lifeform doing?"


    Zhang Lie was rather invested in its growth.


    "It''s reached a bottleneck," Zhu replied. "It hasn''t grown much recently."


    "Were there any special changes?"


    "No." Zhu shook her head. "Its growth has slowed down almost to the point of stalling, and I think its potential may have run its course."


    Zhang Lie was a little disappointed. He had been hoping that monarch-grade lifeform would advance to post-monarch-grade, and even to the next level entirely, but it seemed as though the realm might not be able to support such a lifeform.


    Even so, just in case, Zhang Lie nned to have a look at the lifeform himself.


    "Let me inspect the lifeform."

 Chapter 1195: Spatial Collapse

    Chapter 1195: Spatial Copse


    Just in case there were issues that Zhu didn''t notice, Zhang Lie decided to check on the special lifeform himself.


    "...is it pregnant?" Sun Xiaowu couldn''t resist asking upon seeing the monarch-grade lifeform''s distended belly.


    Zhu shook her head. "I considered that possibility, but there''s no sign of life within the lifeform''s body."


    Zhang Lie himself stepped forward to have a closer look at the strange monarch-grade lifeform. Within its body was a fearsome strength beyond the likes of a monarch-grade lifeform, but even so, the lifeform hadn''t managed to break through. It was as though there were some impermeable barrier preventing its evolution.


    Zhang Lie had no idea how to deal with such a situation, either.


    "Is it a restriction of the very realm itself...?" That was Zhang Lie''s conclusion.


    The special lifeform looked to be in great pain, its body stretched far beyond what was ordinary or normal.


    Glowing light pulsed across its belly.


    Zhu asked, "Zhang Lie, do you have any idea what to do?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I don''t have a clue, either. If its condition hasn''t improved by the time I return next, it might be time to kill it."


    The special monarch-grade lifeform lying on the ground keened in agony, but Zhang Lie ignored it. After all, the reason he was rearing these lifeforms was to consume them. The reason he had allowed the monarch-grade lifeform to continue growing was to see if it could evolve beyond monarch-grade. Since its growth had stopped, there was no need to keep it alive any longer.


    "Let''s ughter the other monarch-grade lifeform, then."


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 45


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    [You sessfully killed a monarch-grade titanspawn crab. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade titanspawn crab, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade titanspawn crab, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 54]


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade titanspawn crab, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 55]


    Upon consuming the newly evolved monarch-grade lifeform, the members of Team Zenith patted their bellies in satisfaction. They had obtained ten more monarch gene fragments, and their strength evolved once more.


    Yang Ze said, "Right, Captain, there''s something wrong with the high-dimensional space around here."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "What? Why?"


    Yang Ze replied, "The reason none of you can sense anything is because you don''t have sufficient facility with space¡ªand because that instability hasn''t spread to the shalloweryers."


    Zhang Lie asked, "What problem?"


    "Rather than describing it myself, it''d be better if we went straight to the source."


    Yang Ze modted his own energy as he opened a portal to a deeperyer of space. He had managed to train and refine that ability further; as long as he were able to enter a deeperyer of space than his opponent, he would never lose.


    Yang Ze''s mastery of this ability was still rtively weak, however, and it had taken him twenty whole minutes to create such a portal. That said, it was a significant improvement over what had happenedst time.


    The thirteenthyer of space was filled with cracks, which the will of the third realm was steadily repairing.


    Entering that space caused Li Qianlin, who was rtively weak, to experience a bout of difort. Noticing this, Zhang Lie immediately stabilized the surrounding space with gic energy.


    Panting, Yang Ze called out, "The problem is on a deeperyer of space. Let me rest for a moment."


    After ten minutes, Yang Ze created another portal, this time to the fifteenthyer. Upon witnessing what had happened to the fifteenthyer of space, Zhang Lie turned serious.


    There was a huge hole in the fifteenthyer, one that had resulted from the king of chaos'' explosion. Space was continuing to copse around that hole, as though it were a whirlpool leading to the depths of primordial chaos.


    The same problem was guing the deeperyers of space.


    Zhang Lie felt a headache starting to form. "That king of chaos¡ªhe''s left us with a huge problem!"


    Sun Mengmeng murmured, "After all these days, the problem seems to have worsened..."


    Li Feng tutted. "What has the will of the world been doing? Is it skiving off?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, the will of the third realm can''t fix this issue."


    "What do you mean?" Yang Ze asked.


    "If the will of the third realm were whole, it would have been able to patch up this hole in mere moments. However, what the king of chaos failed to recognize was that the fragmentary nature of the will of the third realm left it incapable of even fixing a hole of this magnitude at all.


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "So we have to clean up his mess?"


    Yang Ze seemed very worried. "We can''t just let this hole propagate..."


    Zhang Lie squinted. "Given the rate at which the will of the world is repairing the hole and the rate at which it''s expanding, by the time the will of the world fixes the shallowyers, the 24thyer of space will have copsed entirely.


    "What will happen in that case?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "Space will copse..." Yang Ze replied.


    Zhang Lie continued, "These deeperyers of space aren''t located above the three thousand worlds, nor below them. Rather, they exist nowhere and everywhere¡ªthey''re the foundation of space, as well as their barrier. Once these deeperyers copse, there''ll essentially be a sinkhole that forms, destabilizing the shalloweryers. The entire third realm might end up being destroyed."


    Li Qianlin cried out in panic, "Zhang Lie, is this something you can fix?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Unfortunately, I have no such ability."


    Yang Ze mirrored his sigh. "To be able to repair high-dimensional space... this is something that requires exceptional aplishment in spatial maniption. Perhaps the king of chaos might be able to manage it, but it''s not something I can do anything about."


    Sun Mengmeng''s face was serious. "Zhang Lie, Captain, given the circumstances, I believe that the best course of action is to notify the highest authority Hong Tianqi immediately, then to activate the emergency evacuation order in the third realm to send the third-realm hunters back to the Milky Way. We can re-evaluate once everyone has evacuated."

 Chapter 1196: Crisis of the Realm

    Chapter 1196: Crisis of the Realm


    Li Qianlin cried out, "If all of you evacuate, what about the indigenous peoples of the third realm? There are uncountably many aliens and gic lifeforms around here¡ªyou hunters might be able to escape to the Milky Way, but this is our homnd, our only residence!"


    Her father was here; her homnd was here. Upon hearing that a cmity was about to terrorize the realm, Li Qianlin almost copsed in panic.


    Zhang Lieforted her. "Qianlin, calm down. I don''t intend on leaving you behind. The third realm is important to all you indigenous peoples, and it''s equally important to us. Unless it''s absolutely necessary, we won''t give up."


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "Even so, theseyers of space are copsing at a terrifying pace. Captain, considering how long the evacuation will take, I think we should give that order sooner rather thanter."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The situation isn''t quite so hopeless yet. I think there''s still a possibility that we can save the realm."


    "How?"


    Li Qianlin and the others looked toward Zhang Lie with rekindled hope.


    Yang Ze frowned. "If you and I can''t do anything about it, Captain, I don''t think there''s anyone in the third realm who can."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "No person, perhaps, but what if it weren''t a person?"


    Yang Ze seemed shocked. "You mean... the will of the third realm itself?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We can''t do so, but the will of the third realm can."


    Yang Ze thought about the ramifications carefully before concluding that Zhang Lie''s suggestion was sound.


    "The will of the third realm doesn''t have that ability at the moment."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Because it''s fragmented. As long as we restore it to its original form, it would have the ability to proceed."


    Yang Ze''s eyes shone. "Unifying the third realm!


    As long as we can unify the third realm, it''ll be saved."


    Li Qianlin frowned. "How do you n on unifying it?"


    Zhang Lie tried to avoid any problematguage. "I''ll rbine the three thousand worlds into a single entity."


    Li Qianlin seemed a little confused. "Rbining the three thousand worlds? How will that save us all?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "The three thousand worlds were formed by the fragmentation of a single primordial world, ording to the king of chaos. However, as a result of some ident or another, the world shattered into the three thousand pieces we know."


    Zhang Lie had already resolved to unify the three thousand worlds, and now he had to speed up the timeline for doing so.


    Li Qianlin frowned. "Will Father and the other kings be willing to give up their authority?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t underestimate your father. He and the other two newly ascended superior kings are intelligent men, and they''ll realize that this is the only possible n.


    Li Qianlin didn''t want her father and Zhang Lie to oppose each other.


    Yang Ze invoked spatial authority once more to send everyone back to the baseyer of the third realm.


    Now that the third realm was copsing bit by bit, there was no time to waste. The members of Team Zenith sought out the draconian sage immediately.


    The draconian sage wasn''t hiding his aura, so it was trivially easy for them to identify his location.


    The draconian sage cocked his head. "What are all of you doing here? I''m a little worried that there''s a disaster on its way..."


    As far as the draconian sage knew, there was no one who could oppose Zhang Lie within the third realm, so there shouldn''t have been any need for them all to call on him together.


    "I want to unify the three thousand worlds," Zhang Lie began.


    The draconian sage blinked, then sighed. "So we''re finally at this point, are we?"


    "You predicted this possibility, Sage?"


    The draconian sage stood up and walked toward the window, where he looked out toward the draconian world.


    "All men have the same desires. Once all of you acquired sufficient strength to dominate over the third realm, I anticipated that this would eventually happen¡ªthough not so quickly."


    Zhang Lie continued, "I intend to discuss this with the three new superior kings."


    The draconian sage sped his hands behind his back. "I don''t have an issue, but you need to leave enoughnd for the draconians to survive¡ªand it can''t be worse than what we already have."


    "That''s not an issue," Zhang Lie promised. "I guarantee your living conditions will only improve."


    "I ept, then."


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Qianlin with a smile.


    "I told you, all three of them are smart fellows."


    Sun Xiaowu wondered, "Sage, I''m shocked you were willing to agree so easily..."


    The draconian sage sighed. "Of course. After all, my position as superior king wasn''t obtained through my own efforts. The draconians had initially only possessed a medium-sized world before you all came to the third realm. Our world quickly became arge world, then a superior one. I knew that, whatever I obtained from all of you, I would have to repay one day."


    The draconian sage further knew the futility of his struggle. There was too big a gulf between him and Zhang Lie. If Zhang Lie wanted to, he would easily be able to crush even a dozen draconian sages.


    If he had no power of his own, neither would he have free will.


    Zhang Lie gave him a thumbs up. "That''s very logical."


    The draconian sage rolled his eyes. "What other choice do I have? It''s hardly as though I can beat all of you."


    The members of Team Zenith nced at each other with a sigh.


    "Go on, scram!" The draconian sage waved weakly. "I don''t want to look at any of you right now."


    Zhang Lie began, "There''s an affair you should be aware of. If things were to go wrong, all of you will suffer, so just in case..."


    Although Zhang Lie could have hidden the information from the draconian sage, the draconian sage was an ally to whom he would have to show some amount of trust. It was only reasonable to reveal all that he knew¡ªit certainly wasn''t because Zhang Lie couldn''t help but want to make the draconian sage panic given how calm he was being.


    The draconian sage suddenly felt a flicker of unease at Zhang Lie''s expression.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? Did something bad happen again?"


    Zhang Lie gave the draconian sage a thumbs up. "You really are prescient, Sage!"


    The draconian sage frowned. "But what in the realm would be able to stand against all of you?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Combat ability is measured by destructiveness, and it can''t resolve all problems."


    Sun Mengmeng''s face was deathly serious. "Sage, the third realm is about to be destroyed."


    The draconian sage gaped. "What are you talking about?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "The third realm is about to suffer a crisis the likes of which have never before been seen in its history. My actions were in order to prevent it."

 Chapter 1197: Destruction of the Realm

    Chapter 1197: Destruction of the Realm


    The draconian sage cried out, "I don''t believe it! What problem could there be that you hunters can''t resolve?"


    Zhang Lie recounted what they had discovered to the draconian sage.


    The draconian sage was stupefied.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I really didn''t decide to unify the third realm because of my ambitions. It would be a lie to say that I didn''t contemte such an idea, of course, but the more immediate reason is to save the three thousand worlds of the third realm. To do so, we need aplete will of the realm, not a fragmented one. Do you understand?"


    The draconian sage sighed. "I was upset with you initially, but after hearing your exnation, I''m feeling a lot better. I''m eding not to satisfy your ambitions, but in order to save the third realm."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks like I''ll be able to im moral rectitude, then."


    The draconian sage replied, "I''m a lot more agreeable because of what you''ve done for the draconian world. Inrge part, you were the one who made it the way it is today, but I don''t imagine Li Zongming would be an easy target."


    "I''ll do my best to convince my father with Zhang Lie," Li Qianlin pledged.


    Subsequently, Zhang Lie and the others rode the multicolored dragon to the Zongming world.


    The moment they entered, Li Zongming shattered space and appeared before them. "You all are finally here!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is there a reason you were looking for us?"


    Li Zongming asked, "Why is the third realm quaking? What has happened?"


    Zhang Lie was surprised. "You can sense it already?"


    Li Qianlin exhaled. "Since you''ve sensed it already, Father, it''ll be much easier for us."


    Zhang Lie suggested, "At any rate, let''s chat within the pce."


    Li Zongming had noticed everyone''s expressions. "It looks like this is no minor affair."


    Zhang Lie replied seriously, "This is a catastrophe that could destroy the three thousand worlds."


    "One that even you can''t stop?"


    "It''ll need your cooperation."


    The group walked toward Li Zongming''s pce, where he ordered his servants to provide tea and snacks. Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no need for the pleasantries. We can''t waste even a single second. Once we convince you, I''ll have to make a trip to the scaleman world, and then back to the Milky Way to submit a report¡ªI might have to borrow its strength, too."


    Li Zongming asked, "In that case, make your request directly. What do you need me to cooperate with?"


    Zhang Lie hesitated. "You had better hear the whole story. It''s not a trivial sacrifice you''ll have to make."


    Li Zongming frowned. "Think of our rtionship! We''ve gone through thick and thin together, and I do trust you. As long as you''re not seeking my life, my daughter, or my world, we can talk."


    "I need the Zongming world."


    Li Zongming hesitated.


    "You''re interested in the Zongming world?" Li Zongming asked. As though he had just thought of something, he followed up with, "You''re interested in the three thousand worlds?"


    As far as Li Zongming knew, Zhang Lie wasn''t particrly interested in status and power.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "That''s why I think it''s better if you hear the whole story."


    Li Zongming nodded. "Very well."


    Zhang Lie exined how he had been invited to the king of chaos'' night banquet as a guest, and then the whole series of events that had ultimately led to the king of chaos'' ascension to the fourth realm.


    Li Zongming couldn''t help but gasp in admiration. "When I first saw the king of chaos, I recognized that he wasn''t considered the strongest superior king for nothing. I knew he was undefeated among the third realm, but not that he was so strong that he could ascend with the whole of the halls of chaos! How many years would it take me to achieve the same feat? It might take my entire life just to get close..."


    Zhang Lie continued, "That''s not all."


    Upon hearing what trouble the king of chaos had left behind for them, Li Zongming grew so incensed that he broke the armrests of his chair. He stood up in a frenzy. "This damned king of chaos!"


    Zhang Lie beckoned for Li Zongming to calm down. "Now''s not the time to get mad. The king of chaos himself might be unaware of the trouble he caused. If you really are mad, wait until we ascend and find the king of chaos¡ªyou can punch him in the face then."


    Li Zongming calmed down a little.


    "Zhang Lie, I do trust you, but the Zongming world doesn''t belong to me alone. It''s my ancestors'' dreams, and it''s finally been realized during my generation. There are innumerable lifeforms in the Zongming world, and I have to take responsibility for them.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What are your concerns? We all know each other, so you can be direct."


    Li Zongming asked, "I''d like to confirm the problem with the high-dimensional spaces for myself."


    "It''s best to be prudent. Yang Ze," Zhang Lie called out, snapping his fingers. "Can you show the Zongming king the issue?"


    Yang Ze marshaled spatial force to open a portal into the deepestyers of space, bringing Li Zongming along with him.


    Li Qianlin served them tea and snacks as they awaited Yang Ze and Li Zongming''s return.


    After about half an hour, Yang Ze returned with Li Zongming in tow.


    Both their faces were pale. Yang Ze was panting and sweating all over from the exertion, while Li Zongming was either ufortable in the deepestyers of space or shocked by the devastation that had been wrought.


    Li Qianlin passed them each a cup of tea. Li Zongming, who preferred to enjoy tea in small sips as he sampled its vor, now drained a whole pot in just a few gulps.


    As a bit of his pallor retreated, he asked, "Will what happened in the deepestyers of space ur again among the three thousand worlds?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "That''s hard to say. I haven''t experienced such a major spatial catastrophe before, and spatial copse is only the ideal oue."


    Li Zongming''s pallor crept back with a vengeance. "The copse of high-dimensional space is the ideal oue?!"


    Even Li Qianlin was shocked by the admission.


    "Spatial copse? How many worlds would be annihted, how many lives killed..."


    The Zongming world was sorge that it would likely be affected as a result.


    Zhang Lie suggested, "Well, if the superficialyer copses, a portion of the higher-dimensional spaces might survive, but even a 10% survival rate would be optimistic. In the worst-case scenario, a spatial rift would destroy the third realm entirely, leaving a 1% survival rate at best."


    Li Zongming couldn''t remain still upon hearing those words.

 Chapter 1198: A Sense of Grievance

    Chapter 1198: A Sense of Grievance


    Li Zongming was stronger than the draconian sage, and he had been a superior king for longer. The draconian sage might have been unaware of the changes that had urred in high-dimensional spaces, but Li Zongming could. Li Zongming hadn''t paid the changes any mind initially, but now that Zhang Lie was bringing it up, he realized that he had been far too careless.


    Li Zongming told Zhang Lie, "I can hand the Zongming world to you, but on one condition."


    Li Qianlin seemed rather displeased. "Father, if the third realm were to fall, all three thousand worlds would be destroyed! Is this really the time to be caring about power?"


    Li Zongming held up a hand to forestall his daughter. "Let me finish, please."


    Li Qianlin backed down.


    Li Zongming continued, "I want you to marry Qianlin."


    This time, it was Sun Mengmeng who couldn''t sit still.


    Li Qianlin''s face flushed red. "Father, this isn''t the time!"


    Li Zongming replied, "It''s precisely because of the emergency that I''m making this proposal. The Zongming world isn''t just mine¡ªit belongs to my ancestors, who devoted their lives to this n which came to fruition in my generation. I can''t hand it to just any outsider, but if you were to marry Qianlin, you wouldn''t be an outsider any longer."


    No one knew whether or not Zhang Lie would seed. Li Zongming had witnessed the hole in the deepestyers of space, and they didn''t seem like something that could be fixed by manpower alone.


    If Zhang Lie were to fail, given his connection to Li Qianlin, he would surely do his best to protect the Zongming world.


    Li Zongming continued, "I know you''ve been interested in Qianlin, and this isn''t something that would be off-putting to you."


    Unexpectedly, however, Zhang Lie''s response was stark refusal.


    Everyone was shocked. Li Qianlin''s face turned pale, and she looked as though she would faint at any moment.


    Li Zongming thundered, "What do you mean? Is my Qianlin not good enough for you?"


    Everyone knew of Zhang Lie''s affection toward Li Qianlin, but Zhang Lie had refused the proposal!


    Li Zongming was so infuriated that sparks seemed to be emanating from his body. "Oh? You think you''re all that because you can take down superior kings, do you? That no one among the three thousand worlds is a match for you? That''s why you''re looking down on my daughter? Don''t think that I won''t hit you just because I can''t beat you! If you don''t marry Qianlin, then regardless of what happens to the third realm, I won''t hand over the Zongming world. Take it from me by force if you have to!"


    Zhang Lie hurriedly exined, "No, no, you misunderstand me. If I am to marry Qianlin, it certainly won''t be because the world is ending, but rather because I, Zhang Lie, have fallen in love with her."


    Li Qianlin had already been hurt once by a political marriage, and Zhang Lie didn''t want to repeat that nightmare.


    "I don''t want the happiness between us to be corrupted by politics. Even if the world were about to be destroyed, I don''t want to trade for world peace with marriage."


    Our love is pure and unfettered.


    Marrying Li Qianlin today might not seem problematic at first nce, but that barest hint of coercion could easily warp the nature of their marriage given enough time.


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, Li Qianlin''s eyes grew misty.


    Li Zongming sighed. "I misunderstood you. It looks like you really do value Qianlin very much¡ªand I almost brought about the travesty that hade to pass again."


    Fortunately, Li Qianlin''s nned marriage had be a fiasco, with Zhang Lie appearing right when he had made a wrong decision.


    Otherwise, Li Zongming would have destroyed his daughter''s happiness himself.


    "I can hand you the Zongming world."


    Zhang Lie smiled.


    Li Zongming continued, "But I want to have a match with you."


    Zhang Lie seemed perplexed.


    Li Zongming stood up. "I want to fight you beyond this world."


    Zhang Lie hesitated. "Do you really want to do that?"


    Wouldn''t he just be defeated, and badly at that?


    Li Zongming replied, "The Zongming world is something my family has been aiming for for generations, and I''ve devoted much of my life to improving this world."


    In the end, however, it was Zhang Lie that had brought his dream to fruition.


    "I can''t stand to just give it up so simply¡ªI''d like to at least have a match with you to understand the difference between us, to at least make me feel a little better inside."


    Humans were creatures of emotions, and aliens were likewise.


    Logic and rationality told Li Zongming that he had to hand over the Zongming world, or there would be nothing anyone could do to stop the impending devastation. Even so, his emotions told a different story.


    Zhang Lie understood theplexity of the emotions that Li Zongming was facing.


    Unlike the draconian sage, Li Zongming had devoted much of his life to warring against the world of the west in order to merge the two worlds together to form a superior world. That dream had finally been realized, and Li Zongming had worked tirelessly to tend to that world since¡ªbut was he now to simply give it up because of an unexpected spatial copse?


    Li Zongming was naturally upset, and he needed a reason to convince himself, even the mostughable of reasons. Otherwise, he knew that he would go crazy.


    "Let''s do it immediately, then."


    Zhang Lie shattered space and teleported beyond the Zongming world. Li Zongming followed suit, and the members of Team Zenith also rushed over. Sun Xiaowu wondered, "How many strikes from our captain do you think Li Zongming can block?"


    Yang Ze replied, "Since he''s a superior king, and our captain will go easy on him, three to five?"


    Li Feng replied, "Even if our captain goes easy on him, I can''t imagine he''dst more than two strikes."


    Once Li Zongming arrived beyond the Zongming world, Zhang Lie extended a hand to him. "Please, have the first move."


    Li Zongming roared, burning superior world''s energy as rainbow-colored mes appeared all over his body. He struck with a flurry of punches.


    Zhang Lie stood still without moving, allowing Li Zongming''s punches tond like raindrops. His gic energy spun around him like water, deflecting Li Zongming''s strikes.


    Li Zongming invoked the energy of the Zongming world in preparation for an ultimate attack as Zhang Lie countered with his specialty.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The hall began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the void.

 Chapter 1199: The Scaleman World

    Chapter 1199: The Scaleman World


    Li Zongming grew rmed. Zhang Lie''s attack was simply too strong.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the void quaked. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    Amidst the pale-blue storm of gic energy, Li Zongming tried his best to remain standing, like a leaf being buffeted by the wind.


    "Aaaaaahh¡ª¡ª"!


    Li Zongming howled, sending rainbow-colored mes ring up all around him. The pale-blue currents were particrly ferocious. They caused his bones to crack and wounds to appear all over his body as Li Zongming continued to howl, as though purging himself of all his grievance, all his exasperation.


    After the pale-blue storm swept him by, Li Zongming ended up drifting across the void on his back.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you feel better?"


    Li Zongming sighed. "As expected, the disparity between the two of us is toorge."


    To allow Li Zongming to expel all his grievances, Zhang Lie either had to put up a good fight against Li Zongming, give Li Zongming free rein to strike him, or quash him with overwhelming might.


    Given that high-dimensional spaces were copsing as they spoke, Zhang Lie didn''t have the time to have a drawn-out fight against Li Zongming. He had no choice but to choose the third option, to use overwhelming might against him.


    Li Zongming floated on the void, his soul seeming to have left him behind. He sighed. "Thank you."


    Zhang Lie didn''t respond. He allowed Li Zongming to continue floating as he returned to the Zongming world, where he met up with the members of Team Zenith again. Li Qianlin had followed behind the members of Team Zenith and had witnessed Zhang Lie''s final blow. She grumbled, "Must you do that to Father?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "I made sure to cause only superficial injury."


    Otherwise, Li Zongming would have been torn to shreds from Zhang Lie''s technique.


    "Don''t worry. After the three thousand worldsbine, the aliens of the Zongming world will receive morend and more resources, and their lives will improve for the better." Zhang Lie turned around. "We need to head to the next world, now¡ªthe scaleman world."


    Zhang Lie left almost immediately, giving Li Zongming the time and space he needed to prepare to give up his world. He and the members of Team Zenith headed to the scaleman world on the back of the multicolored disaster-grade dragon.


    The scaleman world had developed in peace for quite some time, and it had grown significantly more advanced since Zhang Lie wasst there.


    The moment he entered the scaleman world, the scaleman king teleported before them. Zhang Lie stepped out of the pce on the disaster-grade dragon''s back. The scaleman king cupped his hands, overjoyed, and asked, "Master, what brings you here?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''m here on serious business."


    "Has something happened?" the scaleman king asked.


    "I intend to unify the three thousand worlds," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Joyous tidings indeed." The scaleman king gestured. "Pleasee talk inside my pce."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you understand that this means you''ll have to give up rulership of the scaleman world?"


    "Of course," the scaleman king replied.


    Sun Xiaowu seemed taken aback. "You do?"


    Yang Ze asked, "Why are you so calm about all this?"


    Zhang Lie introduced, "These are mypanions, who helped me fight the superior kings of antiquity."


    The scaleman king greeted them warmly. "It''s great to finally meet all of you. I learned of you from the Zongming king, and you all are true heroes. It''s all thanks to you that the scaleman world could be preserved to the present day."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Are you really willing to hand over the scaleman world just like that?"


    The scaleman king nodded. "The scaleman world might as well have been the creation of my master alone. I''m sure that he''ll give back more than he takes."


    Li Qianlin rxed. "You really are a good disciple..."


    Zhang Lie raised his head proudly. "Quite so."


    The scaleman king nced at Li Qianlin with some shock. "Is this... your esteemed wife, Master?"


    Li Qianlin flushed and lowered her head, but she didn''t say no.


    Sun Mengmeng snorted. "She''s still far from being a wife."


    Over the years, the scaleman king had grown up to be a wise and virtuous ruler. ncing at Sun Mengmeng''s aggrieved expression, the scaleman king smiled awkwardly and changed the topic.


    "However, I do need to let my brother know about this."


    The scaleman king invited Zhang Lie and the others into the pce. Shortly thereafter, the erstwhile crown prince rushed over and bowed to Zhang Lie.


    "I greet the grandmaster."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No, none of that. Those who aren''t in the know might even think me a retired emperor or the like."


    The former crown prince''s forehead beaded with sweat as he forced a smile. Zhang Lie''s status within the scaleman world... might as well be that of a retired emperor.


    He began, "I heard about the news from His Majesty. Is there no way around this?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "If there were, I wouldn''t be in such a rush."


    The prince continued, "Grandmaster, you''ve elevated this world to its current heights, but the scaleman dynasty hassted for tens of thousands of years. To submit to your rule would be to end this dynasty with our own hands¡ªhow would we be able to face our ancestors in the underworld?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You have no choice. No lifeform in this realm has a choice any longer."


    The prince frowned. "Not even for old times'' sake?"


    Zhang Lie sighed again. "I didn''t make myself clear the first time because of your emperor''s trust in me, but it seems that I should. If you refuse, I can leave the scaleman world alone... but it''ll be destroyed forevermore."


    The prince quailed. His legs trembled, and he fell kneeling to the floor.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I''m not trying to scare or threaten you. It''s an inevitability.


    The prince gulped. "As for the Zongming king and the draconian sage..."


    "They both agreed to this."


    The prince was silent, not knowing how to respond.


    It was clear that he didn''t want to ept, but the scaleman king was leisurely sipping tea by the table, as though the matter was already beyond his consideration.


    Inwardly, Zhang Lie was very d that he had chosen to champion the ninth prince rather than the inflexible and small-minded crown prince.


    Yang Zeughed coldly. "Aren''t you aware that it''s precisely because of old times'' sake that our captain''s willing to chat with you like this? Otherwise, your world would have been destroyed long ago."


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "We were the ones who destroyed the other superior worlds, those that have existed since antiquity. Don''t you know what it means that we''re all gathered here?"


    Sun Mengmeng threatened, "Considering your acquaintance with our captain, don''t force our hand."

 Chapter 1200: Collapse of the Third Realm

    Chapter 1200: Copse of the Third Realm


    Fang Yi called out, "If you don''t agree, we''ll settle the matter with force. Regardless of what you decide, we need to and will take control of the scaleman world."


    The prince''s face was scrunched up; it was worse than if he were in tears. "That''s... far too domineering."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Stop bullying him."


    Zhang Lie didn''t want to take the time to exin, but the situation called for it.


    "The third realm is about to be destroyed."


    The prince stilled.


    Zhang Lie continued, "In the process of the king of chaos'' ascension with the halls of chaos, a huge hole was created in the high-dimensional spaces of the realm. The fragmented will of the world is unable to repair the hole quickly enough, so it''s been spreading. Soon enough, the high-dimensional spaces of the realm will copse, directly impacting its integrity."


    The prince was stupefied. "Is this a joke, Grandmaster?"


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers angrily. "Bring the scaleman king there."


    Yang Ze stepped forward and picked up the prince as though he were a little chick, then headed for the scaleman king. The prince cried out, "Hold it, hold it, what are you doing?"


    Yang Ze marshaled his spatial force and opened a portal to the deepestyers of space. After about twenty minutes, the prince, pale-white, stumbled back out and fell paralyzed to the ground. Yang Ze''s face was pale as well, whereas the scaleman king seemed unnervingly calm.


    "Excellent mental fortitude," Zhang Lie praised.


    The scaleman king smiled. "Thank you, Master."


    Zhang Lie continued, "The Zongming king''s response was much like your brother''s."


    The scaleman king smiled. "I believe that you must have a solution in mind, Master, or you wouldn''t be here right now."


    "Trust, is it?" Zhang Lie murmured.


    It was easy to say you trusted someone, but far harder to realize that trust in practice.


    The scaleman king said, "Yes, Master. I trusted that you wouldn''t have asked for the scaleman world for no reason, and I was right. You are trying to save the third realm."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No, I''m hardly as kind-hearted as all that."


    The scaleman king bowed. "Master, if there''s nothing else, I''ll need to convene an emergency session of court."


    "You aren''t going to ask me to stay?" Zhang Lie wondered, with some surprise.


    The scaleman king replied, "I do want to ask, Master, but I know you won''t agree. I imagine the reason you didn''t exin yourself beforehand was because you were in a rush."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his nose. The main reason, actually, was that he had already exined things twice and didn''t want to do it a third time.


    The scaleman king continued, "After seeing the state of the high-dimensional spaces with my own eyes, it''s clear that the copse is growing more and more severe with every passing moment. You need the time, Master, and I won''t hold you back."


    Zhang Lie nodded and bade the scaleman king farewell, then left with the members of Team Zenith atop the multicolored disaster-grade dragon.


    Zhang Lie told them, "Next, I''ll be heading back to the Milky Way to inform Hong Tianqi of the news and to get assistance from the Milky Way. We don''t have much time¡ªI''m going to have all of you mobilize the human hunters and the warlords of the third realm."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    "We''ll gather all the proofs of kingship as quickly as we can."


    "In that case, let our conquest begin," Zhang Lie announced.


    The multicolored disaster-grade dragon pped its wings and returned to the draconian world at its fastest speed. The members of Team Zenith went to assemble the human hunters, while Zhang Lie shattered space, teleported to the teleportation apparatus, and returned to the Zenith Dojo.


    When they saw Zhang Lie emerge from the teleportation apparatus, the members of the Zenith Dojo were all astounded. The dojo was in an uproar, but Zhang Lie ignored them all. He immediately headed to Zhang Hong''s office, who was waiting there for him upon hearing the news.


    "You''ve returned again. Recently, the dojo¡ª"


    Zhang Lie held up a hand. "If there''s no immediate danger, hold it."


    Zhang Hong noticed that something seemed amiss with Zhang Lie''s expression.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "The third realm is about to copse," Zhang Lie replied.


    Zhang Hong visibly inhaled. What? What was happening to the third realm? Was Zhang Lie talking about his political base, or the third realm atrge? How could something destabilize such an entity as the third realm?


    ording to the members of the Zenith Dojo who had returned from the third realm, Zhang Lie was so strong that he could even take down the superior kings of antiquity. How would the third realm suddenly have copsed?


    "There''s no time to exin. I need to contact Hong Tianqi immediately." Zhang Lie picked up a transceiver and initiated a call with him.


    Hong Tianqi''s secretary replied. "Is this Mr. Zhang Lie? Authority Hong is currently in the middle of a very urgent meeting, and you may need to wait. He''s instructed to be informed whenever you contact him, so he''ll likely contact you back the moment he''s finished."


    "Very well. I''m in a rush, but it''s nothing too major¡ªplease help me inform Authority Hong that I''ll only be staying in the dojo for ten minutes. If he doesn''t call me before then, he should prepare a mass grave for all the third-realm hunters in the Milky Way. The destruction of the third realm is no urgent business, isn''t it?"


    The secretary on the other end of the call was stupefied. A tter rang out as though countless objects had just fallen off a desk. The secretary replied, "I''ll inform Authority Hong immediately. Please don''t drop the call."


    If it were anyone else, the secretary would have thought this an idle threat, but Hong Tianqi had specifically emphasized Zhang Lie''s importance to his secretary. Any calls from Zhang Lie were of the utmost importance; he was the premier VIP bar none.


    Zhang Lie had given her a serious warning. If she were to allow him to end the call, that would be the end of her job.


    Regardless of the veracity of Zhang Lie''s information, the secretary had no choice but to act. She strode directly into Hong Tianqi''s meeting room.


    While Zhang Lie was waiting for Hong Tianqi to get back to him, Zhang Hong managed to satiate her own curiosity.


    "Just what happened in the third realm?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Someone tried to satisfy his own desires but left huge trouble behind for us to take care of. If we can''t resolve the issue, the third realm will copse."


    Dismayed, Zhang Hong was about to keep pressing him for information when Hong Tianqi rushed to the transceiver on the other end. Zhang Lie turned to her. "Zhang Hong, close the door and activate all privacy measures. I don''t want anyone to overhear my conversation with Hong Tianqi."


    Zhang Hong btedly realized that the situation truly was as dire as Zhang Lie had reported, but it still didn''t feel real. She executed Zhang Lie''s orders in this state of mind.


    On the other end of the transceiver, Hong Tianqi called out, "You''ve been terrorizing my secretary the moment you returned?"


    "The third realm''s about to copse."

 Chapter 1201: Opening the Farm

    Chapter 1201: Opening the Farm


    Hong Tianqi was stunned. A silence filled the transceiver. "What did you say?"


    "The third realm''s about to copse."


    Hong Tianqi frowned. "Is this an borate joke? It''s far too gauche."


    "I''m not joking with you."


    Hong Tianqi sounded visibly displeased. "Zhang Lie, this is ridiculous. I ran over in the middle of an extremely important meeting, and this is no joking matter."


    "If you don''t believe me, then so be it."


    Hong Tianqi thundered, "Zhang Lie, if this is how bad your attitude has gotten, I''lle beat some sense into you."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "The king of chaos ascended from the third realm with his coterie, the halls of chaos. In doing so, he caused a massive explosion in the deepestyers of space there, sting a hole in the high-dimensional spaces of the third realm. The fragmented will of the third realm has been unable to repair the damage quickly enough, and the damage has instead been spreading. If this were to continue unchecked, the deepestyers of space of the third realm would be destroyed, leading to a catastrophic domino effect that will swallow up the entirety of the third realm."


    Hong Tianqi hesitated again. "You''re not joking?"


    "If you don''t believe me, then so be it. I won''t be med if arge group of the third-realm Milky Way hunters died in a mass extinction event."


    Hong Tianqi hurriedly replied, "No, it''s not that I don''t believe you¡ªwhat you''re saying is simply so ridiculous that I''m having a difficult time processing it."


    Zhang Lie continued, "If you don''t believe me, feel free to send someone to the third realm. I''ll have Yang Ze bring that person to the deepestyers of space. One look will be sufficient to verify my ims."


    When Hong Tianqi finally realized that Zhang Lie was earnest, he couldn''t help but turn serious. "This is a travesty. Tell me more¡ªI need to know everything about the king of chaos and his ascension."


    Zhang Lie proposed, "There''s no time. While we''re chatting, the third realm will be nearing copse. Don''t forget about the huge time dtion between the third realm and the Milky Way."


    "That''s exactly why I need to know everything," Hong Tianqi countered. "Otherwise, I won''t be able toe up with an appropriate n for response."


    "Very well. I''ll be concise, then."


    As Zhang Lie exined everything, Hong Tianqi''s face turned dark. This damned king of chaos... I''d like to have a subordinate punch him in the face."


    The king of chaos was invincible within the third realm, but it was far less likely that that invincibility held up in the fourth realm.


    Zhang Lie replied, "While I share your sentiment, you''d better not do that. The king of chaos is an exceptional individual, and he might even be able to beat your subordinates in the fourth realm."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "You must have thought up a n to resolve this problem, haven''t you?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I intend to unify the three thousand worlds. The reason the high-dimensional spaces are continuing to copse is because the will of the third realm is fragmented. If we restore the will of the world, it will be able to fix the damage."


    Hong Tianqi frowned. "This will be a massive undertaking."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Even so, I don''t have a better solution. Do you?"


    Hong Tianqi thought for a moment, but then shook his head. "No. Your solution might work, and it''s better than anything I''ve got."


    What remained would be a fight against time¡ªwhether the high-dimensional spaces copsed entirely first, or whether Zhang Lie could unify the three thousand worlds first.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "The Milky Way will cooperate to the best of its ability. I''ll start by recalling all third-realm hunters who have yet to max their superior gene fragments, then summon all other third-realm hunters to aid in your conquest."


    Zhang Lie proposed, "I have a better idea. I''ve built a farm of gic lifeforms on the draconian world in the third realm. I''ll make a portion of those lifeforms avable to increase the overall strength of gic hunters and bulk up the avable forces."


    Gic hunters were particrly strong because of how quickly they could grow in strength. Althoughbat experience was important, the maximum rate at which hunters could grow was all but unparalleled.


    Gic hunters would be able to grow strong just by consuming the flesh of gic lifeforms. There was arge supply of such lifeforms within Zhang Lie''s farm, which were meant to cultivate monarch-grade lifeforms, but there was no time to be selfish now. If the third realm were to fall, the entire farm would be destroyed.


    It was time to make use of the farm''s potential.


    Zhang Lie continued, "All gic hunters who make their way to the draconian world will be able to max all gene fragments peak-grade and below."


    Hong Tianqi sucked in a deep breath. Even he, the highest authority of the Milky Way, didn''t have the means to make such a promise¡ªand neither did the Milky Way atrge.


    "You built a huge farm of gic lifeforms in the third realm?"


    "More or less."


    "Can it support the expenditure of all the hunters in the third realm?"


    Zhang Lie''s farm was filled to the brim with superior-grade lifeforms, and even peak-grade ones were asmon as cats and dogs. However, it would still have been a stretch to im that this was sufficient for all third-realm hunters if not for the hundred superior worlds'' worth of gic energy that Zhang Hanxiang had brought back from the world of primordial chaos.


    World''s energy was undoubtedly the fastest means to induce growth and evolution. If the draconian sage could manipte the world to elerate the rate at which time passed around the farm, a whole-new batch of peak-grade lifeforms could be produced within moments.


    However, disaster- and monarch-grade lifeforms would remain a pipe dream for the masses. Disaster-grade lifeforms requiredbat experience to activate their potential for evolution, and their mass production would be impossible. Neither would this approach work for monarch-grade lifeforms.


    Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t n to volunteer this information.


    "I cultivated a batch of superior- and peak-grade gic lifeforms not too long ago, but it''s a stretch to im that it can support all the gic hunters of the third realm. It''ll be firste, first-serve."


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "Very good. Drag all the Milky Way hunters into the draconian world, and then make them join in your fight."


    Zhang Lie agreed. "That''s exactly right."


    Hong Tianqi continued, "Are you sure that''s what you really want, however? If the hunters are too weak, they''ll be useless in a fight, and they might even drag down their teams with them."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No, that won''t happen. The process of reaching the draconian world itself will serve as a filter for the weakest hunters, leaving the ones strong enough to contribute behind.

 Chapter 1202: Two Farms

    Chapter 1202: Two Farms


    "As for the hunters already present in the draconian world, as well as those in the neighboring worlds, well, I''ll be able to feed them," Zhang Lie pledged.


    Hong Tianqi chuckled. "Have you forgotten our previous conversation? There are many hunters from the Milky Way who have headed toward the draconian world and its neighbors because of your presence, and there are far more hunters there than you might expect."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. That was even better¡ªit was free, essiblebor!


    "Why haven''t I heard of this?"


    Hong Tianqi shrugged. "You must have forgotten it after ourst conversation. I''m sure I mentioned that they decided to head to the draconian world out of safety considerations. You must not spend much time in the draconian world, I suppose?"


    "That''s right," Zhang Lie replied. "I''m rarely in the draconian world itself, and mostly waging war beyond it."


    The draconian world had grown to be extremelyrge, and the effect of even the increased hunter poption wasn''t obvious. It was reasonable that Zhang Lie had failed to notice it.


    "But even if I hadn''t noticed, the draconian sage should have brought it up to me..."


    "The draconian sage''s very open-minded. I imagine that he didn''t think it a problem, considering howrge the draconian world is now."


    When Hong Tianqi was in the third realm, he had been an influential figure in his own right¡ªnothing like Zhang Lie, of course, but he was at least well acquainted with the draconian sage.


    The difference between the Hong Tianqi of the third realm and the Zhang Lie of the third realm was that Hong Tianqi had been someone everyone in the grade knew of, whereas Zhang Lie was someone that the entire city knew of.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "By this point, the draconian world might as well be the heart of the third realm for hunters of the Milky Way."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Well, I can''t promise just how many superior- and peak-grade lifeforms there will be. If I run out, I''lle up with something."


    "Do you have any ideas as to how?" Hong Tianqi asked. "If you do, the hunters that rush over will invariably be upset."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I have a farm in the draconian world, but also a secondary one in the scaleman world. It''s not asrge, but it specializes in superior- and peak-grade lifeforms."


    Zhang Lie found Hong Tianqi silent.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Hong Tianqi asked, "When did you start making preparations to unify the third realm?"


    "After the high-dimensional spaces began to copse."


    Hong Tianqi cried out, "You''re lying! You must have nned all this out from the beginning, the moment you ascended into the third realm! Even the united world federation doesn''t have the ability to construct a farm of gic lifeforms, but you already have two! I won''t believe that this is a coincidence!"


    "Let''s not waste time here. The third realm''s copse is urring as we speak. I''ll return to the dimensional realm while you handle announcements here."


    "No, wait!" Hong Tianqi cried out. "Share your strategies for setting up a farm first!"


    Zhang Lie hung up right then and there.


    That very day, the united world federation announced that the third realm was on the verge of copse, and Zhang Lie was calling for aid. All hunters who headed to the draconian world would be able to max out all their gene fragments at peak-grade and below.


    Hong Tianqi didn''t intend to suppress the news even if there was the possibility of causing a panic. The information would affect only the hunters of the third realm, not the citizens of the Milky Way atrge.


    It was true that the copse of the third realm would be a huge blow to the Milky Way.


    The hunters of the second realm would be unable to ascend to the third, and those trapped in the third would perish. However, the citizens werergely unaffected, and most hunters remained in the first and second realms.


    Even so, when the announcement was sent out, it seemed as though the entirety of the Milky Way was in an uproar.


    If not for the fact that the united world federation''s highest authority himself had made the announcement, no one would have believed it. How could the third realm copse so suddenly?


    Everyone tried to ascertain the news for themselves, but it was impossible to sense anything even for hunters of the third realm. The destruction had, thus far, been localized to the high-dimensional spaces of the third realm, and that destruction was impossible to sense below a certain level of strength or particr achievement with spatial maniption. No one else could witness how a hole in the deepestyers of space was growingrger moment by moment.


    As a result, many hunters even believed that the world federation was releasing fake news in order to help augment Zhang Lie''s status.


    "Hong Tianqi is a hunter from Earth, and he''s grooming his sessor, Zhang Lie, by promising to max out everyone''s gene fragments if they''re willing to join his camp! Who else but the world federation would have such wealth?"


    "ording to the world federation, a hole is expanding in the deepestyers of space in the third realm, and the fragmented will of the third realm is unable to repair it quickly enough."


    "What''s this supposed ''high-dimensional space''? I''ve never heard of the like¡ªthe world federation could simply be lying through its teeth."


    "The will of the third realm: just what about me is ''fragmented''?"


    There were plenty of naysayers among the hunters, and the impending copse of the third realm was a sensational topic. Eventually, a few hunters in the know responded.


    "Just because you haven''t heard of it doesn''t mean that it doesn''t exist. You''ve heard of spatial authority and spatial maniption, haven''t you? The strongest such hunters can sense and even manipte high-dimensional space depending on their talent, training, and experience.


    "Generally speaking, few in the third realm can manage such an extraordinary feat, and even those who can do so in the fourth realm are rare. It''s only natural that barely anyone knows of this.


    "Fortunately, I just came back from the fifth realm today, and the headlines caught my eye. Let me exin: we separate space in terms ofyers, the deepest ones essible only to those with the strongest intuition and understanding."

 Chapter 1203: Collapse of the Realm

    Chapter 1203: Copse of the Realm


    "In that case, do you think the copse of the third realm is true?"


    "To be frank, I''m rather doubtful. The fact that the third realm is supposedly ''fragmented'', that the will of the world can''t repair the high-dimensional copse, are both rather suspicious. I feel that the three thousand worlds is the original form of the third realm, and the suggestion that the will of the third realm is fragmented as a result is just an attempt to shock people.


    "However, the highest authority of the world federation is hardly going to promulgate fake news. If he does so, his position will be forfeit. Even so, it''s too ridiculous to imagine that the third realm would truly end up being destroyed."


    All the hunters of the Milky Way were participating in the discussion of the hot new topic of the day. Was the third realm truly not meant to take the form of three thousand worlds?


    No one received a straightforward, urate answer. After all, the time dtion between the third realm and the Milky Way was massive. A day in the Milky Way was a month in the third realm.


    Neither Zhang Lie nor the highest authority of the world federation had time to waste to exin everything to the hunters of the Milky Way. Hong Tianqi initiated a summons, and only that¡ªeven the highest authority of the world federation didn''t have the privilege of directlymanding all gic hunters.


    Zhang Lie had chatted with Hong Tianqi for a few hours, but by the time he returned to the third realm, four days had passed.


    The members of Team Zenith, along with the warlords, were waging war anew among the three thousand worlds. Team Zenith, which had grown even stronger in the meantime, faced no opposition. Any world in which they appeared would be swept clean within moments; if the world didn''t submit, it would be destroyed.


    Given the impending copse of the third realm, there was no time to y nice with the members of the three thousand worlds. They had to conquer the three thousand worlds as rapidly as they could.


    Zhang Lie had told the members of Team Zenith to disburse the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms to any helpers that approached, and the members of Team Zenith had agreed to the n.


    Zhang Lie hadmunicated the n to Yun Bing, who came up with a n and set up the logistics immediately. Her approach was for ten hunters to share one lifeform.


    It wasn''t that there would only be one gic lifeform distributed for every ten hunters; the supply of gic lifeforms would be unlimited until the hunters'' gene fragments were maxed out.


    However, requesting a gic lifeform would require the application of ten hunters together.


    Given the suddenness of the notice, there were just a few gic hunters who responded to Zhang Lie''s summons. Most of them were human hunters, but when the hunters in the draconian world heard that they would be able to receive free gene fragments upon participating, they rushed over.


    None of the hunters yet believed that the third realm would copse; they simply wanted the free gene fragments.


    They treated those fragments as a prize for their participation.


    Although the members of Team Zenith and the party of warlords were winning matches at every turn, their progress was still too slow. The three thousand worlds were spread out, and the high-dimensional copse continued. The members of Team Zenith, excluding Yang Ze, were starting to be able to sense the impact of the copse.


    Just then, the fighters of the draconian, Zongming, and scaleman worlds joined the fray.


    "You''vee?"


    Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing had eache to the draconian world with a battalion of soldiers.


    "I apologize," Dong Mingxing began. "Amassing the troops took some time."


    Li Qianlin exined, "This is our world, and we could hardly count on you outsiders to protect it by yourselves. As an inhabitant of this world, I should like to fight for it with my own two hands."


    The draconian party from the draconian world asked, "Lord Zhang, you won''t me us for being toote, will you?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "That you were willing toe is valuable enough."


    As more aliens joined in, the rate of expansion grew.


    Even so, a sword of Damocles was rapidly forming over their heads. The copse of the realm seemed imminent.


    The third-realm hunters who boasted true strength, who already had maxed peak gene fragments, were all still watching without participating.


    "We need to speed up."


    Zhang Lie unveiled even more appealing prizes. Any hunter who returned bearing a proof of kingship would receive a disaster-grade core.


    The hunters of the third realm and the Milky Way were in an uproar.


    Disaster gene fragments were something that every gic hunter was now seeking out. Even among the four prime races of the Milky Way, there was yet to be a hunter with maxed disaster gene fragments, demonstrating the difficulty of acquiring them.


    The three thousand worlds wererge in number, but there was perhaps only one or two disaster-grade lifeforms in a world. They were rarer than gold¡ªand even if a hunter could defeat such a lifeform, it would be futile if that hunter couldn''t encounter one.


    The fact that Zhang Lie was giving away disaster-grade cores energized all the hunters of the third realm.


    The hunters of the third realm immediately flocked to participate, descending on the draconian world in droves.


    The expedition forces rapidly grew faster as the conquest of the third realm reached its final stages. Suddenly, the three thousand worlds shook madly. A huge dimensional rift appeared in the center of the world, and void storms formed.


    Yang Ze was the first to sense the trouble.


    "The deepestyer of space is barely holding on!"


    The gic hunters nced at the shattered void before recalling Zhang Lie''s warning.


    "Is the third realm really copsing?"


    "This is... the copse of a high-dimensional space!"


    "The three thousand worlds will really be affected by this copse..."


    Within the base camp situated in the heart of the draconian world, Zhang Lie asked, "How many worlds do we still need?"


    Li Qianlin reported, "Tenrge worlds, thirty medium-sized worlds, and a hundred or so small worlds. Among them, threerge, a dozen or so medium-sized, and twenty small worlds are stubborn holdouts."


    By then, Li Qianlin had be Zhang Lie''s assistant.


    Although Li Qianlin''sbat ability was rather weak, as the princess, she had received an elite, impable education, and she was as skilled as Yun Bing in matters of administration and government.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened in shock. "Still so many?"


    Li Qianlin continued calmly, "ording to ourtest census, despite the ''three thousand worlds'' refrain, there currently seem to be almost four thousand worlds in the third realm."


    "And can''t we do anything about the stubborn worlds?"


    Although Zhang Lie''s side was brimming with manpower, in the end, the main invasion force wasposed of the members of Team Zenith. Furthermore, there were always wounded after each invasion, and those wounded would have to retreat for medical treatment.

 Chapter 1204: End of the Realm

    Chapter 1204: End of the Realm


    Although Li Qianlin''sbat ability was rather weak, as the princess, she had received an elite, impable education, and she was as skilled as Yun Bing in matters of administration and government.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened in shock. "Still so many?"


    Li Qianlin continued calmly, "ording to ourtest census, despite the ''three thousand worlds'' refrain, there currently seem to be almost four thousand worlds in the third realm."


    "And can''t we do anything about the stubborn worlds?"


    Although Zhang Lie''s side was brimming with manpower, in the end, the main invasion force wasposed of the members of Team Zenith. Furthermore, there were always wounded after each invasion, and those wounded would have to retreat for medical treatment.


    Many kings of the realm were now aware that the gic hunters and the three newly evolved superior worlds were working together tounch a conquest of the third realm.


    Their justification, that they were trying to save the world, was clearly an excuse meant to lower morale. The stubborn worlds continued to resist the enemy incursion.


    Some of the worlds even formed into a superior world so as to appoint a superior king to defend them all.


    To the members of Team Zenith, however, this was unimaginably good news.


    It would save them the trouble of going from world to world; they simply needed to handle the new superior king. Before the superior king could take his throne for more than a day, Sun Mengmeng killed him.


    All the worlds learned that, even if they were to group together and form a superior world, they didn''t have the ability to resist the incursion.


    As a result, many kings of the realm began to sequester themselves with their proofs of kingship.


    Although Zhou Ying had returned to the backline to render medical aid, wounded hunters continued to stream in from all over the third realm.


    Li Qianlin thundered, "Those fellows might think that they''re protecting their own worlds, but they''re all going to be destroyed!"


    Zhang Lie stood up. "There''s no time to waste. We can''t wait for all the worlds to surrender. In order to unify the will of the third realm, I''m going to destroy all the holdouts'' worlds."


    There was no time to waste. The fastest approach was to destroy the remaining holdouts.


    Li Qianlin asked, "Just how many inhabitants of the third realm would die from such a ploy?!"


    "If the third realm were to copse, even more inhabitants would perish."


    As much as possible, Zhang Lie wanted to protect the integrity of the three thousand worlds. Doing so would strengthen the resulting will of the world that was unified, and it would be able to better handle the issue of the impending copse. However, the situation was so urgent that Zhang Lie had no time to consider things carefully.


    Li Qianlin continued, "Now that it''s obvious something is wrong with the realm, we can try to persuade them to surrender. Surely they''ll understand!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s toote. We''ve already invaded all the worlds around them, and they won''t trust our words."


    If the third realm had developed noticeable problems before the start of the hunters'' invasion, they might have been able to resolve the issue bloodlessly, but the copse of the high-dimensional spaces had caused no explicit sign of damage¡ªuntil now.


    Someone who randomly cried out that an earthquake or a tsunami were approaching would be apprehended as a madman.


    As the stubborn kings of the world refused to submit, greedy for the power they possessed, Zhang Lie''s patience reached its limit.


    He decided not to bother arguing with these stubborn kings any further.


    He had just stepped out of the pce when he saw two familiar figures. Waiting for him outside were Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen.


    "Long time no see, Master!"


    Zhang Lie was visibly shocked. "What are the two of you doing here?"


    Jun Jiuxiao replied, "Upon hearing that you were in need of manpower, Master, everyone in the second realm who could advance did so."


    Zhang Lie huffed, "I don''t know what to tell you. To be honest, the third realm is in a crisis, but you needn''t have done what you did."


    Jun Jiuxiao smiled. "We know why you''re angry, Master. Please don''t worry¡ªwe ascended only after maxing out our disaster gene fragments."


    Ye Xianchen continued, "However, there were a lot of affairs we had to settle in the kingdom of Limit, so things dragged out until now."


    Jun Jiuxiao continued, "We''re not sure we can be of help at this point."


    Zhang Lie murmured, "I was intending on destroying the remaining holdouts."


    Jun Jiuxiao asked, "Will you give us an opportunity to do something instead?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I do think I will. The third realm is about to copse. Are either of you afraid?"


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen immediately replied,


    "No, Master!"


    "There''s not much time left, and the realm likely won''tst three more days. You have two days to collect as many proofs of kingship as you can with the others."


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen immediately beamed.


    "We won''t disappoint you, Master!"


    They left in an excited rush.


    Li Qianlin strode over. "What made you change your mind?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I saw my second-realm disciples advance in order to help me, and I wanted to give them an opportunity."


    Of course, Zhang Lie wasn''t about to state that he realized he could save himself the trouble by taking advantage of his disciples.


    He could tell that Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were invested not in saving the world, but rather in presenting themselves well in front of him.


    Zhang Lie reflected that this crisis was hardly aplete disaster for him.


    Even if the third realm were to copse, he would be able to enter the fourth realm immediately, and his disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard would be able to transport everyone he knew from the third realm. The copse would still be troublesome and disastrous, but not crucially so.


    Most importantly, when matters seemed to be at their worst, calmness was most important. Rxing was known to produce better results in general.


    As the deepestyer of space finally weakened to the point of copse, the fragmented will of the third realm cried out.


    Whether or not the world would perish depended on the next few moments.


    The entirety of the third realm could hear the will of the world straining. The third realm itself seemed to start caving in, causings to fall toward the dimensional sinkhole, which was growingrger by the moment.


    The gic hunters began to panic and swarm toward the nearest teleportation apparatus. They, who came from the Milky Way, had no intention of dying in the third realm.


    Unlike the indigenous aliens, they could still retreat.

 Chapter 1205: Good Cop, Bad Cop

    Chapter 1205: Good Cop, Bad Cop


    "Very long ago, this pce was used to venerate our dragon god. Thereafter, we held meetings here, and the religious rites have long since been moved elsewhere." The draconian sage stood in front of a statue of a giant dragon, for the moment ignoring all word from the outside world.


    "Won''t you leave, Sage?"


    Zhang Lie walked up to his side.


    The draconian sage chuckled coldly. "Large though the three thousand worlds may be, where could we run in the face of such an assault?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "I can shelter you all in my soulshard."


    The draconian sage shook his head. "This world raised me and fed me. I''m not leaving it to die alone."


    Multicolored proofs of kingship hung over Zhang Lie and the draconian sage''s heads.


    The reason Zhang Lie was here was because that was where the gic hunters and aliens chose to deposit the proofs of kingship they had collected.


    The draconian sage sighed. "Where do you think the dragon god is? Has he ever existed? Did he ascend to a higher realm? He''s enjoyed our offerings for so long, but now that the third realm''s about to be destroyed, is he going to ignore us all?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''m from China, on Earth."


    "I understand."


    "We have never believed in the existence of gods... or rather, we used to, but we learned that believing in ourselves was the better approach."


    The draconian sage asked, "Aren''t you going to leave, either?"


    "Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, along with the teams they led from the dojo, still haven''t returned. I''m a little worried."


    The draconian sage asked, "Is there still hope, then?"


    "There was always hope."


    "Even under such circumstances?"


    "Even so," Zhang Lie replied with certainty. A series of rushed footsteps came from outside.


    Zhang Lie nced over to see Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and the members of the Zenith Dojo rush back with wounds all over their bodies. They returned alongside the members of Team Zenith. Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were the worst of the lot, dusty and muddy and wounded, but their eyes were bright and sparkling with light.


    They returned with a huge chest behind them, which they hurriedly set before Zhang Lie. "As promised, Master."


    The chest was filled with proofs of kingship.


    Jun Jiuxiao replied, "All the proofs of kingship from the three thousand worlds are located here."


    The draconian sage nced at the treasure in amazement. "How did you manage it so quickly? All the remaining worlds?"


    The only remaining holdouts were all stubborn and difficult to take down¡ªand there were hundreds of them.


    The draconian sage continued, "Stubborn bastards even experienced troops would choke on... how did you do all this within two days?"


    Jun Jiuxiao grinned. "I benefited from everyone''s hard work¡ªbut not in the way you would expect."


    Ye Xianchen exined, "The majority of these proofs of kingship weren''t obtained by force."


    The draconian sage seemed curious. "Not by force? How, then? Surely the kings didn''t just hand them over to you?"


    Jun Jiuxiao smiled wryly. "To some extent, they did."


    Ye Xianchen continued, "We guessed that the worlds all had their own reasons for not wanting to submit, but we didn''t have time to ferret them all out. After all, we only had two days."


    Jun Jiuxiao smiled coldly. "We simply had to give them a reason to hand over their proofs of kingship, one that dwarfed their reasons not to."


    Ye Xianchen continued, "They would surely be upset to be forced to give up their proofs of kingship from outsiders."


    Jun Jiuxiao took his turn. "Some people are like that. They''re as stubborn as mules, and refuse to listen. We took advantage of that."


    Ye Xianchen continued, "We told those kings that refused to hand over their proofs of kingship that the newly evolved superior worlds and the hunters of the Milky Way were trying to destroy the three thousand worlds, that they''re aiming to open a portal between the third realm and the Milky Way."


    Jun Jiuxiao said, "We told them that all the issues that have been urring are due to what they''re doing. We would be able to prevent their schemes, but we would need their help and their proofs of kingship to do so."


    Ye Xianchen puffed up. "For the good of the third realm, to resolve this cmity, we hope you''ll pitch in."


    The draconian sage gaped. "They really believed such ludicrous lies?"


    Jun Jiuxiao shrugged. "Some people are that dumb, after all. They refuse to believe those who are trying to help them and are perfectly willing to believe those who are not."


    Ye Xianchen shrugged. "The fact that they''re still stubbornly refusing to give up their proofs of kingship despite their worlds crashing and burning down around them, well, that tells you what kind of people they are."


    Jun Jiuxiao continued, "A few of the aliens thanked us after handing over their proofs of kingship, and they even wanted to marry off their daughters to us."


    The people who were most struck by Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen''s ims were the members of Team Zenith.


    They were working hard to try to save the third realm, a realm that didn''t belong to them. Even so, their actions were vilified by the aliens of the realm, and they were viewed with great enmity.


    On the other hand, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, who were lying through their teeth, received widespread acim and the thanks of the inhabitants of the realm.


    The draconian sage asked, "Did no one try to learn more about your n for using the proofs of kingship to deal with the ''threat''?"


    Jun Jiuxiao replied, "Some did ask, but we told them that there could very well be spies among them, and we couldn''t discuss the specifics."


    Yang Ze couldn''t help butugh. "They all dressed up like aliens; the recalcitrant kings were caught between a rock and a hard ce, and they would much rather oppose the foreign invaders and give up their proofs of kingship to a purportedly friendly group."


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen grinned deviously.


    Over thest two days, they had been chasing away the main invasion force and pretending to be marauders from the three thousand worlds, here to rescue all the besieged worlds.


    Sun Xiaowu sighed. "The aliens don''t scheme half as much as we do."


    Many of the three thousand worlds were insr; unlike the Milky Way, they didn''t possess a gxywide inte and inteary transportation, so they were easily sucked in by the ploy.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand and beckoned. "Alright, we can''t waste any more time. If we want to demonstrate our prowess, we''ll have plenty of time for that once the third realm is safe."

 Chapter 1206: Inheritance and Succession

    Chapter 1206: Inheritance and Session


    "Next, we need to decide who should meld all the proofs of kingship together," the draconian sage suggested.


    This was no innocuous question¡ªthe king who did so would be the ruler of the third realm.


    Everyone turned to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie suggested, "Let''s have Qianlin be the new ruler of the third realm."


    No one questioned his decision, none but Li Qianlin herself.


    "I refuse."


    Sun Mengmeng gaped. "You''d rule over the entirety of the third realm!"


    Li Qianlin shook his head. "I can''t do it."


    Zhang Lie urged, "With your skills, you''d be more than capable. However, if you don''t want to, I won''t force you."


    Li Qianlin apologized. "I''m sorry, but I don''t wish to take on such a responsibility."


    Zhang Lie took a deep breath and nodded. "In that case, Zhu, would you be willing to serve as the new ruler?"


    Just like Li Qianlin, Zhu had a guaranteed spot in Zhang Lie''s dragonwhale soulshard if the copse of the third realm was set in stone. Fortunately, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen had returned before that backup n needed to be set in motion.


    Zhu was shocked by the offer, as was the draconian sage. He had expected the new ruler of the realm to be chosen from among the new superior kings.


    Li Qianlin was the daughter of the Zongming king and in a rtionship with Zhang Lie, so she seemed like a reasonable choice. Zhu had a longstanding rtionship with Zhang Lie as well, but she had no connection to the third realm. The draconian sage couldn''t understand such a decision, but there was no time to ask¡ªthe third realm was in crisis, and every second counted.


    He trusted that Zhang Lie had a n in mind.


    Zhang Lie was invested in making this unified realm a better ce, and he wouldn''t be appointing Zhu without a solid reason for doing so.


    Zhang Lie asked again, "Zhu, would you be willing to shoulder the responsibility for the third realm?"


    Zhu thought for a moment before replying, "Although I''m not sure what this job will entail, since it''s a task from you, Zhang Lie, I''ll handle it to the best of my ability."


    Her smile was as pure as the ocean. Although she had since grown up, when she was with Zhang Lie,she still seemed like the little girl he had saved.


    The tremors shaking the realm grew more and more intense. The draconian sage said, "I''ll transfer the position of king of the realm to you immediately. You have to quickly familiarize yourself with the nature of the authority and then meld all the proofs of kingship together."


    The draconian sage was worried that an outsider like Zhu would take too long to adapt.


    "I''ve exined everything in detail on the proof of kingship. You simply have to activate the records left behind by the previous king and follow the instructions on it."


    The dragon''s scale that was the draconians'' proof of kingship glowed with light. A pir of light emerged from the proof and merged with the will of the world, transforming into a multicolored dragon that flew out of the draconian sage''s body.


    The draconic antlers on the draconian sage''s head shattered as he seemed to visibly dete in strength. The dragon circled the sky above the pce once. Zhu stepped forward, and the dragon swooped down.


    As a void storm shook the draconian world, all the hunters of the Milky Way and the aliens of the third realm


    felt the change to the draconian world. As the draconians witnessed the multicolored dragon in the sky, they knelt on the ground.


    The dragon folded itself into Zhu''s body through her forehead. A multicolored scale appeared in the center of her forehead, brimming with rainbow light that swallowed up Zhu''s body. The river of light enveloped her, making her feel warm and cozy all over, as though she were taking a bath in superior world''s energy. Her skin, blood, and flesh were simultaneously enhanced, and her dusky blue hair floated like the sea.


    Scales appeared over her body as two multicolored horns grew out of her head. Her aura rapidly grew stronger. She was originally at around the level of a disaster-grade lifeform, but after epting the draconian sage''s position, she was swiftly approaching the level of arge king, and soon that of a superior king.


    Zhu''s body floated in mid-air. Naturalw hovered around her as the draconian scale blossomed with light.


    A multicolored, thumping heart appeared in the air.


    This was the heart of the world, whose heartbeats echoed throughout thend and could be heard by all within.


    Upon witnessing this sight, the draconians and other inhabitants of the draconian world all understood the choice that the draconian sage had made in this critical moment.


    Rainbow threads connected to Zhu as her heart itself turned multicolored. The light formed an elegant crown over her head, a sea-blue crown with draconic motifs. Behind her, dragons, mammoths, beastmen, and the other races of the draconian world were carved into a huge throne, on which she sat. Her petite body seemed at odds with the magnificent throne.


    The power and authority of a king of the realm shot into her body.


    A pair of dragon''s wings manifested into being behind Zhu''s back. She seemed to have be a half-human, half-dragon hybrid, with an aura as mighty and expansive as the very sea.


    The draconian sage was very pleased with his new sessor, who seemed to be umonlypatible with the proof of kingship of the draconian world. It seemed as though she would quickly limate to her newfound abilities.


    After losing his authority as a superior king, the draconian sage grew incredibly weak.


    He seemed to have aged a few decades in a matter of minutes, and his face grew wrinkled. It felt as though a gust of wind would blow him over. Zhou Ying immediately stepped forward and infused the draconian sage with vitality and natural energy, improving his current condition.


    The draconian sage moved to Zhang Lie''s side. "Why did you choose Zhu?" he asked curiously.


    Zhang Lie replied, "It would be better for none of the three current superior kings to rule the unified world."


    The draconian sage asked, "In what sense?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "The current system of kings of the realm isn''t particrly suited to the unified world. At present, there are four superpowers in the third realm: the three superior kings, and the hunters of the Milky Way.


    The hunters of the Milky Way, having banded together, represented a force that couldn''t be neglected.


    "Who among the four forces should control the new world? Choosing any one among them would arouse the displeasure of the others. To bnce the forces in equilibrium, then, requires a brand-new system."

 Chapter 1207: New World Order

    Chapter 1207: New World Order


    In the hunters'' estimation, to unify the three thousand worlds, you would have to start with one world and merge all others into it. Subsequently, you would have to fuse thebined will of the world with the fragmented will of the third realm.


    Doing so would consolidate the will of the third realm and make it whole once more.


    The draconian sage quickly understood what Zhang Lie was getting at. "You intend on having thend simultaneously controlled by four superior forces?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We''ll establish a federation of the third realm patterned after the united world federation of the Milky Way. Each of the four forces will have a veto avable to them; the federation members will beposed of the wills of the world who voluntarily handed us their proofs of kingship. This will be the post-crisis gubernatorial structure."


    These kings'' contributions in a time of crisis would win them authority in the new world order.


    Yun Bing asked, "What about us?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The four prime races of the Milky Way will have one seat each, as will each of you."


    Sun Xiaowu seemed rather displeased. "I don''t want to deal with all that humdrum."


    "You can choose not to," Zhang Lie replied, "but still keep your seat in the federation. After all, we''re going to be leaving for the fourth realm soon enough. You can skive off and do nothing, but you need the power to act if it bes necessary to prevent the federation from imploding.


    "The prime minister will be chosen from among the world atrge, with the exclusion of the four superior forces, in order to prevent them from forming an oligopoly over the rest of the world. The prime minister will serve for a 10-year term, and then a new one will be chosen by election."


    "A democratic parliament..." Sun Mengmeng murmured.


    For Zhang Lie to have devised such a scheme in the third realm... was the era of monarchy about to be reced by a democracy?


    The multicolored dragon scales rapidly covered up Zhu''s body.


    As the members of Team Zenith discussed the new world, Zhu raised her arms up high, holding the multicolored dragon scale. Above her head, constetions of proofs of kingship shone like stars. The proofs of kingship fell toward the multicolored dragon scale like ring meteors, melding into it.


    The multicolored scale grewrger andrger, enveloping the whole pce in starry light.


    As more proofs of kingship stacked up together, the light condensed into the form of a tower.


    Within the draconian world, it was possible to see all sorts of images briefly shing by the horizon, like a moon that had appeared before dusk. The draconian world was filled with those images.


    The worlds bypassed the spatial rift and quickly merged with the draconian world. The growing will of the world transformed into a multicolored dragon that soared into the sky and flew over the border of the draconian world.


    Every world in the third realm had been affected by the spatial rift to some degree, and the resulting void storm was grinding the small worlds down.


    Even medium-sized worlds were affected against their will. All the aliens and gic lifeforms were scoured by the spatial rift, and onlyrge worlds were able to survive intact.


    No alien continued to grumble about the merging of various worlds¡ªthey all realized that Zhang Lie wasn''t lying to them.


    Countless worlds,rge and small alike, were drifting toward the draconian world through a spatial rift.


    The multicolored dragon continuously rushed into the different worlds and devoured their respective wills of the world. Upon doing so, the barrier between those worlds and the draconian world was removed, and the worlds formally melded together.


    The more wills the dragon devoured, therger it grew.


    Just then, two huge shadows appeared by the horizon of the draconian world: the Zongming and scaleman worlds.


    Li Zongming stood at the top of his pce and watched the two worlds drift closer together. He sighed. "It''s finally time..."


    It wasn''t clear whether he was sighing because the third realm was being rescued, or because his hard work with the Zongming world was now all for naught.


    The scaleman king, former crown prince, and a group of senior officials were slowly watching the scaleman world approach the draconian world.


    "It''s finally begun."


    The scaleman king also sighed, perhaps because his realm was saved or because he could now avoid his odious position as king of the realm.


    The scaleman king turned. "Brother, once the new world is formed, you''ll be the next king."


    The crown prince was shaken by his brother''s words.


    As the worlds grew closer and closer to the draconian world, they began to meld with it. The multicolored dragon grewrger andrger, almost to the point of fatness.


    The Zongming world and scaleman world gradually got close. The wills of their respective worlds appeared, and the multicolored dragon fought in an attempt to suck them up.


    In the end, thanks to Zhu''s help, the dragon was able to suppress the Zongming world and scaleman world''s wills.


    As the draconian world melded with the two superior worlds, the dragon suddenly experienced a growth spurt and became even wider and longer than before.


    The moment the draconian world absorbed the two other superior worlds, it began to shake violently.


    The fact that the three remaining superior worlds had now beenbined heralded the start of a whole new era.


    The dragon was still swooping down to various worlds and devouring their wills, growingrger all the while¡ªfrom the size of a normal dragon to that of a veritable orb of a dragon.


    Within the orb, the wills of various worlds could be seen floating around.


    The dragon continued to devour will after will. More worlds merged into the draconian world, not heeding the spatial rift in the vicinity.


    The draconian world merged with the two other superior worlds and almost four thousand different wills of the world in all. Gic energy suffused it.


    A dragon''s howl echoed through the new world as Zhu''s strength rose explosively beyond the level of a superior king. Even the members of Team Zenith felt threatened by Zhu''s newfound strength. The multicolored dragon swooped down andbined with Zhu''s body. A barrier of world''s energy shimmered into existence around him. More and moreyers formed, until Zhu looked as though she were in the center of arge egg.


    The egg gave off glowing light, brighter than even the sun overhead.


    Runes danced over their vision as the world transformed. The strength that had resulted from the merger formed a loop around the world, and light continued to glow from the heavens.

 Chapter 1208: Birth of a New World

    Chapter 1208: Birth of a New World


    The new, unified world was simply too massive¡ªit wasposed of almost four thousand worlds that had all been merged together. It drifted toward the spatial rift at the heart of the third realm.


    The new world, so massive in size, was unaffected by the void storm.


    Suddenly, all the inhabitants of the third realm saw hope blooming once more. Whether or not the restored will of the world was able to repair the hole that had swallowed up the high-dimensional spaces, the massive world that had just formed was all but immune to the effect of the void storm, and it could very well weather the effect of the spatial copse.


    The worlds that were being ground away ended up sucked into the massive world instead.


    The massive world floated toward the void storm and plugged up the hole in space.


    Li Qianlin cried out, "We finally have some hope!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s not quite enough."


    A crack appeared in the massive world, and the crack quickly propagated.


    "The new world has just formed, and the connections between the various worlds that have been melded together aren''t yet secure. It won''t be able to prevent the spatial copse."


    The evolution of the world resulted in immense benefits to all its inhabitants, and this effect was magnified during the transformation from a superior world to a never-before-seen unified one.


    Their talent and status of life would grow by leaps and bounds.


    The aliens were growing stronger at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Those tall and sturdy of stature grew taller and stronger; those wise and intelligent gained more insight. Ordinary spiritual herbs grew rare and potent. Some that would have to be cultivated for hundreds of years to reach maturity were maturing right then and there, developing hundreds of years within seconds.


    Some ordinary herbs even broke through gic restrictions, transforming into spiritual herbs across the mountains and the wilderness.


    All the aliens watched the world transform miraculously.


    The draconian world, which was at the heart of the transformation, reacted to an even more extreme degree. It shone in the center of a hurricane of light, and the inhabitants of the world were surrounded with motes of that light.


    The inhabitants of the other two superior worlds likewise benefited from the melding of the worlds, though to a lesser degree.


    Zhou Ying widened her arms. She hadn''t activated a single technique, but she was already brimming with vital energy.


    Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck, sticky energy formed a veiled dress around her body, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Where her body was slim, it remained slim; where it protruded, it protruded even more. Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm. Many younger gic hunters found themselves turning red.


    It was hard to differentiate whether Zhou Ying was meant to be a holy priestess or a charming subus. The same woman seemed to possess two different types of charm.


    Over this period of time, Zhou Ying had been gradually infusing the power of the Everbearing Lady into her self. This charm wasn''t intentional; rather, it was a side effect of absorbing that power, and Zhou Ying had been trying to curtail it to the best of her ability.


    After the three thousand worlds merged into one, the world received a monumental blessing in the form of world''s energy, which also benefited the living beings within it.


    Zhou Ying had naturally transformed into her current state from the elevated levels of vitality and natural energy in the air.


    "The world itself is filled with world''s energy, and everything is brimming with life. I feel like my status as a lifeform is rapidly increasing." Zhou Ying sucked in a breath with a delighted smile.


    All other gic hunters in the region, not just Zhou Ying, felt the same way. The weakest hunters, in particr, felt as though they were in the middle of a warm bath, one that took ce at the gic level.


    The hunters present were very d that they hadn''t chosen to retreat to the Milky Way; this was an unimaginable boon.


    To the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie, who were already ridiculously strong, the benefit of the merger of the worlds was rather limited. After all, their strength meant that this boon paled inparison to what they could already do.


    Zhou Ying was an exception because of the nature of her framework and constitution.


    The world itself had benefited far more than it did when evolving into a superior world.


    After all, this merger, consisting of a whole three thousand worlds, was far more impactful than thest.


    All the other worlds had received some degree of benefit as well. The gic lifeforms of Zhang Lie''s farm roared in excitement. Regr lifeforms were evolving into mutated-grade, mutated-grade into superior-grade, superior-grade into peak-grade, and some peak-grade lifeforms were even evolving into disaster-grade.


    There were many regr- and mutated-grade lifeforms, and quite a number of them evolved into superior- and peak-grade ones. Most importantly, over a hundred lifeforms had evolved into disaster-grade, and that number was increasing bit by bit.


    The special monarch-grade lifeform raised its head. As energy flooded its body, it could sense that the energy it had ingested but could not absorb was on the verge of liquefying.


    A pir of rainbow light shot into the void as naturalw formed all around them. A huge multicolored dragon''s scale began to resonate with the entire realm; at this critical moment, the will of the third realm had finally descended.

 Chapter 1209: Melding of Wills

    Chapter 1209: Melding of Wills


    Back in the scaleman world, the former crown prince asked, "Your Majesty, why would you say that I''d be the next emperor?"


    Suddenly, as the worlds merged together, the scaleman king rapidly grew older, the transformation soplete and troubling that the former crown prince and gathered officials jumped in shock.


    Much the same happened to the Zongming king.


    The scaleman king smiled wryly. "Do you understand now? Even if you wanted me to continue being king, my body won''t be able to handle it."


    The former crown prince and gathered officials began to shake.


    The scaleman king exined, "We borrowed strength by bing kings of the realm. Now that the worlds have been merged together, it''ll naturally im some interest from us."


    The former crown prince cried out, "Everyone has recognized you as our king! How am I supposed to inherit the throne?"


    The scaleman king replied, "Eldest brother, the throne belongs to you. If not for Master, if not for the Jinghun n, you would have be the next king. I''ve grown tired after so long¡ªare you so cruel that you''ll force me to spend the twilight of my life on the throne, too?"


    The former crown prince replied, "I once thought that I was a better candidate for kingship than you were, but after all the events that transpired afterwards, and I wondered to myself whether I could have performed better than you, I realized that I couldn''t. Perhaps I was once better suited for the throne, but you are the king now. You''ve led us through the past, surpassing our ancestors and transforming the scaleman world into a superior world, reaching heights that no previous generation has achieved. I could not aplish the same feat."


    Perhaps the scaleman king hadn''t been better than the former crown prince, but he had improved tremendously since he took the throne.


    The former crown prince was more than willing to admit that he was no match for the scaleman king now; the scaleman king was the only king he would recognize.


    The former crown prince emphasized, "Your achievements do our ancestors proud."


    "Thank you, elder brother. I''m very happy to have received your acknowledgement."


    This was the first time the scaleman king had realized just how highly his brother thought of him.


    The former crown prince continued, "With the unification of the three thousand worlds, a new power structure will rise up in the third realm. As our king, I must insist that you take responsibility and lead us to where we rightfully belong."


    "But my body..."


    The scaleman king sighed.


    The former crown prince clenched his fists tightly and grumbled, "I don''t know what the grandmaster was thinking. You were his former student!"


    The scaleman king shook his head. "Please don''t think poorly of Master. He had no choice¡ªif there were, he would have taken it. I''m tired of being a king of the realm too, after all."


    As the three thousand worlds merged, a wind carrying motes of glowing light swept over the region that the scaleman world had be.


    The scaleman king had sacrificed a superior world''s proof of kingship, and the energy that swept through their region wasmensurate with that through the draconian world.


    As the glowing motes of lightnded in the region, the inhabitants'' talent and status of life would grow by leaps and bounds.


    Ordinary spiritual herbs grew rare and potent. Some that would have to be cultivated for hundreds of years to reach maturity were maturing right then and there, and some ordinary herbs even broke through gic restrictions, transforming into spiritual herbs across the mountains and the wilderness.


    All the aliens watched the world transform miraculously.


    The energy rejuvenated the scaleman king, returning him to young age as his strength steadily rose once more, until it was almost at the level of a superior king again.


    The scaleman kingughed ruefully and turned back. "It looks like Master would prefer that I be a ruler for a little while longer."


    The same phenomenon transpired in the Zongming world.


    Li Zongming nced at his palms, which were once more smooth and silky. Heughed. "It looks like I''ll be able to live quite a while longer, then."


    The heart of the unified world boasted an energy source beyond even a superior world''s energy.


    A pir of rainbow light shot into the void as naturalw formed all around them. A huge multicolored dragon''s scale began to resonate with the entire realm; at this critical moment, the will of the third realm had finally descended.


    Zhang Lie released a deep breath.


    The fact that the will of the realm had descended implied that it recognized the formation of a new, unified world.


    The weaker gic hunters, sensing the pressure that pressed down from above, fell to their knees. Of those present, only the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Hanxiang, Hong Xi, Jun Jiuxiao, and Ye Xianchen remained standing, their faces calm and impassive.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen gritted their teeth and forced themselves to remain upright, noticing that Zhang Lie and the others were perfectly fine despite the pressure.


    Zhu''s body was resplendent in rainbow light. Naturalw encircled her as she held the proof of kingship high up in the air with both hands, as though proffering it to the will.


    The proof of kingship slowly floated in the air, then rose up into the sky as well. The will of the realm descended on the scale, merging with it¡ªor, more specifically, enveloping it.


    The wills of the three thousand worlds were all fragments of the initial will of the third realm. With Zhang Lie and the others'' hard work, the will was finally made whole once more.


    As the will of the third realm merged with the shellposed of the proofs of kingship, the third realm glowed with light.


    A brand-new will of the world was born at that moment.


    The multicolored dragon scale transformed into an exquisite draconic robe, each scale imbued with the power of spacetime, of heaven and earth.


    World''s energy rippled over the robe, and a white undeyer of dragon''s leather could be seen underneath.


    Zhu''s eyes glowed like miniature worlds. Bolstered by the world''s energy, Zhu''s strength increased dramatically. She exuded an aura the likes of which couldn''t be replicated, eclipsing the members of Team Zenith in strength.


    Zhu floated into the air, shining so brightly she was like a sun.


    Multicolored radiance covered up the new world, repulsing and closing up the void storm nearby. Naturalw tethered the draconic robe to the unified world.


    The ground shone with lustrous light, and the inhabitants of the world were again showered with gifts¡ªthe excess energy from the unification and restoration of the will.


    The borders of the new world expanded rapidly, and world''s energy gushed into the air so thickly it formed roiling fog.


    The world metamorphosized once more.

 Chapter 1210: Metamorphosis

    Chapter 1210: Metamorphosis


    The aliens were growing stronger at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    The spiritual herbs in the earth now grew once again into rare spiritual herbs, and those herbs that would have taken millennia to mature did so within an instant. In such an environment, even the smallest, most insignificant de of grass would quickly transform into a spiritual herb.


    The hills and forests glowed with light as the aliens all over found spiritual herbs growing like radishes and cabbages.


    The transformation was incredible. Many of the aliens fell to their knees in veneration of the glowing pir of rainbow light. This was far more than a mere miracle.


    The draconian world, whichy at the heart of the transformation, observed even more extreme changes.


    The lifeforms in the draconian world were growing at a rate almost visible to the naked eye, and the inhabitants of the other two superior worlds boasted simr effects.


    The greatest change was effected around Zhu; the blessing of the world was incredibly obvious there. This was a true blessing. The entire pce of the draconian world was surrounded with light.


    Around Zhou Ying spread vitality and natural energy. She was surrounded with rainbow light, and golden leaves and dusky gray energy encircled her.


    The gic hunters present felt the boon they had received. The weakest hunters, in particr, felt as though they were in the middle of a warm bath, one that took ce at the gic level.


    The hunters did their best to absorb what energy they could. This was an opportunity that would ur once and once only, and they would have to seize it to grow strong.


    The world''s energy allowed the hunters to better be able to incorporate their gene fragments into their body. Even those with few gene fragments could feel their status of life being enhanced.


    This energy had barely had a noticeable effect on the members of Team Zenith the first time, but now, the members of Team Zenith, Zhang Hanxiang, and Hong Xi felt a noticeable change to their bodies.


    Even Zhang Lie was surprised to find that his genepatibility had improved once more, as had his constitution. This was a direct result of his proximity to Zhu; the ordinary blessing would have had almost no effect.


    Zhu was the one who had melded the proofs of kingship together, restoring the will of the world, and it was to her that the will gave its greatest boon.


    The will understood that its resurgence was attributed to the hard work of those whoy within the pce, and it rewarded them with as much of the energy as it could.


    The draconian sage''s wrinkled face and weak body were restored to how they had been in his youth, and he was once again brimming with vitality.


    He transformed into a giant dragon and soared through the air. Within moments, he had regained his strength and was again at the level of a superior king.


    His growth felt as simple as drinking water¡ªand perhaps it was reasonable, for he had once been a superior king, and his body possessed a memory of such a time.


    Like cotton, the draconian sage was furiously sucking in the energy that the restored will provided¡ªbut what happened next shocked him.


    Even after he had regained his power as a superior king, his growth didn''t stop. Instead, he was growing stronger and stronger.


    Li Zongming and the scaleman king were experiencing the same phenomenon. They grew stronger than they had ever been.


    Upon sensing the scaleman king''s newfound might, the former crown prince roared inughter. He pped his hands. "It looks like you''ll be our king for a very long time thereafter, Your Majesty!"


    The scaleman king frowned at the rainbow pir.


    Within the pce, the gic hunters were incredibly d that they had chosen to remain; those that had fled from the third realm had missed out on an amazing opportunity.


    Most of those who had stayed were members of the Zenith Dojo.


    They were close to Zhu''s side, and had obtained the purest energy the restored will had to offer in incredibly great quantities.


    After this affair, the hunters of the Zenith Dojo grew far stronger than their departed counterparts, and the Zenith Dojo would again take the lead in the third realm among the Milky Way hunters.


    The region of ck metal also received an upgrade as a result of the world''s blessing, via a transformation that had never before been seen. A frightening burst of energy, like that harbored within a furnace, was forged into the ck metal.


    The other worlds also received a blessing, though one far weaker.


    The gic lifeforms of the farm in the draconian world roared in excitement once more. Those mutated-grade lifeforms that had failed to transform into superior-grade initially now seeded in one fell swoop, and those peak-grade lifeforms that had failed to evolve were likewise able to take advantage of this opportunity.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms popped out like mushrooms after rain, and quite a few even managed to evolve into monarch-grade.


    The first time around, only one lifeform evolved into monarch-grade; the second time, there were now fifteen.


    The most exceptional transformation was due to that special monarch-grade lifeform, which had managed to break through its bottleneck.


    Perhaps because of the growth in the status of the unified world itself, the evolution of the special monarch-grade lifeform no longer seemed to be restricted. Its energy allowed it to evolve once more.


    Strength gushed out of its body as ck mes erupted over its skin. Its eyes turned blood-red, and its rationality was slowly being edged out by unbridled strength that corrupted its will. The special monarch-grade lifeform''s body underwent a metamorphosis.


    The gic lifeforms all around knelt down in obeisance.


    The evolved lifeform''s blood-red eyes nced up at the shining dragon''s scale with greed and lust. No one noticed the brewing disaster.


    After the will of the world reforged itself, naturalw reasserted itself over the realm. The hole in the deepestyers of space filled over, and the void storm was suppressedpletely. The realm was healing once more.

 Chapter 1211: A Sudden Anomaly

    Chapter 1211: A Sudden Anomaly


    Yang Ze cried out excitedly, "Wonderful! The high-dimensional spaces are being restored, and the situation is already improving. In just a little time, the will of the world will be able to restore it all."


    The restored will of the third realm was far stronger than its fragmented version, and the restoration of the deepestyers of space wasplete within mere moments. The restored will was efficient and potent.


    Yang Ze sighed in relief. "You were right, Captain. This was an effective solution, and the will of the third realm was the best choice for restoring itself."


    Just as the crowd was about to rx, a loud roar rang out amidst the multicolored sky, and the whole world seemed to shake. A monster wreathed in ck me arced into the air.


    Zhang Lie stared at it seriously, only to realize that it was the special lifeform that had been in the farm on the draconian world.


    That lifeform was rapidly growing in power beyond the limits of a monarch-grade lifeform.


    Zhang Lie was astounded that it had managed to break through using the blessing of the restored will¡ªand that it was now rushing into the air in an attempt tounch a sneak attack on the will and on Zhu.


    It would be difficult for Zhu and the will to respond while they were focusing on restoring the deepestyers of space.


    It had taken an immense feat ofbor to finally unify the three thousand worlds. If this lifeform were to sessfullyunch a sneak attack on Zhu and the restored will, the unified world would perish, as would the third realm as a whole.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t about to sit back and let such a tragedy ur.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over thend. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding thend and blocking the special lifeform''s path.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, the tide causing explosions that shook the air. The special lifeform was forced back.


    As the pale-blue tides burst in the air, Zhang Lie appeared before the special lifeform, hovering in the air.


    The special lifeform had not yet reached the next grade of lifeform, but it was clearly beyond that of a usual monarch-grade one.


    Its eyes, filled with desire, stared avidly at the will of the world and at Zhu. Zhang Lie understood what was going on immediately.


    It wanted to devour the restored will and Zhu to grow stronger, to take thest step to ascend beyond monarch-grade. It hadn''t considered what would happen to the world and the realm afterward.


    "Captain!"


    The members of Team Zenith rose into the air in an attempt to help him.


    Zhang Lie called out, "The lifeforms are escaping from the farm!"


    The lifeforms of the farm, which had been reared in captivity, were generally more docile than those in the wild, but they had all gone on a rampage owing to the influence of the special lifeform.


    "There are over a dozen monarch-grade lifeforms out there. Stop them!"


    The rampaging monarch-grade lifeforms could easily and unintentionally stomp careless aliens to death.


    The members of Team Zenith nodded and rushed off to stop the lifeforms.


    After the restored will''s blessing, the special lifeform had evolved once again, changing its appearance. Its new body wasn''t particrlyrge, but it was covered with golden scales.


    The scales looked as though they were made of gold, and gleamed with resplendent light. The pressure that wafted off the lifeform was like that of a hill.


    A ferocious head popped out from among the special lifeform''s armored body, as though it were a golden lion encased in armor.


    With a tremendous roar, golden radiance swept over thend as the special lifeform pounced forward.


    As it did so, thend cracked apart. Its golden ws were charged with such killing intent that many of the aliens and hunters were frozen stiff. They were blown away by a gust of golden wind.


    Bouldersrge and small were hurled into the air and sent smashing toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, sending the storm back toward the special lifeform.


    He darted among the rocks andnded on the golden lion''s body as naturally as though he were a floating leaf, then grabbed it by its mane. "We''ll have braised lion tonight, I suppose."


    The special lifeform roared, emitting a wave of light from its body that flung Zhang Lie away. With a hum, pale-blue gic energy formed a ball around Zhang Lie''s hands.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The special lifeform blocked the blow with a shield of glittering radiance.


    It vanished from the spot and barely avoided Zhang Lie''s attack. It reappeared far away, wary of the opponent whose blow it had barely avoided.


    It roared once more, so loudly and ferociously that the bystanders below felt as though their souls were about to be expelled from their bodies. The fight between Zhang Lie and the special lifeform took ce over a battlefield of unparalleled size.


    The golden lion howled again. Its new genes had yet to solidify and stabilize. Its armor cracked open to reveal nine different heads: a dragon, a snake, a turtle, a tiger, a bird... the nine heads howled as one, sending nine waves of golden radiance through the sky.


    The ground cracked, and the weaker hunters fell to their knees.


    Zhang Lie resisted the attack at full force, then counterattacked. Man and beast chased each other for hundreds of miles as the battlefield grewrger andrger.


    The nine heads roared again. The sound waves took on physical form, and golden ripples covered the air.


    As Zhang Lie and the golden lion fought each other off, moving rapidly from one ce to the next, the golden waves caused the surrounding low-lying mountains to crack and fall, and some boulders even burst apart into powder.


    The bystanders, who had followed the fight as it progressed and moved, were staring open-mouthed and shivering.


    The golden lion''s body was that of an apex predator, and its ws had the power to destroy mountains. When those ws smashed into Zhang Lie''s fist, the resulting boom could be heard all throughout the world, not unlike peals of thunder.


    As the lion''s body smashed into Zhang Lie''s, radiant light encapsted bothbatants...

 Chapter 1212: Against Nine Heads

    Chapter 1212: Against Nine Heads


    The golden lion''s nine heads all widened their jaws to reveal incisors over a meter long. Gleaming golden light shot right by Zhang Lie''s face, scraping his skin and cutting off a few strands of hair. Far into the distance, where the light struck a mountain, the mountain crumbled.


    Zhang Lie''s heart thumped as he converted his pale-blue gic energy into a pitch-ck version.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    His fist smashed into the golden lion''s incisors with a tremendous ng, as though he had struck steel, or as though a heavenly drum was beating out a rhythm through the skies. The spectators'' hearts thumped in sync.


    The man and lion fought and fought and fought, summoning winds around them from nothing but the force of their blows. The unified world shook and trembled.


    As they shed again, the golden lion roared, sending a bombardment of sound waves at Zhang Lie. Gritting his teeth, Zhang Lie weathered the assault.


    Struck by battle-frenzy, Zhang Lie was fighting as much like a beast as a man. Heated blood pumped through his body, and his eyes were those of a predator''s.


    As he punched forward, the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The special lifeform, surprised by the attack, reflexively dodged at extreme speed. It morphed into a bolt of golden light that pinballed through the air, dyeing the entire sky gold.


    Despite how rapidly it moved, however, the serpent shot forward with destructive energy, cracking a mountain as it shot through its middle.


    Dust billowed into the air as a cloud, revealing an ashen lion that had once been golden. Large patches of scales had fallen off its body, and one of its heads had almost been smashed open. A terrible wound marred its body, and flowing blood dyed one of its eyes red.


    The lion''s howls were like thunder. Shining brilliance drowned the sky in gold.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight and appeared before the lifeform.


    He couldn''t help but be shocked by the monster he had cultivated.


    The special lifeform was even more astounded than Zhang Lie. It had thought itself the strongest lifeform in the world; once it swallowed up the will of the realm from the heavens above, it would be invincible. Even so, despite its evolution, Zhang Lie was able to suppress it.


    Smoke filled the air.


    Zhang Lieunched his strongest attack. Within the clouds, lightning crackled. A huge burst of light dissipated the mist and smoke.


    As expected of a lifeform beyond even monarch-grade... Although it hadn''t yet truly broken through the threshold, itsbat prowess was noughing matter.


    The spectators were shocked.


    Despite Zhang Lie''s ridiculous strength, even he was unable to seize a decisive victory against the golden lion, and they were tussling through the clouds.


    This would be a dangerous closebat fight.


    Zhang Lie rode the lion, gripping its mane tightly as heunched attack after attack at thergest of its heads.


    Just then, the golden lion howled again. A ball of light¡ªa miniature golden lion¡ªshot out toward Zhang Lie with devastating force.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The blood dragon and miniature lion crashed into each other, and the frightening energy thaty dormant within the blood dragon''s body surged out.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight,nd, sea, and sky alike.


    The energy of annihtion was so intense that it even affected the multicolored dragon scale in the air, causing naturalw to distort around it.


    Zhu and the restored will were still in the process of solidifying their newfound strength and fixing the hole in the third realm; the energy of annihtion destabilized everything around it indiscriminately.


    Zhang Lie hurriedly canceled the attack, causing the pitch-ck energy of annihtion to be unable to finish off the special lifeform in one blow.


    Even so, the golden lion was barely still alive.


    Zhang Lie didn''t want the golden lion to be destroyedpletely, either¡ªhe wanted to consume its carcass for gene fragments.


    The golden lion widened its maw and shot out another ray of golden light, resplendent with energy.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion. The golden lion''s might was suppressed head-on.


    If not for Zhang Lie''s fear of destroying the golden lion sopletely that not even parts of its flesh remained, the golden lion would have been pulped.


    Zhang Lie grabbed its mane with one hand and smashed a fist into its skull with another in an outpouring of gic energy.


    The golden lion howled, its skull caved in and almost cracked entirely open.


    Its golden fur stood on end; one of its heads suddenly grew multiple timesrger, like a golden millstone brimming with light.


    It opened its maw, transforming the air before itself into a crackling ocean of lightning.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and split the ocean into two. In fear, the golden lion tried to run, but it was toote. The two heads to its left were chopped off in a fountain of blood.


    The golden lion roared again. Fearful and unwilling to resign itself to its fate, it immediately retreated.


    With another sh, two more of its heads on the right were chopped off. The golden lion howled in pain. Even so, despite the injuries it had sustained, the special lifeform was gradually growing stronger.


    Fighting with Zhang Lie was like an extreme form of training, and its potential was now being squeezed out under life-threatening danger...

 Chapter 1213: A Sustained Fight

    Chapter 1213: A Sustained Fight


    Zhang Lie had apparently be a whetstone for the nine-headed lion.


    "Be careful not to grind yourself to nothing!" Zhang Lie''s sword shed as he shed forward horizontally.


    Blood sprayed everywhere. The nine-headed lion had gained significant fighting experience after the short stint ofbat. As Zhang Lie attacked, it leapt high into the air and avoided the devastating blow.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants. Blood-colored frost appeared around them.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The lion agilely executed a backflip, retreating hundreds of meters in an instant. Itnded on the ground with a huge crash, smashing a crater in the ground where it stood. Its body glowed with radiant light. Suddenly, a wave of ck fog rose up from the ground, morphed into a hurricane, and surrounded the lion.


    The lion sucked in a breath and seemed to expand multiple times in size. Its muscles bunched up around its body as it charged forward. Where it stepped, the ground cracked. Huge boulders were sent flying into the air, threatening to drown Zhang Lie in the resulting bombardment.


    The nine-headed lion pounced toward Zhang Lie.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie shouted. He stomped on the ground with both feet and rose into the air, looking for a moment like a martial god.


    A vertical sh bisected the momentum of the charge and cut off the lion''s golden ws. The nine-headed lion red at Zhang Lie; from its wounds emerged a massive pair of hands that swung toward Zhang Lie with lightning''s blistering might, as though intending to crush him into meat paste.


    The lion hadbined its physical strength with the energy it had retained from its sudden evolution.


    The twobatants shed. The lion''s hands, which were about to enclose Zhang Lie, suddenly contorted. The lion howled in pain.


    A sword had pierced through its flesh, sending blood fountaining from the wounds.


    The lion howled again, and the dark clouds of energy surrounding it grew even more solid than before. They transformed into a ck timepiece, one which tolled loudly and sent Zhang Lie stumbling back.


    Zhang Lie shed at the timepiece with his sword, resulting in a huge toll that resounded for over hundreds of miles.


    The golden light radiating from the lion dimmed and turned umbral. Within mere moments, the nine-headed lion had undergone another evolution¡ªa minor one, but one which left it just a hair''s breadth away from the next grade entirely.


    It howled once again, beating on its chest with its heads held high. The timepiece shot toward Zhang Lie as the umbral light grew more intense and surged at him.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes brightened. The stronger the nine-headed lion became, the more benefit he would receive from killing it. Indeed, Zhang Lie''s best-case scenario was for the lifeform to break through to the next grade, which would provide Zhang Lie with higher-grade gene fragments.


    The timepiece was toorge, and flying too quickly, for Zhang Lie to dodge. As hended on the ground, he was beset by the timepiece and trapped within.


    The nine-headed lion repeatedly smashed the timepiece with its fists, causing it to toll loudly with every strike. The sound was so loud as to be ear-splitting; the lion was trying to quake Zhang Lie to death, to turn him into a pile of mush.


    However, the lion''s attempts were ineffective. Zhang Lie''s feet sunk down into the ground, as though rooted, and he resisted the effects of the timepiece.


    The timepiece let out a curious hum, as though this were some form of religious rite, as umbral light flooded it.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck energy immediately spread outward and smashed the timepiece apart from within.


    The nine-headed lion''s body was flung up into the air, where it smashed into a mountain and began to vomit blood.


    An ocean of gic energy swallowed up the sky, shrouding even the multicolored light emanating from Zhu. A pitch-ck ocean appeared in its ce. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    It took a long time before the nine-headed lion was able to get back to its feet, at which point it roared in outrage and charged forward once more. Its limbs were glowing with light, and scales umted over its arms inyers. It looked particrly wild and violent.


    The unified world made a move then. The nine-headed lion, in a feat of extreme strength, lifted up the entire mountain and threw it toward Zhang Lie.


    Even more shockingly to the onlookers, however, the human male was equally strong. He withstood the attack with shocking might and majesty.


    The world itself shook¡ªnot just thend, but also the onlookers.


    The fight between man and beast shook heaven and earth, and it had far surpassed the limits of the third realm. The twobatants exchanged dozens of blows. Zhang Lie''s serpents weren''t able to get close to the lion, and dematerialized when struck by the waves.


    Zhang Lie''s fingers wrapped tightly around one of the lion''s w tips, then flung it up into the air and smashed it into a mountain of rock.


    The onlookers watched in stupefaction¡ªZhang Lie was so much smaller inparison to the lion that it seemed impossible for him to have done so.


    The nine-headed lion roared; its w tip had been broken.


    Zhang Lie grabbed ahold of another w tip and raised its body once more, smashing it down on another nearby mountain. Dust and smoke rose into the air as huge boulders rained down from the top of the mountain, almost burying the lion alive.


    The lion roared again. After having suffered repeated attacks, its body shrank down to a few dozen meters in size.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. He rushed forward and began pummeling at the nine-headed lion''s prone body.


    This time, he grabbed the lion by its wrist and smashed it against the ground, causing cracks that grew dozens, hundreds of meters long.


    Subsequently, he picked it up by its head and hurled it all the way toward the horizon. Where itnded, a huge thud echoed all the way back where the onlookers were standing, and the horizon itself seemed to shake.


    Just how much strength was hidden in Zhang Lie''s body?

 Chapter 1214: An Exhilarating Battle

    Chapter 1214: An Exhrating Battle


    To think Zhang Lie was this strong... he was hurling a nine-headed gic lifeform that was nearly a hundred meters tall back and forth like it was nothing more than a scarecrow. This was an insane feat.


    The nine-headed lion''s arm suffered apound fracture. The lion roared, tore off its arm and swallowed it, and a new white tiger''s w grew back in its ce.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Are you supposed to be a lizard?"


    The nine-headed lion shed with white light. Gusts of wind surrounded it as it sent hundreds, thousands of tons of rock into the air.


    It shed against Zhang Lie once and again, ws against fist, as those rocks were sent flying all around the twobatants.


    The lion roared, spraying out a burst of silver light. Killing intent filled the air. Zhang Lie blocked the attack with a burst of energy. Behind him, a mountain copsed and exploded, the rock turning into smithereens.


    A huge white w mmed down on his body, but Zhang Lie dodged it. A huge trench formed where the wnded, the bottom of which couldn''t be seen from up above.


    The lion attacked fiercely. After its battle to the death against Zhang Lie, it had grown ustomed to its post-monarch-grade body. Every part of its body could be used as a weapon¡ªeven with its back to Zhang Lie, it could strike at him with a flick of its tail.


    Its ferocity shocked everyone.


    Zhang Lie countered with his fists as he manifested a huge serpent formed out of annihtion itself. It shot toward the nine-headed lion.


    The lion sprayed out a burst of white light, shining with metallic luster, as it charged at the serpent. A huge explosion rang out, and thend where they stood transformed into a swamp.


    The lion howled, its eyes cold. It leapt up and pounced toward the serpent once more.


    As a gic lifeform, battle was imprinted in the core of its being. As it leaned into its intuition, its attacks turned fiercer, more domineering; no gic hunter could match its instincts.


    Zhang Lie smashed forward with a punch, causing bothbatants to quake. A meteor''s worth of energy exploded in mid-air, and the ground quaked as though a volcano were about to explode.


    The members of Team Zenith watched the battle between Zhang Lie and the lion in amazement. They thought that they were already at the peak of the third realm in terms of strength, but they would surely have been vaporized immediately if they tried to jump into the battle between man and beast.


    Even among the fourth realm, there were hardly any hunters who could match the intensity and raw strength of this battle.


    The nine-headed lion roared again as 28 sharp des grew out of its back at even intervals along its spine, each with a silvery-white sheen. Killing intent filled the air.


    The des stood like pirs separating heaven from earth, thick and ice-cold, giving the onlookers a chilling sensation. The des were ridiculously massive, and unusual phenomena were urring around them. Blood was starting to appear on each de. It was a frightening sight.


    The nine-headed lion roared as it pounced forward, and the 28 des all turned toward their target. They gathered in a square around the lion and shot toward Zhang Lie simultaneously.


    The bloodstained des, suffused with an aura of cmity, approached Zhang Lie at breakneck speed.


    Zhang Lie swung his own des with the resplendence of dawn, defending against the sudden assault.


    Light covered thend like an intense meteor shower. Formless ripples shattered rock and cleaved mountains, shocking all onlookers once more.


    Guicang''s de was infused with the pitch-ck energy of decay and corrosion, but the sharp des that the lion had somehow grown seemed impervious to damage. Killing intent formed a thick aura around them, so concentrated that it could affect material form. However, Zhang Lie remained unaffected despite his proximity. He was resisting the des'' damage with his des and with formless will.


    The nine-headed lifeform roared, its eyes cold. It spat out a mouthful of white light, causing the des to gleam even more brightly. They pierced through the pitch-ck gic energy shielding Zhang Lie and headed straight for his body.


    The fight had reached its climax. Zhang Lie pursed his lips¡ªthe des were too strong, and there were a whole 28 of them! It would be difficult to handle them all simultaneously.


    The des flew toward him and pinned him down with overwhelming strength, causing thend to crumble where theynded.


    Each de was like a thick pir; if any were to strike Zhang Lie, he wouldn''t be pierced through, but rather ground into meat paste.


    As all 28 desnded simultaneously, Zhang Lie barely dodged them one by one. Space around him warped and distended; 28 ck holes formed, one around each de, trapping him in an unavoidable attack.


    Even so, the fighting spirit in Zhang Lie''s eyes only grew more intense.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood dragon that flew at the nine-headed lion.


    Resplendent silver light, like armor, blocked the blood dragon and the ck gic energy itmanded.


    As Guicang glowed, the blood dragon roared. It tore apart the white light; fresh blood flowed.


    The nine-headed lion grew incensed, and its aura strengthened even further. The 28 des gleamed with killing intent and shot toward Zhang Lie once more, swamping the battlefield in white light.


    "Come!" Zhang Lie shouted, unsheathing Hanguang. "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, the nine-headed lion''s radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Fresh blood sprayed once again as the nine-headed lion suffered another blow. It roared in outrage, spitting out a ball of hazy light, charged with skeins of radiant energy so bright they were evaporating in the air. A thousand rays of rosy light, in an endless stream, enveloped all thaty below.

 Chapter 1215: The One and Only King

    Chapter 1215: The One and Only King


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the new world.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A frightening force spread out from Zhang Lie, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward him.


    The nine-headed lion opened its maws wide open and swallowed all thaty around him, all sorts of boulders flying into the air and being sucked into his mouth.


    Zhang Lie shouted, lifting Guicang high up in the air. He flicked his arm and sent a burst of sword energy through the air, blocking the nine-headed lion''s breath attack and leaving a scar on its forehead.


    The lion growled. 28 silver des trembled as one, shooting straight at Zhang Lie in an attempt to pierce through him. The nine-headed lion used its full strength in an attempt to kill the human hunters before it.


    Zhang Lie''s pupils were cold. As he whirled Guicang around him, a frightening burst of sword energy spread out like a tsunami, cutting all 28 des apart.


    The nine-headed lion howled in fury, but Zhang Lie was in the acme of his strength. He charged forward with Guicang.


    The nine-headed lion stared at him with baleful eyes. Radiant light shot out from its mouth straight at Zhang Lie, who shattered the light with the de Guicang.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie.


    The oue of this battle had been decided. Zhang Lie shed forward as the nine-headed lion howled, fresh blood spurting from its wounds. Before it could react, one of its hind legs had been chopped off.


    The nine-headed lion tried to resist, but Zhang Lie was too quick under the effects of the time dtion. By the time it could react, its body had been bisected. A sword thrust straight through its heart.


    [You sessfully killed the post-monarch-grade beast of a hundred forms. By consuming the flesh of the post-monarch-grade beast of a hundred forms, you may receive one to five emperor gene fragments.]


    The moment Zhang Lie pulled out his de, the multicolored light in the air shed. Zhu and the restored will had sessfully repaired the realm and stabilized the unified world.


    Zhu extracted herself from the multicolored scale, which merged into the heart of the realm. As the will of the world departed, it favored Zhang Lie with a smile.


    Without Zhang Lie''s presence, the third realm would long since have copsed; it would hardly have been able to repair itself.


    The fragmented will had no thoughts of its own; just like an ipleteputer, all it could do was operate ording to its programming. After being restored, however, it became much like artificial intelligence, with a will and judgment all its own. It was naturally thankful to Zhang Lie for what he had done.


    The will of the realm knew that, even if it could have restored itself, it would have been unable to defend against the nine-headed lion while it was repairing the deepestyers of space. In the end, the nine-headed lion would have devoured it whole.


    From Zhang Lie''s perspective, the existence of the nine-headed lion was entirely his fault, but the will of the realm had a broader perspective. Even without Zhang Lie''s involvement, there would have been some kind of trouble or another, and the nine-headed lion had coincidentally been the cmity at the right ce and time.


    This was an affair of karma and fate; a cmity was fated to appear, and Zhang Lie was fated to resolve it.


    Of course, Zhang Lie was yet unaware of the greater machinations of karma and fate, and his perspective as a single hunter was limited. Even if he were aware of his role, however, he would have been happy to take part¡ªobtaining the next grade of gene fragments this early was a tremendous boon.


    The unified world expanded ten times in size after its restoration. Perhaps this was how the realm should have been in the first ce¡ªbut despite being a new world, it didn''t look brand-new at all.


    After the cmity of the nine-headed lion, the unified world now looked somewhat battle-worn and shabby.


    The light in Zhu''s eyes dimmed as the draconic robe faded away from her body, as did the crown floating above her head. Zhu became a young woman again, though her body radiated a formless aura. With a moment''s thought, she teleported to Zhang Lie''s back and leapt toward him.


    "Zhang Lie!"


    Zhu nuzzled Zhang Lie''s neck from the back, while Zhang Lie sighed in exasperation.


    "You''re the ruler of this realm now! You can''t be behaving like a young woman."


    "But I''ve always been a young woman. After all, even if I were the ruler of all worlds, I''d still be a young woman in front of you."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Has the condition of the world stabilized?"


    "Do you mean the void?" Zhu asked.


    "Everything," Zhang Lie replied.


    "The dragon scale and I worked very hard to repair the realm. The world itself is... alright... but because of your fight with that odious lifeform, Zhang Lie, this world almost copsed!"


    Zhang Lie dipped his head in apology.


    Zhu continued, "However, it won''t be that easy to damage this world anymore. You don''t have to worry, Zhang Lie. After a bit more time, the world will have fully stabilized, and the will and I will be around to take care of any mishaps."


    Zhu continued, "As for the void, the will and I have patched up what we can. The rest will heal by itself; fixing up the rest is tedious work, and not particrly rewarding. At the very least, the realm is safe for the moment."


    Zhang Lie released a deep breath and rubbed Zhu''s head in praise. The immediate danger was past, then.


    Zhu closed her eyes in rxation.


    Zhang Lie continued, "What powers do you have now as the ruler of the third realm?"


    Zhu replied, "I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news. Which would you rather hear first?"


    "Either is fine."


    "The bad news is that the system of government you wanted to set up will be impossible."


    Zhu had learned of Zhang Lie''s ns for the third realm while fixing it up.


    "I am the only, as well as thest, ruler of this realm."


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised. "What do you mean?"


    "As you know, the wills of the three thousand worlds were fragments of the shattered will of the realm."

 Chapter 1216: Limitless Authority

    Chapter 1216: Limitless Authority


    "Because these fragments aren''t capable of independent thought, they needed intelligent lifeforms to help manage their associated worlds. Now that the will of the third realm has been restored, however, kings of the realm are no longer necessary.


    "I will be thest ruler acknowledged by the third realm, and no sessors shall follow me."


    Because Zhu had been the one to meld the proofs of kingship together, and because she had assisted the nascent will before it hade into its power,


    Zhu was allowed to remain in this position for now, but she would be thest of her kind.


    Zhang Lie continued, "And the good news?"


    "The good news is that, as ruler of this unified world, I have immense privilege." She snapped her fingers, and the world''s energy began to fluctuate.


    The energy of the unified world was a few grades beyond even a superior world''s energy. Where the world had been impacted by Zhang Lie''s fight against the nine-headed lion, thend repaired itself; no traces of damage remained.


    Zhu smiled. "Furthermore, even if I leave the third realm, it''ll continue operating as is."


    Zhang Lie returned the special lifeform''s carcass to his dimensional storage.


    "Let''s go back, then."


    Zhu teleported the two of them back to the pce, where the crowds cheered to see Zhang Lie and Zhu return. The fact that the unified world no longer shook or trembled, and no further spatial rifts or void storms spawned, meant that the n had gone sessfully.


    The members of Team Zenith returned to report to Zhang Lie.


    "Sorry, Captain, but the monarch-grade lifeforms resisted violently. We had to kill ten of them along the way, and there are only five left alive."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. With a ruler of the unified world around, it''ll be far easier to cultivate monarch-grade lifeforms. We don''t have to worry about them anymore."


    "Really?"


    The eyes of the members of Team Zenith lit up.


    Zhu patted her chest. "Leave it to me. There''ll be at least fifty times more such lifeforms than before¡ªeat your fill."


    The members of Team Zenith cheered. Zhang Lieughed along with them and said, "As for the monarch-grade lifeforms you killed, make a feast out of them. Bring the other gic lifeforms that perished over and have the gic hunters without maxed gene fragments split them up and consume them. We''ll celebrate the birth of a new unified world, and the start of a new chapter of the history of the third realm."


    The hunters cheered and feasted. The members of the Zenith Dojo and those hunters who hadn''t evacuated had received a tremendous boon from the creation of a unified world; it was more than worth the risk.


    Just then, the gic hunters who had departed from the realm began to stream back from the Milky Way, many regretting that they had left so hastily.


    Zhang Lie killed the remaining monarch-grade lifeforms in the farm.


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade ckwind elf. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade ckwind elf, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade inkscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade inkscale leopard, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade starburst eagle. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade starburst eagle, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    With Zhu imposing a field of time dtion over the farm and furnishing it with the unified world''s energy, monarch-grade lifeforms could be cultivated within just a few days.


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade ckwind elf, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 98]


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade ckwind elf, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 99]


    [For consuming the flesh of a monarch-grade ckwind elf, you received one monarch gene fragment. Current total: 100]


    When Zhang Lie maxed out his monarch gene fragments, he felt a wellspring of strength suffuse him from within his body. Zhu immediately established a pocket dimension and dragged Zhang Lie inside.


    The pocket dimension was filled with the unified world''s energy, and it was far purer and stronger than anything he had ever encountered.


    This energy, which the superior kings of antiquity would have given all their possessions for even a meager bit of, Zhu was squandering as though it was worthless. In such an energy-filled environment, even a pig could have been cultivated all the way to disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie breathed in the unified world''s energy and circted it through his body, as though burying seeds deep within the earth and watching them sprout with life.


    Zhang Lie sat cross-legged in that pocket dimension, deep in meditation, his body forging itself anew with every breath.


    An indeterminate amount of time passed, but Zhang Lie remained perfectly in harmony with his environment the entire time. Without anyone to disturb him, without any sudden fluctuations to his emotions, he gradually began to smile, a reflection of his heart and inner being.


    Light began to shine from his body. He was surrounded by a glowing ball of light, and the skin beneath that was revealed was a pearlescent white, supple and smooth.


    A spiritual glow suffused him.


    His bones cracked as they became even stronger and sturdier, taking on a metallic luster. A membrane of crystalline light formed over their surface, strengthening them, improving their ductility and hardness. His body was being reforged from the inside out and the outside in, as though bing that of a deity.


    Muscle, flesh, skin, and bone merged together in a sh of blinding light, which coalesced into a skin-like membrane that gave Zhang Lie a holy, immacte appearance.


    He looked like a man from the heavens above, one untouched and unsullied by mortal contact.


    Membranes of diaphanous light brimmed with vitality.


    In that transcendent state, time passed in the blink of an eye. He spent a week in meditation, freed of worry, freed of strife, freed of turmoil and dissonance. There he found an intrinsic joy.


    Zhang Lie breathed out with a puff of light. The air that was sucked into his body took on the shape of dragons. He breathed with a particr rhythm, neither quick nor slow, ever following the pulse of the world...

 Chapter 1217: Shattering the World

    Chapter 1217: Shattering the World


    The air that Zhang Lie inhaled took on the form of dragons. As he exhaled, those dragons coiled around his body and transformed into gic energy. Behind Zhang Lie appeared swimming pale blue fish, an ink-ck serpent, a resplendent golden tiger, a heavyset dragonturtle, a ming hed lion, and an electrified wyrm.


    These unusual manifestations and concentrated aura of gic energy surrounding Zhang Lie made him seem mysterious indeed. The transformation of his physical body fused his flesh, organs, and bones together,bining them into a single entity.


    After half a month passed by, Zhang Lie slowly opened his eyes. His pupils were bright and filled with vital energy, with a spiritual glow that made him look like a supernatural entity.


    It was obvious that he had broken through and elevated himself to an entirely new level of strength.


    Spirituality illuminated him from within and without. He sat cross-legged like a deity, with a luminous haze surrounding him and seeping into his body.


    The membranes that surrounded his bones and organs had vanished, absorbed into his body and reced by the essence of divinity.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 100


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie felt stronger than he had ever been.


    The image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and his water-attuned gic energy turned heavy and sluggish. Gic energy rippled around him like the tides, or a swamp of darkness.


    The four runic tablets appeared around the dragonturtle. The ck tablets had been inscribed with runes from the Keys of the Elder Gods, which were slowly revolving. An ancient, holy hymn seemed to suffuse them with spirituality.


    Somehow, Zhang Lie thought he could vaguely sense the form of a priest who was endowing the runes with strength amidst the worship of tens of thousands of citizens.


    Zhang Lie was shocked that, upon maxing out his monarch gene fragments, his dragonturtle transformation seemed to be evolving.


    The four runic tablets were vibrating in resonance with Zhang Lie''s body.


    The runic text, abstruse and iprehensible, floated out from the tablets and surrounded Zhang Lie. The runes imprinted themselves on Zhang Lie''s flesh¡ªwithout the scorching pain of branding, but with an itching sensation all over.


    No ordinary hunter would be able to withstand this process; their physical bodies would copse.


    Zhang Lie himself wouldn''t have been able to withstand the process if not for having maxed out his monarch gene fragments in advance.


    His cells seemed toe to life, basking in the runic radiance and absorbing the runes directly into themselves.


    Zhang Lie recalled what had happened to Ubbo, and the slime-like beings that surrounded his body. The runes were endowing Zhang Lie''s cells with some sort of rudimentary spirituality that allowed them to act independently and bud off from his flesh.


    "I had better take the lead, then..." Zhang Lie murmured. He nudged the runes all over his body and marshaled them into streams of gic energy, forming a-likettice.


    His limbs glowed with light, as though possessed of some unearthly intelligence.


    With his gic energy, Zhang Lie guided and arranged rune and cell. Each cell was a, each rune a satellite. Zhang Lie carefully reordered them all.


    The structure of his body had changed. The runes and cells, in conjunction, formed sr systems of their own, and multiple sr systems formed a gxy. A moment''s thought merged them with blood and bone, flesh and organ.


    In that instant, Zhang Lie felt as though his strength had improved by leaps and bounds. The runes that he had integrated into his body filled him with boundless, mysterious strength, as though he had an everburning furnace within his body providing him with vital energy.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but stand up and punch forward. The pocket dimension that Zhu had woven was unable to withstand the sudden surge of energy, and it began to crack apart. The unified world quivered; the humans and aliens were shocked by the sudden disturbance, and they thought that something had happened to the third realm again.


    Zhu herself stepped in to quell the disturbance.


    As the unified world quaked, the draconian sage, the scaleman king, Li Zongming, and Yun Bing, who were discussingw and order in the new world, felt sweat beading their foreheads.


    The draconian sage cried, "This has to be Zhang Lie''s fault!"


    The others present all agreed.


    Only Zhang Lie could have caused such a massive disturbance so quickly.


    "[Energy has exceeded maximum threshold. Activating third-realm transferral routine.]


    A familiar voice rang out in his mind.


    "[Energy has exceeded maximum threshold. Activating third-realm...]


    [Energy has...]


    The will of the realm''s announcement rang out urgently. The next moment, multicolored light wrapped around Zhang Lie like a cocoon.


    "I don''t intend to ascend yet!"


    Zhang Lie punched his way out of the cocoon in a burst of strength.


    The will of the realm manifested as a multicolored dragon scale. Zhu hurriedly stepped forward. "Will, Zhang Lie doesn''t intend to ascend yet. Can he temporarily remain in the realm?"


    The scale nced at Zhu, then at Zhang Lie, before dematerializing once again.


    Luckily, Zhu had interceded in time, or Zhang Lie would have wreaked extreme devastation.


    Rather than grumble at him, however, Zhu hugged him tightly.


    "Congrattions, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "There''s nothing to be so excited about. Instead, I have to apologize. I didn''t affect the unified world''s foundations, did I?"


    Zhu shook her head. "No, no, it''s no problem at all! Even if you were to destroy the third realm, it would be fine."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You''re the ruler of the realm!" This isn''t the sort of thing you should be saying.


    Zhu didn''t mind at all. "Zhang Lie, the will told me that you can stay in the third realm as long as you want, but you can''t use your full power while you''re here. You''re far too strong now, and you could cause irreparable damage to the realm if you did so."

 Chapter 1218: Contacting Hong Tianqi

    Chapter 1218: Contacting Hong Tianqi


    Zhu warned, "Zhang Lie, if you want to strike at full force, you must let me know beforehand. I''ll set up a pocket space for you to do so."


    Zhang Lie pulled out a piece of paper. "Does the unified world have these herbs?"


    On the paper was the recipe for the disaster-grade Potion #5.


    Zhang Lie had gathered the main ingredients for the potion among the three thousand worlds, and there were only a few secondary ingredients that he now had to find. As the new ruler of the unified world, Zhu boasted an encyclopedic knowledge of everything within, and it would be far faster to ask her.


    Potion #5 was different from the four other potions that hade before it.


    The recipes for all four of the previous potions were known to Zhang Lie from his past life, and Zhang Lie only had to follow the recipe to brew the potions. On the other hand, he only had rudimentary research about Potion #5, and it would take him significant experimentation, coupled with his understanding of genes and the limit-breaking potions, to seed.


    When Zhang Lie first ascended to the third realm, he didn''t have the strength to gather more of the main ingredients. Now, however, with Zhu as the ruler of the unified world, he would be able to source as many of the ingredients as he wanted.


    "I''ll have to see," Zhu replied, eyeing the list.


    "In that case, I''ll thank you for your help in advance, Zhu!"


    Zhu waved a hand airily. "There''s no need to be so polite, Zhang Lie. If not for you, I could hardly have lived past childhood."


    Zhang Lie retrieved the special lifeform''s carcass from his dimensional storage, roasted it, and then consumed it.


    [For consuming the flesh of an emperor-grade beast of a hundred forms, you received one emperor gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    Zhang Lie felt warm energy spread through his limbs upon consuming a bite of the special lifeform''s flesh.


    "So beyond monarch-grade is emperor-grade," he mused to himself.


    Zhang Lie continued eating the meat.


    [For consuming the flesh of an emperor-grade beast of a hundred forms, you received one emperor gene fragment. Current total: 2]


    [For consuming the flesh of an emperor-grade beast of a hundred forms, you received one emperor gene fragment. Current total: 3]


    [For consuming the flesh of an emperor-grade beast of a hundred forms, you received one emperor gene fragment. Current total: 4]


    As he ate mouthful after mouthful of meat, his stomach felt as though a volcano was about to erupt. Strength frothed; light radiated from his body.


    "As expected of emperor gene fragments..."


    A single emperor gene fragment was stronger than ten monarch gene fragments. Unfortunately, despite consuming the special lifeform whole, Zhang Lie only received five such fragments.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 100; Emperor, 5


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie raised his head and asked, "Zhu, can you cultivate more emperor-grade lifeforms?"


    "Like the one you just consumed, Zhang Lie?"


    "Can you?"


    Zhu shook her head. "That was pure chance, nothing more. I can experiment and attempt to figure it out, but it might take me two or three decades."


    If she were to dedicate herself to farming, some would surely appear from random chance alone, if nothing else.


    "Forget it, then."


    Zhang Lie certainly didn''t want to remain in the third realm for two or three decades.


    "I''ll go see if I can find the ingredients you need, then, Zhang Lie." Zhu teleported away in a sh.


    Zhang Lie had just returned to where the human hunters were residing and was about to rest when Zhang Hanxiang found him. "Brother, the highest authority is looking for you!"


    "Hong Tianqi? What for?"


    Zhang Hanxiang shrugged. "Why else? To learn about what happened in the third realm, of course."


    "Ah, I suppose so."


    Zhang Lie had mentioned the copse of the third realm to Hong Tianqi and received aid from him. Afterwards, he had been too busy maxing out on monarch gene fragments to report back to him.


    "I''ll go have a chat with Hong Tianqi, then!"


    He strode through the teleportation apparatus and returned to the Zenith Dojo, whereupon Zhang Hong immediately asked, "What''s the situation like in the third realm?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Haven''t you heard the news yet?"


    It had been quite a few days since the unified world was established. Despite the time dtion, surely some of the hunters who had returned from the third realm had posted about their experience online.


    Zhang Hong replied, "I learned of the news on the forums, of course, but I wanted to ask you about how much is rumor and how much fact."


    "A crisis urred in the third realm, but it''s been resolved," Zhang Lie replied, "so there''s no need for you to worry. I''ll go chat with Hong Tianqi for a bit."


    Zhang Lie returned to his room, where he attempted to contact Hong Tianqi. Evidently, Hong Tianqi was still busy; his secretary picked up instead.


    Zhang Lie said, "If Authority Hong is still busy, I''ll call backter."


    Unlike before, there wasn''t an urgent crisis looming on the horizon, and Zhang Lie could afford to wait patiently.


    However, Hong Tianqi''s secretary immediately replied, "Please don''t hang up, Dojo Leader Zhang. The authority has requested to be notified whenever you contact him. Please allow me to inform him of this now."


    "There''s no need to rush. The immediate crisis is over, and I have time."


    The secretary, meanwhile, had informed Hong Tianqi of the call.


    "Dojo Leader Zhang, please wait for five minutes. Once the authority has dealt with his current business, he''ll contact you immediately."


    "Very well. I''ll wait."


    Zhang Lie began to surf the web.


    The world federation had already sent out word that the third realm was stable once more, but there was no information of the fact that Zhang Lie and the others had unified the three thousand worlds into one.


    News of the third realm had always been kept under wraps even on the forums; those hunters who had yet to ascend to the given realm weren''t able to ess specific information pertaining to that realm.


    Zhang Lie nced at the hunters'' reactions to the news.


    "So the news that the third realm was about to copse was real after all! We all thought that the world federation was disseminating fake news¡ªwho would have believed that the realm could have just suddenly copsed?"


    "Thank goodness Zhang Lie took preventive measures against such an incident. Otherwise, the third realm might have been finished! Imagine if the hunters of the third realm hadn''t evacuated in time..."


    "Zhang Lie has saved not only the third realm, but also the lives of all hunters within!"

 Chapter 1219: Zhang Lie Cedes Authority

    Chapter 1219: Zhang Lie Cedes Authority


    "Zhang Lie is a true hero! He saved the third realm and all hunters within it."


    Zhang Lie''s heroism had spread throughout the forums.


    "If not for Zhang Lie learning about this news ahead of time and taking preventive measures, we''d all be done for!"


    "I was responsible for helping unify the third realm as well. When faced with a problem like the impending copse of the high-dimensional spaces of the third realm, I certainly wouldn''t have thought of unifying the three thousand worlds to stop it from happening."


    "The three thousand worlds have been in tumult for so long... To think it was a hunter from the Milky Way who ended up unifying them."


    "It''s a pity that I left so quickly. Allegedly, upon unification, the hunters, aliens, and lifeforms on the unified world received the blessing of the restored will of the third realm and were greatly strengthened."


    "That''s right! After receiving that blessing, a hunter with maxed peak gene fragments could take on three opponents with the same but without the blessing."


    The whole of the forums was in an uproar about what had happened in the third realm, but Zhang Lie didn''t have the opportunity to read more posts. Just then, Hong Tianqi contacted him back.


    "You''ve worked hard."


    "Is something the matter? I heard you wanted to find me," Zhang Lie replied.


    Hong Tianqi said, "I wanted to learn directly from you about what happened in the third realm."


    "Did the hunters from the third realm not inform you of the situation?"


    Hong Tianqi replied, "After all, you''re the one who unified the third realm, and I''d like to learn about matters directly from the source."


    "There''s not much to say. We found that the high-dimensional spaces of the third realm were about to copse. I came up with a strategy to deal with the problem, then returned to Earth to ask for your help, went back to the third realm, and executed it."


    Zhang Lie summarized the events that had transpired. "I''m not the amazing one¡ªit''s simply that my subordinates and colleagues are all very talented."


    Hong Tianqi steepled his hands to prop up his jaw. His eyes brightened. "It''s basically what I learned, then. Now: does that mean that you''re the ruler of the third realm?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Is this why you summoned me back?"


    Hong Tianqi replied, "I''m the highest authority of the world federation, after all. It''s only natural that I''d like to understand the new structure of the third realm and the positions of power within it, king of the third realm."


    Zhang Lie raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hold on, hold on! There''s no such thing as the king of the third realm. I was simply once the king of the second realm¡ªthat''s it!"


    Hong Tianqi blinked in surprise. "You unified the third realm, and you didn''t crown yourself king?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged helplessly. "There''s no fun to being king. I was one once in the second realm, and I don''t want to be one again. There''s nothing of interest and far too many responsibilities¡ªit was lucky that I ascended quickly, or I''d be going bald."


    Hong Tianqi chuckled wryly. "I suppose you might be the only one who feels that way."


    He had expected that Zhang Lie would take over the third realm, which would save him significant trouble.


    Zhang Lie had the qualifications and strength to take on such a position, and no one in the third realm could stop him. Zhu could well be exiled to the high-dimensional spaces of the realm, and no one would care.


    The fact that Zhang Lie wasn''t going to take such a position, however, gave Hong Tianqi a headache.


    Hong Tianqi rubbed at his temples as he asked, "Who are the people in charge of the third realm, then? The ruler of the new unified world?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The ruler of the unified world will abstain from political office. ording to the current discussions, the three thousand worlds will be three thousand kingdoms, with limited differences in terms of governance. Four superior kingdoms will take the lead among the three thousand."


    These kingdoms would be represented by the former Zongming world, the former scaleman world, the former draconian world, and the coalition of Milky Way hunters.


    "The four superior kingdoms will maintainw and order within the unified world, and they''ll establish a Limit Committee to do so. Themittee will be popted by representatives of hunters and aliens."


    Hong Tianqi remarked, "You really are dead set on not taking power, aren''t you?"


    "After all, I''ll be ascending to the fourth realm soon enough. It won''t make sense for me to take power now; I just want to ensure that the Zenith Dojo has some amount of authority and status."


    Zhang Lie no longer needed to pioneer new organizations as he did in the second realm, where he founded the kingdom of Limit and established sanctuary for the Zenith Dojo.


    The disciples of the Zenith Dojo were rapidly growing strong, and the average disciple now surpassed a Milky Way hunter in strength. Even the four prime races might not be a match.


    Zhang Lie intended to leave the unified world as a stage on which the disciples of the Zenith Dojo would be challenged.


    There were few challenges for them in the first realm, and the second realm was entirely controlled by the Zenith Dojo. The disciples would growx in such a peaceful environment; Zhang Lie didn''t want to rear pigs, but rather wolves.


    If he were to continue smoothing out the path for the dojo''s disciples, they would soon stagnate.


    In the end, after careful thought, Zhang Lie decided to leave the unified world of the third realm as a challenge for the disciples, allowing them to develop and explore it at will, to create a haven for themselves. To them, he would leave behind his farm of gic lifeforms, which would be more than sufficient to arm the disciples against even coordinated attacks by the other three superior kingdoms.


    Of course, as long as Zhang Lie was within the third realm, no one would dare to do so, but Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were destined to head to the fourth realm eventually. There might not be such a rebellion in a century, but how about in two or three? It would be far harder to be certain then.


    With the firm foundation that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had established, however, even if there were some corrupt disciples among the ranks of the Zenith Dojo, it would be centuries before they dealt enough damage to destroy what Zhang Lie hadid down.


    After finishing his discussion with Hong Tianqi, Zhang Lie again returned to the third realm. The moment he did so, he sensed a violent quake. Eight sources of energy formed hurricanes over the world, surprising Zhang Lie.


    He sensed a familiar energy. "These people have all maxed out their monarch gene fragments..."


    He stepped forward, shattered space, and teleported to the source of the disturbance, where the members of Team Zenith had gathered.


    Zhu was attempting to suppress the instability caused by the eight hunters, but there were so many of them that she was having a hard time. Zhang Lie lent her assistance and quelled the disturbance immediately.

 Chapter 1220: A Quick Spar

    Chapter 1220: A Quick Spar


    Standing amidst the hurricanes of energy were eight figures. Even Zhu''s pocket space proved insufficient at isting the energies that surrounded them.


    Sun Mengmeng was wrapped in pitch-ck me. The air was scorching and ame.


    Yang Ze was wrapped in a pale blue ocean, shining like a mirror, illusions and mirages surrounding him. Stormy wavespped at him but didn''t expand beyond a certain radius around him, as though he were in a pocket space entirely his own.


    Sun Xiaowu was illuminated with golden light, and behind him was the manifestation of a martial god that took on Zhang Lie''s form.


    Silvery-white light shrouded Li Feng. An arclight dragon coiled around him and soared into the sky.


    Wind and storm circled Fang Yi, along with the less obvious energies of fate and chaos.


    Zhou Ying was the most special. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings formed from energy. Above her head was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Where her body was slim, it remained slim; where it protruded, it protruded even more. Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    It was hard to differentiate whether Zhou Ying was meant to be a holy priestess or a charming subus. The same woman seemed to possess two different types of charm.


    Vitality, natural energy, a golden sr storm, and a mysterious gray power surrounded her.


    Zhang Hanxiang stood amidst a blizzard. The ground was frozen, and crystalline flowers of ice formed where she stood.


    Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air. Their light illuminated the sky. The ck sun and silver moon were linked by a golden thread, which brought them into proximity with each other.


    They ovepped perfectly, forming a bright-red wheel of fire. Behind that fiery wheel was a pale-blue moon. The paired celestial bodies illuminated and twirled around each other, forming the heart of a storm of light.


    ck mes, a pale-blue ocean, golden light, silver light, wind and storm, life, ice and snow, sun and moon¡ªit was little wonder that Zhu couldn''t simultaneously deal with a shocking profusion of such disparate energies all at once.


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t arrived at the scene, the sh of the eight different whirlwinds of energy could very well have affected the foundation of the unified world.


    Zhang Lie btedly discovered that Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were standing guard beyond the boundary of the energy fluctuations.


    When the two of them saw Zhang Lie, they headed over to him and bowed. "Greetings, Master!"


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised to see them there. "Have neither of you maxed out your monarch gene fragments yet?"


    Jun Jiuxiao spread his arms. "There aren''t enough monarch-grade lifeforms to go around yet, Master, and we decided to help the members of Team Zenith advance first.


    Although Zhu was able to cultivate monarch-grade lifeforms quickly, she couldn''t do so indefinitely or at scale. While Zhang Lie was away from the third realm, Zhu had cultivated just enough monarch-grade lifeforms to allow the members of Team Zenith to advance, and even that was predicated on the fact that they already had a few monarch gene fragments.


    If the members of Team Zenith hadn''t killed some of the monarch-grade lifeforms during their rampage and absorbed some monarch gene fragments as a result, they wouldn''t have been able to fill up their supply of monarch gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Thank you. It''s a good idea for the two of you not to advance so quickly¡ªyou recently ascended, after all, and you should get used to the third realm first. How are your fragments?"


    Jun Jiuxiao replied, "We''ve maxed out on disaster gene fragments."


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Take some time to find the Yeluo chieftain and obtain Potion #4. Start by obtaining peak limit fragments, then familiarize yourselves with the changes to your body. Once your body''s more resilient, start taking in monarch gene fragments."


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen nced at each other in excitement.


    Although they had learned from the members of Team Zenith that Zhang Lie had developed Potion #4, neither of them dared to ask for it without Zhang Lie offering it first.


    To Zhang Lie, Potion #4 wasn''t anything particrly precious; but the situation was different in terms of the hunters of the Milky Way.


    To other hunters, Potion #4 might as well have been a gctic-ss weapon, one that no one dared ask about without Zhang Lie volunteering information beforehand.


    "Thank you, Master!" Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen chorused.


    Just then, the members of Team Zenith waded out from their respective storms, which subsided without their presence. Everyone''s strength and aura seemed to have increased a few times over.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks like all of you have seeded."


    While Zhang Lie was gone from the third realm, the members of Team Zenith had advanced their training and finished maxing out their monarch gene fragments


    The members of Team Zenith smiled. Fang Yi stepped forward. "Captain, let''s spar!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very well. I''d like to see just how much all of you have grown in thest few days, and I can give you some pointers."


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake, surrounding Zhang Lie''s body.


    "Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Lie praised, but he hadn''t taken a single step.


    The sh of metal filled the pocket dimension. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, but Zhang Lie seemed to be able to block all his attacks with careless sweeps of his arm. No matter what he did, the tip of his spear would stop inches from Zhang Lie. Fang Yi knew that Zhang Lie surely had made a move, but his movements were so rapid that Fang Yi didn''t detect them at all.


    But Fang Yi never gave up. As Fang Yi attacked, Zhang Lie''s body was buffeted by billowing winds and a gathering storm. Sparks flew, and a terrifying aura manifested around Fang Yi.

 Chapter 1221: Sparring Advice

    Chapter 1221: Sparring Advice


    Zhu immediately invoked her authority as ruler of the world to iste the fight between Zhang Lie and Fang Yi. Transparent barriers of energy partitioned them from the outside world and prevented their attacks from reaching those outside.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    "Very good. You''ve improved significantly from before, and the king of chaos'' spear is an invaluable weapon. Unfortunately, it''s not enough." Zhang Lie struck casually, but somehow still more quickly than Fang Yi.


    Despite the rtivenguidity of his actions, Zhang Lie''s technique struck Fang Yi first. As temporal energy surrounded him, he extended a finger and flicked the tip of Zhang Yi''s spear, dissipating the wind and storm around it. The tip of the spear, which could even prate space, was apparently no match for Zhang Lie''s finger. The spear flew out of his hands, spun a few times in the air, and then stuck into the ground.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward as Fang Yi''s field of vision suddenly shifted upward. The next thing he knew, he was looking up at the sky.


    Fang Yi reacted in the blink of an eye. Zhang Lie had thrown him into the air, so he somersaulted and recalled the spear into his hand.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones. Spear thrusts and strikes came toward Zhang Lie from every direction.


    A spear prated Zhang Lie¡ªbut it turned out to be an afterimage.


    Even so, the afterimage seemed to be able to speak. "You''ve improved your understanding of time as well. Not bad indeed."


    Fang Yi wasn''t the hunter he had been in the second realm. He had suffered dramatically at Zhang Lie''s hands because of thetter''s improved understanding of time, and he had worked with Yang Ze to shore up his weakness in that regard.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. As he manipted his spear, a fuside of lightning shot through the arena. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    Even so, Zhang Lie frowned. "Is this all you''ve got?"


    This technique was stronger than thest that Fang Yi had demonstrated, but to Zhang Lie, it still wasn''t of sufficient strength.


    Again, Zhang Lie extended a finger and dissipated the wind and storm surrounding the spear¡ªbut this time, Fang Yi suddenly elerated.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body. Wind and storm surged throughout the loop, providing explosive strength that pushed back Zhang Lie''s finger.


    "Interesting."


    That single confrontation had been sufficient to demonstrate Fang Yi''s improvement and progress; he had grown far beyond the version of himself from the second realm.


    Reaching Zhang Lie''s level of strength had been Fang Yi''s goal, and Fang Yi had been steadily growing stronger ever since.


    Even Zhang Lie had to admit Fang Yi''s strength now.


    Pale blue energy surrounded Zhang Lie, dissipating the chaotic mix of wind and storm. Zhang Lie reached out and gripped the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, lifting it up and Fang Yi along with it.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!"


    As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time.


    The only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi.


    Within the temporal domain, Zhang Lie snorted.


    The gray world shattered in an instant, sending Fang Yi flying out and tumbling across the ground. He was unable to maintain his grip on his spear, which fell embedded to the ground. It quivered visibly before remaining in ce.


    Zhang Lie beckoned at Fang Yi. "Well, that''s the warm-up. Show me your strongest attack."


    Fang Yi wiped at the sweat beading on his forehead and nodded. "Right, I suppose this level of technique isn''t enough against you, Captain. Well, be careful."


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    The members of Team Zenith were watching the fight from within the pocket of isted space. Yang Ze critiqued, "Fang Yi has improved significantly, but he''s still visibly weaker than our captain."


    Li Feng nodded. "Our captain called it a warm-up, but it clearly wasn''t one for either of them."


    Jun Jiuxiao seemed perplexed. "Really? Both of them seem to be in the thick of things..."


    Zhang Hanxiang cried out, "Are you blind? It''s obvious that my brother has the advantage! Fang Yi''s attacks haven''tnded a single time. If my brother wanted to, he could have defeated Fang Yi easily. This is just a training match."


    Li Feng borated, "I said that this wasn''t a warm-up for either of them. Look at our captain¡ªhe hasn''t even moved a single step, and this can hardly be considered a warm-up for him. On the other hand, Fang Yi''s been sent flying twice. It''s way more than a warm-up for him, but he just doesn''t want to admit it."


    A clock began to toll in the pocket dimension.


    Zhang Lie put both hands to his back, waiting patiently as Fang Yi took the opportunity to manifest a few wheels of time.


    Then, he struck.


    Five wheels of time wereyered to his back, and he moved at astonishing speed.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    It looked as though Fang Yi had morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind. Fang Yi''s figure darted back and forth among his afterimages, causing even the members of Team Zenith to lose track of where he was. It was difficult to imagine from which direction Fang Yi would attack.


    Zhang Lie remained calm and cid, waiting for Fang Yi to strike.


    As another wheel of time appeared on Fang Yi''s back, he made his move.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    All the afterimages struck simultaneously, making it difficult to distinguish an illusion of the attack from the real thing.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    With six wheels of time to his back and chaotic energy infusing him, Fang Yi was so strong that the pocket space that Zhu had set up was starting to crack. Wind and storm buffeted all the spectators.

 Chapter 1222: Merciless

    Chapter 1222: Merciless


    The members of Team Zenith all protected themselves. Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light, Sun Mengmeng d herself in ck mes, Li Feng''s skin glowed silver, Yang Ze was surrounded by mirrored refractions, his body seemingly isted in space, and Zhou Ying grew thick roots from underneath her feet to cover her up.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over thebatants. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the arena.


    The explosion shattered space and sent waves of force rippling all around it. Like a rampaging beast, it devoured everything nearby, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Fang Yi was sent flying into the distance and smashed into one of the barriers that Zhu had erected, cracking it as he was flung into it hard enough to leave an impression of his body behind.


    Fang Yi fell to the ground and sucked in a breath. "Argh, it hurts! Captain, you really are merciless, aren''t you?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "If I hadn''t held back, you would be coughing blood now."


    The difference between Fang Yi and Zhang Lie was evident¡ªnot just from five emperor gene fragments, but also in terms ofbat experience and application of gic energy. Through their fighting in the third realm, the members of Team Zenith were growing more and more mature, but so too was Zhang Lie.


    Zhu restored the shattered barrier.


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Alright, enough nonsense. Surely this isn''t the limit of your strength?"


    Fang Yi shook his limbs, consumed a vial of Zhou Ying''s restorative, and manifested a seventh wheel of time. He rushed forward, his body half-morphing into lightning. Wind wrapped around him; he moved so quickly that even the members of Team Zenith gaped.


    Under the boost afforded by seven wheels of time, Fang Yi dashed forward so quickly he seemed like a beam of light, at a rate almost too fast to be caught by the human eye. He appeared by Zhang Lie''s side in an instant.


    Zhang Lie struck to his right, shocking the members of Team Zenith. Fang Yi clearly seemed to being at him from the left¡ªbut then they suddenly saw Zhang Lie''s palm m down.


    Fang Yi spun in mid-air, thrusting forward with the spear Chaos. His initial advance from the left was merely misdirection; his actions were so swift that even the members of Team Zenith, who were watching intently, couldn''t react in time¡ªFang Yi''s afterimage seemed to remain by Zhang Lie''s left nk.


    It looked as though Fang Yi was attacking from two different directions simultaneously, but the shocking thing was that Zhang Lie was actually capable of predicting this sort of attack in advance.


    Zhang Lie pushed aside the haft of Fang Yi''s spear, then punched forward with a fist with his other hand.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!"


    Fang Yi kicked forward, his legs imbued with wind and storm.


    As fist and legs shed, Fang Yi was sent flying into the distance. An eighth wheel of time manifested. Howling winds revolved around him in mid-air, stabilizing him and draining his backward momentum.


    "Use your strongest technique, the one you demonstrated against the king of chaos," Zhang Liemanded.


    "Very well. Be careful, Captain!"


    Fang Yi didn''t hold back. If he refrained from doing so, he wouldn''t be able to hurt Zhang Lie at all.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within. In this state, he was able to simultaneously manifest different techniques at the same time.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Chaotic energy swirled over the spear.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, space, and chaotic energy.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    The energy of chaos, which had the ability to destroy anything, spun amidst the howling winds.


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.

 Chapter 1223: Reinforced Space

    Chapter 1223: Reinforced Space


    Seeing that Fang Yi was about to release his ultimate attack, the members of Team Zenith immediately reared back in shock.


    Sun Xiaowu shouted urgently, "Zhu, quick, strengthen the barriers you''ve put down¡ªand protect us all!"


    The members of Team Zenith had seen Fang Yi use his ultimate multiple times before, and they were well aware that the shockwaves that resulted in the aftermath of the attack were sufficient to cause them headaches.


    Zhu immediately reinforced the barriers to prevent Fang Yi''s attack from affecting the outside world.


    Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light, and golden runes appeared over his body. He used [Adamantine Aegis] immediately.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into hundreds of clones, each bearing resplendent golden runes. They gathered around the members of Team Zenith, forming a human barricade.


    Sun Mengmeng waved a hand before her, adding a ring of me to the barrier.


    Li Feng radiated silver light, and illusory silver dragons coiled around the members of Team Zenith.


    Refracted light shone around Yang Ze, who waved a hand and isted the members of Team Zenith from the pocket dimension.


    Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a barrier against Fang Yi''s attack.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    Concentrated natural energy and vitality flowed through her fingertips.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    The members of Team Zenith were wrapped up byyer afteryer of dragons.


    The members of Team Zenithyered their defenses one over the other, Sun Xiaowu''s golden clones as the innermostyer, followed by Li Feng''s silver dragons, Zhou Ying''s wood dragons, Zhang Hanxiang''s ice, Sun Mengmeng''s ck mes, and then Yang Ze''s spatial istion.


    Theseyered defenses were no joke at all. Strong though Fang Yi''s ultimate attack was, if they could still be hurt despite this manyyer of defenses, they would be the joke instead.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air. Their light illuminated the sky. The ck sun and silver moon were linked by a golden thread, which brought them into proximity with each other.


    The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red.


    The two celestial bodies ovepped, the silver moon taking on a blue sheen.


    As they ovepped perfectly, the moon absorbed the ck sunlight and transformed into a fully realized pale blue moon.


    The moon materialized behind Hong Xi''s back. Its light wasn''t cold or chilly, but rather warm and nurturing. The members of Team Zenith found their strength enhanced multiple times over. The ck mes burned ever more brightly, the golden light was more blinding, the illusory dragons solidified, and the wood dragons'' vitality magnified.


    The members of Team Zenith were shocked by Hong Xi''s newly disyed capabilities.


    Hong Xi smiled in response.


    This was another means of employing thebination of [Eclipse] and [ck Sun]¡ªnot only to weaken enemies and strengthen yourself, but all your allies as well.


    The ming-red sun and pale blue moon were the two different methods of invoking [Syzygy].


    There was an even more intricate and advanced version of the technique that involved weakening herself to strengthen her allies to an extreme degree, but Hong Xi had never had an opportunity to try it out.


    Ever since [Eclipse] and [ck Sun] merged, Hong Xi had been fighting on the front lines, and the advanced version of the technique hadn''t been worthwhile to invoke.


    Zhang Lie didn''t make fun of the members of Team Zenith for turtling up; Fang Yi''s ultimate technique was certainly strong enough to be worth taking seriously.


    In this life, Fang Yi was far stronger than in the past.


    The Fang Yi of Zhang Lie''s past life didn''t have limit gene fragments during the third realm, and because he hadn''t been swept into all sorts of incidents due to Zhang Lie''s involvement, all he knew was [Heaven''s Judgment].


    For the Fang Yi of this life to have created such a ridiculous stacking technique was incredible.


    "The king of chaos has really left me something troublesome..."


    Fang Yi''s original sixfold strike had been troublesome enough, but now he had a spear forged of chaotic energy by the king of chaos himself. When Fang Yi fought, that energy would seep into his technique, transforming his ultimate into a sevenfold strike. Fang Yi''s ultimate essentially scaled multiplicatively with every additional source of energy he used, so the amount by which his new spear magnified his attack meant that even Zhang Lie had to be wary.


    Fang Yi hadbined seven different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; the fundamental forces of space and time; and chaos.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    Even before the attack was released, the pocket space was already shaking tremendously.


    However, Fang Yi''s technique suddenly stalled¡ªthe energy of chaos and spacetime failed tobine properly.


    The reason Fang Yi''s technique had gone off smoothly the previous few times was because there was no conflict between wind and storm with time and space. Time and space werepatible concepts, and wind and storm were physical phenomena that were subordinate to the higher-level concepts of time and space.


    However, chaos was a high-level concept as well, and one that Fang Yi hadn''t mastered.


    The chaotic energy, which didn''t truly belong to Fang Yi himself, but rather to the spear which the king of chaos had gifted him, stood at the forefront of all other concepts along with karma, time, and space.

 Chapter 1224: Breaking Through Barriers

    Chapter 1224: Breaking Through Barriers


    The pocket space shook so violently that, even before Fang Yiunched his attack, it was already full of cracks. Even the members of Team Zenith were affected despite being further removed from the arena.


    If the energy had belonged to Fang Yi himself, he might have been able to rein it in¡ªbut that wasn''t the case.


    The sh between the energy of chaos and that of time and space caused the wheels of time on Fang Yi''s back to shatter one after another. His spear vibrated ceaselessly, and huge quantities of chaotic energy gushed out.


    Fang Yi ws no longer the Fang Yi he had been within the halls of chaos, and neither was he the same Fang Yi who had faced Ghroth. He now had maxed monarch gene fragments, and while he had originally been able to control his attack to some degree, the outburst of chaotic energy destabilized his control. His hands began to shake.


    The eight wheels of time cracked, and the energies began to meld together uncontrobly.


    All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The skin on his arms cracked. Veins protruded from his forehead and his arms turned bright red.


    Fang Yi was familiar with this behavior, which he had encountered countless times in practice. Rather than panic, he howled as he struck with the potent mix of energy he had created, forcing the unstable energy outward.


    The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment. A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    Yang Ze''s spatial istion was incapable of withstanding the resulting shockwaves and cracked immediately, while Sun Mengmeng''s firewall began to fluctuate violently.


    [The Boundless de: Expulsion]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark, tearing apart the storm formed by the sevenfold energy.


    Resilient though Sun Mengmeng''s ck mes might be, even they couldn''t withstand the aftershock caused by the sh of attacks. Zhang Hanxiang''s wall of ice also shattered, and the hundreds of wood dragons that Zhou Ying had summoned fell to the ground in a pile of branches and vines.


    Zhou Ying continued infusing vitality into her summons, replenishing the vines that had broken off and restoring the branches to maintain their defense.


    The sword energy pierced through the storm. By the time Fang Yi came to his senses, Zhang Lie''s finger was right by his throat. Fang Yi couldn''t help but swallow a gulp of saliva.


    Zhang Lie retracted his finger and sped both hands behind his back once more.


    Fang Yi exhaled. "I really can''t beat you, Captain."


    Zhang Lie replied, "If you were able to control your technique, it would have been far harder for me to dispel it."


    This was no idle praise. The aftershock of Fang Yi''s technique alone had broken through three of Team Zenith''s barriers. In the end, Zhou Ying''s vines had also given out, and even Li Feng''s silver dragons seemed to be on the verge of fading. Half of Sun Xiaowu''s clones had been vanquished.


    The members of Team Zenith were very relieved that they hadn''t been Fang Yi''s opponent.


    Zhang Lie continued, "If you could havebined all those disparate sources of energy into a cohesive whole, the oue of this battle could have been very different. Trying to dispel your attack at that point..."


    Fang Yiughed wryly. "This is no easy task. I might have been able to control the technique to some extent beforehand, but ever since changing weapons and including the energy of chaos into the mix..."


    The instability caused by thebination of chaos with time and space was almost impossible to resolve.


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s precisely that it''s hard that you have to do it. Without resolving your problems one by one, how can you grow stronger? That''s the process of learning, after all."


    Fang Yi nodded. "Thank you for the guidance, Captain. I''ll work hard on it."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Have you finished resting, then?"


    Fang Yi raised his head with some shock.


    "If you''re done, let''s continue. I''m sure you''re stronger than this, aren''t you? Don''t you have other ultimate techniques?"


    Zhang Lie turned around and strode farther away, then beckoned at Fang Yi with his fingers.


    Fang Yi sucked in a deep breath. Zhang Lie really wasn''t about to let him rest, was he?


    Fang Yi''s fighting spirit reignited. "In that case, give me a moment, Captain."


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    Fang Yi forged ten wheels of time before stopping.


    Under the effect of ten such wheels, the time around Fang Yi distorted tremendously. It seemed as though there were ten copies of Fang Yi superimposed over each other, and his figure even turned a little blurry.


    Fang Yi grinned. "Thanks for the wait, Captain."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand at him impatiently. "Don''t waste my time and show me what you''ve got! I hope you aren''t going to disappoint me after all this time."


    "I won''t, Captain."


    As Fang Yi roared, the wheels of time to his back splintered, and his body began to glow more and more brightly. Next to Fang Yi, a shadow of himself suddenly appeared, one which suddenly merged with Fang Yi''s body and gave him a tremendous boost to his strength. The wind and lightning circling the spear doubled in intensity.


    "[Wheel of Time: Break]!"


    As the next wheel of time broke, even more light red from Fang Yi''s back. A second shadow appeared, merged with Fang Yi, and boosted his strength, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth...


    As more and more wheels of time behind Fang Yi broke, more ephemeral shadows appeared and boosted his strength to an extreme. Wind and storm circled him ten times over.


    Fang Yi''s attack had filled the pocket space with wind and storm before he evenunched it.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. A wind dragon and a storm tiger appeared. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Chaotic energy infused both elements, and the attack disrupted time and space itself. In an instant, everything in the arena blurred.


    "Excellent!" Zhang Lie grinned. Fang Yi''s attack was indeed powerful.


    Zhang Lie took a single step forward. The crash of a titanic ocean resounded within his body, and a burst of gic energy emanated from Zhang Lie''s body. That alone dispelled the storm; as Zhang Lie''s fist struck Fang Yi''s technique, Fang Yi''s nascent blow vanished as though it had never existed.


    Fang Yi was petrified.

 Chapter 1225: The Strongest Technique

    Chapter 1225: The Strongest Technique


    Zhang Lie dispelled everything with a single punch. Fang Yi''s tenfold attack vanished in an instant.


    Zhang Lie urged with a huff, "Hey, don''t just stand there in a daze! Keep going! I could have killed you a hundred times over during that time!"


    Fang Yiughed wryly. "Is there a purpose to continuing?"


    Fang Yi hadn''t given up even when he fought off Ghroth, an entity of disaster incarnate.


    Fang Yi hadn''t given up even when he fought against a seemingly superior foe during the king of chaos'' banquet.


    But against Zhang Lie''s unreasonable strength, Fang Yi found himself defeated, unable to rouse any battle intent whatsoever.


    Most importantly, Fang Yi knew that Zhang Lie was far from using his full strength.


    In other words, Fang Yi''s will to fight had been quashed.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Would an enemy let you go just because you said continuing would be meaningless? Would Ghroth have avoided killing you?"


    Fang Yi replied, "But Captain, you''re not an enemy!"


    "If you aren''t able to muster up the drive to grow stronger, to fight even against unfavorable odds, how will you survive in the fourth realm? You might as well stay in the third realm and never ascend!"


    The harsh criticism shocked Fang Yi.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Think back to your foundational reason for growing strong."


    Fang Yi recalled why he had created his sixfold strike, even his ninefold strike. All that he had done was in hopes of catching up to the person before him. Now that that person was right in front of him and facing him, how could he back down?


    He knew that the sixfold strike would be devastating not just for his enemy but also for him. If he were the slightest bit careless and misjudged the equilibrium of energies, the bacsh could strike him as hard as the attack would strike his enemy. Even so, Fang Yi had put his life on the line.


    "If you truly want to grow stronger," Zhang Lie continued, "then keep fighting until you copse!"


    Fang Yi''s eyes again turned resolute. "I apologize, Captain. Thank you for jolting me awake and reigniting my desire to grow strong."


    He hadn''t been scared of Zhang Lie despite Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strength back in the second realm; why would he falter in the third?


    "To demonstrate my gratitude, my next technique will have 120% of my maximum strength. This is truly my strongest blow."


    Fang Yi''s expression turned serious. He sucked in a breath. His spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Wheels of time stacked up on Fang Yi''s back, but Zhang Lie didn''t make a move. He waited patiently as Fang Yiid his preparations. With his spear in hand, Fang Yi again returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within.


    "[Spear of Fate]!" Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    The chaotic energy imbued within the spear activated, gushing out around Fang Yi.


    Thebination of elemental, chaotic, and spatiotemporal energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Golden threads surrounded wind, storm, time, and space.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment], and the power of karma¡ªwind, storm, time, space, chaos, karma. All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    The power of his strike transcended both of its constituents, time and karma.


    The strike touched the notion of fate, that all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a hurricane. The nine different kinds of energy stacked on top of each other and were refined into a cocoon.


    As Fang Yi infused more and more of his own energy into the attack, the energies morphed into threads of nine different colors that began to separate.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    Against the ninefold confluence of energies, even the reinforced high-dimensional space seemed liable to copse.


    The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, chaos and fate, the beginning and the end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    Thebination of nine energies gave birth to an astounding hybrid. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost. The pocket dimension began to crack.


    Even the king of chaos'' spear shook violently as it tried to sustain the nine different energies. Fang Yi himself wasn''t doing well. Veins protruded from his forehead as he forcibly used a technique beyond his ability to support. Blood seeped out of his orifices, and his bones began to creak.


    The golden threads of karma, which turned ck and tried to wrap around Fang Yi, were swept away by the energy of chaos.


    Chaos muddled fate, turning bad karma into more strength for his attack.


    Lightning crackled like a demon swiping its ws. A storm raged, and space tore apart. ck-and-gold chains criss-crossed and tangled up under the influence of chaos and fate.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. After the incorporation of karma, the energy of chaos was able to reach an unstable equilibrium with that of space and time.


    Karma forcibly linked all the disparate energies together like glue.


    This glue, however, was poisonous. It would have affected Fang Yi''s fated future if not for the chaotic energy surrounding him. Most importantly, the chaotic energy came from Fang Yi''s spear, not from himself, and the powers of karma and chaos wouldn''t cancel out.


    The spear of Chaos would continuously provide titanic amounts of chaotic energy, forcibly maintaining this unstable bnce.


    "Truly incredible."


    Perhaps the king of chaos had anticipated this possibility when he forged Fang Yi his spear...

 Chapter 1226: Lining Up for a Beating

    Chapter 1226: Lining Up for a Beating


    "Again?" Upon sensing another burst of frightening energy from Fang Yi, Yang Ze couldn''t help but grumble, though the members of Team Zenith all reacted instantly.


    They certainly didn''t want to be struck by the shockwaves that resulted from the aftermath of this attack. Fang Yi''s fated spear was the advanced form of his sevenfold strike¡ªor rather, itspleted form.


    Hong Xi''s pale blue moonlight shone down on them all. Sun Mengmeng manifested another ck firewall. Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light, and golden runes appeared over his body. He used [Adamantine Aegis] immediately.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into hundreds of clones, each bearing resplendent golden runes. They gathered around the members of Team Zenith, forming a human barricade.


    Sun Mengmeng waved a hand before her, adding a ring of me to the barrier.


    Li Feng radiated silver light, and illusory silver dragons coiled around the members of Team Zenith.


    Refracted light shone around Yang Ze, who waved a hand and isted the members of Team Zenith from the pocket dimension.


    Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a barrier against Fang Yi''s attack.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    The members of Team Zenith were wrapped up byyer afteryer of dragons.


    Hong Xi manifested a fan of feathers, which she waved to conjure a windwall around them.


    Fang Yi''s fated spear was stronger than his sevenfold strike, and the members of Team Zenith took it more seriously as a result. Theyyered their defenses more solidly andprehensively than before.


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen knew that they wereparatively far weaker, but they contributed as well.


    Jun Jiuxiao conjured a field of wind and storm, while Ye Xianchen released an aura of ghosts and shadows.


    Zhang Lie likewise turned serious.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, destroying even naturalw with theirbined might.


    Space and time cracked, and unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions spiked into the pocket space.


    The pocket space itself was cracking from the inside out. Even Zhu''s earlier reinforcement was insufficient to block Fang Yi''s fated spear.


    ck, formless chains surrounded Zhang Lie''s body as he felt a powerful energy lock in on him.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    The three outermostyers of defenses set up by the members of Team Zenith vanished in an instant.


    "[Godbane Strike]!"


    The nine different energies formed a huge vortex. Fang Yi tried to steer the energies into the shape of a spear, but thebination was far too wild for him to execute such fine control. The hurricane-like vortex shot straight at Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    A massive burst of energy condensed around Zhang Lie.


    The ck serpent punched through the hurricane and dissipated it all in one go. When the smoke cleared, Fang Yi was revealed slumped on the ground and panting weakly. "I can''t keep going! I don''t have the strength to continue. Captain, you''ve trounced me!"


    The hurricane left a mess behind as it dissipated: the ground had turned to sand, and the pocket dimension was close to copsing. The members of Team Zenith took a deep breath. The shockwaves from Fang Yi''s technique had almost been strong enough to affect them all despite their reinforced barriers.


    Zhu again invoked the authority of the realm to restore the pocket space.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Fang Yi replied, "I still have lots of deficiencies, and my will isn''t resolute enough!"


    "And?"


    "In the face of your absolute strength, Captain, everything is useless."


    Zhang Lie immediately marched forward and kneaded Fang Yi''s face with his boot.


    Fang Yi struggled and groaned, "What did I say wrong, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "If you fear someone else''s strength, you''ll never be able to improve. You might not be able to beat them now, but you still have to make them your target, to work toward that goal with all your heart..."


    Fang Yi caught Zhang Lie''s ankle and raised it up. "Don''t worry, Captain. I won''t discourage myself anymore. It looks like I haven''t worked enough in the past, and I''ll work even harder in the future."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Furthermore, you have insufficient control over your strength. My [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade] shouldn''t be strong enough to break your ninefold strike, but your control over the manifold energies was too weak. Your strike''s physically very impressive, but it''s still too easy to counter with skill."


    Fang Yi sighed with some exasperation. "That''s because you''re too strong, Captain. What ordinary person could do what you did?"


    Zhang Lie snorted and began kneading Fang Yi''s face with his boot again.


    "I don''t need you to tter me. When we finish here, you need to go back to the fundamentals and familiarize yourself with your spear and chaotic energy. Then, make sure you get a better grasp of your sixfold strike, sevenfold strike, fated spear, and so on."


    Zhang Lie had to admit that Fang Yi had already made significant headway down his own path, and there was little specific advice he could give. In the past, Zhang Lie had thought that Fang Yi''s path was too focused on brute force, that it would be too inflexible, and advised that he focus on speed instead.


    Fang Yi did do so, but his attacks became even stronger and fiercer as a result.


    It was true that an emphasis on brute force might be inflexible, but when Fang Yi reached the apex of force, who else but Zhang Lie could break him?


    Zhang Lie continued, "Focusing on strength isn''t bad, but sometimes you might prefer flexibility. Combining both aspects is usible as well¡ªstorm is violent, and wind gentle. Both elements do lend themselves to strength, and wind can be strong in terms of howling gales, but I still hope you''ll consider working on other aspects of your elements as well."


    Fang Yi asked, "What if I end up veering off my path?"


    "It''s just some minor experimentation, nothing more."


    Fang Yi nodded. "I''ll do my best, Captain."


    Zhang Lie grabbed Fang Yi like a little chick and threw him toward the members of Team Zenith.


    "Based on the order we did this in the second realm, you''re up next."


    "Me?" Yang Ze walked forward unwillingly. "Captain, can the others go first?"


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Don''t talk nonsense!"


    Yang Ze didn''t say anything more. White fog surrounded him; in the blink of an eye, the entire pocket dimension had been filled with fog.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You''ve grown faster than before, and you''ve worked hard on your control of water-attuned gic energy. It''s just that..."

 Chapter 1227: Yang Ze Takes the Stand

    Chapter 1227: Yang Ze Takes the Stand


    Hundreds of sharks swam toward Zhang Lie in a horde.


    "...you still have the same problems as before!" Zhang Lie called out to Yang Ze.


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers. Gic energy exploded and disrupted the space around Zhang Lie. The fog blew away, revealing Yang Ze behind Zhang Lie, a sword raised overhead.


    Zhang Lie twisted his head and looked at him, at which point Yang Ze''s body dissipated like ripples disturbing a calm body of water.


    Zhang Lie was able to manipte water-attuned gic energy to create mirages and illusions, but Yang Ze could do it even better.


    "I''m right here, Captain!"


    Under the effects of [Mirrored Refraction], he seemed to phase in and out of existence.


    He swam through the air, leaving buds of water behind.


    Zhang Lie punched forward without even looking toward the voice.


    He punched in a seemingly random direction, but Yang Ze''s face suddenly changed.


    The next moment, Yang Ze''s body erupted in a cloud of fog. Zhang Lie was rather impressed that Yang Ze had been able to trick him, then quickly began punching in all sorts of different directions.


    Yang Ze retaliated with a [Fists of the Silent Sea] of his own. The two attacks, which both seemed to strike at nothing but air, somehow smashed into each other.


    The fists met head-on, and Yang Ze''s body burst into another wave of ripples.


    As ripples spread throughout the arena, the buds that Yang Ze had ced initially finally exploded. Lotus flowers made of pure water blossomed from the buds, each an intricate construct of gic energy.


    The ripples intersected in mid-air andunched a chain reaction, devastating the arena with water-attuned gic energy.


    However, Zhang Lie himself had a water-attuned framework, one of a higher grade than Yang Ze, and the attack would be all but meaningless against him. He folded his arms and gave Yang Ze the time he needed to strengthen the attack to its maximum.


    Amidst a storm of water-attuned gic energy, Yang Ze raised his sword up high. Boundless energy suffused him, and a giant shark emerged from his back.


    "Captain, here Ie!"


    Yang Ze swung down with his greatsword, and the giant shark flicked its tail andunched itself toward Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie raised his arm, and the serpent behind him stuck out its head.


    A ck serpent uncoiled from behind Zhang Lie''s back. As it raised its head, waves of dark energy flooded the room.


    As the serpent hissed, ck ripples spread out from its body, releasing waves of corrosive energy that scoured the battlefield.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie released his fist, the ck serpent shot forward.


    Yang Ze didn''t dare to sh against Zhang Lie head-on. He had seen Zhang Lie use this technique before, and it wasn''t something he could block.


    As the giant shark struck the serpent, its body dissolved into water-attuned gic energy.The serpent continued barreling forward, but Yang Ze''s body shone with [Mirrored Refraction]. The ck serpent passed right through his body.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Excellent. It looks like you''ve already incorporated your understanding of the 24yers of space into your attacks. You remain in one of the deepestyers and project an image of yourself from thatyer..."


    Yang Ze chuckled. "As expected, I can''t fool you, Captain. I was going to give you a surprise, but you uncovered the trick within moments."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Whatyer of space are you in now?"


    "The 24thyer is impossible for me at the moment, but the eighteenth is readily essible. If I want to project an image of myself, however, the deepest I can go is the twelfthyer."


    After all, they were currently in a pocket dimension constructed by Zhu herself, invoking her authority as ruler of the unified world. They were naturally isted from the rest of the third realm, and rather severely so, considering that Zhu had erected multiple barriers around the pocket dimension as a failsafe.


    Being able to descend into the twelfthyer was already beyond impressive.


    Zhang Lie continued, "But it doesn''t look to me as though you''re a projection from the twelfthyer."


    Yang Ze seemed surprised. "You can tell?"


    "At least within the first tenyers."


    Yang Ze chuckled wryly. "It looks like I do have to work hard to surprise you, Captain."


    Zhang Lie replied, "If your projection were from one deeperyer, I would have had a much harder time telling."


    Yang Ze drew a greatsword from his back, and pale blue gic energy surrounded his body.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    He struck again, his sword shing toward the king like the current along a river.


    Zhang Lie cut apart the current with a hand. "You can even use skills? It looks like this is beyond a mere projection."


    Yang Ze''s sword shed toward him. Zhang Lie attempted to knock it aside with his hand, but all he struck was air. Yang Ze''s dended, only to be repulsed by a barrier of water-attuned gic energy.


    "Interesting!"


    Yang Ze retreated after his rapid attack. "It''s a real projection, after all."


    Zhang Lie understood what he meant. "I see. So that''s why you''re in the tenthyer, rather than the twelfth."


    Yang Ze exined, "This is an upgrade of [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision]. [The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    Upon seeing the massive dragonwhale, Zhang Lie remarked, "It looks like you can even use some of your stronger techniques with this projection..."


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    At this point, however, despite all his tricks, Yang Ze was weak in a frontal sh.


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging toward the sky.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the hall.


    The serpent swam around, and it and the whale smashed into each other.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and Yang Ze''s projection distorted for a moment.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Pale blue gic energy and the pitch-ck energy of annihtion crisscrossed through the air.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight...

 Chapter 1228: Quite Interesting

    Chapter 1228: Quite Interesting


    At that moment, space shattered.


    The confluence of three different types of energy had caused too much stress in the local area. Yang Ze''s projection was destroyed entirely, and countless cracks spread through the pocket dimension.


    The cracks spread into the deeperyers of space, causing them to shake violently and crack as well. Yang Ze dove into ever deeperyers.


    The energy of annihtion eventually lost its momentum on the eleventhyer, and Yang Ze sucked in a deep breath of relief. However, even the twelfthyer was filled with cracks; it was evident just how strong the explosion had been.


    Before Yang Ze could calm down, a frightening wave of sword energy shot toward him.


    Yang Ze''s eyes widened as he defended himself with water-attuned gic energy.


    "The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    His sword morphed into a sea serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice. It surged forward, swiping its ws. It bit apart the sword energy, but surfing over the sword energy was a pale blue shark.


    The shark opened its maw wide and bit a huge chunk off the dragon. Gic energy exploded at the point of impact.


    Frightening water-attuned gic energy ravaged the deeperyers of space. The eleventhyer, which was already filled with cracks, was shredded as well.


    Despite the fact that the energy of annihtion hadn''t managed to hurt Yang Ze, it had opened a route to the deeperyers of space for Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie stepped into the twelfthyer and called out, "I''ming for you, Yang Ze!"


    As he stepped into high-dimensional space, Zhang Lie transformed.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Yang Ze tried to escape into the thirteenthyer, but before he could do so, a bloody beam appeared before him. Zhang Lie had caught up in the blink of an eye.


    Yang Ze might have been the better spatial maniptor, but Zhang Lie was clearly faster.


    The next moment, Yang Ze was kicked flying¡ªat which point he finally managed to scamper into the thirteenthyer.


    As he did so, he could hear a cracking from the barrier between the twelfth and thirteenthyers of space, which was being breached.


    The crack expanded as the noise grew louder. Finally, with a huge crash, a hole opened up, and a horde of howling ck dragons appeared in sight.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Zhang Lie had managed to break down the barrier into the thirteenthyer of space by brute force.


    The high-dimensionalyers of space began to reverberate. Dozens of ck dragons flew toward Yang Ze, each bearing significant energy of annihtion.


    Yang Ze rapidly grew rmed as he dodged their attacks with his movement techniques.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!"


    Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra, which sprayed out nine breaths of sword energy.


    The ck dragons struck by the breath attack exploded in a burst of annihtion, setting off a chain reaction that quickly took down the hydra.


    The sword energy that made up the hydra temporarily formed a barrier against the explosions, giving Yang Ze enough time to escape into deeperyers of space.


    As he did so, however, Zhang Lie chased quickly after him, tearing apart the barriers between ever deeperyers¡ªand at a faster rate than he was able to traverse them.


    Yang Ze ran, and ran, and ran. In the end, he was forced into the eighteenthyer, which had just been restored by the will of the world. Yang Ze turned around. "Captain, you''re too strong."


    Zhang Lie stepped out of the broken barrier between the seventeenth and eighteenthyers. Despite his haggard appearance, Yang Ze''s eyes were still shining brightly. "However, when fighting in such a deepyer of space, I think I stand a good chance!"


    "[The Boundless de: Hundred-Headed Hydra]!"


    Yang Ze''s gic energy manifested in the form of an astounding hundred-headed hydra.


    As he drew on spatial force, the hydra sprayed out a hundred simultaneous beams of sword energy, pale blue gic energy, andpressed spatial force from a high-dimensionalyer of space.


    Whereas Yang Ze''s attacks were boosted, Zhang Lie was suppressed to some extent. Yang Ze was very familiar with high-dimensional space and could negate that suppression.


    Yang Ze hadn''t been fleeing just because he was trying to avoid an inevitable demise; he had constantly been searching for an opportunity to strike back, to lure Zhang Lie ever deeper.


    He was never one for straight-up fights, and would far rather use his brain and prepare in advance.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Good strategy, but not everything will y out the way you want it to. [The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature had dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the arena. Blood-colored frost appeared around them.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Thousands of serpents blocked the hundred breaths of sword energy. The bitter cold froze the hydra and corroded Yang Ze''s gic energy.


    Yang Ze was shocked that Zhang Lie''s attack was so devastating that it could even freeze the eighteenthyer of space solid.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    As theherworld river exploded, pitch-ck gic energy spread all over. A huge ocean of gic energy swamped the eighteenthyer. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    Even so, all the serpents passed harmlessly through Yang Ze''s body...

 Chapter 1229: Did You Intuit Something?

    Chapter 1229: Did You Intuit Something?


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The million serpents passed through Yang Ze''s body with a force that could not be repelled.


    Zhang Lei frowned. "Spatial force? No..."


    Even in the eighteenthyer of space, Zhang Lie was also able to invoke spatial authority.


    "It has some vor of karma, as though you''re reversing heaven''s might..."


    Yang Ze exined, "I call this technique [Moon Within the Lake]."


    "Referring to the surface of a cidke as a mirror that captures the moon''s reflection?"


    Yang Ze grinned. "How''s my skill, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie replied with a smile. "It''s interesting, but to have manifested a karmic power about avoidance... Just how much do you fear death?"


    Yang Ze countered, "Are you trying to think of a way to handle my technique?"


    "I''ll simply shatter karma and space together! [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood dragon, its jaws wide open and its ws poised to swipe. The high-dimensional space was disrupted as a burst of spatial force pulsed through it, distorting Yang Ze''s figure.


    Yang Ze screeched strangely as he was knocked out of the reflected space and sent smashing into the dimensional barrier.


    Zhang Lie''s attack indeed tore apart karma and space before striking Yang Ze.


    The distortion of karma sapped away some energy, and Yang Ze''s body overflowed with spatial force as he passed through the barrier into the neenthyer of space.


    During his heated battle with Zhang Lie, Yang Ze''s spatial maniption improved sufficiently that he was able to pass through without any resistance whatsoever.


    The moment he entered the neenthyer, a crash rang out behind him.


    Pale-white sword energy pierced through the dimensional barrier barrier. The force of the attack sent Yang Ze tumbling through space as Zhang Lie entered the neenthyer.


    Yang Ze raised his hands up in the air in surrender as he chuckled wryly. "As expected, I can''t beat you, Captain. I surrender."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Yang Ze nodded firmly. "Yes, yes, of course! Everything pales inparison to absolute strength, and no skill and strategy can bridge the gap.


    Regardless of whether we were in the high-dimensional battlefield I prepared for, or in the mirror dimension of [Moon Within the Lake], everything is hopeless in front of you, Captain. Captain, you''re trying to tell me that strength is might, that there''s no need for anything else!"


    "Ridiculous!"


    Shocked by Zhang Lie''s sudden bark, Yang Ze took a few steps back. "No?"


    "It looks like you haven''t intuited a thing! In that case, we had better continue."


    Yang Ze shivered in fear. "No, Captain, please!"


    "No more nonsense. Take this!"


    As Zhang Lie shouted, sword energy soared into the heavens and illuminated the neenthyer of space.


    Shortly thereafter, Zhang Lie dragged Yang Ze back from the crack in space.


    He tossed the bedraggled, wounded Yang Ze to the ground like a piece of trash, thenmanded, "Treat him, Zhou Ying."


    Zhou Ying immediately stepped forward to heal Yang Ze as Zhu walked up to him in dissatisfaction.


    "Zhang Lie, aren''t you being a bit too much?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Don''t worry, Yang Ze will be just fine. He just has to rest for a week or two."


    "I''m not talking about Yang Ze, but rather this!" Zhu pointed at the dimensional crack that was slowly repairing itself.


    Zhang Lie was instantly embarrassed.


    Zhu grumbled, "Zhang Lie, you should know just how damaging it can be to the third realm when high-dimensional space is destroyed like this. Now that you''ve damaged the spatial integrity of the third realm once more, I''ll have to request that the will of the realm repair it. How am I supposed to exin what happened?"


    Zhang Lie spread his arms. "I know that the will of the realm can repair the damage, so I didn''t pay much attention to it..."


    Zhu sighed. "I don''t want to me you, Zhang Lie, but I do want to remind you to watch out and to avoid damaging the high-dimensional spaces of the third realm!"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Aren''t you going to stop our captain, Zhu?"


    Sun Xiaowu had been raring to fight Zhang Lie after maxing out his monarch gene fragments to test out his strength, only to realize that the gulf between Zhang Lie and the rest of them had only widened.


    Upon witnessing Fang Yi and Yang Ze''s sorry states, the other members of Team Zenith shrank back.


    Zhu turned to Sun Xiaowu. "Why should I prevent Zhang Lie from testing your strength?"


    "You aren''t afraid that the realm will be destroyed?"


    "Even if it does, I don''t care. Zhang Lie can handle his own business. I''m just here to remind him of it."


    The members of Team Zenith couldn''t help but pity the will of the third realm for having a ruler who would prioritize Zhang Lie instead.


    Even if Zhang Lie wanted to destroy the world, this ruler wouldn''t impede him; no, she very well might aid him instead. No, she absolutely would.


    Under Zhou Ying''s rapid healing, Yang Ze recovered. "Ah, thank you, Zhou Ying!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Yang Ze immediately nodded. "Yes, yes! Captain, you''re trying to tell me that everything is founded on strength, that technique and strategy is meaningless without a solid foundation! Your strength might be suppressed in high-dimensional spaces, but you''re still far stronger than I am, and I''m still no match for you despite my home field advantage."


    Zhang Lie cracked his knuckles. It looks like you still haven''t learned your lesson. Shall we have another go?"


    Yang Ze hurriedly called out, "No, no! Captain, I can''t take it anymore. Can''t you tell me what I''m doing wrong?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "To be honest, your strategy and attempt to lure me to a disadvantageous battlefield are both excellent, but you''re still too weak in a direct fight. You need to stop focusing on running away; work on attacking your opponents as well!"


    Yang Ze was exasperated. His attacks weren''t weak; his opponent was simply too strong. He pursed his lips. "I understand, Captain."


    "Go take a break. Sun Xiaowu, it''s your turn."


    As Yang Ze walked off, Sun Xiaowu let out a huge sigh as he strode forward.


    "Must we really do this, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie had reverted to the appearance of a human, rather than a dragonwolf. He curled a finger at Sun Xiaowu. "Don''t talk nonsense. I want to see how much you''ve grown after maxing out your monarch gene fragments."


    Starting the fight with the dragonwolf transformation active would be akin to bullying.


    "The high-dimensional space hasn''t been fully repaired yet, and it would be a problem if we were to break it some more, wouldn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do you think you can escape into it like Yang Ze?"


    Knowing that he couldn''t escape, Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light. "In that case, Captain, be careful. [Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.

 Chapter 1230: Must We Really?

    Chapter 1230: Must We Really?


    A storm of golden feathers seemed to skirt by Zhang Lie as a gust of strength isted him from them.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the hall.


    The frightening aura that exuded from Zhang Lie vanquished all the clones and extinguished Sun Xiaowu''s golden radiance.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin,


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire pocket dimension quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked; space shook. The tolling of a bell resounded. The members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang clutched their heads in pain as the runic script dissipated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu stood in the midst of a pale-blue hurricane, besieged by wind and storm. The runes on his skin glowed brightly, and he stood stably as though his feet were rooted to the earth. Against the towering waves of pale-blue gic energy, Sun Xiaowu stood firm and unyielding.


    Zhang Lie whistled. "You really have grown far strongerpared to when you were in the second realm!"


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    The next moment, Sun Xiaowu''s body divided into thousands of illusions as Zhang Lie watched on in pride.


    "Hmm? Interesting." He smirked.


    "I''m behind you, Captain!" Sun Xiaowu called out smugly as he appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!" Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    Zhang Lie met Sun Xiaowu''s punch with one of his own in a direct strike, causing the golden energy to explode over thend. Sun Xiaowu''s image cracked and fizzled away¡ªthat "Sun Xiaowu" had just been one of his clones.


    Golden radiance covered the sky as his clones gathered together, each seeming simultaneously real and illusory.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    He rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he punched at Zhang Lie,who met him with nothing but his bare hands.


    Zhang Lie''s palm alone was sufficient to stop the golden qilin''s might. His palm was far smaller than the massive qilin, but it boasted ridiculous strength.


    "Captain, you''re far too strong!" Sun Xiaowu gasped.


    "Here!" Just then, Zhang Lie tossed the qilin back toward him. When the explosion cleared, Sun Xiaowu was left standing. His armor had transformed him into a ten-meter tall golden giant surrounded by runes.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    "Captain, I''ming!" As Sun Xiaowu punched forward, so too did the golden mecha. The sh between punch and punch caused a storm to form, and the ground cracked at the point of impact.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden giant, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely. The ground caved in; the sky shook.


    Gic energy gathered on Zhang Lie''s fist, like the roaring of the sea.


    [Goldenscale Palm: Split] transformed into blinding golden light, as though the sun were falling to the ground. Radiance struck Zhang Lie like a palpable force.


    Simultaneously, Zhang Lie punched forward, bolstered by the weight of the entire ocean.


    Radiant light smashed into the boundless ocean in a huge crash that left cracks in the pocket dimension.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Thousands of golden mechas simultaneously used Golden Divide, and the entire sky turned glittering gold.


    There were so many of them they filled the sky. The golden des formed a golden flood.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The shark rushed into the crowd of Sun Xiaowu''s clones, tearing dozens apart within moments. The mechas immediately attacked it.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, dyeing the heavens in resplendent gold and causing the shark to burst in an explosion of gic energy.

 Chapter 1231: Two Forms of Genetic Energy

    Chapter 1231: Two Forms of Gic Energy


    Zhang Lie pped. "Very well done. Your application of gold-attuned gic energy has improved significantly. However, I think there are still a few important areas of improvement."


    "Please give me some pointers, Captain," Sun Xiaowu requested politely.


    Zhang Lie was Sun Xiaowu''s idol, and he was far stronger than Sun Xiaowu himself. From Sun Xiaowu''s perspective, Zhang Lie naturally had the qualifications to advise him.


    "It''s easier for me to simply show you."


    Sun Xiaowu was shocked. Zhang Lie was going to demonstrate an application of gold-attuned gic energy? But wasn''t Zhang Lie''s framework water-attuned? Could a gic hunter use two different types of gic energy?


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy had turned sturdy and steely, the exact qualities of gold-attuned gic energy.


    Although Zhang Lie had used this sort of transmuted gic energy before within the halls of chaos, the environment had been saturated with chaotic energy, and it wasn''t obvious what Zhang Lie had done. Only now did the members of Team Zenith realize that Zhang Lie somehow hadmand of multiple elements.


    A gic hunter could only possess gic energy of one element; this was a known fact from decades of research from the Milky Way.


    Just like how a person could only have a single soul, a gic hunter could onlymand a single type of gic energy, one engraved into the hunter''s very genes.


    Somehow, Zhang Lie had broken this principle.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Gic energy gathered in concentrated bursts into sharp spikes of crystal. des shot out and tore apart Sun Xiaowu''s golden mechas, leaving the barest streak of blood on Sun Xiaowu''s face. Only when warm blood started to drip down did Sun Xiaowu return to his senses.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t get distracted in battle. If I had tried to kill you then..."


    Sun Xiaowu asked curiously, "Captain, can you really control two different types of gic energy?"


    This was fundamentally at odds with everything he knew!


    "If you want to know, find out in battle,"


    Zhang Lie called out, with a mysteriousugh. A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers,bining water-attuned gic energy and spatial fluctuations into potent silver beams that could pierce through anything.


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones were pierced clean through.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it.


    It was asrge as the falling sun. It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air.


    The qilin''s scales were radiant and shining with golden light, each like a miniature sun. It looked like a god descending from the heavens, its long whiskers floating in the void, surrounded by golden clouds, looking like a sculpture of gold.


    In Sun Xiaowu''s mecha form, the golden qilin he released grew to a staggering fifty thousand meters in height. The golden qilin radiated light, and was sorge that it almost filled up the entire pocket dimension.


    It withstood the barrage of silver spikes as it rushed forward.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The entire pocket dimension filled with golden light. Zhu immediately reinforced the pocket space so that it didn''t explode and affect the newly unified world. The members of Team Zenith invoked their defenses once more.


    ck me wrapped around Sun Mengmeng in a wall of mes. Silvery-white light shrouded Li Feng. An arclight dragon coiled around him and soared into the sky.


    Li Feng radiated silver light, and illusory silver dragons coiled around the members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a barrier against Fang Yi''s attack.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    Concentrated natural energy and vitality flowed through her fingertips.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth, surrounding the gathered hunters.


    Because Fang Yi and Yang Ze had yet to recover from their wounds, they were unable to help.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air. Their light illuminated the sky. The ck sun and silver moon were linked by a golden thread, which brought them into proximity with each other.


    The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red. The two celestial bodies ovepped, the silver moon taking on a blue sheen. As they ovepped perfectly, the moon absorbed the ck sunlight and transformed into a fully realized pale blue moon.

 Chapter 1232: Mechas, To Me!

    Chapter 1232: Mechas, To Me!


    A shining moon materialized behind Hong Xi''s back, the moonlight warm and nourishing as it nketed the members of Team Zenith. The ck mes burned ever more brightly, the golden light was more blinding, the illusory dragons solidified, and the wood dragons'' vitality magnified.


    As the golden light exploded, the pocket dimension almost shattered.


    Sun Xiaowu''s golden clones packed an incredible punch, and even Team Zenith''s defenses began to fall. It was difficult to imagine the strength of the explosions that were bombarding Zhang Lie, caught in their midst.


    The members of Team Zenith could spare no attention for Zhang Lie''s safety. They hurriedly defended themselves and waited for the golden light to clear. At the heart of the explosions, a human-sized silvery-white octahedral crystal came into view.


    Zhang Lie, encased in the crystal, survived the explosion intact.


    The members of Team Zenith were very impressed.


    "As expected of our captain..."


    Cracks appeared on the surface of the crystal, which swiftly propagated.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    The golden mechas all rushed toward Zhang Lie in a golden flood.


    As the crystal shattered into fragments that flew into the sky, the golden flood was blown away.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The ten thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. Silvery-white crystal manifested over his fists as he punched forward. A pir of silvery-white crystal pierced through the golden storm, and thousands of Sun Xiaowu''s clones hurriedly made to block it with their bodies.


    As Zhang Lie had stated, the density of the metal he created was ridiculously high, and Sun Xiaowu''s golden mechas were as weak as papier mache inparison.


    At the very least, however, the human barrier formed by thousands of his clones gave him enough time to react.


    Sun Xiaowu dodged to the side and sent a pulse of energy at all his clones.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright that the entire battlefield was illuminated, as though ten thousand suns had simultaneously appeared in the air. The next moment, they exploded in an explosion hundreds, thousands of times stronger than the [Golden Divides] had aplished.


    A frightening storm rose up, interspersed with golden des.


    The crystal pir was smashed to pieces, and Zhang Lie seemed right about to be submerged within the explosion''s golden light.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals floated around his body.


    As he cocked his fist, dozens of lifelike crystalline dragons emerged and began to roar.


    The next moment, they shot out along with his fist, twining around each other as they caught the golden light with their bodies, blocked the des, and caused the golden storm to dissipate.


    In response to the crystalline dragons rushing toward him, Sun Xiaowu began to radiate light.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. Momentster, so too did the right arms of all his clones.


    The golden mechas swarmed the crystalline dragons like moths to a me.


    The hundreds of dragons began to duke it out with the tens of thousands of clones. The dragons pierced through the clones'' bodies and dispersed the energy that made them up, whereas the clones repeatedly punched the dragons with [Goldenscale Palm]. The arena turned chaotic; in the end, despite the strength of Zhang Lie''s hundreds of crystalline dragons, they lost out to the clones'' numbers.


    However, the clones themselves suffered significant losses, and fewer than a thousand remained in the end.


    That was no matter to Sun Xiaowu, who was able to regenerate them indefinitely as long as his gic energy sufficed.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    "Do you think this will be meaningful?"


    Zhang Lie summoned the sword Guicang. As he shed, the space before him split, and the golden clones all fell to the ground as though he were reaping wheat.


    To Zhang Lie, numerical superiority was nothing but a joke.


    Before he could kill all the clones, Sun Xiaowu shouted, "Clones, to me! [Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God]! [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins]!"


    The golden clones all swirled toward Sun Xiaowu in a wave of golden light, as though they had suddenly turned into meteors.


    With a low shout, the clones ovepped with Sun Xiaowu. A denseyer of golden runes appeared over his skin with a bright burst of gic energy. The figure of a mecha behind Sun Xiaowu grewrger andrger. Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    A hundred, two hundred, three hundred... a thousand, two thousand, three thousand meters¡ªSun Xiaowu''s growth showed no sign of stopping. As the mecha grew, so too did Sun Xiaowu''s own strength.


    Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand meters¡ªeveryone spectating watched Sun Xiaowu in awe.


    Even the pocket dimension wasn''trge enough for the mecha, whose head struck its top. The "walls" of the pocket dimension, already cracked, gave way entirely as the mecha grewrger andrger.


    It continued to grow without any sign of stopping, quickly breaking through the barriers that Zhu had set up beforehand.


    Zhu sighed and clutched her forehead as she hurriedly increased the size of the pocket dimension.


    Otherwise, the battle between Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu would have dealt a serious blow to the newly unified world.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t the biggest culprit; he at least knew how to control his strength, and was cognizant of the status of the pocket dimension and of the members of Team Zenith. However, the members of Team Zenith weren''t able to do so themselves.


    Zhu wanted to toss them all into a high-dimensional space and have them use that as their battlefield, but thinking about how Zhang Lie and Yang Ze had broken even the neenthyer of space, Zhu immediately changed her mind...

 Chapter 1233: An Innate Change

    Chapter 1233: An Innate Change


    The members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie went beyond what the third realm could sustain, regardless of where they were. In fact, at that moment, the will of the world was still repairing the damage that Zhang Lie and Yang Ze had wrought.


    In the end, Sun Xiaowu''s mecha grew until it was a million meters tall before it stopped, far taller than it had been even when facing Ghroth.


    Clearly, maxing out his gene fragments had significantly augmented Sun Xiaowu''s strength.


    The huge mecha seemed to materialize physically. Its body was the size of a, and its face looked a little like Zhang Lie''s. Its armor gleaming a resplendent gold. It looked like a sun of titanic proportions.


    As Sun Xiaowu made his move, so too did the mecha, blocking the crystalline sword with both its palms.


    "Interesting indeed!" Zhang Lie smiled, pitch-ck gic energy roiling around him like the sea.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the arena dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted allbatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    An underworld river materialized in the sky, one so vast the entire world could see it.


    As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward with fists glimmering with radiance, each a sunburst that exploded in the pitch-ck ocean of gic energy.


    "[Golden Divide: Destion]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with golden radiance, so brightly that everyone was forced to squint. As he summoned and shot forth a de, that golden light morphed into a flood, shing with Zhang Lie''sherworld river. Pitch-ck gic energy sprayed from the point of impact like ink.


    Zhang Lie surfed over serpents down theherworld river, his sword shing apart the very sky. The gigantic mecha behind Sun Xiaowu crossed his arms in defense, blocking the attack.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "Captain, you''re trying to tell me that, as long as you control two different types of gic energy, you can do whatever you want."


    How was he meant to win against someone who had both water- and gold-attuned gic energy?


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Have you forgotten thews of this world that our forefathers have discovered?"


    Sun Mengmnegmented, "It truly is remarkable for you to have ess to two elements, Captain."


    Li Feng grinned. "Only someone like our captain deserves it, after all!"


    Hong Xi nodded. "If an ordinary person had such ess, I would think it exaggerated... but somehow I find it perfectly normal that our captain would be an exception among exceptions."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Have you forgotten even these basics?"


    Zhu spoke up. "Zhang Lie does not have ess to two different elements."


    As the ruler of the unified world, she could clearly sense the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy.


    Ordinary hunters had to use their sight, but Zhu could use the senses granted her by the very world itself.


    Zhang Lie clutched his head. "I don''t know what to tell all of you. No one canmand multiple elements; it''s a fundamental t known to the hunters of the Milky Way. Just what made you think I could control two?"


    Sun Xiaowu was shocked, as were the members of Team Zenith. Did Zhang Lie really only have ess to one element?


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "How could this be?"


    Sun Mengmeng added, "I saw the gic energy with my very eyes, Captain! It was clearly gold-attuned."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "It has the strength and sturdiness of gold-attuned gic energy, and it''s even sharper and denser than my own! It was able to prate through my golden clones directly."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Your clones were simply too weak. If you weren''t even able to see through my energy transmutation, it''s clear you need more training."


    Pitch-ck energy exploded from Zhang Lie, as though a demon were descending on the world.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The huge sea of gic energy covered up the skies of the world of ck rain, the dark clouds, the rain itself.


    The skies themselves were reced by a pitch-ck ocean, one so massive that even the erged space could barely contain it. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Shattersoul]!"


    The mecha''s golden fists glimmered with radiance, and golden runes circled them. The light burned like mes. As it punched forward, theherworld sea roiled, and dark serpents exploded in showers of ink.


    The pitch-ck gic energy stuck to the golden mecha''s fists and began to corrode at his gic energy. As though alive, theherworld sea began to restore itself even as it stuck to the golden mecha.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden mecha. Explosions wreaked the sea, causing waves to form and serpents to explode.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the sky as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld sea roiled, forming a gigantic blood dragon, its jaws wide open and its ws poised to swipe. The golden mecha''s figure began to crack, moments away from destruction.


    Zhang Lie bared his de horizontally before him. "Do you see it now?"


    "I hadn''t considered this possibility. Thank you for guiding me, Captain. You don''t control two elements¡ªrather, you''ve managed to imbue the properties of gold into your water-attuned gic energy, haven''t you?"


    Sun Xiaowu was quite intelligent, and this was the conclusion he hade to with Zhang Lie''s hints and from sensing his gic energy.

 Chapter 1234: Have You Intuited Something?

    Chapter 1234: Have You Intuited Something?


    However, Sun Xiaowu hardly wanted to admit that Zhang Lie''smand of gold-morphed water surpassed his ownmand of gold¡ªthat wasn''t even his element!


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Very good. Your intellect is salvageable, at least, but did you intuit something from that demonstration?"


    "I did, Captain! Look at my transmuted gic energy!"


    Golden light exploded from Sun Xiaowu''s eyes as resplendent golden runes of light soared into the air.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu generated a hundred clones, each in the form of a golden mecha.


    Maxing out his monarch gene fragments had increased Sun Xiaowu''s strength to a tremendous extent, and he was now able to summon clones in his gigantic mecha form.


    Sun Xiaowu''s gic energy was just about wiped out, and even his face turned pale.


    Clearly, a hundred clones in this state was his limit.


    The hundred mechas began to burn with gic energy, shocking the members of Team Zenith and causing them to set up their defenses once again.


    The clones exploded in titanic sts, resulting in far stronger explosions than the tens of thousands of self-destructing clones previously.


    Sun Mengmeng conjured a wall of mes. Silvery-white light shrouded Li Feng. An arclight dragon coiled around him and soared into the sky.


    Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a barrier against Fang Yi''s attack.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    Concentrated natural energy and vitality flowed through her fingertips.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Dance of the Earth Dragon]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth, surrounding the gathered hunters.


    Jun Jiuxiao conjured a field of wind and storm, while Ye Xianchen released an aura of ghosts and shadows.


    Fang Yi and Yang Ze had still not recovered fully.


    Zhou Ying had long since finished treating their wounds, but they were mentally exhausted and had expended all their gic energy, so they were still recovering from the strain.


    A shining moon materialized behind Hong Xi''s back, the moonlight warm and nourishing as it nketed the members of Team Zenith. The ck mes burned ever more brightly, the golden light was more blinding, the illusory dragons solidified, and the wood dragons'' vitality magnified. Wind and storm grew more intense, as did the howling of spirits and shadows.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Meteors of Gold]!"


    However, the explosions that Sun Xiaowu had been expecting never urred. The cloes began to burn like miniature suns, and the mes illuminated the entirety of the pocket dimension.


    The gold-attuned gic energy was lit ame. All the clones punched forward, their fists wreathed in me like meteors.


    Zhang Lie darted between the meteors, shing repeatedly with Guicang and bisecting the meteors.


    The meteors smashed into the ground and caused the earth to crack. They erupted in a torrent of golden mes.


    The innermost barrier that Zhu hadid down exploded.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Incredible energy gathered on Zhang Lie''s sword.


    "[shing Void and Stars]!"


    Sword energy glinted with piercing light as devastating strength rippled from Zhang Lie''s de, the upgraded form of [Striking Sun and Moon].


    As Zhang Lie swung his de around, sword energy cut through the starry skies above and prated through the golden mecha behind Sun Xiaowu.


    It crumbled to pieces, but the other clones didn''t dissipate.


    Burning with golden me, the mechas charged toward Zhang Lie. The mes surged as though the mechas would explode at any moment.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. Wide arcs of sword energy flew through the air, cutting apart all the golden mechas.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his sword and shook his head. "I don''t think you''re quite there yet."


    Sun Xiaowu chuckled wryly as he scratched his head. "It looks like I''ll need quite a bit more practice."


    "Did you intuit something?"


    Sun Xiaowu hesitated. "Wasn''t that the answer just now?"


    "It looks like you haven''t."


    Sun Xiaowu''s lips spasmed. "Captain, wasn''t that the answer?"


    "It looks like you''ll need to experience some more of my attacks, then..." Zhang Lie walked over with his sword in hand.


    Frissons of fear ran down Sun Xiaowu''s back as he prepared for the battle to continue.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and appeared before Sun Xiaowu within moments. As he shed forward, the mecha behind him cracked into pieces, and Sun Xiaowu himself was sent flying. He crashed into the splintered dimensional barrier, which shattered.


    "You''re in poor condition, and your gic energy hasn''t recovered. Take some time to recover and think about just what it is that I want you to intuit."


    Before Sun Xiaowu recovered, furtherbat would be meaningless.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, aren''t you going to tell me that enemies won''t give me any time to rest?"


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang. "Very good. It looks like you''ve had enough time to rest, so let''s continue..."


    Sun Xiaowu visibly trembled as he shook his head. "No, no, it''s far from enough! Please give me some time to rest, Captain."


    The members of Team Zenith took down their defenses. Sun Xiaowu''s attacks were particrlyrge in scope and extent, but they didn''t break down the barriers that the members of Team Zenith had erected. Upon witnessing that neither Zhang Lie nor Sun Xiaowu were making a move, Sun Mengmeng asked, "Is it over?"


    "We''re preparing for a second round," Zhang Lie called back.


    While the two of them were taking a break, Zhu reinforced the shielding around the pocket dimension. As she did so, Sun Xiaowu''s gic energy recovered to roughly four-fifths of its peak value.


    Zhang Lie said, "You''ve recovered most of your gic energy by this point, so I''ll ask again: did you intuit something?"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Can you give me a hint, Captain?"


    "It looks like you haven''t, then. I''ve given you a hint from the very beginning, but you didn''t discover it in time. We''ll start the second round now."


    Sun Xiaowu sighed in exasperation. "Can''t you tell me the answer, Captain?"


    "Without experiencing it for yourself, will you really be able to understand what I want you to see? I''m sure you''ll improve significantly after this battle." Zhang Lie vanished from the spot and darted toward Sun Xiaowu, appearing before him in the blink of an eye. He thrust his sword forward.


    Sun Xiaowu shot backwards like a bullet and smashed into the pocket dimension''s barriers once more...

 Chapter 1235: Indefinite Cloning

    Chapter 1235: Indefinite Cloning


    Golden runes revolved around Sun Xiaowu''s skin and blocked Zhang Lie''s sword sh, reducing the force of the impact with which he smashed into the barriers of the pocket dimension.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    "Haven''t you given up yet?" Zhang Lie continued waving the sword in his hands like a whip,shing at Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu''s golden runes continued shining; even as his mecha form dissipated, Sun Xiaowu summoned it again.


    Zhang Lie''s each and every blow smashed apart a golden rune, but without harming Sun Xiaowu''s body itself.


    Yang Ze couldn''t help but shake his head. "How cruel..."


    Fang Yi muttered, "He''s just drawing it out."


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed rather confused. "What are all of you talking about?"


    Yang Ze replied, "Our captain''s likely afraid of harming Sun Xiaowu, so he''s going easy on him. However, this sort of relentless attack is particrly draining. Personally, I''d rather take a serious blow that I need a week or two to recuperate from than this."


    Fang Yi sighed. "This is torture."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "No, you''re both mistaken. This is hardly cruel."


    Li Feng exined, "Our captain''s using his attacks like a form of training. He''s forcing Sun Xiaowu to practice concentrating his gic energy around an area rapidly."


    Fang Yi scrutinized the match carefully. "You''re right."


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "Our captain has always been training us through battle."


    Sun Xiaowu roared out. The golden mecha shone with light, turning brighter than even a zing sun, illuminating the entire pocket dimension. All that light began to concentrate, so much so that it formed an outline that almost ovepped with Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundred Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into a hundred thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha. The clones were so great in number that they took up half the pocket dimension by themselves, an entire army of himself.


    Thanks to thebination of his newly acquired monarch gene fragments and Zhang Lie''s targeted training, Sun Xiaowu was finally able to control a hundred thousand clones.


    Zhang Lie swung Guicang in a horizontal sh, then drew Hanguang and swung that as well. The two strikes seemed to merge into one.


    "[Golden Divide: the Radiant Sun]!"


    Hundreds of thousands of clones raised their palms simultaneously as light flooded the sky. Golden radiance, bright and dense as an ocean, fell toward Zhang Lie as the palms descended. A golden flood shed against Zhang Lie''s twin des.


    Zhang Lie shed forward with his swords again and again, countering the momentum of the light.


    He alone blocked a hundred thousand des.


    "Numbers aren''t indicative of strength, you know."


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him.


    Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, the golden clones'' radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Zhang Lie shed forward with his twin des, carving away at the ranks filled with a hundred thousand golden clones.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God]! [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins]!"


    The remaining golden clones all swirled toward Sun Xiaowu in a wave of golden light, as though they had suddenly turned into meteors.


    With a low shout, the clones ovepped with Sun Xiaowu. A denseyer of golden runes appeared over his skin with a bright burst of gic energy. The figure of a mecha behind Sun Xiaowu grewrger andrger. Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    A hundred, two hundred, three hundred... a thousand, two thousand, three thousand meters¡ªSun Xiaowu''s growth showed no sign of stopping. As the mecha grew, so too did Sun Xiaowu''s own strength.


    Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand meters¡ªeveryone spectating watched Sun Xiaowu in awe.


    This time, Sun Xiaowu gathered even more golden light, and thebined mecha grew farrger than before. Its head struck the ceiling of even the expanded pocket dimension.


    Exasperated, Zhu could only expand the pocket dimension once again.


    The huge mecha seemed to materialize physically. Its body was the size of a, and its face looked a little like Zhang Lie''s. Its armor gleaming a resplendent gold. It looked like a sun of titanic proportions.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward in a burst of golden light.


    Despite blocking Zhang Lie''s des, he was still forced back quite some distance by sheer momentum.


    "[Blinding sh: Hundredfold Echo]!" Sun Xiaowu generated a hundred clones, each in the form of a golden mecha.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Haven''t you already tried thisst time?"


    "I wouldn''t use the same technique again on you, Captain. This is a stronger version¡ªI''m not even sure if I can control it myself."


    Sun Xiaowu howled and emitted golden light all around him.


    The hundred golden giants glowed brightly like burning suns.


    Yang Ze cried out in shock, "What''s Sun Xiaowu intending to do?"


    Li Feng nced at Fang Yi, who was beside him.


    "He''s not intending to y with explosions like someone over here, is he?"


    Fang Yi retorted, "What I do can''t be considered explosions!"


    Zhou Ying frowned. "He''s Mengmeng''s brother, if nothing else. I think we have to be careful."


    Hong Xi had already invoked her blue moon domain. "Do we need toyer our defenses?"


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Ultimate Martial God]! [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins]!"


    Sun Xiaowu transformed into a thick pir of light that rose into the air. The pocket dimension''s barrier, unable to withstand the pressure of the attack, began to crack. Hundreds of golden mechas morphed into golden suns that spun around Sun Xiaowu as they closed in on him.


    The clones merged into the pir of light that formed Sun Xiaowu. A denseyer of golden runes appeared over the pir with a bright burst of gic energy. The figure of a mecha behind Sun Xiaowu grewrger andrger. Runes glowed around the pir like a burning sun.


    The mecha broke through the top of the pocket dimension as it continued to growrger...

 Chapter 1236: Matryoshka

    Chapter 1236: Matryoshka


    With a huge crash, Sun Xiaowu''s mecha broke through the top of the pocket dimension as it continued to growrger.


    Yang Ze murmured, "This is a familiar scene indeed. Could it be..."


    Even the second barrier that Zhu hadid down was unable to bear the strain any longer, and it too cracked as the mecha continued to grow relentlessly.


    Fang Yi cried out, "Does [Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God] have a second-stage transformation?"


    Li Feng shook his head. "This is already the third stage."


    With an ear-splitting crack, the mecha broke throughyer afteryer of dimensional barrier. Zhu was continuing to expand the space, but she couldn''t keep up with Sun Xiaowu''s mecha''s growth.


    As though breaking through an eggshell, the warlord''s head poked out through the final barrier of the pocket dimension.


    The enormous mecha bore characteristics of both Sun Xiaowu and Zhang Lie, as though they hadbined into one entity. Sun Mengmeng couldn''t help but feel rather disturbed.


    Golden radiance caught the eye as the mecha''s armor gleamed a resplendent gold. Its body shone brighter than the sun itself.


    Indeed, the size of its body was wellparable to the sun. As it stood beyond the pocket dimension and light seeped out of its body, the entire unified world witnessed an intense golden glow.


    Only the unified world wasrge enough to contain the figure of such arge mecha.


    Yang Ze''s lips twitched. "Sun Xiaowu''s new technique reminds me of a series of infinite nesting dolls..."


    First [Adamantine Aegis], then summoning more clones, thenbining them; then transforming into a mecha, summoning more clones, thenbining them; using this sort of strategy, Sun Xiaowu seemed able to augment hisbat ability indefinitely. Who would be able to beat him then?


    However, things weren''t as straightforward as Yang Ze expected. [Adamantine Aegis: Ultimate Martial God] was Sun Xiaowu''s current limit, and he was barely able to control such tremendous strength. The golden mecha seemed liable to copse at any moment.


    Sun Xiaowu was very satisfied with what he had aplished. "What do you think, Captain?"


    However, Zhang Lie was clearly dissatisfied with Sun Xiaowu''s transformation.


    "Is this your response to my question?"


    Sun Xiaowu puffed out his chest proudly. "I don''t think it''s an exaggeration to say that I''m currently the strongest member of Team Zenith."


    The members of Team Zenith nced askance at him. Against Sun Xiaowu''s mecha, asrge as a sun, they really weren''t sure whether they could contend against him.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned dark. "It looks like you haven''t understood what I told you."


    Sun Xiaowu raised his hands, and the mecha mirrored his actions. "Am I not strong enough y et?"


    Sun Xiaowu felt that, in this state, he might even be able to spar on even terms with Zhang Lie.


    "If you think you are, let me test you."


    Guicang and Hanguang shone in unison.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Duan Zisuan like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatantsyers of earth sank into the whirlpool, obliterated in an instant.


    As the pitch-ck storm grew fiercer, the air around the arena turned dark, covering up the golden radiance that Sun Xiaowu gave off.


    Sun Xiaowu''s pupils contracted as he sensed the power of Zhang Lie''s des.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Ten Suns'' Annihtion]!"


    Light red up from around Sun Xiaowu''s body as ten huge suns appeared by the manifestation of the golden mecha.


    The suns were dazzlingly bright, and the golden radiance they gave off much like shining swords. They pierced through the cloud cover and the sky.


    Yang Ze seemed particrly surprised. "This technique... really does seem interesting."


    Li Feng asked, "Is this an evolution of [Blinding sh]?"


    The ten zing suns were all his clones.


    Sun Mengmeng chuckled as she shook her head. "So far, Xiaowu''s still unable to produce full clones of his golden mecha in this ascended state, but I hadn''t expected him to be able to use his iplete clones like this."


    Sun Xiaowu himself understood that he wasn''t able to control his clones perfectly, but that didn''t mean that they weren''t useful.


    His clones simply had to be functional; that was enough.


    "[Echo of Origins]!"


    The ten gigantic suns transformed into a wave of energy that Sun Xiaowu sucked into his body and transformed into explosive strength.


    Golden energy erupted from him like a volcano, covering everything before him in piercing light. The entire world was dyed golden; a wave of gold shed against Zhang Lie''s twin ck and blood dragons.


    Despite Sun Xiaowu''s strength, Zhang Lie was stronger.


    Even if Sun Xiaowu''s [Ultimate Martial God] was able to augment his strength by ten thousand times, his imperfect control of this strength made him weaker than Zhang Lie.


    The golden light was forced back, and Sun Xiaowu stumbled. The golden mecha behind him seemed on the verge of crumbling.


    Zhang Lie pointed at Sun Xiaowu with his pointer finger.


    "It looks like you aren''t as strong as you thought you would be."


    Sun Xiaowu''s manifestation of his golden mecha flickered. The attack just now had drained him of all his reserves.


    "In the end, I can''t best you, Captain."


    Sun Xiaowu clutched his chest in lethargy, then raised both hands. The golden mecha vanishedpletely. "I don''t have the strength to keep fighting."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Sun Xiaowu frowned and replied, "That I need to focus onbining and upgrading my skills?"


    Zhang Lie seemed to be angry. "It looks like you haven''t intuited a thing!"


    Sun Xiaowu smiled wryly. "To be frank, Captain, I have a hard time simultaneously pondering your questions while engaging in a difficult battle against you."


    "In that case, we can''t stop here."


    Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s pupil soulshard and stared straight at Sun Xiaowu''s soul, one resplendent in gold.


    Sun Xiaowu visibly shook as he activated hisst dregs of gic energy.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!" Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light...

 Chapter 1237: Must We Continue?

    Chapter 1237: Must We Continue?


    Sun Xiaowu waved his hands weakly. "No, Captain, I don''t have the strength to keep fighting!"


    However, Zhang Lie seemed to have no intention to back down. A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    All those who witnessed the hypnotic light stood still in a daze; Sun Xiaowu himself was frozen stiff as Zhang Lie''s sh arced toward him.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the northern lights overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    The sword stopped in front of Sun Xiaowu as Zhang Lie sheathed it and punched his face instead, sending him flying into the distance.


    Only then did Sun Xiaowu suddenly wake up as though from a dream. His back was drenched with sweat; he had stood still and allowed Zhang Lie''s attack to draw close, without being able to stop it at all! If they were in actualbat, he would have perished dozens of times over¡ªbut fortunately, his opponent was Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you understand your weakness now?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "I knew I was never your opponent from the start, Captain."


    "Do you know why you''re so weak?"


    "A difference in strength and power."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "No¡ªit''s because of density and concentration."


    Sun Xiaowu recalled what Zhang Lie had said. "What you mentioned at the beginning, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie exined, "Techniques aren''t strong just because they''rerge and shy. You''ve been trapped by this misconception and ignored the crux of the problem: density and concentration. Your clones and mechas have been prioritizing number and size, and while you may have seemed to grow stronger, the density of your summons has seen a notable decline. You''ll need to work hard to grow stronger."


    Sun Xiaowu recalled that he had indeed been focusing on [Echo of Origins] as the core of his set of techniques. It did allow him to unleash tremendous power within short periods of time, but his control and pration ability had fallen as a result.


    Sun Xiaowu bowed. "Thank you for your advice, Captain. Gold has to be resilient, sturdy, and strong. This is a point I''ve neglected, and I''ve been subconsciously developing it like water-attuned gic energy. If you hadn''t corrected me now, Captain, I would have gone down the wrong path entirely."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Your clones and mechas are very interesting and versatile, but you have to work on your gic energy first and foremost. Temper it rather than focusing on unnecessary size and number."


    "Thank you, Captain."


    Sun Xiaowu wasn''t badly hurt, but he had expended a great deal of gic energy and would have to rest.


    Zhang Lie called out, "Li Feng, it''s your turn."


    Zhu suddenly raised her voice. "Hold it!"


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Zhu said, "Please wait, Zhang Lie. I''m worried that your battles will do too much damage to the unified world, so I want to construct a separate pocket world first."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We''ll wait for you, then."


    Zhu immediately made her move, invoking her authority as ruler of the world to iste the space in the vicinity and to construct an independent world within it. Subsequently, sheyered it with spatial locks, barriers, and protections, just as she had when Sun Xiaowu fought with Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie dispelled his dragonwolf transformation, sheathed Guicang, and reined in his aura.


    Sun Xiaowu had grown much stronger than in the second realm, and Zhang Lie had used up a fair amount of his gic energy reserves.


    Li Feng was very invested in his uing battle against Zhang Lie. While Zhu constructed the pocket space, he was diligently warming up so that he could face his captain at peak strength.


    Zhu finished just as Li Feng did.


    "Here Ie, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie opened his eyes anew, having finished calibrating his own body as well.


    "Let''s see how you''ve improved over thesest few months, then."


    Li Feng took one step forward, and a huge arclight dragon manifested out of nothing.


    However, in the blink of an eye, Zhang Lie dissipated it. Li Feng reeled back in the resulting explosion, not having caught Zhang Lie''s actions.


    "Not bad¡ªyou''re as fast as expected for a light-attuned hunter.


    "As fast as expected? Captain, I didn''t even see your attack!


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of a few white dragons, which he shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "Very good!" Zhang Lie scattered the dragons with a wave of his left arm as Li Feng morphed into a beam of light and shot toward him.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of incandescent wyrms in the sh of an eye. However, the same thing happened again. The dozens of serpents were torn to shreds before they could touch Zhang Lie.


    How could it be? He had attacked at close range! Li Feng had no clue what was going on. "Captain, how are you doing this?"


    "Would your enemies tell you how to counter them?" Zhang Lie rolled his eyes.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on Zhang Lie like a beam of light.


    "Then I''ll have to find out through battle. Be careful, Captain."


    A pir of light rose into the air. Struck by the dazzling light, the onlookers had to shield their eyes.


    "Come!"


    Zhang Lie''s ck serpent rushed forward and devoured the pir of light, sending Li Feng flying into the distance. Li Feng clutched his palm in pain, sucking in air as he dealt with the bacsh from the blow.


    "Sorry, I got too excited!"


    "I can continue, Captain!" Li Feng''s eyes grew resolute.


    Zhang Lie nodded approvingly. "Let''s do so, then."


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed toward the sr king...


    Ripples appeared over Zhang Lie''s fists. As he punched forward, waves of pale blue gic energy obliterated the illusory arclight dragon.


    Li Feng had hidden his body within the dragon, and shining light had been concentrated over and over again around his palm.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!"


    Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded him as he shot out a piercing burst of light that surpassed even Sun Xiaowu''s prating power.


    However, Zhang Lie reached out and crushed those fangs of light with nothing but his palms.


    Recognizing that his attack had failed, Li Feng quickly retreated, but he never stopped attacking.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!"


    The arclight imprint rapidly gathered, and a white dragon appeared behind him. As Li Feng punched forward, the dragon shot toward the hydra like a bullet from a sniper rifle. It left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem to invoke a technique. He merely stood still and casually waved a hand, but the gctic mirage shattered around him.

 Chapter 1238: Emulated a Few Techniques

    Chapter 1238: Emted a Few Techniques


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!"


    Li Feng''s fists, glowing with light, were packed with huge quantities of light-attuned gic energy. They smashed into the ground in a massive explosion. All that energy headed in a certain direction.


    As the ground cracked, white light zigzagged toward Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie''s feet stomped on the ground, reinforcing it against Li Feng''s technique. The white light exploded as though a volcano had erupted, spraying out light in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. Even so, Zhang Lie was wholly unhurt.


    Li Feng seemed to have predicted this oue. He passed through the white light and made use of its optical properties to shroud himself as he attacked.


    However, without seeing just how Zhang Lie had struck, he was sent flying through the air. He barely stabilized himself in time.


    Li Feng turned to Zhang Lie. "I''ve emted one of your techniques with my own, Captain, and I''d like to get your opinion of it."


    "Very well," Zhang Lie replied.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!" A silvery-white glow, blinding in its intensity, exploded from Li Feng''s body. The shockwaves that emanated from his body were so intense as to distort space. They roared through the air like thundering dragons, turning the sky white.


    Zhang Lie approved of Li Feng''s efforts. The technique was based on one of his, but Li Feng had converted it into somethingpletely his own.


    "You''ve been paying careful attention to my advice from the second realm, haven''t you?"


    "Of course, Captain. I''d like for you to witness the results of mybor today."


    As Li Feng punched forward, light-attuned gic energy transformed into a raging flood. Thick, concentrated energy, like roaring dragons and galloping steeds, like sharp des piercing heaven and earth, fell from the sky.


    "Let''s see it, then!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the twobatants. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Zhang Lie had used the technique on which Li Feng''s [Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall] was based¡ª[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar].


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the hall.


    The white light and pale blue waves smashed into each other, causing the barriers Zhu had erected to crack.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. The white light ran rampant; the world was already on the verge of breaking apart after just a few minutes of fighting.


    Pale blue waves, propelled by the might of a boundless ocean; bright white light, sharp as swords¡ªthe two different types of energy wrecked each other and the environment around them.


    Zhu clutched her head. "As expected..."


    The members of Team Zenith all erected their barriers.


    In the sh between the two energies, Li Feng lost out. He was forced to stumble back.


    Li Feng chuckled wryly. "I''m still far weaker than you are, Captain."


    Zhang Lie praised him. "You''ve improved tremendously."


    Li Feng gave him another wry smile. "Don''t make fun of me, Captain."


    "I''m being serious."


    "But you haven''t been fighting us seriously, have you?"


    "I don''t want to heavily injure you," Zhang Lie replied.


    "This might be the truth, but it''s still painful to hear. I think I might even rather be heavily injured by your full might."


    "You''ve emted a few other techniques of mine, haven''t you?"


    Li Feng nodded. "Yes, Captain."


    "Demonstrate them all. I''ll consider them seriously."


    "Then, be careful, Captain!"


    Li Feng''s aura grew to its peak. Wrapped up in shining light, an arclight dragon emerged from his body and circled upwards.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!"


    Li Feng shouted. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    As Li Feng yelled out, dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole.


    Thousands of arclight dragons criss-crossed in mid-air before swooping down like meteors.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The thousands of arclight dragons were no match in size to the huge ck dragon Zhang Lie had summoned. Compared to it, the arclight dragons were nothing more than bugs. The ck dragon opened its maw wide and bit down on the arclight horde. Space cracked where its teeth intersected, leaving void behind.


    The ck dragonunched itself toward Li Feng, who defended himself with a huge greatsword, illuminating the sky with white light.


    As he swung the sword, a heavy sh bisected the ck dragon.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. However, Li Feng was prepared. He knew of this technique, and he had no intention of shing head-on with it. He transformed into an illusory arclight dragon and disappeared from the spot.


    Zhang Lie, who had been standing far away just moments ago, suddenly appeared behind him and patted his shoulder.


    "How do you feel?"


    Li Feng was so shaken by the sudden contact that he almost leapt up. He wiped at the sweat on his forehead and gave Zhang Lie a thumbs up. "You truly are incredible, Captain."


    He had thought himself fast, but Zhang Lie was even faster. If Zhang Lie had been an enemy and had kicked him into the storm of annihtion...


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Li Feng chuckled. "I suppose we shall have to continue."


    "Naturally," Zhang Lie replied. "If you haven''t learned anything, of course we have to continue."


    "In that case, Captain, take this!"


    Knowing that struggle would be futile, Li Feng struck once again.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire patch of void. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens.

 Chapter 1239: A Passable Imitation

    Chapter 1239: A Passable Imitation


    "Your rendition of [Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring] is very strong, but I think it''s stillcking in terms of brute force. Consider this."


    Pitch-ck gic energy gushed out from around Zhang Lie, covering up the white light that Li Feng gave off within moments. The pocket dimension turned dark almost immediately.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    They tore apart the arclight dragons within moments. Zhang Lie shed downward with his sword, causing everything before him to tremble. Pitch-ck gic energy exploded forth, destroying everything in sight.


    Li Feng hurriedly flew backwards in an attempt to escape from the wave of annihtion, but a tremendous suction tore apart the pocket dimension. Li Feng stuck his sword in the ground to anchor himself.


    His face was pale. Zhang Lie''s strength had been far too overwhelming; there was little that [Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring] couldpete with against [Fists of the Silent Sea: Thousand Dragons Soaring].


    One invoked light-attuned gic energy; the other, energy of annihtion.


    For [Light''s Bulwark] to surpass [Fists of the Silent Sea], Li Feng would have to find a source of energy of equal strength as Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion.


    "Don''t get distracted in front of your enemy," Zhang Lie warned, punching forward and sending pitch-ck gic energy extending toward Li Feng like a serpent.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Starcrest Dragonde]!" Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors.


    When the pitch-ck gic energy struck the meteors, it absorbed them and disintegrated the dragons.


    The ster river that resulted from Li Feng''s technique wrapped around Zhang Lie like a ribbon.


    With a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie destroyed the ribbon with the sound of shattering ss.


    Starlight fell.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!"


    Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    Zhang Lie raised an arm and suppressed the arclight dragon.


    Li Feng waved his sword of light, each arc releasing a new dragon.


    Zhang Lie punched forward with his fists, causing the space to quake. Spatial ripples spurred the tides onward as the dragons disintegrated.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Milky Way sh]!" Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly as a gxy seemed to unfold around Li Feng.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy.


    Gic energy gathered on Zhang Lie''s fist, like the roaring of the sea. A shark manifested behind him and swam forward.


    Zhang Lie faced the river of ster light with just his pointer finger. Sword energy gushed out of his fingers like a waterfall, shing against Li Feng''s technique in a dazzling explosion of ster mist.


    The resulting explosion was inordinately beautiful, but the waves of gic energy that resulted in the aftermath were no less potent for their beauty. The members of Team Zenith hurriedly erected defenses against the attack.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that seemed like it could part the very sea.


    Zhang Lie blocked the attack once more with his pointer finger, sending sshes of water all throughout the arena.


    "This technique looks like it''s based on one of mine. Is that right?" Zhang Lie asked curiously.


    Li Feng grinned with his teeth. "If even you can''t identify the technique from which this originated, Captain, it must mean that it''s wholly my own now."


    Li Feng''s arclight energy suppressed Zhang Lie''s water-attuned gic energy as the shark behind Zhang Lie rushed forward and knocked Li Feng back.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!"


    Li Feng soared into the air, propelling himself upward with every cloud he stepped on. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air.


    Zhang Lie shed his pointed finger through the void, sending water-attuned gic energy hurtling forth as though in a river, bisecting the silver energy.


    Li Feng flew through the air, morphing into beams of light that sprayed out sword energy at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie gathered water-attuned gic energy between his fingers and manifested a river of startling proportions. The river shot forth like a dragon and smashed against Li Feng''s des.


    In the end, Li Feng''s shes were incapable of shing apart the iing streams. Instead, the current swept his arclight dragons away into the air.


    Fighting spirit welled up in Li Feng''s eyes. Ever since the second realm, he had been emting Zhang Lie. Now that he was facing off against the real thing and demonstrating the results of his training, he had to make a good showing.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Realm of Heaven]!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars. Holy hymns echoed around him, and the concentrated energy manifested as outspread wings to his back.


    He seemed to be right by theke of gray sludge, but simultaneously a world apart¡ªin a dimension beyond, where the gray sludge couldn''t attack back.


    Spatial maniption!


    A hundred dragons wrapped around Li Feng''s sword, and his light-attuned gic energy was formingplicated patterns around him. Light swirled around him, as though manifesting in the form of illusions, as he swung his de down.


    Upon seeing this blow from Li Feng, even Zhang Lie had to pay attention.


    "[Manifold Gates of Heaven]!"


    Radiant white light exploded from the point of impact, the holy light of heaven. Li Feng''s sword shed apart the gates, unleashing concentrated light.


    Upon witnessing the scale of the attack, the members of Team Zenith hurriedlyyered their defenses. Hong Xi''s pale blue moonlight shone down on them all. Sun Mengmeng manifested another ck firewall. By then, Fang Yi and Yang Ze had both recovered, and they too were contributing to the defense.


    They had been protected by the others in a state of weakness; it was time for them to give back.


    Refracted light shone around Yang Ze, who isted them in space.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear quickly,bining the energy of chaos with wind and storm. A wind dragon and storm tiger manifested and formed a wall in front of them all.


    Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a barrieryered over Fang Yi''s defense.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!" Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    The members of Team Zenith were wrapped up byyer afteryer of dragons.


    Jun Jiuxiao conjured a field of wind and storm, while Ye Xianchen released an aura of ghosts and shadows. Sun Xiaowu rested in their midst, still recovering from his exertion.

 Chapter 1240: Ultimate Techniques

    Chapter 1240: Ultimate Techniques


    The pocket dimension crumbled in earnest. The spatial locks that Zhu had set up cracked with the intensity of the white light that Li Feng had manifested.


    From the depths of the holy radiance, a blood-red explosion suddenly tore apart the light. It radiated outward, dyeing everything red in the process.


    Strong though the light might be, it wasn''t stronger than Fang Yi''s sixfold strike, and only three of Team Zenith''syered defenses had fallen.


    Zhang Lie transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with a dragon''s scales, and a dragon''s horns grew out of his forehead.


    Li Feng crowed, "I forced you to use your dragonwolf soulshard, Captain! It looks like I really have improved a great deal."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "All of you have been improving since the beginning."


    "In that case, Captain, are you pleased with my progress?"


    "That depends on what you''ve learned in battle."


    Li Feng sighed. "I haven''t intuited what you''re trying to teach me, Captain."


    "Then let''s keep fighting!"


    "Be careful, Captain. The rest of my techniques that I''ll show you are all ultimate techniques, far stronger than anything I''ve disyed to date!"


    "Excellent. Let''s see how much you''ve grown, then."


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang, preparing to get serious himself.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    Li Feng struck with his sword. A river of holy light seemed to trail behind him, and arclight dragons could be seen amidst the light. The source of the river was a pair of ornate doors. As those doors opened up, countless arclight dragons poured out from behind the doors, forming a concentrated river of light.


    Suddenly, with a sh, that white light was bisected.


    Zhang Lie''s attack was merely a thin line, but it felt as though countless whirlwinds of sword energy were manifesting before him. The holy dragons that had been summoned in a dense horde were obliterated in bursts of white light.


    The white light shot out all around like sharp des. Millions of holy dragons transformed into millions of des, more concentrated than even raindrops in a storm.


    Zhang Lie revolved in mid-air, defending himself with a sword.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    Silvery-white gic energy burst forth as Li Feng raised the sword in his hand high into the air, as though a god were descending on the world.


    The entire sky was overshadowed by a silvery-white glow that faced off against the golden light.


    Holy hymns began to ring through the air.


    The hymns seemed to pierce straight through the soul, until the onlookers felt suddenly at ease, as though there was no strife with which to concern themselves.


    Zhang Lie''s soul was exceptionally strong, his will resolute, and he was wholly unaffected.


    Like waves, the silver glow pulsed forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. Each silver wave morphed into an arclight dragon, soaring through the air.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Countless arclight dagons soared through the sky, which thundered amidst forks of white lightning. It looked as though a holy world were forming in the sky.


    Li Feng struck. A holy storm raged around him. Sword energy manifested as trailing dragons. A god descended as the heavens raged, as lightning forked through the air.


    Li Feng''s de arced through the air andnded like a heavenly tribtion. Thousands of holy dragons smote the sr king''s forces,


    The crackling of thunder covered up the sound of hymns, as though it was a requiem for the world...


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood like thousands of courageous soldiers attacking in force.


    Holy light shed like lightning. The holy dragons danced madly through the air. White sword energy formed a holy storm as Zhang Lie found himself being suppressed for the first time. His ck serpents could be endlessly regenerated, but Li Feng''s sh somehow seemed to be of a higher tier than Zhang Lie''s. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but be startled.


    The current formed by millions of ck serpents was chopped up into small fragments; [The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate] was dozens, even hundreds of times stronger, than thest technique Li Feng had executed.


    Pitch-ck energy exploded from Zhang Lie as though a demon were descending on the world.Zhang Lie struck once more.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The entire world was covered in shes of light and darkness, which shed in the center of the pocket dimension.


    The two techniques formed a surprising pair: it was evident that Li Feng''s [The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate] was meant to be a counterpart of Zhang Lie''s [The Boundless de: the River Lethe], but Li Feng had refined his version of the technique until it was all his own.


    Theherworld river and holy storm shed with each other, as did their draconic counterparts. Holy lightning struck ck waves; the sh between heaven and hell caused the pocket dimension to tremble, as though it were undergoing a severe tribtion.


    The sh between Zhang Lie''s ck serpents and Li Feng''s holy lightning caused the serpents to continuously explode and regenerate.


    In a sh of techniques with the same origin, however, Zhang Lie could hardly lose.


    Eventually, theherworld river overwhelmed the horde of holy dragons, the lightning, and the holy storm. Zhang Lie''sherworld river triumphed over all.

 Chapter 1241: Crossing Twin Blades

    Chapter 1241: Crossing Twin des


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Annihtion]!"


    A silver dragon manifested around the de. The dragon''s howl shook the air. In conjunction with the holy dragon horde and the scintiting lightning, it tore apart the pitch-ckherworld sea in a vortex of destruction.


    "[Striking Sun and Moon]!"


    Zhang Lie unleashed a devastating strike as bright as the zing sun.


    The sword shed the sky, and the stars fell. Sword energy red, and for a moment, it seemed like even the moon was about to be bisected.


    Zhang Lie struck with his sword, his arm trembling with power.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon. The blood dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth.


    "[The Boundless de: Shattered Sun]!"


    Sword energy roiled. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight and reced it with a silver glow, transmuting that sunlight into something that boosted Li Feng''s strength. The sword energy tore apart the sky.


    Zhang Lie''s blood dragon tore apart Li Feng''s ultimate blow and forced him back.


    As he deftly avoided the blood dragon''s attack, Li Feng shed at Zhang Lie with brilliant light, but thetter defended with Guicang.


    "[The Boundless de: the Trembling World]!"


    Sword energy roiled. An arclight dragon reared its head. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight.


    The sword energy grew brighter and brighter, until it surpassed the sun, moon, and stars in intensity. The will of the sword seemed to manifest physically into the form of a dragon that seemed to be about to rip apart heaven and earth.


    Space shattered, and stars fell like rain.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!" Incredible energy gathered on Zhang Lie''s sword.


    "[shing Void and Stars]!"


    Sword energy glinted with piercing light as devastating strength rippled from Zhang Lie''s de, the upgraded form of [Striking Sun and Moon].


    Li Feng''s sword energy was swept away in an instant.


    "[Holy Dragon Transformation]!"


    Silver light dyed the entire world. Gic energy swept over Li Feng''s body and manifested as a denseyer of silver scales, like a suit of silver armor. Antlers grew out of his head, and his hair turned a radiant silver.


    Li Feng gatheredrge quantities of light-attuned gic energy, more than what he could reasonably bear, for a moment of explosive strength. He shed forward with his sword, the radiant energy manifesting like a dragon.


    The momentary boost allowed him to fight on par with Zhang Lie. His swords shed with incredible speed, and even Zhang Lie had to be wary of his closebat ability.


    Under the effect of his [Holy Dragon Transformation], Li Feng''s speed increased to such an extreme that a thousand afterimages seemed to trail him.


    The attack was incredibly rapid, and the sword so sharp it felt like a thousand sword strikes wereyered on top of one another.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. In this region of elerated time, Zhang Lie caught up to and even surpassed Li Feng within moments.


    Once Zhang Lie activated his domain, he rapidly gained the upper hand.


    "[The Boundless de: Godkiller]!"


    Silver radiance swept forward in a tide, like a whole herd of holy dragons. That silver light, imbued with golden threads, formed a mysterious sea, simultaneously real and illusory, which existed in between both realms.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The intersection of the real and the illusory¡ªLi Feng''s strengthbined both domains. Thousands of holy dragons swept across the sky. His strength surpassed time and space, the real and the illusory.


    At that moment, time became meaningless to Li Feng.


    Zhang Lie''s actions naturally slowed down¡ªnot because Zhang Lie himself had grown slower, but rather because Li Feng''s attack rendered time meaningless. It affected not just time, but space and even reality itself.


    The technique intersected reality and illusion. This was a strength that transcended this realm, and Li Feng''s de could kill even a transcendent god.


    In the pocket dimension, in a space that had lost all sense of time, the members of Team Zenith nced at each other in shock.


    Even Zhang Lie couldn''t help but praise the attack. "To think you''vee this far already..."


    Among the members of Team Zenith, only Li Feng was able to affect reality itself with his techniques. This was likely a revtion that Li Feng had received upon imbuing the peak-grade limit-breaking potion.


    His sword came toward Zhang Lie between reality and illusion.


    Zhang Lie retaliated with Guicang and Hanguang.


    Over Hanguang was ayer of illusory rainbow fog.


    In his left hand, Guicang struck in the world of reality; in his right hand, Hanguang struck in the world of illusion. The intersection of reality and illusion resonated with Li Feng''s attack, causing an echo that reverberated throughout the pocket dimension.


    The barriers shielding and isting the pocket dimension popped in an instant, before Zhu could even hope to repair them.


    The members of Team Zenith were gobsmacked. Zhang Lie and Li Feng''s fight had gone beyond reality to the illusory.


    "Li Feng, you''ve grown tremendously, but I think you''re stillcking the strength to take me down."


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, Li Feng''s radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away Li Feng''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Li Feng''s sword turned illusory, and the auras of blood moon and ck sun vanished¡ªnot because they had been extinguished, but rather because they had been wiped clean from reality.


    Li Feng had cut away the karmic link between Zhang Lie''s auras and the mortal world.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Li Feng''s sword turned illusory once more, and Zhang Lie''s attack vanished.


    Upon noticing Li Feng''s pallor, Zhang Liemented, "It looks like you haven''t mastered this technique fully."

 Chapter 1242: A Hidden Ultimate

    Chapter 1242: A Hidden Ultimate


    Upon noticing how weak Li Feng was, Fang Yi couldn''t help but grin and call out, "Have you been jerking yourself off too much?"


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "As if you weren''t any worse yourself!"


    Fang Yi scowled. "When have I ever been like him?"


    Yang Ze replied, "When you shoot your signature shot."


    Fang Yi corrected, "It''s a spear strike!"


    Sun Xiaowu echoed Zhang Lie''s sentiments. "It looks like Li Feng hasn''t mastered this technique."


    Yang Zemented, "This sort of powerful technique naturally carries amensurate cost."


    Li Feng nodded. "Indeed, [The Boundless de: Godkiller] takes a heavy toll on me mentally and physically, and I''m not sure how much longer I''ll be able to fight."


    Zhang Lie sheathed his des, surprising the members of Team Zenith. Wasn''t he going to continue?


    Zhang Lie began, "I was hoping you would be able to intuit something during this fight, but it looks like you''ve already set down a path entirely your own, and you''ve clearly kept in mind what I mentioned during the second realm. Just keep doing what you''re doing."


    Zhang Lie''s goal wasn''t to torture the members of Team Zenith, but rather to guide and advise them.


    He had found Li Feng''s performance exemry, far better than anticipated.


    Li Feng urged, "No, Captain, I''d like to continue fighting for now."


    This fight was meant to be a way for Li Feng to prove himself, to see how his skills fared against the man he had always been emting.


    Li Feng continued, "I''d like to prove to myself that I haven''t wasted my efforts in the second and third realms¡ªnot to others, but to myself!"


    Upon witnessing Li Feng''s resolute expression, Zhang Lie unsheathed his des anew. "In that case, I''ll fight at full power. Can you continue?"


    Li Feng replied, "I won''t continue using [The Boundless de: Godkiller] in what''s to follow."


    "You can''t maintain it?"


    Li Feng shook his head. "I can''t threaten you with that technique without developing it further, so I have to use something else."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''ll need a stronger technique than that to threaten me, then."


    "I won''t disappoint you, Captain."


    Zhang Lie curled a finger and motioned for Li Feng to make his move. "In that case, let''s see the trump cards that you''ve been hiding."


    Li Feng nodded seriously. He raised his sword high overhead in a dazzling glow.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Bleaching the World]!"


    On closer inspection, the sword wasn''t giving off light; light was condensing around the sword.


    All the light of the unified world gathered around the sword.


    Heaven and earth suddenly lost color as the surroundings turned dim and dark, as though all that light had been snatched away. Li Feng and the area around him began to glow more brightly than the sub. The light grew more intense as the aura of the technique increased in strength.


    He struck, and the world lost color.


    White light saturated the world; everything was dyed white. All the aliens, gic lifeforms, and hunters of the world suddenly found their eyes beset by a blinding re, which had taken over their field of vision.


    "Not bad!"


    Zhang Lie''s voice rang out in the world of blinding white.


    Two colors suddenly appeared, one red and one ck.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    Two colors suddenly appeared on a canvas of white. The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon.


    A blood-red and a ck dragon manifested.


    The two dragons twined around each other in a spiral, tearing apart the canvas and transforming into a human figure in the world of white.


    Zhang Lie clutched Guicang in his left hand and Hanguang in his right. The two des shone in unison, then gave off dazzling light as the twin dragons shot forward in unison like a twister.


    Infused with the energy of the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons shattered the white world.


    The hunters, lifeforms, and aliens of the unified world found their vision suddenly returning, not realizing what had passed.


    "This isn''t all."


    Li Feng''s body began to glow as he prepared his next technique, one that seemed to be steeped in the illusory.


    "[Dream of Light and Shadow]!"


    AsA rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing the onlookers, even those possessed of resolute will like the members of Team Zenith.


    Such was the strength of Li Feng''s de.


    Li Feng''s body suddenly split into tens of thousands of copies, each with a dazzling gaze of rainbow light. The rosy-hued light was captivating and transported those who saw it into a realm of illusion, making it impossible to distinguish which of the copies were real and which were fake.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes morphed into a dragon''s pupils. He ignored the copies charging toward him from the front and swung Hanguang toward his back.


    With the sound of shing swords, the copies of Li Feng charging toward Zhang Lie from the front all passed through him like a mirage.


    Zhang Liemented, "I hadn''t expected you to pick up illusions as well."


    At some point, Li Feng had appeared behind Zhang Lie. His longsword was pointed at Zhang Lie''s back, but it had been blocked by Hanguang.


    Li Feng replied, "I learned it all from you, Captain. Any technique is worthwhile as long as it''s effective."


    Zhang Lie continued, "To create these illusions by means of impablemand of light, and then to confuse any onlookers with a captivating aurora... it looks like you''ve truly put in impressive effort and technical skill learned from the scientific principles of the Milky Way."


    Without a critical understanding of modern research from the Milky Way, it was impossible to produce a light-based skill that could induce hypnosis.


    Li Feng replied, "Thank you for the praise, Captain. While facing the son of the king of keys, I found that indirect attacks were surprisingly effective, and I tried to focus my efforts into creating such a technique. It''s a pity that it didn''t work on you in the end."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You simply chose the wrong opponent. After a heated battle, most enemies would be tired and psychologically unprepared to resist your attack. However, I''m not quite so tired, and I can easily sense your true location from fluctuations in your gic energy."


    Li Feng replied, "I might have believed you had I not seen your eyes turn into a dragon''s pupils."

 Chapter 1243: Continue Working Hard

    Chapter 1243: Continue Working Hard


    Through his dragon''s pupils, Zhang Lie could identify that Li Feng wasn''t among any of his copies charging toward Zhang Lie from the front.


    However, Zhang Lie had been truthful in iming that his mental state, and he had barely been affected by Li Feng''s technique.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Light and Darkness]!"


    Li Feng struck again, causing heaven and earth to turn dark as the light all around was extinguished.


    Zhang Lie strode forward and shed against Li Feng''s de with his own. In an explosion of scintiting light, the world regained color once more.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Extinguishing Heaven''s Light]!"


    Light-attuned gic energy rose into the air as a holy dragon soared toward the heavens. Ripples of gic energy emanated from the point of impact. Even before the blownded, the light of the entire world began to flicker and dim.


    The ground cracked as sword energy filled the arena. The holy dragon roared; starlight fell. The light of the world concentrated on the tip of the sword.


    Zhang Lie blocked the overwhelming blow with Hanguang and counterattacked with Guicang.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light.


    Through his dragon''s pupils, he could see Li Feng''s soul wrapped up in motes of silver light in the shape of a holy dragon.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    Li Feng, who was struck by the attack in close proximity, stood dazed and petrified for moments, all thoughts of battle having fled his mind.


    Zhang Lie''s sword shone as brightly as the northern lights overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    It stopped right by Li Feng''s neck.


    "The battle is over."


    Only then did Li Fenge back to his senses. He sheathed his sword.


    "Thank you for your pointers, Captain."


    Zhang Lie chuckled and shook his head. "You''ve grown so much since the second realm that there isn''t much I can teach you."


    Li Feng shook his head. "No, Captain. Through our earlier battle, I learned that my willpower''s stillcking. You were easily able to deal with my hypnotizing light."


    In terms of technique, Li Feng could hardly win out against Zhang Lie, who had ess to a disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard and [Second Form: Piercing the Soul].


    Zhang Lie said, "You''ve already stepped down your own path. You''ll need to keep working on your techniques, however."


    Li Feng nodded. "I understand, Captain. I''ll work hard in the future."


    Zhang Lie dismissed him. "You must be tired both mentally and physically after the battle. Go rest. Zhu, you can start your work."


    Zhu quickly set up another pocket dimension, one locked up with spatial and dimensional barriers. She didn''t say anything about Zhang Lie and Li Feng''s fight, which had copsed the original pocket dimension¡ªlikely having grown used to the wreckage and destruction.


    By the time Zhu was finished, Sun Mengmeng was raring to fight Zhang Lie, garuda bow in hand.


    Sun Mengmeng pledged, "Captain, I won''t repeat what happened in the second realm when west fought!"


    Zhang Lie gave her a gentle smile. "I look forward to witnessing your growth from this period of time.


    Sun Mengmeng raised her garuda bow. Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward Zhang Lie like tracking missiles. "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    With a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie caused the three ming arrows to explode in mid-air.


    With a sh from his eyes, Zhang Lie blew the explosions away from the arena with a wave of pale blue gic energy.


    After the resplendent purple explosions, Sun Mengmeng immediately struck. Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, everything began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. However, the ming arrows seemed to avoid Zhang Lie entirely; even the purple mes spreading across the ground did the same.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. She loosed arrows more and more quickly, until her hands blurred. Purple arrows struck the ground like raindrops in a storm, drowning out Zhang Lie''s figure.


    When her arrows exploded, they formed pirs of me over ten meters high.


    For an entire minute, Sun Mengmeng continuedunching arrows through the battlefield. She panted for breath; her fingertips trembled. All she could see was purple me.


    With a snap of his finger, ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The mes were easily extinguished by his spatial maniption.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air, blocking the pulse of energy from Zhang Lie''s attack.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    Sun Mengmeng stabbed forward with a dagger, causing the ck moon behind her to explode. Sun Mengmeng rocketed forward with [meburst Step].


    Purple mes transformed into her raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot toward Zhang Lie.


    Her beautiful features took on a tinge of the fantastical when lit by the purple firelight, causing the onlookers to stare at her agape.


    With the barest hissing of wind, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger.


    As she thrust forward, Zhang Lie swiveled his body to the side to avoid her de, supported her by the waist, and pirouetted on one leg to dissipate her forward momentum. The mes continued to burn, and purple ash fell from the skies. The twobatants looked as though they were carrying out a dance under the night sky.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes shone with passion and scorching me, as though she were trying to light Zhang Lie aze. Zhang Lie wrapped a hand around Sun Mengmeng''s slender waist and spun her around and around, his eyes fixed on her, causing her mind to blur as she slowly closed her eyes...


    Zhang Lie suddenly let go of Sun Mengmeng, sending her flying into the distance like a honed de. She flew higher and higher into the air, higher still, until she finallynded by the side of a mountain with so much momentum that her body was half-stuck in ce.


    The members of Team Zenith winced.

 Chapter 1244: A Familiar Sight

    Chapter 1244: A Familiar Sight


    Zhang Lie slowly sped both hinds behind his back. "Have you intuited anything?"


    Zhang Hanxiang clutched her face with her hand. "My brother''s definitely doing this intentionally..."


    Hong Xi sighed. "What a familiar scene..."


    Sun Xiaowu clutched his forehead. "My sister lost to this attack twice in a row¡ªshe really has gone mad!"


    Sun Mengmeng was so besotted with Zhang Lie that she was on the verge of losing her mind.


    Zhang Hanxiang sniffed in disdain. "I must apologize for having a brother like this."


    Sun Xiaowu sighed again. "I should be the one apologizing for having such a sister."


    Despite knowing that Zhang Lie might well be tricking her, she had still fallen for the same ploy twice in a row. After all, what if Zhang Lie was serious this time?


    Sun Mengmeng''s body burned with purplish-ck me so intense that it dyed the heavens the same color. She cast [ck Sun], forming a corona of purplish-ck me around her. Then, she activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that the ground began to melt and turn red.


    By then, Sun Mengmeng had transformed into a fearsome warrior straight out of hell.


    Even from afar, the members of Team Zenith could sense the sudden change in temperature, and the scorching heat pricked their skin.


    ck mes red from her garuda bow, manifesting in the form of an undead phoenix.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!"


    Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward Zhang Lie. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    Zhang Lie lifted his hand and deflected the stream of arrows, tossing them aside.


    Sun Mengmeng''s mes were of far higher temperature than in the second realm; she had learned how to channel her emotions into her mes.


    The reason Zhang Lie had begun their match with this attack was to facilitate Sun Mengmeng with her emotions, and Sun Mengmeng hadn''t disappointed him.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!"


    Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, overshadowing the illumination within. As the ming moons fell toward the ground, Zhang Lie sent a flurry of punches into the sky, causing the moons to explode in mid-air in a storm of arrows.


    Against Sun Mengmeng, who had grown much stronger after the trials of the third realm, Zhang Lie couldn''t take it as easy as before.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the two hunters. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding thend and heading straight for Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon.


    The moon exploded and shot down rays of moonlight to counter the pale blue waves.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy. When it came into contact with Sun Mengmeng''s mes, huge quantities of steam rose into the air and were dispersed.


    The mes surrounding Sun Mengmeng erupted like a volcano, distorting space in a huge area around her and strengthening the mes around.


    Pitch-ck mes morphed into vortices that shed against the diffuse water-attuned gic energy in the air.


    The high-pressure steam continuously exploded like bombs.


    Sun Mengmeng howled into the air. Fire-attuned gic energy erupted from her body, and her pitch-ck eyes burned red. The mes formed a ck hurricane with her at its eye. It burned everything in sight;va rose to the ground where she stood.


    Zhang Hanxiang and the members of Team Zenith hastily retreated. Zhang Lie stood in the midst of the pitch-ck hurricane, but the mes seemed to avoid him entirely. He pped leisurely. "Very well done, Sun Mengmeng! Keep this explosive strength up."


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!"


    A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone.


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall.


    Zhang Lie punched forward and bisected the flow of the ming waterfall.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]!" Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched yet another attack.


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward Ghroth.


    Zhang Lie sent nine punches forward, one for each phoenix. The nine phoenixes exploded into nine ck roses in the air. Scorching heat enveloped the hunters, and even the members of Team Zenith were forced to activate their defenses.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    Sun Mengmeng shot out a few pitch-ck arrows in session toward Zhang Lie like a hurricane.


    The shark swallowed all the arrows. Pitch-ck mes exploded within its mouth in a burst of steam, obliterating the shark.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Might of the Garuda]!" Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.

 Chapter 1245: Even Stricter

    Chapter 1245: Even Stricter


    Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck. She marshaled her emotions without being lost in her rage or anger.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    However, the arrow caused no earth-shattering explosion: Zhang Lie caught it with two fingers, preventing it from moving even a single inch forward.


    "Is this it?"


    ck gic energy spread over his palm as the ck arrow vanished into nothingness.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    ck mes, stuck together, flowed likeva along the ground. Wrapped in me, Sun Mengmeng strode forth. Her pupils had been reced by ck me, and she looked like a demon from the abyss.


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red me, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    The destructive energy dyed everything in sight a patch of ck.


    The entire pocket dimension seemed to transform into a furnace. The ground melted and turned into boiling-hotva.


    Hong Xi''s pale blue moonlight shone down on them all. Sun Xiaowu''s body red with golden light, and golden runes appeared over his body. He used [Adamantine Aegis] immediately.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into hundreds of clones, each bearing resplendent golden runes. They gathered around the members of Team Zenith, forming a human barricade.


    Refracted light shone around Yang Ze, who waved a hand and isted the members of Team Zenith from the pocket dimension.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear quickly,bining the energy of chaos with wind and storm. A barrier of the elements formed around the members of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a secondyer behind it.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth.


    The members of Team Zenith were wrapped up byyer afteryer of dragons.


    Hong Xi manifested a fan of feathers, which she waved to conjure a windwall around them. Jun Jiuxiao conjured a field of wind and storm, while Ye Xianchen released an aura of ghosts and shadows.


    Li Feng had yet to recover from his earlier exertion against Zhang Lie, and was still resting.


    Sun Mengmeng released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies.


    The garudanded in a hurricane of pitch-ck mes as it arched its wings wide. It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the pocket dimension, dyeing everything in sight a patch of ck.


    The barriers isting it from the rest of the third realm began to crack as the pocket dimension filled with pitch-ck mes. Yang Ze''s dimensional barrier was burnt to a crisp, Fang Yi''s elemental barrier was dispelled, Zhang Hanxiang''s icy wall melted, Zhou Ying''s vines were set ame, and Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen''s barriers were destroyed entirely.


    As pitch-ck mes threatened to seize them all, the members of Team Zenith all reinforced their individual barriers.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy with the consistency of water formed a shield around Zhang Lie. When the ck mes touched that gic energy, they were extinguished and corroded immediately.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and, supercharged with Sun Mengmeng''s energy, readied for a devastating blow.


    ck mes gathered, lighting the very air itself ame. The ck mes formed a pitch-ck abyss that no longer radiated light. Instead, it sucked in the light from all around like ck holes and devoured everything in sight.


    The pocket dimension was entirely lit up, and the barrier isting it from the outside realm was filled with cracks.


    As Sun Mengmeng loosed the arrow, the garuda shot straight toward Zhang Lie, bringing a whole world''s worth of ck me in his direction.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The ck serpent tangled and wrapped around the fierce garuda, diminishing and smothering the ck mes, even as the ck mes burned the serpent''s flesh. Both creatures began to sizzle; the two energetic constructs were fading away bit by bit as they struck each other.


    The garuda keened. Pitch-ck mes burst forth in a hurricane.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in rage, its howls echoing through the air. It burst apart in the sky, and a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Huge quantities of ck me were consumed by the ck-hole like energy of annihtion.


    In the blink of an eye, all the ck me in the pocket dimension was sucked away, and sunlight filtered down through space once again.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Did you intuit something?"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, are you trying to demonstrate the difference in our level of strength or power?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m very d you''ve learned how to infuse your emotions into your attacks, and it also shows that you''ve managed to gain some amount of control. However, your problem is just like your brother''s: your attacks are too diffuse. It''s important to be able tounch wide-ranging attacks, but increasing the concentration of gic energy will represent a direct increase to your strength."


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "Rather than increase the concentration of my attacks by 10 centimeters, I''d rather increase my attack range by 10 meters."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "Do you think we''re trying to develop new weaponry here? We''re talking about conditions in battle. Your techniques waste too much of their power because your arrows are too diffuse. I didn''t make this request of you in the past because you weren''t able to control your attacks to such an exacting degree before, but now that you''ve grown stronger, my requirements will naturally grow stricter."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded rather uncertainly, as though she only vaguely understood what Zhang Lie meant.

 Chapter 1246: More Devious

    Chapter 1246: More Devious


    As she headed back to ruminate on what Zhang Lie had told her, Zhu grumbled, "Zhang Lie, you must be doing this intentionally! Look at how many times I''ve had to restore these barriers. Aren''t you going to make things easier for me?"


    Zhang Lie''s final [Fists of the Silent Sea] had shattered the remaining barriers isting the pocket dimension from the outside realm, and Zhu had to remake them all.


    Zhang Lie shrugged helplessly, indicating that he too had no other recourse.


    Zhu grumbled once, then began the tedious process of reforming the pocket dimension and sealing it anew.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Ying healed Sun Mengmeng of her injuries, then stepped out into the arena.


    Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm. Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    She had transformed into her battle-ready state in a matter of moments.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Zhang Lie strode among the heavyset dragons as though he were merely on a stroll.


    Golden leaves were interspersed with the woo dragons, each like a sparkling sun.


    The dragons interwove around Zhang Lie, transforming into a cage.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the twobatants. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the pocket dimension.


    The flood washed away the wood dragons and scoured thend, destroying it all.


    Zhang Lie knew that Zhou Ying was a very troublesome existence. If he didn''t attack thend as well, Zhou Ying would root herself down and employ her vitality and natural energy to endlessly regenerate her summoned dragons.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy. The leaves exploded as the pale blue tide stormed them.


    However, Zhou Ying''s figure, shrouded by the densely packed wood dragons had already vanished from sight.


    "As expected of our captain, to be able to deal with these tricks in just one blow."


    Zhou Ying suddenly appeared behind Zhang Lie, stabbing him with her dagger in a golden gleam.


    As though he had predicted her move, Zhang Lie reached out with two fingers and pinched the de of her dagger.


    Zhou Ying''s body was extremely acrobatic. She twisted her waist and kicked out at Zhang Lie like a snake.


    The two feelers that grew from the lower half of her dress threw two daggers toward Zhang Lie.


    Pale blue gic energy exploded and knocked the daggers into the distance. At the same time, Zhou Ying slipped away from Zhang Lie''s grasp like an eel. Zhang Lie was right about to give chase when wind whistled and hundreds of golden beams surrounded Zhou Ying, allowing her to take refuge in a copse of trees.


    Zhang Lie slightly angled his body and avoided the golden beams by millimeters. He easily evaded the attacks and continued to give chase.


    Just as he stepped beyond the copse, countless leaves flew toward him, each one as sharp as a knife.


    Amidst the storm of leaves, Zhang Lie waved his left arm, gic energy rippling from it like a shield, protecting him from the barrage.


    As the ripples struck the leaves, the leaves rebounded into the air, but precisely at that moment, a green needle shot toward Zhang Lie, camouged by the leaves that obstructed his vision.


    With a resonant clink, Zhang Lie reached out and grabbed a tiny jade needle with his hand, one formed out of pure gic energy. It was so thin that it could barely be seen with the naked eye.


    The floating golden leaves provided a strong sense of misdirection, especially when surrounded by golden wood dragons. The jade needle seemed to blend into its surroundings. Just like in the second realm, Zhou Ying had manifested a patch of forest, and all that the eye could see was green and gold.


    Any ordinary hunter would have been caught unawares by the jade needle, even the members of Team Zenith.


    However, Zhang Lie''s two lives'' worth ofbat experience allowed him to discover Zhou Ying''s trick near-instantaneously.


    Zhang Lie had always approachedbat with two sources of input: his eyes and a web of gic energy that he spread out all around him, forming a radar-like detection system that allowed him to detect any anomalies.


    Zhang Lie held the jade needle up to his eye. "What a crafty trick... Zhou Ying, you''ve grown even nastier."


    "Thank you, Captain. I thought I''d be able to catch you off-guard." Despite speaking, Zhou Ying was very careful not to reveal her current location. She continued hiding among the wood dragons cautiously.


    The golden leaves fell in a flurry, forming a golden storm. Their serrated edges were like des that tore the sky.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark. The shark widened its maw and caused all the golden leaves to explode.


    Zhou Ying''s figure appeared in the light, and golden leaves surrounded her.


    The ground quaked and rumbled, as though something was about to appear from its midst.

 Chapter 1247: A Qualitative Change

    Chapter 1247: A Qualitative Change


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the ground, enough to fill up the entire arena. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster.


    As they attacked Zhang Lie, countless golden leaves apanied them.


    A ck serpent wrapped around Zhang Lie. Any leaf that touched its body was dissolved instantly.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. His gic energy, as dark as ink, dissolved the majority of the wood dragons. However, the wood dragons stubbornly clung onto life with their remarkable vitality, and new ones regenerated within moments. Zhang Lie''s attacks were barely sapping away at their regeneration. Tens of thousands of wood dragons surrounded Zhang Lie.


    The densely packed wood dragons formed a cage, one interspersed withrge quantities of golden leaves. Even a mosquito wouldn''t be able to escape.


    Zhou Ying wasn''t standing still, either. Her body melded into the leaves, and she shed with a flurry of strikes. She chopped off the serpent''s head, but before Zhang Lie could retaliate, a vine grew out of the ground from Zhou Ying''s feet, bringing her up and away.


    Zhang Lie punched the cage of wood dragons, but by the time he emerged from their midst, Zhou Ying had vanished.


    "It''s time for a different style, I think."


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy transformed from pitch-ck to silvery-white, striated with gold.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    His gic energy shot out from him like des, slicing apart the wood dragons. However, Zhou Ying was nowhere to be seen.


    Vitality and natural energy formed a web of roots underground, allowing them to regenerate near-instantaneously. The split wood dragons merged together within moments.


    The wood dragons that were unable to regenerate and had fallen to pieces on the grround squirmed like segments of a snake''s body. Where their wounds were, gray fog began to spread, and vines grew out of them. Even more wood dragons and vines attacked Zhang Lie, attempting to trap and entangle him.


    Zhang Lie closed his eyes, attempting to use his senses to detect abination of vitality and natural energy, and hence to find Zhou Ying''s location.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie suddenly opened his eyes wide and punched forward.


    The [Fists of the Silent Sea] formed a fist inbination with the ck serpent form and a mallet with the golden tiger. The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals, piercing through the horde of wood dragons like honed daggers, but they missed.


    The crystals had gone through all the wood dragons in the vicinity, and Zhang Lie could see out into the open through the holes they had left behind. However, Zhou Ying was nowhere to be seen.


    "Haha, catch me if you can, Captain!"


    Zhou Ying darted through the wood dragons leisurely. The terrain was as easy and familiar for her to traverse as though she were in her backyard. She moved so rapidly that she left a flurry of afterimages behind.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    The afterimages suddenly seemed to gather as she appeared atop Zhang Lie''s head. As she clutched her dagger in a reverse grip and arced it downward, her face lit up in a smile. "I''ve seeded."


    Zhang Lie smiled, as if he''d guessed where she would be all along. Zhou Ying''s eyes widened.


    As he punched toward his back, he knocked Zhou Ying''s dagger flying¡ªalong with Zhou Ying herself.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The daggers tore through sky and space, cutting a route through the wood dragons. By then, however, Zhou Ying had vanished again. Vitality and natural energy surged, and even more wood dragons grew out of the ground.


    "Haha, Captain, you can''t catch me unless you deal with the wood dragons first!" Zhou Ying''s voice came from all around Zhang Lie, preventing him from pinpointing her location.


    A dense horde of wood dragons surged toward him in a golden flood.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Whenever he cut apart a wood dragon, gray fog would seep out of its "wounds". As he cut more and more of them, the air filled with gray fog.


    Zhang Lie didn''t dare to breathe in or even touch the fog, not knowing whether or not it was poisonous.


    Golden gic energy formed a protective barrier over his skin, like a suit of golden armor that isted him from the fog.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    As he cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists.


    Hundreds of crystalline dragons criss-crossed through the air, beautiful and dazzling. They pierced through huge swathes of the wood dragons and burst apart, sending crystal shards exploding through the dragons in a storm. The wood dragons fell like bushels of wheat, and their golden leaves exploded. As more fell, the gray fog grew thicker and denser. Golden leaves floated through the air and toward Zhang Lie in a flood.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang, cutting apart the golden leaves.


    A golden explosion bathed the pocket dimension in golden light. Shrouded by the leaves and light, Zhou Ying appeared behind Zhang Lie once more.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying gripped a dagger with each hand, and the tendrils growing out of her lower body wrapped around two more. The daggers shed through the void, and all four converged on the same spot.


    Zhang Lie reacted very quickly, unsheathing his de and shing at Zhou Ying in one graceful turn. Guicang shattered even the void daggers.


    Wind and storm buffeted the twobatants, and a flurry of sharp leaves surrounded Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    As ck gic energy surrounded him, the temperature of the pocket dimension dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted everyone present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The golden leaves shed against Zhang Lie''s demonic serpent in a series of explosions. Zhou Ying made her move, her hands and feelers waving in the air withyered void shes, as though attacking Zhang Lie with a hundred daggers in unison.

 Chapter 1248: A Little Interesting

    Chapter 1248: A Little Interesting


    Zhang Lie''s serpents burst apart into pitch-ck gic energy before reforming into serpents once again.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The gic energy rippled forth. A sea of gic energy covered up the sky. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    A storm of golden leaves surrounded Zhou Ying and transformed into a golden egg, around which the golden leaves wrapped protectively to block the serpents'' attack.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The serpents continued to divebomb the golden egg, and the golden leaves continued to explode in defense, causing the serpents to dissipate back into gic energy.


    Vitality and natural energy exploded en masse from the golden egg. The energy crept along the ground, causing huge quantities of wood dragons to emerge. Zhang Lie had no choice but to deal with the incipient trouble. Demonic serpents shed against the emerging wood dragons, corroding them with their dark energy.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    The blood dragon''s phantasmal figure soared into the air. Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, and the blood dragon swooped down and merged with the sword.


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the sky as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld sea roiled, forming a gigantic blood dragon, its jaws wide open and its ws poised to swipe. Large swathes of the wood dragons were torn apart, and even the gray fog was repulsed. The attack struck the golden egg,


    immediately causing arge portion of the golden leaves to burst apart. The blood dragon tore apart the golden egg''s defenses, but Zhou Ying wasn''t within it. She had vanished¡ªbut when?


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment before noticing the burrow in the ground, then smiled meaningfully. "Interesting."


    When vitality and natural energy had poured into the earth, Zhou Ying had burrowed down and escaped from the eye-catching golden egg.


    "There''s more, Captain!" As a wood dragon emerged from underneath Zhang Lie''s feet, a huge hole formed with his body at its center.


    More and more wood dragons emerged from around Zhang Lie. As he waved Guicang around, they splintered and were cut into pieces.


    Among their remains, Zhou Ying made herself known. Golden leaves fluttered through the air and became a golden storm that flew toward Zhang Lie.


    Among the densely packed leaves was a thin, slender jade needle, delicately hidden within.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A frightening force descended on the arena as pale white sword energy gushed out from Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie swung his sword simultaneously in every direction, sweeping away the golden leaves, jade needle, and wood dragons. Zhou Ying herself was flung back.


    She somersaulted in mid-air and pushed off the barrier of the pocket dimension, shooting forward in Zhang Lie''s direction like an arrow loosed from a bow. She twisted andunched a flurry of void cuts, transforming into a ck frenzy as she cut apart space.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie as he thrust forward with Guicang.


    There was only a single de, but it felt as though a thousand des had been stitched together as one. Space fell apart and peeled away; the tip of the de pointing straight at Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying crossed her arms and blocked Guicang. As she was forced back, her feelers tossed two daggers at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie knocked them aside with Hanguang from his other hand.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, Zhou Ying''s''s radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Golden leaves gathered around Zhou Ying and transformed into two shining daggers, which Zhou Ying''s ck feelers caught. She shed and broke apart the celestial web before it could close in around her.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The energy knocked Zhou Ying flying once more.


    However, thebination of vitality and natural energy gave Zhou Ying tremendous regeneration.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t fighting to kill; the damage he inflicted on Zhou Ying would heal within moments. He could hardly fight lethally against his cherished teammates.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Zhou Ying like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants¡­

 Chapter 1249: Tentacle Monster

    Chapter 1249: Tentacle Monster


    Zhou Ying again transformed into a storm of golden leaves in an attempt to avoid the twin ck and blood dragons.


    However, the vortex formed by the ck and blood dragons boasted tremendous suction, and Zhou Ying was unable to escape.


    The wood dragons that were slowly regenerating thanks to the vitality and natural energy emitting from Zhou Ying were likewise sucked into the vortex and obliterated.


    The vortex struck the barrier isting the pocket dimension from the rest of the third realm, causing the entire pocket world to tremble and shake. The barriers cracked as Zhou Ying found herself stered to it. Vitality and gic energy surged, causing her wounds to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Zhou Ying''s feelers extended out and removed her from the barrier.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light.


    To Zhang Lie''s dragon''s pupils, Zhou Ying''s soul was a massive tree that reached for the sky, like a world tree in its majesty and stature. It had golden leaves, and gray fog gathered by its roots.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    Zhou Ying was instantly dazed.


    Zhang Lie''s sword shone as brightly as the northern lights overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    Just as it was about tond, Zhou Ying suddenly smiled.


    Her two feelers began to move, shing forward with void cuts from two golden daggers and defending against Zhang Lie''s auroreal blow. Spiritual energy gusted forth in a wave. As it struck Zhou Ying, her eyes rolled back, and the golden leaves she controlled shot forward. With his other hand, Zhang Lie scattered the leaves with Hanguang.


    Zhou Ying recovered from the spiritual attack quickly.


    With her hands and feelers, she continuedunching void cuts at Zhang Lie, who defended with Guicang. Gic energy surfed from Zhou Ying''s feet, abination of vitality and natural energy, and infused it deep into the soil. all around her, wood dragons came to life.


    Zhang Lie cut apart the dragons as they emerged, but at the same time, two more feelers grew out from behind Zhou Ying''s back and attacked him. Zhang Lie defended with Guicang, slicing off both feelers.


    "Did you intuit something?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "This battle isn''t over yet!" Zhou Ying cried out. Her hair stood on end and golden leaves surrounded her like a storm, swallowing Zhang Lie up. The leaves then exploded in golden light, each one like a miniature sun.


    Zhou Ying emerged from the storm unscathed. The feelers that Guicang had chopped off were now regrown.


    Zhou Ying''s body trembled as she sensed an iparable strength. She nced back at the golden storm of leaves.


    Red light shed out from amidst the gold. Zhang Lie, armored in red dragon scales and with a dragon''s horns jutting out of his forehead, walked out.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    The golden leaves were burnt to a crisp by the blood-red gic energy, but their golden explosions werepletely blocked. A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body. Red gic energy rose into the air and dyed the skies crimson. Cracks appeared on the barriers that Zhu had painstakingly set up once more.


    The ground beneath his feet melted intova, and the air turned scorching hot. After absorbing the golden mulberry tree, Zhou Ying''s wood dragons boasted extremely strong resistance to fire. Even so, the wood dragons all around Zhang Lie were lit ame, and the ones by his feet were burned all the way to their roots.


    "To think you still had two feelers hidden..."


    Zhang Lie walked out from amidst the storm of golden leaves, all butpletely immune to the explosions of golden light.


    With Zhang Lie before her, Zhou Ying couldn''t help but feel a sense of overpowering weakness.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you have any other feelers?"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "I only have four at the moment."


    "In other words, you''ll be a tentacle monster in the future?"


    Zhou Ying frowned. "Of course I won''t!"


    "Did you intuit something, incidentally?"


    "I don''t n on admitting defeat just yet."


    Zhou Ying erupted in a burst of vitality and natural energy, turning into what seemed like a green crystal. Golden radiance shone where her head would be, and gray fog surrounded her.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Gxybound Enclosure]!"


    A titanic burst of vitality and natural energy erupted from her, turning Zhou Ying into a facsimile of a goddess of nature, the princess of the forests. Huge wood dragons emerged from underground, each about the size of a small za.


    They were humongous and present in staggering numbers, filling the pocket world like a golden tide.


    The members of Team Zenith hurriedlyyered their shields to prevent themselves from being affected.


    Hong Xi''s pale blue moonlight shone down on them all, increasing everyone''s strength.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air. The surrounding wood dragons were knocked back.


    As Zhou Ying continuously injected vitality and natural energy into the pocket world, however, even more wood dragons grew to take their ce. They were on the verge of smashing apart Zhu''s barriers.


    Fang Yi punched forward, his wind dragon and storm tiger clearing out arge swathe of dragons.


    Li Feng radiated silver light, and illusory silver dragons coiled around the members of Team Zenith, dealing with their natural brethren.


    The wood dragons were present in staggering numbers. No one expected that Zhou Ying would be able to bring so much vitality and natural energy to bear. Boosted by her energy, the wood dragons replenished their numbers more quickly than the members of Team Zenith could take them down.


    Refracted light shone around Yang Ze, who waved a hand and isted the members of Team Zenith from the pocket dimension.


    As more and more wood dragons continued to appear and the pocket dimension seemed fit to burst, Zhang Hanxiang released a chilly frost, adding ayer of ice as a barrier against Zhou Ying''s attack.


    With a casual wave of his sword infused with fiery-red water-attuned gic energy, Zhang Lie himself cut apart a huge swathe of wood dragons. The energy was scorching hot, and the dragons, which were able to absorb even ordinary me, were lit up on fire by his energy...

 Chapter 1250: An Army of Treemen

    Chapter 1250: An Army of Treemen


    Hong Xi manifested a fan of feathers, which she waved to conjure a windwall around them.


    Jun Jiuxiao conjured a field of wind and storm, while Ye Xianchen released an aura of ghosts and shadows.


    Sun Mengmeng''s mes, which would have been particrly effective against Zhou Ying, weren''t a viable option because she was still recovering from the exertion of the previous battle.


    Zhang Lie suffered from the same issue as did the members of Team Zenith. The wood dragons grew far more quickly than he could get rid of them, even though he was able to cut down arge group with every swing of his sword. The moment he set them ame, even more would appear; meanwhile, his movements were steadily growing more and more restricted.


    "[des, Extinguish]!" Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    Despite their distance, the members of Team Zenith could feel the steadily increasing heat. Sweat dripped down their backs. Zhang Hanxiang emanated an aura of frost, trying to retain some moisture in the air to prevent them all from fainting to heatstroke.


    Zhang Lie''s domain of scarlet steam looked less like a domain than a red sea, one which overtook the void. Wood dragons spontaneouslybusted in the vicinity.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami. Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    Around the vortex of reality and illusion, the scarlet sea and spiritual sea spun around each other, forming a massive tsunami that shook the entirety of the void,


    The pocket dimension cracked apart as the ethereal sun and real and illusory oceans shed. The ground melted and turned into boiling-hotva.


    Where the oceans met, a tsunami formed, which suppressed the multicolored sun. A burst of strength crumbled everything around, cracking the ground and sweeping away the forests and wood dragons.


    Zhou Ying''s body shed jade-green as she radiated light like a jewel. Golden radiance and gray fogbined into a cohesive whole as Zhou Ying''s body transformed. Her body turned to wood and grew rapidly. Within moments, she became a thick tree, the crown of which was pushing against the top of the pocket dimension.


    The leaves of the tree were arrayed in gold, green, and gray, and a gray eye was embedded into its crown.


    Upon seeing Zhou Ying''s transformation, Zhang Lie was shocked.


    In exasperation, he called out, "Surely there''s no need to transform into a tree just because you can''t beat me? This is a training exercise, not a bout to the death!"


    After Zhang Lie activated [des, Extinguish], Zhou Ying had transformed herself into a towering tree to withstand the attack. She had rooted herself inva.


    The leaves shook and trembled as a mysterious voice rang out, "This is my strongest battle-form, which I developed after absorbing the strength of the Everbearing Lady, Captain. I can change back, but it''s my trump card and a keyponent of my power."


    Zhang Lie nced at her thoughtfully. "Just like the wood spirits¡ªno, the wood spirits can merge with trees, but you transform into one instead."


    The ground shook. Tremors formed with Zhou Ying at their epicenter. The trees all around her uprooted themselves and turned into treemen.


    "This is the army that I''ve prepared diligently¡ª" Before Zhou Ying could finish, Zhang Lie had made his move.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    White light split the sea and the sky, cutting apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy sank to the ground, dividing heaven and earth in two.


    As the two shades of energybined, everything in sight was destroyed.

 Chapter 1251: Old Tactics

    Chapter 1251: Old Tactics


    A patch of void and chaos expanded where the horizon had been, tearing apart the pocket dimension.


    Zhu grumbled, "Why isn''t Zhang Lie paying attention?"


    Li Feng shrugged. "Our captain would pay attention if he could, but Zhou Ying''s threatening enough that he can''t do sopletely."


    Yang Ze shook his head. "No, she''s not at that extent yet. Our captain''s already suppressing the might of this blow, and what we''re seeing is the result after quite a few limiters. If he had been using that technique at full strength, the new unified world would have noticed the phenomenon.


    The treemen were all cleaved in half, and a huge scar stood out on the trunk of the world tree into which Zhou Ying had transformed.


    The scar was filled with dimensional energy and prevented vitality and natural energy from repairing the wound.


    Instead, fruits grew from the tree, as though children were being gestated within. It pulsed with life, and the fruits fell to the ground and released ck humanoid lifeforms.


    The humanoids were pitch-ck all over, with golden hair and gray fog around them. They pounced toward Zhang Lie like wild dogs the moment they were formed.


    Zhang Lie cut them apart with Guicang.


    The humanoid lifeforms had surprising control over space, along with surprising vitality and frightening regeneration. Despite being cut apart, their bodies quickly regenerated at the point of injury. They seemed to have no feelings whatsoever; they were dolls of war, who pounced toward Zhang Lie without any residual memory or fear of being cut apart once more.


    "The Everbearing Lady really possesses some odd talents, doesn''t she..."


    Zhou Ying''s abilities hadn''t advanced considerably after absorbing the golden mulberry tree, and neither had she gained strange and unusual powers as a result. However, she had received extreme resistance against fire, and could now produce golden leaves.


    After absorbing the Everbearing Lady''s strength, however, Zhou Ying had gained an assortment of unusual abilities.


    "[Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars]!"


    Zhang Lie raised Guicang high into the air.


    The scarlet water-attuned gic energy rose into the sky like a gigantic dragon of blood soaring toward the heavens. Even before the sword shnded, the ground was starting to crack, and the sky itself was shuddering.


    The unusual gray humanoids turned to ash.


    Upon witnessing the frightening strike, Zhu rapidly grew rmed. She shouted, "Be careful, Zhang Lie!"


    The sword boasted awe-inspiring strength. If it were tond, she was certain that the newly unified world would be entirely destroyed.


    The ground quaked, and the aliens and gic lifeforms of the new world all sensed this frightening sh.


    However, the attack nevernded. Zhang Lie held it still right above the crown of the world tree; he didn''t want to destroy the unified world, either.


    The resulting shockwaves were devastating enough. Branches and leaves fell from the tree, leaving its crown bald and deste. The world tree lost its grandeur and imposing stature, and even Zhou Ying herself didn''t dare fight against Zhang Lie any longer.


    The wood quickly withered and rotted away, and Zhou Ying stepped out from its remains. She waved her hands rapidly. "I surrender, I surrender! If you were serious, Captain, I would have long since lost my life."


    "Did you intuit something?"


    Zhou Ying chuckled wryly. "All I saw was your absolute strength, as well as your potential to destroy everything around us."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you remember the lesson fromst time?"


    Zhou Ying nodded fervently. "I''ve never forgotten, Captain. I need to work on improving my own strength and on acquiring techniques to match."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You''ve done very well. You''ve worked hard on growing strong, and you use tactics appropriately in battle. To be frank, you almost struck me quite a few times."


    Zhou Ying cocked her head. "But am I too prideful?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "You''ve all grown very strong, almost beyond my expectations, and your techniques have all improved. However, you''re too fond of using little tricks, which won''t work against the strongest opponents. Tactics are fine, but tricks basically won''t be sessful."


    Zhou Ying lowered her head. "I understand."


    Zhang Lie continued, "As for your tactics, I''ve seen most of them before. I hope you''ll work hard on developing newer ones."


    Zhou Ying bowed. "Thank you for your advice, Captain."


    "You''ve exerted yourself. Take some time to rest."


    Zhou Ying asked, "Captain, can I have a strand of your hair, or perhaps a drop of blood?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It''s not a problem. Is this rted to your new ability?"


    Zhou Ying nodded. "The Everbearing Lady''s ability is to create new races. As far as my understanding goes, this sort of ability should really be considered weapons manufacturing. Those dimensional hounds we saw back then, for example, were created by the Everbearing Lady in conjunction with another alien. By taking advantage of other lifeforms'' gic code and merging it with your own, you can produce a brand-new race thatbines the special characteristics of both."


    "Can you give birth to them? Don''t you need sperm?"


    Zhou Ying rolled her eyes. "Don''t make it sound like I''m giving birth to children! I wouldn''t mind having one with you, Captain, but creating these races isn''t something quite as interesting. It''s not unlike manufacturing clones, but is somewhat faster."


    "Sounds like a very interesting ability."


    Zhou Ying sighed. "Not so. I thought it was a somewhat disgusting ability at first, though after this battle, I''ve realized where my deficiencies lie."


    Although Zhou Ying had managed to ovee many a strong opponent in the third realm, when she faced Zhang Lie again, she realized just how weak and helpless she was.


    "I''m not strong enough to have the choice to decide which techniques to use and which to give up. This is pride afforded only to the strong¡ªand I''m not strong yet."


    "Don''t debase yourself," Zhang Lie replied. "You''ve all grown tremendously strong, and you''ve taken great strides forward."


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "There''s no need to console me, Captain. I''ve realized how weak I am, and I need to take advantage of all my assets to grow stronger. As long as it can do something in battle, and as long as it doesn''t go against human morality, so what if I find it rather disgusting?"


    Zhang Lie felt as though something was wrong with Zhou Ying''s logic, but he couldn''t pinpoint where. Rather than respond, he simply pulled out a strand of hair and pierced his skin with Guicang, drawing a single drop of blood.


    Because Zhang Lie had maxed out his monarch gene fragments, a single drop of his blood looked as though it contained countless gxies. A dragon of blood swam around within, as though within the droplet was a gxy filled with life. Zhou Ying was raptured by the sight.

 Chapter 1252: A Solo Battle

    Chapter 1252: A Solo Battle


    Zhou Ying carefully kept the blood and hair, treating it like a rare treasure.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are you able to continuously merge lifeforms by repeating this process? Doesn''t that mean that you''ll be able to produce the strongest lifeform eventually?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "I thought so at first, that I would be able to merge the genes of all the members of Team Zenith to create an incredible biological weapon, but biological paradigms are hard to grasp, and random mutations can lead to stronger or weaker pairings than expected. Furthermore, I also have to make sure that the pairings arepatible with one another. It''s a long process, and far more challenging than I anticipated."


    "I''ll leave you to work hard on it, then. It could be a potent tool in your arsenal. Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, it''s your turn."


    Hong Xi requested, "I''ve grown stronger than I was in the second real, and I''d like to challenge you myself, Master."


    Zhang Hanxiang added, "I''ve grown much stronger myself!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Who hasn''t? We don''t have much time, so let''s get going."


    Hong Xi begged, "I''d like to challenge you alone, Master!"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "I''d also like topare my strength to yours, Brother."


    Seeing their determined gazes, Zhang Lie sighed. "If you force me to take a single step, I''ll grant this request."


    Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang nodded seriously as Zhu reinforced the dimensional barriers once more.


    Zhang Hanxiang gave off wisps of frost that gathered on the ground.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Hong Xi''s eyes glowed. Her left eye morphed into a ck sun, and her right eye into a silver moon. To her back, a pitch-ck sun and a silver moon rose into the air. Their light illuminated the sky. The ck sun and silver moon were linked by a golden thread, which brought them into proximity with each other.


    The ck sun and silver moon began to merge. The ck sun turned a deep red, and the silver moon a rusty red.


    The two celestial bodies ovepped, the silver moon taking on a blue sheen.


    As they ovepped perfectly, the moon absorbed the ck sunlight and transformed into a fully realized pale blue moon.


    As the light shone down on them, Zhang Hanxiang''s cold grew more intense, and the temperature of the pocket dimension dropped.


    Zhang Hanxiang whispered, "Hong Xi, we have to give Brother a fright."


    Hong Xi nodded, activating all herbat-oriented soulshards in one fell swoop. A fan of feathers materialized in her left hand, and a moonlit sword in her right. Behind her, multicolored light red. The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    Wind howled. The sword in her right hand gleamed like the radiant moon. As she waved her fan, she summoned a twister in the air¡ªbut with a wave of his hand, Zhang Lie dispelled her technique.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Hanxiang held her palm up and channeled bitter cold. Cold air froze everything around her. Ayer of frost covered the ground, and snow began to drift down from the heavens.


    "Excellent courage toe at me straight on." Zhang Lie deflected Zhang Hanxiang''s palm with his own.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s frost waspletely ineffective against Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie summoned ayer of pale blue gic energy over his body to iste himself from the chill.


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. Sheunched a flurry of attacks at Zhang Lie, channeling the might and intensity of a blizzard, a snowstorm.


    Meanwhile, Hong Xi leapt forward with [The Elusive Moon], then activated a superior-grade illusory leopard soulshard to speed herself up further. She appeared behind Zhang Lie, but she was sent flying into the distance despite Zhang Lie not even turning around.


    Hong Xi revolved in midair and waved her fan. Her sword glinted with moonlight, and she shot forward once more.


    Once again, Zhang Lie waved at his back and dispelled her attack.


    A blizzard formed around Zhang Hanxiang. Her hands glowed brightly in blue, freezing heaven and earth and sending the battlefield into the deep of winter. A burst of icy energy emanated from her. Zhang Lie met her fist for fist, causing the chill to dissipate in an explosion of energy that sent the snow all around her blowing up into the air.


    Zhang Hanxiang stumbled back, and Hong Xi hurriedly rushed up to support her.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!"


    Her de seemed to cut apart a silvery veil in the sky¡ªbut Zhang Lie intercepted her attack once more. She didn''t see how; he had made his move after hers, but before she could reach him, his palm had already struck her chest.


    Hong Xi''s spirit-fox robe sent a protective burst of foxme toward Zhang Lie, but it didn''t hurt him at all. His water-attuned gic energy easily countered it.


    Zhang Hanxiang skated over the frozen ground, her body as limber and agile as an acrobat''s. des of ice formed by her feet, which she shot at Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie countered with a punch, sending her flying.


    She revolved in mid-air, dispelling the excess momentum. Just then, a silver shadow appeared beside him. Hong Xi, wrapped in a gale of wind, struck at Zhang Lie with a silver sh.


    Zhang Hanxiang struck again with a few spikes of ice. Zhang Lie easily knocked them aside, then swung back around to grab Hong Xi''s sword. Zhang Hanxiang barreled forward, surrounded by a whirlwind of ice. As she came close to Zhang Lie, he punched in her direction and sent her flying.


    Hong Xiunched an attack, but she was kicked away before it couldnd.


    The aura around Zhang Hanxiang deepened. Her hair began to freeze over, and her fists had turned noticeably blue. Zhang Lie felt a deep chill sweep over him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the twobatants. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the pocket dimension.


    Frost and flood collided in a huge rumble that shook the heavens and caused the pocket dimension to quake.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.

 Chapter 1253: Not Bad

    Chapter 1253: Not Bad


    The huge storm that resulted from Zhang Lie''s attack almost sent Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang flying.


    Zhang Lie sped both hands behind his back. "Not bad. I can see that both of you have grown."


    Zhang Hanxiang sighed in frustration. "But in the end, it wasn''t enough, was it?"


    Hong Xi cried out, "Master, please give us another chance!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''ve seen enough."


    Zhang Hanxiang shook her head. "Brother, we haven''t demonstrated our full strength!"


    "I know. That''s why I''m willing to permit you to challenge me individually."


    Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang went still.


    "But didn''t you say that we had to force you back a step?"


    "It was just a test to get a sense of your growth, and whether or not you have the qualifications to face me individually. I can''t say that I''m particrly impressed with either of you, but I''ve seen clear and noticeable improvement."


    Although they still weren''t at the level of the members of Team Zenith, they weren''t far off.


    After obtaining Zhang Lie''s approval, Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang nced at each other in happiness.


    Hong Xi stepped forward. "Let me go first, Captain."


    Zhang Hanxiang took a step back.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    The pale blue moon to Hong Xi''s back transformed. The wheel of me shone with light. Energy coalesced behind Hong Xi''s back and formed a crimson sun.


    The moonlight that reinforced Zhang Hanxiang''s strength was reced with sunlight as red as blood. Zhang Lie felt his own strength decrease to a noticeable degree.


    The decrease in his strength was greater than he would be able to achieve if he invoked [Eclipse] himself. It was evident that Hong Xi had been working hard on her understanding of [Eclipse] and [ck Sun], and her insight and knowledge had surpassed his by a wide margin. Otherwise, she would hardly have been able tobine the two techniques together.


    Hong Xi herself was shocked by the increase to her own strength after seizing a fraction of Zhang Lie''s. She felt stronger than she had ever been, as though her body were on fire with the energy that she now possessed.


    With a moment''s thought, however, Zhang Lie could trigger his own [Eclipse] and dispel Hong Xi''s domain.


    Despite Hong Xi''s advanced understanding of [Eclipse] that went beyond his own, he did possess the same technique, and he too grasped itsmon principles. It would be trivial for him to dispel her domain, but Zhang Lie didn''t do so. He allowed Hong Xi to absorb a fraction of his strength¡ªif he didn''t, this fight would be like bullying a kid.


    The difference between Hong Xi and Zhang Lie was so immense that it would be a one-sided fight otherwise.


    The blood-red domain passed through where the members of Team Zenith were standing, and she also absorbed their attributes. No one protested; Hong Xi was their junior, after all, and they were willing to help her against an opponent like Zhang Lie.


    The members of Team Zenith were themselves quite interested to see just how threatening Hong Xi would be against Zhang Lie after having absorbed all their strength.


    Hong Xi felt her body burning as thoughva were flowing through her veins, as though power was going to erupt from her at any moment. There were no more than ten hunters present, but the strength that Hong Xi received was superior to that which she had obtained in the void battlefields of the third realm from five million disaster-grade gic lifeforms.


    If not for the fact that Hong Xi had grown stronger since then and maxed out her monarch gene fragments, she would already have exploded from overload.


    Behind her, multicolored light red. The domain of [Eclipse] spread out beneath her feet. She walked forward, moonlight radiating from her every move. A ck sun appeared behind her, sparking where it touched the moonlight at her feet.


    With the fan in her left hand, Hong Xi summoned a twister. The blood-red mes of a blood sun burned around her, glowing with heat and blinding light. The blistering temperature caused the ground to turn tova, and the twister on her left hand sucked the mes up.


    The long sword in her right hand gleamed with a red edge, imbued with concentrated scarlet light. Behind her, multicolored light red. The blood mes merged with her sword energy, causing each of her strikes to leave behind a long trail of fire.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, apanied by a giant shark.


    The sword energy tore apart the cyclone of blood mes, and his summoned shark bit apart her sword shes.


    Under the illusory moon, her movements blurred. Using her superior-grade illusion leopard soulshard, she put some distance between them. Scarlet shes filled the arena.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Zhang Lie stood still in ce, his body like a pir that held up the sky, impossible to budge or move. The blood mes and scarlet sword shes cleaved around him, neither able to draw near.


    Pitch-ck gic energy surrounded him. As soon as the scarlet light approached, it disintegrated.


    "[The Hidden Moon]!"


    Her sword arced through the air in a sh of bloody light. Zhang Lie countered with a casual wave of his de.


    The de shone with light as Hong Xi''s sword sh was sliced in two.


    She waved the fan in her hand, causing Zhang Lie''s hair to drift in the breeze as she flew toward him. Her silver sword glowed with bloody radiance, and sunlight and moonlight gathered over it.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent shot forth.


    The red sun behind her back glowed with light. Hong Xi''s fan likewise shot out beams of light, as though she were a bloody sun about to turn into a supernova. Scarlet moonlight shone from the sword in her right hand. She pped her feathered fan, causing scarlet mes to roar. Tremendous energy felt like it would burst right out of her body. Energy spread from her core to her arms, which began to crack.


    She sent a sword sh through the mes,bining the energies of sun and moon, forming a scarlet halo of light that dispersed all around her.


    The members of Team Zenith immediately activated their defenses as the barriers of the pocket dimension began to crack.


    Zhang Lie''s pitch-ck serpent tore apart Hong Xi''s red hoops of light, then made to swallow her whole.


    Hong Xi waved her left and right hands in synchrony. The scarlet light mixed with the bloody storm and exploded in the serpent''s mouth, causing it to disintegrate.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    Hong Xi waved her feathered fan and scarlet sword once more. Sword energy and howling winds surrounded her. A blood dragon emerged, dispelling both sources of energy. Eyes wide, Hong Xi watched the gigantic dragon rush before her and open its maw wide. Just as it was about to swallow her, however, it swooped up and continued flying overhead.


    Hong Xi let out a deep breath of relief, then felt a wave of shame ovee her. She had been defeated so easily!


    Hong Xi was a bit afraid of Zhang Lie rebuking her for her failure. "Master, do you think that I''m useless? I''m so weak, but I still insist on challenging you one-on-one..."


    "It''s a good thing that you''re intent on improving, and I don''t think it''s necessarily a bad thing to fight an opponent far beyond your strength. As long as you''re willing to challenge your limits, I consider you a good student¡ªwhereas if you had remained stagnant and refused to do anything to improve, I would have tossed you out of the dojo."


    Hong Xi took a deep breath and smiled in relief. "Thank you, Master."


    "Did you intuit something?"


    <sub></sub>

 Chapter 1254: Dont Get Upset

    Chapter 1254: Don''t Get Upset


    Hong Xi replied, "There''s a lot of room for improvement on my end."


    Zhang Lie advised, "Focus on improving your body. Don''t think that it''ll naturally grow stronger just by absorbing gene fragments¡ªremember that the core, the foundation of your techniques lies in a strong body. Hone your foundations, and strengthen the concentration of gic energy in your attacks. Did you see how I dispelled all of them easily?"


    Hong Xi nodded. "I understand, Master."


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "In that case, Hanxiang will be next."


    The pocket dimension had only suffered a few cracks from the shockwaves of the confrontation between Hong Xi and Zhang Lie, unlike when Zhang Lie fought with the members of Team Zenith. Zhu only had a few simple repairs to do before it was time for Zhang Hanxiang to face her brother.


    After witnessing Zhang Lie''s fight against Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang was a little fearful of what she was about to face. Within moments, however, she had mastered that fear and stepped forward. If she feared even her own brother, how would she hope to defeat the enemies of higher realms that awaited her? She had to prove that she wasn''t the weak liability that she had been before, a sister that Zhang Lie had to devote time and attention to protect.


    Zhang Hanxiang strode forward. She channeled bitter cold. Cold air froze everything around her. Ayer of frost covered the ground, and snow began to drift down from the heavens.Frost surged forward like the tide.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    The image of the golden tiger behind him roared as his water-attuned gic energy transformed into gold-attuned energy. The energy thrummed and rippled, hard as steel. As the tiger roared, the chilly air was repulsed. The frost on the ground shattered, and icy shards filled the air.


    Zhang Hanxiang pushed forward with a flurry of palm strikes, each stronger than the might of a blizzard.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The [Fists of the Silent Sea] formed a fist inbination with the ck serpent form and a mallet with the golden tiger. The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystal, piercing through the blizzard.


    Zhang Hanxiang leapt up into the sky as des of ice condensed beneath her feet. She blurred as she skated forward like a professional. Frosty air gathered as hundreds of icicles shot toward her brother.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The daggers tore through space in a storm of silver.


    Zhang Hanxiang dodged her way through the stream of daggers.


    Yang Ze sighed. "Our captain really takes care of his sister, doesn''t he?"


    Hong Xi cocked her head. "He''s not using his full power?"


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "Of course not! Could he really stand to do that against his most cherished sister?"


    Li Fengmented, "If our captain did that¡ªno, if he used the same amount of strength he does against us, Hanxiang would already have fallen."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "However, that''s not what Hanxiang wants, is it?"


    Daggers of ice shot out of Zhang Hanxiang''s palms.


    Ice and snow surrounded Zhang Hanxiang like a pristine flower of ice. Zhang Hanxiangunched palm strikes continuously before her, infusing that energy into every strike. Each snowke became a dangerous projectile.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals floated around his body.


    As he cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists.


    Hundreds of crystal dragons criss-crossed through the air, beautiful and dazzling, radiating multicolored light. The snowkes struck the crystal dragons with metallic clinks, like bullets striking titanium, to no avail. Even the sharp snowkes could leave no trace or mark behind on the dragons'' bodies.


    Chilly air erupted from Zhang Hanxiang and transformed into a blizzard.


    Emting Zhang Lie''s actions, Zhang Hanxiang punched forward. Hundreds of dragons manifested within the blizzard, devouring the crystal dragons.


    The crystal dragons froze in the sky, turning into dazzling sculptures.


    Zhang Lie pped. "Well done! You''ve improved tremendously, Hanxiang."


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed rather upset. "Don''t coddle me, Brother! This is like an insult. Am I worse than the others?"


    Her eyes red with cold, with displeasure and grievance, like burning mes. Cold air continuously emanated from her body as her eyes turned into orbs of ice.


    Zhang Hanxiang exined, "I hope you won''t go easy on me, Brother. I''ll have to face a lot of strong foes and challenges in the future, and none of them will do so. If you do, it''ll hurt my future prospects."


    Zhang Lie sighed forlornly. "You really have grown stronger, Hanxiang. Very well. If you insist, I''ll strike at full strength."


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him. The ice on the ground melted as the temperature rose again.


    "Don''t me me if I hurt you, alright?" Zhang Lie warned her.


    "That will make it interesting." Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes turned cold. Frost seeped into the sky and the ground, and the temperature that was slowly returning to normal shot back down to negative values instantly.


    A wave of frost besieged them all. Sun Mengmeng''s ck mes ignited around the members of Team Zenith to keep the cold in abeyance.


    As more and more frost gathered, flowers of ice manifested underneath Zhang Hanxiang''s feet, then spread outward from her.


    Time and karma froze from her chilling aura,


    but Zhang Lie waspletely unaffected. He swiped forward with his ws, sending scythes of bloody light forward to tear apart the frozen domain. The swipes passed by Zhang Hanxiang''s body so quickly she couldn''t even react.


    They left long furrows on the ground, causing Zhang Hanxiang to suck in a deep breath when she saw them. She knew that, if they hadnded on her body, she would have been cut apart.


    <sub></sub>

 Chapter 1255: Onward Forevermore

    Chapter 1255: Onward Forevermore


    Zhang Lie asked, "Would you like to continue?"


    Zhang Hanxiang let her arms hang limply by her side. "No, I won''t continue. As expected, I can''t beat you, Brother."


    The happiest spectator was none other than Zhu. Hong Xi and Zhang Hanxiang''s trials, unlike those of the members of Team Zenith, hadn''t destroyed any of the barriers she had erected. Hong Xi had only cracked them a little, while Zhang Hanxiang lowered the temperature of the pocket dimension below freezing.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward and rubbed his sister''s head.


    "You''ve improved tremendously."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Brother, aren''t you supposed to be asking me what I intuited from battle?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no need."


    Zhang Hanxiang was taken aback. "Are you looking down on me, Brother?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You''re mistaken. It''s just that all of you have grown tremendouslypared to when you were in the second realm, and there are no obvious deficiencies for me to correct. I''m only being nitpicky in hopes that you''ll all continuously strive to improve on your current fundamentals."


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed very surprised. "Does that mean I''m already really strong, then?"


    Zhang Lie pinched his sister''s cheeks.


    "The others might not have major issues, but you''ll have to work harder, I''m afraid. Your techniques need more effort¡ªyou can''t just uniformly focus on chill and frost. My water-attuned gic energy is able to take on different elemental forms with practice, and as a water-attuned hunter yourself, you should be able to do better."


    Zhang Hanxiang pursed her lips. "I''ll work hard on itter, then."


    By then, Zhu had dispelled the barriers between the pocket dimension and the rest of the third realm. Li Zongming, the scaleman king, and the draconian sage all rushed over.


    "What happened, ruler of the realm?"


    Zhang Lie answered for Zhu. "There''s nothing to worry about¡ªI was just sparring with a few members of Team Zenith, and it looks like we caused a biggermotion than intended."


    Li Zongming, the scaleman king, and the draconian sage all sighed in relief.


    The draconian sage muttered, "The skies turned gold and then suddenly darkened. We were all wondering what had happened¡ªbut it''s just you guys again!"


    Li Zongming patted his chest. "I was very worried that we had somehow encountered another crisis."


    Li Zongming, the scaleman king, and the draconian sage were all a little spooked considering the massive crises that had just overwhelmed them.


    Since encountering Zhang Lie, it felt like they hadn''t known a moment''s peace.


    The draconian sage grumbled, "Zhang Lie, you and the members of Team Zenith know your limits, don''t you? If you''re careless, you might even destroy this new unified world!"


    Li Zongming warned, "The unified world has just been formed, and it''s still rather fragile, all things considered. All of you have the potential to break it, especially you, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I''ve finished testing all the members of Team Zenith, so this won''t happen again. Right, how are mattersing along with all of you? Have youe up with ns for governance?"


    The scaleman king replied, "We intend to establish kingdoms on the newly unified world."


    The draconian sage added, "In rtion to what you have on Earth, these kingdoms are the equivalent of your countries."


    Li Zongming continued, "And as you''ve suggested, we''ll establish an overarchingmittee for the unified world and jointly govern it."


    Zhang Lie learned from the three of them that, after many days of discussions, they had decided to form a high council in the unified world.


    Below the council would be four primary kingdoms.


    Each kingdom would be able to govern itself, in a manner not unlike the individual superior worlds. Issues that concerned multiple kingdoms could be advanced to the high council for deliberation, and the high council also had the authority to oversee each kingdom.


    The scaleman king stepped forward. "Master, my kingdom is known as the Lie Kingdom, and I''ll be the king of Lie thereafter. The founding ceremony is in two days, and I''d like to extend you an invitation. Pleasee, Master." [1]


    The draconian sage added, "My kingdom will be known as the Dragon Kingdom, and the draconians would also like to invite you and the members of Team Zenith to be present for our founding ceremony."


    Li Zongming said, "And my kingdom will be the Zongming kingdom. All of you shall be honored guests."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We''ll attend them all."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Where''s Yun Bing?"


    The hunters of the Milky Way also intended to establish a coalition in the unified world, to build their own kingdom. Yun Bing came highly rmended by the members of Team Zenith to be the kingdom''s representative.


    No hunter dared object. They knew that Zhang Lie was backing the members of Team Zenith, and their own strength was emblematic of the power of gic hunters. The Zenith Dojo had be the strongest organization among the hunters of the third realm.


    If you included Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, it would undoubtedly be the strongest organization¡ªwithout any qualification.


    The draconian sage exined, "Yun Bing intends on establishing a government working together with other forces from the Milky Way."


    Li Zongming added, "If I remember correctly, she intends to name it the Zenith Alliance."


    Sun Mengmeng sounded rather surprised. "Yun Bing even managed to get the other forces of the Milky Way on board?"


    Zhang Lie seemed somewhat surprised. "I thought that the Zenith Dojo would have a kingdom of its own, as would the other forces of the Milky Way, but they''ve chosen to work together? I really have to figure out how Yun Bing achieved such a feat..."


    Li Zongming urged, "Zhang Lie, you have to be present at my founding ceremony! If you don''t attend, I won''t let my daughter meet you anymore."


    "Of course I will."


    Li Zongming continued, "Furthermore, our high council needs a council head. We discussed the matter among ourselves, and we believe you''re the most suitable candidate."


    The draconian sage took over. "The only reason this unified world could form was because of your efforts, and you were the one who identified the crisis and resolved it. We believe you to be the most suitable candidate for the role."


    A council head, just like Hong Tianqi? Zhang Lie thought over the offer seriously for a few moments before ultimately shaking his head and declining. "It''s not for me, I think."


    The scaleman king urged, "Won''t you reconsider, Master? It would be difficult for any of us to take on this responsibility effectively, but you''re different. Who would dare stand up against you in the third realm?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I won''t be able to remain in the third realm for long. I''ll have to leave sooner orter."


    Li Zongming sighed. "Must you really?"


    The scaleman king also seemed upset to see him go. "You won''t reconsider, Master?"


    Li Zongming asked, "This is an empire that you forged with your own hands. Are you just going to leave it be?"


    "My goal isn''t to be the ruler of a realm."


    If Zhang Lie wanted to do so, he could have achieved that feat in the second realm. Zhang Lie knew very well that this supposed authority was all a facade¡ªthat if he really wanted to control his own fate, he would need personal strength.


    "You must truly be ambitious, if even the unified world of the third realm is too little for you,"


    Li Zongming sighed, out of either regret, worry, or both.


    The draconian sage nodded. "You''ve never stopped moving forward, but I can''t say whether that''s good or bad."


    "All gic hunters are this way."


    "But your footsteps move forward faster than anyone else''s."


    1. This is Lie as in Zhang Lie. ?

 Chapter 1256: The Founding Ceremony

    Chapter 1256: The Founding Ceremony


    Li Zongming said, "There are still a few details we have to work out. Don''t you dare start fighting again, you hear? If you have the time, go visit my foolish daughter."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''ll head over in a moment."


    The draconian sage shook his head as he chuckled wryly. "The disturbance caused by your fighting shocked and frightened everyone in the unified world. Please be more mindful."


    Zhang Lie spread his arms innocently.


    Li Zongming and the draconian sage flew off. The scaleman king did the same after bowing to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie turned. "Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen!"


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen hurriedly stepped forward.


    "Yes, Master!"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Why haven''t either of you maxed out your monarch gene fragments yet? I won''t be able to determine just how strong either of you are even if I gave you a trial. I''ll postpone it for the moment, but train hard¡ªbefore I ascend to the fourth realm, I''ll schedule a test with both of you."


    Zhu asked, "Zhang Lie, are you ascending to the fourth realm?"


    Zhang Lie caressed Zhu''s head.


    "There should still be some time left, but I''m about ready to do so, yes. The third realm can''t handle my strength any longer."


    As he saw Zhu''s forlorn expression, Zhang Lie smiled and rubbed her head again.


    "You can''t be showing these sorts of expressions anymore, you hear? You''re no longer a young girl, but rather the ruler of a realm."


    Zhu took a deep breath. "Before you, Zhang Lie, I''ll always be a little girl!"


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "Sun Mengmeng, you and the others should take this time to help train Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen. Go through the same sort of hellish training that I adopted with you in the second realm."


    The members of Team Zenith turned toward the two apprentices and smiled like demons. Yang Ze grabbed Jun Jiuxiao''s shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, we seniors will demonstrate our love for you two."


    Li Feng grabbed onto Ye Xianchen''s shoulder.


    "It might hurt at first, but you''ll get used to it soon enough."


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen shared looks of unease, as though they had found themselves surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves, looking at them as though they were prey. They felt weak and helpless in front of all these stares.


    Zhang Lie intoned, "Don''t neglect your own cultivation. You''ve all grown tremendously, but there''s still a long way to go. Once we''re all in the fourth realm, you''ll all be so far down your own paths that you have to be your own guide."


    "Thank you for your pointers, Captain."


    Everyone bowed toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie then went up to Zhu. "How''s the search for the materials going?"


    "There are still a few ingredients missing."


    "As long as you can find them, that''ll be good enough."


    To celebrate everyone maxing out their monarch gene fragments, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had a feast.


    After that, Zhang Lie headed off in search of Li Qianlin.


    After the formation of the unified world, Li Qianlin had returned to Li Zongming''s side.


    The Zongming world hadn''t changed dramatically; it had been transferred wholesale from a superior world to a massive part of the unified world.


    Compared to the Zongming world of the past, it had grown even more luxurious and prosperous.


    After the formation of the unified world, the standard of living in the third realm had risen dramatically. There were far more resources than before, and spiritual and medicinal herbs could be had for impossibly cheap prices. Grain matured instantly during the merger process and was imbued with spiritual energy, providing a boost in growth rate to all the inhabitants of the world.


    The aliens'' lives had be far more dynamic and vigorous¡ªbut not necessarily for the better.


    After all the worlds merged together,nd borders and boundaries became rather fuzzy. As various aliens began to fight over territory, the aliens had to get used to a whole new way of living.


    Zhang Lie didn''t mind this, because he knew that whatever chaos existed would only be temporary. After the draconian sage and the others reached a settlement, all would be orderly once more¡ªand very quickly, at that.


    Chaos might be brewing all over the unified world, but the original superior worlds'' territory would be unaffected. No fool dared to provoke those worlds, and those who really were foolish enough to try were quickly dealt with.


    Zhang Lie headed to Mt. Tian, the original capital of the Zongming world, and entered the pce in search of Li Qianlin.


    When she saw him, Li Qianlin beamed. "What are you doing here?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I''m here to see you."


    "Nothing has happened, has it?"


    "What, can''t Ie see you without a disaster urring?"


    "It seems like every time you do so, it''s after something bad has happened, or if you''re about to leave for a major event or another."


    Zhang Lie replied, "The unified world has been formed, and Zhu is the ruler of the realm. She''s on our side, as you know, and the third realm is finally at peace now. No one''s an opponent for me, and I have plenty of time for myself now. I don''t have to go to war, and neither do I have to deal with sudden crises. I can simply apany you."


    Li Qianlin stuck out her tongue. "Who needs yourpany? I''m doing just fine on my own!"


    "In two days, the four primary kingdoms of the unified world are hosting their founding ceremonies. I''d like to bring you over as my guest."


    In the remaining period of time, Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin spent every day together.


    Time passed in a sh, and the time for the four kingdom''s founding ceremonies quickly came.


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin first headed to the Zenith Alliance''s founding ceremony.


    They were located onnd originally belonging to arge world, which had subsequently been invaded by the warlords and converted into Zenith territory.


    Outside the gates of the capital, all sorts of Milky Way hunters were standing in formation as though they were part of an army.


    Zhang Lie praised, "Their footwork is excellent. Have they been specially trained?"


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were all seated on the balcony that was part of the original pce. Alongside Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were representatives that had yed integral roles in the formation of the unified world, the representatives of some of the top hundred races of the Milky Way.


    Those who weren''t part of the top ten strongest races of the Milky Way didn''t even merit a seat.


    Representatives of the top thirty races of the Milky Way could only stand behind the seated hunters, and the other representatives among the top hundred, along with the warlords under Zhang Lie''smand, were all on the second floor. Only Zhang Lie and the others had the best seats.


    Yun Bing smiled. "Well? Doesn''t it remind you of the second realm, when we established the kingdom of Limit?"


    During the founding ceremony of the kingdom of Limit, Zhang Lie had specially hypnotized disaster-grade lifeforms using his mistmeld m soulshard to serve as steeds. It was truly a memorable and magnificent sight, but all Zhang Lie remembered was the hassle of setting everything up.


    It even had a monarchy, along with systems and institutions in ce for the transferral of power.


    Now, however, the Zenith Alliance was being managed by a coalition of forces from the Milky Way, and Zhang Lie didn''t have to do a single thing. He had the best seat and could snack on fruits as he watched the founding ceremony from the best vantage point.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Just how did you manage to get everyone on board, Yun Bing? I wouldn''t have expected them to want to work together with you."


    The Zenith Dojo was strong enough to found a kingdom of its own, but the fact that Yun Bing had managed to corral the other forces into joining it was wholly unexpected.

 Chapter 1257: Its Not a Lie

    Chapter 1257: It''s Not a Lie


    "The other forces of the Milky Way had already been thinking of allying with the Zenith Dojo¡ªI''m sure you don''t need me to tell you why." Yun Bing looked toward Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith.


    The reason the forces of the Milky Way wanted to ally with the Zenth Dojo was because the Zenith Dojo was rapidly growing stronger. It had once been nothing more than a dojo on a single in the Milky Way, but was now the strongest force in the second realm¡ªand it wouldn''t be far-fetched to call it the ruler of it all, either, considering it possessed an entire kingdom.


    Upon ascending to the third realm, the members of the Zenith Dojo started out with umonbat power, especially after the unification of the worlds of the third realm. No disciple of the Zenith Dojo had fled; they trusted in Zhang Lie''s sess, and the blessing of the realm had made them two or three levels stronger than their counterparts.


    Furthermore, the Zenith Dojo was backed by ridiculous existences like Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith. As long as they stayed in the third realm, the Zenith Dojo would have nothing to fear from anyone.


    The forces of the Milky Way weren''t foolish. Knowing that the Zenith Dojo was a group with infinite potential, they did their best to try to ally with them.


    Zhang Lie''s value would only keep rising. In the second realm, he had constructed a kingdom; in the third realm, he had unified a realm; and he had even made such shocking discoveries as limit-breaking potions and disaster-grade lifeforms. No one knew just what Zhang Lie would be capable of in the future.


    Working with the Zenith Dojo was akin to working with Zhang Lie. In the future, if there were any more discoveries, they would surely learn about the matter before anyone else.


    "It was that simple?"


    "The other forces already wanted to ally with us, but their rtionships with each other can beplicated. Allying with us could mean working together with their enemies¡ªso I simply came up with a strategy that would give all the forces of the Milky Way an excuse for cooperation."


    "What excuse?"


    "That all the alien kingdoms, along with three superior kings and the ruler of the realm, would be working together with each other."


    Zhu frowned. "I''m on Zhang Lie''s side! I''m hispanion!"


    Yun Bing nodded. "We know that, but the forces of the Milky Way don''t."


    Zhang Lie scrutinized her thoughtfully. "I understand. You''re telling the forces of the Milky Way that there''s a coalition of forces arranged against them, that they would have to band together in order to survive against such disadvantageous odds, especially when I and the members of Team Zenith can''t remain in the third realm forever."


    Yun Bing smiled slyly. "That''s exactly right. You and the members of Team Zenith won''t be able to stay here for good¡ªbut even if you leave, the foundations that you''ve established, along with the members of the Zenith Dojo, will still be around. The superior kings would be wary of the Zenith Dojo''s strength and have developed a close rtionship with you, so it would be safe no matter what."


    Sun Mengmeng came to the same realization. "But that doesn''t apply to the forces of the Milky Way, does it?"


    Yun Bing nodded. "After all, the Milky Way hunters are much like invaders, whereas the three other kingdoms are formed of indigenous races. It would only be natural for them to ostracize the hunters."


    Zhang Lie continued, "That means the hunters of the Milky Way will naturally feel outnumbered and isted."


    "I''m not lying, after all." Yun Bing smiled. "The three kingdoms were originally three superior worlds, who had allied together against the superior worlds of antiquity and banded together in an attempt to resolve the crisis of the third realm. Meanwhile, the hunters had almost uniformly fled back to the Milky Way."


    Sun Mengmeng gave Yun Bing a thumbs up.


    Sun Xiaowu marveled. "Amazing. Yun Bing, it felt like you were telling the truth the entire time¡ªbut it might as well be a lie!"


    Yun Bing asked, "But have I lied?"


    Yang Ze eximed, "That''s why it''s so impressive! All you''re saying is the truth, but what you leave implicit is nudging people toward notions that are most favorable to you. It''s a waste of your talents not to be awyer."


    Such was the crux to bing a goodwyer¡ªto reveal a fraction of the truth and lead judge and jury toward the preconceptions most advantageous for them.


    Zhang Lie asked, "So you managed to get all the forces of the Milky way to work together using these tricks and misdirection?"


    Yun Bing shrugged. "How am I tricking them? They joined this coalition voluntarily."


    Zhang Lie smirked.


    "It''s true that the three superior kingdoms have worked together in the past, and they did form an alliance. This is factual, verifiable truth."


    On the other hand, the Milky Way hunters were clearly at a disadvantage in terms of unity.


    Zhang Lie praised her. "You really are sly, to take advantage of theirck of knowledge."


    Yun Bing smiled. "Of course, as an ally of the three superior kingdoms, the Zenith Dojo yed an important role¡ªperhaps the most important role¡ªduring the crisis of the third realm, and you were the one who unified the world. Even if they aren''t willing to show you any respect, the contributions of the Zenith Dojo alone will leave the three kingdoms and the alien races within them unwilling to ostracize us."


    Zhang Lie summarized, "So you''ve manufactured amon enemy out of thin air."


    "I just told the others that, if the Milky Way hunters want to get a greater say in the governance of the third realm, that they would have to learn to work together as allies rather than enemies."


    Yun Bing truly had a talent for diplomacy.


    The alliance between the forces of the Milky Way and the Zenith Dojo would undoubtedly be beneficial for the former. Not only would they be able to develop a rtionship with Zhang Lie, they would be shielded from any hostility from the alien races, and Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith would protect them. There were uncountable advantages.


    Meanwhile, the Zenith Dojo would be able to obtain a vast source of manpower and connections throughout the Milky Way.


    It was a win-win situation.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Can you guarantee that the Zenith Dojo will have an important voice in the coalition?"


    Sun Mengmeng murmured, "If the Zenith Dojo were to end up getting swallowed up..."


    Yun Bing replied, "With all of you around, anyone who attempts to usurp power must be mad. Even without my doing anything, the other forces of the Milky Way would deal with them to im your favor."


    "But we won''t be able to remain in the third realm forever," Zhang Lie warned.

 Chapter 1258: Simply Disappeared

    Chapter 1258: Simply Disappeared


    Yun Bing gave Zhang Lie an unimpressed look. "Have some confidence in me, won''t you? All you have to do is remain in the third realm for some time. I''ll be able to secure an important position in the coalition by then and stabilize our foundation of power. As long as I remain in the third realm, the forces of the Milky Way will never be able to control the Zenith Dojo."


    Zhang Lie asked, "And what about after you ascend as well?"


    Yun Bing replied, "Don''t worry. Just give me the time I need to solidify our status. Furthermore, who''s to say that I''m going to ascend?"


    "You''re a gic hunter, aren''t you?"


    Yun Bing shrugged. "Who knows what dangers the fourth realm possesses? Staying in the third realm and managing a kingdom doesn''t seem bad inparison."


    "Don''t lust after authority and power," Zhang Lie advised. "Remember that you''re not native to the third realm, that you''re a gic hunter from the Milky Way."


    "Don''t worry, Zhang Lie. By the time you get a firm footing in the fourth realm and need my assistance, I''ll be ready to ascend."


    "Very well."


    To be frank, Yun Bing was somewhat weak in terms of individual strength. She was still stronger than the average hunter, but barely noteworthy to Zhang Lie. His disciples, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, had already eclipsed her in strength.


    "It''s almost time for my speech."


    Yun Bing stood up, patted herself down, and walked up to the podium. She shouted, "Today marks the founding of the Zenith Alliance. Thanks to everyone''sbined efforts, we have ovee many crises together, not least among them the averted destruction of the third realm. Rather than choosing to retreat, we cooperated and strategized against disaster..."


    "...I hereby announce the founding of the Zenith Alliance!"


    Fireworks lit up the sky as thunderous apuse boomed below.


    Yun Bing had specially prepared the festivities, including a fireworks show in which the fireworks had been reced with hunters'' techniques.


    The sky sparkled and fizzed, and the overall appearance of these "fireworks" might even have been superior to the real thing.


    Because the kingdom was founded by all the forces of the Milky Way, it was officially titled the Zenith Milky Way Alliance, or the Zenith Alliance for short.


    "I shall take on the role of Prime Minister of the Zenith Alliance. I pledge that I will build a better foundation for us all on the basis of the hard work and effort that we have all put in. Next up, the guardian deity of the Zenith Alliance, the dojo leader of the Zenith Dojo, the strongest hunter of the third realm, the champion who rescued it in times of need, the scientist who discovered limit-breaking potions and realized how to absorb disaster gene fragments, the true leader of the Zenith Alliance¡ªZhang Lie."


    Yun Bing turned around to see that Zhang Lie had already vanished, as had Li Qianlin.


    "Where''s Zhang Lie?"


    The members of Team Zenith all shrugged.


    Yun Bing clutched her face. "What am I supposed to do? There are a few hundred thousand people down there right now!"


    Sun Mengmeng sighed in exasperation. "Who would be able to stop our captain from leaving?"


    Certainly not anyone from the third realm.


    Yun Bing clicked her tongue. "In that case, Sun Mengmeng, you''re up!"


    From a distance, Li Qianlin asked, "Is it really alright for us to have left so suddenly?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "It''s almost time for the founding ceremony for the Lie kingdom. The ruler is my disciple, so I have to be present punctually."


    By then, Zhang Lie had already shattered space and brought them both to the territory of the Lie kingdom.


    As important as the Zenith Alliance was, Zhang Lie had no intention of speaking publicly in front of such arge audience. He had prepared nothing;


    in order to avoid an embarrassing attempt at public speaking, Zhang Lie had chosen to sneak away beforehand.


    Of course, there was another reason besides.


    Zhang Lie wanted to diminish his importance and influence in the Zenith Alliance; after all, he was about to ascend to the fourth realm shortly. If he yed too important a role and left too strong an impression in the minds of the hunters of the third realm, Zhang Lie was afraid that it would negatively impact Yun Bing''s authority and the status of the members of Team Zenith.


    As such, Zhang Lie had slipped away. As long as his influence diminished, Yun Bing and Team Zenith''s influence would rise.


    Li Qianlin asked curiously, "Don''t you want to be the leader of the Zenith Alliance?"


    "Do you think I''ve ever cared?"


    Li Qianlin hummed. "That''s true. If you''ve endeared the ruler of the third realm herself, it would be trivial to make the world anew."


    "Bing the leader of the Zenith Alliance would be a joke¡ªI don''t intend to remain in the third realm for good, after all."


    Perhaps a leader in spirit, but an actual leader? Of course not!


    Li Qianlin hesitated for a moment. "Are you really going to ascend to the third realm?"


    "I''m a gic hunter," Zhang Lie replied.


    Hunters weren''t indigenous to the dimensional realm, and Zhang Lie believed that neither should they be beholden to it.


    "We can only move ever forwards," he stated resolutely.


    "However, I saw quite a few gic hunters who have remained in the third realm for the long term while in the superior draconian world," Li Qianlin replied.


    Not all hunters wanted to advance relentlessly; some were afraid of the challenges they would have to face, the strength of the lifeforms they would have to kill, the allies and friends they would lose along the way, the shame they would feel if they gave up and returned to the Milky Way.


    Some simply didn''t have the strength to defeat peak-grade lifeforms, and were forced to halt their advance and be merchants instead.


    "You''ve only met a fraction of us hunters."


    Even more gic hunters never feared to charge onward. When theirpanions perished, they would carry theirpanions'' souls in their heart, fighting every day to hone themselves, to improve, to advance.


    It was precisely because of all these pioneers who had given their lives to exploring the dimensional realm that the Milky Way was experiencing such prosperity.


    "Only by advancing can I reim what I once lost," Zhang Lie stated resolutely.


    Li Qianlin opened her mouth as if to speak, but she couldn''t force the words out of her throat. In the end, she sighed. "You''re always like this, aren''t you? Forging endlessly onward. I can''t imagine where your finish line would be."


    The Lie kingdom was located where the scaleman kingdom had been. Zhang Lie brought Li Qianlin with him to the scaleman king, the former ninth prince, who was now the Lie king.


    Despite having lost his superior world, after the unification of the worlds of the third realm, the former superior king had received an incredible blessing, advancing him beyond his former strength. The Lie king should have sensed him the moment he arrived in Lie territory.


    Zhang Lie had naturally permitted this signal to reach the Lie king himself.


    When he saw that Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin were approaching, the Lie king was very excited.


    He had been preparing for the founding ceremony, but once he sensed their arrival, he dropped what he was working on.


    "You''re here, Master!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I''m not disturbing you, am I?"


    The Lie king''s smile widened. "It''s an honor for me to receive you here, Master, not a disturbance at all!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''ll take a stroll around the pce and await your founding ceremony."


    The Lie king beamed. "I heard the Zenith Alliance''s founding ceremony was today too, and I was worried you wouldn''t show up."

 Chapter 1259: Strolling and Stopping

    Chapter 1259: Strolling and Stopping


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''re at least half a disciple to me. Although I didn''t teach you very much, how could I not attend your founding ceremony?"


    The Lie king replied, "Hardly, Master! Without you, I wouldn''t ever have be a king of the realm. Beasts would have eaten me alive, and I would never have survived to witness the glorious history of the third realm. You are the one who made me who I am today, Master, and you''ve always been the person whom I respect most."


    Zhang Lie smiled and dipped his head in satisfaction.


    The Lie king continued, "I still have much to do in terms of preparation, Master, so I can''t stick around for long. I''ll have my brother prepare a reception for you."


    "No, no, don''t worry about it. I can walk around on my own."


    The Lie king fretted. "But it''s rare for you to make an appearance, Master! I would be ashamed not to treat you well while you''re here. I just mentioned that you were the reason I could be who I am today¡ªand yet I can''t even do this paltry thing right..."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No, there''s no need to worry. Focus on your founding ceremony¡ªyou''d lose me face if it went badly."


    The Lie king nodded in shame. "I apologize, Master."


    Li Qianlin asked curiously, "Why call this world the Lie kingdom?"


    The Lie king smiled. "It''s a name that''s particrly meaningful to me, ma''am."


    "Really? Why?" Li Qianlin asked curiously.


    The Lie king smiled again. "Lie is from my master''s name."


    Li Qianlin turned to Zhang Lie in surprise. "It looks like your disciple really does respect you..."


    Zhang Lie shrugged, indicating that he was used to it.


    They stepped into the pce and witnessed the aliens working hard. Many of the servants and pce maids who saw Zhang Lie and the Lie king kowtowed.


    "We greet His Majesty, we greet the grandmaster!"


    The Lie king waved a hand at them, motioning for them to continue with their tasks.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you still not like being king?"


    The Lie king sighed. "I''ve grown used to it by now, but kingship is like a responsibility that weighs me down."


    In the end, the Lie king did find a rather high-ranking servant, whom he tasked with the responsibility of showing Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin around.


    The next day, the founding ceremony of the Lie kingdom was hosted. Unlike that for the Zenith Alliance, the founding ceremony wasn''tpletely open to the public. The Lie king sat in an open-top carriage in a procession all the way from outside the capital into the pce, waving to the citizens who had gathered on either side of the route along the way.


    The Lie king had also invited Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin to ride in the carriage with him and into the pce, but Zhang Lie had refused.


    This was the Lie king''s kingdom, and Zhang Lie didn''t intend to y any further part in it. He was about to leave for the fourth realm, and it made sense for him to deal with whatever obligations he could now.


    He no longer intended to participate in any grand event in the third realm; he would be a spectator, spending the rest of his time here together with Li Qianlin.


    The Lie king rode in an ornate carriage wearing majestic armor. As Zhang Lie watched him wave and wave again to his citizens, he felt immense gratification well up inside him.


    The carriage arrived at the pce, and the Lie king walked up to the podium.


    He lifted up a bejeweled sword and raised its tip to the sky. "Today, the Lie kingdom has been founded!"


    A pir of light shot into the air, and multicolored, rosy hues filled the sky.


    This wasn''t anything that the will of the third realm had done; the Lie king had conjured such a phenomenon himself.


    The Lie king was now an existence beyond the level of a superior king, and he had more than enough strength to aplish such a feat.


    Compared to the original session ceremony for the throne, this one was far lessplex. After all, the Lie king''s power was evident, and it needed no acknowledgment from the world. His power was now his own, independent of the realm.


    The remainder of the ceremony was perfunctory.


    The officials of the Lie kingdom knelt. "Long live the Lie king!"


    Despite the fact that the ceremony had grown so concise, there were far more citizens present than when the Lie king had taken the throne.


    Those below the stage weren''t simply the officials of the Lie court, but also the aliens from various worlds that had joined the Lie kingdom. None were ordinary citizens; these were leaders of the respective worlds and their most trusted advisors. Those of lower status weren''t even permitted into the pce, and instead had to kneel outside.


    As he observed the Lie king ascend to the throne, Zhang Lie yawned. "The funerals were more entertaining to watch..."


    Initially, he was gratified to have seen his disciple take on such an important role, but as the ceremony dragged on, he couldn''t help but feel bored.


    Li Qianlin nudged Zhang Lie with her wrist, then red at him.


    "This is your disciple''s founding ceremony! What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Zhang Lie whispered back, "You''ve never seen the burial ceremonies of the scaleman world, have you? Especially when the princes buried their king!


    That ceremony was something to behold¡ªI can''t help but want to see it again."


    Li Qianlin nced all around her before sighing in relief. "If anyone else had heard you say that¡ªno matter how good your rtionship with your disciple, he''d fall out with you for sure. How thoughtless do you have to be to say something like that on such an auspicious asion?!"


    If Li Qianlin had heard Zhang Lie say the same thing about her father, she would have pped him immediately.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand at her. "Don''t worry. If my disciple were to hear me, he''d organize a funeral immediately."


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "I don''t know where you get your confidence from..."


    "I''m not an idiot¡ªI wouldn''t have said it if anyone else were in earshot."


    By then, the Lie king had sat down on his throne, and an old official was carrying out formal rites.


    Zhang Lie yawned again. "It''s far too boring. Let''s go watch a funeral."


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "What are you thinking? You''re not even going to bid your disciple farewell?"


    "If I do that, he''ll certainly keep us behind. Better to leave silently¡ªas a king of a newly established kingdom, there''s more than enough to fill his te. We shouldn''t bother him any more."


    Zhang Lie tugged on Li Qianlin''s hand, then left in a burst of shattered space.


    However, there were no funerals to be found anywhere in the kingdom. Because of the founding ceremony, all funerals had been prohibited from urring for three days. Conveniently, Zhang Lie had three free days in his schedule, so he brought them both wandering about the Lie kingdom...

 Chapter 1260: A Familiar Face

    Chapter 1260: A Familiar Face


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin spent a few days enjoying themselves in the Lie kingdom. In the past, because there was always something he had to do, Zhang Lie hadn''t availed himself of the sights and scenery of the kingdom, but now he had plenty of time.


    Zhang Lie headed to a certain city.


    The city was clearly prosperous, and the scent of alcohol filled the air. Zhang Lie puffed up his chest proudly. "This city was built by me and the Lie king, my disciple whom you saw."


    Li Qianlin asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly decide to build a new city here?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "While the struggle for session was ongoing, the Lie king didn''t have a base of power. To avoid unnecessary trouble, we chose to distance ourselves from the capital, where the fighting and scheming was most vigorous. We decided to build a foundation and conserve our strength before returning, only to find..."


    Li Qianlin asked, "Only to find what?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Only to find that nothing had gone to n. The original king had dropped dead¡ªassassinated by the Jinghun n. The Jinghun n then manipted affairs so that the eighth prince could take the throne. The crown prince, shocked by the sudden coup, attacked the capital with his standing army, only to be routed and forced to flee. He ended uping to us, instead."


    By then, Li Qianlin had already guessed what happened next.


    "And then you, the current king, and the crown prince all headed back to the capital, where you defeated the nascent coup?"


    "You could guess?"


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "Anyone could have guessed. Everyone knows who you are¡ªif you were able to destroy even the superior worlds of antiquity, how could arge world hope to stand up against you?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I wasn''t as strong then as I am now, and I had to take even a king of arge world seriously. Only after I had maxed out my disaster gene fragments did I dare to head over to where you were. This world was where I started my journey in the third realm, and it was the most important step in that journey. It does bring back some fond memories..."


    Li Qianlin asked, "What made you choose this location? Was it famous for its alcohol?"


    "This used to be a deste wastnd¡ªthere was no alcohol whatsoever. However, there used to be a dimensional wormhole by that mountain, connected to a medium-sized world. A tribe of brewers had been located there, and they could brew amazing alcohol that could even confer gene fragments on those who drank it, strengthening their bodies." Zhang Lie pointed toward a mountain in the distance.


    As a princess, Li Qianlin had the education expected of royalty, and she quickly understood the economic implications.


    "No wonder. You wanted to take advantage of that dimensional wormhole to set up a trading post in this town, to sell the alcohol of the alcohol tribe here and amass a profit in the short term."


    "Yes, though things didn''t turn out as nned. The Lie king had be king before the town was even finished being constructed, and I had left the world by then. Even so, the Lie king followed my original instructions and developed this town to the city you see today. It''s clear that they even forged connections with the alcohol tribe¡ªand they''ve brought that miraculous alcohol here."


    Li Qianlin was very curious about everything around her, and her gaze darted all over as Zhang Lie brought her through the city.


    She was fascinated by anything that had to do with Zhang Lie.


    "This time, I intend to bring some of the alcohol back with me as a small gift¡ªah, that''s..." Zhang Lie had just stepped inside a tavern when he saw an alien carrying a vat of alcohol.


    Li Qianlin asked, "Who''s that? Someone you know?"


    Zhang Lie raised a hand and yelled out, "Mu!"


    Mu turned around and, upon seeing Zhang Lie, revealed a puzzled expression that turned into one of delight.


    "Zhang Lie? Is that you? What are you doing here?" Mu gave Zhang Lie a warm hug, which Zhang Lie reciprocated. He then introduced him to Li Qianlin.


    "This is Mu, a brewer from that wondrous tribe I told you about."


    "Is this your wife?" Mu asked.


    Li Qianlin lowered her head, flushing.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Not yet."


    "Oh? Not yet, eh?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "Why, this is my tavern!"


    Zhang Lieughed and patted Mu''s arm.


    "Not bad, not bad! You''ve certainlye far since thest time we spoke."


    Mu scratched his head andughed. "It''s all thanks to His Majesty. His men came to the tribe one day and sought out cooperation with us, exchanging all sorts of resources and riches for our alcohol. Subsequently, when the worlds merged, there was no longer any need to traverse a dangerous dimensional wormhole, and transporting alcohol became much simpler. Many of the younger members of the tribe brought alcohol over here and started businesses."


    Upon ncing at how crowded the tavern seemed to be, Zhang Lie smiled. "It looks like you''re doing well."


    Mu scratched his head andughed. "Everyone''s doing well. Those of us who left the vige to do business in the city have prospered. It''s all thanks to His Majesty and the grandmaster for allowing us to ply our trade here. If not for the scaleman world¡ªah!"


    Mu realized that he had made a mistake and quickly corrected himself.


    "It''s the Lie kingdom now. Who else would have taken us all in? Many of my n is here now, and almost two-thirds of the people in the city are from my world. We were able to make ourselves at home here very easily, and I can''t thank His Majesty and the grandmaster enough."


    Mu clearly didn''t realize that he was speaking to the grandmaster himself.


    "Don''t just stand theree on in! Let me buy you a drink."


    Mu dragged Zhang Lie into the tavern.


    The two of them had two gons of alcohol. Mu asked, "How have you been recently, Zhang Lie?"


    "Not too bad. I''m almost at a bottleneck in strength."


    Mu seemed excited and curious. "You must be very strong, Zhang Lie. Have you ever met the Lie king?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Of course!"


    "Is he really as impressive as the rumors say? That he has a warrior''s physique, a schr''s appearance, a golden dragon coiled around him, clouds of fortune by his feet, a mortal god?"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help butugh. "Who has been spreading these sorts of rumors?"


    Mu asked, "Is he really not like that?"


    "He isn''t."


    "What''s the Lie king like, then?"


    "He''s a youngd in his prime. Usually, he''s a little unassuming, but he can y the role well when it counts. He''s been a king for quite some time now, and he does give off the impression of the strong at this point."


    "And the grandmaster?" Mu asked.


    Li Qianlin countered, "Have you never met the grandmaster?" Do you not even know of his identity?


    Mu seemed a little embarrassed. "I''m just a small brewer, nothing more. I''ve never met the Lie king, so how could I have met the even more mysterious grandmaster? Apparently, many of the court officials haven''t ever seen him either."


    "After all, the grandmaster isn''t frequently in this kingdom," Zhang Lie replied.

 Chapter 1261: Suave and Dashing

    Chapter 1261: Suave and Dashing


    Mu asked delightedly, "Have you met the grandmaster, Zhang Lie?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "I suppose I have..."


    Mu asked, "What is he like? Some people say that the grandmaster has ridiculous skill, that he managed to destroy thousands of troops and horses with a snap of his fingers, that when alien races from beyond this realm assassinated the old scaleman king and took over the capital, the grandmaster appeared and destroyed them all. Subsequently, when the ck spirits invaded, the grandmaster appeared again and took care of the invading forces by himself."


    Li Qianlin turned toward Zhang Lie. "I didn''t know this grandmaster was so impressive!"


    "Right? The ck spirits that managed to devour world after world were nothing more than ants to the grandmaster!"


    The aliens around Mu, hearing that he was praising the grandmaster, added their own takes to his legend.


    "No, the grandmaster is His Majesty''s teacher. How can he be a mere warrior who only knows how to fight? He has to be a schr of unbelievable wit! I have a rtive serving as a guard in the capital. When the aliens took over the capital, even the crown prince was flustered, and his army of tens of thousands of troops suffered massive losses and was forced to retreat. However, the grandmaster easily resolved the situation."


    Li Qianlin asked, "How did the grandmaster do it?"


    The alien drank another swig of alcohol. He was red all the way to his neck and was clearly drunk. "The grandmaster didn''t even have to move his fingers at all! All he had to do was propose a n to His Majesty, and the aliens quickly began to quarrel among themselves. He easily secured victory without having to fight¡ªthis is true strength."


    Hispanion added, "The grandmaster is truly amazing. Everyone thought that the crown prince would win the battle for session, but when the grandmaster spoke, even the crown prince had to move aside. How many worlds did they say the ck spirits destroyed?"


    The first alien swallowed another swig of alcohol. "No other world could do anything about it, and even ours was in danger. The grandmaster, who had gone into seclusion, showed himself once more and extinguished the ck spirits in the blink of an eye."


    Hispanion cried out, "I heard that the warriors from every world were drafted by the superior worlds to face the death spirits¡ªthe leaders of the ck spirits, who struck fear into us all! To think that those ck spirits were mere subordinates, and that there were at least ten times more death spirits... We were saved all thanks to our grandmaster, who led the charge against the death spirits and destroyed them all, shocking the entire realm."


    Li Qianlin nced toward Zhang Lie, a yful expression on her face.


    "So the grandmaster is an excellent strategist as well..."


    Another guest walked over with a sk of alcohol. "What do you mean, strategist? One of my brothers was in the capital as a royal guard, and he witnessed the grandmaster fight against the aliens himself! That day, a storm suddenly manifested by the capital walls, sending clouds of dust into the capital. A flood tore apart the sky."


    The guest drained his cup, as though witnessing the scene for himself. His eyes filled with fear at just a brief reminder of that day.


    "Are all of you aware of the capital walls?"


    Everyone nodded.


    The guest let out a long breath. "Then you all know how majestic our capital walls are¡ªthousands of meters tall, witnessing millennia of history. How many enemies had the wall stopped? How much invaders'' blood had the wall absorbed? For all that it represented, the wall crumbled to just one punch."


    The guest caressed the scar on his face, as though it were a badge of glory and reminiscence.


    "Ripples of spatial energy surged toward the aliens, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. Waves rose up in a cataclysmic explosion that shook the earth, causing a section of the wall to explode.


    "Everything happened far too quickly. By the time I came to my senses, the walls had begun to crumble, but that wasn''t the end of it. Pulses of energy spread from the point of impact. It seemed almost as if a disaster-grade lifeform had gone on a rampage within the capital, summoning wind and rain so strong that some of the guards were blown straight off the walls.


    "The storm swallowed up all the infrastructure and buildings close to the city walls, turning them into a pile of ruin and rubble. The whole pce were uprooted and sent flying. Pirs of shattered stone and balconies of wood whipped through the air, and even the pce infrastructure became unstable."


    Li Qianlin whispered to Zhang Lie, "Was this one of the guards present on the wall at the time?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at her. "How many soldiers and guards do you think were present? How could I remember them all?"


    "During that fight, during that attack, I felt myck of strength more keenly than ever before, as though I were merely an ant in the face of true power. Rubble was sent flying through the air, smashing into the ground like meteors. Countless houses were shattered, and countless people died from the attack. That could have been none other than a blow from the heavens themselves¡ªthe grandmaster has to be a god!"


    The guest''s eyes filled with wild reverence.


    Li Qianlin rolled his eyes. "Look at him! He clearly thinks of you like a god, but you can''t even remember his appearance?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes back at her. "You know there are countless people across the gxy who venerate me¡ªhow could I remember them all? They think of me as the pioneer of gic hunters, the champion of humanity. If I truly were to remember all their names, I''d drop dead of tiredness!"


    Mu asked Zhang Lie curiously, "You''ve seen the grandmaster, Zhang Lie, haven''t you? Just what kind of person is he? An amazing swordsman and fighter, or a tactician and master strategist?"


    "As I said, he''s an amazing fighter, who can summon wind and storm with just a finger!"


    "The grandmaster is a tactician, one able to destroy a city with words alone!"


    "How could the grandmaster be a mere tactician? He must be physically strong!"


    "So what if he''s a tactician? Could he be a grandmaster with brute strength alone?"


    While the guests of the tavern naturally split up into two camps, Zhang Lie suddenly said, "Actually, you''re both right. The grandmaster boasts impressive physical abilities and peerless intelligence, the quintessentialbination of both aspects of humanity."


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, the crowd quieted down.


    Zhang Lie continued, "If I had to describe him with a few adjectives... well, I found him particrly suave and dashing."

 Chapter 1262: With Manual Labor

    Chapter 1262: With Manual Labor


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "Shameless!"


    Zhang Lie bragged about himself in front of the gathered crowd as they toasted the grandmaster.


    The imperial guard stared at Zhang Lie with furrowed brows.


    Zhang Lie noticed his stare.


    "What''s the matter?"


    The guard asked, "Have I met you before?"


    "Is that so?" Zhang Lie replied. "I don''t have any memory of that."


    The imperial guard murmured, "Likely within the capital..."


    It was clear that the guard had only caught a passing glimpse of Zhang Lie from afar, or he would surely have had his face imprinted in his memory.


    The other patrons of the tavern were rather upset at the hubbub that Zhang Lie''s group had caused.


    "You''re all being too noisy! Can''t you let us drink our alcohol in peace?"


    The imperial guard shouted back, "If you want to drink in peace, bring your alcohol back home with you!"


    "Don''t you know who the grandmaster is? And who are you, and who''s that drunk over there, toment on him?" Another alien spat a mouthful of saliva on the ground. "The grandmaster''s just a petty coward."


    The guests scowled at the alien who had just spoken. "Without the grandmaster, none of us would be here today! Our world would have been destroyed by the ck spirits¡ªthere wouldn''t have been a superior world, nor the Lie kingdom of the present."


    The imperial guard also frowned. "The scar on my face was, in some sense, caused by the grandmaster himself, but I''ve never hated him. Without the grandmaster, there would have been no future for us.


    Without the grandmaster, you all would be nothing more than corpses buried under the ground. You certainly wouldn''t be able to keep drinking here as leisurely as you are now!"


    The alien retorted, "So what if I criticized the grandmaster? Who is he to you, your father?"


    "Are we wrong, then? We''ve said nothing but the truth!"


    The two sides looked as though they were about to start a brawl.


    Mu hurriedly stepped between them. "Calm down, calm down, everyone! We all came here to drink, not to fight. How about I send all of you some drinks on the house?


    Brothers from the Door tribe, I apologize for the disturbance. Have the alcohol on the house."


    The two aliens from the Door tribe smirked at each other. "When have we ever had to pay for our alcohol?


    Bring two more casks of alcohol out. We''ll be taking them with us."


    Mu frowned. "You''ve already taken twenty casks this month, and you''ve never paid for any of them. I''m just a small businessman, and I can''t afford such an expense."


    The aliens from the Door tribe were so arrogant that a guest might well think that the aliens, rather than Mu, owned the tavern.


    "As countrymen from the same world, from the same vige, you aren''t willing to do us even this small favor?"


    "Do you really think we care about your alcohol? We''re just here to show you face and bolster your reputation."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Who are they?"


    Mu whispered back, "They''re from the Door tribe. Do you remember the tribe that was responsible for guarding the dimensional wormhole?"


    "Somewhat."


    Mu continued, "After His Majesty took the throne, he sent men to visit our world. The Door tribe was still responsible for guarding the wormhole at that time, but how could a small tribe from a medium-sized world stand up to imperial troops from arge world? The Door tribe lost handily, and the Lie king''s troops entered the alcohol tribe''s world.


    "The Door tribe lost many of its strongest hunters that day. Faced with a foe from arge world, the tribe could only flee in panic, giving up their hold on the entrance to the wormhole that was their livelihood. Furthermore, as a result of their sudden weakness, they were quickly oppressed by the other tribes around.


    "On the other hand, the alcohol tribe''s status grew day by day, thanks to the trade that the Lie king wanted to set up."


    Mu began to frown. "Subsequently, when the worlds merged, all of us from the alcohol tribe came to the Lie kingdom with fat purses. Those members of the Door tribe then began to badger all of us, jealous about our sudden rise and thinking that we don''t deserve our good fortune. It''s the same reason they loathe His Majesty and the grandmaster¡ªthe Door tribe thinks that they''re the cause of all their problems."


    Zhang Lie patted himself on the chest. "Don''t worry. I''ll get back whatever these men owe you."


    Mu waved his hands urgently. "No, no! Zhang Lie, I know how strong you are, but let''s not cause a fuss."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t worry, I won''t cause a ruckus. Just you watch."


    Mu seemed perplexed. "The people of the Door tribe aren''t the type to respond to words alone..."


    "I have a special trick."


    Zhang Lie walked up to the two aliens from the Door tribe, who stared at him.


    "What, you want to fight? Don''t think you''re impressive just because you''ve seen the grandmaster. Once we make our move, you''ll be begging for mercy!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t say a word. He continued staring at the two men, rainbow light gleaming in his eyes. He had activated his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard.


    The two members of the Door tribe found their eyes zing over.


    Zhang Liemanded, "Hand Mu all the money you owe him."


    The two members of the Door tribe gave Mu all their money as though they were puppets.


    Mu, shocked at the unbelievable sight, didn''t know what to do.


    "Keep it. This is the money they owe you, isn''t it?"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s reminder, Mu hurriedly imed the money from the two tribesmen.


    After that, the two tribesmen took off their clothes.


    Li Qianlin hurriedly covered her face while Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s the matter with you?"


    The tribesmen replied, "We didn''t have enough money, so we''re covering the rest with our clothes."


    Once they were stark naked, Zhang Lie turned to Mu.


    "Is that enough?"


    Mu nodded firmly in thanks. "More or less."


    "That means it''s not enough, then?" Zhang Lie asked.


    The two tribesmen from the Door tribe made a stiff about-turn and headed out of the tribe. "We''ll bring the money back."


    "Let''s go." Zhang Lie stood up, and Li Qianlin hurriedly followed suit. "What''s the matter?"


    "We''re headed to the Door tribe to get money."


    They followed the two naked tribesmen toward the Door tribe''snd.


    The Door tribe was located in what seemed like the slums of the city, with dpidated houses and the stench of sewage. Many of the tribespeople were emaciated.


    As Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin walked over, many hostile stares swept over them¡ªover Li Qianlin''s body and on her clothes.


    "Lad, leave the woman and all your money behind."


    Li Qianlin frowned as Zhang Lie activated his disaster-grade soulshard once more.


    "Return all the money owed to the alcohol tribe."


    Unexpectedly, however, the Door tribe''s total wealth was less than the debt they had rued.


    "In that case, you''ll pay it off with hardbor."


    Given what they had witnessed of the Door tribe, Zhang Lie did realize that it would be imusible for them to be able to pay off their debt immediately. If the Door tribespeople were willing to perform manualbor, their lives would surely improve.

 Chapter 1263: Reminiscence

    Chapter 1263: Reminiscence


    The alcohol tribe was naturally very pleased to have the Door tribe working for them and paying off the debts they had incurred¡ªboth for the fact that Zhang Lie had saved the alcohol tribe in the past, and for dealing with their troubles now.


    Before Zhang Lie left, the alcohol tribe presented him with a princely gift¡ªa hundred casks of alcohol.


    Zhang Lie epted the gift with a smile. He wouldn''t have to purchase alcohol for hisrades as nned, then.


    He and Li Qianlin continued to explore the territory of the Lie kingdom.


    They headed to the royal farm. Zhang Lie introduced, "Every so often, the royal family has a hunt in this region. The Lie king once took advantage of his authority as king of the realm to speed up time in the vicinity of this area, and the lifeforms'' rate of reproduction increased as well."


    "There are fewer lifeforms than I would have expected... is it because a hunt has just finished?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "No. It''s because the majority of the superior- and peak-grade lifeforms have been transported to the gic farm in the draconian kingdom."


    Li Qianlin gaped. "So this is just an offshoot of that farm?!"


    "You can understand it that way."


    After Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin toured the kingdom, they finally had the chance to witness one of the Lie kingdom''s specialties¡ªtheir funerals.


    "Hey there, as though he were¡ªa fallen leaf, floating in the wind¡ªto his soul we pay our respects, our tears!"


    A few youths danced about the town with a coffin in tow, their actions spry and vivacious. The coffin was sent flying into the air.


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin, amidst the crowd, began to p following the rhythm.


    "As though you had¡ªdreamt a marvelous dream¡ªnever to wake up again¡ªyour smile as gentle as a breeze. All things change in time¡ªeven the stars will move¡ªbut our love will remain here, here where you spilled blood¡ªin passion and glory!"


    Li Qianlin had to force herself to remain calm and avoidughing. "What an unusual custom!"


    Zhang Lie gave her a thumbs up. "Well? You think it interesting too, don''t you?"


    "Please, depart with ease¡ªleave your earthly roots behind!" the son of the dead cried out, tears filling his eyes.


    The citizens of the town began to sing the familiar song. "A river of tears we might swallow¡ªbut tomorrow will be, it will be, a better day! Strive¡ªstrive to persevere, to live without giving up! And when our love and hope face the sun¡ªour tears of yesterday shall evaporate."


    The singing, dancing youths paraded through the streets with the coffin in tow, their actions filled with remarkable grace.


    "Do not give up on the morrow¡ªdream your dreams, wish your wishes, fill yourself with strength and courage¡ªlet your love and hope shine by the moonlight!"


    They ced the coffin in the center of the town.


    Li Qianlin covered her mouth to avoid revealing a smile. "The Lie kingdom''s funerals are far more joyous, far more interesting an affair than even the royal dances..."


    "Turn back and take a look at your homnd¡ªthe future lies in wait, a myriad paths to travel¡ªI opened the window and basked in the weing dawn!"


    Once the coffin had been ced on the ground, the youth and his family circled the coffin as though they were around a campfire. As they pped their hands, they sang and danced around it.


    Those attending the funeral ced a bouquet of fresh flowers in front of the coffin. Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin did the same, then departed.


    Li Qianlin sped her hands behind her back. As the skies turned dark and the sun set, she raised her head to look at the stars, her steps light.


    "How happy I am."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What? How could you be happy after attending someone''s funeral?"


    Li Qianlin kicked Zhang Lie''s foot.


    "You were the one who took me to see it!"


    Zhang Lieughed.


    Li Qianlin continued, "I feel like I''ve had far too much fun thest few days. If only they could all continue in this manner..."


    Zhang Lie knew that that would be impossible. He would eventually have to leave the third realm and ascend to the fourth.


    "Let me bring you back to the Zongming kingdom," he suggested. "The Zongming kingdom''s founding ceremony is about to begin, and your father told me to bring you back in advance to prepare."


    Li Qianlin turned to him. "I''d love to apany you out again in the future if there''s an opportunity."


    "Very well."


    "Then it''s settled."


    Li Qianlin stuck out her pinkie finger.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Is this a custom in the Zongming kingdom too?"


    Li Qianlin replied, "I learned it from Sun Mengmeng and the others. You better not renege on your promise!"


    Zhang Lie curled his pinkie with hers. With his other hand, he shattered space and brought Li Qianlin toward the Zongming kingdom.


    By then, the Zongming kingdom had already reached thest legs of its preparation for its founding ceremony. As Zhang Lie brought Li Qianlin back, Li Zongming waved to him and had the master of ceremonies lead him and Li Qianlin away. The master of ceremonies gave Zhang Lie a change of clothes and informed him as to the details of the uing ceremony.


    That night, Li Zongming had dinner with Zhang Lie.


    "Sorry for the trouble. I hope learning our customs hasn''t been too difficult."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Actually, nothing would go wrong even if I didn''t attend..."


    Li Zongming looked at him in astonishment. "How could we do that? You''re the reason all this has happened to us, and one of the cornerstones of the Zongming kingdom! You''re a hero and the husband-to-be of the princess of the kingdom. No matter what, I''d like you to be present."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "All for Qianlin, then."


    The founding ceremony urred two dayster.


    Just as when the worlds of east and west werebined, the road to the capital had been festooned with flowers in red and blue. The red flowers were a specialty of the west, and the blue ones that of the east.


    The trees were arrayed with traditional folk attire of the two worlds. The east favored elegance and subtlety; the west, extravagance and lordliness. The trees were arrayed alternatingly in the two worlds'' outfits, as though they represented citizens from the two worlds holding hands, all the way for ten miles.


    This was the founding ceremony for the kingdom, and Li Zongming wanted to express that he had never forgotten the friendship that had existed between the kingdoms of east and west. Without that initial merger, there wouldn''t have been the superior Zongming world, or subsequently the current Zongming kingdom.


    The Zongming kingdom had been built on the joint cooperation of the citizens of east and west.


    The ground had been swept clean, without even a speck of dirt.


    Strong citizens had dispelled the clouds in the air, making the sky shine as brightly as a gemstone. Rays of light from the morning sun struck the mountain in its entirety.


    Outside the cordon, quite a few citizens had gathered.


    "Today marks the day the Zongming kingdom is founded. A few years ago, we went from the world of the east to the Zongming world; now, we go from the Zongming world to the Zongming kingdom. Everything feels as though it has happened in the blink of an eye."


    "It really does feel like no time at all..."


    "I hear that there''ll even be a performance by the east and the west."


    "This is a historical moment¡ªand we''ve seen two of them in our lifetime!"

 Chapter 1264: Special Effects

    Chapter 1264: Special Effects


    "No, it''s not just the second time."


    "When the third realm was in a state of crisis, I thought we were about to die."


    "It''s a pity we won''t be able to witness it ourselves. The only ones who can make it into the ceremony proper are the rich and famous."


    "I heard that man is here too."


    "That man?"


    "The one who stole the bride?"


    "What do you mean, stole the bride? He was the one who handed us the world of the west¡ªand he''s our princess''s new groom now!"


    "I really want to see just what that man looks like, and whether he really does have three heads and six arms like the rumors say."


    The crowd was eagerly gossiping away.


    A red carpet led toward the top of Mt. Tian, where the ceremony would take ce. Surrounding it on either side were flowers that gave off a pleasant scent. Their rich, fragrant blooms lent an air of elegance to this asion.


    As the guests arrived at the scene, all manner of luxury transportation parked by the carriages drawn by gic lifeforms, ornate to the extreme, studded with gold and jewels. Each carriage was more extravagant than thest, as though the guests were trying to outshine each other.


    Those invited to witness the ceremony were businessmen and politicians all, each influential in their own right, and who would never ordinarily be seen in public.


    Suited attendants passed through the crowds of guests, passing them beverages and exquisite hors d''oeuvres.


    A gigantic stage stood in the middle of the venue, a temporary construction that was nheless as ornate as a pce. Clearly, no expense had been spared for this asion.


    A hundred giant beasts took to the skies, a golden-armored rider on the back of each one, scattering petals throughout the venue.


    The beautiful petals danced through the air. Rosy light trailed the back of each flying lifeform, which were uniformly peak- or higher-grade. Behind the lifeforms were two even more massive ones.


    Antlers shining in all the colors of the rainbow adorned their heads like crowns. Their aura pressed on the guests despite how far away they still were. The lifeforms on the ground, superior- and peak-grade alike, all lowered their bodies, as though paying respects to the lifeforms from above.


    The lifeforms were the size of small cities, and the air shook as they passed through. Their scales glittered with such radiance that even the sun seemed to pale inparison. One of them had a halo of light shining above its head. Nine pairs of wings kept it aloft, forming strong winds that buffeted the field. It stared at the crowd with an air of disdainful arrogance.


    The two beasts carried avish pce between them, resplendent in its wealth. Just a jewel studded on its outer walls wasparable to the total wealth that the average guest possessed.


    The other disaster-grade lifeform was equally extravagant. The ring of light on its back shone as brightly as the sun. Its huge wings covered up the sky, and its lithe body exuded grace. Its sharp eyes looked as though they could pierce through the sun and stars.


    As the disaster-grade beasts pped their wings, radiant light shone through the sky, spreading out from them like stardust.


    As it flew, space seemed to ripple. Its rainbow-colored feathers gave off light in the seven colors of the dawn, and it left a rainbow trail behind it, so beautiful any onlookers would be instantly attracted to it.


    Their gigantic wings covered up the skies; their eyes piercing sun and moon, star and sky.


    Atop the sunbird was a pce that didn''t lose out to that carried by the five-colored dragon, with exquisite architecture and a stream of flowing water. It was a style that harmonized with nature, and the clouds and mist surrounding it made it look like a building of myth and legend.


    As the two lifeforms flew overhead, thousands of peak-grade lifeforms surrounded them like foot soldiers. Indeed, atop each peak-grade lifeformy a team of soldiers, representing the Zongming kingdom''s strength.


    The two disaster-grade lifeformsnded on stage as the rainbow light they brought with them spread throughout the venue.


    The pce they carried between them radiated such light the guests had to shield their eyes. A ck figure appeared from its doors. The golden light materialized in the form of stairs. A long sheepskin carpet rolled down the steps, and a rain of flower petals floated down from the top of the pce.


    Twenty to thirty aliens dressed in suits strode out and stood at attention on either side of the red carpet, their hands behind their back, their waists straight.


    The crowd began to apud. Thunderous apuse filled the air in the span of just a few breaths.


    Li Zongming walked down the stairs. With a wave of his hand, millions of stars in the sky began to glow. The sun and moon seemed to shine down brightly, and the images of dragons and phoenixes flitted through the air.


    These were special effects that Li Zongming had made specifically for the asion.


    Li Zongming extended a hand behind him. "Let''s go, Qianlin."


    Following behind him was a woman who seemed to have descended from the heavens themselves, graceful and lithe, as radiant as a chrysanthemum blooming in the summer heat, as lush as a pine tree whose branches unfurled in a spring breeze, as pure as a rising sun at dawn, as fresh as a lotus flower blooming amidst a patch of verdant green.


    Her shoulders were narrow, her hips slender, her neck a graceful line that revealed her white, perfect skin. Her brows were fine and thin, her lips red and luscious, her teeth as white as ivory. Her eyes shone as bright as stars, and two dimples appeared on her face as she smiled.


    She was graceful and reserved, warm and unassuming, gentle and carefree. She dressed in the elegant attire of the east, with exquisite ornaments that magnified her beauty. Gold and silver hairpins studded her fine ck hair, pearls radiant against her skin.


    Her essories and clothing only served to embellish her beauty. She walked down the steps with practiced ease, giving off a fragrant scent that didn''t lose out to the flowers around her, her beauty so picturesque that one could get drunk on it. On that day, no one could think of her as anything less than a heavenly maiden.


    Li Qianlin took her father''s hand and walked down the golden stairs.


    Someone clutched his suddenly thumping heart. "She''s too beautiful, too beautiful! I''ve fallen in love. I''ve heard it rumored that the Zongming princess is the premier beauty of the third realm. I thought it an exaggeration, but after seeing her now..."


    A woman bit down on her cherry lips, her eyes filled with grudging envy, jealousy, and malice. "How could it be? How could there be such a beautiful woman in this realm?"


    The woman couldn''t remain angry for long; her eyes softened, and it almost seemed as though she were falling in love with Li Qianlin herself...

 Chapter 1265: Ruined Lives

    Chapter 1265: Ruined Lives


    "To think that I once imed that Mei''er was more beautiful than the princess herself... Heavens above, punish me!" A young man''s arms hung weakly by his side. Inparison to the princess'' beauty, his beloved Mei''er seemed like nothing more than the mud against the backdrop of the sky.


    Mei''er lifted a cutlery knife to her face. "You''ve all imed that I''m more beautiful than any mortal there was, a beauty hardly seen once in a century, even the top beauty of the third realm¡ªbutpared to her, I''m nothing!"


    Someone who was clearly her elder shouted, "Mei''er, put down that knife! It''s far too dangerous!"


    "Mei''er, if something''s the matter, let''s talk it out!"


    "Physical appearance is nothing to care about¡ªit''s what inside that matters!"


    Her elder tugged on the man standing beside her. "Nephew, aren''t you on the best of terms with Mei''er? You praise her all the time, your tongue like honey! You always make your cousin smile, so won''t you persuade her to stop herself?!"


    "Scram! I''m trying to focus on the fairy from the heavens!"


    The young man beside Mei''er heartlessly pped aside the elder''s hand.


    Mei''erughed a chilling, desteugh. "I was always proud of my beauty, and I even thought myself the most beautiful woman in the realm! To think that I was nothing more than a fool! A true beauty''s like a graceful swan, and I''m nothing more than an ugly duckling."


    Mei''er''s smile grew even more strained. She had wanted to threaten to ruin her own beauty in order to capture the attention of the young men around her, but their attention had been instantly captured by Li Qianlin instead!


    It was then that Mei''er saw through the young men that had been wooing her. None of them were truly interested in her, but only in the beauty that she represented, as a trophy. She was nothing more than jewels or an extravagant vehicle.


    She thought that she had been toying with all the men around her, but the opposite was true instead.


    When Li Qianlin, of peerless beauty and noble birth, appeared, they tossed her aside like she was a ragdoll.


    "What''s the use of this face, then?"


    Mei''er felt a heavy blow strike her heart as she cut herself deeply with her knife.


    Mei''er''s elder screamed in panic, but no one turned toward her. Everyone seemed to have been captivated by Li Qianlin''s beauty.


    "This is no mere woman, but rather a fairy from the heavens! I feel as though I''ve been poisoned with the mdy of love!"


    "To think she''s this beautiful... just sneaking a glimpse at her has made my life worth living. I won''t marry anyone else in the world but her!"


    "I''d give ten years of my life just for a touch of her hand!"


    A middle-aged manughed at the youngsters around him. "Dream on. Look at the man on the multicolored dragon."


    The doors to the pce opened as Zhang Lie stepped out in a sharp Western suit. He stretched. Li Qianlin and Zhang Lie nced at each other from afar, beatific smiles on each of their faces, as though they were in their own world.


    "What right does he have to marry such a peerless beauty?!"


    "A hero and a beauty, a perfect match!"


    "Could he have saved the three thousand worlds in his past life?"


    "Whether or not he did it in a past life, no one knows¡ªbut he''s done it twice over in this one."


    One young man sighed upon witnessing Zhang Lie, as though his soul had left his body.


    "Among the three thousand worlds, only he could ever be a match for her." The young man turned to leave, tugging off his tie, as though he had aged thirty years in a single moment.


    Beside him, hispanion asked, "Where are you headed? The ceremony''s just begun!"


    The young man smiled mirthlessly. "My life is meaningless now. I intend to be a monk."


    Hispanion quickly followed behind him, causing the first young man tough wryly. "If you truly think of me as a friend, don''t stop me. I''ve made up my mind."


    "Who''s going to stop you? I intend to be a monk with you! The fact that I won''t be able to spend the rest of my life with her¡ªrather than marry someone whom I could never love and be bitter for the rest of my life, I''d rather swear a vow of celibacy."


    "So be it!"


    Other attendees, upon witnessing what was happening, joined the group of young men.


    "Wait for me!"


    More young- and middle-aged men shrugged off their suits and ties, then followed the growing group.


    There were about a hundred of them in all, each of them looking as though their souls had left their bodies. No one stopped them; the crowd simply shook their heads.


    "Another generation, ruined..." A middle-aged man shook his head in exasperation, as though he were used to the sight.


    Another elderly man, his hair turning white, murmured, "This generation can''t take it, it seems..."


    The middle-aged man shrugged. "They ruin themselves the moment they see the princess¡ªand to think there are still elders willing to send members of the younger generation over!"


    The wizened old man couldn''t help butugh. "Those in the know are smart enough not to¡ªthey don''t even attend themselves, for fear of being struck by her beauty."


    The middle-aged man nced mockingly at the departing young men.

 Chapter 1266: An Exaggerated Response

    Chapter 1266: An Exaggerated Response


    The Zongming kingdom had grown significantlyrger than it used to be after merging with the world of ck rain and all number of medium-sized andrge worlds. The ranks of the wealthy and powerful had grown significantlyrger, and these neers had no clue just how dangerous the princess was.


    The men headed up to the monastery in the mountains; the women did something even more fearsome.


    "I always thought I was pretty, butpared to the princess, I''m nothing but an ugly monster!" A woman ran forward and hurled herself off Mt. Tian.


    "Someone jumped down the mountain!" a guest shouted in panic.


    Li Zongming had arranged sufficiently many guards around the venue beforehand, who were strong enough to dive off the mountain and grab the falling women.


    Before the crowd could rx, however, another woman was lifting up her skirt and charging forward.


    "There''s no reason for someone as ugly as I am to live!"


    She jumped off the side of the mountain, and another guard hurriedly dove after her.


    Woman after woman emted her actions, as if they had all gone crazy en masse. The guards, numerous though they were, found themselvespletely beleaguered by the crazed guests.


    Furthermore, the women who had been saved were still struggling in the guards'' arms. "Let me go! Let me die! After looking at the princess, I can''t bear to look myself in the eye anymore! I can''t live on!"


    The elderly man whose hair was turning white couldn''t help butugh. "This generation really can''t take any trauma, can they? They''re far too weak-willed¡ªwell, better to let them die, rather than waste more resources on them."


    The middle-aged man took a gulp of alcohol. "They can''t evenpare to the nouveau riche of the world of the west."


    The old man sighed in exasperation. "Speaking of those nouveau riche, some of them have made their way over, did you know?"


    A young man cried out, "What are all of you doing chatting over there? Aren''t you going to help stop them?"


    The elderly man and middle-aged man turned toward the young neer.


    "You must be new, then?"


    The young man seemed displeased. "So what? We''re all ministers in His Majesty''s court, aren''t we?"


    "You must be one of the nouveau riche, then."


    The young man nodded seriously. "I was once the king of arge world. After the worlds merged together, my territory was adjacent to the Zongming kingdom, and I decided to join it."


    The elderly man smiled. "Understanding the situation is important."


    The young man shrugged. "After the worlds all merged together, only one unified world remained, and one ruler for that world. I lost my privileges as king of the realm, and my own power dipped dramatically. I didn''t know how many people were lying in wait for me, and if I didn''t give up what little power remained, I would have been eaten alive."


    After losing the shield of royalty, the ability to control the realm, and even personal strength, there were only two possible oues¡ªto be eaten alive by the remaining powers of the world or to be destroyed by foreign powers seeking to expand. Choosing to join the Zongming king was the only possible option left.


    The former king of the realm sighed in exasperation. "I didn''t want to give up on independence either, but it was far better a price to pay than my life."


    The elderly man took another sip of alcohol. "A clever choice."


    The former king of the realm asked, "You haven''t answered myst question. Why don''t you stop the young men and women? Is the Zongming court so xenophobic?"


    The middle-aged manughed. "Don''t you think we''ve tried?"


    The elderly man beside him asked in exasperation, "Do you know why I insist on dragging myself to these banquets without bringing even my son with me?"


    The middle-aged man shrugged. "Don''t you think we''ve done what you did before?"


    The old man revealed an expression of shocking pain. "Last time, I brought my eldest son with me to witness the merger of the worlds of east and west into the Zongming world, so as to allow him to develop connections with the powerful and the mighty in preparation for taking over my position. I destroyed him¡ªand now he''s at home under lock and key. I don''t dare let him out."


    The middle-aged man asked, "Elder Sun, hasn''t your eldest son recovered yet?"


    Elder Sun sighed. "Recover? The moment I let him out of confinement, he insists on heading up the mountain to be a monk, to free himself from the confines of the mortal world. Do you think I can allow him to do that?"


    The middle-aged man sighed. "At least your son is better off than my granddaughter. I brought her over once... she was only fifteen!"


    The former king of the realm was shocked.


    What had Li Qianlin done to a young girl of fifteen, about to blossom into adulthood?


    The middle-aged man sighed again. "We didn''t dare bring our descendants with us this time, so worried were we that meeting the princess would destroy them for life."


    Elder Sun continued, "And the princess is hardly someone we canin about. After all, our descendants are the ones who don''t have the mental fortitude to live after seeing her¡ªwhat can we do?"


    The middle-aged man seemed equally frustrated. "And if we can''t even take care of our own family, what makes you think we''d be able to help others? If we could, we would have done so long ago."


    "Who''s the princess''panion?"


    The former king of the realm could sense the despair that had filled the eyes of the young, that nketed them and bent their backs with a burden too heavy for them to bear.


    These young men and women were all of prestigious birth; they had to be, to have received an invitation to such a banquet. Was there truly no one who could resolve such a problem, even when they were working together?


    It seemed as though they had all fallen into despair¡ªespecially the two officials in front of him, who were content to let the young women of the banquet fling themselves off the mountain. Just who could the princess''panion be, to cause such overwhelming despair?


    Elder Sun murmured, "You''re one of the nouveau riche, so it''s only natural that you wouldn''t know."


    "The premier hunter of the three thousand worlds... You''re aware of the death spirits'' invasion, as well as the crisis that almost tore this realm apart, aren''t you?"


    The former king replied, "I am aware of the death spirits, and I believe the crisis was rted to the unification of the realm. How is this relevant?"


    "He was themander who led the realm against the death spirits. I''m not sure of the details, but all the soldiers of the Zongming world revere him like a god."


    The golden-armored warriors leapt down from their peak-grade mounts, surrounding Li Zongming and Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 1267: Too Many Clowns

    Chapter 1267: Too Many Clowns


    The golden-armored warriors leapt down from their peak-grade mounts, surrounding Li Zongming and Zhang Lie.


    Elder Sun pointed at them all. "Do you see these soldiers? They''re the elites of the military, all of whom have returned from the war against the death spirits. The ones in the lead are notable figures in the military¡ªand they''ve all erected statues of Zhang Lie in their homes and pray to him daily."


    The warriors and soldiers who returned safe and sound from the war against the death spirits had had their eyes opened to the reality of the third realm and to true power. They ascended through the ranks quickly and became high-ranking officials in the Zongming army.


    The nouveau riche blinked. "That''s impressive, but what does it have to do with the merging of the three thousand worlds and the birth of this unified one?"


    "You might not be aware of this, but I''ve heard His Majesty asionally give something away a few times. The crisis in the third realm wasn''t a result of the unification process¡ªthat''s just an excuse for the public so they don''t start to panic.


    "In truth, the crisis was a result of the three thousand worlds, the realm itself, being near copse. The person who unified the worlds and saved the realm is exactly that person¡ªthe strongest hunter in the three thousand worlds.


    "You didn''t attend our princess'' wedding, did you? She was even more beautiful then, so much so that I''m having trouble expressing it in words. Even a celestial maiden wouldn''t have been fit to do more than be one of her attendants." The middle-aged man smiled as though recalling a happy memory.


    "You''re exaggerating, aren''t you?"


    The middle-aged man couldn''t help butugh again. "Oh, you don''t know how many of our descendants fell prey to her beauty then..."


    Even Elder Sun grinned weakly. "The kings of east and west were brokering an alliance¡ªbut Zhang Lie snatched her away from under their noses. Tales of that heist are still spreading around the kingdom."


    The former king of the realm gaped. "Snatching away the bride on her wedding day? Why doesn''t His Majesty do anything about it?"


    "His Majesty can''t beat him. What could he do?"


    The former king of the realm was disgruntled. "But His Majesty''s a superior king!"


    The middle-aged man shook his head. "Not at that point. To be frank, it was Zhang Lie again who allowed His Majesty to be a superior king. He invaded the world of the west and ughtered its king as a wedding gift, allowing the worlds of east and west to merge together to form the Zongming world."


    Elder Sun continued, "If not for his defending us against the superior kings of antiquity, we wouldn''t have survived as a superior world either. This is why no one dares to fight against this powerful man who has lifted us all up to glory. In strength and reputation alike, none are his equal."


    The middle-aged man affirmed, "From the bottom of our hearts, we thank this hunter for what he has done in service to our kingdom."


    However, the middle-aged man and Elder Sun found btedly that the nouveau riche hadn''t been paying attention to them. Rather, he was walking out of the venue. The middle-aged man called out, "What are you doing?!"


    The former king of the realm replied, "I''m trying to follow the young men who have left to go up the mountain. I''m apanying them there."


    Elder Sun and the middle-aged man looked at each other before smiling wryly as they shook their heads.


    The reason the former king of the world hadn''t headed off earlier was because he thought that his status as a former king gave him some level ofpetitiveness against Zhang Lie, but upon realizing just how incredible Zhang Lie was, the former king knew that he had no hope ofpeting against him.


    Like the other young men before him, he was about to choose asceticism.


    Zhang Lie had saved the Zongming kingdom and the entire realm; he had spurred the Zongming kingdom''s growth into a superior world; he had led the soldiers of the Zongming world against the death spirits; he was hailed as the strongest hunter of the third realm.


    How could the former kingpare to someone so overwhelming in all aspects?


    Better that he get used to his new life as quickly as possible.


    The golden-armored guards from before lined up and brought Li Qianlin and Li Zongming to the podium. Zhang Lie stepped forward and was right about to step up on stage when he passed by Mei''er.


    Mei''er''s appearance had grown unkempt in just a few minutes. Her hair was in disarray, and her spirits dejected. The once-proud beauty almost looked like a madwoman, and no one dared to approach her.


    The elder standing beside her rebuked her, "How could you be so thoughtless as to harm yourself like this? What would your parents think?"


    Her elder didn''t dare speak ill of the princess.


    Zhang Lie tossed her a Zhou Ying restorative.


    "This potion will work wonders and restore her beauty. What a pity it is to ruin herself because of a moment''s folly."


    The elder beside her picked up the potion and looked at Zhang Lie with gratitude. Mei''er raised her head. "You think I''m pretty?"


    From a human''s perspective, Mei''er was certainly more dazzling than the average woman. Of course, she couldn''t hope topare with Li Qianlin after thetter had put on makeup, and she was slightly worse than Sun Mengmeng and Zhang Hanxiang. Perhaps at best, she would beparable to Dong Mingxing.


    Beauty was very much in the eye of the beholder; Zhang Lie himself thought most movie stars looked the same, that all beautiful women looked roughly equivalent.


    Mei''er''s tears continued to fall. "So what if I restore my beauty? I don''t even have a thousandth of the princess'' beauty. I might as well be ruined!"


    "Your looks are one thing¡ªbut it looks like you had better treat your head first. This is a restorative for the body, not the mind." Zhang Lie had no intention of wasting his time on this fool.


    To be frank, the fact that these women were ruining their own beauty and jumping off mountains just because they weren''t beautiful enough¡ªZhang Lie couldn''t help but feel as though there was something wrong with their heads.


    The neers weren''t originally from the Zongming kingdom, were they?


    Yes, that had to be the case. The Zongming kingdom hadn''t entertained such fools in the past, so these must be neers. A portion of them must have joined the Zongming kingdom recently. Zhang Lie was very curious as to where they hade from.


    He was just about to step forward when a few words suddenly came to mind.


    He stopped short and spoke again. "A few parting words from my homnd: a beautiful appearance is a dime a dozen; a beautiful soul is once in a blue moon."


    Zhang Lie stepped up on stage.


    Mei''er nced at the back of the strongest hunter of the third realm, her face flushed. She murmured to herself, "A beautiful appearance is a dime a dozen; a beautiful soul is once in a blue moon. Is it because you don''t care for appearances that you''ve managed to grow so strong?"


    The elder beside her urged, "Mei''er, drink the potion. The top hunter of the realm is correct. Physical beauty isn''t what matters most, so let''s not focus on it, alright?"


    Another elder added, "What the top hunter meant was that, perhaps you might not be able to best the princess in terms of appearance, but you can focus on other strengths instead. There''s no need topete based on pure appearance alone."

 Chapter 1268: You Havent Lost Out

    Chapter 1268: You Haven''t Lost Out


    Mei''er consumed the Zhou Ying restorative in a single gulp. As natural energy and vitality suffused her, the scar on her face healed instantly without a trace.


    The two elders were overjoyed. "As expected of the medicine provided by the strongest hunter of the realm!"


    "Would I be able to get closer to you if I ignored my appearance?" Mei''er ignored the elders. All her attention was to Zhang Lie, who was now on stage.


    As Zhang Lie walked up to stage, Li Qianlin joked, "So that''s the type that interests you, is it?"


    "It was a passing gesture," Zhang Lie replied. "Your beauty is truly devastating. I hear you''ve ruined another generation of neers, that many aspiring youths have chosen a life of asceticism after witnessing your beauty."


    Li Qianlin sighed. "It''s hardly as though I want them to. Only on asions like these do I end up being reminded that I''m a beauty."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "You''ve always been beautiful."


    Li Qianlin tried very hard not to show her pleasure, but the corners of her mouth couldn''t help but curl up.


    "Don''t think that I''ll be happy just because of your random praise, you hear? I''m not that easy to deal with."


    Zhang Lie pointed below him. "I''m only mentioning the truth. Look at those young men and women¡ªthey''re all going crazy."


    "And you?" Li Qianlin asked with anticipation.


    As she nced at the crowd below, Zhang Lie glimpsed Mei''er from the corner of his eye.


    Mei''er, enraptured, was looking at him; he smiled and waved.


    "A little crazy, I suppose."


    Li Qianlin saw his gestures and frowned. "I''m right by your side, but you have the time to wave at other women? Those whom I don''t like are falling over themselves like puppets, while the one I do is like a block of wood!"


    Li Zongming began his speech. "Thank you, one and all, for attending the founding ceremony of the Zongming kingdom. Our world has suffered trial and tribtion¡ªa schism that separated the worlds of east and west, that divided our former strength, before our subsequent reunification into the superior Zongming world."


    As Li Zongming began a retelling of events, the crowd quieted down as everyone gathered by the stage.


    "With the unification of the three thousand worlds, we can no longer remain a separate, independent world. All the worlds of the third realm have transformed into kingdoms, and we have to change to adapt with the times.


    "In order to wee a new era, we shall be the Zongming kingdom. All that has changed is our name and the times; we, the citizens of the Zongming kingdom, shall remain the same as we always have been, and I the Zongming king. As long as we work together, our kingdom will only be more prosperous than before."


    The crowd cheered and pped.


    The image of a five-colored dragon appeared in the air and let out a howl that shook the heavens. The firebird croaked out a call, then pped its wings and soared into the sky.


    Scarlet mes and violet lightningbined in a multicolored explosion, as though a disaster had struck the skies. A radiant, glowing moon appeared, as beautiful as a jewel, shining in five colors like an aurora. Golden light streamed from it like a ming sun.


    Upon witnessing the fantastic sights, the guests who had once attended the merger of the worlds of east and west couldn''t help but be reminded of the ceremony then.


    The special effects had been conjured by Li Zongming and Li Zongming alone.


    The dragon and firebird soared through the skies. The shining sun and glowing moon released scarlet mes and violet lightning through the sky. A radiant outpouring of light illuminated the heavens with a golden glow.


    Li Zongming himself began to glow. His body red with light, and a thick pir of it shot into the skies and enveloped himself.


    The guests cried out in shock, thinking that Li Zongming was receiving heaven''s own blessing.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. "Your father really loves his theatrics."


    He had to admit that this was a marvelous strategy.


    Everyone present would think that Li Zongming''s right to rule had been conferred by the heavens themselves, that he had received a blessing from the new ruler of the realm¡ªbut none suspected that this was all artifice of Li Zongming''s own making.


    With his current strength that surpassed that of a superior king, conjuring these illusions was a trivial task.


    Zhang Lie would have been able to make the illusions even more majestic, so much so that they could be seen throughout the unified world, but he preferred not to rely on such theatrics.


    With this ster performance, all the guests seemed even more riveted than before.


    Li Zongming slowly ascended to the throne. Li Qianlin and Zhang Lie sat on either side of him.


    Zhang Lie gave him a discreet thumbs up.


    Li Zongming smiled awkwardly. He might have been able to fool everyone else, but he knew he wouldn''t be able to do so to Zhang Lie. The gap in their strength was simply too immense.


    Zhang Lie said, "Before your speech, a group of young people left the venue proiming that they were going to head to the mountains and leave the secr world behind. Some women even jumped off the mountaintop."


    Li Zongming couldn''t help but smile. "Does even the strongest hunter of the third realm enjoy gossiping? Would you like to hear my opinion on the matter? Aren''t you going to ask me how it feels for the Zongming world to be the Zongming kingdom first?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What''s there to feel? It''s not as though you''re losing out."


    The Zongming kingdom had grown in size, and many nearby kingdoms had chosen to fold themselves into the Zongming kingdom.


    Li Zongming shrugged. "Haven''t I lost my independence as a superior world?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What kind of independence do you need? It''s hardly as though anyone will restrict your freedom. Don''t avoid my previous question, please."


    Li Zongming shrugged, emting Zhang Lie''s tone.


    "What else is there to say? I''m a handsome man, and my daughter''s far too beautiful. It''s my fault."


    "You''re shameless! Who''s asking you how you feel? I want to know where you ended up getting people like these!"


    Li Zongming rolled his eyes. "Don''t you know?"


    "From the subordinate kingdoms nearby?"


    Li Zongming sighed in exasperation. "That''s right. Every world has different customs and views. At the very least, we all speak amonnguage, or things would have been much harder for me.


    After all, the three thousand worlds were all originally one entity. Later, as a result of some unknown urrence, it split up into three thousand worlds. Now, millenniater, we''re simply reverting things to how they were before."


    Because the three thousand worlds had originally been one entity, the worlds shared amonnguage and writing system for the most part.


    Li Zongming suddenly asked, "How are you?"


    "What?"


    "Shall I take advantage of the asion to announce your wedding with Qianlin and settle matters once and for all?"


    Li Qianlin suddenly blushed bright red, like a ripe apple.

 Chapter 1269: The Draconians Founding Ceremony

    Chapter 1269: The Draconians'' Founding Ceremony


    Zhang Lie hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.


    "I think we had better wait."


    Zhang Lie wasn''t unwilling to marry Li Qianlin, but he didn''t know if he should.


    He did like her very much, and had done so even in his past life. He wanted to make up for his past life''s regrets, but he would have to leave the third realm sooner orter. Once he did so, what would happen to Li Qianlin?


    Li Zongming sounded vexed. "How long are you going to make my daughter wait?"


    Li Qianlin stood up. "That''s enough, Father!"


    Li Zongming turned to his daughter, closing his mouth.


    Li Qianlin''s face turned dark. "I''m tired, and I''ll be leaving early."


    Zhang Lie chased after him. "Qianlin, I don''t mean to hurt you! It''s simply that¡ª"


    Li Qianlin cut in. "That''s enough. I know what you mean, and there''s no need to exin. I really am tired, and I''d like to head back first."


    The founding of the Zongming kingdom was supposed to be the most joyous day of his time with Li Qianlin, but Zhang Lie couldn''t muster up any joy.


    Ever since then, Li Qianlin had hid herself in her room, hiding from Zhang Lie and refusing to see him.


    Zhang Lie was trying to restrain himself, but he had already kicked down her door twice, and Li Qianlin had had to get it reced both times.


    This time, Zhang Lie didn''t have the courage to keep kicking down her door. He knocked a few times, but Li Qianlin didn''t respond. Zhang Lie felt weak and helpless, even more so than he was when he faced the superior kings of antiquity.


    Dong Mingxing sidled over. "Someone''s made my Qianlin mad..."


    Upon seeing a familiar face, Zhang Lie''s face suddenly lightened up.


    "It''s been a while."


    Dong Mingxingughed. "How in the world did you end up angering Qianlin? Tell me everything frankly, and I''ll see if I can help."


    Zhang Lie was, for a moment, at a loss for words.


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "I really don''t understand the two of you. You love each other and think of each other daily, but why won''t you take thatst step? Forget it¡ªleave for a few days for now. Qianlin''s probably still angry, and she doesn''t want to see you at the moment. Give her a few days'' time for her to be in a better mood by the time you return.


    "I certainly hope so."


    Zhang Lie was very dejected, but he suddenly noticed the sharp nce Dong Mingxing was giving him.


    Quickly understanding what it implied, he shouted into the room, "Qianlin, I''ll be leaving for a few days for the draconians'' founding ceremony!"


    Dong Mingxing''s eyes lit up. "The draconians'' founding ceremony? I''d love to go!"


    Zhang Lie seemed rather surprised. "You do?"


    Dong Mingxing rolled her eyes. "Don''t forget that I lived in the draconian world with Qianlin for some time, and I''ve made quite a few friends in the meantime. I get along pretty well with Sun Mengmeng and the others, too."


    "I don''t mind bringing you along, but what about Qianlin?"


    Dong Mingxing shrugged. "Qianlin''s issue isn''t something that will be resolved so quickly. You''ll have to wait for her anger to abate anyway, so why don''t we head to the draconians'' founding ceremony for now? Send me backter and I''ll slowly persuade her to talk to you again."


    Zhang Lie pretended to hesitate. "That wouldn''t be good, would it? I''m afraid that, by that point, Qianlin would be mad at both of us."


    Dong Mingxing clutched Zhang Lie''s hand.


    "What''s wrong with it? After all, I was a guest in the draconian world for quite some time. It would be rude to miss the draconian kingdom''s founding ceremony."


    "That seems reasonable."


    Dong Mingxing''s voice carried into the room. "And wouldn''t it be ttering for you to bring a beauty like me to the draconians'' founding ceremony?"


    Li Qianlin, clearly having overheard their conversation, mmed a palm on the wall.


    Dong Mingxing and Zhang Lie nced in the direction of themotion, then smiled at each other. Both of them were trying to stifle theirughter.


    Zhang Lie continued intentionally shouting to Li Qianlin, "The draconian sage has always cared for us humans, and the draconian world was where human hunters gathered. To repay the sage''s assistance, I have to attend!"


    Dong Mingxing feigned displeasure. "Is there a need to say so much? Let''s set off. It looks like Qianlin doesn''t want to attend¡ªisn''t it better if the two of us go together?"


    "That''s true. After all, Dong Mingxing, you look as beautiful as Qianlin. It wouldn''t matter to me whether I were bringing you or her."


    "Come on, let''s go, let''s go!" Dong Mingxing tugged Zhang Lie with her.


    Zhang Lie shouted, "I''m leaving now, Qianlin! I''ll bring Dong Mingxing back in a few days, and she can tell you all about the splendor of the draconians'' founding ceremony then!"


    Dong Mingxing and Zhang Lie strode forward rapidly, stomping hard on the ground so Li Qianlin could hear them.


    Suddenly, the doors to Li Qianlin''s room opened up. Li Qianlin walked out, her expression frosty.


    Zhang Lie cried out, "Qianlin, you''re willing to talk to me now?"


    Li Qianlin''s voice was arch. "Aren''t you going to the draconian kingdom?"


    Zhang Lie hurriedly called out, "Qianlin, listen to me! Without you, I don''t actually want to attend the draconians'' founding ceremony¡ª"


    Li Qianlin squeezed in between Dong Mingxing and Zhang Lie. She interjected, "Let''s set off, then."


    Zhang Lie didn''t know how to react. After waiting for a moment, Li Qianlin whirled around. "If we''re not setting off, I''m going back inside."


    "We''ll set off, immediately, right away!"


    Zhang Lie shattered space and brought them to the draconian kingdom.


    By then, the draconian kingdom had undergone a massive redecoration. The entire kingdom seemed to be festooned withnterns; because of the influence of humanity, particrly Chinese culture, the decorations werergely Chinese in origin.


    Zhang Lie and the two women went around sampling all sorts of snacks and food, but Dong Mingxing could sense the awkward atmosphere around the two of them.


    She could still engage in conversation with Li Qianlin and Zhang Lie independently, and everyone liked to talk about food¡ªbut the moment the conversation changed to matters between them, tension descended.


    Zhang Lie at least made overtures to discuss the conflict between them, but Li Qianlin refused to speak of the matter entirely.


    In the end, Zhang Lie, ever prideful, dropped the matter after being rebuffed multiple times. Dong Mingxing, trapped between the fighting couple, found herself feeling very ufortable indeed.


    After they all had fun touring the draconian kingdom and saw a group of people gathered by a field dancing, Dong Mingxing suggested, "Why don''t we all go dance together?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Let''s meet up with everyone first."


    Zhang Lie closed his eyes and sensed the whereabouts of the members of Team Zenith via their auras.


    Just then, the members of Team Zenith were dining together.


    Dong Mingxing seemed ted to see them. "You''re all here, too?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "We''re old acquaintances of the draconian sage, after all, and the draconian world has been the base for human hunters from the beginning. It''s natural for us to be here, I hope."


    The members of Team Zenith were well acquainted with Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing, and they quickly started chatting in earnest.

 Chapter 1270: Bestiality

    Chapter 1270: Bestiality


    Dong Mingxing hugged Zhou Ying tightly. "I''ve missed you all so!"


    Yang Ze nced at Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing, then smiled.


    "It looks like our captain has been enjoying himself without the rest of us, strolling through the streets with two beautiful women..."


    Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing suddenly red at him simultaneously, causing Yang Ze to sweat. "What''s the matter?"


    Dong Mingxing growled, "Don''t speak nonsense if you don''t know what''s going on! You don''t know how bad I suffered just now."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Zhang Hanxiang suddenly jumped in. "A call from the united world federation, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Hong Tianqi should have been informed of what''s going on with the unified world. Has something happened to the Milky Way?"


    Zhang Hanxiang flushed. "The Milky Way is perfectly fine, but the highest authority believes you''re about to ascend. Once you do so, you might lose contact with us like before, so the highest authority would like you to speak with him before you ascend."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What do you mean, lose contact for some time? When I ascended to the third realm, what happened was an ident. Is he so certain that an ident will befall me?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Who knows what the ascension to the fourth realm will entail? Even if we don''t lose contact with you, you''ll likely be very busy for quite some time."


    Zhang Lie noticed a faint odor of alcohol around Zhang Hanxiang.


    "Have you been drinking?"


    Zhang Hanxiang pursed her lips. "Brother, I''m not a kid anymore."


    Zhang Lie turned to the members of Team Zenith.


    "I thought all of you were going to look after my sister for me!"


    Sun Xiaowuughed. "No need for such a big fuss, Captain. Hanxiang''s of age, and today''s a special asion. All she''s had is a little rice wine."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "After all, she''s never drunk before, has she? Let me prepare some ginger tea."


    Zhang Hanxiang hugged Zhang Lie.


    "Brother, listen to me! Who knows what the ascension to the fourth realm will entail? Even if we don''t lose contact with you, you''ll likely be very busy for quite some time. The highest authority wants to meet you for the final time before you depart."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Sister, are you cursing me to die? Do you really want to inherit my possessions and capacity to drink so badly?"


    Zhang Hanxiang patted Zhang Lie firmly on the shoulder.


    "I think you''ll be fine, Brother, and the highest authority thinks so too. However... ah, where was I? However... no one knows what might happen in the fourth realm, and the highest authority wants to impart you with some of his experiences and knowledge."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do you think I need his advice?" Your brother''s someone who went to the fourth realm in the past and survived! What sort of experience do I need? I have my own experience!


    Li Qianlin frowned. "You mentioned that there might be incidents when you ascend to the fourth realm. What do you mean?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Exactly what I stated. No matter how well off you are in a lower realm, no matter your fame, strength, and reputation, hunters who ascend have a chance of refusing to show themselves in public any longer or vanishing off the realmpletely. This is a frequent problem, and the hunters who do survive to the end are all unusually lucky, unusually skilled, or both."


    Li Qianlin red at Zhang Lie. "Why haven''t you mentioned this before?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "It makes no difference whether or not I do."


    Yang Ze hurriedly added, "For us gic hunters, ascension is dangerous. It''s a known fact, and we''re all willing to take this risk to advance."


    Li Qianlin red. "But I didn''t know, because I''m not a hunter!"


    Dong Mingxing clutched her face. "Ah, you''ve all ruined it!"


    Zhou Ying crept up to Dong Mingxing and whispered, "What''s the matter with Qianlin?"


    Dong Mingxing replied, "She was upset that Zhang Lie wasn''t willing to marry her, and now she''s even more hurt by this revtion, I suspect."


    Zhang Hanxiang exined, "Strong though hunters might be in a lower realm, once they ascend, things can very well change. Their new environment will be different, and they''re subject to different rules. Some hunters can''t get used to such a change immediately, and they''ll be quite a bit weaker rtive to the average force in the new realm. As a result, before they adapt to their newfound circumstances and grow into their strength, they might perish. This is a natural phenomenon."


    Zhou Ying hurriedly stepped forward to stop Zhang Hanxiang from continuing.


    "That might be true, but Zhang Lie, our captain, is different!"


    "Everyone knows this? Everyone except me? Why didn''t anyone tell me!" Li Qianlin shouted. "I haven''t med you for diving headfirst into danger, or for refusing to deepen our rtionship, or even for being about to depart from the third realm! Even so, you refuse to give me a concrete answer and simply watch me struggle. What reason do you have for doing this? Answer me!"


    Li Qianlin wasn''t truly angry that Zhang Lie hadn''t informed her of such a detail, but rather that he refused to give her a concrete answer about their rtionship despite his imminent departure.


    Hisck of response, andck of reason for theck of response, made her feel incredibly upset.


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. She was clearly drunk. "Why are you shouting and yelling, and staring at my brother! Who are you to him? I''ve never seen you!"


    Li Qianlin flinched, as though Zhang Hanxiang''s words had struck a nerve. "That''s true, isn''t it? I''m no one to you. I was just a fool all along."


    With tears in her eyes, Li Qianlin fled from the scene.


    "Qianlin!" Dong Mingxing red at Zhang Lie before chasing after her.


    Sun Mengmeng returned to the table with steaming ginger tea. "What happened? Where have Qianlin and Mingxing gone?"


    Zhou Ying frowned. "I''m a little worried. I''ll go after them."


    The draconian kingdom was crowded with people. Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing were strong fighters in their own right, and Dong Mingxing had developed strength on par with that of a king of arge world, but they were in unfamiliar territory in the draconian kingdom. Zhou Ying followed them to ensure their safety.


    Yang Ze nced at the women''s backs. "Shouldn''t you chase after them?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head.


    Sun Xiaowu seemed confused. "Li Qianlin has always been willing to go along with you, Captain, and your rtionship seemed particrly deep, so why now..."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "This was something that would have happened eventually. We''re fated to be star-crossed lovers, and this fate can''t be changed."


    Li Feng patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder. Only he could understand what Zhang Lie was feeling now, because among the members of Team Zenith, Li Feng wasn''t a bachelor.


    Zhang Lie sighed again. "I''m a little tired, and I''ll be heading back to rest."


    ncing at Zhang Lie''s lonesome figure, Sun Xiaowu sighed. "What is love? That we be willing to live and die together."


    Li Feng seemed very surprised. "What philosophy¡ªand from a bachelor, no less! I suppose it just goes to show that you can be cultured just by reading a lot."


    Sun Xiaowu red at Li Feng. "Are you looking down on bachelors?"


    Fang Yi scowled. "Li Feng, your bestiality knows no bounds! Don''t think you can start haranguing us just because you have a girlfriend."


    "What bestiality are you talking about?!"

 Chapter 1271: A Dead Knot

    Chapter 1271: A Dead Knot


    "You''re even willing to copte with a mammoth¡ªisn''t that bestiality?"


    Li Feng cried out, "How many times do I have to say it? She''s an alien, no different from Li Qianlin and the others!"


    "Can your body handle it?"


    Li Feng grinned. "She''s not as strong as I am."


    Everyone red at him disdainfully. This meant that they really had tried to have sex, then!


    Fang Yi asked, "So what exactly is going on between Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin?"


    Li Feng had a sip of alcohol. "How else? Li Qianlin''s probably in a hurry."


    "A hurry?"


    Li Feng exined, "Our captain''s right about to ascend, and we all know that he''s going to be leaving for the fourth realm sooner orter. Li Qianlin can''t keep him here, and she wants him to do something about their rtionship. However, our captain won''t do that."


    Fang Yi wondered, "Is our captain such a trashy man?"


    Li Feng rolled his eyes. "Be careful that he doesn''t hear that, or you might find yourself doing some special training with him to check up on your progress."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "It''s the opposite. Our captain''s a very responsible man, which is preventing him from giving Li Qianlin an answer."


    Li Feng added, "From our captain''s perspective, he''s about to ascend to the fourth realm, and they''re about to be split up. Why not enjoy some time together while they can, before forces beyond their control separate them? However, Li Qianlin isn''t satisfied with that."


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "It''s not that she isn''t satisfied with that, but rather that women think about things differently than do men. Our captain thinks that, because he can''t give her the happiness she wants, he shouldn''t bother solidifying their rtionship at all; on the other hand, even if the rtionship ends up falling apart, Qianlin wants to know just how he feels about her."


    Sun Xiaowu gaped. "You know a lot about this, Sis!"


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "I''m only thinking about things from her perspective. If I were Qianlin, even if I knew that I wouldn''t be able to remain with him for life, I''d want to hear those three words from Zhang Lie. I frequently wish I were Qianlin¡ªafter all, our captain dearly loves her."


    The woman whom he loved couldn''t apany him; the woman who could apany him, he didn''t love.


    Zhang Lie, Li Qianlin, and Sun Mengmeng formed an unhappy trio. Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin loved each other but were unable to be together, whereas Sun Mengmeng had more than sufficient strength to ascend to the fourth realm immediately and remain by his side, but her love would never be reciprocated."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Sometimes, I envy Li Qianlin so much that I wish I could exchange her body with mine."


    "And yet Qianlin covets your strength, the strength that would allow her to stay by his side forever." Dong Mingxing and Zhou Ying had returned, and Dong Mingxing had been the one to speak.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "How is Qianlin?"


    Dong Mingxing replied, "We''ve brought her to a room to rest for the moment. She had us leave because she wanted to be alone."


    Li Feng murmured, "There''s nothing we can do about all this, is there? It''s a dead knot..."


    Zhou Ying wondered, "One of them is the person I respect most, and the other is a good friend. It hurts me to see two such people so upset. Can''t our captain ascend to the fourth realm with Qianlin?"


    Dong Mingxing seemed rather surprised. "That''s true! But is it feasible?"


    The hunters were silent.


    The members of Team Zenith knew how they might be able to do so¡ªwith the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard. Zhu, the current ruler of the third realm, hadn''t ascended naturally; Zhang Hanxiang had brought her along as a stowaway.


    That method could be replicated when ascending from the third to the fourth realm.


    Li Feng said, "Our captain''s probably thought of that too, hasn''t he? He just won''t do it."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "He''s a very responsible man, and he knows how dangerous the fourth realm is. He doesn''t want Qianlin to be in any danger whatsoever."


    Li Feng warned, "We can''t speak of this matter in front of our captain and Li Qianlin."


    Dong Mingxing seemed confused. "Why not?"


    Li Feng sighed. "We all know Li Qianlin isn''t that strong. Bringing her to the fourth realm would be a debacle¡ªit would harm her and our captain."


    "There''s nothing else we can do, I suppose."


    The crowd went silent as Li Feng turned and asked, "Sun Mengmeng, won''t you gofort Zhang Lie?"


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Let him rest."


    Li Feng shook his head. "Don''t regret this in the future!"


    "What''s there to regret?"


    "Love is war, not a fight or a match. If you''re too virtuous and y by the rules, you''ll lose out."


    Sun Mengmeng blinked.


    Li Feng thought that Sun Mengmeng was refusing to take advantage of Zhang Lie while his rtionship with Li Qianlin was suffering. In truth, despite Sun Mengmeng''s thoughtfulness, she had never been in a rtionship. She had spent her youth fighting and training, and she wasn''t adept at knowing when to take her chances.


    The members of Team Zenith chitchatted with each other idly before they finally departed.


    The next day, the day of the draconians'' founding ceremony, a five-colored dragon soared through the air. The whole kingdom could see this magnificent sight, and the citizens of the kingdom gasped in awe.


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. The older generation really liked putting on these shows, didn''t they?


    Unlike Li Zongming, who had tricked his citizens with illusions, the giant five-colored dragon was real. It fell from the sky, smashed into the stage, and transformed back into the draconian sage.


    The dragon was the draconian transformation effected by the draconian sage.


    After the three thousand worlds were unified, the three remaining superior kings had all received a great deal of strength via the realm''s blessing, and the draconian sage had grown significantly younger.


    The entire draconian kingdom was in cheers.


    There were countless people present at the draconians'' founding ceremony, many of whom belonged to races that had decided to join the draconian kingdom, and arge group of races from the Milky Way, humans forefront among them. The draconians themselves, who were supposed to be the star of the show, ended up as one of the smallest groups instead.


    The draconian sage said, "Thank you foring to witness the draconian kingdom''s founding ceremony, everyone. I still remember when the draconians were a small race that had managed to acquire their own world through strife and struggle, something that had happened far in the past. When aliens from another realm first appeared, we allied with the humans and developed rtions with them.


    The draconian kingdom''s founding ceremony was very different from the Zongming and Lie kingdoms''. The Zongming kingdom''s ceremony was held on Mt. Tian, and only the rich and influential had been invited.


    On the other hand, the Lie kingdom''s ceremony had been attended by officials and citizens alike, but the attendees were segregated by importance. Only the most important could be within the ceremonial hall; the ordinary officials were forced to remain outside, and the citizens couldn''t even enter the pce.


    On the other hand, the draconian kingdom, just like the Zenith Alliance, had a ceremony held out in the open, allowing all interested citizens to attend.


    This distinction spoke of the differences between the four kingdoms'' history, power structure, and governance.


    The Zongming kingdom was a monarchy in which those with influence had a say in politics, whereas the Lie kingdom was more of a ssic monarchy, with power concentrated on court officials and the royalty.


    The Zenith Alliance was a ssic democracy, a band of people who formed a loose kingdom, whereas the draconian kingdom was entirely different.

 Chapter 1272: The Eternal Draconian Kingdom

    Chapter 1272: The Eternal Draconian Kingdom


    The draconian kingdom had once been nothing more than a small tribe, with just a limited number of draconians. They had always worked together in ssic tribal fashion; although the draconian sage was the king of his world, he was in effect little more than a tribal chieftain of sorts. As such,pared to the Zongming and Lie kingdoms, the draconian kingdom seemed to emphasize ordinary civilians far more.


    In a kingdom with significant individual strength, the draconian kingdom nheless managed to maintainw and order.


    "We never expected that our alliance with the humans would transform the draconians for good, nor what strengthy within the humans'' small bodies."


    The human hunters raised their heads in pride.


    "We were once beset by foes all around us, eight different races in all¡ªbut because we were united, and because of the help of our allies the humans, not only did we manage to repel the invasion, we even assimted those worlds into our own. This was a miracle that all of us working together managed to create."


    The draconians all proudly recalled the scene of the conflict, the faces of the dead who had perished then, and the members of Team Zenith who had shown up at thest minute and fended off the invasion.


    The draconians all gave thanks to Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith once more.


    "We once faced a foe stronger than anything ever seen to date, but by working together, we sessfully evolved into a superior world, only to find ourselves beset by even stronger opponents: the superior worlds of antiquity."


    The draconian sage recalled the might of the sr king and his ten thousand suns.


    During that fight, the draconians didn''t have to rely on the members of Team Zenith and on Zhang Lie. They managed to fight off the sr king and his minions based on the draconians'' own strength¡ªassisted by the human hunters that were still on the world at the time.


    "We have always prided ourselves on united,munal strength. By working together, we managed to defend ourselves even against a superior foe, then created another miracle by toppling the reign of the superior kings of antiquity."


    The draconians cheered; their excitement, thumping hearts, and irrepressible joy welled up once more.


    "We witnessed the destruction of the realm together¡ª"


    All the draconians had believed that they were doomed.


    They could still sense the despair that they had felt during that apocalyptic crisis, one they had thought unavoidable, but miraculously, that fate had been averted.


    "The realm itself seemed about to copse, but we bridged the difficulty and managed to patch up the realm, ultimately resulting in the creation of this unified world. All this is thanks to our cooperation and hard work."


    When the new world was born and the superior kingdoms received the blessing of the realm, everyone felt as though they had just survived a monumental crisis. The joy that they had felt afterwards was something unforgettable, that they would carry with them for the rest of their lives.


    "All that we have experienced, we have done so together with the humans¡ªand I think this alliance will continue even in the future."


    The draconians and humans had forged ties that couldn''t be broken; some draconians even felt that the humans had be wholly integrated with them.


    "We have experienced trial and tribtion together¡ªand we have ovee them all! Nothing can stop our advance."


    The draconians and humans thought back to the challenges they had ovee, many of whom an ordinary lifeform might not encounter once in a lifetime. Even so, they had ovee them all.


    "As they say, heroes are forged out of necessity. The more challenges befall us, the more heroes we''ll need to ovee them. We''ve established a realm far beyond what any of us could have imagined, that we might not even have dared to imagine."


    The draconians had gone from a medium-sized world to arge one, and then a superior one.


    Many draconians had thought that they could die without any regrets upon witnessing their world evolve once¡ªbut less than two yearster, it evolved once more to be a superior world. That rate of progress never stopped. In the blink of an eye, all the worlds had unified, and they were now the draconian kingdom.


    "Our efforts have been recognized by the realm itself."


    The draconians thought back to what they had managed to aplish in the span of just a few years.


    "We have gained the awe and respect of countless worlds."


    Of course, these worlds were more fearful of the human hunters rather than the draconians.


    The members of Team Zenith had been extravagant in leading the warlords to take down world after world, so much so that, even after the formation of the unified world, many aliens grew fearful upon seeing a human. Fearful memories had been embedded deep in their psyche.


    "In ordance with the times, the draconian world has now been transformed into the draconian kingdom."


    "Long live the draconian kingdom!"


    One person started a chant; the others all followed suit.


    "Long live the glorious draconian kingdom!"


    "May the draconian kingdom shine for eternity!"


    "May the draconian kingdom shine for eternity!"


    "May the draconian kingdom shine for eternity!"


    Wave after wave of sound echoed through the air.


    "There will be even more challenges in the future lying in wait for us. Brave, steadfast, and intelligent as all of you are, I believe that none of you will be stymied, that you''ll create miracle after miracle."


    The draconians cheered, and the draconian sage nodded in satisfaction at seeing the citizens'' morale soar.


    Zhang Lie was just about to leave when the draconian sage noticed his movements. He hurriedly said, "Zhang Lie, hold up!"


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "I have important business with you," the draconian sage replied. "After the founding ceremony, can youe see me at the pce?"


    "Is something wrong?"


    He didn''t think there was anything else in the third realm that he had to aplish; with the king of chaos'' departure, there were no enemies left for them to face.


    "It''s something very important," the draconian sage repeated.


    After the ceremony, Zhang Lie headed to the pce.


    The draconian sage had been unused to living in the pce, considering that the nuclear structure of the draconians were tribes. Even after the draconian sage had be the king of the world, his living quarters were just a little better than those of the average draconian.


    However, the king''s quarters had to be majestic to reveal the kingdom''s strength, and the draconians had all petitioned for a pce to be built in the draconian kingdom.


    The pce was something that the draconians and humans had worked hard together to construct; on the human side, it had been led by chief architect Chu Feng.


    c71241599ffa2342522e9fa0e93245a9d8ec4ad4e8c3c5baf0c66a8666374fd049b0e781fc70a8167212806b61f9a1e957a0d935245bc8bb2541317c51f54fc87aeda9f3d6bfd77e69a7dfb65fb00d1e

 Chapter 1273: Collection Complete

    Chapter 1273: Collection Complete


    Chu Feng had manifested impressive construction ability in the second realm. Under his leadership, along with the powerful bodies of the draconians and gic hunters, and the help ofrge numbers of superior-grade lifeforms, it took only ten days to construct a magnificent pce.


    Because the construction had been aplished in just ten days, the pce couldn''t bepared to that in the Lie or Zongming kingdoms, but it did perfectlybine the architectural styles of the draconian kingdom and China.


    The draconian sage had arranged for a guide, and Zhang Lie quickly found his way toward the sage.


    "You asked me to head over right after the founding ceremony. Is something the matter?"


    The draconian sage ced a bar of gold on the table. "Have a look at this."


    The gold was giving off radiant light, as though it had been processed with special effects. Zhang Lie looked at it carefully and remarked to his surprise, "There''s incredible energy within, even more so than the ck gold that we discovered beforehand. Where in the world did you find this?"


    The draconian sage stroked at his lower jaw with his hands. "This is precisely that ck gold¡ªor rather, a mutated version of it."


    "How did you aplish such a feat?"


    The ck gold harbored immense energy and had a surprisingly stable structure. It would be difficult to cause a mutation, and any idents could lead to a tremendous explosion instead.


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "No, that can''t be. I know the draconians aren''t that skilled technology-wise, and you shouldn''t have the ability to generate such mutations at will."


    To be able to cause stable mutations to the structure of this unusual ck gold was beyond what a superior king could aplish.


    "That would be the realm of gods..."


    The draconian sage stood up and sped both hands behind his back. "It was indeed a god who manifested such a transformation."


    "Don''t joke with me!" Zhang Lie cried outughing. "You''re stronger than a superior king. Do you really believe that gods exist in the third realm? Why didn''t it show itself when the third realm was suffering from a crisis, then?"


    The draconian sage stared at Zhang Lie. "A god does exist in this realm."


    "Does it? I''d like to see it!"


    The draconian sage stared at Zhang Lie. "You should be aware of its presence."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "If I were, I''d have punched that deity in the face already."


    He had always been an atheist. If there were such a thing as a deity, he''d punch it in the face.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Sage, how have you suddenly be so superstitious? Was your transformation from superior king to a kingdom''s king so extreme?"


    "There hadn''t been a deity in the third realm in the past, but one was born with the birth of the unified world," the draconian sage replied patiently.


    "What, a deity popped out after realizing that the third realm was in good condition now?" Zhang Lie joked.


    "What existence is closest to a deity within the third realm?" the draconian sage then asked.


    Zhang Lie finally understood to whom the sage referred.


    "Hold on, you''re talking about the will of the realm?"


    The draconian sage smiled. "You were the one who restored the will, too. How could you have forgotten?"


    "If it''s the will of the realm, then everything makes sense. It can do much that we can''t."


    After all, fundamentally speaking, the will of the world wasn''t a lifeform.


    Zhang Lie lifted up the glowing piece of golden metal in his hand. "When did the will of the world have time to mutate all this ck gold?"


    The draconian sage exined, "It was all an ident, something that happened when the will of the realm''s blessing was imparted on the unified world. The ck gold was transmuted into a higher form of energy then."


    "Just like when the draconian world ascended to a superior world..."


    The draconian sage continued, "I''ve begun calling this mutated metal rainbow gold."


    "Simple and crude, I have to say..."


    The draconian sage asked, "How do you think we should handle it?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "How else? The same way we dealt with the ck gold."


    The draconian sage frowned. "This rainbow gold is far superior to ck gold, and possesses at least a hundred times its energy density. Is it really fine for us to treat it in such a cavalier fashion?


    It could very well be a weapon of war, one that could revolutionize the present if they were able to use it as a power source for the death spirits'' battleships.


    Compared to the conversion of spiritual matter to energy that the death spirits had pioneered, this fuel could provide even more strength.


    "The only difference is that the energy content has increased dramatically, isn''t it? It''s still as much a danger as before. There''s nothing to worry about¡ªwe''re the ones in charge of the third realm now. If anyone''s unhappy about it, summon Yun Bing and the Lie king and discuss a solution with them."


    The draconian sage thought for a moment. "That''s true."


    What the draconian sage feared was none other than the Zenith Alliance.


    The Zenith Alliance, a kingdom of hunters led by the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie, could very well overwhelm the third realm all by themselves. Even when Zhang Lie ascended to the fourth realm, the members of Team Zenith would still be around. Until they all ascended, the aliens wouldn''t be able to catch a break¡ªthe pressure they exuded was like that of a mountain, pressing down on their heads.


    The draconian sage had been asking for Zhang Lie''s response not based on him as an individual, but as a spokesperson representing the members of the Zenith Alliance. It was clear that Zhang Lie paid no heed to the incredible material, that he even disregarded it.


    The draconian and Zongming kingdoms both knew about the existence of the ck gold. Once the draconian sage reported the matter to Li Zongming, he would be aware of the existence of the rainbow gold shortly as well. With two kingdoms securing the strategic resource, even the Lie kingdom and the Zenith Alliance had to be careful with their actions.


    The draconian sage thought that Zhang Lie didn''t care because he was about to leave the third realm for the fourth. What he didn''t know was that Zhang Lie had just had a big fight with Li Qianlin, and his brain was little more than paste at the moment.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be heading out first."


    "Do you need me to send you out?"


    "No, there''s no need. I can shatter space on my own."


    The draconian sage sighed. "If I were still a king of the realm, I''d have stopped you right then and there."


    It was an ufortable feeling to have space shattered in your demesne, as though someone had drilled a hole in your backyard that you would have to repair.


    However, the draconian sage was no longer a superior king, and the shattered space would heal on its own thanks to the will of the realm.


    Zhang Lie returned to his residence, only to find a slender figure pounce on him in an embrace.


    "You''re back, Zhang Lie! Do you want food, or a bath, or me first?"


    Zhang Lie rapped Zhu on the head. "Who''s been teaching you this nonsense?"


    Zhu clutched at her forehead as sheughed mischievously. "I learned it by osmosis from the others, I suppose."


    While in the second realm, lots of gic hunters had brought cultural artifacts from the Milky Way, like manga and literature, into the dimensional world. Zhu had watched and read quite a few when she was bored of tending to the lifeforms in the farm.


    Zhu puffed out her chest. "Zhang Lie, I''ve gathered all the materials you wanted!"


    "That quickly?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t look happy like she expected; instead, his expression was downcast and even crestfallen.


    Zhu asked cautiously, "Are you upset, Zhang Lie?"

 Chapter 1274: Preparation to Leave

    Chapter 1274: Preparation to Leave


    Zhang Lie''s stare was somewhat vacant. He looked in a direction where there was nothing to be seen, murmuring to himself, "Better that it be fast. If it has to end, it might as well be quick."


    Zhu asked, "I worked hard to get everything on your list for you quickly, Zhang Lie, and I wouldn''t have seeded if not for the fact that the will of the realm''s blessing caused herbs to spawn all over. However, it seems like you''re somewhat upset. Did I do something wrong?"


    Zhang Lie patted Zhu''s head. "No, I''m very happy. Thank you for your hard work, Zhu."


    Zhu replied, "But Zhang Lie, you don''t look happy at all! What happened?"


    "Nothing. I''m just a little unwilling to end things like this."


    Zhu grabbed Zhang Lie''s hands. "I''ll miss you too, Zhang Lie! I wish I could leave with you."


    Zhang Lie patted Zhu''s head. "I''ll miss you too, Zhu, but you''re the ruler of the third realm now, and you can''t head off with me before things have stabilized. You need to remain here to maintainw and order, and the fourth realm is very dangerous. I wouldn''t be able to guarantee your safety there."


    "I know you don''t belong here, Zhang Lie, so I won''t try to keep you behind. I hope you''ll be able to move forward without any burdens, that you can proudly puff out your chest as you continue forth in your journey. We''ll always be watching you from the back."


    Zhang Lie kneaded her head, causing her to scream and giggle.


    "It''s way too early for you to be consoling me!"


    Zhu smiled.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I won''t be leaving just yet. There are some preparations I''ll need to make ahead of time, and I''ll need some time to carry out the research for producing these limit-breaking potions as well."


    Zhu instantly beamed. "Excellent! I was worried that you would ascend to the fourth realm immediately after I found the ingredients."


    Every additional day that Zhang Lie remained in the third realm left Zhu at ease. Even if he weren''t by her side, the fact that he was somewhere she could sense and touch calmed her.


    Along with Zhu, Zhang Lie headed toward the medicinal researchboratory of the draconian kingdom, which Zhang Lie had requested the draconian sage to construct.


    Zhang Lie turned to her. "I heard that the high council of the third realm is about to be founded. As the council head, don''t you need to be preparing?"


    Zhu seemed gobsmacked. "What does the high council have to do with me?"


    "Aren''t you the head of the realm?"


    "That''s right."


    "And didn''t the draconian sage, Li Zongming, the Lie king, and Yun Bing all nominate you as the council head?"


    "That''s right."


    "And you haven''t been doing anything at all when the high council''s about to be founded?"


    Zhu replied naturally, "Why, being by your side is far more important than any of that!"


    She knew that Zhang Lie was about to ascend to the fourth realm, and every additional second she spent with him was inordinately precious.


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "You shouldn''t shirk your duties like that..."


    "Even if I did attend, I wouldn''t be able to contribute anything. I know little of governance; on the other hand, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, the Lie king, and Yun Bing are easily able to take care of everything."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You''re just going to let everyone else do all the work, then?"


    "I learned from the best, after all!"


    Zhang Lie had united the three thousand worlds and then tossed her the position of ruler of the unified world as he prepared to ascend to the fourth realm.


    The governance of the third realm had been established by Zhang Lie and his allies, but Zhang Lie himself hadn''t had to do a thing. He was precisely the role model whom Zhu had learned.


    Zhang Lie himself knew that he didn''t have any right to criticize Zhu, and the two of them walked into the draconian kingdom''s medicinal researchboratory.


    Theboratory was far more crowded than it had been previously. Because of the unification of the world, the entire world had received the blessing of the realm, and all sorts of miraculous herbs had popped out of the ground, never before seen or recorded in history. Some herbs thought to be extinct had even made a reappearance.


    All the pillmasters and herbalists of the unified world were working hard to research these herbs, and theboratories all over the world were fuller than they had ever been.


    As they entered theboratory, Zhang Lie headed straight for the Yeluo chieftain.


    The Yeluo chieftain had been the one to construct the medicinal researchboratory, and he was also the head scientist in charge.


    His hair was in disarray and sticking haphazardly upward, and his eyes had huge bags. It was apparent he hadn''t slept well for a long time, but he was clearly brimming with joy and excitement.


    After the sudden, bewildering rise in the growth of herbs all over the world, the Yeluo chieftain had encountered herbs that he knew nothing about and had never seen before day after day, and the possibility of new discoveries invigorated him.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie, he grew even happier. "You''re here now, Your Majesty! I''ve been looking for you and the draconian sage!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "As I''ve said before, after ascending to the third realm, I''m no longer the king of the kingdom of Limit. There''s no need for you to address me as royalty."


    The Yelo chieftain replied, "We might be in the third realm, far away from your kingdom, Your Majesty, but the kingdom of Limit has remained in my heart all along. I frequently dream of it, of conquering the world with you, and you''ll always be my king at heart."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but chuckle. "You''ve really learned how to tter me, haven''t you?"


    Conquering the world¡ªwhy, ever since the Yeluo n joined the kingdom of Limit, they had focused all their efforts to researching the properties of nts and herbs. The number of battles they had participated in could be counted on a single hand.


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled. "me those newbies. We''ve had a batch of new researchers recently. They''re not very skilled at anything but ttery, though."


    Only then did Zhang Lie notice the neers.


    "Thisboratory has really grown famous, hasn''t it?"


    The Yeluo chieftain''s smile grew wider. "It''s all thanks to your endowment, Your Majesty, along with the chance at development the draconian sage granted us. Otherwise, we would never have been able to build thisboratory or ascend to the third realm."


    "As the head of theboratory, you must manage over a thousand people now, yes?"


    The draconian kingdom''s medicinal researchboratory had produced significant and considerable results under the leadership of the Yeluo chieftain, and theboratory had expanded to a significant extent since then. The fact that it controlled so much space within the capital itself was testament to its importance.


    Theboratory was now a resource fully intertwined and integrated with the draconian kingdom.

 Chapter 1275: Zhou Yings Restorative #3

    Chapter 1275: Zhou Ying''s Restorative #3


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled wryly. "The neers are physicians and herbalists from among the Milky Way, as well as apprentices whom the draconian sage keeps sending my way."


    The Yeluo chieftain had only epted the former group of people because of Zhang Lie''s influence, and they would receive training by working with the members of the Yeluo tribe.


    "It shows that the draconian sage truly values you."


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "I understand. As long as it doesn''t affect my research, I won''t mind. Would you like to have a look around the researchboratory, Your Highness?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand in refusal.


    "No, there''s no need, and you have lots of things to be working on. I''m not too interested in the research at the moment, so let''s get to the point."


    The Yeluo chieftain nced at Zhang Lie seriously. "Your Majesty, what''s the matter?"


    "My own affairs aren''t too urgent. You mentioned that you wanted to find me and the draconian sage. Has something happened?"


    The Yeluo chieftain replied, "Recently, after the sudden, bewildering rise in the growth of herbs all over the world, I''m easily encountering herbs that I knew nothing about and have never seen before. The draconian researchboratory has been collecting these herbs and researching them."


    Zhang Lie raised a hand to stop the Yeluo chieftain. "Cut to the chase, please."


    "Through significant research, I''ve made a tremendous breakthrough and created a refined version of Zhou Ying''s restorative, which I''ve called Restorative #3 for now."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How much of an improvement is it over #2?"


    "You can recover more quickly, and the regenerative effects have been enhanced."


    "Can it be mass-produced?"


    "At any time."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Thank you for your hard work. I''ll have Zhou Yinge over soon. She''s also made massive breakthroughs in the third realm, and the transformation to her energy reserves may be fruitful to your research."


    The Yeluo chieftain was immediately ted, but he quickly cut short his celebration. He recalled that Zhang Lie hade over to find him; he had surely done so for a reason.


    "What brings you here, Your Majesty?"


    "I''ve been trying to research a brand-new potion. I already have some ideas and thoughts, but you''re more experienced a potioneer than I am. You might not be familiar with all the herbs and nts of the third realm, but you''re certainly the closest to that stage than anyone else around. I''d like your expertise. Would you help me out?"


    The Yeluo chieftain was overjoyed.


    "Of course, Your Majesty!"


    Even with Zhang Lie''s research materials and ingredients, along with a whole past life''s worth of research, he had only given himself a 50% chance of sess at developing Potion #5. With the Yeluo chieftain''s help, however, he believed that that sess rate had improved by at least 30%, that there was at least an 80% chance that he would be able to create Potion #5 within a year.


    The Yeluo chieftain asked, "What sort of potion are you interested in, Your Majesty?"


    "A potion that can help me break through my limits."


    "That sounds very general. Your Majesty, you likely aren''t looking for something to boost your power in the short-term, so..." The Yeluo chieftain suddenly noticed that everyone around was sidling closer as to listen in on the conversation.


    The Yeluo chieftain shouted, "What are all of you looking at? Have you watered the herbs? Finished writing research reports? Collected and organized data? Performed your cross-validation studies on herb interactions? Identified possible synergies and dysfunctional pairings? If you haven''t done any of that, what are all of you doing standing around here waiting for gossip?!"


    The crowds immediately fled and dispersed.


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled wryly. "Sorry for the disturbance, Your Majesty. You had bettere chat with me in my office."


    The Yeluo chieftain brought Zhang Lie down a long corridor, where he was treated to the view of jade-green fields in which all sorts of herbs and nts were being cultivated. Researchers were patiently and carefully tending to them all.


    Zhu seemed very surprised. "You''re using all thisnd for growing herbs and nts?"


    The Yeluo chieftain smiled. "The best way to understand the use of a herb is to witness it growing in a suitable environment. Its surroundings dictate, to an extent, its special properties and efficacy. nting and growing these herbs is thus a crucial part of research."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "The Yeluo n was known for its potion-making and herb-cultivating abilities, after all."


    The Yeluo chieftain sighed. "Unfortunately, I''m not an expert in cultivating herbs. I do miss the wood spirits''pany from time to time. I''ve been to many of the worlds in the third realm, but unfortunately I''ve found no traces of wood spirits or any races that are particrly skilled in this area. I expect that there were such races in the past, but they fell prey to other, more martial races in the meantime."


    The Yeluo chieftain murmured, "Not having such experts around might hinder our research. Is it possible that such experts do exist in the realm?"


    Zhu closed her eyes. After a long pause, she opened them again and replied, "I can guarantee that no such race is currently present in the third realm."


    The Yeluo chieftain turned to Zhang Lie. "I''ve been wanting to ask for some time, Your Majesty, but is this... your new concubine?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "For one thing, I don''t want to be tied down, and for another, what''s with this ''new''? I''m single, alright?"


    The Yeluo chieftain continued, "Have you not established a rtionship with anyone yet, Your Majesty?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Zhu raised a petite hand. "I''m Zhang Lie''s child bride!"


    Zhang Lie clutched his face. "What in the world have you been watching... Zhu, don''t joke like that. Grooming children is punishable by at least three years in prison and goes all the way up to the death sentence, alright?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "Is that so? As expected of Your Majesty..."


    "Let''s stop with the jokes, please." Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "This isn''t my child bride, or anything of the sort. She''s the ruler of the realm."


    The Yeluo chieftain reared back in shock. "The ruler of the realm?! I apologize for the discourtesy. Your Majesty, you are truly impressive, to have taken the ruler of the realm herself as your child bride."


    Zhang Lie pretended not to hear thest sentence. "Since the ruler of the realm has generously confirmed that no such race exists, it surely does not exist."


    "What a pity..."


    As the three of them talked, they arrived at the Yeluo chieftain''sboratory.


    Zhu nced all around her, at the jars that filled the shelves, with interest.


    The Yeluo chieftain had prepared three seats and was starting to brew some medicinal tea.


    He poured a big cup of tea out for each of them, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "I don''t much care for creatureforts, so I don''t have much to present you with. I hope you won''t mind¡ªbut I grow my own tea, and I''m confident of its quality. You won''t be able to buy its like elsewhere."


    Zhu sniffed the tea, then pushed it aside as she plugged her nose.


    Zhang Lie said, "Let''s begin."

 Chapter 1276: Shameful Sculptures

    Chapter 1276: Shameful Sculptures


    Zhang Lie exined his goals to Zhu and the Yeluo chieftain. The Yeluo chieftain steepled his fingers. "Is that so? Research on the limit-breaking Potion #5..."


    Potion #4 had been jointly developed by Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain working together, and the members of Team Zenith had benefited from that coboration.


    Actually, the Yeluo chieftain had undertaken the majority of the work.


    The Yeluo chieftain began, "I''ve had a look at the recipe for thest few limit-breaking potions, and have some confidence in being able to develop a skeleton for Potion #5. To be frank, as someone who has spent his entire life studying and researching potions, I can definitively im that the idea of limit-breaking potions themselves is genius. To dream of breaking the restrictions imposed by one''s gic code itself!"


    Zhang Lie then retrieved the research documents from the limit-fragment researchboratory, including the most recent research that the Milky Way had performed on limit fragments, along with various Potions #1 that other Milky Way races had developed for their respective hunters.


    He was the honorary president of the limit-fragment researchboratory, and it was trivial for him to obtain any research reports he wanted.


    The Yeluo chieftain said, "I need to study these reports carefully so that I can be of assistance in developing the potion."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Coincidentally, the high council of the unified world of the third realm will be founded tomorrow. Zhu will be there, and I intend to attend as well. Why don''t Ie back in two days?"


    "Very well. I''ll use the intervening day to finish my current tasks and then devote all my attention to helping you with Potion #5, Your Majesty."


    Zhang Lie and Zhu left. The next day was the day the high council of the third realm was about to convene for the first time.


    Yun Bing, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, and the Lie king had all finished their preliminary preparations ahead of schedule. The council headquarters had been constructed by none other than Chu Feng himself, right beside the dragon pce.


    This was a symbolic decision; Zhu and Zhang Lie had saved the three thousand worlds and performed the unification process that had restored the third realm.


    The headquarters was in the shape of a pentagon, with huge doors embedded in the wall.


    A number of statues stood upright before those doors; the one in the center, with the most majestic appearance, was none other than Zhang Lie.


    He wore golden armor, with the sword Guicang in his left hand. His right hand zed with fiery scales.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Who did this?"


    Below the statue was carved a line of words: Hope has never been extinguished¡ªour savior, Zhang Lie.


    Zhu saw a sculpture of herself beside Zhang Lie. She was hanging in mid-air, her hands outstretched toward the sky. Countless fragments of various worlds were assembling between her hands. Beneath her statue was another line of words: For that man, I reach toward the skies¡ªthe ruler of the world.


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. "I thought my inscription was embarrassing enough, but yours..."


    The sculpture had been disyed prominently before the high council of the third realm, but Zhang Lie didn''t mind¡ªbecause someone was suffering worse than he was.


    As long as he didn''t have to suffer alone, he was perfectly happy with what had been done.


    Behind the high council''s headquarters was a mountain on which four giant heads had been carved out: Yun Bing, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, and the Lie king.


    "Naruto...? No, this is supposed to be a parody of Mt. Rushmore?"


    Just as Zhang Lie was wondering who had done something so ridiculous on such a grand scale, Chu Feng suddenly emerged from the bushes. "Long time no see, Zhang Lie!"


    "Who daresunch a sneak attack on me?!" Zhang Lie kicked Chu Feng away.


    Chu Feng rolled across the grass as hended. Zhang Lie had held back, and he naturally wasn''t injured. If Zhang Lie had put some actual force behind his blow, Chu Feng would be nothing more than a pile of flesh by now.


    Zhang Lie rxed his foot. "I was wondering who would emerge from the brush like that¡ªand it turned out to be you, Garen!" [1]


    Chu Feng cried out, "I''m not Garen¡ªI''m Chu Feng!"


    "That''s what I said, Garen."


    "I told you, I''m Chu Feng..."


    Zhang Lie pointed at the two sculptures before the high council''s headquarters, and the facsimile of Mt. Rushmore behind it.


    "Is this your work?"


    Chu Feng grinned. "Well? What do you think? I''ve grown far stronger after the trials of the second realm."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You really aren''t scared of what might happen, are you?"


    "Scared of what?"


    "If gic hunters from a certain country find out and cause trouble for you back in China..."


    Chu Feng smirked. "There''s nothing for me to worry about. Everyone knows that the Zenith Dojo''s backing me up¡ªwho in the Milky Way is willing to rouse its ire? Furthermore, if I don''t say anything, no one will know that I''m responsible. You might not know this, but the aliens were very pleased with my design. In fact, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, and the Lie king all apuded and have decided to emte this construction."


    Zhang Lie: ...


    "Where''s Yun Bing?"


    Chu Feng rolled his eyes. "She''s going crazy with work. There are a lot of affairs from the Zenith Alliance she has to deal with, as well as the high council. She doesn''t have time for anything like this¡ªand she wouldn''t care, at any rate. You should know¡ªyou were the one who pushed so many things onto her te to begin with!"


    That... was eminently reasonable.


    Yun Bing certainly didn''t have time to rx.


    After she became the prime minister of the Limit kingdom, she seemed to have grown besotted with power to some extent. Rather than improve her stagnating cultivation, she had decided to focus on political power instead.


    In this respect, Chu Feng and Yun Bing were the same. They had both worked hard on cultivation as first-realm hunters, but thepetition had grown stiff in the second realm. Even among the aliens, there were many that were able to suppress them, and they witnessed true strength in the form of the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie.


    Chu Feng and Yun Bing both realized that the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie were far beyond their reach.


    If they couldn''tpete in terms of strength, they would focus on other fields instead, like governance and architecture. Both hunters were skilled in their respective domains, and their talents quickly blossomed.


    Everyone had decisions of their own to make, and not everyone was destined for the battlefield. By striving toward auxiliary roles, they too could change the dimensional realm.


    Of course, everything was founded on strength. If Chu Feng and Yun Bing hadn''t thrown in their lot with the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Lie, no matter how talented they were, they wouldn''t have a chance to disy that talent.


    Chu Feng was very pleased with himself. "Are you happy with the sculpture of you, Zhang Lie?"


    "It''s eptable." All I can promise is that I won''t shatter it.


    Chu Feng continued, "I had no clue what to inscribe at the base of your statue, and I ended up asking the members of Team Zenith as well as many others. In the end, I adopted what Li Qianlin said, which I felt to be the most admirable aspect of your legend. When the three thousand worlds were about to copse, you said, ''Hope has never been extinguished.''"


    "That''s what Qianlin said?"


    1. A League of Legends reference. ?

 Chapter 1277: Not Me!

    Chapter 1277: Not Me!


    Zhang Lie ran his fingers over the words engraved on the statue. Even he himself had forgotten whether or not he had truly made such a statement¡ªbut Li Qianlin had remembered it firmly.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t hide the smile on his face.


    Caressing those words was like interacting with her across space. It had been the first time they had "spoken" in a few days. The fact that she had remembered his words soprehensively...


    Chu Feng said, "If you''re upset, Zhang Lie, we can change it. I have a list of quotations others gave of you. Fang Yi said, ''If you fear someone else''s strength, you''ll never be able to improve. You might not be able to beat them now, but you still have to make them your target, to work toward that goal with all your heart.'' "


    Zhang Lie did remember this¡ªhe had mentioned it when giving Fang Yi advice afterbat practice.


    Chu Feng retrieved his notebook. Yang Ze said, ''Everything pales inparison to absolute strength, and no skill and strategy can bridge the gap.'' "Sun Xiaowu said, ''Did you intuit something?'' "


    "Ha."


    In the future, when he met up with Sun Xiaowu again, he would certainly have to have a chat with him to see what he had intuited.


    Chu Feng continued, "Li Feng said, ''Don''t emte me, but rather learn from me.'' "


    This was something Zhang Lie had told him back in the second realm.


    "Sun Mengmeng said, ''This is why we have to master our emotions, rather than to let them control us. Take advantage of the strength they provide, but never lose control.'' "


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile. What he had forgotten, others firmly remembered.


    "Zhou Ying said, ''Tactics are fair y.''"


    Zhumented, "This could very well form the basis of a book of quotes from Zhang Lie."


    Chu Fengughed. "That was my n! I''m intending to publish a book of quotes from Zhang Lie. It would surely sell well in the second and third realms, as well as the Milky Way."


    Zhu pledged, "Let me know when you do. I, the ruler of the realm, will advertise for you personally."


    Zhang Lieughed, buoyed by the warmth that had resulted from others taking his advice to mind. "I don''t mind, but don''t make it sound like it''s going to be something deep."


    Chu Feng continued listing off the quotes that others had contributed.


    "Zhang Hanxiang said, ''You can''t remain a child forever.'' "


    He was certain that he hadn''t said that; rather, it was what Zhang Hanxiang wanted to tell him. Zhang Lie could only sigh and shake his head at his sister''s antics.


    "Hong Xi said, ''What do you think of those lions? They seem quitepatible with the Zenith Dojo.'' "


    Zhu seemed perplexed. "What does this mean?"


    Zhang Lie nodded to himself with a smile. This was around the time when he had first met the young woman who would be his disciple, Hong Xi.


    At that point, the Hong n had just been crushed by the Musi n.


    She was reticent then¡ªor rather, possessed of a dull and brooding personality. When Zhang Lie ughtered a few gic lifeforms to help Hong Xi max out her gene fragments, in order to lift the gloomy atmosphere around her, he had cracked a few jokes, and then...


    "Master, what do you think of those peacocks? This must be a meeting of fate."


    "Master, do you see those tigers? I don''t think they have long to live. Why don''t you do them the honor of sending them off?"


    "Master, Master, have a look at that lone superior-grade mantis! It''s so ugly that it must be living a life of abject misery. Why don''t we help it out?"


    Hong Xi had changed since then; the disciple that had blindly followed behind him had grown a little cruel. Subsequently, after interacting with the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang for so long, she had be entirely corrupt.


    Hong Xi''s bookish, reticent personality faded away, never to return. It was a pity, but Hong Xi''s brooding nature and heavy burdens had likewise vanished. Zhang Lie felt that this was more than a worthwhile trade.


    Chu Feng continued flipping through his notebook. "Dong Mingxing said, ''Scumbags die early.'' The draconian sage said¡ª"


    Zhang Lie interrupted, "That''s quite enough. I like the words you''ve chosen."


    Chu Feng kept his notebook. Zhang Lie asked, "Who chose Zhu''s inscription?"


    Zhu murmured, "I did say something like that, I believe."


    Zhang Lie recalled what had happened when the third realm was nearing its end. The fate of the entire realm rested on a young woman''s shoulders.


    Only a native of the dimensional realm could be a king of the realm. Although it was cruel, Zhang Lie nevertheless chose Zhu to bear that responsibility.


    Zhu hadn''t grumbled, and neither had she been crushed by the mounting pressure. She smiled in an impossibly pure fashion. "Since it''s a task from you, Zhang Lie, I''ll handle it to the best of my ability."


    Zhang Lie sighed and looked up into the sky that was as pure as Zhu''s gaze then.


    "Zhu, have you ever hated me for choosing you to be the ruler of the third realm?"


    Zhu shook her head. "As I''ve said before, without you, there could hardly be a me. If you hadn''t saved me from that fishing vige, I might be nothing but fertilizer by now. I could hardly me you."


    Chu Feng interrupted their conversation. "I intend on hanging up a portrait of you, Zhang Lie, at the top of the headquarters, to represent your importance to this unified world and the high council."


    Zhu immediately apuded. "Excellent!"


    Zhang Lie rejected the idea immediately. "There''s no need for all this. I''m about to ascend to the fourth realm, and the third realm will belong to all of you thereafter. I''m not all that important¡ªleave this position to Zhu."


    Zhu immediately shook her head as well. "No, no, that''d be too embarrassing for me!"


    "Let''s shelve that idea, then. I''ll bring the two of you inside the headquarters and show you what I''ve done in the meantime."


    Chu Feng brought them down a long stretch of corridor, which were adorned with paintings. The first one they saw was a huge oil painting depicting the scene of a battle.


    On the left was Zhang Lie, his whole body glowing with light, looking like a warlord, followed by a group of fighters. Zhang Lie found that Zhang Hanxiang and Hong Xi had also been represented in the image. In the sky was a ck bat, grinning as though it were mocking the world, with a single fiery red eye¡ªNightdemon.


    The enemies on the right were painted ck and clearly evil. They were wrapped up in bandages and led by a gigantic ck shadow.


    "This is the war against the death spirits, isn''t it?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Chu Feng gave him a thumbs up. "You identified it instantly, Zhang Lie."


    On the opposite wall was hung another oil painting.


    All sorts of strange and unusual existences were having a discussion at a long table, and the mood seemed to be rather tense.


    There was a m with suction cups, revealing a sliver of chaos within the crack between its shells; a man in golden armor with ten golden suns to his back; a frost spirit queen; a bundle of ck fog; a ck skeleton; and a vile amorphous gray blob that quivered and swelled, as though it were the source of all filth and waste.

 Chapter 1278: Hanging on the Wall

    Chapter 1278: Hanging on the Wall


    The gray fluid of the amorphous blob roiled. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, crying out shrilly.


    Finally, there was also a golden-haired loli. The painting was done from the perspective of an ordinary-seeming man in light of these fantastic existences. Behind the man was a young man, clearly with martial might.


    The man was Li Zongming; the young man was Zhang Lie.


    From the perspective and shading of the image, the man in golden armor, the frost spirit queen, the ck fog, the ck skeleton, and the amorphous gray blob were located in darkness, while Li Zongming and Zhang Lie were illuminated by the light. The giant m stood at the intersection of light and darkness.


    Around the long table were no walls or ceilings, only a huge pir from which the skies beyond could be seen. The sun hung in the air, and dark and stormy clouds besides. ck rain and snow challenged each other for domination; the entire scene seemed apocalyptic.


    The mood of the meeting was quite tense, and Li Zongming and Zhang Lie seemed about to start a fight with the others.


    Neither of them were afraid, and nor were they about to retreat. Their eyes were filled with heroism and will; it was apparent that they were meant to represent the side of justice.


    The golden-haired loli flipped a coin through the air. Colorful orbs wound round her neck, her eyes were like a ster river, and her face was cold and deste.


    The man in golden armor, the frost spirit queen, the ck fog, the ck skeleton, and the amorphous gray blob were clearly antagonistic, whereas the golden-haired loli was standing by the giant m''s side.


    Zhang Lie immediately recognized that this oil painting depicted the superior kings'' meeting.


    The man in golden armor, the frost spirit queen, the ck fog, the ck skeleton, and the amorphous gray blob represented the superior kings of antiquity, respectively the sr king, the ice queen, the king of ck fog, the king of ck rain, the unclean king. The golden loli was none other than the king of keys, whereas the huge ck m that straddled the intersection of light and darkness was the king of chaos.


    Zhu cocked her head curiously. "And what''s described in this image?"


    Chu Feng replied, "I have no clue. The Zongming king sent someone to request that this painting be hung here."


    Zhang Lie exined, "This is the scene of the superior kings'' meeting, which urred right before the war against the death spirits."


    The third oil painting they saw was one of four worlds. The first possessed countless suns and had a golden mulberry tree at its center. The second was covered with ice, snow, blizzard, and hail. The third had deep abyssal trenches brimming with poisonous gas. Vile amorphous gray matter quivered and swelled all over the surface of the world, as though it were the source of all filth and waste.


    The gray fluid of the amorphous blob roiled. More and more mutated growths and abominations were visible within the main body''s flesh, crying out shrilly.


    A fourth world was covered in ck fog; a fifth had a huge door of light.


    Zhang Lie recognized the worlds of the superior kings of antiquity.


    Each world was heralded by a gigantic figure. Before the world of countless suns was a golden figure with a sun to his back, representing the world of zing sun and the sr king.


    The world shrouded by ice, snow, blizzard, and haily behind someone who looked like a frost spirit queen, representing the white world and the ice queen.


    Before the world of ck fog was none other than a vaguely humanoid-shaped pile of fog, which seemed to have merged with the world of ck fog to form one cohesive whole, representing the world of ck fog and the king of ck fog.


    The world of abyssal trenches represented the unclean world and the king of evil.


    Before the door of light was a silver giant, representing the king of keys.


    Behind Li Zongming was Mt. Tian, corresponding to the Zongming world.


    Behind the draconian sage were the draconians and humans, corresponding to the draconian world.


    Behind the Lie king were all sorts of different races, corresponding to the scaleman world.


    The worlds were divided into up an ddown. Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were facing off against the superior worlds of antiquity, depicting the war of the worlds.


    On the other side of the corridor was hung another painting.


    Zhang Lie had lifted the sword Guicang high into the air. Behind him were the members of Team Zenith, Red Comet, and then a massive group of humans and aliens: the troop of warlords, and the fighters and warriors from the draconian world, the Zongming world, and the scaleman world.


    Zhang Lie asked, "This painting was painted by someone from the Milky Way, then?"


    Chu Feng seemed surprised. "I''m shocked you were able to recognize this, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. "Anyone who''s seen it before would recognize this as ''Liberty Leading the People''."


    Chu Feng gave him a thumbs up. "Even so, Zhang Lie, you recognized it immediately!"


    "You drew this?"


    "I hung it here."


    The fifth oil painting was of a cataclysm. The realm itself was copsing. In the backdrop, a spatial rift was emerging from a ck hole, which was sucking countless worlds within. Beneath the rift was a pce. Zhu floated in the air, a five-colored draconic orb manifesting behind her, as she held onto a gigantic jade seal with both hands.


    This was a scene of the copse of the three thousand worlds.


    The painting that hung opposite it was a close-up of what was happening within the pce. Zhu was floating in the air, and above her head was a scene right out of an apocalypse. Countless boulders and world fragments had been sucked into the spatial rift, but Zhu was holding onto what she could.


    The sculpture of Zhu outside seemed to have been taken directly from her appearance in this painting.


    The sixth oil painting was a depiction of the formation of the unified world, and the joy that filled every living being''s face. nts were growing furiously; this painting seemed to bnce out the cataclysmic forces at y in thest two oil paintings, resulting in equilibrium once more. An illusory five-colored dragon scale manifested over the painting.


    Zhu pointed at the opposite wall. "Is there nothing here yet?"


    "It''s a reserved spot tomemorate the premier meeting of the high council of the third realm."


    Zhang Lie pped. "Zhu, you can be in another painting!"


    Zhu chuckled at Zhang Lie. "Haha, you''ve already appeared three or four times in these paintings, Zhang Lie. A third appearance for me is hardly anything worth mentioning."

 Chapter 1279: Painted Four Times

    Chapter 1279: Painted Four Times


    There were a few more oil paintings. One was atop Mt. Tian, when Li Zongming founded the Zongming kingdom. Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin were in the background.


    In the Lie kingdom''s pce, the Lie king sat high and mighty on his throne as his court bowed down to him¡ªthe founding ceremony of the Lie kingdom. Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin sat on either side of the Lie king, smiling benevolently.


    In the draconian kingdom, the draconian sage pronounced the founding of the draconian kingdom as the citizens beneath the stage cheered in jubtion. Colored dragons flew through the air. Zhang Lie was hidden inconspicuously in the background.


    Yun Bing spoke for the Zenith Alliance, announcing that it was officially being founded as a kingdom. The strongest representatives of the races of the Milky Way sat behind her; Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were present as well.


    These oil paintings clearly depicted the scene of each kingdom''s founding.


    Chu Feng exined, "These are paintings of the founders of the high council, as well as the forces they represent."


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. Zhu sniggered behind him. "It looks like you''ve been represented four more times in these four paintings, Zhang Lie!"


    Chu Feng continued, "Each painting records a major event that happened in the third realm, and we intend on carrying this tradition into the future, so as to let our descendants understand the price we had to pay for their freedom."


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "So what''s the point of having a sculpture of me outside the headquarters? These paintings alone will make me unforgettable!"


    He was the only person to ever appear in all of the paintings in the headquarters at once; none could hope to match his deed.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Only you would havee up with the idea of decorating the high council''s headquarters as though it were an art gallery."


    Chu Feng smiled in embarrassment. "This is a mark of culture," he protested.


    Zhu beamed. "I like this corridor very much, especially the fact that I can see Zhang Lie everywhere."


    Chu Feng puffed out his chest. "Right? This is my favorite part, too. It bears deep symbolic meaning, allowing visitors to appreciate the art as they learn more about the history of the high council. This is a clear reminder not to forget about what previous generations have done, as well as what newer generations should strive to achieve.


    "Let''s continue."


    Chu Feng led them into the meeting chamber.


    The gigantic meeting chamber was arranged with semi-circr tables in a pyramidal structure. The topmostyer had two chairs arranged like thrones. The secondyer had four long tables and four rows of chairs, while the thirdyer had row after row of tables and chairs. Each table was engraved with the world and kingdom it corresponded to.


    Zhang Lie looked at the four long tables on the second row, which were upied with familiar faces.


    By the first table sat Yun Bing and representatives of the races of the Milky Way. The second table contained the draconian sage and his representatives; the third table, Li Zongming and Dong Mingxing, as well as representatives from the Zongming kingdom; the fourth table, the Lie king, his eldest brother, and representatives from the Lie kingdom.


    When those gathered saw Chu Feng lead Zhang Lie and Zhu within, everyone turned to the two of them. Yun Bing, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, and the Lie king all seemed overjoyed, while the other representatives whispered to each other.


    "This looks like the man in the paintings!"


    "It''s the savior of the realm, Zhang Lie!"


    "To think he would show up himself..."


    Yun Bing, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, and the Lie king all stepped forward to wee Zhang Lie. Yun Bing called out, "Zhang Lie, you''ve made it!"


    The draconian sage urged, "Come, Savior,e, ruler of the realm, please take your seats!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "Don''t call me Savior¡ªit''s too embarrassing."


    Zhu cocked her head curiously at everyone. "Why are you all gathered here? Don''t you need to manage your own kingdoms?"


    The draconian sage replied, "All of us naturally have to be here to witness such a historic moment as the founding of the high council."


    Yun Bing added, "Getting everyone on board took us significant time and effort."


    Yun Bing, the draconian sage, Li Zongming, and the Lie king led Zhang Lie all the way to the top of the pyramidal semi-circr structure. Zhang Lie frowned. "Isn''t there something wrong with this arrangement?"


    "Of course not."


    Zhang Lie clutched his face. "It''s reasonable for Zhu to be on this level as the ruler of the realm, but what am I doing here?"


    Li Zongming replied, "We specifically arranged this for you."


    Yun Bing emphasized, "Zhang Lie, you saved the whole of the third realm, and all four kingdoms that lead the high council have a deep rtionship with you. It wouldn''t be wrong to im that all four kingdoms have only developed to this extent because of you, and the high council is based on the structure you came up with."


    The draconian sage emphasized, "Without you, Zhang Lie, there wouldn''t be our four kingdoms. Without you, there wouldn''t be this high council. You must take this seat."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s too lofty for the likes of me. I''d rather sit with the Zenith Alliance."


    Zhu replied, "If you don''te up here, Zhang Lie, I won''t sit here either. I insist on being by your side!"


    Yun Bing chuckled wryly. "Zhang Lie, you''re making things very difficult for me..."


    The draconian sage asked, "What do you think others would say if they saw you, the savior of the realm, seated with the members of the Zenith Alliance?"


    Li Zongming nodded. "We might know why you''re doing this, but what about everyone else?"


    Zhang Lie would basically be announcing his allegiance with the Zenith Alliance;


    it would seem as though they had suddenly gained a weapon of mass destruction.


    The Lie king said what they were all thinking. "The Zenith Alliance would instantly dominate over our other three factions."


    The draconian sage urged, "Zhang Lie, be more mindful of your actions here. Your status is beyond ours; you cannot sit with us, and we cannot sit with you. Wherever you sit, your actions will affect the bnce of the entire council."


    Zhang Lie sighed and trudged forward toward one of the two seats at the top of the pyramidal structure. Zhu followed him up and sat by his side, smiling at him as she did so.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze swept over the gathered representatives, who looked at him with awe.


    He had reached heights that no one else could emte, and his every action would affect the third realm. It was difficult for the third realm to contain him, both physically and metaphorically.


    He could only hope that the research on Potion #5 would progress quickly. Once he obtained sufficient disaster limit fragments, he would ascend to the fourth realm.


    If he forcibly remained in the third realm, he would only affect its future development.

 Chapter 1280: The High Council

    Chapter 1280: The High Council


    As Zhang Lie and Zhu sat on the highest level of seats in the council chamber and thest few straggling representatives wandered in, Yun Bing nced at the time.


    She began, "Sage, Zongming King, Lie King, I think it''s about time we begin."


    The draconian sage raised his head. "Zhang Lie, Zhu, should the meeting begin now?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand casually. "Let''s start. Don''t mind our presence."


    Yun Bing motioned to one of the guards, who locked the door.


    The draconian sage asked, "Who shall have the honors?"


    Li Zongming suggested, "Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No, no, do as you will. I''m just here to observe, not to participate. Let Zhu do it, as the ruler of the realm."


    Zhu stood up. "I hereby convene the first meeting of the high council of the unified world of the third realm!"


    Yun Bing patted her clothes as she stood. "The three thousand worlds have always been at conflict with each other, but after the unification of the worlds, our four kingdoms, the Zenith Alliance, the draconian kingdom, the Zongming kingdom, and the Lie kingdom have entered into a series of serious discussions. We believe that this unified world cannot be allowed to devolve into a state of anarchy and contention between different kingdoms, that we must learn to cooperate and live in harmony."


    The draconian sage continued, "For the proper development of the unified world, we''ve followed the nsid out by Zhang Lie to effect the creation of a high council that will rule over the world together."


    Li Zongming emphasized, "The unified world will not be a nk te; rather, together, we will imposew and order."


    Yun Bing took over. "Despite our differences, let us aim for unity. These are words passed down from older generations of my people, but I think they apply very well here. We might alle from different worlds, but the moment the three thousand worlds united, so have we.


    "We all possess simrities and differences. We think differently, and our cultures are unique to us all¡ªbut I''m sure none of us want a world of war and strife." The Lie king stood up. "It is precisely because we are all distinct that we can thrive in this patchwork world; it is precisely because we are all distinct that we can bepanions."


    The draconian sage stood side by side with the Lie king. "It is precisely because our thoughts and minds are different that we can work together to advance. Differences might divide us, but our dream of a shared future unites us. We all want our races to grow stronger, our citizens to lead happier and more fulfilling lives."


    Yun Bing urged, "No man can be an ind, entire of itself."


    Li Zongming concluded, "In order to work toward these lofty goals, to spur the development of the three thousand worlds, we hereby establish the high council of the unified world."


    The representatives all apuded in a thunderous wave of noise.


    Yun Bing said, "The establishment of this high council isn''t to police the unified world, but rather to effect change and settle disputes, to strengthen us all. World peace will allow humans to be dragons."


    The draconian sage blinked in surprise. "What?"


    The representatives all seemed perplexed as well.


    Without a trace of awkwardness, Yun Bing continued, "Not to be draconians, but rather to grow stronger and more exceptional, to be like Zhang Lie."


    The representatives, now understanding what she meant, all pped.


    Yun Bing continued, "We have followed Mr. Zhang''s suggestion regarding the high council rather closely, though we have made some changes of our own. Joining this council means that you recognize your kingdom as sovereign territory, and you cede control over the "world" atrge."


    One representative raised a hand. "What restrictions exist as a result?


    What do we give up by going from a world to a kingdom?"


    The draconian sage replied, "There is no distinction and no other restrictions but in name alone. All worlds who recognize their kingdoms as sovereign territory and are willing to submit to the judgment of the high council will have a seat with us."


    Yun Bing asked, "Does anyone object to the formation of the high council?"


    No one dared protest against thebined might of the Zenith Alliance, the draconian kingdom, the Zongming kingdom, and the Lie kingdom.


    The draconian kingdom, Zongming kingdom, and Lie kingdom had all been superior worlds, and they had absorbed quite a few of their nearby neighbors after the unification. They had be kingdoms of superior might andnd, and the other kingdoms were afraid of incurring their wrath.


    Everyone did want peace and stable development, after all.


    To the other worlds, the presence of the high council would curb any hostilities from the superior kingdoms.


    What they didn''t realize was that the high council was simply a means by which the four superior kingdoms could govern over the entire world.


    The reason the three other superior kingdoms had agreed to the n was because this was Zhang Lie''s proposal, and because of what Yun Bing had stated.


    The three superior kingdoms couldn''t take over the entire world; if they tried to do so and expanded rapidly, the smaller worlds would rapidly band together against them. No one wanted to see a hegemon, and none but the members of Team Zenith could incite hegemony.


    However, the members of Team Zenith weren''t interested in doing so; they would have to leave the third realm sooner orter, and trying to govern over arge territory in this world in which signals andmunication hadn''t been developed was very difficult.


    It would expend great deals of manpower, resources, wealth, and energy¡ªand even so, that control might notst more than a generation.


    In order to govern the various kingdoms, the best choice was to let them govern themselves.


    This was the underlying context that led the three former superior kings and the Zenith Alliance to agree to the formation of the high council.


    Yun Bing began to exin the division of power among the council.


    "All kingdoms possessing a seat on the council will have a right to speak and vote in matters of global concern. There will additionally be an upper chamber consisting of four permanent and four impermanent seats. Impermanent representatives may propose legition; the four permanent representatives of the Zenith Alliance, the draconian kingdom, the Zongming kingdom, and the Lie kingdom, will each have one veto vote, while the ruler of the realm and leader of the high council will have ultimate veto power."


    The high council was patterned off the united world federation of the Milky Way.


    Yun Bing retrieved a stack of booklets from her dimensional storage, which the draconian sage sent flying toward each representative.


    "The specific rules and regtions have been printed in each booklet. Please read them carefully and study the system that has been put in ce."


    One representative seemed confused. "What do you mean by veto power and ultimate veto power?"

 Chapter 1281: The High Councils Representatives

    Chapter 1281: The High Council''s Representatives


    With the Zenith Alliance, the draconian kingdom, the Zongming kingdom, and the Lie kingdom''s machinations, the kingdoms who would first be granted impermanent seats in the upper chamber were quickly chosen.


    Yun Bing smiled wryly. "I used to hate these political games of trying to make use of loopholes and rules to lie to others or to decide something in secret as part of a cabal¡ªand yet I''ve ended up doing the exact same thing."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Everyone ends up that way. I used to hate the strongest hunters who could easily overwhelm the world and lord over the entire world, but I had no choice but to be whom I once detested."


    Yun Bing scowled. "Stop flexing."


    The draconian sage murmured, "These impermanent kingdoms possess more power than most, but just like us permanent ones, they bear more responsibilities as well."


    Li Zongming exined, "In addition to the important role of preserving the stability of the unified world and ensuring its advancement and development, they''ll have to pay dues annually."


    Yun Bing expanded, "Of course, everyone does; it''s just a matter of how much."


    The draconian sage jumped in. "And if they don''t have money, they can provide resources instead."


    A representative spoke up. "But our coins and currency don''t match!"


    "That''ll be a matter forter."


    The representatives were all starting to grumble. They hadn''t realized they had to pay any dues!


    Another representative asked, "What obligations do we have? Ensuring the stability of the world and promoting its development are far too general aims to be meaningful."


    Yun Bing replied calmly, "We haven''t ironed out the specifics yet. For the moment, for example, if some pirates or bandits emerge from the unified world, the impermanent representatives will have to report the matter to the high council, and we would vote on whether or not to dispatch troops. The troops woulde from the permanent and impermanent kingdoms, and the cost from the council fees."


    The representatives understood what they were paying for now¡ªprotection.


    The high council was an organization whose goal was to stabilize the world, but that security woulde at a cost. If your kingdom didn''t pay a protection fee and was suffering from a bandit incursion, the council certainly wasn''t going to dispatch any troops to help stabilize the region.


    Providing these forces would be beneficial to the permanent kingdoms, as well. Not only could these kingdoms improve their control and prestige over the unified world, they would be able to train their troops.


    In fact, the entire unified world would pay for the troops'' training.


    Yun Bing continued, "Next, the permanent and impermanent kingdoms will each present topics of discussion for the council."


    Li Zongming stood up with a sheaf of documents he had prepared in advance. "As the representative of the Zongming kingdom, I will present the first topic of discussion."


    All the representatives turned toward Li Zongming, toward the first topic brought to the attention of the high council of the third realm.


    Zhang Lie was also very curious just what Li Zongming was about to bring up.


    "The former third realm faced a terrible crisis."


    Everyone subconsciously turned to look at Zhang Lie and Zhu, still seated at the top of the pyramidal structure of the council chamber.


    That crisis was, of course, none other than the imminent copse of the world.


    Li Zongming continued, "We faced an unbelievably strong foe, so strong that even I only know of his name, without ever having met him."


    The representatives smiled.


    Li Zongming continued, "This existence was known as the death spirit king, an entity that dared to dream of devouring the entire realm, an ambitious madman. Countless worlds suffered at his hands."


    Zhang Lie didn''t quite understand why Li Zongming was bringing up the death spirit king now.


    Li Zongming continued, "In order to deal with this death spirit king, all the superior worlds worked together to summon the fighters and warriors of the three thousand worlds. We fought in a historic battle of epic proportions against the death spirit king, and eventually vanquished him with the hard work of fighters all across the realm. Our savior slew him, but what about the countless fighters who perished?"


    The atmosphere in the council chamber turned heavier.


    Many of the kingdoms represented here had suffered at the hands of the superior worlds of antiquity.


    When the war against the death spirit king reached peak intensity, the various worlds were forced to dispatch their fighters and warriors tobat the growing threat.


    Some of those fighters returned, whereas others never would.


    Li Zongming continued, "We paid a heavy price for our victory. Large numbers of fighters and heroes died on the battlefield, their corpses left unimed. Despite the fact that we were unable to preserve their bodies, we have the moral imperative to provide safe harbor for their souls, to ensure that they can remain with us forever in spirit."


    Upon hearing Li Zongming''s words, the representatives'' perception of the high council changed.


    They were starting to suspect that the high council was a game manipted by the four superior kingdoms. From a barebones perspective, that was certainly the case, but Li Zongming''s topic of discussion had been carefully considered. It was selfless and noble, and was a worthwhile topic to discuss by any standards.


    It concerned no profit, no conflicts of interest, and simultaneously was a topic of immediate and palpable interest to the entire world.


    "At the heart of the world, I wish to erect a cenotaph tomemorate the dead who perished in service to our realm."


    Even Zhang Lie had to give Li Zongming a thumbs up at that.


    Li Zongming''s topic of discussion was more than worthy of being the historical first to pass through the unified world''s high council.


    Li Zongming continued, "When Zhang Lie and I participated in the superior kings'' meeting, we had proposed a simr idea."


    The representatives recalled the oil painting they had seen while walking through the corridor. So that was the story behind it!


    Li Zongming sighed. "Unfortunately, the superior kings of antiquity weren''t too enthused by the idea. They debated it vigorously, and we were ultimately able to convince them of its importance. However, the kings then went back on their word andunched direct attacks on the Zongming world, the scaleman world, and the draconian worlds. As a result, the cenotaph never came to fruition."


    Zhang Lie sighed in exasperation. "Too much happened afterwards."


    Li Zongming continued, "After the superior worlds perished, we tabled the matter to deal with the other circumstances that had arisen, but I have never forgotten that promise. Today, in the historic first meeting of the high council of the unified world, I make that proposal once more."


    Zhu raised her voice. "We vote now."


    Yun Bing shouted, "Each table has a g, one face of which is red, and the other of which is white. If you agree to the motion, hold up the red face. If you oppose, hold up the white face. If you abstain, do not raise the g. You have one minute to make your decision."


    Within thirty seconds, the entire council chamber was a sea of red.


    The first motion of the high council of the unified world had passed unanimously.

 Chapter 1282: Construction of Cenotaphs

    Chapter 1282: Construction of Cenotaphs


    The representatives deliberated among themselves and concluded that the cost of the cenotaph would be footed by the high council.


    After the sess of the first motion, the representatives steadily grew more enthused in the governance of the high council.


    The draconian sage then took the stage. "The second topic of discussion is likewise a cenotaph for the dead of war."


    Zhang Lie called out jokingly, "Is this a high council or a funeral hall?"


    The representatives began tough.


    The draconian sage continued, "I move tomemorate the fighters and warriors who perished during the crisis of the third realm."


    The representatives'' cheerfulughter cut off abruptly.


    At first, many worlds couldn''t bring themselves to believe the notion that the realm could suddenly implode on itself. They tried to resist the trained troops of the four superior worlds and gic hunters, giving rise to an apocalyptic war, one that waspletely meaningless.


    The reason that the gathered representatives didn''t oppose the fact that the four superior kingdoms each held the power of veto wasn''t solely because of their strength, but also because they were the kingdoms responsible for saving the realm in the first ce¡ªas well as butchers that ughtered many of the fighters of each world.


    If the war against the death spirits was a crusade for peace and justice, the apocalyptic war was a mess, a farce.


    "It was an apocalyptic war that we undertook in order to save the failing realm, forcibly uniting the worlds and restoring the realm. The fighters and warriors that sacrificed themselves in battle are all heroes that did their part in saving the world, and they deserve the title of savior."


    The representatives had been touched and excited by Li Zongming''s proposal; they now seemed guilty and ashamed by the draconian sage''s.


    Their respective kings had almost brought disaster down on them all in hopes of retaining what little power they possessed.


    In a manner of speaking, the fighters that had perished in battle were suffering the consequences of certain kings'' idiocy.


    "We vote now. If you agree to the motion, hold up the red face of the g. If you oppose, hold up the white face. If you abstain, do not raise the g. You have one minute to make your decision."


    Some held up the red face, others the white face, and even more abstained.


    Despite knowing that they were at fault, they refused to admit it.


    The construction of this cenotaph would be akin to an admission of guilt, of the wrongdoing and foolishness that had led to this unnecessary loss of life.


    Because of their foolishness, the realm had almost been destroyed.


    They believed that there was no need to share their mistakes, to let others learn from their errors in judgment, and hence that no admission of guilt was necessary.


    Yun Bing counted the votes. "Because over fifty percent of the votes are in abstention, we will vote again in ten minutes."


    Zhang Lie''s face revealed displeasure.


    He still remembered that foolish war, incited by those worlds who believed that they were weak after having just fended off the superior worlds of antiquity.


    Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. The representatives didn''t speak much to each other; cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their palms were damp and mmy.


    "We begin the second round of voting. If you agree to the motion, hold up the red face of the g. If you oppose, hold up the white face. If you abstain, do not raise the g. You have one minute to make your decision."


    The representatives hesitantly lifted the gs in their hands, but this time, more held up the white face.


    Zhang Lie huffed in anger, mming his arms down on his armrests. A formless aura formed and spread around him, causing the representatives to feel as though a huge mountain were pressing down on their bodies, preventing them from lifting their heads or even to pant loudly.


    Zhu, understanding Zhang Lie''s unspoken words, called out, "I veto the result of this vote."


    Yun Bing announced, "Because the ruler of the realm has announced a veto, we will vote again in ten minutes."


    Li Zongming murmured, "I haven''t read the bookletpletely. Can a veto be used in this fashion?"


    Yun Bing shrugged. "We may only do so after a motion is proposed but before the vote is counted, but the ruler of the realm''s veto supersedes all of ours."


    The draconian sage nodded. "She stands above us all, after all."


    Zhang Lie murmured, "When we first sought to prevent the realm from copsing, there were a few arrogant fools that dyed the process tremendously. Have they not yet learned from their mistakes? Zhu, what do you think?"


    Zhu smiled. "You think so too, Zhang Lie?"


    Some of the representatives began quaking, their faces pale.


    "Because of those people wasting precious time, I had to expend even more resources. Because of their foolishness, the realm was almost destroyed. I hadn''t wanted to press the matter, but now I think I will do so. Zhu, when this meeting is over, shall we pay a visit to them all?"


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, the stricken representatives were quivering all over, and some had even fallen from their chairs.


    Zhu asked, "Where to first, Zhang Lie?"


    "Let me think..."


    Some representatives, their fingers white with fear and shock, raised the red face of their gs with quivering hands. In fear, others did the same.


    Yun Bing coughed dryly. "The vote has yet to be tallied. Please do not announce your vote in advance."


    The representatives shook their heads, calmed down, and dropped their gs.


    "I apologize, truly. I¡ªI simply wanted to express my position, to inform our savior that I have repented for my actions, that I am deeply in approval of the construction of this cenotaph!"


    Most of the representatives present were well aware of Zhang Lie''s strength. Destroying a kingdom would be as easy as exhaling to them, let alone with Zhu by his side.


    She was the ruler of the realm, who could control the entirety of the unified world! Who could stand against them?


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I wasn''t the one who made this motion. You should be speaking to the draconian sage."


    "Yes, Savior, you''re absolutely right!" the representative shouted, quaking with fear. "I fully approve of the draconian sage''s motion."


    Zhang Lie didn''t really care about the cenotaph; he was simply irked by the behavior of some people. If not for their arrogance and foolishness, the third realm would have been saved much more quickly.

 Chapter 1283: Potion #5

    Chapter 1283: Potion #5


    Without the interference of the foolish kings of the world, the unification of the realm and resolution of the crisis would have happened far more smoothly, rather than at thest minute.


    "We begin the third round of voting. If you agree to the motion, hold up the red face of the g. If you oppose, hold up the white face. If you abstain, do not raise the g. You have one minute to make your decision."


    Zhang Lie''s pressure naturally decided the oue of the voting.


    The council meeting ended very quickly afterwards. Yun Bing and the Lie king both presented their own resolutions, but after what happened with Zhang Lie, the resolutions passed smoothly. The kingdoms who had impermanent seats on the high council likewise made proposals, but there was nothing exceptional or groundbreaking.


    After the meeting, Zhang Lie and Zhu both returned to the Yeluo chieftain''sboratory.


    With research from the entirety of the Milky Way, the Yeluo chieftain and Zhang Lie''s progress was exceptionally rapid. Zhu, the ruler of the realm herself, was entirely focused on helping Zhang Lie with this task. She identified, sought out, and brought back ingredients, and was even able to nurture the growth of rare or special herbs by invoking the world''s authority.


    Even so, the process was an arduous one, and Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain suffered many failures. It was fortunate that the unified world''s blessing had led to the growth of so many herbs and nts, along with Zhu''s authority. Otherwise, the research would have progressed at a much slower pace. Zhang Lie was certain that, had the three thousand worlds not been unified, Potion #5 would never have been researched.


    In theboratory was a vial of potion that glowed with inner light. Zhang Lie and the Yeluo chieftain looked at each other, then at the potion, expectantly.


    The liquid was like a burning neb, and it seemed as though it harbored an entire gxy.


    The Yeluo chieftain announced, "Once we add a superior world''s energy into the potion, it''ll beplete."


    Zhang Lie retrieved the precious crystal of superior world''s energy that he had been saving for such an asion.


    This crystal was no mere source of superior world''s energy; its provenance was unusual.


    This was what Zhang Lie had received as the spoils of war, which he had fought the other superior kings of antiquity to receive. The world''s energy within was beyond the level of a superior world, and even the wealthy superior kings had salivated at the sight of the crystal.


    In some sense, this crystal was responsible for the subsequent conflict between the superior kings of antiquity and Zhang Lie''s posse.


    The Yeluo chieftain''s eyes were bright with delight. "To think that a superior world''s energy could be infused into potions and medicine¡ªthis is a genius idea! Only someone like you could have thought of something so novel and exceptional, Your Majesty."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes and was just about to infuse the superior world''s energy into the potion when Zhu suddenly said, "Why don''t you let me do it, Zhang Lie? I have ess to the unified world''s energy, and it''s of a far higher quality than that crystal you possess."


    The crystal of superior world''s energy was impressive, and it was of higher quality than even a standard superior world''s energy, but even it paled inparison with the unified world''s energy.


    The Yeluo chieftain said, "Although we''ve adjusted the recipe and put in the best ingredients we could find in the third realm, I don''t know if the base will be able to support such high-quality energy..."


    The best ingredients weren''t necessarily the most optimal.


    Rather, it was important to strike a bnce between dosage and potency. If that equilibrium were broken, even a divine panacea could transform into the most lethal poison.


    Zhu asked, "It''s a higher-quality version of the same type of energy! Wouldn''t that make the effects more potent?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We may as well try both. We made additional vials to test this step of the procedure, after all.


    The moment Zhang Lie infused his crystal into the potion, a chemical reaction happened. The glowing liquid suddenly shifted hue and intensity, like a rapidly burning gxy. After changing colors a few times, it turned into a chaotic rainbow mess.


    Zhang Lie nced at Potion #5 fervently.


    He had anticipated that it would have taken half a year, or even a whole year, to finish producing a vial of Potion #5, but with the Yeluo chieftain and Zhu''s help, it had only taken three months.


    After consuming Potion #5, Zhang Lie would be even stronger than before.


    As Zhu infused the unified world''s energy into her own vial, the chemical reaction was even more intense than with Zhang Lie''s vial.


    Light red; the entire vial of potion was frothing, as though it might explode at any moment. Zhu hurriedly isted the vial in space to prevent the resulting explosion from destroying theboratory.


    With a huge chain reaction, the vial of potion suddenly exploded, shocking all three people present. A sonic boom echoed throughout theboratory.


    The Yeluo chieftain crawled up from the ground. "As I said, the most important thing is bnce."


    Zhu''s barriers were full of cracks, and all that energy had almost broken through the protective istion.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned serious. "Look, Chieftain."


    "What''s the matter?"


    Zhu stripped away the protective barriers. After the explosion had urred, the potion had transformed into a pool of liquid glowing with rainbow light and floating in midair, like a nascent.


    The Yeluo chieftain looked disturbed. "I''ve never seen the likes of such a potion."


    He had spent half his life studying nts, herbs, and potions, and he had brewed over ten thousand potions in his lifetime, hundreds of which were novel. He had never seen anything close to the likes of... this.


    "Is this still a potion?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Shall we test it?"


    The Yeluo chieftain asked, "Who would be our test subject?"


    "Who else but me?"


    No one else would be suitable orpatible with the potion, after all.


    The Yeluo chieftain asked, "Are you trying to kill yourself? Have you been dumped?"


    Zhang Lie suddenly thundered, "If you keep joking around like that, I might just start using you as a punching bag!"


    The Yeluo chieftain hurriedly exined himself. "Your Majesty, I''m simply worried about your body. I''ve never seen the likes of this potion before. Who knows what will happen if you drink it?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is this Potion #5?"


    The Yeluo chieftain replied, "It''s difficult to say without testing it. From the color and texture of the liquid, it''s very simr to what we would expect, though with anotheryer of special effects."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is this potion at least some sort of off-shoot of Potion #5?"


    "Indubitably, Your Majesty."


    Even the Yeluo chieftain couldn''t be certain of what would happen after infusing the unified world''s energy into Potion #5, and whether it had transformed into a lethal poison. On instinct, he felt that the potent medicinal energy contained within the potion might as well have been lethal poison.


    "If it truly is Potion #5, then what do we have to worry about?"


    The Yeluo chieftain seemed skeptical. "No one knows what might happen if you drink it. You might even explode, Your Majesty!"


    "That''s why I''d like to try it and see."

 Chapter 1284: Eruption of Energy

    Chapter 1284: Eruption of Energy


    The Yeluo chieftain urged, "After the inclusion of the unified world''s energy, no one knows how the potency of the potion has changed. The equilibrium between the ingredients might have been destroyed, and it''s possible that consuming the potion will put you in life-threatening danger!"


    "But the potency of the potion has certainly increased, yes?"


    The Yeluo chieftain nodded. "But this transformation is beyond our expectations, and I''m not fully familiar with the mechanism of infusing a world''s energy into these potions. I can''t predict what will happen."


    "Let''s test it, then."


    Zhang Lie reached into Zhu''s protective barrier, attempting to capture the sphere of liquid potion thaty within.


    However, the potion seemed to have developed a rudimentary intelligence of its own. It tried to dodge Zhang Lie''s palm, but Zhu''s barriers had enclosed it in such a small space that Zhang Lie caught it instantly. Even so, the Yeluo chieftain tugged on his hand.


    "Your Majesty, please, wait! It''s far too dangerous. You might die!"


    "Don''t worry. I''ve a sturdy constitution, one that no one else in the third realm can match."


    The Yeluo chieftain confirmed once more, "Are you sure?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "If there''s a more potent potion, I certainly intend to choose it."


    After witnessing what had happened when the members of Team Zenith consumed Potion #4, Zhang Lie realized that higher-quality Potions of the same kind could grant additional bonuses, as if they had been enchanted.


    Zhang Lie forced himself to calm down as he brought the potion up to his mouth¡ªbut he didn''t swallow it.


    Zhu asked, "What''s the matter?"


    "Changed your mind?" the Yeluo chieftain asked.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Thest time, when I consumed Potion #4, the second realm was unable to withstand the energy I gave off and forced me to ascend. I think I should bid my farewells to everyone right now.


    Zhu smiled. "Don''t worry, Zhang Lie. I''m around to help you."


    Zhang Lie requested, "At least send me to somewhere isted, please. I''m worried that the shockwaves will level the newly constructed draconian kingdom.


    Zhu teleported Zhang Lie to somewhere isted, then sealed the space around him just like she had done when Zhang Lie was testing the members of Team Zenith. After doing all this, she wrapped the sealed space up in barrier after barrier. Once the preparations wereplete, Zhang Lie swallowed the potion in one go.


    As the potion entered his body, it began to burn as though he were about to go supernova. Bright light radiated from his skin as potent medicinal power roamed all over his body, which swelled like a balloon.


    Zhu, witnessing the situation from the outside, couldn''t help but turn nervous.


    "He''ll be fine, won''t he?"


    The Yeluo chieftain frowned. "He''s too stubborn for his own good. The unknown transmutation of the potion¡ªwho knows what will happen?"


    Zhang Lie breathed in the potion''s energy and circted it through his body, as though burying seeds deep within the earth and watching them sprout with life.


    He sat cross-legged in that pocket dimension, deep in meditation, his body forging itself anew with every breath.


    The potion''s energy continuously battered his body, pounding it with the force of stars exploding. Even his reinforced bones began to creak and crack.


    Any ordinary hunter''s body would have exploded, but Zhang Lie was different. His body had been reforged over and over again, and he had maxed out all his genes from the beginning.


    Zhang Lie''s statement that his body was the strongest among any member of the third realm was no joke; it was stronger than even any inorganic material he had encountered.


    His immense foundation gave him the confidence to weather even the worst of the potion''s effects as energy exploded all over his body.


    Zhang Lie''s face took on the color of a boiled prawn and his blood began to froth and boil.


    Multicolored light erupted from all his orifices, making him shine like a gemstone.


    This immense, almost unbearable pain made Zhang Lie recall his experience absorbing disaster gene fragments in the first realm, of modifying his own gic code.


    His body had been forged and reforged amidst blinding pain; the more he bore, the stronger he would be.


    The medicinal strength of the potion was breaking through the limits of his genes once and again.


    However, it was far stronger than Zhang Lie himself had anticipated.


    He felt as though a hundred suns were exploding within his body, that his blood was turning tova. His body radiated an incredible quantity of light.


    Rainbow mists surrounding Zhang Lie spun, burned, puffed up, and hissed. The mists moved like ribbons fluttering in the sky, dyed with all the colors of the rainbow. They spun around Zhang Lie like skeins of thread, soft as silk, in an explosion of color that was at once captivating and bewitching, as though all of life''s mysteries could be captured in that glowing, resplendent light.


    Zhang Lie circted his [Ninecarp Transformation]. With his body filled with energy, each revolution of the framework took mere moments¡ªZhang Lie seemed to experience ten thousand lifetimes in a single moment, as though he were seeing himself in parallel worlds.


    In one world, he became the king of chaos'' subordinate and conquered the fourth realm.


    In another, he didn''t manage to save the third realm in time. In the vast expanse of chaos, he slowly collected fragments of the world, hoping to restore his third-realm body.


    In yet another, Li Qianlin was killed by the king of the west in a sneak attack, and he turned into a crazed asura dedicated to ughter...


    Countless Zhang Lies of parallel universes manifested as one, thenbined into one body.


    Zhang Lie''s body glowed; he seemed to be having an out-of-body experience.


    Having passed through countless universes without losing himself in any one, Zhang Lie finally came to understand his id, his ego¡ªto glean understanding and experience from all the worlds that he had gone through in other lives, just like when Sun Xiaowu used his Echo of Origins.


    However, this transformation went beyond even that. The goal was to marshal the strength of a warlord with one''s own body, to walk through life''s evolution.


    With blood as the sea, bones as pirs, the soul as the sky, the flesh as the ground, arteries, veins, and capiries as rivers and seas and waterways, and gic energy as the aether that filled the world¡­


    An indeterminate amount of time passed, but Zhang Lie remained perfectly in harmony with his environment the entire time. Without anyone to disturb him, without any sudden fluctuations to his emotions, he gradually began to smile, a reflection of his heart and inner being.

 Chapter 1285: The Worlds Blessing

    <h4>Chapter 1285: The World''s Blessing</h4>


    Light began to shine from his body. He was surrounded by a glowing ball of light, and the skin beneath that was revealed was a pearlescent white, supple and smooth.


    A spiritual glow suffused him. His bones cracked as they became even stronger and sturdier, taking on a metallic luster. A membrane of crystalline light formed over their surface, strengthening them, improving their ductility and hardness. His body was being reforged from the inside out and the outside in, as though bing that of a deity.


    Muscle, flesh, skin, and bone merged together in a sh of blinding light, which coalesced into a skin-like membrane that gave Zhang Lie a holy, immacte appearance.


    He looked like a man from the heavens above, one untouched and unsullied by mortal contact.


    Membranes of diaphanous light brimmed with vitality.


    In that transcendent state, time passed in the blink of an eye. He spent a week in meditation, freed of worry, freed of strife, freed of turmoil and dissonance. There he found an intrinsic joy.


    Zhang Lie breathed out with a puff of light. The air that was sucked into his body took on the shape of dragons. He breathed with a particr rhythm, neither quick nor slow, ever following the pulse of the world.


    The air that Zhang Lie inhaled took on the form of dragons. As he exhaled, those dragons coiled around his body and transformed into gic energy. Behind Zhang Lie appeared swimming pale blue fish, an ink-ck serpent, a resplendent golden tiger, a heavyset dragonturtle, a ming hed lion, and an electrified wyrm.


    These unusual manifestations and concentrated aura of gic energy surrounding Zhang Lie made him seem mysterious indeed. The transformation of his physical body fused his flesh, organs, and bones together,bining them into a single entity.


    After half a month passed by, Zhang Lie slowly opened his eyes. His pupils were bright and filled with vital energy, with a spiritual glow that made him look like a supernatural entity.


    Spirituality illuminated him from within and without. He sat cross-legged like a deity, with a luminous haze surrounding him and seeping into his body.


    The remaining dregs of potion evaporated in the sunlight and vanished, leaving behind the essence of divinity, as though an entire neb had merged with Zhang Lie''s body and was converted into even more astounding strength.


    Zhang Lie howled, causing heaven and earth to quake. The barriers that Zhu had woven cracked like eggshells, then burst apart in a wave of energy that surged throughout the unified world.


    A storm suddenly befell the world, so strong the heavens themselves quaked. Everyone turned subconsciously to Zhang Lie, only to find radiant light filling the skies and all sorts of celestial phenomena in effect.


    In the draconian kingdom''s pce, the draconian sage had been looking through some documents. He nced in the direction of the disturbance and then squinted. Then, he sighed. "Zhang Lie, once again..."


    In the Zongming kingdom, Li Zongming took one nce before ascribing the problem to Zhang Lie. "No one else could cause such a fuss."


    The officials of the Lie kingdom were all shocked by the sudden quake. The former crown prince cried out, "What''s going on?!"


    The Lie king smiled and raised a hand. "Everyone, there''s no need to worry. It must be the grandmaster at work. No one else could cause such a scene, not even the ruler of the realm herself."


    The former crown prince sighed in relief. "The grandmaster? That''s alright, then. Let''s continue with our session of court, then."


    One official seemed particrly flummoxed. "Your Majesty, do we need to be concerned by the grandmaster''s actions? They''re causing the entire world to quake..."


    "If it affects the Lie kingdom, it might be somewhat problematic."


    "I think we had better pay attention."


    The Lie king rolled his eyes. "We''d die of overwork if we had to pay attention to everything that Master did. I don''t intend on doing anything so taxing; you''re all wee to do so if you''d like."


    The officials who had spoken hurriedly shut up.


    The members of Team Zenith, sensing the overwhelming light, realized that it had to be Zhang Lie at once.


    They nced toward Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen, who were still training hard. Sun Mengmeng shouted, "The two of you had better work hard! Zhang Lie will be on his way here at any moment."


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen did as they were told.


    Li Qianlin stood right outside her door, staring at the colored lights filling the air in a daze. It felt that even the will of the world was congratting Zhang Lie for his advancement.


    She was happy for his sess, but couldn''t help but feel a pang of pain and destion.


    This meant that Zhang Lie was almost about to leave.


    Zhang Lie had taken another great leap forward in his advancement. Runes floated beyond his body, and light radiated from him for thousands of meters. Behind Zhang Lie appeared swimming pale blue fish, an ink-ck serpent, a resplendent golden tiger, a heavyset dragonturtle, a ming red lion, and an electrified wyrm, manifestations of his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    His cells and genes had morphed tremendously, and had unspooled into nebr clouds.


    The structure of his new body was unlike the crystallized form of disaster-grade lifeforms, nor the gxy-epassing cells of those hunters with maxed monarch gene fragments. His atavistic body hadn''t weakened him; rather, he seemed to be approaching the universal temte from which all life was built.


    His cellr structure alone differentiated him from ordinary hunters, and it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call Zhang Lie a new form of life, one which had never before appeared in the universe, a singr existence.


    The metamorphosis didn''t end there. The swimming pale blue fish, an ink-ck serpent, a resplendent golden tiger, a heavyset dragonturtle, a ming red lion, and an electrified wyrm, manifestations of his [Ninecarp Transformation], began to swirl around him.


    The transformation to Zhang Lie''s body was catalyzing the growth of his [Ninecarp Transformation]. Zhang Lie directed his remnant strength toward his framework, sessfully breaking through to the next level as all his energy transformed into a huge egg.

 Chapter 1286: Disaster Limit Fragments

    <h4>Chapter 1286: Disaster Limit Fragments</h4>


    Ripples emanated from the pale blue fish, waves of gic energy flowing like the tide. The ink-ck serpent was surrounded by corrosive gic energy. Gold radiated from the golden tiger. Mud-yellow gic energy rippled from the ck dragonturtle, and four runic tablets manifested around it.


    Arcane runes glowed with light, and the tablets trembled as light cascaded forth.


    The runic text, abstruse and iprehensible, floated out from the tablets and surrounded Zhang Lie.


    The ming red lion manifested out of crimson mes so hot they twisted air and space, melting thend. The region all around Zhang Lie turned into a sea ofva.


    Roaring mes emerged from theva like a volcanic eruption.


    Lightning forked through the air, and thunder rumbled.


    A storm had taken over the sky, with huge dark clouds that crackled with lightning. The lightning morphed into a serpent that roamed among the clouds.


    These different types of strength all gathered together and transformed into a giant egg.


    The egg boasted a sea of rippling water-attuned gic energy, ink-ck corrosive gic energy, resilient gold-attuned gic energy, mud-like yellow gic energy, steam-like scarlet gic energy, and lightning-sharp gic energy. The disparate sources of energy each fed into the egg, causing it to grow bloated.


    The egg was much like a furnace. The swimming pale blue fish, an ink-ck serpent, a resplendent golden tiger, a heavyset dragonturtle, a ming red lion, and an electrified wyrm all melded together within the egg, allowing for a further breakthrough.


    The energies shed with each other in the tightly confined space, causing the egg to crack. With a triumphant shriek, a tornado emerged from the egg, blowing away the storm clouds.


    The tornado unfurled its wings and revealed itself to be a phoenixposed of storm clouds. This was the seventh form of Ninecarp Transformation¡ªthe phoenix!


    The medicinal energy encapsted within Potion #5 had helped Zhang Lie reach the seventh stage of his framework, bringing him to a whole new level of strength. Radiant light surrounded him, as though his body were covered with ayer of world''s energy.


    It felt as though he had gained a new sense, something he could yet barely sense, in addition to an overwhelming increase in his strength.


    In addition to his new Seventh Form, he seemed to be able to pry at the rules of the third realm, and it became far simpler to gain insights about space and time. It was as though he had be a king of the realm, possessing a certain level of authority over the world itself. He thought for a moment and quickly identified the cause.


    Potion #5 surely didn''t have such an effect; it was all due to Zhu''s infusion of the unified world''s energy, just like how, when he used xuluo ribs to concoct Potion #4, the members of Team Zenith gleaned insight into karma.


    He hadn''t received any such insight upon consuming Potion #4 himself; it was clear that the additional benefit was due to upgrading the recipe in some form.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 100; Emperor, 5


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Now that he had unlocked his disaster limit fragments, he would have to fill them up to their capacity once again.


    He had prepared for this in advance. From his dimensional storage, he took out a few disaster-grade cores, then absorbed thempletely, maxing out his disaster gene fragments.


    His body glowed with divine light, and his blood seemed to rumble. His organs gave off light as a rosy sheen appeared over his body. Ripple after ripple emanated from him. His bones cracked and popped; his blood and flesh vibrated.


    His body had grown even stronger than before, and the runes of the Keys of the Elder Gods appeared once more.


    Zhang Lie opened his eyes. Strands of ck hair floated around him. His eyes were like lightning, as though he were a martial god who had descended from the heavens.


    He raised a hand and pressed at the void itself.


    With a sudden shout, as runes red all over his body, his bones creaked, and his flesh trembled, his essence transformed into a dragon that soared into the air.


    The radiance around him intensified.


    Divine light speared through the heavens, and all sorts of seeds and nts began to sprout up around him. Parched trees, withered vines¡ªall were rejuvenated and granted new life.


    The citizens of the unified world suddenly felt their aches and ailments leave them. Vitality returned to their bodies.


    Even the elderly found their faces flushing red, energy suffusing them, as though they had suddenly grown a few years younger. Incredible energy surged toward his body, lighting it up with countless runes, realizing an astonishing baptism.


    At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to go silent. the world stopped revolving on its axis, and everything was still. He felt as though he had returned to a primordial era far into the past, to the creation of the universe itself.


    As his mind resonated with the realm, Zhang Lie felt as though he was witnessing the creation of the dimensional world itself. He could faintly see a few ck figures who seemed to harbor mastery over creation.


    How life panned out, the essence of all things¡ªZhang Lie saw the Big Bang, the evolution of the universe, the birth of new worlds, the formation of supernovae...

 Chapter 1287: Time for Farewell

    <h4>Chapter 1287: Time for Farewell</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s vision wasn''t particrly rified, but even a blurred rendition was shocking enough. He felt as though he could see how heaven and earth had been cleft from each other, how the dimensional world had been constructed by the arcane and remarkable maniption of a few ck figures.


    His soul, witnessing the core of these mysteries, widened without end.


    Chaos ebbed and flowed. Particles of light transformed into being after being, and the mountain of spiritual fragments nurtured a vast poption of spirits after countless years.


    The being who had created the dimensional world, sensing the disturbance, nced at Zhang Lie from across time and space.


    Zhang Lie felt his mind being assailed in a fashion he had never experienced to date, as though his brain were about to burst. He immediately withdrew from his ascended state of mind and returned to the present.


    The moment in which heaven and earth had been constructed remained in his mind, shocking his body and soul. If he closed his eyes, he would naturally return to that vision of the creation of the universe, an indelible sight that had be ingrained in his memory.


    As he thought of that miraculous creation, dawn light shone all around him. His heart and soul seemed to unite with the world all around him, as though he were part of creation itself.


    Zhu and the Yeluo chieftain watched on with bated breath. Even the will of the realm had noticed something amiss; the dragon scale''s projection was hovering in the air.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie murmured softly, but the sound of his voice carried.


    Divine power emanated from him in a rainbow glow, and ripples surged endlessly forth. The world seemed to be on the verge of splitting open from within, transforming everything in sight into chaotic energy.


    Zhang Lie was about to revert the world back into chaos, then remake the world anew!


    However, Zhang Lie himself quickly realized that something was wrong. He stopped what he was doing at once, then undid his actions. The susurration of energy around him transformed into dawn light that lit him up from behind, making him seem like a deity in his own right. His corporeal body, silent and motionless, nevertheless began to glow.


    His spirit left his body andmuned with heaven and earth, yet it formed an unbreakable resonance with his physical body.


    Zhu watched open-mouthed, while the Yeluo chieftain only appreciated the special effects that were urring. As the ruler of the realm, Zhu could see just how frightening Zhang Lie was in that one moment.


    With his mind, he hadmanded the world to split, to regrow, to revert to chaos, to be nurtured; the world listened. He had done something that even she, the ruler of the realm, was unable to aplish.


    This was the realm of the divine!


    Nevertheless, considering that the man in front of her was Zhang Lie, Zhu''s doubts and shock were instantly quelled.


    Zhang Lie had always been like the sky to her, like a firmament. Even if Zhang Lie were able to reverse time and space, to revive the dead, Zhu wouldn''t find it all too unusual.


    Amidst the dawn light, countless stars fell, and new pinpricks of light appeared, as though lifeform after lifeform had been created.


    As the pinpricks of light fell onto the ground, they scampered all over. Zhu picked up one dot of scintiting light.


    The dot harbored tremendous vitality. It looked all around in panic as Zhu grabbed it, causing her immense shock. Each of these dots of light was an independent existence, with its own emotions and spirit.


    Zhang Lie had just created a whole new race, the key signifier of gods and deities.


    Zhang Lie shut both his eyes tightly, carefully andprehensively sensing the changes to his body. In every drop of blood, every bone, there seemed to live a holy spirit.


    His body had grown countless times stronger than before.


    Potion #5 would not ordinarily have such a miraculous effect. It was only thanks to Zhu''s inclusion of the unified world''s energy that had allowed such a boon.


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 150; Monarch, 100; Emperor, 5


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    After filling all his gene fragments, Zhang Lie felt an overwhelming strength suffuse his body.


    "[Energy has exceeded maximum threshold. Activating third-realm transferral routine.]


    A familiar voice rang out in his mind.


    "[Energy has exceeded maximum threshold. Activating third-realm...]


    [Energy has...]


    The will of the realm''s announcement rang out urgently. The next moment, multicolored light wrapped around Zhang Lie like a cocoon.


    The energy of the refinement process swept over his body, causing him to feel a sense of unbelievablefort. Even so, he quickly broke out of his stupor.


    "I don''t intend to ascend yet."


    With a punch, he broke out of the cocoon. The energy of a tsunami wafted from him.


    The will of the realm manifested as a multicolored dragon scale. Zhu hurriedly stepped forward. "Will, Zhang Lie doesn''t intend to ascend yet. Can he temporarily remain in the realm?"


    The dragon scale "peered" at Zhang Lie, then gave Zhang Lie an answer via Zhu.


    Zhu said, "Zhang Lie, the will of the world is willing to give you one more chance on ount of the fact that you took part in restoring it, and it''ll allow you to stay in the third realm for another month. However, after that, no matter what, you''ll have to leave."


    "Thank you," Zhang Lie replied, as the scale slowly dissolved into the ether.


    The will of the realm knew how strong Zhang Lie was; it couldn''t push Zhang Lie into the fourth realm even with force alone. It didn''t dare to provoke such an existence.


    Zhu smiled. "It looks as though you''ve grown much stronger, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie clenched a fist. "More or less. I''m not sure just how I am now, myself, but I''m certain I would be able to beat the old me in just a second. In addition, I''ve also gained entirely new insight on the third form of Ninesoul Dragonde, Separating Earth and Sky."


    Zhu asked, "What are your future ns, Zhang Lie?"


    "I''ll say goodbye to everyone first."


    Just as he was about to leave, Zhang Lie understood why the dragon scale had only permitted him to remain in the third realm for another month.


    "So that''s how it is."


    Zhang Lie was far too strong for the framework of the third realm to support, and simple actions on his part were sufficient to cause tremendous damage. If he were to stay, the long-term repercussions would be no better than the crisis caused by the dimensional rift that had opened up.

 Chapter 1288: Disciples Growth

    <h4>Chapter 1288: Disciples'' Growth</h4>


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to tread lightly, to treat the world like a fragile object that could easily be destroyed. Zhu helped teleport him to the members of Team Zenith.


    The members of Team Zenith had all gathered. Zhang Lie cocked his head curiously as he smiled at them. "You''re all present?"


    Sun Mengmeng mirrored his smile. "We were wondering what sort of mess you created this time, Captain."


    "What sort of mess could I create?"


    "The entire world heard and witnessed themotion you caused."


    Zhang Lie didn''t deny it any longer. "I''ve finished preparations for my ascension, so I''m here to say farewell to all of you."


    Sun Mengmeng cried out, "You''re about to ascend, Captain?"


    Yang Ze asked, "This quickly?"


    "I''ve stayed in the third realm for too long, and it can''t amodate my strength any longer." Zhang Lie waved an arm casually, causing space to shatter in the vicinity.


    The crowd of hunters could sense just how much strength was contained within a casual wave of his arm, and their faces turned pale.


    It would take them all their strength to defend against even such a casual wave¡ªand they might not even seed.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where are Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen?"


    "They''re outside," Sun Mengmeng replied.


    Zhang Lie headed outside to see Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen being trained by Fang Yi.


    Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky. With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind.


    Fang Yi attacked the two hunters with Chaos. Against his relentless attacks, Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were barely able to keep up their defense. Fang Yi thundered, "What''s the matter? Is this all you''ve got?"


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were repeatedly forced back.


    Fang Yi shouted, "Zhang Lie''s attacks will be far more forceful! If you can''t even handle my attacks, how will you handle his? Again!"


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    This was only meant to be training, but Fang Yi didn''t seem to be holding back.


    "[Heaven-Splitting de]!"


    Wind and storm wrapped around Jun Jiuxiao, condensing on his de. The silvery-white de glowed resplendently as it tore apart the heavens.


    "[Nightmarish Strike]!"


    Ye Xianchen gripped her daggers tightly. As though a demon were descending on the realm, ck gic energy poured from her and manifested in the form of a fierce demonic head. Just as she was about to sh at the bug with her daggers,


    The ck and white lights twined together in the air, corkscrewing and shing against Fang Yi''s [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]. To Fang Yi''s surprise, their defense held firm against his attack.


    Zhang Lie pped loudly. "Excellent. It seems as though you''ve both grown significantly over this period of time."


    Compared to their appearances a few months ago, Jun Jiuxiao had grown somewhat thinner, while a dark aura surrounded Ye Xianchen.


    Zhang Lie eyed them both. "You''ve maxed out your monarch gene fragments, haven''t you?"


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen nodded.


    "Thanks to your farm, Master, we maxed out our monarch gene fragmentsst month."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I had nned to give you both more time to grow, but I have to ascend soon. Come, let''s spar."


    Jun Jiuxiao smiled wryly. "We''d better not, Master. We know just how strong you are now, and you could beat us even more handily than before."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "As though that weren''t already the case! Sun Mengmeng and the others can''t beat me, either."


    The members of Team Zenith refused to meet Zhang Lie''s gaze.


    Zhang Lie turned to Zhu.


    With a wave of her hand, everyone was transported to a familiar location¡ªwhere Zhang Lie had once tested the members of Team Zenith, as well as where Zhang Lie had absorbed Potion #5.


    "Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, choose one of you to start off."


    Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen were resigned to their fate. Jun Jiuxiao stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Master, please advise me."


    Zhu warned Zhang Lie as she set up barriers, "Please make sure you don''t use your full strength."


    "Don''t worry."


    Zhu warned again, "Don''t even use a tenth of your strength, or the unified world you worked so hard to help construct will be ruined by your own hands!"


    The members of Team Zenith cheered Zhang Lie''s two disciples on. "Come on, you can do it! Make sure to give our captain a shock!"


    "[Heaven-Splitting de]!"


    Wind and storm wrapped around Jun Jiuxiao, condensing on his de. The silvery-white de tore apart the heavens.


    Zhang Lie reached out and pinched the tip of his de between his fingers. "Is this it?"


    Jun Jiuxiao kicked at Zhang Lie''s abdomen, but before the kick could connect, Zhang Lie had lifted Jun Jiuxiao higher into the air through the de that he still held pinched between his fingers.


    Jun Jiuxiao immediately gave up on the sword and retreated as he pulled out a new sword from his extradimensional storage.


    "Here, back at you!"


    Zhang Lie sent Jun Jiuxiao''s sword flying back at him and pierced through his wrist.


    Without any hesitation, Jun Jiuxiao retrieved yet another sword from his extradimensional storage. Zhang Lie snapped his fingers, causing space to shatter. The force of the snap caused a tornado to spawn in the air.


    "[Wind''s Spirit]!"


    Wind and storm wrapped around Jun Jiuxiao, forming a barrier against the waves of energy that Zhang Lie''s snap had caused.


    It blocked the bulk of the energy as Jun Jiuxiao prepared andunched another sword technique.


    However, Zhang Lie''s body seemed to be guarded by a formless barrier. Jun Jiuxiao''s sword found itself deflected by a mysterious energy, a barrier he was unable to cut through.


    Suddenly, he stepped back, then infused a technique into his de until it was crackling with wind and lightning, charging it up with incredible prating ability.


    As he thrust forward, it sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky, leaving a dozen afterimages in its wake surrounding Zhang Lie''s body.


    "Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Lie smiled and nodded, but he hadn''t even moved.


    The sh of metal filled the arena. Jun Jiuxiao swung his sword again and again, but it stubbornly refused to make contact.


    The disparity in strength between them caused Jun Jiuxiao to despair, but he had no intention of giving up.


    "[Dragontiger de]!" Jun Jiuxiao''s sword took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, resonating with his gic energy.


    Zhang Lie grinned. "Isn''t this Fang Yi''s [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]?"


    Fang Yi, spectating from a distance, shouted, "Well, Captain? I taught him this attack. It''s passable, isn''t it?"


    Because of the simrity in their frameworks, Jun Jiuxiao had specifically sought out Fang Yi for additional training and to learn his techniques.


    "Interesting." Zhang Lie struck casually, but his attack had somehow outstripped Jun Jiuxiao''s.

 Chapter 1289: Jiuxiaos Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1289: Jiuxiao''s Strength</h4>


    Despite the rtivenguidity of his actions, Zhang Lie''s technique struck Jun Jiuxiao first. He flicked aside the barrier of wind and storm with his fingers, sending the sword careening out of Jun Jiuxiao''s reach.


    Jun Jiuxiao nched, but recovered and reacted quickly.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!" He kicked forward, his legs imbued with wind and storm. Even so, he remained unable to pose a threat to Zhang Lie.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" It looked as though Jun Jiuxiao had morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind.


    Zhang Lie prodded at a certain spot with his finger, causing Jun Jiuxiao to shoot away from the point of impact like a cannonball.


    He fell to the ground rolling, his sword making a few turns into the air before sticking into the ground de-first.


    Zhang Lie sped both hands behind his back. "Did you intuit something?"


    Jun Jiuxiao struggled to stand. "I think I can understand everyone''s despair now."


    Upon sensing the battle intent in Jun Jiuxiao''s eyes, Zhang Lie motioned him forth. "If you don''t intend to give up, let''s continue."


    He retrieved another sword from his dimensional storage. Wind howled and lightning shed. Purple lightning flickered through the air.


    "If I were alone, I would long since have surrendered, but I''m not fighting by myself right now. Fang Yi expects great things of me, and I''m fighting with everyone''s hopes on the line! [Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Wind and lightning twined around Jun Jiuxiao''s sword as he thrust forward. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    Jun Jiuxiao''s sword attack was very much like Fang Yi''s spear attack.


    Zhang Lie extended one lone finger, which nevertheless boasted enough strength to break through the barrier of wind and storm. Like an immovable mountain, the finger stood firm against the sword. Jun Jiuxiao sucked in a deep breath and pushed, but was unable to cause the finger to move by even a fraction.


    Jun Jiuxiao howled, "I might not be an opponent for you, but if I lose so easily, how will I face Fang Yi? He''s taught me far too much, and I can''t let all his effort go to waste!"


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around his body. Wind and storm surged throughout the loop, providing explosive strength that pushed back Zhang Lie''s finger.


    Zhang Lie nodded as though affirming his hard work. "You''ve improved tremendously, and this proves your dedication and effort. However, it''s not enough."


    Zhang Lie''s finger rippled with energy. Like a river, like a dragon, Jun Jiuxiao was pushed away with such force that he was sent flying. He tumbled across the ground before barely stabilizing himself.


    Wretched, he stood up arduously once more.


    Zhang Lie raised a hand to stop him. "That''s enough. I know roughly how much you can withstand now, and there''s no need to keep going."


    Jun Jiuxiao wobbled on his feet. Even just standing was difficult.


    "No, I can''t! Fang Yi has spent too much time with me over the course of our training for me to give up now. I don''t want to let him down!"


    "Enough!" This time, it wasn''t Zhang Lie who shouted, but rather Fang Yi. "That''s enough. I''ve seen everything. You didn''t disappoint me¡ªthe fact that you can still fight at this level against Zhang Lie is more than sufficient."


    Zhang Lie praised, "You really have done very well. The members of Team Zenith have far more practical experience, so you won''tpare to them, but you''re doing almost as well as Zhang Hanxiang."


    They had only been training vigorously for a month, and Jun Jiuxiao had yet to master Fang Yi''s strongest ability¡ªmastery over time.


    If Jun Jiuxiao had control over time, he might have been able to continue the fight, or even to force Zhang Lie to use a tenth of his true strength.


    However, a month was insufficient for Jun Jiuxiao to ess that power.


    After all, temporal maniption was a rare and arcane technique which not everyone could learn. Within Team Zenith, only Fang Yi and Zhang Lie could do it, and all the members of Team Zenith were at the peak of the third realm. It was evident that temporal maniption was a rare and difficult ability to obtain.


    Jun Jiuxiao, who likewisemanded the forces of wind and storm, might not be a match for Fang Yi in terms of temporal maniption.


    Zhang Hanxiang was very dissatisfied upon hearing her brother''s words. "Brother, what do you mean? I''m not weaker than Jun Jiuxiao!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "How long has it been since you ascended to the third realm, and how long has it been for Jun Jiuxiao? If he ascended at the same time you did, do you think you could beat him?"


    Zhang Hanxiang faltered and went silent.


    Zhang Lie continued, "You should be spending more time on your cultivation. Otherwise, Jun Jiuxiao and the other members of the Zenith Dojo might catch up to you."


    A Zenith Dojo tier list of individual strength might have Zhang Lie as a T0 individual, no one in T1, and the others of Team Zenith in T2. [1]


    The reason that there was no one in T1 was because no one could bridge the gulf in strength between Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith; the difference spanned two whole tiers. Hong Xi was in T2.5, and Zhang Hanxiang in T3. There was now a T4 for Jun Jiuxiao as well.


    Zhang Hanxiang pursed her lips. "I''ve already been working hard!"


    Zhang Lie turned to Jun Jiuxiao. "It''s good to emte others, but Fang Yi''s skills aren''t easy to learn. There are so many members of Team Zenith who use a sword, so why learn spear techniques?"


    Jun Jiuxiao replied, "Only I and Fang Yi have a wind- and storm-oriented framework."


    "Elemental attunement isn''t everything. Water-attuned gic energy can possess qualities of gold, of earth, and even of fire and thunder."


    Zhang Lie demonstrated, extending water-attuned gic energy beyond his fingertips, turning it silvery-white with sharpness and strength, then a dull mud-yellow, then transforming it into mes dancing between his fingertips, which exploded into crackling lightning.


    "Fang Yi''s techniques aren''t particrly interesting besides [Heaven''s Judgment]. His true strength is inbining all sorts of different energies together to unleash a massive blow. However, you don''t have ess to temporal maniption, nor to his ability tobine disparate energy sources, and you''ve only learned the superficial instead. Even if you can grow stronger this way, your path will be limited."


    Fang Yi seemed quite dissatisfied. "Captain, my other techniques aren''t bad!"


    Zhang Lie countered, "Perhaps notpared to the ordinary hunter, but what about the members of Team Zenith?"


    Fang Yi was speechless. Could hepare to the other members of Team Zenith?


    Team Zenith was filled with ridiculously strong hunters. Yang Ze had dimensional maniption and karmic evasion, Sun Xiaowu had his mechas and Echo of Origin, and Li Feng''s abilities channeled divinity itself.


    Each member of Team Zenith was at the peak of the third realm; no one could beat them at their respective expertise.


    "There are quite a few members of Team Zenith who use swords¡ªYang Ze or Li Feng, for example. Wouldn''t it be better to learn sword techniques from them than spear techniques from Fang Yi that you then have to adapt for the sword?"


    1. T as in tier. ?

 Chapter 1290: Manifold Ghosts

    <h4>Chapter 1290: Manifold Ghosts</h4>


    Zhang Lie held up two fingers. "As for the second problem, your sword frequently slips out of your grip. This is a direct result of your trying to adapt a spear technique for the sword¡ªyour grip will suffer. Have you considered the fact that your weapon is your lifeline in an actual battle? You would have died twice over by now."


    Jun Jiuxiao weakly hung his head after hearing Zhang Lie''s criticisms.


    He replied seriously, "Master, I''ll keep your advice in mind. I won''t make the same mistake a second time."


    "I believe you can do it." Zhang Lie patted Jun Jiuxiao on the shoulder. "Go back and keep training after thinking about what I said. Ye Xianchen, it''s your turn."


    Ye Xianchen marched forward as the members of Team Zenith cheered behind her. "You can do it!"


    Ye Xianchen pumped her fist in the air in response. Jun Jiuxiao patted Ye Xianchen on the shoulder as he left. "I wasn''t able to surprise our master¡ªI''ll have to count on you."


    Ye Xianchen''s hands morphed into ws, and pitch-ck gic energy surrounded them like smoke.


    "I''ming, Master!"


    "Come."


    Pitch-ck gic energy burst forth from Ye Xianchen like smoke.


    "[Darkbane ws]!"


    ck smoke surrounded Ye Xianchen, covering up the arena. ck ws spawned from the smoke, but Zhang Lie dispersed the smoke with a casual wave of his arm. By the time he had done so, Ye Xianchen had vanished from sight.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. He punched to his back casually, shattering space and sending Ye Xianchen flying.


    Ye Xianchen murmured, "To think my [Nightwalker] was seen through so easily..."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You''re still quite a bit weaker than Yang Ze, who taught you about spatial maniption.


    Yang Ze, watching from the distance, called out, "Ye Xianchen, don''t be discouraged! You''re quite skilled¡ªit''s just that Zhang Lie''s ridiculously strong!"


    "[Nightmarish Strike]!"


    Ye Xianchen gripped her daggers tightly. As though a demon were descending on the realm, ck gic energy poured from her and manifested in the form of a fierce demonic head.


    Zhang Lie stretched out two fingers and easily pinched the demonic de between them. Pitch-ck gic energy gathered by Ye Xianchen''s feet, morphing into ck wind and lightning, as sheunched a flurry of kicks.


    However, none of the attacks managed tond. Zhang Lie smiled in delight. "Excellent! I just taught Sun Xiaowu and the others this concept, and they''ve yet to learn it, but you''re already getting quite skilled with transforming the nature of your gic energy. This is [Stormwind Kick], isn''t it? You just don''t quite have a perfect grasp of the technique yet."


    "[Night Parade: Hundredfold Echo]!"


    Arge number of ghosts suddenly emerged from Ye Xianchen''s body, all formed of pitch-ck gic energy. Zhang Lie waved his fingers, dispersing all the ghosts and sending Ye Xianchen flying back.


    Ye Xianchen barely managed to stabilize her body as the ghosts allnded atop her. Her eyes turned ink-ck as ghastly winds surrounded her, almost as though she were being possessed.


    Pitch-ck ghosts crawled over her skin. She howled like a banshee, and a demonic shadow appeared behind her.


    Right then and there, Ye Xianchen seemed to have transformed into a creature straight out of a nightmare.


    She shed forward, a dark cut filled with ghostly cries.


    Zhang Lie rubbed at his lower jaw. "Interesting. This is Sun Xiaowu''s Adamantine Aegis, isn''t it? Rather than attempting to transform your gic energy into elemental gold, you''ve worked hard on capturing the essence of the technique instead."


    The sword energy roiled like ck waves as the ghosts pounced toward Zhang Lie.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the arena.


    The explosion shattered space and sent waves of force rippling all around it. Like a rampaging beast, it devoured everything nearby, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Ye Xianchen was sent flying into the distance, the ghastly figures surrounding her disintegrating away.


    The members of Team Zenith each erected their own defenses. They nced at each other in shock, knowing that Zhang Lie hadn''t used any technique whatsoever¡ªit was simply an explosion of gic energy from his body.


    Such an unrefined maneuver already possessed more strength than their full-power blows, as though Zhang Lie walking quickly could traverse a greater distance than if they were to drive.


    Zhu sulked. "Zhang Lie, didn''t you say you would rein it in?"


    Zhang Lie scratched his head as heughed with embarrassment. "Sorry, I couldn''t control my strength."


    Ye Xianchen was shocked by the sudden explosion of gic energy, so much so that she had almost frozen up in fear.


    Zhang Lie said, "Ye Xianchen, you''ve surprised me tremendously, even more so than Jun Jiuxiao. In that final attack, I saw traces of Sun Xiaowu''s [Adamantine Aegis], along with my [The Boundless de: the River Lethe]. I haven''t had time to advise youtely, so the fact that you''ve managed to emte my technique to such an extent must be due to Li Feng."


    Only Li Feng had performed a deep analysis and study into his techniques and tactics.


    Li Feng seemed rather embarrassed. "Captain, your techniques are all very strong. I saw that Ye Xianchen and you shared a lot of points inmon, so I advised her to use you as a reference. You don''t mind, do you?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Why would I? As long as you can all grow stronger, I wouldn''t mind if you replicated all my techniques."


    Ye Xianchen manifested her ck sword in her hands once again. Zhang Lie asked, "Are you aware of your problems?"


    Ye Xianchen shook her head. "Let''s continue, please. I''ve learned a lot from everyone, and I''d like to get some pointers from you as well, Master."


    "Very well."


    Ye Xianchen converted pitch-ck gic energy into the energy of wind and storm.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    As she infused it into her sword, thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    Zhang Lie kicked Ye Xianchen into the air.


    "Being able to transform gic energy at will, and to dual elements simultaneously, means that you''re at the level of a genius, but your application of these techniques is stillcking."


    Ye Xianchen dematerialized the sword, then transformed the resulting pitch-ck gic energy into countless dragons of ck smoke that shot toward Zhang Lie, each the image of a ghostly dragon.


    "Well done! You''ve mastered Li Feng''s [Light Dragon''s Remnants] to a considerable extent. What do you call this technique?" Zhang Lie praised. With a wave of his left arm, he shattered the dragons.


    Ye Xianchen replied, "[Darkbane Dragon''s Remnants]."


    As she spoke, she snapped her fingers. Arrows of ck smoke lit up in midair and shot toward Zhang Lie, transforming into ckme arrows that exploded in front of him.

 Chapter 1291: Xianchens Lone Blow

    <h4>Chapter 1291: Xianchen''s Lone Blow</h4>


    "[Night Parade: Hundredfold Echo]!"


    A huge number of ghostly figures emerged from Ye Xianchen''s body, then simultaneously enveloped her. Her eyes turned ink-ck as ghastly winds surrounded her, almost as though she were being possessed. Her short ck hair suddenly lengthened.


    Pitch-ck ghosts crawled over her skin. Ghostly hands dangled as though cursed.


    She howled like a banshee, and a demonic shadow appeared behind her.


    Right then and there, Ye Xianchen seemed to have transformed into a creature straight out of a nightmare.


    "[Madness ws]!"


    Ye Xianchen mmed her palms down on the earth as hundreds of ws emerged from underground and swiped toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie stomped on the ground, causing pale blue energy to ripple like the tides, clearing away the ws and leaving behind only a pair of pitch-ck eyes staring at him, like those of a malevolent ghost''s.


    When Ye Xianchen spoke under this transformation, she sounded like a banshee, with eerie undertones that caused all the spectators to shiver.


    "Before receiving everyone''s training, faced with such a powerful master that I despaired of ever trying to beat him, I would already have surrendered¡ªbut now, I''m not fighting alone. Everyone is standing behind me, and I''ll defeat you thanks to their hard work and expectations!"


    "If you''re the hero of justice, then I must have be the great evil you have to defeat," Zhang Lie couldn''t help but joke.


    "This is my strongest attack!"


    Ye Xianchen''s body floated into mid-air. She gripped her daggers tightly. As though a demon were descending on the realm, ck gic energy poured from her and manifested in the form of a fierce demonic head.


    "[Nightmarish Strike], [Heaven''s Judgment], [Darkbane Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Ye xianchen''s sword, spinning and manifesting in the form of a dragon of shadows and tiger of darkness.


    As [Darkbane Dragon''s Remnants] exploded, the dragon of shadows coiled around Ye Xianchen and infused itself into her de, causing the pitch-ck storm winds to double in size.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "A very familiar technique."


    The space around Ye Xianchen shattered like ss. Pitch-ck gic energy ignited and transformed the winds into a cyclone of ck me.


    Countless ghostly hands emerged from underground. Ye Xianchen hadpressed the strength of her techniques again and again until she was at her limit. Only then could she unleash such a blow.


    Her sword possessed incredible might, as though hundreds of ghosts apanied her strike. The de shot forward amidst wailing cries. The attack wasposed of dark-attuned gic energy, but had been transformed fourfold to epass four different elemental effects: darkness, wind, thunder, and fire.


    The fact that she had been able to develop such a technique was an incredible shock to Zhang Lie, who could only sustain a dual-element transformation at the moment. Ye Xianchen''s ability to manipte elemental attunements surpassed even his own.


    Although she wasn''t as practiced as Zhang Lie, she possessed an incredible talent.


    Burning ghosts pounced toward Zhang Lie.


    "It looks like I''ll have to be a little serious against this technique. I''ll use a third of my strength, then."


    Ye Xianchen had clearly spent a considerable amount of time on this technique, and it was only reasonable to treat it withmensurate strength.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the arena, extinguishing the burning ghosts, and sending a surge of water toward Ye Xianchen until she screamed in shock.


    However, the flood of water didn''tnd on Ye Xianchen. It flew harmlessly overhead, smashing into the cracked barriers that Zhu had erected.


    Huge, reverberating sound waves shook the air as the flood of water broke barrier after barrier before exploding in mid-air in a burst of terrifying energy, shaking the entire unified world.


    Howling winds scoured the world as Ye Xianchen slumped to the ground in shock, her legs turned to jelly. She looked at her master dumbly for quite some time, unable to speak.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What did you think?"


    Ye Xianchen btedly came to her senses. "My knees are still trembling..."


    If that blow had struck her, she wouldn''t just have turned into a heap of flesh¡ªher bones might well have crumbled into powder.


    Only now did Ye Xianchen realize just what sort of monster the members of Team Zenith had to face.


    Zhang Lie asked, "What did you intuit from this fight?"


    Ye Xianchen, still not fully recovered from the shock of the attack, numbly shook her head.


    Zhang Liemented, "You really have surprised me. To be honest, I''m a little shocked by how much you managed to learn from everyone from Team Zenith. You''ve really worked hard on your elemental transmutation that I talked to Sun Xiaowu about, and you''ve done more with it and gone even farther than I could have expected. You''re far more talented than I had imagined."


    Ye Xianchen couldn''t help smiling at Zhang Lie''s praise.


    "However, there are some obvious problems you''ll have to figure out. There''s toorge a gap between you and the other members of Team Zenith. At the start of the fight, your techniques were still reasonable, but your [Nightmarish Strike], [Heaven''s Judgment], and [Darkbane Dragon''s Remnants] aren''t very strong techniques. Fang Yi''s strongest attacks incorporate thebination of at least five or six different types of energies, but at the moment, you''re only incorporating four different elements and three techniques."


    She was only using half as manybinations in her attacks as Fang Yi did.


    Ye Xianchen asked, "Master, does that mean that I need to work on my techniques?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The structure and skeleton of your techniques is good, but you haven''t mastered them to your full abilities at the moment. I look forward to seeing how you''ve grown in the fourth realm, when you''re able to expand your repertoire."


    Ye Xianchen promised, "I''ll keep working hard, Master!"


    Zhang Lie turned to Jun Jiuxiao. "I expect the same of you, Jun Jiuxiao. When we meet in the fourth realm again, I''d like to see both of you grow even stronger."


    Jun Jiuxiao nodded seriously. "I won''t disappoint you, Master."

 Chapter 1292: A Time for Farewells

    <h4>Chapter 1292: A Time for Farewells</h4>


    Zhang Lie told the members of Team Zenith, "It''s time for me to leave."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Must you leave, Captain?"


    Yang Ze ced both hands behind his head. "Don''t make it sound like you won''t see each other again! We can ascend to the fourth realm right now as well."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You''d better not. Although you do possess sufficient monarch gene fragments to ensure your survival in the fourth realm, your own strength is a bitcking, and you should grow stronger now if you want to be able to develop rapidly there. You''ve never stopped fighting since ascending to the third realm, so take advantage of the birth of this new world to rest a little and digest thebat experience you''ve umted to date.


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Furthermore, it''ll be necessary to maintainw and order in this new world. I''d rmend staying here and waiting for a few months, perhaps even half a year, before ascending."


    Sun Mengmeng began, "All of us will see you again eventually, so there''s nothing we''re too concerned about, but some of us will never be able to ascend to a higher realm."


    Zhu nodded. "You must be speaking of Li Qianlin, Mengmeng."


    Zhang Lie''s body shook, and he sighed. "I''m not fated to be with her. It does leave me with regrets, but..."


    But he had already made up for tearing his heart out in his past life, and what remaining regrets he had meant little inparison.


    "I won''t be leaving immediately, after all. I''ll be talking with Hong Tianqi first, then returning to bid farewell to all those who have impacted me in the third realm.


    Zhu helped teleport Zhang Lie back to the humans'' settlement in the draconian kingdom, where the teleporter out of the dimensional world was located.


    Zhang Lie warned, "Zhu, I''ll be leaving the third realm for some time."


    "Got it." Zhu waved a hand as Zhang Lie stepped into the teleporter and returned to the Milky Way.


    It had been a long time since hisst return.


    He immediately called Hong Tianqi with his transceiver. As usual, his secretary picked up. Zhang Lie had a bath and waited for a bit before Hong Tianqi returned the call.


    "Long time no see."


    "Haha, it might have been a long while for you, but it was just three days over here. However, from the perspective of the Milky way, I suppose ridiculous changes have urred in the third realm¡ªthe formation of a new unified world, a kingdom for hunters from the Milky Way, and the construction of a high council for the third realm. I''ve been having nonstop meetings for three days just because of what''s been happening."


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "You really are impressive, to shock me over and over again, as though you have no limits whatsoever. I never caught the attention of the ruling upper ss of the third realm. I thought it was impressive enough that you managed to obtain so much information about the superior worlds of antiquity¡ªbut you even destroyed them outright, too!


    "I thought that that was astounding enough, but you even rebuilt the third realm and unified the countless worlds within, then constructed a high council to rule over it..."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "That''s quite enough praise. I''ve heard too much of the like, and I''d prefer not to hear more."


    Hong Tianqi continued, "I''ve received a report about the high council of the third realm, and there''s not much I need to ask you about there. Well done. You''ve created an opportunity and established important status and precedent for the Milky Way hunters."


    The current head of the high council was Yun Bing of Earth, from the Milky Way.


    Hong Tianqi looked at Zhang Lie earnestly. "To be frank, you''ve done far more to help humanity in the dimensional world than I, the highest authority, have. I really must thank you."


    Zhang Lie was as blunt as ever. "I don''t need any thanks. Is there anything else? Otherwise, I''ll cut the call."


    Hong Tianqi shouted, "Hold on! Is it that hard for you to entertain a conversation with me?"


    "If there''s nothing else, let''s stop here."


    Hong Tianqi finally cut to the chase. His tone was serious as he asked, "I heard you''re ascending to the fourth realm?"


    "I''ve stayed in the third realm for too long, and the third realm can''t withstand my current level of strength."


    Hong Tianqi asked, "Do you know what the fourth realm is like?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "More or less."


    "To the hunters of the Milky Way, the fourth realm is even more of a mess than the third realm. The third realm might have been divided into three thousand worlds, but there are plenty of different races inhabiting those worlds, and we snuck through the cracks, before you and your Team Zenith arrived in the third realm. Considering how decentralized power in the third realm was, we even managed to acquire some status of our own¡ªbut in the fourth realm, all that''s left to us are the cracks."


    There was a huge disparity in strength between the inhabitants of the third realm and of the fourth.


    Hong Tianqi took a deep breath. "There are far too many strong aliens in the fourth realm, and even the gic lifeforms aren''t to be trifled with. The disaster-grade lifeforms that were so rare in the second and third realms are plentiful andmonce in the fourth, and there are even existences beyond disaster-grade. To date, none within the Milky Way have killed those existences."


    Monarch-grade lifeforms!


    It was clear that monarch-grade lifeforms didn''t have to be specially cultivated in the fourth realm, just like disaster-grade lifeforms in the third realm. They might still be rare, but not so rare as to be non-existent.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "The most frightening aspect of the fourth realm are the hordes of gic lifeforms and various alien organizations that have taken root. Even all the hunters of the Milky Way working together wouldn''t be able to defeat one such horde or organization; the hunters of the Milky Way are pitifully weak by fourth-realm standards.


    Despite the fact that the dimensional world had existed for decades, there were only a rare few hunters who could ascend to the fourth realm¡ªfewer than ten from on a single on average.


    Furthermore, if a hunter were to ascend without having maxed gene fragments, that hunter would be far weaker in the new realm; even those hunters with maxed gene fragments would have a period of weakness.


    Hong Tianqi thanked Zhang Lie again. "Without your limit-breaking potions, the hunters of the fourth realm wouldn''t have any breathing room whatsoever."


    This was no exaggeration. The Milky Way hunters were doing particrly poorly in the fourth realm, and their strongholds were quickly torn down after being established.


    Hong Tianqi continued, "As someone who has once ascended to the fourth realm, let me give you some advice, or perhaps experience: be cautious and circumspect."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t helpughing. "Are you sure that''s your experience talking, and not just a warning?"


    Hong Tianqi replied seriously, "Don''tugh¡ªtreat this seriously, please. I wouldn''t joke about something like this; it''s experience umted from countless experienced hunters'' wisdom. After you advance, don''t try to max out your gene fragments immediately. Remain cautious at all costs¡ªsurvival is the most important."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but wonder, "It looks like you were whacked pretty hard in the fourth realm, almost to the point of psychological trauma."


    Hong Tianqi retorted, "You might be able tough about it now, but once you ascend to the fourth realm, you''ll understand how easy you had it during the first three realms! The fourth realm is on hell difficulty¡ªthat''s when the true nightmare begins."


    How many geniuses had fallen after ascending to the fourth realm? They had continued unting themselves the way they did in the first three realms, thinking that they were the apex of strength¡ªonly to be crushed into nothing more than meat paste.


    Hong Tianqi urged, "You''re my most favored junior, and I''d like to see you remain alive in the future."


    This was why Zhang Lie had never intended on bringing Li Qianlin into the fourth realm.


    The fourth realm was far too cruel, and survival wouldn''t be easy. Even with Zhang Lie''s current strength, he wasn''t confident he would be able to sweep through the fourth realm with abandon.


    Hong Tianqi sighed. Such was the curse of the blessed; they had built up their own mythos and were unwilling to listen to reason.


    "Now that you''re about to ascend to the fourth realm, I can share relevant information about it with you."


    Information about the fourth realm had been semi-ssified among the Milky Way, a decision made by the united world federation in order to avoid a new generation of hunters fearing what they would have to encounter and choosing to remain in a lower realm instead. When hunters from the third realm were about to ascend, there would be senior hunters to contact and share information with them.


    Zhang Lie had learned about this in his past life.


    Hong Tianqi began reading off the information packet. "The fourth realm contains many teleportation apparatuses, all of which have been left behind when we Milky Way hunters fled. Some are located where old Milky Way strongholds used to be, but they were destroyed by one alien organization or another. The two strongest such organizations are the Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode. If you see members of either organization, run away immediately."


    "I understand!"


    Generally, most hunters who heard this information were very shocked and immediately asked why. Hong Tianqi had done so himself back then, but Zhang Lie seemedpletely unperturbed.


    Hong Tianqi mistook Zhang Lie''s insouciance as arrogance.


    He warned, "I''m not trying to scare you. Most fourth-realm races are strongly xenophobic, and they believe that us intruders, us foreigners, are all invaders hoping to take over their world and constrict their living space. Of course, even more fourth-realm aliens and organizations view us as fresh food, especially the two top organizations of the fourth realm."


    They were strong enough to treat anything in the fourth realm as food, and they thought of Milky Way hunters as particr delicacies.


    "I''ll transmit information about these two organizations to you shortly. Make sure tomit it to memory. However, at least for the short term, I don''t think you''ll have to worry. Apparently, an extremely strong organization has just sprung up in the fourth realm, and it grew so rapidly that it''s now able topete with the two strongest organizations for strength."


    Zhang Lie hadn''t heard this piece of news in his past life.


    Back then, the death spirits'' war hadn''t yet started, and Zhang Lie was still struggling to make it through the third realm.


    Hong Tianqi smiled. "The two strongest organizations of the fourth realm are currently fretting and trying to think up of ways to deal with this unwee intruder, so it''s the best time for you to ascend. As long as you''re not too unlucky and end up in a safe location, you won''t have to worry about your life."


    Zhang Lie replied, "If there''s nothing else, let''s end the call here. I still have to say goodbye to friends and family in the third realm."


    Hong Tianqi reiterated, "Remember not to make amotion in the fourth realm."


    "I know, I know." Zhang Lie hung up. By then, Hong Tianqi had already sent the relevant information packets to him. He nced through them in a cursory fashion; the information was essentially what he knew from his past life. He had a meal, then returned to the third realm.


    The moment he did so, Zhu rushed over to him.


    Zhu shouted, "Bad news, bad news, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s the bad news?"


    Zhu tugged on Zhang Lie''s hand. "There''s no time to exin. Come with me!"


    Zhu was about to teleport them both away when Zhang Lie shattered space and stopped her. "Just what has happened? Tell me everything first."


    Zhu cried out, "It''s not the time for this, Zhang Lie! If we dy any longer, someone might die¡ªthe third realm might be destroyed!"


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "If you don''t exin clearly what''s going on, how can I resolve the issue?"


    Zhu was panicking. "You''ll know when you see it, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''m very curious just what it is that could have happened in two days that you, the ruler of the realm, can''t resolve. Even if you can''t do so, can''t the members of Team Zenith help you?"


    Zhu asked, "Zhang Lie, are you sure you want to know?"


    "Tell me. Just what sort of problem can''t you resolve?"


    "Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng have started to fight."


    Zhang Lie: ...


    "...do you at least have a more believable lie?"


    Zhang Lie responded, after a stunned silence.


    He wasn''t looking down on Li Qianlin; rather, Sun Mengmeng was at the peak of the third realm, and even Li Qianlin and her father together might not be able to take Sun Mengmeng down.


    Perhaps only the three former superior kings, in addition to Zhu, would be a match for Sun Mengmeng.


    If Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng really were to start fighting, the members of Team Zenith would stop them.


    Zhu was clearly lying.


    "I''m telling the truth! If you don''t believe me, go have a look!"


    "Very well. I''ll pretend to be tricked by you, but if this ends up being something silly..."


    Even though he knew that Zhu was very clearly lying, there was the slightest possibility he could be wrong, and he couldn''t negate that possibility.


    Zhu teleported them to the venue immediately.


    Fireworks and streamers rang out as Zhu and Zhang Lie appeared.


    When Zhang Lie saw whaty before him, he was stunned.


    [Savior of the Realm''s Farewell Ceremony¡ªZhang Lie, we''ll forever remember you!] read a banner hanging in the sky. A humongous circr table below was heaped with a feast, and those who had been with Zhang Lie throughout the third realm were each shooting streamers into the air.


    The members of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, as well as Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Ye Xianchen, Jun Jiuxiao, Li Zongming, the draconian sage, the Lie king, his brother, Dong Mingxing, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the Yeluo chieftain¡ªfamiliar faces were smiling at Zhang Lie, weing his arrival.


    Zhang Lie stood still in a daze, then slowly turned to Zhu.


    "This is your so-called ''fight''?"


    Zhu smiled happily. "It''s a farewell party for you. Aren''t you happy?"


    "You brat, you''ve started lying to me! Those members of Team Zenith have corrupted you, haven''t they?"


    Zhang Lie reached out and mussed up Zhu''s sea-blue hair.


    She shrieked as she tried to run away and hid behind Sun Mengmeng''s back.


    "Zhang Lie, aren''t you happy?"


    Sun Mengmeng smiled. "We didn''t organize anything when you ascended to the third realm, so we wanted to do something for you now before you ascended to the fourth realm."


    "For gic hunters, ascension is a natural rite," Zhang Lie replied, sighing. He sounded exasperated, but his lips curled up in a smile.


    Zhu protested, "But we''re not all gic hunters here! There are lots of us who won''t be able to see you again, likely for good!"


    Yun Bing exined, "This isn''t just a farewell party for you, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie pointed at the banner in mid-air. "So that''s fake? I hope you won''t be tearing my name off afterwards..."


    Yun Bingughed. "No, no, Zhang Lie, you misunderstand. It''s also a celebratory banquet in honor of you."


    Sun Xiaowuughed. "We''ve all learned so much from you, Zhang Lie, Captain! We know you prefer to keep a low profile, so we''ve only invited those who are near and dear to you."


    Zhu stepped forward. "Without you, Zhang Lie, I could never have be who I am today."


    The members of Team Zenith likewise bowed in gratitude. "It''s all thanks to you that we can be who we are, that we could have advanced so quickly in the third realm, to grow to be the peak existences that we are today."


    Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, as well as Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Ye Xianchen, and Jun Jiuxiao, all said heartfelt words toward Zhang Lie.


    Li Zongming said, "Without your havinge to the world of the west, the Zongming world could never have been founded, and I would never have been able to fulfill the wishes left by my ancestors. Neither would I have managed to acquire the status I have now. I have you to thank for all this."


    The draconian sage said, "Everyone else has already said what I want to say..."


    "I''m the person who''s most grateful to Master here! Without Master, I would already have died multiple times over. Please, Master, ept my kowtow." The Lie king knelt on the ground and knocked his forehead against the ground three resounding times.


    Zhang Lie sighed as he helped the Lie king up.


    "Wipe away your tears, now. You''re already the king of the Lie kingdom, one of the four great kingdoms of the new world, and a council leader in the high council¡ªno longer that weak ninth prince you once were. Don''t cry anymore, alright? Otherwise, others will look down on you."


    The Lie king wiped away his tears. "Please don''t mind my disrespect, Master. I won''t be able to remain by your side in the future."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "As though you were frequently by my side beforehand!"


    "I apologize, Master."


    The Lie king seemed to return to his original self as the ninth prince.


    "Alright, alright. I don''t mean to criticize you. I was around for you when it was necessary, but now that you''re alone, you''ll have to learn how to stay strong. I''ve been examining your growth from afar, and you''ve grown to a tremendous extent. Your transformation from the ninth prince to the Lie king is the fastest among my disciples."


    "It''s all thanks to you, Master."


    "All I did was help you a little; I barely taught you anything," Zhang Lie replied. "Do you know why I was willing to help you in the beginning?"


    "For the primordial starflower, wasn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "With my strength, do you think I wouldn''t have been able to get the primordial starflower myself?"


    The Lie king shook his head. "Of course not, Master! You''d be able to get anything you wanted."


    Zhu nodded fervently, her eyes full of reverence. "Of course! There are plenty of primordial starflowers in the unified world, and I harvested a mountainful when you guys were researching Potion #5."


    Zhang Lie smiled and corrected the two of them.


    "Actually, at that time, I did do it for the primordial starflower."


    Zhu frowned. "Ah, you''re embarrassing me, Zhang Lie!"


    Zhang Lie patted the Lie king''s shoulder.


    "I did help you at the beginning for the primordial starflower, but the fact that I chose to took you in as a disciple was because your actions moved me. As weak as you were, you had dreams far beyond your reach. Any other person might think your actions foolish, but your will was resolute. You reminded me of myself, so I chose to help you."


    The Lie king couldn''t help but feel touched once again.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Make sure to govern your kingdom well. You''re a king now."


    Yun Bing bowed. "As a representative of the hunters of the Milky way, I''d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, Zhang Lie. Without you, the Milky Way hunters would never have the status they do now, and neither would we have the Zenith Alliance of the third realm. This will have deep and significant ramifications for future generations of Milky Way hunters."


    "And you must govern your kingdom well too, Yun Bing."


    The draconian sage pped his hands. "Now that everyone''s done, let''s start the feast! I''ve worked hard on the food, so don''t let it go cold."


    Everyone noticed that Zhang Lie was looking all around, as though searching for someone. Dong Mingxing leaned over.


    "What, are you searching for someone?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know how to answer at the spur of the moment.


    Dong Mingxing continued, "If you miss her, you should go find her. She''s still in the draconian kingdom, waiting for you."


    Zhang Lie was about to step away when he aborted his actions, then shook his head in exasperation.


    Li Zongming looked over. "You two young adults... I don''t know what to tell you."


    Zhang Lie seemed surprised. "You don''t me me?"


    Li Zongmingughed coldly. "Don''t think you''re all that. You don''t know how happy I am to have the fellow trying to kidnap my daughter leave. Do you really think I''ll be happy to have you call me father-inw? I''m d my daughter will stay with me rather than abscond with ad I don''t know anything about."


    Dong Mingxing sighed. "Like father, like daughter!"

 Chapter 1293: Goodbye, Third Realm

    <h4>Chapter 1293: Goodbye, Third Realm</h4>


    Dong Mingxing hadn''t believed Li Qianlin when she told her that her pride was hereditary, but now that she was seeing it for herself, she had no choice but to do so. Pride truly was hereditary!


    Li Zongming downed a cup of wine ferociously.


    "What else could I say? I can''t even beat him in a fight. If he''s going to leave, what will scolding him do? I''m the king of the Zongming kingdom, after all, and I''d rather save myself some face."


    After a long silence, Zhang Lie was about to speak when Li Zongming suddenly cut him off. There''s no need for you to apologize. Those a decade younger might not understand¡ªbut the older you are, the more you''ll know. You''re giving up on her not because you don''t love her, but because you love her too much."


    Li Zongming, who had experienced life in all itsplexity, understood just what Zhang Lie was going through.


    The person whom this separation hurt most was none other than Zhang Lie.


    He was a resolute man, one who hadn''t given up against even the strongest of foes. For him to be forced to let his love go¡ªit hurt more than a thousand knives stabbing into his chest, but for Li Qianlin, he had no other choice.


    Li Zongming felt as though even he couldn''t understand the depths of his affection, and he was even more impressed.


    How much did you have to love someone to make a decision that would otherwise be unthinkable?


    "Thank you."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "When will you be setting off, Zhang Lie?"


    "I intended to say my farewells to my friends andpanions in the third realm first, but it looks like you''re all here. I intend to set off tomorrow¡ªafter all, as is, I''m dealing damage to the structure of the third realm just being here."


    "I''ll see you in the fourth realm, Captain," Sun Mengmeng pledged.


    Zhang Lie nodded to the members of Team Zenith.


    "I''ll see you all in the fourth realm."


    With their farewells said, the next morning, as Zhang Lie prepared to ascend, Dong Mingxing headed off in search of Li Qianlin.


    Leaning against the doorframe, she asked, "Zhang Lie''s about to leave. Won''t you speak with him?"


    Li Qianlin''s eyes were red and puffy, and it was clear she hadn''t slept for the night. "What''s there to see? He''s about to leave."


    Dong Mingxing asked, "Can you really let him go just like that?"


    "Even if I can''t, I have to learn how. That''s what he wants, isn''t it?"


    Li Qianlin rubbed the gift that Zhang Lie had gotten her on their travels, her eyes filled with beautiful recollections and thoughts. Why couldn''t time have stopped back then?


    "And what of your hopes and dreams?"


    Li Qianlin grumbled, "My hopes and dreams? Are they important? It''s clear he hasn''t kept me in mind."


    Dong Mingxing continued, "If you miss this opportunity, you might regret it all your life. You''ve experienced so much together¡ªit would be a shame if you couldn''t be together."


    "I just want a response from him."


    "Is it that important?"


    "Isn''t it?"


    "It''s how you feel rather than how he feels?"


    Li Qianlin repeated her best friend''s words mindlessly. "It''s how I feel, rather than how he feels?"


    Dong Mingxing took a deep breath. "I''ll ask you once again. What do you want from him?"


    Li Qianlin looked down and closed her eyes. When she felt she had an answer, she raised her head again. "I want..."


    Dong Mingxing pulled Li Qianlin up from where she had been sitting. "If you know what you want, don''t just sit here! He''s about to set off. Go, go! Don''t leave regrets behind. Find him, seek him out!"


    Upon hearing Dong Mingxing''s words, Li Qianlin blinked as though she had just awoken from a dream. "Thank you, Mingxing. You truly are my best friend."


    She hugged her tightly, her face full of smiles, then ran off unfettered in search of Zhang Lie.


    Watching her friend from the back chasing after her loved one, Dong Mingxing smiled. Envy filled her eyes.


    "Qianlin, tell him what I''m not brave enough to say myself, tell him everything."


    On the day of departure, even Red Comet showed up. It had reced Zhu as the main custodian of the farm and spent its days managing them. Except under extraordinary circumstances, it wouldn''t leave the farm.


    Red Comet nuzzled Zhang Lie''s body as he lightly patted its head. He had many fond memories with the gic lifeform that he had tamed near the start of the third realm.


    "You''re free now. Go live the life you want to¡ªsomeone else can handle the farm. Find apanion and have a brood of kids."


    Red Comet''s wings fluttered in a mournful screech.


    Zhu smiled. "Red Comet already has a brood of children on the farm."


    Zhang Lie pointed at him. "Ah, you! Were you abusing your job for private interests?"


    Red Comet covered its face with its scythe-like arms as Zhang Lie smiled and patted him again. "I''m sorry I didn''t know. I apologize for not having visited your kids. It''s good to have a family, to settle down."


    Zhu said, "Zhang Lie, don''t worry. With me around, nothing will happen to the third realm."


    The Yeluo chieftain gave him arge batch of Zhou Ying''s Restorative #3. "Zhou Ying and I worked together to be able to mass-produce these potions, and this is the first batch. Your Majesty, please use them well as you enter the fourth realm. I hope it''ll be of some use to you."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Do you want me to be injured?"


    The Yeluo chieftain shook his head. "No, no, Your Majesty, I don''t mean that! Given your strength, I''m sure barely anyone can hurt you even in the fourth realm."


    Zhang Lie epted the gift of potions with thanks. Just like Zhou Ying''s Restorative #2, even if he couldn''t use it personally, the aliens andpanions he encountered along the way very well could. The Yeluo chieftain''s restoratives were particrly effective, and they were a worthy gift indeed.


    They could even be used as currency¡ªwhen the Lie kingdom had been arge world and Zhang Lie had met the Lie king for the first time, he had sold some of the potions off in exchange for coins.


    The Yeluo chieftain next retrieved arge bundle of potions. "In addition to Restorative #3, I made use of the draconian kingdom''s resources and herbs to brew a few batches of these potions. Your Majesty, please take them as well¡ªthey mighte in handy. I''ve notated their usage and dosage on each vial."


    Zhang Lie epted the generous gift. "Thank you for all your hard work, everyone. If we''re fated to do so, we''ll meet again."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Zhang Lie, won''t you wait a little longer?"


    Sun Xiaowu urged, "Wait a little longer. Someone might show up!"


    Yang Ze added, "Wouldn''t it be upsetting to part ways now without saying goodbye?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Better that we not meet. It would only upset everyone if we did."


    Without wasting any more time, Zhang Lie marshaled his own energy. Zhu summoned the will of the world.


    "Zhang Lie''s ready to ascend now, so could you please help guide him through, Will?"


    The multicolored dragon scale manifested in the air.

 Chapter 1294: Intelligence in Love

    <h4>Chapter 1294: Intelligence in Love</h4>


    Zhang Lie: a disaster-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100; Monarch, 100; Emperor, 5


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    The air began to vibrate as a ball of energy encapsted Zhang Lie. The will of the world''s voice rang out in his head.


    [Your status exceeds that permissible within the second realm. Please advance to the fourth realm immediately!]


    Wrapped in multicolored light, Zhang Lie waved at the gathered crowd.


    The members of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, as well as Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Ye Xianchen, Jun Jiuxiao, Li Zongming, the draconian sage, the Lie king, his brother, Dong Mingxing, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and the Yeluo chieftain all saw him off, their eyes filled with reluctance at his departure. The Lie king and Zhu''s eyes filled with tears.


    As for the members of Team Zenith, Sun Mengmeng, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, Zhou Ying, as well as Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Ye Xianchen, and Jun Jiuxiao¡ªto them, this was only a momentary farewell. They knew that they would meet Zhang Lie again, in another time, at another ce.


    To the Lie king, however, it might be farewell for good.


    Despite the fact that the Lie king had be an existence beyond an ordinary superior king, that he now held one of the four major seats of the high council of the third realm, he was simply too young. When he saw Zhang Lie, who had guided him through his most vulnerable period, leave, he couldn''t master his emotions.


    Zhu and Zhang Lie were even more intimately connected. To Zhu, Zhang Lie was a father figure, a brother, and someone she respected and admired. Parting ways with him made her feel terrible¡ªwho knew how long it would be before they met again?


    As everyone nced at Zhang Lie and the rainbow light that shrouded him from view, no one noticed a figure running over and jumping toward Zhang Lie.


    In a sh of light, Zhang Lie and that figure were teleported into the refinement chamber. Zhang Lie looked at the figure in hisp in shock before shouting, "Are you crazy?"


    Li Qianlin had jumped into Zhang Lie''sp right as he was teleported away.


    Instead of responding, she kissed him on the lips. "I''m crazy. I was crazy for you ever since that botched wedding. I don''t care whether you love me, or what happens in the future¡ªI love you!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Do you know how dangerous it''s going to be? I can''t protect you in the fourth realm. I can''t."


    Li Qianlin hugged Zhang Lie tightly.


    "I won''t let you go, no matter what. Regardless of how dangerous the fourth realm is, I want to be with you forever and ever, even if I might die!"


    "You¡ª"


    Li Qianlin reached out and sped her hand over his mouth. "Tell me now: are you willing to bring me with you, or not?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know whether tough or to cry. Right now, Li Qianlin was behaving like a fool, just like he had been when he first saw her in this life. There was a saying that those in love would lose their rationality. Zhang Lie scoffed at that saying back then¡ªbut now, he was certain his IQ was in the negatives.


    Li Qianlin had done what he should have from the very beginning¡ªexpress his emotions clearly!


    Suddenly, in his head red the will of the realm''s voice. [Warning! An intruder has been detected within the refinement chamber. Expulsion protocols activated.]


    Zhang Lie knew that there wasn''t much time left. He hurriedly said, "Qianlin, listen up. The route ahead will be perilous. If you want to stay with me, you''ll need to learn how to bear with solitude. Before I grow strong and have a safehouse, you''ll have to stay in a certain location all alone."


    Despite the circumstances, Li Qianlin seemed overjoyed. "Anywhere, as long as I''m with you!"


    The space around her distorted, and Zhang Lie felt a sense of repulsion. Rather than exin further, he hurriedly stowed Li Qianlin in his disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.


    The will of the realm''s voice rang out again. [Intruder removed. The refinement ceremony will continue in ten seconds. 10, 9, 8, ...]


    A burst of energy filled the chamber, surrounding Zhang Lie and forming a huge cocoon around him.


    Tremendous energy drifted into the chamber, making Zhang Lie feel as though he were immersed in a heated pool, unbelievablyfortable. Perhaps intentionally or because the will of the third realm was far stronger than those of the first and second realms, the refinement energy seemed thousands of times more concentratedpared to when he had ascended to the third realm.


    The refinement energy circted throughout his body, as though burying seeds deep within the earth and watching them sprout with life.


    Zhang Lie sat deep in meditation, his body forging itself anew with every breath.


    An incredible metamorphosis was urring within his body, as though the disaster and monarch gene transformations were urring once more.


    An indeterminate amount of time passed, but Zhang Lie remained perfectly in harmony with his environment the entire time. Without anyone to disturb him, without any sudden fluctuations to his emotions, he gradually began to smile, a reflection of his heart and inner being. Light began to shine from his body. He was surrounded by a glowing ball of light, and the skin beneath that was revealed was a pearlescent white, supple and smooth.


    A spiritual glow suffused him. His bones cracked as they became even stronger and sturdier, taking on a metallic luster. A membrane of crystalline light formed over their surface, strengthening them, improving their ductility and hardness. His body was being reforged from the inside out and the outside in, as though bing that of a deity.


    Muscle, flesh, skin, and bone merged together in a sh of blinding light, which coalesced into a skin-like membrane that gave Zhang Lie a holy, immacte appearance. He looked like a man from the heavens above, one untouched and unsullied by mortal contact.

 Chapter 1295: Entering a New World

    <h4>Chapter 1295: Entering a New World</h4>


    Every part of Zhang Lie''s body was pure and shining, with unadulterated vitality.


    In the refinement chamber, Zhang Lie forgot everything: strife, passion, and all worldly possessions. His mind was tranquil, at ease. He breathed out with a puff of light. The air that was sucked into his body took on the shape of dragons. He breathed with a particr rhythm, neither quick nor slow, ever following the pulse of the world.


    The air that Zhang Lie inhaled took on the form of dragons. As he exhaled, those dragons coiled around his body and transformed into gic energy. Behind Zhang Lie appeared swimming pale blue fish, an ink-ck serpent, a resplendent golden tiger, a heavyset dragonturtle, a ming red lion, an electrified wyrm, and a phoenix of storms.


    Basic, mutated, superior, peak, disaster, and monarch genes were converted into a boundless strength. As Zhang Lie''s flesh and blood evolved, his genes underwent an incredible transformation.


    Basic, mutated, superior, peak, disaster, and monarch genes formed the foundation of this transformation. Zhang Lie''s genes mutated within the rainbow cocoon into an even more perfect state.


    Three days passed by in the blink of an eye. Even after Zhang Lie''s gic transformation, the will of the third realm showed no signs of slowing down. Even more refinement energy was poured into the cocoon¡ªa measure of gratitude to Zhang Lie for having unified the third realm and restored the will.


    His body glowed. His organs gave off light as a rosy sheen appeared over his body.


    Every cell and every gene seemed to roar like a dragon. Ripple after ripple emanated from him. His bones cracked and popped; his blood and flesh vibrated. The runes of the [Keys of the Elder Gods] manifested outside his body and glowed with light.


    Zhang Lie opened his eyes. Strands of ck hair floated around him. His eyes were like lightning, as though he were a martial god who had descended from the heavens.


    As runes red all over his body, his bones creaked, and his flesh trembled, his essence transformed into a dragon that soared into the air.


    The runes merged with his body, causing his cells to transform into resplendent gxies. Even the cocoon was no longer able to contain Zhang Lie. It shattered, along with the refinement chamber itself.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie was whisked away.


    At thest moment, the will of the realm manifested and sent a glowing multicolored ball into Zhang Lie''s body.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was in the dark.


    He had appeared in front of a teleportation apparatus. There was dim light around him, and traces of artificial construction. He walked out of the apparatus and saw human figures. Unlike the will of the second realm, that of the third realm was far more considerate, and had sent Zhang Lie straight to a gathering point for the Milky Way.


    Despite all the issues that Zhang Lie had caused for the unified world of the third realm, he was essentially its creator, a parent. It cost little for the unified world to help Zhang Lie out this final time.


    Zhang Lie first considered the changes to his gic data.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 0; Mutated, 0; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    An emperor-grade lifeform! Not monarch-grade, but straight to emperor-grade?


    Zhang Lie was ted.


    Perhaps because the unified world had specially given Zhang Lie more than his fair share of refinement energy, or because of his maxed monarch gene fragments and disaster limit fragments, or abination of all these reasons, Zhang Lie had started the fourth realm as an emperor-grade lifeform, far beyond the norm.


    In his previous life, Zhang Lie had ascended with only maxed peak gene fragments, and disaster gene fragments had only been discovered then. However, Zhang Lie wasn''t the one who discovered them. Working together with Fang Yi, he barely obtained ten disaster gene fragments, and had begun the fourth realm as only a peak-grade lifeform.


    This time, however, he was an emperor-grade lifeform! He was about as strong as a fledgling emperor-grade lifeform before he maxed out his genes, but he was far stronger than the average fourth-realm being. He wouldn''t lose out against a fourth-realm monarch-grade lifeform, and would easily triumph over disaster-grade ones.


    Because he was standing right outside by the exit of the teleportation apparatusughing to himself, the hunters of the Milky Way all around him seemed rather perplexed by his behavior.


    "This is a human, isn''t it?"


    "Have the humans always had such a hunter?"


    "He seems very familiar, as though I''ve seen him somewhere before..."


    The hunters of the Milky Way all seemed taken aback by the sudden appearance of this stranger whom no one knew.


    "He''s not a newbie, is he?"


    "To have been sent straight to our gathering point¡ªI can''t believe how lucky he is."


    Zhang Lie headed straight toward the nearest hunter. "I have a few questions for you, sir. You''re from the Jadeite race, aren''t you?"


    The Jadeite insects had dark yellow carapaces speckled with gray spots. Although they were bipedal, they had the appearance of bugs, with feelers on top of their heads andrge ck eyes that revealed themselves to bepound eyes on close inspection.


    The Jadeite hunter ignored Zhang Lie, who grinned and retrieved three vials of Restorative #3 from his extradimensional storage.


    "I had Jadeite friends in the third realm, and I know how helpful they are. I have three high-quality restorative potions, of particr efficacy evenpared to fourth-realm potions."


    The Jadeite hunter nced at a potion and sniffed it as his feelers quivered. He reached out a bamboo-like appendage and patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder.


    "Ask me anything you want, friend."


    The Jadeites were an immoral race that would do anything for money, and Zhang Lie found them excellent sources of information.


    The healing potions that weren''t too valuable in the second and third realms could be sold for incredible prices in the fourth because of the terrible conditions of the fourth realm. No hunter had the leisure time to search for herbs and nts, causing ack of supply and incredible demand, especially for high-quality potions.


    The stash of Restorative #3 that the Yeluo chieftain had given him was like a treasure trove.

 Chapter 1296: Genetic Hunting Grounds

    <h4>Chapter 1296: Gic Hunting Grounds</h4>


    Considering the remarkably hostile environment of the fourth realm, every hunter would get injured at some point. Those who were injured had little choice but to return home via the teleportation apparatus to receive treatment, but this was clearly impossible while in battle. As a result, healing potions and restoratives could literally be life-saving.


    The Jadeite hunter immediately stored the potion. "Ask me anything, friend! You''ve found the right person to ask. I know more than anyone else in this area. I know you must be here to ask about the fourth realm, and I know quite a bit about it. To hunters who have just ascended from the third realm, it might as well be apocalyptic¡ª"


    Zhang Lie raised a hand, cutting off the Jadeite hunter. "No, I already know all this."


    The Jadeite hunter shook his head. "If you want to live on, I rmend that you listen closely. I know you learned about the fourth realm to some extent from your seniors before your ascension, but it''s not something you can understand so easily."


    "I know everything I need to."


    Zhang Lie had ascended to the fourth realm before in the past, and what the Jadeite hunter knew, so did he. What he really wanted to know about was the specifics of this gathering point.


    The Jadeite hunter shook his head in exasperation. "What do you want to know about, then?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''d like to know where the nearest gic hunting grounds are."


    The Jadeite hunter looked him up and down. "You are experienced, aren''t you?"


    If not for the fact that he had seen Zhang Lie pop right out of the teleportation apparatus, and the fact that he had never seen him before, the Jadeite hunter would have thought Zhang Lie an old veteran.


    "I''ll bring you there," the hunter offered.


    Because of the hostile conditions of the fourth realm, the Milky Way hunters found it hard to survive. They worked out a system where they would hunt gic lifeforms in fixed locations, colloquially called gic hunting grounds.


    It was little different from the spawning zones of the first realm where various gic lifeforms gathered; the hunters of the Milky Way simply made the delineation clearer.


    This particr hunting ground was underground. The Jadeite hunter retrieved a soulshard


    that glowed with light. Past a long, artificially excavated tunnel was a spacious underground cavern filled with dense starlight. ck beetles crawled all over the walls. Where their tails were, there was a glowing orb of light that illuminated their surroundings, much like fireflies.


    Zhang Lie grabbed a bug with his hand, which screamed shrilly and curled up into a ball. As Zhang Lie squeezed, the bug exploded, sttering ck liquid all over.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade lightbeetle. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade lightbeetle, you may receive one to ten basic gene fragments.]


    The Jadeite hunter praised, "Impressive, to have such strength as a neer."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "This is a hunting ground for regr-grade lifeforms?"


    The Jadeite hunter rolled his eyes. "What else? Do you think you can hunt in mutated-grade hunting grounds right now? You just ascended. Don''t think that your strength means anything here¡ªthis realm is far crueler than you might expect. Start by maxing out your basic gene fragments. If you''re lucky, you might find mutated-grade bugs around. I won''t apany you any further, then."


    To the Jadeite hunter, Zhang Lie was an arrogant upstart.


    Only when he had sensed that the Jadeite hunter was far away did Zhang Lie head into his disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.


    The space within the soulshard had grown significantly different. It was remodeled and furnished with all sorts of furniture, and almost looked like a little cottage.


    Zhang Lie saw a figure hard at work. Li Qianlin brought out a delicious dish and ced it on the table.


    "I thought you would be bored, so I wanted to drop in as soon as I had a chance¡ªbut it looks like you''ve been hard at work," Zhang Liemented, shaking his head.


    There had been nothing within the disaster-grade dragonwhale''s soulspace, but Li Qianlin had extradimensional storage of her own.


    As Li Zongming''s daughter and the princess of a superior world, even before the merger of the worlds of east and west, she was naturally able to acquire a dimensional-type soulshard. After all, Li Zongming was king of arge world, and he had connections with hunters from the Milky Way.


    Aliens and gic hunters alike loved to stuff all sorts of knickknacks in their soulshards, but Li Qianlin clearly had more than the average person did. She had only been in the disaster-grade dragonwhale''s soulspace for three days, but it looked almost as though she were constructing a brand-new house.


    When Li Qianlin saw Zhang Lie, she smiled in delight¡ªthen turned crimson when she thought about her audacious actions back in the refinement chamber.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help butugh. "You were so daring just a few days ago¡ªbut now you can''t even speak?"


    Li Qianlin scowled. "Don''tugh at me!"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Are you growing used to this ce?"


    "It''s alright, I suppose." Li Qianlin asked, "Are you in the fourth realm yet?"


    "Yes, I''ve ascended."


    "Can I go outside?"


    "No."


    "Have you encountered something problematic?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s not me, but you."


    Li Qianlin didn''t seem to understand.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "All realms have their own rules, but these rules are formless. Those native to this realm have internalized these formless rules during the process of gestation, and they won''t be affected by the realm''s influence. However, you haven''t received the acknowledgment of the realm, and your body and flesh are unmarked."


    For aliens, the tribtions they encountered when ascending would serve as an imprint and qualification.


    "The rules of high-dimensional realms are far more potent to low-dimensional lifeforms than you can imagine. If you''re strong enough, you can resist them, of course."


    Zhu had been a peak second-realm existence when she stowed away into the third realm; she had only been a step away from ascending on her own merits. Considering her individual strength, the imposition of the third realm''s formless rules did little to her.


    Although Zhu''s illegal entry had prevented her from initially growing stronger, she was able to resist the formlessws'' effects on her body. The Yeluo chieftain was no slouch either, and the third realm''sws were significantly looser than the fourth realm''s.


    "If you leave the dragonwhale soulshard, you''ll perish."


    This was no joke. Even for stowaways, surviving in the fourth realm required amensurate level of strength.


    Otherwise, all manner of aliens would have stowed away with gic hunters, causing huge problems in the fourth realm.

 Chapter 1297: Lightbeetle Meat

    <h4>Chapter 1297: Lightbeetle Meat</h4>


    The dimensional world was an ecosystem that had formed naturally, and there wouldn''t be any easily exploitable loopholes.


    In order to survive without penalty in the fourth realm, to be unaffected by its unwrittenws like Zhu in the third realm, Li Qianlin would have to reach the peak of the third realm, with at least equivalent strength to a superior king.


    If she were weaker, perhaps only at the level of a king of arge world¡ªor a disaster-grade lifeform¡ªthen she would slowly degrade and wither away due to the imposition of naturalw. Furthermore, her cultivation would be blocked from progressing, so she would surely perish.


    The king of chaos'' subordinates, the members of the halls of chaos, were all at least at the level of superior kings, and some could easily have ascended on their own. They were naturally able to resist the influence of the fourth realm.


    Furthermore, the king of chaos hadn''t stowed any of his subordinates away. Rather, he and all his subordinates had forcibly broken past the boundaries of the third realm, inviting tribtion on them all. The rules of the dimensional world allowed such behavior but certainly not stowaways, and the entirety of the halls of chaos would be able to continue cultivating and ascending in the fourth realm.


    If even disaster-grade lifeforms and kings ofrge worlds would be unable to survive the fourth realm, then Li Qianlin would suffer even more.


    She was hardly defenseless; she had cultivated with Li Zongming for some time, but she knew she was untalented in this domain. She had chosen to give up early, and she had about the strength of the king of a small world.


    For someone as weak as she was, entering the fourth realm would cause her to be crushed by naturalw immediately.


    Li Qianlin sighed. "In other words, I won''t be able to survive here, or even go outside."


    Zhang Lie looked down in abination of guilt and shame. "If you''re regretting your actions, I''ll try my best to send you back home. The fourth realm''s internal structure is significantly firmer than that of the third realm. You''re aware of the king of chaos, aren''t you? His ascension with the halls of chaos was what almost destroyed the third realm.


    Li Qianlin nodded.


    Zhang Lie continued, "However, this also meant that the king of chaos managed to create a route between the third and fourth realms. As long as we can find the king of chaos, we''ll be able to find the dimensional crack between the realms, and I can send you back to the third realm in that manner."


    Li Qianlin reached out for Zhang Lie''s hand. "No, I won''t go. It was difficult enough for me to remain by your side¡ªas long as I can stay with you, I won''t even mind being imprisoned."


    Touched, Zhang Lie vowed, "I''ll make sure to find a way for you to survive unscathed in the fourth realm proper."


    Li Qianlin nodded. "I believe you."


    She tugged on his hand.


    "Come over, won''t you? I just made some food, and it''d be far too boring to have it alone."


    Zhang Lie ate a mouthful, a blissful smile on his face. "It''s excellent. Right, I hunted a few weird lifeforms outside. Do you think you can make it more appetizing for me?"


    "Let me have a look."


    Zhang Lie returned outside the dragonwhale and nced at the walls of the spacious cavern, which were filled with lightbeetles.


    Because they were only regr-grade lifeforms, their numbers were frighteningly high.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized.


    A howling gale swept over the cavern. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the region.


    A huge rumble shook the cavern, and the earth quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The will of the fourth realm repeatedly announced in his head, [You sessfully killed a regr-grade lightbeetle. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade lightbeetle, you may receive one to ten basic gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade lightbeetle. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade lightbeetle, you may receive one to ten basic gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade lightbeetle. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade lightbeetle, you may receive one to ten basic gene fragments.]


    After his ascension, he had certainly grown stronger, but the imposition of the formlessws of the fourth realm did weaken him to some extent.


    The pale blue gic energy swept half the cavern clean of lightbeetles, filling the ground with their carcasses. Zhang Lie swept them up and brought it back within the soulspace. Li Qianlin peered at the mess he had brought back. "You''ve pulped them too much. Just what lifeforms are these?"


    "Bugs¡ªa species of regr-grade lifeforms known as lightbeetles."


    Li Qianlin pursed her lips, but she brought the remnants of the lightbeetles to the kitchen and began preparing them as sd and skewers.


    Zhang Lie didn''t mind. He had eaten all manner of strange creatures from the first realm to the fourth, and it wasn''t the first time he had consumed insects. The first time was the hardest, but after that, well...


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade lightbeetle, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    As Zhang Lie ate the lightbeetle skewers, he gave Li Qianlin a thumbs up. "These are remarkably fragrant! I know bringing you up here with me was definitely the right choice.


    Li Qianlin smiled. She was pleased to have been of use to Zhang Lie so early on.


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade lightbeetle, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 8]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade lightbeetle, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 9]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade lightbeetle, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 10]


    Within moments, he had obtained ten basic gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 10; Mutated, 0; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)

 Chapter 1298: Annoyances Persist

    <h4>Chapter 1298: Annoyances Persist</h4>


    After chatting with Li Qianlin and depositing a number of material resources for her, Zhang Lie left the dragonwhale again.


    He walked back where he hade, in search of the Jadeite hunter to ask about whether there were other hunting grounds nearby.


    As he saw the hunter heading his way with a group of people, his eyes lit up. "Hey, I was just about to search for you!"


    "Boss, it''s this fellow over here!" the Jadeite hunter shouted, pointing at Zhang Lie.


    A few hunters of the Milky Way were making their way over with unfriendly looks on their faces.


    "I heard you''ve been stealing our potions,d."


    "Give them over, or we''ll take them by force."


    Zhang Lie blinked. "So this is what you''re trying, is it?"


    The leader of the Milky Way hunters had a bull''s head. "Do you know who I am? I''m min, the one in charge of this gathering point. All affairs here are under my jurisdiction."


    Another gic hunter, this one in ck armor, stepped forward. "I''m the strongest hunter in this gathering point, and my name''s ck Armor. Hand over the potions you stole¡ªwe won''t let you leave with them."


    Zhang Lie looked at the Jadeite hunter. "You tried the potion, then?"


    The Jadeite hunter gave him a thumbs up. "It was excellent."


    "How much are they paying you?"


    The Jadeite hunter smirked. "Quite a bit."


    It was evident what had happened.


    The Jadeite hunter had tested the potion. The efficacy of Zhou Ying''s Restorative #3, developed by the Yeluo chieftain himself, was nothing short of wondrous. Even the members of Team Zenith, at the peak of the third realm, praised these potions.


    The unified world''s blessing had created a preponderance of spiritual herbs and nts, and the Yeluo chieftain had brewed this batch of potions with the best ingredients, prioritizing efficiency over cost.


    After all, this batch was meant for Zhang Lie, and the Yeluo chieftain had brewed it with the best ingredients he could.


    After the Jadeite hunter tested the potion and was shocked by its efficacy, he passed the information on to the de facto leader of the gathering point, who came prepared to snatch his entire stock.


    min thundered, "I''m talking to you!"


    "I know. So what?"


    "If you don''t want to die, hand over the potions!"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "It''s precisely because of people like you that this gathering point''s such a mess."


    min sneered. "It looks like you''ll be needing some incentive, hmm? It''s been a while since anyone dared talk to me like this. You''re an interesting newbie, aren''t you?"


    ck Armor scoffed. "What does he know? He''s just ascended!"


    min pointed toward the ground. "You might have beenuded as a genius in the third realm, but up here? You''re trash."


    ck Armor shouted, "Kneel on the ground and hand over your belongings!"


    minughed. "Do you think you''re safe just because they''re in your extradimensional storage? You think that your potions will be safe because your soulshards will shatter when you die, that the potions will be ejected straight out into the void, don''t you?"


    ck Armor added, "In an emergency, you can even shatter the soulshards yourself, leaving us with nothing and making you not worth extorting."


    min narrowed his eyes. "We might not be able to kill you, but we have a thousand ways of making you beg for death."


    The Jadeite hunter suggested, "You had better take out your stock of potions. No one here can defend against the two of them."


    Zhang Lie stretched his arms and legs. "I was able to kill those regr-grade lifeforms instantly, so I can''t even test out my newfound strength. It''s good of the two of you to be willing to help me out."


    min sneered. "You won''t give up without a fight, then."


    Zhang Lie curled a finger at him. "Come take them from me if you can."


    "You''re in for it now!" min struck immediately. From the fluctuations in his aura, it seemed that he had at least maxed out his mutated gene fragments and was halfway finished with his superior gene fragments¡ªbut that was meaningless against Zhang Lie.


    He punched forward with a burst of gic energy, sending min flying into a nearby wall. His body caved in the wall, and despite hisckeys attempting to pull him out, they weren''t able to seed no matter how hard they tried.


    The onlookers were shocked.


    Was this truly a rookie who had just ascended?


    min was respectably strong even among the top hunters of the gathering point.


    min shouted, "What are all of you standing there for? Attack him!"


    Gic energy surged underneath Zhang Lie''s feet, rippling out like waves and sending the hunters approaching him flying.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, flinging the Milky Way hunters back.


    A giant shark surfed on the waves and opened its bloodthirsty maw wide. min''s face was pale; he barely avoided peeing out of fear.


    A fist obliterated the shark, turning the pale blue water-attuned gic energy into ripples of water.


    Zhang Lie was surprised to see a hunter of rather passable strength among this substandard crew. ck Armor had blocked the attack aimed at min with a heavy fist.


    min''s eyes widened in delight. "You really are reliable when I''m in need!"


    Just then, however, ck Armor spat out a mouthful of blood. His eponymous ck armor cracked, and he staggered to the ground, propping himself up with a single knee. His breathing had turned ragged, the sound like that of a broken bellows.


    "What''s wrong, ck Armor?!"


    Zhang Lieughed coldly. "If you can take [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave] at 30% of its maximum strength, you must not be too weak."


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, ck Armor spat out an evenrger mouthful of blood.


    The gic hunters that apanied min turned tail and tried to run.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes, sharp as a viper''s. "When did I allow you to leave?"


    ck gic energy poured from his body, surrounding him like thick, dense clouds.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The ck energy shot toward the fleeing hunters with incredible corrosive strength. The hunters fell to the ground, staring at shock at their feet, which were now flesh and bone. Their bones sizzled as the gic energy continued to corrupt their bodies.


    The hunters knelt on the ground and pleaded for mercy.


    "Please, let us go! We won''t do it again!"


    "We were forced into it!"


    "Sir, please forgive us! Have mercy!"

 Chapter 1299: A Lifeform Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 1299: A Lifeform Stampede</h4>


    min tossed a Restorative #3 at ck Armor. "Quick, use it!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t stop ck Armor.


    After using Restorative #3, ck Armor''s wounds healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. ck Armor roared and charged at Zhang Lie past the barrier of ck, corrosive fog.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie pointed a finger, ck gic energy transformed into a demonic serpent, snaking its way through the narrow tunnel and piercing ck Armor''s chest instantly. ck Armor nced down at his chest and stilled.


    A hole was visible through his body, and he could see behind him by looking into it. ck Armor fell to the ground in shock and disbelief.


    Zhang Lie blew at his fingers and sighed. "Far too weak..."


    min cried out, "What in the world are you?!"


    Wasn''t he supposed to be a newbie? Even a hunter with maxed peak gene fragments couldn''t do what he had done!


    min cursed himself for listening to the Jadeite hunter and being consumed by his greed. It was apparent that this would be no easy opponent to take down.


    As Zhang Lie walked ever closer, min shouted shrilly, "Don''te over here!"


    A sound like rumbling thunder echoed throughout the underground space, like that which would precede an earthquake or exploding volcano. The world shook.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s going on?"


    Just then, he could hear gic hunters shouting, "A stampede, a stampede! Lifeforms from two hunting grounds are stampeding!"


    "Where''s min? He has to muster a defense!"


    min''s face paled. "A stampede..."


    The hunting grounds of the fourth realm weren''t artificial; instead, they were simply where a certain group of lifeforms tended to roam. Every so often, the lifeforms would stampede.


    Gic hunters were responsible for deflecting or turning back these stampedes, so each gathering point had its own leader and scouts.


    minughed. "It looks like even the world is on my side! I''m the only one who can stop the stampede now. Without me, everyone will die."


    There were many possible reasons for such stampedes. Perhaps a new king had been born among the poption, or perhaps the poption had grown toorge to support. If the stampede managed to secure arger patch of territory, the lifeforms would expand; otherwise, they would lose enough of their poption to be sustainable again. Another possible reason was arge-scale migration.


    It was possible that a strong member of the species had been born to a neighboring poption, causing other species nearby to flee.


    "Nonsense!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, causing a bundle of ck smoke to encircle min like a poisonous serpent.


    min rolled on the ground, screaming. "What are you doing? Are you trying to destroy the gathering point and drag everyone down with you?!"


    As min screamed, flesh sloughed off his body.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Do you think I''d let you go and give you another chance to annoy me?"


    The corrosion was so severe that pale bone could be seen on min''s body.


    "You don''t know just how frightening such beast stampedes are. Without me, everyone will die. Only I can organize a resistance in such a short period of time!"


    Zhang Lie could sense a huge number of lifeforms approaching from all directions. They were mostly regr-grade lifeforms, with a few mutated-grade ones in the mix. He smirked. "It''s been a while since I saw such a stampede. I wonder if I can stop it with my current strength?"


    min screamed, "You''re far less dangerous than a beast stampede! You don''t know just how insignificant an individual hunter is against theirbined might¡ªonly by working together can we quell them!"


    A single lifeform might not be particrly strong, but when they banded together, theirbined strength was more than sufficient to fatigue even the strongest hunter.


    min shouted, "I know that you''re very strong, but even your strength won''t do anything against an endless stampede! You won''t make a difference."


    Half of min''s body had been corroded away by Zhang Lie''s gic energy, but his constitution and will to live forced him to keep speaking.


    min cried out, "If you save me, I''ll let you go, and I swear I won''t cause trouble for you in the future!"


    The corrosion had consumed his body, leaving him only with a head.


    min immediately corrected himself. "I apologize. You killed my strongest hunter, and I''ll need a recement. You''re very strong, and I won''t be able to control you¡ªinstead, I''m willing to cede control over half the gathering point to you. We can defend against the stampede together."


    Zhang Lie raised a foot. "Goodbye."


    As his foot slowly descended, min cried out, "I''ll give you everything, the gathering point, all my possessions! I''ll even be your dog!"


    With a squelch like that of an exploding watermelon, min''s head was crushed.


    min''sckeys themselves were writhing and squirming like worms as the ck, corrosive gic energy consumed them.


    The Jadeite hunter was among their number. He begged, "Please, let me go! I''ll hand everything over. I don''t even want the potions anymore¡ªI''ll return them all! Won''t you spare me this once?"


    "Let them apany you to your death."


    Zhang Lie jumped back as the ground underneath him tremored. A huge earth dragon emerged, sweeping all the hunters up with its mouthpiece.


    The earth dragon looked very much like a centipede, or an armored snake. Its ck scales were dotted with red, and its head was sharp and spiky. Its head unfolded like a flower, revealing row after row of sharp teeth, sticky saliva, and a long, flexible tongue.


    The lifeform was shocked that Zhang Lie had avoided its sneak attack. It was just about to pounce forward when Zhang Lie struck first.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The serpent corroded the lifeform''s flesh, but Zhang Lie didn''t hear the will of the fourth realm''s announcement. It was evident that the earth dragon hadn''t yet died; the lower half of its body was quivering madly, shocked and terrified by Zhang Lie''s strength. It was about to burrow deep into the earth and escape when Zhang Lie punched forward and sent a blood dragon out at it.

 Chapter 1300: Stopping the Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 1300: Stopping the Stampede</h4>


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the blood dragon roared in rage and tore apart the earth dragon.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade demonic earth dragon. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    After iming the remaining pieces of the dragon''s body, Zhang Lie returned to the gathering point. He was attacked by a few more of these dragons, but Zhang Lie easily defeated them with just one punch each. However, their vitality and constitution meant that they didn''t die that easily, and Zhang Lie had to spend more time killing them. As a result, it took him some time to get back to the gathering point.


    By then, the demonic earth dragons had invaded the entire territory, along with a different species that looked like rats covered in ore.


    Each rat was about the size of two people, and looked far more ferocious than the demonic earth dragon.


    After killing one such rat, the will of the fourth realm announced, [You sessfully killed a regr-grade earthvein rat. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade earthvein rat, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    With a casual attack, Zhang Lie killed a dozen or so demonic earth dragons and earthvein rats simultaneously, lowering the pressure the other dragons had to face.


    Zhang Lie waved down a gic hunter. "Which hunting grounds are stampeding?"


    The hunter nced all around him in fear. "It''s a hunting grounds rather far away from the gathering point, filled with regr-grade lifeforms."


    There were benefits and drawbacks to having an underground space.


    Subterranean spaces werergely free from random attacks from gic lifeforms in the field, and thepetition for territory and space that was so prevalent aboveground. The drawbacks, however, were equally evident. They would have to face attacks from subterranean lifeforms instead, fewer though they were.


    The gic lifeforms burrowed out of the ground all over; defending the gathering point would be no easier than it was aboveground.


    The gic hunter asked, "Have you seen min? Only he can muster a defense and set up defensive lines to quell the stampede now!"


    The gic lifeforms had already made their way into the gathering point. Although individual hunters were stronger than individual lifeforms, they seemed to pour out without end. Without someone to lead and coordinate the defense, it was only a matter of time before the gathering point fell.


    min was key to that defense.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "He''s dead."


    The gic hunter clutched his head in shock. "He''s dead?! That''s impossible! ck Armor''s by his side. min''s a terrible man, and he frequently snatches resources from the rest of us, but he''s maxed out his superior gene fragments, at the very least! How could he be dead?"


    For min, their leader, to be dead at such a critical moment... It looked as though the gathering point''s remaining lifespan would be a matter of minutes or hours.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry, I''m not lying. I killed him myself, you see."


    "Oh, is that so¡ªyou killed him?!"


    "He tried to snatch what belonged to me, so I took care of him."


    The gic hunter cried out in anger and panic, "How could you have killed him? min''s the leader of the gathering point, with the strongest hunter around as his bodyguard! Who would be able to kill him?!"


    The hunter was panicking to such an extent that he had all but turned incoherent.


    "Believe me or not¡ªit''s up to you."


    Although he didn''t want to believe what Zhang Lie had said, it was true that min and ck Armor hadn''t shown up despite the invasion of lifeforms.


    min, who treated the entire gathering point like his personal possession, wouldn''t allow such a stampede to go unchecked. Even if Zhang Lie hadn''t killed him, he was likely in dire straits.


    "How could you have killed him? He''s not a good person, but he''s still our leader! What are we going to do now? How are we going to survive this invasion? Our gathering point''s done for! I have to flee¡ªI can''t stay here!"


    Zhang Lie patted the hunter''s shoulder in constion. "It''s not so bad. I''m here, aren''t I?"


    By then, however, the hunters were in full panic mode. Zhang Lie''s words had no effect.


    "Do you know where the lifeforms areing from?"


    The hunter continued murmuring to himself, "I have to run, I have to run! With the leader dead, we can''t defend against even a stampede of regr-grade lifeforms!"


    Irked, Zhang Lie shouted, "I''m asking you where they''reing from!"


    The hunter regained his senses. "They''reing from all over! How would I know in which direction they''reing?"


    "Do you at least know where their usual hunting grounds are?"


    The hunter pointed at the direction of their usual hunting grounds.


    Zhang Lie charged forward in that direction as the gic hunter turned his back to the gathering point and fled. To him, this gathering point was as good as dead.


    Zhang Lie rushed toward the original hunting grounds, killing all the demonic earth dragons and earthvein rats he saw along the way.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade demonic earth dragon. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade earthvein rat. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade earthvein rat, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade demonic earth dragon. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade earthvein rat. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade earthvein rat, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    The fastest way to stop a beast stampede, besides mustering a defense with hunters in the vicinity, was to take the initiative and destroy the gic lifeforms'' original hunting grounds.


    Weaker gathering points simply didn''t have the manpower for thetter option, but stronger onesbined both approaches.


    One person wouldn''t be able to defend against gic lifeforms from all over, not even Zhang Lie, no matter how strong he was. Unlike Sun Xiaowu, he couldn''t transform into a hundred thousand clones.


    As such, the fastest and most convenient way for him to stop a stampede was to make use of his own strength to destroy the lifeforms'' hunting grounds and force them to return.


    The deeper he went into their territory, the more lifeforms barred his way.


    "You won''t stop me now!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The world seemed to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized.


    A howling gale swept over the underground region. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the region and knocking aside everything in his way.


    The gic lifeforms before him were either obliterated by the flood or washed away. The flood removed all obstacles in his way.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade demonic earth dragon. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade earthvein rat. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade earthvein rat, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade demonic earth dragon. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade earthvein rat. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade earthvein rat, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    A huge rumble shook the ground.


    All the gic hunters at the gathering point were terrified. They didn''t know what the source of the sound could be, and many of them suspected that an even more terrifying gic lifeform had emerged. Many of the hunters thought to flee.


    As the flood reached the end of the passageway, the waves burst apart and the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Boulders flew up as a storm devoured everything in sight.


    After Zhang Lie''s attack passed by, the passageway was wider and more spacious than it ever had been.


    However, it could no longer be described as a passageway. The passageway had burst apart and expanded to such arge extent that it looked more like a gymnasium that extended endlessly forward.


    Zhang Lie strode forward. The gic lifeforms barring his way had all been cleared away, and the pale blue storm of gic energy that he had released had even opened up a hole aboveground. Light shone down from above, revealing a mess of blood and body parts.


    The demonic earth dragons and earthvein rats in the hunting ground had all been killed, and the remaining ones were hurriedly scampering and digging away.


    The stampeding lifeforms did fear death, but the hunters were uniformly too weak to pose a threat to them.


    "I suppose this is where the hunting ground is located..."


    Zhang Lie could still sense, to his surprise, a few weak pinpricks of life. A battered demonic earth dragon slowly arose from underneath a pile of rubble.


    "To think there were still a few living ones... I don''t know whether to call you unlucky or lucky."


    Lucky, to have survived Zhang Lie''s [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]; unlucky, to have encountered Zhang Lie, and hence to die.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave. The demonic earth dragon''s head fell to the ground.


    A raging shark opened its maw wide and began tearing at the demonic earth dragons.


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade demonic earth dragon. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade demonic earth dragon, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie hummed in surprise. "A mutated-grade lifeform? No wonder it was so resilient as to have survived [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]."


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] had shocked all the other lifeforms in the vicinity. The demonic earth dragons and earthvein rats fled without looking back, solving the gathering point''s immediate crisis.


    Zhang Lie tried searching for a mutated-grade earthvein rat, but it seemed that there were none to be found. In the end, he gave up and returned to the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.


    "Qianlin, long time no see! I missed you."


    Li Qianlin seemed surprised. "Why are you back so quickly?"


    Zhang Lie retrieved some dragon and rat carcasses from his extradimensional storage. He slumped into a chair, steepled his hands under his jaw, and parodied, "May these scorching-hot creatures from deep underground, steepled in darkness, burned by eternal sun, be transformed into delicacies. So spake I, drenched in the blood of ughter, my will consumed by eternal hunger."


    Li Qianlin stared at him. "Speak properly."


    "Can you make me some good food out of the flesh of these lifeforms, like a soup or something? I usually just roast them, and they taste fine that way. I was just fighting some beasts, and now I''m hungry."


    Li Qianlin sighed. "It shouldn''t be a problem."


    She picked up the carcasses with some disdain. "These lifeforms have been pulped."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "These are some of the better ones¡ªI don''t dare to show you the ones that really are just meat paste."


    He intended to bring the remaining carcasses back to the gathering point to see if he could exchange them for the flesh of other regr-grade lifeforms.


    Li Qianlin was an excellent chef, and she quickly transformed the dragon and rat meat into delicacies. Zhang Lie had grown quite hungry after the battle, and he ate her cooking with gusto. Announcements from the will of the fourth realm continued to ring throughout his head.


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 11]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 12]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 13]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 14]


    He subsequently consumed the mutated-grade demonic earth dragon.


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 2]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade demonic earth dragon, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 30; Mutated, 10; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    After finishing his meal and absorbing his gene fragments, Zhang Lie waved farewell to Li Qianlin. She smiled with happiness and helped Zhang Lie straighten his clothes. "Go on. I wish you sess. Remember to be safe."


    Her rtionship with Zhang Lie had taken an unusual turn, but it was, in most aspects, the life she had wanted.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Don''t make it sound like I''m about to leave on a long journey!"

 Chapter 1301: A New Gathering Point

    <h4>Chapter 1301: A New Gathering Point</h4>


    Zhang Lie returned to the fourth realm from within his disaster-grade dragonwhale storage, but he saw not a single gic hunter left.


    They had all run away.


    "Surely not..."


    Clearly, after the news of min''s death had spread, the gic hunters weren''t able to work together cohesively against the beast stampede. Instead, they had split up and fled.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know that he was actually the main cause of this.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] had caused such an incrediblemotion that the gic hunters were worried an evenrger and more frightening lifeform was about to appear. If min had been present to calm them all down, the gic hunters wouldn''t have dispersed so quickly¡ªbut min was gone, presumed dead.


    Without a leader, their morale low, the besieged hunters of the gathering point fled in the face of a crisis that they couldn''t stop.


    The teleportation apparatus had been stripped bare. Because the gic hunters had run off in a hurry, they were unable to bring the entire apparatus with them, but they had removed its coreponents. Clearly, the apparatus was no longer functional.


    Zhang Lie was stymied.


    "I was intending to report back to the Milky Way once things stabilized, but now... it feels like something big happens wherever I go."


    The draconian sage and Li Zongming had called Zhang Lie a herald of disaster. Zhang Lie hadn''t thought much of it, but a rare stampede had urred almost as he ascended to the fourth realm. Could he truly be cursed?


    "I thought it would be straightforward to return to the Milky Way, but this stampede¡ªargh, why am I so unlucky?"


    Now that the hunters were all gone, having dispersed in all directions, it would be difficult to chase them back down.


    He would have to find another gathering point in order to return to the Milky Way.


    Zhang Lie listed the tasks he had yet to aplish in the fourth realm.


    First, finish maxing out his gene fragments.


    Second, find the next gathering point.


    Third, head to the location of the treasure indicated by the map he hadpleted in the third realm.


    Fourth, find a way for Li Qianlin to survive out in the open.


    These were the four main tasks Zhang Lie had set for himself.


    He retrieved the map of the fourth realm that he had obtained from Hong Tianqi and cross-referenced it with the third-realm treasure map. The map epassed essentially the entire world, with detailed coordinates about every location of interest.


    After all, the treasure map wasposed of almost a hundred thousand fragments, each about the size of a finger. Even Zhang Lie had to spend multiple days piecing the puzzle together, but the bright side was that the resulting map was stunningly detailed.


    Zhang Lie intended to head in the direction of the treasure and hope that he found a gathering point along the way.


    As far as he knew, there were over 130 gathering points in the fourth realm, some of which had been destroyed and some of which were newly built. Based on Hong Tianqi''s map and his own past life, he identified the location of a few gathering points on his map.


    He nced at the map and charted his path, jumping aboveground via the hole he had punched deep underground.


    All he saw was a pile of old ruins.


    "So that''s how it is."


    Evidently, this gathering point had once been a city, but which had subsequently been destroyed by a beast stampede or a particrly strong gic lifeform. The city constructed by the hunters of the Milky Way was unable to withstand its might and had turned into a pile of ruins instead. The hunters of the Milky Way escaped undergroundpared to the perilous surface, the threats underground were at least less frequent.


    This was likely the source of the underground gathering point. The moment Zhang Lie leapt out of the hole, he sensed a few lifeforms nearby. They were hairless, their skin wrinkled, their eyes glowing in green. Their faces were ugly and sharp, and they looked somewhat like apes. The lifeforms emerged from the ruins upon sensing an intruder.


    "I don''t much like humanoids..."


    Zhang Lie sounded like a god of death passing judgment on the condemned. ck gic energy snaked down his body and toward the apes. Thick dark clouds surrounded him, reaping countless lives like a reaper''s scythe.


    Before the apes could react, their bodies had already fallen to the ground, swiftly dposing.


    Some more apes emerged from the ruins, screeching in anger. They leapt toward Zhang Lie, their ws raking the air.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The serpent''s tail sent all the apes flying away. As they struck the ground, their bodies dposed rapidly.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy had grown even stronger than before. The ck gic energy was like lethal poison. The other apes, scared by the danger he clearly possessed, fled in fear. The apes that had pounced toward him likewise dragged their decaying bodies away.


    Zhang Lie didn''t chase after them; he didn''t much like consuming humanoid lifeforms, and there would be little need to kill them.


    However, it would be difficult for any of those apes struck by his attacks to live. The corrosive ck gic energy would continue ravaging their bodies¡ªthe apes would die in fear and pain, watching as their lives seeped away.


    As Zhang Lie headed in the direction of the treasure, he encountered five regr-grade lifeforms and two mutated-grade lifeforms, all of which he killed.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade roc. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade roc, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade galewind ape. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade galewind ape, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade pigeon of rains. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade pigeon of rains, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade mosswind tiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade mosswind tiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade haunted vulture. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade haunted vulture, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    After killing those lifeforms, Zhang Lie saw the apes from before reappear in his vision. They tossed rocks at Zhang Lie, but those rocks were crushed to powder by his gic energy before they couldnd.


    The apes pped and cheered. Clearly, tossing rocks at Zhang Lie was something that brought them great pleasure.


    "I heard that apes kept long grudges, that if you ever hurt an ape in a colony, the others would continue pestering the assant for good. Well, let''s see just how many apes are in your colony for me to put down."


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth. A huge serpent shot toward the apes, opening its maw wide and biting their heads off one by one.

 Chapter 1302: Another Beast Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 1302: Another Beast Stampede</h4>


    The apes cried out in terror and tried to flee, but just then, arge shadow jumped out from a blind spot, raising its arms high into the air as it tried to attack Zhang Lie.


    Without turning around, as though already having predicted the attack, Zhang Lie casually waved an arm, sending the huge figure flying. Simultaneously, three other figuresunched a sneak attack at Zhang Lie from different angles.


    Blue gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie as space vibrated. The ripples formed a protective barrier around him, shielding him from the three figures'' attacks. As he flicked his wrist, the barrier shattered, and the three figures were sent flying.


    The skies suddenly darkened as a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    Howling winds blew past the ruins. As more and more ripples surged from Zhang Lie''s arms, he saw a few hairless apes about an order of magnituderger than the ones he had sent flying.


    The four apes howled and screeched as Zhang Lie manifested a whirlpool of blue gic energy that grew stronger every second.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched the ground, the fish that manifested from his Ninecarp Transformation mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the ruins.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. The apes were obliterated; rubble and flesh rained down from the skies.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade evil ape. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade evil ape, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade evil ape. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade evil ape, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade evil ape. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade evil ape, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    The will of the fourth realm''s announcements rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    After dealing with the apes, Zhang Lie returned to the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard and had Li Qianlin prepare the carcasses. After Zhang Lie consumed them all, his gene fragments increased considerably.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 50; Mutated, 30; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie continued proceeding onward. Suddenly, the ground quaked and shuddered.


    Countless mutated-grade lifeforms and arge group of regr-grade lifeforms were rushing straight toward him, with no care for their lives.


    Zhang Lie smiled with his teeth. "More food, so quickly?"


    Pale blue water-attuned gic energy shed by his fingertips. As he waved his pointer finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, easily cutting apart the lifeforms before him.


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade ckwind demon. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade ckwind demon, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade ckscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade ckscale leopard, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade ckwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade ckwind mantis, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a regr-grade darkwind spider. By consuming the flesh of the regr-grade darkwind spider, you may receive one to ten regr gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    Just as Zhang Lie finished collecting their carcasses, he found that more had appeared over the horizon.


    "How lucky I am today!"


    Zhang Lie discovered that the gic lifeforms were all heading in a certain direction.


    "Another beast stampede?"


    Beast stampedes were somewhat frequent events in the fourth realm, thanks to therge poption of gic lifeforms there.


    "A superior-grade stampede?!"


    Zhang Lie discovered that the main thrust of the stampede was a group of superior-grade lifeforms. There were some mutated-grade ones in the mix, but they were by far the minority. Zhang Lie even found quite a few peak-grade lifeforms in the mix.


    This particr horde was formed of at least ten different races of superior-grade lifeforms.


    "They must be going somewhere interesting..."


    A group of superior- and mutated-grade lifeforms was heading straight for Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, sending the superior-grade lifeforms flying back with a spray of water.


    The water transformed into deadly des that pierced through lifeform after lifeform. A shark swam forth and opened its bloody maw, tearing the mutated-grade lifeforms in front apart.


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade ckscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade ckscale leopard, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a mutated-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]


    After the lone superior-grade lifeform was sent flying by the attack, it roared and leapt toward him despite the severe injuries it had sustained.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    He mmed a palm forward, cutting the superior-grade lifeform''s body into three. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie''s actions roused the attention of a number of other lifeforms, which all pounced toward him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Concentrated gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals.


    Zhang Lie sent a flurry of punches forward. The sharp silver crystals quickly pierced through the iing horde like a rain of sharp des, cutting them apart as easily as a block of tofu.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade ckscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade ckscale leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

 Chapter 1303: Another Gathering Point

    <h4>Chapter 1303: Another Gathering Point</h4>


    Zhang Lie leapt high into the air and vaulted between the gic lifeforms, many of which pounced toward him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Chunks of crystal appeared over Zhang Lie''s head, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    More and more crystals formed above Zhang Lie''s head.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, the crystals shot out in the form of sharp daggers, tearing apart sky and space, in a rain of crystals that were able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The gic lifeforms below cried out in pain and shock.


    Zhang Lie raised his head and saw the target of the stampede: a city standing tall in the distance, though it remained unclear whether it was a city of gic hunters or of aliens.


    A peak-grade lifeform emerged from the midst of the pack, its ck scalesyered like armor. It pounced forward, its mouth wide, revealingyer afteryer of sharp teeth.


    The crystals were unable to pierce through its thick, scaly armor¡ªrather, they crashed into its hide with crystalline plinks.


    This peak-grade lifeform''s defense had to be incredible if it were capable of blocking those crystals.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble. The next moment, they shot out through his fists, straight toward the peak-grade lifeform.


    With a huge explosion, the peak-grade lifeform screamed in pain. Its head had caved in.


    Zhang Lie didn''t stop. In a single moment, he hadunched a flurry of punches, all of which seemed to have been executed in the blink of an eye, and each of which transformed into a beautiful crystalline dragon.


    The dragons'' crystalline scales shed in the sunlight. They hammered away at the peak-grade lifeforms'' defense¡ªno matter how strong it was, it couldn''t withstand the might of a hundred such dragonsing at it at once.


    The peak-grade lifeform was mashed into meat paste.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade ck-armored rhinoceros. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade ck-armored rhinoceros, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Suddenly, as plumes of dust rose into the air, an armored bug charged straight toward Zhang Lie. Its squirming body knocked aside all nearby lifeforms as its momentum carried it toward an impending impact.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot.


    Pitch-ck gic energy exploded around him and transformed into a ck cyclone that began to widen with every moment. Many nearby lifeforms shrieked and screamed as they were dissolved.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    ck gic energy spread out in front of the armored bug, but it managed to push through the mist and continue charging straight at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie punched forward and knocked the armored bug away. His ck serpent twined around it.


    A hurricane of blood and gusts of hot wind spawned around him as Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight. Bloody swipes appeared all over the armored bug''s body.


    Zhang Lie had transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with a dragon''s scales, and a dragon''s horns grew out of his forehead.


    Before the armored bug couldnd on the ground, it had been split open by his ws.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade armored sandstorm beetle. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade armored sandstorm beetle, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie turned and rushed off straight toward the city. Bloody swipes appeared where he passed by, shing the unfortunate lifeforms in his way to pieces.


    The city was suffering from an unprecedented crisis of lifeforms all around. A dark mass of lifeforms, almost so many as to form a sea, was headed straight for the city.


    Lin Lingfeng''s eyes clouded over with despair. [1]


    The hunters of the Milky Way had worked hard together to build a city that hadsted three decades. It had ovee disaster after disaster¡ªbut this crisis didn''t look like one would survive.


    This time, Lin Lingfeng didn''t think they would be lucky enough to scrape by.


    There were far too many gic lifeforms present, and arge number of peak-grade ones, too.


    Unlike what happened at Zhang Lie''s gathering point, this gathering point wouldn''t fall because the leader perished. Lin Lingfeng, the leader of this city, had been directing the hunters to fight all along¡ªbut there were simply so many lifeforms and so few hunters that some were already starting to flee via the teleportation apparatus.


    With a huge bang, a wall that guarded part of the city copsed. Lightning forked through the air, causing the most well known hunters of the city to be knocked flying. This particr lifeform was too strong¡ªall the hunters in the city were working together, but evenbined, were unable to stop its assault.


    The lifeform was beyond peak-grade in strength, and might even be the legendary disaster-grade, able to wreck a city on its own.


    Lin Lingfeng, standing at the top of the city, saw the ferocious lifeform invading it from below. A stampede of lifeforms followed behind in the devastation it had caused. In her heart, she knew that this city was doomed.


    Her aide urged, "We''d better run! We can''t save this city."


    "Where could we go?" Lin Lingfeng sighed.


    "We''ll be able to escape to the nearest gathering point if we leave now!"


    Lin Lingfeng smiled wryly, mockingly. "It won''t be easy to escape from all these lifeforms surrounding us."


    Herpanion fell silent.


    Indeed, even if they were to break out, how would they be able to survive in the cruel, hellishndscape of the fourth realm without any shelter?


    Lin Lingfeng sighed mournfully. "All of you should leave. I''ll stay behind. As the leader of this city, I''ll rise and fall with it. Your trust and expectations still buoy me, after all."


    Herpanion cried out, "If you die, there won''t be anything left!"


    "You''re right, but I still have to stay here and defend the city. Every additional second I endure might make the difference between life and death for the rest of you¡ªhold on, what''s that?!"


    Lin Lingfeng looked toward the crowd of lifeforms, at the sky shining with crystal shards, falling onto the lifeforms like rain.


    Herpanion cried out, "An even stronger gic lifeform?!"


    The gic hunters still defending the city began to panic.


    The peak-grade lifeform that had brought down an entire wall by itself was despairing enough, but now there was an even more mysterious lifeform out there, too?


    Lin Lingfeng looked toward the stampede, at the lifeforms that were now slumped over, as hope welled up from her heart once more.


    "No, that''s not a gic lifeform."


    The silver storm of crystals was ughtering the stampede of lifeforms in huge swathes.


    "What could it be, then?"


    "Hold on, it''s heading straight for us!"


    1. Why does this author like having such simr names... ?

 Chapter 1304: Hidden True Form

    <h4>Chapter 1304: Hidden True Form</h4>


    Lin Lingfeng could see a flurry of bloody ws tracing a path forward. Where it passed through, the gic lifeforms all around would fall. It was a blood-colored dragonwolf, and Lin Lingfeng was hard-pressed to believe that this was a gic hunter¡ªnot because the dragonwolf wasn''t humanoid, but rather because it was simply too strong.


    There were countless non-humanoid races among the hunters of the Milky Way, some even stranger than most gic lifeforms themselves. However, the dragonwolf was unreasonably, unbelievably strong. It took the lifeforms down as if it were a farmer tilling his field, as though they were made of papier mache.


    Zhang Lie headed straight toward the bulk of the lifeforms up ahead, the de Guicang in his hand.


    As he shed forward, the lifeforms fell like cut wheat.


    The gic hunters were terrified by the sight. "What in the world...?"


    des of light were sweeping across the field and sending huge swathes of lifeforms to their death.


    This was no ordinary stampede, but rather oneposed mainly of superior- and peak-grade lifeforms.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade ckscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade ckscale leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    The announcements of the will of the fourth realm continuously rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    The lifeform in the lead, which had taken down an entire wall by itself, slowly looked back. It looked like a huge octopus, surrounded by electricity, but where its tentacles would have been were snake heads instead.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy wrapped around Guicang. As Zhang Lie struck, the sword energy fell from the heavens like a waterfall.


    The octopus sprayed out an electrified discharge that shed against Zhang Lie''s sword. The resulting explosion cut apart even more of the city walls.


    The density of lifeforms in the vicinity meant that, as Zhang Lie took on the electrified octopus, he was ughtering a huge group of lifeforms incidentally as well. The will of the fourth realm kept making announcements in his head.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade ckscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade ckscale leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    To Zhang Lie''s surprise, even though he hadn''t put much strength into his probing blow, the octopus had managed to deflect itpletely.


    "It must be beyond an ordinary peak-grade lifeform, but it doesn''t seem to be disaster-grade just yet."


    Zhang Lie''s experience allowed him to ascertain the nature of the gic lifeform very quickly.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    He raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted allbatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The octopus''s eight snake heads all sprayed out lightning, which crackled around it like an electrified web.


    The lightning continuously destroyed Zhang Lie''s ck serpents, but the serpents could reform quickly and near-endlessly from the remnants of Zhang Lie''s gic energy.


    Suddenly, eight pirs of lightning emerged from underground.


    Moving rapidly, Zhang Lie avoided their sneak attack, leaving bloody afterimages behind him.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck energy immediately spread outward and suppressed the exploding smoke.


    An ocean of gic energy swallowed up the sky. The gic hunters all looked up as the skies turned dark.


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Theherworld sea covered up the lightning and swallowed the octopus.


    Countless ck serpents tore at the octopus''s body, ck gic energy corroding away flesh and blood. The octopus released another field of lightning as a protective barrier, but there were so many serpents that it was losing the fight bit by bit.


    The ground shook and burst apart in an explosion of lightning¡ªnot from aboveground, but from below. Crackling strikes shot straight at Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, summoning a blood dragon and tearing apart lightning and the space in front of him.


    A dragon''s roar shook the sky as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld sea roiled, forming a gigantic blood dragon, its jaws wide open and its ws poised to swipe. The lightning storm was sucked into the midst of Zhang Lie''s attack.


    The blood dragon tore apart the ground andcerated the octopus''s prone body.


    The gic hunters within the city watched on in shock. The lifeform that all of them working together had been unable to counter, Zhang Lie was dealing with one on one. This couldn''t be a gic hunter!


    Zhang Lie frowned. The will of the fourth realm had yet to make an announcement in his head, and it was clear that [The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath] hadn''t killed the octopus-like lifeform. Zhang Lie discovered the trick quickly; his gaze turned underground.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the city.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot downward, splitting apart the ground and leaving arge furrow behind.


    Deep underground was a core of energy formed of crackling lightning. Eight thick tentacles extended deep underground, buried like roots.


    "As expected, its main body was underground..."

 Chapter 1305: Cause of the Stampede

    <h4>Chapter 1305: Cause of the Stampede</h4>


    The gic lifeform had almost reached the point of condensing a disaster-grade core, and it was only one step away.


    The moment that core condensed fully, the lifeform would ascend into disaster-grade.


    This gic lifeform was particrly interesting. It existed simultaneously aboveground and belowground¡ªbut the part aboveground was a disguise for that belowground. Zhang Lie had initially been tricked by the disguise.


    With its core exposed, the gic lifeform instantly began to panic. It waved its feelers around in an explosion of lightning.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in his vicinity.


    His sword shes struck so quickly they could barely be seen, slicing off countless roots. Even before the lightning attack finished, Guicang had struck the lifeform''s core, causing an explosion of lightning as the lifeform roared.


    Zhang Lie next struck with Hanguang, tearing apart thest remnants of the roots and hence the core.


    The will of the realm''s voice rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade lightning snake octopus. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade lightning snake octopus, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The other gic lifeforms, trembling from Zhang Lie''s might, all fled in fear. The hunters cheered.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, the outskirts of the city grew dim. The gic lifeforms slowed down dramatically. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web and snaring the fleeing lifeforms.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade ckscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade ckscale leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    The gic hunters within the city, understanding Zhang Lie''s intent, rushed out of the city to attack the retreating lifeforms.


    From afar, Zhang Lie had seen that the city was clearly constructed in the architectural style of the Milky Way, and it was therefore an ally.


    Lin Lingfeng walked up to Zhang Lie with her subordinates. She bowed and said respectfully, "Greetings, Senior. Thank you for your assistance. Otherwise, this city would have suffered a terrible fate."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are you the leader of this gathering point?"


    "I am, Senior." Lin Lingfeng bowed again.


    Herpanion began, "Senior, you¡ªI feel as though I''ve seen you somewhere before."


    Lin Lingfeng turned to herpanion in surprise. "You know each other?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I just ascended to the fourth realm, and wouldn''t know any hunters within."


    Lin Lingfeng''spanion suddenly gasped, clutching her mouth in shock. "I know who you are now! You''re the Heavenly Monarch Zhang Lie!"


    "The Heavenly Monarch Zhang Lie?!" Lin Lingfeng eximed.


    The nearby gic hunters, overhearing their conversation, began to murmur to each other.


    Zhang Lie corrected, "I''m Zhang Lie, not some Heavenly Monarch or what have you."


    Lin Lingfeng''spanion smiled. "Heavenly Monarch is a title that those hunters of the Milky Way use to refer to you, in addition to, say, Zenith King, Champion of Humanity, King Zenith, the Limit King, and so on. There are all sorts of nicknames, but I personally prefer Heavenly Monarch."


    The other hunters were shocked.


    "It really is the Heavenly Monarch Zhang Lie!"


    "What Heavenly Monarch?"


    "Haven''t you been back to the Milky Way recently? You don''t even know of Zhang Lie! He''s the one who discovered how to absorb disaster-grade cores and who came up with limit-breaking potions!"


    "So our savior''s a hunter, not an alien?"


    "I thought it was an alien myself¡ªwhen did we hunters grow so strong?"


    "Ha! The aliens would rather see us all dead. Why would they bother saving us?"


    Zhang Lie said, "If I''m not mistaken, all emperor-rted titles are afforded only to fifth-realm hunters."


    For instance, Hong Tianqi''s title of Martial Sage was only widely recognized after he had ascended to the fifth realm. Whether this title came from the united world federation, from public concordance, or from the dimensional realm itself¡ªthat Zhang Lie didn''t know.


    Information about the fifth realm remained top secret, and no ordinary hunter would be able to ess it. Zhang Lie himself had only ended up in the fourth realm in his past life.


    Lin Lingfeng''spanion patted Zhang Lie''s shoulder. "It''s only a matter of time before you ascend to the fifth realm. We''ve just been discussing it in advance!"


    Lin Lingfeng frowned. "Qing Lingxue, don''t be so forward with Mr. Zhang. He''s the savior who saved our city."


    Qing Lingxue lowered her head.


    Lin Lingfeng frowned. "As far as I know, Mr. Zhang, you should still be in the third realm. How did you end up in the fourth?"


    "I just ascended."


    Lin Lingfeng gasped. "If I''m not mistaken, you haven''t even been in the third realm for two Earth months!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "But that already corresponds to a few years by the standards of the third realm. It''s been plenty of time."


    Lin Lingfeng would have doubted anyone else who made such a rash im, but considering the strength Zhang Lie had just demonstrated, she could hardly say anything. However, she suddenly thought of a problem.


    "You''ve just ascended?"


    "That''s right. I''m still amassing my basic gene fragments at this point."


    Zhang Lie only had about 50 basic gene fragments, but thanks to the stampede, he anticipated that he would be able to max out at least his basic gene fragments in no time.


    Lin Lingfeng was stunned once again. Zhang Lie was able to ughter peak-grade fourth-realm lifeforms without even maxing out his basic gene fragments? Just how strong was he?!


    Upon learning of Zhang Lie''s identity, the hunters hadn''t stopped discussing him.


    "Zhang Lie''s far too strong! Even the strongest hunters in the city were unable to take down that peak-grade lifeform together, but Zhang Lie killed it himself!"


    "Zhang Lie''s a legend. He''s far too different from the likes of us!"


    "He''s seen a meteoric rise in the Milky Way. Even the previous highest authority of the united world federation was unable to suppress him¡ªno, he even made Zhang Lie shine brighter! I heard that he ended up in a mental institution after trying to take Zhang Lie down."


    "Allegedly, Zhang Lie''s even discovered peak limit fragments and Potion #4, but because it''s too hard to mass produce, he hasn''t shared the recipe with the public."


    To be precise, Zhang Lie even had disaster limit fragments after sessfully researching Potion #5.


    There were quite a few gic hunters in the fourth realm who revered Zhang Lie.


    "He''s a legend, a veritable legend! He transformed humanity''s ce in the second realm. We''re no longer prey for the xuluo there, but the lords of the realm! He even constructed a kingdom there.


    "Then, he rescued the third realm from a crisis that would have destroyed it all, unifying the three thousand worlds in the process, and creating a new world order. Whenever Zhang Lie ascends, he transforms the realm for good."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "There must be something unusual about the city that would tempt a stampede consisting of over a dozen different races to target it. Your best hunters are only around peak-grade, aren''t they?"


    Peak-grade hunters were actually above average by fourth-realm standards.


    After all, fourth-realm hunters hadn''t had the benefit of absorbing disaster-grade lifeforms until Zhang Lie appeared on the scene. Although there were countless disaster-grade lifeforms in the fourth realm, they had never tried to take one down.


    As a result, in the past, peak-grade hunters were essentially at the apex of strength, which was partially what contributed to humanity''s struggles in the fourth realm. When Zhang Lie revealed how to absorb disaster-grade cores, this precarious bnce changed.


    This was why he had been hailed as a hero of the dimensional realm.


    Generally speaking, even if there were a stampede, it shouldn''t have been sorge. It was imusible that ten different races would gather together to attack a city for no reason¡ªor, in other words, there was definitely a secret within this city.


    Lin Linfeng sucked in a breath. "I''m not too sure about this, but please follow me."


    Lin Lingfeng led them down a secret passageway underground.


    "This was a passageway that we created as a means of escaping the city in times of need, but not long ago, this popped up."


    In the center of the tunnel were three huge flower buds, as beautiful as white jade, emanating glowing green light and filled with a concentrated aura of vitality.


    Zhang Lie recognized the nts instantly. "Reindeer moss," he announced.


    Lin Lingfeng was shocked. "You know what these are, Sir?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "More or less. I''ve read about them before. They''re a prize for superior- and peak-grade lifeforms, allowing them to undergo a metamorphosis¡ªperhaps even allowing them to evolve straight into disaster-grade lifeforms. However, their effect on gic hunters is significantly reduced, and they need to be consumed with some supplementary herbs to be of any use."


    The reason Lin Lingfeng hadn''t given the moss directly to the gic lifeforms was because these lifeforms were yet too weak to have developed anything beyond the most rudimentary intelligence. The failures of countless gic hunters in the past had informed future hunters that gic lifeforms couldn''t be reasoned with.


    Many had tried to negotiate with them¡ªonly to end up being additional food themselves.


    There were ten different races of lifeforms in the area, but only three buds of moss. The lifeforms would certainly exhaust each other out by fighting for these prizes¡ªand, after they got hungry, feast on the gic hunters in the city as a snack.


    Lin Lingfeng gave him a thumbs up. "As expected of the creator of limit-breaking potions, you''re able to identify herbs and nts that no one in the city even knows about! It''s useless to us, so why don''t you take it, Sir? At least treat it as our thanks for saving us all. I know it''s not much in the grand scheme of things, but please don''t refuse us."


    "Well, I suppose I can."


    Leaving the moss in the city would only cause further trouble.


    The city had already been battered, and part of the walls destroyed, thanks to the stampede. It wouldn''t be able to withstand another such attack.


    After Zhang Lie kept the moss, Lin Lingfeng asked, "Did youe here for a reason, Sir?"


    "I''d like to borrow your teleportation apparatus to get back to the Milky Way," Zhang Lie replied.


    "Of course! That''s not a problem."


    After the crisis, the city was a mess, and there was much that Lin Lingfeng would have to deal with. She couldn''t remain by Zhang Lie''s side. After informing him of the location of the apparatus, she left to direct the cleanup with other hunters.


    Beast stampedes were a disaster for gic hunters, but also a crisis from which they could rapidly grow.


    Blood apanied treasure. The stampedes of the fourth realm were like trials. The penalty for failure was death; the reward for sess was rapid growth thanks to bothbat experience and the flesh that they left behind.


    Zhang Lie had mused that the dimensional realm was like a huge training ground, and the fourth realm one specially designed for trials in the form of beast stampedes.


    After the countless battles of the first and third realms, all gic hunters were veterans that would hardly submit or die so easily to the beast stampedes of the fourth realm. Instead, the stampedes would allow them to hone their strength to the best of their ability.


    Rather than rush back to the Milky Way, Zhang Lie first stepped into his disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard and dealt with all the carcasses he had umted.


    Li Qianlin demonstrated her consummate skill, preparing dish after sumptuous dish for both of them.


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade roc, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 51]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade roc, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 52]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade banewind ape, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 53]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade banewind ape, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 54]


    [For consuming the flesh of a regr-grade pigeon of rains, you received one basic gene fragment. Current total: 55]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade mosswind tiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 31]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade mosswind tiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 32]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade haunted vulture, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 33]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade haunted vulture, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 34]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade inkscale leopard, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 35]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade inkrune tiger, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 1]

 Chapter 1306: Hunters Base

    <h4>Chapter 1306: Hunters'' Base</h4>


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade inkrune tiger, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade inkrune tiger, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 2]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade madhowl lion, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 3]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade ck-armored rhinoceros, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 1]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade armored sandstorm beetle, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 2]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade lightning snake octopus, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 3]


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 130; Superior, 100; Peak, 30; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Thanks to the stampede consisting of lifeforms of ten different races, Zhang Lie had maxed out his basic gene fragments outright, at 160 points, and was only 20 away from maxing out his mutated gene fragments too. Meanwhile, hecked 50 superior gene fragments and already possessed 30 peak gene fragments.


    After a full meal, Zhang Lie smiled with delight.


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "You might befortable, but what about me?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed Li Qianlin''s wrists tenderly, but she pped away his palms. "Go help me clean up if you''re so free!"


    "Ah, sorry, I have things to do. See youter!" Zhang Lie escaped from the dragonwhale soulshard, leaving the sighing Li Qianlin behind.


    There were many gic hunters in the city waiting to offer their thanks. Zhang Lie nodded to them all, then returned to the Milky Way.


    The teleportation apparatus of the fourth realm wouldn''t send the hunters back to their own homes, but rather to a gxywide base of hunters in the Milky Way.


    The base was exceptionally crowded, and all manner of hunters were present there.


    Communication among hunters was encouraged so as to facilitate sharing intel or updating maps. The best food and amodation were offered as amenities, along with all sorts of services for the top hunters.


    It was simr to a military base for specialized top-tier troops, but with even more freedom and upgraded amenities. In some sense, it was like a vacation resort for hunters.


    However, hunters wouldn''t be able to remain in the base indefinitely. After some time, the services and food would no longer be free, and the fee would continue increasing in order to avoid hunters spending too much time rxing rather than training and fighting, to get so used to luxury as to be unable to get back into top condition back in the dimensional world.


    Resting and rxing was necessary, but overdoing it would be a problem.


    The hunters present at the base were elites that had passed through the gauntlet of the first three realms, and they naturally weren''t overly tempted by these amenities.


    Those hunters who returned from the fourth realm would only spend brief periods of time in the base before returning once more.


    Zhang Lie found a transceiver with which to contact Hong Tianqi.


    As usual, his secretary picked up. After about ten minutes, Hong Tianqi called back. "Haha, I thought you''d vanish for a long time, but you''re already back!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "You might think it''s fast back here in the Milky Way, but a lot of things happened to me in the dimensional world.


    "How do you feel about the fourth realm?" Hong Tianqi asked.


    "How else? I encountered two beast stampedes, and the gathering point I spawned at was lost to one of them."


    Hong Tianqi gaped. "What? You just ascended! How could you havee across two beast stampedes already? I don''t know whether to call you lucky or unlucky."


    Unlucky, for having encountered two such stampedes; lucky, for having survived both.


    "They''re part and parcel of the fourth realm, I suppose. I just have to get used to them."


    Hong Tianqi was speechless. "It''s true that stampedes in the fourth realm aremonce, but not to his extent."


    "So I''m the exceptional one?"


    "You''ve always been exceptional."


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll hang up now. I still have to register as a fourth-realm hunter."


    Newly ascended fourth-realm hunters would have to register their new status with the hunter''s guild, which was right in the base. Zhang Lie knew where it was, having gone there before in his past life.


    Hong Tianqi replied, "I have a lot of things to do on my end, too. If you encounter any trouble in the base, find some humans. We do still have quite a few hunters in the fourth realm, though most haven''t made a name for themselves. If you have extra time, check in on some older gathering points and update their status for me, won''t you?"


    "Very well. Please help me send word to Zhang Hanxiang and the others in the third realm¡ªtell them that I''ve ascended and am safe and sound."


    Both parties hung up. Zhang Lie went off to finish his registration, which involved filling out an electronic form and taking records of his fingerprints.


    The process was automated and conducted entirely via AI, and it was rather straightforward. Just teleporting into the base from the fourth realm basically qualified you for everything.


    After finishing the registration, Zhang Lie returned to the city to find that a new wave of lifeforms had approached. This time, it was only half the size of the former, and there were none above peak grade.


    Even so, the hunters within the city were having a hard time dealing with them. Most of the stronger hunters had been injured in battle from the previous stampede, and this new one was clearly targeting weak spots left over from the previous one. Gic lifeforms charged at those weak spots heedless of their lives, and the hunters had no choice but to take down each one as they approached.


    Zhang Lie, sensing Lin Lingfeng inmand atop the city walls, leapt right up to her side.


    "Another beast stampede?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Lin Lingfeng smiled wryly. "Two days wasn''t enough time to fix the walls. When other lifeforms noticed the gap in our defenses, they rushed over."


    In just two days, the city was suffering from another crisis that could overwhelm them.


    "Do you need help?"


    Lin Lingfeng smiled in delight. "Are you willing to help, Sir?"


    "It would be difficult for me to use this teleportation apparatus if your city were destroyed. Recall your hunters."

 Chapter 1307: Setting Off Again

    <h4>Chapter 1307: Setting Off Again</h4>


    Lin Lingfeng was stunned for a moment. If the hunters were to return now, it would be akin to opening the city right up to the gic lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie rified, "They''d hinder me."


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding thend and sweeping countless lifeforms away.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Huge boulders were sent flying, and the will of the fourth realm sent Zhang Lie a barrage of announcements.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade ckwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade ckwind mantis, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade inkspider. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkspider, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade titan snail. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade titan snail, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    Only a few peak-grade lifeforms survived the tsunami-like attack.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Then, Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade ckwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade ckwind mantis, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade inkspider. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade inkspider, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade goldenvenom beetle. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade goldenvenom beetle, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Only one gic lifeform remained, a peak-grade one that was ck all over, like a mountain of ck metal.


    This lifeform had survived not out of overwhelming strength, but rather because of its overwhelming defense. Zhang Lie''s attack hadn''t managed to take it down in one blow.


    Before Lin Lingfeng could be amazed by Zhang Lie''s techniques, Zhang Lie had vanished from sight. The next moment, he appeared atop the walking mountain of ck metal. Ripples of water encircled his sword. Zhang Lie thrust his hand into a scar left on the surface of the metal mountain, then transmuted his gic energy.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    ck gic energy surged into the mountain through Zhang Lie''s palm, causing it to shudder and quake as the corrosive gic energy dissolved it from the inside out.


    Shortly after, the will of the realm rang out.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade titanium snail. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade titanium snail, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Lin Lingfeng had frozen on the spot. Zhang Lie had just ended a stampede that could have been a city-ending crisis for them in the blink of an eye. Peak-grade lifeforms were nothing more than ants in front of him.


    Why was there such a disparity between him and other hunters? Was it because of the disaster gene fragments he had umted? Or the power of limit gene fragments?


    Lin Lingfeng was tempted to restart her journey from the first realm.


    The gic hunters present had all frozen. Zhang Lie''s attacks weren''t particrly shy, but were incredibly strong. The hunters were shocked to see what an apex hunter could do for the first time.


    Zhang Lie was right¡ªfor someone like him, the participation of ordinary hunters would only hold him back. With them gone, Zhang Lie could attack indiscriminately. Lin Lingfeng was just about tomand all hunters outside the city to return and shelter when she found that Zhang Lie had reappeared beside her. "There''s no need. They''re all gone now."


    Only then did Lin Lingfeng realize that all the lifeforms had been turned into carcasses. She was beyond shocked¡ªwas this really something a gic hunter could aplish?


    Zhang Lie began cleaning up the battlefield, keeping the peak-grade and rtively intact superior-grade carcasses for himself and bringing them into the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.


    Li Qianlin grumbled, "Even more?"


    "I''ll leave it to you, my deardy."


    Li Qianlin cut apart the carcasses with a practiced hand. Zhang Lie had a sumptuous meal as he filled up his gene fragments.


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade ckwind mantis, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 101]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade inkspider, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 102]


    [For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade titanium snail, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 103]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade ck-armored rhinoceros, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 31]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade armored sandstorm beetle, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 32]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade lightning snake octopus, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 33]


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 130; Superior, 150; Peak, 70; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie had finished maxing out his superior gene fragments and acquired forty more peak gene fragments besides. The peak-grade titanium snail, which Zhang Lie had dposed with corrosive gic energy, he had chosen to leave outside¡ªhe wasn''t interested in consuming sludge.


    After his feast, Zhang Lie returned to the city and headed straight for Lin Lingfeng, who was overjoyed to see him again. "You''re back, Sir!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I''d like some peak-grade lifeform meat. I can exchange it for other meat at a two-to-one or even ten-to-one rate. As you know, I killed many gic lifeforms during the stampede.


    Lin Lingfeng frowned. "I''m afraid it won''t be so easy. It''ll take some time."


    "How much time?"


    Lin Lingfeng syed her arms. "I don''t know, Sir. You''ve seen the status of our city for yourself. We just survived a crisis that might have destroyed our city, but a new stampede appeared not two dayster. We''re short on defenders and can''t go out hunting, and no one in the city has any stock left. If they did, they''d have eaten it by now."


    The strongest hunters in the city were only on the level of peak-grade lifeforms, and if they wanted to kill a peak-grade lifeform, all the strongest hunters, in addition to arge number of supporting hunters, would have to work together to do so.


    This was very different from the second and third realms,rgely because in all previous realms, superior- and peak-grade lifeformsrgely wandered alone. In the fourth realm, however, such lifeforms tended to roam in packs. Taking down a pack was as tiring as participating in a war.


    After killing a peak-grade lifeform, all gic hunters participating in the kill would be eligible for a piece. As such, no matter howrge the lifeform was, there wouldn''t be much meat to be shared.


    Lin Lingfeng continued, "Sir, as a benefactor who has saved our city twice over, we''ll treat you with the utmost respect. If you need peak-grade lifeform meat, I''ll dly arrange a team of the strongest hunters in the city to kill one for you, once I finish dealing with urgent affairs. I''ll be able to promise you peak-grade meat within a month."


    "Forget it, then. A month is too long."


    Zhang Lie hadn''t harbored high hopes of obtaining more peak-grade lifeform meat from within the city, so this wasn''t much of a disappointment.


    "How about mutated-grade meat?"


    Lin Lingfeng replied, "That''s no problem at all, Sir. There''s plenty of such meat avable in the city. How much do you need?"


    "I simply need two different lifeforms'' worth of meat. I can exchange it for six different lifeforms''¡ªI have a prettyrge supply."


    "Please, take it for free, Sir. I have some in my inventory, I believe." Lin Lingfeng retrieved three lifeforms'' meat from her extradimensional storage, neither of which were species Zhang Lie had just killed.


    As Zhang Lie took the meat, Lin Lingfeng asked, "Sir, would you be interested in bing the deputy leader of this gathering point? I''d dly offer up my position as leader if you''d like as well."


    If Zhang Lie was willing to be the leader of this gathering point, they wouldn''t ever have to worry about stampedes again. If she could, Lin Lingfeng would have exchanged ten such positions in a heartbeat.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m not interested in bing a leader of any gathering points. I have tasks to be done, and a ce I''m heading towards."


    "Where to, Sir? I''m quite familiar with the vicinity."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m going somewhere far away."


    "What a pity."


    "Why don''t you tell me about the locations of nearby peak-grade lifeforms?"


    Lin Lingfeng was very grateful that Zhang Lie would ask such a question.


    Zhang Lie had killed fifteen such packs of lifeforms near the city. Within the short term, the gathering point would be particrly safe, but as more lifeforms encroached on the area, it would be dangerous again. If they weren''t able to repair the city walls before more such lifeforms appeared, they would suffer another city-ending crisis.


    However, if Zhang Lie were intending to take down even the peak-grade lifeforms in the vicinity of the city, it would be far harder for any lifeforms to invade.


    She hurriedly took out a map of the gathering point and marked the locations of all peak-grade lifeforms she knew of. There were none in the immediate vicinity, of course; otherwise, the city would have long since been destroyed.


    Zhang Lie returned to the disaster-grade dragonwhale to find Li Qianlin still cleaning up.


    Li Qianlin turned around and asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Zhang Lie grinned as he took out the mutated-grade meat he had received from Lin Lingfeng.


    Li Qianlin groaned.


    This was a ''happy'' problem to have, in her estimation. She enjoyed being able to see Zhang Lie so often. In the third realm, Zhang Lie had been so busy dealing with problems all around that she had very few opportunities to be with him. Now, however, he popped up so often that Li Qianlin was starting to get a little peeved, especially since he would always bring back a huge quantity of lifeform meat.


    Li Qianlin was happy to be able to help Zhang Lie, but she was getting annoyed that Zhang Lie only returned when he needed her to cook. Even so, she made another feast.


    Zhang Lie obtained another thirty gene fragments.


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade swordde tiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 131]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade zed carp, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 133]


    [For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade tstone tiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 134]


    As he maxed out his mutated gene fragments, Zhang Lie waved to Li Qianlin. "I''lle back soon!"


    "Scram!" Li Qianlin shouted back.


    Zhang Lie returned to the fourth realm proper and headed off in the direction his map was leading him.


    Following Lin Lingfeng''s additions to his map, he headed toward the marked peak-grade lifeforms'' territory.


    The region with the highest density of peak-grade lifeforms nearby was the dark swamp, an area that no ordinary gic hunter dared brave. Any being from outside the swamp who wandered in would never return.


    The superior-grade lifeforms that lived outside the swamp were dark red leeches, each the size of a long snake. They were thick and extremely long, and looked particrly disgusting as they squirmed around the mud of the dark swamp.


    "I don''t think I could bear to eat those..."


    They were too vile for the likes of Zhang Lie, even with the temptation of peak gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie had just stepped forward when a group of leeches surged toward him.


    Expressionless, Zhang Lie sent a pulse of pitch-ck gic energy spreading out from him. Struck by the corrosive gic energy, the leeches fled, not daring to draw near.


    As Zhang Lie walked deeper into the swamp, he saw all manner of strange superior-grade lifeforms, one of which was a sphere with countless mouths arrayed all over. It didn''t look edible, either.


    As Zhang Lie stepped into lifeforms'' territory, he was surrounded and attacked by those lifeforms. He repelled them all with pulses of pitch-ck gic energy.


    There were unusual fish nearby, streamlined, with small eyes, and two protruding lips, each with two petal-like teeth on either side of both lips. Its gills resembledbs with a dense series of tines, and its skin patterned like ck flowers.

 Chapter 1308: Mudman of the Swamp

    <h4>Chapter 1308: Mudman of the Swamp</h4>


    Zhang Lie propelled himself off the ground with ayer of ck gic energy. His feet didn''t sink into the muddy swamp; even in the swamp, he was able to walk as though over tnd.


    The fish that had gathered around him were particrly ugly. The moment he drew close, they swarmed him.


    Pitch-ck gic energy surged forth from Zhang Lie like dark clouds, but the ugly fish actually seemed to resist its corrosion.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth through the swamp, leaving a deep furrow behind.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade garbage collector. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade garbage collector, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade garbage collector. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade garbage collector, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade garbage collector. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade garbage collector, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    A number of the garbage collectors were sucked into the serpent''s wake.


    The ugly fishes'' ability to resist the corrosive energy only went so far.


    The serpent''s appearance summoned a peak-grade garbage collector. Just like its superior-grade brethren, it was streamlined with small eyes and two protruding lips, each with two petal-like teeth on either side of both lips. Its gills resembledbs with a dense series of tines, and its body was ck with white spots all over. It was disgusting to behold, and Zhang Lie didn''t want to look at such an ugly peak-grade lifeform any longer.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a ck serpent roared in outrage and shot forward,


    unching it up and away from the swamp, then straight back down.


    As the peak-grade garbage collectornded back in the swamp, it began sucking up the mud from all over, causing a whirlpool to arise over the swamp''s surface. The garbage collector''s belly swelled. The next moment, it shot out all the mud it had sucked up, spraying it all over. The ck serpent tore apart the waterfall of mud, but failed to strike the garbage collector.


    As the mud sshed all over, the peak-grade garbage collector shot out from within, heading straight for Zhang Lie like a sharp de. A poisonous spike shot out of its tail fin.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly andunched a punch.


    Mud sprayed from all over his feet. The peak-grade garbage collector was sent flying once more. The ck serpent soared up from behind the fish and bit its tail as it rose into the air.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. A ck hole sucked up the swamp''s mud. No peak-grade lifeform could survive such a devastating explosion, and the will of the realm''s announcement rang out in Zhang Lie''s head once more.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade garbage collector. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade garbage collector, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie raised his head and looked up at the ck hole that had formed in the air. "It looks like I won''t be able to consume it, will I?"


    Zhang Lie wouldn''t have wanted to eat such an ugly fish, at any rate.


    The gic hunters of Lin Lingfeng''s city hadn''t explored any of the areas beyond the swamp, but most of the scouts predicted that there would be at least two peak-grade lifeforms within, likely more.


    Zhang Lie certainly hoped that more would be present; after all, the ones he had encountered weren''t edible.


    Just as he was about to delve deeper into the swamp, he suddenly stopped. Rather than step forward, he took one step back, then punched in a certain direction.


    ck mud erupted dozens of feet into the air.


    "Come out!" Zhang Lie called out.


    A humanoid figure appeared from deep within the swamp.


    "Killing my pet in my territory, and making such a big ruckus about it... it''s the first time I''ve seen such an arrogant lifeform."


    Zhang Lie frowned at the humanoid formed out of the swamp mud. "An alien?"


    He was shocked that aliens lived within the swamp.


    The mudman sneered. "Since you''re here, you might as well stay. Have fun ying with my pets.


    Five peak-grade lifeforms flew over.


    They had the head of mosquitoes and the body of caterpirs. Bug wings to their back allowed them to fly at a surprisingly rapid rate.


    The mud beneath Zhang Lie shook as nine ck-skinned smanders emerged, opening their maws wide toward Zhang Lie and sealing off his escape routes.


    The next moment, bloody light red around Zhang Lie.


    The unusual mosquito-bugs and ck smanders were quickly torn to shreds.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade caterpir fly. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade caterpir fly, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade swamp smander. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade swamp smander, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade caterpir fly. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade caterpir fly, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade swamp smander. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade swamp smander, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The mudman pped in apuse. "Impressive, very impressive! I hadn''t expected you to transform."


    "There are many things I can do you wouldn''t expect."


    Thanks to the influence of Zhang Lie''s blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, his ck gic energy had turned a garish blood-red.


    Gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. Each muscle formed a dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air.


    They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    The mudman transformed the mud of the swamp into a storm that surged toward the hundred dragons.


    As they exploded and released bursts of annihtion, the entire swamp became covered in a huge ck storm.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade caterpir fly. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade caterpir fly, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade swamp smander. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade swamp smander, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade garbage collector. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade garbage collector, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade swamp leech. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade swamp leech, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    The will of the fourth realm''s announcements continuously rang out in Zhang Lie''s head. Clearly, the storm had sucked in lifeforms from all over the swamp. Zhang Lie quickly stored the peak-grade swamp smander''s carcass in his extradimensional storage before it could be sucked up into the storm and destroyed.


    As the energy of annihtion dissipated, it revealed a brand-new swamp, the topography of which had changed to such an extent that it didn''t look like the old one at all. A huge hole had formed with Zhang Lie at its center, as though a nuclear warhead had been detonated on the site. ck mud fell from the skies and filled up the hole.

 Chapter 1309: Follower of Eternal Sun

    <h4>Chapter 1309: Follower of Eternal Sun</h4>


    The mud that fell from the skies glommed together and were reconstituted into a manposed of ck mud. "Oh? You''re quite strong. Are you interested in bing my ve?"


    Zhang Lie punched the ck mudman, who exploded and then reformed. "Your attacks are useless. As long as this dark swamp exists, I''ll be able to revive indefinitely."


    Zhang Lie smirked. "No existence is invincible. Let me guess¡ªthe reason you''re able to reconstitute yourself indefinitely, despite my energy of annihtion, is that your core or main body isn''t here."


    Zhang Lie''s words struck home. The ck mudman immediately shouted, "Ridiculous!"


    "Oh? If you''re making such a big fuss, it must mean that I''m right. Let me guess where your core is, then¡ªit must be somewhere in this swamp."


    The ck mudman snorted. "And so what? This swamp is sorge that you can hardly search it all."


    "That''s fine. I just have to attack the entire swamp¡ªI''ll destroy it sooner orter." Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and raised it high, causing a rain of des to fall on impact.


    Zhang Lie was carrying out a carpet bombing over the entire swamp.


    The rain of des spread out from all around Zhang Lie. Sooner orter, they would strike the area where the swamp was hidden. The ck mudman hurriedly shouted, "Do you know who I am?"


    The rain of des continued.


    "I''m an envoy of Eternal Sun, son of Cthaat!"


    If Zhang Lie weren''t mistaken, Eternal Sun was one of the two strongest and most ancient organizations of the fourth realm. He hadn''t expected to encounter them so quickly.


    Cthaat''s son shouted, "If you don''t want to die, submit to me now!"


    On hismand, the mud from the entire swamp rose up and transformed into a giant. The giant seemed somewhat amorphous, as though the energy of annihtion had been imbued into it. Somehow, the mud giant had absorbed a fraction of Zhang Lie''s strength.


    "I was going to spend some time digesting your unusual strength, but if you so desperately want to die, so be it!" the ck giant roared. A huge palm of mud mmed down on Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    With a huge sh of sword energy that illuminated the heavens, Zhang Lie cut apart the mud giant''s arm. A raging shark swam forward, carried by the sword energy, opening its bloody maw and biting a hole through the mud giant''s chest.


    ck mud fell over the hole, patching it up but causing the mud giant to shrink significantly in size. As it waved an arm, ck mud crested over Zhang Lie like a tsunami.


    Zhang Lie leapt up high into the air to avoid the attack. He raised his sword, encircled by ck gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the air above the swamp. Blood-colored frost appeared all around.


    The ck mud was freezing over, bit by bit.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The serpents tore at the mud giant, consuming the mud that made up its body.


    Cthaat''s son shouted, "I''m an envoy of Eternal Sun, son of Cthaat!"


    "You''ve said that before," Zhang Lie replied, his eyes cold.


    "If I perish, my father won''t ever forgive you. Eternal Sun itself will be your enemy!"


    "I''ll look forward to it."


    The pitch-ck gic energy expanded as it swallowed up the sky, recing the dark clouds above the swamp with ck gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Theherworld river swallowed up Cthaat''s son in a torrent of darkness.


    Deep within the fourth realm, the sea itself roiled, its surface transforming into a giant''s face. "Who? Who was it that killed my son?!"


    Zhang Lie stepped out of the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard, having consumed the ck smander''s flesh and gaining ten peak gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 80; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    He sighed. His skill had been so strong that it had destroyed the entire dark swamp. Otherwise, he would have been able to acquire the flesh of an even wider variety of lifeforms.


    He set off again, killing two peak-grade lifeforms along the way and obtaining twenty peak gene fragments. Only then did he arrive at the location indicated by the treasure map.


    Where the treasure map was located was a barren mountain of rock. At the top of the mountain lived a huge group of superior-grade lifeforms, an army of what seemed to be stone soldiers.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Zhang Lie transformed into a beam of silver light as he shot into the midst of the stone soldiers, bisecting them at their waist.


    Although their exterior was that of stone, their interior was a body of flesh and blood.


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade stone soldier. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade stone soldier, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade stone soldier. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade stone soldier, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a superior-grade stone soldier. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade stone soldier, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]


    The announcements of the will of the fourth realm continuously rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    As Zhang Lie continued his indiscriminate ughter, he quickly aroused the attention of the leader of the army. A spear flew whistling through the air.


    Over Zhang Lie''s palm, concentrated gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystal spears, which he tossed forward.


    His spears knocked aside the stone spears as they shot deep into the mountain.


    Zhang Lie followed straight behind the spears. Deep within the stone mountain was a huge soldier, at least ten times the size of those outside, but with a hole perforating its shoulder¡ªclearly the result of the crystal spear Zhang Lie had tossed.


    The peak stone soldier lifted a huge boulder and was right about to throw it at Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie punched forward. Sharp silver crystal pierced through the soldier''s head, which burst open. Its arms wobbled as it staggered, but it stabilized itself by taking a step forward. So heavy was its body that the ground under its foot cracked. It tossed its boulder, but its target had long since vanished.


    Zhang Lie had appeared behind the soldier''s back.


    The will of the realm hadn''t rung out; Zhang Lie immediately understood that his attack hadn''t been enough to kill the peak-grade head soldier. He immediately rushed to the soldier''s back.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, in a rain of crystals that were able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The daggers tore through space in a storm of silver, causing rubble and boulders to explode. After a series of explosions, the will of the realm finally announced btedly,


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade stone soldier. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade stone soldier, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    However, the peak-grade stone soldier''s body was a mess of blood and flesh, and its flesh hadbined with the stone powder in the vicinity. It was, again, inedible.


    Zhang Lie was having a hard time consuming peak-grade flesh. He was so strong that peak-grade lifeforms were unable to withstand his attacks, and he could beat them to a pulp before they could do a thing.


    He searched for quite some time around the stone mountain, but didn''t discover an entrance that seemed to lead to the purported treasure.


    "It looks like I''ll have to destroy the whole mountain, then."


    He had painstakingly umted the pieces of the treasure map, then traveled all this way to the location of the treasure. Even if he had to dig three feet underground, he would uncover the treasure at any cost.


    Zhang Lie rose into the sky, leaping up from the tip of the stone mountain. From high in the air, he condensed his gic energy in the form of sharp white crystals that floated around his body.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!


    As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists, smashing into the rock mountain and obliterating it within moments, thanks to hundreds of explosions that rang out all throughout.


    "It really does exist, after all!"


    There was a door hidden deep below the rubble of the mountain.


    It wasn''t clear whether the rock mountain had formed naturally, or was intentionally designed to hide this door.


    Zhang Lie opened the door and stepped inside, only to see six different colors of light. The red light scorched like me, the ck light was as heavy as the earth, the purple light was charged with lightning, the blue light flowed like water, the pale white light felt like living frost, and the golden light let out a blinding glow.


    These six different lights came from six different rocklike lifeforms, each of which was above peak-grade, and with a gem embedded in the head of each one.


    A ruby was embedded in the forehead of a stone qilin; an onyx, a ck tortoise; an amethyst, a lion; a sapphire, a dragon; a diamond, a tiger; a topaz, an ox.


    The gems shed with light, as though forming a hexagonal formation.


    Suddenly, the gemstones all glowed with incredible light, suffusing each other with energy. The stone qilin opened its mouth wide and sprayed out scorching heat. From its attack, Zhang Lie could tell that it went beyond peak-grade and was now disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie punched forward with a fist, cleaving the mes.


    Next, the amethyst lion summoned a field of lightning around itself as it charged forward. Not only was it strong, it was blindingly fast.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Fourth Form]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle manifested behing Zhang Lie, and his water-attuned gic energy turned heavy, sluggish, and a dark yellow color. Ripples of gic energy spread out all around him like mud, slowing down the lion to such an extent that it almost seemed to stop entirely..


    Zhang Lie kicked through the shield of lightning and sent the lion flying away.


    The onyx tortoise mmed the ground with a w. A crack propagated toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Rune: Gravity]!"


    Zhang Lie raised an arm high into the air once more, and the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind him. Runic tablets crashed down onto the ground, preventing the crack from spreading.


    The interaction between these tablets and the Keys of the Elder Gods had strengthened the power of the tablets immensely. Runes of unknown provenance appeared from the tablets, then floated down and surrounded the tortoise until it was trapped in a localized gravitational field. Each movement would take dozens, hundreds of times its original strength, and those within would feel as though they were shouldering the weight of a huge mountain. The six stone lifeforms slowed down, their power and momentum sapped away.


    From earlier observation, Zhang Lie was certain that the reason these supposedly peak-grade lifeforms had been able to employ disaster-grade attacks was because of the gems embedded into each of their foreheads. The gems seemed to have the ability to temporarily transmit the power of all six lifeforms into just one attacker.


    If this were true, the gems would undoubtedly be an incredible treasure. As Zhang Lie attempted to confirm this hypothesis, the gic lifeforms attacked. The sapphire dragon''s gem pulsed with blue light as it shot out a jet ofpressed water.

 Chapter 1310: The Six Gemstones

    <h4>Chapter 1310: The Six Gemstones</h4>


    Zhang Lie weathered the current, then charged forward and kicked at the stone dragon.


    The stone dragon was protected by a watery barrier of energy, which deflected Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Zhang Lie was shocked to find that the six gic lifeforms were linked both in terms of attack and defense. The stone dragon swept its tail, spawning a current.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    Before he released his punch, the ground began to quake. Gravity distorted in the vicinity of the space, and the stone dragon was sent flying. Zhang Lie''s fist struck the ground, which cracked and split.


    As the ground beneath the water dragon broke apart, the dragon barely avoided falling into the resulting hole.


    The six stone lifeforms charged forward, led by the diamond tiger.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    The two gravity-controlling tablets smashed into the ground. ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    The six stone lifeforms, caught unawares by the gravitational distortion, fell to the ground.


    The stone tiger was the first to adapt. The other lifeforms'' gems all shone. As the lifeforms shared their energy, the stone dragon spat out a howling blizzard.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Having invoked the dragonturtle transformation, Zhang Lie''s gic energy had turned mud-yellow. His punches were all but unstoppable, and the heavy blow shattered the iing attack.


    Simultaneously, the mud-yellow punch, imbued with gravity, sent the six stone lifeforms flying again.


    The six stone lifeforms were clearly divided based on element, and Zhang Lie was certain that that was the crux to dealing with them. One of the elements was the weakest¡ªit might have been the obvious choices of fire and lightning, which generally had the strongest offensive abilities, or even the exact opposite, earth and water, which generally had the strongest defensive abilities.


    Zhang Lie didn''t know precisely how the elements of these lifeforms interacted with each other, and neither did he want to figure it out. Rather, he would simply use brute force.


    The topaz ox rushed forward, its gem glowing with light, augmenting its strength and allowing it to charge forward despite Zhang Lie''s gravity maniption.


    The gem''s golden light transformed the stone oxen into a golden one.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets, sealing the lifeform''s will and power.


    The six lifeforms found their own strength dropping and their thoughts slowing down.


    Zhang Lie charged forward. His fistsnded on the golden ox with the sound of a tolling bell.


    The ox tried to impale Zhang Lie on its horns, but he pulled aside.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    He swiped forward with bloody ws, shing at the golden ox''s tough exterior, leaving long scars on its body, trailing with sparks. The golden ox was entirely suppressed, without the ability to counterattack.


    The remaining five gic lifeforms attacked simultaneously in an attempt to free the golden ox, but they had already transferred their energy to it. At this point, their attacks were weaker than even those of superior-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie nullified it easily. The golden ox''s body grew scarred under Zhang Lie''s rapid-fire attacks.


    The resonance between the six gemstones was indeed incredible, tethering the six lifeforms'' energy and strength together. It was able to give one of the six lifeforms disaster-grade offense and defense, but Zhang Lie himself was beyond disaster-grade, and could take it on by brute force.


    "[Rune: Resonate]!"


    The four dragonturtle tablets began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the space and forming an absolute domain over all things within and without.


    The six gic lifeforms'' attacks stopped short.


    Zhang Lie tore the topaz off the golden ox''s head, causing it to scream as its energy weakened dramatically. It transformed back into a stone ox. With the topaz removed, the other gemstones'' luster also faded, along with the lifeforms'' energy.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, manifesting a blood-colored dragonturtle, which crushed the stone ox near-instantly.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade sturdy ox. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade sturdy ox, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The blood-colored dragonturtle continued charging forward with the energy of annihtion. Suppressed by the four runic tablets, the other five lifeforms couldn''t even escape. They were smashed to bits as well.


    The gems on their foreheads fell to the ground as the will of the realm''s voice rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade ming qilin. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade ming qilin, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade earthen ckturtle. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade earthen ckturtle, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade lion of lightning. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade lion of lightning, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade deepsea dragon. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade deepsea dragon, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade whitefrost tiger. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade whitefrost tiger, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie picked up the fallen gemstones, prepared to study them carefully. Perhaps he would be able to reproduce that incredible ability linking the six lifeforms and confer it on the members of Team Zenith.


    As he picked up the gemstones, Zhang Lie found to his surprise that the stone lifeforms were simr to the stone soldiers outside. The interior of their bodies was flesh and blood, but whereas the soldiers were natural, these stone lifeforms were clearly manmade.


    In other words, the six lifeforms were originally ordinary lifeforms of different elements that were subsequently captured and sealed inside stone using some special technique, in order to use them as guardian beasts.


    Just then, a door before him swung open. Zhang Lie smiled. "This is an invitation, isn''t it?"


    He certainly wasn''t going to resist.


    However, before that, he intended to bring the lifeforms back into the disaster-grade dragonwhale''s soulspace, so as to increase his strength.


    Li Qianlin made another sumptuous feast, and Zhang Lie devoured it all.


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade ming qilin, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 101]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade sturdy ox, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 111]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade lion of lightning, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 121]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade earthen ckturtle, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 131]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade deepsea dragon, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 141]


    [For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade whitefrost tiger, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 150]


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Having maxed out his peak gene fragments, Zhang Lie stepped through the door.


    The door was surrounded by ayer of spatial energy, which teleported Zhang Lie to an independent space that seemed like a small world. The ground was littered with skeletons and broken pieces of armor, and a gigantic ck nine-headed lion guarded an imposing set of doors.


    The doors seemed like the gateway to hell. They were formed of skulls and chains, and gave off a chilly aura. The ck nine-headed lion seemed to be made of ck steel. It released incredible pressure just by sitting there.


    The moment Zhang Lie appeared, the dozing lion opened its eyes wide and released a ck aura around itself. Its formless pressure seemed to bear down on Zhang Lie with the weight of a mountain.


    As ck energy swamped the small world, the nine-headed lion pounced forward with incredible strength. From the aura it gave off, it was unquestionably a disaster-grade existence.


    As it did so, thend cracked apart. Its ck ws were charged with killing intent. Bouldersrge and small were hurled into the air and sent smashing toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand, sending the rubble back toward the nine-headed lion. He darted among the rocks andnded on the ck lion''s body as naturally as though he were a floating leaf, then grabbed it by its mane.


    The nine-headed lion howled. Light shone all over its body as it shook Zhang Lie off. Zhang Lie summoned pale blue gic energy over his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The hall began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy from [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the enclosed space.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy. The nine-headed lion fell from the skies, and its crystalline body cracked.


    It roared so loudly and ferociously that an ordinary hunter''s soul might have been expelled from the hunter''s body. The fight between Zhang Lie and the lifeform took ce over a battlefield of unparalleled size.


    Its nine heads howled as one, sending nine waves of umbral energy into the sky.


    The ground cracked.


    Zhang Lie resisted the attack at full force, then counterattacked. Man and beast chased each other for hundreds of miles as the battlefield grewrger andrger.


    The nine heads roared again. The sound waves took on physical form, and golden ripples covered the air.


    As Zhang Lie and the lion fought each other off, moving rapidly from one ce to the next, the umbral waves caused the surrounding low-lying mountains to crack and fall, and some boulders even burst apart into powder.


    The ck lion''s physique was shocking, and its ws had the power to destroy mountains. When those ws smashed into Zhang Lie''s fist, the resulting boom could be heard all throughout the world.


    As the lion''s body smashed into Zhang Lie''s, umbral light encapsted bothbatants.


    Zhang Lie had only maxed out his peak gene fragments; on the other hand, his disaster-grade foe was exceptionally strong. It had safeguarded this vault for an eternity and in the manifold challengers that hade its way. It was halfway to monarch-grade itself.


    Its nine heads all widened their jaws to reveal incisors over a meter long. Gleaming light shot right by Zhang Lie''s face, scraping his skin and cutting off a few strands of hair. Far into the distance, where the light struck a mountain, the mountain crumbled.


    Zhang Lie''s heart thumped as he converted his pale-blue gic energy into a pitch-ck version.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    His fist smashed into the ck lion''s incisors with a tremendous ng, as though he had struck steel, or as though a heavenly drum was beating out a rhythm through the skies.


    The man and lion fought and fought and fought, summoning winds around them from nothing but the force of their blows. The world shook and trembled.


    As they shed again, the ck lion roared, sending a bombardment of sound waves at Zhang Lie. Gritting his teeth, Zhang Lie weathered the assault.


    Struck by battle-frenzy, Zhang Lie was fighting as much like a beast as a man. Heated blood pumped through his body, and his eyes were those of a predator''s.


    As he punched forward, the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The ck lion, surprised by the attack, reflexively dodged at extreme speed. It morphed into a bolt of ck that pinballed through the air in a rumble of ck lightning.


    Despite how rapidly it moved, however, the serpent shot forward with destructive energy, cracking a mountain as it shot through its middle.


    Dust billowed into the air as a cloud, revealing an ashen lion that had once been ck. Large patches of scales had fallen off its body, and one of its heads had almost been smashed open. A terrible wound marred its body, and flowing blood dyed one of its eyes red.


    The lion''s howls were like thunder. Shining brilliance drowned the sky in gold.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight and appeared before the lifeform.


    Smoke filled the air.


    Zhang Lieunched his strongest attack. Within the clouds, lightning crackled.


    A huge burst of light dissipated the mist and smoke. Although it hadn''t yet truly broken through the disaster-grade threshold, itsbat prowess was noughing matter.


    Zhang Lie and the ck lion tussled with each other in the sky. This was a dangerous closebat fight. Zhang Lie rode the lion, gripping its mane tightly as heunched attack after attack at thergest of its heads.


    Just then, the ck lion howled again. A ball of light¡ªa miniature ck lion¡ªshot out toward Zhang Lie with devastating force.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The blood dragon and miniature lion crashed into each other, and the frightening energy thaty dormant within the blood dragon''s body surged out.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky. The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight,nd, sea, and sky alike.


    The ck lion widened its maw and shot out another ray of umbral light, resplendent with energy.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion. The ck lion''s might was suppressed head-on.


    If not for Zhang Lie''s fear of destroying the ck lion sopletely that not even parts of its flesh remained, it would have been pulped.


    Zhang Lie grabbed its mane with one hand and smashed a fist into its skull with another in an outpouring of gic energy.


    The ck lion howled, its skull caved in and almost cracked entirely open. Its ck fur stood on end; one of its heads suddenly grew multiple timesrger, like an umbral millstone brimming with light.


    It opened its maw, transforming the air before itself into a crackling ocean of lightning.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and split the ocean into two. In fear, the ck lion tried to run, but it was toote. The two heads to its left were chopped off in a fountain of blood.


    The lion roared again. Fearful and unwilling to resign itself to its fate, it immediately retreated.


    With another sh, two more of its heads on the right were chopped off. The lion howled in pain.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants. Blood-colored frost appeared around them.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood, devouring the bruised and battered lion.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade nine-headed lion. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade nine-headed lion, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    When Zhang Lie''s serpents dissipated away, they left behind only a single ck core. The ck core gave off the impression of hell, of mountains of corpses, and was fearful to behold.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior.


    It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body.


    Zhang Lie swallowed it whole without even daring to chew it. As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body.


    Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart.


    Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    Blood seeped from his skin and pores, then boiled in the air. The residue detached itself automatically from his body, forming ck grains of sand that revolved around him.


    His blood boiled, his body swelled, and golden light emanated from his body.

 Chapter 1311: Trial-Takers Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 1311: Trial-Taker''s Chamber</h4>


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 10; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Zhang Lie had obtained ten more disaster gene fragments. He walked up to the gates of hell, but they didn''t open.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    A pitch-ck ocean appeared in its ce. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The serpents smashed apart the gates of hell as Zhang Lie walked inside. The scenery changed. It was a white domain, with a giant glowing orb at its center.


    The orb hummed. "Congrattions on finishing the first trial."


    Zhang Lie frowned as the orb continued to speak. "Wee, elite warrior, to the trial-taker''s chamber. Six trials will be set for you within. Every three trials you finish, a reward will be provided. When the first five trials areplete, you will be able to ess the sixth and final trial. Before you finish the trials, you will not be able to leave. Would you like to proceed with the trial or rest?"


    Zhang Lie raised his head and asked, "Where did this trial-taker''s chambere from?"


    "It is rted to the reason that the dimensional world exists: in order to develop stronger elite warriors. Would you like to proceed with the trial or rest?"


    "The reason that the dimensional world exists?"


    The orb repeated what it had said before. "Would you like to proceed with the trial or rest?"


    It didn''t possess sufficient intelligence to answer questions beyond the realm of its programming¡ªor perhaps, Zhang Lie didn''t have the authority tomand it to.


    "Is there a ce to rest around here?" Zhang Lie asked.


    A door opened to his front, and Zhang Lie walked in. The interior of the room was clean and sparse. Zhang Lie checked to see if there was any danger within, only to find an unexpected possession in a corner of the room¡ªthe pendant of a ne, which struck Zhang Lie as very familiar for some reason.


    This was clearly an object produced within the Milky Way. He pressed thetch, and a miniaturized hologram appeared in view: a photograph of his family, his father, mother, Zhang Hanxiang, and himself. Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "What''s this doing here?"


    The orb replied, "This is a possession left behind by a previous trial-taker. This space is independent from the dimensional world atrge, and is unaffected by its rules andws."


    Zhang Lie cried out, "What''s this doing here? This belonged to my parents!"


    Zhang Lie only knew that his parents were gic hunters themselves, but not how strong they were.


    All he remembered was that they had vanished one day, leaving him and Zhang Hanxiang behind.


    The orb continued, "This was a possession left behind by one of the previous trial-takers. Perhaps your parents were among them."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where are they now?"


    "Perhaps they perished during a trial, or perhaps they reached its end."


    "Can I meet them?"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t repress his feelings after suddenly finding a trace of his parents where he least expected to.


    The orb replied, "Neither of your parents exist within this space."


    "Where are they?"


    "It is rmended that you finish all the trials and head deep within. The answer you seek shall be revealed to you there."


    "The answer?"


    The orb replied robotically, "You possess insufficient qualifications to learn more."


    Zhang Lie was about to rest for a little, but upon realizing that his parents had once visited this chamber, he couldn''t help himself. If finishing these trials could lead him to his parents...


    "I''d like to start the trials immediately."


    The orb replied, "The system has identified an appropriate trial for you."


    A pir of light shone down on him, and Zhang Lie was transported to another small world.


    He sensed a disaster-grade aura before him. Zhang Lie''s current opponent was a humanoid ck turtle.


    It had four thick, stubby limbs, but was bipedal with a turtle''s shell on his back. The pressure that it gave off didn''t pale inparison with the ck nine-headed lion that Zhang Lie had defeated.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie''s arrival, the turtle mmed a limb toward him.


    Zhang Lie defended with crossed arms. The ground quaked and his feet sank into the mud as the turtle struck him, but Zhang Lie defended himself firmly.


    "What incredible strength!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Zhang Lie transformed into a ray of golden light. Sharp crystals of gic energy pierced through everything in their path.


    Despite having the appearance of a turtle, it was exceptionally nimble. It jumped into the air, dozens of meters high,and avoided the frightening attack.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals, which sliced through the air like des.


    The turtle agilely executed a backflip, retreating hundreds of meters in an instant. Itnded on the ground with a huge crash, smashing a crater in the ground where it stood. Its body glowed with radiant light. Suddenly, a wave of ck fog rose up from the ground and surrounded it like a hurricane.

 Chapter 1312: The Second Trial

    <h4>Chapter 1312: The Second Trial</h4>


    The turtle sucked in a breath and seemed to expand multiple times in size. Its muscles bunched up around its body as it charged forward. Where it stepped, the ground cracked. Huge boulders were sent flying into the air, threatening to drown Zhang Lie in the resulting bombardment.


    The turtle pounced toward Zhang Lie.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie shouted. He stomped on the ground with both feet and rose into the air, looking for a moment like a martial god.


    Silvery-white gic energy spun around Zhang Lie''s fists. His gic energy split the turtle''s aura in two as Zhang Lie punched forward. He glowed with radiant light, and runes appeared before him. This wasn''t mere physical strength. As Zhang Lie activated his gic energy, the ck turtle spurred forth the energy of evolution that had suffused it. Thebination was explosive and destructive.


    When the twobatants copsed, the turtle''s hand, which seemed about to enclose Zhang Lie, suddenly spasmed. The turtle roared in pain.


    A fist had punched through its arm, spraying crystalline shards everywhere. It shook in fright.


    As the turtle howled again, the dark clouds of energy surrounding it grew even more solid than before. Its arms retreated into its shell as it vibrated, knocking Zhang Lie back.


    Zhang Lie''s fists pummeled the turtle''s shell, causing a hugemotion.


    The turtle roared and pounded its chest as the shell flew out of its body, surrounded by ck light, and shot toward Zhang Lie with a tremendous aura.


    "What?!" Zhang Lie cried out in shock. The turtle''s shell wasrge and moved surprisingly quickly. It was difficult to avoid, and quickly enveloped Zhang Lie.


    The turtle began to pound on its shell, causing it to toll loudly with every strike. The sound echoed and reverberated within the shell, so loud as to be ear-splitting; the turtle was trying to quake Zhang Lie to death, to turn him into a pile of mush.


    However, the turtle''s attempts were ineffective. Zhang Lie''s feet sunk down into the ground, as though rooted, and he resisted the effects of the shell.


    An unusual sound came from within. It began to hum in a curious manner, and umbral light began to flood into its center.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, in a rain of crystals that were able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The crystals struck the turtle''s shell with repeated plinks. The turtle smirked. Its shell was far too hard to be broken by such weak techniques.


    More and more crystals struck the shell. Under the concentrated and incessant attacks, a small crack finally appeared on its surface.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him. He struck directly at the crack that the white crystals had created.


    Bloody light red and pierced through the turtle shell as a huge wave of energy erupted from the point of impact. The turtle was sent flying.


    It took a long time before the turtle was able to get back to its feet, at which point it roared in outrage and charged forward once more. Its limbs were glowing with light, and scales umted over its arms inyers. It looked particrly wild and violent.


    The turtle, in a feat of extreme strength, lifted up an entire mountain and threw it toward Zhang Lie.


    More shockingly, Zhang Lie didn''t retreat. He withstood the attack with shocking might and majesty.


    The world quaked. The fight between man and beast shook heaven and earth, and the earth itself seemed about to crumble. After exchanging blow after blow, Zhang Lie found an opening. His fingers wrapped tightly around one of the turtle''s fingers, then flung it up into the air and smashed it into a mountain of rock, still holding onto the finger.


    The turtle roared; his finger had been broken.


    Zhang Lie grabbed ahold of another finger and raised its body once more, smashing it down on another nearby mountain. Dust and smoke rose into the air as huge boulders rained down from the top of the mountain, almost burying the turtle alive.


    The turtle roared again. After having suffered repeated attacks, its body shrank down to a few dozen meters in size.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up. He rushed forward and began pummeling at the turtle''s prone body.


    This time, he grabbed the turtle by its wrist and smashed it against the ground, causing cracks that grew dozens, hundreds of meters long. Subsequently, he picked it up by its head and hurled it all the way toward the horizon. Where itnded, a huge thud echoed all through the air, and the horizon itself seemed to shake.


    Just how much strength was hidden in Zhang Lie''s body?


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!" As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists. The crystalline dragons harbored magnificent strength and beauty. The turtle gaped in shock, summoning its shell and hiding behind it as the crystalline dragons swooped down in an aerial bombardment. ck energy rippled across the air.


    Zhang Lie had cracked the turtle''s shell. Now, that crack continued to propagate. In the end, the shell was unable to withstand Zhang Lie''s might and shattered into thousands of fragments.


    Silver light sparkled. Silver shards pierced through the fragments and the turtle''s chest, striking its core.


    The will of the fourth realm announced in Zhang Lie''s head, [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade heroic ck turtle. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade heroic ck turtle, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The ck core was surprisingly dense, far more so than those of other disaster-grade lifeforms he had encountered.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it...

 Chapter 1313: The Third Trial

    <h4>Chapter 1313: The Third Trial</h4>


    Zhang Lie swallowed the core whole without even daring to chew it. As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body.


    Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart. Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn. As the energy in the disaster-grade core gushed through his body, he circted gic energy through his framework, faster and faster.


    As he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light. He circted gic energy through his body at an incredible pace, his framework fully activated to capture and transform his newfound strength.


    His evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the disaster-grade core, which caused his body to toll as it ran amok.


    Any other hunter''s body would have copsed under the strain, but Zhang Lie was an emperor-grade lifeform, and more than resilient enough to handle the stress of the disaster-grade evolution.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 20; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Within moments, he had obtained ten disaster gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie returned to therge, pure white trial-taker''s chamber. The orb spoke. "Congrattions on aplishing the second trial. Would you like to proceed with the trials or rest?"


    "Initiate the third trial immediately."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t wait to search for clues about his parents'' whereabouts, or even to find them outright.


    "Third trial ground assigned. Teleporting now!"


    As a pir of light shone down on him, Zhang Lie was transported to another small world.


    The moment he stepped forward, a ray of white light shot toward him.


    The disaster-grade lifeform in the third trial shed with white light. Gusts of wind surrounded it as it sent hundreds, thousands of tons of rock into the air. It shed against Zhang Lie once and again, ws against fist, as those rocks were sent flying all around the twobatants.


    The third disaster-grade lifeform was a white tiger that seemed to be made of gold.


    The tiger roared, spraying out a burst of silver light. Killing intent filled the air. Zhang Lie blocked the attack with a burst of energy. Behind him, a mountain copsed and exploded, the rock turning into smithereens.


    A huge white w mmed down on his body, but Zhang Lie dodged it. A huge trench formed where the wnded, the bottom of which couldn''t be seen from up above.


    The white tiger attacked furiously. Every part of its body could be used as a weapon¡ªeven with its back to Zhang Lie, it could strike at him with a flick of its tail.


    Its ferocity was shocking.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the world. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding thend.


    The tiger sprayed out a burst of white light, shining with metallic luster, as it defended itself against the titanic waves. An overwhelming explosion rang out.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Pale blue tides raged through the air like a storm. The ground cracked and huge clods of earth were pulverized.


    The white tiger roared, its eyes cold, as it leapt toward Zhang Lie.


    As a gic lifeform, battle was imprinted in the core of its being. It leaned into its intuition, its attacks turning fiercer, more domineering; no gic hunter could match its instincts.


    Zhang Lie smashed forward with a punch, causing bothbatants to quake. A meteor''s worth of energy exploded in mid-air, and the ground quaked as though a volcano were about to explode.


    The tiger roared again as sharp des grew out of its back at even intervals along its spine, each with a silvery-white sheen. Killing intent filled the air.


    The des stood like pirs separating heaven from earth, thick and ice-cold, giving the onlookers a chilling sensation.


    The des were ridiculously massive, and unusual phenomena were urring around them. Blood was starting to appear on each de. It was a frightening sight.


    The tiger leapt forward, causing all the des to suddenly turn toward their target. They gathered in a square around the tiger and shot toward Zhang Lie simultaneously.


    The bloodstained des, suffused with an aura of cmity, approached Zhang Lie at breakneck speed.


    Zhang Lie swung his own des with the resplendence of dawn, defending against the sudden assault.

 Chapter 1314: Absorption and Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 1314: Absorption and Evolution</h4>


    Light covered thend like an intense meteor shower. Formless ripples shattered rock and cleaved mountains, shocking all onlookers once more.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy encircled Zhang Lie''s finger as he unleashed devastating sword energy.


    With every sh of Guicang, torrential waves of water were generated, shing against the tiger''s des, but the sharp des that the tiger had somehow produced seemed impervious to damage. Killing intent formed a thick aura around them, so concentrated that it could affect material form. However, Zhang Lie remained unaffected despite his proximity. He was resisting the des'' damage with his des and with formless will.


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it¡ªlike a gentle stream, to deflect the momentum of the des; and simultaneously like river rapids, shooting forward with such force and density that the water was more dangerous than a naked de.


    The essence of water waspletely reflected in Zhang Lie''s attacks. He disyed tremendous swordsmanship and strength as he repeatedly nullified the tiger''s des.


    The tiger roared, its eyes cold. It spat out a mouthful of white light, causing the des to gleam even more brightly. They pierced through the pitch-ck gic energy shielding Zhang Lie and headed straight for his body.


    The fight had reached its climax. Zhang Lie pursed his lips¡ªthe des were too strong, and there were over two dozen of them! It would be difficult to handle them all simultaneously.


    The des flew toward him and pinned him down with overwhelming strength, causing thend to crumble where theynded.


    Each de was like a thick pir; if any were to strike Zhang Lie, he wouldn''t be pierced through, but rather ground into meat paste.


    As all the desnded simultaneously, Zhang Lie barely dodged them one by one. Space around him warped and distended; a number of ck holes formed, one around each de, trapping him in an unavoidable attack.


    Even so, the fighting spirit in Zhang Lie''s eyes only grew more intense.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck energy surrounded Zhang Lie.


    Resplendent silver light, like armor, shielded the tiger from the corrosion of Zhang Lie''s ck energy.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!" Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth. The serpent revealed its fangs as it tore through the tiger''s armor, revealing crystalline flesh underneath.


    The tiger roared in anger, and its aura strengthened even further. The two dozen des gleamed with killing intent and shot toward Zhang Lie once more, swamping the battlefield in white light.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Bloody ws filled the sky, deflecting the tiger''s des.


    The tiger roared in outrage, spitting out a ball of hazy light, charged with skeins of radiant energy so bright they were evaporating in the air.


    A thousand rays of rosy light, in an endless stream, enveloped all thaty below.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    As the des tore apart the blood dragon, the frightening energy thaty dormant within the blood dragon''s body surged out.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. The rocks, boulders, and bones strewn across the ground were all consumed by the ck-hole like energy of annihtion.


    The fight was over.


    Zhang Lie turned to leave, only to hear a tiger''s roar echo through the sky. Zhang Lie was shocked to no end. He turned back to see that the tiger had somehow survived his energy of annihtion.


    He could recall no enemy who had managed to escape from being struck dead center by that attack. Thest few foes against which he had to resort to this ultimate technique were all of tremendous strength, lying at the peak of each world. This tiger, solely disaster-grade, could not have managed such a feat.


    Even if it were stronger than an ordinary disaster-grade lifeform, there was no way a disaster-grade lifeform could survive his energy of annihtion.


    His energy of annihtion was ridiculously destructive; as its wielder, Zhang Lie knew that for a fact.


    Even so, not only had the white tiger managed to escape from his attack, it had even managed to undergo some sort of transformation.


    A frightening aura spread out from the tiger as it opened its maw wide open and swallowed all thaty around him, all manner of boulders flying through the air and into his mouth.


    Zhang Li gasped in shock¡ªthe tiger had managed to transform in the midst of Zhang Lie''s attack, absorbing the power of annihtion for itself!


    Despite the disparity between gold and annihtion, the white tiger had somehow managed to transform that power into something it could use. Zhang Lie had no idea how it had done that.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    The tiger widened its jaws and bit apart dragon after dragon, devouring their energy of annihtion and transforming it into something entirely his own.


    Zhang Lie wondered, "Absorbing strength to evolve... is that the nature of this third trial?"


    A trial, even abat-oriented one, had to have a reason and purpose. Zhang Lie suspected that the white tiger was meant to encapste the concept of adaptability, to be able to evolve to ovee obstacles.


    Glowing radiance emanated from the tiger and covered heaven and earth.


    Zhang Lie shouted, lifting Guicang high up in the air. He flicked his arm and sent a burst of sword energy through the air, blocking the tiger''s breath attack and leaving a scar on its forehead.


    The tiger''s evolution would hardly be enough to defeat him!


    The tiger growled. Two dozen silver des trembled as one, shooting straight at Zhang Lie in an attempt to pierce through him.


    Zhang Lie''s pupils glimmered with cold. As he whirled Guicang around him, a frightening burst of sword energy spread out like a tsunami, cutting all the des apart.


    The tiger howled in fury, but Zhang Lie was in the acme of his strength. He charged forward with Guicang.

 Chapter 1315: The White Tiger

    <h4>Chapter 1315: The White Tiger</h4>


    The white tiger stared at Zhang Lie with baleful eyes. Radiant light shot out from its mouth straight at Zhang Lie, who shattered the light with Guicang.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted allbatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them all.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The tiger widened its jaws and began swallowing the serpents up, but hidden among the flood of dragons was a sword sh. Zhang Lie shot forward with Guicang in hand.


    The tiger roared as blood sprayed from its body. Before it could react, one of its back legs had been cut off.


    Theherworld river had only been a bluff; the true attack was from the de in Zhang Lie''s hand.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy filled the air. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Zhang Lie''s sword had been hidden in the midst of the attack. The white tiger''s absorption ability was limited, and by the time it realized what was happening, it had already been cut apart at the waist. Crystal shards shot into the air.


    The tiger struggled once more, releasing all the energy of annihtion it had absorbed.


    The pitch-ck energy transformed into a ray of annihtion that seemed poised to destroy the world.


    A blood dragon''s phantasmal figure soared into the air. Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang, and the blood dragon swooped down and merged with the sword.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood-colored hurricane which struck the ray of annihtion in an explosion of terrifying force.


    Zhang Lie thrust his sword straight through the white tiger''s head, sending shards flying.


    Half the tiger''s head was cut open, revealing its silvery-white core. It tried to struggle once again, swiping its ws with radiant light.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight.


    A frightening force spread out from Zhang Lie, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, the tiger''s body, along with the ground, split open. He seized the tiger''s disaster-grade core.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade blessed white tiger. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade blessed white tiger, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The silvery-white core gave off a metallic luster. It gave off a prickling, painful sensation, as though you were touching the naked edge of a sword.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body. Zhang Lie swallowed it whole without even daring to chew it.


    The core was cold and prickly as it slid into his stomach. Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart.


    Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    As the energy in the disaster-grade core gushed through his body, he circted gic energy through his framework, faster and faster.


    While he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light.


    His body seemed to grow firmer, and his organs and bones all glimmered with a metallic luster.


    He circted gic energy through his body at an incredible pace, his framework fully activated to capture and transform his newfound strength.


    His [Ninecarp Transformation] activated involuntarily, and the image of a golden tiger materialized behind him. It roared; the disaster-grade energy was particrlypatible with this form of his framework. Two dozen des shot out from Zhang Lie''s back in a fan. It cut apart distant mountains and tore apart the earth. A cocoon of golden light surrounded him.


    The energy of the disaster-grade core and of his evolving framework ran rampant within his body, as though there were swords shing against his innards, but as an emperor-grade lifeform, Zhang Lie could withstand the difort.


    He roared loudly. The sound waves split apart the cocoon and caused the ground to quake. Countless rays of light transformed into sharp des that pierced heaven and earth, once again heavily damaging the already battered ground. The small world finally gave out, cracking amidst the golden light. Void was visible where the damage was most apparent.


    The light dimmed as Zhang Lie absorbed all the excess energy he had vented. The disaster-grade core had made him even stronger.


    After finishing the absorption process, Zhang Lie headed right back to the trial-taker''s chamber.

 Chapter 1316: Six-Headed Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 1316: Six-Headed Dragon</h4>


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 30; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    Within moments, Zhang Lie had obtained ten disaster gene fragments.


    The orb spoke once more. "Congrattions on aplishing the third trial. You may receive a reward. What sort of reward would you like?"


    "I can choose?"


    "Of course."


    "Anything I want?"


    "The trial-taker''s chamber will attempt to fulfill it to the best of its ability."


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "One of my friends was originally a lifeform from the third realm. Using a soulshard, I was able to bring her into the fourth realm, but owing to the naturalw of the fourth realm, she can''t leave the soulshard. I''d like to know what methods there are to bring her out in such a manner that she won''t be instantly obliterated."


    The orb replied, "She simply needs to transition into a lifeform from the fourth realm."


    "How?"


    "Do you wish to choose a metamorphosis potion as your reward?


    "A metamorphosis potion?"


    "A potion allowing lifeforms from lower realms to metamorphosize into those from higher realms. You can understand it as a transition from a third-realm lifeform to a fourth-realm lifeform. After consuming the potion, not only will the lifeform be freed from the naturalws of the fourth realm, its potential, strength, and talent will all be greatly augmented. Such a potion is only effective on lifeforms from the dimensional world."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "That''s an amazing potion! Is there a corresponding recipe?"


    "Distribution of the recipe by the system is forbidden."


    "What a pity."


    "The reward will be provided when you leave the trial-taker''s chamber."


    In other words, before finishing all the trials, no prizes would be granted.


    To think that the treasure the map had been pointing toward was the trial-taker''s chamber itself... Zhang Lie was even more curious about the purpose and existence of the chamber now.


    "Start the fourth trial."


    "The system is identifying an appropriate trial for you. Match sessful!"


    As another pir of light shone down on him, Zhang Lie was transported to another small world.


    Unlike the three thousand worlds of the third realm, the independent worlds of the trial-taker''s chamber were somehow more solid, more resistant to damage.


    This time, Zhang Lie''s opponent was a six-headed giant dragon.


    Each of the six heads had differently colored eyes. They sprayed out mes of different elements, respectively fire, lightning, wind, ice, light, and darkness. Each head seemed to be an independent disaster-grade lifeform; in other words, it was as though Zhang Lie had to face six disaster-grade lifeforms at once.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the world. It resisted even the sixfold breath attacks.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Pale blue tides raged through the air like a storm, shing against fire, lightning, wind, ice, light, and darkness.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy encircled Zhang Lie''s finger as he unleashed devastating sword energy.


    Waterfalls of energy fell from the skies as the six-headed dragon was handily suppressed. With thirty disaster gene fragments, Zhang Lie was at the point where he couldn''t be threatened by disaster-grade lifeforms.


    A raging blue shark surfed over the waves and bit down on one of the dragon''s necks.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    As pitch-ck energy spread all around them, the six-headed dragon struggled and spasmed. The corrosive energy slowly broke down the dragon''s scales. Amidst the clouds of gic energy, Zhang Lie struck, causing one of the dragon''s heads to explode with a kick.


    The dragon''s head broke open in a flurry of crystal shards. Zhang Lie saw a bright red core at the center of the explosion.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade inferno dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade inferno dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Was it really that simple? Even Zhang Lie was shocked.


    The remaining five heads, enraged, counterattacked simultaneously. Even after losing one of its disaster-grade cores, the dragon didn''t die. In fact, it seemed to grow berserk.


    Arctic ice, crackling lightning, a hurricane''s wind, and divine light and darkness¡ªfive different elemental energies merged together in abined attack from the five heads.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the ck serpent behind him shot forth and burst through the attack.


    Even though the five heads were working together, Zhang Lie was agile and easily able to dodge their attacks by causing them to block or hinder each other.


    The five heads merged their elemental breaths into an incredible hurricane of energy that scoured heaven and earth.


    Seeing thebined elemental attack, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but think of Fang Yi, though the five-headed dragon''s elemental energies were far weaker in terms of technique, strength, and quality. The final attack, then, would be equally inferior.


    Fang Yi''s skill could prate through even the core of a.

 Chapter 1317: Absorbing the Six

    <h4>Chapter 1317: Absorbing the Six</h4>


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, he transformed into a ray of bloody light. He tore a path out of the five elemental breaths and shed to the back of the giant dragon in the blink of an eye. He raked his bloody ws, slicing off another dragon''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade frostfang dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade frostfang dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    "A six-headed dragon, with each head an independent disaster-grade lifeform... just how was it made, I wonder?"


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    The four remaining heads sprayed out mes of four different elements.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. The surroundings were consumed by the ck-hole like energy of annihtion.


    Zhang Lie swiftly fell back. The energy of annihtion was so intense and spread so quickly that even he might well be caught in its midst.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade lightning dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade lightning dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    After that explosion, there were only three dragon heads left, and the ones that still remained were battered and half-dead. The galewind dragon''s spine had broken, and its head hung limply on its neck. Half of the darkbane dragon''s head had been destroyed, leaving only the lightcrest dragon''s head rtively intact. However, all three heads would quickly be destroyed¡ªZhang Lie had no intention of stopping here.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air.


    They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    The three remaining dragon heads each sprayed out dragon''s breath in an attempt to defend against the assault of hundreds of dragons. Zhang Lie hid among the ck dragons, Guicang shing in his hand. By the time the three dragon heads reacted, only two remained.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade lightcrest dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade lightcrest dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the world. Blood-colored frost appeared out of nowhere.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The two remaining dragon heads continued to release their breath attack, killing the serpents close to them.


    Zhang Lie suppressed them handily.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy filled the air.


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The dragon heads sumbed to the pressure of the endless ocean.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood-colored hurricane which disintegrated the dragon''s two heads in an explosion of terrifying force.


    Crystalline shards shed through the air as the will of the realm''s voice rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade galewind dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade galewind dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade darkbane dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade darkbane dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie had killed both remaining heads in one blow!


    He collected the remaining disaster-grade cores on the ground. The six dragon heads'' cores were each distinct.


    Each was like a world representing the heads'' provenance: a world of volcanoes, with cracked ground and flowingva; a world filled with lightning strikes and storm winds; a world of ice and cold; a world of burning sun, glowing with blinding light; a world of pitch ck, that seemed to absorb all incident light.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the cores. The moment it touched the cores, the blood was quickly absorbed into their interior. They sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    This time, Zhang Lie had to deal with six disaster-grade cores, not just one.


    Clutching the crystalline, multicolored orbs in his hands, Zhang Lie felt a sense of unusual familiarity with the cores, as though they were extensions of his body.


    Zhang Lie absorbed all six cores simultaneously.


    Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn. The energies in the disaster-grade cores gushed through his body, six different elements at once: me, lightning, wind, frost, light, and darkness.


    While he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light.

 Chapter 1318: The Fifth Trial

    <h4>Chapter 1318: The Fifth Trial</h4>


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 90; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    He returned to the trial-taker''s chamber and was quickly assigned a fifth trial.


    A golden roc swooped down toward him, its wings pping furiously and creating a howling gale.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the hall. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons.


    Man and roc struck each other in a huge explosion of light that swamped heaven and earth.


    The world reverberated with force. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Light and shadow danced in the air.


    Long momentster, as the light dissipated, the roc''s golden feathers withered. There was a huge, gaping wound on its chest from which fresh blood flowed.


    The initial confrontation between Zhang Lie and the golden roc of the fifth trial had left it with a severe injury.


    The golden roc spread its wings wide, zing with dawn light as it transformed into a divine sunbird. It fanned the ground with its wings furiously, spawning divine me and lightning.


    Zhang Lie''s hair stood on end. His eyes sparked with lightning, and blood trickled from his lips. He raised his pointer finger into the air. A thick pir of light shone down from the heavens, striking the divine sunbird.


    The will of the boundless de had descended.


    mes, sword energy, golden light, and pale blue gic energybined destructively, leaving another wound on the giant bird''s body.


    The golden roc''s eyes transformed into two golden whirlpools that could devour souls, intending tounch a spiritual attack at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie roared, a spiritual glow emanating from his eyes and shing against the roc''s.


    The golden roc''s eyes began to burn. It swooped down toward him, sharper than a divine de. Golden runes filled the sky, a frightening sight.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie shouted. He kicked forward with his right leg, unleashing a divine attack, summoning golden runes of his very own.


    The twobatants were both sent flying. Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted. The divine sunbird felt immense pain from its wing. It swooped down from the heavens toward Zhang Lie, initiating another bout of intense attacks. The golden roc wed at Zhang Lie, intending to tear him apart.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy encircled Zhang Lie''s finger as he unleashed devastating sword energy.


    With a huge thud, a golden wing fell to the ground, smashing a rock mountain as it fell. It was harder thanmon steel and boasted the essence of divinity.


    The golden roc shrieked as it fell to the ground, golden ichor sshing. Its body formed a huge crater, causing cracks to propagate through the ground for hundreds of meters.


    The roc''s body gleamed with golden light, and its feathers shone splendidly in the sun. Its skull was cracked open.


    With a huge sh, the golden roc''s skull was sent flying into the distance.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade gildwing roc. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade gildwing roc, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Suddenly, the void trembled. A figure dashed forward at lightning speed, heading straight for Zhang Lie with unabashed killing intent.


    Zhang Lie knew that the fifth trial couldn''t have been as easy as it appeared at first nce. The fourth trial had involved six disaster-grade lifeforms attacking him together, so how could the fifth trial be any easier?


    The unknown assant''s attacknded with a huge explosion, splitting the ground, shaking the heavens, and causing the world to break apart. It was a frightening blow that struck with the force of an earthquake.


    The assant was a red, hornless dragon, whose body was surrounded by ming clouds. It struck at Zhang Lie once again.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore. An aura of the divine exuded from him.


    The twobatants shattered mountains and destroyed spires with every blow. They shed against each other and were both sent flying. Light covered heaven and earth, frightening in its intensity.


    The dragon roared. It was strong and brimming with vitality, its scales shining resplendent, its body glowing with divine radiance. As it charged forward, it leveled a ten-ton rock.


    It struck Zhang Lie, ws against fist, then swept its tail toward his waist.


    Zhang Lie evaded the attack as the tail crushed countless rocks into powder in mid-air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie raised a hand. Concentrated gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals.


    The crystals danced in the air, then honed in on the scarlet dragon. The dragon evaded the attack, but the rock mountain behind where it stood was drilled straight through. It copsed instantly.

 Chapter 1319: Scarlet Hornless Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 1319: Scarlet Hornless Dragon</h4>


    The scarlet hornless dragon stared at Zhang Lie with cold eyes. Its crystalline, resplendent body hurtled back. The entire world seemed to shift with its movements.


    Its body glowed with one resplendent rune after another, a true dragon''s mark, imbued with the essence of the arcane, of mysteries beyond measure.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t know whether this was innate to the dragon, or if the master of these trials had created this gic lifeform artificially.


    For a moment, a divine chanting could be heard from the skies, shaking the heavens as all things hummed in resonance. The sound doubled, then trebled in volume. Ripples and echoes surged toward Zhang Lie.


    Boulder after boulder exploded, even those tens of thousands of tons heavy. The ripples that emanated from the dragon''s keening easily sparked a resonant dposition.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, in a rain of crystals that were able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    They tore apart space and sky, shooting into the air like raindrops in a thunderstorm, deflecting the ripples that emanated from the scarlet hornless dragon.


    Zhang Lie sparred against the scarlet dragon, shing once and again, before bothbatants were sent flying back. With a huge rumble and crash, a scarlet w struck the ground with the force of a mountain range. Light flooded heaven and earth.


    Zhang Lie roared, his eyes glowing with light.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The twobatants fought like ancient beasts, tearing apart mountain andndscape, heaven and earth. The world itself quivered as it observed their battle.


    Man and beast alike were radiant in their might, surrounded with glowing runes that burned incandescent, so brightly that no one would be able to observe the scene directly.


    The scarlet hornless dragon sent its tail sweeping forward like a steel whip, causing the void itself to creak. The runes surged forward like waves, astoundingly strong.


    Zhang Lie leapt up and dodged the blow. At the same time, he kicked at the dragon from above, his right leg sweeping past the dragon''s skull and overwhelming the dragon with burning golden light.


    The dragon blocked the leg with one w, then struck at Zhang Lie''s heel with the other, intending to root him and smite him on the spot. Its eyes glimmered with intelligence and sharpness.


    Zhang Lie snorted. His right legnded on the dragon''s arm as his other leg struck its skull, bearing down on the dragon with his entire body.


    The scarlet dragon caught Zhang Lie''s leg and was just about to knock him to the ground when Zhang Lie rooted himself in the void, rendering himself immobile. At the same time, his palms, radiating with golden light, pressed toward the dragon''s skull.


    The dragon roared. A wave of energy swept past the dragon, who was forced to loosen its hold.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!


    As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists, causing hundreds of crystalline dragons to weave through the skies in a stunning, dazzling disy.


    The scarlet dragon knocked each one down with a frenzied swipe of its ws, then its tail, leaving countless crystalline shards falling to the ground.


    Zhang Lie snuck through the group of crystalline dragons and struck the scarlet hornless dragon in a massive rumble of force.


    The scarlet dragon hadn''t expected Zhang Lie''s sneak attack and was suppressed as Zhang Lie took the initiative. Zhang Lie soared toward the dragon from above, smashing into its body and causing the ground to crack where he stood.


    A huge hole was sted into the ground. With his opponent incapacitated, Zhang Lie pummeled it with his bare hands. The scarlet dragon was struck with devastating blows. Its ws bled with blood, its chest torn open.


    Zhang Lie flipped it over, then kicked it with a foot and sent its body flying into the distance. Its body was chipped and cracked, with crystalline shards scattered all over the air. The scarlet dragon had never before suffered such serious injuries.


    It agonizingly crawled up and charged forward. Zhang Lie met it head-on with vicious attacks. The scarlet dragon howled, its radiant body tangling around Zhang Lie like a serpent winding its body around a mountain peak.


    It opened its bloody maw wide, its teeth sharp and white, as it bit down on Zhang Lie with the intent of swallowing him whole.


    In this time of crisis, Zhang Lie summoned Guicang before him and impelled it to prate the scarlet dragon''s eye.


    The scarlet dragon screeched in pain, its body suddenly loosening, allowing Zhang Lie to escape. The stars shook as incredible gic fluctuations emanated from Zhang Lie. He transformed into a being as radiant as the sun itself, shooting out rays of blinding light that were as sharp as edged des. The scarlet dragon screamed again as its scales and crystalline shards were pried apart and flung into the air.


    Zhang Lie emerged radiant and resplendent like a god, his entire body gleaming. With a p of his palms, the stars exploded.Enraged, the dragon roared again and swiped at Zhang Lie. Such was the bloody fight between the twobatants.


    Zhang Lie reached out for Guicang, still embedded in the dragon''s eye.


    The moment his hands touched its hilt, his aura changed, as did the world''s.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants present. Blood-colored frost appeared around them.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The scarlet dragon shrieked and struggled as its body corroded under the assault of tens of thousands of ck serpents.


    Just then, Zhang Lie struck again.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.

 Chapter 1320: The Sixth Trial

    <h4>Chapter 1320: The Sixth Trial</h4>


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The dragon heads sumbed to the pressure of the endless ocean.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood-colored hurricane which disintegrated the dragon in an explosion of terrifying force.


    Crystalline shards shed through the air as the will of the realm''s voice rang out in Zhang Lie''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade scarlet dragon whelp. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade scarlet dragon whelp, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    He picked up the disaster-grade core on the ground, a crimson one.


    The fifth trial involved only two disaster-grade lifeforms, but they were among the peak of disaster-grade. It wouldn''t be a far cry to call them halfway to monarch-grade, but they were still quite a bit weaker than Zhang Lie himself.


    Zhang Lie also retrieved the core of the other disaster-grade lifeform, the golden roc.


    The golden roc''s core was, as expected, golden in color, with what seemed to be a golden sky within.


    The world of the trial had been battered almost to the point of copse by the fight between Zhang Lie and the disaster-grade dragon.


    There were cracks in the ground so deep that they could see beyond the pocket world.


    No third disaster-grade lifeform had shown up; the trial had likely concluded with just two.


    Zhang Lie immediately began to absorb the two cores, starting with the golden roc''s.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, he felt some unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body.


    Zhang Lie swallowed it whole without even daring to chew it. The core was cold and prickly as it slid into his stomach. Subsequently, all that energy contained within the core burst apart.


    Almost immediately, Zhang Lie took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    As the energy in the disaster-grade core gushed through his body, golden light erupted from him. A pair of wings manifested from his back in a burst of light, and Zhang Lie began to float in the air.


    The energy from absorbing the core propelled his floating body upward. While he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light.


    He circted gic energy through his body at an incredible pace, his framework fully activated to capture and transform his newfound strength. but as an emperor-grade lifeform, Zhang Lie could withstand the difort.


    Then, Zhang Lie pulled out the second core.


    To him, absorbing these disaster-grade cores was an ordinary affair, nothing more.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior...


    Following the usual routine, while floating in the air, Zhang Lie absorbed the second core.


    Blood-colored radiance surrounded him, as though a dragon were coiled around his body.


    [Ninecarp Transformation] activated; gic energy circted around the technique faster and faster, shing against each other even as they merged together into a strength that was wholly Zhang Lie''s.


    In the fourth realm, Zhang Lie had evolved once more.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 110; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster)


    After the transformation, Zhang Lie returned to the trial-taker''s chamber for the sixth trial. Passing the sixth trial would allow him ess deeper into the chamber, allowing him ess to its secrets, to its purpose and the reason for its existence, to follow in his parents'' footsteps.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but grow excited.

 Chapter 1321: The Final Trial

    <h4>Chapter 1321: The Final Trial</h4>


    A pir of light fell from the sky. Zhang Lie appeared on a tform surrounded with golden light, though one that seemed to be a little blurred.


    A humanoid figure in silvery white walked down a staircase leading up to the heavens. Half his body was flesh, and half metal. He shone resplendently and with metallic luster.


    Another silvery-white figure followed behind, perhaps in the manner of an attendant or servant.


    "An alien from the Milky Way, a gxy nearing its destruction? To think someone like you would dare to show up." One silvery man walked up onto the tform with the sound of ringing metal.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    What in the world was this?


    The man rushed over while those behind him sat cross-legged in meditation, chanting from some arcane text.


    "Something''s wrong!" Zhang Lie was shaken. Somehow, space felt thick and sluggish here, making it difficult for him to move.


    The silvery attendants hadbined their efforts to summon an implement that seemed like a silvery sun, shining down on the region and sealing it in ce.


    Zhang Lie was astonished. Who knew what that silvery sun was?


    It was no technology from the Milky Way, nor a soulshard from the dimensional world. Even with two lifetimes'' worth of experience, Zhang Lie had no clue what it could be.


    Was it an object that had been produced by the trial itself? No, that couldn''t be the case. Mysterious and strange though the trial-taker''s chamber was, all the trials had only replicated lifeforms that had truly existed.


    This final trial, however, overturned all his expectations. This wasn''t ording to n! Was this an unwinnable trial?


    The silvery figure rushing over toward him was neither an alien nor a lifeform, without any sign of life whatsoever. It seemed more like a projection.


    It was unaffected by the strange sluggishness of the space, and it arrived before Zhang Lie within moments. It punched straight at his skull with a silver burst of light.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie shouted. Gic energy surged through his body as he radiated light. Pale-blue gic energy exploded all around him as he barely managed to hold up an arm in self-defense.


    On impact, Zhang Lie was sent flying. He frowned. The silvery figure in front of him was no projection after all, but a physical being!


    "To have survived the first ordeal..." The silvery figure likewise seemed shocked.


    Zhang Lie trudged steadily onward against mounting resistance. Pale blue gic energy surged all around him, flowing like a whirlpool, zing like divine mes. Zhang Lie felt as though he was dragging a mountain behind him.


    Dots appeared from all around the tform and transformed into figures of light, all of whom shouted in shock.


    Zhang Lie shouted to bolster himself as he charged forward faster and faster, unable to be suppressed by the silver sun.


    With explosive force, divine light radiated from him as he soared into the sky, causing everything around him to shake.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the space. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and striking the silver sun, knocking it flying.


    The world reverberated with force. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Light and shadow danced in the air.


    The silvery attendants were knocked back by tremendous force. The silvery figure remaining on the tform was naturally no match for Zhang Lie in this state. He was blown into the air by the wind as he rapidly deployed a shield, hoping to escape.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy encircled Zhang Lie''s finger as he unleashed devastating sword energy.


    One of the silvery figure''s arms was chopped off.


    Zhang Lie left afterimages behind him as he shot forward. He smashed into the figure, causing him to vomit out silver blood. His body was almost crushed; he fell to the ground, immobile.


    "We''re leaving!" the other silvery figures called out. The silver sun shed as it was restored, sending silver light brimming through the space.


    Zhang Lie was shocked. Perhaps this was some functionality of the relic or some unusual property of the trial space¡ªhe was certain he had sent it flying beyond the horizon.


    The silver light shone down with ring intensity. It broke apart at its highest point and unfolded to form a silver lotus, with formless runes that spread throughout heaven and earth. Silver roots extended from its base and into the naturalw of the space.


    The feeling of suppression returned in full force, stronger than ever.


    Zhang Lie felt his body being restrained by the silver roots to such an extent that even moving became difficult.


    "Scram!" Pale blue gic energy exploded from him like a boundless ocean.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The silvery figures shrieked in horror. Even the silver lotus was unable to restrain his actions!


    They fled in panic. Zhang Lie rent the sky with bloody ws, causing a huge explosion. Two of the silvery figures fell, but were taken away by theirrades.


    "Che¡ªnone of them were left behind!" Zhang Lie couldn''t help but be annoyed.


    The figures of light all around began to murmur to each other. One alien walked over, his body covered in golden scales, a pair of divine wings to his back, staring at Zhang Lie. He had three eyes, two where a human''s would be, and a third, vertical one at the center of his forehead. His aura was immense, so strong it was almost physical.


    In the stands, the figures of light cheered in excitement.


    "He''s Ling Gu, from the spirit race! His talent is astonishing, and he''s considered a spirit king!"


    Zhang Lie was utterly confused. The sight before him made him feel as though he were in a movie. A virtual reality?


    "It''s almost as though this is part of history, which I''m experiencing in person..."


    Zhang Lie thought the idea of a virtual reality more believable. The second would be far too frightening.


    "May we have a good fight." Ling Gu cupped his palms. He was over two meters tall, and his body shone in gold. He had the aura of a martial god, shining with a zing corona of light whose might could be felt all over heaven and earth.

 Chapter 1322: An Overbearing Foe

    <h4>Chapter 1322: An Overbearing Foe</h4>


    A huge noise resounded from the impact of fist against fist, as though an explosion had taken ce.


    Ling Gu howled, his golden hair standing on end. His wings forked open and shed forward.


    Zhang Lie released a flurry of palm strikes to resist the golden wings.


    Within moments, the twobatants had exchanged dozens of blows. Golden lightning surrounded them; it looked as though two deities were duking it out in the heavens.


    Zhang Lie was shocked. Who was this? He had never heard or seen such a race in the fourth realm¡ªin fact, he was quite confident that none existed in the dimensional world atrge.


    While in battle, he scoured his memories and impressions. There were quite a few simr races, but none so frighteningly strong.


    He should have had some impression of a race as strong as the so-called spirit race. He knew that he hadn''t reached the heights of cultivation in the fourth realm in his past life, that countless mysteries had been locked to him, but he should still have been aware of a race so strong. At the very least, this information should have been in the packet handed to newbie hunters.


    Even so, Zhang Lie hadn''t heard of it at all, as though the race had suddenly sprung out of nowhere.


    The scene before him was clearly a historic battle in some sort of arena, but he had never seen the races that appeared here, and he was certain some artifacts were neither of the dimensional world or of the Milky Way.


    Ling Gu''s vertical third eye, situated at the center of his forehead, opened. Runes formed a beam of rainbow light, with a deific chant that struck at Zhang Lie''s very soul.


    No one would be able to avoid such an attack at close range.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    This would be a confrontation of epic proportions.


    Pitch-ck gic energy hung around Zhang Lie like clouds, bearing corrosive power. It blocked the advance of the rainbow light with a sizzle.


    The beam of light fizzled as the eye shut again.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the blood serpent behind him shot forth.


    Within mere moments, Ling Gu''s golden wings turned bloody as he was sent flying backwards.


    ck corrosive energy dissolved the golden wings, continuing to spread around the wounds.


    Just then, Ling Gu''s left hand glowed with light. A spear of red light manifested over his palm, bearing immense power.


    Red light red across the heavens. In that single moment, everything else seemed to darken, leaving only a shining red spear the color of blood. It was only a meter long, but its light seemed to permeate the world.


    It shone too brightly to be observed directly.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the blood dragon as it struck the red light. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. The surroundings were consumed by the ck-hole like energy of annihtion.


    The two forces fought for dominion over the sky, neither willing to relent. Zhang Lie''s body was hidden within the roiling, pitch-ck clouds. Ling Gu and his bloody spear merged with the bloody haze. Both darted back and forth amidst the shing energies, exchanging blows in a melee.


    Eventually, the energies dissipated. Zhang Lie''s right hand bled. Ling Gu was sent stumbling back with the sound of breaking bones.


    With each step he retreated, he coughed out a mouthful of blood. He had clearly been dealt a severe blow.


    Even so, Ling Gu''s aura was as strong as ever. He glowed in golden light, then took an immobile stance, as inevitable and unmoving as a mountain range.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    Ling Gu tossed out his blood spear once and again, piercing through the ck dragon''s body. Pitch-ck energy of annihtion gushed out. As the battle dragged on, Ling Gu grew more and more wounded, golden feathers torn off his wings, his fresh blood anointing the ground. Even his golden glow seemed to dim.


    "Greet the king of theherworld for me!"


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and shed forward, intending to give Ling Gu a lethal blow when he suddenly turned.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    "Very well, I will!" Ling Gu turned to leave.


    Zhang Lie stilled. <i>You really know the king of theherworld?!</i>


    Ling Gu had already taken two steps away when Zhang Lie came to his senses and made to attack him once more. He swung Guicang, but it passed straight through Ling Gu''s body, as though it had only ever been an illusion.


    Zhang Lie tried a few more swings, but none could strike him, as though they had never had a bout at all.


    Zhang Lie suspected that he had fallen into an illusion array, but with his willpower, he could hardly have been affected by any such illusions in the fourth realm. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but think of this like a scripted fight in a game.


    As Ling Gu vanished from sight, another unexpected event urred. A huge crash came from the sky as a set of golden doors appeared in a frightening burst of energy.


    The figures of light all around knelt on the floor, suppressed by incredible pressure. They slumped to the ground, unable to resist.


    Zhang Lie believed that those figures of light represented people that truly existed¡ªor rather, had once truly existed.


    Subsequently, a resplendent golden sun appeared, descending with a will so mighty it seemed as though the universe itself had been given physical form. Seated within the sun was a man who seemed like a god, his eyes shut, the source of all the illumination.


    The sun bore down on Zhang Lie.


    Formless will billowed out from the man, as though no one in the world would be able to halt his advance.


    Zhang Lie raised his eyebrows. This new enemy was far too arrogant, to think that he could quash him by physical might alone.


    Zhang Lie raised his sword into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The man in the golden sun was unmoved, his eyes closed.


    What manner of pride was this? The man in the golden sun descended from the skies, suppressing Zhang Lie with aura alone.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    Zhang Lie''s sword will struck the sun''s divine glow in a resplendent explosion too bright to witness with the naked eye.


    Any spectators would find their soul trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun. This confrontation was one between two paragons.


    As the divine light dissipated, the two figures could be seen once more through the blinding haze.


    Zhang Lie stood on the tform, his robes shifting in the wind, silent and head unbowed.


    In the sky was a resplendent golden sun, with a saintly man still meditating with eyes closed within.


    Neither seemed to have won out in the confrontation; both parties retained their original stances.


    The other entity''s aura seemed almost deific in origin.


    "I know who he is¡ªhe''s from the n of the sr gods, a divine stem!" one of the figures of light shouted, clearly recognizing Zhang Lie''s opponent.


    "Is it really him, Radiant Sun? The young lord of the Redgold, invincible and undefeated in battle?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. It looked as though his opponent was famous.


    "You''re strong, stronger than I expected," Radiant Sunmented.


    His body seemed to shine with divine light imbued into his flesh. When he attacked, the world itself would quake.


    The void distorted as Radiant Sun made his move, forming seals with his hands. His left hand invoked the divine moon, his right the great sun.


    The heavens glowed with divine light, dyeing the skies golden and scorching the air.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants present.


    Blood-colored frost appeared around them.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    The twobatants struck each other in a sh of celestial wills.


    Radiant Sun''s right hand curved and sketched out a sun. He mmed his palm down, bathing the world in purifying radiance.


    Zhang Lie shot forward, his hair fluttering.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The skies shone with radiant sr light, cleansing and scouring.


    The earth was dark and chilly, where Zhang Lie had invoked a portal to theherworld. Pitch-ck gic energy formed a boundless ocean over the tform.


    The twobatants warred over heaven and earth themselves.


    "[Celestial Convergence]." Radiant Sun formed the seals of sun and moon with his hands. Stars peeked out from amidst the void and descended on Zhang Lie with incredible might.


    Zhang Lie stared up at Radiant Sun, both hands on his sword. "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon. A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood-colored hurricane.


    The sun and moon darkened; the falling stars shattered.


    The twobatants'' battlefield was foundational naturalw itself.


    Zhang Lie was shocked by the ferocity of his opponent. His blood dragon had torn apart the sun and moon''s radiance, breaking through Radiant Sun''s seals, but had fallen short of taking Radiant Sun himself down.


    Radiant Sun continued to sit cross-legged in the void, encircled by an eponymous radiant sun, holy and dignified. His eyes closed, he formed seals with both hands and raised them high overhead.

 Chapter 1323: Another Form of Power

    <h4>Chapter 1323: Another Form of Power</h4>


    Radiant Sun continued to sit cross-legged in the void, encircled by an eponymous radiant sun, holy and dignified. His eyes closed, he formed seals with both hands and raised them high overhead.


    A vase manifested in his hands, red and shining all over. Fiery mist poured out of its top, pointed straight at Zhang Lie. It was an ornate vase with physical form and structure. Just like the silver lotus, it was neither a soulshard nor a piece of technology.


    Zhang Lie felt as though he were facing an incredible foe.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the heavens.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot downward.


    Radiant Sun moved. The vase lit up with light, blowing countless runes toward Zhang Lie.


    A firebird flew out of the vase with a loud cry, terrorizing the spectators. The essence of the sun manifested in the form of a golden bird that swooped toward Zhang Lie. A phoenix manifested, its eyes glowing with me. It bathed in the mes and revived stronger than ever, flying into the air with the authority of a monarch.


    The vase had already spat out countless divine mes, each of which seemed poised to burn the arena down.


    Zhang Lie''s strike was burned clean through as the mes spread toward him.


    Zhang Lie was shaken by what he had seen. The enemies he faced bore a power he had never seen before, alien to both the dimensional realm and the Milky Way. His eyes lit up with divine light.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie pointed his longsword straight ahead. Time suddenly sped up in his vicinity.


    The firebird swooped down with incredible speed.


    Zhang Lie''s sword replicated itself again and again, forming hundreds, thousands of copies that lit up the space all around.


    The golden sunbird cried out, heavenly monarch that it was. Its wings sliced down like the des of heaven, its ws sharp and prating, imbued with the essence of divine me.


    Zhang Lie countered with Hanguang, obliterating the divine essence. Simultaneously, he shed above him, striking at the golden bird''s feathers and ws.


    The phoenix descended next, its every action filled with echoes of life, death, and rebirth. Zhang Lie sprayed out a breath of essence.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, the divine birds'' radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    The divine mes descended.


    The next moment, the sun itself shook. It grew brighter and brighter. Radiant Sun suddenly shifted, rousing torrential mes all around.


    The vase he held in his hands suddenly grewrger. It was zed bright red, almost like the color of blood, and sprayed out mes of even greater incandescence.


    The next moment, the firebird, golden sunbird, and phoenix all merged into one cohesive whole. Firelight swamped heaven and earth.


    The three birds perished together in an attack of overwhelming strength and force.


    At the same time, before the three divine birds, the color of the mes changed. They turned ck, then deep purple, then the color of blood.


    The three birds had vanished, leaving pure me behind. The me spread like dripping blood, heading straight toward Zhang Lie with overwhelming strength.


    The bright red light seemed to contain some otherworldly, sinister power, enveloping Zhang Lie and turning the skies bright red.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The sea of blood cut off the demonic mes.


    The next moment, incredible aura radiated from Zhang Lie. It looked as though a deity had manifested in his body.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his arms, his twin des pointing at heaven and earth. Guicang and Hanguang shone with zing light, like the sun and the moon, the yin and the yang. The energy that radiated from the two swords transformed into a heavenly raiment of yin and yang.


    The robebined the light of a ck sun and of a bloody moon.


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon.


    A blood-red and a ck dragon manifested, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them. The two des shone in unison, then gave off dazzling light as the twin dragons shot forward in unison like a twister toward the golden sun.


    The golden sun was obliterated. Swift as lightning, Zhang Lie charged forward. Guicang shed at Radiant Sun''s neck, while Hanguang pointed between his brows.


    Radiant Sun''s body transformed into fire, resisting Zhang Lie''s peerless blow. He defended himself with his bejeweled vase, forming a screen of light before him.


    Guicang struck the vase with a clear, resonant ring, a strike targeted at the spiritual rather than the physical.


    The red vase''s light swiftly dimmed. Divine fire was snuffed out as the vase trembled violently. With the vase handled, Guicang struck at Radiant Sun''s neck, drawing blood with a golden sh.


    Radiant Sun brimmed with me as he swiftly retreated, a battered golden sun shrouding him.

 Chapter 1324: Radiant Sun

    <h4>Chapter 1324: Radiant Sun</h4>


    The spectators raptly watching the fight were dazzled by the speed at which thebatants moved. Too much had happened too quickly; no one could catch all of what had happened.


    Zhang Lie stopped short. He wiped at a trickle of blood by his mouth. Any wounds he sustained healed quickly thanks to his status as an emperor-grade lifeform.


    On the other hand, Radiant Sun was no longer seated cross-legged as though in meditation. He stood, a frightening wound horizontally across his neck, brimming with blood. He had almost been beheaded.


    He wiped at his neck with his hand, healing himself as he zed with fiery light.


    Zhang Lie''s ck hair fluttered in an evanescent wind. He looked like a deity. The powers of yin and yang suffused him. His eyes glowed with moonlight and sunlight, then transformed into dragon''s pupils, which pierced through the very soul. He strode forth, charging up for another attack.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light.


    He could see that Radiant Sun didn''t have a soul of his own; this was some illusory manifestation, nothing more.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    "[Sr Null]," Radiant Sun called out.


    He stepped through the void, his actions brimming with dawn light. Golden mes burned overhead like a zing sun. mes poured out of him, shielding his body and blocking Zhang Lie''s ethereal attack.


    Zhang Lie''s [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] was a spiritual attack at heart. Although the physicalponent of the attack was still a strong one, it only served to cover up the damage that it dealt to his opponent''s very soul. Even so, against an opponent whose soul did not exist, [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] was easily nullified.


    Radiant Sun counter-attacked. This time, his mes didn''t burn blood-red, but white-gold. Sword energy manifested around him, and the ground seemed to shine with radiant, divine light, as though a sword of the heavens had descended to the mortal world.


    His bejeweled vase, like a divine sword, sent out tens of thousands of des of sword energy that drowned Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie crossed Guicang and Hanguang before himself, summoning celestial radiance. The energy of the blood moon and ck sun twined around himself in the form of a shield, deflecting the attack. Zhang Lie dashed forward, holding the shield protectively before him.


    "[Endless sh]!" Radiant Sun shouted, aiming the vase at Zhang Lie and sending a torrential burst of sword energy toward him.


    Zhang Lie''s clothes shone with light, protecting himself. He held his palms together, causing radiant moonlight and sunlight to explode forth.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    Red water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, manifesting in the shape of a dragon.


    Red energy of chaos exploded from Zhang Lie as the moonlight and sunlightbined, then drifted into the air like water vapor.


    The chaotic energy struck the bejeweled vase, causing it to explode in a burst of golden light, igniting even the heavens themselves.


    Bothbatants stood amidst a raging sea of golden mes, each focused on the other.


    Zhang Lie grinned. "It''s time to show my full strength."


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it vaporized much of the blood-colored water-attuned gic energy. The dark clouds all over the world began to burn, and the moisture in the air vaporized near-immediately.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, but just as he was about to strike, something happened.

 Chapter 1325: Parents Letter

    <h4>Chapter 1325: Parents'' Letter</h4>


    The golden sun struck with a whip of fire, tearing apart the sky.


    Zhang Lie was ready for another exchange of blows when the golden sun suddenly turned illusory, then vanished into thin air.


    "Is this all you''ve got?" Having observed his opponent enough, Zhang Lie was right about to strike at full force when his opponent, Radiant Sun, vanished on the spot. It was as though he had punched at full force, intending to strike flesh, only to hit a wad of cotton instead. It felt unbearably ufortable.


    "Come back! Don''t run away¡ªwhat sort of hero are you?!" Zhang Lie taunted.


    Just then, a voice could be heard from the tform. "The sixth trial isplete. All trials have been cleared."


    Zhang Lie was startled for a moment. "Hold on, I haven''t dealt with the enemy! Is that it?"


    No one responded to Zhang Lie''s question. A pir of white light enclosed him. Zhang Lie could sense the surrounding space fluctuate. The next moment, he had vanished. By the time he regained his senses, he was in another independent space with a small table in front of him. On the opposite side was an old man dressed in white. He pointed at the cup of tea before him. "Please, have some tea."


    Underneath his feet was an ordinary thatched mat, and to his left, a tree of overwhelming proportions. Before the tree was a huge stone tablet engraved with names. Above them was the starry sky.


    Zhang Lie nced at the old man before him. He looked like an ordinary old man, but Zhang Lie was stupefied by his aura.


    Despite the fact that he was standing before Zhang Lie, he seemed almost to be out of this world¡ªas though he existed in the void, beyond space and time. His mere existence alone was difficult for Zhang Lie toprehend.


    The old man had a sip of tea. "To think that someone would be able to smash the bejeweled vase of the sun to pieces¡ªand from the looks of you, you were almost able to kill Radiant Sun himself. As far as I can tell, he might not have been your match back then."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "If not for the fact that the trial terminated, he would long since have died."


    Zhang Lie was very dissatisfied by the fact that the trial had prematurely ended before victory was decided.


    The old man praised, "Until now, only fewer than fifty challengers have made it to the sixth trial, and only five have passed it. Among them, three of them drew out the match and barely managed to survive the bejeweled vase''s ultimate attack, and the other two managed to perish together with Radiant Sun in the final explosion that resulted."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Was all that just a trial?"


    The old man said, "This might only be a trial to you, but it''s an unforgettable memory to me. I perished to that bejeweled vase''s final attack."


    The vase was strong enough to force Zhang Lie to use his draconic transformation, but if they were to keep fighting, he was confident that he would have been able to defeat Radiant Sun.


    The old man sighed, clearly still harboring regrets from the match of his memories. "If I had had your strength back then, the Milky Way would hardly havended in such dire straits..."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "Hold on, what did you say?"


    The old man suddenly seemed a little flustered. "Ah, I forgot. You shouldn''t be aware of this information just yet."


    Zhang Lie pressed, "What did you say about the Milky Way?"


    The old man changed the topic. "I must say, you seem very much like someone, like someone I met a long, long time ago."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Elder, may I ask who you are?"


    "Ah, I almost forgot my self-introduction as well. It''s been too long since anyone made it here, and I don''t remember what I was called. My name is Bu Wentian. Others used to call me Heavenly Monarch Wentian, but I''m nothing more than a remnant of a soul in the trial-taker''s chamber, now."


    <i>Bu Wentian, Martial Sage Wentian?</i>


    The old man murmured, "It''s been too long since anyonest managed to pass all six trials and make their way here."


    Zhang Lie hurriedly asked the question that he had long since wanted to know the answer to. "Elder, you mentioned you saw someone simr to me before?"


    "It was a married couple, who came long, long ago..."


    Zhang Lie shook visibly. "Where are they?"


    The old man smiled. "It looks like you are closely rted, then."


    "When did theye?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Let me think. It''s been too long, and I''m starting to lose track of time. I''ll check the records of the chamber." The old man flipped through a set of documents. "About three hundred years ago."


    Three hundred years ago, considering the time dtion between the dimensional world and the Milky Way... was almost precisely when his parents had vanished. His parents really had made it here! It was even possible that their disappearance was rted to this trial-taker''s chamber.


    The old man''s next words shocked Zhang Lie even further.


    "They left a letter behind before they departed."


    Zhang Lie immediately extended a hand to request it.


    The old man cocked his head curiously. "Why should I hand it over to you?"


    Zhang Lie revealed his identity. "I''m their son."


    "But this letter might not be for you."


    Zhang Lie seemed startled. Well, that was true, the letter might not be for him¡ªbut who else could it be for?


    "Furthermore, why should I believe you when you im to be their son?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t know how to answer. There was no such thing as a DNA test here, after all.


    The old man continued, "However, if you want the letter so desperately, I can give it to you."


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief. Regardless of whom the letter was intended for, he needed to get the letter and read its contents. Zhang Lie was sure that it would be rted to their disappearance.


    "If you can finish the final trial and obtain the golden chest, I''ll hand you the letter as an additional gift."


    "There''s a final trial?"


    "Well, of course. However, the final trial is optional. To date, of the five people who have passed the sixth trial, only two have chosen to participate, and neither were able to make it."


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "Did my parents participate?"


    "If you mean the married couple, the husband participated and failed to pass the final trial."


    "In that case, I have to take the trial." Zhang Lie''s decision had been all but made for him: he needed the letter, and he wanted to follow in his father''s footsteps.


    "Very well. The final trial it is."

 Chapter 1326: Challengers of the Past

    <h4>Chapter 1326: Challengers of the Past</h4>


    Bu Wentian slowly stood up. "I''m a little curious how you managed to find your way to the trial-taker''s chamber. I left four disparate clues that would guide prospective challengers to the chamber, three in the fourth realm, and the final one in the third."


    "Is that so? There are many methods of finding this chamber, then?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "One alone would have dramatically reduced the number of challengers."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Why not release information on this chamber to the public?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "Challengers that are far below the minimum standards would only perish. It takes both intelligence and strength to make it to this chamber."


    Indeed, just the seven lifeforms guarding the entrance to the chamber wasn''t something that an ordinary hunter could take down.


    Bu Wentian asked, "The fourth realm''s clues are hidden in a nursery rhyme, a mural, and a stone cliff. Which clue guided you to the chamber?"


    "I found the clue in the third realm, rather than the fourth."


    Bu Wentian gaped. "The 500,000-piece puzzle? I made it out of boredom to mess with third-realm hunters, but you actually managed to use that clue to find the trial-taker''s chamber? I really have to praise your perseverance..."


    Zhang Lie asked, "I''ve been very curious as to the purpose of this chamber."


    "To pick out the strongest hunters of the fourth realm, of course."


    "And then?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "That''s it."


    Zhang Lie hesitated.


    Bu Wentian sighed. "I was hoping to cultivate any hunters with potential, but there were slim pickings. Of the five challengers who passed the sixth trial, only the couple went beyond the fourth realm. I have to say, the husband of the pair was quite interesting, only barely weaker than I was at the time. Now, however, I do wonder why I bothered constructing this chamber."


    Bu Wentian opened a portal. Zhang Lie followed him to a raised tform, one simr to that of the sixth trial.


    Before the tform was a stone tablet on which six names were carved. The name on the very top was Zhang Lie; the second was Zhang Yangyan, his father; the third was Han Lingxin, his mother; the fourth was Azathoth; the fifth was Aforgomon; and the sixth was Bast.


    Bu Wentian continued, "I''ve replicated the eid of the five sessful challengers based on their records during the trial. The strength of each eidolon corresponds to theirbat strength when they took the trial. Just like some games from the Milky Way, the rewards for this final trial will be provided in stages. Defeating the first eidolon yields a copper chest, defeating two yields a silver chest, and..."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You came from the Milky Way?"


    Was Bu Wentian a gic hunter?


    "You''ll learn about all thister. Don''t interrupt needlessly. If you want to receive the letter left behind by that couple, you''ll have to defeat three eid and receive a gold chest. Defeating four grants you a tinum chest; all five, a diamond chest. Your father only received a tinum chest."


    Zhang Lie nodded and stepped forward.


    "Of course, you may choose not to participate in this optional trial. The rewards from the first six trials will still be provided as stated. If you fail this optional trial, however, and do not defeat even a single eidolon, you will lose all prior rewards. Do you wish to continue?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t stop moving forward. He had participated in this trialrgely because he wanted to investigate his parents'' whereabouts, and since he knew that they had left a letter behind, Zhang Lie would get that letter at any cost.


    "You said that, of those challengers who passed the sixth trial, three did so by drawing out the match and barely surviving the bejeweled vase''s ultimate attack. The other two managed to perish together with Radiant Sun in the final explosion that resulted. I was the only one who could smash that vase apart, and I see no reason I will lose to their eid." Zhang Lie stepped onto the middle of the tform."


    Bu Wentian nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand.


    "Let the final trial begin."


    On the stone tablet, Bast''s name lit up. The projection of a silvery cat of light appeared, one that seemed to be made of starlight and moonlight. It gradually took on a human''s form with a cat''s head.


    The human body was a female one. A gold lion-headed shield was held in her left hand, and a bell in her right.


    Starlight and moonlight gathered around the relics.


    Bast began to dance in an unusual fashion, and the bell in her right hand started to chime.


    The sound of the bell was a pleasing one. Zhang Lie saw her transform into a beautifuldy, and her cat''s head into Li Qianlin''s head. Zhang Lie jumped up in shock¡ªthe bell had a mysterious ability to charm others.


    Zhang Lie struck immediately, not holding back.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the stage. The stage seemed to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool. A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging. Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    Bast defended with the golden lion shield. Pale blue gic energy crashed into the shield, resulting in a huge rumble that caused the arena to shake and the void to tremble.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Bast''s bell rang violently and incessantly.


    It was no wonder that Bast had managed to survive Radiant Sun''s ultimate attack¡ªher defenses were impable.


    The golden lion shield glowed with light, as though absorbing the strength of Zhang Lie''s attack. Starlight and moonlight filled her with surprising strength, like that of an erupting volcano.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, tearing apart the starlight.


    A raging shark swam forth toward Bast, who leapt up high to evade. The shark swam after her, forcing Bast to defend with her shield once again.


    While she was upied, Zhang Lie had transformed into a bolt of light, appearing behind her as the shark attacked from the front.


    The golden lion shield radiated light once again, shattering the manifestation of the shark. Bast wed at her assant with her bell-wielding arm.

 Chapter 1327: White Cutout

    <h4>Chapter 1327: White Cutout</h4>


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Zhang Lie caught the cat''s w. A ck serpent appeared behind him. The ck serpent, which resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr, let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy spread out all around Zhang Lie, corroding at Bast''s form of starlight and moonlight.


    Bast swung its other w, holding onto the golden lion shield, at Zhang Lie, who leapt up to avoid it and pulled away. At the same time, pitch-ck gic energy gathered around his arm, twining around it like a ck serpent.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    Bast transformed fully into a cat and leapt into the air to avoid the serpent''s attack.


    Even when the serpent turned back in mid-air, it was unable to strike Bast, who had be far more agile after the cat transformation.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from the spot. Just as Bast avoided the serpent''s attack, Zhang Lie appeared in the guise of a dragonwolf and kicked at Bast''s waist.


    Bast''s waist was soft and suppl, and Zhang Lie''s kick did littlesting damage.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and shot forward.


    Bast rolled in order to avoid the blood dragon''s rampaging attack, then leapt several times in session, causing the blood dragon to miss again and again. Then, Bast swiped her ws with a steely sh.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Pulses of energy spread over the arena.


    The pitch-ck energy formed a ck hole that devoured its surroundings. Bast was quickly overwhelmed and devoured, and her name turned dark on the runic tablet, indicating her defeat.


    Bu Wentian pped. "Excellent! As expected of the one who smashed apart Radiant Sun''s bejeweled vase. The first eidolon didn''t pose a challenge."


    "Is this it?" Zhang Lie asked. <i>How could a challenger with such limited strength ever have survived against Radiant Sun''s attack? Even Ling Gu should have killed her!</i>


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "It''s an eidolon, an imperfect reflection of an ancient challenger. There''s a significant difference between the level of skills that could be conveyed¡ªsay, this eidolon only has 30% of the strength of the real thing."


    "No wonder."


    Bu Wentian continued, "The Bast of the present is surely far stronger than in this eidolon. After all, she was the first alien to have passed the sixth trial, and her strength has only grown since. If I''m not mistaken, she''s already created an organization of her own in this realm, called the Ancient Gods'' Abode."


    Zhang Lie gaped. "She''s the creator of Ancient Gods'' Abode?"


    That was one of the threergest organizations of the fourth realm!


    Bu Wentian scoffed. "That said, the organization is entirely useless. If you ever meet her, give her a good beating from me. She''s turtled up in the fourth realm thinking that it''ll be safer, draining its resources and fearing the stronger existences from beyond the realm! A piece of trash¡ªI had to be blind to have picked her."


    Zhang Lie dissolved his dragonwolf transformation. "It looks like you once harbored high hopes for this Bast."


    Bu Wentian snorted. "Do you intend to rest, or to continue the trial?"


    "Let''s continue. I didn''t exhaust a significant portion of my strength during thest bout. I could handle twenty more such eid."


    Bu Wentianughed. "The next eidolon will be far stronger. I rated Bast as one star. She''s agile, but rather than focusing on that strength, she chose to use some strange shield, ruining both her defense and agility. She has no offensive ability to speak of; second-rate reflexes, third-rate defense, fourth-rate offense¡ªthis is how I would rate her."


    Zhang Lie asked, "What about me?"


    Bu Wentian refused to answer. "I haven''t probed the limits of your abilities, so I can''t evaluate you."


    Zhang Lie then raised his head and looked toward the stone tablet. "How strong is this Aforgomon?"


    "I rated him two stars. You''ll see for yourself soon enough."


    The stone tablet shook, and Aforgomon''s name lit up. A pir of light summoned another figure onto the arena.


    The white humanoid cutout seemed to havee from a two-dimensional world.


    The cutout waved a hand, as though it bore a huge sword that was shing toward Zhang Lie''s front. Zhang Lie hurriedly evaded as the space where he had been was cleanly snipped apart, just like a scissors cutout. A clear ck line scored the arena in two. This was an iprehensible ability.


    There was little question that Aforgomon was a two-star challenger, to have caused Zhang Lie to treat it seriously from its very first attack.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Zhang Lie pounced forward like a fierce tiger. Aforgomon repeated its previous action, waving its hand as though a formless de were cutting apart the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Concentrated gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals. White crystalline shards struck the ck shadow with a clear ring. The shards were cleanly cut in two.


    Sharp though Aforgomon''s cuts were, and long its attack range, the attack itself didn''t span a significant distance, and it was rtively easy to avoid if its direction of advance was known.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    After avoiding the attack, Zhang Lie pulled back. A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, in a rain of crystals that were able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The daggers tore through space in a storm of silver.


    Eyeballs appeared over the paper cutout, floating above its surface. They looked toward the silver daggers, as if prating space and time. Aforgomon seemed to have an ability akin to predicting the future and was able to avoid the daggers'' trajectories.


    It was almost as though the daggers were avoiding Aforgomon. Aforgomon''s eyeballs seemed to allow him to manipte the surrounding space and time to some extent.

 Chapter 1328: Aforgomon

    <h4>Chapter 1328: Aforgomon</h4>


    "No matter what your power is, I''ll be able to ovee it with brute strength!"


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals floated around his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the sky to tremble. The next moment, they shot out through his fists, causing hundreds of crystalline dragons to weave through the skies in glowing radiance.


    They pierced through space and time as Aforgomon continued to evade them time and again.


    Just then, a chilling sh took ce as Zhang Lie leapt over the crystalline dragons and shed at Aforgomon with Guicang.


    Aforgomon waved its hand, sending a two-dimensional cut back at him even as it was forced to defend against the barrage of attacks from hundreds of crystalline dragons from all directions.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Pale blue gic energy flooded the arena like a waterfall. A sword sh struck at Aforgomon in conjunction with the hundreds of dragons in an explosion of water and crystalline shards. As the crystalline powder spread through the air, one of Aforgomon''s arms and half its body exploded.


    "As expected." Zhang Lie had seen through Aforgomon''s trick. It wasn''t able to manipte space and time; all it could do was control the trajectories of projectiles.


    This was why it had been unable to defend against Zhang Lie''s barrage of attackspletely. The density of attacks forced it to only misdirect them to avoid its vitals, losing an arm and half its body in exchange.


    "Perhaps I would find it more challenging if it were here in person."


    Being able to manipte trajectories was already an extremely annoying skill to deal with. All attacks had trajectories; none could simply arise out of thin air. Such an ability would be able to handle the vast majority of attacks.


    "No wonder it survived Radiant Sun''s ultimate attack unscathed..."


    Compared to the cat, Aforgomon was far stronger, and had managed to survive Radiant Sun''s onught fully, without any tricks.


    Its incredible defense and two-dimensional cuts for offense was far more than sufficient to rank it among the top hunters of the fourth realm.


    "It would have been a difficult fight with your actual body around, but an eidolon at 30% of peak strength is nothingpared to me. I would be far too weak andughable if I couldn''t even defeat that."


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants present.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Aforgomon raised its mostly-whole arm and snipped at the underworld river.


    However, the river itself wasposed of countlessherworld serpents, and as long as they weren''t all simultaneously defeated, the river couldn''t be stalled.


    The serpents rushed forward in a flood. Aforgomon''s countless eyes redirected their paths and motion, preventing them from closing in on it.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void. Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Aforgomon was able to deal with a single underworld river, but what about an entire underworld ocean? It would be impossible for Aforgomon to manipte such arge quantity of serpents at once, and it would easily be overwhelmed.


    Aforgomon''s cutout figure trembled. Many cuts appeared over its body, which were mirrored in the space around itself. Countless two-dimensional cuts pierced through the underworld ocean, killing arge number of ck serpents.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!" Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood-colored hurricane.


    The blood dragon''s sword sh tore apart space and time, suppressing Aforgomon''s cuts. A blood twister formed, heading straight for Aforgomon like a meat grinder.


    Zhang Lie, hidden amidst the twister, shed forward. Guicang pierced through Aforgomon''s two-dimensional figure.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the heavens.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. He shattered Aforgomon''s body from within, turning it into nothing more than crystalline shards that filled the air.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his sword. "Aforgomon is interesting, but it likely wouldn''t have survived Radiant Sun''s triple bird attack."


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "Do you think everyone can clear the sixth trial as easily as you can? It just barely managed to make it¡ªbut of course, even that was a better performance than the half-dead Bast disyed. Otherwise, it would hardly have been able to create an organization that could counter Ancient Gods'' Abode."


    "Hold on, are you saying that it''s the creator of Eternal Sun?"

 Chapter 1329: Father of Chaos

    <h4>Chapter 1329: Father of Chaos</h4>


    Bu Wentian replied, "Eternal Sun, Evesting Sun, Unfallen Sun... there are too many names for me to remember."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Among the threerge organizations of the fourth realm at present, the leaders of two have passed through this chamber. Could Azathoth be the leader of the third, a purported rising star?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "I don''t know, but Azathoth was very interesting."


    "In what way?"


    "The reward he requested was very interesting."


    "What did he request?"


    "I''ll tell you once you beat him," Bu Wentian replied.


    "Why not now? It''s hardly going to make a difference. Don''t forget, they barely survived Radiant Sun''s attacks, while I had the ability to defeat him outright!"


    "Since you''re so confident, let''s get started." With a wave of Bu Wentian''s hand, Azathoth''s name began to glow on the stone tablet.


    A beam of light shone from the tablet onto the arena, and a giant m formed.


    The m had sixteen straw-like legs. This giant m seemed very familiar, as though Zhang Lie had seen it somewhere before. It gave off huge quantities of pitch-ck fog, which transformed into a palm that swiped at Zhang Lie.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the stage. The stage seemed to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and striking the palm of fog.


    The m emitted even more ck fog, which formed a whirlpool that blocked the flood of pale blue gic energy, resulting in a huge rumble that caused the arena to shake and the void to tremble.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, the tide causing explosions that shook the air and dissipated the m''s ck fog.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave.


    The sword sh left a scar on the m''s shell.


    A raging shark swam forth and bit down on the giant m, which emitted even more ck fog to drown the shark and destroy its structure. The shark dissolved into ripples of gic energy.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent, which resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr, appeared. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy spread over the arena in corrosive dark clouds. However, the m seemed to be resistant to this sort of attack. Its body hurled itself toward Zhang Lie like the head of a freight train.


    Zhang Lie leapt high into the air to avoid the m''s attack.


    Huge quantities of ck fog seeped out of the crack in the m''s shell, forming dozens of hands that attempted to catch Zhang Lie.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Bloody ws rent the ck fog in the air.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight. He appeared above the m''s shell, then swiped downward, his ws imbued with a bloody glow.


    The m was smashed against the stage, and Zhang Lie''s bloody ws left scars on the m''s shell.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and mmed into the shell..


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Pulses of energy spread over the arena.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight, devouring the entirety of the m.


    By the time it dissipated, all that was left was a m whose shell was cracked and about to shatter. As the shell fell away, a strange and ugly lifeform was revealed from within.


    It had ws that seemed to behave like tentacles, and a screaming face embedded in its chest. It looked like a cross between an octopus and a beast, and its screams affected one''s will and soul. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel that the creature in front of him was very familiar, just like the shell he had seen.


    Quickly, Zhang Lie realized what he was reminded of¡ªthe king of chaos and his summons.


    As though having found an important clue, Zhang Lie looked at the shattered fragments of the mshell on the ground, then thought of the seal that the king of chaos had ced on him.


    "Could this Azathoth be the father of the king of chaos...?"


    Azathoth emerged from the shell, then made to w at Zhang Lie.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, a horde of over a hundred ck dragons flew toward the octopus-like entity, directed by Zhang Lie''s punch. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    Azathoth was swamped by the bombardment of over a hundred dragons, but as expected of a challenger who survived Radiant Sun''s ultimate attack, he didn''t die even when subject to such bombardment. New flesh quickly grew from its battered body.


    Azathoth seemed to possess far more vitality than even a cockroach.


    Zhang Lie struck with Guciang, tearing apart Azathoth''s limbs, but it simply reconstituted them.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants present.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.

 Chapter 1330: Chaos Itself

    <h4>Chapter 1330: Chaos Itself</h4>


    As thousands of ck serpents attempted to devour Azathoth, he struggled and squirmed, crushing one serpent after another. However, the serpents could regenerate endlessly from gic energy.


    Azathoth had no ess to a wide-ranged attack, and he ultimately perished after suffering from the corrosion of thousands of serpents that had attached themselves to it.


    Zhang Lie sheathed his de as Bu Wentian pped once more. He looked toward Zhang Lie with glowing light. "Of the six challengers who have passed the sixth trial, I consider you the strongest."


    "Thank you."


    Zhang Lie turned to Bu Wentian.


    When he saw Zhang Lie looking straight at him wordlessly, Bu Wentian asked, "Shall we continue?


    Do you want to rest?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you remember what you said at the start of the battle?"


    "Ah, yes. Azathoth''s very interesting wish: to be able to be remade. Yes, you heard me correctly¡ªto be remade."


    "Is he rted to the king of chaos?"


    "I don''t know who this king of chaos you refer to is, but you don''t seem surprised at all. You''ve seen how strong Azathoth is; the fact that he could make it through Radiant Sun''s ultimate attack is proof of that. Of course, he''s a far cry from the present you or the past me, but his aplishments are ones that could not have been aplished without overwhelming effort."


    Azathoth had chosen to give up on it all and start again from scratch¡ªjust how much would he have to suffer in order to do so? It was like getting epted into a top college, and then having to start high school over!


    Zhang Lie didn''t seem at all interested. "He had to have his own reasons. Perhaps he felt that he was no longer able to advance, so he chose to restart."


    Bu Wentian waved a finger at him. "Well, you''ve got that part wrong. He didn''t do so willingly; he was forced."


    "Someone forced him to reincarnate?"


    "When I met Azathoth, he was being chased. Perhaps he did it in order to avoid his pursuers."


    "Is that so? Did you fulfill his wish?"


    "Of course. I had found a pill of nascent chaos along my travels, which would transform a cultivator''s physical form into chaotic energy. Forming an infant out of that mess of primordial chaos would satisfy his wish and augment his talent and potential, increasing his limits."


    Zhang Lie honed in on the details. "Hold on, what does this pill of nascent chaos have to do with the king of chaos?"


    "As I said, I don''t know of this king of chaos."


    "He was a superior king I saw in the third realm¡ªwell, perhaps not a superior king. A strong entity whose entire body was covered in a fog of chaos."


    "Tell me more."


    Zhang Lie described the king of chaos to Bu Wentian, causing him to p. "There''s no need to guess. It has to be Azathoth."


    "How can you be so certain?"


    "He asked for the pill of nascent chaos after finishing the first three trials. On finishing the sixth trial, he asked for a stable environment for growth. I gave him a flying ship that would be able to transport him from the fourth realm back into the third, expecting him to do so to free himself from his enemies'' pursuit."


    Many of Zhang Lie''s questions were resolved at this point. Azathoth wasn''t the king of chaos'' father¡ªhe was the king of chaos himself!


    Zhang Lie had been very curious just why the king of chaos wanted to forcibly bring the entire halls of chaos into the fourth realm. With his current strength, it would be trivial for him to ascend alone.


    Ordinary lifeforms from the dimensional world would, after their ascension, be weakened temporarily as they felt the weight of the naturalws of the fourth realm, but the king of chaos was decidedly abnormal.


    His strength was equivalent to Zhang Lie''s strength when he had maxed out all his peak gene fragments, and he had evolved to be a peak-grade lifeform.


    He would be able to do whatever he wanted in the fourth realm.


    Zhang Lie had initially guessed that the king of chaos was trying to bring his retinue up to the fourth realm with him because he didn''t want to search for talents from scratch there, but now, it seemed that that wasn''t the case. The king of chaos had done so in order to confront his enemies.


    When the king of chaos was still Azathoth, he had managed to survive against Radiant Sun''s assault. The only entities in the fourth realm that would be able to go against Azathoth had to be from the tworgest organizations of the fourth realm¡ªin other words, Azathoth was bitter rivals with at least one of the organizations. The king of chaos had ascended with the entirety of the halls of chaos in tow in order tobat them.


    Essentially all the lifeforms in the fourth realm were aware of how frightening the tworgest organizations were, and they would never assist the king of chaos with his impossible goal. In order to challenge the two organizations, not only had the king of chaos suppressed his strength in the third realm to dy his ascension as he umted more and more power, he had also tried to identify as many talents as he could in order to resist the two major organizations of the fourth realm after ascending.


    His return to the third realm from the fourth was exactly when the former will of the third realm had shattered. The king of chaos had steadily been growing stronger since.


    Zhang Lie said, "Although I am shocked by that information, that''s not what I''m looking for."


    "What is it that you want, then?" Bu Wentian asked curiously.


    "The letter."


    Bu Wentian blinked. "Ah, I had almost forgotten! I''ll do it once you defeat the two remaining challengers on the stone tablet. It won''t be toote then."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "That''s not what you promised."


    As long as Zhang Lie obtained a golden chest, Bu Wentian would hand him the letter his parents had left him.


    "I said that I''d do so as soon as you obtained a golden chest, but you haven''t obtained a single chest yet, have you?"


    "I''ve already defeated three of the eid."


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "Don''t worry, I''ll hand you the letter, along with the other rewards, once you defeat the remaining two eid."


    "You won''t back out of your promise, will you?"


    Bu Wentian grumbled, "Why would I? What good does the letter do me in my possession?"


    "Let''s hurry up, then. I''d like to read the letter as soon as possible."


    "You aren''t going to rest?" Bu Wentian asked.


    "The first three eid weren''t difficult to deal with, and I still have plenty of stamina. Let''s continue."


    On the stone tablet, his mother''s name lit up. A pir of light shone on stage, and a glowing projection of his mother appeared.


    She was a beautiful woman, as exquisite as the snow, as eye-catching as a gemstone. It was impossible to tell that she was a mother of two.


    Upon seeing his mother appear on stage, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but tear up. He hadn''t seen his parents for over a decade, and he couldn''t help but be moved upon seeing his mother once more.


    His mother channeled bitter cold. Cold air froze everything around her. Ayer of frost covered the ground, and snow began to drift down from the heavens. Frost surged forward like the tide.


    A frosty wind drifted toward him, with flecks of snow like icy des.


    Zhang Lie was no longer a child that would let his emotions control him. He reined in his emotions and mentally prepared himself for the uing fight.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    The image of the golden tiger behind him roared as his water-attuned gic energy transformed into gold-attuned energy. The energy thrummed and rippled, hard as steel. As the tiger roared, the chilly air was repulsed. The frost on the ground shattered, and icy shards filled the air.


    Whaty before him was nothing more than a remnant. He needed to defeat that remnant in order to obtain the letter his parents had left him.


    He breathed in, then breathed out. His heart turned harder than steel.


    He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    He summoned sharp white crystals that pierced through the blizzard.


    Han Lingxin leapt forward, dodging the crystals. Her body floated in the air as over a hundred needles of ice shot toward him like rain.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A crystal wall appeared behind Zhang Lie, reflecting light in five colors, so dazzling it dazed any who looked at it, so beautiful it sparked their desire.


    As Zhang Lie manipted space, that crystalline gic energy shot out of the wall behind him in the form of sharp daggers, in a rain of crystals that were able to prate anything thanks to Zhang Lie''s mastery of space.


    The daggers tore through space in a storm of silver.


    The silver daggers struck the needles and overwhelmed them. However, icy flowers suddenly formed out of nowhere, each a deadly weapon. Within moments, the tides of battle changed again. The silver daggers struck down the needles of frost, only to be struck down by the icy flowers in turn.


    Han Lingxin stood at the center of the icy flowers, beautiful and impably graceful.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. Sharp white crystals floated around his body. He cocked his fist, causing dozens of crystalline dragons to form behind his back.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists.


    Hundreds of crystal dragons criss-crossed through the air, beautiful and dazzling, radiating multicolored light. The snowkes struck the crystal dragons with metallic clinks, like bullets striking titanium, to no avail. Even the sharp snowkes could leave no trace or mark behind on the dragons'' bodies.


    Han Lingxin transformed the frosty air around her into a hundred giant frost dragons.


    They surged forth like the tide, intense and domineering, swallowing up Zhang Lie''s crystal dragons.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him. The ice on the ground melted as the temperature rose again.


    With his bloody ws, he swiped at the snowscape before him, tearing apart the snow and the heavens.


    Han Lingxin''s eyes red with mes of ice. Cold air continuously emanated from her body as her eyes turned into orbs of ice. A tide of ice preceded her. Flowers of ice manifested underneath her feet, spreading out from her as she walked.


    Time and karma froze at this moment as everything turned pale white. Fleet covered everything, even Zhang Lie himself.


    Compared to Fang Yi, Han Lingxin''s mastery over time was clearly superior. Fang Yi only locked time superficially, but Han Lingxin froze itpletely. Put simply, what Fang Yi did was akin to locking a box, whereas Han Lingxin did the equivalent of putting it in a safe.


    She stepped forward slowly across the frozennd, right up to Zhang Lie. She didn''t notice that Zhang Lie''s body was vibrating, that his palm had begun to crack.


    Han Lingxin pressed her fingers against his forehead and was right about to pierce through it when the frost on Zhang Lie''s palm suddenly shattered. Guicang appeared in his hand. With a sh of his sword, Han Lingxin''s figure was cut apart at the waist, unsealing the world of frozen time in a shower of icy shards.


    Zhang Lie panted as he escaped from the frozen time. The battle hadn''t consumed a significant portion of his resources and strength, but it was truly perilous.


    If not for the fact that Zhang Lie had some small aplishment of his own with respect to time, the eidolon of his mother might have killed him for good.


    "As expected of Mother..."


    The eid possessed about 30% of their original selves''bat power. Han Lingxin wasn''t much stronger than the other threebatants when it came to raw strength, but her understanding of time and ice was immense. Her understanding was essentially on par with his own, and he had almost fallen prey to her.


    Zhang Lie was very happy to have been able to exchange blows with his mother.


    Seeing how strong she was, he believed that his parents were very unlikely to have been in mortal danger.


    Bu Wentianmented, "This couple''s understanding and analysis of time is beyond anyone I''ve seen before. They were the two most impressive among the challengers that passed the sixth trial, as well as the writers of the letter you seek. Will you continue?"


    "Of course. I don''t want to waste any more time."


    Victory was right within sight!


    "Her husband is stronger than she is. The only reason he lost to her during this trial is because she countered himpletely. If I were to rate them all, Bast would be a one-star challenger, Aforgomon two-star, Azathoth 2.5-star, Han Lingxin 3.5-star, and Zhang Yangyan unabashedly 5-star."


    Bu Wentian clearly rated his father very highly.


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. "I''m ready. Let''s start."


    Bu Wentian nodded. "We begin now."


    On the stone tablet, Zhang Lie''s father''s name lit up. Zhang Yangyan''s name shone as fiercely as fire, glowing incandescent like the sun. As a pir of light beamed on stage, the glowing projection of his father appeared.

 Chapter 1331: Parents Again

    <h4>Chapter 1331: Parents Again</h4>


    Zhang Yangyan was a heroic figure. He seemed simultaneously domineering and transcendent, as though he were a god from a higher dimension projected down onto the mortal world.


    His eyes seemed surrounded by starlight. Though he wasposed only of light and shadow, he seemed somehow more real than the other eid before him.


    Golden mes wreathed his arms as the sky shone with white light. Golden mes roared as Zhang Yangyan punched forward, forming a firestorm that spread across the sky.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the stage. The stage seemed to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the twobatants. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The golden mes and boundless ocean shed in the middle of the arena, which split neatly in two, one side golden and the other blue.


    A huge roar echoed through the sky. The arena shook as the tides burst apart. A golden firestorm was set loose like a beast on a rampage. The sh between water and fire almost demolished the arena entirely.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave.


    Zhang Yangyan''s halberd stemmed the flow of sword energy.


    A raging shark swam forth along the current that Zhang Lie had created, opening its bloody maw wide.


    Zhang Yangyan''s halberd gleamed. Initially dark, it turned a bright golden-yellow as ripples of force emanated from it.


    He swung the halberd down as it emitted a fearsome light, like a ster river. The shark burst in an explosion of water.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent, which resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr, appeared. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy spread over the arena in corrosive dark clouds.


    The golden halberd seemed toe to life like a ferocious beast, gleaming with golden scales, the horns on its head a fearsome sight to behold.


    With his halberd soulshard activated, Zhang Yangyan grew even stronger.


    The beast''s howl blew the dark clouds away.


    Zhang Yangyan swung his halberd forward as the golden beast roared and barreled forward in the direction of the swing. Its sharp, shining horns seemed to be oveid atop the halberd.


    Zhang Lie shifted to the side and avoided a direct confrontation. He leaned and rolled away. His finger struck the side of the halberd with a ringing echo that almost tore the sky apart.


    The next moment, he shot toward his father''s eidolon in a bolt of light and began to strike at full strength.


    As Zhang Lie activated his blood ant and dragonwolf soulshards, he transformed into a dragonwolf with russet fur and limbs covered with dragons'' scales. His aura became magnified as a hurricane of blood spawned around him.


    Zhang Yangyan pointed his halberd toward Zhang Lie. An illusory golden halberd floated around him. As he waved his halberd in elegant arcs, countless illusory halberds transformed itno golden dragons that rushed toward the sky like meteors.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with both ws, shattering the golden dragons in a metallic sh.


    Zhang Yangyan''s body shed as he shot straight forward. A burst of golden light emanated from his body, as though a thousand arrows had been shot out.


    He swung his halberd in a wide arc, forming a golden wave.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, a blood dragon roared in outrage and tore the golden wave apart.


    Zhang Yangyan''s eyes glowed with starlight. Golden rays of dawn light bubbled forth as Zhang Yangyan retreated and tossed his halberd forward like a javelin. A golden sun ignited as the skies turned golden. The halberd pierced through space and time, smashing into and obliterating the blood dragon.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Pulses of energy spread over the arena.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that consumed everything in sight, but Zhang Lie and Zhang Yangyan had both retreated in time. Neither was injured.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air. They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion.


    Zhang Yangyan''s eyes gleamed with ster might. As though he could predict the future, he evaded one dragon after another.


    "Hold on, the ability to predict the future...?"


    Zhang Lie could see temporal power spinning in Zhang Yangyan''s eyes. Upon recalling what Bu Wentian had mentioned, he had an uncertain guess as to his father''s power.


    Sword energy flew toward the air and burst apart like a phoenix''s feathers, holy and transcendent.


    Zhang Yangyan struck with his halberd,unching one perfect swing.


    The two attacks shed with one another. In terms of strength, Zhang Yangyan''s eidolon was quite a bit weaker, and he was sent flying.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy. The temperature of the air dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the twobatants present.


    An underworld river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Zhang Yangyan swung his halberd once again, slicing apart the universe itself. Thousands of stars glimmered with light, an expanse of space vast without end. The halberd cut apart theherworld river, and the starlight vanquished one serpent after another.


    Though the serpents were almost infinite in number, replenished quickly as they were by the pitch-ck gic energy surrounding Zhang Lie, the might of the stars was itself limitless. Each beam of starlight was like a de that cut through the serpents.

 Chapter 1332: His Fathers Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1332: His Father''s Strength</h4>


    Zhang Yangyan''s halberd pierced through theherworld river. Zhang Lie raised Guicang once more as pitch-ck gic energy began to spread over the arena.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    A huge sea of gic energy covered up the skies, the clouds, the ck rain in the sky.


    The twobatants looked up at the void, whereupon they found it wholly reced by a pitch-ck ocean.


    Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea roiled, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Countless serpents swam across the raging sea as lightning shed ominously overhead, a scene right out of an apocalypse.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Theherworld river struck Zhang Yangyan''s ster river in an explosion of pitch-ck gic energy. The halberd pierced through theherworld river, but not deeply enough.


    Theherworld river transformed into aherworld sea, causing no end of annoyance for Zhang Yangyan.


    Starlight glowed and formed golden dragons which exploded in theherworld sea like zing suns. Ster fusion released tremendous amounts of energy as the golden dragons broke through theherworld sea by brute force. Golden lightning shed over the sea.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a blood dragon.


    A dragon''s roar shook the void as the pitch-ck gic energy turned blood-red. The underworld river roiled, forming a gigantic blood-colored hurricane.


    The golden dragon and blood dragon sword strikes shed against each other in the air. A blood tornado tore apart the stars. Golden radiance shone down on the arena as Zhang Yangyan swept his halberd horizontally through it, summoning golden waves.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight. A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot downward.


    Zhang Yangyan''s eyes glowed with starlight. As though he could predict the future, he avoided the attack and counterattacked with his halberd. Stars surrounded him, falling toward Zhang Lie like meteoric dragons. So bright was the attack that it seemed as though the sun itself were exploding.


    Tremendous quantities of energy were condensed on Zhang Lie''s de, forming a metaphysical extension to it thousands of meters long. The white broadsword met the halberd strike for strike.


    The ground quaked and space shattered. Ripples of force spread out all over.


    The sturdy arena had been reinforced once and again by incredible workings. Despite the earlier four shes, it had yet to be damaged¡ªbut after the confrontation between Zhang Lie and Zhang Yangyan, it began to crack. Stone tiles were flung up into the air.


    After the sh of Zhang Lie''s sword and Zhang Yangyan''s halberd, Zhang Lie then attacked with Hanguang using his other hand. Zhang Yangyan''s eyes red again as he narrowly evaded the attack.


    "As expected." Though he had no proof for it, the spar left Zhang Lie all but certain that Zhang Yangyan had made tremendous inroads with respect to time, that he had the ability to predict the future.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. His sword shed time and time again each strike like a raindrop. Zhang Yangyan''s eyes opened wide as he evaded them easily.


    A dense forest of sword shes seemed like nothing more than a gentle breeze to Zhang Yangyan''s eyes. He struck with his halberd, like the explosion of the radiant sun, each scintiting beam of light like a sharp de.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, Zhang Yangyan''s radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right. He simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    Zhang Yangyan struck again with his halberd, tearing apart the technique. Guicang, poised and hidden, thrust at Zhang Yangyan''s throat.


    Guicang was deftly positioned in a blind spot, and anyone else would have found the attack hard to counter, but Zhang Yangyan still managed to counter Zhang Lie''s hidden attack.


    Zhang Yangyan blocked the blow with his halberd, knocking Guicang aside. As the de scraped across the haft of the de, sparks were sent flying. He turned his body to avoid the trajectory of the de. Guicang swept past his neck, leaving a faint scar on it.


    Zhang Yangyan had barely avoided Zhang Lie''s killing blow.


    Those hunters who could view the future were immensely troublesome to deal with, being able to resolve all manner of feints and killing blows.


    Zhang Lie was certainly several levels stronger and more powerful than his father, but Zhang Yangyan had avoided several blows that would have taken anyone else of his status down.


    He was as slippery as a mudskipper, and persistent and agile enough to be able to avoid attacks until his opponent made a crucial mistake.


    "If technique and strategy both don''t work, then I''ll ignore them and focus solely on brute strength!"


    Zhang Lie''s richbat experience meant that he didn''t lose his fighting intent. He chose the simplest, most basic strategy.


    Zhang Lie extended his arms, his twin des pointing at heaven and earth. Guicang and Hanguang shone with zing light, like the sun and the moon, the yin and the yang. The energy that radiated from the two swords transformed into a heavenly raiment of yin and yang.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    The mes of the ck sun and light of the bloody moon formed a garment over his body.


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon.

 Chapter 1333: Predicting the Future

    <h4>Chapter 1333: Predicting the Future</h4>


    A blood-red and a ck dragon manifested, bearing down on his opponent with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them. The two des shone in unison, then gave off dazzling light as the twin dragons shot forward in unison like a twister.


    Zhang Yangyan''s pupils contracted as he attempted to run, but the twister moved so rapidly that he was physically unable to do so.


    He had no choice but to defend against the blow. His halberd glowed as brightly as the sun, then shone with incandescent light. Stardust revolved around him as he brought the stars, the infinite gxy, down to the arena. His halberd transformed into the fiercest golden dragon, shining with might and force.


    Despite his strength, Zhang Yangyan, who was only an eidolon, naturally lost out¡ªand even the slightest disadvantage in a fight against two phenomenal talents was lethal.


    The blood and ck dragons twined around the golden sun, obliterating it and causing the energy within to explode. Zhang Yangyan was sent flying, his halberd almost sent flying from his hands. The eidolon turned dark, as though it would vanish at any moment.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light.


    He could see that Zhang Yangyan didn''t have a soul of his own; this was some illusory manifestation, nothing more.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    Zhang Yangyan blocked with the halberd held horizontally before him.


    Metal struck metal as Zhang Yangyan barely held back Zhang Lie''s sword sh.


    Zhang Lie''s [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] was a spiritual attack at heart. Although the physicalponent of the attack was still a strong one, it only served to cover up the damage that it dealt to his opponent''s very soul.


    Even so, against an opponent whose soul did not exist, [Second Form: Piercing the Soul] was easily nullified.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    Red water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, manifesting in the shape of a dragon.


    Red energy of chaos exploded from Zhang Lie as the moonlight and sunlightbined, then drifted into the air like water vapor.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy took on fire-attuned qualities as it gushed out. Zhang Yangyan''s halberd was suppressed by Zhang Lie''s de.


    Hanguang sent the halberd flying, leaving his guard wide open.


    Zhang Yangyan, however, still possessed his prescience. The moment Zhang Lie struck, he gave up on the halberd and retreated at full speed.


    "It''s pointless to retreat now!"


    Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light would captivate everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    Zhang Lie''s domain of scarlet steam looked less like a domain than a red sea, one which overtook the void. Any lifeform in the vicinity would spontaneouslybust.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.

 Chapter 1334: Fathers Letter

    <h4>Chapter 1334: Father''s Letter</h4>


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward Silver.


    Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    The entire arena was swamped by Zhang Lie''s attack, which was so wide-ranged that Zhang Yangyan wouldn''t be able to escape no matter what he did. The battle ended thusly.


    Zhang Lie released a deep breath.


    Even with only 30% of his strength, Zhang Yangyan was truly an incredible foe. With the ability to predict the future, he would be able to counter the vast majority of strategies. If his eidolon had been able to channel more of his strength, this wouldn''t have been the end of the battle.


    Zhang Lie now had a greater understanding of his father''sbat power.


    He hadn''t expected that his missing father would have been so strong.


    Bu Wentian pped. "What an exciting battle. If not for the fact that Zhang Yangyan were pitted against his wife, whose ability directly countered his, he too would have been able to pass through thisst and final trial. If he truly is your father, then you''ve done something that even he failed to aplish."


    Zhang Lie didn''t care for small talk. He shed up to Bu Wentian and extended a hand. "Where''s the letter?"


    Bu Wentian handed him a letter, which Zhang Lie looked at skeptically. "You''re not going to try to mess with me again, are you?"


    The letter was made of ordinary paper, and it was addressed to "my son"¡ªthat was, Zhang Lie himself.


    Zhang Lie was shaken. He had wondered whom the letter was meant for¡ªperhaps one of his father''s erstwhile friends, a familiar face, an enemy¡ªbut never did he imagine that it would be for him.


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "I had no intention of tricking you. Zhang Yangyan left me a letter, requesting that I hand it over to someone like him. I asked what characteristics he would have¡ª and he replied, "If he can defeat all the past eid, hand him the letter."


    Zhang Lie grew even more curious about the contents of the letter.


    Had Father known that he would be able to pass through the trials and defeat all previous challengers, including himself? Was he that confident? His father did have the ability to predict the future, after all, but was it so strong that he could even catch glimpses of the far future?


    Bu Wentian continued, "Although I don''t know if you are certainly his son, the fact that you''ve passed through all the trials means that I''ll hand the letter to you."


    Zhang Lie broke the seal and began reading the contents of the letter.


    [Son, by the time you read this letter, you''ll have defeated all the eid of past challengers. As expected of my son! I will no longer be of the fourth realm, nor even in the Milky Way. You must be curious as to how I knew that you would arrive at Heavenly Monarch Wentian''s trial-taker''s chamber.]


    [I''m sure that you must have seen during your fight with me that I have the ability to predict the future, that I''ve spent long hours pondering the meaning and structure of time. I can instantaneously see the near future, and may asionally catch glimpses of the far future. It was through this ability that I managed to survive in the dimensional realm¡ªand also to meet your mother.]


    Zhang Lie frowned. Father had seen him arrive at the trial-taker''s chamber through a vision? But he must have known that there were no guarantees when it came to fate. Father had seen only a single possibility, but in his past life, he had never managed such a feat. Neither was he aware of the treasure.


    However, Zhang Lie didn''t understand why it was that, despite his parents'' strength as gic hunters, that he and Zhang Hanxiang lived a life of such poverty andck of renown.


    After all, his parents were strong enough to be famous even by the standards of the fourth realm.


    [Strong though your mother and I might be, we chose not to improve our living conditionspared to those of ordinary gic hunters. This was a subject of long conversation; we thought it would be detrimental to your growth if that were the case. Furthermore, I had seen a vision of the future that suggested you would be in danger if you had been brought up in riches.]


    [Your mother and I still have unfinished business, and we cannot remain by your side for eternity. Furthermore, as hunters of the fourth realm in our own right, we don''t particrly want to see you tread down this perilous path. We know its dangers and difficulties; we know how easy it would be to lose our lives.]


    Under ordinary circumstances, even if his parents wanted him and Zhang Hanxiang to grow up like regr children, they would surely be renowned throughout the Milky Way. Why hadn''t Zhang Lie read about their exploits, their strength, their names anywhere?


    Zhang Lie had always thought that his parents had been unremarkable hunters, but that seemed not to be the case. Rather, someone had deliberately censored that information within the Milky Way. Zhang Lie had to investigate this matter when he returned.


    [As gic hunters, we hoped that you would not follow in our footsteps. Being hunters is no happy affair.]


    If Zhang Lie had read this letter before he became a gic hunter, he wouldn''t have understood what his parents meant¡ªbut now, he did appreciate their concerns.


    Hunters put their lives on the line each and every day in an attempt to improve themselves, and no parent would be happy to see their children brave such dangers.


    [But I have seen the future. After our disappearance, you two will continue on this path¡ªyou are, after all, our children.]


    Despite having seen this future, his parents had still chosen to leave.


    It seemed as though they truly had an important task ahead of them.


    [There are matters that I cannot divulge to you, answers that you must seek out on your own. Don''t try to find us¡ªjust keep advancing. Sooner orter, we will reunite again. The reason your mother and I couldn''t stay by your side is because we have to find a way to save the Milky Way, and because we have to save your sister.]


    Zhang Lie was startled.

 Chapter 1335: Saving His Sister

    <h4>Chapter 1335: Saving His Sister</h4>


    To save the Milky Way? What could possibly threaten it? And as for his sister, Zhang Hanxiang... Considering his father''s ability to see the future, could his parents be trying to rescue the Milky Way from a fate that had not yet passed? A crisis that would involve his sister?


    [The Milky Way has long since been in a state of crisis; you will learn more upon ascending to the fifth realm. As for your sister, that''s unrted. Her weakness came from birth. When your mother was pregnant, she suffered an attack that left her with a persistent mdy.]


    [Considering the infusion of spiritual herbs with which we treated her, an ordinary child would have grown up hale and healthy, but your sister is different. She inherited your mother''s spiritual avatar of frost¡ªand even a purer, more concentrated version of the bloodline at that. The attack that struck your sister in the womb made it difficult for her to control her spiritual avatar.]


    [Thatck of control would have hurt, more than help, your sister. As she grows, the power of her spiritual avatar might very well blossom, eventually turning her into a sculpture of ice.]


    Put simply, the power of the spiritual avatar was so immense that, owing to her injury in the womb, she had be incapable of controlling it fully.


    [In order to allow your sister to live a normal life, your mother and I decided to seal her spiritual avatar so that we might find a way to save her. Disabling her legs came as a side effect of the seal.]


    Zhang Lie stilled. His sister''s paralyzed legs was because of the seal? In that case, the fact that he had helped his sister stand again¡ªhad he hurt his sister inadvertently?


    [I believe that, after we depart, you and your sister will grow particrly close to each other, and you will surely find a way to help her in the dimensional realm. I believe you have such capabilities. Do not criticize or feel guilt for yourself¡ªyour sister''s problem has persisted for many years, and the paralysis of her legs is only a side effect. Even if she regains the ability to walk, it won''t affect the seal.]


    [As she matures, your sister''s spiritual avatar will only grow stronger. Our initial seal will weaken; we anticipate that, by the time your sister turns 23, the spiritual avatar of frost wille unsealed. Her body will freeze and turn to eternal frost.]


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. His sister had fewer than five years left!


    [Don''t worry about your sister. Your mother and I will attempt to find a solution. If you''re interested, ask Heavenly Monarch Wentian about the Gctic Rising Stars Cup. It''s a curiouspetition. Your mother and I swept the rankings, in case you''d like to do the same.]


    [Take care. From your father, Zhang Yangyan.]


    Zhang Lie folded the letter as he took a deep breath.


    Although his father''s letter hadn''t mentioned where his parents had gone, the wealth of information contained within was more than he could easily handle. The most important point was that his sister''s condition wasn''t looking good.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Heavenly Monarch, can I confirm that I have two unimed rewards?"


    Bu Wentian nodded. "That''s quite right."


    "Are you aware of the spiritual avatar of frost?"


    "I know about spiritual avatars, and I heard about the spiritual avatar of frost from that couple."


    "My sister seems to have suffered an injury to her spiritual avatar in the womb, and she''s unable to control her avatar fully. Do you have any medicine that would be able to resolve such a problem?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "That couple asked the same question countless years ago, and my answer remains the same: I haven''t done enough research into spiritual avatars, and I don''t have any medicine of a high enough grade to achieve such an effect."


    "Then do you know of any potential treatments?" Zhang Lie continued.


    "What you can think of, that couple already did. They didn''t manage to solve the issue here, and you won''t be able to achieve the same. I advise that you choose a different reward."


    "Is there truly no recourse?"


    "As far as I''m aware, there is no solution within the Milky way or the dimensional realm."


    Zhang Lie deted. "Then there''s nothing else I''d like."


    He had immediately lost interest in the rewards that Bu Wentian could provide.


    After his parents'' disappearance, he and his sister had relied on each other for survival. Upon learning that Zhang Hanxiang didn''t have much longer to live, Zhang Lie felt as though his world had suddenly shrunk.


    Bu Wentian continued, "There''s no need to be so discouraged. Perhaps there is a solution, after all. When that couple heard my words, the husband of the pair remarked, if there were no solution within the Milky Way or the dimensional world, then one might exist beyond the Milky Way."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes reignited with hope. "You mean, I might be able to rescue my sister if I searched outside the Milky Way!"


    Bu Wentian smiled. "That''s a different answer than your father gave. Have you heard of the Gctic Rising Stars Cup?"


    "My father''s letter mentioned it. What sort of contest is it?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "I can''t speak of the specifics. The sixth trial is patterned off of what I faced when I participated in the Cup."


    "My sister''s remedy is rted to this Cup?"


    "The Gctic Rising Stars Cup is held once every decade, and one of the championship prizes this year is the flower of universal life."


    "I''ve never heard of such an herb..."


    "It''s an incredibly rare flower that grows out of the ruins of a shattered gxy after perhaps ten thousand years, a beacon of life where before there was only death. Allegedly, it can even bring a dead man back to life. It''s a panacea able to heal essentially all mdies; your sister''s spiritual avatar would be a minor issue inparison."


    Zhang Lie''s heart thumped. "So I just need to acquire this flower of universal life?"


    "Not only that, it''ll even allow her body to transform and evolve to the next stage of being. A regr body would turn into a spirit one, a spirit one into a holy one, and a holy one into a divine one."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I don''t care for such transformations¡ªI just want to save Hanxiang."

 Chapter 1336: Model Airship

    <h4>Chapter 1336: Model Airship</h4>


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I don''t care for such transformations¡ªI just want to save Hanxiang."


    Bu Wentian replied, "Even if it can''t fix the problem entirely, her situation will surely improve considerably."


    "When will the Gctic Rising Stars Cup be held?"


    "Not every lifeform will be able to participate. One of the reasons for constructing this trial-taker''s chamber is to select existences that might be able to participate in the Cup. Of the six challengers who have passed the trial, only you and that couple would even have a chance. The husband of the couple did participate, but performed terribly."


    "What requirements are there for participation in the Cup?"


    "Participants must be fewer than fifty years old¡ªwell, you''re not even thirty¡ªand they must meet minimum qualifications in terms of strength. You easily meet both criteria, and you can certainly participate. The Cup boastsvish rewards, and the flower of universal life is only one among many."


    However, Zhang Lie wasn''t interested in the other rewards.


    "When is the next Cup?"


    "A weekter, in Milky Way time."


    "That quickly?!" Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow.


    "Considering the time dtion of the fourth realm, it''s a yearter for us."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are there restrictions on the number of people who can participate?"


    "At most ten, as long as they''re strong enough."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Let''s see what they think, then."


    Bu Wentian was clearly very excited that Zhang Lie was intending to participate.


    Zhang Lie then asked, "Do you know what crisis the Milky Way is currently facing?"


    Bu Wentian''s smile vanished. "This isn''t something you can learn about at the moment. Do you understand?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Why are you all so mysterious about this purported crisis? What''s the problem here?"


    "By the time you ascend to the fifth realm¡ªno, by the time you return from the Cup, you''ll likely have an idea already."


    "And if I want to know now?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "Then I regret to inform you that I won''t be able to help."


    "If I remember correctly, I still have two rewards left."


    "To be urate, one arbitrary reward. The other reward, for defeating the past challengers, is fixed."


    "Very well. I''d like to use my arbitrary reward to exchange for information about the crisis that the Milky Way is currently facing."


    Bu Wentian crossed his arms. "Unfortunately, the prize must be a material good, not information."


    "Forget it, then."


    Zhang Lie could already hazard a guess as to the nature of the crisis based on what his father and Bu Wentian had divulged. Clearly, there were other gxies beyond the Milky Way¡ªand it had to be from those gxies that the crisis emanated.


    Zhang Lie intended to investigate these mysteries fully when he returned to the Milky Way. There were too many questions that he had. Why had his parents'' names and aplishments been censored throughout the Milky Way, and whence came the crisis the Milky Way faced?


    He also had to chat with Zhang Hanxiang. For the time being, he intended on hiding the information about her spiritual avatar of frost.


    Further, he had to inform the members of Team Zenith to ascend. Once they did so, he intended to bring them toward the trial-taker''s chamber.


    The trial-taker''s chamber boastedrge quantities of disaster-grade lifeforms, and it was valuable merely for the disaster gene fragments that it gave to the trial-takers, let alone the additional prizes.


    If they could pass the trials, he would bring them toward the Gctic Rising Stars Cup. Once again, just like when he participated in the Void Cup, he would sweep the championship with them.


    As he pondered these problems, he turned to leave.


    Bu Wentian called out, "Don''t you want your rewards?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I''m not too interested."


    Bu Wentian continued, "The Gctic Rising Stars Cup will have plenty of strong opponents for you to contend with. If you''re not strong enough, you''ll quickly be suppressed. I have something that will allow you to grow stronger by leaps and bounds."


    Zhang Lie developed a spark of interest. "What is it?"


    "Considering that you''re still using a superior-grade blood ant soulshard to boost yourself, how about this?" Bu Wentian retrieved a soulshard.


    The soulshard looked like a gxy, like an endless expanse of starlight.


    "This is a monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard."


    Zhang Lie was shocked. "A monarch-grade soulshard..."


    "It''ll take down any disaster-grade lifeforms easily. All the opponents you face now will be disaster-grade or higher, and it''s far too humiliating for you to still be using a superior-grade soulshard. It''s time to improve your equipment. Take this monarch-grade soulshard¡ªI look forward to your performance during the Gctic Cup."


    Zhang Lie picked up the soulshard that looked like a miniature universe. Is this all you''re giving me? Don''t you have an emperor-ss soulshard on hand?"


    Bu Wentian gave him a skeptical look. "You''re aware of emperor-grade lifeforms?"


    "I cultivated one myself."


    Bu Wentian gaped. "Really? The dimensional world hasn''t fostered one for countless years! How did you do it?"


    "It was a rather unusual lifeform to begin with, and it developed rapidly as a result of the blessing of the world upon the unification of the third realm. I expect it won''t be reproducible."


    Zhang Lie took the soulshard. The will of the realm announced in his head, [You have obtained a monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard.]


    Bu Wentian replied, "I do have one such, and I''ll give it to you as a bonus reward if you can win the championship."


    "Then you''d best be prepared," Zhang Lie announced confidently.


    "Furthermore, for winning against all five previous eid, you''ve won a diamond chest." Bu Wentian handed Zhang Lie a gleaming chest that reflected light.


    Zhang Lie opened it to reveal a model airship.


    Zhang Lie was speechless. "You''re giving me this as amemorative gift?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "This isn''t amemorative model. It''s a real airship, which will transform into actual size when you leave this chamber."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "If I remember correctly, no technology is allowed within the dimensional world."


    Bu Wentian replied, "More urately, it''s technology that exists in the Milky Way. This airship uses technology that lies beyond it, and ispatible with the dimensional world. There''s a furnace inside, a gigantic training room, as well as a researchboratory. Small though it might look, it fulfills three of your wishes."


    "It doesn''t sound very realistic..."


    "It does consume quite a bit of fuel, but you can essentially use anything as fuel, including the meat and flesh of gic lifeforms."

 Chapter 1337: I Await It

    Chapter 1337: I Await It<h4>Chapter 1337: I Await It</h4>


    Thergest sea in the fourth realm roiled incessantly, its surface transforming into a giant''s face.


    "I can sense that my son is dead! Who did it, who did it?!"


    The sea shook in rage. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea shifted, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call. Boulders on shore, weighing thousands of tons, were sent sinking into the sea.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    A whirlpool formed, distorting space and time. Karmic power extended outward and traced images on the surface of the water.


    Cthaat''s son shouted, "I''m an envoy of Eternal Sun, son of Cthaat!"


    "You''ve said that before," Zhang Lie replied, his eyes cold.


    "If I perish, my father won''t ever forgive you. Eternal Sun itself will be your enemy!"


    "I''ll look forward to it."


    The pitch-ck gic energy expanded as it swallowed up the sky, recing the dark clouds above the swamp with ck gic energy.


    As Zhang Lie struck, an underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves.


    A dense cloud of serpents swallowed up the mud and killed the ck mudman bit by bit.


    This was the scene of Zhang Lie killing Cthaat''s son. The giant face that manifested from the sea was none other than a core member of Eternal Sun, Cthaat.


    Upon witnessing the ignoble death of his son, Cthaat couldn''t remain calm. He howled, "My sons, kill this murderer!"


    In all corners of the fourth realm, boiling-hotva began to crack. Waves ofva formed, looking like countless volcanic beasts from afar.


    The sky spun and the air distorted, forming a huge, swirling whirlpool in the air.


    In the center of the whirlpool, waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    The waves crested in mid-air. The whirlpool was like a mirror into the far end of the sea. The near end continued to seethe and roil.


    Theva transformed into a human face. "Father, what''s wrong? Who has angered you?"


    A face appeared over the roaring sea. "ck Swamp has died!"


    Lava spewed as the volcanoes all around began to erupt. Lava sprayed into the sky, dyeing everything in sight red. Huge numbers of gic lifeforms appeared from amidst theva, bathing in it like fiery dragons. Each was at least peak-grade.


    "Who! Who dares kill my brother? Do they not respect you or the might of Eternal Sun?!"


    The face formed fromva was none other than one of Cthaat''s sons. In truth, Cthaat was genderless; his children were born via parthenogenesis. None of his sons had proper names. Rather, they were named after their respective habitats.


    Violentva coursed through the air and the ground, like thousands of unbridled horses. Huge pirs ofva fountained into the air as fire and brimstone rained down.


    "Is it our old enemy, the Ancient Gods'' Abode? Or the new rising star, the Halls of Chaos?"


    "He is the one who killed your brother."


    The whirlpool in the air transformed into a human face, that of Zhang Lie.


    Theva scrunched its face. "I have never seen this lifeform before."


    Cthaat continued, "The Ancient Gods'' Abode and the new Halls of Chaos have been keeping tabs on me, and I cannot easily make a move. If I do so, so will the Ancient Gods'' Abode, and I don''t know what havoc the Halls of Chaos will cause. I will leave ck Swamp''s revenge to you."


    The face ofva replied, "Don''t worry, Father. I won''t let any who disrespect Eternal Sun live."


    "I''ll leave it to you, then." The whirlpool in the air winked out as the face ofva shouted, "March! We seek revenge for my brother!"


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Of the lifeforms that emerged from theva, some looked like lions wreathed in fire, withva rolling over their bodies. Others were fiery-red dragons that looked like smanders. Yet others were wolves with sharp, steely ws, and dark red birds that flew overhead.


    A hundred thousand troops emerged from theva¡ªand the weakest among them was superior-grade.


    Cthaat''s son didn''t know where Zhang Lie was located at present, but that wasn''t a problem. He knew what Zhang Lie looked like now, and he simply had to exterminate all such members of that species he came across.


    Before Zhang Lie departed, Bu Wentian specially reminded him, "Don''t forget that three days in the Milky Way corresponds to a year in the fourth realm."


    "I''m aware!"


    Zhang Lie left the trial-taker''s chamber. Bu Wentian''s flying airship was sealed away in a ss ball. He didn''t know what sort of technique Bu Wentian had used, and neither was he in a hurry to find out. Rather, he immediately entered the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.


    Li Qianlin was overjoyed to see him. She wanted to hug him, but resisted the temptation.


    "So you''ve finallye back? I thought you had forgotten all about me."

 Chapter 1338: Finally Come Back

    <h4>Chapter 1338: Finally Come Back</h4>


    At the same time, the same conversation happened elsewhere.


    There was a greenke in the fourth realm which the local aliens stayed far away from.


    The vast majority of lifeforms that drew near to it would keel over. The nearby trees had turned ck, all having wilted.


    No one could imagine that this idyllic jade-greenke would be so frightening, like a god of death continuously reaping the lives of lifeforms nearby.


    Theke was so acidic that an ordinary hunter who touched it would have the skin melt from their bones. The air itself was saturated with formless poison, and even a bird flying overhead would drop dead.


    What the aliens didn''t know was that a special lifeform existed at the heart of theke.


    The sky spun and the air distorted, forming a huge, swirling whirlpool in the air. In the center of the whirlpool, waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    The waves crested in mid-air. The whirlpool was like a mirror into the far end of the sea. The near end continued to seethe and roil.


    As the sky shifted, the surface of theke transformed into a human face.


    "What''s the matter, Father?"


    If the aliens around could see this sight, they would have been shocked that theke was alive and possessed of will. Theke was none other than one of Cthaat''s children. To be precise, Cthaat''s son wasn''t theke itself, only an entity that had merged with theke to form a terribly potent acid.


    "ck Swamp is dead."


    Theke''s face gaped. "Who would be so bold as to kill ck Swamp? Do they not respect Eternal Sun? Is this a provocation? Are they intending to wage war against us?"


    The whirlpool in the air transformed into a human face, that of Zhang Lie.


    Theke replied, "I''ve never seen this face, nor this species of lifeform. Do you know what lifeform this is, Father?"


    "A foreign invader."


    Theke''s face turned fierce. "We haven''t had the time to deal with these cockroaches. Perhaps it''s past time we did something about them."


    Cthaat continued, "The Ancient Gods'' Abode and the new Halls of Chaos have been keeping tabs on me, and I cannot easily make a move. If I do so, so will the Ancient Gods'' Abode, and I don''t know what havoc the Halls of Chaos will cause. I will leave ck Swamp''s revenge to you. I want the culprit''s entire race to suffer alongside him."


    Theke''s face snorted. "They''re nothing more than a group of cockroaches living on borrowed time, surviving in nooks and crannies all over the realm. I''ll clear them out."


    As the whirlpool winked out, the jade-greenke began to froth, transforming into the form of arge humanoid figure. "It''s been centuries since Ist traveled..."


    At the same time, the same conversation happened elsewhere.


    One of the more unusual locations of the fourth realm was at the site of a perennial thunderstorm. So concentrated was the lightning in the area that it had formed ake of electric sma.


    Thunderclouds swirled in the air, transforming into a huge sea. Electric serpents sparked amidst the clouds.


    The sky spun and the air distorted, forming a huge, swirling whirlpool in the air. In the center of the whirlpool, waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The whirlpool was like a mirror into the far end of the sea. The near end continued to seethe and roil.


    As the sky shifted, the surface of theke transformed into a human face.


    Theke of electric sma exploded as pirs of lightning soared into the air, causing a forest of lightning to manifest out of thin air. The lightning sketched out a humanoid face. "Why the sudden appearance, Father?"


    "ck Swamp is dead."


    "So?" the figure of lightning asked.


    "Seek revenge for him."


    The whirlpool in the air transformed into a human face, that of Zhang Lie.


    "I have never seen this lifeform before."


    "It''s a member of a foreign race, an invader."


    "How should I find it?"


    Cthaat replied, "I can track him with a karmic link, but that''s not enough to quell my rage. His entire race must die with him.


    "As you will."


    The lightning transformed into a giant that began trudging toward civilization.


    At the same time, the same conversation happened elsewhere.


    In the fourth realm, there was a region in which cloudy mist drifted in the manner of a sea.


    It was a rather famous location in the realm, and known appropriately as the Cloudy Sea.


    The sea of clouds was harmless. Unlike the acidicke, it was free of danger, but all the lifeforms that entered the sea had never left again. It grewrger bit by bit with each passing year, as though intending on devouring everything in sight.


    That day, a strange scene could be seen among the sea of clouds. The sky spun and the air distorted, forming a huge, swirling whirlpool in the air.


    The waves crested in mid-air. The sea roared in anger and frustration.


    "ck Swamp is dead."


    The clouds formed a humanoid face. "Who did it? The Ancient Gods'' Abode, or the new Halls of Chaos?"


    No one else had the capacity to cause such damage except for the two premier organizations of the fourth realm.


    "Neither."


    The whirlpool in the air transformed into a human face, that of Zhang Lie.


    The face of clouds asserted, "I''ll find this lifeform."


    The sea of clouds, which had formed over the course of tens of thousands of years, moved for the first time.


    Within the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard, Li Qianlin frowned as she folded her arms. "So you''ve finallye back? I thought you had forgotten all about me."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What''s the matter? Do you miss me after just a few days?"


    Li Qianlin blushed. "Who cares about you? I''m just worried that you suffered an ident outside, trapping me in here!"


    Zhang Lie''s smile deepened. "So you do care about me!"


    Li Qianlin''s face turned redder. She hurriedly waved a hand. "Well? Give me the lifeform meat, then."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I don''t have any today."


    "What''s the matter?" Li Qianlin asked in worry.


    "I''ve already maxed out my peak gene fragments, so I don''t have to specially hunt down gic lifeforms anymore."


    Li Qianlin seemed doubtful. "So you''re here just to visit me?"

 Chapter 1339: Youre Too Weak

    <h4>Chapter 1339: You''re Too Weak</h4>


    Li Qianlin seemed somewhat disappointed.


    If Zhang Lie didn''t need to consume any more gic lifeforms, there would be far less opportunity for the two of them to meet and interact. Perhaps in the future, she would only be able to see him once every few days¡ªmaybe even once every few months. This wasn''t something that Li Qianlin could ept.


    All of a sudden, she had be useless to Zhang Lie.


    But what could she do? Disappointed though she might be, she was unable to leave the sanctuary of the soulshard.


    "Do you want to leave this ce and have a look at the fourth realm proper?"


    Zhang Lie handed her a white potion, the potion of metamorphosis that he had retrieved from the trial-taker''s chamber.


    Li Qianlin asked, "I can leave?"


    Weren''t the lifeforms of the third realm supposed to be incapable of adapting to the naturalw of the fourth realm?


    "This is a potion I obtained from a certain location that allows lower-realm lifeforms to undergo a metamorphosis: a first-realm lifeform can transform into a second-realm one, and so on."


    Before he departed, Zhang Lie learned about the specific effects of the potion of metamorphosis from Bu Wentian.


    Otherwise, he certainly wouldn''t have handed Li Qianlin a mysterious potion of unknown provenance.


    Li Qianlin gaped. "Are there truly such miraculous potions in this realm?"


    "Try it and see. If I''m not mistaken, it''s not a potion that came from the dimensional world proper."


    Li Qianlin hesitated. "Such a precious potion for me? It''s a little..."


    "If you don''t want it, I''m going to pour it out. It''s useless to me, anyway!"


    Li Qianlin didn''t hesitate any longer. She took the proffered vial and drank it down right in front of Zhang Lie.


    As she swallowed the milky-white liquid, Li Qianlin felt an incredible warmth suffuse her body. Her skin began to glow, then turned fiery red, almost like when Zhang Lie had absorbed a disaster-grade core. She felt as though she were burning up all over, an indescribably unpleasant sensation, but she bore it with great fortitude in hopes of being able to apany Zhang Lie into the fourth realm.


    Zhang Lie saw Li Qianlin''s cells and genes undergo a transformation. The feverish sensation faded quickly, leaving behind an overwhelming sense offort. Her body glowed with light as her skin turned even whiter, as though she had just shed ayer of old skin.


    She grew even more beautiful than before, as radiant as a chrysanthemum blooming in the summer heat, as lush as a pine tree whose branches unfurled in a spring breeze, She looked like the radiant moon, like snowkes falling through the winter air.


    From afar, she seemed as pure as a rising sun at dawn, as fresh as a lotus flower blooming amidst a patch of verdant green.


    She wore no makeup; she didn''t have to. Her long eyebrows were thin and long, her plump red lips fresh and luscious, her teeth snowy white. She looked like a fairy from the heavens.


    Li Qianlin''s eyshes fluttered as her eyes opened wide. Her eyes were as bright as the moon. When she saw Zhang Lie staring at her, her cheeks suddenly turned rosy. The re of color made her beauty mature.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "To appreciate your newfound beauty, of course¡ªto familiarize myself with it once more."


    Li Qianlin''s blush spread up to her ears.


    "How do you feel?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "What do you mean, how do I feel?"


    "Did the potion of metamorphosis have any lingering effects on your body? Any difort?"


    "So that''s what you''re talking about... I thought..."


    "Thought what?"


    Li Qianlin waved a hand. "No, nothing! I feel just fine. I haven''t cultivated, but I feel like my strength''s just grown by leaps and bounds. I expect I could even take on Father in a fair fight now."


    Zhang Lieughed. "You underestimate your father. He has far morebat experience than you do."


    However, Li Qianlin''s perception wasn''t mistaken. She was beyond a superior king''s level in strength; this was the natural state of a fourth-realm lifeform, as imposed by the naturalw of the realm.


    Zhang Lie extended a hand as Li Qianlin took his palm. "Come, let''s see if we can head into the fourth realm proper. With me around, even if an ident urs, you''ll be able to return to the dragonwhale soulspace immediately."


    Now that Li Qianlin was above a superior king''s level of strength, she could barely avoid being constrained by the naturalw of the fourth realm.


    In the blink of an eye, Zhang Lie had brought Li Qianlin into the fourth realm proper. As she felt the wind caress her face, Li Qianlin opened her tightly shut eyes and looked around. "Is this the fourth realm?"


    Zhang Lie let go of Li Qianlin''s hand and bowed down to her. "Wee to the fourth realm."


    Li Qianlin sucked in a deep breath. She felt as though she hadn''t seen sunlight and fresh air in ages. However, she quickly pursed her lips. "It doesn''t seem any different from the third realm."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Do you feel any difort?"


    Li Qianlin frowned. "Now that you mention it, I do feel a little ufortable. It''s as if I''m having trouble breathing, and I can''t seem to move myself as smoothly as before. It''s almost as though there''s a lock on my body."


    Zhang Lie replied, "That''s normal. After all, you need to limate yourself to the fourth realm, as well as to the metamorphosis you just underwent."


    Li Qianlin stretched her arms and legs. "Does that mean I can apany you now, then?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You can, but I don''t particrly rmend it."


    "Why?"


    "You''re too weak."


    Li Qianlin visibly deted. "So it''s still the same as before..."


    What was the difference? She might as well have remained within his dragonwhale soulshard!


    "Well, you can have a look at the scenery all along by my side," Zhang Lie offered.


    Li Qianlin wasn''t particrly interested in the scenery.


    Zhang Lie smoothly changed the topic. "Conveniently, Ijust obtained something interesting. Come, take a look!"


    Zhang Lie retrieved the ss orb containing a model airship, which he had obtained from the trial-taker''s chamber. He shattered it in front of Li Qianlin, causing the model airship within to inte and spread out. Li Qianlin''s eyes were raptured by the unfolding airship¡ªor, to be precise, not ruptured, but very scared. The sudden appearance of a metallic object the likes of which she had never seen caused her to grab tightly onto Zhang Lie''s wrist. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but grin. She looked somewhat cute when she was scared.


    "This is an airship, used for transportation."


    Li Qianlin asked, "So it''s like one of those wormhole shuttles?"


    "Not quite. Wormhole shuttles only work in wormholes, whereas this flying airship can fly through the sky with essentially no restriction. It''s like a peak-grade lifeform."


    "Are you sure this isn''t a gic lifeform with ted metallic armor?"


    "You could understand it that way, I suppose, but it''s actually a crafted tool."


    Li Qianlin gaped. "This sort of tool can be produced?!"

 Chapter 1340: Made in the Milky Way

    <h4>Chapter 1340: Made in the Milky Way</h4>


    "There are many such constructs in my homeworld," Zhang Lie told Li Qianlin.


    Li Qianlin was shocked. "Doesn''t that mean that your homeworld is really formidable, if it''s able to make these sorts of metallic lifeforms?"


    "More or less. Compared to the third realm, it''s quite strong."


    The hunters of the third realm had to work together in order to defend against the indigenous aliens of the third realm, but this wasrgely because the truly powerful hunters, such as Hong Tianqi, had already gone past it. Hong Tianqi and other hunters like him boasted strength iparable to those of hunters¡ªand aliens¡ªin the third.


    In terms of military might, they even boasted gctic battleships.


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "The military might on Earth isn''t particrly strong."


    Li Qianlin knew a bit about Zhang Lie''s homeworld.


    "But the Zenith Dojo is there!"


    "The Zenith Dojo might be strong as a whole, but there are plenty of top hunters in the Milky Way. In terms of supreme power, Earth has only one hunter worth speaking about: Heavenly Monarch Hong Tianqi."


    Li Qianlin asked, "How about you?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m nowhere close, not until I ascend to the fifth realm, at the very least."


    "This airship is more impressive than modern technology and advances from the Milky Way," Zhang Lie concluded.


    After all, the technology of the Milky Way couldn''t be transported into the dimensional world. Zhang Lie touched the airship''s hull, only to find that although it looked metallic and lustrous, it felt like stone. This was a material that the Milky Way did not possess.


    The airship was outfitted like a battleship and possessed somebat ability, though exactly how much remained to be determined.


    "I''d like to understand how this airship works... well, let''s take a look." Zhang Lie found the entrance to the airship, but didn''t see an obvious way to get in. Just then, arge camera mounted on the door scanned him with a redser. A robotic noise rang out, "Scan beginning. Lifeform of the Milky Way; race: human. Owner of this airship. Permitted to enter."


    The door to the airship slid open. The moment Zhang Lie stepped inside, the robotic voice continued, "Wee home, owner. The original owner of this airship, Bu Wentian, has transferred his authority to you. From today onwards, you shall be my captain."


    Li Qianlin followed curiously behind Zhang Lie. "This metallic lifeform can even speak?"


    A redser scanned Li Qianlin. The robotic voice rang out, "Scan beginning. Lifeform of the dimensional world. Warning! Warning! Warning! You are not permitted to enter. Please leave immediately. Please leave immediately."


    A number of guns and other weaponry appeared by the entrance to the airship, pointed straight at Li Qianlin. Zhang Lie hurriedly stepped before her. "This is mypanion."


    The robotic voice continued, "You have been granted ess to enter the airship. Wee."


    Li Qianlin cocked her head and asked curiously, "Was this metallic lifeform about to attack me?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "It''s alright now."


    "Can this metallic lifeform speak?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I think it''s artificial intelligence."


    He raised his head. "Aren''t you going to introduce yourself?"


    The robotic voice didn''t respond. Zhang Lie suggested, "Let''s go to the control room."


    Clearly, the artificial intelligence aboard the airship wasn''tparable to the orb of light in the trial-taker''s chamber, whose artificial intelligence had been so advanced that it almost seemed like the real thing. The airship''s intelligence was rudimentary; it could only answer things in a robotic fashion, and Zhang Lie''s earlier question clearly wasn''t in its programming.


    At the entrance to the airship was a map on which the control room, in addition to all sorts of facilities, werebeled. Zhang Lie quickly arrived at the control room, which doubled as the ship''smand center. The robotic voice rang out again. "Wee to themand center, my captain. I am pleased to serve you."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Can you introduce yourself now?"


    "I am Battleship #1073 constructed within the Milky Way. I was produced on..."


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. "Hold on, you were constructed in the Milky Way? The same gxy I know?"


    The airship didn''t respond.


    Zhang Lie asked, "How much do you know about the ce you were produced?"


    "It lies outside the dimensional realm."


    Zhang Lie rubbed his temples. "Alright..."


    He didn''t know whether the airship wascking intelligence or information; it wasn''t able to provide an adequate response to Zhang Lie''s question.


    He was very disappointed in the airship''s AI, and had to constantly remind himself not to think of it as the orb of light from the trial-taker''s chamber.


    Zhang Lie headed to the medicinal researchboratory, where he found all sorts of advancedboratory apparatus. "I wonder if I can research Potion #6 here...?"


    Potion #6 corresponded to monarch gene fragments.


    Given Zhang Lie''s current understanding, Potion #5 was the limit of his abilities¡ªand that was only with the help of the Yeluo chieftain. If he wanted to research ande up with a recipe for Potion #6, he would have to bring the Yeluo chieftain up to the fourth realm, then give him sufficient time to familiarize himself with the herbs and grasses avable in the fourth realm.


    The Yeluo chieftain had essentially reached a limit in the third realm, and Zhang Lie hadn''t harbored high hopes that he would be able to ascend. With the potion of metamorphosis now known to him, however, it was possible that Zhang Lie really could help the Yeluo chieftain out.


    Once the members of Team Zenith all ascended to the fourth realm, he would have them enter the trial-taker''s chamber and obtain more potions of metamorphosis there, then use those potions to bring the Yeluo Chieftain into the fourth realm. That would significantly increase the likelihood ofing up with Potion #6.


    It was no longer a wholly impossible notion.


    The robotic voice exined, "The medicinal researchboratory can help analyze all manner of potions and potion-making ingredients. The medicinal repository has recorded information about all known herbs and medicine of the fourth realm. If a recipe is input into the system, it can be optimized using the ariship''s artificial intelligence. Captain, the device in front of you is a potion analyzer. By cing a potion into the device, you can identify its coreponents and a sketch of a recipe."


    Zhang Lie considered the device before him. "You mean that this device can be used for reverse engineering?"


    "It can aid in reverse engineering, my captain."


    In other words, the device alone was insufficient; it had to beplemented with talents who were familiar with medicine and pillmaking.


    Zhang Lie was very curious about the facilities within the medicinal researchboratory. He sat before theputer and input the recipe for Potion #5 within.


    "Can you optimize this recipe?"


    The robotic voice rang out, "Would you like to convert the potion ingredients listed here into their fourth-realm equivalents?"


    "Indeed."


    "Please wait for three minutes."


    After three minutes had passed, a brand-new recipe for Potion #5 appeared on the screen. A whole third of the ingredients had been swapped out for new ones. Zhang Lie frowned and scrutinized the recipe carefully¡ªthe new recipe did seem to be workable.


    The robotic voice rang out, "Would you like the recipe to be optimized further?"

 Chapter 1341: Seeking Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 1341: Seeking Revenge</h4>


    Zhang Lie seemed shocked. "Can you optimize this recipe further?"


    The recipe for Potion #5 had just been devised in the third realm. How was the airship able to improve upon it? It could hardly possess the recipe for Potion #6¡ªZhang Lie would never believe it.


    The airship''s robotic voice continued, "Improvements can be deduced using the airship''s artificial intelligence."


    In other words, the airship itself didn''t have an improved recipe; this would only be a guess.


    "Will it be reliable?"


    "If the airship operates at minimum functional capacity, without ess to high-speed flight andbat abilities, the improved recipe will take 24,000 hours to optimize."


    In other words, a thousand days.


    "Maintaining high-speed flight andbat abilities will cause the improved recipe to take 240,000 hours to optimize. Would you like to begin analysis and optimization?"


    "Do so."


    The airship''s robotic voice continued, "The airship only has sufficient reserves for a hundred days of operation. This analysis and optimization will take too long at present. Please provide sufficient resources."


    Zhang Lie replied, "We''ll have a look at other spots in the airship before dealing with the problem of energy consumption."


    ording to Bu Wentian, the airship could transform the vast majority of resources into energy for itself; it wasn''t picky.


    Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin walked out of the medicinal researchboratory and into the neighboring nt greenhouse.


    There was a little garden in the interior of the airship, within which all manner of nts were being grown. Steel racks lined the walls all around, filled with nts covered in ss.


    Next, they went to the airship''s living quarters.


    Zhang Lie was shocked by the scale of the living quarters. He hadn''t expected the interior of the airship to be sorge. It was almost the size of a small city, and wasrger than the exterior of the airship itself.


    The robotic voice exined, "Spatialpression techniques have been used in the interior of the airship to amodate more travelers. Furthermore, the nts and vegetables grown within the airship allow for self-sufficiency."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Why not do the same for the medicinal herbs around here?"


    "Spiritual herbs have certain requirements as to their environments, and not all such herbs can thrive in a spatiallypressed environment. Weaker lifeforms will have to consume special medication from time to time lest they suffer from repercussions."


    After touring the interior of the airship, Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin returned to themand center, then flew toward Lin Lingfeng''s settlement.


    Because there weren''t sufficient energy resources, there was no need to leave the airship on the spot to analyze and optimize a recipe for Potion #6. There would be plenty of time to do so once enough resources had been found.


    The airship moved particrly quickly, and it was at Lin Lingfeng''s settlement in the blink of an eye. Once again, there seemed to be amotion. Thick clouds and fog covered the settlement.


    The airship''s robotic voice sounded, "Energetic fluctuations ahead."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Can you scan it?"


    "Targets have been disyed on the radar."


    Zhang Lie saw arge group of red dots via the radar, including arge red triangle at its center.


    "What do the symbols mean?"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t an airship pilot, and neither had he spent much time in an airship. He was naturally unfamiliar with the disy, and wasn''t sure how to read it."


    The robotic voice continued, "Special energetic fluctuations in white fog detected, with the ability to disrupt vision and maosensory organs. Clear the area of fog?"


    Li Qianlin asked curiously, "Are we going somewhere special?"


    "Lin Lingfeng''s settlement used to be an ordinary city," Zhang Lie replied. "It looks like they''re in danger again.


    Lin Lingfeng and her settlement was indeed in danger, severe danger at that.


    The gic hunters had been repairing their battered city walls when cloud and fog suddenly surrounded them. Huge quantities of fog gushed out. The gic hunters had no time to react before the fog enveloped the city. Lin Lingfeng assigned some hunters to check out the scene, but none who had been dispatched returned.


    Just then, the cloud formed a human face. Its voice resounded across the fog, as though it were a heavenly deity.


    "Weak, puny ants, I am the son of Cthaat, member of Eternal Sun. I bear you no enmity, but my brother was killed not long ago. My father is enraged, and has tasked me with finding the culprit."


    In order to investigate the death of Cthaat''s son, ck Swamp, the sea of clouds, another of Cthaat''s sons, had headed to the nearest human settlement to ck Swamp''s haunt.


    "Hand this person over and I''ll let you all go."


    The sea of clouds transformed into Zhang Lie.


    The ck swamp was naturally linked to the nearest human settlement around.


    The hunters murmured to each other, making a fuss. Many recognized just who the figure was.


    Lin Lingfeng''spanion remarked in surprise, "Isn''t that...?"


    Lin Lingfeng pushed herpanion aside and leapt up onto the city walls. She shouted toward the sea of clouds'' face: "Sir, we are unfamiliar with this purported murderer you use. Even if we did, we would hardly hand over apanion just because you will it. We gic hunters work together¡ªwe''re united."


    Against such a massive threat, Lin Lingfeng knew that the most important thing to do was to stabilize the situation.


    The sea of clouds'' face formed a long sigh. "I didn''t want toe, but my father bade me do so. You seem to have just sent a few people out of the city. Conveniently, I picked them up."


    A few Milky Way hunters were hanging in the sky, the sea of clouds forming a seal around their bodies.


    "I''m a pacifist, and I''d rather not fight¡ªnor use any cruel tactics against you. If you hand over the culprit, I''ll return these people immediately. One life for the lives of many¡ªit''s a good deal, is it not?"


    Lin Lingfeng cried out, "Sir, I don''t know who this is!"


    The sea of clouds asked, "Don''t you think it cruel?"


    "What?"


    "To watch yourself be killed by yourpanion. Isn''t it a regretful thing, a cruel one?" The sea of clouds rumbled. The leftmost person held in stasis suddenly began to shriek. His body seemed to bepressed by an unknown force. His blood burst into a mist of red droplets that seeped out from his skin. Hetransformed into a parched corpse immediately."


    Lin Lingfeng widened her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing.


    The sea of clouds had killed someone, just like that! As it had stated, it considered them nothing more than ants.


    The sea of clouds sighed. "What a cruel race. He must be rather upset even in death. You could have saved him with just one piece of information¡ªbut you chose not to. Take a look at his despair, his pained gaze. He must have loathed you moments before his death."

 Chapter 1342: To the Death

    <h4>Chapter 1342: To the Death</h4>


    Lin Lingfeng clenched her fists tightly. The assant was using the victim of being the culprit! Even so, what could Lin Lingfeng do? The gic hunters of the fourth realm were a weak and scattered force. They were weak; they had no choice but to ept the beatings they were given.


    [Eternal Sun]


    These two words left all gic hunters present feeling weak and helpless. The hunters of the fourth realm knew a little about the two major organizations within; no one in the gathering point would be a match for them, not even if they fought together.


    The sea of clouds gave them an ultimatum. "Hand over this man, and I''ll release these friends of yours."


    Lin Lingfeng shook her head. "We really don''t know."


    "You may have some more time to consider. I''ll give you fifty seconds. Every ten seconds, I''ll kill another member of your race."


    Blood seeped out from the orifices of the second gic hunter from the left. He was pulped into a bloody mist, which dissipated amidst the white fog.


    One gic hunter called out, "Long live the Milky Way! No Milky Way hunter is a coward¡ªwe won''t bow down to the likes of you!"


    He glowed with light as gic energy surged throughout his body. Then, with a huge bang, he disappeared in a ball of glowing radiance, clearing the immediate area around him of the white mist.


    The sea of clouds sighed. "A man of integrity, it seems, to have chosen to self-destruct rather than to suffer an ignoble death. What a pity that hispanions don''t seem to cherish him¡ªyou''re the ones who killed him, don''t you see?"


    "Hunters of the Milky Way!" Lin Lingfeng shouted, her eyes red.


    "We''re here!" the gic hunters within the city responded.


    "When have we Milky Way hunters grown so cowardly as to bear this disrespect?!"


    "Even if we fall, we won''t let ourselves be humiliated by the aliens of the fourth realm!"


    "We''ll fight to our deaths!"


    All the hunters within the settlement began to shout. The death of theirrade-in-arms had stoked a raging inferno in their souls.


    "We hunters of the Milky Way may die, but we''ll die with respect!"


    "Eternal Sun, Ancient Gods'' Abode¡ªnone of us are afraid of you!"


    "We''ve faced countless beast stampedes, and we''ve never backed down! You''re a sea of clouds? Well, we''ll pierce you through!"


    The hunters of the fourth realm felt a sense of pride and honor at belonging to the Milky Way. Though individually weak, they banded together against their enemies and against disasters. This was what had kept the hunters of the Milky Way alive, like a me that could not be snuffed out.


    Gic energy lit up within the settlement as radiant light tinted the sky in a barrage of colors.


    The huntersunched their techniques all at once, but none of them were able to deal anysting damage to the sea of clouds. The mist was illusory, evanescent; ordinary attacks had no chance of hitting it.


    The face formed by the sea of clouds sighed. "What a pity. I was going to destroy this city after identifying the culprit, but it looks like it''ll take me a bit more work."


    Mist surged into the city. Hunters shrieked as they asphyxiated, their faces turning blue and purple. They coughed violently, vomiting out blood. The weakest hunters'' bodies exploded on the spot and turned into a bloody mist absorbed by the sea of clouds. In an instant, the entire city was covered by cloudy mist.


    The opponent was stronger than they could imagine. The hunters turned to mist without even being able to strike at their opponent.


    Lin Lingfeng''s eyes clouded over with despair. "What are we doing...?"


    Just then, one hunter knelt on the ground and begged, "I know where to find the person you''re looking for! Please, don''t kill me!"


    The sea of clouds formed a face that hung in the sky once more.


    "Looks like there''s at least one intelligent fellow out there, at least."


    Lin Lingfeng clutched onto her weapon with trembling hands as she shouted, "Stand up! We hunters of the Milky Way can''t submit to these aliens even if we have to die!"


    The kneeling hunter yelled out, "I''m sorry, but I don''t want to die! I still have friends and family waiting for us in the Milky Way!"


    Lin Lingfeng cried back, "Do you think the rest of us are orphans?!"


    The kneeling hunter replied, "He was just someone who popped out of nowhere! He has no rtion to our gathering point, so what harm does it do to reveal his identity?"


    "He saved our whole city! With him in the fourth realm, our lives will surely change for the better¡ªjust like how he created the kingdom of Limit for us humans in the second realm, and constructed a whole new world order in the third! He''s our brightest hope!"


    The kneeling hunter called back, "Who cares about hope if we can''t even live until tomorrow?!"


    Lin Lingfeng was about to continue arguing when she was caught by a bundle of mist. The sea of clouds said, "Keep talking."


    "This man''s called Zhang Lie! He left the city a few days ago, and has been gone since."


    "Where has he gone?"


    The kneeling hunter shook his head. "That¡ªI don''t know."


    A bundle of mist suddenly caused the kneeling hunter to float into the air. "W-What?"


    "I''m very disappointed."


    The kneeling hunter struggled in the air, but was unable to break free. The sea of clouds reiterated, "I''m very disappointed. I thought you were a clever man, but..."


    The kneeling hunter cried out, "I''ve told you the truth, all of it!"


    Suddenly, he exploded into a bloody mist.


    The sea of clouds sighed. "It looks like your race isposed of a bunch of idiots and feckless fools. Well, there''s no need for any of you to live on, then."


    If he were to kill the entire race, the culprit would naturally also perish.


    The hunters of the city finally understood that surrender wouldn''t save their lives.


    Cthaat''s son wouldn''t believe them; he was waiting to see Zhang Lie himself. However, Zhang Lie wasn''t within the city. There was no way any of them could give him what he wanted.


    If Zhang Lie were in the city, they wouldn''t have had to suffer.


    Only by fighting to their death could they die with honor and dignity.


    The sea of clouds continued impatiently, "It''s rather troublesome, but I suppose I''ll have to use Father''s method. I''ll kill you all and extinguish your race."


    More hunters in the city began to die. The disparity in power between thebatants was immense; any form of struggle was pointless in the face of absolute strength. Just as the hunters in the city were about to despair, a pir of light pierced through the sea of clouds and the face it formed.


    Upon seeing the object that emerged from the sea of clouds, the gic hunters thought they were suffering from a mass delusion. All of them recognized what they were seeing¡ªbut that was precisely why they were all the more shocked.

 Chapter 1343: The Starlit Path

    <h4>Chapter 1343: The Starlit Path</h4>


    "An airship!" the gic hunters shouted in surprise. Wasn''t it the case that you couldn''t bring technology into the dimensional world? How could an airship exist in the fourth realm? Was it just something that looked like an airship?


    The clouds began to draw close to the airship.


    The airship''s robotic voice rang out, "A mysterious mist is drawing near. Shall I activate the artillery system?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no need. The airship doesn''t have much energy, and I don''t want it to be wasted. I can deal with an enemy like this easily."


    Zhang Lie headed up to the top of the airship and frowned as he took in the condition of the settlement.


    The cloudy mist squirmed. The white, fluffy sea of clouds seemed to be alive. The clouds rose up in the form of a long snake that coiled around the airship and Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie snorted. He clenched his fists tightly. Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend around them. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the space. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The explosion shattered space and sent waves of force rippling all around it. Like a rampaging beast, it devoured everything nearby, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. The cloudy mist around the city was swept clean for a mile around Zhang Lie.


    The cloudy mist transformed into a face.


    "Oh? I thought it would take me much longer to find you, but here you are!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I was passing by and saw Lin Lingfeng in trouble, so I thought I''d help her out¡ªbut it looks like I was the cause of it."


    The cloud face replied, "Whether or not you are depends on your answer. Though I don''t quite believe it, were you the one who killed ck Swamp?"


    "ck Swamp? What?"


    The cloud face smiled. "As I thought, a race as weak as ants¡ªhow could any of them have killed my brother, Chtaat''s son? Is that what you thought I''d say?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Regardless, I''m not familiar with this ck Swamp you mention."


    The cloud face replied, "You must have heard of Cthaat''s sons, then."


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "I think I''ve heard of it, but I don''t remember where."


    The cloud face continued, "You must have been to arge, ck swamp recently? Forget it. I can''t be bothered to talk nonsense with you. Regardless of whether you were the one who killed ck Swamp, I''m going to kill you and the rest of your race along with you."


    Zhang Lie replied, "What a coincidence! I was about to do the same to you."


    "Right, what race do you belong to? No, never mind. You''re all as weak as ants. There''s no need to remember your race." The cloud face dispersed and transformed intorge quantities of mist that surged toward Zhang Lie.


    "After doing this to one of the Milky Way gathering points in the fourth realm, you won''t get away alive!" Zhang Lie replied. He extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy coiled around it like a snake.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    With a swing of his finger, a sword sh pierced through the mist. Even more mist surged toward Zhang Lie from all over.


    A raging shark swam forth deep into the mist, where it met surprising resistance. The mist was simultaneously real and illusory. It couldn''t be caught, and it did no damage when pierced through, but it could exert strength of its own.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    ck gic energy gushed out, forming pitch-ck clouds that contrasted against the white mist. It sizzled as it came into contact with the mist.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy spread out all around him, shrouding the airship within.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth through the mist. However, it didn''t strike anything physical.


    With his initial probing attack rendered useless, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but sigh. "This mist might as well not exist."


    The mist reformed into a face andughed at Zhang Lie. "Your attack will be fruitless. I''ve never been defeated, and I''m invincible!"


    "Nothing is ever invincible. You seem like a decently strong opponent, however, and I have just the thing to try out on you."


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard,


    he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    Li Qianlin, watching from the airship, was caught by the allure of the starlight.


    The gic hunters in the city were all shocked by Zhang Lie''s demonstration.


    "What sort of power is this?!"


    "It looks like a soulshard."


    "What sort of soulshard would cause such a hugemotion..."


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously.


    "I''m not finished!" Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    Bu Wentian harbored high expectations for Zhang Lie, not just for the Gctic Rising Stars Cup, but for the good of humanity. He had given him an incredible treasure, a high-grade soulshard that was perfectlypatible with his peak-grade dragonwolf transformation, recing his original superior-grade blood ant soulshard.


    Thebination of the two soulshards produced a magnified strength.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting apart heaven and earth, and dividing the sea of clouds in twain.

 Chapter 1344: An Unexpected Boon

    <h4>Chapter 1344: An Unexpected Boon</h4>


    The sea of clouds was divided in twain. Upon seeing the clear sky above them, the gic hunters were shocked. The sea of clouds trembled violently, clearly shocked by Zhang Lie''s attack.


    "I wonder if you''ll be able to survive the next technique?"


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star. The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, which shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The ster dragon cleared the sky of mist. The sea of clouds formed countless dense palms, attempting to restrict the dragon''s movements.


    "Is this all you''ve got?" the sea of clouds called out.


    The mist transformed into hundreds of dragons that shot toward Zhang Lie.


    The sea of clouds sounded particrly cocky. "You might be able to manifest dragons, but so can I¡ªand more than you can!"


    "I''ve never lost out in terms of numbers."


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    They obliterated the cloud dragons within moments, then tore apart the sea of clouds.


    Even Cthaat''s son was unable to handle so many attacks at once. The mist began to retreat as Zhang Lie chuckled. "You wee so arrogant when you approached¡ªand now you''re trying to flee?"


    The sea of clouds replied in gasps and pants. "I''lle back soon enough, just you wait! I''ll bring my brothers with me in the future. For killing my brother, you''ll surely perish!"


    "As I said, after making such a mess to a Milky Way gathering point in the fourth realm and killing so many gic hunters, you won''t be leaving alive." Zhang Lie snapped his fingers as the energy of annihtion erupted around him.


    The ster dragons all exploded, each with the force of a gxy. A huge wave of energy spread out around him, forming a ck hole that swallowed up everything in sight, including the white mist. Cthaat''s son screamed as the mist waspletely sucked in, unable to resist the pull of gravity.


    As all the mist was devoured by the ck hole, the battle ended.


    Zhang Lie canceled his transformation and returned to his airship, which slowlynded in the city.


    The buildings within the city hadn''t been destroyed, but there were countless weapons and torn clothes left behind by the fallen hunters. Zhang Liemented, "It looks like your gathering point has suffered another disaster."


    Lin Lingfeng slowly walked over. "Thank you, Heavenly Monarch, for saving our gathering point once again."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You had better call me Zhang Lie."


    Lin Lingfeng continued, "If you hadn''t arrived in a timely fashion, the hunters of the gathering point might all have perished."


    "I thought you would hold a grudge against me for luring such an enemy to your gathering point."


    Zhang Lie knew very well that this so-called Cthaat''s son was targeting him.


    Lin Lingfeng shook her head. "No one anticipated it, and no one would have wanted it. Furthermore, you''ve saved our gathering point twice over, Zhang Lie."


    "It might as well have been none. I saved you once, but that sea of clouds came here for me."


    Lin Lingfeng nced at the airship behind Zhang Lie. "Where in the world did you get such an airship? I would never have believed that the technology of the Milky Way could be brought into the dimensional world..."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "This isn''t from the Milky Way, but rather from the dimensional world itself."


    Lin Lingfeng frowned. "The dimensional world shouldn''t have any technology, though?"


    The hunters of the Milky Way had once attempted to use materials from the dimensional world to make simple technology, but their experiments all failed.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "They''re not using the same sort of science we do¡ªit''s a separate system entirely."


    The hunters of the Milky Way had stumbled into a pitfall. They thought that technology didn''t work in the dimensional world, but in truth, that wasn''t the case. It was simply that the science and technology of the Milky Way was ipatible with the naturalw of the dimensional world.


    In the third realm, for instance, Zhang Lie had seen examples of technological development¡ªthe spiritual machines that the death spirit king had devised, or even the cultivation of special nts that the Yeluo chieftain had found in the second and third realms, which represented some bio-organic development. From these examples, it was apparent that a form of science was indeed avable in the dimensional world, though one different from that practiced in the Milky Way.


    Lin Lingfeng asked, "Where did you get it?"


    "It was an unexpected boon."


    "I won''t ask you to reveal more information," Lin Lingfeng replied. "But I''m sure many people would go crazy upon seeing it..."


    The researchers of the Milky Way and ambitious hunters would surely go crazy upon learning about the existence of airships in the dimensional world, and they would surely be tempted to dismantle the airship to understand the principles of its construction within the realm.


    Zhang Lie mused, "I hadn''t thought about this."


    Lin Lingfeng shook her head in exasperation. "You''re far too strong."


    Zhang Lie''s strength was so overwhelming that he could easily ignore anyone within the gathering point.


    "Well, it looks like it''s toote to hide it now."


    Zhang Lie wasn''t afraid of trouble¡ªhe had the strength to take on anyone and everyone.


    However, since he was nning to return to the Milky Way for a while, for the safety of the airship and of Li Qianlin, Zhang Lie intended to take a few precautions. He returned to the airship and added more fuel.


    He headed to the airship''s furnace, which was scorching hot, and threw all the excess lifeform meat he had into it.


    Then, he returned to themand center. He told Li Qianlin, "I''ll be leaving the fourth realm for some time. Stay on the airship. I''ll authorize you tomand it."


    Li Qianlin asked, "Approximately when will you return?"


    "I''ll be gone for about a day, so after the time dtion, perhaps two weeks."


    Li Qianlin nodded. "Very well. I''ll guard the airship during this time."


    Zhang Lie smiled wryly. "Protect yourself first."

 Chapter 1345: More or Less

    <h4>Chapter 1345: More or Less</h4>


    Zhang Liemanded the airship, "Temporarily cede authority over the airship to Li Qianlin."


    A robotic voice rang out, "Li Qianlin has been assigned secondary stewardship of this airship. When the primary steward is not present, Li Qianlin will be in charge of this airship."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Whenever any lifeform approaches a range of twenty meters, shoot it down immediately."


    "Understood."


    Zhang Lie then told Li Qianlin, "While I''m gone, if you feel bored, you can pilot the airship and have some fun."


    With everything prepared, Zhang Lie left the airship and told Lin Lingfeng, "I''ll be heading back to the Milky Way for some time. Don''t let any of the hunters approach within thirty meters. I''ve instructed the airship to shoot down any lifeform within that range."


    Lin Lingfeng nodded. "Don''t worry, I''ll let everyone in the settlement know."


    Zhang Lie bade farewell to Lin Lingfeng and returned to the hunter''s guild in the Milky Way, whereupon he submitted a request to return to Earth.


    Before his request was approved, Zhang Lie called Zhang Hong.


    Zhang Hong was surprised. "You''ve returned from the fourth realm?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "Aren''t I informing you of it right now?"


    Zhang Hong rolled her eyes. "You heartless man¡ªdo you even still think about me?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "It''s fortunate that there''s no one around you, or others might get the wrong impression of our rtionship."


    Zhang Hong asked, "What happened this time?"


    "I intend on returning to Earth. Please inform the hunters of the third realm, Zhang Hanxiang, and the members of Team Zenith to wait for me in the dojo."


    Zhang Hong confirmed, "You want them to wee you back?"


    "More or less."


    "That''s not like you. Your usual style is to ignore all manner of custom to prioritize training instead. What''s changed?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "There are some issues I need to talk to Hanxiang about, as well as the members of Team Zenith atrge."


    "Is something wrong in the fourth realm?"


    Zhang Hong seemed even more perplexed.


    What the members of Team Zenith couldn''t deal with, Zhang Lie could do so easily on his own. What Zhang Lie couldn''t deal with, the members of Team Zenith would be no help.


    Zhang Lie replied, "There''s something important¡ªa rare opportunity, let''s say¡ªso I''m calling them all over."


    Zhang Hong nodded. "If you don''t want to divulge more details, I won''t pry. I''ll have the members of the Zenith Dojo in the third realm inform Zhang Hanxiang and the members of Team Zenith immediately."


    By the time Zhang Lie finished chatting with Zhang Hong, his application had been approved.


    When fourth-realm hunters wanted to travel within the Milky Way, the hunter''s guild would have to make a record of that travel, though there were no restrictions of any kind imposed.


    After all, fourth-realm hunters were at the apex of strength, and there were few that could control or deter them.


    Unlike the third-realm hunters that were prevalent on every, there were far fewer fourth-realm hunters in the Milky Way.


    After returning back to Earth, Zhang Lie appeared within the Zenith Dojo after no time at all, considering the speeds at which he now moved.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t returned to the Zenith Dojo for quite some time, but the time dtion between the Milky Way and the dimensional realm meant that he had only been gone for two or three days since hisst visit. Little had changed during the intervening period.


    After returning to the Zenith Dojo, he didn''t have to wait long before Zhang Hanxiang and the members of Team Zenith appeared, along with his four apprentices.


    Zhang Hanxiang hugged him tightly. "I''ve missed you, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie returned her hug. Thinking back to the issue with her spiritual avatar, Zhang Lie''s gaze couldn''t help soften.


    Zhang Hanxiang grumbled, "Brother, why did it take so long for you to visit us after you ascended to the fourth realm?"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Didn''t I have Hong Tianqi pass you the information immediately?"


    Zhang Hanxiang hugged Zhang Lie tightly.


    "But I don''t feelfortable unless I can see you in person!"


    "Well, I''m right here."


    The members of Team Zenith smiled. "Captain, long time no see."


    "Master!"


    Hong Xi, Jun Jiuxiao, Ye Xianchen, and Hong Xiao all greeted Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie smiled at them. "You''re all here too? Have a seat. Have you eaten?"


    Zhang Hanxiang replied, "Brother, we''re not hungry."


    Zhang Lie turned to Hong Xiao.


    "Considering the changes to your aura, Hong Xiao, I''m guessing you''ve ascended to the third realm too?"


    Hong Xiao nodded. "As more and more disciples of the Zenith Dojo ascended to the second realm, the foundations of the kingdom of Limit were stabilized. Even without me, the kingdom of Limit would continue functioning as per normal, so I chose to ascend."


    After his period of training in the second realm, Hong Xiao had grown calmer and more disciplined, and he was starting to give off the aura of the strong.


    "I''ve since maxed out my disaster gene fragments."


    With the resources that Zhang Lie left behind in the third realm, Hong Xiao had aplished this feat quickly after his ascension.


    Yang Ze asked directly, "Captain, did youe back for some reason?"


    Li Fengughed. "Perhaps our captain misses us?"


    Fang Yi scoffed. "He''s already paired up with Li Qianlin. He''d rather have us all be gone so he doesn''t have to manage us, I expect."


    Sun Xiaowu coughed dryly. Fang Yi immediately shut his mouth and made a zipping motion with his lips.


    Zhang Lie asked, "If you have time to joke about me, I''m sure your training and cultivation must be going well."


    "We haven''t wasted a single day!" Yang Ze announced.


    Li Feng nodded seriously. "We''ve been working hard on cultivation, without skiving off."


    Fang Yi continued, "In order to catch up to you, Captain, we could hardly go easy on ourselves."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "We''ve been working on our shorings based on the training session we had with you, Captain."


    Hong Xi nodded. "Master, I''ve grown far stronger than you were when you ascended!"


    Zhang Lie nced at the hunters gathered around the room. "Very good. Considering your auras, you''ve indeed worked very hard¡ªand you are all stronger than I was when I ascended to the third realm."


    Even this casual affirmation of their hard work was like high praise to the members of Team Zenith, who all beamed.


    Zhang Lie continued, "Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Zhou Ying, Li Feng, you six older members of Team Zenith all pass in terms of strength. It''s time for you to ascend to the fourth realm."


    Sun Mengmeng cried out, "Captain, we can finally ascend now?!"

 Chapter 1346: Two Strongest Organizations

    <h4>Chapter 1346: Two Strongest Organizations</h4>


    Zhang Lie continued, "I wanted to set up this meeting for two reasons: first, I hadn''t seen all of you for a long time, and second, to inform you that you''re all ready to ascend now."


    Sun Mengmeng cried out, "Captain, we can finally ascend now?!"


    She had been waiting for this moment for far too long.


    "You''ve all worked hard to remediate your shorings, and you won''t improve much further in the third realm. Better that you ascend to the fourth realm¡ªeveryone says the fourth realm is hellish, which means it''ll spur your growth to a considerable extent."


    Yang Ze asked, "Are hunters in the fourth realm suffering?"


    "That''s part of what I''ll be discussing."


    Hong Xia asked expectantly, "Master, what about us?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You''re stillcking in terms of strength. The fourth realm is extremely dangerous, and hunters there might die at any moment. Considering your current strength, it would be impossible for you to develop rapidly in the fourth realm, so keep working hard instead. Especially you, Hanxiang. You''ve been cking offtely, haven''t you?"


    Zhang Hanxiang folded her arms. "What? No! I''ve been working very hard."


    Zhang Lie replied, "You might have grown, but your growth rate is still slower than everyone else''s!"


    Zhang Hanxiang grumbled, "I''ll keep working hard, Brother."


    Zhang Lie continued, "Let me tell you all about the fourth realm so that you can be mentally prepared. Unlike the third realm, the fourth realm is filled with danger. It''s difficult for the average hunter to survive in the fourth realm; it might as well be an apocalyptic world."


    Yang Ze asked, "In that case, how can we Milky Way hunters gain a foothold for ourselves?"


    "Gic hunters have to group up and work together if they want to live, but even if they do so and form a gathering point, they frequently encounter beast stampedes that can easily take down their buildings."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "If the fourth realm is so dangerous, why do we hunters keep ascending? The third realm''s conditions aren''t bad¡ªor you can even stay in the Milky Way!"


    Zhang Lie exined, "There are plenty of reasons. First and foremost, pioneers are necessary in order to explore the dimensional realm. Without any pioneers who lead the way with a sacrifice of blood and life, the fourth realm would have been a dead end. Second, attempting to grow stronger is in our nature."


    Sun Mengmeng exined, "To use the four prime races of the Milky Way as example, when one of the starbeasts ascends to the fourth realm and obtains some benefit there, the starbeasts as a whole will surpass the other three prime races. What will the other three races do then?"


    Zhang Hanxiang murmured thoughtfully, "They''d naturally be upset¡ªthere was a bnce, which the starbeasts broke."


    "And that would cause them to send members of their own kind into the fourth realm," Sun Mengmeng continued, smiling. "In other words, it''s essentially all apetition."


    Zhang Hanxiang understood now. "I understand the theory, but why do people all want to be stronger? Can''t we all just bow down toward the strong?"


    Zhang Lie rubbed his sister''s head.


    "If the entire universe were like you, without any incentive to grow strong, then we wouldn''t have so many wars. The universe would long since have been at peace¡ªthough of course we''d lose out on development and innovation, too."


    Everyoneughed.


    Zhang Hanxiang hmphed. "I don''t need to grow strong when you''re around, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie returned to the main topic at hand. "What you have to watch out for most within the fourth realm are the beast stampedes. In addition, there are two ancient organizations in the fourth realm of considerable strength: the Ancient Gods'' Abode, and Eternal Sun."


    Zhang Hanxiangmented, "From their names alone, they sound really strong..."


    Zhang Lie continued, "The Ancient Gods'' Abode and Eternal Sun are the two strongest organizations of the fourth realm. In addition, there''s a recent neer that''s said to be very strong as well, though I don''t know much about it."


    Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t know much about the Ancient Gods'' Abode and Eternal Sun either; he had only heard of their names.


    Yang Ze asked curiously, "How strong are these two strongest organizations?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I fought a member of Eternal Sun recently, but it wasn''t particrly strong."


    Everyoneughed. "Against you, Captain, no one would be particrly strong."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How''s it going in the third realm?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "Do you still care about the third realm even after ascending to the fourth, Captain?"


    "I''m just asking."


    "Nothing''s really happened since you left¡ªyou haven''t been gone that long, after all, Captain. Right, the council''s decided that everyone''s going to study the research material left behind by the death spirits to see if we can get anything out of it."


    "I look forward to what they can do with it," Zhang Lie replied.


    Sun Mengmeng continued, "In addition, using the farm you left us, we''ve all maxed out our monarch gene fragments."


    Zhu had ess to the unified world''s energy, and it was far easier to cultivate monarch-grade lifeforms now than it had been during Zhang Lie''s time.


    "Zhu keeps asking about you," Sun Mengmeng added.


    Sun Xiaowu took over. "The Zongming, Lie, and draconian kingdoms, along with our own Milky Way coalition, are still essentially the same as before. We''re in the honeymoon period and cooperating on just about everything. The third realm''s very peaceful at the moment, without the constant war and strife among the three thousand worlds. All this is thanks to you, Captain."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "I did very little. When the unified council was formed, world peace wasn''t one of the priorities, either."


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "Regardless, Captain, you''ve changed yet another realm."


    The hunters chatted with each other about various subjects. It had been a long time since they returned to Earth, and there were plenty of regional specialities that they had a craving for. They left together; Zhang Lie had Zhang Hanxiang stay behind.


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Is something the matter, Brother?"


    Zhang Lie made a few abortive attempts to speak, but he didn''t know just how to broach the subject. He thought for a moment,then made up his mind.


    "I found information about our parents in the fourth realm."


    Zhang Hanxiang stepped forward and clutched Zhang Lie''s shirt in shock.


    "You''ve found our parents?!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "They left a message behind. I can confirm they''re not in the fourth realm, but I don''t know where they are. There''s a very good chance they''re still alive."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t be sure whether his parents were still in the fourth realm, but he couldn''t tell Zhang Hanxiang that.


    If Zhang Hanxiang learned that his parents might be in the fourth realm, she would surely do her best to ascend immediately. Zhang Lie knew this as a certainty¡ªbecause that was what he would do.


    The dangers of the fourth realm notwithstanding, Zhang Hanxiang had the strength to ascend to the fourth realm and protect herself, but it would be very difficult to grow strong quickly. Furthermore, there was still the issue of her spiritual avatar.

 Chapter 1347: As Long As Theyre Alive

    <h4>Chapter 1347: As Long As They''re Alive</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang rxed. "As long as they''re alive, as long as they''re alive..."


    Zhang Lie didn''t intend to tell Zhang Hanxiang about her body, nor the fact that their parents'' disappearance had to do with her body as well.


    "I''d like you to remain in the dojo for the short term."


    The issue of Zhang Hanxiang''s body was rted to her growth, but Zhang Lie wasn''t certain if it had anything to do with her strength or age. Regardless, it would be safer for her to remain in the Milky Way for now.


    Zhang Hanxiang didn''t understand why. "Isn''t Zhang Hong in charge of the dojo at the moment?"


    To be frank, Zhang Hanxiang wasn''t very interested in managing the dojo.


    Zhang Lie replied, "Actually, something might be happening to the dojo in the short term."


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "Has something happened?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m not sure myself, so I''d like you to check on it." Of course, this was only an excuse that he hade up with on the spot.


    Zhang Hanxiang suddenly seemed to understand something. "So this is your intention, Brother! I understand now."


    Zhang Hanxiang was very pleased with herself for figuring out what was going on. "Brother, you''re trying to test my skills! Sess in the fourth realm will depend not only on strength, but also on wits, too!"


    Zhang Lie had no such intention, but this certainly suited his ns. "You can understand it that way."


    Zhang Hanxiang patted her chest. "Don''t worry. I''m very smart, you''ll see! This trial won''t stymie me¡ªjust you wait and see!"


    "Well, if that''s the case, I''ll make it harder. Before you uncover the problem, you can''t enter the dimensional world or seek assistance from anyone else."


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded sagely. "You''re afraid of me uncovering the answer immediately, aren''t you, Brother?"


    "Show me what you''ve got."


    "Very well. I ept your challenge!"


    Zhang Lie enjoyed a delicious meal with the members of Team Zenith. When they were finished and returned to their respective hometowns, Zhang Lie and the others came back refreshed and full of energy.


    Zhang Lie said, "Once you all ascend to the fourth realm, I''ll bring you somewhere good."


    Sun Mengmeng nibbled on the skewer of meat in her hand. "How will we inform you when we''ve ascended, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I''ve already thought about this. I intend to remain in the Zenith Dojo for a day. Ascend quickly¡ªdon''t disappoint me."


    The members of Team Zenith replied, "Understood!"


    After they returned to the Zenith Dojo, the hunters returned to the third realm via the teleportation apparatus, leaving the Zhang siblings behind. Zhang Hanxiang was off to investigate clues to a non-existent problem, whereas Zhang Lie was back to check up on the dojo.


    It had been a long while since hest checked on the dojo, and he had been in the dimensional world all this time. Even when he returned to the Milky Way, he had onlymunicated briefly with Hong Tianqi before returning to the dimensional realm once more. Zhang Hong had been the one in charge all this time.


    It had been too long since Zhang Lie had taken a good look at the dojo.


    Although Zhang Lie hadn''t been gone from the dojo for too long and there hadn''t been many changes since, the disciples of the dojo had changed considerably. There were far more now than at the beginning, and they had all grown considerably stronger.


    There were even a few newbies in the dojo. The more experienced disciples werergely in the dimensional world, only rarely appearing in the dojo, and Zhang Lie was unable to get a good sense of the entire dojo as a whole.


    The Zenith Dojo''s fame had spread worldwide, even gxywide, and it had the best equipment and technology.


    After surveying the entire dojo and taking a short break, Zhang Lie returned to the hunter''s guild.


    After returning from the fourth realm, hunters would reappear within the guild, unlike in the first through third realms.


    Zhang Lie awaited the members of Team Zenith there.


    As the teleportation apparatus lit up, Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying stepped out. From the changes to their aura, it was apparent that they were now fourth-realm hunters.


    "How do you feel?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Much stronger than before," Sun Mengmeng replied.


    Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "What are you talking about, Sis? We are much stronger than before¡ªwe''re monarch-grade lifeforms now!"


    The members of Team Zenith had been disaster-grade lifeforms when they ascended to the third realm. After maxing out their monarch gene fragments in the third realm, they had transformed into monarch-grade lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie asked, "How do you feel about the fourth realm and your current circumstances?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "We''re not doing too well, but not too poorly, either. Perhaps because you''ve already given us some details, Captain, we were mentally prepared."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where are you located?"


    Sun Mengmeng retrieved a map from her extra-dimensional storage. "We got this map from the gathering point, but we don''t know where we are ourselves."


    Zhang Lie had spent half a day in the Milky Way, but that corresponded to twenty days for the members of Team Zenith. Not only had they ascended to the fourth realm, they had also gathered plenty of information there.


    Zhang Lie nced at the map. "I roughly know where you are."


    Zhang Lie held a rtivelyplete map of the fourth realm. It had been assembled through puzzle pieces, but it provided an expansive view of the entire realm. ncing at Sun Mengmeng''s map was sufficient for Zhang Lie to identify their location.


    "And the rest of you?" he continued.


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Before we ascended, we had Zhumunicate with the will of the unified world to ensure that we would all be sent to the same location."


    Yang Ze replied, "That''s why we''re all together."


    "Good, that''ll save me time. I''ll head over to find all of you."


    Sun Mengmeng suggested, "Should we find somewhere more convenient to meet?"


    "First, you''re not strong enough to be wandering through the fourth realm on your own. Second, I''m much more familiar than you all are with the terrain of the fourth realm. I''d be able to find a meetup location far sooner than the rest of you, who might lose your way. It''d take me longer to find you at that rate. We don''t have much time."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Is there something urgent, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "We need to arrive somewhere within the fourth realm in half a year. Assuming it takes us two months between now and returning to the fourth realm, we only have four months left."


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t seem concerned. "Four months is plenty of time, isn''t it?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Four months could pass in the blink of an eye. To prevent any idents from happening, it''s better to have some extra time avable."


    "Is this important?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "Very much so."


    Anything that could affect Zhang Hanxiang, his sister, was of utmost importance.


    "Come on, I''ll help all of you register."


    After the registration wasplete, Zhang Lie brought Sun Mengmeng, Sun Xiaowu, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Li Feng, and Zhou Ying all around the guild to familiarize themselves with it. Zhang Lie was just about to return to the fourth realm and meet up with the hunters when his transceiver suddenly rang.

 Chapter 1348: Wheres My Airship?

    <h4>Chapter 1348: Where''s My Airship?</h4>


    Zhang Lie nced at the caller: Hong Tianqi.


    He picked up as Hong Tianqi grumbled, "Why didn''t you inform me that you''d returned to the Milky Way?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "You''re exceptionally busy as the highest authority of the unified world federation. How could I dare to call you if it isn''t exceptionally important?"


    "Haha, Heavenly Monarch Zhang Lie, you truly are one to joke."


    "You must be busy, Authority Hong. What''s the matter? Is there something urgent at hand?"


    Hong Tianqi replied, "Recently, many Milky Way settlements of the fourth realm have been attacked."


    "That seems to be the case. Was it Eternal Sun at work?"


    Lin Lingfeng''s settlement, for instance, had been surrounded by a sea of clouds.


    "You''re aware?"


    "The settlement I was at, before I returned to the Milky Way, was attacked by some son of Eternal Sun."


    "Cthaat''s son," Hong Tianqi informed him. "As far as we know, from the records that the Milky Way keeps on Eternal Sun, Cthaat is one of the top members of Eternal Sun, and his children are those that have been produced via parthenogenesis."


    "Are they genderless, then?"


    "That''s not the priority right now."


    Zhang Lie continued, "What are his children like?"


    "ording to the hunters who escaped from the fourth realm back to the Milky Way, what they saw was smolderingva in the form of a gigantic beast, with thunder rumbling through the sky."


    "Sounds imposing."


    "In addition, the hunters who escaped from the fourth realm said that Cthaat''s sons seemed to be looking for a culprit of some sort¡ªone that looks very much like you."


    "And? You''re not here to castigate me or hold me responsible, are you?"


    Hong Tianqiughed. "All those hunters who reported the culprit looked like you were given a harsh scolding. It''s hard enough for gic hunters to survive in the fourth realm, and we certainly can''t afford to be pointing fingers at one another."


    Zhang Lie replied, "So why have you contacted me?"


    Hong Tianqi''s face turned serious. "The children of Cthaat are extremely powerful, and no gic hunter in the fourth realm is a match for them. They all seem to have gone crazy¡ªthey''re clearing away Milky Way settlements all over the fourth realm, specifically picking out the ones in which human hunters reside. If this is allowed to continue, the Milky Way will surely suffer¡ªit might be wiped out of the fourth realm entirely."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I understand your intention now. You want me to prevent, or even to kill, the children of Cthaat¡ªbut are you aware of an important problem?"


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "Of course I understand."


    "If you do, then why bring it up?"


    Hong Tianqi sighed. "I don''t have a better option. You''re the only one I can think of who can deal with the children of Cthaat¡ªat least in the fourth realm."


    Zhang Lie replied, "But you must be aware that I''m alone. There are so many gathering points for Milky Way hunters all over the fourth realm, and I can hardly protect them all myself. I don''t even know where the children of Cthaat are. What would you have me do?"


    The fourth realm was exceptionallyrge, and it was no trivial task to identify where the children of Cthaat were located. Even with Zhang Lie''s airship, he would have to know where the children of Cthaat were to take them down.


    Hong Tianqi replied, "Having you guard all the gathering points is, of course, an impossible task, and one that I would never assign you. I simply want you to head to a specific one."


    "Which one, and why?"


    Hong Tianqi''s tone turned serious. "Do you remember the gathering point I told you about, the one I constructed while in the fourth realm?"


    "You did, and you even told me to have a look if I had the time."


    "I was responsible for helping to construct two gathering points in the fourth realm, one by the ocean, and the other within a mountain. One of them is currently under attack by one of Cthaat''s children, and the only one I can think of who can do anything about it is you. It''s close to the gathering point you''re at, too."


    "I''m happy to go, but I don''t know if your gathering point will still be around by the time I do."


    Hong Tianqi smiled. "Don''t worry¡ªmy gathering point won''t be so easily destroyed. Even against a child of Cthaat, it would be able to hold out for a month or two. The reason I constructed that gathering point was because I knew it would be extremely defensible."


    "If you''re so confident, I''ll head over and have a look. I hope that I won''t go there just to construct graves for the fallen. Do you have an approximate set of coordinates and direction to head towards?"


    "I have a map here."


    Hong Tianqi sent a map over the transceiver. Zhang Lie took a look. "It really is rather close by. I''ll head over now and have a look."


    Zhang Lie turned off the transceiver and looked at the ck screen, as well as his face reflected in it. Hong Tianqi sighed wearily. "I hope there''s still time..."


    Zhang Lie stepped into the teleportation apparatus and returned to the fourth realm. It had been three months since he left. Lin Lingfeng''s city, which had been in ruins by the time he left, was now pristine once again.


    Zhang Lie returned to where his airship had been, only to find that it had vanished.


    "Where''s my airship? How could it have gone missing?"


    Zhang Lie immediately headed into the city proper.


    He found that the hunters of the city were giving him strange looks.


    He headed straight to Lin Lingfeng; no one dared to stop him.


    Lin Lingfeng raised her hands in surrender. "Stay calm, Mr. Zhang! No one stole your airship. Your girlfriend flew off with it."


    Only then did Zhang Lie rx. "In other words, Li Qianlin''s flying around with it to relieve her boredom?"


    Zhang Lie had been gone for three months, and it was unrealistic for Li Qianlin to remain in the airship patiently waiting for him all this time. It was only natural for her to take it out for a drive.


    Lin Lingfeng continued, "Let me exin slowly, please. Actually, not long after you left, there were quite a few hunters in the city who were upset and angry at you."


    Not only was Zhang Lie not angry, he seemed almost interested. "Who would dare? I''d like to meet them."


    Lin Lingfeng replied diplomatically, "Now that you''re back, they won''t show themselves, of course."


    Although there were quite a few upset and disgruntled hunters, they had to keep their thoughts to themselves. Many had witnessed Zhang Lie''s fight against the sea of clouds. It would be trivial for him to take down a small gathering point, too.


    "That sea of clouds, an alien who called himself a son of Cthaat, manifested your appearance. Everyone in the city saw it, and they believe that you were the one who roused its attention."


    "And you?"


    "Well, even if it is the case, you saved our gathering point twice over during two respective beast stampedes."


    Zhang Lie nced at her thoughtfully. "Given what you''ve told me, it doesn''t seem as though Li Qianlin''s simply driving the airship around to rx."

 Chapter 1349: You Didnt Hold Back

    <h4>Chapter 1349: You Didn''t Hold Back</h4>


    "The sea of clouds showed your appearance, and I think we can all agree that it attacked this gathering point because of your presence. Many hunters'' friends andrades-in-arms, and even family members, perished in this battle, and they need a target to vent their emotions against," Lin Lingfeng told Zhang Lie.


    "And I became that target."


    "Fortunately, there were few hunters who had family here, or many would have tried to seek revenge against you."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "And they targeted Li Qianlin too?"


    "To be more precise, they targeted your airship, demandingpensation from you but in truth hiding their greediness. I expect there were a few masterminds behind themotion with the eventual aim of stealing your airship."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How many died?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t think that a group of weak hunters who couldn''t even beat Cthaat''s son could take over his airship.


    Lin Lingfeng replied, "After the first wave killed five of them, they began protesting outside the shooting range. I expect Li Qianlin was so annoyed by their antics that she flew off."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You didn''t stop them?"


    Lin Lingfeng shrugged. "Not too many people died. Why bother?"


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes at her. "And because you stand to benefit too, I''d imagine."


    Lin Lingfeng stilled, thenughed. "As you said. There were quite a few hunters dead in the gathering point, and the rest of them need a target to vent their frustrations on. If they can''t do so, something will happen sooner orter. I apologize that I haven''t been proactive about this."


    "When will Li Qianlin return?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t intend to push matters further¡ªhe hadn''t lost anything, after all.


    Although Zhang Lie didn''t intend to take responsibility for what had happened, it was true that Cthaat''s son hade targeting him. It would be pointless to try to pin the me on someone.


    Lin Lingfeng replied, "Li Qianlin returns about once every ten days to see if you''ve returned from the Milky way. She told me to hang a red banner from the top tower of the city when you''re back. It''ll be about another week before she returns."


    "Very well. I have some matters to take care of, so I''lle back in a week."


    "Is something the matter?" Lin Lingfeng asked.


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. There''s no need for you to worry about it. When Qianlin returns, let her stay in the gathering point and wait for me. I''ll be back soon enough."


    As the hunters of the gathering point watched on, Zhang Lie left the gathering point and headed along the coordinates that Hong Tianqi had left him. Along the way, he found a peak-grade lifeform to use as mount, which he controlled with his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard. In less than half a day. he had arrived at the gathering point that Hong Tianqi had constructed in the fourth realm.


    ording to Hong Tianqi, he built this gathering point within a mountain, and there were plenty of escape routes.


    When Zhang Lie headed over, he saw no mountain, caves, nor escape routes. The air was filled with dark clouds and endless lightning.


    He was just about to approach when lightning struck from the heavens like a dragon.


    Zhang Lie frowned. He aimed a fist at the heavens and shattered the bolt of lightning, but more fell toward him.


    "Annoying..."


    Zhang Lie snorted. He clenched his fists tightly. Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend around them. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the space. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and striking the bolts of lightning in the sky.


    The world reverberated with force. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Light and shadow danced in the air, dispelling the clouds and restoring clear skies once more.


    Within the mountain, one human hunter fretted. "It''s been thundering for three whole days now! Our mountaintop has been exploded clean off, and half the mountain''s gone! We won''t be able to hold out for long."


    "I can''t bear the sound of thunder anymore. My ears are ringing!"


    One Milky Way hunter murmured respectfully, it''s a good thing the martial sage built the gathering point so deep within a mountain, or it would never havested this long."


    Another Milky Way hunterughed. "Ha! No, Cthaat''s son is toying with us like a cat with mice¡ªit has the ability to level the entire mountain, but it''s doing it bit by bit to enjoy the feeling of driving us all to despair."


    Another human hunter sighed. "I''ve already sent a report to the highest authority of the united world federation, and the Heavenly Monarch said that we''d be getting reinforcements soon. Just hold out a bit longer."


    If Zhang Lie were here, he would immediately recognize the human hunter who had spoken¡ªGeneral Yan Long of China.


    General Yan Long asked, "How are our men doing?"


    One hunter replied, "The majority have evacuated through the teleportation apparatus, leaving just us defenders behind."


    What Cthaat''s son wasn''t aware of was the fact that the hunters of the Milky Way were able to return to the Milky Way via the teleportation apparatus.


    Yan Long lit up a cigarette and nodded. "Very good."


    The cigarette was made of ersatzponents found within the dimensional world.


    For smokers, not having ess to cigarettes was an arduous thing, so many industrious hunters had found simr herbs that could be used as a recement for tobo.


    Cigarettes were able to calm smokers down; to hunters who had to fight with their lives on the line, it was a necessity¡ªthough of course, like tobo, these substitutes would damage their bodies in the long term.


    "Everyone''s fine, but it''s a pity about this gathering point that''s survived for so long..."


    The remaining hunters still harbored a ray of hope in case the situation were to change.


    Another human hunter said, "If only the reinforcements could send Cthaat''s son packing..."


    The Milky Way hunter frowned. "Who among the hunters of the Milky Way could take down Cthaat''s son?"


    "Zhang Lie!" General Yan Long replied proudly.


    The Milky Way hunter shook his head. "I''ve heard of his name before¡ªsupposedly, he''s made miracles happen in the second and third realms, but the fourth realm is different. It''s full of such characters."


    The other Milky Way hunter agreed. "How many pioneers have given their lives and blood just to create a bit more breathing room for us all? This Zhang Lie might have made waves in the second and third realms, but can he alone do more than our predecessors?"

 Chapter 1350: Whos Coming For Whom?

    <h4>Chapter 1350: Who''s Coming For Whom?</h4>


    "Our predecessors gave their lives and blood for just a bit of breathing room. Could he alone take down Eternal Sun?" one hunter asked of Zhang Lie.


    A human hunter replied, nodding, "I know of Zhang Lie of the Zenith Dojo, too. Unlike you, I do think he''ll make a name for himself even in the fourth realm¡ªbut he''s just ascended, hasn''t he? What can he do at the moment?"


    A hunter from the Milky Way chuckled coldly. "If he really can seed, then we hunters will finally be able to rise up in the fourth realm, won''t we?"


    Just then, a huge rumble shook the mountain. The entire mountain seemed to tremble as huge quantities of earth and mud fell. The remaining hunters were all shocked.


    "What happened?"


    "Has Cthaat''s son finally decided to level the mountain whole?"


    General Yan Long made a gesture with his hand. "Shh. Wait for a bit first."


    The human hunter asked, "What''s the matter, General?"


    "Doesn''t it sound as though the thunder has stopped?"


    Just then, an ear-splitting crack of thunder rang out.


    Beyond the mountain, as pale blue tides of gic energy erupted in the air, the clouds dissipated and revealed a sunny blue sky. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade] had formed a hole in the sky.


    Only then did Zhang Lie see the remnants of the mountain, half of which had been entirely demolished.


    Dark clouds revolved around the air as lightning shed. sma transformed into a humanoid face, looking down on the earth like a heavenly monarch, whose voice was like peals of thunder.


    "You''re the culprit who killed ck Swamp! I thought I''d find you sooner orter by destroying the gathering points of these ants, but I hadn''t expected you to appear so quickly."


    "You''re one of Cthaat''s sons, aren''t you?"


    The sma face released blinding light. "Since you''ve popped out here to die, I''ll grant your wish."


    A bolt of lightning struck from the high heavens.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth.


    The lightning pierced through the shark like a w, turning the pale blue water-attuned gic energy into ripples of water.


    The lightning transformed into sword energy, filling the sky with meteors.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    ck gic energy gushed out, forming pitch-ck clouds that represented Zhang Lie''s strongest defense. The lightning sizzled as it came into contact with the clouds, dissolving into nothingness before it could strike Zhang Lie.


    Concentrated lightning morphed into tens of thousands of spears that prated through the pitch-ck gic energy and tore apart the darkness.


    Zhang Lie wove and dodged between the spears of lightning. He caught one with a hand, ignoring how it was scorching his palm, and tossed it back into the dark clouds.


    The spear exploded amidst the clouds, causing thunder to rumble all over.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The pitch-ck serpent spiraled upward, shattering thences of lightning.


    The lightning condensed again into a bright sun, a huge ball that shone blindingly, illuminating the ground that had been obscured by the dark clouds. The fulminating sun struck the serpent and obliterated it.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously.


    Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting the fulminating sun in two.


    The starlight continued forward, leaving a huge w imprint on the dark clouds. The night sky shed with stars.


    The split sun burst apart in a shower of lightning, shaking heaven and earth. Even from afar in Lin Lingfeng''s city, the explosion of light could be seen. A wave of heat exploded outward. Lin Lingfeng knew that this had to be Zhang Lie''s doing.


    "What''s this Heavenly Monarch doing now...?"


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star. The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, which shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The lightning gathered and formed a top.


    Dense clouds of lightning crackled and revolved around each other. Even before the attacknded, it gave off a frightening aura.


    With a huge, resonant bang, the spiraling lightning, like a drill, obliterated the ster dragon''s head¡ªquickly resulting in true annihtion.


    The energy of annihtion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight, including the lightning, thunder, and dark clouds.


    A huge hole formed in the air as the lightning dissipated. The dark clouds tried to flee.


    "Oh? Weren''t you going to seek revenge?" Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up with stars. He certainly wasn''t about to let his opponent escape.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    They rushed into the dark clouds, tearing them apart. The lightning manifested in a humanoid face, sounding like peals of thunder. "You''d better not try anything funny¡ªI''m one of Cthaat''s sons. Killing me would be going against all of Eternal Sun."


    "Cthaat''s son? It''s not as if you''re the first one I''ve killed." Zhang Lie smiled coldly as he snapped his fingers.


    The ster dragons all exploded, each with the force of a gxy. A huge wave of energy spread out around him. There was no way the storm clouds could have survived such a massive explosion.


    A bolt of lightning split apart the darkness, escaping from the energy of annihtion. Zhang Lie chased after it in a beam of light.


    The lightning shouted, "If you kill me, my father will surely take revenge on my behalf! You''ll perish given his might!"


    "I''ve heard this far too many times by now. I killed your brother when he appeared¡ªand if your fatheres, I''ll kill him too." The ster ws tore apart the void, shattering the lightning and the core of Cthaat''s son.


    With the enemy dealt with, Zhang Lie turned to the gathering point that Hong Tianqi had constructed in the fourth realm, deep within a mountain.


    The mountain was filled with caves and cers which spread throughout its bulk. Anyone unfamiliar with the terrain would easily get lost.

 Chapter 1351: Long Time No See

    <h4>Chapter 1351: Long Time No See</h4>


    General Yan Long had been startled by what was going on outside. Cthaat''s son had brought down thunder and lightning for three whole days, but never had there been amotion of this sort. Even deep within the cavern, they could hear the thunder rumbling from afar, as though the sky itself were about to be torn asunder.


    Very quickly, however, the sound stopped. Silence reigned once more. Even the persistent thunder had stopped.


    One human hunter asked, "General, what do you think is happening outside?"


    General Yan Long rolled his eyes. "How should I know?"


    A Milky Way hunter said, "Listen up! It sounds like someone''s calling out!"


    "I''m Zhang Lie! The highest authority of the united world federation sent me. I''ve dealt with Cthaat''s son, the enemy outside. If there are still gic hunters within, you can rx."


    The mountain was filled with caves and cers which spread throughout its bulk. Anyone unfamiliar with the terrain would easily get lost¡ªunless you demolished it all like Cthaat''s son.


    Zhang Lie was naturally unaware of the interior structure of the mountain, and he didn''t intend to step inside. He shouted a few times deep into the mountain to inform any hunters still within, then prepared to leave.


    When General Yan Long heard the voice, he was instantly overjoyed.


    "Did you hear that? It''s Zhang Lie! He''s dealt with Cthaat''s son outside!"


    The hunters of the Milky Way all grabbed hold of General Yan Long. "Hold on, General!"


    General Yan Long frowned. "What''s the matter?"


    The hunters replied, "I know you must be growing tired of the endless darkness after three days of being trapped here, General, and we feel the same way¡ªbut do you really think Zhang Lie can take down Cthaat''s son?"


    General Yan Long frowned. "You think this is a joke?"


    Another hunter added, "Even if Zhang Lie could chase Cthaat''s son away, wouldn''t it take a prolonged fight? Think about how long you heard themotion for!"


    General Yan Long seemed perplexed. "Do you think this is a ploy, then?"


    The Milky Way hunter replied seriously, "It might be a ploy from Cthaat''s son."


    Zhang Lie shouted again, "I''ll be leaving now!"


    General Yan Long shouted, "Hold on, Zhang Lie!"


    The remaining hunters hurriedly mped their hands over his mouth.


    They thundered, "What are you doing, General? Didn''t you hear that this might be a ploy?"


    General Yan Long broke free. "Of course I did¡ªbut if Zhang Lie really has taken down Cthaat''s son for us, then we have to thank him in person. He was a hunter that I looked very favorably on in the past, and I''m willing to take that risk. Or do you think we should skulk like cowards without even thanking our savior? This isn''t the style of the Chinese people."


    The hunters of the Milky Way looked at General Yan Long as though he were an idiot.


    "I don''t understand you Chinese at all. You''d prioritize custom over your life?"


    "My second point," General Yan Long continued, "is that Cthaat''s son is clearly one for brute force. It''s been trying to demolish our mountain for days, enjoying the feeling of toying with us. Why would it suddenly change its strategy?"


    The hunters of the Milky Way still seemed doubtful. "Just in case..."


    General Yan Long held up a hand to cut them off.


    "All of you can stay here. I''ll go have a look at the situation."


    He stepped toward the face of the mountain through a hidden path, from which he could see clear blue skies. The storm clouds had dissipated, and General Yan Long''s thumping heart was finally at ease once more.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Since you''vee, you might as well show yourself."


    General Yan Long climbed out from the hidden tunnel. "Long time no see, Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie gaped at General Yan Long.


    "You?!"


    General Yan Long sighed. "How time passes. I remember that, the first time I saw you, you were nothing more than a hunter from the first realm who was just starting to make a name for yourself. In the blink of an eye, you became known across the gxy for your exploits in the second realm, for bing the king of Limit, and then the savior of the third realm. Now, I too have been saved by you."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "To think you would be in the gathering point that Heavenly Monarch Hong Tianqi once built..."


    He had interacted with General Yan Long quite a bit when he first handed the recipe for the limit-breaking potion to China.


    General Yan Long replied, "Thanks to the Heavenly Monarch''s blessing, I''m currently in charge of this gathering point."


    "No wonder. Of all the hunters in the fourth realm, only a handful would be trusted by the highest authority of the united world federation, and you''re surely one of them."


    General Yan Long replied, "Would you like to have a tour of the gathering point?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "Why not? I do have time at the moment."


    General Yan Long led him into the mountain, half of which had been sloughed off by Cthaat''s son.


    From the outside, it looked like a mountain within which countless tunnels had been excavated. From the inside, it looked far moreplex, with interconnected routes and tunnels all over, which would cause anyone unused to the gathering point to lose their way.


    Zhang Lie praised, "This really is a good location for a gathering point."


    Since entering the fourth realm, Zhang Lie had been to two different gathering points, one underground and one mainly aboveground, but neither was higher than Hong Tianqi''s gathering point up in the mountains.


    "This sort ofbyrinthine design prevents anyrge lifeforms from entering and small lifeforms from leaving. Even with a beast stampede, we''d be able to weather them by turtling down within the mountain. Considering the twisty and branching paths, even thergest group of lifeforms would have to split up. At that point, with a concentrated defense, you''d easily be able to handle the entire stampede."


    General Yan Long exined, "The Heavenly Monarch discovered this mountain in the fourth realm, when it was being upied as a lifeform''sir. The Heavenly Monarch expended great effort and sacrifice in clearing it out. Back then, very few understood why he chose to do so."


    In this sort ofplicated terrain and environment, the lifeforms that had made this mountain their home would be far more ustomed to their surroundings than Hong Tianqi and his party of hunters.


    General Yan Long continued, "Back then, the Heavenly Monarch stated that, as long as we could take down this mountain, we gic hunters would be able to establish a firm base of operations henceforth, that nothing would stymie us again. We wouldn''t have to worry about beast stampedes, and we would have the ability to start trying to resist the aliens in the fourth realm."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Without a doubt, Hong Tianqi was right."


    General Yan Longughed bitterly. "But now..."


    Half the mountain was gone.


    Zhang Lie could sense a few aurasing from within the mountain. Evidently, the gic hunters of the gathering point wereing out to check on the disturbance.

 Chapter 1352: Its Too Late

    <h4>Chapter 1352: It''s Too Late</h4>


    At that moment, in Lin Lingfeng''s city, a group of gic hunters were taking part in a secret discussion.


    "This is ourst opportunity to steal the airship. I heard from Lin Lingfeng that the alien was the one who asked for a red banner to be hung from the watchtower."


    "What does it mean?"


    "When Zhang Lie returns to the fourth realm, Lin Lingfeng will hang up a red banner from the watchtower to inform her that it''s time to return. Once the airship returns to Zhang Lie''s control, he''ll nevere back. That''s why this is ourst chance."


    The hunters were clearly plotting to steal Zhang Lie''s airship.


    They too had realized that the airship returned to the city roughly once every ten days.


    The hunters cried out, "Zhang Lie''s far too selfish. The airship clearly has important technology that exists within the dimensional world and massive research value besides. It''s more than sufficient to change the dimensional worldpletely. If we can figure out that technology, we''d be able to build one of our own! This can''t remain anyone''s private property¡ªit has to be shared publicly like the limit-breaking potions!"


    Another hunter gritted his teeth. "If not for Zhang Lie, our city wouldn''t have suffered such tremendous losses. This is fair rpense."


    This group of hunters had clearly forgotten that, if not for Zhang Lie, their city would have been overrun by a beast stampede far before the arrival of the sea of clouds.


    Another hunter asked sternly, "Have we confirmed whether or not Zhang Lie is still in the city?"


    Everyone held their breath for a moment.


    They had witnessed Zhang Lie''s fight against the sea of clouds, and he possessed frightening might.


    Another hunter replied, "ording to our investigation, he left the gathering point after asking Lin Lingfeng about the airship. There''s likely something important that he''s doing, and he hasn''t returned since."


    The other hunters exhaled.


    The first hunter warned, "If Zhang Lie returns midway through our n, we''ll drop it immediately. No one wants to deal with a monster like him."


    For better or worse, Zhang Lie didn''t return to the gathering point immediately to await Li Qianlin''s return. He wandered around the fourth realm for five days in an attempt to find disaster-grade lifeforms nearby, but he didn''t see a single one.


    Although there were many disaster-grade lifeforms in the fourth realm, they didn''t exist in such great quantities as to be found just wherever. He was still missing forty disaster gene fragments, which was somewhat regretful.


    The five days passed quickly. When it was time for Li Qianlin to return, Zhang Lie secretly headed back to Lin Lingfeng''s city, not wanting to cause amotion. Thest time he had returned, he felt as though the other hunters were eyeing him strangely, a mix of fear and respect.


    Zhang Lie intended to return secretly to the city, meet up with Li Qianlin, and then meet up with the other members of Team Zenith.


    It was straightforward for Zhang Lie to sneak into the city


    through the use of his disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard.


    Using it, he would control any hunter who saw him as he walked cloaked through the city.


    He found that there weren''t many hunters roaming throughout the streets.

 Chapter 1353: The Smell of a Conspiracy

    <h4>Chapter 1353: The Smell of a Conspiracy</h4>


    "I smell a conspiracy brewing..."


    Zhang Lie was curious as to what it could be, but he didn''t want to cause any further disturbances. The members of Team Zenith were still waiting for him, so he would rather make them his top priority.


    Li Qianlin didn''t make him wait for long. Zhang Lie heard a whirring noise from the air as the airship came within sight.


    The airshipnded in a clearing within the city. Zhang Lie smiled and sped both hands behind his back as he approached the airship. He was just about to greet Li Qianlin when a few figures suddenly appeared andid out a web just as the airship was about tond.


    The web was made of some unusual materials, clearly peak-grade or higher in origin. The airship''s defense system immediately activated, tearing apart the web with all sorts ofsers. A group of hunters rushed out from the city and destroyed the airship''s weaponry, causing it to activate its shield to deflect external attacks.


    However, the hunters quickly destroyed that, too.


    The airship''s offensive and defensive systems were only the equivalent of a disaster-grade lifeform''s, and rapidly fell to the attack of a hundred hunters.


    The hunters of Lin Lingfeng''s settlement had been preparing for this for quite some time, and they naturally took down the airship in one fell swoop.


    Zhang Lie was enraged. He struck at once. "Daring to try to steal my airship...!"


    Blue gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie as space vibrated. The ripples spread out over his arm. He flicked his wrist. The skies darkened. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    The hunters froze in shock and fear, but it was toote.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A howling gale swept over the space. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area and obliterating the hunters.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    Zhang Lie rose into the air and set his sights on the nearby hunters.


    "Please calm down, Mr. Zhang!"


    Lin Lingfeng emerged with a group and attempted to corral the fleeing hunters.


    Zhang Lie slowlynded before Lin Lingfeng.


    "Lin Lingfeng, it looks as though you haven''t been controlling your hunters properly."


    Lin Lingfeng''s forehead beaded with sweat. "I am truly sorry. I didn''t expect that these hunters would dare to strike after knowing that you''ve returned from the Milky Way."


    She would have evicted the hunters from the city had she known! Zhang Lie was a man who could destroy the entire city with an errant thought¡ªdid these hunters not remember how he had dealt with the sea of clouds?


    Lin Lingfeng could still remember the sight of the hundred dragons'' explosions as clear as day.

 Chapter 1354: Needs to be Publicized

    <h4>Chapter 1354: Needs to be Publicized</h4>


    Lin Lingfeng was, at the moment, regretting her decisions very much. She regretted that she hadn''t paid enough attention to the discontent hunters of the city, causing the situation to devolve to this extent. She should have stopped them the moment she learned that they had been trying to attack the airship.


    She was hoping to give the hunters'' stress and pressure an outlet, but had ignited the bomb called Zhang Lie instead. She thought that she was able to control the hunters of the gathering point, but she had lost control entirely.


    The hunters who had made a move were regretting their actions as much as Lin Lingfeng herself. If they had known that he were here, they would never have struck.


    Zhang Lie was a monster¡ªtrying to take down his airship in his presence was akin tomiting suicide! Everyone present had witnessed how he had taken down Cthaat''s son.


    However, by this point, it was toote for regrets. The hunters who had made a move had already been restrained by Lin Lingfeng''s group. Their wrists were tied up as they were flung to the ground.


    Without a choice, the hunters could only hope for clemency in the court of public opinion. They shouted, "Zhang Lie, you selfish bastard! You should know that the technology of this airship would revolutionize the living conditions of all hunters in the fourth realm!"


    This was no crime they hadmitted, only justice!


    "All that we did, we did for the good of the Milky Way! If we can figure out the airship''s technology, we''d be able to build one of our own! This can''t remain anyone''s private property¡ªit has to be shared publicly like the limit-breaking potions!"


    "Zhang Lie, I learned of your name very early on in my career, and I always thought of you like a hero. You rescued humanity in the second realm and was the savior of the third, ending the perennial wars that raged on there. I didn''t expect you to be so selfish in person."


    "If you give up the airship, we hunters won''t have to worry about the threat of beast stampedes any longer, and we''d have the ability to establish ourselves in the fourth realm. Hunters all over the Milky Way would thank you."


    Zhang Lie turned to Lin Lingfeng as he narrowed his eyes. "Did you n this?"


    Lin Lingfeng immediately shook her head. "No, of course not!"


    Shocked, she immediately shouted, "Don''t let these hunters say anything more!"


    The hunters struggled. "Are you afraid that I''m right? That I''m calling you a selfish bastard because you are one?!"


    Quite a few hunters had gathered by the scene to watch the spectacle unfold.


    "So these hunters were really trying to improve our living conditions?"


    "It does make sense for Zhang Lie to give up his airship for the good of the Milky Way, doesn''t it?"


    One gic hunter rolled his eyes. "There are so many single men in the Milky Way, many of whom are virgins! Why don''t you think of the good of these virgins and sacrifice your wife? There are countless orphans¡ªwhy not sacrifice your mother? There are countless impoverished people¡ªwhy not sacrifice your wealth? You''re nothing more than a bunch of opportunistic fools."


    "That''s hardly the same thing! Exploring the fourth realm is the program set out by the Milky Way and the responsibility of every hunter. Why is it that we can''t enjoy lives offort in the Milky Way and are forced into the fourth realm? It''s all so future generations can have it better!"


    "Right, haven''t you heard the united world federation''s new policy? Hunters of the fourth realm can''t remain in the Milky Way longer than three months at a time, and they have to spend at least fifty times more time in the fourth realm. In other words, if they want to spend a day in the Milky Way, they''ll have to suffer through forty in the fourth realm!"


    "All our predecessors have sacrificed their time and lives¡ªwhy can''t Zhang Lie?"


    "So many people have donated money and blood to various causes¡ªwhy don''t I see you doing the same?"


    The hunters of Lin Lingfeng''s city began arguing with each other. Some felt that Zhang Lie''s actions were perfectly reasonable, but most were in support of the hunters.


    "It was appropriate for them to try to take the airship, but doing so by force was not."


    "They''re no different from thieves."


    "If they didn''t take it by force, do you think Zhang Lie would give it up willingly?"


    Zhang Lie folded his arms andughed. "I don''t have to exin myself, but I''m disgusted by the fact that you''d try to steal my possessions and justify it in the name of themon good. First, the airship wasn''t built using the Milky Way''s technology, and if I release information about it without careful consideration, it''ll surely start a gxywide conflict."


    The restrained hunters frowned. "That''s just an excuse! Spreading the technology will only allow us all to grow stronger. Don''t the recipe for the limit-breaking potion and the information about disaster gene fragments demonstrate that?"


    Zhang Lie raised a second finger. "Secondly, and most importantly, I''d like to ask you why you ascended to the fourth realm."


    "To explore it, of course!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You''ve already forgotten why you ascended due to the harsh conditions of the fourth realm."


    The hunters hesitated.


    "The reason you did so is to grow stronger. Our goal isn''t to establish gathering points for future generations, but to grow stronger ourselves."


    The restrained hunters cried out, "How are we supposed to grow stronger? It''s difficult enough for us to survive!"


    "There are more strong fourth-realm hunters than third-realm ones, aren''t there?"


    The restrained hunters retorted, "That''s because only the elites of the third realm can make it into the fourth!"


    "I don''t disagree, but the harsh environment of the fourth realm will spur your growth and allow you to develop strength via adversity. The reason we ascended to the fourth realm wasn''t to explore it, or to establish ourselves, but rather to ascend to the fifth."


    The restrained hunters were quite upset at Zhang Lie''s defense.


    "Are you looking down on our predecessors'' hard work?! What''s more, the airship''s technology isn''t in conflict with our growing stronger!"


    "These predecessors you keep talking about are all weaklings. The strongest hunters have ascended to the fifth realm. Why didn''t they stay behind to help usher in a time of peace and prosperity for those hunters toe? It''s because they know that living in safety would only cause subsequent hunters to lose their will, their sharpness, their strength to ovee adversity."


    Zhang Lie had said the same thing many, many times over in the second realm, and it was one of the reasons he hadn''t been interested in the kingdom of Limit.


    "We ascend so as to grow stronger, to keep ascending. Genes are what we should rely on¡ªour bodies themselves! This airship technology would only cause subsequent hunters to growcent and slow us all down. For instance, if we had ess to guns or high-tech weaponry here, who would train their bodies?"


    This was why Bu Wentian had reminded Zhang Lie not to divulge the airship''s technology before he left.

 Chapter 1355: Be More Honest

    <h4>Chapter 1355: Be More Honest</h4>


    "This sort of airship would be destroyed by one punch in the fifth realm. Do you think it''d be meaningful?" Zhang Lie asked. This was what Bu Wentian had told him too¡ªit was a difference in perspective.


    If you were to get to Lv. 30 with a game character, then restart from scratch, you would know what skills and abilities are important; if you were to get to Lv. 100, you would have a different perspective.


    "As long as it''s useful in the fourth realm. Furthermore, the Milky Way started by focusing on technological development! If this sort of construction can be replicated in the real world, after centuries, perhaps millennia, of progress, it wouldn''t be superior to our scientific achievements."


    Zhang Lue scoffed. "By then, I''d long since have swept through the fourth realm.


    The gathered hunters were speechless at Zhang Lie''s confidence and domineering aura. As they spoke, the airshipnded and Li Qianlin walked out. Her face lit up upon seeing Zhang Lie, but as she walked over, she pretended to be mad.


    "So you''ve finally decided to return?"


    Zhang Lie reached out and rubbed Li Qianlin''s cheeks. "Did you miss me?"


    Li Qianlin''s face flushed red as she pursed her lips. "Who would miss you?"


    "Be more honest, would you?"


    Li Qianlin gave him a tight hug. "I did miss you a little, but just a little!"


    Zhang Lie rubbed Li Qianlin''s head. "Let''s go."


    "Where?" Li Qianlin asked.


    "To see the members of Team Zenith."


    Li Qianlin''s eyes lit up. "Sun Mengmeng and the others have ascended?


    "Indeed."


    Li Qianlin tugged on Zhang Lie''s hand as she walked off toward the airship.


    "What are you waiting for, then? Let''s go!"


    Li Qianlin was very excited to be able to see her friends from the third realm again.


    "Do you think they''d be shocked to see me?" she asked.


    "Probably," Zhang Lie replied.


    As he returned to the airship, the airship''s robotic voice greeted him. "Wee back, Master."


    "Thank you. Has anything eventful happened over thest few days?"


    The system''s robotic voice replied, "No, except for the sneak attack from Milky Way hunters in the gathering point.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You''ve done very well protecting my Qianlin."


    Li Qianlin rolled her eyes. "Who''s yours?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "How much energy is left in the airship?"


    Li Qianlin replied, "On the airship''s suggestion, we''ve been roaming around the city to hunt down gic lifeforms. Not only is there a small peak-grade farm on the airship, the airship''s battery is quite improved."


    Zhang Lie asked in surprise, "Is there sufficient energy to deduce the recipe for the subsequent limit-breaking potion?


    The system''s robotic voice rang out, "The energy the airship currently possesses, along with the peak-grade lifeforms on the farm, would allow me to function for 500 days."


    About half the energy was still missing, then.


    "Forget about it. We''ll set off immediately."


    Li Qianlin hurriedly asked, "Where are Sun Mengmeng and the others?


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Show a map of the fourth realm.


    The airship''s system revealed a map. Zhang Lie pointed at a certain location on it.


    "Let''s set off, then!"


    The airship flew off at full speed. Not longter, they reached the gathering point where the members of Team Zenith were located. However, by the time they got there, they saw nothing but a ming ocean of burning redva.


    Li Qianlin, in fear and fright, grabbed onto Zhang Lie''s hand. "What in the world happened...?


    The sea ofva seemed endless. It extended for thousands of kilometers, and Li Qianlin couldn''t help but shudder at the sight.


    The airship''s robotic voice sounded. "Large quantities of lifeforms are present within theva."


    The monitor showed that theva harbored arge group of lifeforms, the weakest of which was peak-grade.


    Li Qianlin was very worried. "The members of Team Zenith will be fine, won''t they?"


    Zhang Lie consoled her. "Don''t worry. You''re aware of how strong Sun Mengmeng and the others are. They wouldn''t die to a disaster of this magnitude."


    Theva roiled as a pir of fire shot into the sky. The airship''s energy barrier activated, protecting it from sustaining any injury.


    The airship''s robotic voice rang out, "Warning! The airship has suffered some damage. Counterattack system has been forcibly activated."


    As a few gic lifeforms flew toward the airship, the airship shot them down.


    "Let me go have a look outside."


    Zhang Lie left the airship and headed toward the depths of theva. At the heart of the sea, he could see a gathering point which was barely holding on for dear life at the heart of theva. The members of Team Zenith were all fighting, each facing two disaster-grade lifeforms at once.


    Sun Mengmeng and the others were in the midst of a crisis. They had been waiting at the gathering point for Zhang Lie to head over, only to receive news thatva and a beast stampede were in the midst of rushing over.


    Allegedly, theva had swept through the south as it headed north, destroying countless gathering points along the way.


    Where theva came from, no gic hunter knew.


    The members of Team Zenith, as gic hunters in their own right, naturally participated in the defense of the gathering point.


    However, this particr beast stampede and theva were far harder to deal with than the members of Team Zenith had anticipated. The weakest among them was a peak-grade lifeform, after all.


    The lifeforms moved throughout theva. Not only did the gic hunters have to block theva, they also had to kill the gic lifeforms hidden within. Some even suggested giving up on the gathering point and returning to the Milky Way.


    The members of Team Zenith certainly couldn''t let that happen; they had already given Zhang Lie the coordinates to their gathering point.


    Peak-gradeva smanders leapt out of theva and attempted to scale the walls of the gathering point.


    Just then, with a shout, a figure holding a spear dashed forward. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake, piercing the peak-gradeva smander''s head.


    The gic hunters fighting for their lives were shocked by the sudden disy of strength. What impable spear technique!


    "We had someone this strong in the settlement?"


    "They''re the members of Team Zenith, who swept the Void Cup!"


    "Associated with the Zenith Dojo?"


    "Have they already ascended to the fourth realm? This quickly?"


    "Who was the one who struck just now?"


    "If I''m not mistaken, that was Fang Yi!"


    Scorching-hotva swept toward the gathering point like a wave. The hunters'' faces fell¡ªthey didn''t have enough gic energy to prevent an attack of this magnitude.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets.


    Ripples of energy spread out from the figure, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The gic hunters nced at a sword-wielding figure standing atop the city walls.


    "It''s him! I saw him on the Void Cup broadcast before. He uses [The Boundless de], and his name is Yang Ze!"

 Chapter 1356: Exhilarated

    <h4>Chapter 1356: Exhrated</h4>


    Lava continued seeping toward the settlement as the beast stampede drew near.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    A golden storm struck down the lifeforms that were traveling with theva.


    "It''s him! [Adamantine Aegis]¡ªthat''s Sun Xiaowu!"


    The members of Team Zenith certainly couldn''t let this gathering point vanish; they had already given Zhang Lie coordinates, so what would they do if they had to evacuate? How could Zhang Lie find them then?


    The members of Team Zenith all struck simultaneously.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    A figure shrouded in light rose into the air and leapt outside the city walls. Then, his hands blurred into a series of afterimages, sending countless arclight dragons flying through the air, in conjunction with Sun Xiaowu''s golden storm. Theirbined attacks, shining in gold and silver, were sufficient to stymie the beast stampede.


    "This is the user of arclight dragons, Li Feng!"


    Just the four of them had turned the tides of the battle.


    A beautiful figure held a greatbow in hand. As she drew the arrow, the scorching-hot air ignited in me. All the heat in the atmosphere seemed to have gathered around her. The mes formed a whirlpool. She was beautiful, her long hair flying in the wind, like a burning ember, beloved by stars.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the enemy like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" The three purpleme arrows struck the crests of three waves in the distance, forming three bursts of resplendent light.


    "This is the Lady of Netherworld me¡ªSun Mengmeng!"


    Just then, another figure appeared above the wall. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Thick, heavyset wood dragons surrounded the city gates and blocked theva from entering.


    Though they were wood dragons, they had near-immunity to fire and even seemed to be absorbing heat from theva in order to grow further. They quickly grew thicker and longer, past the hundred-meter walls in no time, to form a whopping five-hundred-meter-tall palisade.


    "That''s the Greenwood Priestess, Zhou Ying."


    Zhou Ying shouted, "Everyone, there''s no need to worry about theva. As long as I''m around, not a single drop ofva will strike the settlement!"


    The members of Team Zenith all gave her a thumbs-up. "Well done, Zhou Ying!"


    The members of Team Zenith fought hard to block theva as they simultaneously killed the lifeforms that had appeared from within it.


    Everyone was overjoyed to see that their settlement''s defense holding up¡ªuntil twelve disaster-grade lifeforms emerged from theva to face off against the members of Team Zenith.


    The members of Team Zenith split up to tackle the lifeforms. Waves ofva surged forth. From afar, theva looked like a horde of lions furiously rushing forward, like roaring dragons.


    Under the continuous battering ofva, Zhou Ying''s wooden palisade began to crack. However, she had constructed it out of special wood, which regenerated in an instant. More concerning was the incredible number of gic lifeforms that arose from theva, forming a slope with their bodies that seemed poised to allow the majority over the palisade.


    Theva itself seemed to be living. It transformed into a giant hand that stretched over the wall and made to crush the settlement whole.


    The members of Team Zenith worked hard to beat back the disaster-grade lifeforms and protect the gathering point, along with the thousands of hunters within it, but the disaster-grade lifeforms seemed stubbornly persistent, even despite the heavy wounds they sustained.


    Just then, the skies suddenly darkened. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A howling gale swept over the space. More and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms. A huge wave soared. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Upon seeing the familiar skill, the members of Team Zenith disyed identical expressions of delight and surprise.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and striking the palm ofva.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    Water-attuned gic energy struck the sea ofva in a burst of steam.


    "Run and hide!" the members of Team Zenith shouted.


    As the steam exploded and covered up the entire gathering point and battlefield, the bark was stripped off the wooden palisade.


    As resistant to heat as the wooden palisade was, it was no match for the superheated steam. Fortunately, the hunters reacted quickly, finding cover before the steam could strike them. Even so, quite a few hunters had been seriously burned.


    Theva around the gathering point turned into ck volcanic rock.


    "Captain!"


    Sun Mengmeng, Fang Yi, Yang Ze, Li Feng, Zhou Ying, and Sun Xiaowu simultaneously revealed identical expressions of relief and joy upon seeing Zhang Lie in the air.


    Just then, two more gic lifeforms rushed out of theva and pounced toward Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 1357: Stellar Dragon Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 1357: Ster Dragon Transformation</h4>


    One of the lifeforms that struck at Zhang Lie was leonine, wreathed in fire all over, its mane like an inferno around its head. The other gic lifeform was a fiery-red smander.


    Both gic lifeforms were disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy coiled around it like a snake.


    [The Boundless de: Expulsion]!"


    Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, striking down the leonine disaster-grade lifeform.


    A raging shark swam forth and crashed against the fiery smander in an explosion of steam.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    ck gic energy, thick and cloying like storm clouds, surrounded Zhang Lie.


    The fiery lion emerged from theva and shot out a bullet ofva from its mouth. It sizzled as it came into contact with the pitch-ck gic energy. The fire and heat began to dissolve on contact.


    Meanwhile, the fiery smander had broken past the superheated steam and had spat out a long tongue of me.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent shot forth through the mes, tangling with the smander in a melee.


    The fiery lion''s mane zed like an inferno. Its ws shed forward with fiery light. Zhang Lie moved faster, kicking it aside with a leg.


    As it was sent flying, the lion''s mane began to rotate rapidly, and it spat out a zing torrent of fire from its mouth.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    Sun Mengmeng, watching from afar, was caught by the allure of the starlight.


    The gic hunters in the city were all shocked by Zhang Lie''s demonstration. "What sort of soulshard would cause such a hugemotion..."


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously.


    "I''m not finished!"


    Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie transformed into a beam of light. Ster light tore apart the heavens as the ming lion was bisected vertically. Zhang Lie shot through the air like a meteor.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade mingheart lion. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade mingheart lion, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie retrieved a ming-red core from the lion''s carcass.


    The fiery smander sacrificed its own mes to obliterate the serpent, but after the prolonged battle, much of its skin had sloughed away, leaving just its crystalline interior behind. If not for the fact that disaster-grade lifeforms had a crystalline interior, the serpent''s poison would have been more than sufficient to take down the fiery smander.


    Before the fiery smander could rx, however, Zhang Lie struck.


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star. The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, transforming into a dragon that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The fiery smander, whittled down to half its original size, rushed toward theva. As long as it were able to submerge itself within theva, it would be able to hide and save its life.


    Zhang Lie, however, seemed to have predicted its actions. He was waiting where it was running towards, smiling and waving at it, causing the fiery smander to despair. Right then and there, Zhang Lie''s arm punched through its head, and the will of the fourth realm''s voice rang out.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-gradeva smander. By consuming the core of the disaster-gradeva smander, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    As he retrieved the disaster-grade core from theva smander, the entire sea ofva began to shake. As though it had been given life, theva soared into the sky and surrounded Zhang Lie from all over.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air, tearing apart theva that surrounded Zhang Lie.


    Theva swirled in a whirlpool and transformed into a face whose voice was like the eruption of a volcano.


    "I remember you."


    This was a very familiar scene indeed.


    Theva face said, "You are the killer of my brothers."


    Indeed...


    "Cthaat''s son."


    Theva face continued, "Father has ordered me to take revenge for my brothers. I headed north, destroying any settlement of cockroaches I came across. I thought it would take me longer to find you, but you''ve saved me quite a lot of time!"


    Initially, Cthaat''s son hadn''t recognized Zhang Lie¡ªnot because of any changes to Zhang Lie''s face, but because this particr son of Cthaat wasn''t good at recognizing faces. To it, all the gic hunters were like ants, which it couldn''t tell apart.


    Zhang Lieughed. "I killed your brother? Which one? I seem to have killed quite a few of your brothers."


    "I''ll kill you!"


    Theva rose up. Rows of crimsonva flowed toward Zhang Lie, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. Theva was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Zhang Lie snapped his fingers, causing the ster dragons to self-destruct.


    The ster dragons all exploded, each with the force of a gxy. A huge wave of energy spread out around him, forming a ck hole that swallowed up everything in sight. The energy of annihtion ate at theva, devouring it all. A shriek could be heard from the formless being whose body was being consumed bit by bit. Countless lifeforms that had been within theva were likewise sucked in and destroyed.

 Chapter 1358: Syzygy

    <h4>Chapter 1358: Syzygy</h4>


    As Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion consumed theva, the will of the fourth realm''s announcements repeatedly dinged in his head.


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade mingheart lion. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade mingheart lion, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-gradeva smander. By consuming the flesh of the peak-gradeva smander, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a peak-grade mefur wolf. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade mefur wolf, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]


    The lifeforms hidden within theva perished to Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion, disintegrated and atomized. The flesh waspletely obliterated; Zhang Lie wouldn''t be getting any gene fragments out of this.


    Theva struggled, attempting to free itself from the ck hole, transforming into hundreds, thousands of hands that attempted to reach for Zhang Lie, but Zhang Lie wouldn''t allow himself to be caught so easily. Guicang appeared in his hand. With a sh, he tore apart the countless hands.


    The energy of annihtion spread all around him, but Zhang Lie curtailed it and cut it off. After all, a gathering point was right in the vicinity, and he didn''t want to imperil it. With a wave of Guicang, he cut apart space and time, causing the energy of annihtion to dissipate.


    If not for the nearby gathering point, Cthaat''s son would already have been destroyed whole by the energy of annihtion.


    Smoking remnants ofva gathered together into a humanoid face.


    Cthaat''s son had lost its former arrogance, but not its pride.


    "I''m Cthaat''s son! Aren''t you afraid of having to go up against Eternal Sun?"


    Zhang Lie responded with his sword. He raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Theva cooled.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world. Theva gathered together and formed a pir of light, a long river of me, shing against Zhang Lie''s ster technique. Starlight exploded with a sizzle, and mes illuminated the firmament.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The pitch-ck gic energy expanded as it swallowed up the sky, recing the dark clouds in the air with ck gic energy.


    Day turned to night, and stars twinkled in the night sky. The gic hunters were gobsmacked by the scale and immensity of the technique.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air as the dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The river ofva waspletely obliterated, destroying Cthaat''s son in a massive explosion.


    The ground cracked, the air shook, and the stars dispersed. The wooden palisade outside the gathering point trembled violently as all the hunters in it gazed at the devastation in shock, including the members of Team Zenith.


    They knew that this was an attack that none of them would be able to block.


    The destruction left only ruined ground outside the gathering point. The air smoked with ash; the heat hadn''t dissipated fully. The cracked ground was smoldering with fiery light.


    Zhang Lie was just about to sheath his de when the airship flew over. Li Qianlin called out, "Zhang Lie, there''s a high-energy reactioning from underground!"


    Zhang Lie reacted instantly. The ck dragons'' phantasmal figures soared into the air. Zhang Lie thrust forward with Guicang in a sh of blinding starlight.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    The ster dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth, shattering the ground and sending fragments ofva spraying all over. There was a great deal of movingva underground.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Found you."


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A frightening force spread out from Zhang Lie, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward him, carving out a gulley in the ground and revealing the fieryva.


    Theva, exposed, formed a humanoid face. "Damn it!"


    Cthaat''s son had retreated underground during the earlier attack against the ster dragons, knowing that it was no match for Zhang Lie. It pretended to have been defeated by his final attack, but had actually burrowed underground to flee via ava vein. At the same time, it would be able to replenish its supply of energy.


    Though seemingly boorish, withva for brains, this son of Cthaat was far more crafty than the previous two that Zang Lie had met.


    If not for the airship''s ability to sense energy, or for Li Qianlin''s reminder, Zhang Lie would have fallen for the deception. Now, however, it wouldn''t be able to escape.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Light and darkness shed. Time and space revolved, then sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. A rain of swords fell, causing theva to roil. The humanoid face shouted, "I''m one of Cthaat''s sons. Killing me would be going against all of Eternal Sun. /my father won''t forgive you!"


    "I''ve heard that more than once by now. [Syzygy]!"


    Runes appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.

 Chapter 1359: Guicang and Hanguang

    <h4>Chapter 1359: Guicang and Hanguang</h4>


    "I''ve heard that more than once by now."


    This wasn''t the first time he had killed one of Cthaat''s children, at any rate.


    Cthaat''s son, knowing that it wouldn''t be able to escape, that Zhang Lie didn''t fear a confrontation with Eternal Sun, fought to its death. Lava burst out from underground like a volcanic eruption.


    Hanguang appeared in Zhang Lie''s hand, shing apart theva with a huge swing.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Struck by the bloody moonlight, theva''s radiance grew dim. Under the ck sun, the fluctuations in Zhang Lie''s gic energy were enhanced.


    Cthaat''s son roared, "What have you done to me?!"


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away Li Feng''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    The web wrapped around theva, causing the ground to split and scar. Theva turned into rubble.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    White steam rose up from the ground as theva was quenched to form volcanic rock, which shattered.


    Cthaat''s son had finally been killed! The hunters within the gathering point cheered as Zhang Liended on the ground. The members of Team Zenith rushed over, their faces full of smiles.


    Yang Ze exaggerated, "Captain, perfect timing! If you''d been just one step slower, all of us would have died!"


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Nonsense! The fact that you were almost crushed¡ªit looks like you didn''t work as hard as you imed to in the third realm, it seems."


    The members of Team Zenithughed with some embarrassment.


    "No, Captain! The enemies in the fourth realm are simply too strong. We haven''t finished acquiring our gene fragments yet, and we barely have any disaster-grade ones."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How are your genes looking?"


    "We''ve maxed out our peak gene fragments and uniformly have twenty disaster gene fragments each."


    The members of Team Zenith reported the number of gene fragments they possessed.


    While Zhang Lie was dealing with Cthaat''s son, they had conveniently dealt with the disaster-grade lifeforms that had arisen from theva.


    "It''s eptable, I suppose."


    As the airshipnded, Sun Mengmeng asked curiously, "What''s that, Captain?"


    Yang Ze wondered, "Isn''t this an airship...?"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Isn''t it the case that technology can''t be brought into the dimensional world?"


    Fang Yi asked, "How could there be airships in the fourth realm?"


    Zhou Ying wondered, "Could there be a rule of the dimensional world that we don''t know about yet?"


    Li Feng asked, "This isn''t alien technology, is it?"


    Sun Mengmeng: "I saw youe alongside the airship, Captain. Does it belong to you?"


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "That exins everything, then!"


    Yang Ze agreed. "If it''s our captain, then everything makes sense."


    Fang Yi said what they were all thinking. "Our captain makes the impossible possible."


    Zhang Lie sighed and shook his head. "This airship''s appearance is an exception. To be honest, I haven''t studied the details, either. As far as I''m aware, the airship uses technology from beyond the Milky Way, and the dimensional world only rejects Milky Way technology, not technology elsewhere."


    Sun Mengmeng gasped. "So those scientists really were right?"


    Sun Xiaowu murmured, "There''s life outside the Milky Way..."


    Yang Ze nced at him in a strange manner. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    Li Feng nodded. "Don''t forget where we are now."


    Zhou Ying asked, "Does that mean that the dimensional world counts as being beyond the Milky Way?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head with augh. "I can''t answer these questions yet, but I''ll try to work toward the truth with all of you."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Is this rted to the location you''re bringing us to, Captain?"


    "That''s right."


    "What kind of ce is it?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "A trial, as well as apetition."


    The airshipnded, and Li Qianlin stepped out. She spread out her arms with a smile. "Mengmeng, Ying!"


    "Qianlin!"


    Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying immediately took her hand.


    "Is this the king of Limit?"


    Just then, a hunter stepped forward from the gathering point. Yang Ze immediately introduced him. "This is the leader of this gathering point."


    The leader took Zhang Lie''s hand and gave him a firm handshake. "It''s an honor to meet you! I truly am blessed to be able to encounter you here."


    Zhang Lie smiled awkwardly as he replied, "Thank you."


    The leader realized that he had been too excited, to the point of making Zhang Lie ufortable. "I apologize. I simply couldn''t control my emotions after seeing my hero in the flesh."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "No matter. I don''t much mind."


    The leader continued, "I truly have to thank you for your assistance. Without you here, our gathering point would have been destroyed. I hope you''ll stay for a while here as a guest. We''ll host youvishly."


    Zhang Lie shook his head with a smile. "Thank you for your generosity, but we can''t stay. We have tasks to do."


    The leader continued, "No, surely not! You''re the savior of this gathering point, and I insist that we show you our gratitude!"


    "I''m afraid we have something urgent on our tes. We''ll have to take off now." Zhang Lie quickly fled into the airship. The members of Team Zenith bade their farewells, then followed suit.


    The hunters were very curious about the interior of the airship, and they wandered around poking and prodding at everything they could see.


    Zhang Liemanded the airship, "Set off toward the trial grounds."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Are you in a rush, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Not quite. There''s about one or two months before our deadline, but I''d rather head there sooner. I don''t know how long you all would take to finish the trials."


    Yang Ze asked curiously, "If we have the time, why not stay longer at this gathering point?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "I feel as though there''s something strange about how the leader of this gathering point looks at me..."


    Yang Ze replied, "He simply reveres you, that''s all. Once he realized that we were members of Team Zenith, he treated us very warmly."


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "Rather than that, show us around this airship, Captain!"


    "Of course."

 Chapter 1360: Immediate Explosion

    <h4>Chapter 1360: Immediate Explosion</h4>


    After Zhang Lie gave them all a tour of the airship, Sun Xiaowu murmured, "To think that the airship would have so many features..."


    Zhang Lie instructed, "Find a room for yourself and start absorbing your disaster-grade cores. Get strong as quickly as possible¡ªI wouldn''t want to see you fail the trials."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, just what are these trials that you keep bringing up?"


    Since he was bringing the members of Team Zenith there anyway, Zhang Lie had no intention of withholding any information.


    "A special arena meant to weed out the weak and select the strong. There''s an initial trial and a series of six trials within, allbat-rted."


    Sun Mengmeng seemed flummoxed. "To select the strong? What for?"


    "You''ll see once you enter," Zhang Lie replied.


    To be frank, he didn''t have a clear answer either, only guesses.


    The members of Team Zenith each selected a room of their choice. When he noticed auras surging, Zhang Lie could tell that the members of Team Zenith had begun absorbing their disaster-grade cores, leaving Li Qianlin and Zhang Lie behind.


    Zhang Lie told Li Qianlin, "I''ll also be absorbing my disaster-grade cores, and I expect some unusual phenomena might happen while I do so..."


    Just then, the hunters'' rooms began to vibrate. Hot air billowed out of one, stormy winds of another, and the airship began to shake violently. Zhang Lie shook his head as he smiled wryly. "It looks as though I''ll have to wait, then."


    Red mes gushed out of the various rooms. Sun Mengmeng''s room stood out most: the mesing out of her room were ck.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly as blue gic energy gathered around him, then spread throughout the airship.


    His gic energy quelled the heat, preventing it from spreading to the rest of the airship and causing damage.


    Considering their experiences from the second and third realms, the members of Team Zenith were quickly able to finish the absorption. They were now sensing their own strength and attempting to stabilize their cultivation.


    The excess energy that they had vented from their bodies during the absorption had likely left their rooms in cinders; the airship would need to spend quite some time repairing them.


    Zhang Lie turned to Li Qianlin. "The members of Team Zenith are alright now. I''m going to go absorb my disaster-grade cores too, Qianlin, so please watch over me from themand center in case anything unusual happens."


    Li Qianlin nodded.


    Zhang Lie headed to his room and initiated the absorption process.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior.


    It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated blue gic energy from his body into the core.


    Lava swirled within the orb, so beautiful it looked almost like a work of art. Zhang Lie felt a keen sense of familiarity with it, as though it were already part of his body.


    As the core slid down his throat, Zhang Lie felt a fiery, numbing sensation spread throughout his body. Zhang Lie''s face took on the color of a boiled prawn.


    Zhang Lie''s blood boiled. Energy ran rampant throughout his body, causing blood to seep out of his pores and boil in the air. Lava seemed to fill his body, and his skin caught on fire.


    The next moment, his body turned fire-red, as though he were molten steel. His blood boiled, his body swelled, and the floor beneath him started to melt. A pir of me burst into the air as the disaster gene fragments reformed his body from the inside out.


    Under Zhang Lie''s careful control, the energy from absorbing the disaster-grade core was held in istion so that it didn''t affect the airship proper.


    The members of Team Zenith didn''t have such precise control, but Zhang Lie could easily do it, venting the energy but simultaneously isting it from its surroundings.


    Gic energy circted through his framework, faster and faster. As he assimted the disaster gene fragments into his body, Zhang Lie gave off stronger and stronger beams of light.


    He circted gic energy through his body at an incredible pace, his framework fully activated to capture and transform his newfound strength.


    His evolution was spurred further and further onward by the energy of the disaster-grade core.


    The temperatures reached an apex. The floor hadrgely been melted away. mes roared out of Zhang Lie''s eyes and mouth, and a vortex of hot wind formed around him¡ªbut even so, it was corralled within the room.


    Zhang Lie then took out a second disaster-grade core.


    To him, absorbing these disaster-grade cores was an ordinary affair, nothing more.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior...


    Following the usual routine, while floating in the air, Zhang Lie absorbed the second core.


    Blood-colored radiance surrounded him, as though a dragon were coiled around his body.


    The energy ofva, of molten rock, exuded from him. It was as though a ming whirlwind were growing to life within his body. His blood turned molten as it flowed through his body.


    He circted [Ninecarp Transformation], merging the two streams of heat together and giving rise to even more incredible strength. Were Zhang Lie not an emperor-grade lifeform, he would long since have been destroyed.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX; Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (advanced), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 130; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster), Limitless Universe (monarch)

 Chapter 1361: The Trial-Takers Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 1361: The Trial-Taker''s Chamber</h4>


    After Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith finished absorbing their disaster-grade cores, their auras were strengthened considerably. They quickly arrived at the trial grounds.


    "Behind this set of doors is the special space you were talking about, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie turned to the gathered hunters. "The trial grounds are exceptionally dangerous. Qianlin, will you remain on the airship for this period of time?"


    Li Qianlin nodded. "We have time to spare, so let me bring the airship around to hunt down some gic lifeforms."


    Yang Ze asked, "For what purpose? We''ve already finished absorbing all gene fragments below disaster-grade. Can this airship hunt down disaster-grade lifeforms?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It does have strength on par with a disaster-grade lifeform, but even in the fourth realm, it''s not that easy to find disaster-grade lifeforms roaming around. The reason Qianlin''s hunting these lifeforms is as an energy source for the airship."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "The airship uses gic lifeforms as its energy source?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It can use just about anything, and gic lifeforms are one avenue of reliable fuel."


    "How about that strange ore from the third realm?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Sun Xiaowu retrieved a piece of rainbow-colored metallic rock from his dimensional storage. "Right! I forgot to mention it to you, Captain. Before we ascended, the Zongming king and the draconian sage permitted us to mine and bring some of this ore with us. Are you able to use it?"


    "The ore that appeared after the formation of the unified world?" Zhang Lie asked, remembering the material. "Let''s test it, Airship!"


    A red beam of light scanned the metallic rock. A robotic voice sounded. "Scanplete. The rock possesses arge quantity of pure energy, though not of particrly high quality. It is equivalent to the flesh of a peak-grade lifeform."


    "How much of this ore did you bring with you?"


    "Three tons in each of our soulshards," Sun Mengmeng replied.


    Eighteen tons among the six of them, then... Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. "Li Zongming and the draconian sage... I don''t know what to say about them."


    The airship''s robotic voice informed them, "Eighteen tons of this ore will be able to support the high-energy operation of this airship for three thousand days."


    Zhang Lieughed in delight. "Excellent! You''ve solved one of my problems already."


    As they put the eighteen tons of ore into the engine room, Zhang Lie instructed, "Airship,mence calctions. Analyze and determine the recipe for a monarch-grade limit-breaking potion."


    Sun Mengmeng was surprised. "The airship can do that?"


    Li Feng was likewise agape. "Is the airship''s artificial intelligence that strong?"


    Zhang Lie had mentioned it briefly before, but not how incredible it was.


    Zhang Lie exined, "It''s only an analysis based on current data¡ªit can''t create anything novel out of nothing, or even create at all. It''s simply optimizing and enhancing."


    "In that case, is a monarch limit-breaking potion feasible, then?"


    "The estimatedputation time is a thousand days." Zhang Lie replied, rummaging through his extra-dimensional storage. "Right, I have something for all of you too."


    Zhang Lie retrieved six gemstones from his storage-type soulshard.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes widened. "Oh, these are pretty! And they contain plenty of power, too..."


    Zhang Lie exined, "This is something new I obtained from the trial-taker''s chamber. The gemstones are linked by some kind of invisible tether, and they allow for their six wielders to be able to transfer gic energy to each other. They can even concentrate speed, strength, defense¡ªany sort of attribute¡ªon any one member of the six."


    Sun Xiaowu remarked, "It sounds like something out of a novel!"


    "Try it for yourself."


    He handed everyone the gemstones, but the results of the testing were disappointing. The gemstones could only strengthen their wielders to disaster-grade, but everyone present was already disaster-grade.


    Zhang Lie looked rather disappointed. "It looks like I was too optimistic about things..."


    He had initially expected that, since the post-peak-grade guardian lifeforms were able to emte disaster-grade lifeforms after wearing the gems, that the post-disaster-grade members of Team Zenith would be able to emte monarch-grade lifeforms.


    Sun Mengmeng consoled him. "Captain, there''s no need to be disappointed. Perhaps we might encounter better treasures after going through the trials ourselves."


    Zhang Lie instructed, "After going through the entrance trial, you''ll start the gauntlet of trials proper. There are six trials, and you''ll receive a reward for every three trials cleared. Choose a metamorphosis potion as one of your rewards."


    "A metamorphosis potion?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "It sounds pretty strong!" Sun Xiaowumented.


    Yang Ze asked, "Will your life undergo a metamorphosis if you consume it?"


    "It''s indeed as its name suggests, but it''s not for us gic hunters. It works only on the indigenous people of this and earlier realms."


    Sun Mengmeng rified, "Aliens who drink this potion can undergo a metamorphosis?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "More urately, it''s for those aliens who ascend to higher realms as stowaways. I intend to keep a potion and have the airship determine itsposition, so that we can bring our friends from the third realm who are unable to ascend on their own all the way up here."


    Sun Xiaowu smirked. "Captain, is this a bug?"


    The members of Team Zenith stepped through the gates of the trial-taker''s chamber with Zhang Lie, only to find that Zhang Lie had vanished from sight.


    Sun Mengmeng looked all around. "Where''s our captain?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "He must be waiting for us at the final trial, I suppose."


    Sun Xiaowu was quite right. Zhang Lie''s surroundings shed; by the time he regained his senses, he was in the same space as Bu Wentian.


    Bu Wentian said, "You''ve arrived earlier than expected, bringing quite a number of interesting guests with you."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "What do you think of them?"


    "I don''t know. The trials have just begun, after all." Bu Wentian waved a hand. A screen appeared before him, revealing the scene of Sun Mengmeng and the others fighting against the six stone guardians.


    Zhang Lie was speechless. "Is this your only trial? Can''t you switch to another one?"


    Bu Wentian retorted, "Don''t you think it''s a good trial?"


    "Well, I suppose it''s not bad."


    The six members of Team Zenith, upon encountering the six stone guardians, weren''t as shocked and dumbfounded the way Zhang Lie had been. They struck immediately.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    The six stone guardians awakened. Their bodies shook as they roared, their domains spreading out around them: lightning, storm, water, earth, ice, and fire. Six different energies forced Fang Yi back.


    Zhang Lie gasped. "You had disaster-grade versions of these stone guardians? Why didn''t you use them on me?!"


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "This is a trial."


    "And so what?"


    Bu Wentian emphasized again, "They''re not meant to kill the trial-takers, just give them a good challenge. This is a trial."

 Chapter 1362: Tigers Roar, Dragons Howl

    <h4>Chapter 1362: Tiger''s Roar, Dragon''s Howl</h4>


    Bu Wentian exined, "ording to the number of participants, they will be sent to two different trial chambers. You were alone, so the stone guardians you faced were post-peak-grade. When two or more people enter, they''ll be sent to a trial chamber with disaster-grade lifeforms.


    The six stone guardians shook their bodies, causing a flurry of stone dust to drift down toward the ground.


    The six disaster-grade domains didn''t cancel each other out. Rather, they seemed to enhance each other. Stormy winds caused huge waves to form and fires to ze. Thebination of wind and lightning... As a result, the members of Team Zenith found their actions and movement severely restricted.


    "[The Boundless de: Expulsion]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets. Ripples of energy spread out through the air, covering heaven and earth. They resonated until they reached a crescendo.


    Bu Wentian, watching the scene unfold,ughed. "This person is very interesting. He''s sly and crafty, isn''t he?"


    Water-attuned gic energy was spliced together with spatial force, deftly hidden within the attack, so that only those who had significant affinity with spatial energy would be able to uncover it.


    The waves surged toward the stone guardians'' reinforced domains, shattering them with spatial force.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    The disaster-grade golden ox rushed forward. The six disaster-grade stone lifeforms'' jewels glowed brightly as they transferred their strength to the golden ox, who shone as brightly as the sun.


    The domains of the other disaster-grade lifeforms were dispelled as the golden ox''s domain red. Unlike the other guardians, whose domains spread out around them, the golden ox''s domain protected itself like an eggshell.


    Sun Xiaowu''s [Goldenscale Palm] struck the golden ox''s domain with a tremendous explosion that caused the ground to shatter. A crack appeared on the golden eggshell.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons. The six stone guardians eachunched their own attacks, sending mes, pirs of water, bolts of lightning, des of wind, and icicles of ice toward the white dragons, dispelling them all.


    The six disaster-grade stone guardians'' jewels glimmered brightly as they next transferred their energy to the ming qilin. The ruby embedded on the ming qilin''s forehead scintited with light as the qilin''s scales turned dark red. Its aura became that of a post-disaster-grade lifeform, halfway to monarch-grade.


    As the power condensed around the qilin, it howled. Its domain had been strengthened many times over. Hellfire spread out all around itself, turning the air scorching hot.


    Sun Xiaowu leapt back to avoid being struck by the hellfire. Behind him, Sun Mengmeng stepped forward, drawing her bow. mes erupted all over her body. Hellfire swept over Sun Mengmeng, forming a vortex around her.


    Within the whirlpool, Sun Mengmeng''s long hair floated in the air, burning like mes. Starlight fell.


    Zhang Lie, watching the battle, sighed in admiration. "Sun Mengmeng''s control over fire has grown even stronger."


    After her match against Zhang Lie, Sun Mengmeng had worked tremendously hard on her cultivation as she considered her path toward strength.


    Strengthening her mes with her emotions was ultimately a rather limited technique. After Zhang Lie''s ascension, Sun Mengmeng worked hard to carve out a new path for herself.


    Since it would be difficult to strengthen her own mes beyond a certain extent, she would manipte mes external to her instead, converting it to her own strength.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the enemy like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three lunarme arrows formed three pitch-ck vortices of fire. The disaster-grade ming qilin manifested a barrier in front of itself. The three vortices struck it and exploded like three resplendent fireworks.


    The vortices that surrounded the disaster-grade ming qilin continued to rotate, but the qilin easily shrugged them off. It was also a fire-attuned lifeform, and Sun Mengmeng''s ming vortices did little damage to it.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were. Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Thick wood dragons emerged from the ground where the hellfire had passed over. They had amazing resistance to heat, and were even able to absorb some of the hellfire''s remnant energy to grow quickly. They shot toward the other stone guardians.


    The other stone guardians tried to destroy the wood dragons with mes, pirs of water, lightning, and icicles, but the wood dragons, which had bathed in hellfire and were supported by Zhou Ying''s impressive vitality and natural energy, were able to regenerate quickly despite the onught.


    The six stone guardians'' jewels glimmered brightly as they then transferred power to the disaster-grade ck tortoise. The tortoise roared, causing the ground to quake, as the wood dragons were forcibly uprooted. Even so, they didn''t perish, but instead wrapped tightly around the stone guardians.


    The disaster-grade ck tortoise fired a mud-yellow beam of energy all around itself, devouring everything like a sandstorm. The wood dragons were shredded to pieces.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.

 Chapter 1363: Simultaneous Strike

    <h4>Chapter 1363: Simultaneous Strike</h4>


    Wind and storm roared around Fang Yi, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    The wind dragon and storm tiger broke past the mud-yellow barrier of energy and rushed up to the disaster-grade tortoise.


    The tortoise was surrounded by a thick mud barrier which blocked the spear''s assault.


    Fang Yi grumbled, "Hey, if the rest of you keep taking it easy, how are we going to face our captain?"


    Yang Ze waved his sword, summoning tides of water-attuned gic energy that smashed into the mud-yellow barrier and shattered the tortoise''s waves of energy. Three rings of icy lotuses surrounded him. He replied calmly, "We''re not taking it easy, just testing the waters. It''s good to see just how strong these guardian lifeforms are before we take them down."


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu howled. His body split into over a thousand clones. They spoke simultaneously, "These guardian lifeforms are really quite annoying. One alone wouldn''t be a problem, but the six of them, working together, are beyond disaster-grade as a whole."


    When all thousand clones of Sun Xiaowu spoke, it was difficult to make out where his real body was.


    This was beyond the level of materializing the clones in reality¡ªthey seemed to be actual, functioning bodies!


    Light zed around Li Feng. "We need to defeat them all simultaneously."


    Fire-attuned gic energy burst from Sun Mengmeng''s body as her body erupted in mes. She pulled her greatbow taut, transforming into what seemed like the essence of fire. "Don''t forget what our captain said¡ªwe want to try to preserve their gems if we can!"


    Sun Mengmeng released her finger, causing concentrated fire-attuned gic energy that had gathered around her to explode in the air. ming arrows fell from the sky, exploding like fireworks.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Sun Mengmeng''s ming arrows were like a signal for the members of Team Zenith to strike simultaneously.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones. The stone lifeforms were all shocked by the ferocity of his attack. The hundred clones thrust forward with their spears, striking them as furiously as raindrops in a storm.


    White mist spread out from Yang Ze''s body, enveloping the six disaster-grade lifeforms. Raging sharks swam through the mist.


    "[Golden Divide: Thousand Feathers]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    Golden radiance filled the air in a manner no inferior to his sister''s lunarme shower. The golden and violet light intermingled as the attacks struck simultaneously, piercing through even Yang Ze''s white fog.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of incandescent wyrms in the sh of an eye.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the ground, enough to fill up the entire chamber. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster.


    The entire chamber was filled to the brim with wood dragons. The disaster-grade stone guardians gaped at the simultaneous attacks. The six members of Team Zenith had struck all at once, each with their strongest area-of-effect technique, pinning down the six lifeforms. There was nowhere to escape.


    Even if they strengthened one of their number, none of them would be able to block six attacks of this magnitude.


    If it were only one, the disaster-grade lifeforms would have been able to hold on, but six at once... In the end, the will of the fourth realm''s announcements rang out in each member of Team Zenith''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade golden ox. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade golden ox, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade ming qilin. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade ming qilin, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade earth tortoise. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade earth tortoise, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade lion of lightning. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade lion of lightning, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade deepsea serpent. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade deepsea serpent, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade frostsnow tiger. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade frostsnow tiger, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The members of Team Zenith had controlled the strength of their attacks so as not to destroy everything in sight. The six gems and disaster-grade cores were left behind.


    They each took a gem and a core corresponding to their attunement. As they stepped through the gates, they found that theirpanions had vanished from sight. Each one was facing a different disaster-grade lifeform.


    Fang Yi found a pitch-ck nine-headed lion before himself.


    The ground was littered with skeletons and broken pieces of armor, and a gigantic ck nine-headed lion guarded an imposing set of doors.


    The doors seemed like the gateway to hell. They were formed of skulls and chains, and gave off a chilly aura.


    The ck nine-headed lion seemed to be made of ck steel. It released incredible pressure.


    The dozing lion opened its eyes wide and released a ck aura around itself. Its formless pressure seemed to bear down on Fang Yi with the weight of a mountain. From the aura it gave off, it was unquestionably a disaster-grade existence.


    As ck energy swamped the space, the nine-headed lion pounced forward with incredible strength. As it did so, thend cracked apart. Its ck ws were charged with killing intent.


    Bouldersrge and small were hurled into the air and sent smashing toward Fang Yi.


    Waving his spear, Fang Yi darted among the rocks andnded on the ck lion''s body as naturally as though he were a floating leaf.


    The ck nine-headed lion howled as it glowed with light. Fang Yi leapt off the lion''s body, his arms outstretched like a roc spreading its wings. With a hum, wind- and storm-attuned gic energy erupted through the air. Violet lightning shed, and storm winds surrounded Fang Yi like dragons dancing.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.

 Chapter 1364: Black Nine-Headed Lion

    <h4>Chapter 1364: ck Nine-Headed Lion</h4>


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie was watching the gic lifeforms that the members of Team Zenith were facing.


    "Aren''t youzy? Why do these disaster-grade lifeforms look so familiar?"


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "Do you think that disaster-grade lifeforms are easy to cultivate? It''s difficult enough without ensuring that they also havebat ability. To make them strong enough to serve as a challenge is even more so.


    Zhang Lie had to agree. He had cultivated his fair share of disaster-grade lifeforms¡ªand a significant number, at that. Disaster-grade lifeforms that were designed forbat were almost impossible to be found; the majority were just meat shields.


    "I carefully selected and cultivated the best among this group of disaster-grade lifeforms, so as to mass-produce ones withbat ability."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "Mass production, is it?"


    Bu Wentianughed. "You don''t know anything! It''s precisely because I''m trying to mass produce them that it''s difficult. I have to learn precisely how things work to get the same result each time. You don''t know how long it took me to breed these lifeforms¡ªat any rate, since no one will go through the trials twice, I don''t really need to change things up that much."


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Back in the trial chamber, Fang Yi had pierced through one of the nine-headed lion''s heads with his spear. The lion roared so loudly and ferociously that an ordinary hunter''s soul might have been expelled from the hunter''s body. The fight between Fang Yi and the lifeform took ce over a battlefield of unparalleled size.


    Its nine heads howled as one, sending nine waves of umbral energy into the sky. The ground cracked. Man and beast chased each other for hundreds of miles as the battlefield grewrger andrger.


    The nine heads roared again. The sound waves took on physical form, and golden ripples covered the air.


    As Fang Yi and the lion fought each other off, moving rapidly from one ce to the next, the umbral waves caused the surrounding low-lying mountains to crack and fall, and some boulders even burst apart into powder.


    The ck lion''s physique was shocking, and its ws had the power to destroy mountains. When those ws smashed into Fang Yi''s fist, the resulting boom could be heard all throughout the world,


    As the lion''s body smashed into Fang Yi''s, umbral light encapsted bothbatants.


    The disaster-grade lion was exceptionally strong. It had safeguarded this vault for an eternity and in the manifold challengers that hade its way. It was halfway to monarch-grade itself.


    Its nine heads all widened their jaws to reveal incisors over a meter long. Gleaming light shot right by Fang Yi''s face, scraping his skin and cutting off a few strands of hair. Far into the distance, where the light struck a mountain, the mountain crumbled.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    The sh of metal filled the room. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, the sh of steel against fur causing sparks that shot into the air. The power of wind and storm circled Fang Yi.


    The man and lion fought and fought and fought, summoning winds around them from nothing but the force of their blows. The world shook and trembled.


    As they shed again, the ck lion roared, sending a bombardment of sound waves at Fang Yi.


    Struck by battle-frenzy, Fang Yi was fighting as much like a beast as a man. Heated blood pumped through his body, and his eyes were those of a predator''s. He thrust his spear forward. Its tip gave off a chilling light.


    The ck lion, surprised by the attack, reflexively dodged at extreme speed. It morphed into a bolt of ck that pinballed through the air in a rumble of ck lightning.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    The wind and lightning formed a loop around his body. Wind and storm surged throughout the loop, providing explosive strength. The spear split apart a rock mountain through its center.


    Dust billowed into the air as a cloud, revealing an ashen lion that had once been ck. Large patches of scales had fallen off its body, and one of its heads had almost been smashed open. A terrible wound marred its body, and flowing blood dyed one of its eyes red.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!"


    As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. All movement was locked in time.


    Everything froze and turned gray: the only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi.


    The spear pierced through the nine-headed lion''s third head, causing it to jerk. The temporal lock onlysted for a very short amount of time.


    The lion''s howls were like thunder. The world of gray shattered like ss, and shining brilliance drowned the sky in gold.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    It looked as though Fang Yi had morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind. The lion''s counterattack struck nothing.


    In fury, the ck nine-headed lion roared again, spawning a crescendo of waves.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    All the afterimages struck simultaneously, making it difficult to distinguish an illusion of the attack from the real thing.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    As the two attacks collided, clouds of dust formed around thebatants.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning. A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.

 Chapter 1365: True Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1365: True Strength</h4>


    Bu Wentian watched the battle with interest. He took out a bag of seeds out of nowhere. "Is this all he''s got? He looks like a master with the spear, but his skills aren''t that strong. He''s nothingpared to you¡ªby this point in time, the beast you faced was nearing itsst legs already."


    Zhang Lie smiled confidently. "Keep watching. There''ll be a surprise in store for you."


    The nine-headed lion howled again, its ck ws tearing apart the firmament.


    Fang Yi went on the offensive. A chaotic storm surrounded him. A huge burst of light dissipated the mist and smoke.


    This was a dangerous closebat fight.


    After the intense fighting, three wheels of time had formed on Fang Yi''s back. With the support of three such wheels, Fang Yi pierced through another of the nine lion heads.


    Just then, the ck lion howled again. A ball of light¡ªa miniature ck lion¡ªshot out toward Fang Yi with devastating force.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!"


    He kicked forward, his legs imbued with wind and storm, sending the ck lion flying away.


    Fang Yi was shocked by the sudden attack. The ck nine-headed lion possessed fearsomebat ability, and it was clearly experienced. The fact that Zhang Lie had passed through a simr or harder trial six times was nothing less than incredible.


    Furthermore, ording to him, he hadn''t even maxed out his peak gene fragments by the time he entered the trial. He had only done so after consuming the stone guardians. In other words, just like them, Zhang Lie had challenged the trial without any disaster gene fragments to his name.


    "Our captain really is strong..."


    The ck nine-headed lion widened its maw and shot out another ray of golden light, resplendent with energy.


    Thinking about how powerful Zhang Lie was roused Fang Yi''s will to fight. His goal was to catch up to Zhang Lie. If he couldn''t even pass through the first trial, how could he do so?


    "It''s time!"


    As the fighting progressed, he had umted five wheels of time to his back. That was sufficient to support his fivefold strike.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within. In this state, he was able to simultaneously manifest different techniques at the same time.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Chaotic energy swirled over the spear.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, space, and chaotic energy. All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    The energy of chaos, which had the ability to destroy anything, spun amidst the howling winds.


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined seven different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; the fundamental forces of space and time; and chaos.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    Even before the attack was released, the trial space was already shaking tremendously.


    Compared to the third realm, Fang Yi''s most significant improvement was his renewed understanding of chaos, which carried over to his spear of Chaos, forged by the king of chaos himself, and seeped into all his attacks.

 Chapter 1366: A Complete Technique

    <h4>Chapter 1366: A Complete Technique</h4>


    Bu Wentian gaped at Fang Yi''s ultimate skill in shock.


    Zhang Lie grinned. "Well? Wasn''t that exciting?"


    Bu Wentian btedly came to his senses. "What sort of monster is this? What was thatst technique? Some amalgamation of all sorts of energies¡ªand he can still bnce them all? Is that something humans can even do...?"


    Thebination of seven different energies caused the trial space to quake and tremble. Even before the attack was released, the world of the trial was breaking apart. The ground quaked, and the sky looked as though it had been cleaved by a ded weapon.


    The sh between the energy of chaos and that of time and space caused the wheels of time on Fang Yi''s back to shatter one after another. His spear vibrated ceaselessly, and huge quantities of chaotic energy gushed out.


    Fang Yi was no longer the cultivator he had been in the third realm. His five wheels of time cracked, and the energies began to meld together uncontrobly. All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    His hands trembled as the energiesbined. At the most crucial moment, Fang Yi concentrated as the energy of chaos and spacetime merged into a brand new, mysterious strength, that of primordial chaos.


    Thebination of energies gave off such a fearsome aura that anyone would be worried upon sensing it. All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The skin on his arms cracked. Veins protruded from his forehead and his arms turned bright red.


    As Fang Yi concentrated on controlling the transformation, that energy took on the shape of a spear.


    Fang Yi wasn''t able to control the energy fully, but it was far less rambunctious than before. It grew even more chaotic and boasted a more frightening strength.


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel simultaneouslyforted and worried. Against Fang Yi''s chaotic spear, Zhang Lie felt an astonishing sense of threat.


    "Fang Yi''s caught up."


    The entire world seemed toe to a standstill at that moment. As Fang Yi thrust forward, a howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    The ck lion was shocked. Against this overwhelming strength, it felt like a little tabby cat instead.


    The confluence of energies transformed into aser beam, or rather a giant spear, that pierced through heaven and earth.


    The ck nine-headed lion''s divine aura,pared to the incredible energy of chaos, was like a firefly''s glow to that of the full moon. It was snuffed out instantly.


    The ck nine-headed lion tried to flee.


    The chaotic energy shot through the world of the trial, but it didn''t stop there. It swept through five identical trial worlds in a row before its energy finally dissipated.


    A huge hole was pierced through the world of the trial, causing a void storm to spawn. Sand, dust and stone were sent swirling through the air, and Bu Wentian sighed in weariness. "It looks like I have a lot to do now..."


    To repair the damaged trial worlds would take an inordinate amount of time.


    The total destruction wreaked by all challengers before Fang Yi was less than what Fang Yi had managed all by himself.


    At his level, all cultivators knew to judiciously conserve their strength, to not waste excess energy, which significantly reduced the excess destruction of their attacks. For a cultivator like Fang Yi to waste so much energy and pierce through five trial worlds in a row sounded frightening, but it was a tremendous waste of energy.


    Bu Wentian sighed. "Yourpanion wasted far too much energy. If he had been able to control that power, the technique would be four grades more destructive."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Of course he wants to control it¡ªhe just can''t."


    Bu Wentian gaped. "Then why use such a dangerous technique at all? If he can''t control it, what''s he doing?"


    Zhang Lie gave him a thumbs up. "But it was amazing, wasn''t it?"


    You were shocked by Fang Yi''s technique, too.


    Bu Wentian didn''t know how to respond. He couldn''t have expected to be so shocked by the first of Zhang Lie''s candidates. He was shocked by the strength of Fang Yi''s technique, and shocked again by hisck of control over it.


    Zhang Lie smirked inwardly. If Bu Wentian were to learn that Fang Yi had an ultimate technique that he had yet to reveal, what would he say? Would he pass Fang Yi immediately, or kick him out of the trial?


    Zhang Lie decided to stay silent and give Bu Wentian a huge surprise.


    Kicking Fang Yi out of the trial now would be far too boring.


    The ck nine-headed lion barely made it out from the killing ray of energy. Half its body had been pierced through, and only four of its nine heads remained. It howled in pain. Even its remaining four heads looked as though they were about to crack.


    Fang Yi sighed in exasperation. Though he now had more control over his technique than in the third realm, it still didn''t represent full control. If he had been more skilled, the ck nine-headed lion would have had all its heads destroyed.


    "Better this way." Fang Yi had been very worried that the energy of chaos would even shatter the lion''s disaster-grade core.


    At the very least, if the ck nine-headed lion remained alive, its core would be fine too.


    The ck nine-headed lion, sensing that Fang Yi''s aura had grown considerably weaker and his face pale, immediately understood that such a frightening technique hade at amensurate cost.


    It realized that this was its final chance to strike back. Its ck fur stood on end; one of its heads suddenly grew multiple timesrger, like an umbral millstone brimming with light.


    It opened its maw, transforming the air before itself into a crackling ocean of lightning.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    The pitch-ck lightning strengthened the effects of the chaotic lightning. The ck nine-headed lion growled in fear. It had missed a crucial aspect of the calculus between itself and Fang Yi:


    Fang Yi had indeed grown much weaker afterunching his technique, but it was severely wounded itself, and might well fare no better than Fang Yi. The ck nine-headed lion had been so excited to see his opponent''s weakness that it had forgotten about its own injuries.

 Chapter 1367: Genetic Breeding

    <h4>Chapter 1367: Gic Breeding</h4>


    After the training he underwent in the third realm, Fang Yi now had sufficient reserves to continue fighting even afterunching his ultimate techniques.


    The ck nine-headed lion attempted to dodge the blow, but it was toote. The spear had pierced through one of its left heads, and pitch-ck lightning crushed it.


    The lion roared again. Fearful and unwilling to resign itself to its fate, it immediately retreated.


    With another sh, two more of its heads on the right were destroyed. The ck nine-headed lion roared in outrage, only one of its nine heads still remaining.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning. A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    The lion counterattacked once more as it fought for its life. elerated by the wheels of time to his back, Fang Yi struck faster and faster.


    Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky. With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    The sh of metal filled the room. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, suppressing the grievously wounded lion with the power of chaos, wind, and storm made manifest in the form of spears.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air. As he manipted his spear, a fuside of lightning shot through the arena. Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, piercing through the lion''s body.


    A hole appeared in the lion''s chest. Fang Yi, standing behind the lion, held a disaster-grade core in his hand. The will of the fourth realm''s announcement rang out in his head.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade nine-headed lion. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade nine-headed lion, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Yang Ze''s trial was against a bipedal ck turtle, which rushed toward him with a fist. The fist passed through Yang Ze; Yang Ze''s figure was nothing more than an illusion.


    The true Yang Ze had already jumped up to the ck turtle''s head.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    The sword sh rippled like a river. Waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    Despite its mountainous size, the ck turtle was exceptionally nimble. It jumped into the air, dozens of meters high,and avoided the attack.


    The turtle agilely executed a backflip, retreating hundreds of meters in an instant. Itnded on the ground with a huge crash, smashing a crater in the ground where it stood. Its body glowed with radiant light. Suddenly, a wave of ck fog rose up from the ground and surrounded it like a hurricane.


    The turtle sucked in a breath and seemed to expand multiple times in size. Its muscles bunched up around its body as it charged forward. Where it stepped, the ground cracked. Huge boulders were sent flying into the air, threatening to drown Yang Ze in the resulting bombardment.


    The turtle pounced toward Yang Ze.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    "Almost there."


    As the whale exploded, huge quantities of water-attuned gic energy filled the space. Yang Ze transformed all that gic energy into a white mist that covered the entirety of the trial space. As the mist gathered, a horde of sharks emerged, forming an incredible tide.


    As the turtle howled, the dark clouds of energy surrounding it grew even more solid than before. Its arms retreated into its shell as it vibrated, knocking the sharks back.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    Yang Ze''s sword morphed into a sea serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice. It surged forward,striking the turtle''s shell in a huge explosion that could be heard from a hundred miles distant.


    The turtle roared and pounded its chest as it emerged from its shell, surrounded by ck light. The shell flew out of its body, glowing with umbral light, as it shot toward Yang Ze with a frightening aura.


    The turtle''s shell wasrge and moved surprisingly quickly. It was difficult to avoid, and quickly enveloped Yang Ze.


    The turtle began to pound on its shell, causing it to toll loudly with every strike. The sound echoed and reverberated within the shell, so loud as to be ear-splitting; the turtle was trying to quake Yang Ze to death, to turn him into a pile of mush.


    An unusual sound came from within. It began to hum in a curious manner, and umbral light began to flood into its center.


    Suddenly, the disaster-grade turtle felt someone tapping on its shoulder.


    The disaster-grade turtle didn''t pay it any mind. It continued pounding on its shell furiously, infusing all its strength into the attack, with the intention of turning Yang Ze into a pile of mush.


    The disaster-grade turtle ignored the tapping on its shoulder as it went into an enraged state, howling as it ponded on its shell. If it could speak, it might very well have said something along the lines of,


    "Think you''re all that, aren''t you? Weren''t you supposed to be strong? Try to get out of my shell and strike back at me, then! How does it feel to be inside my shell? Haha, haha!"


    The figure standing behind the turtle continued tapping at his shoulder relentlessly until the turtle impatiently turned around, only to be shocked stiff.


    It and Yang Ze were the only two entities in the trial grounds¡ªwho else could be tapping on its shoulder?


    The disaster-grade turtle gaped at what it saw.


    Yang Ze smiled. "You must be very shocked and confused as to why I''m out here, rather than within the shell."


    The turtle nodded fervently.


    Yang Ze smiled. "Did you really think that I could be trapped in such a paltry shell?"


    He really liked fighting against gic lifeforms.


    Intelligent aliens and gic hunters were rather difficult to trick; he might be able to do so once, but not a second time. On the other hand, gic lifeforms, which were more simple-minded, could easily be fooled by his illusions and [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision].

 Chapter 1368: Methods of Assault

    <h4>Chapter 1368: Methods of Assault</h4>


    Bu Wentian couldn''t help butugh upon seeing Yang Ze''s trickery. "A trickster, eh?"


    Zhang Lie smiled as well. "It looks like you''re a fan of thispanion of mine, Senior."


    Bu Wentian replied, "Yourpanions really are quite interesting. They have diverse expertise in various domains and signature fighting styles. That Fang Yi, for example, is focused almost entirely on his spear, but his true strength lies in his ultimate techniques. On the other hand, thispanion of yours emphasizes dodging and avoidance, and likely is superior even to you in those regards."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Mypanions have all pioneered their own paths.


    Bu Wentian asked curiously, "Who managed to teach such interesting hunters? Was it you?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s all thanks to their hard work."


    Within the trial world, what caused the ck turtle to despair was that, while it had been furiously smashing on its shell, Yang Ze had formed three thousand ice lotuses, along with a huge horde of raging sharks.


    With a wave of his hand, the ice lotuses and raging sharks swamped the turtle, who immediately hid back in its shell without any hesitation.


    The buds that Yang Ze had ced initially finally exploded. Lotus flowers made of pure water blossomed from the buds, each an intricate construct of gic energy. The flowers struck the turtle''s shell with continuous plinks, but the turtle rxed upon realizing that its shell boasted a strong enough defense to protect itself.


    It was just about to rx when the ice lotuses exploded all around itself like a tempestuous sea.


    The dense explosion of water-attuned gic energy sounded like roaring thunder, like stampeding horses. The shell shook and trembled, as though it would be sent flying at any moment.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!"


    Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra, which sprayed out nine breaths of sword energy.


    The nine breaths of sword energy struck the shell from nine different directions like zing mes. The shell began to crack as the nine-headed hydra seized it, surrounding it with a torrent of gic energy like a whirlpool.


    The turtle felt as though its shell was about to give way under the attack. At a critical moment, Yang Ze struck the turtle a devastating blow, the straw that broke the camel''s back.


    "[The Boundless de: Hundred-Headed Hydra]!"


    Yang Ze''s gic energy manifested in the form of an astounding hundred-headed hydra.


    As he drew on spatial force, the hydra sprayed out a hundred simultaneous beams of sword energy, pale blue gic energy, andpressed spatial force from a high-dimensionalyer of space.


    With a huge explosion, the shell broke apart, sending the turtle flying into the distance as though it had been struck by a cannonball.


    It took a long time before the turtle was able to get back to its feet, at which point it roared in outrage and charged forward once more.


    The turtle, in a feat of extreme strength, lifted up an entire mountain and threw it toward Yang Ze.


    With a flick of his fingers, Yang Zemanded the hundred-headed hydra to spray another concentrated beam of dragon''s breath, spearing through the disaster-grade turtle''s body before it could unleash another attack.


    The disaster-grade turtle was pierced through by the barrage. Yang Ze shed by the turtle''s side, digging out the disaster-grade core in its body before it could recover.


    The will of the fourth realm announced in Yang Ze''s head, [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade heroic ck turtle. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade heroic ck turtle, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    The trial beast that Sun Xiaowu was facing in his trial was also particrly frightening.


    It shed with white light. Gusts of wind surrounded it as it sent hundreds, thousands of tons of rock into the air. It shed against Sun Xiaowu once and again, ws against fist, as those rocks were sent flying all around the twobatants.


    Zhang Lie recognized Sun Xiaowu''s opponent immediately: the disaster-grade whitegold tiger.


    The tiger roared, spraying out a burst of silver light. Killing intent filled the air. Sun Xiaowu blocked the attack with a burst of energy. Behind him, a mountain copsed and exploded, the rock turning into smithereens.


    A huge white w mmed down on his body, but Sun Xiaowu dodged it. Arge trench formed where the wnded, the bottom of which couldn''t be seen from up above.


    The white tiger attacked furiously. Every part of its body could be used as a weapon¡ªeven with its back to Sun Xiaowu, it could strike at him with a flick of its tail.


    Its ferocity shocked everyone.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    The tiger sprayed out a burst of white light, shining with metallic luster, as it defended itself against the titanic waves. A huge explosion rang out.


    A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked. Golden radiance shot through the air as the ground cracked and the world fell to pieces.


    The white tiger roared, its eyes cold, as it leapt toward Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu smashed forward with a punch, causing bothbatants to quake. A meteor''s worth of energy exploded in mid-air, and the ground quaked as though a volcano were about to explode.


    The tiger roared again as sharp des grew out of its back at even intervals along its spine, each with a silvery-white sheen. Killing intent filled the air.


    The des stood like pirs separating heaven from earth, thick and ice-cold, giving the onlookers a chilling sensation.


    The des were ridiculously massive, and unusual phenomena were urring around them. Blood was starting to appear on each de. It was a frightening sight.


    The des seemed like a manifestation of the tiger''s domain.


    Sun Xiaowumented, "I''ve seen quite a few disaster-grade lifeforms, but never ones with such a domain with such a physical manifestation..."


    A domain was the result of excess energetic emanations surrounding a disaster-grade lifeform, and domains usually matched a lifeform''s characteristics.


    The reason a disaster-grade lifeform became a walking disaster was because of this energy that they exuded, which would affect everything around them.


    For instance, the six disaster-grade stone guardians they had faced exuded mes, lightning, wind, and waves.


    The disaster-grade whitegold tiger had actually manifested its domain fully, transforming it into a unique means of attack.

 Chapter 1369: Whitegold Tiger

    <h4>Chapter 1369: Whitegold Tiger</h4>


    The disaster-grade whitegold tiger leapt forward, causing all the des to suddenly turn toward their target. They gathered in a square around the tiger and shot toward Sun Xiaowu simultaneously.


    The bloodstained des, suffused with an aura of cmity, approached Sun Xiaowu at breakneck speed.


    Sun Xiaowu swung his own des with the resplendence of dawn, defending against the sudden assault.


    Light covered thend like an intense meteor shower. Formless ripples shattered rock and cleaved mountains.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Light gathered over Sun Xiaowu''s palms in a resplendent golden arc through the skies.


    The golden light shed against the tiger''s des, but the sharp des that the tiger had somehow produced seemed impervious to damage. Killing intent formed a thick aura around them, so concentrated that it could affect material form. Sun Xiaowu didn''t give up and continued attacking. The brilliant light of [Golden Divide] caught the eye.


    The tiger roared, its eyes cold. It spat out a mouthful of white light, causing the des to gleam even more brightly. They pierced through the air and headed straight for Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu pursed his lips¡ªthe des were too strong, and there were over two dozen of them! It would be difficult to handle them all simultaneously.


    The des flew toward him and pinned him down with overwhelming strength, causing thend to crumble where theynded.


    Each de was like a thick pir; if any were to strike Zhang Lie, he wouldn''t be pierced through, but rather ground into meat paste.


    As all the desnded simultaneously, Sun Xiaowu barely dodged them one by one. Space around him warped and distended; a number of ck holes formed, one around each de, trapping him in an unavoidable attack.


    Even so, the fighting spirit in Sun Xiaowu''s eyes only grew more intense.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body suddenly split into thousands of clones, which faced off against the two dozen des in a scintiting disy of light.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    The two dozen sharp des were sent flying by the tempest that the golden feathers created. The disaster-grade whitegold tiger emanated silver light that shrouded itself like battle armor, or perhaps a veil.


    Metal struck metal. The disaster-grade whitegold tiger was suppressed by Sun Xiaowu''s [Golden Divide].


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The brilliant light tore through the tiger''s armor, revealing crystalline flesh underneath. The tiger roared in anger, and its aura strengthened even further. Sun Xiaowu once more, swamping the battlefield in white light.


    "[Adamantine Aegis]!" Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, giving off a radiant light that the two dozen des were unable to prate.


    The disaster-grade whitegold tiger leapt forward, its wsnding on the haft of the des and increasing their prating power. Sun Xiaowu was forced to retreat.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!"


    Thousands of his golden clones emitted a blinding sh as they self-destructed, swallowing up Sun Xiaowu, the two dozen des, and the disaster-grade whitegold tiger in the resulting explosion.


    The des were sent flying, as was the disaster-grade whitegold tiger.


    The tiger made a backflip in the air and roared, spitting out a ball of hazy like charged with skeins of radiant energy so bright they were evaporating in the air.


    A thousand rays of rosy light, in an endless stream, enveloped all thaty below.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    The next moment, Sun Xiaowu''s body divided into ten thousand clones. Golden radiance covered the sky as his clones gathered together, each seeming simultaneously real and illusory.


    Frightening fluctuations of energy filled the air, apanied by resplendent light.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    As he swung his fists forward, the golden qilin materialized. Against the magnificent golden qilin, the disaster-grade whitegold tiger looked as small as a housecat.


    The gigantic golden qilin swiped forward with its ws, batting the whitegold tiger away and sending it crashing into the earth.


    The qilin mmed its ws down a second time, crushing the whitegold tiger as it roared in outrage. It emanated beams of white light that surrounded it like a howling storm, serving as a formless barrier against the qilin''s ws.


    The whitegold tiger''s body shed with golden runes, much like those from Sun Xiaowu''s [Adamantine Aegis].


    Zhang Lie, watching the fight, frowned. "What a disgusting disaster-grade lifeform, to be able to copy its opponents'' techniques..."


    The tiger had done that while fighting with him, and was doing the same thing while fighting with Sun Xiaowu.


    Bu Wentian smiled proudly. "It''s great, isn''t it?"


    "It''s rather disgusting."


    While fighting against Zhang Lie, the disaster-grade whitegold tiger had absorbed his energy of annihtion. Now, against Sun Xiaowu, it had absorbed his [Adamantine Aegis].


    The whitegold tiger was, at its core, a gold-attuned lifeform, and it was naturally able to replicate Sun Xiaowu''s techniques easily.


    Bu Wentian replied, "This is a trial, after all. I can''t make it too simple, and an opponent that can learn from you represents a rare opportunity. If you can''t grow stronger and produce sufficient strength to take down that opponent, it''ll emte you and win."


    "An opponent that can grow stronger in battle really is disgusting."

 Chapter 1370: Adamantine Aegis

    <h4>Chapter 1370: Adamantine Aegis</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu himself had been shocked by the whitegold tiger''s sudden use of [Adamantine Aegis].


    The disaster-grade whitegold tiger was surrounded with multicolored light, like a thousand banners swirling through the sky. It tore apart Sun Xiaowu''s golden qilin''s scales with its sharp ws as it sent its two dozen des forward once more, piercing through the golden qilin.


    The golden qilin exploded like a supernova, releasing scorching-hot energy that caused the world of the trial to quake intensely. Golden light basked the entire world.


    The whitegold tiger was sent flying. The runes all over its body shook violently. If not for the fact that it had just learned Sun Xiaowu''s [Adamantine Aegis], it would already have been torn apart by the explosion.


    The whitegold tiger roared as it exuded light that filled the skies. Thousands of beams of light shot toward Sun Xiaowu like radiant des.


    Golden runes shed amidst the light. The whitegold tiger was a gold-attuned lifeform that easily picked up Sun Xiaowu''s techniques, and it was now incorporating them into its attacks.


    Sun Xiaowu scoffed. "You''ve barely learned anything from me. This is the advanced form of [Adamantine Aegis]. Use it if you can!"


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him in a sh of golden light.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over ten meters tall. Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    With a fist, the mecha dissipated the tiger''s [Adamantine Aegis] a scar on its forehead.


    To Sun Xiaowu, [Adamantine Aegis] was nothing more than an opener.


    The tiger growled. Two dozen silver des trembled as one, shooting straight at Sun Xiaowu in an attempt to pierce through him.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Layers of dense golden scales appeared on Sun Xiaowu''s arms, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    As Sun Xiaowu attacked, so too did the golden mecha, bringing the strength of his attack to a new level entirely.


    Golden light swept through the world with such force that the firmament itself seemed liable to break, as though the sun were falling to the ground. The tiger''s two dozen des shattered.


    The tiger howled in outrage, but Sun Xiaowu was in the acme of his strength. His fists shone with golden light.


    The white tiger stared at Sun Xiaowu with baleful eyes. Radiant light shot out from its mouth straight at him, which Sun Xiaowu obliterated with his fists.


    The tiger''s runes of [Adamantine Aegis] turned scorching-hot. The runes glowed and extended from its body, shielding itself.


    Although the tiger didn''t possess any gic energy, its innate understanding of gold-attuned energy allowed it to partially reproduce the effects of [Adamantine Aegis: Martial God].


    Its ersatz rendition of the technique meant that, as it swiped, a huge copy of its ws would simultaneously swipe at its target.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    Sun Xiaowuughed. "Come on, then! Challenge me in single or groupbat. In singlebat, you''ll fight all of us, and in groupbat, all of us will gang up on you!"


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t wait for the tiger to make up its mind. His clones charged forward with immense force, causing dust to rise up and the ground to quake. Golden light filled them all.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Thousands of golden mechas simultaneously used Golden Divide, and the entire sky turned glittering gold. There were so many of them they filled the sky. The golden des formed a golden flood.


    The whitegold tiger was sent flying. The [Adamantine Aegis] protecting its body turned battered; it could hardly withstand the attacks of a thousand of Sun Xiaowu''s golden mechas at once.


    Thousands of golden des condensed into a unified whole, radiating golden light and splitting the sky in twain.


    The whitegold tiger attempted to run, but Sun Xiaowu''s de was too fast for it. With a mournful howl, its [Adamantine Aegis] was torn apart, and one of its legs was cut off.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. Golden radiance lit up the battlefield.


    The tiger, despite having only three legs remaining, nevertheless moved rapidly.


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones crashed down onto the battlefield like meteors. Golden light filled the skies.


    The whitegold tiger scampered back and forth, barely avoiding the projectiles, before it was sent flying by the force of the explosion. It rolled over the ground multiple times.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it. It was asrge as the falling sun.


    It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air.


    The qilin''s scales were radiant and shining with golden light, each like a miniature sun. It looked like a god descending from the heavens, its long whiskers floating in the void, surrounded by golden clouds, looking like a sculpture of gold.


    In Sun Xiaowu''s mecha form, the golden qilin he released grew to a staggering fifty thousand meters in height.


    The golden qilin radiated light, upying half the world with its bulk.

 Chapter 1371: Radiant Light Unfolding

    <h4>Chapter 1371: Radiant Light Unfolding</h4>


    As Li Feng punched forward, light-attuned gic energy transformed into a raging flood. Thick, concentrated energy, like roaring dragons and galloping steeds, like sharp des piercing heaven and earth, fell from the sky in a huge rumble that shook the heavens and caused the trial world to quake.


    The frightening wave of energy burst apart. Silver light radiated forth like a pack of rampaging dragons, transforming into a storm that tore apart all in sight¡ªthe roc''s golden wings, along with half its body.


    In a beam of light, Li Feng fell from the skies, his feet kicking at the disaster-grade golden roc''s head.


    The golden roc rolled on the ground, avoiding the killing blow.


    Li Feng''s eyes were sharp and piercing. "Running away won''t help you now."


    The golden roc, taking advantage of a disaster-grade lifeform''s impressive regeneration, had already regrown one of its wings. Clearly, the golden roc had been endowed with incredible talent in this regard.


    When Zhang Lie was its opponent, he was able to counter that regeneration with his demonic serpent. Furthermore, Zhang Lie was so strong that the golden roc didn''t have the time to recover before Zhang Lie killed it.


    With its wings restored, the golden roc was able to continue fighting¡ªbut before it could take advantage of its restored health, it faced even greater despair.


    Li Feng''s aura grew to its peak. Wrapped up in shining light, an arclight dragon emerged from his body and circled upwards.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!" Li Feng shouted. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    As Li Feng yelled out, dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole.


    Thousands of arclight dragons criss-crossed in mid-air before swooping down like meteors.


    A golden wing was insufficient to defend against the simultaneous barrage of a few thousand dragons. The golden roc''s wings were pierced through and torn apart as a huge golden skull was hurled out of the melee and fell to the ground.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade gildwing roc. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade gildwing roc, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Bu Wentian evaluated, "This hunter is very strong, and his techniques seem like yours. Is he your disciple?"


    "Mypanion."


    In Sun Mengmeng''s trial chamber, the void suddenly trembled. A figure dashed forward at lightning speed, heading straight for her with unabashed killing intent.


    The attacker was none other than a hornless scarlet dragon, which Zhang Lie had faced before.


    The dragon''s attacknded with a huge explosion, splitting the ground, shaking the heavens, and causing the world to break apart. It was a frightening blow that struck with the force of an earthquake.


    Sun Mengmeng raised her garuda bow. Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the enemy like tracking missiles,


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air, but that was insufficient to deter the dragon''s charge.


    The disaster-grade dragon burst out of the three simultaneous explosions, wreathed in light and me and mist, as it charged toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!" Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air, blocking the pulse of energy from the dragon''s attack.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    Sun Mengmeng stabbed forward with a dagger, causing the ck moon behind her to explode. Sun Mengmeng rocketed forward with [meburst Step].


    Purple mes transformed into her raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot toward the scarlet dragon. Her beautiful features took on a tinge of the fantastical when lit by the purple firelight. With the barest hissing of wind, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger.


    The twobatants shattered mountains and destroyed spires with every blow. They shed against each other and were both sent flying. Light covered heaven and earth, frightening in its intensity.


    Sun Mengmeng trained as a ranged attacker, but she wasn''t weak in a melee, either.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, all began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    The disaster-grade dragon wove through the mes, strong and brimming with vitality, its scales shining resplendent, its body glowing with divine radiance. It possessed an unexpected resistance to fire, and even Sun Mengmeng''s lunarme arrows did little damage to it.


    Sun Mengmeng''s opponent seemed to perfectly counter her.


    As the disaster-grade dragon rushed by, it smashed apart countless meteors, which exploded in the air in brilliant me. Its superior resistance to fire might be a result of its domain.


    Seeing Sun Mengmeng''s bow, the dragon''s fearsomebat experience allowed it to recognize that Sun Mengmeng was an archer who would be weaker in closebat.


    As meteors continued to explode in the air, sending boulders flying, Sun Mengmeng retreated with a wave of her palm, causing the sea of mes to roar and re.


    The sea of mes sent ten thousand tons of rock flying toward the dragon, which smashed through them all.


    The disaster-grade dragon shed against Sun Mengmeng, ws against bow, then swept its tail at her waist.


    Sun Mengmeng evaded the attack as the tail crushed countless rocks into powder in mid-air.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her like a phoenix spreading its wings. A tail of fire glowed with radiant light, causing the stars themselves to quake.


    The dragon evaded the attack, but the rock mountain behind where it stood was drilled straight through. It zed with lunar me.


    The hornless scarlet dragon stared at Sun Mengmeng with cold eyes. Its crystalline, resplendent body hurtled back. The entire world seemed to shift with its movements. Its body glowed with one resplendent rune after another, a true dragon''s mark, imbued with the essence of the arcane, of mysteries beyond measure.

 Chapter 1372: Apocalyptic Flame

    <h4>Chapter 1372: Apocalyptic me</h4>


    For a moment, a divine chanting could be heard from the skies, shaking the heavens as all things hummed in resonance. The sound doubled, then trebled in volume. Ripples and echoes surged toward Sun Mengmeng.


    Boulder after boulder exploded, even those tens of thousands of tons heavy. The ripples that emanated from the dragon''s keening easily sparked a resonant dposition.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!"


    A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique would have shocked all the members of Team Zenith.


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall. It deflected the ripples that emanated from the scarlet hornless dragon. The twobatants'' techniques shed against each other''s.


    Sun Mengmeng''s body burned with purplish-ck me so intense that it dyed the heavens the same color. She cast [ck Sun], forming a corona of purplish-ck me around her.


    Then, she activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me. Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that the ground began to melt and turn red.


    She sparred against the scarlet dragon, shing once and again, before bothbatants were sent flying back.


    With a huge rumble and crash, a scarlet w struck the ground with the force of a mountain range. Light flooded heaven and earth.


    Sun Mengmeng roared, her eyes glowing with light.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!"


    Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward Zhang Lie. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    The hornless scarlet dragon soared into the air, its scarlet ws tearing apart the lunar flood. ck firelight burst apart in the air, shining brightly in the trial world.


    The twobatants fought like ancient beasts, tearing apart mountain andndscape, heaven and earth. The world itself quivered as it observed their battle.


    Man and beast alike were radiant in their might, surrounded with glowing runes that burned incandescent, so brightly that no one would be able to observe the scene directly.


    The scarlet hornless dragon sent its tail sweeping forward like a steel whip, causing the void itself to creak. The runes surged forward like waves, astoundingly strong.


    Sun Mengmeng leapt up to evade this blow.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, which shot down rays of moonlight. A burst of ck lunarme scorched heaven and earth, revealing the void.


    The scarlet dragon tore apart the lunarme with one w, then struck at Sun Mengmeng with the other. Its eyes were bright and sharp. A terrifying wildness suffused its actions.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]."


    Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched yet another attack.


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward the scarlet dragon. They flew around the dragon in a dance as ck me surrounded them all.


    The dragon whirled around, swiping its tail at the phoenixes and causing them to explode. The nine phoenixes burst into nine ck roses in the air. Scorching heat enveloped the surroundings.


    The dragon darted through the me and caught Sun Mengmeng''s leg.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng reacted quickly. Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    The arrow caused no earth-shattering explosion. It was in and ordinary, and no sound marked its advance. It flew by the scarlet dragon''s head, setting half of it ame.


    Disaster-grade lifeforms wouldn''t die as long as their cores hadn''t been shattered, but they could still feel pain. Pain would make it harder for them to concentrate, and it would hinder them in battle.


    The scarlet dragon roared. A wave of energy swept past the dragon, who was forced to loosen its hold.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    ck mes, stuck together, flowed likeva along the ground. Wrapped in me, Sun Mengmeng strode forth. Her pupils had been reced by ck me, and she looked like a demon from the abyss.


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red me, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    The destructive energy dyed everything in sight a patch of ck. The entire trial world seemed to transform into a furnace. The ground melted and turned into boiling-hotva.


    Sun Mengmeng released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies.


    The garudanded in a hurricane of pitch-ck mes as it arched its wings wide.


    It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the trial world, dyeing everything in sight a patch of ck.


    The scarlet dragon tore apart the tempest of fire. With a swipe of its tail, it caused the ck mes to erupt in a rain of fire. Even theva was lit up ame. The entire world became a sea of ck mes, like a scene out of hell.


    Sun Mengmeng took the opportunity to distance herself from the dragon. She pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    The garuda manifested into reality. With a huge rumble, firelight swallowed heaven and earth. Her fire-attuned gic energy transformed into an arrow of pure destruction. ck mes gathered, lighting the very air itself ame. The ck mes formed a pitch-ck abyss that no longer radiated light. Instead, it sucked in the light from all around like ck holes and devoured everything in sight.

 Chapter 1373: Heaven Cracks, The Earth Quakes

    <h4>Chapter 1373: Heaven Cracks, The Earth Quakes</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng''s devastating arrow pierced through the disaster-grade dragon''s body, causing it to fall toward theva. Lava roiled as fire filled the air.


    The dragon''s body smashed a crater in theva as Sun Mengmeng furiouslyunched a flurry of arrows in its direction. The disaster-grade dragon was in exceptionally wretched condition, its ws bleeding, its chest half-torn open.


    It attempted to take to the air, but Sun Mengmeng gave chase in a burst of mes. She kicked at the dragon, causing its crystalline body to crack as it fell to theva once again.


    The disaster-grade dragon barely stood up. It soared into the air once more, its disaster-grade regenerative abilities quickly healing the lower half of its body.


    Sun Mengmeng rose to the challenge, raising her garuda bow.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Starburst]!"


    Pitch-ck mes lit up the sky. Arrows fell like a meteor shower, lit up in mid-air. The entire world was filled with ck arrows; it was lit ame.


    Bu Wentian sighed in exasperation. "Yourpanions are far too destructive. This is even worse than what that Fang Yi fellow did. The entire world has been rendered useless!


    The disaster-grade dragon''s body shone and danced as it evaded the mes. It howled, its radiant body tangling around Sun Mengmeng like a serpent winding its body around a mountain peak. It opened its bloody maw wide, its teeth sharp and white, as it bit down on Sun Mengmeng with the intent of swallowing her whole.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    At this critical moment, Sun Mengmeng''s body lit up with roaring ck mes, resisting the dragon''s attack. The mes spun rapidly as the dragon''s tail shone in rainbow light. The phoenix that formed around Sun Mengmeng transformed into a zing tempest that caused the scarlet dragon to shriek in pain, loosening its tail.


    As Sun Mengmeng revolved, so too did the ming tempest. The ck phoenix stoked the mes of the burning world. It spread its wings, causing the mes to reach a crescendo. The extreme heat burned the world to a crisp.


    A gigantic ck phoenix soared into the void. As it cried out, countless stars trembled. The dragon flew through the air, then swooped down toward Sun Mengmeng with zing breath.


    Such was the bloody fight between the twobatants.


    The ck phoenix and scarlet dragon faced off in the ruined world.


    "[Lunarme Shot: zing God]!"


    The sea of mes roiled as Sun Mengmeng released gic fluctuations greater than ever before. The void trembled as the heavens themselves seemed to shatter. Blinding light transformed into golden suns, which burst apart like sharp des. Even before the attack was released, the aura alone caused the scarlet dragon to yelp in pain.


    Her left hand the sun, her right hand the moon, Sun Mengmeng seemed to transform into a god-king of legends. She zed with resplendent light, and the sun and moon embedded themselves on her bow. ck me roared into the void as a pir, and all of it gathered around Sun Mengmeng. The ck me transformed into a tempest that lit up the surrounding trial worlds.


    The void me transformed into an arrow which burned everything it touched. Where the arrow passed through, the stars shattered. The nearby trial worlds were also lit up ame. Even a god would be pierced by this arrow.


    The arrow struck the scarlet dragon, sending scales and crystals flying. Crystalline shards shed through the air as the will of the realm''s voice rang out in Sun Mengmeng''s head.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade hornless scarlet dragon. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade hornless scarlet dragon, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Bu Wentian sighed. "That''s several worlds ruined..."


    Sun Mengmeng recovered the dragon''s disaster-grade core. She looked left and right. She was stuck in the void; the trial doors had burned to a crisp when she set the whole world ame. What was she to do?


    Zhang Lie advised, "Don''t forget to send Sun Mengmeng to the trial-taker''s chamber."


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "I won''t. If she has the strength to destroy my trial world, then I should hope she has the skill to figure out what to do next, too."


    A pair of ckme phoenix''s wings unfurled from Sun Mengmeng''s back as she flew toward the next hospitable trial world.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t throw a tantrum. If you leave Sun Mengmeng to her own antics, she might really burn another world to ashes."


    Bu Wentian hadn''t truly intended to carry out his threat. With a wave of his hand, a pir of light surrounded Sun Mengmeng, and she vanished through the void.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were. Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus. She had transformed into her battle-ready state in a matter of moments.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Zhou Ying''s opponent was a nt-based disaster-grade lifeform, one which Zhang Lie had never encountered.


    nt-based lifeforms were a rarity in the dimensional realm. Zhang Lie had only encountered one such disaster-grade lifeform before; this was the second he had ever seen.


    A huge flower bud, like a wild beast''s mouth, was filled with thorns. Purple fluid leaked out from within, sizzling as it touched the ground and releasing purple smoke. The fluid from the bud possessed incredible corrosive strength.


    The ground quaked as countless vines emerged from underground, tangling with Zhou Ying''s wood dragons. Zhou Yingmanded her dragons to absorb the vitality from the vines, causing it to quake as its tendrils shook and quivered, and its body bent. Clearly, having the vitality sucked away from its body was a painful process.


    The disaster-grade lifeform sprayed out purple acid at the wood dragons, which soared into the sky and formed a wooden barrier.


    The acidnded on the wooden barrier, quickly dissolving the wood and forming a hole in it with a loud sizzle.

 Chapter 1374: Just One

    <h4>Chapter 1374: Just One</h4>


    Zhou Ying''s lips curled up. She smiled like a malicious demon.


    "Poison, is it?"


    Her golden wood dragons turned an ashy gray, and smoke began to spread from the wood. The wood dragons boasted a mysterious strength. The disaster-grade nt immediately drew back its vines¡ªthe wood dragons were coated with something far worse than poison.


    However, the disaster-grade nt was too slow. Ayer of gray energy had attached itself to its vines, which quickly turned dark and swollen. They began to crack, causing mouths to appear all over the vines. The nt immediately cut off these vines, preventing them from infecting the rest of its body.


    The wood dragons pushed forward as the nt lifeform shrunk back, limiting the size of its domain.


    The disaster-grade ntunched its leaves toward the wood dragons, each with a serrated edge as sharp as a de, tearing the wood dragons apart.


    The wood dragons began to grow golden leaves, which shed against the disaster-grade nt''s leaves with the sound of metal striking metal.


    The golden leaves danced through the air, obscuring Zhou Ying from sight. She darted through the leaves, her body splitting into countless afterimages that seemed to ovep. The nt had no chance of catching her.


    The afterimages coalesced as Zhou Ying appeared to the nt''s back. She struck with her dagger, but the disaster-grade nt responded surprisingly quickly. The nt-based lifeform didn''t see with its eyes, so it wasn''t tricked by Zhou Ying''s deception. Its buds sprayed out purple liquid.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying clutched her dagger in a reverse grip and shed at the void, dividing the stream of liquid.


    The ground beneath her rose up as roots sprouted from underneath and began to attack her.


    Zhou Ying quickly retreated as boundless vitality burst forth from her.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the ground. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with dense gray smoke.


    The disaster-grade nt had been having a hard time dealing with Zhou Ying''s wood dragons. With so many more wood dragons joining the mix, it lost control of its jealously guarded territory and was surrounded by the dragons.


    After being struck by the gray fog, the nt-based lifeform began to swell. Poisonous tumors grew out of its body, along with strange, unusual vines that sprouted mouths. Each mouth was filled with venomous fangs. Purple liquid continued to stter on the ground, sizzling as the ground corroded.


    The vines that grew out of the nt''s body turned on itself and began to devour the nt.


    Zhou Ying shot out like a loosed arrow, passing through the densely packed wood dragons and bisecting the disaster-grade nt''s body.


    The nt keened in agony as its upper half fell to the ground and crystallized. Surrounded by wood dragons and infused with gray energy, the disaster-grade nt''s vitality decreased dramatically.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Twofold Void Cut]!"


    Holding her daggers, Zhou Ying revolved in mid-air, cutting apart the void. The disaster-grade nt''s body fell apart.


    [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade vineflower. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade vineflower, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]


    Within a pocket space of the trial dimension, Bu Wentian and Zhang Lie were having some tea.


    Bu Wentian evaluated, "Thispanion of yours is also quite interesting. Not only does she have tremendous vitality and natural energy, she''s alsobined it with some unknown power that can cause deleterious mutations in biological lifeforms. It''s worse than the cancer of the Milky Way¡ªalmost like a demonic curse of sorts."


    Zhou Ying had obtained this strength in an exchange with the Everbearing Lady within the halls of chaos.


    Bu Wentian continued, "This sort of energy seems to be one antithetical to life."


    Zhang Lie said, "After watching them all fight, I''m feeling like somebat myself. Why don''t you let me have a go at some disaster-grade lifeforms?"


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes at Zhang Lie. "Do you think I''m raising a pig farm?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Just one lifeform would be fine. Let me try out that six-headed one¡ªI''mcking a few dozen disaster-grade gene fragments, and that one would fill me up."


    Bu Wentian waved a hand. "That sort of disaster-grade lifeform is specifically cultivated for use in my trials. I generally only use it at the fifth stage and above, but you were so strong that I had to use it on the fourth stage during your trial. I just wanted to see where your limits were, but none of them did anything against you!"


    "If you have so many disaster-grade lifeforms, surely you won''t mind losing one or two?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Do you know how difficult those are to cultivate? I only have six more in my reserves. With yourpanions'' strength, they''d easily make it to the fifth stage, and I''ll need my reserves for their respective trials.


    Zhang Lie would be able to take down such a disaster-grade lifeform in the blink of an eye; it couldn''t even be considered a warm-up.


    "One less won''t make a difference," Zhang Lie replied reasonably.


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "Well, in that case, it won''t make a difference if you have a few dozen less disaster gene fragments. You''re already this strong, at any rate."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "You want me to participate in this Gctic Rising Stars Cup, don''t you? You do want me at peak strength for that."


    Bu Wentian nced at him. It was true that he would prefer Zhang Lie to be stronger for the Cup...


    "I just cultivated a new disaster-grade lifeform and need some data on its performance for use in trials. You can test it out, and I''ll allow you to keep the disaster-grade cores from killing it."


    "Let''s do it, then!" Zhang Lie rubbed his palms with glee.


    Bu Wentian continued, "Don''t rush it. Listen up. That disaster-grade lifeform won''t be easy to deal with. After my efforts at cultivation, it''s all but approaching a monarch-grade lifeform, and no ordinary gic hunter can handle it."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Do you think I''m an ordinary gic hunter?"


    Bu Wentian gave him a thumbs up. "Confident, aren''t you? But aren''t youcking a few dozen disaster gene fragments?"


    Zhang Lie gave him a strange look.


    Why was Bu Wentian asking about this now?


    "Well, this disaster-grade lifeform will certainly satisfy you." Bu Wentian smirked, then summoned a door out of the void.


    The door had just opened when a dark wind blew out toward Zhang Lie. Even before he stepped inside, he could feel a tremendous strength within. Zhang Lie instantly had the sensation that the disaster-grade lifeform lying in wait would be entirely different from the ones he had faced to date, one on a whole new level of strength.


    "That''s more like it!" Zhang Lie excitedly stepped through the door, only to be met with a vile stench and shattered crystals on the ground.

 Chapter 1375: Brimming Killing Intent

    <h4>Chapter 1375: Brimming Killing Intent</h4>


    The orb hummed. "Congrattions on finishing the first trial."


    Zhou Ying passed through the gate that had appeared and entered a featureless space of pure white.


    There was nothing in the space except for an orb of light.


    Beams of light shot out from the orb, resolving into figures. Zhou Ying nced at them¡ªthey were the members of Team Zenith!


    Fang Yi looked all around him. "Is this the central hub that our captain told us about? The resting zone?"


    The orb of light began to speak. "Wee, elite warriors, to the trial-taker''s chamber. Six trials will be set for you within. Every three trials you finish, a reward will be provided. Before you finish the trials, you will not be able to leave. Would you like to proceed with the trial or rest?"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Are you going to continue?"


    Fang Yi waved a hand. "I intend to rest for the moment. I exhausted myself during the earlier fight, and I think it would be best to go intoter ones with replenished reserves."


    Sun Mengmeng said, "I think it''s better if we all rest. After all, there''s no time limit, and it would be safer for us to face what lies ahead in peak condition."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Six doors opened up in the featureless space, clearly intended to be rooms in which each hunter could freshen up.


    Meanwhile, as Zhang Lie passed through the doors to find the ground covered in shattered disaster-grade crystals, below which wereyer uponyer of bones. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but gape. "Just how many disaster-grade lifeforms had to be killed to aplish something like this...?"


    When he saw the lifeform behind the door, he was stupefied.


    Nine ck lion''s heads stitched to a metal-like frame, with a long red dragon''s tail to its back. A ck turtle''s shell covered its lower back, and a pair of golden wings emerged from it. The tiger''s four limbs were dragon''s ws, and a thorny vine grew out of the turtle''s shell, with vibrant purple flowers in full bloom. It was a chimera.


    Zhang Lie cried out, "What is this?!"


    The disaster-grade lifeform before itself was clearly formed out of all the disaster-grade lifeforms that he and the members of Team Zenith had encountered.


    Bu Wentian''s voice rang out, "I told you, it was difficult to cultivate six-headed lifeforms, so I was trying toe up with an alternative. This is a half-formed creation."


    Zhang Lie called back, "Just how did you manage to graft all these lifeforms'' specialties onto one another?!"


    "Don''t you think you should focus on what lies before you instead?"


    When the chimera heard Bu Wentian''s voice, it became exceptionally enraged. Its eighteen eyes turnbed blood-red, clearly having been experimented on to the point of torture.


    As ck energy swamped the space, the nine-headed lion pounced forward with incredible strength. As it did so, thend cracked apart. Its ck ws were charged with killing intent.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The chimera had no intention of avoiding this blow. It shed with white light. Gusts of wind surrounded it as it sent countless crystal shards and bones into the air.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked. The bones and crystal shards littered over it were cleared away in a patch a hundred miles wide.


    The lion''s nine heads howled as one, sending nine waves of umbral energy into the sky and causing the ground to crack.


    The nine heads roared again. The sound waves took on physical form, and golden ripples covered the air.


    The umbral waves caused the surrounding low-lying mountains to crack and fall, and some boulders even burst apart into powder.


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy coiled around it like a snake.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!" Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth.


    The chimera roared, spraying out a burst of silver light. Killing intent filled the air.


    Its nine headsunched a breath attack, forming a silver river through the air, beautiful and deadly. The raging shark was submerged within.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, swallowing up the silver river''s light.


    The chimera pped its wings and soared into the sky. The vibrant flowers to its back scattered purple pollen through the air. Zhang Lie was certain that it was highly toxic.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The disaster-grade chimera''s golden wings pped with great force in sweeping waves of energy. The frightening force obliterated the ck serpent as the chimera swooped downward.


    The void trembled. It dashed forward at lightning speed, heading straight for Zhang Lie with unabashed killing intent.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He defended with one open palm.


    The chimera''s attacknded with a huge explosion, splitting the ground, shaking the heavens, and causing the world to break apart. It was a frightening blow that struck with the force of an earthquake.


    More astoundingly, Zhang Lie had managed to defend against the blow with nothing more than a palm.

 Chapter 1376: Stellar Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 1376: Ster Transformation</h4>


    Even Bu Wentian, watching the fight from his pocket space, was agape. "He''s using that soulshard I gave him surprisingly proficiently..."


    The chimera''s physique was shocking, and its ws had the power to destroy mountains. When those ws smashed into Zhang Lie''s fist, the resulting boom could be heard all throughout the world.


    Zhang Lie''s punches, bolstered with starlight and auroras, suppressed the disaster-grade chimera, but it had inherited the immense defense of the turtle lifeform that Zhang Lie had fought.


    Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting apart heaven and earth. Sparks flew as the ws left a deep scar on the chimera''s chest.


    Its nine heads all widened their jaws to reveal incisors over a meter long. Gleaming light shot right by Zhang Lie''s face, scraping his skin and cutting off a few strands of hair. Far into the distance, where the light struck a mountain, the mountain crumbled.


    His fist smashed into the chimera''s incisors with a tremendous ng, as though he had struck steel, or as though a heavenly drum was beating out a rhythm through the skies.


    The man and chimera fought on and on, summoning winds around them from nothing but the force of their blows. The world shook and trembled.


    As they shed again, the chimera roared, sending a bombardment of sound waves at Zhang Lie. Gritting his teeth, Zhang Lie weathered the assault.


    Struck by battle-frenzy, Zhang Lie was fighting as much like a beast as a man. Heated blood pumped through his body, and his eyes were those of a predator''s.


    As he punched forward, the ck serpent behind him shot forth. Its body looked abyssal, its scales dotted with stars, its eyes glowing coldly like an aurora.


    The chimera reacted with surprise, darting away rapidly as it transformed into a bolt of light. The serpent shot forward with destructive energy, cracking a mountain as it shot through its middle.


    Dust billowed into the air as a cloud, revealing an ashen chimera. One of its heads had almost been smashed open. A terrible wound marred its body, and flowing blood dyed one of its eyes red.


    The chimera''s howls were like thunder. Shining brilliance drowned the sky in gold.


    Smoke filled the air. Zhang Lie went on the offensive. A chaotic storm surrounded him. A huge burst of light dissipated the mist and smoke.


    This was a dangerous closebat fight.


    The disaster-grade chimera fell from the skies and smashed a crater in the ground. Its body was bruised and bleeding, its golden feathers wilting.


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star. The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river. Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was changing the very nature of his gic energy, from pitch-ck to dotted with starlight, as though it were a sample from the gxy.


    The gctic gic energy shone with twinkling stars, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The chimera spread its wings wide, zing with dawn light as it transformed into a divine sunbird. It fanned the ground with its wings furiously, spawning divine me and lightning.


    The divine wings struck the ster dragons in an explosion of starlight. Countless vines extended from its body like a domain, causing the ster dragons to be tangled up.


    With a whoosh, the chimera struck with its other wing, sharp as a sword.


    The ster dragons were cleanly bisected, unveiling even greater strength.


    Pitch-ck gic energy and starlight seeped out from within the vines. The next moment, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragons. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight,nd, sea, and sky alike. Countless crystal shards were sucked into its midst.


    The chimera turtled up in its shell, which boasted tremendous defense. It shook continuously as pitch-ck gic energy whooshed past. ck energy rippled across the air.


    The chimera widened its maw and shot out another ray of golden light, resplendent with energy.


    Nine beams of divine light focused on Zhang Lie.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack. Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    They blocked the chimera''s attack and shot toward it.


    The chimera was strong and brimming with vitality, its scales shining resplendent, its body glowing with divine radiance. It barreled down countless dragons.


    As the energy of annihtion exploded around itself, the chimera realized that something was wrong, and it quickly turtled into its shell once more. Each ster dragon contained tremendous quantities of annihting energy, which rocked the shell once and again in a series of chained explosions like supernovas.


    The shell shook continuously, battered by the waves once and again, before its defense finally faltered. The shell began to crack.


    The chimera rushed out from the hurricane of annihtion before the situation could devolve further. Its nine heads popped out of the shell. Eighteen eyes formed eighteen golden whirlpools that sucked at Zhang Lie''s soul, intending on pulling his soul out of its body.

 Chapter 1377: With High Spirits

    <h4>Chapter 1377: With High Spirits</h4>


    The mental attacks from the eighteen eyes were stronger than the golden roc''s mental attacks, but Zhang Lie was no slouch himself.


    Zhang Lie howled, his eyes like lightning. Although he wasn''t a cultivator who focused on spiritual and mental cultivation, his soul had survived the tempering of two lifetimes, and it was naturally stronger than that of the disaster-grade chimera.


    The chimera shrieked, blood seeping out of its eighteen eyes. It fell to the ground.


    Zhang Lie swooped down, his fist shaking the sky like a ck dragon.


    The chimera''s ck fur stood on end; one of its heads suddenly grew multiple timesrger, like an umbral millstone brimming with light.


    As the dragon dove down, a lion''s head burst open in a shower of crystals.


    The other eight heads shrieked.


    A scarlet dragon''s w mmed down on his body, but Zhang Lie dodged it. A huge trench formed where the wnded, the bottom of which couldn''t be seen from up above.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and struck with a sh of sword energy. A huge slit formed in the void, cutting apart the dragon''s w. However, the disaster-grade lifeform didn''t rear back. It continued attacking ferociously, its whole body transforming into a weapon. Its tail shot out and swept through everything in its path.


    Zhang Lie evaded the attack as the tail crushed countless rocks into powder in mid-air. Its ferocity shocked one and all.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    A waterfall of gic energy was imbued in Guicang. As Zhang Lie shed forward with the sword, devastating sword energy was unleashed.


    The chimera sprayed out a burst of white light, shining with metallic luster, as it defended itself against the titanic waves. A huge explosion rang out.


    Within moments, the chimera''s sliced-off w had regrown. It boasted vitality stronger than even the golden roc Zhang Lie had faced.


    A raging shark surfed forward on Zhang Lie''s sword sh. The chimera spread its wings wide as it soared into the air. The raging shark gave chase, but the chimera swooped down from above and struck with its ws, obliterating the shark.


    The chimera howled, its gaze cold. Itunched a killing blow, covering heaven and earth in zing light.


    A meteor''s worth of energy exploded in mid-air, and the ground quaked as though a volcano were about to explode.


    The chimera roared as 108 sharp des grew out of its back at even intervals along its spine, each with a silvery-white sheen. Killing intent filled the air. The des stood like pirs separating heaven from earth, thick and ice-cold, giving the onlookers a chilling sensation.


    The chimera roared and leapt forward, and all the des suddenly turned toward their target. They gathered in a square around the tiger and shot toward Zhang Lie simultaneously.


    The bloodstained des, suffused with an aura of cmity, approached Zhang Lie at breakneck speed.


    Zhang Lie swung his own des with the resplendence of dawn, defending against the sudden assault. Light covered thend like an intense meteor shower. Formless ripples shattered rock and cleaved mountains.


    He raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature had dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    With every sh of Guicang, the serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down to the ground and shing against the chimera''s des, but the sharp des that the chimera had somehow produced seemed impervious to damage. Killing intent formed a thick aura around them, so concentrated that it could affect material form.


    Zhang Lie''s ster river began to expand as corrosive energy spread alongside ck snowkes. The ground sizzled as it was corroded away.


    Resplendent silver light, like armor, shielded the chimera from the corrosion of Zhang Lie''s ck snowkes.


    The chimera roared, its eyes cold. It spat out a mouthful of white light, causing the des to gleam even more brightly. They pierced through the ster river shielding Zhang Lie and headed straight for his body.


    The des flew toward him and pinned him down with overwhelming strength, causing thend to crumble where theynded.


    Each de was like a thick pir; if any were to strike Zhang Lie, he wouldn''t be pierced through, but rather ground into meat paste.


    Zhang Lie frowned. The chimera had improved on the characteristics of the five gic lifeforms that it constituted. The most obvious difference were these des.


    The whitegold tiger only had 28 such des, but the chimera had a full 108. It was even stronger than the six-headed lifeform that Zhang Lie had asked to face.


    As all the desnded simultaneously, Zhang Lie barely dodged them one by one. Space around him warped and distended; a number of ck holes formed, one around each de, trapping him in an unavoidable attack.


    Even so, the fighting spirit in Zhang Lie''s eyes only grew more intense.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy expanded through the battlefield. The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.

 Chapter 1378: Crossed Blades

    <h4>Chapter 1378: Crossed des</h4>


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    As the ster dragonsunched a bombardment, the chimera stared at Zhang Lie with cold eyes. Its crystalline, resplendent body hurtled back. The entire world seemed to shift with its movements. A true dragon''s mark appeared on its scarlet tail, imbued with the essence of the arcane, of mysteries beyond measure.


    For a moment, a divine chanting could be heard from the skies, shaking the heavens as all things hummed in resonance. Boulder after boulder exploded, even those tens of thousands of tons heavy. The ripples that emanated from the chimera''s keening easily sparked a resonant dposition.


    The ster dragons exploded in a burst of starlight.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    The dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth. The ster energy that filled the battlefield transformed into a massive ster dragon that took to the skies. Its body was toorge even for the trial world.


    The chimera roared in outrage, and its aura strengthened even further. Its 108 des gleamed with killing intent, swamping the battlefield in white light. It shed against the ster dragon in ripples of energy. Starbursts cracked a hole in the firmament.


    The twobatants shattered mountains and destroyed spires with every blow.


    Light covered heaven and earth, frightening in its intensity.


    The twobatants fought like ancient beasts, tearing apart mountain andndscape, heaven and earth. The world itself quivered as it observed their battle.


    They were radiant in their might, surrounded with glowing runes that burned incandescent, so brightly that no one would be able to observe the scene directly.


    The chimera roared in outrage, spitting out a ball of hazy light, charged with skeins of radiant energy so bright they were evaporating in the air.


    A thousand rays of rosy light, in an endless stream, enveloped all thaty below.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot downward.


    With a huge rumble and crash, a scarlet w struck the ground with the force of a mountain range. Light flooded heaven and earth.


    Zhang Lie roared, his eyes glowing with light.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in his vicinity. As his sword shed across the skies, the buds on the chimera''s back fell to the ground in a shower of purple petals.


    The chimera sent its tail sweeping forward like a steel whip, causing the void itself to creak. The runes surged forward like waves, astoundingly strong.


    Zhang Lie leapt up and dodged the blow. He struck with Guicang, sending out a sh of chilling light.


    The chimera allowed its w to be cut by Zhang Lie''s sword as it prepared tounch an attack. It swooped across the horizon, its wounds healing faster than did the golden roc''s. It struck with its other w, attempting to catch Zhang Lie directly. Its eyes glimmered with intelligence and sharpness. A terrifying wildness suffused its actions.


    Hanguang appeared in Zhang Lie''s other hand. As he swung down toward the chimera, a severe wound appeared on its body.


    The chimera roared in outrage, then immediately retreated. A wave of energy swept past the chimera, who was forced to loosen its hold on Zhang Lie''s foot.


    Zhang Lie took the advantage to give chase, resulting in a strange formation.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    The disaster-grade chimera''s energy was drained as Zhang Lie''s energy was magnified.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away Li Feng''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    The chimera smashed into the ground, which cracked apart. A plume of dust rose into the air.


    Sword shes criss-crossed in the air as bloody moonlight and ck sr fares shot toward the chimera.


    The ground burst apart. The disaster-grade chimera was in a sorry state, its chest having been torn open, sword scars criss-crossing its body.


    A frightening burst of energy erupted from the lifeform. Bloody moonlight and ck sr mes were emitted from its body.


    Under this high-pressure environment, it had identified and evolved from Zhang Lie''s attacks, the whitegold tiger''s preternatural ability to adapt and emte its opponents'' techniques. Its ws shed with bloody moonlight, and its wings lit up with ck me. The weakness inflicted by [Syzygy] waspletely dispelled as it rushed toward Zhang Lie with a whir.


    Zhang Lie met the chimera head-on. He swung down with Guicang, but the chimera dodged and sent its tail whipping out,shing around Zhang Lie like a serpent winding its body around a mountain peak.


    It opened its bloody maw wide, its teeth sharp and white, as it bit down on Zhang Lie with the intent of swallowing him whole.


    He activated his mistmeld m soulshard, his eyes gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. The chimera was dazed for a moment. It recovered quickly, but that temporary distraction had been the key to victory.


    Zhang Lie leapt up and freed himself from the chimera''s tail.

 Chapter 1379: Speckled Soul

    <h4>Chapter 1379: Speckled Soul</h4>


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light. He nced straight at the chimera''s soul.


    The disaster-grade chimera''s soul was speckled with six different colors: ck, whitegold, red, purple, gold, and ink. The six different colors rippled and drifted, but gold was predominant.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    All those who witnessed the hypnotic light would stand still in a daze.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    The disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, when incorporated into Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack, had the ability to target its opponent''s soul. As the shnded, the chimera shrieked.


    The chimera was clearly stronger than an ordinary disaster-grade lifeform, and it managed to survive Zhang Lie''s [Second Form: Piercing the Soul].


    Even so, its soul had been dealt a serious injury. Its six-colored soul trembled and quivered, and its constituentponents shook. Its wings, tail, body, and ws spasmed wildly and out of sync, while six of its heads suddenly seemed to be in wild disagreement with the other three.


    This was... multiple personality disorder?


    ording to the study of psychology poprized in the Milky Way, the disaster-grade chimera was clearly undergoing multiple personality disorder.


    Onemon philosophical question of the Milky Way was whether the soul or the physical body was the core of a being.


    Many believed the soul was the core; in fact, the body was.


    All those who imed that beautiful appearances all meld together after a while, but interesting souls are few and far between¡ªthose tended to be the ones who cared about appearance most of all.


    Why was the body the core? The Milky Way was a fundamentally material world, and a soul without a body could hardly be part of it.


    On the other hand, a soulless body was a material existence.


    The body was the root of the spirit, which allowed it to take material form. On the other hand, the soul wasn''t an independent existence; its form depended on the condition and age of its body.


    The disaster-grade chimerabined the special properties of many different disaster-grade lifeforms, and its existence was unique. Now that its soul was so severely damaged, it was clearly incapable of handling thisbined body. Each constituent part of the body was now controlled by the individual souls out of which the chimera had been made.


    Zhang Lie naturally didn''t intend on giving up on such an excellent opportunity to end the match. He unsheathed Hanguang.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Zhou Ying like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatantsyers of earth sank into the whirlpool, obliterated in an instant.


    Three of the nine chimera heads'' eyes turned red. They roared with the power of the blood sun and ck moon, causing the other heads to regain focus. The radiant light emanating from its body transformed into a thousand rainbow banners that filled heaven and earth.


    With their life in danger, the disparate parts of the chimera were forced to reunite.


    The chimera turtled up in its shell.


    The ck and blood dragons from Zhang Lie''s attack prated the shell, sending it flying like a cannonball with the strength of their attack. It smashed apart a ten-thousand-ton mountain and crushed countless others. It took a long while before the chimera could recover.


    108 silver des trembled and shot straight at Zhang Lie in an attempt to pierce through him. The chimera had used its full strength in an attempt to hurt Zhang Lie.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Zhang Lie stared at the chimera, his eyes cold. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    A frightening burst of sword energy spread out like a tsunami, cutting all the des apart.


    The chimera howled in fury, but Zhang Lie was in the acme of his strength. He charged forward with Guicang.


    The chimera stared at Zhang Lie with baleful eyes. Radiant light shot out from its mouth straight at him, who shattered the light with Guicang. It roared and flew through the air, then swooped down toward Zhang Lie with zing breath.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    Red water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, manifesting in the shape of a dragon.


    He sent a sword sh, zing with fire, at the chimera. The fiery-red gic energy was interspersed with radiant light, suppressing the chimera''s mes in favor of his own.


    The chimera howled. Before it could react, one of its hind legs had been chopped off.

 Chapter 1380: Six-Colored Core

    <h4>Chapter 1380: Six-Colored Core</h4>


    As Zhang Lie''s scarlet de shed, one of the disaster-grade chimera''s wings was sliced off. It fell from the sky as Zhang Lie''s de beheaded two more of its heads.


    Even so, the chimera didn''t give up. With its superior regenerative ability, it began to regrow its wing and right hindleg. The power of the blood moon and ck sun condensed around it. Light, darkness, yin, and yang intersected in its domain.


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Zhang Lieunched a killing blow. Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace.


    Bu Wentian, watching the fight unfold, couldn''t help but be surprised. "Is this you at your peak strength, then?"


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward the chimera. Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    The chimera howled. Struck by the attack that melded the real and the illusory, it was stripped bare and disintegrated, leaving only a disaster-grade core where it once stood.


    The will of the fourth realm announced in Zhang Lie''s head, [You sessfully killed a disaster-grade ???. By consuming the core of the disaster-grade ???, you may receive fifty disaster gene fragments.]


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief¡ªnot because he had killed the disaster-grade chimera, but because he hadn''t destroyed its core from his skill.


    The core of the disaster-grade chimera bore six different colors, and it was five timesrger than an ordinary disaster-grade core. Upon hearing the will of the world''s announcement, Zhang Lie was dazed. The chimera''s core would provide 50 disaster gene fragments!


    "Just what has Bu Wentian created?"


    He had never encountered such an unusual lifeform throughout the dimensional world.


    It was evident that this was no natural disaster-grade lifeform; rather, Bu Wentian had created it through some special means. Zhang Lie was very interested in this procedure, and he made up his mind to ask Bu Wentian about it when he had time.


    Now, however, Zhang Lie''s priority was to absorb the disaster-grade core before him. That would allow him to max out his disaster gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie cut his palm with his sword, then dripped blood onto the core. The moment it touched the core, the blood was quickly absorbed into its interior. It sucked up more and more of Zhang Lie''s blood until it turned blood-red.


    Zhang Lie opened his wounds again and again until the core became perfectly transparent. Then, he closed his eyes and began pouring concentrated, ck gic energy from his body into the core.


    As Zhang Lie clutched the crystalline orb, brimming with light, he could see a strange and unusual world within. The earth was burning with me, countless swords piercing through the ground like tombstones. Zhang Lie felt an unusual sense of kinship with it, as though it was already part of his body.


    Zhang Lie swallowed the disaster-grade core whole. As it slid down his throat, six different sources of energy exploded within his body.


    Disaster-grade energy was rampaging through his body!

 Chapter 1381: Spirit Bright, Spirit Light

    <h4>Chapter 1381: Spirit Bright, Spirit Light</h4>


    Although the chimera''s core was five timesrger than ordinary disaster-grade cores, Zhang Lie had rich experience absorbing them at this point. The fivefold energy rampaged through his body with umon force. An ordinary hunter''s body would have been destroyed, but Zhang Lie was an emperor-grade lifeform. He merely found the sensations in his body somewhat interesting.


    When Zhang Lie maxed out his disaster gene fragments, a different transformation happened. He sat cross-legged in that pocket dimension, deep in meditation, his body forging itself anew with every breath.


    An indeterminate amount of time passed. Without anyone to disturb him, without any sudden fluctuations to his emotions, he gradually began to smile, a reflection of his heart and inner being.


    Light began to shine from his body. He was surrounded by a glowing ball of light, and the skin beneath that was revealed was a pearlescent white, supple and smooth. A spiritual glow suffused him.


    His bones cracked as they became even stronger and sturdier, taking on a metallic luster. A membrane of crystalline light formed over their surface, strengthening them, improving their ductility and hardness. His body was being reforged from the inside out and the outside in, as though bing that of a deity.


    Muscle, flesh, skin, and bone merged together in a sh of blinding light. Membranes of diaphanous light brimmed with vitality.


    In that transcendent state, time passed in the blink of an eye. He spent a week in meditation, freed of worry, freed of strife, freed of turmoil and dissonance. There he found an intrinsic joy.


    Zhang Lie breathed out with a puff of light. The air that was sucked into his body took on the shape of dragons. He breathed with a particr rhythm, neither quick nor slow, ever following the pulse of the world.


    The air that Zhang Lie inhaled took on the form of dragons. As he exhaled, those dragons coiled around his body and transformed into gic energy. Behind Zhang Lie appeared swimming pale blue fish. His pale blue gic energy billowed out from him and transformed into a sea that filled the trial world.


    Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The pale blue fish behind him transformed into pitch-ck serpents as the sea turned dark. Waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The ck serpent transformed into a whitegold tiger as Zhang Lie''s gic energy seemed to mutate. The ck sea turned radiant gold, and the serpents that constituted it turned into countless sharp des. The entire sea transformed into crystal.


    As the ground quaked, the whitegold tiger turned into a ck dragonturtle. Four ancient tablets appeared in the sky, each filled with abstruse and iprehensible runic text. The text flowed out of the tablets and surrounded Zhang Lie.


    One was as heavy as a mountain, the other as light as a feather. One sealed the mind, and the other turned space sluggish. The four dragonturtle tablets began to resonate as one, sending ripples that melded with the space and forming an absolute domain over all things within and without.


    The crystalline sea began to ripple continuously.


    The ck dragonturtle transformed into a ming red lion, causing the crystalline sea to froth and turn a vivid blood red. It looked like mes zing through the air, scarlet steam rising from the sea and distorting space.


    With a huge rumble, the ming lion transformed into bolts of lightning that filled the air, which manifested in the form of a wyrm. The scarlet steam burst apart and transformed midway through into an endless field of lightning.


    Wind and storm surged. The lightning transformed into a raging tempest and rainbow clouds, while the wyrm transformed into a phoenix.


    Its physical body continued to evolve. The transformation of his physical body fused his flesh, organs, and bones together,bining them into a single entity.


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Zhang Lie recycled the waste energy he had emitted and opened his eyes. His pupils were bright and filled with vital energy, with a spiritual glow that made him look like a supernatural entity. It was obvious that he had broken through and elevated himself to an entirely new level of strength.


    As Zhang Lie stood up, the trial world seemed ready to burst. Spirituality illuminated him from within and without. He sat cross-legged like a deity, with a luminous haze surrounding him and seeping into his body.


    The membranes that surrounded his bones and organs had vanished, absorbed into his body and reced by the essence of divinity.


    Spiritual energy seeped into every portion of his being.


    Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 150; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster), Limitless Universe (monarch)


    Zhang Lie stepped across the space with just one step, returning to the pocket space that Bu Wentian was in. Bu Wentian had witnessed Zhang Lie''s ascension himself, and he had opened a portal for Zhang Lie. He was naturally aware of Zhang Lie''s return.


    Bu Wentian scanned Zhang Lie. "You''ve grown far stronger than before. Perhaps you really can win the Gctic Rising Stars Cup."

 Chapter 1382: The Final Trial

    <h4>Chapter 1382: The Final Trial</h4>


    Not only had Zhang Lie maxed out his disaster gene fragments, the phoenix transformation of his Ninecarp Transformation had reached an intermediate stage. Hisbat power had increased by leaps and bounds.


    "How''s everyone doing?"


    Zhang Lie knew very well whether or not the members of Team Zenith could make it through all six stages of the trial; after all, he was familiar with all their strengths.


    "They''re all at thest stage," Bu Wentian replied.


    The members of Team Zenith boasted excellent performance, and it was only a matter of time before they seeded.


    Bu Wentian continued, "I obtained pretty good data from your fight."


    Zhang Lie replied, "That was a very annoying disaster-grade lifeform to fight."


    It boasted the key characteristics of all the disaster-grade lifeforms that he had faced during the trial. Even Zhang Lie had found it difficult to deal with; the others would have an even harder time.


    Bu Wentian replied, "I intend on using it to rece the six-headed lifeform that appears in the trial. If there are other challengers like you and yourpanions, who are so rude as to destroy these trial worlds, I might release one chimera for a stage in your trials."


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. "Are you that petty?"


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "Do you think a trial world is that easy to construct?"


    "If you can''t handle it, why bother making one at all? And to forbid others from damaging it..."


    Bu Wentian didn''t want to focus on this issue. He changed the topic. "Your final technique was excellent. If it doesn''t have any significant drawbacks, I''m certain you''ll be able to make it into the top ten of the Rising Stars Cup."


    "I want to be the very top," Zhang Lie replied.


    The first-ce prize was the flower of universal life. To save Zhang Hanxiang, this would be a necessity.


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "The Rising Stars Cup isn''t as easy to win as you''re hoping. There will be many unexpected strong opponents that you''ll have to face. This cup is meant for the top hunters of every gxy. Your final technique was very strong, but there are sure to be even stronger opponents during the Cup. Your performance just now would be insufficient to be champion."


    "I have stronger techniques I didn''t use," Zhang Lie replied.


    Bu Wentian smiled in surprise. "I eagerly await your performance in the cup, then."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Won''t you tell us any information? If we are to attend this Gctic Rising Stars Cup, don''t you think you need to tell us about what this ''Gctic'' represents?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head firmly. "It''s not yet time for you to know."


    "At the very least, you should tell us what your opponents in the Cup will be like!"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "You''ll learn about it as and when it bes necessary."


    Zhang Lie snorted. "If I''m not mistaken, these are hunters from other universes, aren''t they?


    Bu Wentian sighed. "Don''t try to guess it. It won''t make a difference whether or not you know. You''ll have to fight them to win, after all."


    "Was I right?"


    Bu Wentian sighed again. "I told your parents about this information the year of theirpetition, and it impacted their performance negatively. Had I not told them in advance, perhaps the oue would have been different..."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Hold on, what did you say?"


    "Yourpanions have made it past the final stage.


    While Zhang Lie and Bu Wentian were chatting, the members of Team Zenith had made it through the final stage of the trial.


    Except for Yang Ze, who barely survived Radiant Sun''s final attack, the remaining members of Team Zenith had all won by destroying Radiant Sun''s vase.


    The difference was that he still had plenty of reserves and stamina after the fight, while the members of Team Zenith had used up much of their strength.


    Bu Wentian had a sip of tea. "I thought that it was shocking enough for Zhang Lie to have destroyed Radiant Sun''s vase, but for most of you to have done the same... Very well done."


    The members of Team Zenith nced left and right, scrutinizing the old Bu Wentian, along with the mysterious space that they had been transported to.


    Bu Wentian praised, "You''ve broken a record. There were only six hunters who had made it past the sixth stage of the trial before all of you, but you''ve immediately doubled that number to twelve! Among the initial six, three of them drew out the match and barely managed to survive the bejeweled vase''s ultimate attack, and the other two managed to perish together with Radiant Sun in the final explosion that resulted."


    Zhang Lie gave Bu Wentian a small kick.


    "Senior, you''re talking too much!"


    Upon seeing the familiar figure behind Bu Wentian, everyone''s faces lit up in delight.


    "Captain!"


    Zhang Lie praised, "You''ve all done very well, and you''ve improved tremendously since the third realm."


    Zhang Lie had witnessed each of their fights during the sixth trial, and the members of Team Zenith had indeed performed in an exemry fashion.


    They smiled at each other in pride, as though Zhang Lie''s praise were the highest honor.


    Sun Xiaowu still seemed a little shaken. "Captain, was that trial something that really happened?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "It was a trial, but it was also part of this senior''s memory. We too will be having simr experiences of our own."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, this is..."


    Bu Wentian responded, "I''m Bu Wentian. In the past, others called me Heavenly Monarch Wentian, but I''m nothing more than a remnant of a soul in the trial-taker''s chamber, now."


    The members of Team Zenith turned to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Don''t look at me. I don''t know anything but his name."


    Yang Ze asked, "Heavenly Monarch Wentian? Could this elder have been a hunter of the fifth realm?"


    Fang Yi''s focus was on a different matter. "Hold on, Captain! You mentioned that we would be having a simr experience¡ªwhat do you mean?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "The sixth stage of the trial that all of you have just experienced is part of the Gctic Rising Stars Cup that this senior took part in as a budding hunter. We will all be taking part as well."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Is the Gctic Rising Stars Cup hosted in the Milky Way Gxy?"


    Bu Wentian murmured, "Are you really nning on attending with this group of cultivators?"


    "Isn''t that what we agreed on?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Bu Wentian replied, "You would be able to participate just fine, and you could easily make the top ten, but yourpanions are quite a bit weaker."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Didn''t we just pass the sixth stage of the trial?"


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "That''s only sufficient to get you through the qualifiers."


    Yang Ze coughed. "Does that mean that you failed to make it through the qualifiers too, Senior?"


    Bu Wentian coughed. "That''s not the point. If you want to participate in the Cup, you''ll have to exhibit your strength."


    "How? Do we have to fight with you, Senior?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Bu Wentian waved a hand. "I''m just a soul fragment without much ability to fight. You might easily best me."


    "What should we do, then?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Bu Wentian smiled. "I have a final trial for all of you."


    "A final trial?" Everyone gaped.


    "You may choose whether or not to participate in this trial. Regardless, you may not qualify for the Cup."


    The hunters of Team Zenith looked at each other. Sun Mengmeng asked, "Can we have a look at the trial first?"

 Chapter 1383: E-Sports

    <h4>Chapter 1383: E-Sports</h4>


    Bu Wentian continued, "I''ve replicated the eid of the five sessful challengers based on their records during the trial. The strength of each eidolon corresponds to theirbat strength when they took the trial. Just like some games from the Milky Way, the rewards for this final trial will be provided in stages. Defeating the first eidolon yields a copper chest, defeating two yields a silver chest, and..."


    Before the tform was a stone tablet on which six names were carved. The name on the very top was Zhang Lie; the second was Zhang Yangyan, his father; the third was Han Lingxin, his mother; the fourth was Azathoth; the fifth was Aforgomon; and the sixth was Bast.


    Sun Mengmeng immediately replied, "I give up."


    Bu Wentian blinked, then asked, "Why so suddenly? You don''t even know about the details!"


    Sun Mengmeng pointed at Zhang Lie''s name at the very top of the tablet.


    "With our captain around, we would never be able to pass this trial."


    Bu Wentian replied, "This is only an eidolon of Zhang Lie, and it represents but a portion of his strength."


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Although I would like to give it a try, I''m not confident I''ll be able to seed."


    Bu Wentian sighed. "I understand how you feel. Zhang Lie is truly an exception even among exceptions, and it would be near-impossible to beat him. How about this? I won''t ask that you beat Zhang Lie, only Zhang Yangyan. That would be sufficient to demonstrate your strength."


    The members of Team Zenith suddenly grew more upbeat. "If it''s not our captain, then we''re fine!"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "I won''t be scared of anyone besides my captain!"


    Sun Mengmeng, scrutinizing the tablet carefully, asked, "Captain, does this Zhang Yangyan bear any connection to you?"


    Yang Ze asked jokingly, "You''re not rted, are you?"


    Zhang Lie didn''t hide the truth. "That''s my father."


    "Your father made it here too, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Sun Xiaowu shrunk back down. "I suddenly feel unwell..."


    Fang Yi asked, "Can we get a different test?"


    Li Feng said, "Our captain''s father''s likely very strong too... What if you let us stop at this challenger, Han Lingxin?"


    Zhang Lie said, "That''s my mother."


    The members of Team Zenith: ...


    Bu Wentian sighed. "I won''t lower the requirements any longer. In truth, you all aren''t weaker than that couple from back then. Be confident in yourselves."


    With Bu Wentian''s encouragement, the members of Team Zenith trudged up on stage.


    Because Zhang Yangyan''s eidolon boasted only part of his strength and had limited intelligence, the members of Team Zenith were able to defeat even him handily. Confident from their streak of sesses, the members of Team Zenith all challenged the eidolon of Zhang Lie, only to have their confidence crushed.


    Although the eidolon of Zhang Lie only boasted a fraction of his data, and before he had maxed out his disaster gene fragments at that, the challengers were unable to touch him.


    The difference between an emperor-grade lifeform and a monarch-grade one was immense. Even a fraction of Zhang Lie''s strength was sufficient to overwhelm the members of Team Zenith.


    The only one who could fight it to a tie was, unexpectedly, Yang Ze.


    Yang Ze continuously dodged Zhang Lie''s eidolon using his spatial and dodging abilities. Because Zhang Lie''s eidolon possessed only rudimentary intelligence, it was frequently tricked by Yang Ze''s techniques. In the end, Bu Wentian impatiently dered the match a tie.


    Everyone else was beaten to a pulp. The members of Team Zenith grumbled.


    "Our captain''s too strong!"


    "Is this really within the limits of a normal human being?"


    "Those techniques are far too powerful!"


    Yang Ze, on the other hand, grinned proudly. "It''s your techniques that aren''t up to par. You had better all train harder."


    Sun Xiaowu thundered, "Fight our captain head-on, then!"


    Yang Ze''s grin widened. "Mastery over space is part of my repertoire."


    Fang Yi smirked. "Try the same techniques on Zhang Lie, then, not just his eidolon."


    Yang Ze was forced into silence.


    Bu Wentian pped his palms. "Alright. I''ve viewed all your battles, and I acknowledge your strength. It won''t be an issue for any of you to participate in the Gctic Rising Stars Cup."


    Sun Mengmeng began, "Captain, isn''t it time that you told us about this Cup?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "I don''t know myself. Elder Bu Wentian is insisting on being very mysterious."


    Bu Wentian sighed. "The Cup deals with too much sensitive information that I can''t tell you about just yet. You''ll find out for yourself once you enter the fifth realm."


    Sun Xiaowu wheedled, "If we''ll know sooner orter, won''t you tell us some details now?"


    Bu Wentian, however, had no intention of exining. His hands sped behind his back, hemanded, "Follow me."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Is the Cup being held in the fourth realm?"


    Bu Wentian brought the hunters down a long hallway and into a great hall, within which were a number of silver coffins.


    Sun Xiaowu asked curiously, "Elder, who rests in these eight coffins?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "All of you will lie within these coffins."


    Zhang Lie frowned, and the members of Team Zenith grew noticeably wary.


    Bu Wentian exined, "The Gctic Rising Stars Cup isn''t being held in the dimensional world, nor in the Milky Way, but rather in what you might consider a virtual reality, much like those back in the Milky Way. These eight coffins¡ªI mean, these eight apparatuses¡ªare how you may ess this alternate reality, much like the teleportation apparatuses that connect the Milky Way to the dimensional world.


    Sun Xiaowu gaped. "Elder, this Cup that you''ve been so mysterious about¡ªis it just e-sports?!"


    Yang Ze sighed. "Elder, you made us all anxious for nothing! All this mystery, all this about a final trial¡ªand we''re just ying an online game?"


    Li Feng grumbled, "I''m having a hard time reconciling my expectations with this sort of answer..."


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "I said it was simr to online games, not that it would be the same. Do you think I''d waste all this time, effort, and resources just for an e-sports team? Am I that bored, or that rich?"


    Sun Xiaowuughed awkwardly. "I did think that way..."


    Bu Wentian scowled. "Is your brain that of a pig? Why would I wait for an eternity just to build a dream team for e-sports? That would be aplete waste!"


    Sun Mengmeng replied diplomatically, "We apologize for the misunderstanding, Elder. Could you exin the Cup to us?"


    "The space you are about to enter is no ordinary game world. It''s difficult to exin the specifics, but put simply, your strength and abilities will be projected into a special world. Everything there is simultaneously real and illusory."

 Chapter 1384: A Virtual Reality

    <h4>Chapter 1384: A Virtual Reality</h4>


    Zhang Lie asked, "A realm that lies between the real and the illusory?"


    "You can think of it that way, but it''s not fully urate. I''m not too sure about the details myself¡ªafter all, it''s technology that the Milky Way doesn''t possess. It uses a so-called ''real projection'' technique in which all damage taken will be directly reflected on one''s soul. Dying in that space will cause significant mental trauma, the sort that takes years to recover from."


    The hunters nodded with superficial understanding.


    Bu Wentian continued, "Furthermore, a portion of the benefits you obtain in that world can be directly transferred to reality."


    Zhang Lie asked, "You can transfer the items in-game, I mean, in this special dimension, back to reality?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "Nothing so fantastic. Only a portion of your strength, not mentally, but rted to your corporeal body."


    Sun Xiaowu scratched his head. "I''m getting confused with all this terminology. Why don''t you provide an example?"


    Bu Wentian continued, "For example, the rewards for the top ten ces in the Cup..."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are there other rewards beyond the flower of universal life?"


    "Indeed. In addition to that flower, the top ten participants will obtain a chance at gic expansion."


    "What''s that?"


    Bu Wentian hummed for a moment. "It''s much like the limit-breaking potions you developed in the Milky Way."


    Zhang Lie gaped. "Something that can increase the number of gene fragments you possess?"


    Bu Wentian smiled mysteriously. "You''ll know once you experience it."


    Zhang Lie grumbled, "Elder, won''t you give us any useful information at all?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "I don''t know either. As you know, I was defeated in the qualifiers, and all I know is what I''ve heard from the sidelines, things like ''if you can expand your genes, you''ll stand at the peak of the manifold gxies''. Indeed, all those who experience this procedure, as long as they don''t perish, have be paragons of their kind, leaders of their race. I''m not fully aware of the details of this gic expansion, and I''m guessing that it''s like your limit-breaking potions."


    The hunters were speechless. Bu Wentian had pretended to be a wise sage, but he actually knew nothing!


    Bu Wentian continued, "I heard that the higher you ce, the better the benefits you receive."


    Sun Xiaowu raised a hand. "Elder, I heard you mention the Milky Way several times during your description. May I ask if you were one of the strongest hunters of the Milky Way?"


    This time, Bu Wentian didn''t reply mysteriously. He nodded directly.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "How did youe to possess all this technology that the Milky Way doesn''t possess?"


    Bu Wentian sighed again. "You''ll learn once you reach the fifth realm. It''s a cruel reality, but you need to face it head-on."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Elder, you keep mentioning the fifth realm¡ªbut won''t you tell us where it is, what it''s like, and your role in it?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "You''ll learn about everything once you reach the fifth realm."


    Sun Xiaowu guessed. "Does that mean you were a major figure there, Elder?"


    Bu Wentian smiled mysteriously. "You''ll learn about everything once you reach the fifth realm."


    No matter how the hunters asked about it, Bu Wentian''s answer was always that they would learn everything upon their ascension. In the end, the hunters gave up asking for more information.


    Sun Xiaowu pointed at the apparatuses. "Why would these supposedly miraculous apparatuses look like silver coffins? You can tell us that much, can''t you?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "This was all I could order. What other choice do I have?"


    He had... ordered these apparatuses?


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "There are more than ten days left before the Cup. Zhang Lie''s another matter, but the rest of you aren''t strong enough. You''ll need special training."


    "Training? How?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Bu Wentian replied, "I have a few devices left in the trial chamber, which I can calibrate to generate all sorts of strong enemies to fight against you. You can even fight against your own selves to check on your deficiencies."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "You even had a cultivation program, Elder?"


    Bu Wentian sighed. "This is part of my tale of woe. I had once dreamt of helping produce a hunter of legends, but... well, I won''t keep going. It only ends in tragedy, anyway. At any rate, the equipment is here and functional for your training. You''re still a little weaker than I had hoped for, but you all show talent and promise. Ten days'' worth of focused training will be able to increase your strength by quite a bit."


    Sun Mengmeng raised her hand. "Elder, we''re more than willing to cooperate, but could we get some time to rest? I''m a bit tired after all that fighting for the final trial, especially against our captain''s eidolon."


    The other members of Team Zenith nodded.


    Bu Wentian recalled their matches. "That''s true. It wouldn''t be appropriate to continue high-intensity training after this much fighting. Let me prepare some rooms for you all, as well as food. Do you have any dietary preferences?"


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "Elder, do you think all of us who have fought tooth and nail to ascend to the fourth realm all the way from the first would have anything we wouldn''t eat?"


    If fourth-realm hunters shared anything inmon, it was that they were all gluttons who would eat anything.


    Yang Ze rubbed his stomach. "Anything that doesn''t taste too bad would be great."


    Bu Wentian replied, "Some peak-grade lifeform meat, then. I have plenty of stock, and it''s high in nutritious value and excellent in replenishing stamina."


    He vanished in a sh of light.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, what do you think of Elder Bu Wentian?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I''ve been observing him all this time, and he seems reliable for the moment."


    Sun Xiaowu seemed surprised. "Do you think he might harm us?"


    Yang Zeughed. "There are all sorts of oddities about him, don''t you think? He ims to be a Milky Way hunter, but possesses all manner of technology that the Milky Way doesn''t possess. We''ve also never heard of his name, and he answers every question with the same refrain: we''ll find out when we reach the fifth realm. We might be able to trust this man for now, but not fully and not for good."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Yang Ze said exactly what I wanted to."


    Li Feng asked, "And what about this Gctic Rising Stars Cup?"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes shone with confidence and dominance. "Let''s try to participate and get first ce."


    Seeing how confident Zhang Lie was, the members of Team Zenith naturally calmed down and smiled.


    "Well, if you say so, Captain, let''s participate and all get into the top ten."


    With a sh of light, Bu Wentian appeared before them. "Your rooms are ready, and I''ve ced the rewards you requested in your individual rooms."


    Bu Wentian brought them to an upscale building.

 Chapter 1385: Despicable

    <h4>Chapter 1385: Despicable</h4>


    The building had seven rooms, each with their names affixed. Bu Wentian vanished in a sh of light.


    The hunters entered their own rooms. The decor was sparse and ugly, but functional and spacious. There was a bathroom and arge bed. After Zhang Lit showered, he noticed that arge desk in themon area had been filled with all sorts of food. Sun Mengmeng held out a bottle of white fluid. "This is what you wanted, Captain!"


    It was the metamorphosis potion that Zhang Lie had wanted. Sun Xiaowu asked, "Right, what did all of you take as your reward?"


    Fang Yi smiled mysteriously. "You''ll see."


    Yang Ze said, "I wanted to augment my spatial affinity. The elder gave me a treasure map, telling me that what I wantedy within. Let''s go check it out after the Gctic Rising Stars Cup."


    The others all nodded. After finishing the high-quality gic lifeform food, the hunters all retired to their rooms, where the members of Team Zenith began their special training. Zhang Lie had intended to participate, but after breaking three sets of Bu Wentian''s training gear, he was escorted out.


    Bu Wentian pleaded, "I can''t train you, so stop ruining my equipment! This isn''t cheap."


    Zhang Lie had no choice but to avoid participating. He headed out to have a chat with Li Qianlin.


    Li Qianlin had no issue being in the airship on her own. Zhang Lie asked Bu Wentian for a few books, which he handed to Li Qianlin. After a short chat, he returned to his room. The dozen or so days passed quickly, and the Gctic Rising Stars Cup was right about to begin.


    After the intense special training from Bu Wentian''s high-tech training equipment, the members of Team Zenith had all grown visibly stronger.


    Bu Wentian exined, "The qualifiers for the Gctic Rising Stars Cup will take ce in the form of arena duels, which you''ve all already experienced in the trial. Based on your assigned number, you''ll be sent to different arenas. Win three times to ascend; lose twice and be disqualified. That said, just one loss might disqualify you."


    "Why?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Bu Wentian replied, "Do you remember what I told you yesterday?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You''ll be sent to a projected space, and all damage taken will be directly reflected on your soul. Dying in that space will cause significant mental trauma, the sort that takes years to recover from."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Being injured in that projected space will lead to injuries in reality, too?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "No external injuries, but you can suffer mental ones. Small wounds won''t make a difference, but major injuries could cause damage to your psyche at a roughly three-to-one ratio, say. If you incur sufficient mental damage, you''ll be sent out of the projection immediately, without being able to return. As a result, if you feel as though you''re about to lose, you should surrender immediately."


    Everyone nodded.


    Bu Wentian continued, "That said, it''s very difficult to make such a judgment in the heat of battle, so all of you need to be prepared for the worst."


    The hunters all understood this point.


    "In the Cup, there are two things you''ll have to pay particr attention to, a race and an... existence that seems like an alien race. The race you''ll have to take note of is the Splitsilver race."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Are the members of this race particrly strong?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "Not strong, but rather despicable."


    Everyone seemed surprised.


    Bu Wentian exined, "The Splitsilvers are widely recognized to be hical. They''re willing to do anything to seize victory. They''re far more vicious than you might expect, and they''ve been known for these sorts of deeds during every iteration of the cup. Their favorite approach is to use external hacks. If I recall correctly, my first opponent was from the Splitsilver race."


    Everyone thought back to the sixth trial and the silvery-white figure they had taken down.


    Bu Wentian continued, "I use ''external hacks'' literally, not metaphorically."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "Hold on, this game, no, this virtual reality can be hacked?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Certainly not. The virtual reality has what is essentially its own antivirus system, and the realm has its own will, which serves a simr role as game administrators. Any who are discovered to be using an unauthorized external appliance will have their qualifications stripped and their psyche severely injured, but the Splitsilver race somehow has the ability to bypass this restriction."


    "How?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Bu Wentian replied, "Ever since they sessfully took advantage of this ability during the first Gctic Rising Stars Cup, they''ve been using it ever since. Their first hacks were a void targeting hack and a fleeing hack."


    Zhang Lie recalled how, during the fight against the silvery-white figure, a group of figures had been reciting some sort of strange scripture, which suppressed his abilities.


    Sun Xiaowu recalled that experience as well. He gaped. "I thought that was a racial ability!"


    Yang Ze added, "I thought the same."


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "External support is expressly forbidden in the arena.


    The Splitsilvers are taking advantage of the connection between the arena and the spectators'' stands in someplicated manner I''m not fully aware of. The arena and spectators'' stands are like two separate spaces linked via virtual reality. In the virtual world, a link tethers them together, and the Splitsilvers take advantage of this link to develop all sorts of hacks."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I understand this void targeting hack now, but what''s this about a fleeing hack?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "When a member of that race is unable to fight, they''ll attempt to flee via other members of their race from the audience stands. You saw that happen during the trial, didn''t you?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Does that count as a hack?"


    To Zhang Lie, it seemed as though two members from the audience had hopped onto the arena and dragged away the fallenpetitor.


    "This is indeed against the rules," Bu Wentian confirmed. "The Splitsilver race is making use of some unknown loophole to bypass it, resulting in what you saw."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Regardless, this all seems very strange."


    Bu Wentian continued, "The first match exploited a loophole. The second match, bothbatants exhausted themselves. The third match, well, I don''t have to say more."


    Who wanted to dwell on their failures?


    Sun Xiaowu seemed perplexed. "What''s the point of escaping?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "As I said, you''ll be sent to a projected space, and all damage taken will be directly reflected on your soul. Dying in that space will cause significant mental trauma. This fleeing hack is to prevent this sort of situation from happening. It''s a rather limited hack, so others turned a blind eye, but the void targeting hack was banned after its first use."

 Chapter 1386: A Dark Horse

    <h4>Chapter 1386: A Dark Horse</h4>


    "The hack was banned?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Bu Wentian nodded.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Isn''t that the end of the story, then?"


    Bu Wentian smiled wryly. "The problem is that the Splitsilver race continued to develop all manner of strange hacks. One of them was some sort of energy transfer mechanism that made use of the tether between the audience stands and the arena to infuse energy tobatants on stage, allowing them to fight longer and with stronger attacks."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "Doesn''t anyone care?"


    Yang Ze asked, "Can the Splitsilver race avoid being banned from the Cup?"


    Li Fengmented, "Generally, hacks can only be patched after they''re reported..."


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "That''s right. Whenever their hacks are reported, the will of the virtual realm will strengthen and reinforce its algorithms to prevent the same thing from happening again, but the Splitsilver race manages to find new loopholes each time."


    Zhang Lie''s lips twitched. "Isn''t that so..."


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "Thest iteration of the Cup, the Splitsilver race unveiled a new hack, which can duplicate an attack ten thousand times over."


    "Ten thousand times over!"


    The hunters gaped.


    "That openly?"


    "Surely there was reprisal?"


    "They really are arrogant, aren''t they..."


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "They were banned after the fight, of course, but all those Splitsilverbatants that used the hack would have lost their matches otherwise."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "So since they were going to lose regardless, they might as well have fun while they''re at it?"


    Their opponents wouldn''t have a good time, either. If significant damage could result in mental trauma that took years to recover from, then their opponents wouldn''t be able to proceed in the Cup as well.


    Zhang Lie''s face turned cold. "Not only do they have inferior skill, they''re even willing to turn to such underhanded tactics to take down their opponents with them?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "This is truly vile."


    "They''re essentially self-destructing."


    Once the Splitsilverbatants used such a hack, they would be banned and dealt significant mental trauma, just like their opponents.


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "The year the Splitsilver race unveiled such a hack, they ruined many a promising genius. Countless races called for the Splitsilver race to be barred permanently from the cup."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Didn''t themittee do anything?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "The rules of that virtual realm aren''t so easy to change. At the very least, it can''t bar a whole race ofpetitors frompeting. But don''t worry, the void targeting hack has been patched."


    "And the other hacks?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    "You had better be careful."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "How is it that this race can always develop new hacks for each iteration of the cup?"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "What benefit does this bring their race? Are they just doing it for fun? To destroy otherpetitors like that¡ªthey really are malicious!"


    Yang Ze frowned. "Doing this each iteration of the Cup¡ªcan they sell their hacks for profit?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "In some sense, that''s what they''re doing. They use special techniques to learn about and understand the fundamental principles behind the space, as well as developpatible technology for it. Their behavior is despicable, but they are one of the stronger races in the gxies¡ªnothing like the truly strong, of course, but their ability to distort reality and illusion is difficult to handle for most."


    Although using hacks in the Cup would result in permanent bans and significant mental trauma, the Splitsilver race clearly didn''t mind.


    "Ignoring the ban, the mental trauma isn''t crippling. It won''t result in permanent damage, and one can recover from it with time. Indeed, the ability to experience a virtual space that straddles reality and illusion is of particr value to the Splitsilver race, and their hacks in the Cup result in more benefit to their cultivation than dedicated training."


    The hunters gaped. Being banned was beneficial to the Splitsilvers?


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "That''s why there are always Splitsilverpetitors trying to hack the Cup."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Where does the Milky Way rank among the various gxies?"


    Bu Wentianughed out loud. "Haha, you won''t want to know the answer, trust me."


    Zhang Lie asked, "What''s the other race we have to be wary of?"


    "It''s another special race, but one unrted to the Splitsilvers. This race isn''t particrlyrge, but every member of the race is exceptionally strong, especially for this iteration of the Cup. Allegedly, one participant this year is even stronger than Radiant Sun, who was considered to be undefeated. He''s known as an invincible martial god¡ªthe son of Radiant Sun, Resplendent Sun."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Radiant Sun? Where have I heard that name before..."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Wasn''t that the opponent you lost to, Elder?"


    Bu Wentian sighed. "Let''s not speak of it. Radiant Sunes from the Srvine race, which you have to pay heed to."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Are there other opponents that we have to watch out for?"


    Bu Wentian thought for a moment. "The truly strong races can skip the qualifiers and enter the Cup proper. Except for the Srvine race, you shouldn''t encounter anyone else exceptional."


    Bu Wentian looked at the time. "Thepetition''s about to begin. All of you had better go. I''ll be watching from the stands. I''ve already registered for the cup in your name, so once you enter the apparatuses, you can enter the arena directly."


    The hunters headed into their ''coffins'', the lids of which slid shut. Within the pitch-ck space, an interface appeared: ''Enter the Gctic Rising Stars Cup venue?''


    Zhang Lie clicked confirm. A mysterious mental energy suffused him.


    Zhang Lie didn''t resist the energy and allowed it to envelop himself. He felt a very strange sensation. A set of golden doors appeared before him. He swung his limbs experimentally. Though he might be in a virtual realm, all the sensations he could feel were extremely realistic, as though he were in his own body. He stepped through the doors and toward a stairway to heaven.


    The shining stairway looked as though it were an energetic construct. Opposite him was another set of golden doors. A humanoid figure in silvery white walked down the stairway. Half his body was flesh, and half metal. He shone resplendently and with metallic luster.


    Another silvery-white figure followed behind, perhaps in the manner of an attendant or servant.


    Zhang Lie hesitated. This was essentially who he had seen in the trial¡ªthe Splitsilver race!

 Chapter 1387: Splitsilver Braggadocio

    <h4>Chapter 1387: Splitsilver Braggadocio</h4>


    Were there many Splitsilverbatants because of how populous their race was? Or did they consider the Cup like a standard trial, sending many of the younger generation over?


    The Splitsilverbatant looked very shocked to see Zhang Lie. "A race I''ve never seen before? You must be from somewhere in the dumps, then, here to participate in the Cup for the first time."


    Zhang Lie frowned again.


    The Splitsilverbatant continued, "Looks like it''s a free win for me, then."


    "Isn''t that a Splitsilver?"


    Zhang Lie turned. All around him, beside the familiar arena, was arge audience stand. Countless figures of light were watching the Cup unfold. Neither their faces nor figures could be seen.


    "This is almost like an online forum..."


    Everyone was anonymous.


    Perhaps because Zhang Lie''s opponent was a Splitsilver, who were known for their hacks, Zhang Lie''s arena quickly became packed.


    Many observers were here to see what sorts of hacks the Splitsilver had prepared for this iteration of the Cup.


    The figures of light shouted, "What sorts of hacks will you show us this time around?"


    The Splitsilverbatant shouted back, "nder! nder and calumny! I''m innocent."


    "Innocent? Thest iteration of the Cup, I saw one of your fellowpetitors execute a hack before getting banned!"


    The Splitsilverbatant''s face flushed red as he disputed, "We make technological advances. It''s technology! How can that be considered hacking?"


    The figures of light all roared inughter, giving the Cup a surprisingly cheerful atmosphere.


    Zhang Lie walked up to the arena. "Let''s start. Don''t waste everyone''s time."


    The Splitsilverbatant stepped down the stairs, unhurried. "What, are you trying to rush to your death?"


    The figures of light wondered, "What sort of race is this? I haven''t seen their like before in the previous iterations of the Cup."


    "Must be someone weak."


    "How unlucky they are to have encountered a Splitsilver from the start!"


    "Well, it''s a weakling, isn''t it? It''s doomed to lose anyway."


    The Splitsilverbatant waved a hand impatiently. "If you don''t want to waste everyone''s time, you should surrender. You don''t stand a chance, after all."


    "Do you think you''re sure to win with your hacks, then?"


    The Splitsilverbatant hmphed at him. "Against you, a hack would be a waste!"


    Zhang Lie curled a finger, taunting him.


    The Splitsilverbatant shot forward with a punch straight toward his skull with a silver burst of light.


    Gic energy surged through Zhang Lie''s body as he radiated light. Pale-blue gic energy exploded all around him as he held up an arm in self-defense.


    On impact, Zhang Lie was sent flying.


    The Splitsilverbatant frowned. "You do have some strength, after all..."


    "Meanwhile, it looks like you aren''t very strong without your hacks." Zhang Lie slowly walked forward, pale-blue gic energy surging around him, roiling like the tides.


    The Splitsilverbatant in front of him didn''t feel any different from the one he had encountered in Bu Wentian''s trial. Thetter might even have been quite a bit stronger, considering that thetter was surely weakened when pulled from Bu Wentian''s memories.


    The spectators of light gaped at Zhang Lie.


    "Just what gxy did this strange challengere from, to be able to fight a Splitsilverbatant to a standstill?"


    Although it was well known that the Splitsilver race enjoyed using hacks in the Cup, almost like a local custom of sorts, which the spectatorsughed at and anticipated, the Splitsilvers were still a very strong race.


    It was therefore astounding to see a Splitsilverbatant being unable to defeat the unknownbatant before him.


    With explosive force, divine light radiated from Zhang Lie as he soared into the sky, causing everything around him to shake.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the space. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space.


    The world reverberated with force. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Light and shadow danced in the air.


    The Splitsilverbatant before Zhang Lie was sent flying by a huge wave of force.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Water-attuned gic energy encircled Zhang Lie''s finger as he unleashed devastating sword energy.


    One of the Splitsilverbatant''s arms was chopped off. A raging shark surfed toward it atop a wave of sword energy.


    The Splitsilverbatant cried out as a silver light illuminated the arena.


    The silver light shone down with ring intensity. It broke apart at its highest point and unfolded to form a silver lotus, with formless runes that spread throughout heaven and earth. Silver roots extended from its base and into the naturalw of the space.


    Zhang Lie felt his body being restrained by the silver roots to such an extent that even moving became difficult.


    The Splitsilverbatant wiped at the blood by his lips. "You''re rather strong, to be able to push me to this extent, but that''s it!"


    "Scram! [Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, immediately dispelling the pressure around himself.


    The Splitsilverbatant gaped in fright, and the spectators watched on in shock.


    This unknownbatant had just staged an upset!


    He had to be the dark horse of this iteration of the Cup.


    The Splitsilverbatant, however, suddenly calmed down after seemingly hearing something by his ear. He proimed coolly, "I acknowledge that you''re a rather strong opponent considering your nameless race, but the Splitsilvers won''t go down easily!"

 Chapter 1388: Vanquished Smugness

    <h4>Chapter 1388: Vanquished Smugness</h4>


    Within the stands, a number of spectators began to glow with silver light. They appeared behind the Splitsilverbatant on stage. Only Zhang Lie could see what was going on; the spectators didn''t seem to notice.


    The Splitsilverbatants imparted their energy to the silver lotus above the arena, forming an ethereal bridge of energy. The silver lotus glowed brightly, more so than the sun itself.


    The glow became an order of magnitude brighter, so much so that it hurt to look toward the silver lotus. The Splitsilverbatant clearly hadn''t disyed this level of strength before; this was the effect of a hack.


    Arge number of roots and tendrils surged toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth, tearing through the roots as it swam toward the silver lotus.


    The Splitsilver figures behind thebatant trembled, not having expected that, even working together, they were no match for Zhang Lie.


    Thebatant himself was stupefied. Why had he never heard of such a fearsome race?


    The Splitsilverbatant cried out, "Damn it, hand me back that relic!"


    "im it yourself if you can!"


    Zhang Lie clenched his fist. Pitch-ck gic energy, shot through with gold, surged forth as he punched toward the void. A hurricane spawned, and many of the Splitsilvers on stage were blown away. Their figures almost dissipated. As the attack struck the Splitsilver helpers, their figures in the spectator stands reeled back, as though they had been severely injured.


    "As expected, there''s a connection there."


    Zhang Lie''s blow had been infused with karmic energy. The rtionship between the arena and spectator stands had been minuscule. With Zhang Lie''s limited understanding of karma, it would have done nothing¡ªif not for the Splitsilver hack.


    Not only had Zhang Lie deeply wounded the Splitsilverbatant, he had also simultaneously hurt his helpers.


    The Splitsilverbatant, either out of shock or because of the damage he had incurred at Zhang Lie''s hands, found his body on the verge of dissipating. He roared, "This is impossible, absolutely impossible! No one in the Cup can manage such a feat!"


    How could he have heavily wounded his helpers in the spectators'' stands while on stage? This was the equivalent of striking a gamer through theputer screen! Only those who wielded the power of karma could achieve such a feat¡ªbut how could that be? How could this unknownbatant before him be one such?


    If not for the fact thatbatants in the Cup had to be under a hundred years old, the Splitsilverbatant might really have believed that he had encountered one of the powers of the world.


    Zhang Lie sneered disdainfully. "So this is the strength of you Splitsilvers'' hacks? It''s not much."


    "Damn it! I might not be able to win, but don''t think you''ll get past the qualifiers, either!"


    the Splitsilverbatant howled. The silver lotus in the air began to tremble violently, tarnished though it was from the corrosion of pitch-ck gic energy.


    "[Silver Veil - Infinite Reduplication]!"


    The silver lotus burst with light. Pinpricks of silver light appeared in the sky, millions upon millions of lotuses hovering in the air blooming and forming a long, white river of light. They expanded as they flowered, reduplicating indefinitely.


    The crowds all began to chatter away.


    "The Splitsilvers are hacking again! Look!"


    "In the end, the Splitsilvers are hacking this year too!"


    "To be forced to this point by an unknown challenger... these Splitsilvers are really growing weak, generation after generation!"


    "That said, their hacks are growing stronger, too. This is far superior to that thousandfold reduplication from thest iteration. I have to imagine the otherbatant will be taken out ofmission, too."


    "That unknown challenger''s rather strong in his own right, isn''t he? It''s unfortunate that his opponent was a Splitsilver, though."


    The tens of thousands of silver lotuses formed a long river in the air, reduplicating the Splitsilverbatant''s attack once for each lotus.


    "Die!" The Splitsilverbatant waved a hand, sending the river crashing down toward Zhang Lie.


    "Is this the power of a hack? It''s rather interesting." Zhang Lie''s lips curled up. Gic energy surged forth.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors. Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He defended with one open palm.


    The Splitsilver''s attacknded with a huge explosion, splitting the ground, shaking the heavens, and causing the world to break apart. It was a frightening blow that struck with the force of an earthquake.


    Zhang Lie''s ster river and the river of white lotuses struck each other in mid-air, causing the arena to crack and naturalw to break down. Reality and illusion shook. Auroras formed in the air. The white lotuses began to explode, one after the other, as the ster river prated and decisively crushed the other stream of energy.


    The spectators gaped in shock. They stood up in surprise as they watched the fight unfold. Zhang Lie''s technique had been so strong that it had bypassed even the Splitsilvers'' hacks!


    Some of the spectators rubbed their eyes in shock. Others pped themselves, thinking they were dreaming.


    They were certain that the Splitsilver would be undefeated after activating his hack, but Zhang Lie had blocked the blow¡ªand by the looks of it, easily at that.


    A tremendous will imposed its consciousness on the world, both on stage and on the spectators'' stands. The spectators felt a tremendous pressure, as though the sky was about to fall. The virtual realm''s will had manifested itself.


    Zhang Lie raised his head. This was the first time he had seen its like, an existence that straddled the real and the illusory. He couldn''t inspect it from either perspective individually, but was nevertheless able to sense it somehow.


    This was a strange, almost paradoxical, feeling.

 Chapter 1389: Birth of a Dark Horse

    <h4>Chapter 1389: Birth of a Dark Horse</h4>


    "A contestant has used a power beyond that permitted by the rules, disrupting the proceedings of the Cup. The contestant''s qualifications shall be permanently stripped!"


    A sh of white lightning split the air and struck the Splitsilverbatant, who screamed in pain as his body dissipated. Before he vanished, he pointed at Zhang Lie. "We''re not done here! Five yearster, I''ll find you in your gxy and kill you!"


    The Splitsilverbatant''s body vanished, leaving the audience in stunned silence¡ªthen, they began to cheer.


    "A dark horse, the biggest dark horse of this iteration of the Cup!"


    "To have survived that Splitsilver hackpletely unharmed... Do any of you know what race this is, and what gxy it''s from?"


    "This is ridiculous¡ªeven that invinciblebatant couldn''t have fared better!"


    "I really want to see this dark horse fight against thatpetitor now..."


    Zhang Lie ignored the crowd. A screen appeared before him: Start matching your second opponent?


    Zhang Lie checked that his body was still in good shape, that he hadn''t expended much energy against the Splitsilverbatant, before tapping Yes. The text on the screen changed: Matching in progress.


    A door of light opened wide above him. One alien walked over, his body covered in golden scales, a pair of divine wings to his back, staring at Zhang Lie. He had three eyes, two where a human''s would be, and a third, vertical one at the center of his forehead. His aura was immense, so strong it was almost physical.


    Zhang Lie found this opponent surprisingly familiar.


    The crowds began to cheer in excitement.


    "He''s Ling Jin, from the spirit race! His talent is astonishing, and he''s considered a spirit king!"


    "He''s the onlybatant in the qualifiers who might be able to fight against the invincible one."


    Zhang Lie understood why thebatant seemed so familiar now¡ªhe was from the same race as in Bu Wentian''s trials. Perhaps because of fate, or the mysterious rules of this virtual realm, his opponent was the strongest member of the spirit race of his generation.


    "Well met!"


    Ling Jin cupped his palms. He was over two meters tall, and his body shone in gold. He had the aura of a martial god, shining with a zing corona of light whose might could be felt all over heaven and earth.


    A huge noise resounded from the impact of fist against fist, as though an explosion had taken ce. Ling Jin howled, his golden hair standing on end. His wings forked open and shed forward.


    Zhang Lie released a flurry of palm strikes to resist the golden wings.


    Within moments, the twobatants had exchanged dozens of blows. Golden lightning surrounded them; it looked as though two deities were duking it out in the heavens.


    Ling Jin''s vertical third eye, situated at the center of his forehead, opened. Runes formed a beam of rainbow light, with a deific chant that struck at Zhang Lie''s very soul.


    No one would be able to avoid such an attack at close range.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    He glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors. Starlight, golden light, and auroras intersected in the air in abination of beauty and dominance.


    Zhang Lie punched forward, his gic energy solidifying into crystal and shattering the multicolored beam. The beam of light fizzled as the eye shut again.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Concentrated gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals. Each crystal seemed to harbor an entire universe within. Ster light formed auroras in the sky, so beautiful that they dazzled the spectators.


    The crystals moved extremely rapidly, piercing through Ling Jin''s golden wings in the blink of an eye.


    Just then, Ling Gu''s left hand glowed with light. A spear of red light manifested over his palm, bearing immense power.


    Red light red across the heavens. In that single moment, everything else seemed to darken, leaving only a shining red spear the color of blood. It was only a meter long, but its light seemed to permeate the world. It shone too brightly to be observed directly.


    Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward,


    The two forces fought for dominion over the sky, neither willing to relent. The sky was covered up by scarlet light in one moment, and by starlight in the next. Bothbatants darted back and forth amidst the shing energies, exchanging blows in a melee.


    Eventually, the energies dissipated. Line Jie was sent stumbling back with the sound of breaking bone. With each step he retreated, he coughed out a mouthful of blood. He had clearly been dealt a severe blow.


    The fight between the twobatants was an amazing sight to behold. Ling Jin was stronger than anyone could have imagined, but Zhang Lie, even more shockingly, was stronger still.


    Despite his injuries, Ling Jin''s aura was as strong as ever. He glowed in golden light, then took an immobile stance, as inevitable and unmoving as a mountain range.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A sea of stars appeared above Zhang Lie''s head, shining with crystalline stars. The silver stars fell from the sky, transforming into a rain of meteors.


    Ling Jin blocked the falling meteors with his bloody spear. As the battle dragged on, Ling Jin grew more and more wounded, golden feathers torn off his wings, his fresh blood anointing the ground. Even his golden glow seemed to dim.


    Ling Jin smiled with his teeth. "I knew I made the right choice in attending the Cup. It was well worth the time to be able to encounter a strong opponent like you."


    Zhang Lie condensed his gic energy. "You''re only about as strong as the spirit racebatant I once fought," Zhang Lie replied disdainfully.


    Ling Jin seemed simultaneously surprised and curious. "You''ve fought against another member of the spirit race? Who?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment. "I''ve defeated too many opponents to fully remember. If I''m not mistaken, his name was Ling Gu."

 Chapter 1390: Your Father Wasnt Great

    <h4>Chapter 1390: Your Father Wasn''t Great</h4>


    "Many years have passed since then. How''s he doing now?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Ling Jin grew so mad that his face turned red. The skies shone with a scarlet haze. "Are you trying to insult me?!"


    Zhang Lie was shocked by Ling Jin''s sudden outburst.


    A silence filled the stands.


    Ling Jin''s hand, which gripped his blood-colored spear, clenched tightly. Green veins protruded. He shouted fiercely, "Ling Gu is the current spirit king, my father!"


    Zhang Lie hesitated.


    The audience members murmured to each other, "He ims to have fought Ling Gu, and even to have won against him..."


    Zhang Lie hastily exined, "I had no intention of humiliating you, and I didn''t know that Ling Gu was your father. However, to be honest, he really wasn''t very strong."


    "You dare!" Ling Jin thrust forward with his blood spear. Bloody radiance filled the sky, and tremendous pressure descended on the arena. Ling Jin''s face was furious, and his spear strike cut through everything in sight.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    As Zhang Lie cocked his fist, dozens of crystalline dragons formed behind his back, roaring in unison and causing the arena to tremble.


    The next moment, they shot out through his fists.


    The crystalline dragons seemed like works of art, filled as they were with a sliver of a universe. An aurora shone from the hearts of each one. The hundreds of crystalline dragons on stage were a lethal technique, as well as a masterwork of art.


    Ling Jin''s blood spear thrust through one of the crystalline dragons, but there were hundreds of them in all. They linked up one to the other, dissolving Ling Jin''s attack before tearing him apart.


    Before Ling Jin''s figure dissipated, he shouted, "Considering how strong you are, we''ll surely meet again in space. Before I kill you, you''d better not die!"


    A screen appeared before Zhang Lie: Start matching your third opponent?


    As the battle finished, a beam of light fell from the skies. The arena restored itself as Zhang Lie readied himself for the next battle.


    A huge crash came from the sky as a set of golden doors appeared in a frightening burst of energy. The figures of light all around knelt on the floor, suppressed by incredible pressure. They slumped to the ground, unable to resist.


    Subsequently, a resplendent golden sun appeared, descending with a will so mighty it seemed as though the universe itself had been given physical form. Seated within the sun was a man who seemed like a god, his eyes shut, the source of all the illumination.


    The sun bore down on Zhang Lie.


    Formless will billowed out from the man, as though no one in the world would be able to halt his advance.


    "A race I''ve never seen before. It looks like the Cup''s matchmaking system isn''t particrly efficient."


    Zhang Lie raised his eyebrows. This new enemy was far too arrogant, to think that he could quash him by physical might alone.


    Zhang Lie raised his sword into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The man in the golden sun was unmoved, his eyes closed. What manner of pride was this? The man in the golden sun descended from the skies, suppressing Zhang Lie with aura alone.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    Zhang Lie''s sword will struck the sun''s divine glow in a resplendent explosion too bright to witness with the naked eye.


    The spectators found their souls trembling. Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun.


    This confrontation was one between two paragons.


    As the divine light dissipated, the two figures could be seen once more through the blinding haze. Zhang Lie stood on the tform, his robes shifting in the wind, silent and head unbowed. In the sky was a resplendent golden sun, with a saintly man still meditating with eyes closed within.


    Neither seemed to have won out in the confrontation; both parties retained their original stances.


    The other entity''s aura seemed almost deific in origin.


    "I know who he is!" one of the spectators shouted, clearly recognizing Zhang Lie''s opponent.


    "It really is him, Resplendent Sun! The young lord of the Srvine race, undefeated in battle!"


    "He''s the third opponent!"


    "That member of the Srvine race who was once called invincible himself acknowledged Resplendent Sun as being above him, conferring upon him the title of undefeated."


    "You''re strong, stronger than I expected," Radiant Sunmented. "I thought the matchmaking system was in error, to pit me against a member of an unknown race, but it looks like you are worth fighting, after all."


    Zhang Lie frowned. This aura was familiar to him. Was this a trick of fate? His final opponent was against Resplendent Sun. Zhang Lie was almost suspicious that Bu Wentian had nned all this in advance.


    His body seemed to shine with divine light imbued into his flesh. When he attacked, the world itself would quake.


    The void distorted as Resplendent Sun made his move, forming seals with his hands. His left hand invoked the divine moon, his right the great sun. The heavens glowed with divine light, dyeing the skies golden and scorching the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The twobatants struck each other in a sh of celestial wills.

 Chapter 1391: Ballad of Water and Fire

    <h4>Chapter 1391: Bad of Water and Fire</h4>


    Resplendent Sun''s right hand curved and sketched out a sun. He mmed his palm down, bathing the world in purifying radiance.


    Zhang Lie shot forward, his hair fluttering.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity¡£


    The twobatants warred over heaven and earth themselves. The skies shone with radiant sr light, cleansing and scouring.


    "[Celestial Convergence]." Resplendent Sun formed the seals of sun and moon with his hands. Stars peeked out from amidst the void and descended on Zhang Lie with incredible might.


    Zhang Lie stared up at Resplendent Sun, both hands on his sword.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth. Starlight formed its scales, the darkness of night its body, auroras its skin, abyssal darkness its eyes, gic energy its fangs. It transformed into a python of legends, devouring sun and moon alike.


    The sun and moon darkened; the falling stars shattered. The twobatants'' battlefield was foundational naturalw itself.


    Zhang Lie took a deep breath. This was a great and terrible foe.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star. The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river.


    Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was changing the very nature of his gic energy, transforming it into what seemed like the inky void that made up the universe. The gctic energy shone with twinkling stars, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    His ster dragon tore apart the sun and moon''s radiance, breaking through Resplendent Sun''s seals,


    Resplendent Sun continued to sit cross-legged in the void, encircled by an eponymous radiant sun, holy and dignified. His eyes closed, he formed seals with both hands and raised them high overhead.


    A vase manifested in his hands, red and shining all over. Fiery mist poured out of its top, pointed straight at Zhang Lie. It was an ornate vase with physical form and structure. Just like the silver lotus, it was neither a soulshard nor a piece of technology.


    Zhang Lie felt as though he were facing an incredible foe.


    Resplendent Sun moved. The vase lit up with light, blowing countless runes toward Zhang Lie.


    A firebird flew out of the vase with a loud cry, terrorizing the spectators. Azure fire burned the very heavens as an azure simurgh pped its wings and bore down on Zhang Lie. The essence of the sun manifested in the form of a golden bird that swooped toward Zhang Lie. A phoenix manifested, its eyes glowing with me. It bathed in the mes and revived stronger than ever, flying into the air with the authority of a monarch.


    Within moments, the vase had spat out countless divine mes, each of which seemed poised to burn the arena down.


    Resplendent Sun was even stronger than Radiant Sun had been back during his iteration of the Cup.


    The divine me burned the ster dragon to a crisp. A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight.


    However, the divine fire possessed shocking strength, and was burning away at the energy of annihtion itself. The sky was filled with a pitch-ck hurricane and divine fire.


    The twobatants fought with the sky as their battlefield.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up with divine light.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air. They blocked the divine birds'' attacks and shot toward them.


    The firebird swooped down with incredible speed. Starlight illuminated the stage and the stands. The golden sunbird cried out, heavenly monarch that it was. Its wings sliced down like the des of heaven, its ws sharp and prating, imbued with the essence of divine me.


    The ster dragon obliterated the sr essence, soaring into the skies and smashing into the golden bird''s wings and ws with a metallic ng.


    The phoenix descended next, its every action filled with echoes of life, death, and rebirth. Divine mes descended.


    The ster dragons exploded in waves of annihtion that were impossible to block.


    A chain reaction of explosions formed, each bearing the energy of annihtion. That energy fought for dominance over the sky with divine me, which fell to the ground in a series of explosions.


    The spectators of light shook. To them, the fight was something straight out of an apocalypse. If they hadn''t been protected by the rules of this virtual realm, they would have long since turned to ashes.


    Zhang Lie sprayed out a breath of essence.


    The de Guicang appeared in his hand, tearing apart the sky, the firmament covered up by the energy of annihtion and divine me.


    The next moment, the sun itself shook. It grew brighter and brighter. Resplendent Sun suddenly shifted, rousing torrential mes all around.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie raised Guicang into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The zing sun shone brightly, burning mountains and boiling seas, shining in resplendent light and capable of annihting heavens, of scalding the stars, with a will beyond mortal make. It was bright and yet brimmed with destruction, a boundless purgatory, burning everything in sight.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.

 Chapter 1392: The Natural Laws Retreat

    <h4>Chapter 1392: The Natural Laws Retreat</h4>


    The arena, consecrated with the might of a golden sun, resplendent and zing, was so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    Many of the spectators were tearing up, not just because of the bright light, but because they were touched by the scale of the fight and the surpassing strength disyed by bothbatants.


    No matter how blinding the light was, the spectators gritted their teeth and continued watching, refusing to miss even a single moment. Being able to witness this confrontation of the ages, this battle of wills that exceeded the limits of the realm, was worth it.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun. Overwhelming sword energy, like a sunset sea, swallowed up the sun and suppressed the light.


    The vase Resplendent Sun held in his hands suddenly grewrger. It was zed bright red, almost like the color of blood, and sprayed out mes of even greater incandescence.


    The next moment, the firebird, azure simurgh, golden sunbird, and phoenix all merged into one cohesive whole. Firelight swamped heaven and earth.


    The divine birds perished together in an attack of overwhelming strength and force.


    At the same time, before the divine birds, the color of the mes changed. They turned ck, then deep purple, then the color of blood.


    The divine birds had vanished, leaving pure me behind. The me spread like dripping blood, heading straight toward Zhang Lie with overwhelming strength.


    The bright red light seemed to contain some otherworldly, sinister power, enveloping Zhang Lie and turning the skies bright red. It was so hot that even the arena below them was ming.


    Even though the spectators were protected by thews of the virtual realm, they could feel the scorching heat.


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature had dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    The zing mes all over the arena were snuffed out the moment they came into contact with the ck snowkes.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    Starlight glowed and illuminated the arena, shing with the divine fire in the air. The sky turned ck one moment, ming red the next, then glittering silver. The sh of the two energies caused cracks to form in the virtual realm.


    Subsequently, incredible aura radiated from Zhang Lie. It looked as though a deity had manifested in his body.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy expanded through the battlefield. The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky. From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down. The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The ster dragons shot straight toward the sun hanging in the air. As they smashed into it, it grew more and more cracked, before finally shattering under the ster dragons''bined assault.


    The golden sun was obliterated. Swift as lightning, Zhang Lie charged forward. Guicang shed at Resplendent Sun''s neck, while Hanguang pointed between his brows.


    Resplendent Sun''s body transformed into fire, resisting Zhang Lie''s peerless blow. He defended himself with his bejeweled vase, forming a screen of light before him.


    Guicang struck the vase with a clear, resonant ring, a strike targeted at the spiritual rather than the physical. The red vase''s light swiftly dimmed. Divine fire was snuffed out as the vase trembled violently.


    With the vase handled, Guicang struck at Resplendent Sun''s neck, drawing blood with a golden sh.


    Resplendent Sun brimmed with me as he swiftly retreated, a battered sun shrouding him.


    The spectators raptly watching the fight were dazzled by the speed at which thebatants moved. Too much had happened too quickly; no one could catch all of what had happened.


    Radiant Sun was no longer seated cross-legged as though in meditation. He stood, a frightening wound horizontally across his neck, brimming with blood. He had almost been beheaded. He wiped at his neck with his hand, healing himself as he zed with fiery light.


    Zhang Lie''s ck hair fluttered in an evanescent wind. He looked like a deity. Ster light surrounded him as he strode forward in preparation for an attack.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    The ster dragons exploded in a burst of starlight.


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon. The dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth. The ster energy that filled the battlefield transformed into a massive ster dragon that took to the skies. Its massive body curled up above the arena, triggering manifold facets of naturalw.


    "[Sr Null]," Resplendent Sun called out. He stepped through the void, transforming into a sr vine, his actions brimming with dawn light. Golden mes burned overhead like a zing sun. mes poured out of him, shielding his body and blocking Zhang Lie''s ster attack.

 Chapter 1393: Blades, Extinguish

    <h4>Chapter 1393: des, Extinguish</h4>


    Resplendent Sun counter-attacked. This time, his mes didn''t burn blood-red, but white-gold. Sword energy manifested around him, and the ground seemed to shine with radiant, divine light, as though a sword of the heavens had descended to the mortal world.


    His bejeweled vase, like a divine sword, sent out tens of thousands of des of sword energy that drowned Zhang Lie.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie.


    With Guicang, Zhang Lie countered the tens of thousands of streams of sword energy in the air with a furious sh of metal against metal. Zhang Lie transformed into a beam of dazzling light, piercing through Resplendent Sun''s technique and shooting forward.


    "[Endless sh]!" Resplendent Sun shouted, aiming the vase at Zhang Lie and sending a torrential burst of sword energy toward him.


    Zhang Lie''s clothes shone with light, protecting himself. He held his palms together, causing radiant moonlight and sunlight to explode forth.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    A frightening force spread out from Zhang Lie, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward him.


    Zhang Lie''s sword, infused with tremendous energy, struck the bejeweled vase with a huge boom, causing it to explode in a burst of golden light, igniting even the heavens themselves.


    Bothbatants stood amidst a raging sea of golden mes, each focused on the other.


    Resplendent Sun cried out, "You''ve destroyed my n''s relic!"


    Zhang Lie waved Guicang. "I''ve done it before." Indeed, smashing apart something real felt different from smashing apart something virtual.


    "I''ll kill you!" Resplendent Sun cried out. A divine glow emanated from his body, along with golden mes. He himself transformed into a divine weapon that tore through the heavens, splitting the sky in twain.


    "[Limitless Golden Sun sh]!" Resplendent Sun transformed into a huge sr sword that tore apart the void and shook the very stars.


    Light red as though the sun itself had descended to the mortal world.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Hanguang, sending a huge wave of sword energy into the air. Pale blue gic energy transformed into a raging sea, cutting apart the world.


    The two weapons met in mid-air, golden and pale blue gic energy transforming into dual,peting hurricanes.


    "I''ve been eagerly awaiting this match for too long!"


    Zhang Lie raised Guicang into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    Resplendent Sun was forced back in the sh.


    When Zhang Lie first encountered Radiant Sun, because Bu Wentian was no match for him, the trial ended halfway through the fight.


    Although Zhang Lie had passed the trial, he wasn''t at all happy about doing so. Without fighting with Radiant Sun for real, he wouldn''t be able to identify the limits of his opponent''s strength.


    He hadn''t expected to encounter another member of the Srvine race during the qualifiers. Compared to Radiant Sun, Resplendent Sun was even stronger.


    Resplendent Sun changed tactics. Rather than a sword that could cut through everything, he focused on the aspect of flexibility. Once again, a screen of sword energy covered the air.


    Resplendent Sun''s swordy was infinitely flexible, shifting from one moment to the next and keeping his opponent in the dark. Resplendent Sun was, undoubtedly, a swordmaster worthy of the title. Within moments, he had changed sword styles entirely, truly having transformed his body into a sword.


    A sr re blossomed around Resplendent Sun, infusing unadulterated sword energy into his techniques and making them even harder to block.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Resplendent Sun''s energy was drained as Zhang Lie''s energy was magnified.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away Li Feng''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    The blood moon and ck sun''s sword energy intersected in the air, shing directly against Resplendent Sun''s sr storm. Neitherbatant seemed to have the advantage. Resplendent Sun''s flexible sword style attacked Zhang Lie''s weakest points of defense in a difficult-to-block manner, but Zhang Lie''s attacks were fast, forceful, and without ring weak spots, allowing him to block the attacks directly.


    The sr vine soared into the air. Sr energy emanated from it, transforming into a giant sun. A pir of golden light shot down rays in the form of sword energy, bolstering Resplendent Sun and augmenting his transformation.


    As the sr vine struck, a giant sword fell from the skies, breaking through the cloud cover. It was reinforced by sr might, as though the sun itself were falling from the sky.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Zhou Ying like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.

 Chapter 1394: Time to End It

    <h4>Chapter 1394: Time to End It</h4>


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants, even light.


    The divine sr sword shed against the revolving ck and blood dragons. Shining radiance pierced through the arena,bining golden light, ck and bloody radiance, and the convergence of sun and moon. The tri-colored hurricane unleashed a trail of destruction over the arena.


    As dragons howled and golden light shed, a frightening destructive power burst through the air.


    Zhang Lie stumbled back a few steps. Resplendent Sun fared even worse. The giant vine that gave off a divine sr light dimmed. The sr vine itself was scarred with countless shes from Zhang Lie''s des, and sand-like grains seeped out of the wounds. However, Resplendent Sun boasted tremendous vitality, and his wounds healed in barely any time at all.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light. He nced straight at the chimera''s soul.


    Radiant Sun''s soul glowed like the sun, giving off blinding light.


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    His soul glowing as bright and scorching as the sun, Resplendent Sun broke out of the mental hypnosis within moments. When he saw Zhang Lie heading toward him, his sword unsheathed, he nched. The sr vine formed a shield around him, glowing with blinding light, in an attempt to defend against Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Zhang Lie''s aurora-like sword pierced through the sr defense, striking the sr vine with phantasmagorical light and wounding Resplendent Sun''s soul and mind. His radiance immediately dimmed.


    Resplendent Sun snarled in outrage, and the sr vine shook.


    "I was intending on showing off this technique during the actual Cup, but to think I would have encountered a strong opponent like you in the qualifiers alone... You shall have the honor of witnessing this technique. Watch as I ascend to the peak of the manifold gxies!"


    Radiant light shone from Resplendent Sun''s body. The sr vine that pierced through the cloud cover radiated with light. Tendrils and offshoots grew out of the main vine, as though Resplendent Sun had suddenly developed a few hundred avatars. Although they were no match for the main vine, each offshoot had at least half its strength.


    The main vine and its offshoots, like titanic serpents, shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    With this technique, he managed to block the onught of the vines.


    The main vine and its offshoots revolved, transforming into hundreds of des. The des curved like snakes, their trajectories mutable and impossible to predict, as though hundreds of experts were striking at Zhang Lie simultaneously. They broke the surface of Zhang Lie''s sea of gic energy.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    Red water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, manifesting in the shape of a dragon. He sent a sword sh, zing with fire, at Resplendent Sun. The fiery-red gic energy was interspersed with radiant light, suppressing the chimera''s mes in favor of his own.


    "So you''ve been hiding your skills, too. Well, it''s time to put an end to this match. You were a respectable opponent." Golden light zed from Resplendent Sun, and hundreds of vines shone with light.


    The wave of golden light was as though the sun had shot out a million rays of light, each glowing overwhelmingly brightly, splitting the void and the stars beyond, each a divine sword.


    "You''re right, it''s time to end the match¡ªbut the victor shall be me!"


    Zhang Lieunched a killing blow. Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre. The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace. The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.

 Chapter 1395: Splitting Heaven and Earth

    <h4>Chapter 1395: Splitting Heaven and Earth</h4>


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The sh between reality and illusion affected the entire arena.


    The space distorted like papier mache as the two attacks shed against each other. The spectators in the stands began to murmur to each other. They could only see a patch of fuzziness before them; the arena had turned distorted.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons. From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward Silver.


    Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    It shed against the storm of golden des. The intersection of reality and illusion generated a force so extreme it could shatter space, crushing the storm and cutting apart countless golden vines.


    Resplendent Sun was near copse. Sand seeped out of his body and into the void.


    "I can''t be defeated here. I''m going to surpass my father, to advance from undefeated into invincible!"


    Resplendent Sun roared and transformed his invincible will into strength. His body glowed with golden light, burning with incandescent strength like a zing sun.


    If the spectators could see what Resplendent Sun was doing, they would be shocked. He was burning away his mind and soul for temporary, explosive strength.


    Although he would be able to obtain thrice, maybe even ten times his usual strength in the short term, the side effects weremensurately intense. His mind and spirit would suffer severe damage, and he was guaranteed not to be able to participate in any match beyond this one.


    In effect, Resplendent Sun was giving up his future and the rest of the Cup for a victory in the qualifiers, preserving his title and legend.


    "Even if I''m not invincible, I''ll remain undefeated!"


    The remaining tendrils rushed into the air, twining and protecting the main vine. They formed a corkscrew that soared into the air and burst with scintiting light, tearing apart the papier-mache like space. All that strength condensed into one burning blow reminiscent of the zing sun.


    This was the strongest blow of this battle, prating naturalw and tearing apart reality and illusion. The twobatants'' attacks went beyond what the virtual realm could support, and even beyond what Resplendent Sun''s own body could support. If not for the tendrils protecting his body, Resplendent Sun''s attack would have torn himself apart before it ever had a chance to strike Zhang Lie.


    The tendrils cracked and burned, transforming into fuel for Resplendent Sun''s shocking attack.


    "No one is ever invincible or undefeated," Zhang Lie replied coolly, his eyes calm. Ripples of energy emanated from him. His bones cracked and popped; his blood and flesh vibrated.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    The runes of the Keys of the Elder Gods appeared once more. Strands of ck hair floated around Zhang Lie. His eyes were like lightning, as though he were a martial god who had descended from the heavens.


    With a sudden shout, as runes red all over his body, his bones creaked, and his flesh trembled, his essence transformed into a dragon that soared into the air. The radiance around him intensified.


    At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to go silent. the world stopped revolving on its axis, and everything was still. He felt as though he had returned to a primordial era far into the past, to the creation of the universe itself.


    As his mind resonated with the realm, Zhang Lie felt as though he was witnessing the creation of the virtual realm itself.


    Zhang Lie raised Guicang high into the air. Dawn light shone all around him. His heart and soul seemed to unite with the world all around him, as though he were part of creation itself.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie murmured softly, but the sound of his voice carried.


    A divine chime rang out as Zhang Lie emitted radiant light and cut apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    Part of the virtual realm was destroyed. The sky turned dull; the sword strike was one of primordial genesis, of void and chaos.


    At that moment, the virtual realm''s naturalws began to shift. The realm itself seemed to have been cut apart from the inside, transforming everything into chaotic energy.


    This blow went beyond what could be described as strength. It bypassed structure and power, instead dealing with the fundamental forces of the world, of atavistic regression and subsequent evolution.


    Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strike snuffed out Resplendent Sun''s sword attack. This was a disaster, an apocalypse, an attack from which no one would be able to escape.

 Chapter 1396: The Systems Destruction

    <h4>Chapter 1396: The System''s Destruction</h4>


    A loud rm red through the air as the spectators were dumped from the virtual realm. The screen was a mosaic of ck and white with a few pixted patches of color. The apparatuses all disyed a uniform notice: An unknown error has urred.


    All those spectating the match, as well as all those who had entered the virtual realm, spectators and contestants alike, were unceremoniously dumped out.


    Everyone panicked. Just what had happened?


    The virtual realm had been active for countless years, a stable construct formed by a group of top-tier existences. The Cup had never been disrupted by a problem of this magnitude¡ªuntil now.


    The spectators,municating via online tforms with each other, discovered the source of the problem: a single match within the Cup.


    As everything before them copsed, the members of Team Zenith found themselves back in their coffins by the time they regained consciousness. Zhang Lie climbed out to see the members of Team Zenith and Bu Wentian in the hall.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s the matter?"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, you were kicked out too?"


    Yang Ze said, "Apparently, an unknown error in the system caused us all to get kicked out."


    Bu Wentian frowned. "That''s unusual. The virtual realm almost never encounters any such problems, let alone during such an important time as the Gctic Rising Stars Cup."


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "Is it unusual? Any game can have server or hosting issues, after all."


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "This is no ordinary game."


    Yang Ze didn''t seem concerned. "They''re more or less the same, aren''t they?"


    Bu Wentian grumbled, "You don''t know about the origins of the space, so you naturally wouldn''t be aware."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Exin everything, then."


    Bu Wentian changed the topic. "How did it go for all of you?"


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "The results of our battles, you mena?"


    Yang Ze grinned. "We dominated over our opponents, of course."


    Li Feng nodded. "How could those randompetitors hope to ovee us?"


    Sun Mengmeng stated, "I was in the middle of myst match when the system copsed."


    "Same here," Zhou Ying added.


    The members of Team Zenith all indicated that they were each on their final matches.


    Bu Wentian nodded in satisfaction. "I haven''t wasted my time, then."


    Sun Xiaowu huffed. "As if it''s all thanks to you! We were already very strong before that."


    The members of Team Zenith all looked toward Zhang Lie, waiting for his response.


    Zhang Lie asked Bu Wentian curiously, "Didn''t you have a look at my match?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "As an avatar, I can''t enter the Cup, but my main body did."


    Zhang Lie replied, "I don''t know if it counts as victory or defeat for me, either."


    Bu Wentian frowned. "What sort of response is that? Either you''ve won or you''ve lost."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "The system copsed at the final moment. I don''t know what the result was."


    Zhang Lie wouldn''t mind repeating the fight. His expended resources had naturally replenished once he returned to the dimensional world.


    Furthermore, he now had a good sense as to the level of his opponents.


    Bu Wentian suddenly shook. As though having just received some news, he grabbed hold of Zhang Lie''s shoulder in a moment.


    "Just what did you do during the final trial?"


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie didn''t understand why Bu Wentian''s attitude had suddenly changed.


    Bu Wentian continued, "My primary body just sent me a piece of news. He was watching your final fight against Resplendent Sun, and if he''s not mistaken, you two were the culprits behind the realm''s instability!"


    Zhang Lie recalled that he had just activated Third Form: Separating Earth and Sky before the realm copsed. Was this really his fault...?


    Zhang Lie asked, "They''re not going to ask forpensation from me, are they?"


    Bu Wentian shouted, "That''s not the important part! Just what happened in your fight against that member of the Srvine race termed invincible? What did you do to cause such a copse?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Nothing out of the ordinary. It was just another fight. Were you unable to witness it?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "During that final sh, none of the audience members could see anything. Your fight was beyond what the virtual realm could support."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "We know the truth even without asking anything."


    Bu Wentian turned to them. "Really?"


    Sun Mengmeng shrugged. "There''s no need to be surprised. Our captain has always been this way¡ªan ''ordinary fight'' is something that goes beyond understood limits and dimensions of strength."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, what did you think of the opponent?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "He was fine. Very strong, about on the same level as all of you."


    Sun Mengmeng turned to Bu Wentian. "See? Anyone whose strength our captain acknowledges has to be really strong."


    Bu Wentian replied, "But of course. He was conferred the title of invincible, and no one would bat an eye at calling him the strongestpetitor in the qualifiers."


    Zhang Lie continued, "I did think something was funny. Thepetitors I met during the qualifiers were exactly like the ones you encountered during your trial. Even the order was the same. Was any of that your doing, Senior?"


    Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "Do you think I have the authority or skill to do so? It''s likely a coincidence."


    "Really?" Zhang Lie was still doubtful.


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "There''s not much to it. Zhang Lie, with your strength, you must have finished your matches very quickly."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "While we were still on our third match, or just barely starting our third match, the realm kicked us all out. By that time, our captain was already finishing up the third match."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Is there a connection with how quickly you finish your matches?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Not directly, but it does end up being relevant for matchmaking."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What do you mean?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "You finished your first match quickly with barely any consumption of energy, so you likely chose to continue with the second match immediately."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s right."


    "In that case, your opponent must be under the same circumstances."


    Zhang Lie asked, "So there are specific protocols in ce that match you with apetitor of simr strength?"


    "Not a protocol," Bu Wentian replied. "I suppose you can consider it natural elimination. Those strongerpetitors who finished their first match quickly, without much consumption of energy, would naturally start their second match quickly. On the other hand, the ones who are defeated would either be under too much strain to continue or would need to rest and replenish their reserves, or reflect on their defeat. They wouldn''t participate in the second match immediately."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded in understanding. "That''s why our captain encountered such strongpetitors¡ªthey were in the same condition that he was!"

 Chapter 1397: Another Hack

    <h4>Chapter 1397: Another Hack</h4>


    Bu Wentian said, "There aren''t manypetitors at this level of strength among the qualifiers, let alone among the southern universe. Perhaps there might be just two or three, so it was all but inevitable that you would encounter the young prince of the spirit race and the invinciblepetitor of the Srvine race."


    The matching wasn''t ordained by fate, but by the nature of thepetition.


    But... what about the appearance of the Splitsilver race at the beginning?


    Zhang Lie turned to the others. "How about you?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "My three opponents were a piece of cake, though I ended up facing a Splitsilver."


    "Me too! I encountered a Splitsilver and a spirit racepetitor," Yang Ze added.


    Fang Yi frowned. "I was also matched up against a Splitsilver. He couldn''t beat me and tried using a hack, but I beat him anyway."


    Sun Xiaowu snorted. "I did the same!"


    Li Feng mocked, "How pitiful the Splitsilver are! Even though they tried to gain an unfair advantage, they encountered us, whom they can''t defeat even with their hacks. I feel ashamed on their behalf."


    Of the six members of Team Zenith, five had encountered the Splitsilvers.


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "The Splitsilvers send arge number ofpetitors to the Cup every year to test the effects of their hacks. It''s akin to a showcase for them all."


    That resolved all the problems, then.


    "The inevitability of a sh of coincidences, or a coincidence of a sh of inevitability...?"


    Zhang Lie murmured. "Right, one more thing. Wasn''t Radiant Sun a member of the Redgold race? How did he be part of the Srvine race?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "It''s been quite a while since that fight, after all. After the appearance of Resplendent Sun, the Srvine race split from the Redgold race¡ªor rather, they swallowed them up. It''s little different from before, really. The Redgold race became a subordinate species of the Srvine race, though there are hardly any Srvines at all."


    Zhang Lie said, "Doesn''t that mean I was very lucky to encounter one during the qualifiers?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Don''t you mean, very unlucky?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "How could it be unlucky for me to encounter such a strong race? I''m very curious to see just how strong thepetitors will get in the actual Cup."


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Me too. I''d like to know just how strong you have to be to skip the qualifiers entirely."


    Zhang Lie didn''t know that all the spectators of the Cup were discussing his match against Resplendent Sun.


    "What happened? Why were we all kicked out?"


    "The virtual realm has always been exceptionally stable. It''s never shown signs of such copse..."


    "Apparently, it was caused by the Cup."


    "How could that be? The Cup''s never had any problems before!"


    One of the spectators who was present for Zhang Lie and Resplendent Sun''s fight quickly added, "It has to be because of the Srvine''s fight against some member of an unknown race!"


    Everyone else quickly got interested. "What do you mean?"


    "That match was devastating. I just don''t know what the oue of it was..."


    "Why?"


    Another spectator added, "I watched that match to get a sense of what the new Splitsilver hacks were like, only to find myself following an unprecedented dark horse!"


    "The Srvine''s match against thepetitor of an unknown race... that was surely the most exciting match I''ve seen in the history of the Cup, bar none! Both of them were far beyond the level of a new talent, but by the end..."


    "What happened at the end? Why aren''t any of you saying a thing?"


    "Didn''t you watch the match?"


    "Well, we don''t know what happened, either."


    "Thews of the virtual realm seemed to have crumbled by then, and we weren''t able to identify what was going on."


    "Crumbled? As a result of that match?"


    "Haha, you''re a true jokester, aren''t you? It was just a match between twobatants. How could that have caused the copse of the realm?"


    "Right, no matter how amazing the up-anding Srvine is, there''s no way he could have caused the copse of the realm."


    "Ah, the result of the match is out! Go have a look. The will of the virtual realm judged that it was the Srvine''s defeat!"


    "What? Impossible! Isn''t he supposed to be invincible?"


    "The will of the realm couldn''t have made a mistake, could it?"


    "How could it be wrong?"


    "What if it was a hack?"


    "Right, if the Splitsilvers were able to hack, who''s to say that this unknown race can''t, either?"


    "But we watched the previous matches too, and he''s apetitor with tremendous strength! He even defeated the spirit king''s son, Ling Jin, who''s widely known to be the sessor to the throne."


    Some of the spectators disagreed.


    "Even Ling Jin was no match for him?"


    "Perhaps he''s been using the hack since the beginning."


    "Right? I was shocked to see him ovee the Splitsilver hack with brute force. Who''s to say that he hasn''t been supported by a hack from the beginning?"


    "Hacking to the point that the realm copsed...?"


    "Could that really be it?"


    "Do you know what race thatpetitor is from?"


    Deep within a certain gxy, Resplendent Sun''s head emerged from a goldenke. He looked far more humbled than he had been upon entering the Cup, and the golden light he gave off was dim and muted. It was evident that he had suffered a serious mental blow.


    A resplendent golden sun appeared, descending with a will so mighty it seemed as though the universe itself had been given physical form.


    Seated within the sun was a man who seemed like a god, his eyes shut, the source of all the illumination. He shone brighter than Resplendent Sun himself. The figure within the light slowly began, "You''ve awoken."


    "Father!" Resplendent Sun knelt on one knee.


    The radiant figure was none other than Radiant Sun, who had defeated Bu Wentian during a previous iteration of the Cup.


    Radiant Sun asked, "How is your recovery?"


    When his son emerged from the apparatus, everyone had been shocked.


    Resplendent Sun had all but wilted. His eyes were rolled back, and his mind had suffered deep trauma. His soul had almost been vanquished; Radiant Sun could sense that his son had been struck by a blow beyond what the virtual realm could handle, a blow from a dimension of strength that even the truly strong might not glimpse in their lifetime.


    Without immediate attention and intense treatment, his son would be all but crippled.


    "Thanks to the ambrosia of eternal sun, Father, I''ve recovered about two-thirds of my peak strength."


    Resplendent Sun had been submerged in a pool of such ambrosia, refined from stars across the gxy, each representing a drop of life that grew out of a backdrop of eternal destruction and annihtion. One drop alone would be a precious treasure; Radiant Sun was bathing in the ambrosia. In the known universe, only the Srvine race, whose growth began deep within ster cores, had ess to such quantities of the ambrosia of eternal sun.

 Chapter 1398: I Think Ive Won

    <h4>Chapter 1398: I Think I''ve Won</h4>


    "I apologize, Father," Radiant Sun continued, "but I don''t expect I will be able to continue my participation in the Cup."


    The racial characteristics of the Srvine race, along with the intense vivacity of the ambrosia of eternal sun, should easily have repaired Resplendent Sun''s mental damage. However, Zhang Lie''s [Third Form: Separating Earth and Sky] had been too strong a technique. It had deeply wounded Resplendent Sun''s soul and left a scar on it.


    Although his mental injuries had healed, his spiritual injury hadn''t. His soul and mind was continuously attempting to transform into roiling chaos, fearsome in its intensity.


    "Just rest."


    Radiant Sun vanished from sight once again.


    Supported by a pool of such ambrosia, Resplendent Sun would be able to recover from any injury bar death. Radiant Sun did not have to worry about his son''s safety.


    Beside him was a humanoid lifeform whose golden, metallic surface was zing with me. The liquid metal simultaneously bore properties of a liquid and a solid. The man knelt on the ground and began respectfully, "Young Master, do not be disappointed. I have learned that your opponent was using hacks during your fight. Young Master, you remain invincible!


    To have used such despicable tactics¡ªdon''t you worry, Young Master, we''ll ferret him out and allow you to take your revenge!"


    Resplendent Sun waved a hand. A beam of golden light struck the surface of the liquid metal in a spate of ripples.


    A crisp p resounded.


    The man of liquid metal clutched his face in shock. "Young Master?"


    Resplendent Sun snorted. "You need not worry yourself about my affairs."


    The man of liquid metal bowed his head, not daring to look at his master.


    Resplendent Sun thought back to Zhang Lie''s final blow. The fear in his eyes warred with excitement. He sighed, "The universe is truly boundless. Such a strongpetitor, and one whom I knew nothing about."


    <i>Given your strength, we''ll surely meet again.</i>


    Resplendent Sun didn''t notice that the humanoid''s furnace-like eyes were dark and sunken. He murmured to himself, "The n head instructed us to help out the young master, who might yet be rather ignorant of the universe..."


    Meanwhile, in the fourth real, Bu Wentian yelled out, "The results are out!"


    Zhang Lie cocked an eyebrow. "What results?"


    "Of your fight against Resplendent Sun, of course!"


    Zhang Lie was perplexed. "You can ess it?"


    Bu Wentian grinned cockily. "I have my ways."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Has the virtual realm been restored?"


    Bu Wentian asked, "You aren''t curious about the oue?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Regardless, it doesn''t matter."


    "What if you lose?"


    "Then I''ll simply have to win the next fight."


    "You really are confident."


    Zhang Lie didn''t mind, but someone else did. Sun Mengmeng asked, "What was the oue?"


    Zhang Lie turned on his device and saw the disy on the screen. "It looks like I''ve won."


    Zhang Lie had made it through the qualifiers and into the Cup proper.


    Bu Wentian congratted him. "Well done. The will of the realm has affirmed your victory."


    Sun Mengmeng hugged Zhang Lie. "Captain, you''ve done it! You''ve made it through the qualifiers!"


    Sun Xiaowuughed. "Sis, isn''t it a given that our captain would make it through? You seem even happier than he is about it!"


    Sun Mengmeng scowled. "I''m happy for our captain."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Is the Cup going to continue?"


    "Of course!" Bu Wentian nodded. "The virtual realm has been restored, and you may all return to your matches.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What if we were mid-way through our fights?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Those don''t count. You''ll be matched against another opponent."


    Sun Mengmeng headed into her apparatus. "Then I want to start quickly and be the next qualifier."


    Sun Xiaowu got into his own coffin. "No, I''m going to be next!"


    Upon realizing that Fang Yi and Yang Ze remained where they were, Zhang Lie asked, "Aren''t you going to head in too?"


    Fang Yi shrugged. "My opponent from thest round was rtively decent, and I expended some of my strength. I intend on heading back in once I''m in peak condition. After all, the qualifiers won''t be over for a while."


    Yang Ze replied, "ording to our discussions just now, the faster you return, the more likely you are to encounter a strong foe. I''d rather wait for all you strongerpetitors to pass through the qualifiers first."


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "That''s not what I said. It''s merely a matter of probability¡ªyou''re just less likely to encounter a strong opponent if you head inter."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "That''s all I need."


    "In that case, I''ll be heading in too to watch the others'' fights."


    Zhang Lie and the others entered their apparatuses.


    Zhang Lie was just in time to spectate Sun Mengmeng''s fight. Her opponent had a head of golden hair and a golden lotus stitched on the sleeve of their robes. A lotus mark was present on their forehead.


    From their handsome and beautiful appearance, Zhang Lie couldn''t tell whether they were male or female.


    "It''s Qingyue Ge!" one spectator cried out in excitement and anticipation.


    Zhang Lie turned to the spectator. "Is thispetitor famous?"


    The spectator rolled her eyes at him. "What are you doing here if you don''t know a thing? That''s the child of Divinity Qinglian!"


    "Are they male or female?"


    "That... I don''t know."


    The spectator beside her rolled his eyes and mocked, "What are you doing here if you don''t know a thing? You''re a fan of this person whose gender you don''t know?"


    That second spectator''s voice was intimately familiar; it belonged to none other than Yang Ze.


    The woman instantly grew furious. "Fight me if you dare! I''ve won two consecutive matches."


    Yang Ze continued taunting her. "That so? Do you really consider that such a major aplishment? Surely not, surely not!"


    "And how many matches have you won? I have to imagine you''re scared of just stepping into the arena!"


    Yang Ze replied, "Coincidentally, I''ve won two stages as well¡ªbut I''m nothingpared to mypanion here, who''s already made it past the qualifiers!"


    "What? That''s impossible!" the spectator cried out.


    Zhang Lie red at both of them. "Shut up. Let''s watch the fight."


    Only then did the two of them notice the unfriendly res from all around. They shot each other a nasty look before turning quiet again.


    While Yang Ze and the other spectator argued, the match had begun. Sun Mengmeng raised her garuda bow. Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew toward the enemy like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks.


    A golden path of light rapidly pierced through the me. Qingyue Ge stood at the start of the path before shing into action, closing the gap between them.


    Sun Mengmeng immediately drew her daggers, meeting her opponent in a melee.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her like a phoenix spreading its wings. A tail of fire glowed with radiant light, causing the stars themselves to quake.

 Chapter 1399: Fragrance and Flagrance

    <h4>Chapter 1399: Fragrance and grance</h4>


    Qingyue Ge shot forward, their golden hair shining. Their pupils had also turned faintly golden, and an aura of strength burst forth from them.


    The twobatants shed in mid-air, amidst a space of howling void. mes rose up from them both, curling up into the air. Golden lotuses sprouted and rooted themselves, as though dying and rebirthing within the omnipresent mes.


    The golden lotuses grew thirty meters tall, overwhelmingly huge, golden from stem to root to leaf to flower. They seemed to be endowed with divinity, withmand over nature and the environment.


    As the golden lotuses shook, they emitted golden runes, sending the mes roaring higher and higher.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air, blocking the attack. The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    Sun Mengmeng stabbed forward with a dagger, the ck moon behind her exploding as she shot forth. Purple mes transformed into her raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot toward Zhang Lie.


    Her beautiful features took on a tinge of the fantastical when lit by the purple firelight, causing the onlookers to stare at her agape.


    With the barest hissing of wind, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger. The dark red de was gestated in fire and me. It tore apart countless golden lotuses, which exploded in a ze of golden mes and transformed the arena into a sea of fire. Sun Mengmeng tore apart the mes and mastered them. She had gained a tremendous attunement to fire, and even a sea of fire couldn''t stop her advance.


    As the lotuses exploded, their roots bombarded her like pellets, themselves exploding in shes of thunder.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s body lit up with roaring purple mes. The phoenix that formed around Sun Mengmeng transformed into a zing tempest.


    As Sun Mengmeng revolved, so too did the ming tempest. A phoenix''s me took over the golden mes and transformed them into storms of hellfire. Phoenixes emerged from those storms, descending on the arena.


    Qingyu Ge stood amidst the tempest, unaffected by the fire. No¡ªhe was even absorbing the mes to strengthen himself. He was thergest and most beautiful golden lotus of them all.


    Qingyue Ge pped softly. "Beautiful. Amazingly beautiful. I almost want to bring you home with me."


    A gigantic ck phoenix soared into the void. As it cried out, countless stars trembled. It struck at Qingyue Ge as Sun Mengmeng shot forward with her daggers. Qingyue Ge''s rxed expression transformed into something intense as golden lotuses appeared around him.


    Sun Mengmeng shed against him dozens of times in quick session as sparks of fire red all around her. Golden me and purple fire fought for dominance. Sun Mengmeng stumbled back, but Qingyue Ge wasn''t unscathed, either. Golden fluid with a surprising fragrance dripped from his palms like ichor.


    Qingyue Ge''s eyes lit up in excitement. "Beautiful flowers all bear thorns."


    As the golden ichor dripped onto the arena, lotuses bloomed in the me, transforming their surroundings into a sea of golden lotuses. Theybined into a majestic golden lotus that trapped Sun Mengmeng within. Frightening energy spread out from the lotus.


    "Distill her essence!" Qingyue Ge shouted. mes bloomed around the golden lotus, refining and purifying everything around, even the arena itself.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng ignited the fire all over the arena, capturing it all in the form of golden me, which she merged with her purple fire to form purplegold arrows.


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the arena a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, everything began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. When her arrows exploded, they formed pirs of me over ten meters high.


    Sun Mengmeng''s body burned with purplish-ck me so intense that it dyed the heavens the same color. She cast [ck Sun], forming a corona of purplish-ck me around her. Then, she activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that the ground began to melt and turn red.


    By then, Sun Mengmeng had transformed into a fearsome warrior of hell. ck mes red from her garuda bow, manifesting in the form of an undead phoenix.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!"


    Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot toward Zhang Lie. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    The golden lotus exploded, tattered petals falling from the air. Qingyue Ge stood on a golden lotus seat, radiating divine light that absorbed the mes around it and transformed them into pure strength to nourish themself.


    They pped earnestly, but their expression quickly turned disappointed. "Beautiful to the extreme. It is a pity we did not meet in the universe, or I would surely have taken you back with me."


    "Unfortunately, I already have someone I like."


    Sun Mengmeng loosed arrows into the air, causing nine ming moons to appear in the sky.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!"


    The moons shone even more brightly than the sun itself.

 Chapter 1400: Rain of Dark Flame

    <h4>Chapter 1400: Rain of Dark me</h4>


    As the nine ming moonsnded, ck and golden me exploded in wave after wave of fire.


    The golden lotus seat rooted itself in the ming inferno. It shook amidst the ck waves of fire as it absorbed the me and transformed it into Qingyue Ge''s strength.


    Zhang Lie frowned tightly. "Sun Mengmeng was unlucky enough to have encountered an opponent that counters her directly."


    Yang Ze nodded. "That''s right."


    Qingyue Ge''s ability proved to be a direct counter to Sun Mengmeng''s. His cultivation technique revolved around golden lotuses blooming in intense me, which took advantage of Sun Mengmeng''s abilities.


    "Furthermore, that special relic he has just augments his advantage further."


    The spectatorsughed at Sun Mengmeng. "That woman had better give up quickly. Against the child of Divinity Qinglian¡ªthe oue of this match is certain."


    Yang Ze shook her head. "Sun Mengmeng doesn''t look as though she''s nning to give up."


    "It''s a waste of effort."


    The spectators around Yang Ze and Zhang Lie bore no hope for her.


    Zhang Lie shook her head. "The oue of the match remains undecided."


    "Isn''t it obvious? This woman''s skilled with fire, but Qingyue Ge can manipte me and transform it into his own strength. She''s being entirely suppressed. Is there a need to resist further?"


    "If it were me, I''d have surrendered long ago."


    "Keep watching," Zhang Lie replied. "You''ll see."


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon,


    The moon exploded and shot down rays of moonlight, causing the lotus seat to shake as the arena transformed into a sea of ck me.


    Qingyue Ge waved his hand, causing golden lotuses to bloom once more out of the mes, like holy flowers emerging from hell.


    The lotus mark on Qingyue Ge''s brow glowed with light. As they stood on the golden lotus seat, they looked like an immortal descending from the heavens. Many females, watching from the audience, screamed shrilly as they watched Qingyue Ge avidly.


    The mes surrounding Sun Mengmeng erupted like a volcano, distorting space in a huge area around her and strengthening the mes around.


    Sun Mengmeng howled into the air. Fire-attuned gic energy erupted from her body, and her pitch-ck eyes burned red. The mes formed a ck hurricane with her at its eye. It sucked in all the mes around the arena and grew even stronger, dyeing the heavens ck.


    Lava began to form on the ground as the mes transformed into Sun Mengmeng''s strength.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!"


    A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone.


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall.


    The golden lotuses exploded and their seeds shot out like bullets. Golden mes bloomed in the air like flowers. The golden lotus seat''s petals extended protectively around Qingyue Ge, protecting them.


    The petals rippled with light. Qingyue Ge, who had seemed rxed all this time, began to frown tightly. Even so, they smiled. "Not only is she pretty, she''s amazingly strong and skilled with fire. What a treasure to behold."


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]."


    Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with dark red mes as sheunched yet another attack.


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward Qingyue Ge. All the mes on the arena turned dark gold as they surrounded the golden lotus seat in a giant hurricane.


    The golden seat continuously absorbed the strength of the mes in its vicinity, lighting up lotus after lotus. Qingyue Ge plucked out a lotus seed and flicked it at Sun Mengmeng.


    Before it could strike Sun Mengmeng, a surprising phenomenon urred.


    The golden lotuses rooted themselves in the void, a divine and holy deity of fire appearing over each one, chanting scripture in some unknownnguage. Even more frightening were the bones, skeletons, and malevolent specters underneath the lotuses, filled with grudges and curses, the contrast more dissonant than even the ninthyer of the underworld.


    Underneath the holiest of golden lotuses were the most malevolent curses and killing intent.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Might of the Garuda]!"


    Sun Mengmeng reacted quickly. Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    The arrow caused no earth-shattering explosion. It was in and ordinary, and no sound marked its advance. It struck the golden sea of lotuses, piercing through countless skeletons and ghouls, as it made its way toward Qingyue Ge''s golden lotus seat.


    The ck arrow struck the seat. Illusory petals let out a shrill scream as gold and ck mes exploded around it. The arrow caused a cavity to appear in the lotus seat as Qingyue Ge summoned its strength. The lotus seat glowed with radiant light, and eighty-one lotuses bloomed and unfurled around it in a spray of holy light. The ck arrow was obliterated.


    ck me struck the golden lotus seat with a sh of metal against metal, sending sparks flying.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    ck mes, stuck together, flowed likeva along the ground. Wrapped in me, Sun Mengmeng strode forth. Her pupils had been reced by ck me, and she looked like a demon from the abyss.


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red me, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    The destructive energy dyed everything in sight a patch of ck.


    The entire arena seemed to transform into a furnace. The ground melted and turned into boiling-hotva.


    Sun Mengmeng released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies.


    The garudanded in a hurricane of pitch-ck mes as it arched its wings wide.


    It began to pulse with red fire, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    Sun Mengmeng''s attack scorched the heavens and the earth in a tremendous surge of destructive energy. The golden lotuses, deities of fire, skeletons and ghouls¡ªall were swept away by cleansing, all-epassing me. The golden lotus seat shook violently. A rain of petals formed.

 Chapter 1401: Dont Disgust Me

    <h4>Chapter 1401: Don''t Disgust Me</h4>


    The golden lotus seat rapidly transformed the energy of me into growth and nourishment. However, [Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda] had given off such intense fire over the entire arena that even the relic was unable to handle it all.


    Zhang Lie smiled in satisfaction.


    Elemental counters worked only up to a certain extent. Water might counter fire, but strong enough fire would instantly vaporize water.


    The fact that Sun Mengmeng had been countered meant only that she needed more of her element.


    Such was the case in the arena. When Sun Mengmeng''s mes exceeded what Qingyue Ge could absorb, the tide of the battle changed in Sun Mengmeng''s favor.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    The garuda manifested into reality.


    With a huge rumble, firelight swallowed heaven and earth.


    Her fire-attuned gic energy transformed into an arrow of pure destruction.


    ck mes gathered, lighting the very air itself ame. The ck mes formed a pitch-ck abyss that no longer radiated light. Instead, it sucked in the light from all around like ck holes and devoured everything in sight.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space. It struck the golden lotus seat and cracked it, sending golden lotus petals fluttering through the air.


    Qingyue Ge waved a hand, causing the strength that the lotus seat had absorbed to erupt into a devastating golden flood. Divine golden mes descended on the arena and destroyed everything in sight.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Starburst]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s hand blurred as she shot out an entire field''s worth of arrows, each one like a miniature star.


    The stars burned, shing against the heavenly mes.


    Golden fire and ck fire fought for dominance over the sky. Sun Mengmeng''s arrows exploded in huge waves of fire, filling the entire world and arena. The spectators were unable to see the details of the fight; all thaty before them was fire, me, and smoke.


    The sh of fire versus fire was shocking beyond belief.


    Qingyue Ge stood amidst the mes, fire burning around himself. He transmuted those mes into strength; fire of this magnitude wouldn''t harm him.


    Sun Mengmeng was also standing amidst the mes, almost entirely unaffected by them. For cultivators who focused on fire, this was nothing.


    Qingyue Ge''s gaze shone with greed and admiration. "You are amazing."


    The sea of mes roiled as Sun Mengmeng released gic fluctuations greater than ever before. The void trembled as the heavens themselves seemed to shatter. Blinding light transformed into golden suns, which burst apart like sharp des.


    The des of light swept over the arena. Qingyue Ge was struck by the attack, a rip forming in their robes, and a line of blood over their face. However, Qingyue Ge''s innate vitality and constitution was nothing short of astounding, and they recovered from a wound of this magnitude within a second.


    Qingyue Ge''s eyes shone with excitement. They looked toward Sun Mengmeng as though having discovered an incredible treasure that he wanted to keep for himself. The golden lotus seat radiated light as the arena filled up with golden lotuses, each with a deity of fire at its heart. The golden mes erupted and covered the space with heavenly me.


    Qingyue Ge''s punishment of divine fire caused even the realm itself to start to copse.


    If not for what Zhang Lie had done, forcing the virtual realm to reinforce itself, the fight between Qingyue Ge and Sun Mengmeng would also have caused the realm to be near-copse.


    "[Lunarme Shot: zing God]!"


    Her left hand the sun, her right hand the moon, Sun Mengmeng seemed to transform into a god-king of legends. She zed with resplendent light, and the sun and moon embedded themselves on her bow. ck me roared into the void as a pir, and all of it gathered around Sun Mengmeng.


    Qingyue Ge gaped at Sun Mengmeng''s antics.


    Not only was she controlling her own mes, she had wrested control of all the mes in the arena, gold and ck alike.


    The gold and ck mes transformed into a tempest that lit up the arena.


    Qingyue Ge was shocked to see his mes co-opted by Sun Mengmeng.


    The entire world burned. A dark golden arrow materialized into existence, formed as an energetic construct that glowed with the luster of metal.


    Sun Mengmeng shot out the arrow. It burned with the strength of Sun Mengmeng and Qingyue Ge''s arrow, obliterating everything it touched. Where the arrow passed through, the stars shattered. The entire arena lit up ame. Even a god would be pierced by this arrow.


    Qingyue Ge''s divine mes were nothing inparison to Sun Mengmeng''s attacks. Her arrows were godying arrows, far above the notion of divinity itself.


    All the golden mes remaining in the golden lotus seat burst in a re of golden light, all in order to protect Qingyue Ge against Sun Mengmeng''s lone shot.


    Strong though the golden lotus seat was, against a godyer arrow, it couldn''t perform a miracle.


    The crack in the golden lotus seat continued to expand and expand as a golden screen formed. The golden lotus split into two petals as the arrow pierced through Qingyue Ge''s chest.


    Dark golden mes burned over their chest, but Qingyue Ge didn''t vanish right then and there. Although they had failed to defend against the attack, it had been dramatically weakened by Sun Mengmeng''s godying arrow.


    Otherwise, Qingyue Ge wouldn''t just have had their chest pierced through by the arrow¡ªit would have vaporized him from sight.


    Qingyue Ge''s body glimmered with dust, already on the verge of breaking apart. They felt at the arrow embedded in their chest. "So this is how strong our mes can be together..."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Don''t make it sound so disgusting. I imed your mes for myself."


    Qingyue Ge''s eyes sparked with desire. "You should be my wife."


    Sun Mengmeng waved a hand. "Sorry, but I already have someone I like. What''s more, this is our first meeting."


    "No one can refuse to be my wife."


    Qingyue Ge''s palms turned into ws. Eighty golden lotus seeds emerged from the split golden lotus seat, each like a radiant sun, glowing with light. Qingyue Ge seemed to have morphed into a sr god.


    Sun Mengmeng clutched the garuda bow in her hands. "You want to continue?"


    Qingyue Ge replied, "If you can survive this blow, it''ll mean that you have to be my wife!"

 Chapter 1402: I Must Marry You

    <h4>Chapter 1402: I Must Marry You</h4>


    What sort of logic was this? Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut. "I refuse to entertain the notion of bing your wife."


    ck mes appeared over her arrow.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Shattered Comet]!"


    ckme exploded as gxies burned.


    With a wave of Qingyue Ge''s hand, eighty lotus seeds shot out, each like the sun. Golden radiance spread throughout the arena along with countless lotus flowers. They formed golden pirs of light of even greater intensity than before.


    The arrows shot out and arced across the sky likeets.


    Theets zed and gave off pitch-ck starlight. Long tails split in the air as a singleet formed a dozen or so offshoots, shing against Qingyue Ge''s golden pirs.


    The ckmeets caused the golden lotuses to burst apart as the golden light grew more and more diffuse. Ripples of golden me spread out and caused space itself to shatter.


    The crowd was shocked. They had thought that Sun Mengmeng waspletely countered by Qingyue Ge, only to realize that she had suddenly taken the upper hand. Not only that, Qingyue Ge was visibly losing against Sun Mengmeng, with even his n relic destroyed.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Nova Burst]!"


    The ck mes transformed once again into arrows. Sun Mengmeng shot them out and caused them to sh against Qingyue Ge''s golden light.


    An earth-shattering supernova explosion ripped through the arena. Pitch-ck mes spread throughout the space, devouring it all, including the golden light.


    After the sessive attacks, Sun Mengmeng remained as beautiful and ravishing as ever. On the other hand, Qingyue Ge, likely because they had been struck by a shockwave or because of the dark golden mes through their chest, remained in the arena only in the form of a disembodied head. Sand seeped out of their neck. They stared at Sun Mengmeng. "No matter where in the universe you are, I''ll find you and take you as my wife!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s only response was to shoot an arrow at him. A pitch-ck ming arrow shot into the center of Qingyue Ge''s forehead, causing it to explode. Victory had been decided.


    Many of the spectators were still gasping at the fight they had seen.


    The crowd wondered to one another, "Just which race are thesebatants from?"


    "For them to have defeated even the child of Divinity Qinglian... this has to be the greatest dark horse of this iteration of the Cup!"


    "Have you forgotten about that man who took down the supposedly invincible Srvine?"


    "Wasn''t he hacking?"


    "Wait, aren''t they from the same race?"


    "Is thisbatant hacking too, then?"


    "Surely not. Maybe one might be, but two? The will of the virtual realm must have investigated."


    "Have you all forgotten?"


    "What?"


    "Those Splitsilvers who activated their hacks would have their ounts banned afterwards, but not thesepetitors!"


    "Could they have found a loophole or bypass?"


    Someone suddenly shouted, "The Sunsong race will buy information about this loophole at a high price!"


    "The Splitsilver race will pay double the price of anyone else!"


    Zhang Lie ignored the discussion and left the apparatus. Yang Ze gave thepetitor he had been arguing with his middle finger. "You''d better hope we don''t meet during the Cup."


    The fellow refused to back down. "You should pray that I don''t encounter you during the Cup, or you''ll see what happens then."


    Yang Ze snorted and left the virtual realm. By the time he returned to the dimensional world, Sun Mengmeng was already there. Upon seeing Zhang Lie emerge from his capsule, Sun Mengmeng smiled and made a victorious gesture. "Captain, I''ve won!"


    "I saw your fight. Very well done. Your ability to control me is stronger than before."


    Sun Mengmeng smiled happily. Yang Ze and Fang Yi emerged from their apparatuses. Zhang Lie cocked his head. "Where''s everyone else?"


    Yang Ze exined, "In order for us not to be matched with each other in battle, after some discussion with Elder Bu Wentian, we came up with a method to take advantage of the nature of the matchmaking."


    Fang Yi continued, "We''ll take turns entering, ten minutes at a time. We used rock-paper-scissors to determine that Sun Mengmeng would be first, Sun Xiaowu second, Li Feng third, and Zhou Ying fourth. Li Feng and Zhou Ying have gone to watch Sun Xiaowu''s match, and Li Feng will enter matchmaking swiftly afterwards.


    Zhang Lie suggested, "Let''s watch Sun Xiaowu''s match and cheer for him, then."


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "I suppose they''re almost done by now..."


    Bu Wentian popped up out of nowhere. "I have a recording of the match. Want a look?"


    Sun Mengmeng nodded fervently. "Of course!"


    As his sister, she naturally had to watch his performance in such an importantpetition if she weren''t able to be there herself.


    Bu Wentian waved a hand. A screen appeared before him. Sun Xiaowu''s opponent was a gold-ted figurine.


    "You''re no match for me!"


    The gold-ted figuring smiled. It looked particrly holy, with light radiating from its body and petals dancing around itself. It looked to be beyond mortal ken.


    Serving as contrast to the gold-ted figurine was a huge ruler behind him.


    The gold-ted figurine was roughly three meters tall, and a four-meter tall ck ruler was strapped to its back. Blood and shadow burst forth asionally from it, as though it carried some incredible curse.


    Sun Xiaowu retorted, "Try me and see."


    The gold-ted figurine continued, "I can give you a chance. Leap off the arena and surrender now."


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "Why should I surrender against a foe I can easily win against?"


    "Arrogant, aren''t you? Let''s see if you have the strength to bolster your attitude." The figurine pointed a finger at Sun Xiaowu, causing a golden hoop to appear, as thick as an arm. It was formed from divine strength and would easily kill an ordinary cultivator.


    Sun Xiaowu suddenly phased out of and into existence.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    The golden clones leapt at the figurine, but they were quelled by a single golden finger. The figurine, his face calm, took a step forward. With each step, golden light red. The arena melted into goldenva¡ªthe aura of divinity.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    Strong though the [Goldenscale Palm] was, the figurine blocked it with a single finger. It shook its head. "Yourcking strength cannot support your arrogant attitude."


    "This isn''t all. [Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    The figurine folded its arms. "No matter how many times you try it, the oue will be the same."

 Chapter 1403: Rumors of Heaven

    <h4>Chapter 1403: Rumors of Heaven</h4>


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Where did this figurinee from?"


    Bu Wentian frowned as well. "It''s likely an ancient reliquary, perhaps from the fabled kingdom of Heaven?"


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    Each feather was like a divine sword, shining with radiance and surrounded with golden light.


    Golden aura billowed from the swords as the swords struck in an arc before them.


    Sun Xiaowu spurred the swords forward with all his energy, sweeping through heaven and earth alike.


    The divine figurine''s body glowed thickly with inteced runes. One of its hands suddenly magnified in size, transforming into a miniature world that was about to envelop the storm of swords.


    "Enter the kingdom of Heaven."


    The figurine''s golden palm was massive. At the heart of its palm was a shining gxy, as though a brand-new universe were being created amidst the void. The image was shocking.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy. His golden fist smashed apart the nascent world. The figurine huffed as light radiated from itself, its body suddenly seeming to be one of flesh and blood, crystalline all over. A thousand arms grew out of its body.


    Bu Wentian nodded in praise. "As expected of such a relic. Although the kingdom of Heaven has long since been destroyed, its machinations are unparalleled. I wonder if yourpanion can handle them?"


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    He rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he punched at his opponent.


    The figurine''s thousand hands blocked the golden qilin''s advance.


    Golden light erupted, instantly obliterating a hundred of the figurine''s arms.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward, leaving a deep injury in the figurine''s body.


    The figurine quaked. Its body glowed with light as its arms were reforged and its wounds closed. Even so, it had clearly lost the initiative.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into a thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha and caught the figurine''s arms. The figurine struggled, radiating divine light of shocking intensity.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Sun Xiaowu and the mechas behind him struck simultaneously, forming a resplendent river of golden des that cut down hundreds of the figurine''s arms.


    The gold-ted figurine nced severely at its opponent. "I''ve underestimated you. All who have made it this far in the Cup are strong indeed, but this is the end for you. I acknowledge your strength; against you, I will use my n relic."


    The figurine''s illusory arms vanished, leaving just one pair behind. It pulled out a blood ruler from its back, which shone with demonic light.


    Suddenly, the figurine''s aura changed. Its eyes and hair turned blood-red, so lurid it seemed as though blood would drip out at any moment. The demonic blood ruler shone like a crimson sun as the divine figure''s holiness transformed into diabolism.


    Its golden body turned ink-ck as it radiated bloody light. The specters of ghosts and demons ovepped its body, which seemed to have turned into mud from the abyssal depths. Its face turned malevolent and sinister, a vile sight to behold.


    Heaven and earth quivered as the figurine swung its ruler.


    Sun Xiaowu turned serious as he dodged the blood-red glow. The blood ruler seemed like an exceptionally dangerous weapon.


    "[Blinding sh: Self-Destruct]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s clones suddenly radiated with golden light so bright that the entire battlefield was illuminated, as though ten thousand suns had simultaneously appeared in the air. The next moment, they exploded in an explosion hundreds, thousands of times stronger than the [Golden Divides] had aplished.


    A frightening storm rose up, interspersed with golden des.


    Bloody aura burst from the figurine as it retreated. A demonic figure appeared behind the figurine, roaring as it shot toward Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!"


    The golden mechas exploded with golden radiance. Their forms dissipated into motes of golden light, which shot toward Sun Xiaowu''s own mecha and augmented it. It was asrge as the falling sun. It bent its arms as golden energy shone from its body and illuminated the heavens. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him. In his mecha form, augmented by his thousand clones all stacked atop each other, the might of his golden qilin grew by at least fifty times, if not a hundred.


    As Sun Xiaowu swung his fists forward, the golden qilin soared into the air.


    The qilin''s scales were radiant and shining with golden light, each like a miniature sun. It looked like a god descending from the heavens, its long whiskers floating in the void, surrounded by golden clouds, looking like a sculpture of gold.


    In Sun Xiaowu''s mecha form, the golden qilin he released grew to a staggering fifty thousand meters in height. The golden qilin radiated light, and was sorge that it almost filled up the entire arena.

 Chapter 1404: Dissipating Clouds

    <h4>Chapter 1404: Dissipating Clouds</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu''s qilin''s golden ws raked at the divine figurine, which retaliated with the demonic summoning behind itself.


    Yang Ze frowned. "A figurine of Heaven, you say? Perhaps it should be hell, instead..."


    The divine figurine roared. Its blood-red hair waved madly around its head. Its eyes were bloody moons. Like a great demon, it waved the ming red ruler in its hand, bathing the arena in bloody light interspersed with runes. It pushed aside a w asrge as a mountain.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each of which summoned a golden mecha.


    The golden mechas flew underneath the qilin in a golden flood.


    Radiant light shone from bothbatants in red and gold. This was a massive confrontation, like a volcanic eruption. The skies were filled with blinding light and runes.


    The divine figurine alone wouldn''t have been able to withstand Sun Xiaowu''s might, but the demonic ruler possessed unusual strength. It radiated bloody light like a red sun.


    Furthermore, the halo of blood around the ruler formed a demonic figure, one that encapsted the divine figurine within like armor. The figurine raised a hand, causing an intense aura to surge forth.


    Rather than the figurine wielding a weapon, it was more like the weapon was wielding the figurine. The demonic ruler was manipting the gold-ted figurine in battle, obliterating his mechas.


    The gigantic golden qilin pressed downward with ws the size of mountains, imparting tremendous pressure on the figurine.


    Bloody aura rose into the air, demonic qi surging like the sea. The transformation from divine to demon caused the figurine''s strength to increase by an order of magnitude, obliterating the qilin''s ws.


    Yang Ze murmured, "The remarkable strength of turning evil..."


    Fang Yi gaped. "It must have grown thirty times stronger!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s this ''Heaven'' that you''re talking about?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Long ago, there was a particrly powerful organization in the universe that went by the name of Heaven, Subsequently, the organization went crazy and annihted itself overnight. I think that this divine figurine might be a sessor to that organization, perhaps one of its remnant deities."


    Yang Ze asked, "How did the organization go crazy?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "Allegedly they began to kill people in a crazed fashion, or perhaps even each other. It''s been far too long for any records to survive save that it had to do with a certain weapon.


    "Kill, kill, kill!"


    After the divine figurine transformed into a demon, all that holy energy was likewise corrupted and converted into demonic qi.


    Killing intent filled the arena. The figurine had transformed into a pitch-ck demon that now rushed forward at Sun Xiaowu. It waved its demonic ruler,manding a frightening sea of blood.


    Blood filled the heavens as the spectators watched on with mounting fear. A sea of blood raged around the demon, transforming into a raging dragon that rampaged through the air.


    Countless ghosts of theherworld began to screech and scream shrilly. The bloody sea took on aspects of theherworld as demonic figures rose up from its depths.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Invincible Martial God]!


    The manifestation of the golden mecha shrunk and condensed around Sun Xiaowu, forming a resplendent golden suit of armor.


    Sun Xiaowu clenched his fists and considered his strength. "I once had a tutorial match with the person I respect most in this world. He told me that my techniques were too diffuse, that I was wasting a great deal of energy, correcting my long-held erroneous beliefs."


    The demonic figures that rose from the sea of blood were so dense that all the spectators felt a chill down their backs, let alone Sun Xiaowu himself.


    A majestic golden qilin swooped toward the divine figurine and shed into the sea of blood in an explosion of golden radiance that swamped the arena and the realm atrge. The spectators cried out as the demonic qi and bloody sea were vaporized.


    Sun Xiaowu, standing at the intersection of golden light and demonic qi, was calm and collected. He continued, "As it turns out, I was wrong. Concentrated strength is what matters, and there has to be an equilibrium between size and density."


    The sea of blood and golden light exploded, forming a backdrop around Sun Xiaowu. The sh of two titanic sets of forces seemed not to affect him at all.


    The demonic ruler cracked from the confrontation. Demonic qi surrounded it as the ruler broke apart the golden light. Blood waves flew toward Sun Xiaowu like roaring dragons.


    Against even a technique of this magnitude, Sun Xiaowu stood unmoved. "This is the improved version of the technique I spent a great deal of time and effort working on. Watch carefully, Captain!"


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward in a burst of golden light, sweeping away the demonic qi and bloody sea, along with the ghostly and demonic figures.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Ovepping runes,pressed to their extreme, surrounded Sun Xiaowu like golden armor. Encapsted in the armor, Sun Xiaowu looked holy and domineering. Golden light shot out in a beam.


    The golden light in the air formed des that struck at the malevolent demon.


    The demon howled, causing clouds of demonic qi to fill the air.


    Sun Xiaowu''s body was encased in a resplendent golden glow. Suddenly, a dragon emerged, coiling around him and transforming into the runes that guarded his body in a show of radiant light.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with scintiting light. Ayer of dense golden scales emerged over his skin. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    Most unusually, a pair of small golden horns formed over his forehead.


    This was a battle of epic scale. Rubble was flung into the air as sun, moon, and stars alike began to fall. As Sun Xiaowu sent a flurry of punches toward the demon, golden light caused the entire world to quake.


    The sea of blood roiled. The demonic ruler stirred up demonic qi and summoned ghostly figures from theherworld.


    The confrontation between the golden light and bloody sea caused a beam of ck light to shoot out from the sh, striking the barrier that protected the spectators and isted the arena from the stands and forming a hole in it in an explosion of ck aura and shards.


    The demon hadnded in the stands, its body flickering and barely maintaining its form.


    The crack on the demonic ruler had propagated into an obvious w. Demonic qi gushed out: the ruler''s might had only seemed to grow stronger, either because it was now exerting more of its strength, or because the hibernating demonic ruler had revived after a match of this magnitude...

 Chapter 1405: The Demonic Figurine

    <h4>Chapter 1405: The Demonic Figurine</h4>


    The demonic figurine was surrounded by a thickyer of demonic aura. The sea of blood roiled and shot into the sky as the spectators of light screamed. Corrupted by the demonic aura, they turned pitch-ck. Red light shot out from their eyes as, losing all rationality, they charged toward Sun Xiaowu.


    Bu Wentian gaped. "Hold on. This demonic ruler¡ª"


    Sun Xiaowu sped one hand behind his back. He waved his other hand in an arc. Golden light formed a storm that shattered all the figures of light before him.


    "Go!"


    The demonic figurine''s magic ruler began to emit a frightening aura as it swallowed up the spectators'' mental avatars and even the golden light that Sun Xiaowu gave off. The demonic figurine soared into the sky and began devouring the very Heavens.


    The spectators of light fled from the scene, fearing that they too would be corrupted.


    The demonic figurine opened its mouth wide. The demonic ruler vibrated violently as it attempted to consume the very gods.


    "[Blinding sh: Ten Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu split into ten thousand clones, each wearing radiant golden armor. It was difficult to identify which were real and which were fake.


    The demonic figurine rose into the air, the demonic ruler still in its grip. Whenever it struck down a golden clone, the demonic ruler would absorb the golden light that made it up, transforming it into pitch-ck demonic aura. Something within the ruler seemed to be reviving once more.


    "[Golden Divide: Thousand Feathers]!"


    The ten thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold.


    A golden hurricane suppressed the surging demonic aura. Countless golden feathers brushed by the demonic figurine, diminishing its aura.


    "With one thought, deify; with another, demonify," the demonic figurine shouted. The demonic aura receded to half its body, while the other gleamed with holy golden light.


    Half the figurine was demonic, radiating a demonic aura with a half-formed suit of bloody armor; the other half was deific, summoning five hundred holy palms.


    Thebination of the divine and the demonic gave rise to an explosive strength that trumped either whole.


    The demonic half of the figurine held a ruler in its hand. Demonic aura invoked a sea of blood. By the other side of the figurine, five hundred holy palms danced in the air, shining with radiant light that covered heaven and earth.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck thend. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light. An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body. Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The attacknded like a nuclear explosion. Golden light rose into the air, and the overwhelming radiance forced all the onlookers to shut their eyes. The attack pierced the ground in an explosion of light, as Sun Xiaowu sent a flurry of punches toward the figurine. The stars overhead began to fall.


    The sea of blood roiled. The demonic ruler stirred up demonic qi and summoned ghostly figures from theherworld.


    The confrontation between the golden light and bloody sea was overwhelming in scope. The demonic ruler had cracked in an earlier attack, and those cracks began to propagate. Arm after golden arm was sent flying. As golden light erupted, the figurine struck the edge of the arena and itself began to crack. The five hundred holy arms cracked and werepletely torn off by Sun Xiaowu.


    As the demonic ruler continued to crumble, when all the spectators thought that victory had been decided once and for all, an even more shocking demonic aura exploded forth from the figurine. The figurine''s holy half was instantly devoured and corrupted.


    The figurine''s long ck hair danced in the wind. Its eyes were blood-red, like those of a demon''s.


    As the demonic ruler continued to crack, the figurine seemed to discover something. It reached into the demonic ruler and pulled out a cknce of bone.


    Within moments, the temperature of the arena dropped to sub-zero values. The bonence was inscribed with countless ck runes and surrounded by a mist of demonic aura. Malevolent ghosts seemed to dance around thence, which shone with a sinister air. The figurine''s demonic and bloody auras roiled and dyed the entire sky dark scarlet.


    The arena vanished, reced by a sea of blood. The demonic aura raged on. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Countless ghosts and specters took shape in the raging sea,causing a chill to go down all the spectators'' backs.


    "Haha, haha!" The demonic figurine inclined his head and roared in madughter.


    Some of the spectators recognized the ck bonence. They went pale, their tone tinged with fear and disbelief.


    "What''s that weapon doing there?"


    "Hasn''t it already been destroyed?"


    "The disaster of Heaven..."


    Yang Ze, spectating from afar, asked, "What''s this?"


    "As expected, it was sealed inside..." Bu Wentian remarked.


    "Answer me, won''t you?" Yang Ze continued impatiently.


    "Remember what I said about the destruction of Heaven?"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "I do. Could it be that that bonence¡ª"


    Bu Wentian nodded. "That''s right. That''s the weapon that caused its destruction."


    No one could have anticipated that it would suddenly appear in the arena.


    The spectators murmured to each other, "The year that Heaven came into possession of the bonence, they tried to extinguish its demonic nature and reforge it as a divine artifact, transforming the demonic into the deific. After that, Heaven, which would boast two divine artifacts of incredible might, would instantly transform into an even stronger power than before.


    However, no one in Heaven could have expected that the bonence would be so sinister. It was filled with demonic aura, and those high-ranking members of Heaven that tried to purify it all went mad. In the end, the other forces saw an opportunity to destroy Heaven and took it. Wasn''t the bonence destroyed then?"


    "I heard a different variant. The high-ranking members of Heavenbined their strength to seal thence, being badly wounded in the process, and was then taken down by other forces."


    "To think that that frighteningnce has reappeared..."


    Sun Mengmeng asked worriedly, "Isn''t Xiaowu in grave danger, then?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "That''s not for certain. If the bonence were to make an appearance in reality, Sun Xiaowu wouldn''t have a chance, but in this virtual realm, it''s nothing more than a projection. Only a limited portion of its true power can be felt. Sun Xiaowu may still win."


    "Hahaha, hahaha!"


    The demonic figurine roared in madughter, all rationality having fled from its eyes.

 Chapter 1406: A Great Uproar

    <h4>Chapter 1406: A Great Uproar</h4>


    "Hahaha, hahaha!"


    The demonic figurine roared in madughter, all rationality having fled from its eyes.


    The demonic ruler had eroded at the figurine''s thought processes, and the ck bonence had only exacerbated it. "To think that I would have recovered the relic of Heaven during this battle, that it was sealed away in this demonic ruler! I truly have to thank you."


    The bonence shook and trembled in thirst. It wanted to feast on blood and soul.


    "Do you hear it? The bonence hungers for your soul. To thank you, let me make you its first sacrifice."


    The demonic figurine''s eyes were pulsing with blood. It had turned into nothing more than a madman.


    The figurine charged forward with the cknce in hand, pointed straight at the center of Sun Xiaowu''s forehead. A fearsome aura emanated from thence, and all the spectators felt as though they could hear the cries of the millions of condemned souls of hell.


    "A cursednce..." Sun Xiaowu''s gaze was ice-cold. He didn''t know about the origins of thence, but he could easily hear the screams of countless souls, trapped in the spear''s depths by the grievances they left behind in death.


    The spear had to have absorbed the grudges and grievances of millions of lifeforms.


    "For what you''ve done, you have to die." Sun Xiaowu''s voice was chilly in its calmness. His armored clones condensed into one body, shining as brightly as the stars and illuminating the dark-red sky.


    "[Blinding sh: Echo of Origins]!"


    With a low shout, the clones ovepped with Sun Xiaowu. A denseyer of golden runes appeared over his skin with a bright burst of gic energy. The figure of a mecha behind Sun Xiaowu grewrger andrger. Runes decorated his body, glowing behind his back like a burning sun.


    A hundred, two hundred, three hundred... a thousand, two thousand, three thousand meters¡ªSun Xiaowu''s growth showed no sign of stopping. As the mecha grew, so too did Sun Xiaowu''s own strength.


    Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand meters¡ªeveryone spectating watched Sun Xiaowu in awe.


    The mecha reached the maximum size that the virtual realm could tolerate.


    Sun Xiaowu''s [Blinding sh: Echo of Origins] had changed greatly from what he had used in his fight against Zhang Lie back in the third realm. The golden light was so concentrated it almost seemed solid, and it was surrounded with golden runes.


    The ck bonence thrust into the golden radiance. Despite its fearsome prating power, its seeming invincibility, it was unable to pass through the golden armor.


    Sun Xiaowu made his move then, shing against thence, which emitted ck soulfire. Golden light radiated through the sky. The figurine flipped backwards, vomiting out blood.


    The spectators gaped. An ordinary cultivator struck by the bonence would fall dead on the spot and transformed into part of thence''s power.


    However, Sun Xiaowu had survived such a fate and even caused the spear''s wielder to vomit out blood. The disparity in strength was beyondpare.


    Thence wasn''t weak, but the demonic figurine was unable to draw out its full strength after such a drawn-out battle.


    Having lost its rationality, the figurine could not even consider the prospect of surrendering. ck mist surged around it,posed of millions of unfortunate souls, as it attacked once again.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Shattersoul]!"


    The mecha''s golden fists glimmered with radiance, and golden runes circled them. The light burned like mes. The souls were pushed apart, and the fists even caused the cursednce''s projection to crack.


    The demonic figurine gathered thest of its strength and tossed thence toward Sun Xiaowu like a bolt of ck lightning. The shrill scream of souls followed in its wake.


    "Open!" Sun Xiaowu''s body glowed with light as golden feathers floated into the air.


    "[Golden Divide: the Radiant Sun]!"


    Light flooded the sky. Golden radiance, bright and dense as an ocean, fell in a flood.


    The ck bonence stopped short before him, blocked by golden runes, before shattering in a burst of ck me.


    The mecha shone with blinding light like an incandescent sun as it punched forward. Golden runes whirled about its surface. The demonic figurine exploded into fine mist.


    The gctic forums were in an uproar.


    "This is an incredible match! To think that that cursed bonence would make an appearance again..."


    "Just who is that cultivator, to have beat the sessor of Heaven?"


    "That''s no sessor of Heaven, just a remnant figurine that somehow developed intelligence. It bore a few tricks of Heaven and gave itself that nickname."


    "But that bonence is the real thing!"


    "To be honest, by the end of the battle, the figurine was already badly wounded. If it had begun using the bonence at full strength, the oue of the battle might be different."


    "A victory is a victory¡ªthat''s all there is to it."


    "Have you all noticed that the figurine''s opponent looks rather familiar?"


    "It must be a member of some famous race¡ªhold on, isn''t that the same race as the dark horse''s?"


    "Another dark horse?"


    "Two dark horses have already appeared during the qualifiers for this iteration of the Cup. One managed to defeat the so-called invincible member of the Srvine race, while the other defeated the child of Divinity Qinglian. The first one bears the nickname ''the darkest of dark horses'', or so I''m told."


    "You''re not saying that all the dark horsese from the same race, are you?"


    "Just what race is this?"


    "Many gxies are trying to find out. They''ll seed sooner orter."


    "I heard that this race was present centuries, even millennia, ago. It''s an ancient race."


    Someone suddenly shouted, "Go look! Thatnce-wielder''s going mad!"


    Back in the dimensional realm, after the conclusion of the match, Zhang Lie sighed in musing. "Our Xiaowu really has grown much stronger, hasn''t he?"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "If the battle is over, shouldn''t Sun Xiaowu already be back? Where is he?"


    Bu Wentian pointed at Sun Xiaowu''s apparatus. "He''s in that coffin."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Could something have gone wrong?"


    If the battle was over, Sun Xiaowu should be out by now. Zhang Lie couldn''t help but worry.


    Bu Wentian nched as he thought of a possibility. "Could it be... No... But perhaps..."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What do you know?"


    Bu Wentian wasn''t certain. His face was serious as he murmured, "That bonence might be harder to deal with than I expected."


    Sun Mengmeng instantly turned anxious. "What do you mean?"


    Bu Wentian continued, "The bonence might have affected Sun Xiaowu directly even through his protective gold-attuned armor. Sun Xiaowu''s mental avatar might be contesting the bonence''s might at the moment."

 Chapter 1407: A Bad Influence

    <h4>Chapter 1407: A Bad Influence</h4>


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What do we do?"


    Zhang Lie''s face was serious. "Can we open up the apparatus?"


    Yang Ze raised his hand. "I think there''s another exnation for all this."


    The three hunters looked over. Yang Ze continued, "Sun Xiaowu must have gone to watch the next match."


    Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng: ...


    Yang Ze continued, "Didn''t we agree that we would take turns entering the arena? Li Feng''s match has just started."


    Bu Wentian: "If nothing else, Sun Xiaowu''s mental condition is stable. If there were any instability, the apparatus would re in warning. If it were serious, he would be ejected directly."


    Zhang Lie and Sun Mengmeng: ...


    Sun Mengmeng grimaced. "So your guess was mistaken?"


    Zhang Lie sighed in relief. "Don''t scare us like that!"


    Yang Ze replied, "Your anxiety caused you to jump to the wrong conclusions."


    The three hunters agreed.


    Yang Ze walked toward his own apparatus. "Well, let''s go and watch Li Feng''s match too."


    The hunters stepped back inside into the virtual realm to cheer for Li Feng.


    By the time they connected to the realm again, the match had already started. Li Feng''s opponent was tall and slender, lithe and muscr, surrounded by fulgent light that hid their appearance. All that was revealed was a pair of electric eyes, the pupils of which were two glowing runes.


    "Who''s that opponent?" Yang Ze asked.


    "Why does thispetitor have two runes in their eyes?" Sun Mengmeng murmured.


    A spectator beside them snickered. "You really don''t know anything, do you? This is a natural phenomenon. He''s known to be one of the strongest of the younger generation in the gxy."


    Zhang Lie asked, "How does hepare to that so-called invincible member of the Srvines?"


    "I thought they wereparable, but that doesn''t seem to be the case anymore. Among the newer generation, he''s known as an insurmountable mountain, whom only the geniuses kept away from the public eye by the strongest forces of the gxy can hope to defeat!"


    "What''s his name?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Immortal King!"


    "That''s a title, isn''t it?"


    "No, that''s his name. It''s one that everyone in the gxy will remember."


    Yang Ze scoffed. "Is that so? I wonder if his skill matches his name, then."


    The spectator was clearly familiar with Immortal King''s history.


    "He isn''t the first-generation Immortal King."


    Zhang Lie and the others looked perplexed, so the spectator continued, "Apart from him, there were eight other Immortal Kings in the Hall of Immortals, all of whom were the strongest of their generation."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In that case, Immortal King might as well be a title rather than a name. Is every sessor of the Hall of Immortals called Immortal King?"


    The spectator nodded. "You can think of it that way."


    "How else?"


    The spectator continued, "There is only one Immortal King of every generation, but none have ever been able to pass the final trial of the Hall of Immortals and transcend into a true king of deities. They gave their lives for the cause, but even that was insufficient. This Immortal King is different. One ancient immortal of the Hall of Immortals has predicted that the ninth Immortal King will seed in the trial and lead the Hall of Immortals to glory forevermore."


    His posture alone differentiated him from amon cultivator. Runes shed into existence around him. His ck hair was scattered, and he wielded a halberd of void. He looked down at the gathered spectators with pride and dominance, evoking fear in those whom his gaze met.


    The ninth Immortal King pointed his halberd toward the high heavens, the divine light in his eyes shining. He looked invincible.


    The halberd shed at the void, billowing with killing intent as it swung at Li Feng.


    The fight began just like that.


    The halberd hurtled toward its target with a divine chime.


    Although the twobatants had started out with quite some distance between them, the ninth Immortal King boasted surpassing strength, and he had reached Li Feng near-immediately.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    A divine hymn shook the heavens. Ruby light arced from the halberd, red as fresh blood. The void halberd was a fearsome weapon that gave off overwhelming light. Just this one blow was enough to make the heavens tear and crack. Divine runes manifested all around the Immortal King with an earth-shattering explosion.


    Li Feng''s entire body shook. He had met the swing of the halberd with his longsword, but the blow was fierce enough that his arms ached and shuddered in pain. This was truly a strong cultivator.


    His physical strength and constitution alone was frightening enough; it was almost as though he was a dragon in human form.


    The ninth Immortal King was shocked that his opponent seemed unhurt.


    Without any dy, however, the halberd swung toward Li Feng once more in a sh of scintiting light that illuminated the heavens. It was clearly a relic. To the halberd, a distance of hundreds of meters might as well be a handspan away.


    The halberd seemed to strike at Li Feng''s neck with a spray of blood, shocking the spectators. Was that blood? His head had fallen to the ground!


    Everyone held their breath. If they were in Li Feng''s shoes, would they have survived that blow?


    The spray of light spread out and diffused like a mist of blood.


    "The match is over. The ninth Immortal King is truly invincible!" one spectator shouted. The sessor of the Hall of Immortals had finished his opponent in just two consecutive strikes!


    This was a true paragon of battle, whose prowess was so fearsome that the spectators shuddered in fear. Who could stand against him? He was invincible!


    Wasn''t that Li Feng''s blood in the arena?


    The spectators'' hearts pumped.


    "That was too fast. The Immortal King is truly invincible!"


    "No, you''re all mistaken," an elderly spectator called back.


    The scarlet light red like blood, but it wasn''t blood. A figure still stood where the halberd had struck, his head firmly connected to the rest of his body.


    The spectators cried out in shock. "How could this be!"


    Blood flowed down, shining with silver light, from the edge of a sword. The one who had been struck was the ninth Immortal King! The halberd had beheaded Li Feng, but it neither flew away nor fell. Instead, it hung floating in the air.


    Before the ninth Immortal King was a beheaded Li Feng; behind the ninth Immortal King was another Li Feng.


    No one could believe what they were seeing. They wiped at their eyes, thinking that something had to be wrong with their vision.


    The only one who understood what was going on was Zhang Lie and the others.


    Yang Ze grinned with his teeth. "Li Feng''s bing just as bad as me!"


    Li Feng gazed calmly forward with a smile. "I have a fewpanions who are exceptional with illusions, and I learned a few tricks from them."

 Chapter 1408: The Dark Horse Race

    <h4>Chapter 1408: The Dark Horse Race</h4>


    In the final moment before the strike, in what seemed like nothing more than a sh but which Li Feng had nned out well in advance, Li Feng created an illusion of himself in the path of the halberd.


    He had seen Yang Ze and Sun Xiaowu use this tactic many times over, and from their usual spars, after having to guard against their illusions and avatars once and again, Li Feng learned a few tricks for himself.


    The spectators were still in an uproar over what had happened. The halberd''s swing was too rapid; anyone else would surely have been killed on the spot. This was what was frightening about the ninth Immortal King, who was able tounch such blows in a sh.


    And yet, in that same sh of time, Li Feng had both managed to respond to that attack and counterattack. None of the spectators thought they would have been able to do as well, and they couldn''t help but be deeply impressed.


    Li Feng had attempted to behead the ninth Immortal King, but it had failed. The ninth Immortal King snapped his fingers. The blood that had dripped from his body formed humanoid lifeforms held together by divine light, whose bones and tendons were reinforced by the arcane substance. Each was exceptionally strong.


    "You''ll have to pay for making me bleed." The ninth Immortal King swung his halberd around him, forcing Li Feng to retreat as the silverblood entities struck at him.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!" Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors, sweeping them away.


    The ninth Immortal King reoriented his head, which had almost been beheaded from its body, in proper position. Silver blood gleamed and scabbed over as the wound quickly healed.


    "It looks like I underestimated you."


    The ninth Immortal King struck again, fast as lightning. The halberd shone in zing light. A phoenix unfurled its wings from around the halberd in a burst of bright me, red as blood.


    The phoenix soared up and looked down from high above.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!"


    Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air, shing against the phoenix in an explosion of light that spread throughout the arena.


    Just then, Li Feng attacked at full force.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly as a gxy seemed to unfold around Li Feng.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any spectator dizzy.


    Bolstered by divine radiance, the ninth Immortal King swung his halberd in a tight arc, raising it like a shield. It gave off silver and red light in a brilliant re, like a phoenix''s rebirth.


    The blow was apanied by a phoenix''s shrill cry, a spiritual attack whose might could be felt even by the spectators. They sucked in a deep breath.


    The sh of metal against metal rang incessant. Starlight burst. The phoenix cried. The skies were dyed red, and stardust fell from the skies.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that seemed like it could part the very sea.


    The ninth Immortal King blocked the attack with the haft of his halberd, moving so quickly it was beyond what an ordinary hunter could handle.


    The spectators'' ears buzzed as space distorted and lightning seemed to sh from the heavens¡ª but it was only a sh between the two cultivators, with sparks from their weapons grinding against each other, and thunder from the impact.


    Everyone was shocked that there was an unknown cultivator who could go head to head with the sessor of the Hall of Immortals, and who even seemed to be on par with him.


    Li Feng swung his de once again.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!"


    Li Feng soared into the air, propelling himself upward with every cloud he stepped on. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air.


    The ninth Immortal King swung his halberd, apanied by the cry of a phoenix. He was encapsted by the outline of a phoenix as divine light red from him. He shot forward.


    The spectators watched on with bated breath.


    Neitherbatant spoke. From the very beginning, they had met each other weapon for weapon. There was no need for words. The blistering pace enraptured the spectators.


    The continuous sh was almost impossible to bear; the spectators felt as though their eardrums were close to bursting. Radiant light emanated from the ninth Immortal King, apanied by frightening mist that seemed like chaotic energy.


    The sh between Li Feng and the ninth Immortal King was like a heavenly tribtion.


    Li Feng himself was shocked by the strength of the opponent he had encountered. His arms were sore and numb, but he believed that his opponent was suffering just as much as he was. The runes in his opponent''s eyes were shing in deep surprise.


    A spectator remarked, "The ninth Immortal King is truly fearsome. As long as the sessors of the strongest ns remain in seclusion, who would be able to fight against him? But his opponent''s no trifling matter, either. Just who is he?"


    "I''ve never seen that race before."


    "It sounds like the rumored dark horse race."


    "Their original form is that of a horse?"


    "No¡ªthey''re being referred to as the hunters of the strong."


    Zhang Lie was speechless. What nonsense was this?


    "You''re very strong," the ninth Immortal King murmured. His ck hair draped around his shoulders, and his whole body was shielded with divine runes. He looked like an immortal descending from the heavens, invincible and withoutpare.


    He defended against Li Feng''s strongest attacks with ease, even despite the shock in his eyes. He was calm and collected, as though everything was within his control.


    "But you are not stronger than me," the ninth Immortal King asserted, then struck again.


    With another ear-splitting sh, Li Feng''s arms went numb, and the p of skin between thumb and forefinger began to bleed. Li Feng sucked in a deep breath. This was a difficult opponent indeed.


    He stared at the opponent''s palms, wanting to see if he too were bleeding. However, the ninth Immortal King''s flesh was shielded by divine runes, and he couldn''t see a thing.


    Regardless, Li Feng believed that it was indeed the case.


    "Amazing. He''s held on for a few dozen blows against the ninth Immortal King by now!" a spectator called out. It was clear just how highly the Immortal King was valued among peers of his generation. Any who could even survive such a sh against him had to be strong themselves.


    The sh of metal continued to ring out as the fight continued intensely.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Realm of Heaven]!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars. Holy hymns echoed around him, and the concentrated energy manifested as outspread wings to his back.


    He seemed to be right beside his opponent, but simultaneously a world apart¡ªin a dimension beyond. Spatial maniption!


    A hundred dragons wrapped around Li Feng''s sword, and his light-attuned gic energy was formingplicated patterns around him. Light swirled around him, as though manifesting in the form of illusions, as he swung his de down.

 Chapter 1409: Divine Phoenix

    <h4>Chapter 1409: Divine Phoenix</h4>


    "[Manifold Gates of Heaven]!"


    Radiant white light exploded from the point of impact, the holy light of heaven. Li Feng''s sword shed apart the gates, unleashing concentrated light.


    The ninth Immortal King''s halberd turned blood-red as a phoenix took to the air, its feathers a lurid red. It gave off a zing ruby light that shed against the sword technique in the air. Golden light shone bright, and silver light scattered. Li Feng''s arclight dragons keened.


    Brave and fierce, Li Feng continued fighting, longsword in hand.


    The sh of metal shook the very heavens. By now, thebatants had exchanged over sixty blows. This was amon experience for ordinary cultivators, but one too rare for the sessor of the Hall of Immortals.


    Some spectators had initially believed that the ninth Immortal King would take down his opponent within just a few blows, only to be surprised by Li Feng''s endurance and strength.


    The spectators watched on avidly.


    With a whir, the void resonated as the halberd vanished, tearing apart ayer of space and suddenly appearing by the joint of Li Feng''s arm, as if about to cripple him.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    Li Feng attacked relentlessly, unheeding of his injuries.


    Li Feng struck with his sword. A river of holy light seemed to trail behind him, and arclight dragons could be seen amidst the light. The source of the river was a pair of ornate doors. As those doors opened up, countless arclight dragons poured out from behind the doors, forming a concentrated river of light.


    Suddenly, with a sh, that white light was bisected.


    Countless whirlwinds of sword energy were manifesting before him. The holy dragons that had been summoned in a dense horde were obliterated in bursts of white light.


    The white light shot out all around like sharp des. Millions of holy dragons transformed into millions of des, more concentrated than even raindrops in a storm.


    The phoenix soared into the air, red as blood, shining with golden light in a scene of surprising beauty. It blocked the blow and resolved the danger.


    The divine light emerged once more as the resplendent halberd swung in a loop, forming an eternal sun.


    Li Feng''s gaze was severe as infinite radiance blossomed.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    Silvery-white gic energy burst forth as Li Feng raised the sword in his hand high into the air, as though a god were descending on the world.


    The entire sky was overshadowed by a silvery-white glow that faced off against the golden light.


    Holy hymns began to ring through the air. The hymns seemed to pierce straight through the soul, until the spectators felt suddenly at ease, as though there was no strife with which to concern themselves.


    Many of the spectators suddenly stilled upon hearing the music, caught dazed off-guard. Even the ninth Immortal King was momentarily stunned. The eternal sun vanished as his halberd stopped short in mid-air.


    Like waves, the silver glow pulsed forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. Each silver wave morphed into an arclight dragon, soaring through the air.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. Countless arclight dagons soared through the sky, which thundered amidst forks of white lightning. It looked as though a holy world were forming in the sky.


    Li Feng struck. A holy storm raged around him. Sword energy manifested as trailing dragons. A god descended as the heavens raged, as lightning forked through the air.


    Li Feng''s de arced through the air andnded like a heavenly tribtion. Thousands of holy dragons smote the Immortal King. The crackling of thunder covered up the sound of hymns, as though it was a requiem for the world.


    The sessor of the Hall of Immortals quickly regained his senses as his gaze turned ardent. Strands of hair flew in the wind. He looked like a gode down from heaven, invincible and deific.


    As he breathed out, heunched into motion, spurring forth his void halberd.


    "My goodness!"


    "This is his signature void sh!"


    The spectators were yelling in shock at the amazing sight.


    Many stumbled back instinctively, as though they were facing some sort of wild beast.


    This was the fearsome aspect of the Immortal King''s void halberd. When used at peak strength, it was able to cause immense destruction as it tore apart the void and triggered an explosion.


    The resulting destruction was difficult to imagine; even a god might die from such an attack. No one believed that Li Feng would survive. Countless divine weapons had fallen, rent asunder, by this void halberd, transforming into nothing more than scrap metal.


    The void sh seemed like an indefensible attack, and it was indeed so. Even the strongest opponent would be killed.


    The void halberd gleamed like crystal as it gave off immense energy. As the Immortal King shed at the horde of holy dragons, the void split apart and ignited arge explosion.


    All the spectators stepped back instinctively, worried that the virtual realm might copse again.


    Shockingly, however, although the void did crack open and the void sh seemed poised to release its awesome power, it did so within a localized space, a pocket dimension forged with light-attuned gic energy. The void sh shattered the world, but it had been sealed from the virtual realm atrge.


    A bolt of holy lightning shot toward the Immortal King.


    "Hm?"


    This oue caused many of the spectators to gape in shock. Li Feng''s counterattack, like a heavenly tribtion, was far stronger than anticipated.


    The ninth Immortal King retaliated at full strength. The lightning in his deific armor surged forth in a huge serpent of lightning, a phoenix of purple me.


    Thousands of holy dragons exploded in the resulting storm.


    The spectators gasped. The sh between lightning and lightning was incredibly destructive.


    Li Feng''s holy dragons quashed the electric serpent, and his sword sh cut off the phoenix''s wings. The lightning imbued in Li Feng''s sword arced toward the ninth Immortal King, causing his body to tremble. His body exploded in divine light, infusing his armor with energy as he attempted to block.


    Lightning crackled, and silver feathers flew through the air in a storm. The Immortal King''s divine armor grew crystalline, radiating with light as it absorbed Li Feng''s attack.


    The silver feathers gave off a blinding glow. Each feather boasted the same energy that Li Feng had emitted.

 Chapter 1410: Divine Embrace

    <h4>Chapter 1410: Divine Embrace</h4>


    Someone recognized that armor with a sudden cry.


    "That''s Divine Embrace!"


    Allegedly, the Hall of Immortals had some sort of connection with deities and immortals possessing the secret of eternal life, with cultivation techniques of overwhelming might that could absorb the power of lightning and transform it into energy.


    Li Feng''s heart thumped. His opponent was truly strong indeed, with energy as vast as the roaring ocean. Not only that, he was d in a mysterious armor that was able to absorb lightning of all forms, natural or otherwise. It would be difficult to take him down.


    "Break!" The ninth Immortal King''s voice was deep andmanding, just like a deity descending from the heavens.


    His void halberd trembled violently as it tore the void apart. A cross-shaped scar appeared in the air. Destructive energy filled the arena as the void energy exploded, poised to tear it all apart.


    The energy that the ninth Immortal King possessed was shocking in its density and scope. The spectators found chills running down their backs, as though the apocalypse was nigh.


    The cross-shaped scar in the void exploded in a ze of endless light. In the face of divine radiance, all would be scoured clean.


    Even so, a shocking phenomenon urred.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Annihtion]!"


    A silver dragon manifested around Li Feng''s de.


    The dragon''s howl shook the air. Li Feng activated his sword technique, forming the impression of a true arclight dragon that raised its head to the heavens and roared. The nascent energy trembled.


    Though the void exploded, the explosion was torn apart. No destruction could spread and hurt Li Feng.


    Li Feng raised his sword and struck at the void halberd.


    "[Striking Sun and Moon]!"


    Li Feng unleashed a devastating strike as bright as the zing sun.


    The sword shed the sky, and the stars fell. Sword energy red, and for a moment, it seemed like even the sky was about to be bisected.


    The ninth Immortal King blocked the blow with his halberd in an explosion of the void. The sword energy caused even the stars to explode.


    Li Feng engaged in a melee and punched forward with a fist, and the ninth Immortal King responded with the same. He was prideful and confident, and rightly so.


    The twobatants'' fists smashed together, illuminating the heavens in divine light. The intense wave of energy that resulted from the sh cracked the arena at their feet in a frightening explosion.


    Blood dyed the air red.


    Li Feng''s hand was bruised, battered, and bleeding.


    The ninth Immortal King''s calm countenance slipped. His hand, too, was bleeding.


    "What? How could the sessor to the Hall of Immortals have received such an injury? This is unprecedented! Just who is this challenger?!" a loyal, long-time servant of the Hall of Immortals cried out. "This must be one of the secluded geniuses of the strongest factions!"


    His face suddenly paled.


    "[The Boundless de: Shattered Sun]!"


    Sword energy roiled. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight and reced it with a silver glow, transmuting that sunlight into something that boosted Li Feng''s strength. The sword energy tore apart the sky.


    Sword and halberd met in a spray of silver light and ruby-red blood. Even the bones of the twobatants'' fingers began to crack.


    The ninth Immortal King released his fists. His blood shone with silver radiance, encapsting overwhelming strength. A deific mist formed around him, emanating waves of such energy that all the spectators shivered.


    What was this? Everyone was shocked.


    "My blood does not flow freely," the ninth Immortal King stated.


    He stood amidst the void, surrounded by runes of blinding light. The blood that fell from him transformed into a silver humanoid figure, giving off an indomitable aura.


    Bypassing the constraints of space, it shed right up to Li Feng, prepared to kill him in one blow.


    The Immortal King''s blood was itself a treasure beyond any measure, boasting tremendous energy. The silverblood lifeforms that formed were tremendously strong, with bones and tendons forged of divine light. Each drop of blood manifested as such a lifeform.


    "Kill him!" the ninth Immortal Kingmanded.


    This was a bloodline power. The silver blood was streaked with gold flecks, vibrant and splendid.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "This virtual space really is impressive, to even be able to capture bloodline effects. It''s difficult to tell reality from simtion."


    "[The Boundless de: the Trembling World]!"


    Sword energy roiled. An arclight dragon reared its head. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight.


    The sword energy grew brighter and brighter, until it surpassed sun, moon, and stars in light. The will of the sword seemed to manifest physically into the form of a dragon that made to rip apart heaven and earth.


    Space shattered and stars fell like rain.


    A series of explosions rang out as the silverblood lifeforms'' runes red. As though burning with divine me, they gave off tremendous energy.


    "Break his defenses!" the ninth Immortal Kingmanded, tossing out the void halberd in a long arc.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    The void shook as the ninth Immortal King''s body red with light, sealing space in his vicinity. Even time seemed to stop. The light was red as blood. A ball of blood transformed into a bright red phoenix, which cried out as it unfurled its wings.


    "[Holy Dragon Transformation]!"


    Silver light dyed the entire world. Gic energy swept over Li Feng''s body and manifested as a denseyer of silver scales, like a suit of silver armor. Antlers grew out of his head, and his hair turned a radiant silver.


    Li Feng gatheredrge quantities of light-attuned gic energy, more than what he could reasonably bear, for a moment of explosive strength.


    He shed forward with his sword, the radiant energy manifesting like a dragon. Under the effect of his [Holy Dragon Transformation], Li Feng''s speed increased to such an extreme that a thousand afterimages seemed to trail him.


    A thousand sword shes tore apart the phoenix in a moment.


    Even the ninth Immortal King was shocked by Li Feng''s speed.


    "It looks like my bloodline isn''t pure enough. I''ll have to purify it more," he murmured.


    Even so, it was sufficient. At his signal, the silverblood lifeforms around him transformed back into drop after drop of blood, filling the sky with divine radiance. These orbs of blood, shing silver, transformed into dense patterns that formed a seal in a spherical region around Li Feng.


    "Ninth Immortal King''s Nine Seals!" he shouted. Silver light billowed around him with shes of gold. A divine aura suffused the arena.


    Even the spectators in the stands had chills. This was an unfathomable strength, as though a pocket world had been established with no way out. This was a prison, an impregnable one!


    In the void, each drop of blood corresponded to a single rune. Silver and golden light red with blinding radiance, like a divine me roaring to life, surrounding Li Feng and sealing him away.

 Chapter 1411: Divine Prison

    <h4>Chapter 1411: Divine Prison</h4>


    In the void, each drop of blood corresponded to a single rune. Silver and golden light red with blinding radiance, like a divine me roaring to life, surrounding Li Feng and sealing him away.


    The blood was transforming into a prison, the likes of which could not be broken.


    "This... this looks like an ancient ptial hall!"


    The spectators all stumbled back, shocked to no end by the mysterious aura that it gave off. They felt as though their avatars might very well be sucked in if they were too near.


    The golden runes inteced and formed nine seals, each like a golden de piercing the void and sealing everything within.


    The ninth Immortal King made gestures with both hands to control the divine prison, which shone with zing light.


    Some sharp-eyed spectators instantly recognized that the prison seemed to be modeled off the legendary copper Hall of Deities, and had been constructed as a facsimile of it.


    "A deific prison... what fearsome strength." Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. Even he would have to think twice about crossing this man.


    The ninth Immortal King and his nine seals wove a web of arcane mystery. It could condense into the form of a copper hall to serve as a prison, ultimately distilling his enemies into essence.


    "You were a strongbatant, but s," the ninth Immortal King remarked. He stood in the void and observed all that stood before him.


    His silver blood zed with energy, trapping Li Feng within the deific prison and starting to subdue him.


    The ninth Immortal King continued makingplicated gestures with his hands, forming deific mes that burned the interior of the copper hall to a crisp.


    Li Feng''s sword energy did nothing against the hall; the prison was sturdier than he had expected.


    "What? The nine seals of the Immortal King?" Some of the strongest guests were well aware of the strength of these ancient seals.


    "The most mysterious and frightening of the powers vested in the Hall of Deities is but these seals. Each Immortal King adds their own seal to the technique, and the nine seals represent the history of the Hall of Deities itself."


    Countless geniuses had perished as a result of this technique, which seemed almost impossible to resolve.


    At that point, there weren''t even nine seals, just one, two, three, four¡ªbut even so, no cultivator had been able to break out. Many spectators thought that it would be a miracle if Li Feng were to survive the ordeal at all, let alone overturn the foregone conclusion of victory.


    Everyone watched on with bated breath.


    The other spectators realized just how strong the ninth Immortal King was. They paid full attention to the fight unfolding before them.


    The ninth Immortal King touched the hall with one finger. Divine radiance red, erupting from the seal like a thousand volcanoes. The sudden resplendence disoriented the spectators as all the Immortal King''s divine aura surged toward the hall in the void, suppressing Li Feng.


    Simultaneously, his eyes began to glow. The whites of his eyes were like those of any other cultivator, but his pupils mysteriously took the form of shining runes, like a molten sun, like the formation of a supernova, giving off endless, intense light.


    Silver light limned with gold shot out from the pupils straight at the hall, burning it whole with deific radiance.


    The aura around the ninth Immortal King surged. Many spectators couldn''t help but tremble at the force of his might.


    "Let''s stop the match here. I''ll store you within this relic," the ninth Immortal King stated. His eyes glowed with even more resplendent runes, and a miniature copper hall appeared in his hands.


    The miniature was palm-sized and bore an ancient, natural appearance. He tossed the relic straight toward Li Feng. It grewrger as it moved,bining into a cohesive whole with the divine light.


    As the two techniques merged, a blinding light came from the arena, like divine me burning.


    "This hall..."


    The spectators quailed against the might of the copper hall, which seemed as though it could seal away one and all.


    Li Feng frowned. As expected, his opponent had used a relic in order to subdue and kill him quickly, hence ending the fight.


    "[The Boundless de: Godkiller]!"


    Silver radiance swept forward in a tide, like a whole herd of holy dragons.


    That silver light, imbued with golden threads, formed a mysterious sea, simultaneously real and illusory, which existed in between both realms.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it. The intersection of the real and the illusory¡ªLi Feng''s strengthbined both domains. Thousands of holy dragons swept across the sky. His strength surpassed time and space, the real and the illusory.


    Time became meaningless. The technique affected not just time, but space and even reality itself. In the virtual realm, it seemed to grow even stronger.


    "Seal!"


    The ninth Immortal King nched, sensing the threating from his attack. He would have to stop Li Feng before he could release this blow.


    The ninth Immortal King shouted as he attempted to spur the hall onward with his qi. Then, he swung his halberd straight down toward the front.


    Lightning burst forth, filling up the entire arena, so scintiting that the spectators thought that they might go blind.


    The might of the lightning was beyond imagination, and it was even apanied by a special curse.


    A silvery-white glow, blinding in its intensity, exploded from Li Feng''s body. The shockwaves that emanated from his body were so intense as to distort space. They roared through the air like thundering dragons, turning the sky white.


    The lightning dissipated the white glow and killed dragon after dragon before striking Li Feng himself, who was grievously injured. His mental essence seeped out of his wounds.


    Li Feng''s back was drenched with sweat. Electric currents and crystalline flecks surrounded him, and even his nostrils shone with miniature arcs.


    The lightning infused with immortal qi was far too destructive than he could handle. All that power was expended in a single instant. No one would be able to withstand such a blow, not even the attacker himself.


    The sessor of the Hall of Immortals was likewise struck with the lightning. Its body turned pitch-ck and gave off a wisp of smoke. Suddenly, as his body began shining again like armor, in a fan of golden energy.


    The lightning struck the Hall of Immortal''s armor, captured by its body. Silver feathers revolved around the point of impact, giving off a silver glow.

 Chapter 1412: The Nine Seals of the Immortal King

    <h4>Chapter 1412: The Nine Seals of the Immortal King</h4>


    Lightning crackled, and silver feathers flew through the air in a storm. The Immortal King''s divine armor grew crystalline.


    It was Li Feng''s turn to cough up blood. It remained suspended in the air before transforming into grains and dissipating into the environment.


    Lightning fell like a waterfall from the void, drenching him whole. The momentum alone was difficult to bear.


    As the lightning fell, Li Feng''s light-attuned gic energy dimmed. An arcane energy surrounded him.


    "A curse!" a spectator shouted.


    The malicious curses imbued within the lightning fell toward Li Feng like a waterfall, causing him to spit out blood as he frowned. He had been struck by a curse.


    Divine mes were all around him and cursed lightning above him, attempting to distill him at the same time. Being trapped in this copper hall was a prolonged death sentence.


    An ordinary cultivator would already have been killed, but Li Feng and the members of Team Zenith were exceptionally strong hunters that managed to hold on, if only barely.


    As Li Feng punched forward, light-attuned gic energy transformed into a raging flood. Thick, concentrated energy, like roaring dragons and galloping steeds, like sharp des piercing heaven and earth, fell from the sky.


    The entire hall shook. The lightning above him dissipated, and sword energy pierced through the copper hall as it struck.


    The spectators gaped.


    This unknownbatant had managed to extricate himself from the Immortal King''s nine seals at full power! No cultivator across the ages had ever done so. Just who was thisbatant?


    Sword energy based in reality and in illusion pierced through the copper hall. Li Feng''s sword, transformed from a soulshard, was unable to take the strain and shattered.


    Even so, before Li Feng could escape from the copper hall, the ninth Immortal King shed forward, a pair of lightning wings appearing to his back. He sent a flurry of punches toward Li Feng.


    In an explosion of blood, the two cultivators sent dozens of punches at each other, both their fists bruised and bleeding.


    The melee continued, neither side gaining a decisive advantage. The two cultivators emerged from the copper hall.


    Scintiting lightning from both sides exploded in the void, recapitting an earlier scene of the battle.


    Li Feng spat out blood, charred from the lightning strike he had just endured. His body turned an unusual color, marking the activation of the curse.


    The ninth Immortal King''s armor, Divine Embrace, was able to manipte lightning. Fighting in the midst of a field of lightning was undoubtedly disadvantageous.


    Li Feng was suffering from the corrosion of a curse, while the ninth Immortal King was bolstered by his relics. Even if he suppressed the curse with his own gic energy, if he couldn''te up with a means of defeating the Immortal King, he would eventually fall.


    Despite the particr advantage that light-attuned gic energy had against curses, maintaining the suppression couldn''t be an effective solution.


    The ninth Immortal King rushed over once again, forcing Li Feng into a melee. Blood was sent flying into the air as both cultivators'' fistsnded solidly.


    The two cultivators'' legs tangled up in a rain of blood.


    The ninth Immortal King''s eyes were ice cold. He invoked divine radiance as he prepared to use a technique to kill Li Feng.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!"


    As Li Feng yelled out, dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole.


    Thousands of arclight dragons criss-crossed in mid-air before swooping down like meteors.


    The arclight dragons exploded in the air in a burst of lightning. Despite the strong protections of the Divine Embrace, it began to crack as a result of the explosions.


    The ninth Immortal King frowned. Lightning and curse energy seeped out from the crack in the armor, affecting even himself.


    The ninth Immortal King didn''t dare use lightning as frivolously as before.


    Li Feng took the initiative, charging forward in a bolt of white light. An arclight dragon appeared above his fist, shining with radiance that eclipsed that of the lightning overhead.


    The ninth Immortal King met him fist for fist as they struck each other dozens of times over.


    The sh resulted in a tremendous explosion of white light and blood in the air. Bothbatants were sent flying.They stared at each other from opposite ends of the arena silently.


    Li Feng activated a soulshard, manifesting a holy white-gold sword.


    Silver scales filled the sword, and its hilt was carved with a golden dragon swiping its ws, shining with holy aura. The holy light dispelled the curse. When Xiao Nanfeng gripped it firmly, his wounds began to heal at an elerated rate, and his ruined hands slowly returned to pristine condition.


    A disaster-grade holy dragon sword! This was the reward that Li Feng had requested after passing the first three trials of the trial-taker''s chamber.


    Li Feng hadn''t expected that he would have had to use the weapon in the qualifiers alone, but he hade across the ninth Immortal King in hisst qualifier match. This was one of the top geniuses of the qualifiers, and his peak-grade sword had shattered from forces that far exceeded its tolerance.


    The disaster-grade holy dragon sword boasted a strong regenerative ability, and it could remediate both Li Feng''s wounds and curse status.


    The ninth Immortal King had never considered the prospect of facing as frightening an opponent as Li Feng in the qualifiers alone. Even the Immortal King''s nine seals, which no one to date had ever broken, hadn''t been enough to trap Li Feng.


    Most importantly, he had never heard of Li Feng''s name.


    The ninth Immortal King was certain that no one else, perhaps not even the invincible Resplendent Sun of the Srvine race himself, would be able to break out of the nine seals.


    The nine seals represented the peak of the Hall of Deities¡ªbut Li Feng had managed to bypass the technique.


    Although he hadn''t yet mastered the technique, it was true that it had failed to work, and that failure had been clearly shown in the public eye. To preserve the reputation of the Hall of Deities, he had to win this match at any cost.


    The two cultivators stared at each other in silence, not saying a word. Their gazes were expressive enough to make up for it. Both of them could see their fighting intent and desire for victory mirrored in the other''s eyes.


    A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, which both sides took as a signal to resume fighting.


    The ninth Immortal King shed once more against Li Feng, who had grown much faster after his holy dragon transformation. The ninth Immortal King moved like lightning itself, and his Divine Embrace conferred to him a level of speed no less overwhelming than Li Feng''s own. The two cultivators moved so quickly that the spectators werergely unable to keep up.

 Chapter 1413: The World Lost Color

    <h4>Chapter 1413: The World Lost Color</h4>


    The sh between the twobatants took ce on the eastern half of the arena, then the western half, then back and forth. They moved so rapidly that it looked as though they were blinking from ce to ce. Sword energy shook the heavens. A dragon howled; a phoenix shrieked. Holy dragons flew through the air, and heavenly fire exploded. The spectators watched the fight unfold with shock and awe.


    The ninth Immortal King''s body lit up with heavenly fire, silver-white over a blood-red core. Thunder rumbled through the air as the outline of a phoenix manifested behind him. He prated space as he charged forward.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Bleaching the World]!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high overhead, glinting brightly.


    Heaven and earth suddenly lost color as the surroundings turned dim and dark, as though all that light had been snatched away. Li Feng and the area around him began to glow more brightly than the sub. The light grew more intense as the aura of the technique increased in strength.


    He struck, and the world lost color. White light saturated the world; everything was dyed white. The spectators'' sight turned solid white.


    The ninth Immortal King was forced back in a spray of silver feathers. His Divine Embrace broke, and silver shards filled the air. He coughed out blood and stumbled away.


    "[Dream of Light and Shadow]!"


    As Li Feng struck, a rainbow arc apanied his sh, as though an aurora were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    The spectators found themselves dazed in the aftermath of the attack, while the ninth Immortal King was stunned for long moments, lost in the dazzling gleam of the sword technique.


    Li Feng''s body suddenly split into tens of thousands of copies, each with a dazzling gaze of rainbow light. The rosy-hued light was captivating and transported those who saw it into a realm of illusion, making it impossible to distinguish which of the copies were real and which were fake.


    Pearls of silver blood sshed onto the ground. The ninth Immortal King, his body scarred and wounded, regained consciousness at thest moment and attempted to block with his halberd. However, Li Feng moved too quickly. Under his holy dragon transformation, his speed was nearing even the speed of light. Manifold illusions arrayed themselves around him, as though they were in a dream.


    The sword sh cut through the Immortal King''s internal organs and bones. Any other cultivator would have perished, but the ninth Immortal King''s constitution was incredible.


    The ninth Immortal King transformed into a phoenix, one burning with three colors of me: blood-red, gold, and silver. Fire zed through the air as the phoenix''s wings unfurled in an explosion of color. This was the true form of the ninth Immortal King.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "He was a phoenix all along?"


    A nearby spectator replied, "A phoenix bearing three heavenly mes, at that."


    The ninth Immortal King bore a phoenix''s bloodline, allowing him to rise from the ashes even after a devastating blow. The damage he had incurred had vanished. mes in red, gold, and silver swept through the arena.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Light and Darkness]!"


    Circles of light revolved around Li Feng in a feat of maniption, condensing light to such an extent that it took on near-physical form.


    As though he had broken through some sort of limit, a transformation urred.


    This technique was born of inspiration from the gic transmutation that Zhang Lie had once disyed. Gic energy was a form of energy that was attuned to the elements by one''s life and soul itself. No hunter could change their elemental attunement, but the properties of their gic energy was malleable. Water-attuned gic energy could take on the ductile properties of gold and the solidity and order of crystal, the density of mud, or even the high temperature of steam.


    Water was a malleable element that could take on the properties of its associated counterparts, not as an intrinsic property, but as a skill that Zhang Lie had developed and utilized.


    Light-attuned gic energy couldn''t transform into gold or crystal, or even mud or steam, but it was likewise able to aplish transformations that water-attuned gic energy couldn''t.


    The opposite of light was darkness; where light exists, so too must shadow. Darkness was the closest element to light.


    Li Feng red brightly, transforming into a radiant sun. The light began to revolve and strobe, forming a circle of light. Individual photons were elerated and sent crashing into one another.


    This sort of high-energy radiation could easily destroy a star. The pulse of light was supercharged beyond its limits.


    A ck core appeared where the light bombarded itself, spreading rapidly and transforming into a ck hole. A tremendous suction formed around Li Feng''s hands.


    The birth of a ck hole inverted the flow of light-attuned gic energy. As Li Feng manipted it, it suddenly grew wider and began giving off dark matter.


    Even Zhang Lie and the others were stunned by Li Feng''s new technique, which revealed a type of energy visceral and physical in origin, far more so than the far-flung notions of karma and fate.


    It had been calcted that, of all the energy that existed in the universe, 26.8% was in the form of dark matter, 4.9% in the form of ordinary matter, and the other 68.3% expended in the expansion of the universe. It could well be said that the universe was formed of dark matter, and it was much like the water and mud of Earth.


    This sort of energy was invisible and colorless, unreactive to light and electromaic radiation. It was neither ck nor white, and was simultaneously transparent and not.


    In the past, humanity had only managed to observe such energy indirectly via studying the motion of celestial bodies.


    Celestial bodies closer to the center of a gxy revolved faster, forming the quintessential spiral patterns of nebe. However, measurements conducted on the arcs traced out by celestial bodies far from the center of nebe showed that they were moving at almost the same speed as celestial bodies close to the center, a much higher speed than anticipated.


    This observation implied that there existsrge quantities of invisible matter in the universe.


    The distribution of matter in a gxy can beputed from the diffuse velocity distributions of celestial bodies thatprise it.


    Among these, dark matter could be divided into hot matter and cold matter.


    Hot matter was present in residual quantities in the form of stable massive particles that interacted on the electroweak scale, with known residual abundance based on thermal decoupling. Neutral in terms of charge and color, it is unaffected by electromaism and the strong force.


    One example of cold matter was a type of light neutral particle associated with the charge conjugation and parity breaking in the strong interaction. [1]


    1. This author is not familiar with particle physics; don''t trust what you read. ?

 Chapter 1414: Unethical

    <h4>Chapter 1414: hical</h4>


    The dark matter didn''tbine destructively with the light-attuned gic energy like water and fire, which were mutually ipatible, or constructively, like water and earth, Rather, the dark matter was inert to light; both types of energy remained distinct and non-interacting.


    Li Feng shed forward with his sword, twining light-attuned gic energy and dark matter together in a technique of shocking strength.


    The sea of red, gold, and silver mes was split in two. As the sword shed with resplendent light, the phoenix''s feathers drifted down to the ground.


    The ninth Immortal King couldn''t have imagined that Li Feng would be this strong. Despite revealing his true form, he was still struck down with just a single blow.


    The dark matter exploded, devouring the heavenly me. The ninth Immortal King barely escaped from the explosion of the mysterious substance.


    The red, gold, and silver mes mixed together as the ninth Immortal King transformed back into human form.


    Thebination of dark matter and light-attuned gic energy was even more frightening than expected. Despite his phoenix bloodline, it was difficult for him to recover from the assault. His essence scattered like sand into the void. The ninth Immortal King knew that he would have to win now or not at all.


    "I didn''t want to use this technique, not having mastered it fully¡ªbut I want to lose even less."


    The ninth Immortal King was shocked that the qualifiers alone could push him to such an extent.


    The tri-colored mes transformed into a halberd. Behind the ninth Immortal King appeared an outline of the Hall of Immortals. An ancient aura saturated the arena. The doors to the hall were thrown open as eight indistinct figures emerged.


    A few spectators recognized the figures.


    "That''s the second Immortal King!"


    "And the third!"


    "And that''s surely the fourth."


    "These are all the former Immortal Kings!"


    The indistinct figures were quickly recognized by the spectators.


    "Have they alle back to life?"


    As the ninth Immortal King struck, the eight indistinct figuresunched their attacks simultaneously. Some used swords, other sabers, yet other spears. The eight former Immortal Kings, who had all made names for themselves in the annals of history, had reached the pinnacle of mastery in eight different weapons. Their indistinct images resolved more and more clearly.


    Each Immortal King used an ultimate technique. The skies were resplendent with light and energy, shattering as a raging sea emerged. Wind howled, and mist filled the arena. The other eight kings were barely weaker than the ninth, and each had dominated their generation of cultivators. None among them were weak.


    "[Descent of the Immortal Kings]!"


    The form of the ninth Immortal King ovepped with those of the previous eight as all the energybined into one cohesive whole.


    Time and space distorted. Nine different techniques in nine different styles were unleashed in an instant of resplendent light.


    In the audience stands, a spectator cried out, "The ultimate technique of the Hall of Immortals¡ªand the ninth Immortal King can use it without even having passed the final trial yet?!"


    "As expected of the king of prophecy. He''s ridiculous¡ªthis feat alone makes him surpass all the other Immortal Kings of the past! He truly is the strongest Immortal King."


    "The other Immortal Kings were all outstanding figures in their own right, but they pale inparison to the ninth Immortal King."


    Yang Ze asked, "What''s the ultimate technique of the Hall of Immortals?"


    "The Hall of Immortals is a mysterious existence rumored to possess the ultimate technique of being able to channel the strength of past sessors. Allegedly, this technique is intimately connected with the final trial of the Hall of Immortals."


    Sun Mengmeng cried out, "In that case, Li Feng''s opponent isn''t just a single Immortal King, but nine of thembined!"


    Yang Ze thundered in outrage, "That''s ridiculous! Isn''t this supposed to be a one-on-onepetition?"


    Fang Yi cried out, "Nine against one? This isn''t ethical!"


    Yang Ze nodded fervently. "The sessor of the Hall of Immortals is hical and unjust! He''s a cheater, a rule-breaker!"


    Another spectator frowned. "This is only a crude imitation of that technique."


    Another gaped. "More impressive than this?"


    Yang Ze cried out, "What? The Hall of Immortals has an even more despicable technique?"


    Fang Yi asked, "Is the Hall of Immortals even more immoral, then?"


    The spectator seemed to have some insider information. "Allegedly, the Hall of Immortals'' final trial is to channel the strength and insight of all historical figures of the past. Any who sessfully pass this trial will immediately ascend to the peak of the gxy.


    Everyone sucked in a breath.


    The spectator who had spoken was no ordinary cultivator. Everyone else took the form of indistinguishable humanoid bodies of light. Only he had runes surrounding his body, a sure sign that he had advanced to greater heights.


    "The true [Descent of the Immortal Kings] would have far more than nine kings¡ªall the strongest cultivators of the Hall of Immortals would be summoned."


    Yang Ze gasped. "Nine against one is bad enough, but a whole horde of such cultivators?"


    Fang Yi shook his head. "This isn''t just immoral¡ªit''s grant disregard for even the most basic of morals!"


    A spectator wondered, "If this imitation alone is already so shocking, just how strong must the true Descent of the Immortal Kings be?"


    The original speaker shook his head. "All who have seen it have perished."


    Either they died to the Descent, or they had vanished within the annals of history.


    "I can''t imagine just how strong thepleted technique must be..."


    "Unfortunately, none of the sessors of the Hall of Immortals have ever seeded in this trial, despite how individually skilled each one is. It''s clear just how difficult this trial must be."


    The speaker inclined his head. "It''s been far too long since thest Immortal King who could execute the Descent, so long that all have forgotten the technique..."


    Thebined strength of the nine Immortal Kings caused the ninth Immortal King''s spiritual avatar to decay at an even more rapid clip.


    The nine techniques ovepped in a shocking attack that disrupted space and time. Light and darkness inverted, and the virtual realm began to crack. The simultaneousunch of the ultimate techniques of the nine Immortal Kings was beyond the limit of what the realm could handle.


    If not for what had urred with Zhang Lie beforehand, the virtual realm would already have copsed.


    The sagely spectator murmured, "Perhaps we''ll see a true Immortal King soon."


    The nineyered technique shot toward Li Feng in an overwhelming blow.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Extinguishing Heaven''s Light]!"


    Light-attuned gic energy rose into the air as a holy dragon soared toward the heavens. Ripples of gic energy emanated from the point of impact. Even before the blownded, the sky began to crack. The holy dragon roared as stars fell from the sky. All light gathered around Li Feng''s de.


    The light was so intense that no one could look at it without damaging their eyes. As Li Feng''s de shot out, the outlines of the nine Immortal Kings were shattered one by one. The ninth Immortal King charged forth with his halberd, piercing through the flood of light. Where the two techniques met, the virtual realm cracked and broke down.

 Chapter 1415: Dark All Over

    <h4>Chapter 1415: Dark All Over</h4>


    The twobatants'' intense fight had sucked away all the light in the virtual realm, which turned pitch-ck as a result. Weak lighting was present only around the twobatants. Both had used all their techniques; they were exhausted andpletely drained.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Extinguishing Heaven''s Light]!"


    As they shed, Li Feng mustered up thest of his energy andunched a final technique. Blinding light illuminated the virtual realm once more. He had infused all his remaining gic energy into the technique and supercharged it. The resulting explosion shocked all the spectators.


    The ninth Immortal King''s figure was obliterated. Li Feng stood firmly in the air, the arena having shattered long ago, the final victor of this match.


    He had won this match by drawing it out.


    After bothbatants reached their limit, it was a matter of endurance. The ninth Immortal King, channeling a powerful technique like the Descent, had to bear with tremendous stress every moment he kept it up. It was little surprise that his endurance would give out first.


    Regardless, Li Feng had won.


    Without the earlier sh, the Immortal King wouldn''t have been forced to use the Descent; if Li Feng had been too weak, he would have been wiped out by the Descent itself. He was undeniably stronger than the ninth Immortal King.


    The spectators, understanding this point, were even more shocked.


    "Just who is this? How could he have defeated the sessor of the Hall of Immortals?"


    "The whole gxy''s going to be in an uproar tomorrow."


    "I''ve never seen this race before. Who''s backing this challenger?"


    "If he were a sessor of one of the strongest forces in the gxy, he shouldn''t have needed to participate in the qualifiers..."


    "That race... could it be the famed dark horses?"


    "What dark horses?"


    "Don''t you know? Three members of an otherwise unknown race appeared in this iteration of the Cup, and their sesses have made this iteration a huge upset. The invincible Srvine, the child of Divinity Qinglian, and the sessor of Heaven¡ªthey''ve all fallen to members of this race. Can you believe it?"


    "What? I heard about the invincible Srvine''s battle! Apparently, that was why we were all kicked out of this virtual realm. But what''s this about Divinity Qinglian and the sessor of Heaven?"


    "Some unknown sessor of Heaven¡ªwell, even discounting that, the child of Divinity Qinglian was defeated?"


    "They all lost to this race of dark horses, these ster hunters!"


    "The reason they''re called ster hunters is because they seem to always be ced against the strongest challengers¡ªand they keeping out victorious, too! It''s almost as though they''re participating in the qualifiers precisely to get rid of them."


    "ording to the investigation of the supreme forces of the gxy, they seem to be rted to a race thatst made an appearance centuries, maybe even millennia, ago."


    Zhang Lie and the others were unaware of their mythos. They had already moved on to Zhou Ying''s match.


    Zhou Ying''s opponent was a birdman who was uniformly gold. Yang Ze asked, "Who''s Zhou Ying''s opponent?"


    "I''ll ask the person next to me," Fang Yi replied.


    The spectator to the right of Fang Yi said, "Don''t you know? They''re one of the smaller races by the edge of the gxy, the Holywing! Despite their size, they''re rather famous, and this particr Holywing is among the best of the younger generation."


    "Is that it?" Yang Ze asked. "How does hepare to the invincible Srvine, the child of Divinity Qinglian, the Hall of Immortals, and all that?"


    The spectator was bbergasted. "Did you just finish watching that other match?"


    "Of course."


    "Well, to put it simply, a hundred Holywings wouldn''t be able to beat a Srvine, ten wouldn''t be able to beat Divinity Qinglian, and a hundred wouldn''t be able to beat the Hall of Immortals."


    Another spectator beside themughed. "It''s iparable, after all. The Srvines lead the Redgold race, which used to be one of the supreme races of the gxy. What''s more, an incredibly strong Srvine has appeared in the younger generation, the so-called invincible one. Divinity Qinglian is also a famed cultivator within the gxy.


    "And surely nothing needs to be said for the Hall of Immortals. Though they''ve isted themselves at the moment and few remember their name, every Immortal King has dominated other cultivators of their generation, and the entire gxy once knew their name. The Holywings are moderately famous, but that''s all."


    Yang Ze smiled. "Then we can rx."


    "Rx? What for?"


    "Zhou Ying should be able to win handily," Yang Ze replied.


    "Are you the other challenger''spanions, then?"


    one spectator asked, his tone mocking. "The Holywings might only be ''famous'', but thepetitors they field aren''t ones that an ordinary cultivator would be able to defeat. Winning against a challenger from a nameless race would be a piece of cake."


    Yet another spectator was inspecting Zhou Ying carefully.


    "Doesn''t she seem familiar to you? It''s almost as though she''s from that race of dark horses, of ster hunters!"


    The first speaker scoffed. "How could there be that many dark horses? The fact that even the sessor of the Hall of Immortals was defeated is shocking enough. Do you think there''d be another one right herE?"


    The Holywing Yi Shenghan made its move. A golden spear appeared in his hand, surrounded by arcing bolts of lightning. This was an attack thatbined the elemental forces of gold and lightning that he was nning on revealing during the Cup.


    "That''s it for you, then!"


    Yi Shenghan cried out. The golden lightning transformed into a pair of wings. He zipped over to Zhou Ying in the blink of an eye.


    Every member of the Holywing race was equipped with their namesake holy wings, allowing them to move at a rapid clip. The bolt of humanoid lightning shot straight at Zhou Ying.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm. Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus...

 Chapter 1416: A Lethal Blow

    <h4>Chapter 1416: A Lethal Blow</h4>


    After the ninth Immortal King was sent out of the virtual realm, he was immediately sent deep within the Hall of Immortals for emergency treatment.


    An ancient chime rang out as the ninth Immortal King floated in the air, floating wrapped up within a cloud of rainbow light.


    A weathered voice came from deep within the hall, low yet prating, ancient and mysterious.


    "You were far too rash. Even if you were in a virtual realm, to use the Descent without passing the final trial... If not for the fact that I reconstituted your soul with the vast reserves that the Hall of Immortals possesses, you would be lost to the void."


    The ninth Immortal King widened his eyes andughed at the ceiling. "Haha, he was impressive, truly impressive! To think that there were still such strong cultivators from my generation in the universe. It looks as though I''m far too weak to dominate my generation of the universe as yet."


    "You''reughing after all this?"


    The ninth Immortal King''s smile only widened. "Of course. If my opponents were too weak, it wouldn''t be interesting."


    "As long as your resolve hasn''t been shaken."


    "I want to take on the final trial of the Hall of Immortals."


    The ninth Immortal King''s eyes shone like a zing sun.


    Upon seeing Zhou Ying''s battle-ready stance, many of the spectators became her fan.


    "She''s so beautiful! Just what race is she?"


    "I thought she was a ster hunter, but it looks like that was only a disguise."


    Zhou Ying wasn''t weak in a melee. With a dagger in hand, she exchanged blows with the Holywingbatant. Golden lightning shed; a storm of golden leaves appeared around Zhou Ying.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    "Reverberate!"


    The Holywing n had made their eponymous wings the core of their fighting style. The golden wings vanished, two divine des appearing in their stead. The honed des could cut apart just about anything, including the thousands of wood dragons that Zhou Ying had summoned.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying''s void daggers cut at the void, sending the two des flying.


    Golden leaves formed a howling storm around her as Yi Shenghan recalled the des and turned them into wings again. He pped his wings, sending golden feathers flying through the arena and shing with the golden leaves.


    The sound of metal striking against metal echoed through the air. Feathers and leaves criss-crossed once and again. The golden feathers boasted more prating power, but there were much more leaves.


    The wings transformed into a set of paired des, sending crescent arcs of light straight at Zhou Ying. The ease with which the Holywingbatant could switch his des into wings and back again was stunning.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the ground, enough to fill up the entire arena. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster.


    Arge number of wood dragons gathered around Zhou Ying and blocked the sword shes.


    Yi Shenghan exploded with strength. Blood dripped down from a single horn that protruded out of his forehead andnded on his des, imbuing them with potent energy. The wood dragons were swept away.


    "Hm?" Zhou Ying felt a breeze by her face. A lock of jade-green hair had been sliced away from her head, and her temples had barely avoided a critical injury. Drops of blood dripped down her face, but her tremendous vitality healed the wound in no time.


    "This is the end for you!" Yi Shenghan''s eyes shed with frost. Lightning crackled around him, then exploded forth.


    A tremendous flood of energy transformed into ake of lightning, filling the sky above the arena. Zhou Ying was shocked.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying gripped a dagger with each hand, and the tendrils growing out of her lower body wrapped around two more. The daggers shed through the void, and all four converged on the same spot. Like a whirling dervish, she cut through theke in a tight corkscrew.


    Meanwhile, Yi Shenghan''s hands began to glow with light. His goldennce surged with killing intent. His hair floated in the air, charged with static, as he flew toward her with a shield of lightning around him.


    The twobatants struck each other in a sh of metal.


    The fourfold void cut shed toward Yi Shenghan, who defended with his goldennce. Lightning crackled brightly; golden leaves danced. The leaves and lightning shed again and again. The fight was a resplendent, gorgeous disy of light and energy.


    As light exploded around the twobatants, Yi Shenghan''s spear gleamed and thrust toward Zhou Ying''s forehead.


    "You''re too slow." Yi Shenghan revealed a burst of hidden strength and speed, seizing victory. His goldennce transformed back into a bolt of lightning and exploded.


    Zhou Ying''s body cracked into pieces, charred ck.


    A spectator in the stands sighed. "I do pity that gorgeous beauty."


    "It is a pity, isn''t it? It''s rare to see such a potentbination of vitality and natural energy."


    "The Holywings are a strong race, after all. She''s already very impressive to be able to fight against Yi Shenghan to this extent.


    The spear strike had pierced her forehead in a clean kill; victory had been decided.


    "Very impressive for a namelessbatant."


    Just as the spectators sighed to see Zhou Ying''s defeat, the pieces of her body burst into golden leaves that filled the air.


    The spectators were all shocked. Beneath the arena, a horde of wood dragons began to grow once more. They rose aboveground at an incredible rate.


    Yi Shenghan waved his divine swords, shing apart the wood dragons once again.


    Amidst the storm of leaves, Zhou Ying''s figure manifested once again. Two more tendrils appeared behind her back.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Sixfold Void Cut]!"


    Each tendril held a void dagger. The six daggers struck as one, forming a sixfold cut in the air.


    The spectators gaped. Zhou Ying had revived via the storm of golden leaves!


    Yi Shenghan attempted to defend, but Zhou Ying''s appearance had been too sudden. He was rxed in imminent victory, not having predicted her reappearance.


    Zhou Ying had hidden part of her strength, only to reveal it at the most opportune moment. Her sixfold void cut was a match for Yi Shenghan''s maximum strength and speed, but her opponent was wholly unprepared for it.


    Only now did he understand that she too had been hiding her strength and biding her time, preparing for a single deadly blow with which to win the match.


    The void daggers shed at his body, disintegrating it in a shower of blood. His face was filled with disbelief. Within his n, there was no opponent who could stand against him, and his elder had even imparted a forbidden technique to him in advance of the Cup.


    As far as he was aware, only the invincible Srvine could be a match for him¡ªbut he had now been defeated by a nameless challenger!


    Rage and anger consumed him.

 Chapter 1417: Made Up My Mind

    Chapter 1417: Made Up My Mind


    "[Heaven''s ze]!" Yi Shenghan howled.


    He was far too upset by the sudden defeat, and he wanted to at least take his opponent down with him. Blue lightning burst forth.


    His n''s forbidden technique burned his mental energy and vitality, paying a hefty price in exchange for a sea of lightning of immense strength and depth beyond his current cultivation.It would have taken Yi Shenghan another decade of cultivation, at least, to produce such an attack normally.


    His n''s forbidden technique would allow him to do so now at the cost of mental energy, vitality, and future potential.


    Despite the heavy price, despite the lost potential that might never return, Yi Shenghan didn''t care. How could he have been defeated by a nameless challenger?


    Strong though he might be, Yi Shenghan was nothing more than a pampered brat from a Holywing n.


    The sea of lightning that suddenly manifested dyed the sky blue.


    Zhou Ying erupted in a burst of vitality and natural energy, turning into what seemed like a green crystal. Golden radiance shone where her head would be, and gray fog surrounded her.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Gxybound Enclosure]!"


    A titanic burst of vitality and natural energy erupted from her, turning Zhou Ying into a facsimile of a goddess of nature, the princess of the forests. Huge wood dragons emerged from underground, each the size of a skyscraper. A golden tide of dragons appeared, swallowing up the lightning. Zhou Ying retreated into the midst of the wood dragons, which soared through the air and the sea of lightning, surrounding it and encapsting it with their bodies.


    The blue lightning, however, refused to be corralled. It whizzed back and forth. Snakes of blue lightning wriggled out from the cracks in the wood dragons'' defenses and through the clouds.


    The lightning charred the wood dragons ck, but Zhou Ying continuously infused her vitality and natural energy into them. The wood dragons quickly shed off their charred bark as they came back to life.


    The sea of wood dragons crashed into the sea of lightning. The skies were dyed blue; the ground, golden. The two types of energy sizzled as they came into contact with each other.


    In the end, the lightning lost steam first. Yi Shenghan had sacrificed far more than Zhou Ying did to create his attack, and the resulting strain could not be tolerated for long periods. The golden wood dragons tore apart the sea of lightning, and Yi Shenghan vanished amidst the wood dragons. It was obvious who the true victor was.


    The spectators were in an uproar.


    "So is she really part of the ster hunters, then?!"


    "Didn''t we see her true form just now?"


    "Who are these ster hunters, anyway?"


    "Apparently, they''re part of a race that participated in the Cup centuries, or possibly millennia, in the past. They weren''t weak then, either."


    The Hall of Immortals'' vast reserves of treasures meant that the ninth Immortal King was able to recover from the mental trauma resulting from his defeat readily. To the universe atrge, this was incredible.


    It was well known that dying in the virtual realm would deal severe damage to your mind, one which you wouldn''t be able to recover from without years of recuperation at least.


    Furthermore, the ninth Immortal King had used a technique beyond his capabilities. It wouldn''t be unusual if he had to recuperate for a few decades; the fact that he was even up and standing was a miracle.


    The Hall of Immortals boasted the strength needed to aplish such a feat.


    It boasted millennia of resources, and each generation was stronger than thest. Every Immortal King that stepped out of the Hall of Immortals was at the top of their generation. Even the supreme forces of the gxy could not countermand the Hall of Immortals, and no one knew the depths of its strength.


    Only if mental restoratives were as plentiful as cabbages to the Hall of Immortals could the ninth Immortal King have restored his mental faculties within such a short period of time.


    The ninth Immortal King walked into the depths of the hall.


    The depths of the hall were open only to members of the Hall of Immortals, and no foreigner had ever stepped within.


    An altary in the deepest recesses of the hall, or perhaps a divine tower. Its interior was cylindrical, and floating seats hung on the walls.


    Behind each seat was a copper tablet engraved with arcane and abstruse information. At the very bottom seat was an ancient elder; at the next level up, a corpse; even higher up, corpses encased in copper. The higher one went, the more copper there was. The highest seats were covered in a cloudy mist, and it was difficult to see whaty within.


    There were an incredible number of seats, so many it was impossible to count them all. These were the strongest members of the Hall of Immortals, who had aplished great deeds in life, but who were now corpses perched all up along the walls of this divine tower. The difference was that some had barely decayed, while others had been skeletal corpses for millennia.


    No one was certain whether they were truly dead, or if they had found another means to live on beyond their physical body.


    The ninth Immortal King raised his head and shouted, "I want to challenge the Immortal King''s final trial!"


    His voice echoed in the divine tower, which began to shake and reverberate. The corpses all began to tremble, either of their own volition or because of the ninth Immortal King''s voice.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You possess the qualifications to do so," a voice replied, from an unknown source.


    "But are you aware of what this trial represents?" This time, multiple voices spoke in unison, echoing throughout the tower.


    "Of course," the ninth Immortal King replied.


    "You''re still too young. Your eight seniors have all failed this trial. Although you might be the prophesied ninth Immortal King, this trial is far crueler than you might imagine."


    "You should recuperate after just having received a traumatic mental blow. It''ll help increase the chance of your sess."


    The ninth Immortal King replied, "I cannot wait any longer, Elders. If I want to beat that man in the future, I will have to challenge this trial and be a true Immortal King."


    The first voice sounded from an unknown source, "I had intended for you to obtain a gic expansion from the Gctic Rising Stars Cup before you took part in the trial, but it seems that things are not to be."


    The ninth Immortal King pleaded, "Elder, I beseech you to grant my request. If my opponent ces in the top ten, he''ll have a chance at gic expansion, and will surely grow more powerful as a result. The Immortal King''s trial is my only avenue to defeat him."


    "If your mind is set, then we won''t stop you. Let the trial of the Immortal King begin!"


    A set of copper doors opened up within the tower, and ghostly cries and moans could be heard within. Who knew what horrorsy within? The ninth Immortal King nced into the unknown darkness, swallowed a gulp of saliva, solidified his resolve, and stepped within.


    The copper doors mmed shut with a bang.

 Chapter 1418: Not Too Large, Not Too Small

    <h4>Chapter 1418: Not Too Large, Not Too Small</h4>


    As they returned to the hall from which they hade, the members of Team Zenith assembled once more. Zhang Lie praised them all. "You''ve done very well."


    The members of Team Zenith couldn''t help but smile. Sun Xiaowu turned to Yang Ze. "What are you smiling about, Yang Ze? You haven''t even fought yet!"


    Yang Ze scowled. "What, can''t I evenugh? It''s all but guaranteed that we''ll all make it. Do you think I''ll fail at thest stage as thest member? That can''t be!"


    Sun Xiaowu smirked. "You should watch out to ensure that that doesn''t happen."


    Yang Ze retorted, "You''re the one who should watch out! I heard that that ck bonence once destroyed this so-called Heaven. You''d better not be affected by it!"


    Sun Xiaowu was unfazed.


    "It''s just a projection, nothing more."


    Yang Ze jeered, "Just a projection? So you won''t suffer mental damage just because you''re hurt in that virtual space?"


    Bu Wentian suggested, "Shall we perform an inspection?"


    "Please, Elder!" Sun Mengmeng immediately said.


    "Sis, you''re far too worried about nothing. Aren''t I doing fine?"


    "It''s better to have an inspection, just in case."


    Bu Wentian added, "That bonence does seem to be a rather cursed artifact. After the fight, the figurine seemed to have gone crazy."


    "Thepetitor I faced?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Bu Wentian nodded. "It''s likely that their mental state was corroded by the bonence over the course of the match. After leaving the virtual realm, it tried to ughter everything around it indiscriminately, iming that it was to feed hisnce. In the end, it was killed by a group of cultivators working together, but the bonence went missing. As a safety precaution, I think it''s best if I examine you."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "Did you hear that? You were in close contact with the bonence, after all. What if it infected you?"


    Sun Xiaowu''s lips twitched. "You make it sound like a virus, Sis!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "It''s best to get an examination. After all, that ck bonence is a very cursed object. We saw that with our own eyes. The ck aura it gave off was sufficient to affect the spectators in the stands.


    Sun Mengmeng and Zhang Lie''s advice finally caused Sun Xiaowu to give in.


    There were a few pieces of special equipment that Bu Wentian had stored in the training rooms, which he quickly pulled out as he began examining Sun Xiaowu. The results came out quickly. "As expected, there''s a problem."


    Sun Mengmeng cried out, "What problem? Is it serious?"


    Bu Wentian looked at the data from the medical devices. "A big problem indeed. It''s going to be a headache to deal with... Prepare for the worst."


    "What? What''s the problem, Elder?!" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "Can he be saved, Doctor?" Yang Ze asked.


    "How long does he have to live?!" Li Feng cried out.


    "Right, how long will he remain with us?" Fang Yi added.


    "We''re mentally prepared now, Doc¡ªElder. Tell us everything."


    Sun Xiaowu thundered, "Are you all hoping that I''ll die?!"


    Zhou Ying implored, "Elder, no matter what, please save Xiaowu! He''s still so young and has just recently ascended to the fourth realm. There''s so much potential in him. He''ll surely be a talented cultivator, and we can''t give up on him just like this!"


    Yang Ze began to sob, burying his face in his hands. "The Sun family only has a single male heir, and he doesn''t yet have a wife! He''s vital to the Suns!"


    Fang Yi begged, "Please, Elder, save him! We''ll be willing to pay any price."


    Sun Xiaowu gaped at everyone''s antics. "Scram! My family''s right here in front of me. Don''t steal my sister''s lines!"


    Yang Ze patted Sun Xiaowu on the shoulder.


    "Although we haven''t known each other for long, I''ll remember you."


    Sun Xiaowu scowled. "What do you mean, not for long? We''ve known each other for years!"


    Li Feng clutched his face. "To think you''d perish at such a young age, Xiaowu..."


    "Don''t just kill me off like that!"


    Fang Yi''s eyes were lined with sorrow. "We promised to go to the beach together, but to think... It''s all happening too quickly..."


    "I never made such a promise with you!"


    Zhang Lie took his hand. "Xiaowu, be at ease. I will take care of your sister and your family."


    Sun Xiaowu sighed. "You too, Captain?"


    Sun Mengmeng gave her brother a thumbs up. "Xiaowu, it looks like you can really die with no regrets, after all."


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "Sis, I think I can still be saved!"


    Zhou Ying pretended to be a thug. "Xiaowu still owes me ten thousand dors. Don''t think you can avoid paying me off just because you''re about to die."


    Sun Xiaowu folded his arms. "I''ve never borrowed money from you! On the other hand, you still owe me $36.50 from when we went out to eat back on Earth!"


    Zhou Ying scoffed. "Details, details!"


    The members of Team Zenith joked with each other, lightening the mood and the remnant tension from the qualifiers they had just passed through.


    Bu Wentian sighed. "All of you really are optimistic, aren''t you?"


    Zhang LLie turned to him and frowned. "Elder, is the situation serious?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "It''s hard to say. Well, it''s a problem."


    "Is it something bad, then?" Sun Mengmeng asked anxiously.


    Sun Xiaowu cried out, "What? Just from a single match?"


    Bu Wentian waved a hand. "There''s no need to worry too much. It''s not too serious. It''s likely what Sun Mengmeng said. Because you came in contact with the bonence, there''s a ck dot in your spiritual avatar, likely a demonic seed that the bonence left in it. Fortunately, thepetition takes ce virtually. If this were in reality, you''d already have be the bonence''s puppet."


    "What exactly is this demonic seed?" Sun Xiaowu asked anxiously.


    Bu Wentian replied, "At any rate, remain optimistic. Eat if you can, and sleep if you can."


    "Don''t be like this, Elder! I get scared easily, and I can''t take this sort of fright!"


    "Fortunately, you encountered me..."


    Sun Xiaowu sighed in relief.


    "Otherwise, we wouldn''t have discovered it."


    "Elder, can you help me?"


    "Fortunately, we noticed it early..."


    Sun Xiaowu sighed in relief again. "So you can help, Elder?"


    "...anyter, and you''d be dead."


    Zhang Lie pursed his lips. "Elder, please don''t emte our jokes."


    Sun Xiaowu ced both hands over his heart. "Elder, I thought you were a serious man, but now¡ªit''s clear I had the wrong impression of you!"


    Bu Wentian scratched his head awkwardly.


    Zhang Lie and the others seemed to be having a lot of fun. He tried to join in, but it looked as though that was ill-advised.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Elder, can you exin yourself, please?"


    "As I said, it''s a problem. Not arge one, not a small one, just a problem."

 Chapter 1419: A Mere Demonic Seed

    <h4>Chapter 1419: A Mere Demonic Seed</h4>


    Bu Wentian continued, "The demonic seed has taken root in your spiritual avatar. It''ll feed on your negative emotions and slowly grow as a result, but your consciousness will hardly lose to a mere demonic seed. Its purpose is more like a mark that allows the bonence to sense you more easily. Simrly, you''ll be able to sense the bonence. If both of you are close to each other, you''ll notice a resonance."


    Yang Ze patted Sun Xiaowu on the shoulder.


    "It looks like the ck bonence fell in love with you at first sight."


    Sun Xiaowu scowled. "Scram!"


    "So there''s no major problem, then?" Sun Mengmeng confirmed anxiously.


    Bu Wentian nodded. "Essentially no problem. Don''t get too agitated and try to maintain general optimism."


    Sun Xiaowu exhaled. "You scared me just now, Elder!"


    "Can it be removed directly?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "There''s no need to, since the impact is minimal."


    Sun Xiaowu touched his forehead. "It does feel like I have a time bomb in my head..."


    Bu Wentian replied, "Given your willpower, you could hardly lose to a little seed."


    "That''s true," Sun Xiaowu agreed.


    "Furthermore," Bu Wentian added, "no one in the fourth realm has the requisite technology or means to be able to retrieve a small seed from your mindscape."


    That was the primary reason he hadn''t suggested direct removal.


    Bu Wentian continued, "At the very least, it''ll have little influence on you in the fourth realm. There''s even a bright side: the bonence has gone missing, so if you find it, you could be its master."


    Sun Xiaowu smiled wryly. "That might be a double-edged sword more than anything else."


    There were no other issues with Sun Xiaowu''s body. Bu Wentian prepared a meal. After they had all eaten, Zhang Lie asked, "Fang Yi, Yang Ze, you two are the only ones left. When do you intend to keep going?"


    "A momentter," Fang Yi replied. "It''ll be good to do exercise after a meal."


    "Then I''ll go after Fang Yi," Yang Ze added.


    Sun Xiaowu smirked. "These challengers aren''t all that easy to deal with. Don''t get overconfident."


    After the meal, the hunters again entered their respective apparatuses and spectated Fang Yi''s match.


    Fang Yi''s opponent was tall and sturdy, with long purple hair scattered about his shoulders. He was lofty and imposing, and unquestionably strong.


    "Let me ask around to see who he is," Sun Xiaowu volunteered.


    "He''s from the Stargod race, of course," a spectator replied.


    "Is he strong?"


    "He''s a member of an ancient race that was strong enough to be considered a ''god''. What do you think?"


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "How does itpare to Heaven?"


    "The era of the Stargods coincided with that of Heaven. They were both peak existences then, but the times have since changed. Heaven has fallen, and the Stargods are a shell of their former existence. That said, this challenger shows some signs of their former glory. His name is Xing Yu." [1]


    Another spectator murmured, "However, his opponent seems to be someone nameless."


    "Really? It looks like a member of that race that''s growing famous, the ster hunters!"


    "Let''s fight!" Xing Yu proimed. His voice was deep, maic, and prating. Boulders burst into pieces in the arena, forming a field of rubble around the Stargod challenger.


    The spectators were shocked. This was a nameless challenger; did Xing Yu intend to take him seriously from the very beginning?


    Others scoffed. "You don''t know anything, do you? This is just what Xing Yu''s like. He always gives it his all, no matter what the opponent''s like."


    Xing Yu struck, unwilling to waste even a second of time. His palm glowed with light. Five radiant beams fell from the heavens, each manifesting in the form of a mountain range, locking down the arena.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake. The five mountains exploded with a heavy thud.


    Suddenly, thousands of beasts seemed to roar in unison. The spectators'' souls quavered as a tremendous pressure, almost impossible to resist, descended on the stage.


    Xing Yu struck. With a wave of his fist, heaven and earth filled with light. The figures of beasts covered the arena with an irrepressible aura.


    "[Fist of Ten Thousand Beasts]!"


    Even a few of the senior spectators were surprised. This was an ultimate technique of its school, supposedly an invincible fist technique!


    Ten thousand beasts howled and roared, among them standard creatures like tigers, bears, and leopards, and those steeped in mythology like dragons and qilins.


    The arena was filled with rampant beasts, roaring with divine auras as they pounced forward.


    The spectators watched the scene unfold in shock. What surprised them was that Fang Yi stood still where he was, seemingly not fearing the beasts'' assault at all.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    The lightning tiger and wind dragon corkscrewed into an incredible blow that pierced through the sky and obliterated the ten thousand beasts.


    Like a god of beasts, Xing Yu himself ran toward Fang Yi, lifting up a huge chunk of the arena to use as a weapon.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones. Spear thrusts and strikes came toward Xing Yu from every direction, turning the arena into rubble.


    Xing Yu dove through the rubble and raised a fist, over which divine aura gathered. Heaven shook; the void trembled. The sh between spear and fist gave off tremendous light. Xing Yu''s fist smashed into the spear in an explosion like that of a supernova. The void shook. His fist was as hard as steel.


    "First blood!"


    "Look, they''ve already drawn blood!"


    The spectators gaped. Had the battle been decided so quickly?


    The heavens shook as blood was sent flying into the air, bright red and dazzling with light.


    "Divine blood! Look at how it catches the light!" The senior spectators all nced at the sight attentively, their eyes shining.


    1. ÐÇÓî (Xing Yu, lit. ster universe) ?

 Chapter 1420: Spear Dyed with Blood

    <h4>Chapter 1420: Spear Dyed with Blood</h4>


    The blood that was drawn from Xing Yu''s body glowed red, almost as though it were burning. It released a tremendous aura, and each drop of blood was even more resplendent than a ruby.


    Howling winds blew as fist and spear shed once more. The sky rumbled.


    The two young cultivators passed each other in the air, shining with radiant light and runes. They turned and faced each other, their arms drawn back.


    "He survived one of Xing Yu''s punches without dying¡ªonly his palms are bloody!" one spectator shouted.


    Everyone could see that there was blood on the haft of the spear.


    The drops of blood fell. Fang Yi looked down at his palms.


    "Blocking one of Xing Yu''s blows is impressive enough. Hispetitor is certainly rather strong himself.


    Xing Yu stood firm and unyielding, his thick purple hair floating in the wind. His eyes were like divinenterns, giving off incredible light. He looked invincible.


    "Xing Yu''s invincible. No one can defeat him!'''' The younger generation of the Stargod race cheered for their strongest challenger.


    "The Stargods once dominated over the gxy, and the ancient blood of our honored ancestors flows through our bodies!"


    Many of the Stargods hade to spectate with proud expressions on their faces.


    "No. The blood belongs to Xing Yu!" one spectator suddenly shouted.


    The others gaped. What? The blood wasn''t from Fang Yi?


    Everyone was stunned. They froze in shock.


    Many were shocked by Xing Yu''s strength, thinking that he had managed to draw blood with his initial punch, only to find themselves entirely mistaken.


    "Xing Yu''s blood?" Many of the spectators gulped, thinking it unbelievable.


    The members of Team Zenith smiled confidently. They had witnessed everything clearly. If nothing else, human blood was perfectly ordinary and didn''t have special effects associated with it.


    Xing Yu stood tall and mighty like a titan of yore. He gave off such tremendous pressure as to make all who saw him hold their breath. His eyes were deep and his sleeves wide, so his hands couldn''t be seen.


    Meanwhile, his opponent Fang Yi''s palms were bright red. Blood dripped down from them, but he didn''t seem wounded at all.


    The spectators gaped. Had Xing Yu been on the losing end of that first blow? Had he lost to an unknown challenger? No one could believe it.


    "This can''t be true!" the younger generation of Stargods cried out. They stared at the twobatants.


    Was that really the case? In that case, their cheering was premature. What if Xing Yu really were to lose?


    The young Stargods suddenly felt a sense of shame and awkwardness.


    The spectators from afar made a racket of sound.


    "Hm?"


    One of the Stargod elders watched on avidly, letting out a deep sigh of relief.


    Fang Yi''s spear suddenly turned bright red as his two palms, gripping onto the spear, radiated with fiery red light. As he charged forward, that glow spread toward his arms. He was surrounded by divine light, which resonated around him.


    "[Hands of the Blood God]!"


    The spectators turned hushed. The name of that technique seemed almost overwhelming.


    Some of the senior spectators nched, raising their eyebrows as they all activated their divine sight and observed Xing Yu''s elbow. They sucked in a deep breath, their bodies turning cold and goosebumps appearing over their skin.


    "What''s the matter?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    "It''s an infamous vicious technique used by the Stargods. The Hands of the Blood God are a frightening fist technique that drains the opponent of blood, burns up their vitality, and transforms them into a pile of sludge." It was ruthless and widely considered a forbidden technique. Many cultivators in the past had termed this technique the "devil''s hands".


    Zhang Lie frowned. That these cultivators reacted with such vehemence and fear was a testament as to how frightening the technique was.


    "Not all Stargods canprehend this technique. It''s far too difficult for the majority, and a single mistake could well drain the attacker instead."


    Few had expected that Xing Yu would be in possession of this forbidden technique. With his own blood, Xing Yu catalyzed the attack.


    It had seemed as though Fang Yi had drawn blood from Xing Yu, but Xing Yu had actually gotten hurt deliberately in order to mark Fang Yi''s spear and hands.


    Fang Yi''s arms felt as though they were burning away.


    "Open!" Fang Yi shouted, his breath like thunder. Lightning emerged from the void as a howling gale revolved around him. Chaotic energy seeped into his bloodstream through the spear.


    Not only did Fang Yi continue holding onto his spear, he defended by counterattacking. His arms trembled as blood surged. His pores glowed with light and sprayed out a cloud of chaotic mist.


    Fang Yi had used chaotic energy to resolve the technique, breaking it up and converting it into chaotic energy of his own.


    This was a particrly intricate maniption. Infusing chaotic energy into one''s body could easily destroy oneself. It was apparent how bold Fang Yi was, and his growing mastery over the king of chaos'' spear.


    "Incredible. Even the Hands of the Blood God weren''t able to stop him!"


    The spectators from the younger generation were shocked, and even some of the older ones widened their eyes.


    Countless cultivators had perished to this forbidden technique, many of whom were the strongest cultivators in the gxy. Some had even perished from it.


    The Hands of the Blood God were incredibly difficult to contend with or to resolve, but Xing Yu''s opponent had easily done so.


    An old cultivator praised, "The younger generation is certainly strong."


    "We''ve fostered them well, it seems."


    "The Stargods are an ancient race, after all, and their techniques are outdated. They''ve been forgotten by history, and they should have stepped away a long time ago."


    A few senior Stargod elders shouted with mounting grievance, "Xing Yu, ughter this nameless upstart on the arena!"


    "Xing Yu, what are you doing? Finish off thed on stage and inform the cultivators of the gxy that the Stargods are to rise once more! They''re not so old that they''re destined for a coffin!"


    The two young cultivators shed with each other again like two mountain ridges. The crash echoed through the air.


    The twobatants fought rapidly, each transforming into two blurred figures surrounded by divine light. They were so fast that they struck each other dozens of blows within moments.


    This shocked everyone in sight. Xing Yu had anticipated winning within ten blows, only to find to his shock that Fang Yi was a stronger opponent than expected.


    Many of the spectators'' preconceived notions were overturned. The two challengers were both at the apex of their strength. A tremendous battle would unfold, one in which victory wouldn''t be obvious.


    Xing Yu was rapidly burning through his stamina and quest, with countless killing techniques¡ªa phoenix soaring at one moment, and a roc with its wings outspread. He charged toward the front again.


    Xing Yu formed seals with both his hands, shaking the void. One formed a tiger; the other, a dragon. They roared and charged forward in the blink of an eye, straight toward Fang Yi.

 Chapter 1421: Wheel of Time

    <h4>Chapter 1421: Wheel of Time</h4>


    Xing Yu formed seals with both his hands, shaking the void. One formed a tiger; the other, a dragon. They roared and charged forward in the blink of an eye, straight toward Fang Yi.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    The two dragons and two tigers fought for dominance in the air, shing in explosions of radiant light and summoned hurricanes. They smashed into each other time and again.


    Anyone else caught by the attack would be obliterated into a mist of blood.


    Fang Yi blocked his opponent''s attack, after which point Xing Yu''s entire body began to glow. Frightening fluctuations of energy emanated from it.


    Xing Yu kicked forward forcefully with one leg like the swipe of a dragon or serpent''s tail. It was almost like a whip, one which caused the void itself to shake when he used it.


    "[Stormwind Kick]!" Fang Yi likewise kicked forward like a whip, his legs imbued with wind and storm. The sh between wind and storm, dragon and serpent, caused a huge explosion in the air. A howling storm formed, and a dragon''s cries echoed.


    Xing Yu had quickly recovered and sealed the arena. Then, he broke off another huge chunk and smashed it at Fang Yi.


    The huge piece of the arena blotted out the sun and seemed almost asrge as a mountain range.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!"


    As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time.


    The only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi.


    In the space of frozen time, Fang Yi walked straight up to Xing Yu and thrust forward with his spear. However, Xing Yu was no weakling himself. The spatiotemporal seal would onlyst for a short period of time against Xing Yu, who quickly shattered the gray space within.


    Xing Yu''s golden serpent kick left a series of whip-like afterimages behind as it shed against Fang Yi''s spear.


    The destruction of metal rang out through the air in a shower of sparks. Xing Yu shouted as golden whips struck the arena.


    The arena exploded, sending dust and rubble into the air. Even so, Xing Yu''s kick didn''t change direction. It locked onto Fang Yi doggedly, deflecting the tip of his spear as Fang Yi activated [Stormwind Kick] once again. Howling gales manifested around him. Thunder rumbled and lightning crackled, forming a whip of wind and storm.


    Xing Yu defended against Fang Yi''s golden whip as dragons howled in the air. The outlines of serpents and dragons soared through the air as Xing Yu was forced back.


    "[Floating Clouds]!" The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body.


    Wind and storm surged throughout the loop, providing explosive strength as Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear.


    Xing Yu blocked with both arms, but even so, he was forced back. His blood grew heated, and his purple hair billowed in the sudden wind. His eyes lit up, and twonces shot out of his pupils, bright and blinding.


    "[Wheel of Time]!" Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock. As the clock tolled, the virtual realm itself reverberated.


    Fang Yi''s spear blocked the twonces.


    Xing Yu widened his mouth, shooting out a breath of lightning.


    The clock continued to toll as more wheels of time appeared behind Fang Yi''s back.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, like an electric saw that pierced through Xing Yu''s lightning breath and co-opted that energy for itself.


    Simultaneously, Xing Yu mmed down with his right palm, cupping it and forming an orb of lightning that quickly grew asrge as a mountain. It smashed down toward Fang Yi.


    Xing Yu retaliated against Fang Yi with his mastery over lightning. The two attacks erupted in a massive explosion of lightning that tore apart the firmament.


    However, Xing Yu''s mastery over lightning was still somewhat weaker than Fang Yi''s. Fang Yi''s saw-like spear pierced through the massive ball of lightning, converting its strength into his own, as a third wheel of time formed to his back.


    Xing Yu roared in outrage. Ripples of energy filled his mouth and spread outward before transforming into a titanic wave of energy, wild and unbridled. The void shook as the barrier protecting the spectators splintered in a frightening explosion.


    Fang Yi defended with his spear, parting the energy around its tip. Blood trickled from his mouth.


    With a sharp wave of his hand, wind and lightning billowed out from Fang Yi and formed a protective barrier against Xing Yu''s attack. Lightning encircled his spear, and wind corkscrewed around its tip. He broke through the wave of energy, his spear pointed straight at Xing Yu''s forehead.


    Heaven and earth rumbled. Xing Yu sped his hands together and held back Fang Yi''s spear in a burst of incredible strength and light.


    Many of the spectators were shocked. "This is the Stargod Seal! Allegedly, it can block the advance of all physical matter in the universe. It''s known to be one of the forbidden techniques of the Stargod race!"


    The scintiting light transformed into a wave of lightning that swamped the arena. Arcs of lightning shed every which way, as though a golden wave of energy were towering over the twobatants.


    Several sharp-eyed spectators noticed a drop of blood trailing down Xing Yu''s fingers, which had been wounded.


    "That''s right! The unknown challenger drew first blood on Xing Yu during their first sh, allowing Xing Yu to invoke the Hands of the Blood God!"


    The spectators now understood the conditions under which the Hands of the Blood God could be used.


    Coolly, Xing Yu again sped both hands together, one the sky and the other the earth. The entire realm trembled in their wake.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    It looked as though Fang Yi had morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind. He barely defended against the Stargod Seal.


    As a result of the high-intensity confrontation, there were now five wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back.


    "It''s time for my ultimate technique!" Fang Yi called out.


    "Show me what you''ve got. My seal will counter it!"


    Xing Yu''s body glowed with incandescent light. The radiance of heaven shone down on him; the tableau almost seemed apocalyptic. Light washed over the arena. Stars fell from the sky, forming a ster river that drowned Fang Yi within, a tribtion from the universe itself.

 Chapter 1422: In Mortal Danger

    <h4>Chapter 1422: In Mortal Danger</h4>


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within. In this state, he was able to simultaneously manifest different techniques at the same time.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Chaotic energy swirled over the spear.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, space, and chaotic energy. All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    The energy of chaos, which had the ability to destroy anything, spun amidst the howling winds.


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi. The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined seven different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; the fundamental forces of space and time; and chaos.


    The spectators, protected by the will of the virtual realm, weren''t affected by the temporal stasis. They cried out in fear upon seeing what Fang Yi was doing.


    "What sort of technique is this...?"


    This was the first time they had seen his sevenfold strike.


    "Can these energies even bebined...?"


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled. Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    It was as though Fang Yi had ced all seven sources of energy into a blender and allowed them tobine.


    The sh between the energy of chaos and that of time and space caused the wheels of time on Fang Yi''s back to shatter one after another. His spear vibrated ceaselessly, and huge quantities of chaotic energy gushed out.


    His hands trembled as the energiesbined. At the most crucial moment, Fang Yi concentrated as the energy of chaos and spacetime merged into a brand new, mysterious strength, that of primordial chaos.


    Thebination of energies gave off such a fearsome aura that anyone would be worried upon sensing it. All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The skin on his arms cracked. Veins protruded from his forehead and his arms turned bright red.


    As Fang Yi concentrated on controlling the transformation, that energy took on the shape of a spear.


    Fang Yi wasn''t able to control the energy fully, but it was far less rambunctious than before. It grew even more chaotic and boasted a more frightening strength.


    Against Fang Yi''s chaotic spear, everyone could feel an astonishing sense of threat.


    "[Stargod Seal]!"


    Xing Yu shouted, reinforcing the seal in his palms once and again. Incredible light poured out from him and surged forth like a tsunami,pletely luding the arena.


    Fang Yi''s spear broke through the bombardment and shed against the seal. Beneath them, the seal protecting the audience melted like ice. The impact of the shockwave alone turned some of the lightborne spectators into ash.


    The overwhelming power Fang Yi had disyed caused many of the spectators to step back subconsciously. What manner of strength was this? They were being endangered just watching the fight from afar!


    Others paid to spectate with money, but Fang Yi and Xing Yu''s tournament could cost their virtual lives. Who had ever heard of the like?


    Many of the spectators quickly logged out.

 Chapter 1423: A Dimensional Blow

    <h4>Chapter 1423: A Dimensional Blow</h4>


    Continuing to watch the match between Fang Yi and Xing Yu could pose severe damage to their mind and soul, and the spectators certainly had no intention of risking it. Many among them were challengers themselves, and they didn''t want to lose their qualifications.


    As a result, many quickly logged out.


    The remaining spectators either didn''t fear the mental damage that would result from ''death'', or were strong enough to withstand the aftermath of thebatants'' attacks.


    The virtual realm shook and distorted, as though it were under heavy pressure that would cause it to explode.


    The light dissipated as Xing Yu''s scattered hair fell back down to his shoulders. His gaze was ice-cold as he stared before him. One of his hands were bleeding, the one which Fang Yi had bled in the initial sh.


    After this attack, that wound began bleeding again, unable to be healed. Crimson light emerged from it; Xing Yu''s blood seemed to have a sinister power.


    Fang Yi readied himself to continue the assault. He felt little difort; after his training in the third realm, he was able to maintain much of hisbat power even after unleashing his sevenfold strike.


    He sighed in regret. "I was just missing a bit more power¡ªI could well have destroyed Xing Yu''s body right then and there!"


    If he could havebined all those disparate sources of energy into one, his attack would have been even more frightening. It was fortunate that none of the spectators could hear his thoughts; many already considered him a madman.


    Fang Yi acknowledged that he had underestimated his opponent. It was little wonder that he was considered the rising star of the Stargods.


    Xing Yu, however, was even more surprised. How could a cultivator like Fang Yi have arisen from an otherwise nameless race?


    High up in the stands, the other Stargods were in an uproar. The Stargod Seal was so strong as to be a forbidden technique, and Xing Yu had perfected and refined it further. It was a technique that could dominate the universe¡ªso how could it be that Xing Yu had struggled so much against a nameless cultivator like his opponent? His right hand was still bleeding, a wound that stubbornly resisted his natural regeneration!


    This sort of oue was beyond anyone''s expectations; the nameless challenger was unbelievably strong, so strong that even the young hero of the Stargods was finding it hard to suppress him.


    "Enough. We''ll stop here!" Xing Yu shouted. His aura rose to a tremendous degree as the ground below him cracked open. The mountains shifted; the heavens distorted.


    His aura grew stronger than it had ever been. It felt as though a slumbering beast had just awoken and was about to bring cmity to the realm.


    Everyone was frightened; their souls quivered. However, in a moment, that frightening aura vanished as quickly as it had appeared. At the same time, Xing Yupletely vanished from the arena.


    What had happened? The spectators nced around in search of Xing Yu''s figure, but he seemed to have vanished entirely.


    Many spectators felt themselves starting to sweat. Who could defend against an enemy in a state of such perfect stealth?


    The Stargods were pumping themselves up. They were finally going to see the hero of their race show his true skills! The battle would likely end here.


    Fang Yi stood steadfast as a mountain amidst the void. He nced down at the realm. "Is this all you''ve got? Hiding in the darkness like that."


    "I''m watching you from above the stars. It''s time for all this to end." Xing Yu''s voice came from an unknown source.


    Suddenly, ripples of energy burst forth from the void. Fang Yi felt his eyes burn in pain¡ªrunes seemed to have been applied to his body.


    "[Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize the Light]!" Xing Yu''s voice came from far away, cold and emotionless, as he passed down judgment.


    The pain in Fang Yi''s eyes deepened. Darkness surged at the edges of his vision. His spear struck at the source of the sound, but it hit nothing. Meanwhile, a fearsome blow shot toward the back of his head. Runic script exploded from the impact.


    Although Fang Yi was unable to see anything, he would hardly let himself get hit so easily. He quickly dodged.


    "[Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize all Sound]!" Xing Yu intoned. A shard of naturalw resonated with the arena.


    Fang Yi found that all sound had vanished. He was in a dome of dead silence.


    "Have you anyst words?" In this dark and soundless world, all Fang Yi could hear were Xing Yu''s words. This was a particrly sinister technique, one that could temporarily disable his senses!


    "[Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize the Flesh]!" Xing Yu continued. This was the true killing blow.


    Although Fang Yi could hear and see nothing, a sense of danger bloomed in his heart. Wind and storm surrounded him.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning. A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock. He sped up time around himself, hoping to be able to retaliate in some form or another.


    The clock tolled, but Fang Yi couldn''t hear it. He gripped his spear tightly in his hands, preparing tounch an attack at any moment.


    What seemed like a mallet smashed down on him from every inch of exposed skin, as though attempting to grind him into meat paste.


    Wind and storm surged from Fang Yi, stronger than before, as he tensed up. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake, striking all around him. Even so, he failed to defend against the entirety of the attack.


    The opponent''s technique was particrly unusual, able to strike formlessly from every angle, every vantage point,pletely different from anything he had faced to date.


    Fang Yi felt as though he could sense a gigantic grindstone appear in the void. He was in its center, and a pair of hands that couldn''t be seen were slowly grinding away at his self. It was a frightening prospect.


    His enemy was nowhere to be seen and sensed, as though the entire arena had be this grindstone, torturing him and grinding away at his self.


    Fang Yi suddenly thought of a guiding principle: a dimension beyond.


    Xing Yu seemed to have transcended the virtual realm and moved onto a higher dimension entirely as he toyed with the ants one dimension lower.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.

 Chapter 1424: Understand or Die

    <h4>Chapter 1424: Understand or Die</h4>


    The lightning tiger and wind dragon corkscrewed into an incredible blow that struck indiscriminately around him as he swung his spear back and forth.


    "Your struggles are futile. This is a judgment of the cosmos itself. Gone is your sight, your senses, and your flesh," Xing Yu intoned.


    Even now, Fang Yi couldn''t sense where he was, as though he were a god who dwelled in the metaphysical, looking down on the mortal world.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones, and a third wheel of time appeared by his back. Spear thrusts and strikes shot toward every direction.


    "I said, all your struggles are futile," Xing Yu repeated.


    A tremendous pressure bore down on Fang Yi from above, dispelling his attack entirely.


    Fang Yi attempted to resist the mounting pressure with the power of time, but it didn''t have the desired effect.


    Even that power was easily suppressed by Xing Yu.


    If Xing Yu really had ascended to a higher dimension and was able to manipte those in the one below, all resistance would indeed be futile.


    A cultivator of a higher dimension boasted absolute suppression over a lesser one; the difference was akin to a firefly''s glowpared to the brilliant full moon.


    Humans could paint and cut paper all they wanted¡ªand even tear it apart if they so desired.


    At this moment, Xing Yu seemed to be toying with Fang Yi like a cat ying with a mouse. No matter how he resisted, Fang Yi was unable to attack Xing Yu.


    "[Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize the Soul]!" Xing Yumanded. This time, he pushed his technique to its extreme.


    Fang Yi''s head buzzed in intense pain. His body hurt all over. A formless chain passed through his physical body and tightened around his soul. Fang Yi felt as though his soul was about to be extracted from his body, a particrly dangerous prospect. He would surely be in danger if the separation were to take hold.


    Even Zhang Lie nched. "This is¡ª!"


    They weren''t mental constructs; rather, their avatars in this virtual realm were projections of their physical and spiritual bodies. The soul was the root of the self; if it were truly to be separated from his body, there could be extremely severe consequences.


    No one knew how this virtual realm worked, but the importance of the soul was paramount and quintessential. If Fang Yi''s soul were seized, he could very well turn unconscious even in reality, turning into an empty shell of a body.


    What sort of ridiculous technique was this?


    Zhang Lie murmured, "If matters devolve, we''ll rush into the arena and save Fang Yi ourselves."


    "How, Captain?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Li Feng replied, "We''re all in spectator mode, and we have nobat strength whatsoever. If we rush into the arena, we''ll just die!"


    Sun Xiaowu stood firm. "There''s no need to worry, Captain. You ascended to the fourth realm early, so you didn''t see how hard Fang Yi worked after losing to you in the third realm. He''s grown far stronger than before."


    "What''s more," Yang Ze added, "Xing Yu''s technique only appears to be frightening. It''s not actually that strong."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I was too anxious. Fang Yi will surely be able to figure it out himself."


    Fang Yi arduously got up and began to counteract the effects of Xing Yu''s technique with his willpower, forcibly wresting his soul back and defending it from the assault that came in every direction.


    His opponent seemed to be formless; the attacks came from all over, and were particrly difficult to block. Even if he wanted to attack the opponent, he didn''t know where to start. He was relegated to passivity.


    Fang Yi coughed up a mouthful of blood. After his sight was taken, then his hearing, and now his body and flesh, he was exhausted from dealing with the litany of attacks.


    As he continued to resist, a fourth wheel of time appeared to his back.


    Fang Yi''s physical body was trapped by the grindstone and ground away. His soul was chained and pulled away. A formless de glinted in the air, readying itself for a final decisive blow.


    Though blood seeped out of his body and wounds ate at his will, though he saw and heard nothing in his eternal darkness, it was precisely these conditions that honed his sixth sense to its greatest sensitivity. He felt a sense of tremendous danger and immediately unleashed the strength he had stored up.


    Just then, a fifth wheel of time formed on his back.


    "[Wheel of Time: Break]!"


    As the next wheel of time broke, even more light red from Fang Yi''s back. A second shadow appeared, merged with Fang Yi, and boosted his strength, followed by a third, a fourth, a fifth...


    As more and more wheels of time behind Fang Yi broke, more ephemeral shadows appeared and boosted his strength to an extreme. Wind and storm circled him five times over.


    A dragon''s roar resounded through the air like peals of thunder. A wind dragon and a storm tiger appeared. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Fang Yi leveled his spear. Wind and lightning surged forth. Chaotic energy infused both elements, and the attack disrupted time and space itself. The power of time exploded from him in waves.


    In the blink of an eye, everything turned unfocused.


    Time and space were both disrupted. The formless de was obliterated by the distortion, and a screen of light was forced into existence, then shattered by the energy that arose from Fang Yi.


    Light shed before his eyes as he understood the nature of the attack that had stymied him. All this about judgment was just misdirection¡ªthe opponent''s true technique was spatial in nature!


    Fang Yi realized that he had been trapped within a cage of void. All the attacks from before had just been a feint; the true attack was just an exercise of spatial power.


    Fang Yi scowled. He felt as though he had just eaten a pile of excrement.


    This was a remarkable attack indeed, and one which would have killed him if he hadn''t managed to disrupt it in time. It was far too deceitful!


    "ying dirty, just like someone else I know..."


    Fang Yi felt as though he had just exchanged blows with Yang Ze, that loach. If he had understood the technique from the very beginning, it would have been trivial to deal with it; but if he hadn''t figured it out, he would have been killed, just like that!


    Without the burst of power from his umted wheels of time, giving him the strength to force his way out of the technique with brute force, he would never have suspected that it was an application of spatial force.


    The reason that his [Shadow and Light] had been ineffective was because it was a technique that elerated time in his vicinity, and it had no impact on his spatial suppression.


    In the stands, Sun Mengmeng sighed in relief. "Fang Yi''s finally discovered what''s going on!"


    Yang Ze smirked. "As I said, his opponent''s techniques aren''t anything impressive."


    Sun Xiaowu scoffed. "More like you''ve finally encountered someone else like you and dislike him as a result. You''re just like that Xing Yu fellow!"

 Chapter 1425: Like Abhors Like

    <h4>Chapter 1425: Like Abhors Like</h4>


    Yang Ze gnashed his teeth. "That''s nonsense! He''s much less cool than I am. He''s sly and his techniques and tactics are petty and full of tricks."


    Li Fengughed. "Like abhors like."


    Everyoneughed as well.


    The members of Team Zenith were all relieved that Fang Yi had realized the truth of the situation and resolved the danger.


    "I knew you couldn''t be as strong as all that."


    Fang Yi clutched his spear tightly as space reverberated around him. Wind and storm surrounded him.


    If Xing Yu really were strong enough to ascend to a different dimension and control Fang Yi from that vantage point, he wouldn''t have been injured in the first ce. After all, Xing Yu would have been a higher-dimensional being that could hardly have taken damage from a lower-dimensional one even if a projection of him were in the same dimension.


    A firefly wouldn''t be able to do any damage to the moon even if it were to fall to earth; at best, it would be able to bite down on some lunar soil.


    If Xing Yu really possessed control of a higher dimension, he wouldn''t have to y these sorts of games with Fang Yi and strip him of his senses one by one before peeling away his soul. He could simply have torn the canvas apart and Fang Yi along with it.


    After realizing what was happening, the rest was easy.


    Magic against magic, fist against fist¡ªand space against space.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Chaotic and spatial energy joined in the mix¡ªa miniaturized version of his signature fivefold strike, at least at the level of a fourfold strike.


    A ck turtle and divine bird rushed out of the mix of chaotic energy, spatial rifts, wind, and storm.


    The wind resolved into a stormwind dragon. Spatial force transformed into a qilin, with the void as its ws and lightning as its whiskers.


    The lightning transformed into a white tiger wreathed with howling winds, spatial force forming its sharp ws and chaotic energy condensing into its eyes.


    Spatial force manifested in the form of a divine bird, space its feathers, the storm its body, lightning its beak, and chaotic energy seeping from its feathers like burning mes.


    The chaotic energy transformed into a ck turtle, spatial force into its shell, lightning into its legs, and the stormy wind its head.


    The four mythical beasts formed from thebination of the fourfold energies shot out as Fang Yi thrust his spear forward. The disparate energies corkscrewed together, simultaneously melded and distinct, as they shot toward the heavens.


    They exploded simultaneously, raining down destruction onto Fang Yi''s opponent.


    Xing Yu coughed out blood in shock. His opponent had sensed the secret of his technique, broken out of the cage, and survived his most lethalbination.


    His wounded body shook as blood stained his clothes.


    The spatial cage broke and restored Fang Yi''s senses to himself, light and sound and soul.


    "To think you would have seen through it!" Xing Yu wiped away the blood by his lips. His muscr body glowed with light as strength radiated from him.


    Fang Yi sighed. "Knowing too much can be a hazard at times."


    He had been misled by his knowledge from the Milky Way.


    "To be frank, your techniques aren''t all that amazing. I have apanion who''s more cunning than you are."


    If Fang Yi hadn''t known about higher-dimensional space and been misled, he would have discovered the truth sooner.


    "This is the spatial cage that I invented. I could trap you within it for eternity. Since you''ve already entered it, I''m not going to let you out!" Xing Yu thundered.


    The crowds were nowhere to be seen; this was a pocket space isted from the outside world.


    The outside world could see inside, but the internal world couldn''t see outside.


    Xing Yu shot into the sky and looked down at Fang Yi from the heavens. "I am the lord of this domain, and you a lowly prisoner. This is my world!"


    Fang Yi remained calm. "Then let me show you how I''ll defeat you from within this world."


    Rather than tear apart the pocket space, Fang Yi readied himself for a fight.


    "[Trappings of Void]!" Xing Yu shouted, unleashing his signature set of techniques to restrain Fang Yi.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a bell. The tolling of a bell reverberated through the pocket dimension.


    "[Winds of Aeon]!"


    Fang Yi invoked the power of time, which revolved around his spear. Spatial force mixed with it, extending toward Fang Yi''s hand and spreading throughout his body, augmenting it. The wheels of time to his back revolved around his body. Lightning shed and wind howled.


    Fang Yi''s body distorted and split into two, as though he had been isted from spacetime.


    "Hmm?" Xing Yu was shocked to see that his spatial control was ineffective.


    Fang Yi snickered. "As I said, your techniques are meaningless now that I''ve seen through them."


    Xing Yu was like a disaster-grade lifeform that had conjured a domain out of spatial force, within which he had the power of a higher-dimensional being that could manipte those within the domain.


    However, all this was an illusion.


    After all, Xing Yu wasn''t such a being and had no means of effecting direct control over his captives.


    As a result, breaking free was straightforward. Counter space with space and domain with domain.


    Fang Yi formed a domain with his wheels of time as basis.


    Bybining the powers of space and time to form a spacetime domain, he was able to free himself from the standard flow of spacetime. He called on forces more fundamental than those of Xing Yu; Xing Yu''s domain could affect him no longer.


    What''s more, Fang Yi had isted himself from the standard flow of spacetime and could be affected by no other domains.


    "I''ll kill you!" Xing Yu shouted, enraged after Fang Yi had disparaged his techniques.

 Chapter 1426: From Whence

    <h4>Chapter 1426: From Whence</h4>


    This fight would proceed to the end; it was unavoidable.


    "Kill!" bothbatants shouted.


    The void cage trembled. Bothbatants had grown enraged and were fighting with boiling blood.


    Xing Yu was disadvantaged from the beginning. Fang Yi had speared him in the chest.


    A domain of spacetime surrounded Fang Yi, allowing him a minute advantage and discement forward in time: 0.1 seconds into the future.


    The discrepancy was too small for Fang Yi to replicate Yang Ze''s [Reflected Sight, Refracted Vision], projecting his future self into the present. His attacks were unable to strike the Xing Yu of the future, but they could, and did, grow that slightest bit faster.


    Against an opponent of equal caliber, an advantage of 0.1 seconds could make all the difference.


    For instance, despite the fact that Fang Yi''s spear was just a tiny bit faster, Xing Yu, who had grown ustomed to Fang Yi''s speed, was immediately disadvantaged and incurred a chest wound.


    Xing Yu roared. His hair was in disarray; he seemed to be rampaging. He grabbed ahold of the spear that Fang Yi had thrust through his chest and used the strongest technique of the Stargod race: the Stargod Seal.


    Xing Yu couldn''t care less about the damage to his mind, at this point. He acknowledged Fang Yi as a true opponent and traded a wound for a wound. Fang Yi was sent flying along with his spear. He fell toward the audience stands like a meteor.


    He scrambled up amidst a cloud of dust, fighting intent shining brightly through his eyes. As he took to the air, the fight resumed anew.


    Fang Yi grew stronger and stronger as he fought. The wheels of time to his back continued stacking endlessly until his speed reached an apex. Twenty wheels of time had formed seemingly in no time at all, and his attacks were two seconds faster than Xing Yu. Not only that, his techniques began to stack on top of one another. As he rampaged, wind and storm surrounded him and exploded around his opponent.


    Fang Yi had never fought to such an exhrating extent before. His body wasn''t able to support such strenuous fighting in the third realm, and he was only able to stack ten wheels of time at most. After that, while he was able to bear an increased burden,either he or his opponent would give out before he could stack them further. This was the first time that he had encountered an opponent like Xing Yu who was able to fight to this extent.


    Fang Yi had never experienced the thrill that came with stacking twenty wheels of time. His mental and physical state was elevated to an extreme peak, and he feltfortable all over.


    As the battle progressed, the twenty-first wheel of time formed. Beyond twenty wheels of time, each additional wheel conferred a supetive increase.


    The twenty-one wheels of time around Fang Yi''s body began to glow with light and blistering radiance. Wind and storm melded into Fang Yi''s spear, augmenting his strength further.


    Within mere moments, Xing Yu felt the pressure from his opponent multiply.


    On the other hand, he was growing more and more weary as the battle dragged on. Realizing that he would have to end it quickly, that Fang Yi would only grow stronger, he made his move.


    "[All Bows Down to the Ster Sea]!" Xing Yu roared. Resplendent starlight glowed all around him, as though he were shrouded in the cosmos itself. His strength grew to a frightening extent.


    With a shout, the starlight burst forth into a ster sea, quashing all resistance. The stars formed a meteor shower that prated heaven and earth, destroying everything in sight.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    With twenty-one wheels of time, thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    A chaotic storm filled the air. Lightning sparked as dragon and tiger interwove. With temporal power joining the mix, the fourfold energies formed a vortex around Fang Yi''s spear and pierced through the ster sea, disrupting space and the ordinary flow of time.


    "[Trappings of Void]!" Xing Yu shouted, intending to bind his opponent with naturalw. He sped his hands together and executed the Stargod Seal in an attempt to block Fang Yi''s spear and dissipate the power it had umted.


    Unfortunately for him, Fang Yi had reached the pinnacle of strength. At this point, his frighteningbat power, bolstered by his overwhelming techniques, was all but invincible.


    Neither Xing Yu''s [Trappings of Void] nor his Stargod Seal could save him now.


    The spear shot through Xing Yu''s body in a shower of blood.


    Xing Yu roared as his body trembled. The energies of chaos, time, lightning, and wind ravaged his body.


    Everyone was shocked by the sight. What had happened? Xing Yu''s body was bloodied all over?


    "What happened?"


    "The hope of the Stargods, the star of his generation..."


    The audience waspletely taken aback.


    Fang Yi strode out of the cage of void, invincible in his glory. He stared disdainfully at Xing Yu. "Is that all you''ve got?"


    "Is Xing Yu going to be defeated?!"


    The spectators'' eyes opened wide. No one had expected such a development; defeat hade all too quickly.


    The younger generation of Stargods was particrly astounded, as were their elders.


    Xing Yu stumbled back and coughed out another mouthful of blood. His muscr body had been gored, and blood was leaking out of that wound and transforming into mental effluence as it hit the ground.


    He had been stronger than any member of his generation that he had fought. No one hadsted dozens of blows against him; he was so strong that he caused all others of his generation to feel despair.


    Today, however, he was to experience the other end of things.


    The sudden end to the battle left the spectators breathless.


    The Stargods all paled. How had this happened? To them, Xing Yu was an invincible existence, but that was at odds with the sight they saw before them. Was the Stargod race doomed? Their hope had been snuffed out before it could shine!


    The Stargod elders'' eyes glowed with killing intent. Were they not in a virtual space, they would already have struck him down. How could a nameless cultivator be so strong?


    "He must be taken down!" A peerless elder of the Stargods sent a mental transmission to all members of his race.


    This oue was an uneptable humiliation; none could be allowed to defeat the hope of the younger generation of Stargods!


    "Who is he? What race is he from? Find out!"

 Chapter 1427: Stone of Starlit Fate

    <h4>Chapter 1427: Stone of Starlit Fate</h4>


    Although Bu Wentian had once participated in the Gctic Rising Stars Cup, he had been defeated in the qualifiers. There were countless races in the Milky Way gxy, and Bu Wentian himself wasn''t human. Of the humans in the gxy, the strongest and most likely to have made their names known were Zhang Lie''s missing parents.


    "Regardless of who they are or what race they represent, find them and kill them!" one of the Stargods murmured.


    Many among the younger generation of Stargods were thrumming with rage. The loss that the strongest member of their generation had suffered was pure humiliation; they couldn''t ept what had happened.


    "We don''t have to wait. We can attack right here. I bought one of the Splitsilver hacks, and we can forcibly enter the match.


    "It would have been difficult to use this hack otherwise, and the will of this realm would surely have been against us. Now, however, with the naturalws around the audience stands having worn down twice already, and the arena itself in such a sorry state, the hack will surely seed."


    "Let''s charge in there together and kill him!"


    "Kill him!" more Stargod warriors echoed.


    "All of you, silence!"


    Xing Yu was wounded all over and dripping with blood, both from his prior confrontation with Fang Yi, and from the hole caused by [Heaven''s Judgment] piercing through his body.


    Compared to thetter injury, the former were all minor. However, [Heaven''s Judgment] had prated his body and even sent its energy seeping into his very bones. The energy of spacetime disrupted his body as chaotic energy corrupted his flesh and energy. Lightning shocked and jolted him. Thebination left him in great pain as his features distorted.


    "This is my opponent!" Xing Yu shouted. He would kill Fang Yi and step on his corpse.


    He couldn''t lose to Fang Yi; he had to regain his lost dignity.


    "What are you saying?" One of the Stargod elders frowned in annoyance.


    "This is my battle, my fight. I don''t want any intercession on my behalf. I intend to let loose and fight at peak strength!" Xing Yu proimed. If his fellow kin were to help him out, the stain on his dignity would persist for good.


    He was the strongest among the young generation of Stargods, and he bore a heavy responsibility to his n.


    If the other Stargods were to strike now, the reputation of the Stargods and their future would be destroyed. Their nascent rise, once foretold, would cease to ur.


    He was fated to lead the Stargods to a superior future, to reim their past glory. Fang Yi was the first challenge that stood before him.


    No matter what, he had to win, to y Fang Yi, salvage his dignity with blood, and allow the Stargods to rise up once more!


    "You''re eptable," Fang Yimented casually, waving the spear in his hand. As a bell tolled, another wheel of time appeared to his back, the twenty-second.


    "Shut up!" As time passed, Xing Yu''s condition was only worsening. Nevertheless, he tried not to show it.


    The energy of spacetime continued to disrupt his body, the chaotic energy sapped at his flesh and energy, and the lightning jolted him. With the three disparate types of energy rampaging throughout his body, it was a miracle he was still standing.


    Xing Yu was shocked that Fang Yi could control so many natural forces.


    Chaos, time, and space¡ªmastery over a single one would make Fang Yi a once-in-a-generation talent.


    Fang Yi, on the other hand, had mastered three fundamental forces of nature, but Xing Yu had never heard of his name or title. It was as though he had been far removed from the history of this universe, as though he hade from another one entirely.


    "You shall be the stepping stone to my gctic domination!"


    The energy within Xing Yu''s body red, burning away the chaotic energy, the energy of spacetime, and that of lightning in an attempt to end the pain.


    Fang Yi was shocked. Any ordinary cultivator would already have died, but Xing Yu stubbornly persisted.


    With three disparate forces of energy entering his body, an ordinary person would have been torn apart, no matter how strong.


    Fang Yi very much wanted to know about the structure of Xing Yu''s body, which had allowed him to survive for so long.


    He wasn''t just standing still, either. Another bell tolled, causing another wheel of time to appear to his back, the twenty-third.


    Fang Yi was amassing his strength for a supercharged blow. Ordinary techniques were clearly incapable of killing Xing Yu, so he would need to release one of his ultimate techniques and kill him in one blow.


    Xing Yu was, undeniably, a miraculous existence. Although his physical body was cracked and injured, he had forced his body to enter a form of stasis. A divine tolling emerged from within his body, loud and growing louder with every second.


    It felt as though there were something within Xing Yu''s body that were saving him from certain defeat and helping him ovee this final trial.


    A twenty-fourth wheel of time appeared to Fang Yi''s back, causing the wind and storm around him to grow more intense.


    Xing Yu stumbled back, his body blurring as he vanished. He was manifesting power over space. If he intended to hide and shroud himself, it would be difficult for Fang Yi to draw near.


    Suddenly, holy light emanated from Xing Yu''s body.


    A mysterious stone within his body shone with lustrous light, bright red one moment, royal purple the next, and pristine white a momentter. The arena shone with resplendent light as Xing Yu''s body and soul began to glow, illuminating the entire virtual realm. The aura was expansive, holy, majestic, and severe; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    Chaos, spacetime, and lightning were forced out of Xing Yu''s body.


    "That''s... a stone of starlit fate!"


    All the spectators'' eyes widened as they looked toward Xing Yu''s radiant body. The glow that the mysterious stone gave off seemed to resonate with heaven and earth alike.


    The transparent stone was octahedral in shape and seemed to encapste a nascent, starry universe.


    Many of the spectators were gasping at the revtion. Each stone of starlit fate would spawn an unparalleled cultivator.


    Sun Xiaowu asked curiously, "What''s this?"


    The spectator right by his side rolled his eyes. "Don''t you know? It''s a stone of starlit fate! It''s a legendary mineral passed down among the Stargods. No one knows from whence theye. Some say that it was granted by a stranger the Stargods once saved; others, that the Stargods forged it themselves, but with materials that only appear once in ten thousand years, if that. When the Stargods werest in their prime, they had been led by an ancient Stargod king who possessed six stones of starlit fate and was invincible.


    "In legend, only the stone of counteracting fate could hope to defend against that of starlit fate, but that''s equally rare a treasure. How could I not be jealous? A stone of starlit fate, oncebined with a cultivator''s soul, will be attuned to that cultivator for good. Even if snatched away and extracted, it wouldn''t be able tobine with anyone else''s soul. That''s how the Stargods have maintained their monopoly over it.


    "However, if it were to be ground down, it would still be a miraculous substance."


    An overwhelming change spread over Xing Yu. His wounds healed, his bones knitted back together, and his body glowed with radiant light.


    The spectators gasped. The stone of starlit fate was truly worthy of its rarity and power. To be in possession of such a stone was to possess a fated strength, to be recognized by the heavens above, and to have a destiny threaded through fate itself.

 Chapter 1428: You Have the Right

    <h4>Chapter 1428: You Have the Right</h4>


    Possession of a stone of starlit fate was akin to having multiple additional lives. Each stone would tremendously improve a cultivator''s regeneration, and the primordial essence that it represented was a perfect catalyst for evolution.


    Such stones were, undoubtedly, artifacts of immeasurable value, and it was precisely because of these stones that the Stargods had survived for eons.


    The spectators were in an uproar. Many shouted; their cries filled the air, not just because the stone of starlit fate was precious, but also because the two cultivators were about to resume their fight.


    "It''s just a stone. So what?" Fang Yi said calmly. He marched forward. Strands of his hair fell to his chest and back. His eyes shone brightly; he held his body inplete confidence.


    "Your ignorance shall be your doom," Xing Yu replied, voice ice-cold.


    His body radiated with light as he recovered to the peak of his power. He began to glow, clearly having transformed from before.


    "Oh? Something''s wrong. Xing Yu''s undergoing... some sort of metamorphosis?" Even the Stargods were shocked, let alone the other spectators.


    As though sensing something wondrous, the Stargods stared avidly at Xing Yu as the transformation urred.


    A shocking event took ce. Xing Yu''s back glowed with silver radiance like an active volcano, shocking the heavens and dissipating all clouds in the vicinity.


    A pair of silver wings appeared behind his back,rge and lustrous, glowing with holy light. The silver radiance that emanated from them formed what seemed like the endless cosmos.


    "Starlit Wings!" one of the Stargod elders shouted.


    Xing Yu''s body gave off a tremendous ruckus, the sound of his flowing blood. The aura that it gave off was sufficient to cause some of the spectators to stumble.


    A pair of draconic horns grew out of his forehead, shining as brightly as the stars and giving off radianceparable to his gorgeous silver wings.


    "And Starlit Horns!" Another Stargod elder spoke up, one with immense advancement in cultivation.


    The next moment, patches of runic armor appeared over Xing Yu''s body, shining with light. They were formed from ethereal runic script with no physical presence.


    "And even divine armor¡ªto think he would have evolved to this extent!" Many of the Stargod elders were simultaneously shocked and overjoyed.


    Then, they rxed. There was little to worry about now. They sat back and watched the battle y out.


    "This is the legendary Stargod transformation?" Many of the spectators had initially been confused, but they quickly understood what was going on. The legend of the Stargod race suggested that those among the Stargods blessed with the stones of starlit fate who possessed overwhelming talent would be able to resonate with the stones and effect further evolutions of sorts.


    Some might acquire the Starlit Wings, the Starlit Horns, and even divine armor that would allow them to take on the universe.


    These transformations were collectively termed the Starlit Legend.


    Allegedly, that undefeated Stargod from ages past manifested the whole suite of Starlit Legend transformations.


    Since then, however, those who were able to resonate with the stones of starlit fate to such an extent had been few and far between. Whenever they emerged, however, they were sure to boast exceptional strength.


    The Stargods were shocked beyond belief to see one of their legendse alive once more.


    "Die!" Xing Yu proimed. His armor glowed with divine radiance as he charged forward at an enemy whose strength even he recognized.


    "As strong as you might be, you''re only recapitting past glory. Allow my spear to end the Stargods'' legend once and for all!" Fang Yi shouted, calm and cool even in the fact of Xing Yu''s abject strength.


    Too calm, in fact.


    The spectators viewed Fang Yi''s insouciance with disbelief. Was he that confident in his own strength?


    A bell tolled as another wheel of time formed at his back, the twenty-fifth in all. Bolstered by the tremendous power of spacetime, even Fang Yi found it difficult to control his augmented strength. His body was trembling.


    The time hade.


    "You''re strong enough to warrant this technique of mine."


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to resonate. Temporal energy rippled around him. Fang Yi stood motionless, immobile as a mountain, as his spear broke through the constraints of spacetime and returned to the static world of gray.


    "[Spear of Fate]!"


    In that world of frozen time, he was the only spot of color within. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    The chaotic energy imbued within the spear activated, gushing out around Fang Yi.


    Thebination of elemental, chaotic, and spatiotemporal energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Golden threads surrounded wind, storm, time, and space.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment], and the power of karma¡ªwind, storm, time, space, chaos, karma.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    The power of his strike transcended both of its constituents, time and karma.


    The strike touched the notion of fate, that all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a hurricane. The nine different kinds of energy stacked on top of each other and were refined into a cocoon.


    As Fang Yi infused more and more of his own energy into the attack, the energies morphed into threads of nine different colors that began to separate.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    Against the ninefold confluence of energies, even the reinforced high-dimensional space seemed liable to copse. The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, chaos and fate, the beginning and the end. Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.

 Chapter 1429: The Fated Spear

    <h4>Chapter 1429: The Fated Spear</h4>


    Those who were strong enough to keep their wits despite Fang Yi''s temporal stasis all nched upon seeing Fang Yi''s technique.


    Although they were able to keep their wits, they could do nothing against Fang Yi. For one, Fang Yi had twenty-five wheels of time to his back, which magnified his control over time; for another, they were all spectators who were unable to participate in the fight.


    Thebination of nine energies gave birth to an astounding hybrid. As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost. The virtual space began to crack.


    Even the king of chaos'' spear shook violently as it tried to sustain the nine different energies.


    Compared to when he was in the third realm, Fang Yi''s body held out much better than before. Even so, however, veins protruded from his forehead.


    The golden threads of karma, which turned ck and tried to wrap around Fang Yi, were swept away by the energy of chaos.


    Chaos muddled fate, turning bad karma into more strength for his attack.


    Twenty-five wheels of time stabilized his body. Without those wheels present, he wouldn''t have been able to use his ninefold strike at all.


    Xing Yu tried to stop Fang Yi, but even the shockwaves that emanated from the nascent technique were frightening in strength.


    Lightning crackled like a demon swiping its ws. A storm raged, and space tore apart. ck-and-gold chains criss-crossed and tangled up under the influence of chaos and fate.


    After the incorporation of karma, the energy of chaos was able to reach an unstable equilibrium with that of space and time.


    Karma forcibly linked all the disparate energies together like glue.


    The karma would have affected Fang Yi''s fated future if not for the chaotic energy surrounding him. Most importantly, the chaotic energy came from Fang Yi''s spear, not from himself, and the powers of karma and chaos wouldn''t cancel out.


    The spear of Chaos would continuously provide titanic amounts of chaotic energy, forcibly maintaining this unstable bnce.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, destroying even naturalw with theirbined might.


    Space and time cracked, and unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions spiked into the pocket space.


    Twenty-five afterimages appeared, shining with light.


    ck, formless chains surrounded Xing Yu as fate locked in on him.


    "Let me show you what fate truly is."


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    The twenty-five wheels of time that stabilized Fang Yi''s techniques shattered.


    "[Godbane Strike]!"


    The nine different energies formed a huge vortex.


    Fang Yi was suffering from a nosebleed. Even with his fourth-realm body and twenty-five wheels of time, it was difficult to support the sheer offensive might of this technique. Fang Yi was able to control formless energy effectively, but not the ninefold confluence of energies. Nor could he form it into the shape of a spear.


    All that energy erupted in an instant in a blow that shook the world.


    Opposite him, Xing Yu''s body radiated with light. As Fang Yi closed in on him, the divine armor around Xing Yu glowed brightly, filling the air with shining brilliance. The fist distorted the void, causing a blinding gleam that sent wind scouring over the arena.


    An overwhelming punch!


    This was a supetive sh, one that left all the spectators awestruck. The techniques tore apart the virtual realm. It was as though the world itself were copsing.


    The void blurred. The floor of the arena tore open as scars of void shot through the arena, tearing apart the world and shocking the spectators further.


    The two cultivators seemed as though they were about to break free from the constraints of mortals.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    Fragments of the world danced across the air, brighter and more breathtaking than fireworks. The sh between the two cultivators caused a temporal maelstrom. The spectators'' view blurred. Even after the virtual realm was reinforced as a result of Zhang Lie''s fight, the realm almost broke down once again.


    Xing Yu staggered back. A pair of gigantic silver wings, shining with holy light, pped in the air as fragments of the world swirled before him.


    He was undeniably and abnormally strong, the result of the evolution afforded by the stone of starlit fate.


    After being struck by Fang Yi''s ultimate technique, however, he wasn''t in good shape. The divine armor was tattered and broken, withrge cracks across much of its surface. Another spear wound appeared on his chest. Karma, spatial force, void lightning, temporal power, and chaotic energy were corroding his wound as the stone of starlit fate did its best to heal Xing Yu.


    Despite its overwhelming strength, the stone of starlit fate was only able to ensure that the wound didn''t worsen; the mix of energies was no easy opponent.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yi stood wholly uninjured, his robes and hair fluttering in the wind. His eyes were focused and intent; his expression calm and unflustered.


    What strength did he possess that would allow him to resist a Starlit Legend?


    The crowds were silent. They were shocked. Who was this cultivator that none of them had heard of?


    The Stargods were astounded that one of their Starlit Legends had been injured during his first confrontation.


    Just how strong did this opponent have to be to hurt Xing Yu even after such an extensive transformation?


    In the stands, one of the young generation of Stargods asked in panic, "Can Xing Yu win?"


    One of the Stargod elders stroked his beard that was nonexistent in the virtual space. "Don''t worry. There''s more to a Starlit Legend than what Xing Yu has shown us yet. Xing Yu''s Starlit Wings, Starlit Horns, and other evolutions haven''t been activated fully¡ªthose are what make him a true killer."


    The Stargods sighed in relief.


    Fang Yi didn''t show how flustered he was, but as far as he knew, his strongest technique, the Fated Spear, could kill any opponent beside Zhang Lie. However, Xing Yu had shown himself capable of defending against it as well.


    Was this the power of the stars?


    Xing Yu nced at Fang Yi. "Can you keep fighting?"


    Fang Yi asked, "What are you trying to say?"


    "You should know that better than I do, I think."


    Although Fang Yi looked calm and uninjured, in truth, he was almost out of gic energy.

 Chapter 1430: Another Trump Card

    <h4>Chapter 1430: Another Trump Card</h4>


    Fang Yi still had the ability to fight a little longer, but the Fated Spear was one of his strongest techniques. His gic energy had been all but wiped out.


    He hadn''t expected that Xing Yu''s divine armor would be so empowering, allowing him to survive a direct blow from his Fated Spear.


    "That''s all there is to your fate, then. It can''t crush me," Xing Yu taunted.


    "As for you, your Starlit Legend doesn''t seem to be that impressive, either," Fang Yi retorted, having heard what the audience members were saying.


    "Ignorant fool! Those who challenge a Starlit Legend will be doomed to suffer an ignoble death," Xing Yu replied. His voice was cold and emotionless, as though he were no mere mortal but the lord of the universe who had seen his fill of mortal cycles of reincarnation and rebirth.


    The next moment, he vanished.


    He used a divine technique to pull Fang Yi into his void cage for a final confrontation.


    The darkness approached, cold and silent.


    Having faced the technique once, Fang Yi was well aware of its secrets. Stripping away light, voice, his physical body, and even his soul¡ªall of that was trickery. The truth of the techniquey in an application of spatial force.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock. The tolling of a bell reverberated through the pocket dimension.


    "[Winds of Aeon]!"


    Fang Yi invoked the power of time, which revolved around his spear. Spatial force mixed with it, extending toward Fang Yi''s hand and spreading throughout his body, augmenting it. The wheels of time to his back bolstered his body¡ªbut his strength didn''t spread further.


    "Hm?"


    Fang Yi was shocked. His domain was encountering shocking resistance.


    Wind and storm howled around him. The wheels of time to his back glowed with light, forming radiant halos that illuminated the sky. Formless time let out a blinding light even more piercing than the sun, wrapping around his entire body and shrouding him in a barrier of light.


    Fang Yi''s body distorted and split into two, as though he had been isted from spacetime.


    Xing Yu was shocked. The Starlit Legend transformation had made him far stronger than before. His control over spatial force, in particr, had deepened considerably.


    He didn''t expect Fang Yi to still remain capable of using his wheels of time. It was shocking to behold.


    "What sort of domain is this?" Xing Yu looked toward the light that emanated from Fang Yi.


    "Strike me. I''d like to feel just how strong a Starlit Legend is!" Fang Yi called out. Wind and storm whirled around him. Spatial force condensed into a moon, and Fang Yi''s domain of time manifested itself around him. Even his hair turned purple, crackling with arcs of lightning.


    "No one can resist fate. Die!" Xing Yu announced with absolute confidence. He unleashed his strongest attack.


    The dragon''s horns on his head glowed with light as two sharp des flew out and sundered the void, the earth, and the sky. A dragon''s howls shook the air.


    The aura around Xing Yu was frightening in its strength. One de shot toward Fang Yi''s forehead, and the other to his abdomen.


    The Starlit Horns! This was one of the manifestations of a Starlit Legend, a pair of horns with overwhelming strength that could split everything asunder.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left hundreds of afterimages in its wake.


    As Xing Yu''s Starlit Horns activated, countless des of light shot forth like radiant stars.


    The starlight shed against Fang Yi''s afterimages in the air. Ster dust rained down on the twobatants. Wind, storm, and chaotic energy crackled around Fang Yi. Fang Yi''s spears and the Starlit Horns struck blow after blow against each other.


    Drained of gic energy as Fang Yi was, the Starlit Horns quickly dominated. Their golden glow illuminated the heavens and formed a ster river that shot toward Fang Yi, sending him flying. Blood seeped from his mouth.


    "You don''t have any more strength, do you? Failure is your fate," Xing Yu intoned. The Starlit Horns on his head shone with blinding light, forming what seemed like an elegant crown, or perhaps a nebr cloud itself. The golden starlight that illuminated Xing Yu was like a robe that proimed him the emperor of heaven, an undefeated legend.


    As Xing Yu had stated, Fang Yi had been drained of gic energy after their previous confrontation. The domain of time flickered around his body like a lightbulb that was about to go out.


    His body was bruised and battered, his bones broken. He had suffered grievous injuries.


    The younger generation of Stargodsughed. "To be able to fight Xing Yu to this extent¡ªhe''s strong, but that''s it."


    "Isn''t that so? He should be proud that a nameless cultivator like him can fight Xing Yu to this extent."


    "It''s a pity that Xing Yu is just too strong for him."


    The members of Team Zenith nced at each other in worry.


    They knew that the Fated Spear was Fang Yi''s limit¡ªnot just because of how much energy it consumed, but also because Fang Yi had no stronger attacks.


    Xing Yu''s Starlit Horns grew brighter and brighter. "To have forced me to my true strength¡ªyou''re a fine opponent. Surrender now, and we might meet each other in the official tournament."


    Fang Yi ignored Xing Yu and wiped at the blood by the corner of his mouth. "It looks like I have to show my trump card, too."


    Suddenly, divine radiance seeped out from Fang Yi''s body.


    A small shard of rock sprayed out radiant light from within his body. It was blue one moment, royal purple the next, and ink ck a momentter. Mysterious shades of light filled the arena as his body and soul began to glow, illuminating the entire virtual realm. The aura was expansive, dark, chaotic, and rampaging; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    Fang Yi''s domain of time glimmered brightly again.


    "That''s... a stone of starlit fate!"


    This time, it was Zhang Lie who had spoken. He had never expected that Fang Yi would keep such a trump card even from him and the members of Team Zenith.


    However, he didn''t know how Fang Yi hade into possession of such an artifact.


    "No, that''s not it!" the audience member seated beside Zhang Lie dered.

 Chapter 1431: Stone of Counteracting Fate

    <h4>Chapter 1431: Stone of Counteracting Fate</h4>


    Countless spectators were shocked. Some widened their eyes, while others clutched their mouths.


    "That''s... a stone of counteracting fate!"


    Everyone was gobsmacked. They nced at Fang Yi''s glowing body. What the stone of counteracting fate released wasn''t radiant light, but rather formless energy¡ªnot a curse, and instead more like an extreme sense of willpower. It felt as though there were countless figures surrounding Fang Yi, roaring and screaming in defiance.


    The stone of counteracting fate was tetrahedral in shape and significantly smaller than the stone of starlit fate that Xing Yu had disyed.


    Many of the spectators eyed the treasure greedily.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Just what is this stone?"


    "Allegedly, it''s a treasure on par with the stone of starlit fate. During the era of the Stargods'' dominance, a new star was born. Some called it a wish made manifest, that this was karma for the Stargods'' tyranny; others considered it fate. This stone came from that star.


    "A strong cultivator happened across the stone of counteracting fate and quickly ascended to strength, ying stronger opponents one after another until that cultivator finally fought against the Stargods'' Starlit Legend, defeating the legend and ending the Stargods'' long reign.


    "That stone was what ultimately led to the downfall of the Stargods.


    Allegedly, being in possession of that stone will be enough to recapitte the legend of counteracting fate.


    Unfortunately, just like a stone of starlit fate, a stone of counteracting fate will be forever attuned to a cultivator and would be useless even if seized."


    Someone suddenly cried out, "No, that''s not theplete stone of counteracting fate!


    Don''t you remember the conclusion of that fight? The Starlit Legend perished, as did his opponent. Even the stone of counteracting fate was shattered into pieces.


    Would this shard alone allow that cultivator to ovee his opponent?"


    "Xing Yu''s not an invincible Starlit Legend yet. He''s only managed to attune to one such stone."


    Another spectator''s eyes gleamed. "To think that we would see a fight between two cultivators of legend¡ªand in the qualifiers, at that! Any amount of mental trauma would be worth being present for this fight."


    Fang Yi had undergone a dramatic transformation. His wounds healed, his bones knitted back together, and his body glowed with radiant light.


    Fang Yi''s eyes were focused, his muscles bunched up, his flesh and blood glimmering with strength. It was as though his body wasposed of a series of furnaces that provided him with neverending energy.


    Fang Yi''s status of being was quickly being elevated by the stone of counteracting fate. What energy he had consumed was immediately replenished, and wheels of time red into existence to his back. Five appeared out of nowhere.


    The spectators gasped. As expected of a stone of legend.


    Xing Yu raised his head to the skies andughed. "Incredible. I knew you had to be someone extraordinary. This is a fated fight, and you my fated opponent. We were destined to meet."


    Fang Yi''s eyes shed like lightning. Although his transformation wasn''t as extreme as Xing Yu''s, the wheels of time to his back shone with blinding light. Wind, storm, and time revolved around him in a manner brighter than even the sun. With five wheels of time, he looked like a god descending from the heavens.


    Xing Yu, however, seemed perfectly unruffled by Fang Yi''s transformation. His eyes revealed his confidence and pride. "I will reforge the reputation of a Starlit Legend by defeating you once and for all."


    It felt as though a thousand furnaces burned within his body, lighting him up with starfire. The glow emanating from him eclipsed that from Fang Yi.


    The sky itself was dyed in two different shades of light.


    Xing Yu formed a seal with his hands. A gigantic furnace manifested before him. He added some of his vital energy into the furnace, along with the two sharp des. Divine fire zed as the arena shook. The des shone with starfire.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, resonating with his gic energy and transforming into a chaotic dragon of wind and a chaotic tiger of lightning. His spear shattered Xing Yu''s two des.


    The Starlit Horns! Xing Yu''s Starlit Horns shone with starlight.


    A bell tolled. Another wheel of time formed behind Fang Yi as he thrust his spear forward. With six wheels of time supporting him, it was as though six Fang Yis had simultaneouslyunched an attack. The spear struck the starlight.


    As Xing Yu''s Starlit Horns activated, countless des of light shot forth like radiant stars.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently and shattered the des of light.


    "Is this the full might of the stone of counteracting fate? It isn''t much!"


    Xing Yu snorted. Metallic ngs rang out from his body as starfire zed, transforming into weapons, bells, swords, cauldrons, pagodas¡ªall sent flying forward, hundreds, then thousands, then millions of weapons.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Fang Yi''s spear emitted chaotic energy as the three disparate sources of energybined with his temporal force.


    Void wind and void lightning merged together and generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    The spear, with Fang Yi in tow, shot into the rain of weapons that threatened to crush Fang Yi in a flood. Despite the momentum of his spear, Fang Yi felt tremendous resistance.


    After all, what he possessed was only an iplete fragment of the stone of counteracting fate, and there would be a marked difference between him and Xing Yu, who had aplete stone of starlit fate. He would only regenerate once in a fight, and only have one chance at oveing the powers of fate.


    Xing Yu smirked. "Don''t struggle futilely. You might not know this, but the Starlit Legend was the victor of that legendary fight."


    Fang Yi snorted. "And so what?"

 Chapter 1432: Counteracting Fate

    <h4>Chapter 1432: Counteracting Fate</h4>


    "Do you really think you''ll be able to change your fate just by being lucky enough to pick up a stone of counteracting fate? That''s just a joke."


    Xing Yu continued to try to shake Fang Yi''s confidence with a verbal assault.


    "I''m your opponent, not the stone of counteracting fate! [Floating Clouds]!"


    As if in response to Fang Yi''s internal struggle, wind and lightning raged around him. The six wheels of time to his back zed.


    Wind and storm surged from the wheels, providing explosive strength that propelled Fang Yi forward


    Starfire continued to explode in the air. Bolstered by temporal force, Fang Yi moved at a rapid clip, shooting forward with starfire.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!"


    As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time.


    The only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi.


    "It''s useless!" Xing Yu was far different than before. His back glowed with silver radiance like an active volcano, shattering the space of gray stasis with his own strength.


    Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear, and Xing Yu countered with his fist. Silver light exploded like a volcanic eruption.


    Bothbatants glowed with inner light as they fought each other fiercely, exchanging hundreds of blows in an instant.


    Zhang Lie turned to the spectator beside him and asked, "What happened during the confrontation between the Starlit Legend and the underdog?"


    "As Xing Yu said, the Starlit Legend won in the end¡ªand simultaneously lost."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What, is the Starlit Legend supposed to be like Schrodinger''s cat?"


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Is the Starlit Legend of the Stargods'' legends supposed to be a radioactive particle?"


    The spectator rified, "The Starlit Legend did win the fight, but he was grievously injured and perished not long after."


    As the battle raged on, more and more wheels of time umted by Fang Yi''s back. The arena continued to deteriorate and break down. After hundreds of shes, Fang Yi had stacked twenty-five wheels of time. Unlike before, however, Xing Yu was perfectly able to match Fang Yi''s tempo with the support of the stone of starlit fate.


    "Your techniques aren''t impressive. I''ve been able to deal with them all," Xing Yu stated.


    "Try this, then!"


    The twenty-five wheels of time released blinding light to Fang Yi''s back as they expanded through the air. Wind and storm surrounded them.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Chaotic and spatial energy joined in the mix¡ªa miniaturized version of his signature fivefold strike, at least at the level of a fourfold strike.


    A ck turtle and divine bird rushed out of the mix of chaotic energy, spatial rifts, wind, and storm.


    The wind resolved into a stormwind dragon. Spatial force transformed into a qilin, with the void as its ws and lightning as its whiskers.


    The lightning transformed into a white tiger wreathed with howling winds, spatial force forming its sharp ws and chaotic energy condensing into its eyes.


    Spatial force manifested in the form of a divine bird, space its feathers, the storm its body, lightning its beak, and chaotic energy seeping from its feathers like burning mes.


    The chaotic energy transformed into a ck turtle, spatial force into its shell, lightning into its legs, and the stormy wind its head.


    The twenty-five wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back, with twenty-five associated afterimages, duplicated the technique.


    A hundred divine beasts appeared in the air, forming a pack of massive proportions. The lightning that crackled through the air was so bright that the spectators could barely open their eyes. Space distorted as chaos reigned supreme. Wind and storm roiled, tearing apart the void.


    The moment Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear, his twenty-five afterimagesbined into a cohesive whole. The pack of a hundred divine beasts rushed through the air, forming an unassable force.


    Xing Yu rampaged, countering the blow with a massively strengthened version of his own. His divine armor glowed with light, haloing him in what seemed like a barrier of invincibility. He shed with Fang Yi with ringing blows.


    Not only were the horns on his head shining with light, his hands were forming seals. He employed one of the strongest techniques of the Stargods¡ªthe Stargod Seal!


    Runes shed all over the void cage, an arcane script that thrummed with power.


    Any other hunter would suffer greatly in a fight of such proportions, because Xing Yu was the master of the cage and lord of the domain within.


    His hair was in disarray. The holy light radiating off his body grew more concentrated. His armor shone with divine radiance, holding Fang Yi back with mounting pressure. Xing Yu''s divine armor was far too powerful; it was difficult, near-impossible, to prate.


    The pack of divine beasts struck the Stargod Seal. The forces of void, wind, lightning, space, chaos, and starlight exploded in the air. A weaker hunter would be obliterated by the explosion.


    Within the tempest of chaotic energy, two figures could be seen shing with one another, as fierce as dragons.


    Every sh left the ears ringing; every sh was filled with destructive might that threatened to obliterate the arena.


    As they exchanged hundreds of blows, Fang Yi formed a thirty-fifth wheel of time.


    Without the reinforcement afforded by the stone of counteracting fate, Fang Yi''s body would have shattered.


    He seemed to be standing on the other side of the river of time. With thirty-five wheels of time, each of his attacks was 3.5 seconds faster than they should have been, and he would be able tounch thirty-five spear thrusts in the span of one.


    Even Xing Yu was starting to have a hard time keeping up with Fang Yi''s speed.

 Chapter 1433: Fall of the Legend

    <h4>Chapter 1433: Fall of the Legend</h4>


    Xing Yu roared as his eyes glowed with light. He used his ultimate technique in order to end the fight as quickly as he could.


    His avatars filled the arena.


    As his Starlit Wings pped, the void cracked and began to shatter. A pair of silver wings shed at Fang Yi''s physical body with a keen edge beyondpare.


    Fang Yi was shocked. He defended against the blow with his spear, but the webs of his thumbs began to tear. Blood dripped down; Xing Yu''s Starlit Wings were obscenely strong.


    Even the spear of Chaos that the king of chaos had forged for him began to chip.


    Any other opponent might have been bisected.


    Fang Yi marveled at the weapon that the king of chaos had forged him.


    Xing Yu''s eyes narrowed. He too knew that any other opponent would have fallen to his Starlit Wings. How in the world had Fang Yi managed to defend against it?


    These were no ordinary wings. They possessed the strength of the stone of starlit fate, and they should have been able to crush all resistance!


    Fang Yi stared at Xing Yu, unruffled. "Is this all there is to the Starlit Legend?"


    By then, the two cultivators had already exchanged over five hundred blows. Fifty wheels of time had formed by Fang Yi''s back. The shining wheels were so thickly clumped together it was as though they had formed an imprable wall. Fang Yi, boosted by the fifty wheels of time, was akin to a god.


    Xing Yu''s gaze turned cold. His armor rattled and his wings pped, poised to shatter the void and attack Fang Yi.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    Fang Yi morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind.


    Golden mes zed up over Xing Yu''s body, as if he were a gode to life. The Starlit Legend unearthed everyst drop of his potential. Starlight surrounded him as he reached peak strength once more.


    "The Starlit Legend shall rise anew. Your defeat is fated."


    A huge pair of silver wings unfurled behind Xing Yu, beaded with starlight. Strands of karma followed their every p.


    The Starlit Wings achieved their ultimate form. It was as though they encapsted an entire universe, with each feather representing a shining gxy.


    Xing Yu had yet to truly invoke the strength of the Starlit Legend, the undefeated legend that had swept through gods and legions.


    To his back, the Starlit Wings reverberated. Runes emerged from their depths, forming a ster river behind them.


    Many of the spectators trembled as they witnessed the Starlit Legend in its entirety.


    Wind and storm appeared around Fang Yi''s body. Illuminated by fifty wheels of time, he looked like a god descending from the heavens. He had freed himself from mortal constraints, from spacetime, from the here and now. The wind and storm coalesced into a huge pair of wings to his back


    One wing dipped into the forces of formless time, and the other into infinite space. As they pped, chaotic energy seeped out.


    Fang Yi and the spear had achieved a harmonious bnce during the drawn-out fight, and he felt a sense of kinship the likes of which he had never felt before. His aura was magnified until all around the arena could sense it.


    The wings of wind and storm to his back invoked a primordial will. The stone of counteracting fate lent its power to the wings, augmenting the wisps of chaos that formed around it.


    Fang Yi was drawing out everyst drop of the power of the stone of counteracting fate. This was something he could only do for a short period of time while bolstered by the fifty wheels of time. Fang Yi didn''t think he would be able to use such a skill a second time during this fight.


    The next moment, the wings shed forward in tempestuous rage, cracking the cage that surrounded him and Xing Yu. It was about to copse.


    Xing Yu''s Starlit Wings pped as silver radiance shot through the arena like countless reting gxies, poised to counter Fang Yi''s wings of wind and storm. His eyes zed with ardor.


    This might very well be the end of this match!


    "Crack!"


    Xing Yu''s eyes suddenly widened. The confidence and surety on his face froze. His wings had been cut apart by Fang Yi''s. The sound was jagged and discordant, and it was all that he could hear.


    He roared in outrage. His disheveled hair stood on end as his body radiated with light. His divine armor ttered as he flung himself at Fang Yi.


    Fang Yi stood immobile, but his wings swiped downward.


    Xing Yu''s armor, allegedly imprable, was scored and subsequently dimmed. Xing Yu was sent flying as he spat out mouthfuls of blood. With a shout, his armor transformed into fragments of zing light, shards of a burning gxy, that shot toward Fang Yi and were about to explode at any moment.


    Fang Yi narrowed his eyes. His wings of wind and storm surrounded him. A wind dragon and storm tiger, made manifest, roared and summoned the energy of spacetime and chaos before them.


    He dodged to the side as the armor fragments exploded, but they did little against the ethereal constructs of wind and storm. Instead, they fell to the void that Fang Yi summoned.


    Xing Yu roared again, mustering up all his strength and setting his own body ame. He conjured another Stargod Seal andbined it with the void to produce his strongest attack.


    Fang Yi, having reached the apex of speed, sent his wings down against Xing Yu once more.


    Xing Yu was sent flying in a mess of blood.


    Fang Yi swooped forward and pressed the attack, his spear glinting with golden light and thrusting through Xing Yu. He fell, his blood dyeing the air as the void cage burst open and they returned to the reality of the arena.


    The spectators were shocked. They had all seen Fang Yi''s spear destroying half of Xing Yu''s body in a spray of blood that arced over the sky.


    "Even the Starlit Legend... was defeated?!" the spectators eximed. A legendary figure, nipped in the bud!


    Xing Yu, eyes cold, ignoring his wounds, shot into the sky in zing starfire. He ignited his lifeforce and mental energy to transform into a ster river that illuminated the sky. He exuded the pressure of a god. His Starlit Horns, pushed to the extreme, were surrounded by threads of karma, thenbined with the Stargod Seal and his mastery over the void.


    "The Starlit Legend will not fall here!"


    Linked by karma, Xing Yu''s Starlit Horns, Stargod Seal, and mastery over the void gave off divine pressure.


    "Sumb to my fated future!"


    Xing Yu unleashed the strongest blow he was capable of, with everything on the line. The stone of starlit fate, his mastery over the void, the Stargod Seal, the strength he obtained with his own body as sacrifice, his future¡ªhe could not lose here, for he bore the burden of the entire Stargod race and of the Starlit Legend!

 Chapter 1434: Fate-Defying Spear

    <h4>Chapter 1434: Fate-Defying Spear</h4>


    Xing Yu bore the burden of the entire Stargod race and of the Starlit Legend!


    His resolute will allowed him to produce an attack stronger than anything he had managed to date before.


    "This is heaven''s will!"


    Despite the fact that Xing Yu was exhausted and nearing the end of his reserves, the blow that he struck was stronger than anything before.


    ck chains extended from the void and locked in on Fang Yi.


    The chains were ethereal in nature. They were formed by karma, and they restricted his movement to an immense degree.


    "If this is fate, then I shall defy it!"


    Fifty-two wheels of time emerged to Fang Yi''s back, shining with incredible light. Fang Yi looked like a god descending from the heavens. Lightning sparked; the storm raged on. Time itself froze under the influence of the fifty-two wheels of time, as did all spectators that should have been protected by naturalw, and even Xing Yu himself, bolstered by the stone of starlit fate.


    In the gray world of stasis, Fang Yi was the only spot of color within.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Fate Defied]!"


    With zing wheels of time to his back, Fang Yi was able to simultaneously manifest different techniques at the same time.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Chaotic energy swirled over the spear.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, space, and chaotic energy.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    The energy of chaos, which had the ability to destroy anything, spun amidst the howling winds.


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning. The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi. The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined seven different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; the fundamental forces of space and time; and chaos.


    Even more frighteningly, Fang Yi''s fifty-odd clones allowed him to stack the same attack fifty times over, each clone contributing a single form of energy and producing seven full sets in all. The strength of this new attack would be seven times that of his [Heaven''s Judgment].


    Fang Yi''s body illuminated the entire virtual realm. His aura was expansive, dark, chaotic, and rampaging; it was grand and all-epassing.


    The stone of counteracting fate flew out of his body and began to shine in the gray world of stasis.


    What the stone of counteracting fate released wasn''t radiant light, but rather formless energy¡ªnot a curse, and instead more like an extreme sense of willpower. It felt as though there were countless figures surrounding Fang Yi, roaring and screaming in defiance. They surrounded Fang Yi and helped him grip his spear tightly, as though conveying their emotions and feelings to him.


    Fang Yi''s domain of time glimmered brightly again.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The energiesbined, somehow managing to stabilize the mix of energies that ran rampant around Fang Yi.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    It was as though Fang Yi had ced all seven sources of energy into a blender and allowed them tobine.


    The sh between the energy of chaos and that of time and space caused the wheels of time on Fang Yi''s back to shatter one after another. His spear vibrated ceaselessly, and huge quantities of chaotic energy gushed out.


    His hands trembled as the energiesbined. At the most crucial moment, Fang Yi concentrated as the energy of chaos and spacetime merged into a brand new, mysterious strength, that of primordial chaos.


    Thebination of energies gave off such a fearsome aura that all around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack.

 Chapter 1435: Fall of the Starlit Legend

    <h4>Chapter 1435: Fall of the Starlit Legend</h4>


    As the spatial rifts spread, the gray world of time shattered in an instant.


    Everyone was shocked by the sight before them.


    "What''s that?"


    Fang Yi''s domain trapped even the spectators in stasis. They saw him activate the domain¡ªand the next thing they knew, his technique had activated.


    Zhang Lie was inwardly startled. Fang Yi''s wheels of time were so strong that they had begun to affect him as well.


    The skin on Fang Yi''s arms cracked. Veins protruded from his forehead and his arms turned bright red.


    Bolstered by the strength of the stone of counteracting fate, of the wills that it possessed that fought against destiny, the golden and ck threads of karma shattered.


    The strength imbued in the stone of counteracting fate exploded as the ck chains broke apart, along with the golden and ck threads surrounding Fang Yi. The spectators were astounded.


    "Who is he? What''s he doing here?"


    "What''s going on?"


    As the power of karma shattered, so too did everyone''s understanding of Fang Yi.


    The karma that linked the challengers and spectators in the Gctic Rising Stars Cup¡ªgone. Everyone forgot about Fang Yi''s existence.


    The stone of counteracting fate was able to break the tethers of fate, but Fang Yi wasn''t able to control it perfectly. As a result, his own fate had been affected. Everyone in this virtual realm had forgotten about Fang Yi''s existence.


    If the destruction of karma had been moreplete, no one would even be able to establish a karmic link with Fang Yi.


    In other words, they would be unable to see him or sense him.


    Fang Yi might live on in the universe, but none other would be able to sense or interact with him. He would be the first living specter.


    He had entered a particrly unusual state, freed from the chains of karma and of the mortal world. It was as though he were standing above them all, looking down at them without their noticing him.


    However, Fang Yi didn''t have the time to appreciate the unusual state. With the stone of counteracting fate''s energy incorporated into the mix, he was about to lose control. Blood seeped out of his mouth and lips. He forced himself to manifest a spear from the confluence of energies.


    The wheels of time to his back exploded. Fang Yi was bolstered by thebined force of fifty wheels of time, and his strength was elevated beyond what he had ever imagined. He was all but unable to control the strength he wielded. His skin cracked, his blood vessels burst, and his bones creaked. Fang Yi''s eyes filled with blood as he reached the limits of what he could handle. He was no longer able to maintain the energy in the form of a spear.


    Having expected that this situation would arise, Fang Yi didn''t dare to use the stronger form of his ultimate, the Fated Spear.


    Of course, that was only one reason. Another reason was that he was unable tobine karmic power with that of the stone of starlit fate. If he were to use the Fated Spear, he would only be able to substitute the power of the stone of starlit fate with that of karma. Without karmic power to serve as glue for the eight disparate sources of energy, the energies couldn''tbine, so he had no choice but to use [Heaven''s Judgment] instead.


    Xing Yu immediately applied the Stargod Seal he had been manifesting, but it was toote.


    The energy that emanated from Fang Yi transformed into a frightening tempest that shot forth and destroyed everything in sight.


    Bolstered by the fragment of the stone of starlit fate, the attack was unassable and undefendable. The Stargod Seal melted away and dispersed in the face of the overwhelming attack, and the void itself shattered.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, and chaos¡ªall that energy erupted in the middle of the virtual realm as it cracked and fell to pieces.


    Xing Yu, at the epicenter of the explosion, had his reinforced body destroyed. All that remained of him was half a chest, his head, and one arm.


    Xing Yu''s eyes filled with grievance. "I am the Starlit Legend, and I cannot fall!"


    He bore too much; his burdens weighed him down. He was the hope of his generation, of the Starlit Legend.


    If he were to lose here, the Stargods'' resurgence would only ever be a joke.


    Xing Yu forced out thest of his strength in a ray of starlight. Fang Yi immediately retreated, sensing the attack, then retaliated with the lightning from his spear.


    All paled inparison to that sh of lightning.


    "No!" Some of the Stargods tried to leap onto the arena to prevent the attack, but there was no way they could react so quickly.


    The spear pierced straight through Xing Yu''s head in a fountain of blood, leaving behind nothing but a pile of scattered dust.


    The spectators reeled.


    "Xing Yu lost."


    "The Starlit Legend... lost?"


    "The Starlit Legend lost to a nameless challenger?! How could this be?"


    The spectators had no time to consider the ramifications of the fight. The virtual realm copsed quickly after as everyone was unceremoniously dumped out once again.


    All the spectators and challengers were shocked and awed by the events that had transpired.


    "What''s going on? Why are we back out again?"


    "Could the realm have copsed again?"


    "You must be joking. Wasn''t it already reinforced?"


    Shortly thereafter, the equipment screens lit up with a notice. "We apologize to all affected users. An uncontroble incident in thepetition has triggered emergency maintenance. Please wait patiently."


    "It really did copse again!"


    "What? This wasn''t nned, was it?"


    "I don''t believe it. Are the challengers this year that strong that the virtual realm would copse twice in a row?"


    "Once is bad enough, but twice?"


    "Which match was it?"


    "It looks like it really was the qualifiers..."


    "What sort of match?"


    "A nameless race against the Stargods."


    "The Stargods? Aren''t they a relic of history?"


    "The Stargods were very strong during the era of a Starlit Legend, but their race has been weakening ever since. No true Starlit Legend has appeared in eons, and those who have attuned to the stone of starlit fate are incapable of drawing out its full power. The race is just a joke by now."


    "Right? How many of them can still attune to those stones of starlit fate?"


    "You''re wrong. This challenger did so."


    "At this age? I suppose there''s still a spark of hope left for them, then. If that challenger''s unable to draw out its full power, however, the Stargods will only remain a joke."


    "No, no. Not only has the Stargod challenger attuned to the stone of starlit fate, he even managed to recreate the legend. He wielded the Starlit Horns, the Starlit Wings, and even the divine armor!"


    "What? All three manifestations? How many stones of starlit fate has he attuned to?"


    "One."


    "Just one...? He''s treading the path of the Starlit Legends of yore, then!"


    "It''s no wonder the virtual realm shattered in that case."

 Chapter 1436: Dark Horses in Unison

    <h4>Chapter 1436: Dark Horses in Unison</h4>


    "No, the Starlit Legend wasn''t the one who shattered the virtual realm. It was his opponent."


    "What? That nameless opponent?"


    "Are you joking?"


    "I''m not. That nameless opponent wielded the stone of counteracting fate!"


    Everyone was astounded.


    "What? A fight between the Starlit Legend and the stone of counteracting fate? Mirroring that fight of legends?"


    "I should have gotten a ticket to the Cup this year..."


    "Hold on, wasn''t the stone of counteracting fate destroyed in that ancient battle?"


    Many were naturally aware of that famous gctic legend.


    "The nameless opponent only possessed a shard of that stone."


    "What a lucky cultivator..."


    "The Starlit Legend was iplete too, wasn''t he?"


    "He had only attuned to a single stone of starlit fate."


    "It looks like this nameless challenger does possess some measure of skill, at least. How else could he have defeated a Starlit Legend with Starlit Horns, Starlit Wings, and divine armor bearing just a single shard of the stone of counteracting fate?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "The stone of counteracting fate can neutralize the stone of starlit fate to some extent, but a shard alone could hardly stand up against a Starlit Legend with Starlit Horns, Starlit Wings, and divine armor. This unknown challenger has to make up the deficit with his own skill."


    "That unknown challenger was really strong! He managed tobine a number of arcane forces in an attack of overwhelming strength. The only one I could discern among them was spacetime."


    "He''ll be the dark horse of this year''s Cup, won''t he?"


    "There are a lot of dark horses this year..."


    "Allegedly, this unknown challenger is one of the ster hunters."


    "That''s incredible. I''ve been wondering just what race the ster hunters are from. How could there be so many top-tier challengers among them?"


    "One defeated the invincible Srvine; another, the crazed sessor of Heaven; a third, the child of Divinity Qinglian; now a fourth, a Starlit Legend! How could this race have been nameless for so long?"


    "I can''t believe they came out of nowhere."


    "Have the supreme forces still not found anything about them?"


    "They''ve uncovered a bit."


    "Any race that has appeared in the gxy must have left some traces behind. I''m sure the supreme forces know more than they''re letting on."


    Back in the dimensional world,


    Zhang Lie and the other hunters emerged from their apparatus.


    Zhang Lie gave Fang Yi a thumbs up. "Well done."


    Fang Yi smiled.


    Sun Xiaowu rapped Fang Yi on the chest.


    "You''re incredible! To think you''ve hidden a secret like this from us for so long."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Where did you get this stone of counteracting fate? By the looks of it, it''s a tremendous treasure."


    Fang Yi chuckled wryly. "Would you believe me if I told you I just realized it myself?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "This is a reward from the trials."


    Everyone turned to Bu Wentian.


    "When the orb in the trial chamber asked me what sort of reward I wanted, I knew what my problem was," Fang Yi began.


    Fang Yi''s ultimate techniques were so powerful that they were difficult to control and consumed an incredible amount of energy, which would drain Fang Yi''s reserves quickly.


    "That''s why I asked the orb in the trial chamber to give me something that would allow me to keep going. Elder Bu Wentian gave me a shard of a stone. I didn''t know what it was, only that I would be able to keep fighting by attuning to it."


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "I gave out a prize corresponding to his needs. What''s weird about that?"


    Zhang Lie asked, "How did youe across such a shard, Elder?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "I picked it up when I was young. It''s only a shard. It might be rare, but not particrly so."


    "It looks like you were a powerful figure in your prime," Zhang Lie began, hoping that Bu Wentian would reveal more information.


    "I was simply lucky."


    The hunters knew that they wouldn''t be able to pick up too much from conversing with Bu Wentian, so they didn''t press the point.


    Zhang Lie turned to Yang Ze. "You''re the only one left. Are you confident?"


    Yang Ze smiled. "Don''t you have any confidence in me, Captain?"


    Sun Xiaowu stepped forward and punched Yang Ze on the back in a friendly manner. "Deal with your opponent quickly and don''t waste time. We''ll enter the official tournament together!"


    Yang Ze nodded. "Very well. Don''t worry, as a member of Team Zenith, I won''t lose to any of you!"


    Meanwhile, countless Stargods stood around Xing Yu. His body had been ced under concentrated starlight, and it had taken a huge investment of resources from the Stargods to bring him out of hisa.


    "I apologize for making everyone worry."


    The Stargod elder patted Xing Yu on his head. "Silly child! You''re the most promising Stargod in a millennium. This is nothing inparison to your worth."


    Another Stargod elder shook his head. "Gic expansion would allow you to improve your strength, but it''s not so impressive as to be worth putting your life on the line.


    To have burned your own soul as fuel for a pittance like this Cup¡ªif we revived you anyter, your future might really have been destroyed."


    Another elder cried out, "Do you know how close you came to losing everything?"


    Xing Yu replied seriously, "But the fate of the Stargods rests on me. I couldn''t allow myself to lose in the qualifiers! Everyone was watching me."


    The elders chided him. "Ridiculous! You should hardly have to shoulder this burden. Leave it to us old men."


    Another Stargod elder said, "You are indeed the most promising Stargod talent of a millennium, but you are yet too young to take on such a heavy burden. Focus simply on getting strong. We will take care of the race as a whole."


    "You may be able to shoulder this burden in the future, but not yet."


    "But I lost."


    The Stargod elder replied, "Losing isn''t necessarily a bad thing. Learn from the experience."


    Another Stargod elder added, "The younger generation has been growing too cocky as ofte, thinking that the Starlit Legends of the past will reappear in the modern day. They''ve grown even more enamored with your mythos ever since you attuned to the stone of starlit fate. We''ll take advantage of this failure to teach them that there''s always someone stronger."


    Xing Yu''s eyes glowed with starlight. "Elders, I''d like to attune to more stones of starlit fate."


    The Stargod elder replied, "As I said, losing this Cup means nothing."


    Another elder added, "You''ve just suffered serious mental and spiritual damage. don''t think about cultivation or the tournament for the time being. Rest up instead."


    Xing Yu replied, "I''m not part of the tournament anymore. By attuning to more stones of starlit fate, I''ll be able to grow stronger. I''m not going to lose the next encounter!"

 Chapter 1437: Whoever is Unluckier

    <h4>Chapter 1437: Whoever is Unluckier</h4>


    The Stargod elders considered Xing Yu carefully.


    "You should know very well what it means to attune to more stones of starlit fate, as well as how difficult it will be."


    Xing Yu nodded seriously. "The reason that the only true Starlit Legend has been that grandmaster of the Stargods from history is the stunning difficulty in attuning to more stones of starlit fate. Each additional stone is twice as hard to incorporate, and failure implies death."


    The Stargod elder asked, "Aren''t you afraid?"


    "I used to be, but not anymore. Rather than death, what I worry about more is being single-handedly suppressed by that opponent of mine when we meet again. I need to catch up and seize victory the next time."


    The Stargod elderughed. "Haha, very good. It looks like allowing you to participate in the Gctic Rising Stars Cup was the right decision, after all. This bearer of the stone of starlit fate has been a tremendous positive influence."


    Another Stargod elderughed. "It''s the nature of fate, after all. You''re destined to be opponents, which will spur both of you onward."


    Xing Yu clenched his fists tightly. "Just you wait, legend of counteracting fate. The next time we meet, I''ll prove that I''m the true Starlit Legend!"


    The virtual arena was quickly restored as Yang Ze confidently walked up to the arena.


    Yang Ze curled a finger at his opponent. "Come on. Let''s not waste time."


    "You?!"


    His opponent was very shocked to see him.


    Upon hearing his opponent''s voice, Yang Ze was initially confused. He didn''t understand how his opponent knew him¡ªbut when he thought about it more carefully, he made an expression of surprise. "It''s you!"


    His opponent cracked his fingers as he strode forward, apanied by a gale wind and crackling lightning. Rain fell around them both, and the ground began to crack.


    "I told you we''d better not meet in battle, didn''t I?"


    Yang Ze had never expected fate to y such tricks on him. His opponent was the man he had argued with while spectating Li Feng''s match.


    "You really are unlucky to have encountered me."


    "It''s too early to say who the unlucky one is, don''t you think?"


    His opponent struck, sending a fist punching forward.


    Yang Ze stood where he was. He met the fist with a hand. Both smashed into each other in ripple after ripple of energy. Heaven and earth shook, and the voice began to tremble.


    Their initial confrontation had been one of shocking strength. Zhang Lie frowned and asked, "Who''s the opponent? He looks rather strong."


    The spectator replied, "He''s considered one of the promising challengers for the Cup. I think he''s called Chang Sheng."


    Sparks flew all over as the two cultivators'' fists met once more. Like a phoenix undergoing rebirth, the explosion gave way to countless resplendent runes.


    The spectators'' ears hurt. Their eyes were scorched by the intense light, and their senses were all distorted. They were forced to narrow their eyes and seal their hearing, lest they be hurt from spectating the fight.


    Yang Ze clenched his fist tightly. It glowed with light. His long hair was scattered around his shoulders, his gaze bright and frightening. Blue gic energy gathered around him as space vibrated. The ripples spread out over his arm. He flicked his wrist.


    Gale winds formed as mirrored light spread around him. Pale-blue gic energy shot out from him in droves, as though he were a divine king.


    Sun Xiaowu critiqued, "Yang Ze''s Fists of the Silent Sea has some measure of our captain''s strength, doesn''t it?"


    Chang Sheng''s body radiated with metallic luster and gave off light in the colors of a rainbow. Even his fist was surrounded by golden light. When it smashed into Yang Ze''s own fist, it gave off a burst of divine power.


    In mere moments, the two cultivators had exchanged dozens of blows. A metallic ringing filled the air as the runes in the sky smashed together. Lightning crackled; the entire virtual arena seemed to be reacting to their attack on each other. Mirrored refractions filled the ground.


    Chang Sheng narrowed his eyes and considered his opponent carefully. Hisbat strength was fearsome.


    Even so, he wasn''t upset. He remained perfectly confident in himself and was cool andposed.


    Chang Sheng''s fists shone with light. The power of reincarnation had the ability to peel and steal time away. He activated it now.


    The brilliant shining runes around Chang Sheng shot toward Yang Ze as a flood, swamping him in an attempt to take him down.


    Yang Ze narrowed his eyes. To an ordinary cultivator, this was the equivalent of an ultimate technique. None would be able to discover its ws; their very lives would be sucked away in an instant.


    Yang Ze confidently shrouded himself in his mirrored refractions. Chang Sheng''s fist passed harmlessly through him.


    In that patch of mirrored refraction, pale-blue gic energy summoned raging sharks all around. They shot forward at Chang Sheng, who caused the raging sharks to explode with punch after punch. As the mirrored refractions churned, more pale-blue sharks appeared.


    Upon realizing that all the sharks could be all but endlessly regenerated, Chang Sheng stopped wastime time taking down the sharks.


    A pair of lightning wings appeared on his back. He stepped across the void, moving in an odd, oscitory fashion.


    Despite how slow and inefficient it looked, the effect was rapid movement forward. He left countless afterimages behind, making others think that he hadn''t moved at all. He escaped from the sharks by moving in a Z-shaped pattern.


    He squatted, his right leg sweeping forward and triggering hundreds of electric arcs around. The lightning exploded as he struck at Yang Ze''s head with a kick.


    Yang Ze defended with his sword.


    The kick he had executed was so strong that his arm was going numb.


    "Reincarnation!" Killing intent suddenly billowed out from Chang Sheng. The ancient runes hadn''t been snuffed out and were activated anew. They shot toward Yang Ze, leaving no gaps in his defense this time.


    He firmly believed that he could easily win against any cultivator of his generation.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst in a shower of droplets, forcibly slicing apart Chang Sheng''s Reincarnation technique.


    Chang Sheng''s eyes turned silvery-white as devastating light exploded from them.


    The white light pierced straight through Yang Ze''s body, but to no avail.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Yang Ze''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    Chang Sheng was surrounded by radiant dawn. Divine mes filled his body, and he held a sword of bone in his hand. Lightning crackled in the air and shot down at Yang Ze.


    The electric arcs interwove densely with each other like a spiderweb. In an ear-splitting crack, the pale-blue energy spread out like tides in a tempestuous sea.


    Chang Sheng''s hair was standing up in range. His eyes were like cold lightning. He shot forward with his bone sword in hand.

 Chapter 1438: Learn by Watching

    <h4>Chapter 1438: Learn by Watching</h4>


    The bone sword struck in a sh of lightning and divine me. It quivered as the mes fell like a waterfall from the skies.


    At the same time, Yang Ze kicked Chang Sheng''s face, shattering his cheek bone and loosening six or seven teeth from his gums.


    Of course, that wasn''t it. Yang Ze''s kick was infused with tremendous strength. Even Chang Sheng''s skull was cracked, a frightening wound that dripped with blood.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    The sword sh transformed into a sea dragon whose scales were like ice crystals. It shed against the waterfall of divine me in a burst of steam that turned the arena into fog.


    Chang Sheng formed divine mes around himself as protection as he retreated.


    This was insulting and humiliating¡ªYang Ze had managed to kick his mouth in, sending his teeth flying! His face was burning in pain and shame.


    All this happened in a sh. The twobatants separated from one another.


    Chang Sheng lifted his hand as his eyes shone with ardor. A lightning talisman sparkled in his palm.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!" Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra, which sprayed out nine breaths of sword energy.


    The sword energy blocked the lightning.


    Chang Sheng''s bone swordbined his divine me and lightning. The nine-headed hydra shot over in a burst of wind and storm. Water-attuned gic energy flooded the air and shrouded the entire arena in steam.


    "[The Boundless de: Hundred-Headed Hydra]!"


    Yang Ze''s gic energy manifested in the form of an astounding hundred-headed hydra. As he drew on spatial force, the hydra sprayed out a hundred simultaneous beams of sword energy, andpressed spatial force from a high-dimensionalyer of space.


    Chong Sheng invoked the power of regeneration and imbued it in his sword, causing the steam to evaporate. Divine me and lightning struck the hundred beams of sword energy that wereunched toward him in a barrage. Chang Sheng was momentarily distracted as he attempted to block the dense waves of projectiles. Fang Yi''s eyes widened as he watched the scene from high above.


    "Isn''t this Xing Yu''s..."


    Yang Ze appeared behind Chang Sheng in the blink of an eye. Chang Sheng whirled to attack him, but the de passed straight through his body, as though whaty before Chang Sheng was only a reflection of reality that didn''t exist. By the time Chang Sheng reacted, it was toote.


    Two hundred eyes had appeared behind him in the form of a hundred-headed dragon, all the heads of which attacked simultaneously. Before Chang Sheng could react, the dragons had already killed him.


    "As I said, if you were to meet me in a match, you would surely lose terribly."


    Victory was decided within moments.


    The audience apuded Yang Ze''s strength.


    "To be able to use spatial force to this extent, especially in the qualifiers, is certainly impressive."


    "Thisd is promising."


    "I wonder how he''ll farepared to those cultivators groomed by the strongest forces...?"


    Yang Ze''s performance was ster, but his opponent wasn''t someone of particr strength or background. As a result, his victory didn''t result in much attention or surprise overall.


    Compared to the undefeated Srvine, the child of Divinity Qinglian, the sessor of Heaven, or the new Starlit Legend, Yang Ze''s opponent was just an ordinary cultivator, if one bearing more potential than most.


    This was part of the nature of the tournament. Those promising candidates had already qualified for the actual tournament by this point in time, like Zhang Lie and the others. Yang Ze had chosen to participate in matchmaking ratherte. His opponents would still be skilled, but none of them would be anything like what the other members of Team Zenith had faced.


    Of course, Yang Ze had nned this all out.


    He did intend on making it through the qualifiers like the other members of Team Zenith, but had no interest in making it a difficult or drawn-out fight.


    He hadn''t aroused much attention, precisely as desired.


    He felt that his n had gone perfectly.


    As he stepped out of the virtual realm, Yang Ze made a V sign with his fingers, indicating victory.


    Zhang Lie nodded in satisfaction.


    Fang Yi asked, "Yang Ze, how did you learn Xing Yu''s technique?!"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "By observing it, of course."


    The members of Team Zenith were shocked. They knew that Yang Ze had a shockingly strong attunement to space, far stronger than the attunements that the other members of Team Zenith had to their own element, even Zhang Lie. Despite that knowledge, they hadn''t realized that Yang Ze was so strong as to be able to learn a spatial-based technique just by watching it.


    Yang Ze didn''t seem particrly excited about the aplishment. "There''s no need to be surprised. The techniques weren''t anything impressive, and you could learn them just by watching them closely."


    "Did you learn all of them?" Fang Yi pressed.


    "Not the Starlit Wings or Starlit Horns."


    Bu Wentian huffed. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    Sun Xiaowu replied, "Those techniques were granted by the stone of starlit fate, and aren''t intrinsic to his person. If you really could learn the Starlit Wings and Starlit Horns, the Stargods would probably go crazy."


    "How about the other techniques?" Fang Yi asked.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "How much of the suite of void-based techniques that Xing Yu demonstrated did you manage to grasp?"


    "All the way up to [Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize the Flesh]. I''m still researching that technique, though I already have a good idea of what it entails. I''ll be able to reproduce it with some time. As for the next technique, [Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize the Soul], that''s not something I can emte. Much of it is just a smokescreen, but I don''t have a technique that can extract or split the soul."


    Even so, Yang Ze''s actions had shocked everyone else. Who else could learn a technique just by watching it?


    Fang Yiughed. "Let''s train together sometime."


    Yang Ze nodded.


    Bu Wentian said, "Congrattions to all of you for passing through the qualifiers."


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "Do we get a reward?"


    "Let''s talk after your official tournament results."


    "When do they start?" Fang Yi asked.


    "Three days after the qualifiers. You''ve already done very well by making it this far. I didn''t get as far as you did when I waspeting. Don''t worry about what follows too much. Take some time to rest and prepare for the tournament proper."


    The hunters nodded.


    Bu Wentian had had food prepared for them all. Once they finished, Zhang Lie asked, "What are your views on this tournament?"


    Sun Xiaowu sighed. "There are a lot of strong cultivators."


    "Is there something you wanted to bring up, Captain?" Yang Ze asked insightfully.

 Chapter 1439: This Cruel

    <h4>Chapter 1439: This Cruel</h4>


    Zhang Lie asked, "We know from interacting with the spectators and from watching the fights that there are many exceptionally strong cultivators in the tournament, many of whom are supported by forces of shocking strength and means. Where do you think theye from?"


    Sun Mengmeng replied, "Allegedly, from the stars above¡ªa gxy, though I doubt it''s the same physical one we''re in."


    "And where is that gxy located?"


    Yang Ze smiled. "Why ask, Captain? You already have a guess."


    Fang Yi nodded. "I think we all have a simr guess."


    "The fifth realm," everyone replied simultaneously.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "As expected."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "I''m just somewhat confused. The lifeforms of the fifth realm should be far stronger than we are."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t forget that we''re all mental projections in the virtual realm. Our bodies are only copied over."


    Yang Ze steepled his fingers and propped up his jaw. "My hypothesis is that the virtual realm straddles the fourth and fifth realms. It''s a particrly special existence, and the fact that our bodies are only projected over means that the strength of fourth- and fifth-realm hunters are roughly the same in that virtual realm."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Yang Ze couldn''t help butugh. "If Elder Bu Wentian were here, he would certainly say something like, ''In a manner of speaking, but also not. Your answer is close, but notprehensive.''"


    Everyoneughed at Yang Ze''s mimicry.


    The members of Team Zenith had all taken some damage in their respective fights, though nothing particrly serious. Because they had been fighting with their mental projections, the damage that they suffered was spiritual in nature. It would heal quickly with sufficient rest. The hunters rested well over the next three days, preparing to enter the tournament proper at peak strength.


    The three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Bu Wentian informed them all of the rules of the tournament.


    "The rules have been published. Unlike the qualifiers, the actual tournament isn''t going to be focused on one-on-one arenas. Rather, it''s a free-for-all."


    "With how many challengers? A few, or a dozen? Are the victors the ones who survive until the end?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "It''s not so straightforward, and it''s not just a few or a dozen challengers. It''s all thepetitors."


    Yang Ze gaped. "That cruel?"


    Bu Wentian continued, "Of course, you''re not going to be sent to an arena. Rather, everyone will be teleported to a small world for the fight. Fifty challengers will make it out of the qualifiers, and another fifty seeded challengers didn''t need to participate in the qualifiers at all. That makes a total of a hundred challengers."


    Zhang Lie rified, "Do you win by surviving until the end?"


    "Indeed."


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "That''s easy, then!"


    Bu Wentian shook a finger. "It''s not so straightforward. A contracting boundary will form within the, slowly restricting the area over which challengers are trapped."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "Why does this feel so familiar...?"


    "Thepetitors you''ll face will surely be stronger than in the qualifiers. Although you all performed excellently, don''t let it get to your heads, and don''t be overly prideful. None of these challengers will be weak, especially those groomed by the strongest forces."


    "It looks like it''ll be an intense fight," Zhang Liemented.


    "That said, don''t be too worried, either. There are plenty of treasures on that that can heal your wounds, increase your mental strength, and so on. Try your best to im them to grow stronger."


    The members of Team Zenith goggled. Sun Xiaowu cried out, "This is just Fortnite!"


    Yang Ze was speechless. "And here I thought there would be something deeper to thepetition..."


    Bu Wentian frowned. "I don''t know what it is that you''re talking about, but don''t underestimate your opponents. Otherwise, you''ll suffer. When the tournament starts, you''ll automatically be sent to different parts of the."


    Sun Xiaowu raised a hand. "Aren''t we going to parachute onto it?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "Random teleportation. Why would there be parachutes? You might even encounter an enemy right beside you; that would be the worst-case scenario."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "We need to think about how we can all gather together, don''t we?"


    "Indeed."


    Bu Wentian took out six soulshards. One was a giant golden orb like a beehive, while the five others were like small bees.


    "This is a particrly special set of soulshards. The golden orb is called the queen''s hive, a disaster-grade soulshard with the ability to attract these small bees¡ªthe five superior-grade tracker bee soulshards. Their function is to lead your way to the disaster-grade queen''s hive soulshard."


    "In other words, they''re likepasses," Yang Ze concluded.


    Bu Wentian continued, "The tracker bee soulshards have nobat strength whatsoever. The only reason they''re superior-grade is because of their particrly strong functionality. They would lead you to the queen''s hive soulshard even from hundreds of kilometers away. Allegedly, they''re attuned to karma, and it''s difficult to trick or disrupt them."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "So we''ll easily be able to gather with these soulshards in hand?"


    After some discussion, it was concluded that Zhang Lie would carry the disaster-grade queen''s hive soulshard, while the rest of them would each take a tracker bee soulshard.


    Yang Ze said, "If someone were to steal the queen''s bee soulshard, they could lead us all into an ambush. Our captain''s the strongest among us, and it makes sense for him to guard it."


    Bu Wentian nodded. "That''s a standard choice. The disaster-grade queen''s hive soulshard can even allow you to sense the five tracker bee soulshards. If any of them break, the queen''s hive soulshard will immediately inform its wielder of the direction where it urred.


    "So I can rush to the scene and rescue anyone in need, right?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Sun Mengmeng clenched her fist. "Don''t worry. We''re very strong, and you won''t need to rescue us, Captain."


    Bu Wentian reminded them, "Don''t forget that you''ve made yourselves famous in the qualifiers. Everyone''s talking about you, and the representatives of the strongest forces might target you to gain the attention of the spectators. All of you are members of an unknown race, and many wish to test themselves against you."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "In other words, we''ll be a prime target."


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "Not to that extent, but you''ll have a harder time surviving than other challengers."


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Don''t worry. We''re not that weak. We''ll see who''s the hunter and who''s the prey."


    As they kept the soulshards in their soulspaces and finished their preparations, the hunters stepped into their respective apparatuses.


    A screen flickered before them. [Congrattions on making it through the qualifiers of the Gctic Rising Stars Cup. The official tournament has begun. Enter the tournament grounds?]

 Chapter 1440: What Are You?

    <h4>Chapter 1440: What Are You?</h4>


    Zhang Lie chose [Yes] without any hesitation.


    The sight before him blurred. A beam of light scanned his body and projected it into a virtual realm.


    A wide expanse of space opened up before Zhang Lie. It was hard to believe that everything was an illusion, rather than reality. There were mountains and streams all around him, and his bare feet were touching the ground. Wind blew at his face. Everything seemed real.


    The massive world wasyered with fog, with trees that stretched toward the heavens. Avians of unusual make took to the air, and giant beasts roared.


    Zhang Lie felt a sudden pain on the back of his palm. A mark had formed, imprinted on his mental avatar.


    "Is this to show that I''ve made it through the qualifiers?"


    Zhang Lie was taking in this miraculous virtual world when a shout came from behind. Someone wasunching a sneak attack.


    Zhang Lie immediately whirled to dodge. He turned back to see a woman dressed in radiant gold. She was tall and svelte, her features elegant, her ck hair scattered around her back. Her eyes were limpid, her face veiled.


    She stood proudly. When she blinked, lightning flew out of her eyes. She seemed to be a being freed from the constraints of the mortal world, and a deific aura surrounded her.


    "A monster?" the woman asked. A film of divine light formed over her eyes.


    "A monster?" Zhang Lie echoed.


    Perhaps by luck, or misfortune, Zhang Lie had encountered anotherpetitor from the very beginning.


    "An immortal," the woman replied.


    "A human," Zhang Lie replied.


    "And here I thought I found a monster to defeat. I remember now. You''re one of the famous ster hunters from the qualifiers, aren''t you?" The woman''s gaze sparked like lightning. Her golden clothes shimmered.


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "Is an immortal a gic lifeform like those Srvines?"


    The woman was rather taken aback. She smirked and muttered to herself, "How fortuitous. I wanted to have a go at one of you."


    Zhang Lie suddenly pinched his nose. "I know of a so-called immortal weed, otherwise known as earthwort, whose essential oils can serve as insect repellent. It''s a poisonous species, with a pungent stench. Much of its poison lies within its fruit, a smaller portion in its leaves, and the smallest in its stem. You look rather appealing to human sensibilities, but to think that you would be a poisonous nt!"


    Hunters who wanted to make a name for themselves in the dimensional world would have to be familiar with all manner of biological organisms. Zhang Lie had made it to the fifth realm in his past life, and was half a biologist and an expert in gic lifeforms by that point.


    "You''re the poisonous one, I should think." The woman in goldughed merrily. "I''ve never heard of humans. Show your true self. If you''re like one of those nine-headed lions, I''ll take you as a mount."


    Zhang Lie ignored his opponent''s words. He murmured to himself, "The immortal weed is also called stinkweed, bugweed, or fleaweed. Allegedly, it''s a particrly effective insect repellent and killer."


    The woman raised an eyebrow. Two bolts of lightning flew out of her eyes as her strength suddenly magnified.


    Her hair floated in the wind as she shot forward. The veil over her face didn''t cover her bright, luscious lips.


    When Zhang Lie noticed his opponent''s reaction, he gasped. "My goodness, I was just talking to myself! Could you really be this so-called immortal weed? Are you poisonous and emit a toxic stench?"


    The woman''s features and bearing were undoubtedly elegant. Her smile widened, and the aura around her grew so strong that the void itself was vibrating.


    "You shall die!" she announced. As she shot forward, she left behind a series of afterimages. She moved unbelievably quickly.


    She stood before him in a burst of spatial fluctuations, her white, slender fingertips reaching for Zhang Lie''s face.


    The woman was clearly an expert in spatial force, whose mastery might well beparable to Yang Ze''s. However, Yang Ze''s strength was in hiding himself and conjuring illusions, whereas the woman''s was in speeding herself up.


    In a sh of golden light, Zhang Lie left a series of afterimages behind. Ethereal blue gic energy defended against the woman''s spatial spikes.


    The woman was simply too fast. Her golden dress whirled as she spun. She kicked at Zhang Lie with her right leg in a sharp, decisive blow.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie tilted his body and barely avoided the leg. With his finger as a sword, he summoned potent sword energy and chopped at her thigh.


    The woman in gold diffused the attack with a swivel. With her back to Zhang Lie, she swung an arm in a graceful arc. Her wrist, bathed in golden light, shot toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie smiled and stepped back. As her attack missed, he reached forward, fingers grasping at her neck, while he made a fist with his other hand and unleashed ethereal blue light that struck at her lower back.


    The woman''s senses were acute. Rather than turn, she contorted her body into a swift and efficient back kick.


    Light erupted between the two cultivators.


    Zhang Lie''s fist struck her leg in twin bursts of light.They rose into the air and circled each other.


    Then, the woman dropped to the ground, her golden dress fluttering.


    "As expected of apetitor who wed his way out of the qualifiers. You''re fierce indeed." The woman licked her bright red lips in mounting excitement. She seemed to have found the best of prey.


    "Which means you''re not one of thosepetitors. You''re a scion of one of the strongest forces, then?"


    Zhang Lie''s expression remained calm, though he was inwardly shocked. Who was this woman? She had an incredibly strong body. If not for her appearance, he would have suspected her to be a pretty monarch-grade lifeform.


    "A rarity indeed, to have found such a stubborn mount. I''m fortunate to be able to break you." The woman charged forward,


    moving rapidly as she formed seals with her hands. Her body was a series of afterimages; she looked like a divine bird swooping with wings outstretched, a frightening gale behind her.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and striking the palm of fog. The twopetitors shed against each other.

 Chapter 1441: Try It

    <h4>Chapter 1441: Try It</h4>


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy. The gic energy was as deep as the sea. It transformed into a storm that ravaged thend.


    The ground quaked.


    In a sh, the two cultivators exchanged thousands of blows,bining physical might with gic power. Each of Zhang Lie''s punches seemed to bear the weight of a typhoon.


    The woman was no slouch, either. Her own tempest raged as she unleashed a bevy ofplicated techniques in an extravagant disy of light.


    As their punches met, both cultivators were sent flying.


    The woman recovered and quickly shot forward. Where she strode, lotuses bloomed. Crystalline flowers budded and blossomed around her in incandescent light.


    Power manifested around her. Her eyes, brilliant as lightning, intensified.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together. [1]


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, devouring the crystalline petals.


    The woman reacted swiftly. More golden lotus petals scattered around her and transformed into burning energy that countered the dark clouds around Zhang Lie. Her golden light pierced through them as she shot forward.


    Another sh unfolded as the two cultivators traded blows. Their attacks blurred as the tempo of the fight was raised ever again.


    Suddenly, a gigantic burst of energy separated the two of them. The void distorted; their surroundings exploded.


    The woman in gold took the initiative and attacked again. Zhang Lie had never before encountered such an aggressive cultivator. Each time, she seized the advantage.


    She looked to be a genteel beauty, but her attacks and movements were sharp and decisive, with no wasted movement whatsoever. Her aura was oppressive. She struck like a storm.


    After an intense series of attacks, her body suddenly grew taut. Her bones turned silvery-white as she shot toward Zhang Lie like an arrow.


    "[Divine Arrow]!" She blurred; her attacks were so fast they were almost impossible to detect.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The woman was visibly startled, but she easily dodged the serpent given her extreme speed. She looked like a bolt of silver lightning as she zipped through the air.


    This was a use of spatial force at its peak, allowing her to behave like a divine arrow that shot through the void at extreme speed but simultaneously allow for rapid changes in direction.


    In order to catch up with the woman, Zhang Lie activated his limitless universe soulshard. He glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously as he barely managed to match her speed.


    The woman continued barreling forward, obliterating any obstacles in her way.


    Zhang Lie himself was making a move. A starlit sea manifested around him, and the power of the stars formed a whirlpool using his water-attuned gic energy as a foundation.


    The whirlpool caused the void to grow sluggish, limiting the speed of the silver arrow into which the woman had transformed.


    Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting apart heaven and earth as it shot toward the silver arrow. Simultaneously, his left hand manifested pitch-ck gic energy in the form of an ocean, one darker than the night. It hemmed in the void and sealed off the woman''s escape.


    Even so, the woman glided forward, somersaulted in the air, and whipped her legs toward his head.


    Zhang Lie defended himself with crossed arms. Both cultivators stumbled back in shock.


    They were silent for long moments. Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes before he concluded, "Your physical body isn''t particrly strong. You''re making use of some arcane technique."


    With careful inspection, he could see that the woman''s body had a sheen of crystalline light over it. That light was the source of her apparent invincibility.


    He had been wondering how such a genteel woman had chosen the path of physical cultivation and pursued it to such a frightening extreme, but things were clear now. She had some arcane technique that could bolster her physical body to this extent!


    He was deeply impressed by the strength of the fifth realm and the diversity of techniques it possessed. Just getting a taste of what they were like was more than worth the price of admission.


    "You''re not bad yourself. As you''ve seen, this is the divine radiance that I cultivate. It defends me against all ills and all techniques. My physical body is indomitable," the woman replied confidently.


    "It''s very strong," Zhang Lie acknowledged.


    "I''m Feng Xian of Starbright Academy. And you? Which divinity of the universe is your master?" she asked. [2]


    "I''m Zhang Lieyang," Zhang Lie said.


    Feng Xian''s smile was splendid in her confidence. She spoke brusquely. "I don''t want to waste any more time. I''ll take you down immediately."


    "Are you sure you can?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Of course. You''re strong enough that I''m willing to attempt to bring you into Starbright Academy with me," Feng Xian stated. "As my mount, of course."


    Zhang Lie countered, "And if you lose, will you be my mount?"


    "Try it." The woman smiled. Her limbs glowed with light, as though she were about to activate some forbidden technique...


    1. Yes, yes, here we go again... ?


    2. Feng Xian (·ïÏÉ), lit. phoenix immortal. ?

 Chapter 1442: A Young Girl in Truth

    <h4>Chapter 1442: A Young Girl in Truth</h4>


    "Give it a try, then." The woman smiled. Her limbs glowed with light. A giant figure materialized behind her, a hundred meters tall, with branches smooth and shining, or covered with soft down. Leaves grew from the branches, narrow and needle-like, each one several meters long and tapering off to a jagged tip. The flower that bloomed near the top of the figure wasrge and beautiful, pink dappled with shades of white, red, and purple.


    It looked like a phoenix with wings unfurled, preparing for flight. A deific air surrounded it; it glowed with light and gave off an alluring scent.


    Zhang Lie roughly understood why the woman had be so upset when he said she was poisonous. She likely was rted to some sort of nt matter; unlike the Srvines, who were in fact nts, she probably just had some nt DNA in her genes.


    That was why Feng Xian had been so irritated when Zhang Lie imed her to be a weed, to be poisonous, and to have a noxious stench.


    "If you''re that confident, then let''s begin!"


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river.


    Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was changing the very nature of his gic energy, from pitch-ck to dotted with starlight, as though it were a sample from the gxy.


    The gctic gic energy shone with twinkling stars, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    "What? Who are you? !" the woman cried out. She retreated quickly, shock written in every line of her features. Zhang Lie''s appearance frightened her, and she faltered while attempting to execute her technique.


    A frightening burst of energy emanated from her body. Her forehead pulsed with such potent fluctuations that even Zhang Lie was amazed.


    However, it was toote. Before her technique could be released in full, Zhang Lie''s ster dragon had reached her.


    Within moments, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight,nd, sea, and sky alike.


    "This doesn''t count. I wasn''t ready! Fight me again !" she shouted, fleeing from the pitch-ck storm of energy.


    "What? You already agreed to the terms of the fight. Now that you''ve lost, are you going to wait until I enter this so-called Starbright Academy and find you?" Zhang Lie pressed.


    Feng Xian scowled. Despite her disheveled appearance from being forced to flee, her beauty remained. She was cursing in anger at what had happened.


    Zhang Lie unleashed his dragonturtle transformation.


    The image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and his water-attuned gic energy turned heavy, sluggish, and a dark yellow color. Ripples of gic energy spread out all around him like mud. Feng Xian ended up stuck in the mud, and her actions slowed down tremendously.


    Before she could react, Zhang Lieunched another technique.


    "[Rune: Quell]!"


    Zhang Lie raised a hand high into the air as the image of a dragonturtle appeared before him. ck tablets hovered above Feng Xian''s head. Runes of unknown provenance appeared from the tablets, then floated down and surrounded Feng Xian.


    "What is this?!" Feng Xian''s energy was quickly being drained. Suppressed by the dragonturtle''s runic tablets, she found it hard to gather even a shred of energy.


    Zhang Lie leapt forward and picked Feng Xian up as though she were a kitten.


    "Help!" Feng Xian kicked and bit at Zhang Lie as she attempted to free herself.


    By then, her genteel facade had vanished entirely. She seemed more like a beast in miniature.


    "This is unfair. You''re a young divinity of some major force, but youunched a sneak attack at me! You don''t have any of the pride or bearing of a strong foe. In a proper fight, I''d take you down easily!" Feng Xian shouted, wing at her captor.


    The veil had fallen off her face in the frenzy of battle, revealing exquisite features. She was smaller than Zhang Lie had expected and was perhaps only in her teens. It was apparent that she would be a beauty of legends in adulthood. She pouted, her pert nose scrunched up in anger, as she red at him withrge eyes.


    "Admit defeat. Keep your word," Zhang Lie said, smiling.


    "You caught me off guard!" Feng Xian shouted. "Fight me fairly if you dare. I''d take you down within three moves. Otherwise, I''ll admit defeat!" Zhang Lie didn''t know whether she was intentionally provoking him or actually that confident.


    Zhang Lieughed. "Aren''t you going to call me a swindler for mounting a sneak attack on a teenage girl like you?"


    "Oh, I will! You''re a swindler, a thief! You''re some young divinity whose identity has been kept secret by one of the major forces, but you''re here participating in the Gctic Rising Stars Cup as though you''re really a newbie! Don''t you have any ethics, any morals? What kind of master would produce a disciple like you?!"


    Zhang Lieughed again. "But I''m not a young divinity, and no major force is my backer."


    Feng Xian roared in outrage and continued swiping at him. "Then you must be from an ancient race, or the sessor of an ancient inheritance! I was wondering just how that Srvine managed to lose to a nameless challenger like you. So these are your true colors! Pretending to be a nameless race in order to bully us poor folk."


    "Doesn''t your conscience throb when you say something like that?"


    "That''s what I should be asking you!"


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "I wasn''t the one who challenged you to a confrontation. You were the one sneaking up on me to begin with."


    "Fight me fairly if you dare!"


    Zhang Lie smiled. "You really are extraordinary, aren''t you? That glowing forehead of yours unleashed tremendous energy. Do all the challengers like you possess some sort of tremendous talent?"


    "Dare you fight me? I''ll give you the advantage and seal away one of my hands. I promise I''ll beat you within three moves!" Feng Xian shouted again, her porcin-like features full of provocation.


    "Provoking me won''t work, I''m afraid." Zhang Lie flicked her forehead with a finger.


    "Ouch! We''re not done here!" Feng Xian clutched her forehead in pain as she screamed again.


    Zhang Lieughed. This genius girl from, what was it, the Starbright Academy was truly a breath of fresh air. Her genteel appearance out of battle, fierce and confident disposition within it, and this wild-child-like behavior now...


    "I''ll remember you!" Feng Xian shouted, her eyes shining with anger.

 Chapter 1443: Leaving in Anger

    <h4>Chapter 1443: Leaving in Anger</h4>


    "And so what if you remember me?" Zhang Lie teased, pinching her pert nose.


    "I''ll eat you!" Feng Xian growled.


    Zhang Lieughed and reached out with his other hand to pinch her cheeks, which still had some baby fat on them. Feng Xian grew more and more furious.


    "Just you wait!" Feng Xian cried out, then... transformed into a void phoenix.


    The phoenix''s cries resounded across the heavens. Feng Xian unfurled her wings and vanished from Zhang Lie''s grip.


    "Hm?" Zhang Lie was shocked that she could have escaped despite the forcefield enacted by his dragonturtle tablets. A dudou was left in his palms, shining with mysterious runes that even Zhang Lie couldn''t understand. [1]


    What was this?nHad Feng Xian escaped because of this dudou?


    "I''m so angry. I, Feng Xian, have never suffered such disgraceful humiliation! How dare you pinch my nose and my face! I''m not done with you!" the phoenix cried out shrilly.


    The girl was stubborn and would hold a grudge for a long time. She firmly remembered the humiliation she suffered at Zhang Lie''s hands, but seemed to have forgotten about the debt she now owed Zhang Lie on ount of their bet.


    Zhang Lie waved the dudou in his hands. "You dropped something!"


    The void phoenix stopped short and transformed back into Feng Xian''s appearance.nShe was even more infuriated than before.n"Return that to me!"


    Zhang Lie curled a finger at her. "Come and get it."


    Feng Xian scowled as she transformed into lightning and shot into the distance. "Just you wait. I''ll reim it myself!"


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    The image of a dragonturtle appeared before him as Zhang Lie raised his hand. Ripples spread out from the two tablets, attempting to seal the void phoenix''s will and power¡ªbut to no avail.


    The void phoenix seemed not to exist in reality.


    Zhang Lie waved the dudou in the air again. "If you don''t want it, I''ll auction it off. I think the undergarments of the genius Feng Xian of Starbright Academy would fetch a pretty sum!"


    "Just you wait. I''ve never suffered such grave humiliation. I''ll transform you into a grub and then eat you up!" Feng Xian ran off in fury.


    "Admit that you''ve lost your bet. Otherwise, I''ll head to the Starbright Academy in the future to find you!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    The dudou seemed like a treasure, but it was designed for a female. Zhang Lie couldn''t use it.


    Could he give it away? That would be even worse; it would lead to a misunderstanding at best.


    Zhang Lie tried to store it in his storage-type soulshard, but found to his surprise that he wasn''t able to do so. After careful inspection, he realized to his surprise that the dudou was made of a simr material as his soulshards and could be kept in his soulspace.


    The fight between the two cultivators naturally attracted some degree of attention, and many had seen Feng Xian flee.


    "Did you all see that? Wasn''t that void phoenix Feng Xian from Starbright Academy? Was she in?"


    "Impossible! You all know how strong Feng Xian is. She''s a genius of Starbright Academy¡ªwe saw her take down an ancient wyrm by herself, unarmed! Who could challenge her?"


    A group of young cultivators were gathered by a mountain brimming with spiritual smoke and looking at where the void phoenix had vanished.


    "But I''m sure I saw her! That sounded just like her, too!" one of the cultivators dered.


    "How can that be? She''s been invincible ever since she mastered Faerie Glow. All arts are ineffective against her, and she''s struck down every opponent in her way!"


    "Right? I even heard that she tried to take down the young prince of the spirits'' n, and she was a troublesome foe even for them!"


    The cultivators argued with each other, none of them quite able to believe that Feng Xian had been forced to flee. She was simply too strong!


    They were all fearful of the girl who seemed in every aspect a stunning beauty. Her genteel and elegant air were renowned, but the moment she struck, she became like a dragon.


    "No, you''re wrong. I saw Feng Xian fight, be overwhelmed, and flee!"


    "Who could have challenged her to such an extent?"


    "I didn''t dare draw near. I was only observing from afar." The cultivator raised his head and saw a figure whizzing through the air. He immediately pointed at it. "That''s him!"


    Zhang Lie was chasing after Feng Xian. He was certain that she couldn''t keep up this sort of ethereal transformation for long.


    "Let''s strike. He must be exhausted after fighting with Feng Xian. We''ll take down a dangerous opponent while he''s weakened."


    One cultivator sent an umbre into the air, whirling as it spun up into the clouds and turning day into night. As it continued to revolve, beams of dark light


    Zhang Lie raised a hand. Guicang shed at the air, cutting the umbre in two with a snick.


    "What?!" the cultivator cried out. His umbre was a treasure, but it had been destroyed in an instant! Everyone nched.


    Some of their number had run away the moment the first cultivatorunched an attack. If even Feng Xian was fleeing, what made them think they could handle him?


    As they turned around, golden light blossomed in the air. A sword sh struck at the void and killed the cultivator who hadunched the umbre instantly.


    The gigantic silver sword blocked the path of the remaining cultivators.


    "Don''t leave, now. Let''s have a pleasant conversation." Zhang Lie walked over.


    The cultivators paled, cursing the idiot who had tried to attack Zhang Lie and immediately been killed thereafter. Zhang Lie had been focused on chasing after Feng Xian, but now¡ª!


    A cultivator who could force Feng Xian to flee, no matter how drained he was from the fight, wasn''t someone that weak cultivators like them could handle. Feng Xian was a genius of Starbright Academy! How had someone so foolish made it into the tournament proper?


    Striking now would be akin tomitting suicide, but not only had hemitted suicide, he had dragged the rest of them down with him.


    The cultivator, bisected, scattered in a pile of mental essence.


    Fog suddenly rose up, apanied by lightning. Zhang Lie was submerged in it. Another cultivator had struck.


    "He''s nothing more than a young cultivator from some major force! We don''t have to worry about him. We''ll strike simultaneously and take him down!"


    Even now, there were a few fools who thought that they would be able to take Zhang Lie down.


    1. A dudou is an ancient Chinese undergarment that wraps around the belly. ?

 Chapter 1444: Too Overbearing

    <h4>Chapter 1444: Too Overbearing</h4>


    All those who were able to enter the tournament proper were hailed as geniuses. None of them would want to acknowledge Zhang Lie, who had emerged out of nowhere as an unknown threat.


    Unfortunately, those cultivators had chosen the wrong opponent to face.


    Mud-yellow gic energy burst from Zhang Lie''s body as the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie. His water-attuned gic energy turned heavy and sluggish, like dark yellow mud. Everyone ended up stuck.


    Gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. Each muscle formed a dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    The dragons swooped down toward the gathered cultivators. Even before they struck, the frightening force of gravity caused the ground to cave in for dozens of meters. They were pressed down against the ground, unable to even move. There was no way any of them could escape. Their eyes widened as the dragons appeared before them, growingrger andrger with every moment.


    The ster dragons were massive in size. They looked likes. Gravity warped around them, sucking the cultivators into the air, then trapping them in a gravity well. The cultivators weren''t even able to use any of their techniques, let alone run.


    The lightning in the air did nothing against the ster dragons.


    The ground quaked as the ster dragons divebombed it. Mountains exploded and the ground cracked, revealingva underneath.


    Within moments, there were only a third of their number left, and the remainder were all badly injured.


    Someone opened his mouth and sprayed out fog, filling the air before the cultivators.


    The fog could both obstruct vision and affect the mental state of enemies trapped within. The cultivators attempted to buy enough time to free themselves, but Zhang Lie charged straight in. He wasn''t afraid of the fog. His mind was resolute and his willpower strong, and the fog would hardly deter him. Rather, it would serve as his tool.


    He activated his peak-grade dragon''s pupil soulshard. His eyes turned needle-like. The augmentation to his spiritual senses and his soul that straddled two lives meant that the fog might as well have been transparent to Zhang Lie. He easily saw everyone.


    One person was sent flying.


    So was another.


    "Damn it!"


    "Don''t think we''ll all be so easy to take down!"


    More and more cultivators were sent flying out of the fog, grievously wounded and scattering into mental essence on the spot.


    Fire raged as one of the stronger cultivators ignited divine me, transforming into a human torch and attempting to dispel the fog in search of a way out.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy took the shape of a giant dragonturtle and smashed over, sending the cultivator flying, snuffing out his me, and dissolving him into mental essence in mid-air.


    "Damn it!"


    The remaining cultivators all used their own signature techniques, now focused on nothing but their own survival. Lightning roared, light red, beasts swooped down from the heavens, and pained cries filled thend.


    Perhaps because the cultivator that had set up the fog realized that it would only help, rather than hinder, Zhang Lie, or perhaps because that cultivator had died, the fog slowly dissipated.


    Everyone fell to the ground. Zhang Lie shook his head in exasperation. "You''re all disappointments. I only struck you a few times, and yet you''re all done for."


    A fair number of cultivators vomited out blood and dissipated into mental essence; those that didn''t decided not to let Zhang Lie humiliate them further. Theymitted suicide on the spot.


    Zhang Lie sighed, ncing at the heaps of bodies that were dissolving into mental essence.


    Thergest conflict in thepetition that led to the most eliminated cultivators at once was orchestrated by none other than Zhang Lie.


    After finishing off the cultivators, Zhang Lie reined in his gic energy. The monarch-grade limitless universe and peak-grade dragonwolf soulshards were quite taxing on his gic energy. While he had an ocean''s worth of reserves, he didn''t know how long the tournament wouldst, and it would be prudent to conserve his resources in case he had no gic energy left when he needed some.


    Zhang Lie headed off in the direction of Team Zenith. He found that three of them were in the same direction, and not far from each other, either.


    Zhang Lie traveled a thousand miles in a single breath.


    In a rock forest, runes hung emzoned in the air. Rainbow clouds gathered, and an aurora spread through the region. Pure white fog drifted through the area, making it seem like an immortal realm.


    However, the stench of blood ruined the scene. Scars ofbat filled thend, destroying the illusion of tranquility.


    A huge fight had broken out within the rock forest, and some lifeforms destroyed in a rain of light.


    In the center of the rock forest, a pir of light rose into the skies. It was obvious that there was a treasure there.


    The rock forest was wide and expansive, but simultaneously sinister. The golden runes in the sky sealed thend.


    All who entered felt as though they were in a swamp, their actions slowed no matter what sort of movement technique they had.


    It had been half a day since the cultivators entered this stage of the tournament, and the major forces had all established their domains. They now found each other wading into the depths of the rock forest.


    It was a brutal fight. Everyone wanted to be the first to make it in, and no one chose to conserve their strength.


    All sorts of hidden and secret techniques were unsealed for this very moment.


    The total number of deaths at the rock forest was no less than the number that Zhang Lie had killed. More importantly, the dead were all strong cultivators in their own right.


    The peak cultivators of the younger generation of the supreme forces, in addition to the Holywing, Redgold, and other races whose candidates had made it past the qualifiers, were all fighting against each other. This was an intense free-for-all, and no one would be able to make it out unscathed.


    Even the sessor of he who was called the strongest of the era had one bleeding arm. All the cultivators were injured in some manner or another.


    At a critical moment, a golden toad, a jade-green serpent, and some other frightening lifeforms emerged out of nowhere, killing the strongest among them.


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie himself emerged. He tossed a rock¡ªno, a grenade¡ªinto the center of the swamp, causing it to explode as mud filled the air.

 Chapter 1445: Already Too Late

    <h4>Chapter 1445: Already Too Late</h4>


    A waterfall rained down from the high heavens, thousands of meters in the air. This ce was a perfect replica of some miraculous scene in reality, and a divine air hung over thend.


    As he entered the rock forest, Zhang Lie revealed no trace of wariness about what had just happened. To an outsider, this might appear to be unguarded naivete, but Zhang Lie had absolute confidence in his strength.


    He entered just as a few frightening lifeforms slew a batch of the strongest cultivators.


    Even the young proteges of the supreme forces, along with those cultivators who had made it through the qualifiers, had sustained injuries during the free-for-all that had just urred. No one was unhurt, and the frightening lifeforms had made their appearance at the best possible opportunity for them. Radiant light exploded and fresh blood scattered. The scene was a disaster, and a cacophony of screams could be heard from afar.


    Not only were many of the cultivators exhausted, the lifeforms were clearly familiar with the rock forest. In this unusual space in which everyone''s movements were restricted and sluggish, physical strength was what mattered most, and no one could be stronger than one of those lifeforms.


    Zhang Lie''s appearance didn''t cause much of a fuss in the chaotic battlefield, where everyone had a hard enough time keeping track of themselves. Zhang Lie considered the few frightening lifeforms. One was a golden toad orbited by golden coins, which would block all attacks directed at it. It would open its mouth to reveal a golden coin. The cultivators whom it was eyeing would find their bodies turning leaden and difficult to control. Not only that, they would suddenly get very unlucky.


    Another lifeform was a jade-green snake that emitted poisonous air. When it bit down, even the cultivators who had made it out of the qualifiers would turn jade-green within moments. They fell to the ground, their bodies turning stiff and cold.


    The golden toad and jade snake were both supporting the third lifeform, a silvery-white rat that teleported through space and killed one cultivator after another. It had a slew of mysterious techniques, and by the time the cultivators noticed that it was present, it had already bitten through their necks.


    A giant turtle rampaged through the rock forest, its defenses frightening to behold. There was also a chameleon that could disguise itself beyond the senses of even the most acute cultivator to behold.


    These lifeforms seemed much like gic lifeforms, but they were present in a virtual realm rather than reality, and had no physical genes to speak of.


    "Two supports, two assassins, and a tank..."


    Zhang Lie didn''t think that that was a good teamposition, but the results spoke for themselves. Against the struggling cultivators, the lifeforms had managed all but a one-sided ughter. Only a few of the strongest were still struggling to defend themselves.


    Zhang Lie watched the scene from afar without any intention of helping either side. His gaze swept through the crowd before he noticed someone familiar.


    Zhang Lie waved at him. "Xiaowu, here!"


    Sun Xiaowu had been participating in the melee, and he too had been injured. However, as a gold-attuned gic hunter, he had particrly strong defenses. He would be able to heal from even the most serious injury; it just cost more stamina to do so.


    As he shouted, he caught the attention of some of the frightening lifeforms, who treated him as nothing more than additional serving of food, not realizing that he was the most monstrous lifeform there.


    The jade snake shot over and sprayed out poison mist.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and causing the rock forest to shake.


    The jade snake was sent flying.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked.


    The firm and sturdy rock pirs all around them began to copse as the frightening lifeforms were repelled.


    The remaining lifeforms finally noticed Zhang Lie.


    Sun Xiaowu gasped, "Captain!"


    The lifeforms shot toward Zhang Lie simultaneously.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie raised his pointer finger high into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The rock forest was sheared off beyond a certain height. The frightening lifeforms fell back in surprise. Half the golden toad''s body had been cut off, and a huge scar appeared on the giant rock turtle''s shell. It keened.


    The silvery-white rat and chameleon attacked simultaneously. The rat teleported through space, while the chameleon extended its tongue like a spear with shocking speed.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity. The silvery-white rat that had just emerged screamed in agony, and the chameleon''s tongue dissolved.


    Before the rat could run away, Zhang Lie caught it in one hand. The serpent behind him hissed threateningly as the rat attempted to flee. Zhang Lieughed even more menacingly. "Where are you going, little rat?"


    Zhang Lie certainly wasn''t about to let his prey flee.


    Try as it might, the rat was unable to escape. Its ability to teleport had been restricted by Zhang Lie. The serpent widened its maw and swallowed the silvery-white rat whole.


    The rat screamed as it slowly dissolved in the serpent''s stomach.


    Upon seeing this sight, the chameleon shivered in fear and immediately went into hiding. Only then did it realize that Zhang Lie was unlike any other cultivator in this realm. He was a monster.


    However, it was already toote.


    "Your stealth ability isn''t very strong, is it? I can see through you." Zhang Lie''s eyes transformed into a dragon''s pupils.

 Chapter 1446: The Runic Forest

    <h4>Chapter 1446: The Runic Forest</h4>


    Zhang Lie could directly sense the chameleon''s soul, no matter how much it tried to hide. Its stealth ability would hardly apply simultaneously to its soul.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth and bit down on the chameleon. Its pitch-ck gic energy slowly corroded at the chameleon''s body.


    Suddenly, a bellow rang out. The stone turtle barrelled forward like a giant mountain, attempting to save itspanion.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the serpent hissed and shot forward, mming into the turtle.


    A wave of annihtion exploded around the serpent. Pitch-ck energy swallowed up everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. Huge quantities of ck fog, and even the grievously injured cultivators, were consumed by the ck-hole like energy of annihtion and vanished in a shower of light.


    The chameleon was likewise sucked into the midst and transformed into mental essence. Within the storm, the jade snake and golden toad, which had yet to die, attempted to flee.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred dragons soared through the air.


    They were fierce and domineering, and all hundred of them boasted the power of annihtion. The void storm expanded in size as the rock forest shook. The remaining cultivators paled.


    They fled, frightened beyond measure by Zhang Lie''s prowess.


    He had easily taken down the few frightening lifeforms that had run roughshod over them all. Just who was he?


    They had almost all perished to the lifeforms'' attack, but Zhang Lie had turned the tide in a matter of seconds! Zhang Lie was more fearsome than the frightening lifeforms were.


    Sun Xiaowu stepped forward and gave him a thumbs up. "As expected of you, Captain. You''re as strong as ever."


    Zhang Lie sighed in exasperation. "It looks like you haven''t done well for yourself."


    Sun Xiaowu scratched his head wryly. "A few people ganged up on me."


    Zhang Lie rolled up his sleeves and looked toward the fleeing cultivators. "Ganged up how?"


    It looked as though Zhang Lie wasn''t the only victim. Many of the challengers were shocked to see a cultivator from a nameless race take down so many favored contenders, and they wanted to be the ones to take down the "ster hunters."


    "I wasn''t around to help you then, but here I am now. Tell me who the culprits are. They should learn that we won''t take this lying down."


    The cultivators shivered in fear and looked over their shoulders warily.


    Sun Xiaowu held Zhang Lie back with a splendid smile.


    "I''m fine, Captain. I didn''t ruin our reputation. I took down the culprits myself, but was preupied with doing so when the lifeforms attacked."


    Sun Xiaowu was worried that Zhang Lie would end up fighting against these fleeing cultivators. Although the ones that had survived werergely proteges of supreme forces in the fifth realm, with a strong following and powerful backers, Sun Xiaowu had absolute confidence in Zhang Lie. It would be trivial for him to take them all down¡ªbut that wasn''t necessary. If Zhang Lie were to fight these cultivators, he would certainly consume a significant amount of stamina, which would hurt them in the long run. Better to wait and conserve their energies, then strike backter.


    Zhang Lie understood Sun Xiaowu''s intent. "Have you seen anyone else, then?"


    "I found Fang Yi in the rock forest, but we separated from each other in themotion. He''s probably deeper into the forest by now. How about you, Zhang Lie?"


    "You''re the first one I''ve seen, Zhang Lie replied."


    The frightening lifeforms transformed into pinpricks of light after Zhang Lie defeated them. They spun in the air like whirlwinds in miniature, then floated toward Zhang Lie. The particles of light from the challengers that he had defeated also floated toward him.


    The particles gathered by Zhang Lie''s palm, where the special seal that had imprinted on them absorbed the light. It grew up his arm. Zhang Lie blinked. "This is..."


    One of the Stargods stepped forward. "Didn''t your elders tell you?"


    Zhang Lie replied, "Is there something unusual about this seal?"


    Sun Xiaowu added, "Our elder... well, he was eliminated in the qualifiers, so he probably doesn''t know the details of the actual Cup."


    The Stargod stepped forward. "These seals represent our qualifications for the Cup. By killing beasts and other participants in this virtual realm, you''ll be able to increase your standing. Each beast is worth about ten or so challengers, but they''re also far more difficult to defeat."


    A Holywing youth joined in. "How far this seal extends will affect the gic expansion that the top ten cultivators receive at the end, as well as your overall ranking."


    Sun Xiaowu ahhed in understanding. "So the more people you kill, the greater the benefit of the gic expansion?"


    "Not quite," the Stargod corrected. "It''s a bonus, nothing more. If the tenth-ce cultivator gets one equivalent of the gic expansion, the ninth-ce cultivator might get two equivalents. If the ninth-ce cultivator also took down ten other participants, then that bonus will get boosted to a significant extent."


    "And what do you mean when you say it might affect our rankings?" Zhang Lie asked.


    The Stargod replied, "If there''s a dispute in the rankings¡ªif the third-, fourth-, and fifth-ce participants are simultaneously killed, then the extent of the seal will be used to determine the final ranking."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "In other words, try to kill as many cultivators and beasts as convenient."


    The Stargod smiled mysteriously. "Apparently, if the seal reaches a certain extent and you ce in the top three in the tournament, you''ll get a decent additional reward as well."


    The Holywing youth considered Zhang Lie carefully. "I''ve never seen a seal that extended the length of an entire arm. Yours is... ten, twenty, thirty..."


    The Holywing gaped as he counted just how many people Zhang Lie had killed. Just a rough estimate caused his face to turn ashen.


    "What''s the matter?" The Stargod cultivator nced at Zhang Lie''s seal and did the same thing. "Damn, just how many cultivators did you kill? It has to be over a hundred!"

 Chapter 1447: Runic Reconstitution

    <h4>Chapter 1447: Runic Reconstitution</h4>


    Upon hearing the Stargod cultivator''s words, all the other challengers gaped at Zhang Lie.


    Five beasts would correspond to about fifty challengers'' worth of progression, so the remaining fifty had to be from the rock forest. That void storm had sucked up countless cultivators, each of which had killed some other cultivators to begin with. That could ount for about a hundred challengers'' worth of seal umtion, but what about the remainder?


    It was obvious that Zhang Lie was akin to a god of ughter.


    The Stargod swallowed a gulp of saliva, drummed up some courage, and proceeded with his original n.


    "You don''t seem to understand much about the tournament. Why don''t we team up? There are plenty of dangers in the rock forest, as well as enemies from all fronts. It''s in our best interests to work together. We don''t have to stay as a team for long, either¡ªwe can try it out now and keep it goingter if we want."


    The reason the Stargod had been so willing to volunteer information was in hopes of joining forces with Zhang Lie, transforming a threat into an ally.


    The Holywing youth clearly had a simr idea, but had faltered after staring at Zhang Lie''s seal. He immediately added, "I''d like to join you both. I''m rather strong myself. Those beasts wouldn''t have been able to take me down if I weren''t exhausted after fighting with a group of other challengers."


    The Stargod and Holywing youths turned to Zhang Lie, ignoring Sun Xiaowu. Sun Xiaowu had no interest in joining the conversation; he retreated to the side.


    Zhang Lie shook his head in refusal. "I''m sorry, but I already haverades. I don''t intend to work together with other challengers."


    It wouldn''t necessarily be a bad idea to work together with more experienced challengers, but the problem with the ones before him was their races.


    Zhang Lie didn''t discriminate against the Stargods or the Holywings, but among hispanions were those who had defeated the Stargods and the Holywings. There was no way the party wouldst.


    "That''s a pity."


    "Let me know if you ever change your mind."


    The Holywing and Stargod youths slumped and turned away.


    Zhang Lie turned to Sun Xiaowu and asked, "How did you end up fighting?"


    Sun Xiaowu pointed at the runes in the rock forest. "These runes seem rather extraordinary, almost as though they represent some sort of inheritance. Everyone tried to intuit them, but tensions were rife and a fight quickly broke out."


    Zhang Lie replied, "Try to recover some of your gic energy. Let''s see if we can get something from these runes."


    The other challengers thought the same way.


    Everyone sat around the rock forest, contemting the shining golden runes that hung in the air. This could very well be some mysterious inheritance.


    Zhang Lie could easily take down the challengers before they recovered from their exertion, but he wouldn''t be able to do so while simultaneously protecting Sun Xiaowu. He discarded the idea.


    Zhang Lie nced at the runes and cocked his head. He didn''t know if he simply didn''t boast the talent, or if the runes were ipatible with his framework and techniques.


    Suddenly, fog gathered around the rock forest. The runes glowed brilliantly as the runes crashed into each other with tinkling noises, as though they were notes of some divine music.


    Sun Xiaowu sat cross-legged as the runes hovered around him, smashing his bones. He bore with the intense pain as the runes granted him their golden light. The rumbling of thunder could be heard within his body as golden light bathed his limbs and bones, shrouding him in radiance.


    The golden light was like a scorching me. Despite the overwhelming temperature, Sun Xiaowu stood still and motionless as the golden runes branded themselves on his skin.


    Sun Xiaowu''s bones cracked. He shuddered in overwhelming pain as the golden runes seeped into his very bones.


    His bones continued to fragment as blood seeped out of his skin, carrying trace impurities from his mind along with it.


    The ck demonic seed, imnted during the qualifiers, emerged anew. Demonic aura roiled in the air and shot into the skies, transforming into the figure of some great demon that seemed about to descend to the virtual world. ck lines, like roots, spread from the demonic seed all over Sun Xiaowu''s body, causing ck aura to seep out of it.


    Zhang Lie nched. Bu Wentian had underestimated the power of this demonic seed.


    Without anyone''s knowledge, it had imnted itself in Sun Xiaowu''s mental world. If not for his attuning to these mysterious runes, the demonic seed would have continued to corrode at Sun Xiaowu''s mind. The moment he touched the bonence again, he would immediately transform into a demon, one far more frightening than what had urred during the qualifiers. For one, Sun Xiaowu was stronger than thest sessor of Heaven, and he was distinct from the statue altogether. Who knew what sort of cursed existence would result if he were to wield the bonence?


    Fortunately, almost as though it were fated, Sun Xiaowu had received the inheritance of the rock forest, which was forcing out the demonic seed. Demonic aura exuded from Sun Xiaowu''s body, cleansed by the golden runes. The entire rock forest shook as the runes glimmered. The challengers who were recuperating and attuning to the runes themselves opened their eyes and looked over.


    Zhang Lie red back at them. "If you keep looking, I''ll dig your eyes out."


    The challengers didn''t dare to contest Zhang Lie. They minded their own business as they attempted to create the same resonance that Sun Xiaowu was emitting¡ªor perhaps a stronger one entirely.


    Zhang Lie didn''t dare to leave Sun Xiaowu''s side. He stood right before him, guarding him from assault. If any cultivator dared to strike at him, Zhang Lie would retaliate at full force.


    Sun Xiaowu''s body was reconstituting; this would be a key part of his transformation.


    That said, they were in a virtual realm, so what Sun Xiaowu was really rebuilding was none other than his mental avatar.


    Sun Xiaowu''s bones continued to grind against each other. He gritted his teeth and bore with the pain as bone finally turned into powder.


    This was a frightening scene to behold. Considering the extent of the destruction, if anything untoward were to happen, Sun Xiaowu''s mental avatar could be ruined for good.


    Then, even his skull began to fragment, crack, and turn to powder.


    Someone realized what was happening to Sun Xiaowu. "Reconstruction of the ego..."


    Sun Xiaowu was supporting himself with gic energy. Otherwise, without any bones to maintain the structure of his body, he would be nothing more than a bag of flesh and bones.


    With his bones shattered, the blood seeped even more quickly out of his skin, carrying the impurities of his mental avatar along with him. The blood turned ck; new, fresh, pure blood would be created within his body as it was reforged.


    The golden light from the runes bathed Sun Xiaowu. He continued to bear with the pain as he absorbed the light to refine his blood, flesh, and bone.


    The golden runes transformed into naturalw that smelted his body, fully obliterating bone in preparation for reconstruction.


    Finally, Sun Xiaowu''s body shone with even more intense light, blood-colored as impurities streamed out. What remained of his body was weakened and febrile.

 Chapter 1448: Dont Worry About Me

    <h4>Chapter 1448: Don''t Worry About Me</h4>


    The rock pirs of the rock forest vibrated. The runes glowed with light, synchronized and resonating with Sun Xiaowu.


    Zhang Lie asked in concern, "Are you alright?"


    Sun Xiaowu coughed several times. ck smoke belched out, representing mental impurities.


    "Captain, take a look at me. Do I look like I''m alright?"


    Zhang Lie considered Sun Xiaowu carefully. The fluctuations in his vitality were stronger than before, a sure sign of an evolution. Every piece of flesh and bone shone and sparkled with golden runes, making him look far more impressive than before, but Sun Xiaowu''s aura was unusually weak.


    "The inheritance is iplete," Sun Xiaowu exined.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Was it because I destroyed a few of the pirs?"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "What''s here is only part of the inheritance. I''ll have to head to the center of this forest.


    Zhang Lie nced at the pir of light that reached toward the skies and nodded. "Do you need help?"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head again. "I''m not so useless that I can''t walk by myself."


    The other cultivators had also moved on, deliberately avoiding passing close by Zhang Lie.


    The first melee at the rock forest had consumed all their desire to get into another fight, at least for the short term.


    In particr, none of them had any intention of going against Zhang Lie.


    Some of the cultivators had already formed an alliance, resulting in teams possessing incredible strength.


    On the way, Zhang Lie asked, "What was going on with the demonic seed?


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "I''m not sure myself. I never expected that the seed would already have taken root in my mental avatar. It was all but a ticking time bomb¡ªand I never discovered it until now! Thank goodness the golden runes illuminated the problem."


    "Can you resolve it?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "I''ll start by expelling the demonic energy and see if that solves the problem."


    Before them, the rock forest receded. Fog filled their surroundings; everything seemed to be growing less and less realistic.


    The cultivators were all trudging along at a sluggish pace, bound by the domain of this mysterious space. They couldn''t walk faster even if they tried.


    "Argh!" Suddenly, screams came from the cultivators at the very front.


    "Be careful. It''s an abyss!" someone murmured.


    A pitch-ck abyssy at the edge of the stone forest, shrouded by fog and difficult to spot without careful attention. A terrifying suction drew in any cultivators that drifted close by.


    Furthermore, none of them were able to fly with this domain sapping their strength.


    One cultivator tossed in arge rock, but even after fifteen minutes had passed, no one could hear the sound of itnding. Who knew what horrorsy beneath the abyss?


    The cultivators looked around until someone found a log bridge made of a single ancient darkwood log, forming a simple and treacherous path forward.


    The cultivators nched. Would they have to fight each other for the right to cross?


    "There are more log bridges over here!"


    The cultivators quickly discovered other log bridges all around. There were dozens of them in all. Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu frowned. Who knew if there were others that had gone before them?


    As they stepped onto the log, the suctioning from below weakened. The log glowed with light, shining with mysterious runes.


    They looked down at the thick fog below them that was asionally scattered. It was pitch-ck, as though a beast stood before them prepared to devour everything in sight.


    "We''re almost there!"


    Suddenly, a frightening aura erupted. Someone was attacking the log bridge and attempting to destroy it.


    "Damn it!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    They were almost to the cliff on the other side, but someone was starting at them. He was attempting to take the opportunity to dislodge the cultivators and send them falling into the abyss.


    "Ming Youyu!" Someone immediately recognized a protege of theherworldnds, a young cultivator steeped in the aura of death. Vitality seemed to have deserted him; his eyes were cold and unfeeling.


    However, the log bridge was particrly sturdy. Mysterious runes infused in the log prevented it from being destroyed.


    Suddenly, Ming Youyu pulled out a ckherworld sword and shed at the abyss.


    "Be careful!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    After the abyss was attacked, a howling wind rose up into the air. It revolved and formed a ck hole that devoured the cultivators on the log bridge.


    A cultivator shouted, "As expected of a cultivator from theherworldnds! Evil and vicious, sparing no expense to get rid of anypetitors barring his way!"


    "Ming Youyu''s trying to monopolize whatever lies on the other end of this bridge and eliminate us all!"


    "You''ll pay for this!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    Unfortunately, none of the cultivators were able to fly within this domain.


    He and Sun Xiaowu were struggling to hold on. The ck hole''s suction was immense, and they could lose their bnce at any time. Wind ripped at their bodies like sharp des, wounding exposed skin.


    On the other end of the bridge, a roar caused even the void to tremble. The log began to shake, and the force of the abyss grew stronger.


    A purplegold denglong strode by Ming Youyu''s side, its howl shaking the very heavens.


    Stars began to fall from the sky, and even the moon seemed to crumble.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the log. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the abyss.


    "Open!" As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The abyss trembled. Divine radiance filled the air.


    "Don''t worry about me," Sun Xiaowu said, his body glistening with light. Golden runes lit up around his body to protect himself.


    Despite the fact that the inheritance was iplete, Sun Xiaowu''s body had already been reforged. Impressive defenses resisted any invasion.


    "Very well!" Zhang Lie''s eyes lit up as killing intent filled the air.


    He wouldn''t have to worry about Sun Xiaowu any longer. Zhang Lie activated his full strength as he made to kill the man and beast waiting at the end of the log bridge.

 Chapter 1449: Hot-Blooded War

    <h4>Chapter 1449: Hot-Blooded War</h4>


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The beam of sword energy tore open a path for Zhang Lie.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity. He shot down the log bridge, transforming into a serpent, bypassing all barriers before him, and pressing toward the other shore.


    "What?!" Ming Youyu cried out. Things weren''t progressing ording to n. He was dressed in dark gold battle armor and radiating light of a simr color. With a ckherworld weapon in hand, he shed forward.


    At the same time, the purplegold denglong shot into the air and exuded divine authority as it attacked Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie countered with a burst of tremendous strength. His body glowed as ck fog surrounded him.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent shot forth.


    Ming Youyu stumbled back.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously.


    Ming Youyu gritted his teeth and bore the tremendous pressure weighing down on him.


    This would be a hot-blooded fight.


    Knowing that he had encountered a strong enemy, Ming Youyu released a deathly aura. A ck chain floated into existence out of his palm, a divine armament he had been born with¡ªthe chains of the god of death.


    He attempted to restrain Zhang Lie and seal him, or, at the very least, to break through the restrictions imposed by this domain and break out. The ck chains pierced through the void in a shower of umbral light.


    The ck chains were naturalw made manifest. They sparked where they struck Zhang Lie''s hands


    The two cultivators exchanged hundreds of blows in an instant.


    Zhang Lie simultaneously activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, causing Ming Youyu to shriek in pain as his chains shattered.


    Zhang Lie''s ws of starlight split apart heaven and earth and even cut off Ming Youyu''s arms in a spray ofherworld blood. He was grievously injured.


    Ming Youyu turned and attempted to flee.


    "You won''t get away!" Zhang Lie shouted.


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was changing the very nature of his gic energy, from pitch-ck to dotted with starlight, as though it were a sample from the gxy.


    The gctic gic energy shone with twinkling stars, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The purplegold denglong rose into the air in a sh of purple light, but the ster dragon pierced through it and impacted with the denglong in a sh of light.


    Within moments, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight,nd, sea, and sky alike. Ming Youyu''s eyes widened at the outpouring of energy.


    He wasn''t a fool; he had prepared for retaliation when he first attacked the log.


    Ming Youyu howled.


    Who knew what he had prepared by the other end of the log bridge? Firelight bloomed where he stood.


    Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion pierced through the light. The denglong vanished in pinpricks of light which floated toward Zhang Lie''s seal, but Ming Youyu had vanished.


    Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu rushed forward as quickly as they could to avoid other cultivators gaining the edge over them.


    Another melee was urring up in front as challengers fought each other to a standstill.


    Zhang Lie was certain that Bu Wentian didn''t know much about the official tournament at all. Far more challengers than he had predicted were fighting up in front.


    Some tried to attack Zhang Lie. Zhang Lie''s eyes grew cold. At this point, he retaliated against even a probing attack with lethal force.


    Nine holy mountains appeared in the vicinity, tall and proud, magnificent in their glory.


    This was a holynd.


    Cultivators had killed to make it here, and all those who had arrived were bleeding in some manner or another, having sustained at least minor injuries during the melee. Many cultivators were present. Their eyes shone as they looked toward the mountains.


    A group of firecrows took to the air, their feathers ck. They looked like ck suns that shot forward. It was evident they were from the same race.


    Their leader burned with mes so intense that the void itself seemed to distort as they flew toward the mountains with extreme speed.


    A purple centipede, only two meters long but brimming with purple me, leapt up from the ground and into the air. It was a minor deity.


    Eight of the crows dissolved in the spray of poisonous fog that it released, falling to the ground as a ck, liquefied mass.


    The leader of the firecrows red at the centipede andmanded its flock to attack the centipede. A massive fight ensued.


    The centipede''s body was as tough as adamantium, ringing out like metal when struck with the firecrows'' sharp ws and beaks and sending sparks flying.


    The fight was brutal and finished quickly. The firecrow was badly injured, half its body corroded away and revealing bone. It fled toward the horizon, its flock all dead.


    The purple centipede was surrounded by poisonous fog that it exuded. Any who touched it would find their skin blistering and boiling.


    Not far away, a fiery red ox bellowed and charged forward, the ground turning into magma in its wake. Divine me red up around it, its horns glowing with resplendent light.

 Chapter 1450: A Fiery Avian

    <h4>Chapter 1450: A Fiery Avian</h4>


    A figure of lightning rose up into the air, able to fly despite the tremendous restrictions of this domain.


    Its skull glowed with light. Lightning arced from his body, forking hundreds, thousands of times before concentrating on that old ox. Lightning and me filled the air.


    The figure was a mammoth that had taken a humanoid form, but its head was still that of a mammoth. It was unbelievably strong and wielded a giant de a few meters long. When it moved, space distorted.


    Faint traces of divine me burned around it. The de it held was of ancient make, made of ivory, and possessed overwhelming strength.


    It could easily topple a mountain or tten ins.


    The de released glowing light as it smashed into a halberd.


    Zhang Lie saw another cultivator who seemed to havee from the Hall of Immortals, bearing the same make of weapon as the ninth Immortal King.


    He shed against the mammoth, forceful and imposing, as his eyes transformed into runes. In just a sh, the mammoth''s actions slowed and were captured in his mind''s eye.


    The halberd struck the ivory de time and time again.


    Suddenly, with a final cleave, the man who seemed to havee from the Hall of Immortals drew blood, beheading the giant mammoth in a river of blood.


    From five hundred paces away, a shout rang out. A particrly strong cultivator had been killed.


    His opponent was a scorpion whose exoskeleton glittered like blue diamond, translucent and sparkling with ocean blue.


    It was the size of a millstone, and its carapace was a color that seemed more out of ce in reality than illusion. Its sharp stinger glittered with frosty light. It hid itself in the void; when it struck, its stinger transformed into blue lightning that shot toward the ground in a spray of blood punctuated with terrible screams.


    It was precise, deadly, and cold. Its stinger was sharper than ance as it pierced through the young cultivator''s lower back and impaled him.


    The cultivator struggled. Those who saw his plight shivered and shuddered in sympathetic resonance.


    This was a killing blow. Even without any poison, it would have sufficed to take the lives of many. The scorpion''s stinger was simply too sharp.


    The stinger shook as the cultivator''s body split and exploded in the air.


    The scorpion was overwhelmingly strong.


    Such was the nature of the battlefield; even the strongest cultivators would easily fall under such circumstances, and all this was taking ce at the foot of one of the mountains, a minuscule fraction of the battlefield.


    There were nine holy mountains in all, bathing their surroundings in a haze of purple air. Precious, ancient herbs grew all over them.


    Suddenly, the grind of metal against metal could be heard amidst the void¡ªa group of copper beetles, numbering perhaps in the tens of thousands.


    The cultivators goggled. This was an overwhelming swarm of beetles. They could devour everything around them, flesh, metal, and weapons. Tens of thousands of them together boasted an overwhelming might.


    At the foot of the mountains stood a youth with ck hair draped over his shoulders, a goldenmp in his hands. He inclined his head toward the skies and roared.


    He shot forward and activated themp, sending divine me into the air thatbusted the copper beetles in high-pitched screams.


    The beetles were all lit ame. They struggled violently as they fell to the ground.


    The mes melted their bodies into liquid metal, which dissolved rock, the ground, and ancient wood.


    This was a huge battlefield, chaotic, cruel, and amazingly dangerous. Cultivators perished one after another, and even those that were strong enough to control divine me would be struck by cmity beyond what they could counter.


    Such was the enormity of what Zhang Lie faced. All manner of weapons flew through the air.


    Zhang Lie encountered a spot of trouble himself and immediately retaliated in kind.


    His opponent looked like a red-crowned crane but with blue coloration and red spots all over its body. Whenever it pped its wings, fire red.


    It was a particrly strong avian, almost like the legendary Bi Fang.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked.


    Fire evaporated water and turned it to steam.


    As they fought, the crane''s energy slowly gged. The red mes that emerged from the red spots along its body began to weaken and sputter.


    Suddenly, a golden whip shot over, causing the Bi Fang to cry out in pain as it was struck by a sneak attack.


    The ''whip'' was the trunk of a golden elephant, dozens of meters tall. Its thick, golden trunk was even more fearsome than an ordinary whip, and the force of the blow was enough to crush the Bi Fang''s bones.


    The golden elephant then turned to Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie snorted. The strongest beasts of this mountain hadn''t even shown themselves yet.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Starlight draped over his body, causing it to glow resplendently.


    His speed reached an extreme as he shot forward like a sharp de and struck the elephant''s trunk.


    Suddenly, the trunk curled around him, as though the elephant was about to eat him up.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The [Fists of the Silent Sea] formed a fist inbination with the ck serpent form and a mallet with the golden tiger. The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp crystal, each seeming to contain an entire nascent gxy.


    The thousands of shards of crystal exploded like a blooming flower. The golden elephant shrieked as it released Zhang Lie, transforming into radiant golden me as it shot away. Its trunk had almost been cut apart, and it was barely hanging by a p of skin.

 Chapter 1451: Reconstitution and Renewal

    <h4>Chapter 1451: Reconstitution and Renewal</h4>


    Bi Fang hadn''t died. Its eyes were cold as it dodged to the side.


    A gleaming de struck the air¡ªa jade-green mantis scythe, from a mantis about as tall as a man. Its scythes gleamed with incredible sharpness as divine mes ignited over its body. It fought against another young cultivator.


    The frosty light shocked all lifeforms in the region. The jade-green mantis was unbelievably strong and easily beheaded the young cultivator in a fountain of blood.


    Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu continued ughtering their way forward. Despite the fact that Sun Xiaowu wasn''t in peak condition, his overwhelming defense via the protection of his golden runes meant that barely anyone could harm him.


    "Are you certain this is the right direction?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "My senses can''t be mistaken."


    Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu began to climb the mountain along with the golden elephant and jade-green mantis. The cultivators and lifeforms were aware of each other. Though they were wary, none struck at the others.


    Behind them were arge number of other lifeforms, but none dared contest these three groups for dominance. They could only follow behind.


    Divine me zed in the air as the Bi Fang attempted to attack Sun Xiaowu and rece him.


    "Do you think I''m easy prey?" Zhang Lie murmured. He waited until the avian approached before suddenly striking with incredible speed.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    A sea of stars appeared above Zhang Lie''s head, shining with crystalline stars.


    The silver stars fell from the sky, transforming into a rain of meteors. The Bi Fang was struck down in a shower of blood.


    The other lifeforms, seeing the fallen Bi Fang, didn''t dare to draw near.


    Very quickly, Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu reached the fog-shrouded peak of the mountain, where a giant pce awaited them.


    It was majestic and magnificent, stately and sacred.


    The other eight holy mountains were much the same. A group of strong lifeforms were already ascending the other peaks. Each mountain wreathed in purple fog had its own pce and inheritance at the top.


    ording to Sun Xiaowu''s senses, however, each pce harbored a different treasure, and these treasures were not all equal in value. The pce to which they were headed had the full inheritance that he sought, and was surely thergest treasure to be found here.


    As they entered the pce, they were struck by a wave of sound that shook their bodies and caused their souls to resonate.


    The pce was carved full of runes and insight. There was no specific instruction to be found, only the thoughts and experiences of other cultivators¡ªwhich was even more precious.


    "Whoever can intuit these teachings the best will be able to advance deeper into the pce," one cultivator surmised.


    In other words, this was a test of insight andpatibility with the technique.


    Zhang Lie was shocked. Going into the stone forest, he had had a notion of what the cup was designed to aplish. It was no merepetition, but rather a means of gathering the most talented cultivators of the younger generation from the fifth realm and having them duke it out so that the strongest among them would be fostered with techniques and treasure.


    To be able to receive such treatment in the fourth realm was a clear stroke of luck for Zhang Lie and his team.


    Zhang Lie and Sun Xiaowu sat cross-legged in meditation as they carefully contemted the divine melody and the experiences of cultivators that hade before them.


    Suddenly, they seemed to be transported into someone else''s life¡ªstarting out in a small vige, fighting stronger and ever stronger cultivators in the vicinity, until finally falling to another''s de.


    Zhang Lie immersed himself in the experience and carefully sampled the experience and insight that cultivators from a primordial age had left behind.


    "This is incredible," Zhang Lie murmured. He was starting to modify the fundamentals of his framework and techniques, and this past legend''s experience held great insight into that process. His eyes shone; he had learned a tremendous amount.


    As much as Zhang Lie had benefited, though, Sun Xiaowu had benefited more.


    Suddenly, fog gathered around the rock forest. The runes glowed brilliantly as the runes crashed into each other with tinkling noises, as though they were notes of some divine music.


    Sun Xiaowu sat cross-legged as the runes hovered around him, smashing his bones. He bore with the intense pain as the runes granted him their golden light. The rumbling of thunder could be heard within his body as golden light bathed his limbs and bones, shrouding him in radiance.


    The golden light was like a scorching me. Despite the overwhelming temperature, Sun Xiaowu stood still and motionless as the golden runes branded themselves on his skin.


    Sun Xiaowu''s bones cracked. He shuddered in overwhelming pain as the golden runes seeped into his very bones.


    His bones continued to fragment as blood seeped out of his skin, carrying trace impurities from his mind along with it.


    The ck demonic seed, imnted during the qualifiers, emerged anew. Demonic aura roiled in the air and shot into the skies, transforming into the figure of some great demon that seemed about to descend to the virtual world. ck lines, like roots, spread from the demonic seed all over Sun Xiaowu''s body, causing ck aura to seep out of it.


    Even more demonic aura, deeply entrenched within his body, was forced out. All the golden runes in the pce began to glow as Sun Xiaowu bathed in theirbined radiance.


    What had happened in the rock forest was reurring again.


    Sun Xiaowu''s bones continued to grind against each other. He gritted his teeth and bore with the pain as bone finally turned into powder.


    This was a frightening scene to behold. Considering the extent of the destruction, if anything untoward were to happen, Sun Xiaowu''s mental avatar could be ruined for good.


    Then, even his skull began to fragment, crack, and turn to powder.


    Sun Xiaowu was supporting himself with gic energy. Otherwise, without any bones to maintain the structure of his body, he would be nothing more than a bag of flesh and bones.


    With his bones shattered, the blood seeped even more quickly out of his skin, carrying the impurities of his mental avatar along with him. The blood turned ck; new, fresh, pure blood would be created within his body as it was reforged.


    The golden light from the runes bathed Sun Xiaowu. He continued to bear with the pain as he absorbed the light to refine his blood, flesh, and bone.


    The golden runes transformed into naturalw that smelted his body, fully obliterating bone in preparation for reconstruction.


    Finally, Sun Xiaowu''s body shone with even more intense light, blood-colored as impurities streamed out. What remained of his body was weakened and febrile.


    Almost all his blood had been reced; his body was being prepared for a final reconstruction.


    Golden mes bathed his body, immting him, reforging him, and finally rebirthing him.


    The heavens rumbled as the sound of scripture came from within the hall. Sun Xiaowu was undergoing a metamorphosis. The shattered bones in his body were reforming in jeweled splendor.


    A dragon''s keen could be heard, startling the other cultivators who were in the pce.


    Divine radiance seeped out from deep within the pce and rained down on the cultivators in a shower of light.


    All the demonic aura was finally squeezed out of Sun Xiaowu''s body, leaving only the initial seed by his forehead. A burgeoning vitality emerged from his body, causing bone, blood, and flesh to resonate.


    Incredible vitality nourished his body and caused it to gleam with light.


    As the metamorphosis continued, another cultivator stepped into the pce.

 Chapter 1452: All That Impressive

    <h4>Chapter 1452: All That Impressive</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu was reforging his truesoul and growing stronger than ever. Histent talent was blossoming.


    Where there were gaps in his cultivation, naturalw from the environment filled them.


    Sun Xiaowu refined the energies around him as he tried to take control of the demonic seed embedded in his body. His bones gleamed with radiant light. The faint golden sheen that they had given off was now a dark gold.


    As the metamorphosis continued, another cultivator stepped into the pce.


    "It''s you!" A figure wreathed in golden me walked into the pce.


    Zhang Lie cocked his head in confusion. He had never met this cultivator before.


    "Revenge for the young chieftain!" the figure wreathed in golden me cried out. Golden radiance pierced the void and shot straight at Zhang Lie, but he deflected the blow easily.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I''ve never met you and have no quarrel with you. Who are you?"


    "I seek revenge on behalf of my young chieftain!" the cultivator roared back. The golden mes grew more and more intense as they swept toward him.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Who was this person? He had ignored the inheritance before him, despite havinge all this way¡ªwas attacking Zhang Lie really his only concern?


    Zhang Lie hadn''t wanted to fight. He would have preferred to wait for Sun Xiaowu to finish his metamorphosis, but his opponent was unrelenting. In that case, Zhang Lie had no intention of remaining passive, either.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. All the other cultivators who had entered the pce nched and fled, attempting to protect themselves even as they ran from the fight to avoid being caught in its aftermath.


    Zhang Lie stood before Sun Xiaowu and dispelled the golden mes with his sea-blue gic energy. His opponent frowned. "As expected of a cultivator who managed to best my young master. I''ll admit you have some strength."


    "Who''s your young master?"


    Another cultivator shouted from the side, "He''s from the Redgold race!"


    The identity of his young master was obvious, then.


    Zhang Lie recalled what Bu Wentian had stated. The Redgold n was now under the control of the Srvine race, and the young master of the Redgolds was none other than Resplendent Sun, the so-called undefeated legend.


    "I''ll seek revenge for my young master. Die!" The man wreathed in golden mes began to ze. Golden light illuminated the entire pce, which was growing warmer by the second.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie raised his pointer finger high into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    "If even your young master can''t stand against me, what makes you think you can?" The sword energy parted the golden mes and beheaded the cultivator.


    Despite the fact that his head had been chopped off, the Redgold cultivator was clearly still able to fight. He drew the golden mes onto his palms and struck.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, devouring the mes.


    The Redgold cultivator charged toward Zhang Lie like a ming golden meteor.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward. The ck serpent behind him shot forth. Golden mes sizzled as they came into contact with a dark cloud of corrosive gic energy.


    The Redgold cultivator was forced back. He transformed into a golden sun that released scintiting light, threatening to drown Zhang Lie in golden mes.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the serpent hissed and shot toward the cultivator again, breaching the golden light and sea of mes to strike at the sun itself.


    The energy of annihtion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight, including the golden sun. Pained cries came from within the ck hole as the Redgold cultivator was devoured.


    The energy of annihtion had destroyed everything in a certain radius around the pce. Pinpricks of light floated toward the seal on Zhang Lie''s hand. He turned back to see Sun Xiaowu still attempting to reforge his body. He was undergoing a tremendous transformation, almost like a rebirth of sorts.


    His physical body glowed with a sheen that reminded Zhang Lie of top-quality jade.


    Golden mes zed around him, rumbling like thunder. It was a frightening sight to behold.


    Sun Xiaowu''s condition had all but stabilized. He had made it past the most crucial part of the transformation, and was now attempting to im the demonic seed for his own use. Zhang Lie, who would have been happy to wait patiently as the transformation took ce, found himself the target of yet another cultivator.


    The temperature of the entire pce rose at a staggering rate as another figure zing with me entered the pce. He was shocked by Sun Xiaowu''s transformation, a shock that was quickly reced by greed and envy.


    "I like the spot you''ve imed. Make way for me."


    The figure zing with me was like a demon straight out of hell, one that would make children cry just with his looks alone. A pair of blood-red wings grew out of his back.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward, protecting Sun Xiaowu. "And who do you think you are? This pce doesn''t belong to you."


    "I''m Chi Lingkong of the medemons."


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "And?"


    Chi Lingkong scoffed. "You haven''t heard of the medemons? You must be a nameless challenger who made it out of the qualifiers by chance."


    "Are the medemons supposed to be impressive?"


    "I''ve dealt with quite a few pieces of trash from the qualifiers by now. There might be nine holy mountains and nine corresponding pces, but there''s no space for trash like you in any of them. Scram!"


    In a sh, he extended all ten of his fingers. Red feathers billowed around him in the void, poised to shoot out.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.

 Chapter 1453: Send You On Your Way

    <h4>Chapter 1453: Send You On Your Way</h4>


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. However, neither cultivator struck.


    The golden elephant and jade mantis beside them, disturbed by the ruckus they were making, had opened their eyes and were ring at them.


    "Haha..." Chi Lingkong of the medemonsughed as he approached. "Seniors, would you like to team up with me to deal with them? You''ll be able to focus on your cultivation thereafter."


    Chi Lingkong intended to get rid of them once and for all.


    He turned to the other cultivators in the pce. "Friends, shall we strike as one?" Chi Lingkong smiled, beckoning to them all.


    The golden elephant and jade mantis refused the request. They had no interest in being dragged into this fiasco. Let the other cultivators deal with Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie punched forward in a burst of starlight, causing huge quantities of lightning to rain down from the heavens.


    "I''ll send you on your way!"


    The lightning shed and swept across thend.


    Starlight shaded the sky.


    Zhang Lie and Chi Lingkong''s fight took ce within the pce and without. Chi Lingkong was badly beaten and wounded all over. As he shouted, ming feathers danced through the air and shone with blinding light, as though a dozen suns had fallen from the sky.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack. Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    They devoured the radiant suns and smashed into Chi Lingkong, who fell from the sky in a bloody heap.


    "The medemons? Ha!" Zhang Lie scoffed at the fallen cultivator, then returned into the pce.


    Two wheels of light exploded in the sky with shocking might, a technique that Zhang Lie somehow found familiar.


    Ethereal blue waves swept across the sky as ripples emanated forth, flecked with crystals of ice and [Mirrored Refraction]. Upon seeing the familiar energy, Zhang Lie smiled. There were two figures fighting in the air.


    A cultivator shot up from the ground, his punch like the rising sun.


    The other cultivator''s sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. Gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets.


    Hisbat armor shone with glimmering runes.


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Yang Ze!"


    The cultivator with the sword turned. His eyes brightened. "Captain!"


    "Don''t look at me¡ªfocus on your opponent!"


    The moment Yang Ze''s head had turned, the other cultivator began to attack rapidly, taking advantage of every opportunity to strike. However, Yang Ze easily dealt with his attacks and counterattacked.


    Yang Ze and his opponent exchanged dozens of blows as his opponent was sent flying.


    Yang Ze turned back to Zhang Lie and smiled. "What are you doing here, Captain?"


    "I was headed in your direction to group up with you, but coincidentally found Xiaowu and ended up heading toward this holynd over here first."


    As they spoke, Yang Ze''s opponent shot toward him like a rabid dog.


    Yang Ze coldly blocked, parried, and counterattacked. His right leg struck at the cultivator''s chest and sent him flying into the roof of the pce.


    His opponent struck once again, his eyes cold, killing intent billowing. He used a strange technique. Lightning covered his body, formless energy peeling away at time. Yang Ze suddenly grew old.


    However, with [Mirrored Refraction], Yang Ze seemed to iste himself from reality, his years falling away until he was his usual self once more. Then, he attacked.


    Yang Ze kicked his opponent up into the air, then pped at his cheek and knocked him flying.


    "We can have a chat now," Yang Ze told Zhang Lie as he slowlynded by his side.


    "Who was that?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Do you remember my opponent from the qualifiers?" Yang Ze replied.


    "What, that Chang Sheng fellow?"


    Yang Ze nodded. "That''s him. Although I defeated him in the qualifiers, he doesn''t seem to have suffered much mental damage. He used a specialized recovery pill in order to keep fighting and make it through the qualifiers. He was lucky enough to seed¡ªand now he''s trying to cause me problems again."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "You should have been more vicious."


    Yang Ze shook his head. "ording to the information I picked up, except for the Stargod cultivator, that ninth Immortal King from the Hall of Immortals, and Heaven''s sessor, the rest of the opponents that members of Team Zenith fought all managed to make it through the qualifiers."


    Zhang Lie seemed shocked. "Even Resplendent Sun?"


    "I don''t know about that. The Srvines are supposed to be a proud race, so I don''t think they''d show up."


    "You dare chat with someone else while fighting with me?!"


    Chang Sheng, who had been sent flying, had returned again in a fit of rage. The very air around him shook.


    Blinding light exploded from the pce as it quaked. All the runes in the pce reactivated in order to defend against the attack.


    The fight shocked everyone. Even the strongest cultivators that had reached the other eight holy mountains widened their eyes upon sensing the shocking attack.


    Just then, a loud, powerful voice rang out. The sound of the voice alone caused the nine holy mountains to shake; it was akin to thunder.


    "All fights in thisnd of inheritance shall take ce on arenas following ancient custom."


    The cultivators'' ears buzzed from the magnitude of the voice.


    With a whirr, Zhang Lie and Yang Ze were whisked into the air, where theynded on a huge, expansive arena.


    At the same time, the half-crippled Chi Lingkong and Chang Sheng also appeared on the spot.


    This battlefield was a floating arena suspended in the air.


    All cultivators who were gathered at the top of the nine holy mountains could clearly see the fight. Everyone was surprised by the sudden development.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Sun Xiaowu''s still in the pce."


    Before Zhang Lie could strike, Chi Lingkong took the opportunity to transform into a bolt of human lightning that shot forward in a burst of red lightning.


    Zhang Lie countered with a punch, causing the lightning to dissipate and Chi Lingkong''s body to explode in a shower of blood.


    Zhang Lie stood tall over the arena, a shocking sight to behold. A young, promising cultivator had been killed just like that!

 Chapter 1454: Flamedemons

    <h4>Chapter 1454: medemons</h4>


    Zhang Lie had struck a strong cultivator dead in just one blow!


    None of the cultivators who had progressed deep into the rock forest could have been weak, but that was precisely why Zhang Lie''s aplishment was so extraordinary.


    "Who would be able to stand against him?"


    "All medemons, charge alongside me!"


    Suddenly, one cultivator shouted at his fellows as he transformed into a huge bird in a sh of firelight and swooped onto the stage.


    "When have the medemons ever suffered such humiliation?!"


    "All who decry the medemons are enemies of our race!"


    Many fierce, red-winged monsters rose into the air. It looked as though the medemons were a race of no small repute, if they were able to field so manypetitors in the Cup.


    A huge fight broke out. Quite a number of spectators rushed into the arena, wanting to take advantage of the medemons to deal with a strong opponent like Zhang Lie.


    They were more than happy to get a significant threat out of the way.


    Yang Ze retreated to one side. "Captain, why''s everyoneing for you?"


    In the arena, one cultivator''s eyes shone in silver, imbued with temporal force. Any who were struck by the beams would have their actions slowed.


    "Help me guard Sun Xiaowu and make sure no one disrupts his metamorphosis."


    Zhang Lie''s concerns, however, would prove to be unnecessary. Sun Xiaowu was indeed in the most critical stage of his transformation, but the evolution had beenpleted and the inheritance received. He had sessfully taken ownership of the demonic seed in his forehead, and the seed that had once been a ck dot now took on the form of a golden rune.


    On careful inspection, it would be clear that this small rune was itself formed of countless small runes.


    Golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu''s body and resonated with the pce at the peak of the mountain. The golden runes surrounded him like an egg, protecting his body. No one would be able to hurt Sun Xiaowu now.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors. The silver beams of temporal light that shed from the cultivator''s eyes winked out.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. One punch was all it took to destroy the cultivator who had attacked him.


    One cultivator transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot over. All who were struck by the lightning would be charred hunks of flesh.


    However, Zhang Lie caused the lightning to dissipate with just one punch imbued with starlight. The cultivator nched and attempted to flee as another bolt of lightning, but Zhang Lie gave chase at incredible speed. He stomped him underfoot and crushed his body.


    The red-winged medemons flocked over, bringing with them a titanic storm of me.


    The red mes burned heaven and earth alike; even the void distorted from the heat.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang and shed forward, parting the sea of mes.


    One of the medemons spread his palms out. They glowed with light and manifested in the form of a goldennce wreathed with lightning and me. He tossed it out.


    Someone eximed, "This is one of the medemons'' secret techniques, a lightningmence of incredible abyssal strength."


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting the sea of lightning in two.


    Sparks flew as his ws struck the fearful cultivator and destroyed him entirely.


    More red-winged monsters swooped forward, their wings sparking with fire and lightning.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    A waterfall of gic energy was imbued in Guicang. As Zhang Lie shed forward with the sword, devastating sword energy was unleashed.


    The medemons shot forward in a burst of fire and lightning, defending themselves against the titanic waves of gic energy. A huge explosion rang out.


    Lightning and me fizzled across the arena. The initial wave of medemons had been killed, but even more charged forward.


    Zhang Lie''s pitch-ck gic energy, dotted with starlight, looked like the primordial matter that made up the universe. His eyes frosty, he charged at the cultivators arrayed around him.


    Within moments, Guicang had sent a dozen cultivators flying. He thrust the de into one cultivator''s forehead in a fountain of blood.


    Starlight exploded around him as the cultivator''s body burst apart.


    Zhang Lie was deep in a battle frenzy when another cultivator struck at him, hisnce like a bolt of lightning.


    It was another medemon.


    Zhang Lie blocked thence with Guicang in an explosion of starlight. His sword energy manifested as a ster river that sucked the medemon within, tearing him to shreds.


    Another medemon appeared, wreathed in purple lightning and red me.


    "I''ll kill you!" he thundered.


    Zhang Lie was like a demon king who had indiscriminately ughtered all opponentsing his way.


    He raised a hand, shed with his sword, and beheaded another cultivator in a shower of blood.


    "Are all the young medemon talents going to lose right here and now...?


    Some among the medemons were growing wary of this frightening cultivator who had easily dispatched any challenger. Who would have expected that he could be so overwhelmingly strong despite the fact that they were all from the same generation?

 Chapter 1455: A Slaughter All Around

    <h4>Chapter 1455: A ughter All Around</h4>


    With another beam of starlight, Zhang Lie descended from the skies and bisected another cultivator in a spray of blood.


    "A demon king¡ªhe''s a demon!" the medemon howled. He clenched his fists tightly.


    Deep within the rock forest, the fighting continued in the arena, but victory had already been decided. Zhang Lie''s hair scattered around him as his eyes glowed like beacons. He terrorized the cultivators around him.


    Since stepping on the arena, he had already taken down over a dozen cultivators. He was dripping in blood¡ªnot his own, but that of others.


    "I''ll kill you!" One medemon challenger charged forward, his hair scattered, his face stained with blood. He was in dire straits; an all-out assault was his only hope of survival.


    Bone swords appeared in the air one after another. There were eight of them in all, which he sent arcing forward in Zhang Lie''s direction.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes gleamed with light. Pale blue gic energy formed ake so beautiful it enraptured everyone in sight. It was crystal-clear and sparkling.


    Theke frothed. Within an instant, theke had transformed into a storm, a tsunami, whichbined with the starlight in the void and filled the air close to bursting.


    The starlight, interspersed with the tsunami of gic energy, knocked aside all the weapons flying toward Zahng Lie. Runes and explosions like fireworks appeared in the air.


    The pale-blue gic energy possessed an awesome might, shattering weapons and drowning all cultivators targeting him.


    The medemon shrieked as he was sent flying, struck by the devastating starlight, his skull charred and ckened.


    His body split apart in the air, then vanished in an explosion.


    The medemons screamed at the horrifying sight. They couldn''t ept that one of the strongest fighters in the n had been dispatched this readily.


    The arena was in utter chaos. The medemons had all fallen, many of their bodies destroyed.


    "You''re still alive? I suppose you have quite the vitality." Zhang Lie pursed his lips at one of the ''corpses''.


    The cultivator was lying face-down in a puddle of blood, but was actually still alive. He was simply pretending to be dead.


    "You strutted around like you were all that¡ªand now you''re ying dead on the ground? What happened to all that panache?"


    Zhang Lie''s words were like a p on the medemon''s face.


    Ashen, the medemon crawled up from the ground. "I''ll kill you. I''ll kill you, you bastard!"


    "Someone like you isn''t strong enough to challenge me, but if you want to die, I''ll grant you that wish," Zhang Lie replied calmly. He picked up a de of bone from the ground.


    A sh of light whizzed by as the pearlescent de nailed itself to the medemon''s skull. A red line of blood spread over the medemon''s body as it was bisected down the middle.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie had already leapt over the corpse, whizzing through the battlefield in a beam of light and scything down all cultivators in his way.


    All the spectators gathered on the nine holy mountains were astounded, and even the young proteges of the supreme forces were watching the fight with interest. Zhang Lie was sure to be a strong rival in the future.


    "You are calm, aren''t you? Inciting everyone to fight, then standing right there as they fall to their deaths," Zhang Lie said, staring at the medemon who had just spoken.


    The medemon nched, never having expected that things would progress to this extent. How could he be scared of a cultivator from an unknown race?


    Zhang Lie sauntered over, bone de in hand. With his energy restrained, his hair was dark and glossy, his features fine and fair. He looked like a handsome young man, but that was precisely what scared his enemies. The dissonance between his appearance and personality was too extreme¡ªhe fought like a demon king!


    "Charge!" another medemon yelled out. He knew there was no retreat; this would be a fight to the death.


    Who among the medemons could have predicted such an oue?


    The entire group of medemon challengers had perished, all save two.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    As one medemon made an invocation, tens of thousands of red feathers appeared in the air, transforming into divine arrows as they tracked and shot toward Zhang Lie.


    With every sh of Guicang, Zhang Lie''s serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down to the ground and knocking aside the arrows aimed at him.


    The other medemon followed suit and struck Zhang Lie. Lightning filled the air.


    Fire and lightning criss-crossed in mid-air, spreading across the sky like vines.


    Everyone atop the holy mountains was shocked. Flower petals danced in the air as lightning and me wove an intricate choreography. Vitality filled the air, gathering around one of the two final medemons.


    This was the pinnacle of lightning and fire¡ªto rouse creation from destruction, life from death.


    All the cultivators gathered understood how difficult it was to glean this level of understanding.


    Grass and trees sprouted, branches and leaves outstretched as they formed a protectivettice against Zhang Lie''s attacks. A huge tree fell to the ground, intending to crush Zhang Lie and root itself in him.


    Unfortunately, all resistance was futile against an enemy like Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.

 Chapter 1456: A Good Test

    <h4>Chapter 1456: A Good Test</h4>


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    Theherworld seapletely suppressed the nascent greenery and melted it all.


    Grass and wood interwove to form a huge tree zing with lightning and fire, a bulwark against theherworld sea, but it was quickly destroyed. Sword energy whittled at it; ster dragons tore and bit at it.


    The medemon cultivator screamed in agony.


    Zhang Lie''s starlight manifested as pinpricks of light in the air all around him like fireflies. Vitality condensed from theherworld sea and formed trees of starlight. The ster dragons wrapped around them and shrouded the bark in a ster veneer.


    The roots of the ster trees extended throughout the battlefield, draining away the vitality of the fallen medemon cultivators.


    If Chi Lingkong were still alive, he would surely have regretted pursuing Zhang Lie and chasing him into the pce, confident in his superiority and ability to take Zhang Lie''s life. However, not only had he fallen, his kin and brethren had paid a heavy toll on his behalf.


    None of the medemons could have expected that they, who had the power to control life and death within the trial grounds, would have ended up the inferior party, humbled by this young man. The hunters became the hunted.


    The two medemons brandished their weapons for a final showdown.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    A dragon''s howl shook heaven and earth, shattering the medemons'' advances and destroying their weapons.


    One medemon transformed into a stork with scarlet feathers, zing with firelight, but it was useless.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, he tore apart the roaring mes.


    The oue of this battle was not in any doubt. With a clean snick, the final medemon was beheaded in a roar of despair.


    No other cultivator remained in the arena. Zhang Lie''s gaze swept proudly over the young proteges atop the nine holy mountains, all of whom subconsciously retreated upon meeting his gaze.


    Some of the proteges were angered by their own subconscious response. They were the most brilliant members of their n, and their pride and arrogance refused to submit to another. They had to be the strongest no matter where they were.


    One cultivator gritted his teeth and descended onto the battlefield, furious because of his embarrassment.


    He was soon joined by more and more of the cultivators atop the mountains. Unlike Zhang Lie, who had ughtered mountains of corpses to make his way through the realms of the dimensional world, these young proteges had led sheltered lives free of despair and failure.


    None could climb above them; the top was reserved for them and them alone!


    Cultivators descended on the stage, intending to challenge Zhang Lie for dominance.


    Zhang Lie raised his sword up high, unconcerned about the challengers. He would be able to clear the chaff with just a single swing.


    Just then, golden light filled the air. The pce where Sun Xiaowu had been meditating waspletely overwhelmed by the golden light, which cast a burnished tint on all nine of the holy mountains. A golden fist mmed into the arena from the pce, sending all the cultivators who had been rushing onto the arena flying.


    Sun Xiaowu appeared beside Zhang Lie.


    "You''ve worked hard, Captain."


    Sun Xiaowu shone in dazzling golden light. A denseyer of runes surrounded him like a suit of battle armor. Above his head shone aplicated golden rune, itself formed of dense runic script. It was abstruse and difficult toprehend. Zhang Lie didn''t know what Sun Xiaowu had intuited.


    On the other hand, Yang Ze, who was almost finished dealing with his opponents, was startled to see Sun Xiaowu appear.


    "Where did youe from, Sun Xiaowu? With all these special effects radiating off you, too..."


    Sun Xiaowu ignored Yang Ze. "Let''s attack together. I''d like to test out my newfound strength."


    "Very well!"


    Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie as he thrust forward with Guicang.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Zhang Lie''s body split into hundreds of thousands of afterimages. The sword strikes bloomed like rain, like vibrant silver flowers.


    Sun Xiaowu raised his right hand. Golden runes spun more and more quickly all over his body.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light, shocking all the cultivators in the vicinity.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy. The heavens themselves shook from the blow, and the arena almost copsed. A wave of golden light swallowed up all the cultivators in sight.

 Chapter 1457: An Incredible Feat

    <h4>Chapter 1457: An Incredible Feat</h4>


    The cultivators, eliminated from thepetition, spread word of what had happened. All who listened to their description were astounded.


    This level of aplishment went beyond shocking.


    It was like something out of legend, something that couldn''t be true.


    "How in the world did he do it? That''s impossible!"


    "What a frightening aplishment..."


    The crowds were shocked by Zhang Lie and his allies'' strength.


    Several representatives of the supreme forces frowned upon hearing the information. Their eyes seemed to epass miniature gxies of their own, sparking a healthy dose of fear in those around them.


    "What force do they represent? They''re being far too audacious."


    Scarlet mes zed around the head of the medemons. He treated what had happened as a challenge to his authority; there would be a reckoning for this.


    All the medemon challengers present in the rock forest had been killed. The news was like a p to his face.


    This was an insult, one that would have to be repaid in kind.


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst in a shower of droplets that shone silver in the sunlight.


    Yang Ze''s battle had finished as Chang Sheng was eliminated.


    The three hunters smiled as their gazes met.


    "What are you doing here, Yang Ze?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Yang Ze replied, "I was with Fang Yi, but we each encountered a foe and split up."


    They hade to the rock forest intending to see whether there were any treasures to be found, not expecting to encounter enemies instead. One was an opponent from the qualifiers; the other was a member of the Stargods.


    "There are quite a few Stargods here as well. They attack Fang Yi on sight. I wonder how he''s doing?"


    "Don''t worry," Zhang Lie replied. "I''ll be able to find Fang Yi with my beehive soulshard."


    Yang Ze continued, "As for you, Xiaowu, what''s with all the special effects?"


    "The inheritance from this rock forest was particrlypatible with my framework. I just don''t know where it''s from..."


    "How do you feel?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Sun Xiaowu gave him a thumbs up. "Great. It''s just that..."


    "What is it?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "There''s a passageway leading into a deeper part of this world," Sun Xiaowu replied.


    "Where?" Yang Ze pressed.


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "It takes advantage of the teleportation apparatus built into the pce to do so. You''ll have to perfectlyprehend the inheritance here to use it."


    "Does it lead into the heart of the world?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "I think there''s far more to this world than Senior Bu Wentian told us about. I don''t know about the specifics, either."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s normal. After all, he didn''t make it past the qualifiers, and likely is only aware of the knowledgemon to all participants. The true mysteries of thepetition proper¡ªwell, it''s likely only the supreme forces of the fifth realm are aware of them all."


    "Once we find Fang Yi, I''d like to attempt to make the crossing through the pce. I have the sense that it''ll be particrly important to me."


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "There''s no need. You should pass through right now while you still can. Fang Yi''s not in much trouble, and the two of us can deal with it on our own."


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes brightened. "Why don''t we all head in once we find Fang Yi?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "The runes in the pce aren''tpatible with my framework. Although part of my framework shares many simrities to a gold attunement, it''s only superficial. If I attempt to imbue the insight I''ve gleaned into my framework, it''ll have a tremendous influence on my framework and future development. All the pce can impart to me is reference and perspective."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "And I can''t make heads or tails of it."


    Sun Xiaowu sighed, but Zhang Lie waved a hand at him. "Don''t worry about us. Go!"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. He stepped back into the pce, which glowed with light. Runes appeared in an ardent ze. The entire pce rose into the sky. The holy mountain that supported it crumbled.


    Zhang Lie understood what was going on now. Each pce represented a path forward. Perhaps Bu Wentian had been wrong about the victory condition of the tournament, too¡ª"the final cultivators remaining will be the victors."


    No. There were still plenty of secrets that they didn''t know about this world.


    "Where to next, Captain?" Yang Ze asked.


    Zhang Lie suggested, "Let''s follow the queen bee soulshard and find our nearest teammates."


    Yang Ze nodded. "We''ll have to hurry. I''m worried something will happen to Fang Yi sooner orter."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t worry about it too much. Fang Yi''s an incredible fighter, and he won''t have a problem."


    Zhang Lie and Yang Ze set off in the direction the queen bee soulshard led them toward. Suddenly, countless golden beetles in the air began to hum in collective resonance. The resulting noise was the ear-piercing screech of metal against metal. Golden light and lightning red, striking the cultivators around them indiscriminately.


    The swarm of golden beetles was like a tidal wave.


    Yang Ze nched. "Where did these beetlese from?"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "ording to the soulshard, Fang Yi''s on the other side of this mess."


    Yang Ze gulped. "Trapped within this sea of bugs?"


    "I''m not sure yet. Regardless, we''ll kill our way over."


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area. Arge swathe of golden beetles was swept away.


    As a howling gale rose up, the golden beetles were torn to shreds. Their limbs exploded and scattered around them.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked. The golden beetles before them were cleared away, revealing the cerulean blue sky once more.


    Yang Ze smiled. "I''m d I''m with you, Captain. I don''t even have to make a move."


    "We''d better hurry over," Zhang Lie said.


    The golden beetles swarmed toward Zhang Lie and Yang Ze as though they had gone mad.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    Yang Ze''s de left ripples in its wake, clearing away the golden beetles that had swarmed around them. He frowned. "What''s going on? These beetles are going crazy!"


    Zhang Lie frowned as well. "Perhaps we''ll find out as we venture deeper within."

 Chapter 1458: Heavenly Sword Energy

    <h4>Chapter 1458: Heavenly Sword Energy</h4>


    "Regardless, the beetles don''t concern us. We simply have to find Fang Yi," Zhang Lie said. When the golden beetles swarmed toward them once more,


    Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned gic energy coiled around it like a snake.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth.


    After killing the golden beetles, pinpricks of light gathered by the back of Zhang Lie''s palm as his seal continued to grow.


    There was arge, weathered cave in the cliff that rose up before them. A dark golden bug crawled out, about the size of an arm. It sprayed out golden light that turned rock and wood into nothing more than powder.


    A huge crash resounded from the cave as tens of thousands of dark golden bugs emerged. As they spat out a golden breath, everything before them was destroyed.


    Theyered golden breaths from the entire swarm of bugs shot forward in a devastating wave so strong that even Zhang Lie had to retreat in surprise.


    Suddenly, silver light shed from within the cave. A silver bug monarch had appeared, also only about the size of an arm, but it glowed with silver light that manifested in the image of a qilin.


    The qilin wasposed of runes. The silver qilin hung suspended in the air, mysterious and powerful.


    The dark gold bugs treated Zhang Lie like prey. They buzzed threateningly as they swarmed over, led by their silver-colored bug monarch.


    Their golden breath morphed into tens of thousands of sword beams, dposing the environment around Zhang Lie to powder.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, swallowing up the golden breath.


    Yang Ze''s body shone with traces of [Mirrored Refraction]. Shrouded by dark clouds, he drifted through the golden breath and reached out for the silver bug monarch.


    Suddenly, a purple arc shot toward Zhang Lie''s hand. It was a shining arrow that released a demonic hum as it flew.


    His gaze cold, Zhang Lie counterattacked.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    He punched forward, and the serpent behind him intercepted the arrow.


    "You can go now. I''ve had my eyes on this bug monarch for some time." A young man approached with a purple longbow in his hands. He was tall and slender, his gaze like the stars themselves.


    He nced coolly at Zhang Lie, confident in his strength.


    Another young man appeared in a burst of rainbow light with a confident air about him. The young man''s gaze swept over Yang Ze, then focused intently on him.


    "You?"


    Zhang Lie turned to Yang Ze. "Do you know him?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "Why would I?"


    The young manughed coldly. "We might not know each other, but my junior brother knows you."


    "Who''s he?" Yang Ze asked.


    "Chang Sheng."


    Yang Ze blinked. "Oh, him? He really bears grudges for quite a while, doesn''t he?"


    The young man said, "My junior brother vowed to defeat you in the officialpetition. I''m surprised you''vested so long."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "He had some skill, but I''ve eliminated him already."


    The young man seemed taken aback. "You eliminated my junior brother?"


    "I suppose you must not know. It just happened."


    The young man narrowed his eyes at Yang Ze.


    The skies shimmered with rainbow light as a young woman dressed in radiant gold appeared. She was tall and svelte, her features elegant, her ck hair scattered around her back. Her eyes were limpid, her face veiled.


    She stood proudly. When she blinked, lightning flew out of her eyes. She seemed to be a being freed from the constraints of the mortal world, and a deific aura surrounded her.


    "Ah, you?" Zhang Lie remarked.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie, her divine appearance suddenly became all too mortal.


    "You! You, what are you doing here?!"


    Despite the veil covering her face, it was clear that the young woman had turned pale.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "It means that we''re bound by fate. We had vigorous exercise, but then you suddenly departed and left your dudou with me."


    The young woman gritted her teeth. "Nonsense!"


    Zhang Lie retrieved the dudou from his soulspace, causing the woman to grow furious. She blushed red all the way to the tips of her ears.


    Yang Ze teased, "You''ve made a move on the lifeforms here this quickly, Captain?"


    The young man was taken aback. "Who would have expected that the very image of purity herself, Feng Xian, would have fallen for a man''s wiles? I''m sure many young proteges of Starbright Academy will be drowning their sorrows in wine tonight."


    The young woman was none other than the first opponent Zhang Lie had encountered in this world¡ªFeng Xian.


    Feng Xian gnashed her teeth as she red at Zhang Lie, as though she wanted to eat him whole.


    "I have to admit, I''m a cultivator in my prime, but there''s no need to look at me so, is there?" Zhang Lie asked, smiling.


    Feng Xian seethed. She turned to the young man with a smile. "Senior Brother Chang Ming, you must be mistaken. I''m sure this fellow has the wrong person in mind. I''ve never seen that dudou before."


    "Is that so?" Zhang Lie stored the dudou away again.


    Feng Xian bit her lip as she addressed Zhang Lie. "Would you be willing to let me have this silver bug monarch? I promise topensate you."


    "I won''t. I need it myself," Zhang Lie refused firmly.


    The archer stared at the cultivators that had suddenly appeared with killing intent. He had already nocked a purple arrow and was pointing it at them. In terms of looks and aura, he was no inferior to the other two cultivators from Starbright Academy.


    He revealed snowy-white teeth as he asked, "Do you know who I am?"


    "Why should I care?"


    Feng Xian introduced, "This is a sessor of the Hall of Immortals, the alternate to the current ninth-generation Immortal King. He once fought for the position with the current king, and his name is Chen Feng."


    Zhang Lie considered the information. "In other words, he lost to the current Immortal King."


    "You''ll regret this!"


    Chen Feng seethed. His body began to glow as the runes on his arrow shone brightly. Killing intent surrounded him; he was just about to strike.


    Zhang Lie suddenly thought of something. "Hold on. You''re from the Hall of Immortals?"

 Chapter 1459: An Easy Battle

    <h4>Chapter 1459: An Easy Battle</h4>


    "And so what if I am?" Chen Feng was just about to strike.


    "Hold on." Feng Xian held him back.


    Zhang Lie nced at the silver bug monarch.


    "This isn''t a simple bug, is it?"


    Chen Feng scoffed. "You don''t even recognize this lifeform? You really are unlearned, aren''t you?"


    "Hand over the bug monarch and I''ll consider the grudge between you and my junior brother settled," Chang Ming offered.


    A divine aura radiated from his body. His armor was gleaming. Although he was yet young, he stared at Zhang Lie with umon confidence and poise.


    Yang Zeughed. "It''s not even your grudge to settle. Furthermore, when have I ever asked for it to be settled? You really think you''re all that, don''t you?"


    "im it if you think you have the skills to," Zhang Lie replied coolly, standing against the three cultivators. Despite being outnumbered, he was unbelievably cool and collected.


    The cultivators gaped at him. Just who was Zhang Lie? He had refused a prodigy of Starbright Academy and disdained a prospective sessor to the Hall of Immortals.


    Suddenly, the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance, along with bestial howls, divine me, and an intense confrontation.


    Light filled the air, and the outline of a copper hall appeared in the heavens in an imposing sight.


    What had happened? Perhaps the birth of a treasure, or some unusual urrence that had sparked a transformation.


    "Hand it over!" Chen Feng demanded, raising his longbow. The divine purple arrow shed in the light.


    "Scram," Zhang Lie replied coolly.


    Chen Feng''s threat drastically lowered Zhang Lie''s impression of him.


    Feng Xian didn''t stop them from fighting. She stood by a side and watched the heated fighting uring in the distance, where most of the cultivators were gathered.


    Suddenly, Chen Feng made his move, drawing his longbow taut andunching an arrow.


    He believed himself to be among the supreme cultivators of his generation, who had once been apetitor to the sessor of the Hall of Immortals and who had stood at the very peak. How could he be beaten by an unknown challenger of ill repute? He would kill him and seize the silver bug monarch for himself.


    Zhang Lie reached out and caught the divine arrow with a metallic ng.


    Meanwhile, Chen Feng had darted straight toward Zhang Lie the moment he shot out his arrow, prepared to suppress him and retrieve the silver bug monarch.


    Feng Xian acted then, too, as did Chang Ming. They all reached out for the silver bug monarch.


    Yang Ze caught the silver bug monarch and defended against the two cultivators'' attacks. Just then, light shot into the heavens.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    A figure appeared in the middle of the light, arms moving so fast they left afterimages behind, and filling the air with arclight dragons.


    The appearance of the arclight dragons was so sudden that it caught everyone off guard. The horde of dragons surrounded them.


    "Hm?"


    Zhang Lie reacted most quickly. He mmed a palm into Chen Feng, sending him stumbling into the horde of dragons.


    "What?!"


    The three enemy cultivators were shocked by the sudden sneak attack.


    Yang Ze grinned. "Li Feng, what''re you doing here?"


    Li Feng slowly floated down from the sky. He stood beside Zhang Lie and Yang Ze. "Why can''t it be me?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "It looks like the queen''s hive soulshard was pointing to Li Feng, not Fang Yi."


    Li Feng frowned. "What, you didn''t specificallye here to group up with me?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We heard Sun Xiaowu mention that Fang Yi was here too. Finding you was an unexpected surprise."


    Chen Feng drew his bow again in a sh of lightning. The void itself shook violently as an arrow pierced the heavens.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. They tore apart the lightning and blocked the arrow.


    "It''s not time to reminisce just yet, I suppose."


    Chen Feng frowned. "I remember you. To think I would be lucky enough to encounter you here."


    Li Feng gave him an odd look. "Do I know you?"


    Yang Ze replied, "He''s from the Hall of Immortals. Didn''t you fight some ninth Immortal King from the Hall of Immortals during the qualifiers?"


    Li Feng nodded. "I remember the name, I think."


    Yang Ze continued mockingly, "This is the guy that lost against him and failed to be the next sessor of the Hall of Immortals."


    Chen Feng snorted. "It''s none of your business!"


    Li Feng turned to Yang Ze. "Is that so?"


    Chen Fengughed. "All that happened in the past. As long as I can beat you, I can prove to those codgers in the Hall of Immortals that I, Chen Feng, should be the true sessor!"


    Li Feng shook his head. "You must be crazy. If even the ninth Immortal King can''t beat me, what makes you think you can?"


    "Let''s try it and see," Chen Feng said, drawing his bow taut.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w that swiped at and blocked the arrow.


    Feng Xian formed seals with her hands. Pure moonlight descended from the skies. She struck with a jade-white palm.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. He struck Feng Xian''s palm in a ster explosion and shower of moonlight.


    Chang Ming''s armor gleamed with radiance as he shot into the sky and struck at Zhang Lie''s body with a glowing punch.


    Zhang Lie responded coolly. Even as he confronted Feng Xian, he raised his other hand and struck forward with such force that the other cultivators gulped.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. As it flipped over, pale-blue gic energy exploded and transformed into a howling tempest.


    This was a massive confrontation. Gic energy erupted from the cultivators, shattering the rock mountain and cave in front of them.


    The ck bugs screeched and began to rampage, spitting out golden breaths that made the melee even more chaotic.


    After the attack, Zhang Lie stood calm and collected.

 Chapter 1460: Would You Like It Back?

    <h4>Chapter 1460: Would You Like It Back?</h4>


    Chang Ming''s heart thumped. He stiffened in shock.


    Feng Xian was surprised as well. She knew how strong Zhang Lie was, but neither Li Feng nor Yang Ze were weak, either.


    They easily neutralized all attacksing their way and were impressive fighters in their own right.


    Clearly, none of the three were even using their full strength.


    Suddenly, Chen Feng feinted and charged toward the silver bug monarch, intending to im it before anyone else could.


    Chang Ming''s eyes glinted, his armor radiating light. He shot over himself, divine light emitting from his palms.


    "Techniques from the Eternal Hill?" Chen Feng''s eyes widened in shock. He clearly feared this secret technique. He shifted over to the side to dodge the blow, then retaliated with an electrifying punch.


    Yang Ze easily ascertained that Chang Ming was more skilled than his junior brother.


    As the two cultivators struck each other, the dark golden bugs all around them grew furious. These cultivators were clearly disregarding them by starting a fight in their domain!


    Runes formed in the air and condensed in a killing blow of massive proportions.


    Chang Ming and Feng Xian were both shocked. Chen Feng took the lead, guarding the trio and defending against the frightening attack as he howled.


    Yang Ze shed against Chang Ming, his body quaking with residual momentum, before the bugs'' runes struck him. Golden sword energy filled the air and forced him to retreat.


    Just then, Zhang Lie appeared, descending from the skies. His foot headed to the most impactful spot on the battlefield.


    "You dare!" Chen Feng roared. Beneath him were furious bugs striking at him from below; above him was Zhang Lieing at him with a foot from above right at his head.


    No matter what, he didn''t want anyone to step on his head. That would be far too shameful to bear! He punched upward with clenched fists.


    However, the cultivator above him had terrifying strength, which weighed down on him like a great mountain. Wind whooshed¡ªhis face burned from the friction, as though des were scraping at his skin.


    Unable to move, Chen Feng was hit squarely by the golden bugs'' runes, causing his body to quake as wounds appeared all over.


    He coughed out a mouthful of blood as he stumbled in weakness.


    Zhang Lie descended from the heavens like a god, indomitable and invincible. Chen Feng found himself defenseless against Zhang Lie''s blow.


    Chen Feng roared. A palm of light, dozens of meters wide, mmed into the sky¡ªbut it was useless. Zhang Lie''s footnded like an imposing mountain, causing his body to shake.


    Chen Feng thundered in rage. The bugs beneath him glowed with light, a dangerous threat. Swords of golden light thrust into his body.


    The foot in the sky pushed downward, stered against his head. Badly wounded by the bug swarm, he was unable to fight back. He roared in anger.


    He held both hands skyward, protecting his body even as his hair fell in disarray. His skull ached; blood seeped out. He had barely avoided having his skull crushed from Zhang Lie''s foot. He fell toward the bug swarm.


    The bugs'' light took on a bloody tint as he was struck by rune after rune. The bugs'' attacks were too concentrated for him to defend against, and he had no choice but to suffer the attacks head-on.


    Chen Feng screamed, pain wracking his body. He struggled furiously as he headed toward the monarch.


    All this happened in the blink of an eye, so quickly that an ordinary cultivator wouldn''t have been able to sense a thing. One moment, Chen Feng was fine; the next, he had been seriously injured.


    Chang Ming and Feng Xian watched on in shock, but there was no time to think. They swooped downward in an attempt to im the bug monarch for themselves. Chen Feng''s downfall had disrupted the bug swarm; this was an excellent opportunity.


    Li Feng naturally wasn''t about to let the enemy cultivators im the bug monarch. He reached out to intercept them.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed forward.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    Yang Ze''s sword morphed into a sea serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice.


    The two dragonsbined into one, twining around each other as light- and water-attuned gic energy intersected. Even Chang Ming and Feng Xian had to retreat and deal with the attack.


    Zhang Lie descended as a ster river streamed down, capturing the silver bug monarch and sealing it with his gic energy.


    Countless runes shed around him.


    Chang Ming and Feng Xian had been intercepted by Yang Ze and Li Feng working together. The three enemy cultivators looked at Zhang Lie. Chang Ming and Feng Xian frowned in annoyance, but they didn''t strike at him. They had each exchanged blows with Zhang Lie and knew how strong he was; fighting him for a bug monarch wasn''t worth it.


    Chen Feng''s hairy scattered, his body full of blood. His face was ashen, his eyes crazed and malevolent. Zhang Lie had stomped on his head, almost killing him as a result. This was a grave insult, and he very much wanted to challenge Zhang Lie to a fight to the death.


    "Captain, let me handle this fellow."


    Li Feng stepped forward and looked at Chen Feng.


    Chen Feng eventually restrained himself, not wanting to fight under such disadvantageous conditions, because he had suffered significant injures from the bug swarms.


    Zhang Lie didn''t strike, either. He could sense more cultivators massing by the edges of the battlefield, and he had no intention of letting them take advantage of him.


    More importantly, he knew that the Stargods were surrounding and attacking Fang Yi, and didn''t want to waste time here.


    Chen Feng was upset, but ultimately chose to retreat.


    Chang Ming and Feng Xian also vanished from sight, not wanting to engage Zhang Lie in battle just for a bug monarch.


    The cultivators skulking about sighed and retreated themselves.


    Zhang Lie shook the dudou in his hands. "Feng Xian, don''t you want this back?"


    Feng Xian stopped short. She blushed as she red at Zhang Lie. <i>Is he trying to scam me?!</i>


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Women''s clothing is useless to me. I wouldn''t mind returning it to you."


    Feng Xian was tempted, but she forced herself to remain calm. She left with a snort.


    Zhang Lie sighed. He had been intending to exchange it for information, but it looked as though he would be stuck with it.


    Zhang Lie turned to see Yang Ze and Li Feng giving him a strange look.


    Zhang Lie scowled. "It''s not what you''re thinking!"


    Yang Ze raised his hands in surrender. "I didn''t say anything, Captain! But what are you nning to do?"


    "Are you going to chase her?" Li Feng asked.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Let''s find Fang Yi first."


    Yang Ze corrected, "No, Captain, Li Feng''s asking you if you''re nning to woo her!"


    Li Feng nodded. "You can leave Fang Yi to us."


    Zhang Lie rapped them both on the head.


    Yang Ze picked up the silver bug monarch and asked, "Captain, what good is this?"


    Although Zhang Lie had seized the bug monarch, he hadn''t done so because he wanted it, but rather because he didn''t want others coveting his possessions. He had no idea how to use it or why it was valuable.


    Li Feng asked, "Don''t any of you know what it''s good for?"

 Chapter 1461: The Bug Monarchs Use

    <h4>Chapter 1461: The Bug Monarch''s Use</h4>


    Yang Ze red at Li Feng. "As if you do!"


    Li Fengughed. "I actually did pick up some information from the other cultivators. There are an incredible number of bug swarms in the region, all of different species. Over time, as the swarms fight each other for dominance and devour each other, the strongest bugs will evolve into bug monarchs."


    "Like raising gu?" Yang Ze asked.


    Li Feng nodded. "More or less."


    "So what good are these bug monarchs?"


    "What would you do if you were injured in this virtual realm?" Li Feng countered.


    Yang Ze thought for a moment. "I snuck into the fifth-realm cultivators'' territory and overheard that the herbs that grow here can be used to treat injuries of the spirit and soul."


    Li Feng said, "The bug monarch can be used in the same way, and is even more effective."


    "What, can it revive people from the dead?" Yang Ze eximed.


    "Not quite¡ªbut it can heal injuries and prevent you from taking more."


    Yang Ze frowned. "How?"


    "Allegedly, you can consume it to obtain mental protection that serves almost like an extra life. Even if you''re killed in this world, no damage will be done to your physical body. Apparently, consuming bug emperors can even spark a mental evolution and confer great benefits."


    "How do you prepare it?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "You should have it, Captain," Li Feng said.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I don''t need it. The two of you should split it."


    Yang Ze looked into the distance. "Hold on. We don''t have to decide who gets it just yet. It seems like there''s amotion up ahead. Why don''t we check it out? They might be fighting over a bug emperor¡ªor perhaps it''s another bug monarch."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Shouldn''t Fang Yi be our priority?"


    Yang Ze replied, "Fang Yi isn''t going to die just yet, whereas these bug monarchs could prove particrly valuable to the team atrge. Furthermore, what if Fang Yi''s in the melee up ahead?"


    It was true that the queen''s hive soulshard was pointing right ahead. Zhang Lie nodded in agreement.


    The three cultivators charged forward as an avian lifeform swooped down toward them. Its wings shone with umbral light, and it glimmered as though it were made of metal. A fierce aura surrounded it; its wings were strong enough to crush mountains.


    Zhang Lie raised his head to see the atavistic lifeform swooping down at him, but wasn''t particrly concerned. He stood still and waited for the lifeform to approach.


    Zhang Lie unleashed his dragonturtle transformation.


    The image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and his water-attuned gic energy turned heavy, sluggish, and a dark yellow color. Ripples of gic energy spread out all around him like mud.


    Zhang Lie''s gaze was clear, and his ck hair floated in the wind.


    The mountains rumbled; the ground shook. The avian swooped down with incredible strength, but its target hadn''t moved at all.


    Furthermore, it had been mired in a domain of gic energy that made it feel as though it had been trapped in a swamp. It was unable to escape. Even breathing was difficult. It had been restrained and much of its cultivation sealed.


    The avian was shaken. It was the apex predator in thends around, and could kill any manner of beast or lifeform with impunity. How had it been trapped?


    Zhang Lie reached out and held it up by the neck. "You want to eat me?"


    The ck avian''s feathers stood on end as it whined, its eyes full of fear. This cultivator, whoever it was, was the most frightening creature it had ever seen.


    Zhang Lie nced askance at it, then tossed it into the air. "Stay away from me."


    The ck avian fled, rushing to put as much distance as it could between it and Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie shed away, moving hundreds of meters in an instant and vanishing from the mountain.


    Along the way, a golden giant appeared, thirty meters tall, with thick golden fur around its body. It roared in fury, a stone club in its hands. It swung the weapon down toward Zhang Lie, who raised his head. He reached out and stopped the stone club, which had to be over twenty meters long, and prevented it from budging at all.


    The golden giant was taken aback. How did this puny lifeform possess so much strength?


    The next moment, Zhang Lie vanished from sight and appeared right before the giant''s eyes. He picked him up and tossed him out.


    The golden giant smashed into a mountain, causing boulders to rumble and fall. It paled. Only after an extreme amount of time did it finally catch its breath and flee like a terrified rabbit.


    The three cultivators continued onward to a mountain range with five mountains giving off radiant light. Several of the mountains had been destroyed, leaving only their bases behind.


    There were all manner of shattered weaponry on the ground, along withrge pits.


    The energy within the pits hadn''t dissipated entirely. It remained within the pits like boiling water; an ordinary cultivator who fell inside would be vaporized instantly, leaving nothing but ash behind. Although there were no corpses around the mountains, it wasn''t hard to visualize how terrible the initial fighting had to be.


    Even before drawing near, they could sense shockwavesing from afar, along with more massive and frightening explosions of energy.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. "I sense Fang Yi''s aura!"


    A bubble of temporal power spread out as the entire world turned gray. Everything that the bubble touched was sealed in stasis.


    Zhang Lie''s trio broke through the stasis and looked at each other in excitement.


    Yang Ze himself was surprised that his blind guess had worked out.


    Following the bubble of temporal power came the familiar sound of a keening dragon and howling tiger.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Chaotic energy swirled over the spear.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, space, and chaotic energy.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    The energy of chaos, which had the ability to destroy anything, spun amidst the howling winds.

 Chapter 1462: Seven Pupae

    <h4>Chapter 1462: Seven Pupae</h4>


    Except for Fang Yi, no other cultivator could create such a breathtaking scene. Even before he released his technique, Zhang Lie and the others, still kilometers away, could see the currents of energy clearly.


    Yang Ze eximed, "Did we really find him?"


    Yang Ze was so familiar with Fang Yi that he had subconsciously identified where he would have headed.


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined seven different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; the fundamental forces of space and time; and chaos.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    Even before the attack was released, the virtual realm was already shaking tremendously. The ground cracked and splintered, and the sky was marred with scars.


    The sh between the energy of chaos and that of time and space caused the wheels of time on Fang Yi''s back to shatter one after another. His spear vibrated ceaselessly, and huge quantities of chaotic energy gushed out.


    Fang Yi''s spear shot into the heavens.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elementsbined into a beam of light that swept across heaven and earth.


    Yang Ze nched. "Things must be going badly if Fang Yi''s been forced to use that technique..."


    Fang Yi naturally understood that thispetition was a test of stamina; it was a marathon, not a sprint. Unless there was no other choice, he wouldn''t have used such a technique.


    Zhang Lie grew serious as well. "We have to rush over."


    Fang Yi''s body was drenched with blood. His back was pressed up against a holy mountain. Wind and storm rampaged around him as mental dust scattered from his body. Despite the opponents that surrounded him, outnumbering him many times over, Fang Yi didn''t despair. His gaze was charged with fighting intent.


    "Come on,e on! Come at me if you dare!"


    Fang Yi was surrounded by starlight. His gaze was clear, and his ck hair floated in the wind.


    "The insect pupae don''t belong to you. Hand them over!"


    "Ha! It''s a treasure I''m nning to leave to my teammates. Even if I have to destroy them myself, I won''t leave any for you Stargods." Fang Yi took out seven of the pupae, which radiated with intense light. A piece of yellow paper was stuck to them, filled with runes, sealing something incredible.


    A nearby Stargod shouted, "Xing You, there''s nothing to worry about. Kill this fellow and avenge our hero!"


    "Right, right! This fellow could never have killed our hero on his own. He must have used some despicable, underhanded method to secure victory!"


    "The pupae are important, but our honor and glory as Stargods is even more so. We can''t allow this cultivator who has humiliated us to leave."


    The majority of the cultivators that were attacking Fang Yi were, of course, the Stargods. There were a few other cultivators mixed in, likely intending to take advantage of the situation at hand.


    Fang Yiughed. "Come at me if you dare! After I destroy these pupae, I''ll kill all of you right here. Killing one of you is an even trade, and two would be a gain. Let''s see just how many of you I can take down, eh?"


    The Stargod in the lead, Xing You, took a deep breath. "In truth, there''s no enmity among us. You simply defeated our hero during the qualifiers, and we Stargods want to reim our honor."


    Fang Yi scoffed. "No enmity among us? Perhaps before you chased me down and tried to kill me."


    Xing You shrugged. "But didn''t you take advantage of the chaos to steal the pupae that should have belonged to us?"


    Another Stargod said, "We''re even, then."


    Fang Yi frowned. "What, you''re trying to back down now after chasing me for so long?"


    Xing You chuckled. "You don''t want tomit either, do you?"


    Another Stargod eximed in realization, "I see! If this fellow really didn''t mind dying, he would already have attacked us rather than stall for time!"


    Fang Yi grimaced. Indeed, he didn''t want to fight the Stargods.


    He had been nning to reunite with Zhang Lie and the others, then kill all the Stargodpetitors with the other members of Team Zenith.


    Xing You demanded, "Hand over the pupae and I''ll let you leave."


    Fang Yi frowned. "And why would you do that?"


    Some of the Stargods were visibly displeased.


    "Xing You, what are you doing? You''re not going to reim our honor and avenge our hero?"


    "This cultivator''s existence is a mark of shame on the entire Stargod race! We can''t let him go!"

 Chapter 1463: Deathmatch

    <h4>Chapter 1463: Deathmatch</h4>


    "Enough!" Xing You dered. "This cultivator took down our hero. No matter how he did it, show him at least a base amount of respect. If he really were to go crazy, half our number would perish."


    "Even if we die in this realm, all that we''ll suffer is some mental damage. Our n has spiritual pills that can repair that damage rapidly, so what''s there to be afraid of?!"


    Xing You replied severely, "The elders left you in my charge, and I have the responsibility of taking care of you. At the very least, I shouldn''t let you be eliminated for something like this."


    One Stargod shouted, "Our idol would never be willing topromise!"


    "And unfortunately for you, I''m not your idol, and I won''t be him." Xing You stepped forward and stared at Fang Yi. "Have you made up your mind?"


    Fang Yi hummed thoughtfully.


    Xing You said, "You have two options: either we fight and exhaust each other, or you leave the pupae behind and depart."


    Fang Yi shook the pupae in his hands. "I want half the pupae, since I''m in possession of them now."


    One Stargod said arrogantly, "Allowing you to leave is already far more than you deserve!"


    Another warned, "Don''t be too greedy."


    Fang Yi probed, "Then I suppose we''ll have to fight."


    "You really are greedy, aren''t you?!" the Stargod cultivators cried out, raring to make a move at him.


    Xing You held his kin back. "We ept," he said.


    Fang Yi blinked in surprise. "Really? I hope you''re not trying to trick me, then."


    Xing You frowned. "Do you intend to fight us?"


    "I''m simply surprised by how readily you agreed. Allow me to consider this a bit more... Catch!" Fang Yi tossed three of the pupae in his hands up in the air.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    At the same time, he made his escape.


    The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body, which provided explosive strength that propelled Fang Yi forward.


    The Stargods by Xing You''s side caught the pupae. As Fang Yi attempted to escape, Xing You made his move. He had never been nning to let Fang Yi go from the beginning; all that had been a deception to catch him off-guard.


    Xing You was unwilling to waste even a second of time. His palm glowed with light. Five radiant beams fell from the heavens, each manifesting in the form of a mountain range, locking down thend.


    Even tens of thousands of cultivators would be killed by the simultaneous attack of the beams, let alone Fang Yi himself.


    As Fang Yi saw the mountains approach him, he didn''t even bother to block. He shouted, "Save me, Captain!"


    Xing Youughed. "Give up. No one will save you now."


    Just as Xing You finished speaking, however, pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend around them. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, smashing into the five mountains.


    The five mountains exploded. As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked.


    Zhang Lie stood in the distance, one fist raised in the air.


    Xing You stopped his pursuit. "Who might you be, sir? As far as I recall, the Stargods have never provoked you."


    Zhang Lie''s strength was apparent from the blow he had unleashed; it was no weaker than the Stargods'' own techniques.


    Xing You would surely have had some recollection of offending such a powerful cultivator. He had emerged from nowhere¡ªXing You was certain that the Stargods hadn''t done anything against him.


    Xing You scrutinized him more carefully and found that he did seem somehow familiar. He recalled where quickly.


    "You''re the cultivator who defeated the supposedly invincible Srvine!"


    That invincible Srvine had been a renowned genius throughout the gxy, and his reputation went far beyond the Stargods'' own idol and the ninth Immortal King. That this cultivator had been able to defeat the Srvine spoke volumes about his strength.


    Then, seeing what Fang Yi was doing, Xing You finally understood why Zhang Lie had made a move.


    Fang Yi was grabbing onto Zhang Lie''s leg, almost kneeling on the ground.


    "Captain, if you hadn''t shown up when you did, you might never have seen me again!"


    Fang Yi had known that Zhang Lie was approaching. His tracker bee soulshard had sensed the queen''s arrival, so Fang Yi had been dying until Zhang Lie arrived.


    Zhang Lie frowned as he saw the wounds on Fang Yi''s body.


    "Don''t worry. With me around, no one will be able to do anything against you."


    Fang Yi held out the four remaining pupae in his hands. "Captain, these are my spoils. I was going to split them evenly among each of us, but they stole three of the pupae."


    Xing You harrumphed. "Those pupae belonged to us to begin with. If you shield this cultivator, you''ll be establishing us as your enemies. Hand the pupae over and we''ll allow you to leave."


    The other Stargods gathered behind Xing You to form an imposing presence.


    "We Stargods won''t take this lying down. Our starlit legends could easily take down the Srvines. This fellow stole what belonged to us, and I must reim it."


    Xing You attempted to frighten Zhang Lie with the name of the Stargods, but he had clearly chosen the wrong target to mess with.


    "Know who you''re messing with!"


    "No matter how strong you are, you''re alone¡ªand you''ll have to take care of that injured liability, too!"


    "Do you really intend to make an enemy of the Stargods?"


    The Stargod cultivators were all in an uproar.


    "Alone? Says who?"


    "So what if we were to make you our enemies?"


    Two voices could be heard from the air as Yang Ze and Li Feng approached.


    Yang Ze''s opponent, Chang Sheng, wasn''t particrly renowned, but Xing You grew rmed upon seeing Li Feng.


    Li Feng had defeated the ninth Immortal King!


    Xing You was confident of his odds against Zhang Lie, who had crushed the invincible Srvine, but with Li Feng in the mix, he couldn''t help but start to frown.

 Chapter 1464: Slunk Back Just Like That

    <h4>Chapter 1464: Slunk Back Just Like That</h4>


    Xing You coughed. "There might be a misunderstanding. We still have other business on our agenda¡ªlet''s leave."


    Xing You was afraid.


    Against Zhang Lie, Xing You thought that the Stargods would be able to emerge victorious thanks to their numerical advantage.


    With Zhang Lie and Li Feng together, however, even if the Stargods could win, it would be a Pyrrhic victory at best.


    Xing You clearly hadn''t expected these ster hunters to all be teammates, but he was no idiot. There was no need to fight to the death. The Stargods had already obtained three pupae, an eptable gain. Xing You was willing to drop the matter there.


    However, Zhang Lie had no intention of permitting Xing You and the Stargods to leave.


    "When did I allow you to leave?"


    Li Feng''s face turned dark. "Do you think you''ll be able to get away like that after bullying a brother of mine?"


    Xing You turned back and frowned. "Do you ster hunters treat us Stargods as prey?"


    Zhang Lie snorted. "We''re not whatever these ''ster hunters'' are. We simply won''t let you get away with bullying one of us."


    Xing You sighed. They wouldn''t be able to get away without a fight, then.


    Some of the Stargods were raring to fight themselves.


    "We were willing to let all of you off, but you''re all rather cocksure, aren''t you?"


    "Come on, let''s fight them head-on! There are only three of them. We''d win easily!"


    "Xing You was willing to back down, but you''re all refusing topromise. Do you really think us Stargods that weak?"


    The other Stargods were incensed by Zhang Lie''s actions.


    Zhang Lie thundered, "And what about you? Do you think we humans are that easy to bully? None of you will get away with injuring Fang Yi!"


    "Ha! Well, let''s see what makes you so confident, then!"


    Xing You seized the initiative.


    Thousands of beasts seemed to roar in unison. The spectators'' souls quavered as a tremendous pressure, almost impossible to resist, descended.


    With a wave of Xing You''s fist, heaven and earth filled with light. The figures of beasts covered the arena with an irrepressible aura.


    "[Fist of Ten Thousand Beasts]!"


    Ten thousand beasts howled and roared, among them standard creatures like tigers, bears, and leopards, and those steeped in mythology like dragons and qilins.


    Thend was filled with rampant beasts, roaring with divine auras as they pounced forward.


    The spectators watched the scene unfold in shock.


    Unexpectedly, Zhang Lie stood still where he was, seemingly not fearing the beasts'' assault at all. Without turning his head, he said, "Take care of Fang Yi. Feed him the bug monarch."


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie swung his pointer downward. The conjured beasts vanished in wisps of smoke as a horde of pale blue sharksposed of gic energy shot forth.


    Meanwhile, Xing You charged forward like a demon god, easily tearing a mountain apart and tossing the two halves out toward the trio of cultivators. The shark hordes dissipated from the attack as pale-blue gic energy sshed through the air.


    The spectators gasped. What incredible might¡ªXing You had torn apart a mountain with his bare hands!


    Xing You darted forth in a beam of light, avoiding the boulders and sshes of gic energy all over the battlefield.


    Zhang Lie met the charge with a punch.


    Heaven shook; the void trembled. The sh between the two cultivators'' fists gave off tremendous light.


    "First blood!"


    "Look, they''ve already drawn blood!"


    Blood was sent flying into the air, bright red and dazzling with light.


    The two fists shed again as the sky seemed to rumble.


    The two cultivators passed each other by as they drew back their fists. They hadnded on the peaks of different mountains.


    Zhang Lie''s fist was red with blood. He lowered his head and looked at it.


    The Stargodsughed pridefully. "Is this the limit of their strength? All have to bow down against us, the Stargods!"


    "Victory will be decided within moments. As expected, only we Stargods are invincible."


    "Xing You, kill that fellow quickly!"


    Xing You stood firm and unyielding atop the mountain peak, his thick purple hair floating in the wind. His eyes were like divinenterns, giving off incredible light. He looked invincible.


    What none of the Stargods could see was that several of Xing You''s fingers had been broken. Blood dripped down from them, glowing red, almost as though it was burning. The blood released a tremendous aura, and each drop of blood was even more resplendent than a ruby.


    All that blood hade from Xing You.


    Xing You wasn''t like Xing Yu; he hadn''t mastered the Hands of the Blood God, a particrly difficult technique. However, it wouldn''t do to show his weakness in front of his kin. He couldn''t believe that he had already been injured in just that first confrontation against Zhang Lie.


    Xing You was shocked. He had known that Zhang Lie would be strong, but not this strong¡ªstronger than even Xing Yu himself.


    Yang Ze fed Fang Yi the silver bug monarch following Zhang Lie''s orders.


    After Fang Yi consumed the bug monarch, his body shone with silver light. His wounds healed at a rate visible to the naked eye, as did his mental strength. He shouted, "Captain, don''t finish him off that quickly! Leave him to me!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "That''ll depend on how fast you recover, then."


    Fang Yi didn''t dare hesitate. He sat cross-legged in meditation as he harnessed the silver bug monarch''s energy to restore his lost gic energy.


    "What are you looking at? I''m your enemy!"


    Xing You formed seals with both his hands, causing the void to shake. One formed a tiger; the other, a dragon. They roared loudly as they manifested.


    As expected of cultivators from the same race, Xing You shared many of the same techniques as Xing Yu.


    The dragon and tiger charged forward in the blink of an eye, straight toward Zhang Lie.


    The resplendent light that Zhang Lie''s fists gave off distorted the heavens. Incredible strength poured out.


    Blinding light was emitted from the confrontation between the two cultivators, almost like lightning.


    Anyone else caught by the attack would be obliterated into a mist of blood.


    Xing You raised a huge chunk of mountain and tossed it toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity. The mountain sizzled as it came into contact with that gic energy.


    It was like ice that had been thrown into a zing fire¡ªand melted instantly.


    Xing You deflected the dark clouds of gic energying his way as his body lit up with radiant light. His leg kicked at Zhang Lie with stupendous force.

 Chapter 1465: Indomitable Aura

    <h4>Chapter 1465: Indomitable Aura</h4>


    Xing You''s leg was like a whip that caused the void itself to shake as he executed his kick. The dark cloud of gic energy split in two.


    The whip extended forth and struck a mountain, causing it to explode in a shower of boulders and dust.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward. The ck serpent behind him shot forth toward the whip in an instant.


    The serpent exploded into a flurry of dark clouds.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He punched forward and caused the very stars to explode.


    His fist struck with overwhelming force, bolstered by the starlight of the Milky Way.


    Xing You blocked with both arms, but even so, he was forced back. His blood grew heated, and his purple hair billowed in the sudden wind. His eyes lit up, and twonces shot out of his pupils, bright and blinding.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws and blocked the light.


    Xing You mmed down with his right palm, cupping it and forming an orb of lightning that quickly grew asrge as a mountain. It smashed down toward Zhang Lie.


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was changing the very nature of his gic energy, from pitch-ck to dotted with starlight, as though it were a sample from the gxy.


    The gctic gic energy shone with twinkling stars, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    Lightning and starlight erupted through the air. The next moment, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragons. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky and swallowing up the lightning.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight,nd, sea, and sky alike.


    Xing You roared in outrage. Ripples of energy filled his mouth and spread outward before transforming into a titanic wave of energy, wild and unbridled. The void shuddered as he struck, causing several mountains below them to explode in a frightening scene. The waves of annihting energy were barely blocked by the surroundingndscape.


    Xing You waved a hand. A divine hum emanated from him as lightning shed between his hands. A goldennce appeared, formed from lightning and ripples of energy, which Xing You thrust toward Zhang Lie''s forehead.


    Gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body. Each muscle formed a dragon.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    Xing You''snce pierced through the ster dragons and caused a storm of annihtion to appear.


    At the same time, the spear tip exploded, transforming into a wave of lightning that swamped the arena. Arcs of lightning shed every which way, as though a golden wave of energy were towering over the twobatants.


    The golden lightning and pitch-ck storm intersected in the air. The energy of annihtion wasn''t suppressed by the golden lightning; rather, it devoured the lightning and grew stronger as it continued to spread and extend outwards.


    Xing You sped his hands together to form the Stargod Seal, the ultimate technique of the Stargods, which could iste all material presence in the world.


    Xing You had trained the Stargod Seal to an extreme. He used it now to block the energy of annihtion and the glow of golden lightning from reaching him.


    Zhang Lie unsheathed Guicang, slicing apart the energy of annihtion before him to protect himself.


    Coolly, Xing You again sped both hands together, one the sky and the other the earth. The entire realm trembled in their wake.


    Xing You''s body glowed with incandescent light. The radiance of heaven shone down on him; the tableau almost seemed apocalyptic. Light washed over the arena.


    Stars fell from the sky, forming a ster river that drowned Zhang Lie within, a tribtion from the universe itself.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie raised his pointer finger high into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    Even the world seemed to submit to this attack; it divided in twain.


    Lightning parted around Zhang Lie as he calmly stood still.


    Heaven and earth were drenched in tribtory lightning; only Zhang Lie was unscathed.


    "[Stargod Seal]!"


    Xing You shouted, reinforcing the seal in his palms once and again. Incredible light poured out from him and surged forth like a tsunami,pletely luding the arena.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.

 Chapter 1466: Seizing the Light

    <h4>Chapter 1466: Seizing the Light</h4>


    The serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down and striking Xing You''s attack.


    As lightning shed against Zhang Lie''sherworld serpents, a few mountains beneath them melted like ice.


    The overwhelming power Fang Yi had disyed caused many of the spectators to step back subconsciously. What manner of strength was this?


    The virtual realm shook and distorted, as though it were under heavy pressure that would cause it to explode.


    The light dissipated as Xing You''s scattered hair fell back down to his shoulders. His gaze was ice-cold as he stared before him. One of his hands were bleeding, the one which Zhang Lie had caused to bleed in the initial sh.


    After this attack, that wound began bleeding again, unable to be healed. Crimson light emerged from it; the Stargods'' blood seemed to have a sinister power.


    An unknown race whose identity was unfamiliar even to the supreme forces of the universe¡ªfor Fang Yi to havee from this race was incredible enough, let alone someone like Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie was even stronger than Fang Yi, who had taken down the foremost Stargod of his generation.


    If he hadn''t witnessed the fighting¡ªparticipated in the fighting!¡ªfor himself, Xing You would never have believed that another cultivator could be so strong.


    "Enough. Let''s end it here!" Xing You shouted. His aura rose to a tremendous degree as the ground below him cracked open. The mountains shifted; the heavens distorted.


    His aura grew stronger than it had ever been. It felt as though a slumbering beast had just awoken and was about to bring cmity to the realm.


    Everyone was frightened; their souls quivered.


    However, in a moment, that frightening aura vanished as quickly as it had appeared.


    At the same time, Xing Youpletely vanished from sight.


    Suddenly, ripples of energy burst forth from the void. Zhang Lie felt his eyes burn in pain¡ªrunes seemed to have been applied to his body.


    "[Judgment of Stars¡ªSeize the Light]!"


    Xing You''s voice came from far away, cold and emotionless, as he passed down judgment.


    The pain in Zhang Lie''s eyes deepened. Darkness surged at the edges of his vision. "Do you really think I''ll fall prey to this technique? I already saw your n''s Xing Yu use it before during the qualifiers."


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The curtains of darkness that Xing You had propped up with spatial force were pierced right through. Light returned to Zhang Lie''s vision. Compared to Xing Yu''s understanding and advancement of spatial force, Xing You was far inferior. Unexpectedly, however, he nheless caught Zhang Lie by surprise. By the time Zhang Lie freed himself, Xing You was a tiny dot by the horizon.


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Zhang Lie had expected that Xing You was about to attack just like Xing Yu had, but he had been mistaken.


    If Xing Yu were to learn that Xing You had used the same technique he did in order to escape from a fight, Xing Yu would likely grow so incensed that he spat out blood.


    Zhang Lie had to admit, however, that this Stargod technique was an incredible trick for running away. He hadn''t sensed Xing You''s intent at all.


    Even Yang Ze, watching the match unfold, nodded in approval.


    After fighting with Zhang Lie, Xing You was certain that he was no match for him.


    Against Xing Yu, the top Stargod of his generation, Xing You could put up a decent fight, and he didn''t think he would lose to Xing Yu while Xing Yu wasn''t in the Starlit Legend status.


    The reason that Xing Yu had been able to be the top Stargod of his generation wasn''t because of hisbat strength;


    Xing Yu was only above average with regards tobat ability under ordinary circumstances, without invoking the Starlit Legend. Xing You was the stronger fighter otherwise.


    This was why Xing Yu hadn''t participated in the official tournament and why the Stargods had decided to make Xing You the leader of the Stargod cultivators in the tournament.


    However, Xing Yu was simply toopatible with the stone of starlit fate, and was able to perfectly integrate with it. No matter how upset Xing You was, there was nothing he could do about it.


    Even against Xing Yu in the Starlit Legend state, Xing You felt he had a chance¡ªbut against Zhang Lie, all he felt was despair.


    Zhang Lie was like the starry sky, the abyss itself. His strength was beyondpare; Xing You didn''t even know how to judge it. As Zhang Lie drew his sword, Xing You was suddenly beset by the realization that he would never be able to win against this cultivator, no matter how much time he spent, what tricks he tried¡ªZhang Lie was an unassable existence.


    Upon recognizing this truth, Xing You fled.


    "Don''t forget about me!" Fang Yi shouted, soaring up into the air, his recoveryplete. Wreathed in wind and storm, he transformed into a bolt of lightning that illuminated the heavens.


    Xing You cursed as he vanishedpletely from sight.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    It sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    Xing You made his move. Ripples of energy burst forth from the void. Fang Yi felt his eyes burn in pain¡ªrunes seemed to have been applied to his body.


    A shard of naturalw resonated with the virtual realm.


    Fang Yi found that all sound had vanished. He was in a dome of dead silence. He temporarily lost his sense of direction.

 Chapter 1467: Taking Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 1467: Taking Revenge</h4>


    From behind him, Zhang Lie smirked. He shed forward, unleashing aherworld river and tearing apart the heavens. As the starlight of the dark night burst apart, Xing You was revealed. He staggered and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "How despicable! Two on one?"


    "Let''s help Xing You!"


    "We''ll kill these three cultivators!"


    The other Stargods btedly began to attack the three members of Team Zenith.


    Yang Ze shook his head. "Have they forgotten how they ganged up on Fang Yi?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We''re only doing to them what they did to us."


    Li Feng mocked, "They really are fools, aren''t they? They don''t fear their deaths at all."


    The Stargod cultivators struck as one, unleashing hundreds of thousands of beasts across the realm.


    The [Fists of Ten Thousand Beasts] and the [Stargod Seal] criss-crossed in the air, invoking the power of the realm itself. Thend was filled with rampant beasts, roaring with divine auras as they pounced forward.


    The spectators watched the scene unfold in shock.


    A ster river manifested in the air; the tribtion of lightning shed over the heavens.


    Yang Ze stood calmly as he observed the fight in the distance, as though the Stargods before him didn''t exist at all. His body shone with [Mirrored Refraction], causing the water in the air to condense into crystalline sharks that struck at the Stargods.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    The crystalline sharks and arclight dragons fought off the beasts stampeding through thend.


    Zhang Lie made his move as well.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    A dragon''s howl shook heaven and earth, shattering arge number of beasts and Stargod seals.


    Having realized that Zhang Lie was the strongest cultivator on the battlefield, the Stargods concentrated much of their attacks on him. All manner of special effects red through the air¡ªlightning, arclight, water, starlight, beast howls.


    "[Trappings of Void]!" Xing You attempted to invoke spatial force to trap Fang Yi in ce and strip him of his sight, hearing, and touch so that he could escape. However, Fang Yi had no intention of falling for the same trick twice. Even without Zhang Lie''s assistance, he had devised a way to break free.


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Chaotic and spatial energy joined in the mix¡ªa miniaturized version of his signature fivefold strike, at least at the level of a fourfold strike.


    A ck turtle and divine bird rushed out of the mix of chaotic energy, spatial rifts, wind, and storm.


    The wind resolved into a stormwind dragon. Spatial force transformed into a qilin, with the void as its ws and lightning as its whiskers.


    The lightning transformed into a white tiger wreathed with howling winds, spatial force forming its sharp ws and chaotic energy condensing into its eyes.

 Chapter 1468: The Stargods Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 1468: The Stargods'' Revenge</h4>


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    Strength surged into his spear.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that augmented [Heaven''s Judgment]. This was the apex of Fang Yi''s technique, which crystallized his frighteningbat power.


    The spear shot through the Stargod seal and prated Xing You''s body in a shower of blood.


    Xing You cried out as his body trembled. The energies of chaos, time, lightning, and wind ravaged his body.


    The Stargods fighting in the distance gaped as they saw what had happened to Xing You. In their shock, they even forgot to attack.


    Xing You''s body was drenched in blood. How could that be?


    "What happened?" the Stargods shouted.


    "Is this all you''ve got, too?"


    Fang Yi strode out of the cage of void, invincible in his glory.


    "Too?" Xing You seemed to be triggered by the word. Calmness was reced by mounting anger. "Does your ''too'' refer to me and Xing Yu, or the entire Stargod race?"


    "Is it important?"


    Fang Yi clutched his spear. Was apetitor that was about to be eliminated worth replying to?


    "You don''t understand the glory of the Stargods at all!" Xing You thundered. A burst of holy light emanated from his body.


    A mysterious stone within his body shone with lustrous light, bright red one moment, royal purple the next, and pristine white a momentter. The area around him shone with resplendent light as his body and soul began to glow. illuminating the entire virtual realm. The aura was expansive, holy, majestic, and severe; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    Fang Yi recognized that stone immediately, because he had engaged in an intense battle with another of its wielders.


    "That''s... a stone of starlit fate!"


    Xing You smirked. "Xing Yu''s not the only one with such a stone, though mypatibility with it can''tpare to his."


    Xing You''s wounds recovered rapidly. He charged forward at an enemy whose strength he recognized.


    Fang Yi stood immobile, solid as a mountain. His spear thrust forward in a sh of lightning that shook the heavens.


    Such was the incredible force of the attack that a few mountains were uprooted from the ground and exploded in the air.


    Xing You''s body radiated with light. As Fang Yi closed in on him, the air filled with shining brilliance. Xing You''s fist distorted the void itself.


    This was a supetive sh, one that left all the spectators awestruck. Divine force bloomed as seals filled the void.


    It was as though the world itself were copsing.


    The void blurred. The ground cracked open as scars of void shot through the mountains, tearing apart the world and shocking the spectators further.


    The two cultivators seemed as though they were about to break free from the constraints of mortals.


    Xing You vanished once more, and the void cage descended. The darkness approached, cold and silent.


    Having faced the technique once, Fang Yi was well aware of its secrets. Stripping away light, voice, his physical body, and even his soul¡ªall of that was trickery.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    The tolling of a bell reverberated through the pocket dimension.


    "[Winds of Aeon]!"


    Fang Yi invoked the power of time, which revolved around his spear. Spatial force mixed with it, extending toward Fang Yi''s hand and spreading throughout his body, augmenting it. The wheels of time to his back bolstered his body¡ªbut his strength didn''t spread further.


    Wind and storm howled around him. The wheels of time to his back glowed with light, forming radiant halos that illuminated the sky. Formless time let out a blinding light even more piercing than the sun, wrapping around his entire body and shrouding him in a barrier of light.


    Fang Yi''s body distorted and split into two, as though he had been isted from spacetime.


    Wind and storm whirled around Fang Yi. Spatial force condensed into a moon, and Fang Yi''s domain of time manifested itself around him. Even his hair turned purple, crackling with arcs of lightning.


    "[Floating Clouds: Echo of Time]!"


    Fang Yi morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind. He thrust forward with his spear.


    His spear''s afterimages were simultaneously illusory and real. The Fang Yis of various parallel universes, of different timelines, coalesced into one at that very moment. The best oue glimmered as Xing You clutched his wound and retreated in pain.


    In the end, Xing You wasn''t like Xing Yu, and he was unable to evoke all the potential in his stone of starlit fate and attune to the Starlit Legend. Fang Yi was able to gain the upper hand even without calling on the stone of counteracting fate himself.


    Even so, the tremendous regeneration provided by the stone of starlit fate meant that Xing You wasn''t in danger of being defeated in the short term.


    Xing Youbined spatial force with the Stargod Seal to unleash a blow of tremendous force. The skies pulsed, and celestial light struck the Stargod Seal to draw out its true strength. Formless ck chains bound Fang Yi, interwoven with karma and fate. Perhaps this was the true form of the technique.


    Fang Yi''s body crackled with lightning. With wing and storm, time and space, he shattered the chains and unleashed tremendous strength. A storm swept across the horizon and covered up the sky. The wheels of time to his back glimmered with light. The domain that coalesced around him allowed him to quickly stack up wheels of time.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Fang Yi broke through the constraints of time and returned to the frozen world of gray, with him the only spot of color within. In this state, he was able to simultaneously manifest different techniques at the same time.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.

 Chapter 1469: One Shot

    <h4>Chapter 1469: One Shot</h4>


    Although Xing You had seen this technique during the qualifiers, facing it himself was an entirely different experience.


    His face paled; he wanted to run, but it was toote.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    Thebination of elemental, temporal, and spatial energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Chaotic energy swirled over the spear.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], and [Heaven''s Judgment]¡ªelements, time, space, and chaotic energy.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    Wind and stormbined with space and time, a whole newbination.


    A spatial rift began to form where Fang Yi was standing, but the frozen world prevented it from breaking out immediately.


    The energy of chaos, which had the ability to destroy anything, spun amidst the howling winds.


    Formless lightning shed over the surface of Fang Yi''s spear, gathering near its tip. The dragon of winds and lightning tiger prowled about the spear.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning began to spike and sizzle.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, beginning and end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    As the forces continued to revolve around each other, the wheels of time behind Fang Yi began rotating more and more quickly as the space around him was strained to its utmost.


    Fang Yi hadbined seven different forms of energy: wind and lightning; their advanced counterparts, spatial rifts and void lightning; the fundamental forces of space and time; and chaos.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, summoning a howling gale surrounding a spatial rift.


    Part of the energy from the spatial rift seeped into the lightning-attuned gic energy, turning it into void lightning.


    The pitch-ck lightning spiked and sizzled.


    Inbination with the spatial rift that was forming, the void lightning tore apart the space around Fang Yi, causing the frozen world of gray to crumble bit by bit.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    Even before the attack was released, the virtual realm was already shaking tremendously.


    Thebination of seven different energies caused the virtual realm to shudder as though it were about to break apart. The ground quaked, and the sky looked as though it had been cleaved by a ded weapon.


    The sh between the energy of chaos and that of time and space caused the wheels of time on Fang Yi''s back to shatter one after another. His spear vibrated ceaselessly, and huge quantities of chaotic energy gushed out.


    All that energy, linked by the karmic power that Fang Yi had manifested, led to an unbelievablyplexbination.


    His hands trembled as the energiesbined. At the most crucial moment, Fang Yi concentrated as the energy of chaos and spacetime merged into a brand new, mysterious strength, that of primordial chaos.


    Thebination of energies gave off such a fearsome aura that anyone would be worried upon sensing it. All around Fang Yi, space and time began to splinter and crack. Unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions appeared by the edges of Fang Yi''s vision, seeming to skewer space.


    The skin on Fang Yi''s arms cracked. Veins protruded from his forehead and his arms turned bright red.


    As Fang Yi concentrated on controlling the transformation, that energy took on the shape of a spear.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, and chaos¡ªall that energy erupted in the middle of the virtual realm, obliterating Xing You and causing him to explode in a shower of mental particles.


    The light pierced through everything in its path¡ªmountain ranges, the heavens themselves, even the mental particles¡ªleaving just a small fraction to gather on the back of Fang Yi''s palm.


    Fang Yi didn''t mind; after all, he had already killed plenty of the Stargods.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling all around. The huge sword sh destroyed arge number of mountains in the vicinity and caused a huge swathe of the Stargod cultivators to fall.


    Zhang Lie''s attack was no weaker than the burst of light that Fang Yi had given off.


    The three members of Team Zenith had finished their ughter. The Stargods were no match for them, and none had managed to flee.


    Fang Yi stepped forward to see three pupae by what remained of Xing You''s corpse. He sighed in relief. "Thank goodness they''re alright."


    Yang Ze was shocked. "They''re unharmed even after being struck by your ultimate attack?"

 Chapter 1470: Opening Them Blind

    <h4>Chapter 1470: Opening Them Blind</h4>


    "These pupae are far more impressive than I expected."


    "They''re no ordinary treasure."


    Li Feng, on the other hand, was a wet nket. "Don''t be so excited just yet. See this? The pupae have been damaged from Fang Yi''s attack. However, Fang Yi wasn''t targeting them, and they have surprising defense in their own right. The Stargod Seal also served to protect them. These three factors all contributed to their preservation."


    Yang Ze scowled. "Fang Yi, couldn''t you have held back a bit?"


    Fang Yi rolled his eyes. "Do you think I could have, after seeing that fight for yourself?"


    If Fang Yi had done so, Xing You could well have been the cultivator standing before them instead.


    Zhang Lie headed over and asked, "That said, what happened to all of you after you entered the world of the official tournament?"


    "We were very unlucky."


    Fang Yi exined what had happened since entering the world.


    "I was going to meet up with you and Captain via the tracker bee soulshard, Yang Ze, but I encountered the Stargods while passing through the rock forest. Remember how I eliminated some fellow called Xing Yu during the qualifiers?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "So they came causing trouble for you?"


    Yang Ze raised a hand. "I headed over the moment after coincidentally hearing the sounds of fighting. I saw Fang Yi in the midst of a fight and immediately went to help, only to encounter apetitor I faced during the qualifiers myself. Because there were so many people, Fang Yi and I decided to split up."


    Fang Yi continued, "Then, I and the Stargods headed into this domain and encountered the birth of the bug monarch. I rushed into the midst of the fighting to escape from the Stargods. They gave up after being unable to catch me and left in pursuit of the bug monarch instead."


    After Fang Yi escaped, despite his annoyance with the Stargods, he chose to wait until he met up with Zhang Lie before exacting his revenge¡ªonly to end up in the midst of the fight over the bug monarch.


    "The bug monarch''s birth led to a lot ofmotion. Thirteen pupae appeared in all. Other cultivators stole six, while the Stargods imed seven for themselves."


    Zhang Lie was shocked. "The Stargods are so weak. How did they manage to im seven?"


    Yang Ze grinned. "Weak inparison to whom? No one wouldpare to you, Captain, and they''re still decently challenging opponents for the rest of us. Compared to the otherpetitors, however, the Stargods aren''t weak and have strength in numbers. It''s nothing surprising."


    Fang Yi continued, "I''m not finished! After the Stargods managed to snatch seven of the pupae, they naturally roused the dissatisfaction of the otherpetitors. Thosepetitors banded together to fight the Stargods, and I joined in in order to take revenge. I stole the pupae from the Stargods and was then chased and surrounded by them. You saw me at the end of my rope."


    Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Who imed the other six pupae?"


    Fang Yi replied, "Three different cultivators took them. They were working separately. Apparently, one was from the Hall of Immortals, another used the same techniques as the cultivator Yang Ze fought against in the qualifiers, and thest one was a veiled woman."


    Yang Ze frowned. "I feel like we''ve encountered them somewhere before."


    Li Feng nodded. "They sound familiar."


    Yang Ze rubbed his palms greedily. "Forget about them. Let''s see what''s in the pupae that we imed. Who knows? A bug emperor might emerge!"


    Fang Yi rolled his eyes. "You think it''d be that easy?"


    Yang Ze picked a pupa at random. "Who knows? I might get lucky."


    The pupa, to which a Stargod Seal had been affixed, was very easy to break open.


    A sh of blue light appeared. A blue bugy within the pupa, only about as long as Yang Ze''s arm. It radiated blue light all over its body, which formed the image of a sea dragon around it.


    That image was made of illusory light and hung in the void, mysterious and powerful.


    Yang Ze frowned. "Just a bug monarch?"


    The blue bug seemed rather weak.


    Li Feng shook his head. "It looks like you aren''t that lucky, after all. It''s weaker than the bug monarch that Fang Yi consumed."


    Yang Ze frowned. "I won''t take responsibility for this. It''s likely because Fang Yi''s attack struck it. Even though the pupae were protected by the Stargod Seal, you''ve all seen how destructive Fang Yi''s techniques are. It''s likely that this bug monarch was crippled from that attack."


    "In other words, you were unlucky. Watch this." Li Feng picked up a pupa of his own.


    Silver light shed. Within the pupa was a silver bug monarch, also about the size of Li Feng''s arm, but it radiated silver light in the image of a dragon.


    That image was made of illusory light and hung in the void, mysterious and powerful.


    It wasparable to the one that Fang Yi had swallowed, and better than Yang Ze''s.


    Yang Ze smirked. "It looks like you aren''t particrly lucky, either."


    Li Feng scowled as Fang Yi opened a pupa of his own.


    Blue light shed. Wind surrounded the bug that appeared from within the pupa. It was about the size of Fang Yi''s arm, but was speckled with purple, gold, silver, and blue light, forming the image of what seemed simultaneously like a dragon and a tiger in the air.


    That image was made of illusory light and hung in the void, mysterious and powerful, crackling with lightning.


    Zhang Lie considered it. "What a pity. It''s only one step away from bing a bug emperor."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "It''s no loss to us. After all, we won''t stay in this world for long, and anything we can im now is a boon."


    Fang Yi handed a pupa to Zhang Lie. "Open one too, Captain."


    "Very well!"


    As Zhang Lie broke open the pupa, a dragon''s howl could be heard from the sky. A ck dragon rose into the heavens. A ming qilin appeared, a golden tiger howled, a phoenix danced across the sky... All manner of omens unfolded, shocking the cultivators present.


    The skies turned dark as day transformed into night. The ground shook. Lava quaked and erupted from the ground. The entire world turned fiery-red. Then, lightning shed and the stars began to fall. Wind swept across thend, and a phoenix cried out.


    Within the pupa was a small bug, again about the size of Zhang Lie''s arm, but it was speckled with ck, yellow, red, blue, purple, gold, silver, and green light. The light formed a phantasmagoria of images¡ªa swimming fish, a small ck serpent, a golden tiger, and so on.


    The scene left everyone in shock.


    Yang Ze eximed in surprise, "Captain, that''s a bug emperor for sure, a bug emperor!"


    Although he had never seen a bug emperor for himself, nor heard anyone describe one, he was certain that what Zhang Lie had found was a bug emperor.


    How else could the various phenomena that unfolded be exined?

 Chapter 1471: Lets Go Together

    <h4>Chapter 1471: Let''s Go Together</h4>


    Yang Ze cried out, "Captain, you really are the luckiest of us all!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes.


    Li Feng crept up. "So this is what a bug emperor looks like..."


    Fang Yi said, "Captain, eat it. See if it''s really as beneficial as imed!"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no need to do it just yet while I''m in perfect condition. I can consume it once I''m injured."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "How many people do you think can injure you within thepetition, Captain?"


    "Not one at all, I should think," Li Feng replied.


    Zhang Lie kept the bug emperor and said, "Let''s leave the area for the time being. I''m sure others noticed those phenomena just now, too."


    Zhang Lie wasn''t afraid of the otherpetitors, but dealing with too many of them at once would be annoying.


    "Should we continue trying to gather the other members of Team Zenith?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. Via the disaster-grade queen''s hive soulshard, he pointed at the direction in which the two final members of Team Zenith were located. "They''re over there."


    Fang Yi rubbed at his jaw. "In that direction..."


    "Is there a problem?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Fang Yi replied, "I heard that there''s a so-called divineke in that area, with quite a number of treasures within."


    "Let''s go check it out, then," Yang Ze suggested. "It''s on the way."


    Zhang Lie didn''t object.


    The pool was surrounded by white fog; thend was pure and unblemished. Mountain streams fed into the limpidke, and the area seemed to be surrounded by fog all year round. It was an ethereal scene untarnished by mortal presence.


    The divineke was one of thekes in the region, but it was yet unclear just which one it was.


    This stretch ofnd was surprisingly vast, extending tens of thousands of kilometers in all directions. Because the geography seemed rather uniform and the mist thick, many could easily lose their way in the area.


    The four hunters set off. The phenomena that resulted from the appearance of the bug emperor lured a few cultivators over, but Zhang Lie dispatched them all readily.


    There were plenty of strong lifeforms and talented cultivators that appeared to bar their path, but the four of them easily neutralized any threat.


    Before themy a sparklingke, shining as though its surface were a polished gem. Two figuresy on the boulders by the side of theke.


    "Stop right there!"


    As Zhang Lie approached, the two figures stood up sternly. Their eyes glinted with frost, like sharp des.


    "Hmm?" Zhang Lie noticed that silver scales were shing within the pond. A few ''silver dragons'' as long as an arm swam by with surprising speed.


    In fact, these were a special variant of lotus flowers which were mysterious in the extreme. Despite being nts, they were able to transform into silver dragons and swim around ake.


    In addition, they possessed incredible speed.


    They were a form of divine nt beyond even the likes of ordinary spiritual herbs.


    Li Feng had once learned from otherpetitors that there were many herbs in this realm like bug monarchs and bug emperors, with the ability of advancing and evolving one''s mental state and capacity.


    Part of that evolution in the tournament would be reflected in one''s physical body even outside of it; in a sense, it was much like ying Fortnite with additional benefits.


    Of course, just like Fortnite,petitors started out at varying levels of skills, and the longer the tournament progressed, the stronger the strongpetitors would get, and the weaker the weak ones.


    The stronger cultivators would rapidly be able to obtain resources and grow even stronger, even taking advantage of their resources to lure others into a trap, while weaker cultivators had no choice but to suffer.


    That said, luck was still a factor that had to be taken into ount. With enough luck, a weaker cultivator could defeat a stronger one and quickly ascend in strength.


    Some special resources within the realm would increase the variation, entertainment, and fun inherent to the tournament.


    The realm wasn''t just a tournament, but also a zone in which the strongest cultivators of the younger generation of fifth-realm existences could train and grow even stronger, sponsored by the peak existences of the realm. Being able to obtain these benefits in the realm would lead to considerable boosts in one''s strength.


    The appearance of Zhang Lie''s four-man party caused the two figures to immediately grow alert.


    "You¡ªget over here!" Just then, a cultivator spoke up from afar. As he stood up, a terrifying aura billowed from him.


    Clearly, the two figures they had seen were no more than guards; this was the cultivator they served.


    His hair was lush and purple, and his pupils were purple-tinted gold. They were like twin beams pointed at the iing cultivators.


    "What''s the matter?" Zhang Lie asked coolly.


    "I''mcking a few helpers to chase those silver dragons in theke for me," the purple-haired cultivator dered.


    Zhang Lieughed. He wouldn''t provoke others, but would surely respond if provoked. Conveniently, he was searching for an opponent against whom he could test his newfound strength.


    "And who are you tomand us to work on your behalf?" Yang Ze retorted.


    Then, he frowned. Another pair of cultivators wereing over, one male and one female. The male was immediately recognizable as Chen Feng, and the female appeared to be very strong as well.


    Li Feng frowned. "It''s that scumbag from the Hall of Immortals."


    "Brother Hou, weren''t you looking for a servant? This cultivator would fit the role perfectly. He''s strong enough to go head-to-head with the geniuses of the supreme forces, and he''s a good match for you," Chen Feng called out.


    "Is that so?" The purple-haired man looked at Zhang Lie appraisingly.


    One of the cultivators said, "I have some impression of this man. He seemed to have killed one of your kin while making the crossing over the log bridges leading to the nine holy mountains."


    The purple-haired man''s eyes brightened as his face turned dark. "I was a little interested at first, but if you''re able to kill one of my kin, then you''re clearly strong enough for my needs. I do need a servant at the moment."


    Zhang Lie considered the purple-haired man. His aura seemed familiar, but Zhang Lie couldn''t ce him.


    He had killed far too manypetitors while crossing the log bridges and heading toward the holy mountains.


    The woman smiled. There was a tuft of feathers on her head that made her look particrly beautiful. Her very being exuded a surprising charm. "Be careful. He''s not an easy opponent, and he beat the invincible Srvine during the qualifiers."


    "Better that he be strong. I want such a servant, and it looks like he''d serve as a good human steed, too." The purple-haired manughed. Despite his arrogant words, he was clearly wary of the enemy cultivator, and was deliberately provoking him to see how he would respond.


    "Brother Hou, let me take him on first. I''d like to force him to submit as a prisoner so that I might give him to you as a gift," Chen Feng began, deliberately trying to humiliate Zhang Lie.


    His eyes shed. While fighting for the silver bug monarch, Zhang Lie had taken advantage of him and trod on his head. He had wanted revenge ever since.


    "Come at me together," Zhang Lie said, without any fear despite facing the six enemy cultivators. He stepped forward calmly, each step causing theke to ripple. His feet seemed to be attuned to a mysterious rhythm.

 Chapter 1472: Divine Radiance

    <h4>Chapter 1472: Divine Radiance</h4>


    "Come at me together," Zhang Lie said, without any fear despite facing the six enemy cultivators. He stepped forward calmly, each step causing theke to ripple. His feet seemed to be attuned to a mysterious rhythm.


    The strange harmony of his footsteps caused heaven and earth alike to resonate. A tremendous aura emanated from Zhang Lie, shocking the enemy cultivators.


    Afar, despite the strength of the two cultivators who served as scouts, they coughed out blood upon being subject to the rhythm of Zhang Lie''s footsteps. They retreated in shock, paling as they considered the enemy. Who was this cultivator, to be able to hurt them with just the sound of his footsteps?


    "Incredible aura. Amazing!" the woman said,ughing. She moved with a graceful poise that exuded charm. Her body glimmered with light, as though she would strike at any moment.


    Zhang Lie continued to walk. His rhythmic footsteps grew stronger and stronger, like the war drums of heaven.


    "You''re too prideful to be a servant. That won''t do. We''ll need to make you submit, then!" the purple-haired man eximed. He roared, summoning starlight to himself. The starlight manifested in the form of a translucent image that surrounded him, with a deer''s antlers, a camel-like head, a cat''s ears, lobster-like eyes, a camel''s mouth, a lion''s mane, a snake''s neck, a bull''s abdomen, and a carp''s scales. It had front ws like those of an eagle and hind ws like those of a tiger.


    Upon seeing the purple-haired man''s visage, Zhang Lie recalled the two cultivators that had blocked his way across the log bridge.


    One was surrounded with a deathly aura, while the other was a purplegold denglong.


    The woman said that Zhang Lie had in the purple-haired man''s kin. Clearly, the purple-haired man was a purplegold denglong in his own right.


    Compared to the one he had encountered at the log bridge, this one was clearly stronger.


    Resounding soundwaves, imbued with starlight, surged forward.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, transforming into a flood and magnifying the sound waves.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked.


    A glimmering rope soared through the air like a dragon, piercing through the pale-blue storm of gic energy and attempting to trap and kill Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    With a wave of his pointer finger, Zhang Lie unleashed a beam of sword energy to defend against the rope.


    A raging shark swam forth along the beam.


    A bolt of lightning exploded around him as a mortar of bone appeared. Chen Feng had struck to destroy the shark formed from gic energy. The mortar smashed into the ground, causing it to explode in a series of shockwaves.


    Smoke and dust filled the air.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. It defended against the shockwaves and canceled them out.


    Yang Ze stood to the side of the divineke, wreathed in white fog.


    Just then, several of the silver dragons within theke, spooked by the explosions, dove deep down and vanished from sight.


    "If you''ve scared my divine nts off, I''ll brew potions with your blood," the purplegold denglong dered. He was tall and sturdy, purple hair scattered across his shoulders. His gaze was like an animal''s.


    "Your nts? Those silver-dragon lotuses belong to us," Yang Ze countered.


    "Stand back. Let me have a go!" Chen Feng said. He was still upset that Zhang Lie had stepped on his skull, and he wanted to defeat him personally. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to swallow the shame and humiliation.


    "Know your limits," Zhang Lie replied coolly.


    Chen Feng frowned in rage. Light radiated from him as a purple longbow appeared in his hands, glimmering with a divine glow. He nocked an arrow and loosed it.


    "After offending a member of the Hall of Immortals, even the genius protege of a supreme force would have a hard time surviving the subsequent pursuit. Your death draws near!" Chen Feng dered. Wind and storm surged around the arrow as it arced toward Zhang Lie, surrounded with lightning and a demonic aura.


    The arrow hummed as it shot forth, unleashing all sorts of phenomena.


    This was an arrow that Chen Feng had infused with killing intent; it sought out Zhang Lie''s heart, to pierce through his body. Hemitted all his resources to this one attack.


    The woman and the purplegold denglong nodded. An arrow of this caliber was strong beyondpare, and would easily have taken down most cultivators.


    Even so, Zhang Lie stood tall and firm, without any intention of dodging the blow.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy, thick and cloying like storm clouds, surrounded him.


    As the divine arrow entered the clouds, its momentum swiftly dissipated. By the end of its flight, Zhang Lie easily caught it in his hand.


    "What a joke. Do you think you can im my life if you can''t even be the next Immortal King?" Zhang Lie scoffed.


    His naked disdain caused Chen Feng to flush scarlet. He shot out a rapid series of arrows. "Take this, then¡ª[Godkilling Arrows]!"


    Chen Feng leapt into the air, surrounded by void. Flowers bloomed around him, radiant in their potency.


    The first arrow sent mes raining down.


    The second arrow was filled with gold-attuned gic energy, resonating with the heavens as it pierced through a horde of arclight dragons.


    The third arrow caused the ground itself to surge. A boulder obliterated the dragon horde.


    The fourth arrow was like the raging sea, bringing a towering wave with it.


    A series of five arrows heralded the five elemental forces with devastating strength. Even the purplegold denglong would have had to treat this blow seriously.


    And that wasn''t it. The final two arrows shot out consecutively, one sparking with blinding light, the other pitch-ck like darkness.


    They represented mastery over the forces of light and darkness, and were even stronger than the original five.


    Zhang Lie frowned. Chen Feng''s skill made it clear why the Hall of Immortals was such a frightening force. Even someone who had failed to be the next Immortal King possessed such strength and had ess to such an incredible cultivation technique¡ªit spoke volumes about the base of power that the Hall of Immortals possessed.

 Chapter 1473: Deflecting the Soundwaves

    <h4>Chapter 1473: Deflecting the Soundwaves</h4>


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The clouds gathered into a huge ck serpent, which curled around the divine arrows.


    "Break!"


    Chen Feng shouted. The seven arrows shot forth at speed, so fast they were like beams of light, and caused the serpent to explode. The light continued forth toward Zhang Lie.


    Shockingly, the clouds of corrosive energy around Zhang Lie ate away at the arrows, preventing them from drawing near.


    The arrows sizzled away, their imbued light draining as they remained in contact with Zhang Lie''s domain.


    "What? How could this be?!" Chen Feng gasped. How could those dark clouds be so strong?


    Chen Feng shouted and rallied once more, shooting out a series of arrows as his body glowed with multicolored light. He charged toward Zhang Lie and initiated a fight.


    Both cultivators struck each other, neither attempting to dodge. This was a straightforward, head-on confrontation in which both cultivators attempted to demonstrate their strength.


    Chen Feng spat out huge mouthfuls of blood as he retreated, his face distorted in pain. His palm had been crushed by Zhang Lie''s fist. It was difficult to imagine how he could have been trumped so severely.


    "A failure is a failure, after all. Others chose not to pursue you on ount of the Hall of Immortals'' name, but I don''t mind making it my enemy," Zhang Lie said coolly.


    These words were like des that cut at Chen Feng''s heart, agonizing him. He inclined his head toward the heavens, howled, and struck again.


    "Come back, Brother Chen!" the woman cried out. She too made her move, sending a divine feather shooting out like a de straight at Zhang Lie''s forehead.


    Fang Yi countered the blow, pointing at the feather with his finger. A waterfall of lightning crashed into the feather as he chuckled. "Don''t interfere with another cultivator''s fight. Just watch."


    Zhang Lie charged toward Chen Feng, intending to kill him.


    "I''ll show you that, even if I can''t be the next Immortal King, I have more than enough strength to kill you. You''re nothingpared to the strength of the Hall of Immortals!" Chen Feng howled, a cold smile on his face. Killing intent bloomed around him.


    Copper shed in his palm and transformed into limitless light that exploded in the void, swallowing Zhang Lie up.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He froze the copper glow around him.


    "What?!" Chen Feng eximed. This glow was the most devastating technique he possessed, able to kill other cultivators in a formless manner. How had his opponent forestalled it?


    Zhang Lie punched forward with a fist, sending the copper light back.


    "No¡ªno!" Chen Feng screeched, his face pale. Struck by the light, he was shot through with copper. He screamed as he rolled on the ground.


    The copper light was clearly imbued with tremendous poison, or perhaps a curse that was unable to be cleansed. Chen Feng was far more devious a cultivator than Zhang Lie had anticipated, but he easily handled the attack. No matter how much Chen Feng attempted to hide his technique, nothing could escape Zhang Lie''s senses.


    "A failure is a failure," Zhang Lie repeated, stepping forward and kicking Chen Feng into the air. The lower half of his body exploded halfway through the kick into a mist of blood.


    The upper half of Chen Feng''s body remained. He fell to the ground and rolled around on the ground.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie shot out a beam of sword energy that beheaded Chen Feng in a shower of light. Particles of light trailed down toward the back of his palm.


    The moment Chen Feng was in, the purplegold denglong and his subordinates made their move, as did Fang Yi, Li Feng, and Yang Ze.


    The purplegold denglong''s subordinates weren''t easy foes. They were strong cultivators that he had caught, and were far superior to ordinary chaff. The woman was no weaker than Chen Feng herself.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    His gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The purplegold denglong sniffed in disdain as he countered with a punch.


    The next moment, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea. The water of theke was sucked into its midst. After the confrontation with Zhang Lie, the purplegold denglong had grown visibly bedraggled.


    Even so, he was clearly a strong cultivator. Despite having been mired in the storm of annihtion, he roared and dispelled the energy with a shout, forcing his way out of the localized attack.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    The energy of annihtion continuously exploded in the air around the purplegold denglong, causing him to screech in pain as he was one-sidedly suppressed.


    "Be proud that you''ve forced me to this extent!" The purplegold denglong was forced to reveal his true form, with a deer''s antlers, a camel-like head, a cat''s ears, lobster-like eyes, a camel''s mouth, a lion''s mane, a snake''s neck, a bull''s abdomen, and a carp''s scales. He had front ws like those of an eagle and hind ws like those of a tiger.


    He howled as he continued fighting against Zhang Lie beside theke.


    Ripples of energy skated across the surface of theke as the purplegold denglong was forced back with palm strike after palm strike. He coughed out blood as he roared angrily once more.


    A concentrated howl was strong enough to cause even the moon in the sky to shake; the purplegold denglong possessed incredible strength.


    Light swamped Zhang Lie, but even so, the denglong wasn''t strong enough to take him down.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws, shing apart the sound waves.


    He descended from the skies, kicked the denglong down, then sat himself down atop his prone body. "How about you be my steed instead?"


    The purplegold denglong thundered, "Never!"

 Chapter 1474: Lets Split Up

    <h4>Chapter 1474: Let''s Split Up</h4>


    The denglongs were a famous race in the universe, and they could never stoop so low as to be someone else''s mount.


    If word that he had be Zhang Lie''s mount were to spread, he would be an embarrassment to his race, one that would be ughtered by his own kin after he left this virtual realm.


    "Then be on your way."


    Zhang Lie beheaded the denglong.


    Not far away, the woman turned to flee.


    Zhang Lie chased after the woman, who ran away at great speed. In order to escape, she even revealed her true form¡ªa dragon-headed phoenix. Her cries resounded through the heavens as light emanated from her and Zhang Lie.


    Despite her best efforts, Zhang Lie was like a heavenly monarch, each of his punches filled with starlight. The dragon-headed phoenix was forced into passivity as she ducked and wove.


    Yang Ze struck at an opportune moment, his water-attuned gic energy exploding like the tides.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. As it flipped over, pale-blue gic energy exploded. The dragon-headed phoenix felt as though she had been crushed under the sea. She vanished in a pile of mental dust, in in a moment. Pinpricks of light flew toward the back of Zhang Lie''s palm.


    The divineke rippled, fog wafting out from its surface. It was clean and pure, and the ce looked like something out of an immortal realm.


    Zhang Lie stood atop a blue rock on theke, observing its surface as he searched for the silver-dragon lotuses.


    "Where could they have gone?"


    He frowned in surprise. Theke wasn''t particrlyrge, and he could easily see all the way into its depths. However, the silver-dragon lotuses had vanished.


    Yang Ze and the others helped search as well, but none of them could see the lotuses at all.


    "Let''s split up and search," Li Feng suggested.


    Zhang Lie nodded approvingly. "We''ll meet up here in half an hour regardless of sess."


    The cultivators scattered.


    Zhang Lie leapt into theke, towards its bottom. It was peaceful and idyllic there; there were no monsters or anything of the sort. A faint fragrance suffused the water and was absorbed into his lungs.


    "As expected of a divine nt!"


    Zhang Lie quickly found the problem. There was a hidden stream in theke leading toward another body of water entirely. He followed along the stream, unwilling to give up on such a rare nt.


    The underground river was particrly long, and the current surprisingly rapid. It too was suffused with a pleasant scent. Zhang Lie smiled at having found the trail of the silver-dragon lotuses.


    He followed the underground river for hundreds of kilometers before the current slowly petered out. Then, it began to elevate as he found himself in a giantke.


    A huge sword sh shot down toward him, barely missing him. He was incensed to have been attacked out of nowhere.


    Another blood-red sh came at him, tearing apart theke. It was a frightening attack, but the sword sh went wide.


    Zhang Lie frowned. His unknown assant was far too inurate¡ªor could he not have been the target?


    He carefully extended his senses to discover a huge fight brewing. There were plenty of cultivators around theke engaging inrge-scale confrontation against the wild lifeforms of this realm.


    He realized his mistake now. He had appeared on a chaotic battlefield; no one was targeting him.


    "Damn it. A divine nt is exceptionally rare, and I can''t let anyone else catch sight of the silver-dragon lotuses." Zhang Lie carefully swam around theke in search of the rare nts.


    Suddenly, waves surged, and he barely avoided being flung into the air.


    The aerial battle was particrly intense, and countless attacks, runes, and explosions could be felt even below the surface of the water.


    It was exceptionally dangerous, and a moment''s carelessness could cause great peril.


    Zhang Lie cursed. His search was taking a very unfortunate turn.


    The moment someone else noticed the divine nt, he wouldn''t be able to avoid a fight. All the cultivators in the area would swoop down and attempt to snatch the treasure from him.


    "Appear!" he whispered, continuing to swim forth.


    He ducked low, close to the bottom of theke, and avoided arge-scale attack from high above.


    "I''ve found them!"


    Finally, Zhang Lie saw a few silver glows. The silver-dragon lotuses darted about at a rapid clip. Although they were each only about the length of an arm, their silver sheen made them stand out even in the turbidke.


    A huge wave surged again.


    Zhang Lie frowned. He was very displeased; if not for the divine nts, he would have been tempted to head up above the surface and join the fight. As is, he barely avoided being struck.


    The silver-dragon lotuses fled in panic.


    "Hmm?" Suddenly, he saw a figure dart underwater following the silver-dragon lotuses.


    Had someone else discovered the divine nts? Those belonged to Zhang Lie!


    A hand reached out and grabbed a silver dragon, then inspected it carefully. The figure shook in excitement, surprised and excited.


    Zhang Lie crept up to the figure, a woman with slender limbs and snowy-white skin.


    She was hidden in some high-level stealth technique that made her difficult to sense even at close range. If not for the fact that she had sought out his prey, he might not even have noticed her.


    She reached out and caught another silver dragon.


    Zhang Lie knew that he couldn''t wait any longer. He crept up to the woman and struck as fast as lightning, grabbing onto one of her legs and pulling her down. Then, he rapidly imed the silver-dragon lotuses she had acquired.


    The woman was exceptionally shocked. Her body grew taut as she radiated arge quantity of light, intending to shake off her pursuer.


    Zhang Lie was surprised by the amount of strength she possessed. Her skin gleamed with moonlight; an ordinary cultivator might have died from the intense vibrations.


    "It''s you!"


    The woman turned around to look at Zhang Lie, revealing incredible beauty. Her expressive eyes were filled with shock. She recognized Zhang Lie, having seen him not too long ago.


    Her clothes fluttered in the water, revealing snowy-white skin. Her eyes wererge, her eyebrows long, her hair trailing behind her like ck silk. She was so beautiful that Zhang Lie momentarily forgot to breathe.


    Zhang Lie recognized her as well¡ªFeng Xian.


    "We meet again."


    Zhang Lie didn''t hesitate to strike at once.


    Feng Xian''s forehead glowed with light as frightening ripples of energy emanated from her. She invoked divine spiritual power.


    Feng Xian was strong beyond belief. She came from the Starbright Academy of the fifth realm, and was the foremost student of her cohort. She knew far more about this virtual realm than Zhang Lie did; unlike Zhang Lie, who had meandered aimlessly, Feng Xian had strengthened herself tremendously in as short a time as possible. Her mental state had undergone a transformation, and she had grown even stronger.

 Chapter 1475: The Ultimate Blow

    <h4>Chapter 1475: The Ultimate Blow</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s temples throbbed as his vision seemed to turn dark. Even with his astounding willpower, he had almost fainted on the spot¡ªand his mental strength had been bolstered by two lifetimes'' worth of living. An ordinary cultivator''s brain might well have exploded.


    This was how incredible Feng Xian''s mental strength had be.


    Even so, Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and managed to survive the attack.


    Feng Xian herself was shaken. She had managed to seize quite a few opportunities within this realm, and had even gained a bug emperor of her own and undergone a mental transformation. Her mental strength alone was all but able to kill even a genius protege of the supreme forces on the spot. This was her biggest trump card and the reason why no ordinarypetitor would dare to fight with her.


    Even so, her trump card had failed to kill the man before her.


    Zahng Lie''s fingers curled into lustrous ws. His palm was sharper than any weapon, and was easily able to cut mortal skin and flesh.


    Feng Xian''s pearlescent, ruby-red blood formed a pink cloud in theke water, but Zhang Lie''s ws quickly met resistance with a metallic ng. Zhang Lie was surprised.


    His right w had drawn blood but was prevented from doing any further damage by a barrier of light.


    Lustrous light formed a shield all over Feng Xian''s body, protecting herself against external force and preventing Zhang Lie''s w from prating her flesh.


    Feng Xian had grown more resilientpared to the start of the tournament.


    Was she really still a mortal, or a woman of metal and steel?


    He didn''t know what was going on; there should be few cultivators who had had their physical bodies tempered to such an extent to beparable with his own.


    This wasn''t the sensation that a mortal body should have. She glowed with light and was cold and hard like an ore of metal.


    Meanwhile, Feng Xian began to counterattack. She moved rapidly as she formed seals with her hands. Her body was a series of afterimages; she looked like a divine bird swooping with wings outstretched, a frightening gale behind her.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the space and striking the palm of fog. The twopetitors shed against each other.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy. The gic energy was as deep as the sea. It transformed into a storm that ravaged thend.


    The ground quaked.


    In a sh, the two cultivators exchanged thousands of blows,bining physical might with gic power. Each of Zhang Lie''s punches seemed to bear the weight of a typhoon.


    Feng Xian was no slouch, either. Her own tempest raged as she unleashed a bevy ofplicated techniques in an extravagant disy of light.


    As their punches met, both cultivators were sent flying.


    "I''m not the old me. Do you think you''re a match for the new me?" Feng Xian quickly shot forward. Where she strode, lotuses bloomed. Crystalline flowers budded and blossomed around her in incandescent light.


    Power manifested around her. Her eyes, brilliant as lightning, intensified.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, devouring the crystalline petals.


    Feng Xian reacted swiftly. More golden lotus petals scattered around her and transformed into burning energy that countered the dark clouds around Zhang Lie. Her golden light pierced through them as she shot


    Another sh unfolded as the two cultivators traded blows. Their attacks blurred as the tempo of the fight was raised ever again.


    Suddenly, a gigantic burst of energy separated the two of them. The void distorted; their surroundings exploded.


    "I''ll kill you today!"


    Feng Xian took the initiative to attack once more. She looked to be a genteel beauty, but her attacks and movements were sharp and decisive, with no wasted movement whatsoever. Her aura was oppressive. She struck like a storm.


    After an intense series of attacks, her body suddenly grew taut. Her bones turned silvery-white as she shot toward Zhang Lie like an arrow.


    "[Divine Arrow]!" She blurred; her attacks were so fast they were almost impossible to detect.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    Feng Xian was visibly startled, but she easily dodged the serpent given her extreme speed. She looked like a bolt of silver lightning as she zipped through the air.


    This was a use of spatial force at its peak, allowing her to behave like a divine arrow that shot through the void at extreme speed but simultaneously allow for rapid changes in direction.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard,


    In order to catch up with Feng Xian''s speed, Zhang Lie activated his limitless universe soulshard. He glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously as he barely managed to match her speed.


    The woman continued barreling forward, obliterating any obstacles in her way.


    Zhang Lie himself was making a move. A starlit sea manifested around him, and the power of the stars formed a whirlpool using his water-attuned gic energy as a foundation.


    The whirlpool caused the void to grow sluggish, limiting the speed of the silver arrow into which the woman had transformed.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.

 Chapter 1476: Resonant Quaking

    <h4>Chapter 1476: Resonant Quaking</h4>


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting apart heaven and earth as it shot toward the silver arrow. Simultaneously, his left hand manifested pitch-ck gic energy in the form of an ocean, one darker than the night. It hemmed in the void and sealed off Feng Xian''s escape.


    Even so, Feng Xian glided forward, somersaulted in the air, and whipped her legs toward his head.


    Zhang Lie defended himself with crossed arms. Feng Xian''s forehead glowed. A ball of golden energy could be seen within, almost like a fireball.


    Zhang Lie''s temples throbbed in pain again. He stumbled but didn''t let go, allowing the attack to wash over him until her mental energy gave out.


    Zhang Lie wed at Feng Xian''s body again, but sparks flew where he struck her, apanied by a metallic ng. This was no mortal body of flesh and blood.


    Feng Xian''s body glowed with light as though it were a holy raiment, blocking Zhang Lie''s attack.


    Zhang Lie frowned. What sort of technique was this that would allow a mortal being to possess such supernatural defenses?


    Zhang Lie attempted to strike her again, but it was useless.


    Feng Xian drew a divine de scintiting with light. The edge was keen and incredibly sharp. She made to behead Zhang Lie.


    Feng Xian struck at her opponent cruelly as Zhang Lie drew Guicang to defend himself. The two shes tore apart the heavens as they collided with each other. Shockwaves of energy rippled from the point of impact.


    Feng Xian glowed with light as her sword''s strength magnified, destabilizing the space all around her.


    Zhang Lie''s surroundings lit up with starlight as pitch-ck gic energy dispersed, blocking Feng Xian''s de.


    Feng Xian recoiled in shock, retrieving her de with some difficulty beforeunching yet another mental attack, poised to split Zhang Lie''s head open.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    His surroundings, consecrated with the might of a golden sun, resplendent and zing, was so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and obliterated Feng Xian''s attack. Zhang Lie''s sword will continued toward her, undeterred.


    "Open!"


    Feng Xian whispered. Motes of light formed a small, fist-sized replica of her that gave off a frightening aura and shocked all spectators.


    Her mental strength had reached the point where she could manifest an eidolon in reality that could strike at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie was taken aback. His opponent''s mental strength was beyondpare. At close range, she could easily take down another cultivator with just the effect of her mind.


    With mental strength alone, she was able tobat [The Boundless de: Yawning Wave].


    The wave crested and broke around her¡ªnot a real wave, but rather a condensed form of gic energy.


    Zhang Lie was forced to take this fight seriously for the first time.


    Feng Xian was truly strong, far stronger than she had been during their first encounter. Not only was her physical body unassable, she possessed tremendous mental strength


    which she could even transform into weapons¡ª a sword one moment, ance the next, indestructible and unbelievably sharp.


    Zhang Lie himself was feeling pressured.


    "Break!"


    Zhang Lie raised the de in his hand high into the air, encircled by ck gic energy.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, causing a ster river to descend onto the mortal realm. Countless ck serpents tore Feng Xian''s mental weaponry apart in a crack of lightning.


    Feng Xian''s eidolon sent a golden cauldron brimming with light smashing into the ster river, which whirled around Feng Xian.


    Within moments, theherworld serpents swallowed her up and entered her body through her mouth, nose, and skin.


    Strong though Feng Xian was, her defenses didn''t extend throughout her body. Her face and neck, for instance, were exposed to the surroundings.


    "Die!" Feng Xian thundered, enraged. An explosion of mental strength forced all the serpents out of her body, but at significant cost. Weakened, she was forced to retreat and to reabsorb her eidolon within herself.


    Her eyes cold, she red at the reviled, shameless opponent standing before her.


    Feng Xian scowled.


    She thought that she had seized tremendous opportunities from this mental world, that the mental evolution she had undergone after consuming a bug emperor would allow her to take on Zhang Lie, but that didn''t turn out to be the case. Even before she could force Zhang Lie to make use of his trump cards, she was unable to keep fighting.


    Zhang Lie said, "Don''t keep staring at me like that. I know you''re interested in me, but I''m taken. Sorry, you''re not my type."


    Upon hearing Zhang Lie''s words, Feng Xian grew so mad that she almost continued attacking him. <i>What do you mean, I''m not your type? As if I''m inferior¡ªI''m a genius of Starbright Academy, supremely talented and beautiful! Who cares if you don''t like me? Plenty would be happy to have me look in their direction! How shameless could you get?!</i>

 Chapter 1477: Split the Loot

    <h4>Chapter 1477: Split the Loot</h4>


    Even so, Feng Xian quashed her anger. The image of a phoenix, wings outstretched, appeared behind her. Feng Xian said, "I have to admit that you''re strong, and I''m not a match for you just yet. By the next time we meet, I''ll have grown even stronger. I hope you can maintain your rxed attitude then."


    The fact that Feng Xian was able to say something like this so calmly was a sure sign that she had a trump card up her sleeve.


    Zhang Lie was certain that he knew too little about the fifth realm.


    Feng Xian had grown considerably stronger since thest time he had seen her, and her physical strengthening technique had even melded into her blood and flesh, developing a truly imprable body. She had even gained powerful mental abilities. Zhang Lie didn''t know how much stronger Feng Xian would be the next time. He knew that he couldn''t let her leave now, even if he had to make use of methods that he disdained.


    Zhang Lie took out Feng Xian''s dudou again. "Again, Feng Xian?"


    Feng Xian stopped short.


    "Ever since you left me, I''ve been feeling lonelyte at night. All I can do tofort myself is to pull out the clothing you left behind. If you try to escape, Feng Xian, why, I don''t know what I might end up doing."


    Feng Xian''s eyes glimmered with killing intent as Zhang Lie threatened her with her dudou once again.


    She was embarrassed and incensed about their initial fight.


    Zhang Lie sped his hands over his heart. "You can leave, Feng Xian, and I won''t stop you. However, I might tell everyone about the night I spent with you. I''m sure many would want to learn about our interactions."


    Feng Xian pursed her lips in anger. This scumbag had to be doing this deliberately! He had somehow gained her innerwear. If word of this was to spread, she would never be able to clear her name.


    Feng Xian stood poised and holy as she marshaled her strength and prepared tounch a killing blow at him. No matter how good her temper, even she couldn''t bear Zhang Lie''s repeated provocation.


    Feng Xian glimmered with moonlight. The moonlight exuded from her andbined with her mental energy to unleash incredible strength.


    A burst of sword energy swept past Zhang Lie, filled with radiant light. Thebination of the moonlight and mental energy was multiplicative; her mental energy unlocked thetent potential in her physical body, and her physical strength augmented her mental energy. The virtuous cycle resulted in an explosive boost to her overall power.


    Thekebed copsed as a terrifying earthquake shook theke.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy expanded through the battlefield.


    The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The ster sea neutralized Feng Xian''s augmented attack.


    As Zhang Lie''sherworld sea shed against Feng Xian''s sword energy, starlight exploded. Zhang Lie''s ster dragons were obliterated and fell to the ground in the form of starlight. The ground quaked, and theke surged. As the entireke was destroyed, a few silver-dragon lotuses popped out.


    The shockwaves that resulted from the two cultivators forced the silver-dragon lotuses to show themselves and flee as rapidly as they could.


    Otherwise, they would surely be destroyed if they remained in the vicinity of the two cultivators.


    Zhang Lie shouted as he rushed forward in an attempt to catch the lotuses. "You''ve scared my divine nts off!"


    "You dare leave now?!" Feng Xian chased after him furiously.


    She had be truly angry; she no longer cared for these divine nts at all. She struck at Zhang Lie.


    To Feng Xian, killing Zhang Lie was far more important than any treasure she might seek.


    Very quickly, Zhang Lie caught up to the silver-dragon lotuses and recaptured them. He bound them together as they shed silver andbined into a single lotus. It was particrly unusual, with leaves, flowers, and stem all covered in silver scales.


    It was fragrant almost beyond belief¡ªa divine nt with an exceptional appearance.


    Feng Xian shot toward Zhang Lie and unleashed another killing blow. Her sword gave off so much energy that thekewater within dozens of kilometers vaporized instantly, causing an upheaval as water elsewhere in theke surged to fill the vacuum.


    The disturbance naturally caught the eye of the cultivators in the sky; a huge fight was still urring in the distance.


    "Everyone, he''s managed to harvest a silver-dragon lotus. You''re all aware of what a treasure this divine nt is, aren''t you?" Feng Xian shouted, her voice echoing through the heavens.


    "Everyone, she''s the one who has that divine nt. I saw it with my own eyes. She''s trying to kill me to hide that information!" Zhang Lie shouted back.


    He was a schemer, too.


    The cultivators in the air were momentarily silent before they surged toward the two of them.


    They didn''t care which of the two had the treasure; it was clear that one of them did, so they just had to take both down.


    Radiant light shot out from all over. The skies looked as though they were about to shatter.


    A group of cultivators and frightening lifeforms of the realm approached, so many of them in all that it might as well have been a one-sided ughter.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    A dragon''s howl shook heaven and earth. It blocked much of the devastating energy headed their way.


    Zhang Lie was able to defend against the first wave of attacks, but even so, he would be hard-pressed to keep it up.


    Just then, lightning shed through the sky and a howling gale blew.

 Chapter 1478: Pure and Chaste

    <h4>Chapter 1478: Pure and Chaste</h4>


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    Chaotic lightning and howling winds formed as dozens of spear afterimages sent thepetitors falling from the sky.


    Zhang Lie looked toward the assant.


    Fang Yi had a pair of wings to his back formed of electrifying runes. A holy air suffused him. Electric arcs crackled loudly.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "A timely appearance¡ªperhaps too timely. Did you n this?"


    Fang Yi soared into the sky.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix and transforming into a huge spear.


    The spear splintered; its fragments,posed of chaotic wind and void lightning, rained down on thepetitors and pierced through them all. They left furrows in the ground so deep they seemed to reach toward the core of the virtual realm.


    Fang Yi had blended in with the crowd. His sudden attack left them all shocked.


    None of them had beenpanions to begin with¡ªno, they had all been enemies. Even so, they weren''t expecting to turn on each other just yet. They immediately grew alert as they cautiously watched those around them.


    Fang Yi''s wings of wind and storm beat loudly as he smiled wryly. "No one can make as much trouble as you do, Captain."


    They had barely split up for half an hour, but Zhang Lie had already made himself public enemy number one once again. Who else was so talented in such fashion?


    Zhang Lieughed. "I thought I would have to face them all down alone."


    Fang Yi rolled his eyes. "I was in the vicinity, and I heard themotion. Someone shouted something about the silver-dragon lotuses, and I was about to join in the chase when I realized that you were responsible.


    While the two hunters exchanged information, the otherpetitors and wild lifeforms in theke had rushed over.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy struck them all and forced them back again.


    Fang Yi looked toward Feng Xian, who was likewise surrounded.


    Feng Xian wasn''t weak. Her mental attacks might have been useless against Zhang Lie, but were extraordinarily effective against the bulk of thepetitors. Her physical body was particrly strong to begin with; even Zhang Lie found it difficult to deal her effective blows, let alone other cultivators.


    In gaming terms, Feng Xian was like a tanky priest, one that would be incredibly difficult to take down.


    Even though, against a whole crowd of people who had been told she might possess priceless treasure, against a series of attacks that illuminated the very heavens, she could only react passively.


    Fang Yi asked, "Shall we help your good friend?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "She''s not my anything. She was the one who lured so much trouble over."


    Fang Yi leered. "A one-night stand, then?"


    "I''ve never had rtions with that woman."


    Fang Yi cocked an eyebrow. "Of course not."


    "Are you trying to imply something?"


    Thepetitors and lifeforms from theke rushed over again.


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with his de, causing shes of energy to rain down like a silver storm.


    Thepetitors and lifeforms transformed into glowing motes of light in mid-air, all trailing toward the back of Zhang Lie''s palm.


    Zhang Lie had killed so manypetitors and lifeformstely that he didn''t even bother looking at the changes to the back of his palm any longer.


    "If you''re that free, stop thinking about this nonsense and help me deal with the trash instead."


    Fang Yi augmented himself with temporal force, causing a local speedup of time in the vicinity.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones. Spear thrusts and strikes shot forward in every direction.


    The sword and the spear intersected in mid-air. Attacks rained down on all the foes around them.


    "What''s our n, Captain?"


    Fang Yi and Zhang Lie were positioned back to back.


    Zhang Lie''s lips curled up. In this sort of situation, fighting alongside Fang Yi reminded him of simr cooperation in his past life.


    "It''s useless for us to kill all thesepetitors. We''ll fight our way out," Zhang Lie said, drawing Hanguang.


    With one sh, he cut apart countlesspetitors rushing toward him.


    "I''ll lead the way, then!"


    Wind howled and lightning shed. Purple lightning skimmed across the air, and howling gales manifested in the shape of dragons.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    Fang Yi shot forward and broke out of the enclosure with incredible momentum.


    "Who dares attempt to use lightning against me? You are like a firefly against the full moon!" a cold voice called out. The sky exploded in a waterfall of lightning.


    A cultivator shot forward with a fist that lit up the heavens and dissipated all clouds in the vicinity. What incredible strength!


    A young cultivator flew across the skies, long hair scattered over his back, his body lean and supple, every inch of muscle crackling with lightning. This was a true genius, one far stronger than the purplegold denglong that they had faced earlier.


    "Stay behind!"


    The lightning-imbued cultivator was far too fast. He blocked their way and punched at Fang Yi.


    "Who are you? Get out of my way. As though you have a monopoly on lightning!" Fang Yi retorted. Rather than dodge, he thrust forward with his spear.


    The ground exploded. Lightning filled the realm as though an apocalypse were drawing near, stretching for hundreds of kilometers on end.


    The lightning-infused cultivator was shocked to see his opponent still standing, bathed in holy light.


    One of the bystanders shouted, "It''s the son of lightning!"


    "Allegedly, he was born out of lightning and was taken in as the disciple of some supreme force. He possesses incredibly pure elemental lightning."


    "With the son of lightning here, neither of the two cultivators will be able to escape!"


    Upon hearing this, Fang Yi was rather interested in this cultivator as well.

 Chapter 1479: Son of Lightning

    <h4>Chapter 1479: Son of Lightning</h4>


    As expected of the disciple of a supreme force of the fifth realm¡ªthe son of lightning''s elemental might was astounding. Just the single technique he had disyed was infused with understanding over life and death, creation and destruction.


    "You must be a fool to try to challenge me with lightning!" the son of lightning cried out. Lightning pierced through the air with enough force to split a mountain, like a rampaging sea striking at the sky.


    The son of lightning boasted incredible strength. He threw a punch at Fang Yi, causing heaven and earth to quake from the impact.


    "Captain, you leave first. I''d like to challenge this fellow." Fang Yi''s gaze was terrifying. He had infused his body with the power of the elements, just like his opponent.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body, which provided explosive strength that propelled Fang Yi forward.


    Zhang Lie nodded. He understood Fang Yi''s fervor.


    If Zhang Lie were to remain, he would only disturb Fang Yi; in fact, Zhang Lie would be a detriment rather than a help.


    Zhang Lie was confident in Fang Yi''s strength and knew that he wouldn''t lose even against this so-called son of lightning. If he stayed, however, the cultivators all around would attempt to strike at him and affect Fang Yi''s fight.


    Zhang Lie headed off immediately. The moment he left the vicinity of Fang Yi and the son of lightning, he was surrounded by the cultivators and lifeforms of theke, who stared at him with cold sneers.


    "Do you think you can leave just like that?"


    "Hand over the divine nts."


    Zhang Lie held Guicang in his left hand and Hanguang in his right. Even against the hundreds of cultivators and lifeforms before him, he didn''t panic at all.


    "Scram!"


    Zhang Lie''s aura was incredible. That one word alone caused quite a few cultivators to step back in shock.


    "We have nothing to fear, not when there are so many of us! Charge!"


    The cultivators and lifeforms charged forward.


    Swords and des shed as countless cultivators and lifeforms struck simultaneously. Zhang Lie sauntered forward as blood sprayed all around him. A cacophony of screams followed him where he went as the cultivators turned into motes of light.


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie calmly stepping forward and butchering all who crossed his path, many cultivators reared back in shock.


    They thought that their numerical advantage would lead to a one-sided ughter, and it did¡ªbut against their side rather than for it.


    Meanwhile, the son of lightning had invoked the purest form of elemental lightning, and was zing brightly like a me.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    The lightning sparked like a radiant sun, wreathed in storm, pitch-ck like ink.


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    The hum of lightning caused all the cultivators in the vicinity to have ringing ears. Lightning pierced through the heavens as the virtual realm rumbled.


    Regardless of the oue of the fight, even if Fang Yi were to lose, what he had already aplished was shocking. How could he manage to hold his own in a contest of lightning with the son of lightning himself?


    The son of lightning wasn''t a lifeform born of lightning, but rather during a thunderstorm. A bolt of lightning had struck his head, but not only did he not die, that bolt of lightning forged his body from infancy, allowing him to manipte lightning at will ever since.


    That was how he hade to be known as the son of lightning, and no one could best his ability that was granted by the heavens themselves.


    In the sky, the two cultivators broke away from one another. The son of lightning was unscathed¡ªbut so was his opponent.


    "Using lightning against the son of lightning? Incredible!"


    The cultivators were all shaken. No one dared to underestimate Fang Yi.


    "Against absolute strength, any form of defense will pale inparison." The son of lightning stepped forward and shot toward Fang Yi like a lord of heaven.


    Divine light burst forth from his palms, forming a mallet of lightning that he smashed down.


    Lightning filled the air.


    His stance was like that of a god. With his strength, with this one blow, he intended to sap Fang Yi of his fighting spirit.


    The spectators around looked at him as though he were a god-king of myth and legend, subduing some demonspawn.


    "Enough!" Fang Yi shouted, his gaze cold.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Chaotic and spatial energy joined in the mix¡ªa miniaturized version of his signature fivefold strike, at least at the level of a fourfold strike.


    A ck turtle and divine bird rushed out of the mix of chaotic energy, spatial rifts, wind, and storm.


    The wind resolved into a stormwind dragon. Spatial force transformed into a qilin, with the void as its ws and lightning as its whiskers.


    The lightning transformed into a white tiger wreathed with howling winds, spatial force forming its sharp ws and chaotic energy condensing into its eyes.


    Spatial force manifested in the form of a divine bird, space its feathers, the storm its body, lightning its beak, and chaotic energy seeping from its feathers like burning mes.


    The chaotic energy transformed into a ck turtle, spatial force into its shell, lightning into its legs, and the stormy wind its head.


    The four mythical beasts formed from thebination of the fourfold energies shot out as Fang Yi thrust his spear forward. The disparate energies corkscrewed together, simultaneously melded and distinct, as they shot toward the heavens.


    As he thrust his spear forward, all the onlookers were taken aback. His attack had left tendrils of lightning all over the son of lightning''s body.


    "What? Someone can fight the son of lightning on equal footing in terms of lightning?!"


    "What an incredible cultivator,bining storm and lightning energy to produce such devastating force!"


    "This isn''t just a sh of lightning against lightning, but rather wind and storm against lightning."

 Chapter 1480: Against All Others

    <h4>Chapter 1480: Against All Others</h4>


    "No¡ªlook carefully. It''s not just wind and storm. There are other elemental forces in the mix as well." One sharp-eyed cultivator pointed out theplexity of Fang Yi''s technique.


    "Could that be the legendary chaos?"


    "Are you kidding? The energy of chaos is a top-tier elemental energy. Even among the universe, there are few known cultivators who have managed to harness its power. Anyone who can master chaos is surely an apex existence. This tournament is for novices¡ªhow could someone like that appear here?"


    "That said, thepetitor who defeated the Starlit Legend demonstrated control over chaos as well."


    "Not just chaos, but time."


    "Time and chaos? Two of the strongest elemental forces in the universe?"


    Fang Yi struck with overwhelming force, as if he were a heavenly monarch.


    The son of lightning nched. He found himself on the losing end of things; his opponent''s wind and storm energy was intermixed with chaos and elevated to a new level entirely. That mix of energies wasn''t something that ordinary lightning couldpare to.


    The son of lightning spread out both hands. His left hand was pitch-ck as ink, and his right zing like the sun. Sr energy seemed to emanate from his right hand, while yin energy surged in his left, shielded by lightning.


    Fang Yi''s eyes widened.


    The son of lightning was disying two different types of lightning-attuned energy, one of pure yin and the other of pure yang.


    The spectators were puzzled by what was going on. How could lightning-attuned energy be dposed into such pr opposites?


    His right hand was like the sun; his left hand was pitch-ck, the lightning gathered around it soft as mud.


    The son of lightning began, "While studying the pinnacle of lightning, I attempted to dpose it to its constituent elements. In the end, I found a secret that lies at the pinnacle."


    Everyone stopped short and listened closely. The son of lightning had traveled far along the path of lightning, and what secrets he had divined from his experience could serve them all well for life.


    "When I dposed lightning into its constituent elements, I came to a shocking conclusion. All things are divided into yin and yang; life, lifeforms, and even lightning."


    Many cultivators present were confused. "Lightning, formed of yin and yang? How?"


    "Right? Isn''t lightning sharp, fierce, and destructive? Surely lightning is the pinnacle of yang energy!"


    Some cultivators, however, were more thoughtful. "Could this be the legendary notion that ''all things are birthed in pairs''?"


    The son of lightning shook his head. "Lightning is neither of yin nor of yang, but rather formed as a result of collisions between yin and yang."


    Fang Yi nodded in understanding.


    The son of lightning was talking about protons and electrons, fundamental science knowledge that even middle-school students were aware of back on Earth.


    Although the knowledge was foundational, to actually perform the dposition was an incredible feat. Rather than calling the son of lightning a genius, however, it was more apt to consider him stubborn. Only a genius who had been able to manipte lightning from birth would be able to transform such a fundamental interaction into a powerful blow.


    The son of lightning sped his hands together,bining yin and yang. A frightening burst of lightning erupted.


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    As Fang Yi strode forward, a bell tolled to his back. Wheels of time stacked up one after another.


    He intended to force a direct confrontation with the son of lightning. The son of lightning''s attack was formed by forcibly sending a charge between protons and electrons, and everyone was startled by how strong the resulting lightning was. Even when bolstered by wheels of time, Fang Yi''s strength was suppressed.


    Through the fight, by personally experiencing attacks from the son of lightning, Fang Yi was attempting to grasp his opponent''s intuitive control of lightning.


    The images of a dragon and tiger appeared behind Fang Yi, the dragon formed of storm and the tiger of lightning. The storm dragon turned ck, while the lightning tiger glowed with blinding light, like a zing sun.


    Fang Yi recalled what Zhang Lie had demonstrated in the third realm. Gic energy took on an elemental attunement based on one''s framework, but other elemental energies could be simted as well. Another member of Team Zenith had aplished such a feat.


    Yin and yang were fundamental forces of nature, and Fang Yi could well take advantage of these notions to strengthen his own techniques.


    The son of lightning was shocked. This technique was one that he had developed over years of deep analysis, but Fang Yi was starting to replicate it at incredible speed.


    The son of lightning knew that he couldn''t allow Fang Yi to keep growing stronger. A bolt of five-colored lightning struck the son of lightning. His surroundings glowed with color. This was an ultimate technique born of the pinnacle of lightning,bining lightning with the five fundamental elements. The son of lightning''s lightning was elevated to new heights, but he was still unable to obliterate his opponent.


    Using his immaturebination of dipr wind and storm, Fang Yi blocked the son of lightning''s attack.


    The two cultivators each retreated to one side.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie was being besieged by arge group of cultivators. Despite his individual prowess, dealing with a huge crowd was still problematic. It was as though he were mired in a swamp and couldn''t extricate himself.


    Zhang Lie stepped through the void, a strange formation appearing beneath his feet.


    "[Syzygy]!" A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    Everyone''s energy was drained as Zhang Lie''s was magnified.


    The cultivators gaped in shock.


    "What''s this?!" Fang Yi turned and asked in excitement, "Captain, can you emte Hong Xi''s technique?"


    "That''s rather difficult, I''m afraid."


    Fang Yi was speaking of the upgraded form of [Syzygy], which was able to weaken all cultivators in the vicinity and transfer all that strength to a single person or to a group ofpanions.


    In either case, Zhang Lie would be able to handle the situation in far more rxed a fashion.


    The son of lightning frowned. Weakened by Zhang Lie''s blood moon domain, his lightning grew faint; on the other hand, thanks to Zhang Lie''s control, Fang Yi was unaffected.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    Fang Yi had no intention of wasting such an opportunity. He morphed into lightning itself. Storms rose up all around him, and he left a flurry of afterimages behind.


    "You must be the one who slew our young star! Let me see just how strong you are." Suddenly, a Redgoldpetitor approached, seated cross-legged with his body cradled by a sun. Divine me burned in his vicinity in a resplendent fashion.

 Chapter 1481: Divine Flame

    <h4>Chapter 1481: Divine me</h4>


    Zhang Lie had clearly been recognized by one of the challengers, a Redgold cultivator who sat cradled in a sun like a god. A jeweled vase, radiant and resplendent.


    Zhang Lie scoffed upon seeing the familiar technique.


    "I''ve fought your like three times by now. Don''t you have any other techniques?"


    Meanwhile, not far from him, Feng Xian was herself surrounded by cultivators. She attacked the enemy cultivators intensely but with surprising grace, like a beauty who had walked out of a painted scroll, her figure lithe and curvaceous. Her clothes fluttered in elegance even in the midst of heated battle, stirring the gathered crowd.


    The Redgold cultivator''s jeweled vase shone with radiant light as sword energy shot out. The radiant light arced across the air and transformed into thousands of beams of sword energy.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away Li Feng''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, sealing the sword energy.


    The Redgold cultivator remained calm.


    In his heart, he contemted the movement of thousands of different types of beasts, then integrated them into the most ordinary of sword techniques. The beams of sword energy transformed, into a rising phoenix, a roaring suanni, forked lightning, a phoenix''s outstretched wings¡ªwith his hands sped together, he invoked all manner of natural and supernatural beasts.


    The Redgold cultivator''s attack developed fully into a beast stampede.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward Zhou Ying like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatantsyers of earth sank into the whirlpool, obliterated in an instant.


    Some of the cultivators observing the fight were unsteady on their feet and stumbled as they were forcibly sucked in.


    Within the void, the Redgold cultivator peered at Zhang Lie in surprise. His opponent''s aura was worthy of his further consideration.


    "Suppression," he whispered, and his jeweled vase flew forward to take on Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie shed at the heavens themselves, his ck hair fluttering in the wind.


    The void rumbled as zing light exploded from the cut. Heaven and earth shook in resonance; the light forced all thepetitors to close their eyes momentarily.


    The fighting was simply too intense. Light from the two cultivators struck each other like the parting of mountains and seas, the birth of immortals and demons, like primordial chaos itself.


    As the dust finally ceased, the Redgold jeweled vase cracked and scattered like dust.


    "That jeweled vase, a supreme relic of the Redgold race¡ªdestroyed?" The cultivators all around Zhang Lie were frozen stiff. It took them far too long to react to what had happened. They sucked in deep breaths. Zhang Lie truly was a fearsome opponent.


    "I shall test your mettle!" A young cultivator with golden hair strode forward, his hair zing and shining where sunlight struck it. Golden mes followed behind him, causing the void to warp and twist.


    Zhang Lie stood still. Those who had been able to withstand Zhang Lie''s attacks were surely exceptional cultivators themselves, but that also meant they were prideful enough not to attack Zhang Lie together. Even so, that didn''t mean that he would entertain all challengers.


    "What do you take me for, a buffet?" Zhang Lie called back, displeased.


    Why should he have to fight everyone who wanted to fight him?


    "Whoever dares challenge me will be met with lethal force," Zhang Lie announced, his eyes zing. His gaze swept across the arrayed cultivators, including the golden-haired man walking forward.


    The golden-haired man didn''t break his stride. Was this a warning? A threat? He didn''t fear it at all.


    "Are you talking to me?" he asked coolly. His golden blood surged; pressure wafted from his body. His lips curled up in a mocking smirk, aloof and arrogant, as he looked down on Zhang Lie.


    "You can think of it that way," Zhang Lie replied.


    The golden-haired man was bathed in me. Golden runes appeared over his muscles. His smile deepened. "How conceited. I can''t imagine you''ll live long¡ªperhaps not even past this very day."


    "Are you sure you''re talking about me, or about yourself?" Zhang Lie retorted.


    "Haha¡ªdo you think you can kill me? I''ll send you on your way!" the golden-haired man retorted, divine force erupting from him. The golden runes shed as the void itself was dyed golden. A raging ocean seemed to surge around him.


    Zhang Lie was tall and lithe, with a gentlemanly appearance when he was calm. His eyes were limpid, his teeth white, his smile resplendent. He stared at the iing cultivator and responded with his body.


    He drew his de and took the initiative to start the fight.


    Within just a single moment, his calm air grew aggressive and assertive. His aura was like a coiling dragon, seeping out of his muscles. His sword cut at the very heavens, and the intersection of the blood moon and ck sun made him look like a demon from the very pits of hell.


    The two cultivators shed; the stars fell and the ground cracked. Golden mes burst apart. Within moments, the golden-haired man was sent flying.


    The golden-haired man was incredibly shocked;


    Zhang Lie''s skill and strength went far beyond what he could have expected.


    Even so, knowing that the gaze of countless cultivators was upon him, he continued to assert dominance. From up high in the air, he looked downward at Zhang Lie and scoffed, "I haveid im to many and many a star in the universe, and I strike only against the talented. I hope your death today won''t sully that reputation of mine."


    The implication was clear: Zhang Lie was barely deserving of his attacks.

 Chapter 1482: Come If You Want to Die

    <h4>Chapter 1482: Come If You Want to Die</h4>


    "Come die if you want!" Zhang Lie shouted, holding his longsword horizontally before him and prepared for the possibility of an extended battle. He intended to demonstrate his strength to ward off any further challenges.


    Just as the golden-haired man was about to strike once again, countless illusory arclight dragons streaked across the sky. The golden-haired man frowned, taking action to defend himself.


    A familiar voice apanied the starlight. "Captain, I''m here!"


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    The hugemotion had attracted Li Feng''s attention. He was shocked to sense a familiar energetic fluctuation amidst the battle of titanic proportions. He headed toward the fighting to witness Fang Yi and Zhang Lie arrayed against a dizzying bevy of cultivators. Zhang Lie had been surrounded; Li Feng immediately stepped in.


    "Scram!" The golden-haired man punched forward and obliterated the whole flock of arclight dragons.


    Although Li Feng hade at an inopportune time, the fact that he had shown up at all had Zhang Lie nodding to him in thanks.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light. The golden-haired man stretched his arms wide and tore apart the void, the canvas on which these dragons flew.


    "Captain, leave this cultivator to me!" Li Feng glowed with light, stepping forward to ward off the enemy from Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie nodded and left immediately.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!" Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the golden-haired man like a beam of light.


    "I said, scram!"


    The golden-haired man dashed downward at extreme speed, leaving a trail of golden afterimages behind. He struck at Li Feng''s skull with his foot.


    A burst of thunder erupted in the air alongside his stride. Golden light exploded forth across the void.


    This was unbridled arrogance and clearly insulting toward Li Feng.


    "You don''t have the right to be my opponent!"


    The golden-haired man stared disdainfully at Li Feng, intending to stomp him to death to disy his martial prowess.


    "Kill!" Li Feng shouted, his hair scattering in the wind. He had once stood calm; now, he strode to action like a demonic statue that had been animated, his eyes sharp and piercing, an aura of fighting intent billowing around him.


    His right hand formed a seal that he raised high into the air. It exploded like a zing sun. An infinite expanse of light shot into the heavens, toward the golden-haired man.


    The fact that Li Feng''s opponent was being so impolite stoked his own anger. He struck at the sole of his opponent''s foot, attempting to obliterate it.


    The two cultivators shed in an explosion of light. Energy scattered. This was a confrontation between two cultivators at the peak.


    Li Feng had to admit that the golden-haired man was particrly skilled. His foot alone would have sufficed to crush a mountain and turn it into dust, to cause the very ground to crack open. Against a skull, it was easy to contemte how much damage that foot could cause. A body would instantly turn into a cloud of bloody mist.


    Li Feng rose up, cleaving the light and unleashing his ultimate technique.


    "Break!"


    The person stood high in the air, foot glowing with light. Golden runes emanated from him and formed a map of the constetions beneath his foot, as though the stars themselves were bolstering his attack.


    "I reign supreme over the universe, having conquered many and many a star. I strike only to take down geniuses. How can a nameless piece of trash like you hope to be my opponent?"


    Only a cultivator of exceptional strength could be so arrogant.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed forward.


    The blow felt as though it could destroy anything it encountered.


    Even the cultivators fighting afar could sense how terrifying this blow was. It caused the very void to quake, distorting space in its vicinity, as it exploded.


    All this happened under the cover of lightning. Li Feng''s fists glowed brightly, exploding with light.


    He shattered the map of the constetions, tearing it up and burning it to a crisp. Lightning followed his movements in a brilliant disy.


    Li Feng''s fist struck the sole of his opponent''s foot and drew blood. Bone cracked. The foot shattered, its glow fading, crippling his opponent.


    "What right do I need to kill you?" Li Feng''s fists transformed into ws, grabbing at his opponent''s foot and tugging downward. Bone and blood appeared.


    The cultivators watching the fight unfold were shocked. Had this youth defeated his opponent already?


    With a crack, Li Feng wrenched the foot free from his opponent''s body in a shower of blood.


    The cultivators gasped.


    The air filled with fog and turned hazy.


    "Hm?" Suddenly, Li Feng sensed that something was wrong. He didn''t hear his opponent shout or cry out in pain, and his surroundings were getting blurry. This wasn''t the sign of impending victory.


    Then, he looked down and saw that the foot he had wrenched from his opponent''s body had transformed into a small piece of vine. The blood became golden liquid.


    "A vine?"


    "Who''s this? Isn''t this his actual body?"


    The spectators were shocked. They looked all around for the golden-haired man.


    Four golden vines appeared within the fog soundlessly, grabbing onto Li Feng''s four limbs. Then, they began to emit a tremendous quantity of golden light.


    "Break!" the golden-haired manmanded coldly. His body couldn''t be seen; only his pupils shone luminously from within the fog. He intended to tear apart Li Feng''s limbs.


    "Release!" Li Feng shouted. Light zed from his body, piercing through the vines and tearing them apart. He tensed up, breaking the vines in crisp snaps.


    The four golden vines fell to the ground, while the golden-haired man in the distance sniffed loudly as he suffered the bacsh from his attack.


    The fog vanished, revealing the golden-haired man anew. Golden mes danced around him.


    "I know who this is, now¡ªit''s the divine heir of the Srvines, the sessor of the Redgold Hall, the elder brother of Resplendent Sun, Coruscant Sun!"


    Everyone was shocked.


    "Coruscant Sun isn''t as renowned as his brother, but he''s supposedly no weaker¡ªno, he''s even stronger!"


    Zhang Lie had likewise been hindered by the vines. His opponent was the same Redgold cultivator as before, but Zhang Lie sliced him apart with a single sh of his de. The cultivator reverted into a piece of vine.

 Chapter 1483: A Peerless Vine

    <h4>Chapter 1483: A Peerless Vine</h4>


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light. He nced straight at his opponent''s soul.


    The golden-haired man blocking his way didn''t have a soul; Zhang Lie was certain that it was nothing more than a puppet.


    The real enemyy hidden, waiting for a more opportune moment to strike.


    "Do you think I won''t be able to do anything to you if you hide behind a puppet?"


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    All those who witnessed the hypnotic light would stand still in a daze.


    The sword energy flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the northern lights overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    No one discovered the small threads of ck hidden within the gorgeous disy.


    The sword energy struck the golden-haired man. The ck threads pierced through the void as the aurora extended into the distance.


    Within the void, the golden fog dispersed, revealing the golden-haired man anew. Golden mes danced around him. He stood with traces of blood by his mouth, clearly having been wounded by Zhang Lie''s attack.


    What had appeared before Zhang Lie was nothing more than an avatar, a puppet meant to y around with Zhang Lie and his ilk.


    Unexpectedly, however, Zhang Lie was able to infuse karmic power into his attack, allowing him to hurt Coruscant Sun despite attacking only his avatar.


    Coruscant Sun stared coldly at Zhang Lie, his hands forming seals as an explosive aura erupted from him.


    "I, Coruscant Sun, have never suffered defeat since my birth. That you would have been able to hurt me with a trick¡ªyou won''t be able to escape," Coruscant Sun muttered. His gaze grew brighter as he spat out radiant mes.


    "The Srvines'' ultimate technique¡ª[Srme of the Divine Vine]!"


    Those mes had been extracted from deep within the sun and were frightening in their intensity and strength. Many spectators gasped. The void distorted where the mes burned, and the shining, infinite expanse of vines surrounding them formed a domain of ughter.


    Li Feng shouted, "Be careful, Captain!"


    Several Redgold cultivators had surrounded Li Feng and blocked his way.


    Perhaps they were puppets made of vine; perhaps not. The srme streaked across the sky and surrounded Zhang Lie, boxing him in.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Zhang Lie stared at his opponent, his eyes cold. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within. The srme was extinguished and the divine vines torn.


    Coruscant Sun was shocked that his attack had been foiled. He spurred more me and vines onward.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    The steaming water-attuned gic energy sprayed outward, quenching the srme. Shockingly, all the water was evaporating from the golden vines, which bore incredible resistance against fire.


    Coruscant Sun shot out an unusual vine that looked like ck crystal instead of the regr gold. It gave off umbral light.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!"


    Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded Li Feng as he shot out a piercing burst of light that surpassed even Sun Xiaowu''s prating power.


    The Redgold cultivators had no hope of stopping Li Feng. In the blink of an eye, he slew all the Redgolds and reduced them to motes of light.


    A mark of white light was emzoned on the back of his palm. He reached out toward the vine, intending on helping Zhang Lie. When he tugged on the vine, he felt a sharp jerk of pain. His palm was bleeding despite the fact that he had imbued it with his light-attuned gic energy, concentrated so densely that it was tougher than an ordinary weapon.


    "That''s... what makes Coruscant Sun so much stronger than the rest of his generation. Allegedly, his father spent great effort in refining and tempering him, consuming arge quantity of his n''s resources. He''s far stronger than the average Srvine," one person said.


    "Don''te over, Li Feng!"


    In the blink of an eye, Zhang Lie erupted with strength. Gic energy grew agitated around him as he released a cloud of scarlet steam, glowing with motes of starlight. He attempted to destroy this ck vine with all his strength.


    He sent a sword sh forward, zing with fire. The fiery-red gic energy was interspersed with radiant light.


    The end of the ck vine broke off as Coruscant Sun shouted in surprise. He retreated, his face dark.


    The vine should have been impossible to destroy; it was able to ruin others'' treasures and absorb the essence of their blood. He had never before suffered any damage to the vine, not until today.


    Zhang Lie stepped forward, surrounded by scarlet steam as though he were in a zing furnace. He quenched the srme of the divine vine.


    "Very good. If you''re this strong, then I have the more reason to fight you at full strength." Coruscant Sun calmed down. He faced Zhang Lie coolly.


    The sr vine soared into the air. Sr energy emanated from it, transforming into a giant sun. A pir of golden light shot down rays in the form of sword energy, bolstering him and augmenting his transformation.


    As the sr vine struck, a giant sword fell from the skies, breaking through the cloud cover. It was reinforced by sr might, as though the sun itself were falling from the sky.


    Golden mes surged into the air from the repeated attacks. Sword shes filled the sky as golden leaves and tendrils fell from Coruscant Sun''s golden vine.


    Finally, Zhang Lie leapt up into the air and stomped on Coruscant Sun''s head, emting what Golden Sun had done to others.


    Coruscant Sun cried out in shock. His skull fractured and almost shattered.


    Then, Zhang Lie chopped at his neck with a palm strike as fast as lightning, sending his head flying out.


    Losing his head didn''t affect Coruscant Sun''s ability to fight. He melded together with his divine vine, which slowly turned pitch-ck. The energy it gave off was more intense than ever. A sea of golden light spawned, each ray of sword energy like a zing sun.


    The fallen leaves and tendrils zed like mes, transforming into golden men that looked like the spitting image of Coruscant Sun.

 Chapter 1484: Time to Return

    <h4>Chapter 1484: Time to Return</h4>


    The fallen leaves and tendrils zed like mes, transforming into golden men that looked like the spitting image of Coruscant Sun.


    Golden light illuminated the heavens as starlight swept across the sky.


    "It''s time to end this battle."


    Zhang Lieunched a killing blow. Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The sh between reality and illusion affected the entire virtual realm.


    The space distorted like papier mache as the two attacks shed against each other. The spectators began to murmur to each other. They could only see a patch of fuzziness before them; the virtual realm had distorted.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged forward.


    Thebination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform''s body and soul.


    The golden men formed of vines and tendrils were immediately obliterated by this power that straddled reality and illusion. Despite Coruscant Sun using whatever techniques he could against the assault, that vast expanse of sword energy rushed into the sky. A golden sun emerged, but it was a futile defense against Zhang Lie''s technique.


    Golden juice spurted from the golden vine as it swiftly turned dark.


    Coruscant Sun, knowing that he would be no match for Zhang Lie, used his final tactic. He exploded; golden sunlight burst along with countless sword energy.


    "Self-destruction!" Zhang Lie eximed. He hadn''t expected Coruscant Sun to use such a technique, but there was a secret to it.


    Before the self-destruction, a ck vine had shot out from Coruscant Sun''s body and transformed into umbral light. As the energy from his self-destruction deflected the whirlpool of swords and des that resulted from the intersection of reality and illusion, the ck vine charged out unscathed from the remaining energy.


    Zhang Lie immediately gave chase and grabbed at one special tendril of the vine. Umbral light shone around it; naturalw gleamed.


    Someone shouted, "That''s Coruscant Sun''s true body!"


    "This was the vine that was forged from countless treasures, with no regard to expense!


    "Hmm?" Zhang Lie was shocked to see that the vine had not, in fact, been cut apart.


    He was well aware of just how strong [des, Extinguish] was. It was a simultaneous attack on twoyers of reality.


    Suddenly, the umbral vine glowed with incredible light, so bright it was like the blinding sun. It grew so hot that even Zhang Lie had to drop it and step far back.


    A golden runic pattern intersected itself as a srvine emerged from afar. Coruscant Sun''s body reforged itself and transformed into his appearance anew. He red at Zhang Lie with malice in his eyes.


    "I''ll kill you!"


    He had recovered just from a tendril of the golden vine. It was as though he would be invincible as long as this tendril persisted.


    "Is that so? It''s time for you to leave, I think." Zhang Lie blinked and licked his lips.


    Coruscant Sun''s hair danced in the wind. Golden light surged forth. He was embarrassed and angry. Before he could strike and reveal his true strength, however, Zhang Lie took the initiative. His bones cracked and popped; his blood and flesh vibrated.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    The runes of the Keys of the Elder Gods appeared once more.

 Chapter 1485: The Might of a Single Sword

    <h4>Chapter 1485: The Might of a Single Sword</h4>


    The runes of the [Keys of the Elder Gods] manifested outside Zhang Lie''s body and glowed with light.


    Strands of ck hair floated around Zhang Lie. His eyes were like lightning, as though he were a martial god who had descended from the heavens.


    With a sudden shout, as runes red all over his body, his bones creaked, and his flesh trembled, his essence transformed into a dragon that soared into the air.


    The radiance around him intensified.


    At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to go silent. the world stopped revolving on its axis, and everything was still. He felt as though he had returned to a primordial era far into the past, to the creation of the universe itself.


    As his mind resonated with the realm, Zhang Lie felt as though he was witnessing the creation of the virtual realm itself.


    Dawn light shone all around him. His heart and soul seemed to unite with the world all around him, as though he were part of the genesis of the universe.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie murmured softly, but the sound of his voice carried.


    A divine chime rang out as Zhang Lie emitted radiant light and cut apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    Part of the virtual realm was destroyed. The sky turned dull; the sword strike was one of primordial genesis, of void and chaos.


    At that moment, the virtual realm''s naturalws began to shift.


    The realm itself seemed to have been cut apart from the inside, transforming everything into chaotic energy.


    This blow went beyond what could be described as strength. It bypassed structure and power, instead dealing with the fundamental forces of the world, of atavistic regression and subsequent evolution.


    Space shattered; the ground cracked. All things were destroyed in a cmity. Thekes and streams vaporized, and fog filled the air.


    All thend and water beneath Zhang Lie waspletely cleared away. Like candlelight, Coruscant Sun was easily snuffed out by Zhang Lie''s sword. He scattered over heaven and earth¡ªand he wasn''t the only one. The whole region of space around him had been eradicated.


    None had been able to escape that cmitous de.


    Zhang Lie''s attack shocked all the cultivators watching him from afar.


    This virtual realm possessed many treasures; a silver-dragon lotus was indeed precious, but not worth one''s life and qualifications as apetitor.


    There was simply no need to risk it all for a divine nt.


    The son of lightning''s fist glowed brightly, exploding with light.


    As they continued to fight, twenty wheels of time had formed by Fang Yi''s back.


    The wheels of time to Fang Yi''s back began to resonate. Temporal energy rippled around him. Fang Yi stood motionless, immobile as a mountain, as his spear broke through the constraints of spacetime and returned to the static world of gray.


    "[Spear of Fate]!"


    In that world of frozen time, he was the only spot of color within.


    Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, imbuing it with sharpness and prating strength beyond measure.


    Fang Yipressed that energy again and again, until even the space around the spear started getting sucked in. The tip of the spear punched through space as though it were nothing more than paper.


    The chaotic energy imbued within the spear activated, gushing out around Fang Yi.


    Thebination of elemental, chaotic, and spatiotemporal energy at the tip of the spear multiplied the strength of Fang Yi''s attack beyond what should have been possible.


    Golden threads surrounded wind, storm, time, and space.


    Fang Yibined [Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind], [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow], [Heaven''s Judgment], and the power of karma¡ªwind, storm, time, space, chaos, karma.


    All these sources of energy were stacked together, like buff after buff.


    A dragon of purple lightning and tiger of green wind, shielded by a barrier of time and shrouded by ck spatial energy, slowly began to manifest. Storm winds were sucked into the mix.


    The power of his strike transcended both of its constituents, time and karma.


    The strike touched the notion of fate, that all things were predetermined in the long, winding river of time.


    Thebination of wind and storm, spatial force, void lightning, time and space, karma and fate¡ªall of itbined into a hurricane. The nine different kinds of energy stacked on top of each other and were refined into a cocoon.


    As Fang Yi infused more and more of his own energy into the attack, the energies morphed into threads of nine different colors that began to separate.


    The void lightningbined with the spatial rift that was forming and tore apart the space around Fang Yi.


    Faced with Fang Yi''s ninefold strike, the virtual realm was already starting to crack and shatter even before Fang Yi released his technique. The ground cracked, theke water was vaporized, and the riverbed itself ran dry.


    The manifold energies merged and tangled with each other, space and time, wind and storm, chaos and fate, the beginning and the end.


    Fang Yi sent a stream of each type of energy swirling and corkscrewing around the tip of his spear.


    Lightning crackled like a demon swiping its ws. A storm raged, and space tore apart. ck-and-gold chains criss-crossed and tangled up under the influence of chaos and fate.


    After the incorporation of karma, the energy of chaos was able to reach an unstable equilibrium with that of space and time.


    Karma forcibly linked all the disparate energies together like glue.


    The karma would have affected Fang Yi''s fated future if not for the chaotic energy surrounding him. Most importantly, the chaotic energy came from Fang Yi''s spear, not from himself, and the powers of karma and chaos wouldn''t cancel out.


    The spear of Chaos would continuously provide titanic amounts of chaotic energy, forcibly maintaining this unstable bnce.


    Dragon-like lightning, tiger-like storm, formless time, timeless space¡ªthose four disparate energiesbined into a cohesive whole, tied together by a dark gold thread. The energies revolved around each other, destroying even naturalw with theirbined might.

 Chapter 1486: Hand Over the Bone Talisman

    <h4>Chapter 1486: Hand Over the Bone Talisman</h4>


    Fang Yi''s attack shocked all thepetitors present.


    If Zhang Lie''s sword sh had made them wary, then Fang Yi''s spear strike pierced through any nascent fighting spirit that they drummed up, resulting only in fear.


    Space and time cracked, and unusual pitch-ck thorn-like protrusions spiked into the pocket space.


    Twenty-five afterimages appeared, shining with light.


    ck, formless chains surrounded Xing Yu as fate locked in on him.


    A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded.


    The twenty-five wheels of time that stabilized Fang Yi''s techniques shattered.


    "[Godbane Strike]!"


    The nine different energies formed a huge vortex.


    Fang Yi was suffering from a nosebleed. Even with his fourth-realm body and twenty-five wheels of time, it was difficult to support the sheer offensive might of this technique. Fang Yi was able to control formless energy effectively, but not the ninefold confluence of energies. Nor could he form it into the shape of a spear.


    All that energy erupted in an instant in a blow that shook the world.


    The son of lightning was initially shocked, but he then focused on reinforcing his own technique. He imbued manifold authorities into his lightning: a phoenix wing, a phoenix spreading its wings, a dragon howling into the skies.


    The two frightening attacks struck each other in an explosion of lightning. A howling storm, void lightning, mysterious temporal charge, the wind of ages¡ªthe mishmash of elements exploded. Against fate, the lightning had no choice but to bow down. Fang Yi''s [Fated Spear] scattered the lightning and the manifold authorities it possessed.


    Thepetitors were deeply astounded by this blow.


    "I remember who they are now. They''re the ster hunters! One of them beat the invincible Srvine, and the other, the ninth Immortal King. They''re both incredible existences."


    Upon witnessing Zhang Lie and Fang Yi''s strength, many of the cultivators backed down.


    They were here to steal their treasures, not to be killed. They backed down hastily.


    "Ah, something just came up. I have to leave for the moment."


    "Ouch, my stomach! I''m going to head out first."


    "Is something happening over there?"


    "It looks like there are people fighting over treasure. Why don''t we have a look?"


    "Oh, great excuse¡ªno, there really are people fighting over something!"


    "There''s a massive conflict brewing over there!"


    "What incrediblemotion. What in the world is happening?"


    Piercing light emanated from the heavens.


    A figure emerged waving a halberd, surrounded by light, the very sky his backdrop. He was poised to split apart the heavens himself.


    Meanwhile, opposite him, bearing a goldenmp glimmering with light, was another young man who was equally tall and heroic. The two cultivators prepared to face off.


    Fog surrounded the two cultivators as a talisman rose into the air. The two cultivators struck simultaneously, fighting over it.


    "This is the ''Bone Talisman'' that allows you to enter thend of inheritance!"


    Thepetitors all around gasped, giving up on Zhang Lie and Feng Xian as they rushed toward the talisman.


    Clearly, that talisman was far more precious than the divine nts in Zhang Lie''s possession.


    The son of lightning deserved his status as one of the budding cultivators of this younger generation. He had even survived the [Fated Spear], but he wasn''t in good condition. Half his body had been destroyed, and mental dust continued to scatter from his wounds. The son of lightning evoked the inverse to destruction, creation, in an attempt to heal his wounds.


    An ordinary injury would easily be healed by this approach, but Fang Yi''s attack was extraordinary. The ninefold attack had used elemental forces that were difficult toprehend and harder still to transmute. The son of lightning''s restorative ability didn''t take effect.


    "You were lucky." The son of lightning snorted, vanishing in a bolt of electricity. He shed away so quickly that Fang Yi wouldn''t be able to give chase.


    "Come at me if you dare!" Fang Yi shouted, but he didn''t give chase. Using the [Fated Spear] had drained much of Fang Yi''s reserves, and he wouldn''t be able to fight at full strength. He too needed time to recuperate.


    Li Feng asked, "What''s this ''Bone Talisman'' that grants ess into thend of inheritance? Why are there so many people chasing after it?"


    Zhang Lie recalled what Sun Xiaowu had told them before his departure. This realm was far moreplex than they had imagined, and it harbored tremendous secrets.


    "Perhaps it leads to the ce that Sun Xiaowu entered through one of the pces back then. That''s the real ''core'' of the world."


    The members of Team Zenith, and indeed many others, had understood the realm like nothing more than a game of Fortnite, but it seemed that things were far moreplicated.


    Fang Yi stepped forward. The three cultivators exchanged nces with each other as they headed into the depth of the fighting.


    The fog grew stronger as the cultivators fought for the bone talisman.


    As Zhang Lie stepped forward, a cultivator mmed a palm at him with radiant light. This was a free-for-all.


    A bolt of lightning, thick as could be, shot toward Fang Yi''s skull.


    Zhang Lie looked up to see that the son of lightning had struck. The ''Bone Talisman'' had ended up in their vicinity.


    The son of lightning was the fastest among all the cultivators and chased after it with extreme speed.


    A bolt of light shot forward and prated the lightning in a sh of sparks.


    Fang Yi still hadn''t recovered from his exertion. He hadn''t been the one tounch the attack¡ªLi Feng had.


    Li Feng punched forward with a fist of dizzying light.


    The void resonated; it copsed like a tattered painting.


    Several cultivators rushed over and attacked everyone present.


    Zhang Lie caught the bone talisman, which shone with multicolored light.


    "Hand that talisman over!"


    A beam of sword energy stretched for hundreds of kilometers and came at Zhang Lie from afar.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, which shed against that beam and exploded in the air.


    "Hand it over!" the cultivator demanded again. He wore ck; a chilling aura surrounded him.


    Li Feng stood before the two cultivators. "Captain, Fang Yi, you''ve already been through an intense fight. Rest up and leave this opponent to me!"


    The enemy cultivator gave off umbral light. His dark armor began to glow and crystallize. He struck with a ck divine sword. "Scram!"


    His sword sh distorted the very heavens and struck at the three cultivators before him. It was no mere sh; rather, it seemed more like a sea of sword energy, terrorizing all mired in its midst.


    The sword energy transformed into a phoenix, a suanni, a dragon, and all sorts of mythical creatures.

 Chapter 1487: Hand Over the Inheritance

    <h4>Chapter 1487: Hand Over the Inheritance</h4>


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Dozens of dragons brimming with light spawned on the battlefield, shing against the sea of sword energy.


    The skies shook; the ground rumbled.


    "Oh? That cultivator from the Netherworld has met a match at longst!"


    "That''s Gui Jianmo of the Netherworld. He''s incredibly strong. Who could have stopped him?"


    The Netherworld was a particrly frightening ce, and this confrontation drew the attention of many spectators, all of whom were staring avidly.


    Li Feng had to admit that Gui Jianmo was a strong opponent, one who would be much more difficult to face than the other opponents he had encountered prior, even the ninth Immortal King. Netherworld light shimmered around him, corroding his gic energy.


    "Someone managed to defend against Gui Jianmo?"


    The two sides fought each other to a standstill, even after hundreds of rounds had psed. Li Feng''s performance shocked the spectators.


    "Gui Jianmo of the Netherworld is no ordinary cultivator, and he slew arge number ofpetitors in his own right, including ones simr to Coruscant Sun. How could he be unable to take down the cultivator before him?"


    In the sky, an arclight dragon appeared, forcibly dissipating the ckherworld light surrounding Gui Jianmo. Li Feng punched forward.


    After they had exchanged three hundred blows, Gui Jianmo coughed out blood as he was forced to retreat, badly hurt.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint[!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the enemy like a beam of light.


    "Hand over the inheritance!"


    The son of lightning shot forward, his aura charged. A thick bolt of lightning fell from the skies.


    Li Feng was about to take on this new opponent when Fang Yi shot forward in a beam of lightning, surrounded by wind and storm. "This is my opponent. Don''t interfere!"


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    The bell tolled as the two cultivators fought in the air, their domains demarcated with lightning. Fang Yi hadn''t fully recovered from the exhaustion of his technique, but the son of lightning hadn''t recovered from his injuries, either. Both cultivators were unable to fight at full strength and stuck in a stalemate.


    Suddenly, divine radiance seeped out from Fang Yi.


    A small shard of rock sprayed out radiant light from within his body. It was blue one moment, royal purple the next, and ink ck a momentter. Mysterious shades of light filled thend.


    Fang Yi''s soul lit up, illuminating the entire virtual realm. The aura was expansive, dark, chaotic, and rampaging; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    Fang Yi''s domain of time glimmered brightly again.


    "Stone of counteracting fate!"


    Fang Yi''s glowing body revealed the stone of counteracting fate. What it gave off wasn''t radiant light, but rather formless energy¡ªnot a curse, and instead more like an extreme sense of willpower. It felt as though there were countless figures surrounding Fang Yi, roaring and screaming in defiance.


    The stone of counteracting fate was tetrahedral in shape and significantly smaller than the stone of starlit fate that Xing Yu had disyed.


    Fang Yi''s wounds were rapidly closing up. His skin, hair, and bones shone with light.


    Fang Yi''s eyes were focused, his muscles bunched up, his flesh and blood glimmering with strength. It was as though his body wasposed of a series of furnaces that provided him with neverending energy.


    Fang Yi''s sudden use of the stone of counteracting fate allowed him to immediately turn the fight in his favor. His spear pierced through the son of lightning''s body and ended this fight.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The ripples pushed the cultivators in the vicinity back.


    Amidst the crowd of cultivators, Yang Ze shouted, "What are you waiting for? Do you want to die?"


    While the cultivators were still gobsmacked by the two incredible fights close by, Yang Ze made his move. He created a path for Zhang Lie and Fang Yi, forcing the other cultivators to step back.


    He shouted, "Run! What are you waiting for?!"


    Zhang Lie shouted, "Hurry!"


    The other cultivators btedly came to their senses. One of them shouted, "They have the bone talisman!"


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed forward.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. As it flipped over, pale-blue gic energy exploded and transformed into a howling tempest, pushing back all cultivators in the vicinity.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, resonating with his gic energy and transforming into a chaotic dragon of wind and a chaotic tiger of lightning.


    Fang Yi, Li Feng, and Yang Ze stood in a triangr formation protecting Zhang Lie. No one could close in on them.


    When the cultivators saw that they were no match for the hunters of Team Zenith, they shouted from afar, "You''ve been surrounded. You won''t be able to run. Hand over the bone talisman!"


    "Resistance is futile. I know you''re confident in your own strength, but against this many people, there''s no chance you''ll be able to get away. Hand over the bone talisman. As long as you don''t do anything extraneous, I''ll guarantee that you can make it out."


    "There''s only one bone talisman, and only one person can enter thend of inheritance. There''s no need for all of you to die together."


    "Don''t harm yourpanions out of your own greed!"


    "None of you will be able to escape. We''ve surrounded you!"


    "Not even a mosquito would be able to fly out."


    Yang Ze asked, "Captain, do you have any trump cards? It''s time to show your strength."


    Zhang Lie smiled confidently. "Don''t worry. When have I ever disappointed you? Just sit tight and watch."

 Chapter 1488: Where Did You Go

    <h4>Chapter 1488: Where Did You Go</h4>


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!"


    Temporal force whirled around Zhang Lie. This technique drew on even more of that force than even [Shadow and Light]. Time itself was disrupted and distorted. As Zhang Lie shed with his longsword, the river of time flowed backward. His surroundings seemed to tear apart like a curtain.


    The three hunters sensed everything in their vicinity rewinding in time. By the time they came to their senses, they had returned to theke where all this had begun. Even their energy expenditure had all been restored.


    His face pale, Zhang Lie let out a long sigh, then a smile. "It looks like it worked."


    Yang Ze opened his eyes wide in shock. "Captain, have you be a deity?!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at him. "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Yang Ze seemed incredulous. "If you aren''t a deity, how could you have reversed time?"


    Just now, they had been surrounded by cultivators and besieged on all fronts. Now, however, they were back where they started. Everything that had happened in the past seemed to be like a dream.


    Yang Ze couldn''t help but add, "If you aren''t a deity, how could you y around with time?"


    Li Feng nodded thoughtfully. "The only possible answer is that Captain has been hiding his strength and has secretly transformed into a deity."


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "I haven''t given up on being single just yet."


    Yang Ze frowned. "How do you exin all this?"


    Zhang Lie was still panting from exertion. The tremendous cost required for his technique left his cheeks pale.


    "I didn''t reverse time fully, just a small part ifo it."


    Yang Ze shrugged. "Isn''t that the same?"


    "It''s not. Reversing time would entail undoing everything that had happened. If I had really done so, would you still have memories of the past?"


    Yang Ze frowned. "So it''s not what we guessed, then. How did you do it, Captain?"


    Li Feng asked, "We were surrounded by a group of cultivators. How did we suddenly appear by thekeside, where we initially started out?"


    "All I did was bring the few of us within a small range back in time. I set us as the targets." Zhang Lie pointed at him, then the three members of Team Zenith before him.


    Yang Ze''s eyes lit up. "I understand it now. Captain, you used temporal force to move us back in space following our temporal trajectory, but not in time!"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "That''s right. I reverted our spatial location with the side effect of replenishing our gic energy and healing our wounds. The other cultivators are where they were."


    Yang Ze smirked. "They must be stupefied."


    Fang Yi gave Zhang Lie a thumbs up. "Amazing, Captain."


    "Haha!"


    When they thought about how gobsmacked those cultivators had to be, the four hunters allughed.


    Indeed, they were as stupefied as Zhang Lie and the others imagined them to be.


    They had just surrounded Zhang Lie a fewyers of cultivators deep. Even if the cultivators on the outer edges of the encirclement weren''t able to attack Zhang Lie and the others, neither would they be able to escape. However, Zhang Lie''s four-man party had vanished from sight right then and there!


    <i>Where''s my inheritance?</i>


    <i>Where''s my bone talisman?</i>


    <i>Where are the cultivators I trapped?</i>


    <i>How could they have gone missing?</i>


    <i>Where did they go?</i>


    <i>How could they have just vanished like that?</i>


    One moment, the four cultivators were right there; the next moment, they were gone.


    The cultivators stared at each other in shock, some even considering digging up the ground in case Zhang Lie and the others had suddenly burrowed underneath it.


    "The four of them couldn''t have vanished just like that. Something had to have happened. Search! We have to find them!"


    The majority of cultivators didn''t have enough insight or understanding to sense that the disappearing act had to do with spacetime. Some did sense it, but they didn''t dare believe that any cultivator of their generation had sufficientmand over spacetime to perform such an act.


    Back at thekeside, Li Feng couldn''t help but mutter, "Captain, if you were able to do this, why not do it sooner? We wouldn''t have had to spend so much energy fighting them off. I thought we were done for!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes at Li Feng. "Do you think it''s an easy skill to use? I might be able to replenish our supplies of gic energy, but not my mental energy. Furthermore, we aren''t that far away. They''ll find us in no time."


    The cultivators chasing after them weren''t particrly weak; unless they were to disce themselves far enough in space, they would quickly be found.


    Zhang Lie was only able to disce the hunters of Team Zenith over a short period of time. Before they arrived at theke, the hunters hadn''t been moving at a rapid clip, and it would have expended too much energy for Zhang Lie to disce them too far back in time¡ªtoo much for him to keep on fighting.


    Yang Ze shrugged. "At any rate, we managed to escape. I suppose we''re done for the time being, then."


    Fang Yi looped his arm around Yang Ze.


    "What were you doing all this time? You only showed yourself at the end. Be honest, now: were you hiding in the crowds and watching us fight all this time?" Fang Yi demanded.


    Yang Ze shrieked. "Save me, Captain! I''m innocent!"


    Zhang Lieughed and shook his head. "Alright, alright. Let him go. I''m sure Yang Ze had his own reasons."


    Fang Yi released Yang Ze, who rubbed his neck as he said, "I did notice themotion rather early on¡ªor rather, only the blind and the deaf wouldn''t have noticed it. Later, I snuck into the crowd of cultivators that were chasing after you, and I was indeed waiting to see you and Li Feng being pummeled by the crowd. It''s a pity that never happened."


    Li Feng turned to Fang Yi.


    "He confessed. Now what?"


    Fang Yi cracked his knuckles and smirked. "What else? Get him!"


    Li Feng held Yang Ze down as Fang Yi tickled him vigorously.


    "You wanted to see us pummeled? It''s fun to watch the show from the sidelines, isn''t it?! You were right there and didn''t even intend to help! Do you still consider yourself part of the team?"


    Yang Ze shrieked. "Hold it, hold it! I had a reason for not helping, a special reason!"


    Fang Yi stopped short. "What''s the reason? Tell us. We''ll use what you say as testimony."


    Li Feng continued, "What you tell us will determine whether we tickle you for the next half-hour, hour, or thirty hours!"


    Yang Ze asked, "Won''t it tire you out to do it for thirty hours?"


    "We can easily take turns," Li Feng replied.


    "Isn''t that tiring, too?"


    Li Feng took a deep breath. "You have ten seconds left to reveal your intentions."


    Fang Yi grinned. "After ten seconds, you''ll see just how tired we are. Ten, nine, eight, ..."


    <i>If they really tickled me for thirty hours, I''d be dead even with my monarch gene fragments supporting me! </i>Yang Ze immediately said, "I trusted in your abilities. Even without me, you would have been able to hold them off. I had a more important task at hand."

 Chapter 1489: Save Me, Captain

    <h4>Chapter 1489: Save Me, Captain</h4>


    Yang Ze exined, "I trusted in your strength, Captain. With the three of you here, you''d easily be able to take down the group of cultivatorsing at you. I''d be irrelevant. Rather, there''s something more urgent I had to collect, that we''re currentlycking."


    "What is it?" Fang Yi asked.


    "News, of course."


    "And what news did you manage to get by betraying us?" Li Feng asked.


    Yang Ze cried out, "I didn''t betray you!"


    Fang Yi nodded solemnly. "A very good excuse. You im this is why you hadn''t participated in the fight?"


    Li Feng rubbed his palms. "We''ll tickle you for just fifteen hours, then."


    "But I really was working hard to collect news!" Yang Ze eximed.


    Fang Yi and Li Feng were about to strike when Zhang Lie stopped them. "Let''s hear about your news first, then."


    Yang Ze replied, "We''re considered to be part of the top echelon ofpetitors. You might be the strongest among us, Captain, but we know barely anything about the otherpetitors who might pose a challenge. That''s our weakness, and that''s why I took advantage of this opportunity to try to gather information."


    "And what information did you gather?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "The first one is that the bone talisman you obtained, Captain, is used to ess thend of inheritance."


    "Is that it?" Fang Yi rubbed his palms together in anticipation.


    Yang Ze hurriedly continued, "Thend of inheritance has another name: the Final Circle."


    Everyone was surprised by what Yang Ze revealed.


    Li Feng frowned. "What does that mean?"


    Yang Ze replied, "ording to the information I gathered, this tournament isn''t just a free-for-all a Fortnite. In order to get into the Final Circle, we''ll have to pass through two more barriers along the way."


    The hunters of Team Zenith listened attentively. They knew nothing about this!


    Yang Ze continued, "To pass through those barriers, there are two possible strategies. The first is to teleport in. There are several special regions in this virtual realm associated with special inheritances that permit direct teleportation into the Final Circle. That''s what Sun Xiaowu did. The bone talisman in your hands is much the same, Captain."


    "And what about the other strategy?" Li Feng asked.


    "We can walk toward the Final Circle, but passing the first barrier requires that we eliminate a hundredpetitors. The second barrier requires that we eliminate a thousand."


    The marks on the backs of thepetitors'' palms were the key to passing through these barriers normally, but doing so would require defeating an inordinate number of otherpetitors.


    Zhang Lie looked at the mark on the back of his palm that had extended all the way to his arm and was glowing with light.


    "To think that this mark would not only influence the final rewards we obtain, but also serve an instrumental role as we approach theter stages of the tournament..."


    Li Feng sucked in a deep breath. "Just how manypetitors are there? Defeating a thousand of them to enter the Final Circle¡ªthis has to be a joke!"


    They had seen fewer than three hundred cultivators so far.


    Zhang Lie asked, "How manypetitors are there in this tournament?"


    "ording to the news I collected," Yang Ze replied, "there are about ten thousand."


    "So only ten people will be allowed into the Final Circle?"


    Everyone sucked in a breath.


    Wasn''t this sort of elimination rate far too extreme?


    "Not quite." Yang Ze shook his head. "There are a few beasts in this virtual realm, and each one counts as the equivalent of tenpetitors. Of course, these beasts can kill unpreparedpetitors as well. Heading toward the Final Circle by brute force is usually ast resort, though, chosen only after the other methods are exhausted. Competitors tend to prefer to fight for bone talismans or to pass through by teleportation from the special regions that provide inheritances."


    "How many people tend to make it into the Final Circle?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "No more than fifty."


    "What?!" Li Feng cried out. "Bu Wentian''s estimates were way off!"


    Bu Wentian had said that there were roughly a hundred cultivators, but the actual number was about ten thousand. A factor of a hundred¡ªtwo orders of magnitude!¡ªwas far toorge a difference.


    Yang Ze continued, "The qualifiers were split up into several regions. We participated in the central region, which was full of talented cultivators."


    Li Feng frowned. "Bu Wentian must have scammed us."


    Fang Yi shrugged. "Why would he do that? There''s no need to deliberately send some cannon fodder into the tournament."


    "What about a few strong cultivators unaware of how the tournament operates, then?"


    Yang Ze disagreed.


    Zhang Lie shook his head as well. "There''s no motive for doing so."


    Li Feng replied, "But you have to admit it''s strange. There''s so much information that thepetitors take for granted, but that Bu Wentian''spletely unaware of."


    The information that Bu Wentian had given them was simply too different from their actual circumstances.


    Fang Yi suggested, "Could Bu Wentian just know nothing at all about the tournament?"


    Li Feng countered, "Isn''t Bu Wentian''s actual body in the fifth realm?"


    "What if Bu Wentian is in an abnormal situation?" Fang Yi refined his thoughts.


    "What other hypotheses do you have?" Li Feng asked.


    "Perhaps Bu Wentian might be trapped," Fang Yi said. "He can only ess the world atrge during limited time intervals, and he can''t gather information readily."


    Yang Ze made a bold hypothesis. "Or perhaps Bu Wentian isn''t from the fifth realm at all. He might be a lifeform of this virtual realm that bridges the fourth and the fifth realms, as we proposed earlier, who found a way to link up to the fourth realm."


    Zhang Lie cut them all off. "There''s no reason to discuss such matters at the moment. What we need to do is win the tournament. As for why there''s such arge discrepancy between our actual situation and the information that Bu Wentian gave us, we can find out by asking him once we''ve returned to the fourth realm."


    The other hunters all agreed. There would be time to consider Bu Wentian''s situation in more detailter.


    Zhang Lie turned to Yang Ze again. "What other news have you managed to obtain, Yang Ze?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "That''s about all I have."


    Fang Yi and Li Feng rubbed their palms in anticipation. "Your information was somewhat useful, so we''ll reduce your punishment to an hour or two or tickling."


    Yang Ze cried out, "Help me, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie cut them all off again. "Alright, that''s enough. Yang Ze didn''t make a mistake in heading out to search for more information. We''d still be in the dark if he hadn''t done what he did. We''ll keep him around for the time being."


    Yang Ze rxed as Fang Yi and Li Feng obediently gave up on the punishment.


    Li Feng said, "To think you''d be able to obtain so much information despite how chaotic the situation was..."


    Yang Ze smirked. "That''s precisely what made it easy to gather more information. I just have to rescue one or two people, then fight with my injured ''teammates'' to win their trust. They revealed tons of information after that. Under ordinary circumstances, everyone would be on their guard, and it would be far harder to get such information out."


    While the hunters were chatting, a deafening bang suddenly resounded from behind.

 Chapter 1490: Individual Absorption

    <h4>Chapter 1490: Individual Absorption</h4>


    The four hunters turned to the source of themotion. Heaven and earth seemed like it was about to shatter. Ghostly blue lightning spread in a crackling web, destroying everything around it.


    As the lightning storm continued to spread, beasts were sent flying.


    Yang Ze gasped. "Is this divine retribution?"


    "What an amazing sight!" Li Feng praised.


    Fang Yi asked, "Captain, do we need to leave the area?"


    Zhang Lie nced at the lightning storm for a moment. "We should."


    Yang Ze rubbed his jaw. "There''s no need to worry, is there? It''s moving too slowly to reach us for a few days, surely."


    Zhang Lie replied, "That''s true, but I''m worried the otherpetitors will find us."


    The other three hunters immediately nodded. They vacated the area, then searched for shelter.


    "Should we find the other hunters?" Yang Ze asked.


    Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying were still out gallivanting on their own.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "There''s no rush. Thepetitors are still searching for us. If we keep running haphazardly, we''d easily end up surrounded. We should find somewhere to hide for the time being, then absorb the bug monarchs and silver-dragon lotuses to raise our own strength."


    After his momentary confrontation with Feng Xian, Zhang Lie realized that the otherpetitors were growing stronger with the resources they had harvested from this realm. Perhaps they might have been weaker than he had been at the start, but if Zhang Lie didn''t learn how to take advantage of the resources avable here, those weakerpetitors would rapidly catch up to and eclipse him in strength.


    Fang Yi shook his head. "Forget about the bug monarchs, I think. They won''t represent a notable boost in strength for us."


    The bug monarchs weren''t bug emperors, after all. Fang Yi had consumed a bug monarch in order to recover from his injuries, and he was well aware of the potency of a bug monarch. It wasn''t sufficient to elevate them to new heights; they had started out at the acme of thepetitors in this realm, and it would be difficult for them to advance further.


    "We''d better save the bug monarchs for when we suffer injuries," Yang Ze said. "As for the silver-dragon lotuses, Captain, you were the one who found them. It ought to go to you."


    Li Feng nodded. "Even if we hadn''t done anything, you would have been able to secure the treasure yourself, Captain."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Better that we all raise our strength evenly to handle our opponents. We''re a team, and I insist." The other three hunters nodded, no longer objecting. They were well aware that they could easily hold the others back by being too weak.


    The hunters found a secluded location to absorb the silver-dragon lotuses.


    Zhang Lie divided the lotuses into fourths, then gave each of the other three hunters one portion.


    "I''ll guard you as you absorb the lotuses. Once you''re done, it''ll be my turn."


    "Why don''t you go first, Captain?" Yang Ze suggested.


    Zhang Lie kicked him. "Just get started and stop dilly-dallying!"


    Yang Ze and the others consumed the silver-dragon lotuses and absorbed its potency. Each of them fuzzed into a ball of silver light, surrounded by fragments of the realm''sws. A mysterious transformation was taking ce; the energy that seeped out from the silver balls was shocking.


    Fang Yi''s silver ball was crackling with lightning. Light pierced through the heavens as his silver ball transformed into a silver sun, then turned golden-yellow. Pitch-ck storm winds surrounded it, almost like an eggshell. Karmic power wrapped around it, flecked with divine aura, and even bits of chaos started to appear.


    This was an astounding transformation.


    Yang Ze''s situation was much the same. Pale-blue gic energy spread out from underneath his body like tendrils of water. Spatial ripples surrounded him. As time passed, the gic energy beneath his body formed waves over which light refracted. Space seemed to fold into high-dimensional ordion-likeyers.


    Li Feng was surrounded with light and radiated a holy, divine aura. An arclight dragon spawned around him.


    Three whole days passed quickly.


    Above Fang Yi, the wind and storm that surrounded his ball of silver light had manifested in the form of a giant lotus. Chaotic energy surrounded the lotus, obscuring Fang Yi at its center. A shocking metamorphosis was taking ce.


    Beneath Yang Ze was a huge sea of gic energy. A lotus of crystalline ice bloomed around him, floating at the heart of the sea.


    Li Feng was encapsted within a huge lotus brimming with white light, like an egg or even a centa. Within, Li Feng was in a state of nirvana. A dragon''s howls could be heard from time to time around him.


    Fragments of naturalw surrounded the three cultivators.


    The stone of counteracting fate emerged, a tiny shard of stone that sprayed out radiant light. It was blue one moment, royal purple the next, and ink ck a momentter. Mysterious shades of light filled thend.


    Fang Yi''s soul lit up, illuminating the entire virtual realm. The aura was expansive, dark, chaotic, and rampaging; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    What the stone gave off wasn''t radiant light, but rather formless energy¡ªnot a curse, and instead more like an extreme sense of willpower. It felt as though there were countless figures surrounding Fang Yi, roaring and screaming in defiance.


    A pair of wings formed behind him,posed entirely of lightning. Wind and storm surrounded him as lightning fizzled through the sky.


    Then, he was swamped by wind and storm again. They surrounded him like a cocoon. He seemed to be advancing beyond mortal ken.


    Wisps of white fog, like divine qi or like bursts of primordial chaos, wreathed around him, mysterious to the extreme.


    Around him, all manner of grass, shrub, herb, and nt began to grow: some in gold, in purple, and in green. All radiated with luster.


    This greenery wasn''t real; it had manifested from lightning. Fang Yi was intuiting a facet of lightning that had previously eluded him.


    Not only that, he could feel a strong and vibrant lifeforce around him, ensconced in the silver-dragon lotus. Not only was he undergoing a mental metamorphosis, he had gained insight from the transformation as well.


    Lightning wasn''t just an element that harbored immense destructive potential; it could likewise birth life and vitality.


    Understanding this aspect of lightning was the key toward true mastery of the element: what came after destructive lightning was budding life.


    Greenery grew rampant around Fang Yi, a breathtaking disy of nature. Flowers bloomed with umon beauty, marked with lightning.


    Then, all that greenery wilted.


    The cycle repeated, lush blooms transforming into withered husks, almost like a cycle of reincarnation. Fang Yi''s mastery over fate thrummed as he enacted the cycle of life, death, and rebirth fundamental to lightning. He melded that cycle with power over fate. At the heart of thisbination would be mastery over reincarnation itself.


    Finally, the greenery all vanished. Metal appeared before and behind Fang Yi. Golden spears pointed toward the heavens.


    Then, they began to resonate, gleaming and crackling with energy.


    Fang Yi''s understanding of lightning was deepening by the moment.

 Chapter 1491: Theres No Difference

    <h4>Chapter 1491: There''s No Difference</h4>


    Fang Yi broke out of the cocoon, a golden spear manifesting in his hand,bining gold-attuned gic energy and lightning. He thrust the spear toward the void in a huge wave of gic energy.


    The spear thrust generated boundless strength, enough to pierce through the veil of the realm and leave it in tatters. It possessed both the sharpness of steel and destructiveness of lightning, and seemed to be able to destroy anything in its way.


    Then, Fang Yi sat down calmly and sat cross-legged on the ground, his spear gone.


    He was struck by inspiration¡ªthis pinnacle of control, of mastery, over gold-attuned energy that would allow him to defeat all foes lying before him.


    Wind and storm merged into a cohesive whole, forming another cocoon around him that made him look extraordinary. Wisps of chaos surrounded him.


    Fang Yi continued his metamorphosis. He had made tremendous gains, especially in the domain of lightning.


    Fluid gushed down around Fang Yi, a pale-blue, crystal-clear liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    Incredibly, this wasn''t actually water, but liquid lightning.


    How could this be? Transforming lightning into a liquid, a form so obviously unnatural, required a perfect understanding of the element, a mastery of its core principles and in particr the ones associated with both lightning and water.


    More of the blue fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Fang Yi sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.


    Then, within the sky appeared a waterfall. Rapids rushed out of the void and over his physical body.


    The river and waterfall together formed an expandingke. The entire sky turned into a glittering blue ocean, possessed of umon beauty.


    As Fang Yi pointed a finger forward, all that blue fluid suddenly began to bubble, coursing where his finger directed it.


    This was a frightening strength, the fourth transformation of lightning after fire, nature, and metal¡ªfluid.


    When Zhang Lie saw this scene, he too was amazed. Fang Yi had managed to reach this pinnacle of understanding all by himself, transforming lightning into four separate and distinct states. Although Zhang Lie was likewise able to transform his gic energy into mud, superheated steam, crystal, and even corrosion, this wasrgely a byproduct of his understanding of his framework, [Ninecarp Transformation].


    On the other hand, Fang Yi had reached this stage with nothing more than his own intuition.


    Reaching such mastery of lightning was an incredible feat, one that many cultivators far above Fang Yi would never be able to achieve in their lifetimes.


    Fang Yi''s understanding and intuition were on the level of a genius.


    Yang Ze was disying a strange phenomenon of his own. Divine fog surrounded him.


    Greenery sprung up where hey, glowing and glittering with light. A sea surged, crystalline and swarming with fish. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious. Space tore apart a rift like a cross-section of ss.


    Yang Ze was filled with vitality, but the phenomena around him were far less frightening than those around Fang Yi.


    On the other hand, what was happening to Li Feng wasparable to Fang Yi.


    Around Li Feng was divine fog, and by his side grew bountiful greenery in white and silver and gold, all formed of light. The greenery didn''t exist in reality; it was formed of light-attuned gic energy. He too had intuited a form of vitality.


    Li Feng''s transformation wasn''t limited to his mind. The vitality resonated with his light-attuned framework, which governed vitality in its own right. However, Li Feng hadn''t emphasized this portion of his framework in his development. Thanks to the silver-dragon lotuses, he was able to intuit light-based healing and regeneration practices.


    This surprising development was unexpected to Zhang Lie, and even to Li Feng himself. That his framework could be extended in this direction was incredible.


    Without these silver-dragon lotuses outlining such a path forward, Li Feng might never have been able to unlock this portion of his potential.


    As far as the hunters of the Milky Way were aware, light wasposed of photons.


    How could photons possess any such regenerative ability? Laser skin care?


    How could light-attuned gic energy heal skin and muscles? 3D printing?


    The regenerative ability of light-attuned gic energy was based on conceptual ideas that associated light with regeneration and healing, not science.


    The ability of lightning to nurture and transform matter was simr as well. Neither of these new powers boasted a scientific origin, but even so, the silver-dragon lotuses had endowed Fang Yi and Li Feng with such powers.


    Zhang Lie intended to interrogate the two hunters carefully about the process they had undergone.


    Perhaps this ''divine nt'' was more special than he had anticipated. Not only was it able to elevate one''s mind, it even had hidden abilities that Zhang Lie was unaware of.


    Zhang Lie had been nning to wait for the three hunters'' metamorphoses to be over, but he could sense otherpetitors drawing near.


    The three cultivators had caused such amotion thatpetitors nearby were heading toward the source of the disturbance.


    Zhang Lie shed over to where the nearest cultivators were and blocked their path. "The way forward is blocked."


    "It''s you?!" The cultivator nced coldly at Zhang Lie. He wore ck; a chilling aura surrounded him. A huge sickle rested on his shoulder, and a tattered cloak to his back.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Do I know you?"


    His opponent''s aura was very familiar. It was thick, cloying, and reeked of death¡ªhe seemed to have encountered it before.


    "Just about every cultivator in the tournament knows who you are now."


    Zhang Lie touched his face. "It looks like we are famous, aren''t we? But I don''t know who you are."


    "Have you heard of the death gods of Netherworld?"


    "It sounds frightening."


    Zhang Lie btedly realized why the enemy cultivator had such a familiar aura. It was because he had fought someone from Netherworld before.


    The death god of Netherworld brandished his scythe. "Looks like you''ve gotten quite a few treasures. Yourpanions are undergoing some sort of critical period where they can''t be disturbed, clearly. Hand over the silver-dragon lotuses and the bone talisman you obtained, and I''ll pretend I haven''t seen anything."


    "I''ve killed a fair fewpetitors from Netherworld," Zhang Lie replied.


    The death god replied pridefully, "I''m aware, but I''m different from those pieces of trash."


    "Not to me!"


    "I''ve been curious about just how strong you ster hunters are. Let''s see if your arrogance is warranted."


    His body began to glow with umbral light as his ck armor turned crystalline. He struck with his scythe, a blow of intense strength that distorted the void as it headed for Zhang Lie.


    The attack was bolstered by what felt like a whole sea of des, shocking the gathered cultivators.


    The de energy transformed into a phoenix, a suanni, a dragon, and all sorts of mythical creatures besides.

 Chapter 1492: Oriented Skyward

    <h4>Chapter 1492: Oriented Skyward</h4>


    However, these mythical creatures were very different from theirmon conception: they were nothing but skeletons, vestiges of their original selves. Deathly aura filled the air, as though they had wed their way out of theherworld.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over thebatants. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area and striking the sea of des.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The skies shook; the ground rumbled. The de energy exploded as the skeletal constructs ttered to the ground. Theherworldly aura corroded the ground, turning it pitch-ck.


    The death god of Netherworld waved his scythe, causing dark energy to striate the sky.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth.


    The death god cut the shark with his scythe, bisecting it.


    As he swung his scythe about, a deathly aura permeated the air. Specters and malevolent ghosts seemed to climb up out of the ground, forming a veritable sea of carcasses that surged toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, swallowing up the deathly aura.


    As the deathly aura struck the corrosive gic energy, it sizzled.


    The death god vanished from sight, passing through the ck aura and instantly appearing behind Zhang Lie. He swung his scythe, aiming to behead Zhang Lie''s neck.


    Zhang Lie didn''t bother turning around. He punched behind him, shing against the scythe in a metallic nk.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie clenched his fist tightly, causing pitch-ck gic energy to gather around it. A demonic serpent emerged and rushed out as Zhang Lie punched forward.


    The death god blocked the serpent''s attack with his scythe. The serpent mped down on the scythe''s haft, knocking the death god aside.


    The death god struggled furiously, but the serpent proved a difficult foe.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, another ck serpent shot forward.


    It joined up with the previous serpent. A wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that consumed everything in sight, rock and ground alike. The death god shrieked as he was annihted by the rampaging energy.


    As the fight finished, so too did Li Feng''s metamorphosis.


    The greenery around him had vanished, reced with gold-attuned gic energy. Before and behind Li Feng, golden des manifested and oriented themselves toward the heavens.


    Then, they began to resonate.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t particrly surprised. Li Feng had disyed a connection to gold in the past, and that connection had only deepened.


    The golden des formed in his hand, shining with andposed of scorching light. They were all but indistinguishable from real weaponry, but were even stronger.


    Li Feng stood up, shing at the void with his longsword. An ocean of energy poured out.


    That one sh generated boundless strength, able to destroy anything in its way.


    Then, Li Feng sat down calmly and sat cross-legged on the ground, his longsword gone.


    Fluid gushed down around Li Feng, a silver liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    This wasn''t actually water, but liquid light, much like one of Li Feng''s techniques.


    More of the silver fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Li Feng sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.


    Then, within the sky appeared a waterfall. Rapids rushed out of the void and over his physical body.


    The river and waterfall together formed an expandingke. The entire sky turned into a glittering silver ocean, possessed of umon beauty.


    As Li Feng pointed a finger forward, all that silver fluid suddenly began to bubble, coursing where his finger directed it. This was a frightening strength.


    Li Feng, Yang Ze, and Fang Yi all blinked. Their eyes were filled with excitement and exuberance. Their metamorphoses had clearly been impactful.


    Voices could be heard from afar. "What happened here?"


    "It looks like there was a huge fight."


    "Those phenomena just now¡ªsome treasure must have spawned in this region!"


    Themotion caused by Zhang Lie and the death god of Netherworld''s fight, as well as Li Feng and the others'' transformation, lured quite a fair number of cultivators over. Zhang Lie was just about to deal with the annoying pests when Fang Yi extended a hand to stop him. "Don''t worry about them, Captain. We''ll deal with them ourselves."


    Zhang Lie nodded. "You want to test out how strong you''ve grown, don''t you?"


    The three hunters grinned.


    When the cultivators saw the three hunters walking out, they hurriedly surrounded them.


    "What did you find inside?"


    "Hand over the treasures, now!"


    "Hold on, I feel like I''ve seen these three fellows somewhere before..."


    "Aren''t they the ster hunters?"


    "They''re the ones who made a big fuss at the divineke, then killed the son of lightning and the heir of the Srvines!"


    When the cultivators recognized the three hunters, they nched. They turned to leave, but it was already toote. Yang Ze was about to taunt them when Fang Yi charged forward with his spear.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Chaotic and spatial energy joined in the mix¡ªa miniaturized version of his signature fivefold strike, at least at the level of a fourfold strike.

 Chapter 1493: Consuming It All Alone

    <h4>Chapter 1493: Consuming It All Alone</h4>


    A ck turtle and divine bird rushed out of the mix of chaotic energy, spatial rifts, wind, and storm.


    The wind resolved into a stormwind dragon. Spatial force transformed into a qilin, with the void as its ws and space its scales. Blue lightning extended through the sky, the lightning-to-fluid transformation that Fang Yi had just obtained.


    The lightning transformed into a white tiger, spatial force forming its sharp ws and chaotic energy condensing into its eyes. That lightning was as sharp as a de¡ªa lightning-to-gold transformation.


    Spatial force manifested in the form of a divine bird, space its feathers, the storm its body, lightning its beak, and chaotic energy seeping from its feathers like burning mes.


    The chaotic energy transformed into a ck turtle, spatial force into its shell, lightning into its legs, and the stormy wind its head.Lightning-touched greenergy began to grow explosively.


    With [Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar], Fang Yi was simultaneously maintaining four lightning-rted elemental transformations. The skill was so incredible that even Yang Ze and Li Feng temporarily forgot their intention to attack. Fang Yi''s skill with lightning was more art than attack.


    Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear. Heaven and earth alike filled with light. The lightning exploded like a boundless sea. mes and chaotic energy burst. A storm swept over thend. When the light vanished, everything in sight was gone¡ªFang Yi had obliterated all the cultivators in one fell swoop.


    Yang Ze and Li Feng btedly came back to their senses.


    "You didn''t leave a single one of them for me?!"


    Fang Yi shrugged. "Move faster next time, then."


    Zhang Lie nodded approvingly. His one skill alone made it apparent how much he had grown. Yang Ze and Li Feng had likely obtained a transformation of simr magnitude.


    To Fang Yi, those opponent cultivators were no longer anything more than dishes of food to be devoured.


    Zhang Liemented, "From the looks of you, these divine nts do far more than initiate a mental evolution."


    Fang Yi nodded. "Our bodies were bolstered as well, and most importantly, the divine nts conferred understanding and intuition about life."


    "They''re that strong?" Zhang Lie wondered.


    Yang Ze nodded. "It''s hard to describe it properly, but you have a portion of the nts too, Captain. You''ll see for yourself. I wonder how these divine nts grew? Perhaps they were deliberately cultivated by some of the strongest cultivators in the fifth realm."


    Given what the three hunters said, it seemed that Fang Yi had the strongestpatibility with the intuition provided by the silver-dragon lotuses, while Yang Ze had the least. Li Feng''spatibility was little worse than Fang Yi''s.


    How much each cultivator gleaned from these silver-dragon lotuses would depend on their own attunement and connection to life.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "I really am starting to anticipate consuming these nts. At any rate, we had better leave first."


    The fight just now would surely draw the attention of more cultivators. If they remained, even more would gather.


    Zhang Lie wanted to digest the bug emperor and the remaining portion of silver-dragon lotuses in peace, without the disruption of other cultivators around. The four hunters left to find a new secluded location.


    After consuming the bug emperor, Zhang Lie underwent a metamorphosis. Manifestations formed around him, transforming into a ck dragon, a dragonturtle, a carp, a dragonlion, and other resplendent figures.


    Zhang Lie could sense an unusual path appearing before him.


    Carps emerged from his flesh, endless in number, frothing like blood¡ªa sinister transformation.

 Chapter 1494: Framework Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 1494: Framework Evolution</h4>


    The next moment, Zhang Lie''s gic energy transformed again. Inscriptions formed along his blood, flesh, and soul, all in the shape of swords.


    His aura grew sharp beyond measure. He raised a hand and a leg, his very body like a sword oriented toward the sky.


    Countless tiny swords flowed along his body like blood.


    [Ninecarp Transformation] activated without conscious control from Zhang Lie.


    The swords intersected within his body, forming a golden tiger.


    Then, they dispersed into a swarm of ck demonic serpents, which congregated anew into a ck dragon.


    Then, that ck dragon dispersed and formed a ck turtle, then a dragonturtle, then a lion, a dragonlion...


    Zhang Lie underwent metamorphosis after metamorphosis. Each time, he felt his mind advance by leaps and bounds, and his physical body was changing as well.


    From the bug emperor, Zhang Lie sensed the peak of the evolution of the physical self, the path fromrva to butterfly. It was a shocking series of evolutions, oneparable to his [Ninecarp Transformation] but without as much potential.


    All that information was absorbed by his [Ninecarp Transformation], strengthening the framework tremendously.


    He was able to transform into a carp, a ck dragon, a golden tiger, a dragonturtle¡ªthe possibilities were endless.


    He opened his eyes wide. A ck dragon roared from deep within his pupils. A golden tiger shot out swords from its body, and a dragonturtle bore four tablets on its back. Universal and naturalw peeked out.


    The sun and moon shone; celestial phenomena appeared.


    Zhang Lie blinked as he returned to reality. He exhaled. He was shocked and surprised by the experience.


    "What a miraculous world. I can''t believe this is just a virtual realm."


    It felt just as real as cultivating in reality.


    Obtaining advanced resources in this world would bolster a cultivator''s mind and body, allowing for a mental evolution¡ªbut even more important were the intuition and experiences that one could gain.


    No wonder Feng Xian had gotten to the point where it was difficult for Zhang Lie to suppress her any longer within a short amount of time just by collecting such resources.


    A peak resource would provide an unimaginable boost in a cultivator''s strength and guidance into potential evolutions. This sort of bug-specific metamorphosis framework certainly didn''t exist within the Milky Way. Zhang Lie was shocked that the intuition could have been encapsted within a bug emperor and transformed into a resource of the virtual realm.


    The more he explored it, the more Zhang Lie wondered what sort of existence could have created such a mysterious realm.


    The intuition and enlightenment obtained in this virtual realm could be recapitted in reality. Even without the energy provided by the bug monarch, it would be easy to find nourishing sustenance and energy in the dimensional realm.


    Furthermore, after the first virtual evolution, cultivators would be more experienced when trying the process in reality, allowing them to correct and guide the evolution more precisely.


    After the initial trial experience in the virtual realm, the corresponding evolution in reality would surely be even better than before.


    Even if cultivators failed here, they could easilymit suicide with nosting repercussions.

 Chapter 1495: Rather Ill-Tempered

    <h4>Chapter 1495: Rather Ill-Tempered</h4>


    Fluid gushed down around Zhang Lie, a pale-blue, crystal-clear liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    Water was the source of life; through his recent revtion about life, his water-attuned gic energy was granted vivacity.


    More of the blue fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Zhang Lie sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.


    Then, within the sky appeared a waterfall. Rapids rushed out of the void and over his physical body.


    The river and waterfall together formed an expandingke. The entire sky turned into a glittering blue ocean, possessed of umon beauty.


    In the vision of life, Zhang Lie chose the gold attunement and his most frequently used water attunement.


    Zhang Lie opened his eyes. His whole body seemed infused with vitality, and he had gone beyond his usual peak condition. His understanding of [Ninecarp Transformation] had deepened. Even though it hadn''t advanced to the next level, the framework was fresher, in some sense, than before. His gic energy bubbled.


    Yang Ze and the other hunters had just finished dealing with thest of the enemy cultivators by then. They turned back to see Zhang Lie walking out.


    "You''re finished, Captain?"


    Zhang Lie''s absorption of the silver-dragon lotuses and contact with the Dao of life itself resulted in unusual phenomena that had drawn the attention of more cultivators, whom Yang Ze and the other hunters had handled.


    Zhang Lie nodded. "Let''s set off."


    ording to the queen''s hive soulshard, they would be heading off in a different direction than before.


    Thend grew rich and lush, filled with vegetation all over. Some of the ancient trees ascended beyond even the tallest peaks of the nearby mountains, thick as could be. Glowing vines hung down from them.


    Some fierce avians of tremendous size had constructed nests at the top of the trees. Those nests, woven from silversilk grass, gave off glowing light.


    Pythons and giant snakes hundreds of meters long coiled along the trees, hissing at the nests from time to time. They too gave off an aura of intense strength.


    On the ground, a thickyer of fallen leaves dposed into rich and fertile soil. Purple spiders the size of one''s face, silver centipedes meters long, golden scorpions half a human tall¡ªall sorts of varied beasts could be seen.


    The forest was umonly dangerous; stepping into these beasts'' territory could result in life-threatening danger.


    The four hunters passed through the forest, treading on a thickyer of leaves, with particr caution.


    As they passed by a weathered cave, they startled a beast within, a toad norger than the size of a round dining table, but nevertheless particrly dangerous.


    They were strong enough and fast enough to flee immediately.


    It wasn''t that the four hunters feared a toad, but that anymotion within the forest would surely attract the attention of more beasts in the vicinity. The fight might have devolved into a free-for-all, and it would have be much more difficult for the members of Team Zenith to reunite. Even so, it was toote.


    The toad''s croaks were like thunder, visibly causing the hunters of Team Zenith to shake.


    Howling winds began to blow. The toad opened its mouth wide, forming a hurricane of incredible magnitude. All the ancient trees in the vicinity bent and cracked. Many were uprooted wholesale.


    A few of the hundred-meter-long giant snakes and avians were startled by themotion. Displeased, they took to the air.


    A blood-red whip struck them and whisked them away into the golden toad''s mouth: its tongue.


    "They were eaten just like that?" Yang Ze eximed. He sucked in a deep breath, then shrouded the hunters inyers of space, isting them from the outside world.


    Yang Ze knew how difficult of an opponent the toad would be, and he wanted to avoid it as much as possible.


    Even Zhang Lie wasn''t superior to Yang Ze when it came to techniques rted to hiding and running away.


    The four hunters strode deeper into the forest, finding mountains turned to rubble andkes that werepletely dried up. They searched for remnant weapons and treasures that might have been left behind.


    Deep within theke, crimson, blood-red rays of light pierced through the air. It was as though sunlight had struck a glittering pool of blood.


    The unusual phenomenon was a sure sign of treasure.


    Many cultivators rushed over, igniting amotion.


    By the time the four hunters made it there, some cultivators had already ventured deep inside. There was an ind in the middle of theke, wreathed in fog and glowing blood-red. A door of light was visible on the ind, resplendent as could be.


    Yang Ze turned to the others. "Should we go have a look?"


    Zhang Lie was about to say something when the door of light rippled. A figure emerged, and the four hunters'' eyes widened.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    Yang Zeughed. "What a surprise."


    "Looks like Zhou Ying went on her own adventure, too." Zhang Lie smiled.


    The four hunters were about to step forward when a figure appeared behind Zhou Ying.


    The cultivator had white hair and a single horn protruding from his forehead. A pair of silvery-white wings sprouted to his back. He was a Holywing, and a particrly strong cultivator at that.


    However, he wasn''t in good shape at all right then and there. Bloodstains marred his body.


    "Hand the treasure over. You don''t have the qualifications to wield it!" he shouted at Zhou Ying.


    "Rather bad-tempered, aren''t you? You failed to trick me, and now you''re trying to throw a temper. All you can do is use despicable tactics on your opponent. Do you really think me easy to bully?" Zhou Ying replied cidly.


    Yang Ze frowned. "He seems somewhat familiar."


    "You think so too?" Li Feng asked.


    Zhang Lie said, "From his aura, it seems like he''s rted to the Holywing cultivator Zhou Ying faced during the qualifiers."


    However, he was quite a few magnitudes stronger.

 Chapter 1496: If You Want to Die

    <h4>Chapter 1496: If You Want to Die</h4>


    Zhou Ying scoffed. "Holywing, you say? Do you really think two chicken wings makes you an angel?"


    "You dare!" the Holywing cultivator shouted. Two beams of silvery-white light shot out of his pupils. His wings unfurled, sending out a cascade of light. A frightening aura manifested around him.


    "What, angered just by a few casual remarks?" Zhou Ying asked coolly.


    The Holywing cultivator red at her, saying not a word. Killing intent seeped out of his eyes; his smile was ice-cold.


    "Do you really think you''re impressive for having killed one of my n during the qualifiers? He was middling at best."


    "I pay off my debts and grudges alike. If you remain this recalcitrant, then I might as well send you on your way," Zhou Ying replied.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    "If you want to die that badly, I''ll grant you your wish!" the Holywing cultivator shouted. He unrolled a scroll depicting a frightening apocalypse.


    Within moments, the contents of that scroll transcribed themselves in reality. Stars fell from the heavens and the sun itself exploded, swamping Zhou Ying in destruction.


    Layers of wood dragons provided enhanced protection against the cmity. As the stars fell, the wood dragons splintered and shattered in a shower of shards, but Zhou Ying''s boundless vitality and natural energy allowed them to regrow quickly. Sr fire immted everything in sight as mist and fog formed around the ind¡ªno, that was superheated steam.


    However, the sr mes were unable to harm the golden wood dragons. Zhou Ying had absorbed a golden mulberry tree in the past, endowing her creations with impressive resistance against fire, even sr fire.


    Zhou Ying continued to protect herself with the wood dragons.


    Fang Yi was about to charge forward when Zhang Lie stopped him. "Zhou Ying should be able to handle this opponent on her own."


    The more pressing matter was the cultivators that were gathering around the site of the phenomenon. They were all aware that Zhou Ying possessed some incredible treasure, and were poised to strike at any moment.


    Zhang Lie said, "The more urgent thing at present is to focus on the other cultivators in order to prevent any idents from urring."


    The scroll glowed with light. A dragon''s visage appeared in view, tearing apart a swathe of the wood dragons.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying made her move, clutching her dagger in one hand. She shed at the void with her ck dagger, beheading the dragon.


    The scroll quivered. The falling stars and the zing sun that had exploded vanished from sight. The scroll rolled itself up. A golden spear appeared in his hand, surrounded by arcing bolts of lightning. This was an attack thatbined the elemental forces of gold and lightning.


    "This will send you on your way!" the white-haired Holywing cultivator shouted, transforming into a blur as the golden light to his back took on the form of wings. He closed in on Zhou Ying within moments.


    The Holywings were blessed with wings from birth, and they were able to reach incredible speed with them. The white-haired Holywing cultivator was so fast that it went againstmon sense.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying waspletely suppressed in terms of speed, and she was barely able to defend herself in time. Zhou Ying gripped a dagger with each hand, and the tendrils growing out of her lower body wrapped around two more. The daggers shed through the void, and all four converged on the same spot. Like a whirling dervish, she spun in a tight corkscrew.


    The two cultivators shouted simultaneously as they used all the tools at their disposal to strike at each other. Lightning shed; the void trembled.


    "Reverberate!" The Holywing cultivator''s wings exploded with killing intent, illuminating the sky. The silvery-white wings transformed into a pair of crossed swords that shed forward.


    "How strong!" Zhou Ying gasped. "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the ground, enough to fill up the entire battlefield. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster.


    The silvery-white swords cut through the wood dragons like a hot knife through butter.


    Zhou Ying''s vitality and the wood dragons'' rapid regeneration weren''t particrly effective against the Holywing cultivator.


    The Holywing cultivator was fast and possessed a pair of swords with a keen edge. He was chopping apartrge swathes of wood dragons within moments, then flew past before they could regenerate.


    Zhou Ying unleashed her ultimate abilities. "[Storm of Leaves: Sixfold Void Cut]!"


    Each of her tendrils held a void dagger. The six daggers struck as one, forming a sixfold cut in the air.


    "Die!" the Holywing cultivator shouted. Blood dripped down from the single horn that protruded out of his forehead andnded on his des, imbuing them with potent energy.


    The des grew even more monstrous.


    "Hm?" Zhou Ying felt a breeze blowing by her face. A lock of ck hair had been sliced away from her head, and her temples had barely avoided a critical injury. Drops of blood dripped down her face.


    She had sustained a minor injury; the sword energy had cut her skin.


    Green motes of light shone across her body, dotting the air like fireflies, as she recovered in the blink of an eye.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Gxybound Enclosure]!"


    A titanic burst of vitality and natural energy erupted from her, turning Zhou Ying into a facsimile of a goddess of nature, the princess of the forests. Huge wood dragons emerged from underground, each the size of a skyscraper. The ind was filled with wood dragons and instantly transformed into a thick forest.


    The Holywing cultivator reared back in surprise. The dense foliage constrained his speed, and the wood dragons attacked him en masse. For the moment, he was trapped.


    "Die!" the Holywing cultivator yelled out.


    Lightning obliterated whaty before him.


    A tremendous flood of energy transformed into ake of lightning, drenching the wood dragons before exploding. The wood dragons cried out as their bark splintered and cracked.


    They soared through the air and pierced through theke of lightning, surrounding it and encapsting it with their bodies.


    The blue lightning, however, refused to be corralled. It whizzed back and forth. Snakes of blue lightning wriggled out from the cracks in the wood dragons'' defenses and through the clouds.


    The lightning charred the wood dragons ck, but Zhou Ying continuously infused her vitality and natural energy into them. The wood dragons quickly shed off their charred bark as they came back to life.


    The Holywing cultivator was far stronger than Yi Shenghan had been; they werepletely iparable. Heaven and earth cracked, and thekewater evaporated wholesale. The entire ind seemed as though it were about to be destroyed.

 Chapter 1497: Heavens Blaze

    <h4>Chapter 1497: Heaven''s ze</h4>


    The Holywing cultivator''s goldennce surged with killing intent. His hair floated in the air, charged with static, as he flew toward her with a shield of lightning around him. The goldennce pierced through the wood dragons and the forest that they had formed.


    Zhou Ying swooped forward, void rifts surrounding her body like wind.


    The twobatants struck each other in a sh of metal.


    Golden light red as thence pierced through Zhou Ying''s forehead. Her features turned stiff as blood shot through the air.


    The goldennce transformed back into a bolt of lightning and exploded.


    Zhou Ying''s body split apart into pieces, each charred ck.


    Someone sighed. "What a pity for a beauty like her..."


    The Holywing cultivator preened proudly. "You should be proud of the fact that it took me over a hundred rounds of sparring to pierce you through the head¡ªbut unfortunately for you, I''m an existence you can never hope to best."


    His spear thrust was a very clean attack.


    Throughout the entire fight, Zhou Ying had pressured him to a significant extent, and it was difficult for someone of her stature to do as much. His final thrust that ended her, however, was a stroke of beauty that he could be proud of for a very long time.


    Just as the Holywing cultivator was growingcent in his pride, Zhou Ying''s charred body transformed into a flurry of golden leaves.


    "This¡ª!"


    The Holywing cultivator was startled.


    "Do you think you can kill me within my domain? Who do you think I am?" Zhou Ying''s voice came from all around the battlefield.


    Within a horde of wood dragons, Zhou Ying had a near-absolute advantage. It was trivial for her to create a clone of herself.


    The Holywing cultivator gaped. The wings to his back glowed and transformed into two divine swords, sweeping around him in a graceful arc and clearing the wood dragons in the vicinity.


    "The other Holywing cultivator I faced in the qualifiers was tricked by this technique, too. You don''t have a great memory, do you?"


    Golden leaves fluttered through the air as dozens, hundreds of Zhou Yings appeared from within the forest.


    The Holywing cultivator shouted and waved his divine wings in an even stronger sword sh.


    The sword energy flowed like a river, transforming into a hurricane of des. All the wood dragons around the ind were obliterated.


    "Don''t just look at your opponent¡ªbut in front of you, above you, and even below you."


    The earth crumbled as a ck figure emerged from within¡ªnone other than Zhou Ying.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Eightfold Void Cut]!" A tendril appeared to Zhou Ying''s back, and another dagger manifested. Zhou Ying whirled like a dervish, corkscrewing into the air.


    "[Heaven''s ze]!"


    The Holywing cultivator responded decisively, with zing mes rising up from his body.


    Blue lightning burst forth.


    The ck corkscrew pierced through the lightning. Eight void cutsnded on the Holywing cultivator and caused him to dissipate in a shower of light. Mental particles gathered on the back of Zhou Ying''s palm.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Get ready!"


    Before Zhou Ying could smile in victory, waves of energy pierced through the sky. A frightening attack swept across the heavens, targeting Zhou Ying from afar.


    Zhou Ying, still buoyed by victory, was caught off guard by the attack. She nched as the attack approached her in an unprepared state.


    Zhang Lie and the others made their moves immediately.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area and striking the long-ranged attack.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    A raging tide approached as four figures appeared by Zhou Ying''s side, surrounding her from each of the cardinal directions.


    Zhou Ying smiled in pleasant surprise. "Captain!"


    Seeing the four figures around Zhou Ying, the cultivators that were raring to make a move had no choice but to hold back.


    "Damn it, they''re the ster hunter''spanions!"


    "Apparently, they''re very fearsome in a fight."


    "They even managed to take down the Srvine. They''re all supposed to be very strong."


    Zhou Ying smiled happily. "Captain, you''ve finally made it here!"


    Zhang Lie said, "It looks like you managed to obtain some rare treasure within that portal."


    "Have a look, Captain!" Zhou Ying retrieved a bone talisman that looked as though it were made of jade. It sparkled with mysterious energy.


    Upon seeing that token, all the cultivators'' eyes shone with greed.


    "I do have to thank that Holywing. I unintentionally arrived by the ind to find that Holywing present. He forced me to enter the portal with him and explore whaty within to trigger any traps that might be present."


    Zhou Ying had had the ability to resist from the very beginning, but she too wanted to see whaty within. As such, she allowed the Holywing cultivator to order her around without much resistance. When she then found the bone talisman, the Holywing cultivator tried to attack her, only to find that she was no easy opponent to take down.


    "Hehe, I was prepared to be backstabbed. The Holywing cultivator never expected that I would be so strong. You''d all have found his expression amusing, I''d expect."


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie and the others, Zhou Ying visibly rxed.


    "We''ll talk about the detailster. Let''s deal with the trouble before us first."


    "Hand over that bone talisman!" The first cultivator that attacked was tall and slender, lithe and muscr, surrounded by fulgent light that hid their appearance. All that was revealed was a pair of electric eyes, the pupils of which were two glowing runes.


    His posture alone differentiated him from amon cultivator. Runes shed into existence around him.


    His ck hair was scattered, and he wielded a halberd of void. He looked down at the gathered spectators with pride and dominance, evoking fear in those whom his gaze met.


    Zhang Lie and the others thought that the cultivator before them looked familiar, but they didn''t recall where they had seen him before. The cultivators all around them shouted, "Isn''t that the Immortal King''s recement?"


    "To think that he would appear here himself..."


    "No matter how strong the ster hunters are, they might not be a match for the Immortal King''s recement."


    Li Feng''s eyes were clear and limpid, his skin and muscles radiant. He began to glow. "Captain, leave this opponent to me. I''d like to test out my newfound strength."


    "Be careful." Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith retreated.


    The two cultivators locked gazes. Even before the fight started, the sh between their auras was sufficient to cause the ground to quake and theke water to ripple. The beasts all around were startled; it felt as though a devastating fight was right on the horizon.


    Li Feng narrowed his eyes and called out disdainfully, "The Immortal King''s substitute? Ha!"


    "I recognize you."

 Chapter 1498: Chest Caved In

    <h4>Chapter 1498: Chest Caved In</h4>


    The halberd prated Li Feng''s afterimage.


    "I saw you fight against the ninth Immortal King. The same technique won''t work on me."


    Li Feng''s illusions didn''t seem to be effective; the Immortal King''s substitute found Li Feng''s true body near-immediately.


    The halberd seemed to strike at Li Feng''s neck with a spray of blood, shocking the spectators.


    Was that blood? The head fell to the ground!


    Everyone held their breath. If it were them in Li Feng''s shoes, would they have survived that blow?


    The spray of light spread out and diffused like a mist of blood.


    The Immortal King''s substitute had finished his opponent in just two consecutive strikes!


    This was a true paragon of battle, whose prowess was so fearsome that the spectators shuddered in fear. Who could stand against him? He was invincible!


    Wasn''t that Li Feng''s blood?


    The spectators'' hearts pumped.


    "That was too fast. The Immortal King''s substitute is truly invincible!"


    Who could contend with him?


    "It looks like the Immortal King''s substitute might long since have surpassed the ninth Immortal King," a cultivator said. They might be witnessing a transformative moment in history, the end of an era.


    "Someone who defeated the ninth Immortal King, only to have been defeated by his substitute... the Hall of Immortals must be shocked."


    "No, you''re all mistaken."


    The blood was real, but Li Feng''s head hadn''t fallen off his body.


    Li Feng had once fought the ninth Immortal King, and the Immortal King''s substitute was from the same school of thought. Their techniques were particrly simr, and Li Feng was prepared to deal with them. He dodged to the side, the halberd whizzing barely an inch away from his neck. Li Feng caught it with his hand.


    Any other cultivator would surely have been killed on the spot. This was what was frightening about the Immortal King''s substitute, who was able tounch such blows in a sh.


    Against such an opponent, the tricks of light and shadow that he had once used against the ninth Immortal King wouldn''t have any effect.


    Li Feng had predicted this possibility and hadn''t banked on using his illusions to trick the Immortal King''s substitute. He only had one path left: blocking his attacks directly.


    Thanks to his experience fighting the ninth Immortal King, Li Feng was able to find the best opportunity to defend himself.


    However, things still didn''t go quite as nned. Even though he had sessfully blocked the attack and protected his head, the explosive strength of the halberd had still hurt his arm. The fresh blood that the audience saw dide from Li Feng''s body.


    The Immortal King''s substitute was incredibly strong. If the halberd had gone an inch deeper, Li Feng wasn''t certain that he would have been able to protect his head.


    The Immortal King''s substitute himself was surprised to see Li Feng defending against his attack barehanded. "As expected of someone who managed to beat that fellow. You''re more than qualified to be my opponent."


    The halberd shone in zing light. A phoenix unfurled its wings from around the halberd in a burst of bright me, red as blood.


    The phoenix soared up and looked down from high above.


    The Immortal King''s substitute attacked with tremendous strength. The blow was apanied by a phoenix''s shrill cry, a spiritual attack whose might could be felt even by the spectators. They sucked in a deep breath.


    However, Li Feng was even faster.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the enemy like a beam of light. The beam of light, shot through with metal-attuned gic energy, struck the Immortal King''s substitute.


    The Immortal King''s substitute was sent flying, fresh blood gushing out of his mouth, his chest caved in.

 Chapter 1499: An Intense Clash

    <h4>Chapter 1499: An Intense sh</h4>


    All the spectating cultivators were shocked to see that the Immortal King''s substitute was the first to get injured in the short sh.


    The Immortal King''s substitute was already injured.


    Light shed from Li Feng''s injured palm. The bleeding was staunched immediately, and the wound healed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Thanks to the understanding of life-rted naturalw afforded by the silver-dragon lotuses, Li Feng''s gic energy now possessed some degree of healing capability.


    Zhou Ying noted this point. Her eyes widened as she eximed, "Li Feng''s able to use his light-attuned gic energy to stimte his vitality and elerate his regeneration!"


    "You''ll pay a price for making me bleed."


    The Immortal King''s substitute snapped his fingers. The blood that had dripped from his body formed humanoid lifeforms held together by divine light, whose bones and tendons were reinforced by the arcane substance. Each was exceptionally strong, with at least half of the Immortal King''s substitute''s ownbat ability.


    The Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd around, forcing Li Feng to retreat as the silverblood entities struck at him.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed forward.


    Although the silverblood entities possessed a considerable portion of the Immortal King''s substitute''s own strength, they fought solely on intuition or on their maker''smands. They didn''t know any of the techniques that their maker did. An arclight dragon burst forth and swept away all the silverblood entities.


    The Immortal King''s substitute struck again, fast as lightning. The halberd shone in zing light. A phoenix unfurled its wings from around the halberd in a burst of bright, blood-red me.


    The phoenix soared up and looked down from high above.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!"


    Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded Li Feng as it manifested certain properties of gold, condensing into a weapon.


    The dragon''s tooth and halberd shed time and again in the sky. The twobatants fought vigorously as they illuminated everything in sight.


    Li Feng attacked at full force.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!"


    The arclight imprint rapidly gathered, and a white dragon appeared behind him. As Li Feng punched forward, the dragon shot toward the hydra like a bullet from a sniper rifle. It left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Bolstered by divine radiance, the Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd in a tight arc, raising it like a shield. It gave off silver and red light in a brilliant re, like a phoenix''s rebirth.


    The blow was apanied by a phoenix''s shrill cry, a spiritual attack whose might could be felt even by the spectators. They sucked in a deep breath.


    Starlight burst. The phoenix cried. The skies were dyed red, and stardust fell from the skies.


    Lightning struck and thunder rumbled as bursts of fire peppered the sky like resplendent fireworks¡ªthe sparks and noise from two weapons shing against each other.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!"


    Li Feng''s fists, glowing with light, were packed with huge quantities of light-attuned gic energy.


    They smashed into the ground in a massive explosion. All that energy headed in a certain direction. The ground cracked, and white light zigzagged forward.

 Chapter 1500: Illuminating the Stars

    <h4>Chapter 1500: Illuminating the Stars</h4>


    Unbelievable! Everyone was shocked that Li Feng was able to suppress the Immortal King''s substitute.


    Each of the Immortal King''s substitute''s strikes were particrly urate. With each sh of his halberd, he would take down one of the arclight dragons¡ªand whenever a dragon died, it would release a radiant explosion.


    The Immortal King''s substitute forged onward against the tide of dragonsing at him in the opposite direction, braving the radiant explosions in his way.


    Li Feng drew his de and met his opponent with a sh of white light.


    The sound of metal against metal echoed through the air as the ground quaked and split open. Theke water surged as lightning shed through the air. Space distorted; even the light seemed to twist.


    The spectators'' ears buzzed as space distorted and lightning seemed to sh from the heavens. Radiance exploded in the air as the two cultivators shed: the sparks from their weapons as they ground against each other, and the light that they produced.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire patch of void. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens.


    He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air.


    The Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd, apanied by the cry of a phoenix. He was encapsted by the outline of a phoenix as divine light red from him. He shot forward.


    The spectators watched on with bated breath.


    From the very beginning, they had met each other weapon for weapon. There was no need for words. The blistering pace enraptured the spectators.


    The continuous sh was almost impossible to bear; the spectators felt as though their eardrums were close to bursting. Radiant light emanated, apanied by frightening mist that seemed like chaotic energy.


    The sh was like a heavenly tribtion.


    After the violent confrontation, the arclight dragon exploded, and a scar was left on the Immortal King''s substitute''s body.


    Li Feng''s arms were sore and numb, but he believed that his opponent was suffering just as much as he was. His opponent''s eyes shed in deep surprise.


    "You''re strong,"


    the Immortal King''s substitute murmured. His ck hair draped around his shoulders, and his whole body was shielded with divine light. He looked like an immortal descending from the heavens, invincible and withoutpare.


    He defended against Li Feng''s strongest attacks with ease, even despite the shock in his eyes. He was calm and collected, as though everything was within his control.


    "But you are not stronger than me," the Immortal King''s substitute asserted, then struck again.


    With another ear-splitting sh, Li Feng''s arms went numb, and the p of skin between thumb and forefinger began to bleed. Li Feng sucked in a deep breath. This was a difficult opponent indeed.


    He stared at the opponent''s palms, wanting to see if he too were bleeding. However, the Immortal King''s substitute''s flesh was shrouded in golden light, and he couldn''t see a thing.


    Regardless, Li Feng believed that it was indeed the case.


    The sh of metal continued to ring out as the fight continued intensely.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors.


    Starlight shaded the sky, resplendent and dazzling.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s halberd turned blood-red as a phoenix took to the air, its feathers a lurid red. It gave off a zing ruby light that shed against the sword technique in the air. Golden light shone bright, and silver light scattered. Li Feng''s arclight dragons keened.


    Brave and fierce, Li Feng continued fighting, longsword in hand.


    The sh of metal shook the very heavens. By now, thebatants had exchanged over sixty blows.


    With a whir, the void resonated as the halberd vanished, tearing apart ayer of space and suddenly appearing by the joint of Li Feng''s arm, as if about to cripple him.


    Li Feng drew his sword back as white light shot into the heavens, dazzling and flecked with gold, resplendent and beautiful. It blocked the blow and resolved the danger.


    Li Feng counterattacked.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the enemy like a beam of light. The beam of light, shot through with metal-attuned gic energy, struck the Immortal King''s substitute.


    The phoenix soared into the air, red as blood, shining with golden light in a scene of surprising beauty. It blocked the blow and resolved the danger.


    The divine light emerged once more as the resplendent halberd swung in a loop, forming an eternal sun.


    Li Feng''s gaze was severe as infinite radiance blossomed.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!"


    Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    The sudden, intense battle that took ce over the course of just a few seconds left the spectators bewildered. Their eyes couldn''t process the information fast enough, let alone their brains. Many of the cultivators present were certain they wouldn''t be able tost even a few seconds if they were part of the fight.


    The Immortal King''s substitute hadn''t seemed to be suppressed by Li Feng. His gaze turned ardent. Strands of hair flew in the wind. He looked like a goding down from heaven, invincible and deific.


    As he breathed out, heunched into motion, spurring forth his void halberd.


    "[Void sh]!"


    The spectators were yelling in shock at the amazing sight.


    Zhang Lie and the others recognized the technique instantly.


    "This skill, too? As expected of a sessor of the Hall of Immortals..."


    Chen Feng, whom they had faced earlier, could hardlypare.


    The void halberd gleamed like crystal as it gave off immense energy. As the Immortal King''s substitute shed at the arclight dragons, the void split apart and ignited arge explosion.


    All the spectators stepped back instinctively, worried that the virtual realm might crash again. The arclight dragons burst apart and the void copsed. Spatial rifts formed all over the ind.


    Someone sucked in a deep breath. "It''s weaker than the ninth Immortal King''s technique, but it''s more than a worthy Void sh."


    Compared to the ninth Immortal King, whom Li Feng had once fought, the Immortal King''s substitute''s technique was slightly weaker. Regardless, its strength was still immense.


    The Immortal King''s substitute made seals with his hands and spurred forth lightning. A huge bolt of lightning shot into the air like a dancing dragon, a phoenix of purple me.


    A few figures in the distance were too slow to react. Struck by the lightning, they were instantly charred ck and fell to the ground.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly as a gxy seemed to unfold around Li Feng.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy. It tore apart the lightning, the dancing dragon, the phoenix of purple me. Dozens of resplendent beams shot toward his opponent.


    "Break!" The Immortal King''s substitute sounded like a deity that had descended to the mortal world. His void halberd trembled violently as it tore the void apart. A cross-shaped scar appeared in the air.

 Chapter 1501: Irrepressible

    <h4>Chapter 1501: Irrepressible</h4>


    Destructive energy filled the realm as the void energy exploded, poised to tear everything apart.


    The energy that the Immortal King''s substitute possessed was shocking in its density and scope. The spectators found chills running down their backs, as though the apocalypse was nigh.


    The cross-shaped scar in the void exploded in a ze of endless light. In the face of divine radiance, all would be scoured clean.


    Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that tore apart the void.


    The weapons shed in a sh of divine light that illuminated the world. It was so strong that a mountain range by their feet burst apart.


    Blood dyed the air.


    The sh between the twobatants took ce on the eastern half of the realm, then the western half, then back and forth. They moved so rapidly that it looked as though they were blinking from ce to ce. Sword energy shook the heavens. A dragon howled; a phoenix shrieked. Holy dragons flew through the air, and heavenly fire exploded. The spectators watched the fight unfold with shock and awe.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s body lit up with heavenly fire, silver-white over a blood-red core. Thunder rumbled through the air as the outline of a phoenix manifested behind him. He prated space as he charged forward.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!"


    Li Feng soared into the air, propelling himself upward with every cloud he stepped on. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air.


    The Immortal King''s substitute blocked the blow with his halberd in an explosion of the void. The sword energy caused even the stars to explode.


    Sword and halberd met in a spray of silver light and ruby-red blood. Even the bones of the twobatants'' fingers began to crack.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s blood shone with silver radiance, encapsting overwhelming strength.


    A deific mist formed around him, emanating waves of such energy that all the spectators shivered.


    The Immortal King''s substitute waved his hand, tossing out pearls of blood. The blood that fell from him transformed into a silver humanoid figure, giving off an indomitable aura.


    Bypassing the constraints of space, it shed right up to Li Feng, prepared to kill him in one blow.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s blood was itself a treasure beyond any measure, boasting tremendous energy.


    The silverblood lifeforms that formed were tremendously strong, with bones and tendons forged of divine light.


    Each drop of blood manifested as such a lifeform.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Realm of Heaven]!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars. Holy hymns echoed around him, and the concentrated energy manifested as outspread wings to his back.


    He seemed to be right beside his opponent, but simultaneously a world apart¡ªin a dimension beyond. This was spatial maniption!

 Chapter 1502: The Final Blow

    <h4>Chapter 1502: The Final Blow</h4>


    Although the void had split apart and the void sh was poised to release its awesome power, the same explosion as before didn''t ur.


    Silver and gold light interspersed as the light-attuned gic energy formed a pocket space. The void sh tore apart that pocket space, but not anything thaty beyond it.


    The might of the attack was encapsted by the light-attuned gic energy. The void sh struck the sword energy in a bolt of incandescent lightning.


    Then, sword energy struck like a heavenly tribtion, boasting immense strength.


    The lightning imbued in Li Feng''s sword arced toward the Immortal King''s substitute, causing his body to tremble. His body exploded in divine light, infusing his armor with energy as he attempted to block.


    Lightning crackled, and silver feathers flew through the air in a storm. The Immortal King''s substitute''s divine armor grew crystalline, radiating with light as it absorbed Li Feng''s attack.


    The silver feathers gave off a blinding glow, each radiating with sword energy.


    "That''s Divine Embrace!"


    The Immortal King''s substitute likewise possessed this technique.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Annihtion]!"


    A silver dragon manifested around Li Feng''s de.


    The dragon''s howl shook the air. Li Feng activated his sword technique, forming the impression of a true arclight dragon that raised its head to the heavens and roared. The nascent energy trembled.


    Though the void exploded, the explosion was torn apart. No destruction could spread and hurt Li Feng.


    The arclight sh shot toward the Immortal King''s substitute, who defended with his halberd and counterattacked with a starlit sh.


    Li Feng attacked rapidly, speeding up the tempo of the fight. He unleashed a devastating strike as bright as the zing sun.


    The sword shed the sky, and the stars fell. Sword energy red, and for a moment, it seemed like even the sky was about to be bisected.


    The Immortal King''s substitute, who had suffered several injuries, barely blocked the attack, which exploded through the void. Even the skies seemed to be torn apart.


    The Immortal King''s substitute retreated once more and barely stabilized himself.


    "[The Boundless de: Shattered Sun]!"


    Sword energy roiled. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight and reced it with a silver glow, transmuting that sunlight into something that boosted Li Feng''s strength. The sword energy tore apart the sky.


    The Immortal King''s substitute, understanding that he had to seize the momentum of the fight, swung his halberd through the void. A phoenix cried out as the skies lit up in rosy hues.


    Li Feng countered with his sword. The light and void exploded in a surge of force.


    "[The Boundless de: the Trembling World]!"


    Sword energy roiled. An arclight dragon reared its head. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight.


    The sword energy grew brighter and brighter, until it surpassed sun, moon, and stars in light. The will of the sword seemed to manifest physically into the form of a dragon that made to rip apart heaven and earth.


    The ground furrowed; the stars fell from the sky. Sword and halberd shed once again. The Immortal King''s substitute found his hands trembling, his aura again suppressed by Li Feng.


    The Immortal King''s substitute, however, wasn''t one of the sessors of the Hall of Immortals for naught. Despite the fact that he was at a disadvantage, he continued to spar with Li Feng adroitly, his defense unrelenting. Li Feng was missing just a single good hit to secure his victory.


    "[shing Void and Stars]!"


    Sword energy glinted with piercing light as devastating strength rippled from Li Feng''s de, the upgraded form of [Striking Sun and Moon].


    The sword and the halberd shed. Light radiated from the sword, overwhelming the strength of the void explosion. The Immortal King''s substitute held his halberd horizontally and defended with its haft, but was sent flying from the impact.


    The Immortal King''s substitute had sustained many injuries during the conflict with Li Feng, and those injuries had only worsened as the fight continued. Even so, he didn''t intend to give up. Like a wounded, rabid dog, he pounced toward Li Feng again.


    From his point of view, Li Feng wasn''t alone. Behind Li Feng stood the ninth Immortal King. If he could kill Li Feng, he would be able to take over the ninth Immortal King''s position.


    This was the sole chance remaining to him, the first and only after his loss against the ninth Immortal King.


    He couldn''t give up on it!


    Silver light dyed the entire world. Gic energy swept over Li Feng''s body and manifested as a denseyer of silver scales, like a suit of silver armor. Antlers grew out of his head, and his hair turned a radiant silver.


    Li Feng gathered incredible quantities of light-attuned gic energy for a moment of explosive strength.


    He shed forward with his sword, the radiant energy manifesting like a dragon.


    The momentary boost gave him shocking speed. His swords shed like lightning.


    Under the effect of his [Holy Dragon Transformation], Li Feng''s speed increased to such an extreme that a thousand afterimages seemed to trail him.


    The attack was incredibly rapid, and the sword so sharp it felt like a thousand sword strikes wereyered on top of one another.


    The Immortal King''s substitute was suppressed to such an extent that he waspletely unable to retaliate. Wounds appeared all over his body. In order to pull away from Li Feng and gain the opportunity to strike back, the Immortal King''s substitute once again formed lifeforms out of his blood.


    However, Li Feng was even faster¡ªno, this wasn''t a matter of speed anymore. Li Feng''s attack had transcended the notion of time.


    The silver radiance of [The Boundless de: Godkiller] swept forward in a tide, like a whole herd of holy dragons.


    That silver light, imbued with golden threads, formed a mysterious sea, simultaneously real and illusory, which existed in between both realms.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The intersection of the real and the illusory¡ªLi Feng''s strengthbined both domains. Thousands of holy dragons swept across the sky.


    His strength surpassed time and space, the real and the illusory.


    At that moment, time became meaningless to Li Feng.


    The Immortal King''s substitute and his silverblood creation slowed down as Li Feng unleashed his technique¡ªthe attack rendered time meaningless.


    The technique affected not just time, but space and even reality itself.


    The technique intersected reality and illusion. This was a strength that transcended this realm, and Li Feng''s de could kill even a transcendent god.


    With this strength which converted legend into reality, the silverblood lifeform was destroyed instantly. Lightning exploded as the Immortal King''s substitute''s Divine Embrace shattered in fragments of silver light, interspersed with beads of silver blood.


    "Onest blow!"


    Li Feng raised his sword high overhead, glinting brightly.


    The Immortal King''s substitute was grievously injured, and his Divine Embrace was no longer able to defend against Li Feng''s attacks.


    Heaven and earth suddenly lost color as the surroundings turned dim and dark, as though all that light had been snatched away. Li Feng and the area around him began to glow more brightly than the sun. The light grew more intense as the aura of the technique increased in strength.

 Chapter 1503: The Green-Robed Figure

    <h4>Chapter 1503: The Green-Robed Figure</h4>


    "No!" the Immortal King''s substitute cried out as his body lit up with divine mes, silver-white over a blood-red core. Thunder rumbled through the air.


    He was about to lose an opportunity that had just presented itself! Without any hesitation, the Immortal King''s substitute sacrificed his own life force as the mes transformed into a true phoenix in the air.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Bleaching the World]!"


    Heaven and earth suddenly lost color as the surroundings turned dim and dark, as though all that light had been snatched away. Li Feng and the area around him began to glow more brightly than the sun. The light grew more intense as the aura of the technique increased in strength.


    He struck, and the world lost color.


    White light saturated the world; everything was dyed white. Thepetitors'' sight turned solid white.


    The Immortal King''s substitute was incapable of blocking this attack, even by burning his own lifeforce.


    Just as the sword was about to strike the Immortal King''s substitute, his body exploded into a burst of mes, sending Li Feng flying back.


    The Immortal King''s substitute looked as though he was risking his life in order to fend off Li Feng, but that was only deception. He knew very well that he was in no state to take on Li Feng; he took advantage of the burst of strength from burning his own life force to flee.


    "I''ve lost today, but we''ll meet again. The next time, I''ll grow even stronger!"


    The Immortal King''s substitute flew off in a burst of sparks, faster than lightning, almost like a shooting star.


    Not only was he taking advantage of his temporary burst of strength, he also seemed to be boosted by some special item or prop.


    Even Feng Xian from Starbright Academy had a special escape prop, let alone a sessor to the Hall of Immortals.


    "Do you think I would let you flee?!"


    Li Feng moved at an incredibly rapid pace. His arclight dragon boosted his sword to the point that it was faster than many could even perceive. Even Zhang Lie only saw an unbroken stream of light.


    Everyone nched. No one could defend against such a rapid blow.


    A series of afterimages in light and shadow apanied Li Feng''s strike. A rainbow arc followed his sh, as though an aurora were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    The starlight shot across the heavens. Li Feng''s body suddenly split into tens of thousands of copies, each with a dazzling gaze of rainbow light. The rosy-hued light was captivating and transported those who saw it into a realm of illusion. Li Feng left countless afterimages behind as he gave chase.


    Just as Li Feng''s sword was about to strike the Immortal King''s substitute''s lower back, an attack came out of nowhere, piercing the void and targeting Li Feng.


    Someone had hidden among the cultivators and was nowunching a sneak attack at him.


    Zhang Lie responded fastest.


    A frightening aura descended on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area and striking the sneak attack.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Li Feng and the Immortal King''s substitute were both sent stumbling back.


    The Immortal King''s substitute clutched his chest. Li Feng''s sword had indeed struck his lower back, but the sneak attack had interrupted the blow. Although the Immortal King''s substitute had been hurt in a vital location, he hadn''t immediately perished. Li Feng nced sharply at the green-robed man standing beside the Immortal King''s substitute.


    The male cultivator''s features were obscured. Spots of copper rust were apparent on his robes, and he gave off an ancient aura.


    Zhang Lie flew toward him, a smile on his face, but his eyes were chilly. "Don''t you know it''s not a good habit to interrupt an ongoing fight?"


    The Immortal King''s substitute was just about to speak. "Eld¡ª"


    The green-robed man cut him off. "Leave."


    "I won''t let you go!"


    Circles of light revolved around Li Feng in a feat of maniption, condensing light to such an extent that it took on near-physical form.


    "[Holy Dragon Sword: Light and Darkness]!"


    As though he had broken through some sort of limit, a transformation urred.


    Li Feng red brightly, transforming into a radiant sun. The light began to revolve and strobe, forming a circle of light. Individual photons were elerated and sent crashing into one another.


    This sort of high-energy radiation could easily destroy a star. The pulse of light was supercharged beyond its limits.


    A ck core appeared where the light bombarded itself, spreading rapidly and transforming into a ck hole. A tremendous suction formed around Li Feng''s hands.


    The birth of a ck hole inverted the flow of light-attuned gic energy. As Li Feng manipted it, it suddenly grew wider and began giving off dark matter.


    The dark matter didn''tbine destructively with the light-attuned gic energy like water and fire, which were mutually ipatible, or constructively, like water and earth, Rather, the dark matter was inert to light; both types of energy remained distinct and non-interacting.


    Li Feng shed forward with his sword, twining light-attuned gic energy and dark matter together in a technique of shocking strength.


    It seemed to devour the entire sky.


    Zhang Lie struck simultaneously.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie raised his pointer finger high into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    The realm, consecrated with the might of a golden sun, resplendent and zing, was so bright that the spectators had to look away.

 Chapter 1504: Cant Go Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 1504: Can''t Go Wrong</h4>


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun.


    Overwhelming sword energy, like a sunset sea, swallowed up the sun and suppressed the light.


    One sword strike was founded on the physics of the Milky Way; the other was infused with peerless sword energy. The two techniques struck each other in the air, causing the sky itself to lose color. Energy exploded in a shockwave, causing the surface of theke to roil. No one could survive such an attack.


    A storm blew by; cultivators of weaker strength flew off into the air.


    Even so, most of the cultivators that had reached this point were strong enough to survive. The resulting shockwaves caused theke to expand to several times its original size. The cultivators gasped at the magnitude of the attack, and their faces turned ashen.


    Where the two techniques struck each other was a shattered void of space. No one was in sight.


    Li Feng cocked his head and asked, "Is he dead?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "He''s likely still alive."


    The two cultivators both understood that if the opponent had perished, he would have transformed into mental essence and infused itself into the back of Li Feng''s palm. The fact that that phenomenon hadn''t taken ce meant that the opponent had fled and survived somehow.


    Zhang Lie asked, "Who do you think that fellow who suddenly appeared was?"


    "Clearly someone from the Hall of Immortals."


    "Was it because he rescued the Immortal King''s substitute?"


    Li Feng shook his head. "I once fought with the ninth Immortal King, and just now with the Immortal King''s substitute. The opponent''s sneak attack was essentially an upgraded form of the attack that the ninth Immortal King and the Immortal King''s substitute used, with their weapons passing straight through the void. The fact that he didn''t even need to swing his weapon to do so, though... that surprised me."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I suspect he''s far stronger than the ninth Immortal King and the Immortal King''s substitute."


    "I''m confident I''d be able to take him down."


    Li Feng stuck out his chin proudly, his eyes sweeping across the crowd, as though he were a martial god descending from the heavens.


    "Who else dares challenge me?"


    All the cultivators present were shocked stiff by Li Feng''s strength, and they didn''t dare step forward.


    They were particrly overwhelmed by Li Feng and Zhang Lie''s final attacks; none of them were confident they would be able to defend against their attacks.


    Even the Immortal King''s substitute wasn''t an opponent for Li Feng, so all of them would only be wasting their time.


    "I''ll have a try."


    One cultivator stepped forward, apanied by a gale wind and crackling lightning. Rain fell around them both, and the ground began to crack.


    "Chang Ming, from the Eternal Hill!" one cultivator eximed.


    Li Feng was just about to make his move when Yang Ze stepped forward past him.


    "You''ve just undergone a big fight. Rest well. I''ll handle this small fry."


    Li Feng cocked his head at him in surprise. "What''s up with you?"


    Yang Ze cracked his fingers. "I have some history with this opponent."


    Zhou Ying seemed surprised. "You know him?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "I dealt with his junior brother in the qualifiers. Just now, he even tried to snatch a bug monarch from under our noses. He''s been a pain."


    Fang Yi gaped. "You''re actually volunteering?"


    Yang Ze had always refrained from fighting when he could help it.


    In some sense, his personality reflected his fighting style, and his fighting style his personality.


    Yang Ze grumbled, "I''m just being cautious!"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "He just grew stronger after consuming a silver-dragon lotus and hasn''t had a chance to test it out. I suppose he''s looking for an opportunity to do so."


    Perhaps he had grown antsy after seeing Li Feng''s fight.


    "Be careful."


    Li Feng wasn''t injured; even if he had been, his light-attuned gic energy would have been able to heal him quickly enough. However, he did use up quite a bit of gic energy in that fight. The Immortal King''s substitute was a strong foe, and he would dly take any chance to rest.


    Yang Ze rubbed his palms. "Don''t worry. Nothing will go wrong."


    "Scram!" His opponent struck, sending a fist punching forward.


    Yang Ze stood where he was. He met the fist with a hand. Both smashed into each other


    Ripples of energy caused heaven, earth, and void to shake as the two cultivators struck each other.


    Sparks flew all over as the two cultivators'' fists met once more. Like a phoenix undergoing rebirth, the explosion gave way to resplendent light. Blue waves surged across the sky.


    The spectators'' ears hurt. Their eyes seemed to have suffered a burn, and their senses were all distorted. They were forced to narrow their eyes and seal their hearing, lest they be hurt just by watching the fight.


    Fang Yi remarked, "How unusual. I barely ever see Yang Ze take the initiative."


    Yang Ze clenched his fist tightly. It glowed with light. His long hair was scattered around his shoulders, his gaze bright and electric.


    Chang Ming''s body radiated with metallic luster and gave off light in the colors of a rainbow. Even his fist was surrounded by golden light. When it smashed into Yang Ze''s own fist, it gave off a burst of divine power.


    In mere moments, the two cultivators had exchanged dozens of blows. A metallic ringing filled the air as runes in the sky formed and smashed together.


    Chang Ming''s fists shone with light. The power of reincarnation had the ability to peel and steal time away. He activated it now.


    The brilliant shining runes shot toward Yang Ze in the manner of a flood.


    A cultivator cried out, "The ultimate technique of the Eternal Hill, which can manipte the passage of time around a cultivator, transforming a young man into an elderly one or even a child! It''s particrly difficult to counteract."


    Refracted light shone around Yang Ze. Layers of space isted him.


    He drew a greatsword from his back. Pale blue gic energy surrounded him as the sword energy rushed forward in a flood.


    Chang Ming gaped to see that his mastery over spacetime was useless against Yang Ze.


    A pair of lightning wings appeared to Chang Ming''s back. He stepped across the void, following an unusual route forward.


    It looked slow, but his speed had actually reached a maximum. He left countless afterimages behind, making others think that he hadn''t moved at all.


    He squatted, his right leg sweeping forward and triggering hundreds of electric arcs.


    [The Boundless de: Daybreak] shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets.


    He snapped his fingers. The remnant water-attuned gic energy in the air condensed and transformed into fog. Raging sharks appeared,posed of pale blue gic energy, each seemingly with independent life and soul.


    This was the benefit of attuning to the silver-dragon lotuses.

 Chapter 1505: Just a Bit More

    <h4>Chapter 1505: Just a Bit More</h4>


    The electric wings to Chang Ming''s back gave off huge quantities of lightning, each infused with temporal might. They were incredibly quick. When the sharks were struck by lightning, they exploded in mid-air.


    Yang Ze used fog to hide the spatial fluctuations that resulted as he teleported across the void and closed in on his opponent.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body.


    Yang Ze attacked so rapidly that Chang Ming was only able to defend. He had no choice but to raise his arms and shield his head in a corona of brilliant light.


    Water-attuned gic energy erupted in the form of waves that shot all around him.


    Chang Ming bore the brunt of the waves, his arms turning numb from the impact, as his fighting intent shattered.


    Time seemed to reverse its flow rapidly.He firmly believed that he could easily win against any cultivator of his generation with this technique from the Undying Hill.


    The Undying Hill''s technique was mysterious and able to affect others by manipting the passage of time, but Yang Ze shielded himself withyers of space that prevented any such distortion.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    Yang Ze''s sword morphed into a sea serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice. It shot forward.


    Chang Ming was surrounded by radiant dawn. Divine mes filled his body, and he held a sword of bone in his hand. Lightning crackled in the air and shot down at Yang Ze.


    The electric arcs interwove densely with each other like a spiderweb. In an ear-splitting crack, lightning splintered and the sword energy erupted. Divine mes rose into the air, and a fiery dawn illuminated the heavens.


    Yang Ze howled. His hair drifted in the air, his eyes supercharged with lightning. Space seemed to transform into a pool of ck water, rippling as it spread out, submerging the entire ind. This was a technique that Yang Ze had intuited upon watching Xing Yu and Fang Yi''s fight based on one of Xing Yu''s space-oriented techniques. Compared to Xing Yu''s spatial screen, it was even more subtle and exquisite.


    Chang Ming found his vision obscured, as though he had been submerged deep in the sea. Pressure surrounded him on all fronts as his motion slowed and energy was sapped from his body. His bone sword struck nothing, his sh dyed from Yang Ze''s technique.


    Chang Ming had richbat experience from years upon years of fighting, and hisbat awareness was particrly sensitive. Even without seeing the strike clearly, he could sense the killing intent that emerged from Yang Ze''s body. He blocked with an arm, which Yang Ze chopped off in a burst of blood that dyed the ck water red.


    "Die!"


    Yang Ze shouted. Within the pitch-ck sea, only he could see everything clearly.


    Chang Ming''s bone sword swept horizontally through the source of the sound; then, without even waiting to see what the result of his attack was.


    Chang Ming was right to do so. His bone sword did strike Yang Ze, but it passed straight through his body. Within Yang Ze''s deepsea domain, heavy restrictions were imposed on all of Chang Ming''s actions.


    Despite the fact that Chang Ming had made the right decision and responded quickly. Even so, within the deepsea domain, with his actions restricted, his movement slowed, his stamina sapped, he was unable to do a thing. Meanwhile, Yang Ze smashed his face in with a kick, shattering his cheek bone and loosening six or seven teeth from his gums.


    Of course, that wasn''t it. Yang Ze''s kick was infused with tremendous strength. Even Chang Ming''s skull was cracked, a frightening wound that dripped with blood.


    Chang Ming shot divine mes out of his body to protect his head as he retreated arduously.


    This was insulting and humiliating¡ªYang Ze had managed to kick his mouth in, sending his teeth flying! His face was burning in pain and shame.


    All this happened in a sh as the twobatants separated from one another.


    Chang Ming lifted his hand as his eyes shone with ardor. Lightning shone in his palms.


    It crackled and shot toward Yang Ze as the spectators retreated.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!"


    Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra,


    The hydra''s heads each sprayed out a burst of sword energyposed of water-attuned gic energy that mimicked a gold attunement. The attacks were impossible to deflect.


    The nine rays of sword energy shattered the lightning as Yang Ze dashed forward. Chang Ming''s bone sword passed through Yang Ze, followed by the rest of Chang Ming''s body.


    Chang Ming: !


    What was going on? The next moment, Chang Ming understood what had happened. Behind Yang Ze was a huge nine-headed dragon, each dragon headrge and fierce, with sharp teeth that tore Chang Ming apart instantly.


    In Zhang Lie''s team, Zhou Ying and Li Feng weren''t the only strong hunters. Yang Ze was equally strong, though he rarely revealed the extent of his skill.


    Li Feng, who had in the Immortal King''s substitute, was imposing enough a foe¡ªand then Yang Ze showed up, defeating his opponent with a series of sinister techniques that caused the cultivators to shiver in fear.


    Most frighteningly, these ster hunters all viewed Zhang Lie as their leader. Just how strong did Zhang Lie have to be to make such strong cultivators submit to him?


    Zhang Lie''s gaze swept over all the gathered cultivators as he smirked, as though mocking them all. <i>All of you present are trash.</i>


    The cultivators were naturally upset, but that only made them even more fearful of attacking him. For Zhang Lie to dare to do so despite the steep numerical disadvantage was testament to his strength.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith left with carefree spirits as the cultivators instinctively made way.


    Zhou Ying nced at the other members of Team Zenith. "Almost all of us have gathered. We''re just missing Sun Xiaowu and Sun Mengmeng."


    "We don''t have to search for Sun Xiaowu," Yang Ze said.


    Zhou Ying cocked her head. "What happened to him?"


    "He entered the core before we did."


    "What? How disloyal! He didn''t even wait for us."


    Despite Zhou Ying''s words, she had a smile on her face.


    Yang Ze ced both palms on the back of his head. "It''s a good thing in the end. After all, the bone talismans that guarantee you entry to the core are difficult to find, and the only ones among us present who might be able to secure one by killing enough cultivators are Captain and Fang Yi."


    Fang Yi had taken down quite a fair number of cultivators while he was being targeted, and the Stargods had essentially given him free points. The mark on the back of his hand had grown significantlyrger.


    Fang Yi shook his head. "I''m stillcking a bit."


    Li Feng raised his hand. "Even with the Immortal King''s substitute giving me points, I''m stillcking a bit as well."


    Yang Ze said, "We only have two bone talismans right now. If I and Zhou Ying im one each, we won''t have one for Sun Mengmeng."


    Just as the hunters were about to leave, a burst of light exploded right in front of them. Everyone was stunned.


    "What in the world?"

 Chapter 1506: Have You Had Enough

    <h4>Chapter 1506: Have You Had Enough</h4>


    Another portal of light appeared before the gathered hunters, just like the one from the ind before. Yang Ze''s lips twitched. "How can this be?"


    Zhou Ying replied, "I learned a few pieces of information from the Holywings just now. Intense fighting attracts the attention of the realm and raises the chance of a door of light appearing."


    "Adding oil to the fire..." Yang Ze eximed.


    Li Feng shook his head. "They want to burn and scald all thepetitors."


    Fang Yi pursed his lips. "Don''t forget that this is apetition. To the organizers of one such, the more exciting and cruel the scenario, the better."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "It''s almost as though they''re trying to torture us all."


    The door of light that contained a bone talisman within was a blessing, but the problem was that there were simply too many cultivators nearby that wouldn''t just let them im the talisman without any hassle.


    Yang Ze turned and asked, "Should we give up on it?"


    Giving up meant that they could escape safe and sound. The cultivators were no idiots; they wouldn''t give up on the prize thaty before them to try to take down Zhang Lie and the others, who were worthless and far more difficult a foe inparison.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "Since the door of light has appeared before us, it naturally belongs to us."


    Yang Ze gave him a thumbs up. "As expected of our captain."


    Zhou Ying whirled around. "We''ll deal with those people outside. Get in, Captain!"


    Having been shocked by Li Feng, Yang Ze, and Zhang Lie''s strength, the cultivators didn''t dare strike¡ªbut more importantly, there wasn''t yet enough incentive for them to do so. With two bone talismans on the line, however, many cultivators were raring to make a move.


    Two bone talismans was enough of a treasure to be worth it.


    "Behind the door of light lies a trial: first a stage, then a strong beast. By killing the beast, you''ll be able to dig out the bone talisman from its forehead."


    Zhou Ying had made it into one such door before, and had important knowledge to share with the rest of the group. Of course, most of the information had been imparted to her by the kind Holywing.


    Zhang Lie rushed into the door without any hesitation.


    Suddenly, the moment he did so, he found a bone talisman in his hand.


    Zhang Lie was stupefied. He had just entered the door. How could he already have a bone talisman in his hand?


    Could he have forgotten part of his memories after passing through the trial?


    Just as Zhang Lie was lost in a reverie, he saw the four hunters of Team Zenith fighting against the cultivators. The fight was brutal, cracking theke bed and causing its waters to surge forth. The four hunters were grievously injured.


    The cultivators that were fighting against the hunters of Team Zenith were exceptionally strong, and included those cultivators whom Zhang Lie and the other hunters had defeated: the Immortal King''s substitute, the child of the divine Srvine, the death gods of Netherworld, Feng Xian...


    As those figures appeared in sight, before Zhang Lie could make a move, the hunters of Team Zenith were killed one after another. Yang Ze, thest to die, turned and looked grudgingly at him. "Why couldn''t you be any faster, Captain?"


    That vengeful gaze was a soundless criticism; it was as though he were ming Zhang Lie for their deaths.


    The Immortal King''s substitute picked up Li Feng''s bloody head and began tossing and kicking it around like a basketball. "Yourpanions are too weak," he said.


    Zhang Lie screamed hoarsely as the cultivators around him tittered andughed. With bloodshot eyes, Zhang Lie cried out, "I''m going to kill you¡ªor is that what you thought I''d say?"


    Zhang Lie, who seemed to have been so mad he had lost all capacity for rational thought, suddenly calmed down with a smile.


    "Break!"


    Zhang Lie yelled out. The scene before him shattered as though it hade from a mirror.


    "Boring."


    All that had been nothing more than an illusion. An ordinary cultivator might have instantly been tricked, but Zhang Lie had a resolute will and a soul that had survived two lifetimes.


    The strength of his soul was far greater than anyone could imagine, and he didn''t fall into a state of confusion upon seeing the illusion before him. Although this turn of events did rouse Zhang Lie''s anger, his resolute willpower didn''t allow him to lose control, nor lose his sense of judgment.


    There were countless errors with this illusion; as long as he avoided having the illusion affect his emotions and descend into anger, it would be trivial to identify the ws in it.


    This virtual realm was the setting of a tournament. Even if the hunters of Team Zenith were to die here, they would only return to the dimensional realm. Yang Ze would hardly hold a grudge for that.


    And even if they really were incapable of resurrecting in this realm, the members of Team Zenith still wouldn''t me Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie was quite confident in that.


    Secondly, this realm was constructed solely for the purposes of the tournament, and no dead corpse would have its head left behind for someone to y with. Rather, it would dpose into mental essence and be imbued into the killer''s hand.


    If Zhang Lie hadn''t been able to control his emotions, he might have fallen to anger and to the grip of the illusion.


    "Is this it?"


    There were plenty of errors with the illusion.


    The goal of the illusion, therefore, wasn''t to mislead the cultivators, but rather to have them fall prey to anger.


    It wasn''t a particrly sophisticated technique, but not a simple one, either. An ordinary cultivator likely would have been tricked.


    Indeed, as everything before him shattered, the bone talisman in his hand vanished. Darkness descended. A warmth came from his palm. Zhang Lie found a sticky fluid below his feet that gave off a stench. Zhang Lie looked closely and recognized it as blood. He was standing in a pool of blood, with three corpses that had already been drained of life around him.


    "Thank goodness you''vee to your senses!"


    Zhang Lie was surprised to hear a familiar voice. He raised his head and saw Zhou Ying.


    He was shocked to find Zhou Ying within the door of light. Had she followed him in?


    Quickly, Zhang Lie recognized that something was amiss. Zhou Ying was pale, and her vitality was draining from her. He looked down and saw that his hand was prating straight through her chest, and hot blood was gushing out from the wound.


    "Don''t me yourself. We all know you were controlled by an illusion, and none of this is your fault." Zhou Ying caressed Zhang Lie''s face, her hand sticky with blood, leaving red imprints on his face. Out of nowhere, Zhang Lie found his vision turning red.


    His eyes widened as he gradually took in everything before him. The three corpses thaty to his feet were none other but hispanions, Li Feng, Fang Yi, and Yang Ze.


    Zhou Ying seemed to lose the strength in her arm. It hung down limply. "Live on well."


    Zhang Lie pulled out his blood-streaked arm as Zhou Ying slumped lifelessly to the ground.


    Upon feeling the fresh blood on his face, and Zhou Ying''s gradually cooling corpse, Zhang Lie opened his mouth in a silent scream, as though he had lost his voice and ability to speak. Zhang Lie knelt in the pool of blood, staring at his trembling hands, his emotions on the verge of spilling over.


    Zhang Lie slowly closed his mouth. The first thing he said was, "Have you had enough?"

 Chapter 1507: Another Illusion

    <h4>Chapter 1507: Another Illusion</h4>


    Countless others were having arguments all around him.


    "To have killed your ownpanions¡ªare you truly human?"


    "Yourpanions went through life-and-death struggles with you! How could you kill them just like that?"


    "You scumbag, you human trash! How could you kill your ownpanions? Go die!"


    Li Qianlin stood before him. "Don''t ever appear in front of me again."


    Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu walked out from the darkness. "You don''t deserve to be our captain. I''m going to take revenge for the four hunters. Your life is forfeit!"


    A chilly beam cut apart all thaty before him. Zhang Lie''s eyes were ice-cold. "Are you quite done?!"


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly as blue gic energy gathered around him in the form of a tempest. The skies darkened, and a giant whale appeared to his back. It opened its maws wide as huge waves exploded through the air.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie like rampaging dragons, infused with Zhang Lie''s anger.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. The world distorted and shattered as the rubble of a fox statue appeared before him.


    Zhang Lie snorted. "Another illusion."


    Despite Zhang Lie''s disdainful tone, that illusion had been somewhat more dangerous.


    Zhang Lie looked toward the de on the ground, with a keen edge. If he hadn''t broken out of the illusion in time and fell prey to self-doubt and loathing, he might well havemitted suicide.


    From the rubble of the statue and the de on the ground, it seemed clear that the illusion had been caused by the fox statue before him. The moment Zhang Lie fell prey to the illusion, it would have shot out the de and killed Zhang Lie in a single strike.


    Zhang Lie breathed out in relief.


    He hadn''t quite expected an illusion within an illusion, just like a dream within a dream. Although the firstyer was easy enough to break, he would have ended up in a secondyer rather than reality.


    Fortunately, the firstyer of illusions was easy to see through. If he had been negatively impacted by the first illusion and fallen into rage, he could easily have developed a mistaken sense of time and space. The second illusion would then seem to follow a logical pattern.


    No matter how resolute his will, with circumstantial evidence at y, even if Zhang Lie were to discover the w in the illusion, he might end up falling prey to the logical conundrum and be killed by a sneak attack from the statue regardless.


    The door of light''s trial of illusions was deftly designed.


    After falling prey to agitation, sorrow, and self-loathing, it would be very easy to make an error in judgment that would leave him snared by the illusion.


    Even the secondyer had a few obvious mistakes. The first was the deaths of hisrades. If Zhang Lie had really killed them, their corpses would never have been left behind. Even if Zhang Lie had really ended up going crazy, the appearance of Li Qianlin was eminently ridiculous.


    It was clearly designed to pull Zhang Lie deeper into an abyss of desperation, but it was an incredible leap of logic.


    Of course, Zhang Lie didn''t discover the w through application of logic. Under emotional duress, it would be very easy to lose his sense of judgment and discover these ws in the illusion. Zhang Lie identified that this was an illusion through a simple principle: trust and faith.


    Zhang Lie had once fought against all the hunters of Team Zenith in the fourth realm, and he was well aware of theirbat abilities. If he really went crazy, he might have been able to kill one of them, but certainly not all. For one thing, Yang Ze would hardly be an easy target.


    Zhou Ying''s regenerative ability and stubborn vitality would keep her death at bay, as well.


    Zhang Lie had fallen prey to temporary self-loathing and panic, but he quickly evaluated his situation and discovered the corresponding w.


    Zhang Lie walked on past the statue and up the stairs that came into view to find a nine-tailed fox before him.


    A nine-tailed fox?


    Its nine tails were curled up; its fur looked soft and downy.


    The moment Zhang Lie stepped up toward the end of the stairs, the nine-tailed fox slowly raised one tail up high. Pale blue mes formed at the end of its tail. As it swung it about, the mes red and shot toward Zhang Lie like will-o-the-wisps.


    Zhang Lie countered with a punch, causing the mes to explode, but they stuck to his hands.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The nine-tailed fox wasn''t as rxed as it had been. It was so startled that its fur stood on end. Its second tail stood erect. As it waved its tail, a stark-white bolt of lightning shot down.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The whole fox was stered to the ground, its vitality drained. Within moments, however, as one of its tails fell, it regained its health and even seemed to grow stronger than before.


    The nine-tailed fox struck with another tail, this one imbued with bright red mes.


    The bright red mes were like malevolent demons that shot toward Zhang Lie.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    As Zhang Lie waved his pointer finger, a beam of sword energy cleaved the demons'' faces as a raging shark swam forth.


    The nine-tailed fox moved surprisingly rapidly, dodging the raging shark as it looped around Zhang Lie, leaving dost of pale blue and bright red mes behind to hinder the shark.


    The shark bit at everything it encountered, fox or me. The pale blue and bright red mes exploded in its mouth, hindering its mobility.


    As the nine-tailed fox dashed behind Zhang Lie, it raised another tail, this one with stark white mes.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The serpent crashed into the fox and snuffed out its mes. A bone talisman appeared before him, as did a portal of light leading out.

 Chapter 1508: Only Knowing How to Run

    <h4>Chapter 1508: Only Knowing How to Run</h4>


    Upon seeing Zhang Lie emerge, the members of Team Zenith couldn''t help but smile.


    "It''s time to leave!"


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    The realm, consecrated with the might of a golden sun, resplendent and zing, was so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun.


    Overwhelming sword energy, like a sunset sea, swallowed up the sun and suppressed the light.


    The sword energy swept across all the cultivators, who fell to the ground like reaped wheat.


    The four hunters of Team Zenithnded by Zhang Lie''s side.


    "We can''t let them get away."


    "They have three bone talismans in their hands!"


    The cultivators behind them caught up.


    Zhang Lie grinned. His eyes sparked dangerously. Clutching his de, he shouted, "I was nning to leave all of you be, but since you''re all determined to die, I''ll fulfill your wishes!"


    Yang Ze caught Zhang Lie''s hand.


    "Captain, ignore these fellows. Let''s run!"


    Zhang Lie frowned, but Yang Ze pointed toward the distance. "The heavenly cordon is rapidly drawing near!"


    Ghost-blue lightning descended in droves, ravaging thend and contorting the void. The power of annihtion turned everything before it to smoke and dust.


    As the lightning storm continued to spread, beasts were sent flying.


    The moment Zhang Lie entered the door of light, the heavenly cordon seemed to speed up.


    Without any hesitation, Zhang Lie ran off with the other four members of Team Zenith.


    The cultivators behind them continued tounch attacks their way, attempting to disrupt them.


    Zhou Ying frowned. "These fellows really don''t fear death, do they?"


    "They''re not really going to die in this virtual realm, after all," Yang Ze said.


    "No," Li Feng disagreed. They''re taking a risk. If they can get just a single bone talisman, they can immediately teleport into the center without fear of the heavenly cordon."


    There were five members of Team Zenith present, and three bone talismans wouldn''t be enough for them all.


    "Stop and fight if you dare!"


    "All you know how to do is run, you cowards!"


    As the cultivators behind them continued to disrupt them, Zhang Lie grew angry.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    With every sh of Guicang, Zhang Lie''s serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down to the ground and striking down the cultivators en masse. The only ones that remained alive were those who had more than a base level of strength.


    After that, Zhang Lie turned and fled. His momentary dy meant that the heavenly cordon had drawn closer.


    Those cultivators who were slower found themselves engulfed by the heavenly cordon. They struggled but ultimately perished.


    Zhang Lie and the other four members of Team Zenith fled rapidly and quickly encountered a translucent crystal wall.


    "The safe zone must lie ahead," Yang Ze said.


    The wall was a huge energy barrier that would be able to counteract the heavenly cordon for some time, but only those who satisfied the conditions could pass through.


    "We''re almost there!" Fang Yi cried out.


    Suddenly, arge number of attacks came at them: one pierced through the void, another seemed to be disced in time, a third drew on the stars, a fourth wasposed of hellfire, a fifth of two crossed sword shes, a sixth a silvery-white sword descending from the heavens...


    Five mountains toppled from the heavens and emitted radiant light as they fell.


    About ten attacks in allbined into a lethal strike.


    Zhang Lie frowned and struck at once.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy expanded through the battlefield.


    The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call, shaking the heavens as all things hummed in resonance. Boulder after boulder exploded, even those tens of thousands of tons heavy. The ripples that emanated from the dragon''s keening easily sparked a resonant dposition.


    The hugeherworld sea devoured all the attacks as the ster dragons shot forward.


    An intense radiance exploded forth.


    Thousands of beasts seemed to roar in unison, a tremendous pressure that was almost impossible to resist.


    With a wave of a cultivator''s fist, heaven and earth filled with light. The figures of beasts covered the arena with an irrepressible aura.


    "[Fist of Ten Thousand Beasts]!"


    Fang Yi frowned. He knew the origin of this attack.

 Chapter 1509: Just By Yourselves

    <h4>Chapter 1509: Just By Yourselves</h4>


    Ten thousand beasts howled and roared, among them standard creatures like tigers, bears, and leopards, and those steeped in mythology like dragons and qilins.


    Thend was filled with rampant beasts, roaring with divine auras as they pounced forward.


    The spectators watched the scene unfold in shock.


    Fang Yi frowned. "The Stargods!"


    [Fist of Ten Thousand Beasts] was the ultimate Stargod technique.


    A tremendous flood of energy transformed into ake of lightning, filling the sky above the realm.


    zing red mes erupted like a phoenix undergoing rebirth. Countless resplendent mes filled the air.


    There were seven cultivators barring their way, one of whom was a Stargod without fail.


    Zhou Ying saw a cultivator with silver wings. She waved a hand. "Yi Shenghao? What a coincidence¡ªwell, that''s what I''d like to say, but I doubt it is one."


    Yi Shenghao gritted his teeth. "I''ve finally found you, Zhou Ying!"


    The silver-winged cultivator before her, Yi Shenghao was a member of the Holywings. Zhou Ying had exchanged blows with him during the qualifiers.


    The Holywings were a renowned race and one of the peak existences in the gxy. They naturally had ways of rapidly recovering from mental strain, and it was no surprise to see that he had reappeared in the tournament proper.


    Li Feng frowned. On one of the enemy cultivators, he could sense the familiar aura of the Hall of Immortals.


    Yang Ze too had found an enemy cultivator from the Eternal Hill. Zhang Lie nced at the remaining three cultivators, but only one of them was familiar to him. If he weren''t mistaken, that cultivator was from the medemons.


    The Hall of Immortals'' representative said, "You can''t enter the barrier."


    Yang Ze was visibly displeased. "As if the Hall of Immortals owns these barriers!"


    Zhang Lie sneered. "I''m curious why renowned and influential cultivators like you are trying to gang up on us small fry."


    A woman in purple said, "I have had no dealings with you, but someone offered me a generous reward for keeping you outside this barrier."


    "Oh? Who would do such a thing?" Zhang Lie asked curiously.


    "You need not know," the Hall of Immortals'' representative replied.


    Zhang Lie said, "It has to be someone of unparalleled status to convince all of you to sacrifice yourselves to get us."


    The medemon representativeughed loudly. "Haha, sacrifice ourselves? Are you overestimating yourself or underestimating us?"


    The Hall of Immortals'' representative shook his head. "Just by yourselves?"


    The Stargod representative tutted. "I thought they were meant to be impressive cultivators to have garnered such attention, but it looks like they aren''t worth our time at all."


    The medemonughed. "Take a good look at us, and then at yourselves! We''re from the major forces of the gxy. When would you ever see such an illustrious party?"


    A woman in gold replied archly, "What makes you think we''d have to sacrifice ourselves to deal with you?"


    When the cultivators at the back rushed up and saw the hunters'' foes, they reared back in shock. Despite the fact that the heavenly cordon was rapidly drawing near, none of them dared rush forward. It was clear just how strong the cultivators before them were perceived to be.


    "Are they all here to steal the bone talismans?"


    "How did they learn of the news?"


    "That''s Xing Po from the Stargods, allegedly only inferior to Xing You in talent; Chang Yong from the Eternal Hill; Yi Shenghao from the Holywings; one of the Immortal King''s substitutes; Yao Long; Chi Chi of the medemons; and a disciple of Divinity Qinglian, senior sister of Qingyue Ge, Jinyang Hua. What an astonishingbination!"


    "They''d be able to stop anythinging their way."


    Zhang Lieughed. "Now I''m even more curious as to the identity of the person who employed all of you. What price did he have to pay to get all of you toe here? It would have to be something worth more than the treasures you could find all around here..."


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but think of a possible suspect: the robed figure who had rescued the Immortal King''s substitute they had fought.


    "It looks like they think of us as a problem."


    Li Feng shrugged. "We''re kind and amiable. Who would target someone like us?"


    The cultivators who had been chasing after them rolled their eyes. Kind and amiable? The marks on the backs of their hands had extended all the way up their arms, and Zhang Lie''s had spread all the way across half his body!


    Yang Ze thought for a moment. "This mysterious mastermind has to be from one of the supreme forces. The ones that we''ve faced are, let me think, the Stargods, the Hall of Immortals, the Holywings..."


    There really were quite a few factions that they had offended, weren''t there?


    "There''s no need for more talking. Let''s fight!"


    The medemon representative was quickly growing impatient, especially with the heavenly cordoning closer.


    They intended to retreat via the barrier behind them after killing Zhang Lie and the four other members of Team Zenith.


    The four members of Team Zenith rushed forward without any hesitation.


    Ruby light arced from a halberd, red as fresh blood, giving off overwhelming crimson light. The heavens shook as blood was sent flying into the air, bright red and dazzling.


    The sea of lightning that suddenly manifested dyed the sky blue.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    Zhou Ying stepped forward and underwent her battle transformation immediately.


    Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand.


    Golden lightning surrounded his spear, lightning that was infused with gold-attuned gic energy. The entire spear turned a gleaming gold, bolstered by wind.


    Its offensive abilities were greatly augmented, as if the spear itself had been enchanted.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. The golden spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.

 Chapter 1510: Sword Suppression

    <h4>Chapter 1510: Sword Suppression</h4>


    Zhang Lie shouted from the back, "All of you, handle your opponent. Leave the rest to me!"


    The four members of Team Zenith each faced off against their corresponding enemy faction.


    The medemon Chi Chi snorted coldly. "Truly arrogant."


    Jinyang Hua smiled. "Isn''t this a good thing?"


    Yao Long nodded. "Let''s deal with this fellow first."


    The medemon Chi Chi streaked down from the heavens, trailing scarlet mes. "Let me take on this arrogant fellow!"


    He transformed into a human-shaped bolt of lightning that shot forward. Scarlet lightning shed and crackled all around him.


    Zhang Lie drew his sword and met Chi Chi inbat.


    A wave of divine light rose into the air as the mes burned brightly. A sword sh swept across the heavens.


    "Argh!" a cultivator shouted from behind, trying to defend himself with a weapon and, when that failed, to use a secret art. It was all meaningless.


    The shockwaves that resulted from the impact exploded and sent the cultivators nearby reeling.


    After just a few blows, Chi Chi could sense that something was amiss. He thought that all the cultivators were roughly at the same level, but after fighting Zhang Lie, he found that he was horribly mistaken. Zhang Lie''sbat strength was significantly higher than his, and he had managed such a feat within a century at most!


    His mespletely suppressed by Zhang Lie''s pale blue sword, Chi Chi found himself being one-sidedly beaten. All his attacks were easily countered and neutralized by Zhang Lie, who unleashed tremendous power.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    The realm, consecrated with the might of a golden sun, resplendent and zing, was so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun.


    Within just a few blows, one of Chi Chi''s wings had been cut off. He clutched his wound and cried out, "What kind of sword do you have?!"


    "A sword that can kill you."


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    Chi Chi could sense the incredible might emanating from the ster river. Small though theherworld serpents might be, each seemed almost to be alive, bearing its own soul and life force.


    He was unhappy to do so, but had to use the relic that his client gave him.


    As his body zed with me, he retrieved a ruler of incredible might from his robes. A rose-colored hue streaked across the heavens.


    "What''s that?" someone cried out.


    "I''ve never heard of the medemons possessing such a relic."


    Theherworld serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down toward Chi Chi.


    The ruler shed against theherworld serpents with such force that the sound echoed through the air. Chi Chi gave off so much light he looked like a glowing sun. He was attempting to vaporize Zhang Lie''sherworld river.


    However, considering the size and depth of Zhang Lie''s river, even the relic of incredible strength wasn''t able to obliterate it.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy expanded through the battlefield.


    The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call, shaking the heavens as all things hummed in resonance. Boulder after boulder exploded, even those tens of thousands of tons heavy. The ripples that emanated from the dragon''s keening easily sparked a resonant dposition.


    The ruler was unable to withstand the river''s concentrated attack. It began to crack. Chi Chi didn''t dare to fight any longer, worried that the ruler would break as a result. He fled in disgrace.


    A ster dragon chased after him as Chi Chi shouted, "How long are the two of you going to keep watching? Help me!"


    Yao Long and Jinyang Hua were watching from the sidelines.


    They weren''tpanions to begin with, after all, and were more than happy to see Chi Chi suffering.


    Yao Long mocked, "Didn''t you say to leave it to you?"


    Jinyang Hua hid a smile behind her hand. "I thought you were supposed to be impressive. To think you would end up in such dire straits."


    Yao Long and Jinyang Hua considered Zhang Lie. Chi Chi might have been a little weak, but was essentially on their level. For him to have lost that confrontation so badly... Zhang Lie was simply too strong.


    Yao Long and Jinyang Hua carefully analyzed Zhang Lie''s moves.

 Chapter 1511: Come at Me Together

    <h4>Chapter 1511: Come at Me Together</h4>


    Chi Chi howled, "Aren''t you just relying on the strength of your weapon? That''s not your strength at all, but your weapon''s strength instead! I dare you not to use that sword!"


    "Very well."


    Zhang Lie sheathed Guicang. The ster dragon that was pursuing Chi Chi vanished. To be frank, he wouldn''t have to use Guicang to deal with Chi Chi. Chi Chi was simply too weak; he talked as though he was far stronger than he really was.


    Chi Chi grinned. Internally, he thought to himself, "What a fool!"


    He had sheathed his sword just because his opponent told him not to use it.


    That sword was the reason for his strength, after all. Without that sword around, he would hardly be able to do anything.


    "Learn to be smarter in your next life!"


    Chi Chi zed with mes. His malevolent features were illuminated by crimson mes as sura emerged from hell. Like incandescent meteors, they shot through the sky and headed straight for Zhang Lie.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    The ck gic energy surged all around him. The darkness of the night instantly imed the firelight over Chi Chi''s body, and the pitch-ck gic energy and ster energy quickly corroded his body. They seeped into his blood and flesh and began to dissolve it all. Chi Chi was in such pain that he writhed on the ground, his face screwed up. Zhang Lie punched forward and knocked him flying.


    Zhang Lie sneered. "Say what you said again."


    Chi Chi clutched his face. The corrosion of Zhang Lie''s gic energy had left half his face melted off, making him look even more sinister than he had been. He shouted, "Yao Long, Jinyang Hua, how long are you going to keep watching? Are you really going to watch me die?!"


    To be frank, Yao Long and Jinyang Hua were perfectly willing and even happy for Zhang Lie to kill Chi Chi, but they were currently enemies of Zhang Lie at present.


    If he were to kill Chi Chi, they would surely be next.


    Yao Long widened her mouth and transformed into a beam of purple light that shot around Zhang Lie.


    Jinyang Hua''s foot touched the ground as golden radiance spread throughout the sky. All around Zhang lie, golden lotuses bloomed like a golden ocean that illuminated the heavens and trapped Zhang Lie.


    Chi Chi lifted his scarlet ruler up high and soared into the sky.


    The three cultivators struck simultaneously, acting in sync with barely any interruption in their flow.


    Zhang Lie reached out for purple light with his palms. Stars seemed to spin over his palm, tearing apart the purple light by force. The starlight dissipated and formed a ster river. ck, pitch-ck energy spread into thend all around and began to devour the golden lotuses.


    "Kill!"


    As the fightingmenced in earnest, the three of them ganging up on Zhang Lie, Zhang Lie showed no signs of retreating. He forged forward bravely and fought on equal terms with the three cultivators. His attacks were simple, domineering, and effective. As his aura swelled to titanic proportions, he unleashed a tremendous frontal assault.


    He punched forward with a fist, striking the blood-colored ruler directly and knocking it flying in a bolt of blood lightning.


    Zhang Lie''s palm seemed to be filled with infinite starlight, forming a gxy, a ster river. His ck hair danced in the wind, and lightning shed in his eyes. His blood roiled with energy. He was only a single cultivator, but his aura seemed to have expanded to fill the heavens.


    The blood ruler was sent flying against as it hummed in protest.


    Zhang Lie looked up and punched forward once more. The void shattered.


    Chi Chi was unable to protect himself even with the blood ruler activated. It was sent flying as he vomited out blood.


    Half his body had cracked apart from the force of Zhang Lie''s blow. The radiant cultivator shot forward with another punch.


    Heaven and earth alike resonated as Chi Chi burst into mental fragments.


    The blood ruler shattered under the force of Zhang Lie''s assault. Its fragments shone with intense, bloody light.


    The sinister light coalesced into a blow of epic proportions that caused heaven and earth to quake. It was thousands of times more intense than the blow that Chi Chi had unleashed with the relic.


    Someone had sealed a single, incredible attack within the ruler. Once the relic was broken, that attack would activate immediately.


    Even Yao Long and Jinyang Hua were struck by the attack.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward. The ck serpent behind him shot forth and erupted amidst the bloody light. The dark clouds dispersed as the night swallowed up the light. Within moments, the light waspletely devoured.


    Zhang Lie whirled around and eyed the women.


    "Take him down together!" the purple-robed cultivator shouted. She really was starting to get afraid of Zhang Lie.


    She began to panic. Fear filled her face.


    Even the golden lotuses scattered through the floor were unable to block the attack. It broke through even her purple light.


    The blood ruler erupted with authority. Zhang Lie might not be aware of the history of the relic, but she was. The attack that had been stored in the relic had been done by a cultivator far beyond her might, close to his prime¡ªbut even so, Zhang Lie had handled it easily.


    He was too frightening a foe.


    The purple-robed woman transformed into her true appearance, a giant purple dragon.


    She had not the oppressive aura of an ordinary dragon, but rather some sort of demonic aura instead.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie waved his arm about, using the edge of his palm as a sword, resplendent and shining. Before Yao Long could make a move, her head had flown into the air, apanied by a huge burst of blood, as she transformed into a rain of light.


    "What?!"


    Zhang Lie saw a bone talisman within that rain of light.


    It was warm and lustrous, as though it were made of jade. It sparkled with mysterious energy.


    Zhang Lie reached out for the bone talisman as the cultivators behind him watched on with envy and jealousy.


    Even with three of them working together¡ªYao Long, Chi Chi, and Jinyang Hua¡ªeven with Chi Chi''s blood ruler, none of that had any impact on Zhang Lie.


    Jinyang Hua shuddered in fear. The moment the purple-d woman had revealed her true appearance, so too did she. She transformed into a huge sunflower.


    However, Zhang Lie had struck too rapidly. Within the blink of an eye, he had finished off Yao Long without giving her any chance to retaliate.


    Jinyang Hua knew that she would only end up like Yao Long if she didn''t resist, killed in a single strike without realizing what was going on.


    The sunflower emitted piercing light, like hundreds ofmps all shining in unison.


    The entire sky was dyed golden. The golden light erupted and shot forth.


    It was as though the sunflower was in the middle of a superheated sun. Within the light were countless miniature suns.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, shining with twinkling stars, which transformed into a dragon that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    Struck by the miniature suns, the ster dragon was battered and bruised.

 Chapter 1512: Been Delayed

    <h4>Chapter 1512: Been Dyed</h4>


    Jinyang Hua smiled in relief, her leaves trembling.


    Zhang Lie really wasn''t as strong as she had expected. With her true form, she could pose a challenge to him.


    The next moment, Jinyang Hua realized that she was badly mistaken.


    The moment the ster dragon was destroyed, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The explosion was like a ck hole that sucked up everything in sight.


    The miniature suns fed the energy of annihtion, causing the ck hole to expand rapidly.


    Countless small suns appeared around Jinyang Hua, rooting themselves and growing to be sunflowers.


    The golden light and sunflowers seemed to establish a domain. Jinyang Hua used that domain to seal space and prevent the energy of annihtion from growing at will and destroying everything in sight.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air. The sunflowers'' petals scattered through the air as the domain was rapidly shattered by the assault of Zhang Lie''s dragons.


    Jinyang Hua howled in rage. The sunflowers burned. The golden light grew even more blinding as the pretty patch of sunflowers transformed into a ming golden sea.


    The ming golden sea burned heaven and earth. The ster dragon shattered, and waves of annihtion exploded around the dragon like a tempest. Hundreds of such waves devoured the whole sea of golden mes.


    Even Jinyang Hua''s domain was unable to prevent the incursion of the tempest. The domain was gradually devoured.


    Jinyang Hua knew that she was no opponent for Zhang Lie. Against such a powerful cultivator like him, even turning to run was an extravagance that she couldn''t afford. Within a dense patch of sunflower seeds, Jinyang Hua spat out a single one.


    The sunflower seed burst apart, pierced through by the light. Within was a bone talisman with which Zhang Lie was intimately familiar.


    It was warm and lustrous, as though it were made of jade. It sparkled with mysterious energy.


    It was a bone talisman that would allow passage into the heart of the tournament.


    Their mysterious client had given each of the cultivators participating in the joint assault against Zhang Lie a treasure.


    Chi Chi had gained a blood ruler of incredible might, with one of the client''s own attacks sealed within.


    It showed how devious and unscrupulous their client was.


    Their client had known or expected that the cultivators wouldn''t be able to deal with Zhang Lie and his group, so he encapsted his strength within a blood ruler that he handed to them. Once they failed and the blood ruler shattered, the attack within would devour everyone. However, Zhang Lie''s extreme strength went beyond even his expectations.


    Chi Chi clearly intended to take advantage of the blood ruler''s strength¡ªnot only to kill Zhang Lie, but also to steal what the rest of them had obtained from the client.


    Jinyang Hua, like Yao Long and the majority of the cultivators, had chosen a bone talisman rather than a relic.


    This wasn''t it, either. If the client''s undertaking was sessful, they would all be richly rewarded in the future as well.


    These promises were what had ultimately enticed them to act.


    Upon seeing the bone talismans, the cultivators'' eyes widened.


    Against a cultivator as powerful as Zhang Lie, Jinyang Hua tasted a sense of helplessness she had never felt before. She tried to run with her bone talisman, but Zhang Lie was even faster than she was. He pierced through the storm of annihtion and caught the bone talisman with a hand.


    With her life-saving bone talisman seized, Jinyang Hua let out a chilling screech. The sunflower seeds radiated with golden light even more splendid than the sun itself, but against Zhang Lie, all resistance was futile.


    Zhang Lie punched forward with a fist, crushing the giant sunflowers and the suns they encapsted. They exploded in the air. Even the translucent crystalline barrier began to quake. The cultivators that were in the safe zone, noticing themotion, gathered to see what was going on.


    Zhang Lie reached out and grabbed what remained of the giant sunflower and pulled it open, tearing it apart as Jinyang Hua screamed. A huge wave of energy enveloped the realm, and even the crystalline barrier began to crack.


    Zhang Lie had torn Jinyang Hua apart with his bare hands.


    The moment he killed Jinyang Hua, the cultivators behind him struck at once.


    Zhang Lie had obtained two more bone talismans during the fight just now, and he now had five bone talismans in all. That was a quantity that was sufficient to make any cultivator go crazy.


    Zhang Lie met the field of cultivators with a body glowing with light. Each punch struck flesh; each palm drew blood. The cultivators burst apart one after another, killed to thest.


    His fists shone with light, his blood like a raging ocean. Zhang Lie alone stood in the center of the battlefield, corpses shattering into light all around him. Everyone had been killed.


    The cultivators safely ensconced in the safe zone goggled. Their souls trembled. What sort of power and strength was this?


    Dozens of cultivators had fallen to Zhang Lie in an instant; this was a one-sided ughter.


    "Captain, it''s time to go."


    Zhang Lie crushed thest cultivator''s head, then looked over at the heavenly cordon that was right about to envelop them.


    Zhang Lie and the four other members of Team Zenith flew toward the safe zone. It was right before their eyes, and they would easily be able to make it. Yang Ze took out what he had obtained from his opponent in order to unt it.


    It was a bone talisman, warm and lustrous, as though it were made of jade. It sparkled with mysterious energy.


    He had snatched a bone talisman from his opponent, too.


    Now, Team Zenith possessed six bone talismans. Every member of the team would be able to head into the central region.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Once we find Sun Mengmeng, we''ll be able to teleport directly into the heart of the tournament."


    Yang Ze smiled. "Haha, we might not know who tried to kill us, but that person really helped us out, didn''t they? Sending us three free bone talismans¡ªwhy, I don''t know how to thank them enough."


    Zhou Ying said worriedly, "I wonder what happened to Sun Mengmeng..."


    "ording to the queen''s hive soulshard, she''s right on the other side of the safe zone," Zhang Lie replied.


    "She got into the safe zone before we did? As expected of Sun Mengmeng!"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "We were dyed by all manner of affairs. Under ordinary circumstances, we should have made it into the safe zone rtively easily ourselves."


    The crystal barrier was right before them, no more than a hundred meters away.


    To an ordinary person, that might still be a considerable distance, but for hunters like Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, it was a distance that could be crossed by a single breath. Suddenly, however, countless attacks swarmed them from across the crystal barrier.


    Zhang Lie cleaved all the attacks with his sword, establishing a path forward.

 Chapter 1513: Affects the Balance

    <h4>Chapter 1513: Affects the Bnce</h4>


    On the other side of the crystal barrier, the cultivators already gathered in the safe zone were attacking Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith.


    Perhaps because of fear, or because of the exceptional performance that Zhang Lie and the four members of Team Zenith had demonstrated, thepetitors wanted to get rid of their opponents.


    Despite the fact that the cultivators on the other side of the crystal barrier would ordinarily be prideful individuals, they were currently all cooperating to attack Zhang Lie and the four members of Team Zenith.


    All of those who could make it into the safe zone had to have at least a base level of strength. Clearly, the cultivators on the other side of the safe zone were stronger than those that Zhang Lie had just killed.


    Under ordinary circumstances, Zhang Lie wouldn''t be worried, but the heavenly cordon was rapidly catching up from behind.


    The second wave of attacks headed toward them. Zhang Lie and the others made their moves.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    The realm, consecrated with the might of a golden sun, resplendent and zing, was so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and the aura of the godlike being within the sun. A deep scar was left on the crystal barrier.


    The cultivators on the other side of the crystal barrier were even more frightened. They shouted shrilly, "We can''t let these fellows in! If they make it past the safe zone, we surely won''t make it into the finals!"


    "They''re affecting the bnce of thepetition. We can''t let them remain alive!"


    "This is our only chance to kill them. Once they enter the safe zone, we''re done for!"


    "We''ve already made a move, so we can''t turn back now. If they enter the safe zone, they''ll surely target us."


    The cultivators on the other side of the safety barrier all struck as one. Their attacks formed a rainbow river of resplendent energy.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    Countless golden leaves whirled around Zhou Ying''s body and flew into the air in a tempest, shing against the barrage of techniques heading their way.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand.


    Golden lightning surrounded his spear, lightning that was infused with gold-attuned gic energy. The entire spear turned a gleaming gold, bolstered by wind. Its offensive abilities were greatly augmented, as if the spear itself had been enchanted.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The golden spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake as it shed against the techniques.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    The noise shook heaven and earth. Each serpent fell like a sharp de, a meteor that struck the barrage of techniques headed their way.


    "Victory is right before us. We have to keep pushing!"


    The cultivators in the safe zone struck at full force, ignoring their expenditure of stamina and energy.


    Yang Ze whirled around. "We have to hurry!"


    The heavenly cordon had made its way over.


    Thepetitors in the safe zone, sensing that their gambit might be sessful, that no one would be able to survive such a dense barrage of attacks. Fortunately for Team Zenith, their opponents wouldn''t be able to sustain such high-intensity attacks for long. As long as Zhang Lie and the four members of Team Zenith could survive the initial barrage, they would be able to make it into the safe zone.


    Unfortunately, the heavenly cordon was right behind them, and they wouldn''t be able to wait until thepetitors on the other side of the crystal barrier were drained of energy.


    Just as they thought that Team Zenith had all perished, purple mes lit up the sky and dyed the crystal barrier purple.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles. exploding in mid-air among the cultivators in a brilliant burst of fireworks.


    The cultivators shrieked, their formation broken.


    They shouted, "A traitor! A traitor!"


    "Sun Mengmeng!"


    Although none of them had seen Sun Mengmeng make her move, the familiar purple mes and technique made the identity of the ''traitor'' clear.


    Sun Mengmeng had to be the one who had struck on the other end of the crystal barrier.


    She thenunched a second attack.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    The cultivators on the other end of the crystal barrier were ill-equipped to deal with a sneak attack. They were instantly on guard against each other as they avoided the ming purple meteors. In the end, they were allpetitors themselves, and they would never be able to remain steadfast allies.


    With their attacks having weakened in scale and scope, Zhang Lie immediately took the opportunity to strike.


    "[The Boundless de: the River Lethe]!"


    The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.

 Chapter 1514: You Can Try It

    <h4>Chapter 1514: You Can Try It</h4>


    One of the cultivators on the other end of the crystal barrier discovered Sun Mengmeng. She shouted, "It''s that woman with the bow! We have to deal with her first!"


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The heavens shook as all things hummed in resonance. Boulder after boulder exploded, even those tens of thousands of tons heavy. The ripples that emanated from the dragon''s keening easily sparked a resonant dposition.


    With a ster dragon paving the way, Zhang Lie rushed forward with the members of Team Zenith.


    "Those fellows outside are going to rush in! We can''t deal with that woman right now!"


    Upon noticing that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were again drawing near, the cultivators on the other side of the crystal barrier again worked together tounch attacks out toward them.


    A hugeherworld sea blocked all the attacks as the ster dragon rushed forward. The heavenly cordon closed in from behind as pale blue lightning and winds interspersed. The spatial pressure left Team Zenith''s movement speed greatly reduced. They felt as though a mountain were weighing them down as they continued forward, the power of the heavenly cordon draining their strength.


    The cultivators on the other side of the barrier were overjoyed. Hardly anyone could survive after being caught within the heavenly cordon.


    "Haha, they''re dead meat!"


    The heavenly cordon advanced alongside Zhang Lie and the others. They were moments from being devoured.


    Yang Ze shouted, causing ripples around his body to spread to the other members of Team Zenith. The spatial suppression was greatly weakened.


    Meanwhile, Sun Mengmeng was unleashing her full repertoire as well.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air.


    The ck moon zed, fire spreading like moonlight and disrupting thepetitors on the far side of the crystal barrier fromunching any more follow-up attacks.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    The dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth. The ster energy that filled the battlefield transformed into a massive ster dragon that took to the skies. The members of Team Zenith rushed forward, shattering the spatial restrictions that bound them as they flew out of the heavenly cordon and smashed into and through the crystal barrier.


    The hugemotion caused the entire safe zone to quake. The crystal barrier shook violently.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had made it within.


    The crystal barrier would keep the heavenly cordon at bay for at least the short term.


    The cultivators within the safe zone shuddered in fear upon seeing Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith enter their sanctuary¡ªnot only because they were able to escape the heavenly cordon despite having been mired deep within, but also because they were aware of their strength and had attacked them.


    The cultivators in the safe zone retreated warily as Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith found a wide-open space before them.


    "If you hadn''t attacked us out of nowhere, how would they have made it in?!"


    Many of thepetitors red at Sun Mengmeng angrily.


    Zhang Lie narrowed his gaze. "It sounds almost as though you were nning to trap us outside."


    The cultivators shuddered.


    "Well, you''ve already made it in, so it doesn''t matter, does it...?"


    Zhang Lie smiled coldly.


    "Let''s say I were to stab you but failed to kill you. Should we treat it as though I never stabbed you?"


    The cultivators retreated.


    "Don''t try anything funny! You''ve already had several huge fights outside the safe zone. You must have expended much of your energy already. Fighting with us would be an unwise decision."


    "Right, think about how many people are on our side and how much effort it took you to even make it in here. Do you really think you can win against all of us despite being exhausted?


    "Let''s try it and see, then."


    Zhang Lie raised his sword high overhead. Bright sword energy radiated from him like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    A frightening force spread out from Zhang Lie, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot toward them. The cultivators nched as they turned to flee.


    Who would want to fight against someone like Zhang Lie?


    As the sword energy swept across the heavens, many cultivators fell from the sky.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie whirled around. Time suddenly sped up in the vicinity of Zhang Lie. His sword shed time and time again, sweeping across the backs of the fleeing cultivators. By the time they reacted, they were heavily injured and starting to dissolve into fragments of light.


    Zhang Lie overtook the gathered cultivators and appeared before them. He shouted coldly, "Where do all of you think you''re headed?"


    The cultivators stopped short, their faces pale.


    "We can''t flee anymore. He must have expended a great deal of energy to free himself from the heavenly cordon. If we work together, we might have a chance against him, or we''re dead!"


    The cultivators banded together.


    "Do you think numbers will work against me?"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him.


    "A bunch of small fry working together is still just small fry."


    Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    Everyone''s energy was drained as Zhang Lie''s was magnified.

 Chapter 1515: Gathering Once Again

    <h4>Chapter 1515: Gathering Once Again</h4>


    The cultivators cried out, "What have you done to us?!"


    They could sense something strange happening to them.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away Li Feng''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    The cultivators deeply regretted having provoked someone like Zhang Lie.


    The battle ended in the blink of an eye. Four hunters of Team Zenith had expended the majority of their reserves; only Sun Mengmeng and Zhang Lie had spare energy left.


    The cultivators, unable to defend against their overwhelming might, spread out and ran, but Sun Mengmeng and Zhang Lie took down the majority of them in one fell swoop.


    Zhou Ying rushed up in excitement and grabbed Sun Mengmeng''s hands.


    "Sun Mengmeng, you''re finally here! You don''t know just how harrowing our experience was. We had all manner of fighting over thest few days. It''s been tough."


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "It was worse at the start, let me tell you that."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Just what happened to all of you? You were chased by a group of cultivators, and then another group blocked your path!"


    Li Feng replied, "As far as we know, those were two different groups."


    "We were chased because of the bone talismans," Yang Ze added.


    Li Feng shrugged. "As for the group blocking our way, we don''t know how we offended them, or what we did to deserve that."


    Zhang Lie headed over. "At any rate, we didn''t lose out. We now have six bone talismans in our possession."


    "What are these bone talismans?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Yang Ze exined the situation briefly as Sun Mengmeng nodded in understanding. "No wonder all of you were being chased."


    Li Feng turned to Zhang Lie. "Captain, what are our next steps?"


    "Let''s rest for a moment," Zhang Lie replied. "After a few major fights, I''m sure everyone''s tired. We can hand the two remaining pupae to Zhou Ying and Sun Mengmeng, then head straight into the heart of this realm."


    "We''d miss a few resources that way," Li Feng replied.


    "There has to be a reason that some cultivators suddenly appeared to stall us. Although I don''t have any evidence, I keep thinking back to the ck-robed man who rescued the Immortal King''s substitute. I feel like he''s particrly sinister, and might do something untoward at the heart of this realm."


    "I agree with our captain''s proposal."


    Everyone turned to Sun Mengmeng, who had just spoken. Sun Mengmeng pointed toward the hole in the crystal barrier left behind from Zhang Lie''s attack as they sought entry through it, which was steadily expanding.


    "The crystal barrier likely won''tst for long," Sun Mengmeng continued.


    "Let''s find a ce to rest and prepare to advance to the heart, then. I have a feeling we''ll have a major battle up ahead," Zhang Lie said.


    The safe zone wasn''t particrlyrge, but the hunters managed to find a spot that was particrly defensible. They rested to recover their mental and gic energy, all of them being exhausted from the multiple days of fighting. Sun Mengmeng, who had the least expenditure, guarded the other hunters as they rested.


    Then, Zhang Lie handed the remaining two pupae to Zhou Ying and Sun Mengmeng.


    Zhou Ying frowned. "It looks like the lifeforce within has been damaged..."


    "It must have been from the shockwaves from our attacks as we fought to make it through the crystal barrier."


    "I can attempt to heal them with natural energy, but whether it''ll work will depend on the lifeforms within."


    Zhou Ying cupped the pupae with her hands. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    Natural energy condensed,bining with the pupae''s innate vitality. They shone like two pieces of jade, giving off green motes of light as though they were surrounded by fireflies. The light wasn''t eye-catching, but seemed to provide a gentle warmth.


    Quickly, all that natural energy receded once more. Zhang Lie asked, "How is it?"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "The two lifeforms within these pupae aren''t organic in origin. Someone used their own intuition¡ªor knowledge, say¡ªto create them within this special realm. They might as well be knowledge constructs rather than true life."


    Yang Ze frowned. "So did it work or not? I don''t quite understand what you said."


    "Put simply, the pupae aren''t living beings as we know them. Although the cultivation insights they embody are simr to mine, they''re not the same. I wasn''t able to heal them much."


    Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "So you wasted your efforts?"


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "Not quite. At the very least, they''re better off than before."


    Zhang Lie broke them off. "Alright. Why don''t you split them among yourselves now?"


    Zhou Ying held the two pupae up to Sun Mengmeng. "Which would you like, Sun Mengmeng?"


    Sun Mengmeng casually chose one of the two. In a sh of purple mes, a bug appeared from the pupa, about the size of her arm. It was burning with purplish-ck me in the shape of a phoenix.


    The phoenix floated in the air, mysterious but palpably strong.


    Just as Zhou Ying had promised, despite still being a bug monarch, the bug that had emerged from Sun Mengmeng''s pupa was evidently more powerful than the bug monarchs that Yang Ze and the others had obtained. It was at least half a step toward a bug emperor.


    It attempted to run the moment it saw Sun Mengmeng, but was unable to escape from her grasp.


    Zhang Lie said, "Consuming this bug monarch should have a noticeable impact."


    "I have to eat this?"


    Sun Mengmeng frowned, somewhat resistant to the notion of eating bugs. Yang Ze said, "You can wait until you get hurt before you consume it."


    "I''d rather eat it now. I''d feel even worse if I had to eat it after being injured."


    Sun Mengmeng had eaten all manner of vile lifeforms in the dimensional realm; this wasn''t any worse.


    She opened her lips wide and swallowed the bug monarch whole, wrinkling her nose as if she had just ingested some vile-tasting medicine.

 Chapter 1516: Zhou Yings Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 1516: Zhou Ying''s Evolution</h4>


    At the heart of the ancient pce, a beam of light shot into the sky and pierced through the heavens. The ground cracked; the central pir was surrounded by countless chains of naturalw that linked the entire realm.


    The man in a dark green robe sat on a flight of steps, eyes glowing with frightening light. He looked agitated. "I''ll quickly be able to obtain the most valuable treasure of this virtual world, thergest inheritance, and recover my peak strength once more."


    Before himy the Immortal King''s substitute, who had fully recovered from his injuries and even grown stronger beyond that. The Holywing''s silver wings were outstretched and zing even more brightly than before. There was a youth dressed in green, floating atop a ming golden lotus, There was a man crackling with golden lightning, his face a golden mask, his body shrouded by golden light, as if he were himself a man of gold. There was a man on whom a golden sun shone, seated cross-legged in meditation as he floated atop the void, austere and holy, a man like a god.


    A cultivator in blue, with a goldenmp in his hands, appeared. All manner of cultivators were arrayed around the man in the dark green robe, each illustrious and renowned in their own right.


    In addition, there was even an arcane centipede, a golden elephant, a jade mantis, a golden luan, and a sapphire-blue scorpion.


    Any cultivator who saw this array of cultivators and beasts would be shocked to no end. Combined, they would easily sweep through the tournament.


    After Sun Mengmeng consumed the bug monarch, her body reacted immediately. Manifestations formed around her and condensed into the form of phoenixes, their wings outstretched.


    Sun Mengmeng''s manifestationssted only temporarily, unlike Zhang Lie''s.


    Clearly, she had only received a boost to her mental faculties; she couldn''t replicate Zhang Lie''s tremendous gains from consuming a bug emperor.


    Then, with natural energy and vitality brimming in her hands, Zhou Ying gently opened up her cocoon and extracted the bug within.


    As she did so, a manifestation formed.


    A golden crow cawed. Life, nature, death, and mutation energy surged forward like the tides, blooming in jade-green, ck, and purple. Green and ck leaves danced through the air.


    The members of Team Zenith, who had seen these cocoons opened before, were shocked by the sight. Yang Ze frowned. "This isparable to what happened when our captain unraveled his cocoon."


    Life, nature, death, and mutation surrounded the cocoon. A bug appeared from within, only about as long as an arm. Its body was mottled with green and blue, and it seemed to radiate a gentle warmth. The next moment, however, the colors had transformed into ck and purple, causing those who saw it to shudder in distaste. The ck and purple splotches seemed to form a ghastly face.


    One moment, it radiated the energy of nature; the next, of death, as though just touching it would inflict a curse. A giant tree sprouted by the side of its body.


    The sun and the moon shone on it in turn. As the celestial bodies'' light shone on the tree, it transformed. In the daytime, the tree''s leaves were jade-green, filled with natural energy and vitality, like a tree of life.


    At nighttime, the tree''s leaves turned ck, like a ghost tree that would have been nted in theherworld. Its branches were like ws, ghastly, frightening, and steeped in the aura of death. Many tendrils suddenly grew out of the tree and flew around like tentacles. Arge eye opened up on the tree trunk; onlookers staring at the trunk at any angle would feel as though the eye were looking at them.


    Even the hunters of Team Zenith subconsciously took a step back.


    The tree was illusory in nature, floating in the void, mysterious and palpably strong, holy and yet intimate.


    Yang Ze said, "This manifestation isn''t weaker than Captain''s..."


    Li Feng and Fang Yi nodded simultaneously.


    Either Zhou Ying had been lucky, or her infusion of vitality and natural energy had caused a resonance with the construct within the cocoon.


    Compared to the manifestation from Zhang Lie''s bug emperor, however, Zhou Ying''s bug emperor seemed far more sinister.


    Sun Mengmeng hesitated. "Zhou Ying, this bug seems a little sinister. Are you really going to eat it?"


    "That depends on what it says," Zhou Ying replied.


    Zhang Lie: ? ? ?


    The other five hunters of Team Zenith: ...


    <i>Do you ask food whether it wants to be eaten before you have meals? What sort of strange response was this?</i>


    Zhou Ying asked the newly hatched bug, "Are you willing to join me?"


    The bug''s round eyes looked toward Zhou Ying. From her, it sensed a natural intimacy. It nudged her fingers, as though thinking of her as its mother. It leapt up into the air and burrowed into Zhou Ying''s body in a beam of light.


    Zhou Ying''s body radiated with light as she underwent a metamorphosis. A giant tree manifested around her, shining and splendid.


    The image that had been revealed when the cocoon was first unraveled appeared once again. The sun and the moon shone on the tree in turn. In the daytime, the tree''s leaves were jade-green, filled with natural energy and vitality, like a tree of life.


    At nighttime, the tree''s leaves turned ck, like a ghost tree that would have been nted in theherworld. Its branches were like ws, ghastly, frightening, and steeped in the aura of death. Many tendrils suddenly grew out of the tree and flew around like tentacles. Arge eye opened up on the tree trunk; onlookers staring at the trunk at any angle would feel as though the eye were looking at them.


    Bloody roots appeared, flowing like blood, extending within her body, rooting within her flesh: a sinister transformation. The tree turned from green to ck, from vitality and natural energy to death.


    Her flesh squirmed, as though every bit of her body wereing to life.


    As life and death transformed into each other in turn, her mind likewise evolved. After every cycle of life and death, her body seemed to be forged anew.


    Something within Zhou Ying''s body was glowing with light, controlling the transformation to her body.


    On careful inspection, it was the bug emperor that had just darted into Zhou Ying''s body.


    The bug emperor provided crystalled intuition about the metamorphosis of a caterpir into a butterfly, a startling evolution that resonated with Zhou Ying''s path of life and mutation.


    The resonance between the two paths was immediate and intense, and another startling evolution took ce.


    Zhou Ying seemed to transform into a tree brimming with vitality, which then transformed into a haunted, malevolent tree, and finally back into human form.


    She opened her eyes, which were lustrous and endowed with preternatural depth. Her left eye had turned blue, and a tree of life had taken root there. Vitality and natural energy shone from it. Her right eye had turned dark gray, and a ghostly tree had taken root there. Her heterochromic vision was a sign of her advancement and understanding of life and death itself.


    The sun and moon shone; celestial phenomena appeared.


    Zhou Ying grew far stronger than before.


    She let out a breath. She was excited by the transformation and astounded by the new sensations that suffused her.


    "What a miraculous world."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed. "Was that how we should have absorbed these bugs?"


    Asking the bug whether it wanted to be eaten, and then allowing it to enter her body...


    Zhou Ying shook her head. "This method would only work for me."

 Chapter 1517: Into the Heart

    <h4>Chapter 1517: Into the Heart</h4>


    If the others were to try what Zhou Ying had done, they would be lucky if the bug emperors didn''t bite them to death.


    Zhou Ying''s unique constitution allowed her to develop intimacy with the bug emperor, and she had endowed it with a great deal of vitality and natural energy before unraveling it from its cocoon. It was natural that the bug emperor would treat Zhou Ying like its mother, allowing for her unique method of absorption.


    Using this method, she was able to obtain exceptional benefit from the bug emperor. The bug emperor willingly merged with Zhou Ying''s body, naturally resulting in an incredible boon beyond that which Zhang Lie had obtained.


    The moment Zhou Ying finished her transformation, the crystal barrier around the safe zone shook. A huge crack formed where Zhang Lie had left a scar in the barrier.


    Yang Ze rubbed at his lower jaw. "At this rate, this barrier will only survive a few days at most."


    The moment the barrier broke, the heavenly cordon would constrict the portion of the realm that remained essible. There wasn''t much time left for the cultivators within.


    Li Feng nodded. "It''s going to be wholesale ughter while the remainingpetitors fight their way to the heart of the realm."


    However, it was none of their business any longer.


    The two hunters'' tone even seemed a little gleeful.


    Originally, the crystal barrier should have been able tost at least ten days or so. The other cultivators'' attacks had forced Zhang Lie to create an opening in the barrier, one which would dramatically reduce the time it took for the barrier to break.


    More importantly, they could easily leave with their bone talismans, and didn''t have to worry about the situation outside the heart.


    "Are all of you ready?" Zhang Lie asked.


    The members of Team Zenith nodded.


    "Let''s go, Captain! We''re ready to head to the heart of the realm at any time," Yang Ze said.


    Zhang Lie distributed the bone talismans among the hunters, and they activated them immediately. The hunters of Team Zenith transformed into beams of light that shot across the sky and headed straight into the heart of the realm.


    As Zhang Lie and the others vanished from sight, the crystal barrier finally broke apart.


    Light shrouded them as their vision blurred. Within moments, they found themselves in an unfamiliar environment.


    By the time they came to their senses, they were within an ancient hall.


    The hall was vast and filled with chaos. They felt as though they had reached the end of the realm.


    There, they could feel the aura of time and age, as if backtracking through the river of time, ancient murals that recorded times long past, the rise and fall of tens of thousands of civilizations.


    Not far away, they found a silver stele floating in the air, surrounded by a bloom of chaos. Only two characters were written on it, but they had long since been corroded away by the chaos.


    At the heart of the ancient hall, a pir of light shot into the sky and pierced through the heavens. The ground cracked; the central pir was surrounded by countless chains of naturalw that linked the entire realm.


    There was clearly something unusual about this ce.


    Zhang Lie and the others naturally gravitated to the pir of light, the most eye-catching part of the otherwise empty hall.


    Beneath the pir of light was a huge altar in gold, resplendent and majestic, surrounded by chaos.


    It was almost asrge as a mountain.


    A man in a dark green robe sat on a flight of steps leading up to the altar, his hands on his knees. He wasn''t surprised at all to see Zhang Lie and the others arrive. "You came, as expected. The moment I saw you, I knew that you would be my greatest enemy and the greatest obstacle to the sess of my n."


    The man''s eyes frosted over as he stared at Zhang Lie.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Who''s this?"


    "It''s a cultivator we''ve met before. He''s an enemy," Fang Yi said.


    "You must have been the one who dispatched those cultivators to the crystal barrier outside the safe zone," Zhang Lie stated.


    The man sat casually on the flight of stairs, but a fearsome aura surrounded him as though he were an envoy from hell. He felt like a demon king, full of darkness beyond the likes of what the hunters could imagine, an aura barely concealing a horrifying craze.


    The man countered, "Are you satisfied with the bone talismans I sent you?"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Why would you do that?"


    It sounded as though the man had expected the cultivators he sent to fail.


    "I want a glorious battle to celebrate my rebirth." The man spread his arms wide, his back to the pir of light. Under the harsh light of the pir, the man looked fearsome, his shadow stretched, elongated, and looming over the hunters.


    The man snapped his fingers. "Come one,e all!"


    Spatial fluctuations rippled as something shot horizontally across the void.


    A halberd gleamed with light. The Immortal King''s substitute stood tall and proud, his halberd directed at Li Feng.


    Li Feng reacted quickly. White light surrounded his fist, which shone with a metallic luster.


    The two cultivators struck each other in a deafening sh.


    Li Feng sneered. "Do the sessors of the Hall of Immortals only know how tounch sneak attacks?"


    The Immortal King''s substitute retreated.


    Somehow, he had managed to make a full recovery from all his injuries, and his strength had even advanced to the next level. Li Feng had to take him seriously.


    He was wearing a winged garment that radiated with light. The void halberd in his hand made him look the very part of an imposing guardian.


    Beside him was Feng Xian, her white clothes fluttering in the air. She was a peerless beauty.


    She red daggers at Zhang Lie, as though she wanted to eat him alive.


    Then, even more beams of light appeared.


    A Holywing cultivator emerged, silver wings outstretched and zing even more brightly than before. Qingyue Ge, dressed in green, arrived atop a ming golden lotus. There was a man crackling with golden lightning, his face a golden mask, his body shrouded by golden light, as if he were himself a man of gold. A golden sun shone on Resplendent Sun as he sat cross-legged in meditation atop the void, austere and holy.


    A cultivator in blue, with a goldenmp in his hands, appeared. All manner of cultivators were arrayed around the man in the dark green robe, each illustrious and renowned in their own right.


    In addition, there was even an arcane centipede, a golden elephant, a jade mantis, and other such creatures which had once been seen within the halls of the realm. There were also beasts responsible for guarding the hall, a golden luan and a sapphire-blue scorpion.


    The sapphire-blue scorpion''s body seemed to be made of crystal. A fearsome cold seeped out of its body, clearly an incredible toxin.


    Somehow, the ck-robed man had gained control of the beasts responsible for guarding the hall.


    The Immortal King''s substitute pursed his lips in distaste. "They''re all trash. Puffed up and proud though they were when they sought rewards for their contribution, they achieved nothing of note at all."


    The Holywing cultivator said, "I was certain that such a group of cultivators would be able to block them from entering the cordon, but it looks like you''re right, Your Highness. This group of cultivators is worth considering seriously."


    The man waved a hand carelessly. "I never bore high hopes for those pieces of trash. It would have been ideal if they had seeded, but we''d get a bit of entertainment otherwise. Wouldn''t it be good to have a few more sacrifices?"


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were beneath him; they might as well have been nothing but sacrifices.


    Qingyue Ge smiled at Sun Mengmeng, besotted. "Miss, we meet again. We are truly connected by fate." Sun Mengmeng made a nauseated expression.

 Chapter 1518: A Lavish Formation

    <h4>Chapter 1518: A Lavish Formation</h4>


    The man introduced, "You still don''t know who these people are, do you? This is Feng Xian, the pride of Starbright Academy; the rising star of this generation of Holywings, Sheng Gu; the child of Divinity Qinglian, Qingyue Ge; the favored disciple of the Lightning Domain and the seniormost disciple thereof, Leiting Ya."


    "What a name..." Li Feng breathed out.


    Sheng Gu smirked. "Do you know about the legend of our very own Leiting Ya? He once had sex with his master''s wife, then was chased out of the sect by his former master all the way outside the Lightning Domain. There, he sessfully took on and killed his former master. Seeing his potential, the Lightning Domain ultimately chose to bring him back into the sect¡ªbut the very next year, he was expelled again.


    There was a lightning-shaped scar on Leiting Ya''s left eye. He licked his lips. "I didn''t do much¡ªI just had sex with the wives of all my junior brothers and the wives of the disciples of my master''s generation."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were taken aback.


    "Actually, I quite like the Lightning Domain. I wouldn''t have left if I could have helped it. Everyone within is talented and kind. They hailed me as a genius, and when I had sex with the wives of the disciples of my master''s generation, those cultivators who weren''t affected would always try to help persuade those that were to forgive me."


    Fang Yi couldn''t help himself from asking, "If you liked the Lightning Domain so much, why would you¡ª"


    Leiting Ya pursed his lips. "I thought they were all generous people, but when I had sex with all their wives, they all banded together to chase me out of the sect. Shouldn''t they have chosen to forgive me?"


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were speechless. To think that such... interesting... cultivators existed in the fifth realm...


    Leiting Ya shrugged. "Regardless, I''m happy now. I''ll let bygones be bygones."


    The man in a dark green robe continued to introduce those around him. He pointed at a man with a golden mask. "This was the first cultivator to enter the heart of this realm, and is exceptionally strong. In appreciation of his strength, I recruited him to my cause. I''m sure you''re familiar with the final cultivator."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Resplendent Sun?"


    The cultivator who looked like Resplendent Sun shook his head. "Unfortunately, I''m not the Resplendent Sun you''re aware of."


    Zhang Lie wasn''t too surprised. The man before him was far stronger in aura and power than Resplendent Sun. If Resplendent Sun were still a sun-in-training, then the cultivator before them had already graduated to the ten-sun level.


    "I think you''ve likely heard my name before. I''m Radiant Sun."


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath. Not only had he heard of his name, he had even fought Radiant Sun within Bu Wentian''s memories.


    The man before him was none other than Resplendent Sun''s father and the chieftain of the Srvines, Radiant Sun.


    Zhang Lie was bbergasted. Radiant Sun was rumored to have devoured the Redgold race, once one of the peak forces of the fifth realm. The Redgold race had be subordinate to the Srvines ever since. In terms of strength and achievement, he was one of the peak existences in the fifth realm.


    ording to Zhang Lie''s hypothesis, Radiant Sun had sessfully made it into the tournament proper after defeating Bu Wentian in the qualifiers.


    There, he obtained incredible treasure and rose into significance. That was the start to his development as the chieftain of the Srvines.


    The members of Team Zenith had all fought Radiant Sun from countless years ago within Bu Wentian''s memories, and they couldn''t help but grow serious.


    Radiant Sun had been a force to be reckoned with countless years ago; how strong would he be now?


    Yang Ze cried out, "That''s impossible! He''s far beyond the age limit for the tournament."


    Radiant Sun replied coolly, "Nothing in this world is impossible. You simply have to pay a sufficient price. Ordinary cultivators wouldn''t be able to afford it, but it''s not a problem for the supreme forces of the realm."


    The Immortal King''s substitute said, "Of course, there would normally be no reason for the supreme forces to do so."


    The Gctic Rising Stars Cup was meant to be an opportunity for the younger generation of the fifth-realm cultivators, as well as those geniuses raised by the supreme forces, to interact with each other and fight for opportunities in order to nurture a new generation of fighters. After all, those who perished in this realm were able to revive; even if they were defeated, it would be no great loss.


    There was little reason for any of the supreme forces to foot the hefty bill required to send an expert beyond the hundred-year-old requirement into the tournament.


    The supreme forces had a reputation to maintain, after all, and none of them would be happy to see an established cultivator bullying members of the younger generation.


    Radiant Sun shrugged. "I wouldn''t have shown up here if I could help it, but I owed His Highness a huge favor from many years ago. I was also curious to see just who could have defeated my son."


    "This is cheating!" the members of Team Zenith shouted.


    How were they supposed to fight against a cultivator of this magnitude?


    Zhang Lie''s gaze was sharp. "If I''m not mistaken, your strength will be restricted by what you incurred to get in here."


    "Excellent deduction. You''re quite right. I had to expend quite a bit of resources to get into this realm, and I''m using one of the discarded physical bodies from a member of my n at present. It''s barely a ten thousandth of my strength," Radiant Sun replied frankly, not hesitating to reveal what might otherwise be considered sensitive information.


    He was confident and proud of his own strength.


    Even a ten thousandth of his strength would be sufficient to deal with the cultivators before him. He was the chieftain of the Srvines, the winner of the Rising Stars Cup of his generation, and he didn''t deign to stoop to Team Zenith''s level.


    So what if they knew of his strength? They were hardly going to be able to withstand it.


    Zhang Lie grew increasingly curious about just who the robed man was. He had to have some impressive background considering that even the chieftain of the Srvines had to do him a favor and pay the price to enter this realm against his best interests and desires.


    Although Radiant Sun hadn''t interfered with the other cultivators'' collection of resources within the tournament, the fact that he was under the green-robed man''s employ spoke volumes as to the man''s strength.


    The man continued, "The final cultivator doesn''te from a supreme force, but managed to obtain a divine srntern while exploring space. He isn''t a bad fellow. I won''t introduce the remaining cultivators and beasts¡ªthey''re all strong cultivators, along with two wild beasts I tamed in the heart of this realm."


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "You''ve really put in significant effort for this."


    The cultivators before him were all from impressive pedigrees, and they would have been the pride of the supreme forces within the fifth realm who raised them. However, the man before them had been able to gather all these genius-like cultivators before him. Just how strong was the man, and who was he? Even the Srvine chieftain was obeying his orders! He had to be of higher status than anyone else present.


    Zhang Lie didn''t have a strong understanding of the fifth realm, and simply didn''t have a clue as to where the man came from.


    Of course, he was even more curious as to what such a man was doing here.

 Chapter 1519: The Black Full Moon

    <h4>Chapter 1519: The ck Full Moon</h4>


    Just what could possibly have caused a cultivator who could summon even the chieftain of the Srvines to crash this tournament designed specifically for a younger generation of cultivators?


    The answer clearlyy within the pir of light that emanated from the altar.


    The man smirked. "Do all of you think you can win against a formation like this?"


    Zhang Lie asked coldly, "You aren''t trying to get us to surrender, are you?"


    "What do you think?"


    "Rush to the altar!" Zhang Lie immediately shouted.


    A huge fight unfolded.


    A goldenmp floated in the air. mes fell from themp to the ground. A cultivator stood above them all.


    The hunters retaliated in a burst of elemental force.


    The Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd before him, straight at Li Feng.


    "Scram!" White light shone brightly from Li Feng. "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    He marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, bombarding the area before him.


    The confrontation between the two cultivators caused the entire pce to shake.


    A divine hymn shook the heavens. Ruby light arced from the halberd, red as fresh blood.


    Radiant Sun sped his hands together. A jeweled vase appeared above his head, shining with divine might. Compared to Resplendent Sun, he was far stronger and more powerful. He shed against Zhang Lie in a burst of light.


    "Kill!" Yang Ze faced off against the man with the goldenmp. They were fierce rivals, and they began to sh with overwhelming force.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Dozens of arclight dragons exploded in the air.


    In barely any time at all, the Immortal King''s substitute''s shoulder had suffered an injury. He didn''t even have time to summon his Divine Embrace.


    Despite having grown stronger, the Immortal King''s substitute remained unable to suppress Li Feng.


    The man with the goldenmp blew his mes toward the Immortal King''s substitute, attempting to aid him against Li Feng, but Yang Ze made a move first.


    [The Boundless de: Daybreak] shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The attack was infused with spatial force, and the cultivator had to defend himself with hismp.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down on the enemy like a beam of light. The beam of light, shot through with metal-attuned gic energy, struck the Immortal King''s substitute.


    The two cultivators shed once again. Li Feng was forced back, but the Immortal King''s substitute''s halberd also began to vibrate violently. The Immortal King''s substitute''s palm began to bleed where it gripped the haft of the halberd.


    Feng Xian scattered golden lotus petals that transformed into balls of energy and shot straight at Zhng Lie.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks in the vicinity of Feng Xian.


    Sun Mengmeng had sniped her from afar. "I don''t like the looks of you. You keep staring at Zhang Lie, at our captain!"


    A golden path of light rapidly pierced through the me. Qingyue Ge stood right at its head. "Miss, I''ming for you!"


    He closed the gap between them.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her like a phoenix spreading its wings. A tail of fire glowed with radiant light, causing the stars themselves to quake.


    "Scram!"


    The mes shot forth in a whirlwind.


    The twobatants shed amidst a space of howling void. mes rose up from them both, curling up into the air. Golden lotuses sprouted and rooted themselves, as though dying and rebirthing within the omnipresent mes.


    The golden lotuses grew thirty meters tall, overwhelmingly huge, golden from stem to root to leaf to flower. They seemed to be endowed with divinity, withmand over nature and the environment.


    As the golden lotuses shook, they emitted golden runes, sending the mes roaring higher and higher.


    Feng Xian took the initiative to attack once more. She looked to be a genteel beauty, but her attacks and movements were sharp and decisive, with no wasted movement whatsoever. Her aura was oppressive. She struck like a storm.


    Zhang Lie flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The skies began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ground quaked.


    As the pale blue sea of gic energy extinguished the golden mes and forced everyone back, Feng Xian''s body suddenly grew taut. Her bones turned silvery-white as she shot toward Zhang Lie like an arrow.


    "[Divine Arrow]!" She blurred; her attacks were so fast they were almost impossible to detect.


    "Stay far away from Zhang Lie!"


    Sun Mengmeng drew on her emotions as she attacked. A huge burst of me filled the hall.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Feng Xian demonstrated the pinnacle of spatial maniption, transforming her into a divine arrow that shot through the void at extreme speed but which simultaneously allowed for rapid changes in direction. She evaded the lunarme attacks.


    The woman continued barreling forward, obliterating any obstacles in her way.


    Water-attuned gic energy dispersed from Zhang Lie''s body and formed a whirlpool, drastically affecting Feng Xian''s speed.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, the mes burst apart and drenched the hall in a sea of fire. Water-attuned gic energy formed steam as the firended on it.


    One figure tore apart the mist.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    Sun Mengmeng stabbed forward with a dagger, the ck moon behind her exploding as she shot forth.


    Purple mes transformed into her raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot forward.

 Chapter 1520: Seeing Whats Up

    <h4>Chapter 1520: Seeing What''s Up</h4>


    Purple mes transformed into Sun Mengmeng''s raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot forward.


    Her beautiful features took on a tinge of the fantastical when lit by the purple firelight.


    With the barest hissing of wind, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger. It struck the divine arrow in the air in an explosion of silver light and purple mes.


    Everyone was fighting. Feng Xian and Sun Mengmeng tangled with each other as they fought.


    Wind blew by Zhang Lie''s back as the sapphire-blue scorpion''s stinger shot toward him. Zang Lie whirled around and counterattacked with his pointer finger.


    "[The Boundless de: Yawning Wave]!"


    Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth. It batted away the scorpion''s stinger, and the shark bit down on it. However, the scorpion was too strong. It decisively retreated and allowed its tail to be bitten off.


    The man in dark green robes sat quietly before the pir of light, observing the fights unfolding below him from high above, like a god who maintained control over all things. Radiant Sun stood before him. Except for his initial blow, he hadn''t struck again.


    The man in dark green robes asked, "Aren''t you going to participate?"


    Radiant Sun sneered. "Why should I join the kids fighting in the yground?"


    "Didn''t you want to test that interesting fellow who beat your son?"


    Radiant Sun raised his head proudly. "I''ll wait until he has the strength to stand before me."


    The golden luan shot forward and shed with Zhang Lie. No one was willing to back down; a huge fight ensued.


    Zhang Lie struck with full force, pale blue gic energy surging around his pointer finger.


    After hundreds of shes, the golden luan finally shrieked in agony. Zhang Lie''s pointer finger had sliced off its head as it slumped to the ground.


    Whoever the golden elephant''s foe had been had done a number on it. Its skin was dripping with blood, and it had suffered grievous injuries. It rampaged as it fell toward Zhang Lie, its eyes blood-red.


    Another melee urred. In the end, Zhang Lie stuck his pointer finger into its forehead, causing the golden elephant to bellow in its death throes amidst a shower of blood.


    Intense fighting took ce all across the altar. The ancient hall imposed unusual restrictions on those within it, forcing them to the ground. Climbing up the altar would require surmounting exceptional pressure.


    Suddenly, a blood-red glow appeared, forcing Zhang Lie to squint. He knew that he had encountered a particrly fearsome opponent; he could clearly sense the keen edge of his opponent''s weapon.


    The two cultivators brushed past each other in a shower of blood.


    Zhang Lie turned back to clearly see his opponent: a Holywing with a pair of bright golden wings, Sheng Gu.


    Sheng Gu held a blood-rednce with his left hand, the weapon which had pierced Zhang Lie''s palm and caused him to bleed.


    Sheng Gu wasn''t doing so well himself, however. Zhang Lie had torn one of his wings off.


    "I''m in the mood for roasted chicken wings right now," he murmured to himself.


    Sheng Gu seethed in rage. The two cultivators faced off once more.


    This time, Sheng Gu bled further. Zhang Lie tore off a portion of his other wing as the two cultivators brushed past one another.


    Sheng Gu chose to retreat, realizing that Zhang Lie would be a difficult foe. He didn''t want to face off against him just yet.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance. The sneak attack from behind entangled Sheng Gu and restrained his arms and legs.


    "You despicable¡ª!" Sheng Gu cried out.


    Zhang Lie smiled. "Zhou Ying, I see you''ve been corrupted too."


    The strength and power that the Holywings drew upon were condensed in their wings. Sheng Gu''s wings had been torn off by Zhang Lie and his movement restrained by Zhou Ying; he was now at his weakest.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying''s void daggers cut at the void and pierced through his back before he could do anything.


    "Hm?"


    Zhang Lie turned to the side as a burst of umbral light appeared.


    A man in ck, tall and slender, gaze sharp, appeared out of nowhere and struck at Zhang Lie.


    The members of Team Zenith were taken aback for a moment.


    There had been a hidden cultivator in addition to the eight enemy cultivators and five beasts that had been in in sight.


    The man in dark green robes smirked. This had all been part of the n.


    Why would he reveal all his trump cards and introduce his faction one by one? Did he have nothing better to do?


    It was a trap from the beginning.


    The cultivator who had been lying in wait was particrly skilled. A ck sun appeared in the air, illuminating the void and distorting space. It grew scorching hot; Zhang Lie almost suffered heat damage just from it.


    However, Zhang Lie''s opponents had underestimated him.


    Zhang Lie possessed incrediblebat power, and the man was ultimately no match for him. Zhang Lie punched his body and caused it to explode in a shower of blood.


    The man in dark green robes sighed. "To think my little trap would be dispelled so easily."


    "Against absolute strength, tricks mean little," Radiant Sun replied.


    The void trembled. The Immortal King''s substitute shot forward with his halberd like a bolt of lightning that illuminated the void.


    Li Feng''s hair shone in the wind. At that moment, his gaze was clearer than ever before. He felt as though he had reached the pinnacle of power.


    Light burst forth, causing the hall and the altar to quake, as the two cultivators struck each other.


    Everyone else retreated in order to free up enough space for them to fight.


    Feng Xian appeared dressed in white, her skin like pearlescent snow. Her beautiful gaze stared straight at Zhang Lie, her eyes ardent.


    "Where are you looking?!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s body lit up with roaring purple mes. The phoenix that formed around Sun Mengmeng transformed into a zing tempest.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    As Sun Mengmeng revolved, so too did the ming tempest. A phoenix''s me took over the golden mes and transformed them into storms of hellfire. Phoenixes emerged from those storms, descending on the arena.


    Qingyu Ge stood amidst the tempest, unaffected by the fire. No¡ªhe was even absorbing the mes to strengthen himself.


    "This man is too good for the likes of you!"


    A gigantic ck phoenix soared into the void. As it cried out, countless stars trembled.


    Feng Xian''s body shone with light, like a holy garment that blocked the phoenix''s mes.


    "So what if I''m looking at him? Dig out my eyeballs if you can!"

 Chapter 1521: Fighting at the Peak

    <h4>Chapter 1521: Fighting at the Peak</h4>


    Leiting Ya thought for a moment and then continued, "Oh, I suppose the senior disciples don''t have that sort of interest, or they wouldn''t try to chase and kill me¡ªno, they must have those interests, but don''t want others to know. That''s why they tried to chase me down."


    "I don''t have those ''special'' interests¡ªor any interest in those types of women anymore. She''s the only one I care about." Qingyue Ge nced up toward the sky at the fighting Sun Mengmeng.


    "Kill!" Leiting Ya shot over, a pair of wings sprouting from his back, formed of lightning. Lightning crackled and thunder rumbled.


    Lightning pierced through the air with enough force to split a mountain, like a rampaging sea striking at the sky.


    Leiting Ya boasted incredible strength. He threw a punch, causing heaven and earth to quake from the impact.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand.


    The spear was imbued with gold-attuned lightning that dyed its haft a resplendent gold. Wind formed sharp des around the spear, imbuing it with energy.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    The sh of metal filled the air. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, the sh of steel against steel causing sparks that shot into the air. The power of wind and storm circled Fang Yi.


    Beside him, the battle between Yang Ze and the cultivator with the goldenmp continued.


    The cultivator with the goldenmp was a particrly fearsome cultivator. As he blew on themp, its wick transformed into a cloud of light that zed even more brightly than fire, even more blindingly than lightning. It was a wide-range attack that encapsted all the cultivators.


    Yang Ze wasn''t weak himself. In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    The roaring waves struck the blinding firelight in an explosion of steam.


    The cultivator with the goldenmp gritted his teeth as Yang Ze surged forward on a wave.


    His sword arced across the heavens. Threads of void condensed across the sword, which was imbued with spatial force.


    The sword sh struck the goldenntern in a storm of sparks of frightening strength.


    "Is this all you''ve got? Your life shall be forfeit!" The Immortal King''s substitute jumped up, halberd in hand, shing down at his opponent.


    The snowy-white halberd gleamed. Strands of Li Feng''s hair were sliced off, causing his skin to prick. Formless killing intent suffused him.


    Li Feng was particrly calm. He shifted horizontally, avoiding the devastating blow. The void halberd swooped right past his body and struck the altar in a burst of light that caused the ground to tremble.


    Some cultivators, momentarily unbnced, almost fell off the altar.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed forward, shattering the approaching beam of light. He rushed forward with his halberd and shot a punch at the Immortal King''s substitute''s face, fierce and domineering.


    The Immortal King''s substitute leaned backward like a shoot of bamboo with shocking flexibility, avoiding the punch.


    Then, with a shake of his shoulders, he smashed into Li Feng''s body.


    The ground quaked as everyone turned to the point of impact, a frightening blow.


    Suddenly, everyone could hear a tiger roar. A huge white tiger had manifested from the void, wing at its surroundings as though it was about to destroy the world.


    The white tiger was no mere beast, but rather a legendary guardian on par with a phoenix. It wasposed of killing intent and possessed fearsome strength.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s arms grew thick andrge. White light burst through the heavens as frightening fluctuations of energy emanated from him. This was one of his killing blows¡ªthe Arms of the White Tiger.


    Li Feng nched. His opponent''s physical body had been honed to perfection and glowed with bright light. His tackle seemed as though it would crush all before him.


    Clearly, the Immortal King''s substitute was made conceited by his strength. He didn''t believe that any of his generation could contend with him, even when it came to a physical fight.


    Last time, when the two cultivators fought, his palms had bled where they rubbed against his weapon.


    This time, he had learned a new technique from his client. He suppressed Li Feng in closebat, not giving him any chance to move away.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!"


    Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded his arms as he roared and took the Immortal King''s substitute on.


    His physical body was glowing with light. In a sh, concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded Li Feng as it manifested certain properties of gold, condensing into a weapon.


    The unusual aspects of the weapon were concealed by the light that emanated from Li Feng.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s shoulder was a mass of gold and ck energy. He bolstered himself with mysterious strength.


    His strike caused the void to distort like a distended drum. It warped in a dissonant hum, sending quite a few cultivators on the altar flying. They fell off the tform.


    It was clear just how strong the attack was¡ªthe resulting shockwaves alone were impossible to defend against.


    The jade mantis and sapphire-blue scorpion were taken aback.


    They were forces of nature in their own right, with potent physical bodies.


    The two cultivators they were facing retreated, blood seeping from their mouths. It was clear just how intense this confrontation was. A melee attack had injured the two cultivators.


    This was a confrontation at the peak of physical strength.


    The cultivators present had essentially perfect physical bodies at their level of cultivation.


    The white tiger was a master of the hunt, and its attacks were tremendously potent and difficult to guard against. Even so, all parties involved in the confrontation were injured, a shocking sight.


    The cultivators and beasts stared at each other in surprise and mounting killing intent.


    The Immortal King''s substitute made his move once again, faster than a loosed arrow. This time, purple runes shot out from him as he stepped through the void and pounced at Li Feng.


    The two cultivators fought intensely as light radiated from them.

 Chapter 1522: Thats Mine

    <h4>Chapter 1522: That''s Mine</h4>


    Leiting Ya thought for a moment and then continued, "Oh, I suppose the senior disciples don''t have that sort of interest, or they wouldn''t try to chase and kill me¡ªno, they must have those interests, but don''t want others to know. That''s why they tried to chase me down."


    "I don''t have those ''special'' interests¡ªor any interest in those types of women anymore. She''s the only one I care about." Qingyue Ge nced up toward the sky at the fighting Sun Mengmeng.


    Leiting Ya nced toward the fighting Sun Mengmeng and licked his lips. "Now that you mention it, I''m getting a little interested in her."


    "She''s mine!" Qingyue Ge red at Leiting Ya.


    Leiting Ya chuckled dryly. "Haha, I was only joking around. Even if I did intend on doing something, it would have to wait until after the fight."


    Fang Yi had long since finished his preparations. His spear was imbued with gold-attuned lightning that dyed its haft a resplendent gold. Wind formed sharp des around the spear, imbuing it with energy.


    Leiting Ya''s gazended on Fang Yi as he licked his lips.


    "Kill!" Leiting Ya shot over, shrouded in golden lightning, a pair of wings sprouting from his back, formed of lightning. Lightning crackled and thunder rumbled.


    Lightning pierced through the air with enough force to split a mountain, like a rampaging sea striking at the sky.


    Leiting Ya boasted incredible strength. He threw a punch, causing heaven and earth to quake from the impact.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    The sh of metal filled the altar. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, the sh between the two opposing parties causing sparks that shot into the air. The power of wind and storm circled Fang Yi.


    Beside him, the battle between Yang Ze and the cultivator with the goldenmp continued.


    The cultivator with the goldenmp was a particrly fearsome cultivator. As he blew on themp, its wick transformed into a cloud of light that zed even more brightly than fire, even more blindingly than lightning. It was a wide-range attack that encapsted all the cultivators.


    Yang Ze wasn''t weak himself. In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!"


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    The roaring waves struck the blinding firelight in an explosion of steam.


    The cultivator with the goldenmp gritted his teeth as Yang Ze surged forward on a wave.


    His sword arced across the heavens. Threads of void condensed across the sword, which was imbued with spatial force.


    The sword sh struck the goldenntern in a storm of sparks of frightening strength.


    "Is this all you''ve got? You''re a disappointment. Your life is forfeit!" The Immortal King''s substitute jumped up, halberd in hand, shing down at his opponent.


    The snowy-white halberd gleamed. Strands of Li Feng''s hair were sliced off, causing his skin to prick. Formless killing intent suffused him.


    Li Feng was particrly calm. He shifted horizontally, avoiding the devastating blow. The void halberd swooped right past his body and struck the altar in a burst of light that caused the ground to tremble.


    Some cultivators, momentarily unbnced, almost fell off the altar.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Draconic Fist]!"


    Li Feng clenched his fist. His right arm, d with light, was covered with scales. The scales began to move as an arclight dragon materialized, howled, and rushed forward, shattering the approaching beam of light. He rushed forward with his halberd and shot a punch at the Immortal King''s substitute''s face, fierce and domineering.


    The Immortal King''s substitute leaned backward like a shoot of bamboo with shocking flexibility, avoiding the punch.


    Then, with a shake of his shoulders, he smashed into Li Feng''s body.


    The ground quaked as everyone turned to the point of impact, a frightening blow.


    Suddenly, everyone could hear a tiger roar. A huge white tiger had manifested from the void, wing at its surroundings as though it was about to destroy the world.


    The white tiger was no mere beast, but rather a legendary guardian on par with a phoenix. It wasposed of killing intent and possessed fearsome strength.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s arms grew thick andrge. White light burst through the heavens as frightening fluctuations of energy emanated from him. This was one of his killing blows¡ªthe Arms of the White Tiger.


    Li Feng nched. His opponent''s physical body had been honed to perfection on a gic level, and was akin to that of an emperor-grade lifeform.


    He couldn''t help but tremble at the thought of facing such a foe.


    To think he would have a technique that allowed him to momentarily unleash histent potential¡ªand seemingly one without any drawbacks! As expected of a supreme force of the fifth realm, the Hall of Immortals possessed incredible techniques.


    The white light shed. His tackle seemed as though it would crush all before him.


    Clearly, the Immortal King''s substitute was made conceited by his strength. He didn''t believe that any of his generation could contend with him.


    Last time, when the two cultivators fought, his palms had bled where they rubbed against his weapon.


    This time, he had learned a new technique from his client, and easily suppressed Li Feng in closebat, not giving him any chance to move away.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Dragon''s Teeth]!"


    Li Feng charged up for a stronger attack. Concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded his arms as he roared and took the Immortal King''s substitute on.


    His physical body was glowing with light. In a sh, concentrated light-attuned gic energy surrounded Li Feng as it manifested certain properties of gold, condensing into a weapon.


    Li Feng''s physical body wasn''t weak either. He had been a monarch-grade lifeform upon his ascension to the fourth realm, and the silver-dragon lotuses had given him improved understanding over life and vitality. His facility with light-attuned gic energy was far improved from before.


    The man in dark green robes sat on the steps with his back to the pir of light, looking at the fighting below with interest.


    Radiant Sun frowned. "You taught the Arms of the White Tiger to someone? That was an ultimate technique you were renowned for!"


    The man stroked his jaw with his hands. "That was far too long in the past. It''s a useless technique to me now, and that cultivator''s a distant descendant of mine, after all. I''d lose face if he were to be defeated too easily."

 Chapter 1523: Joining Hands

    <h4>Chapter 1523: Joining Hands</h4>


    Li Feng, whose light-attuned gic energy had been imbued with the attributes of gold-attuned gic energy and which had evolved to include regenerative ability, was able to go head-to-head against the Immortal King''s substitute without losing out at all.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s shoulder was a mass of white and ck energy. It seemed to be encased in a white tiger''s skin, which bolstered him with mysterious strength.


    His strike caused the void to distort like a distended drum. It warped in a dissonant hum, sending quite a few cultivators on the altar falling down the stairs


    It was clear just how strong the attack was¡ªthe resulting shockwaves alone were impossible to defend against.


    Even the jade mantis and sapphire-blue scorpion were taken aback.


    The two cultivators were forces of nature with incredibly strong physical bodies, even inparison to beasts like they were.


    The two cultivators they were facing retreated, blood seeping from their mouths. It was clear just how intense this confrontation was. A melee attack had injured the two cultivators.


    This was a confrontation at the peak of physical strength.


    The white tiger was a master of the hunt, and its attacks were tremendously potent and difficult to guard against. Even so, all parties involved in the confrontation were injured, a shocking sight.


    The cultivators and beasts stared at each other in surprise and mounting killing intent.


    The Immortal King''s substitute made his move once again, faster than a loosed arrow. This time, violet light shot out as he stepped through the void and pounced at Li Feng.


    The two cultivators fought intensely as light radiated from them.


    Watching the fighting unfold below, the man in dark green robes eximed, "Impressive! Someone can actually defend against the Arms of the White Tiger. Impressive indeed. Are the hunters of the younger generation all that strong?"


    Radiant Sun considered Li Feng, nodding.


    "Indeed. Even among our generation, this cultivator would be at the pinnacle. Only the two of us might have been able to handle him."


    The man in dark green robes turned toward Zhang Lie in the distance, who wasunching attacks from time to time.


    "This group of young cultivators seems to be extremely strong on the whole. They each have unique techniques and richbat experience. It''s clear that they''ve honed their skills inbat. They''d be among the top cultivators even in our generation."


    Radiant Sun shook his head. "You''re mistaken. They''re far stronger than our generation."


    The man in dark green robes epted the correction with grace. "The past Rising Stars Cups have allrgely been shes between the supreme forces and ancient forces of yore. For one dark horse to emerge is unexpected enough; somehow, this year, there''s a whole group of them. If not for my appearance, they''d likely have won the whole tournament."


    Radiant Sun asked, "Why bother trying to recruit a teamposed of cultivators from these supreme and ancient forces to deal with them despite the expense?"


    The man in dark green robes raised his head. "Do you think we''d be able to sweep through thepetition with just the two of us?"


    "Wouldn''t we?" Radiant Sun countered.


    In truth, arge part of the reason these cultivators had stayed to deal with Zhang Lie and the other hunters of Team Zenith was that they feared Team Zenith''sbat ability.


    "If we had done so, that cultivator called Zhang Lie would have finished us off and seized all the treasure in this realm," the man said confidently. This was no hypothesis or false premise.


    Radiant Sun frowned. He considered Zhang Lie carefully.


    "You''ve seen it, then?"


    The man nodded firmly. "That''s why I prepared all these contingencies."


    "We wouldn''t have been able to win against him, even working together?"


    "We wouldn''t have."


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Meteoric Fist]!"


    The arclight imprint rapidly gathered, and a white dragon appeared behind him. As Li Feng punched forward, the dragon shot toward the hydra like a bullet from a sniper rifle. It left behind a starry trail, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Bolstered by divine radiance, the Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd. It gave off silver and red light in a brilliant re, like a phoenix''s rebirth.


    The blow was apanied by a phoenix''s shrill cry, a spiritual attack whose might could be felt even by the spectators. They sucked in a deep breath.


    Starlight burst. The phoenix cried. The skies were dyed red, and stardust fell from the skies.


    Lightning struck and thunder rumbled as bursts of fire peppered the sky like resplendent fireworks¡ªthe sparks and noise from two weapons shing against each other.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Earthbreak]!"


    Li Feng''s fists, glowing with light, were packed with huge quantities of light-attuned gic energy.


    They smashed into the ground in a massive explosion. All that energy headed in a certain direction.


    The ground cracked, and white light zigzagged forward.


    The Immortal King''s substitute mmed his halberd on the ground. The phoenix swooped down as rosy light filled the heavens. White light shot forth from the ground like a volcanic explosion.


    The ground quaked. Blinding light surged as the Immortal King''s substitute stumbled back.


    Fluid gushed down around Li Feng, a silver liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    This wasn''t actually water but instead liquid light, much like one of Li Feng''s techniques. More of the silver fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Li Feng sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.


    Then, within the sky appeared a waterfall. Rapids rushed out of the void and over his physical body. The river and waterfall together formed an expandingke. The entire sky turned into a glittering silver ocean, possessed of umon beauty.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Heavenfall]!"


    The shockwaves that emanated from Li Feng''s body were so intense as to distort space. They roared through the air like thundering dragons, turning the sky white.


    As Li Feng punched forward, light-attuned gic energy transformed into a raging flood. Thick, concentrated energy, like roaring dragons and galloping steeds, like sharp des piercing heaven and earth, fell from the sky.


    The Immortal King''s substitute blocked the attack with the haft of his halberd.


    As the flood descended, the white light exploded in a tempest of sword energy, dyeing the entire world white. The halberd was suppressed as the light pierced through the Immortal King''s substitute''s defenses, cutting apart both of his legs and his wrists, leaving a mass of wounds all over his body.


    The Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd horizontally in a burst of strength, deflecting the flood of light.


    He stood amidst the void, surrounded by blinding light. The blood that fell from him transformed into a silver humanoid figure, giving off an indomitable aura.


    Bypassing the constraints of space, he shed right up to Li Feng, prepared to kill him in one blow.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s blood was itself a treasure beyond any measure, boasting tremendous energy.


    The silverblood lifeforms that formed were tremendously strong, with bones and tendons forged of divine light.


    Each drop of blood manifested as such a lifeform.

 Chapter 1524: Wont Lose Again

    <h4>Chapter 1524: Won''t Lose Again</h4>


    The silver blood that had fallen all across the altar now rose up as a silverblood army.


    "Using the same technique against me is useless, regardless of the number of lifeforms you raise!"


    Li Feng''s body brimmed with light. His muscles bunched up, each like a sun.


    "[Light''s Bulwark: Thousand Dragons Soaring]!"


    Li Feng shouted. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    As Li Feng yelled out, dragons of light materialized and circled his arms. As he punched upward into the sky, all his gic energy condensed in his fists,unching dozens of dragons into the sky.


    The dragons'' cries sounded like peals of thunder as they swooped through the air, each dragon sorge it could swallow a zing sun whole.


    Thousands of arclight dragons criss-crossed in mid-air before swooping down like meteors, shattering the nascent silverblood army.


    He rushed into the air, halberd in hand. Each time he swung it, heaven and earth seemed to quake.


    The Immortal King''s substitute shot toward the sky, defending against the halberd''s strikes.


    Li Feng drew his sword and met his opponent with a sh of white light.


    The sound of metal against metal echoed through the air as the ground quaked and split open. Lightning shed through the air. Space distorted; even the light seemed to twist.


    The spectators'' ears buzzed as space distorted and lightning seemed to sh from the heavens. Radiance exploded in the air as the two cultivators shed: the sparks from their weapons as they ground against each other, and the light that they produced.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng leapt high into the air andnded on the dragon''s head, his sword gleaming brightly as though it had been dipped in liquid light. As he raised the sword to the skies, it glowed and expanded, morphing into a huge de of light.


    The de parted the clouds and lit up the entire patch of void. At that very moment, Li Feng looked like a god descending from the heavens.


    He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air.


    The Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd, apanied by the cry of a phoenix. He was encapsted by the outline of a phoenix as divine light red from him. He shot forward.


    The spectators watched on with bated breath.


    The continuous sh was almost impossible to bear; the spectators felt as though their eardrums were close to bursting. Radiant light emanated, apanied by frightening mist that seemed like chaotic energy.


    The sh was like a heavenly tribtion.


    After the violent confrontation, the arclight dragon exploded, and a scar was left on the Immortal King''s substitute''s body.


    "You''re strong," the Immortal King''s substitute murmured. His ck hair scattered behind his back, and his body was surrounded by holy light. He defended against Li Feng''s attacks with ease, even despite the shock in his eyes. He was calm and collected, as though everything was within his control.


    Thinking back to the humiliation he had suffered by losing to Li Feng, he strengthened his resolve. His aura rose tremendously.


    "But I won''t lose!" the Immortal King''s substitute asserted, then struck again.


    The sh of metal continued to ring out as the fight continued intensely.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Li Feng yelled out. He pulled out a de from which light began to gather. As he struck, dozens of dragons fell from the skies like meteors.


    Starlight shaded the sky, resplendent and dazzling.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s halberd turned blood-red as a phoenix took to the air, its feathers a lurid red. It gave off a zing ruby light that shed against the sword technique in the air. Golden light shone bright, and silver light scattered. Li Feng''s arclight dragons keened.


    Brave and fierce, Li Feng continued fighting, longsword in hand.


    The sh of metal shook the very heavens. By now, thebatants had exchanged over sixty blows.


    With a whir, the void resonated as the halberd vanished, tearing apart ayer of space and prepared to chop off one of his arms.


    White light shot into the heavens, dazzling and flecked with gold, resplendent and beautiful. The sword blocked the attack and resolved the danger.


    A blood-red phoenix shot into the air.


    The divine light emerged once more as the resplendent halberd swung in a loop, forming an eternal sun.


    Li Feng''s gaze was severe as infinite radiance blossomed.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon: Arclight sh]!"


    Li Feng lifted his sword high above his head. A silvery-white dragon emerged from behind him, merged with the sword, and sent a beam of light piercing the skies. Li Feng struck, and the sword sh morphed into a dragon.


    The Immortal King''s substitute refused to be suppressed by Li Feng. His gaze turned ardent. Strands of hair flew in the wind. He looked like a gode down from heaven, invincible and deific.


    As he breathed out, heunched into motion, spurring forth his void halberd.


    "[Void sh]!"


    This Immortal King''s substitute existed in tandem with the ninth Immortal King, but thepetition was so fierce that even the slightest misstep could lead to disqualification. Compared to the two previous substitutes that Zhang Lie''s team had faced, he was far stronger and more qualified.


    The void halberd gleamed like crystal as it gave off immense energy. As the Immortal King''s substitute shed at the arclight dragons, the void split apart and ignited arge explosion.


    All the spectators retreated, worried that the virtual realm might copse again.


    The arclight dragon burst apart as the void shattered.


    The Immortal King''s substitute made seals with his hands and spurred forth lightning.


    A huge bolt of lightning shot into the air like a dancing dragon, a phoenix of purple me.


    "[Birth of the Holy Dragon]!"


    Dozens of sword shes emanated from Li Feng, each with a starry splendor reminiscent of the Milky Way. The stars in the night sky shone brightly as a gxy seemed to unfold around Li Feng.


    The starlight was so splendid that it would make any onlookers dizzy. It tore apart the lightning, the dancing dragon, the phoenix of purple me. Dozens of resplendent beams shot toward his opponent.


    "Break!"


    The Immortal King''s substitute sounded like a deity that had descended to the mortal world. His void halberd trembled violently as it tore the void apart. A cross-shaped scar appeared in the air.


    Destructive energy filled the realm as the void energy exploded, poised to tear everything apart.


    The spectators found chills running down their backs, as though the apocalypse was nigh.


    The cross-shaped scar in the void exploded in a ze of endless light. In the face of divine radiance, all would be scoured clean.


    Li Feng cut forward. The overflowing sword energy materialized in the form of a light dragon that tore apart the void.


    The weapons shed in a sh of divine light that illuminated the world. It was so strong that the portion of the altar by their feet burst apart.


    Blood dyed the air.


    The twobatants moved so rapidly that it looked as though they were blinking from ce to ce. Sword energy shook the heavens. A dragon howled; a phoenix shrieked. Holy dragons flew through the air, and heavenly fire exploded.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s body lit up with heavenly fire, silver-white over a blood-red core. Thunder rumbled through the air as the outline of a phoenix manifested behind him. He prated space as he charged forward.


    "[The Boundless de: Cloudstep]!"


    Li Feng soared into the air, propelling himself upward with every cloud he stepped on. He sent his light-imbued sword arcing through the air.

 Chapter 1525: Disorienting Holy Hymn

    <h4>Chapter 1525: Disorienting Holy Hymn</h4>


    The Immortal King''s substitute blocked the blow with his halberd in an explosion of the void. The sword energy caused even the stars to explode.


    Sword and halberd met in a spray of silver light. Even the bones of the twobatants'' fingers began to crack.


    Ruby-red blood dripped down the halberd and onto the altar.


    Li Feng raised his sword high into the air. Light-attuned gic energy gathered around it, invoking the stars. Holy hymns echoed around him, and the concentrated energy manifested as outspread wings to his back.


    However, there wasn''t much light-attuned gic energy in the void, and Li Feng''s wings seemed a little ethereal.


    He seemed to be right beside his opponent, but simultaneously a world apart¡ªin a dimension beyond.


    Spatial maniption!


    A hundred dragons wrapped around Li Feng''s sword in a cavalcade of light that illuminated the altar. The man in dark green robes and Radiant Sun frowned as they shielded themselves from the light.


    "[Manifold Gates of Heaven]!"


    Radiant white light exploded from the point of impact, the holy light of heaven. Li Feng''s sword shed apart the gates, unleashing concentrated light.


    The Immortal King''s substitute rushed into the air with his halberd, shing down vertically and causing the void to shudder. Energy of annihtion rose into the air and erupted.


    The energy that the Immortal King''s substitute possessed was shocking in its density and scope. The spectators found chills running down their backs, as though the apocalypse was nigh.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    Li Feng struck with his sword. A river of holy light seemed to trail behind him, and arclight dragons could be seen amidst the light. The source of the river was a pair of ornate doors. As those doors opened up, countless arclight dragons poured out from behind the doors, forming a concentrated river of light.


    Suddenly, with a sh, that white light was bisected.


    Countless whirlwinds of sword energy were manifesting before him. The holy dragons that had been summoned in a dense horde were obliterated in bursts of white light.


    The white light shot out all around like sharp des. Millions of holy dragons transformed into millions of des, more concentrated than even raindrops in a storm.


    The Immortal King''s substitute blocked the blow with his halberd in an explosion of the void, defending against the millions of arclight dragons that Li Feng sent his way.


    "[The Boundless de: Heaven''s Gate]!"


    Silvery-white gic energy burst forth as Li Feng raised the sword in his hand high into the air, as though a god were descending on the world.


    The entire sky was overshadowed by a silvery-white glow that faced off against the golden light.


    Holy hymns began to ring through the air.


    Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith smiled.


    Their opponents, Feng Xian, Qingyue Ge, the cultivator with the goldenmp¡ªnone of them knew why the hunters were suddenly smiling.


    The next moment, they all nched.


    The hymns seemed to pierce straight through their souls. They suddenly felt as though they were at ease, as though there was no strife with which to concern themselves.


    The cultivators hesitated to strike, but the members of Team Zenith were prepared. They had all fought Li Feng before and were familiar with his techniques. Upon hearing the familiar hymns, they were immediately on guard.


    Indeed, their opponents were temporarily taken aback by the mental attack. Even Leiting Ya, shot through with lightning, and Feng Xian, glorious and majestic, both paused what they were doing.


    Only one cultivator besides the members of Team Zenith was prepared for this: someone who understood Li Feng well and had fought against him in the past, the Immortal King''s substitute.


    He had been prepared to counteract the holy hymn.


    However, Li Feng''s attack gave the other members of Team Zenith a chance to take the upper hand. They struck simultaneously.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward. The ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand.


    The spear was imbued with gold-attuned lightning that dyed its haft a resplendent gold. Wind formed sharp des around the spear, imbuing it with energy.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    She released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets, the attacks infused with spatial force.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    Even the man in dark green robes paused for a moment, snorting as he did so. Feng Xian, Qingyue Ge, the cultivator with a goldenntern, and Leiting Ya recovered from the temporary stupefaction, only to find the members of Team Zenith headed straight for them. All of them were hurt to some extent.


    Zhang Lie noticed another cultivator that had been almost entirely unaffected by the holy hymn.


    Like waves, the silver glow pulsed forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    Each silver wave morphed into an arclight dragon, soaring through the air.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Countless arclight dagons soared through the sky, which thundered amidst forks of white lightning. It looked as though a holy world were forming in the sky.


    Li Feng struck. A holy storm raged around him. Sword energy manifested as trailing dragons. A god descended as the heavens raged, as lightning forked through the air.


    Li Feng''s de arced through the air andnded like a heavenly tribtion. Thousands of holy dragons smote the sr king''s forces,


    The crackling of thunder covered up the sound of hymns, as though it was a requiem for the world.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s gaze turned ardent. His thick hair danced in the wind. He looked like a gode down from heaven, invincible and deific.


    The void halberd gleamed like crystal as it gave off immense energy. As the Immortal King shed at the horde of holy dragons, the void split apart and ignited arge explosion.


    Shockingly...

 Chapter 1526: Striking Sun and Moon

    <h4>Chapter 1526: Striking Sun and Moon</h4>


    Silver and gold light interspersed as the light-attuned gic energy formed a pocket space. The void sh tore apart that pocket space, but not anything thaty beyond it.


    The might of the attack was encapsted by the light-attuned gic energy. The void sh struck the sword energy in a bolt of incandescent lightning.


    Then, sword energy struck like a heavenly tribtion, boasting immense strength.


    "Break!"


    the Immortal King''s substitutemanded, tossing out the void halberd in a long arc.


    It gave off silver and red light in a brilliant re, like a phoenix''s rebirth.


    The blow was apanied by a phoenix''s shrill cry, a spiritual attack whose might left the nearby cultivators clutching their heads in pain.


    The void cracked and shattered.


    As the halberd swung through the air, the heavens shook. Light and lightning erupted at the same time as the world of light shattered and was pierced through by the halberd.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Annihtion]!"


    A silver dragon manifested around Li Feng''s de.


    The dragon''s howl shook the air. Li Feng activated his sword technique, forming the impression of a true arclight dragon that obliterated the phoenix and blocked the attack.


    It sought to control the very void itself, shattering all manner of divinity.


    Though the void exploded, the explosion was torn apart. No destruction could spread.


    The Immortal King''s substitute had infused all his energy into this one blow, and the silver dragons were having a hard time suppressing it. As Li Feng whirled his de around, the silver dragons formed a whirlpool that forcibly held the halberd in ce.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s body shot through the void and punched at Li Feng at the most opportune timing, right when Li Feng was about to attempt to handle the remnant energy that the halberd possessed.


    However, Li Feng had no intention of retreating. He punched forward with a fist, his face cool.


    The Immortal King''s substitute had not the confidence, pride, or arrogance of before. He no longer looked down on the cultivators of the world.


    In his eyes were care, caution, and a desire to seize victory.


    His gaze looked straight at Li Feng, not the image of the ninth Immortal King superimposed on all his opponents. Li Feng was his target now. The Immortal King''s substitute had grown stronger than ever.


    The two cultivators'' fists met in an explosion of divine light. Even the altar at their feet exploded from the resulting shockwave.


    Blood dyed the air red.


    At the veryst moment, Li Feng blocked the Immortal King''s substitute''s attack with his left hand. Simultaneously, he deflected his halberd at full strength. For this, he paid a heavy price. The shockwave from the attack struck him, sending his disaster-grade holy dragon sword flying out along with the halberd. His hand bled freely, and his fist throbbed.


    The Immortal King''s substitute nched. His hand was bleeding, too.


    Li Feng infused his hands with light-attuned gic energy, triggering his regenerative abilities as the two cultivators continued to fight.


    Neither backed down.


    Whoeversted longer would win; whoever retreated first was doomed to failure.


    Sparks flew all over as the two cultivators'' fists met once more. Like a phoenix undergoing rebirth, the explosion gave way to countless resplendent runes.


    The spectators'' ears hurt. Their eyes seemed to have suffered a burn, and their senses were all distorted. They were forced to narrow their eyes and seal their hearing, lest they be hurt just by watching the fight.


    The sh of metal continued to ring out as the fight continued intensely.


    A phoenix took to the air, its feathers a lurid red. It gave off a zing ruby light.


    Li Feng charged forward bravely.


    Arclight dragons flew into the air, their scales shining, gleaming with dazzling light.


    Divine energy surged forth as a golden hum caused the heavens themselves to reverberate. Within no time at all, the two had exchanged over sixty blows. Li Feng''s long hair scattered to his back, his gaze clear and limpid, his fists shining radiant, his blood surging. The Immortal King''s substitute had already incurred an injury in earlier fighting. The effects of those injuries were difficult to discern at the start of the fight, but as the intense fighting continued, those injuries became the Immortal King''s substitute''s downfall. He was one-sidedly suppressed by Li Feng.


    The Immortal King''s substitute didn''t want to back down or admit defeat.


    Losing twice to someone who wasn''t even the ninth Immortal King was, to the Immortal King''s substitute, a tremendous humiliation.


    However, he had no choice but to admit that Li Feng was truly a strong opponent, stronger than even the ninth Immortal King to the best of his knowledge.


    "Halberd,e!"


    the Immortal King''s substitute shouted. The halberd responded to his cry, vanishing where it hadnded and zooming toward him through the void.


    At that moment, Li Feng and the Immortal King''s substitute were right next to each other. The halberd headed straight for Li Feng''s lower back, causing the Immortal King''s substitute to smile.


    The halberd''s de was right about to strike Li Feng.


    It would pierce straight through his body and return to the Immortal King''s substitute''s hands.


    The man in dark green robes sighed. "Victory has been decided."


    Zhang Lie nched and shouted, "Li Feng, be careful!"


    Upon sensing the spatial fluctuations from behind, Li Feng reacted rapidly. He resummoned the disaster-grade holy dragon sword from within his soulspace.


    Soulshards would automatically return to their host''s soulspace after being separated by toorge a distance or for too long a time. Unless a host were to give up a soulshard voluntarily, no one else would be able to im it.


    Li Feng blocked the attack with his sword and sent the halberd flying again. At the same time, he unleashed a devastating strike as bright as the zing sun.


    "[Striking Sun and Moon]!"


    He struck at the Immortal King''s substitute.


    The sword shed the sky, and the stars fell. Sword energy red, and for a moment, it seemed like even the sky was about to be bisected.


    The void exploded, as did the stars.


    His Divine Embrace, which had just been repaired, was damaged once again.


    A long scar was left behind on the armor. Blood seeped out from the wound.


    The Immortal King''s substitute''s face twisted more than ever before.


    Li Feng had been paying careful attention to spatial fluctuations all this time. After all, having fought with the Immortal King''s substitute and the ninth Immortal King before, he knew that the sessors of the Hall of Immortals were fond of dirty tricks.


    An attack that pierced through the void was hard to detect, and he had to be on the lookout at all times.


    The man in dark green robes sighed. "In the end, this descendant of mine won''t amount to much."


    These petty tricks would be useless in a fight of this magnitude. Their fighting spirit, experience, and strength could hardly hope to be diminished by such tricks.


    All that such a trick would aplish was to give one''s opponent an opening with which to strike.


    "[The Boundless de: Shattered Sun]!"


    Sword energy roiled. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight and reced it with a silver glow, transmuting that sunlight into something that boosted Li Feng''s strength. The sword energy tore apart the sky.


    The Immortal King''s substitute swung his halberd through the void. A phoenix cried out as the skies lit up in rosy hues.

 Chapter 1527: Traitor of the Leiting Sect

    <h4>Chapter 1527: Traitor of the Leiting Sect</h4>


    Light and void exploded in a surge of force.


    "[The Boundless de: the Trembling World]!"


    Sword energy roiled. An arclight dragon reared its head. The technique splintered the glowing sunlight.


    The sword energy grew brighter and brighter, until it surpassed sun, moon, and stars in light. The will of the sword seemed to manifest physically into the form of a dragon that made to rip apart heaven and earth.


    The ground furrowed; the stars fell from the sky. Sword and halberd shed once again. The Immortal King''s substitute found his injuries worsening as he continued to fight with Li Feng.


    The Immortal King''s substitute revealed fear for the first time in the battle.


    Li Feng''s eyes were like silver stars. He stared straight at his opponent and said, "I have to admit that you''re stronger than the ninth Immortal King, whom I fought."


    He raised his longsword high overhead. Sword energy glinted with piercing light as devastating strength rippled from Li Feng''s de, the upgraded form of [Striking Sun and Moon].


    "But you are not stronger than me! [shing Void and Stars]!"


    A huge sword that tore apart the starry sky cleaved down from above.


    The Immortal King''s substitute defended at full strength.


    The sword and the halberd shed. Light radiated from the sword, overwhelming the strength of the void explosion. The Immortal King''s substitute held his halberd horizontally and defended with its haft, but was sent flying from the impact. The halberd was filled with cracks. The Immortal King''s substitute spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. As his injuries worsened, he found it more and more difficult to continue fighting with Li Feng.


    He slowly crept backwards.


    [The Boundless de: Godkiller]!"


    Silver radiance swept forward in a tide, like a whole herd of holy dragons.


    That silver light, imbued with golden threads, formed a mysterious sea, simultaneously real and illusory, which existed in between both realms.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    Upon seeing Li Feng''s attack, the Immortal King''s substitute''s pupils contracted. The terror of having lost to Li Feng before suddenly reared its head.


    The Immortal King''s substitute turned tail and ran. "Save me!" he shouted.


    It was hard enough for his allies to deal with Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith; with the Immortal King''s substitute having run off, the battle rapidly shifted in the hunters'' favor.


    Suddenly, Leiting Zi shouted, "I''ve been waiting for this opportunity for long enough!"


    The sky exploded in a waterfall of lightning.


    A cultivator shot forward with a fist that lit up the heavens and dissipated all clouds in the vicinity.


    What incredible strength!


    A figure wreathed in lightning was the first to strike. He moved at nearly the speed of light; no one could be faster. A bolt of lightning shot forward.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes widened. Who was attacking them?


    Li Feng was in the midst of charging up his attack, and couldn''t spare the time to deal with the attacker.


    The opponent was moving too quickly and had been preparing for far too long. No one present could stop that cultivator¡ªbut, unexpectedly, the cultivator struck not at Li Feng, but rather at Leiting Ya.


    "Traitors of the Leiting Domain shall die!"


    Lightning erupted. The ground exploded. Lightning filled the realm as though it were an apocalypse, stretching for hundreds of kilometers on end.


    Leiting Ya was shaken. Divine light burst forth from his palms, forming a mallet of lightning that smashed down.


    For a moment, everything in the vicinity was filled with lightning.


    Fang Yi,pletely immersed in the fight, was suddenly flung back. He gaped in disbelief at the cultivator who had suddenly appeared.


    "It''s you!"


    Fang Yi was shocked to see Leiting Zi.


    He thought that Leiting Zi had failed to make it into the finals after suffering from an ident, but even more surprisingly, Leiting Zi''s target wasn''t him. It was Leiting Ya.


    Leiting Ya and Leiting Zi were from the same sect, and their techniques were simr as well. They exchanged ten blows in an instant, but neither seemed to gain an advantage.


    Leiting Ya was surprised to see someone so familiar around. "So it''s you, Junior Brother! I was wondering who it was."


    "Silence! For humiliating my sect and turning traitor, I deny our fraternal bonds. On sect orders, those members of the sect whoe across you, Leiting Ya, are honor-bound to kill you!"


    Leiting Zi''s conviction was obvious; it was clear he hated his former senior brother, Leiting Ya.


    A pair of wings fluttered to his back, one ck, one white. The power of yin and yang apanied the lightning he controlled. His left hand was as bright as the sun, his right as dark as ink. His vitality zed as he consumed it for a supercharged attack.


    Lightning filled heaven and earth. The fight between the two cultivators whomanded lightning itself gave off such blinding brilliance that it overwhelmed the battlefield.


    Even Leiting Ya had to treat Leiting Zi''s attack seriously.


    The fact that he was able to resolve yin and yang from lightning was incredible, and Leiting Ya had to admit that Leiting Zi was talented.


    "As expected of someone born from lightning. Junior Brother, you werepatible with lightning from the very beginning!"


    Even though he was shocked by Leiting Zi''s technique, Leiting Ya didn''t seem fearful. The fact that he was able to escape the pursuit of the seniors of his sect meant that he had his own strengths.


    Around him, all manner of grass, shrub, herb, and nt began to grow: some in gold, in purple, and in green. All radiated with luster.


    This greenery wasn''t real; it had manifested from lightning. Lightning wasn''t just an element that harbored immense destructive potential; it could likewise birth life and vitality.


    Gold, purple, and lush green filled his surroundings; gold, purple, and lush green lightning exploded forth. These two forms of lightning bore the same colors but harnessed different types of energy. One waspatible with vitality and natural energy; the other boasted destruction.


    The two types of lightningbined into something more potent than even yin and yang.


    Leiting Zi was sent flying as he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Leiting Ya shook his head in exasperation. "Junior Brother, you''ll need to be able to extract vitality and natural energy from lightning to truly master it. Even if you''ve managed to dpose it into yin and yang, that''s still not sufficient."


    "Shut up!"


    Leiting Zi''s lightning zed like mes.


    "Junior Brother, you weren''t a match for me before. Do you think you are now?" Leiting Ya allowed Leiting Zi to strike him once. He cultivated lightning and had incredible resistance to lightning-based attacks. Leiting Zi''s technique would barely hurt him; as the lightning-transformed greenergy flowered around him, his wounds healed in an instant.


    Leiting Zi''s fighting intent dissipated.


    That was Leiting Ya''s goal.

 Chapter 1528: The Sapphire-Blue Scorpion Strikes

    <h4>Chapter 1528: The Sapphire-Blue Scorpion Strikes</h4>


    A sapphire-blue stinger, like something out of a dream, pierced through the air and straight toward the center of Li Feng''s forehead.


    The scorpion had just made its move,unching a single blow that was as fast as it was deadly.


    It intended to kill Li Feng in a single blow.


    "Scram!"


    Zhang Lie thundered, having watched Li Feng''s fight carefully. The moment something happened, he struck.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"


    The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie''s back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of des rested atop the tiger''s back, and Zhang Lie''s body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.


    His gic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white gic energy gathered over his body, and tigers'' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger''s, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.


    Ayer of crystal formed over his fists as he caught the scorpion''s stinger.


    Suddenly, a woman dressedpletely in ck struck.


    A ck vine appeared on her palm and transformed into ance as she shot over, intending to destroy herpetition.


    Clearly, she wasn''t an enemy of the illustrious fifth-realm group that had banded together to take down Team Zenith.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The [Fists of the Silent Sea] formed a fist inbination with the ck serpent form and a mallet with the golden tiger. The condensed gic energy solidified into sharp silver crystal, flying even faster through the air than the ck vine. The crystal cut the vine apart mid-flight, but Zhang Lie didn''t react just yet. There were multiple opponents waiting.


    A man struck simultaneously as the woman in ck did. A ck de whizzed through the air.


    The members of Team Zenith were all being pressed by their opponents, and didn''t have the attention to spare to deal with the sneak attack.


    Just as the ck de was about tond on Li Feng''s head, a golden figure shed across the air, struck the man''s body, and knocked him flying.


    The man thundered, "What are you doing?!"


    The golden figure was none other than the cultivator in gold, wreathed in golden light and wearing a golden mask.


    The golden cultivator looked toward Yang Ze. "I apologize. That fellow knocked me over here."


    Yang Ze frowned, pointing at himself, then smiled confidently. His longsword arced across the air.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets, the attacks infused with spatial force.


    The cultivator with amp blew on his divine srmp, causing it to re brightly as it struck water-attuned gic energy once again.


    With the divine srmp shielding him, the cultivator frowned. When the golden mask shot over, the cultivator with themp thought that the golden mask intended to fight Yang Ze alongside him, but the golden mask was struck by Yang Ze''s counterattack and tossed easily a hundred meters away, almost like a bullet. He smashed into the man wielding a ck de.


    The cultivator with the goldenmp wouldn''t have been surprised if the golden mask had been aiming for the man with a ck de to begin with.


    However, he had no proof of this, and making an usation that he couldn''t back up would only cause the battlefield to grow even more chaotic.


    After all, their team was only temporary; they didn''t cooperate with each other at all. If they had reason to doubt and suspect one another, that doubt and suspicion would only be magnified until they weren''t able to cooperate at all.


    This was a clear downside of their temporary alliancepared to the bond that the members of Team Zenith shared.


    More importantly, the cultivator with the goldenmp didn''t know who would be able to go against their client.


    When the Immortal King''s substitute saw that no one was helping him stop Li Feng, his face contorted in fear. He rushed toward the altar. "Save me, Sir!"


    Radiant Sun let him pass by.


    The man in dark green robes slowly stood up and extended a hand toward the void. Before the Immortal King''s substitute could make it up to him, he felt as though he crashed against something. He stopped short. Silver blood leaked down his mouth. He lowered his head to see a parched hand sticking through his chest.


    The Immortal King''s substitute gaped at the man in dark green robes who stood before him.


    The man said slowly, "Failure is tolerable to the Hall of Immortals, but the sight of your failure was intolerable."


    Everyone nced at the Immortal King''s substitute in unison, their fights temporarily forgotten.


    Only Radiant Sun stood calmly where he was, as though everything was perfectly normal.


    "Even if you die, you should die in front of your opponent. The Hall of Immortals forbids such a humiliating disy." The man in dark green robes tossed the Immortal King''s substitute into the pir of light, scattering his silver blood and mental fragments within. The pir of light suddenly grew several fractions brighter, as though it had absorbed the Immortal King''s substitute''s strength.


    Li Feng''s eyes grew cold. His sword shone brightly.


    The intersection of the real and the illusory¡ªLi Feng''s strengthbined both domains. Thousands of holy dragons swept across the sky.


    His strength surpassed time and space, the real and the illusory.


    At that moment, time became meaningless to Li Feng.


    The technique affected not just time, but space and even reality itself. The technique intersected reality and illusion. This was a strength that transcended this realm, and Li Feng''s de could kill even a transcendent god.


    With this strength which converted legend into reality, Li Feng''s target switched from the Immortal King''s substitute to the man in dark green robes who had just struck.


    Blinding light gathered around the sword; the rest of the world seemed to dim.


    The man in dark green robes reacted calmly even against this shocking disy of light. He reached out and tapped at the void. The darkest of abyssal darkness seemed to manifest over the altar, shattering reality and illusion. Li Feng''s ultimate attack vanished from sight as though it had never existed.


    The attack, which had sparked such fear in the Immortal King''s substitute, was nothing like a joke to the man in dark green robes. A single finger was all it took to cause it to vanish from sight.


    The man in dark green robes folded his arms. "Well? Aren''t you all going to continue?"


    Leiting Ya, Feng Xian, and the cultivator with the goldenmp shook their heads to clear their thoughts as they began fighting furiously.


    The man in dark green robes was speaking ostensibly to Li Feng, but also as a warning to the rest of them.


    Upon witnessing his strength, everyone else was cowed and chilled¡ªeveryone except Zhang Lie and Radiant Sun. Zhang Lie stared intently at the man in dark green robes, but no one could tell what he was thinking.


    Despite the fact that the Immortal King''s substitute had been the first cultivator to be eliminated, that didn''t mean that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were doing well. With the inclusion of the woman in ck and the man with the ck de, the battle hadn''t tilted in their favor. Li Feng, simultaneously attacked by the man and woman, was unable to spare any attention to help his allies.


    The man in dark green robes turned and nced at the pir to his back. "It should be a little faster, I suppose."


    Then, he sat back down on the stairs and watched the fighting down below.


    On the other side of the altar, with a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.

 Chapter 1529: Parting From Mortal Flesh

    <h4>Chapter 1529: Parting From Mortal Flesh</h4>


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    Its target was none other than Leiting Ya.


    Although Fang Yi didn''t know why the two cultivators from the same ''sect'' had suddenly started attacking each other, he was aware who was the more dangerous.


    Leiting Zi was alone, whereas Leiting Ya sided with the Immortal King''s substitute.


    His main enemy was the man in dark green robes who sat before the pir of light, along with the genius cultivators now beholden to him.


    Fang Yi struck at Leiting Ya without any hesitation.


    The sh of metal filled the altar. Fang Yi waved his spear with lethal speed and precision, the sh between the two opposing parties causing sparks that shot into the air. The power of wind and storm circled Fang Yi.


    Leiting Ya retreated as he transformed into a bolt of lightning. He frowned. "Why are you interfering with our internal sect business?"


    Leiting Zi, whose fighting intent had almost been extinguished, rallied after Fang Yi''s sneak attack. "I don''t want to team up with you, but you do possess some limited quantity of skill. I''ll give you a chance to demonstrate your abilities, but I don''t intend to thank you."


    He strode forward and stood above Fang Yi''s head, looking down on the battlefield like a monarch of heaven, intending to quell all his foes beneath him.


    Fang Yi''s lips twitched. He wanted to run Leiting Zi through with his spear, but there was an even more annoying enemy lying in wait. Fang Yi had to resist the temptation to turn on Leiting Zi¡ªfor now.


    Leiting Ya frowned. Leiting Zi alone would hardly have been a challenge; he was aughable opponent.


    Leiting Zi was one of his juniors. They were from the same sect, and everyone was fully aware of each other''s techniques. Leiting Ya firmly believed that no one in the sect could surpass his mastery of lightning.


    Fang Yi, on the other hand, was a tricky opponent. Though he toomanded lightning, he had no ethics whatsoever.


    Hebined lightning with all sorts of strange forces¡ªwind and storm, time, and even chaos.


    Leiting Ya wanted to shout, "If youmand chaos, why bother mixing it with any other source of energy? Why not just use pure lightning?!"


    Of course, even against such reprehensible tactics, Leiting Ya had nothing to fear.


    If Fang Yi and Leiting Zi were working together, however, things were different.


    His junior, Leiting Zi, had lightning crackling all around his body. "Don''t think you''ll be safe just because you''re in cahoots with that old fogey. Today, I, Leiting Zi, sweat that I''ll kill you!"


    Leiting Ya pretended to cry. "Why go this far, Junior Brother? I was considering taking revenge on the cultivator who was rumored to have defeated you¡ªand now you''re teaming up with him against me! Don''t you know how upset that makes me?"


    Leiting Zi seethed in rage as lightning shed around him. "Silence! Leiting Ya, you''ve bullied the rest of us for far too long. Countless disciples have been struck by your vile tendencies, male or female, young or old! Even my childhood sweetheart who was paying me a visit¡ªtoday, I''ll take you down!"


    Leiting Ya sighed wearily. "Junior Brother, I was doing it for your own good. How could you allow yourself to be held back by such trifling matters as human emotion? Being besotted with the opposite sex will only weaken the strength of the lightning that wemand. I was simply hoping to save you from a distraction!"


    "Silence! It''s all because of you that my childhood sweetheart was so ashamed that shemitted suicide. I won''t let you go, no matter what!"


    Divine light burst forth from Leiting Zi''s palms, forming a mallet of lightning that he smashed down.


    Lightning filled the air.


    His stance was like that of a god. With his strength, with this one blow, he intended to sap Leiting Ya of all his confidence. He was like a godking of myth and legend, subduing some demonspawn.


    The ear-splitting rumble of thunder emanated from him.


    Leiting Ya transformed a destructive bolt of lightning in his left hand into a scimitar and a regenerative bolt of lightning in his right hand into a shield. He exchanged countless blows with Leiting Zi in an instant.


    Leiting Zi''s eyes were bright red. He swung his mallet around as though he were crazy. He roared, "You''ve caused more destruction to the sect than any other cultivator past or present! Compared to my opponent below, you''ve been far more devastating to the sect. You''re the worst traitor that there has been or will be!"


    Leiting Ya defended himself in action and in speech.


    "Junior Brother, you misunderstand me. All of us members of the sect have special interests, you see. What other choice did I have? Don''t you think it''s hard for me, too? I do it daily with all sorts of different women, and thenter with all sorts of different men! I work hard day in and day out so we can all be happy together. What could I possibly have done wrong?"


    Fang Yi couldn''t helpment, "This is the first time I''ve heard anyone so delusional!"


    Those who weren''t in the know might even have thought that Leiting Ya was doing something particrly noble, giving up his sense of self for the big picture, bearing all the darkness of the sect himself, a paragon of self-sacrifice that no one else couldpare to.


    Leiting Ya sighed. "You don''t understand how perverted everyone in the sect is. I suffer too¡ªI take on the most odious task myself! Who would be aware of how much I suffer?"


    "Silence! You''ve betrayed the entire sect''s trust!" Leiting Zi roared. The mallet in his hands exploded. Rampaging lightning surged through the air and caused Leiting Ya''s shield to explode in jade-green light.


    "Am I wrong?" Leiting Ya asked, charging forward with his scimitar of lightning.


    "Do you refuse to repent even at this juncture?!" Leiting Zi spread out both hands. His left hand was pitch-ck as ink, and his right zing like the sun. Sr energy seemed to emanate from his right hand, while yin energy surged in his left, shielded by lightning.


    Leiting Zi dposed lightning into yin and yang, transforming the two constituents into individual lightning mallets that held back Leiting Ya''s scimitar.


    Leiting Ya snorted. "If they weren''t crazy, they wouldn''t have allowed me to keep doing what I did. The elders were aware of what I''ve done from the beginning, but they didn''t stop me. Why didn''t they stop me? They had to be enjoying it, of course!"

 Chapter 1530: Goodbye, Junior Brother

    <h4>Chapter 1530: Goodbye, Junior Brother</h4>


    Leiting Zi deflected the scimitar with his mallets as he roared, "That''s because they thought highly of you!"


    "When those elders learned of what happened, they told the victims to forgive me."


    Leiting Zi: ...


    "This happened not once or twice, not even ten or twenty times¡ªbut despite my history, when the victims found me, do you know what the elders said? ''Just bear with it for a moment, and all will be calm. Take a step back¡ªthe whole world awaits!''


    "More importantly, those victims actually epted such an oue! Do you really think this is a matter of ''thinking highly of me''? I can''t imagine why they would do so repeatedly unless they had made a hobby out of it."


    Leiting Zi found himself so stupefied he didn''t know how to argue against his senior brother''s im.


    Thex attitude of the Leiting Domain had twisted Leiting Ya''s psyche and caused him to develop his perversion.


    Leiting Ya had grown ustomed to such behavior and even deluded himself into thinking that the entire Leiting Domain shared such a vile hobby.


    "Something''s wrong with all of them, Junior Brother."


    To others, Leiting Ya was a maniac; to Leiting Ya, everyone else was a maniac.


    Leiting Zi swung his mallets about. "Doesn''t that mean that they think so highly of you that it goes beyondmon reason?!"


    His lightning of yin and yang sparked as it shed through the air.


    "Something''s wrong with you too, Junior Brother."


    Leiting Ya''s scimitar shattered as he stepped back, blood spilling from his mouth. "It''s because I knew that they had such a hobby that I chose to y my part, no matter how tired of it I was. Do you think I wanted to do so?!"


    Leiting Zi scoffed. "As if someone forced you to do it!"


    "Right, I wanted to do it¡ª but do you think I liked doing it?"


    Leiting Zi hesitated.


    Cuckolding someone in the sect day in, day out, for an entire year and more¡ªno matter how much pleasure Leiting Ya derived from the act in the beginning, surely it would have diminished over such an extended period of time.


    Could there really be more to the story?


    "Of course I liked it! If I could do it all over again, I would." Leiting Ya smirked, revealing his teeth. Around him, all manner of grass, shrub, herb, and nt began to grow: some in gold, in purple, and in green. All radiated with luster as his injuries healed. [1]


    Leiting Zi gaped, angered beyond measure. Lightning shed through the heavens and coalesced around his mallets in gold and ck.


    Leiting Ya wed the ground, causing the greenery to grow even more quickly, transforming into a cliff of lightning.


    What it contained wasn''t the destructive energy of lightning, but a shocking vitality and natural energy.


    Leiting Ya was able to manifest such a construct from an impossibly deep understanding of lightning.


    With a wave of his palm, that cliff extended above Leiting Zi''s head as though he were wearing a green hat. [2]


    "What can this vital lightning of yours even do in an attack?" Leiting Zi demanded. He swung his mallets about, causing twin beams of yin and yang lightning to strike each other in an explosive beam of light.


    The green cliff that Leiting Ya had manifested crackled as the green lightning seeped out from it. Leiting Zi nched as he sensed something wrong with his body.


    As the lightning brimming with vitality infused his body, something abnormal began to happen.


    His wounds healed quickly¡ªand then went further. The vitality brimming within the green lightning was so intense that his blood and flesh continued to grow and grow. Leiting Zi''s physical body contorted as tumors grew all over his body.


    Leiting Ya smiled brightly. "This is a method of using my vital lightning that I discovered after being expelled from the sect. You must not have seen it before."


    Fang Yi frowned. "It''s almost like the effects of radiation, or cancer..."


    Leiting Zi hastily tried to dispel the influence of the vital lightning running rampant through his body.


    Leiting Ya''s palms shone with lightning. "Goodbye, Junior Brother. I have to say, your childhood sweetheart was rather ordinary in looks and in physique, but quite unrestrained in bed."


    He sped his palms together, reuniting the concepts of destruction and vitality in an astounding blow.


    "How long are you going to keep watching for?!"


    Leiting Zi was forced to drop his pride and ask for help against an opponent as odious as Leiting Ya, whom he wanted to kill at any cost.


    Fang Yi had been watching the show with surprise and astonishment, but it seemed as though the time for being a spectator was over.


    He couldn''t let Leiting Zi be eliminated at such a juncture.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix and nullifying the energy of vitality and destruction.


    Thebination of wind and storm, and vitality and destruction, led to an explosion of light.


    By the other side of the altar, Feng Xian''s clothes fluttered in the wind. As she spread her arms, a phoenix cried out to her back and appeared on the battlefield in a shower of red light. The phoenix shot straight toward Sun Mengmeng.


    Sun Mengmeng flew gracefully through the air, almost like a sprite or fairy. Purple me manifested over her palms and wove a that caught the phoenix.


    Golden lotuses bloomed thirty meters tall, overwhelmingly huge, golden from stem to root to leaf to flower.


    The golden lotuses seemed to be endowed with divinity, withmand over nature and the environment.


    As the golden lotuses shook, they emitted golden runes, sending mes roaring higher and higher.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks. A sea of mes formed where they had struck.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground. Sun Mengmeng stabbed forward with a dagger, the ck moon behind her exploding as she shot forth.


    Purple mes transformed into Sun Mengmeng''s raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot forward.


    1. At this point I really wonder what the author thinks about when he writes this novel... ?


    2. In Chinese, someone who ''wears a green hat'' has been cuckolded. ?

 Chapter 1531: Distorted Love

    <h4>Chapter 1531: Distorted Love</h4>


    Ultimately, the members of Team Zenith were disadvantaged in terms of numbers. Dragging the fight out would only cause them to fall into passivity. Sun Mengmeng had to finish off her opponent with this one attack.


    Her beautiful features took on a tinge of the fantastical when lit by the purple firelight.


    With the barest hissing of wind, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger.


    The dark red de was gestated in fire and me. It tore apart countless golden lotuses, which exploded in a ze of golden mes and transformed the altar into a sea of fire. She had gained a tremendous attunement to fire, and even a sea of fire couldn''t stop her advance.


    She gathered the fire all around herself and prepared a devastating blow. Like a phoenix rising up from the ashes, she spread her wings wide and soared into the air, her de pointed straight at Feng Xian. She would take her down right then and there.


    As the lotuses exploded, their roots bombarded her like pellets, themselves exploding in shes of thunder.


    Her de shed at incredible speed. Lotus flowers exploded all around her, but they didn''t distract her from her attack.


    Feng Xian''s body grew taut. Her bones turned silvery-white as she shot forward like an arrow.


    "[Divine Arrow]!" She blurred; her attacks were so fast they were almost impossible to detect.


    Sun Mengmeng struck the divine arrow in the air in an explosion of silver light and purple mes.


    Feng Xian''s archery was about on par with Sun Mengmeng''s [Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon] under regr conditions; when it was bolstered by a sea of mes, Sun Mengmeng easily won out.


    A golden path of light rapidly pierced through the mes. Qingyue Ge stood right at its head. "I''m here!"


    He closed the gap between them.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her like a phoenix spreading its wings. A tail of fire glowed with radiant light, causing the stars themselves to quake.


    "Scram!"


    The mes shot forth in a whirlwind.


    The twobatants shed amidst a space of howling void. mes rose up from them both, curling up into the air. Golden lotuses sprouted and rooted themselves, as though dying and rebirthing within the omnipresent mes.


    Theybined into a majestic golden lotus that trapped Sun Mengmeng within, blocking her attacks.


    "Distill her essence!"


    Qingyue Ge shouted. mes bloomed around the golden lotus, refining and purifying everything around, even the altar itself.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng ignited the fire all over the altar, capturing it all in the form of golden me, which she merged with her purple fire to form purplegold arrows.


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the arena a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, everything began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me. When her arrows exploded, they formed pirs of me over ten meters high.


    Feng Xian drew a divine de scintiting with light. The edge was keen and incredibly sharp. She swept aside the purple mes and began to unleash carnage.


    When he first fought Sun Mengmeng in the arena, Qingyue Ge hadn''t been able to unleash this technique fully. Now, however, with Feng Xian''s support, Qingyue Ge had more than enough time for his technique to manifest in full. Heaven and earth turned a resplendent gold. All within it transformed into Qingyue Ge''s domain.


    The golden lotuses rooted themselves in the void, a divine and holy deity of fire appearing over each one, chanting scripture in some unknownnguage. Even more frightening were the bones, skeletons, and malevolent specters underneath the lotuses, filled with grudges and curses, the contrast more dissonant than even the ninthyer of the underworld.


    Underneath the holiest of golden lotuses were the most malevolent curses and killing intent.


    Sun Mengmeng felt tremendous restrictions being imposed on her. Lotus flowers rooted themselves in the void and wound around her hands and feet. She tried to struggle, but Feng Xian sent a sword sh straight at her from afar. She knocked aside Sun Mengmeng''s garuda bow as a giant lotus formed underneath her feet. Strange tendrils writhed around her body; she couldn''t free herself.


    Qingyue Ge walked up to her, his gaze enraptured. A mysterious green lotus grew furiously by her side. Unlike the golden lotuses all around, this one seemed ethereal, as thoughposed of mental energy.


    "You are mine."


    Qingyue Ge reached out and plucked the green lotus.


    "Scram!" Sun Mengmeng gritted her teeth. She extended a hand and sparked mes all around her. Her body burned with purplish-ck me so intense that it dyed the heavens the same color.


    She cast [ck Sun], forming a corona of purplish-ck me around her. Then, she activated her most impactful soulshards for battle, transforming from a young woman to a fierce warrior with a chitinous carapace, wreathed in ck me.


    Her mes were so intense that the armor-type soulshard actually began to crack and split. ck mes seeped out from the cracks, burning so intensely that the ground began to melt and turn red.


    By then, Sun Mengmeng had transformed into a fearsome warrior of hell.


    Even so, she found herself unable to break free of Qingyue Ge''s bindings. The sea of lotuses gave rise to tremendous, almost unfathomable pressure. Qingyue Ge had mastered his domain.


    The lotus flower right beneath her body furiously absorbed the mes emanating from her. Sun Mengmeng''sst-ditch explosive effort hadn''t produced the effect she was hoping for.


    Qingyue Ge gazed at her in greed. "Ever since I met you in the qualifiers, I''ve wanted you. I was infatuated, enraptured, besotted. I begged my mother for a special lotus."


    The lotus roots writhed around his hand and transformed into a spear. "With this spear thrust into your body, you''ll be mine."


    That lotus was formed from Divinity Qinglian''s mental energy. When it rooted itself in a living organism''s mind, it had the effect of mind control


    Even though this virtual realm wasn''t part of the real world, the lotus struck directly at the cultivators'' mental projections, and that parasitic link would be reproduced back in reality. Leiting Ya would have killed for such lotuses.

 Chapter 1532: Xiaowu Appears

    <h4>Chapter 1532: Xiaowu Appears</h4>


    Although Sun Mengmeng didn''t know what the lotus was, nor that it was an incredible tool for cuckoldry, she had a premonition that something terrible would happen if she allowed herself to be struck by the lotus spear, a fate worse than death.


    This was the keen intuition she had honed as a woman.


    The sky was filled with Qingyue Ge''s lotuses, and her hands and feet had been secured. Even if she were to use her fire-attuned gic energy, it would only be absorbed as nutrients by the lotuses.


    Sun Mengmeng closed her eyes tightly. "Save me, Captain!"


    Zhang Lie unleashed his dragonturtle transformation.


    The image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and his water-attuned gic energy turned heavy, sluggish, and a dark yellow color. Ripples of gic energy spread out all around him like mud. Those attacking him ended up stuck in the mud, and their actions turned sluggish, almost stalled.


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy was imbued with the power of gravity, and those around him were particrly susceptible to being trapped in localized gravitational wells.


    Taking advantage of that momentary opportunity, Zhang Lie raised an arm high into the air once more, and the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind him. "[Rune: Gravity]!"


    ck ripples emanated from the gravity-altering tablet, forming a localized region of distorted gravity. Qingyue Ge''s actions grew sluggish from the sudden increase in gravity. He stumbled and almost fell; Zhang Lie waved his hand and sent the tablet crashing down toward him.


    "Stop being a bother!"


    The lotus flowers glowed with light. Beneath the golden glow, the hidden corpses and bones creaked. Even gravity could be absorbed as essence.


    Qingyue Ge slowly stood up once again. He held the lotus in his hand up high.


    The lotus roots beneath Sun Mengmeng''s feet rippled in gold, absorbing the mes that exploded from her body and transforming it into energy for the golden lotuses all around her. The lotus flowers grew madly as they reached for the dragonturtle tablet overhead and managed to support its weight.


    Arge, mud-yellow hand emerged from the ground and reached out, grasping at Zhang Lie.


    The ck-d woman was actually making use of the terrain that Zhang Lie had created with his gic energy tounch her own attacks.


    It was clear that she had great affinity for earth and the ground.


    The mud-yellow hand was overgrown with ck orchids, and transformed into a beautiful hand of ck flowers.


    Although they gave off a pleasant scent, their presence felt somehow vile. They were clearly no ordinary orchids.


    "[Rune: Control]!"


    Zhang Lie''s left hand waved toward Qingyue Ge, and the tablet of flotationnded.


    ck ripples emanated from the two gravity-altering tablets, forming a localized region of distorted gravity.


    The regions of localized gravity andck thereof temporarily restrained Qingyue Ge''s movements.


    Meanwhile, his right hand clenched into a fist.


    Even before he punched forward, the world shook, and the altar trembled. The floor beneath his feet quaked.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Quake]!"


    He released his fist, and gravity changed all around him. Quakes vibrated through the floor, which cracked. The cracks propagated outward through the altar, causing a huge fissure to form by Zhang Lie''s feet.


    By then, Qingyue Ge had gotten used to the change in gravity and was mobile once more.


    The lotuses slowly approached Sun Mengmeng as Qingyue Ge''s gaze filled with greed. "Soon, you''ll be mine."


    Fang Yi was the closest to Sun Mengmeng. He wanted to save her, but Leiting Ya stalled him.


    Leiting Yaughed madly. "Haha, I love seeing such shows in action. That woman likes your captain, doesn''t she? It looks like the son of Divinity Qinglian wants to do something to her. I can sense it¡ªmy blood''s frothing! I''m not going to let you interfere."


    "Scram!"


    Fang Yi thundered, waving his spear madly at him. Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. The golden spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left hundreds of afterimages in its wake.


    Leiting Ya''s shield of vital lightning was torn apart, but he had no intention of dodging the blow. He blocked it with his very body, allowing the spear to prate him as vital lightning crackled around him and healed his injuries.


    Vital lightning wasn''t very potent for offense, but it was one of the most annoying defensive options.


    Fang Yi was trapped with Leiting Ya for the time being, and the others wouldn''t be able to make their way over in time.


    The other hunters were too far away and likewise trapped by their opponents.


    At the final moment before impact, a ray of golden light arced across the air.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens and shattered the golden void.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!" In conjunction with a loud shout, golden light emanated from an arm covered in a denseyer of golden scales. A frightening shockwave of energy shot through the altar, and a punchnded on Qingyue Ge''s face.


    Qingyue Ge was sent flying, his head cocked to the side. He spat out a mouthful of blood on the altar and cried out, "You intend to betray our client?"


    Everyone looked toward the cultivator who had just made a move, the cultivator in gold wreathed in golden light and wearing a golden mask.


    Yang Ze smiled. "As I expected."


    Qingyue Ge roared, "Are you crazy?"


    The man with the ck de frowned. "You dare betray our client after witnessing his strength? I''m not sure whether I should think poorly or well of you."


    "Betray?"


    The man wreathed in golden light slowly took off his mask. The golden light faded away from his body.


    The man in dark green robes, seated before the pir of light, was taken aback.


    The revealed face was intimately familiar to Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith.


    "Don''t be ridiculous. I was never one of you to begin with!"


    The golden man was, of course, Sun Xiaowu.


    "I, Sun Xiaowu, have been a member of Team Zenith from the beginning!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Xiaowu, you really hid yourself well."


    None of them had realized his true identity. Sun Xiaowu had acted on just the right timing to save his sister.


    The cultivator with the goldenmp gaped. "So you''ve finally revealed yourself..."


    "I pretended to work with your lot only in order to figure out what you were doing and to act at a suitable moment." Sun Xiaowunded before Sun Mengmeng and cut apart the lotus roots binding her, shattering the lotus underneath her and freeing her.


    Qingyue Ge''s n, moments from sess, waspletely destroyed.


    Qingyue Ge roared in frustration like a snarling dog pushed to his wit''s end.


    "Do you know the consequences of betraying our client?!"


    Sun Xiaowu gave Qingyue Ge a thumbs up, as well as to the man in dark green robes high above the altar behind him.


    "Why should I care? No one''s a match for our captain, at any rate."


    "All those who go against me will pay a price!" Qingyue Ge howled, igniting the entire sea of lotus flowers.

 Chapter 1533: Core Enlightenment

    <h4>Chapter 1533: Core Enlightenment</h4>


    When the golden lotuses were lit ame, they didn''t release a holy golden luster. Rather, they burned with pale blue cursed, malignant mes¡ªbecause what was lit up wasn''t just the golden lotuses, but also the malevolent bones and corpses beneath them.


    A huge explosion of lotus seeds shot toward Sun Xiaowu and Sun Mengmeng. Each lotus seed glowed in scintiting gold, like the shell of the sun itself. The seeds were wrapped in malice and malevolence. Now that Qingyue Ge had been unable to obtain Sun Mengmeng for himself, he would destroy them both.


    "For bullying my sister, I''ll kill you!"


    Golden radiance struck. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    Sun Xiaowu had obtained iparable benefits from this virtual world, and he was far stronger than before.


    The golden energy burst as the lotus seeds were blown away. They exploded all over the ancient hall. The golden realm that formed Qingyue Ge''s domain shattered as the lotus flowers were torn apart, the bones and corpses sent flying. Qingyue Ge spat out golden blood. Despite his incredible regenerative ability, he wasn''t able to heal from a wound of this magnitude.


    Qingyue Ge was a strong opponent rtive to ordinary cultivators. He was able to contest and even overwhelm Sun Mengmeng only because she used fire-attuned gic energy, which Qingyue Ge strongly countered. However, the oue was clearly different when his opponent was someone else¡ªlike Sun Mengmeng''s brother, Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t adopt fire-attuned gic energy, and wasn''t restricted by Qingyue Ge''s abilities.


    Not only that, Sun Xiaowu had entered the ancient hall before anyone present and obtained overwhelming benefits within.


    Upon seeing that Sun Mengmeng had been saved, all the members of Team Zenith rxed. They were struck by confidence upon seeing that Sun Xiaowu was so much stronger than before.


    Qingyue arduously stood up and clenched his hand around that strange lotus spear. "Die!"


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward in a burst of golden light that pierced straight through Qingyue Ge.


    Qingyue Ge howled soundlessly as he transformed into a shower of light that shot toward the pir.


    On the other side of the altar, Fang Yiughed uproariously. "It looks like your n is a failure."


    Leiting Ya frowned as vital lightning crackled around him. He didn''t expect that Qingyue Ge would be such an utter failure. He had chosen to distract Fang Yi without caring about the injuries he sustained¡ªbut not only had Qingyue Ge failed, he was now at a disadvantage himself.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    With Sun Mengmeng freed, Fang Yi could attack at will.


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    Leiting Ya transformed his vital lightning into a looming cliff.


    Thebination of wind and storm, and vitality and destruction, led to an explosion of light.


    Leiting Zi made his move then.


    Having finally dealt with the vital lightning running rampant through his body, he manifested a huge palm that covered the skies above. Solid as a mountain, it caused Leiting Ya to still for a moment. Lightning arced as it exploded forth in a wave.


    Leiting Zi had dposed lightning into yin and yang, then into the five fundamental elements. Finally, he hadbined them all into a supercharged earth-attuned attack. The resulting mud-yellow hand looked like a mountain, infused with earth-attuned energy.


    From behind, Leiting Ya shot out a bolt of destructive lightning that struck the mud-yellow hand in an explosion.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]! [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear, and a dragon''s howl echoed resoundingly in the air.


    Fang Yi infused the strength of [Heaven''s Judgment] into [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow].


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate the vital lightning, as though the spear had transformed into an electric saw.


    The spear thrust into Leiting Ya''s shoulder, almost cutting it off entirely.


    After dealing with Qingyue Ge, Sun Xiaowunded beside Zhang Lie.


    "Captain, leave these cultivators to me. You should handle the one up there." Sun Xiaowu motioned at the man in dark green robes.


    Zhang Lie nodded.


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "He''s no easy foe. Although I don''t know where he came from, he''s surely one of the elders from the Hall of Immortals. I learned a few pieces of information when I joined them. He''s trying to seize the core enlightenment of this virtual realm."


    "The core enlightenment?"


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "This virtual realm is exceptionally special. It can transform high-level intuition into spiritual objects."


    Zhang Lie had once obtained the silver-dragon lotuses and a bug emperor within this realm, and he was aware of a portion of its secrets.


    Sun Xiaowu continued, "What many people don''t realize is that the realm itself is a manifestation of a particrly high-level intuition, which is rted to this ability to physically realize thoughts. The death of eachpetitor generates mental energy, a portion of which goes to the killer, and a portion of which is taken by the virtual realm and used to shore up its foundations."


    Zhang Lie immediately understood what Sun Xiaowu was saying. "So this fellow''s trying to forcibly extract intuition from the virtual realm via this altar?"


    Sun Xiaowu nodded seriously. "Captain, you ought to seize that intuition for yourself."


    Just then, the man with a ck knife shot forward from behind.


    "Don''t neglect me while you''re chatting away!" he shouted.


    The man shed behind them, the ck bone knife in his hand striking at Sun Xiaowu''s head.


    "Traitors ought to die!"


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t react as the ck knife struck his neck.


    The moment it did so, a metallic nk resounded. The wielder of the knife felt as though he had just struck a beam of metal.


    A dense, oveppingyer of runes appeared by Sun Xiaowu''s neck, each like a chunk of metal. The ck knife which had been able to slice easily through iron was held back against Sun Xiaowu''s neck.


    "Captain, there''s no need to worry. Leave things here to me. I obtained an incredible reward for being the first to enter the ancient hall, and there are few who will be a match for me here." Sun Xiaowu turned back and punched at the man with the ck knife, who spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying.


    Zhang Lie nodded. Sun Xiaowu had proven his strength with his fists, and he waspletely confident in the strength of his own teammates.


    With Sun Xiaowu''s entrance, Zhang Lie headed up the stairs of the altar without any hesitation.


    He stared straight at the man in dark green robes. Radiant Sun, who stood beside him, stepped forward to block his arrival.

 Chapter 1534: Feng Xian Strikes

    <h4>Chapter 1534: Feng Xian Strikes</h4>


    Radiant Sun turned to face Zhang Lie. An explosive aura bloomed from his body, almost like that of a zing sun.


    Zhang Lie refused to relent or back down. He too unleashed his aura, that of a night sea. It expanded forth and devoured everything in sight.


    The man wielding the ck knife spat out a mouthful of blood on his de.


    The blood revolved around the de, infusing it with a scarlet sheen. As the man waved the de around, that light shot down in a cloud of scarlet rain, straight toward Sun Xiaowu''s body.


    Sun Xiaowu made no move to defend himself. Golden runes appeared over his body like countless weapons and swords.


    The weapons resonated with his gold-attuned energy, with the entirety of the ancient hall.


    "This is the benefit I obtained for being the first to enter this hall!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s strength exploded from his body, which was gleaming gold like the stars in the night sky.


    Suddenly, fog gathered around him. The runes glowed brilliantly as the runes crashed into each other with tinkling noises, as though they were notes of some divine music.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Sun Xiaowu released a golden, resplendent sh, evoking the might of a gxy. Each star was like a divine sword that gave off incredible pressure. The golden lights merged together into a river that tore apart the scarlet rain. The man with the ck knife attempted to dodge, but the golden light brushed past his side. It tore apart his abdomen, causing blood and intestines to spill out.


    He grunted in pain, but that wasn''t sufficient to force him back.


    The man was a seasoned warrior. He cocked his arm and threw out a punch. A white tiger roared and shot toward Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Qilin]!" Sun Xiaowu''s body radiated with light, illuminating the entire hall, as he too threw a punch forward.


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    Even without using his golden clones, Sun Xiaowu had managed to materialize a golden qilin in reality. It shot forward and smashed into the white tiger, obliterating it with its bulk and mass. The man with the ck knife spat out another mouthful of blood before he was sent reeling like a kite cut from its string.


    On the other side of the altar, Leiting Ya shook. Under thebined assault of Fang Yi and his junior brother, Leiting Zi, his physical body began to split. Blood poured from him; he couldn''t hold out much longer.


    Angered beyondpare, Leiting Ya fought with his life on the line, maintaining a tenuous grasp on life with his vital lightning as heunched attacks at a furious rate.


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    At that very moment, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones. Spear thrusts filled the air to counter the crazed lightning.


    Leiting Zi made his move. A silver spear appeared in his hand and struck at Leiting Ya''s lower back. It too was forged of lightning and boasted incredible strength.


    "Go die!" The sapphire-blue scorpion''s stinger suddenly pierced through the void and headed straight for Fang Yi''s skull.


    Yang Zeunched a sword sh imbued with void energy at the scorpion''s stinger, causing it to shudder.


    Leiting Ya coughed out a fewrge mouthfuls of blood as he continued his crazed attacks against Fang Yi and Leiting Zi.


    A snowy-white sh brushed by Fang Yi''s body. The jade mantis struck as well.


    Leiting Zi roared as a field of lightning burst out of his body, knocking aside the frightening mantis.


    Leiting Ya barely staunched his wounds with vital lightning as he sent a bolt of lightning at his junior brother, Leiting Zi.


    Leiting Zi defended as Fang Yi attacked from the other side.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body.


    Wind and storm surged throughout the loop, providing explosive strength that allowed his spear to prate Leiting Ya''s body once again.


    Vital lightning crackled in Leiting Ya''s fingers as he shot it out. Fang Yi didn''t dare defend against the attack; he retreated and dodged it instead.


    Fang Yi frowned. "Are you a cockroach?"


    Under Leiting Zi and Fang Yi''sbined assault, Leiting Ya had suffered numerous serious injuries. However, his understanding of vital lightning allowed him to recover even when he was at death''s door. He might even be more difficult to kill than a cockroach.


    Leiting Zi sighed. "If he were easy to kill, do you think he would have lived this long?"


    If Leiting Ya really were easy to kill, those cultivators of the Leiting Domain would already have taken him down long ago.


    "If not for his aplishment with vital lightning, the weeds growing atop his grave would be a few meters tall by now."


    Leiting Yaughed. "A few meters? With my understanding of vital lightning, they''d grow a few hundred meters tall!"


    Despite the pressure from Fang Yi and Leiting Zi''sbined assault, Leiting Ya was still able to joke around with them. It was as though they were just having a pleasant conversation rather than being mortal enemies.


    This wasn''t because Leiting Ya found the fight easy. It was precisely because he was feeling the mounting pressure that he deliberately acted calm so as to confuse his enemies and buy time for himself¡ªnot just to heal his wounds, but also for hisrades to help him out.


    Just as Leiting Zi and Fang Yi turned to Leiting Ya once more, the jade mantisunched a sneak attack from behind as Leiting Ya shot toward them from the front.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!"


    As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time.


    The only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi.


    However, Leiting Ya''s lightning was so rapid that it still managed to move slowly through the domain of temporal stasis.


    Fang Yi thrust his spear forward, prating Leiting Ya''s forehead, as the jade mantis'' sneak attack struck. Everything happened in the blink of an eye, before Leiting Zi could react.


    Fang Yi didn''t turn back, as though he were unconcerned about Leiting Zi''s death¡ªbut in truth, this was itself a measure of trust, not in Leiting Zi''s strength, but in his true teammates'' ability to help him out.


    Sun Xiaowu punched forward. Light blossomed across the heavens, resolving the danger from the jade mantis'' sneak attack.


    Fang Yi turned and smiled at Sun Xiaowu, but it froze on his face.


    "Die!" The man wielding a ck knife and his femalepanion shot forward at full strength, intent on killing Sun Xiaowu.


    At the same time, Feng Xian made her move. She unveiled a small golden cauldron to suppress Sun Xiaowu.

 Chapter 1535: Mastery Over Life

    <h4>Chapter 1535: Mastery Over Life</h4>


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the altar.


    He faced the cauldron, the man with the ck knife, and the woman simultaneously in a burst of scintiting light.


    Feng Xian transformed into a beam of light that shot toward Sun Xiaowu like an arrow.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles. The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks.


    Sun Mengmeng had drawn her garuda bow from afar.


    Feng Xian looked like a bolt of silver lightning as she zipped through the air.


    This was a use of spatial force at its peak, allowing her to behave like a divine arrow that shot through the void at extreme speed but simultaneously allow for rapid changes in direction.


    "Don''t you dare touch my brother!"


    By then, Sun Mengmeng had entirely recovered. She picked up her garuda bow. mes rose all over her body.


    "[Netherworld''s Gaze]!"


    Hundreds of arrows, like beams of moonlight, shot forward. Their mes felt as though they could destroy everything they touched.


    The bolt of silver lightning into which Feng Xian had transformed struck down the flood of arrows, its shield of moonlight defending against the mes. Her body might well be a weapon in its own right.


    She shifted directions mid-flight, rushing toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Full Moon]!"


    Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her as a ck moon rose into the air.


    The ground exploded. mes burst into the sky. Cracks ofva spread across the ground.


    Sun Mengmeng stabbed forward with a dagger, the ck moon behind her exploding as she shot forth.


    Purple mes transformed into Sun Mengmeng''s raiment. A long tail of mes whizzed by behind her, radiating a phantasmagorical glow. Like a meteor, she shot forward.


    Her beautiful features took on a tinge of the fantastical when lit by the purple firelight.


    With the barest hissing of wind, she unsheathed a long dark-red dagger. It struck the divine arrow in the air in an explosion of silver light and purple mes.


    The source of this c??ntent is freewe?nov¨¥l.co?.


    The man with the goldenmp in the distance blew out the me from hismp, seemingly intent on burying everyone present, ally and foe alike.


    Yang Ze didn''t care if he wanted to backstab his own allies, but he wouldn''t sit idly by while he attacked the members of Team Zenith.


    [The Boundless de: Daybreak] shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets.


    Leiting Zi had aplicated look on his face upon seeing the spear thrust through Leiting Ya''s head, but the next moment, he realized that something was amiss. Why hadn''t Leiting Ya morphed into a shower of light?


    Suddenly, Leiting Ya smiled in a feral grin, causing Fang Yi and Leiting Zi to shudder in a sudden chill.


    Vital lightning flooded forth in a waterfall as Leiting Ya attacked.


    "Are you a man or a monster?!"


    Fang Yi and Leiting Zi held him off to the best of their abilities, but something strange was happening to Leiting Ya. His blood and flesh were warping, his body growing tumors that transformed into two arms and two heads. One was evenrger than a rice cooker, and he didn''t look human at all.


    Leiting Zi reared back in fear. "What sort of monster are you?!"


    Leiting Ya''s two heads opened their mouths simultaneously andughed, their eyes filled with madness and killing intent. "Hahaha, I''ve always wanted to try this!"


    As Leiting Yaughed, he continued to strike at the two cultivators. Leiting Zi was deeply disturbed and filled with mounting fear.


    Fang Yi seemed to havee to a conclusion. "It''s naturalw!"


    A bolt of five-colored lightning exploded as Leiting Zi''s vicinity exploded with light. This was an ultimate technique born of the pinnacle of lightning,bining lightning with the five fundamental elements.Leiting Zi forced the monstrous Leiting Ya back.


    Leiting Zi turned and asked, "What''s going on?"


    Fang Yi replied, "Do you remember that vital lightning can induce mutations?"


    Leiting Zi shuddered. He had experienced that intimately for himself. That was why he and Fang Yi were both trying to prevent that green lightning from striking them at any cost.


    Fang Yi continued, "Leiting Ya''s using that lightning on himself¡ªnot for recovery, but to induce mutation."


    If Fang Yi hadn''t known about ''radiation'', he wouldn''t have been able to connect the dots so quickly. Leiting Ya looked as though he had survived a heavy dose of radiation.


    Moments before death, Leiting Ya had used vital lightning on himself to mutate his body and avoid immediate death.


    Leiting Zi''s face turned green, greener than even the vital lightning. "He did all that in order to live? He became a monster? Is he crazy?"


    Fang Yi replied, "I can''t speak for his mental state, but it''s hardly as though this is a permanent change. Any damage incurred in this virtual realm is only a projection, and no transformations aresting. Indeed, he''ll even gain experience from what he did here.


    Mutations could be beneficial or harmful. Leiting Ya''s control over vital lightning could cause harmful mutations, but he didn''t yet have perfect control over beneficial mutations. He hadn''t ever dared to use it on his own body, but gained the courage to do so with Fang Yi''s spear headed straight for his head. If he were to die regardless, why not go out with a bang?


    Leiting Yaughed furiously as he charged forward. "Haha, that''s right. Just like this, just like this!"


    The mutations were still ongoing. Another arm grew out of Leiting Ya''s back. Jade-green lightning crackled all around him. Leiting Zi gulped down his fear as he shouted, "You madman! Do you really think doing all this in this virtual realm won''t affect you back in reality?"


    "Haha, why not give it a try?" Leiting Ya continued tough madly. "I feel like I''ve almost got it. I might even be able to grow a second penis and have twice the fun¡ªno, what about a vagina?"


    "[Wheel of Time]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspects of time and age. Temporal winds buffeted the spear, and a mysterious light began to circle the spear like lightning.


    A wheel of light appeared behind Fang Yi, taking on the form of a clock.


    The clock''s tolls resounded in the hall as Fang Yi pointed his spear straight toward Leiting Ya. "He''s crazy."


    The three cultivators continued to fight. After undergoing the mutation. Leiting Ya''s vital lightning had grown even stronger and more sinister. Leiting Zi and Fang Yi defended at full strength, but as the fight turned more heated, after hundreds of shes, they were struck by the vital lightning. Mutations were urring within their bodies. Leiting Ya took advantage of the opportunity to press them harder, giving Leiting Zi and Fang Yi no time to deal with their nascent tumors.

 Chapter 1536: Relax a Little

    <h4>Chapter 1536: Rx a Little</h4>


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the altar. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    He sent half his clones to stop Leiting Ya, while the others dealt with his opponents.


    Sun Xiaowu, who boasted the ability to manufacture clones, could control the battlefield by himself.


    The cultivators of the fifth realm continued to take down his clones.


    The woman in ck released a tendril that curled toward the neck of Sun Xiaowu''s actual body.


    "That''s the real him!"


    The woman in ck seemed to be able to directly identify the vitality coursing lifeforms and easily figured out which of the Sun Xiaowus was real.


    The jade mantis, sapphire-blue scorpion, and the man with the ck knife shot toward Sun Xiaowu.


    No matter how realistic Sun Xiaowu''s clones, they were unable to hold them back. However, Sun Xiaowu could manufacture clones indefinitely, and he would prove to be a problem if left unchecked.


    Even the crazed Leiting Ya was temporarily giving up on Leiting Zi and Fang Yi. He was forcing his way through hundreds of Sun Xiaowu''s clones, straight toward his main body.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!"


    Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, overshadowing the hall. Sun Mengmeng was intent on helping her brother with his crisis.


    Feng Xian formed seals with her hands. Her body was a series of afterimages; she looked like a divine bird swooping with wings outstretched, a frightening gale behind her. The nine ming moons were swept up in a gale, that ck me manifesting atop the altar as a tornado.


    The jade mantis, sapphire-blue scorpion, and the man with the ck knife drew near.


    Despite the danger, Sun Xiwou wasughing. His eyes were cold.


    "[Adamantine Aegis: Martial God]!"


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    After just a single sh, the man screamed, his ck bone knife shattering along with one of his arms. Then, half his body became a stter of blood as he was sent flying.


    "You¡ª" Leiting Ya gaped in shock. His chest hurt; he was unable to overpower his opponent. He coughed out blood.


    At the same time, Sun Xiaowu''s arm grew taut. The ck orchid whose vines had been creeping around it was torn apart.


    The jade mantis screeched hoarsely, but was likewise sent flying with a fist.


    Feng Xian''s jeweled sword slid into Sun Xiaowu''s chest noiselessly and soundlessly, a stealthy blow that he couldn''t dodge.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes narrowed as ck mes raged and transformed into a howling demon.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, which exploded into rays of moonlight and rained down from the heavens. Feng Xian, seeing the attack, tried to draw her jade sword, but was unable to pull it out from Sun Xiaowu''s chest at all. She had no choice but to give up and retreat.


    "Sister, there''s no need to be so worried. I''m quite alright¡ªexcept for the fact that you almost burned me to death." Sun Xiaowu steadily strolled out from the sea of mes, his expression calm, as though he were entirely unharmed. If not for the sword embedded in his chest, Feng Xian would have thought that her strike had nevernded.


    Feng Xian frowned. "How could this be?"


    The jade sword slowly melded into Sun Xiaowu''s body, transforming into blood and flesh. He licked his lips and burped, then gave her a thumbs up. "Not a bad sword."


    Feng Xian grimaced. "What sort of monster are you?"


    "I''m an ordinary cultivator, of course."


    "Liar!"


    "Being the first to enter this ancient hall has its advantages. Not only were there incredible spiritual pills here, there were even records of shes of intuition from ages long past, along with all manner of tattered weapons and Immortal swords. I absorbed those relics as I meditated on the gathered insights. Now, all my blood and flesh is forged of the weapons and Immortal swords that I absorbed, and my will is a patchwork of fighting spirit."


    His skin glowed with golden runes, under which were ancient armaments stacked in an orderly fashion. As hended on the altar, it cracked underneath his feet. Sun Xiaowu was no longer reining in his strength, and the weight of his new body was terrifying.


    His eyes were blood-red, and golden light emanated from his body and manifested in the form ofpetitors who had once reached this hallowed ce.


    "Come on, then! I''m a superior Sun Xiaowu, now avable for a limited time!"


    Sun Xiaowu''sbat strength was far greater than ever before.


    Above his head was a shocking glow as the sun met the sea.


    Zhang Lie and Radiant Sun began their fight.


    Radiant Sun used his most potent techniques from the very beginning.


    "[Endless sh]!" Radiant Sun shouted, aiming the vase at Zhang Lie and sending a torrential burst of sword energy toward him.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area and striking Radiant Sun''s jeweled vase.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The vase exploded in a burst of golden light, igniting the entire hall.


    Bothbatants stood amidst a raging sea of golden mes, each focused on the other.


    Those around them retreated, clearing a space around them.


    Radiant Sun focused. "As expected of the man who was able to defeat my son. You''re skilled among those of your generation."


    Zhang Lie sniffed disdainfully. "I''ve beaten you, too."


    Radiant Sun didn''t know that someone had made an eidolon of him that all cultivators of the dimensional realm would have to face to gain qualifications for the Cup. He thought that Zhang Lie was speaking of Zhang Lie''s imminent victory over him.


    "Let''s see whether you have what it takes, then!"


    Radiant Sun shouted. A divine glow emanated from his body, along with golden mes. He himself transformed into a divine weapon that tore through the heavens, splitting the sky in twain.


    "[Limitless Golden Sun sh]!"


    Radiant Sun transformed into a huge sr sword that tore apart the void and shook the very stars.

 Chapter 1537: Far Too Boring

    <h4>Chapter 1537: Far Too Boring</h4>


    When Zhang Lie first encountered Radiant Sun, because Bu Wentian was no match for him, the trial ended halfway through the fight. Zhang Lie never had a chance to see what Radiant Sun''s follow-up techniques were before he dissipated. Despite the fact that Zhang Lie had passed the trial, he wasn''t at all happy about it.


    During the qualifiers, he then beat Radiant Sun''s son, but it still didn''t feel sufficient.


    In other words, he wasn''t satisfied just beating the son; he wanted to beat the father as well.


    Radiant Sun''s attack now perfectly continued the battle that had been terminated halfway in Zhang Lie''s mind.


    A raging shark emerged, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sh of sword techniques forced Radiant Sun back.


    Radiant Sun changed tactics. Rather than a sword that could cut through everything, he focused on the aspect of flexibility. Once again, a screen of sword energy covered the air.


    The huge sword had been unyielding and domineering; the soft sword was supple and flexible. These were two different extremes of swordy.


    The transformation of sword styles from one extreme to the pr opposite extreme seemed shockingly natural.


    Radiant Sun had reached such a high level of insight that he could use his entire body like a sword.


    A sr re blossomed around him, infusing unadulterated sword energy into his techniques and making them even harder to block.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, swallowing up the srfire and sword energy.


    Radiant Sun''s soft sword danced in the air, sketching out a sr storm.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward. His ck serpent attacked in a sinister, mysterious fashion, a perfect counter for Radiant Sun''s soft sword.


    Zhang Lie''s ck serpent shed repeatedly against the sr vine with golden srfire. The sr vine soared into the air. Sr energy emanated from it, transforming into a giant sun. A pir of golden light shot down rays in the form of sword energy, bolstering him and augmenting his transformation.


    As the sr vine struck, a giant sword fell from the skies, breaking through the cloud cover. It was reinforced by sr might, as though the sun itself were falling from the sky.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He defended with one open palm.


    The ancient hall trembled as the altar cracked apart. Zhang Lie, surrounded by starlight, blocked the attack with just a single palm.


    "I''m very disappointed."


    Zhang Lie thought that this would be an intense fight, but it seemed that he had overestimated his opponent. Radiant Sun, with his strength restricted, was hardly as strong as he had anticipated.


    Radiant Sun was shocked. Radiant light emerged from his body. The sr vine that pierced through the cloud cover radiated with light. Tendrils and offshoots grew out of the main vine,


    as though he had suddenly developed a few hundred avatars. Although they were no match for the main vine, each offshoot had at least half its strength.


    The main vine and its offshoots, like titanic serpents, shot toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting apart heaven and earth and dicing up the vines.


    The main vine struck down at Zhang Lie''s head like a divine sword of legend, tearing apart the sky and the stars above.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river, with gctic gic energy shone with twinkling stars, which transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The subordinate vines that had been torn apart squirmed and grew rapidly until they transformed into golden figures, preparing a killing formation.


    The divine vine''s srfire filled the air and fell in the form of a fiery rain. Zhang Lie''s ster dragons howled as they shot into the air and smashed into the vine.


    Within moments, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragon. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    The golden avatars that Radiant Sun had just manifested stumbled, grabbing ahold of the altar to maintain their bnce and not be sucked away by the ck hole to their heads.


    The energy of annihtion grew rapidly after swallowing up the divine vine''s srfire. It attempted to devour and destroy everything in sight within the ancient hall.


    Even the man in dark green robes, seated before the pir of light, had to invoke his authority and grab the pir of light to avoid being affected.


    Golden light zed from Radiant Sun, and hundreds of vines shone bright.


    The wave of golden light was as though the sun had shot out a million rays, each glowing overwhelmingly brightly, splitting the void and the stars beyond, each a divine sword.


    The swords crossed each other in the air, transforming into a huge de of the sun.


    The gigantic golden sword broke through the ceiling of the giant hall as it descended with overwhelming strength, splitting apart the growing storm of annihtion. Although the storm sapped it of some momentum, the sword continued descending swiftly toward Zhang Lie''s head.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    The ster dragons shot up to meet the sword. Energy of destruction exploded in the air, gradually weakening the sword''s strength.


    By the time the sword was about to reach Zhang Lie, he could shatter it with a punch.


    The golden fragments of the former sword spilled all over, scattering around the ancient hall, each glittering like gold.

 Chapter 1538: Waiting Outside

    <h4>Chapter 1538: Waiting Outside</h4>


    The golden fragments of the former sword spilled all over, scattering around the ancient hall, each glittering like gold.


    Radiant Sun''s body was zing with mes. The bright sunlight illuminated the entire hall and transformed into another sword, one of his strongest attacks.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fist tightly as pitch-ck energy sprayed out, vast as the sea, dark as the night. The energy seemed intimately connected to the abyss. Stars seemed to sparkle in the depths of that energy. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the pitch-ck starlit energy surged forth.


    Ster dragons emerged and shed against the golden srfire, causing the ancient hall to quake as the steps leading toward the altar shattered. The pitch-ck energy encapsted everything as the starlight exploded. Ster dragons fell from the sky and erupted in a storm of eradication, a chain reaction that devoured everything in sight.


    "I''ll await you outside," Radiant Sun said, his body burning to a crisp under the destruction caused by the starlit energy.


    After finishing off Radiant Sun, Zhang Lie then turned to look at the man in dark green robes.


    That man slowly stood up, unable to distance himself from the fight.


    The fighting below them had continued while Zhang Lie faced off against Radiant Sun.


    "Kill!" Sun Xiaowu took the initiative to strike, eyeing the woman in ck. It was she who had attempted tounch a sneak attack at him.


    "No!" the woman in ck shouted, startled, as she retreated quickly.


    Her ck clothes hid a graceful body and beautiful looks. She looked beyond the realm of a mortal.


    Her face was contorted in a frown. Sun Xiaowu was no longer hiding the gains that he had obtained within the ancient hall, and the power that was radiating from his body was palpable. Even the strongest fifth-realm hunters in tandem were having a hard time dealing with him; he was stronger than anyone could have anticipated.


    Sun Xiaowu had no backer nor identity, but had still been invited to join the man in dark green robes. It was clear how much power he would need to have been offered an invitation.


    Even the man in dark green robes had been surprised by Sun Xiaowu''sbat strength.


    Umbral light glimmered as she retreated hundreds of meters through the air until she was at the edge of the altar. Even so, Sun Xiaowu followed behind in a sh, riding a bolt of lightning and moving even faster than she did.


    His attacks were simple and direct. Sun Xiaowu punched at her, the figures of warlords that had manifested by his back lending him overwhelming strength, far beyond the likes of her.


    "You¡ª!"


    The woman in ck nched. She twisted her body, which was flexible like bamboo in a rainstorm, to evade the lightning and dodge the attack.


    Suddenly, Sun Xiaowu blurred. The hum of his sword reverberated through the air. His blood wasposed of countless divine swords and armaments that were now resonating and giving off a metallic nk. His aura expanded in scope and size.


    He might as well have been a divine armament himself. He shot forward at incredible speed, shattering the void and closing in on the woman in ck in no time at all. Herbat strength was nothing to scoff at, either. In her enraged state, her hair floated up into the air, then suddenly expanded. Each strand of hair grew taut and extended lengthwise like ck spears.


    Sparks scattered all around her as Sun Xiaowu''s body struck the spears that had formed from her hairs.


    They were all cut apart, reverting into orchid stems as the woman in ck retreated swiftly.


    She scowled and looked toward her allies. "Aren''t you going to help me?"


    However, none of them could spare her any attention. The members of Team Zenith were fighting them at full strength; what had happened to Sun Mengmeng when she was targeted by Qingyue Ge was now urring with her.


    Sun Xiaowu was like a huge furnace, his blood glowing with golden runes.


    The divine armaments that constituted his body were forged into a cohesive whole. Golden light glimmered over his body as an imposing aura exuded from him.


    "This isn''t good!"


    The woman in ck nched, scorching golden light causing her body to burn up.


    She spat out ck runes from her mouth that transformed into a swamp, over which all manner of orchids grew, a sh of auras between her and Sun Xiaowu. The orchids attempted to root themselves on him,


    but Sun Xiaowu had no intention of giving in. He zed ever more brightly, turning into a golden furnace that incinerated all around him.


    The woman in ck screamed.


    Her orchids withered and turned to ash. Although her main body was still unharmed, she fell into a severe crisis.


    "Kill!" Sun Xiaowu exploded in strength, forming chains of golden energy that extended from his body and pinned her down.


    The woman in ck struggled arduously, transforming into a ck orchid that gave off clouds of haze and umbral light in an attempt to resist Sun Xiaowu.


    "You''re a little skilled," Sun Xiaowu acknowledged, but this was far too insufficient to stop his advance. "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light. A denseyer of golden dragon scales formed over it.


    His divine armaments manifested on each scale, which was imbued with golden runes.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens as frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the altar. Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    It shattered what umbral light there was in his vicinity. The manifestation of countless armaments followed his fist, suppressing the woman in ck and preventing her from moving.


    Just then, a blinding beam of light emerged. At the center of the darkness grew a magical flower of terrifying strength. A silver swordy within, gleaming with light, shooting forth.


    The sword had a keen edge and had appeared out of nowhere. It cut apart the manifestations of Sun Xiaowu''s weaponry and swiftly approached him, brushing by his body in a series of sparks. It left a cut on his body that was harder than any metal.


    This was an incredible blow, one of the woman in ck''s trump cards, a sword that she had been gestating in her nts. It would be able to instantly kill an opponent at a crucial moment.


    This technique had been engraved with special runes that would absorb the essence of heaven and earth, endowing it with explosive strength as it sparked a resonance around it.


    Sun Xiaowu suffered because of this ability. He felt as though heaven and earth were copsing all around him. As the silver sword energy brushed past his limbs, golden liquid emerged.


    The sword was so sharp that it was able to cut apart his protective golden runes and even into his body.


    What flowed within Sun Xiaowu''s body wasn''t fresh red blood. After absorbing the divine armaments into his body, Sun Xiaowu''s blood had transformed into golden ichor that was metallic in nature.

 Chapter 1539: I Understand Now

    <h4>Chapter 1539: I Understand Now</h4>


    Even so, the sword could only deal Sun Xiaowu a superficial cut.


    Sun Xiaowu sped his hands together around the de, the image of a golden mecha ring into existence.


    "Break!"


    With an audible crack, the silver de broke from nothing but the strength of Sun Xiaowu''s bare hands. Runes glowed with blinding energy that drowned out everything in sight.


    Everyone was shocked by Sun Xiaowu''s tremendous strength.


    The woman in ck shrieked. The fact that her trump card had been countered so easily, and by nothing more than a pair of palms, terrified and shocked her.


    As Sun Xiaowu destroyed the de, a ck orchid appeared, cut in two. Medicinal fragrance filled the air as it shattered in a rain of light.


    Suddenly, a giant beast appeared from behind, its bloodthirsty maw wide as it swallowed up the blossoming energy and converted it to divine light.


    It had the body of a goat, the face of a human, the jaws of a tiger, and the ws of a dragon, like the legendary taotie of old.


    The beast had been skulking around in the ancient hall, lying hidden by the side of the altar as it awaited an opportunity. Now that all thebatants had sustained some level of injury, it suddenly appeared out of nowhere, intending to devour everyone in sight.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    His divine armaments manifested on each scale, which was imbued with golden runes.


    His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets, the attacks infused with spatial force.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!" The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky. With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left hundreds of afterimages in its wake.


    The spear left so many afterimages behind that it evoked a stream formed of wind, thunder, and light. The heavens burst apart in a waterfall of lightning.


    A cultivator shot forward with a fist that lit up the heavens and dissipated all clouds in the vicinity.


    Feng Xian formed seals with her hands. Her body was a series of afterimages; she looked like a divine bird swooping with wings outstretched, a frightening gale behind her.


    The beast was forced back from the barrage of attacks, its bloodthirsty maw mped shut.


    A dragon''s howl sundered the air as its ws swiped at Sun Xiaowu.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    Sun Xiaowu unleashed a starlit sh, each star formed of the divine armaments that had melded into his blood. He cut apart the dragon''s ws and rent its skin and flesh, leaving its shoulder raw and bloody.


    Golden runes emerged from Sun Xiaowu''s body and revolved around him as his aura grew stronger and stronger. As the golden runes merged with his gic energy, Sun Xiaowu transformed into a mecha over a hundred meters tall. The golden runes surrounded Sun Xiaowu, turning him into a burning sun.


    By another side of the altar, Fang Yi, Leiting Zi, and Leiting Ya''s fight reached a fever pitch. The mutated Leiting Ya raged, attacking furiously without fear of death.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix. During the heated battle, twenty wheels of time had formed by Fang Yi''s back.


    His [Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow] was augmented to twenty times its original strength. It tore apart Leiting Ya''s body in a burst of golden light.


    Shattered fragments of flesh and blood could be seen as gold and green lightning crackled around Leiting Ya. His body was slowly stitched back together.


    Leiting Ya boasted an incredible aura. Bathed in golden light, he looked like a martial god.


    He had been reborn in cmity, in crisis, a resurrection in the midst of budding wind and storm. He absorbed the power of lightning, allowing his physical body to be blown to smithereens and leaving behind only a mental construct formed of lightning. This transformation made him even more dangerous than before.


    "Thank you! If not for you, I would never have advanced to such a stage!"


    Leiting Zi''s eyes narrowed. "Be careful. Leiting Ya is at the peak of the path of lightning. This is a secret technique of the Leiting Domain¡ªthe construction of a lightning avatar from the death of one''s physical body. Leiting Ya will only have grown stronger than before."


    Fang Yi was shocked. "You even have techniques of this level of strength in the Leiting Domain?"


    Leiting Zi bit his fingers. "This is one of the strongest techniques of the Leiting Domain, one that almost no one can master, including me. Infusing lightning into your very spirit is an act of madness. Even if your spirit can withstand it, your body would copse."


    Suddenly, as though understanding something, he continued, "I get it now. He mutated his body in preparation for this final step."


    Leiting Ya''s mutant body was like an eggshell that he had prepared for himself. What he was truly targeting was a lightning soul, an avatar formed of pure lightning.


    "Mutated souls have greater resistance against the effect of lightning, leading to increased capacity. The lightning we gave off in battle has be nourishment for him. At the moment of death, as life turned to death, he freed himself from madness, from the cage that he built, surpassing his soul! Leiting Ya was nning this from the very beginning!"


    Leiting Ya''s palms glowed with light. A divinence of lightning formed in the air. He caught it and pointed it at the sky, its tip so sharp that even Fang Yi was shocked.


    Lightning arced through the air, engraving itself on the de. This was no physical weapon, but rather a manifestation of lightning itself!


    Leiting Ya smiled. "I took advantage of the nature of this virtual realm to deepen my understanding of one of the ultimate techniques of the Leiting Domain. However, my initial approach might not have borne fruit. It was only thanks to our client''s advice that I figured out the solution with the highest chance of sess. Most importantly, my lightning soul is something that I can bring back to the real world."

 Chapter 1540: Time to End It

    <h4>Chapter 1540: Time to End It</h4>


    "To express my gratitude to our client, all of you should die here."


    Leiting Ya made his move, first targeting his junior brother, Leiting Zi. This was a fight between the two of them that had been stewing for far too long. He might as well seize the initiative.


    "Kill!" He swung his spear forward at Leiting Zi. Heaven and earth resonated as he struck with peerless strength.


    "Leiting Ya''s ten times, maybe even a hundred times, stronger than before. Even with ourbined strength, we might not win against him. I''m going to use a secret technique to temporarily elevate my strength to his level. During this period of time,e up with a solution that''ll allow us to kill him. With your abilities, you''ll surely be able to do so."


    A halberd appeared before Leiting Zi, crystalline and resplendent. This too was forged out of lightning, but bore the sharpness of gold-attuned gic energy.


    His lightning of yin and yang crackled within his body, which he used like a cauldron or forge. The two types of lightning shed within his body in an earsplitting rumble. Wisps of chaos surrounded him. Blood seeped out of Leiting Zi''s mouth; clearly, the secret technique he had just unleashed had dealt him severe damage.


    Even before Fang Yi could respond, Leiting Zi had charged forward.


    He trusted Fang Yi, who was once his opponent in battle.


    He swung his golden halberd at Leiting Ya, refusing to give in.


    Scintiting light arced across the sky as the entire altar turned a blinding shade of gold. Everyone was forced to shut their eyes.


    The light was simply too intense. The sh of the two weapons, both born of lightning, led to a huge explosion of gold.


    The skies themselves seemed to crack. Arcs of lightning scattered throughout thend, like a golden sea roiling in upheaval.


    The confrontation of the two lightning-attuned cultivators resulted in widespread shockwaves so strong that the other cultivators present had to defend against them. They considered themselves lucky that they weren''t any closer to the fight.


    Even so, quite a few of them were struck by the lightning and turned a charred ck.


    Leiting Ya''s gaze grew bright and ardent, his eyes like two suns. He boomed, "Junior Brother, your understanding of lightning is yet insufficient. Go and train for a decade more!"


    The spear he held in his hands grew sharper and ever more resplendent. He swung it at Leiting Zi with the might of the heavens themselves.


    Lightning crackled, and divine and demonic phantoms alike seemed to rise from the air, from the ground. The spear looked like a weapon of legends.


    Leiting Zi met his senior brother with halberd in hand, zing like the dawn. The two weapons struck each other in an earsplitting screech of metal against metal apanied by the rumble of lightning.


    Runes of frightening strength appeared in the air, manifestations of the naturalw of lightning. They criss-crossed in the void, making the twobatants look divine.


    "Die!" Leiting Zi shouted. He swung his halberd once more.


    In the void, all manner of nts took root. Ake formed around Leiting Ya, as though a whole world was growing around him in miniature.


    On Leiting Zi''s side, snowy-white flower petals began to fall around him. Mud-yellow earth sprung up on the ground, thick and sturdy. Fires zed as his halberd resonated with the lightning in the air.


    Clearly, the two cultivators had reached incredible depths in their attunement to lightning, manifesting entire scenes as they absorbed themselves in their element.


    The two cultivators shed in a stunning explosion of such magnitude that even the void itself began to blur. Where their attacks met, destruction spawned.


    "Die! Leiting Ya shouted. He truly boasted incredible strength. Lightning surrounded and supercharged his body.


    A hundred and eight dragons of heaven, all formed of lightning runes, manifested before him and screeched at his opponent.


    Heaven and earth quaked. The lightning dragons shook themselves and shot toward Leiting Zi.


    A pair of lightning wings sprouted on his back, one wing formed from yang lightning, and the other from yin lightning. The two distinct sources of energy intersected and merged with one another, leaving Leiting Zi with an aura of great strength. He shot over.


    The two weapons shed; dragons roared in the air. The fighting grew even more intense.


    Leiting Zi was trapped inbat with Leiting Ya. One dragon after another curled around him, attempting to drown him in lightning. Their ws were as sharp as any weapon of legend; their maws attempted to swallow him.


    Leiting Zi fought for his life, immersed in lightning. As a few dragons were obliterated, blood seemed to spray out of his body¡ªbut it was actually blood-colored lightning.


    Leiting Ya''s eyes glowed bright. Two bolts of lightning emerged from his eyes, one ck and one white. They shattered Leiting Zi''s shield of lightning and left streaks of blood by his neck, a sign of their power.


    Many were shocked. They had grossly underestimated Leiting Ya''s strength. He had a bevy of techniques and frighteningbat ability.


    Leiting Zi stared at his opponent seriously. With yin and yang lightning gathering on either palm, he began to form seals with his hands, then counterattacked. In a sh, the yin and yang lightningbined to form wisps of chaos lightning.


    Leiting Ya flew out. It took him a long while to stabilize himself, standing in a shower of lightning, his gaze ice-cold as he stared at Leiting Zi.


    "It''s time to end it!" Leiting Zi shouted. By then, the twobatants had exchanged hundreds of blows. He decided he had to end it then and there, without wasting even more time.


    "I''ll im your life!" Leiting Ya''s skull suddenly glowed with light, which shot into the heavens.


    "What?


    Everyone was shocked. They nced up at the air, even those cultivators deeply engrossed in fights of their own. The situation was simply too eye-catching.


    A bolt of golden lightning rose into the air from Leiting Ya''s skull with such strength that everyone was taken aback.


    The lightningpressed time and again until it formed a resplendent spike that rushed toward Leiting Zi and began to suppress him.


    With a hum, Leiting Zi''s body glowed with light. He attempted to defend against the spike, only to find that the golden lightning harbored shocking strength. It was formed out of arcane principles of lightning that seemed to gather divine energy and infuse it into the. Bybining Leiting Ya''s own spiritual energy and lightning, he was able to construct a supercharged attack. It pierced through Leiting Ya''s chest. He slumped weakly to the ground.


    As hey on the ground, he spoke strenuously. "To think you would have reached such a stage, merging the lightning of your soul with that of life and death. You''ve reached the pinnacle of your path. Even the elders of the Leiting Domain might not be able to stand against you."


    Leiting Ya stood tall by the altar, surrounded by crackling lightning. He shook his head. "Junior Brother, none of your seniors can stand against me, nor your elders. On what grounds did you think you could kill me? If you want to take me on, go train for a few hundred years first."

 Chapter 1541: Fight Another Day

    <h4>Chapter 1541: Fight Another Day</h4>


    Lightning speared through Leiting Zi''s chest and crackled over his wounds, but he neither grew angry nor made an expression of pain. He grinned, revealing his teeth. "I might have lost, but I''m not fighting alone."


    Leiting Ya nched. He had just formed his lightning soul and was excited to test it out in battle with Leiting Zi, but he had forgotten about one other cultivator.


    Fang Yi stood in the air. While the two cultivators continued to fight, he amassed a total of thirty wheels of time stacked to his back, making him look like a god descending from the heavens.


    Even Fang Yi couldn''t withstand thebined energy radiating from thirty wheels of time. His body was slowly breaking down, but Fang Yi didn''t mind. After all, dying in this world wasn''t the end. He would simply regenerate in the dimensional realm.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward. Wind and stormbined and crackled at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space. Chaotic and spatial energy joined in the mix. Thebination of thirty wheels of time caused the power of wind and storm to spread throughout the ancient hall.


    A ck turtle and divine bird rushed out of the mix of chaotic energy, spatial rifts, wind, and storm.


    The wind resolved into a stormwind dragon. Spatial force transformed into a qilin, with the void as its ws and space its scales. Blue lightning extended through the sky¡ªFang Yi''s lightning-to-fluid transformation.


    The lightning transformed into a white tiger, spatial force forming its sharp ws and chaotic energy condensing into its eyes. That lightning was as sharp as a de¡ªa lightning-to-gold transformation.


    Spatial force manifested in the form of a divine bird, space its feathers, the storm its body, lightning its beak, and chaotic energy seeping from its feathers like burning mes.


    The chaotic energy transformed into a ck turtle, spatial force into its shell, lightning into its legs, and the stormy wind its head. Lightning-touched greenery began to grow explosively.


    "Do you think you can kill me with a blow of this magnitude? You really are looking down on me!"


    A bolt of golden lightning rose into the air from Leiting Ya''s skull with such strength that everyone was taken aback.


    The lightningpressed time and again until it formed a resplendent spike that rushed toward Fang Yi, the same technique that had taken down Leiting Zi.


    Fang Yi thrust forward with his spear. Heaven and earth alike filled with light. The lightning exploded like a boundless sea. mes and chaotic energy burst. A storm swept over thend. Bolstered by thirty wheels of time, Fang Yi''s [Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar] was incredibly strong, but Leiting Ya''s attack was no trifling affair, either. It was one of the ultimate techniques of the Leiting Domain, a supreme force.


    Spiritual lightningbined the concepts of life and death, reality and illusion, physical and metaphysical. It melded together the pinnacle of intuition and advanced understanding, forming the foundation of the force. Even within the force, few of its greatest talents were able to master the technique. The two cultivators seemed almost evenly matched, but Leiting Ya gradually took the upper hand.


    "Haha, both of you will die!"


    While Leiting Ya and Fang Yi fought each other, Leiting Zi stumbled forward. He used thest vestiges of his strength to speed up rapidly.


    He had every intention of taking advantage of this opportunity, punching through the screen of lightning and smashing his fist into Leiting Ya''s chest in a spurt of blood a few dozen meters high.


    Leiting Ya, who had been struggling against Fang Yi, had no time to react.


    His sternum broke in a shower of blood, and even his heart cracked and exploded.


    The strength of that punch was immense, charged as it was with the power of yin and yang lightning. It seemed as though it would be able to shatter any obstacle thaty before it.


    Leiting Ya''s eyes widened in shock.


    He thought that he had already defeated Leiting Zipletely, and had let down his guard. Unexpectedly, Leiting Zi had enough strength for one final blow.


    "I''m not done for yet. My lightning soul can''t be defeated or destroyed."


    Under this state, Leiting Ya didn''t truly have vital or weak points.


    His lightning attempted to repair the damage to his chest, but Leiting Zi''s yin and yang lightning continued to circte and prevent significant recovery.


    After Leiting Ya was attacked, the golden lightning hemanded visibly weakened. Fang Yi''s techniques began to win out. He immediately attacked with greater strength, heedless of his deteriorating body.


    Leiting Zi''s lightning continued to ravage Leiting Ya''s body as Fang Yi''s [Heaven''s Judgment: Four Sages'' Roar] struck him. The lightning transformed into all manner of elemental attunements: apocalypse, lightning, fire, space, time, chaos, water, wind, grass. Annihtion met everything in sight.


    Leiting Ya attempted to use this destructive energy to temper his lightning, to regenerate in the face of such deadly strength.


    "Down to the underworld with you!"


    In an exWind howled and lightning shed. Purple lightning skimmed across the air, and howling gales manifested in the shape of dragons.


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    With thirty wheels of time to his back, Fang Yi''s mastery over wind and storm reached a fever peak. Hepressed the howling tempest and crackling lightning all around him into an electric drill that shot through the regenerating Leiting Ya.


    Only when he finally dissolved in a shower of light did Fang Yi and Leiting Zi let out a deep breath.


    Leiting Ya was simply too difficult an opponent to deal with. Perhaps because of his many years of experience trying to evade capture by the Lightning Domain, he had learned a suite of techniques that were particrly suited to defense and fleeing. If Fang Yi were alone, he didn''t know if he would have been able to take down Leiting Ya.


    Thinking back to the fight that had just taken ce, he might have seeded if he had unleashed one of his ultimate techniques, but only with his strongest technique, [The Fated Spear], would he truly be able to take Leiting Ya down.


    Fang Yi and Leiting Zi gave each other a smile. They had been enemies, and neither expected that they would subsequently work together against amon foe after entering the ancient hall.


    Just as they rxed, the sapphire-blue scorpion and jade-green mantis struck.


    Leiting Zi, badly injured, couldn''t fight any longer. Fang Yi himself seemed to be on hisst reserves of energy. This was the best time for a sneak attack.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    His fist shattered his surroundings, unleashing a storm of armaments.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    The sapphire-blue scorpion and jade-green mantis were sent flying, their carapaces cracked and wounded.


    Sun Xiaowu and Li Feng had struck.


    Sun Xiaowu reminded them, "The battle isn''t yet over. Don''t rx just yet!"


    Leiting Zi''s body was still on the verge of copse. Knowing that he wouldn''t be able to fight any longer, he smiled as though releasing a great burden.


    "It looks like our rematch will have to wait until after thepetition."

 Chapter 1542: The Stars Await You

    <h4>Chapter 1542: The Stars Await You</h4>


    Leiting Zi bowed in gratitude. "Without you, I would have been hard-pressed to deal with him alone. I wee you to the Leiting Domain, and will personally guide you around as a host. We can finish our long-awaited battle then, too."


    Leiting Zi''s body slowly dissolved into a shower of light.


    "You are talented with lightning. If you want to learn more advanced techniques and tread the path of lightning to its conclusion, the Leiting Domain is the ce to be."


    By sacrificing himself, Leiting Zi managed to take down Leiting Ya''s mental avatar. For the Leiting Domain and for himself, this was certainly a worthwhile trade.


    For one, Leiting Ya had already managed to cultivate aplete lightning soul within this virtual realm. If he hadn''t been defeated, he would have been able to return to the real world with a pristine lightning soul, inducing a simr transformation in reality.


    Thebination of a physical body and a lightning soul would definitely allow him far more strength than he had disyed in the virtual realm, and the Leiting Domain wouldn''t be the only force to suffer then. Perhaps the whole gxy would have fallen prey to his ministrations, a heavy blow to the Leiting Domain''s reputation.


    Even if Leiting Ya were a traitor to the sect, he had been taught and groomed by the Leiting Domain.


    Leiting Ya''s defeat would result in a mental injury, a wound that would normally take years to heal. His lightning soul would only be ipletely transcribed to reality. Despite his experience in crafting one in the virtual realm, replicating it was no mean feat.


    Even if there were potions and spiritual pills that would help restore mental damage, they were particrly costly in the fifth realm, and the supply was incredibly limited. As a result, by tracking its sales, the Leiting Domain could easily hunt down Leiting Ya.


    In other words, it might well be possible for the cultivators of the Leiting Domain to hunt down and kill Leiting Ya in person.


    Leiting Zi had killed Leiting Ya in this virtual realm and gotten an understanding of the power and techniques he nowmanded. By revealing this information to the sect, along with the means by which Leiting Ya had derived his lightning soul, he would be given an incrediblemendation. What he reaped from that priceless information might well be more valuable to him than cing among the top three of the Cup.


    As Leiting Zi''s bodypletely dissolved in light, he said, "I''ll await you in the cosmos."


    The man with the goldenmp raised it up high. It shone as brightly as a sun, forming a screen of light that locked in on Fang Yi. On the screen, mes of light burned. He intended to kill Fang Yi while Fang Yi was still incapacitated in order to whittle down Team Zenith''s numbers.


    However, he had underestimated Fang Yi''s capabilities. With thirty wheels of time to his back, Fang Yi certainly wasn''t about to be trapped by any ordinary screen of light.


    "[Floating Clouds]!"


    The wind and lightning formed a loop around Fang Yi''s body.


    Wind and storm surged throughout the loop, providing explosive strength. Thirty wheels of time caused a huge explosion of lightning that shattered the screen.


    The man with a goldenmp shot forward, zing with light.


    [The Boundless de: Daybreak] shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets as spatial force shrouded the man with the goldenmp.


    "Your opponent''s right here. Don''t you bother my teammate, now," Yang Ze said, attacking him swiftly.


    Water-attuned gic energybined with spatial force to produce a series of spatial waves.


    The man with the goldenmp was surrounded by mes of light, endowed with glowing runes. He broke through the waves by force.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!" In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. As it flipped over, pale-blue gic energy exploded inyers, blocking the man''s attacks.


    The sapphire-blue scorpion struck at Fang Yi, its tail wet and gleaming with toxins.


    Fang Yi stepped back and avoided the scorpion''s stinger as Sun Xiaowu rushed out, his fist clenched.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    His divine armaments manifested on each scale, which was imbued with golden runes.


    His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    The altar was in chaos.


    The jade mantis'' scythes were incredibly sharp. They chopped up everything in its vicinity.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, which swooped toward the jade mantis even as it began to slice them apart.


    A sword struck the goldenmp in a flurry of sparks. Divine mes roared; the sea roiled. A huge crack appeared in the void, causing space around it to copse. Everyone in the vicinity would be in danger.


    Suddenly, in a sh of holy light, a scroll appeared out of nowhere.


    The scroll glowed with light. A dragon''s visage appeared in view.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Thousands of wood dragons soared into the air, coiling around and binding the dragon that had emerged from the scroll.


    A silver arrow shot toward the dragon, only to be deflected in the air.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying made her move, clutching her dagger in one hand. She shed at the void with her ck dagger, cutting apart the silver arrow.


    A beast howled. There seemed to be yet another guardian beast in the ancient hall that had been lying in wait until now. It leapt into the air, preparing to strike.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky. Each was simultaneously real and illusory.


    The thousands of clones struck all around them, blocking the attacks that came from every direction.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Golden Qilin]!" Sun Xiaowu and all his clones leapt up into the air, performing exactly the same action. Golden light shed from their arms and illuminated the sky. Tens of thousands of clones merged into Sun Xiaowu''s main body, and the countless activated copies of the technique merged into one.


    "Scram!"


    Golden scales covered up Sun Xiaowu''s arm as it grew thicker and thicker, and the image of a golden qilin appeared behind him.


    He rushed forward, golden scales appearing over his arm as he punched at his opponent.


    The beast suddenly exploded within the void, transforming into a mist of blood.


    A sword came at Sun Xiaowu from the back, wickedly sharp and manifested from mental energy, intending to pierce him clean through.

 Chapter 1543: An End to the Fight

    <h4>Chapter 1543: An End to the Fight</h4>


    Above Feng Xian''s head was a golden cauldron protecting her body. Her mental energy manifested a divine sword that pointed straight at her opponents.


    Her team had had a numerical advantage, but the members of Team Zenith somehow managed to force parity. With Leiting Ya and the Immortal King''s substitute being killed, along with the man and woman in ck, the tide had turned against them.


    Except for Zhang Lie, who was facing off against the man in dark green robes at the top of the altar, the strongest enemy cultivator remaining was Sun Xiaowu. Only by killing him could Feng Xian salvage the fight.


    Sun Xiaowu fought without turning back.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks that shattered the sword and caused it to dissolve in a storm of mental fragments.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned, her bow taut. "Do you think I''ll let you hurt my brother?"


    Sun Xiaowu beamed. He knew that his sister would protect him.


    With Sun Mengmeng guarding him, he had nothing to fear.


    Feng Xian whispered. Motes of light formed a faint specter of her that gave off a frightening aura and shocked all spectators.


    "[The Nine Moons of the Underworld]!"


    Nine ming moons appeared in the sky, overshadowing the illumination of the sun.


    They fell one after another, but Feng Xian managed to defend against their onught using a shield of mental energy.


    She then transformed that energy into weaponry: a sword one moment, ance the next, indestructible and unbelievably sharp.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s body lit up with roaring purple mes. The phoenix that formed around Sun Mengmeng transformed into a zing tempest.


    A phoenix''s me took over the golden mes and transformed them into storms of hellfire. Phoenixes emerged from those storms, descending on the altar.


    Feng Xian sent a golden cauldron brimming with light surging toward the ming phoenixes.


    The mes exploded in a tempest. Mental energy blocked their advance, but Feng Xian''s physical body wasn''t able to hold out. The moonlight that shrouded her body lit up in mes.


    "Die!" Feng Xian thundered, enraged. The image of a phoenix appeared around her as her aura of moonlight transformed into ck mes that she absorbed as energy.


    "[Lunar Apostasy]!" Sun Mengmeng''s entire bow was zing. Sheunched her arrows straight into the air, which exploded among the clouds and formed a ck moon, shooting down rays of moonlight.


    Feng Xian''s body glimmered with moonlight of her own. The moonlight exuded from her andbined with her mental energy to unleash incredible strength.


    "[Netherworld''s Torrential me]!"


    A frightening fan of mes poured out from Sun Mengmeng''s bow, an attack far stronger than the moonlight she had summoned. The intensity of her technique shocked everyone.


    The mes arced in the air and fell toward the battlefield in a waterfall.


    However, Feng Xian''s devastatingbination of light from her mental and physical selves, boasting incredible prating power, pierced through Sun Mengmeng''s waterfall of light and her barrage of ming arrows that followed.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Meteoric des]!"


    The mes condensed onto her throwing knives, which glimmered with blinding light. They seemed like fragments of a purple sun. ming phoenix wings stretched out from Sun Mengmeng''s back, propelling her forward in a burst of momentum. She transformed into a scorching meteor.


    Her meteoric des shed against Feng Xian''s sword.


    The sword cracked the altar as the mes burned the heavens. The purple mes exploded like meteors, like the most brilliant of fireworks.


    Feng Xian too unfurled two ming phoenix''s wings from her back. She flew up the ancient hall.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Ninefold Phantasmagoria]."


    Sun Mengmeng''s surroundings began to burn with concentrated mes as sheunched yet another attack.


    Nine purplish-ck phoenixes rose around her and shot toward Feng Xian. The ck mes surrounded her and transformed into a whirlwind of me.


    The ck mes were sucked into her phoenix wings, which suddenly expanded greatly in size. The wings seemed to cover up the entire ceiling of the hall.


    Feng Xianbined her physical and mental strength in a burst of light. The ck me that she had absorbed through her wings red as she dove down toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Purplish-ck mes gathered on Sun Mengmeng''s bow once again, forming an arrow of pure ck.


    The image of a golden garuda, limned in ck, appeared behind her. As she loosed her arrow, it seemed to transform into a beam of light, moving so quickly that it bypassed the constraints of time and space, as though it could prate anything.


    Sun Mengmengunched an arrowposed of mespressed to their utmost. Her opponent, Feng Xian, was a shining burst of radiance that resulted from the conjunction of physical and mental strength, reinforced by the ck mes that she had stolen from Sun Mengmeng. The sh between the two cultivators led to an explosion of ck me and mental energy all over the ancient hall, forcing the other cultivators back.


    The ck mes burned vibrantly on Feng Xian''s body, igniting her mental energy. A huge figure materialized behind her, a hundred meters tall, with branches smooth and shining, or covered with soft down. Leaves grew from the branches, narrow and needle-like, each one several meters long and tapering off to a jagged tip. It was arge, beautiful flower, one that looked like a phoenix with wings unfurled, preparing for flight. A deific air surrounded it; it glowed with light and gave off an alluring scent.


    A ck ring of me burst forth from Feng Xian as she broke through a barrier, bracing herself against a barrage of golden arrows as she elerated.


    "It''s time to put an end to this fight!"


    Feng Xian absorbed Sun Mengmeng''s mes and converted them into her own strength. The mes surrounded her and released overwhelming power.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!"


    ck mes, stuck together, flowed likeva along the ground. Wrapped in me, Sun Mengmeng strode forth. Her pupils had been reced by ck me, and she looked like a demon from the abyss.


    As Sun Mengmeng infused her gic energy into the bow, the image of a garuda appeared behind her. She released her arrow, which morphed into a human-faced, golden-winged bird in mid-air, radiating red light as it arced through the skies. It began to pulse with red me, brimming with such energy that it seemed as though it would set the world ame.


    The destructive energy dyed everything in sight ck.

 Chapter 1544: Unable to Accept This

    <h4>Chapter 1544: Unable to ept This</h4>


    The ancient pce transformed into a furnace. The stairs began to melt into burning-hotva.


    Feng Xian, shining with firelight, pierced through the storm of annihtion as she charged straight toward Sun Mengmeng.


    "[Baptism of Hellfire: Meteoric des]! [Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s body lit up with roaring purple mes. The phoenix that formed around Sun Mengmeng transformed into a zing tempest.


    As Sun Mengmeng revolved, so too did the ming tempest. A phoenix''s me took over the golden mes and transformed them into storms of hellfire. Phoenixes emerged from those storms, descending on the altar.


    They swooped down like burning meteors.


    Feng Xian''s mes struck Sun Mengmeng''s phoenix meteors. The sh of these ultimate techniques caused reverberations throughout the ancient hall, one wave after another. As Feng Xian fought off Sun Mengmeng, she absorbed the power of me that thetter emanated, causing her own mes to grow stronger and stronger.


    She absorbed Sun Mengmeng''s ck mes and transformed them into her own strength, then released a blow that caused the entire hall to quake.


    An incredible firestorm burst from the point of impact. The fire-attuned gic energy swept across the entire hall like a tsunami. The mes burned everything¡ªmaterial objects and even mental ones. The entire hall seemed to transform into a sea of mes. Only Zhang Lie and the man in dark green robes, high above them all, and the topmost portion of the altar, were safe from their incursion.


    No one was able to remain unharmed under mes of such magnitude. This was what Feng Xian believed. She smiled victoriously.


    Strange cries emanated from within the superheated me.


    Feng Xian''s smile froze on her face.


    A tremendous heartbeat could be heard thumping from within the mes.


    Feng Xian nched. "Impossible. Impossible!"


    No one could survive with their mental and physical avatars burned, not even those skilled with and attuned to fire.


    Swimmers disproportionately died by drowning.


    Even those who controlled fire didn''t have a body of me. Against fire of sufficiently high temperature, all would be burned. Even control over me had a limit.


    Feng Xian shook. Her blood pulsed in tune with the heartbeat she could hear.


    The sea of me inverted, draining like a whirlpool. Something was sucking it all up¡ªFeng Xian''s phoenix mes, which could burn even mental energy, and Sun Mengmeng''s mes, which emanated from her body.


    ck mes seeped out from the cracks in Sun Mengmeng''s armor, burning so intensely that the ground began to melt and turn red.


    She looked like a warrior straight out of hell.


    The armor, unable to resist such high-temperature me, began to crack. It peeled off from Sun Mengmeng''s body as kes of ash, revealing her beautiful appearance. The image of a phoenix floated in the air behind her, its ster wings outspread to protect Sun Mengmeng.


    Underneath the chitinous armor was a dazzling dress fit forbat, beautiful and graceful, one that looked as though it had been stitched out of phoenix feathers. A radiant light glimmered from it. Sun Mengmeng looked like a queen, so beautiful she caught the eye of all cultivators present.


    At the same time, it lent her a martial air, like she was a general of the battlefield.


    Feng Xian''s attention wasn''t on Sun Mengmeng''s clothes, but rather on the image of the ster phoenix to her back. She cried out, "How did youe by a ster phoenix''s heart?"


    Sun Mengmeng cocked her head, not understanding why Feng Xian seemed so agitated.


    "A reward..."


    One of the prizes that Bu Wentian''s trial chamber had provided was a heart of unknown origin. When Sun Mengmeng came in contact with it, it hummed with a strange resonance and darted within her body. It had been inert then, and Sun Mengmeng wouldn''t be able to sense the presence of an additional heart if she hadn''t searched specifically for it. She paid no attention to that prize¡ªnot until just now, when she had been immted in me.


    Given Feng Xian''s expression, it looked like an incredible prize.


    Sun Mengmeng thought back to the fragment of counteracting fate that Fang Yi possessed. They were likely to be the same type of object¡ªsomething that the people of the Milky Way and dimensional realm were unfamiliar with, but well known to those cultivators of the fifth realm.


    It seemed to be something with an illustrious history.


    As for Sun Mengmeng''s current clothes, they came from a soulshard, just like her chitinous armor. This was also a prize from the trial chamber, but the difference was that this was a disaster-grade soulshard¡ªa disaster-grade phoenix soulshard, with particr resistance against fire, and which could absorb mes from her vicinity and convert it into defensive ability.


    The ster phoenix''s heart, which Feng Xian had named, was able to absorb fire, but only that. Sun Mengmeng could sense that there was a wealth of untapped strength within it, but which she couldn''t control. She likely didn''t yet have the skill to do so.


    Feng Xian pointed at Sun Mengmeng with a trembling finger. "That''s impossible. You don''t have a phoenix bloodline at all. How could you gain the recognition of a ster phoenix?!"


    Sun Mengmeng pointed at her chest. "I can''tmand the strength within it. All I can do is protect myself instinctively."


    Clearly, the ster phoenix''s heart bore great significance to Feng Xian. "That''s impossible. You shouldn''t be able to link with the phoenix without a bloodline, let alone receive its protection!"


    Sun Mengmeng was mystified by what Feng Xian was talking about.


    Feng Xian''s face turned dark. Her body trembled violently. "I sought it out for so long¡ªbut you stole it from me! I can''t bear this!"


    Overwhelming me emanated from her body, a torrent of rage and incredulity.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Extirpation of the Garuda]!" Sun Mengmeng pulled her bow taut once more, infusing the rest of her gic energy within. The image of a garuda materialized from thin air and, supercharged with Sun Mengmeng''s energy, readied for a devastating blow.


    ck mes gathered, lighting the very air itself ame. The ck mes formed a pitch-ck abyss that no longer radiated light. Instead, it sucked in the light from all around like ck holes and devoured everything in sight.


    The devastating arrow struck Feng Xian''s mes, which could burn one''s mental and physical bodies alike, with overwhelming force. Another sea of mes swamped the altar.


    The incredible heat of the mes burned through the ground. Even with Feng Xian''s ability to absorb external mes and convert them into her own strength,


    Sun Mengmeng''s arrow represented the pinnacle of fire-attuned gic energy, which gave off destruction in such tremendous bursts that Feng Xian was unable to absorb it whole. The arrow immted Feng Xian''s shields as fast as she could put them up. The two cultivators found themselves at a narrow stalemate.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Starburst]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s hand blurred as she shot out an entire field''s worth of arrows, each one like a miniature star.


    They red across the air, thennded in the form of a meteor shower, battering the altar and the stairs as the ancient hall filled with me once more.

 Chapter 1545: The True Immortal Phoenix

    <h4>Chapter 1545: The True Immortal Phoenix</h4>


    Under ordinary circumstances, this environment would be particrly beneficial to Feng Xian.


    Feng Xian was currently trying to contest Sun Mengmeng, who had just unleashed an arrow that represented the pinnacle of fire attunement. Not only could Feng Xian not absorb the strength of these meteors, they even served as the straw that broke the camel''s back.


    The meteors crashed into the ming ground. The ground, filled with Sun Mengmeng''s mes, absorbed the strength of the meteors and grew even hotter. Feng Xian''s mes were suppressed as they were overwhelmed and ovee.


    Feng Xian gritted her teeth as she absorbed more of the ck mes around her to strengthen herself.


    Sun Mengmeng''s third arrownded.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Shattered Comet]!"


    ckme exploded as gxies burned.


    The arrows shot out and arced across the sky likeets.


    Theets zed and gave off pitch-ck starlight. Long tails split in the air, igniting all the fire on the ground.


    With a huge crackling noise, the fiery sea of pitch-ck me exploded, devouring everything in sight like the abyss. Feng Xian was unable to hold on any longer. The shining light all over her body shattered¡ªher moonlit barrier and mental radiance both dissipating.


    Sun Mengmeng''s sea of mes was simply too intense and too strong for the likes of Feng Xian to counter in her current state.


    Her golden cauldron emerged, giving off radiant beams of light as it protected her. It shook violently against the mes that came from the pitch-ck abyss, devouring everything in sight.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Nova Burst]!"


    Sun Mengmeng continued to attack, shooting a single empowered arrow at her opponent.


    The arrow burst like a supernova, causing the golden caudron to shake violently. A crack appeared on its surface.


    The pitch-ck mes spread, devouring everything around even more quickly. Feng Xian nched as she infused her mental strength into the cauldron to maintain its defenses.


    "[Lunarme Shot: zing God]!"


    Her left hand the sun, her right hand the moon, Sun Mengmeng seemed to transform into a god-king of legends. She zed with resplendent light, and the sun and moon embedded themselves on her bow. ck me roared into the void as a pir, and all of it gathered around Sun Mengmeng.


    Destructive mes and a pitch-ck sea surged toward Sun Mengmeng, transforming into a dark golden arrow, a construct of pure energy that glowed with the luster of metal.


    It was filled with destructive energy. As Sun Mengmeng released her fingers, the arrow flew out, scorching everything before it. The entire altar was lit up in mes as the arrow pierced through the void. The golden cauldron was unable to bear its strength. It shattered atop Feng Xian''s head as countless golden shards flew out from it.


    The ck arrow was able to prate even the image of a phoenix flower that bloomed behind her, swallowing everything up in destructive mes.


    As ck mes emerged from the hole in her chest, Feng Xian''s body was obscured. The destructive mes turned her body to ash little by little.


    Sun Mengmeng kept her garuda bow, thinking that she had finished off her opponent.


    However, the phoenix flower that rose up behind her swayed as it absorbed the mes from her vicinity and bloomed anew. Feng Xian''s body radiated with light.


    A shimmer of moonlight emanated from her, which transformed into a starburst of light, into the rosy mes of fortune. Her mental energy transformed into golden beams, as ardent as sunlight. Thebination of moonlight and sunlight, in conjunction with the phoenix flower that had absorbed the destructive ck mes, cleared the entire hall of fire.


    Then, as though unable to withstand the might of Sun Mengmeng''s destructive mes, the phoenix flower itself began to burn up.


    However, it didn''t seem to be undergoing destruction. Petals blossomed despite the mes, in moon-white, gold, and ck, respectively representing Feng Xian''s own cultivation, mental power, and Sun Mengmeng''s mes. The huge flower looked like a phoenix with wings unfurled, preparing for flight. A deific air surrounded it; it glowed with light and gave off an alluring stench.


    All the mes that it had absorbed were transferred to the flowerbud as energy, causing it to glow with such resplendence that it caught everyone''s attention.


    The vital energy inherent to the flower seemed to be increasing rather than decreasing, as though it had resurrected amidst the mes. A deep well of vitality allowed the flower to begin gestating something or another.


    Shortly thereafter, as it released rays of blinding light, all that fire concentrated within its bud. A half-ethereal, half-physical phoenix unfurled its wings. zing mental energy covered it. Moonlit radiance became its feathers, and pitch-ck mes its tail. With a bright, fiery-red body, it looked just like a real phoenix¡ªno, it was a real phoenix.


    Feng Xian stood at the heart of the phoenix. Despite the fact that Sun Mengmeng''s arrow had prated her chest, she seemed wholly unharmed. She had been resurrected in me.


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes widened. "How could this be?"


    A drop of phoenix''s blood had appeared on the center of Feng Xian''s forehead. She smiled with dazzling beauty. "I have to thank you for helping me take the final step of this transformation."


    Compared to before, the Feng Xian of the present was clearly different.


    She was more elegant, as though intrinsically a noble being that flew through the air, above all other lifeforms in breeding and status, like a graceful and mboyant phoenix.


    Feng Xian had obtained plenty of benefits within the tournament, and had elevated her understanding of naturalw as it pertained to life.


    Zhang Lie''s silver-dragon lotuses and bug emperor allowed him to undergo a metamorphosis and intuit the nature of life. Feng Xian had started out with an improved understanding over Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, and had obtained even greater boons over the course of thepetition. That was how she had managed to catch up to Zhang Lie and reach parity with the members of Team Zenith in just a short period of time. Otherwise, she would never have been a match for the hunters.


    Feng Xian had charted a path toward resurrection and rebirth, but didn''t have the strength or resolution to go through with it.


    Just like a phoenix, her n was to undergo death and be reborn through me.


    Feng Xian had calcted that undergoing this transformation would require the pinnacle of me¡ªme sufficient to immte her and serve as energy for her rebirth.


    She was, innately, a phoenix flower with incredible resistance to heat. What she had learned from Starbright Academy meant that ordinary mes couldn''t even harm her, let alone kill her.


    She intended to borrow the strength of the man in dark green robes at the top of the altar to advance toward a higher realm of life, to fulfill her own desires and transform into a true phoenix.


    She hadn''t expected to encounter such strong opponents among the hunters of Team Zenith. Before the man in dark green robes could enact his n, Feng Xian had found herself positioned against Sun Mengmeng, who boasted incredible fire-attuned gic energy.


    During Feng Xian and Sun Mengmeng''s heated fight, she came up with the idea of borrowing Sun Mengmeng''s mes to enact her rebirth.


    In the end, owing to Sun Mengmeng''s mes, she had taken that final step of her transformation.


    "To thank you, I''ll let you be the first to experience my newfound strength."


    Feng Xian had advanced toward the realm of a perfect lifeform, one which integrated her mental energy, physical energy, and soul.


    She was no ordinary phoenix, but a true immortal phoenix.

 Chapter 1546: An Eye for an Eye

    <h4>Chapter 1546: An Eye for an Eye</h4>


    Feng Xian wanted to see just how strong she had be.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Starburst Cosmos]!"


    mes condensed into the form of arrows with the luster of metal. The pitch-ck mes swirled around the arrows like whirlpools, gathering all the mes in the world and transforming them into terrifying prating ability that shattered everything they touched.


    The arrows were continuously infused with fire-attuned gic energy, which was so concentrated that it caused the arrows to crack. Red light brimmed from the cracks; the arrows were poised to explode from the slightest impact.


    The blinding light was edged with danger.


    Sun Mengmeng showed no fear against the iing Feng Xian. She loosed her arrows in an explosion of me like the explosion of a cosmos. The superheated, multicolored mes swamped everything in sight. Shockingly, the phoenix into which Feng Xian had transformed was able to survive even the incredible heat and temperature. She flew by, absorbing the mes from the explosion and weaving them around her body like a train. The light glowing from her magnified in strength.


    Feng Xian moved rapidly, and she reached Sun Mengmeng in the blink of an eye.


    "[Phoenixstorm: Shattered Comet]!"


    Sun Mengmeng drew her knife. Her body lit up with roaring purple mes. The phoenix that formed around Sun Mengmeng transformed into a zing tempest.


    As Sun Mengmeng revolved, so too did the ming tempest. A phoenix''s me took over the golden mes and transformed them into storms of hellfire. Phoenixes emerged from those storms, descending on the altar.


    Her knife arced across the air like a meteor. The heat was so blistering that the knife felt as though it were melting.


    Feng Xian zed with rosy light, her tail feathers tracing loops and swirls of light through the air, zing with me. She shone like aet as she crashed into Sun Mengmeng.


    The two cultivators who drew on phoenix-oriented techniques began to fight each other in mid-air. mes zed and swirled all around them.


    Feng Xian had ascended to the realm of a perfect lifeform. No matter how strong Sun Mengmeng''s [Phoenixstorm: Shattered Comet] was, it was no match for Feng Xian. Her technique exploded in a burst of firelight.


    The phoenix transformed into a dozen fireballs that exploded like fireworks. They shot across the air and descended all over the altar like meteors.


    Sun Mengmeng herselfnded harshly on the ground of the altar.


    As the image of a phoenix exploded, Sun Mengmeng crashed against the wall of the altar. Her disaster-grade phoenix armor zed with fire, reducing the force of the impact.


    "As you are now, you''re no match for me. I have to admit that you''re a strong opponent, but it''s time for you to be eliminated from thepetition!" Feng Xian charged forward.


    Peak mental and physical energy gave off radiance even brighter and more eye-catching than the sun.


    Feng Xian intended to kill Sun Mengmeng. Her mes and mental energy zed with energy.


    Her mes were able to burn even the mind, and Sun Mengmeng would surely be badly hurt by such an attack. Losing thepetition would be getting off easily; if she suffered more serious mental damage and was unable to recover, she could remain in a vegetative state for life.


    Just then, a beam of golden light shed across the sea of me behind Feng Xian.


    "I''ll return your attack to you!"


    Golden light exploded from the center of the sea of ck me, which was dyed golden.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    A ster river appeared in the ancient hall, each star a divine armament. As the golden figure swung an arm down, the stars manifested in the form of a golden broadsword that thrust toward Feng Xian''s heart from the back, like a divine punishment from the cosmos. The ancient hall shook as the silvery-white phoenix was pinned to the ground.


    Feng Xian struggled furiously. "How despicable! Youunched a sneak attack on me?!"


    Feng Xian had struck believing that victory was right at hand. She didn''t notice Sun Xiaowu behind her, and was unprepared to defend against his attack.


    Sun Xiaowu stood at the forefront of the giant starlit sword. He dug at his nose. "I simply copied what you were doing¡ªan eye for an eye. Don''t forget that youunched such a sneak attack on me before, and more than once at that."


    mes burst from Feng Xian''s body as she thundered, "A man like you, preying on a weak woman like me?!"


    Sun Xiaowu was unfazed. "I believe in gender equality. Everyone should be treated equally, and your target was my sister. Should I have stood idly by and allowed you to kill her?"


    Feng Xian scoffed. "I''m a true phoenix, an immortal phoenix. The likes of you would never be able to best me."


    Her silver, white, and red mes born from different sources of energy erupted simultaneously and burned Sun Xiaowu''s starlit sword.


    It was only a matter of time before it was nothing but a puddle of metal ooze.


    However, Sun Xiaowu had bought sufficient time for Sun Mengmeng to react.


    "[Lunarme Shot: zing God]!"


    The cry of a phoenix echoed in the ancient hall.


    Sun Mengmeng seemed to transform into a resplendent female goddess, her battle armor shining. All the mes in the ancient hall gathered around her. The pitch-ck sea of mes formed a whirlpool with her at its eye. Even the mes on Feng Xian''s body were being snatched away.


    "What?!" Feng Xian eximed.


    How could Sun Mengmeng beying im to even her own mes?


    All those mes circled her and were infused into her bow. The four colors of me were bound together. Sun Mengmeng could hear a heartbeat that seemed toe from the image of the starlit phoenix to her back.


    A vein ofva flowed through her body from its heart, like a ster river that encircled her arm¡ªand through it, into her bow. The four colors of me turned into five.


    An arrow was birthed from the five species of me.


    Even before it was shot out, one could sense the frightening heat, the zing firelight, that emanated from it.


    The fire that poured out of her heart was clearly of higher quality than the other four types of me. It burned with a resplendent light, an incredible beauty.


    "Leave, Xiaowu!"


    Maintaining the arrow was draining all of Sun Mengmeng''s strength. Green veins protruded from her forehead, and her fingers were trembling. She wouldn''t be able to stop her attack from hitting her brother.


    Sun Xiaowu leapt up without any hesitation. Sun Mengmeng didn''t wait. She released her arrow immediately, the heat of which melted the ground.


    Feng Xian couldn''t believe that she would sense another threat to her life so quickly after her rebirth. Her silver, white, and red mes born from different sources of energy erupted simultaneously and began burning at Sun Xiaowu''s starlit sword even more quickly.


    The arrow flew with frightening speed and struck Feng Xian before she could get free from the sword.


    Torrential me was released from the arrow, causing the entire hall to creak and quake. Even in the distance, the other cultivators were forced to defend against the aftermath of the attack.


    They all realized how dangerous these mes were; touching a single wisp might well lead to death.

 Chapter 1547: Swimmers Tend to Drown

    <h4>Chapter 1547: Swimmers Tend to Drown</h4>


    A burst of incredible firelight caused everyone to flinch, a sea of mesrger than anything that had appeared in the fighting since.


    Even the skies were burning; even deities would burn to a crisp.


    Feng Xian screamed shrilly as she was beset by such intense me. She cried out, Even a phoenix could burn to death. However, she was no ordinary phoenix. After her rebirth, she had be an immortal phoenix.


    "I am a phoenix," Feng Xian dered. "The mes are my deathbed and cradle alike!"


    The moon-white feathers on her body lit up, suppressing the mes around her. Feng Xian didn''t give up. She continued tomune with the mes around her. If given enough time, she might well be able to ovee this crisis, but Sun Mengmeng and Sun Xiaowu had no intention of allowing her such freedom.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    Countless armaments manifested over Sun Xiaowu''s scales in an orderly arrangement.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    Golden light burst forth as he punched at Feng Xian, countless divine armaments trailing behind his fist, tearing apart the sea of mes, and prating Feng Xian through the chest.


    "[Lunarme Shot: Farthest Sky]!"


    Sun Mengmeng drew her bow taut. mes surged into the air, burning even the ceiling of the ancient hall. The mes spread throughout the sky.


    The pitch-ck mes covered up the sky. A tornado in miniature manifested around Sun Mengmeng''s bow. As she loosed the arrow, she shot out a beam of light, an ultimate technique that gathered the potency of the sea of mes all around her. Itnded precisely where Sun Xiaowu''s [Goldenscale Palm] had prated Feng Xian''s chest.


    At that point, Feng Xian had yet to fully attune to the divine mes. Sun Xiaowu and Sun Mengmeng had struck at precisely the right moment to defeat her. Feng Xian screamed. Despite the fact that she was a phoenix, the mes burned her up alive. She was destroyed and turned into a pile of ash.


    As Feng Xian once murmured to herself, swimmers tended to drown, and even a phoenix could die in mes.


    On the other side of the battlefield, the man wielding a goldenmp shone with energy. His spiritual power surged like a raging ocean as he shot forward.


    To his head, his jeweledmp glowed with light. A rain of light fell around him. The light transformed into fiery-red stars that shot toward Yang Ze, each piloted by a deity.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!"


    Yang Ze''s sword morphed into a sea serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice. It surged forward, swiping its ws. His sword sh tore apart the stars, and the deities on them fought against his sea serpent.


    The sea roiled around him, and the sea serpent''s howl pierced the air. It exploded in a surge of water that quenched the stars and drowned the deities.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!"


    Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra, which sprayed out nine breaths of sword energy.


    With the goldenmp''s attackpletely neutralized, the man sucked in another deep breath. Golden mes shining with runes blocked the beams of energy.


    The nine-headed hydra shot forward, its nine heads forcibly tearing apart the screen of mes.


    "I''m getting tired. It''s time for you to die." Space rippled. Yang Ze had appeared to the man''s back out of nowhere. The greatsword he held shed downwards.


    The man with the goldenmp immediately turned and defended himself with the goldenmp, which rippled as the greatsword struck it. mes burst forth and sent Yang Ze reeling, but before the man could smile in relief, the nine-headed hydra attacked him from the back.


    "[The Boundless de: Hundred-Headed Hydra]!" Yang Ze''s gic energy manifested in the form of an astounding hundred-headed hydra.


    As he drew on spatial force, the hydra sprayed out a hundred simultaneous beams of sword energy,posed ofpressed spatial force from a high-dimensionalyer of space. The man, stymied by the hydra''s attacks, was unable to defend himself and drowned by the sea of sword energy.


    At the same time, Sheng Gu made his move. Blood congealed in his hand and formed a scarlet spear that pierced through the void. Demons seemed to surge to its tip as he closed in on his opponent.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the ground, enough to fill up the entire battlefield. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster. The entire arena was filled with dragons that honed in on Sheng Gu.


    Sheng Gu''s blood spear seemed to be able to prate everything, including the wood dragons.


    However, the wood dragons bore fearsome regenerative ability, and they grew back in an instant.


    Sheng Gu''s goldenme wings pped and dispersed in a burst of golden mes.


    The wood dragons bore particrly strong resistance against fire, especially after Zhou Ying''s endowment of vitality from the bug emperor she had hatched. They shrugged off the mes as they swarmed Sheng Gu.


    Sheng Gu nched. The mes that hade from his wings were hardly ordinary. They were sacred mes, but seemedpletely useless against Zhou Ying''s wood dragons. He couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    Sheng Gu''s wings pped furiously. In arcs of golden me and radiant sword energy, he cut down the wood dragons in droves.


    Zhou Ying charged right up to Sheng Gu. Each of her tendrils held a void dagger. The six daggers struck as one, forming a sixfold cut in the air. They knocked Sheng Gu flying.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Sixfold Void Cut]!"


    Sheng Gu''s blood spear thrust forward as the two cultivators exchanged ferocious blows on the altar.


    The wood dragons regenerated and swarmed Sheng Gu once more.


    Golden mes wreathed Sheng Gu''s blood spear, forming a corkscrew around its tip. As Sheng Gu thrust his spear forward, a tremendous blow was unleashed. Zhou Ying stumbled back as her wood dragons swarmed Sheng Gu, trying to block his way.


    A tremendous flood of energy transformed into ake of lightning, drenching the wood dragons before exploding. The wood dragons cried out as their bark splintered and cracked.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Gxybound Enclosure]!"


    A titanic burst of vitality and natural energy erupted from her, turning Zhou Ying into a goddess of nature. Huge wood dragons emerged from underground, each about the size of a skyscraper.


    They soared through the air and pierced through theke of lightning, surrounding it and encapsting it with their bodies.


    The blue lightning, however, refused to be corralled. It whizzed back and forth. Snakes of blue lightning wriggled out from the cracks in the wood dragons'' defenses and through the clouds.


    The lightning charred the wood dragons ck, but Zhou Ying continuously infused her vitality and natural energy into them. The wood dragons quickly shed off their charred bark as they came back to life.

 Chapter 1548: Frightening Reduplication

    <h4>Chapter 1548: Frightening Reduplication</h4>


    Sheng Gu''s blood spear surged with killing intent. Golden mes surrounded the blood spear, which forked with golden lightning. It pierced through the wood dragons and the forest that they had formed.


    Zhou Ying swooped forward, void rifts surrounding her body like wind.


    "Kill!"


    The twobatants struck each other in a sh of metal.


    Golden light red as thence pierced through Zhou Ying''s forehead. Her features turned stiff as blood shot through the air.


    Zhou Ying''s body cracked into pieces and scattered in the form of golden dust as the blood spear exploded.


    Sheng Gu gaped. The wings to his back glowed and transformed into two divine swords, sweeping around him in a graceful arc and clearing the wood dragons in the vicinity. However, Zhou Ying was nowhere to be seen.


    The earth crumbled as a ck figure emerged from within¡ªnone other than Zhou Ying.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Eightfold Void Cut]!"


    Another tendril had appeared to Zhou Ying''s back, and another dagger manifested. Zhou Ying whirled like a dervish, corkscrewing into the air.


    Blue lightning burst forth.


    The ck sh pierced through the lightning as a blood spear manifested once again in Sheng Gu''s hands. Golden mes and lightning crackled around it, shing against the ck vortex.


    The skies were torn apart. Dimensional rends appeared in the air as lightning and me continued to corkscrew. The golden divine mes burned violently as the ming wings to Sheng Gu''s back lit up with light. A halo above his head glowed in strength as the spiraling energy of lightning and me shone with scorching light. The lightning crackled as the mes burst apart. The two forces werepeting against one another.


    Zhou Ying was right there. She gave her opponent a mischievous grin before two more ck feelers extended from her back. A dagger curled around the end of each, and a pair of void cuts tore space apart.


    The wings to Sheng Gu''s ck released a burst of ardent light. Dozens of beams shot forth and interrupted the void cut or even shed apart her feelers, forcing Zhou Ying back.


    Zhou Ying found a faint scar on her face. The bug emperor on Zhou Ying''s chest buzzed madly, very dissatisfied by the fact that its mother had been attacked.


    Zhou Ying transformed into the visage of a tree. The sun and the moon shone on the tree in turn.


    In daytime, the tree''s leaves were jade-green, filled with natural energy and vitality, like a tree of life.


    In nighttime, the tree''s leaves turned ck, like a ghost tree that would have been nted in theherworld. Its branches were like ws, ghastly, frightening, and steeped in the aura of death. Many tendrils suddenly grew out of the tree and flew around like tentacles. Arge eye opened up on the tree trunk; onlookers staring at the trunk at any angle would feel as though the eye were looking at them.


    Golden radiance and gray fogbined into a cohesive whole as Zhou Ying''s body transformed. Her body turned to wood and grew rapidly. Within moments, she became a thick tree, the crown of which was pushing against the top of the sky.


    The leaves of the tree were arrayed in gold, green, and gray, and a gray eye was embedded into its crown.


    Fruits grew from the tree, as though children were being gestated within. It pulsed with life, and the fruits fell to the ground and released ck humanoid lifeforms.


    The humanoids were pitch-ck all over, with golden hair and gray fog around them. They pounced toward her opponent like wild dogs the moment they spawned.


    Sheng Gu frowned. Ignoring the sinister changes all across Zhou Ying''s body, he thrust his blood spear forward. It crackled with golden mes and lightning, easily bypassing the pack of wild dogs.


    As the moonlight struck thend, the trees turned into ghostly treants. They swung their branches madly like ws, and the vines that represented their feelers curled around Sheng Gu.


    Sheng Gu intended to pierce through everything, but the ghostly treants boasted frightening reserves of vitality. Despite the fact that his blood spear could cut through anything, even Sheng Gu was disgusted by the near-endless supply of feelers and ghostly ws.


    Sheng Gu flew up into the air to break free of the ghostly treants'' assault. His goldenme wings unfurled and suddenly expanded in size to cover up the air. They released explosive golden light that was infused in his bloodnce.


    Clearly, Sheng Gu intended to charge up for a blow of maximum strength in order to kill Zhou Ying in one strike.


    The sunlight shot down as Zhou Ying''s trees suddenly transformed into the jade-green trees of life.


    Six fruits grew from the tree, as though children were being gestated within. It pulsed with life, and the fruits fell to the ground and released ck humanoid lifeforms.


    The humanoids were pitch-ck all over. This time, they had ck hair and were surrounded by gray fog.


    However, the humanoids that had been born from the fruit were rather sinister this time around¡ªno, they seemed to share the appearances of the members of Team Zenith, as though they bore the same origin.


    Then, something even more sinister urred.


    The ck specter that looked like Fang Yi manifested a ck tree branch in its palm. The ck specter had torn it off for use as a longspear.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    Fang Yi gasped. "Isn''t that... me?!"


    The members of Team Zenith knew that Zhou Ying had once extracted blood and hair from them in order to analyze the mysteries of life. In the end, she had produced a team of fighters on par with the members of Team Zenith.


    A huge tree grew out of Yang Ze''s clone''s body, which it plucked out and whittled down into the shape of a de.


    "[The Boundless de: Ersatz Yawning Wave]!"


    A sword shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. The gic energy burst apart in a shower of droplets, the attacks infused with spatial force.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body split into over a thousand clones, so many they seemed to fill the sky.


    "[Golden Divide]!"


    The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    The ck figure that looked like Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.


    The ck figure that looked like Sun Mengmeng drew a series of curved branches.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks.


    Team Zenith knew that Zhou Ying hadn''t seeded in her ns back in the third realm, because what they were learning then didn''t stem from their gic fragments, but rather from sweat and hard work.


    Zhou Ying had been able to figure out how to construct the specters, but couldn''t replicate the skills that they purportedly knew.


    Although the members of Team Zenith were all close to being monarch-ss lifeforms, they were strong not just because they had absorbed all manner of gene fragments, but also because of their own techniques, ultimate or otherwise, andbat experience.


    They had been able to hunt down a disaster-grade lifeform right after maxing out on peak gene fragments because they had the superiority inbat techniques and experience. This was why a gic hunter excelled over a gic lifeform.


    Gic lifeforms were only able to take advantage of their own strength, whereas gic hunters manipted their strength with significantly more efficacy, converting it all into weapons that would serve them well.

 Chapter 1549: Hoisted With Her Own Petard

    <h4>Chapter 1549: Hoisted With Her Own Petard</h4>


    Beforehand, Zhou Ying was only at most able to make clones of others¡ªand even then, all that she could clone were their genes and looks, not their signature techniques. However, as a result of thepetition, she had blown through this restriction. Perhaps this too was part of the benefit she had gained from consuming the bug emperor.


    Sheng Gu found it hard enough to go against Zhou Ying, let alone all the clones of the members of Team Zenith working together.


    Now that Zhou Ying had numbers on her side, Sheng Gu was done for¡ªthat was what everyone had thought, at least.


    The light that radiated from Sheng Gu was condensed into an exquisite blow, with light so concentrated that it seemed like it could pierce through the entire hall. The scorching light was like judgment from the very heavens. It boasted incredible strength and easily suppressed the clones of the five members of Team Zenith, wiping them out in one fell swoop.


    Fang Yi was astounded. "Is that fellow that strong? He was able to take the five of us working together!"


    Sun Xiaowu shook his head. "This Sheng Gu isn''t all that strong. Rather, the replica of Team Zenith that Zhou Ying constructed doesn''t retain our full strength. It''s more like a shell than anything else; the techniques might look shy, but they have no real power to them."


    Sheng Gu scoffed. "What''s the use of making these toys?"


    Dozens of fruit grew from the tree, as though children were being gestated within. It pulsed with life, and the fruits fell to the ground and released ck humanoid lifeforms.


    The humanoids were pitch-ck all over. They had ck hair and were surrounded by gray fog. Each was filled with vitality and looked like Zhou Ying.


    This time, the tree had birthed replicas of Zhou Ying herself.


    Sun Xiaowu and the other hunters gaped.


    Zhou Ying was giving birth to herself¡ªreplicating herself. That seemed far too oundish.


    Dozens of Zhou Yings appeared in unison, taking the same actions.


    Golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress, but the result was more fearsome than alluring. The ck humanoid figures were like puppets, their eyes lifeless.


    Sheng Gu couldn''t help but watch on seriously as dozens of Zhou Yings appeared out of thin air.


    They channeled the same technique.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Dozens of Zhou Yings unleashing the same technique had spawned tens of thousands of wood dragons.


    Naturally, the lifeform with which Zhou Ying was most familiar was none other than herself.


    Rather than clone the members of Team Zenith, it was far more effective for her to focus on herself.


    A scroll unfurled, depicting a frightening apocalypse.


    Within moments, the contents of that scroll transcribed themselves in reality. Stars fell from the heavens and the sun itself exploded, swamping Zhou Ying in destruction. The wood dragons surrounded the Zhou Yings protectively. As meteors fell, the dragons shattered in chips of wood.


    The scroll glowed with light. A dragon''s visage appeared in view, piercing through a swathe of the wood dragons.


    What the dragon radiated wasn''t divine light¡ªbut rather Sheng Gu, his hand holding on to his blood spear, golden mes roaring to his back, like two thrusters sending him speeding forward.


    The cloned Zhou Yings stared at him numbly. They didn''t react even when Sheng Gu''s blood spear pierced through their bodies.


    The blood spear exploded in a rain of golden mes, burning the cloned Zhou Yings to a crisp.


    The wood dragons surged. The goldenme wings to Sheng Gu''s back morphed into two divine des that cut everything they encountered. He whirled like a hurricane, chopping up the wood dragons that approached him into blocks of wood.


    The wood then lit up with me in mid-air. Sheng Gu stood in the middle of the golden mes like an invincible martial god.


    Zhou Ying summoned hundreds of thousands of wood dragons from the ground, enough to fill up the entire hall. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster.


    The golden mes revolved around Sheng Gu''s blood spear as he soared into the air and past the wood dragons.


    A tremendous flood of energy transformed into an ocean of lightning, drenching the wood dragons before the energy exploded. The wood dragons cried out as their bark splintered and cracked.


    Unlike before, however, there were dozens of Zhou Ying''s clones providing the wood dragons with renewed vitality and natural energy. The sea of wood, bolstered by brimming lifeforce, was able to regenerate despite the destructive nature of the lightning.


    Sheng Gu realized that he would have to take down Zhou Ying, or the sea of wood would only continue to spread. He was the one who would ultimately be battered to death.


    After realizing that point, Sheng Gu immediately made his move. He unleashed explosive strength, his wings ring with light as bright as the sun itself, so blinding no one could stare directly at them.


    The zing light was almost holy in nature. A divine halo appeared over Sheng Gu''s head as his blood spear exuded murderous intent. At the tip of the spear, the specters of demons could be seen. A sea of blood seemed to manifest to his back. How much ughter had it taken to forge this spear of blood?


    Thebined divine and charnel auras, simultaneously realized on a single cultivator, was more deadly and threatening than even Zhou Ying''s priestess-and-subus transformation.


    The blood spear shot forward, destroying everything in its path. The dense sea of wood dragons couldn''t stop its advance; all that wood might as well have been papier mache.


    Surrounded by wood dragons as Zhou Ying was, the members of Team Zenith couldn''t help her out even if they wanted to.


    She had been ensnared in a trap of her own making.

 Chapter 1550: What Nonsense

    <h4>Chapter 1550: What Nonsense</h4>


    The tree of life into which Zhou Ying had transformed glimmered with light and let out a green glow. The image of the bug emperor shimmered into existence by the heart of the tree¡ªbefore a transformation urred.


    Glowing green lines of light appeared on the trunk of her tree of life, like vines coiling around it.


    Yang Ze was astonished. He had seen this sight once before¡ªupon acquiring the first bug monarch, which had disyed this skill.


    The sight shocked everyone present.


    This was different from that asion with the bug monarch. There had been tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of dark golden bugs back then; there were only a few dozen of Zhou Ying''s clones right now. Unlike back then, however, the bug monarch wasn''t the one who had activated the skill. The tree of life, formed with the bug emperor and Zhou Ying as constituents, had done so.


    After being linked to the tree of life into which Zhou Ying had transformed, all of her clones seemed to obtain newfound vitality. Although they had been able to manipte tremendous amounts of vitality in the past, they werecking some vital essence in doing so. Now, with this link established, they were rapidly growing more lifelike.


    The tree of life into which Zhou Ying had transformed manifested an image of her, which executed [Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut].


    All her clones used the same technique at that instant.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut]!"


    They clutched two daggers that had manifested out of thin air, and the tendrils to their back materialized two more such daggers. They tore at the void.


    The void cuts were interconnected thanks to the link that the bug emperor and Zhou Ying had worked together to forge.


    Hundreds of Void Cuts merged together in Zhou Ying''s image.


    Sheng Gu nched. "What in the world is this?"


    The visage of Zhou Ying, formed from hundreds of Void Cuts, stretched an arm out to block Sheng Gu''s blood spear, The sea of wood exploded in a shower of wood fragments and caused the ancient hall to rumble.


    Sheng Gu shouted loudly, imbuing holy light into his blood spear,bining divinity and killing intent to unleash an even more incredible blow. He cut apart the arm of the visage of Zhou Ying, which retaliated by closing in on him and hugging him tightly.


    Then, the Void Cuts exploded as the sea of wood churned. An astonishing amount of energy erupted from the point of impact as the ancient hall quaked incessantly. Even Zhou Ying''s clones were affected.


    At the epicenter of the explosion, Sheng Guy panting for breath, the arm that had clutched his spear cleanly cut off. Sheng Gu was bruised and battered; golden mes seeped out of his wounds, repairing his body.


    Despite the damage, Sheng Gu let out a victorious smile.


    He had managed to survive this ultimate technique. He was certain that victory was now his. The next moment, however, he stiffened.


    A familiar scene took ce before him. Dozens of fruit grew from the tree of life into which Zhou Ying had transformed, as though children were being gestated within. It pulsed with life, and the fruits fell to the ground and released ck humanoid lifeforms.


    The humanoids were pitch-ck all over. They were pitch-ck and surrounded by gray fog. Each was filled with vitality and looked like Zhou Ying.


    The bug emperor''s image appeared over the heart of the tree. Glowing green lines of light appeared on the trunk of her tree of life, like vines coiling around it.


    The tree of life into which Zhou Ying had transformed manifested an image of her, which executed [Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut].


    All her clones used the same technique at that instant.


    The void cuts were interconnected thanks to the link that the bug emperor and Zhou Ying had worked together to forge.


    Hundreds of Void Cuts merged together in Zhou Ying''s image.


    Upon seeing the familiar skill unleashed once again, Sheng Gu nched. "Stay back!"


    His wounds had yet to heal; it would be impossible for him to fend off another attack of this magnitude. His body was torn apart into a shower of fragments that made regeneration impossible. He vanished in a shower of light.


    After Sun Xiaowu helped Sun Mengmeng take down Feng Xian, the sapphire-blue scorpion''s stinger appeared out of nowhere. It pierced through the golden runes over Sun Xiaowu''s body, a toxic spear of incredible sharpness.


    Divine armaments manifested over Sun Xiaowu''s skin as ck blood shot dozens of meters into the air. A shrill scream resounded through the ancient hall.


    "It worked!" The cultivators were all surprised, either pleasantly or unpleasantly. However, the scream caused them to freeze. That scream hade from... the scorpion.


    The scorpion had been speared by the divine armaments. Not only had its sharp stinger failed to ovee Sun Xiaowu''s defenses, it had even been hurt by the gold-attuned energy that encased them. Its stinger was sent flying, decaying bit by bit until it became nothing more than sludge.


    The gold-attuned gic energy surged into the scorpion''s carapace through its stinger, causing it to scream in pain as it convulsed madly on the ground. Its carapace broke off bit by bit as the energy ravaged its body.


    This was a startling transformation.


    Within moments, the scorpion was bleeding from all its orifices.


    Sun Xiaowu pulled no punches. He shot over, his fists glowing with light, the visage of a warlord bright at his back. Runes decorated his body, surrounding him like a burning sun.


    "I''ve finally caught you."


    The sapphire-blue scorpion skulked in the dark, executing just a single sneak attack before retreating each time. None of the members of Team Zenith had had a chance to counterattack, and there were few opportunities for them to strike it down.


    All of Sun Xiaowu''s clones attacked as one to get rid of such a dangerous opponent.


    Unfortunately for the scorpion, its final attack hadn''t caught its target off-guard and had ultimately resulted in its death. It vanished in a shower of light.


    Meanwhile, the jade mantis likewise made its move, taking over for the sapphire-blue scorpion and attempting a sneak attack on him. However, another cultivator stepped in to block the blow and get rid of it, almost as an afterthought.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents ring with blinding light to surround the jade mantis.


    The jade mantis attempted to struggle violently, to tear apart the arclight serpents with its scythe-like appendages, but Li Feng appeared right before it.


    His fists glowed with light-attuned gic energy that had manifested in the form of gold. He punched straight through the jade mantis'' head.


    The jade mantis was no ordinary opponent. Even with its head obliterated, it hadn''t died. Its scythes continued to tear apart the arclight dragons.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    With a shout, Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, a pir of light.

 Chapter 1551: Confronting the Man in Dark Green Robes

    <h4>Chapter 1551: Confronting the Man in Dark Green Robes</h4>


    The jade mantis didn''t have time to react after it tore apart Li Feng''s arclight serpents. With its head crushed, it had to rely solely on its sense of touch and intuition. It was blindsided by a pair of huge dragon''s ws that crushed it against the walls of the hall. Foul-smelling green fluid seeped out from its cracked carapace, and its neck wound.


    The jade mantis wasn''t even able to retaliate as Li Fengpletely destroyed it in a barrage of punches, whereupon it dissipated in a shower of light.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes were flinty. "It''s your turn next."


    The man in dark green robes smiled. "I do have a little time, and you''re an interesting fellow. Let''s have some fun to while away the time, then. I hope you aren''t too boring."


    The two cultivators began to fight. The man in dark green robes shrugged his shoulders as runic light burst forth. His right arm was particrly thick. A barrage of white light rose into the heavens and struck Zhang Lie''s body in a domineering fashion.


    "[Arms of the White Tiger]!"


    A huge white tiger manifested from the void, wing at its surroundings as though it was about to destroy the world.


    Compared to the man in dark green robes, the [Arms of the White Tiger] that the Immortal King''s substitute had used might as well have been the swipe of a kitten''s w. The arm that Zhang Lie now had to contend with, which seemed to be forged solely of killing intent, was truly deserving of the technique''s name.


    His opponent struck in closebat, not giving him any chance to move away, but Zhang Lie had never intended on slinking back.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"


    A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish mmed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    His strike caused the void to distort like a distended drum. It warped in a dissonant hum, sending quite a few cultivators on the altar flying. They fell off the tform.


    It was clear just how strong the attack was¡ªthe resulting shockwaves alone were impossible to defend against.


    The two cultivators retreated, blood seeping from their mouths. It was clear just how intense this confrontation was.


    This was a confrontation at the very peak of strength.


    Both cultivators had been injured by each other, a shocking sight. They stared at each other in surprise and mounting killing intent.


    The man in dark green robes roared. Lightning shot forth, criss-crossing over his body, which was glowing with light.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity.


    The man in dark green robes reacted even more quickly than a divine arrow. This time, purple runes shot out from him as he stepped through the void and pounced at Zhang Lie.


    He had invoked a different technique, transforming his whole body purple. His feet were imbued with such strength that the void seemed liable to shatter around them.


    What sort of technique was this?


    Many of the cultivators stared with bated breath.


    "[Feet of the Qilin]!"


    The void cracked as though it were about to shatter.


    Purple scales formed over the feet of the man in dark green robes. They gigantified and descended from the skies, preparing to crush Zhang Lie''s skull.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward, and the ck serpent behind him shot forth.


    The two feet crushed the serpent even as the serpent sent the man reeling back.


    Both cultivators coughed out blood once again.


    The man in dark green robes looked at Zhang Lie with bright eyes. A scarlet haze formed to his back as a pair of wings extended from it. With a wave of his arms, all manner of avians and mammals came within sight, manifesting from his bright-red wings. A frightening aura filled the air.


    After the qilin came the phoenix.


    The man in dark green robes'' techniques seemed to correspond to the four mythical beasts of legend.


    Zhang Lie was a little curious about what was going on. He had already seen Feng Xian, an immortal phoenix, and now the man in dark green robes who used techniques rted to the white tiger, qilin, and phoenix, mythical creatures of Chinese legend. Was there some link between the fifth realm and China?


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He punched forward with a fist.


    A huge explosion resounded. To the two cultivators'' surprise, they seemed equally matched once more as they both incurred damage from their opponent''s attacks.


    Considering the oue of their third sh, they nced at each other with killing intent.


    "[Fingers of the ck Tortoise]!" the man in dark green robes shouted. He extended his right arm and pointed forward with a finger, yin qi seeping out, concentrated, thick, and ck as ink. It transformed into a tortoise that fell toward Zhang Lie.


    A simple flick of his fingers seemed as though they could destroy everything he touched.


    Zhang Lie then activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, splitting apart heaven and earth, then causing the sundered skies to tremble.


    "[Sr Fist]!" the man in dark green robes shouted. Divine sr energy welled up as that fist turned gold.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star.


    The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river.


    Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was advancing his native ck gic energy into something far more cosmic, pitch-ck like the neverending universe and shining with twinkling stars.

 Chapter 1552: Ten-Headed, Six-Armed

    <h4>Chapter 1552: Ten-Headed, Six-Armed</h4>


    The ster rivers transformed into dragons and shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    They smashed into the sun, which exploded in a burst of fiery light before being reced by pitch ck.


    A wave of annihtion exploded forth. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea.


    "[Sr Tortoise Fist]!" the man in dark green robes shouted, extending his right arm. Thick yin qi surged forth from his fingers, dark like ink, and the image of a ck tortoise appeared to his back.


    He clenched his fist tightly, transforming it into a golden sun.


    Thebination of yin and yang energies gave rise to a curious transformation and the production of chaos. Even the void began to shatter in the vicinity of the attack, shocking all the onlookers.


    The man in dark green robes'' chaotic energy infused his fists and countered Zhang Lie''s energy of annihtion.


    The storm of annihtion tangled up with chaos in a wave of uncontroble energy. The energy of annihtion was weaker in status than the energy of chaos and was quickly diminished by the chaotic energy.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air.


    The man in dark green robes struck in an instant, summoning six golden arms that each manifested the [Sr Tortoise Fist]. A huge wave of killing intent surged from him.


    He would meet Zhang Lie''s fist with his fingers. He was glowing with light, both golden and rosy-hued. He felt like a furnace that was suppressing the auras of those in the vicinity.


    After Zhang Lie and the man in dark green robes struck each other, the world itself quaked.


    The man in dark green robes could take down a single ster dragon with every fist. These explosions formed a chain reaction as sunlight illuminated the entire hall.


    The [Sr Tortoise Fist] had manifested on the man in dark green robes'' two arms, with ck and golden energy swirling around his body in addition to chaos. His outline seemed to blur.


    He punched forward, repeatedly taking down ster dragons one after another amidst the storm of annihtion.


    Zhang Lie charged forward and met the man in dark green robes head-on. He drew Guicang from its sheath.


    If the man was going to spawn more arms, then Zhang Lie would draw his weapon.


    Zhang Lie struck the man''s shoulder in a crippling blow. If not for the [Arms of the White Tiger] radiating with strength and blocking it in time, he would have cleaved three arms off the man.


    The man inclined his head and roared, his voice rumbling like thunder.


    "[Fist of the Azure Dragon]!"


    A howling gale formed around his arms before he punched forward, azure dragons manifesting from each fist.


    Six azure dragons shot toward Zhang Lie from his six arms.


    "[The Boundless de: Daybreak]!" Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    His surroundings were resplendent and zing, so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword that rose from the sea and quelled the sky. The six azure dragons were swept away.


    "[Arms of the White Tiger]!"


    A huge white tiger manifested from the void, wing at its surroundings as though it was about to destroy the world.


    The sword sh left a wound on both his arms, but nothing more.


    "[Wings of the Phoenix]!"


    A scarlet haze formed to his back as a pair of wings extended from it. With a wave of his arms, all manner of avians and mammals came within sight, manifesting from his bright-red wings. A frightening aura filled the air.


    "[Feet of the Qilin]!"


    The void creaked, as though it were about to shatter.


    Purple scales formed over the man''s feet as they gigantified.


    "[Sr Tortoise Fist]!"


    Thick yin qi surged forth from his fingers, dark like ink, and the image of a ck tortoise appeared to his back.


    He clenched his fist tightly, transforming it into a golden sun.


    Thebination of yin and yang energies gave rise to a curious transformation and the production of chaos. Even the void began to shatter in the vicinity of the attack, shocking all the onlookers.


    "[Fist of the Azure Dragon]!"


    A howling gale formed around his arms before he punched forward, azure dragons manifesting from each fist.


    Of the man''s six arms, two formed the [Arms of the White Tiger], two formed the [Sr Tortoise Fist], and two formed the [Fist of the Azure Dragon]. In conjunction with his phoenix wings and qilin feet, he simultaneously channeled the strength of five divine beasts as he shot into the air and began to fight earnestly against Zhang Lie.


    Sword shes rent the hall as blue gic energy surged like waves. Dragons keened, wind raged, a tiger roared, and killing intent filled the air. The sh of metal against metal resounded in a shower of sparks. ming feathersnded on the altar and set everything aze.


    The fire spread until the whole altar was a sea of mes. Chilly, cold air formed overhead, thick and concentrated, with cloying dark clouds. Then, a sun shot into the air and broke through the clouds, sunlight raining down on thend. Chaotic energy swallowed everything in sight.


    All sorts of unusual manifestations appeared around the man in dark green robes. The azure dragon, ck tortoise, phoenix, white tiger, and qilin roared simultaneously. Sound waves caused the air to vibrate with force; the man was like a one-man army. Even Zhang Lie seemed to be suppressed for the moment.


    "[The Boundless de: River Lethe]!" The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    With every sh of Guicang, the serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down to the ground and shing against the man''s des.


    Starlight exploded in blue and gold, ck and red, purple and white. The ster river was the backdrop of an overwhelming mass of explosions.


    The man charged forward, slicing apart all thaty in his way. In this transcendent state, he was like a machine of war. No quantity ofherworld serpents could stand against him.


    As light illuminated the ancient hall, the wings to his back turned ck. Nine fierce avian heads appeared between his feet, hidden by his robes.

 Chapter 1553: Akin to Radiation

    <h4>Chapter 1553: Akin to Radiation</h4>


    Sun Xiaowu couldn''t help but frown upon seeing this sight. "It''s just like that legendary Chinese avian!"


    Yang Ze''s lips pursed. "I don''t know about the rest of you, but he looks to me like he was exposed to a severe dose of radiation."


    Despite his strange appearance, it was clear that he boasted exceptionalbat strength.


    His six arms waved madly, each executing the [Sr Tortoise Fist]. Yin and chaotic energies were unleashed as the domain visibly frothed from the impact.


    The man''s nine heads were all spitting out umbral light and destroying theherworld serpents headed his way. He forcibly broke out of the path of theherworld river and smashed into Zhang Lie in a heady blow filled with killing intent.


    The two cultivators exchanged blows with palm and fist, sword and technique. ck feathers were tossed about, and the golden light dimmed. Stars burst, swords shattered, and theherworld river cracked. Blood sprayed high into the air.


    Neither cultivator was willing to relent; the vicious fight continued at an ever-increasing tempo. They fought to kill.


    The fighting was so intense that neither of them were able to pay any heed to their surroundings, and even the sturdy altar began to chip and crack.


    Even the members of Team Zenith and the fifth-realm cultivators hadn''t managed to do much to the altar itself, but Zhang Lie and the man in dark green robes were demolishing it quickly.


    The man in dark green robes held firm to the belief that none of the present generation would be able to surpass him, let alone among the cultivators currently within the hall. He continued to attack at an incredible pace.


    "Kill!"


    His eyes grew cold. His nine avian heads hid as he raised an arm covered with scales. A frightening aura erupted from him as he wed at Zhang Lie.


    His ws were unbelievably sharp, like those of a true dragon. A series of afterimages was left behind. Zhang Lie stomped on the ground and kicked a chunk of the tform toward the blow to test its strength.


    Within moments, the tform was ground to powder by the swipe.


    The tform was sturdy and made of reinforced material that the man in dark green robes had personally picked out. Despite the intensity of the battles that had already taken ce, no attack had managed to crush the tform into powder¡ªuntil now.


    "[The Boundless de: Netherworld Sea]!" The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The dragon''s w caused theherworld sea to burst apart. Countless ster dragons were obliterated. The pitch-ck liquid filled with dots of starlight roiled, but ultimately maintained its form. The liquid reformed into a dense flock of ster dragons and surged toward the man in dark green robes.


    "Open!"


    The man''s body glowed with light that manifested in the form of bells, so small they were difficult to make out with the naked eye. Those bells covered up his body and began to toll loudly, as though he had transformed into a belltower. Ripples of energy emanated from him.


    He sped his hands together as they radiated holy light. A huge bell formed a barrier around him, thebined form of the countless small bells over the surface of his body.


    The ster dragons struck the bell, which tolled and cracked, but ultimately held firm against their attack.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    The dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth. The ster energy that filled the battlefield transformed into a massive ster dragon that took to the skies.


    The radiant man concentrated. Incandescent swords emerged from the light and flowed through his bloodstream, the next evolution of his light.


    Then, his entire body turned sharp, as though he were a divine de that had just been given form. Killing intent pulsed from him as he leapt up, seemingly as thin as a sheet of paper. In the form of a sword of legend, he struck at Zhang Lie.


    The members of Team Zenith gasped. The man''s body really seemed to have transformed into a resplendent, peerless sword.


    Unlike before, the ster dragons were unable to obliterate their opponent. The reverse happened: with a clean snick, the man-sword cleaved through the flock of dragons with barely any resistance.


    This was a sinister transformation; he seemed nigh-unstoppable.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    A frightening force descended on the altar, giving off shockwaves of mounting strength.


    The ster dragons had, to some extent, reduced the potency of the man-sword. Zhang Lie defended against the iing attack with his physical body. The attack struck with blinding light as both cultivators reeled.


    Zhang Lie thrust forward with his de so quickly it looked like a beam of light.


    "Kill!" the man in dark green robes roared, his hair aflutter, his palms magnified, his right hand seemingly transformed into a golden tablet engraved with light. A formless forcefield spread out from him, blocking Zhang Lie''s blow and peeling off the temporal force that had gathered around Zhang Lie''s body. He slowed.


    His golden tablet struck Zhang Lie''s sword in a sh of metal against metal with a screech that set everyone wincing. Their eardrums felt like they were about to shatter.


    The members of Team Zenith watched on intently. The two cultivators were using a wide repertoire of techniques that they had honed, each a masterful blow.

 Chapter 1554: Whos the Strongest

    <h4>Chapter 1554: Who''s the Strongest</h4>


    This fight was far beyond their realm. Zhang Lie and the man in dark green robes were chaining ultimate techniques together like they were nothing, drawing out their full potential in a disy of skill and strength.


    The members of Team Zenith watched the fight carefully, unwilling to miss even the slightest detail or risk the slightest moment of inattention. Being able to observe such a fight was perhaps their greatest takeaway from the Cup.


    They marveled at how the two cultivators had gone so far down their respective paths of cultivation.


    Trying to improve further would require them to step off their paths and pave their own entirely.


    Clearly, both cultivators before them were pioneers.


    Zhang Lie stumbled back, frowning. His organs ached.


    The man in dark green robes did the same. He looked down at his palm, which was bruised and bloody. Bone was showing; it was no light injury.


    The two cultivators, wounded, both retreated and eyed their opponents.


    Energy surrounded them both, erupting like a flood. Their auras grew stronger as they charged at each other once again. Their blood zed in incredible light.


    They fought each other tooth and nail. The images of avians and divine beasts rose from them as theyunched a series of incredible techniques.


    In the end, the man in dark green robes had to face reality: there was a cultivator of the younger generation whom he couldn''t suppress even with his experience. At most, all he could do was fight on equal footing with him.


    He couldn''t allow this situation to continue. Why was he here?


    He had to take down his opponent as quickly as possible for his n to go smoothly.


    In that one moment, the man''s aura changedpletely. Energy surged from him. His eyes shone silver and transformed into runes. A formless aura surrounded him as rubble on the ground floated into the air, orbiting around him before exploding into pieces.


    His aura was incredible, as though he were a deity who had been reborn in the mortal world.


    The moment he lifted his arm, light zed. Lightning shed. Divinew shrouded him, rendering him near-invincible.


    "I''ll admit that you''re strong enough to fight me on equal footing," he said coolly.


    If the mercenaries under his employ hadn''t been eliminated by Team Zenith and were still present, they would have been astounded. This was the first time he had given someone such an evaluation since his participation in the cup. Even when he ruled the realm, there had been a scant few whom he had praised so highly¡ªand all those cultivators had be legends of their generation in their own right, or who had left an indelible mark in history.


    Zhang Lie replied calmly, "You''ll understand who''s stronger among us soon enough."


    "There''s no need. I don''t have time to waste with you. It''s time to end things."


    He shot forward in a haze of rosy light and arcs of lightning. He formed divine seals with his hands; the visage of a legendary deity appeared before him.


    If anyone from the fifth realm were still around, they would immediately recognize that this technique was one that only past Immortal Kings of the Hall of Immortals had ever managed to master, and that it was the hardest among such techniques.


    "[Seal of Deific Descension]!"


    The deity had a solemn, stately appearance, though its features were blurred and indistinguishable. Fog surrounded it; the aura it gave off was incredible.


    The man in dark green robes had summoned a deity!


    "In an actual fight, I would have taken you down within moments."


    The blurry visage grew more and more solid. It sent a rapid palm strike at Zhang Lie, causing the entirety of the ancient hall to quake. The altar almost split apart.


    "I think not!" Zhang Lie radiated with light as he drew Hanguang and shed the visage of the deity in two.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    The man''s energy was drained as Zhang Lie''s was magnified.


    "What''s this?"


    There were arge number of glowing lights dancing across the surface of the man''s body, in runes mysterious and sinister. Lightning zapped around his flesh, forming runes that seemed almost like armor. The runes shattered the blood-colored moonlight and immunized him against its effects.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away his opponent''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, forming a huge celestial web.


    Lightning crackled as the deity''s palmnded.


    The man''s [Seal of Deific Descension] had activated in full. A frightening aura filled the air.


    The blurry palm struck Zhang Lie''s lightning web without a spectacr explosion. Rather, palm and web grew dark as they annihted each other.


    Zhang Lie was shocked. The man had to be incredibly strong in order to defend against one of his strongest attacks.


    The man was likewise astounded by Zhang Lie''s abilities. He had used an ultimate technique, one heralded as invincible, only for it to have been blocked. Just who was his opponent?


    "Kill!" the man shouted. He donned the armor of Divine Embrace, causing him to float higher up into the air and give off a luminous, holy radiance that caught the eye.


    Without a doubt, he was at the pinnacle of all cultivators in the Cup, like a child of heaven itself.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t shocked to see the armor. He had previously guessed that the man could well havee from the Hall of Immortals, but was yet uncertain as to what status he possessed within it.


    "I''ll kill you!" the man roared.


    "Dream on! Show me everything you''ve got now, or you won''t have a chance to do so," Zhang Lie retorted.


    The man reformed a [Seal of Deific Descension].


    Unlikest time, he held nothing back. He infused it with all his strength to ensure that he could turn Zhang Lie into nothing more than meat paste, to ensure that Zhang Lie wouldn''t be able to defend against his blows.


    A frightening aura surged as another deity made an appearance, face obscured but radiating such strength that everyone felt a visceral need to submit and bow down.


    The seal was finished quickly. The deity shot forward, prepared to kill Zhang Lie.


    The man''s Divine Embrace glowed with light, giving him a holy sheen. Blinding light illuminated heaven and earth.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!"


    Zhang Lie stared at his opponent, his eyes cold. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    "Die!" he shouted.


    The deity struck his de in an ear-splitting crash. Incandescent light radiated from the impact like a supernova, forcing the cultivators to avert their gaze.

 Chapter 1555: An Intense Fight

    <h4>Chapter 1555: An Intense Fight</h4>


    The man in dark green robes radiated with light as he gathered his strength.


    Light seeped from his body and manifested in the form of small cauldrons. His entire body seemed to steadily transform into an ancient cauldron¡ªbut that was all just an illusion. He was deepening his connection to his path of cultivation.


    Cauldrons flowed through his blood as his hands conjured seals. His right hand glowed with rosy light; his left hand, with the power of eternity.


    The man''s aura suddenly surged in strength. Two fists met in an instant.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light. He nced straight at his opponent''s soul.


    He saw a frightening sight through his dragon''s pupil soulshard.


    There was a tattered soul that looked as though it would be torn apart within moments trapped in a pitch-ck cage and bound by chains of light, as though forcibly holding the wounds closed.


    Zhang Lie didn''t understand just how such a wounded soul could continue to survive.


    The man''s body consisted of not just a single soul, but also fragments of other souls being suppressed by this tattered soul.


    Zhang Lie had no idea what any of this meant for his opponent, but he didn''t hesitate to attack..


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    All those who witnessed the hypnotic light would stand still in a daze.


    If he were still in peak condition, the man wouldn''t have been affected by Zhang Lie''s technique. His soul might be tattered, but his spiritual power was sufficientlyrge as to defend against it. Unfortunately for him, with his soul in such a state, the technique paralyzed him for a few crucial moments.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    The disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, when incorporated into Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack, had the ability to target its opponent''s soul.


    His sword struck the man, but his Divine Embrace provided even better protection than Zhang Lie had expected. It expelled rosy light that surrounded the man, blocking both the physical and spiritualponents of the attack.


    The rosy light surged into the man''s body and augmented his strength to his peak.


    This was a technique that Zhang Lie hadn''t seen even when fighting against the ninth Immortal King and his substitute. It was clear that this man had to be of incredibly high position within the Hall of Immortals.


    His physical body glistened with energy. Void encased his fist.


    His fist tore apart the void as it swung toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie boasted keen spatial awareness and instantly evaded the attack.


    His opponent, however, had a far deeper understanding of space than the ninth Immortal King and his substitute. He was able to send his entire body through the void without the halberds with which the other members of the Hall of Immortals had fought. He attacked Zhang Lie in a flurry of punches from every direction, but he blocked them all.


    "Regardless of what happens, I''ll kill you!" The man''s seals grew more and more resplendent as his [Seal of Deific Descension] took effect.


    This time, the deity almost seemed to fuse with his physical body. When he moved, heaven and earth rumbled as though the world itself was about to crack.


    The seal had grown even stronger than before.


    Surging with strength, the man gave off an entirely different aura. He had the confidence to overwhelm any opponent, a mentality of invincibility.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward his opponent like a hurricane, bearing down on him with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea between them.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool. Tremendous suction, like that from a ck hole, sucked up everything around the twobatants¡ªheading straight for his opponent. It shattered the man''s [Seal of Deific Descension], but he had more attacks lying in wait. His right hand transformed into the w of a true dragon. It shone with neither light nor divinity, only a frightening aura that sent chills down even Zhang Lie''s back.


    At the same time, his left hand manifested the [Sr Tortoise Fist] in an array of ck and gold light that swiftly dissipated, all that energy concentrated in his fist as he charged up his attack.


    This would be a confrontation among two cultivators the likes of which had yet to be seen.


    The man''s pair of fists was simply overwhelming in understated strength. Barely any light was given off as they punched through Zhang Lie''s whirlpool and straight toward his body.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    Red scales formed a natural suit of red armor around Zhang Lie. He was surrounded by what looked like scarlet mes, but was actually steaming, blood-red water-attuned gic energy. A ck sun rose behind his back, and a blood moon shone at his feet.


    A long tail grew out of his back. His ck hair took on a red tint, as though they were lit up by an inner fire. Interlocking rings of ck and red that warped naturalw surrounded his body, and a domineering aura exuded from him.


    Red water-attuned gic energy surrounded Zhang Lie, manifesting in the shape of a dragon.


    He sent a sword sh, zing with fire, at his opponent. The fiery-red gic energy was interspersed with radiant light that instantly caused the temperature in the hall to shoot up and counter the man''s attacks.


    Every part of the man''s body was now shining with light. The [Arms of the White Tiger] and [Feet of the Qilin] manifested, along with a pair of phoenix wings that appeared to his back. Runes of iparable strength exploded from his body.


    Absolute strength trumped any technique or mastery.


    Guicang shattered the heavens; Hanguang pierced everything in its path.


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Zhang Lieunched a killing blow. Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.

 Chapter 1556: A Bit of Time

    <h4>Chapter 1556: A Bit of Time</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged forward.


    "Break!" As his des resonated, the man in dark green robes was sent flying.


    The man activated his [Seal of Deific Descension], but the des still tore at him. Reality and illusion ovepped in a barrage of light.


    "Die!" the man roared. His armor shook. He turned his strength into a supercharged attack.


    Another [Seal of Deific Descension] activated. The deity that had melded with his body flew out, as tall as an ordinary person, and struck at Zhang Lie.


    The fact that he was able to use such aplex technique almost at will was worthy of genius.


    Zhang Lie''s twin des struck the deity and thrust into its body.


    The des thaty at the intersection of reality and illusion shook violently, as though they were about to break.


    However, the deity had likewise turned faint and dim, until it vanished entirely.


    Zhang Lie''s twin des shot forward and shed against the man''s [Sr Tortoise Fist]. The forces of yin and yang struck the des of reality and illusion in a tremendous explosion.


    The man in dark green robes coughed out blood. He had suffered tremendously from the confrontation. He stumbled back, his Divine Embrace broken, his robes torn, revealing his true appearance underneath his cowl.


    The remnant energy from Zhang Lie''s attack only sufficed to tear apart his robe, not damage his body.


    Zhang Lie had seen the man''s soul with his dragon''s pupil soulshard and thought that there would be nothing extraordinary about his physical body inparison, but when he saw what was revealed underneath those dark green robes, his eyes turned wide with disbelief. His heart thumped. Nothing before him seemed real.


    The man''s limbs were thin and his body emaciated, as though the barest wind would cause him to copse.


    His entire body was filled with scar after horrifying scar. Just what had the man experienced? One particrlyrge scar ringed his neck¡ªno, it was too wide, too deep to be considered a scar. It was as though his head had been cut off before it was reattached with thread.


    Half his face had dposed, with a terrifying w mark across one eye and cheek. What Zhang Lie paid attention to was the other half of his face. He couldn''t tear his gaze away.


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Does he seem..."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "I agree."


    Yang Ze frowned. "This man looks a little like our captain, doesn''t he?"


    Upon seeing the appearance of the man in dark green robes, Zhang Lie''s lips couldn''t help but murmur, "Father...?"


    The man blinked, then sped both hands behind his back. "You''ve matured, after all. To be frank, everything until now has been a test¡ªis that what you think I''m about to say?"


    Zhang Lie immediately frowned. "That can''t be. Just who are you?"


    Despite the fact that the man''s appearance was that of his father, his soul was something entirely different.


    The soul that Zhang Lie had seen through his dragon''s pupil soulshard was wholly ipatible with his physical body. Although he had never seen his father''s soul before, he instinctively knew that it had to be different from whatever mangled... thing... he had seen.


    The man before him possessed no soul that a human ever could have.


    The man shrugged. "If you''d like, I could pretend to be your father and have a tearful reunion with you. There''s still some time before my n seeds, after all."

 Chapter 1557: Eight Seals of the Immortal King

    <h4>Chapter 1557: Eight Seals of the Immortal King</h4>


    "So that''s how it is. No wonder you''re so annoying, so vile. You''re the son of that bastard, Zhang Yi. This exins everything. Is this the result of so-called karma?"


    Zhang Yi? Zhang Lie''s father''s name was Zhang Yanyang, but those familiar with him called him Zhang Yi. This was because his catchphrase was "It''s too easy." [1]


    Eventually, everyone familiar with him began calling him Zhang Yi.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes were chilly. "You''ve seen my father? No, what have you done to him?"


    The man in dark green robes shrugged. "I killed him, of course. Not only that, I stole his body. His eyes that can see the future are rather interesting. It''s a pity that I only discovered afterwards that his eyes weren''t the source of his power; his soul was. Even with his body, while suppressing his soul, I could only see asional shes of the future."


    "Impossible!"


    The man smirked. "What''s so impossible about it? Your father was a little skilled, but he was no match for me at my prime. Oh, by the way, many of the techniques I used against you were from your father. His wife, on the other hand... That madwoman was somewhat annoying. I dealt with her too."


    Zhang Lie nched, his gic energy fluctuating rapidly.


    Could the soul fragments that the man was suppressing truly belong to his father? His parents'' letter made it clear that they had gone to the fifth realm. Had they been killed by the man in dark green robes there?


    If this were the truth, what was Zhang Lie going to tell Zhang Hanxiang?


    If the cultivators'' physical bodies were present in this realm, Zhang Lie would have considered trying to catch the man, interrogate him, and force him to release his father''s soul fragments, but the man was only a virtual projection in this realm. It would be impossible for him to catch the man.


    "No, something''s wrong!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t allow himself to be tricked by the shadow of a truth that the man had revealed. There was an important hole in his logic.


    The man taunted, "What? Don''t you believe the reality in front of you?"


    "If it really were so simple, your own soul would never have ended up in such a state."


    Zhang Lie deeply believed that his parents wouldn''t have allowed themselves to die so easily. There had to be something more to the story.


    This was the first time the man had grown truly enraged, his face fierce. "It''s none of your business!"


    The light infused in his fists drew in yin and yang as he charged up for an incredible blow.


    "[Sr Tortoise Fist]!"


    Thebination of yin and yang energies gave rise to a curious transformation and the production of chaos. Even the void began to shatter in the vicinity of the attack, shocking all the onlookers.


    Zhang Lie held Guicang in his left hand, shining with the light of the blood moon. He held Hanguang in his right hand, aze with ck me. Blood-red gic energy evaporated like steam. Wielding his twin des, Zhang Lie unleashed a dizzying flurry of attacks in the air.


    Sr radiance burst forth as the mes of the ck sun licked the air. Superheated, blood-red steam filled the ancient hall. Yin energy froze the air before the sh of the blood moon shattered it. Thousands of sword shes rained down like a storm.


    The two cultivators were almost evenly matched, and victory couldn''t be decided quickly.


    "[Eight Seals of the Immortal King]!" he shouted.


    This was an unfathomable strength, as though a pocket world had been established to trap everyone within.


    In the void, each drop of blood corresponded to a single rune. Silver and golden light red with blinding radiance, like a divine me roaring to life, surrounding Zhang Lie and sealing him away.


    The blood was transforming into a prison, an ancient hall, the likes of which could not be broken.


    The spectators all stumbled back, shocked to no end by the mysterious aura that it gave off. They felt as though their avatars might very well be sucked in if they were too near.


    The golden runes inteced and formed eight seals, each like a golden de piercing the void and sealing everything within.


    The runes of light interlocked like chains.


    Li Feng, who had once fought against the ninth Immortal King, cried out, "This is the [Nine Seals of the Immortal King]!"


    Sun Xiaowu made a bold hypothesis. "Could this be the ninth Immortal King?"


    Fang Yi gave him a look. "Are you joking?"


    Zhou Ying nodded. "We''ve all seen the ninth Immortal King fight Li Feng. He''s hardly this strong."


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "But ording to those cultivators from the fifth realm, except for the Immortal King, no other can use the [Nine Seals of the Immortal King]."


    Sun Mengmeng, who had been paying careful attention to the fight, noticed an irregrity. "Hold on. Did any of you notice that there were only eight seals and eight des? One less than the ninth Immortal King''s."


    Yang Ze scratched his head. "What, could there be a counterfeit version of that technique?"


    Li Feng seemed to havee up with something. He shook his head. "He isn''t the ninth Immortal King."


    The other members of Team Zenith looked over. "You know who he is?"


    "The [Nine Seals of the Immortal King] is a technique unique to the ninth Immortal King, but he wasn''t the one who established such a technique. All Immortal Kings before him knew it, too, but with one fewer seal to its name."


    At this point, the other members of Team Zenith understood what was going on, too.


    The eighth Immortal King! Only an Immortal King could use this specialized sealing technique, and there were eight seals. Who else could it be but the eighth Immortal King?


    The eighth Immortal King''s eyes glowed with light, his pupils transforming into two silver lengths of rope that invoked the fundamental principle of order.


    Zhang Lie''s cheeks bled; he had almost been struck.


    The eighth Immortal King continued makingplicated gestures with his hands, forming deific mes that burned the interior of the ancient hall to a crisp.


    Divine radiance red, erupting from the seal like a thousand volcanoes. The sudden resplendence disoriented the spectators.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "But isn''t the eighth Immortal King a cultivator from a previous generation? How did he get into this tournament? And ording to those cultivators of the fifth realm, all prior Immortal Kings had been lost to the annals of history. Allegedly, they perished in the final trial of the Hall of Immortals."


    Li Feng replied, "All of that is legend. Has anyone seen the corpses of the Immortal Kings for themselves?"


    Despite the fact that the man was the eighth Immortal King, with a technique with one fewer seal than the ninth, the force and pressure of that technique was on another level entirely. It didn''t seem weaker than the ninth Immortal King''s, but stronger.


    The ancient hall that the cage of runes had transformed into waspletely sealed off from the outside world, and the situation within couldn''t be seen.


    The members of Team Zenith couldn''t help but worry about their captain.


    However, they were fully confident in his abilities. A cage that even Li Feng could break out of shouldn''t be able to trap Zhang Lie, who was even stronger. Despite the fact that the eighth Immortal King seemed stronger than the ninth, there was no reason Zhang Lie ought to remain trapped.


    He was that strong.


    "It''s time to end this farce!"


    The eighth Immortal King''s pupils shone with silver light limned with gold. The beams of light shot straight at the hall, burning it whole with deific radiance.


    The aura around the eighth Immortal King surged, and many of the spectators couldn''t help but tremble at the force of his might.


    1. And ''easy'' in Mandarin is Ò×, read ''yi''. I suppose you could make a pun and write it as Yisy... ?

 Chapter 1558: The Heavenly Cordon Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 1558: The Heavenly Cordon Arrives</h4>


    Zhang Lie was exceptionally calm even against the eighth Immortal King, so calm he was like the waters of an undisturbed pool. Despite the fact that he faced an immediate, life-threatening crisis, he remained unppable.


    The eighth Immortal King smirked. "Are you going to give up just like that?" <i>As expected, the son was far worse than the father.</i>


    Zhang Lie raised his head. "Are you finished?"


    The eighth Immortal King stilled.


    "I''m very disappointed," Zhang Lie replied, raising Guicang high in the air. "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    The runes of the [Keys of the Elder Gods] appeared once more. They manifested outside Zhang Lie''s body and glowed with light.


    Strands of ck hair floated around Zhang Lie. His eyes were like lightning, as though he were a martial god who had descended from the heavens.


    With a sudden shout, as runes red all over his body, his bones creaked, and his flesh trembled, his essence transformed into a dragon that soared into the air.


    The radiance around him intensified.


    At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to go silent. the world stopped revolving on its axis, and everything was still. He felt as though he had returned to a primordial era far into the past, to the creation of the universe itself.


    As his mind resonated with the realm, Zhang Lie felt as though he was witnessing the creation of the virtual realm itself.


    Dawn light shone all around him. His heart and soul seemed to unite with the world all around him, as though he were part of the genesis of the universe.


    "Open!" Zhang Lie murmured softly, but the sound of his voice carried.


    A divine chime rang out as Zhang Lie emitted radiant light and cut apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.


    The ancient hall was destroyed within moments. The sky turned dull; the sword strike was one of primordial genesis, of void and chaos.


    Everything transformed into chaos.


    This blow went beyond what could be described as strength. It bypassed structure and power, instead dealing with the fundamental forces of the world, of atavistic regression and subsequent evolution.


    Zhang Lie''s overwhelming strike snuffed out his opponent''s attack.


    This was a disaster, an apocalypse, an attack from which no one would be able to escape.


    A single technique had crippled the culmination of all that the Hall of Immortals was and would be.


    If any cultivators of the fifth realm were still present, their jaws would have dropped.


    Not only had the technique destroyed the ancient hall, it even broke through the eighth Immortal King''s defenses and struck at him directly.


    The eighth Immortal King tried to run, but the technique endowed with karmic might blinded his sole remaining eye. Blood welled out from his eye socket.


    The members of Team Zenith smiled in relief.


    The eighth Immortal King sped his bleeding eye as he gritted out, "You truly are as annoying as your father."


    Zhang Lie shot forward with his twin des as the eighth Immortal King roared, so angry that his face had distorted with emotion. "You''re the second person who has been able to bypass my eight seals. I defeated the first person and took over his physical body."


    The two cultivators fought from east to west and back again. They moved so rapidly that it looked as though they were blinking from ce to ce. Sword energy shook the heavens. A dragon howled; a phoenix shrieked. Holy dragons flew through the air, and heavenly fire exploded. The spectators watched the fight unfold with shock and awe.


    The eighth Immortal King shot over toward Zhang Lie and activated his [Arms of the White Tiger] in a burst of holy light.


    "Your pitiful techniques are no match against me," Zhang Lie said, standing proudly with hands sped behind his back.


    Before him, bright red gic energy erupted like a volcano against his opponent.


    The eighth Immortal King frowned mightily. His whole body was incandescent; he was so incensed that he was trembling. A pale blueke of lightning formed before him.


    As he dipped his [Arms of the White Tiger] into theke of lightning, countless electric arcs caused the floor of the ancient hall to crack. The steps leading up to the tform were destroyed, turning into little more than powder.


    Such bright light emanated from the pool that the other cultivators were forced to turn away.


    The twobatants fought with sharp contrast.


    Outside the ancient hall, a blue storm that filled the air drew near¡ªthe heavenly cordon!


    As the fighting continued to rage within the ancient hall, the cordon drew nearer and nearer to it.


    The golden toad and several otherpetitors rushed into the ancient hall, a scant few that had managed to emerge from the resulting melee. Among them, the golden toad and ming centipede were beasts from the realm.


    They wouldn''t be directly eliminated; they counted aspetitors as well. As long as they were able to kill sufficiently manypetitors, they too had a chance of making it past the crystalline barrier. Even if they weren''t able to obtain the rewards that the cultivators would receive, they would be the next batch of guardian beasts around the ancient hall.


    To these beasts, survival was already the best prize they could receive.


    A golden toad stretched out its tongue; a waterfall seemed to surge toward its target.


    The next moment, amidst a shrill cry, the golden toad retracted its tongue and consumed its prey, a ming centipede. Its wounds began to heal.


    The centipede had been unprepared for a sneak attack, but the fact that the golden toad had taken it down in a single blow meant that it was far stronger than the majority ofpetitors.


    Yang Ze and Li Feng nched.


    They had been the first two to meet up with Zhang Lie, and were naturally familiar with this golden toad. It had appeared the moment they entered theke domain, and even Zhang Lie didn''t want to take it on. It was a frightening foe indeed.


    "Attack!" Yang Ze roared, drawing his sword.


    [The Boundless de: Daybreak] shed, the strike forming a long river through the skies. Spatial force struck his opponent.


    "Captain, leave this to us. Keep fighting!"


    Li Feng understood what was going on as well. The golden toad was an impressive foe, and it would be best to strike it down while it was still injured.


    If they allowed it to recover its strength, not only would they suffer, Zhang Lie, who was fighting against the eighth Immortal King, would be affected as well.


    Even though Zhang Lie now seemed to have the upper hand, if the eighth Immortal King found a way to retaliate and took advantage of the golden toad, the tide of the battle could yet turn.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!" Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons.

 Chapter 1559: Piercing the Eighth Immortal King

    <h4>Chapter 1559: Piercing the Eighth Immortal King</h4>


    The other members of Team Zenith were taken aback to see Yang Ze and Li Feng suddenly attack.


    The members of Team Zenith had, however, fought together for years by this point. They quickly came to their senses and understood what Yang Ze and Li Feng were doing.


    The eighth Immortal King was too strong for them to interfere in the battle. All they could do for Zhang Lie was to eliminate all other struggles that he faced and stabilize the situation.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    After some time, Fang Yi, who had recovered, struck as well. His pitch-ck spear turned a resplendent gold as he infused lightning into it. Ayer of lightning appeared atop the spear, as though enchanting it.


    With a low shout, Fang Yi dashed forward with his spear in hand. Heunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force. The golden spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the air.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake.


    Three arrows, brimming with purple me, flew forward like tracking missiles.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    The three ming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light. Holy armaments transformed into runes that engraved themselves on his scales.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens. Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward. His fists unleashed a storm of armaments.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragonwhale]!" In the blink of an eye, Yang Ze was surrounded by a patch of ocean.


    Thepping of waves echoed through the battlefield. They grew and grew, reaching a crescendo and rising into the sky like a tsunami, manifesting in the form of a huge whale.


    The whale''s body was long and streamlined, with long whiskers and scales patterning its body. As it flipped over, water-attuned gic energy exploded like waves.


    The members of Team Zenith took on thepetitors and the golden toad that had just appeared.


    "Kill!" The most intense fight, however, remained that between Zhang Lie and the eighth Immortal King. Both cultivators left behind a stream of afterimages as they took on each other.


    To someone at the realm of the eighth Immortal King, even being blind wouldn''t affect hisbat ability.


    Neither party, however, expected such intense fighting. The two cultivators had exchanged thousands of blows, but neither had yet managed to cripple his opponent.


    The man in dark green robes had a dizzying repertoire of techniques, with a few other skills no weaker than the [Seal of Deific Descension].


    Zhang Lie had withstood all those attacks with just his twin des, cutting down everything thaty in his way.


    By the time they had exchanged three thousand blows, the man in dark green robes was panting. He couldn''t believe that he had been forced into such prolongedbat.


    He felt the situation turning against him, having already been badly wounded.


    Zhang Lie had incurred his fair share of blows as well, but he seemed to grow even calmer. Gradually, Zhang Lie''s attacks seemed to conjure up the strength of the heavens, like a raging ocean that filled the entire hall.


    The man in dark green robes coughed out blood, but his gaze zed even more brightly. He gritted his teeth and decided to unleash his ultimate technique, sessively unleashing a series of seals from the Hall of Immortals. He intended to stack them and kill Zhang Lie in a single crippling blow.


    However, by then, Zhang Lie seemed to have transcended his own constraints and was forging forward with unparalleled strength.


    The man nched, sensing that things were amiss. He had already drawn on strength beyond the limit of what his body could sustain, and his crippled body was giving out.


    His face turned pale as he coughed out flecks of blood from his overtaxed body.


    On the other hand, despite his injuries, Zhang Lie was feeling exceptionally in control of his body. His des glinted, and he found the precise moment within which to strike.


    The man was sent flying, a trail of red spraying from his mouth.


    Zhang Lie followed up and kicked him into the air, then pierced him through with a single thrust of his sword.


    Blood sprayed high into the air from the eighth Immortal King''s forehead.


    Zhang Lie had taken down his opponent in one clean blow through the skull.


    The eighth Immortal King howled, his body radiating with light. Although he had been cut in half, his bones showing through his flesh, they still shone with runes.


    How could he have been killed so easily? How could he have died?


    His hands formed seals of incredible strength, radiating with light. He tried to salvage this impossible situation, unable to resign himself to his doom.


    The ruins of the ancient hall filled with divine light that encapsted the altar.


    Even so, Zhang Lie strode forward, hair scattered around his back, blood staining his clothes. He struck mercilessly and pierced through his opponent''s body once more.


    Everyone felt chills going down their backs. What grandeur, what an imposing aura! This was surely a man out of legend.


    Blood surged from the eighth Immortal King''s corpse as his gaze turned dim and dull. The final dregs of energy drained out of his body.


    At the same time, the members of Team Zenith finished their fight.


    "[The Boundless de: Sea Serpent]!" Yang Ze''s sword morphed into a sea serpent, pale blue in color, with gills on either side of its body, its scales like crystalline shards of ice.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin. His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens. Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    The members of Team Zenith, working together, took down thepetitors that had just entered along with the wounded golden toad.


    The toad was strong, but ultimately fell to Team Zenith''sbined attacks.

 Chapter 1560: Despite Spiritual Destruction

    <h4>Chapter 1560: Despite Spiritual Destruction</h4>


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    Fang Yi''s appearance blurred into a hundred clones. Spear thrusts and strikes shot forward in every direction.


    "[The Boundless de: Nine-Headed Hydra]!"


    Gic energy exploded from Yang Ze and manifested in the form of a nine-headed hydra,


    which sprayed out nine breaths of sword energy.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    Li Feng waved his left arm, around which a torrent of light-attuned gic energy was gathering. It took the form of a gigantic dragon''s w, bearing down like a beam of light.


    "[Lunarme Shot]!"


    Sun Mengmeng''s right hand blurred as countless arrows of purple me shot out of her bow like a meteor shower that tinted the air purple and gave the battlefield a phantasmagorical appearance. The air turned dry and arid, as though a cataclysm was nigh.


    Under the brilliant purple sky, everything began to burn, drowned in a sea of purple me.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body suddenly split into thousands of clones.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying clutched her dagger in a reverse grip and shed at the void.


    The members of Team Zenith, working together, took down thepetitors that had just entered along with the wounded golden toad amidst a bout of vigorous fighting.


    Thosepetitors and the golden toad had only made it into the ancient hall after suffering endless bouts of ughter and were naturally exceptionally strong, to the point where they could bepared to the members of Team Zenith. The golden toad, strongest of the lot, wasparable to the enhanced Sun Xiaowu.


    In the end, however, thosepetitors and the golden toad didn''t have the same level of cooperation and teamwork born of life-and-death struggles that Team Zenith had ovee.


    In the end, the members of Team Zenith easily cooperated to take them down.


    Because of the fact that thosepetitors and the golden toad had eliminated so many otherpetitors before entering the ancient hall and obtained a titanic amount of mental particles, after their death, all those particles surged toward the members of Team Zenith. The particles spilled out of their bodies and formed a veritable sea in the ancient hall.


    The members of Team Zenith were astounded by the sight.


    Those particles caused the marks on the backs of their palms to extend rapidly throughout their bodies.


    After the massive fight, the ancient hall was now almost in tatters, and its original appearance was impossible to make out. The ground had almost melted, and the stairs leading up to the altar were all shattered. The altar itself was cracked; the only thing intact was the pir of light that had once been at the center of the altar, bound by chains of naturalw, and linked to the entire world.


    Zhang Lie stood before the pir, stepping on the eighth Immortal King''s chest, his sword piercing through his forehead.


    Arge number of the particles had been absorbed by the members of Team Zenith, but a portion was sucked away by the central pir of light.


    Just then, something unexpected happened. As though the pir of light had absorbed sufficient energy, it began to ze brightly. The chains that tethered it to the naturalws of the realm began to resonate. Something seemed to be birthed at the center of the pir.


    The eighth Immortal King, whose eyes were growing dim and dull, suddenly zed with life. He formed seals with his hands.


    A humanoid formed and leapt toward Zhang Lie.


    "[Seal of Deific Descension]!"


    Zhang Lie reacted quickly and shed at the lifeform with Hanguang.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Mountain Rumbles]!"


    The sh was sharp, keen, and full of strength. It was like the prelude to an avnche that could destroy everything within sight.


    As the domineering shnded, space and the void itself began to crack. Nothing could stop the advance of Zhang Lie''s technique. The eighth Immortal King''s [Seal of Deific Descension] itself was shattering.


    Just as Zhang Lie struck to defend against the seal, the eighth Immortal King took advantage of the opportunity to punch forward with a seemingly insignificant fist.


    The fist looked wholly ordinary, but actually contained incredible insight into naturalw, including yin and yang, and even life and death.


    It was an incredible attack that even Zhang Lie retreated to dodge. The eighth Immortal King got to his feet unsteadily, despite the fact that Zhang Lie''s sword had pierced right through his forehead.


    The eighth Immortal King seemed to be an incredibly resilient foe.


    Zhang Lie frowned. His pupils turned slitted as he activated his dragon''s pupil soulshard. "If you keep this up, your soul might be destroyed."


    The eighth Immortal King''s physical body didn''t belong to him, but likely to Zhang Lie''s father, Zhang Yi.


    As a result, the sword piercing through his forehead hadn''t managed to kill the eighth Immortal King.


    However, Zhang Lie''s technique was so strong that it could hurt the eighth Immortal King''s very soul. The eighth Immortal King''s soul was slowly dissipating, but he still held on.


    What happened in this virtual realm wasn''tpletely separate from reality.


    Just as intuition and enlightenment from the virtual realm would be reflected in reality, spiritual destruction in this realm would lead to a serious, potentially deadly wound in the other, especially considering the eighth Immortal King''s destabilized situation.


    For Zhang Lie, however, this might not be a bad thing at all.


    The eighth Immortal King spoke up. "I made significant preparations, paid a heavy price, and bid my time until now, one step away from sess. Do you think I''d give up now and hand over everything to you? Dream on!"


    Clearly, whatever was being birthed in the central pir of light was of particr importance to the eighth Immortal King. When he saw his ning to fruition, the eighth Immortal King''s dull eyes regained their vitality as he forced himself to remain alive for just a little while longer.


    "As long as I can obtain the intuition I need, I''ll be able to heal my spiritual injuries, return to the peak of my strength, participate in the Hall of Immortals'' final trial, and be a true Immortal King! The ninth and tenth Immortal Kings, or whatever they''re at now¡ªthey''d be nothingpared to me!"


    The eighth Immortal King''s body lit up with heavenly fire. Thunder rumbled through the air as the white tiger, ck tortoise, azure dragon, red phoenix, nine-headed bird, and qilin''s forms manifested around him. He transformed once again into his ten-headed, six-armed state, teleporting across the void to kill Zhang Lie.


    Every part of his body shone with light. The [Arms of the White Tiger] and [Feet of the Qilin] manifested, along with a pair of phoenix wings that appeared to his back. Runes of iparable strength exploded from his body.


    His [Seal of Deific Descension], [Azure Dragon Fist], [Sr Tortoise Fist]¡ªhe used them all at once at maximum potential,bining these ultimate techniques at will.


    In truth, the eighth Immortal King was forcing the final dregs of strength from his body, fighting against spiritual annihtion as he sought whatevery within the central pir of light. Either he would seed and be reborn, or he would die, his soul obliterated.


    Despite sensing the eighth Immortal King''s intent, Zhang Lie didn''t intend to back down against his father''s killer.

 Chapter 1561: Zhang Lie Fights Again

    <h4>Chapter 1561: Zhang Lie Fights Again</h4>


    "[des, Extinguish]!"


    Zhang Lieunched a killing blow. Guicang gleamed brightly in Zhang Lie''s hands as he infused more and more spiritual energy into it. From the surface of his spiritual sea came waves charging forward, sounding like stampeding hooves, like raging dragons.


    Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea expanded greatly, past the confines of his own body. As the mistmeld m soulshard''s energy was infused within the de, it began glowing with multicolored light, simultaneously illusory and real. A sea seemed to rest in the crack between the two domains, unable to be touched or otherwise sensed.


    The transient, illusory nature of the light captivated everyone who saw it.


    The sword in Zhang Lie''s hands burned with scarlet water-attuned gic energy. Billowing clouds of red-tinted steam surrounded him as though he were a burning pyre.


    The high-temperature steam was so hot that it visibly glowed an rming shade of red.


    This domain of scarlet steam was so dangerous that an ordinary lifeform would likely be vaporized without a trace.


    The temperature around Zhang Lie grew so hot that his surroundings began to warp. Mirages formed all around him.


    One of Zhang Lie''s des glowed with radiant light; the other shone scarlet with water-attuned gic energy.


    The illusory seabined with the scarlet ocean of reality, the attack simultaneously in the boundary between the real and the illusory, linking together the physical and metaphysical, the real and the abstract.


    The two halves of the attack shed with each other.


    The spiritual sea began to burn, as though it had been ignited by the scarlet steam, forming spiritual me. The scarlet steam, bolstered by the spiritual sea, grew even hotter. Contact with the steam seemed to sap at one''s very soul.


    Zhang Lie had allowed these two disparate sources of energy tobine, and their merger was so intense that the distinction between the real and illusory began to blur.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The waves roared through the sea like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    From afar, the waves looked like a coven of ming phoenixes spreading their wings and taking flight; from close up, they looked like ming dragons.


    These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie''s immense spiritual and gic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.


    The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned gic energy was in Zhang Lie''s current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin des.


    The two desbined spiritual and gic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged forward.


    "Break!"


    The eighth Immortal King was forced back in a spray of silver feathers. His Divine Embrace broke, and silver shards filled the air.


    Despite the fact that his Divine Embrace was unique,it was far weaker than Zhang Lie''s [des, Extinguish].


    After being assaulted in reality and illusion, in both a physical and spiritual sense, the eighth Immortal King''s soul deteriorated even more rapidly. Zhang Lie''s sword sh cut away arge chunk of the eighth Immortal King''s soul. This technique should have been sufficient to end the fight, but the eighth Immortal King''s Divine Embrace restored his soul and physical body as it finally shattered.


    The eighth Immortal King''s physical body was healed, but his spiritual injuries were so severe that the infusion of energy could only stop it from copsing further.


    Behind the eighth Immortal King appeared an outline of the Hall of Immortals. An ancient aura saturated the arena. The doors to the hall were thrown open as seven indistinct figures emerged.


    Upon seeing the familiar technique, Li Feng sucked in a deep breath. "It''s that hical technique again!"


    A one-on-one battle suddenly turned into a many-on-one fight, and all the opponents were about as strong as each other. There was no technique more despicable in battle.


    Seven indistinct figures struck simultaneously alongside the eighth Immortal King. Some used swords, other sabers, yet other spears. All had made names for themselves in the annals of history, reaching the pinnacle of mastery in their various weapons.


    The skies were resplendent with light and energy, shattering as a raging sea emerged. Wind howled, and mist filled the ancient hall.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªThird Form: Separating Earth and Sky]!"


    The runes of the [Keys of the Elder Gods] appeared once more. They manifested outside Zhang Lie''s body and glowed with light.


    Strands of ck hair floated around Zhang Lie. His eyes were like lightning, as though he were a martial god who had descended from the heavens.


    With a sudden shout, as runes red all over his body, his bones creaked, and his flesh trembled, his essence transformed into a dragon that soared into the air.


    The radiance around him intensified.


    At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to go silent. the world stopped revolving on its axis, and everything was still. He felt as though he had returned to a primordial era far into the past, to the creation of the universe itself.


    As his mind resonated with the realm, Zhang Lie felt as though he was witnessing the creation of the virtual realm itself.


    Dawn light shone all around him. His heart and soul seemed to unite with the world all around him, as though he were part of the genesis of the universe.


    "Open!"


    Zhang Lie murmured softly, but the sound of his voice carried.


    A divine chime rang out as Zhang Lie emitted radiant light and cut apart the horizon. The skies split; the ck- and white-colored energy that went into the sh erupted like a volcano. White energy drifted toward the skies, and ck energy caused the sea to quake.

 Chapter 1562: The End of the Fight

    <h4>Chapter 1562: The End of the Fight</h4>


    The sky turned dull; the sword strike was one of primordial genesis, of void and chaos.


    Everything transformed into chaos.


    This blow went beyond what could be described as strength. It bypassed structure and power, instead dealing with the fundamental forces of the world, of atavistic regression and subsequent evolution.


    Thebined Immortal Kings'' attacks, all of which had dominated their various eras, were snuffed out like candle mes.


    This was a disaster, an apocalypse, an attack from which no one would be able to escape.


    The eighth Immortal King knew that, even if all eight prior Immortal Kingsbined their strength, they wouldn''t be able to defend against this blow.


    "[Descent of the Immortal Kings]!"


    The form of the eighth Immortal King ovepped with those of the previous seven as all the energybined into one cohesive whole.


    Time and space distorted. Eight different techniques in eight different styles were unleashed in an instant of resplendent light.


    Thebined strength of the eight Immortal Kings caused the eighth Immortal King''s spiritual avatar to decay at an even more rapid clip.


    The eight techniques ovepped in a shocking attack that disrupted space and time. Light and darkness inverted, and the ancient hall began to crack.


    The ancient hall, that had remained intact after all this time, despite the fighting that had already urred within it to date, showed signs of copsing just from the exchange of these two attacks.


    The eight Immortal Kings'' powerbined into one blow stronger than even Zhang Lie''s own, blocking the attack with brute strength. The eight Immortal Kingsughed simultaneously. "Haha, I''m the one who will have thestugh!"


    However, upon seeing that Zhang Lie was standing right where the eighth Immortal King had originally fallen on the ground, he suddenly had an uneasy premonition.


    "[Eight Steps of the Immortal King]!"


    He immediately used his strongest technique avable.


    The first step caused him to radiate light and strength. Killing intent surged from his body.


    The second step caused lightning to descend in bolts the shape of dragons. A white tiger roared and charged forward. The manifestations of the second step alone flung the members of Team Zenith from their feet.


    Each step caused more and more unusual phenomena to ur.


    The eighth Immortal King grew stronger than ever before. Who knew how strong he would be after taking all eight steps, and what heavenly manifestations would be unleashed then?


    With his third step¡ª


    Before the eighth Immortal King could take his third step, Zhang Lie swung his sword down in a reverse grip in the face of tribtory lightning that filled the sky.


    "[Ninesoul Dragonde¡ªFourth Form: Warping Space and Time]!"


    Temporal force surrounded Zhang Lie. He was standing right where the eighth Immortal King had fallen, his eyes calm, Guicang slowly descending. The image of the eighth Immortal King of the past appeared in sight,


    the man whom Zhang Lie had beaten until he was vomiting blood, who had been suppressed, who had been forced toward a dead end.


    Two different eighth Immortal Kings had appeared in the same time and space.


    Before Zhang Lie was the vast river of time. He stood at one end, observing the entire flow of the river, searching for that one spot of interest¡ªand then he thrust.


    Temporal force whirled around Zhang Lie. Time itself was disrupted and distorted. As Zhang Lie shed with his longsword, the river of time flowed backward. His surroundings seemed to tear apart like a curtain.


    All things reverted in time. The shattered fragments of the ancient hall reformed and the eighth Immortal King''s manifestations vanished. The eighth Immortal King himself walked backwards, unable to control his own actions in the face of spacetime.


    The eight different Immortal Kings of time past vanished, retreating into the pce of copper, whose doors mmed shut as it disappeared from sight.


    Zhang Lie''s sword thrust into the eighth Immortal King''s forehead in a fountain of blood. His eyes dimmed; everyone stilled upon seeing the eighth Immortal King struck dead in a shower of blood.


    The eighth Immortal King''s lips trembled. "The power to reverse time...?"


    By the time he returned to his senses, he had be the Immortal King of before, lying on the ground.


    Zhang Lie''s sword had disrupted the natural flow of spacetime and struck at the eighth Immortal King of the past, dragging the past him into the present time¡ªor perhaps Zhang Lie''s present sword had hurt the eighth Immortal King of the past, deepening his wounds and forcing a ripple of correction all throughout the river of time.


    Another alternative was that Zhang Lie''s sword had changed the entire trajectory of spacetime, wiping away the eighth Immortal King who had unleashed ast hurrah from the world and restitching time together the way he wanted it to.


    Temporal force was difficult to interact with and even more difficult toprehend. Zhang Lie''s technique shocked all the onlookers.


    He had truly triumphed over the eighth Immortal King, an incredible aplishment. Anyone in the fifth realm who learned of it would have spread the news far and wide.


    Zhang Lie would have made a name for himself with just this single fight, unleashing the start of his legend in the fifth realm.


    Everything within the ancient hall reversed in time. Zhang Lie''s sword had wiped clean all that the eighth Immortal King had done since his death; the only thing that remained unchanged was his ailing soul.


    Zhang Lie hadn''t done this intentionally; rather, the eighth Immortal King''s soul had deteriorated to such an extent that temporal force couldn''t affect it any longer.


    In other words, he was done for.


    Temporal force could affect reality, but not the soul.


    Perhaps Zhang Lie had been targeting this from the beginning, but regardless of whether it was intentional or not, the eighth Immortal King was done for.


    Only the very dregs of his soul remained, held together by stubbornness and incredible willpower.


    "I''ll return to the peak of my glory. No one will be able to stop me!" The eighth Immortal King''s hands formed seals of incredible strength, radiating with light, as he attempted to salvage this impossible situation.


    Zhang Lie swung Hanguang, cutting the eighth Immortal King''s hands from his body.


    "It''s time to end it."


    Zhang Lie raised Guicang high in the air.


    The eighth Immortal King''s soul dimmed as it dissipated. Will alone wasn''t sufficient to keep his body alive. "Damn the Zhang n. Your father was this way, as was your mother, and now even you. Your whole family ought to die! If not for my fight against your parents, I would never have fallen to such a state. I would still be strong, and you wouldn''t have had the opportunity to kill me!"


    "[Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars]!"


    Scarlet water-attuned gic energy rose into the sky like a gigantic dragon of blood soaring toward the heavens. A frightening burst of gic energy emanated from Zhang Lie as the ancient hall quaked. It felt as though a hurricane were battering it down.


    The eighth Immortal King''s body transformed into mental particles. His body had been so heavily injured that he could no longer fight.


    Physical injuries meant little to a cultivator of the eighth Immortal King''s strength. What really affected him were injuries of the soul.


    The eighth Immortal King had already been in dire straits, and long fights were particrly disadvantageous for him.

 Chapter 1563: The Final Mystery

    <h4>Chapter 1563: The Final Mystery</h4>


    Against Zhang Lie, the eighth Immortal King had been forced to unleash his ultimate strength, pushing his body and soul to their limits.


    Even if Zhang Lie hadn''t continued to attack him, the eighth Immortal King wouldn''t have been able to counterattack, but Zhang Lie still unleashed his [Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars] to take down the eighth Immortal King.


    This was a measure of respect to the strong, and more importantly, a necessity to prevent any idents.


    After all, no one knew what other safeguards the eighth Immortal King possessed.


    The eighth Immortal King gave him a deathly re. "You better hope I don''t recover and meet you in the universe."


    Zhang Lie scoffed. "With your current strength, you won''t be a match for me in the future."


    "Oh? Are you that certain?"


    The eighth Immortal King opened his mouth. A wisp of his soul emerged and transformed into a sharp de, one that could pierce through Zhang Lie''s head.


    This was the eighth Immortal King''s final trump card, in which he transformed his own soul into a de to pierce his opponents'' body.


    He had used this very same technique against Zhang Yi when he had been badly injured in their fight, allowing him to take over Zhang Yi''s body.


    Shockingly, after all this time, the eighth Immortal King was about to be forced to use the technique again¡ªand on Zhang Yi''s son, no less.


    "I used this technique to steal your father''s body. I''ll use it now to kill you."


    Even though his soul was so tattered it prevented him from trying to steal Zhang Lie''s body, he could still give Zhang Lie a severe spiritual wound.


    The soulde shone with light. Zhang Lie nched, caughtpletely off-guard.


    However, he couldn''t cancel his strike halfway. Silver runes shed and were right about to erupt when they suddenly fizzed. The eighth Immortal King''s motions suddenly grew stiff and abortive.


    His soul dimmed as a formless hand forcibly dragged it back into his body. The eighth Immortal King vomited out blood. "How dare you disrupt me at this critical moment!"


    Zhang Lie activated his dragon''s pupil soulshard. After the eighth Immortal King''s own soul had dissipated, the remnant caged soul was naturally freed.


    That soul fragment was eating at the eighth Immortal King''s soul, destroying his will and corroding his emotions.


    The eighth Immortal King suddenly smiled benevolently. A different voice could be heard from his body. "Lie''er, you''ve grown up."


    Zhang Lie stopped short.


    The eighth Immortal King''s body began to dissipate into mental particles. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I have lots that I want to tell you."


    Clearly, the eighth Immortal King''s dissipating soul was unable to suppress the remnant soul fragments in his body any longer.


    Zhang Lie''s hands shook. His fighting spirit crumbled.


    "But neither of us have any time."


    The eighth Immortal King turned and looked outside the ancient hall, where the heavenly cordon was slowly but surely gaining ground.


    The fighting between Zhang Lie and the eighth Immortal King had almost obliterated the ancient hall¡ªno, they had obliterated it, but Zhang Lie''s reversal of time forcibly restored it. Even so, the ancient hall was battered, and the heavenly cordon would destroy the hall within ten minutes at most.


    The eighth Immortal King''s eyes suddenly grew vicious. His voice was edged with rage and malice. "Zhang Yi, you bastard! I''ll kill your son and destroy your soul fragment!"


    The eighth Immortal King''s gaze then transformed once again into benevolence. He said resolutely, "We''re out of time. His resistance is unexpectedly stubborn. Strike now with your strongest technique. Deeply wound his mental projection and soul!"


    The eighth Immortal King snatched back his body again. "Haha, Zhang Yi''s son, will you really make a move against your father?"


    The eighth Immortal King roared, "Do it, now!"


    Zhang Lie made his move. He couldn''t hold back his [Fifth Form: Obliterating the Stars] any longer, and he didn''t know what other trump cards the eighth Immortal King might have.


    He hadn''t been able to save what seemed like his father''s soul fragment; at the very least, he would end the eighth Immortal King himself.


    The eighth Immortal King shrieked, "Zhang Yi''s son, are you going to kill your father with your own hands?"


    The sword technique resonated with the realm around him. A dragon roared as a frightening surge of gic energy rippled like waves, blowing the entire ancient hall down.


    "You unfilial son!" the eighth Immortal King roared.


    The walls shattered in an instant. That one blow was sufficient to extinguish the stars.


    Moments before his demise, lit by the sharp re of his sword, the eighth Immortal King smiled blissfully. "Farewell, my son. I hope you like the presents I''ve left behind. Beware of Hong Tian¡ª"


    The eighth Immortal King perished in a shower of light, leaving the astonished Zhang Lie behind.


    Hong Tianqi? He hadn''t misheard, had he? Why would his father warn him against Hong Tianqi?


    Wasn''t Hong Tianqi the guardian of China? He and Zhang Lie had cooperated with each other. What could this soul fragment have meant by that cryptic statement?


    Zhang Lie had no time to ponder this revtion in more detail.


    With the ancient hall shattered, the heavenly cordon advanced once more.


    Only the members of Team Zenith were left within the ancient hall.


    Sun Xiaowu smiled victoriously. "It looks like we''ve won."


    "What do we do with this?"


    Zhang Lie came to his senses and turned toward the pir of light that was zing like the sun and glowing with light.


    Yang Ze shrugged. "What else? It''s yours, Captain!"


    Li Feng licked his lips. "This must be an incredible treasure. The eighth Immortal King was a cultivator who dominated the fifth realm in times past. He paid a heavy price toe back, hired the Srvine n head to guard him at great cost, and even gathered the geniuses of the younger generation of the fifth-realm cultivators to take down theirpetitors. All this was for what would be born within this pir of light."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "ording to the eighth Immortal King, what lies within this pir is the greatest treasure in the world, thergest mystery of this realm."


    Sun Xiaowu had been inducted into the enemy forces and knew plenty of information that the other members of Team Zenith didn''t.


    Zhang Lie proposed, "Why don''t we consume it together?"


    Sun Xiaowu rolled his eyes. "It''s not like shampoo or anything. How can you share it around? It''s something that only a single cultivator can partake in. That''s what that fellow said."


    Sun Xiaowu''s ''that fellow'' naturally referred to the eighth Immortal King, who had made such a im himself.


    Sun Mengmeng shrugged. "You were able to defeat the eighth Immortal King alone, Captain, so this reward ought to belong to you."


    Zhou Ying nodded. "Without you, Captain, we might not even have made it this far."


    "At any rate, we''ve obtained enough benefits ourselves. Captain, it''s all yours," Sun Xiaowu said.


    Yang Ze jumped in. "No, no! I haven''t obtained enough benefits yet. Don''t lump me in with you. Once we return to the Milky Way, Captain, you''d better treat us all to a feast!"


    Zhang Lieughed. "Very well. I''ll stuff you until you can''t eat anymore."


    Without any further hesitation, Zhang Lie climbed up the tform, onto the shuddering altar, and into the pir of light.


    The pir of light was chained to the naturalw that controlled this realm. An immense quantity of energy was being infused into the pir, causing the light to grow brighter and even more intense.

 Chapter 1564: Whos the Fool

    <h4>Chapter 1564: Who''s the Fool</h4>


    A batteredboratoryy in the heart of an isted zone of space.


    Thisboratory had a horrible reputation; it was once where cruel human research had been conducted before it came to light and was destroyed by forces across the universe.


    The fact that it had somehow survived shocked all those forces.


    This had happened over a hundred years ago, and theboratory had been defunct for many years. Moss had grown all over it, but what no one knew was that, deep underground, theboratory was still functional.


    An ultramodern underground chamber had been preserved, and its owner was none other than the eighth Immortal King.


    This was a secret base he had set up long ago, where he continued to perform hical experiments.


    A rumbling noise filled the underground chamber as the eighth Immortal King walked out of the apparatus in poor condition.


    His heart and mind were in chaos, and his mental fluctuations had reached a crescendo. His gaze brightened and dimmed sporadically. He gritted his teeth, sweating all over, muscles clenched. He clutched his head and smashed it into the wall repeatedly.


    The eighth Immortal King bellowed, "Zhang Yi, you bastard! Get out of my head!"


    Another voice spoke up from the eighth Immortal King''s mouth in an insouciant fashion. "Oh, little Eight, have you forgotten that this body ultimately belongs to me?"


    The eighth Immortal King repeated, "Get out of my head!"


    Anyone witnessing the scene would think the eighth Immortal King crazy, that he had multiple personality disorder.


    The eighth Immortal King pretended to cry. "Oh, how hurtful! Eight, I didn''t know you would be so heartless. You''ve taken my body for yourself and now want me to scram! You heartless scumbag, isn''t my body good enough for you?"


    The eighth Immortal King clutched his head as he mmed it against the wall again.


    The eighth Immortal King sobbed. "You used to call me Sweetie and Baby. Have you already grown tired of my body?"


    The eighth Immortal King clutched his head and groaned. "You vile thief. You''re taking advantage of your son wounding my mind and soul to attempt to reim your body for yourself. Dream on!"


    Despite his bravado, the eighth Immortal King was on the losing end of things. Zhang Lie''s final few attacks all bore frightening intent that wounded both his body and his soul.


    Despite the fact that whaty in that virtual realm was only a mental projection, the eighth Immortal King had been wounded beyond what he had ever suffered.


    An ordinary person would be able to heal from such a spiritual injury within a few years, but the eighth Immortal King''s situation was fragile to begin with. Zhang Lie''s battery of attacks almost caused his soul to dissipate entirely in the physical world.


    Zhang Yi, who had been suppressed by the eighth Immortal King''s soul, was now taking advantage of these circumstances to attempt to seize control. The eighth Immortal King was so badly wounded that just blocking his attacks was challenging.


    "Where in the world did thatde from?!"


    Before meeting Zhang Lie, if someone had warned the eighth Immortal King that this would be a challenging venture, he would definitely have given them a p.


    He was the eighth Immortal King, once legend and phenom of the universe! Who in the fifth realm was unaware of his identity? How could he lose to a member of the younger generation?


    If he hadn''t encountered someone as ridiculous as Zhang Lie, he would never have suffered defeat.


    To the eighth Immortal King, the Rising Stars Cup should have been a piece of a cake, a vacation and nothing more.


    He would enter the tournament, then the finals, then make his preparations and reap the spoils. It was that simple.


    However, the eighth Immortal King found that he had miscalcted¡ªand that the source of his miscalctions was that damn Zhang Yi''s son.


    "Where did that cultivatore from?!"


    His spiritual injuries were simply too severe. The condition of his soul had been poor to begin with, and he was now so weak that even Zhang Yi''s soul might be able to trump his. He couldn''t help but curse again.


    How could the situation have ended up like this?!


    Zhang Lie''s existence was simply ridiculous. It was as though fate itself were conspiring against him.


    Zhang Lie''s skill with the sword transcended his age. It didn''t seem like something any cultivator could refine within even a hundred years. Inparison to Zhang Lie, the ninth Immortal King might as well be trash.


    The eighth Immortal King grinned in conceit. "Well? My son''s great, isn''t he?"


    The eighth Immortal King roared, "One day, I''ll slice up your son''s body, mash up your wife and feed her to the dogs, and burn your whole family to the ground!"


    Zhang Yi shook his head and sighed. "Eight, don''t you think you should consider whether you can enforce that threat in your current state?"


    The eighth Immortal King roared, "I was able to possess your body back then. You won''t be able to get free from me!"


    As the spiritual fight continued, the eighth Immortal King grew more and more surprised.


    He had managed to gain control over Zhang Yi''s body easily, and Zhang Yi barely had any spiritual defenses. His victory was all but assured.


    Even now, despite his spiritual damage, Zhang Yi was only a fragment of a soul. Considering hisck of spiritual ability years before, why was the eighth Immortal King having such a hard time against him now?


    Zhang Yiughed coldly. "Why do you think you were able to seize control of my body back then?"


    The eighth Immortal King replied with a scoff, "You might have defeated me, but you wouldn''t have expected such a trump card."


    Zhang Yiughed. "I thought you would have reflected on your victory after all these years, but it looks like I''ve overestimated your intelligence."


    The eighth Immortal King frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "I can see the future," Zhang Yi replied. "Do you really think I wouldn''t have known about your n?"


    The eighth Immortal King stilled.


    "Of course I knew what you were going to do!"


    The eighth Immortal King was so shocked that he forgot about his spiritual pain for the moment. "Impossible. You mean all this is part of your n?!"


    <i>Have I been the fool all along?</i>


    A spiritual fight was fraught with danger. A moment''s carelessness could cause one''s soul to be lost, forever consumed.


    During the course of the conversation, Zhang Yi had shaken the eighth Immortal King''s mind and soul.


    He took advantage of this opportunity to attack, tearing at the eighth Immortal King.


    Emotions were the strongest weapons in such a fight.


    Zhang Yi had repeatedly manipted the eighth Immortal King''s mental state to gain the upper hand in this fight.


    The eighth Immortal King roared, "Impossible! I stole your body and managed to wrest control over your future vision!"


    Zhang Yiughed. "And what gave you that impression? How do you know I didn''t just deliberately feed you a few images I saw?"


    That was a critical blow for the eighth Immortal King, who immediately lost any chance of retaliation.

 Chapter 1565: The Immortal Kings End

    <h4>Chapter 1565: The Immortal King''s End</h4>


    The eighth Immortal King roared in disbelief. His soul struggled futilely for a final time. "Impossible! You mean you''ve been acting all these years? You''ve been faking pain when I tortured your soul?!"


    Zhang Yi scoffed. "Well? How are my acting skills? I''m sure I can get a universal Oscar."


    Not only did he give up his body, he even bore with a few years'' worth of spiritual torture. Who would do such a thing?


    Zhang Yi continued joking around. "It''s a pity that there are no Oscars in the universe. You''ve lost out on a superstar actor."


    The eighth Immortal King thought himself a resolute man, willing to risk both himself and others for his own goals, but it turned out that there was someone in his body willing to risk even more.


    Though Zhang Yi seemed cavalier, those years of spiritual torture had surely taken a toll.


    The eighth Immortal King frequently used Zhang Yi''s soul in experiments, and he was particrly cruel with him.


    Even so, Zhang Yi had borne it all.


    The eighth Immortal King couldn''t believe what had happened. "All those futures I predicted were fake?"


    "Not quite, just not as real as you would have expected. I specifically presented you with all those futures. The first few futures were true, but then I began to direct and misdirect them. You thought that you were able to ess the future by wringing my soul, but I gave you those visions intentionally. You never grasped my power on your own."


    The eighth Immortal King was bbergasted. "So you''ve been guiding me all along?!"


    He thought that he had won everything, that he had been supremely intelligent, but he was nothing more than a fool dancing on Zhang Yi''s palm!


    Zhang Yi, nothing more than a soul fragment, had nned his downfall from the beginning.


    "Were you the one who made me into this sorry state?"


    Zhang Yi shook his head. "Hardly. I only showed you a possible future. You were the one who made those decisions for yourself."


    Of course, Zhang Yi omitted a part of that truth.


    The future was branched like a tree, and the visions that Zhang Yi had shown the eighth Immortal King were deliberately selective.


    For instance, there was about an 80% chance that the eighth Immortal King would initially have fought Zhang Lie, and a 20% chance that he would manage to bring Zhang Lie to his side.


    Zhang Yi showed the eighth Immortal King a vision of the worst possible defeat he could suffer against Zhang Lie.


    It was indeed a possible future, but Zhang Yi was intimately familiar with the eighth Immortal King from years spent together.


    He knew that showing the eighth Immortal King such a sight would surely prompt him into action.


    He was a prideful man, and he would never choose to avoid such a fate by evasion. He would face it head-on after making preparations in advance.


    It was far too easy for Zhang Yi to manipte the eighth Immortal King.


    "I stole your body, then tore away only a portion of your wife''s soul, and finally encountered your son while carrying out my n¡ªdid you n all that for this day?!"


    The eighth Immortal King''s shattered soul was gradually being absorbed as Zhang Yi''s soul fragment grew stronger and stronger. The defeat of the eighth Immortal King was set in stone.


    Zhang Yi replied, "After all, I haven''t seen my son for years, and I''ve been missing for all that time. I had to prepare a gift for him¡ªI hope he likes it."


    "You nned all this for years on end?!"


    The eighth Immortal King raged and seethed. He was filled with fear.


    Years ago, he thought he had been the one scheming against Zhang Yi. It was only now that he found out that the opposite had been true all along.


    He thought that his n was a sess; in truth, Zhang Yi had allowed his n to seed.


    He thought he had seized Zhang Yi''s body; in truth, it was only the first step in Zhang Yi''s n.


    He had fallen into Zhang Yi''s clutches years ago, and what he thought was a perfect, ingenious n had actually been carefully calcted by Zhang Yi himself.


    This was frightening. He hadn''t realized the extent of the maniption until just moments before. If he still had a body, he would have been wracked with chills, with a cold sweat.


    If not for the fact that Zhang Yi needed to terrorize him and shake him up to take over his soul, he might never have found out.


    Zhang Yi said, "I''ve been very interested in the treasures and records of the Hall of Immortals. You refused to hand them over, so I had to resort to my tricks."


    Just as the eighth Immortal King had eyed Zhang Yi''s ability to foretell the future, Zhang Yi eyed the eighth Immortal King''s identity and ess to records gathered for eons.


    "I have a daughter at home who''s contracted a strange illness. I''m certain that the Hall of Immortals has a solution¡ªor stores of medicinal herbs, at the very least."


    The eighth Immortal King gaped.


    Zhang Yi was a madman. If the eighth Immortal King had suddenly had the desire to eradicate Zhang Yi''s soul fragment within the past few years, Zhang Yi would never have been able to reim his body.


    Or perhaps Zhang Yi would have been unable to bear the cruelty and torture inflicted upon him and revealed something by ident¡ªthat too would have ruined the n immediately. Zhang Yi had to walk a tightrope for years, and the craziest thing was that he had seeded.


    The eighth Immortal King quickly understood what Zhang Yi had relied on¡ª his ability to see the future and judge the viability of the n he had concocted.


    The eighth Immortal King raged, "Just where did you father and sone from?!"


    Zhang Yi''s son was ridiculously strong; Zhang Yi himself was skilled at scheming and plotting.


    Zhang Yi hadn''t been lucky enough to obtain this talent. Rather, it was more like a bonus, a particrly useful tool for him. His true geniusy in his ability to concoct ns.


    The eighth Immortal King, who had once been shown a portion of his power, knew that foretelling the future wasn''t a definite art. The future that Zhang Yi had seen required the n that he had concocted beforehand.


    He took advantage of his ability to foretell the future to judge whether the n was viable.


    What was truly frightening about Zhang Yi wasn''t him or his ability to predict the future individually, but theirbination. That was what allowed his ns to be wless.


    After a series of psychological attacks, Zhang Yi managed to devour the eighth Immortal King''s soul until only scraps of it remained.


    Before the eighth Immortal King died, Zhang Yi taunted him onest time. "To be frank, it was ridiculously easy to scheme against someone as arrogant and foolish as you. The n was somewhat difficult to carry out, of course, but the nning itself was far too boring."


    The eighth Immortal King howled like a dog pushed to its limits. "I''m going to kill you! I''ll kill your son, your wife, your whole family, your hometown¡ª"


    "Farewell, Eight!"


    The final dregs of the eighth Immortal King''s soul were absorbed by Zhang Yi.


    Thus did the life of a former legend of the universee to an end.

 Chapter 1566: The Greatest Treasure

    <h4>Chapter 1566: The Greatest Treasure</h4>


    The new eighth Immortal King was born that very day.


    He opened his eyes, clear and limpid, with the ability to see the futures of all things. Silver runes shone in his eyes. He released a long breath and stretched. "I dealt with the eighth Immortal King far too easily. Now, this might be my own body, but I''m a little unused to it after being gone for so long."


    Not only had Zhang Yi reimed his body, he had even devoured the eighth Immortal King''s soul and obtained his knowledge and memories.


    In some sense, he was both Zhang Yi and the eighth Immortal King. Their souls had assimted with each other, but Zhang Yi was the primary consciousness.


    Despite the fact that he had consumed the eighth Immortal King''s soul, his own soul was still in tatters. Fortunately, the eighth Immortal King''s hideout hadrge quantities of medicine to heal mental and spiritual damage. With sufficient time, his soul would be restored in full.


    Zhang Yi smiled. "I wonder how myd is doing? I hope he likes the present I specially prepared for him."


    Zhang Yiy on the floor and sighed at the ceiling. "I''m looking forward to our next encounter."


    Zhang Lie stepped into the pir of light. Silver chains of naturalw crumbled as Zhang Lie felt an incredible burst of sensation.


    Fresh blood sprayed on the ground. Killing intent surged up.


    The memory of all those fights didn''t dissipate. They remained in this virtual realm, seeping into the earth.


    Countless techniques, energy, and fighting spirit were left behind, leaving indelible marks in the realm that would eventually be the cornerstone of its existence.


    The blood that spilled, the mental fragments¡ªthose melded with the ground. The fighting intent andbat techniques became interconnected links.


    After Zhang Lie stepped into the pir of light, he was able to sense thend''s memories and history.


    He frowned. Something was amiss. The eighth Immortal King wouldn''t have hatched such aplicated n if the sole reward was the history of this world.


    Perhaps to many a cultivator, the battle imprints and fighting spirit left behind by generations of the strongest fifth-realm cultivators would be a tremendous treasure, but surely not to the eighth Immortal King.


    Although Zhang Lie had only encountered and fought him once, it was clear from his tone and techniques that he was a prideful, arrogant man.


    During the battle, the eighth Immortal King had once said that he wanted to take advantage of the intuition present in the light to recover to his peak, to surpass it and reim his former glory.


    The memories of thend were far too insufficient for such a great feat.


    Zhang Lie immersed himself in the light, his consciousness descending into the ocean of light. Techniques and insight floated around him, all of which thend had recorded. The mental fragments passed him by, but Zhang Lie didn''t make any attempt to interact with them.


    The realm itself began to copse, little by little.


    Zhang Lie''s consciousness sank deeper into the realm, deeper and deeper yet, until he finally found whaty at the very bottom, an intuition of the arcane and the abstruse, which had manifested in the form of spiritual herbs and great treasures on the surface of the realm, which countless cultivators would war over.


    The depths of the ocean of light were filled with mysterious glows, like a strange underwater forest of coral.


    The depths of this realm wasposed of relics of incredible power donated by the true titans of the fifth realm as reward for budding cultivators. In this mysterious realm, all manner of deep insight and intuition would transform into spiritual herbs. Upon being eaten, those herbs would manifest that intuition and insight in full.


    Now, Zhang Lie had his pick of whatever insight he wanted.


    As Sun Xiaowu had promised, this was an incredible treasure, the likes of which he had never before seen.


    It might as well be a library in which every book was a treasured tome, a priceless possession.


    All this intuition would certainly allow the eighth Immortal King to return to his peak and even to transcend it.


    However, Zhang Lie felt that there was yet more to the story. The eighth Immortal King had been in terrible condition, and even the culmination of this insight might not have restored his body.


    Even so, despite the possible destruction of his soul, the eighth Immortal King fought to thest. The intuition and insight before him was vast in scope and scale, but there was no guarantee it could heal his soul. What elsey within?


    Zhang Lie looked down. He hadn''t yet reached the seabed of the ocean of light. He decided to dive deeper down.


    The realm atrge continued to fade. The heavenly cordon drew near. The members of Team Zenith didn''t resist. They allowed the heavenly cordon to obliterate them as they vanished from the realm in a sea of mental particles.


    The realm itself was copsing; Zhang Lie didn''t have much time left.


    His consciousness continued to sink and sink. After an interminable amount of time, he finally reached the bottom of the sea.


    It was empty and devoid of anything.


    Zhang Lie cocked his head. "Could I have been wrong?"


    There was no hidden treasure; thend was empty.


    There wasn''t even a rock to be seen. It was vast and spacious because there was nothing in sight.


    Had the eighth Immortal King fought this hard for nothing more than those treasured insights?


    Suddenly, as though having thought of something, Zhang Lie leaned down and touched the floor. He couldn''t help but smile.


    "As expected!"


    In the end, he found what he had been looking for. He sat down cross-legged, his mind interfacing with the whole seafloor around him. The floor lit up with light and runes as the sea of light frothed.


    This vast, featurelessnd was the manifestation of the realm atrge.


    The ability to convert high-level insight into spiritual treasure was the greatest insight of all, and what the eighth Immortal King had been looking for all along. This ability meant that he would be able to repair his soul no matter how shattered it was.


    Zhang Lie attempted to gain the insight of the eighth Immortal King''s dreams.


    Fog gathered around him. Rosy light filtered down to where he was. Vitality surged forth.


    His bones began to glow with light.


    Despite being a mental construct, his ''physical body'' seemed to hurt as it underwent a high-level transformation. Naturalw entered his body.


    His body sizzled and cracked as it was forged in intuition and insight.

 Chapter 1567: Life Ascension

    <h4>Chapter 1567: Life Ascension</h4>


    The entire stretch of seabed and ocean continued to glow, transmitting an endless torrent of information directly into Zhang Lie''s soul.


    In this virtual realm thaty between reality and illusion, Zhang Lie obtained insight and intuition almost beyond his imagination. He gained a deeper understanding of reality and illusion, of body and spirit, as though he had a vision of what it meant to be at the peak of all these fields.


    His soul continued to advance by leaps and bounds, spurred forth by the dual lives he had led. It began to evolve on a physical level, and he gained a deeper understanding of his spiritual techniques, as well as his mastery over the environment for the seventh form of his [Ninecarp Transformation]. All his attributes had advanced by a notable degree.


    Above his head, the manifold insight and intuition he had amassed transformed into a dense forest that glowed with light. Beyond the forest was a starry sky in five colors. Stars shone and meteors fell in a dazzling rain of colors. Starlight gathered and condensed on Zhang Lie''s body as the entire ocean of light turned resplendent.


    Countless bouts of arcane insight and intuition surged into Zhang Lie''s head, left behind by all manner of strong cultivators of the fifth realm.


    Zhang Lie saw transformation after transformation¡ªthe pinnacle of life, dragons and serpents, shattered stars, the advent of lightning.


    Rather than absorb all that intuition, Zhang Lie consolidated only those that resonated particrly strongly with his own techniques. Just the core insight that dealt with the nature of reality and illusion was more than enough for him to handle. Trying to be greedy and absorb more would be a waste of time and dilute his efforts.


    Zhang Lie didn''t have the time to consider these insights carefully. The heavenly cordon neared, and the altar began to copse. Zhang Lie, who had gained a tremendous amount of insight, retreated from the pir of light to face the heavenly cordon.


    His eyes opened wide, revealing pupils that seemed to be portals into a deep abyss, pupils that could see through all manner of naturalw and arcane obfuscation.


    The sun and moon shone; celestial phenomena appeared.


    Zhang Lie didn''t resist the power of the heavenly cordon. The entire world was copsing, and no otherpetitor remained. Even the members of Team Zenith had been transported out. He was the finalpetitor remaining in the Cup, and its ultimate winner.


    His body was obliterated by the heavenly cordon and transformed into a neb of starlight. He possessed such an incredible quantity of mental particles that, when it burst from him, it formed something beyond even an ocean¡ªa neb.


    In this virtual realm, the neb was reconstituted into Zhang Lie''s body, one stronger than ever before.


    "Could this be the prize chamber that only the top tenpetitors have ess to?"


    His body seemed to be immersed in some sort of divine fluid, and was iparablyfortable.


    His mind, battered and bruised after bouts of fighting, was able to rx and be nourished.


    His mental avatar, forged from the mental particles he had obtained after killing countless genius cultivators, was far stronger than the original one he had possessed.


    When this avatar returned to his physical body, Zhang Lie was certain that he would grow considerably stronger than before.


    However, Zhang Lie was still underestimating the reward of the stars. Gic expansion went far beyond what he had sensed for the moment.


    Fog gathered around him. Rosy light filtered down to where he was. Vitality surged forth.


    His nebr avatar glimmered with light and shone with the mark that had appeared when he entered the finals of the tournament.


    The mark extended throughout his body and shone resplendently. In this virtual realm, as a mysterious energy filled his body, it began to evolve.


    The metamorphosis wasn''t yet over.


    His bones were crushed to powder. He bore with the intense pain as the divine fluid washed over his body. The rumbling of thunder could be heard within his body as golden light bathed his limbs and bones, shrouding him in radiance.


    The divine fluid released concentrated essence that imbued itself within Zhang Lie''s body.


    His bones cracked. He shuddered in overwhelming pain as naturalw seeped into his very bones.


    The bones shattered and reforged.


    Zhang Lie underwent a metamorphosis. Despite his advancement to date, his physical body was still inferior to those that could survive among the very stars themselves.


    The virtual realm was reassembling his body and advancing its status, just like when he was advancing from realm to realm.


    This wasn''t ordinarily a phase of the final distribution of rewards, but Zhang Lie and the others were unable to experience gic expansion directly.


    Their status of life was simply too low; they didn''t meet the minimum requirement to ess the stars themselves. The virtual realm had no choice but to subject them to additional enhancement to even bring them to the required baseline.


    His body sizzled and cracked as his bones were pulverized further.


    Blood seeped out from his skin, carrying trace impurities with it.


    To be frank, the will of the virtual realm had never seen lifeforms so impure.


    The heaven-blessed cultivators that were able to make it to the final stage of the tournament, like the Srvines and Feng Xian''s race, had all but perfected their gic code and bodily structure. The wed humans of the fourth realm, represented by Zhang Lie and the others, had never before entered the hands of the will of the virtual realm.


    To the will, they were better than bugs, but might as well have been crippled and limbless inparison to the peak races.


    Even more astoundingly, these humans had somehow managed to win the tournament, seizing the top seven spots all for themselves.


    Zhang Lie was a little better than the others, all of whom might as well have been stunted children.


    Their bones continued to grind against each other, turning into powder.


    This was a frightening scene to behold. Considering the extent of the destruction, if anything untoward were to happen, their mental avatars could be ruined for good.


    Zhang Lie could only react passively. He gritted his teeth and bore with the pain.


    Even his skull began to fragment, crack, and turn to powder.


    With his bones shattered, the blood seeped even more quickly out of his skin, carrying the impurities of his mental avatar along with him. The blood turned ck; new, fresh, pure blood would be created within his body as it was reforged.


    Golden light bathed him, refining blood, flesh, and bone.


    The light smelted his body, fully obliterating bone in preparation for reconstruction.


    Finally, his body shone with even more intense light, blood-colored as impurities streamed out. What remained of his body was weakened and febrile.


    Almost all his blood had been reced; his body was being prepared for a final reconstruction.


    The divine fluid bathed his body, immting him, reforging him, and finally imbuing him with life.


    The heavens rumbled as Zhang Lie underwent his metamorphosis. The shattered bones in his body were reforming in jeweled splendor.


    Divine radiance seeped out from the depths of space and rained down on the cultivators in a shower of light.


    His bones shone with luster. Golden dragons surrounded them as they emitted a divine hum.

 Chapter 1568: Rising Stars Cup Ranking

    <h4>Chapter 1568: Rising Stars'' Cup Ranking</h4>


    Every bone in Zhang Lie''s body shone with a faint golden aura, like dragons in miniature. They howled, shaking the entire realm.


    Burgeoning vitality emerged from his body, causing bone, blood, and flesh to resonate.


    Incredible vitality nourished his body and caused it to gleam with light.


    Zhang Lie was reforging his truesoul and growing stronger than ever. Histent talent was blossoming.


    The vitality in his body gushed forth, stronger than ever before.


    His bones gleamed with radiant light. The faint golden sheen that they had given off turned red.


    His body glowed with a sheen like that of top-quality jade.


    His long hairy draped over his shoulders, and his eyes were clear and limpid. He looked almost divine in nature and being.


    His blood boiled, rumbling like thunder, a frightening sight to behold.


    His status of life had just risen by one level, but the transformation wasn''t yet over. His genes were still to be expanded.


    His blood and flesh creaked loudly as frightening strength welled up from deep within his body.


    All of his bones were snowy-white, crystalline, and lustrous.


    His flesh and blood gleamed like jade, overflowing with strength.


    After the gic expansion, Zhang Lie''s reforged body returned to the dimensional realm in a stream of light, conferring endless benefits to his physical body.


    His body in the dimensional realm underwent a transformation in kind.


    His bones cracked. He shuddered in overwhelming pain as naturalw seeped into his very bones.


    The bones shattered and reforged, a process that looked as though it would continue for quite some time.


    Within the stars, which the members of Team Zenith believed to be the fifth realm, the end of the Rising Stars'' Cup marked the end of an era and the start of a new one.


    The virtual realm on which the Cup had been hosted copsed, shocking the entire universe.


    The virtual realm had always been exceptionally stable. It had never crashed before.


    By questioning thepetitors that had most recently emerged from the Cup, the spectators learned of a name: the eighth Immortal King, a man who had once conquered the universe before vanishing all of a sudden.


    The genius of Starbright Academy, Feng Xian; the rising star of the Leiting Domain, Leiting Zi; the pride and joy of the Holywings, Sheng Gu... Cultivators famed across the universe confirmed that they had witnessed the eighth Immortal King in the ancient hall that formed the end of the Cup. It was clear that the eighth Immortal King had been preparing for some sort of endgame.


    Many among the universe believed that the destruction of the virtual realm had to do with the eighth Immortal King, who had vanished and reappeared in an astounding fashion.


    Other than the eighth Immortal King, no one could have done so.


    However, the eighth Immortal King himself, the subject of all this discussion, had vanished. Many believed that the Hall of Immortals was responsible.


    The Hall of Immortals was closed. No response or inquiry was answered.


    The fact that the Hall of Immortals was recognized as the most ancient power in the universe meant that it had a reservoir of strength.


    No one could do anything about the Hall of Immortals in the short term.


    While the entire universe attempted to hunt down the eighth Immortal King to understand what had happened, the results from the Cup were announced publicly.


    In first ce, Zhang Lie; in second ce, Sun Xiaowu; in third ce, Zhou Ying; in fourth ce, Yang Ze; in fifth through seventh ces, Sun Mengmeng, Li Feng, and Fang Yi; in eighth ce...


    Zhang Lie''s ranking was indisputable. When the heavenly cordon finally made it into the ancient hall, none of the members of Team Zenith resisted or fought among each other.


    They allowed the heavenly cordon''s might to strike their bodies. Sun Xiaowu had received tremendous benefits during the tournament, and had managed to survive until the very end. Zhou Ying''s strength when it came to vitality and resilience was unparalleled, whereas Yang Ze boasted impressive dimensional ability and was able to hide in a high-dimensional space and survive to take fourth ce.


    Meanwhile, Sun Mengmeng, Li Feng, and Fang Yi had been eliminated near-simultaneously, whereas the eighth ce and beyond were represented by thosepetitors who were thest to make it to the ancient hall.


    In the end, none of theuded geniuses who had chosen to side with the eighth Immortal King had managed to ce among the top ten.


    The whole universe was taken aback. This was an upheaval of the natural order of things, an oue no one would have expected.


    Compared to the potential destruction of the virtual realm by the eighth Immortal King, this was clearly far more impactful.


    Before the results of the Cup were made known, everyone had been wondering whether the genius of Starbright Academy, Feng Xian, would be stronger than the rising star of the Leiting domain, Leiting Zi, or perhaps the pride and joy of the Holywings, Sheng Gu. Some others favored the Immortal King''s substitute, and a small minority believed in the strength of Team Zenith.


    No one, however, expected such a devastating oue.


    The supreme forces of the universe felt as though they had lost much of their reputation.


    The Rising Stars'' Cup had always been a fight among the young generation of talents among the supreme forces. That was why the elders of those forces had been willing to provide their intuition and insight as prizes for the cup, as rewards for the younger generation to strife for.


    To them, the Cup was nothing more than a game yed among the supreme forces.


    Unexpectedly, however, there was a huge upset that year. Not only had the virtual realm copsed, none of the top tenpetitors hade from the supreme forces.


    Many believed that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had taken advantage of some underhanded strategy.


    After all, even the eighth Immortal King had appeared in thepetition. How could he have lost to any of thepetitors?


    Who would believe that?


    The genius of Starbright Academy, Feng Xian; the pride and joy of the Holywings, Sheng Gu; the Immortal King''s substitute... None of them spoke up to confirm or deny the allegations being made.


    The conversation grew even more heated. Everyone wanted to learn about the winners of the Cup.


    However, they seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Who knew where they came from, what race they belonged to, and where they were now?


    Theck of information about these purported winners was shocking.


    Many imed that Zhang Lie and the others had cheated like the Splitsilver race, perhaps with methods that were even more advanced.


    The Splitsilver race had even issued a bounty for the location of Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith, iming that they would purchase whatever cheats that they had used at an exorbitant rate, but they received no response. After all, Zhang Lie and the others were unable to see what sort of fuss they had caused.


    Many criticized Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith until Leiting Zi of the Leiting Domain finally stepped forward and put an end to the rumors. He vouched for Team Zenith''s strength, iming that they had managed to make their way into the ancient hall with their own abilities and had even managed to take down theuded geniuses that stood with the eighth Immortal King. Whether they took down the eighth Immortal King in the end, however, he didn''t know.


    He also described his own experience taking down Leiting Ya with the help of Fang Yi.


    Leiting Zi''s testimony caused a huge stir.

 Chapter 1569: Demigod

    <h4>Chapter 1569: Demigod</h4>


    Leiting Zi''s testimony caused a huge stir.


    Many of the cultivators who had been criticizing Zhang Lie quickly changed their tune. They began to praise and revere him thereafter.


    "It''s incredible. Can you believe it? Someone unknown managed to take down the rising stars of all the supreme forces! My blood''s boiling just thinking about it."


    "It''s a grassroots invasion. What will the supreme forces do?"


    "Just who managed to aplish such a feat?"


    To those cultivators in the universe who didn''t belong to a supreme force, Zhang Lie and the others became revered as heroes.


    Everyone was searching for the members of Team Zenith, but the universe was simply toorge. There were far too many races that bore a resemnce to humans, and there was too much data for anyone to discern truth from falsehood. No matter the rumors, however, there was no indication of Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith belonging to any one race. They seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.


    In the end, no one ever figured anything out.


    A number of cultivators had gathered somewhere in the universe to discuss Team Zenith. One appeared to beposed of lightning, and another zed with divine srme. All who appeared at this meeting were invested with authority from the supreme forces. None came physically; these were all mental projections.


    It was almost like an online chatroom, but everyone involved could easily destroy a constetion or another while they chatted.


    "It''s not a big deal that the virtual realm was destroyed. It''s only a byproduct of our experimentation, after all, so that''s easily receable."


    "The problem is the intuition that we vested in the realm¡ªit''s authority, insight, and knowledge that umted over centuries. The destruction of the realm led to the loss of all that information, and it''ll be difficult to rece even with all of us gathered here."


    "Let the Hall of Immortals provide what''s necessary. Their eighth Immortal King was the one who caused this mess, and they have to take responsibility. As the most ancient power, they surely have arge stockpile of information."


    "That''s true. If the Hall of Immortals refuses to take responsibility, it would be a bad look."


    "The most important task at present is to find the top sevenpetitors from the Cup. Do they really not belong to any of your forces?"


    "We''ve said it countless times, haven''t we? We don''t know anything about them."


    "At any rate, the priority is to find them quickly. Such geniuses couldn''t have appeared out of nowhere. There must be traces of their existence. Fold them into our forces if we can¡ªand if not, annihte whatever force was able to cultivate such geniuses."


    The supreme forces had never gone without representation among the top tenpetitors in any Cup.


    To them, this was a gross insult. If they couldn''t im Zhang Lie and the others, they would destroy them all.


    Just then, within the dimensional world, Zhang Lie''s body sizzled and cracked as his bones were pulverized further.


    Blood seeped out from his skin, carrying trace impurities with it.


    Even his skull began to fragment, crack, and turn to powder.


    With his bones shattered, the blood seeped even more quickly out of his skin, carrying the impurities of his mental avatar along with him. The blood turned ck; new, fresh, pure blood would be created within his body as it was reforged.


    Golden light bathed him, refining blood, flesh, and bone.


    The light smelted his body, fully obliterating bone in preparation for reconstruction.


    Finally, his body shone with even more intense light, blood-colored as impurities streamed out. What remained of his body was weakened and febrile.


    Without sufficient energy, this transformation would be prematurely cut short¡ªbut the organizers of the Cup would never make such a low-level mistake.


    The mental projection conveyed a tremendous quantity of energy that would be sufficient for Zhang Lie to draw on as necessary.


    The heavens rumbled as Zhang Lie underwent his metamorphosis. The shattered bones in his body were reforming in jeweled splendor.


    Divine radiance seeped out from the depths of space and rained down on the cultivators in a shower of light.


    This wasn''t a particrly dangerous transformation, not with experience from what he had undergone in the virtual realm. The most important factor was whether he could suffer through it all.


    His bones shone with luster. Golden dragons surrounded them as they emitted a divine hum.


    Every bone in Zhang Lie''s body shone with a faint golden aura, like dragons in miniature. They howled, shaking the entire realm.


    Burgeoning vitality emerged from his body, causing bone, blood, and flesh to resonate.


    Incredible vitality nourished his body and caused it to gleam with light.


    The vitality in his body gushed forth, stronger than ever before.


    His bones gleamed with radiant light. The faint golden sheen that they had given off turned red.


    His body glowed with a sheen like that of top-quality jade.


    His long hairy draped over his shoulders, and his eyes were clear and limpid. He looked almost divine in nature and being.


    His blood boiled, rumbling like thunder, a frightening sight to behold.


    When Zhang Lie''s mental projection returned to his physical body, it immediately triggered an evolution in his status of life. Zhang Lie opened up his stats interface.


    When he saw it anew, he was stunned.


    "This is..."


    Zhang Lie: a demigod


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Seventh Form: Phoenix


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 150; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster), Limitless Universe (monarch)


    The greatest treasure he had obtained from the virtual realm was reaching the peak of the seventh form of his [Ninecarp Transformation].


    But what was his new status of life?


    A demigod?


    An emperor-grade lifeform would be understandable, but a demigod... Had he be a deity?


    Was this a fantasy novel, or a supernatural one? This was meant to be a sci-fi novel!


    He could feel the changes in his body, the great leap forward he had taken with the return of his mental projection. His soul had grown at least twice as strong, and there were mysterious patterns of light circting in it that were impossible to remove.

 Chapter 1570: You Set Us Up

    <h4>Chapter 1570: You Set Us Up</h4>


    Zhang Lie''s physical body had grown multiple times stronger as well. The post-tournament Zhang Lie would have been able to defeat the pre-tournament Zhang Lie in just one punch.


    Zhang Lie unlocked his apparatus. Outside, Bu Wentian had already prepared a feast for them all.


    Bu Wentian stepped forward, his arms outstretched. "Congrattions! You''ve performed the greatest miracle since the inception of the Cup. None of you belonged to a supreme force, but you bagged the top seven spots in it!"


    Zhang Lie drew Guicang and held it against Bu Wentian''s neck.


    "You set us up!"


    Bu Wentian raised his hands in surprise. "Do you mean the fact that I didn''t provide detailed information about the Cup?"


    Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "What else?"


    Bu Wentian shook his head. "I don''t know anything else."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Why didn''t you tell us about the details of the tournament proper? Don''t tell us you don''t know a thing¡ªeven ordinarypetitors knew of the information, whereas we went in knowing nothing!"


    Bu Wentian replied, "I wanted all of you to understand something about the universe."


    "What is it?"


    "That it''s no simple ce. It''s filled withpetition and cruelty, and I wanted all of you to experience it for yourselves. That''s where you''re headed, after all." "If you weren''t aware of its true nature, you would surely suffer in the long run. I never expected that you would be able to win despite missing much of the background information. You''re even more impressive than I dared to imagine, and you created a miracle the likes of which I could never have matched."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "And is that it?"


    Bu Wentian shrugged. "I''ve said my piece. Kill me if you want¡ªI wouldn''t me you. But I''m just an avatar, you see. You wouldn''t be hurting or threatening my main body by killing me."


    "I need sufficientpensation."


    Bu Wentian nodded. "Absolutely."


    Zhang Lie sheathed his sword. "Are you familiar with the eighth Immortal King?"


    Bu Wentian nodded. "The previous Immortal King, isn''t he? Of course I know of him. He''s an impressive figure, and I was shocked to see him in the tournament."


    Zhang Lie was unable to fully trust Bu Wentian, whose background was unknown and who refused to give them any information about where he came from. He chose not to speak of his father.


    "When will the prizes arrive?"


    "The flower of universal life will take a few days to be prepared, and I''ll have to collect it on your behalf. Don''t try to do so yourself. The entire universe is searching for you. If you appear anywhere in the public eye, you''ll cause unnecessary trouble."


    Zhang Lie nodded in response.


    He didn''t have a means of heading toward the fifth realm regardless.


    Bu Wentian retrieved a document. "This is an agreement that allows me to im the prizes on your behalf. Sign it."


    Zhang Lie scanned the document and confirmed that everything was in order before he did so.


    Bu Wentian continued, "As for the soulshard I promised you, I''ll hand it to you along with the flower of universal life."


    "As for mypanions?" Zhang Lie asked.


    Bu Wentian replied, "They left the apparatus before you did, and likewise asked about the details of the tournament that I left out. After I provided them with the same information I gave you, they began to train to digest the benefits they obtained during the tournament."


    With a wave of Bu Wentian''s hand, several screens appeared before them. Zhang Lie could see that everyone was hard at work.


    Fog gathered. The runes glowed brilliantly as the runes crashed into each other with tinkling noises, as though they were notes of some divine music.


    Sun Xiaowu sat cross-legged as the runes hovered around him, smashing his bones. He bore with the intense pain as the runes granted him their golden light. The rumbling of thunder could be heard within his body as golden light bathed his limbs and bones, shrouding him in radiance.


    The golden light was like a scorching me. Despite the overwhelming temperature, Sun Xiaowu stood still and motionless as the golden runes branded themselves on his skin.


    Sun Xiaowu''s bones cracked. He shuddered in overwhelming pain as the golden runes seeped into his very bones.


    His body sizzled and cracked as his bones were pulverized further. as blood seeped out of his skin, carrying trace impurities from his mind along with it.


    He had managed to attune to the demonic seed in the virtual realm, but he would have to do so again in the physical one.


    Fang Yi''s silver ball was crackling with lightning. Light pierced through the heavens as his silver ball transformed into a silver sun, then turned golden-yellow. Pitch-ck storm winds surrounded it, almost like an eggshell. Karmic power wrapped around it, flecked with divine aura, and even bits of chaos started to appear.


    This was an astounding transformation.


    Yang Ze''s situation was much the same. Pale-blue gic energy spread out from underneath his body like tendrils of water. Spatial ripples surrounded him. As time passed, the gic energy beneath his body formed waves over which light refracted. Space seemed to fold into high-dimensional ordion-likeyers.


    Li Feng was surrounded with light and radiated a holy, divine aura. An arclight dragon spawned around him.


    The three hunters were attuning to the insight over naturalw that they had gleaned in the virtual realm.


    Sun Mengmeng was undergoing a metamorphosis. Manifestations formed around her and condensed into the form of phoenixes, their wings outstretched.


    Zhou Ying''s body radiated with light as she too transformed. A giant tree manifested around her, shining and splendid, sorge she was about to break the room she was in.


    Bu Wentian frowned. With a wave of his hand, he teleported Zhou Ying into the trial chamber.


    As he watched the members of Team Zenith cultivate and digest their gains, Zhang Lie asked, "Where can I train?"


    "In the room I prepared for you," Bu Wentian replied, then changed his mind. Zhang Lie''s ability to cause destruction was unrivaled. "Hold on. Let me prepare a separate trial chamber for you."


    "Hurry!"


    Zhang Lie didn''t want to be left behind by hisrades.


    Bu Wentian waved a hand and teleported Zhang Lie to his own trial chamber. He shouted, "Once you''re all finished, let''s have a banquet together!"


    Team Zenith didn''t know the extent of themotion they had caused. The entire universe seemed to be paying attention. Countless gazes were focused on the redemption of the Cup rewards.


    The members of Team Zenith hadn''t been seen since the Cup, but surely they would im their prizes.


    The flower of universal life was a rare and invaluable treasure even among the entirety of the universe. No one would give up on such a prize.


    As everyone watched on in anticipation, they were astonished to find someone wholly irrelevant step forward, someone who wasn''t Zhang Lie or a member of Team Zenith.

 Chapter 1571: Runic Immortal Sword

    <h4>Chapter 1571: Runic Immortal Sword</h4>


    The person who had arrived to im the prize wasn''t Zhang Lie, but rather someone entirely unknown to them.


    The supreme forces weren''t surprised; the fact that Zhang Lie and the others had vanished immediately after the tournament made it clear that someone was deliberately trying to hide them.


    No one in the universe had ever heard of Zhang Lie or Team Zenith, not even rumors about them. They seemed to have arisen straight from thin air. It was clear that someone was deliberately hiding their identities.


    That said, all they had to do was catch the imant and question him.


    However, Bu Wentian feigned ignorance regarding every question they asked. In addition, the supreme forces could hardly interrogate him by force in public.


    The Cup was meant to be fair and equal to allpetitors, after all.


    In the end, they decided to tail Bu Wentian and follow him around. Surely that would reveal where Zhang Lie and Team Zenith hade from, and where they were based.


    However, they were all caught by surprise. Bu Wentian wandered all around the universe after iming the flower of universal life, without showing any sign of heading back straight away.


    But the supreme forces were patient and had a surfeit of manpower.


    They were more than happy to continue tailing him until he ultimately led them back to Zhang Lie and Team Zenith.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Lie and Team Zenith were deep in cultivation. All sorts of strange manifestations appeared in the various trial chambers as the hunters underwent metamorphoses.


    Fog gathered. Golden runes glowed brilliantly as they crashed into each other with tinkling noises, as though they were notes of some divine music.


    The golden runes had been brought back from the stone forest and giant pce, imprinted in Sun Xiaowu''s mind.


    Sun Xiaowu sat cross-legged as the runes hovered around him, smashing his bones. He bore with the intense pain as the runes granted him their golden light. The rumbling of thunder could be heard within his body as golden light bathed his limbs and bones, shrouding him in radiance.


    The golden light was like a scorching me. Despite the overwhelming temperature, Sun Xiaowu stood still and motionless as the golden runes branded themselves on his skin.


    Sun Xiaowu''s bones cracked. He shuddered in overwhelming pain as the golden runes seeped into his very bones.


    His body sizzled and cracked as his bones were pulverized further as blood seeped out of his skin, carrying trace impurities from his mind along with it.


    Their bones continued to grind against each other, turning into powder.


    This was a frightening scene to behold. Considering the extent of the destruction, if anything untoward were to happen, their mental avatars could be ruined for good.


    Then, even his skull began to fragment, crack, and turn to powder.


    With his bones shattered, the blood seeped even more quickly out of his skin, carrying the impurities of his mental avatar along with him. The blood turned ck; new, fresh, pure blood would be created within his body as it was reforged.


    Golden light bathed him, refining blood, flesh, and bone.


    The golden runes transformed into naturalw that smelted his body, fully obliterating bone in preparation for reconstruction.


    Finally, Sun Xiaowu''s body shone with even more intense light, blood-colored as impurities streamed out. What remained of his body was weakened and febrile.


    His bones gleamed with radiant light. The faint golden sheen that they had given off turned bright gold.


    His blood bubbled and took on the form of small cauldrons, bells, divine swords, and so on.


    The gold-attuned energy of divine armament seeped out of his soul and surrounded him.


    The cauldrons, bells, and swords that manifested from his blood and flesh likewise emanated from his gic energy, majestic and magnificent, boundless in strength.


    Runes glimmered in Sun Xiaowu''s body. Cauldrons emerged from his flesh, endless in number, frothing like blood, flowing and recing the runes, a sinister transformation.


    Then, Sun Xiaowu''s own body radiated with light. Cauldrons formed over every inch of his flesh, protecting him. He himself seemed to transform into a cauldron that resonated with the essence of his cultivation.


    The next moment, Sun Xiaowu''s gic energy transformed again. Inscriptions formed along his blood, flesh, and soul, all in the shape of swords.


    His aura grew sharp beyond measure. He raised a hand and a leg, his very body like a sword oriented toward the sky.


    Countless tiny swords flowed along his body like blood.


    Then, the tolling of bells could be heard from his body as the swords transformed into bells. The resonant bells flowed over and within his body.


    Sun Xiaowu had gained arge number of ancient relics and imbued spirituality and sword energy from the ancient hall in the virtual realm.


    What he had gained proved instrumental and crucial in the fight against the eighth Immortal King.


    From the looks of it, the imbued spirituality and sword energy were not only infused into Sun Xiaowu''s body, but even imprinted on his soul, allowing him to bring them out into the physical world. The weapons that had melded into Sun Xiaowu''s flesh intended to conquer the world in conjunction with him.


    Sun Xiaowu was undergoing a continuous transformation. With the runes in his body turning into swords, there would be nothing he couldn''t slice apart. His entire body might as well have transformed into a sword in his own right.


    Meanwhile, when the runes transformed into bells, he boasted a shocking defense as if he had transformed into a huge bell himself. He was able to emit sound waves that disoriented his enemies and caused them to quake.


    The runes transformed time and again. Each rune seemed to beposed of manifold weapons; the runes stacked on top of each other in denseyers, so intricate they could not have been made by a human hand.


    The runes propagated endlessly, each transforming in an intricate fashion independent of the others, a masterwork in fine precision and control.


    Sun Xiaowu had invited the wills of the swords and relics from the ancient hall into his body, which had formed the runes that were fundamental to his cultivation. They would berades-in-arms linked by Sun Xiaowu''s body itself, and he intended to give them at least the freedom to change their forms at will.


    With the runes firmly imprinted on his body, Sun Xiaowu began to evoke transformations on arge scale as he familiarized himself with the intricacies of the runic script. Ultimately, after what seemed like an endless series of transformations, Sun Xiaowu was able to transform into a cauldron, a divine sword, a pagoda, a bell... and all manner of other fundamental forms besides.


    He opened his eyes wide. A bell tolled deep within his eyes; a sword shed down; a cauldron released chaotic energy, manifesting naturalw and arcane will.


    The sun and moon shone; celestial phenomena appeared.


    Sun Xiaowu''s pupils transformed into runes that lit up naturalw and resonated with the will of the world, a sure sign that he had managed to attune himself to thews and will of the universe.

 Chapter 1572: Towering Manifestations

    <h4>Chapter 1572: Towering Manifestations</h4>


    Fang Yi''s body illuminated the entire virtual realm. His aura was expansive, dark, chaotic, and rampaging; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    What the stonegave off wasn''t radiant light, but rather formless energy¡ªnot a curse, and instead more like an extreme sense of willpower. It felt as though there were countless figures surrounding Fang Yi, roaring and screaming in defiance.


    A pair of wings formed behind him,posed entirely of lightning. Wind and storm surrounded him as lightning fizzled through the sky.


    Then, he was swamped by wind and storm again. They surrounded him like a cocoon. He seemed to be advancing beyond mortal ken.


    Wisps of white fog, like divine qi or like bursts of primordial chaos, wreathed around him, mysterious to the extreme.


    Around him, all manner of grass, shrub, herb, and nt began to grow: some in gold, in purple, and in green. All radiated with luster.


    This greenery wasn''t real; it had manifested from lightning. Fang Yi was intuiting a facet of lightning that had previously eluded him.


    Not only that, he could feel a strong and vibrant lifeforce around him, ensconced in the silver-dragon lotus. Not only was he undergoing a mental metamorphosis, he had gained insight from the transformation as well.


    Lightning wasn''t just an element that harbored immense destructive potential; it could likewise birth life and vitality.


    Understanding this aspect of lightning was the key toward true mastery of the element: what came after destructive lightning was budding life.


    Greenery grew rampant around Fang Yi, a breathtaking disy of nature. Flowers bloomed with umon beauty, marked with lightning.


    Then, all that greenery wilted.


    The cycle repeated, lush blooms transforming into withered husks, almost like a cycle of reincarnation. Fang Yi''s mastery over fate thrummed as he enacted the cycle of life, death, and rebirth fundamental to lightning. He melded that cycle with power over fate. Compared to his simr experience within the virtual realm, Fang Yi''s intuition only grew stronger and deeper.


    He was re-enacting the same metamorphosis that had urred to deepen his intuition.


    Finally, the greenery all vanished. Metal appeared before and behind Fang Yi. Golden spears pointed toward the heavens.


    Then, they began to resonate, gleaming and crackling with energy.


    Fang Yi broke out of the cocoon, a golden spear manifesting in his hand,bining gold-attuned gic energy and lightning. He thrust the spear toward the void in a huge wave of gic energy.


    The spear thrust generated boundless strength, enough to pierce through the veil of the realm and leave it in tatters. It possessed both the sharpness of steel and destructiveness of lightning, and seemed to be able to destroy anything in its way.


    Then, Fang Yi sat down calmly and sat cross-legged on the ground, his spear gone.


    He was struck by inspiration¡ªthis pinnacle of control, of mastery, over gold-attuned energy that would allow him to defeat all foes lying before him.


    Wind and storm merged into a cohesive whole, forming another cocoon around him that made him look extraordinary.


    Wisps of chaos surrounded him.


    Fang Yi continued his metamorphosis. He had made tremendous gains, especially in the domain of lightning.


    Fluid gushed down around Fang Yi, a pale-blue, crystal-clear liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    Incredibly, this wasn''t actually water, but liquid lightning.


    When Bu Wentian saw what was happening to Fang Yi, he immediately teleported Fang Yi into a private trial chamber so that Fang Yi wouldn''t destroy his base.


    There were plenty of treasures that Bu Wentian was storing in his base, after all, as well as ongoing research about the dimensional realm atrge.


    More of the blue fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Fang Yi sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.


    The river and waterfall together formed an expandingke which grew into an underwater world, breathtakingly beautiful.


    As Fang Yi pointed a finger forward, all that blue fluid suddenly began to bubble, to course where his finger directed it.


    This was a frightening strength, the fourth transformation of lightning after fire, nature, and metal¡ªfluid.


    Yang Ze was disying a strange phenomenon of his own. Divine fog surrounded him.


    Greenery sprung up where hey, glowing and glittering with light.


    A sea surged, crystalline and swarming with fish. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    Space tore apart a rift like a cross-section of ss.


    Around Li Feng was divine fog, and by his side grew bountiful greenery in white and silver and gold, all formed of light. The greenery didn''t exist in reality; it was formed of light-attuned gic energy. He too had intuited a form of vitality.


    It was fortunate that the three hunters were cultivating in isted trial chambers. Each metamorphosis was apanied by manifestations of incredible strength that would have shocked the world and roused the attention of the Ancient Gods'' Abode and Eternal Sun.


    On Zhou Ying''s chest, the image of a bug pupa appeared.


    The bug had attached itself to Zhou Ying''s soul and been brought into the dimensional realm with her.


    However, it no longer had a physical body, only a mental one. Zhou Ying could control itpletely.


    Her body radiated with light as she underwent a metamorphosis. A giant tree manifested around her, shining and splendid.


    Zhou Ying transformed into the visage of a tree. The sun and the moon shone on the tree in turn. In the daytime, the tree''s leaves were jade-green, filled with natural energy and vitality, like a tree of life.


    In the nighttime, the tree''s leaves turned ck, like a ghost tree that would have been nted in theherworld. Its branches were like ws, ghastly, frightening, and steeped in the aura of death. Many tendrils suddenly grew out of the tree and flew around like tentacles. Arge eye opened up on the tree trunk; onlookers staring at the trunk at any angle would feel as though the eye were looking at them.


    Bloody roots appeared, flowing like blood, extending within her body, rooting within her flesh: a sinister transformation.


    The tree turned from green to ck, from vitality and natural energy to death.


    Her flesh squirmed, as though every bit of her body wereing to life.


    As life and death transformed into each other in turn, her mind likewise evolved. After every cycle of life and death, her body seemed to be forged anew.


    She opened her eyes, which were lustrous and endowed with preternatural depth. Her left eye had turned blue, and a tree of life had taken root there. Vitality and natural energy shone from it. Her right eye had turned dark gray, and a ghostly tree had taken root there. Her heterochromic vision was a sign of her advancement and understanding of life and death itself.


    The sun and moon shone; celestial phenomena appeared.


    Zhou Ying grew far stronger than before.


    Sun Mengmeng had obtained the fewest benefits from the tournament. Despite having gained a partial evolution via consuming a bug monarch, the insight was ipatible with her cultivation. Despite repeatedly considering it in detail after her return to the dimensional realm, she was unable to extract the unimaginable benefits she had been hoping for.

 Chapter 1573: Once Again

    <h4>Chapter 1573: Once Again</h4>


    Not everyone would be able to obtain intuition that could elevate themselves within the tournament. Many received intuition or insight ipatible with their own path. If all sources of intuition led to tremendous advancement, then Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith would have had no chance at victory at all.


    The benefits that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith received were iparable to those obtained by the young proteges of the various supreme forces, who were far more familiar with the rules of thepetitionpared to Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith.


    Ultimately, there were only a few pieces of insight that would bepatible with each cultivator.


    Sun Mengmeng was the first to emerge from her trial chamber, followed closely by Yang Ze, Fang Yi, and Li Feng, and finally by Zhou Ying and Sun Xiaowu.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Where''s Captain?"


    "He must have left the tournament by now after reaping the final prize within," Li Feng said.


    Bu Wentian headed over. "That he has. He''s currently cultivating in a trial chamber."


    Within the trial chamber, carps emerged from Zhang Lie''s flesh, endless in number, frothing like blood¡ªa sinister transformation.


    The next moment, Zhang Lie''s gic energy transformed again. Inscriptions formed along his blood, flesh, and soul, all in the shape of swords.


    His aura grew sharp beyond measure. He raised a hand and a leg, his very body like a sword oriented toward the sky.


    Countless tiny swords flowed along his body like blood.


    [Ninecarp Transformation] activated. The swords intersected within his body, forming a golden tiger.


    Then, they dispersed into a swarm of ck demonic serpents, which congregated anew into a ck dragon.


    Then, that ck dragon dispersed and formed a ck turtle, then a dragonturtle, then a lion, a dragonlion...


    Zhang Lie underwent metamorphosis after metamorphosis. Each time, he felt his mind advance by leaps and bounds, and his physical body was changing as well.


    The metamorphosis from caterpir to butterfly was encoded in his body and merged with his [Ninecarp Transformation], strengthening the framework tremendously.


    He was able to transform into a carp, a ck dragon, a golden tiger, a dragonturtle¡ªthe possibilities were endless.


    He opened his eyes wide. A ck dragon roared from deep within his pupils. A golden tiger shot out swords from its body, and a dragonturtle bore four tablets on its back. Universal and naturalw peeked out.


    The sun and moon shone; celestial phenomena appeared.


    His entire body transformed into a ball of light. Pale blue gic energy spread out, vast as the sea. The sea then transformed into pitch-ck corrosion that spread across the ground, then silvery-white crystal, then mud, then me...


    Wisps of white fog, like divine qi or like bursts of primordial chaos, wreathed around him, mysterious to the extreme.


    Divine fog surrounded him.


    Around him, all manner of grass, shrub, herb, and nt began to grow: some in blue, gold, silver, dark yellow, fiery red, purple, ck, and white. All radiated with luster.


    Blue nts filled the ground. Small fish and prawns swam through the nts, as if everything were part of an oceanic world. It was extraordinarily beautiful.


    The ck nts were covered with ayer of snake''s scales, each like a ck snake giving off a toxic aura.


    The silvery-white nts were like crystals. The gold nts were like weapons and looked like tigers.


    The dark yellow nts seemed to be made of mud, with gravitational fields around them. They looked like dragonturtles.


    The fiery-red nts were zing mes that looked like qilins and dragonlions.


    The purple nts were made of lightning and looked like serpents.


    Windstorms raged around the white nts that looked like phoenixes.


    Whaty before Zhang Lie was no ordinary greenery, but rather manifestations of his intuition¡ªgic constructs that reflected the nature of vitality itself, or perhaps [Ninecarp Transformation] brought into the physical world.


    The nature of vitality and life could be sensed through each of these disparate colors.


    Zhang Lie had simultaneously embarked down seven different paths of life¡ªinvolving water, destruction, gold, earth, fire, and even lightning.


    The sevenfold evolutions of [Ninecarp Transformation] each represented a unique path.


    No ordinary cultivator would be able to handle¡ªor evene into contact with¡ªso many at once. They tended to grasp one or two at most. Only with an exceptional framework like Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] were so many avenues open to him.


    Even so, no matter how many paths were avable to Zhang Lie, if he couldn''t grasp the true essence of life in each one, it would ultimately be useless.


    During the virtual realm, Zhang Lie had chosen to prioritize his gold attunement and his most widely used water attunement. That intuition had been emzoned in his soul, and he wouldn''t need to do anything extra to incorporate life and vitality into his maniption of the two elements.


    The benefits he had obtained in the virtual realm would be reflected in his physical body through his mental avatar and spirit. This was an incredible boon, and Zhang Lie intended to take advantage of this opportunity to explore more paths.


    He had intuited seven different paths of life. If he had to put numbers to everything, hispatibility with water was 100%, that with destruction was about 30%, that with gold was 70%, that with earth was 50%, that with fire was 60%, and that with lightning was maybe 20%.


    The 30%patibility with destruction was all but worthless.


    When he made his initial choice, Zhang Lie had chosen the two elements with which he had the greatestpatibility. Now that he was able to redo his selection, he intended to try out different paths. He wanted to explore the path of fire.


    The reason he chose not to explore two paths like in the virtual realm was because he already had ess to two different paths of life. A third one was already risking dilution. Perhaps Zhang Lie could grasp two more paths, but having ess to so many might not be stronger than focusing on just one. It was a matter of depth, not breadth.


    All the greenery began to burn.


    Fluid gushed down around Zhang Lie, a pale-blue, crystal-clear liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.


    Water was the source of life; through his recent revtion about life, his water-attuned gic energy was granted vivacity.

 Chapter 1574: At the Peak

    <h4>Chapter 1574: At the Peak</h4>


    More of the blue fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Zhang Lie sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.


    The next moment, the blue fluid transformed into a bundle of bright-red mes, like a sun that had been submerged in an underwater world. The water began to boil, the fish within it fleeing in fear. An apocalypse drew near.


    The entire underwater world turned bright red. The heat transformed the water into water vapor, which bubbled into the air rather than beva.


    Scarlet steam filled the entire world in such quantity that even the trial chamber couldn''t handle it all. It cracked and broke as the steam gushed out.


    The lively fish within the underwater world swam through the scarlet steam. They had once beenposed of water, but were now fully steam.


    The underwater world wasn''t destroyed, after all. It was transformedpletely like the lively fish that now swam through water vapor.


    This was the path of life through fire that Zhang Lie had intuited¡ªnot mes that burned endlessly, but mes that transformed and persisted, never to be snuffed out.


    Even after unlocking this brand-new path of life, Zhang Lie didn''t stop.


    By then, Sun Mengmeng and the others had finished their metamorphoses and digested their gains from the virtual realm. They had advanced to different degrees. When Bu Wentian unlocked Zhang Lie''s trial chamber and saw what was going on within, he screeched like a chicken.


    Another of his worlds had shattered!


    Zhang Lie ignored him as he began to digest his final treasure, which he had obtained from the underwater world right before its destruction.


    Reality and illusion intermixed in Zhang Lie''s body.


    Above his head was the image of an illusory continent.


    Despite the fact that it was clearly illusory, it seemed almost alive. The continent was expanding, and had stretched all the way to the borders of the trial chamber in the blink of an eye.


    The members of Team Zenith saw that continent via a screen that Bu Wentian had activated that showed the interior of the trial chamber. They gaped.


    Li Feng frowned. "What an impressive aura. This must be the final treasure that our captain obtained at the end of the tournament, that the eighth Immortal King risked his life to obtain."


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Doesn''t this continent seem a little familiar?"


    Sun Mengmeng''s eyes lit up. "I see the ancient hall where we fought!"


    "And where I was given an ultimatum," Fang Yi replied.


    "Thatke looks a little familiar," Zhou Ying murmured.


    Sun Xiaowu frowned. "And that''s the stone forest. I''m sure of it."


    Li Feng nodded. "One of these ces alone might have been a coincidence, but all of them together? We can''t be mistaken."


    Sun Mengmeng nodded. "This continent is clearly from the world of the virtual realm."


    Sun Xiaowu eximed in shock, "Could our captain have brought back the entire world?"


    The continent continued to expand, destroying the trial chamber.


    Bu Wentian sighed. "Another one destroyed..."


    He secretly moved all nearby trial chambers away to prevent what happenedst time when Zhang Lie destroyed everything around him.


    The illusory continent continued to grow. All manner of strange and colorful nts appeared.


    Sun Mengmeng suddenly had a sh of insight. "Could all these nts represent some deep insight or intuition?"


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes widened. "Just how many are there...?"


    Each nt was grown from the seed of an idea. Zhang Lie hadn''t been able to absorb all the insights in the short amount of time between encounter with the treasure and the realm''s destruction. Instead, he did his best to memorize them all¡ªbefore replicating them right here in the physical world.


    As a result, most of the nts were blurry and fuzzy.


    Only about a dozen were in high-resolution and glowing with light, seemingly alive.


    Zhang Lie''s body floated up through the virtual continent.


    Sun Xiaowu asked, "Do you think our captain can manifest a virtual realm like the one we just came out of?"


    Zhang Lie was attempting tobine his insights, both real and illusory,into his techniques.


    At present, the only link between the illusory continent and Zhang Lie''s [Ninecarp Transformation] came from his dragonturtle transformation.


    Unfortunately, the dragonturtle didn''t wield any powers rted to reality and illusion. Zhang Lie didn''t attempt to force the connection; doing so would be useless, and might even restrict his dragonturtle from unveiling its true strength.


    Zhang Lie didn''t cultivate for long. After all, he was simply replicating what had happened within the virtual realm. The illusory continent slowly melded back into his body as Zhang Lie opened his eyes. His status of life had increased to a remarkable extent.


    His genes had been optimized for the dimensional realm as a result, and his understanding of his frameworks and techniques had deepened noticeably.


    Zhang Lie: a demigod


    Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Seventh Form: Phoenix


    Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless de (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonde (pinnacle), de of the Heavens (pinnacle)


    Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 150; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0


    Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld m (disaster), Limitless Universe (monarch)


    His [Ninecarp Transformation]''s seventh form, the phoenix, had reached a perfected state, but Zhang Lie didn''t know precisely what that meant.


    After his advancement, Zhang Lie decided to test out his newfound strength, only to find that the entire world had been all but obliterated. Zhang Lie was speechless. "Bu Wentian, are these trial chambers made of paper?"


    Bu Wentian replied, "Considering how much energy you were giving off, is it any surprise that my trial chambers are so fragile?"


    A beam of light encapsted Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 1575: An Empty Soulshard

    <h4>Chapter 1575: An Empty Soulshard</h4>


    The supreme forces and some other persistent cultivators were still chasing ''Bu Wentian'' through the gxy.


    Some had tried to catch ''Bu Wentian'' to interrogate him about Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith, but all those who struck at him had been killed easily. ''Bu Wentian'', who hade to im the prize, was no trivial foe.


    He continued to maneuver around the universe as if he were in no hurry to bring the prizes back to Earth. What his pursuers didn''t know was that the flower of universal life had long since been retrieved.


    Zhang Lie allowed the teleportation beam to bring him back to Bu Wentian.


    Bu Wentian continued, "Don''t me my trial chambers for being weak. You''re all just too strong."


    "Captain!"


    The members of Team Zenith all smiled upon seeing Zhang Lie return.


    Bu Wentian said, "I''ve finished preparing the banquet. Follow me."


    The hunters followed him to the dining hall, where a feast had indeed beenid out for them¡ªall manner of food, along with wine brewed only in space. Gic lifeform meat had been specially prepared and was giving off particrly alluring scents.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had consumed much of their energy reserves in order to elevate their status of life, and they were more than happy to replenish their energy. They dug in with gusto.


    Bu Wentian raised a ss. "Congrattions on taking the top seven spots in the Rising Stars Cup!"


    He paused, only to find that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were ignoring him as they continued to wage war against the food on the table. Bu Wentian sighed as he looked at the ss of wine he had raised into the air, feeling embarrassed and forlorn.


    "There''s no rush," he finally said. "I prepared more than enough food."


    Bu Wentian snapped his fingers and had more food brought in thrice before the hunters of Team Zenith finally ate their fill. Li Feng continued to gnaw on a drumstick asrge as an ordinary human as he asked, "Captain, did you manage to obtain the insight that the eighth Immortal King was searching for?"


    Zhang Lie nodded. "I did."


    Li Feng asked, "Was it that virtual continent that appeared while you were cultivating?"


    Zhang Lie nodded again. "It was an insight that dealt with reality and illusion."


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, can you use your intuition to manifest a virtual realm like the one we used in the tournament?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "I''m afraid I can''t. I''ve only just embarked down the path of reality and illusion, and constructing such a virtual realm requires an immense source of energy."


    "In that case, you might be able to do so in the future, Captain?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Zhang Lie didn''t deny that.


    The future wasn''t set in stone, after all.


    Zhang Lie turned to Bu Wentian. "Senior, would you check on Sun Xiaowu? The demonic seed isn''t going to interfere with his development, is it?"


    "Did something happen?" Bu Wentian asked.


    "During the tournament, we found a demonic seed in Sun Xiaowu''s body when he attuned to the golden runes in the rock forest. If he hadn''t managed to cultivate those golden runes, the demonic seed would have burrowed deeper into Sun Xiaowu''s soul, leading to unimaginable consequences if he came into contact with the demonic ruler in reality."


    Bu Wentian was taken aback. "I didn''t even consider such a possibility. To think that the demonic seed would have gone so deep¡ªI was careless."


    Sun Mengmeng asked in worry, "Will my brother be alright?"


    Sun Xiaowu smiled. "Don''t worry, Sister. I''m just fine. I sessfully mastered the demonic seed thanks to the golden runes from the rock forest and giant pce. It won''t affect me any longer."


    Sun Mengmeng sighed in relief.


    Zhang Lie extended a hand toward Bu Wentian. "Right, you haven''t given me the prizes from the Cup yet."


    "Don''t worry. I have them right here."


    Bu Wentian retrieved three chests.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s inside?"


    Bu Wentian opened up the first chest.


    "The first chest, of course, contains the first-ce prize from the Gctic Rising Stars Cup¡ªthe flower of universal life."


    The chest glowed with starlit radiance, filling the entire dining hall with light. Sun Mengmeng and Zhou Ying wowed at the sight.


    The dining hall seemed to transform into the cosmos. Whaty within the chest wasn''t a flower, but rather a neb, fiery-red with destruction one moment, and glittering silver the next. The colors changed again and again, dazzling any onlookers.


    "The flower of universal life is, as previously mentioned, a miraculous herb that appears from the heart of a destroyed gxy. It''s rare even rtive to the entire universe." Bu Wentian shut the lid of the chest again, then handed it to Zhang Lie. "Now, it''s yours."


    Zhang Lie kept the chest. "Did you encounter any idents while iming the prizes?"


    Team Zenith had offended quite a number of forces during the tournament¡ªthe Srvines, Redgold race, Holywings, medemons...


    They had offended so many forces that Zhang Lie''s ten fingers couldn''t enumerate them all.


    "There were no idents."


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were shocked to hear Bu Wentian''s response.


    Sun Xiaowu said, "In other words, the forces of the fifth realm act in a surprisingly gentlemanly fashion. They''re letting bygones be bygones?"


    Bu Wentian scoffed. "Hardly. I was tracked and attacked, but those were within my expectations. They just didn''t seed at tailing me down."


    In fact, Bu Wentian had specifically hired other cultivators to im the prizes for him, then covertly meeting those cultivators along the way and retrieving the prizes to no one''s knowledge. The prizes had returned to Bu Wentian via a highly circuitous route, one that could fill a three-million-word spy novel.


    Bu Wentian sneaked augh. "I yed a little trick on the entire fifth realm. I suppose they''re all still tailing one of the mercenaries I hired..."


    Sun Xiaowu asked curiously, "What''s in the second chest?"


    Bu Wentian handed the second chest over. "It''s the prize I promised Zhang Lie."


    Zhang Lie opened the second chest to find a white soulshard. As he picked it up, the familiar voice of the will of the world announced, [Empty soulshard obtained.]


    "What''s an empty soulshard?"


    "This is mytest research sess. It''s a soulshard that''s able to absorb any soul and emte its qualities."


    Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow. "In other words, it can even turn an alien into a soulshard?"


    "Any lifeform with a soul. After the soul''s been inserted into the soulshard, you can even extract the soul from it. It has no grade at the moment; the grade of the soulshard will depend on the quality of the inserted soul. In theory, it can go all the way to monarch-grade."


    "An incredible treasure," Zhang Lie murmured.

 Chapter 1576: A Glorious Return

    I apologize for the inconvenience, but the contents of this chapter appear to be missing. In the raws I possess, this chapter is identical to the following chapter; cross-referencing with online sources has not provided an edited or updated version. I know that Ch. 1576 does exist and that this is not simply a numerical error because of the otherwise abrupt jump between Chs. 1575 and 1577, but this chapter seems to have been lost.


    In its ce, I offer a brief summary of events needed to maintain narrative continuity.<ul><li>


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith receive the third chest of rewards from the Gctic Rising Stars Cup.</li><li>


    Bu Wentian mentions that he has a warehouse filled with treasure that Team Zenith may im, and gives them its coordinates within the fourth realm.</li><li>


    Bu Wentian returns Team Zenith to the fourth realm of the dimensional world, whereupon they return to a settlement of hunters they previously visited. However, the settlement seems deserted¡­</li></ul>

 Chapter 1577: An Empty City

    <h4>Chapter 1577: An Empty City</h4>


    The airship''s AI announced, "There are toxins in the environment."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "Was the city attacked with poison?"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, was there ever such arge moat outside this city?"


    Only then did the hunters of Team Zenith discover the moat with jade-green water, its surface as smooth and reflective as a mirror, from which the sky''s reflection could be seen. The city itself looked as though it were floating in the sea.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I don''t recall that moat ever being present."


    The airship''s AI announced again, "Lifeforms detected in the moat water."


    The water surged as a giant hand attempted to seize the airship.


    The airship''s AI continued, "Attacks incurred. Activating automatic counterattack."


    The airship''sser cannons sent a salvo at the giant hand in the moat, vaporizingrge quantities of water into steam.


    The moat water transformed into a human face. "I knew waiting here would be productive."


    Upon seeing this familiar sight, Zhang Lie realized what was going on. "Another of Cthaat''s sons, are you?"


    Using the airship''s speakers, Li Qianlin asked, "What have you done to those within the city?!"


    Cthaat''s sonughed. "What else? They all became my nutrients, of course."


    The human face gradually rose up into the air, the moat water gathering together to form a humanoid torso as well. The surge of water revealed an incredible number of bones deep within the moat, along with corpses that had yet to meltpletely. The corpses and bones floated in the moat water, a shocking sight.


    Sun Mengmeng stepped forward. "How dare he ughter a city of gic hunters! This is a clear challenge to us hunters of the Milky Way!"


    In the past, the gic hunters of the fourth realm had no authority or prestige to speak of. They were only able to survive as weeds, sprouting up in the cracks between the territory owned by the alien forces of the fourth realm.


    Ever since their triumphant return from the Rising Stars Cup, however, the members of Team Zenith had grown stronger and bolder.


    Sun Xiaowu clenched his fists, then rubbed his palms together. "Captain, leave this opponent to me!"


    Yang Ze shook his head. "No, no. This opponent is clearly linked to water. I should be the one to handle him."


    "Let me have at him," Li Feng argued.


    Fang Yi fumed. "How dare he take on a city of hunters from the Milky Way! It''s a clear show of disrespect. You wait right here, Captain. I''ll kill it and bring his head back before you can heat up a vat of alcohol!"


    Zhou Ying sighed. "You''re not Guan Yu, and neither is your opponent Hua Xiong. How do you intend to retrieve the head of a brainless lifeformposed entirely of liquid?"


    The members of Team Zenith argued with each other over who would get to show off their newfound strength after returning from the Cup.


    Zhang Lie strode forward. "No, I''ll take on this foe. There''s a grudge between me and the sons of Cthaat, and the hunters of this city wouldn''t have been ughtered if not for my presence. I have to avenge them myself."


    None could argue with Zhang Lie.


    "Open the airship''s hatch. I''ll raze him to the ground!"


    Zhang Lie jumped out of the airship before the poison could make its way in.


    Pale blue gic energy rippled about his arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area and discing the poison.


    Cthaat''s son showed no intention of evading the flood heading his way. Heughed uproariously. "Haha, you think you can take me on with water? Who do you think you are?"


    The moat water transformed into a torrential flood that met Zhang Lie''s attack in kind.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    Cthaat''s son realized just how wrong he was. Zhang Lie''s attack was hardly as simple as it seemed.


    His water-attuned gic energy seemed somehow alive and independent. Cthaat''s son was unable to control or suppress it. The water that made up his moat scattered all over, producing sshes hundreds of meters tall. The waternded on the ground in a shower of rain, sizzling as it struck the earth. It was particrly corrosive.


    Zhang Lie had anticipated the nature of the moat water. A barrier of water surrounded him, preventing any drops from striking his body.


    "[The Boundless de: Daybreak]!" With a wave of his pointer finger, Zhang Lie unleashed a beam of sword energy that divided what remained of the moat in two.


    The face of Cthaat''s son reformed. He smiled. "I acknowledge your strength, but you won''t be able to kill me."


    A raging shark swam forth along the current that Zhang Lie had created, opening its bloody maw wide and biting down on the face.


    "Oh? That remains to be seen." The water-attuned barrier surrounding Zhang Lie suddenly turned dark as his gic energy changed elemental attunements.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    "Let''s see whose water is the more corrosive!"


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, swallowing up the poison all around. The energy surged toward the moat water. Cthaat''s son, realizing that these clouds were potentially deadly, attempted to flee.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    As Zhang Lie punched forward, the ck serpent behind him shot into the jade-green water, corrupting it and turning it a shade of dark green. Cthaat''s son howled in pain, those howls echoing through the air.


    Zhang Lie strode across the sky. He chuckled. "Can you feel pain, then?"


    The moat water frothed. Cthaat''s son had never ever felt such frightening strength.


    Ordinary energy would be dissolved in his corrosive water within just a few minutes at most, but Zhang Lie''s pitch-ck gic energy was even more corrosive than the liquid that formed his body. It was like toxic poison.


    He had always been the one dissolving others; no other had yet managed to dissolve him¡ªuntil now. This was the first time he realized how frightening it was to have his body dissolve bit by bit. To Cthaat''s son, Zhang Lie might as well have been a demon from hell.

 Chapter 1578: Cthaat

    <h4>Chapter 1578: Cthaat</h4>


    Zhang Lie mocked, "Well? It doesn''t feel good to have your body be corroded, does it?"


    The ink-green water surged up and rushed toward Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie punched forward with a fist, causing the moat water to disperse into droplets that filled the sky. His eyes were cold. "Die suffering the way the gic hunters did."


    The moat water rapidly shrunk in size. Zhang Lie realized that this couldn''t be due to the corrosion of his pitch-ck gic energy. Thinking back to therge underground cavern under the city, his lips quirked in a sneer. "Do you think you can run?"


    He punched forward repeatedly, each punch transforming into a ck serpent thatnded in the water.


    The water corroded more and more rapidly, transforming from ink-green to ck. It shrunk in volume even faster as well.


    Cthaat''s son manifested in the form of a human face. He shrieked, "I''m Cthaat''s son. You can''t kill me!"


    Zhang Lie''s eyes grew sharp. "I''ve already killed several of Cthaat''s sons. As for your father, Cthaat, I''ll be paying him a special visit myself one of these days."


    Cthaat''s son roared, "You''re nothing but a bug, an insignificant existence! You don''t know just how strong my father is. You had better let me go, or he''ll kill you!"


    "Oh? I''m looking forward to it, then. [Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    The ck serpent charged forward with Zhang Lie''s fist,nding in the water and thrashing as Cthaat''s son slowly disintegrated.


    Suddenly, Zhang Lie felt a spatial fluctuation in the sky. He raised his head to the heavens.


    The sky spun and the air distorted, forming a huge, swirling whirlpool in the air.


    In the center of the whirlpool, waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    The waves crested in mid-air.


    The whirlpool was like a mirror into the far end of the sea. The near end continued to seethe and roil.


    Ordinary hunters would have been crushed by the terrible pressure, as would a monarch-grade lifeform.


    However, Zhang Lie was no ordinary hunter, nor a monarch-grade lifeform in his own right. He was a demigod, an existence likely unparalleled in the fourth realm.


    "Hold it!"


    Despite the immense pressureing from the sky, Zhang Lie didn''t kneel. He wasn''t scared by the entity who exuded all that pressure. He stared right at the sea on the other end of the whirlpool in the sky.


    "You must be Cthaat."


    Seeing that hisst son was about to die, Cthaat couldn''t sit still any longer.


    He snorted. "Since you know who I am, you had better release my son immediately."


    "And if I refuse?" Zhang Lie replied.


    Cthaat''s son had killed an entire city''s worth of hunters. If they let him go, how would they face the hunters who had perished?


    Cthaat thought that he had misheard. Who in this realm would dare to go against him?


    "You''ll all suffer a tragic end!" he roared.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call. Boulders on shore, weighing thousands of tons, were sent sinking into the sea.


    "I don''t like being threatened."


    Zhang Lie''s eyes grew cold as he snapped his fingers.


    A wave of annihtion exploded forth. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea.


    The moat water was sucked in and annihted as the tempest of ck energy swelled. Cthaat''s son cried out, "Father, save me!"


    The sea on the other side of the whirlpool shook in rage. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea shifted, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    Lightning imbued with spatial force forked out of the whirlpool and struck at Zhang Lie.


    Not only was Cthaat able to use spatial force to appear from a considerable distance away, he was even able tounch attacks across all that distance. He was no weaker than Yang Ze when it came to spatial maniption, and Zhang Lie would have to treat him as a serious opponent.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard,


    he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously.


    The starlight deflected Cthaat''s attack as the tempest of annihtion underfoot finally burned itself out, leaving only a huge hole in the ground.


    "I used too much strength by ident."


    Cthaat''s son had, of course, not survived the incredible tempest of annihtion. He perished alongside the hunters he had killed, whose bodies and bones were nowpletely obliterated.


    Zhang Lie stared dispassionately at the city. Such was the fate of gic hunters.


    Without strength, they would only die an ignoble death, their bodies mutted and notid to rest.


    To survive, hunters had to grow stronger.


    This was the cruel reality on which the Milky Way was now predicated; it had been built over the foundation of countless hunters'' bodies.


    The Milky Way might look glorious, but it was endlessly cruel.


    Within the whirlpool, the surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Cthaat roared in outrage, "I''ll kill you, kill you all! All you cockroaches in the realm¡ªI''ll exterminate you!"

 Chapter 1579: Dont Blame Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 1579: Don''t me Yourself</h4>


    Lightning shed brighter than the sun. Rather than spatial force manifesting as waves, it was more like waves transforming into spatial force. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like raging horses emerging with the tide.


    "Don''t you interrupt my self-reflection!" Zhang Lie shouted, punching forward with a fist.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air. They tore apart the horses in an instant.


    Cthaat roared out, "How dare you invade my territory!"


    Raging winds howled around them like giant beasts of antiquity bellowing. A huge storm formed, tall and overwhelming like a great wall steadily charging forward. The storm covered up the sky and obliterated Zhang Lie''s ster dragons.


    That was when the true destruction urred.


    The ster dragons all exploded, each with the force of a gxy. A huge wave of energy spread out.


    The sea shook in rage. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea shifted, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    The whirlpool overhead burst apart in a stter of spatial energy. The shockwaves that resulted caused even Zhang Lie to stumble. He wasn''t worried that the airship would be affected; the members of Team Zenith were up there, after all, and even Zhang Lie didn''t think that he could best Yang Ze in his understanding and mastery of space.


    Every member of Team Zenith had a specialty. When it came to mastery over fire, Sun Mengmeng had far surpassed Zhang Lie, who was once her mentor.


    None could beat Fang Yi inbining disparate sources of energy, and Sun Xiaowu had found his own path with regards to gold-attuned gic energy.


    Yang Ze''s spatial maniption was astounding, and Li Feng''s talent with light-attuned gic energy... well, he was the only one who used that energy with any frequency at all. None of the other members of Team Zenith couldpare, and no one that they had met could, either.


    Zhou Ying needed no introduction, either. In the entirety of the Milky Way, she might well be the pioneer down the path of life and vitality.The [Avatar of the Fae] was exceptionally rare, and there were few such blessed cultivators.


    If not for his parents'' letter, Zhang Lie wouldn''t have known that his sister had a hidden constitution of her own.


    As expected, spatial fluctuations covered up the airship and rippled. The spatial force that had just exploded was unable to affect the airship at all.


    Zhang Lie regretted not being able to see the energy of annihtion consume Cthaat with his own eyes.


    He filled the pit with a wave of his hand, then returned to the airship. Despite the fact that he had avenged the hunters of the city, he felt somewhat dissatisfied.


    "I think I let that fellow die far too easily."


    Cthaat''s son was too weak, and he hadn''t been able to test his newfound limits.


    Zhang Lie''s eyes glinted. "Let''s find an opportunity to meet Cthaat ourselves."


    Cthaat''s son had died too easily, and his death couldn''t quell Zhang Lie''s simmering rage.


    Cthaat''s other sons had told him that Cthaat had ordered them to find him. In other words, Cthaat was the mastermind.


    He intended to sacrifice Cthaat''s soul to the dead hunters of the city.


    As he returned to the airship''s control room, Li Qianlin grabbed his hand. "Zhang Lie, are you alright?"


    Zhang Lie blinked in surprise. "What could be wrong?"


    Li Qianlin stared into Zhang Lie''s eyes seriously.


    "Your gaze is frightening."


    Zhang Lie hesitated. He hadn''t noticed anything at all.


    After a moment, Sun Mengmeng consoled him. "Don''t me yourself for this, Captain. Their deaths aren''t your fault."


    Only when Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng had pointed it out did Zhang Lie realize that his anger stemmed from underlying guilt about the death of all cultivators in the city. Cthaat''s son hade for him, after all.


    "You never expected things to turn out this way," Li Qianlin emphasized.


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "Such is life. The dimensional realm is cruel. They perished because they were weak."


    The glory of the Milky Way was founded on the corpses of hunters.


    Yang Ze added, "They''re already very lucky. Compared to those killed and excreted by gic lifeforms, they at least have you to avenge them."


    Fang Yi nodded. "They really are rather lucky. They survived to the fourth realm, after all, unlike those who died in the first. With the united world federation supporting them, their families will live in prosperity. All their children who intend to be hunters in their own right will be protected until the third realm, and the united world federation will provide resources for their growth."


    The united world federation''s highestmittee had pledged to support hunters and their children in this manner so that no bullying and revenge would result from feuds in previous generations. Of course, the quality of these resources and protection would depend on the hunters'' achievements before their death. Fourth-realm hunters would receive the greatest possible benefits for their children.


    Additionally, there was plenty of insurance and programs in ce to take care of children on an economic level. They would be able to live an easy life.


    Of course, only hunters who had made it to the third and fourth realms would truly guarantee an easy life for their children. Those who perished in the first and second realms and who didn''t purchase insurance in advance would only receive a meager stipend that would prevent them from starving to death.


    This was the reason that Zhang Lie hadn''t known that his parents had actually made it to the fourth realm.


    Fourth-realm hunters who didn''t return to the Milky Way within a set period of time would automatically be considered missing, and the insurance and security systems to protect their children would automatically activate.


    Zhang Lie was a little curious as to why that hadn''t urred for him and his sister.


    In fact, it had started to ur, but someone had halted the process.

 Chapter 1580: The Black Sea Raging

    <h4>Chapter 1580: The ck Sea Raging</h4>


    Thinking back to what his ''father'' had said in the ancient hall during the tournament, Zhang Lie couldn''t help but feel that there was a huge mystery surrounding himself. His background, which had seemed entirely ordinary, if unfortunate, now felt as though it were filled with holes.


    Li Qianlin asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    Zhang Lie btedly came to his senses. "There aren''t any threats to the Milky Way at the moment, are there?"


    Despite that, the Milky Way was sending all its potentialbat forces into the dimensional realm to die.


    Zhang Lie continued, "It''s natural for variouss and forces to want stronger gic hunters to appear. After all, if others have fourth-realm hunters and you don''t, you''d definitely lose out on all fronts. However, the united world federation of the Milky Way doesn''t have this issue. Rather, the fewer strong gic hunters there are, the easier it is for the world federation to retain control."


    "Isn''t it to explore the dimensional realm?"


    "That''s part of it."


    But that was too simple a reason, wasn''t it?


    Yang Ze waggled a finger. "Captain, it''s simply part of the art of politics."


    "What do you mean?" Zhang Lie asked.


    "Leaving arge number of strong gic hunters in the Milky Way would surely lead to wars. The united world federation wouldn''t be able to govern effectively or safely then. "From their perspective, it would be far better to send gic hunters into the dimensional realm. It doesn''t matter what they do, really. It would be ideal if they all died within. Each gic hunter might as well be a bomb that could go off at any moment."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded. "If that''s really the case, then I have to apud the united world federation for their foresight. It''s been many years since we had arge war, after all."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "I can''t help but think that things aren''t so simple. There must be something we''re not aware of."


    "Why do you think so, Captain?" Yang Ze asked.


    "The fifth-realm hunters must have thought of the same thing you did, but none of them have said anything. Indeed, even within the Milky Way atrge, there are barely any active fifth-realm hunters. Where could those mysterious fifth-realm hunters have gone?"


    A ck sea roiled under the airship''s next destination.


    Winds howled, giant waves filled the air, and the world was pitch-ck.


    The ck sea caught forked tendrils of blood-red lightning and quenched them in a bottomless abyss.


    The sea shook in rage. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea shifted, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    The ck sea had just experienced an intense fight against a storm of annihtion, which began to devour the ck sea even as the ck sea devoured the storm. The two forces met each other in a crackling forest of lightning. The ck sea continued to roil, wave after wave crashing onto his opponent''s technique.


    In the end, the ck sea managed to transform and absorb the energy of annihtion, winning ultimate victory.


    The energy of annihtion reformed into a ck sea.


    The raging ck sea roared, "I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you, I swear I''ll kill you!"


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call. Boulders on shore, weighing thousands of tons, were sent sinking into the sea.


    The ck sea continued to roil. The energy of annihtion had dealt tremendous damage to Cthaat''s mass, diminishing it by at least a third. Cthaat ws going crazy; his sea was rampaging.


    Waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    The waves crested in mid-air, as though heralding an apocalypse.


    "I''ll get rid of all cockroaches!"


    Time suddenly seemed to stop. The water froze in mid-air as eyes appeared all over the sky. Strange energy fluctuations resolved into a criticizing voice, "Cthaat, what are you doing?


    The ck sea revolved slowly, transforming from water into time.Cthaat''s voice called out, "Don''t stop me, Aforgomon!"


    Aforgomon said, "Didn''t I already tell you not to waste your strength? The Ancient Gods'' Abode isn''t the only force in the world; the Demonic Temple is an organization that''s rapidly growing stronger. They''re eyeing each other and preparing for a fight, so don''t waste energy needlessly."


    "My children are all dead!" Cthaat raged.


    Aforgomon replied, "I''ve already found the vault of the god of creation. As long as we can open up that vault and obtain the treasure of creation, we''ll be able to destroy the Ancient Gods'' Abode and the upstart Demonic Temple in an instant, then rule this world. Focus your strength and attention on that vault; put everything else aside for the time being." Cthaat roared, "That cockroach killed myst child right before my eyes!"


    "Wasn''t that just your avatar?"


    Cthaat countered, "Do you have children?"


    Aforgomon replied, "The vault of the god of creation contains countless treasures that we can''t even dream of. The Ancient Gods'' Abode has been hoping to acquire them long before this, and they and the Demonic Temple will surely attempt to hinder our operation. We don''t have spare energy for private matters."


    By then, the ck sea hadpletely transformed into a sea of time. Cthaat continued to rage within a bubble of stopped time. "You don''t understand what it feels like to be a parent that has just lost a child!"


    The sea of time manifested a number of galloping steeds, of thundering dragons. They flew by, ignoring the dense collection of eyes and ears in the sky.


    Above the sea of time, waves surged forth. From afar, theva looked like a flock of egrets, like howling serpents.


    Aforgomon waspletely unable to stop the inexorable advance of the sea of time.


    He fell silent; rarely did Cthaat disobey him.


    The sea tended to be calm. Although Cthaat frequently lost control of his emotions, considering his strength and the power and prestige of Eternal Sun, there were rarely any matters that could rouse his anger. When he was well and truly angry, however, even Aforgomon couldn''t calm him down.


    Aforgomon gave up on locking time down. He looked silently into the distance where Cthaat had vanished, then gave up on caring entirely.


    "The Ancient Gods'' Abode and Demonic Temple are focused on the vault of the god of creation, so no one should be causing Cthaat any trouble in the short term. I hope Cthaat won''t cause too much of amotion and will calm down quickly..."

 Chapter 1581: Hanxiangs Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 1581: Hanxiang''s Transformation</h4>


    The airship was headed straight for the settlement that Hong Tianqi had constructed.


    After so much time had passed, the hunter''s guild looked brand-new. The hunters were no longer forced to hide in the mountains, never to show their faces. The fates of the hunter''s guild and the former hunters'' settlement had been reversed.


    Zhang Lie exhaled in relief. If the hunters of the guild had suffered because of him as well, Zhang Lie would have felt very upset.


    He had Li Qianlin temporarily remain in the airship waiting for him. Just like before, she bade farewell to him with longing as he headed back to the Milky Way via the teleportation apparatus in the hunter''s guild.


    Only a day had passed since thest time he left the Milky Way. He left a record of his passage in the hunter''s guild as he returned to Earth.


    This time, he didn''te back alone. The members of Team Zenith joined him.


    Zhang Lie rushed to find his sister in the Zenith Dojo.


    When she saw her brother return safely, Zhang Hanxiang smiled. "You''re back, Brother!"


    Zhang Lie nodded and rubbed Zhang Hanxiang''s head. "I am. Did you stay home obediently?"


    Zhang Hanxiang mock-scowled. "Brother, I''m not a kid anymore!"


    Zhang Lie let out a long breath. "That''s true. You''ve grown up, Hanxiang."


    Zhang Hanxiang continued, "Nothing happened in the Zenith Dojo during the two days I was here."


    Zhang Lie blinked. "Hm?"


    Zhang Hanxiang frowned. "Didn''t you want me to inspect the dojo, Brother?"


    "Oh, right, I remember now."


    Zhang Lie remembered the ploy with which he had tricked Zhang Hanxiang to remain in the dojo.


    "I finished off the enemy long ago¡ªI just forgot about it."


    Zhang Hanxiang puffed up her cheeks. "You should have told me, Brother! I wouldn''t have needed to wait idly in the dojo then."


    Zhang Lie sped his hands together. "Just two days in the Zenith Dojo shouldn''t have left you too bored, right?"


    "But that''s two months in the third realm!" Zhang Hanxiang eximed. "Think about how much stronger Hong Xi would be getting..."


    "Ah, my Hanxiang knows the importance of working hard now."


    Zhang Hanxiang seemed to grow more infuriated. "Brother, I demand that you repay me for this."


    "Ah, very well. I managed to get some incredible treasure while defeating that enemy, so how about this?" Zhang Lie revealed a chest and opened it.


    The chest glowed with starlit radiance, filling the room with light. Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes turned starry as she wowed.


    The room seemed to transform into the cosmos. Whaty within the chest wasn''t a flower, but rather a neb, fiery-red with destruction one moment, and glittering silver the next. The colors changed again and again, dazzling any onlookers.


    The neb contained concentrated vitality, so much so that calling it a ''sea of life'' would be a pale imitation of reality. It was like a small cosmos in its own right. Even Zhang Hanxiang could sense and be astounded by the vitality it contained.


    In addition to that vitality, the core of the neb contained another indescribable energy, the strength thaty at the pinnacle of destruction and death, which anyone would dream of possessing.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s heart thumped. She felt her body''s innate desire for the flower of universal life. She forcibly restrained herself as she pushed it away.


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What''s the matter? Don''t you like it?"


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded. "Very much so, but I can''t have it."


    She wasn''t the innocent girl of her youth any longer. Her experiences in the dimensional world, the trials and challenges she had ovee, caused Zhang Hanxiang to mature bit by bit. Despite the fact that Zhang Lie and the Zenith Dojo had tried to preserve her innocence via their protection, she was no longer the frail, lonely girl who cried and begged Zhang Lie to stay behind and apany her when he left for the dimensional world.


    She, who had familiarized herself with spiritual pills and herbs via long exposure in the dimensional world, who had consumed multiple limit-breaking potions, could tell at a nce that the flower of universal life was an incredibly rare and expensive reagent, one that the vast majority of¡ªor perhaps even all¡ªspiritual herbs couldn''tpare to.


    "It would benefit you more than it does me, Brother."


    These were Zhang Hanxiang''s true thoughts.


    Zhang Lie had to grow strong. Only then would he be able to protect her, to protect the Zenith Dojo.


    Zhang Lie smiled and rubbed his sister''s head. "Don''t worry. I have even better treasures. Don''t you see?"


    Zhang Hanxiang cocked her head as Zhang Lie flexed. "I''m even stronger than before. I brought this back specially for you."


    Sun Mengmeng poked her head out. "Your brother brought it back just for you. Take it, won''t you?"


    "We all have better stuff. You don''t have to worry about us," Sun Xiaowu added.


    "Captain, are you done! We''re waiting for you to host us a banquet!" Li Feng shouted.


    Zhang Hanxiang smiled as she cupped the flower of universal life in her hands. "What a pretty flower. I''m a little reluctant to eat it."


    Fang Yi grumbled yfully, "Hurry, hurry! I want to eat my fill, too!"


    Zhang Hanxiang asked, "How strong were the opponents you faced if they had such incredible treasure?"


    "Not too strong," Sun Xiaowu replied. "Captain finished them off in just a few blows."


    "My brother really is amazing." Zhang Hanxiang smiled proudly.


    "Go on, eat it." Zhang Lie rubbed his sister''s head.


    Zhang Hanxiang nodded obediently and consumed the flower of universal life.


    Then, starlight filled her body.


    The starlight expanded, encapsting the entire room. Fog gathered. Rosy light filtered down, and vitality surged forth. Starlight surrounded her body, concentrated and dense, as though she were wreathed in the cosmos itself.


    The starlight struck her body, breaking all her bones. Zhang Hanxiang frowned in pain.


    Zhang Lie grimaced as Sun Mengmeng stepped forward to console him. "Hanxiang will be just fine. You''ve already inspected the flower of universal life several times before we got here, and you know it has no downsides."


    Zhang Lie nodded. He did know that. All he could do now was wait.


    The starlight bathed her limbs and bones, shrouding her in radiance.


    Starfire red and surrounded her. Her bones shattered. Zhang Hanxiang shuddered as naturalw seeped into her very bones.


    Zhang Lie saw the changes in Zhang Hanxiang''s expression and grew anxious, but there was nothing he could do.


    Blood seeped out from her skin, carrying trace impurities with it.


    More and more starlight gathered around Zhang Hanxiang, so concentrated they were condensing into clouds. Zhang Hanxiang shouted loudly as the starlight red¡ªbut Zhang Lie lifted a hand and suppressed the manifestation, so none outside the Zenith Dojo would be made aware of it.

 Chapter 1582: Internal Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1582: Internal Strength</h4>


    Golden starlight surrounded Zhang Hanxiang, leaving her body immersed in a cloud of stars. She blossomed like a beautiful flower.


    The concentrated vitality imbued in the cloud of stars was causing Zhang Hanxiang to undergo a metamorphosis.


    Her bones turned to powder.


    Her genes and cells mutated at a fundamental level, elevated by the flower of universal life.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s vitality transformed at its very core. Frost emanated from her; she turned into a sculpture of ice. The golden starlight turned pale white; the stars cooled and became clouds of frost. The entire room froze over.


    The members of Team Zenith jumped up in surprise. "What''s going on?"


    Sun Mengmeng waved a hand, sealing the room in purple mes and preventing the frost from leaking out.


    Zhang Hanxiang groaned. Even her skull began to fragment, crack, and turn to powder.


    With her bones shattered, the blood seeped even more quickly out of her skin, impurities leaving with it.


    The moment the blood and impurities appeared on her skin, they froze over and fell off in chips.


    As her body shone with even more intense light, blood sprayed out. Her body was simultaneously in a dramatically weakened state and burning with energy.


    The clouds of frost and vitality transmuted into one another as the potency of the flower of universal lifepeted with Zhang Hanxiang''s unique constitution.


    They didn''t sh; rather, the flower of universal life was activating and synergizing with Zhang Hanxiang''s unique constitution. The frost that seeped out from her body was sufficient to freeze the entire room. The members of Team Zenith were taken aback; they had to focus to deal with the situation.


    Yang Ze asked, "Captain, what''s with this frost? Did something happen to Hanxiang?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Her vitality is rapidly improving. Nothing''s wrong."


    Yang Ze frowned. "Captain, do you know something you''re not telling us?"


    Zhang Lie hesitated. "Hanxiang''s constitution is rather unique."


    "Rather unique?!"


    If not for all the hunters of Team Zenith doing their best to suppress it, the entire city would have been frozen by the frost that leaked out of her¡ªEarth might even have undergone another ice age. Was this solely at the level of ''rather unique''?!


    Zhang Lie asked, "You''re all aware of spirit avatars, aren''t you?"


    Zhou Ying asked, "Does Hanxiang possess a unique constitution like me?"


    "It''s a bit more advanced than yours. You possess a divine avatar, and hers is deific."


    Zhou Ying gaped. "Why haven''t we seen any sign of her special abilities, then? She does have an affinity to ice, but if it''s only to that extent..."


    "Actually, my sister''s constitution has been sealed by special means. I only learned of it recently, which is why no one was able to notice anything until now."


    "It''s possible to seal a constitution?" Zhou Ying eximed.


    "Allegedly, the person who performs the sealing will have to pay a price."


    Yang Ze cocked his head. "But why seal her unique constitution? Shouldn''t it allow her to grow even stronger?


    Zhou Ying was able to disy incredible strength with the use of her Avatar of the Fae; her techniques were on a different level entirely.


    Yang Ze continued, "With a constitution a level more advanced than even Zhou Ying''s, I''m sure Hanxiang could be stronger than we are if she leverages her constitution properly."


    The frost seeping out from her transformation alone required all the hunters to seal. If Zhang Hanxiang were to manifest her avatar in full, she might well be able to best the hunters of Team Zenith.


    Zhang Lie sighed. "If she could, then I wouldn''t have to worry."


    "Is there something wrong with her avatar?" Zhou Ying asked.


    "It''s so strong that she can''t control it¡ªit''s a blessing that has be a curse."


    Zhou Ying frowned. "In that case, she can''t control its strength?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "We don''t know just how strong it is. Even her body can''t seem to handle it..."


    The flower of universal life gave its essence to Zhang Hanxiang''s body, causing her to grow more and more resilient. Her body was forged anew from the essence of the flower. The heavens rumbled as Zhang Hanxiang underwent her metamorphosis. The shattered bones in her body were reforming in jeweled splendor.


    Even with Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith suppressing all external manifestations, a beam of starlight managed to make its way out. A rain of light fell over the Zenith Dojo.


    The cloud of stars that shrouded Zhang Hanxiang transitioned between scorching-hot me and bitter-cold frost. The stars were imbued with incredible vitality, just like the bloom of nature that could revitalize a world after an apocalyptic event. The frost gave off silvery-white radiance that seemed poised to turn the world into one of ice and frost.


    The flower of universal life contained enough energy to change the world at a foundational level, the realm of deities.


    Frost spread and pulsed. A specter of eternal ice appeared behind Zhang Hanxiang, as though an ancient god had been revived. The clouds of frost in the air burst apart in a supernova.


    The hunters were starting to lose control over Zhang Hanxiang''s frost. It seeped out, and the ground was frozen solid. Zhang Lie frowned and shouted, "Quick, inform everyone in the Zenith Dojo to evacuate. No, inform the whole city!"


    Yang Ze''s body rippled. He vanished using spatial force.


    Zhang Lie chuckled wryly to himself. "It looks like I''ve underestimated the strength of a deific avatar."


    Not only did the flower of universal life cause Zhang Hanxiang''s status of life to evolve, it would also enhance her deific avatar.


    The deific avatar was growing alongside her.


    Thanks to her increase in strength, the deific avatar was able to ess more of itstent power.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s body and the seal that had been ced on her had greatly restricted the strength of her deific avatar. Now, however, those restrictions were being loosened.


    Sun Mengmeng gritted her teeth as she stubbornly continued to suppress the frost. "Where is this frightening strengthing from?!"


    "Something that can be considered a deific avatar isn''t strength that''s ordinarily essible to mortals."


    Eventually, the hunters weren''t able to suppress the manifestation any longer. A beam of starlight shot into the skies, transforming into countless stars that shone and sparkled brightly, overwhelming the sun. All of China could see the stars overhead, as well as meteors of frost that were falling to the ground.


    They smashed into the city; only then did the civilians of Earth realize that those weren''t stars or meteorites as well, but rather huge hailstones and chunks of ice.


    What happened to the Zenith Dojo was even more incredible. The entire dojo had been sealed in ice, and frost seeped out of the ground. Every flower and bloom of frost sparkled with starlit radiance.

 Chapter 1583: Evolution Complete

    <h4>Chapter 1583: Evolution Complete</h4>


    Zhang Lie btedly regretted not having Zhang Hanxiang consume the flower of universal life in the dimensional realm.


    The main issue was that Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were already in the fourth realm. They were worried that they wouldn''t be by Zhang Hanxiang''s side to protect her during her metamorphosis, considering that she was still in the third.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s bones shone with luster, emitting a golden hum.


    Burgeoning vitality emerged from her body, causing bone, blood, and flesh to resonate. Her bones glowed a faint gold.


    Then, incredible vitality nourished her body and caused it to gleam with light.


    She reforged her body, growing stronger than ever. Hertent talent was blossoming.


    Starlight speckled her bones.


    The figure of eternal frost to her back roared like a god, and chilly winds blew across the city. Her physical body glowed with a sheen like that of top-quality jade.


    Zhang Hanxiang''s status of life had improved to a tremendous extent. The starlight dimmed, and her long hair broke free of the ice encasing it. She was like a lotus that bloomed in the middle of a snowfield, pure and unadulterated.


    After that evolution, Zhang Hanxiang didn''t wake up immediately. She fell into a deep sleep, her body slowly floating down like a snowke not subject to gravity. Zhang Lie rushed forward and found her body ice-cold. Ayer of frost crept up his arm.


    Sun Mengmeng stepped forward, worried. "Captain..."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Don''t worry about it. It''s just frost that she''s giving off unintentionally."


    As Zhang Lie brought Zhang Hanxiang back to her room, Sun Xiaowu released a deep breath. "I would never have expected such incredible energy in Hanxiang''s body..."


    Fang Yi said, "After all, she''s our captain''s sister. How could she be ordinary?"


    Zhang Lie sighed. "I''d rather she be more ordinary..."


    Sun Mengmeng frowned. "Captain, you seem really concerned. Has something happened to Hanxiang?"


    Zhang Lie said, "Mortals aren''t supposed to be able to channel deific strength. Justing into possession of it is already disastrous. As Hanxiang matures, so will her deific avatar. If her status of life remained as low as it was, her body would have been unable to bear the might of the avatar, and she would have transformed into an eternal sculpture of ice."


    Sun Xiaowu nodded in understanding. "That''s why you needed to get the flower of universal life at any cost, Captain."


    "That''s right. Now that Hanxiang has grown stronger, that fate has at least been dyed by quite a few years."


    "Does Hanxiang know?" Zhou Ying asked.


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "She doesn''t. Please don''t tell her."


    Yang Ze phased through space as he popped back in. "Looks like the problem''s been resolved, then."


    Zhang Lie asked, "Was anyone affected?"


    Yang Ze patted his chest. "Don''t worry about my abilities. Everyone evacuated as nned, and not a single dojo employee or disciple was affected."


    Yang Ze possessed mastery over space, and he was able to teleport people out of the dojo in a sh.


    "Should I recall them?"


    "Recall everyone and have them start cleaning up the ice around the dojo." The moment Zhang Lie finished speaking, his transceiver began to ring. Zhang Lie returned to his room, shattered the ice sealing his transceiver, and saw the notification on its disy.


    Hong Tianqi?


    Sun Mengmeng motioned that she and the other hunters of Team Zenith would start dealing with the cleanup of the Zenith Dojo and its surroundings.


    Zhang Lie epted the call. The moment he picked up, he heard Hong Tianqi shout, "Zhang Lie, I received news that the Zenith Dojo was attacked. Are you alright? Is everyone else fine?"


    "We''re all fine."


    Hong Tianqi was so enraged that he mmed a palm on his table. "Who would dare attack the Zenith Dojo? That''s a show of disrespect for all of China, of all of the Milky Way, of the highest authority of the united world federation! Zhang Lie, just who did you offendtely? I''ll deal with them all one at a time!"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Do you think anyone in the Milky Way would dare to attack me?"


    "I don''t care who they are¡ªif they struck at you, they might as well have struck at me, Hong Tianqi!"


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but smile at the lengths that Hong Tianqi would go to defend him. His rage didn''t seem to be a joke at all.


    "No one attacked me."


    "What? Are you going to im that you orchestrated the attack, then? The entire city was bombarded with huge blocks of ice. It''s clear that the opponent wasn''t just targeting the Zenith Dojo. Zhang Lie, this isn''t a problem just for you, but for all of China, all of the Milky Way, and the highest authority of the united world federation! Don''t worry, Zhang Lie. Tell me everything!"


    "I was the one who caused it."


    Hong Tianqi: ...


    He fell silent, then asked, "Why? Do you have nothing better to do?"


    "I was training in the dojo, not expecting to cause such a hugemotion."


    Zhang Lie didn''t exin that Zhang Hanxiang had caused the emergency. He wanted to protect his sister as much as possible.


    "Why didn''t you do it in the dimensional realm?"


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "As I said, I wasn''t expecting to cause such a hugemotion."


    "No, that''s not the Zhang Lie I know. You wouldn''t make such an elementary mistake. Zhang Lie, you''re not thinking of dealing with your opponent alone, are you?" Hong Tianqi asked.


    "What?!"


    Hong Tianqi continued seriously, "Don''t shoulder the burden yourself, Zhang Lie. China and the united world federation stands behind you, as do I, the highest authority of the united world federation. We won''t just let you take this lying down!"


    Zhang Lie was stupefied.


    Hong Tianqi must have believed that he was trying to deal with the opponent himself because he didn''t want the united world federation to interfere, or because he thought that the opponent was so strong that he didn''t want to involve Hong Tianqi.


    "I know you''ve made it this far on your own, and I''m very impressed by your abilities, but sometimes, you have to learn to count on others."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "No, you''re mistaken. This really was amotion that I caused while training."


    Hong Tianqi cried out in agitation, "You were partially responsible for my promotion to the highest authority of the united world federation! It''s time for me to make use of my strength to help you. Don''t worry. Tell me the truth!"


    Zhang Lie replied seriously, "I really was the one who did it. I''m very sorry, and I''ll cover the mary cost of reparation and damages."


    The Zenith Dojo had be particrly profitable, along with the sales of his limit-breaking potions. To him, money was now nothing more than a number that grew and grew.

 Chapter 1584: Chaos of the Black Sea

    <h4>Chapter 1584: Chaos of the ck Sea</h4>


    Hong Tianqi seemed to have drawn his own conclusions. "Is someone threatening you? Is that why you aren''t revealing anything?"


    Zhang Lie groaned. "Who in the Milky Way do you think can threaten me now?"


    "Don''t be afraid, Zhang Lie. No one in the Milky Way can threaten or hurt you with me around."


    Zhang Lie sucked in a deep breath, exasperated.


    It was difficult to believe that he could cause his entire dojo to be sealed in ice, after all.


    Hong Tianqi frowned. "Of all those in the Milky Way who might threaten you... I think there actually are a few, but none so crazy they would attack you in China. Could it be the Feather King?"


    Zhang Lie: ...


    Hong Tianqi continued, "That can''t be. He''s still on the battlefield, so..."


    Zhang Lie sighed. "Alright, I''ll leave you to guess on your own. I''m hanging up now."


    "Hold on!"


    Zhang Lie frowned. "What now? Do you want a hint from me?"


    "Is there a hint?"


    "I''m hanging up."


    "No, no, I do have other business!"


    "What is it?"


    "There''s a problem in the fourth realm."


    "What now?"


    "A disaster by the borders of the ck sea. The ck sea has been calm and cid for countless years, but it has suddenly started to rage. It''s encroaching on thend that it surrounds."


    "I''m not a superhero, and I don''t intend to maintain peace in the fourth realm."


    Hong Tianqi replied, "I think that something''s amiss. Although the ck sea has been encroaching ind, it seems to be directed somehow. It chases furiously after us human gic hunters, as though it''s trying to drown us specifically."


    Zhang Lie understood what Hong Tianqi was getting at. "And you want me to investigate?"


    Hong Tianqi nodded. "The united world federation has sent a few hunters nearby to check on it, but the seawater chases after all those hunters the moment they try to get near. They weren''t able to find anything useful. If the seawater doesn''t stop, the entirety of the fourth realm will be submerged sooner orter."


    "I''m willing to have a look, but I can''t promise anything."


    Hong Tianqiughed out loud. "With your assistance, the problem will be as good as solved, I''m sure."


    Zhang Lie reached out. "What do I get for this investigation?"


    Hong Tianqi nodded seriously. "How about I help you deal with the culprit behind the entire fiasco with your dojo?"


    Hong Tianqi was offering to deal with the culprit, his sister Zhang Hanxiang? Of course Zhang Lie wouldn''t agree to that!


    No, he was the one who had Zhang Hanxiang consume the flower of universal life. He was the mastermind, wasn''t he?


    Zhang Lie thundered, "Why would I want you to deal with me?"


    Hong Tianqi said seriously, "Zhang Lie, don''t worry about it. Leave this matter to me. I''ll make things right for you!"


    Zhang Lie waved a hand. "If you insist on handling me, then I''m sorry, but I won''t be able to take on the task you need help with."


    Hong Tianqi hurriedly said, "Alright, alright, forget it. What sort ofpensation do you want?"


    "All hunters that enter and ascend from the fourth realm are recorded in the united world federation''s hunters'' guild, aren''t they?"


    "That''s right."


    "As the highest authority of the united world federation, do you have ess to these details?"


    Hong Tianqi replied severely, "Gic hunters are the foundation of the united world federation, and their privacy is taken seriously by us all."


    "In that case, even you can''t do anything with it?"


    "I do have some authority. Zhang Lie, are you trying to use it to figure out who attacked the Zenith Dojo? How dare someone do this! They clearly have no respect for China, for the united world federation, for the Milky Way, for me, Hong Tianqi¡ª"


    Zhang Lie immediately cut him off. "No, no, it''s not about enemies."


    Hong Tianqi continued, "I can acquire that list, but I can''t hand it over to you. The privacy of gic hunters is taken very seriously by the entirety of the Milky Way. The construction of the hunter''s guild isn''t meant to control these hunters, but to protect them. I can''t reveal such sensitive information."


    If Hong Tianqi were to do so, criminals might take advantage of the opportunity to kidnap the family members of hunters, for example.


    "You said that I was partially responsible for your promotion to the highest authority of the united world federation, didn''t you? Is acquiring such a list that hard?"


    Hong Tianqi shook his head. "It''s precisely because I''m in such a position that I have to live up to its ideals. There are some things I won''t do, and this is one of them. If that''s what you want, then I apologize. I''ll try to find others to help investigate."


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "It''s alright. I simply want information on two hunters in the list of fourth-realm hunters."


    "Just two? That''s easy enough," Hong Tianqi said, rxed.


    "Please help me investigate Zhang Yangyan and Han Lingxin."


    "Very well. Give me some time."


    By the time the call finished, Team Zenith and the dojo members were already hard at work melting the ice from the Zenith Dojo. With Sun Mengmeng around, the defrosting was easy.


    Not longter, Zhang Hanxiang woke up. She was famished and called out for food, finishing off the majority of what was in the fridge. She was stuffing her face with biscuits, her cheeks like those of a squirrel bulging with nuts. "Brother, why are the biscuits all wet?"


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith rolled their eyes.


    After she ate her fill, Zhang Hanxiang grew very excited about her newfound strength. She was very excited about heading back into the third realm to see how much she had grown.


    Zhang Lie immediately held her back. "Don''t return to the third realm for now."


    Zhang Hanxiang cocked her head. "Did something happen?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "What are you so excited about?"


    "I want to test out my strength!"

 Chapter 1585: Its the Black Sea

    <h4>Chapter 1585: It''s the ck Sea</h4>


    Zhang Hanxiang was brimming with confidence. "I feel like I can take ten of you down, Brother!"


    "Ha."


    The members of Team Zenith gave her a doubtful look. Their mouths twitched. "Hehe."


    Zhang Hanxiang pouted. "What''s with all of you? I really am very strong now!"


    "Alright, alright. It''s good that you''ve grown stronger. The Zenith Dojo has just been attacked, so you had better stay behind to protect it."


    Zhang Hanxiang''s eyes widened. "Who would dare?"


    "We''re investigating now."


    "When did they attack? Why didn''t I know about it?"


    "It was when you consumed the flower of universal life, while we were all distracted trying to protect you. The whole city was affected."


    The members of Team Zenith couldn''t help but nce askance at Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Hanxiang clenched her fists tightly. "How dare they! Don''t worry, Brother, I''ll keep the dojo safe and sound and find the culprit."


    Zhang Lie would leave Zhang Hanxiang in the rtive safety of the dojo for now. He knew that keeping her in the Milky Way wouldn''t be a long-term solution, and she would eventually get antsy. However, every day she remained in the Milky Way was forty days in the fourth realm, during which time Zhang Lie could do a whole lot.


    He didn''t intend for Zhang Hanxiang to remain in the dojo for good. She would only have to stay there for about ten days or so; Zhang Lie was confident he could ascend to the fifth realm by that time.


    Although he had never been to the fifth realm himself, he had learned from some others that the fifth realm was a wide, expansive universe that had miraculous herbs like the flower of universal life. Zhang Lie was deeply confident that he would be able to resolve the problem of her deific avatar there.


    Furthermore, weren''t his parents in the fifth realm as well?


    He brought the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang out for a banquet. Because of the sudden hail, the entire city had been affected, and many stores had chosen to close for the day. It took a considerable search before they finally found a restaurant that was open.


    After the members of Team Zenith and Zhang Hanxiang had eaten their fill, Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith returned to the fourth realm, whereas Zhang Hanxiang remained behind to guard the Zenith Dojo, awaiting an attacker that didn''t exist.


    "Are we headed to the warehouse Bu Wentian told us about next?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "Let''s check out the south first. Hong Tianqi just told us that the ck sea by the south has been particrly violenttely. It''s encroaching ind, and might well submerge the entirety of the fourth realm if left unchecked. Conveniently, the warehouse is in the south as well. We''ll finish our investigation first before heading there."


    The ck sea was a dangerous problem that was starting to leave many fourth-realm cultivators concerned.


    They returned to the airship, where Li Qianlin had been waiting for far too long¡ªa whole month, considering Zhang Lie and the others had spent the majority of the day back on Earth. Zhang Lie patted Li Qianlin on the head. "I''m very sorry for the wait."


    Li Qianlin didn''t grumble. "If only I could enter your world, too."


    "I''ll find a way,"


    Zhang Lie replied gently. He drew Li Qianlin in. The two of them hugged each other intimately, enjoying a moment of reunification.


    Sun Mengmeng coughed dryly. "Captain, is it time to set off?"


    Zhang Lie btedly came to his senses andmanded the airship to fly to the south.


    Not longter, they could see fleeing hordes of gic lifeforms through the airship. Some were migrating bynd, and others by air. The airship struck them down.


    The crackling of lightning could be heard from afar. Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    ck clouds burned over the surface of the sea, forming blue mes. The sea caught forked tendrils of lightning and extinguished them in its deepest abyss. The lightning looked almost alive, like fiery serpents that swam in the sea and vanished the next moment.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide. The entire sea shifted, and lightning crackled amidst the void.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call. Boulders on shore, weighing thousands of tons, were pulverized and sent sinking into the sea.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    This was a scene that should have been seen only at sea, but was now urring onnd. Thend was being invaded and corroded away by the ck sea, ins and grasnds and deserts and mountains and forests alike. Even the tallest mountains were crumbling as waves battered them; forests were submerged and trees uprooted.


    The sea roared, the wind howled. Waves surged forward, destroying everything in their path.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were transfixed by the sight thaty before them.


    "Let''s have a look in the middle of the sea," Zhang Lie said.


    The airship''s electronic voice replied, "Captain, I don''t rmend doing so."


    "Why not?"


    "The ck sea appears to be a lifeform with a soul."


    Zhang Lie was taken aback. "The ck sea''s a lifeform?!"


    Yang Ze asked, "Captain, doesn''t this ck sea seem a little familiar to you?"


    "Aren''t all seas the same?"


    "But don''t you feel it looks a little like Cthaat?" Yang Ze pressed.


    When Yang Ze pointed it out, Zhang Lie reevaluated whaty before him. That did seem to be the case...


    "You mean that this ck sea is Cthaat?"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What do we do, Captain? Should we continue the investigation if it really is Cthaat?"


    "Well, we can find out easily enough. Let me go have a look."


    Li Qianlin tugged on Zhang Lie''s hand.


    "Will it be dangerous?"


    Zhang Lie shook his head. "If the ck sea is allowed to continue encroaching ontond, the fourth-realm gic lifeforms aren''t going to be the only ones affected. We gic hunters will find ourselves restricted to ever smaller tracts ofnd¡ªand we''ll be inpetition with the gic lifeforms of the fourth realm for them."


    The gic lifeforms would be forced to retreat ind, just like the gic hunters. For survival, the hunters and lifeforms would have to fight¡ªuntil both sides were exhausted and the ck sea could drown them all.


    Even though the hunters were able to retreat back into the Milky Way, the same situation as when the third realm copsed would ur again. The hunters would lose ess to the fourth realm.


    If the ck sea really were Cthaat, then Zhang Lie could be med for the entire affair.


    Zhang Lie gnashed his teeth. "This is good, I suppose. I was wondering how to find Cthaat. It saves me the trouble of finding it."


    Killing Cthaat''s son wasn''t good enough for Zhang Lie. Cthaat''s son had destroyed a settlement of the Milky Way, and the mastermind, Cthaat himself, was still alive. Zhang Lie wouldn''t be satisfied with just the death of its son.


    The airship opened up as Zhang Lie flew closer to the ck sea.

 Chapter 1586: Clash of the Seas

    <h4>Chapter 1586: sh of the Seas</h4>


    Zhang Lie was still some distance away from the ck sea when it erupted in full, the seawater sshing all around him for miles on end.


    The waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    They formed a flood that homed in on Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie had no intention of showing any weakness. He clenched his fists tightly. Pale blue gic energy rippled about Zhang Lie''s arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend around them. A fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.


    [Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar] swept over the battlefield. As more and more gic energy gathered around Zhang Lie''s arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.


    Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged ck dragons, flooding the area.


    The ck sea and pale blue gic energy shed in the air in an explosion of wind and storm.


    Howling winds formed in the air around the explosion. Even the airship was affected. It quickly shot backwards as the sea roiled in anger. The ck sea erupted in a forest of lightning, wave after wave crashing onto his opponent''s technique.


    As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie''s signature gic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity.


    The ck sea manifested in the form of the upper half of a humanoid body. Its voice was like a typhoon. "I''ve finally found you, bug!"


    Zhang Lie wasn''t surprised. He folded his arms. "As expected, it''s you, Cthaat."


    "I''ll kill you!" Cthaat roared.


    Zhang Lie smirked. "That remains to be seen, doesn''t it?"


    The ck sea roiled. Waves roared through the skies like galloping beasts, like thundering dragons.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like rocs emerging with the tide.


    The waves crested in mid-air, each a blood-colored bastion.


    "[The Boundless de: Daybreak]!" As Zhang Lie waved his pointer finger, a beam of sword energy cleaved through the waves as a raging shark swam forth.


    Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The sea roared, the wind howled. Cthaat''s anger was reflected in the physical manifestation of its body, in the giant waves that seemed poised to destroy everything in sight.


    The waves shot forward, smashing apart everything thaty in their way before being blocked by Zhang Lie''s gic energy. The anger of the ck sea alone, its raging shouts, manifested in the form of one of its strongest attacks.


    "[Ninecarp Transformation]!"


    A ck serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now sorge and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.


    Pitch-ck gic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, shing against the ck sea.


    The corrosive gic energy began to make the seawater sizzle.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie punched forward as his ck serpent shot into the ck sea, causing it to roil. Waves formed across the surface of the sea, which was turning ever darker, just like when Zhang Lie had encountered Cthaat''s son. The pitch-ck gic energy was corrupting the ck sea and corroding at Cthaat''s very body.


    Cthaat grew even more enraged.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call. Boulders onnd, weighing thousands of tons, were sent sinking into the sea, where they were pulverized into powder.


    Waves surged one after another, apanied by the sound of incredible howls. Snowy-white froth sprayed all over. The tide swelled, waves reaching hundreds of meters into the air.


    The ck sea evoked a frightening terror and deep mystery.


    The tide shot toward Zhang Lie like rampaging troops rushing forward, bolstered with killing intent. Cthaat truly wanted Zhang Lie dead.


    Zhang Lie smirked as he pulled away, the pitch-ck gic energy around him transforming into dark clouds that shot into the sea.


    However, Zhang Lie had underestimated Cthaat.


    Cthaat smirked. "Do you really think this amount of strength is enough to take me down?"


    The nature of the ck sea transformed. Its color grew deeper and more pronounced as it absorbed the clouds and melted the ground under its onught.


    Zhang Lie nched. Cthaat was actually absorbing the nature of annihtion inherent in his gic energy and morphing his entire body into the same.


    Although he had heard that the sea could tolerate anything, something like this was far too ridiculous.


    Cthaat''s son had shown a hint of this ability, but Cthaat himself was clearly far stronger. Within moments, it had absorbed the nature of annihtion and transformed it into a weapon.


    The thick, murky liquid surged forward in a wave as tall as a giant wall.


    It brimmed with killing intent.


    As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with ster radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.


    The starlight''s allure captivated all onlookers.


    Zhang Lie''s body transformed into a ze of the dark cosmos, as though the Milky Way itself flowed through his body. His aura grew tremendously. He attacked with one open palm.


    The attacknded, shaking the heavens. The imprint of a huge palm was left on the surface of the sea for a moment, blocking Cthaat''s attack.


    Of course, the sea couldn''t be defeated by just a single strike. The waves continued surging forward, so tall they dwarfed even the tallest of mountains. They were majestic¡ªor they would have been, if they weren''t trying to kill Zhang Lie.


    Zhang Lie had always been the one in control of the sea, one who suppressed his opponents with his attunement to water. This was the first time he was fighting the sea itself¡ªand getting suppressed by it.


    "Return my son to me!" Cthaat howled. "Return my son to me!"

 Chapter 1587: How Could It Be

    <h4>Chapter 1587: How Could It Be</h4>


    The tides surged forward like a battalion, like hordes of hungry tigers and wolves. The waves were a few hundred meters high, like pitch-ck city walls.


    Zhang Lie activated his dragonwolf soulshard. His russet fur seemed to glimmer with ster radiance, each hair a shining star, as though he were draped with the entirety of the Milky Way. His four limbs were armored with a dragon''s scales, each a burning golden sun. The two soulshards'' powerbined.


    A dragon''s horns grew out of Zhang Lie''s forehead, shining with ster radiance, surrounded by gctic starlight. To others, he would seem to have the boundless energy of a new gxy.


    Zhang Lie swiped forward with his ws. Starlight flooded forward, dividing the waves and splitting apart heaven and earth.


    Waves surged one after another, apanied by the sound of incredible howls. Corrosive, pitch-ck froth sprayed all over.


    Starlight surrounded Zhang Lie. Countless stars whizzed away from his body. His pitch-ck gic energy seemed like the astral void, with shining stars scattered throughout.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"


    Zhang Lie''s gic energy condensed into a ck dragon, whose scales were each a star. The stars iid in its body formed a long ster river.


    Zhang Lie''s monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard was changing the very nature of his gic energy, from pitch-ck to dotted with starlight, as though it were a sample from the gxy, pitch-ck like the neverending universe and shining with twinkling stars.


    The stars transformed into dragons that shot out alongside Zhang Lie''s punch.


    The waves grewrger andrger, rumbling like thunder.


    The ster dragons, in the end, possessed only limited strength. They were ultimately battered down by the incessant waves. The next moment, a wave of annihtion exploded around the dragons. Pitch-ck energy swallowed everything in the vicinity like a storm at sea, covering up the sky.


    Zhang Lie thought that this technique would deal significant damage to Cthaat, but Cthaat surprised him again.


    The nature of its body transformed into annihtion¡ªand it directly absorbed the energy of annihtion that the ster dragons gave off as they exploded.


    Zhang Lie gaped in disbelief. How could someone else in the fourth realmmand the same sources of energy that he did?


    "You''ve learned how to wield annihtion?"


    Cthaat roared inughter. "I have you to thank for it. Although I lost a third of my mass, being able to wield such fearsome strength more than makes up for it. Your strongest technique is now mine!"


    Zhang Lie stared for quite a long time, stupefied that his strength had been stolen by an opponent.


    The sea continued to rage. The energy of annihtion destroyed everything in sight as Cthaat absorbed it all.


    Darkness fell throughout the realm. Even light itself was destroyed, swallowed up by the darkness. The ck sea seemed even more imprable and massive than ever before.


    Cthaat had be a demon king who was poised to devour the world.


    ck gic energy burst forth from Zhang Lie, as though there were hundreds, thousands of dragons surging throughout his body.


    "[Fists of the Silent Sea: Hundred Dragons Soaring]!"


    A horde of dragonsunched out of Zhang Lie''s left arm as he expended half his gic energy in one supercharged attack.


    Howling with the force of thunder, the hundred ster dragons soared through the air. They struck the ck sea.


    Cthaat roared inughter. "It''s useless, it''s all useless!"


    A storm of annihtion struck his body, but as he had imed, the energy of annihtion had already be Cthaat''s strength. Zhang Lie''s ck dragons, which wereposed of that energy, could hardly do anything against Cthaat.


    Not only did Cthaatmand annihtion, it retained its own unique characteristics.


    The waves approached in a stato rhythm. Zhang Lie knew that danger was drawing near, but at the moment, he couldn''t see anything at all.


    "A perfect sparring partner," he murmured to himself, neither despairing nor dejected. Rather, he smiled with excitement, his eyes bright. Guicang appeared in his hand. As he shed forward, Cthaat''s pitch-ck mass was divided by his sword. White light filtered in from the heavens.


    Cthaat gaped in disbelief. "How could it be?"


    How could such a small sword slice apart his invincible sea of annihtion?


    Zhang Lie bared his lips in a feral grin. "Your sons weren''t able to please me, so I hope you''ll do the trick."


    Cthaat''s sons were so weak that Zhang Lie could finish them all off in one fell swoop, without being able to try out or get a sense of his newfound strength. Cthaat, on the other hand, seemed like a far stronger opponent. How long would Cthaat survive against Zhang Lie?


    Zhang Lie couldn''t help but anticipate the uing fight.


    "Watch out. This is going to be a strong blow!"


    Water-attuned gic energy surged around Zhang Lie as his giant whale manifested in the air.


    Cthaat couldn''t help but scoff. It was well aware of Zhang Lie''s elemental attunement.


    His water-attuned techniques were ineffective against Cthaat, itself the manifestation of a ck sea and a master of water.


    It was hardly as if Zhang Lie could transform water into a sword and cut it apart.


    The next moment, the water-attuned gic energy rushed into the air, manifesting in the form of a boundless de.


    "[The Boundless de: Daybreak]!" Zhang Lie manifested a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    His surroundings were resplendent and zing, so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword in a burst of golden light that made even the skies submit.


    Cthaat cried out, "What? How can this be?!"

 Chapter 1588: Battle of the Two Seas

    <h4>Chapter 1588: Battle of the Two Seas</h4>


    The pitch-ck energy of annihtion sent sshes through the air. From afar, it looked as though the skies and the sea had joined together, with no border to speak of.


    "[One Strike to Split the Heavens]!"


    The pitch-ck energy dissipated as the ck sea before Zhang Lie parted. Cthaat was cut apart from the middle.


    "Strength isn''t all that matters, and neither is any element invincible. Applying your elemental attunement properly is of particr importance; even the weakest power, honed well, can be unstoppable."


    From the two halves of the sea appeared two humanoids formed of the energy of annihtion. Although they took on human form, they looked as though they were beasts. The Cthaat on the left chuckled coldly. "That''s what weaklings tell themselves."


    The Cthaat on the right said, "As long as you''re strong enough, you can stomp on anything and everything."


    Sun Xiaowu, watching the fight from the airship, nodded in sympathy. "That''s how you really make a mess."


    The right half of the sea transformed again. It now operated on the principles of spatial force.


    The energy of annihtion transformed intoyer afteryer of waves, pushing each other along.


    Howling winds raged. Spatial force surged forward, conveyed by the waves, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The entire sea seemed to roil.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action; the spatial force, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call. The force of the sea could easily pulverize even thousand-ton boulders.


    The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons emerging with the tide.


    Even the members of Team Zenith were taken aback. Yang Ze, the most skilled with spatial force among them, watched on intently. He would have been able to handle the seawater with more finesse, but certainly couldn''t manipte such arge quantity at once.


    "[The Boundless de: River Lethe]!" The temperature dropped to sub-zero values, and a strong wind buffeted the battlefield. Blood-colored frost appeared around the twobatants.


    A ster river materialized in the air. As though the doors to hell had just been thrown open, tens of thousands of serpents rushed out in a flood.


    Each serpent was pitch-ck like the abyss, like the dark of night, and speckled with starlight, a miniaturized version of the Milky Way. The serpents were guides and ferrymen both, leading departed souls into sky and space, freed from the mortal coil.


    As Zhang Lie''s sword swung down, the ster river struck the mortal world.


    With every sh of Guicang, the serpents fell like meteors, whizzing down to the ground and shing against the sea.


    The sea roared, the wind howled. The confrontation of Zhang Lie and Cthaat was at the point of destroying heaven and earth.


    Cthaat clearly possessed more strength, but Zhang Lie was unparalleled in technique.


    Perhaps Cthaat might have been able to recreate Zhang Lie''s elemental attunement and match it blow for blow, but it wouldn''t be able to learn his techniques.


    This was the advantage of gic hunters, the one advantage that gic lifeforms couldn''t emte.


    Cthaat might as well have been a ferocious beast who had reservoirs of immense strength, but it would easily lose out in terms of technique.


    "This isn''t the limit of my strength."


    Cthaat''s energy of annihtion began to morph. It possessed one more arcane attunement¡ªthat over time.


    Annihtion transformed into time; the ck sea became a sea of time.


    Time skimmed across the surface of the sea. Anything that touched theyer of time would rapidly decay. One half of the sea controlled space; the other, time. The two halves merged to form aplete sea of spacetime, boasting such incredible power that Zhang Lie''s ster river was immediately swept away.


    Even so, the fighting spirit in Zhang Lie''s eyes only grew more intense.


    "[The Boundless de: Netherworld Sea]!" The gic energy looked as though it hade from the abyss, or perhaps from the expanding, limitless universe. Starlight struck the gic energy in a sh of surprising beauty.


    The night sky morphed into a raging sea. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves. The universe itself seemed to shake, as though the stars were shifting positions.


    The surface of the ster sea frothed with waves,yering and texturing it. Auroras hung in the air, veiling the night sky.


    The ster sea filled the air, making it appear as though there were two seas from afar.


    The pitch-ck sea of spacetime filled thend; the sea of starlight filled the air. Countless ster dragons surged across the skies.


    This was an incredibly beautiful and deadly sight.


    From afar, ster dragons seemed to roar. The pitch-ck dragons were like the night sky made manifest. Thunder and lightning crackled in the air.


    Dragons unfurled their wings amidst a storm of lightning. The auroras stretched on for thousands of miles, so beautiful they captivated the gathered hunters.


    Zhang Lie struck. An underworld river hurtled into existence, roaring into the sea. The sword energy roiled like ck waves, like a meteor shower, causing the very stars to shake.


    The entire night sky shifted as a thousand ster dragons descended, as though a crack had broken in firmament. A flood that could destroy the world itself rained down on theva.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the serpents, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call.


    The power of spacetime shed against the power of the stars in a dizzying explosion that almost seemed to rewrite naturalw.


    Waves of spacetime swept across thend, spatial force transforming into galloping steeds, temporal force transforming into flocks of ck birds, ster force transforming into rampaging dragons.


    The two seas collided in an endless cavalcade of waves.


    The ster dragons burned like golden mes amidst the infinite sea of stars, diving down into the sea of spacetime before finally meeting their end there.


    Pitch-ck waves of energy erupted. Ster dragons danced and fought amidst bubbles of spacetime, howling as they sacrificed themselves. The ster dragons were the vanguard of the pitch-ck ster sea, the first line of defense against the power of spacetime.


    The two seas struck each other time and again, round after round, each collision sending shockwaves of immense energy across the fourth realm. The spectators watched on in horror and awe.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1589: Battle of the Hundred Seas

    <h4>Chapter 1589: Battle of the Hundred Seas</h4>


    The sea roared, the wind howled. Huge waves surged up from the sea of spacetime, crushing everything in their path.


    Even the sshes of water that resulted possessed incredible destructive ability, but Zhang Lie''sherworld sea was a different matter entirely.


    The pitch-ck gic energy covered up the heavens. Waves surged forward, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The two seas struck each other time and again, round after round, each collision sending shockwaves of immense energy. Even so, victory had yet to be decided.


    "[The Boundless de: Dragon''s Wrath]!"


    Guicang unleashed a barrage of sword energy in the form of a ster dragon.


    The dragon''s howls shook heaven and earth. Pitch-ck gic energy rose up, forming huge waves and countless ster dragons that crashed into the sea of spacetime.


    Out of the sea of spacetime manifested thousands of courageous soldiers attacking in force, shing against the ster dragons.


    Zhang Lie''s sword transcended spacetime.


    His illusory ster dragon strikes manifested into reality in his hands.


    This was the greatest treasure he had obtained from the Gctic Rising Stars Cup, imparting a deeper sense of reality to his sword techniques that could manifest energy and will in the physical world.


    This was a frightening ability.


    A single sh cut apart thousands of spacetime soldiers, their battalion wiped out by the ster dragons'' starlight. The energy of spacetime dissipated.


    Zhang Lie''s sword was so overwhelming that even spacetime couldn''t do anything about it. Space and time were both vanquished by his attacks.


    Cthaat howled loudly as the pitch-ck sea parted into five portions.


    One portion was pitch-ck and otherwise ordinary; one portion wasposed of the energy of annihtion; one portion wasposed of spatial energy; one portion wasposed of temporal energy; and the final portion glowed with starlight, like a ster sea.


    This final portion had emted the technique Zhang Lie had just demonstrated.


    In the blink of an eye, Cthaat had transformed into five major seas.


    The five seas all surged forward, the nature of the water varying wildly in each case. Perhaps Zhang Lie was the only one who could appreciate the artistry of these five seas.


    "[First Form: Parting the River]!"


    Bright sword energy radiated from Zhang Lie like brilliant rays of sunlight, illuminating the entirety of the world.


    The tide shot toward Zhang Lie like rampaging troops rushing forward. The raging sea of annihtion was poised to destroy the world, to destroy the bnce between heaven and earth.


    The spatial sea surged forth with waves as tall as city walls. The temporal sea formed thousands of steeds that shot forward as a vanguard. The spatial and temporal seasbined and morphed into a huge battlefield.


    The ster sea sent out wave after wave of starlight, each wave like a battalion of troops galloping and rushing forward, like meteors and steeds arcing through the air.


    A frightening force descended, energy rumbling and rippling around him. As Zhang Lie swung the de in his hand, a huge sh of sword energy shot downward and crashed against the five elemental seas in an incredible explosion.


    His sword energy formed a raging tempest. Bells seemed to toll around the battlefield.


    In the end, he was unable to withstand thebined assault of the five seas, whose waves forged onward against Zhang Lie.


    The tides surged forward like a battalion, like hordes of ravenous tigers and wolves. The waves were a few hundred meters high, like city walls.


    "[Shadow and Light]!" Zhang Lie whirled around. He suddenly appeared as a series of afterimages that shed forward with their swords simultaneously.


    An incredible sword will rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.


    The sun glowed with splendor. Golden runes patterned the air. Starlight shone through the heavens.


    His surroundings were resplendent and zing, so bright that the spectators had to look away.


    The spectators found their souls trembling.


    Heaven and earth resonated with the will of the sword and tore apart the waves and the sea.


    "This isn''t over yet!"


    "This isn''t over yet!"


    "This isn''t over yet!"


    "This isn''t over yet!"


    The voices echoed as if dozens, or even hundreds, of Cthaats began to talk.


    The seas split up once more, again and again, forming seas ofva, lightning, poison, mud... There were far too many to count. Zhang Lie''s sword shattered each and every one, turning them into swamps that yet continued to coalesce into a huge sea formed from a medley of elements.


    The sea of mishmash was unexpectedly strong. Waves surged one after another, apanied by the sound of incredible howls.


    Hanguang appeared in Zhang Lie''s hands, parting a set of waves.


    The waves grewrger andrger, rumbling like thunder, like an army fielded by Cthaat.


    "[Syzygy]!"


    A pitch-ck sun appeared behind Zhang Lie, and a blood moon by his feet. His aura was magnified tenfold, and a halo of ck sun appeared above his forehead. Naturalw seemed to warp around him. Runes likewise appeared on the bloody moon by his feet, forming an intricate array.


    The bloody moonlight illuminated the entire sea.


    The energy of the sea was drained as Zhang Lie''s aura rapidly grew stronger, as though he were consuming the sea''s strength and transmuting it into his own.


    "What have you done?!"


    "What have you done?!"


    "What have you done?!"


    Dozens of Cthaats roared at Zhang Lie as one.


    Zhang Lie crossed his twin des. The blood moon resonated with the de in his left hand, and the ck sun with the de in his right.


    The ck sun''s mes strengthened Zhang Lie''s attacks and burned away his opponent''s. As the realms of reality and illusion inverted, Zhang Lie simultaneously shed forward with both des, destroying the waves before him.


    "It''s useless!"


    "Don''t waste your breath."


    "You''re far too puny against the likes of the sea."


    "Even if you can weaken me, you can hardlypare to the vast sea itself."


    Dozens of Cthaats spoke up simultaneously as the waves continued surging forward, so tall they dwarfed even the tallest of mountains. They were majestic beyond description.


    Zhang Lie charged forward, shing apart wave after wave, fighting against Cthaat for hundreds of rounds on end.

 Chapter 1590: To Cleave the Sea

    <h4>Chapter 1590: To Cleave the Sea</h4>


    The waves continued without end. From afar, it looked as though the skies and the seas of various colors had joined together, with no border to speak of.


    The waves crested in the air, one after the other, each imbued with a different power.


    Zhang Lie smiled despite the sight of the titanic waves before him.


    "[Second Form: Piercing the Soul]!"


    Zhang Lie''s disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard activated as he infused its energy into his swords, causing them to shine radiantly with multicolored light. He nced straight at his opponent''s soul.


    All Cthaat had done was divide itself into dozens of different seas, but that didn''t matter. Regardless of whether those were avatars or variants of itself in one manner or another, it could hardly possess dozens of souls.


    When Zhang Lie actually looked at Cthaat''s soul, however, the smile fell from his face.


    Each stretch of sea did possess an independent piece of its soul¡ªthese weren''t just avatars or clones.


    Cthaat had truly split up its soul, dividing it up to form dozens of seas of different attributes.


    "So what? I''ll just destroy it all regardless!"


    A rainbow arc apanied Zhang Lie''s sh, as though an aurora borealis were visible in the sky. It shone in all the colors of the rainbow, momentarily hypnotizing anyone who looked at it.


    All those who witnessed the hypnotic light would stand still in a daze.


    With Guicang in hand, Zhang Lie flew through the heavens. His sword shone as brightly as the auroras overhead, bringing him momentarily out of the physical into the intangible.


    The disaster-grade mistmeld m soulshard, when incorporated into Zhang Lie''s soul-targeting attack, had the ability to target its opponent''s soul. As the sword sh swept across the seas, Cthaat''s face appeared over their surfaces as it screamed in abject pain.


    Zhang Lie''s blow had destroyed a dozen different pieces of Cthaat at once.


    Even so, the seas of different elements continued to swell, covering up everything in sight. Zhang Lie''s attack didn''t seem to have caused a notable change.


    "It''s useless!"


    "Your struggles are futile."


    "We''re invincible."


    "You''re far too puny against the likes of the sea."


    "Even if you can weaken me, you can hardlypare to the vast sea itself."


    Dozens of Cthaats spoke up simultaneously as the waves continued surging forward, so tall they dwarfed even the tallest of mountains. They were majestic beyond description.


    Waves charged forward,pping the shore, sounding like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.


    The entire sea seemed to roil.


    The sea had morphed into a boundless battlefield. The sea breeze was as a horn to action, and the waves, thousands of courageous soldiers heeding its call, each arrayed in different colors and styles.


    "That remains to be seen."


    Guicang resonated in Zhang Lie''s hand. Blood-colored sword will emanated from him, transforming into a blood dragon that coiled around his hand.


    "Do you intend to continue struggling futilely?"


    "Beyond a certain level of strength, everything is futile."


    "When your opponent''s strength exceeds a certain threshold, even the techniques you''re proud of be nothing but a joke."


    The voices of dozens of different Cthaats could be heard from afar. The surface of the sea frothed with angry waves, like dragons of different colors emerging with the tide.


    "You''re right. Beyond a certain level of strength, everything else is a joke." "Are you going to give up?"


    "Have you finally given up?"


    "Cease your futile struggles!"


    Dozens of Cthaats called out to Zhang Lie as waves roared through the skies like galloping steeds, like thundering dragons.


    Arge number of titanic waves were drawing near. The mounting pressure was enough to crush any cultivator.


    As the waves drew even nearer, Zhang Lie made his move.


    "[des, Reverberate]!"


    A blood dragon materialized around Zhang Lie. Energy poured out of him in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the realm like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The twin des Guicang and Hanguang emitted a fearsome aura, shining as brightly as the sun and moon. Sword energy materialized from Guicang into a blood dragon that revolved around his body.


    The de Hanguang morphed into a ck dragon, and the de Guicang into a blood dragon. The two dragons, coiling together as one, shot out toward the waves like a hurricane, obliterating them all and bearing down with the might of Zhang Lie''s spiritual sea.


    Infused with the blood moon and the ck sun, the twin dragons formed a ck whirlpool.


    The dozens of Cthaats cried out, "What''s this?!"


    The ck and blood dragons swept pastyer afteryer of titanic waves, destroying even the seas out of which they wereposed. The twin dragons boasted the strength of true annihtion; Cthaat wasn''t able to defend against them at all.


    In the end, Cthaat decided to flee for its life. Because of howrge the ck sea was, a significant portion of Cthaat did manage to flee. Waves stacked on top of each other inyers. From afar, they looked like egrets taking flight, fleeing into the horizon.


    "Since you''vee, you might as well stay!"


    Zhang Lie''s pupils glimmered with frost. He swung Hanguang all around him, sending shes of energy toward Cthaat.


    "[de of the Heavens: the Sea Swells]!" Energy poured out of Zhang Lie in waves, honing the edge of his de. The pulses of energy struck the sea like a tsunami, devouring everything within.


    The energy was a perfect counter to Cthaat, devouring the seaspletely and destroying the fragments of soul and consciousness that Cthaat had left behind. Cthaat, who would otherwise have been able to regenerate and live on from even a body of water as small as a puddle, was unable to even cut off the bulk of its body and run.


    The frightening energy that Zhang Lie''s de contained spread across Cthaat''s entire body of water, devouring everything as it spread.


    Cthaat tried to transform into the same type of energy that Zhang Lie''s de possessed, but that energy was an amalgam of Zhang Lie''s own technique and will. Cthaat was only able to copy the water-attuned gic energy, not the true essence of its destructive abilities.


    In the end, the ck sea that had terrorized thends of the fourth realm vanished entirely, destroyed by Zhang Lie.

 Chapter 1591: Monsters Gather

    <h4>Chapter 1591: Monsters Gather</h4>


    At a certain location in the fourth realm, four strange monsters appeared.


    Huge ck clouds covered the skies, filling their surroundings with darkness. Countless ck tendrils emerged from the clouds, shrieking, "Is this the treasure of the god of creation that Aforgomon was talking about? Why can''t I see anything?"


    "That''s the point."


    A huge headless, non-humanoid shape appeared in sight. Where its four limbs would have been, four huge tentacles appeared. Instead of a head, its neck opened up into a huge, toothless mouth that yawned incessantly as if it were howling. The resulting echoes reverberated through the air, disturbing the other beings.


    Another entity whose form couldn''t be seen red amidst the darkness, saliva dripping down its mouth and getting sucked right back in. It was a wall of soft mud, like a trembling pudding, with mouths and eyes studded all over its surface.


    Its body wasposed of some ck, rubbery substance. Drool dripped down its many mouths, forming a film over the rest of its surface. Madness-inducing tunes whistled out of its many mouths.


    "I seem to sense something..."


    The pudding-like monster had hundreds, if not thousands, of mouths. It could easily sing and speak at the same time, but it only had one central consciousness.


    Three bright red eyes in the shape of three-leaf clovers stared forward. This next lifeform had no limbs with which to move itself; rather, a ck, sticky covering formed ayer ofposite skin-like material that covered its pear-shaped body. It looked like a giant rat. "Aforgomon said that the god of creation''s treasure would hide itself, that it''s not easily found."


    Shadow and fog apanied another lifeform, making it look like a huge, glowing object in the darkness. It was a hugepound eye formed from abination of nts and minerals.


    Thepound eye spoke. "Why isn''t Aforgomon here to deal with such an important affair?"


    Five huge monstrous beings appeared in sight, subordinates of Aforgomon who hade from Eternal Sun.


    The monsters replied, "Aforgomon has to stop the Ancient Gods'' Abode from making their move."


    The pudding monster said, "Despite the fact that we crippled the Ancient Gods'' Abodest time, their mainbat forces are still going strong. They have an independent world beyond ours that poses a huge problem. "If Aforgomon weren''t present, the majority of us might have been sucked into that world, never to be freed."


    The monsters replied, "If we want to finish off the Ancient Gods'' Abode and the Demonic Temple, we''ll have to rely on ourselves."


    The pudding monster nodded. "I know that we''ll be able to do so if we can im the god of creation''s treasure."


    The ck fog asked, "In that case, how do we ess it?"


    The giant rat replied, "We''ll have to find where it''s located first."


    "But how?" the ck fog asked.


    The monsters replied, "Aforgomon told us roughly where it is. We''ll just have to attack it."


    The pudding monster waved its body about. "We''re skilled at that."


    The giant rat seemed surprised. "Is it really that simple?"


    The monsters exined, "The god of creation''s treasure has rather strong defenses, and its location will be exposed the moment it starts to defend itself. Although we might end up counterattacked, it should be trivial for our lot to handle it.


    The giant rat turned around and seemed to defecate. A scorching blue rock appeared in sight.


    The rock was crystalline andposed of triangr and hexagonal faces up to roughly three inches in diameter. It exploded into pale-blue mes when tossed aside.


    The ck fog asked, "That won''t hurt the god of creation''s treasure, would it?"


    The monsters replied, "If it could be destroyed so easily, the treasure would be useless."


    The giant rat continued tounch more of the blue pellets into the air, causing miniaturized explosions one after the other. The entirend began to burn with pale-blue mes, and even a mountain seemed to have been razed to the ground. The barest outline of something could be seen amidst the mes.


    As the outline appeared in sight, an electronic voice said, "External incendiary attack detected. Defensive system activated."


    Light erupted from the barely visible outline. Cannon fire and blinding light illuminated its surroundings as the five monsters were struck.


    The ck fog shrouded the area at the forefront. A whiff of rot and decay spread out, devouring the light.


    The defense system seemed to be of no use against the ck fog. In the end, the ck fog even burped, having devoured the source of the light.


    Thepound eye shot out aser that pierced through the external defenses of the treasure.


    A huge building appeared in sight, one with golden walls and an architectural stylepletely different from that in the dimensional realm. If Zhang Lie and the others were present, they would have recognized it immediately as the style of buildings in the Milky Way.


    The ck fog said, "Let''s head in."


    "Why don''t you bring us with you?"


    The five monsters saw five different monsters appear from a certain direction.


    One was an octopus with many tentacled heads, with a body like scales stuck to paste. A pair of narrow wings hung to its back. Its green, bulbous, rather overweight body leaked sticky fluid. It stumbled out of an opening in the darkness like a walking mountain range.


    Behind it came not darkness but starlight. Another monster, covered with gems and glittering radiance, draped in diamond dust, strode forth with molten gold eyes as it stared at the buildings up in front.


    Another monster had a crystalline body that seemed to encase endless starlight. It floated in the air, its body like a cosmos, the intersection of naturalw with reality. In one palm hung a small ball that looked like a world in miniature.


    A fourth monster was surrounded in green mes, its other features hidden from sight with a cloak save its fiery-red eyes.


    Behind them all was a huge, fiery pir, one that radiated such intense light no one could look toward them directly.


    She looked like a human woman dressed in long robes and with a helmet, giant shield, andnce.


    The monsters frowned. "The Ancient Gods'' Abode."


    The giant rat thundered, "You beings of the Ancient Gods'' Abode are just like flies!"


    The pudding monster''s malevolent eyes swept over the five monsters. "Kthanid of Excellence, Ulthar of Surveince, Vorvadoss the ming One..."


    Thepound-eyed monster turned to the pir of fire. "Orryx the Bright me and N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian¡ªto think that the Ancient Gods'' Abode would have sent out half itsbat force for this one expedition."

 Chapter 1592: The Second Warehouse

    <h4>Chapter 1592: The Second Warehouse</h4>


    Kthanid said, "Can''t we say the same of you, Eternal Sun? The Soul Hunter Iod, the Silent Howler Arwassa, the Star Devourer Ammutseba, the Space Expander Bugg-Shash, and the One from Beyond Vibur."


    Iod was thepound eye. "It looks like you haven''t learned the lesson fromst time if you''re appearing before us again."


    Kthanid of Excellence was the octopus surrounded with diamond dust. "If you weren''t so despicable as to ally with the Demonic Temple, you would never have been able to best us."


    Arwassa was the monster with four huge tentacles, no teeth, and a giant mouth. "You''re intending to fight us, Eternal Sun, for our treasure despite having lost half yourbat forces? You really don''t fear death, do you?"


    The burning Vorvadoss was the cloaked figure around which bright green mes zed. He snorted. "When did this treasure be your possession?"


    Iod said, "There''s no need for us to fight. If we do, we only serve to benefit the Demonic Temple. We''re old rivals, after all. Now that there''s an upstart like the Demonic Temple, why don''t we team up and finish it off first?"


    Kthanid of Excellence thundered, "You were the first to team up with them to get rid of half ourbat forces, and now you want us to drop our enmity and work together with you to finish them off. Do you take us for idiots?"


    The burning Vorvadoss smirked. "Once the Demonic Temple is dealt with, we''ll be next in line, won''t we?"


    The Guardian, N''tse-Kaambl, who looked like a human woman, snorted. "Don''t try these tricks. They''re useless against us."


    Kthanid of Excellence waved its tentacles about. "Cooperation isn''t impossible."


    The burning Vorvadoss seemed to understand what it was implying. "Kill off half your forces, and then we can talk."


    Arwassa''s tentacles began to wave about madly as well. "In that case, we''ve got no chance, then?"


    Kthanid of Excellence replied, "There was no chance from the beginning."


    "What a pity." Iod''spound eye shot out thousands of beams of light.


    Half the monsters from the Ancient Gods'' Abode defended against the sudden attack. Iod cried out, "I''ll hold them off. All of you, get inside!"


    Arwassa, Ammutseba, Bugg-Shash, and Vibur reacted quickly. They dashed toward the second warehouse.


    "I won''t let you get away!" Kthanid of Excellence beckoned for the five monsters from the Ancient Gods'' Abode to give chase.


    "I''m your opponent!" Iod blocked the way. It shot out another beam of radiant light.


    Ulthar of Surveince tossed out a small ball it held, absorbing the beams of light that emanated from Iod. "Leave this to me. Give chase now!"


    Kthanid of Excellence, N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian, and the burning Vorvadoss nodded. They rushed into the building as Iod desperately held them off. In the end, Orryx was forced to remain behind as well.


    Arwassa, Ammutseba, Bugg-Shash, and Vibur activated the defense system as they rushed into the second warehouse, summoning a huge stampede of peak- and even disaster-grade lifeforms.


    Arwassa opened its mouth and shouted loudly. A high-pitched shriek beyond the realm of hearing emanated from it. The tens of thousands of peak-grade lifeforms stumbled and fell to the ground, clutching their heads. The weaker among them had their heads directly explode.


    Arwassa''s howls didn''t attack the lifeforms'' mind or soul, but rather distorted their heart and spirit.


    The heart was situated within the spirit and existed separately from the mind. It was part of the soul and maintained control over willpower and fortitude, a strength that couldn''t be seen with the naked eye.


    Some other peak-grade lifeforms, unable to take the torture, killed themselves.


    Vibur drifted across where the lifeforms had fallen, blue spores spreading through the air and taking root on the lifeforms'' bodies, causing them to rot and decay. Even after they perished, however, their carcasses would slowly stand up as they transformed into zombie-like existences that obeyed Vibur''smands.


    Within no time at all, the four monsters had finished off a signifcant portion of the stampeding lifeforms. Bugg-Shash trudged over to the suicidal peak-grade lifeforms and began kissing their dead carcasses.


    Kthanid of Excellence, N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian, and the burning Vorvadoss had finally caught up. They nched at the sight before them.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian cried out, "Stop them!"


    Bugg-Shash possessed a simr ability to Vibur. Its kisses were frightening and sticky kisses of death. It roused the dead with its will, surrounding the dead in existential horror. Despite their decaying bodies, they would operate ording to its will.


    Vibur had already motioned for the gic lifeforms it controlled to charge forward. The ming Vorvadoss waved a hand and caused green mes to surge forth, burning all gic lifeforms that dared draw near to a crisp.


    Kthanid of Excellence, N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian, and the ming Vorvadoss were toote by the time they reached the other monsters.


    Bugg-Shash had transmitted sticky ck fluid into a bevy of dead carcasses, animating them temporarily. Their eyes were pitch-ck and leaked ck fluid like tears of blood.


    Eternal Sun hadn''t chosen its members for this expedition on a whim. The team was a cohesive unit; Iod was the primary attacker.


    Arwassa''s ability could affect the soul, and was a debuff-type supporter. Ammutseba was a tank with arge-scale counterattack, while Bugg-Shash was an attacker with debuffs via its blue spores that could transform its dead opponents into zombies.


    Meanwhile, Vibur was responsible for resurrecting the dead and transforming them into allies.


    These five members formed a cohesive teamposition focused on strong offenses and regenerative ability.


    Although their primary attacker, Iod, had now been lost, the remaining four monsters still formed a very strong core.


    Compared to Eternal Sun''s party, the Ancient Gods'' Abode''s team was far more straightforward, owing to the losses in itsbat forces.


    "We''re leaving!" Eternal Sun had no interest in wasting time on the three remaining monsters from the Ancient Gods'' Abode. They rushed into the warehouse while their enemies fought against the revived lifeforms.


    Very quickly, they found the treasure they were looking for, a suit of golden armor made of some unknown material. It was incredibly hard and durable, and some mysterious energy seemed to be flowing through it. An energy barrier surrounded the armor.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1593: Pandoras Box

    <h4>Chapter 1593: Pandora''s Box</h4>


    After dealing with the ck sea, Zhang Lie and the other members of Team Zenith followed their map to Bu Wentian''s second warehouse, only to find a huge fight breaking out.


    There were a pir of me and a floating crystal man deep in meditation on one side, and a monstrous creature that was difficult to describe on the other.


    Blinding light seared their retinas. Within the light, all sort of elements were shing against one another.


    Strange minerals and crystals evoked a nasty gleam out of scaled, translucent flesh. The creature''s body was submerged in some sticky, wriggling source of light that pulsed as the creature moved.


    Shadow and fog apanied that monstrous creature, which looked like aplexbination of a nt and mineral. A hugepound eye was located roughly where its head would be. When Iod came into view, sticky fluid was dripping down the membrane of itspound eye. It wheezed, signaling its ravenous hunger. A hugepound eye stared motionlessly at its enemies, who were no simple foes in their own right. One was a huge pir of me, one that no one could stare at for more than a few seconds before their eyes started to water. Simrly, no one could stand the heat that the ming pir was giving off.


    Even Zhang Lie and the others wouldn''t have been able to stare at it for more than ten seconds.


    The other entity was no weaker. It looked to be ying with a small ball¡ªbut on closer inspection, that small ball was like a miniature world. That entity was clearly very skilled with spatial maniption.


    "How do we deal with them?" Yang Ze asked.


    "They seem to be blocking the entrance." Sun Xiaowu frowned.


    "They''re fighting by the entrance. We''reing in from the back. Why bother with them?" Zhang Lie brought out a high-tech microchip that Bu Wentian had given him.


    Over thesest few days, Zhang Lie had figured out how to use it. He pressed a hidden button on its surface, causing it to project a map in the air.


    "We just have to head in over here to be able to avoid those fighting at the door. Then, we''ll walk here, turn, and walk straight to get into the deepest part of the treasury."


    Within the microchip was a map of the second warehouse, aplete map that illustrated all sorts of trap doors and mechanisms.


    The airship stopped far from the warehouse as Zhang Lie and the hunters snuck in through a back door.


    Meanwhile, Iod continued to fight with the two monsters from the Ancient Gods'' Abode. None of them noticed Zhang Lie and the others at all. Most importantly, Yang Ze was skilled with spatial maniption and able to hide from Iod and the two other monsters.


    As they approached the backdoor, Zhang Lie held up a card to be scanned. An electronic voice proimed, "Confirmed to be administrators of the warehouse. Wee back, administrators."


    With the card in hand, Zhang Lie easily passed through the second warehouse without any obstacles whatsoever. The AI of the warehouse even provided him with some information.


    "The second warehouse has a number of regions. We don''t have to worry about some of them¡ªthere''s barely any treasure there. We need to head to the herb repository where Bu Wentian''s Pandora''s Box is located, as well as the armory that Sun Xiaowu''s interested in."


    Fang Yi nced at the warehouse''s records. "There''s even a fragment of the stone of counteracting fate here!"


    "That thing that''s stuck to your body now, right?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Zhang Lie nced at it. "That''s in the special items zone."


    The hunters first headed toward the herb repository, where they found an incredible wealth of precious herbs, many of which they hadn''t ever seen before.


    Naturally, they took everything they could with them.


    Next was the second area, the special items zone.


    Everyone was surprised to see the mounds of treasure there as well.


    Zhang Lie discovered that he didn''t know what many of those items were.


    He was no ordinary hunter; given his two lives, he was able to recognize just about everything that had appeared in the dimensional world.


    The fact that he couldn''t recognize much of whaty before him was shocking as a result.


    Many of those objects before him weren''t from the dimensional world or the Milky Way¡ªno, that wasn''t quite right. In his past life, Zhang Lie had stopped in the fourth realm, never having reached the fifth.


    "In other words, much of what lies before us is from the fifth realm."


    From that, he could conclude that Bu Wentian was indeed from the fifth realm himself.


    Zhang Lie wasn''t shocked about this conclusion at all. He had guessed it the moment Fang Yi showed up with a stone of counteracting fate, and the items in the warehouse before them were what clinched the deal.


    However, Zhang Lie was very curious why Bu Wentian had expended such great effort to bring the treasures of the fifth realm into the fourth. Was he only intending to cultivate talent in the fourth realm?


    But why would he do so?


    Zhang Lie didn''t believe that anyone''s desires were purely altruistic.


    He was reminded of another existence that had provided him with significant benefit¡ªthe king of chaos.


    In the third realm, the king of chaos had held a tournament between the members of Team Zenith and of his own faction, the Demonic Temple. In theory, it was meant to entice Team Zenith into joining the Demonic Temple, but in practice, the king of chaos just showered them with gifts.


    The king of chaos was simr to Bu Wentian. Bu Wentian seemed to be an existence of the fifth realm, whereas the king of chaos seemed to originally have been an existence of the fourth realm. After passing through the trial chamber, the king of chaos had obtained some treasure that allowed him to stage a rebirth in the third realm.


    However, Zhang Lie hadn''t yet encountered the king of chaos in the fourth realm, and couldn''t yet confirm the truth of this for himself.


    Sun Mengmeng shouted, "Found it!"


    "The Pandora''s Box that Bu Wentian was talking about?" Zhou Ying eximed.


    Everyone rushed over to a shelf clearly marked ''Pandora'', within which were a number of ck boxes with rows of teeth where their opening would have been. They were locked shut with padlocks.


    "Twenty-one of them in all," Zhang Lie said. "Three for each of us."


    The hunters divided up the Pandora''s Boxes. Zhang Lie said, "Let me give it a try."


    He broke one chain. The box seemed toe to life, biting at him like a rabid dog. Zhang Lie suppressed it and held a soulshard up, intending to test whether the box''s effects were as Bu Wentian had stated.


    Zhang Lie didn''t dare to use soulshards that were too powerful. He brought out the superior-grade white-grub soulshard, one that he had kept in his soulspace since the very beginning. It was the first superior-grade soulshard he had obtained after spending three months in the first realm, and it was of particr symbolism to him.


    Zhang Lie stuffed the superior-grade white-grub soulshard into the Pandora''s Box. After it ''ate'' the soulshard, the box turnedpletely ck. ck smoke wafted into the air; the box dashed about madly as though it had eaten some toxic poison or another. Its features distorted as it slowly melted, a portentous change.

 Chapter 1594: Disaster-Grade Soulshard

    <h4>Chapter 1594: Disaster-Grade Soulshard</h4>


    The second warehouse was particrlyrge. The surface-level building was only part of the warehouse proper, and there was arge space underground as well.


    The entire warehouse was divided into quite a few regions. Zhang Lie and the others were in the special items zone.


    After consuming the superior-grade white-grub soulshard, the Pandora''s Box transformed into an egg. After some time, the egg slowly cracked, revealing the brand-new superior-grade white-grub soulshard¡ªbut one that was different, more advanced: a disaster-grade white-grub soulshard.


    A ring of light surrounded it as it morphed continuously, not taking on any fixed form.


    Zhang Lie tested out the brand-new soulshard. The disaster-grade white-grub soulshard covered up his entire body. The members of Team Zenith scrutinized him carefully, and Sun Xiaowu said, "It doesn''t look like there''s much of a difference."


    "Not entirely. The quality has improved from before, and it can block attacks from disaster-grade lifeforms now. What''s more, although it''s wrapped around me at present, if I choose to do so, I can make it fill the entire space here."


    The members of Team Zenith nodded as they began stuffing their own soulshards into the Pandora''s Boxes. Zhang Lie did the same with Guicang, Hanguang, and his peak-grade dragonworld soulshard. It would take a while for them to hatch.


    A small, octahedron-shaped shard of counteracting fate floated up into the air, surrounded by starlight.


    Suddenly, divine radiance seeped out from Fang Yi.


    That shard began to resonate with the one embedded in Fang Yi''s body. Both radiated light. They were blue one moment, royal purple the next, and ink ck a momentter. Mysterious shades of light filled the area.


    Fang Yi''s soul lit up, illuminating the warehouse. The aura was expansive, dark, chaotic, and rampaging; it was grand and all-epassing. All of it stemmed from that mysterious stone.


    Fang Yi''s body was attuning to the second shard of counteracting fate. It gave off what seemed like an extreme sense of willpower. It felt as though there were countless figures surrounding Fang Yi, roaring and screaming in defiance.


    Fang Yi quickly attuned to the second shard after his experience with the first.


    Li Feng handed Fang Yi the Pandora''s Boxes that were his. Fang Yi took them and began slotting in his soulshards that needed upgrading.


    The members of Team Zenith began to gather the treasures they had obtained from this zone of the warehouse. Zhang Lie said, "There''s a certain zone I''m quite interested in."


    "Which one?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "The one where gic lifeforms are stored."


    "Why don''t we help me find the armor I want first?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    Suddenly, a huge rumble shook the entirety of the warehouse.


    "What''s going on?!"


    Zhang Lie figured it out quickly. "The invaders are surely doing something."


    "Let''s have a look in the control room, then," Sun Mengmeng suggested.


    The hunters flew to the control room following their map. Indeed, Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode were fighting within the second warehouse, forcibly seizing what treasures they found and destroying whatever they couldn''t im to ensure that their opponents wouldn''t be able to leave with them. The two parties were like bandits wreaking a path of destruction through the warehouse.


    Yang Ze thundered, "Those are our treasures!"


    By then, the members of Team Zenith thought of everything within the second warehouse as theirs. Upon seeing Eternal Sun and Ancient Gods'' Abode rampaging through the warehouse, they felt as though blood were dripping from their hearts.


    Sun Xiaowu''s eyes suddenly widened in recognition. "Hold on. The armor they''re wearing¡ªthat isn''t what Bu Wentian was going to give to me, is it?!"


    Arwassa was wearing a very interesting suit of armor.


    The golden armor was form-fitting and protected its body, the metal and design both highly reminiscent of Milky Way products.


    Yang Ze grabbed Sun Xiaowu by the shoulder.


    "Xiaowu, it looks like someone has been deflowering your armor."


    "Die!" Sun Xiaowu thundered.


    "They really might be about to take off with your armor."


    Li Feng pointed toward the on-screen armory. All the defensive systems around the armory had been destroyed, and there were only scattered pieces of armor remaining. Arwassa had likely made off with the best suit.


    However, its body didn''t allow it to put on theplete suit of armor. Rather, it broke the armor up into pieces and equipped only what it could.


    Arwassa was trashing an invaluable treasure; the armor wouldn''t be able to exhibit its true strength any longer. All it could provide now was defense from the base metals that made it up.


    Armor designed for humans was naturally ill-suited to Arwassa, which had tentacles instead of limbs.


    Upon seeing the armor that should have belonged to him be torn apart and stolen, Sun Xiaowu''s eyes were bright red. "I''ll kill them all!"


    Sun Xiaowu really was upset. He might have been mad if they had merely stolen the armor, but not only that, they had destroyed it and rendered it useless. Sun Xiaowu wouldn''t be able to use it even if he managed to steal it back.


    Zhang Lie pped his hands together. "Very well. It looks like we''ll have to deal with these fellows first."


    "Hold on, Captain!" Yang Ze raised a hand.


    Zhang Lie turned. "What''s the matter?"


    "Since they''ve barged into the warehouse, why don''t we y with them for now?" Yang Ze suggested.


    "What are you trying to pull?" Sun Xiaowu asked.


    "Don''t you want to try being a mastermind?" Yang Ze replied.


    Zhang Lie shrugged, but Sun Xiaowu seemed far more dubious.


    "What are you nning?"


    Yang Ze understood how Sun Xiaowu was feeling. He patted Sun Xiaowu on the shoulder. "Let me ask you, friend, how it feels to have your possessions deflowered."


    Sun Xiaowu growled, his eyes red. "Don''t make me tie you up and rustle up a few lifeforms to have their way with you!" "Right, you''re angry, aren''t you? Do you think killing them and giving them a swift death would really be able to calm you down?"


    "What''re you trying to say?" Sun Xiaowu spat out.


    Yang Ze brimmed with confidence. "Let me help you. We can make them die in despair, in pain."


    Sun Xiaowu nced at Yang Ze. Yang Ze was right. Just killing them wouldn''t quell his anger.


    "I want them to die horrible deaths."


    "Leave it to me," Yang Ze promised, snapping his fingers and starting to inputmands into the central console. The warehouse''s defense system whirred to life and began to attack the intruders.


    The parties from Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode suddenly discovered that the traps and weapons seemed to have grown far more agile, and both sets of monsters were caught unawares.


    It was almost as though the traps and weapons had lost their sense of basic decency.


    Not a single low-level lifeform entered the warehouse; instead, there were whole swarms and packs of high-level robots surging in. Arwassa, Bugg-Shash, and Vibur''s abilities were only applicable to biological lifeforms, and they would have had a far harder time if Ammutseba hadn''t been able to absorbser light.


    The high-level robots took advantage of guerri warfare to whittle down the monsters from Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode.


    Yang Ze nced at the screen. Once he had drained the strength of the monsters to his satisfaction, he said, "Now for something big."


    "What are you nning?" Zhang Lie asked.

 Chapter 1595: I, the God of Creation

    <h4>Chapter 1595: I, the God of Creation</h4>


    Yang Ze typed rapidly on the keyboard, taking advantage of an administrator''s authority and the high-level robots to corral the monsters of Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode into thergest, most spacious part of the warehouse. What waited for them there were superior robots possessing the strength of monarch-ss lifeforms.


    A huge battle ensued, causing the sounds of fighting to echo through the entire warehouse.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith snuck toward the scene of the fight, snacking on sunflower seeds and watermelon as they watched the monsters and robots fight each other close-up.


    The robots that Bu Wentian had left in the warehouse were incredibly strong. With Yang Ze controlling them remotely and the members from the Ancient Gods'' Abode holding them back, the monsters of Eternal Sun were beaten to a pulp. In the end, the two factions had no choice but to cooperate against the robots.


    By then, however, the monsters of Eternal Sun and Ancient Gods'' Abode had all sustained significant injuries. Following Yang Ze''s orders, Li Feng suddenly filled the battlefield with blinding light.


    The monsters of the Ancient Gods'' Abode and Eternal Sun were taken aback. They looked around alertly as Yang Ze flew out from a trapdoor. A huge, mighty shadow extended from him as Li Feng lit him up from behind. He shouted imperiously, "Brave warriors, I approve of your strength."


    "Who are you?" Arwassa asked.


    "You need not ask," Yang Ze replied. "You know the answer."


    Kthanid of Excellence frowned. "Are you the god of creation?"


    The god of creation?


    What in the world was that?


    Yang Ze replied, "I am but a specter of the ages. You are the strongest warriors I''ve met, and you have the right to obtain my final hidden treasure."


    The monsters of Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode grew visibly excited. Arwassa asked, "What is it?"


    "It''s something you want," Yang Ze continued.


    Kthanid of Excellenceughed. "And do you know what we want?"


    Yang Ze nodded. "Of course. That''s why you''re here, aren''t you?"


    Ammutseba asked, "Can you really help us kill off all the members of the Ancient Gods'' Abode and the Demonic Temple? Will you help us dominate this realm?"


    The burning Vorvadoss asked, "Can you help us rid this world of Eternal Sun and the Demonic Temple?"


    After the monsters from both parties had made their queries, they stared at each other angrily.


    The Ancient Gods'' Abode was a familiar name to Team Zenith, but as for the Demonic Temple... Why did it sound so familiar?


    Yang Ze replied, "As the god of creation, I can naturally aplish such a simple task. I will grant you one wish, any wish."


    The monsters of the Ancient Gods'' Abode and Eternal Sun widened their eyes, which shone with greed.


    No one ambitious would be able to refuse such terms.


    Yang Ze continued, "But I will only grant one warrior a wish."


    The monsters of Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode red at each other. Arwassa was the first to start howling.


    Its voice echoed through the air, indiscriminately striking at the monsters of Eternal Sun¡ªand probing at Yang Ze''s strength.


    Yang Ze blocked the sound with a spatial barrier, stacking ityer byyer like the tides. Although he was unable to block it all, he weakened it dramatically and was easily able to withstand what remained given his willpower.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had plenty of techniques that were able to defend against Arwassa''s howls.


    Even if Zhang Lie were standing undefended right before Arwassa, there was nothing it would have been able to do against him.


    Arwassa paid special attention to the god of creation; however, Yang Ze seemed wholly unaffected.


    Arwassa was very familiar with its own strength. Its howls were anathema to biological lifeforms, being able to affect their soul and ability to think. A moment''s carelessness could render them crazed madmen.


    Yang Ze, on the other hand, was entirely unaffected. Arwassa grew far more confident in the strength of this supposed god of creation.


    Only a rare few were able to withstand its howls¡ªin recent memory, only the bosses of the Ancient Gods'' Abode and of Eternal Sun. If the god of creation were at the same level, then their band of monsters could never hope to take him on. He would crush and kill them as though they were nothing more than a group of chicks.


    Arwassa''s howl marked the start ofbat. Both groups of cultivators began to tussle with each other.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "It seems like there are humans among them. Do we need to deal with them separately?"


    Zhang Lie thought for a moment and shook his head. "Better not."


    They still remembered vividly how Cthaat''s son had ughtered a city of hunters.


    Eternal Sun wasn''t a kind organization, and the Ancient Gods'' Abode was unlikely to be much better.


    Both the monsters of the Ancient Gods'' Abode and Eternal Sun had already been injured, and the rest of the battle finished quickly. Bugg-Shash died in battle, while three members of the Ancient Gods'' Abode were badly injured, to the point of losing their ability to fight. Even so, the Eternal Sun party chose not to kill those from the Ancient Gods'' Abode¡ªthey clearly had some n in mind.


    Arwassa, left with only two tentacles, slowly crawled up to the figure of light. "I''m the final victor. Please grant me my wish, god of creation."


    "Come closer."


    Arwassa slowly crawled a little closer, only to find two strokes of light. Yang Ze and Li Feng had struck at Arwassa simultaneously, chopping off its final two tentacles.


    "Why¡ª" Arwassa roared, but before it could finish, Sun Xiaowu had shot past the light and trod down on Arwassa''s giant, toothless mouth.


    "What''d you think of my armor?"


    The remaining members of Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode watched on in shock. None of them seemed to be able to respond.


    "You''ll pay for having stolen my armor. I simply wonder if you can withstand the price."


    Sun Xiaowu''s right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    "[Goldenscale Palm]!"


    Gold-attuned gic energy extended up his arms. Each of his scales glimmered with divine armaments.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens.


    The divine armaments resonated with a sh of metal.


    Frightening shockwaves of energy radiated through the battlefield as Sun Xiaowu punched forward.


    As the punchnded on Arwassa''s head, it exploded. The chestte that it wore distorted until it was nothing but scrap metal. That part of Arwassa''s body trapped within became a gory mess of flesh and blood.


    Sun Xiaowu seemed disappointed. "What, the armor Bu Wentian provided was that weak? I was hoping it would be a precious treasure, but it looks like it wouldn''t have been worth my time regardless."


    The remaining monsters of Eternal Sun and the Ancient Gods'' Abode watched on, stupefied. Arwassa was a monster of Eternal Sun and among the strongest entities of the fourth realm, but a single punch from its opponent had killed it.

 Chapter 1596: You Deal With It

    <h4>Chapter 1596: You Deal With It</h4>


    Kthanid of Excellence turned and eximed, "N''tse-Kaambl, are these cultivators from your race?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian shook its head. "I... can''t be certain."


    Ammutseba was displeased. "You look exactly the same. Why can''t you be certain?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian replied, "They do look like members of my race, but they shouldn''t be this strong."


    The burning Vorvadoss eximed, "What are others from your race doing here?!"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian was so agitated it was almost about to cry. "I don''t know!"


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "What do we do with the rest of them?"


    Of Eternal Sun, only Ammutseba and Vibur remained. All three members of the Ancient Gods'' Abode were still present, a total of five monsters in all.


    Sun Xiaowu clenched his fists tightly. "Don''t you dare snatch them from me. My anger won''t be quelled so easily."


    Li Feng gave him a thumbs up. "You sound just like an actor."


    Sun Xiaowu rushed forward. His arms glowed with resplendent light, and ayer of dense golden scales and divine armaments emerged over his skin. In an eruption of golden light, he sent Vibur flying.


    Ammutseba turned, enraged. "What are all of you waiting for? Do you think you''ll have a chance to live if those of us from Eternal Sun perish?"


    Yang Ze shrugged. "You can pick and choose your own opponents. I''ve had my fill of fun." Zhang Lie wasn''t too interested, either. "I''ll leave it to you lot."


    With neither Yang Ze nor Zhang Lie deciding to act, there were just enough monsters to go around.


    A bolt of lightning arced across the air and struck Ammutseba. Fog absorbed the lightning, but raging winds appeared at the tip of Fang Yi''s spear as he sent Ammutseba into the air.


    Although these hunters looked like they were of the same race as N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian, it denied the simrity again. Kthanid of Excellence, the burning Vorvadoss, and N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian were forced to fight as well.


    Vibur had three red eyes in the shape of three-leaf clovers and the body of a giant ck rat. There were feelers growing out of its body, and it possessed power over radiation. Blue spores grew out of its fur, spreading through the air and rooting themselves on their victims. Where they thrived, their victims'' bodies would rot.


    Sun Xiaowu would have done his best to stay away from such a monster prior to the Rising Stars Cup. Trying to fight against someone whose very existence was toxic might as well have beenmitting suicide.


    Getting spored in the middle of a battle, fighting on even as those spores imed his vitality, and finally dying slowly to the spores¡ªhow was he supposed to take on such an opponent?


    After the Rising Stars Cup, however, Sun Xiaowu had grown significantly stronger. Golden runes burnished under his skin allowed him to draw on the strength of divine armaments. His blood was imbued with gold-attuned gic energy that would kill any biological lifeform attempting to root itself on his flesh. Sun Xiaowu might as well have been a living shield, one against whom these viruses would be useless.


    "[Blinding sh: Thousandfold Echo]!"


    Sun Xiaowu''s body suddenly split into thousands of clones, Vibur pointed its ass at Sun Xiaowu and shot out scorching blue rocks at him as if it were defecating.


    The blue pellets were particrly hot, so much so that they could burn someone without even physical contact.


    "[Golden Divide]!" The thousand clones all used [Golden Divide] simultaneously, coloring the sky in gold and raining down golden feathers in such numbers that it seemed as though a thunderstorm had just formed out of thin air. The entire warehouse shook violently from the attack.


    Sun Xiaowu didn''t need to call on [Adamantine Aegis] at all. Ayer of golden runes covered Sun Xiaowu''s skin, each smaller than even a mosquito. They stacked densely,yer byyer, until it looked as though Sun Xiaowu was wearing a suit of imprable armor that zed with golden mes. Golden light emanated from his fists.


    "[Goldenscale Palm: Split]!"


    Golden radiance struck. Sun Xiaowu''s palms brimmed with golden light as a denseyer of golden scales covered his skin.


    Gold-attuned gic energy extended up his arms. Each of his scales glimmered with divine armaments.


    His aura suddenly shifted, and his right arm glowed with resplendent light.


    An aura of intense strength emanated from the heavens.


    Sun Xiaowu took a step forward, then punched with all his might, generating a dominating wave of gic energy that crushed the head of the three-eyed rat.


    Then, golden radiance lit up the battlefield as his clones struck as well.


    The concentrated golden punches rained down on his opponent. Vibur was unable even to defend himself.


    Vibur would have been stronger if Yang Ze hadn''t yed around with it and drained its energy beforehand.


    Of course, Sun Xiaowu had also grown far stronger than before, and would have been able to take down Vibur even at full strength.


    Ammutseba wasn''t faring very well, either. It had the ability to devour all forms of light, but Fang Yi controlled more than mere lightning. He was able to attack with his wind as well, which Ammutseba was unable to handle.


    Stars twinkled among the pitch-ck sky. Starlight erupted like a meteor shower as Fang Yi charged forward with his spear in hand.


    Fang Yiunched his spear, crackling with wind and lightning, with incredible force.


    The ck spear sent wind howling and lightning shing through the sky.


    With his spear, he invoked chaotic energy in the form of lightning and raging wind. The spear left a dozen afterimages in its wake that blocked the effects of the meteor shower.


    The starlight gathered and converged into a single dazzling point as bright as the sun. Incredible energy surged as Ammutseba released the light it had absorbed, concentrating it all into that point as it charged up for a devastating blow. A hugeser shot toward Fang Yi¡ªbut he handled it with ease.


    "[Tiger''s Howl, Dragon''s Bellow]!"


    Fang Yi''s spear took on the aspect of a dragon of the winds and a storm tiger as he charged forward.


    Wind and storm roared around him, and his spear resonated with his gic energy. The spear which the king of chaos had granted him demonstrated shocking strength, infusing chaotic energy into the mix.


    The lightning tiger and wind dragon corkscrewed into an incredible blow that struck the beam of light directly.


    Fang Yi quickly drew near as tentacles emerged from the fog, poised to take him down.

 Chapter 1597: Dont Try to Run

    <h4>Chapter 1597: Don''t Try to Run</h4>


    "[Shadow and Light]!"


    In a sh, Fang Yi morphed into countless clones, each of which moved independently and shattered the monster''s tentacles, which dispersed in the form of fog.


    The fog vibrated. Ammutseba, shocked by Fang Yi''s strength, attempted to flee, but it had no recourse against Fang Yi.


    "[Heaven''s Judgment]!"


    Thebination of wind and lightning generated a frightening force that seemed to be able to prate space, like an electric saw that pierced through Xing Yu''s lightning breath and co-opted that energy for itself. The fog dispersed.


    Ammutseba absorbed the lightning and expanded in a crackling burst of lightning. Fang Yi retreated with his spear in hand.


    "Don''t try to escape!"


    Ammutseba unleashed all its strength to execute its strongest attack.


    "[Born of Lightning, Swallowed by the Wind]!"


    As Fang Yi shouted, his spear traced a half-moon in the air, surrounded by an aura of time. Light and shadow shed by its tip, just like the wind and lightning that made up the core of Fang Yi''s techniques. The spear pierced space abruptly, spawning a rift that turned its surroundings gray. All movement was locked in time.


    The only color in the space, the only movement, came from Fang Yi.


    Within that space bound by temporal stasis, Fang Yi threw his spear forward.


    The spear arced across the air and prated the light. It struck Ammutseba''s body, causing thebination of chaotic lightning and temporal wind to explode. The entire warehouse shook from the explosion, and the ground began to crack. Frightening shockwaves emanated from the point of impact.


    Yang Ze erected a spatial barrier with a wave of his hand, dispersing the shockwave.


    Wind and lightning surrounded Fang Yi, swirling in a spiral, automatically isting him from Ammutseba''s light.


    As the light dissipated, Fang Yi tossed out another spear. Ammutseba was reduced to the size of a small ck cloud. Fang Yi crushed it with one hand.


    Team Zenith had easily finished off the members of Eternal Sun.


    Kthanid of Excellence bore some characteristics of octopi, bats, and humans. It was green all over, and its body was massive. There were three eyes embedded onto both sides of its body. It was fat and covered with scales, with sharp ws at the end of its four limbs.


    It was like an octopus with many tentacled heads, with a body like scales stuck to paste. A pair of narrow wings hung to its back. Its green, bulbous, rather overweight body leaked sticky fluid. It was asrge as a walking mountain range.


    It was covered with gems and glittering radiance, draped in diamond dust.


    However, after the fighting that had urred, Kthanid of Excellence was in rather bad state. Three of its eight tentacles had been cut off, leaving only five. Quite a few of the gems embedded on its body had been shattered, and many had been wrenched off entirely. Blue blood leaked out from the resulting holes.


    "[Light Dragon''s Remnants]!"


    Li Feng marshaled his gic energy into the form of arge number of white dragons, bombarding the area before him.


    Kthanid of Excellence had a huge pair of eyes that gave off a scorching ze. It focused on Li Feng; a beam of light shot out of its eyes and bound him. Through that light, Kthanid of Excellence transmitted its mental power to suppress Li Feng.


    However, Li Feng was no weakling. He broke free in an instant, then quickly counterattacked.


    "[Dance of the Incandescent Wyrm]!"


    In the blink of an eye, Li Feng summoned dozens of serpents, ring with blinding light.


    Kthanid of Excellence struck with twinsers from its eyes once again. This time, however, Li Feng was prepared. He morphed into a beam of light that shot out faster than Kthanid of Excellence''ssers, appearing behind it in an instant.


    Kthanid of Excellence waved its tentacles about and attempted to attack its back. Li Feng''s palms transformed into sharp des that cut the tentacles apart.


    Kthanid of Excellence screamed in pain. Dozens of arclight serpents took the opportunity to chomp down on and surround Kthanid of Excellence''s body.


    "[Arclight Dragon''s Imprint]!"


    With a shout, the armored Li Feng suddenly waved his left arm, causing a gigantic w to materialize from motes of white light. His light-attuned gic energy gleamed in gold. Kthanid of Excellence protected itself with its two wings.


    Li Feng''s light-attuned gic energy, which had taken on the attributes of gold-attuned gic energy, boasted fearsome prating power. Kthanid of Excellence could hardly hope to defend with just a pair of wings.


    The light pierced through its wings and struck its head in a shower of blue blood.


    Li Feng, whose strength had been enhanced after the Rising Stars Cup, and who was fighting against a member of the Ancient Gods'' Abode that had been half-crippled in earlier fights, easily seized victory in the blink of an eye.


    The burning Vorvadoss spread its arms, releasing green mes around it.


    Zhou Ying''s long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.


    The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying''s forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to prate flesh, soul, and space.


    Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman''s body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.


    Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have be one with thend. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Ster light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.


    ck energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features¡ªno, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.


    Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.


    Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming subus.


    Zhou Ying transformed into her battle-ready state.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Earthbound Prison]!"


    Zhou Ying released all her stored vitality at once, causing the ground to quake as thousands of jade-green wood dragons rushed out of the earth. Each dragon was about six hundred meters wide, with skin flecked with golden radiance.


    Thanks to the wood dragons'' incredible resistance to fire, they blocked the mespletely. They even managed to pass through the mes in an attempt to catch the burning Vorvadoss.


    The burning Vorvadoss leapt back, maintaining his distance from the wood dragons.


    The mes turned into nutrients for the wood dragons, which surged forth. A ck cloak danced through the air as the burning Vorvadoss flitted among the dragons like a will-o-the-wisp, fighting Zhou Ying all the while.


    Branches grew out of the wood dragons as they transformed into huge trees. Green leaves danced in the air in the form of razor-sharp des.

 Chapter 1598: It is Him

    <h4>Chapter 1598: It is Him</h4>


    The burning Vorvadoss spread its arms wide and sprayed out another burst of green mes as it tried to burn the ded leaves in the sky to a crisp.


    However, the burning Vorvadoss never expected that the leaves would bear simrly incredible resistance to fire.


    The leaves shot past the mes and were so densely packed that no ordinary entity would be able to avoid the attack.


    Shockingly, the ming Vorvadoss was able to dart between the leaves and avoid the bulk of the attack, though its cloak was shredded to a pulp.


    He was revealed to be an indistinct silvery mess, a two-dimensional cutout without human form. No one could imagine that this would be Vorvadoss'' true form underneath his cloak.


    Despite having seen Vorvoadoss'' true form, Zhou Ying didn''t hesitate. She hid herself within her storm of golden leaves, allowing them to provide cover for her as she darted forward.


    "[Storm of Leaves: Void Cut]!"


    Her ck daggers cut at the void, at the burning Vorvadoss'' body. Even its green mes were unable to block her ck daggers from wounding it.


    Even more mes erupted from the burning Vorvadoss, green and dismal like those from the depths of hell. They seemed poised to burn the entire universe to a crisp.


    The green mes poured forth in a flood that threatened to burn the entire warehouse down. Zhou Ying certainly couldn''t allow the burning Vorvadoss to do so.


    "[Avatar of the Fae: Worldbound Enclosure]!"


    Zhou Ying summoned tens of thousands of wood dragons from the floor of the warehouse, enough to fill up the entire battlefield. They were thrice as thick as before, and their barkskin shone with metallic luster.


    The green mes were cordoned by the wood dragons.


    Zhou Ying passed straight through the green mes. The mes, which would have burned all else to cinders, werepletely ineffective against her.


    Zhou Ying proceeded freely through the mes, a specter lit by shes of green, like a demon from the underworld. "[Storm of Leaves: Fourfold Void Cut]!"


    Zhou Ying cluZhou Ying gripped a dagger with each hand, and the tendrils growing out of her lower body wrapped around two more. The daggers shed through the void, and all four converged on the same spot.


    She easily killed the burning Vorvadoss.


    Then, Sun Mengmeng walked up to N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian, who reared back as if she were facing some incredible foe.


    Sun Xiaowu''s demonstration of strength had shocked them all.


    He had killed a member of Eternal Sun with a single punch.


    Even if Arwassa had been injured, none of them could have done the same.


    Clearly, Sun Xiaowu was their superior in strength. Only the heads of the Ancient Gods'' Abode or of Eternal Sun might have been able to take Sun Xiaowu on.


    Sun Xiaowu''spanions were surely about as strong.


    Sun Mengmeng asked, "Why do you work with them?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian was taken aback by the question.


    It didn''t expect that Sun Mengmeng would ask her such a thing.


    "You''re a human gic hunter, aren''t you?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian was shocked. "Why do you know that? Could you... know some human gic hunters?"


    Sun Mengmeng smiled wryly. "What, don''t we look like humans?


    "Not at all," N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian replied.


    Sun Mengmeng touched her face. "Well, there''s nothing unusual about me¡ªno wings, tail, or ws. Why don''t you consider us human?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian responded with a frown. "As far as I know, there aren''t any human hunters as strong as you are."


    There were a few strong human gic hunters, but they paled inparison to those among the four prime races of the Milky Way, especially in the fourth realm, where none of the gic hunters of the Milky Way had a true stronghold.


    As far as N''tse-Kaambl knew, the only strong human hunter she was aware of was Hong Tianqi.


    Beyond that was, well, nothing. Hong Tianqi''s sessor, General Yan Long, was a fair bit weaker and not worth mentioning in the fourth realm at all.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian was somewhat of a mutant among human hunters.


    Not only had it joined the Ancient Gods'' Abode, but was also strange in its own right.


    "Haven''t you heard of Team Zenith?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian shook its head. "I''m not familiar with it."


    Sun Mengmeng was somewhat speechless. "So we''re not as popr as I had expected, then."


    Many within the third realm could recognize them¡ªnot just human hunters, but hunters from other races within the Milky Way as well.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian said, "Sorry, it''s been quite a while since I returned."


    It was only to be expected that N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian wouldn''t know them. For one, it hadn''t returned to the Milky Way for a very long time, and there was also the issue of timing.


    The members of Team Zenith had grown famous as second-realm hunters when Zhang Lie led them to conquer it and free humans from the oppression of the sura. Team Zenith had beenuded as heroes thereafter.


    In the third realm, Team Zenith had asional shes of brilliance, but which werergely superseded by Zhang Lie''s own fame.


    In the fourth realm, the gic hunters were far more concerned about their own safety rather than what was happening in the previous three realms. It was only natural that N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian wouldn''t recognize them.


    "What about the Zenith Dojo?" Sun Mengmeng continued.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian thought for a moment. "I have some memory of it. It seems to have grown rather famous recently."


    "And you''ve heard of Zhang Lie, surely?" Sun Mengmeng continued.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian turned to her memories. "Oh, indeed! Zhang Lie''s famous. Hardly anyone in the Milky Way isn''t aware of him. He''s the hero of the humans, perhaps of all hunters of the Milky Way. If not for his limit-breaking potions, we would have a far harder time in the dimensional world."


    In some sense, N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian had benefited from the limit-breaking potions that Zhang Lie had released. If he hadn''t prioritized distributing them to fourth-realm hunters, many would have a far harder time surviving. That it had been able to reach such a vaunted position within the Ancient Gods'' Abode was testament to the boost that limit-breaking potions provided.


    "Hold on..."


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian''s gazended on Zhang Lie, who had been listening to the conversation.


    "This person looks just like him!"


    Sun Mengmeng shook her head. "It is him."

 Chapter 1599: More or Less Ordinary

    <h4>Chapter 1599: More or Less Ordinary</h4>


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian''s gaze turned ardent. "My goodness, is it really you, Zhang Lie? I''ve always wanted to thank you!"


    "And we''re Team Zenith, which Zhang Lie leads," Sun Mengmeng added.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian paused. "Hold on. Shouldn''t Zhang Lie have been in the third realm?"


    "That''s old news. We''ve long since advanced to the fourth realm." N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian eximed, "I must not have been paying attention to news from the Milky Way. Thest time I saw the news, Zhang Lie was still in the third realm, but he''s advanced to the fourth in the blink of an eye!"


    At some point, Zhang Lie had strode up to Sun Mengmeng''s side.


    "There''s no need for pleasantries. Although we might be from the same race, you''re currently standing against the hunters of the Milky Way."


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian shook its head hastily. "No, no, the Ancient Gods'' Abode isn''t an enemy of the hunters of the Milky Way. They''re, well, not something that the Ancient Gods'' Abode would care about at all."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "You mean to say that the Ancient Gods'' Abode is an ally of the Milky Way?" N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian shook its head again. "No, neither allies nor enemies. The hunters of the Milky Way are simply too weak to stand against the Ancient Gods'' Abode, so they''re not worth considering at all. Do you think a dog could take on a group of humans?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian''s tone made it clear that she didn''t think much of the Milky Way.


    Zhang Lie continued, "I recently saw Eternal Sun destroy a gathering point for hunters of the Milky Way with my own eyes not too long ago. Has the Ancient Gods'' Abode never done such a thing?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian replied, "I can''t speak for events that urred before my time, but no member of the Ancient Gods'' Abode has struck at humans since my entry into the organization."


    "What about the other races of the Milky Way?" Yang Ze asked.


    "The strong live; the weak die. If the other hunters of the Milky Way have been attacked and killed, they must have been too weak."


    Although N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian''s perspective was amon one, Zhang Lie and the others couldn''t ept it.


    "Why did you join the Ancient Gods'' Abode?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian replied as if it were obvious. "The fourth realm has always been divided between two great organizations¡ªwell, three now. Isn''t it natural to join one of them for protection for yourself and your race?"


    Yang Ze replied, "And how many weaker gic hunters are being harmed and ughtered by the Ancient Gods'' Abode?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian shrugged. "That''s not something I can control. Gic hunters have to face reality if they want to survive in the fourth realm. "And what''s wrong with the alien races'' treatment of us hunters? Most are far stronger than we are."


    Sun Mengmeng didn''t know what to say. After all, it was true that gic hunters had a horrible time trying to survive in the fourth realm; they were forced to be lowly and humble.


    Zhang Lie clenched his fists tightly. "Ridiculous. How many of your fellows are struggling to grow strong bit by bit, fending off danger and surmounting difficulty? That''s what a true warrior is. How could you serve the Ancient Gods'' Abode instead?"


    Zhang Lie, who had risen realm after realm with his own strength, could hardly ept N''tse-Kaambl''s perspective. [1]


    N''tse-Kaambl replied, "I''m not the only one. Plenty of humans and hunters from the Milky Way are under the aegis of the Ancient Gods'' Abode."


    Zhang Lie frowned. N''tse-Kaambl''s expression, tone, and words¡ªit had been raised by the Milky Way, but was now nothing more than apdog for an alien race.


    Just as traitors appeared in any era, so too would there always be hunters like N''tse-Kaambl.


    "Joining the Ancient Gods'' Abode is a particrly safe option. It''s host to a special world that exists beyond the fourth realm, which only specific people can enter and exit. There, you won''t be attacked by gic lifeforms, and even the members of Eternal Sun can''t get in or out. It''s precisely for this reason that Eternal Sun has never been able to best the Ancient Gods'' Abode."


    Zhang Lie frowned. "A special world?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian replied, "It seems to have been a treasure that the leader of the Ancient Gods'' Abode acquired from the god of creation."


    "Who''s this god of creation you''ve been talking about?" Yang Ze frowned.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian shook its head. "I don''t know myself. The Ancient Gods'' Abode''s leader believes the god of creation to be the creator of the dimensional world, and this treasury belongs to him."


    Bu Wentian?!


    The hunters of Team Zenith couldn''t help but think about Bu Wentian''s wizened face.


    To the Ancient Gods'' Abode, Bu Wentian was a god who had created the dimensional world?!


    "The Ancient Gods'' Abode''s leader has even encountered the god of creation of the dimensional world and is the strongest existence I''ve encountered in the fourth realm."


    Yang Ze and Sun Mengmeng nced at each other with looks of disdain.


    The god of creation?


    As if they hadn''t encountered this ''god'' themselves.


    "Indeed? It didn''t seem all that strong to me."


    Zhang Lie thought back to the cat that he had defeated in the trial chamber.


    Sun Mengmeng and Yang Ze nodded as well.


    "It was a little interesting, but that was it."


    "Perhaps it grew stronger after a few years?"


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian frowned at them. "As if you''ve fought the leader of the Ancient Gods'' Abode before. I admire your strength, and you easily dealt with several of the strongest members of the Ancient Gods'' Abode, but our leader is in another dimension entirely. You wouldn''t be able to handle it."


    Sun Mengmeng and Yang Ze shot each other a nce of impatience.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian suddenly said, "Why don''t you all join the Ancient Gods'' Abode? Conveniently, it suffered rather heavy losses after Eternal Sun and the Demonic Temple allied together to attack it. Given how strong you are, I''m sure you''d rise to prominent positions immediately."


    Yang Ze turned around. "Forget it. I don''t want to be apdog for an alien race."


    Sun Xiaowu proimed, "We''re real gic hunters, growing strong for the purpose of advancing to the fifth realm, not sheepdogs reared in captivity!"


    1. Easy for Zhang Lie to say when he''s on his second life... ?

 Chapter 1600: How to Handle This

    <h4>Chapter 1600: How to Handle This</h4>


    Zhang Lie and the others didn''t think poorly of aliens; rather, they believed that humans could cooperate with, but not depend on them, let alone be theirpdogs. This was consistent with the Milky Way''s policy on the forces of the dimensional world.


    That said, many gic hunters thought differently, and there were plenty like N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian replied, "We do still have opportunities to fight. Each month, gic hunters have to fight against gic lifeforms."


    Yang Ze sniffed. "Have to? What''s the difference with being in the fourth realm atrge, then? If you''re going to need to battle with gic lifeforms regardless, you might as well do it more freely."


    Sun Xiaowu scoffed. "I''m sure there''s more to it."


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian cried out, "All the hunters within lead great lives. It''s far better than the fourth realm atrge!"


    The members of Team Zenith were clearly dubious of that im.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian continued to try to convince them. "Given your strength, you''d easily rise to high positions. You wouldn''t need to fight against gic lifeforms, and you could return with whatever you imed from the treasuries. Given your strength, you''d be core members of the organization and earn the right to freely enter and leave that world at will!"


    The appearance of Team Zenith had all but bankrupted the Ancient Gods'' Abode.


    Eternal Sun had lost five of its members, while the Ancient Gods'' Abode had lost three¡ªbut those three members were part of its nowcking core offense.


    They had obtained nothing from the treasury and had even sacrificed their core members.


    The Ancient Gods'' Abode surely wouldn''t be a match for Eternal Sun or the Demonic Temple now.


    If they were to return like this, they would surely suffer, but...


    If N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian managed to recruit Zhang Lie and the others, it would be akin to recovering all thaty within the treasury. The others might have failed their missions, but it would have exceeded the conditions for sess. It would be rewarded with merit and obtain an elevated status in the organization.


    As to whether Zhang Lie and the others would be killed or end up as members of the Ancient Gods'' Abode, N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian didn''t care.


    In other words, N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian intended on selling out Zhang Lie and the others.


    Of course, the members of Team Zenith weren''t fools. Yang Ze was about to reply with a scathing retort when Zhang Lie said, "Alright."


    Everyone was taken aback. N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian cried out, "You''re willing to join the Ancient Gods'' Abode?!"


    "That''s not an issue, but I''d like to see whether this supposed world of yours really is real, and how strong your leader is."


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian smiled in delight. "I''m sure it won''t disappoint you!"


    Sun Mengmeng raised a hand. "Hold on. We need to discuss this further."


    Sun Mengmeng tugged on Zhang Lie''s sleeve and brought him aside. Everyone else from Team Zenith huddled close by. Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, what are you thinking? Are we really going to join the Ancient Gods'' Abode?"


    Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Why would we?"


    "Then why did you agree?" Sun Mengmeng was taken aback.


    "Don''t you want to see the world that the Ancient Gods'' Abode controls?"


    "I am interested, actually..." Yang Ze said.


    Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "I don''t care."


    Fang Yi rolled his eyes. "I''m not interested, either."


    Every member of Team Zenith had a different response. Zhang Lie smiled and asked, "Don''t you want to see if those gic hunters are really having a good time?"


    "What are you nning, Captain?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    "Although this N''tse-Kaambl said a lot of nonsense, we obtained one important piece of information: the Ancient Gods'' Abode, jointly attacked by Eternal Sun and the Demonic Pce, has lost much of its manpower. This is our best opportunity to enter their world. I''d like to have a chat with their leader, too."


    Sun Mengmeng understood what Zhang Lie meant immediately. "Captain, you intend on striking at the Ancient Gods'' Abode, then?"


    "That depends on what they''ve done in the past. If the gic hunters within really are protected, then we''ll let the Ancient Gods'' Abode slide by. I''ll make sure the hunters gain the ability to enter and leave the world at will. Most importantly, we need to make those organizations know that the hunters of the Milky Way aren''t an easy target for them."


    "And if the hunters aren''t doing well?" Sun Mengmeng asked.


    Zhang Lie shrugged. "What else? Then there''s no need to leave the Ancient Gods'' Abode around, is there?"


    Once Team Zenith hade to a consensus, they returned and replied to N''tse-Kaambl in the affirmative.


    "You must be tired from the fighting. Rest well while we reim the goods from the second warehouse."


    Zhou Ying stayed behind to take care of N''tse-Kaambl¡ªor, rather, to watch over it and prevent it from running away or making a mess.


    N''tse-Kaambl the Guardian really was tired after all that fighting, and didn''t have the energy to continue exploring the warehouse. She epted their ''favor'' and rested.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith headed toward the gic lifeform storage.


    That part of the warehouse was particrly cold. Bu Wentian had sh-frozen entire gic lifeforms and stored them within.


    There, they could see all sorts of frozen gic lifeforms on disy, almost as if they were in a museum for ice sculptures.


    There were so many disaster- and peak-grade lifeforms that all the hunters at a gathering point would be able to max out their disaster gene fragments.


    Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith headed deep into the storage, and were taken aback when they saw ten giant ice sculptures encased in a thickyer of ice. Despite all that, they could still feel tremendous vitality brimming from them.


    Sun Mengmeng gasped. "These are..."


    "Monarch-grade lifeforms," Zhang Lie said seriously.


    None of them had imagined that Bu Wentian''s warehouse would contain monarch-grade lifeforms.


    Yang Ze asked, "What should we do with them?"


    "At least for the monarch-grade lifeforms, we''ll break the ice and kill them immediately."


    Although the monarch-grade lifeforms were strong, they had been sh-frozen. They called for Zhou Ying to join them, then easily finished them off.


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade ckwind elf. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade ckwind elf, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade inkscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade inkscale leopard, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    [You sessfully killed the monarch-grade ckwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the monarch-grade ckwind mantis, you may receive one to ten monarch gene fragments.]


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!